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CreditsAuthor: Donato RanzatoCover Artwork: Scott JohnsonOne Roll Engine: Greg StolzeNecromunda Setting: Games Workshop Ltd.

PlaytestersJasper van Eeuwijk, Samuel Ranzato, Marc Asselman, Jeffrey Mulder.

Special Thanks

DisclaimerThis document is a unoficial and unlicensed roleplaying game based on Games Workshop’sWarhammer 40,000 and Greg Stolzes One Roll Engine. The author is in no way afiliated withGreg Stolze, Games Workshop or its subsidiaries. The mention of, or reference to anyoriginal material, company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark orcopyright concerned. All material copyrighted by other authors and referenced in thisocument remains copyright of its respective owners. Under no circumstances does thisdocument seek to invalidate the material within any of the mentioned books, instead it aimsto increase their value to the customer. To sum it up: Buy their books!

CopyrightNecrOREmunda is © 2008 Donato Ranzato.All rights reserved. The exception to this are element of the ORE, REIGN or Warhammerintellectual properties. This document may reproduced for personal use only and it mayneither be distributed for proit nor in large quantities. One Roll Engine and REIGN is © 2007Greg Stolze.All rights reserved. Warhammer is a registered Trademark of Games Workshop Ltd. Allrights reserved.

This is not a complete game!It only ofers guidelines and rule modifications on how to run Necromunda using the One RollEn-gine of REIGN. It also assumes a certain degree of familiarity with both the ORE rulessystemand the Warhammer 40,000 setting. To effectively use this document you should haveaccess to at least three books: the Dark Heresy roleplaying game, The Necromunda Living

Rulebook and the REIGN corebook.

Introduction

The hives of Necromunda rise from the ash wastes like sheer mountain peaks.Spire upon spire, tower upon tower, the hives climb so far above the poisonedclouds they pierce the planet’s atmosphere. To its millions of inhabitants each hiveis a diverse and complete world as isolated from the surrounding ash wastes andadjoining hives as from deep space and the distant stars.

No-one knows how old the hives of Necromunda are.Their very size is testament to many thousands ofyears of growth, sprawling layer upon layer, climbingever higher above the planet’s polluted surface. Thedeepest and oldest layers now lie far underground,buried by the corrosive ash that piles around thehive’s base. These parts of the hive were abandonedlong ago, and now they are dark and dangerousplaces inhabited only by mutant things spawned bychemical pollutants, disease and madness. Wherethe hive breaks the surface its broad base spans tenmiles or more from edge to edge. From ground levelthe man-made mountain rises ever more steeplyupwards. Weathered walls of adamantium climbthrough the phosphorescent layer of undercloud, apall of acidic dust which clings to the surface ofNecromunda like a shroud. The hive reachesskywards through ghostly shadow, until it eventuallypenetrates the cloud base and emerges into the hardlight of the sun. At cloud top level the hive wallsstand almost five miles above the ash waste.

Above the dust layer the hive narrows into a singletall spike, a tower studded with a million lights. Itstretches almost vertically above the sickly glowing cloudand reaches towards the stars. The spire is covered with armourplas blisters of manyshapes and sizes. Domes on its surface shield carefully nurtured vegetation from the thinand arid air.

Slim towers break from the outer shell, palaces of massive and elegant proportions yetbarely significant in comparison to the hive. Cantilevered balconies hundreds of metres longjutout into open space forming the base for new construction sites. Broad circular landingplatforms hang from the spire walls, and higher still gaping dark holes lead to spaceportsinside the hive.

Such are the hives of Necromunda, from their dark roots to their glittering tips. Each hive isa complete, self-contained world as varied and complex as any planet in the vast Imperium.A man born in the middle-layer of a hive can live and die without seeing Necromunda’s skyor setting foot upon the surface. He can labour in the guild factories or perhaps ply thetrade of his family. In this way the vast majority devote their lives and their endeavours tocreating the massive wealth of the world.

Not all men are content to serve in the timeless fashion: a small minority dream of betterthings. Some crave wealth, power, or simply to escape from bludgeoning poverty. Othersseek to escape the restrictions of the guilds or the crippling social order of House and Hive.Whatever their reasons, there is no shortage of young adventurers willing to chance all for ataste of wealth, prestige and power.NecrOREmunda is a SF-setting for Reign based upon theNecromunda tabletop skirmish game. Necromunda is a game of fierce rivalry betweenpowerful Houses in the Necromundan hives. Houses must fight to gain territories, wealthand renown.

In NecrOREmunda, the characters aren’t only gangers fighting for survival in the nightmareundercity, but they also take on the roles of the leaders of their House. This divide allowsplayers to focus on the story elements they choose. If they don’t care for blow-by-blowcombat, they can simply send their gangs to besiege an enemy settlement. On the otherhand, if they lead the attack in person, they can drastically improve the chances ofsuccess… or doom their House through foolish choices. The benefits of ruling are great, butthe consequences of failure are drastic.

The SystemThe O.R.E. system uses a dice pool of d10s equal to the character's Stat and Skill similar tothat used by Storyteller system, but the method to determine success is different. In theO.R.E. system, success is determined by die result matches, such as a pair of 8s. The Widthof a roll, the number of matching dice, determines the speed (and damage, if in combat) ofa roll, while the Height of a roll, the face up result on the matched dice, determines howsuccessful an action was and location of a hit in combat. Shorthand notation for writingresults is Width x Height, so a pair of 8s would be written 2x8 and three 2s would bewritten, 3x2.

NecrOREmunda is meant to be used with the ORE-game Reign. But a GM can find plenty ofinspiration in free ORE-variants like Nemesis (Madness Meters and modern weapons), StarORE (SF-weapons) and ORE Mecha (giant robots). All these free variant can be downloadedfrom the Project Nemesis website.

IMPERIAL HIVE WORLDS

The Imperium of Man stretches across the galaxy from rim to rim, encompassingover a million habitable worlds and untold billions of people. It is the mostextensive and populous empire that has ever existed in the history of humanity. Itis ruled as it has been for the last ten thousand years by the Divine Champion ofMan and Protector of the Human Race, the Emperor of Mankind.

The Emperor is the greatest of all human psykers, his mental energies are godlike and hispowers incomprehensible to ordinary humans. It is his mind alone which projects theAstronomican throughout the galaxy, the psychic homing beam which enables spacecraft tonavigate through the fabric of warp space. Without the Emperor the Imperium wouldcollapse and human unity would be destroyed, leaving the remaining pockets of civilizationisolated and vulnerable to the infinite enemies of mankind; creatures that seek to destroy orenslave the human race.The Emperor has long since ceased tolive in any normal sense. Ten thousandyears ago, following his titanic battleagainst the rebel Warmaster Horus,Primarch and Arch-Champion of Chaos,his mutilated and barely alive bodywas installed inside a sophisticatedlife-support machine known as theGolden Throne.

The Emperor can no longer speak andit is doubtful if he comprehends eventswhich take place in the materialuniverse, as his powerful mind stalksthrough that nefarious region of pureenergy known as the Realm of Chaos,hunting the enemies of mankind. Theactual administration of the Imperiumis therefore undertaken by a vastbureaucracy known as the AdeptusTerra - or Priesthood of Earth.

WORLDS OF THE IMPERIUM

Even the Adeptus Administratum, the administrative branch of the Adeptus Terra, does notknow for certain the exact number of worlds within the Imperium. There are approximatelya million, but the treacheries of space-travel, the process of time distortion, and the effectsof warp storms which can isolate worlds for centuries, make an accurate count impossible.

In addition, the galaxy is a dangerous and warlike place, whore worlds are constantly underthreat from alien invaders, internal rebellion, and treachery by governors. Also, new worldsare constantly being added to the Imperium: virgin worlds ripe for colonisation or oldhuman worlds which have been rediscovered after long periods of isolation.

The worlds of the Imperium take many different forms. Some are sparsely populatedagricultural worlds whose sole purpose is to provide food for less productive and more

highly populated planets. Other worlds are dedicated to specific functions, such as mineral-rich mining planets, barren research stations, military observation planets, and so forth.Most worlds of the Imperium have a reasonably mixed economy and are in most respectsself- sufficient. The Adeptus Terra has very little to do with such worlds so long as theirgovernors continue to pay their tithes and impose the Imperial laws which control andcontain the emergence of mutant psykers.

HIVE WORLDS

Hive worlds are another extremely important type of world. Hive Worlds are planets which,in all but a few cases, were settled thousands of years ago, often before the time of theImperium, during the Dark Age of Technology when mankind first spread throughout thegalaxy.

A Hive World has a population which far outweighs its own ability to feed or support it, oftenexceeding a thousand billion people on a planet the size of Earth. Such vast numbers ofpeople exert such pressure upon the environment that few hive worlds can sustain lifenaturally. Many have no free ground surface left because they are entirety built over, withnew buildings constructed on top of old ones, to the extent that the planet is no more thana huge urban conglomeration.

Hive Worlds are tough places: little value is attached to human life and air, light and foodare often precious and rare commodities. Because the populations or Hive Worlds are solarge they are almost impossible to control. As a consequence it is generally the case thathive societies are extremely brutal and dangerous. Violence is often institutionalized andaccepted, and upholding the law is commonly a matter of exerting personal power andinfluence. In such a situation a man depends upon his friends and family, those whoselivelihoods depend on him and those to whom he can promise support.

Every hive world has its unique environment, history, and circumstances. Confrontation isset upon the hive world of Necromunda. This volume contains copious details about theplanet of Necromunda, its hives, and its teeming population. Necromunda is merely one ofthe hundreds of such worlds scattered throughout the galaxy.

NECROMUNDA

Necromunda was founded 15,000 years ago as a mining and manufacturing colony. Theensuing millennia have not changed its basic purpose very much; Necromunda is still aworld of mines, factories, refineries and processing plants. The planet is a vast powerhouseof industry, making thousands and thousands of different items for use throughout nearbyplanetary systems.

Nothing which can contribute to the planet’s output has been left untouched. From the topsof the highest mountains to the depths of the oceans, the wealth of Necromunda has beenripped out. Mountains have been reduced to rubble for the ore they contain; oceans havebeen turned into little more than chemical sludge ponds. The once fertile plains havedisappeared under huge urban developments of great housing and factory blocks, formingnew ranges of manmade mountains every bit as tall as the long since flattened natural landfeatures. These huge towering urban complexes are known as city hives, or simply as hives,and their individual peaks or towers are called city spires or spires. A close group of hives isknown as a hive cluster.

Between the hives deserts of industrial ash cover the surface of the planet with a mobile,corrosive skin. Over this desert lies a cloud layer of airborne pollution, so that the greatspires of the city hives rise from a drifting mist of tainted vapor like islands out of the sea.

Despite being reduced to such a hellish state, Necromunda is still a valuable world to theImperium. Although little of Necromunda’s original resources remain, the waste-heaps ofprevious generations have become a new source of riches. Necromunda lives on theaccumulated wastes of its past: its people have learned to scavenge, reclaim and recycleeverything in order to squeeze a living from their exhausted world.

Over the millennia, the population of Necromunda has increased well beyond the planet’scapacity to support it. As a consequence it is wholly reliant on synthetic and imported food.Each hive has its recycling plants which convert used organic matter into synthetic food.Real food is imported from off-planet, but is an expensive luxury which only the mostwealthy and prestigious Necromundans can afford.

As generation after generation adds to the building and rebuilding of the hives, new layersof habitation are created and the hives continue to grow upwards. These towering hivesdominate the wasteland around them like clusters of impossibly gigantic termite hills.Beneath the hives and extending around them under the wasteland itself lies a honeycombof ancient disused factories and a labyrinth formed from the sewers and service tunnels ofan earlier age.

Necromunda’s population has never been counted and the chances are that it never will bebecause the number of people involved is simply too large. There are probably more peopleon Necromunda than have ever lived in the entire history of Terra up until the end of thetwentieth century. An attempted census of Trazior Hive four thousand years ago revealedan estimated population of a billion in the upper habitation levels alone - no further attempthas been made to count Necromunda’s population in Trazior or any other of the severalthousand hives on the planet.

The society of Necromunda is reasonably typical of larger Hive Worlds. No attempt is madeto enforce central administration upon the entire population; indeed such a thing wouldprove impossible on a world where most people remain unrecorded by any authority.Instead, a kind of feudal system has evolved by which individual people owe loyalty toothers, who in their turn owe their loyalty to other increasingly more powerful members ofthe hierarchy. Among the more stable elements of the population these loyalties are owedon a family basis, and closely related families all support each other under the hegemony ofthe most powerful member of their family group.

This form of urban feudalism tends to be self regulating. Weaker clans naturally seek theprotection of more powerful neighbors whose powerbase then expands until it reaches thelimit whereby its numbers and resources are simply too few to allow it to expand further.Where rival clans meet it is inevitable that their power will be tested in combat; the abilityof a clan to exert its power being the only true measure of its influence. The endless feudsbetween the warrior gangs of these clans are the setting for the game of Confrontation.

LORD HELMAWR

The governor and ruler of all Necromunda is Imperial Commander Lord Helmawr. Hisancestors are known to have reigned for the past seven thousand years at least, records ofgovernment before that time having long since disappeared. Even the archives of theAdeptus Administorum, the bureaucracy of the Imperium, are remarkably silent on the

history of Necromunda during the early days of the Imperium.

Lord Helmawr occupies the very top of the Necromundan feudal hierarchy. The society herules over is divided into many factions which continually compete and co-operate with eachother, giving rise to endless changes in the feudal hierarchy. Lord Helmawr is completelyunconcerned with the activities of lesser powerbrokers. He deals directly with the mostpowerful factions, offering them support in return for their loyalty. If a major player in thepower game proves weak or treacherous it is a simple matter for Helmawr to withdraw hissupport. The very rumor that he might be about to do this is often enough to encourage afeudal inferior’s enemies to turn against him and destroy him.

The Adeptus Terra leaves Lord Helmawr to govern his domain as he pleases, as it leaves allImperial Commanders free to administrate their worlds. The Imperial Commander forms alink in the feudal chain which extends throughout the galaxy to the heart of the AdeptusTerra. So long as Helmawr fulfils his feudal obligations to the Imperium his position remainssecure.

Helmawr’s main obligation to the Imperium is to provide a tithe which takes the form of apercentage of all the goods Necromunda produces. As the entire production capacity of theworld is given over to providing manufactured goods for the Imperium the tithe is taken asa straight discount on the revenue earned. So long as Necromunda continues to meet theseresponsibilities, and so long as its production capacity is sufficiently high, the Imperiumremains quite satisfied. Of course, should the Necromundan economy begin to show signs offlagging then Lord Helmawr’s position would be very different indeed.

Hive worlds like Necromunda provide the Imperium with another useful resource – namelyits people. Necromunda produces generations of tough youths with a strong sense of self-reliance. They are highly valued as recruits for the Imperial Guard and even for some of theSpace Marine Chapters. Providing recruits in vast numbers is another of Lord Helmawr’sfeudal obligations. Recruitment brings officials from the Imperium to Necromunda to inspectand in some cases conduct recruiting drives amongst the fighting gangs. Helmawr himself isobliged to provide troops from his personal guard, usually a whole regiment at a time.

Because the planet supplies so many troops for the Imperial Guard the name ofNecromunda is known throughout the galaxy, even by people who know nothing about theplanet itself. Over the centuries Necromundan Regiments have fought with distinction in theImperial Guard and have earned a fearsome reputation on many battlefronts.

Another important obligation is that Lord Helmawr successfully controls the numbers ofdangerous psychic mutants. These psykers, or witches, are a mutation which is becomingincreasingly common on all worlds in the Imperium. On most worlds they can be dealt withfairly easily, but on a hive world like Necromunda with its vast population the matter ismuch more difficult.

Psykers are very dangerous indeed – probably more so than even they realize. Althoughsome are able to control their powers and use them for the benefit of society, the majorityare unable to control their powers properly with disastrous results. Some become host todaemonic powers from warpspace, while others attract psychically sensitive aliens orpsychic diseases which can then hop into the minds of ordinary people. If psykers were togo unchecked throughout the Imperium human society would soon collapse. Indeed, this isone of the reasons why the Emperor clings so tenaciously to life, as only he understands thetrue dangers of possession and psychic destruction.

LANDSCAPE

Necromunda is very similar to many other hive worlds of the Imperium. It is a planet devoidof any remnant of its original natural beauty; its surface reduced to a wasteland ofwindblown ash and accumulated industrial waste. Throughout this wasteland lie the hivecities which give such planets their distinctive character and their collective name of hiveworlds.

The hives are grouped into clusters comprising up to a dozen or so individual hives all linkedby a network of overground travel tubes and subterranean passages. These clusters arescattered over the cloud-strewn surface of the planet. From the top of any hive it is possibleto see the tips of distant hive clusters projecting from the seas of poison mists like far-flungislands.

Hive clusters are connected together by roads across the wastes and transportation tubessupported on pylons and suspended from cables. With its forest of towering hivesinterconnected in a network of tubes, the landscape resembles a petrified forest entangledin the web of some enormous spider. Indeed, the spider and the spider’s web are verypowerful symbols to the inhabitants of Necromunda.

The hives are the result of thousands of years of constant demolition and rebuilding. Theoriginal cities of Necromunda lie beneath the hives, many hundreds of yards below thecurrent surface of the planet’s ash wastes. Dark, forbidding ruins, often crushed by theweight of the hives above them, these old cities preserve the layered history ofNecromunda. It is a popular tale that the lowest layers of some hives are built from theoriginal transport barges which brought humanity to Necromunda all those millennia ago.

Each hive takes the form of many huge spires which rise from the base of the city. From adistance, a hive resembles a mass of stalagmites rising from the cloud strewn wastes. Eachhive covers an approximately circular area some fifty to a hundred miles in diameter. Thetops of the spires can rise to a dozen or more miles above the ground surface, piercing thefestering clouds that surround the lower levels of the hive. The spires usually merge intoeach other at their bases, and smaller spires will sometimes grow out and upwards fromjust above the base, branching like a cactus and forming multiple spires.

The spires are only the top part of the hive, comprising the upper hab zones with factorylayers on or above the current ground surface. The older and partially ruined factory andhab layers still exist, although they are buried beneath the ash wastes. Though they arehidden, Factories and habs are rarely abandoned until they are utterly derelict or pollutedbeyond use even by Necromundan standards.

The hive-cities of Necromunda retain the ancient names of the cities and settlements fromwhich they grew. Each spire within a hive is also known by a local name. There areapproximately a thousand hive clusters on Necromunda. A few of the most important andsome typical examples of the various kinds are described below.

SOME NECROMUNDIAN HIVES

Hive PrimusThe largest and oldest surviving hive on Necromunda is the dynastic home of Lord Helmawr,Imperial Commander of Necromunda, known across the planet as Hive Primus. The clusterit belongs to is known as the Palatine Cluster. The central and tallest spire of the hive forms

the palace of the Imperial Commander Lord Helmawr.

Hive Primus boasts some of the most grandiose and magnificent architecture onNecromunda, and also has the only shipyard and landing field large enough to take orbitalcarriers. It is thus the planet’s only spaceport, a physical expression of Helmawr’s monopolyin off-planet trade. The fortress monastery of the Adeptus Astartes contingent and theheadquarters of the Adeptus Arbites on Necromunda are also located in the Palatine Hive.

On the edge of the hive is a special spin, - set aside for the aliens and abhumans who cometo Necromunda from time to time in order to trade. Both Squats and Eldar are among thesevisitors and they are housed on separate levels of this spire. Hive Primus is thus by far themost cosmopolitan of all the hives of Necromunda.

Trazior HiveTrazior means Three Sisters in the local Necromundan dialect. It is so called because of itsthree huge spires which can be seen from a long way off by any traveler coming across thewastes from the south. Trazior is located on the edge of the Great Equatorial Waste and isthe southernmost “frontier” hive of the great Palatine Cluster.

Many important merchant clans are based in this hive and it is the main trading depot forconvoys going to or arriving from the southern hive clusters. The nomads who live out inthe wastes and raid the convoys are a constant source of annoyance to its inhabitants. Theclans and gangs of Trazior are described in detail later.

Trazior was also the scene of one of the most prolonged and vicious gang wars in the recenthistory of Necromunda.

Acropolis HiveThis is another old and elaborate hive in the Palatine Cluster. It is located at a veryimportant intersection of several great road tunnels and has always been a major centre oftrade on Necromunda. The Acropolis hive is home territory for some of the most powerfulmerchant clans, whose widespread trading network extends across many of the hives ofNecromunda. The Acropolis Hive attracts a number of large and sprawling shanties clusteredaround its base.

The TemenosThis is another hive in the Palatine Cluster. One spire forms the headquarters of theEcclesiarchy on Necromunda, while another spire forms The Temple of the Emperor Deified.Colleges, libraries and chapels occupy parts of the other spires. A priory of the AdeptaSororita is located in one of the outer spires. This spire is often called the Sisters Tower as aconsequence.

The population of Temenos hive are among the most pious and devout followers of theImperial Cult. Many of the resident clans manufacture ritual items for the priesthood whileothers work in the scriptorium, translating the wisdom of the priesthood into the manydialects of Necromunda.

The Temple spire is an architectural wonder: its interior is a warren of naves, chapels andcrypts, vaulted ceilings and pillared halls. The diffused light is stained by refraction throughcrystal. Incense and the sound of chanting drift across the chambers. Here and therestatues and holograms of the Emperor reside in secluded shrines. From here Confessors andmissionaries are sent off to frontier worlds in the nearby systems.

Quinspirus Cluster

The Quinspirus Cluster is situated on the edge of a virtually solidified sludge sea called theWorldsump Ocean. At one time, when the sea was still navigable, the area included vastdockyards. These now remain buried deep within the undercity of the centrally locatedQuinspirus Hive. This hive has five great spires - hence the name which means five towersin the local dialect and which gives its name to the whole cluster. The cavernouswarehouses of the ancient waterfronts have been the scene of many savage gang wars.

The SkullThis derelict hive is the largest of a cluster of three remote ruined hives. It is pierced bygreat holes and from a distance looks like a great skull lying in the wastes. It is a famouslandmark and perhaps even worshipped by the local nomads.

These three gigantic ruins are all that remains of the hives that were captured and occupiedfor a time by Ork raiders. All contact with the cluster was lost for several years before therest of Necromunda realized what had happened. In the end a campaign was mounted toclear them. This was the original reason for dispatching a Space Marine contingent toNecromunda, which has since become a permanent establishment.

The hives were besieged and destroyed during the campaign. Now the tops have caved inand they lie abandoned and choked with dust. No one knows what fearful things have madetheir home amid the ruins, and even the nomads and scavvies fear to go near them.

THE ASH WASTES

The hives of Necromunda are separated by the forbidding ash wastes: areas of land coveredin an abrasive and highly corrosive ash, the end product of fifteen thousand years ofindustry. This desert covers every inch of Necromunda’s land surface that is not protectedwithin a hive. In densely populated parts of Necromunda, hives may be separated by onlyfifty or a hundred miles of waste. On other parts of the planet the wastes may stretch for athousand miles between hives.

In some places the ash is miles deep, forming shifting ranges of dust dunes which can buryroads and transport tubes, and erode the base of a hive when swept along in one of thefrequent dust storms. The funnel-shape of the hive spires is designed to strengthen the hiveagainst the worst ravages of the dust, but even so they are often buried to half their heightor more by ash. This is stabilized and held in place by the fresh wastes which pour from thedrains of the hive factories.

The ash wastes are mostly composed of metal oxides, powered plastics and inorganicchemicals which take millennia to reduce. As with many hive worlds, the wastes are aninhospitable environment. The ash corrodes equipment and poisons organic life, although asurprising variety of creatures do survive. No unpolluted air, food or water can be found inthese dead lands, although there are fungi, algae and bacteria which live on the waste itself.These are believed to be responsible for the limited free oxygen content of Necromunda’satmosphere.

The ash wastes are a striking and colorful if somewhat lurid environment. The nomads ofthe waste and even most hive-dwellers who see them would call them beautiful. The ashoccurs in many different, often vivid hues such as sculpture yellow, citric green, cobalt blue,pink, mauve, as well as various shades of grey, and it varies in texture from fine dust tocrystalline clinker. The creatures and nomads that live there are equally colorful, the betterto blend into their surroundings.

The most dangerous hazard of the wastes is the ash storms. These terrible storms can blowtheir payload of toxic ash from the equator to the poles. A moderate ash storm will strip anunprotected man to the bone in seconds, and then reduce his bones to a handful of dust. Aserious storm is something that everyone on Necromunda fears. These can be so strongthat they have been known to destroy entire hives. Ruined spires are occasionally revealedin the wake of one storm only to be covered over again by shifting waste in the next. Insome areas, ash has been blown away to reveal the scarred bedrock of the planet. DuringNecromunda’s calmer season, which coincides with the planet’s long extinct summer, liquidpollutants rise to the surface, forming slick- lakes and short- lived blind-rivers. Streamsmeander across the land, vanishing into sinkholes in the dust only to rise elsewhere.Imperial scholars who have studied dust ecologies believe that there may be currents andtides within the ash surface.

These transient rivers and lakes can dry out, forming a hard pan on the surface of the dust.These dangerous areas conceal deep seas of fine dust beneath them. The nomads whotravel the wastes avoid such places, because to fall through the crust of a pan is certaindeath. Anyone who does so is suffocated and then corroded to nothing by the ash.

In hotter weather, when Necromunda’s sun breaks through the planet’s cloud cover,noxious vapors rise up and form poisonous mists and fogs. Mists are invariably followed bytoxic rain storms, laden with particles of deadly ash dust and other contaminants.

However, despite their perils, the ash wastes of Necromunda conceal treasures. Muchremains hidden beneath the surface, ready to be reclaimed and used: derelict spires fromlost hives; buried convoys; wrecked stratoplanes, aircrafts and spaceships; long-abandonedmine workings; and even, in places, raw materials from the bedrock of the planet. There area few places where, thanks to some mysterious natural sorting of the wind and ash itself,veins of pure oxides and chemicals have accumulated. Such concentrations, or ash pockets,are worth mining in themselves. They are a rich raw material which can be reprocessed.

THE SLUDGE SEAS

Necromunda never enjoyed large expanses of open water, but now the planet’s original seasand rivers are filled with liquid chemical waste. Choked with ash, thick with chemicals andpoisoned by heavy metals, Necromunda’s sludge seas are all that remains of the ancientoceans. The consistency of the sludge varies from a thin, chemical soup to a viscouspolluted mud. Near the equator, the sea’s surface has solidified into a crust of sludge, bakedhard by the sun. Conventional ships are useless in such conditions and only flyers or hovervehicles cross the seas. It is even rumored that some mutants even live in these areas,utterly isolated from the rest of Necromunda.

The sludge seas, however, also support their quota of hives. Some are built on massivepiles, driven deep into the sea floor. Other, relatively small hives have been constructed onmassive floating islands which are anchored in position. On more than one occasion afloating hive has broken free during an ash storm and sunk or capsized. Survivors of such adisaster are rare.

HIVE PRIMUSThe most important hive on Necromunda is called Hive Primus or Hive One. HivePrimus is the largest and oldest hive. Within its walls there are thousands ofstructural cells or domes, often many miles across and hundreds of metres high.Such a space can be built up with constructions as varied as sumptuous palacesand sprawling industrial complexes. The hive is honeycombed with domes bothsmall and large, each built upon the other, linked by tunnels and shafts carryingtraffic, power and other vital services through the hive.

The hive is divided into vertically ordered zones. From its top to its subterranean depthsthese are: the Spire, Hive City, Underhive and the Hive Bottom.

THE SPIRE

The Spire extends upwards from cloud top level,rising above the mass of the hive and piercing theplanet’s atmosphere. This is the domain of sevengreat clans called the Noble Houses. The NobleHouses are huge consortiums of galactic merchantsand financiers whose leaders control the immensewealth of the planet. The most powerful of the NobleHouses is House Helmawr, also known as theImperial or Ruling House. The leader of this House isLord Gerontius Helmawr, Adeptus of the Imperiumof Man, and Guardian of Necromunda in the HolyName of the Undying Emperor. He rules not justHive Primus but all of Necromunda.

The Spire contains broad airy spaces and splendoursunimaginable to those who dwell in the darknessbelow. Its people enjoy the fruits of a civilisationthat spans the galaxy. From spaceports sunk deepinto the spire walls ships carry the products ofNecromunda all over the Imperium. In return, theriches of the galaxy flow into the hive – exotic foods,sensuousslaves, exquisite artwork and rare materials from distant stars.

HIVE CITY

Below the lowest level of the Spire is a layer of solid adamantium called the Wall whichdivides the towering upper hive from Hive City. Heavy gateways through the Wall enablecarefully controlled passage between the two parts of the hive. Beneath the Wall lies thevast bulk of the working hive, the five-miledeep Hive City that extends from cloud top levelto the ground.Hive City is divided between six manufacturing empires known as Houses. Each Houseexists in its own part of the hive and governs its own affairs quite separately from the otherHouses. The hivers, as the population is called, live in dark, cramped and pollutedconditions, never seeing the sun from the day they are born to the day they die. The airthey breathe is recycled from above and grows ever more bitter and poisonous as it filters

downwards. Even the water is distilled from the discharge of the upper hive and their food isfactory produced chemical nutrient, algae-based or spun from corpse starch. Conditions arecrowded and insanitary, and, as thehive deepens, the darker and the less habitable the environment becomes.

Underhive

In the depths of the Hive City it is common for power or water to fail or access tunnels tocollapse, creating unproductive toxic wastezones. The lower the region the worse is its air,power and access and the more unstable its structure. As the hive deepens normalhabitation becomes impossible, and this region is known as the Underhive. There is noformal barrierbetween Hive City and Underhive because the border is constantly changing. Even as areasof Hive City are abandoned parts of Underhive are resettled and rebuilt. As a consequenceUnderhive is an everchanging frontier where people are constantly seeking newopportunities or fleeing from sudden catastrophe.

Underhive is a frontier in more ways than one. Not only is it a barrier between Hive City andtheunimaginable horrors of the Hive Bottom, it is also a region outside the formal law and orderof the hive. The people of Hive City live carefully regulated lives. They are protected by thestrict social codes of House and Hive, dominated by family patriarchs, and obliged to work inthe guild factories. The sprawling Underhive is lawless and anarchic, and its stockadedsettlements form the only havens of relative order. Even in these refuges, murder andviolence are everyday facts of life. Gun law is the common law of Underhive, and self-protection is the best and only reliable defence.

The Hive Bottom

At the base of the hive buildings become so structurally dangerous that the region takes onadifferent and even more inhospitable character. This is the final and deepest zone called theHive Bottom. Hive Bottom is so decayed and crumbling that the original domes andfoundation piles have long since collapsed, forming a layer of almost solid rubble. Within therubble are enclosed pockets linked by holes and tunnels worn by liquids leaking from above.These pollutants and effluents, the discharge fluid of the entire hive, form a vast lake ofradioactive putridity called the Sump. Nothing can live in the Hive Bottom other than themost monstrous mutants. Its denizens are the spawn of darkness and pollution. Some ofthese foul creatures find their way into the Underhive, or even into the lower parts of HiveCity, but their natural domain is the darkness of the Hive Bottom.

ANATOMY OF A HIVE

From a distance, when the clouds lift from around a hive, its spires look like acluster of tall, tapering termite mounds. They rise from a broad base of outlyingstructures to near-vertical towers. Their gigantic scale is such that it almostdenies human involvement in their construction and they look as though theymight have sprouted up out of the ground by themselves, like some great organicgrowth. Few human constructions can rival their awesome size. Although no twospires are exactly the same, they all share common characteristics and areconstructed in a similar fashion.

A section cut through a spire is not a whole circle. A spire is divided into a series ofsegments, like wedges of a cheese, which are joined at the centre. Deep gullies or slits inthe spire, crossed by communications tubes, separate the segments. These gullies aresupposed to admit light and air to the spire, but their size makes this impractical. Everyadded communications tube also adds its shadow to the darkness of the interior.

The areas close to the core are far removed from the outside world. Their only illuminationis provided by glow globes and massive cables of optic fiber or flexible glass, which rundown into the core of the hive from the sunlit pinnacles of the spires. These create weakshafts of light that penetrate the dim catacombs of the hive and light it in the same way asthe nave of a Gothic cathedral.

Fresh air enters the inner recesses of the hive via great ducts from the upper layers. It isdrawn in through huge wind intake fans and filtered through dozens of purification plants toremove the fumes accumulated as it passes down the height of the spire. In the deepestparts of the hive and especially in the old factories and undercity layers, the air ducts nolonger function. Here fumes and stale air accumulate and personal respirators must be wornat all times.

The many air ducts and vents are infested by strange creatures called caryatids. These aresmall, blue, winged humanoids which exist in great numbers throughout the hives ofNecromunda. Many hive-dwellers see them as good luck charms because they often attachthemselves to powerful and successful individuals, and in fact seem to be particularlyattracted to the soon-to-become-powerful. Conversely, the departure of a ‘pet’ caryatid isseen as an omen of doom - its former companion is then regarded as a man waiting fordeath.

THE SHELL

The outer shell of a hive is its skin and defense. Though the cliff- like shell of a spireappears to be quite solid, its surface is pierced with deep vertical and angled shafts. Theseshafts are small compared to the bulk of the spire, but are important because they admitadditional light and air into the core of the hive. They are all protected by a series ofmassive covers which can be moved into place when required.

The shell is where the majority of the inter-spire travel tunnels and tubes begin and end.Tunnel stations and gateway fortresses, convoy parks and garrison blocks are all located init, where they can contribute to the regulation and defense of traffic between and within thehives.

The shell is also the first line of a hive’s active defenses against planetary invasion. Giant

defense lasers, each capable of hitting an orbiting target, are mounted at many points.These are used to defend the hive against human or alien spacecraft. However, against thefierce ash storms that sometimes ravage Necromunda, the shell’s surface forms its onlydefense.

Although some people do live within the hive shells, the storms are an excellent reason tofind accommodation deeper within the spire. Being able to experience direct sunlight or feela fresh draft of air from the duct is a status symbol almost as important as having a gooddiet, but a single ash storm can make such status symbols meaningless.

A heavy storm is quite capable of stripping off the shell’s outer layers, including a spire’slaser defenses, travel facilities and shell-dwellers. Shells must be constantly refurbished bywork-gangs, otherwise the next ash storm could easily penetrate the tunnels, shafts andcatacombs of the main spire and rip it apart.

HEAT SINKS

At the heart of every spire there is a single vertical shaft known as the heat sink. From thetopmost levels of the spire the heat sink reaches far below the lowest levels of the hive,down through the geological crust of the planet itself. A heat sink can be several milesacross. It is a vast, hollow, sealed tube made from dense plasteel. Along the length of itsthick plasteel walls there are buildings, chambers, shafts and service tunnels.

The sink takes heal from the planet’s core and turns it into power for the spire. At intervalsthroughout the length of the heat sink there are generator stations which convert the rawheat into usable energy. The power is then transmitted to the factories and hab layersaround the core. There are no power stations in the lower levels. The heat sink passesthrough these levels and provides only a constant warmth. This, however, is infinitelypreferable to the damp chill of the remainder of the lower hive.

As is the case with all things Necromundan, the power generation systems are controlled bythe clans into whose territory they fall. These clans receive a considerable income from allwho use their power, so possession of the heat sinks is one of the chief marks of a powerfulclan of the inner core. Other clans might control territory between the power stations andthe users, and they often extract their own tolls from both factories and power producers toprotect the transmission lines. In this way the feudal clans of Necromunda operate asproducers, suppliers and consumers in a thriving economy. Only in the upper hab layers ofthe spires is there a regulated service. There, power is drawn from stations controlled bythe government - in effect by the troops belonging to Helmawr’s own clan.

Access to the heat sink is usually very difficult. Many levels have no access at all, and onothers access ports are sealed and guarded. On some of the older levels, however, manyseals are ruined or insecure and access is possible although dangerous.

HAB LAYERS

The upper layers of each spire are called habitation areas or hab layers. Here the bulk of thehive’s human inhabitants live in conditions which range from relative luxury to dismalsqualor.

Where a family lives in a spire reflects its social standing and importance. The topmostlayers of the spire are populated by the elite households of the hive. This hive nobility live in

relative comfort enjoying the luxury of natural light, fresh air and real food imported fromnearby agricultural worlds. Below lie the twilight levels, inhabited by the rest of thepopulation. Conditions on the twilight hab layers are considerably less pleasant than in thehabs above. Natural daylight is dim, fresh air is unknown, and most of the food has beeneaten and recycled many times before.

Below the twilight layers is the darkness of the undercity. Here, the only light comes fromartificial glowglobes. Everything, even the air, on these levels has been used before andreprocessed several times. On a typical hive world air and water pass through, on average,287.3 other people before reaching the lips of those who inhabit the undercity. The proteinsand minerals in the universal synthdiet are reclaimed from human bodies that no longerhave need of it. On Necromunda, everything that can be recycled is recycled, including thepeople themselves.

THE FACTORY LEVELS

The industrial complexes built into the spires produce all kinds of different items which aretraded to other planets in return for the food which Necromunda so desperately needs tofeed its teeming millions.

In the hives, the factory levels extend from below the lower habs down to the surface of theash wastes and beyond. Over the millennia, the waste exuded from the factories hassolidified around the base of the hives, affecting the ever-rising layer of ash waste whichcovers the surface of the planet. As the level of the ash wastes rises, so the lower factoriesfind themselves buried below the ground. So long as it remains possible to pump effluent upto the surface, these factories can still continue to function.

The new factory levels are a network of waste pipes, gutter-shafts and gas-drains whichbleed poisons and noxious wastes away from working areas. These drains stick out of thelower flanks of the hives, flaring off dangerous gas, belching out fumes into the filth-riddenair, or pouring poisonous liquids and solid waste onto the polluted ash below.

Industrial production is controlled by the many clans. Each producer fits into a pattern offeudal obligation - supplying other clans and taking raw materials, components and powerfrom others. Large, powerful clans act as clearing houses for the goods and servicesprovided by their feudal inferiors. This industrial feudalism of Necromunda regulatesdemand and supply in a thoroughly efficient manner.

Clans will often rise in power and importance, as lesser clans in related industries cometogether in uneasy alliances. Sometimes conflict of interests, territorial rights and clanrivalry lead to inter-clan feuds. This is one of the main causes of gang warfare onNecromunda.

Workers usually live in or very near the factories where they work, and are as much aresource as the machines they tend. In some cases, workers, especially Techs, aresurgically adapted to perform specialist functions. Such physical and mental enhancementsare expensive to finance, which makes such workers very valuable.

OLD FACTORIES

As the surface of the wastes rises it becomes increasingly difficult to service the factories onthe buried levels. Huge vacuum pumps lift the countless tons of filth up above surface level

for venting outside the hive, but even these have their limits. There is a point in each spirebelow which disposing of the factories’ rubbish is impractical. When the cost of disposing ofa factory’s waste is no longer outweighed by the value of its output, it is closed down andabandoned.

As the lower levels fall below the level of the ash waste and are abandoned to low- lifescum, lower hab layers are converted into new factories, and the upper hab levels areextended upwards. In this way the spires of the hive world are being continually renewed.

The old factory layers are filled with abandoned, machinery and hab levels and often reachas far below ground as the spires stretch up above it. The lowest parts of the old factorylevels are little more than rubble, having collapsed under the weight of the hive, or beendeliberately filled in to make foundations for later building work. The abandoned factoriesand hab levels arc infested by scavvies, gangs who roam the dead layers of the hivescavenging for anything they can use or trade.

THE UNDERCITY

Below the hive’s foundations lies a honeycomb of ancient tunnels, ruins, and buildings fromNecromunda’s long-dead past. Those ruins lie at the very bottom of each spire, far belowany factories and the ash wastes: they are the undercities, the oldest and deepest parts ofNecromunda’s hives.

Undercity zones predate the hives by many centuries, even millennia. They are remnants ofNecromunda’s true cities, built before the planet’s natural ecology was destroyed, whenthere were no encroaching ash wastes. It is quite possible that the remains of the colonybarges that first brought mankind to the planet still lie beneath some hives.

The undercities are infested with fugitives, outcasts and mutants who are regarded by theupper hive-dwellers as little better than the animal vermin which are also found there. Lifein the undercity is even more violent and difficult than life in the spires above. Many of themost ruthless hive gangs have origins in the undercity. At the bottom of the hive, upwardmobility is more than an abstract concept. The strong, the lucky and ruthless can rise to thetop, in terms of actual location in the hive as well as in status. It is not unknown forsurvivors of the undercity to reach high status as officers in the Imperial Army, schooledand tempered by the terrible necessities of survival.

THE FORBIDDEN CITIES

The military tunnels which link the hives of Necromunda run deep beneath the ash wastes,cut into the very bedrock of the planet. This travel network was constructed so militaryforces could be moved quickly around the planet, enabling them to concentrated whereverthey are needed.

Access to the hive is via great ramp–shafts guarded by gatehouses, but unauthorizedpersons are able to gain entry through the heat sinks and air-vents. Under the hives, andlinked to this underground tunnel network, are cavernous storage depots and bunkers, usedfor stockpiles of synthetic food and raw materials in anticipation of war or some otherdisaster.

The tunnel system and its associated bunkers are very ancient, dating to a time before thehives had grown to the massive size that they are now, As the system is continually being

renovated or enlarged, many tunnels and bunkers have been bypassed or disused andsealed up. Over the millennia, these unused tunnels and bunkers have been forgotten andlost.

Since the discovery that these places are the only source of the valuable drug spook, theyhave been secretly re-colonized and are now known as the “Forbidden Cities”. If they’veheard of them at all, most Necromundans don’t believe they’re real, thinking their existenceto be yet another urban fable.

It is in these ancient bunkers that the decayed synthdiet deposits are found which are usedto make the psychic drug spook. It is likely that officials of the Lord of Necromundadiscovered the distinctive green deposits while they were supervising work on the tunnelnetwork. Since then, the nobility and the ruling dynasty of Necromunda have always had ahand in the production and trade in spook. Only the nobles, with their ability to call on theservices of subordinate clans, techs and paramilitary forces have the diverse resourcesneeded to process the decayed synthdiet into spook.

The cavernous vaults of the Forbidden Cities are extended and embellished with the wealthbrought in by spook. Pillared halls are cut from the rock, polished stones and mosaics adornthe floors, ceilings and walls. They become palaces of archaic decadent splendor.

The cities’ workforce is recruited from the scum of the undercity, supervised and guarded bysavage undercity gangs. If they cannot find enough willing workers they will incite undercitygangs to make slave raids into the lower hab layers or offer to buy captives from nomadslavers. Once introduced to the decadent life within the Forbidden City, most slaves arereluctant to ever be free again.

Spook exploitation brings in incredible wealth. This wealth helps to maintain the privilegedlifestyle of those noble families secretly involved in its manufacture and trade. These are theso called Lords of the Forbidden Cities. Some are of noble origin, others are adventurers ofobscure origin who have connections with the nobility. Frequently they are members ofnoble households who have gone into exile because they are suspected psykers or wish toescape from political enemies. They simply disappear from the upper spires, setting upcourt in the hidden bunkers where the spook is processed.

SPOOK

While there are many decaying foodstuffs down in the bunkers, only a certain typedegenerates into the spook lode: the vestigial remains of the oldest kind of synthdiet madeon Necromunda. The decayed synthdiet deposits are now nothing more than a lurid greenpowder, having been acted on by mutant fungi for thousands of years. It contained a highproportion of recycled human protein, and it is this human essence which is likely to accountfor its dramatic effects on the human psyche.

The drug spook is taken in liquid form – the ultimate magic potion. When drunk in smallamounts, it awakens the imbiber’s psychic abilities. When drunk in quantity it opens thechannel between a person’s physical body and their soul in the warp. If the individual has astrong soul, it will be drawn into his material body; if he has a weak soul, all psychic energywill be instantly sucked out of him and lost in the void. It is for this reason that spook is avery dangerous substance, and its use viciously repressed by the Imperium.

In hive-world society, people are constantly seeking ways to exploit anything they discover.The people who stumbled on the unusual green deposits investigated ways of turning them

into wealth, as they would have done with any substance, and in the process discoveredspook. Being ignorant of matters of the human soul and the danger inherent in mankind’smetamorphosis into a psychic race, spook was seen as just another substance to berecycled and exploited for profit.

There has always been a massive demand for drugs in hive-society, mainly to supplementthe diet and ward off sickness. Spook became popular among the nobility who reveled in itsexotic effects and it has slowly filtered down throughout hive-society.

The noble households which exploited this resource naturally kept the trade secret andconfirmed to grow rich. The household of the Lord of Necromunda himself was involved inthe business and was able to organize off planet trade of spook. This had to beaccomplished using smugglers, since the Imperial fleet conducts all legal trade in space.

No-one knows or can predict where the spook deposits are to be found, but whenever onecomes to light, the officials of Lord Helmawr’s officials who are part of the spook ring areinformed, and mining and processing can begin. Trusted noble households with a closeconnection to the ruling dynasty will get the concession to exploit the deposit.

Small quantities of spook are also found and traded by scavvies who stumble on erodeddeposits during their delvings. This accounts for a small amount of wild spook that is tradedin the undercity and shanties. Imperial agents trying to track the spook to its source usuallyend up following the scavvy spook and thereby miss the main source. Of course, there isnothing to link the nobility or the Lord of Necromunda to the scavvy spook.

The most significant outlet for spook is the secret cults that lurk in many hives. Thesecultists need a regular supply of this psychic-enhancing substance. The Immortals inparticular require vast quantities for their rites and the expansion of this cult is certainly thesingle greatest factor in the growth of the spook trade. Most of the spook lords who rule theForbidden Cities are probably already members of this cult.

Spook is easily distributed via the various undercity, scavvy or nomad gangs who ask noquestions and only know of the next link in the chain.

THE SHANTIES

Shanty towns are built outside the hives, clustered at the outer edge of the shells of thespires. They are inhabited by all kinds of hive world scum who cannot cope with life withinthe hives. The spires, at least, offer a limited protection against the poisoned rains andcorrosive ash. The best shelter a shanty dweller can hope for is one or two layers of packingmaterial, or an abandoned vehicle. To make matters worse, much of the factories’ toxiceffluent pours directly down onto the shanties.

If a shanty remains in existence for any length of time and somehow escape’s being sweptaway by a storm, the inhabitants will excavate caves and cellars into the solidified sludgeand compacted dust. These dwellings can be reinforced by sludge baked by the sun intocrude bricks. By retreating into those refuges, some shanty dwellers survive the ash stormsthat sweep away the more flimsy parts of their homes. When the storm abates, they forcetheir way through the wind-blown dust to the surface and attempt to rebuild the shanty outof the wreckage of the old one.

Conditions in the shanties are worse than anything in the hives, yet for most shanty-dwellers even their crude home is preferable to wandering the ash wastes, where they

would fall victim to the creatures and nomads if the heat, corrosive dust and freak stormsdid not get them first.

No-one from the hives bothers shanty-dwellers very much - they have little worth taking.Furthermore, the sprawling settlements are home to vicious gangs of shanty-dwellers,scavvies and nomad bands that have come to the shanty to trade.

GANG WARFARE

The number of gangs on Necromunda almost certainly runs into millions, rangingfrom small gangs which control no more than a section of corridor to the privatearmies of large and powerful clans which dominate whole spires.

The Imperium does not dictate to the ImperialCommander how the planet should be run – as longas it is loyal to the Emperor, its factories producewhat they should and it pays its tithes they do notinterfere. The retinue of Lord Helmawr is in effect thelargest gang on Necromunda. His status as Lord ofNecromunda is hereditary and his household controlsall off planet trade, including the import of real foodfrom nearby agricultural worlds.

General Characteristics of HiveGangs

The word “gang” describes many different types ofarmed bands on Necromunda. Gang is a genericterm which includes clan warriors, bands of ashnomads, savage gangs and mutant bands from theundercity, scavvies from the shanties, armed bandsof techs, bands of fugitive psykers, unruly brat gangsof the upper hab layers, as well as sanctioned gangsand professional bounty-hunters, guards and retainers such as the Venators andCustodians.

Although gangs may be drawn from large groups such as a hive clan, noble household ornomad tribe, a typical gang will include around a dozen members. This is an ideal strengthfor skirmishing and raiding in the corridors and tunnels of the hive. Gangs must be able toinfiltrate the territory of rival gangs undetected to mount successful raids. In order to setambushes they will have to hide in the dark recesses and among the pipes and conduits ofthe road tunnels. Small groups are simply much more effective in this environment thanlarge armed mobs which are far too conspicuous and easy to track down.

Each gang is led by the warrior with experience, skill and considerable powers of leadership.Other warriors are naturally attracted to these strong and inspiring individuals. Eachterritory has its own gang drawn up from the toughest youths of the clan. The gang leaderand his henchmen, often several years older than most of the warriors and due to settledown as respected clan members will select the best of the youths and let them provethemselves through the gang initiation rite. Most initiations are pretty tough and brutal andin this way the gang recruits the toughest among the youth to be the clan warriors.

The ambition of most young clan members is to run with a gang, similarly most young

nomads in the ash wastes are expected to fight for the tribe as warriors. The youth of a hive-clan will tend to group together for protection, and might well become involved inskirmishes in defense of their home territory.

Other types of gangs recruit suitable new members into their ranks in a similar way.Scavvies, Brats, Mutants, Techs and Psykers will naturally only consider their own kind orthose sympathetic to them. Undercity gangs will only accept savage masters of the art ofsurvival who can prove their eligibility by combat.

All gangs impose some sort of initiation rite on their recruits, intended to mark gangmembers for life and weed out those who might be a liability. Recruits must often provethemselves by taking a trophy in their first skirmish with the gang. This usually meanscutting off a finger, ear or taking a scalp from a fallen enemy. Attempting to take a trophyfrom a living enemy is even more admired, but reckless in the extreme. The practice oftrophy-taking is generally known among the gangs as 'scragging'.

The habit of taking part of an enemy corpse as a trophy is related to a commonNecromundan ritual. Clan members who fail in their duties and obligations atone by cuttingoff one of their own fingers or, more rarely, one of their ears. This severed piece of flesh isthen presented to the clan leader as a token of reborn loyalty and commitment.

This custom is practiced by gangs in hives all across Necromunda. It is also common forgood fighters to hold up their hands in greeting, palms outwards and fingers spread. Bydoing this, a fighter shows any potential opponents that he has all his fingers. By extension,he has never been defeated or made a mistake. He is, therefore, a man to be feared.

Gangs trade among themselves for weapons, ammunition and equipment. Anything theycannot obtain by trade they will capture from enemies or raid arms depots. If the gang ishired by Helmawr's officials, a noble household or a powerful clan, they may be rewardedwith sophisticated weaponry. Techs can make advanced weapons and wealthy social groupscan purchase or obtain them by corrupt means. Many scavvies, undercity warriors andnomads have to make do with crude improvised weaponry until they can capture or lootsomething better.

CLAN WARRIORS

The most common type of gang on Necromunda are the gangs of young clan warriors.

In the hives every manufacturing process, industry, service and transaction is the concernof one clan or another. The pressures of competition for limited resources - even suchbasics as good food, air and water - mean that every clan must sometimes resort to armedforce to secure its survival.

Every clan, and groups of related families within each clan, has their own territory orconcession, often carved out and defended by their own gangs of young clan warriors. Inthis way, forests have been replaced by a jungle of metal and concrete, and society isordered along tribal lines.

For many ordinary Necromundans running with a gang comes as part of the life cycle.Young members of the clan are expected to play their part in defending the clan territoryand upholding the honor of the clan. Youths in their early teens are initiated into the gang

by various rites of passage. From then until their mid twenties they fight for the clan in thesame way that young warriors would fight for their tribe in, a primitive feral world society.

After several years with the gang, a warrior gains the respect and status of his family andother clan members and gains the right to found his own family and take part in the clanbusiness.

The struggle for supremacy between clans is ceaseless and often violent. Clan gangs fighteach other openly, gang leaders are assassinated and kidnapped, or, most commonly, aclan’s resources, its techs, workers and factories, are destroyed in endless raids. LordHelmawr and the nobles of Necromunda do little to interfere. They simply wait and then dobusiness with the winners.

Neither Helmawr nor his officials concern themselves with inter clan rivalry, as long theyfulfill their quota of goods and deliver them on time. Lord Helmawr extracts tolls on allbusiness through off world shipping and handling charges, recruits the best gangs into thePlanetary Defense Force and leaves the hives to manage as best they can. It is anarrangement that suits everyone of consequence.

The co-operation between the clans and Lord Helmawr is an accepted part of life. Itoperates at many levels, with gangs recruited into the Planetary Defense Force, given semi-official status as Venators and Custodians, or secretly used for Helmawr's hidden dealings.

The gangs are necessary for the government’s dirtier tasks, and they are glad to do thework at the right price. The commonest use for hired gangs is to profit the nobility andHelmawr, as ruler, takes the lion's share. He charges high rates for his monopoly on offplanet transport, and he enforces his monopoly by troops and sanctioned gangs. Helmawrmaintains his power by a subtle policy of divide and rule over the rival households, clansand gangs of Necromunda.

Social Croup - Young clan members aged between early teens and mid twenties. Most ofthe population of Necromunda belongs to a clan and clan warriors form the most commontype of gang. Each group of closely related families living in a distinct close-knit territory willhave a gang to protect them. A typical clan can include hundreds of such gangs.Territory - the workshops, factories and associated living areas of the families in the clanare the territory of the local clan gang. Other clans, gangs and strangers will be challengedif they violate the gang territory without permission or payment of tribute.Ritual - Youths are initiated into the gang by various initiation rites. Some must provethemselves worthy by acts of reckless bravery such as scragging an enemy (cutting off anear or finger as a trophy), others must endure ritual scarification without flinching. Mostgang warriors receive ritual scars or tattoos of some kind. After a time running with thegang, young warriors will have gained enough respect and status to found their own familiesand take up the clan business.Armament - Clan warriors can often be quite well armed through trading with other gangs.

Motives - Gangs of young clan warriors protect the clan territory and other members of theclan as they go about their work. These gangs also make it their business to uphold clanhonor, which will often lead to long standing feuds between rival clans. Gangs wish a goodreputation may be hired by other clans, noble households or Lord Helmawr's officials forvarious tasks. Exceptional clan warriors may be recruited into the Planetary Defense Force,Imperial Guard or even the Adeptus Astartes.

BRAT GANGS

Although the noble households are outside the Clan structure of Necromunda, they are notimmune to the influence of the pervading tribal culture of the hive world. Like clans, noblehouseholds have their own ancient and bitter rivalries which sometimes explode intoviolence. The root causes are often more to do with honor, traditional enmity, and dynasticdisputes than the mainly economic and territorial causes of gang warfare in the lower levelsof the hive.

The idle and decadent youth of the nobility emulate the young clan warriors by forming theirown Brat gangs, which make it their business to look after the honor of their household.Many young nobles run with the Brats for a time before they succeed to holding office andcan then continue to further the interests of their own household by more subtle means.

The Brats are always in the forefront of any new fashion or cult that sweeps through theupper levels of the hive. Young nobles are privileged, wealthy, inquisitive, rebellious andopen to wider influences than are available in the lower levels of the hive. Brat gangs sportfantastic, elaborate costumes and hairstyles, and flout the conventions of hive life as openlyas possible.

In the upper hive layers Brats run together in packs but they do not limit their predations totheir home territories. They frequently drop down the spires into the lower habs, wheretheir wealth can be used to obtain any drug or weapon. Once in the lower habs, the Bratgangs terrorize the Techs and workers, safe in the knowledge that they can return to theupper habs whenever they want to.

Social Group - Brats are recruited from the unruly, discontented and rebellious youth ofthe nobility.Territory - The estates of the noble households in the Upper Hab layers.Ritual - Brats go in for bizarre tribal rituals imitating those of other hive gangs. Initiationrites, scars, tattoos, hairstyles and extravagant rather than practical clothing characterizethese gangs.Armament - Brats can be quite well armed due to wealth and access to imports. Exoticweaponry is especially favored.Motives - Brat gangs are mainly concerned with upholding the honor of their households.They also assume responsibility for 'protecting' their territory from uncouth lower hivedwellers. Brat gangs like to create a reputation for themselves by raiding other gangs. Theyalso get up to various rebellious, subversive and anarchic activities including involvementwith cultists and psykers.

TECH GANGS

Tech gangs and associations are more common than supposed. Techs often form collectivesto protect themselves from exploitation by other groups. From passive protection anddefense, such associations often mature into gangs that are as aggressive, in their ownfashion, as any other in the hives. Tech gangs have a pool of skills which means that theycan often trade for materials from the factory levels. They deal in drugs, chemicals andweapons, trading these goods for interesting technological relics and rare raw materialsscavenged from the undercities. Tech gangs are not noted for crude ferocity but they arewidely respected for their expertise with weapons and equipment, and it is foolish indeed to

cross a Tech gang without reason.

Social group - Techs belong to clans, either forming a distinct group within a large clan orforming separate tech clans. Techs form gangs to protect themselves and their businessinterests.Territory - Tech gangs protect the workshops, industrial plants and associated living areasof the tech families that work there.Ritual - Tech gang warriors undergo initiation rites which might involve technologicalimplants or advanced forms of tattooing.Armament - Techs have access to unusual and technically advanced weaponry due to theirskills and great bargaining power.Motives - Tech gangs are concerned with protection of their territory and tech businessinterests from the predations of envious rivals. There are many who will resort to lawlessmeans to obtain advanced technology. Tech gangs are often hired by Helmawr, noblehouseholds or other clans for tasks which require their expert technical skills andsophisticated weaponry.

SCAVVIES

The shanties and derelict factories of the undercity are homes to the Scavvies, who scrape aliving from scavenging materials and trading them with clans who can make a profit fromrecycling. In the old factories there are rich pickings to be found among the rubbish andabandoned machinery for those who are desperate enough to hunt there.

The Scavvies trade what they find - machines, scrap, raw materials, even spook caches inreturn for food and weapons. The relationship is uneasy at best, because many Scavvies arediseased.

Scavvies develop sores and scabs on the skin due to delving among dangerous pollutants.This has earned the Scavvies the alternative name Scabbies, and like mutants they areoften persecuted as subhuman beasts. Wherever they are found, Scavvies are driven fromlevels occupied by normal humans.

Many Scavvies make a good living as spook hunters, prospecting for the precious lodes ofraw narcotic spook. For the Scavvy gangs this is a valuable substance, worth many times itsweight in real food and fresh water. A carefully guarded lode of spook can keep a gang inrelative comfort for years, if they manage to avoid becoming addicts in the meantime.

Naturally, much raw spook makes its way to the secret factories of Lord Helmawr. For thisreason, if for no other, Scavvies are a necessary part of Necromunda’s economy. Withoutthem to find and mine the raw spook, one of Lord Helmawr’s principle sources of incomewould vanish.

Other Scavvy gangs specialize in preying on fugitives and patrols from the upper spires, andthose who fall victim to them are lucky if they are slain outright. It is even said thatScavvies eat their prisoners. Such fresh meat supplements their normal diet which includesthe verminous creatures of the undercity and the shanties.

Social Group - Scavvy gangs include all kinds of fugitives, outcasts, refugees, members ofdispossessed clans and scum shunned even by the undercity gangs. Many shanty-dwellersare hereditary Scavvies.

Territory - Scavvies carve out gang territories in the Shanties, among the old derelictfactories and heavily polluted parts of the undercity.Ritual - Scavvy gang ritual is similar to undercity gangs. Human bones are often used asdecoration or primitive amour. Trading with Scavvies is a ritualistic and frequently riskybusiness.Armament - Scavvies use crude improvised weapons supplemented by captured andtraded items. Rare scavenged materials can sometimes be exchanged for quitesophisticated equipment.Motives - Survival by means of scavenging is the prime motive of most Scavvy gangs.Good scavenging grounds will be fiercely protected. Scavenging, looting and all forms offurtive theft are highly respected talents.

NOMADS

Nomad bands wander the ash wastes which lie between the hives. Their skills to survive inthe hostile ash wastes mark them as special among the people of Necromunda. Theymanage, much to the horror of hive dwellers, to live in the open, unprotected by the wallsand ceilings of a hive or the amour plate of a convoy carrier. Indeed, few true nomads usevehicles, preferring to carry only as much as they can load onto their own backs. In thisway, every nomad is a fighter and a bearer, ready to defend his own part of a caravan.

Nomad gangs ambush convoys from the hives and other nomads when they can. Theyfrequently attack travel tubes and disrupt trade between the hives. The nomad routes crossthe planet and bands migrate from one hive cluster to another, following the good weatherand trying to stay ahead of the fierce seasonal ash storms. A gang’s long wanderings cantake it to many hives and their surrounding shanties, and the nomads make a livingcarrying trade goods between the hives. The goods they carry are small, usually exotic andalways costly: rare drugs, special ammunition, strange things found in the ash wastes andsecret messages from distant hives. Many gang leaders prefer to use nomad couriers,valuing secrecy above the speed and ease of using road tunnels.

The nomads are seen as dangerous undesirables by hive dwellers. Helmawr’s soldiers andmerchant gangs attack nomads on sight because of the danger they pose to road tunnelsand convoys. Nomads have also been known to raid the hives themselves on occasion,infiltrating deep beyond the spire shells and retreating into the ash wastes before anyresistance could be organized. Nomads sometimes get into the undercity via derelict tunnelsuncovered in the ash wastes, and any storm that breaches the shell of a hive will give riseto anxiety in expectation of an imminent nomad raid.

Social Group - Nomads form a distinct social group on Necromunda. It's possible that theywere the descendants of rural settlers who were long ago reduced to nomadic scavengingexistence due to the pollution of their lands. They dislike and despise hive-dwellers, and thefeeling is mutual.Territory - Territory tends to be wherever the nomad band are at the time, althoughcertain caravan routes, ruins, expanses of waste and water holes may be regarded as theterritory of a specific band.Ritual - Nomads have their own ritualistic and tribal society which is distinct from the clansof the hives. Rites of passage, ritual scarification and tattooing, scragging and trophy-takingare all known in various forms. Some nomads make extensive use of body-painting as ameans of protecting their skin from the sun and the dust as well as decoration.Armament - Simple weaponry supplemented by captured and traded items. Sophisticated

weapons are a status symbol.Motives - Nomad gangs are naturally concerned about protecting their territory or tradingcaravans. Tribal and personal honor are extremely important. Nomads indulge in continualwarfare and inter-tribal feuding for amusement and gain. Raids on merchant convoyscrossing the wastes are commonplace, but some nomad bands are audacious enough tomake slave-raids on shanties and even hives, if they can get in through damaged transporttubes or the ravaged hive shell after an ash storm. Nomads obtain sophisticated goods bytrading and prospecting in the ash wastes for valuable raw materials and relics.

UNDERCITY GANGS

These gangs are made up of the many types of scum that inevitably end up in the undercityof each hive. Such gangs are small, tightly knit and very territorial. They fall outside theclan system and are independent, ruthless and resourceful.

Undercity gangs soon learn that to survive they must raid the factory and hab levels abovethem. If a gang is successful, it may even carve out a territory in the higher levels. Bytaking over a single factory or part of a hab level, the gang could begin its climb out of theundercity.

The undercities are among the toughest environments on Necromunda and the undercitywarriors are often regarded as the best fighters in the hives. Survival of the fittest is therule and the survivors grow stronger and tougher. Many undercity gangs will only acceptcompetent warriors into their ranks.

A prospective recruit will be expected to prove his worth by scragging an enemy - tearingoff an ear, a finger, part of a scalp or some other part of an opponent. The bloody trophiesgained are worn as a sign of gang membership: a necklace of dried ears or fingers issometimes favored by undercity gangs.

When such marks are combined with distinctive costumes, ritual scarring, insignia andtattoos, gang members present a collective identity to their rivals, friends and enemies.

Social Group - Fugitives and outcasts from hive society, often those who have dishonoredtheir clan, offended their clan leader or simply foil out with their original clan gang.Criminals and rebels wanted by Lord Helmawr or the Imperium frequently turn up causingtrouble in the undercity.Territory - Gang territories are carved out among the dark labyrinthine catacombs of theundercity and the derelict factories.Ritual - Undercity gangs are perhaps the most ritualistic of all gangs. Initiation rites,scarification, tattooing, and body decoration are taken to extremes. These gangs are theurban equivalent of feral world savages. Leadership disputes are decided with brutal ritual.Scragging of enemies and trophy-taking is common practice.Armament - Undercity gangs use crude improvised weaponry supplemented with capturedand traded items.Motives - Gangs of undercity scum band together to savagely defend their territory fromoutsiders and indulge in regular raiding and pillaging of Factory levels and even hab levels.Indeed, those clans holding territory adjacent to the undercity are literally defending the'frontier' of the hive against the barbarians of the undercity. This frontier zone is subject toconstant raiding and skirmishing.

MUTANT GANGS

Mutants are feared by everyone on Necromunda, from the highest administrator inHelmawr's court to the lowliest unskilled worker in the process vats. Most hive dwellers donot understand that mutation is an inevitable part of life on a planet as irredeemablypolluted as Necromunda. Mutants are branded as evil, corrupted by their own wickednessand greed, and tainted by witchery of the foulest kind.

As a result mutants are persecuted and driven into the undercities. In the depths they fallvictim to the undercity gangs and the Scavvies. Most mutants do not survive for very longonce they have been discovered. Those that manage to run and hide often band together ingangs of their own, usually in the most inaccessible and heavily polluted sections of theundercities.

Once established, mutants interbreed and their offspring, often more mutated than theirparents, replenish the gang. Over the course of generations new mutations arise in thegangs, some of which may even be survival traits. The bottoms of the hives are unhealthyplaces, and any mutation which helps its owner to live is naturally passed on to hisdescendants.

Social Group - Mutant gangs include fugitive mutant outcasts from normal society andtheir mutated descendants.Territory - Mutant gangs lurk in the worst parts of the undercity.Ritual - Ritual is crude and savage. Scarification, scragging and cannibalism have beenreported.Armament - Crude improvised weaponry supplemented by captured items.Motives - Survival and spiteful revenge against non- mutants.

PSYKER GANGS

On Necromunda, as elsewhere in the Imperium, psykers are persecuted and feared. Theirwitch-talents and unnatural ways make them dangerous: they are open gateways fordarkness and wickedness. Folk tales of psykers confirm the worst: they can cause madnesswith a touch and summon daemons. In turn, many psykers, tormented beyond endurance,lash out at the persecutors, using their powers to destroy. The legends are merely provenby such actions.

Life is hard for psykers on Necromunda, as it is throughout the Imperium. Some fall prey todaemonic possession. More fall victim to the witch-hunting Venators and bounty-huntinggangs. The remainder may manage to escape detection, or flee to the undercities. Everyonein the undercities has something to hide, so the secretive behavior of psykers attracts littleattention. The 'witches' form their own gangs for mutual protection, always making sure torecruit only their own kind, or true sympathizers. Most psyker-gangs include a few non-psykers, relatives or close friends who have chosen to share the psyker’s exile.

By far the most dangerous psyker gangs on Necromunda are the secret covens of the cultknown as the Immortals. The background of this sinister cult and the tale of its founder arenarrated in detail later on.

Social Group - Fugitive psykers who have fled from persecution and relatives who have

accompanied them. Those who seek arcane power by associating with covens andworshipping Chaos may also be found in some psyker gangs.Territory - Psyker-gangs can be hidden anywhere in the hive, even in the upper hab layers,though most lurk in the undercity.Ritual - Psyker gangs practice bizarre occult initiation rites. Captives may be taken forsacrifice in cult rituals and a sinister occult aspect pervades all gang activities.Armament - Psyker gangs use simple weaponry augmented by more sophisticatedequipment captured, traded or obtained through influential contacts.Motives - Psyker gangs are motivated by survival and the protection and continued secrecyof any cult they may practice. Many psykers are obsessed with revenge against theirpersecutors, while others secretly try to spread their insidious influence throughout thehive.

The Rules System

NecrOREmunda is an attempt at creating a toolset that makes it possible to usethe One Roll Engine (or ORE) from Greg Stolze with the Necromunda settingpublished by Games Workshop.

Most in-game actions are handled in one of twoways: Either the GM (the Game Master, or referee;the person running the game) tells you whether ornot it works and that’s that, or you roll a few dice tosee if it works.For an action that’s not particularly challenging orimportant, or if you have plenty of time to work on ituntil you get it right, you don’t need to roll. The GMwill tell you what happens based on thecircumstances and what your character can do.For an action that’s both challenging and important,roll the dice to see if you succeed. In most cases, theaction is based on a stat rated from 1 die(abbreviated 1d) to 5 dice (abbreviated 5d) added toa skill rated from 0 dice to 5d.

Stats and Skills

Each character has six stats: Body, Coordination,Sense, Knowledge, Command, and Charm. Each stathas at least 1d and (in humans) no more than 5d.Each character also has a number of skills, which arespecialized applications of stats. Each skill has anassociated stat—the Piloting skill with Coordination, for instance. Add the stat and skill dicetogether to get your dice pool, or how many dice to roll.

Resolving Rolls: Height and Width

When you roll, look for matching sets: dice that come up the same. If you have anymatching sets in your roll, the action succeeds. If you don’t roll any matching sets, yourattempt fails.You can gauge how well your action succeeds by looking at the matching set: the higher thematching number, and the more dice that came up matching, the better.What number is on the matching dice? That’s the height of your roll. The higher the roll, themore effective your action. The lowest possible height, 1, means you just barely succeeded.Thehighest possible roll, 10, means you succeeded spectacularly well.How many matching dice did you roll? That’s the width of your roll. The wider the roll, themore speed and power you put into the action.We abbreviate the results as “width x height”—so if three dice come up “5,” that’s 3x5. Iftwo dice come up “7,” it’s 2x7.

What Kind of Failure?

A failed roll is worse than usual if you roll all low dice; instead of just missing the turn, forinstance, you might crash your speeder into a building. The results are up to the GM.

Expert Dice and Master Dice

NecrOREmunda uses one die type (the d10) for all rolls. But there are also two special waysof rolling dice: Expert dice and Master dice. A character can only have one Expert Die orone Master Die in his dice pool.Expert dice and Master dice are significantly more powerful than regular dice. Use regulardice to resolve regular actions; Expert dice to resolve highly skilled actions and Master diceto resolve legendary actions. As such, Expert dice and Master Dice are available only inskills.Expert dice are abbreviated “ed,”. An Expert die is special. You can either assign it anyheight you want, before you roll all the other dice in the pool; or choose to roll it regularlyas a normal die. Expert dice represent a level of ability not easily achieved by the normalman.Like every other die, Expert dice count towards the ten-die maximum. Expert dice also haveanother advantage—they automatically “buy off” dice penalties. Each Expert die buys off a-1d penalty. And they have another bonus, even after buying off the penalty, the Expert dieis not lost, but instead is rolled as a regular die. This is mandatory. If you face a dicepenalty and you have Expert dice, you must use an Expert die to buy off a penalty.The downside of Expert dice is that while they’re effective at directing dice pool rolls to acertain outcome, they’re blind. You won’t know what roll you’re getting when you pick thenumber—you could roll a match, or not.A Master die is like a wild card in poker: You assign it any number you want, after you’verolled all the other dice in your pool during the resolution phase in combat. This makesMaster dice even better than Expert dice—any dice pool roll with a single Master diesucceeds! You can even choose not to succeed or to succeed up to a certain level, if youwant—a luxury that other dice don’t have. Like every other die, Master dice count towardsthe ten-die maximum. They’re abbreviated “td,”.

Difficulty

If an action is particularly challenging, it may not be enough just to make a successful roll.You may need to roll higher than a certain number to succeed. This is the Difficulty of theaction. If your roll’s height doesn’t equal or beat the Difficulty, it fails.

Penalty Dice and Bonus Dice

Sometimes when circumstances make an action particularly difficult and uncontrolled, orwhen you attempt a particularly difficult action, you don’t have to beat a Difficultynumber—you actually lose a die from your pool. This is a serious penalty for mostcharacters, especially those with small dice pools.If you have hard dice or wiggle dice, you lose them in this order:Drop hard dice first (they’re inflexible, remember), then normal dice, then wiggle dice.By the same token, if an action is easier than usual but still requires a roll, you might add1d or even 2d to the dice pool

Dynamic Contests

Sometimes your action is directly opposed by another character’s action. Say you’re runninga race—only one can come in first. We call that a dynamic contest.In a dynamic contest, the wider roll goes first and takes effect as normal. The roll that goesafterward—was less wide—must beat the wider roll’s height as a Difficulty number. If itdoesn’t matter who goes first, or if width is a tie, just look at the height of the rolls; thehigher roll wins.

Multiple Actions and Multiple Sets

Want to do two challenging things at the same time? Easy. If you roll an extra matching set,you can use it on an extra action with no penalty—but only if your extra action has a dicepool equalto or larger than that of your primary action, and only if the two actions are mutuallycompatible. When in doubt, ask the GM.

THE HOUSES OF HIVE PRIMUS

Hive Primus alone is as populous as many large worlds in the Imperium. Themajority of the hive’s inhabitants belong to one of the thirteen Houses and live inthe part of the hive that forms its territory. Hive Primus is divided between theHouses much as the lands of ordinary planets are divided into nations. EveryHouse has its own cultural traditions, distinctive linguistic traits, codes of dressand behaviour, as well as unique concerns and aptitudes.

The Noble HousesThe seven most important Houses are the Noble Houseswhose domains extend throughout the Spire, the part ofthe hive that stretches above the cloud top layer. TheNoble Houses are the controllers of the hive’scommerce. They trade far and wide throughout theImperium and with other hives on Necromunda. TheNoble Houses compete against each other for wealthand political power, always seeking to further their owninterests at the expense of their rivals. Intrigue and fearof assassination dominate the lives of their rulingfamilies.

The most powerful Noble House is the Imperial orRuling House of Helmawr. Its domain is the very toppart of the Spire, the most desirable territory in thewhole hive. Lord Helmawr, the leader of the House,controls the entire planet. He represents the mightyAdeptus Terra of Earth, the governing body of theImperium of Man.

To the greater universe Lord Helmawr is Necromundaand the planet is his to rule as he pleases. The patriarchs and merchant families of theNoble Houses vie for his attention, and are eager to perform whatever favours arenecessary to secure landing and shipping rights, trade licences and tax concessions. Evenwhilst they curry Lord Helmawr’s favour the Noble Houses schemebehind his back, hoping that one day House Helmawr will be brought low and a newImperial House will inherit its domain.

The seven Noble Houses of Necromunda are House Helmawr, House Catallus, House Ty,House Ulanti, House Greim, House Ran Lo and House Ko’iron. These Houses play no directpart in the fighting and exploration of the Underhive which is the chief concern of this book,but their existence is important.

The Houses

Below the adamantium barrier known as the Wall are the domains of the five Houses ofNecromunda. These ordinary Houses lack the privileges and status of the Noble Houses.Their people are confined to the cramped Hive City where conditions are squalid and dirty.The hivers, as they are called, are used to the dim light and rank air. Knowing no better,most live contented lives of toil in the guild factories, workshops, and other industries which

form the chief business of the hive.

The Houses are manufacturers of goods of all kinds, from foodstuffs to armaments. Theseproducts are traded with the Noble Houses and in this way the wares of Necromunda reachthe wide universe. A complex but efficient trading relationship has grown up based aroundthe competition between the Houses to produce goods, and between the Noble Houses tobuy them.The people of the six Houses do not normally mix, and the borders between their domainsare carefully guarded against intruders. Each House is proud of its unique traditions anddisdainful of its rivals’ way of life. Where the territories of two Houses border each other it iscommon to find an interposing dead zone or area of fortifications.

Prolonged warfare between Houses is rare but not unknown. Violence can be triggered byanything from accidental trespass to deliberate invasion. The most common cause ofanimosity is contract fighting. This happens when a House tries to destroy vital factories in aneighbour’s domain in order to make it impossible for them to fulfil a contract. Should thishappen the neighbour will incur heavy penalties and may lose a lucrative contract to a rivalHouse.Open hostility is rare. For one thing, war between two Houses would simply further theinterests of the other four and do neither antagonist any good. Also, the Noble Housesstrongly disapprove of destructive conflict because it damages trade and hinders themovement of goods. Noble Houses may threaten to take their business elsewhere ratherthan tolerate a hive war.Consequently Hive City is mostly peaceful and industrious, and the majority of its people arehappy to toil for their House and reap the meagre rewards on offer.

HOUSE ORLOCK

House Orlock isknown as theHouse of Ironbecause itsfoundations lieupon deep ferrousslag pits. Thehivers mine thesepits for the debrisof ancient timesand extract enoughpure metal fromthe refuse to serve their industries. Over thecenturies extensive mining of the slag hascaused some lower domes to collapse. In thepast this led to hivequakes and thedestruction of several overlying domes. Formany centuries the House has fulfilled theUlanti Contract, a lucrative deal by which oneHouse supplies the core requirements of theUlanti Noble House. Previously the contractwas supplied by House Delaque, but theOrlocks usurped the position by bribing

STATSSovereignty: 1Treasure : 1

Might : 1Influence : 1Territory : 3

ASSETSRules of plunder

Foundries, smiths and armourersSmall horizonCivic theatre

Cultural tradition

LOGUsing 11 dice with none set as experts.

2x6 - Broad Appreciation For Tactics: +1 Might, RULESOF PLUNDER asset

3x8 - Tidy Bureaucracy: +2 Territory, FOUNDRIESSMITHS AND ARMOURERS asset

10 - Culture of inquisitiveness: SMALL HORIZON asset2x3 - Fertile Foothills: +1 Treasure, CIVIC THEATRE

asset7 - Splendid Roads to Market: +1 Territory

2x2 - Access to Bored, Jaded, Sybarites: +1 Influence,CULTURAL TRADITION asset

Underhive gang raiders to destroy fuel linesinto a Delaque guild factory. Since then thetwo Houses have taken every opportunity todiscredit each other. Five years ago LordHagen Orlock was assassinated by theDelaques and relations between the Houseshave never been so tense.

HOUSE GOLIATH

The domain ofHouse Goliath issituatedunfavourably withinHive City andoccupies some ofthe deepest andharshest areas. Byway ofcompensation theGoliaths are toughand persistent by inclination. They considerthe hivers of other Houses to be soft andslack. In truth all hivers are naturally robust,being inured to the toxins and deprivationswhich they accept unquestioningly as part ofnormal life. The Goliaths, however, take astubborn pride in their ability to endurehardship. The other Houses see the Goliathsas barbaric, and unpredictable. Goliathinstitutions such as the fighting pits and theFeast of the Fallen do nothing to dispel theimpression of a violent people inimical totheir neighbours.

STATSSovereignty: 1Treasure : 1Might : 3

Influence : 1Territory : 1

ASSETSUnexpected deliveranceUnbalanced economy

Cultural traditionDefiant traditionIrregular forces

LOGUsing 11 dice with none set as experts.

6 - An Underappreciated But Scrappy Officer Who WillTake Charge When All Seems Doomed And Save The

Day, Only To Lose His Life In The Process: UNEXPECTEDDELIVERANCE asset

8 - Coast: +1 Territory4 - Exotic Crop: UNBALANCED ECONOMY asset

3 - Loan Operation: +1 Treasure2x2 - Access to Bored, Jaded, Sybarites: +1 Influence,

CULTURAL TRADITION asset5x5 - Elite Soldier-Sorcerors: +1 Might, DEFIANT

TRADITION asset, IRREGULAR FORCES asset

HOUSE DELAQUE

House Delaquebenefits from aspecialunderstanding withthe Imperial Houseof Helmawr,providing not justmaterials but alsoinformation to therulers ofNecromunda.Delaque spies aresaid to operatethroughout thehive, observing theactivities of theother Houses. It is rumoured that some ofthe ruling family members of the Houses,and even some Noble Houses, are in the payof the Delaque. Other Houses are suspiciousof the Delaques. Although the entire hive iseerily dim, the territory of House Delaque isparticularly dark and shadowy as befits apeople whose motives and methods areshrouded in mystery.

STATSSovereignty: 1Treasure : 1

Might : 1Influence : 3Territory : 1

ASSETSRules of plunder

Culture of shame and gossipMole

Unbalanced economyMass appeal

LOGUsing 11 dice with none set as experts.

2x6 - Broad Appreciation For Tactics: +1 Might, RULESOF PLUNDER asset

8 - Coast: +1 Territory5x1 - Traitor: +3 Influence, CULTURE OF SHAME AND

GOSSIP asset, MOLE asset4 - Exotic Crop: UNBALANCED ECONOMY asset

3 - Loan Operation: +1 Treasure9 - Charismatic Elite: MASS APPEAL asset

HOUSE CAWDOR

House Cawdor isthe stronghold ofthe Cult of theRedemption whoseprophets foretell ofuniversaldestruction.Although the culthas its adherentsthroughout thehive, in HouseCawdor it hasattained the statusof an official religion. For this reason theHouse is also known as the House ofRedemption. The Cawdor attitude to theother Houses is strongly coloured by theirbeliefs. The Redemption demands a strictcode of conduct, and those who break therules are driven away and become outcasts.

STATSSovereignty: 3Treasure : 1

Might : 1Influence : 1Territory : 1

ASSETSRules of plunderSmall horizon

PatriotismClassic enemy

Entangling alliance

LOGUsing 11 dice with none set as experts.

2x6 - Broad Appreciation For Tactics: +1 Might, RULESOF PLUNDER asset

1 - Oracle: +1 Influence10 - Culture of inquisitiveness: SMALL HORIZON asset

3 - Loan Operation: +1 Treasure2x7 - Nice Bit in the River Valley: +1 Territory,

PATRIOTISM asset3x9 - Culture of Worship: +2 Sovereignty, CLASSIC

Hivers who do not follow the Redemption areworthless infidels. Needless to say, therelationship between House Cawdor and theother Houses is strained. It is often supposedthat the Cawdor actively supportRedemptionist outlaws in the other Houses.

ENEMY asset2 - Advantageous Marriage: ENTANGLING ALLIANCE

asset

HOUSE VAN SAAR

House Van Saar isrenowned for thequality of itstechnical products.Its technology is nomore advancedthan that ofanyone else,progress beingalmost non-existent throughout the Imperium, but theHouse’s manufacturing processes are preciseand its finished materials are of the highestquality. The Noble Houses pay a premium forVan Saar goods, and as a result the House isprobably the most wealthy in Hive City. TheVan Saar are reputed to be a serious mindedand humourless people, with a deeplyingrained sense of order.

STATS

Sovereignty: 1

Treasure : 3

Might : 1

Influence : 1

Territory : 1

ASSETS

Unexpected deliverance

Civic theatre

Small horizon

Entangling alliance

Defiant tradition

LOG

Using 11 dice with none set as experts.

6 - An Underappreciated But Scrappy Officer Who Will

Take Charge When All Seems Doomed And Save The

Day, Only To Lose His Life In The Process: UNEXPECTED

DELIVERANCE asset

8 - Coast: +1 Territory

1 - Oracle: +1 Influence

4x3 - Towering Crags: +3 Treasure, CIVIC THEATRE

asset

10 - Culture of inquisitiveness: SMALL HORIZON asset

2 - Advantageous Marriage: ENTANGLING ALLIANCE

asset

2x5 - Storied Warrior Family: +1 Might, DEFIANT

TRADITIONE asset

Optional Rule: Area to determine Story Impact of CompanyActions

The Area (Width X Height) can be used as a function for the overall "Story Impact" of aCompany action. Example: House is sabotaging the water supply of another House. The rollcomes up with a 2x5 and a 3x4. The players can decide to do the action better (2x5) orfaster (3x4). Looking at the area you have a 10 and a 12. The 3x4 sabotaging action wouldhave a bigger impact (e.g. be in the evening news, other Houses are more impressed, ittakes longer to fix the water supply) than the 2x5.

Think of three different Impact 20ishs:4x52x103x7

The 4x5 is notorious for the speed in which it happened... the 2x10 because it was so wellexecuted and the 3x7 because it was fast and impressive. You could factor the "biggestmultiplier" into the Impact to further customize what it actually means.

Impact = Effect

* 0 - 12 = No real impact: This effort has no lasting effects* 13 - 19 = Significant Impact: This effort has some minor lasting effect* 20 - 30 = Astonishing Impact: This effort has a major lasting effect* 31+ = Earth-shattering Impact: This effort has numerous major and minor effects

You could look at the effects as Reputation, Infamy, Value, etc. The action with the biggestImpact is the one which appears on the news that evening...

For more information about the Houses and Hive Primus download theNecromunda Background PDF on the Specialist-games.com website.

Alternative Setting:The 3rd War for Armageddon

"Armageddon, a world whose name is known across the Imperium. Armageddon, aworld whose name has become a byword for war and destruction on a massivescale. Armageddon, where the fate of a thousand worlds hangs in the balance."Lord Commander Solar Eugenian

Though the world has been no stranger to Total War,this latest assualt has been by far and away the mostdevastating of them all. None thought it possible foranything to rival Ghazghkull's first horrific onslaught,which cost millions of lives and left the planet in ruin,but The Beast was to prove them spectacularlywrong. Once more showing himself to be more thana simple barbarian, the most dangerous Ork inhistory had saved his best for last, his first assaultnothing more than a test of the planet's defences.

BATTLE IS JOINED

When it came, the attack was truly titanic. Arriving inthe largest Ork fleet ever encountered, thegreenskins swiftly steamrolled their way past thepathetically inadequate Imperial defences and begantheir invasion in earnest. As a statement of hispower, Ghazghkull dropped asteroids onto HiveHades, utterly destroying the place where his lastarmy had met defeat. As Hades burned, dropshipsand fighters ferried millions of Orks to the planet'ssurface and the Imperial defenders opened up withall they had. The Third Battle for Armageddon had begun.

As the ferocity of the Ork assault began to push the Imperial defence lines back and silencethe remaining planetary defence weapons, Ghazghkull stunned all by landing dozens of themassive asteroid-fortresses that accompanied his fleet directly onto the planet. How he wasable to achieve such a feat of engineering remains a mystery, but wherever they toucheddown they gave the invaders a ready-made and almost impregnable bastion, full ofreinforcements, armoured vehicles and Gargants.

THE FIRES RAGE

Despite their initial losses, the defenders were able to hold out long enough to get themeasure of their foes and began to strike back effectively. Across the planet, Ork assaultsbecame bogged down as they tried to overrun the tenaciously defended Hives. Though theOrks battering themselves against the defences suffered horrific casualties, there werealways more to take their place and the battles continued almost incessantly.

After years of fighting, it became clear that the invasion had been halted, if not repelled.Though the Orks could not wrest control of Armageddons hives and facilites from theirHuman defenders, they had become so well established that many doubt whether it is nowpossible to kill them all. Armageddon has become a world of constant war, with noforseeable end to the conflict. Neither side seem to have let this fact stop them fromfighting on, though how long the Imperial war machine can keep feeding troops into thegrinder remains to be seen.

HIVE HADES

"...In an act of terrible vengeance, Ghazghkhull chose not to fight again at Hades. Instead,the entire Hive was smashed asunder by giant asteroids dropped from orbiting spacehulks..."Excerpt from "The Beast Returns" by Dvergar Weiss

Hades became famous after the second war as the place where Ghazghkull's forces werefinally defeated, though the hive itself was also crippled in the process. Under theinspirational leadership of Commissar Yarrik, the defence at Hades broke the back of theinvasion force as Ghazghkull threw more and more of his resources into crushing theirimpudence. Eventually, the Orks broke through and took the hive, but the losses they hadsuffered were such that they had lost any chance of securing overall victory. Hades fell, butthe war was over.

THE THIRD WAR

Hades had still to recover from the pounding it had taken stopping Ghazghkull the first timewhen he returned, but the defenders were resolute and prepared to face the Beast oncemore. Ghazghkull, however, had other plans for them. As the Imperial forces readied theirdefences, Ork hulks began to hurl asteroids at the battered city and before even one Ork setfoot on the planet's surface Hades had been utterly destroyed.

The Ork bombardment reduced Hades to a crumbling ruin. Debris from the impact scatteredfor miles around, raining down on the forces arrayed outside the hive. Unprepared for sucha catastrophe, they were slain almost as easily as those who were trapped inside when therocks fell. Uncounted millions were annihilated by the impact and those who survived weredriven into the wastes by the titanic firestorms that raged for months afterwards. Fewsurvived the harsh environment of the ash wastes long enough to be killed by the Orks.

HADES TODAY

As soon as the fires began to burn themselves out, however, life began to return to Hades'carcass. Refugees, eager to escape the hardships of life in the wastes, came to scratch aliving amid the ruins and Ork warbands rumbled in to stake a claim on the new territory andlook for trouble. Imperial forces tend to stay away wherever possible as the wreckageblocks communications into or out of the area and so, though the war goes on, the onlybattle in the ruins of the dead city is the fight to survive.

Armoury

Because the variety of weapons in the Warhammer 40,000 setting is staggeringwe give you a handy table with which you can create your own weapons and seehow much Wealth they will cost.

Is the weapon...Rare = +1 Wealth (weapon is Uncommon and bad guys will rarely have it, and won't knowhow to use yours)Uncommon = no modifier (intrinsic)Common = -1 to Wealth (weapon is dirt cheap to manufacture and bad guys often havethem and ammo is abundant)

to Fight = go to Ato Shoot = go to B

A: To Fight

Is its weightLight = its attacks are timed as if 1 Wider. (+1 Wealth)

- Balanced = +1d Parry (+1 Wealth)- Whiplike = cannot be parried (+1 Wealth)

Heavy = +1 Damage (+1 Wealth)- Unbalanced = -1d to Parry (-1 Wealth)

Cumbersome = Yes +2 Damage (Slow 1) (+1 Wealth)- Unwieldy = cannot be used to parry (-1 Wealth)

Is its sizeSmall = conceal/draw (+1 Wealth)Big = +1S Damage (+1 Wealth)Massive = +2S Damage (Slow 1) (+1 Wealth)

Is its bladeSharp = its base damage is WK (intrinsic)

- Mono = +1 Penetration (+1 Wealth)- Tearing/Chain = +1K damage (+1 Wealth)- Power Field = +1K, +1 Pen (+2 Wealth)

Blunt = its base damage is W+1S (intrinsic)

B: To shoot

Is itOne handed = W in SK (intrinsic)Two handed = W in SK, Pen 1 (+1 Wealth)

Is its ammoLas = +1 Pen (+1 Wealth)

- Hot-shot = +1K, +1 Pen (+2 Wealth)Melta = +2 SK, +2 Pen, no spray (+4 Wealth)Solid ammo = +1 SK, +1 Pen (intrinsic)

- Bolt = +2 SK, +1 Pen (+3 Wealth)- Stub = +1 SK- Dum-Dum = +1K, -1 Pen (+0 Wealth)- Man-stopper = +2 Pen (+2 Wealth)

Buckshot ammo = -1K, Spray 1d (+0 Wealth)Plasma = +2 SK, +2 Pen, Burn (+5 Wealth)Fire = +2S, -1 Pen, Burn (+2 Wealth)

Is its rangeLong distance = +1 in SK, Pen +1 (+2 Wealth)Normal distance = no modifiers (intrinsic)Short distance = +1 in SK (+1 Wealth)

Is its firing mode (only for Solid ammo)semiautomatic = +1d Spray, (+1 Wealth)Fully automatic = +3d Spray (+3 Wealth)

Is itAccurate = +1d Shoot (+1 Wealth)Inaccurate = no bonus Aiming (-1 Wealth)

Is it artillery = +2d Spray, +1 Pen (+3 Wealth)

The Wyrd and the Wonderful

Psionics is divided into powers. Each power consists of an advantage and a few relatedskills. Each advantage comes in levels, from 1 to 6.

The psionic advantages are:1. Biokinesis2. Extrasensory Perception3. Psychokinesis4. Telepathy

Character Creation

When creating a character, the cost of a psionicadvantage is twice its level, and the maximum levelallowed is 5. Improving an advantage by one level lateron costs twice the new level in XP. Some level of anadvantage is needed to learn any skills for that power.

Warp Dice

When using the normal dice pool there is no dangerthat a Peril of the Warp happens. A psyker can addWarp Dice to a dice pool, up to the Level of the Power.Whenever a "9" is rolled on any of his Warp Dice thepysker has attracted the attention of the Warp and hemust roll on the "Perils of the Warp" table. He adds hisLevel*10 to the D100 rolled.

Using a psionic power successfully does not costor fatigue the character beyond normal activity.However, any failed use of the power causes onepoint of shock to the torso.

THE POWERS & SKILLS

Biokinetic powers, unless otherwise noted, can only affect the character himself orsomeone he touches. The skills are all based on the Body Stat. They are as follows.

• Biokinetic WeaponDoes Width+Level killing damage to a victim. The victim must be touched and the powerchanneled; this needs an ordinary skill check, which can be dodged, parried, or disrupted bybeing attacked as usual for actions in combat. However, armour is no protection from thedamage. Alternatively, this power can be used to boost the damage of a weapon touched;add the biokinesis level to the weapon damage for Height minutes.

• Gift of GraceAdds half of a character's biokinesis level to the target's Coordination score for Heightcombat rounds.

• Gift of StrengthAdds half of a character's biokinesis level to the target's Body score for Height combatrounds.

• HealingWhen used to heal wounds, the Healing skill heals up to Width+Level killing damage. Thispower can also reduce the effect of a poison or disease. Major effects become minor, andminor effects are neutralised. However, the maximum intensity of effect is equal to twice acharacter's Healing level. The Healing skill can only be attempted once per day on aparticularsubject.

Extrosensory Perception or ESP powers are based on Sense. The Farsense, Lifesense,and Psychic Sense powers have a range depending on the ESP level as follows.0 : Touch1 : 3 meter or eye contact2 : 30 meter3 : 1,5 kilometer4 : 15 kilometer5 : 150 kilometer6 : 1.500 kilometer

• Danger SenseThe character has a very limited view of the future. A successful check provides a splitsecond of warning, preventing him from being surprised by an ambush. If the skill checkhas width three or higher, he has just enough time to shout a warning, preventing hiscompanions from being surprised.The power also provides a very limited ability to predict the moves made by othercharacters in combat; he gains a bonus to dodge and parry equal to half of the ESP level.Further, he has no multiple action penalty for multiple actions when combining an attackwith a dodge or a parry.Finally, the GM can use this power to plague the character with visions relating to dangersin the near future. These dangers may or may not directly concern the character.

• FarsenseThe character can extend his sight and hearing to a particular location within the range. Thisskill can be used to spy on a particular location, look through a brick wall, and so on. Thepower lasts as long as the character concentrates. He is not aware of his usual surroundingswhile concentrating.

• LifesenseThe character is aware of the presence of living beings close to him and within ESP range;this use of the power is automatic. He can also use this skill to find a particular plant oranimal species or even individual known to him. This power does not by itself grant theability to psionically spy on a known individual within range; such a power needs asimultaneous combination of Lifesense and Farsense (the Farsense power is describedabove).

• Psychic SenseThe character can sense the presence of psychic powers or those capable of using psychicpowers within range. A skill check is always made to detect psychic powers used on thecharacter or in his immediate presence. Detecting psychic powers within range is a moreactive use of the power; the player decides when to use it, and what he is looking foror where he is looking. At high levels some focus is needed; sensing all psionic activitywithin 1000 miles is unlikely to be useful.

• PsychometryThe character can use this power to learn significant events in the history of a place orobject. The number of pieces of information learnt is equal to a character's ESP level. Once

a check fails, the skill cannot be used again on the particular item or location. Further, theGM can grant visions to a character with this power if he enters a place or handles an itemof great historical or emotional significance.

The information provided is the GM's discretion; possibilities for items include the following.How to use or activite the item (especially if magic)Location of item's creation.Magical powers of an item.Name of item's creator.Name of item's last owner.One significant event where the item was used.Purpose of item.Time of item's creation.

Possibilities for locations include the following.Animals, plants, or water present or commonly present.Hidden objects or secret doors.Name of the last or current inhabitant of a location.Name of the location's creator (if artificial).The last creature to walk through the location.One significant event that occured at the location.Purpose of location (if artificial).Time of location's creation (if artificial).

The GM should at pay attention to a player who wants a particular item of information, andeither provide it as one of the items, or exclude it if he has a good reason.

Psychokinesis powers are based on Coordination, and can be used on objects seen by thepsychic. The maximum mass of an object affected by psychokinetic powersdepends on level as follows.1 : 1 kilo2 : 5 kilo3 : 20 kilo4 : 115 kilo5 : 450 kilo6 : 2000 kilo

• HurlHurls an inanimate object at a target. The object cannot be tied down in any way. Theprecise mass is unimportant; any suitable object does Width+Level damage. The damage isnormally Shock damage. However, if the object is sharp or weighs 50LB or more, thedamage is killing damage. Doing killing damage with this power depends onthe availability of such objects.

• LevitationThe character can fly or lift up other living targets. The maximum duration is Heightminutes. Movement speed is quite slow; a mere 10' per combat round. To use this power onhimself or another human, the character needs at least level 4 is the psychokinesisadvantage. Lifting more than one creature (if within the allowed mass) requiresa multiple action as usual.

• PyrokinesisThis power can be used to ignite a flammable object or objects; the maximum massaffected depends on the character's psychokinesis skill as usual. Affecting more than oneobject simultaneously is a multiple action. If used as an attack, pyrokinesis is an area attackdoing killing damage equal to the telekinesis level. Pyrokinesis can also heat or cool objects

within the mass limit. This use of the power does not cause damage, but can for instanceextinguish fires, or cause water to freeze sufficiently to support weight.

• Psychokinetic ShieldA psychokinetic shield acts as armour equal to the psychokinesis level. A skill check is madeto shield either the character or a comrade against all attacks that he is aware of for asingle combat round. If the character is also attacking or doing something else, using apsychokinetic shield counts as a multiple action as usual.

• TelekinesisThis power moves objects within the mass limit. Only inanimate objects can be affected.Complex actions generally require multiple actions; if the character uses Telekinesis toperform an action where both hands are needed, a multiple action with two uses of theTelekinesis skill is needed. More complex actions still are possible with telekinesis, andgenerally involve a multiple action with another skill. For example, wielding a melee weaponat a distance with telekinesis is a multiple action involving the weapon skill (or the Fightskill) and telekinesis.

Telepathic powers are based on Command. All powers have a range depending on thetelepathy level as follows.0 : Touch1 : 3 meter or eye contact2 : 30 meter3 : 1,5 kilometer4 : 15 kilometer5 : 150 kilometer6 : 1.500 kilometer

• ContactThe character can send thoughts to another character within range. People he knows wellcan be accurately contacted, but if he only has a name and a vague description, mistakescan occur unless the check beats a difficulty number (usually 3 if there is some chance forerror, or 6 if there is a significant chance). Someone contacted cannot reply unless they alsohave the power or the psychic has the empathy power (see below). Each `message' sent isa new use of the contact power.

• Intuitive ReadingThe character gains an intuitive impression another individual's surface thoughts andemotions. He gains no concrete information from this, but the intuitive impressions grant abonus equal to half the telepathy level to all social skills for Height minutes. As a bonus, thecharacter can understand any language spoken by the target of this power; however, hegains no ability to speak other languages.

• Mental BlowDoes Width+Level damage in shock. The victim must be both in range, and seen by thecharacter (either by their presence or as a result of ESP powers). Using mental blow againsta character only sensed by ESP powers counts as a multiple action, using both the MentalBlow skill and the relevant ESP skill or skills. Further, if any of the powers involved in usinga mental blow fail, the psychic takes one point of shock for each failure.

• Psychic ShieldDice from a psychic shield check can be used as gobble dice to block or nullify psychicactivities known by the character that are within range.

The Houses and their Martial Paths

Underhive is a dangerous place where people gather together into gangs so theycan explore, travel and fight together. Those who join a gang are called gangers.House traditions are so strong and their identities so distinct that even in theUnderhive gangs are formed from gangers of one House. A Necromundan’s entiresense of self is based upon House loyalty so even the descendants of downhivesettlers retain their House identity to a large extent.

The bulk of gangers come from the Underhive itself.They are the descendants of settlers, some fromfamilies established in Underhive for generations.The loyalty of these established Underhivers to theirHouse is tempered with romantic notions of life inHive City, a place they have never been to and canonly dimly imagine.

Some gangers come downhive from Hive City. Youngjuves and discontented hivers are keen to join orform gangs, and there are always hardy Underhiverswilling to give them a chance. As well as its ordinarygangers a gang might also include hired help in theform of mercenary fighters, psychic mutants orRatskin trackers.

As gangers take part in fights, those who survivebecome more experienced, and improve their battleskills. This is represented in the campaign game byexperience points and Martial Paths. Each ganger istrained in the secret Martial Path of his House.

Way of the Gun (all Houses)

All Houses train their gangers in the Way of the Gun. This Martial Path is more of a set ofgeneric firearm techniques than any specific school of training. It can be used with justabout any firearm skill.

Quick Draw (1 point):You do not suffer the -1 initiative penalty for drawing and firing your weapon.

Through the Vest (2 points):*When you make a single attack (not part of a multiple action and not part of a SuppressiveFire or Spray attack), you may ignore 1AR provided by armor. Armor provided by Martialtechniques still applies. You may gain this benefit when using a 3-round burst, but the ARreduction only applies to the fastest set.

Stopping Power (3 points):**When you hit an opponent in the torso, your target is downed and loses a die off every set.You may stack Stopping Power with Through the Vest but your attack must then adhere to

the restrictions of that technique.

Marksman (4 points):You may Squish*** one of your attack sets each round by 1 point. This stacks with theabove techniques.

Sharpshooter (5 points):As Marksman, but you may Squish your attack set by 2 points.

*As Arrow of Gentle Repose, basically.**As Submit and Kneel, but it doesn't matter whether you're spraying fools with a machinegun or dodging and shooting. Maybe it should matter? Perhaps just "As Through the Vest,but your opponent is also downed and loses a die off every set."*** I'm wondering about the power of Squishing rolls. Is 1 point of Squish underpoweredfor a 4-point technique? Should Marksman be allowed to Squish 2 points, and thenSharpshooter maybe Squish an unlimited amount?

Advanced Tactical Squad Training (All Houses)

The difference between a warrior and a soldier, is that a soldier stands with his fellowsoldier's as part of a force greater than himself. This path allows a person to work with 1 to3 similarly trained allies to create an unstoppable energy. These techniques all require atleast one ally who also knows them, and they are linked to the Tactics skill. All techniquesstack.

Four-Point Tactical Formation (1 point)One of the earliest tricks trainees pick-up is how to move. Diamond formation keeps allsides covered and all members in positions to maximise effectivness. All characters areaware of what the other characters see. In addition, any attempt to sneak up on the teammust beat the highest rated Sense score, plus 1 per additional team member, as a difficulty.Tactical formation of some sort is required for all techniques in this path, and all membersmust be no more than about 4 yards apart at a given time.Example: Roy and Jane go back to back as they enter a potentially hostile room. Each isautomatically aware of what the other sees (through voice cues and body language). Royhas Sense 3 and Jane has Sense 2. To sneak up on them, the attacker must beat a difficultof 4: 3 (the highest sense) plus one for the extra teammate.

Trust in Your Team (2 points)The first thing recruits are supposed to learn is to trust their team. That takes time andexperience to really sink in. Once it does, the group gains the strength of all its members.Any attempts to inflict morale or mental damage against the team is much more difficult.System-wise, the players use the highest Command+1 of the group to resist influencingeffects. In Nemesis, all players use the highest Hardened value in the group for tests ofViolence or Unnatural.

Overlapping Fields of Fire (3 points)A major advantage of group movement is the ability to sport a greater volume of firepowerand work with the team for maximum coverage of the field. In combat, all attacks made bythe group are timed to coincide with the fastest set in the group. Sets that are identical andaimed at the same target can be combined into one larger set for damage purposes. (Thishelps beat heavy armor or cover, mainly. It also, cleverly, allows two people to use theirExpert dice to aim for huge sets.)Example: Roy and Jane are still working through that room, when a bad guy pops up from

behind low cover. They turn so that both can fire on him, Roy getting a 2x6 and a 2x9,while Jane gets a 2x6. They could both shoot with the speed of the 2x9, if Roy takes thatone. But he takes the 2x6 instead. They both go on 2x6, but the bad guy takes one hit of4x6 damage instead of 2 2x6 hits.

Together We Stand (4 points)So long as one member still stands, the team is not yet broken. Any hits taken by amember of the team can, with permission of both members, be passed to someone else.This is, in game, one guy "taking the bullet" for his friend. The entire set passes to the newtarget, so a heavily armored member can be a bullet soak for the whole team. Only one setcan be passed like this per round, however, so no using the bullet magnet to magicallyteleport in front of everyone.

Advanced Tactical Battle (5 points)The team becomes a nigh unstoppable force, seeming to strike from everywhere in perfectunison. This technique requires some form of communication: coded shouts, hand signs,radios, or even telepathy if available. When active, the team need no longer be in formationto get the benefit of their abilities, just in communication and in the same general area. Anymember can "draw aggro" to take a bullet as in Together We Stand, and every member isalways aware of what the others see and hear, and the team has the increased resistance tomental effects and the timing bonus.

Path of the Blood Opera (House Orlock)

It takes a rare individual to walk the Path of the Blood Opera. You must be comfortable withmelodramatic theme music, wear sunglasses indoors, and eschew the wearing of tacticalequipment and military weapons in favor of handguns and stylish suits.

Blood Opera techniques are used with Coordination + Weapon (pistols).

Bullet Ballet (1 point):Bullet Ballet negates 1d of penalty when combining pistol attacks with Dodge or Runactions.

Two Gun Superman (2 points):If you are using two pistols, your attack acts as if it has a Spray rating of 0; you may applyany and all sets as attacks but you do not get any bonus dice like you would with asubmachinegun or assault rifle. Two Gun Superman stacks with Bullet Ballet.

Carnival of Carnage (3 points):When the shooter uses an attack set to kill an unworthy opponent, you affect a number ofunworthies equal to the Width of that attack. You only damage one of the unworthies’ setsunless there are fewer mooks left than there are sets. You fire at least one round per mookkilled.

Heroic Bloodshed (4 points):Your focus and drive in combat are unparalleled. When you use this technique, you do notlose dice from your attack sets when you are hit. Note that you may still be forced to dropdice from other actions, just not your attacks.

Two Gun God (5 points):As Two Gun Superman, but you may gain a Spray rating of 0 even with a single pistol.Dual-wielded pistols increase the Spray rating to 1. Furthermore, you may roll your Weapon

pool when combining actions even if it’s higher than your other pools. This stacks with allthe preceding techniques.

Pump-Action Mastery (House Goliath)This path is designed for a person wielding either a pump-action or combat (self-loading)shotgun. With GM permission, some techniques could be used with a breach-action.

Shotgun WeddingPrecision target practice have made the shooter almost supernatural. He can fire into acrowd, or even a melee, and not hit unintended targets. Either he hits his target, or thepellets harmlessly strike inanimate scenery.

Riot ControlWith careful, repeated shots, the gunman can Suppress a group of enemies. Suppressedtargets must succeed on a (Command/Cool/Willpower) test in order to resist the urge tohide behind cover or lie prone on the ground for the round.

This Is My Boomstick!By clearing the chamber for a new round with a distinctive "Ka-Chik!" the wielder can inflicta Morale attack equal to his Command stat and gains a +1 on his next attack (as aiming).

Wall of LeadBy throwing up a wide area of fire, the gunman supresses counter attacks. Player can abortall attacks and use the best set as Gobble Dice against other ranged attackers.

Plate Glass PuncherLike the hero of an action movie, each shot of the character's gun sends people flying. Anysuccessful attack throws the victim width in meters away from the impact. The player treatsall waste dice as Area Shock damage against the target, and may also use them as AreaShock damage against any other targets hit by the flying victim.

Close Quarters Battle (House Van Saar)

Speed Reload (1 point):Normally reloading takes an entire round. With this technique, you may reload and attackthe same round with a -1d penalty. This technique may only be used with magazine-fedweapons. Tube-fed shotguns, revolvers (without speedloaders), and belt- or box-fedweapons like SAWs cannot benefit from this technique.

Breach & Clear (2 points):You're trained to be quick, decisive, and deadly when engaging the enemy in close quarters- to explode into a room with overwhelming force and take down your targets with lightningspeed. You may add +1 Width to your attacks in the first round of any combat. As with allCQB techniques, the target must be within close range.

Tango Down (3 points):Your intense training allows you to attack with pinpoint accuracy in the heat of battle. Whenyou apply an attack set to an Unworthy Opponent, you affect a number of Unworthies equalto the natural Width of your set. Breach & Clear may be used to augment the speed anddamage of your set, but it does not affect the number of unworthies killed by your attackset. A natural 2x9 attack might act as a 3x9 for initiative and damage when combined withBreach & Clear, but it will only kill 2 unworthies.

CQB Specialist (4 points):All your attacks within close range are timed as if they were 1 Width greater. This increasein initiative stacks with the first-round bonus from Breach & Clear but does not affect thenumber of unworthy opponents affected by Tango Down.

Mozambique (5 points):A successful called shot to the torso at close range deals damage as if the target werestruck by TWO identical attack sets (as the Two Deaths technique on p.221 of therulebook). Armor protects against each set separately. If the target is not downed,incapacitated, or killed by this double tap, you may make a called shot to the target’s headthe following round without the typical -1d penalty.

Sniper Training (House Delaque)

“One shot, one kill.” This Martial Path is dedicated to helping sharpshooters reach out andtouch someone. It is used with Coordination + Weapon (rifle). All of the techniques beloware only applicable after aiming for at least one turn.

Sniper Breathing (1 point):Accomplished shooters learn to slow down their breathing (and heartbeat), thereby reducinggun shake. When you spend a round aiming, you add +2d to your pool rather than thenormal +1d. If you spend a second round aiming, you add another 2d to your pool.Otherwise, aiming works as normal (This is identical to “Goddess in the Grave” in therulebook).

Under Fire (2 points):If you kill an unaware opponent with an aimed attack, the attack creates a Morale Attackequal to the Width of your set.

Or:Terror Tactics (2 points):If another enemy comes to the aid of a target you've already wounded, you gain a +1dbonus to your next attack on either the original wounded target or the friend running tohelp. You lose the benefit of Terror Tactics if you make any other attacks between theattack that wounded the original target and this follow-up shot.

Pinpoint Accuracy (3 points):You are an expert in targeting weak spots. Your aimed attacks ignore 2 points of armor.

Stay on Target (4 points):The distractions of battle do not faze you. Your aim is not interrupted even if you takedamage.

One Shot, One Kill (5 points):Aiming for only one round nets you the full +4d bonus afforded by Sniper Breathing. Aimingfor two or more rounds has no additional effect.

Righteous Fury (House Cawdor)

This Martial Path simulated people who can whip themselves into a Frenzy and enter aexhilarated, ecstatic state of bloody viciousness in which one’s own safety not only ceasesto be a concern, but actually loses coherence as a concept. Those who cultivate this

battle-madness practice it with Coordination + Heavy/Big melee weapons (see chapterArmoury).

Reckless Abandon (1 point):By flinging himself heedlessly into the fray, the warrior adds +2d to his attack. However, ifanyone declares a physical attack on him on a round in which he uses Reckless Abandon,thatenemy gets a +1d bonus (even if the attack is made with Fight or a missile weapon). Theenemy gets this advantage even if he stated his attack before Reckless Abandon wasdeclared. Reckless Abandon cannot be used as part of a multiple action.

The Strength of Madness (2 points):Anyone struck by a blow backed with the Strength of Madness loses two dice from setsinstead of one. This technique doesn’t work on Unworthy Opponents.

Passionate Assault (3 points):A Passionate Assault adds a +3d bonus to the attacker’s dice pool (or offsets up to threedice of penalties). The next person who strikes the attacker using Passionate Assault doestwo extra points of damage (Shock or Killing, according to the weapon used), as long as hestrikes the round that Passionate Assault was used, or the round after. Passionate Assaultcannot be combined with any defensive maneuver.

Black Slaking (4 points):Every time the character kills someone, he adds +1 Killing damage to all his polearmattacks for the remainder of the combat. It’s cumulative. If he kills someone on the firstround, he gets a+1 damage bonus on the second round. If he kills two people that round, he gets a +3damage bonus thereafter and so on. This bonus can never exceed +10.

Dying to Kill (5 points):The mad warrior adds +4d to her next attack and produces a Morale Attack equal to 4+ herCommand Stat. All attacks that hit her the round she declared she’s Dying to Kill do anadditionalpoint of damage (Shock or Killing, depending on the weapon).

Territory

The House’s territory represents resources in the Underhive that the gangmembers can exploit in various ways. It includes nearby wastes where the gangcan scavenge for the odd bit of ore or scrap, and encompasses the efforts of thefighters’ friends and relatives who may live inside the big settlements or in out-holes nearby.

YOUR TERRITORY

Every gang begins with an amount of territories equal to the Territory stat of their House/Company generated from the Territory table (see below). Some scenarios allow gangs togain extra territory or lose it to their rivals. The more and better territory a gang has thericher it will become.

Territory table

To generate a random territory from the table rolla D10. The table indicates the type of territory,with a short description underneath.

D10 ROLL TERRITORY1. Chem Pit

An extensive and highly dangerouschemical pit. The pit is a source ofconstantly changing chemicals,sulphurous deposits, and all kinds ofpoisonous and corrosive substances.

2. Old RuinsAn exposed area of ancient ruins. If aganger searches through the ruins hemay find scrap pieces of archeotech, bitsof old metal, or interesting old curios.

3. SlagAn extensive network of tunnels and crawlholes full of iron slag and other solidifiedchemical wastes.

4. Mineral OutcropAn outcrop of mineral wastes where valuable sparstones, adonite crystals, igneousadamantorite, or one of the many other kinds of mineral gems that are formed inthe Underhive can be collected.

5. Mine WorkingsIn a secret location in the wastes your gang has discovered a mine. The excavationsyield carnotite gems or some other valuable ores or stones. Friends of the fightersare already working in return for a slice of the proceeds. If you capture an enemyfighter then you can put him to work in your mine instead of selling him to slavers.

6. VentsA concealed entrance into a network of ancient ventilation shafts.

7. HolesteadA holestead out in the wastes. The hole produces a crop of nutritious slime.

8. Drinking HoleAn old drinking hole which earns a small sum and also provides the gang with aconvenient base in the local settlement.

9. Gambling DenAn gambling den in an old disused hole in your settlement.

10. Spore CaveA hidden cave where many kinds of rare fungi grow, such as pearl spore and ironmould. A ganger can harvest the fungi and sell it to local traders.

Xenos, Malleus, Heretic

Plenty of threats lurk in the dangerous underhive of Necromunda. Here are someexamples.

Genestealer Cults

Genestealer cults are composed of individuals who have been subjected to genestealergenetic control. Even victims who do not host new genestealers and hybrids themselvesbecome pawns of the purestrain Genestealer that founded the cult.

Genestealer cults masquerade as ordinary citizens and gangs, slowly spreading theirinfluence through society until they can overthrow the native authorities. Wheneverpossible, they will infiltrate the political and military institutions of the planet to increasetheir power.

As the genestealer influence grows, the collective consciousness of the genestealerspsychically attracts the attention of the Tyranid Hive Mind. If the cult influence becomessufficiently powerful, a Tyranid hive fleet will come to the planet to devour all its life andresources. If the genestealer infiltration has completely succeeded, the Tyranids will beable to take over the planet without opposition.

Ork Companies

I've shifted the way Qualities interact for Orksslightly, in an attempt to reflect how theywork.First of all, Influence: Orks don't useInfluence. This is a raft of options that is notavailable to them.Might: Ork companies start with a minimumof Might 1.Sovereignty: Sovereignty also works a littledifferently. For Orks, it is an average of Mightand Territory. Against other Ork bands, theSovereignty average has at least onesubtracted from it unless your Company'sSovereignty is 3 or Higher.This is intended to reflect the internal divisionswithin the Orks, and how deeply tied they areto their numbers. At a particular tipping pointof arms and/or territory, it's presumed that aBoss is now involved and that things are alittle more organised.Territory: As normal.Treasure: This is a little bit different. Initially, Orks get 1 Treasure for every *2* that isstolen in raiding or other actions against their neighbours. This doesn't have to be in one

action, so if last month you got 1 Treasure, and this month you get another 1, then yoursgoes up.Why is this? Firstly, because an Ork company's Might cannot be lower than its Treasure. Ifthey're tied and Treasure goes up, Might follows. My reasoning for this is that Treasure isrepresentative of the resources looted and stolen from other nations, and which is beingretrofitted into Toyz and Gubbins. Initially, the Orks bust as much as they steal, which iswhy it's a 2 for 1 ratio.If the Sovereignty of an Ork company ever hits 3, then the focus provided by having a Bossmeans they're more focused in their looting. Treasure from raiding goes back to a 1 for 1increase. The parity with Might continues.It's also worth considering that the higher a Company's Treasure, the more advanced theCompany is going to be on the field. You can expect to see more magic, more Meks, andother such developments the higher the Treasure is.

You Do Not Want An Ork Company To Hit This Threshold.If the Sovereignty of an Ork Company ever hits 5, then you have a whole new problem. Atthat point, it is large enough that other Orks nearby are going to begin gravitating towardsit, let alone fighting the boss. If that happens, at the end of every month (or relevant time-period) roll Sovereignty + Territory with Difficulty equal to Might.If the result is successful, Might goes up by 1 as the Ork company recieves reinforcements."Our campaign against the Orks has thinned out their numbers, commander!" (pause) "Wellshit, they're back again."

You Do Not Want An Ork Company To Hit This Threshold.Notes: Orks do not have access to any of the temporary raises for Qualities that normalcompanies do. The entire wierd Orky machine is running full-blast the whole time. Tacticalvariants like Fight from Entrenchments can apply, but only once Sovereignty has hit 3 and aBoss is on the field to persuade the boyz not to run out and start choppin.Additionally, Orks are vulnerable to successful Head Hunting attacks once they do hitSovereignty 3. It should be a game session in itself for feel, but if you do successfully killthe Boss then along with other consequences, the Company's Sovereignty falls by one. TheCompany loses any benefits it had of being over one of the thresholds if the number fallspast that point.

Eradicating an Ork Company

Reducing Ork Sovereignty to 0 will certainly splinter the company, but will not eradicate thescourge.In practice, since Ork Sovereignty is largely derived from Might and Territory, assaultingthose directly will yield the best results. Tactically, Orks are also vulnerable to having theirTreasure (and thus tech level) damaged.Should you eradicate the Company on paper, then a new game begins. Take the Territoryheld by the Orks at the height of their power, and subtract 1 (or 2, if they rose very rapidlyand didn't have much time at that level.)From the Ork perspective, after 5 - (Territory - 1 or 2) Months, their Might will pop back upto 1 and the whole saga will begin again. This represents the Ork infestation producing wildOrks, as reinforcements for whoever escaped the last battle.This number (which I will refer to as Infestation Score for the sake of argument) is reducedby 1 for each month (or relevant timeperiod) you attack it as normal, essentially torepresent going through conquered territory and burning chunks of it and putting any Orkywildlife to the sword. This also stops the clock for re-infestation.

If there is a whole month in which you do NOT attack the Infestation Score, then the clockbegins again with 5-Infestation Score months until more Orks appear and the Companyrevives at its most basic level of Might 1.After that month, the first time you attack the Infestation Score does not reduce thenumber, but instead resets the clock to 0. The next month after that, you can reduce thescore again.

Metadiscussion

The theory I was going for here was to make Orks a nuisance. They're hard to eradicate,unless you have nothing else to focus on but cleansing their territories of wild growth, andhave a tendency to pop up again if you turn your back. And they have a potential to becomeexponentially more dangerous once they hit certain thresholds, to attempt to emulate an"Orkish pests, Orkish pests, filthy greenskins, OH GODS THEY'RE AT THE GATES!" vibe.If anyone has better or more elegant suggestions for this, I would be very happy to hearthem.

Orkish Unworthy Opponents

The minimum Threat of an Ork Mob is 2, as even the most disorganised mob is at least asdangerous as wolves.Ork Mobs are immune to magic-based Morale Attacks at any level less than or equal to theirThreat, to represent how Orks gain confidence in numbers.Ork Mobs are immune to Morale Attacks from individual humans as if their Threat were 1point higher than they are, so a Threat 2 Mob of Orks is going to be immune to MoraleAttacks lower than 4 using the Threaten manouvre, for example, because Orks just aren'tscared by much.However, little provides a Motivation boost to Ork mobs. They're already running on fullbore, so unless the Warboss is physically there (a whole new problem in itself) what you seeis what you get.

EDIT: When creating these rules, I didn’t remember that Morale Attacks already fail if theyare less than or equal to the Threat of the mob. I’d suggest approaching this at effectiveThreat + 1 regarding Magical Morale Attacks, although this is debatable and I’m open tosuggestions. Essentially, I think that Orks are less afraid of magic than most equivalenthumans, and would like to find a way of putting this across.

Ork Rules and Stats

Here we present the stats for several different levels of Ork, designed to be used when theUnworthy Opponent rules no longer apply: Too few Orks for a Mob, or Named Orks, or someother equivalent. As always, I invite corrections for Proper Orky Feel.

Orky Weapons:

Shoota: Stats based on Imperial equivalent, except that Orky Gunz have 1 higher Sprayrating than normal, in return for 1 less Penetration. I like the idea that they go for Volumerather than Quality in the most part. Orky Shoota: 90m Spray 5, Pen 2 W+2 in SK 25kgChoppa: W+1 K. (Stats taken from NEMESIS for Axes)

Orky Armour:

I have assumed that the Orks largely forgo armour, but as such this is a great opportunityto distinguish a particular creature as tougher or bigger than the rest. Even one of Da Boyzis going to be a tougher proposition if wearing the equivalent of a breastplate, giving them 3AR to locations 7-9.

Da Boyz:

BODY: 4d Athletics: 2d Endurance: 2d Fight: 2d Parry: 1d Run: 2d Vigor: 2dCOORDINATION: 3d Climb: 2d Dodge: 2d Ride (Drive?): 1d Stealth: 1d Weapon Skill –Choppa: 2d Weapon Skill – Shoota: 2dSENSE: 3d Direction: 1d Eerie: 2d Hearing: 1d Sight: 1dKNOWLEDGE: 2dCOMMAND: 1d Intimidate: 2dCHARM: 1dADVANTAGES: Cannibal Smile: Body+Fight = Width S + 1 K Leather Hard: 1 Extra woundpoint on every body location Indomitable: Continue to act once bodyparts have filled withdamage by accepting more Killing damage. (See Supplement 06)Description: Ork Boyz are among the lowest of the pecking order who still seek activecombat. Against an unprepared or untrained foe, Da Boyz are vicious warriors who live tofight, unburdened by the fear more intelligence would provide.(Meta: They are essentially the same as those who would qualify for Unworthy Opponents,except there are circumstances where they won’t. My theory is that even the most basic ofOrks is going to be a serious problem to the average citizen of the Imperium… but that fewpeople will be playing average members of the Imperium.)(Meta Suggestion: Add a Nob to a pack of Da Boyz for a great mini-Chieftain or temporaryantagonist)

Da Nobz:

BODY: 5d Athletics: 2d Endurance: 2d Fight: 2d Parry: 1d Run: 2d Vigor: 2dCOORDINATION: 4d Climb: 2d Dodge: 2d Ride (Drive?): 1d Stealth: 1d Weapon Skill –Choppa: 2d Weapon Skill – Shoota: 2dSENSE: 3d Direction: 1d Eerie: 2d Hearing: 2d Sight: 2dKNOWLEDGE: 2dCOMMAND: 2d Intimidate: 3dCHARM: 1dADVANTAGES: Cannibal Smile: Body+Fight = Width S + 1 K Leather Hard: 1 Extra woundpoint on every body location Thick Headed: 1 Extra wound point in the head Die Wiv YerBoots On: Continue to act once bodyparts have filled with damage by accepting more Killingdamage; never passes out from Shock to the head; never takes penalties from having acompletely shocked torso. (See Supplement 06)WEAPON CHANGES: Choppa: The basic Orky Choppa does Width +1 K, Width S in thehands of Da Nobz.Description: Nobz are larger, tougher and more experienced Orks.(Meta: Slight stat or skill improvements from Da Boyz, but the biggest difference comes inthe extent to which their added Advantages will make them harder to kill.)(Meta Suggestion: Modelling Nob Leaders, Sergeant equivalents, is easily possible by adding1 level of Last Push to their Advantage list, allowing them to survive for one round afterthey would normally be killed. [See Supplement 06] Mixing one Nob Leader into a pack ofDa Nobz is another opportunity to quickly add a Leader without using a full Boss.)

Da Boss:

BODY: 6d Athletics: 3d Endurance: 3d Fight: 2d Parry: 2d Run: 2d Vigor: 3dCOORDINATION: 4d Climb: 2d Dodge: 3d Ride (Drive?): 2d Stealth: 1d Weapon Skill –Choppa: 2d Weapon Skill – Shoota: 2dSENSE: 4d Direction: 1d Eerie: 2d Hearing: 2d Sight: 2dKNOWLEDGE: 3d Strategy: 2d Tactics: 2dCOMMAND: 2d Intimidate: 3d Inspire: 2d.CHARM: 1dADVANTAGES: Cannibal Smile: Body+Fight = Width S + 1 K Leather Hard: 1 Extra woundpoint on every body location Thick Headed: 1 Extra wound point in the head Die Wiv YerBoots On: Continue to act once bodyparts have filled with damage by accepting more Killingdamage; never passes out from Shock to the head; never takes penalties from having acompletely shocked torso. (See Supplement 06) Last Push Level 1: Can act for one roundafter damage would normally kill them.SPECIAL ADVANTAGE:He’s da Boss, Level 1: All Unworthy Opponents have their Threat raised by 1 while in thepresence of Da Boss due to leadership and obedient fear, not to mention the increasedbravery and focus Orks display when being commanded by someone every cell in their bodybelieves is the boss of them.Description: Bosses are the natural commanders of the Ork bands, and where the filthygreenskins begin to become more dangerous due to their vile animal cunning rather thanjust brute strength.(Meta: Not vastly different in terms of stats than a Nob Leader, the main advantageprovided to Bosses is in more intelligence, more tactical options, and in providing asignificant innate improvement to all Unworthy Opponents in the vicinity. This level of Bossis what the Orks reach when their Company has just reached Sovereignty 3.)

Warboss:

BODY: 7d Athletics: 3d Endurance: 3d Fight: 2d + 1 MD Parry: 2d Run: 3d Vigor: 3dCOORDINATION: 4d Climb: 2d Dodge: 3d Ride (Drive?): 2d Stealth: 2d Weapon Skill –Choppa: 2d + 1 ED Weapon Skill – Shoota: 2d + 1 EDSENSE: 4d Direction: 1d Eerie: 2d + 1 ED Hearing: 3d Sight: 3dKNOWLEDGE: 3d Strategy: 2d + 1 ED Tactics: 2d + 1 EDCOMMAND: 4d Intimidate: 3d Inspire: 2d.CHARM: 1dADVANTAGES: Cannibal Smile: Body+Fight = Width S + 1 K Leather Hard: 1 Extra woundpoint on every body location Thick Headed: 1 Extra wound point in the head Die Wiv YerBoots On: Continue to act once bodyparts have filled with damage by accepting more Killingdamage; never passes out from Shock to the head; never takes penalties from having acompletely shocked torso. (See Supplement 06) Last Push Level 3: Can act for three roundsafter damage would normally kill them.SPECIAL ADVANTAGE:He’s da Boss, Level 2: All Unworthy Opponents have their Threat raised by 2 while in thepresence of the Warboss, nigh-fearless and exulting in the incarnation of their WAAAGHprovided by their hulking leader and his roared commands. Natural Armour, Level 1: 1 ARover entire body.WEAPON CHANGES: Killa Claw: Width + 1 SK, +1 Reach.SUGGESTED ADVANCED MANEUVERS:Disfiguring Strike Display Kill

Description: The Warboss is the natural general created to lead Ork packs when theirnumbers reach a certain size. They herald mayhem and violence, all the more deadlybecause of the coherent commander leading the mob.(Meta: This level of Boss occurs when Orc Companies hit Sovereignty 5, or otherwise whenappropriate. Seriously bad news.)

WAAAAAAAGHBOSS:

BODY: 8d Athletics: 3d Endurance: 3d Fight: 3d + 1 MD Parry: 2d Run: 3d Vigor: 3dCOORDINATION: 4d Climb: 2d Dodge: 3d Ride (Drive?): 3d Stealth: 2d Weapon Skill –Choppa: 2d + 1 ED Weapon Skill – Shoota: 2d + 1 EDSENSE: 4d Direction: 1d Eerie: 2d + 1 ED Hearing: 3d Sight: 3dKNOWLEDGE: 3d Strategy: 2d + 1 ED Tactics: 2d + 1 EDCOMMAND: 4d Intimidate: 3d Inspire: 2d.CHARM: 1dADVANTAGES: Cannibal Smile: Body+Fight = Width S + 1 K Leather Hard: 1 Extra woundpoint on every body location Thick Headed: 1 Extra wound point in the head Die Wiv YerBoots On: Continue to act once bodyparts have filled with damage by accepting more Killingdamage; never passes out from Shock to the head; never takes penalties from having acompletely shocked torso. (See Supplement 06) Last Push Level 5: Can act for five roundsafter damage would normally kill them.SPECIAL ADVANTAGE:He’s da Boss, Level 3: At this level, the Ork band is a fearless howling maelstrom ofviolence. The Boss’ word is thunder and their Gods’ dark laughter is in the chatter of hisguns. WAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! All Unworthy Opponents have their Threat raised by 3, even ifthis moves them to Threat 5. Natural Armour, Level 2: 2 AR over entire body.WEAPON CHANGES: Killa Claw: Width + 1 SK, +1 Reach.SUGGESTED ADVANCED MANEUVERS:Disfiguring Strike Display KillDescription: The core of a shrieking Greenskin apocalypse undoubted to be legendary in theannals of the Imperium.(Meta: This is a speculative level of Boss which is appropriately rare and terrifying tobehold, at the level of Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka.)

Eldar

The Eldar are an incredibly ancient alien race, who once ruled a vast empire acrossthe stars. Then came the hideous times of the Fall, when the Eldar fell from power.Though they are now few in number, the Eldar are one of the most technologicallyadvanced races in the galaxy.Psionics +2, Awareness/Sight +1, Graces +1, Lore +1, Advantage: Beauty (3), Problem:Unwholesome, Problem: Underdeveloped Stat: BODY*

* Underdeveloped Stat (grants 5 points)One of your stats is underdeveloped and can never reach it's full potential. This could be anelement of your race, a birth defect or a permanent damage from a fight. Reduce one ofyour stats by 1. If this reduces the stat in question to 0 you have to drop another stat by 1(or otherwise bring up 5 points) to bring it back to 1. Either way, your maximum possiblerating in the underdeveloped stat also reduced by 1. You can take this problem multipletimes.

The Wakened Dead

The Hideous ThingsAll Undead are, plain and simple, just disgusting and creepy to be around. Their Charm Statis considered 0 although it can attempt to roll their Charm skills as is.

The Icy Cold of the GraveWhile there are numerous stories why the dead come back, it only occurs because ofambient magic. The Icy Cold of the Grave or the Stinking Winds from the Mouth of Hell,which sets your hair on end, is the character’s Eerie/Psyniscience sense working, that’s all.The detectable Intensity of the Wakened Dead, as per page 129, is Just Dead 2, Week Dead3, and Month Dead 4.

The Grateful DeadAll undead are immune to poisons and diseases. They do not need to breath, sleep, food,and water. They see out where their eyes are but do not require their eyes; they see in darkand light just fine. They can distinguish life from base matter.

AdvantagesThe dead are not all equal. Some find a way to survive in the world of the living. Here’show.

Deathly Flesh (1 to 5 point Advantage) – Undead OnlyDeathly Flesh simulates the hardiness and resistant flesh of the dead. Every level functionsnot unlike AR except it just steps-down damage not eliminate it.For each level in Deathly Flesh convert one point of Killing Damage into Shock Damage.The remaining unconverted Killing Damage remains as physical damage. All Shock damagedisappears at the end of a fight.Deathly Flesh doesn’t make the dead immune from special damage effects like knockdowns, etc, etc.Deathly Flesh is applicable to all Hit Locations.

Grave Fortitude (1 to 5 point Advantage) – Undead OnlyMany strolling corpses possess a level of physical strength and prowess the living arelacking. The Undead can reroll up to a number dice from any rolled Body-based dice poolequal to the Grave Fortitude Advantage. The reroll is considered part of the same roll andno special dice can be used with the reroll.

Pallid Mortality (5-point Advantage – Just Dead Only)Sometimes the dead can simulate being alive to the point their hearts can pump, their eyescan tear, and their cuts drip blood. They may be cooler to the touch than normal people andeven a bit socially awkward but there are no outward signs of death and decay. With thisadvantage the Walking Corpse can buy back his Charm Stat, his first dot only for fiveexperience points.

Special Note: Extra ProblemsUndead come in three flavours: Just Dead, a Week Dead, and a Month Dead. Just Dead donot appear dead unless examined and have no Flaw or Problem unless specified. A WeekDead takes the Unwholesome or Gruesome Problem. A Month Dead takes both theGruesome and Unwholesome Problems. Neither of these problems count towards the threelimit and nor do the supply experience points rather they subtract experience if the playerdoesn’t ham up the horror of the undead.

Murder Madness (Undead Flaw)Not all the Wakened Dead suffer the madness of murder but those few make up all theterrible stories. In REIGN the Killing Corpse has his Passions; Craving, Mission, and Duty;reassigned to hunt and kill as many people as it can, often one at a time with animalcunning and human knowledge. Many are led to believe that by ritualistically eating theflesh and drinking the blood of the dying or nearly dead, they gain some sort of power.While they mostly wander alone, some have been known to form terrible hunting packs anddrag off entire generations of families to terrible, merciless fates.

Special Note: But my Shadow Binder Zombies do not have any special rules!Never fear. All basic animated corpses have Deathly Flesh 1 and Grave Fortitude 1. Unlessthe Wakened Dead can think for itself and improve its condition, it is unlikely they’ll get anybetter.Both these factors only raise an Unworthy Opponent's Threat by +1 as per enchantmentrules or are able to generate morale attacks. Your GM will say yay or nay.If your GM wants to he can raise the Intensity of those specific shadow-binder spells by 1 or2 to factor in the new advantages.

Optional Rules

Guidelines for Creating Martial Paths

Here's my rough guidelines for creating your own Martial Paths and Esoteric Disciplines.Creating them get easier the more you do it and you develop a certain flow for making themafter a while.

Level 1 - Always a small effect, often something with a good general purpose usage, andvery often a penalty removal. About 1d worth of effect is right, either negates 1d of penaltyor adds 1d for some situation. 1d can also equal 2 height or 1 width to eithereffect(damage) or timing(initiative).Level 2 - Usually a more specialized manuever, or removal of a big penalty, or the additionof a stronger effect. I think extra Armor usually goes at 2 or 3. Often stacks with the 1, thatsword school in Reign being the perfect example of a stacking school.Level 3 - I like the middle level to change things up a bit. You've already got two powersthat make your skill more useful and interesting, so I like number 3 to really expand onwhat you can do with that skill.Level 4 - This is generall, for me, the most powerful technique that isn't just going crazy. Iusually like it to add something potent and hard to reach with the mechanics normally. Likenegating penalties and adding dice can be done within the rules if you look, but what canthis technique add to the game that really changes the nature of the field for the character?What new strategies can I unlock here?Level 5 - This is usually the "go nuts" power. There are limits, sure, but a Level 5 is usuallynot a rule expander, it's a rule breaker. Ignoring all armor, getting very clear information,and exceeding the 10 die limit are all things a level 5 could do.

Another thing to consider is the XP cost of each level. You have to buy them in order, so itstacks.Level 1 costs 1.Level 2 costs 3.Level 3 costs 6.Level 4 costs 10.Level 5 costs 15.

As you can see, a level 3 power costs just a bit less than a Master die in Reign (1 skill, 1expert, 5 master = 7 points total). So a level 3 power should be just a bit less useful than aMaster die, or just about as useful as a skill with 4 ranks and an Expert die.

A level 5 power costs as much as two master dice and then some. A person who boughtyour whole path should be as well off as a guy who bought two master dice in two differentskills. He went versatility and assured success, so what did the specialist with the path get?

Also, remember how I said a level 1 path was worth about 1d of effect? Well, it costs aboutthat much too! So a level 5 tech should be as useful as about 5 dice on it's own, and about15 dice when you look at all the powers in a path working together.

This also ties into whether your powers stack or trump or coexist. Stacking paths get betterand better, so each power should be a little less good, since it gets all the other powers.

Trumping paths replace each other, so each tech should be better than the previous one inmost ways. Coexisting paths have skills that don't really effect each other. Each should beuseful in it's own right, and have specific utility.

For a stacking path, look at the total cost of powers. For a trumping path, look at theindividual cost of each technique, but consider the total. For a coexisting path, look mostlyat the individual cost, but be aware of the total cost as well.

Spray weapons and ammo usage

Some people don't like the "Spray weapons use a number of rounds equal to the dice inyour pool" rule. It makes a more skillful shooter use more ammo. I also generally thinkSpray ratings make automatic weapons far more overpowered than I would like. I'm notarguing that they are or aren't in real life, but I feel the ability to use all sets for free is apowerful bonus on its own mechanically.

1. Each die of Spray used equates to about 10 rounds fired. You don't have to use the entireSpray rating with your attack. If your weapon's one of those little buzzsaws, like a MAC-11or Micro-Uzi, just assume that using your full 4-5d Spray rating empties the magazine.2. 2/3-round bursts add +1d to your pool, allow you to use up to 2/3 sets, but can only beused on a single target. NOTE: Not sure about the +1d to your pool thing, I may drop it formy game but allow a 3-round burst to benefit from aiming.3. For semiautomatic weapons, the number of rounds actually fired is equal to the lowestloose die in the your pool or the number of attacks made, whichever is higher. If there areno loose dice, use the Height of the shortest set. This makes a skilled shooter more likely todo the job with single shots, while a less experienced gunman is more likely to spray andpray.

Aimed shots only use one round.

Area to determine Story Impact

The Area (Width X Height) can be used as a function for the overall "Story Impact" of anaction. This can be used for both individual characters as well as for Companies. The rollcomes up with a 2x5 and a 3x4. The character or Company can decide to do the actionbetter (2x5) or faster (3x4). Looking at the area you have a 10 and a 12. The 3x4 actionwould have a bigger impact (e.g. be better recieved, fetch a higher price, etc.) than the2x5.

Think of three different Impact 20ishs:4x52x103x7

The 4x5 is notorious for the speed in which it happened... the 2x10 because it was so wellexecuted and the 3x7 because it was fast and impressive. You could factor the "biggestmultiplier" into the Impact to further customize what it actually means.

Impact = Effect* 0 - 12 = No real impact: This effort has no lasting effects* 13 - 19 = Significant Impact: This effort has some minor lasting effect* 20 - 30 = Astonishing Impact: This effort has a major lasting effect

* 31+ = Earth-shattering Impact: This effort has numerous major and minor effects

You could look at the effects as Reputation, Infamy, Maiming, Infection, Value, etc. Theaction with the biggest Impact is the one which appears on the Holo-News that evening...

Reward Dice

It's sometimes tough to get players immersed in role-playing. Self-consciousness iscompounded by OOC joking around. While always good-natured the joking makes it toughto sustain a serious RP mood, even when the joking isn't directly about the RP in question.Here is a good way to encourage roleplaying in the ORE system.

At the beginning of every session, the GM makes 20 "extra" dice available and places themin a cup: 12 white dice, 6 red dice, and 2 blue dice.

White dice are normal dice, red are Expert/Hard dice, and blue are Trump/Wiggle dice.

Each time someone does some great roleplaying, any OTHER player (i.e. no nominatinghimself), including the GM, can nominate the player for a draw from the dice cup. If the GMagrees, the player gets a die at random.

If a player with one or more reward dice really likes whatever another player is trying to do,he can also give one or more reward dice to the other player as bonus 'gift dice' just beforethe roll is made. Whatever 'gift' die is picked needs to be spent on that roll.

At the end of the night, the players turn in any unused dice (so, they have to keep themseperate from their normal dice).

This is a good way to encourage some drama or other coolness. The GM can be prettyliberal awarding dice at first, then tighten up and start being a little more demanding.

The group can also use different colored poker chips instead of dice.

Toggling, and Rolling with Blow

Toggling: also called Faster/Weaker, Harder/Slower; you may chose to add 1 to your set'swidth for either its speed of effect or its power (ie, damage), in exchange for the effectivewidth reduced by 1 for the other. In other words, if you roll a 2x10, you canhave it count as width 1 for damage and 3 for speed,or visa versa.Rolling With Blow: an addition to shaking it off. Shaking it off costs 1 Experience Point tostop 1 stun, 2 Experience Points to stop 1 killing. Or 1 Experience Point to change 1 killingto stun.

Alternate Block and Dodge RulesThe default system of ORE makes blocking/parrying and dodging quite difficult. Attackshave to beat the height and width of incoming attacks. The following rules make defensivemanuevers a bit easier.

Incoming attacks can be Dodged or Blocked, if the player declares that as their character'sintent. Instead of the Dodge or Block manuever's roll having to beat both the height and

width of the incoming attack, use the following guidelines.

Dodge: A character can completely dodge any attack whose width their dodge roll beats.Multiple actions penalties apply normally. Dodging ranged attacks has a difficulty on thedefender's roll equal to the available cover (3+ for heavy cover nearby, 5+ for light covernearby, 8+ for no cover nearby). Ties in width reduces the damage Width by one, but theattack still hits.

Example: Horatio is being attacked by a cultist with a knife. He is unarmed, so he decidesto leap away from the cultist. Horatio makes a Dodge roll versus the cultist's Melee. Horatiogets a 3x3 while the cultist gets a 3x6. Since their widths are tied, Horatio is still hit, but thedamage is calculated as if it were a 2x6 attack. So Horatio takes 2S + 1K fro the attack. Thenext round, Horatio and the cultist do the same thing. This time Horatio scores a 3x1success and the cultist a 2x10. In this case, Horatio leaps out of the way, if but clumsily.

Block: A character can attempt to block incoming melee attacks, if they wish. Rangedattacks cannot be blocked. Successful rolls on a Block act as gobble dice for any attacks thatthey beat in height. Blocking a melee weapon while unarmed will automatically do theweapon's damage to one limb (assume a Width 1 attack). Shields grant a +1d or +2d bonusto the character's Block pool (depending on the size), but follow the same rules listed here.

Example: Horatio finally gets his hands on a metal tray and uses it to block the cultistthat has been hounding him. Horatio's Block roll is a 2x4 and the cultist's attack is 3x2.Horatio's block beats the attack's height so he uses his two gobble dice to spoil the attack.

Alternative Damage System

This alternative rule grants groups the ability to remove hit locations and use the height ofan attack to determine the severity of the wound caused.

In the Alternate Damage system for ORE, height is used to represent the severity of thewound, rather than the hit location. In this system, location is not tracked (unless the playerchooses to sacrifice a limb to the damage, see below). There would be four woundseverities: Superficial, Serious, Critical, and Mortal. The heights and number of woundboxes are as follows:

Mortal (10): 4 Wound BoxesCritical (8-9): 4 Wound BoxesSerious (5-7): 5 or 6 Wound BoxesSuperficial (1-4): 5 or 6 Wound Boxes

(Note: I'm not sure if 6 wound boxes is too much for Serious and Superficial)

Characters suffer the following (cumulative) penalties when they have all damage boxes inthe appropriate category filled with Killing Damage.

Mortal: DeadCritical: -1d to all actionsSerious: -1d to concentration actionsSuperficial: -1d to physical actions

Damage rolls up, so a character that takes 5 killing and 5 Shock superficially would fill infive killing, use two points of shock to fill the last box in Superficial, and then put threepoints of Shock up into Serious. This character would suffer a -1d penalty to all physicalactions.

As a further option, groups may choose to switch Weapon Damage to a flat scale with this(remove the width bonus to all weapons). This depends on how deadly you want things tobe. If you remove W from damage, default all W's in the listed Weapon Damages to 2. Thisis really up to style of game you want. Removing the width from damage "standardizes" thesystem, leaving width solely an aspect of speed.

Players can "sacrifice" a limb rather than taking damage from an attack. Sacrificed limbs areuseless. Useless limbs have the same penalties as you'd normally associated with them (asif the limb was filled with Shock damage). Limbs can be sacrificed twice each, the secondtime the limb is completely destroyed/removed (i.e. will never heal or function again;treatas if filled entirely with Killing damage). Limbs sacrificed once will heal over time and regainfunctionality.

New Advantage: Contacts (varies)

The costs to buy Contacts dice is 2/4/10.With a dice pool with only regular dice the contact will help you in 5-Width in daysWith a dice pool with an expert die the contact will help you in 5-Width in hours.With a dice pool with an master die the contact will help you ASAP.

Expert Dice represent business friendship, colleagues, a favor. Master Dice represent closefriends, family, team members.

The contact has 4d in his Stat. You can give the contact dice in one relevant skill byincreasing the cost of the dice above. So, a Contact Enginseer 3d (and a Tech-Use skill 4d)would cost 3x(2+4)=18 points. You can try the contact the Contact by rolling a dice pool of3 dice. If you succeed the Enginseer has a Tech-Use dice pool of 4d+4d=8d.You can make a Group a contact but you can't invest Expert dice or Masterdice in it. The skill increase counts for the sole individual that you contact in that group.

Esoteric Discipline - Tech-Use

Rite of the Mechanicus1.BINARY CHATTER (no test needed)You are adept at controlling servitors. Gain +1d bonus to any attempt to instruct, programor question servitors.2. ELECTRO GRAFT USE (no test needed)You have the ability to use an electro graft to access data points and commune withmachine spirits. This grants you +1d bonus to Lore, Scrutinze and Tech-Use Tests whilstconnected to a data point.3. CHEM GELD (no test needed)A variety of chemical and surgical treatments have rendered you immune to thetemptations of the flesh. Seduction attempts against you automatically fail, and theDifficulty of all Fascinate Tests made against you is increased by 1. When you take thisTalent you gain one Insanity Point.4. FEEDBACK SCREECHPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Respirator Unit).By muttering illogical formulae under your breath (and making a Tech-Use test) you areable to foment rebellion within your vox synthesisers. Your audio circuits protest in ascreeching blast of noise, shocking and distracting others in equal measure. All creatures,except Daemonic and machine-based, within a 30 metre radius must make a Stability Test

or be Surprised as they shudder, swear, cover their ears or otherwise react to the horridnoise. This is takes a full Round and may not be used again for 10-Width in Rounds whileyour audio circuits reset.5. AUTOSANGUINEAncient and blessed technology filters your blood. Handed down from generations past, yourimplants repair minor injuries. Once every twelve hours you may make a Tech-Use Test. Ona success, you remove Height in points of Shock Damage (1 Killing equals 2 Shock). Inaddition, you naturally heal at double the rate (see Healing in the rulebook). If you Fumblethe roll however, in additon to failing, you also strain your implants. They cease to functionfor one week. For that time you are unable to use this Talent. Autosanguination takes tenminutes of meditation and ritual incantation to activate. Your autosanguinators also sooththe minor pains and sores caused by the blessed metal of your implants pressing upon yourweak flesh. This has no in game effect, but does make you slightly less irritable than before.

Rite of the Skitarii1. LUMINEN SHOCKPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Electoo inductor/Polentia coil).By focusing your bio-electrical energy through your electoo inductors (and making a Tech-Use test), you are able to damage your opponents. You can touch your enemy for thisability to work or Shoot the blast at him. In combat, you must make a successful GrappleTest to deliver the blast. Each luminen Shock deals W+2 in Shock damage plus Waste Dice.Each time you use this Talent, you receive 1 Shock damage to your own body.2. LOGIS IMPLANTYou may utilise analytical circuits to calculate trajectory and reactions to a preternaturalextent. Your ability to read possible outcomes lets you anticipate the movements of youropponents. You may make a Tech-Use Test to activale your Logis Implant. This action takesa whole turn. Until the end of your next Turn, you gain +1d bonus to your Fight and ShootSkills. Each time you use this Talent, you receive 1 Shock damage to your body.3. ENERGY CACHE (no test needed)Prerequisites: Tech-Priest (Potentia coil).You have learnt how to focus some of power stored within your potentia coil. You no longerreceive Shock damage from using Logis Implant and Luminen Shock.4. ELECTRICAL SUCCOURPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Electoo inductor/Polentia coil).You can call upon the sacred flow of energy to replenish your weak flesh. Whilst in contactwith a functioning powered machine, or fully charged battery, you may make Body + VigorTest each Round. If you succeed, remove one Killing damage plus one Killing Damage forevery set rolled. This take one minute of meditation and incantation to activate.5. GUN BLESSINGPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Electoo inductor/Polentia coil).With a wave of your hand you give a weapon the blessing of the Ommnissiah. You maybless any weapon in a 10 meter radius. To do so, make a Tech-Use test. A success indicatesthat you have rallied the spirits of the weapons. You can give the weapons either +1damage or +1 Penetration. This blessing takes a full Round to intone.

Rite of the Omnissiah1. RITE OF AWEPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Respirator Unit).You may recite an infrasonic liturgy that causes awe and fear. All humans within a 50 metreradius regardless of their ability to hear, feel a sense of dread and religious guilt. Alongsidethese emotional effects. all humans take a -1d penalty to their next Skill Test. Charactersmay make a Stability to shake off these effects. Whilst incanting the rite, you may not talkon any additional frequency. The rite is two minutes long, and it is considered very bad form

to break off incantations at any point within the liturgy. Note that humans without auditoryimplants cannot hear infrasonic sound, and thus will assume you are not speaking.2. RITE OF FEARPrerequisites; Tech-Priest (Respirator Unit).You may recite an infrasonic dirge, which causes terror within the weak. All humans,regardless of their ability to hear, within a 50 metre radius consider you to have aFear Intensity of 3, Whilst incanting the dirge, you may not talk on any additionalfrequency. The rite is two minutes long, and it is considered very bad form to break offincantations at any point within the liturgy, Note that humans without auditory implantscannot hear the ultrasonic sound, and thus will assume you are not speaking.3. RITE OF PURE THOUGHTPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Cranial Circuitry).You have replaced the creative right half of your brain with a cognitor. You no longer feelemotion, and are instead filled with the cold purity of logic. You are now immune to StabilityTests. Others now find you disturbing to say the least. Your GM will remove any MentalDisorders that are no longer relevant, and grant you new ones of equal severity.4. RITE OF ATTUNEMENTPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Electoo inductor/Polentia coil).You can call an unsecured metal object that you can see to your hand. Roll a match withTech-Use and lift an amount of weight up to your Command in capacity (see below). Theobject must be within a 40 metre radius. You spend a Full Round to enact this rite.Command Maximum Lift1d 1 kilo2d 1,5 kilo3d 2 kilo4d 2,5 kilo5d 3 kilo6d 3,5 kilo5. RITE OF TRANSENDENCEPrerequisites: Tech-Priest (Potentia coil)By long hours of rote learning, you have mastered one of the miracles of the Omnissiah. Byspending a Round concentrating, you may hover 20-30 centimetres of the ground for anumber of minutes equal to your Knowledge + Tech-Use. You may move at your normalwalking pace and must employ a Half Action each round to concentrate on maintaining therite. Each Rite of Transcendence exhausts the power in in your potentia coil and thus youmay only use this rite once in every twelve hour period.