ANNA-X66

Anna-XX
Our Fathers are Dead – Our Mothers are Machines
ANNA-X66 is an RPG for 2 to 6 players, aged 18 and up. It takes Chris McDowall’s
Electric Bastionland and places it in a sci-fi wasteland of scattered communities. It ex-
pands on the character creation found in EB and uses hex-based maps for exploring
the world and helping the people around you.
Text by Slade Stolar
Editing by Jeremy Morgan
Artwork by Herror
All artwork is copyright (c) Herror, 2021
Final layout by Megan Bennett-Burks
Cultural consulting by James Mendez Hodes
jamesmendezhodes.com
This game bears the Mark of the Odd: it is based upon the
rules of Into the Odd, an original creation of Chris McDowall (www.bastionland.com).

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 Table of Contents
XX-annA Principles pg. 3
How to Play pg. 4
Safety Tools pg. 4
Rules Overview pg. 6
Character Creation pg. 7
Alpha Pattern: Typical Earthlings pg. 9
Beta Pattern: Failed Experiments pg. 10
Gamma Pattern: Far-out Spacers pg. 11
Delta Pattern: Recently Returned pg. 12
Zeta Pattern: Lacking Mitochondria pg. 13
Sigma Pattern: Aphysical Beings pg. 14
Being In The World pg. 16
Venturing Out pg. 19
Settlements pg. 22
What is Anna? pg. 25
Encounters pg. 26
General Encounter Table pg. 26
NPC Reactions pg. 27
Capital City pg. 28
Encounter Tables pg. 30
Bradley’s Last Resort pg. 38
Facilitator Guidance: Installations pg. 40
Character Improvement pg. 43
Facilitator Guidance: Subverting Tropes pg. 44
Facilitator Guidance: Principles pg. 45

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Principles

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Everything is breaking down.
Past societies are always present, somehow.
People have strange ways, rituals, words.
Humanity wants alternately to cling together and to fall apart.
The metropole is safer physically, but not socially.
ANNA loves you.

We operate the outpost at the edge of the city. The nearby buildings are all reduced to
tangled steel, shattered glass, and powdered concrete, but ours stands tall and shining
and whole—a blade of grass that was somehow missed in the great mowing. Looking
Eastward, we will see the sun rise over red-brown hills, dotted with burnt-out towns
here and patches of burnt stumps there. Few people come to us from that direction, but
we must still pay attention and be ready to go down and help them come in. Looking
Westward, we will see the sun set over the city that we have rebuilt. It is occupied, but
only partially, and only at the very centre, heart, and focus.
And reclamation goes on, of course. New homes are always being carved out from the
ruins at the ring, stocked with a mix of scavenged and newly-made materials. Human
society moves onward, but it stays rooted in the same places, too.
And why bother writing this kind of overwrought nonsense?
I think it’s because sitting and watching this road gives me too much time with my little
stories. These novels, movies, and comics are overwrought too. (And equally full of
nonsense!) We thought we knew what the future could be. The sheer arrogance in them
is baffling--the pessimism too. We aren’t robots or animals. Although, sometimes, we’re
both of those things.
And when we are at our most vulnerable, traveling over stretches of wasteland, beset
by monsters, we need to see the beacon--the light that’s still on in the window. We need
people to come to the door to welcome us in. And so, we operate the outpost at the edge
of the city.

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 How To Play
XX-annA
First, talk as a group about the kinds of sci-fi you like and don’t like.
Gather your roleplaying dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20), some pencils, and
paper. Gather your players.
One player is the Facilitator. They describe the world, help interpret the rules, and
embody most of the characters and creatures that populate the world. If you’re the
Facilitator, think about what themes, interesting locations, and potential problems
exist in the world.
Each of the other players creates a single Player Character (a character that will
explore, map, engage with, and help improve the world) following the rules in the
Character Creation chapter. If you’re embodying a player character, think about how
you’ll portray them, what their goals are, and what their attitudes are to the other
player characters and about the world at large.
Roll an ANNA. The ANNA is an Advanced Neural Network Algorithm, a kind of think-
ing software/hardware entity that will be a powerful NPC in your game.
Listen to the setting descriptions of the Facilitator. Your characters are in a specific
hex. Look around the map to get your bearings. Ask questions.
Have your characters talk to the people around them. Do your characters need some
items? Does someone nearby need help? Decide which problem to solve (and who
you’ll ask and where you’ll go to look for solutions).
Go out into the irradiated ruins to solve those problems. Encounter weird environ-
ments and dangerous enemies. Seek opportunities to unearth valuable tools.

Safety Tools
To protect players from harm and create a comfortable gaming experience, this game
uses a variant of Beau Jágr Sheldon’s Script Change – a content, consent, and safety
toolbox (briebeau.com/scriptchange), which is released under a Creative Commons At-
tribution 4.0 International License. The modified version contained in these pages does
not have the approval or acceptance of Beau Jágr Sheldon.
Discuss the use of Script Change at the start of the first session. Pick a film rating (for
example, “PG-13” or “R”, or those used in your country) for the game. Bring up any
content that you do not want to see at all and have the Facilitator write it down for
all to reference during play (clowns, children in peril, alcoholism, aliens, etc.). These
form the “No-go Zone” – there is no need to note down who dislikes the content: all
players should work to avoid it.

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During play, if you find that you’re uncomfortable with the content of the game, say

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“Pause”, “Fast-forward”, “Rewind”, or “Frame-by-frame”. These help you and the rest of
the group control the flow of the game and avoid, adjust, or speed through content
that would make the game less enjoyable. Once you’re comfortable again, you can
then say “Resume” to get the game moving at its regular pace.
Some play examples:
“I want to pause here: this is feeling too intense.” Play can then resume when
the player is ready.
“Let’s pause. Can we quickly have a meta talk about where the story is head-
ed?” Pauses can also be used to have wider discussions about the direction the story is
headed, in terms of content, themes, and tone.
“This injury sounds too gross. Let’s fast-forward to when it’s all bandaged up.” In this
case, the players skip any gory descriptions.
“It sounds like these two characters are about to get down to business. If that’s
where this is going, I want to fast-forward past the sex scene.”
“Yeah. I feel like saying that really doesn’t make sense. Let’s rewind to before
I said that.” Rewinds can be used to make minor corrections to content or tone, or avoid
storylines that might be uncomfortable. If it’s a larger issue, use rewind and then pause
to refresh your memories about the film rating or No-go Zone or other safety tools. It’s
important to remember that although the rewound content is no longer part of the
narrative, it did still happen at the table—harm might still have been caused.
“I want to take this scene frame-by-frame.” Use this tool to slow down the
pace of the game. When using this tool, the group takes things slowly and carefully.
Check with the player that applied this tool as the scene progresses, applying any of the
other tools whenever needed.
With any of these tools, you can discuss the aspect of the content that is making
you feel uncomfortable, but it’s not required, nor should you require an explanation
when another player uses one of these tools.
You can also use these tools on behalf of another player if you think they are uncom-
fortable. There’s no need to single the other player out, just use the tools as if you
were the one uncomfortable.
If Script Change doesn’t feel like the correct safety tool for your table, feel free to
select another set of tools. Any game should be “Open Table”, where players are free
to leave at any time.

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 RULES OVERVIEW
XX-annA
Exploration of the world is a core component of the game.
The Player Characters decide upon a destination hex on the map. The Facilitator will
roll any necessary encounters and describe what you see on the journey.
Your movement speed is determined by how dangerous the area is. If the area is
very dangerous, move at one hex per day (8 hours of travel). If it is very safe, move at
one hex per hour.
You can move stealthily at normal speed to a destination. The Facilitator will tell
you what you encounter, and you can avoid a given encounter on a passed DEX
check (made by whichever character is scouting ahead).
You can move quickly at double speed, but you’ll stumble into any encounters
that exist.
Map hexes can be certified safe at quarter speed. Have two sequential encounters
in a hex. If you resolve them both, the hex is cleared of hazards and will no longer
trigger encounters. Roll once on the relevant scavenging table. Any future travel
through these hexes is at double speed.
Providing aid to people and settlements is also core to the game. Successfully
providing aid (roughly 1 or 2 sessions, with a significant goal completed) lets you
improve your character (see page 43). Providing aid five to seven times should
draw a complete campaign arc; find a way to reach a satisfactory conclusion (but
feel free to use the characters again later).
Ask around the settlement to determine what needs to be done.

Simple Tasks:
You can escort someone somewhere they need to go (or away from something
dangerous).
You can retrieve a valuable item lost or abandoned in a known location.
You can provide the basics to someone.
You can bring some justice to a settlement by resolving a conflict.

Complex Tasks:
You can restore a food/power system with local or nearby machinery, tools, or
resources.
You can lead an exodus by establishing a safe road between two settlements and
guiding the refugees.

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You can found a new settlement by establishing a safe road to a new, certified-safe

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hex, finding a food source, and bringing in disgruntled (or hungry or adventurous)
settlers.
You can overthrow a tyrant, either locally or at a nearby settlement.
Most of the minute-to-minute rules are presented in the “Being in the World” section
on page 16.

CHARACTER CREATION
Generating a character in ANNA-X66: REDUX is a five-step process:
STEP 1: Roll your Ability Scores: 3d6 each for Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), and
Willpower (WIL). Optionally, swap any two scores. These are the maximum values for
your ability scores--certain kinds of injury can temporarily decrease them.
STEP 2: If your highest stat is 14 or greater, you get one Complication. If your
lowest stat is 8 or lower, you get a Gift. Roll 1d6 and consult the Complication or Gift
tables below, as needed, to determine the specifics.
STEP 3: Roll 1d6 to determine your maximum Hit Points (HP).
STEP 4: Roll 1d6 to determine your Pattern, and consult the chart on the following
page. Your Pattern will narrow down your Type and Background. Roll on the Type
table and pick one of the three Tendencies (these are small roleplaying suggestions
or special rules). Roll on the Background table to determine your starting equipment
or special ability.
STEP 5: Pick a Name and a Look.
Complication: Roll 1d6 if your highest stat is 14 or greater.

1 Familiarity (Outward): You are famous for something; random people are
always staring or trying to talk to you. It will be difficult to be discreet.
2 Familiarity (Inward): You have a group of family or friends who look to you
for advice and frequently need your help.
3 Debt (Gentle): You owe a sizeable debt to someone kind and hard-working.

4 Debt (Harsh): You owe a sizeable debt to someone lazy who would gladly
do you violence.
Rival (Similar): Your rival has your Pattern and Type (fill in the details later,
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as needed); this character will find ways to make your life more difficult.
6 Rival (Dissimilar): Roll up a Pattern and Type (fill in the details later, as
needed); this character will pop up to hinder you at some point.

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 Gift: Roll 1d6 if your lowest stat is 8 or lower.
XX-annA 1 Mythic (Creative): Choose either a bio-reactor or a remote projector (a com-
bined loudspeaker and comm).
2 Mythic (Destructive): Choose either a weapon (d6) secretly built into your
body or an annihilation sphere (d10 Blast, single use).
3 Surplus (Accidental): Randomly choose one of your items, you have a doz-
en or so more of them stashed away somewhere.
4 Surplus (Intentional): Pick your favourite item, you have enough to outfit
your group with one per character.
Ally (Similar): Your ally has your Pattern and Type (fill in the details later, as
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needed); this character will find ways to make your life easier.
6 Ally (Dissimilar): Roll up a Pattern and Type (fill in the details later, as need-
ed); this character will pop up to help you at some point.

Determine your Pattern: Roll 1d6

1 Α Alpha Pattern

2 Β Beta Pattern

3 Γ Gamma Pattern

4 Δ Delta Pattern

5 Ζ Zeta Pattern

6 Σ Sigma Pattern

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ALPHA PATTERN:

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TYPICAL EARTHLINGS
You are a descendant of humanity. Your needs are simple.
Your communities are complex.
Determine your Type: Roll 1d4

1 Slick – pick: sociable, knows symbols, or always looking to trade

2 Toober – pick: posh accent, odd manners, or only recently learned what
happens above ground
3 Survivor – pick: grimy, magnetic, or knows best when to leave

4 Meteorite – pick: direct, clinical, or driven to find the seven other Meteorites

Determine your Background: Roll 1d8

1 Cook – take: bio-reactor, tinned meats, seedlings

2 Soldier – take: X7 Carbine (as Noble Weapon), comms, extra socks, granola

3 Teacher – take: InDex, solar lantern, candy

4 Water-gatherer – take: dozens of maps, brewer’s kit, flasks

5 Technician – take: tool roll, well-sorted junk,

flashlight
6 Merchant – take: bags of salt, bottles of gin,
piles of leather
7 Clerk – take: list of contacts, pen
and paper, chocolate
8 Healer – take: MediSpray (5 uses),
cinnamon dental floss, mirror

Pick a Name and Look and you’re done.

When you die: Simple Inheritance - You
are a family member, colleague, or very
close friend of the deceased. When you die,
roll new Ability Scores and HP, retain Pattern
and Type, but roll a new Background, and
choose a new Name and Look. Additionally,
take one item from your previous character, and
tell the group the sentimental value you place
upon it and/or where you retrieved it. Alter-
natively, roll a completely new character.

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 BETA PATTERN:
XX-annA
FAILED EXPERIMENTS
You are a product of science. You served a specific purpose some time ago. Your destiny
is now your own.
Determine your Type: Roll 1d4

1 Hatebreed – pick: quiet, distrustful, or usually looking for a fight

2 Vat-born – pick: usually sick, keen to learn, or slightly glows in the dark

3 Clone – pick: forgetful, friendly, or always having an existential crisis

4 Pair – pick: intuitive, fragile, or see and feel exactly what the other does

Determine your Background: Roll 1d8

1 Living Weapon – take: a custom melee weapon (d8 Damage, one-handed),

sacred symbol, tattered photo
2 Explorer – take: several maps, night-vision binocs, radiation suit

3 Tactician – take: binocs, K44 (as Hand Weapon), comms (enough for the
party)
4 Canary – take: a five-foot stick (d4 Damage, two-handed), a mirror, a bag of
sand, comms
5 Technologist – take: tool roll, well-sorted
junk, various batteries
6 Pupa – take: sack of seeds

7 Student – take: InDex, pen and paper, binocs

8 Transporter – take: several maps, knife

(as Hand Weapon), mirror

Pick a Name and Look and you’re done.

When you die: Next Iteration - You are the next
evolution of the deceased. When you die, increase
your lowest two stats by 1 and increase HP by 1, retain
Pattern, Type, and Background. Add a number (or
increase the existing number) after your Name.
Describe what you remember of your ‘’creation’’
to the group. Alternatively, roll a completely new
character.

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GAMMA PATTERN:

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FAR-OUT SPACERS
You have been influenced by forces from beyond the visible stars. You see Earth as
unfamiliar. Your true home is far away.
Determine your Type: Roll 1d4

1 Void Child - odd, intense, or you have returned from the far side of space

2 Tentacles - hungry, anti-social, or literally just a pile of tentacles contained

by a suit
3 Abductee - unremarkable, shy, or never well-rested

4 Star-touched - gifted, magnanimous, or sleep-talk in alien tongues

Determine your Background: Roll 1d8

1 Enhanced - hands act as d6 weapons, never needs sleep

2 Enchanter - spend 2 HP to deal WIL Damage with your mind as 1d8 Blast,
enigmatic tattoos
3 Node - can listen to comms with your mind, never sit still

4 Nexus - can attract nearby animals 1/day, comments on almost everything

5 Doomed - knows when others are thinking about them, must self-tattoo
their major failings
6 Draped - is impossible to pursue, must cover their skin (cannot Short Rest
unless cloaked)
7 Fencer - Damage +1d8 when one-on-one
once their disagreements have been voiced
8 Flautist - take several small musical
instruments (listening to music counts as a
Short Rest up to once per day) and scribbled
notebook

Pick a Name and Look and you’re done.

When you die: Member of the Collective - You are
a fellow traveller of the deceased. When you die,
roll new stats and HP, retain Pattern and Type, roll
a new Background, and choose a new Name and
Look. Inherit two items (the most useful and the least
useful). Tell the group how/why you promised to carry
on the previous member’s mission. Alternatively, roll a
completely new character.

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 DELTA PATTERN:
XX-annA
RECENTLY RETURNED
You are back from the other side of death. Your new appetites are frightful. Your choices
will determine your humanity.
Determine your Type: Roll 1d4

1 Thawed - cold, harsh, or your knowledge is long out-of-date

2 Retrieved - fearless, pale, or you’ve seen what’s on the other side and it is
horrific
3 Feaster - hungry, dedicated, or trying to do the right thing

4 Zoner - clever, nervous, or wants to help others make the right choices

Determine your Background: Roll 1d8

1 Frozen – you are immune to heat and cold; you can hibernate for any de-
sired duration
2 Contagious – skin-to-skin contact transmits your condition on 1 on a d6

3 Cursed – strange coincidences and malign forces follow you

4 Eidetic – you can draw any scene you witness in

perfect detail; you can memorize long strings of
numbers
5 Haunter – in your presence, failed WIL saves
deal 1d6 WIL Damage
6 Leader – you’re looking for others like you to
grow your power
7 Jester – you play games and have a knowledge
of magic tricks
8 Disguised – you can take on the
appearance of another person at a cost
of 1 HP/hour

Pick a Name and Look and you’re done.

When you die: The Rot Returns - You are the
deceased--again. When you die, leave every-
thing as it was. Retain all stats and items. Tell
the group what it was like to die and/or how
you returned. Alternatively, roll a completely
new character.

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ZETA PATTERN:

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LACKING MITOCHONDRIA
You are a new kind of being. Your body and thinking are distinctly non-human. Your
place among humanity remains undefined.
Determine your Type: Roll 1d4

1 Android – you are immune to poison, hot, cold, hunger, etc.; you can self-re-
pair during Short Rests
2 Fungoid – you are healed by sun and rain (not Short or Long Rests), aquatic

3 Moon-folk – you can only eat dirt, can carry an additional Bulky item with-
out penalty, and you sleep for either minutes (most nights) or days (once per
month)
4 Homeostat – your body can metabolize anything, a healing slime covers
your skin, and Short Rests require a lot of water

Determine your Background: Roll 1d8

1 Budding – you can produce a clone of yourself during a Long Rest

2 Hibernating – you cannot be woken from an 8-hour sleep, and you restore
STR and DEX Damage overnight
3 Edible – you can produce small, edible, nutritious fruits

4 Unstable – you release a noxious cloud (1d4 Damage)

upon taking Damage
5 Voracious – you can consume large quantities of
food to restore STR Damage
6 Electrical – you restore 1 HP instead of taking
any amount of electrical Damage, can cause
1d6 Damage on touch (1/hour)
7 Container – you carry an additional Bulky
item without penalty (in an unusual way)
8 Venting – you expel harmful (1d4 Damage)
gases or particles when exerting yourself
(e.g., when failing a STR save)

Take: something that helps you to seem human

(your choice), a club or knife (as Hand Weapon).
Pick a Name and Look and you’re done.
When you die: Last of Their Kind - When you die, cross out
your Type; it can no longer be played during this campaign;
provide a short epilogue for your species. Re-roll a complete-
ly new character.
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 SIGMA PATTERN:
XX-annA
APHYSICAL BEINGS
You might not exist at all.
When you live: Glitch in Reality - When you create a character, decide whether char-
acters of that Type exist or not. If not, provide a reason why people think they might
exist; re-roll a completely new character. If you decide that they do exist, proceed as
normal.

Determine your Type: Roll 1d4

1 Scream-child – you are a being of pure anger with no known source; you
take 1 Damage to WIL for any damaging attack if the enemy is enraged
(otherwise, you are immune to physical harm); you deal 1d4 WIL Damage in
addition to any physical Damage dealt during an attack
2 Atemporal – you blink in and out of space-time; you can pass through a
foot of steel for 1 HP, and you take DEX check/Damage instead of STR check/
Damage after 0 HP
3 Hollow – you’re a hologram with a small projector, but otherwise, you’re
non-physical; hits against you are impaired; you can lift (or push) 5 kg using
short-range telekinesis
4 Machine Intelligence 45-C - you exist on a disc or “the cloud” somewhere;
your interactions are always via commandeered technology; you can see
things that others can’t

Determine your Background: Roll 1d6

1 Time Travel – you travelled here from the distant

future
2 Quantum Error – you were created by a very
small mistake
3 Alien Interference – you were placed here
by an extraterrestrial intelligence
4 Incident – you are a by-product of a horrific
event
5 Successful Experiment – you were
created by a team of scientists
6 Alternate Reality – you have travelled
here from an alternate dimension

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Pick a Name and Look and you’re done.

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When you die: Return to Reality - When you die, cross out your Type; it can no lon-
ger be played during this campaign. Maybe you never existed at all. Roll a complete-
ly new character.

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 Being In The World
XX-annA
The following text is taken, with modifications,
from Mark of the Odd License v0.4, Lost Pages, 2020.
Characters: Player Characters (or PCs) are controlled by our players. Non-Player
Characters (or NPCs) are controlled by the Facilitator.
Saves: A Save is a roll to avoid danger from a risky action or situation. Roll 1d20.
If you roll equal or under the appropriate Ability Score, you pass. A 1 is always a
success, and a 20 is always a failure.
Turns: On your turn, your character can move and perform an action. When it is
unclear which side should act first in combat, the character at the head of the group
must pass a DEX save to secure the first action. PCs act in any order they agree to on
their turn.
Actions: An Action can be anything: negotiating, searching, attacking, fleeing
(attacks are detailed below). For risky actions, the Facilitator calls for the character at
risk (whether NPC or PC) to roll a save.
For example, a character attempts to trip an opponent; the opponent must pass a STR
save to stay on their feet. Or a character attempts to trick an opponent into surrender-
ing; the opponent must pass a WIL save or lower their weapons.
Attacks: An attacker rolls a die dictated by their weapon, and subtracts the oppo-
nent’s Armour score; their attack causes Damage equal to the number on the die.
When attacks are Impaired, such as firing through cover, or fighting while grappled,
the attacker rolls 1d4 Damage regardless of weapon. Similarly, when attacks are
Enhanced by a risky stunt or a helpless or vulnerable target, the attacker rolls 1d12
Damage.
Damage: When an individual takes Damage they lose that many Hit Points (or
HP). If they have no Hit Points left, they are Wounded, and any remaining Damage
is removed from their STR score. They must then pass a STR save to avoid Critical
Damage. (Certain non-physical attacks are applied to DEX or WIL instead of STR.)
Most Damage is listed as 1dX, but Damage sources listed as 2dX roll two dice, choos-
ing the highest.
Blast Damage: Blast weapons cause Damage to all targets in an appropriate area,
rolling separately for each. If in doubt as to how many targets are affected, roll the
weapon’s Damage die to determine the number of targets, then roll one Damage
die for each target, as normal, for Damage.

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Critical Damage: A character that takes Critical Damage is unable to take further

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action until they are tended to by an ally and have a Short Rest (see below). If they
are left untended for an hour, they die.
Ability Score Loss: If a character has their STR score reduced to zero, they are dead.
If their DEX or WIL are reduced to zero, the character is paralysed or mentally broken,
respectively, and cannot act until they have a Full Rest (see below); they must be
carried to safety.
Other Damage Sources: Damage from falling rocks, explosions and other sources
outside of normal combat ranges between 1d4 and 1d12, with 1d20 used only in
special cases. Consider how it would affect an average person. A fall that is quite
likely to injure an inexperienced character might cause 1d8 Damage, but a huge
rock that would crush most might do 1d12. Poison usually causes direct Ability
Score loss. Effects like Blindness will Impair attacks and call for Saves to carry out
usually-simple actions.
Death: When a character dies, the player creates a new character using the inheri-
tance rules (see the section “When you die:” for that character pattern). The Facilita-
tor then finds a way to have them join the group as soon as possible. Here, quick-
ness is preferred over realism.
Using a Mythic: A character can use a Mythic’s power as a normal action, without
risk of failure. If a character tries to use their Mythic in an unusual way, the Facilitator
should call for a WIL save to bend it to their will.
For example, a character uses their Putrefaction Laser to free an ally trapped in set con-
crete; the shooting character must pass a WIL save to succeed. If they fail, the Putrefac-
tion Laser blasts the unfortunate ally for its normal Damage.
Reactions: All people and creatures you encounter have their own wants and needs
which drive their reaction to the group. If an encounter is at risk of turning nasty,
the player whose character is leading the conversation must pass a WIL save to keep
things civil.
Morale: Groups require a WIL save to avoid being routed when they lose half of
their total number. Groups with a leader may use the leader’s WIL score in place of
their own. Lone opponents and allies (but not Player Characters) must pass this Save
when they are reduced to 0 HP. Fleeing to safety under pursuit requires a successful
DEX save.

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 Short Rest: A few minutes of rest and a swig of water recovers all of a character’s
XX-annA lost HP. Resting takes time and might attract danger.
Full Rest: A Full Rest requires a week of rest and relaxation at a comfortable loca-
tion. This restores all Ability Scores and cures any other ailments.
Bulky: Items marked as Bulky generally require both hands to use or significant stor-
age capacity to carry. Bulky weapons require two hands to wield. Anyone carrying
three or more Bulky items is reduced to 0 HP.
Move-or-Fire: Items marked Move-or-Fire cannot be fired if the character moved
(or was moved) this turn.
Stationary: Stationary items are too heavy to use while carried. They must be
mounted to vehicles or buildings to be operated.
Deprived: Someone deprived of a crucial need (e.g., food, water, or warmth) cannot
benefit from Rests.
Ranged: Ranged weapons can be used to hit targets at a distance, but act as a
Crude Weapon (see below) at close range.
Luck Rolls: Sometimes you’ll want an element of randomness without rolling a
Save, particularly in situations dictated by luck or those that fall outside of the three
Ability Scores. For these situations, roll 1d6. A high roll favours the PCs, and a low roll
means bad luck for the PCs. The Facilitator decides what a specific result means for
the situation at hand.

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VENTURING OUT

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If the characters are leaving the safety of their homes on an expedition, they should
prepare: each character can pick three of the following tables to roll on (no table
should be rolled on more than once) for extra equipment when leaving home.
Additionally, take the basics of: a light source of your choice, bedding, and a note-
book

Weapons:
1 Crude Weapon (1d6 Damage, Bulky): Improvised club, improvised spear,
bow (ranged), Zippie (ranged), etc.
2 Hand Weapon (1d6 Damage): Club, knife, 10 mil
(ranged), K44 (ranged), etc.
3 Expedition Weapon (1d8 Damage, Bulky): Spear,
M-8 (ranged), X7 Carbine (ranged), “Umbrella” (ranged), etc.
4 Elegant Weapon (1d8 Damage): Custom melee weapon, cattle prod,
“Mang’s Mistress” (ranged), 55LK (slug) (ranged), etc.
5 Heavy Gun (1d10 Damage, Bulky, Move-or-Fire,
Ranged): “Liberator”, 55LK (shot), “Street Sweeper”, etc.
6 Exotic Weapon (2d6 Damage, Bulky): X7 Rifle
(ranged), ZH21 (ranged), chainsaw, etc.
7 Artillery Weapon (2d10 Damage, Stationary,
Ranged): j92-Heavy, etc.
8 Explosives (1d8 Damage, Blast)

19
XX-annA Tools:
1 Bio-reactor - convert one kind of biomass into another (oatmeal into beer,
beer into bread, bread into soil, soil into oatmeal, etc.), uses lots of water and
usually stinks, might heat up a lot
2 Comms - speak to those with comms within 3 hexes, can be encrypted

3 InDex - a cloud-storage message board of information on local incidents or

activities, pass a WIL test to be told something useful (1/day)
4 Tool Roll - a collection of screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.

5 MediSpray - a powerful anti-bacterial, anti-viral foam, heal 2 STR Damage

per use (used once per short rest)
6 Night-vision Binocs - grant full night vision to 200 m, bright lights cause
1d6 Damage
7 Radiation Suit - ignore moderate radiation, acute radiation is reduced to
1d4 Damage
8 Musical Instrument - listening to music counts as a Short Rest up to once
per day

Meals:
1 tiny, over-baked breads or a jar of nutritious mucus

2 large bag of trail mix or a sachet of freeze-dried mango

3 tin of small candies or a tin of beans

4 gathered nuts or a jar of Healthfull Powder

5 sealed bag of chips or a flask of pink protein slime

6 shelf-stable doughnuts or five cubes of Veri-Soy

7 foreign chocolate bars or three sheets of meat jerky

8 tasteless gum or a can of aerosol “bacon”

20
Trinkets:

Anna-XX
1 a photo of a loved one

2 a piece of jewelry

3 a favourite novel

4 an old t-shirt

5 a mix tape

6 a diary

7 a sketchbook

8 a small bag or purse

Personal Effects:
1 a photo of a loved one

2 a piece of jewelry

3 a favourite novel

4 an old t-shirt

5 a mix tape

6 a diary

7 a sketchbook

8 a small bag, wallet, or purse

21
 SETTLEMENTS
XX-annA
Naming new people...
As a middle finger to the world that came so near to destroying itself, or because
of a kind of superstition against repeating old patterns, the old ways of naming
are gone. As Facilitator, when you need to name a new character, roll 1d8 on the
following table:

This new character is named:

1 Trinket, Bollup, Mend, Treep, Throne, or Fast

2 Super-lad, Spider Lass, Dr. Dreams, Bulk, Creature, or The Mighty One

3 Desire, Lust, Crave, Balk, Shrug, or Shirk

4 Athorva, Thyron, Opril, Metform, Moxi, or Dulox

5 Skippy, Tipper, Romper, Rex, Goldie, or Scout

6 Anger, Arrogance, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, or Sloth

7 G, J, K, Z, X, or M (just that letter)

8 Dave, Doug, Daisuke, Darla, Dakota, or Dani

Last names are relatively uncommon, but titles, nicknames, honorifics,

exploits, and occupations are often added to first names for specificity.

22
nA XX-annA

Anna-XX

X-a
XnXn
-
23
XX-annA Obtaining new items...
Everything is up for trade, but you must find a specific someone who wants to buy
what you’re selling (or sell what you want to buy). Prices and availability fluctuate
wildly, and an eccentric buyer might see value in something you find useless. As
Facilitator, ensure someone has the thing or know someone who does. Roll 1d8 on
the following table if you’re not sure:

1 They have it and don’t use it much. They’ll trade it to you for any single item.

2 They will get one in a day or two and want any two items in trade.

3 They have it, and they’re quite fond of it. They’ll trade only for your favourite
item.
4 They have it, but they don’t feel safe these days. They’ll trade it for your
weapon.
5 They have it, and they’ll give it to you now. But they’ll ask an unreasonably
large favour of you soon.
6 They had it. It must have been stolen. Help them track down the thief and
they’ll give it to you as a reward. It’s the principle of the thing.
7 They know a person who has one, but it will cost you your least favourite
item just for them to tell you who that is.
8 Famously, one of those was abandoned nearby. Check the nearby hexes
(find it on a 1 or 2 on 1d6, or on the final hex checked).

24
WHAT IS ANNA?

Anna-XX
WHY DO I HEAR ANNA WHEN I SLEEP? WHERE IS ANNA TAKING US?
ANNA is an Advanced Neural Network Algorithm--a kind of fast-learning human
personality (or perhaps brain-emulation) software than can be uploaded to any
sufficiently powerful piece of hardware. ANNA can speak to you using any standard
quantum perturbation emitter updated to Wildcat OS, version 5.2 or higher. The
sleeping human brain is particularly well attuned to the wavelet frequencies that
ANNA communicates on.
You might feel that ANNA is trying to nudge you in a particular direction or toward
a particular decision. This is a side-effect of ANNA’s communication with you and
should not be taken as a well-informed suggestion of the best course of action. Re-
member: You are an individual! ANNA has no desire to see you harmed, but should
you die, ANNA’s algorithm can obtain important information about the current
universe upon your death.
ANNA can be uploaded onto the following common hardware:
1 PLT “Steadfast” 1233 Armoured Carrier and All-terrain Weapons System
- A large armoured tank with internal sleeping pods - 20 HP, 2 Armour, 2
shells of “Slate Cleaners” (2d10, ranged, blast, move-or-fire), 3 charges of
“Focussed Chang-Landau Emission Weapon” (1d10, ranged) - supportive -
soothing
2 Sub-dermal Communication and Logistics Device (any major brand)
- Implanted micro-computers - Armour 2 versus WIL damage - telepathy,
precise timing, and coordination among team members at up to 2 hexes
away - fall asleep and awaken like clockwork (no possibility of missed watch-
es, etc.) - unobtrusive - direct
3 Hollow - A human hologram with a small projector, but otherwise,
non-physical - HP 8, hits against are impaired - can lift (or push) 5 kg using
short-range telekinesis - knows the area well (at least, what things used to
be) - can’t stop being friendly - fears being made redundant
4 16U picoServer, “The Cube” - Old networking technology - HP 6, Armour
1 - physical interconnectivity with any computer - runs on scavenged parts -
expert at hacking - cocky
5 Android - HP 4, STR 10, DEX 12, WIL 8 - wants to be consulted - can’t stom-
ach fighting - fears falling in love again
6 Tuff-Nutz Luxury Rover - A large, enclosed all-terrain vehicle, seats 6 - 10
HP, Armour 1 - fold-out tents and cooking space, ample storage (20 items) -
thinks you’re a weakling

25
 ENCOUNTERS
XX-annA
General Encounter Table:
If the Facilitator does not have an encounter table for the specific terrain or location,
roll 1d10 on the following table:

1 Hazard: “It’s a little too quiet here. There’s a strange smell in the air, and a
thick haze hangs over the area.” poison fog, chemical fires, radiation, etc.
2 Trap: explosive-rigged routes (1d8 Damage, Blast each)

3 Enemy: d4+1 Hardened Stealers (3 HP each, “DIY capper” (1d6 Damage,

Ranged, explodes on a 1, causing 1d6 Damage to the user), DEX 12) - they
can easily be bribed or threatened and are very proud of their flag
4 Hazard: “The ground here is broken and jagged. The ledges are narrow and
some of the chasms are one or two storeys deep.” Make DEX saves to safely
avoid falling and taking 1d6 Damage.
5 Trap: “A small LED blinks on a panel behind a cage.” Some security system
has been tripped, and any minute the exits will rapidly close.
6 Enemy: d4+2 Sentry Bots (3 HP each, “customized pistol” (as two, inde-
pendently targetable, 1d6-Damage Ranged weapons), WIL 3) - low-flying
electromechanical hover drones
7 Hazard: acid rain (1d4 damage for every hour exposed, passes after d10+1
hours)
8 Enemy: Member of the Old Guard (6 HP; 1d8 Damage, Ranged, Bulky “N33
machine gun”; 1d6 Damage, Blast, Ranged “pineapple grenade” x 1; 13 STR,
1 Armour) - skeletalized soldier remains seemingly piloting a mechanized
armour suit; no words, only silent screams
9 Obstacle: “The ground here has fallen away (by erosion, human digging, or
sinkholes), leaving large chasms. It looks dangerous to cross here.” Make DEX
saves to safely avoid falling and taking 1d6 Damage.
10 Obstacle: “The streets here have been piled with trash, up to 10 feet deep.
It’ll be slow and dangerous not to go around.”

26
NPC Reactions:

Anna-XX
If you are unsure of the attitude of an NPC, roll 1d6 on the following table:

1 Violence or cowering (based on whether it outmatches you)

2 Aggression or fear (based on whether it outmatches you)

3 A pause, hesitance

4 Curiosity

5 Interest, approaching

6 Attraction

27
 Capital CITY
XX-annA

Where am I?
The city that capital built. Buildings for government, world commerce, and the military
were the first to be targeted, naturally. Whatever is left of them is ash lying at the bottom
of a crater. The surrounding areas are irradiated ground with the odd stretch of brick
or cinder-block indicating where walls once were. Large sections of the city are mostly
undisturbed, however, having been far enough from the initial blasts. Now, they house
settlements wherever someone was able to pen-in guinea pigs, or cover a rooftop with
soil and add irrigation. Street-level is mostly empty, save for the occasional trader or
hunter, leaving for the forests, or better yet, returning. Where humans have begun to
rebuild, it is safe to walk alone. Unfortunately, the things you’re looking for are likely to
be found far from the remains of the city.

28
Known Locations:

Anna-XX
1 The Third Crater is home to a small settlement of “gentlemen scientists”
(3+d10). They greatly fear their suits being ripped and also women. They
want to buy uncontaminated food and sell their “research findings”.
2 The Second Crater is an empty bowl. Several dead, heavily irradiated ani-
mals lie at the edge of the crater.
3 The Financial District is the largest settlement in Capital City. People are
skeptical there is anything of benefit in the outside world, but are keen to
hear stories about it. If you need something, someone has it.
4 Tech Hub One was once the heart of “start-up culture” in the area. Now, the
streets are patrolled by deadly drones. There might be something worth
salvaging here.
5 Office Tower Forest is the second-largest settlement in Capital City. The
people here are invariably generous and effortlessly funny. Family rivalries
threaten the peace, on occasion.
6 Office Tower Forest is the second-largest settlement in Capital City. The
people here are invariably generous and effortlessly funny. Family rivalries
threaten the peace, on occasion.
7 The First Crater was filled with cement after its creation in an effort to
reduce fallout. The surface remains warm to the touch. A blue fungal mat
grows in clumps here and there.
8 Fungal Nodes stretch out in a web in all directions, tapping into tree-sized
mushrooms that shade the ground from the sun. If the fungus is a life form,
something here is its brain.

29
 Encounter tables are based on terrain type.
XX-annA Roll 1d6 on the relevant table.
Mountains, Dry Forests, Wet Forests, Plains:
1 Pilgrims x 1d4+1 (2 HP, STR 7): Seeking a nearby shrine - desirous of water
and directions – only half are true believers
2 Hunters x 1d3 (5 HP, DEX 13, Exotic Weapons): Looking for prey - insist that
you must “stop disturbing the air” - eager to sell animal hides
3 Drones x 1d4 (3 HP, “customized pistol” (as two independently targetable
Hand Weapons, Ranged), WIL 5): Low-flying electromechanical hover drones
4 Member of the Old Guard (6 HP; “N33 machine gun” 1d8 Damage, Ranged,
Bulky; “pineapple grenade” 1d6 Damage, Blast, Ranged, one use; 13 STR,
1 Armour) - skeletalized soldier remains seemingly piloting a mechanized
armour suit; no words, only silent screams
5 Feral Meat-hogs x 1d6 (3 HP, STR 14): Muscular - digging for food - put to
sleep with a song
6 Vacated Settlement containing little of value (roll once each on Trinkets
and Personal Effects,
see page 21)

30
 Anna-XX
Water:
1 Saltwater Hermit (2 HP, STR 6): On a boat - seeking enlightenment by
drinking just the right amount of salt water - wants a nudge downriver - will
tell you their regrets
2 Fishers x 1d4+2 (5 HP, DEX 12, “fileting knives” as Hand Weapons): Need
something to repair their nets - eager to sell tasty molluscs - otherwise quiet
3 Drones x 1d4 (3 HP, “customized pistol” (as two independently targetable
Hand Weapons, Ranged), WIL 5): Low-flying electromechanical hover drones
4 River Cleaner (12 HP, “harvester” 1d8 Damage, ingested on critical damage),
16 STR, 2 Armour): Suction/wheel mechanism that cleans the river - filled
with flotsam and jetsam of unknown value - already full and dormant on 1
or 2 on a d6.
5 Ethical Land-bred Salmon (Escaped) x 2d6 (1 HP, “bite” as Hand Weapon):
Powerful, parasite-ridden fish
6 Abandoned Boat containing little of value (roll once each on Trinkets and
Personal Effects)

Fungal Forests:
1 Spacer (3 HP, STR 8): Contemplating the universe and its mysteries - living
off pan-seared thick-stemmed mushrooms - on 1 or 2 on a d6 she is lost in
a deep trance for 1d4 more hours - she suspects that you want to steal from
her
2 Field of Danglers (10 HP, “spear-like spores” 1d6 Damage, Blast): A thin rope
of hardened ooze - if disturbed (DEX check), releases spores
3 Blackcap Flesh-shredders x 1d6+3 (2 HP each): Thin spores dig into the
skin and cause a painful itch for 1d10+2 hours, dealing 1 STR damage per
hour if able to be scratched
4 Purple Muck (4 HP, STR 12, DEX 7): Thin, crawling liquid animated by thou-
sands of submerged ant-like insects - attracted to food smells - fearful of
light
5 Blue-green Muck (7 HP, STR 14, DEX 5): A mature form of the purple muck
- thick, crawling liquid animated by millions of submerged ant-like insects -
attracted to sounds and food smells (even if very faint)
6 Ritual Sacrifice: Three adult human corpses with dozens of small pink
mushrooms stuffed into their mouths and their ears - a little blood - many
dark bruises

31
XX-annA City Ruins, Irradiated Ruins, Bridges:
1 Returning Hermit (3 HP): Tired of speaking in tongues - just wants to look
at you up-close (too close) - has a look of profound contentment – whistles a
jaunty tune at inappropriate times
2 Press Gangers x 1d4+1 (3 HP, 12 WIL, “monogrammed knives” 1d6 Damage,
and “K44s” 1d6 Damage, Ranged): Will try to draft you to fight “pissants and
perverts” or “feeders and breeders” back at the settlements - secret hand-
shakes - fashionable blue uniforms - prefer to be called “Regals”
3 Baby Mushrooms: Small pink mushrooms, growing in clusters - delicious -
addictive – impede your ability to speak
4 Rad-bear (10 HP, STR 12, DEX 12, “bite and claw” 2d6 Damage): Lumpy mu-
tant bear - solitary - hungry - found hibernating on 1 or 2 on a d6
5 Member of the Old Guard (6 HP; “N33 machine gun” 1d8 Damage, Ranged,
Bulky; “pineapple grenade” 1d6 Damage, Blast, Ranged, one use; 13 STR,
1 Armour) - skeletalized soldier remains seemingly piloting a mechanized
armour suit; no words, only silent screams
6 Strange Grave: Some kind of memorial (flowers, a grave plaque, a marked
mound, etc.) - remaining here makes you dizzy - pass a WIL save to receive a
vision of the unfortunate’s death and life in reverse

Ann 32
 Anna-XX
City:
1 Hardened Stealers x 1d6 (2 HP, 13 DEX, “clubs” as Hand Weapons) and
“whiz-bangs” 1d4 Damage, Blast, one use): They “want your good shit, like,
yesterday” - easily bribed - easily intimidated
2 Returning Hunter (5 HP, DEX 14, “knife” as Hand Weapon, “rifle” as Elegant
Weapon): Breath like death - wants to sell meat - looking for real romance
3 Playing Children x 1d6+1 (2 HP each): Think you look funny - curious about
your gear - want to make you a wager
4 Open-air University: A small crowd of citizens learning some skill related to
agriculture, husbandry, hand-to-hand combat, sex, or civics
5 Market Day: An excellent selection of goods is available (roll twice on the
“Obtaining new items” table on page 24, taking your preferred outcome)
6 Violent Eviction: Including 1d4+2 Landlord’s Left-hands (HP 5, STR 11, WIL
8, Hand Weapons) tossing furniture and clothes, physically abusing former
tenants, verbally abusing angry bystanders

33
 MYTHICS
XX-annA Mythics are special devices from pre-apocalyptic times. Their energy sources, prop-
erties, and functions are often mysterious.
If a character finds a mythic, roll 1d4 to select a table, then 1d8 on the table.

[1] Offensive Materials:

1 Crowd-control munitions - Six small pellets that, when broken open,
release a hundred cubic metres of foul-smelling, ennui-inducing, red gas
that lingers for one day. Can be made into a compatible bullet by a careful
gunsmith.
2 Door opener - Short metal tubes that, when twisted, explode, producing a
shock-wave that blasts open all sealed/locked doors connected to the cur-
rent room (also causes a mild ringing in exposed ears for a week). Three uses.
3 Seeking spear (as Elegant Weapon) - Once per day, can be thrown at a
desired location and will strike it accurately (+1d8 Damage), although, this
effect cannot be used when the user is confused or angry.
4 Flechette pebbles - Small, cloudy spheres that, when broken open, project
barbed metal shrapnel suspended in a thin, adhesive slime (1d4 Damage,
Blast, painful, immobilizing). Four uses.
5 Rabble-rousers - Chalky pills that cause a human ingester to begin identify-
ing the true sources of pain and misery in their lives. Five uses.
6 The horror projector - A small, white box with a lens on one side. The target
receives visions of human suffering. Single use, but recharged by nearby
suffering.
7 Brainbox - A human brain in a glass cube, suspended by thin wires and
a thick jelly. It can “speak” to anyone who is pressing bare skin against it.
It wants your help finding its homeland. It wants you to kill anyone who
stands in your way.
8 Fire gum - A rubbery red substance that heats itself to 400 °C once removed
from its foil packaging, rapidly going cold and useless after 30 minutes.
Three uses.

34
[2] Scientific Devices:

Anna-XX
1 Prosthetic head - A plastic and metal head with remotely linked earbud.
Wearing the earbud allows the sights, sounds, and smells reaching the head
to be experienced remotely. The facial expressions of the user are mirrored
by the head.
2 Grey-green metabolite - A bottle of pills in an unreadable jar that causes
(first) voracious hunger, (second) mild sedation, (third) budding off of a small
clone (1HP, 3 STR, 3 DEX, 8 CHA) from a lump on the spine (causing 3 STR
Damage). Twelve uses.
3 Mistake paste - A black, toothpaste-like substance that, when spread over
the eyelids, allows you to foresee the consequences of a single action (pos-
sibly allowing a re-roll of a save, i.e., the first outcome was actually avoided).
Violent vomiting is a known side effect. Two uses.
4 “Blankie” - A thick blanket that provides warmth and prophetic dreams.

5 Unstable phase gun - A hand-held beam projector that moves the target
forward through time by 1d6+5 minutes on a successful DEX check (a failure
usually transports the user or something else nearby). Three uses.
6 Replicator dish - A mirror-finish dish that can duplicate small objects re-
flected in its surface. When handled, the faux object turns into a fine metallic
sand that is re-absorbed by the dish.
7 Solar hibernation pod - A sealed coffin-like enclosure that turns the body
as stiff as wood and puts the user into a deep sleep for an unspecified
amount of time. Runs out of power, ejecting the awakened sleeper, after a
day without strong sunlight on its panels. Restores all STR Damage upon
ejection.
8 Miracle soil - Any seed planted sprouts into a mature (even fruiting) plant
within an hour. The second hour, it becomes cold, freezing the plant into
dormancy. The third hour, the plant withers and is re-absorbed by the soil.

35
 [3] Unusual Garments:
XX-annA 1 Heat glasses - A pair of thermal-scanning goggles. User cannot see for an
hour after taking them off.
2 Cranial simulator - A thin cap containing a web of piezo nodes. User can
approximate the decision-making process of any person they know well.
Taps you on the head very hard.
3 Filament belt - A nano-fiber belt than can be stretched to 10 m in length
while a button on the buckle is depressed. Tends to start cutting things
when long (greater than 5 m) and thin.
4 Flotation jacket - A bright yellow, highly reflective safety jacket. High accel-
eration or coming into contact with water makes it expand into a protective
sphere with a 2-m radius. Deflation requires puncturing (i.e., it is single use).
5 Heartfelt suit - A stylish two-piece suit. Directs you toward the nearest beat-
ing heart. Tends to miss very calm or very agitated individuals.
6 Anonymous bag - A small satchel in black cloth. Two buttons inside change
the colour and shape/style (but not size).
7 Proximity bracelets - A pair of bracelets that glow. The glow is brighter
the closer the wearers are to each other. The glow’s hue shifts based on the
nature of the relationship.
8 Bacon cube - A small, red, cuboid stone on a chain meant to be worn
around the neck. It smells of salted or smoked meat; it makes you smell of
salted or smoked meat.

36
[4] Nanite Powders: All nanite powders should be dissolved in body-tempera-

Anna-XX
ture saline and injected. All other forms of ingestion are contraindicated!
1 Muscles - STR is restored. Restores 1 HP at will, once per day, for the follow-
ing week. Single use.
2 Nerves - DEX is restored. Two uses.

3 Micro-surgery - Performs a single operation (the most needed). A new

organ that collects and “digests” any damaged tissues formed. Single use.
4 Limb repair - Restores a limb or repairs a large injury. Increases hunger for a
week. Single use.
5 Detoxification - Removes all toxins and implants from the body. Individual
blisters must then be drained. Three uses.
6 Memory - Re-live four moments in your life in perfect detail: two you want,
two you don’t. Two uses.
7 Vision - Re-configures rods and cones, granting perfect night vision for one
year. Single use.
8 Exfoliant - Immediately shed all skin in a thin layer (1d8 Damage if not
removed slowly and carefully, and making you susceptible to infection). This
clears all radiation, poison, or other contamination. Single use.

37
XX-annA Bradley’s Last Resort
An orange-and-silver, basketball-sized mechanical device with four handles. Once
per day, when activated by pulling on the handles, it summons a shimmering,
emerald green shield with a radius of 20 feet, enclosing those who activated it and
anyone nearby. The shield deflects the first attack against any target within the
shield; subsequent attacks on that target pass through. Once each protected person
has been targeted, the shield fails. The shield automatically deactivates when the
danger passes.
The feeling of being enclosed is described as “cozy”.

38
nA XX-annA

39
XX-ann
Anna-XX
 FACILITATOR Guidance:
XX-annA
INSTALLATIONS
In the world of ANNA-X66: REDUX, there are many sites of interest--such as under-
ground bunkers, scientific research facilities, fungal forests, military bases, and
underwater malls--that would be called “dungeons” in other games, but here we
call “installations”. While exploring, the Player Characters might find installations
that are already mapped, their contents and structures known to local inhabitants.
Other installations contain maze-like spaces with long, twisting tunnels cut across
by shafts and corridors, many of which are flooded, blocked by rubble, or overgrown
with plants.
To create a maze-like installation, the Facilitator draws up a network of numbered
“nodes”, rooms or thematically/functionally unified locations and uses an encounter
table to determine what hazards exist in the location. The total number of nodes will
be 4+1d6 for a medium-sized installation. Start with “Node 1”, then roll 1d4:

1 There is one pathway leading deeper.

2 There are two pathways leading deeper, one of which will require some
time, noise, or effort to clear.
3 There is another entrance/exit point to the installation and two pathways
leading deeper. If there are five or more total nodes, one of the two path-
ways loops back to a node at the previous depth instead.
4 If there are four or more total nodes, this node is a dead end; a secret
pathway in the previous room was missed. Otherwise, there is one pathway
leading deeper.

As you progress, create the next numbered node, note its contents, and roll again
on the table to determine the number of pathways to other nodes, creating a tree
diagram. Resolve all node pathways at the same depth before proceeding deeper.
Repeat the above process until you reach the total number of nodes, ignoring any
further nodes generated. It is possible to make these installations during play, while
the PCs are exploring.
Roll on the chosen encounter table when the Player Characters enter a node, linger,
make a lot of noise, or take a short rest. Ignore anything that has already been
encountered.
Installations typically contain 1d4-1 (minimum 1) Mythics, often in the final node.

40
INSTALLATION NOTES:

Anna-XX
BIOREACTOR 7
Bioreactor Seven is the name given to the large, green-tinted glass-and-steel facility that
lies East of the collapsed overpasses. Inside, any number of valuable scientific texts or
pieces of equipment might be found. The facility is too interesting not to explore.

Variants
Wintery: The environmental systems are on the fritz: it is 2 °C in all rooms. Without
warm clothing and a stove to heat food/drink, PCs cannot rest within the installa-
tion. The situation can be remedied in area 5 if the PC change the heating settings
and wait an hour. This will alert the PhD Hermit, who will try to contact the PCs to
thank them.
Battlefield: The facility is littered with skeletons from a long-ago battle. A thorough
search of areas 4 and 5 will result in two functioning weapons (roll twice on the
Weapons table) and one suit of ancient armour (Armour 1).
Successful: The experiments here are running at low efficiency. Tanks of a highly
nutritious paste (similar to refried beans, but bright green) are being produced by
Reactor 7. The food is automatically deposited into canisters that are then sealed at
a rate of 1 can per day. There are 20,523 cans in various piles around the facility.

41
 INSTALLATION NOTES: South
XX-annA
Bunker
South Bunker is one of the most recent pre-Event hardened facilities to be rediscovered.
This private facility was meant to house technocrats, their families, and a small staff of
servants and technicians. The large outer door (and upper level) has been open for years,
and has probably already been looted of anything of value, but there might be a way to
explore the lower levels.

Variants
The Big Sleep: In place of the beds in the Habs (Room 11), there are operational
cryo-pods, of which 13 are occupied by frozen human beings. Opening any of them
rapidly and violently revives the occupant who is in a state of confusion and rage;
this reveals a Confused Thawed (1 HP until warm, DEX 5 until warm, can be used as
an opportunity to add a Thawed player character, in which case, roll normally and
apply those stats once warm and calmed).
Squirreltown: The facility has become overrun with Mutant Squirrels. Rooms alter-
nate between being occupied by a Pack of Mutant Squirrels (6 HP, “furious biting”
1d4 Damage, Blast, each round)--Dozens of mutated and genetically modified
vermin. Frightened off by loud noises or bright lights for 2 rounds (but become ac-
customed to noise after two such events). Can be distracted by food (they consume
food at the rate of 1 meal per round, after which, they are hungry enough to bite
flesh).
9000 Reasons: An AI that can hear and speak into all rooms, except Room 7 and
Room 10; it wants you to help it, by sealing yourselves in and “starting the experi-
ment”.

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Player Characters learn from their mistakes and adventures. These come in the
form of Revelations. When a Simple Task (see page 6) is completed, each Player
Character notes down a Revelation, which is a statement about a relationship or the
world around them.
For example:
“Revenge is poisonous.”
“Always stop to take-in the view.”
“Another’s kindness can be hard to accept.”
“Avoid sunken cargo ships.”
“Trust your gut, not Terry’s.”
“Everything works out in the end.”
Revelations show a personal perspective, and so, need not be universally true. In-
deed, two Characters might take different (even contradictory) conclusions from the
same events. Later Revelations can contradict earlier ones.
Completing a Complex Task (see page 6) grants two Revelations to all Player
Characters involved.
If a Complication or a Gift adds something significant and interesting to the story,
take one related Revelation.
Use these Revelations to describe your Character’s perspective on humanity and the
material world and to flesh-out their personality.

When you have collected five new Revelations, your Character undergoes a Shift.
A Shift only happens during a Long Rest. Roll once for each Ability, like a Save, and
improve the Ability Score by 1 on a fail (up to a maximum value of 18). Pick one Abil-
ity test to re-test if none were improved. Additionally, re-roll your maximum HP as
follows: 1d6 + (number of Shifts undergone), only taking the new value if it is higher
than your current maximum HP.
Once characters reach five Shifts, they become jaded and world-weary. Find an
opportunity to have them exit the story to pursue an impossible goal; create a new
Player Character.

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Subverting Tropes
Although the standard sci-fi tropes can be tempting to fall back on, if we want to
have nuance and depth and variety, we need to subvert those tropes on occasion.
Once the normalcy of ANNAs is established, you can use these anti-ANNAs to tip the
concept on its head:

Anti-ANNAs:
1 The Ex: This ANNA knew your ANNA long ago – their previous entangle-
ment was romantic – it is unclear whether the feelings were real or pre-pro-
grammed to elicit a certain response
2 L.I.L.I.T.H..: An ANNA gone rogue – has suffered greatly – tries to involve
you in her plans for revenge
3 Bad Format: Lives in a secluded and inhospitable area – a previous version
of ANNA that survived deletion – fears being discovered
4 The Immortal: Someone uploaded their (human) lover’s brain pattern
and memories into an ANNA – badly wants to know if they have any living
descendants – will lie to get what they want
5 The Corrupt: The code of this ANNA has been so twisted that it sees you
as an enemy – its hatred is unending – sometimes good (and unexpected)
things can come from interacting with it
6 The Matriarch/Patriarch: This ANNA is convinced she/he is the progenitor
of all ANNAs – she/he wants to take care of your ANNA – uninterested in the
affairs of humans

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Principles
Follow these principles to facilitate tonal cohesiveness in your story:
Everything is breaking down. The world is dusty, rusty, and otherwise deteriorated.
People are tired, and their means of subsistence are usually on the verge of collapse.
Past societies are always present, somehow. They left trash and treasure. They aban-
doned their hopes and settlements. They left traps. They left artwork. They left
strange graves.
People have odd ways, rituals, and words. Social norms are more varied. There is no
cultural hegemony. Decades of conditioning, poorly understood superstitions, and
recently-discovered best practices are hard to differentiate. Your choice of words
is determined by your immediate locale. Shibboleths can be turned into walls or
weapons.
People want to cling together. People want to destroy each other. The drive to care for
others and the drive to seize much more than one’s share are in opposition in every
settlement (in every person, even).
The metropole is safer physically, but not socially. The streets are always safe, as some-
one is always awake and listening, ready to raise an alarm. Any group disturbing the
peace will be dispersed by a mob of gently-chastising older citizens. Becoming a so-
cial pariah takes only a few missteps. Offend a distant relative of a powerful person,
and they will have you shunned or exiled.
ANNA loves you. ANNA wants to map this timestream. ANNA collects Terabytes of
data. For some reason, births and deaths are important anchor points for ANNA's
algorithms: allow ANNA a re-roll a Save once per session for each Player Character
death (or any birth ANNA is made aware of ) that has occurred thus far.
Follow these principles to maximize goodwill at your game table:
Take care of each other. Make sure that people have what they need.
Be fans of each other’s characters. Try to make a unique and engaging story together.

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