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ARCLIGHT REVELATIONTIANMAR

A 24-HOUR RPG BY LOWELL FRANCIS

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TABLE OF CONTENTSI: V ICTORY OV ER MA RS PAGE 1

II: BASICS PAGE 3

III: CHA RACT ER CREAT ION PAGE 3

IV: CONFLICT S A ND ACT IONS PAGE 7

V: ST EA MLA RKS PAGE 12

V I: GM: A DV ENT URES A ND MISCEL LA NY PAGE 14

V II: GM: SOURCES A ND SECRET S PAGE 19

CHA RACT ER SHEET PAGE 21

ARCLIGHT REVELATION TIANMAR

Arclight Revelation Tianmaris a 24 Hour RPG created for the RPG Geek 2012 Contest.It is released under the standard Creative Commons Share-Alike License. Quotationsfrom H.G. Wells'The War of the Worlds are taken from the public domain edition ofthat text. All art and artwork used here is drawn from the Public Domain or Creative

Commons Resources. Shareware font "Steamwreck" used for the Title Font. WorldWar One images come from the public domain image repository Images of the GreatWar. Child labor images come fromThe History Place: Child Labor in America 1908 -1912. This game was written by Lowell Francis beginning at 4pm Sunday, October28th through 4pm Monday October 29th, 2012.

Dedicated to Sherri L. Stewart.

Visit his blog at http://ageofravens.blogspot.com/

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I. VICTORY OVER MARS

I go to London and see the busy multitudes in Fleet Street and the Strand, and it comes across my mind thatthey are but the ghosts of the past, haunting the streets that I have seen silent and wretched, going to and fro,

phantasms in a dead city, the mockery of life in a galvanised body. And strange, too, it is to stand onPrimrose Hill, as I did but a day before writing this last chapter, to see the great province of houses, dim andblue through the haze of the smoke and mist, vanishing at last into the vague lower sky, to see the peoplewalking to and fro among the flower beds on the hill, to see the sight-seers about the Martian machine thatstands there still, to hear the tumult of playing children, and to recall the time when I saw it all bright andclear-cut, hard and silent, under the dawn of that last great day

H.G. Wells,The War of the Worlds

In 1898 the Martian Invasion came, struck down terrestrial armies, overwhelmed all of mankind,and then collapsed- destroyed apparently by the tiniest defenders. The Earth had won and hadbeaten back the alien menace. From the ruins, the great centers of industry and life shattered,humanity declared that victory had come. But perhaps it had not. Just as our own biosphere hadoffered a poison to the Martians in time, what they had brought to Earth offered an equally deadlytoxin. The Red Weed did not simply vanish with the passing of the Invaders. It seemed briefly topause and then it returned with a vengeance. What should have been a time of rebuilding became a

brief respite before a longer and more insidious war began.No one knows exactly when the Weed Swarm mutated, when it became some different. Rumorshad come from the life-choked countryside, of small animals, insects, birds which had beenchanged- infected by tendrils from the plants. These crimson animals seemed crazed, rushingtowards settlements only to be put down. It drips and drabs it began with a few, then a handful,then a pack off maddened animals. And then after seasons the Weed Swarms became smart-intelligently striking at targets. But even more dangerous were the hybrids and the fusions. Greaterbeats and monsters- grafted together out of red weed, animal flesh, scrap, and metal. The people ofEarth fight a war against this roving menace- utilizing all of the industrial technology they canbring to bear.

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Andsome saythat is the problem.

There are rumors, dark rumors that the redWeed did not simply awaken itself. They saythat experiments, delvings, researches byscientists and engineers across the planet

created this threat. The Martians had died butleft behind their technology, their organicscience, their bodies, and their war machines.How could mankind resist the siren lure? Howcould they not adapt those techniques to maketransports, steam conveyors, high-temperaturefurnaces, medical advancements, and, of course,weapons?

LONDON 1916

Great Britain still stands, overseen by herMajesty Queen Victoria. She has lost many ofher colonies, but remains stronger and moreintact than other besieged nations such asAustro-Hungary, The Ottomon Empire, andCzarist Russia. The British have led the way inthe adaptation of Martian technologies, usingthose to fight back against the Weed Swarm andits many and varied minions. The newest secretweapon in the crowns arsenal are the

mechanized armored suits or mecha, code-named Steamlarks. Many hope that these will bethe salvation of the Empire and the means forhunting down and destroying the Swarmsdens.

PREMISE

InArclight Revelation Tianmarplayers take therole of teens recruited by The Crystal Palace topilot Steamlarks. They will human civilizationagainst the predations of the mutated remnantsof the Martian Invasion of 1898. The Red Weed,once a simple symptom of the alienencroachment, has gained sentience, pollutingand corrupting native flora and fauna. WeedSwarm now comes in many forms andmonstrous shapes. To secretly raise and trainpilots for the Steamlarks, The Crystal Palace has

co-opted the Spencer House Academy. Thosewho possess the mental talent necessary to pilotthe Steamlarks are brought to South London-one of several splintered enclaves made up fromthe once great city. The Divided by walls, theeleven London subdistricts are a mix ofbordering holdings and towns separated byWeedlands.

The Crystal Palace operates in secret from thehidden Crystal Palace Development Fortress

(CPDF). They need pilots with discipline, butalso balance in their lives. Military-like livingconditions and training resulted in catastrophe.Instead the staff have taken a morepsychological approach- splitting pilots livesbetween a public face of school-children as asecret existence of training and field operations.But even this is a strain on these young men andwomen- who must face the awful horror of theWeedswarm and still hope for normal lives. Canthey survive?

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II. Basics

Arclight Revelation Tianmar(ART) offers simplemechanics. Characters primarily have skills,distinctions, and damage tracks. Skills representthat a characters better at something.Distinctions are special unique talents thecharacters possess. The damage tracks measure

of damage a character has taken; they haveseveral parts to it: Physical Threshold,Composure Threshold, Shocks, and Sufferings.ART is a game about characters put in awfulsituations- so measuring and dealing withdamage should present a real challenge to thecharacters.

This game uses two die types: d10s and d6s.Youll need a couple of both.

When a character performs an action, the GMhas to decide if they should roll for it. Generallyonly have players roll if it would be interesting,especially if failure could be notable and painful.If an action isnt difficult or only modestlydifficult but the player has some skill with thearea, then give that to the players. They willhave plenty of opportunity to fail later.

When players attempt an action, the GMdeclares the difficulty. The player then rolls1d10, attempting to beat that difficulty. If the

player has a skill or a beneficial circumstance,they may add 1d6 to their roll. Other optionsallow for further dice or even a d10 to be added.For example the rules allow players or partymembers to take damage on themselves to gainan additional d6. Players may always opt to adda +2 to a roll instead of rolling added d6s.

Generally, to perform a standard action, with nopressure requires a character roll a 7+.

Some actions may require special experience ortraining- like programming a calculation engineor flying a biplane. It is up to the player and GMto negotiate about whether the player has suchexperience. If they have the skill on their sheet,thats great. If not, theyd better be able to spin astory about why they might be familiar with thetask. The GM should feel free to radicallyincrease the difficulty of a task where the playerhas no experience.

III. Cha ract er Creation

Characters inArclight Revelation Tianmarare allyoung people, recruited by The Crystal Palace,to pilot mechas aka Steamlarks in defense ofhuman civilization against the predations of themutated remnants of the Martian Invasion of1898. The teen characters have been recruited by

a secret method- selecting those who possess thestrange talent to pilot the Steamlarks. Tomaintain secrecy and stability for the pilots, theyhave been enrolled in a private academy, nearthe hidden Crystal Palace Development Fortress(CPDF). The PCs have to balance their lives-between school days, trying to master theirunruly mecha, and fighting the Weed Swarmand its various manifestations.

DISTINCTIONS

The teenage characters have been thrust into thisdangerous world- strange, foreign, and outsideof their control. To make it easy to put together acharacter, players begin with a three stageprocess of selecting distinctions. Below youllfind three lists- A, B, and C. Roll a die to seewhich player gets to pick first. That playerchooses a distinction from list A. Then the nextplayer clockwise does so. The last player to pickthen also chooses a distinction from list B and

the choice moves back counterclockwise. Thelast player in that round then chooses adistinction from list C and it goes backclockwise. In the end, each player will end upwith three distinctions which act as a phrasedescribing their character. Each distinction has atangible effect- with those from list B beingnegative. Each distinction may only be takenonce.

So for example, aSneaky Hotheaded Athleteor a

Famous Arrogant Church-Goer.

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LIST A

Adaptable: When you spend threshold to add ad6 to your own tests, you may roll two dice andtake the higher.

Agile: Add +1 to all Dodge rolls.

Beautiful/Handsome: You have a benefit when

trying to manipulate those who would bephysically attracted to you.

Brainy: Add +1 to all Academic and Researchrolls.

Calculating: If youre picked to act last in around, you may pick yourself to go first in thefollowing round.

Clever: You gain +2 to attempts to read peopleor sense their motivations.

Cute: Social attacks on you will trigger reprisalsfrom your protectors.

Elite: Add +2 to all Status rolls.

Experienced: You may change one of your skillsinto an Expert skill.

Famous: Add +2 to all check to make friendsand establish romances.

Fearsome: You do +1d mental damage.

Friendly: When taking mental damage, youhave a base resistance of 2 and increase thenumber needed to do damage to you by 1.

Funny: You do +1d social damage.

Keen-eyed: Add +1 to all perception type rolls.

Lucky: Once per scene you may reroll 1d6.

Reliable: Begin with +2 Composure Threshold.

Sneaky: Add +1 to all sneaking, stealth, andlying rolls.

Strong-Willed: When taking mental damage,you have a base resistance of 2 and increase thenumber needed to do damage to you by 1.

Swift: When you make a move action on foot,you may move two blocks instead of one.

Tough: You gain +1 physical resistance.

LIST B

Angry: When you fail a social test, you take apoint of Composure threshold

Arrogant: When a player sacrifices for you, roll1d6. If odd, you dont give them a bond.

Cautious: When you add dice to a roll, you must

use at least half of them (round up) at theiroptional bonus instead of rolling them.

Cold: Subtract 1 from all Presence rolls.

Desperate: You have -2 to all rolls to set upromances or friendships.

Gullible: You are easily mislead. Take a point ofComposure damage to see through fabrications.

Hormonal: You are driven by lust and passion,always trying to catch a glimpse of skin or

access to naughty bits.Hotheaded: If challenged, you must accept ortake a point of Composure damage.

Jealous: When someone else gains recognition,you must attempt to downplay or undercut it.

Lone Wolf: You cannot sacrifice for otherplayers, nor can they sacrifice for you.

Milquetoast: You may not take Willpower,Leader, Mecha Control, or Self-Assurance skills.

Nervous: Reduce Composure Threshold by 2.

Shy: You may take the friends skill. You have a-2 to all public presentation tests.

Subservient: You may not take the SelfAssurance or Willpower skills. You must make atest to go against group consensus.

Timid: Subtract 1 from all Fighting rolls.

Uncultured: Subtract 2 from tests of arts ,literature, performances, dancing, and the like.

Uneducated: Subtract 1 from all Brains rolls.

Untrustworthy: Given the opportunity, the GMmay require you to take a point of Composurethreshold to avoid betraying someone.

Weird: You begin with a ComposureBreakdown at the start, taking a second oneforces your character to retire.

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LIST C

Athlete: Gain the Athletics skill for free.

Bookworm: You begin the game with fourobscure areas of knowledge you have mastery of(Ancient Greek, Wallpaper Designs in theRegency Period). You may define these in playto give yourself a benefit.

Church-Goer: Gain +2 Composure Threshold.

Class Clown: When you take a ComposureShock or Suffering, you may reduce the damagetaken by an additional point.

Comrade: When you spend threshold to aid anally, they roll 1d10 instead of 1d6.

Directors Child: You have 12 points instead of10 to spend on your Steamlark suit.

Enigma: You may change one of your skills toanother one between each session.

Expert: Change one skill into an Expert skill.

Hero: When you spend threshold to aid an ally,roll 1d10. If you roll a 10, you may clear athreshold damage instead.

Leader: Gain a benefit to all attempts to lead orcommand.

Noble: Gain the Status skill for free.

Rogue: You gain +1 with all non-mecha combattests.

Shootist: You do +1d with all ranged attacks.

Social Butterfly: You gain +4 to all checks todefend against social attacks.

Streetfighter: You do +1d with all unarmedattacks.

Survivor: Begin with +2 Physical Threshold.

Teachers Pet: You gain +1 to all school-workrelated tests and have

Urchin: You grew up in the streets, giving you a+1 to Thief and Streetwise checks. You also gaina =1 to all attempts to escape or flee.

Warrior: You do +1d with all armed meleeattacks.

World Traveler: You have built up an immunityto Red Weed toxins and poisons.

SKILLS

Skills fall into four categories: Fighting,Physique, Presence, and Brains. Usually if youhave a skill, you roll +1d6 when making a test inthat area. Optionally, you can add a flat +2instead of rolling. Each category has a number ofskills associated with it. These are general

suggestions, players and GMs may wish to addother skills to the list. Some skills are MechaSkills meaning that theyre used when pilotingor working with the Steamlarks.

Players may also have Expert Skills- meaningthat when the player uses the skill, they may roll+1d10 instead of 1d6. Optionally, they may add+4 to their roll.

Players pick skills in each of the categories.

One category gets an Expert skill and threeother skills

One category gets three skills

One category gets two skills

One category gets one skill

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FIGHTING SKILLS

Fisticuffs: Unarmed combat punches and kicks

Grapple: Grappling and holds

Guns: From pistols to rifles

Melee: Armed HTH combat

Parry: Blocking melee or slow ranged attacksMecha HTH: With equipped melee weapons,limbs or picked up objects.

Mecha Parry: Blocking non-ranged strikes

Mecha Shooting: Use of equipped rangedweapons on Steamlarks

PHYSIQUE SKILLS

Acrobatics: Tumbling, rolling, circus-folkhijinks.

Climbing: Trees or whatnot.

Dodge: Evading incoming attacks.

Feats of Strength: Bend bars, lift gates.

Jumping: Mind the gap.

Running: Faster than your companions.

Sports: All of them- I mean, if you take this skillyou ought to get your moneys worth.

Stealth: Being sneaky and quiet. GMs may alsowish to have this as a Brains skill.

Swimming: You wont take this, and youll feelstupid about that later.

Mecha Evasion: Getting out of the way ofattacks in your Steamlark.

Mecha Pilot: Fancy tricks in your Steamlark.

PRESENCE SKILLS

Charm: Being nice.

Friends: Contacts and having a circle of friendswho look out for you.

Intimidate: Being scary- not just yelling atpeople.

Leadership: Commanding demeanor.

Lie: Making your deceptions more palatable.

Performance: Art, dance, singing, entertaining,etc. A generous GM might use this for

impersonation and the like.

Read People: Getting a sense of peoplesmotivations and needs.

Self-Assurance: Ability to resist mental pressureand social attacks.

Society: You know about the rules of groups,

bureaucracy, and fitting in.Status: Social place- used to manipulate others.Also reflects wealth.

Streetwise: You know how to gather rumors,survive on the means streets, and establish afagin-like network of tuffs.

Mecha Control: Steamlarks can have a mind oftheir own- pilots must exert mental control.

BRAINS SKILLS

Academics: Most importantly, knowledge ofhow to finish homework rapidly.

Culture: Arts, literature, and manners.

Detection: Used to investigate, search andassemble clews.

Driving: Operating any kind of vehicle- GMmay alternately allow this under Physique.

First Aid: My spleen!

Mechanics: All kinds of fixing things.Observation: The passive perception skill.

Science: Knowledge of things like chemistry,aeronautics, maths.

Survival: What not to eat.

Thief: Includes locking picking, b&e, fencing.

Trivia: The catch-all knowing things skill.

Willpower: Resisting emotional pressure and

mind control.Mecha Engineering: Ability to fix and repairyour mecha. Used to jerry-rig your Steamlarkwhen things go pear-shaped.

DAMAGE T RACKS

Every character begins with 5 points each intheir Physical and Composure damage tracks.They then have five more points they can dividebetween those two tracks as they see fit.

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IV. CONFLICT AND ACTIONS

Arclight Revelations Tainmarhandles like astandard rpg- with players and the GMexchanging details and negotiating results.When a result is uncertain and important,players go to the dice. On your turn you canmove and do something (operate a device,

shoot, hunt through rubble, move again).

ORDER OF ACTIONS

When conflict breaks out and order of actions isimportant, one player and the GM should bothroll a d10. If the players win, then they shoulddice off to see which of their side goes first. Ifthe GM wins, then one of the opposition actsfirst. After someone has taken an action, theyselect who goes next. They may only choosesomeone who has not yet acted this round.Characters may not delay when picked. The lastcharacter acting on a round picks the firstcharacter of the following round, but may notchoose themselves. If the GM won initiative orwent first in a round, they must pick a PC next.Otherwise, the GM may only have a number ofNPCs go equal to the number of PCs who justwent in sequence. For example, Scott goes firstand then picks Derek to go next. Derek goes andthen selects an NPC Opponent to act next. The

GM may only have that NPC and one other gobefore selecting a PC again. This rule does notapply if the only remaining choices are NPCs, inthis case, the GM may activate them all insequence.

STA NDA RD ACTIONS

When attempting an action, the player declareswhat they want to accomplish and how. TheGM then sets the difficulty for the action. This isthe number the player must roll above for

success. The standard roll uses 1d10. Players canincrease their chances by employing thefollowing factors:

*Having a related skill: The GM decides whichskill fits with the action.

*Beneficial circumstances: The player can makean argument that something important aboutthe set up and scene gives them a bonus: higherground, secret knowledge, cover, etc. The GM

can accept the argument, ask for an additionalroll to check, require an additional action to setup the benefit for their next action, or say no.

*Equipment: Super-cool equipment can offer abenefit.

*Distinctions: Certain distinctions may offer abonus, depending on the action.

*Pushing It: A character may mark off a box oftheir Composure or Physical Threshold to gain abonus.

*Assistance: An ally may spend their action toadd to the characters effect.

*Sacrifice: A fellow party member may mark offa box of their Composure or Physical Thresholdto give a bonus- this does not take an action.

A player may add a bonus from each of theseareas only once per attempt. The benefit is either+1d6 added to the roll or a flat +2. If a playeruses an Expert Skill, they add +1d10 or +4instead.

If, after all is said and done, you beat thedifficulty declared by the GM you succeed.

SETT ING DIFFICULTIES

The base difficulty for an action is 7+. As a ruleof thumb, the GM should consider all of the

things which make the situation morecomplicated: player wounds, bad footing, heavyrain, light in their eyes, unfamiliarity with thelocation, darkness, etc.- and add +2 or +3 to thedifficulty for each one. Players have manyresources to call upon and over time youll getused to putting things just enough out of theirreach that they have to work for it. Honestly,thats the GMs job- being a reasonably faira**hole. Firing into a melee, hitting a precise

point, etc- all of these ought to be covered bythis.

If the action affects an active and opposing NPC,the situations handled slightly differently. Mostof the time, this revolves around combat- social,mental, or physical. The resolution systempresented here is player-facing. NPCs operatedifferently. NPCs have an Attack and DefenseNumber; often they have different values fordifferent kinds of combat. With these characters,

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the GM takes that value, rolls 1d6 and tells theplayer. The GM may add bonuses to the rollbased on the circumstances. Thats the numberthe player has to beat.

For example, Pattis having a showdown with herrival, Kaitlyn St. Augustine, at a School Party.Kaitlyn attempts to make a social attack to embarrass.

She has a Social Attack of 4. The GM rolls a 4. Thismeans that Patti must roll a 9+ to resist or deflect thewitty barb. If, for example, Kaitlyn has arranged tohave her circle of close friends around her to heckle,the GM might give her a +2 bonus, meaning thatPatti would need to roll an 11+ to resist.

COMP LICATING FACTORS

FUMBLES

If you roll a majority of 1s on your die roll,

you have fumbled. For fumble evaluationpurposes, taking a +2 on a 1d6 instead of rollingcounts as a 2. If you fumble, you have twochoices. Either take two points of Threshold(which track is players choice) or allow the GMto declare some awful results to the action.

WIN BIG

For every full three points you beat a test by,you can gain an extra effect. Commonly in

combat, this will be an extra die of damage. Butyou may also request something happen to youropponent (knocked down, armor weakened), afree move, a bonus to your next action, newinformation, etc.

SCALE

Especially for physical combats, the map shouldbe broken into blocks. The actual size of theseshouldnt matter. Characters within a block canhit anyone else in it with a ranged or meleeattack. Characters in an adjacent block can be hitwith ranged attacks of any kind. Charactersmore than a block away can only be hit by longrange attacks (guns and bow mostly, notknives). Generally, anything on the map can betargeted by long range attacks- but if the targetis several blocks away or if theres junk or cover

in the way, the GM should increase thedifficulty.

Players may move from one block to anotherwith a move action. They can positionthemselves freely within a zone as a move actionas well.

ALL OUT DEFENSE

A character who is only defending, rolls anadditional +1d6 to any defense checks.

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Pv P

If two players are opposing one another, theaction is contested, with both players makingrolls. All those involved roll 1d10. The low rollermust declare what factor theyre applying totheir roll, then the next highest declares, and soon. This continues until all players pass and

have no more factors to add. The players thenroll and the highest wins and has control of theresults.

LONGER ACTIONS

Some actions will obviously take longer- the GMmay decide to have a series or rolls or oneaggregate roll at the end.

CONFLICT AND DAMAGE

A conflict happens any time someone or

something tries to cause composure or physicaldamage to a target. Most RPG conflicts arephysical- punching, stabbing, and smashingopponents into submission. But conflicts canalso be social- insulting, destroying reputation,humiliating or mental- frightening, intimidating,or torturing. In all of these cases, a successful hitwill cause damage.

Any attack has base damage, usuallydetermined by the weapon. A weapons damage

is written as X + Yd. A weapon always does Xpoints of damage. It also can do extra damage,based on rolling Yd10s. How much damagedepends on the target. A target has armor withtwo factors # to damage and resistance (R). Theresistance is subtracted from all damage done.

ARMOR

Clothing 6+

Leather Jacket 6+ R1

Reinforced Flight Suit 7+Chain or Scale Mail 7+ R1

Guard Specialist Armor 7+ R2

Plated Armor 8+ R1

WEA P O NS

Unarmed 2+2d

Knives 1+4d

Clubs/Staff 2+3d

Maces/Axe 2+4d

Sword 3+3dSpear 1+5d

2H Sword 4+3d

Great Axe 3+5d

Pistol 2+5d

Rifle 3+6d

Shotgun 1+7d

Lightning Gun 10d

Bow 2+4d

Crossbow 3+3d

Rock/Slingstone 1+5d

So a pistol hitting someone in a leather jacketwould do base 2 damage plus roll 5d10. Forevery six or better rolled, it would do one morepoint. After rolling and totaling, the jacketwould reduce the damage done by one point.

What about social and mental combat? The GMwill have to eyeball the situation, but generallysuch attacks among peers do 2+4d damage. Bydefault, the attacker needs 6+ to do damage.Circumstances will modify this. For example theskills Self-Assurance and Willpower shouldraise the number needed to do damage and/oract as Resistance. Having friends around tosupport you could also help mitigate the effects.On the reverse side, skills like Intimidate andStatus might be applied offensively, increasing

damage. The circumstances- who is present,what the relative ranks are, the social ties,should all be a factor in this. For more classicmental effects- like frights and confusion, theevents themselves should determine the damagedone. For example, a PC will take less frightdamage from seeing a horde of glowing-eyedrats than from seeing a corpse rise up and thenexplode in a shower of gore.

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SHOCKS AND SUFFERING

Players will take a lot of damage. Life in SouthLondon deals plenty of hard knocks. TheAcademy is a place of rivalries, petty-infighting,social calamities, and wicked cliques. TheCrystal Palace team constantly pushes pilots totheir limits, with little concern about emotional

state- despite statements to the contrary. Theinner circle will alternate withholds affectionand actively punishes for failings. Pettyhumiliations will take their toll. And thats notconsidering damage taken in the field.

When characters take damage, they mark it ontheir Composure and Physical Threshold track.When they run out of boxes on either side, theyhave a breakdown. This can be a collapse or apsychotic break. If in a relatively safe place, they

can recover after a brief GM-narrated interludeof awfulness and tragedy. Once they do so, theygain a permanent negative effect- a trait or detailwhich remains. Physical maladies could be aweakened constitution, a missing hand, loss ofan eye, or a limp. Composure maladies could bean obsessive behavior, fear of something,situational paralysis, hallucinations, or amnesia.Players may choose or let the GM decide. If acharacter suffers a second breakdown of thesame type, then they must retire- with the GM

narrating a bad end for them.

If a player has a breakdown in a dangerousplace- while in the field or abandoned andalone, they may be retired or die. Players whohave not suffered a breakdown may be called onto rescue broken players, making for an evenmore challenging situation.

Thankfully, PCs have a couple of ways to offsetthis. When they take damage, they may take

either a Shock or a Suffering to reduce the finaldamage. A Shock temporarily limits use of askill. If taking physical damage, the lost skillwill be from the Physique or Fighting category.If social or mental, it will be from the Brains orPresence category. The GM randomizes whichskill is lost. Choosing to do this reduces thedamage taken by three points.

A Suffering, on the other hand, is a problemwhich stays with the character for a longer

period. Players should decide and narrate whatthe effect will be to the GM. If they accept theoffer, the player may reduce the damage by upto six points. If a player cannot come up withsomething, but still wants to reduce damagefrom the hit, roll 1d6 on one of the two followingtables:

PHYSICAL

1: Random limb crushed or crippled.

2: Blinded: Increases all difficulties.

3: Verge of Unconsciousness: roll a test eachround or pass out.

4: Bleeding: take one point each round untilmedical treatment can be performed.

5: Weakened: Number to wound you physicallyand resistance are reduced by one. All damageyou do is reduced by 2 points.

6: Disoriented: Roll two d10 for any physical testand take the lowest.

COMPOSURE

1: Loss of Status: Reduce maximum ComposureThreshold by two.

2: Alienation: Friend or ally turns on you.

3. Unsure: Roll two d10 for any mental/social

test and take the lowest.4. Black Mark: Additional difficulty to all socialtests.

5. Forgotten: Loss the benefit of a List A or CDistinction.

6. Loss of Face: Number to wound yourcomposure and resistance are reduced by one.All composure damage you do is reduced by 2points.

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BONDS

When a character sacrifices for anothercharacter, they create a bond. Theres a space oneach characters sheet to record the names ofeveryone in the party. When you sacrifice, markthe box to show youve created a bond. Bondscan help in several ways. In later scenes you can

spend that bond to give yourself an advantageto a social interaction or conflict, provided thatcharacter is present. As well, bonds can be usedto recover Composure damage.

RECOVE RY

Physical damage threshold recovers at a rate ofone point per hour of rest. Bed rest or medicaltreatment halves that time. A character maymake a first aid check on themselves or anothercharacter to recover one point of Physical

Threshold immediately. Formal medicaltreatment can recover one Shocked skill per day,randomly determined. Recovering a sufferingtakes a week.

Composure damage is more complicated.Composure threshold also recovers at a rate of

one point per hour in a pleasant and calmenvironment. However if the character has anyShocks, they always keep at least oneComposure threshold box marked. If they haveany Sufferings, they keep another Composurethreshold box marked. Thus, players cannotrecover fully until theyve dealt with those.

Players can clear shocks in two ways. In anyscene after theyve received the Shock, they mayspend a bond to clear a Shock. Second, they mayclear a Shock or a Suffering Composure effectvia a social success. They must best a rival, makea new friend, do well on an important test, beelected class representative, join a private group,gain an admirer, win recognition from someoneimportant, gain praise from a figure theyrespect, and so on. The GM and player shouldnegotiate and figure out how much they want toplay out these elements. In part they should bean encouragement for characters to makecontacts and develop bonds with NPCs at theAcademy and The Crystal Palace.

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IV. STEAMLARKS

Every character has a Mecha, more commonlyknown as a Steamlark. These mechanical suitsoperate with revolutionary technologyharvested from the Martians. Many of thedeepest principles of that technology remain thesecret province of the Crystal Palace staff and

researchers. Other divisions within HerMajestys Government, as well as foreignpowers would love to get their hands on thetechnology. What is known is that the size of thecontrol chamber for the suits as well as thePsycholumiferous Connections work best withyoung adults. They can issues mentalcommands to their suits and have them act withlightning speed.

Steamlark suits range from 12 to 16 feet tall.

They have a strange mix of ornate brass retro-technology, practical grey steel industrial designof the 1910s, and strange adapted Martianelements like lenses and silvery metal. Thesesuits generally operate attached to an energytether- a reinforced cable which can be strungalong from a great Steam Carriage followingthem. Detached from the carriage and cable, thesuits will only operate for about an hour beforesafety relays shut them down. The suits can betemperamental- requiring the pilots remain calmand stable while operating them. This meansconstant pressure to train and daily testing atCrystal Palace.

RULES

The Steamlark suits are powerful weapons,highly useful against the forces of theWeedswarm. Generally theyre a scale largerthan normal people and conventional weapons.To reflect this, all damage done to Steamlark

suits by conventional attack is halved beforeapplying resistance. Some larger Weedswarmcreatures also have this benefit. Steamlarkweapons are particularly nasty- so when appliedto normal people, double the damage beforerolling and applying Resistance. Mecha haveonly one Threshold Track- Damage. They do nottake Composure damage, but their pilots stillcan. Any physical attacks on the Mecha dodamage to the suit first.

For mecha actions, players use the Mecha skillsrather than their own.

Steamlarks are heavy and can easily fall throughrickety areas. GMs can randomize the number ofdamage dice taken from such falls.

Characters with Mecha Engineering can repair1d3 damage points in the field with time. TheGM may also let them fix critical hits with a roll,depending on the circumstance. Any moresubstantial damage must be repaired back atThe Crystal Palace facility.

Players may boost their mecha for an action bymaking a Mecha Control roll. If they succeedthey can gain an advantage or raise a detail (likespeed or dice of damage) on their action. If theyfail, the mecha takes a point of damage. If theyfumble, they lose their action as well.

Mechas are big and therefore easier for non-mecha opponents to hit.

BUILDING SUITS

All Steamlarks begin with the following set up:

Speed:1 Block Move (15 mph)

Armor:7+/2R

Unarmed Damage:2+4d

Damage Threshold:10Players then have ten points to spend to buyupgrades for their suits. Each item listed belowcosts one point or the number in parenthesis.Each may only be taken once, unless otherwiselisted.

SYSTEMS

Air Canisters: The suit has a built in 30 minuteair supply.

Armor: Increase the suits resistance by 1. Thismay be taken twice.

Calculational Reflexers: The suit has anadvantage for dodge tests. (2)

Custom Weapon: One weapon does +2ddamage.

Extra Ammo: An extra complete load of ammofor one weapon. If randomly rolled as the effectfor a critical hit, roll two more critical hits.

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Gyro-Stabilizers: If knocked down, the suit maystand up as a Move rather than a full action.

Iron Sights: The suit has an attack advantagewith one weapon.

Jumping Legs: The suit may make amazingleaps- launching upwards vertically up to twiceits height.

Nocturnal Illuminators: The pilot can see in thedark.

Plating: The suit may raise the number to bedamaged by one. (2)

Pressurizers: Steamlark suits are strong, but thissuit can lift incredible weights.

Reversers: The suit may move backwards whilefiring and facing forwards.

Shield: The suit has an advantage with parrytests.

Smoke Launcher: The suit can launch smoke inan area, making attacks and spotting harder.

Superstructure: Increase Damage Threshold by2. This may be taken up to four times.

Telescope: The suit has an advantage forperception tests and can see long distances.

Velocipedic: The suit may move an additional

block with any move action.WEA P O NS

Blades: 2+4d damage. Unlimited ammo, HTH.

Cannon: 4+7d. Cannot fire at target in sameblock. 4 shots.

Grappler: No damage. Target is held and easierto hit (1/2 normal defense). Grappler cannotmove and is also easier to hit (+2). Short range.

Grenades: 1+6d. Short range. Multiple targets. 4Shots.

Guns: 2+5d. Runs out of ammo on a fumble.

Heat Beam: 3+7d. Same or adjacent zone only.Unlimited ammo. Each shot does one damage tothe Steamlark.

Long Guns: 3+6d. 8 shots.

Rockets: 12d. 4 shots. -2 to hit.

SYSTEM DAMAGE

Mecha damage can be offset in two ways. First, apilot may take two Physical Threshold damageto reduce damage to their Mecha by one.Second, pilots may opt to take a critical hit toreduce damage done to their suit. Each criticalhit reduces damage taken by up to five points. If

a player chooses this option, roll on the tablebelow. If the suit takes all of its DamageThreshold, it shuts down.

2: Suit shuts down immediately.

3,4: Pilot takes five points of Physical Threshold

5,6: Sights skewed; subtract 2 from all combattests.

7,8: Mechanicals skewed; subtract 2 from allmaneuver tests.

9,10: Random non-weapon system disabled.

11,12: Random weapon disabled.

13: Suit skips next turn.

14, 15: Movement Speed halved.

16, 17: Suit Immobilized

18,19: Suit goes haywire and out of control (seeGMs section).

20: Suit takes six points of Damage Threshold

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V. GM: ADVENTURES AND

MISCELLANY

the seeds which the Martians (intentionally oraccidentally) brought with them gave rise in all casesto red-coloured growths. Only that known popularlyas the red weed, however, gained any footing incompetition with terrestrial forms. The red creeperwas quite a transitory growth, and few people haveseen it growing. For a time, however, the red weed

grew with astonishing vigour and luxuriance. Itspread up the sides of the pit by the third or fourthday of our imprisonment, and its cactus-like branches

formed a carmine fringe to the edges of our triangularwindow. And afterwards I found it broadcastthroughout the country, and especially whereverthere was a stream of water

H.G. Wells,The War of the Worlds

Arclight Revelations Tainmarcharacters havethree primary arenas for adventures: out in thefield in their Steamlarks, battling against theWeed Swarm; in The Crystal Palace Facilitytraining for combat, uncovering secrets, andgaining approval; and at school and home,interacting with peers their own age and tryingto lead something close to a normal life.

BROKEN LONDON

The most classic adventures will take place withthe Steamlark Team heading outside the walls ofisolated South London, into the Weedlands.South Londons the most isolated of the elevenenclaves of the city, and one of four sectionsSouth of the Thames. The other three areBexleyheath to the east, Hounslow to the West,and Lambeth to the North. Three bridges, one ofthem a newly erected industrial monstrosity,cross the river. The area south of the river hasthe widest swath of Weedlands. These areas area mix of ruins, wild overgrowth, and Weededsections. Persons travelling across go incaravans or with guards if they can. Merchantsand shippers use armored transports. There aresome Warbuses, armored steam beasts, whichtake passengers around the various sections ofthe city. However these have an irregularschedule. Many of the northern enclaves haveconnecting walls and gates, allowing the

population to move more easily.

The region surrounding London has manyindustrial and agricultural communities- fencedand watched. The development of vat farminghas eased the threat of starvation, at the expenseof a certain blandness. Fishing remains animportant source of protein as the Weed Swarm

has not yet affected that ecosystem. ColdWeather and winter makes travel easier or atleast less dangerous. The Red Weed fadesslightly in autumn and freezes seem to put itinto some kind of hibernation. Swarm Beasts canstill be encountered at this time, but theyremore sluggish, easily evaded, and run in smallergroups. As dangerous as Swarm Beasts may be,there are still raiders and bandits who know theland and prey on unwary travelers. Often theseare exiles from towns and enclaves, marked fortransgressions.

Within the cities and towns, England does itsbest to maintain a sense of decorum. Thepopulace has clung to a sense of Victorianvalues as an answer to the trials facing them.Theres still art, society, commerce, andscholarship- but often combined with a strangefatalism. Political movements, anarchists,radicals, and free thinkers exist but the State hasmoved to quash these when they get out of

hand. To handle civil matters in a swift anddirect manner, a number of Free Judges operatewithin an area. They have the right to arrest,

judge, and administer punishment in the field.

The Crystal Palace still works as best it can insecret. Eventually it realized that scatteredwitnesses will spread stories about theSteamlarks. It works to spread disinformationabout that where possible. Most operations takeplace in the Weedlands. The massive transport

drives the pilots and mecha out into the fieldand sets up the tethers. The mecha then carryout an patrol or specific operation within thearea before returning to the transport andheading back home. The transport itself has arange of about sixty miles before it needsrefueling. On tethers, the Steamlarks can run forabout four hours; off tethers, the system shutsthe mechs down after an hour.

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KEY NPCs

Brandon Haekels, Grumbly Transport Driver

Sara-Lynne Smythe, Obsessive Field TestSupervisor

The Witchet, Crazed Weedland Hermit

TYPICAL FIELD MISSIONS

Clear an area of debris

Hunt Down a Swarmbeat

Protect a Convoy Secretly

Protect a Crystal Palace Research Team

Search for a McGuffin in a Ruin

Spray zone with chemicals to reduce Red Weed

Survey and Map a Zone

Test Equipment

COMPLICATIONS

Bizarre Malady

Communications Broken

Field Command Injured/Killed

Human Bandits

Large Swarm Beast

Military Intervention

Misinformation

Natural Disaster/Weather

Strange Malfunction

Swarm Zombie Host

Transport Problems

Witnesses

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THE CRYSTAL PALACE

The Crystal Palace Development Fortress is alarge, underground complex. Above ground, itconnects to a large theater supposedlyundergoing renovations. There are several secretentrances there and nearby to make it easier forpilots to enter unobserved. Theres also a factory

nearby which manufactures basic and non-secret parts, goods, and materials for the CPDF.It has a staff of workers, some of whom knowthat it operates under a government mandate.

Elevators and tunnels allow the transport of theSteamlarks up from the special chambers inwhich they are stored. Off mission, the suitsrequire special treatment which is kept out ofsight of the pilots. Instead they will mostly seethe medical facilities, training centers, test labs,

public quarters, engineering bays, and weapondevelopment centers. Many areas remain off-limits to them- super-cooled labs, restrictedzones, the calculational engines at complex'sheart, and the legendary Protocol Twelve room.

The staff is a mix of military personnel,theoretical researchers, practical engineers,handyman support staff, secretaries, specialists,doctors, and unique visionaries. The pilots aregenerally treated with some deference, or at

least apathy and avoidance. A few resent themfor their privileges and some worry for thembecause they know how dangerous the work isand how easily they could be snuffed out. SeniorStaff are privy to the Master Plan for Ideal PilotDevelopment. This involves pushing the pilotsto their limits, while allowing them the socialand psychic release valve of school and lifeoutside the facility. Theres active manipulationof the pilots to create bonds of affection andlonging for approval. In a sense many of the

senior staff will be playing good cop/bad copwith the PCs.

KEY NPCS

Dr. Damien Iscariot, Project Director and DistantFather Figure

Julia Quartz, Pilot Liaison and SoftheartedAdvocate

Angus Blacklaw, Cold-Hearted Security Chief

POSSIBLE BASE EVENTS

Competitive Games

Crossing Paths with Rival Pilots

Ferreting Out Something Strange

Rescuing Friend

Sneaking AroundStealing Food or Interesting Bits

Strange Medical Testing

Taking New Pilot Around

Throwing a Party

Tracking Down Friendly Staff

Trying out New Weapons

Uncovering the Nature of the Suits

Working with the Steamlarks to ImproveConnection

COMPLICATIONS

Changed Personality/Memories

Dangerous Substance Released

Followed

Infiltrator

Lockdown/Power Failure

Punishment/Unpleasant Duties

Shiny New Thing

Staff Member Missing

Strange Visions

Swarm Attack

Therapy Session

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SPENCER HOUSE ACADEMY

The Spencer House Academy is a progressive,co-educational University preparatory schoolfor the children of the wealthy, well-positioned,and influential in South London. While manyimportant people in the government work in thenorthern enclaves, they often send their children

off to such schools. The pilots and children ofstaff from The Crystal Palace often stick out likesore thumbs in the school. There is a constantbattle for status, identity, and recognition hereevery day.

The Academy has several buildings- including agymnasium, administrative offices, main school,teachers quarters, deans abode, the supposedlyhaunted old house, and others. Several smalldorms are also on the grounds. PC pilots will

have their own small half-filled dorm, overseenby a matron. Most students will be crowded intothe other single-sex dorms. A few elite childrenlive off-campus with their families or in privaterooms. Students attend class five days of theweek and non-pilots have a curfew. Thoughfrowned upon, students will often sneak overthe walls and into town to buy things or hellaround.

KEY NPCS

Martin Chuzzlethorpe, Self-ImportantHeadmaster

Miss Collingbrow, Vindictive Classics Master

Oscar Westbrook, Distractible Groundskeeper

COMMON SCHOOL PLOTS

Athletic Competition

Big School Project

Bullies

Class Elections

Dance

Double Dog Dares

Friend Ostracized

Hanging Out

Hiding Secrets

Hijinks

Local Festival

New Kid Arrives

Prank Campaign

Romances

School Play

Test PreparationCOMPLICATIONS

Conflict with Duty

Enmity of a Popular Student

Illness

Irritated Instructor

Local Panic

Peer Pressure

Rivalries

Sabotage

Secret Admirer

Suspicious Friend

Teachers Pet

Whispering Campaign

TECHNOLOGY

The world ofArclight Revelations Tainmarhassteampunk-level technology, but with a Gas-Mask Chic aesthetic. The suffering and strainone people has resulted in darker, morepractical, and more brutal designs. People oftenwear protective gear, goggles, and make-shiftmasks when going outside to protect themselvesfrom the Swarm. This is more superstition thansolid practice. The GM will decide exactly whatmight be available and the difficulty of Statuschecks to obtain those items. There are three

kinds of technology and equipment. First,period acceptable. Anything used up throughthe 1920s ought to be fair game for this. Second,classic steampunk devices. This includesdirigibles, servant automotons, velocipedes,voltaic guns, and the like. These are harder tocome by. Their designs arise from the boosttechnology given from study of the Martians ingeneral. Third, specific and secret Martian andAlien devices- including heat beams, organic

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computers, bioenhancements, and the like.These are the rarest and different nations mayhave access to different technologies. These arekept as proprietary secrets and have spurred thedispatch of spies around the globe.

CHARACTER A DVANCEMENT

If a session went well, the GM may award anexperience point. Such points can be used to:

Clear a Shock or Suffering.

Add a new skill.

Change an existing skill to an expertise.

Add a point to spend on a charactersSteamlark.

Increase a characters threshold of one type(this may be taken a total of five times).

ENEMIES

While other predators and opponents exist inthe Weedlands, the most dangerous are theWeed Spawn. These can take many forms.Weeds are vulnerable to fire; cold-based attackswill also slow them down. The telltale sign ofthe Weed is its reddish hue. Weed Enemies takethree basic forms:

Weed Matter:This can take the form or swirling

clouds, slowly gripping plant tendrils,tumbleweeds and the like. They can bedispatched by conventional means and simpleprotective measures can keep them from hurtingsomeone. If they do catch a victim, they willattempt to smother or poison them. Weed toxinsvery- with some having plague-like symptoms.Suffers can become toxic to be around, but theeffects arent airborne. Some crazed wandererswho have ingested enough Weed Matter havedeveloped an immunity to it.

Weed Beast:These are living or once livingcreatures which have been infested andpossessed by the Weed. Usually a certainvolume of creature is needed to carry the Weed-so rats are vulnerable, but not mice. Insects, fish,smaller birds and bats are immune as well. AWeed Beast will often have an intelligence akinto what it possessed in life. Possessed wolveswill still have the instinct to hunt in packs. Most

dangerous are possessed humans, who can useuse tools and weapons. The freshly tuned caneven fool other people briefly. Weed Beastsattack with their natural weapons,complimented by toxins and poisons. Theydont feed per se, but instead will drag bodiesback to sites for infestation. Weed beasts can be

dispatched by disrupting their weakenedstructure and/or or blowing them up withordinance.

Weed Monstrosities:No one is certain howthese abominations form. They may representsome throwback niche from the Martianecosystem. These creatures are huge and comein varied forms: tripods, bipedal, rolling along.Theyre made up of a mix of Red Weed,terrestrial vegetation, flesh from victims, andeven bits of metal and debris to give their formssupport and structure. The can also have strangeand bizarre powers associated with them,though some suggest thats a rumor. Thesecreatures are on the same scale as the Steamlarksand follow the same rules for damage- takinghalf from and doing double to conventionalopponents. The tallest recorded Weed Monsterwas 40 feet tall.

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VII. GM: SOURCES AND

SECRETS

Arclight Revelation Tianmarobviously takes someof its inspiration from the various giant mechaanime series, including the big grim oneNeonGenesis Evangelion. But Id also point toRahXephon, Read or Die, Blue Gender, Gasaraki,Blue Seed, Escaflowne, Full Metal Panic, andBettermanas important anime and manga forunderstanding the ethos. Many of those areparticularly dark or take a turn for the darktowards the middle. The characters are often putthrough the ringer emotionally, spiritually,

romantically, and physically. Part of the intentof this rpg is to allow the GM to emulate that.

That being said, theres another approachpossible as well- one which dials back on thedarkness and inside focuses on the school days,cool mecha, and relationships. This kind ofgame borrows more from something like SakuraWars(which is set in a parallel time period notunlike this one). It would be easy to relax on the

close to post-apocalyptic vibe and have theplayers be members of a dangerous andadmired force. Theres nothing wrong with thatapproach.

But if you want to hew closer to the darkness atthe heart of many of these stories, then youregoing to have dark secrets revealed and

betrayals on the table. Below I present two listsof suggestions for those. The first presents someindividual dark revelations. Some of these couldbe talked about with the player ahead of time,something they know about and can play off of.Some of them are awful surprises- depending onyour players you may want to warn them thatsomething like that is in the cards. The secondlist offers some campaign-bending big arcsecrets to frame your story. Feel free to use theseto make your story wicked.

THIRT EEN CHARACTER SECRETS

A staff member, teacher, or other importantNPC is secretly their mother or father.

Theyre a clone- replicated by Martian tech toreplace an earlier promising candidate.

A relative is a traitor of some kind.

They have psychic visions or contact with theWeed Swarm.

Their memories of the past are false.

They were directly or indirectly responsiblefor a scarring tragedy.

They have been infected with a Weed Swarmdisease and have hidden it.

They have a false identity, taking the place ofsomeone who died.

Theyre being blackmailed by someone,perhaps a spy.

Theyve sworn vengeance on someone.

They have episodes of missing time.

They have hallucinations or visions, perhapsof the future, perhaps of ghosts.

Theyre secretly related to the Royal House

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SEVEN CAMPAIGN SECRETS

Director Iscariot is behind the rise of the WeedSwarm. He plans to eventually use the weed tocreate a planetary consciousness network, whichhe will then move in to occupy and command.The Steamlark programme has given him accessto the kinds of tools and resources he needs to

complete this. The PsycholumiferousConnections units are protoypes for how heplans to do this.

The sentience within the Steamlarks are thebrains of Martian Organic Computers,something like AIs. Alternately, they are theactual brains of Martian bodies who went into aprotective coma when they became sickened.Later The Crystal Place team dissected them andused them as control mechanisms. Either the

Steamlarks will eventually corrupt the pilots orthey will corrupt and control staff at the facility.Their agenda beyond that is up to the GM.

Her Majesty Queen Victoria has been keptalive by Martian Science and that has corruptedher or driven her mad. At some point shedecides the Steamlark Programme is a threatand orders her military to destroy The CrystalPalace. The PCs now have to go on the run andinto hiding.

A variation on the above, the Mad Queen hasdecided that the key to Englands success mustbe an invasion of Mars. The Steamlarks will bethe first line in that assault. She hopes to createmost dangerous Steamlark supersolidersthrough automated machines or war or elseimplanting the brains of children into themecha. Can they stop Victoria or will they haveto go to war?

The Crystal Palace has built much of their

success from having captured something big,ancient, and powerful. Perhaps it is a MartianOverlord, perhaps an alien Angel, perhaps amember of a cryptic watcher civilization. Theresearchers have it buried beneath the base andare constantly experimenting on it. Thats whythe Weed Swarm has been actively attemptingto destroy London. Perhaps the being has beencontacting the PCs.

Foreign spies have been infiltrating SouthLondon for some time, putting students into theAcademy and suborning members of the CrystalPalace team. Now they have invaded- armedwith their own unique Martian-based tech,taking over the facility and city- forcing the PCsto operate a guerilla campaign against them.

The Steamlark Pilots are only able to pilottheir mecha because they have been secretlytransformed into Martian/Human hybridsthrough injections and transfusions. Howeverthe process has begun to accelerate beyond TheCrystal Palaces expectations, giving the playersnew powers and perhaps drawbacks. Ifdiscovered, the facility staff will have no choicebut to hunt them down for extermination.

MECHA CONTRO L

How you define the nature of the Steamlarkstechnology affects how and when it goes Out ofControl. Most concretely, this can happenwhen the suit takes an 18 or 19 result critical hit.But you may want to begin the campaign withthe suits more temperamental. If so, the playerswill have to spend time with them to figure outhow to command them. The suits may also havea sense of self-preservation. This can be dark ifthe suits controls panic when it takes significant

damage. It could be more benign andmysterious if the suit occasionally responds tothings the pilot cant see- keeping them fromstepping into an ambush or onto a weakenedfloor. A characters mental state- represented byComposure Shocks or Sufferings or just byrecent reversals in their social life- could alsotrigger a reaction from the suit. In any case,checks made to control the Steamlark suitsshould be mysterious- dont tell the playerwhats going to happen, just what they need to

beat to gain control. Dont overdo this elementand wear the characters out or make themgunshy.

Consider what happens when a mech spendsmore than an hour off of the tether. Does it runout of power? Or does the system shut thingsdown to avoid the suit running wild or goingcrazy? How difficult is it for characters to bypassthese safeties?

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ARCLIGHT REVELATION TIANMAR

PHYSIQUE

FIGHTING

PRESENCE

NAME

DISTINCTIONS

BRAINS

PHYSICAL THRESHOLD

breakdown

COMPOSURE THRESHOLD

EQUIPMENT

STEAMLARK

DA MAGE: A RMO R:

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...afterwards I discovered that it was caused by the tropical

exuberance of the red w eed. Direct ly this extraordinary

grow th encount ered wat er it straightway became gigantic

and of unparal leled fecundity. Its seeds w ere simp ly po ured

down into t he water of the W ey and Thames, and its swiftly

grow ing and Titanic wat er fronds speedily chok ed both

those rivers.

H.G. Wells,The War of the Worlds