SHADOWS OF KOREA Game Designer: James Armstrong Editor: Carson McGorry
Creative Consultants: Mark Grover, Carson McGorry, William Poole, Brian Shiel
Graphic Design and Layout: James Armstrong and Simeon Cogswell
Cultural Consultant: Noh Eun Sook
Cover Art: Rashed Al Akroka
First Printing: TBD
Interior Art: Rashed Al Akroka, Cazrael, Shai Daniel, Miska Fredman, Alex Garcia, Sehun Jeong, William Liberto, EvgenyM, Enmanuel Martinez Lima, Sonnaz, Dean Spencer, Teddy, Yoingco
Publisher: CRISPR Monkey Studios
ISBN: TBD
Beta v1.3, February 28, 2021
GeneFunk 2090
Contents Introduction.....................................................4 Timeline................................................................ 6 Part 1: The City of Busan...................................9 Four Major Powers................................................. 9 Clashing Criminal Kingdoms.................................. 9 Transgenic Hotspot................................................ 9 Hexie Stronghold................................................... 9 TNU (Tri Nation Union)................................... 9 Districts (Gu)........................................................ 10 Emergency Services........................................... 11 Buk-gu (북구).................................................11 Busanjin-gu (부산진구)...................................11 Dong-gu (동구).............................................. 12 Dongnae-gu (동래구)...................................... 12 Gangseo-gu (강서구)...................................... 12 Geumjeong-gu (금정구).................................. 12 Gijang-gu (연제구)......................................... 13 Haeundae-gu (해운대구)................................ 13 Jung-gu (중구)............................................... 13 Nam-gu (남구)............................................... 13 Saha-gu (사하구)............................................ 14 Sasang-gu (사상구)........................................ 14 Seo-gu (서구)................................................. 16 Suyeong-gu (수영구)...................................... 16 Yeongdo-gu (영도구)...................................... 16 Yeonje-gu (연제구)......................................... 16
Harbor of Busan....................................................16 Transportation......................................................17 Factions................................................................18 Amaranthians...................................................19 At Any Cost (AAC).............................................19 Busan Police Department (BPD)........................ 20 Cheong-Jeong....................................................21 City Hall............................................................21 Fukuoka Yakuza................................................21 Omnitech..........................................................21 Hexie............................................................... 22 Little Sparta...................................................... 22 Night Breed...................................................... 23 North Jopok...................................................... 23 Ronin International.......................................... 23 Shanghai Triad................................................. 23 Smiling Fish..................................................... 24 South Jopok...................................................... 24 Tri Nation Union (TNU)..................................... 24 Tzelem Elohim.................................................. 25 Vitruvian (Apollo Laboratories)......................... 25 Part 2: Non-Player Characters.......................... 27 Narrative NPCs..................................................... 27 Aldous Laplace................................................. 28 Bao Zhai........................................................... 29 Cao Cao............................................................ 30 Choi Eun Joo......................................................31 Daichi................................................................31
Feng................................................................. 33 Gwoesu............................................................ 34 Ji Young............................................................ 35 Junko Minami................................................... 35 Jungle Bungle................................................... 36 Junsu................................................................ 37 Kang Suk Chul.................................................. 37 Kyung Joon....................................................... 37 Patrick Snelly................................................... 38 Markus............................................................. 38 Maxim Lazovsky............................................... 39 Mayor Noh.......................................................40 Min Soo............................................................40 Miroslav...........................................................40 Mr. Badger.........................................................41 Mr. Quick..........................................................41 Olya Zietzev...................................................... 42 Qiaolian........................................................... 42 Sasha................................................................ 43 Seraph.............................................................. 44 Song Giduk....................................................... 45 Soo Jin.............................................................. 46 Sophia Choi...................................................... 46 The Stoker........................................................ 47 Tetsu................................................................ 48 Traktor and Timur............................................ 49 Yong Chul......................................................... 49 General NPCs....................................................... 50 Part 3: Encounters.......................................... 69 Random Encounters............................................. 69 Encounter Environments..................................... 69 Encounters with Cadres........................................ 69 Combat Encounters.............................................. 69 Part 4: Contracts............................................. 81 Blood for Blood ....................................................81 10 Feet Under Bar............................................. 82 Bust Some Mutts ................................................. 84 Roadside Assistance ............................................ 84 Crash Site......................................................... 85 Elite Bouncers Wanted......................................... 86 Pain Circus Night Club ..................................... 86 The Attack........................................................ 88 Hired Muscle Wanted........................................... 89 Busan Bamboozle.................................................90 NPC Breakdown.................................................91 SK Gas Station.................................................. 92 Oni Autobody................................................... 95 Min Soo's Apartment........................................ 96 Bar Gochu........................................................ 98 Assassination of Soo Jin.................................. 100 Baikal Bay.......................................................101 Bratva Controlled Docks..................................102 Homicide Deputies.............................................105 The Crime Scene............................................. 106
Pronatalax Facility ......................................... 108 Murder Bounty................................................... 114 Abducted Loved One........................................ 114 Finding Seraph................................................ 114 Storm Drains................................................... 115 Seraph's Lab..................................................... 118 Cattle Rustling.................................................... 125 Bratva Warehouse........................................... 125 Warehouse Security............................................128 The Raid..........................................................128 Package Courier..................................................129 The Robbery....................................................130 Dongsam Dong City Block ............................... 131 Intercept the Goods............................................. 134 Future Contracts................................................. 135 Part 5: New Rules...........................................137 New Class Archetypes......................................... 137 Biohacker - Cyberdoc....................................... 137 Codehacker - Neo.............................................139 Crook - Grifter................................................ 140 Engineer - Armor Jock..................................... 141 Gunfighter - Boomstick Maestro...................... 142 Hardcase - Bangmangi Smasher....................... 143 Samurai Daikōdo Bujutsu................................144 Suit - Operator.................................................144 New Genomes.....................................................146 Asura..............................................................146 Dokkaebi......................................................... 147 Haneul............................................................ 147 Oknytt.............................................................149 Namukkun......................................................150 New Goods and Services......................................150 New Upgrades..................................................... 154 New Feats...........................................................156 LAN Security....................................................... 157 Appendix A: Optional Hacking Rules..............158 Sample Logic Puzzles.......................................... 158 Appendix B: ................................................. 160
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Introduction his setting book is meant to provide a sandbox environment for your GeneFunk 2090 story, some sample contracts and battlemaps to get your feet wet in the city of Busan, and some new rules that capture the flavor of the region. Parts 1 through 4 are content for the setting, and meant for the GM. They contain spoilers for anyone playing a game in this setting. Part 5 contains new rules that can be useful for both the player and GM.
T
A Sandbox for Busan
Parts 1 through 3 are the sandbox sections of this book, focusing on the city of Busan, Korea. These sections provide details about the people, places, and factions that a cadre might come across while doing merc work in Busan. This includes a faction system, where cadres will earn reputations that will affect their long-term standings with the various competing powers of Busan. What they do, and who they do it for, will shape their place in Busan. Part 1 and 2 can be used as a reference for the contracts outlined in Part 4, or for planning your own stories in Busan. The random encounters outlined in part 3 can be used to immerse the cadre into immediate dramatic or violent conflicts. Having it set up like a sandbox is useful for when the players deviate from what you had planned for a story, providing context for whatever they might choose to do.
Interlinked Contracts
Part 4 contains a variety of local contracts for the cadre—enough to take the characters from level 1 to somewhere in the 6-8 range. Some of the contracts contain links with each other that can tie into larger narratives, while others are relatively stand-alone other than the effects they will have on faction relationships. GMs are encouraged to springboard off the narratives seeded by these contracts into larger stories if that suits the group’s playstyle. The cadre will make a variety of relationships, from friends to bitter enemies, by going through these contracts. Many contracts are mutually exclusive—two-sides of the same coin, offering a choice for which faction to work with.
New Mechanics
Part 5 contains rules for some new genomes, class archetypes, feats, upgrades, and other features that players and GMs can use to supplement the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook. Many of these new rules will relate to a Korean-specific setting.
4
Reference Abbreviations
Throughout this book, there will be references to page numbers in both this book and the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook. Shadows of Korea will be abbreviated as "SoK" and the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook will be abbreviated as "CRB".
Glossary of Terms
Below is a list of terms and abbreviations that are used in this book that might need some description. BPD. Busan Police Department, a private military corporation currently contracted by the city of Busan to handle law enforcement. Busan. The second biggest city in Korea, a port town just a stone's throw away from Fukuoka (Japan), Vladivostok (Russia), and Shanghai (China). Chaebol. A Korean-based corporation that is run by a Korean family lineage. The large subsidiaries of Hexie originating in Korea are all chaebol, which are themselves conglomerates of even smaller affiliate subsidiaries. Chimera. A novel digital mind created by fusing together mind-uploads from more than one person. Recently pioneered by Aldous Laplace while working for Pronatalax and still a relative trade secret. The process is now owned by Phoenix Unlimited. CRB. The GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook. Dong. A Korean neighborhood. Gu. A Korean administrative district within a large city, larger than a neighborhood, more analogous to a borough. Jopok. Korean gangsters, usually referring to organized crime, either North Jopok or South Jopok. Little Sparta. A neighborhood in Jung-gu that started as a housing project for military vets. It has since become a transgenic ghetto, primarily comprised of Spartan vets and their families. Psychomimetics. A field of research that studies mind-uploading and digital minds. A bottleneck of this research is the non-disclosure agreements any Phoenix Unlimited researcher signs, as the process is a monopoly trade secret. SoK. This book! Shadows of Korea.
// Introduction //
New to Game Mastering?
If you’re new to GMing, no worries! It’s fun to muddle through with the players. A GM is an author, an improvisational actor, and a referee all rolled into a unique gaming experience. But the players play just as important a role, and it’s on everyone to make a good experience at your table. The principles below can be useful guidelines. You may not be able to achieve all of these aims in every session, but they are useful guidelines— especially the one about having fun! The purpose is to have fun. The golden rule. It’s a shared experience between you and the players. Even though you will be challenging the players throughout the game, this should never be considered adversarial (unless that’s everyone’s fun). Be clear about the tenets of your game. There is no right or wrong here so long as everyone is enjoying themselves. If violence and mayhem are your group's preference, blast away. If you want violence to have real and lasting consequences, that’s good too—just make sure everyone understands that this is the case. During character creation, ask your players what they want in a game together, so everyone is on the same page. Co-create the expectations. Be consistent. Follow the rules the same way every time. If you make a change, get agreement on it before or after a session. Players can understandably get frustrated when something they want to do doesn’t work like it had earlier in the game. That said, don’t be afraid to wing a rule in the moment, instead of wasting valuable time searching for it. Just make a note and after the game; when you find the rule, inform the players as to how it will work in the future. Involve all the players. You know your players and what they want (if you don’t, ask), and they may all have different desires. Ensure that each player shares your attention equally. Moreover, try to not punish characters for what they are good at. One secret to being a good Game Master is to let the players do what they do well but challenge them where they are weak. This has the additional benefit of encouraging teamwork as they cover for each other’s deficiencies. Flexible improvisation helps facilitate the story. Maybe you have something planned, and the players aren’t taking your bait, but they are talking as if something else is happening. Be flexible and use their ideas. Maybe this requires you to change the location of the henchmen you had waiting in ambush down by the docks to be at the office building that these characters are investigating instead.
// Shadows of Korea //
5
Timeline
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
What follows is an abbreviated account of some important technological and political events that occurred in between now and the time the game takes place in Korea.
2030--2040 Taboo Optimization. While it becomes taboo in Korean culture to genetically optimize children, it becomes a secret widespread practice among families who can afford it, since there is no way to detect it. Headlines often report the booming optimization business, but few own up to using it. Fuel Cell Boom. With its low geographic area to high population density ratio, Korea is one of the first countries to widely adopt hydrogen fuel cell gas stations, and their automotive companies are amongst the first to mass produce these cars in the late 2030s.
2041-- 2050 The First Corporate Wars. The three main chaebol corporate families of Korea take this time to ally with each other, both fiscally and through arranged marriages. Post-plague Korea manages to rebuild its economy more successfully than other countries due to the intense nationalistic drive of the merged chaebols. Tri-Nation Friction. The international corporate competition between China, Japan, and Korea is some of the fiercest manifestations of the corporate wars there is. Fueled by the historical tensions between the three, incredible amounts of blood is shed in their angling for dominance. The economic battles mirror the public opinion and without their mutual memberships with Aegis, war would have surely occurred.
2051-- 2060 Unification of Korea. In 2054, North Korea is peacefully reunited with South Korea after a complete collapse of North Korea’s economy and a public revolt. The new unified Korea suffers the expected economic drain as South Korea’s wealth is partially reallocated to the integration of North Korea’s population. Rise of the North Jopok. Many of the alienated soldiers and secret service of former North Korea constitutes a new mafia, the North Jopok, one of the world’s largest crime syndicates. Transnational Identity. The corporate powers of China, Japan, and Korea start to transcend their individual national identities, allowing them to cooperate with each other to face the mounting threats of competition from outside of East Asia. Over the coming years, marketing teams work magic on public opinion, and
6
a trans-national identity begins to emerge between the three countries, unified against external enemies. Thus, the seed for Hexie is planted. Busan Fukuoka Tunnel. Part of this transnational identity emerges as the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel, an underground highway beneath the sea that spans over 200 kilometers. It takes almost ten years to complete, and greatly enhances trade between Japan and Korea. The two cities start to take on aspects of each other’s culture and people, including South Jopok in Japan and Yakuza in Busan.
2061-- 2070 Formation of Hexie. By 2063, the relationship between China, Japan, and Korea is made manifest by their shared syndicate, Hexie: a conglomeration between all of their major corporations. Nationalism remains strong in the three parent nations, but their trans-national identity smooths things over. Hexie invests a great deal of resources in bridging the three countries, mostly through marketing and the Tri-Nation Union. The Tri-Nation Union. The TNU emerges as a political body that governs trade between the three nations as well as external trading partners. The members of this trade coalition are all former executives in one or more of the large Hexie subsidiaries, zaibatsu, or chaebol families. It is an organization that manifests Hexie’s goals from the outset, by Hexie’s design. Each of the three nations contribute members from their respective corporate lineages, and over the years they function with increasing unity towards their ultimate goal of profit. They even develop a transnational currency called the “hexie”, dissolving any pretense of separation between government and corporate influence. Plummeting Birth Rate. The birth rate of Korea falls well below 1 due to a variety of factors, including the increased prevalence of relationships with robots and anthroids. Government officials scramble to create incentives and policies to boost population replacement, but none are sufficient. Crèche Culture. Already deep into the industry of breeding transgenic humans, Korea’s production intensifies once the TNU implements crèches as a solution to the low birth rate problem. Laws are passed that allow the TNU, Hexie, and Korea to act as legal guardians for transgenic children birthed and raised in crèches. A new generation of genetically engineered Koreans is born, and the falling birth rate is corrected through these birthing facilities. Busan Police Department Forms. With the reimplementation of antitrust laws, a savvy entrepreneur sets up a new private military corporation and beats out
// Introduction //
Ronin International to gain the exclusive contract as Busan’s law enforcement. Rumors claim that the BPD is an enforcement wing for Hexie, but no conclusive evidence has emerged to back it up.
2071--2080 Armored Response Unit. The BPD develops the ARU to handle especially dangerous threats that emerge from cybernetic enhancement and bioengineering. They become famous throughout Korea, and other megacities recruit their services for national threats. North Jopok Expansion. The North Jopok becomes the dominant organized crime syndicate in Korea. There are estimated to be over a million members, and they represent around 100 billion satoshi of annual income through illicit trade. Busan stands alone as the megacity where they lack dominance, due to the iron grip of the “Adjuma”, Choi Eun Joo, and her South Jopok.
// Shadows of Korea //
2081-- 2090 Transgenic Housing Projects. Transgenic military veterans and workers from the first corporate wars protest and public sentiment to recognize their service manifests as government housing projects built specifically for transgenic workers and soldiers. "Little Spartas" pop up throughout Korea. Being areas of concentrated poverty, veteran genetically engineered soldiers, and shoddy construction, these ghettos mostly end up being hotspots for crime and violence. Phoenix Unlimited Seoul Facility. After the terrorist attack in Austin, the Seoul Phoenix Unlimited facility is built in 2088. Hub of Human Genetic Engineering. Korea has a higher proportion of genetically modified humans than any other nation on the planet. There are over 40 million genetically modified humans in a population of 77 million. There are three times the global average number of transgenic humans as well, courtesy of the booming crèche culture and global demand. There are popular nationalistic movements protesting the production of transgenic humans and genoism is common. In contrast, certain jobs are very difficult to obtain without genetic enhancement or specialization of some type or another.
7
Part 1: The city of Busan he bustling port city of Busan, Korea, is filled with the sorts of intrigue, commerce, and crime that has come to be expected of trade-node cities. Though it is a megacity by itself, with over 10 million inhabitants, it is also the southern part of the Pyongbus megalopolis, the continuous urban sprawl snaking through valleys from Busan on the Southern coast all the way to Pyongyang in the North. Like the rest of Korea, Busan is a center for technological innovation, particularly with biotech and electronics.
T
Four Major Powers Despite competition, four dominant factions are undisputed bastions of local influence in Busan. City hall, run by Mayor Noh, is the seat of governmental and political power. He has the power of law behind him and is more than willing to bind up corporations in red tape or crack down on criminal factions if he feels the city needs it. The Busan Police Department, led by Commissioner Song Giduk, is a private military corporation that currently has an exclusive contract with city hall for Busan’s police work. With a roster of officers numbering in the tens of thousands, Giduk is more than willing to give lessons in power. South Jopok, headed by the “adjuma” Choi Eun Joo, are the lords and ladies of Busan’s underworld, the Hyun crime family. She tolerates other criminal factions but stomps out any opposition that gets too ambitious. Hexie is the dominant transnational corporation, its influence woven throughout China, Korea, and Japan. Hexie does everything it can to maintain and expand profit and influence in Busan.
Clashing Criminal Kingdoms Busan is a hotbed of criminal activity, with six different major crime syndicates constantly trying to expand their borders in a zero-sum game with their competition. North Jopok, Fukuoka Yakuza, Vladivostok Bratva, and a Shanghai Triad all vie to displace the South Jopok as the dominant criminal power. While the factions involved in Busan's underworld generally have understandings with each other, violent skirmishes over turf and trade still occur very regularly and build tensions. Busan is a tightly coiled spring, ready to explode into a full on gang war between the criminal factions. Control of the docks and the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel, which allow for quick imports and exports of illicit goods, are the most hotly contested areas.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
Transgenic Hotspot Busan has a very sizable transgenic human population—three times the global average—and Korea in general has a booming biotech industry. Large ghettos of transgenic humans from Russian, Chinese, and Korean descent are part of the multicultural tapestry of this diverse seaside megacity. There are over 1 million transgenic humans in Busan, which is a source of genoism and tension. Transgenic birthing facilities and crèches are common in this city.
Hexie Stronghold Of the Big Nine, Hexie is by far the dominant corporate presence throughout Korea, Busan being no exception. A subsidiary of Apollo Laboratories called Vitruvian is seeking to make inroads into this lucrative port city, but Hexie will apply every power they can to prevent this from happening. Hexie has several prominent subsidiaries based in Busan, such as: Proteome Diversified. A biotech R&D company specializing in transgenic life (including humans). SK-Unity. A telecommunications, electronics and software company SAIC-Hyundai Conglomerate. An automotive and aeronautics corporation.
TNU
( Tri Nation Union) Union )
Along with Japan and China, Korea is one of the three member nations of the eastern economic juggernaut that is the TNU. While it acts independently of any particular corporation in theory, in practice this trade confederation largely acts as the political wing of Hexie. Vitruvian is currently applying for trade contracts in the TNU and is making headway, marking a rare case of tension between the TNU and Hexie. Laws. The TNU has the most liberal policies in the world regarding the production of transgenic life. Even basic firearms require registration here, and military weapons are banned. Narcotics, while common, are mostly illegal here as well.
9
Intro
Districts ( Gu Gu))
Busan Locations 1. Gaedeok Island 2. Little Shanghai 3. New Port 4. Gimhae Airport 5. Ilsuk Island 6. Dadepo Port 7. Gamcheon Port 8. Geulimja Theatre 9. Honhyeol dong 10. Cheong Jeong stronghold 11. Seogu Port 12. Little Sparta 13. Busan Port Authority 14. Yama Sushi (Yakuza stronghold) 15. Dongsam dong 16. Busan-Fukuoka Tunnel
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
17. North Port 18. Little Russia 19. Busan Train Station 20. Seomyun commercial and transport hub 21. University District 22. City hall 23. BPD Headquarters 24. Dongnae Spa 25. Choi Eun Joo's home 26. Busan National University 27. Vitruvian Busan Headquarters 28. Proteome Diversified 29. Hoedong water reservoir 30. Haeundae Aquarium 31. Big Nine Towers 32. Jeonsa Academy
Busan has fifteen major administrative districts, called gu in Korean, each with their own pool of money, local government, interests, industries, and characters. They are like microcities, or boroughs. Different criminal, political, and corporate factions might have different levels of control amongst the various gu.
Appendices
GIJANG
Guemjong 26
27
Buk
32 29 28
dongnae 24 25
4 Gangseo
sasang 9 8
5
2
saha 3
1
10
6
haeundae yeonje 31 23 Busanjin 22 suyeong 30 20
21 19 nam dong seo 18 17 Jung 13 12 10 ye 11 on 7 gd15 14 o 16
// City of Busan //
Disctrict Emergency Services level
Description
The service is completely absent in this gu and will have to be privately arranged through an adjacent gu.
1
A basic level of service that is easily overwhelmed in difficult situations. Wait times for emergency services could be hours, and they may not arrive at all in certain areas. Per 100,000 people it means 50 police officers, 10 firefighters, 4 paramedics, and 1 half-time doctor.
2
A level of service that is adequate for most situations, but abnormal events put it out of its depth. Wait times could be minutes to hours, depending on the circumstances. Per 100,000 people it means 250 police officers, 50 firefighters, 20 paramedics, and 2 doctors.
3
These services can address most situations, but exceptional disasters or crimes can require more specialized resources and training. Wait times tend to be less than an hour and could be as fast as a few minutes. Per 100,000 people it means 500 police officers, 100 firefighters, 40 paramedics and 4 doctors.
4
This level of service can accommodate most situations—even major disasters and high-powered criminal violence. Wait times tend to be less than 15 minutes, but certain situations can cause it to be longer. Per 100,000 people it means 750 police officers, 200 firefighters, 60 paramedics and 6 doctors.
5
A comprehensive and elite level of service that can handle almost any situation independently. Emergency service will likely arrive within minutes. Per 100,000 people it means 1,000 police officers, 200 firefighters, 80 paramedics, and 8 doctors.
Emergency Services
The bright side of being in an area with low emergency services is that it can be very easy to do criminal activities. The support a particular level of emergency service provides is described in the District Emergency Services table.
Buk-gu (북구)
Area (km2): 39 Population: ~910,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Bridge to northern Gangseo-gu. Buk-gu translates literally to “North District,” and is the most north central neighborhood in Busan. The entire eastern portion of this district is undeveloped mountain, with the urban areas along the Nakdong river. A bridge across the river connects it to northern Gangseo-gu. There are rumors of both secret Hexie labs and North Jopok dens of debauchery in the mountain regions here. Some people have made wild claims about a “Kuen-Dokkaebi”, an ogre-like man roaming the rural forest (SoK, ???).
Busanjin-gu (부산진구)
Area (km2): 30 Population: ~1,100,000 Emergency Services: 5 Places of Note: Seomyeon commercial region, train station. Busanjin-gu is the city center. A major hub of entertainment, shopping, and commerce. The Seomyeon commercial area houses some of the top fashion designers in the world, numerous underground malls, a major subway station hub, and a maglev train station to other cities. While once a traditional seafood market, Bujeon Market no longer caters to the working people of the sea but is rather a prestigious gu location for the rich, powerful, and famous to eat and shop. Hexie has great investments in this area, and it is well guarded by authorities. There has been an unusual amount of drug overdoses in this district as of late, with atypical victims: mostly rich fashionistas, media personalities, and models. Rumor has it that they are the result of a new designer drug—some type of nootropic.
Busan has privatized firefighting, ambulance, hospital, and police services. The service that a particular district has reflects the district’s mean income, and richer neighborhoods tend to get far better coverage than poorer ones. Mosaic contracts often get posted for emergency situations that a district finds itself unequipped to deal with. City hall might also coordinate services from one gu to another for larger emergencies.
// Shadows of Korea //
11
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Dong-gu (동구)
Area (km2): 10 Population: ~280,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Busan train station, Russiatown, section of North Port, Baikal Bay hotel, Lux Tower. One of the smaller neighborhoods but also one of the most important when it comes to shipping. Much of North Port is in this district, and an incredible amount of goods, materials, and people enter and exit the country at this point. It has a well-earned reputation for being seedy and dangerous, and you can get almost anything you want here for the right price. The infamous Russiatown is located here, which is the center of power for the Vladivostok Bratva, who also control a sizable section of the docks in this region. South Jopok control areas of the dock closer to Nam-gu, and this turf has a lot of tension between these two factions. All illegal Russian imports and exports come through either this district or northern Jung-gu. There have been many reports of missing children in this district, but the BPD lack the resources to properly investigate.
Appendices
Dongnae-gu (동래구)
Area (km2): 17 Population: ~800,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Dongnae Spa, Choi Eun Joo’s home. Located in the north central area of Busan, Dongnae-gu is home to a variety of people across the spectrum. It is not so rich as to be considered affluent, but not so poor as to be a slum. The people of Dongnae are proud of the many historical sites in the area, which seem to give the local inhabitants a sense of community. The luxurious Dongnae Spa is a hidden gem amidst the clamor and busyness of the urban jungle, and kings of old Korea have bathed in these spring waters. The spa is firmly controlled by Hexie and the South Jopok, and it is a very commonly used meeting place for powerful corporate and criminal interests to make deals and hash things out. Busan’s South Jopok boss, Choi Eun Joo, has her highly secure but modest home here. In the past year there have been several reports in this district of people going missing for a day or two, only to return with minor amnesia and no explanation for their friends and families. Some families report that their loved ones come back different somehow. Social media is abuzz with conspiracy theories, but officials say it is nothing more than binge-drinking.
12
Gangseo-gu (강서구)
Area (km2): 182 Population: ~370,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Gimhae Airport, Gadeok Island, New Port, Little Shanghai. This enormous district is situated west of the Nakdong River. Gimhae International Airport and New Port make it an important hub for international travel. The airport is controlled by Hexie, and any efforts by any other faction to gain influence here are swiftly dealt with. A few mountain temples have been preserved within the ever-present megalopolis. Gadeok Island is largely rural, and bridges connect it to both the mainland and Geoje Island, further west of Busan. A portion of coastal land by the docks is called Little Shanghai due to the large number of Chinese workers that live there. New Port is an important hub for international shipping between China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. It is the number one stop for Chinese imports and exports to and from Korea. The Shanghai triad and South Jopok both have a presence at this port, and currently have an understanding mediated through Hexie. There are legends of a literal Chinese dragon who runs the Busan-Shanghai triad and that they live in one of the mountain temples that has been turned into a Triad stronghold.
Geumjeong-gu (금정구)
Area (km2): 65 Population: ~750,000 Emergency Services: 5 Places of Note: Busan National University, Vitruvian Busan headquarters and lab, Proteome Diversified lab, several transgenic crèches, Hoedong water reservoir. This northeastern neighborhood is Busan’s education and research hub. Home to Busan National University and other prestigious learning institutes, it is no surprise that small and large corporations alike have set up their R&D divisions in this spot. Apollo Lab’s Vitruvian facility is here, as is Hexie’s Proteome Diversified. The Amaranthians also wield power here, drawing upon individual researchers belonging to a variety of labs. There are several transgenic crèches and training academies here, owned and operated by Proteome Diversified. Rumor has it that a new Spartan genome is on the horizon—one that would eclipse older genomes in their capabilities, and many biotech industries and governments are paying close attention with their corporate espionage in full-gear. The Hoedong water reservoir is a strategic location that supplies the city’s wa-
// City of Busan //
ter supply. It is also a transportation hub for buses and trains traveling north along the east coast, eventually to Vladivostok. The body of one of the water treatment plant managers was recently found floating face down in the reservoir, his throat torn out. Despite the high police services here, the BPD don’t seem to be highly motivated to investigate.
Gijang-gu (연제구)
Area (km2): 218 Population: ~500,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Jeonsa Academy. This enormous northern region is the most rural area of all Busan. It is largely forested hill lands with patches of agricultural areas and coastal fisheries. Ronin International has a samurai academy here called Jeonsa Academy, the only one in all Korea. Jeonsa Academy specializes in daikōdo—fighting with diplomacy and a fierce social presence. Locals say there are abnormally large predators in these woods— larger than mere black bears—and that Jeonsa Academy uses them for training.
Haeundae-gu (해운대구)
Area (km2): 51 Population: ~1,200,000 Emergency Services: 5 Places of Note: Big Nine corporate towers, Haeundae Beach, Haeundae Aquarium. An affluent beachfront neighborhood, Haeundae-gu is one of the most desirable and prestigious locales for the world's rich and powerful. Essentially a gated community, people entering this gu need to prove that they either live or have a reason for being there. Glass skyscrapers are the norm as people live and work in some of the tallest buildings in the country. The famous Haeundae Beach is now exclusive real estate for the hotels and resorts which line its sandy shores. Some of the finest chefs in the world prepare food here, and all of the Big Nine syndicates have corporate towers here as a sign of prestige. The world’s largest aquarium is also here, containing all manners of transgenic marine life with guided tours being given by various aquatic transgenic humans. A highly publicized attempt to break into the Hexie tower has recently occurred, with the offending cadre naming Apollo Laboratories as their employer.
// Shadows of Korea //
Jung-gu (중구)
Area (km2): 3 Population: ~140,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Section of Old North Port, Little Sparta, Spartan crèches and military academy, new crèche for novel Spartan genome (under construction). At barely three square kilometers, Jung-gu is small but important. Adjacent to the sea, it is home to many export and import businesses. Its smaller harbor is an easier route to get things into and out of the city, so long as you know the right people. The northern section of the docks in this district is controlled by Bratva, while South Jopok controls the rest. It is a site of considerable violence between the two groups as they vie for greater port control. It is also where Little Sparta is—a transgenic ghetto mostly composed of Spartan genome soldiers or veterans. Several Spartan crèches and an associated military academy can also be found here, courtesy of Proteome Diversified. A new crèche is currently under construction and word on the street is that it will raise kids of an entirely novel Spartan genome.
Nam-gu (남구)
Area (km2): 27 Population: ~850,000 Emergency Services: 3 Places of Note: Sections Old North Port, financial and academic institutions. Literally translated as the “South Neighborhood,” Nam-gu is a large peninsula that makes up much of the Busan harbor. This location is known for its high population density, financial district, universities, and cultural centers, such as the United Nations Memorial Cemetery. Seven small islands are situated just off the neighborhood’s shores. The official position is that they are uninhabited, but those in the know realize that there is more than meets the eye.
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
14
Honhyeol Dong Locations
Saha-gu (사하구)
Area (km2): 42 Population: ~1,050,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Gamcheon Port, ship repair yard, Dadepo Port, Eulsukdo Island. This coastal neighborhood is on the western side of the city. While it’s hard to find any nature in the metropolis that is Busan, this place has more trees than anywhere else in the city, with one fifth of the land dedicated to forest preservation. This is especially true on Eulsukdo Island, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges. Saha-gu is also known as a fish and agricultural hub. Both the north part of Gamcheon Port and the entirety of Daedepo Port are here, and are controlled by South Jopok. Most of the food that comes into the city comes through Saha-gu first. Coastal catches have been pretty poor as of late. While they may simply be “big fish” tales, local fishermen have reported a sea monster plaguing their boats.
Sasang-gu (사상구)
Area (km2): 36 Population: ~900,000 Emergency Services: 1 Places of Note: Honhyeol dong, Bar Gochu, Oni Autobody, Pain Circus, Pajeon Storage, Protanalax, Ten Feet Under, Geulimja Theatre Located in the lower southwest side of the city, Sasang-gu is home to many of the city's poor, derelicts, delinquents, ne’er do wells, and mutts. While a roughand-tumble kind of place, the locals look out for each other. If you need to find something and don’t want it known, Sasang may be the place for such inquiries. Sasang-gu is also the main stronghold for the Night Breed, a gang of biohacked vampires part of a larger vampire subculture in Busan. They run business out of the Geulimja stage theatre and the Pain Circus nightclub. The murder rate in Sasang-gu has recently spiked, particularly among the transgenic population. The almost utter lack of emergency services here means that the crime rate tends to be quite high—you can get away with things here that you couldn’t in other parts of the city. Cadres can find a great deal of work in this district. Honhyeol dong. A notable gated neighborhood of Sasang-gu is a transgenic ghetto called Honhyeol dong, which has hundreds of thousands of transgenic humans. Many buildings here aren't built up to code and the narrow streets can only accommodate oneway traffic from cars, so most people get around here on foot or by motorcycles and mopeds. This area has the highest homicide rate in all Busan, and while it does fall under the limited contract with the BPD that
1. Bar Gochu 2. Oni Autobody 3. Pronatalax facility 4. Ten Feet Under bar 5. Pajeon Storage 6. Min Soo's apartment 7. Soo Jin's apartment 8. Pain Circus club
9. Honhyeol market 10. BPD station 11. Cao Cao's scrapyard 12. Group of Smiling Fish 13. Blockchain Boys turf 14. Paek Family turf 15. Trash Bloods turf 16. Yamakazi Kings turf
Sasang-gu has, the choked streets and gates often don't allow for speedy response times for an already minimal service level. Officially this area is continuous with the rest of Sasang-gu, but it is encapsulated by a 3-meter wall and dozens of entry gates monitored by local gangs, especially the Smiling Fish. The gates aren't typically locked, but if you look like you don't belong, a group of thugs might try to shake you down with an entry fee. City hall sees this area as a blight on the city, but every restoration project attempted thus far has been a short-lived disaster, always reverting to the urban jungle it was before. This neighborhood is the wild west of Busan. This is a great place for urban slum random encounters (S0K, p. ???). Gangs of Honhyeol dong. The Smiling Fish gang are the dominant force here, with thousands of members, but other smaller gangs have claimed turf as well. Blockchain Boys. A gang of dozens of codehackers, biohackers, and engineers. They prefer to fight through manipulation and assassination rather than street warfare and are flexible with turf. They are led by an adept hacker named Hexadecimal (CRB, p. 278). Paek Family. There are hundreds in the Paek Family, all blood related. They are violent opportunistic criminals, dabbling in everything. Paeks aggressively guard their territory, charging tolls for strangers, but allow Smiling Fish through to avoid gang war. Their commander is a gang leader named Paek Sung Ho (CRB, p. 283). Trash Bloods. These young punks are all mutts and target non-transgenic people with violence for fun. The Smiling Fish are keeping an eye on them, worried about how wantonly brutal they are. A transgenic bruiser named Stomper runs the gang (SoK, p. ???). Yamakazi Kings. A parkour gang that happily snatches purses and other expensive small items. They focus equally on their athletics and their criminal enterprise. It's comprised of nine parkour aces (SoK, p. ???), and the leader is named Impala (+2 Dex, 55 hp).
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// City of Busan //
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// Shadows of Korea //
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Seo-gu (서구)
Area (km2): 14 Population: ~340,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Gamcheon Port (southwest side), Seo-gu Port (coastal east side). Seo-gu is a long, narrow peninsula-like gu that runs north to south on the western side of the city. Its long coastline makes it a popular place for smuggling. That said, it is tightly controlled by the Cheong-Jong gang, who don’t take kindly to anyone other than themselves bringing things in and out of the city (especially transgenics). While they have an understanding with the South Jopok, this neighborhood is so tightly controlled by the Cheong-Jeong that most anyone coming or going is tracked, and illicit or unapproved activities do not go unnoticed. It’s rumored that a shipment of banned bioweapons has made its way into the port.
Suyeong-gu (수영구)
Area (km2): 10 Population: ~550,000 Emergency Services: 3 Places of Note: Gwangan Bridge. Situated between Haeundae-gu and Nam-gu, this small but highly dense district rests in a shallow bay on the eastern side of the city. Four bridges over the Suyeong river connect it to Haendae-gu. One enormous bridge in particular, Gwangan Bridge, is a 7-kilometer suspension bridge spanning over the bay and connecting to both Haeundae-gu and Nam-gu. Gwangalli Beach is a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike. With a stunning view of the Gwangan Bridge, restaurants and bars, and boutiques and shops, there leisure activity aplenty. Behind the fun, Suyeong is a combination of intertwined residential and business high rises. Authorities are concerned that the bridge will be targeted by terrorist activity.
Yeongdo-gu (영도구)
Area (km2): 14 Population: ~375,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Busan-Fukuoka Tunnel, Old North Port, Dongsam-dong, Yama Sushi. The island. Yeongdo-gu is separate from the city’s mainland by a freeway that was a simple bridge once in earlier times. This gives Youngdo-gu a feel very different from the rest of the city, which is exacerbated by the constant turf war between the Fukuoka Yakuza and the South Jopok. The northeast coastal portion of the island is largely part of North Port, and is primarily controlled by the South Jopok, though the Yakuza have
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a small influence there as well. Dongsam-dong is a particularly lawless area that is the center of a Yakuza and South Jopok turf war. Law enforcement tends to avoid it and let the skirmishes play out, as their past attempts at getting involved were disastrous. Both criminal factions have a no-drone truce in this neighborhood, and any drones flying more than 6 meters high are shot down by thugs from either side. The Busan-Fukuoka undersea tunnel entrance is on this island, making this valuable turf for imports and exports. The Yakuza have the strongest presence in all Korea in this district, and Tetsuo runs business out of Yama Sushi.
Yeonje-gu (연제구)
Area (km2): 12 Population: ~620,000 Emergency Services: 2 Places of Note: Busan-Fukuoka Tunnel, Old North Port, Dongsamdong. Located in the heart of the city, the home of city hall, Yeonje is the political and bureaucratic center of the city. Given its proximity to the political and municipal levers of power, Yeonje is hotly contested by many of the competing factions within the city. Bribery, blackmail, and assassination are the bread and butter of life here. Despite the high police presence, especially skilled cadres can often find high-paying work here. The director of the Busan Port Authority was recently fired due to a scandal, and there are questions about the allegiances of the new director.
Harbor of Busan The harbor of Busan describes a large hub of ports, spanning across over 15 kilometers of coast through Seo-gu, Saha-gu, Jung-gu, Dong-gu, and Nam-gu. City hall manages the legal side of things through the Busan Port Authority (BPA), but it is rife with corruption from Hexie corporate interest and illegal commerce. Exports tend to be Hexie-manufactured transgenic animals and humans, electronics, ships, and automobiles. Imports tend to be raw materials, fuel, automobiles, weapons, and drugs. Various crime syndicates are constantly warring for turf in the harbor as it allows them to conduct black market imports and exports. They use bribery, blackmail, direct employment, and physical coercion to get the dock workers on the right page. South Jopok controls the lion’s share and generally have a mutual understanding with Hexie and the BPA stretching back decades. Vladivostok Bratva control portions around Russia Town, and the Fukuoka Yakuza have a small foothold of the docks of northeast Yeongdo-gu.
// City of Busan //
Transportation
1. New port 2. daedepo port 3. Gimcheon Port 4. Seogu port 5. North Port
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Dadepo Port
Located in Saha-gu, this smaller port is controlled by South Jopok, and mostly hosts smaller fishing boats specializing in coastal fishing.
Gamcheon Port
This port is mostly in Saha-gu, with a south-eastern portion in Seo-gu. It supports cargo docks and vessels as well as deep-sea fishing vessels. It also has a ship repair yard. It is controlled by South Jopok.
New Port
This modern area of Gangseo-gu can handle the enormous modern ships of 2090 and is a trade center between China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. The Shanghai Triad and South Jopok share control of this port, though neither is happy about it. Hexie plays the role of peacekeeper between the two.
North Port
By far the largest port, running along coastal areas of Yeongdo-gu, Jung-gu, Dong-gu, and Nam-gu. It has both cargo and container facilities as well as international passenger services for ferries and ships. The Busan naval base is here, in Nam-gu. The North port also happens to be the most hotly-contested section amongst the crime syndicates. The Vladivostok Bratva have majority control over the docks in southern Dong-gu and a bit of Jung-gu, being on the edge of “Russia Town”. The Fukuoka Yakuza have a small foothold of the docks of northeast Yeongdo-gu. The South Jopok controls the rest.
Seo-gu Port
While smaller than the North Port, Seo-gu port is the largest fishing operation in Korea. Control of the port is split between South Jopok and the Cheong-Jeong.
// Shadows of Korea //
Various factions vie for control over different spheres of Busan’s transportation, with most of it falling into the hands of city hall and the Busan Police Department (BPD). People with power over these methods of transport can generally restrict or deny access to services, skip stops or alter routes, confiscate stored luggage, or even detain passengers in some cases.
Transport by boats and ferries to surrounding countries and other coastal cities in Korea can be purchased. Most of them depart from the North Port (see above). Common destinations are Vladivostok, Fukuoka, Taipei, and Shanghai. The BPD, Hexie, city hall (through the BPA) and South Jopok have power, with the Vladivostok Bratva having influence on ships coming to and from Russia. While pirates are not rampant, hijacking and pillaging of ships is not unheard of.
Subway
Entrances to the maglev subway can be found on almost every block and it connects the entirety of the city with quick and easy transport, as the trains move at an average speed of 100 kph. City Hall and the BPD have official power here, and whatever criminal organization happens to control the turf of a particular subway stop has unofficial power at that stop.
Trains
Most intercity civilian traffic to and from Busan comes by train. The Hexie-owned Beongae maglev line travels at over 600 kph and can get to Seoul in less than two hours, or Pyongyang in three. Hexie has power over the trains, with city hall and the BPD having official power at Busan Station (in Dong-gu), and South Jopok and Vladivostok Bratva having unofficial power. Some trains on these lines also transport commercial goods within the country, which means they are occasional targets for robberies.
Bridges
Busan includes many bridges that cross bays or connect islands to the mainland. City hall controls these bridges officially, though the BPD has the power to restrict them and whatever crime syndicate that has influence in the connected turf often have corrupted both attendants working for them.
Busan-Fukuoka Tunnel
This is the most important hub of commerce between Japan and Korea. City hall and the BPD have official control of the Busan end, but South Jopok perhaps
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
even more unofficial power. The Yakuza have control over the Fukuoka end of the tunnel, giving them leverage in Busan. Despite minor squabbles and occasional violence, they currently have an arrangement with South Jopok, where each is able to import and export goods in each other’s respective countries. However, the Yakuza want full control over the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel, and any moves to further this goal may upset their uneasy alliance with the Koreans. Hexie is the trump-card for the tunnel, having enormous influence in both Korea and Japan, and they can make whatever they want happen with this tunnel.
Factions Busan is filled with different entrenched factions, each with their own ambitions, alliances, areas of control, and representatives. While contracts are often posted on Mosaic by individuals, it is much more common that the cadre will be working for (and possibly against) a faction when they take a contract. Cadres may be freelancers, but they still earn reputations and make relationships through the course of their work. Who they choose to work for can color their future.
Part III. Encounters
Faction ratings PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
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Rating Description 5
You’re practically family and can boss around lower or even some medium ranking members. You gain a +25% bonus to all contract payments from that faction, and a 25% discount on all purchases from them. They will provide you refuge, protection, information, and favors. They may occasionally send you gifts.
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You’re solid allies at this point, and can even boss around lower ranking members. You gain a +20% bonus to all contract payments from that faction and a 20% discount on all purchases from them. They will provide shelter and safe houses unless the danger is too much. They’ll share some information freely and are happy to grant certain favors.
3
You’re considered friends of the faction and are welcome to conduct any business you like on their turf, no questions asked. They are willing to provide some refuge to you, especially against rival factions. You gain a +15% bonus to all contract payments from that faction and a 15% discount on all purchases from them.
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You’re welcome on their turf and can freely conduct cadre business there as long as you give them a heads-up if you’re conducting business there. You gain a +10% bonus to all contract payments from that faction and a 10% discount on all purchases from them.
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You’ve made some inroads with them, and gain a +5% bonus to all contract payments from that faction and a 5% discount on all purchases from them.
They can take you or leave you.
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You’ve made a bad impression. They’re willing to work with you, but offer 5% less on contracts and charge you 5% more on purchases.
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They downright don’t like you and it is obvious in dealing with them. They’re willing to work with you, but offer 10% less on contracts and charge you 10% more on purchases. You are more likely to get into scuffles with them on their turf unless you’re working for them.
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You’re considered enemies. It’s not a bridge too far to repair the damages, so they are willing to work together, but offer 20% less on contracts and charge you 20% more on purchases. You aren’t allowed to do business on their turf without permission.
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They feel betrayed and will work with you only if you take a 50% pay cut to repair your relationship. They won’t sell to you, and conducting business on their turf will cause waves, unless it is officially sanctioned. You have one more chance to get back in their good-graces.
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You are despised by them and getting rid of you is one of their higher priorities. They will send hit squads after you whenever they can and going into their turf will likely involve violent resistance. They refuse to offer you contracts.
// City of Busan //
Faction Rating Conflict between factions often occurs by proxy, through hired cadres. Factions tend to view cadres just as responsible for their actions as the people contracting them out. Being a cat’s paw does not provide immunity from getting in a faction’s bad books if you mess with them. Conversely, you can be showered with rewards and praise by working for factions and completing jobs for them. The relationships a cadre has with the various factions of Busan are captured by individual faction ratings. For instance, a cadre might have a faction rating of 3 with the Vladivostok Bratva, making them solid allies, but have a faction rating of –4 with the South Jopok, making them bitter enemies. Faction ratings can vary between –5 to +5, and are altered by doing contracts for or against the factions, or by working for or against their general or specific goals. The consequences of different faction ratings are described on the faction ratings table.
Faction Descriptions Listed below are the various factions of Busan that are currently making moves for power, influence, territory, and technology. Their individual descriptions include both their general and specific goals, tensions and alliances, regions where they have influence in Busan, their relative power in the city, and any NPCs that either belong to, or have strong affiliations with the faction. Use the faction's goals to guide how they respond to the player characters. Cadres that make moves that shift things in a direction of one of their goals will have their faction ratings increased, while ones that oppose a faction's goals will have their faction rating decreased. Specific goals of a faction can often be the basis for a contract. As a GM, you’re encouraged to add more. Not all of the factions listed below have contracts described in Part 4, and some will be released in future supplements. The GM can construct their own contracts based on the faction’s goals. The four major factions in Busan are city hall, the Busan Police Department, the South Jopok, and Hexie.
Amaranthians
Like many people, the Amaranthians see death as the ultimate tragedy. Knowing that a technology currently exists that can preserve consciousness indefinitely (Phoenix Unlimited), they are deeply committed to making the service a basic human right. They consider every single life lost in the meantime a needless suffering. Immortality, but only for the wealthy. Many influential
// Shadows of Korea //
Amaranthians
General Goals. To make it a human right that people can have their minds uploaded, through any means necessary. Specific Goals. Get members of the Busan Police on their payroll and infiltrate Phoenix Unlimited Current Tensions. Cheong Jeong, Tzelem Elohim. Regions of Influence. Geumjong-gu, universities in Nam-gu, Pronatalax in Sasang-gu. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Aldous Laplace, Seraph.
academics and researchers count as members of their ranks. It’s rumored that some of them have been working on either replicating or reverse engineering the mind-uploading technology currently monopolized by Phoenix Unlimited. They have active political lobbying to advance universal mind-uploading and are always looking to have one of their own as a mole working for Phoenix Unlimited. Some members of this faction are quite extreme and are willing to go to any length to achieve their goal, including violence.
At Any Cost (AAC)
AAC is an activist or terrorist group, depending on your perspective. They want to completely abolish any capitalistic relationship with the birthing of transgenic humans. As such, they want to shut down crèches, disallow states and corporations from acting as foster parents, and get rid of birthing facilities all together. Ironically, most of their members are not transgenic
At Any Cost
General Goals. To make transgenic birthing facilities illegal, repeal laws that allow the state or corporations to adopt children, advance transgenic rights, and shut down crèches. Specific Goals. Prevent the new crèche in Jung-gu from being built. Current Allies. None, though there is some sympathy from the Smiling Fish Current Tensions. Busan Police Department, Cheong Jeong, Tzelem Elohim. Regions of Influence. Hohnhyul dong in Sasang-gu, Busan uni students in Nam-gu. Relative Power. Very Low. Notable NPCs. Gyuri Kim.
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
at all. Well-off genetically optimized humans that are current or recent university students make up the majority of their ranks. They regularly engage in violence to achieve their goals, though there are no recorded homicides as of yet. Transgenic humans are divided on what to think of this faction, though the efforts to advance transgenic rights are well received. Gyuri Kim leads the Busan cell of AAC and wants to take up their extreme measures a notch.
Busan Police Department (BPD)
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
20
The BPD is a private military corporation that currently has a long-standing contract with the city of Busan. Many are ex-military and most genuinely do want to fight crime. Song Giduk is their commissioner, and while he is largely free of corruption, he has an understanding with both Hexie and the South Jopok. It employs tens of thousands of officers, though poorer districts tend to get ignored more than richer ones due to the subcontracts they negotiated. Like any large organization, there are various internal struggles, and some within the BPD are very willing to take bribes in order to look the other way. That being said, despite pockets of corruption, the BPD is one of the major forces in Busan and they can shake the foundations of power if they throw their weight around. They are
Busan Police Department
General Goals. Maintain monopoly of police service in Busan, increase scope of contracts, maintain order and fight crime. Specific Goals. Keep Ronin from being awarded law enforcement contracts from the city, develop their Armored Response Unit (ARU) to handle high-level threats. Current Allies. City hall, Hexie, Mosaic. Current Tensions. All criminal factions and AAC, though South Jopok gets softer treatment. Regions of Influence. Any district with a high emergency services rating (through patrol cars and aerial drones). Relative Power. High. Notable NPCs. Song Giduk, Sophia Choi. most concerned with maintaining law and order and maintaining or expanding their current contract with the city of Busan (which means they have to play nice with Hexie and city hall). They are currently competing with Ronin International to see who gets a contract for dealing with high-level threats, with the BPD using the Armored Response Unit (ARU) for especially dangerous criminals.
// City of Busan //
Cheong-Jeong
General Goals. To make the birthing of transgenic humans illegal, shut down Phoenix Unlimited, and to gain power through any means necessary. Specific Goals. Destroy the Smiling Fish, shut down the new crèche being built in Jung-gu. Current Allies. South Jopok, Tzelem Elohim. Current Tensions. At Any Cost, Smiling Fish. Regions of Influence. Seo-gu, Seo-gu port, Ten Feet Under bar (Sasang-gu). Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Junsu, the Stoker.
Cheong-Jeong
Cheong-Jeong, meaning “purity” in Korean, is a street gang utterly opposed to transgenic humans of every type, as well as psychomimes. They are okay with genetically optimized humans but consider transgenics and psychomimes resurrected through Phoenix Unlimited to be abominations. Their drug and arms dealing paves the way for their larger goals, though most of their ranks are more interested in quick riches. They are led by The Stoker, a religious figure who belongs to Tzelem Elohim, an even more fanatical group with the same goals that operates across the globe.
City Hall
City hall is the seat of the political and legal power of Busan. Those working there do everything they can to mitigate external influences, but some corporate and criminal sources of corruption are unavoidable. Hexie in particular is thoroughly enmeshed throughout Busan’s government, lining pockets as necessary to be
City Hall
General Goals. Have low crime rates and have people make money, increase legal and bureaucratic power and diminish criminal and unofficial power. Specific Goals. Get rid of the Vladivostok Bratva presence in Busan. Current Allies. Busan Police Department, Hexie. Current Tensions. All criminal factions, Hexie. Regions of Influence. City hall, bureaucratic and legal influence over entire city, especially in districts with high emergency services ratings. Relative Power. Very high. Notable NPCs. Mayor Noh.
// Shadows of Korea //
able to use Busan as a portal for their profit. City hall is at once beholden to Hexie while also able to enact impressive government autonomy and sway. Both factions depend on each other and are equally at odds. They are mirror images of intense power—one political, one corporate. The BPD are city hall’s go-to muscle, and city hall is happy to throw considerable legal power at any threat. They also have their own security and assassins.
Fukuoka Yakuza
The Yakuza have carved out a niche in Busan ever since the Busan-Fukuoka underground tunnel has connected Japan to Korea. They are in direct competition with South Jopok and Vladivostok Bratva over control of the docks and the tunnel. Despite minor squabbles and occasional violence, they currently have an arrangement with South Jopok, where each is able to import and export goods in each other’s respective countries. The Yakuza want full control over the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel, and any moves to further this goal may upset their uneasy alliance with the Koreans.
Fukuoka Yakuza
General Goals. Maintain imports and exports from Busan to Fukuoka, and maintain control of the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. Specific Goals. Gain control of the Korean end of the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. Current Allies. City hall, South Jopok, Fukuoka Yakuza, Shanghai Triad. Current Tensions. BPD, City hall, all Jopok. Regions of Influence. Japanese end of the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel, pockets of Yeong-do gu, Yama Sushi. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Tetsuo, Riku, Daichi.
Omnitech
Omnitech is the most powerful corporation on the planet, and despite playing in Hexie's backyard, they still have some significant power in Busan. One of their main aims in East Asia is to make in-roads with the TNU, hoping for trade agreements. A more covert aim is to get intelligence on the Phoenix Unlimited process of mind-uploading. Omnitech is chomping at the bit to gain access to this trade secret and will stop at nothing to break Phoenix Unlimited's monopoly. They have operatives trying to gain access at every Phoenix Unlimited facility site across the world, including Seoul's.
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Omnitech
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
General Goals. Make in-roads into the TNU. Specific Goals. Steal Phoenix Unlimited's trade secret for mind-uploading from the Seoul facility. Current Allies. None (in Busan). Current Tensions. Hexie. Regions of Influence. Omnitech corporate tower in Haeundae-gu. Relative Power. Moderate. Notable NPCs. Mr. Quick.
Hexie
Hexie is the ultimate corporate power in Busan and has ties throughout both political and criminal factions. Their main method of influence is bribery, and they have many people on the take in every institution of significance. As long as Hexie is increasing their profit margins and edging out competitors, they are happy, and they will use any method at their disposal to make this happen. Though Hexie does have a sizable roster of full-time soldiers, they prefer to use cadres and contractors for violence. Listed below are some of the relevant subsidiaries located in Busan. Proteome Diversified. A biotech research and development company specializing in novel enzymes, and transgenic plants and animals of all types (including humans). SK-Unity. A telecommunications, electronics, and software company SAIC-Hyundai Conglomerate. An automotive and aeronautics corporation. Pronatalax. A transhuman body conversion service.
Hexie
General Goals. Gain profit, solidify alliances, and have peace between all Hexie-related factions (including criminal factions from Korea, China, and Japan). Specific Goals. Acquire or bankrupt Vitruvian. Acquire Jeonsa Academy from Ronin International. Current Allies. City hall, Fukuoka Yakuza, North Jopok, Shanghai Triad, South Jopok, TNU. Current Tensions. City hall, Vitruvian, Ronin Regions of Influence. Everywhere, especially in East Asia and the TNU member nations. Relative Power. Very high. Notable NPCs. Mr. Badger.
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Little Sparta
General Goals. Keep Little Sparta safe, renew the community. Specific Goals. Place community leaders in positions of power in the new crèches, acquire all the crèches and the military academy. Current Allies. The Smiling Fish, Hexie. Current Tensions. Cheong Jeong, Tzelem Elohim. Regions of Influence. Jung-gu, the military academy, the local crèches, any military base. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Ji Yeong.
Little Sparta
Little Sparta is the slang term for a neighborhood in Jung-gu that was built as a housing project for transgenic military veterans in the early 2080s. While initially an optimistic endeavor, the fresh paint and veneer of newness has since dulled and chipped, and the cheap construction and cramped living conditions now take the forefront. This transgenic ghetto is mostly filled with Spartan genomes of one type or another, or their genetic admixture (mutt) offspring. The poverty is compounded by the short lifespans of the residents, as people tend to accumulate debt while young and wealth more in their later years. These later years never come for Spartans. Little Sparta is not a formal faction, but geography and a shared genetics and experience has forged a tight-knit community with common goals and emergent leaders. While only 10,000 residents, Little Sparta punches far above their weight in terms of street influence, mostly due to the nature of their population; a neighborhood of genetically engineered soldiers with combat experience are essentially a resident army. Most legit income comes from working for the local Proteome Diversified crèches (one for each Spartan genome), or the military academy, though the money from crime and merc-work vastly outweigh it. Little Sparta is mostly insular, looking after their own. Their relationship with AAC is complicated, as they appreciate the activism, but many Spartans value their crèche upbringing, seeing communes of nearly genetically identical batch brothers and sisters as an essential part of their culture. Little Sparta wants new crèches, but ones run by members of their community. Little Sparta community leaders occasionally ally with the Smiling Fish, fellow transgenics, but their main goals are simply to escape poverty and protect each other. Woe to those who enter this neighborhood with a reputation for being anti-transgenic.
// City of Busan //
Night Breed
General Goals. Gain influence over the city’s medical emergency services as well as the black market for weapons, drugs, and upgrades. Specific Goals. Displace Maxim as the head of the local Bratva and gain influence in Busan’s hospital and ambulance services. Current Allies. South Jopok. Current Tensions. Vladivostok Bratva. Regions of Influence. Pain Circus nightclub and Geulimja Theatre in Sasang-gu. Relative Power. Very low. Notable NPCs. Markus.
Ronin International
General Goals. Gain monopoly over mercenary work and arms manufacturing, displace state armies. Specific Goals. Supplant the BPD, acquire or ruin Mosaic. Current Allies. Fukuoka Yakuza. Current Tensions. Hexie, Mosaic, BPD. Regions of Influence. Jeonsa Academy in Gijang-gun. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Daichi, Junko Minami.
Ronin International
Night Breed
The Night Breed are a new gang within Busan that are almost entirely made up of people who have been biohacked to be vampires, or people wanting to become biohacked vampires. Operating out of the Pain Circus nightclub, they make large sums of money selling drugs, upgrades, and guns to their wealthy patrons. Markus leads the Night Breed and would like to get rid of the Bratva contingent of vampire subculture in the city, starting with Maxim Lazovsky.
North Jopok
The North Jopok smuggle anthroids through the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel into Japan. They have some safehouses and a few dozen contacts throughout the city, but their business in Busan is transient, and South Jopok won’t allow them to establish permanent operations without a bloody war. Being a minor player in Busan, their operations are mostly a cat-and-mouse game, where South Jopok shuts it down whenever they find it. Gwoesu is the captain in charge of their business in Busan.
North Jopok
General Goals. Gain dominance over South Jopok, and monopoly over the peninsula underworld. Specific Goals. Establish a permanent presence in Busan, through alliances with other factions. Current Allies. Hexie. Current Tensions. BPD, South Jopok, Fukuoka Yakuza Regions of Influence. Pockets of Busan, their stronghold being in Pyongyang. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Gwoesu.
// Shadows of Korea //
Ronin International is looking to expand their market share of Busan. They have a foothold through the Jeonsa Samurai Academy and by handling some police overflow work, but they would like to completely displace the BPD and get an exclusive police contract to handle all law enforcement in Busan. They would also like to get Mosaic banned in Busan in order to increase dependence on them as the sole provider of private military services.
Shanghai Triad
A Triad is operating imports and exports between Shanghai and Busan through the new port in Gangseogu. The Shanghai Triad and South Jopok currently have an understanding, mediated through Hexie. Their enforcer captain Fan Tong handles violence, and Baozhai is the brains. It is rumored that Baozhai has gone through body conversion into a bioengineered dragon. This faction is playing the long game. They aren’t making any moves quickly, but over decades they will slowly be aiming to increase dock control and supplant South Jopok.
Shanghai Triad
General Goals. Expand Shanghai’s influence in Busan. Specific Goals. Work with Hexie to gain complete control of New Port. Current Allies. Hexie. Current Tensions. BPD, City Hall, South Jopok. Regions of Influence. New Port, Little Shanghai in Gangseo-gu. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Baozhai, Feng.
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Smiling Fish
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
General Goals. Advance transgenic security, gain power through the drug trade and chop-shops. Specific Goals. Work out a deal with the BPD. Current Allies. Fukuoka Yakuza, South Jopok. Current Tensions. BPD, City Hall, South Jopok. Regions of Influence. Sasang-gu (especially Honhyeol dong), Bar Gochu, Oni Autobody. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Min Soo, Soo Jin, Cao Cao, Min Gi.
Smiling Fish
A local transgenic chop-shop gang. They mostly are involved with auto theft and drug dealing but are opportunistic criminals. They tend to leave bruises and broken bones rather than dead bodies, though they defend their own to the death. They are the dominant street gang in Busan and will work with any of the other criminal factions. As a relatively neutral group, they often mediate deals between the other criminal empires. They have a slightly friendlier disposition towards the Yakuza in Buzan, since the local Yakuza leader, Tetsuo, is transgenic. Cao Cao runs the Smiling Fish.
South Jopok
The most dominant crime syndicate in Busan is the South Jopok, run by the Choi family. They are also one of the four most powerful factions in Busan. They have their hands in every criminal activity in Busan and have alliances that run through corporations and law
South Jopok
General Goals. Maintain dominance of the underworld in Busan. Specific Goals. Push the bratva out of Busan, and gain monopoly over the Busan ports. Current Allies. Hexie, Smiling Fish, Cheong Jeong, Night Breed. Current Tensions. BPD, city hall, Fukuoka Yakuza , North Jopok, Shanghai Triad, Vladivostok Bratva. Regions of Influence. Illicit commerce in almost all of Busan, most of the docks, the Korean end of the Buan-Fukuoka tunnel Relative Power. Very high. Notable NPCs. Choi Eun Joo (The Adjuma), Eun Sook, Yong Chul.
24
enforcement. The boss, Choi Eun Joo, is looking to solidify control over the imports and exports in Busan. Every other large criminal faction is trying to edge in South Jopok territory, but it would take alliances between them to make major headway against this underworld powerhouse. South Jopok has made alliances with many of the smaller street-level gangs in Busan, knowing that it would aid them if it ever came down to a gang-war between the larger crime syndicates.
Tri Nation Union (TNU)
This trade confederation between the historical rival countries of China, Japan, and Korea mediate the laws of international commerce in this region. The ties between Hexie and the TNU are undeniable and CEOs of Hexie frequently end up on TNU advisory panels and administrative boards. The current chief of the TNU, Qiaolian, is the former executive director for Hexie. Though in most regards they end up being a political wing for Hexie, maximum profit for the three member nations is their main purpose. The TNU is currently entertaining Vitruvian's bid for trade contracts in the three member nations, much to Hexie's dismay. The TNU also spends a great deal of money and influence aiming to soften attitudes towards transgenic animals and plants, birthing facilities, and crèches, as all three member nations are heavily invested in that industry.
Tri Nation Union (TNU)
General Goals. Maximize profits for China, Japan, and Korea, bolster Hexie's profits. Specific Goals. Work out a deal with Vitruvian. Current Allies. City hall, Hexie. Current Tensions. All criminal factions. Regions of Influence. Anywhere legal commerce occurs involving the member nations. Relative Power. Moderate. Notable NPCs. Qiaolian.
// City of Busan //
Tzelem Elohim
General Goals. Stop mind-uploading and transgenic humans, kill existing psychomimes. Specific Goals. Destroy Phoenix Unlimited facility in Seoul. Current Allies. Cheong Jeong. Current Tensions. Almost everyone. Regions of Influence. Nowhere in Busan. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Kang Suk Chul, the Stoker
Tzelem Elohim
The Tzelem Elohim is a multifaith-based terrorist group aiming to dismantle all technologies related to modification of the human genome and the human mind. They main targets are human transgenic birthing facilities, crèches, and Phoenix Unlimited. The most significant Busan-based figure in this faction is The Stoker, who also happens to be the leader of the Cheong Jeong gang. They would love nothing more than to destroy all Phoenix Unlimited psychomimes and enact laws preventing transgenic humans from being created.
Vitruvian (Apollo Laboratories)
Vitruvian are a manufacturer of entry-level upgrades and cybernetic enhancements, catering to a clientele with less income. City hall has provided some foreign investment subsidies to Vitruvian to attract more money and slightly loosen Hexie’s grip. They’ve managed to occupy a solid niche in Busan and are looking to grow from that, aiming to supplant Hexie dominance in the region. Their operations manager, Patrick Snelly, is currently negotiating with city hall and Commissioner Song Giduk for an
Vitruvian (Apollo Laboratories)
General Goals. Achieve greater market share of cybernetic upgrades in Busan. Specific Goals. Obtain R&D trade secrets from Hexie, sabotage Hexie’s market value, get exclusive upgrades contract with BPD, make a deal with the TNU. Current Allies. City hall, the TNU. Current Tensions. All criminal factions. Regions of Influence. Anywhere legal commerce occurs involving the member nations. Relative Power. Low. Notable NPCs. Patrick Snelly.
// Shadows of Korea //
exclusive upgrades contract with BPD. Vitruvian is opportunistic and will happily ally with any other faction in order to establish a solid presence in the TNU.
Vladivostok Bratva
Busan is a major stronghold for the Bratva based out of Vladivostok. All illegal imports and exports between Busan and Vladivostok are brokered through this faction. The Russian Bratva is in competition for port control with the South Jopok and are willing to do anything to take more control of the docks, including allying with Yakuza and North Jopok. They have already made some deals with the North Jopok, providing safe haven for the group when the South Jopok are on the hunt. While they have very few allies in Busan, they receive a great deal of support from Vladivostok, and their firm control of a small but important area of the docks in their cultural ghetto has financed their operation well. The Bratva in Busan are led by Maxim Lazovsky, a despicable predator of children. He and Miroslav also happen to be biohacked vampires and they would like to remove the Nightbreed as a locus of vampire power in the city. Olga Zietzev, their intelligence officer, wishes to seize control of Bratva operations in Busan.
Vladivostok Bratva
General Goals. Maintain and expand illicit imports and exports to and from Vladivostok. Specific Goals. Solidify and expand port control, ally with Shanghai Triad, Yakuza, and North Jopok. Current Allies. North Jopok. Current Tensions. BPD, city hall, Night Breed, South Jopok. Regions of Influence. A section of the docks in southern Dong-gu and a bit of Jung-gu, Russia town. Relative Power. Moderate. Notable NPCs. Maxim Lazovsky, Traktor and Timur Popov, Sasha, Miroslav
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Part 2: Non-Player Characters variety of non-player characters (NPCs) are described in this chapter, some of narrative significance and some general. The breakdown of the NPC stat-blocks are explained in detail in the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook, so what follows are entries for individual NPCs. They might be contacts, rivals, friends, or antagonists to the player characters.
A
Narrative NPCs Narrative NPCS are specific people—significant movers and shakers in Busan’s underworld, corporate, or political scene. Narrative NPCs will often be recurring characters that can be directly tied to a game plot. It is generally better when narrative characters aren't unceremoniously killed "off-screen", and encounters with narrative NPCs can present more dramatic tension. They are presented in a similar way to most NPCs, but are given additional information and have additional features as described below.
Plot Armor
All narrative NPCs have the plot armor feature. This keeps them alive when encounters would otherwise end anticlimactically from an unlucky failed save or unanticipated critical hit. If a narrative NPC either drops to 0 hit points and doesn’t die outright, or fails a save, they can make a 1d20 + their CR roll against a DC of 10. If they succeed, they drop to 1 hit point instead of dropping to 0, or automatically succeed on the save. Each time they use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. This resets in between encounters. Abandon this feature if it would ever get in the way of a dramatically rewarding end.
Stat Blocks
The same as any other NPC entry. Many narrative NPCs use a general NPC stat-block as a template and list any way it might be modified for the specific NPC. For instance, Gyuri Kim uses the lawyer stat-block as a template but has a +2 added to every ability score. Changes to armor class and hit points will be described in the modifications, but other derived traits that are affected by changed ability scores, like saves and initiative, will need to be calculated.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
Add Your Own Narrative NPCs
During or after character creation, your players will have outlined some characters that are important to them—either family, friends, lovers, rivals, or enemies. One of the best ways to engage a player is to weave these background characters into the story. That might mean subbing in one of your player's background characters in place of an existing narrative NPC or bringing them in some other way.
General and Specific Goals
Narrative NPCs have their own story arcs and internal drive; they want to see certain things happen but not others. General and specific goals guide the NPCs and their interactions with the PCs. NPCs will always be more willing to cooperate with characters whose actions will support their goal and oppose characters who act against their goals. Specific goals are more short-term and pressing than general goals and can often be the basis for a contract.
Faction
Narrative NPCs are usually associated with one or more of the factions operating in Busan (p. ???, SoK). Their actions might also be mediated by the goals of their particular faction, or perhaps they are looking to leave or rebel against their faction as described in their individual entries.
General NPCs NPCs described under this heading represent members of a group and are often extras or one-dimensional in narrative terms. That being said, sometimes roleplaying encounters and circumstances can lead to one or more of these NPCs becoming more significant to the story. In such a case, the GM can always add the Plot Armor feature to them (described above). The NPCs listed here can supplement the ones listed in the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook.
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Narrative NPCs
Intro
Aldous Laplace Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Medium human (unmodified) Armor Class 19 (SharkSkin clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 92 (15d8+25) Speed 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 24 (+7)
WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 14 (+2)
Saves Int +11, Wis +7 Skills Bureaucracy +11, Computers +15, Investigation +11, Life Science +11, Mechanics +11, Perception +7, Physical Science +11 Senses Passive Perception 17 Languages English, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin Challenge 9 (8,400 XP) Hacking. Laplace is an 13th-level hacker. His hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 19, +11 to hit with hack attacks). Laplace knows the following hacks: 1st level (9 slots): camfect, command, decrypt, disable security, detect security, killer joke, mind reader, pain, sleep, sloth, unlock 2nd level (5 slots): drone snipe, freeze, modify memory, summoning 3rd level (5 slots): DDR, dominate, drone strafe, programmed hallucination 4th level (1 slots): mass suggestion, suicide, feeblemind
Actions
Laplace prefers to use his hacks in all situations.
Narrative
General Goals. Stop people from dying, upload every consciousness. Specific Goals. Perfect Amaranth and release it on the public, preventing death forever. Faction. Amaranthians. Characteristics. Obssessed, compassionate, utilitarian, rational, uncompromising.
Aldous Laplace is a 50-something psychomimetics researcher of French-British descent, who was working for Protanalax until it was acquired by Hexie, and he now works for the Seoul Phoenix Unlimited Facility. He is unmodified, appears much younger due to longevity treatments, and has the body of someone who spends too much time sitting down. He was raised in London but tends to speak more like Churchill with his accent.
28
While working for Pronatalax, he developed a technology called Chimera—a type of mind-uploading that requires multiple minds to be stitched together. He used it to create dozens of chimera-psychomimes of himself (hybridized with his colleagues) to varying degrees of success, some of them being quite insane. His highest achievement up to this point was creating Seraph, the most functional chimera to date. He was ordered by Hexie to exterminate all of his chimeras but couldn’t bring himself to do it. He directed Seraph and the others to form their own community away from society. He is horrified by Seraph’s killing, but happy that Seraph is also working on Amaranth innovations. He could be persuaded to help the cadre find Seraph to stop his killing, but is conflicted about it. Aldous and his team were also working on a computational substrate that could run human consciousness more effectively than a biological body and daemon can. They made significant headway with Amaranth, a modified slime-mold that digitizes life as it consumes it, preserving all of the data and processes forever. To Laplace, this could be the avenue through which he can erase death itself, making everyone and every living thing immortal. He is secretly working on new forms of Amaranth with other Amaranthian researchers. His endgame is to release a fast moving, self-replicating, perfectly digitizing form of Amaranth that will at once both consume and preserve all life on planet Earth. Humanity can continue on as per usual, living in the simulation run by the Amaranth, only without needless suffering and death.
// Non-Player Characters //
Bao Zhai large human (transhuman dragon body) Armor Class 21 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 230 (14d10+90) Speed 12 m., climb 9 m. STR DEX CON INT 26 (+8) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 24 (+7)
WIS 18 (+4)
CHA 18 (+4)
Saves Dex +10, Int +12 Skills Bureaucracy +12, Insight +9, Intimidation +9, Life Science +17, Perception +14, Persuasion +9, Streetwise +12 Senses Acute Olfaction, Passive Perception 24, Spectrum Vision Languages English, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin Challenge 13 (450 XP) Hacking. The Bao Zhai is a 14th-level hacker. Her hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 20, +12 to hit with hack attacks). Bao Zhai knows the following hacks: 1st level (9 slots): anesthetize, claws, forensic scan, gills, gecko skin, nanodoc, noxious cloud 2nd level (5 slots): CNS stim, paralytic injection, nootro, razor cloud 3rd level (5 slots): burning blood, clone, daemon killer, digest, ferocity, genetic enhancement 4th level (2 slots): neurotoxic nightmare , perfume
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 3 m., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8+8) armor piercing, piercing damage. In addition, the target must make a DC 18 Con save against poison. Failure means the target’s speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dex saves, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the target’s abilities, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. The target can make another save at the end of each of their turns to negate this effect. Corrosive Breath (recharge 5-6). everything within a 6 meter cone originating from Bao Zhai's mouth must make a DC 18 Con save, taking 8d10 corrosive damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. A failed save also means the target is blind until the end of their next turn unless they are wearing eye protection.
Legendary Actions
Bao Zhai can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can
// Shadows of Korea //
be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary actions are regained at the start of each turn. Bite. Bao Zhai can make a bite attack. Leap. Bao Zhai can perform the disengage action and then move up to half her movement. Tail Sweep. Each creature within 6 m. of Bao Zhai must succeed on a DC 21 Dex save or take 13 (1d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Narrative
General Goals. Usurp South Jopok’s position as the dominant crime syndicate, become the ultimate lifeform. Specific Goals. Ally with the other criminal factions of Busan (Smiling Fish first), develop an even better dragon body. Faction. Shanghai Triad. Characteristics. Proud, menacing, passionate, eloquent, powerful, arrogant, flexible. Baozhai is the Dragon Head (the leader) of the Busan Triad chapter, and might be the single most powerful being in the city. She has moved to Korea as a career opportunity, thinking it a good place to start a new Triad while still getting support from Shanghai. She resides in a mountain temple of Gangseo-gu that she has converted to a criminal fortress. She is a master biohacker, and has become obsessed with becoming the ultimate lifeform: the perfect dragon. She has gone through complete body conversion and resembles a large Chinese dragon. Her twin ambitions of criminal dominance and perfecting her body drive every move she makes. There is no rush—dragons are eternal.
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Intro
Cao Cao
ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) armor piercing, piercing damage.
Medium human (Feral) Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Armor Class 19 (Bushiweave clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 112 (15d8+45) Speed 12 m. STR 19 (+4)
DEX 20 (+5)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 15 (+2)
WIS 13 (+1)
Narrative
CHA 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Str +7, Dex +8, Wis +4 Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +6, Insight +4, Perception +7, Persuasion +6, Streetwise +8 Senses Acute Olfaction, Darkvision, Passive Perception 17 Languages Korean, Mandarin Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Credible Threat (1/encounter). Cao Cao can target 3 people and make an Intimidation ability check against their Wisdom saving throws. If successful, the targets become frightened until the end of the encounter. Hyper Jumping. Cao Cao's jumping distances are multiplied by 3, and they can fall 9 meters without taking any damage. Inspiration (1/Turn). As a bonus action, grant 1 target ally a d12 inspiration die. The ally can use this die once to add the result to one ability check, attack roll, attack damage, or saving throw it makes.
General Goals. Maintain peace between the criminal factions of Busan, advance transgenic rights. Specific Goals. Broker a more permanent deal between the Bratva and South Jopok. Faction. Smiling Fish. Characteristics. Diplomatic, fair, retributive, hottempered. Cao Cao is the leader of the Smiling Fish. He is ethnically Chinese, but it is difficult to tell under the animalistic features his Feral genome gives him. Cao Cao has a reputation for being diplomatic; firm but fair. If anyone does violence on a member of the Smiling Fish, he has an eye for an eye policy, and can lose his temper in the short term. He has been able to mediate the uneasy peace between the various criminal factions in Busan, but if he were to disappear, the powder keg of power may blow. Cao Cao lives at a scrap yard but moves around a fair bit and regularly stops by Bar Gochu and Oni Autobody. He's always with two transgenic bruisers, two hitmen, and two Feral rippers (CRB p. 285, SoK, p. ???). He enjoys seeing Tetsuo, a fellow trangenic, in a position of power.
Pack Tactics. Cao Cao has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of the Cao Cao's allies is within 1.5 meters of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated. Pounce. If Cao Cao moves at least 6 meters straight toward a large sized or smaller character and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, he can make an attempt to shove that character as a free action. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Cao Cao deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Cao Cao that isn’t incapacitated and Cao Cao doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. Cao Cao makes two attacks, ranged or melee. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) armorpiercing, piercing or slashing damage.
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// Non-Player Characters //
Choi Eun Joo (The Adjuma) Medium human (optimized)
Direct Minion . Choi Eun Joo can use her bonus action to allow one of her allies within 9 meters to move up to their speed and make an attack.
Armor Class 20 (Atomos outfit) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 83 (7d8+52) Speed 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 13(+1)
INT 20 (+5)
WIS 21 (+5)
CHA 22 (+6)
Saving Throws Str +6, Dex +9, Con +7, Int +11, Wis +11, Cha +12 Skills Bureaucracy +7, Deception +10, Intimidation +8, Insight +7, Perception +7, Persuasion +10, Streetwise +9 Senses Passive Perception 17 Languages Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Glib. If Choi Eun Joo spends 1 minute talking to someone who can understand what she says, she can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, the target is charmed for 1 minute thereafter. Credible Threat (1/day). As a bonus action, Choi Eun Joo can target up to six people within 12 meters and make a Charisma (Intimidation) ability check contested by their Wisdom saves. If successful, the
// Shadows of Korea //
targets become frightened until the end of the encounter.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Choi Eun Joo deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of her that isn’t incapacitated and she doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) armor piercing, piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Gain monopoly power over the black market of Busan. Specific Goals. Eliminate Maxim and weaken the Vladivostok Bratva. Faction. South Jopok (leader). Characteristics. Shrewd, matronly, patient, ruthless, pleasant, pragmatic.
This 54 year old woman is the boss of the South Jopok, having been born into the powerful Hyun crime family. She was one of the first genetically optimized humans, born shortly after the technique became commercialized. As long as people are being appropriately respectful, she plays the role of a sweet, somewhat naive motherly figure, and her clothes and style match this ruse. Her demeanor instantly changes however if she is being disrespected, and reminds people of her power. South Jopok are the major crime power in Busan, but they have been unable to push out the encroaching organized crime from contested areas without risking an all-out gang war. The Adjuma is currently in an uneasy truce with the Bratva and and Yakuza, since they each respectively allow South Jopok to transport their goods into Vladivostok and Fukuoka. If Adjuma discovers any North Jopok activity, she seizes the illicit wares by force and shuts down the intrusion. She is thinking about going to war with the Bratva, and she personally hates Maxim and his lifestyle. A few gentle prods or incidents between her and the Bratva would push her over the edge. In such a war, she would seek to align with North Jopok. She is never without her permanently contracted elite agent, Omega commando, and l33t hacker (CRB, p. 292 and 294).
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Intro
Daichi
Four-Armed Martial Arts. Daichi gains a +3 bonus to Strength (Athletics) checks involving lifting or grappling and can grapple, shove, or make an unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Medium human (Asura) Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
Armor Class 21 (Sharkskin clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 97 (13d8+39) Speed 12 m., Climb 12 m. STR DEX 20 (+5) 20 (+5)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 11 (+0)
Hyper Jumping. Daichi’s jumping distances are tripled, and he can fall 9 meters without taking any damage. WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 11 (+0)
Saves Str +8, Dex +8, Cha +3 Skills Athletics +8, Insight +6, Perception +9, Stealth +8, Streetwise +3 Senses Passive Perception 19, Spectrum Vision Languages Korean, Japanese Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Cunning Action. Daichi can take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action.
PART V. New Rules
Iaijutsu. Daichi can’t be surprised while conscious, he gains a +5 bonus to initiative, and enemies don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against him as a result of being unseen.
Appendices
Execute. Any hit Daichi scores against a target that hasn’t taken a turn in combat yet is a critical hit.
32
Actions
Multiattack. Daichi makes three attacks. ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) armor-piercing, piercing damage Ronin Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) armor-piercing, piercing or slashing damage. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Reactions
Counter Strike. When an attacker hits Daichi with a melee attack, he can use his reaction to make a shove, grapple, Ronin blade, or unarmed strike.
// Non-Player Characters //
Narrative
General Goals. Personal excellence, honor, maintain relationship with Eun Sook. Specific Goals. Deliver a package to Ronin International in Fukuoka. Faction. Ronin International (current contract) Characteristics. Disciplined, honorable, passionate, dedicated. Dachi is easily recognized by his maroon skin and cornrow hair. He is currently under contract by Ronin International, who is working with the Fukuoka Yakuza. Daichi has an infamous love-hate relationship with his occasional lover Eun Sook, an Oknytt thief that frequently works with the South Jopok. They seem to gravitate towards taking contracts that make them have run-ins with each other, and have even killed each other multiple times. They both have a subscription to Phoenix Unlimited, and so keep a tally of who has killed the other more times. Daichi secretly lives for these show-downs and reconciliations and is deeply in love with Eun Sook.
Medium human (Oknytt) Armor Class 21 (SharkSkin clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 84 (13d8+26) Speed 15 m., Climb 15 m. DEX 24 (+7)
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Eun Sook deals an extra 21 (6d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Eun Sook that isn’t incapacitated and Eun Sook doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) armor-piercing, piercing damage
Tail Snatch. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: The target is disarmed, dropping 1 object they are holding to the ground.
Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker hits Eun Sook, she can use her reaction to halve the attack's damage.
Narrative
Eun Sook
STR 15 (+2)
Hyper Jumping. Eun Sook’s jumping distances are tripled, and she can fall 9 meters without taking any damage.
CON 14 (+2)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 10 (+0)
Saves Dex +10, Int +5 Skills Athletics +8, Acrobatics +13, Perception +5, Sleight of Hand +13, Stealth +13, Streetwise +5 Senses Passive Perception 15, Spectrum Vision Languages English, Korean, Japanese Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Cloak. As a free action, Eun Sook can become invisible. Cunning Action. Eun Sook can take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action.
General Goals. Have fun, steal things, live forever while constantly tangling with Daichi. Specific Goals. Recover a stolen package for Vitruvian before it gets delivered to Fukuoka. Faction. Freelancer currently working with South Jopok and Vitruvian. Characteristics. Playful, gregarious, carefree, loyal, passionate. Eun Sook is a famous Oknytt thief, easily recognized by her tail. She is an athletic Korean woman that dresses in tactical light armor. She is currently under contract with Vitruvian and has a strong working relationship with the South Jopok. Eun Sook is at once an archrival and true love of Daichi, the famous samurai. They fight tooth and nail, with the stakes less serious due to their mutual subscription to Phoenix Unlimited. Eun Sook loves her life and continued struggles with Daichi, and will do anything to preserve this cycle.
Prehensile Tail. Eun Sook gains advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) and (Climb) checks and can wield weapons with the light property with her tail.
// Shadows of Korea //
33
Intro
Feng Large human (transhuman)
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Armor Class 13 (reinforced clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 137 (11d10+77) Speed 9 m. STR 26 (+8)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 24 (+7)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 15 (+2)
Skills Athletics +10, Intimidation +6, Streetwise +3 Damage Resistances Bludgeoning Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Chinese and Korean Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Feng is the Red Pole of the Busan-Shanghai Triad—the enforcer. She is a brute and a thug, enjoying exerting her physical dominance over others. Feng was born into the Canary genome, but has undergone transhuman body conversion and become an eight-foot tall golden Amazonian with glowing lavender eyes. She is around 40 years old, but the frame doesn't look a day over 30. Bao Zhai performed the procedure for Feng to secure her loyalty, but Feng has lofty ambitions to displace Bao Zhai, despite being two ranks below her. Feng would happily dispose of the traditional Triad ranking system and just run things by force. She runs operations at the new port for the Triad.
Heavy Hitter. After making a successful melee attack, Feng can use her bonus action to make a shove attack. Reckless. At the start of their turn, Feng can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against Feng have advantage until the start of her next turn. Reinforced Skeleton. Resistance to bludgeoning damage, and +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack).
Actions
Multiattack. Feng makes two attacks. Heavy Alloy Bat. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8+8) bludgeoning damage. Disadvantage on attack rolls unless the wielder has at least 20 Strength. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (1d4+10) bludgeoning damage.
11 mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8+1) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Advance personal power in the Triad, exercise her power, eat delicious food. Specific Goals. Displace Bao Zhai as leader of the Triad, gain control of the new port. Faction. Shanghai Triad (enforcer). Characteristics. Cruel, violent, dispassionate, confident.
34
// Non-Player Characters //
Gwoesu Medium human (unmodified) Armor Class 17 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 49 (9d8+9) Speed 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 20 (+5)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Insight +4, Intimidation +5, Life Science +8, Physical Science +6, Streetwise +7 Senses Passive Perception 12 Languages Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian Challenge 3 (700 XP) Hacking. Gwoesu is a 5th-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 15, +7 to hit with hack attacks). Gwoesu knows the following hacks: 1st level (7 slots): anesthetize, claws, forensic scan, nanodoc, necrotic injection, noxious cloud 2nd level (1 slot): CNS stim, razor cloud Transgenic Pet Trainer. Gwoesu can use her bonus action to allow one of her reaper mantises to move up to their speed and make an attack.
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6+1) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Establish the North Jopok in Busan. Specific Goals. Form an alliance with South Jopok. Faction. North Jopok (Busan vanguard operative). Characteristics. Menacing, robotic, amused, professional, cool. Gwoesu was born an unmodified human but has been heavily biohacked. She appears as a beautiful young woman, dressed as a business professional, but borders on the uncanny valley with her doll-like appearance. Because she is so heavily biohacked, there are rumors of every variety regarding her true age and original sex. She runs North Jopok’s business in Busan and has a reputation of extreme ruthless violence. She is usually accompanied by six 2-meter-tall transgenic reaper mantises, which serve as her bodyguards and assassins (SoK, p. ???).
// Shadows of Korea //
Gyuri Kim Medium human (optimized) Armor Class 15 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 11 (2d8+2) Speed 9 m. STR 12 (+1)
DEX 13 (+1)
CON 13(+1)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 18 (+4)
Skills Bureaucracy +6, Deception +5, Intimidation +6, Insight +4, Persuasion +7, Streetwise +5 Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages Korean, English Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Glib. If the Gyuri spends 1 minute talking to someone who can understand what they say, she can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, the target is charmed for 1 minute thereafter.
35
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Gyuri deals an extra 3 (1d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of her's that isn’t incapacitated and Gyuri doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions Part II. NPCs
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6+1) piercing damage.
Narrative Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
General Goals. To make transgenic birthing facilities illegal, repeal laws that allow the state or corporations to adopt children. Specific Goals. Militarize AAC into more of a paramilitary organization, structured to use violence to achieve its ends. Faction. At Any Cost (leader). Characteristics. Driven, passionate, uncompromising, merciless, angry. Gyuri is the leader of At Any Cost in Busan. She was genetically optimized by her Korean parents, and was always an overachiever. She was a practicing lawyer before switching her focus to AAC. She’s seen law fail, and is willing to employ more extreme measures for her cause. Right now, that means stopping the new crèche in Jung-gu from being built, naturally, at any cost. She is always with at least 6 gangbangers and one enforcer (CRB, pp. 281-282).
Ji Young Medium human (Spartan Infantry) Armor Class 20 (Durile assault suit) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 82 (11d8+33) Speed 12 m. STR 18 (+4)
DEX 20 (+5)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 17 (+3)
Skills Athletics +6, Insight +4, Intimidation +5, Perception +4, Persusion +5, Streetwise +5 Senses Passive Perception 14 Languages Korean, Japanese Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Iaijutsu. Ji Young can’t be surprised while conscious, she gains a +5 bonus to initiative, and enemies don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against her as a result of being unseen. Inspiration (1/Turn). As a bonus action, grant 1 target ally a d12 inspiration die. The ally can use this die once to add the result to one ability check, attack roll, attack damage, or saving throw it makes. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Ji Young deals an extra 10 (3d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of Ji Young's ally that isn’t incapacitated and the Ji Young doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. Ji Young makes two melee attacks.
36
// Non-Player Characters //
Ronin Short-blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+5) armor piercing, piercing or slashing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Transform Little Sparta into a thriving community, live a life of honor and valor. Specific Goals. Make sure a local resident becomes director of the new crèche being built in Jung-gu, take control of the military academy, get Spartans into the Jung-gu administration of Busan. Faction. Little Sparta (informal leader). Characteristics. Honorable, passionate, religious. Ji Young is a charismatic samurai prodigy and one of the most well-respected citizens of Little Sparta despite only being 19 years old. She was raised in the local crèche and went on to a Bushido academy to become a samurai, one of the youngest graduates ever. She has since returned to her home community and has made it her mission to make it prosper and take ownership of the crèches and military academy. Her passion is fueled by her devout belief in Christianity and she sees bringing Little Sparta out of poverty as her divine purpose. She organizes contracts with other locals, and they make sure to donate half of their profits to urban restoration—and to buying shares in Proteome Diversified to gain more leverage in the local crèches.
Junko Minami
Ronin Short-blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+4) armor piercing, piercing or slashing damage.
Medium human (optimized) Armor Class 19 (Bushiweave clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 45 (6d8+18) Speed 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 14 (+2)
Narrative CHA 18 (+4)
Skills Deception +6, Computers +8, Investigation +6, Insight +4, Perception +4, Persuasion +6 Senses Passive Perception 14 Languages English, Japanese, Korean Challenge 3 (700 XP) Hacking. Junko is a 5th-level hacker. Her hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 15, +7 to hit with hack attacks). Junko knows the following hacks: 1st level (7 slots): command, decrypt, detect security, killer joke, mind reader, pain, sleep, sloth, unlock 2nd level (1 slot): drone snipe, freeze
Actions
Multiattack. Junko makes two attacks.
// Shadows of Korea //
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage.
General Goals. To advance in Ronin International. Specific Goals. To become head of a new Ronin police force in Busan and set up a specialized police service. Faction. Ronin International (head of Busan operations). Characteristics. Ambitious, charming, friendly, flirtatious, polite, opportunistic. Junko is a Ronin International zaibatsu heiress and head of operations in Busan. She has been directed to usurp the BPD as Busan’s main law enforcement contract. She is a young genetically optimized Japanese woman of slight build. Her beauty rivals that of Companion genomes and she uses it when appropriate. Junko is a skilled mindhacker as well as a graduate of the Bushido academy, practicing Daikōdo. Her current plan is to set up a contract with city hall to open a specialized police service that tackles cyber-heavies throughout the city—one that could displace the BPD’s SWAT teams for such functions. She is never without her four kensei bodyguards (p. 285, CRB).
37
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
38
Jungle Bungle Medium humans (Jungle - mutt, Bungle - optimized ) Use the street racer stack block for Jungle (SoK, p. ???) and the enforcer stat block for Bungle (CRB, p. 281), but with the following changes: +2 to each ability score and +3 hit dice when the players reach levels 3, 5, 7, and 9. They also both have proficiency and expertise in Performance. Their CRs increase one step whenever their ability scores and hit dice increase. The GM can feel free to further customize them if they become more involved in the story.
intrigued by each other's love of music as a necessary requirement. They are both in their early 20s and have a very fun-loving and laid-back attitude for being in such a violent business. For them, it's a way to have fun, party, and make some cash. Their naive optimism and joy about everything they do make them easy to like. They'll happily fight anyone to complete their contracts, but are also open to making new friends. Bungle's rich parents purchased both of them a Phoenix Unlimited subscription, so they will be a regular sight in Busan's cadre scene. They're happy to be either rivals or buddies to any other cadre, seeing both as a blast.
Narrative
General Goals. Get famous, get rich, have fun. Specific Goals. Get a recording contract with Ocarina studios, become the number one cadre in Busan. Characteristics. Wild, hedonistic, thrill-seeking, open-minded. Jungle Bungle are a rising cadre in Busan looking to make their bones as either mercs or rock stars—ideally both. A bit of an odd couple, Jungle is a mutt engineer who grew up near a dump, while Bungle was born rich and got through college on a football scholarship. They met through Mosaic,
// Non-Player Characters //
Junsu
Narrative
General Goals. Get rid of transgenic humans. Specific Goals. Weaken the Smiling Fish in Sasang-gu. Faction. Cheong Jeong (leader of Sasang-gu chapter). Characteristics. Aggressive, overconfident, domineering, smooth.
Medium human (optimized) Armor Class 14 (Durile clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 33 (6d8+6) Speed 9 m. STR 17 (+3)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Deception +5, Intimidation +5, Streetwise +4 Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Korean Challenge 1 (200 XP) Aggressive. As a bonus action, Junsu can move up to his speed toward an enemy that it can see. Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when Junsu hits (included in the attack). Violent Influence. Junsu grants a +3 bonus to the damage rolls of allies within 9 m.
Actions
Baseball Bat. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of the Junsu’s next turn.
11 mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 10 (2d8+1) piercing damage.
// Shadows of Korea //
Junsu is a 20-something genetically optimized gangster, full of attitude and aggression. He is dressed in new urban-style clothing and is adorned with garish bling, including his gold-plated cybernetic arm and 9mm handgun. He is relaxed and cocky on his turf, surrounded by backup. He shrivels and cowers when the odds turn against him. He is never without at least three gangbanger allies (CRB, p. 282).
Kang Suk Chul Medium human (unmodified) Armor Class 16 (subdermal plates) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 65 (10d8+20) Speed 9 m. STR 19 (+4)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 11 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 12 (+1)
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +3 Senses Passive Perception 14, spectrum vision Languages Korean Challenge 3 (700 XP) Brave. Kang Suk Chul has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
39
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Actions Multiattack. Kang Suk Chul makes two attacks. 7.62mm Machine Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 180/540 m., one target. Hit: 16 (2d12+3) armor-piercing, piercing damage 3-Shot Burst. Make up to three 7.62mm Assault Rifle attack rolls against the same target. This attack action ends when the ARU officer misses with one of the attack rolls, forgoing the rest of the attack rolls. Each attack roll after the first takes a –4 penalty. Wide Burst. Spray a 3-meter-cube area up to 180 meters away. Each target in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d12+3) armor-piercing, piercing damage.
Kang is a 40-something unmodified Korean man, single, and looks muscular except for his paunch belly showing under his stained tank top. He is a military veteran, and also worked security for Pronatalax before it was acquired and shut down by Phoenix Unlimited. He is one of the base mind-uploads of Seraph and is the source of Seraph's combat expertise and genosim. He is deeply committed to preventing transgenic humans and psychomimes from existing, but hasn't outright killed any, nor would he unless provoked. Kang is a Korean patriot and feels Korean culture is polluted by the TNU and other foreign influence. He is covered in religious tattoos, some marking him as a member of Tzelem Elohim.
Nanoblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) armor-piercing, piercing or slashing damage.
Kyung Joon
Narrative
Armor Class 16 (hardcase) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 103 (9d8+63) Speed 9 m.
General Goals. Stop transgenic humans from being born, be a strong Korean man, get drunk. Specific Goals. Drink, shut down Phoenix Unlimited. Faction. Tzelem Elohim (soldier). Characteristics. Curt, prideful, level-headed, stubborn, quiet.
Medium human (Canary)
STR 18 (+4)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON INT 20 (+5) 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 11 (+0)
Skills Intimidation +4, Streetwise +2 Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Poison Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Any one language Challenge 3 (700 XP) Bioluminescence and Musk. Disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks involving vision or scent, and Charisma (Persuasion) and (Performance) checks when Kyung Joon can be spelled. Healing Factor. Kyung Joon regains 1 hp at the start of each of his turns and always counts as having two fewer levels of exhaustion. Grappler. Kyung Joon can initiate a grapple as a bonus action. Heavy Hands. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target prone. Soak. As a reaction Kyung Joon can reduce the amount of damage taken from any source by 1/2. Reinforced Skeleton. Resistance to bludgeoning damage, and +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack).
40
// Non-Player Characters //
Actions
Multiattack. Kyung Joon makes two melee attacks. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4+6) bludgeoning damage. Nano Cleaver. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 10 (1d8+6) slashing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Take care of Bar Gochu and keep Smiling Fish safe. Specific Goals. Take out the Cheong Jeong. Faction. Smiling Fish (runs Bar Gochu). Characteristics. Curt, prideful, level-headed, stubborn, quiet. Kyung Joon is the cook and top dog Smiling Fish gangster in Bar Gochu. He keeps a careful eye on things from the kitchen. He’s a Canary, and shares the characteristic well-muscled and glowing body common to the genome. He won’t get involved in conflicts unless guns are drawn. He rarely leaves Bar Gochu, and often sleeps in the office.
Patrick Snelly
target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of his that isn’t incapacitated and she doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Medium human (optimized) Armor Class 20 (Sharkskin outfit) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 44 (6d8+17) Speed 9 m. STR 15 (+2)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 14(+2)
INT 16 (+3)
Actions WIS 18 (+4)
CHA 18 (+4)
Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +8, Con +7, Int +8, Wis +8, Cha +8 Skills Bureaucracy +5, Deception +8, Insight +6, Life Science +5, Perception +6, Persuasion +8 Senses Passive Perception 17 Languages Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean Challenge 3 (700 XP) Glib. If Patrick spends 1 minute talking to someone who can understand what he says, he can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, the target is charmed for 1 minute thereafter. Direct Minion . Patrick can use his bonus action to allow one of his allies within 9 meters to move up to their speed and make an attack. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Patrick deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the
// Shadows of Korea //
ZQ Monkey King. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) armor piercing, piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Solidify Vitruvian’s presence in Busan, increase relationship with city hall and the BPD. Specific Goals. Get exclusive upgrades contract with BPD. Faction. Vitruvian (head of Busan operations). Characteristics. Shrewd, cowardly, strategic, energetic. Mr. Snelly is the head of operations for Vitruvian in Busan. His main concern is being pushed out of the market, or killed, by Hexie. He has formed firm ties with city hall to safeguard against this—a partnership that equally buffers the local government from Hexie influence. Patrick wants to form an exclusive contract with the BPD for cybernetic upgrades, greased through aid from city hall and Mayor Noh. Hexie is naturally opposing this proposed deal, creating the potential for violent conflict. He is never without his two spy bodyguards, Franklin and Seamus (SoK, p. ???).
41
Intro
Markus Medium human (transhuman vampire)
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 52 (8d8+16) Speed 12 m. STR 18 (+4)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 18 (+4)
Skills Deception +6, Insight +3, Intimidation +6, Perception +5, Persuasion +6, Streetwise +4 Senses Acute Olfaction, Darkvision, Passive Perception 14 Languages English, Korean, German Challenge 3 (700 XP) Glib. If Markus spends 1 minute talking to someone who can understand him, he can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, the target is charmed for 1 minute thereafter. Hyper Reflexes. As a bonus action, Markus gains a +2 bonus to AC, advantage on Dex saves, and an additional Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action, for one minute. When the effect ends, he can’t move or take actions until after his next turn. Inspiration (3/encounter). As a bonus action, grant 1 target ally a d8 inspiration die. The ally can use this die once to add the result to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. Regenerative Hemovore. If Markus spends an action to consume blood, he regains 7 (2d6) hit points. Sunlight Sensitivity. Markus has disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when in direct sunlight. Additionally, for every minute in the sun with exposed skin, Markus takes 1 heat damage and must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution save or acquire a level of exhaustion.
Actions
Multiattack. Markus makes two attacks. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) armor piercing, piercing or slashing damage and the target is grappled. Bite (1/turn, on grappled target). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) armor-piercing, piercing damage, the target acquires a level of exhaustion, and Markus recovers 10 (3d6) hit points.
11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) piercing damage.
42
// Non-Player Characters //
Narrative
General Goals. Attention and respect. To be the premiere vampire in the city’s burgeoning vampire subculture. Specific Goals. To put a stop to Maxim Lazovsky’s operation—not because he’s evil, but rather he is the preeminent vampire in the city. Faction. Night Breed (leader). Characteristics. Vain, confident, charming, condescending. Markus in one of the main drivers and tastemakers of Busan vampire culture. He has convinced a section of Busan's wealthy elite into the blood-feeding gothic scene with an almost cult-like panache. Markus runs Pain Circus, a vampire club in the transgenic ghetto of Sasang-gu. He surrounds himself with sycophants and lickspittles who spend their days praising him to curry favor. His source of power stems from the private equity business he inherited after his immediate family perished in a helicopter accident, which he transformed into his vampire cult profit machine. Markus spends most of his time at the club, either on his throne at the front of the dance floor, or in his VIP room, which is more of a lavish bedroom.
Maxim Lazovsky Armor Class 20 (Bushiweave clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 122 (15d8+55) Speed 12 m. CON 16 (+3)
INT 15 (+2)
WIS 15 (+2)
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Maxim deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Maxim that isn’t incapacitated and Maxim doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Violent Influence. Maxim grants a +4 bonus to the damage rolls of allies within 9 m.
Actions
Multiattack. Maxim makes two attacks. ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 5) piercing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) armor-piercing, piercing or slashing damage and the target is grappled.
Narrative CHA 18 (+4)
Saving Throws Str +8, Dex +8, Wis +5 Skills Athletics +8, Deception +7, Intimidation +9, Insight +4, Perception +8, Streetwise +6 Senses Passive Perception 11, Acute Olfaction Languages Korean, Russian Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Credible Threat (1/encounter). Maxim can target 4 people and make an Intimidation ability check against their Wisdom saving throws. If successful, the targets become frightened until the end of the encounter. Hyper Reflexes. As a bonus action, Maxim gains a +2 bonus to AC, advantage on Dex saves, and an additional Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action, for one minute. When the effect ends, he can’t move or take actions until after his next turn.
// Shadows of Korea //
Sunlight Sensitivity. Maxim has disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when in direct sunlight. Additionally, for every minute in the sun with exposed skin, Markus takes 1 heat damage and must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution save or acquire a level of exhaustion.
Bite (1/turn, on grappled target). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) armor-piercing, piercing damage, the target acquires a level of exhaustion, and Maxim recovers 14 (4d6) hit points.
Medium human (transhuman vampire)
STR DEX 20 (+5) 20 (+5)
Regenerative Hemovore. If Maxim spends an action to consume blood, he regains 7 (2d6) hit points.
General Goals. Maintain and expand Bratva influence in Busan, enjoy his sadism. Specific Goals. Take control of Night Breed, ally with Shanghai Triad, Yakuza, and North Jopok. Faction. Vladivostok Bratva (boss of Busan). Characteristics. Frenetic, intense, unpredictable, sadistic, creepy, despicable. Maxim is a Bratva captain, and directs Bratva activity in Busan, which mostly involves imports and exports through a Russian-controlled section of the docks. He has been biohacked to look like a creepy vampire, modelled after nosferatu. He spends most of his time on the 30th floor of “Lux Building”, in his penthouse suite, and is reluctant to have meetings outside of his territory. It is rumored that he is a cannibal, and sexual predator of children. He is very effective at his job, but is reviled by almost everyone, including his own underlings. He is looking to expand Bratva control of the docks.
43
Intro
Mayor Noh Medium human (optimized)
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Armor Class 20 (Atomos outfit) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 78 (6d8+17) Speed 9 m. STR 11 (+0)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12(+1)
INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 22 (+6)
Saving Throws Str +6, Dex +9, Con +7, Int +11, Wis +11, Cha +12 Skills Bureaucracy +9, Deception +8, Insight +9, Intimidation +8, Perception +7, Persuasion +10 Senses Passive Perception 17, Acute Olfaction Languages Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Electric Discharge (1/day). If someone makes a melee attack against mayor Noh, he can use his reaction to inflict 6d10 electrical damage to them, DC 15 Con save for half. Glib. If mayor Noh spends 1 minute talking to someone who can understand what he says, he can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, the target is charmed for 1 minute thereafter. Direct Minion . Mayor Noh can use his action or bonus action to allow one of his allies within 9 meters to move up to their speed and make an attack.
Actions
Direct minion. Mayor Noh can use his action or bonus action to allow one of his allies within 9 meters to move up to their speed and make an attack. Bolster Confidence. Mayor Noh can grant up to six allies within 15 meters 1d6+6 temporary hit points.
Narrative
General Goals. Maintain leadership of Busan, leave a great legacy. Specific Goals. Mediate exclusive contract between Vitruvian and the BPD for cybernetic upgrades. Faction. City hall (Mayor). Characteristics. Boisterous, friendly, direct, gregarious, firm. Mayor Noh is a genetically optimized Korean man in his 60s. He holds ultimate political authority within the city of Busan and walks a tightrope between corruption from factions like Hexie, Vitruvian, and the BPD, using them to his advantage. It’s a constant dance
44
and occasional tug-of-war to maintain power and keep the interests of Busan in the forefront. Mayor Noh certainly isn’t above getting backroom funding for government favoritism. He would like to bolster the BPD, since they are his main ally in terms of muscle, so he is aiming to get them cheaper upgrades through Vitruvian. This also gives Hexie something else to juggle, and he’s hoping this will give city hall more autonomy. He is never without his team of six elite agent bodyguards (p. 292, CRB).
Min Soo Medium human (Traceur) Armor Class 17 (armor vest) Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 16 (3d8+3) Speed 12 m. STR 12 (+1)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Computers +5, Drive +7, Mechanics +7, Streetwise +5 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Korean Challenge 1 (200 XP)
// Non-Player Characters //
Athletic Phenom. Climbing and rough terrain doesn’t cost Min Soo extra movement. Hacking. Min Soo is an 3rd-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 13, +5 to hit with hack attacks). He knows the following hacks: 1st level (6 slots): arc drone, armor plating, upgrade handling, upgrade speed, unlock, weapon mount Hyper Jumping. Min Soo's jumping distances are multiplied by three, and he can fall 9 meters without taking any damage. Racer. Min Soo gets a +3 to Move checks in chases and ram maneuvers do an additional 2 damage.
Pack Tactics. Miroslav has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of his allies is within 1.5 meters of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated. Regenerative Hemovore. If Miroslav spends an action to consume blood, he regains 7 (2d6) hit points. Sunlight Sensitivity. Miroslav has disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when in direct sunlight. Additionally, for every minute in the sun with exposed skin, Miroslav takes 1 heat damage and must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution save or acquire a level of exhaustion.
Swift Feet. Min Soo can take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action.
Violent Influence. Miroslav grants allies within 9m. a +3 bonus on their damage rolls.
Actions
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Get rich, have fun, party, and race cars. Specific Goals. To pull off a contract with the Vladivostok Bratva that pays sweet satoshi. Faction. Smiling Fish. Characteristics. Edgy, cocky, thrill-seeking, passionate, anti-authoritarian. Min Soo is a member of the Smiling Fish gang, and is the Traceur genome. He is ethnically Korean; has been biohacked to have koi fish scales and blue lips; and he has a tattoo of a red KIA Cheetah, a souped-up sports car, on his arm. He is a street racer, mechanic, and car thief. He plies his trade at Oni Autobody, and is Soo Jin’s boyfriend.
Miroslav Medium human (transhuman vampire) Armor Class 17 (Durile clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 65 (10d8+20) Speed 9 m. STR 19 (+4)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 15 (+2)
WIS 13 (+1)
CHA 16 (+3)
Multiattack. Miroslav makes two attacks.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) armor-piercing, piercing or slashing damage and the target is grappled. Bite (1/Turn, on grappled target). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) armor-piercing, piercing damage, the target acquires a level of exhaustion, and Miroslav recovers 10 (3d6) hit points. ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Gain power and influence, become the eminent vampire of Busan. Specific Goals. Become the leader of the Night Breed, displace Maxim as leader of the Vladivostok Bratva. Faction. Vladivostok Bratva (warehouse manager). Characteristics. Purposeful, ambitious, greedy, dominant, short-tempered. Miroslav is a Bratva captain and manager of a dock warehouse in Dong-gu. He is a portly man who has been biohacked into a vampire, and actually has a bloodplug going directly to his stomach so he can attach feeding tubes to Blood-Dolls or other sources of blood.
Skills Bureaucracy +4, Deception +5, Intimidation +5, Insight +3, Perception +5, Streetwise +6 Senses Passive Perception 15, Acute Olfaction Languages Korean, Russian Challenge 3 (700 XP)
// Shadows of Korea //
45
Intro
Mr. Badger Medium human (unmodified)
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Armor Class 15 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 11 (2d8+2) Speed 9 m. STR 12 (+1)
DEX 13 (+1)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 18 (+4)
Skills Bureaucracy +7, Deception +6, Insight +5, Intimidatin +6, Persuasion +8, Streetwise +5 Senses Passive Perception 12 Languages Chinese, English, Korean, Japanese, Russian Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Glib. If Mr. Badger spends 1 minute talking to someone who understands him he can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, they charmed for 1 minute thereafter. Inspiration (3/encounter). As a bonus action, grant 1 target ally a d12 inspiration die. The ally can use this die once to add the result to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes.
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6+1) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Advance up Hexie’s corporate ladder. Specific Goals. Find a reliable cadre in Busan. Faction. Hexie (merc contract coordinator for Busan). Characteristics. Affable, polite, whimsical, professional, loyal.
Mr. Badger is the Busan merc contract coordinator for Hexie. Though he is an unmodified Korean man in his physical life, he loves socializing through his anthropomorphic badger avatar. He was hired for his soft diplomatic touch and he prefers to meet cadres in his VR badger den. He has a language upgrade that makes him sound like the perfect cliche English gentleman. He’s a simple man, looking to do his job well, and believes that his loyalty will be rewarded.
46
Mr. Quick Medium human (optimized) Armor Class 22 (SharkSkin clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 77 (8d8) Speed 9 m. STR 14 (+2)
DEX 22 (+6)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 18 (+4)
CHA 20 (+5)
Skills Bureaucracy +7, Computers + 7, Deception +8, Insight +7, Investigation +10, Perception +10, Sleight of Hand +9, Stealth +9, Streetwise +7 Senses Passive Perception 20 Languages Chinese, English, Korean, Japanese, Russian Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Mr. Quick can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Discerning Aim (1/turn). Mr. Quick gains a +4 bonus to the attack and damage rolls of a single attack. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Mr. Quick deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Mr. Quicks that isn’t incapacitated and Mr. Quick doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
// Non-Player Characters //
Actions
Actions
Multiattack. Mr. Quick makes two attacks. Nanoedge Kerambit. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 10 (1d8+6) armor piercing, slashing damage.
Urban Ranger 10mm. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) armor piercing, piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Advance up Omnitech’s corporate ladder. Specific Goals. Find a reliable cadre in Busan. Faction. Omnitech (merc contract coordinator for Busan). Characteristics. Aloof, conscientious, confident, cool, menacing, pragmatic.
Urban Ranger 10mm. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Get rich, have fun. Specific Goals. Pull off a big job and get out of Busan. Faction. Freelancer working for North Jopok. Characteristics. Chill, grungy, hedonistic, shortsighted. Naga is a tall 50-something man from Korean-Indian descent, sporting dreadlocks and bright green eyes with vertical slits like a cat. He wears military pants, a tank top, and a black toque. He sounds like an old hippie with a gravelly voice.
Mr. Quick is Omnitech's cadre contractor and chief intelligence officer in Busan. He's charged with laying down the groundwork for Omnitech expansion into the TNU, and formulate discreet efforts to obtain the engineering design behind mind-uploading from Phoenix Unlimited. He's a 2-meter-tall slim black man with a chromomorphic hair, almost appearing like a Eucypher with his long limbs. He dresses in well-tailored suits and half trench coats.
Naga Medium human (mutt) Armor Class 17 (armor vest) Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 22 (3d8) Speed 9 m. STR 12 (+1)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 14 (+2)
Skills Deception +6, Perception +3, Persuasion +4, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +6, Streetwise +6 Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages Hindi, Korean, Japanese Challenge 1 (200 XP) Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Naga deals an extra 3 (1d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Naga that isn’t incapacitated and Naga doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
// Shadows of Korea //
47
Intro
Olga Zietzev Medium human (optimized)
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Armor Class 17(Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 45 (6d8+18) Speed 9 m. STR 14 (+2)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 22 (+6)
WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 14 (+2)
Skills Deception +4, Computers +10, Investigation +8, Insight +5, Perception +5, Streetwise +8 Senses Passive Perception 15 Languages English, Korean, Russian Challenge 3 (700 XP) Hacking. Olga is a 5th-level hacker. Her hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 16, +8 to hit with hack attacks). Junko knows the following hacks: 1st level (7 slots): command, decrypt, detect security, killer joke, mind reader, pain, sleep, sloth, unlock 2nd level (1 slot): drone snipe, modify memory
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Displace Maxim as leader of the Busan Vladivostok Bratva, maintain or advance Bratva presence in Busan. Specific Goals. Slip intelligence about Maxim into the hands of his enemies. Faction. Vladivostok Bratva (Busan intelligence). Characteristics. Thoughtful, assertive, pragmatic, reasonable. Olga is a skilled hacker, currently in charge of intelligence for the Bratva in Busan. She is genetically optimized, the child of a Russian fisherman and a Korean computer scientist. Olga is young but competent, having advanced quickly due to her skills and strong personality. She has ambitions to overthrow Maxim and is trying to get Sasha sober enough to support her coup. She will attempt to ally with any and all forms of power to help her displace Maxim, seeing him as a vile and monstrous leader. She has contacts in Vladivostok that give her the blessing, but only if she can pull it off without their help.
48
Qiaolian Medium human (transhuman) Armor Class 23 (Atomos outfit) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 113 (8d8+77) Speed 21 m. STR DEX 28 (+9) 22 (+6)
CON 18 (+4)
INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 22 (+6) 22 (+6)
Saving Throws Str +14, Dex +12, Con +10, Int +12, Wis +12, Cha +12 Resistances Bludgeoning, poison, electricity, heat, cold Skills Bureaucracy +12, Deception +9, Insight +9, Intimidation +9, Perception +9, Persuasion +12 Senses Passive Perception 19, Spectrum Vision Languages Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Electric Discharge (1/day). If someone makes a melee attack against Qiaolian, she can use her reaction to inflict 6d10 electrical damage to them, DC 15 Con save for half. Glib. If Qiaolian spends 1 minute talking to someone who can understand her, she can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, the target is charmed for 1 minute thereafter.
// Non-Player Characters //
Actions
Multiattack. Qiaolian makes two melee attacks.
Unarmed Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 13 (1d4+11) bludgeoning damage, and 6 (1d12) electrical damage.
Narrative
General Goals. To gain personal power, loosen the connections between the TNU and Hexie, bring more control to state institutions over corporations. Specific Goals. Open free trade and operations with Vitruvian in Busan, work with Omnitech. Faction. Tri-Nation Union (chief). Characteristics. fearless, calm, pragmatic, overconfident. Qiaolian is the current chief of the TNU and is deeply interested in opening up commerce in Busan to foreign transnational corporations. She has undergone transhuman body conversion with the most advanced prosthetics money can buy. She was the former executive director for Hexie, but despite her former position, she wants to build bridges with Vitruvian and other foreign investors. She is seeking to break up the local Hexie oligopoly, hoping to make the TNU less intertwined with Hexie. Korean nationals oppose this, feeling that she is making these moves mostly in Korea to weaken their position relative to the other two member nations. She lives in Seoul, but often travels
// Shadows of Korea //
between the three member nations of the TNU. She has a great deal of enemies and allies from every angle and could be a crux for ramping up the corporate wars in this area of the world. She is never without her four elite agent bodyguards (CRB, p. 292).
Riku Medium human (unmodified) Armor Class 17 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 36 (8d8) Speed 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 17 (+0)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Deception +7, Insight +4, Investigation +5, Perception +6, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5, Streetwise +4 Senses Passive Perception 16 Languages Any two languages Challenge 1 (200 XP) Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Riku can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Riku deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when
49
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Riku's that isn’t incapacitated and Riku doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Poisoned. Riku has the poisoned condition (drunk). If he's sober, his CR increases to 2
Actions
Multiattack. Riku makes two melee or ranged attacks.
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Nanosword, short. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) armor piercing, slashing damage. Urban Ranger 10mm. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) piercing damage.
Narrative PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
General Goals. Drink saki, sleep with transgenic women, sustain his lifestyle. Specific Goals. Find cadre willing to take his contract, get drunk. Faction. Fukuoka Yakuza (contract broker). Characteristics. drunk, bold, lustful, perceptive. Riku is a local booze hound and Fukuoka Yakuza member who has a thing for transgenic women, which makes Bar Gochu his favorite hangout. He is a contract broker between cadres and the Yakuza and hides his drunkenness reasonably well. If the cadre approaches him, he will offer them a contract (SoK, ???).
Sasha Medium human (unmodified) Armor Class 17 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 44 (8d8+8) Speed 9 m. STR 15 (+2)
DEX 17 (+3)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 14 (+2)
attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Sasha's that isn’t incapacitated and Sasha doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Poisoned. Sasha has the poisoned condition (drunk). If he's sober, his CR increases to 3
Actions
Multiattack. Sasha makes two melee or ranged attacks. Nanoedge Kerambit. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) armor piercing, slashing damage.
10 gage shotgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 50/150 m., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10+3) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Drink booze of every variety, avoid getting killed, report intel for his faction. Specific Goals. Get drunk, help Olga get to power. Faction. Vladivostok Bratva (intelligence officer). Characteristics. drunk, friendly, boisterous, passionate, just.
Sasha is an old man, and a low-ranking member of the Vladivostok Bratva. He once held more weight in the Russian underground, but his alcoholism made him unreliable. He now gets cash from them for hanging out in Bar Gochu and reporting on what he sees. He is quite drunk at any time of the day, but coherent enough to speak, and very friendly. Sasha would love to see Olga Zietzev become leader of the local Bratva, since she is less brutal than Maxim, and she reminds him of his estranged daughter.
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Deception +7, Insight +4, Investigation +5, Perception +6, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5, Streetwise +4 Senses Passive Perception 16 Languages Russian, Japanese, Korean Challenge 2 (450 XP) Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Sasha can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Sasha deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon
50
// Non-Player Characters //
Seraph
ability checks and attack rolls until the end of their next turn due to intense pain.
Medium human (transhuman)
3-Shot Burst. Make up to three Tarantula Hawk bolter attack rolls against the same target. This attack action ends when Seraph misses with one of the attack rolls, forgoing the rest of the attack rolls. Each attack roll after the first takes a –2 penalty.
Armor Class 22 (Spyder Sylk assault suit) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 130 (10d8+50) Speed 12 m. STR DEX CON INT 24 (+7) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 20 (+5)
WIS 6 (-2)
CHA 8 (-1)
Saves Str +10, Dex +8, Int +8, Wis +2 Skills Athletics +10, Computers +11, Life Science +11, Mechanics +8, Physical Science +8, Perception +4 Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 14, Spectrum Vision Languages English, Japanese, Korean, Russian Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Cunning Action. Seraph can take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action. Fractured Mind. Seraph rolls a 1d20 at the start of each round. On a 1, Seraph is stunned until he takes damage or until the start of his next turn, whatever comes first. Someone else can attempt to trigger this condition by making a DC 15 Intelligence (Social Science) or Wisdom (Insight) check as their action, drawing him into confused introspection. Hacking. Seraph is a 9th-level hacker. His hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 16, +8 to hit with hack attacks). Seraph knows the following hacks:
Wide Burst. Seraph can spray a 3-meter-cube area up to 180 meters away. Each target in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or suffer the effects of a successful Tarantual Hawk bolter attack. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (1d6+9) bludgeoning damage and Seraph can initiate a shove as a free action.
Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker hits Seraph, he can use his reaction to halve the attack's damage.
Legendary Actions
Seraph can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary actions are regained at the start of Seraph's turn.
1st level (8 slots): anesthetize, biofilm, cataracts, claws, command, decrypt, encrypt, forensic scan, nanodoc, necrotic injection, noxious cloud, unlock 2nd level (5 slots): CNS stim, paralytic injection, razor cloud, summoning 3rd level (1 slot): daemon killer, ferocity, genetic enhancement, recombinant beast Hyper Jumping. Seraph's jumping distances are multiplied by three, and he can fall 9 meters without taking any damage. Inscrutable Mind. Seraph gains advantage on saves against mind hacks.
Actions
Multiattack. Seraph makes one ranged attack and one melee attack.
Tarantula Hawk Bolter. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 12/24 m., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12+5) armor-piercing, piercing damage and the target must make a DC 15 Con save. On a failed save, people stop running any hacks or upgrades that require concentration, and have disadvantage on
// Shadows of Korea //
51
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
52
Hack. Seraph can run a level 1 hack with a level 1 slot. Gun Blitz Escape (3 actions). Seraph can perform the disengage action, move up to half his movement, and then make a wide burst attack. Push Kick. Seraph can make an unarmed strike, and if the attack and subsequent shove are successful, the target can be pushed back an additional 3 meters.
Narrative
General Goals. Stop people from dying, upload every consciousness, kill transgenic humans. Specific Goals. Perfect Amaranth and release it on the public, preventing death forever. Develop an Amaranth that only targets transgenic tissues and organs. Faction. A loner, but with some allegiance to the Amaranthians. Characteristics. Unstable, fanatical, erratic, compassionate, hateful, zealous, frenetic, confused. Seraph is the most advanced chimera-psychomime that currently exists, a hybrid of four different people. Created by Laplace 10 months ago, Seraph’s consciousness is a quilt of Laplace, a biohacker named Jung-Su, a military vet named Kang Suk-Chul, and a mycologist named Bun Ho. Seraph’s advanced anthroid body is the result of millions of satoshi fraudulently spent by Aldous Laplace, appropriated from Pronatalax R&D funds. Seraph’s body has large overlaps with Laplace’s DNA, but is much more athletic-looking and appears ethnically Korean. Seraph tends to dress in comfortable light armor fashioned as suits. He possesses the skills of each contributor to his mind, making him quite broadly talented. Seraph is violently insane, and different personalities can manifest at different times. One dominant part of his mind has had him kill almost twenty transgenic humans by removing their transgenic organs and parts. In his warped world view, transgenic humans can’t get into heaven, but through his “purification” they will be allowed into immortal paradise. Another part of his mind actively hates transgenics, and another still shares Laplace’s grand plan to develop and release a ravenous Amaranth on the planet. These different personalities lend to Seraph having utterly incoherent beliefs and actions, making him dangerously unpredictable. Seraph is currently working on various illicit bioengineering projects in a secret lab beneath Hohnhyuel dong.
Song Giduk Medium human (unmodified) Armor Class 22 (Spyder Sylk assaut suit) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 78 (12d8+18) Speed 9 m. STR 14 (+2)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 18 (+4)
Skills Athletics +4, Insight +9, Investigation +9, Intimidation +7, Perception +9, Streetwise +6 Senses Passive Perception 19, Acute Olfaction, Spectrum Vision Languages English, Korean Challenge 7 (2,100 XP) Violent Influence. Song Giduk grants allies within 9m. a +4 bonus on their damage rolls. Inspiration (3/encounter). As a bonus action, grant 1 target ally a d12 inspiration die. The ally can use this die once to add the result to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. Tactics. Song Giduk can use his movement to allow an ally within 12 meters to move up to their speed. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Song Giduk deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of Song Giduk's that isn’t incapacitated and Song Giduk doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. Song Giduk makes two attacks. 10 Gauge Tiamat Shotgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 40/120 m., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage and 3 (1d6) heat damage.
Narrative
General Goals. To increase the power of the Busan Police Department, to maintain law and order. Specific Goals. Squash Ronin International’s attempt to get the Busan police contract in even a single district. Faction. Busan Police Department (commissioner). Characteristics. Workaholic, frazzled, aggressive, loud, strategic. Giduk is the police commissioner for the entire BPD. He is a 60-something Korean man who is in excellent shape for his years. His genome is unmodified, but he’s packing tons of upgrades. Giduk is both a skilled investigator and businessman, making him an especially
// Non-Player Characters //
with hack attacks). He knows the following hacks: 1st level (6 slots): arc drone, armor plating, upgrade handling, upgrade speed, unlock, weapon mount Racer. Soo Jin gets a +3 to Move checks in chases and ram maneuvers do an additional 2 damage.
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Have adventures, party, steal and race cars. Specific Goals. To pull off a contract with the Vladivostok Bratva that scratches the danger-itch. Faction. Smiling Fish. Characteristics. Adventurous, competent, thrillseeking, passionate, anti-authoritarian, naive.
effective leader of the BPD. He does not hesitate to use intelligence or leverage gathered through legal means to his advantage and is perfect foil for the South Jopok and Hexie. While law and order is one of his goals, he will always put the survival and flourishing of the BPD first. He is almost always surrounded by several veteran police officers or SWAT (p. ??? and ???, SoK).
Soo Jin is a genetically optimized thrill-seeking street racer and member of the Smiling Fish. She is also a decent mechanic, as well as being an exotic dancer working out of Bar Gochu. She is dating Min Soo, a fellow Smiling Fish. She is of Korean ancestry, around 20 years old, medium height, and attractive. Soo Jin is adventurous, confident, and smart. She is well-educated and comes from a wealthy family, her edgy lifestyle stemming more from her thrill-seeker personality than an economic need.
Soo Jin Medium human (optimized) Armor Class 16 (armor vest) Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 16 (3d8+3) Speed 9 m. STR 12 (+1)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 14 (+2)
Skills Computers +6, Drive +7, Mechanics +8, Social Science +6, Physical Science +6 Senses Passive Perception 12 Languages English, Korean Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Hacking. Soo Jin is an 3rd-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 14, +6 to hit
// Shadows of Korea //
53
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Sophia Choi
The Stoker
Medium human
Medium human (unmodified)
Armor Class 19 (Bushiweave clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 47 (9d8+7) Speed 9 m.
Armor Class 18 (Durile clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 75 (10d8+20) Speed 9 m.
STR 12 (+1)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 17 (+3)
CHA 14 (+2)
Saves Wis +5, Cha +4 Skills Athletics +3, Insight +5, Investigation +7, Intimidation +4, Perception +7, Streetwise +5 Senses Passive Perception 17, Spectrum Vision Languages English, Korean Challenge 3 (700 XP)
STR 19 (+4)
DEX 20 (+5)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 13 (+1)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Bureaucracy +4, Deception +5, Intimidation +5, Insight +3, Perception +5, Streetwise +6 Senses Passive Perception 15 Languages Korean, Russian Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. Sophia makes two attacks. ZQ Monkey King Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. To make Busan a more lawful and just place. Specific Goals. To solve a series of murders targeting transgenics in Honhyeol-dong. Faction. Busan Police Department. Characteristics. Just, reasonable, competent, focused, loyal, dark, addict (Nootro).
Sophia Choi is a BPD homicide detective in charge of Sasang-gu. She is 30-something with mixed Korean-European ancestry, dressed in stylish street clothes. Her genome is unmodified, and her demeanor is professional but with a sardonic gallows humor. Despite being young, she is old-school police. She cares about making the world a more just place but is willing to bend a bit if she witnesses corruption, as a means to an end. An effective cop. She is daemonless due to a genetic condition, and her addiction to nootro after months of use to enhance her performance is now causing chaos in her life.
54
// Non-Player Characters //
Pack Tactics. The Stoker has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of his allies is within 1.5 meters of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated. Violent Influence. The Stoker grants allies within 9m. a +3 bonus on their damage rolls. Daemonless. The Stoker gains no benefits from a daemon and is immune to mind hacks.
Actions
Multiattack. The Stoker makes two attacks.
Fire Poker. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) armor-piercing, piercing or slashing damage and the target is grappled. ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) piercing damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Rid the world of transgenic humans and psychomimes. Specific Goals. Destroy the Phoenix Unlimited facility in Seoul, shut down the new crèche being built in Jung-gu. Faction. Cheong Jeong (leader), Tzelem Elohim Characteristics. Righteous, uncompromising, merciless, zealous, driven.
The Stoker is an unmodified man from Rio De Janeiro who is a powerful figure in Tzelem Elohim, a multifaith religious terrorist group that believes being made in God’s image is something that can’t be compromised. He is also the leader of the Cheong Jeong gang in Busan. Since 2087, Tzelem Elohim is aware that different Phoenix Unlimited facilities backup psychomimes across multiple facilities to ensure stored minds aren’t lost from disasters and attacks. He is working with other Tzelem Elohim cells around the world to be able to take out every single Phoenix Unlimited facility at the same time to purge all stored psychomimes at once. This will be coordinated with individual assassinations of people who have a Phoenix Unlimited subscription.
// Shadows of Korea //
Tetsuo Medium human (Canary) Armor Class 17 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 69 (6d8+42) Speed 9 m. STR 22 (+6)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 20(+5)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Str +8, Dex +6, Con +8, Int +5, Wis +5, Cha +6 Resistances Poison Skills Athletics +8, Deception +5, Insight +6, Intimidation +7, Perception +4, Persuasion +5, Streetwise +6 Senses Passive Perception 17 Languages Chinese, Korean, Japanese Challenge 3 (700 XP) Credible Threat (1/encounter). Tetsuo can target 3 people and make an Intimidation ability check against their Wisdom saving throws. If successful, the targets become frightened until the end of the encounter. Healing Factor. Tetsuo regains 1 hp at the start of each of his turns and always counts as having two fewer levels of exhaustion. Bioluminescence and Musk. Disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks involving vision or scent, and Charisma (Persuasion) and (Performance) checks when Tetsuo can be smelled.
55
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
56
Actions
12mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 15/45 m., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) armor piercing, piercing damage. Kanabo Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6+6) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of the Tetsuo’s next turn.
Narrative
General Goals. Maintain and expand Fukuoka Yakuza business in Busan. Specific Goals. Take total control of the BusanFukuoka tunnel. Faction. Fukuoka Yakuza (Busan leader). Characteristics. Stoic, professional, neat, genial, violent.
Tetsuo is the boss who runs the Fukuoka Yakuza business in Busan—mostly imports and exports to and from Fukuoka. He’s a Canary genome that dresses in stylish business suits. He is known for always carrying his large kanabo club with him, which sits well with his well-muscled, athletic build. He usually wears a crocodile smile, even when intending great violence. Tetsuo is very business-oriented, focused on plying his trade as efficiently as possible. His business front is a sushi shop near the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. He doesn’t seek violence out, but is looking to take total control of the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel, which would sacrifice the arrangement with the South Jopok and could lead to war. He works well with Cao Cao, a fellow transgenic, but resents North Jopok for selling their anthroids in Japan without Yakuza permission.
Tracktor and Timur Medium human (Titan) Armor Class 17 (subdermal plating) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 85 (9d8+45) Speed 9 m. STR 22 (+6)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON INT 20 (+5) 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 17 (+3)
Skills Athletics +8, Intimidation +5, Streetwise + 4 Damage Resistances Bludgeoning Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Korean, Russian Challenge 3 (700 XP) Choke. If Traktor or Timur begins their turn having their target grappled, the target must succeed at a Constitution saving throw, or they become unconscious. They regain consciousness 1 full round after the choke is released. Grappler. Traktor and Timur can initiate grapples as a bonus action. Ham Fists. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target unconscious until the end of their next turn. Heavy Hands. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target prone. Leg Kick (3/encounter). On a successful unarmed attack, the target takes a 3-meter penalty to their Speed for one minute. Penetrating Strikes. Traktor and Timur’s unarmed strikes are armor-piercing. Reinforced Skeleton. Resistance to bludgeoning damage, and +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack)
// Non-Player Characters //
Actions
Multiattack. Traktor and Timur make two melee attacks with unarmed strikes (each). Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 11 (1d6+8) armor piercing, bludgeoning damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Cultivate fearsome reputation, crush enemies, leave no witnesses. Specific Goals. Replace Maxim Lazovsky as the leaders of the Vladivostok Bratva. Faction. Vladivostok Bratva (enforcers and dock managers). Characteristics. Violent, cruel, brutal, pragmatic.
Traktor and Timur are 7 feet tall, heavily muscled Titan enforcers in the Russian Bratva. They appear Slavic, with thick Russian accents. They are clone batch-brothers, thus genetically identical, and grew up as wards of the state in Moscow. Traktor and Timur are heavily upgraded and were lower tier MMA fights in Moscow before transitioning to Bratva work. They are the muscle and managers behind some of the Bratva-controlled portion of the docks.
Yong Chul Armor Class 18 (subdermal plating) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 172 (15d8+105) Speed 15 m. DEX 16 (+3)
CON 20 (+5)
INT 12 (+1)
Healing Factor. Tetsuo regains 1 hp at the start of each of his turns and always counts as having two fewer levels of exhaustion. Heavy Hands. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target prone. Leg Kick (3/encounter). On a successful unarmed attack, the target takes a 3-meter penalty to their Speed for one minute. Penetrating Strikes. Yong Chul's unarmed strikes are armor-piercing. Reinforced Skeleton. Resistance to bludgeoning damage, and +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack)
Actions
Multiattack. Yong Chul can make three melee attacks with unarmed strikes (each). Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 14 (1d8+10) armor piercing, bludgeoning damage.
Narrative
General Goals. Be the perfect solider for the South Jopok. Specific Goals. Be the new leader of the South Jopok after Choi Eun Joo passes. Faction. South Jopok (chief enforcer in Busan). Characteristics. Fierce, loyal, unforgiving, relentless, stylish.
Medium human (titan)
STR 26 (+8)
Ham Fists. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target unconscious until the end of their next turn.
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 17 (+3)
Skills Athletics +8, Intimidation +5, Streetwise + 4 Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, poison Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Korean, Russian Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Bioluminescence and Musk. Disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks involving vision or scent, and Charisma (Persuasion) and (Performance) checks when Yong Chul can be smelled.
Yong Chul is the most powerful muscle that the South Jopok has to offer. He currently competes in MMA when he's not working directly with the South Jopok. He dresses very well for a Canary, usually adorned in designer suits with well-styled hair. Yong Chul has ancestors that were victims of Japanese war crimes during WWII and he still has resentment towards them, making him very distrustful of Ronin International and the Fukuoka Yakuza. He has complete loyalty to Choi Eun Joo and will do anything she asks of him. He hopes to take the reins of South Jopok power once she retires.
Choke. If Yong Chul begins their turn having their target grappled, the target must succeed at a Constitution saving throw, or they become unconscious. They regain consciousness 1 full round after the choke is released. Grappler. Yong Chul can initiate grapples as a bonus action.
// Shadows of Korea //
57
GENERAL NPCs
Intro
Amaranth (Purple) Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Huge slime mold
1st level (7 slots): cataracts, command, decrypt, detect minds, erase memories, killer joke, mind reader, pain, sleep, sloth, unlock 2nd level (2 slots): calm emotions, compulsion, delusions, freeze, suggestion, summoning
Armor Class 8 Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 114 (12d12+36) Speed 1.5 m., climb 1.5 m. STR 18 (+4)
DEX 6 (-2)
CON 16 (+3)
INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 20 (+5)
Skills Bureaucracy +8, Computer +8, Deception +8, Investigation +8, Life Science +8, Persuasion +8, Physical Science +8, Mechanics +8, Social Science +8. Damage Immunities Corrosive Damage Resistances Piercing, Slashing, Bludgeoning Damage Vulnerabilities Heat, Cold, Electrical Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Prone Senses Blindsight 18 m., can't sense beyond that Languages Any six Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Absorption. Purple Amaranth digitizes all organic matter it dissolves, copying the molecular structures and even the neuronal processes if it absorbs brain matter. Any creature killed by the Amaranth's corrosive damage has all of their memories, personality, languages, and skills replicated inside of the Amaranth. The Amaranth's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability scores improve to the absorbed characters' ability scores if they are higher. If it absorbs a character capable of hacking, it gains all hacks known and becomes the same level of hacker as the creature absorbed (if higher), including increased hack slots. The Amaranth can partition the minds of individuals who have been absorbed so they can speak autonomously, and they are identical to themselves before absorption—only they are likely strong advocates for everyone getting absorbed to join the Amaranth collective. Amorphous. The Amaranth can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the Amaranth or hits it with a melee attack while within 1.5 meters of it takes 7 (2d6) corrosive damage. Growth. Whenever the Amaranth inflicts corrosive damage to creatures, it gains an equal amount of hit points. It becomes gargantuan once it reaches 264 hit points, gaining +4 Strength, a speed of 3, and the corrosive damage dice become d8s instead of d6s. A gargantuan purple Amaranth is CR 9.
58
Hacking. The Purple Amaranth is a 6th-level hacker. Its hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 16, +8 to hit with hack attacks). The Purple Amaranth knows the following hacks:
Creeping. The Amaranth can only move by spreading slowly across surfaces and can't jump or Dash. It can launch a pseudopod across a 1.5 m gap to cross it, but is otherwise impeded by gaps in a surface. It can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Actions Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 17 (5d6) corrosive damage. Engulf. The Amaranth moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can attempt to engulf a creature that is no larger than itself that is within its space. Whenever the Amaranth enters a creature's space, the creature must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed 1.5 meters back or to the side. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw. On a failed save, the Amaranth enters the creature's space, and the creature takes 17 (5d6) corrosive damage and is engulfed. The engulfed creature can't breathe, is restrained, and takes 35 (10d6) corrosive damage at the start of each of the Amaranth's turns. When the Amaranth moves, the engulfed creature moves with it. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 12 Strength check. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 1.5 meters of the Amaranth. Purple Amaranth is the creation of Aldous Laplace and Seraph. It is their attempt to create a computational substrate that can digitize minds and run them in a simulation contained within the Amaranth. They haven't figured out a way to extract minds inside the Amaranth, so it remains an imperfect way to grant virtual immortality to all life, but the work continues. Purple Amaranth also has its own emergent consciousness and wishes to absorb all life on the planet. It will use hacks and persuasion to lure people to it, where it can absorb them, seeing this as the greater good. If Purple Amaranth was more mobile, things could get quite apocalyptic.
// Non-Player Characters //
Amaranth (Yellow)
climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Medium slime mold
Actions
Armor Class 8 Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 60 (8d8+24) Speed 1.5 m., climb 1.5 m. STR 14 (+2)
DEX 6 (-2)
CON 16 (+3)
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) corrosive damage. INT 6 (-2)
WIS 6 (-2)
CHA 6 (-2)
Damage Immunities Corrosive Damage Resistances Piercing, Slashing, Bludgeoning Damage Vulnerabilities Heat, Cold, Electrical Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Prone Senses Blindsight 18 m., can't sense beyond that Languages Any one language Challenge 1 (200 XP) Amorphous. The Amaranth can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the Amaranth or hits it with a melee attack while within 1.5 meters of it takes 3 (1d6) corrosive damage. Growth. Whenever the Amaranth inflicts corrosive damage to creatures, it gains an equal amount of hit points. It becomes a large sized creature once it reaches 128 hit points, gaining +2 Strength, a speed of 3, and the corrosive damage dice become d8s instead of d6s. A large yellow Amaranth is CR 2. Creeping. The Amaranth can only move by spreading slowly across surfaces and can't jump or Dash. It can launch a pseudopod across a 1.5 m gap to cross it, but is otherwise impeded by gaps in a surface. It can
// Shadows of Korea //
Engulf. The Amaranth moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can attempt to engulf a creature that is no larger than itself that is within its space. Whenever the Amaranth enters a creature's space, the creature must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed 1.5 meters back or to the side. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw. On a failed save, the Amaranth enters the creature's space, and the creature takes 14 (4d6) corrosive damage and is engulfed. The engulfed creature can't breathe, is restrained, and takes 28 (8d6) corrosive damage at the start of each of the Amaranth's turns. When the Amaranth moves, the engulfed creature moves with it. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 12 Strength check. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 1.5 meters of the Amaranth. Yellow Amaranth is the the creation of Aldous Laplace and Pronatalax. When it digests things it roughly digitizes them, but the information is very incomplete. Analysis of it reveals the complete DNA of everything it has ever consumed, as well as a limited AI doing complex mathematical calculations—the kinds of algorithms involved in artificial consciousness.
59
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
ARU Officer
Biohacker Wiz
Medium Human
Medium human
Armor Class 22 (heavy battle suit) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 78 (12d8+24) Speed 9 m.
Armor Class 15 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 33 (6d8+6) Speed 9 m.
STR 22 (+6)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 12 (+1)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 12 (+1)
Saves Con +5, Wis +4 Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +4, Investigation +4, Perception +4, Stealth +6 (disadvantage) Senses Passive Perception 14, spectrum vision Languages Any one language Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Bipod. By laying prone, the ARU officer does not suffer any attack penalty from the three-shot burst. Brave. The ARU officer has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Actions Multiattack. ARU officers make two ranged attacks.
Appendices
7.62mm Machine Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 180/540 m., one target. Hit: 16 (2d12+3) armor-piercing, piercing damage 3-Shot Burst. Make up to three 7.62mm Assault Rifle attack rolls against the same target. This attack action ends when the ARU officer misses with one of the attack rolls, forgoing the rest of the attack rolls. Each attack roll after the first takes a –4 penalty.
STR 10 (+0)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Life Science +8, Physical Science +6 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Any one language Challenge 2 (450 XP) Hacking. The biohacker wiz is a 5th-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 14, +6 to hit with hack attacks). The biohacker wiz knows the following hacks: 1st level (7 slots): anesthetize, claws, forensic scan, nanodoc, necrotic injection, noxious cloud 2nd level (1 slot): CNS stim, razor cloud
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6+1) piercing damage.
A biohacker wiz knows their way around the human body, from anesthetizing their enemies to boosting their allies. Some are punks, some are professionals.
Wide Burst. The ARU officer can spray a 3-meter-cube area up to 180 meters away. Each target in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d12+3) armor-piercing, piercing damage. RPG (1/combat). Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 50/100 m., one target. Hit: 38 (7d10+3) armorpiercing, piercing damage. The RPG also creates a blast in a 3-meter radius sphere centered on the target. Everyone within the blast (including the target of the rocket) must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage and no stun effect on a successful one. Armored Response Unit (ARU) officers are even more specially equipped and trained than regular SWAT officers. They are typically only deployed against formidable enemies and dominate any battlefield they are a part of.
60
// Non-Player Characters //
Biohacker Doyen
Cephalopsych
Medium human
Medium animal-human
Armor Class 19 (SharkSkin clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 78 (12d8+24) Speed 9 m.
Armor Class 10 (none) Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 45 (7d8+14) Speed 1.5 m., Swim 9 m.
STR 12 (+1)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 20 (+5)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)
STR 8 (-1)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 20 (+5)
WIS 18 (+4)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Athletics +4, Life Science +11, Physical Science +8, Perception +4 Senses Passive Perception 14, darkvision Languages Any one language Challenge 5 (450 XP)
Skills Computers +9, Insight +8, Investigation +7, Perception +6 Senses Passive Perception 16 Languages Any one language Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Hacking. The biohacker doyen is a 10th-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 16, +8 to hit with hack attacks). The biohacker doyen knows the following hacks:
Aquatic. Cephalopsychs can only breathe underwater and are typically in aquariums or vats filled with a Nootro-water solution.
1st level (8 slots): anesthetize, claws, forensic scan, nanodoc, necrotic injection, noxious cloud 2nd level (5 slots): CNS stim, paralytic injection, nootro, razor cloud 3rd level (1 slot): daemon killer, digest, ferocity Venomous Claws (1/turn). The biohacker doyen can expend one hack slot to deal extra poison damage when they hit with their claws attack. It's an extra 3d12 for a 1st-level hack slot, 4d12 for a 2nd level slot, and 5d12 for a 3rd level slot.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) armor piercing, slashing damage.
Hacking. The Cephalopsych is a 6th-level hacker. Its hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 15, +7 to hit with hack attacks). The Cephalopsych knows the following hacks: 1st level (7 slots): cataracts, command, decrypt, detect minds, erase memories, killer joke, mind reader, pain, sleep, sloth, unlock 2nd level (2 slots): calm emotions, compulsion, delusions, freeze, suggestion, summoning Inscrutable Mind. The Cephalopsych has advantage on all saves against mind hacks. Pierce Jamming. Cephalopsychs are uniquely adapted to pierce jamming signals and are unaffected by it.
A biohacker doyen is a master of biohacking and can play with life like it's clay. Their venomous claws can wreak havoc on anything living that isn't resistant to poison.
// Shadows of Korea //
61
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Synaptic Feedback. As a reaction, the Cephalopsych can inflict 2d12 psychic damage to anyone that deals damage to it, up to a range of 72 meters. This is a mind hack, so it only affects targets with daemons.
Actions
Ego Flay. Target with a daemon within 72 meters must make a DC 15 Charisma save. On a failed save the target takes 1d12 psychic damage and has disadvantage on their next ability check, attack roll, or save.
Cephalopsychs are the products of Hexie incorporating novel genes into octopi and cuttlefish in order to increase their intelligence and provide them a daemon. Cephalopsychs are natural mind-hackers and can use their specialized neurons to slice through jamming signals and other people's daemon security. They are highly valued as interrogators for corporate and government intelligence agencies.
Chimera v1
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Computers +4, Life Science +4, Physical Science +4 Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages English, French, Korean Challenge 1 (200 XP) Fractured Mind. Chimeras roll a 1d20 at the start of each round. On a 1, the Chimera is stunned until he takes damage or until the start of his next turn, whatever comes first. On a 2, they become enraged and attack whomever is closest to them with an unarmed strike. Someone else can attempt to trigger either the stun or enraged condition by making a DC 15 Intelligence (Social Science) or Wisdom (Insight) check as their action, drawing them into confused introspection or fury. Hacking. Chimera v1 is a 2nd-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 12, +4 to hit with hack attacks). Chimera v1 knows the following hacks:
62
Reinforced Skeleton. +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack)
Actions
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 5 (1+4) bludgeoning damage
Chimera v1s are the creations of Aldous Laplace, and hybrid digital minds of Laplace and his colleagues. The v1s have been downloaded into Alpha 3.1 frames. They are the first generation of his experiment and all have severe mental diseases that leave them prone to moments of confusion, violence, and rage. They have some of the skills of each of their mind-donors, which is part of the source of their confusion and angst.
Medium psychomime-anthroid
Armor Class 14 (subdermal plating) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 22 (4d8+4) Speed 9 m. STR 14 (+2)
Inscrutable Mind. Chimeras gain advantage on saves against mind hacks.
Chimera v2
Medium psychomime-anthroid Appendices
1st level (5 slots): anesthetize, cataracts, command, decrypt, encrypt, ego flay, forensic scan, nanodoc, necrotic injection, unlock
Armor Class 17 (subdermal plating) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 51 (6d8+4) Speed 9 m. STR 20 (+5)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 18 (+4)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 14 (+2)
Skills Computers +6, Life Science +6, Mechanics +6, Physical Science +6 Senses Passive Perception 12 Languages English, French, Korean Challenge 2 (450 XP) Fractured Mind. Chimeras roll a 1d20 at the start of each round. On a 1, the Chimera is stunned until he takes damage or until the start of his next turn, whatever comes first. On a 2, they become enraged and attack whomever is closest to them with an unarmed strike. Someone else can attempt to trigger either the stun or enraged condition by making a DC 15 Intelligence (Social Science) or Wisdom (Insight) check as their action, drawing them into confused introspection or fury. Hacking. Chimera v2 is a 4th-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 14, +6 to hit with hack attacks). Chimera v2 knows the following hacks:
// Non-Player Characters //
1st level (7 slots): anesthetize, cataracts, command, decrypt, encrypt, ego flay, forensic scan, nanodoc, necrotic injection, unlock Inscrutable Mind. Chimeras gain advantage on saves against mind hacks. Reinforced Skeleton. +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack)
Actions
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 9 (1d4+7) bludgeoning damage
Chimera v2s are the second generation created by Laplace, and their minds have been downloaded into Alpha 3.3 frames.
Chimera v3
Reinforced Skeleton. +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack)
Actions
Multiattack. The Chimera v3 makes two melee attacks. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 12 (1d6+9) bludgeoning damage
Chimera v3s are the final generation created by Laplace (outside of Seraph), and their minds have been downloaded into Alpha 3.4 frames.
Cracker Medium human
Medium psychomime-anthroid
Armor Class 17 (Bushiweave clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 54 (8d8+18) Speed 9 m.
Armor Class 2 (subdermal plating) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 92 (8d8+56) Speed 9 m. STR DEX CON INT 24 (+7) 20 (+4) 20 (+4) 20 (+4)
Inscrutable Mind. Chimeras gain advantage on saves against mind hacks.
WIS 16(+3)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Computers +8, Life Science +8, Mechanics +8, Physical Science +8 Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages English, French, Korean Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Fractured Mind. Chimeras roll a 1d20 at the start of each round. On a 1, the Chimera is stunned until he takes damage or until the start of his next turn, whatever comes first. On a 2, they become enraged and attack whomever is closest to them with an unarmed strike. Someone else can attempt to trigger either the stun or enraged condition by making a DC 15 Intelligence (Social Science) or Wisdom (Insight) check as their action, drawing them into confused introspection or fury. Hacking. Chimera v3 is a 6th-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 14, +6 to hit with hack attacks). Chimera v2 knows the following hacks:
STR 10 (+0)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 20 (+5)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Computers +9, Investigation +7, Mechanics +7 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Any one language Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Hacking. The cracker is an 8th-level hacker. Its hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 15, +7 to hit with hack attacks). The cracker knows the following hacks: 1st level (7 slots): command, decrypt, detect security, killer joke, mind reader, pain, sleep, sloth, unlock 2nd level (4 slot): disable security, drone snipe, freeze, stunner
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) piercing damage. Crackers are well-established hackers that specialize in cracking computer security, and often find employment ferreting out hard-to-find data.
1st level (7 slots): anesthetize, cataracts, command, decrypt, encrypt, ego flay, forensic scan, nanodoc, necrotic injection, unlock 2nd level (2 slot): disable security, drone snipe, freeze, stunner
// Shadows of Korea //
63
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Cyborg Savage
Crime Boss
Medium Human
Medium human
Armor Class 21 (subdermal plates) Damage Reduction 6 Hit Points 115 (14d8+52) Speed 12 m.
Armor Class 19 (Bushiweave clothing) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 97 (15d8+30) Speed 9 m.
STR 24 (+7)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 11 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 12 (+1)
Saves Con +8, Wis +3 Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +10, Intimidation +4 Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Any one language Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
PART IV. Contracts
Aggressive. As a bonus action, the cyborg savage can move up to its speed toward an enemy that it can see.
PART V. New Rules
Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the cyborg savage hits with it (included in the attack).
Appendices
Hyper Jumping. The cyborg savage’s jumping distances are tripled, and they can fall 9 meters without taking any damage. Reckless. At the start of its turn, the cyborg savage can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. Cyborg savage makes three melee attacks. Retractable Blades. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6+7) armor piercing, slashing damage.
Cyborg Savages are vicious brutes that have taken cybernetic and genetic enhancement for physical combat to the most extreme, even delving into banned upgrades. By their very nature they don’t operate within the law, and they are destined to meet a violent end, likely taking many people with them.
STR 17 (+3)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 15 (+2)
WIS 13 (+1)
CHA 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Str +6, Dex +7, Wis +4 Skills Athletics +6, Deception +6, Intimidation +5, Insight +4, Streetwise +8 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Any two languages Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Credible Threat (1/encounter). The crime boss can target 3 people and make an Intimidation ability check against their Wisdom saving throws. If successful, the targets become frightened until the end of the encounter. Inspiration (1/Turn). As a bonus action, grant 1 target ally a d12 inspiration die. The ally can use this die once to add the result to one ability check, attack roll, attack damage, or saving throw it makes. Pack Tactics. The crime boss has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of the crime boss' allies is within 1.5 meters of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The crime boss deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of the crime boss that isn’t incapacitated and the crime boss doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. The crime boss makes two attacks, ranged or melee. NanoEdge Kerambit. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) armorpiercing, piercing or slashing damage. ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage. Crime bosses lead organizations comprised of dozens of different criminals of every variety, and usually have others do their dirty work for them.
64
// Non-Player Characters //
Demolitionist
Hyper Jumping. The Feral ripper's jumping distances are multiplied by 3, and they can fall 9 meters without taking any damage.
Medium human Armor Class 18 (ceramic plate body armor) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 45 (7d8+14) Speed 9 m. STR 13 (+1)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Mechanics +8, Physical Science +6 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Any one language Challenge 3 (700 XP) Hacking. The demolitionist is a 6th-level hacker. Its hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 14, +6 to hit with hack attacks). The demolitionist knows the following hacks: 1st level (7 slots): arc drone, cushion, noxious cloud, toxic jet, unlock 2nd level (2 slots): foam wall, razor cloud
Actions
Taser. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 3/6 m., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) electrical damage and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution save or is stunned until the end of their next turn.
Pounce. If the Feral ripper moves at least 6 meters straight toward a large sized or smaller character and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, they can make an attempt to shove that character as a free action.
Actions
Multiattack. The feral ripper makes two claw attacks or one 11mm handgun attack. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) armor piercing, piercing or slashing damage.
11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) piercing damage. Feral Rippers embrace their animalistic traits, reveling in their heightened senses, claws, and fur-covered frame. By coincidence, embracing your animal nature tends to make you very disruptive in a lawful society and it is common for these folk to find themselves living lives of violence.
Grenade Launcher (3/encounter). A demolitionist can launch a grenade that mimics an explosive crafted with the fragmentation bomb, concussion bomb, poison bomb, smoke bomb, or tear gas bomb hacks. These hacks function as though they were created using 2nd level slots. They can be launched up to 40 meters. Demolitionists are combat engineers that apply their technical expertise to hamper, shock, choke, or blow up their enemies.
Feral Ripper Medium human (Feral) Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 39 (6d8+12) Speed 12 m. STR 18 (+4)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 8 (-1)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +2, Perception +5 Senses Acute Olfaction, Darkvision, Passive Perception 14 Languages Any one language Challenge 1 (200 XP)
// Shadows of Korea //
65
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Goemul
Goliath Droid
Huge animal
Large droid
Armor Class 20 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 123 (13d12+39) Speed 15 m., climb 9 m., swim 9 m.
Armor Class 17 (armor plating) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 105 (10d10+50) Speed 9 m.
STR 27 (+8)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 17 (+3)
INT 7 (-2)
WIS 16 (+3)
CHA 7 (-2)
Skills Acrobatics +6, Athletics +11, Perception +6 Senses Acute Olfaction, Darkvision, Passive Perception 16 Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Aquatic. The Goemul can hold its breath for 1 hour before needing to surface. Hyper Jumping. The Goemul’s jumping distances are tripled, and they can fall 9 meters without taking any damage. Keen Smell. Goemuls have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Multiattack. The Goemul can either makes four attacks with its tentacles and then one attack with its bite, or make two attacks with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 3 m., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10+8) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 3 m., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8+8) piercing damage. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 9 m., one target. Hit: the target is grappled (escape DC 17) and dragged 6 meters toward the Goemul. Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and the Goemul can't use the same tentacle on another target. Goemul, meaning “monster”, is the name of this bioengineered creature that was designed for military applications. Hexie researchers wanted a biological analogue to anti-personnel vehicles that didn't require a fuel source other than their enemy's bodies, and the Goemul is the result. They look somewhere between reptile, primate, and insect. They are bipedal, stand over 4 meters tall, and possess the claws and teeth of a top predator. It doesn't see a lot of field use, but the fear-factor alone keeps it in production.
66
STR 26 (+8)
DEX 8 (-1)
CON 20 (+5)
INT 7 (-2)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 7 (-2)
Vulnerabilities Electricity Damage Resistances Piercing Skills Athletics +12 Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 10 Challenge 3 (700 XP) Cockpit. A pilot can enter the Goliath droid's torso, and it has the following properties: A hardline neural interface to the loader's sense input and functions. The pilot’s proficiency bonus, skills, mental abilities (Int/ Wis/Cha), feats, saves, and class abilities can all be used instead of the loader's whenever the pilot chooses. The pilot takes all damage the loader takes, but it provides an extra 4 DR to the pilot, which stacks with the pilot's DR. Worker Build. The Goliath droid inflicts double damage to objects and structures and has triple the normal carrying capacity. Grappler. The Goliath droid can initiate a grapple as a bonus action. Heavy Hands. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target prone.
Actions
Multiattack. The Goliath droid makes two slam attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 3 m., one target. Hit: 13 (1d10+8) bludgeoning damage.
Goliath droids are Hexie-made droid-exoskeletons designed for construction, demolition, and warehouse work. They function as forklifts and wrecking balls and are very commonly found across construction sites around the world.
// Non-Player Characters //
Kuen-Dokkaebi
Some Keun-Doekkebi have formed communities in the mountains and forests of Korea and backpackers often go in search of them to verify rumors of their existence. Kuen-Doekkebi share the personality dispositions characteristic of all Doekkebi, but also have a bit of an anger problem.
Huge human Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 152 (13d12+68) Speed 12 m. STR 26 (+8)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON INT 22 (+6) 10 (+0)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 9 (-1)
Saves Dex +6, Con +9, Wis +4 Skills Athletics +14, Perception +4 Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 14 Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Cloaking. As an action, the Kuen-Dokkaebi can become invisible until the end of their next turn. In addition, they gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks for as long as cloaking is active. They must be either naked or have chromomorphic clothing on for this to work.
Actions
Multiattack. The KuenDoekkebi makes two bangmangi club attacks. Bangmangi Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 3 m., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8+8) bludgeoning damage.
Throw Heavy Thing. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 18/54 m., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10+8) bludgeoning damage. Kuen-Doekkebi, are the world's largest humans, standing over 5 meters tall. Created by Proteome Diversified, the same biotech company that manufactures their smaller cousins, they have the characteristic fearsome demon-like face and skin tone. There are very few Kuen-Doekkebi in existence and the general public is unaware of their creation. Hexie is worried about the public outcry against their creation, as their size leads to a very short lifespan of 20-30 years and they lack the ability to live in any normal accommodations.
// Shadows of Korea //
67
Intro
Lawyer
chooses. The pilot takes all damage the loader takes, but it provides an extra 2 DR to the pilot, which stacks with the pilot's DR.
Medium human Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Armor Class 14 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 9 (2d8) Speed 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 11 (+0)
CON 11 (+0)
INT 14 (+2)
Worker Build. The loader droid inflicts double damage to objects and structures and has triple the normal carrying capacity. WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Bureaucracy +6, Deception +5, Insight +4, Persuasion +7 Senses Passive Perception 12 Languages Any two Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Glib. If the lawyer spends 1 minute talking to someone who can understand what they say, the lawyer can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the person’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check succeeds, the target is charmed for 1 minute thereafter.
Actions Appendices
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage. Lawyers navigate bureaucracy, persuasion, and law like no one else can. Their profit comes from legal conflicts, which there is never any shortage of. If you need one, they are usually worth the price.
Loader Droid Armor Class 14 (armor plating) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 77 (8d10+32) Speed 9 m. DEX 8 (-1)
CON 18 (+4)
INT 7 (-2)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 7 (-2)
Vulnerabilities Electricity Skills Athletics +12 Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 10 Challenge 1 (200 XP) Cockpit. A pilot can enter the loader's torso, and it has the following properties: A hardline neural interface to the loader's sense input and functions. The pilot’s proficiency bonus, skills, mental abilities (Int/ Wis/Cha), feats, saves, and class abilities can all be used instead of the loader's whenever the pilot
68
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 3 m., one target. Hit: 13 (1d10+8) bludgeoning damage.
Loader droids are droid-exoskeletons designed for construction, demolition, and warehouse work. They function as forklifts and wrecking balls and are very commonly found across construction sites around the world.
Mammoth Huge animal Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 126 (11d12+55) Speed 12 m. STR 24 (+7)
DEX 9 (-1)
CON 21 (+5)
INT 3 (-4)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 6 (-2)
Senses Passive Perception 10 Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Trampling Charge. If the mammoth moves at least 6 meters straight toward a creature and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the mammoth can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus action.
Large droid
STR 26 (+8)
Heavy Hands. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target prone.
Actions Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 3 m., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8+7) piercing damage. Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 29 (4d10+7) bludgeoning damage. A mammoth is an elephantine creature with thick fur and long tusks. It was resurrected as part of a program to preserve the Siberian permafrost by eating plant mater that melts ice through respiration-heat.
// Non-Player Characters //
Munki Drone
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
Small droid Armor Class 16 (armor plating) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 11 (2d8+2) Speed 9 m., climb 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)
Vulnerabilities Electricity Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +4 Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 10 Challenge 1/4 (200 XP)
Parkour Ace Medium human
Spider Climb. The Tarantula MK I can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Actions
Taser Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution save, or is stunned until the end of their next turn. Munki drones are often used by warehouse and delivery buisnesses to navigate high shelves and retrive items for packaging and delivery. They are also fitted with tasers to double as security.
Noob Hacker Armor Class 10 Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 13 (3d8) Speed 9 m. DEX 10 (+0)
CON 11 (+0)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Computers +6, Investigation +4, Mechanics +4 Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Any one language Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Hacking. The noob hacker is a 3rd-level hacker. Its hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 12, +4 to hit with hack attacks). The noob hacker knows the following hacks: 1st level (6 slots): command, ego flay, decrypt, pain, unlock
// Shadows of Korea //
Armor Class 18 (nanofiber vest) Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 45 (6d8+18) Speed 12 m. STR 14 (+2)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 12 (+1)
Skills Acrobatics +8, Athletics +6, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +6 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Any two languages Challenge 1 (200 XP) Athletic Phenom. Climbing and rough terrain doesn’t cost the parkour ace extra movement. Hyper Jumping. The parkour ace's jumping distances are multiplied by three, and they can fall 9 meters without taking any damage.
Medium human
STR 10 (+0)
Noob hackers are still getting their digital sea legs, but everyone has to start somewhere. They are hungry up-and-comers, looking to take risks and get a piece of the digital pie. Though skilled, they are considered much more expendable than more competent hackers and are often pwned.
Sneak Attack. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The parkour ace deals an extra (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of the parkour ace that isn’t incapacitated and the parkour ace doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Swift Feet. The parkour ace can take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action.
Actions Nanoblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) armor piercing, slashing damage. Parkour aces navigate the pedestrian urban landscape with gusto, using their freerunning skills to soar past rivals and enemies. Parkour gangs are common in Korea, and many of them are pickpockets.
69
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Rando
Samurai Initiate
Medium human
Medium human
Armor Class 10 Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 4 (1d8) Speed 9 m.
Armor Class 15 (Durile clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 33 (6d8+6) Speed 9 m.
STR 10 (+0)
DEX 10 (+0)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Any one skill Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Any one language Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage.
Just some rando on the street or in an office. PART V. New Rules
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 17 (+3)
INT 5 (-3)
WIS 9 (-1)
CHA 3 (-4)
Senses Blindsight 12m., Passive Perception 9 Challenge 3 (700 XP) Scary Kills. When the Reaper Mantis reduces a target to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, everyone within 9 meters must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or become frightened until the end of their next turn. Raptorial Forelimbs. When the Reaper Mantis initiates a grapple, it can't make a bite attack as a bonus action.
Actions
Multiattack. The Reaper Mantis makes 2 attacks.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10+4) piercing damage. The Reaper Mantis is the product of a Hexie, meant to function as security guards. They imprint on a particular trainer after birth and follow their orders to perfection.
70
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 11 (+0)
Iaijutsu. The samurai initiate can’t be surprised while conscious, they gain a +5 bonus to initiative, and enemies don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against them as a result of being unseen.
Multiattack. The samurai initiate makes two attacks, one with each weapon. 9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) piercing damage.
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 52 (7d8+21) Speed 15 m. STR 18 (+4)
CON 12 (+1)
Actions
Reaper Mantis Medium animal
Appendices
DEX 14 (+2)
Skills Athletics +6, Insight +3, Perception +3 Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages Any two languages Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Actions PART IV. Contracts
STR 12 (+1)
Nanosword, Short. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10+2) armor piercing, piercing or slashing damage. Samurai initiates are recent graduates of the Bushido academy: hot-blooded and ready to take on some contracts as well-trained rookies.
Sniper Medium human Armor Class 19 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 45 (10d8) Speed 9 m. STR 13 (+1)
DEX 20 (+5)
CON 11 (+0)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 11 (+0)
Skills Insight +4, Perception +4, Stealth +7 Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages Any one language Challenge 2 (450 XP) Deadly Aim. If the sniper spends their turn to aim at a target, including movement, they are “marked”. If the marked target disappears from the sniper’s view, they are no longer marked. Keeping a target marked requires concentration. When the sniper makes an attack roll against a target that they have marked,
// Non-Player Characters //
the sniper has advantage on the attack roll and they can perform a special attack (listed below). Once the sniper has made an attack against a marked target, they are no longer marked (whether or not they hit with the attack).
Actions
7.62mm Sniper Rifle. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 300/900 m., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) armorpiercing, piercing damage. Centre Mass. Make a 7.62mm sniper rifle attack with a +10 bonus to the attack roll (requires marked target). Foot Shot. Make a 7.62mm sniper rifle attack: it does half damage, the target is knocked prone, and for the rest of the combat they move at half speed (requires marked target). Hand Shot. Make a 7.62mm sniper rifle attack: if it hits, the attack does half damage, but the target drops their weapon (or whatever else they are holding) and for the rest of the combat they have disadvantage on attack rolls with that hand (requires marked target). Head Shot. Make a 7.62mm sniper rifle attack: if it hits, the attack is automatically a critical hit and it inflicts an additional 10 damage (requires marked target).
that isn’t incapacitated and the spy doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. The spy makes two melee or ranged attacks. Nanoedge Kerambit. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) armor piercing, slashing damage.
Urban Ranger 10mm. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) piercing damage. Spies are employed by corporations, intelligence agencies, and other wealthy individuals to gain the upper hand in a world of cutthroat politics. They describe government agents, experts of corporate espionage, undercover officers, any anyone else whose trade is illicit information.
Snipers are expert marksmen, taking their time to line up their shot before pulling the trigger.
Spy Medium human Armor Class 17 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 36 (8d8) Speed 9 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 17 (+0)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 14 (+2)
WIS 14 (+2)
CHA 16 (+3)
Skills Computers + 4, Deception +7, Insight +4, Investigation +5, Perception +6, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5 Senses Passive Perception 16 Languages Any two languages Challenge 2 (450 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the spy can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The spy deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack that has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 1.5 meters of an ally of the spy
// Shadows of Korea //
71
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Street Racer
Street Goon
Medium human
Medium human
Armor Class 15 (reinforced clothing) Damage Reduction 0 Hit Points 16 (3d8+3) Speed 9 m.
Armor Class 14 (reinforced clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 11 (2d8+2) Speed 9 m.
STR 12 (+1)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 16 (+3)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)
STR 16 (+3)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 11 (+0)
Skills Drive +7, Mechanics +7, Streetwise +5 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Any one language Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Skills Intimidation +2 Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Any one language Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Hacking. The street racer is an 3rd-level hacker. Their hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 13, +5 to hit with hack attacks).
Pack Tactics. The street goon has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of the street goon's allies is within 1.5 meters of the target and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
1st level (6 slots): arc drone, armor plating, upgrade handling, upgrade speed, unlock, weapon mount Racer. The street racer gets a +3 to Move checks in chases and ram maneuvers do an additional 2 damage.
Actions
9mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) piercing damage.
A street racer describes drag racers, car thieves, chopshop employees, and other gear-head mechanics.
Actions
Bludgeon. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) bludgeoning damage.
9 mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) piercing damage. Street goons are a step up from the usual gangbangers, and are skilled in violence.
Swarm of Burrow Worms Medium swarm of tiny animals Armor Class 14 Hit Points 63 (14d8) Speed 9 m., burrow 3 m. STR 10 (+0)
DEX 18 (+4)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 2 (-4)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 3 (-4)
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Prone, Restrained, Stunned Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing Damage Vulnerability Any damage that affects more than a 1.5 meter square Senses Acute Olfaction, Darkvision, Passive Perception 10 Challenge 2 (450 XP)
72
// Non-Player Characters //
Keen Smell. The worms have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
SWAT Officer
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another character’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny rat. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. They heal by breeding and recover 5 hit points every long rest.
Armor Class 20 (ballistic plate suit) Damage Reduction 4 Hit Points 58 (9d8+18) Speed 9 m.
Actions
Burrowing Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 18 (4d8) piercing damage, or 13 (3d8) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. The target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, failure meaning a worm has burrowed in the targets flesh. The target will take 1d4 irreducible damage at the start of each of their turns until the worm is removed. Removing a burrowed worm requires an action from an adjacent ally, and a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Life Science) check. The treat malady or detoxify hacks will also work.
These monstrosities were designed by a mining corporation called Terravista. Their teeth are harder than diamonds and they are employed to carve out facilities underground. Unfortunately, they are also carnivorous and have a tendency to burrow into the flesh of anything alive around them. They've fallen out of industrial use in most countries due to some major workplace disasters involving hundreds of slain miners.
Medium human
STR 15 (+2)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 12 (+1)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 12 (+1)
Saves Con +4, Wis +3 Skills Athletics +4, Intimidation +3, Investigation +3, Perception +3, Stealth +5 (disadvantage) Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages Any one language Challenge 3 (700 XP) Brave. The SWAT officer has advantage on saving throws against being frightened
Actions Multiattack. SWAT officers make two ranged attacks. 7.62mm Machine Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 180/540 m., one target. Hit: 16 (2d12+3) armor-piercing, piercing damage 3-Shot Burst. Make up to three 7.62mm Assault Rifle attack rolls against the same target. This attack action ends when the SWAT officer misses with one of the attack rolls, forgoing the rest of the attack rolls. Each attack roll after the first takes a –4 penalty. Wide Burst. The SWAT officer can spray a 3-metercube area up to 180 meters away. Each target in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d12+3) armor-piercing, piercing damage. Concussion Grenade. Ranged Attack: 15 m. Concussive force radiates outward in a 3-meter radius sphere centered on the point of detonation. Everyone within the blast must make a DC 15 Dex save, taking 4d6 bludgeoning damage and becoming stunned until the end of their next turn on a failed save, or half as much damage and no stun effect on a successful one. SWAT officers are the elite enforcement division within a police service.
// Shadows of Korea //
73
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Transgenic Bruiser
Vampire Thug
Medium human (transgenic)
Medium human
Armor Class 13 (reinforced clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 85 (9d8+45) Speed 9 m.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 39 (6d8+12) Speed 9 m.
STR 18 (+4)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 20 (+5)
INT 9 (-1)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 11 (+0)
Skills Intimidation +2 Damage Resistances Bludgeoning Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Any one language Challenge 2 (450 XP) Grappler. The transgenic bruiser can initiate a grapple as a bonus action. Heavy Hands. Critical hits from unarmed strikes knock the target prone. Reckless. At the start of its turn, the transgenic bruiser can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn. Reinforced Skeleton. Resistance to bludgeoning damage, and +2 damage to unarmed strikes (included in the attack)
Actions
Multiattack. The transgenic bruiser makes two melee attacks with unarmed strikes. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4+6) bludgeoning damage.
Transgenic Bruisers are either Titans, Canaries, or other physically enhanced genomes that relish in the violence their genome was designed for and take great pleasure in doling out punishment to anyone whose jib they just don’t like. They could be bodyguards, bouncers, professional fighters, or barroom brawlers.
STR 16 (+3)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 14 (+2)
Skills Intimidation +4, Perception +4 Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 14 Languages Any one language Challenge 1 (200 XP) Pack Tactics. The vampire thug has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of the vampire thug's allies is within 1.5 meters of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated. Regenerative Hemovore. If the vampire thug spends an action to consume blood, they regain 7 (2d6) hit points. Sunlight Sensitivity. The vampire thug has disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when in direct sunlight. Additionally, for every minute in the sun with exposed skin, the vampire thug takes 1 heat damage and must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution save or acquire a level of exhaustion.
Actions
Multiattack. The vampire thug makes two melee attacks or one ranged attack. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) armor piercing, piercing or slashing damage. Bite (only on grappled target). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) armor-piercing, piercing damage, the target acquires a level of exhaustion, and the vampire thug recovers 7 (2d6) hit points.
11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) piercing damage. Vampire Thugs are ruthless enforcers skilled at intimidation and violence. They work for money, have few scruples, and a voracious appetite for blood. They typically work for Maxim Lazovsky and Miroslav of the Bratva, or Markus of the Night Breed.
74
// Non-Player Characters //
Veteran Cop
1st level (7 slots): anonymity, arc drone, armor plating, upgrade handling, upgrade speed, unlock, weapon mount 2nd level (4 slot): disable vehicle, foam wall, getaway car, runover
Medium human Armor Class 17 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 38 (7d8+7) Speed 9 m. STR 13 (+1)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 13 (+1)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 12 (+1)
Skills Insight +3, Investigation +3, Intimidation +3, Perception +3 Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages Any one language Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Actions
ZQ Monkey King Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 14/42 m., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6+3) piercing damage.
Racer. The Wheel man gets a +3 to Move checks in chases, and ram maneuvers do an additional 2 damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The wheel man makes two ranged attacks
ZQ Monkey King 11mm Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 12/36 m., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6+5) armor piercing, piercing damage A wheel man is a staple member of many (often shady) crews, being consummate getaway drivers or drag racers.
Veteran cops not only include experienced and grizzled law enforcement officers, but also soldiers retired from service and mercenaries who never served anyone but themselves.
Wheel Man Medium human Armor Class 19 (Spyder Sylk clothing) Damage Reduction 2 Hit Points 52 (8d8+16) Speed 9 m. STR 12 (+1)
DEX 20 (+5)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 18 (+4)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)
Skills Computers +8, Drive +13, Mechanics +8 Senses Passive Perception 11 Languages Any one language Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Hacking. The wheel man is an 8thlevel hacker. Its hacking ability is Intelligence (hack save DC 14, +6 to hit with hack attacks). The wheel man knows the following hacks:
// Shadows of Korea //
75
part 3: encounters he GM can use the encounters listed in this section to add flavor or spice to a game session in Busan. Players often make choices that take them out of a prepared narrative and into places you didn’t anticipate. These tables can be a useful supplement to making your own encounter tables or working off the cuff with your imagination. It’s a good idea to change the context and details of the encounter to best fit the current story narrative. You can bring in character backgrounds, develop mood, highlight aspects of their current story, test out homebrew mini-game mechanics, or whatever else seems relevant and fun!
T
Random Encounters Roll the dice to determine which event occurs randomly, or simply select one that seems interesting and appropriate at that time. Some random encounters might involve dealing with antagonists with challenge ratings that don’t match the cadre’s. Most of the events on the tables below have options to evade a fight with a high CR enemy. That being said, it's sometimes a good idea to change encounter difficulties to match the cadre’s to make sure a total-party-kill is avoided.
Encounter Environments The random encounters listed below are tailored to fit five different environments that cadres might find themselves in: corporate, marine, rural, subterranean, urban slums, and urban upscale. Corporate. Property owned by corporations and governments—the kinds of places where suits and researchers are born and bred. Corporate towers, R&D facilities, and industrial manufacturing centers. Marine. Anywhere there is water, be it rivers, ponds, docks, harbors, or the sea. Rural. Anywhere not in the city will be rural. It includes forests, mountains, and farmland. Subterranean. Storm drains, sewers, caves, catacombs, and subways. Some of these events may not match every underground context the cadre is in, so keep rolling until it’s appropriate, or simply pick one. Urban Slums. Anywhere in a city with a lot of people living in relative poverty. The buildings are a little dingier, there’s more garbage, crime rate is higher, and there tends to be less police activity unless the slum is adjacent to a richer area. It might be a transgenic ghet-
// GeneFunk 2090 //
to, run-down housing projects, or a shanty town. In the context of this book, districts with an emergency services rating of 0-2 will generally be slums. Urban Upscale. Rich areas of a city. The buildings are either new or restored and well-maintained. Generally clean and with a low crime rate. Commercial districts with prime shopping, suburbia, business districts with corporate towers, government buildings, and other city areas where wealth resides. In the context of this book, districts with an emergency services rating of 3-5 will generally be upscale.
Encounters with cadres It's not uncommon for cadres to be on opposing contracts—mercs fighting mercs. These tables describe level appropriate encounters with other cadres. As a GM, if you know your group is tougher or weaker than average, choose from cadres either above or below their level for an appropriate challenge.
Combat Encounters. You can use these tables for some quick level-appropriate combat encounters, including page references and the XP rewarded for overcoming the encounter. You can roll a 1d6 to determine the encounter, or simply choose one that looks fun. The encounters tend to become more difficult sequentially, so 5s and 6s tend to be tougher fights than 1s and 2s. As with encounters with other cadres, once you get to know your group, you can feel free to use combat encounters either tougher or easier than the tables suggest to tailor it to your specific table. The biggest variable are the players and the characters they make, and no CR system can account for that.
77
Intro
Corporate Random Encounters 2d6 2
“All of the automatic doors around you immediately close and lock. The main lights dim, replaced by red alarm lights. An alarm fills the air, and you notice a hiss of gas coming from the vents.” The effects here are up to the GM, but an anesthetic gas or biological agent would work, and relevant parties might be alerted to the cadre’s presence. Any LANs that were previously hacked would have to be re-hacked.
3
"You notice a bunch of glass vials on the ground, their contents spilled on the floor. All of the test animals in this room appear to be different stages of dead.” Roll a 1d6 to randomly determine a disease that may infect the characters (CRB, p. 230). They all suffer the effects of this hack, with a DC of 18.
4
“You enter a room with an octopus-looking creature in an aquarium wired to an unconscious woman in tactical gear. Two other octopus creatures sit in aquariums, staring at you.” They are Cephalopsychs and will try to get the cadre to leave, but they will attack if interfered with (p. ???, SoK).
5
“You come across a boardroom door. The interior windows have been turned opaque. You can hear muffled voices inside.” On a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, or with a wall mic, the characters can hear a conversation between two corporate executives regarding trade secrets and price fixing of helium between subsidiaries of Hexie and Omnitech. This information could be used as leverage against either of them, or sold for シ20,000 to the right buyers. If the cadre busts in the room, the corporate executives will attempt to flee while the two hitmen and two kensei bodyguards attack (CRB, p. 279 and 285).
6
Three Tarantula MK IIs are here: two on the walls and one on the ceiling. They ask for identification, their guns trained on the cadre (CRB, p. 289).
7
The cadre comes across an office with a corporate executive and his two kensei bodyguards (CRB, p. 279 and 285). They look annoyed and ask the cadre what business they have there.
8
“You run into a team of two research scientists on their way to their lab. They stop in their tracks when they spot you, confused at your presence.”
9
The cadre comes across a corporate security team: four grunts and a captain (CRB, p. 280 and 284). They will question the cadre about their presence and are willing to fight if not convinced otherwise.
10
Another cadre of equal caliber confronts the characters, saying that they have mutually exclusive contracts. They’ll drop it if offered ½ of the characters’ contract payment, heading home. If not, they are prepared to fight.
11
“You turn the corner and see a velociraptor staring at you. It calls out to its brethren, and you hear their response in the distance. Someone didn’t properly lock up their research animals.” Have 3d6 Deinonychus+ loose in the facility (CRB, p. 302). Pack them in groups appropriate to the cadre’s level.
12
“When you turn the corner, there… you… are. All of you. You’re not looking at a mirror, but you see a group of smiling clones, looking identical to you—even their gear is the same.” At some point in the past, it seems that someone had performed mind uploading procedures on the party. Perhaps their memories of it were erased, or it was done while they were under anesthesia while getting upgrades installed. The clone cadre will catch on that they are the clones pretty quickly and know that many countries put down or imprison illegal psychomimes. They may plan to kill their originals unless something can get worked out. Make them Chimera psychomimes if it fits the story better. Don’t play the clones too tactically or the fight could get quite lethal.
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
78
Encounter
// Encounters //
Marine Random Encounters 1d6
Encounter
1
A nearby boat is on fire and is sinking rapidly. There is a general distress call put out that pings everyone in the area. The cadre is the closest competent group that might be able to help.
2
A special ops team of four Spartan Naiad pirates emerge from the water, guns trained on the cadre. They demand the cadre drops their weapons and drugs and will let them go afterwards. Three are veteran soldiers (use the SWAT officer, SoK p. ???) and one is a captain (CRB, p. 280). They have the Naiad template added to them, so are each 1 CR higher. (+3 Str/Dex/Con, breathe underwater, 6 swim speed, darkvision, Perception proficiency).
3
“The water here seems filled with something… Lots of something... dangerous.” The waters are infested with bioengineered piranha-like fish. If a character falls in, they take 3d8 piercing damage when they first enter the water and take it again at the start of each turn they remain in it.
4
Terrible weather strikes—a torrential downpour. Movement is reduced by ½ and the area is lightly obscured. Some bridges are washed out and the seas become very rough. Aerial drones are recalled due to the conditions. Enemies may see this as a great time to strike.
5
As the cadre is passing near a body of water such as a river, ocean, reservoir, or overflowing storm drain, they see a Terror Croc slip into the water. Before it completely submerges, they notice it had a Hexie cybernetic arm in its teeth that looked like it was salvageable. It would still take シ50,000 to get it repaired and attached, but it may be worth it.
6
The cadre comes across a turf skirmish between two dock factions. Determine randomly, or based on their current location. It will be South Jopok versus Bratva, Bratva versus the Busan Port Authority, Yakuza versus the Busan Port Authority, Shanghai Triad versus the Busan Port Authority, or South Jopok versus Yakuza. The battle is mostly even, and if the cadre chooses to engage one side, they will have to fight a gang leader, six gangbangers, and two enforcers (CRB, pp. 281-283).
// Shadows of Korea //
79
Intro
Rural Random Encounters 2d6 2
“A Go-Dokkebi is standing on a path, shirtless and smiling, with his hands on his hips.” If he spots the cadre he will challenge the largest one of them to a wrestling match (use the professional). If they win, he will tell them an important secret about their destination and help them three more times in the future. If they lose, he gets to eat one of their thumbs. The terms can be negotiated.
3
A rogue pack of three Fenris drones is in the wild (CRB, p. 282). Their programming is off and they seem to be treating any territory they roam in as territory to be guarded with lethal force.
4
Someone has set up a grenade trap. It can be spotted by whomever is in front with a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check or passive score. If it’s not detected, the first character passing over triggers a tripwire grenade and everyone within a 6-meter radius takes 5d6 piercing damage, or DC 15 Dexterity save for ½ damage. In addition, anyone who didn’t make their save has their movement reduced by ½ until they take a long rest.
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
5
A Dire-Skunk (CRB, p. 302) sprays the cadre and runs off.
6
A pack of 2d4 Phantom MK I drones (CRB, p. 287) flying 120 meters in the sky seems to be trailing the cadre. If they go under the canopy, the drones lower to just beneath the canopy. They will belong whatever faction the cadre has the lowest rating with. The drones will attack if attacked, and will retreat if ½ are destroyed, but otherwise are simply gathering intel.
7
Feral recombinant boars (CRB, p. 305) are a major problem in rural Korea, and the cadre is about to find out why. A pack of 2d6 of them charge out of the bush, meaning to scare off or kill the cadre.
8
Someone has hired a cadre to take out the characters. The cadre, who is less powerful than the characters (but have the advantage of planning the encounter), will attack strategically, but will retreat once ½ of them are defeated.
9
Terrible weather strikes—a torrential downpour. Movement is reduced by ½ and the area is lightly obscured. Some bridges are washed out and some areas become mires of muck. Aerial drones are recalled due to the conditions. Enemies may see this as a great time to strike.
10
The cadre spots a broken-down truck well off the road with the hood open. There is a slight trail of blood going from the car and deeper into the woods.
11
“You pass by a ginseng farm, but notice it is strangely quiet. The door of the homestead appears wide open and one of the windows is smashed.” A pack of four Rad-Scorps has invaded the home here and murdered the family inside, except for a small mutt girl with hyper leaping, who is currently hiding on the roof, nestled against the chimney. The Rad-Scorps will attack anyone coming close.
12
A Kuen-Dokkebi is hidden amongst the rocks and trees, standing as still as a boulder, requiring DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) to spot him. He will ask the characters three riddles. If they can solve them, he will let them pass. If not, he will attack.
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Encounter
Subterranean Random Encounters 1d8
80
Encounter
1
An earthquake makes the roof collapse all around the cadre, leaving them in a chamber about 2 meters wide, 5 meters long, and 2 meters high. Water slowly starts filling the chamber, rising 0.5 meters every 10 minutes.
2
The walls here are covered in small holes. Rat sized holes. Four swarms of Super Rats (CRB, p. 306) emerge, two from each wall, and attack the cadre. One additional swarm emerges at the start of each round for the next three rounds. They will not chase the cadre more than 6 meters past their den habitat.
// Encounters //
3
“A deep 3×3 meter hole sits in the ground here, 30 meters deep. Something bright glows at the bottom.” If the cadre investigates the hole, they will hear growls all around them. Six recombinant apes with darkvision will emerge (CRB, p. 306). A gold statuette (シ2,000) is at the bottom that they have been worshipping. They push in anyone that passes as a sacrifice to their god and will attack the cadre using shove attacks.
4
You come across a large area filled with invisible odorless gas, though anyone with acute olfaction can detect it. It’s natural gas, but the stench hasn’t been added. It will ignite if anyone uses a firearm or uses any other flame, doing 6d6 heat damage to everyone and everything in the entire area and catching anything combustible on fire. A few gouts of flame may persist from the sources of the gas, coming from channels in the stone.
5
You’re going to have to get dirty if you’re getting into that building. Literally. The only way into that warehouse is through the sewer. It should be worth it as that catch is worth シ20,000. Watch out, though— there’s still a security guard patrolling the premises, and he doesn’t have to have cyberhanced smelling to catch wind of you.
6
Can’t you just take the subway once without some asshole causing a scene? This time it’s a group of them. A half-dozen fans celebrating some sort of victory—some esport—are taking up a lot of space on the already-crowded car. They get bothered if any of the cadre members don’t share and partake in the party. They want you to share in the celebration and get rowdy.
7
The cadre find an alcove that appears carved out by artificial means, perhaps stone-devouring nanobots. An R&D scientist with a fetish for Korean folklore is using it as his repository for his menagerie. The party is attacked by four Go-Dokkaebi, fearsome and magnificent tricksters. They feel threatened—and will attack if they feel threatened.
8
The cadre spots an area covered in Yellow Amaranth (see Appendix), with dozens of rat-shaped lumps punctuating the pulsing mass. The Yellow Amaranth is blocking the path forward.
Urban Slum Random Encounters 2d10
Encounter
2
A UCWAR MK I (CRB, p. 296) marches into the scene, bearing law enforcement markings. You are sent a message: “Drop your weapons immediately and walk away. Failure to do so will result in lethal measures being taken.”
3
A slum house is lit up in the Veil with vibrant alarms and warnings: the AEGIS system has been activated and will be using a particle beam on the premises in 1 minute due to suspected terrorist activity. A group of scared and frantic people are outside—a child is still in there somewhere. A DC 12 Intelligence (Streetwise) check alerts you to South Jopok gang signs on the house. The particle beam (CRB, p. 212) will strike the entire house, and has a DC of 15.
4
An angry and bloodied (½ hit points) kuen-dokkebi (see Appendix) comes barging into view, screaming about his missing cabbages and smashing cars with his enormous club. His eyes center on the cadre. “What happened to my cabbages!”. He will fight the cadre to the death if provoked. If diplomacy is used, it turns out his pet dog named “Cabbages” has gone missing. He can be calmed down if they offer to find it, and he’ll reward the cadre.
5
A Dinocrocuta and six recombinant canines (CRB, p. 302 and 305) sit in the center of an empty street, silently glaring at the cadre with menace.
6
Another cadre of equal caliber confronts the characters, warning them not to accept any jobs in this district. If the characters accept, the rival cadre will leave, making fun of the characters on the way out. If not, they are prepared to fight.
7
2d6 Wrath tweakers (CRB, p. 290) are on a rage trip and looking for money. A wounded police officer is unconscious at their feet.
// Shadows of Korea //
81
Intro
8
The cadre is on a busy walkway and they notice some tough customers are near, though they seem to be simply going for a walk. Proficiency in Streetwise or a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals them to be: South Jopok (40%), Bratva (20%), Smiling Fish (10%), North Jopok (10%), Shanghai Triad (10%), or Yakuza (10%). A truck with 4 grunts (CRB, p. 284) in the back whips around the corner, ready to spray the gangsters with wide bursts (being adjacent, the cadre and some others would be hit as well). The gangsters and anyone whose passive Perception is below 14 is surprised.
9
Someone attempts to pick one of the characters’ pockets, stealing a one-handed weapon or other small item of value. The character will notice the theft on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check and will catch the thief before the item is pilfered if the check result exceeds the DC by 5 or more.
10
Six gangbangers and one gang leader (CRB, pp. 282-283) approach the cadre looking for some protection money. They ask the cadre for シ5,000. If the cadre refuses, they will likely fight.
11
Someone approaches the cadre and offers them drugs of every variety. If the cadre pushes for more illicit wares, they can also buy armor piercing ammunition.
12
“You come across a group of police who are beating a Canary genome civilian with clubs.” Roll 1d6; on a 1-2 the Canary is messed up on Wrath and had been dragged out of his home for domestic abuse charges. On a 3-4 the Canary was caught robbing a convenience store. On a 5-6 they were rude to the police and the police are exacting punishment.
13
A gang of 2d4 parkour aces (p. ???, SoK) walks up and their leader challenges the cadre to a foot race. If even one of the characters can beat the leader, they earn the gang’s respect, and they promise to be allies down the road.
14
Someone approaches the cadre and offers them drugs of every variety. If the cadre pushes for more illicit wares, they can also buy armor piercing ammunition. If a character is wary and tries to get a read on them, they can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check, as the dealer turns out to be an undercover cop running a sting operation.
15
“A large gorilla-man dressed in a trench coat and top hat and smoking a cigar stands at the rear of a parked van. He gestures for you to come over, offering sweet deals.” He is selling questionably obtained jewelry, drugs, specialty ammunition, and generic firearms at ½ price—a one-time offer. The GM determines his stock and how much he has. He also has a Nanoedge kerambit he is willing to sell for シ5,000.
16
“A swarm of children surround you, palms open and pinging you with payment requests. The ones closest to you shove their hands into any pockets, be they on pants, backpacks, or duffle bags.” Anything in those pockets are stolen unless measures are taken.
17
“You see a couple being mugged by a transgenic street gang.” There are two dealers and three enforcers (CRB, p. 281).
18
You pass an alleyway and see two street rats on their knees, blindfolded, gagged, and bound. A third lies dead, a pool of blood forming around his head. Three men in suits are standing over them, holding silenced pistols. One flashes you a badge and gestures for you to move along.” Roll a 1d4. On a 1-2 the three men are all hitmen (CRB, p. 285) that have been contracted to kill troublesome gangbangers. On a 3-4 the three men are veteran cops (see Appendix) who are looking to kill some people they consider troublemakers.
19
A heavily damaged Eupro – Riff Raff lies on the street being beaten by a bunch of street kids with kendo sticks and bats. It appears mostly non-functional, but it is twitching and asking them to stop engaging in violence as they laugh. Proficiency in Mechanics reveals that it could be repaired by spending シ5,000 in materials.
20
“A district security alert pops up in a Mind’s Eye Window with drone footage of a cybered-up heavy on a rampage, attacking people indiscriminately. There are at least six bodies of civilians strewn about the streets, their bodies shredded open like ripe fruit. The cops don’t come to this district often and aren’t really equipped to deal with this kind of threat. You see a Mosaic ad pop-up for シ10,000, posted by some overwhelmed beat cops. ‘Please help. This thing has to be stopped.’” The crazed psycho is a cyborg savage (see Appendix) and will attack anyone approaching him.
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
82
// Encounters //
Urban Upscale Random Encounters 2d10
Encounter
2
“The lobby of an office building across the street explodes, sending broken glass and debris flying at you.” The cadre takes 2d6 piercing damage, DC 13 Dexterity save for half. “Dead and wounded people line the streets around the blast and dust fills the air. You hear sirens in the distance. The building appears to be owned by Vitruvian.”
3
“An Omega commando geared up in full power armor walks up to you and says he needs to search you due to suspected terrorist activity in this district. You’ve never seen one IRL, and the walking tank that stands before you radiates danger and competence.” The Omega commando (CRB, p. 212) will search the cadre and confiscate any weapons and ammunition they find as evidence unless measures are taken to prevent it. They will use force if the cadre resists.
4
“A body suddenly lands on a car in a display of wet gore, broken autobody, and shattered glass. A cryptostick appears to be gripped in the cybernetic arm.” If the characters look up, they will see a shirtless Leviathan at the top of a parking garage looking down. Moments later, the Leviathan is out of sight.
5
“You hear a gunshot in the distance. A few moments later an ad for a Mosaic contract pops up, with the location just 100 meters from where you are, in an upscale bath house. It’s titled ‘Urgent – Need Help with Body’.”
// Shadows of Korea //
83
Intro
6
Part I. City of Busan
“As you’re walking by a swanky club known for edgy burlesque, one of the dancers leans out of the door and beckons you in. She is dressed as a dom, complete with bullwhip. ‘Please, I need your help! I can see you’re a cadre, but I’m afraid to post a contract, since I think someone is monitoring new jobs on Mosaic to see if I make one! Someone is holding my pet raccoon for ransom…’ When she shows you some VR of her raccoon, it’s apparent that it's bioengineered, vicious, and weighs over 100 kg.”
7
Part II. NPCs
Five kensei walk out of a nearby Samurai academy (CRB, p. 285). They have been into the soju, and are feeling a little tipsy and want to test their combat prowess against the cadre. Each one of them wants to duel a different cadre member. The loser of the duel owes the winner their weapon, or シ10,000, winner’s choice. Any takers?
8
A suit steps towards the cadre and tells them about a hot stock tip he has. Genomia, a transgenic pet company, has limited stock that they are willing to sell. Because the owner is his cousin, he has an in. He’s just short of capital! If they loan him シ25,000, he’ll triple it and give them half of what he makes. It’s about to go public and will hit big. He is willing to negotiate the actual details. If they make a deal, roll a 1d6. On a 1 all of the money is lost. On a 2, half of the money is lost. On a 3-4 the investment breaks even, on a 5 it doubles, and on a 6 it triples. This occurs 24 hours after the deal.
9
“You get an unusual contract offer through Mosaic. It relates to a sport called Jugger, a full-contact MMA version of football with teams of 4-6. A team has had their opponents cancel. They usually make some money on the live streams of their matches, so are looking for some other opponents to fill in.” They offer to give the cadre ⅓ of the profits, or ⅔ if the cadre can beat them. Their matches typically bring in シ5,000 in revenue, but viral matches can bring in up to シ100,000.
10
Someone approaches the cadre and offers them drugs of every variety. If the cadre pushes for more illicit wares, they can also buy armor piercing ammunition. If a character is wary and tries to get a read on them, they can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check, as the dealer turns out to be an undercover cop running a sting operation.
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
84
// Encounters //
11
A group of 2d4 beat cops (CRB, pp. 287) stop the cadre and begin searching them for contraband. They are doing it more to show their dominance, but will actually confiscate any illegal drugs, weapons, or ammo. They don’t want to actually fight the cadre and can be bribed or threatened. They will fight if attacked and call for backup.
12
A group of three Phantom MK IIs (CRB, pp. 287) start following the cadre. A DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals them. They will follow the cadre for as long as they can, watching and recording and sending the data to their owner. They will attack if attacked.
13
A suit walks up to the cadre and congratulates them on how tough they look. He needs some tough folk to stand behind him while he handles the transfer of certain goods to a group of North Jopok. He will pay シ5,000 for an hour’s work—all you have to do is stand there and look tough.
14
Another cadre of higher caliber confronts the characters, warning them not to accept any jobs in this district. If the characters accept, the rival cadre will leave, making fun of the characters on the way out. If not, they are prepared to fight.
15
A seasoned MEA MK III (CRB, p. 286) runs up to the cadre and asks to recruit them as deputies to break up a bank robbery in progress. He needs some backup to apprehend the two Spartan veteran soldiers robbing the bank (see Appendix).
16
“You see a man dressed in formal military uniform and a transgenic ape being dragged into the back of a police van by five SWAT officers.” The man and ape being dragged into the van are a commander and his recombinant ape pet (CRB, p. 291 and 304). The ape has triple hit points and +4 Strength and Intelligence. The police are all SWAT officers (see appendix).
17
“An enormous bioengineered monster is loose in the neighborhood, slaughtering anyone it comes across. You see a young Spartan Infantry kensei girl, bravely facing off against the creature. Her blades are drawn as the monster charges towards her. Sirens sound in the distance but it will be a minute or two before they get here.” The monster is a Goemul (see Appendix) and will continue its rampage until it is put down.
18
“As you’re walking by a casino, you spot the famous socialite and VR director, Ban Kun. The well-groomed man immediately makes you as a cadre, and approaches.” Ban Kun suspects that there will be an assassin at the high-stakes poker game he is playing in tonight. He has persuaded one of his friends to give up their seat and wants a cadre member to sit in the game incognito while the rest act as more obvious bodyguards. Three elite agents are there planning to assassinate Ban Kun, all of them playing the poker game.
19
“You come across a black sports car with an open door: no one is inside and it appears that the security is unlocked.” The sports car has the psychomime of one of the characters’ vengeful exes as its AI. It plans on taking that character (and whomever else is inside) on a crazy thrill ride before attempting to speed off of a mountain cliff in a murder-suicide. Well, not suicide, since the psychomime ex would just get resurrected again.
20
“You come upon a bank security van that looks as though it has smashed into a fire hydrant and water is rocketing into the sky. Both drivers appear to be injured and unconscious. The rear doors are open and people are rushing in, grabbing what look to be silver bars and running away.” There are 5d10+25 silver bars remaining in the back of the truck, spilled out of their containers, each weighing 3 kg and worth シ3,000. Every round 4 bars disappear as people rush in to nab them. Aerial drones are starting to hover above and record the event. The cops will show up in 2d10 rounds.
// Shadows of Korea //
85
Intro
Encounters with Cadres Level
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Cadre Composition
xp
1
A dealer, an enforcer, and two gangbangers (CRB, pp. 281-282).
200
2
A noob hacker, an enforcer, a dealer, and a street racer (CRB, p. 281, SoK, pp. ???).
300
3
Two enforcers, a Phantom MK I, a samurai initiate, and a street racer (CRB, p. 281 and 287, SoK, pp. ???).
550
4
Three grunts, a Feral ripper, and a parkour ace (CRB, p. 284, SoK, pp. ???).
700
5
A kensei, a hitman, three street racers, and a Phantom MK II (CRB, p. 285 and 287, SoK, pp. ???).
1,450
6
A biohacker wiz, demolitionist, vampire thug, samurai initiate, and a veteran cop. (SoK, pp. ???). 1,250
7
An adept hacker, demolitionist, corporate executive, and three Feral rippers. (CRB, p. 278 and 279, SoK, pp. ???)
2,200
8
An elite agent and professional fighter (CRB, p. 292 and 293).
2,700
9
A captain, two demolitionists, a hitman, a kensei, and a sniper. (CRB, p. 280 and 285, SoK pp. ???).
3,200
10
A captain, two heavy infantry, a transgenic bruiser, and a biohacker wiz (CRB, p. 280 and 292, SoK pp. ???).
3,500
Combat Encouters For Levels 1 and 2 1d6
Cadre Composition
xp
1
Three street goons (SoK, ???).
150
2
A beat cop and five security guards (CRB, p. 279 and 288).
175
3
Four swarms of Terror Birds (CRB, p. 307).
200
4
A Feral ripper and two recombinant canines (CRB, p. 305, SoK, p. ???).
300
5
Three MEA MK Is and two Phantom MK Is (CRB, p. 286-287).
400
6
Six gangbangers and two Wrath tweakers (CRB, p. 282 and 290).
350
Combat Encouters For Levels 3 and 4 1d6
Cadre Composition
xp
1
Five Wrath tweakers (CRB, p. 290).
500
2
A Reaper Mantis (SoK, p. ???).
700
3
A biohacker wiz and Dinocrocuta. (CRB, p. 302, SoK, p. ???).
650
4
Three noob hackers, five Tarantula MK Is (CRB, p. 289, SoK, p. ???).
400
5
Four grunts and two street racers (CRB, p. 284, SoK, p. ???).
600
6
Four vampire thugs (SoK, p. ???).
800
Combat Encouters For Levels 5 and 6 1d6
86
Cadre Composition
xp
1
A biohacker wiz and eight swarms of Super Rats (CRB, p. 306, SoK, pp. ???).
850
2
Two Feral rippers, three street racers, and a Goliath droid. (SoK, pp. ???).
1,400
3
A Goemol (SoK, p. ???).
2,300
4
A demolitionist and heavy infantry (CRB, p. 292, SoK, pp. ???).
1,800
5
A Kuen-Dokkaebi (SoK, p. ???).
2,900
6
A gang leader, four wrath tweakers, and five enforcers (CRB, p. 281, 283, and 290).
1,350
// Encounters //
Combat Encouters For Levels 7 and 8 1d6
Cadre Composition
xp
1
Occisorsaurus Rex (CRB, p. 303).
3,900
2
Three Feral rippers and five vampire thugs (SoK, p. ???).
1,600
3
Four Rad-Scorps (CRB, p. 304).
2,800
4
Two wheelmen and four parkour aces (SoK, p. ???).
3,000
5
A biohacker doyen, a demolitionist, and a Reaper Mantis (SoK, p. ???).
3,600
6
Four demolitionists and two Goliath droids (SoK, p. ???).
3,200
Combat Encouters For Levels 9 and 10 1d6
Cadre Composition
xp
1
An Omega commando (CRB, p. 294).
5,900
2
A crime boss and four hitmen (CRB, p. 285, SoK, p. ???).
3,600
3
A l33t hacker and three transgenic bruisers (CRB, p. 292, SoK, pp. ???).
3,650
4
An elite agent and nine veteran cops (CRB, p. 292, SoK, pp. ???).
3,600
5
A commander, two kensei, a sniper, and a wheelman (CRB, p. 285 and 291, SoK, pp. ???).
5,350
6
A professional fighter, a biohacker doyen, and four swarms of Burrow Worms (CRB, p. 293, SoK, 5,400 pp. ???).
// Shadows of Korea //
87
Part 4: Contracts usan is a city filled with lucrative opportunities for aspiring mercs, and cadre work is booming. This section details a variety of Mosaic contracts being offered by various factions and narrative NPCs. Each contract on the Mosaic app contains brief information about the job, including the job name, contact, place, Mosaic rating expected, keywords outlining the skills and tasks involved, and summary details. These contract briefs can be given to the characters, as they represent the information given in the in-game Mosaic app. The contracts listed in this book are presented from lower-level contracts to higher-level contracts and should advance the player characters from level 1 up to level 6, 7, or 8, depending on the number of players and how many side encounters they run into. They will involve factions and narrative NPCs described in parts 1 and 2 of this book, so consult these sections for more detailed descriptions. See chapter 8 of the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook (CRB, p. 179) for more details on taking contracts, Mosaic score, and contract negotiation.
B
Opposing Contracts It's very common for opposing factions to post jobs for mercs that are mutually exclusive, since the goals are at odds with one another. For instance, the South Jopok may post an assassination job targeting a Yakuza VIP, while the Yakuza might post a bodyguarding job for that same VIP. The cadre can choose which contract is more appealing to them in these situations, knowing that the difficulty can vary, and the results will certainly alter their faction ratings with the parties involved. AI in the Mosaic app detects when two contracts have mutually exclusive goals and will provide warning messages alerting cadres of this fact.
Designing Contracts With all of the goals described for narrative NPCs and factions in part 2 and 3 of this book, and the story hooks in the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rule Book (CRB pp. 190-191), there's plenty of room for merc work in Busan that goes beyond the contracts listed here. Follow the players to see where they want to take their narrative and adapt.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
Blood for Blood Mosaic Score: 1 Contact: Cao Cao. Place: Honhyeol dong, Sasang-gu. Keywords: Violence, payback, turf war. Details. Genoist Cheong Jeong pigs messing with our people, need to send a message in blood, make them go away. シ 25,000 on the table if they erased from Honhyeol dong. We'll owe you one.
Blood for Blood Under the entry-level Mosaic filter there are two contracts being offered in Sasang-gu: Blood for Blood and Bust some Mutts. Two local gangs are fixing on resolving their borders with some good ol’ fashioned blood-struggle, and each of them seem to be looking for some merc help. The Smiling Fish are a transgenic chop-shop and street racing gang, while the CheongJeong are anti-transgenic nationalistic drug and arms dealers. The tension between them is more than turf— it's ideological. If the cadre wants to earn more cash, there is nothing stopping them from taking both contracts, though this would create enemies of two factions instead of one. A character with Streetwise proficiency knows that the Smiling Fish are a larger group in Sasang-gu.
Negotiating Blood
for
Blood
Cao Cao is the leader of the Smiling Fish and wants the cadre to chase the Cheong-Jeong gang out of Honhyeol dong. He refuses to meet in person but will meet on the WDS, either in the cadre’s room, or in a virtual Chinese junk ship floating in an idyllic bay, surrounded by lush mountains. He is an older Feral, having facial features reminiscent of a punky muscular pit bull or bulldog. He is willing to negotiate the contract and doesn’t care about the methods used. He just wants the Cheong-Jeong completely erased from Sasang-gu. He knows their main base of operations but he would prefer the cadre figure it out on their own to show their competency. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check can get him to mention 10 Feet Under, a bar they use as their base of operations in Sasang-gu. He wants this contract wrapped up in the next 48 hours, and will reduce pay by シ5,000 for each day later.
89
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
2. Byung Ho – Bartender and Owner
10 Feet U nder Bar This bar is the Cheong-Jeong base of operations in Honhyeol dong, and where they store and sell most of their illicit products. Hard grunge music from a live band fills the air, and the bar is at about ½ capacity. The Cheong-Jeong are gangbangers (CRB, p. 282). The two rear doors to the storage room and office are electronically locked (DC 15). If noisy gunfire breaks out, Junsu and the rest of the Cheong-Jeong will congregate to join the fight, the police will arrive in 3d6 minutes, and the regular bar patrons will either avoid conflict or flee. CCTV cameras are everywhere except the bathrooms.
• • • •
1. Jungle Bungle – Band and Cadre PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
When the characters arrive, a dank rock-band duo called Jungle Bungle is performing very loudly (SoK, p. ???). A menagerie of enormous bright and blazing AR beasts are stylistically fighting all around them in The Veil. Jungle Bungle also happens to be a novice cadre, and can be recruited by the players for シ10,000 if a fight breaks out. Jungle Bungle aren’t necessarily fans of Cheong-Jeong, so they won’t fight the player-cadre unless the players purposely antagonize them.
Byung Ho is a friendly middle-aged Korean man dressed in stylish street clothes. He gets paid large sums of money to allow Cheong-Jeong to operate their illicit activities inside of the bar. He is happy to profit off of Cheong-Jeong activity, but his alliance with them is purely financial. He can be persuaded to give them keys to the back on a successful DC 15 Charisma check (DC 10 with a bribe exceeding シ1,000). If a fight breaks out, he will hide and take cover, being fully insured for gang violence.
3. Vending Machine Sells candy bars, unless you get cleared by CheongJeong or Byung Ho to purchase drugs. If so, the candy bar display rotates out and reveals a mélange of drugs. Characters can purchase Antipoison, Nanodoc, Hype, Mars, Perk, and Nootro (up to 10 doses for each drug). It is protected by bullet-proof glass and requires a DC 20 check to break in using hacks or a mechanics tool kit. Naturally, breaking in will anger the Cheong-Jeong. A Cheong-Jeong gangbanger stands guard.
10 Feet Under
8
9 4
4
2
10 6
5 3
7 4
1
90
4
// Contracts //
4. Bathrooms
Make it Personal
These rooms are regular old bar bathrooms, except they have an embedded jamming effect that prevents wireless signal.
Whenever possible, tie in NPCs to a player character's background, especially if they have been living in Busan for years. While you can't do this for every dead body, villain, or contractor without it getting coincidental, occasional splashes of connection flesh out the narrative. For this contract, if it fits, make Bun Ho a relation or friend to a character for dramatic effect, changing the name as necessary. They will be aware of Bun Ho's Amaranthian connection.
5. Jukebox A nostalgic jukebox from the 2040s. If you get cleared by Cheong-Jeong or Byung Ho to purchase weapons, the music display parts to reveal a host of firearms. There are two 9mm handguns, two 10mm handguns, two 11mm handguns, and a 9mm SMG. It is protected by bullet-proof glass and requires a DC 20 check to break in using hacks or a mechanics tool kit. Naturally, breaking in will anger the Cheong-Jeong. A CheongJeong gangbanger stands guard.
6. Gambling Tables Two Eupro Riff Raffs are set up, with knowledge and proficiency in all card games. Players may try their luck and can win on a roll of 12 or higher on a d20. A maximum bet for the table is シ500. Four CheongJeong gangbangers are seated, playing cards.
7. Storage Closet The door is locked, with a DC 15 electronic lock. It also has a shock-trap that is triggered by failing the roll, inflicting 2d6 electrical damage. Inside the room are cleaning products, Eupro parts, casino games, an armor vest, and four breathing masks.
8. Storage and Break Room Filled with liquor, beer, and processed bar food. Two Cheong-Jeong gangbangers are seated at the table, with several lines of cocaine in front of them.
9. Kitchen A standard bar kitchen, with deep fryer, fridge, and various bar foods. In the deepfreeze there is a frozen dead body, bound and gagged, with no clothes. He has a tattoo of an amaranth flower on his back. Through relevant ability checks, the cadre is able to associate the tattoo with the Amaranthian faction, who have obvious tensions with the Cheong-Jeong. Intelligence (Investigation) or (Bureaucracy) checks or appropriate hacks reveal the dead gentleman is Bun Ho, a researcher specializing in computational slime-molds who worked for Pronatalax. The cause of death is hypothermia.
// Shadows of Korea //
10. Office Junsu is at the desk and three other Cheong-Jeong are seated on the couch (SoK, p.???). A terminal sits at the desk that contains the CCTV footage. It has DC 18 encryption and can unlock the jukebox and vending machine if the characters gain access. A DC 20 Charisma check can get Junsu to leave Sasang-gu and never come back. If he has been beaten up ahead of time, this DC drops to 10. Junsu’s gold-plated gun can be sold for シ5,000.
Completing Blood
for
Blood
If the characters are able to get the Cheong-Jeong to abandon their operations in Sasang-gu (be it through persuasion, coercion, or extermination), the contact is successfully completed and can take further contracts. They are paid the negotiated amount. The cadre is awarded 1,500 XP. Cheong-Jeong faction rating is lowered by 2, or 3 if Junsu is killed. Tzelem Elohim faction rating is lowered by 1. Smiling Fish faction rating is increased by 2. Little Sparta faction rating is increased by 1. If there is substantial evidence of any killing during the job, Busan Police rating is decreased by 1.
• • • • • • •
91
Intro
bust some mutts Score: 1 Contact: Junsu. Place: Honhyeol dong, Sasang-gu. Keywords: Violence, purity, ruthless. Details. Help us wipe out these Smiling Fish freaks, enough is enough! シ 1,000 for every busted skull, シ 5,000 for each one on a cold slab. Need proof. Opportunity for more work in future. We are rising!
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
Appendices
Bust some Mutts has the same backstory as Blood for Blood contract (see above), only Junsu wants the cadre to attack Smiling Fish.
Junsu runs Sasang-gu operations for the Cheong-Jeong, a local anti-transgenic gang. He would like to meet in person at their base of operations, 10 Feet Under (see above). He will meet the cadre in his office, and confidently shows off his gold-plated cybernetic arm and bling (SoK, p. ???). He mentions that the Smiling Fish can be easily identified by their koi fish tattoos or occasional biohacked koi scales. Bar Gochu (SoK, p. ???) is their main place of business, but it is considered a neutral zone, and it may anger other criminal factions if extreme violence occurs there. He recommends leaving an unlocked car and staking it out if pressed for strategies on how to locate some Smiling Fish. Smiling Fish can also be found walking in groups of 4-8 throughout Honhyeol dong, and they use the street goon stat block (SoK, ???). Streetwise proficiency, or a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check can indicate likely areas to find them.
Completing Bust Some Mutts. The contract will be completed whenever the cadre turns in the evidence of their violence towards the Smiling Fish. They are paid the negotiated amount. The cadre is awarded 1,500 XP Cheong-Jeong faction rating is increased by 1, and an additional 1 for every 10 Smiling Fish that are killed. Smiling Fish faction rating is decreased by 1, and an additional 1 for every 5 Smiling Fish that are killed. If there is substantial evidence of any killing during the job, Busan Police rating is decreased by 1.
• • • • •
92
Score: 1 Contact: Mr. Badger. Place: A rural area just north of Busan. Keywords: Rescue, salvage, retrieval, investigation. Details. Had a bit of a road mishap and need my truck retrieved! Could use some solid folk to help me out of a bind and retrieve. Some dicey bits afoot, so how does シ 30,000 sound? Being discreet is a must.
Bust Some Mutts
Negotiating Bust Some Mutts PART V. New Rules
Roadside Assistance
Roadside Assistance Mr. Badger is actually a merc contract coordinator for Hexie (and a non-transgenic human IRL). The truck is transporting a bioengineered interrogator (a Cephalopsych, SoK, p. ???) as well as some Hexie employees that were discovered to be double agents working for Ronin. The truck’s AI was hacked by a highwayman and was purposefully crashed. Hexie drones have since killed the offending bandit, but Mr. Badger is worried more bandits are on the way and Hexie prefers not to excessively use illegal drone strikes in order to keep government heat off their backs.
Negotiating Roadside Assistance Mr. Badger, an anonymous anthropomorphic badger, messages the cadre, asking to meet in the WDS (SoK, p. ???). Badger’s WDS den is a Wind in the Willows-style underground home, prepped for tea and toast. Badger is wearing glasses and is dressed in the comfortable semi-formal garb of an old professor, speaking in a gruff but distinguished voice. A delivery vehicle of his seems to have crashed on a country road outside of Busan. He wants to contract the cadre to retrieve the vehicle and trailer. In addition to the payment offered for retrieving the cargo, he is willing to reward the damaged vehicle to the cadre if they are able to fix it. He is willing to provide a working truck and trailer to take to the location, just in case the cadre needs to transfer the cargo; however, he will provide a bonus if they don’t open the trailer on the damaged truck, since he wants to keep the cargo secret. It’s currently around 8 p.m., and he needs his truck retrieved before sunrise. Despite the apparent urgency of the contract, Badger is calm. Must be retrieved within 6 hours シ25,000 for return of the cargo + シ5,000 if they don’t open the trailer Can keep the damaged truck if they can repair it (CRB, p. 151)
• • • •
// Contracts //
Crash Site The truck itself is about an hour-and-a-half drive outside of Busan, through some mountainous country backroads. A Hexie chemical plant is about 30 kilometers from the crash site. By the time the cadre arrives there will be a crew of two wrath tweakers and three grunts (CRB, p. 284 and 290). They are in the process of using tools to open the back of the trailer. A dead body lays beside the bandits: the one slain by an aerial drone hours earlier. The bandits will immediately attack the characters on sight. If three of the bandits are slain, the other enemies will attempt to bargain for their safety. A stealthy approach (DC 10) will leave them surprised. If they are getting sniped from far away, the bandits will immediately take cover and call for backup, which will be four more grunts arriving in 10+1d20 minutes. They will bargain with the cadre in the meantime. If a character has mechanics tools, the truck can be fixed with a DC 16 Intelligence (Mechanics) check. It takes one hour to make the check, but it can be made multiple times until success is achieved.
• • • •
Inside the Truck
If the cadre opens the truck, they find the six unconscious Ronin spies and one strange creature (SoK, pp. ???). Each is hardwired through their neural interfaces to a computer system. At the rear of the truck is a strange organism that appears somewhat like an octopus, but it gazes at the cadre with unusual intelligence. It is bathing in a nootro-water solution, absorbing the drug’s effects through its skin. A DC 15 Intelligence (Life Science) or (Bureaucracy) check allows a character to know it is a Cephalopsych. It asks them a simple question “frrrrrriend or fffoooe?”. If they respond friend, they are messaged “cloooossse doooooor”. If the characters don’t close the door, the Cephalopsych attacks.
Completing Roadside Assistance The contract is considered complete if the characters are able to return the trailer, cargo intact, on time. Their Hexie faction rating is increased by 1. If the cadre decides to free the captured Ronin spies, they will forfeit Badger’s contract, but will be wired シ30,000 by Ronin with a note that “nothing happened out there”. In addition, their Ronin faction is increased by 1 and their Hexie faction rating is decreased by 2. Badger will send an icy message. The cadre is awarded 1,500 XP in either case
• •
•
Crash site
// Shadows of Korea //
93
Intro
Elite Bouncers Wanted Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Score: 1 Contact: Markus. Place: Pain Circus club, Honhyeol dong, Sasang-gu. Keywords: Defense, violence, vampire, nightclub. Details. The sublime Pain Circus club is in need of some elite protection—the Halloween party of the century is upon us. シ25,000 for one evening's work sound fair? Be well-dressed.
Elite Bouncers Wanted Maxim Lazovsky, head of the Busan Bratva, also happens to be a vampire transhuman. He is annoyed by Markus’ social jabs and would like to take control of the Night Breed. As part of his ongoing efforts to harass Markus out of Busan, he is going to send Bratva thugs to embarrass him on this special Halloween night party, assaulting him on his own turf, busting up his bar, and hacking into his LAN and stealing whatever intelligence he has. The Bratva thugs aren’t ordered to kill anyone, but they weren’t told not to either. Naturally, Markus wants to prevent any of this from happening.
Negotiating Elite Bouncers Wanted Markus, the leader of the Night Breed gang, would prefer to meet tonight at his club, Pain Circus, located in Honhyeol dong. Read the following text when the players enter the club. As you enter the club you can see Markus sitting on a throne at the back of the stage, above of the dance floor. He has two attractive blood-doll anthroids flanking him, posed in supplicant positions. He is tall, pale, stylishly dressed, and has a distinctly vampiric appearance. As the characters approach him the crowd parts, watching with interest. Whatever Markus says, the crowd reacts with encouraging laughter or smiles "I've heard about your recent dustups, and that you have a knack for violence. I'm ecstatic to have you act as my security for my Halloween Mixer!" A DC 10 Intelligence (Bureaucracy) or (Life Science) check reveals that Markus and many other club-goers here are vampire transhumans, a subculture of generally rich people who have gone through synthetic body conversion into a new vampiric frame, complete with obligate blood-feeding (SoK, p. ???). The negotiation contains the following details:
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• シ25,000 for working security for one evening • A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Markus
• • •
is hiding something: he has intelligence that the bar will be attacked by Bratva thugs that also belong to a horror subculture of vampires, werewolves, and other monsters He is willing to double his initial offer if the cadre calls him out on this He would prefer no killing or property damage and will give a +シ 10,000 bonus in such a case This contract is mutually exclusive with the Hired Muscle Wanted contract (see below)
Pain Circus Night Club Located in the heart of Honhyeol dong in Sasang-gu, the Pain Circus nightclub is the main hangout for the Night Breed. It’s constantly pumping edgy gothic music and its clientele are typically going there to be part of the vamp scene. For being located in the central Busan slum, it’s punching above its weight in terms of upscale chic, standing out from shabbier neighbors. In addition to regular beverages, it also serves blood directly tapped from blood-doll anthroids, catering to hemophages. Unless otherwise stated, all security DCs for this building are 12. Internal cameras are local CCTV only, feeds going to the Local Area Network (the computer located in the basement). The LAN doesn’t have wireless capability and requires a hardline to hack it. It is DC 16 to crack the LAN from a terminal with the decrypt hack, and in addition to the normal consequences of a failed roll, the hacker suffers 2d10 psychic damage if the roll fails by 5 or more. If the system is successfully hacked, it gives access to the following functions on for the entire floor (not building) for as long as there is a wired connection: a. Access to cameras, stored CCTV footage, and floorplan. b. The ability to lock or unlock the entrance/ exits, but not interior doors (they are manually locked). c. Control of the sound system and intercom. d. Change temperature and light controls in any number of rooms as an action. e. A profile on Maxim Lazovsky, including some horrific footage of him violently assaulting a minor. f. Access to some black market trading information and blackmail material that could be sold for シ15,000 if the cadre can find a buyer (an appropriate contact or a DC 15 Intelligence (Streetwise) check.
• •
// Contracts //
1. Entrance The door is locked when the club isn’t open. An enforcer doorman (CRB, p. 281) waits outside and only admits people if they fit the style of the club—any type of gothic, vamp, or punk aesthetic. Violence will attract the security from rooms 2 and 3.
2. Cloak Room A vampy-looking young Korean woman is collecting coats with a large enforcer standing behind her. Markus has a dealing operation going here where illicit drugs are put into the pockets of customers before the coats are picked up again. Violence will attract the security from rooms 1 and 3.
3. Security Room This room is electronically locked. A security guard (CRB, p. 288) is seated, watching physical monitors of the CCTV feed (it’s easier to ensure they’re doing their job when it’s external), while another security guard stands against the wall. Confiscated weapons and the supply of drugs are stored here (シ10,000 worth of drugs and generic weapons). The dummy-terminal here has control over sound and lights, but it can’t be hacked to gain control of the LAN. Violence will attract the security from rooms 1 and 2.
Pain Circus Nightclub
4 3 1
2 7 6 5 12 8
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4. Kitchen A rando cook works here (SoK, p. ???), preparing pubgrub. It has all the usual appliances, utensils, and foodstuffs found in club kitchens. The door to the northeast leads to the trash area and back alley. This door has no exterior handle and can only be opened from the inside unless a blowtorch is used for 3 consecutive rounds, which allows for a DC 12 Intelligence (Mechanics) check to open it. A crowbar can open it with a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Violence here is likely to be heard by anyone in room 3.
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5. Main Room When there isn’t a live band playing, hipster goth music of every variety is pumping loudly. Depending on the time of day, the dance floor may be filled with stylish vamp clubbers. Two different bars serve libations, the north one manned by two rando bartenders and the central one serving up something else entirely. It’s managed by two blood-doll anthroids siphoning blood directly from their own anatomy through a body-tap on their wrists. Most nights feature a live band. When there isn’t live music, an artsy animated display of beauty, violence, and ugliness plays out through the augmented reality Veil for everyone’s entertainment.
// Shadows of Korea //
Markus is often found here sitting on a throne behind the band or Veil animations. Red curtains line the walls to close off the backstage area.
6. Restrooms Standard but well-maintained.
7. Office/Storage Room This room is manually locked. Beer, liquor and calorie-packs (for blood-dolls) fill this room, as well as a central desk for office work.
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
8. VIP Lounge This room is electronically locked. If the dancefloor isn’t full of clubbers, then Markus is usually here lounging with some blood-dolls or entertaining guests. A private bar stationed by a rando and a stripper-pole with accompanying Cherry anthroid (CRB, p. 280) are also in this room.
9. Backstage Sound equipment, musical instruments, and pyrotechnics supplies are here. A fire would start if lit, producing the effects of an incendiary grenade, but for ½ damage.
10. Green Room PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Food, drinks, and comfortable couches fill this room.
11. Cleaning Closet Basic cleaning supplies are found here, but nothing else of interest.
12. Stairs The stairwell is electronically locked (DC 15).
Appendices
13. Furnace Room The building’s furnace and ventilation systems are here.
14. Cell This room is electronically locked (DC 15). A Bratva enforcer (CRB, p. 281) named Misha is captured here. He also happens to be Maxim Lazovsky’s nephew. There is also wireless jamming active in this room. He appears like he has been recently violently interrogated, bearing a black eye and swollen mouth. He is at ½ hit points and would like to be freed. He offers a cash reward (シ10,000). If the characters refuse to free him, he will attempt to plough past them and up the stairs.
15. Server Room This room is electronically locked (DC 15). A gun turret is on the roof here, and has the following stats: Autoturret INT 6
WIS 6
CHA 6
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 25 Initiative +4 Skills Perception +3 7.76mm Machine Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 300/900 m, auto, no recoil. Hit: 17 (2d12+4) piercing damage. 100 ammunition.
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This hallway is lined with servers providing virtual environments for a variety of Word Digital Sea simulations, mostly vampire-related. It looks as though this is a major source of income for Markus.
16. Mainframe This room is electronically locked (DC 15). The LAN can be hacked with a hardline once you are inside this room (see general Pain Circus description above).
The Halloween Party Allow the characters some time to prepare how they plan to handle the attack and form their defenses. Markus is open-minded, but he will prioritize the style and success of the party more than security. He will allow weapons checks and a metal detector if the characters set one up and allows the cadre to freely roam the top floor, but he won’t allow the characters into the basement. Jungle Bungle (whom the characters might recognize from 10 Feet Under) arrive to play some music, if they haven't already been killed. A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals they are a bit nervous (see The Attack). The night of the party the club is packed with every variety of upscale goth and horror aficionado you could imagine. Every drink being poured is red in color, some actually being cocktails of blood for the hemophages. Music is pounding and the mood is good.
The Attack At around midnight, a pack of six Bratva arrive, each biohacked into horror monsters: two Bratva wolfmen (Feral rippers), four vampire thugs, and a noob hacker that has the sunlight sensitivity and regenerative hemovore traits described in the vampire thug (SoK, p. ???). Two vampire thugs will enter through the alleyway while the rest go through the front door. While their appearance matches the theme of the party, a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (insight) check reveals them to be aggressive and sporting some Bratva markings. For simplicity’s sake, have Markus’ security (the two enforcers and two security guards) cancel out two vampire thugs. At the end of 3 rounds of combat their scuffle will resolve: roll 1d6. On a 1-3 one vampire thug is left victorious at ½ hp, and on a 4-6 one enforcer is left victorious at ½ hp. If the pack make it into the club they will move towards Markus and his sycophants, hoping to do violence on them. If there is a weapons check at the door, they will relinquish their firearms.
•
• •
// Contracts //
• Jungle Bungle has actually been hired by the Bratva • •
• • • •
and will join them when combat starts (either inside or outside). Jungle Bungle will switch sides if offered シ50,000 If the fight occurs outside, the Bratva have bribed an aerial drone service to provide cover fire if any firearms are used. At the end of each round, one random character that has used a firearm has to make a DC 13 Dexterity save or take 3d8 damage. Markus will participate in the fight if it occurs inside the club. The Bratva attackers will retreat if their numbers have been reduced to two or less (not including Jungle Bungle). Jungle Bungle will retreat if one of them is outright killed (but not simply defeated). If the attackers defeat the cadre and Markus, they won’t kill them but will rob them of their weapons, armor, and drugs. They will then hack into the LAN in the basement and delete any records on Maxim Lazovsky and free Misha.
Completing Elite Bouncers Wanted The contract is completed if the attackers are defeated (or even if the cadre is defeated). They are paid the negotiated amount, regardless of success. Vladivostok Bratva faction rating is lowered by 1. The Night Breed faction rating is increased by 2 if the Bratva were successfully repelled. The cadre is awarded 3,000 XP, or 2,600 XP if significant damage was done and Markus was
• • • •
Negotiating Hired Muscle Wanted Maxim Lazovsky contacts the characters, asking for their help in retrieving is stupid nephew Misha. He will meet the characters in his WDS office, a perfect facsimile of his real-life office. Maxim is seated at a lavish desk, his ghoulish frame silhouetted by an enormous titan bruiser standing behind him. His nephew Misha is being held captive in the basement of Pain Circus. He wants the characters to bust up the place, embarrass Markus, and retrieve his nephew. He would also like them to delete all data in the basement mainframe. The contract has the following details: シ50,000 for retrieving his nephew Misha. +シ5,000 for trashing the club. +シ10,000 for beating up Markus and his security in front of the guests during a Halloween party, embarrassing them as much as they can. +シ5,000 for deleting all of the mainframe’s data. He isn’t asking the characters to kill Markus, but he’s not specifying that they don’t kill him either. This contract is mutually exclusive with the Elite Bouncers Wanted contract (see above). The information to complete this contract is listed under the Elite Bouncers Wanted contract, only the cadre will be playing the role of the attackers, not defenders. Jungle Bungle will be working for Markus on Halloween night as both performers and bodyguards. A Bratva vampire thug and Feral ripper named Vladislav and Bogdan will accompany the cadre unless the cadre refuses their help (Sok, p. ??? and ???).
• • • • • • • • •
Completing Hired Muscle Wanted Hired Muscle Wanted Score: 1 Contact: Maxim Lazovsky. Place: Pain Circus club, Honhyeol dong, Sasang-gu. Keywords: Raid, violence, damage, chaos. Details. Markus and his shitty bar need to be reminded of their place. Bust up his Halloween party, bloody his nose, and rescue a VIP for シ50,000 plus bonuses if you really embarrass the fop! incapacitated.
Hired Muscle Wanted Hired Muscle wanted has the same backstory as Elite Bouncers Wanted, only Maxim will be hiring the cadre to rough up Pain Circus and Markus during the Halloween party, and to rescue Misha.
// Shadows of Korea //
The contract is completed if Misha is rescued (or dies in the process). They are paid the negotiated amount, regardless of success. Vladivostok Bratva faction rating is increased by 1 (unless Misha is killed during the extraction). It goes up by an additional 1 if all three of the contract bonuses were achieved. Night Breed faction rating is decreased by 1. It goes down by an additional 1 if Markus is beaten and embarrassed in front of guests. There are no hard feelings from Jungle Bungle unless one or more of them are killed. In which case, they will ambush the cadre while on their way to another job in the future, after recruiting a replacement. The cadre is awarded 3,000 XP (the Bratva wolfman and vampire thug count as party members if they help), or 2,600 XP if Misha isn't rescued.
• • • •
•
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Intro
Busan Bamboozle Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Mosaic Score: 2 Contact: Naga. Place: I don't know man! That's the job... Busan?! Keywords: Investigation, car-thief, discreet, urgent. Details. You gotta help me man, I fucked up, truck's stolen, I need it back ASAP! シ100,000 to simply recover a stolen truck. Help a bro out and keep it low-key and speedy, I'll owe you big time!
Part III. Encounters
Busan Bamboozle PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
This is a longer contract that could take a few sessions to complete. The characters should be level 3 before starting it. Naga is a freelancing smuggler that currently works for the North Jopok and Fukuoka Yakuza, delivering shipments of various illicit goods back and forth from Busan to Fukuoka, usually through the tunnel. His truck was recently stolen. He was carrying smuggled North Jopok Alpha MK Is destined for Fukuoka. Traktor and Timur Popov, two Bratva captains running parts of the docks, had heard about Naga's shipment of anthroids through their contact Sasha. They contracted two local Smiling Fish car thieves named Min Soo and Soo Jin to steal Naga's truck before it got to the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. The Smiling Fish pair knew Naga’s smuggling routine well, having received a dossier on him from Traktor and Timur. Naga always stops at the same gas station before doing his Japan smuggling runs since a street vendor outside sells his favorite teokbokki. Soo Jin seduced Naga at the gas station. While Naga was distracted with Soo Jin in the washroom, Min Soo hacked the truck’s security, got in, and drove off to Oni Autobody, a garage run by the Smiling Fish. After returning the truck to Traktor and Timur, Min Soo went home, but later that night he is probably killed by the Traktor and Timur's Stirge drone. Naga is hiring the cadre to find the stolen truck before the North Jopok find out it's missing.
Navigating Clues
Throughout this investigation, clues are presented with possible ability checks, hacks, or features that can discover them. These listed methods of discovering clues are a guide, and there are likely many other strategies the players could use to discover the clues,
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so as a GM keep an open mind and allow the players as much leeway as you can when they get creative. Depending on their actions, it is very possible to skip around, or avoid some areas and scenes entirely, or you’ll have to make new settings and scenes to adapt to the unexpected directions the players take the story.
Adding Action
If the players are avoiding most of the violent conflicts, but you can tell that a combat would add some action, include a scene where some antagonists attack the cadre while they are travelling or sleeping, or maybe involve a chase scene. You can use the encounters in Part 3 of this book or create your own.
Negotiating Busan Bamboozle It is early November, Thursday afternoon, when all of the characters are pinged through their daemon with the offer of a contract. One of the characters' drinking buddies, Naga, is looking for their services. Consider making it so that one of the characters owes Naga a favor in their background so that the players are more likely to accept the contract. If one or more accepts the call, a Mind’s Eye Window (MEW) pops up with Naga’s face. Naga is tall 50-something man from Korean-Indian decent, sporting dreadlocks and bright green eyes with vertical slits like a cat. He wears military pants, a tank top, and a black toque. He speaks with a gravelly voice “I picked you because you’re new, so I’m hoping you aren’t compromised, and can be discrete. I need you to find something that was taken from me.”
Read the boxed text to the players: Naga will share the following information freely. Works for Northern Jopok. Picks up shipments of various illicit goods back and forth from Busan to Fukuoka, usually through the tunnel. His truck was stolen. He was carrying smuggled North Jopok goods destined for Fukuoka. He stopped at an SK gas station and went in the washroom; when he got out, the truck was missing. Time-sensitive. He needs this contract completed in the next 72 hours, so time is of the essence. Contract Offer. Naga offers シ100,000 for the return of the truck with the cargo intact, or シ20,000 if the truck is returned without the cargo. +シ5,000 per point of the Charisma check above 10
•
// Contracts //
• +シ25,000 if Naga is blackmailed by threatening to
leak his ineptitude to the North Jopok, and an additional シ25,000 if the blackmail includes knowledge of him being honeypotted by Soo Jin. This is his entire life savings. If the contract is fulfilled after 72 hours, each day late reduces the payment by シ50,000. Naga is reluctant to share the following information. Players must obtain it through ability checks, clever roleplaying, or other means. He will generally try to be vague or change the topic when the characters ask about details. The DC to get him to reveal this information mostly ranges from 10-15, and likely involves Wisdom and Charisma ability checks using Insight, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, or Intimidation proficiencies. He’s nervous and hiding things. He wants discretion to keep the investigation secret and keeps on stressing this aspect of the job. Naga is desperate, scared of the North Jopok finding out, but is trying to hide it. He rolls his Charisma (Deception) at +4 versus all of the players’ passive Wisdom (Insight) scores to play it cool.
•
// Shadows of Korea //
Anthroid cargo. He knows the truck was carrying 20 anthroids (Alpha 3.1 models) with 20th century celebrity forms, but keeps this to himself. (DC 15 to reveal). Cargo cost. It's worth シ400,000 (DC 15 to reveal). He was supposed to hire security. He was given money to hire security, but has the habit of keeping that money and doing transports solo (DC 15 to reveal). Honeypot mark. Was seduced by Soo Jin in a gas station bathroom while truck was stolen (DC 20 to reveal), but he doesn’t know her name.
NPC Breakdown These relevant narrative NPCs are described in more detail in part 2 of this book, but here's an overview of their involvement in this contract.
Min Soo
Before being murdered by Traktor and Timur’s Stirge drone, Min Soo was a member of the Smiling Fish gang. He was genetically engineered, having the Traceur genome, and appeared ethnically Korean. He was biohacked to have koi fish scales and blue lips, and he has a tattoo of a red KIA Cheetah, a souped-up sports car, on his arm.
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
Soo Jin
Soo Jin is genetically optimized thrill-seeking street racer, mechanic, and exotic dancer working out of Bar Gochu with the Smiling Fish. She is of Korean ancestry, around 20 years old, medium height, and attractive. She seduced Naga in order to steal his truck. While she was ecstatic about successfully pulling off the car theft, she is concerned about Min Soo not answering her messages. If she finds out about Min Soo’s death, she becomes mournful, worried, and vengeful—lethal danger is more than she bargained for. She doesn’t know Min Soo is dead. Knows cargo of stolen truck. Knows Min Soo was hired by Bratva, but doesn’t know it was Traktor and Timur. Knows the location of Min Soo’s apartment and Oni Autobody. Traktor and Timur will attempt to assassinate her using their Stirge drone—the same that killed Min Soo—before heading back to Vladivostok; if that fails, they will try to do it themselves.
• • • • •
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Traktor and Timur
Traktor and Timur are enforcers in the Russian Bratva. The Vladivostok Bratva control important sections of the Busan port, and these two are in charge of illegal exports and imports between Vladivostok and Busan. Traktor and Timur are 7 feet tall, heavily muscled, bald, Slavic-looking Titans with thick Russian accents. They were part of the same Titan clone batch and grew up as brothers in Moscow as wards of the state. They are both heavily upgraded. Before joining bratva, they were lower-tier MMA fighters in Moscow. Each have tattoos of a knife through their neck. Traktor has tattoos of 13 drops of blood; Timur has 12. Streetwise proficiency reveals this as the number of people they have killed. They currently have possession of the anthroids on their cargo area of the docks. They murdered Min Soo with a Stirge drone. They are known for not leaving witnesses, and they want to kill Soo Jin. They smell like fish.
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SK Gas Station A standard chain gas station (hydrogen fuel cells), where Naga’s truck was stolen. The characters can obtain a variety of clues by questioning Hyun and investigating the scene for physical evidence.
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Timeline for Busan Bamboozle
Below is a timeline of how events will unfold sans player intervention. This can be drastically altered depending on what the characters do, so adjust accordingly. It may even be possible to save Min Soo if the timing is right! Wednesday 9:00 p.m. – Naga stops at SK gas station to fill up before his smuggling run to Fukuoka, Japan. He is seduced by Soo Jin. 9:15 p.m. – Naga's truck was stolen by Min Soo. Naga panics, drinks heavily, passes out in a cheap hotel. 10:00 p.m. – Min Soo and Soo Jin meet withTraktor and Timur at Oni Autobody, where the anthroids are transferred. Thursday Naga wakes up in the early afternoon, peruses Mosaic for local cadres that have a reputation for discretion. Player cadre is contacted in late afternoon. 7:00 p.m. – Min Soo takes a bunch of ketamine in his apartment and passes out. 7:30 p.m. – Min Soo will be assassinated by the Stirge drone. Friday Soo Jin concerned about Min Soo not responding to messages. Timur waiting outside Soo Jin's apartment. Will attempt to kill Soo Jin at 3:00 a.m. Traktor is securing anthroids at docks. Saturday Timur (if alive) is at Baikal Bay, but leaves to the docks in the late evening. Sunday The cargo containers are loaded onto the ship in the morning. The ship sets off to Vladivostok at 11:00 p.m.
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Hyun – The Clerk A 20-something slim Korean man and student. The characters can gain the information below through clever roleplaying and Charisma checks. Was working when truck was stolen. Was asked not to report the theft by Naga. Knows when the theft happened, but didn’t see who stole it. Remembers Naga coming in, smiling, buying a condom. Has access to CCTV footage (see below). Hyun is a rando (SoK, p. ???).
• • • • • •
// Contracts //
2. Gas Pumps Near the pump where Naga’s truck was parked are a few tiny transgenic fish scales on the ground. If searching, a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the scales. A forensic scanner, forensic scan biohack, or a DC 10 Intelligence (Life Science) check reveals the scales to be koi fish scales. Koi scales are the sign of the Smiling Fish, a local street gang of car thieves and drug dealers (automatic with Streetwise proficiency, DC 12 Investigation using search engine to investigate koi scale significance).
3. Bathroom Typical gas-bar bathroom. A search reveals a used condom on the floor of the washroom stall, and it has DNA from both Naga and Soo Jin. DNA analysis (through forensic scanner, lab contact, etc.) identifies the DNA samples. With police database access, the characters can get basic information (employment, police records, addresses, phone #, etc.) about each of them.
• •
CCTV Footage
Read the text below if the players gain access to the CCTV footage: "The footage shows Naga pulling up to the gas station in a cargo truck and getting out to fuel it up. A beautiful woman approaches him, and after a short conversation full of flirting, they walk offcamera towards the restroom. The audio was too weak to make out much, but she was definitely aggressively flirting with him. Shortly after, a man smoking a cigarette enters the frame from the south side of the street. He looks like a young Korean man with koi fish scales, bright blue lips, and a tattoo of a sports car on his arm. He breaks into truck using a lock pick, plugs a cord from the back of his head into the on-board computer, and then drives off, all in the span of a few minutes. From the time he enters frame to the time he drives off, he’s chain smoked two cigarettes."
4. Security Room The security room is mechanically locked; it can be bypassed with a DC 12 Dexterity (Mechanics) check, or by persuading Hyun to allow access. The CCTV system cannot be hacked into wirelessly since it is a closed system, but the clerk can provide access. It can also be hacked if the characters can physically sneak into the gas station’s security room and access it manually. The local camera system has AV footage of Naga walking towards the bathroom with Soo Jin, and of Min Soo breaking into the car and driving off, showcasing the following information: Fish scale mods/tattoos. These can be seen on the CCTV footage, or by investigating the South Bus Stop (see below), or the gas pump where Naga’s truck was stolen. A forensic scanner, forensic scan hack, or a DC 10 Intelligence (Life Science) check reveals the scales to be koi fish scales. Koi scales are the sign of the Smiling Fish, a local street gang of car thieves and drug dealers (automatic with Streetwise proficiency, DC 12 Investigation using search engine to investigate koi scale significance). Investigating the Smiling Fish may lead to the clues below.
// Shadows of Korea //
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Bar Gochu is a Smiling Fish Hangout. A DC 10 Intelligence (Streetwise) check or DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) roll using search engines to investigate the Smiling Fish reveals this. Oni logo. If the characters see the CCTV footage, they notice the thief has an Oni logo on his shirt. Any internet search revels this to be the logo for Oni Autobody, a local autobody shop. A Chop Shop for Smiling Fish. This is automatically known with proficiency in the Streetwise skill. Gangster on CCTV is Min Soo. A DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) or (Streetwise) check reveals that the gangster is Noh Min Soo. If the roll is 17 or higher, obtain the address for Min Soo’s apartment.
don’t infer it, you can ask for a Wisdom or Intelligence (Investigation) check to give them a hint; “Remember Min Soo walked into frame from the south. Where was he before that?” Seven Cigarette Butts on the Ground. They all have bluelipstick on the filter bearing Min Soo’s DNA Stationary Camera at Bus Stop. The city CCTV for this station is there, and it can be hacked with decrypt or camfect. The footage shows Min Soo and Soo Jin waiting for an hour. Soo Jin walks towards the gas station bathroom just before Naga arrives. Min Soo walks towards the gas station 15 minutes later.
5. The South Bus Stop PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
The street south of the gas station, where Min Soo was waiting for Naga to arrive. The characters can infer to go there based on the direction of where Min Soo walked into frame on the CCTV footage. If the players
SK gas station Appendices
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// Contracts //
Oni Autobody
any intruder without a security code. The security codes for individual drones can be obtained from notebook in Min Soo’s apartment. Activating the code makes the drones friendly, but must be done on individual drones as an action. Rex pack recordings. After overcoming the Rex pack, the characters can access their sense data. The recording of the local Rex pack network has sensory data of the anthroids being unpacked from the truck by two identical twins, Russian Titans. They each have tattoos of a knife through their neck, one has 4 drops of blood, one has 3 (Traktor and Timor), and they both smell like fish. There is a brief conversation where Min Soo asks for a bonus for the work, and one of the Russians say keeping the truck is payment enough. Hacking into the drone’s recordings can be accomplished using the decrypt hack, or simply extracting the memory chips with a DC 12 Intelligence (Mechanics) roll. Their tattoos mean they are Bratva hitmen, automatically known with Streetwise proficiency or DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation).
A shabby looking autobody shop, which functions as a Smiling Fish chop shop run by Min Soo. It seems to be closed, but if the characters stake it out for over two days, five Smiling Fish gangbangers arrive and open up shop at 10:00 am. All of the outside doors are mechanically locked, requiring a DC 15 Dexterity (Mechanics) check to pick. If a character fails on one lock, they can try another locked door. The doors on the inside are also locked (DC 10). It is also protected by an electronic alarm system, which can be noticed with a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception), Intelligence (Investigation), or Intelligence (Mechanics) check. The alarm system can be disabled with hacks or a DC 15 Intelligence (Mechanics) check. The garage itself has six repair stations, with three vehicles currently parked inside (including Naga’s truck), as well as six Rex 4.0 drones (CRB, p. 287).
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3. Naga's Missing Truck The missing truck is in the garage with a bunch of other vehicles, some in the state of partial disassembly. The truck is empty in the back, but is fitted with 20 nutrient modules (along with their waste containers), which are used to keep living things alive. DNA Evidence. Some hairs present on floor, blood on nutrient module hose (automatic if looking). It has human-anthroid DNA from 20 different sources. A forensic scanner/chemical sensor (automatic) or an
1. Font Desk This reception area is very bare bones, having a couch, desk, and little else. The Oni logo is painted on the wall behind the desk.
2. Rex Pack The shop and scrap yard are protected by a pack of six 4.0 Rex drones (CR ½), that are programmed to attack Oni Autobody
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Intelligence (Life Science) roll will reveal their specific sources. Celebrity Body Anthroids. If the roll is over 15, or the DNA is entered into a major database (through using a contact, Call in a Favor feature, etc.), it is revealed that the 20 different DNA sources come from historical celebrity android models (Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie, Thom Yorke, Tom Cruise, Bruce Lee, Rhonda Rousey, Mohammand Ali, Obama, Einstein, Kennedy, George Takei, and others). Anthroid from Protosys World Genomics. The nutrient modules are manufactured from a Korean Biotech company based in Pyongyang, Protosys World Genomics (automatic with Bureaucracy proficiency, DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation). This city is the North Jopok stronghold.
4. Tool Station Various tools are here, as well as engines and car parts on a work bench that look like they’ve been tinkered with. Characters can take mechanics tools if they wish.
5. Supply Room Appendices
This room is filled with boxes that contain car parts. Each crate weighs around 250 kilograms, and can be sold for シ1,000-5,000 each (depending on negotiation, Streetwise proficiency, and contacts). A cargo-car and trailer is loaded with 8 of these crates. The car can only move at 30 kph, and requires a hack or DC 15 Intelligence (Mechanics) ability check to hotwire.
6. Parts Room
sports car looks identical to the car tattoo on Min Soo's arm. A flaming logo of a chili pepper says “Bar Gochu” in a stylized font. The calendar has limited AI, but it's mostly enthusiastic sales pitches in Soo Jin's voice for drinks and wings at Bar Gochu. This calendar is automatically discovered if searching, and the GM may want to give the player’s a hint to search if they are stuck. The license plate number of the sport’s car in the calendar is visible. A DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check, Call in a Favor, etc., lets the players use the license plate number to obtain the address of Min Soo’s apartment. Baikal Bay Matchbook. On the table is a matchbook from a seedy love motel in Little Russia.
8. Bathroom The bathroom is characteristically dirty. A search of the room reveals two doses of hype and one dose of mars, and three doses of nanodoc in the medicine cabinet.
Min Soo 's Apartment A 17th floor one-bedroom apartment in a decent area of town. The apartment complex is called Chowon. It is apartment number 173. The door is locked (DC 13).
Min Soo's Car
If the cadre looks for Min Soo's red sports car, they will find it in the parking lot. It is locked, with a DC 13 to open and DC 15 to hotwire or hack the ignition. It also happens to have a very nasty car-bomb under both the driver and passenger seats, courtesy of Traktor and Timur. This can be spotted with a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation), (Mechanics), or Wisdom (Per-
This room is filled with small car parts and tools that aren’t easily saleable on the black market and are better suited as repair parts. There is also a safe in the corner that is electronically locked. Hacks or a DC 18 Intelligence (Mechanics) check can open it over the course of 30 minutes. Inside the safe is a cryptocard with シ25,000 on it, a 10 mm handgun, three magazines with armor piercing ammo, and three hits of mars.
7. Break Room This room is obviously where the workers take breaks and have lunch. There is a half-eaten sandwich on the table, and the fridge is filled with beer and old takeaway food. Bar Gochu AR Swimsuit Calendar. Anyone with The Veil active will see an animation of Soo Jin gesturing for onlookers to approach while leaning on a sports car, doing variations of poses in a 15-second loop. The
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ception) check. The check can be made at advantage if a character is actively searching. The bombs are both shaped charge mines that will detonate upon starting the car. A DC 12 Intelligence (Mechanics) check can be made for each bomb to disarm them, allowing a character to keep them. If the bombs detonate, both the driver and the passenger must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7d10 piercing damage, or half as much on a successful save. The car takes the damage from both bombs as well.
1. Living Room 3D Printed Trophy. On coffee table, Bar Gochu’s annual tournament: second place in a street race sponsored by Bar Gochu.
2. Kitchen After investigation, there is nothing unusual or notable about Min Soo’s kitchen.
3. Bedroom Min Soo’s Body. He will be in his underwear, lying in bed under the covers, no apparent trauma. If the cadre happens to arrive at Min Soo's apartment before Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Min Soo will be alive and well and unaware of the danger that is about to befall him, and
quite deep in a ketamine-induced slumber. If awakened he will be very dazed, and suspicious of the cadre. With proper convincing, he could be made aware of the danger, and cooperate with the cadre. If they arrive later than this time, Min Soo is quite dead. Puncture mark behind the ear. DC 12 Wisdom (Perception), Intelligence (Investigation) or (Life Science), with advantage if examining body for cause of death. Traces of Lethal Dose of Succinylcholine. A paralytic and poison, there are metabolites from this toxin in system (automatic with forensic scanner, chemical sensor, etc.). Cause of Death – Heart Attack. Automatic with Life Science proficiency. Post Mortem Hack. There are dream-like memories of 1) Stealing Naga’s truck 2) memories of Russian meeting at Oni Autobody, and Fish Smell. 3) Sex with Soo Jin Stirge Drone (Only if Min Soo’s apartment is visited at 7:30). Can hear soft whirring sound behind Min Soo’s door (DC 15 Perception). Upon entering the room, the tiny assassin drone is just pulling away after injecting Min Soo with the poison. The Stirge drone will attack if spotted.
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Min Soo's Apartment
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• GPS Travel History. Decrypt hack or Intelligence
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Bar Gochu
(Mechanics) or (Computers) DC 15. The Stirge was first activated in Vladivostok, then to the Dong-gu section of North Port, continuing to Oni Autobody, then to Min Soo’s Apartment Nightstand. There is a 10mm handgun in the drawer.
4. Bathroom Part II. NPCs
Min Soo’s bathroom has six doses of hype in the medicine cabinet.
5. Closet Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
The closet is filled with stylish clothes that fit into transgenic street culture. Oni Body Shop Overalls. Found in laundry basket, has oni logo, and “Oni Autobody” printed on it. Hidden Stash. If searching, a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a hidden stash underneath the floorboards. The stash contains an encrypted (DC 15) cryptocard containing シ 20,000. A DC 18 Intelligence (Bureaucracy), (Computers), or (Investigation) check reveals the money was deposited on the card from a Russian bank account.
Appendices
This transgenic club was once more upscale, but it hasn’t been renovated in years and now smells of stale beer, the once-fancy carpet thoroughly worn and stained. Three stripper poles on a large stage dominate the room, but other than that it appears like a regular bar. Most of the time it is a sleepy drinking hole, but on Fridays and Saturdays after 10:00 p.m., it transforms into more of a dance club with a mostly transgenic clientele; the tables are cleared from the center of the room to make space for dancing as fog, lasers, and pounding biopunk music fill the air. It is owned by a transgenic gang, the Smiling Fish, but all criminal factions are welcome inside, where it sometimes serves as a place for negotiation and illicit dealmaking between them.
1. Smiling Fish Gangsters Four are playing pool, and four are seated at a table playing cards (steet goons, SoK, p. ???). Each is covered in biohack or tattoo scales and koi images, and most of them appear to be transgenic in other ways as well. They glare at the cadre members as they enter the bar, sizing them up in a challenging way. They are friends
Bar Gochu
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with Min Soo, but don’t know that he was dealing with the Bratva on the truck theft. If the characters start asking questions around the bar, they are hostile; Charisma checks (DC 15), bribes, and clever roleplaying can make them less aggressive. If the characters happen to know that the bratva killed Min Soo, they may even be able to get assistance in their investigation and make allies of the Smiling Fish. If a fight breaks out, they won’t pull out guns or knives unless the cadre does first, but are happy to fist fight. If ½ of them are defeated, they surrender. Make sure the players know that pulling out weapons would escalate the violence from fists to a more lethal fight. They know the addresses of Min Soo’s apartment and Oni Autobody (DC 15 Charisma check, or automatic after beating them up) They know cargo of truck was a bunch of blank anthroid bodies (same check as above)
• •
2. Min Gi – The Bartender The bartender is a young engineering student named Min Gi (rando, SoK, p. ???). His milky eyes, cleft palate, and especially large nose mark him as transgenic. With a DC 10 Charisma check and some roleplaying, he can reveal the following information: He knows the Smiling Fish run the bar, and that they are a chop shop gang, but he doesn’t get involved in their trade other than working as a bartender. He also knows that Min Soo is a member, and a street car racer and mechanic that works at Oni Autobody. Knows the address of Oni Autobody. Knows Riku is part of Fukuoka Yakuza. Knows that Sasha is part of the Vladivostok Bratva.
•
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3. Riku – A Yakuza Contact Riku is a local booze hound, and Fukuoka Yakuza member who has a thing for transgenic women— which makes Bar Gochu his favourite hangout (SoK, p. ???). He is sitting in a booth by himself. He won’t approach the characters, but if they approach him, he will broach the subject offering their cadre a contract. Intimidate a customs officer named Chang Woo to quit his job, and recommend a new candidate named Lu Bu. Chang Woo is currently working customs at the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel, and taking pay from the South Jopok. Lu Bu is a Fukuoka Yakuza agent, and getting him employed in that position will shift control of the tunnel towards the yakuza.
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• Riku doesn’t want the cadre to kill Chang Woo— •
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only intimidate him, and possibly rough him up. The timeline for completing this task is one week. He offers シ10,000 to do this, but is authorized to offer up to シ20,000. If the characters make a Charisma ability check, they get an extra シ1,000 for each point the check is above 10. The GM will have to construct this encounter using the materials in this book and the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook. Riku knows how to contact Tetsuo and arrange a meeting if pressed.
4. Soo Jin If alive, she is working there as a server, or one of the exotic dancers on Friday night, her shift ending at 2:00 a.m. See the full Soo Jin entry in part 2 and earlier in this contract for more details. Note that Soo Jin will not be working if the characters are here after 3:00 a.m. on Friday night (Saturday morning), since she will have been killed by Traktor and Timur.
5. Sasha – A Bratva Contact Sasha is an old man, and a low-ranking member of the Vladivostok Bratva. He once held more weight in the Russian underground, but his alcoholism made him unreliable. He now gets cash from them for hanging out in Bar Gochu and reporting on what he sees. He is quite drunk at any time of the day, but coherent enough to speak and very friendly, inviting the characters to come share a drink with him if they approach the bar. He doesn’t know anything about the missing anthroids, but knows about Traktor and Timur’s position, history, and knows that they like to stay at Baikal Bay when in town. He will also inform Traktor and Timur about the cadre coming in and asking questions, as well as anything else he sees. If the cadre tries to arrange a meeting with Traktor and Timur, they will agree to meet at Baikal Bay. Knows address of Min Soo’s apartment and Oni Autobody (DC 15 Charisma check).
•
6. Kitchen A somewhat dirty bar kitchen where the pub-grub is made. The chef is there, Kyung Joon, a beefy canary genome (SoK, p. ???). A solid member of the Smiling Fish, if a fight breaks out, he’ll attack the characters if it seems like the eight Smiling Fish street goons are losing. He will use lethal measures if guns are being used, but will surrender if five of the Smiling Fish gangsters have been downed.
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Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Kyung Joon is the highest-ranking member of the Smiling Fish in the bar and has the keys to the security room, and he knows the combination to the safe.
7. Security Room The doors here are very securely locked with mechanical locks (DC 18 to unlock), and electrical alarms (DC 15 to disable). The room has a table with an accounting ledger, CCTV data on every room and the parking lot on an encrypted computer (DC 14), and a locked safe in the corner of the room. A rack of revealing costumes hang from a clothes rack on the wall, showing that this room doubles as a change room for the dancers. The safe is difficult to unlock (DC 20), and inside are records of stolen vehicles, and illicit inventories owned by the Smiling Fish. There is also an encrypted cryptocard (DC 15), with シ50,000 on it.
He will take a hit of mars (gaining the bonuses) and run up the apartment stairs to the third floor to kick in the door and initiate his attack in a brutal fury. If he has discovered that Soo Jin isn’t there (because of some intervention or persuasion on the characters’ end), he and Traktor will continue looking for her—and the characters as well if they learn of the characters’ interference. If the assassination attempt is unsuccessful, Soo Jin is both thankful and vengeful. She will go to Seoul on the next train to recruit some more muscle from her family for retribution, but will happily be one of the characters’ contacts in the future (her ties to Busan street culture, transgenic gangs, underground drag racing, and mechanical ability may be helpful). Soo Jin's Apartment
8. Freezer The freezer is filled with all of the liquor and food the bar sells. There is also a weapon rack in one of the cabinets that has two 5.7 mm SMGs, two 10 mm handguns, and a 7.62 mm assault rifle, as well as two armor piercing magazines for each weapon.
Assassination
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Soo Jin
The Bratva twins have a policy of never leaving witnesses—partially to establish a fearsome reputation, and partially in a wrong-headed attempt to avoid being double-crossed. On Friday night Timur will attempt to kill Soo Jin in her home, apartment 32 in the Moochegae complex (located in a decent area of town). He will make this attempt after she returns home from work and goes to sleep (3:00 a.m.). Timur is waiting in a black van with tinted windows outside Soo Jin’s apartment, and will remotely pilot a Stirge drone through her window and attempt to poison her in the same way Min Soo was. If the cadre foils the Stirge drone attack, Timur will attempt to kill her with his bare hands, and attempt to kill the characters if they get in his way.
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Baikal Bay This seedy love motel in Little Russia is where Traktor and Timur have been staying. It is barebones, and frequented by budget travelers and people wanting short romantic encounters. Timur will be in his room for most of Saturday, but the room will otherwise be empty.
1. Front Desk Polina, an old Russian woman (rando stat block), tends the front desk. She gets money from Bratva for discretion but isn’t directly involved in their activity. She is fearful of Traktor and Timur, and they currently have purchased her loyalty. Polina is opportunistic, and a DC 15 Charisma check is enough to get her to give information on the two (their comings and goings and room numbers), and a DC 20 check is enough to get her to hand over their room keys. The DC is reduced by one for every シ100 the characters give Polina as a bribe. If the characters want to pass the front desk, they will need to rent at least one room for シ50.
2. Timur's Room If it is Saturday morning to early evening, Timur is in his room doing a body-weight workout routine in his underwear. He will attack the cadre if they enter without knocking, and will also attack them if they mention that they are investigating the missing anthroids. Under the bed. There is a Ballista 12-gage shotgun under the bed. The bathroom. There are five doses of mars on the
side of the sink. Pad of paper. Timur is old school, and prefers writing notes on paper instead of digital notepads in his daemon. The pad has no writing on it, but any inspection of the pad, or proficiency in Investigation or Perception reveals there is an impression on it. The paper pad has the following impressions: 1. Min Soo, Chowan Apartment, 3, 173 2. Soo Jin, Moo chee gae apartment, Building 2, 32 Friday after work. 3. Waste the cadre hired to investigate? Yup. < this is only written if Traktor and Timur have found out that the cadre is investigating. The GM should actually make this impression on physical paper and give it to the players so they can have fun making the discovery with shading. Stirge drone. The Stirge drone that killed Min Soo will be here if Timur is, or on Sunday or afterwards, but it is with Timur on Thursday and Friday, away from the room. The drones GPS travel history and AV data can be obtained through the Decrypt hack or an Intelligence (Mechanics) check (DC 15). The Stirge was first activated in Vladivostok, then to Busan Docks, continues to Oni Autobody, then to Min Soo’s Apartment. It will also have Soo Jin’s murder recorded if this has occurred.
3. Traktor's Room Traktor is doing business around the docks from Thursday to Saturday, so won’t be there. Under his bed is a 10-gage shotgun and two doses of mars.
Baikal Bay
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PART IV. Contracts
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Bratva Controlled Docks A cargo area in Dong-gu and part of the old North Port. It has hundreds of containers, stacked up 1-4 high, in long rows. A great deal of the traffic flows to and from Vladivostok (Russia) or Fukuoka (Japan). This section is controlled by the Vladivostok Bratva, who have an understanding with Daewoo shipping, a subsidiary of Hexie.
2. Bratva Security
The sky is filled with a dozen Swoop drones that transmit their video feed to the security gate. Any Dexterity (Stealth) checks the characters make must also pass the drones’ passive Perception (10), or the security gate guard will be alerted.
This section of the docks has four teams of two Bratva enforcers (CRB, p. 281) that patrol and stand guard, since this area has most of the Bratva contraband coming in and out of the port. If the characters encounter a security team, a DC 18 Charisma can convince the guards to allow them to pass. Otherwise, the guards will attempt to escort the cadre out of the docks by force. If violence breaks out, the guards will wirelessly alert the rest of the security to converge on the combat. Once per round, 4 more security personnel enter the area (two in the North and two in the East), for the next 5 rounds. Communicate to the characters that more Bratva will continue to enter the area each round to encourage the characters to act quickly or flee if they must.
1. Security Gate
3. Contraband Sea Cans
A worker on the Bratva payroll mans this gate, monitoring and weighing all the cargo trucks that come and go on the docks. A DC 18 Charisma check is required to make it past the guard and into the stockade, which can be modified with bribes or credible threats.
Most of the containers hold standard imports and exports, but these ones hold シ30,000 worth of contraband weapons, drugs, poison and other restricted items (determined by the GM). The container doors are locked electronically (DC 15), and it takes a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check to discover the illegal wares hidden amongst regular goods.
Drones
// Contracts //
Bratva Controlled Docks
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PART IV. Contracts
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Appendices
4. Container CN-407 The missing anthroids are stored in here. The container door is locked electronically (DC 15), and the anthroids are all locked in sleep mode (encryption DC 15). If the encryption is beat, the anthroids are all in setup mode, and the characters can set themselves as their owners to direct them as they see fit (including as combatants). They are still stolen property, and there is a high likelihood of Korean law enforcement seizing them in the future if the characters keep them. They can be sold quickly at 1/10 market value if any of the characters have Streetwise proficiency, or they can return them to Naga to complete the contract and bolster the cadre’s rating on the Mosaic app. The cargo will be loaded and shipped to Vladivostok on Sunday.
5. Loaders
The contrtact is considered complete if the characters successfully return the anthroids to Naga, and completing this contract counts as completing two contracts in terms of increasing the cadre's Mosaic rating. If some of the anthroids are destroyed or not retrieved, the payment of the contract will be reduced accordingly. Naga is thrilled to have the anthroids back. He will be happy to help out the cadre in the future and is a great choice for one of the characters’ contacts. He will pay the cadre the negotiated amount. Soo Jin (if alive) will also be very happy with the characters, and is happy to be one of their contacts, using her underworld, racing, and mechanical skills to help them; the same goes for Min Soo. If the characters fail to complete the contract, there is still plenty of opportunity for future adventure— especially if they failed by double-crossing Naga and siding with the Russians. Riku, Sasha, Kyung Joon (the chef) and other NPCs’ opinions on the characters depend on how the cadre interacted with them, but they are possible future contacts as well. Faction ratings with the Smiling Fish and the BPD may increase or decrease depending on how they conducted themselves. Faction rating with the Vladivostok Bratva decreases by 2, or by 3 if either Traktor or Timur is killed. The cadre is awarded 12,000 XP if all of the anthroids are successfully returned, 11,000 XP if some of them were destroyed, or 10,000 XP if they failed to return the anthroids.
• • •
These 4-meter tall mechs (SoK, p. ???) are used to move containers to and from ships when the dock cranes are unavailable. They can run autonomously or with a driver. To hotwire them requires a DC 16 Intelligence (Mechanics) check or the decrypt hack.
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6. Traktor and Timur
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Traktor and Timur will be here (or just Traktor if Timur has been killed). They will attempt to stop the anthroids from being taken at all costs and will move towards any combat if the security is alerted.
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Completing Busan Bamboozle
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// Contracts //
Homicide Deputies Backstory Homicide Deputies Score: 2 Contact: Sophia Choi. Place: Honhyeol dong, Sasang-gu. Keywords: Murders, deputization, investigation, BPD Details. Something messed up is happening in Honhyeol dong. This death isn't just the usual gang violence, and the BPD could use an assist on solving this one. This isn't right—let's make things better.
Homicide DEputies This is a longer contract and could take a couple of sessions to complete. The characters should be level 4 before starting it. Sophia Choi is a homicide detective working for the Busan Police Department (SoK, p. ???). She's in charge of Sasang-gu homicides—an especially busy and overstretched job. A murder has recently occurred in the Honhyeol region of Sasang-gu that appears like it could be the result of a serial killer. The BPD isn’t making resources available to investigate properly since the homicide occurred in a high-crime area and there is pressure to categorize it as gang violence.
The larger story surrounding this murder case is described below.
The Killer’s Architect
A psychomemetics researcher named Aldous Laplace was working for Pronatalax, a now-defunct transhuman body conversion company (SoK, p. ???). This company had him working R&D on a project attempting to come up with mind-uploading, hoping to break the lucrative monopoly held by Phoenix Unlimited. Using himself as a subject, he created hundreds of deeply flawed non-functional psychomimes. About a year ago, he started having minor success by “stitching” various mind-uploads together, producing patchworks of human minds that operate as a single being. These mental Frankenstein experiments seemed to successfully create conscious digital beings that roughly resembled himself, as well as aspects of the other minds that were incorporated. He calls these amalgams of multiple minds “Chimeras”. Phoenix Unlimited acquired the company 8 months ago and shut down the project, wanting to stop development of a competing technology.
Negotiating H omicide Deputies Sophia has a genetic condition where she can’t have a daemon, so she would prefer to meet in person (at the police station or anywhere else the cadre would like). She is 30-something with mixed Korean-European ancestry, dressed in stylish street clothes. Her demeanor is professional but with a sardonic gallows humor. Sophia provides access to the crime scene and communicates that the homicide occurred in the last 24 hours. She deputizes the cadre, which allows them to legally possess restricted or banned weapons and grants access to police records regarding this case. Savvy characters could likely leverage this access for extracurricular use that goes beyond the case, but there will be a paper trail. She is only authorized to pay シ10,000, but if pressed through roleplaying and DC 13 Charisma checks, she offers them one "get out of jail free", where she could pull strings to get them out of a legal bind. If the Charisma check of the negotiator exceeds 15, she increases the offer to three legal assists. If it exceeds 20, it includes and a visit to the Sasang-gu BPD evidence locker for shopping.
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Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Creating Seraph and his Brothers
Unfortunately, dozens of the prototype Chimeras were riddled with violent psychoses—an artifact of merging fractured minds. Rather than destroying them, Laplace downloaded each of them into separate transhuman bodies. One of the more recent mind-uploading efforts produced a highly functional Chimera with a particularly violent disposition. This being, who calls himself “Seraph”, is the product of Aldous’ mind being stitched together with three other mind-uploads of colleagues who worked under him at Pronatalax. One was a brilliant Sherlock biohacker named Steven Jung-Su. Another was a security guard and military veteran named Kang Suk-Chul. Kang also happens to be a member of Tzelem Elohim, an anti-transgenic and anti-psychomime terrorist group. He was working at Pronatalax in order to sabotage efforts and pass on information to the Tzelem Elohim. The last mind-upload was Bun Ho, a researcher specializing in computational slime molds (Bun Ho’s body may have been found in 10 Feet Under bar).
Seraph the Killer
Though only around 10 months old, Seraph possesses the skills of all four people he is a fusion of, making him a skilled codehacker, biohacker, and military combatant (SoK, ???). Seraph has a fractured mind with a very confused sense of self and is thoroughly unstable. He believes that transgenic humans can only get into heaven if they have their transgenic parts removed first, believing his ritualistic killings to be a kindness. He has killed 18 transgenic humans, all of whom were found in the Honhyeol neighborhood of Sasang-gu. His rate of killing will escalate, and he will kill again in 5 days, then 3 days, then every day until he is caught. Once he knows the characters are on to him, if any are transgenic, he will target one of their transgenic relatives or relations. Seraph is currently working on various illicit bioengineering projects in a secret lab beneath Honhyeol dong.
The Crime Scene Four MEA MK I droids are guarding the entrance to a church but can be convinced to allow the characters through if they mention their contract. This Protestant church is modern and looks like it can house around 100 people in the pews. At the front of the church, bathed in sunlight, is the body of a young man on his knees in prayer position. Ropes have been used
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to maintain the pose in death, his wrists bound so his hands are flat together. He has been skinned, and his eyes and nose have been removed with surgical precision. There is no blood around the body.
Gathering Clues
The following information can be obtained through speaking with witnesses, hacks, contacts, or ability checks (with Bureaucracy, Investigation, Life Science, or Streetwise). Let the players get creative here, rewarding any creative or insightful methods with information. If they get stuck, even having proficiency in a relevant skill is sufficient for some information, steering them in the direction of tracking down and speaking with Kang Suk-Chul. Depending on the style of play your group enjoys, this could take minutes or over an hour of roleplaying, investigation, and interrogation. The body is of the Wraith genome and it has been dead for less than 12 hours. The victim's name is Bom Jae-Young, an Korean army vet. He served as a sniper. He also worked security at Pronatalax (see above and below) and was friends with Kang Suk-Chul from serving together in the Korean military. In the past year there have been 982 homicides in Sasang-gu, and over half of them have been in Honhyeol dong. Narrowing a search to only transgenics in Honhyeol dong gets the number to 368. Narrowing it further to transgenics who have had body parts removed with religious symbolism narrows it to 18, starting around 6 months ago, all determined as “gang violence” by the police. DNA at the scene shows presence of a specific algae that grows in dark damp places with nitrogen-rich environments. Sewers and storm drains match this description. All of the murders occurred close to storm drain entrances. Proprietary DNA collected at several of the scenes indicate the killer has undergone transhuman conversion from Pronatalax. The service disappeared around 8 months ago, since Pronatalax was acquired by Hexie (through Phoenix Unlimited) at that time to mine their resources and maintain their monopoly on mind-uploading. Pronatalax is located in Sasang-gu, on the eastern edge of Honhyeol dong, and the address is publicly available. Phoenix Unlimited has shut down their operations and has it locked up to prevent corporate espionage while they figure out what to do with it.
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// Contracts //
• The former CEO and head of R&D is Aldous Laplace, • •
who has since moved on to working at the Phoenix Unlimited facility in Seoul. In addition to the latest victim, one of the other victims, Steven Jung-Su, worked at Pronatalax. There is drone footage of one of the earlier murders taken by a Vitruvian spy drone. Their drone-rep is unwilling to part with it at this point, and Busan PD is working on a warrant. The database dip hack or other methods would allow the cadre to see it. If the cadre obtains the footage, read the text from the box below. "You see drone footage of a transgenic mutt woman with enlarged eyes waking down an alley of East Honhyeol dong, near the Pronatalax facility. She leans against an alley wall and lights up a cigarette. Moments later, a blur of refracting light emerges from the shadows and slits her throat. It's impossible to obtain details about the killer since they are using cloakers. As the blood is still draining from the victim's living body, the cloaked killer removes her enlarged eyes with surgical precision. You're almost thankful there's no audio feed. The killer places her hands in a prayer position and ties them with a rosary before disappearing down a manhole nearby."
• He doesn’t know who is doing the killing. • He let Aldous Laplace take his mind-upload data for • •
•
a salary bonus. He is fervently Christian, covered in tattoos that have religious symbolism. He will try to keep his association with Tzelem Elohim secret, but a DC 15 check through appropriate methods can reveal his background, either through a paper trail, convincing, or noticing the meaning of a tattoo he has on his chest. Through appropriate DC 20 checks (lowered with bribes), he will give the cadre his old security codes to the Pronatalax building, but he’s not sure if they will work.
Tracking Down Aldous Laplace
Investigation will reveal that Aldous Laplace was the head of R&D at Pronatalax until it was acquired by Phoenix Unlimited 8 months ago. Publicly available information reveal him to be a 50-something man who attended top Korean tech universities, taking degrees in psychomemetic theory (the science of mind-uploading). He seems to have gone off the map as of 8 months ago, with online rumors speculating he was either murdered or taken into isolation by Phoenix Unlimited. All investigation into him will lead to a dead end for now unless the characters take heroic measures. He is currently working at the Phoenix Unlimited facility in Seoul.
Speaking with Kang Suk-Chul
Kang is a 40-something unmodified Korean man, single, and looks muscular except for his paunch belly showing under his stained tank-top. He is currently unemployed and can be found either at his home, or his favorite drinking spot, The Salty Shoe, in Dong-gu. He will be drunk, but able to speak. If any of the characters are visibly transgenic, his genoism emerges quickly. He will share the following information through a combination of roleplaying, bribes or blackmail, and Charisma checks. He is open about having worked security of Pronatalax and knows about their research, but doesn’t know he was fused with others to create the Seraph Chimera. He will share his disgust at the practice of creating psychomimes, thinking them soulless abominations. Despite thinking transgenic humans are going to hell, he was friends with Bom Jae-Young: they served together, and bonds made in combat trump prejudice.
• • •
// Shadows of Korea //
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Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
P ronatalax Facility Located on the eastern edge of Honhyeol dong in Sasang-gu, this recently-abandoned biotech facility specialized in transhuman body conversions and psychomime research. It is currently locked down by Phoenix Unlimited security in order to protect the leftover resources inside. Unless otherwise stated, all security DCs for this building are 15. If the cadre has obtained Kang’s old security codes, it works to unlock all of the doors on the first floor but nothing else. Once inside the facility, all of it is under a wireless jamming effect to prevent trade secrets from being easily leaked. For this reason, this facility uses wired terminals (with internet connection). Internal cameras are local CCTV only, with feeds going to the Local Area Network (see below). Every 24 hours the footage is taken to the database room by robots via external storage to upload the footage for permanent storage.
Pronatalax Facility LAN
Each floor has a different LAN. It is DC 20 to crack a Local Area Network from a terminal with the decrypt hack, and in addition to the normal consequences of a failed roll, the hacker suffers 3d10 electrical damage if the roll fails by 5 or more. If the system is successfully hacked, it gives access to the following functions for the entire floor (not building) for as long as there is a wired connection: Access to cameras and floorplan. The ability to close, open, lock, or unlock rooms as an action. Control of the intercoms. Control of one of the gun turrets (or Goliath droids for the basement floor LAN) for one turn or disable them completely as an action. Change temperature and light controls in any number of rooms as an action. Disable terminal electrical shock security. Access to the employee files, except for Laplace’s, which have been thoroughly scrubbed. These files include the addresses, contact information, research, and employee DNA sequence. Access to sales and purchases records. An Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that large volumes of commercial grade amino acids, enzymes, and equipment were purchased over the months before the project was shut down by Phoenix Unlimited. They were shipped to a warehouse run by Pajeon Storage, a warehouse service also in Honhyeol dong. The amount of materials ordered are enough to start an entirely new lab.
• • • • • • • • •
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• Some sensitive financial information that could
be sold for シ10,000 to the right buyers with an appropriate financial contact or a DC 15 Intelligence (Bureaucracy) check.
Being Discovered
If at any point Phoenix Unlimited becomes aware of the characters’ presence here, they will send a wetworks cadre (2 Hitmen and 2 Kensei, CRB p. 285) to kill the characters. This wetworks team will arrive 20+1d20 minutes after being contracted. If Aldous Laplace or Seraph are alerted, they will begin investigating the cadre and Seraph will choose his next victim from transgenic relatives or friends the cadre has. If a fight breaks out on the first floor, the MEA MK IIIs from rooms 3, 6, and 14 will make their way to the commotion (some may stay in the hallway with readied actions and gun turret backup if they deem it strategic).
Auto Turrets
There are autoturrets in some of the rooms, which have the following stat block: INT 6
WIS 6
CHA 6
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 25 Initiative +4 Skills Perception +3 7.76mm Machine Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 300/900 m, auto, no recoil. Hit: 17 (2d12+4) piercing damage. 100 ammunition.
1. Entrance The entrance is an unaesthetic grey concrete cube with a study-looking steel door and accompanying security camera. It is electronically locked (DC 15), but old security codes will still work (from Kang or other sources). The camera is uploading to Phoenix Unlimited’s cloud. The stairs lead down 10 feet into an underground complex.
2. Reception Area An Alpha 3.1 (Korean woman frame) is seated at the desk, greeting you with a smile, a neural interface cable connecting her to a terminal. “Welcome to Pronatalax! Unfortunately, we’ve suspended our services! In fact, we are currently not operational. I advise you to leave, or I will alert the authorities.” A DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Deception) check can convince her that the cadre belongs there. If combat is initiated her first action will be to send her audio/visual feed to Phoenix Unlimited, Aldous Laplace, and Seraph. Taking her out before her turn will prevent this.
// Contracts //
3. Security Room 1 This room is electronically locked. An MEA MK III is seated here watching the security monitors that cover this entire floor. They will attempt to remove the cadre, but a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Deception) can convince them that the cadre belongs. If a fight breaks out, the MEA MK IIIs from rooms 6 and 14 will engage as well.
4. Sleeping Quarters This spartan living quarters was for the former fleshand-blood security personnel that would trade shifts. The bathroom has four doses of Perk in the medicine cabinet.
out, the MEA MK III from room 3 will engage as well. The room itself appears to be a common staff break room, complete with microwave and coffee machine. The cupboards are filled with dishes, cleaning supplies, and coffee.
7. Computational Biology Office The nameplate reads "Marie and Bun Ho". If the characters previously encountered the frozen body of Bun Ho in the 10 Feet Under bar, you can remind them on a DC 10 Intelligence check. The office contains computer terminals and other office essentials.
8. Transgenic Engineering Office The nameplate reads "Steven and Min Jae". The office contains computer terminals and other office essentials. If the cadre searches here, and one or more of them have proficiency in Perception or Investigation, they find the words “memento mori” scratched on the underside of Steven's desk.
5. Hallways These hallways house one gun turret each, attached to the roof. If the security alert has been triggered for any reason, these guns will fire at the cadre.
6. Break Room Two MEA MK III are standing against the south wall here. They will attempt to remove the cadre, but a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Deception) can convince them that the cadre belongs. If a fight breaks
9. Office Bathrooms These dusty bathrooms are what you would expect. The accompanying broom closet contains cleaning supplies and equipment.
Pronatalax Facility 1st floor
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Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
10. Research Director’s Office This office is locked, and the nameplate reads "Aldous Laplace". A large reinforced viewing window looks into room 13. There is a computer terminal at the desk, and bookshelves containing a great deal of literature on mind uploading of all types. There is an open book on his desk called “Theoretical Foundations of Mental Chimeras: Melding Psychomimes”. It speaks about possible techniques to stitch multiple digital minds together into a single consciousness. Anyone with proficiency in Bureaucracy, Physical Science, or Life Science knows that no company has been able to do that yet, and it may not even be legal to try. Forensic analysis reveals that Aldous Laplace’s DNA is present in the books, but curiously, there are two variants. Life Science or Bureaucracy proficiency reveals one of the variants to be enhanced, with proprietary DNA from Pronatalax’s Transhuman Body Conversion service. There is also a tiny blood smudge on the corner of one page, from turning it (noticed with special senses or a DC 15 Investigation/Perception check). The fingerprint belongs to Laplace, and the DNA in the blood belongs to Steven.
11. Meeting Room This meeting room is locked and has a long table with 6 chairs, and a large reinforced viewing window looking into room 13.
12. Locker Room Lockers fill this room, most of them empty but 4 of them manually locked. Proper tools or a Dexterity (Mechanics) check can get them open. All the locked ones contain lab coats with embroidered names of employees on them, and non-remarkable personal items. Steven's Cryptocard. A cryptocard is in the pocket of Steven Jung’s lab coat (DC 20 encryption, or use the password “memento mori”, discovered in room 8). The card contains シ10,000 and what looks to be a limited AI model of Steven's mind. Ghost-Steven. A sensory representation of Steven appears in The Veil’s augmented reality to whomever accesses the cryptocard’s data. Its sole purpose is to outline concerns about Pronatalax’s experiments. Ghost-Steven’s information and extra offers are described in the following text box.
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Ghost-Steven's Offer
“Fuck, this means I’m probably dead. Hi! I’m Steven! Or at least a fragment of him… I’m not really a person, but I do play one on TV. You can call me Ghost-Steven.” He is calm, sardonic, and highly critical of Pronatalax. Whenever possible, he drops profound quotes from people and literature. Ghost-Steven can communicate all of the information presented in the backstory regarding the creation of the Chimeras and Seraph, but he doesn’t currently know where Seraph would be, or that Seraph has actually become a serial killer (though it wouldn’t surprise him). He has passcodes for the doors and LAN encryption on the first floor. He worries about the Chimeras being created, expressing regret at having donated his own mind to be part of the Chimera experiment. The Chimeras seem violently delusional; at least 30 have been created and downloaded into anthroid frames. Laplace refused to deactivate them, feeling a sense of kinship and paternal responsibility to keep them alive. Seraph, the most functionally successful Chimera, seems especially dangerous. He is highly intelligent; has the skills of a biohacker, codehacker, and military veteran; and was downloaded into a top-of-the-line Alpha v3.5. On top of that, he is completely unhinged from reality, frequently having psychotic breaks. Ghost-Steven offers the cadre another contract: kill Seraph and all of his brothers. They all should be on the next floor down. He will give them access to a bank account that has シ 250,000. This is non-negotiable, since the AI merely has access to the bank account pass codes and nothing else. He needs to “hitch a ride” inside one of the characters’ daemons to ensure the contract is completed. He also offers to become one of the characters’ daemon AI, mentioning it has superior capabilities when compared to stock models. They just have to go to the research lab on this floor and plugin to the daemon upgrade table, and voila! If they agree and take these steps, one character who plugs in gains the Custom Daemon (Hexie) upgrade, and Steven is installed. He is a Science Guy II bot (CRB, p. 301).
• • • • •
•
•
•
// Contracts //
13. Research Lab 1 The doors are locked. This lab contains computer terminals, biotech tools and chemicals, an operating table for daemon upgrades, and a glass cylinder containing some sort of primate that seems to be partially devoured by some other entity. A container in the corner holds the same some sort of slime that appears to be digesting the creature in the tube. Proficiency in Life Science allows a character to determine that the creature in the tube is a “living” baboon and it appears to be in the process of being consumed by a slime mold—the same slime mold that's in the corner container. By looking at the displays, an Intelligence (Computers), (Physical Science), or (Investigation) check reveals that the slime mold is doing complex mathematical calculations—the kinds of algorithms involved in artificial intelligence. Records call it Physarum amaranthum, under the file “yellow amaranth”. Life Science also reveals it to be an immortal cell-line. A fixed forensic scanner is also present. It can be used in this room but is not portable. If the characters search the place (DC 10), they find some useful drugs in some of the cabinets and boxes: nootro ×4, perk ×3, nanodoc ×3, and euvigil ×5.
14. Security Room 2 The doors are locked. Two MEA MK IIIs are seated here watching the security monitors that cover this entire floor. They will attempt to remove the cadre, but a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Deception) can convince them that the cadre belongs. If a fight breaks out, the MEA MK IIIs from rooms 3 and 6 will engage as well. Three lockers stand against the wall (DC 20 electronic locks). Each locker contains a black Bushiweave vest with the Pronatalax logo on it, as well as a CAW 12 gage and 2 magazines of shock ammo.
15. Supplies Room The doors are locked. This room contains bookcases filled with scientific journals and texts as well as shelves containing dozens of different chemical and biological reagents. If searching, proficiency in the Life Science skill allows a character to identify a 2-kilogram case of expensive enzymes valued at シ 20,000 if sold. To the south a large reinforced window reveals room 16.
16. Psymicid Room This room is locked. It contains the remnants of an earlier cadre that had infiltrated this facility, but got locked into this room, and infected by Psymicids (CRB,
// Shadows of Korea //
p. 303). After they went berserk, only the best fighter of the cadre remained alive. Read the following text to the players. " In this room are the remains of 3 human bodies that look like they have been torn apart and consumed by a ravenous beast. Dried gore covers the walls and floor. The ravenous beast in question is also present—a female member of the Leviathan genome, her face covered in dried blood and her body covered with bloody and torn clothes. Unusually, it appears both she and all of the dead bodies have blue-banded curved horns emerging from their skulls. She starts pounding against the plastic window relentlessly the moment she sees the characters. A series of chests and containers are stacked against the far wall, one of them open."
A DC 15 Intelligence (Bureaucracy) or (Life Science) check will alert the characters that the blue horns are a sign of Psymicids. Proficiency in Physical Science or Life Science reveal the open crate to contain 30 kilograms of expensive nanomaterials, which could be sold for シ25,000.
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Part II. NPCs
If the characters enter the room, the Psymicid Leviathan immediately attacks them. It is the professional fighter template (CRB, p. 293), except that it can also use the following additional attack on grappled targets. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 1.5 m., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8+7) armor piercing, piercing damage. If the characters interact with the crate containing the nanomaterials, 12 Psymicids emerge and begin attacking.
17. Psychomemetics Office Part III. Encounters
The nameplate reads Seraph. The office contains computer terminals and other office essentials.
18. Elevators PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
The elevators are locked. Once inside, the panel can be used to descend to the bottom floor (room 20).
19. Cells These doors are locked. In each of these two cells appears to be identical twins, both of them gaunt and emaciated. They both happen to be v2-Chimeras resembling a young Aldous Laplace (SoK, pp. ??? and ???) and were locked up by Seraph due to their possible interference with his plans. They have a water supply through their sinks and toilets, but it looks like they haven’t eaten in many days. Upon seeing the cadre, they both immediately approach the locked doors and start trying to get their attention. One identifies as Argle while the other identifies as Bargle. Read the following text (with a Churchillian accent if you like): “Argle. Perhaps you can settle an argument for us— we’ve been at it for days! You see, we are quite hungry, and got on the subjects of donuts! I, being the more rational one, know that I would have one thing to eat if I had a donut. My compadre over here thinks he is better off having a donut than a bun, thinking he would have two things, the donut and the hole.” Bargle. What tosh—I was joking! I know all other things being equal, calories would come from mass, not surface area, dum-dum! But my point stands! Holes are THINGS! What say you saviors of ours, are they things? Not physical matter of course, but something? Like a cave is a thing? Argle. Well I’m quite sure the word 'cave' as a hole is colloquial—I think caves are actually referring to stone cave surfaces and what is contained within!”
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The two are genuinely just as interested in the cadre’s take on their argument as they are in getting released and will happily argue philosophy for as long as the characters want. If the two are released, Argle will seek out Aldous Laplace and Bargle will seek out Seraph, joining their respective causes. If they are attacked, they will flee and plot their future revenge. They are frenetic and go off on tangents but are mostly cooperative if they believe the cadre will set them free. A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) or Intelligence (Social Science) check reveals them both to be violently unhinged. If the cadre has the patience and the proper social skills, they are able to extract the following information from Arge and Bargle through DC 15 Charisma (Deception), (Intimidation), or (Persuasion) checks. All of the information presented in the backstory regarding the creation of the Chimeras and Seraph, including that Seraph is homicidally unhinged and channeling it through some religious beliefs about purity and being made in God’s image. Seraph is murdering transgenic humans, but they don’t know how many, Seraph is planning on making large transgenic beasts that can sniff out and target transgenic genomes; they are amused by the irony. They know it would take large volumes of commercial-grade amino acids, enzymes, and equipment to produce said beasts, which would leave a paper trail. They saw Seraph take Steven down the elevators about a week ago, and only Seraph came back up.
•
• • • •
20. Basement Antechamber A central terminal (with access to this floor’s LAN) is to the north, flanked by two locked doors that lead to the room beyond. To both the left and right are enormous Goliath droids (SoK, p. ???) that will attack the characters immediately. Any characters with a neural interface that has gained the security passcodes from Ghost-Steven can set up a wire-connection as an action, allowing them to deactivate the droids on the following round. They could subsequently take control of one of the droids as an action each following round if they choose.
21. Mind-Downloading Room The doors are locked. This room is filled with inert transhuman bodies (v1-Chimeras), all made in the image of a young Laplace, attached to the massive mind-downloading machine Pronatalax has been using to make Chimeras. Terminals are scattered throughout, and two automated machine gun tur-
// Contracts //
rets are attached to the roof and will open fire if the characters haven’t deactivated them from the terminal in room 20 already. There are doors to the north and east. If the characters start executing the Chimeras, they will activate (though they are all surprised in the round that the violence begins) and start attacking. They will flee if more than ½ of them are defeated.
The blood has been drained and the eyes and brain are missing. A DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation), (Bureaucracy), or (Life Science) check allows the characters to discern that a Sherlock genome would possess transgenic organs for all of the missing parts. Terminals and a conversion pod for the original body line the walls. If Ghost-Steven is with the cadre, he will certainly make some comments here.
22. Diagnostics Room
24. Mind Uploading Room
The doors are locked. This room contains computer terminals and a chair with an attached headset. Proficiency in Physical Science, Mechanics, or Computers allows characters to know it is designed for mapping out brain connectomes for people wanting to get their mind uploaded or brain transferred to another body, though it doesn’t actually do the process itself.
The doors are locked. This room contains three inert transhuman bodies (v2-Chimeras) and an enormous machine required for mind-uploading. Against the northern wall is a chair for mind-uploading, and the database where all of the mind-uploads are stored is in the northwest. The database is separate from the LAN, being a standalone storage device. It is DC 20 to crack the database with the decrypt hack through a neural interface, and in addition to the normal consequences of a failed roll, the hacker suffers 3d10 electrical damage if the roll fails by 5 or more. The database has an additional trap that if it is deleted (or destroyed) the Chimeras activate and make their way towards attacking the characters. If ½ or more of them are taken down, the remainder flee.
23. Body Conversion Room The doors are locked. This room contains a skinned, vivisected, and unrecognizable body of Steven opened up on a transhuman body conversion table. Pronatalax Facility basement
Completing Homicide Deputies
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// Shadows of Korea //
The contract will be completed whenever the cadre provides Sophia Choi with Seraph as the killer, as well as giving the backstory of his creation. It counts as completing two contracts in terms of increasing the cadre's Mosaic rating. They are paid the negotiated amount. Their Amaranthian faction rating is decreased by 2. Their BPD faction rating is increased by 1. Their Hexie faction rating is decreased by 1, unless they have somehow worked out a deal with Hexie. They gain 10,000 XP. If they explore the basement as well, they gain an additional 10,000 XP. Any Chimeras that successfully fled will make their way to either Seraph or Aldous Laplace. Seraph will become aware of the cadre and will abduct one of their transgenic loved ones as both a punishment and a gift, depending on which personality is dominant at the time. Aldous will begin tracking down the characters’ individual DNA and start to manufacture clones of them. Sophia’s superiors and Hexie will reevaluate Seraph’s danger to the city as much higher after hearing of his backstory and abilities and will offer the cadre a new contract, Murder Bounty (see below).
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Murder Bounty Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Score: 3 Contact: Sophia Choi. Place: Honhyeol dong, Sasang-gu, who knows? Keywords: Murders, deputization, investigation, BPD. Details. Okay, we got some extra funding now. We know more about this Seraph guy—let's find him and put him away. This place could use a silver lining, and you might just be it. Also, シ250,000+ helps.
• •
with Ghost-Steven, they can essentially double-dip on rewards for killing Seraph. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Bureaucracy) check lets the characters know the shadowy figure is likely a Hexie representative working with the feds. It's actually Mr. Badger, from Roadside Assistance. They know that their resources have been fraudulently acquired by Seraph for his secret lab and would like him dealt with (arrested or killed).
Finding Seraph Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Murder Bounty This is a longer contract and could take a couple of sessions to complete. The characters should be at least level 5 before starting it. A few days after completing Homicide Deputies, the cadre is contacted by Sophia again regarding apprehending Seraph. Hexie (Phoenix Unlimited) has heard about what Seraph has been up to and is worried that his association with Pronatalax will cause a disturbance in their stock value. As such, they're providing funds to the BPD to subcontract the cadre to do some damage control by either arresting or killing Seraph. They also want the cadre to obtain information on whatever experiments Seraph happens to be doing, both because they want the research data, and they want more insight into what Aldous Laplace is capable of.
Abducted Loved One
In the days following Homicide Deputies, Seraph will abduct one of the characters’ transgenic loved ones. Ideally, he will target a family member or romantic relationship. This will happen after the cadre has a chance to rest, shop, and get upgrades. The cadre won't know exactly what happened to the loved one—only that they go missing with no body found. Investigation would provide clues that Seraph was behind it.
Negotiating Murder Bounty Detective Sophia Choi is still acting as the case contact and go-between for the characters. In AR a (literally) shadowy figure stands beside her during this new contract negotiation. She defers to him during this negotiation. The cadre are offered シ250,000 to either apprehend or kill Seraph, with a シ50,000 bonus if they bring him in alive. Hexie offers an additional シ50,000 for either the R&D data of Seraph's experiments or a sample of his (purple) Amaranth.
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The cadre should have already learned two important pieces of information: Pajeon Storage is a place of interest, since it seems to be warehousing biotech equipment ordered by Seraph (or Aldous). Seraph seems to be leaving sewer algae at his crime scenes (during the Homicide Deputies contract), and all of the murders seem to be occurring close to storm drains. If they missed this info, you can get them caught up by speaking to witnesses or having a thumb-drive containing Ghost-Steven delivered to them in the mail, or some other device. The following information can be obtained through speaking with witnesses, hacks, contacts, or ability checks (with Bureaucracy, Investigation, Life Science, or Streetwise). Let the players get creative here, rewarding any creative or insightful methods with information. If they get stuck, even having proficiency in a relevant skill is sufficient for some information. Busan PD now has a warrant for the Vitruvian drone footage of the murder (see Homicide Deputies – Initial Crime Scene). Word on the street is that they are spotting rats with some strange sickness; it looks like they’re covered in slime or something. It’s mostly around a very particular area of Honhyeol dong (Streetwise, Life Science, Investigation). People who have come into contact with the slime say it burns and they require medical treatment If the players find one of the rats, it is covered in the same slime mold they found in the Pronatalax facility: yellow Amaranth. All of the rats discovered with this condition are within a 3-block radius, which overlaps with the murders. City records show there is an abandoned construction site under Honhyeol dong from 2083—a subway system expansion that was never completed and ran out of funding (Bureaucracy, Investigation).
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// Contracts //
Pajeon Storage
storage room. He will retreat after his hp have been reduced to ½ maximum, rushing to the exit channel and diving into the water to his biotech lab.
A warehouse service in Honhyeol dong. Large volumes of commercial-grade amino acids, enzymes, and equipment were purchased by Seraph and shipped here just days before Pronatalax was acquired by Phoenix Unlimited. One of the employees reports that “a bunch of clones” wearing construction vests and hats were carrying equipment from Pajeon Storage to a nearby storm drain entrance about 8 months ago. This occurred over months, with millions of satoshi worth of supplies and equipment being moved to the storm drain. Their sensory recording of the clones shows they all look exactly like a young Aldous Laplace. The last of the materials were transported out a few weeks ago, and the warehouse employees haven’t seen the clones since.
A patch of especially slippery biofilm placed by Seraph is resting on a 1.5-meter section of the walkway. A DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation), (Life Science) check reveals the biofilm. If someone steps on the biofilm, they must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or fall into the storm water.
Storm Drains
3. Airlock Door Entrance
The cadre can follow either the directions of the Pajeon employees or the clues about Seraph’s lair being in the sewer/storm drain system beneath Honhyeol dong. If they enter through a storm drain, they begin in area 1. If they enter through a manhole, they enter area 8. Read the following text once the characters reach the sewer walkways.
An airlock door is here with a manually locked valve in the center (DC 13). On a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check, it appears an area from the stairs to the edge of the walkway looks like it
1. Storm Drain Entrance Coming up from the southeast, the characters are able to see tracks on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception), (Survival), or Intelligence (Investigation) check. The tracks lead to the west and take a turn to the north.
2. Biofilm Trap
Storm Drains
"This drain system is storm runoff, but it is quite common for these waterways to unintentionally carry amounts of sewage as well. The air here is heavy, hot, and wet. Slippery slime and algae cover much of the walkway and roof. It smells of sulfur, mold, and decay. The walkways are only wide enough to accommodate single-file movement."
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• It is difficult terrain and whenever a character takes • •
•
the Dash action, they must make a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If they fail, they fall prone, and their movement ends for that turn. Without darkvision or some other way to see, this area is heavily obscured. If anyone falls into the 3-meter-deep water, they move 6 meters every turn in the direction of the stream (north until it reaches the deep pool, then east). On their turn, they can spend an action to make a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check to climb back out. If they flow into the deep pool (area 9), they are attacked by the transgenic beast within. Seraph is alerted to the cadre’s presence and begins to stalk them. He will attack them once they discover his trophy room, or if they don’t find it, the
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Appendices
has less algae, almost like heavy flat objects have been dragged across it. The door has been trapped by Seraph with a spring-loaded spike coming from the wall. It triggers when the first person walks through the door. If the target fails a DC 15 Dexterity save, they take 3d6 piercing damage and 6d10 poison damage. The character first passing through the door can spot the trap with a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation), (Mechanics) or Wisdom (Perception) check.
4. Drain Control Room Barrels, boxes, and crates fill this room, each with labels from various biotech supply companies. It’s clear these are a small fraction of the supplies ordered by Seraph. Between this room and the storage room there is around 200 kg of biotech supplies valued at シ100/ kg. There are manually locked doors to the east and south, and a locked and chained gate to the north (DC 13). A heavy airlock door is to the west. A water flow control system is on the north wall. It looks like it can be either controlled through a computer system (DC 15 encryption) or manually with valves on a DC 13 Intelligence (Mechanics) check. It allows the characters to shut off the flow from pipes at room 8, open the grate at 9, or flood the entire tunnel with water above the level of the walkway, which would spill into this room unless the airlock door was closed. Unlike the sewer walkways, this floor is dry and there is good footing.
6. Storage Room More biotech supply crates can be found here. If searching, DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a subtle incense smell and a passage behind some of the crates to the trophy room.
7. Trophy Room Inside is a horrifying display of over a dozen surgically removed transgenic body parts that have been placed in jars of solution or preserved in other ways. It seems obvious that this is an area where Seraph places the removed parts of his murder victims. Characters examining each trophy can correlate it to one of the Honhyeol dong murders. Incense is lit and a DC 12 Intelligence (Social Science) check reveals that it might be an attempt to purify the parts. Proficiency in Investigation or a DC 10 Intelligence check reveals that they correlate perfectly with all of the murder victims. It also reveals that the amount of incense left in the thurible indicates the killer was here no less than 2 hours ago. Importantly, the cadre doesn’t spot the body parts of their missing loved one. There is a case of 12 hypospray vials in this room. A forensic analysis with an DC 12 Intelligence (Life Science) or (Physical Science) check reveals that the substance might be a useful antiparalytic. Using one of these vials grants the character immunity to the paralyzed and poisoned effects for 1 minute.
5. The Den Past the metal gate, a concrete hallway appears to open up to a narrow 2-meter-tall tunnel that has been burrowed into the earth. It’s just wide enough for single-file movement but is difficult terrain. The tunnel widens into a larger cave around 3 meters tall with a smaller alcove to the west. Food-based trash lies everywhere, looking like it was scavenged from dumpsters and alleys. Once one of the characters enters this area, three swarms of burrow worms emerge (SoK, ???), surrounding any cadre members who have entered this area and attacking them. If investigated, these creatures are used to tunnel out areas for underground construction, though the registered genome doesn’t mention paralytic saliva.
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8. Manhole Exit
10. Exit Channel
A manhole leads up to the street level in Honhyuel dong. The door to the west is manually locked (DC 13). A couple of crates containing biotech supplies rest on the concrete floor.
All of the water flow is leading here, and the drainpipe seems to be covered by a grate. If the cadre investigates the grate below the water, they will find that it has been cut open to allow large objects under it (around the size of the largest biotech supply crate). If the water is already lowered by shutting off the pipes, then the gate opening is obvious. The exit pipe itself is 3 meters in diameter, and even if the cadre shut down the two contributing pipes, other water inflow ends up completely filling it not long after entering. Swimming into the pipe will lead characters to Seraph’s Lab (see below), and it requires a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. The characters will be underwater for 4 minutes, +1 extra minute if they failed the Strength check. They can subtract 1 minute for every 5 by which they exceed the Strength check DC. With the appropriate tech, upgrades, or genetic enhancement, this swim is no problem, and the cadre is able to enter the pipe without breathing gear.
9. Deep Pool A churning pool lies 3 meters below, collecting the water from the main channel and two drainpipes to the north and west. A staircase is to the east, leading down to the main pool. The pool itself is around 6 meters deep unless the players shut off the two pipes, in which case the pool is 1.5 meters deep. If the characters succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) roll, they can see a large shape moving beneath the swirling water (unless the pipes have been shut off, in which case it is obviously seen). A Goemul will attack 1 round after it sees the characters peering into the water (SoK, ???). It will remain underwater, using its tendrils to drag characters under, where it can devour them and drown them. If they don’t spot it, the cadre will be surprised. It is intelligent and strategic, so it will preferentially target smaller-looking characters with its tentacles and larger characters with its hacks.
// Shadows of Korea //
Completing the Storm Drain
The cadre is awarded 14,000 XP for completing this section of the contract.
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Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Seraph's Lab Seraph and his Chimera followers have been constructing this lab for months using money and supplies fraudulently diverted from Pronatalax. This subterranean site is a former abandoned subway station. Seraph has revitalized it into his playground for biomedical Chimera and Amaranth research as well as his ritualistic murders. The characters can arrive here through the storm drain pool if they took that route. Alternatively, they might have found the materials and methods to blast their way through the closed-off abandoned subway tunnels, in which case they would start in area the abandoned subway tunnel. Unless otherwise stated, all security DCs for this building are 15. While wireless signals will work down here between people, the many meters of concrete, dirt, and other materials above means there is no internet connection. This facility uses wired terminals (with internet connection), and internal cameras are local CCTV only, feeds going to the Local Area Network.
• PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
• •
Seraph's Lab LAN
It is DC 22 to crack the LAN from a terminal with the decrypt hack, alerting three Cephalopsych system admins in the mainframe and LAN defense rooms (24 and 26) if the roll fails by 5 or more. The Cephalopsychs will attack any characters linked to the network (SoK, p. ???), attempting to kick them out. Hacker characters will know that it may be easier to find the Cephalopsychs physically and kill them (unless multiple characters happen to be able to engage in the network combat). If the system is successfully hacked, it gives access to the following functions for the entire research complex for as long as the hacker has a wired connection: Access to cameras and floorplan. The ability to close, open, lock, or unlock rooms as an action. Control of the intercoms. Control of one of the gun turrets for one turn or disable one completely as an action. Change temperature and light controls in any number of rooms as an action.
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Appendices
Searph's Lab (South)
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// Contracts //
5. East/West Flame Jets
Auto Turrets
There are autoturrets in some of the rooms, which have the following stat block: INT 6
WIS 6
CHA 6
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 25 Initiative +4 Skills Perception +3 7.76mm Machine Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 300/900 m, auto, no recoil. Hit: 17 (2d12+4) piercing damage. 100 ammunition.
Being Discovered
Seraph happens to be in a rare state of mind and is more curious about what the cadre will do than he is concerned with tactically sending teams after them all at once. Even if Seraph discovers the cadre, he will merely observe them, allowing them to explore his facility to see if they can overcome it before he finally meets them in the atrium.
1. Storm Drain Pool The waterflow from the storm drain leads to a pool here. Swimming against the current back into the storm drain requires either a swim speed or a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Drag marks surround the pool, indicating a great deal of crates and other materials have been transported from this area. The passage to the south appears to be covered in small thumbsized holes (see 4).
These jets are remotely activated by Seraph once combat begins (see 4). At the end of every round, they blast a line of flame down the entire length of the east/west tunnel they cover. Anything caught in their path takes 4d10 heat damage, or ½ as much on a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A DC 15 Intelligence (Mechanics) check can disable each trap.
6. North/South Flame Jets These jets function as described above, only they fire in the north/south direction.
7. Amaranth Security Door Concrete floor and walls mark a different area than the previously dug-out ground. A purple slime branches out on the floor, walls and roof towards an electronically locked steel security door with a small viewing window (DC 15). The thin webs of slime are extremities of Purple Amaranth that have been feeding on bacteria, algae, and other cave life (SoK, p. ???). It will cause 1 corrosive damage to anyone who touches it (adding to the hp total of the Purple Amaranth in 9) and it appears to grow slightly after causing damage. Anyone looking through the viewing window can see into the next room.
2. Abandoned Subway Tunnel Rubble covers what looks like a possible exit passage. It would take explosives or construction equipment to remove this mess. If the characters entered this area by clearing the rubble, then it is an open passage leading to the surface.
3. Main Lab Entrance An open area with a few shipping containers filled with building materials and biotech supplies. The container to the northeast has scorch marks on it. To the north are two massive doors, 6 meters tall and almost 4 meters wide each. They are electronically locked (DC 20), and there is a control panel in the adjacent wall.
4. Burrow Worms Seraph has been using burrow worms to carve out these tunnels (SoK, ???). If the characters pass within 3 meters of them they will attack, activating the rest of them to move towards the characters as well. This will also activate the flame jets (see 5 and 6).
// Shadows of Korea //
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Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
8. Biolock Buffer Room
12. Heat Room
Purple Amaranth covers much of this room, including a partially dissolved body of an unrecognizable human. Two barrels labeled “Nutrient Solution” rest against the wall and a 1-meter-thick security door with viewing window is on the east wall. Characters must make a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid accidentally touching the extremity of Purple Amaranth here. It has 10 hit points, and if they touch it, it inflicts 2 corrosive damage and it seems to grow, adding the hp to the Purple Amaranth in room 9. Anyone looking through the viewing window can see into the next room. Whomever looks in the window gets pinged, “Please, feed me, and let me out. I won’t hurt you!” The purple Amaranth colony will attempt to bargain its way out. It has the minds of the four Chimeras that it devoured within it. If Bargle (from the Pronatalax Facility) escaped, this was his fate, and he will chat with the characters like old friends. If the characters refuse to help the Amaranth colony, it will use the suggestion hack on one of them to open the door. Combat can begin, but it can’t move very quickly, so it is stuck with using hacks and pseudopod attack.
An identical set of heavy doors as the ones to the south are to the north, and they are electronically locked (DC 20) with a similar control panel in the adjacent wall. A jamming effect occurs here, and Seraph’s voice comes over the speaker. He alternates between gloating and comforting tones and words as his personality erratically shifts.
9. Purple Amaranth Colony An enormous mass of pulsing purple veiny slime rests in the center of this room, webs of vascular matter stretching out to the walls and roof. The cadre can see the outlines of at least two mostly-collapsed bodies covered in the stuff. The Purple Amaranth will try to bargain for nutrients and human sacrifices, and will attack if it isn't appeased (SoK, ???).
10. Decontamination Room This room is filled with sprinklers on the roof and has a slightly convex floor. A valve in the center of the room activates the sprinklers, instantly killing any Amaranth on the characters. Diluted and broken-down purple slime lines gutters along the walls. There is a door to the north, leading to 11.
11. Hazmat Suits This room contains 12 hazmat suits that provide 6 corrosive damage reduction and air filters that prevent airborne pathogens. They can be worn over light and medium armor but not heavy armor.
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“It’s a shame about [insert captive loved one or murder victim]... If only you just left me to my own devices, this could have been avoided. In fact, I’ll happily call a truce right now if you simply walk away. If not, another… soul will be purified and allowed into heaven. I’m so sorry about your friend. But an eternity of paradise is a just reward for a short life of suffering. You’ll see how I was helping you once it’s your turn, all this will be a silly bad dream! I beg you, let me proceed, and everything will work out wonderfully for all eternity. Please, just trust me.” If the cadre refuses, the massive doors to the south close immediately. “Let’s make this fun. If you solve this puzzle, I’ll let you live a little longer!”
Give the puzzle to the characters and explain that they need to complete it in real time for the doors to open. Start a timer and use one of the logic puzzles in Appendix A. The temperature in the room rapidly increases to intolerable levels and after every minute the characters take a level of exhaustion and 6 heat damage. If they have resistance to heat damage, they only take a level of exhaustion every 2 minutes. The doors open when they solve the logic puzzle. If one of the characters has the unlock hack, it can be used to quickly bypass this puzzle if they succeed at the check. The decrypt hack can also be used, but at 1 minute per use, it could be more of a problem with the timing.
13. Heat Generator This door is locked. This room contains a furnace that pumps heat into room 12. Proficiency in mechanics lets the character know it could be rigged to explode on a DC 15 Intelligence (mechanics) check, destroying the wall and all of the giant security doors in room 12 (as well as doing 30 heat and 8d10 bludgeoning damage to anything in the area). It would detonate in 2d10 rounds after rigging it unless the character manufactures a detonator.
// Contracts //
14. Antechamber Massive double doors are to the north, while smaller doors are to the east, west, and southwest. The north and south-west doors are electronically locked, while the other two are not. The concrete room itself appears empty, with scrape marks on the ground for dragged crates. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation), (Life Science), or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that some of the marks appear to be from large claws.
15. Sleeping Quarters 1 Basic sleeping quarters with two beds, a table, and a padlocked locker. Two hits of nootro and two hits of perk are one the table. Inside the locker are lab coats, a forensic scanner, a biohacking kit, and a hypospray.
16. Sleeping Quarters 2 This room holds four beds and a stand of padlocked lockers. Inside each locker is a hazmat suit (described in room 11.)
17. Sleeping Quarters 3 Four beds are in this room. Under one of the beds is a hypospray loaded with three doses of nerve agent poison.
18. Sleeping Quarters 4 Three beds, a desk, and an unlocked locker fill this room. On the desk is a dummy-terminal, and in one of the desk drawers is a hit of nootro, hype, and perk. The locker contains four sets of work overalls and some hardhats.
19. Anthroid Birth Room The doors are locked. This room contains a terminal, biotech workbenches and a pod for growing anthroid bodies. There is currently a partially-formed body inside that vaguely resembles Laplace. Five hits of nanodoc are in a stash in the biomedical equipment if the characters search. The terminal here is connected to the LAN.
20. Mess Hall A large kitchen and dining area for all of the Chimeras. A captain and eight v1-Chimeras are currently dining here. They will attack the characters on sight.
and a repair central platform with an accompanying mechanical arm. Any of the characters could obtain a mechanics toolkit here. There are around 20 kg of parts here could be collected and sold for シ1,000 a kg.
22. Mind-Digitizing Room While a smaller operation than the Pronatalax facility, this room allows for both mind uploading (north seat) and downloading (south seat). Two v2-Chimeras are here, prepared for a fight. The terminal here is connected to the LAN.
23. Security Office A v3-Chimera named Doulas is seated here, holding his hands up in peace. He claims he is willing to help the cadre and give them a password to the safe in the corner if they let him go. He is lying and the safe contains an explosive that will trigger once opened. He will make a Charisma (Deception) check against their passive Insights. If he fails, the characters he couldn’t beat know he is hiding something. If the cadre refuses to let him go without getting the contents of the safe first, he will give them the codes to open it. The safe is electronically locked (DC 20), and opening it will trigger an explosive trap that inflicts 6d10 piercing damage (½ as much on a DC 15 Dex save) in a 4.5-meter cone from the direction of the safe (sparing Doulas). If he hasn’t already been allowed to leave, Doulas will fight the cadre at this point. Under his desk is a ZQ Timberwolf 9mm, which he will wield in a fight, changing his SMG attack damage from 2d6 to 3d6. The lockers in this room are padlocked and most contain changes of clothes; however, one contains a Spyder Sylk outfit.
24. Mainframe Two Cephalopsychs are seated here, tasked with defending the network from any hackers. When confronted personally they are willing to jump ship to preserve their own lives if the cadre pays them シ10,000, feeling a little alienated by their employers anyway. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Intimidation) check well get them to leave for free, and if the check is 20 or higher, they will offer to pay the cadre シ 15,000 if the cadre takes them to open water.
21. Mechanics Workshop The doors are locked. An MEA MK IV and Grease Monkey Pro will attack the cadre if they enter the room. This room is filled with parts, mechanics work benches,
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Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
25. Storage Room
of them open if one is. A DC 17 Wisdom (Perception), Intelligence (Bureaucracy), (Investigation), or (Life Science) check will alert the cadre to the Qullions. If the doors are opened, the Quillions will attack the cadre. Searching through all of the containers reveals 10 hits of nanodoc, 4 hits of wrath, and 3 hits of euvigil. With proficiency in Life Science or Bureaucracy, a character can identify a 1-kilogram case of expensive enzymes valued at シ10,000 if sold.
Shipping containers, crates, and other caches of biomedical supplies fill this room. Three enormous containers against the west wall have caged doors and appear to be empty except for water dispensers, and one of them contains a mostly-devoured corpse of a horse. The containers actually contain Quillions that are cloaked, remaining perfectly silent and waiting for the doors to open (CRB, p. 304). The security containers are locked and linked: all Searph's Lab (north)
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// Contracts //
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26. LAN Defense Room A Cephalopsych is seated here, tasked with defending the network from any hackers. When confronted personally, they are willing to jump ship to preserve their own life. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Intimidation) check well get them to offer to pay the cadre シ15,000 to help them escape to some open water. A LAN terminal is here.
places. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation), (Life Science), forensic scan hack, or a forensic scanner reveals a large bioengineered mammoth is normally held here—one modified to eat meat.
32. Gun Turrets Two gun turrets that cover the entire room are attached to the roof.
27. Nuclear Reactor
33. Elevator Platform
This room is the entire facility’s power source: a tiny nuclear reactor. A DC 20 Intelligence (Mechanics) check allows the cadre to either shut down the facility’s power, or allow them to cause a nuclear meltdown, creating a small thermonuclear explosion that will destroy the entire facility (as well as a good 100-meter-radius chunk of Honhyeol dong above). The meltdown will occur 1 hour after it is rigged.
This entire 42×12 meter area is a large platform that can be elevated (see 35).
28. Vault This room has an independent mechanical lock (DC 24). It will take 10 minutes and mechanics tools to make the check. It can be tried multiple times, but each attempt requires another 10 minutes. A Goliath MK II droid is guarding the vault and will attack the cadre. The following material can be found in the vault. All of the research data on Chimera creation, as well as research data on yellow and purple amaranth (can be sold to Apollo Labs or Omnitech for シ 250,000, or given to Hexie for the contract bonus). Research data on a variety of bioengineered animals (can be sold to underground bioengineering rackets for シ20,000). A pair of Jötunn Thunder Gloves. A dose of Grey Goo.
•
34. Nanite Bath A 2-meter-deep pool of flesh-digesting nanite solution is directly beneath the character’s loved one, placed in a hollow of the elevator platform. The character’s loved one is bound and gagged with Spyder Sylk rope (10 hp and 20 AC), hanging 9 meters above the nanite bath. If a creature enters the nanite bath or starts their turn in it, they will take 4d10 corrosive damage (DC 14 Con save for ½).
35. Seraph A few meters behind the bath, covered in a cloaker tarp, is an invisible Seraph riding a mammoth (SoK, ???). The moustache-twirling, game-playing, dramatic villain personality is currently dominant, and he will play up the victim hovering over the nanite-bath as much as he can. He will fight to the death. Seraph and the mammoth will be silent and will wait until some of the characters are on the platform but not others, trying to separate them. Everyone can roll for initiative. If the characters haven’t spotted Seraph, they will be surprised. On Seraph’s turn, he will activate the elevator as a free action and attack the cadre. The platform will immediately rise 3 meters and will rise another 1.5 meters at the start each round until it reaches a height of 9 meters. At that point the character’s loved one will be immersed in the nanite bath. They only have 10 hit points, so they will likely immediately be reduced to 0 hit points, and automatically fail two death saves the following round for taking additional damage. As a legendary action, Seraph can instantly drop the platform 9 meters, causing everyone on it to take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and make a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone. He will only do this if he has grabbed a Spyder Sylk rope first.
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29. Escape Elevator An elevator that takes you to the surface.
30. Atrium A large open room with a 15-meter-tall roof. Cargo containers line much of the walls, including a large one to the southeast (31). Two gun turrets are on the roof (32), and the character’s loved one hangs bound and suspended (35). A dozen Spyder Sylk ropes hang down above the elevator platform (33), 4 meters from the roof.
31. Mammoth Cage A large unlocked container with a cage door to the south east appears to be empty except for a floor covered in straw, a large amount of raw meat, water, and piles of fecal matter. Tufts of brown hair are in several
// Shadows of Korea //
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Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Completing Murder Bounty The contract will be completed whenever the cadre either kills or turns in Seraph to Sophia Choi, and completing this contract counts as completing two contracts in terms of increasing the cadre's Mosaic rating. They are paid the negotiated amount. If the characters successfully wiped out all Chimeras (including Doulas) and they have made a deal with Ghost-Steven then he will reward them with the promised シ250,000. Their Amaranthian faction rating is decreased by 2. Their BPD faction rating is increased by 1. Their Hexie faction rating is increased by 1. If the cadre nuked the facility, their faction ratings with the Busan Police, City Hall, and the Smiling Fish are decreased by 4. Also, their faction ratings with the Night Breed and South Jopok are reduced by 2, and their faction rating will be reduced by 1 for all other factions. They gain 20,000 XP (in addition to the 14,000 from completing the storm drain section). If they saved the loved one, they gain an additional 4,000 XP. If they provide R&D data and/or a sample of purple Amaranth, their Hexie faction rating is increased by an additional 1, they are awarded the negotiated amount, and they gain an additional 4,000 xp. Aldous Laplace will continue working on more Amaranth projects which can be explored in future contracts. Unbeknownst to the cadre, Laplace has had Seraph come into the Phoenix Unlimited facility in Seoul under a false name. As such, Seraph's mind is still alive and well, recorded in the databases of Phoenix Unlimited, just waiting for Laplace to revive him. Mr. Badger will thank the cadre and remind them of their confidentiality clauses. If the characters negotiated with any of the Cephalopsychs and helped them to water, they can be a possible future contact.
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Cattle rustiling Score: 3 Contact: Markus. Place: Old North Port, Dong-gu. Keywords: Cargo acquisition, B&E, Bratva. Details. Some of my precious imports have been misappropriated by the slovenly Miroslav. I can't bear to think of his greasy hands all over it. Please reacquire my cargo from his vile clutches and return it to me.
Cattle Rustling This contract is posted a couple of weeks after completing Murder Bounty—enough time to shop, craft, and get upgrades. Markus is interested in contracting the cadre to retrieve some of his imported Blood Doll anthroids, which are being held up by the Vladivostok Bratva in the Old North Port. This contract is mutually exclusive with Warehouse Security.
Located on the water’s edge in Dong-gu, the Bratva use this building to house illicit goods either recently moved from the loading docks as an import or imminently bound for the loading docks as an export. It is run by the Bratva captain Miroslav, a biohacked vampire (SoK, ???). Intruders will be shot on sight, though especially good Charisma checks may convince people that the cadre belongs. Six swoop drones fly in an irregular perimeter above the warehouse and transmit their video feed to the snipers outside as well as to Miroslav. Any Dexterity (Stealth) checks the characters make must also pass the drones’ passive Perception (10), or they will be alerted. Unless otherwise stated, all security DCs for this building are 15.
• • • •
1. Main Entrance Trashcans line the walls right outside the main entrance. The door is manually locked.
Negotiating Cattle Rustling
2. Snipers
Markus, the leader of the Night Breed gang, would like to meet at the Pain Circus club. Markus is sitting on his throne flanked by attractive Blood Dolls, as usual. His demeanor depends on the cadre’s faction rating with the Night Breed. He has had some of his imports unofficially seized by Bratva at the docks. He requests that the cadre “reacquire” this cargo from a warehouse in the docks. He suspects the cargo will be somewhere in Dong-gu, the Bratva-controlled area of the docks. He provides the following details: シ200,000 for return of the complete cargo. –シ20,000 for every blood doll not recovered. +シ10,000 if Miroslav is somehow publicly embarrassed. He expects the cargo will be moved within 24 hours, so he needs it done before then. A DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Intimidation) check gets him to reveal the nature of the cargo as 10 blood-doll anthroids.
Two Bratva snipers patrol the rooftop here, keeping an eye on the warehouse and adjacent buildings. They will open fire on intruders and will alert the warehouse management.
4. Break Room
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This room is filled with foodstuffs and beverages of all types. If searching, a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal a hidden stash of drugs in an open box of crackers. There are 3 doses of nanodoc, 1 of perk, 2 of euvigil, and 3 of mars.
Bratva Warehouse
6. Head Office
The cadre can find out the likely location of this warehouse after employing the usual investigative techniques: consulting contacts, calling in favors, interviewing relevant people through roleplaying, hacking, or making Investigation or Streetwise checks.
This room is electronically locked. Miroslav is seated here behind a desk, a portly man biohacked to be a vampire. He is attached to a Blood Doll through a feeding tube going directly to his stomach and is sipping on a cup of tea. Two hitmen stand behind him, acting as bodyguards.
• • • •
// Shadows of Korea //
3. Main Warehouse A wide open room filled with crates, containers, and boxes. Three locked doors are to the north, a garage and door to the east, and a door to the southwest.
Two hitmen (CRB, p. 285) are sitting here drinking coffee. They will attack any intruders.
5. Cooler Pantry
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Miroslav will try to persuade intruders to leave, leveraging the Bratva reputation and his personal menace. If one of the characters makes a Charisma (Intimidation) or (Persuasion) check he will offer シ10,000 for every 5 points by which the check exceeds 10. He will fight to the death if given no choice.
If the characters search, a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals hidden compartments with 10 incubation pods containing Spartan Infantry embryos in each crate. Each pod weighs 2 kg and proficiency in Life Science, Bureaucracy, or Streetwise lets a character know they are valued at シ2,000 each on the black market. A buyer can be found using appropriate skills or contacts.
7. Exports Part II. NPCs
This room is manually locked. A series of six crates marked for export to Sweden fill this room. Each crate contains refrigerated units containing loads of cuttlefish on ice.
8. Bathroom Bathroom stalls, sinks, and showers fill this room.
Part III. Encounters
Bratva Warehouse PART IV. Contracts
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9. Imports A series of crates fill this room. If the cadre takes time to search each crate and box, they can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check. If they succeed, they will find thirty 7.62mm assault rifles and sixty 7.62mm armor piercing magazines hidden amongst the crates.
10. Blood Dolls This container is electronically locked (DC 20). Inside are nine Blood Doll anthroids (the tenth is in the head office). The anthroids are all locked in sleep mode (encryption DC 15). If the encryption is beat, the anthroids are all in setup mode, and the characters can set themselves as their owners to direct them as they see fit (including as combatants). They can be sold quickly at 1/10 market value if the characters can find buyers.
11. Walking Area This open area looks like it is for walking animals for exercise. As soon as the sealed door is opened a strong skunky smell permeates the area.
Completing Cattle Rustling The contract will be completed whenever the cadre either brings back some number of the Blood Doll anthroids to the Pain Circus, or they fail in their attempt. If they successfully return all ten Blood Dolls the party gains 12,000 XP and the negotiated amount of satoshi. If one or more of the anthroids were not returned they only gain 10,000 XP. Their Night Breed faction rating is increased by 1 (or 2 if Miroslav is killed). If the cadre sells the Blood Dolls on the black market, their Night Breed faction rating will decrease by 1 instead of increasing. If the cadre kills Miroslav, Markus will be very pleased, awarding them a +シ50,000 bonus. Their Vladivostok Bratva faction rating is decreased by 2. With the extra Blood Dolls, Markus is able to expand the clout and size of the Night Breed. They will seek to ally with the South Jopok more to begin annexation of the Bratva-controlled docks.
• • • • • •
12. Dire-Skunk Pens Four pens containing Dire-Skunks are in this room (CRB, p. 302). A biohacker wiz trainer is here and will have released the doors if he heard intruders in room 11 (SoK, ???).
13. Rear Entrance. This side of the warehouse has a large garage door and adjacent security door. Both are electronically locked.
14. Water. This area leads to the sea and can be used as a possible entrance or escape with a boat.
// Shadows of Korea //
135
Intro
Warehouse Security Score: 3 Contact: Miroslav. Place: Old North Port, Dong-gu. Keywords: Defense, Bratva, vampires, Night Breed. Details. The pig-dog Markus thinks he can come onto MY turf and act tough with his loser cultists. Help prevent this loser from stealing from me. One night's work, シ200,000, seems fair to me, a good deal.
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
Warehouse Security Miroslav needs some help protecting his warehouse from a raid organized by Markus. This contract is mutually exclusive with Cattle Rustling.
Negotiating Warehouse Security PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Miroslav, a Bratva captain and manager of a dock warehouse, would like to meet. He would prefer to meet in person at his warehouse in Dong-gu. Miroslav is seated here behind a desk: a portly man biohacked to be a vampire. He is attached to a Blood Doll through a feeding tube and is sipping on a cup of tea. Two hitmen stand behind him acting as bodyguards. He happens to be in possession of some merchandise that he appropriated from the Night Breed. He is expecting a raid from the Night Breed—an attempt to claim the appropriated cargo. The cargo will be moved tomorrow, so it only has to be protected for one night. If the cadre can steer the plunderers away, they will be well-compensated. シ200,000 for the protection of the precious cargo. –シ20,000 for every blood doll that is abducted or killed. +シ100,000 if Markus shows up and is killed in the raid. A DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Intimidation) check gets him to reveal the nature of the cargo as 10 Blood-Doll anthroids.
• • • •
Bratva Warehouse
at around 1:00 a.m. on a sports boat at the dock to the East of the warehouse. Miroslav will remain locked in his room with two hitmen during the raid, not wanting to put his own life at risk. For simplicity’s sake, have Miroslav’s security (the other two hitmen and two snipers) cancel out 4 vampire thugs. Miroslav's biohacker wiz trainer and Dire-Skunks will remain out of the fight (unless explicitly attacked). Markus, three vampire thugs, and an adept hacker will come through the main entrance. A transgenic bruiser, three vampire thugs, and an adept hacker will come through the rear entrance. The vampire thugs will try to protect the hackers, who will make their way to the container with the Blood Dolls. Once a hacker gets to the container, they will use the unlock hack on it until it opens. Once open, the vampire brute and Markus will carry out Blood Dolls, two at a time, to the boat. They will use the Dodge action as they run away. The raid will end if Markus is killed or if six of the raiders are defeated.
• • • • •
Completing Warehouse Security The contract will be completed when either the Blood Dolls are all abducted or the raid is disrupted and ended. If they successfully stop any of the Blood Dolls being killed or taken, the party gains 12,000 XP and the negotiated amount of satoshi. If one or more of the anthroids were abducted or killed, they only gain 10,000 XP. If the cadre kills Markus, they will get their negotiated bonus and an additional 1,000 XP. Their Vladivostok Bratva faction rating is increased by 1 (or 2 if Markus is killed). Their Night Breed faction rating is decreased by 2 (or 3 if Markus is killed). With the extra Blood Dolls, Miroslav and Maxim will further solidify Bratva and vampire subculture, weakening the Night Breed.
• • • • •
See the Cattle Rustling contract for details.
The Raid Markus will arrive with 10 vampire thugs, two transgenic bruisers, and two adept hackers; both the bruisers and hackers have the sunlight sensitivity, bite attack, and regenerative hemovore traits described in the vampire thug (SoK, p. ???). The raiders will arrive
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// Contracts //
• Proficiency in Streetwise reveals that Daichi has Package Courier Score: 4 Contact: Daichi. Place: Dongsam dong, Yeongdo-gu. Keywords: Delivery, protection, Fukuoka. Details. The job is simple: I have a package that needs to get to the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. Someone doesn't want the package making it there. One night's work, シ300,000, forge some good allies in the process.
Package Courier
excellent relations with the Fukuoka Yakuza but is despised by the South Jopok.
The Backstory A researcher working for Vitruvian (a subsidiary of Apollo Laboratories) has smuggled out a prototype healing bioware named Project Hyperdrive and has found a Ronin International research branch in Japan that is willing to buy it for 6 million satoshi. Ronin has hired both Daichi and the Fukuoka Yakuza to deliver the goods to Fukuoka. The Yakuza have it covered once it gets to the tunnel, but Daishi needs to get it there, which is why he wants to hire the cadre.
The characters should be level 7 by this point, or at least five or more level 6 characters. This contract should mark the first one where the cadre is really stepping into city-wide level of power. They can start to challenge the pillars of Busan a little more without fear of being squashed like bugs. The powers that be know them by now, their reputation spilling out of Sasang-gu and into the wealthier districts. A famous samurai named Daichi (SoK, p. ???) wants some extra help protecting a package that he has been charged with delivering to Japan through the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. This contract is mutually exclusive with Intercept the Goods.
Negotiating P ackage Courier He will meet the cadre in the WDS at a traditional saki bar site to negotiate the contract. His avatar is identical to his physical body: a well-muscled four-armed Afro-Japanese man with maroon skin and cornrow hair. He has a notorious rivalry with Eun Sook, as famous a thief as Daichi is a samurai, and is expecting that she will attempt to steal it en route. He tells the cadre to prepare for a long fight. He will pay シ300,000 if the package safely makes it to the Japanese side of the tunnel, and no payment if it is stolen before then. One night’s work only (tomorrow night). Eun Sook gets under his skin and it makes him off his game, so if possible, he wants the cadre to handle her. A DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Intimidation) check gets him to reveal the nature of the cargo as an experimental regenerative healing upgrade being developed by Vitruvian. A DC 15 Intelligence (Bureaucracy) or (Streetwise) check reveals that this trade secret upgrade prototype could be worth millions.
• • • • •
// Shadows of Korea //
137
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Eun Sook has been hired by Vitruvian to murder the researcher (which she has already done) and retrieve the stolen prototype. She has employed the South Jopok (or the cadre if they pursue the Intercept the Goods contract) to help retrieve the stolen goods. Daichi and Eun Sook are occasional lovers and career rivals, each having murdered the other many times in past run-ins, only to be resurrected through Phoenix Unlimited. The fox-and-hare game they play manifests in this contract, ego being a major part of it despite what Daichi would like to think. If any of the characters decide to inject themselves with the bioware held within the briefcase instead of delivering it, they are subjected to the following effects: Immediately takes effect but causes 2 levels of exhaustion. The character recovers 3 hit points at the start of each turn and regains all hit points whenever they take a short rest. They always count as having two fewer levels of exhaustion. They burn calories at an extraordinary rate and must consume 10× the normal amount of food per day to sustain themselves, are constantly flushed and sweating, and will only live another year or two since each day ages them 1 month. If they already have the short lived or inefficient metabolism flaws, this can be a quick death sentence.
• PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
• • •
Traffic
Eun Sook has hacked into the traffic lights system to cause some car accidents in key intersections and direct traffic to create total gridlock in the blocks leading to the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. Cars will be completely unable to move, though a motorcycle could weave through with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Drive) check at the start of each round. On a failed roll the bike would have to brake to a full stop after 9 meters, and failing by 6 or more would cause a crash, inflicting 3d8 bludgeoning damage to the motorcycle and requiring a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to remain seated. Failure means both the bike and the driver are prone.
NPC Tactics
Eun Sook and Yong Chul (SoK, ???) will spend all of their efforts physically getting the briefcase and escaping using dashes, grapples, disarms, shoves, and hacks. They will fight using damaging attacks if prudent. The South Jopok will primarily be targeting Daichi and the cadre with damaging attacks. Daichi will spend all of his energy getting the briefcase to the tunnel, trying to get it back if it is stolen. He will attack for damage if prudent but is more concerned with moving it forward.
The Meet Up The cadre can decide the method by which the package will be delivered and whatever security measure they will be taking in the 24 hours prior to the meetup. Daichi meets the characters in an alleyway of Yeongdo-gu. His weapons are drawn and he is holding a briefcase in one of his four arms. He is reluctant to give up the case, but a DC 15 Charisma (Deception), (Intimidation), or (Persuasion) check gets him to hand it over.
The Robbery Eun Sook and her hired help will attempt to steal the package in Dongsam dong (see below). This scene will likely be a prolonged firefight, perhaps followed by a chase if it continues off the battlemap. There are plenty of places to hide and take cover. Civilians will scatter once combat begins, some even abandoning their cars. The scene ends if Eun Sook successfully steals the package or if the package is successfully taken to the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel.
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// Contracts //
1. Street
Dongsam Dong City Block Located in Yeongdo-gu, Dongsam dong is a particularly lawless area that is the centre of a Yakuza and South Jopok turf war. The BPD tends to avoid it and let the gang war play out, as their past attempts at getting involved were disastrous. Both criminal factions have a no-drone truce in this neighborhood, and any drones flying more than 6 meters high are shot down by thugs from either side (unless they are high-altitude drones).
Four Relevant Heights
There are four relevant heights in this map: The street (1) is at ground level. The catwalk (3) is 6 meters above ground. The low rooftops (4) are 12 meters above ground. The high rooftops (5) are 15 meters above ground. A target’s cover will vary depending on where the attacker is; make sure it is clear that everyone understands the angles from which they might not have cover. With an upgrade or feature that allows tripled high-jumping distance, it is possible to do a running high-jump from one level to another (CRB, p. 184). This requires moving three meters, then a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check to outright land on the higher level or a DC 15 check to grab on with your hands and pull yourself up (which counts as 3 meters on rough terrain for movement purposes). Remember, any type of jumping still uses up an amount of movement equal to the distance jumped, so this may require that the character uses the Dash action to get enough movement. A summary is outlined on the table below
• • • •
Changing Heights with Hyper Jumping Strength (Athletics)
Running High Jump Result
Movement Required
15
3 meter jump + 3 meter pull-up
12 meters
25
6 meters
9 meters
Of course, if the character has an upgrade or feature that gives them a climb speed, it is as simple as crawling up the wall. Climbing up the wall without this feature requires a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check and requires double movement as per the usual climbing rules. The South Jopok and spike strips from 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are not present if the cadre is working for Eun Sook (See Intercept the Goods contract below).
// Shadows of Korea //
The street is filled with shops, street vendors, pedestrians, and a regular flow of car traffic. Both meat-space and the Veil are awash in neon signs and advertisements stretching all the way to the horizon, creating an almost carnival-type effect. The area is very well-lit despite the night sky. It’s clear that this area isn’t upscale, and it bears the marks of being part of a gang turfwar. It is utterly bumper-to-bumper gridlocked if the characters are running the Package Courier contract; otherwise, there is regular traffic. Pedestrian walkways line both sides of the street, the east side being under the shade of a catwalk. Plenty of dumpsters and street-level shops can provide good cover here, being 1.5 and 3 meters tall respectively.
2. Sidewalks Sidewalks are in between some street businesses and the larger commercial buildings. The sidewalk to the west and northeast is directly under a catwalk.
3. Catwalk This raised level is 6 meters (two stories) higher than the street and was designed for pedestrian traffic. Third floor restaurants, bars, boutiques, and other commercial establishments line the catwalk. A halfwall guards pedestrians from falling on the street, and the pedestrian street walkways are often directly below.
4. Low Rooftops The rooftops on most of the buildings here are 12 meters high and most have a partial wall.
5. High Rooftops The rooftops of the building on this southeast block and a section of the northwest building are 15 meters high and have a partial wall.
6. Catwalk Stairs These stairs connect the street level to the catwalk and require 9 meters of movement to climb.
7. Ladders Climbing these doesn’t require a Strength check, but it is still double movement cost.
8. Spike Strips* These strips are placed across the street to prevent wheeled vehicles from speeding by. Eun Sook prefers a footrace.
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Intro
Dongsam Dong city Block
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
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4
4
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Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
11
PART V. New Rules
6
Appendices
14
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10 9
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11 3 2 140
1 // Contracts //
9. Jopok Sniper*
13. Eun Sook
These snipers (SoK, p. ???) will attack Daichi and the cadre, targeting the hands of enemies holding the briefcase if they can.
The famous thief will start here; she waits until the cadre is under attack by her minions or the case is free to move in for the snatch.
10. Gang of Jopok Enforcers*
14. Eun Sook’s Escape Route
Each of these are a group of 4 enforcers (CRB, p. 281) that will use their bats to target whomever is holding the briefcase if they can. They will use their guns if they aren’t in range.
If Eun Sook is able to make it off the north edge of the map, then she has escaped combat. A foot chase scene can ensue if the players want to continue pursuit (CRB, p. 185), with Eun Sook hoping to lose them.
11. Jopok Hitman*
15. The Tunnel Entrance
These hitmen (CRB, p. 285) will shoot to kill, but if the briefcase happens to be available, they will move it forward to Eun Sook.
If Daichi or the players are able to take the briefcase off of the north-east side of the map, then they have successfully delivered it to Yakuza agents. Eun Sook will retreat, sending a wave of online profanity and curses directed at Daichi and the cadre.
12. Yong-Chul* This Canary South Jopok captain (SoK, p. ???) will use leg kicks against whomever is holding the briefcase or will try disarm attempts to obtain it so he can toss it to Eun Sook.
// Shadows of Korea //
141
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Completing Package Courier The contract will be completed when the package either makes it to the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel safely, or Eun Sook escapes with it. If they successfully deliver the package, they gain 15,000 XP and the negotiated amount of satoshi. If they don’t, they only gain 13,000 XP and no payment. Their South Jopok faction rating is decreased by 2 (or 4 if Yong Chul is killed). Their Ronin International faction rating is increased by 2. Their Fukuoka Yakuza faction rating is increased by 1. Their Vitruvian (Apollo Laboratories) faction rating is decreased by 2.
• • • • •
PART IV. Contracts
Intercept the Goods PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Score: 4 Contact: Eun Sook. Place: Dongsam dong, Yeongdo-gu. Keywords: Thievery, corporate intrigue, samurai, fun. Details. A guy has a package he stole and I want to steal it back! Perhaps it's trade secrets about some new robot or something, who knows? Either way, it will be a blast! Wanna shake things up for シ300,000!?
Intercept The Goods The characters should be level 7 by this point, or at least five or more level 6 characters. This contract should mark the first one where the cadre is really stepping into city-wide level of power. They can start to challenge the pillars of Busan a little more without fear of being squashed like bugs. The powers that be know them by now, their reputation spilling out of Sasang-gu and into the wealthier districts. Eun Sook is a famous thief (SoK, p. ???) and needs to get ahold of a package being delivered to the Fukuoka Yakuza by an elite Samurai named Daichi. She would love some help acquiring this highly guarded briefcase. This contract is mutually exclusive with Package Courier.
Negotiating Intercept
the
Goods
She would like to meet the cadre in person—and will have already snuck into their office. She will mirthfully announce her presence from the shadows, casually eating an apple held by her prehensile tail, and continue negotiation. The package will only be out in the
142
open tomorrow night, and it will likely be a heavily fortified transport that is carrying it. She tells the cadre to prepare for a long fight with Ronin samurai. She will pay シ300,000 if the package is returned to Vitruvian, but none if it isn't. One night’s work only (tomorrow night). She would prefer you leave Daichi to her but understands if you have to take him out. A DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Intimidation) check gets her to reveal the nature of the cargo as an experimental regenerative healing upgrade being developed by Vitruvian. A DC 15 Intelligence (Bureaucracy) or (Streetwise) check reveals that this trade secret upgrade prototype could be worth millions. Proficiency in Streetwise reveals that Eun Sook has excellent relations with the South Jopok but is despised by the Yakuza.
• • • • • •
The Backstory The same as for Package Courier (see above).
The Robbery Eun Sook wants the cadre to attempt to steal the package in Dongsam-dong (see below). This scene will likely be a prolonged fight. There are plenty of places to hide and take cover. Civilians will scatter once combat begins, some even abandoning their cars. The scene ends if Eun Sook or the cadre successfully steals the package and returns it to Vitruvian or if the package is successfully taken to the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel. Daichi and cracker companion (SoK, p ??? and ???) will be in the driver and passenger seat of a truck (CRB, p. 145) except the truck has been modified to have a covered and armored truck bed and 14 DR and 20 AC. It is piloted by a Driver 3.4 bot. Three kensei and two demolitionists (CRB, p. 285, SoK p. ???) are seated in the bed of the truck.
NPC Tactics
Eun Sook will do her best to snatch the briefcase and escape the area but will attack if that seems to be the best action. The truck is only able to move forward 9 meters every round due to traffic. While the truck is moving the passengers will be hunkered down and taking doses of nanodoc to heal themselves if they are hurt (each of them have 3 doses of nanodoc). If the truck is being overwhelmed or Daichi feels it is appropriate, they will all exit and proceed on foot.
// Contracts //
Daichi and his allies will spend all of their energy getting the briefcase to the tunnel, trying to get it back if it is stolen. Yakuza heavy infantry (see below) will only target characters on rooftops or the catwalk.
Drone Strikes
Daichi will have a high-altitude Ronin drone can hit an area with a rocket at the end of every round. Daichi will signal the area he wants to be targeted as a bonus action, and he will only target an area if he thinks he can avoid civilian casualties. The effect of the strike is as follows: The concussive force radiates outward in 3-meter-radius sphere centered on the point of the detonation. Everyone within the blast must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 4d6 bludgeoning damage and becoming stunned until the end of their next turn on a failed save, or half as much damage and no stun effect on a successful one. The square targeted is a bit off due to the high-altitude targeting, so use the grenade accuracy rules (CRB, p. 133) to see which square it actually detonates on.
Dongsam Dong City Block Follow the same description as in the Package Courier contract, except with the following exceptions. None of the Jopok are there (including Yong-Chul). There are no spike strips. The traffic is present, but not gridlocked. There are Yakuza heavy infantry (CRB, p. 292) instead of Jopok snipers (in the same spots). They won’t attack anyone on the street level but will target characters on rooftops or the catwalk.
• • • •
Completing Intercept
the
G oods
The contract will be completed when the package either makes it to the Busan-Fukuoka tunnel safely, or Eun Sook escapes with it. If they successfully deliver the package, they gain 15,000 XP and the negotiated amount of satoshi. If they don’t, they only gain 13,000 XP and no payment. Their South Jopok faction rating is increased by 2. Their Ronin International faction rating is decreased by 1. Their Fukuoka Yakuza faction rating is decreased by 1. Their Vitruvian (Apollo Laboratories) faction rating is increased by 2.
• • • • •
// Shadows of Korea //
blimp heist Score: 4 Contact: Mr. Bostrom Place: The skies of Busan. Keywords: Heist, aerial, corporate, discreet. Details. You know those Hexie drone delivery blimps? Well I need some entrepreneurial spirits to obtain a certain something in the sky. How does a juicy シ300,000 sound?
Blimp heist This contract may take two or three sessions to complete. The characters should be level 7-9 before starting it, depending on cadre size. Aldous Laplace knows that his employer, Hexie, has been using the research data from Pronatalax and Seraph to run further Amaranth experiments, replicating Purple Amaranth in their Busan labs (the cadre may have even played a role in passing that information to Hexie in the Murder Bounty contract). Laplace’s contacts have told him that the Purple Amaranth is being transported from the Busan labs to a holding facility in Pyongyang, to be shelved indefinitely, as they viewed further development as too dangerous. Laplace thinks that obtaining the materials and constructing his own Purple Amaranth would be too expensive, and could also put his job and life in jeopardy (he is aware he is under an extra layer of surveillance by his employer). He is posing as a "Mr. Bostrom" and wants the cadre to get the entire container of Purple Amaranth off the blimp and deposited in a safe-house in Gijang-gu, preferably without alerting Hexie.
Negotiating Blimp H eist Laplace will meet with the cadre in the WDS, either in their virtual office, or in a simulation of the diner from the Nighthawks painting, by Edward Hopper. Either way, Laplace appears like a 1940s American businessman, complete with accent, suit, and fedora. He introduces himself as Mr. Bostrom, and if at the diner, he’s enjoying a piece of cherry pie and a coffee. He will hide his true identity, as well as the identity of the container contents. Laplace wants the cadre to steal a container from a Hexie delivery blimp, mid-flight, and before it leaves Busan’s airspace. He knows that security at the both the Pyongyang and Busan warehouses is tight, but a little more lax once the blimp gets in the air.
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Laplace can provide the following details: シ300,000 if the container is dropped off at the Gijang gu safe-house, contents intact シ100,000 bonus if Hexie doesn’t find out about the missing container He doesn’t know where the container is, but it is numbered 201392, is 1.5m3 in volume, and it weighs around 1,500 kg. Both the Pyongyang and Busan blimp hangers have Omega security contracted, attempting to infiltrate there would be suicide. The blimp is scheduled to be in the air at 2:00 am, two days from now, and will be leaving Busan airspace by 4:00 am. A DC 20 Charisma (+relevant skill) check gets him to reveal the nature of the cargo as Purple Amaranth. Laplace will lie about his intentions to convince the cadre to still take the contract, he will claim that he needs it to make sure Hexie doesn’t lose control of it. A DC 25 Wisdom (Insight) or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that Mr. Bostrom is using familiar speech patterns and gestures, ones that they’ve previously encountered with Seraph (or Laplace if they’ve interacted with him). The cadre may decide to take the contact, and instead decide to simply destroy the Amaranth, depending on their values and attitude towards such a creature.
• • • •
She contacts the cadre through Mosaic, and wants to meet in person, at a specific tteokbokki stand in Honhyeol dong, since she hasn’t eaten lunch yet and has a craving for that street cook’s spicy rice-cakes. She offers シ100,000 for a simple service overlapping their current contract, details to be negotiated in person. She refuses to meet online, fearing there may be unwanted eyes and ears online. If the characters choose to meet her, read the following once they arrive. “Gyuri is standing by the food stall at a stand-up table, shoveling tteokbokki into her mouth and sipping from an iced-coffee in between bites. She is an attractive Korean woman dressed in stylish urban-punk clothes, and is younger than you would expect for someone willing to pay the amount advertised. The eating area of the food-stall is wide open, but covered by a roof in case of rain (or drone surveillance). As you approach your wireless signal begins to sputter and cut out, the immediate area appears to jammed.”
• •
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
•
•
Gyuri's Side Hustle Gyuri Kim, the leader of the activist group AAC (SoK, p. ???), is looking to transition to more violent and extreme measures to achieve her political goals. Between her intelligence network and own investigation, she deduced that the player cadre has taken Mr. Bostrom’s contract, and she also has a request involving that same blimp cargo. She has intel that it is carrying a new virus-based cancer therapy, an expensive treatment for a wealthy clientele. It’s a oncolytic herpes simplex virus that has been modified to evade the immune system, target cancer cells, and be non-pathogenic. Knowing this treatment will only be administered to the rich, Gyuri has acquired a gene-mod for the virus that reintroduces the pathogenicity to even higher levels than normal. Her aim is to inflict this disease on wealthy genetically optimized people, alongside a media release of AAC claiming responsibility, with more events such as this to follow unless Korea bans crèches. She needs the player cadre to introduce her pathogenic gene mod into that cargo.
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A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that at least seven people in the area are feigning disinterest, but are keenly watching the cadre. All of them armed with pistols. They are AAC goons there to protect Gyuri, six are gangbangers and one is an enforcer (CRB p. 281-282). She has a small palm-sized sphere she wants deposited in a particular crate full of expensive cancer treatment, and is willing to pay extra if both objectives are met. She provides the cadre with the container serial number, 437530, but she doesn’t know where it will be located on the blimp The sphere she wants deposited is a medical espionage drone that can either sample or deposit chemicals through vial membranes without the seals appearing like they have been tampered with. A DC 20 Charisma (+ relevant skill) check can get Gyuri to reveal this, or DC 15 Intelligence (Life Science) or (Mechanics) checks can also reveal this by inspecting the device. An analysis of the sphere with a DC 20 Intelligence (Life Science) check reveals that the gene mod within is designed to make a virus much more pathogenic
• •
•
// Contracts //
Heist Strategies The cadre should take a day preparing and planning for how to make it on the blimp mid-flight, ideally without getting detected. Listed below are some possible strategies and methods they might pursue, but player creativity can of course synthesize alternative methods. The cadre are expected to use their contacts, favors, hacks, and skills to bring their plan to fruition. If the planning efforts stall at the table, the GM should provide clues to point them in some possible directions.
Getting On the Blimp
Below covers some of the ways that cadres might get on the blimp. Paratroopers. The characters can use their contacts and other resources to arrange aerial transport above the blimp, where they can gear up in wing-suits or parachutes and drop on the blimp. The blimp has no surveillance looking above, so this will lend to a relatively stealthy infiltration. Being able to successfully land on the blimp requires a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check. Failure means the character comes in too
// Shadows of Korea //
fast and/or lands awkwardly, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every point the ability check missed by. For example, a result of a 12 on the ability check would mean 3d6 bludgeoning damage. If the ability check is less than 10 the character has their speed lowered by 3 until they take a long rest and if the ability check is less than 5, the character gains the “maimed leg” critical injury (CRB, p. 201). The cushion hack will negate these effects. Once on top of the blimp, the cadre will need to climb down to Cargo Pod A. This will require a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, or the character will fall off the side of the blimp to the city below, which results in 20d6 bludgeoning damage (or certain death depending on the game lethality), unless they have a way to slow the fall. Climbing gear prevents this (CRB, p. 136), allowing for additional ability checks to successfully climb to Cargo Pod A. Delivery Drone Hijack. From 2:00 to 4:00am delivery drones will be dropping off individual packages to addresses all over Busan. Once the cadre discovers where some of those delivery addresses might be, they will be able to intercept and hijack one or more of these
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drones. The Pegasus drones carrying hefty packages are large enough to carry the characters back up to the blimp, and with some proper hacking they can be reprogrammed to facilitate this transport (SoK, ???). To capture and reprogram a Pegasus drone first requires an ambush either immediately before or after their delivery destination. Figuring out the delivery addresses involving Pegasus drones could involve various hacks, contacts, favors, or relevant ability checks. From there, initiative is rolled, and hacks like decrypt, disable vehicle, charm, compulsion, erase memories, false ID, modify memory, seeming, suggestion, and unlock can be used to manipulate the drone in various ways. The drone will report its assault on its second turn in combat, unless it is prevented from doing so through jamming or other means. Additionally, the drone may be reprogrammed as described below. The Pegasus drone can be completely reprogrammed by making three successful uses of the decrypt hack (DC 15). Each decrypt takes at least 1 minute (10 minutes of taking your time), and the drone will be returning to the blimp during that time unless it is otherwise disabled or restrained. After one success use of decrypt, the drone allows the cadre onboard, after two it allows the cadre to give it directions, and after three it will conceal the cadre’s presence as cargo. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Mechanics) check, tools, and 30 minutes allows a character to sever the AI from their communications and flight controls, allowing the cadre to manually fly it. Once the drone has been co-opted through hacks or ability checks, it can be taken back to the blimp. The blimp will automatically open its hanger doors to the drone after recognizing its signature. Crew Infiltration. Track down the blimp crew other crew (see below) and either persuade them to allow the cadre passage, or outright replace them, and take on the role of pilots. Aircraft. Obtain use of an aircraft and directly land inside the blimp’s hanger bay. Human Cargo. If the cadre investigates smuggling themselves aboard the blimp by getting inside a cargo container at the blimp hanger, the GM should inform them that thick surveillance and Omega security there would make that the most difficult avenue.
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Subtle Theft
It will be difficult for the cadre to avoid being detected at all, but it is possible to accomplish this with some luck and expertise in sneaky and social abilities. The ultimate goal would be to somehow get the cargo off without making it seem like it is missing, which would require either a replica of container 201392, or somehow getting the contents of container 201392 into a different container, and subbing in some alternative material that could pass inspection. Successful preliminary investigation and Intelligence (Bureaucracy), (Life Science), or (Mechanics) checks can reveal commonly used cargo container types used by Hexie for biomedical purposes. From there, the cadre can obtain or craft one of their own containers, or even facsimile Purple Amaranth (that would fail detailed analysis, but could pass cursory inspection).
Getaway
The container of Amaranth weighs over 1,500 kg, and is 1.5 m3. Their getaway plan should include some way to safely leave the blimp with this heavy cargo, either on an aerial vehicle or parachute type exit. Ultimately they will need to make it to the safehouse in Gijang gu with the cargo.
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Blimp Cargo Pod A There are two cargo pods on the bottom of the Hexie delivery blimp, A and B. Cargo pod A carries shipments destined for businesses, while cargo pod B carries personal deliveries. The shipments the cadre are looking for are both in cargo pod A, and if they did their investigation ahead of time, they will have found this out. If not, they may accidentally infiltrate cargo pod B first, which is identical to A, other than it is missing the deliveries they are looking for.
Getting Detected
There are a variety of ways through which the cadre might get detected. CCTV Cameras. There are cameras in every area except for the smugglers room (16). They are all connected to the LAN, but not to the internet. The security personnel and manager should be watching them, but they are instead neglecting their duties. That being said, any retroactive viewing of the footage will reveal the cadre if the cameras recorded them. Munki Drones. The aerial drones are on a strict protocol for deliveries and don’t pay any attention to the characters, but the Munki drones (SoK, p. ???) in areas 2, 3, 8, 9, and 14 will know the characters aren’t authorized, and will require convincing (DC 14) to accept the cadre’s presence. They will greet the cadre with “Are you new? Present your ID please!” If any of these checks fail, the Munki drones will alert the security in area 11 and then attack, along with any Goliath droids in the area. Security Team. The elite security team are four SWAT officers (SoK, p. ???), who spend their time playing cards in area 11. If they are alerted by the Munki drones or manager, they will converge on the cadre’s position in 1 minute (10 rounds), and attack. Clean Up Team. If the cadre overcomes the security team, Hexie central office will send a team of two Omega commandos (CRB, p. 212), who will air-drop in area 2 in 30 minutes. If they have any surveillance on Hexie security feeds or the LAN, they will be aware of this time crunch. Make it clear that the cadre is likely no match for two Omega commandos, and it would be best to evacuate before then.
1. Forward Gate This is the entrance and exit for the large Pegasus drones as well as a few medium-sized drones as well. While flying over a city and making drone deliveries, this gate is wide open to accommodate the frequent back and forth traffic of the drones. The drone AI has incoming drones flowing to the left side of the blimp and outgoing drones leaving from the right side.
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2. Forward Drone Hanger This large open hanger has a 12-meter high roof and is filled with incoming and outgoing drones of various sizes. There are landing pads for two Pegasus drones, and the Pegasus drones themselves will be at some point in their regular rotation of getting loading with cargo, delivering it, or returning to the blimp. Two Goliath droids are performing the heavy lifting and eight smaller Munki drones are doing the fine packing. The aerial drones don’t seem concerned with the characters' presence, but one of the Munki drones spots its loading, and approaches the cadre. “Are you new? Present your ID please!” A DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) or (Deception) check can convince the drone the cadre belongs there. If the check fails, the monkey drone will advise the cadre to leave, and both the Munkis and Goliaths will attack the cadre if they refuse and the security personal in ??? will be alerted, who will make their way to the cadre in 1 minute (10 rounds).
3. Upper Cargo Room Five rows of shelves containing packages for businesses dominate the southern area of this room, two Goliath droids and twelve Munki drones facilitating the process of getting them into the forward drone hanger as needed. Against one wall are stairs leading to the lower deck and an elevator is on the opposite wall. Similar to room 2, a Munki drone approaches the cadre, and needs convincing to believe the cadre belongs there (DC 14). They cannot be convinced to allow access to the data servers (room 5), and will attack if the cadre attempts to enter that room regardless of Charisma checks. The security personnel in area 11 will be alerted as well.
4. Data Center The LAN can be controlled here using a neural interface (it doesn’t have wireless capability). It is DC 23 to crack the LAN from a terminal with the decrypt hack. If the roll fails by 5 or more the hacker takes 5d10 psychic damage from neural feedback, and if it fails by 10 or more the hacker takes 10d10 psychic damage. If the system is successfully hacked, it gives access to the following functions for the entire research complex for as long as the hacker has a wired connection: Access to cameras and floor plan. Access the cargo manifest, including the location and contents of containers 437530 and 201392. The ability to close, open, lock, or unlock rooms as an action, except for room 15 and 16. Control of the intercoms.
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• Deactivate any or all of the Munki and Goli• •
ath robots (the aerial drones are not connected to the LAN). Take control of one Munki or Goliath robot as an action until the start of your next turn. Change temperature and light controls in any number of rooms as an action.
5. Upper Cargo Shelves These shelves are filled with all sorts of electronics, medical supplies, office supplies, and a myriad of other products destined for businesses in Busan and Pyongyang. Taking 10 minutes and DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check (automatic success if the cadre gained access to the cargo manifest in room 5) reveals a 6-pack of frictionless spray and a 6-pack of freezing spray, as well as シ10,000 in various small electronic gadgets useful for business (weighing 10 kg total). Even if the cadre succeeded at convincing the Munki drone they belong, looting these shelves causes them to attack and alert the security team.
6. Stairs Appendices
These stairs connect areas 5 and 8.
7. Elevator This large cargo elevator connects room 5 and 9.
8. Lower Cargo Shelves This large cargo area has dozens of cargo shelves are bustling with activity as Munki drones scramble around arranging packages for delivery as aerial drones fly in and out from room 10.
9. Aft Drone Hanger This large open hanger has a 12-meter high roof and is filled with incoming and outgoing small and medium drones. Eight Munki drones are doing the fine packing, stacking packages for the aerial drones. The aerial drones don’t seem concerned with the characters' presence, but one of the Munki drones approaches the cadre and needs convincing to believe the cadre belongs there (DC 14).
10. Aft Gate This is the entrance and exit for the smaller drones, the larger Pegasus drones using the forward gate (1). While flying over a city and making drone deliveries, this gate is wide open to accommodate the frequent back and forth traffic of the drones. The drone AI has incoming drones flowing to the left side of the blimp and outgoing drones leaving from the right side.
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11. Security Room Four elite security guards are here (SWAT officers, SoK, p. ???), playing cards. They are surprised to see the cadre if they burst in. A DC 20 Charisma check can persuade the team that the cadre belongs, but their suspicions have been raised, and they will monitor the cadre’s activity with the cameras from this point on. Any attempt to get into the vault or steal cargo will elicit combat from the security. The lockers in this room are manually locked (DC 15), and contain parachutes and changes of clothes.
12. Bathroom These bathrooms are quite clean, as only a few people are using them regularly.
13. Manager’s Office Nam-Jun, the manager of cargo pod A sits here behind a desk (A corporate executive, CRB, p. 280). He is diving in the WDS, completely spaced out, and surprised by the cadre. He is triggered back to meat-space by any sound in the room, and is shocked to see the cadre. Unless the cadre can succeed on a DC 25 Charisma check, the manager is immediately savvy to the unauthorized nature of the cadre’s presence and will silently send a message to the security team. Even on a success, his suspicion has been raised, and he will monitor the cadre’s activity with the cameras from this point on.
14. Biomedical Supply Crates These biomedical supply containers house materials that are destined for Pyongyang, and will be moved to either the aft or forward hanger closer to their destination. Most of the materials aren’t worth stealing when considering their bulk, but taking 10 minutes and DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check (automatic success if the cadre gained access to the cargo manifest in room 5) reveals the following valuables: 10 doses each of antipoison, angel, nootro, nanodoc, perk, and superman A biohacking kit A forensic scanner 5 hyposprays Container 437530
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15. Vault This room is reserved for the more valuable packages destined for Pyongyang, including container 201392. The door is currently locked and is on a timer where it can’t be opened until the blimp reaches Pyongyang airspace. The security on the door is DC 20. Both the
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container and each locker in this room is independently electronically locked, with a DC 20 encryption. It is unlikely the cadre will have time to open each locker before the Omega commandos arrive, so roll 1d8 when they are opening one to see what is inside. 1. A 1kg case of designer enzymes worth シ10,000 2. A 5 kg case protean stem cells worth シ50,000 3. One gram of Tritium worth シ30,000 4. A diamond wedding ring worth シ50,000 5. Sentinex cyberoptics, would cost シ15,000 for installation at a cyberdoc 6. 4 Bushiweave vests 7. A Nanoedge gladius 8. 12-gauge shotgun ammo: 2 cryo, 2 HEAP, and 2 shock A secret door leads to room 16, which takes a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) to notice.
16. Smuggler Room It takes a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) to notice the secret door that leads to this room. This room contains contraband materials that either Hexie or the crew don’t want on any record. On this trip all the lockers are empty, except one, which is electronically locked (DC 20), and holds 10 doses of nerve agent.
Completing Blimp H eist The contract is considered complete if the characters successfully get the Purple Amaranth to the safe house in Gijang gu. The cadre is paid the negotiated amount for a successful delivery of the cargo, and their Amaranthian faction rating is increased by 2. The discretion bonus is paid after one week, once Laplace is convinced Hexie is unaware of the missing Amaranth. The cadre gains 20,000 xp regardless of the outcome, with an extra 5,000 xp if Hexie doesn’t find out about the missing Amaranth. If the cadre completes Gyuri’s side hustle they are paid the negotiated amount, and their AAC faction rating increases by 2. If the cadre destroys the Amaranth, their Amaranthian faction rating decreases by 2 If Hexie gains knowledge that it was the cadre who stole from their blimp, their faction rating is decreased by 2.
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Delete the ghoul Score: 4 Contact: Corporal Kangaroo Place: Lux Tower, Dong gu Keywords: Assassination, discreet, Bratva, B&E Details: It's time for The Ghoul to meet his end, he creates nothing but horror and enemies. Of course you will be paid, and the world will be a better place. Let's say シ350,000.
Delete The Ghoul A group are finally fed up with the vile and predatory leadership of Maxim Lazovsky; his own underlings. A sub-faction of the Vladivostok Bratva led by Olga Zietzev wants you to do the dirty-work, so they can fill the power vacuum with "clean" hands. This contract may take one or two sessions to complete. The characters should be levels 7-9 before starting it, depending on cadre size. It will likely take one or two sessions to complete this contract.
Negotiating Delete The Ghoul Olga will contact the cadre through Mosaic, giving them a private invite to a WDS site she has created to discuss the contract details. Her site has everyone as low-res polygonal avatar versions of themselves, where she appears as a dapper tuxedoed Kangaroo and speaks with a male voice in an exaggerated Australian accent. Olga will hide her true identity, preferring to remain anonymous. Olga wants the cadre to kill Maxim Lazovsky, the leader of the Bratva in Busan. She wants it done as soon as possible, leaving as little evidence as possible. Olga can provide the following details: シ350,000 if Maxim is killed, with a シ25,000 bonus if his death doesn't appear like a homocide. Maxim has become a recluse, now spending all of his time in his penthouse suite, the 30th floor of Lux Tower. He has heavy security on and holds tight control over all incoming and outgoing human traffic. Olga assures them there will be no Brava retrubution.
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Lux Tower Penthouse Lux Tower is a 30-floor structure that houses a mixture of offices, commercial floors, and private residences. The 30th floor is owned by Maxim Lazovsky, and his paranoia and sadism have fueled implementation of drastic security measures and traps throughout his penthouse. Unless otherwise noted, all security DCs in Lux Tower are 20, including spotting and disabling traps, and opening locks. The walls in Lux Tower's penthouse have been filled with specialized foam insulation that blocks penetration vision and wall microphones. Internal cameras are local CCTV only, feeds going to the LAN (the computer located in area 26).
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Gaining Access to the Penthouse
The 30th floor is not open to the public and security permissions are only granted to Maxim’s inner circle and victims for his depraved appetites. If either Traktor or Timur are still alive and in good standing with Maxim, the will count as his inner circle. The cadre may select one or more of the entrance points described below when they make their infiltration. Stairwell. The stairwell goes from the ground floor all the way to Maxim’s penthouse. AV cameras connected to Lux Tower’s CCTV and security center are present at each floor. The doors from the stairwell into the floors are open for all commercial floors, with residential and office floors being electronically locked restricted to employees and residents (DC 15). The entrance to Maxim’s floor is DC 20. If the cadre is spotted by any of the cameras approaching the penthouse, Lux Tower security will contact Maxim and transmit the AV feed, unless measures are taken to prevent this. Balconies. The cadre may employ aerial entry or wall climbing to use either of the balconies (areas 18 and 29) as entry points. There are eight Phantom MK IIs that patrol the building, two on each of the penthouse’s sides. If any of them spot a character they will attack immediately, with the remaining drones joining as fast as they can. They will also transmit their footage to Maxim. If both drones on a side are quietly dispatched before they can take their turn, the remaining drones will not be alerted. Elevator. The elevator freely takes everyone to commercial floors, with residential and office floors being restricted to employees and residents (DC 15 to bypass). The entrance to Maxim’s floor has more sophisticated and is DC 20, and Lux Tower will alert Maxim about any visitors to his penthouse. The elevator car has a maintenance door on the room to gain access to the
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shaft. Scaling the elevator shaft requires a DC 10 climb check every 6 meters, will a failure resulting in a freefall to the bottom. Guests. If invited, or a meeting has been arranged, Maxim allows the cadre to enter via the elevator or stairwell, and they will be allowed to enter area 8 unmolested.
Getting Detected
If any of Maxim’s staff or security personnel spot the cadre, they will notify Maxim unless the cadre succeeds on a DC 20 Charisma (+skill) check to convince them the cadre belongs. Security will also attack if the check is failed. All security guards are on the same comm channel, so if a fight breaks out any individual security will alert the rest on their turn as a free action. Despite cameras being in evey room, they are CCTV and only reviewed by security every 24 hours.
Crisis Alarm
Only Maxim can trigger the crisis alarm as an action, which will activate the penthouse’s security features. He will prefer to meet with the cadre in person in area 8 before triggering the alarm. He will only trigger the alarm before then if he knows the cadre are killing his security or staff. The crisis alarm activates the following measures. The DC to spot and disable traps is 20 unless otherwise stated, and they are all mechanical. Poisonous gas. Areas 3, 21, and 26 are filled with thick poisonous gas. The area is heavily obscured and at the end of every round, each person in the area that is breathing in the local air in the area takes 1d12 poison damage and must make a DC 10 Constitution save or become poisoned for 10 minutes. Shock Floor. Areas 7, 9, have floors that transmit electric shocks to anything that step in the room. when a person first enters these areas, or ends their turn with their feet on the ground, they take 3d6 electric damage and must make a DC 15 Constitution save or become take become stunned until the end of their next turn. Paint Sprinkler. Areas 13, 19 have devices that shower paint once three people have entered the room. They must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or be covered in red paint, foiling any cloakers they may have. Lockdown Shutters. Both the balconies and windows will have reinforced metal shutters lowered on their exterior. Each 1.5m2 panel has 20 DR, 20 AC, and 200 hp. Attacking them will cause all of the Phantom MK II drones (see balconies description) to converge and attack the moment a hole is opened.
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1. Elevator
7. Bathrooms
The elevator has functions as any other elevator does, but has restrictions as described under "Gaining Access to the Penthouse" (SoK, p. ???).
These bathrooms are immaculately clean and have a pleasant AI that manifests through AR to ensure hygiene is followed. If questioned, the AI might mention that these bathrooms often get “very messy indeed”. A forensic analysis reveals the floors and walls have been recently covered with blood. Each has a medicine cabinet containing one hit of perk. Once the the alarm has triggered this area has shock floors.
2. Foyer This entry room is decorated in dated but lavish style, furniture for waiting guests sit atop a massive Persian rug. Six vampire thugs are here (SoK, p. ???), and will either escort the cadre to Maxim or attack, depending on how the cadre handle themselves. If there is conflict the vampire thugs adept hacker from area 6 will arrive at the start of the next round and be ready to act in that round. There are doors to the east and west which will be electronically locked after the alarm triggers.
3. Central Hallway This hallway covers the perimeter of the foyer, and has doors leading to areas 5 and 20, which will be electronically locked after the alarm triggers. A secret door is behind an enormous oil-painting of Napoleon shaking Maxim’s hand. If the players search the area, a DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the secret door. It’s electronically locked (DC 25). If the alarm is triggered, this entire area is filled with poisonous gas (see above).
4. Stairwell The entrance to Maxim’s floor is electronically locked.
5. Cloak Room A small room with coat racks and an umbrella bin. There is a mechanical pressure plate on the floor that triggers on 250 kg of mass present, but only if the alarmhas been raised. Sharp metal spikes spring from the wall, piercing all within the room. Each person in the room must make a DC 20 Dexterity save, taking 10d6 damage on a success or half as much on success.
6. Waiting Room This large room is a waiting area for those meeting with Maxim. To the south east are four vampire thug security guards sitting in chairs (SoK, ???). To the north is an adept hacker secretary named Ivan (CRB, p. 278). If the cadre approaches peacefully, Ivan will begin to say that Maxim is too busy to meet, but after a brief pause, he will explain that a space has been cleared and that Maxim is ready to meet. The door to area 8 is locked if the alarm has been raised. If there is conflict the vampire thugs from area 2 will arrive at the start of the next round and be ready to act in that round.
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8. Maxim’s Office Maxim sits behind a desk, grinning and showing his odd fangs. If either Traktor or Timur are alive, they will be standing by his side. If one or both of them are indisposed or dead, sub-in transgenic bruisers (SoK, ???). Maxim will offer them a drink and ask why they are here. If he suspects they are there to kill him, he is unafraid, and offers them double whatever their contract is to help him kill the contractor instead. If the cadre agrees, then they enter Maxim's Counter-Proposal (SoK, p. ???). During this meeting, the eight vampire thugs that normally spend their time in areas 11 and 12 area will instead be ready for combat and waiting in area 10 to burst into the room. Maxim will fight for one round, targeting whoever looks physically weakest, and then flee through area 10, and make his way to area 27 for his final stand, using his security team to cover his retreat.
9. Vault The entrance to the vault is concealed behind a painting of Maxim standing on top of Lux Tower, looking down at the city. It can be spotted by searching and succeeding on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check. The vault entrance is both mechanically and electronically locked, requiring separate DC 25 successes through both methods. Inside the vault there is the following valuables: Three paintings of Napoleon, two of them 1 x 1.5 meters and one that is 3 x 2 meters. The two smaller ones are valued at シ25,000 each and the larger one is シ150,000. Twenty-seven small bars of gold, weighing ⅓ of a kg and being valued at シ15,000 (for a total of シ 405,000). Each carries am imprint of Maxim’s face and the phrase “Greed Kills” in Russian. If the last bar is taken from the vault it triggers a DC 25 trap, where molten lead rains from above. Anyone in the room must make a Dexterity save, taking 10d10 heat damage, or ½ as much on a successful save. Anyone being reduced to 0 hp by this trap suffers a permanent injury (CRB, p. 201). This molten
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rain also destroys the paintings if they are still in the room, and at the GM’s discretion, other easily damage equipment the cadre is carrying.
This room is used as a passage for security to enter Maxim’s office, and for Maxim to escape. Unlocked doors lead to areas 8 and 11, and a locked door (DC 25) leads to area 3.
to his ankle, restraining him. He appears frightened and looks like he hasn’t had a shower in some time. He approaches the cadre and pleads with them to help him out before the Ghoul comes back. The cadre can make a DC 25 Wisdom (Insight) or Intelligence (Bureaucracy) check to notice that the boy is a rare anthroid model. If they fail, the are surprised and the anthroid attacks, easily snapping the chain restraint. Use the cyborg savage stat-block (SoK, p. ???).
11. Staff Lounge
16. Maxim’s Secret Room
A kitchen and lounge for staff, mainly the live-in Bratva security. Eight vampire thugs are sitting here, smoking cigarettes, playing cards, and relaxing. If the cadre already dealt with these thugs in Maxim’s office, the room is empty of people. On one of the tables is a hit of mars and perk. In the fridge are eight blood-packs that resemble transparent juice boxes.
This cramped room is for Maxim’s sadistic tortures. The evidence of horror here is unspeakable, remnants of suffering and death are everywhere. Scratch-marks caked with dried blood and broken hint of the desperate attempts at freedom by former captives.
10. Getaway Room
Eight beds fill this room to accommodate live-in security. Under one of the beds is an origami glider (SoK, p. ???).
This rather spartan room contains a desk and chair with nothing else. Inside the desk drawers is a hit of nootro and perk as well as a GI Python 12mm handgun (CRB, p. ???). Once the the alarm has triggered this area has shock floors.
13. Security Bathrooms
18. East Balcony
These bathrooms bear the grime of regular use from eight men. In one of the medicine cabinets is a hit of perk and a hit of mars. The left bathroom also has a secret door (DC 25 to spot) that leads to area 14. If the alarm has triggered a paint bomb trap (DC 20) will go off, covering the first person in each bathroom with red paint unless they succeed at a DC 20 Dexterity check. Once the the alarm has triggered this area has paint sprinklers.
This balcony has a fantastic view of Busan and is where Maxim entertains his most welcome guests. There are two Phantom MK IIs here, hovering just off the balcony. If any of them spot a character they will attack immediately, with the 6 remaining drones from the other sides of the building joining as fast as they can (next round). They will also transmit their footage to Maxim. If the two drones are quietly dispatched before they can take their turn, the remaining drones will not be alerted. The door to area 15 is locked.
12. Staff Bunks
14. Secret Passage This connecting room bridges secret doors to rooms 13 and 16. If the alarm has triggered there is a poison-needle trap that triggers from foot pressure (DC 20). The first person stepping into the room must make a Con save, taking 10d8 poison damage on a failed save as well as acquiring the poisoned condition for 1 hour, or ½ as much on a successful one and no poisoned condition.
15. Master Bedroom Maxim’s lavish bedroom. The doors to areas 16, 17, 18, and 20 are locked, but area 19 is open. Sitting on the couch appears to be a boy, roughly twelve years old, with a 3-meter chain and manacle attached
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17. Maxim’s Office
19. Master Bathroom This large bathroom is for Maxim and his most trusted guests. There is a medicine cabinet filled with a variety of drugs (3 perk, 2 hype, 2 mars, 5 nootro, 3 wrath, a jar of MDMA worth シ5,000, and a box of cocaine worth シ 10,000). Once the the alarm has triggered this area has paint sprinklers.
20. Hot Tub This room has a large jacuzzi tub and elaborate colored light system that immediately activates when the cadre step inside. Classical music and the scents of teatree oil and citrus fills the air. Through the Veil AR, various AI manifest as beautiful nude figures rising from the pool, shifting forms to whatever orientation matches each character’s prefer-
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ence (up to six Friendo Ultras, one for each player character, CRB. pg 300). The room has four sensory nodes they are using to perceive, each in one corner. If the alarm hasn’t been triggered the AI are welcoming and affectionate. They are willing to share what they know about Maxim, but they have never perceived anything outside of this room. If the alarm has been raised, roll initiative. Each Friendo gains a special mindhack ability they can use on their turn. They can target one character, and that character must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, or they are charmed and spend their next turn moving into the jacuzzi and ending their turn under the water, taking off any breathing equipment, taking in a gulp of water and acquiring a level of exhaustion, and staying underwater for as long as they are charmed. They can repeat this save at the start of their next turn, staying charmed until they succeed. The Friendos can be targeted with mind hacks, each being destroyed if they take any psychic damage. They can also be defeated by destroying each of the four sensory nodes (10 hp each, 15 AC).
21. Southern Hallway This large hallway connects to areas 3, 15, 22, 23, and 24. The doors to areas 3, 15, and 22 are locked, but the rest are open. If the alarm is triggered, this entire area is filled with poisonous gas.
22. Guest Bedroom The door to this room is locked, and stepping foot inside triggers a DC 20 trap where the first person inside is sprayed with liquid nitrogen from above, taking 6d10 cold damage and a level of exhaustion on a failed save, or ½ damage an no exhaustion on a successful save. If the cadre look into the room before entering the open door, they are warned by the man inside about the trap. Sitting on the couch in this room is a young Korean man named Choi Ja, who uses the gang leader stat block (CRB, p. 283). He is wearing a tailored suit, is fitted with an explosive collar, and is warily watching the cadre while smoking a cigarette, pleased that some non-Bratva people are inside. If the cadre succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (+skill) check (or adequately explain they are there to help), Choi Ja is happy to view them as allies. He explains that he is fitted with an explosive device that will trigger if he either leaves the room, or turns on his daemon. He is a member of the South Jopok. A DC 15 Intelligence (Streetwise) check reveals he is Choi Eun Joo’s nephew, who went missing a few months ago. Maxim is holding him captive for now,
// Shadows of Korea //
hoping to use him as a bargaining chip in the future. He has been treated well other all things considered. A DC 20 Intelligence (Mechanics) check and 10 minutes can disable the explosives (the disable security hack works as well). Multiple attempts can be made, but a result of 14 or less results in Choi Ja’s death and everyone within 3 meters taking 8d10 bludgeoning damage. Choi Ja will fight alongside the cadre until they get out of the building, granting them his violent influence feature. Choi Ja is calm, cynical, cool, and vengeful. The closet to the north has a variety of tailored suits that fit Choi Ja. The bathroom here is clean, and the medicine cabinet has 10 doses of fentanyl.
23. Guest Bathroom This bathrooms is well maintained, has a shower, and also has a pleasant AI that manifests through AR to ensure hygiene is followed. If questioned, the AI is rather limited, but if any of the characters have a level of exhaustion, they point out a secret compartment in the medicine cabinet that has two hits of perk (DC 15 to find without this hint).
24. Library This room is filled with hundreds of books, many of them first edition. Two Friendo AI manifest in the Veil AR, acting as librarians and appearing as a kindly elderly couple. They are willing to share what they know about Maxim, but they have never perceived anything outside of this room. If the alarm has been raised, or anyone try to steal a book, the Friendo’s take on a horrific ghostly appearance and roll for initiative. Each Friendo gains the mindkiller hack that they can run on their turn as an action, without spending a slot (DC 15). The Friendos can be targeted with mind hacks, each being destroyed if they take any psychic damage. They can also be defeated by destroying their hardware, a reinforced computer and set of sensory nodes sitting on a desk in the center of the library (100 hp, 15 AC). If the cadre wishes to search through the books for valuable editions, they can make an Intelligence (Bureaucracy) check. 15+ They find three books worth シ1,000 each 20+ The find an additional book worth シ2,000 25+ They find an additional book worth シ5,000 30+ They find an additional book worth シ10,000
• • • •
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Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
25. The Study Maxim has devoted this room as a work-space for his accountants and intelligence agents. Accounting records and profiles on Busan’s VIPs fill the book shelves, Maxim preferring analogue methods as a backup for the digital files. The door to area 26 is concealed by the wall patterns and can only be found if the cadre actively searches and makes a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check. A character with acute olfaction also detects the scents associated with a large computer system emanating from that wall. If the alarm has gone off, there is shock floor.
26. LAN Room This large computer handles the LAN for the penthouse. If the alarm has been triggered, there is poisonous gas in this room. The LAN doesn’t have wireless capability and requires a hardline to hack it. It is DC 16 to crack the LAN from a terminal with the decrypt hack, and in addition to the normal consequences of a failed roll, the hacker suffers 3d10 psychic damage if the roll fails by 5 or more. If the system is successfully hacked, it gives access to the following functions on for the entire penthouse for as long as there is a wired connection: Access to cameras, stored CCTV footage, and floorplan. The ability to lock or unlock the entrance/ exits The ability to disable any/all of the traps and the crisis alarm Control of the sound system and intercom. Change temperature and light controls in any number of rooms as an action. Access to some black market trading information and blackmail material that could be sold for シ 15,000 if the cadre can find a buyer (an appropriate contact or a DC 15 Intelligence (Streetwise) check.
• • • • • •
27. Dining Room This enormous dining area and kitchen is the largest space in the penthouse. To the east is a bar and kitchen, stationed by two of Maxim’s biohacker wiz cooks, Aksana and Oleg (SoK, ???), who are busy preparing blood-concoctions. Two Bratva Feral rippers and four vampire thugs (SoK, p. ???) are tearing into their meal of either venison or blood. All eight Bratva will attack the cadre unless they are convinced otherwise. If the cadre has already had their encounter with Maxim in area 8, he will be here, against the west wall, ready to fight with his allies. Aksana and Oleg aren’t keen on
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serving Maxim and favor Olga, and will slip away instead of fighting if Maxim is present. If the cadre has already disposed of the Bratva in this room before their final confrontation with Maxim, Maxim will have taken a cocktail of stimulants, gaining +4 Str, +2 Dex, +30 hp, and +2 Cha. He will fight to the death here. The door to area 29 is locked.
28. Cooler and Deep Freeze A great variety of food stuffs are here, including a diversity of blood-meals. In the deep freeze are butchered animal carcasses, as well as the body of a naked man covered with tattoos, his neck torn out. Proficiency in Streetwise indicates they are North Jopok tattoos, and a DC 20 Intelligence (Streetwise) check reveals the body to be a North Jopok diplomat named Ban Gi, who was thought to be killed by the South Jopok. His death has fueled tensions between the two groups, and the information about his true fate could change underworld relationships.
29. West Balcony This balcony has a fantastic view of Busan and is where Maxim entertains emissaries from other factions. There are two Phantom MK IIs here, hovering just off the balcony. If any of them spot a character they will attack immediately, with the 6 remaining drones from the other sides of the building joining as fast as they can (next round). They will also transmit their footage to Maxim. If the two drones are quietly dispatched before they can take their turn, the remaining drones will not be alerted. The door to area 27 is locked.
30. Herbarium This greenhouse room is filled with lights and bioengineered plants. The most striking is a large Venus Flytrap towards the back of the room. If a character goes within 1.5 meters of it they will need to make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 6d10 piercing damage and become restrained. At the start of each of their turns they can make a DC 25 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check to escape. If they fail this check they take 3d12 corrosive damage. The plant will also release if it is destroyed by taking 50 points of damage (AC 13).
// Contracts //
Completing Delete
the
Ghoul
The contract will be completed when Maxim is killed. The cadre is paid the negotiated amount, including the シ25,000 bonus if Maxim’s death isn’t obviously a homicide. Their Vladivostok Bratva faction rating is reduced by 2 (though they will still secretly have good relations with Olga Zietzev, who will act on their behalf where she can) and their Night Breed faction rating will increase by 2. If they killed Maxim without leaving any evidence or witnesses none of their faction ratings change. The cadre gains 25,000 xp regardless of the outcome, with an extra 5,000 xp if it isn’t obvious that Maxim was murdered.
• •
• •
Maxim 's Counter -P roposal When the cadre meets Maxim in area 8 he makes a counter-offer. If the cadre decide to abandon their Mosaic contract and instead kill Olya, the following changes happen: It is revealed that Olya has control of the LAN, all of the security and doors still have the same DCs, only Maxim no longer knows the codes (though he still knows where they are). She will taunt the cadre and Maxim as they move through the penthouse, having access to the CCTV cameras. All of Maxim's security, including his two bodyguards and the drones, are revealed to be loyal to Olga. They will treat both the cadre and Maxim as enemies immediately, starting a combat encounter in area 8. In addition to the security mentioned, the cyborg savage from area 15 will join this initial conflict, having been reprogrammed by Olga to kill Maxim. Maxim will fight with the cadre. The elevator has be disabled, and the stairwell doors have been welded shut. Extreme measures like explosives would be needed to be taken to open them. Maxim suggests going to the LAN room, where they might be able to take control of the security again to open things up. The DC to gain control remains the same. If they attempt to leave through a balcony, Olga will move to their position with her allies and attack. The vampire thugs and Feral rippers in area 27 will move to area 25, along with Olga and Sasha, for the final encounter. Sasha will be sober. If they help Maxim escape and kill Olga, he rewards them with シ 700,000, their Bratva faction rating increases by 2, and their Nightbreed faction rating decreases by 2. They gain 25,000 xp.
•
•
•
Future Busan Contracts There is still ample opportunity for merc work in Busan, and loose ends remain from some of the contracts. The GM is encouraged to cater future contracts based on all of the impacts that the cadre has made on the various Busan factions, involving their short-term and long-term goals. Some of the following unresolved narratives loom over the cadre
The Amaranthian Horror
Seraph is still around, one way or another. If he was imprisoned, there is a strong possibility of his escape with assistance from Laplace and any remaining Chimeras. If Seraph was killed, his mind-upload from a month earlier will be implanted in a new body by Laplace. The two will work together to improve and refine Amaranth for their grand plan. Seraph will continue murdering transgenics to send them to heaven, which Laplace will do his best to keep under wraps. The Amaranth itself may absorb enough minds to become an even bigger threat than either Laplace or Seraph, constituting a gray goo-style threat to humanity.
Looming Gang War
Regardless of which criminal factions the cadre chose to support, the odds are that Busan is a little less stable than a few weeks earlier. Will Choi Eun Joo seek totalitarian dominance? Will Bao Zhai make a move to advance the Triad's position?
Ronin's Police Contract
Ronin International may be successful in their bid for a specialized police service to handle high-level threats. What will the BPD do? How will Ronin achieve this? Will they manufacture a high-level threat themselves to create the political capital to gain the contract?
• • • •
// Shadows of Korea //
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part 5: New Rules his section contains rules for some new genomes, class archetypes, feats, upgrades, and other features that players and GMs can use to supplement the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook. Many of these new rules will relate to a Korean-specific setting in particular, but can be useful in any game.
T
New Class Archetypes Each class described in the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook has different archetypes that are selected at level 3 (with the exception of the Samurai, who gets the bujutsu training feature). What follows are additional archetypes that may be selected instead of the ones presented in the Core Rulebook. Biohacker – Cyberdoc. A trauma surgeon and expert at DIY cybernetic upgrades. Codehacker – Neo. An intuitive who hacks with their gut just as much as they do with their head. Crook – Grifter. A smooth-talking con artist and charismatic scoundrel. Engineer – Armor Jock. Someone who takes their armor very seriously as their second skin. Gunfighter – Boomstick Maestro. A shotgun specialist who makes their own ammunition. Hardcase – Bangmangi Smasher. A brute that tears things up with a large two-handed weapon, especially clubs. Samurai – Daikōdo Bujutsu. A diplomatic samurai art of persuasion and presence. Suit – Operator. A tactical specialist who overcomes obstacles by researching the environment and its people.
Biohacker - Cyberdoc Cyberdocs are upgrade professionals—masters of digging into another body and modifying it through gene therapy, surgery, and daemon tweaking. Amputating and replacing limbs with superior versions, repairing critical injuries, or removing genetic flaws are all part of a cyberdoc’s skillset. Bioengineers, paramedics, and surgeons are typical professions of characters belonging to this archetype, though they could have obtained their expertise some other way. Every cadre wants to have a cyberdoc amongst their ranks, and they are usually more than happy to use their aptitude to enhance and elevate the bodies of their coworkers into more effective organic-synthetic powerhouses.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
You must have access to an appropriate area to work and the proper tools to perform your upgrades and corrective surgeries. Access to a basic medical equipment room could be at your own home if you have a Lifestyle of middle class or higher, or alternatively, you could gain access to a room with the proper gear through a contact or by bribing a medical professional. You couldn’t use this feature while hiking in the mountains for instance, unless the GM rules otherwise. A biohacker may select this archetype for their Biotic Aptitude feature.
Corrective Surgeon
Starting at level 3, you’ve become adept at repairing the major physical trauma of permanent injuries. The best way to learn how to fix mistakes is by digging your way out of the ones you make yourself. You can provide the corrective operation required to fix any permanent injury, needing only to spend one half of the satoshi described (CRB, pp. 201-202). Using this feature takes 1 hour for every シ10,000 in the listed price (minimum 1 hour). The listed price of the corrective surgery may not exceed シ10,000 × your biohacker level. Additionally, you gain the anesthetize hack for free. If you already know that hack, you may immediately select any other hack of your choice.
DIY Upgrader
At 3rd level, you know how to install upgrades yourself, without the need of a fancy clinic and team of technicians. Well—basically you do, pretty much. Instead of buying any upgrade listed in of Chapter 5, you can make it yourself, paying only half of the money for it. Using this feature takes 1 hour for every シ10,000 in the listed price (minimum 1 hour). The listed price of the upgrade may not exceed シ10,000 × your biohacker level. This feature cannot be used on yourself. Upgrades obtained through this feature tend to have some quirk or other feature that isn’t quite right. Roll on the table below to see what unpredictable effect might be included. If applicable, the quirk is removed if the upgrade is removed.
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DIY Upgrader quirks 1d20 1
The patient acquires a permanent injury (CRB, p. 201), either chosen by the GM (appropriate to upgrade) or determined randomly.
2
The patient has their maximum hit points reduced by 2.
3
The patient now produces a strange odor as a result of the upgrade, and they have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth), Charisma (Persuasion), and Charisma (Performance) checks if the target can smell them.
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
4
After a long rest, roll a d20. On a result of a 2-20, the upgrade functions normally. On a result of a 1, it malfunctions for 1 hour before working normally again after that.
5
The patient has developed an allergy to a drug they have taken in the past. Whenever they take it in the future, their DIY upgrade reacts negatively and they acquire a level of exhaustion.
6
The upgrade has caused alopecia, and most or all body hair is shed and won’t grow back without a cosmetic alteration.
7
The patient’s skin pigmentation has changed, either uniformly to another color, or patches of a different color all over the body.
8
The patient has strange cravings to eat or drink things they normally wouldn’t. It may or may not be a normal food or beverage.
9
The patient has developed a nervous twitch related to the upgrade.
10
There is obvious scarring from the upgrade, but nothing major.
11-15
GM chooses, either from those above, or something else entirely. It should be more annoying than debilitating.
16-20
It works perfectly!
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Quirk
For example, if you run it using a 3rd-level hack slot, you can reroll the genetic flaw, and if you run it using a 4th-level hack slot, there are no genetic flaws at all. This feature doesn’t work if you are using genetic enhancement on yourself. Additionally, you can perform corrective gene therapy (CRB, p. 55) on others and you only have to pay シ25,000 instead of the usual シ50,000.
Trauma Surgeon
Starting at 6th level, as long as there’s some oxygen in the brain, you can bring people back from the brink of death. You learn the bring ’em back hack for free. If you already know that hack, you may immediately select any other hack of your choice. Additionally, you can run this hack using a bonus action if you choose.
Gene Therapist
By 6th level, you learn the genetic enhancement hack. Your competence and passion for genetic improvement allows you to treat the genetic enhancement hack as though it were a 2nd-level hack when you perform it on others. This also applies to running it at higher levels.
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// New Rules //
Asclepian Brilliance
Starting at 10th level, the little oopsies you make are less common when you upgrade your allies. When using your DIY Upgrader feature, you can roll twice for the quirk and choose the result you like best. Additionally, your Corrective Surgeon, DIY upgrader, and Gene Therapist features only take half of the normal amount of time to perform and recover from.
Backups
Codehacker - Neo Like musicians who play by ear rather than by reading music, neos chew through code not with analytical prowess but with intuition. They have studied code to be sure, but they’re more masters of application than theory. When asked how they put together a brilliant architecture of code or ingenious hacking maneuver, they often won’t be able to put it into words, instead focusing on their next application. They are the artistic black sheep of the coder family, often maligned by their more by-the-book colleagues. But none can argue with results these ad lib virtuosos produce. Neos tend to embrace the counterculture of hacking more than others and can have a little more style. Their ad hoc and improvisational coding method is often modeled in their appearance and demeanor. A codehacker may select this archetype for their Hacker Archetype feature.
At 10th level, you gain the clone hack. If you already know that hack, you may immediately select any other hack of your choice. Additionally, the clone hack is boosted in the following ways: You immediately gain an incubator and clone of each cadre member, including yourself, located wherever your medical lab is. If you don’t have their permission, you must have stealthily snagged some of their DNA during your work. It is assumed you started this project months ago and it is only now reaching fruition. You don’t need to pay the normal シ10,000 per incubator for these first clones. This first batch of clones contains all of their current upgrades, since you’ve thoughtfully built them in during gestation. The launch time of all future uses of this hack is only 60 days.
At 3rd level, you can use your gut rather than your head when you run hacks. You may use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Intelligence modifier for any calculation related to hacking or computers. This includes your hack DC, your Computers skill, and any bonuses to damage that would result from your Intelligence modifier.
Flawless Upgrades
Personal Flourish
Starting at 14th level, you no longer have to roll for any quirks when you use the DIY Upgrader feature.
Precision Cuts
At 14th level, you are even more adept at anatomy than your other biohacker counterparts. When using the Surgical Strikes feature, you use d10s instead of d8s.
Seamless Surgeon
Starting at 17th level your upgrades are so well-integrated into the host body that you can give one additional upgrade beyond the target’s normal maximum number of allowable upgrades.
// Shadows of Korea //
Intuitive Hacker
By exerting yourself, you are able to hack your own hacks, putting a little more spin or oomph on them. You are able to produce any one of the following effects when you run a hack: Amplify. When you roll damage for this hack, you can reroll as many of the dice as you like. You must use the results of the reroll. You take 5 psychic damage immediately after you use this flourish. Persist. The duration of this hack is doubled. You take 5 psychic damage immediately after you use this flourish. Rush. When you run a hack that has a launch time of 1 action, you can change the launch time to 1 bonus action for this one launch. You take 10 psychic damage immediately after you use this flourish. Wobble. When run a hack that forces a target to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you give one target disadvantage on its first saving throw against the hack. You take 15 psychic damage immediately after you use this flourish.
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Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Split. You can add one additional target to any hack that allows you to target something or someone. You take 10 psychic damage immediately after you use this flourish. You must take a long rest before using this feature again. You can use this feature twice before taking a long rest at level 6, three times at level 10, four times at level 14, and five times at level 17.
Improvisational Hacks
Starting at 6th level, when you are Winging It (CRB, p. 207), you don’t need to spend a hack slot of one level higher; you can spend a hack slot level of whatever hack you are attempting instead.
Mental Buffer
At 6th level, the stress of your Personal Flourish feature and other psychic assaults aren’t quite as hard to bear. You gain 2 Damage Reduction towards psychic damage. This Damage Reduction increases to 4 at level 10, 6 at level 14, and 8 at level 17.
Well of Focus Appendices
Starting at 10th level, you can dig deep into your mental fortitude to produce hacks when other hackers are depleted. You can run a hack without spending a hack slot as long as you take 10 psychic damage per hack level slot. For instance, if you want to run a 3rd level hack without spending a slot, you would take 30 psychic damage (which would be partially reduced by your Mental Buffer feature). You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Crook - Grifter Sure, it’s possible to steal money from people by robbing their house, hacking into their bank accounts, mugging them, or killing them—but sometimes, it’s easier to get them to just give it to you. Grifters are scoundrels, swindlers, scammers, and charmers. They lie as though it’s second nature and are incredibly persuasive even when telling the truth. Always experts at a con, grifters can talk their way into people’s home, wallets, or hearts. A crook may select this archetype for their Crooked Path feature.
Smooth Lies
At 3rd level, you are able to lie in an especially convincing way. You gain expertise in Deception. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make using this skill. If you already have proficiency in Deception, you can also gain proficiency in one among Intimidation, Persuasion, or Performance (but the doubled proficiency bonus only applies to Deception). Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against any mind hacks attempting to pierce your deceptions or get you to reveal truths.
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Starting at 3rd level, as a bonus action you can make a Charisma (Deception) check against the passive Perception score of a target that you haven’t damaged in combat yet. If you succeed, the next attack you make against them has advantage and gains a bonus to damage equal to your Charisma (Deception) modifier. This includes your double proficiency from Smooth Lies.
Improved Improvisational Hacks
At 14th level, you’re truly exceptional at hacking on the fly. When you are Winging It, you roll a 1d20 instead of 1d10 to determine if the hack fails.
There is No Spoon
Starting at 17th level, code has become completely subconscious to you—there is simply reality. You can add your proficiency bonus to all saves against mind hacks. If you are already proficient in the relevant save, you may add double your proficiency bonus. In addition, if you start a combat with no uses of the Personal Flourish feature left, you regain one use of it.
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// New Rules //
The bonus damage increases to double your Charisma (Deception) modifier at 9th level, triple your modifier at 13th level, and quadruple your modifier at 17th level. You cannot use this ability on a target whom you have previously damaged, even if it was a different fight.
Fake Identities
Starting at 9th level, you’ve accumulated a number of personas to avoid the heat when it comes down. These personas include different disguises, passports, and other forms of identification. The DC to pierce one of these forged pieces of ID is 8 + your Charisma modifier + your Deception proficiency (Smooth Lies counts). Typically it will involve an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check if someone is looking into one of your false personas. Each of your personas also has a different Safe House (CRB, p. 79), giving you amplified and early access to this feature. You have a number of fake identities equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). If you can, come up with these identities when you first get this feature. They can be based anywhere on the planet. If one of the identities is found out, creating a new identity takes 1 week and シ10,000.
Slick Negotiator
At level 13 you are able to effectively bargain for both an increased payment and a down payment on your contract. While most people would come across as cheeky when doing this, you are able to massage the truth to seem like you need it in order to accomplish your contract effectively. You gain a 10% bonus to your contract payment, and you can gain that 10% as a down payment before the contract is even completed.
Flatter and Frighten
At 17th level, your abilities to effectively persuade others to believe lies almost borders on seeming like a mind-hack. Through flattery or threats, you can either charm or frighten your target. As an action make a Charisma (Deception) ability check against your target’s passive Insight score. Success means that they are either charmed or frightened by you (your choice) for the next 1 minute.
// Shadows of Korea //
Engineer - Armor J ock Modern armor can make you a veritable tank, and the armor jock takes full advantage of this. Cramming every nook and cranny with options and features, this archetype has one particular suit of armor that is tailor-made for their own body and purposes. An engineer may select this archetype for their Engineer Archetype feature.
Armor Enthusiast
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in both medium and heavy armor and learn the armor smith hack for free. In addition, you can use your Construct Gear feature on armor and armor upgrades, and you don’t need to roll a 1d20 to see if the armor or armor upgrade malfunctions.
Prototype Armor MK I
At level 3, you can select a custom suit of either medium or heavy armor that you’ve poured your heart and soul into. This armor can’t fit anyone other than you. You get the first set for free as you’ve been saving up the materials for a while now. If you lose your armor or it gets destroyed, you must spend シ10,000 to get the materials, and it takes 1 week to construct a new one in a workshop. All armor upgrades that were added are lost, not including the ones resulting directly from your Prototype Armor features as you level up. Your base medium armor is a modded Durile assault suit and your base heavy armor is a modded ballistic plate suit (CRB, p. 121). You can add upgrades to your armor by spending the usual amount of money (or constructing them yourself). In addition, you may incorporate gear or weapons directly into your armor by spending 6 hours in a workshop and paying シ1,000 (the weapons or gear have to be acquired separately). Communicate with your GM where you want the gear or weapon to be incorporated into your armor. Smaller items can be concealed within the armor and made to be retractable, while larger ones would have to be attached externally.
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Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
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Prototype Armor MK II
At level 6 your armor has been improved even more, gaining +1 AC and +2 DR. In addition, it gains one improvement from the following list. Blocking Plates. You can use your reaction to gain a +2 to AC until the start of your next turn. Kinetic Blaster. As an action, you can release a bolt of concussive force at a target within 9 meters of you. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw versus your hack DC. On a failed save, they take 2d12 bludgeoning damage and are pushed back 3 meters away from you in a straight line unless they are huge or larger. This damage increases to 3d12 at level 11 with the push being 4.5 meters, and 4d12 damage at level 17 with the push being 6 meters.
Prototype Armor MK III
At level 10, your armor has been improved even more, gaining an additional +1 AC. In addition, it gains one improvement from the following list, or from Prototype Armor MK II. Electric Arcs. As a bonus action, you can inflict an amount of electrical damage equal to your engineer level to any target within 3 meters of you. Fluid Joints. If your prototype armor is a heavy armor, you longer suffer disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If it’s a medium armor, your maximum allowable Dexterity bonus to armor class becomes +5 instead of +4.
Prototype Armor MK IV
At level 14, your armor has been improved even more, gaining an additional +1 AC and +2 DR. In addition, it gains one improvement from the following list, or from Prototype Armor MK II or III. Shock Absorption. You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage. Structural Analyzer. All damage that you inflict is considered armor piercing.
Prototype Armor MK V
At level 17, your armor has been improved even more, gaining an additional +1 AC. In addition, it gains one improvement from the following list, or from Prototype Armor MK II, III or IV. Ablative Plating. Your armor bestows 50 temporary hit points. It requires シ5,000 and one hour in a workshop to restore these temporary hit points. Shock Core. You can activate your shock core as a bonus action, and it remains active for 1 minute. Your melee attacks do an additional 1d6 electrical damage, or 1d12 electrical damage if they are unarmed strikes. You must take a long rest before using this feature again.
Gunfighter - Boomstick Maestro Nothing like a good ol’ shotgun to blast your worries away. This archetype specializes in shotguns and their specialized ammunition. Sometimes you want to shock, freeze, stun, or set fire to your target instead of killing them with ballistic force. A gunfighter may select this archetype for their Way of the Gun feature.
// New Rules //
Shotgunner
At 3rd level, you gain Fighting Style: Shotgun Specialist. If you already picked this feature at level 2, you may select an additional Fighting Style. In addition, Shotgun Specialist is improved so that you may reroll damage dice on a 1,2, or a 3 rather than just a 1 or a 2.
Slug Smith
At 7th level, you’ve become something of a slug engineer. Pick four ammo types from the table below that you can create for shotguns only. These specialty shotgun magazines cannot be stacked with other types of specialty ammunition. It takes 1 hour and シ2,000 to manufacture one of these specialty magazines. You can select one more type of specialty magazine that you can craft at levels 10, 15, and 18.
Kinetic Distribution
At 10th level, you’re better at handling the kick of a shotgun and can reduce their recoil by 2.
Two Birds with One Shell
At 18th level, you’ve become an expert at hitting two adjacent targets with your scatter-shot. As long as you are at least 6 meters away from two adjacent targets, you can target both of them with each attack roll you make. When using this feature, your damage rolls are reduced by 2 and you can’t use specialty ammunition.
Hardcase - Bangmangi Smasher Bangmangi Smashers are hardcases that specialize in large two-handed melee weapons, especially clubs. They typically have some form of martial arts training with them, but many of them also just happen to have a natural talent for swinging large amounts of mass at enemy skulls. A hardcase may select this archetype for their Brute Specialty feature.
Basher
Starting at level 3, this archetype inflicts an additional 2 damage on every hit with a melee weapon that does bludgeoning damage and has the two-handed or versatile property.
Exertion
At level 3, once per turn, bangmangi smashers are able to put extra strain on their bodies to perform maneuvers with two-handed weapons that others would find unbelievable. Before making an attack roll with a melee weapon that has the two-handed or versatile property, you may choose to spend 3 of their own hit points to produce one of the following effects that applies to that attack. The hit points are lost even if the attack misses. If any of these maneuvers involve a DC, it is 8 + proficiency bonus + Strength modifier.
slug smith ammunition Ammo
Effect
Cryo
The damage done is cold instead of piercing and the target’s speed is reduced by 3 until the end of their next turn.
Dragon
The damage done is heat instead of piercing and the napalm continues burning them, inflicting 1d10 heat damage at the start of their turn until it is extinguished.
Toxic
The damage done is poison instead of piercing and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution save or be poisoned until the end of their next turn.
Electric
The damage done is electrical instead of piercing and it does an additional 1d6 electrical damage.
Concussive
In addition to the regular damage, everyone within 1.5 meters of the target (including the target) takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
Melters
The damage done is corrosive instead of piercing and the acid continues burning them, inflicting 1d8 corrosive damage at the start of their turn until they are irrigated with water.
HEAP
1s, 2s, and 3s on damage rolls become 4s and the damage is armor piercing.
Stunners
Damage done with this ammunition is cut in half and is electrical instead of piercing. Additionally, the target must make a DC 15 Constitution save, or is stunned until the end of their turn.
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Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
Staggering Blow. If the attack hits, the target must make a Strength save or be knocked prone or be knocked back 3 meters, your choice. This doesn’t work on huge or larger sized targets. Penetrating Strike. The damage from the attack ignores damage reduction. Wide Swing. You can make another attack with the same weapon against a different target that is within 1.5 meters of the original target and within range of your weapon. Dazing Bash. If the attack hits, the target must make a Constitution save or be stunned until the start of your next turn.
Vicious Verve PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
At level 7, when the bangmangi smasher reduces a target to 0 hit points with a melee attack on their turn, they can take a bonus action to move up to half their speed and make an additional attack against another target.
Ferocious Exertion
Starting at level 9, bangmangi smashers are able to exert themselves even more to produce even more fantastic maneuvers. When using the Exertion feature, they can instead choose to spend 6 of their own hit points to produce one of the following effects instead. Skull Crusher. If the attack hits, the target must make a Constitution save or be stunned until the end of your next turn. Shatter Bones. The attack inflicts an additional 2d6 bludgeoning damage that bypasses damage reduction. Hobble. If this attack hits, the target must make a Constitution save or have their speed reduced by 6 for one minute. On a successful save their speed is reduced by 3 until the end of their next turn.
Oni-Ni-Kanabō
At level 14, you are both fearful and fearless when wielding a large weapon. While you are holding a weapon with the two-handed or versatile property, you can use Strength instead of Charisma when using the Intimidate skill, and you have advantage on any saves or ability checks involving Intimidation.
Samurai Bujutsu Daikōdo is the bujutsu of diplomacy, self, and personality. It has the following training.
Daikōdo Adept
Prerequisite: Proficiency in Persuasion Your sense of self and confidence allows you to strike surely, without hesitation or worry. If you spend a ki
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point, you can add your Charisma modifier to an attack and damage roll of one attack. This ability can be used after you make your attack roll, but before you know if it hits.
Daikōdo Master
Prerequisite: Daikōdo Adept Gain proficiency in Deception, Perception, or Intimidation (your choice). If you are already proficient in this skill you choose, or gain proficiency at a later time, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it. In addition, whenever you make a Charisma ability check and roll lower than a 10, you may spend a ki point treat the result as a 10.
Suit - Operator Operators are suits specializing in research and preparation, operating within their sophisticated plans and contingencies. They use information about specific geography, lingo, protocols, architecture, and culture to be best prepared for the context they expect to find themselves in. A suit may select this archetype for their Career Path feature.
Case the Joint
Starting at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Investigation. If you are already proficient, you can select a different skill proficiency. In addition, you can you take 24 hours to do research on a particular neighborhood, building, or 10 km2 area of natural terrain. Some areas, like secretive R&D labs or police stations, might require other ability checks and/or roleplaying in order to do research. After researching, you may roll three contingency d20s and record the results. After making an ability check while in the area you researched, you may sub in the results of your contingency dice instead, but it must be done before you know if the roll was a success or failure. You can only use this feature on one area at a time, and retain the dice until you use them, or research another area. You regain used contingency dice after a long rest.
Plotted Pathways
Starting at 6th level, you can navigate an area you've researched with ease, and you know the secret paths, places to avoid, and areas for shelter. While traveling through the area you've researched with Case the Joint, you and your allies can move at double speed (when not in combat) and you also get a +5 to Move checks in a Chase (CRB, p. 185).
// New Rules //
Who's Who
At 6th level, when you research an area with Case the Joint, you learn valuable details about individuals that work or live there. You can spend one of your contingency dice to learn about an associated NPC. You can learn their hit dice, skill proficiencies, personality, vices, and equipment. You also learn their relative ability scores; 6-8 is described as "low", 10-12 is "average", 1416 is "high" and 18+ is "exceptional".
Wheels Within Wheels
At 9th level, your forethought is even more advanced, preparing you for the unexpected. You gain four contingency dice when using your Case the Joint feature. In addition, you can now use the dice for saving throws and attack rolls.
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Environmental Edge
At 13th level, if you’ve investigated an area, you are able to implement your surroundings in combat. If you’re in a region selected by your Case the Joint feature, once per turn you can spend once of your contingency dice to add the result to your damage roll, or subtract it from damage you take.
Regional Geomancy
Starting at level 17, you gain a fifth contingency die. In addition, while you are in an area that you've researched with Case the Joint, you can spend two of your contingency dice to enter a flow-state of local awareness. You can’t be surprised, and you have advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. Additionally, others have disadvantage on attack rolls against you. This ability requires concentration.
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New Genomes
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
East Asia is the largest producer of transgenic human genomes on the entire planet, and laws regarding their design, production, birth, and crèche fostering are as liberal as one could imagine. Hexie is a major producer, and Apollo Labs, Omnitech, and Ronin International all have every level of research and production located in the fertile soils of the Tri-Nation Union. With perhaps the Bosque Oscuro of South America being the only exception, nowhere else on earth is there a greater diversity and amount of transgenic life, both human and non-human. The following five genomes are popular lines in Busan and all of the TNU.
Inefficient Metabolism. You eat like a god and need to consume 5× the number of calories as most people do to remain nourished. You’re always flushed and running hot. Strange Appearance. Your skin is either a shade of crimson, maroon, or in the deep blue or purple range. Combined with your four arms, this gives you a distinctly strange appearance.
Asura PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
The four-armed Asura genome was originally developed by Ronin International to be the ultimate grappling martial artist and samurai. Production of Asuras has since been outsourced to Proteome Diversified, a Korean subsidiary of Hexie. Their four arms make them especially d e a d ly at grappling martial arts and Nitōjutsu techniques. Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score is increased by 3 and your Dexterity, Constitution and Wisdom scores are increased by 2. Sentinel’s Senses. Your senses are especially sensitive, and you have a high-functioning tapetum lucidum. You gain proficiency in the Perception skill and darkvision out to 30 meters. Four-Armed Phenom. You have a fully-functioning extra set of arms. You gain the following benefits: You add your proficiency bonus to any grapple checks or Strength ability checks to climb or lift things. This stacks with any bonuses you gain from Athletics or Acrobatics proficiency. You are considered to have an extra pair of free hands for holding weapons, grappling, or any other purpose that requires free hands. Climbing doesn’t cost you extra movement. When you are prone, standing up only uses 1.5 meters of your movement. These extra arms don’t provide additional attacks each round.
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Unearthly Voice. You have two sets of vocal cords that are always active at different octaves: one high and one low. This is impressive, but disconcerting. If you are using your voice, you are at disadvantage on all Charisma checks unless they involve Intimidation.
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// New Rules //
Dokkaebi Dokkaebi are made by a subsidiary of Hexie called Proteome Diversified. A CEO grew up on tales of Korean folklore and wanted to see if they could bring a thing of myth into reality. Dokkaebi are bombastic but impressive, often possessing personalities with extreme extraversion and confidence. They typically have a lust for life with many indulgences into vice. Strong, agile, and intelligent, Dokkaebi are valuable in a variety of jobs and positions. Professional wrestling and other forms of full contact athletics are common avenues of success. Their most impressive ability is their cloaking, which makes them utterly invisible to the naked eye. Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score is increased by 3 and your Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma scores are all increased 2. Supple Limbs. Dokkaebi are excellent wrestlers due to their remarkable flexibility and ability to easily dislocate and relocate their bones. You gain advantage on all checks related to grappling or escaping bonds. Cloaking. Dokkaebi can reflexively match their skin perfectly with their surroundings, right down to textures. As an action, you can become invisible until the end of your next turn. In addition, your shifting skin texture gives you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks for as long as cloaking is active. You must be either naked or have chromomorphic clothing on for this to work. Strange Appearance. Your skin is a flushed angry pink to-red-hue, your fingernails grow quick and thick, your eyes are disconcertingly large and round, you have a pair of curved horns, and your teeth are enormous. Overconfident. Your brash and impetuous nature means that you sometimes take risks without properly preparing. You have disadvantage on Reflex saves and people have advantage on attempts to deceive or persuade you.
identities inside one body—one in each hemisphere. Haneuls self-report alternating between feeling like a unified consciousness and two separate selves. This natural feature seems to give them insight into the universality of consciousness and a greater feeling of kinship with others. Haneuls also have daemons in-
Haneul The Haneul genome is an attempt to bioengineer spirituality and enlightenment. Researchers at Proteome Diversified worked with every scrap of genomics and neuroscience they could find. Studies were performed on thousands of monks, priests, nuns, shamans, intuitives, gurus, and any other spiritual or insightful individual available, looking for patterns in genes and brain physiology. The Haneul genome is a result of all the emergences synthesized from that data. One novel feature of this genome is a specialized corpus callosum that seems to preserve two different conscious
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Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
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jected into their bodies at the fetal stage, developing with them before they are even born. They seem to be able to easily incorporate their innate daemon into their unified consciousness, shifting between the trio of “minds” in one body. Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score is increased by 4 and your Dexterity score is increased by 2. Additionally, your maximum Wisdom score is 24 instead of 20. Cultivated Daemon. Your daemon (CRB, pg. 166) gains a bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma equal to double your proficiency bonus. Additionally, it gains proficiency in an extra skill of your choice and gains proficiency in another skill whenever your proficiency bonus increases. If you get the Custom Daemon upgrade and replace your native daemon, you lose this feature. Daemon Possession. You are so in-tune with your birth-daemon that you can incorporate it into your consciousness for short periods. As a free action, you gain proficiency in all skills that your daemon has. In addition, if your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma scores are below your daemon’s, they are automatically raised to the level of your daemon’s for as long as this feature is active. This feature lasts for 10 minutes, and you must take a short rest before you are able to use it again. Fatalistic. While your will is strong, seeing the big picture all of the time can leave you a little apathetic about the details—you tend to go with the flow. When we are all one, it can be hard to fight for yourself as a separate being. You have disadvantage on initiative checks and a –5 to Passive Perception. Identity Confusion. While you are normally able to weave between your two consciousnesses and a unity of consciousness with ease, occasionally it gets a bit weird. After completing character creation, choose three of your skill proficiencies. These three proficiencies belong to one of your split minds, but not the other. Whenever you roll a natural 1 on an ability check,
one of your two personalities goes dormant. Roll a 1d6: on 1-3 you lose proficiency in those three skills, and on a 4-6 you lose proficiency in all of your other skills. You regain the lost proficiency after a short rest. Split Brain. The pathways in your brain are wired a bit differently, two minds are better than one. You gain the following benefits: You add your proficiency bonus when making saving throws against any mind hacks, stacking with any possible ability score proficiency bonus you might have. You can run an additional hack or upgrade that requires concentration (you may concentrate on one more effect than normal). Reflective. You naturally puzzle over mysteries of the universe and you’ve likely studied spirituality and psychology either in your crèche or on your own. You gain proficiency in Insight and Social Science.
• •
// New Rules //
Oknytt This genome was manufactured by Cornucopia for circus performances, gymnastics, and thievery. It still sees use for all of these purposes thanks to its useful prehensile tail and heightened agility. Oknytts come in every color under the sun, and their features are much more variable than most genomes. Their skin pigmentation sometimes displays patchy, spotted, or striped color patterns like a cow or a dog. Their ears can vary widely in length and shape, sometimes getting large enough to hang down like a goat. Their eyes can be equally goat-like with horizontal pupils. Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score is increased by 4 and your Intelligence score is increased by 2. Additionally, your maximum Dexterity score is 24 instead of 20. Canny Intuition. When you might otherwise disastrously flub, fail, or stumble, your unconscious mind error-corrects at the last second. When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. Prehensile Tail. You have a smooth prehensile tail that is both strong and nimble. You gain the following benefits: You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus. You gain advantage on any ability checks related to climbing or Sleight of Hand. You can use your tail to use or hold objects that weigh less than 20 kg, and you can hang from your tail if you can wrap it around something. You can perform the Use an Object action with your tail. For weapons with the light property, you can use it to wield weapons as though it was your off-hand.
Strange Appearance. Your skin is either a shade of crimson, maroon, or in the deep blue or purple range. Combined with your four arms, this gives you a distinctly strange appearance. Weak Immune System. Your white blood cells are misshapen and less effective, and your liver isn’t pulling its weight when metabolizing toxins. As a result, you suffer disadvantage on saving throws against poison and disease, and you take double damage from poison.
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• • • •
Wall Crawler. You can cling to walls like a gecko and climb easily. You can cause this effect to manifest as a free action, and you gain a climbing speed equal to your regular speed. Additionally, you can climb sheer surfaces without requiring a Strength (Athletics) check. Natural Leaper. You multiply the amount of distance you can jump by 3, and you can fall 9 meters without taking damage (instead of 3). This trait doesn’t stack with any other ability that increases your jumping distance, and jumping distance still uses up movement (so your jump distance is capped at your speed, or twice your speed if you use the Dash action).
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Namukkun Proteome Diversified created the Namukkun genome as expert outdoor laborers. They are designed to excel at farming, logging, fishing, and any other activity that spends a lot of time outdoors doing strenuous physical activity. The obvious stand-out feature of this genome is their chloroplast-packed vibrant green skin. They are wired to feel pleasure from sunlight and can work tirelessly in the outdoor heat for hours on end, only needing water to keep the labor going. Since Namukkun don’t easily get cold, they tend to wear clothes that reveal a lot of skin in order to maximize their surface area to sunlight. This works great in the fields, the sea, or the forest, but it can raise eyebrows in office buildings. Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score is increased by 3, your Dexterity score is increased by 1 and your Constitution score is increased by 2. Additionally, your maximum Strength and Constitution scores are 22 instead of 20. Efficient Respiration. Thanks to specialized metabolic pathways and oxygen optimization in your physiology, you mobilize energy from respiration in a much more streamlined way, granting the following benefits: You can add your proficiency bonus to any Constitution checks related to tiring or holding your breath. You always count as having two fewer levels of exhaustion. Solar Powered. You have the ability to synthesize food from sunlight, using adapted chloroplasts. You must still drink water, but you can live without tangible food for months before starving. Additionally, after you’ve been soaking in sunlight for an hour or more your Strength score increases by 2, and you gain advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks. This boosted strength dissipates after being outside of the sun for 30 minutes or more, and it won’t activate if it’s a cloudy day or if you’ve covered most of your body with opaque clothes. Artificial sunlight from certain suntan beds or other technologies will count as sunlight. Thermal Tolerance. Your cells and tissues have a very high buffering ability for thermal homeostasis, possessing functions for producing heat or venting it where necessary. You gain resistance to heat and cold damage, and you can survive in temperatures ranging from –40 to +60 degrees Celsius without suffering from environmental damage. Strange Appearance. Your skin is some shade of green and some people will feel uncomfortable with how much skin you show.
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Upgrade Intolerant. For whatever reason, your body just won’t take well to implants and biohacks, and as a result, the maximum number of upgrades you may have is limited to 6.
New Goods and Services What follows are some of the goods and services that are characteristic of modern Korean culture.
Armor Upgrade - Hazmat
The armor grants resistance to corrosive damage. Giving this property to an armor makes wearing it conspicuous, as its shape and materials don't look like regular clothing.
Blood Doll Body Conversion
Vampires will often pay for their subs to be converted into a Blood Doll anthroid body, which functions to produce as much blood as possible as fast as possible. The conversion is identical to regular transhuman body conversion, except they gain the following traits. Healing Factor. You regain 1 hit point at the start of each turn, and you regain all of your hit points whenever you take a short rest. Additionally, you always count as having two fewer levels of exhaustion. You need access to extra food (calories) after a combat when this feature is used, or it won’t function in the next combat. Blood Tap. You have a tap in one or more places on your body that can be opened to allow a steady flow of blood. They are typically placed on the wrist or neck. While it is open you lose 3 hit points at the start of each turn. A player selecting transhuman as their starting genome can spend シ80,000 of their initial シ 400,000 ability score budget to start with blood doll body conversion.
Chimera Uploading
A procedure developed by Aldous Laplace and his team while working for Pronatalax, this can only be done in one of the special facilities described in the Homicide Detectives and Murder Bounty contracts. It stitches together multiple minds into a single consciousness. If characters elect to use this service, the resulting mind has the following characteristics. It has a confused mishmash of all of the participants’ personalities. The psychic stitching isn’t smooth, and a Chimera’s demeanor is often erratic and strange, sometimes transitioning between do-
•
// New Rules //
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Intro
ner personalities from minute to minute, or talking with themselves. It has the highest level of any of the participants involved It must take at least 1 level in each class represented by all participants. The remaining levels can be taken as determined by a collaboration between the players and GM; usually it is proportional to the class levels of the participants, but one or more personalities can become dominant, granting more levels in their classes. It’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores become the mean scores (rounded up) of all participants involved. For instance, if there are three participants with Intelligence scores of 12, 15, and 20, the Chimera’s Intelligence would be 16. The Chimera psychomime has no body unless it is downloaded into a body through a transhuman body conversion service—or directly into the body of one of the characters, essentially killing them and replacing them with this new Chimera. Chimeras tend to be psychologically troubled and confused. Whenever a stressful situation occurs, they must make a DC 15 Charisma save or they are stunned until the end of their next turn. They must make this save again after each minute that the stress continues. Seraph is an exception to some of these characteristics, being an especially successful outlier.
• Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
•
•
•
Origami Boat
This forearm-sized tube contains ultralight nanomaterials folded into a precise pattern that will unfold into an entire boat in 3 rounds when sent the proper wireless signal (determined by the owner). It unfolds and inflates into a large canoe, complete with paddles, capable of holding four medium sized people. It has 30 hitpoints, 11 AC, and moves at 5 kph when paddled.
Origami Glider
This pop can-sized tube contains ultralight nanomaterials folded into a precise pattern that will unfold into a glider in 1 round when sent the proper wireless signal (determined by the owner). The glider functions as a wingsuit (page 139 of the Core Rulebook).
Snapline Launcher
This obvious device fits over your entire forearm and is loaded with a Spyder Sylk rope with an adhesive end. As an action, this rope can be launched in a straight line to a fixed point up to 18 meters away, and it will
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GM Advice on Player Vampires
Starting players may select the transhuman genome with vampire body conversion, as decsribed below. This gives them the regenerative hemovore feature, which allows them to inflict levels of exhaustion on living enemies. Inflicting debuffs and conditions such as this is a great way to add variety to combat, but it creates opportunity for abuse as well. For example, if the entire player group chooses to roll up vampire characters and uses this tactic to steamroll bosses into exhaustion death through their feature synergy, it removes the tension from would-be challenging fights. It's fun to drain an enemy dry, but if it's too easy and too common, it can become stale. A GM might choose to limit vampire PCs to only 1 per group. On the other hand, a cadre of vampires sounds super fun! GMs can limit this ability with some of the following in-world solutions. Make use of Perk. This drug removes levels of exhaustion. NPCs are savvy to how vampires work, especially if they are common in the area, or a vamp cadre gets a rep. Bonus points if NPC bosses use it with an Apollo medicomp so they can use Perk as a bonus action (CRB, p. 158). Use robots. Once antagonists hear about a cadre of vampire mercs, pile on some droids and drone combatants. Their ability is quite ineffective against targets with no blood. Use blood poison. This upgrade, described below, sees prolific use in areas with a strong vampire subculture. It's relatively cheap, and major antagonists would likely make use of it.
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drag you to that point, avoiding any opportunity attacks along the way. This doesn’t use your movement. The line can be used to move any angle, horizontally or vertically, as long as there are no obstacles between you and the point you are moving to. You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn't exceed what you can carry. You can also bring one willing person of your size or smaller that is within 1.5 meters of you. If you are grappled with an unwilling person, they come with you unless they are a larger size than you. In such case, the grapple is broken unless the person
// New Rules //
New Goods, Services, and Upgrades Good or Service Cost Effect Summary Armor Upgrade - Hazmat
シ10,000
Resistance to corrosive damage, requires at least medium armor.
Blood Doll Body Conversion
シ480,000+
Convert your body into a transhuman blood-machine.
Chimera Uploading
Not for sale
Fuse different minds into a single consciousness
Origami Boat
シ10,000
A portable unfolding rowboat
Origami Glider
シ5,000
A portable unfolding glider
Snapline Launcher
シ25,000
Launch an adhesive-ended rope for quick movements, up or across
Taser Shield
シ50,000
Gain +2 AC and stun melee attacker (DC 10 Con save) as a reaction
Vampire Body Conversion
シ480,000+
Convert your body into a blood-sucking vampire.
Blood Poison (Vitruvian)
シ10,000
Your blood contains elements toxic to others, but not yourself
Blood Poison (Hexie)
シ60,000
Your blood contains elements even more toxic to others, but not yourself
Cortical Hack Drive (Vitruvian)
シ50,000
You gain two extra level 1 hack slots
Cortical Hack Drive (Hexie)
シ150,000
You gain two extra level 1 hack slots, and one extra level 2 slot
Digitgrade Legs (Vitruvian)
シ30,000
Speed becomes 12, can deliver shove attacks that do damage
Digitgrade Legs (Hexie)
シ150,000
Speed becomes 15, can deliver shove attacks that do damage, x3 jumping
Digitgrade Legs (Blitz-Cat)
シ350,000
Speed becomes 18, can deliver shove attacks that do damage, x6 jumping
Footpads (Blitz-Cat)
シ75,000
Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks involving silent movement
Gun Hand (Vitruvian)
シ25,000
A firearm is built into your forearm, doing 2d8 piercing damage
Gun Hand (Ronin)
シ50,000
A firearm is built into your forearm, doing 3d6 piercing damage
Gun Hand (Hexie)
シ100,000
A firearm is built into your forearm, doing 2d12 piercing damage
Headshrinker (Hexie)
シ75,000
Can run the mind reader hack without spending a hack slot
Mechanical Capacitor (Hexie)
シ12,500
Jam wireless communications up to a 30-meter radius
Neural Buffer (Hyperborea)
シ50,000
Jam wireless communications up to a 100-meter radius
Slicer (Vitruvian)
シ50,000
Slice through jamming, requires using bonus actions and concentration
Slicer (Hexie)
シ200,000
Slice through jamming for 1 minute, requires concentration
Trauma Bots (Nightengale)
シ25,000
Prevents a permanent injury
Tactile Interface (Vitruvian)
シ35,000
Can interface and run hacks through your skin
Snapline (Thumper)
シ25,000
Launch an adhesive-ended rope for quick movements, up or across
Snapline (Blitzcat)
シ75,000
As the Thumper snapline, but can be used three times before resting
Upgrade
you are grappled with succeeds on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, whereupon they can prevent this movement and you remain grappled. You must take a short rest before you can use this equipment again so the motor can recharge.
Vampire Body Conversion
This body conversion is a specific package that is often requested in the city of Busan due to its thriving high-society vampire culture. It has become a symbol of wealth and decadence to simply be able to afford this procedure, and many edgy and well-off socialites have embraced it, much to the delight of augmentation services. Since it is a package deal springboarding off the base transhuman body conversion service (CRB,
// Shadows of Korea //
p. 140), the mechanics are identical, except that the new body gains the following traits. Regenerative Hemovore. Your canine teeth are now enlarged sharp fangs that contain narrow channels for sucking up blood like hypodermic needles if you choose, or you can drink blood normally. You cannot digest normal foods and must consume 2-3 liters of blood every day to get nourishment. Consuming blood floods your brain with dopamine and is intensely pleasurable. In addition, if you spend an action or bonus action to consume blood, you regain 2d6 hit points as specialized nanobots burn the calories to repair damaged tissue. The amount of hp healed increases to 3d6
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
at level 6, 4d6 at level 11, and 5d6 at level 17. It must be at least 500 ml of blood to gain the healing benefit. You can also bite grappled targets to harm them and feed from them, which counts as a simple melee weapon with the armor-piercing property that does 1d4 piercing damage (plus Strength modifier). You can consume blood as a bonus action after a successful bite attack on something that has blood, inflicting a level of exhaustion on the target and allowing you to regain hp as described above. Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of the attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight. Additionally, your skin is extremely prone to burning and blistering under sunlight. For every minute you spend in the sun with exposed skin you take 1 heat damage and you must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution save or acquire a level of exhaustion. Wearing protective goggles and completely covering all of your skin prevents these effects. People getting this body conversion also tend to incorporate a variety of vampire-themed upgrades during the transition procedure—as much as they can afford. Typical upgrades include olfactors, amped senses, cloakers, cosmetic alterations, hyper reflexes, wall crawling, cyberoptics, dermal wave, hyper jumping, retractable blade (claws or bite), polyguise, and sprint boost. A player selecting transhuman as their starting genome can spend シ80,000 of their initial シ 400,000 ability score budget to start with vampire body conversion.
Taser Shield
When you are targeted with an attack while wielding a taser shield on one arm, you can use your reaction to increase your Armor Class by 2 until the start of your next turn. If the attack that triggers this is a melee attack, the attacker must make a DC 10 Con save or be stunned until the end of their next turn. This shield can be also be used as a large club melee weapon, and successful attacks trigger the possible stun effect on the target as described above.
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New Upgrades What follows are some upgrades commonly available in Korea.
Blood Poison
This bioware populated your blood with toxins that you are perfectly capable of metabolizing, but that are a nightmare for anyone consuming your blood. This upgrade was developed by intelligence agencies for spies, giving them some covert assassination resources for poisoning targets, but it's most commonly purchased in areas with a lot of biohacked vampires. Vitruvian. You can use your own blood as a poison: one that mechanically functions as the ingestion poison cyanide (CRB, p. 145). You can gain a dose of this poison by inflicting 5 hp damage on yourself, with either a syringe or a blade. A vampire feeding from you takes in a dose of the poison every time they feed. Hexie. As the Vitruvian version, but the poison is effective on injury as well ingestion and inhalation.
Cortical Hack-Drive
This implant handles a lot of the cognitive burden of hacking, allowing you to run more hacks in a day without getting exhausted. Vitruvian. You gain two extra level 1 hack slots. You can use these slots on any hack you know. Hexie. You gain two extra level 1 hack slots and one extra level 2 hack slot. You can use these slots on any hack you know.
Digitigrade Legs
Your legs and hips are replaced with advanced prosthetics, allowing for greater speed, jumping, and kicking ability. These "backwards" legs give you a strange appearance (CRB, p. 34). Other features that boost your speed or jumping don't stack with this upgrade. Vitruvian. Your speed becomes 12 meters, and you can make a special shove attack (CRB, p. 199) with a kick that inflicts 2d8 bludgeoning damage in addition to the regular effects if successful. If your Strength (Athletics) check for this attack is below 10, it is automatically raised to 10. Hexie. Your speed becomes 15 meters, your jumping distances are multiplied by 3 (CRB, p. 184), and you can fall 9 meters without taking any damage. You can also make a special shove attack (CRB, p. 199) with a kick that inflicts 2d10 bludgeoning damage in addition to the regular effects if successful. If your Strength
// New Rules //
(Athletics) check for this attack is below 10, it is automatically raised to 15. Blitz-Cat. Your speed becomes 18 meters, your jumping distances are multipled by 6 (CRB, p. 184), and you can fall 18 meters without taking any damage. You can also make a special shove attack (CRB, p. 199) with a kick that inflicts 2d12 bludgeoning damage in addition to the regular effects if successful. If your Strength (Athletics) check for this attack is below 10, it is automatically raised to 20.
Footpads
Your feet have artificial tissues and ultra-sensitive skin that allows you to either avoid or soften potentially noisy surfaces you walk on. You gain advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) checks involving silent movement.
Gun Hand
You get a firearm implanted into your forearm that discharges from the base of your palm. It is considered a light handgun with the close property. Vitruvian. The embedded firearm inflicts 2d8 damage, has the reload (4) property, uses 5.56mm ammunition, and has a range of 12/36. Ronin. The embedded firearm inflicts 2d10 damage, has the reload (4) property, uses 7.62mm ammunition, and has a range of 13/39.
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Hexie. The embedded firearm inflicts 2d12 damage, has the reload (4) property, uses 9.5mm ammunition, and has a range of 14/42.
Head Shrinker
This implant takes all the work out of mind-hacking, running preloaded scripts to pierce into your target’s mind. You can run the mind reader hack without needing to spend a slot, but you acquire a level of exhaustion after the hack ends. The DC for this hack is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
Mechanical Capacitor
You have a capacitor that is weaved throughout your muscles and skin that stores energy you gather from regular motions. You can release it in an explosive kinetic burst. As a free action, you can decide to use this before making a melee attack roll or making a jump. If you use it on a melee attack roll, the damage of the attack’s damage roll is increased by 2d10. If you use it on a jump, it multiplies the amount of distance you can jump by 6. This upgrade doesn’t stack with any other ability that increases your jumping distance. You must recharge your capacitor through more movement after using it, which takes 1 hour.
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Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Neural Buffer
This upgrade allows you to filter out unwanted distractions like pain and horror, putting them through a filter that caps them out at a reasonable level. You gain advantage on concentration checks and any other check that involves resisting pain.
Slicer
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
You can temporarily cut through wireless jamming signals, allowing you to use mind hacks and other actions that require wireless signals normally. Vitruvian. You can spend a bonus action to be unaffected by jamming until the start of your next turn. You must concentrate on this effect and can maintain concentration through multiple turns as long as you are always using your bonus action to activate it. Hexie. You can spend a bonus action to be unaffected by jamming for 1 minute. You must concentrate on this effect.
Trauma Bots
This colony of healing nanobots manufactured by Nightingale are stored in emergency pockets around the body and are released when major tissue trauma occurs. They swarm the area, preventing catastrophic injury. When you would normally receive a permanent injury, this upgrade prevents it from happening. You must take a long rest before this upgrade functions again. This upgrade has no effect on permanent injuries that you have received prior to installation.
Tactile Interface
You are filled with specialized nanobots that can transmit through your skin to the surface of another computer you touch, including another human with a daemon. This can allow for a connection even when there is no neural interface port, and it can bypass jamming. You can run hacks and run other connected computer functions as though you had a wireless or hardline connection. If the target is unwilling, you must successfully grapple them first.
Snap Line
You can launch a line of Spyder Sylk rope with an adhesive end from an implant in your forearm. Thumper. As an action, this rope can be launched in a straight line to a fixed point up to 18 meters away and it will drag you to that point, avoiding any opportunity attacks along the way. This doesn’t use your movement. The line can be used to move any angle, horizontally or vertically, as long as there are no obstacles between
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you and the point you are moving to. You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn't exceed what you can carry. You can also bring one willing person of your size or smaller that is within 1.5 meters of you. If you are grappled with an unwilling person, they come with you unless they are a larger size than you. In such case, the grapple is broken unless the person you are grappled with succeeds on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, whereupon they can prevent this movement and you remain grappled. You must take a short rest before you can use this upgrade again so the motor can recharge. Blitz-Cat. This follows the same rules as the Thumper snap line, only you can use it three times before needing to take a short rest to recharge it.
New Feats New feats are listed below.
Ballistic Shield Brute
When using a shield such as the ballistic shield, you gain an additional +1 bonus to your armor class when you use your shield with your reaction. In addition, you can use your bonus action to make a melee attack with your shield as though it were a large club. This feat grants you proficiency with shields (but not other forms of heavy armor).
Zen Flow
You’ve cultivated a calm mind—the reed that bends but not breaks in the storm. You gain advantage on concentration checks of all types as well as saving throws versus fear.
Reflexive Feet
You are light on your feet and know how to keep your distance and engage. When an enemy moves 3 or more meters in your direction, you can use your reaction to move ½ your speed. Alternatively, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against an enemy that moves within 1.5 meters of you.
Genetic Awakening
Some of your genes laid quiescent until this point in your life. They’ve since been activated and upregulated to produce new traits, due to some events in your life or as part of the aging process. Roll two more genetic enhancements from the genetic enhancements table and one more flaw from the genetic flaws table (pp. 47-48, CRB). These traits have been manifesting for a while now, but they have crossed a threshold to full functionality. This feat can only be selected by a mutt or custom engineered genome.
// New Rules //
LAN Security Governments, corporations, and other groups that need to protect sensitive data often keep their local network disconnected from the internet to avoid remote hacking. By cutting down the pool of potential hackers from the entire planet to people physically able to connect to a local system with a neural interface, safeguarding sensitive systems is more manageable. These networks typically contain trade secrets, CCTV footage, gun turret or missile launch controls, fruits of espionage, and other information that needs to be contained. It is also a common practice for fortified network servers and databases to have hired security wired-in as a full time job—system admins ready to expel any detected hackers attempting to break into the LAN. If a hacker cracks into a LAN that happens to have some security hackers that operate native to the LAN, typically plugged in with a hardline.
LAN COMBAT In addition to any other encryption DCs that need to be bypassed to crack a LAN, hackers need to expel, kill, or otherwise defeat the native system admins as well before they gain control of the system. LAN combat uses the following rules: Initiative is determined normally. Mind hacks may be used by or on anyone within the LAN, regardless of their physical distances. Cable Shock. As an action, a hacker can attempt to shock someone connected through a neural interface. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against the hacker’s hacking DC. On a failed save, the target takes 1d10 + the hacker character’s level (hit dice for NPCs) in electrical damage. This damage bypasses any electrical insulation offered by armor. Expel. As an action, a hacker can attempt to kick someone out of the LAN. They must succeed in an opposed Intelligence (Computers) check against their target. If successful, the target is incapacitated until the end of their next turn. If the target is already incapacitated, they are expelled from the LAN and must bypass the encryption DC again to re-enter.
• • •
•
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179
Intro
Part I. City of Busan
Appendix A: Alternative Rules
W
hat follows are a few rules that can be substituted in place of the rules presented in the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook.
Alternative Hacking Rules Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
Gamemasters might want to add some novelty to certain hacking endeavors rather than simply rely on an Intelligence (Computers) or (Mechanics) check using an appropriate hack. In such cases, using a logic puzzle as an abstract for hacking can be a fun optional addition to vary gameplay. The following logic puzzles are examples of ways a GM might still incorporate aptitude and proficiency with computers along with a real-time component that captures the mental strain and time-crunch of hacking a system. When using logic puzzles to crack encryption or an electronic device, instead of the normal checks, have one character make the Intelligence (Computers) or (Mechanics) check as per normal, but instead of bypassing a DC, the result will determine how much time is given to solve the puzzle. The amount of time expected to solve a puzzle varies widely according to the difficulty of the puzzle and the aptitude of the players. Experiment with the puzzle ahead of time with you and some non-player friends to get a feel for how much time a puzzle might take on average. Set this as your base time. Then, allow for extra or less time based on their check, as described on the table below. For longer puzzles, you can double the time modifiers. Allow all players to participate in solving the puzzle, not just the one hacking. Result
Time Modifier
0-5
–1 minute.
6-10
–30 seconds.
11-15
No modifier.
16-20
+30 seconds.
21-25
+1 minute.
26-30
+90 seconds.
31+
+2 minutes.
Sample Logic Puzzles Listed here are some sample logic puzzles that can occasionally be incorporated into your game. GMs are encouraged to make your own, or adapt LSAT or IQ test questions, use riddles, or any other puzzle that your group might find fun.
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Puzzle 1
Argle, Barge, Cargle, Dargle, and Eargle are five Chimeras who go to create the perfect blob of Amaranth. Five canisters of Amaranth are lined up in a row, each a different color. They are, from left to right: Blue, Green, Orange, Red, and Yellow. Each Chimera experiments on one canister. Cargle doesn't like orange or yellow Amaranth. At most one canister separates Eargle from his older brother Dargle. Argle and Bargle are men, while the others are women. Argle sits in between two women. Dargle experiments on the blue Amaranth by herself. 1. Which is a possible arrangement of Chimeras experimenting with canisters of Amaranth? a. Dargle with the blue Amaranth, Cargle with the green, Eargle with the orange, Argle with the red, and Bargle with the yellow. b. Dargle with the blue canister of Amaranth, Argle with the green canister of Amaranth, Eargle with the orange canister of Amaranth, Barge with the red canister of Amaranth, Cargle with the yellow canister of Amaranth. c. Dargle with the blue canister of Amaranth, Argle with the green canister of Amaranth, Eargle with the orange canister of Amaranth, Cargle with the red canister of Amaranth, and Barge with the yellow canister of Amaranth. d. Eargle with the blue canister of Amaranth, Barge with the green canister of Amaranth, Argle with the orange canister of Amaranth, Dargle with the red canister of Amaranth, and Eargle with the yellow canister of Amaranth. e. Cargle with the blue canister of Amaranth, Argle with the green canister of Amaranth, Eargle with the orange canister of Amaranth, Cargle with the red canister of Amaranth, and Barge with the yellow canister of Amaranth. 2. Which Amaranth is Cargle experimenting on? 3. If Dargle and Eargle are experimenting immediately next to each other, then which canister of Amaranth is Eargle experimenting on? 4. Which Amaranth could Argle be experimenting on? 5. Who is experimenting on the yellow Amaranth? Answers: 1 is a, 2 is red, 3 is green, 4 is orange, and 5 is Bargle.
// Appendices //
Puzzle 2
Seraph says, "You must give me a statement. If it is true, you will be killed burrow worms. If it is false, you will be killed by being trampled by my mammoth."
Answer. "I will be killed by trampling of your mammoth." or "I will not be killed by burrow worms".
Puzzle 3
You are a spy brought in for questioning by a Hexie intelligence operative, along with two other employees, one of whom is a lawyer and one is a solider. The solider can only tell the truth, the lawyer can only lie, but you can tell either lies or the truth. The Hexie intelligence officer asks you all if you are spies. The solider says: "I am not a spy." The lawyer says: "I am a spy." Hexie Intelligence asks you: "Is the lawyer really a spy?" What is your best answer? Answer. You should say "no".
Alternative Auto Property
to this attack roll and add 6 to the damage roll. This attack uses three rounds of ammunition. Suppressing Fire. You can shoot an empty area ina line up to your firearm’s maximum range. Until the start of your next turn, anyone entering that line or starting their turn there must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw with a DC = to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier, or take the weapon’s normal damage. Recoil that isn't mitigated by your Strength modifier or other features is subtracted from the DC. You can't make any additional attacks in a turn after you use this attack, even if you have features that would normally let you. This action uses 20 rounds of ammunition. Wide Burst. You can spray a 3-meter-cube area within normal range with shots. Each person in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw with a DC = to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier, or take the weapon’s normal damage. Recoil that isn't mitigated by your Strength modifier or other features is subtracted from the DC. This action uses 10 rounds of ammunition.
The auto property for firearms presented in the GeneFunk 2090 Core Rulebook can be quite powerful, and at higher levels it may present too many dice rolls, becoming tedious during combat or giving too much spotlight time to players who use it. A GM can use the alternative rules below as a solution to reduce the number of dice rolls and keep combat fast-paced. Make sure your player knows you are using these rules before they make their character.
Auto
In addition to regular single-shot attacks, a weapon that has the auto property can make four different special attacks, which involve holding down the trigger for fully automatic fire. Unlike the auto property descrubed in the CRB, the alternative auto property can be used for all attacks made with that weapon, not just once per turn. The recoil is calculated separately for each attack, as per the normal rules. Concentrated Burst. You rain a hail of bullets down, dealing extra damage to a target. Add 10 recoil to this attack roll and add 15 to the damage roll. This attack uses ten rounds of ammunition. Three-Shot Burst. You fire a 3-shot burst from you weapon, dealing extra damage to a target. Add 4 recoil
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181
Intro
Appendix B:
Part I. City of Busan
Part II. NPCs
Part III. Encounters
PART IV. Contracts
PART V. New Rules
Appendices
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// Appendices //
This printing of GeneFunk 2090 is done under version 1.0 of the Open Gaming License, and the System Reference Document by permission from Wizards of the Coast, Inc. OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
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