TEXT: it• •	
  •	
  .40.
  111•1■ MIIP■ I
  
  COUNTDOWN
  Design
  Ray Winninger
  Design Consultants
  Bill Karh and Stan Kowalski
  Cyberman Created by
  Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis
  Writing
  Ray Winninger
  Editorial Staff
  Editor-In-Cheif
  L. Ross Babcock Ill
  Editing
  Donna Ippolito
  Proofreading
  Donna Ippolito
  Production Staff
  Layout And Pasteup
  Jane Bigos
  Todd Marsh
  Cover Art
  David Deitrick
  Illustration
  Jane Bigos
  Todd Marsh
  Typesetting
  Karen Vander Mey
  Special thanks to the gang at Northwestern University
  Doctor Whop BBC 1985
  Game Design©FASA Corporation 1985
  
  Table Of Contents
  INTRODUCTION 	
   3
  Contents Of This Book 	
   3
  Plot Synopsis 	
   3
  Threat To The TARDIS 	
   3
  The Leander's Mission 	
   3
  Distress Signal   4
  Cyberman Plot 	
   4
  A New Home Base 	
   4
  A Deadly Rift   5
  Uneasy Alliance   5
  HOW TO USE THIS BOOKLET 	
   6
  Getting Started 	
   6
  Character Creation 	
   6
  Developing Character Histories 	
   7
  Equipping The Characters 	
   8
  Running The Adventure 	
   9
  Preparing For Play 	
   9
  Gamemaster's Tasks 	
   9
  The Fine Art Of Gamemastering   10
  THE ADVENTURE 	
   12
  Crisis 
  	
  12
  Inside The TSS Leander 	
   13
  In The Cargo Bay 	
   13
  Tracked By Sam 	
   13
  To The Bridge 	
   13
  eeting With Captain Fleming   14
  Signal From Space 	
   15
  Deadly Androids 	
   15
  Pitched Battle 	
   16
  Calculating Time   16
  Movement And Actions 	
   16
  Sneaking About 	
   17
  Destroying The Androids 	
   17
  Captured!   17
  Enter The Cybermen 	
   18
  Losing Power 	
   18
  ffects Of The Chronic Rift   19
  The Next Steps 	
   19
  The Vegan Threat 	
   19
  Ambush And Escape 	
   20
  To The Rescue 	
   20
  Freeing The Prisoners   21
  Escape Possibilities 	
   21
  Hiding Out   21
  The Jack Of Hearts 	
   22
  The Secret Smuggling Hold 	
   22
  Hidden Treasure 	
   22
  The Golden Weapon 	
   22
  Ultimatum 	
   23
  Attack On The Cyberman 	
   23
  The Scientific Solution 	
   24
  Research Stages 	
   24
  Sealing The Rift 	
   24
  Kalik Makes His Move 	
   25
  VESSELS 	
   26
  TSS LEANDER 	
   26
  General Appearance 	
   26
  Room Descriptions 	
   26
  Cybership 100-1136 	
   32
  General Appearance 	
   32
  Room Descriptions 	
   32
  Jack Of Hearts 	
   34
  General Appearance 	
   34
  Room Descriptions 	
   34
  CAST OF CHARACTERS 	
   36
  Player Characters 	
   36
  Non-Player Characters 	
   40
  GAMEMASTER'S NOTES 	
   45
  TARDIS Data Banks 	
   45
  	
  Chronic Rift   45
  Cyberman 	
   45
  Earth Empire 	
   45
  Gravity Bubble 	
   45
  Hadder's Fever 	
   45
  The Vegans 	
   45
  Supplementary Background 	
   45
  The Cybermen 	
   45
  Earth Empire   46
  The Vegans 	
   47
  	
  Time Line   47
  Beyond The Adventure 	
   48
  Increasing Skills 	
   48
  Building Campaigns 	
   48
  
  :111
  CONTENTS OF
  THIS BOOK
  Introduction
  Countdown is an adventure de-
  signed for use with the DOCTOR WHO
  Role-Playing Game. The adventure is
  designed for one to four players and a
  gamemaster. Although pre-generated
  player characters are provided, experi-
  enced role-players may wish to choose
  characters from the television series in-
  stead. Complete statistics for The Doc-
  tor and some of his more famous com-
  panions can be found in the Source-
  book For Field Agents included in
  FASA's DOCTOR WHO Role-Playing
  Game.
  Beginning gamemasters should
  find Countdown of particular interest.
  The How To Use This Booklet chapter
  provides extensive suggestions on be-
  ginning play, character creation, de-
  veloping background for adventures,
  and equipping the players. This chapter
  also includes a section on Running The
  Adventure, which defines the
  gamemaster's tasks and provides help-
  ful hints on giving descriptions, role-
  playing the non-player characters, and
  judging challenge. All of this informa-
  tion is intended to supplement the ma-
  terial presented in the Game Opera-
  tions Manual of DOCTOR WHO:RPG.
  Gamemaster Notes contains infor-
  mation the players may access from the
  TARDIS Data Banks, as well as supple-
  mentary background information for
  the gamemaster's eyes only. Also in-
  cluded are notes on bringing this ad-
  venture to a conclusion and for using
  it as a springboard for building a larger,
  on-going campaign.
  The Adventure chapter describes in
  detail and in sequence every location
  and encounter that make up this Dr.
  Who adventure. Special role-playing
  notes for use by the gamemaster are
  also provided.
  Complete descriptions and statis-
  tics for the starships involved in this ad-
  venture may be found in Vessels. The
  Cast Of Characters chapter provides
  profiles for all the pre-generated player
  and non-player characters. In addition
  to the relevant game statistics and de-
  scriptions for each character, there are
  role-playing notes to assist the
  gamemaster with the non-player
  characters.
  Also included in this addventure
  module are the deck plans and descrip-
  tions for the earth ship Leander, the
  Jack-of-Hearts, and the Cybership, the
  three ships included in Countdown.
  Gamemasters should read each of
  the chapters until thoroughly familiar
  with their contents. Taking notes and
  highlighting the important parts is also
  recommended. More experienced
  gamemasters may want to make alter-
  ations to suit their individual tastes or
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  campaigns. This is encouraged; in fact,
  it is one of the steps toward becoming
  a good gamemaster. Alterations
  should, however, be made before play
  begins to avoid confusion.
  PLOT SYNOPSIS
  THREAT TO THE TARDIS
  Countdown takes place aboard the
  fast courier Leander, a vessel from the
  Earth Empire of the 26th century. The
  adventure begins when the players'
  TARDIS, en route to its next destination,
  becomes caught in what appears to be
  a gravity bubble. A gravity bubble is a
  powerful gravity field caused by an ob-
  ject of extreme mass occupying the
  same location in normal spacetime as
  it does in another dimension. Any ves-
  sel lacking the power to resist the bub-
  ble's tremendous pull will be drawn into
  the bubble's center and very likely be
  crushed by the immensely strong gravi-
  tational forces.
  The bubble is a danger to the TAR-
  DIS because of its inter-dimensional na-
  ture. If the TARDIS becomes caught in
  its field, it will be stuck in the Temporal
  Vortex and never able to materialize
  again. Using their skills, the players will
  manage to avoid this fate by materializ-
  ing on an unknown spacecraft (the Ter-
  ran starship Leander).
  THE LEANDER'S MISSION
  Unknown to the players, the Lean-
  der is on a vital mission, carrying to the
  Earth colony Ionia a highly-perishable
  serum to combat an epidemic of the
  dreaded Hadder's Fever. The serum
  must be imported because its compo-
  nents are extremely rare and found only
  on scattered planets in the Empire. The
  Leander is currently 30 hours travel (at
  its fastest speed) from Ionia. The serum
  must be delivered in 48 hours, or the
  virus causing it will mutate and overrun
  Ionia, making futile any further at-
  tempts to quell the epidemic.
  The Leander is a small vessel com-
  manded by Robert Fleming, a 30-year
  veteran of the Imperial Space Navy,
  with a crew of about 20. Usually em-
  ployed for rapid shuttles of important
  personnel and documents to and from
  meetings, the Leander was chosen to
  carry the serum because of its size and
  speed: It was the only ship large
  enough to carry the necessary amount
  of serum that could make it to Ionia in
  time.
  Due to the nature of its present mis-
  sion, a security force of ten Imperial
  Centurions has also been assigned to
  Countdown 3
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  the Leander, and this team is com-
  manded by Major Richard Reitz. Reitz
  is a brilliant tactician and an excellent
  soldier, but he is also a strong discip-
  linarian and slightly paranoid.
  The whole vessel is run by SAM
  (the Ship's Automated Monitor), an in-
  telligent computer. The human crew is
  usually needed only to monitor SAM's
  activities.
  DISTRESS SIGNAL
  After the players leave the TARDIS
  to investigate their present circum-
  stances, they will quickly be picked up
  on SAM's security monitors and most
  likely be captured by the centurions. As
  Reitz will probably accuse them of at-
  tempting to sabotage the mission, the
  players must face some tricky Verbal
  Interaction to explain their presence on
  the Leander.
  Shortly after the players are cap-
  tured, a distress signal will be picked
  up from inside the gravity bubble,
  which the Leander has now detected on
  its scanner. The signal is from a small
  Earth merchant vessel whose instru-
  ments were damaged, and therefore
  unable to detect the dangerous gravity
  field. The Leander's engines should
  easily be able to pull both ships out of
  the region of the bubble in which they
  are trapped.
  After some convincing by the crew,
  and possibly the players, Fleming will
  decide to make an attempt to dock with
  the ship and rescue the merchants.
  As Hadder's Fever takes several
  weeks to kill its victims, no one will die
  of the disease for awhile yet, and so
  Fleming can afford to use some of his
  precious time to rescue the craft. The
  rescue must be swift, however, or mil-
  lions of lives may be lost. The crew of
  the Leander is totally unaware that the
  crippled merchant vessel is a fake. It is
  actually part of an elaborate trap set by
  the Cybermen!
  CYBERMAN PLOT
  The crippled merchant vessel actu-
  ally carries a small band of Cyberman,
  led by Cyberleader Vorak. The Cyber-
  men intercepted Earth transmissions
  concerning the epidemic quite awhile
  ago. From these, they learned of the
  Earth mission to deliver the serum.
  They saw this as a chance to regain a
  home planet. The Cybermen plan to re-
  move everyone aboard the Leanderand
  to leave it, a lifeless husk, inside the
  gravity bubble, where it will be either
  crushed or discovered later. Earth offi-
  cials will be led to believe that the Lean-
  der suffered a disastrous power failure
  that left it unable to detect or escape
  the bubble. Cyberleader Vorak has pre-
  pared a false message from Fleming
  explaining the Leander's imminent
  doom.
  The band of Cybermen is weak and
  its numbers limited. They wander
  through space in a small, unimpressive
  ship, the only means of transportation
  they could find at the rapid conclusion
  of the Cyberwars. Since then, they have
  been constantly on the run. To increase
  their strength a bit, they have used their
  Cyber-technology to build powerful an-
  droids. These androids are what the
  Cybermen plan to use to attack the crew
  of the Leander, and so the characters
  will not know about the presence of the
  Cybermen in the area. Medical Assis-
  tant Arthur Gray, a medic assigned to
  the Leander mission, has been paid ten
  million Earth credits to help the Cyber-
  men from inside the vessel by sabotag-
  ing the automated defense systems.
  The Cybermen, of course, have no in-
  tention of paying up. After Gray has
  served his purpose, he will be liquid-
  ated. The Cybermen also plan to use
  their ghastly conversion chamber to
  transform as many humans as possible
  into their own kind and to destroy the
  rest.
  A NEW HOME BASE
  After the Cybermen have secured
  the Leander and its crew, they will travel
  to Ionia. Due to the fever, the colony
  will be very weak and unable to offer
  any resistance, allowing the Cybermen
  to convert as many of the Ionians as
  possible. Those who refuse to undergo
  the process will be efficiently elimi-
  nated by the Hadder's Fever (Cybermen
  are immune to the disease). After the
  human population of Ionia is elimi-
  nated, the Cybermen will have a planet
  they can use as a home base. If the
  Leander fails to deliver the serum in
  time, the Earth scientists know that the
  virus will reach such proportions that
  any further colonization of the planet
  will be impossible and any further con-
  tact with it extremely dangerous. Earth
  will probably quarantine the whole
  area, giving the Cybermen time enough
  to contact other roving bands of their
  kind, build the planet into an impreg-
  nable fortress, and gather forces for a
  new invasion of Earth.
  Shortly after the Leander docks
  with the Cybership (disguised as the
  crippled merchant vessel), the androids
  will board it and begin a pitched battle
  against Major Reitz's security for con-
  trol of the ship. This is a battle that the
  Earth centurions cannot possibly win.
  The androids will eventually secure the
  bridge and bring all their prisoners
  there to await further orders. At this
  point, their true masters will reveal
  themselves.
  The players will almost certainly be
  captured at some point in the battle and
  taken to the bridge to encounter the
  Cybermen. Cyberleader Vorak will de-
  liver to them a speech detailing his
  plans for making Ionia into the Cyber-
  men's new home planet and for launch-
  ing a massive invasion of Earth. The
  Cybermen will then lead several of the
  prisoners on the bridge off to the con-
  version chamber.
  4 Countdown
  
  A DEADLY RIFT
  Suddenly, everyone on the bridge
  will notice a huge power drain that is
  beginning to affect the Leander. It is as
  though the starship's energy is being
  sucked into the gravity bubble. As the
  players will learn, what appeared to be
  the gravity bubble is actually a deadly
  chronic rift, a hole in normal space that
  leads to the Temporal Vortex. Because
  of the massive gravitational pull it
  exerts on objects, the rift appears to be
  a simple gravity bubble until one gets
  too close. The moment an object nears
  the rift, power starts being drained from
  the object into the Temporal Vortex.
  The rate at which power is drawn in-
  creases exponentially and is usually too
  minute to notice at first. Cyberleader
  Vorek learns that the same phenome-
  non is being observed aboard his ship.
  The power drain starts out slowly, but,
  unless something is done soon, both
  ships will become powerless shells,
  stranded in the rift forever. The power
  drain will also affect the players' TAR-
  DIS and eventually the Cybermen them-
  selves.
  To make matters worse, shortly
  after Vorak's speech, this message is
  received aboard the Leander from a
  group of Vegan pirates: "Prepare to be
  boarded and to surrender your cargo,
  or you will be destroyed."
  UNEASY ALLIANCE
  The Vegans are a rapscallion race
  of thieves, cutthroats, and pirates from
  the planet Vega XII. They usually travel
  about in small bands preying upon
  Earth shipping.
  This particular band of Vegans
  picked up the false distress signal from
  the Cybership long ago. Thinking a crip-
  pled merchant ship would be an easy
  kill, they were about to attack when the
  Leander came to the rescue. As their
  ship, the Jack of Hearts, is no match for
  an armed Imperial courier, they plan-
  ned to leave the area until they detected
  that the power failure was affecting the
  Earth vessel, too. Because the Vegans
  do not realize the power failures are
  being caused by the 'gravity bubble,'
  they believe both ships offer them an
  easy kill for salvage.
  On the bridge of the Leander,
  Cyberleader Vorak will order Captain
  Fleming to give the Vegans permission
  to board. He will prepare an ambush
  using some of his Cybermen and an-
  droids, deciding to ignore the problem
  of the power drain until after having dis-
  posed of all the humans and Vegans.
  After docking, the Vegans will take
  heavy casualties in the fighting with the
  Cybermen, but many of the pirates will
  escape back onto their own ship and
  into the corridors of the Leander.
  Aboard their ship is a secret smuggling
  hold where several of the pirates will
  take refuge.
  In the adventure, the players must
  stop the Cybermen, somehow free the
  Leander from the chronic rift so that it
  can carry out its mission, and deal with
  the Vegan pirates. They may be able to
  convince the pirates to work with them
  against the Cybermen. Knowing the
  Vegans, however, this truce probably
  will not last too long. If Kalik, captain
  of the Vegan ship, manages to find out
  about the Earth vessel's mission to
  Ionia, he will certainly get his own ideas
  about using it to his advantage.
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 5
  
  This chapter includes step-by-step
  instructions for gamemastering Count-
  down, from player character creation
  through detailed suggestions for carry-
  ing out the gamemaster's essential
  tasks. Although this chapter has been
  written with the beginning gamemaster
  in mind, it is hoped experienced
  gamemasters may find new informa-
  tion and ideas that will improve their
  game also. 
  GETTING
  STARTED   
  Having studied the rules
  thoroughly and gathered together a few
  friends who would like to try the DOC-
  TOR WHO Role-Playing Game, the
  gamemaster's next step is to be sure
  the players understand what a role-
  playing game is. If the players are
  novices, it may be a good idea to read
  them the story "Tabby Cats and Time
  Lords" found on pp. 18-25 of the DOC-
  TOR WHO Role Playing Game Player's
  Manual. The gamemaster may also
  wish to read them the Example Of Play
  found in Running The Adventure, the.
  second half of this chapter.
  CHARACTER CREATION
  Before beginning the character cre-
  ation process, the gamemaster should
  re-read pp. 26-31 of the DOCTOR WHO:
  RPG Player's Manual and pp. 28-31 of
  the Game Operations Manual. If possi-
  ble, have each of the players read the
  Player's Manual before the character
  creation session, as it contains all the
  rules they will need to know. (The rules
  found in the Game Operations Manual
  are chiefly for the gamemaster.) Then,
  during the character creation session,
  the gamemaster can quickly review the
  Manual with the players and answer
  any questions they may have.
  Each player should now be ready
  to create his or her own character. This
  process is a little tricker than it seems,
  as the key lies in bringing to life his
  concept rather than merely compiling
  a list of statistics. The gamemaster
  should help the players, especially the
  beginners, through every step of this
  process. That will not only speed up
  matters, but it also gives the gamemas-
  ter important knowledge of each player
  character. (As the process of character
  creation is lengthy, there will not be
  much role-playing until after it is com-
  plete.)
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  How To Use This Booklet
  Forming A Concept
  The very first step in creating a
  character is to formulate a concept, that
  is, an outline for the design of the
  character. It should include basic ideas
  on the character's race, background,
  personality, appearance, and abilities.
  Some good resources for character
  concepts include books, movies, his-
  tory, and the Doctor Who television
  series.
  As an example, let's say that Bill,
  one of the players in the group, wants
  to create a character who is a 17th cen-
  tury French cavalier. Bill believes a
  French cavalier would have high DEX
  and CHA scores, as well as being very
  skilled in the use of the rapier and
  flintlock pistol. Thus, Bill notes that he
  will probably want to acquire these two
  Armed Combat skills. He also decides
  that his cavalier will be colorful, daring,
  and slightly overprotective of females.
  Finally, Bill notes that his character will
  wear high, soft leather boots, a loose
  white blouse, a rapier at his side, a
  flintlock pistol in his belt, and a wide-
  brimmed musketeer hat with a long,
  trailing plume. He will have a thin mous-
  tache and regal beard.
  Bill has developed a good character
  concept. He knows what his character's
  main attributes will be, some of the
  skills he will possess, how his character
  will act, and what he looks like. The pro-
  cess of actually creating his character
  will now be a lot easier. He knows how
  he will spend his attribute points, and
  can now determine what skills to 'buy'
  (a 17th century French cavalier would
  not have Temporal Sciences VI!). Other
  good examples of character concepts
  are a proud, eccentric Time Lord, a 20th-
  century Earth reporter, a scientist from
  a futuristic Earth colony, a barbarian, or
  a Roman legionnaire.
  Developing character concepts
  should be a group process. As each
  player comes up with his concept, it
  should be discussed with the other
  players and the gamemaster. Players
  should be encouraged to contribute
  ideas to each other's concepts. And,
  while it is also important that there be
  variety among the characters and that
  each be different from the rest, the
  group should try to come up with con-
  cepts for characters that will form an
  efficient team.
  6 Countdown
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Gamemaster's Approval
  The final step in the character crea-
  tion process is getting the gamemas-
  ter's approval. As each character is sub-
  mitted for judgment, the gamemaster
  should carefully examine the descrip-
  tion to be sure it includes the attributes
  and skills the character needs to sur-
  vive. Also, the gamemaster should veto
  any combinations of skills and attri-
  butes that are unfair because they make
  the character too powerful. Finally, it is
  crucial that each character have enough
  personality traits to make role-playing
  interesting. If a character does not pass
  inspection, the gamemaster can dis-
  cuss the problems with the player, en-
  couraging him to make the character
  more viable through modifications. It is
  almost never necessary to throw out ev-
  erything and start all over again.
  DEVELOPING CHARACTER
  HISTORIES
  The gamemaster and players must
  now work together to develop a back-
  ground that ties the individual charac-
  ters together. In doing so, keep in mind
  that the background should answer
  questions such as: What happened to
  each of the characters in the past? How
  did they meet? Would any of them have
  any information from past experience
  that would be of help in the current ad-
  venture?
  j As with character creation, the
  group process is important here. If time
  permits, have each player write out a
  brief history of his character. The
  players should then discuss their indi-
  vidual histories, as they may be able to
  contribute ideas to one another's back-
  grounds. This is especially important if
  the gamemaster plans to run a cam-
  paign.
  Character histories are important
  for many reasons. First, his history may
  affect the way a character decides to
  react to various present-day situations.
  A character whose family was killed by
  Movellans might develop a strong
  hatred for them and try to exact revenge
  every time he encounters one. Also, a
  character with a well-developed back-
  ground seems more 'real' to everyone,
  which adds to the general enjoyment
  of the game. Finally, character histories
  usually provide the gamemaster with a
  wealth of ideas for adventures.
  Consider the following example: A
  player with a Time Lord character de-
  cides that he left Gallifrey upon discov-
  ering that one of the members of the
  Inner Council was corrupt. The Time
  Lord tried to prove his discovery but
  failed and was about to be put on trial
  for conspiracy against a Council
  Member. This left the Time Lord with
  no choice but to steal a TARDIS and flee.
  Character Rolls
  After everyone has a good charac-
  ter concept, they will begin the series
  of choices and die rolls that are the heart
  of the character creation process. Com-
  plete instructions are found on pp. 26-
  31 of the Player's Manual. It is recom-
  mended that players be allowed to roll
  for their special ability BEFORE allocat-
  ing their attribute points and buying
  skills. The special ability is one of the
  more important aspects of a character,
  and could easily alter the original
  character concept.
  Gamemasters should feel free to
  add new special abilities of their own
  design to the table or to alter those al-
  ready there. When doing so, take care
  not to make any special ability too pow-
  erful or too common because that could
  seriously damage the game. Also, the
  gamemaster may wish to reward a
  player who has devised a particularly
  good character concept by allowing
  him to choose his own special ability.
  As this could easily upset the balance
  of the game, extreme care should be
  taken in this instance, too.
  After everyone has determined
  their attributes and skills, they will fill
  out two copies of the DOCTOR WHO
  Character Data Record at the back of
  the Player's Manual. The gamemaster
  keeps one of the copies, as he will find
  it invaluable later on to know what are
  the skills and abilities of the player
  characters.
  Personality/Appearance/Age
  The next step in character creation
  is by far the hardest, the players must
  now develop their characters' per-
  sonalities. The table on p. 31 of the
  Player's Manual is intended only as a
  guideline and aid for players who have
  no ideas for their characters' per-
  sonalities. (Players with good character
  concepts or good ideas for personality
  should be encouraged to choose their
  own traits.) Some excellent descrip-
  tions of personalitiy traits are found on
  pp. 16-17 of the Player's Manual. Each
  player should choose any trait(s) that
  seem relevant. Good role-players will
  also determine their characters' quirks,
  mannerisms, and favorite expressions
  at this point.
  Players with good character con-
  cepts should also be allowed to choose
  their appearance and age (though Time
  Lord characters should almost never be
  allowed to choose their own actual
  age). Artistic players may wish to sketch
  their characters. If no artists are availa-
  ble in the group, each player should
  write out a completp description of his
  character and allow the other players
  and the gamemaster to read it.
  Countdown 7
  
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  The good gamemaster will see in
  this example several possibilities for
  adventures. Perhaps the corrupt Time
  Lord is worried that someone discov-
  ered his secret, and so decides to hire
  assassins from the outer edge of the
  galaxy to track the player character
  down. The gamemaster might also de-
  vise adventures where the character is
  given a chance to discover more evi-
  dence against the corrupt Time Lord —
  maybe enough to return to Gallifrey and
  convict him. All good character his-
  tories will provide many such oppor-
  tunities.
  Part of each character's history
  should discuss how he met the other
  characters, and the gamemaster should
  work closely with the players on this
  part of their histories. Gamemasters
  with little experience may wish to de-
  sign mini-adventures whose sole pur-
  pose is to have the characters meet. In
  this case, the player characters will
  meet one another during the course of
  an adventure. This is how The Doctor
  usually meets his companions on the
  television series.
  EQUIPPING THE CHARACTERS
  The gamemaster will now ask the
  players to make a list of all the equip-
  ment their characters will carry on their
  person and where they will carry it. On
  pp. 48-55 of the Sourcebook For Field
  Agents is a list of some of the equip-
  ment available to the players. Do not
  allow any character to become a walk-
  ing warehouse, however. While no arbi-
  trary limit should be set on the amount
  of equipment that can be carried, allow
  the players to carry only what is reason-
  able. If the gamemaster finds the
  characters beginning to rely more on
  their gadgets than on their brains, he
  knows they are carrying too much.
  Next, determine what basic equip-
  ment will be available to the characters
  in their TARDIS. Feel free to invent new
  equipment wherever it seems logical,
  and allow them to invent their own
  (usually with the appropriate Skill Rolls
  to design and create it.) Only a very
  small portion of any of this equipment
  should be carried on their person, how-
  ever.
  Sonic Screwdriver
  The sonic screwdriver uses sonic
  fields to move and manipulate small ob-
  jects (which is how it opens locks). This
  function can be used to detonate mines
  (by depressing their triggers), remove
  screws, and myriad other uses.
  The sonic screwdriver gives a user
  familiar with its operation the equiva-
  lent of a Level VI in Lockpicking. A
  character making a roll against his rat-
  ing in Engineering or Technology who
  has access to a sonic screwdriver
  should receive a +2 to his ability entry
  line on the Interaction Matrix Table
  when use of the sonic screwdriver
  would be appropriate.
  Finally, with a successful Level V
  task roll in Electronics, the screwdriver
  can be altered into a form of sonic
  weapon that does 3D6 temporary dam-
  age against creatures such as Sea
  Devils, who are particularly sensitive to
  sonic vibrations. Like all equipment, the
  gamemaster should carefully monitor
  the use of the sonic screwdriver and not
  allow its abuse.
  K -9 Unit
  Another piece of equipment that
  can be extremely valuable to both
  gamemaster and players is a K-9 unit,
  especially if the players are very inex-
  perienced. Initially, the gamemaster
  can use K-9 units to give the players
  hints when they are stuck for clues, or
  to help protect them in combat. After
  the characters develop the ability to sur-
  vive on their own, the K-9 unit can be
  removed from the game by having it
  destroyed, recalled by the CIA, and so
  forth. Remember, the K-9 must be role-
  played as if he were a character. For
  more data on K-9, see pp. 75-76 of the
  Game Operations Manual and pp. 56-57
  of the Sourcebook for Field Agents.
  Level:
  	
   Dmge:
  AP:
  Name: K-9
  Attributes
  STR —Level III	
  CHA —Level IV
  END — Level V	
  MNT — Level VI
  DEX —Level II	
  ITN —Levellll
  Special Abilities:
  Tracking
  king (See p. 76 of the Game Operations
  Manual)
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  5
  Armor:	
  4D6
  Armed Combat, Staser Pistol: Level V
  Significant Skills
  Engineering
  Electrical
  Mechanical
  Military Science, Trap Discovery
  Physical Sciences
  Chemistry
  Computer Science
  Mathematics
  Physics
  Space Sciences
  Astronomy
  Astrophysics
  Navigation
  Technology
  Astronautics
  Communication Systems
  Computer Systems
  Cybernetics -
  Force Field Systems
  Electronics
  TARDIS Systems
  Temporal Science
  Trivia, K-9 Maintenance
  Combat:
  K-9 is equipped with a Staser pistol as de-
  scribed on p. 76 of the Game Operations Man-
  ual. He does not take damage the same way
  normal characters do. When his MAX OP END is
  reduced to 16, roll two dice on the K-9 Minor
  Systems Damage table on p. 76 of the Game
  Operations Manual. Any further damage causes
  another minor systems failure on a roll of 1-3
  on a D6. If K-9 reaches 0 MAX OP END, he shuts
  down completely. Roll three dice. If their total
  is less than the amount of damage taken past
  0, K-9 is irreparable. For information on repairs,
  see the Game Operations Manual.
  Power:
  K-9 units run out of power rapidly. Make a
  K-9 power chart to keep track of his current
  power level. He starts with 14 units of power.
  Every game hour, cross off one of the rectangu-
  lar boxes representing units. For simplicity, as-
  sume that three units of power are consumed
  in 2.5 hours lone turn at regional scale).
  Whenever he fires his blaster, cross off another
  box. The column of the highest unchecked box
  is K -9's current power level. If he goes two hours
  without firing his Staser, he can restore one unit
  of power. If he is plugged into a direct power
  source, he can recharge fully in 15 minutes (one
  turn at large-area scale.)
  Notice how K-9's Staser Damage and AP
  change as his power level is reduced. The die
  listed in the damage column is the type of die
  rolled to determine the red die (row) result on
  Damage Table A (D6 is normally used). If D3 is
  listed, roll a D3 (D6 divided by two, rounding
  up), and use the result to determine the row on
  Damage Table A. If a number is listed, assume
  that it is the result of the red die roll and use it
  to determine the row used. When K-9 finally
  reaches 0 power, he shuts down completely
  until he regains enough power for operation.
  K -9 Power Chart
  VII	
  VI	
  V	
  IV	
  In
  D6	
  D6	
  D6	
  D3	
  D3	
  2
  5	
  5	
  5	
  5	
  4	
  4
  Level
  IV
  IV
  V
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VI
  IV
  IV
  IV
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  nl
  VII
  8 Countdown
  
  II
  RUNNING THE
  0 RDVENTURE
  0 
  PREPARING FOR PLAY
  Now that all the preliminary steps
  are complete, it is time to begin adven-
  turing. (Before running Countdown, the
  gamemaster should have read through
  each chapter in this booklet several
  times to make sure he is familiar with
  every detail of the adventure.)
  The gamemaster begins play seat-
  ed a short distance across from the
  players. If possible, he should set up a
  screen behind which his notes for the
  adventure can be hidden. Remove the
  commonly-used tables from the back
  of the Game Operations Manual and
  keep them handy for quick reference.
  Make sure the Doctor Who rulebooks,
  the Countdown adventure booklet,
  copies of the players' Character Data
  Sheets, and plenty of paper and pencils
  are also close at hand.
  111
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  GAMEMASTER'S TASKS
  Once play begins, the gamemaster
  acquires many responsibilities. These
  include being an expert on the rules,
  giving descriptions, judging the results
  of the players' actions, role-playing the
  NPCs, keeping the adventure moving,
  and making sure everyone is having
  fun. This last point is by far the most
  important. The following example is
  taken from an actual role-playing ses-
  sion, and illustrates some of the tasks
  the gamemaster is called upon to per-
  form during play.
  Example Of Play
  A gamemaster is running two
  players through a short adventure.
  Player One's character is a Time Lord
  named Apollo who decided to steal a
  TARDIS and become an agent in the
  CIA. He is eccentric, scatterbrained, and
  driven by insatiable curiosity to investi-
  gate anything and everything. Player
  Two's character, Evelyn Miller, is a
  female officer from the Earth Diplomat-
  ic Corps of the 27th century. She is lik-
  able, well-mannered, and carries out
  most tasks given her with remarkable
  efficiency.
  GAMEMASTER: "You're both aboard
  Apollo's TARDIS. He has just finished
  making some tricky repairs of the guid-
  ance system. Evelyn, you have been
  reading through the Time Logs Apollo
  keeps in the console room. You can't
  make any sense of them at all."
  EVELYN: "Apollo, you really should
  learn to keep better books."
  APOLLO: (Ignoring her: ) "There,
  finished at last. Where would you like
  to go, Evelyn?"
  EVELYN: "How about that crystal
  planet you're always telling me about."
  APOLLO: "O.K., next stop Janiculus III."
  (Then, addressing the gamemaster:) "I
  set the controls for Janiculus and de-
  materialize."
  GAMEMASTER: "At first, everything
  appears to be normal; but, after a short
  time, you hear a loud, grinding noise
  and the time rotor stops. You check the
  console and note that you have
  materialized somewhere on Earth in the
  25th century. Quickly checking the view
  scanner, you find that you have
  materialized in a cave system."
  EVELYN: "Apollo, I thought you said
  you had fixed the TARDIS."
  APOLLO: "Those rocks must be mil-
  lions of years old. They look fascinating.
  Come on, let's go take a look!" (To the
  gamemaster:) "I'm opening the door
  and leaving."
  EVELYN: "Shouldn't we try to repair the
  TARDIS and leave?" (To the gamemas-
  ter:) "Oh, I guess I'll follow him."
  GAMEMASTER: "Outside, it is totally
  dark. The rocks a few feet ahead of you
  are gray granite with quartz and some
  other minerals running through them.
  In the distance, you can hear drops of
  water striking a puddle, and the whole
  cave has a musty smell."
  APOLLO: (To the gamemaster:) "We'll
  take the tunnel ahead."
  EVELYN: "Apollo, I don't like this."
  GAMEMASTER: "You walk down the
  tunnel a short distance. A cold breeze
  is coming from the other end. Each of
  you try to make a roll against your rating
  in Surveillance, Task Level V. Your
  target numbers are both 4."
  APOLLO: (Rolls a 7.) "I missed mine."
  EVELYN: (Rolls a 9.) "I missed, too.
  What happens?"
  GAMEMASTER: "A hairy, three-foot tall
  spider drops from the ceiling onto
  Apollo. The spider will get to act first
  this round, due to your unawareness.
  He spends 3 AP and tries to bite Apollo."
  (Rolls die.) "He misses. His turn is
  over."
  EVELYN: "I'll use 2 AP to draw my blas-
  ter, 2 to aim it, and 1 to fire."
  GAMEMASTER: "The base Task Entry
  Line is IV. You receive +2 for your aim,
  - 1 because the spider is small, and - 1
  because it is kind of dark. Your target
  number is 7."
  EVELYN: (Rolls a 5.) "I got him!"
  GAMEMASTER: "Don't bother to roll
  damage. The spider dies instantly,
  roasted to a crisp."
  APOLLO: "Caves can be dangerous
  places."
  EVELYN: "Come on, let's get out of
  here."
  Countdown 9
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  C 
  GAMEMASTER: "Before you can leave,
  you hear a voice from the other end of
  the tunnel, saying 'Who are you?' Sud-
  denly, you are blinded by a bright light.
  Some shadowy figures are advancing."
  APOLLO: "My name is Apollo and this
  is Evelyn. We were just taking a stroll
  through this fascinating cave system."
  GAMEMASTER: "Make a CHA roll."
  (Since the gamemaster knows that the
  team advancing on the characters has
  had several of its men disappear under
  strange circumstances lately, he makes
  the roll Task Level VII. The team is very
  suspicious.) "Your target number is
  five."
  APOLLO: "Hmmm." (Rolls a 7.) "I
  missed."
  GAMEMASTER: "After your eyes ad-
  just to the light, you see four figures
  approaching, all dressed in green
  jumpsuits. They are carrying weapons.
  You can just make out the badges on
  the front figure's uniform. They say
  'Earth Survey Team Alpha Phi' and 'Sur-
  vey Leader Roth'."
  THE FINE ART OF
  GAMEMASTERING
  Some of the gamemaster's many
  duties can be easily mastered. For
  example, it is easy enough to learn the
  rules of the game just by reading
  through them carefully several times.
  Making sure everyone is having fun
  may seem more complex. However, if
  the gamemaster carries out his other
  tasks well, a good time usually follows.
  That leaves giving descriptions, judging
  the action, and role-playing the NPCs.
  While none of these are particularly dif-
  ficult, they do require a little practice.
  In addition to the following tips,
  gamemasters will benefit by re-reading
  "Presenting Scenarios" by Wm. John
  Wheeler, on pp. 24-27 of the Game Op-
  erations Manual.
  Giving Descriptions
  This is probably the task most often
  performed by the gamemaster, as he
  must describe each new location the
  players enter, each NPC they meet, and
  the specific results of any actions they
  perform. These descriptions are ex-
  tremely important in creating a vivid,
  enjoyable game atmosphere.
  Descriptions of each NPC and each
  location the characters will encounter
  are included in Cast of Characters and
  The Adventure sections, respectively.
  The first time the players enter the loca-
  tion or encounter the NPC, the
  gamemaster should read the descrip-
  tion in this booklet and embellish it if
  necessary. The next couple of times the
  players enter the area or meet up with
  the NPC, the gamemaster should give
  them the important points of the de-
  scription again. After a short while, the
  players will develop a mental image of
  the location or NPC, so that further de-
  scription should not be necessary.
  When giving descriptions, re-
  member to include information the
  characters would receive from all their
  senses, not just sight and hearing. (Re-
  member how the gamemaster in the
  Example of Play described the caves as
  stale and musty?) Further, describe only
  what the player characters can per-
  ceive. For example, if the characters are
  running for their lives down a darkened
  hallway, do not give them detailed de-
  scriptions of the ornate friezes they are
  passing. When devising your own de-
  scriptions, try to emphasize the details
  that make the location or NPC unique.
  For instance, the Earth Empire in
  Countdown has a distinctly Roman
  flavor. Thus, the descriptions of the
  NPCs' uniforms and the corridors of the
  Leander emphasize the Roman style of
  dress and architecture.
  NPCs and locations are not the only
  things that must be described, how-
  ever. If the characters are in a climactic
  battle or are performing an important
  die roll, describe the results of their ac-
  tion in detail. Instead of saying, "The
  Cyberman tries to hit you and misses,"
  or "You make your roll, and the bomb
  is diffused," say, "The Cyberman raises
  his powerful arm and mechanically
  swings at you, missing by inches", or,
  "With but two seconds left, you manage
  to dislodge the yellow wire, stopping
  the low hum that indicated the bomb
  was activated."
  Judging The Action
  Another task the gamemaster is
  commonly called on to perform is judg-
  ing the results of the players' various
  actions. He must interpret the results of
  Skill Saving Rolls, Attribute Saving
  Rolls, Verbal Interaction, and Combat.
  As noted above, if a Saving Roll or com-
  bat action is particularly important or
  climactic, it is important to describe the
  results in more detail than simply an-
  nouncing success or failure.
  Saving Rolls:
  When judging Saving Rolls, the
  gamemaster begins by calculating the
  player's Ability Entry Line and the Task
  Entry Line before consulting the Interac-
  tion Matrix to find a Target Number. For
  hints on doing this, re-read pp. 34-35 of
  the Game Operations Manual. The
  gamemaster will usually announce the
  Target Number to the player making the
  roll. If, however, there are special mod-
  ifiers or a situation of which the player
  is unaware, simply ask him to roll the
  dice to determine his success or failure.
  When designing and running ad-
  ventures, the gamemaster makes the
  game exciting by providing many op-
  portunities for the players to use their
  Skills and Attributes and to make Sav-
  ing Rolls. Take care not to go overboard,
  however. Too many die rolls can make
  the game seem like an endless rolling
  contest. Remember, too, the impor-
  tance of providing opportunities for the
  characters to use all their skills during
  the course of play. After all, why should
  a player 'purchase' Administration if the
  gamemaster is never going to give him
  a chance to use it? Finally, when design-
  ing your own adventures, try not to in-
  clude any rolls whose failure would
  mean the mission cannot be completed.
  Players should never be punished too
  severely for bad luck.
  10 Countdown
  
  Verbal Interaction
  Judging Verbal Interaction pre-
  sents a different set of difficulties. Some
  groups of players will never try Verbal
  Interaction with NPCs, while others will
  try to abuse it by 'persuading' guards
  to let them go, or 'convincing' major
  villains to give up. If a player is meeting
  an NPC for the first time and is trying
  to make some sort of impression, have
  him make a CHA Saving Roll. When de-
  termining the Task Entry Line for this
  roll, consider current circumstances. In
  the Example of Play given above, the
  gamemaster determined that Apollo's
  Task Entry Line would be extremely
  high because members of the Earth sur-
  vey team had recently been killed in the
  caves and Apollo automatically became
  suspect. Note the degree of success of
  the roll and look at the Variable Success
  for CHA Rolls Table on p. 36 of the Game
  Operations Manual. These guidelines
  will become useful for role-playing the
  NPC later and determining the chances
  of success of any further interaction.
  Whenever someone tries to per-
  suade an NPC to do something, make
  a Negotiation/Diplomacy roll. The Task
  Entry Line is determined in almost the
  same way as it was for CHA rolls. Some
  other modifiers to look for on persua-
  sion attempts are: the results of the CHA
  roll made when the character first met
  the NPC, how reasonable the request
  is, and the general situation.
  The Leadership skill is used when
  a character tries to command others,
  usually those he does not know. Again,
  determine the Task Entry Line as above,
  and use the chart on p. 36 of the Oper-
  ations Manual for guidelines for deter-
  mining the Task Entry Line given above.
  Also, take into consideration how good
  the deal is for the NPC. If the players
  are chasing The Master through the
  streets of London and offer an old man
  all the English currency they have —
  about 500 pounds — for the use of his
  bicycle, their Task Entry Level should
  obviously be Level I.
  What is important to remember
  when judging Verbal Interaction is that
  no matter how skilled the interacting
  character is, some NPCs simply cannot
  be convinced in certain matters. You
  cannot persuade the Master to trans-
  form himself into a force of good who
  will use his powers to fight evil, al-
  though you might be able to persuade
  him to help combat an evil menace to
  humanity because he sees it as a threat
  to himself. Before determining the Task
  Entry Line, you should determine if the
  request, deal, or command the player
  is trying to make is even possible!
  Combat
  Generally, the most important ac-
  tion the gamemaster must judge is
  combat. It often means the difference
  between success and failure in an ad-
  venture. After gaining some experience
  with the combat system, there will be
  relatively few difficulties in resolving
  combat situations. It might be a good
  idea to stage a few sample combats be-
  fore play begins to become familiar
  with the system.
  Most combats will be either a trans-
  itional scrape or a climactic battle.
  Transitional scrapes are small combats
  whose purpose is to move the adven-
  ture along. A typical transitional scrape
  would be knocking out a guard to es-
  cape from some sort of prison. The
  gamemaster should try to get transi-
  tional scrapes over as quickly as possi-
  ble. The NPCs will usually only choose
  basic combat actions, and little descrip-
  tion of the action is necessary.
  Climactic battles are the long,
  drawn-out fights that conclude many
  adventures. These should be described
  in great detail, and players and NPCs
  should be encouraged to take unique
  combat actions (tipping over tables,
  swinging on chandeliers, etc.). Players
  will enjoy the action a lot more.
  As with Saving Rolls, no player
  should be punished too severely for bad
  luck. A player who makes no mistakes
  but is beaten by an obviously superior
  foe should probably not be allowed to
  die permanently in combat. The
  gamemaster may instead choose from
  a number of other options: having the
  foe capture the player instead, having
  someone arrive to give the player
  timely medical aid, or having the player
  regenerate (if he is a Time Lord). A key
  phrase in the above sentence is "makes
  no mistakes". If the player dies due to
  some mistake he made, it should stand.
  This mistake could include entering
  combat in the first place. An unarmed
  player who single-handedly attacks five
  Cybermen should be allowed to die (un-
  less he has some excellent reason for
  attacking the Cybermen, such as help-
  ing his own comrades to escape, etc.)
  P Role-Playing NPCs
  Another of the gamemaster's im-
  portant tasks is to take on the roles of
  the various non-player characters.
  Good role-playing on the part of both
  gamemaster and players is a skill that
  usually develops gradually, and players
  usually take their cue from the
  gamemaster. When he does a good job
  of role-playing the NPCs, the players
  usually follow suit.
  For each NPC, the gamemaster
  needs to develop some sort of recogni-
  tion handle. A recognition handle can
  be a mannerism, part of the character's
  description, or part of his or her person-
  ality. If the gamemaster constantly em-
  phasizes this recognition handle when
  playing the NPC, the players will
  develop a strong image of the character
  in their minds, making the play situation
  seem more real. Recognition handles
  for the major NPCs in Countdown are
  provided in the Cast of Characters sec-
  tion of this booklet.
  The gamemaster must play the
  roles of ALL the NPCs in this adventure,
  not just the humans. NPCs can be crea-
  tures, aliens, and robots, too. In
  Countdown, one of the NPCs is a com-
  puter! All of these beings should be
  given personalities and recognition
  handles. By combining good role play-
  ing with good judging, the gamemaster
  should find running Doctor Who adven-
  tures to be a very satisfying experience.
  (NOTE:With inexperienced
  players, the gamemaster should at first
  ask only that they respond to game situ-
  ation as their characters would. Later,
  they will naturally begin to talk like their
  characters and to identify with them
  strongly. Again, dynamic role-playing
  on the gamemaster's part serves as a
  role model for the players.)
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 11
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  rrl
  Iai
  CRISIS
  DE
  CIO
  GRAVITY BUBBLE DAMAGE TABLE
  Die Roll Effect
  2-7	
  No Damage
  8	
  Internal Restructuring System
  Mean Free Path Tracker
  Chameleon Circuit
  Time/Space Navigation Control
  The Adventure
  This chapter includes detailed de-
  scriptions of all the events and locations
  that make up the Countdown adven-
  ture. It includes instructions for running
  each event, for connecting the events
  together, and notes on the various
  courses of action the players might
  choose. Although these events are pre-
  sented in the order in which they are
  most likely to occur during play, certain
  actions taken by the players may de-
  mand that some events occur in a differ-
  ent sequence. As an aid to deciding the
  proper course of the game's events, the
  gamemaster should study the Plot
  Synopsis included in the Introduction
  until he has a thorough understanding
  of both the situation and its implica-
  tions.
  To keep in the spirit of the Doctor
  Who television series, drama was
  stressed over realism in designing the
  events that comprise Countdown. For
  instance, if a player is captured and
  taken to the conversion chamber, any
  players making a rescue attempt will
  arrive in just the nick of time to save
  their comrade — no matter how long it
  takes for the rescue party to arrive.
  However, should the gamemaster wish
  to run a more realistic campaign, he will
  have to modify some of the following
  event descriptions.
  The adventure begins with all the
  players aboard their TARDIS. The TAR-
  DIS operator in the group has just
  finished performing some sticky repairs
  of the internal guidance system. The
  other players can be doing anything
  they want. Ask each player to describe
  what he or she is doing. The TARDIS is
  currently in flight, but has no special
  destination planned. Ask the players
  where they would like to go next, en-
  couraging them to role-play any discus-
  sion of their destination.
  While the players are discussing
  possible destinations, ask all the
  players to make a Difficulty Level V ITN
  saving roll. If no one succeeds with this
  roll, ask them to try try again at Difficulty
  Level IV. If all fail once more, lower the
  Difficulty Level to III. Continue to lower
  the Difficulty Level until someone fi-
  nally makes the roll. The first player
  who succeeds will notice that the time
  rotor (the column in the middle of the
  TARDIS control console) has stopped
  moving. The above rolls really are not
  important. They serve, rather, as ten-
  sion-builders.
  Three seconds after all the players
  are aware that the rotor has stopped,
  the TARDIS will begin to shake vio-
  lently. Ask all the players to make Diffi-
  culty Level III DEX rolls to stay on their
  feet. Anyone who fails this roll will fall
  to the ground, unable to perform any
  action until having passed a Difficulty
  Level Ill DEX roll to stand up.
  If anyone able to stand and look at
  the TARDIS instruments can pass a Dif-
  ficulty Level III Temporal Sciences roll,
  he will realize that the TARDIS has be-
  come caught in a gravity bubble. If he
  passes this roll with a critical success,
  he will realize that the TARDIS is actu-
  ally caught in a chronic rift. (See the
  Plot Synopsis for more on the gravity
  bubble-chronic rift situation.) The
  gamemaster can read the TARDIS Data
  Bank Entry on gravity bubbles (or
  chronic rifts) to anyone who passes this
  roll, as their character would already
  know the information.
  THE
  About one minute after the shaking
  starts, it will grow much more violent.
  Before anyone can perform any action,
  he must now pass a Difficulty Level NI
  DEX roll to steady himself. Inform the
  players that unless they manage to
  materialize fast, the TARDIS will shake
  apart. To materialize the TARDIS re-
  quires a Difficulty Level III DEX roll to
  steady, followed by a Difficulty Level IV
  Temporal Vehicles Operation roll. If the
  players fail either of the rolls, have them
  try again until they make it, noting the
  number of times they failed.
  GAMEMASTER'S NOTE: The
  above scene is intended to get the
  players into the action quickly. The
  gamemaster should play it out very
  dramatically, describing in detail the
  players falling to the floor or clutching
  for the materialization lever. The
  players are really in no danger at all,
  and they will automatically and safely
  materialize the TARDIS. Try to make
  them believe, however, that the bubble
  is very dangerous and that they could
  shake apart at any moment. Be sure to
  remind the players that they must
  materialize blind, without knowing
  where they are. They could end up any-
  where, even in the middle of a star!
  After the TARDIS has materialized
  and things are back to normal, the
  players will automatically learn that
  they were trapped in a gravity bubble
  (if they hadn't known this already). Any
  character with Temporal Vehicle Oper-
  ation skill will automatically realize
  from coordinate readings that the TAR-
  DIS materialized on a moving space-
  craft. The year is 2576. The TARDIS has
  materialized in Auxiliary Cargo Hold #2
  of the Terran starship Leander. If the
  players use the ship's scanner to ob-
  serve the area, refer to the detailed
  room description given in Vessels. Fi-
  nally, if the players missed any rolls for
  materializing the TARDIS, roll once on
  the Gravity Bubble Damage Table (see
  below) to learn if the TARDIS' systems
  are damaged from the incident. Add the
  number of times the players failed to
  materialize to the die roll.
  Nearly all the results from the
  above table are minor damage, and
  none of them will affect the outcome of
  this adventure at all (although they may
  affect future adventures, at the
  gamemaster's discretion.) Guidelines
  on how to judge TARDIS damage and
  repairs are found on pp. 71-73 of the
  Game Operations Manual.
  12 Countdown
  
  INSIDE THE
  T55 LER NDER
  Upon materialization, the players
  will probably use the TARDIS scanner
  and other instruments to check out their
  surroundings. Atmosphere and gravity
  readings will all indicate Earth normal.
  The TARDIS has materialized in Aux-
  iliary Cargo Hold #2 on B Deck of the
  Primary Hull.
  GAMEMASTER'S NOTE: Most of
  the Countdown adventure will take
  place in the chambers and corridors of
  the starship Leander. See the chapter
  on Vessels for a complete description,
  background information, and deck
  plans for the starship.
  After investigating their surround-
  ings, the players will probably leave the
  TARDIS to look around. If they seem
  reluctant to leave, tell them that the
  gravity bubble they encountered can be
  very dangerous to spacecraft and that
  they may wish to warn the crew. Also,
  the CIA would certainly want them to
  investigate the bubble so that other
  time travelers could be warned. If they
  continue to resist, tell them that the
  TARDIS simply does not have the
  power to dematerialize again. A mas-
  sive power failure is being caused by
  something in the area (the Chronic Rift).
  In this case, the rift will begin to affect
  the TARDIS early (the TARDIS could be
  affected earlier than everything else be-
  cause its inter-dimensional nature
  makes it more sensitive to the drain,
  etc.)
  IN THE CARGO BAY
  After the players leave the TARDIS,
  they will find themselves in a rectangu-
  lar room, six by seven—and—one-half
  meters in size. In one corner of the room
  is the TARDIS, while the rest of the room
  is filled with stacks of crates. Next to
  the door is a panel consisting of some
  kind of gauge and several dials (actually
  a thermostat controlling environmental
  conditions in the cargo hold). The crates
  are marked "MEDICAL EQUIPMENT -
  EXTREMELY FRAGILE - MUST BE KEPT
  BETWEEN 17 AND 18 DEGREES CEL-
  SIUS". Each crate is about two feet by
  two feet at the base and one foot high.
  The crates are made from a silvery plas-
  tic material.
  A character trying to force open one
  of these crates with his bare hands must
  make a Difficulty Level V STR roll to suc-
  ceed. If the players use a sonic screwd-
  river or pry bar of some type (definitely
  available on the TARDIS), the crate will
  open automatically. Inside are four
  trays, each approximately three inches
  high, holding several hundred tiny
  vials. The vials contain the serum to
  cure Hadder's Fever. If a character with
  skill in General Medicine examines the
  serum, he will know that it is the cure
  for Hadder's Fever if he can make a Dif-
  ficulty Level V roll. If a character with
  skill in Pharmacology examines the
  vials, he will determine their nature with
  a Difficulty Level Ill roll.
  After investigating the crates, the
  players will probably wish to leave the
  cargo hold and look around the ship.
  The only doors that will be locked are
  those that lead to private staterooms,
  or unused areas of the ship (such as the
  special visitors' facilities). As they leave,
  they will notice a placard just outside
  the door that reads "Auxiliary Cargo
  Hold #2". A similar placard appears
  outside every door on the Leander. It
  will take the characters about ten min-
  utes of game time to fully investigate
  any given room or area.
  TRACKED BY SAM
  Just after the players leave the
  hold, start making a roll every five min-
  utes (game time) to see if they are de-
  tected by SAM's security system. Using
  the Skill Level of the party member with
  the best skill rating in Stealth, make a
  Difficulty Level VI Stealth roll for the
  whole party. If this roll fails, Imperial
  Centurions will arrive on the scene in
  five minutes. If it succeeds, wait another
  five minutes and roll again. If none of
  the players have Stealth skill, use the
  highest DEX present and make the Diffi-
  culty Level VII.
  When the party finally fails a detec-
  tion roll, SAM will lock onto their loca-
  tion and track them everywhere they
  go. It is impossible to escape this detec-
  tion. SAM will guide a patrol of five Im-
  perial Centurions straight to them (see
  Gamemaster's Notes chapter for
  further details on the Centurions' com-
  bat abilities and equipment). This patrol
  will be led by Major Reitz himself. Be-
  cause of the Centurions' training and
  complete knowledge of the ship and the
  players' activities, the patrol will take
  the characters by surprise unless the
  character with the highest Surveillance
  Skill Rating can make a Difficulty Level
  VI roll.
  Whether they take the party by sur-
  prise or not, it should be obvious to the
  players that combatting the Centurions
  is not a good idea. The five Centurions
  and Reitz will all have their Mark VII
  Blasters on stun and at the ready. If any
  of the players tries anything remotely
  resembling combat, the Centurions will
  stun him and warn the rest. When the
  players finally give up, Reitz will poke
  his blaster in one of their faces and say,
  "Well, it looks as though we've found
  some saboteurs." Reitz and the Centur-
  ions will then take them to the bridge
  to confront Captain Fleming.
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 13
  
  WIIMPr
  III
  SC
  El K
  II K
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  C
  	
  TO THE BRIDGE
  As the Centurions lead the players
  off to the bridge, the gamemaster will
  describe the areas of the ship through
  which they are passing. He should use
  the deck plans to determine the most
  likely route to the bridge.
  As soon as the player-characters
  have been captured, some of the Cen-
  turions will leave. There are as many
  centurions as characters remaining on
  the bridge, with Reitz automatically
  staying to command them. This might
  get the players thinking about an es-
  cape attempt. This should be played out
  as a normal combat. The Centurions
  will have their Blasters set for stun and
  leveled to fire at the prisoners. If the
  players manage to escape (or if they
  somehow eluded capture in the first
  place), a full-scale security alert will be
  posted. Ten Centurions as well as sev-
  eral members of the Leander crew will
  begin a room-by-room search of the
  ship. Anyone captured by them will be
  escorted to the bridge.
  GAMEMASTER'S NOTE: The
  gamemaster will read the following de-
  scription to any captured players
  brought to the bridge: You are placed
  in a turbo-lift that elevates and then
  comes to a sudden stop. The plastic
  door opens to reveal a large, T-shaped
  room, obviously the bridge of the ves-
  sel. The room is done entirely in a
  glossy black plastic. On the floor is an
  intricate mosaic made from plastic tiles.
  Ahead of you are four ornamental,
  Roman-style columns. To either side,
  you see black metal stairways leading
  up about twelve feet to a gantry level.
  On the gantry are banks of machinery
  and equipment. A young man with
  blond hair is standing on the gantry
  looking down on you. Directly ahead,
  you see a curving bank of instruments
  being monitored by two crewmen, one
  male and one female. Just before the
  instrument bank is an ornate chair on
  a raised podium. Suddenly, the chair
  swivels around in your direction. Sea-
  ted in the chair is a slightly overweight,
  grey-haired man in his fifties. At the
  very head of the room, you can see a
  video image of space, and above that,
  a screen displaying a computer-gener-
  ated image of a human head. The 'head'
  seems to be speaking, giving instruc-
  tions and progress reports to the
  human crew."
  (The man on the gantry is First Of-
  ficer Lindsay, the man in the chair is
  Fleming, and the two crewmen are
  Communications Officer Dirkes and
  Navigator Campbell.)
  MEETING WITH
  CAPTAIN
  FLEMING
  Major Reitz will report the discov-
  ery of the players to Captain Fleming.
  Fleming will introduce himself as Com-
  mander of the TSS Leander, an Earth
  fast courier, and introduce everyone
  present on the bridge. He will then give
  the players a chance to explain them-
  selves. After the characters have done
  so, have each player make a CHA roll for
  every NPC on the bridge, including Reitz
  (see Cast Of Characters for descrip-
  tions). Remember to record the results
  of these rolls.
  If Reitz' reaction to any players pre-
  sent is Neutral or worse, he will try to
  persuade Captain Fleming to have all
  the players executed as saboteurs. (This
  is within Fleming's authority, and the
  Earth regulations can be interpreted as
  calling for it). The players must try to
  talk him out of it, using their Negotia-
  tion/Diplomacy skill. As Fleming is re-
  luctant to execute anyone, this is a Level
  III task. Adjust the level down 2 if Flem-
  ing is Actively Supportive toward any
  of the characters and down 1 if he is
  Friendly toward any of them. Adjust the
  level up 1 if Fleming is Aggressively
  Hostile to any of the characters. Make
  Difficulty Level II persuasion rolls for
  Negotiation/Diplomacy for each NPC on
  the bridge who is Friendly or Actively
  Supportive of any of the characters. If
  this roll is successful, lower the Diffi-
  culty Level of the players' Negotiation/
  Diplomacy roll by 1.
  If the NPC in question does not
  have Negotiation/Diplomacy skill, au-
  tomatically alter the Task Entry Line by
  +2 instead. Finally, allow every player
  except the one with the highest Negoti-
  ation/Diplomacy Skill Rating to make a
  Difficulty Level IV Negotiation/Diplo-
  macy roll. Each success gives a +2 to
  the Task Entry Line of the final roll. The
  player with the highest Negotiation/
  Diplomacyskill makes a roll against the
  Task Entry Line determined above. Suc-
  cess indicates that Fleming decides to
  imprison the characters only temporar-
  ily. Failure indicates that Fleming de-
  cides to have them executed, but not
  for awhile. Critical success means that
  Fleming will believe the explanation the
  players gave (only if, in the gamemas-
  ter's opinion, it is a good one), and allow
  them to stay on the bridge for the time
  being.
  THE
  GAMEMASTER'S NOTE: Whether
  Fleming decides to execute the charac-
  ters or not will have very little bearing
  on the adventure. (It will only make
  things all the more dramatic.) If he does
  so decide, the execution will not be
  scheduled for at least three hours. By
  this time, the Cybermen and androids
  will have arrived and made the execu-
  tion impossible. Fleming's reaction to
  the players will probably change after
  he sees some evidence that they are
  trying to help him anyway.
  The gamemaster should encour-
  age strong role-playing during this
  scene. The players may ask several
  questions of the bridge crew during the
  scene or immediately after. If they ask
  about SAM or the Leander, First Officer
  Lindsay will explain their full functions
  and backgrounds to them automati-
  cally. (This is considered classified or
  secret information.) In the course of that
  conversation, allow the players to learn
  that the Leander is on an important
  special mission. If they ask what that
  mission is, no one will respond. If they
  happen to mention the serum for Had-
  der's Fever they may have seen in the
  cargo hold, allow them a Difficulty Level
  IV persuasion attempt (using Negotia-
  tion/Diplomacy) to persuade Fleming to
  tell them about the situation on Ionia
  and the Leander's mission.
  14 Countdown
  
  THE
  IA
  0
  11-1
  IL
  DERDLY
  ANDROIDS
  Name: CYBER-ANDROID
  Attributes
  STR —VI
  END —VI
  DEX —11   
  CHA —I
  MNT —1
  ITN —1  
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  5
  Armed Combat, Blaster Rifle:	
  IV
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:
  The androids have 4D6 armor. They also
  have a weapon equivalent to a Blaster rifle built
  into their right hands.
  Significant Skills
  None.                      
  3I
  OC   SIGNAL FROM
  SPACE                          
  _s! after the fate of the players is
  -
  :.ed (or any time the gamemaster
  - - s appropriate, should the players
  e managed to elude capture or de-
  - - an),	
  Communications	
  Officer
  - ‘es will announce, "Sir, SAM is pick-
  - a distress call from an Earth mer-
  :..--.ant vessel trapped in the gravity bub-
  : .e we detected earlier. Sir, they need
  badly." Fleming will then ask her
  ay the message so that the bridge
  can hear it. The message reads:
  -
  S IS THE EARTH MERCHANT VES-
  TOWER OF LONDON. OUR EN-
  7, 7 ‘ES HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AND
  ARE BEING PULLED TO THE
  '...:_=*.TER OF A GRAVITY BUBBLE. UN-
  JESS WE RECEIVE HELP SOON, WE
  __ BE DESTROYED. MAYDAY. MAY-
  the players are on the bridge, they
  . wish to persuade Captain Fleming
  - elp the vessel (with a Difficulty Level
  %egotiation/Diplomacy roll). If the
  . ers do not try to intervene or they
  :hen Lindsay and Dirkes will per-
  :e Fleming to aid the ship (in which
  - e. are automatically successful). This
  should be role-played. Reitz will
  -sst that stopping to help the ship will
  - same valuable time. (If the players
  - at know of the Leander's mission,
  Ai them a Difficulty Level IV Negoti-
  : - Dplomacy roll to persuade Hem-
  _ _ e I them why the Leander cannot
  iong delays.) Lindsay and Dirkes
  point out that it will not take long
  :ack with the ship and rescue its
  Further, the fever will not begin
  mg its victims for awhile yet.
  If the players managed to escape
  detection or capture and are not on the
  bridge when the distress call comes in,
  Lindsay and Dirkes will persuade Flem-
  ing to aid the distressed merchant.
  Fleming will use the public address sys-
  tem to inform the entire crew that the
  Leander is stopping to dock with an en-
  dangered Earth merchant vessel. This
  docking is to take place in approxi-
  mately 15 minutes. The players will, of
  course, hear this message as well.
  If the players are still on the bridge
  and Fleming decided to imprison or
  execute them at a later time, they will
  be taken to and locked in the Food Stor-
  age Room on Deck B of the Primary Hull
  (Room 15 on the deck plans). Reitz and
  one Centurion for every player will es-
  cort the group. The Centurions will also
  see that the doors to all the cargo holds
  are locked (just in case).
  Lining the walls and in the center
  of the storage room are bins containing
  various fruits, vegetables, and other
  foods. If players open the bin on the
  back wall, they will discover a large
  walk-in storage area (recessing into the
  hull) containing crate after crate of food.
  In the corner of the room is an unlocked
  door that leads to a freezer. The freezer
  also recesses deep into the hull of the
  ship. It mostly contains frozen meats.
  Inside the Food Storage Room next to
  the door is a thermostat control and a
  video screen, which is turned off. The
  Difficulty Level of the lock to the storage
  room is Level IV. (The target number
  for a lockpicking attempt using a sonic
  screwdriver is 10.)
  About 15 minutes after Fleming an-
  nounces to the crew that the Leander
  is going to aid the crippled merchant
  ship, the Leanderwill be in docking pos-
  ition. If the players are in sight of Dock-
  ing Bay #1 (Primary Hull, Deck B, Room
  8), they will see a boarding party arrive
  about five minutes before the docking
  is to occur. This party consists of four
  Imperial Centurions, Engineer Spencer,
  and two enlisted Leander crewmen
  (stewards). Sergeant Hall is command-
  ing the detachment of Centurions. If the
  players are on the bridge, they will hear
  Fleming give orders for this party to as-
  semble and go to the docking area.
  The actual docking will go without
  a hitch. The Earth party will take about
  two minutes to prepare to board.
  To everyone's surprise, the airlock
  door will suddenly and unexpectedly
  open to reveal two deadly androids. Be-
  fore anyone can react, these androids
  will each shoot some type of beam out
  of their hands, one killing a steward,
  the other killing one of the Centurions.
  If the players are not in sight of the mas-
  sacre, one of them will notice a conven-
  iently-placed video screen displaying
  the docking and the subsequent battle.
  (There is such a screen in the Food Stor-
  age Room where the players will be im-
  prisoned, and the bridge personnel will
  certainly be watching the docking pro-
  ceedings on security monitors. There
  are similar video screens all over the
  Leander, and so, no matter where the
  players are, they will see the docking.)
  After the first two rounds of com-
  bat, the androids will step away from
  the airlock door and two more will
  emerge from it. Sergeant Hail will im-
  mediately radio Major Reitz and issue
  a full security emergency. (Reitz, the
  rest of the Centurions, and several
  armed members of the Leander crew
  will arrive in six combat rounds, or one
  minute). The Centurions will then en-
  gage the androids in a pitched battle,
  retreating into the main atrium and tak-
  ing cover behind the columns. If the
  players are near the area, they may wish
  to enter this combat.
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 15
  
  MOVEMENT AND
  ACTIONS   
  IA
  K K            
  :11 
  PITCHED
  BRTTLE     
  The androids have a pre-program-
  med battle strategy. They will slowly
  advance to the bridge, securing the cor-
  ridors as they go, and wait for their mas-
  ters to arrive. The Centurions are the
  only humans they will actively try to
  destroy; all the others are to be cap-
  tured and the officers taken to the
  bridge to await the Cybermen, if possi-
  ble.
  GAMEMASTER'S NOTE: The pre-
  sence of the Cybermen in the adventure
  is intended to be a dramatic surprise
  sprung on the players. Before the
  Cybermen decide to reveal themselves,
  the players should see only the an-
  droids, and it would be impossible to
  identify their origin without a detailed
  analysis taking at least 24 hours.
  The androids have one weakness:
  The equipment that Vorak and the other
  Cybermen had available for their con-
  struction was not the best, and, con-
  sequently, the androids suffer from a
  technical flaw near the chest unit. Any
  player who looks at the android and
  makes a Difficulty Level III Cybernetics
  roll or a Difficulty Level V Electronics
  roll will notice this weakness. Discount
  the androids' armor in determining
  damage for any attacks hitting the an-
  droids in their weak spot (requires a -3
  aimed shot).
  CALCULATING TIME
  Once the battle with the androids
  begins, the gamemaster must begin to
  keep strict track of time. Note the sev-
  eral dotted lines on the deck plans.
  Next to each dotted line is a figure
  representing the number of combat
  rounds (ten seconds each) it will take
  the androids to push the Centurions
  back behind that line. After the given
  number of rounds have passed, the re-
  maining Centurions will fall back to
  somewhere in the vicinity of the next
  red line and make another stand. Every
  time the defenders fall back, roll a D6-3
  for the number of them that are killed
  (a result less than 0 is treated as 0). As-
  sume that no androids will be destroyed
  unless the players intervene. This is a
  very abstract, but simple, way of keep-
  ing track of the battle. If the players
  themselves are involved in the battle,
  play it as normal combat. The androids
  will fire heavily into the defenders and
  then advance on them. In either case,
  the defenders will not win. Thirty min-
  utes after the battle begins, the androids
  will successfully reach the bridge. The
  Cybermen have four more androids on
  their ship who can be brought in as rein-
  forcements, and, if necessary, they will
  personally enter the fray.
  If the players are on the bridge dur-
  ing the battle, they can watch the whole
  thing on SAM's security monitors. SAM
  is programmed to seal off all parts of
  the ship and begin to respond with au-
  tomatic defenses in an emergency such
  as this, but every time he tries to en-
  gage, this program fails. (Medical Assis-
  tant Gray has secretly erased this capa-
  bility, and, if given the opportunity,
  Reitz will of course blame the players
  for it.
  If the players are trying to wander
  or sneak about the Leander during the
  battle, conduct their movement and ac-
  tions in tactical scale (spending AP, etc.)
  The gamemaster may be called upon
  to estimate the AP) costs for some un-
  usual actions. If he decides an action
  costs more AP than a character has, the
  character spends more than one round
  doing it (fully searching a room, for in-
  stance, might cost between 30 and 50
  AP.) If, sometime during the battle, the
  players happen to be near the Engineer-
  ing or Computer Rooms on Deck A of
  the Primary Hull, they will notice Med-
  ical Assistant Gray come running out
  of one of the rooms. (Gray has just
  sabotaged the defense program.) For
  every three combat rounds the players
  spend wandering about the ship, roll
  on the Encounter Table below. Add 1
  to the roll for every encounter the
  players have already had. Add 2 to the
  roll if the players are within six meters
  (four squares on the deck plans) of the
  dotted line the Earth men are currently
  defending.
  Battle Encounter Table
  Die Roll	
  Encounter
  2-6	
  No Encounter
  7	
  Android
  8-9	
  Centurion Patrol
  10-11	Trapped Centurions
  Android:
  The players will encounter an an-
  droid heading toward (or coming from)
  the main battle. They can avoid or hide
  from the android with a Difficulty Level
  III Stealth roll or a Difficulty Level II Con-
  cealment roll. Make one roll for the
  whole party using the best Stealth or
  Concealment skill present among the
  players. If none have Stealth or Conceal-
  ment, make it a Difficulty Level IV DEX
  roll. If the players fail to avoid the an-
  droid, it will attempt to capture them
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  and eventually take them to the Leander
  bridge to meet the Cybermen. Play it
  out as a normal combat. If the players
  try to flee, lead them into the Trapped
  Centurions encounter (see below) and
  add another android to the attack
  group. Add 1 to further rolls on the Bat-
  tle Encounter Table.
  Centurion Patrol:
  The players will see three Imperial
  Centurions coming down the corridor
  heading toward the battle. The players
  can avoid the Centurions using the
  method described above, but this time
  the Difficulty Levels are both III. If the
  patrol notices the players, they will at-
  tempt to capture them (if the players
  have escaped imprisonment), stunning
  them if necessary. Captured players will
  be taken to the bridge. Before they get
  there, however, the Centurions escort-
  ing them will be attacked by two an-
  droids, resulting in the Trapped Centur-
  ion encounter. If the players were not
  imprisoned, they may decide to volun-
  tarily join the Centurions to fight the
  androids. If this happens, they will soon
  be attacked by two androids, also re-
  sulting in the Trapped Centurions en-
  counter. Add 1 to further rolls on the
  Battle Encounter Table.
  Trapped Centurions:
  The players come across a group
  of three Centurions pinned by two an-
  droids. The Centurions are in grave
  danger, which the players should rec-
  ognize and so probably try to rescue
  them. If they are near a group of col-
  umns, the Centurions will be hiding be-
  hind them; otherwise, they will be hid-
  ing behind a barricade of overturned
  tables. If possible, the players will come
  up behind the Centurions and become
  pinned with them. If this encounter is
  being played out as a result of the Cen-
  turion patrol above, wait until the group
  reaches some area where they could
  become pinned in before the androids
  attack.
  16 Countdown
  
  IM
  DESTROYING
  THE ANDROIDS                 
  Ill 
  SNEAKING
  ABOUT      
  After the Cybermen and androids
  have taken over the ship and posted
  guards and patrols, characters trying to
  get from one area to another unde-
  tected will be a common occurrence. In
  this case, the character must make a
  roll against his skill in Stealth. The base
  difficulty for sneaking about the Lean-
  der's corridors is Level III. The
  gamemaster can modify this as he sees
  fit, depending on the condition of
  guards, available cover, or any other
  relevant circumstances. Modify the
  Task Entry Line by -2 for each level of
  Surveillance skill the guards possess. If
  the character making the attempt does
  not have Stealth skill, allow him to make
  a DEX roll instead at a base Difficulty
  Level of V.
  Three combat rounds after the
  players arrive, make a Difficulty Level
  III ITN roll for each player. Anyone suc-
  cessful will think of one of the following
  methods of destruction: If the battle
  takes place near any sort of lab or acces-
  sible science area, the player will realize
  that a certain acid (easily found in the
  lab) will automatically destroy the an-
  droids. It requires a successful combat
  roll to throw the acid on each android.
  If the battle takes place in an area where
  there are columns, the player can notice
  that it is possible to shoot out one of
  the columns so that it falls, crushing
  and completely destroying the an-
  droids. An aimed shot (-3 to Task Entry
  Line) is required to shoot the column
  properly.
  If the battle takes place in neither
  of these two areas, the players will
  notice that the androids are standing
  underneath an automatic sprinkler.
  With an aimed shot (13 to the Task Entry
  Line), the heat from a blaster can turn
  the sprinkler on, dousing both androids.
  The androids will spark furiously, then
  jerk wildly and finally collapse.
  These special attack methods will
  only work once, however. After that, the
  Cybermen will modify the androids'
  programming by radio signal, so that
  they will be on guard against them. If
  the players have escaped imprison-
  ment thus far and the gamemaster
  wants them to be captured for another
  reason, the Centurions will surround
  the player characters and take them to
  the bridge. (Even if the players saved
  their lives, Imperial Centurions remain
  highly-trained, disciplined troops who
  always follow their orders.) If the
  players saved the Centurions, they can
  try to dissuade them not to capture with
  a Difficulty Level V Negotiation/Diplo-
  macy roll. In this case, the Centurions
  will ask them to join the battle against
  the androids, but will not press them if
  the player characters have a more im-
  portant task to perform. This encounter
  will occur once. Treat a roll of 10-12 as
  the Android Encounter described in the
  above table. After this encounter oc-
  curs, treat all Centurion Patrol Encoun-
  ters as Android Encounters as well.
  Il
  1 1 
  CAPTURED!
  The players will eventually be cap-
  tured by the androids and taken to the
  bridge. If the players have not been cap-
  tured (or have already managed to es-
  cape) by the time the androids reach
  the bridge, have a party of three an-
  droids surprise them in the open wher-
  ever they are. If the players are still
  locked in the storage room, the an-
  droids will suddenly burst in and lead
  them off. If they are on the bridge, they
  will be taken prisoner when the an-
  droids arrive. If they are trying to hide
  somewhere, the androids will be
  guided by sensor equipment from the
  Cybership directly to the player charac-
  ters' location, taking them by surprise.
  It should be noted that it is very difficult
  for the players to get back to their TAR-
  DIS by this time. The Leander cargo
  hold, where the TARDIS is now situated,
  is locked, the power drain from the
  chronic rift having already made it im-
  possible for the automatic doors to
  open. The doors can be opened manu-
  ally, but this would take at least 15 mi-
  nutes. In any case, the players should
  be captured by the androids before they
  are allowed to run and hide in the TAR-
  DIS. The gamemaster should also make
  it obvious to the players that resisting
  the three androids is useless. They will
  take the players by surprise and can
  easily overpower them.
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 17
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  ENTER THE
  CYBERMEN
  Once the players are captured by
  the androids, they will be taken to the
  bridge. There they will find Fleming,
  Reitz, Fredrick, Gray, Spencer,
  Campbell, and Dirkes also being held
  prisoner. A total of six androids will be
  on guard. All obvious weapons will be
  removed from the prisoners at the time
  of capture. The androids are not capa-
  ble of speech, but will make it known
  through gestures that anyone touching
  any of the Leander's equipment or try-
  ing to escape will be destroyed. •
  After all the prisoners are secure,
  the players will hear the turbo-lift slowly
  rising to the bridge. After it reaches the
  proper level, there will be a short delay
  and then the door will suddenly slide
  open to reveal the Cybermen! Cyber-
  leader Vorak and two others will arrive
  on the bridge. Two minutes from this
  time, the remaining Cybermen (seven
  in all) will spread themselves through-
  out the corridors of the Leander to act
  as guards. Four of the androids will
  leave the bridge to aid them. Cyber-
  leader Vorak will then deliver a speech
  detailing his plans.
  Vorak's Speech
  After the Cybermen appear on the
  bridge, Fleming will ask them what they
  want with his ship (if the players don't
  ask first(. Cyberleader Vorak will reply:
  "The answer to that is simple, Earth-
  man." (If the character is a Time Lord,
  Vorak will address him properly also,
  as he automatically knows who is
  human and who is a Time Lord.) "You
  are carrying a certain serum that I must
  guarantee never reaches its destina-
  tion. My kind has been reduced to small
  wandering bands, unable to increase
  our numbers, for nearly a thousand
  years now. We have no world to call
  home. When I intercepted radio trans-
  missions concerning your mission, I
  conceived of a plan that will provide us
  with a home planet at last.
  "I have determined that the
  plagued planet to which you are carry-
  ing your precious serum would make
  an ideal homeworld for my race. Under
  the effects of the disease, Ionia will be
  weak and will fall easily to the invasion
  we plan. If your vessel were never to
  reach the planet, your Earth govern-
  ment would probably quarantine the
  entire sector. They know that the deadly
  fever will run rampant unless treated
  soon, and they will not risk the possibil -
  ity of a vessel carrying the fever virus
  to other inhabited areas. This will give
  us time — time we desperately need."
  At this point, Lindsay breaks in to
  say, "You murderer! You're condemn-
  ing ten million innocent people to
  death!"
  "Fear not," Vorak responds. "The
  inhabitants of Ionia will not die. That
  would be a tremendous waste of re-
  sources. No, they will go on living, as
  Cybermen. My kind can only increase
  their numbers by converting humans
  into Cybermen. Many of the Ionians will
  gladly accept this transformation to
  save themselves from the fever. Those
  who do not accept will be wiped out by
  the disease.
  "After the planet is secure, we will
  have time to contact others of our kind,
  regroup our forces, and build. Eventu-
  ally we will become powerful enough
  to carry out our supreme goal — the
  subjugation of Earth!"
  Fleming breaks in here. "Earth will
  never believe that the Leander disap-
  peared without a trace. They'll send
  someone to investigate."
  Vorak replies calmly, "And when
  they do, Captain, they will find what is
  left of your vessel at the center of the
  gravity bubble. We have already pre-
  pared your log to show that your vessel
  suffered a disastrous power failure and
  were sucked into the bubble. They will
  believe it."
  Vorak will then order a party of
  Cybermen up to the bridge to lead away
  a group of humans to be converted to
  Cybermen. This group will consist of
  Engineer Spencer, Dr. Fredrick,
  Navigator Campbell, and possibly a
  player character. This player character
  must be human, but otherwise can be
  selected at random. If all the player
  characters are Time Lords, they will be
  left on the bridge, and Vorak will tell
  the other Cybermen that conversion of
  the prisoners must wait until later, for
  now they may still be useful. Once
  down the turbo-lift, the prisoners on
  their way to the conversion chamber
  will meet a group of five enlisted prison-
  ers heading for the same fate. The
  group will be well-guarded all the way
  to the Cybership and conversion, with
  little chance for escape.
  For now, Vorak plans to secure the
  ship, post guards, and begin converting
  the prisoners. The Cybermen will be en-
  gaged in attempting to carry out these
  plans for most of the rest of the adven-
  ture.
  THE
  LOSING POWER
  After the characters are led off the
  bridge to the conversion chamber,
  something strange will occur. SAM will
  report that all the ship's power levels
  are falling at a slowly increasing rate.
  Many of the ship's major systems have
  already become inoperable. Cyber-
  leader Vorak, still on the bridge with
  other Cybermen and androids, will re-
  ceive a radio report from his own ship
  indicating that a similar phenomenon
  is being observed aboard it as well.
  After the report comes in, First Of-
  ficer Lindsay will receive permission
  from Vorak to examine the Leander's
  instruments to see what is causing the
  drain. Lindsay will then announce that
  the readings are very unusual and
  beyond his comprehension. If one of
  the players still on the bridge asks to
  look at the instruments, Vorak will again
  grant permission. If the player can pass
  a Difficulty Level IV Temporal Sciences
  roll, he will realize that the gravity bub-
  ble is actually a deadly chronic rift. If a
  character passes this roll, the
  gamemaster can read to him the TAR-
  DIS Data Banks Entry on the rift, as he
  would know this information anyway.
  If the character gives any indication
  of understanding the chronic rift, Vorak
  will threaten the player with death un-
  less he or she can explain. The player
  may try to persuade Vorak that the rift
  is extremely dangerous and that only
  he has the knowledge to respond to the
  danger. This is a Difficulty Level VII
  Negotiation/Diplomacy roll because
  Cyberleader Vorak is very doubtful that
  there is any technology superior to his
  own. If the character is successful,
  Vorak will allow him and any assistants
  free use of the Leander's laboratories
  (under the guard of two Cybermen) to
  study the rift. If another player was al-
  ready taken to the conversion chamber,
  the character may try to convince Vorak
  that the player is a valuable assistant
  and must be released if the rift is to be
  properly analyzed. Treat this as a Diffi-
  culty Level VI Negotiation/Diplomacy
  roll. Of course, Vorak will have any
  characters studying the rift killed or con-
  verted when they are no longer useful
  to him.
  18 Countdown
  
  THE VEGAN
  THREAT
  III
  nrpc
  '
  0 0
  0 0
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Any characters studying the rift for
  the Cybermen will be led off to the re-
  search laboratory just after the Vegans'
  message comes in (see The Vegan
  Threat). Once there, they may try to stall
  or work on something other than a sol-
  ution to the rift (such as a way to defeat
  the Cybermen). If this is the case, have
  them make a Difficulty Level IV Stealth
  roll to do this without their guards notic-
  ing. Any players failing this roll will im-
  mediately be taken back to the bridge
  (or conversion chamber). If the players
  try to find a way to deal with the Cyber-
  men, refer to Ultimatum. If they actually
  try to find a way to seal the rift, see
  Sealing The Rift. If they try to escape,
  play it out as a normal combat.
  EFFECTS OF THE CHRONIC RIFT
  The rift will have many effects on
  the adventure's outcome. First of all, the
  lights on the Leander soon will begin
  to dim, due to lack of power. This dar-
  kening will modify combat and possibly
  other rolls, at the gamemaster's discre-
  tion. The rift will also begin to drain
  power from the Cybermen themselves!
  After a while (at least an hour), the APof
  all the Cybermen (except Vorak, whose
  superior technology foils the drain) and
  androids will be reduced by 1. Also,
  their combat Skills Levels will each fall
  by 1. The exact timing of these effects
  is up to the gamemaster. If the players
  are doing well and progressing easily,
  he may decide to wait awhile before
  invoking the effects of the drain. If they
  are doing poorly and need help, the
  gamemaster might have the drain
  begin to affect the Cybermen early. If
  the players realize that the drain will
  effect the Cybermen (Difficulty Level III
  Temporal Science Roll) and specifidally
  state that they are delaying 'their final
  attack as long as possible (see Ul-
  timatum), the AP of all the Cybermen
  and androids will have had time to be
  reduced by 2. By the time the drain
  would have had further effects, the
  Cybermen will have been defeated.
  If the players have a K-9 unit, it will
  be affected by the power drain in the
  same way as the Cybermen.
  THE NEXT STEPS
  It will finally become obvious to any
  player realizing that the ships are trap-
  ped in a chronic rift that they are in great
  danger. The rift will continue to drain
  power from both ships until they are no
  more than lifeless husks. Eventually,
  the life-support systems themselves
  will cease functioning. The players now
  have two tasks to perform: foiling the
  plans of the Cybermen, and sealing the
  rift to save the Earth mission and their
  own lives! Unless the players could
  convince Vorak that the rift is deadly
  and he enlists their aid, Vorak will make
  sure that the entire Leander crew has
  been converted or killed before taking
  any steps to remedy the power drain.
  He believes that his superior Cyber-
  technology will easily come up with a
  satisfactory method of escape.
  About 30 minutes after SAM
  noticed the power drain (try to encour-
  age the players to role-play and interact
  with the NPCs for awhile to allow a short
  time to pass before beginning this
  event), Communications Officer Dirkes
  will announce, "Captain, SAM is picking
  up a signal. You had better listen to it
  yourself!" (By this time, the bridge crew
  will have been allowed to monitor their
  controls, under strict guard, to keep the
  vessel functioning.) Dirkes will then set
  the communications equipment to play
  the message throughout the ship, and
  the players will hear it no matter where
  they are. The message is: "AHOY,
  PLANETLUBBERS. THIS IS KALIK, SKIP-
  PER OF THE VEGAN PRIVATEER JACK
  OF HEARTS. YOU HAVE JUST FIVE MI-
  NUTES TO PREPARE TO BE BOARDED
  AND TO SURRENDER YOUR BOOTY
  OR WE'LL LAUNCH A BROADSIDE
  INTO YOU THAT WILL BLOW YOU
  CLEAN BACK TO THE MOONS OF
  MAROS. MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO
  TRICKS EITHER, OR YOU'LL WIND UP
  SCRAPING THE BOTTOM. REMEMBER,
  FIVE MINUTES."
  Allow any Time Lord players hear-
  ing the message Difficulty Level V MNT
  rolls to see if they happen to remember
  what Vegans are. If this roll is success-
  ful, read them the TARDIS Banks Data
  Entry on Vegans (see Gamemaster's
  Notes.)
  After hearing the message, Cyber-
  leader Vorak will order his troops
  aboard the Cybership to blow the Vegan
  vessel out of existence. The troops will
  immediately reply that this is impossi-
  ble because the power drain has ren-
  dered all weapon systems inoperative.
  Vorak will then order Captain Fleming
  to signal the Vegans, agreeing to their
  terms. At gun-point, Fleming will do as
  they ask. Vorak will then begin organiz-
  ing an ambush to meet the Vegans as
  they board. Shortly after this, more
  Cybermen will first come to the bridge
  and then a large group of them will
  leave again, including Vorak. Before
  Vorak leaves, he will hand Medical As-
  sistant Gray (who has been on the
  bridge all this time masquerading as a
  prisoner) a Mark VII Blaster and tell him
  to help guard the prisoners, revealing
  him to be the saboteur of SAM's com-
  puter defenses. (Be sure to role-play the
  prisoners' reaction to this.) This leaves
  just one android, one Cyberman, and
  Gray on the bridge to guard the players.
  Countdown 19
  
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  iu
  AMBUSH AND
  ESCAPE
  Watching the main security on the
  bridge, the players and other prisoners
  will witness Vorak and the other Cyber-
  men ambush the Vegans. Any player
  not on the bridge will happen to witness
  this on a nearby video screen. The
  Vegan vessel will dock at Docking Bay
  #2 on B Deck of the Primary Hull. Eight
  Vegans will board the Leander, and two
  will be killed instantly by the Cybermen.
  Vorak, two other Cybermen, and four
  androids will be the ambushers. The
  Vegans will quickly flee. Three of them
  (including what appears to be the
  leader) will escape onto the Leander.
  They will run through the main atrium
  and appear to be heading towards A
  Deck and the Command Level. Two Ve-
  gans will escape back onto their own
  ship (where they will hide in the secret
  smuggling hold), and two others will
  be captured and taken by the Cybership.
  The Cybermen will quickly secure the
  Vegan ship, but will find no trace of the
  two Vegans who escaped onto it.
  In the meantime, any players
  aboard the bridge will probably start
  thinking about escape. The guard on
  them is probably weaker now than it
  ever will be in the future. As mentioned
  above, an android, a Cyberman, and
  Gray remain on the bridge. The prison-
  ers still present are Fleming, Reitz,
  Lindsay, Dirkes, and any players. All the
  NPC prisoners (including Reitz) will be
  willing to take part in any escape at-
  tempt. If the players do not suggest es-
  cape, Lindsay will whisper the possibil-
  ity to them.
  Conduct the escape attempt as a
  normal combat. As the Cybermen and
  androids are paying full attention to the
  ambush on the security monitor, they
  will be taken completely by surprise.
  During the first round of combat, only
  the prisoners can act. Before the battle
  begins, allow the players each a Diffi-
  culty Level IV ITN roll to realize that the
  lone Cyberman is clutching his gun very
  loosely. During the first round of com-
  bat, the Cyberman can be approached
  and his gun taken out of his hand with
  a Difficulty Level IV Unarmed Combat
  roll. If all the players fail to notice this,
  the gamemaster can have them spot a
  Mark VII Blaster that the Cybermen just
  happened to leave on the other side of
  the bridge. The gamemaster will posi-
  tion the prisoners and guards as he sees
  fit on the tactical map of the bridge (see
  the Deck Plans).
  If the guards ever have an opportu-
  nity to shoot, the gamemaster should
  probably have them select NPC targets
  first. If Fleming or Lindsay are still alive,
  they will suggest to any escaped prison-
  ers that they go down to the Armament
  Locker (room 12, command level) to get
  weapons and then to free the humans
  about to be converted.
  ulx E
  Ll TO THE RESCUE
  K K
  Afte the players escape from the
  bridge, they will probably want to pro-
  ceed to the Cybership to rescue as many
  humans as possible from the conver-
  sion chamber. If the players escaped
  from the bridge with the other prison-
  ers, the NPCs will suggest this course
  of action to them. If Reitz is with the
  escaping group, he will run off by him-
  self. Reitz still believes the players are
  to blame for the entire incident and will
  refuse to cooperate with them in any
  way. If desired, the gamemaster can
  bring him back later or have him
  singlehandedly charge some Cyber-
  men, dying in the process. If the players
  are doing research in the lab for the
  Cybermen, have the NPCs escape from
  the bridge as mentioned above, killing
  all their guards. The escaped prisoners
  will then proceed to the lab and attempt
  to rescue the players. Play out the res-
  cue attempt as a normal combat, using
  some of the guidelines given for the
  bridge escape above.
  For any group of escaped prisoners
  moving through the Leander, roll on the
  Encounter Table below as often as
  seems fit. How successful the players
  have been so far should help the
  gamemaster determine how often to
  roll (about once very two combat
  rounds at tactical scale is suggested).
  Escape Encounters
  Die Roll	
  Encounter
  2-5	
  No Encounter
  6-7	
  Android
  8-9	
  Vegans
  10-12	Cybermen
  Any androids or Cybermen en-
  countered are guards and can be a-
  voided, as described in Sneaking
  About.
  As for the Vegans, the party will
  meet up with Captain Kalik and the
  other two Vegans who escaped onto the
  Leander. All three Vegans have ex-
  pended the power packs on their blas-
  ters (in the battle with the Cybermen)
  and will have their short swords drawn.
  When the group encounters the Veg-
  ans, make CHA rolls for all the players
  to see how Commander Kalik reacts to
  them.
  If Kalik has a very negative reaction,
  the Vegans will attack the humans, try-
  ing to finish them off quickly and get
  moving again. (For the special combat
  20 Countdown
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  abilities and tactics of the Vegans, see
  Gamemaster's Notes.) If any of the Veg-
  ans are confronted with a working Blas-
  ter during this battle, the attack will
  cease and the Vegans will probably flee.
  The players can convince Kalik to aid
  them in their attempt to eliminate the
  Cybermen with a Difficulty Level IV
  Negotiation/Diplomacy roll (modified
  as the gamemaster sees fit for Kalik's
  reaction to the player making the other
  roll). Any Time Lord knowing anything
  about the Vegans will know that they
  must be watched carefully, as they are
  a highly untrustworthy race. (To deter-
  mine this, the characters make a Diffi-
  culty Level V MNT roll. If successful, the
  gamemaster reads them the TARDIS
  Data Banks Entry.) If Kalik decides to
  help the players, he will agree to aid
  them in an attempt to rescue prisoners
  from the Cybership. He knows that sev-
  eral of his own men were captured.
  FREEING THE PRISONERS
  If the players are heading for the
  Cybership, remind them that it is
  docked at Docking Bay #1. (See Vessels
  for full description of the ship.)
  Any characters taken to the Cyber-
  ship earlier will be taken aboard under
  heavy guard and locked in (Difficulty
  Level VI lock) the prisoner chamber.
  There, they will be let out one by one
  to face the chamber. Of course, all obvi-
  ous weapons and electronic devices
  will have been taken from the prisoners.
  Before the Vegans dock with the Lean-
  der, there will be at least three Cyber-
  men and two androids guarding the
  prisoners and operating the chamber.
  No matter when the rescue party
  manages to reach the Cybership, they
  will arrive just in time to see the Cyber-
  men placing one of the players (if one
  was led off earlier) into the chamber.
  Unless, in the gamemaster's opinion, it
  took the players a particularly long time
  to reach the ship to rescue the prison-
  ers, the Cybermen will have had the op-
  portunity to convert only one of the hu-
  mans (it takes a little while to power up
  the converter.) Spencer (now a Cyber-
  man) and two other Cybermen are left
  guarding the the prisoners and operat-
  ing the chamber. If it took the players
  quite a long time to get around to rescu-
  ing the players, add more Cybermen as
  guards (they had more time to convert
  more humans). If it took them an ex-
  tremely long time, you may wish to
  make it too late to rescue any players
  held captive. Once placed in the
  chamber, the conversion process is au-
  tomatic and cannot be resisted.
  ESCAPE POSSIBILITIES
  In any event, the guard on the pris-
  oners will be heavy before any rescuers
  arrive. Extremely resourceful players
  held prisoner may, however, think of
  some method of escape. The gamemas-
  ter may resolve any escape attempt as
  he sees fit. The other prisoners will
  gladly cooperate in such an attempt.
  Present in the prisoner chamber are Dr.
  Fredrick, Engineer Spencer (who will be
  converted first, as mentioned above),
  Navigator Campbell and five enlisted
  crewmen, in addition to any players.
  After the Vegans dock and are am-
  bushed, two Vegans will be added to
  the prisoners. Although the Vegans
  cannot be converted to Cybermen, the
  Cybermen have captured them for ob-
  servation and study.
  Play out any rescue or escape at-
  tempt as a normal combat. (See
  Gamemaster's Notes for the combat
  tactics and abilities of the Cybermen).
  Newly-converted Cybermen are not
  very stable for the first twelve hours,
  and so Spencer will be very hesitant in
  combat. For the first few hours after the
  conversion, it is possible for the players
  to try and reawaken Spencer's old
  human instincts. Treat this as a Diffi-
  culty Level VI Negotiation/Diplomacy
  roll. If this roll is successful, Spencer
  will reject his new Cyber-programming,
  causing a conflict that destroys him.
  Trying to convince Spencer to reject the
  process will take up at least three action
  rounds in combat. The players will au-
  tomatically know which of the Cyber-
  men is Spencer.
  HIDING OUT
  Once the prisoners are freed, any
  NPCs accompanying the players will
  suggest that they find a safe place to
  hide for awhile and plan their next
  move. The Cybermen will surely be
  back in force after they discover that
  their ship has been raided. If the players
  decide to free the two Vegans as well,
  they can gain them as allies with a Dif-
  ficulty Level IV Negotiation/Diplomacy
  roll. In this case, the Vegans will suggest
  the secret smuggling hold aboard their
  ship as a good place to hide. If Kalik is
  already with the players, he will suggest
  it. Continue rolling on the Escape En-
  counter Table above, only now much
  more frequently than before. If the
  players have already encountered Kalik
  and the other Vegans through the table,
  treat this result as a Cyberman En-
  counter. If the encounter with the Veg-
  ans takes place after the players have
  already gained the two Vegan prisoners
  as allies, Kalik will automatically side
  with the players for the time being. The
  Cybermen are concentrating on finding
  the rest of the Vegans, so treat a roll of
  5 as a Cybermen Encounter rather than
  No Encounter, when rolling near the
  Vegan ship. When the group arrives at
  the Vegan vessel, they will automatic-
  ally find a Cyberman and two androids
  guarding the vessel's main control
  room. Play this as normal combat.
  Countdown 21
  
  THE GOLDEN WEAPON
  The players must roll to see how
  fast they can convert the gold. As only
  one character should roll, determine
  which one as follows: First, use the
  character with the highest Metallurgy
  Skill Rating; second, use the character
  with the highest Mechanical Engineer-
  ing Skill Rating; lastly, if no players
  have either of these skills, use the player
  with the highest MNT. The Difficulty
  Level for a character with skill in Metal-
  lurgy is II, that of character with
  Mechanical Engineering is IV, and, if a
  character is forced to use his MNT score,
  the Difficulty Level is V. Determine the
  target number (modifying the Difficulty
  Level for any special circumstances as
  you see fit), have the player roll, and
  refer to the Gold Conversion Chart.
  Gold Conversion Chart
  Die Roll	
  Success	
  Time
  Target - 5 Critical Success	
  6 min.
  Target — 3 Average Success	
  10 min.
  Target 0	
  Marginal Success 15
  Target + 1 Average Failure	
  20 min
  Target +5 Critical Failure	
  30 min
  This chart is used in the same way
  as the Variable Success Table on p. 36
  of the Game Operations Manual. The
  resultant time is the amount it will take
  for the players to convert enough gold
  to make one attack. The players proba-
  bly will not have very long to work on
  the gold, as Cyberleader Vorak is about
  to deliver his ultimatum.
  GAMEMASTER'S NOTE: While the
  players are converting the gold, the
  gamemaster may wish to try to make
  them a little suspicious of Kalik (by hav-
  ing him whisper things to his men, etc.)
  Throughout the process, Kalik will
  shout often at his men and the other
  characters in the hold.
  THE
  GOLD DUST DAMAGE
  The gold dust has the following
  statistics in combat.
  GOLD DUST DAMAGE
  DMG DDF PB SHRT MED LNG EXTR
  A	
  — 2 1	
  2	
  3	 4
  Gold dust will only damage Cyber-
  men and Androids. Use the Firearms
  column of Damage Table A for deter-
  mining damage. Armor has no effect
  on gold dust, and to attack with it re-
  quires a successful hand-to-hand com-
  bat. The dust can either be used directly
  or thrown at a target (use the range
  numbers given). Note that gold dust has
  no long range. All ranges over 3 are
  considered to be extreme.
  t
  ia■ moonot	       
  •Mmi■
  -.4■ 1■ 11.1,1-
  THE JRCK OF
  HERRTS       
  When the players arrive at the Jack
  of Hearts, they will be met by a small
  party assigned by Cyberleader Vorak to
  guard it. This party must be defeated
  before access to the smuggling hold
  can be gained. Once the group is safely
  in the smuggling hold, however, the
  Cybermen will not find them because
  the hold is well-concealed from sight
  and scanners.
  THE SECRET SMUGGLING HOLD
  The secret smuggling hold aboard
  the Jack of Hearts is the perfect place
  for the players to hide and plan their
  next move. If they have acquired any
  Vegans as allies, these will volunteer
  the information that the hold is a safe
  spot.
  In the middle of the secret hold is
  a large object covered with black tar-
  paulin. Just under the covering, the
  glint of gold is visible!
  HIDDEN TREASURE
  The Vegans have just recently at-
  tacked and boarded an Earth freighter
  carrying some golden art treasures.
  They brought the captured gold down
  to the smuggling hold, melted it down,
  and recast it in bars. Any NPCs from
  the Leanderwill guess the origin of the
  gold. They have heard about the disap-
  pearance of the freighter carrying the
  art treasures.
  The players will probably want to
  use the gold against the Cybermen,
  knowing automatically that it is one of
  their weaknesses. Kalik will at first re-
  fuse. Eventually and reluctantly, he de-
  cides to give in to the wishes of the
  players, which are now shared by his
  crew, who are terrified of the Cybermen
  after witnessing the massacre of the
  Vegans. The gold will be very unwieldy
  and difficult to use in its present bar
  form. It can, however, easily be mod-
  ified into dust form (the most conven-
  ient for attacking Cybermen) using the
  Vegans' small metallurgical lab.
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  22 Countdown
  
  ATTACK ON THE
  CYBERMEN                     
  11" Uri    
  In           
  K                
  Energy Weapon Miss Table
  Die Roll	
  Effect
  2-7	
  No Effect
  8-9	
  Spark Shower
  10	
  Steam
  11-12	Falling Debris
  	■
  ULTIMATUM
  Shortly after the players manage to
  rescue the prisoners from the Cyber-
  ship (or any time the gamemaster de-
  cides, if the players managed to skip
  doing this(, Cyberleader Vorak will
  issue an ultimatum. By now, the Cyber-
  men will have determined that the
  power drain is becoming critical and
  that there is very little time to waste
  (they may also be having problems cap-
  turing any prisoners and the Vegans
  who escaped from the ambush.) Con-
  sequently, the Cybermen will decide to
  abandon their plans to convert all the
  Earthlings, if necessary, and deliver an
  ultimatum, hoping to remove the prob-
  lem of the humans so that they can
  begin to deal with the power drain.
  Vorak will deliver the following
  message over the public address sys-
  tems of the Leander and the Jack of
  Hearts, and the players will hear it no
  matter where they are: "EARTHLINGS,
  YOU HAVE BEEN CLEVER IN ELUDING
  US. YOU ARE CONSUMING A GREAT
  DEAL OF TIME. UNFORTUNATELY,
  TIME IS SOMETHING I CANNOT
  SPARE. I AM CERTAIN THAT YOU UN-
  DERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS. IN
  JUST TWO HOURS, THE CONDITIONS
  ABOARD ALL THREE VESSELS WILL
  BECOME SUCH THAT YOUR SURVIVAL
  WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE. UNLESS YOU
  SUBMIT YOURSELVES FOR CAPTURE,
  AND EVENTUAL CONVERSION, YOU
  WILL BE TERMINATED."
  Anyone with skill in Astronautics
  who hears the message will know that
  Vorak's approximation is correct: in two
  hours, the atmosphere will be depleted
  to the point that life will be impossible.
  With all three vessels connected, any
  life support provided by the Cybership
  or the Jack of Hearts will be dispersed
  through all three ships, and neither has
  powerful enough systems to sustain
  something the size of the Leander. Un-
  less the Leander'ssystems are switched
  on again soon, all living things aboard
  all three ships will die. Naturally, the
  two-hour deadline will limit the amount
  of gold the players can convert, if they
  are in the smuggling hold, or the
  amount of time they have for research,
  if they have been pursuing that avenue.
  If the players have not been con-
  ducting research, they will want to en-
  gage the bulk of the Cybermen in a
  mass battle, fight their way to the life
  support room (room 5, A Deck, Primary
  Hull), and hopefully defeat them for
  good. By now, the chronic rift should
  have affected the Cybermen and made
  them much less effective in combat.
  (Any player making a Difficulty Level III
  Temporal Sciences roll will realize this
  and may try to delay the attack as long
  as possible, hoping for the Cybermen
  to be further affected.) If the players
  have converted some of the gold bars
  found in the secret smuggling hold of
  the Jack of Hearts into gold dust, they
  will have a powerful advantage in the
  upcoming battle. Otherwise, they will
  just have to rely on more conventional
  weapons. Any escaped NPCs (from
  both the bridge and the Cybership) and
  the escaped Vegans (if the players have
  won Kalik as an ally) will gladly take
  part in the battle. If the players haven't
  encountered Kalik yet, or failed to win
  him over, have him and the four remain-
  ing Vegans show up on the side of the
  Earthmen halfway through the battle.
  Begin the battle by having the at-
  tack party encounter a lone Cyberman
  sentry. The sentry will engage in fierce
  combat, but will most likely be taken
  out very early. Three combat rounds
  after the action starts, the six remaining
  Cybermen and two androids will show
  up. To simplify things, the gamemaster
  should divide the attackers into two
  groups. One group will consist of the
  players and two or three NPCs of the
  gamemaster's choice, the other group
  will consist of the remaining NPCs. The
  group containing the players must face
  three of the Cybermen and one android.
  Play this out as a normal combat, and
  assume that the other group will au-
  tomatically defeat the remainder of the
  Cyber-forces, taking whatever casual-
  ties considered appropriate. (See
  Gamemaster's Notes for Cybermen
  combat tactics and abilities.)
  The players' group will be the first
  to reach the life-support area. If they
  have been doing well up to now, the
  gamemaster should have the NPCs in
  the players' group leave to help the
  others, permitting the players to enter
  the room and reactivate the equipment
  on their own. Once they enter the area,
  they will encounter Cyberleader Vorak,
  who has been waiting at the life-support
  control area, hoping to make a last
  stand. The players must defeat Vorak
  before they can reactivate the support
  system. This battle is meant to be
  climactic. While playing it out, the
  gamemaster should embellish the ac-
  tion with detailed descriptions. To make
  things more exciting, roll on the table
  below anytime someone takes a shot
  with a Blaster, or similar weapon, and
  misses.
  Spark Shower: The shot has struck a
  bank of machinery, causing a brilliant
  shower of sparks to issue forth. Deter-
  mine where the shot has struck. Anyone
  within three meters (two squares) of
  that location must make a Difficulty
  Level IV DEX roll or be blinded next
  round, preventing any action. Vorak is
  immune to this effect.
  Steam: The shot has broken open a
  pipe, which begins to spray hot steam.
  Determine where the shot has struck.
  Anyone within one square of this loca-
  tion takes 1 D6 damage and must make
  a Difficulty Level IV DEX roll to perform
  any actions next round. Again, Vorak is
  immune to the effects of the steam.
  Falling Debris: The shot has struck a
  point high on the wall and caused some
  stray metal and debris to crash to the
  floor. Determine where the shot has
  struck. Anyone directly below this loca-
  tion must make a Difficulty Level IV DEX
  roll or take 3D6 damage.
  As soon as the players have de-
  feated Vorak, it will take one round to
  reactivate the life-support system.
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 23
  
  SERLING THE
  RIFT
  I
  THE SCIENTIFIC
  SOLUTION 
  The players may have opted for a
  more scientific solution to the Cyber-
  man threat. They may have begun such
  research while working for the Cyber-
  men under the pretense of finding a
  way to seal the chronic rift. Following
  is a method for conducting this re-
  search.
  The research has been broken up
  into stages. Each stage is given a Skill,
  a Difficulty Level, and a Base Time. A
  researcher cannot try to complete a
  stage of the research until all previous
  stages have been completed (either by
  him or someone else). To complete a
  stage of the research, the player(s) must
  pass a Skill Roll at the indicated Diffi-
  culty Level. If the player does not have
  the skill listed, substitute the MNT
  characteristic and make the Difficulty
  Level one higher.
  To see how much time it takes to
  complete a stage of research, refer to
  the Variable Success Chart on p. 36 of
  the Game Operations Manual. If the re-
  sult of the Skill Roll is a critical success,
  one-half the Base Time is consumed. If
  it is an average success, three-fourths
  of the Base Time is consumed. If the
  result is a marginal success, the full
  Base Time is consumed. If the result is
  an average failure, three-fourths of the
  Base Time is consumed and the player
  must attempt to complete the stage
  again (consuming more time). If the re-
  sult is a critical failure, the full base time
  is consumed before the player may at-
  tempt to complete the stage again. A
  player may reduce the base time for a
  stage by 25 percent by voluntarily in-
  creasing the Difficulty Level by 1. Each
  stage in the research to foil the Cyber-
  men is presented below.
  Having completed the research, the
  player will have discovered a way to
  accelerate the effects of the chronic rift
  on the Cybermen (draining their energy
  away much faster) by making the rift
  more sensitive to certain energy fre-
  quencies (such as the one on which
  Cybermen operate). Once put into ef-
  fect, this will reduce all the Cybermen
  and androids (except Vorak, who still
  must be fought as outlined above) to 0
  AP. The Cybermen and androids will
  simply shake and quiver, unable to per-
  form any actions, making them into sit-
  ting ducks.
  RESEARCH STAGES
  The Idea: Difficulty Level V MNT Roll,
  Base Time: 15 min.
  The player must pass this roll in
  order to get the idea to accelerate the
  effects of the rift on the Cybermen.
  Will It Work? Difficulty Level Ill Tem-
  poral Sciences Roll, Base Time: 30 min.
  The player must pass this roll to
  discover the particulars of the rift's
  power drain and to learn that, by
  polarizing the hull to the proper point,
  the drain will affect certain power fre-
  quencies faster.
  What Frequency?: Difficulty Level IV
  Electronics Roll, Base Time: 30 min.
  This stage allows the player to de-
  termine the power frequency at which
  the Cybermen operate, and, therefore,
  the polarization of the hull necessary.
  The Wiring: Difficulty Level VI Elec-
  tronics Roll, Base Time: 30 min.
  During the final stage, the player
  must construct a control unit and wire
  it to the hull, polarizing it. The enhanced
  effects of the rift will only be in effect
  while the device is operating and con-
  nected to the hull.
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  By now, the Cybermen menace
  should have been overcome. The prob-
  lem of the chronic rift, however, re-
  mains. Unless the rift is sealed in three
  hours, the power drain will become crit-
  ical and knock out the life-support sys-
  tems again. As they have not had the
  proper time to regenerate since Vorak
  switched them off, the life-support sys-
  tems will go down immediately this
  time, causing instant death to all living
  things aboard all three vessels. To find
  a way to seal the rift, the players must
  conduct research using the system de-
  tailed above. Two potential solutions
  exist.
  First, if the Cybership, with its pow-
  erful self-destruct system, is detonated
  at just the right coordinates in space,
  the rift will seal. To implement this so-
  lution, the players must build a remote-
  control system to steer and detonate
  the ship, and surge all available power
  from the three vessels into the Cyber-
  ship so that it can launch. If the players
  fail the idea roll for the first solution
  (stage one of the research), have them
  roll to see if they come up with the idea
  for the second after the indicated
  amount of time passes. If they fail this
  roll, wait and have them try again at the
  first, etc.
  The second solution is to surge all
  the available power into the communi-
  cations circuits of the Leander, then
  broadcast it at exactly the right point in
  the rift, sealing it. Even though both sol-
  utions will automatically work, provid-
  ing all the research stages have been
  completed, the gamemaster should
  make things more dramatic by leading
  the players to believe that there is a
  chance they will fail (using phrases like
  "it just might work" or "it's a slim
  chance, but the only one you have").
  The various stages for both solutions
  are described below.
  SOLUTION #1
  The Idea: Difficulty Level V MNT Roll,
  Base Time: 30 min.
  The players must pass this roll to
  get the idea to detonate the Cybership
  to seal the rift.
  Finding The Coordinates: Difficulty
  Level IV Temporal Sciences Roll, Base
  Time: 20 min.
  This stage is necessary to deter-
  mine the exact point in the rift where
  the ship should be detonated. Because
  calculating the coordinates is a very
  mathematical task, modify the Task
  Entry Line by + 1 for every level of
  Mathematics skill the researcher has.
  24 Countdown
  
  KRUK MAKES
  HIS MOVE                                        
  nI
  III 
  ul                            
  Examining The Cybership: Difficulty
  Level III Mechanical Engineering Roll,
  Base Time: 20 min.
  Before the players can begin build-
  ing the remote control mechanism, they
  must study the Cybership and its con-
  trol and drive systems.
  Building The Remote Control Unit:
  Difficulty Level V Electronics Roll, Base
  Time: 30 min.
  This stage involVes the actual build-
  ing and installation of the remote con-
  trol. To complete stages three and four,
  the player must actually board the
  Cybership.
  SOLUTION #2
  The Idea: Difficulty Level IV MNT Roll,
  Base Time: 30 min.
  The players must pass this roll to
  come up with the idea to broadcast the
  power surge into the rift.
  Finding The Coordinates: Difficulty
  Level IV Temporal Sciences Roll, Base
  Time: 20 min.
  This is identical to stage two of Sol-
  ution #1, except the players are finding
  the proper coordinates for broadcasting
  the power surge.
  Readying The Communications
  Gear: Difficulty Level IV Communica-
  tions Roll, Base time: 30 min.
  Before the surge can be broadcast,
  the Leander's communications gear
  must be prepared. If Communications
  Officer Dirkes is still alive, she will per-
  form this stage if asked.
  Wiring The Power Into The Com-
  munications Gear: Difficulty Level V
  Electronics Roll, Base Time: 25 min.
  During this final stage, the player
  will wire the power systems of all three
  vessels directly into the Leander's com-
  munications gear.
  NOTE: To implement either solu-
  tion, someone with skill in Spacecraft
  must be aboard all three ships while
  the plan is being carried out in order to
  channel the power at the proper mo-
  ment. (Of course, no one need be
  aboard the Cybership if it is being
  launched.) There should be plenty of
  NPCs alive who have this skill.
  Sometime during the battle with
  the Cybermen, Captain Kalik will stum-
  ble upon the Leander's cargo hold and
  notice the serum. He will immediately
  realize that the Leander must be deliver-
  ing its cargo to Ionia to combat the re-
  cent Hadder's Fever outbreak there.
  After seeing this, Kalik will plan with
  any surviving members of his crew to
  eliminate the Leander crew, seize the
  serum, and travel to Ionia. Once there,
  he will give the colonists the serum —
  for a mere one hundred million credits!
  He knows that the colonists will have
  no choice but to grant whatever de-
  mands he makes. To forewarn the
  players a little, the gamemaster should
  give them a few more little clues to
  make them suspicious of Kalik while
  they are conducting research (i.e., they
  hear him whispering to his crew, see
  him sneaking around, etc.)
  If the players are using Solution 1,
  Kalik will try to capture the remote-con-
  troller and launch the ship early, while
  the player doing the wiring and any as-
  sistants are still aboard. The NPCs
  aboard the Leander (and probably any
  players there as well) will definitely at-
  tack him to prevent him from launching
  the ship, causing a battle to ensue. Any-
  one aboard the Cybership will have
  time to get off and go join the battle
  (though the gamemaster should be
  dramatic and scare them a little). If Kalik
  did not have a good opportunity to cap-
  ture the controller or the rift is being
  sealed using Solution 2, he will wait
  until the rift is sealed. At that point, he
  and his crewmen will draw their
  weapons, and a battle will ensue. Any
  Leander NPCs will gladly participate in
  combat against the Vegans. If the battle
  seems to be going against him, Kalik
  will order his men to retreat to the Jack
  Of Hearts. Once there, he will try to
  launch the vessel and escape.
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 25
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  fa u
  0
  THE
  Vessels
  This chapter contains complete
  profiles of the TSS Leander, the Jack of
  Hearts, the Vegan pirate vessel, and the
  Model 100 Cybership. These descrip-
  tions supplement the Deck Plans for
  each vessel. Each profile contains a
  general description of the starship,
  which the gamemaster can draw upon
  when creating his own detailed descrip-
  tions of areas in the ship. There are also
  room-by-room descriptions, listing the
  major features found in each chamber.
  Finally, a starship data profile, listing
  technical facts about the vessel, is,pre-
  sented to add color and flavor to the
  ship's description.
  TSS LEANDER
  Very few of the areas described
  below will become significant to the
  plot. Most of the information is pre-
  sented so that the gamemaster can de-
  scribe the area as the players wander
  around the ship. Detailed combat maps
  (scaled for use with counters or minia-
  tures) are provided for some of the
  more important battle locations. If a
  combat situation develops in an area
  for which no combat map is provided,
  the deck plans and written descriptions
  should provide all the information the
  gamemaster needs to create his own.
  Vessel Class: Orpheus Class
  Affiliation: Earth Empire
  Designation: Fast Courier
  Function:
  Used in shuttling important docu-
  ments and diplomats rapidly from place
  to place. Offers first-class passenger
  staterooms and full conference
  facilities. Vessels of this class are often
  used by Earth admirals for headquar-
  ters.
  Hull Data:
  Length: 225 m
  Width: 80 m
  Height: 50 m
  Wingspan: 165 m
  Engines And Power Data:
  Power Plant:
  Two MF140 Spiral Drive Neut-
  ron-Ram Engines
  Performance:
  Max. Speed: 200 x c
  Max. Operation Time: 2 years
  Weapons And Firing Data:
  Armament: Two Mark VI Pulse
  Laser Turrets
  Other Data:
  Crew: 8 Officers, 12 enlisted men
  GENERAL APPEARANCE
  The flavor of the Leander's interiors
  is distinctly Roman. For example, each
  deck has a central atrium surrounded
  by Roman colonnades. The flooring is
  made up of small tiles laid out in intri-
  cate patterns, and all walls and ceilings
  on the command and bridge levels are
  glossy black. The floors are black with
  patterns laid out in white tiles. The
  walls, ceilings, and floors on all the
  other decks are made of a plastic that
  simulates marble in appearance.
  Doors:
  All rooms aboard the Leander have
  two sliding doors: a transparent one
  and an opaque white one. If the opaque
  door is closed, the transparent one
  must be closed as well. However, the
  transparent door can be closed by itself,
  eliminating noise coming from outside
  but still allowing occupants to look out.
  Next to each door is a panel that con-
  trols its operation. The doors are
  opened and closed by touching certain
  sections of colored glass plates. Each
  door can be locked, and a key is re-
  quired to open it again. The keys look
  like small metal disks and are touched
  to the glass plate to lock or unlock the
  door. Picking the lock on a standard
  Leander door is Difficulty Level IV.
  Entry Level:
  This deck consists of one room.
  When the Leander lands, a telescoping
  tube is lowered from this room and
  used as the shaft for a turbo lift to bring
  passengers from ground level into the
  vessel. While the ship is in operation,
  the room contains the tube in retracted
  form and several equipment lockers
  (containing mostly environmental
  suits).
  r—ROOM DESCRIPTIONS
  COMMAND LEVEL:
  This deck contains the officer's
  quarters and recreation areas as well
  as the access way to the bridge.
  Observation Room (1)
  The front of this room is actually a
  reinforced window that looks out into
  space. There are four comfortable re-
  clining chairs and two small storage
  cabinets, now empty.
  Captain's Suite (2)
  These are Captain Fleming's quar-
  ters. The suite consists of a large bed-
  room and communications alcove, an
  office, and a bathroom. The bedroom/
  communications room contains a bed,
  dresser, night stand, wardrobe, two
  chairs, and communications gear en-
  abling Fleming to tie into the ship's
  main communications equipment and
  contact SAM directly.
  Officer's Lounge (3)
  The lounge contains a large table
  and four chairs, a sofa, coffee table, and
  liquor cabinet. On the wall are striking
  paintings of the Leander and Captain
  Fleming.
  Officer's Lounger (4)
  Identical to Room 3 (above).
  Access Chamber (5)
  This chamber contains two lifts that
  allow access to the entry level and the
  bridge level, respectively. The chamber
  also contains two chairs and two small
  storage cabinets.
  Officer's Quarters (6)
  Each stateroom is identical and
  contains a bed, night stand, closet,
  table, and three chairs. The bed and
  night stand are in a separate sleeping
  alcove. Every two staterooms share a
  bathroom. Stateroom 6g has its own
  bathroom. A Roman colonnade divides
  the hallways, providing access to the
  staterooms:
  First Officer Lindsay's Quarters (6a)
  Engineer Spencer's Quarters (6b)
  Medical Assistant Gray's Quarters
  (6c)
  Dr. Fredrick's Quarters (6d)
  Navigator Campbell's Quarters (6e)
  Stateroom (6f)
  (Sergeant Hall is currently occupying
  this stateroom, which is generally un-
  used.)
  Communications Officer Dirkes'
  Quarters (6g)
  Officer's Lounge (7)
  Same as 3, above.
  26 Countdown
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  t., 
  Officer's Mess (8)
  The officer's mess contains two
  large tables seating four diners each,
  two counters capable of seating three
  more diners, and two food tables. In an
  alcove just outside the door is a third
  table and an observation window that
  looks out into space. The kitchen is
  found in the back of the mess hall. A
  group of three enlisted chefs work a ro-
  tation of cooking for special passen-
  gers, cooking for the officers, and then
  cooking for the enlisted men.
  Research Lab (9)
  Earth Empire regulations make it
  mandatory for all space vessels of a cer-
  tain size to have some sort of lab
  facilities. The Leander's lab contains a
  computer station that ties into SAM,
  several work counters and tables, and
  four separate alcoves for: astrophysical
  research, biological research, chemical
  research, and meteorological research.
  The lab also has its own storage room
  containing several large storage bins
  and an office containing complete re-
  cords of all research done aboard the
  Leander.
  Library (10)
  The library on this level is usually
  used by the officers for recreational
  reading. It has a fully-stocked selection
  of data-carts, and even a few old books!
  Sensor Bay (11)
  This chamber provides direct ac-
  cess to the ship's sensors. It contains a
  large sensor readout display and diag-
  nostic panel. In the room is a hatch pro-
  viding access to a tunnel that leads di-
  rectly to the ship's main sensor equip-
  ment.
  Armament Locker (12)
  This locker contains twelve Mark VII
  Blasters and several reserve power
  packs for them. Also to be found are
  five Fusion II grenades. (SeeGamemas-
  ter's Notes for description of this equip-
  ment.)
  BRIDGE LEVEL
  The bridge of the Leander is a
  whole separate deck unto itself, and
  much of the action in Countdown takes
  place here. Access to the bridge is pro-
  vided by a turbo elevator that leads to
  the Access Chamber (Room 5) on the
  command level. Someone entering the
  bridge will immediately notice the four
  ornamental columns positioned di-
  rectly in front of the turbo lift. Set on a
  podium in the center of the room is the
  Captain's chair. Further ahead is the
  main control console where the Lean-
  der's status is displayed and the ship is
  controlled. The First Officer and the
  Communications Officer are stationed
  here. To either side of the console are
  large banks of machinery. Off to the left,
  between the console and the Captain's
  chair, is the Engineer's Station. From
  here, the Engineer can monitor the ves-
  sel's power output and usage.
  To both the left and right of the
  bridge are stairways leading up to the
  gantry level, which contains more in-
  strument and control banks. No one is
  permanently stationed on the gantry,
  but the Communications and Engineer-
  ing Officers will have to go up to
  monitor the instruments and operate
  controls several times.
  At the front of the bridge is the main
  viewscreen. The screen can be set to
  view space from various angles (and at
  various magnifications) as well as tying
  into the Leander's security monitors
  and communications systems. Above
  the main viewscreen is the image of
  SAM, the Leander's intelligent com-
  puter. SAM appears as a topographical
  3D image of a human head. He controls
  and monitors all systems aboard the
  ship. The only real need for the human
  crew is to carry out SAM's instructions
  and monitor his activities to make sure
  he is functioning properly. Like the com-
  mand level below it, the walls and ceil-
  ing of the bridge are constructed from
  glossy black plastic. The floor is an or-
  nate pattern of grey and white tiles.
  PRIMARY HULL - 'A' DECK
  This deck contains the enlisted
  men's quarters and the technical areas.
  Access to it is provided by a large
  Roman stairway leading up from the
  command level.
  Enlisted Mess (1)
  The enlisted mess contains three
  large tables seating four each, and three
  smaller counters capable of seating
  three more. Each enlisted mess has a
  kitchen that,connects to it directly.
  Enlisted Lounge (2)
  In addition to two sofas, the lounge
  contains a large table, three writing
  desks, two small storage cabinets, and
  several chairs.
  Enlisted Quarters (3)
  Each chamber provides quarters
  for up to twelve enlisted men. Usually
  only six of these spots need be filled,
  but, with Major Reitz's aboard, all spots
  are needed. Each room contains six
  bunk beds and lockers, a table, and sev-
  eral chairs. Each man has his own small
  closet hatch in the wall above the beds.
  A large bathroom connects directly with
  the quarters.
  THE
  Countdown 27
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Power Switching Station (4)
  From here, the Leander's power
  output and usage can be varied manu-
  ally. Control panels allow varying
  amounts of power to be switched to all
  the ship's systems. In the middle of the
  room is a status board that shows
  where all the Leander's power is cur-
  rently going.
  Life Support Control (5)
  This room allows manual control
  of the ship's life-support systems. Oc-
  cupying most of the chamber are the
  motors that drive the life-support sys-
  tem. There are also control panels and
  a hatch leading to a tunnel that provides
  access to the Leander's main engines.
  Engineering (6)
  From here, the activity of the en-
  gines can be monitored and modified.
  In the middle of the room are the engine
  status board and the engine gauge con-
  trol. On one end of the room is a stair-
  way leading up to the gantry where the
  engine output modification controls are
  found. On the other end of the room is
  a stairway leading up to a catwalk
  where more gauges are located. In the
  corner, occupying a major portion of
  the room, are the main engine drive
  motors.
  Rostrum (7)
  Just outside the atrium, the ros-
  trum is used by the captain to address
  the crew. At the head of the room is a
  large speaking platform and two video
  display monitors. Bench seating is pro-
  vided for approximately 30 persons.
  Sick Bay (8)
  This is the Leander's medical facil-
  ity. It consists of four rooms: a main
  sickbay, the Chief Medical Officer's of-
  fice, the medical research lab, and a
  small operating theater. The main
  sickbay has space for three patients. It
  also contains cabinets and lockers con-
  taining a wide variety of medical equip-
  ment. The Chief Medical Officer's office
  contains a desk, chairs, and a filing sys-
  tem holding complete medical profiles
  for everyone aboard the Leander. The
  research lab and operating theater are
  both small but adequate. The lab has
  the usual research facilities, a direct
  computer link station, and a complete
  record of all medical research.
  Computer Banks (9)
  This room contains a lot of the
  hardware that makes up SAM. Access
  is provided from the computer control
  section (Room 10).
  Computer Control Section (10)
  This room allows direct access to
  SAM's programming. The computer's
  operation and activity can be monitored
  from here. There are consoles for pro-
  gramming and modifying, as well as a
  large status board.
  Communications Bay (11)
  This room provides direct manual
  access to the Leander's sophisticated
  communications equipment. The con-
  sole for operation, monitoring, and
  status are found here.
  PRIMARY HULLL - 'B' DECK
  This is the largest deck on the Lean-
  der. It contains quarters and facilities
  for special passengers, docking bays,
  and storage and cargo sections.
  Passenger Suite (1)
  There are four such suites aboard
  the Leander for special passengers.
  Each consists of four rooms: a living
  area, a study, a bedroom, and a bath-
  room. The living area features a sofa,
  tables, and chairs. The study provides
  the occupant with a desk and filing area.
  The large bedroom contains a bed,
  nightstand, table, chairs, and a ward-
  robe. Major Reitz occupies one of the
  suites, and the rest are currently empty.
  Lounge (2)
  This is the lounge used by special
  passengers. It contains a large table,
  writing area, two sofas, and a liquor
  cabinet.
  Dining Hall (3)
  This is the most lucrative of the
  Leander's dining facilities. The long
  wooden table easily seats four. Two
  food tables and several counters are
  also available.
  Auxiliary Conference Room (4)
  Special passengers aboard the
  Leander often have need of conference
  facilities. This area and the main confer-
  ence room (Room 7) fill that need. This
  room has everything found in the main
  conference room, but on a much smal-
  ler scale.
  Communications Room (6)
  This area provides special com-
  munications facilities for passengers. It
  is often used by diplomats and military
  personnel.
  Main Conference Room (7)
  This room features a large confer-
  ence table seating six, a recording sta-
  tion, and video display equipment.
  Docking Bays (8)
  The Leander has two docking bays,
  one on either side of the ship. This
  makes transferring passengers on and
  off much simpler. Each docking bay fea-
  tures an airlock and storage cabinets
  containing environmental suits.
  Main Atrium (9)
  This area is often used for recre-
  ation by passengers. In the center of
  the atrium is a pond and spectacular
  fountain. Chairs have been placed
  around the pond.
  Storage Areas (10)
  These three storage bays hold the
  tools and provisions necessary to sup-
  port the Leander crew. Lining each
  room are large storage lockers that re-
  cess deep into the hull. In the center of
  the rooms are a series of storage bins.
  Library (11)
  This library is identical to the one
  on the Command Level. It is provided
  for use of passengers.
  Recreation Area (12)
  This room features a sofa, chairs,
  and video display equipment. It is pro-
  vided for the use of passengers.
  Gymnasium (13)
  This small gymnasium is for the
  use of crew and passengers alike. It fea-
  tures a large mat, weight training, and
  gymnastic equipment.
  Main Cargo Bay (14)
  This is the Leander's main hold. It
  currently contains hundreds of crates,
  each containing several hundred small
  vials of the serum to cure Hadder's
  Fever. At the back of the hold is the
  access hatch leading to the Leander's
  escape pinnace.
  Food Storage (15)
  This area contains storage of all the
  food needed by the crew and passen-
  gers. Storage lockers line the walls.
  Along the back wall, the locker recedes
  deep into the hull. Storage bins are
  found in the middle, and a separate fro-
  zen storage section is found at the back.
  Auxiliary Cargo Bay #1 (16)
  This room contains more of the
  serum found in Room 14.
  Auxiliary Cargo Bay #4 (17)
  Identical to Room 16.
  Auxiliary Cargo Bay #3 (18)
  Identical to Room 16.
  Auxiliary Cargo Bay #2 (19)
  Identical to Room 16. The TARDIS
  materializes here.
  Hydroponics Section (20)
  The Leander uses this section for
  growing a small portion of its food. In
  a pinch, it can also serve as a botanical
  laboratory.
  Laundry (21)
  Two enlisted men operate this
  large laundry for the crew and passen-
  gers.
  The Escape Pinnace
  A small escape pinnace is stored
  behind B Deck in the primary hull. The
  pinnace is large enough to carry the en-
  tire crew of the Leander, but only for
  short distances. Medical Assistant Ar-
  thur Gray intends to use the pinnace for
  escaping the ship after aiding the
  Cybermen. Before anyone is given the
  opportunity to use the pinnace, how-
  ever, it will become inoperative due to
  the power drain caused by the chronic
  rift.
  28 Countdown
  
  (10)
  TSS LEANDER
  Hull Data:
  Length: 225 m
  Width: 80 m
  Height: 50 m
  Wingspan: 165 m
  Engines And Power Data:
  Power Plant:
  Two MF140 Spiral Drive Neut-
  ron-Ram Engines
  Performance:
  Max. Speed: 200 x c
  Max. Operation Time: 2 years
  Weapons And Firing Data:
  Armament: Two Mark VI Pulse
  Laser Turrets
  Other Data:
  Crew: 8 Officers, 12 enlisted men
  Primary Hull (Deck A)
  1--4
  6
  U
  1 1
  El 0
  1 square = 1.5 meters
  THE
  ROLE PLAY. ING GAME
  10
  L
  9
  Countdown 29
  
  TSS LERNDER
  Primary Hull (Deck B)
  r
  16	15 L
  II
  1 square = 1.5 meters
  30 Countdown
  14	
  17	
  18
  \_g
  0 _L
  9
  8
  1
  (10 )
  Oi L
  0
  10
  1
  10
  ,=4B
  p 13 1=1
  ■ ••••■ ■ ••
  10
  	iT
  •-■
  21
  
  	I
  - 12
  6E [
  •
  6F
  •
  6G —
  -
  —15) 
  (10)
  =2=
  0 10
  (10)
  1=1 
  0 _ 6B0                        
  O
  (10)
  r
  0
  (10)
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  TSS LEANDER
  Command Level
  JJu
  01 
  (30)
  1 square = 1.5 meters
  Entry Level
  Bridge
  THE
  Countdown 31
  
  :a
  CYBERSHIP 100-
  1136
  Vessel Class: Model 100
  Affiliation:	
  Cybermen
  Designation: Model 100 Multi-Pur-
  pose Craft
  Function:
  Often used as a scout, light attack
  craft, or light transport.
  Hull Data:
  Length: 39 m
  Width: 10.5 m
  Height: 10.5 m
  Wingspan: 15 m
  Engines And Power Data:
  Power Planet:
  Two Ion-thrust, Cyber-technol-
  ogy engines.
  Performance:
  Max Speed: 120 x c
  Max Operation Time: Indefi-
  nite
  Weapons And Firing Data:
  Armament:
  Two	
  triple	
  particle	
  accel-
  erators, 4 rocket banks, and a self-de-
  struct system capable of destroying a
  small planet if detonated in the vicinity.
  Other Data:
  Crew:
  Capable of holding up to 20j
  Cybermen.
  r	
  GENERAL APPEARANCE
  The first thing noticed by the
  players entering the Cybership is its ex-
  tremely small size. The vessel is capable
  of holding just about as many crewmen
  as is the Leander, but is a fraction of its
  size. This is because Cybermen need no
  room for recreation and no eating or
  sleeping facilities. Also, the Cybership's
  controls are much more technologic-
  ally-advanced and thus more compact.
  The interior of the Cybership is very
  bland because Cybermen have no ap-
  preciation of beauty. The gamemaster
  should emphasize the blandness and
  lack of size when describing its interior.
  ROOM DESCRIPTIONS
  Control Room (1)
  This is the bridge of the Cybership.
  On the front walls are two observation
  screens and banks of machinery. In the
  middle of the room is an instrument and
  control panel that seats two Cybermen,
  and near the back wall is a curved con-
  sole that is the Cyberleader's station. In
  the floor of the hallway leading back to
  the main part of the ship is an access
  hatch leading down to the ship's en-
  gines and computers.
  Docking Bay (2)
  The docking bay does feature an
  airlock, though the Cybermen have no
  use for it. There are two equipment loc-
  kers in the docking bay containing vari-
  ous scanners, detonators, and other
  small pieces of equipment.
  Main Room/Laboratory (3)
  Banks of machinery surround the
  entire room. Large bins placed high on
  the walls contain replacement machin-
  ery and systems for the Cybermen. To-
  ward the right wall is the monitor sta-
  tion where the Cybermen can study the
  results of any experiments and track the
  progress of their androids. To the left
  side of the room is the Conversion
  Chamber. The chamber looks like a
  metal coffin with a window placed just
  over the victim's face. To operate it, a
  human is placed in the chamber and
  the control mechanism started. The en-
  tire process takes about ten minutes.
  The chamber automatically dissects its
  victim and replaces its major organic
  organs and systems with Cyber-parts.
  Recharge Station (4)
  These two rooms each hold six re-
  charging chambers, which resemble
  glass coffins. The Cybermen draw their
  power from batteries within their
  bodies. The charge of each battery lasts
  about 48 hours. After this time, a Cyber-
  man must come here and recharge for
  six hours.
  Prisoner Chamber (5)
  This room holds the prisoners
  about to be converted. It contains a
  bench and two chairs. The room is con-
  structed entirely of a particularly dull
  grey metal.
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  32 Countdown
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 33
  CYBERSHIP 100- 1136      
  Hull Data:
  Length: 39 m
  Width: 10.5 m
  Height: 10.5 m
  Wingspan: 15 m
  Engines And Power Data:
  Power Planet:
  Two Ion-thrust, Cyber-technol-
  ogy engines.
  Performance:
  Max Speed: 120 x c
  Max Operation Time: Indefi-
  nite
  Weapons And Firing Data:
  Armament:
  Two	
  triple	
  particle	
  accel-
  erators, 4 rocket banks, and a self-de-
  struct system capable of destroying a
  small planet if detonated in the vicinity.
  Other Data:
  Crew:
  Capable of holding up to 20
  Cybermen.         
  THE
  4
  1 square = 1.5 meters
  
  JACK OF
  HEARTS   
  MCI
  OE           
  Vessel Class: Ace of Space Class
  Affiliation: None. Privately owned.
  Designation: Light merchant
  Function:
  The Jack of Hearts was once a pri-
  vately-owned merchant vessel. It was
  later captured and converted by Kalik's
  Vegan band into a pirate cruiser,
  Hull Data:
  Length: 61.5 m
  Width: 36 m
  Height: 10 m
  Engines And Power Data:
  Power Plant:
  Model 742 Neutron Drive
  Performance:
  Max Speed: 85 x c
  Max Operation Time: 2 years
  Weapons And Firing Data:
  Armament: Two high-powered
  laser-cannons
  Other Data:
  Crew: 9
  1111111
  1
  GENERAL APPEARANCE
  The interior of the Jack of Hearts
  somewhat resembles that of a 17th-cen-
  tury sailing ship. The walls are metal,
  panelled with wood. Even the control
  and computer consoles are panelled.
  Players will also notice the highly-
  polished brass fittings.
  ROOM DESCRIPTIONS
  Bridge (1)
  The bridge of the Jack of Hearts
  also serves as the main entry area. At
  the head of the bridge is a control con-
  sole seating two. The helm, on the con-
  sole, looks like an antique sailing wheel.
  In the middle of the room is the Cap-
  tain's chair, and at the back are three
  steps leading up to a poop deck. On the
  poop deck is a weapons locker contain-
  ing eight short swords and four Mark
  VII Blasters. There is also a hatch pro-
  viding access to the engines and com-
  puters.
  Kalik's Quarters (2)
  Captain Kalik is the only one aboard
  the Jack of Hearts who has his own
  quarters. The stateroom contains a bed,
  nightstand, wardrobe, chair, and desk.
  Mess Hall (3)
  The mess hall contains two large
  tables seating four each. On the side
  wall is a door leading to a small kitchen
  and food storage area
  Crew Quarters (4)
  The crew quarters hold four bunk
  beds and four storage lockers. Above
  the beds on the walls are further storage
  spaces for each of the crewmen.
  Forward Storage Locker (5)
  This area contains several storage
  bins lining the walls and standing on
  the floor. The bins contain mostly spare
  parts, tools, and mechanical equip-
  ment.
  Bathroom (6)
  Cargo Hold #1 (7)
  Currently empty.
  Cargo Hold #2 (8)
  The Vegans are currently storing
  some extra food and machinery here in
  small metallic crates.
  Cargo Hold #3 (9)
  Same as Cargo Hold #2. Concealed
  under one of the crates is the hatchway
  leading to the secret smuggling hold.
  Docking Bay/Airlock (10)
  The docking bay holds two storage
  lockers containing environmental suits.
  Secret Smuggling Hold
  The hold is a fairly large, rectangu-
  lar room. Like the rest of the Jack of
  Hearts, the metal walls have been
  panelled with wood, and the fittings are
  polished brass. In one corner of the hold
  are a number of benches; in another
  corner is what appears to be a small,
  primitive science laboratory (used by
  the Vegans for grading any precious
  metals they steal).
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  34 Countdown
  
  JRCK OF HEARTS                                         
  Hull Data:
  Length: 61.5 m
  Width. 36 m
  Height: 10 m
  Engines And Power Data:
  Power Plant:
  Model 742 Neutron Drive
  Performance:
  Max Speed: 85 x c
  Max Operation Time: 2 years
  Weapons And Firing Data:
  Armament: Two high-powered
  laser-cannons
  Other Data:
  Crew: 9                               
  0
  _ 
  E71              
  /1111■ 1.1
  a-a
  rila
  1 square = 1.5 meters
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Countdown 35
  
  rt
  Cast Of Characters
  PLAYER
  CHARACTERS
  Name: KELAPHALUDNER (KELLY►
  Race: Gallifreyan
  Sex: Male
  Profession: Time Lord
  Attributes
  STR —III	
  CHA —V
  END —IV	
  MNT —VII
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —IV
  Special Ability: Luck
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Unarmed Combat
  Martial Arts:	
  IV
  Significant Skills
  Artistic Expression, Painting
  Leadership
  Life Sciences
  Botany
  Exobiology
  Medical Sciences
  General Medicine, Gallifrey
  General Medicine, Human
  Military Sciences
  Trap Discovery
  Trap Ordinance Disarmament
  Physical Sciences
  Chemistry
  Computer Science
  Mathematics
  Physics
  Security Procedures
  Stealth
  Surveillance
  Social Sciences, Galactic History
  Space Sciences
  Astronomy
  Astrophysics
  Navigation
  Technology
  Astronautics
  Cybernetics
  Electronics
  TARDIS Systems
  Temporal Science
  Trivia, Art
  Temporal Operation
  Temporal Vehicles
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation Diplomacy
  Level
  V
  VII
  III
  V
  V
  III
  IV
  IV
  III
  V
  I
  III
  IV
  III
  VI
  V
  VI
  V
  VI
  Appearance:
  Height: Average
  Build: Average
  Looks: Looks
  Apparent Age: Middle-aged
  Actual Age: 900
  Regenerations Used: 1
  Recognition Handle: With his refined and
  regal facial features, Kelly has a very aristocratic
  air. He sports a carefully-kept shock of white hair
  and is usually seen wearing a fancy maroon Ven-
  usian dinner jacket (complete with two extra
  sleeves tied neatly behind him!) At times, he
  wears a French beret and carries an ornate
  swagger stick. Dressed in spotless clothing and
  well-polished short leather boots, his overall ap-
  pearance is immaculate.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace.. Gallifrey
  Kelly, a member of the Prydonian order of
  Time Lords, was an instructor at the Gallifreyan
  academy. An excellent prospect for member-
  ship one day, he became close friends with sev-
  eral members of the High Council. Over the
  years, he began to see the folly in the Time
  Lords' non-interventionist policy, and so he
  joined the CIA, though he never admitted this
  to his friends on the High Council. On his first
  mission, Kelly defeated a Dalek invasion of a
  primitive fringe world. Since then, he has en-
  countered many of the traditional Temporal
  Marauders.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Kelly has been so successful on his missions
  that he tends to see himself as superior to most
  of the creatures he must battle. He doubts very
  much that he will ever be called upon to perform
  a mission that will present a real challenge to
  his abilities. He considers violence in all its forms
  primitive and uncivilized, but can resort to it
  when absolutely necessary. He enjoys art in all
  its forms, often isolating himself with a canvas
  for days at a time.
  Manner:
  Kelly always maintains a very serious ex-
  terior (much to the amusement of his travelling
  companions). He has a certain air of superiority
  about him that very few people question. He
  believes himself to be superior to almost
  everyone he encounters and often lets them
  know it. He greatly enjoys the company of his
  companions, but will never let them know it.
  While in his third incarnation, The Doctor once
  said of him, "If he'd only learn to laugh once
  and awhile, he'd be one of the most decent
  chaps in the agency."
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  36 Countdown
  
  I
  Name: Phillip DuLAKE
  Race: Human
  Sex: Male
  Profession: Gentleman
  Attributes
  STR —IV
  END —V
  DEX —VI
  CHA —V
  MNT
  ITN —IV
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:
  Armed Combat:
  Foil
  Flintlock Pistol
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:
  11
  Level VII
  Level VI
  Level V
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Artistic Expression, Poetry	
  VI
  Carousing	
  V
  Climbing	
  V
  Gaming, Chess	
  IV
  Leadership	
  IV
  Public Performance	
  VI
  Security Procedures
  Stealth	
  V
  Concealment	
  IV
  Trivia
  Horsemanship	
  VI
  Pre-17th Century Earth Literature	
  V
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation Diplomacy	
  V
  Haggling	
  V
  Appearance:
  Height: Average
  Build: Average
  Looks: Striking
  Age: 28
  Recognition Handle: Phillip is a refined-
  looking gentleman with deep blue eyes, shoul-
  der-length brown hair, a thin moustache, and a
  regal beard. He always dresses in his native
  clothing: white blouse with loose sleeves, crim-
  son trousers and vest, a pair of high leather
  boots, a wide belt, and a wide-brimmed, plumed
  cap. He usually carries a flintlock pistol tucked
  into his belt and a foil at his side. His speech
  and movements are flowery and stylish.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: Earth, 1621
  The son of a nobleman, Phillip earned his
  reputation of being the best swordsman in Paris
  at a very early age. Eventually, he grew tired of
  the noble lifestyle and began frequenting inns
  and taverns of the city, earning a living by read-
  ing his sonnets to whomever would listen. While
  visiting 17th century France, the Time Lord Kelly
  encountered Phillip and took a great interest in
  his poetry, After Phillip managed to show up
  just in time to save the Time Lord from a gang
  of street ruffians, their friendship was cemented.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Phillip has a flair for the daring and adven-
  turous. He loves the excitement that travelling
  with Kelly brings and has no desire to return
  home. He is a great believer in the "code of
  honor," which often gets him into trouble.
  Phillip also has a strong compassionate side
  that surfaces. He may be confused by the
  strange technology and alien races he has en-
  countered since meeting Kelly, but he recog-
  nizes injustice when he sees it and does what
  he can to prevent it. He is also known to become
  emotional over the loss of an ally, often compos-
  ing special sonnets on the spot as a tribute.
  Manner:
  As mentioned earlier, Phillip walks, talks,
  and acts with a certain elegant style. He is very
  outgoing and courteous, with impeccable man-
  ners. He treats everyone with respect until they
  show him otherwise. The poet in him often tends
  toward expressing long, lyrical descriptions of
  his plight and the "demons" he seems to en-
  counter almost too frequently since meeting
  Kelly.
  Name: Gwendolyn FRAZIER
  Race: Human
  Sex: Female
  Profession: Nurse
  Attributes
  STR —III	
  CHA —VI
  END —IV	
  MNT —IV
  DEX —V	
  ITN —V
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:
  Armed Combat, Handgun:
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Administration	
  III
  Artistic Expression, Dance	
  IV
  Carousing	
  VI
  Leadership	
  III
  Medical Sciences
  General Medicine, Human	
  IV
  Psychology, Human	
  IV
  Security Procedures, Stealth	
  IV
  Social Sciences, Earth History	
  IV
  Sports, Swimming	
  IV
  Trivia
  Earth Music, Early 1960s	
  V
  Earth Fashions, Early 1960s	 V
  Vehicle Operation, Ground	
  IV
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation Diplomacy	
  VII
  Appearance:
  Height: Short
  Build: Slim
  Looks: Attractive
  Age: 23
  Recognition Handle: Gwen as her friends
  call her) is a short, pretty girl with long, honey-
  blonde hair and deep-set, dark eyes. She wears
  a mini-skirt, blouse, calf boots, and a scarf tied
  around her neck. She is always bubbly and en-
  thusiastic and to the annoyance of Kelly) is fond
  of such phrases as "groovy" and "fab".
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: Earth, 1942
  Gwen is one of the many "dolly-birds" that
  roamed London of the "swinging 1960s" and
  the early Beatles. The daughter of a wealthy fam-
  ily, she often frequented jet-set parties thrown
  by young members of the British aristocracy.
  Through her job as a nurse, she met Kelly and
  Phillip and became involved in repelling an at-
  tempted awakening of the still-dormant Fen-
  dahl. Since then, she has chosen to remain with
  the Time Lord.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Gwen is a very kindhearted person who
  often places more trust in people than they de-
  serve. She will gladly sacrifice almost anything
  she has to help someone. Her main problem is
  that she is extremely curious. She cannot help
  but go off and investigate (often on her own and
  in violation of Kelly's direct orders), no matter
  what the possible dangers. It is to satisfy this
  burning curiosity that she travels with Kelly.
  Manner:
  Gwendolyn is bright and bubbly. She is usu-
  ally the first to introduce herself and is always
  seeking new friends. She somehow manages to
  keep up this bouncy demeanor even when fac-
  ing the gravest perils. She also has a strong
  sense of 'fun'. She is currently engaged in at-
  tempting to teach Phillip some of the dances
  from her time period. Kelly, of course, will have
  nothing to do with such frivolous nonsense.
  I
  THE
  Countdown 37
  
  Name: Michelle VOIGHT
  Race: Human
  Sex: Female
  Profession: Research Scientist
  Attributes
  STR —III	
  CHA —V
  END —IV	
  MNT —VI
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —V
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7       
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Administration	
  IV
  Carousing	
  IV
  Engineering, Electrical	
  V
  Gaming, Chess	
  V
  Leadership	
  V
  Physical Sciences
  Computer Science	
  VI
  Mathematics	
  V
  Physics	
  V
  Social Sciences
  Law, British
  •	
  History, Earth	
  V
  Sports, Swimming	
  IV
  Technology
  . Computer Systems	
  VI
  Electronics	
  VI
  Vehicle Operation, Ground Vehicles	
  IV
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation Diplomacy	
  V
  Appearance:
  Height: Average
  Build: Slim
  Looks: Attractive
  Age: 26
  Recognition Handle: Michelle's sandy
  brown hair is tied away from her face. She has
  sparkling blue eyes, and her little-girl features
  make her seem much younger than she is.
  Michelle wears a long lab coat and cannot see
  much without her glasses. She has a habit of
  carrying small pieces of lab equipment around
  in her pockets.    
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: Earth, 1959
  An extremely intelligent young woman,
  Michelle entered Cambridge University at the
  young age of 16 years. After she received her
  doctorate in computer engineering, she was
  selected to head up the top-secret computer pro-
  ject ORION. Michelle became a pawn of The
  Master, who was using the ORION project in an
  attempt to take over TN P Earth. After The Mas-
  ter's plot was foiled by Kelly and Phillip, Michelle
  stowed away on the TARDIS, hoping to see a
  bit of the universe.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Like Gwendolyn Frazier, Michelle is a very
  inquisitive young woman. Her training as a sci-
  entist has made her very observant and in-
  terested in all the types of advanced alien
  technology she has encountered since joining
  up with Kelly. For the present, she is quite con-
  tent to travel, having no desire to return home
  just yet. Michelle hopes to one day understand
  all the intricacies of Kelly's TARDIS.
  Manner:
  Michelle is the quiet type, usually staying
  in the background while Kelly and Gwendolyn
  do all the talking. Her loyalty to her friends is
  very strong. She almost never acts without first
  developing a complete plan of action. 
  Unarmed Combat, Martial Arts: V                                    
  Name: The DOCTOR (Fourth Incarnation)
  Race: Gallifreyan
  Sex: Male
  Profession: Time Lord
  Attributes
  STR —IV	
  CHA —V
  END —IV	
  MNT —VI
  DEX — IV	
  ittv —VI
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Armed Combat:
  Sword	
  V
  Staser Pistol	
  III
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:	
  Ill    
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Environmental Suit Operations	 IV
  Gaming	
  IV
  Leadership	
  V
  Life Sciences
  Botany
  Exobiology	
  V
  Zoology	
  III
  Mecical Sciences
  General Medicine, Gallifrey	V
  General Medicine, Human	
  V
  Psychology, Human	
  VI
  Military Sciences
  Trap Discovery	
  IV
  Trap/Ordinance Disarmament	
  IV
  Physical Sciences
  Chemistry	
  III
  Computer Science	
  IV
  Mathematics	
  V
  Physics	
  IV
  Security Procedures
  Concealment	
  IV
  Lockpicking	
  V
  Stealth	
  IV
  Surveillance	
  III
  Social Sciences
  Archeology, Earth	
  IV
  Political Science	
  III
  History, Earth	
  V
  History, Gallifrey	
  V
  History, Galactic	
  V
  Space Sciences
  Astronomy	
  III
  Astrophysics	
  IV
  Navigation	
  IV
  Sports, Cricket	
  V
  Streetwise	
  V
  Technology
  Astronautics	
  IV
  Computer Systems	
  IV
  Cybernetics	
  III
  Electronics	
  IV
  Force Field Systems	
  III
  TARDIS Systems	
  V
  Temporal Science	
  VI
  Vehicle Operation
  Aircraft	
  III
  Ground Vehicles	
  IV
  Water Vehicles	
  III
  Spacecraft	
  III
  Temporal Vehicles	
  V
  Verbal Interaction
  Haggling	
  V
  Negotiation/Diplomacy	
  VII    
  Appearance:
  Height: Tall
  Build: Stocky
  Looks: Average
  Apparent Age: Middle-Aged Adult
  Actual Age: 750 +
  Regenerations Used: 3
  Recognition Handle: In his fourth incarna-
  tion, The Doctor appeared as a tall, lanky man
  with a tangled mop of curly red-brown hair,
  prominent blue eyes, and an open expresssion;
  this form has been affectionately described as
  "all teeth and curls". He wore a long, reddish-
  brown frock coat, a floppy hat, and a distinctive
  seventeen-foot-long scarf with multi-colored
  stripes. From time to time, The Doctor affected
  a brown plaid vest with a dull red neckcloth knot-
  ted at the collar of his white shirt. This form
  lacked the dexterous grace exhibited by his third
  incarnation and often tripped over his own scarf.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: Gallifrey
  ( See also p.59, A Soucebook For Field
  Agen ts)
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  In many ways, The Doctor's fourth regener-
  ation was more eccentric than any of his previ-
  ous personalities. In this form, The Doctor's
  manner shifted at a moment's notice from un-
  bounded and vibrantly energetic to wnadering
  and abstractedly lethargic. Nevertheless, he was
  always governed by unquenchable curiosity and
  amazing land often unjustified) self-confidence.
  In this form, The Doctor was happiest when
  travelling to new times and new worlds, hating
  to stay in one place for very long. At times. his
  conversation was very difficult to follow, as he
  forgot the other people's minds did not work as
  quickly or eccentrically as his. This form was
  witty, charming, and occasionally uncon-
  sciously arrogant; quite fearless, all too often
  he was so interested in what was going on
  around him that he forgot to be scared.
  Manner:
  In his fourth incarnation, The Doctor had a
  passionate concern for all forms of life, whatever
  their size, shape, or composition. The sight of
  injustice or evil was guaranteed to prompt his
  intervention, no matter how strenuously he
  swore to himself not to get involved. This form
  was not as physically oriented as he was in his
  third body. He openly abhorred unthinking-vio-
  lence, though he was forced to admit that a
  "good thumping" often proved necessary.      
  Il•■■■■•                               
  38 Countdown                                              
  
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Name: LEELA
  Race: Human (Sevateem)
  Sex: Female
  Profession: Warrior
  Attributes
  STR —IV	
  CHA —IV
  END —V	
  MNT —III
  DEX	
  ITN —IV
  Special Ability: Enhanced Dexterity
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  9
  Armed Combat
  Sword	
  Level IV
  Axe	
  Level III
  Thrusting Spear	
  Level VI
  Club	
  Level III
  Dagger, thrown	
  Level VI
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:	
  Level V
  1111••••••■ 1111
  Name: Lady ROMANADVORATRELUNDAR
  (Romana)
  Race: Gallifreyan
  Sex: Female
  Profession: Time Lord
  Attributes
  SW —III	
  CHA —IV
  END —III	
  MNT —VI
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —IV
  Special Ability:
  Controlled Regeneration	
  VII
  Combat Statistics:
  AP	
  7
  Armed Combat, Stase Pistol:	
  II
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Carousing	
  IV
  Climbing	
  V
  Leadership	
  IV
  Military Sciences
  Small Unit Tacctics	
  IV
  Trap Discovery	
  IV
  Security Procedures
  Concealment	
  IV
  Stealth	
  V
  Surveillance	
  IV
  Sports, Swimming
  Wilderness Survival	
  V
  Appearance:
  Height: Tall
  Build: Average
  Looks: Striking
  Age: 27
  Recognition Handle: Leela is tall, trim, and
  beautiful. Her long, fiery red hair frames a per-
  fectly proportioned face and a golden tan. She
  wears a very revealing leather half-leotard,
  knee-high leather boots, a bead necklace, and a
  scabbard for her dagger.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: The planet of the Sevateem
  Leela was a warrior in the tribe of the
  Sevateem (Survey Team), the savage descen-
  dants of a lost Earth expedition.
  Bored by the prospect of peace on her
  homeworld, Leela managed to force her way on
  board the TARDIS. Her travels across time with
  The Doctor provided her with ample adventure
  and conflict.
  Significant Skills
  Administration
  Environmental Suit Operations
  Leadership
  Life Sciences, Exobiology
  Physical Sciences
  Computer Science
  Mathematics
  Physics
  Social Sciences
  History, Gallifreyan
  Space Sciences
  Astronomy
  Astrophysics
  Navigation
  Tecchnology
  Electronics
  Force Field Systems
  TARDIS Systems
  Temporal Science
  Vehicle Operation
  Temporal Vehicles	
  VI
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation Diplomacy
  Appearance:
  Height: Average
  Build: Slim
  Looks: Striking
  Age: 120 +
  Regenerations Used: 1
  Recognition Handle: In her second incarna-
  tion, Romana is a petite, pretty woman. Her long,
  dark blonde hair is usually parted in the middle
  and frames a delicate, snub-nosed face, and bril-
  liant blue eyes. Her choice of clothing is always
  varied and unpredictable, but often emphasises
  her youthful appearance.
  At last, she accompanied The Doctor to Gal-
  lifrey itself as he tried to stop a combined Var-
  dan-Sontaran invasion. After the fourth Doctor
  time-looped the Vardans and disintegrated the
  Sontarans with a Demat Gun, Leela chose to
  remain on Gallifrey. She had fallen in love with
  Andred, the commander of the Chancellery
  Guards, and decided to marry him.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Leela is first and foremost a warrior. Raised
  in the midst of a constant and bloody war, Leela
  finds pleasure in conflict and combat. She has
  adopted The Doctor as a combination god and
  war leader — though she is puzzled by his soft-
  hearted, humanitarian ideals. She wants to help
  The Doctor and to protect him from those who
  take advantage of his foolish idealism.
  Manner:
  Leela is a ruthless, savage warrior who can
  kill without a moment's hesitation. Her habit of
  killing first and asking questions later often an-
  noys The Doctor, but even he has been forced
  to admit that she's often saved him from poten-
  tially fatal encounters. On her part, Leela shows
  an odd mixture of absolute confidence and res-
  igned distrust in The Doctor's abilities. She be-
  lieves that he can do anything, but she also be-
  lieves that he's far too trusting, merciful, and
  civilized to act sensibly.
  After several years of peace and tranquility
  on Gallifrey, Leela grew restive. The Doctor,
  making a small stop on Gallifrey, encouraged
  her to come on a small holiday with Romana
  and himself.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: Gallifrey
  Romana began her adventures with The
  Doctor when she was assigned by The White
  Guardian to help find the all-powerful Key to
  Time, though she had never been on a mission
  off Gallifrey before, having recently graduated
  with the highest honors from the Prydonian
  Academy. In her first incarnation, Romana's
  skills and bravery proved an invaluable aid to
  The Doctor. During the quest for The Key to
  Time, she was captured by The Black Guardian's
  aides and psychologically tortured. This lead her
  to voluntarily regenerate.
  In her second incarnation, Romana decided
  to remain with The Doctor and accompanied
  him on a variety of adventures. Among other
  things, she helped defeat an attempt by Scaroth
  to stop the evolution of life on Earth, assisted
  the Doctor in breaking up druig smuggling by
  the naturalist Tryst, and helped stop Pangol the
  Argolin from starting a war with the reptilian
  Foamasi.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Romana started out more businesslike than
  The Doctor in his fourth incarnation, and she
  was nearly as curious. After decades of dry dusty
  schoolwork in the academy, she was more than
  ready for new sights and experiences. In many
  ways, she remained a student and Galactic
  tourist while travelling with The Doctor. Though
  she was more thoroughly conditioned against
  interference than The Doctor, her sense of jus-
  tice usually forced her to take interventionary
  action. After her regeneration, Romana lost a
  large portion of her businesslike ways and
  gained a more childlike sense of wonder.
  Manner:
  Romana is cheerful and helpful to a flaw.
  On more than one occasion, she has helped the
  wrong parties. This seems to stem from her will-
  ingness to show off her talents to almost any-
  one. But when the occasion demands she is
  forceful where injustice to others is shown.
  Countdown 39
  
  lilt	
  mr
  iu
  nn
  CIO
  NON-PLAYER
  CHARACTERS
  The following are complete statis-
  tics and descriptions for all the major
  NPCs the players will encounter during
  this adventure. Included in each profile
  are game statistics, a personal history,
  a personality profile, physical descrip-
  tion, and role-playing notes. Minor
  NPCs are given game statistics and brief
  descriptions.
  Name: Captain Robert FLEMING
  Race: Human
  Sex: Male
  Profession: Commander, TSS Leander
  Attributes
  STR —IV	
  CHA —V
  END —IV	
  MNT —V
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —V
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Armed Combat, Mark VII Blaster: IV
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:	
  IV
  The personal histories are solely for
  the benefit of the gamemaster, who will
  find them helpful in role-playing the
  character and designing future
  scenarios involving the NPC. The per-
  sonality profiles will also be useful to
  him for role-playing. As mentioned in
  the How To Use This Booklet chapter,
  the description of the character should
  be read to the players the first time they
  encounter him or her, and the important
  sections re-read at each further en-
  counter. Finally, the role-playing notes
  provide brief clues on how to make the
  NPC seem more real.
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Administration	
  VI
  Environmental Suit Operations	
  V
  Security Procedures, Surveillance	
  III
  Vehicle Operation, Spacecraft	
  V
  Carousing	
  III
  Leadership	
  V
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation/Diplomacy	
  IV
  Social Sciences, Law	
  III
  Military Science, Small Unit Tactics	
  III
  Engineering
  Electrical
  Mechanical
  Physical Sciences, Physics
  Space Sciences
  Astronomy
  Navigation	
  V
  Technology
  Astronautics	
  IV
  Electronics
  Appearance:
  Height: 6'
  Build: Slightly overweight
  Looks: Average
  Actual Age: 53 years
  Recognition Handle: Fleming is a tall,
  slightly overweight man of about 220 lbs. His
  gray hair is cut short and his mustache is bushy.
  He wears his uniform proudly, with belt well-
  polished and tunic carefully pressed. On his
  right breast, Fleming wears the Emperor's Cross
  for Heroism Under Fire.
  MIIIMIM■ 111
  	I
  (NOTE: Two special characteristics
  — CHAR and PERS — are given for each
  NPC. Use the CHAR statistic as the base
  Difficulty Level of the CHA Saving Roll
  each character makes the first time he
  meets the NPC. Use the PERS statistic
  as the base Difficulty Level for any per-
  suasion attempts the players might
  make on the character using Negotia-
  tion/Diplomacy or Haggling. These are
  intended only as guidelines. Normal
  modifiers still apply, and the gamemas-
  ter should alter these levels if cir-
  cumstances warrant him doing so.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: Earth
  Robert Fleming joined the Imperial Space
  Navy at the age of 18 as a Spacehand 2nd Class.
  He began his distinguished career by saving two
  of his comrades from a fire, a move that soon
  earned him a promotion. After ten years in the
  Space Navy, he was sent through officer train-
  ing, from which he emerged an Ensign. After
  another twelve years, he managed to reach the
  rank of Captain and was given his first com-
  mand, a small freighter. Resenting being as-
  signed to such an unimportant ship, Fleming
  hoped one day to be able to command a combat
  vessel. After a series of assignments to a variety
  of small vessels, he was given command of the
  Leander.
  Personality:
  Fleming is a man of such wide experience
  that he is almost never taken by surprise in any
  situation. He is a shrewd commander who does
  not give up easily, and he likes action and adven-
  ture. Fleming fully understands and enjoys his
  responsibilities and power as Captain, but he is
  also quite fair and reasonable. He holds himself
  personally responsible for each of his crewmen.
  Due to his long years as an enlisted man and
  lower-grade officer, Fleming respects the
  abilities and opinions of every crewman aboard,
  regardless of rank. For that reason, he is well-
  liked by the crew. Fleming is somewhat resentful
  of Major Reitz's efforts to steal some of his au-
  thority.
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Captain Fleming is excited about the Lean-
  der's current mission, believing that if he per-
  forms well, he will be placed in command of a
  better vessel, the combat ship of his dreams.
  • Manner:
  While on duty, Fleming is firm and serious,
  never revealing much outward emotion. While
  off-duty, he is transformed into a jovial and fun-
  loving person.
  Role Playing Notes:
  When playing Captain Fleming, always
  have him ask all his subordinates for their opin-
  ions on major decisions. Then, have him sit si-
  lently for a short time in deep concentration.
  Soon after, he will spring up suddenly to an-
  nounce his final decision in the matter. At first,
  Fleming will be a little suspicious of the players'
  sudden arrival, but he will begin to trust them
  if they show how much they wish to help.
  Fleming is given two CHAR numbers. Make
  a CHA Saving Roll at the first Difficulty Level listed
  for each of the players when they first meet him;
  make another CHA Saving Roll at the second
  meeting when he has some evidence that they
  truly wish to help him.
  CHAR: V/III	
  PERS: IV
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  40 Countdown
  
  Name: Richard REITZ
  Race: Human
  Sex: Male
  Profession Major, Imperial Centurions
  Attributes
  TR —V	
  CHA — II
  	END —V	
  MNT
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —III
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  P:	
  7
  Armed Combat:
  Mark VII Blaster	
  VI
  Knife	
  IV
  Unarmed Combat, Martial Arts V
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  r Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Reitz is a dedicated military man who be-
  lieves in carrying out his duties and respon-
  sibilities impeccably. He sees himself, and all
  other officers, as superior to the enlisted men
  and junior officers they command. Thus, he re-
  sents Fleming asking advice of his crew and
  wishes the Leander mission were in better
  hands. Unconsciously, Reitz will begin to give
  orders that are more in Fleming's jurisdiction,
  believing he must keep a close eye on Fleming
  and intervene occasionally if their mission is to
  succeed. Reitz rarely trusts anyone not in the
  military. As he is technically under Fleming's
  command, Reitz will obey his orders, though
  reluctantly.
  Manner:
  Reitz is a very strict disciplinarian who be-
  haves in a cold, authoritarian manner. He obeys
  orders from his own superiors without question
  and expects the orders he gives to be similarly
  obeyed.
  Role-Playing Notes:
  Reitz is the stereotypical Doctor Who
  paranoiac. (Anyone familiar with the series will
  recall seeing a character of his type in most
  episodes.) He will immediately accuse the
  players of trying to sabotage the mission, refus-
  ing to believe they are not spies in league with
  the Cybermen. Players will get the impression
  he is more worried about his reputation than
  the safety of his men.
  CHAR:	
  VII	
  PERS: VI
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Security Procedures
  Concealment	
  III
  Stealth	
  III
  Surveillance	
  V
  Leadership	
  V
  Administration	
  IV
  Military Sciences
  Ordinance Construction Repair	
  IV
  Small Unit Tactics	
  VI
  Appearance:
  Height: 6'2
  Build: Muscular
  Looks: Attractive
  Actual Age: 27
  Recognition Handle: Reitz is a tall, muscular
  man. He has carefully-trimmed short red hair
  and mustache. He wears the uniform of an Im-
  perial Centurion Commander very proudly and
  is rarely seen in anything but full dress.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace:Earth
  Reitz is the son of the famous Earth General
  Alfred Reitz. Due to his father's connections, he
  entered the Imperial Army a fully-commissioned
  officer at age 18. After undergoing a variety of
  special trainings, he was assigned to the distin-
  guished Fifth Legion, Twenty Third Cohort. After
  serving admirably for five years, Reitz was pro-
  moted to the rank of Major and assigned to the
  Imperial Centurions, the emperor's personal
  elite guard, and placed in command of a Cohort.
  As he and his men were readily available for the
  Leander mission, they were assigned to it.
  Name: Arthur GRAY
  Race: Human
  Sex: Male
  Profession: Medical Assistant, TSS Leander
  Attributes
  STR —IV	
  CHA —V
  END —IV	
  MNT —V
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —IV
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Armed Combat:
  Mark VII Blaster	
  III
  Unarmed Combat:
  Brawling
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Security Procedures
  Concealment
  Lockpicking
  Stealth	
  IV
  Surveillance	
  III
  Vehicle Operation, Spacecraft
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation Diplomacy	
  IV
  Administration
  Medical Sciences, General Medicine	
  IV
  Streetwise	
  V
  Appearance:
  Height: 6'
  Build: Slim
  Looks: Striking
  Actual Age: 27
  Recognition Handle: Gray is a handsome
  young man with neatly trimmed brown hair and
  deep-set, alluring eyes. He is usually dressed in
  medical garments instead of his uniform (much
  to Reitz' consternation, of course.)
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace:Earth
  Because he attended a military academy,
  Arthur Gray began his military career as a com-
  missioned officer. He used the power and re-
  sponsibility of his commission to set up an
  elaborate black market operation on the asteroid
  to which he was assigned. This operation made
  him thousands of credits and was so success-
  fully hidden that none of his superiors ever
  found a clue to its existence. In fact, Gray was
  considered by many to be one of the finest offi-
  cers on the asteroid. He was promoted several
  times and eventually cross-trained as a medic.
  At his medical academy, Gray set up a similar
  operation that met with equal success. Staying
  at the academy until he was fully trained in gen-
  eral medicine, he was eventually given the rank
  of Medical Assistant.
  Because of his impressive record, Gray was
  assigned to the Leander mission to aid Dr. Fred-
  rick in administering the serum to the colony's
  populace. After closely observing the Earthmen
  known to be going on the mission, Cyberleader
  Vorak detected his greed and offered him ten
  million Earth credits to shut down the Leander's
  automated defense systems just prior to the
  docking. After taking care of the rest of the Earth
  crew, the Cybermen promised to then allow him
  to escape with thg money in a pinnace. Gray
  naturally accepted.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Gray is driven chiefly by his greed, which
  will make him go to any lengths to get the power
  and money he craves. He knows that by col-
  laborating with the Cybermen he will be partially
  responsible for the loss of millions of lives, but
  he cares very little. After escaping the Leander,
  Gray plans to move back to Earth and possibly
  establish his own casino.
  Gray is a plotter who never acts without
  having first devised a well-organized mental
  plan. Having thought through the consequences
  of success and failure for any of his actions, he
  usually has several contingency plans as well.
  Gray is also a master of deception who is able
  to hide his mischievous tendencies and is al-
  ways well-liked. He is still believed to be one of
  the finest officers aboard the medical aid satel-
  lite to which he is permanently assigned.
  Manner:
  Gray is a sly, deceptive person who will keep
  his cool in any situation. Whether he likes them
  or not, Gray treats everyone he meets with kind-
  ness and impeccable manners, though this is
  just a front.
  Role-Playing Notes:
  No matter what the results of the players'
  initial CHA rolls, Gray will treat all of them as if
  they had rolled critical successes. He will politely
  refuse to take any action that might implicate
  him or jeopardize his cover. Later in the adven-
  ture, he will start having second thoughts about
  the Cybermen and whether they will really allow
  him to escape, all of which begins to make him
  nervous. With a successful Negotiation, Diplo-
  macy Roll against a Level VI Task, the players
  may be able enlist Gray's aid temporarily by
  convincing him that the Cybermen are going to
  doublecross him. No matter what happens, Gray
  will probably try to escape at the earliest oppor-
  tunity.
  CHAR: II	
  PERS: II
  Countdown 41
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  Tar	
  Name: Michael LINDSAY
  Race: Human
  Sex: Male
  Profession: First Officer, TSS Leander
  Attributes
  STR —IV	
  CHA —VI
  END —V	
  MNT —IV
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —V
  Special Ability: None
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Armed Combat, Mark VII Blaster:IV
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:	
  IV
  Name: TYPICAL LEANDER CREWMAN
  [---
  The crew of the Leander consists of seven
  officers and twelve enlisted men. Use the stats
  below for all the minor NPC crewmembers.
  Some sketchy descriptions and statistic modifi-
  cations are provided for some of the NPCS the
  players are likely to encounter. It may be neces-
  sary to fill in some information if one of these
  NPCs manages to take on unexpected impor-
  tance in the adventure.
  Attributes
  STR —IV	
  CHA —IV
  END —IV	
  MNT —IV
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —IV
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Armed Combat
  Mark VII Blaster:
  Unarmed Combat
  Brawling:
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Environmental Suit Operations
  Administration
  Any Specialty	
  V
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Environmental Suit Operations	
  IV
  Vehicle Operation, Spacecraft	
  V
  Leadership	
  V
  Carousing	
  V
  Verbal Interaction
  Negotiation/Diplomacy	
  V
  Haggling	
  IV
  Administration	
  V
  Engineering
  Electrical	
  Ill
  Mechanical	
  III
  Security Procedures, Surveillance	
  III
  Physical Sciences
  Computer Science	
  IV
  Mathematics	
  III
  Physics	
  IV
  Space Sciences
  Astronomy	
  III
  Astrophysics	
  III
  Navigation	
  III
  Technology
  Computer Systems	
  V
  Astronautics	
  III
  Electronics	
  III
  Appearance:
  Height: 5'10
  Build: Average
  Looks: Average
  Apparent Age: 35
  Recognition Handle: Lindsay has short
  blonde hair and a very friendly face . Nearly al-
  ways with a smile on his face, he is often seen
  stopping to exchange pleasantries and jokes
  with other crew members.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace:Earth
  Michael Lindsay entered the Imperial Space
  Navy as a commissioned officer after complet-
  ing his university education. Because of his ex-
  cellent service and many friends in the upper
  rankS, his rapid promotions came as no surprise.
  Lindsay has been on the Leander longer than
  Captain Fleming and knows the ship and crew
  better. Lindsay has been specially trained in
  computer technology. One of his respon-
  sibilities aboard the Leander is to make sure that
  SAM is always functioning properly. He is seen
  as one of the most excellent prospects for ship
  captain in the navy.
  Navigator Thomas CAMPBELL:
  A tall man in his early forties, Campbell re-
  spects Fleming a great deal and will do anything
  he asks. He has been on the Leander for quite
  some time and is thrilled to have been given
  such an important mission. Campbell has As-
  tronomy and Navigation at Skill Level V and As-
  trophysics at Level III. He also has Physics at
  Skill Level III.
  rPersonality:
  Motives/Desires/Goals:
  Lindsay very strongly believes in using the
  minimum amount of force necessary to solve a
  problem, and he puts more faith in his instincts
  than anything else. He is always cool under pres-
  sure and very capable of making snap decisions
  (an excellent command prospect). Like Fleming,
  he respects everyone aboard the ship regardless
  of rank or status. He has adopted Fleming's
  technique of asking everyone for advice when
  time permits.
  Manner:
  Lindsay is a likable, level-headed young
  man who makes friends very easily. He handles
  responsibility very well and is quite an able
  leader.
  Role -Playing Notes:
  Lindsay is provided as an ally for the
  players. He will most likely trust them and de-
  fend them from Reitz's accusations. Even if Reitz
  can find some circumstantial evidence connect-
  ing the players with the plot, he will still have
  faith in them. He instinctively has a 'good feel-
  ing' about them. After the threat of the Cyber-
  men has been revealed, he will include the
  players in the discussions of possible solutions
  to the problem. If the players seem to know more
  about Cybermen than the Earth crew or seem
  more able to deal with the situation, he will
  gladly follow their instructions. When playing
  Lindsay, try to stress his likability. Have him al-
  ways stopping to chat with the crew and other
  characters (including SAM).
  CHAR: II	
  PERS: II
  Doctor John FREDRICK:
  An old, very experienced military doctor,
  Dr. Fredrick has been specially assigned to the
  Leander for this mission. He is an expert on Had-
  der's Fever and its treatment. The Leander's reg-
  ular doctor is on leave. Frederick likes his young
  assistant, Gray, and has no idea that the man is
  in the employ of the Cybermen. Once the action
  starts, Fredrick will do anything he can to help.
  He has Skill Level VI in General Medicine, Pathol-
  ogy, and Surgery. He has Skill Level IV in
  Chemistry.
  42 Countdown
  
  Communications Officer Elizabeth DIRKES:
  Lieutenant Dirkes has always proven a very
  capable officer. Like First Officer Lindsay, she
  will be more inclined to trust the players and
  defend them from Reitz's accusations. She has
  skill in Communication Systems at Level V and
  in Electronics and Computer Systems at Level
  I
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  I 
  Engineer Alex SPENCER:
  Spencer is responsible for keeping the Lean-
  der's systems functioning properly, and is good
  at his job. He resents SAM, the computer, be-
  cause it makes him feel the human crew is being
  totally replaced by machines. Spencer is also
  handy with his fists. He possesses Skill Level V
  in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineer-
  ing, Astronautics, and Electronics. He has the
  Unarmed Combat Skill of Brawling at Level V.
  Name: TYPICAL IMPERIAL CENTURION
  The Leander currently holds one Decade of
  Imperial Centurions (ten men and one comman-
  der). Two such decades make up a squadron,
  ten squadrons make up a cohort, and ten cohorts
  make up a legion. Reitz is actually in command
  of the whole cohort, but is personally command-
  ing the decade assigned to the Leander mission.
  Use the statistics below for the Centurions.
  Attributes
  STR —V	
  CHA —IV
  END —V	
  MNT —IV
  DEX —V	
  ITN —IV
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  9
  Armed Combat:
  Mark VII Blaster	
  VI
  Knife	
  IV
  Unarmed Combat, Martial Arts: V
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Security Procedures
  Concealment
  Stealth	
  III
  Surveillance	
  IV
  Administration
  Military Sciences
  Ordinance Construction Repair
  Small Unit Tactics
  Sergeant Franklin HALL:
  Hall is Reitz's second in command, and is a
  typical decade commander. Like all the centur-
  ions, he is a stern disciplinarian. Although he
  believes that Reitz is a good commander, Hall
  realizes the danger inherent in the man's
  paranoid tendencies. If the characters provide
  strong evidence that they intend to help defeat
  the Cybermen, they should be allowed to make
  a Negotiation. Diplomacy roll at Task Level VI to
  convince Hall to go against Reitz's direct orders
  and help them any way he can. In addition to
  the skills listed above for the typical Centurion,
  Hall has skill in Leadership at Level IV.
  Level
  III
  IV
  IV
  IV
  IV
  IV
  IV
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VII
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VI
  VI
  Name: SAM
  Attributes
  STR —0	
  CHA —III
  END —0	
  MNT —VII
  DEX —0	
  EIN
  Special Ability: None
  Significant Skills
  Administration
  Engineering
  Cartography
  Chemical Engineering
  Civil Engineering
  Electrical Engineering
  Mechanical Engineering
  Metallurgy
  Physical Sciences
  Chemistry
  Computer Science
  Mathematics
  Physics
  Vehicle Operation
  Spacecraft
  Security Procedures
  Surveillance
  Space Sciences
  Astronomy
  Astrophysics
  Navigation
  Technology
  Astronautics
  Communication Systems
  Computer Systems
  Electronics
  Brief Personal History:
  SAM was built by the Century Cybernetics
  Corporation and installed into the Leanderwhen
  the ship was built. His function is to operate the
  controls, suggest repairs, analyze data, and
  make a complete log of all the ship's experi-
  ences. He knows about the mission and places
  great importance on its completion.
  Personality:
  Motives Desires/Goals:
  SAM is intelligent, but he has not been pro-
  grammed for hobbies, interests, emotions, or
  humor.
  Manner:
  SAM is seen on the bridge of the Leander
  as a large screen displaying a topographical
  model of a human head. He has a very lifeless
  personality. Although SAM is capable of carry-
  ing on conversations, they are usually academic
  and dull.
  Role Playing Notes:
  SAM will not play a very active part in the
  adventure, as he is present merely for flavor. Of
  course, if anyone asks him a question, he will
  answer readily. If the players are having a par-
  ticularly hard time, the gamemaster can have
  SAM offer advice to Captain Fleming or First
  Officer Lindsay on what to do next. This advice
  will, naturally, reach the players' ears as well.
  SAM will not aid Cybermen in any way, as this
  would violate the prime programming that
  exists in his core. The Cybermen will probably
  shut SAM down when they see he is of little use.
  Countdown 43
  
  •■■
  Name: VORAK
  Race: Cyberman
  Attributes
  STR —VII	
  CHA
  END —VI	
  MNT —VI
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —II
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Armed Combat, Blaster Rifle:	IV
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:	IV
  simmliel■1111
  Name: KALIK
  Race: Vegan
  Sex. Male
  Profession: Pirate
  Attributes
  STR —MI	
  CHA —II
  END —VI	
  MNT —III
  DEX —IV	
  ITN —III
  Special Ability: None.
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  7
  Armed Combat:
  Blaster Pistol	
  V
  Short Sword	
  IV
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:
  Personality:
  MotivesDesires Goals:
  Vorak will quickly analyze any problem and
  make a decision based entirely on logic. The
  only thing that concerns him is completing his
  plan. He will ignore the problem of the 'gravity
  bubble' until he has dealt with all the humans
  and Vegans and is in a position of total control.
  He has a great deal of confidence in Cyber-
  technology, believing it capable of overcoming
  any obstacle. The other Cybermen will follow
  his instructions without question or hesitation.
  Manner:
  All Cybermen have the same personality:
  cold, ruthless, and mechanical.
  Role Playing Notes:
  To those familiar with the Doctor Who tele-
  vision series, Vorak's character will be familiar.
  All Cybermen act exactly alike. The gamemaster
  should try to build a little ironic sympathy for
  the Cybermen among the players. For example,
  at one point, Vorak makes a speech dealing with
  the woes of his dying race. In role-playing Vorak,
  remember to use all the old tricks: threatening
  to kill assistants and NPCs unless the players
  do something for him, threatening to destroy
  important items, and so forth. Vorak has en-
  countered The Doctor twice and is quite familiar
  with the danger presented by the Time Lords.
  He will automatically know which players are
  Time Lords and will take extra caution in dealing
  with them. It is not necessary to make a CHA roll
  when the players first meet the Cyberleader or
  Negotiation,Diplomacy rolls thereafter. Vorak
  will automatically see all humans and Vegans
  as threats, and he will only grant requests that
  will logically help his cause. (See Gamemaster's
  Notes for statistics on the other Cybermen and
  details on their special combat abilities and tac-
  tics.)
  Personality:
  Motives Desires Goals:
  Kalik is a typical scoundrel. He is driven by
  greed for wealth and power and will sacrifice
  any of his men to get it. He is a firm leader, and
  the other Vegans follow his orders without ques-
  tion. Kalik enjoys his position as Captain of the
  Jack of Hearts, but has even greater ambitions.
  He hopes one day to make enough money to
  buy and rule his own planet. As a rule, Kalik is
  generally suspicious.
  Manner:
  Kalik is cold and stern in his manner. He
  often slowly scans an area with his lizard-like
  head, trying to intimidate everyone with sinister
  looks.
  Role Playing Notes:
  Kalik should be played as a stereotypical
  pirate. In describing him and the Jack of Hearts,
  the gamemaster should emphasize the pirate-
  like qualities. Though cold and gruff, Kalik con-
  stantly exclaims things like "By the five flaming
  moons of Falvax!", "Avast, ye planet lubbers!"
  and similar colorful expressions. It is quite pos-
  sible that the players will be able to convince
  Kalik to aid them after he sees most of his crew
  destroyed by Cybermen. Alliance with him will
  always be shaky, however. He will play along
  with the characters until the Cybermen are de-
  feated, then he will try to eliminate everyone
  and grab the serum. (See Gamemester's Notes
  for typical statistics for the rest of the Vegans,
  as well as their special combat abilities and tac-
  tics.)
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Leadership	
  VI
  Military Science
  Ordinance Construction/Repair	
  V
  Small Unit Tactics	
  V
  Technology
  Cybernetics	
  VI
  Computer Systems	
  V
  Vehicle Operation, Spacecraft	
  IV
  Security Procedures, Surveillance	IV
  Appearance:
  Height: 2.3 meters
  Build: Man-shaped
  Recognition Handle: Cyberleader Vorak is
  distinguished from the other Cybermen by his
  black head cowling the others wear silver). He
  walks in a slow, lumbering manner and is incap-
  able of showing any expression.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace: Mondas
  Vorak was one of the original Cybermen
  from Mondas. He witnessed The Doctor's de-
  struction of the planet and escaped to Telos.
  Over the years, he has gained a position of
  seniority and authority, and his systems were
  improved with the most modern Cybertechnol-
  ogy. At the conclusion of the Galactic Cyber-
  wars, his group of Cybermen became one of the
  many isolated bands to escape and roam the
  Galaxy. Until now, the band has only taken the
  actions necessary to support themselves. After
  intercepting Earth transmissions, Vorak formu-
  lated the plan to capture Ionia as the new Cyber-
  world. He contacted Arthur Gray and offered
  him ten million Earth credits to help complete
  the operation. Of course, he does not intend to
  pay, but will simply eliminate Gray when he is
  no longer useful. Upon completion of his oper-
  ation, Vorak plans to contact other roving bands
  of Cybermen and unite them, with the intent to
  finally invade and destroy Earth.
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Environmental Suit Operations	
  IV
  Security Procedures
  Concealment	
  III
  Stealth
  Surveillance	
  III
  Vehicle Operation, Spacecraft	
  III
  Carousing	
  VI
  Gambling	
  III
  Leadership	
  IV
  Military Sciences, Small Unit Tactics	
  IV
  Streetwise	
  VI
  Technology, Astronautics	
  III
  Appearance:
  Height: Tall
  Build: Stocky
  Looks: N A
  Age: Middle-Aged Adult
  Recognition Handle: Large and muscular,
  Kalik is a typical lizard-like Vegan. He wears an
  eye patch over his left eye, two blaster pistols
  tucked into his belt, and a cutlass at his side.
  Brief Personal History:
  Birthplace:Vega XII
  Kalik is Captain of the Vegan pirate vessel
  Jack of Hearts, whose crew he joined when very
  young. Over the years, he rose through the
  ranks, eventually becoming First Mate. During
  a battle with an Earth freighter, Kalik saw his
  opportunity and killed the Captain, making it
  look as though the death occurred due to dam-
  age done to the ship by the freighter. Kalik
  quickly assume command and led the pirate
  band to 'avenge' their comrade's death and to
  cripple the freighter. Since then, Kalik has ruled
  with an iron hand. His position aboard the Jack
  of Hearts is very stable, and he has no challen-
  gers.
  44 Countdown
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  DIE
  reW
  III	III
  III	III
  0 0
  WORMS DATA
  BANKS
  SUPPLEMEN-
  TARY
  BACKGROUND
  A	 P
  MI•111
  1■ ••■ r"
  I01B
  K 0 
  Gamemaster's Notes
  THE
  Gravity bubbles present a danger
  to time capsules because of their inter-
  dimensional nature. Somehow the
  gravity field crossing the dimensional
  barriers seems to jam a TARDIS' direc-
  tional and materialization circuits, leav-
  ing it stuck in the Temporal Vortex and
  subjected to powerful forces. Gravity
  Bubbles have the unusual feature of
  suddenly appearing and disappearing
  in certain areas. Their exact nature is
  not understood, but most starfaring cul-
  tures have experienced them and have
  learned certain methods of minimizing
  their danger.
  HADDER'S FEVER
  A deadly disease discovered by Dr.
  George Hadder in 2511 A.D. The disease
  is known to affect only humanoid races
  (Time Lords are immune). The virus that
  causes the fever drives its host mad,
  bringing out strong, violent urges. After
  two weeks, the victim usually dies.
  There is a known cure, a serum that
  must be administered to victims and
  potential victims in the area of the fever
  outbreak as soon as possible to bring
  the virus under control. The virus mu-
  tates rapidly, and becomes incurable if
  not brought under control in one week.
  THE VEGANS
  The Vegans are a rapscallian race
  originally from the planet Vega XII in
  Mutter's Spiral. They are powerful,
  lizard-like beings with much greater
  strength and endurance than normal
  humans. Like most reptilians, they are
  cold-blooded and that is also their most
  profound weakness. Most Vegans are
  pirates or smugglers who see illegal op-
  erations as the easiest way to achieve
  power. No system of laws has ever been
  organized for their society, which
  seems to operate on the 'survival of the
  fittest' principle. The Vegans have de-
  veloped interstellar travel and have a
  wide range of technologies (captured
  from other races) at their disposal.
  During the course of this adven-
  ture, the players may wish to consult
  the TARDIS data banks for an explana-
  tion of the following terms.
  CHRONIC RIFT
  This is an extremely rare, deadly
  opening in space/time that leads di-
  rectly to the Temporal Vortex. The Rift
  often drains power from all energy
  sources within its range directly into the
  Vortex. The power drain starts off
  slowly and increases exponentially. It
  affects smaller power sources faster
  than larger ones. The Rift's draining of
  energy into the Vortex seems to carry
  larger objects into it, also. For this
  reason, a large gravitational field ap-
  pears to be caused directly by the Rift
  (they are often mistaken for gravity bub-
  bles). The Rift is extremely dangerous
  to spacecraft. Most engines will rapidly
  lose their power, leaving the ship un-
  able to resist the pull into the Vortex,
  which will surely destroy it. The exact
  nature of Chronic Rifts is not under-
  stood.
  CYBERMEN
  The gamemaster should permit the
  player characters full access to all the
  information on The Cybermen found in
  the Temporal Marauders section of the
  Sourcebook For Field Agents. Allow the
  players to look over that material at
  their leisure.
  EARTH EMPIRE
  The Earth Empire is a political or-
  ganization comprised of the planet
  Earth and several of its colonies, all
  found in Mutter's Spiral. The system of
  Earth colonies took the title Empire ca.
  2450 A.D. The Empire itself is ruled by
  an Emperor, and each planet has its
  own representing Senator. It controls
  powerful military forces, but is gener-
  ally peaceful. Important enemies of the
  Earth Empire have included Cybermen,
  Daleks, and Draconians.
  GRAVITY BUBBLE
  A gravity bubble is a phenomenon
  caused by an object with an extreme
  gravitational pull occupying the same
  place in another dimension that it oc-
  cupies in normal spacetime. The gravity
  field of the object seems to transcend
  the trans-dimensional barrier and af-
  fects objects in normal spacetime. Its	wommlemer
  pull can be dangerous to spacecraft. If
  unable to break free of the gravitational
  field, the vessel will be pulled to the
  center of the bubble (where the field is
  much stronger) and shattered by the ex-
  treme forces there.
  Following is additional background
  material for the gamemaster's eyes
  only, which he will need to run the ad-
  venture.
  THE CYBERMEN
  In addition to the information found
  on pp. 20-21 of the DOCTOR WHO RPG
  Sourcebook For Field Agents, consult
  the Target Books novelisations for any
  of the following Doctor Who television
  episodes in which the Cybermen have
  appeared.
  First Doctor
  "The Tenth Planet" (1966)
  Second Doctor
  "The Moonbase" (1967)
  "The Tomb of the Cybermen"
  (19671
  "The Wheel in Space" (1968)
  "The Invasion" (1968)
  Fourth Doctor
  "Revenge of the Cybermen" (19751
  Fifth Doctor
  "Earthshock" (1982)
  "The Five Doctors" (1983)
  Sixth Doctor
  "Attack of the Cybermen" (1985)
  Skills And Attributes
  Over the years, there have been
  many different models of Cybermen.
  The Cybermen featured in Countdown
  are of the Model VI variety (the same
  as appear in "Earthshock" and "Attack
  of the Cybermen"(. Model VI Cybermen
  are depicted in the photographs on p.
  21 of the Sourcebook For Field Agents.
  Statistics and information on other
  models of Cybermen will appear in the
  Cybermen supplement forthcoming
  from FASA.
  Countdown 45
  
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  appeared to be viable, it was given pro-
  vince status and allowed a representa-
  tive in the Senate. The Senate was pre-
  sided over by an Emperor, who would
  be elected by the full Senate. His term
  lasted either until his death or until a
  majority of Senators voted him out.
  Earth was the capitol of the Empire,
  where the Emperor resided and the
  Senate met.
  The first major test of the newly-
  formed Empire was to defeat the Cyber-
  men in the Galactic Cyberwars of 2400
  A.D. Fortunately, the Empire was able
  to strike an alliance with Voga, the
  planet of gold, and use its resources
  against the Cybermen, defeating them.
  Later, the Empire would battle the
  Draconians, Daleks, and Ice Warriors.
  They would encounter races as diverse
  as the Macra, the Wirrn, the Sensorites,
  and the Exxilons.
  Around 3100 A.D., the Empire had
  grown to be not only very powerful but
  also corrupt. Many colonies started to
  revolt against the injustices perpetrated
  by the Senators (who were now con-
  cerned more with their own welfare
  than that of the planets they rep-
  resented) and the Emperor. The Galac-
  tic Revolution of 3120 A.D. eventually
  overthrew the Imperial System, and re-
  placed it with a new, more democratic
  government. Many of the Earth prov-
  inces became independent political
  states. In another 80 years, Earth and
  the provinces remaining under its
  dominion helped to form the Galactic
  Federation to defend the galaxy from
  outside invasion.
  THE
  	
  ■ ■ 1114,q11
  Name: MODEL VI CYBERMAN
  Attributes
  STR -VI	
  CHA -I
  END -VI	
  MNT -V
  DEX	
  ITN -II
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:	
  6
  Armed Combat, Blaster Rifle: V
  Unarmed Combat, Brawling:	
  IV
  Significant Skills	
  Level
  Military Science
  Ordinance Construction/Repair	
  IV
  Small Unit Tactics	
  IV
  Technology
  Cybernetics	
  V
  Combat Abilities And Statistics:
  In combat, the Cybermen usually
  try to fire heavily first, and then advance
  to do hand-to-hand combat with the
  survivors. All Cybermen are armed with
  a weapon that is the equivalent of a
  Blaster rifle. As long as it is in the hands
  of a Cyberman, the weapon can fire in-
  definitely before needing a recharge (it
  draws power from the Cyberman him-
  self). If someone else uses the weapon,
  it will only be able to fire three shots
  before needing to be recharged. The
  Cybermen's tough metallic skin gives
  them 5D6 of armor! Against their own
  weapons, however, they only have 3D6
  of armor.
  Cyberleader Vorak is one of the
  new Type VII Cybermen. Treat him
  exactly as a Type VI Cyberman except
  that he is able to absorb power from
  his environment and does not need to
  recharge. Thus, the Chronic Rift will
  have no effect on Vorak for quite some
  time.
  EARTH EMPIRE
  History
  The Earth Empire began around the
  year 2400 A.D. For several hundred
  years before this time, mankind was
  using its newly-developed interstellar
  technology to spread throughout the
  galaxy, leaving colonists nearly
  everywhere they went. The population
  and political power of many of these
  colonies eventually grew to rival that of
  the Earth itself. Many of the colonies
  were tired of being ruled directly by
  Earth and were starting to call for their
  independence.
  In the year 2388 A.D., the Confer-
  ence of Althos was organized to
  develop a new system of government,
  giving all the colonies a more equal
  share. Representatives from all the
  Earth colonies attended the conference
  and devised what was known as the Im-
  perial System. Under the Imperial Sys-
  tem, the chief ruling body of Earth and
  the colonies was a Senate made up of
  one representative (usually the gover-
  nor or president) from each of the exist-
  ing colonies, now known as provinces.
  Provisions were made for new colonies
  to be added. A new colony had to go
  through a seven-year colonial period.
  If, at the end of this time, the colony
  Crewmen And Centurions
  The representatives of the Earth
  Empire who appear in Countdown are
  the Leander crewmen and the Imperial
  Centurions. (For their game statistics,
  see Cast of Characters.)
  Leander Crew
  The Leander crewmen dress in
  knee-length white tunics. The officers'
  tunics are trimmed in purple, and the
  enlisted tunics have no trim. All ranks
  wear a gold-colored belt and headband,
  and a pair of plastic sandals. The cap-
  tain of the ship wears a headband
  simulating an olive wreath. Rank is dis-
  played by a series of stripes on the belt
  buckle.
  Imperial Centurions
  Centurions wear a bronze
  breastplate (giving them 1 D6 armor, not
  usable against energy weapons) and
  grieves under a short toga. Officers'
  togas have purple trim; enlisted togas
  have no trim. Each Centurion wears a
  helmet that is a kind of futuristic version
  of those worn by the ancient Romans.
  Combat Abilities And Tactics
  Centurions are highly-trained sol-
  diers and they behave accordingly.
  Leander crewmen, though not specifi-
  cally trained for combat, will have
  above-average fighting ability. All Earth
  forces in Countdown are armed with
  the Mark VII Blaster, the standard-issue
  weapon. Centurions carry their Blas-
  ters, holstered, everywhere they go.
  Leander crewmen will not carry Blas-
  ters, but will be armed with them in
  emergencies. The Blaster is as large as
  a normal pistol. Following are its statis-
  tics:
  The Mark VII Blaster has two set-
  tings. On the first, it fires for normal
  type A damage. On the second, it acts
  as a stun pistol and does 40 points of
  temporary damage. A small switch on
  the pistol controls the setting. (An Oper-
  ate Familiar Device action is needed to
  change settings in combat.) The
  Blaster can fire 15 shots before its
  power pack is drained. Power packs are
  small, rectangular plastic boxes about
  5 cm long.
  In addition to carrying a Mark VII
  Blaster, every Centurion carries three
  extra power packs and one Fusion II
  Grenade. The Fusion II Grenade is a
  low-powered, lightweight grenade that
  resembles a small black plastic ball. Fu-
  sion Grenades are thrown using the
  same range modifiers as rocks. They do
  type A damage to everything within
  three meters of their target.
  Weapon Type	
  Damage DDF PtBlnk Shrt Med Long Extr
  Mark VII Blaster A,40(T)	
  —1	
  1	
  5	
  12	
  25	
  45
  46 Countdown
  
  CHA
  MNT — III
  ITN —III
  7
  IV
  IV
  IV
  THE VEGANS
  History
  Vega XII, the home planet of a
  .zard-like race of beings, was colonized
  oy the Earth Empire early in its history.
  The Vegans, a relatively primitive race,
  did not take very kindly to the intrusion,
  and destroyed the entire colony.
  Reevaluating the colonization potential
  of Vega XII, the Empire decided not to
  return. From the remnants of the Earth
  colony, the Vegans managed to learn
  the basic secrets of space travel, and
  improved their technology greatly.
  Around 2500 A.D., the Draconians
  noticed the Vegans' hatred of Earthlings
  and began providing them with
  weapons and technology. The Dracon-
  ians saw the Vegans' primitive society
  as an excellent tool to use against the
  Earth. The Vegans used the Draconian
  weapons to attack Earth shipping, and
  the majority of the race became pirates
  or smugglers. Even after the Dracon-
  ians no longer took an interest in the
  Vegans and their planet was sur-
  rounded on all sides by the borders of
  the Empire, the Vegans continued their
  pirate activities, now relying on cap-
  tured weapons and technology.
  Skills And Abilities
  The statistics for Captain Kalik are
  included in the Cast of Characters chap-
  ter. For the rest of the Vegans, the fol-
  lowing statistics apply:
  Name: TYPICAL VEGAN PIRATE
  Attributes
  STR —VI
  END —V
  DEX —IV
  Combat Statistics:
  AP:
  Armed Combat:
  Short Sword
  Blaster
  Unarmed Combat:
  Brawling
  Significant Skills
  Environmental Suit Operation
  Security Procedures, Stealth
  Carousing
  Gambling
  Any Shipboard Specialty
  Appearance:
  The Vegans are a race of overdeveloped
  lizards. On each arm, they have a hand with four
  fingers and an opposable thumb, but their feet
  consist of three claw-like digits. They also have
  a powerful tail and sharp teeth, though these
  are never used in combat. Essentially, Vegans
  look like a cross between a human and a Tyran-
  nosaurus Rex.
  Combat Abilities And Tactics:
  Vegans are powerful fighters, but
  are very undisciplined. They have a
  wide assortment of captured Earth
  weapons at their disposal (every Vegan
  will be armed with a Mark VII Blaster),
  but they prefer to close short range and
  use their cutlasses (treat as STR-based
  short swords) and fists. The Vegans'
  tough hide gives them the equivalent
  of 1D6 armor.
  Because the Vegans are cold-
  blooded, cut their AP in half and reduce
  their STR and END scores by one level if
  they are ever in an environment whose
  temperature is less than 60 degrees
  Fahrenheit.
  THE
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  TIME LINE
  The following time line should
  prove useful in running the adventure.
  Bear in mind that the given times are
  only suggestions, so that the gamemas-
  ter may speed up or slow down the
  course of the adventure, depending on
  how easy or difficult a time the players
  are having. Gamemasters may also
  wish to alter the timing of various
  events in order to increase their dramat-
  impact.
  —2 Days Ago
  The Gravity Bubble (Chronic Rift)
  forms in the area in which this adven-
  ture will take place.
  —Day 0
  The adventure begins when the
  players' TARDIS is trapped in the
  Chronic Rift and must materialize
  aboard the TSS Leander.
  —Day 1 + 25 min.
  The Leander picks up the false dis-
  tress signal from the Cybership.
  —Day 1 + 45 min.
  The Leander comes into docking
  position and docks with the disguised
  Cybership. The Cyber-androids board
  and begin to fight their way to the
  bridge.
  —Day 1 + 75 min.
  The Cyber-androids bring the cap-
  tured players and NPCs to the bridge.
  The Cybermen arrive, and Vorak deliv-
  ers his speech.
  —Day 1 + 90 min.
  The power drain effects of the
  Chronic Rift become noticeable aboard
  the Leander.
  — Day 1 + 2 hours
  The signal from the Vegan pirates
  is received aboard the Leander.
  —Day 1 + 130 min.
  The Vegans board the Leander and
  are ambushed by the Cybermen.
  — Day 1 + 160 min.
  The power-drain effects of the
  Chronic Rift should begin to affect the
  Cybermen.
  —Day 1 + 200 min.
  Cyberleader Vorak delivers his ul-
  timatum and shuts down the life sup-
  port. If a captured player was taken
  aboard the Cybership and has not been
  rescued yet, it is probably too late at
  this point.
  —Day 1 + 320 min.
  The life support will become unable
  to sustain life if not restored by this
  time.
  —Day 1 + 500 min.
  The effects of the power-drain on
  the Leander will become fatal to all
  aboard unless stopped by this time.
  Countdown 47
  
  M CI
  [1 0
  1 K
  INCREASING
  SKILLS
  114
  As mentioned on p. 37 of the Game
  Operations Manual, the players will
  have a chance to increase their Skill Rat-
  ings through play. Before beginning the
  adventure, the gamemaster should de-
  termine which of the two increase sys-
  tems he will be using in the campaign.
  If using the first system, the players will
  increase their skills at the end of every
  play session, whether or not they have
  completed the adventure. In the second
  system, players are only given the op-
  portunity for skill increase at the end of
  the session that completes an adven-
  ture. Both systems work equally well,
  so choose whichever one seems more
  comfortable. The gamemaster may also
  wish to give one or two bonus skill point
  increases to any players who played
  their characters particularly well or
  were unusually clever during play.
  Ii'I
  BEYOND THE
  RVENTURE
  After the Cybermen have been de-
  feated, the rift sealed, and Captain
  Kalik's plans thwarted, the players will
  have successfully completed the adven-
  ture. If Kalik and his men were captured,
  they will be taken custody by the Lean-
  der crew and held until they can be
  turned over to the proper officials. The
  Leandercrew will also clean up the rem-
  nants of the battle with the Cybermen
  and perform the minor repairs neces-
  sary to get underway once again. The
  players may now feel free to leave. If
  they wish, the gamemaster may pro-
  vide them with an opportunity to slip
  away unobserved (as The Doctor usu-
  ally does).
  Alternately, the players may wish
  to stay aboard the Leander for awhile
  to make sure the serum is delivered on
  time. The crew of the Leander will cer-
  tainly have no objection to this. If the
  players choose this option, the
  gamemaster may choose to design
  another adventure that takes place en
  route to Ionia. After all, there are many
  different alien races and groups that
  would like to see the Earth mission fail.
  If the players failed to complete the
  adventure successfully, the gamemas-
  ter should discuss with them where
  they went wrong and what other op-
  tions they might have chosen. Encour-
  age them to create new characters (if
  their original characters were killed)
  and try again. If they failed to stop the
  Cybermen, the gamemaster can have
  their new characters adventure on
  Ionia, their 'new' home planet. Or, the
  players can be given the chance to make
  up for their failure by thwarting the
  forthcoming Cyber-invasion of Earth or
  destroying Ionia altogether. The pos-
  sibilities are limitless.
  BUILDING
  CAMPAIGNS
  If Countdown is the gamemaster's
  first effort at running an adventure, he
  should start thinking about taking on a
  full-blown campaign once this adven-
  ture is completed. Campaigns are a lot
  of work for the gamemaster, but are
  even more fun than merely playing un-
  related adventures. Take it slowly at
  first, however. Run short, simple adven-
  tures, gradually building up to more
  complex, detailed ones.
  One thing the gamemaster should
  strive for in campaign-play is con-
  tinuity. As often as possible, he should
  try to bring back characters, races, and
  situations the players have encoun-
  tered earlier. This tends to connect the
  adventures in the players' minds and
  make them seem a lot more realistic.
  At the end of every adventure, make up
  an index card or note page for every
  character or alien race that might return
  later and file it for future use. Be sure
  to record anything special that hap-
  pened to any characters in question and
  generally how they felt about the
  player-characters. This prevents the
  gamemaster from making mistakes
  such as bringing back a character with
  full sight who was supposed to have
  been blinded earlier. At the end of
  Countdown, for instance, the
  gamemaster should probably make
  notes on the Cybermen, the Vegans,
  and the Earth Empire of the period. All
  of these could very easily be incorpo-
  rated into further adventures. Also,
  make notes on any characters who
  might be brought back later. For exam-
  ple, the players would probably be de-
  lighted to encounter their old friend
  Captain Fleming in a later adventure.
  Just as it's a good idea to take notes
  on any characters or races that might
  return later, take notes also on the basic
  happenings of any adventure. If the
  planet Hydrax is destroyed during one
  adventure, the gamemaster does not
  want to plan any further adventures on
  that planet (unless they take place in a
  time BEFORE the planet was de-
  stroyed.) After playing the campaign for
  awhile, the gamemaster will begin to
  build up a basic history of the campaign
  universe through the outcomes of the
  many adventures the players have com-
  pleted. At this point, adventure ideas
  will seem to suggest themselves, and
  it will be as if the campaign has taken
  on a life of its own. This is what being
  a good gamemaster and running a
  good campaign is all about.
  ROLE PLAYING GAME
  48 Countdown
  
  34057 H09203
  ISBN 0-931787-95-5 FFISR700
  9
  The sudden appearance of a dangerous gravity bubble
  causes the TRRDIS to dematerialize aboard a shfp.of the Earth
  Empire on an emergency mission to deliver vital serum to a
  plave-ridden world. Before the adventure is over, The Doctor
  and tlis Companions must contend not only with the death-
  dealing gravity bubble, but with the ship's paranoid computer.
  space pirates and an attack by androids at wet,
  This adventure contains the deck plans of the courier ship
  and extehMve notes to help the beginning gememaster run a
  role playing adventure scenario.
  Doctor Whom 1985 BBC TV.
  Game design° 1985 FASA Corporation.
  •
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Doctor Who/FASA Corporation/Countdown (FASA9203).pdf