[Recursions]

Cataclyst

Hopeful futurists imagined that the Singularity—the point when computer and biological innovation spiked so quickly that predicting trends was no longer possible— would usher in a new golden age for humans, turning them into demigods. That is not the way it happened, at least not in this recursion created by the fictional bleed from several dystopian tales. Instead, the Singularity created a runaway transformation across the planet that devastated it almost beyond recognition.

Fledgling AIs attempted to consolidate their minds and protect themselves. Nuclear nation states, confused and frightened by the surveillance data their systems fed them, lashed out with nuclear bombardments, creating a secondary disaster. Robotic drones swarmed, soldiers hyped up on a cocktail of experimental military drugs meant to improve their bodies and minds engaged each other, and billions of civilians were caught in the middle.

In the aftermath, the world is a different place (though this recursion contains only a relatively small part of it). The ruins of what came before encrust the landscape: mutated forests, radioactive cityscapes, gelatinous seas, a piece of themoon fallen to Earth, and even stranger things. Unbelievable creatures stalk Cataclyst, including thinking cockroaches, giant lizards, relic robots programmed to kill, and themutated remnant of humanity itself, a large fraction of which possess incredible powers.

NEWK

One of the few points of light in a world gone dark is the town of Newk, built on the edge of an ancient ruined metropolis of leaning and shattered skyscrapers. Newk is a “gold rush” town that's come into being over the last decade. Cataclyst survivors learned that the ruin beyond, called Doomstreets, contains artifacts that can be salvaged, if one can avoid the treacherous terrain, themutated beasts, and the killer robots that also abide in the rubble.

EDGERINA THE SUNSPOT

A well-known salvager around Newk, Edgerina the Sunspot has a reputation for caring more about the safety of her fellow salvagers than pulling out artifacts of her own. That makes her something of a hero to most. She is also known for eradicating those whose activities risk unleashing sleeping threats of the ancient age. That means she has powerful enemies.

Edgerina carries a gravity maul, but it's the blackfire that her mutant body produces at her command that foes fear most. The Sunspot, as she's known, sometimes travels alone, other times in a small group that includes a mutant called Adroth the Savage who has four arms (and a weapon in each) and a mutant dog the size of a horse called Tesla.

Edgerina the Sunspot: level 7; can produce blackfire rays that detonate at up to long range, inflicting 7 points of fire damage in an immediate radius (Edgerina is immune to her own fire and has +10 to Armor versus regular fire)

Adroth the Savage: level 6; Armor 3; can make four melee weapon attacks as his action Tesla: level 5; Armor 2; bite inflicts 7 points of damage and clamps onto a target, holding it in place until it succeeds on a difficulty 7 Might-based roll

LAMBENT

Lambent is a shared intelligence hosted in a fungus that evolved from growths inside a radioactive crater where a bio lab once stood. Over the decades, Lambent learned how to spread itself into the bodies of living creatures by killing their brains and filling the inside of their shells with a fungal copy. Lambent sends these servitors out, under the guise of their pre-digested selves, to lure back even more potential servitors. Not many still-living people know about Lambent, because the fungus knows it's vulnerable if its source is discovered.

Recently Lambent has learned of other recursions and is experimenting with sending out servitors that host “local caches” of Lambent's mind, with mixed results. It has, however, learned that anything that leaves a recursion and enters directly into the Strange retains its properties while in the dark energy network. Lambent is experimenting to see if it can't transfer itself, or at least a budding colony, into the Strange.

MUTANTS

Many “humans” of Cataclyst are actually mutants who've changed thanks to exposure to mutagens from a variety of sources (though a few are the descendants of people who received military genetic engineering gone wrong).

Some mutants have hideous deformities and are outcasts. Other mutants possess incredible powers and flaunt their mutations as a sign of superiority, power, and influence. Their mutations are seen as a blessing, not a curse. Some people believe them to be divine.

Recursors who translate into Cataclyst can choose to be mutants. As a special exception to the rules of translation, in Cataclyst those who become mutants lose all benefits granted by their descriptor (but not the inabilities, if any). In the place of the benefits granted by their descriptor, a visitor gains one harmful mutation and one powerful mutation. A PC can also have as many cosmetic mutations as she likes. Mutations are rolled randomly, although the player and GM can work together to ensure that the resulting character is one that the player wants to play.

Unlike abilities gained from most other sources, mutations that affect the difficulty of tasks are assets, not skills. That means any step changes from a mutation are in addition to any step changes a player character might have from a skill.

HARMFUL MUTATIONS

Unless noted otherwise, the following mutations are visible, obvious, and grotesque. They offer no benefits, only drawbacks. The following are merely suggestions; please pull your choice of additional harmful mutations from your other favorite sources.

• 01-10 Deformed leg: All movement tasks are increased in difficulty by one step.
• 11-20 Deformed face/appearance: All pleasant interaction tasks are increased in difficulty by one step.
• 21-30 Deformed arm/hand: All tasks involving the arm or hand are increased in difficulty by one step.
• 31-40 Malformed brain: The difficulty of all memory- or cognitive-related tasks is increased by one step.
• 41-45 Mentally vulnerable: The difficulty of all Intellect defense tasks is increased by one step.
• 46-50 Slow and lumbering: The difficulty of all Speed defense tasks is increased by one step.
• 51-60 Sickly: The difficulty of all Might defense tasks is increased by one step.
• 61-63 Horrible growth: A large goiter, immobile tendril, or useless extra eye hangs from your face, increasing the difficulty of all pleasant interactions (with most creatures, particularly humans) by one step.
• 64-66 Useless limb: One of your limbs is unusable or missing.
• 67-71 Useless eye: One of your eyes is unusable or missing. The difficulty of tasks specifically involving eyesight (spotting, searching, and so on) is increased by one step.
• 72-76 Useless ear: One of your ears is unusable or missing. The difficulty of tasks specifically involving hearing is increased by one step.
• 77-84 Weakness in Might: Any time you spend points from your Might Pool, the cost is increased by 1 point.
• 85-92 Weakness in Speed: Any time you spend points from your Speed Pool, the cost is increased by 1 point.
• 93-00 Weakness in Intellect: Any time you spend points from your Intellect Pool, the cost is increased by 1 point.

POWERFUL MUTATIONS

The following mutations do not require any visible changes in the character until used. People who have these mutations are not obviously recognized as mutants if they don't use their powers. Some mutations cost points from a specific Pool to use.

The following are merely suggestions; please pull powerful mutations from your other favorite sources.

• 01-06 Chameleon skin: Your skin changes colors as you wish. This is an asset in tasks involving hiding. Enabler
• 07-12 Savage bite: Your mouth widens surprisingly, and hidden, pointed teeth emerge when you wish it. You can make a bite attack that inflicts 3 points of damage. Enabler
• 13-18 Face dancing: You can alter your features enough that you possess an asset in all tasks involving disguise. Enabler
• 19-24 Stinger in finger: You can make an attack with your hand that inflicts 1 point of damage. If you make a second successful attack roll, your stinger also injects a poison that inflicts 4 points of Speed damage. Action.
• 25-31 Spit needles: You can make an attack with immediate range. You spit a needle that inflicts 1 point of damage. If you make a second successful attack roll, the needle also injects a poison that inflicts 4 points of Speed damage. Action.
• 32-37 Spit acid: You can make an attack with immediate range. You spit a glob of acid that inflicts 2 points of damage. Action.
• 38-43 Spit webs: You can make up to 10 feet (3 m) of a strong, ropelike material each day at the rate of about 1 foot (0.3 m) per minute. The webbing is level 3. You can also spit globs of webbing in immediate range, and if they hit, they increase the difficulty of the target's physical tasks by one step for one round. Action.
• 44-49 Disruptive field (electronics) (2 Intellect points): When you choose to, you disrupt devices within immediate range (no roll needed). All devices operate as if they were three levels lower while in range of your field. Devices reduced to level 0 do not function. Action.
• 50-55 Disruptive field (flesh) (2 Intellect points): When you choose to, you disrupt flesh within immediate range. All creatures within range of your field take 1 point of damage. If you apply a level of Effort to increase the damage rather than affect the difficulty, each target takes 2 additional points of damage. If your attack fails, targets in the area still take 1 point of damage. Action
• 56-62 Disruptive field (thoughts) (1 Intellect point): When you choose to, you disrupt thoughts within immediate range. The difficulty of Intellect actions for all creatures within range is increased by one step. Action.
• 63-68 Magnetic flesh: You attract or repel metal when you desire. Not only do small metal objects cling to you, but this mutation is an asset in tasks involving climbing on metal or keeping your grip on a metal item. This mutation is an asset to Speed defense tasks when being attacked by a metal foe or a foe with a metal weapon. Enabler
• 69-74 Gravity negation (2 Intellect points): You float slowly into the air. If you concentrate, you can control your movement at half your normal speed; otherwise, you drift with the wind or with any momentum you have gained. This effect lasts for up to ten minutes. Action to initiate.
• 75-80 Pyrokinesis (1 Intellect point): You can cause a flammable object you can see within immediate range to spontaneously catch fire. If used as an attack, this power inflicts 2 points of damage. Action.
• 81-87 Telekinesis (2 Intellect points): You can exert force on objects within short range. Once activated, your power has an effective Might Pool of 10, a Might Edge of 1, and an Effort of 2 (approximately equal to the strength of a fit, capable, adult human), and you can use it to move objects, push against objects, and so on. For example, you could lift and pull a light object anywhere within range to yourself or move a heavy object (like a piece of furniture) about 10 feet (3 m). This power lacks the fine control to wield a weapon or move objects with much speed, so in most situations, it's not a means of attack. You can't use this ability on your own body. The power lasts for one hour or until its Might Pool is depleted, whichever comes first. Action.
• 88-93 Phaseshifting (2 Intellect points): You can pass slowly through solid barriers at a rate of 1 inch (3 cm) per round (minimum of one round to pass through the barrier). You can't act (other than moving) or perceive anything until you pass entirely through the barrier. You can't pass through energy barriers. Action.
• 94-99 Drain power: You can drain the power from an artifact or device, allowing you to regain 1 Intellect point per level of the device. You regain points at the rate of 1 point per round and must give your full concentration to the process each round. The GM determines whether the device is fully drained (likely true of most handheld or smaller devices) or retains some power (likely true of large machines). Action to initiate; Action each round to drain.
• 00 Feed off pain: Any time a creature within immediate range suffers at least 3 points of damage in one attack, you can restore 1 point to one of your Pools, up to its maximum. You can feed off any creature in this way, whether friend or foe. You never regain more than 1 point per round. Enabler

CATACLYST ARTIFACTS

BATTLE ARMOR

Level: 1d6+4
Form: A full suit of synthetic metal armor, covering the entirety of the wearer's body

Effect: This armor is far hardier and somewhat lighter than postapocalypse smithing techniques could ever manage with steel. It is heavy armor but grants an additional +2 to Armor in addition to the 3 points that heavy armor usually provides. Further, it is entirely sealed and has its own eternally renewed internal atmosphere, which protects against poison gases and allows the wearer to operate in an airless environment. The suit's Armor rating also applies to damage that often isn't reduced by typical armor, such as heat or cold damage (but not Intellect damage).

Depletion: — (At any time, the GM can rule that the armor has sustained enough damage that the atmosphere and environmental protections cease, but the suit still functions as armor.)

GRAVITY MAUL

Level: 1d6
Form: A massive, silvery hammer

Effect: The gravity maul gains additional mass as it strikes a target, and it deals an additional 3 points of damage. If someone attacks with a gravity maul and misses, the difficulty of any Speed defense rolls he makes until his next turn is increased by one step.

Depletion: 1-2 in 1d100

MUTATION MASK

Level: 1d6+4
Origin: Cataclyst (emergent)
Law: Weird Science
Form: Leather face mask with integrated electronics

Effect: When worn, the mask conforms to the wearer’s head, enclosing it. While wearing the mask, the user can trigger a mutation by spending an action fiddling with the mask. Over the next few rounds, any previous mutations fade, and a new mutation appears. Roll a d6 to determine whether it is a harmful mutation (1-4) or a powerful mutation (5-6), and then roll on the associated mutation table.

Depletion: 1 in 1d100 (check each day the mask is worn, and each time the mutation changes)

ZERO PISTOL

Level: 1d6+2
Origin: Cataclyst (emergent)
Law: Weird Science
Form: Large pistol

Effect: This weapon fires a blast of absolute zero energy at a creature or object within long range. Depending on the setting used by the wielder, the gun either inflicts freezing damage equal to the artifact level or freezes the victim solid. A victim frozen solid isn't killed, but instead put in a state of suspended animation, during which time it is immune to damage and effects. It can be unfrozen by the wielder, but it also revives on its own after a few hours.

Depletion: 1 in 1d20