TEXT: Matthew Hope &  John Lees
  Beyond the  Open Door
  
  CREDITS 
  AUTHORS 
  Matthew Hope  & John Lees
  Based on an original adventure concept  
  by Michael J. Cross
  EDITING & LAYOUT 
  John Lees 
  INTERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS 
  Emel Akiah, MuYoung Kim, Rick Hershey - Empty 
  Room Studios, John Lees – Indalo Publishing
  COVER 
  Cybil Mar: Beyond the Open Door  
  by Mates Laurentiu, AvatarArt 
  CARTOGRAPHY 
  Keith Curtis 
  John Lees 
  Twilight Sector 
  Beyond the Open Door
  “Traveller” and the Traveller logo are Trademarks owned by Far Future Enterprises, Inc. and are used according to the terms of the Traveller Logo 
  Licence version 1.0c. A copy of this licence can be obtained from Mongoose Publishing. The mention or reference to any company or product in 
  these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e) and 
  are not open content: All trademarks or registered trademarks, proper names (characters, organizations etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, 
  characters, artwork and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not 
  included in this declaration.)
  Open Content: Except for material designated as product identity (see above) any game mechanics are Open Game Content as defined in the 
  Open Gaming License version 1.0a section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be 
  reproduced in any form without written permission.
  Twilight Sector: Campaign Setting Sourcebook is published by Terra/Sol Games LLC under the Open Game License version 1.0a, Copyright 2000 
  Wizards of the Coast Inc.
  Terra/Sol Games LLC, the Terra/Sol Games logo and the Twilight Sector logo are trademarks of Terra/Sol Games LLC © 2009 Terra/Sol Games.
  
  Setting Up
  
  Contents
  Setting up the Campaign: ..................3
  Using Established Characters: 
  3
  Internal Motivators 
  3
  Four Patrons 
  3
  Rolling up New Characters: 
  5
  Pre-Generated Characters:  
  5
  Part One: Honor Bound ......................7
  The Story Thus Far 
  7
  Setting: Part One 
  8
  A Slice of Kansas City, Terra 
  8
  Part I, Act One: Breadcrumbs 
  11
  Star of the Plains Offices 
  12
  Bio: Stephan Wiley 
  14
  The Crimescene 
  14
  The KCPD Runaround 
  16
  The Yakuza’s Offer  
  17
  Spring Street Shelter 
  19
  Meeting Rosen 
  22
  Wiley’s Notebook 
  24
  Part I, Act Two: Butchery 
  29
  Investigating the Takara 
  30
  Hardcore Pawn  
  31
  The Yummy Dragon  
  32
  Finding Takeo Batchai: 
  33
  Yamaguchi Take-out 
  35
  After Hours 
  37
  Who are The Takara ? 
  39
  Part I, Act Three: Silk and Blood 
  41
  Bamboo Serenity 
  42
  The Nest 
  43
  Missing Persons 
  45
  The Next Scenario: London Calling 
  46
  Part Two: London Calling .....................47
  The Story Thus Far 
  47
  Part II, Act One: Orphans 
  49
  Getting to London 
  50
  Meeting with Mattias 
  51
  Legwork at the Orphanages 
  57
  Orion Security Service (Inside Info) 
  60
  Men in Black 
  61
  Part II, Act Two: Clandestine Affairs 
  63
  Meet Cybil Mar 
  64
  Busting into the Orphanages 
  66
  Strike Team 
  67
  Part II, Act Three: State Secrets 
  71
  Another Meeting 
  72
  Beneath the Surface 
  73
  The Vault Archive 
  76
  Escape! 
  78
  Leaving London 
  80
  The Next Act 
  80
  Part Three: Opening the Door ...........81
  The Story Thus Far 
  81
  Part III, Act One: Going to Ground 
  83
  Run now, hide later 
  84
  Location, location, location 
  87
  Path One:  
  89
  Getting there is Half the Fun 
  89
  The Next Step: Preparation is Key 
  89
  Path Two:  
  90
  Rendezvous in Orbit 
  90
  So what exactly was going on? 
  93
  Story Hour 
  95
  King William Island 
  96
  Part III, Act Two &Three: Island Siege 97
  The Base 
  98
  Breaking In 
  99
  Special Delivery 
  100
  Finding the Truth 
  100
  Digging Deeper 
  102
  The Precursor Project 
  103
  The Center of it All 
  104
  The Transformation Virus 
  108
  Epilogue ..............................................110
  Player Inserts ......................................111
  Republic of the Plains 
  112
  London 
  113
  Kansas Bureau of Investigations (KBI) 114
  Kansas City 
  115
  The Clean Streets Initiative:  
  116
  The Joshua Colony 
  117
  OSS (ORION STATE SECURITY) 
  119
  Cyber Swarm  
  121
  Advanced Disguise Technology 
  122
  Pregenerated Characters 
  126
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Using Established 
  Characters:
  Probably the hardest thing to do with any 
  adventure-book for a setting as wide open as 
  Twilight Sector is to come up with an innovative 
  method to involve established characters into 
  the game. Referees must try to integrate motives, 
  personalities and logical connections together in 
  such a way to not only lead players from point A to 
  point B, but to do so in a way that is entertaining. 
  Because there is no one group of players, there is 
  no one way that these encounters will proceed. 
  Hopefully, some of the following ideas can be used 
  by Referees to kickstart the game.
  Internal Motivators
  One of the best ways the Referee can get the 
  players involved is to motivate them internally. 
  Have one of the primary players involved with an 
  NPC or situation that touches on this adventure: 
  be it Wiley, Keith, the Yakuza Oyabun or what have 
  you, relate to them in some fashion (by blood or 
  background) to the character of one of your “go 
  to” Players. In any game which has such colorful 
  background generation as Traveller, this should 
  be easily done just by glancing at a character 
  sheet:
  For example, a player who wants to make 
  a journalist or a military character can be a 
  fellow Mutant War Veteran, who knew (even 
  if somewhat distantly) Wiley and Rosen from 
  their days in the War. 
  The character might have lost someone close 
  to them (either as an outright fatality or a 
  missing person) to the Yamaguchi Ripper. 
  
  
  Connections like these will give the players ample 
  reasons to become involved and  stay involved. See 
  the Pre-generated characters below for a list of other 
  possibilities.
  Four Patrons
  One of the simplest ways to get the Players involved 
  is through a patron, the four situations below all 
  feature patrons unique to the adventure. Note 
  that this is slightly different than the more internal 
  motivation discussed earlier. Two of these patron 
  scenarios, Diogenes Lamp and Reece’s Request, have 
  no scenes to base themselves on in the main part 
  of the adventure. Two others however, are related 
  directly to scenes in the First Act of Part One: A 
  Family of sorts (connected to The Star of the 
  Plains) and The Yamaguchi Connection (connected 
  to The Yakuza’s Offer). Referees may use those 
  scenes as a springboard for the adventure. On the 
  other hand, some Referees will want to come up 
  with their own way to involve the players, and they 
  are encouraged to do if possible. As always, Referees 
  are also encouraged to take individual scenes apart 
  and reorganize them in a manner best suited for 
  their own groups. 
  Diogenes Lamp 
  An AI named Diogenes contacts the players, looking 
  for help conducting footwork for an investigation he 
  has mounted into the Yamaguchi Ripper. Diogenes 
  has recently lost someone special to him, a human 
  woman with whom he was having an affair. She was 
  abducted at the same time as another man, a former 
  co-worker of hers named Wiley. Diogenes is not well-
  suited to running around in the real world nor with 
  an investigation of this type, so he needs someone 
  better suited than he is to interact with human 
  elements and get his investigation back on track.
  Setting up the Campaign:
  Spoilers ahead! Characters should not read any of this material,  
  doing so will compromise their enjoyment of the game.
  Referees who want to run Beyond the Open Door will have to be able to find a suitable framework 
  to bring characters into the adventure. For characters who are established troubleshooters (or 
  troublemakers) we have a few suggestions to help. This section will also help Referees who are starting 
  fresh and would like to provide some guidance to their players as they generate characters. Finally, there 
  are pre-generated characters on a unique storyline which Referees running their first Twilight Sector 
  Setting game or a Convention game might be interested.
  
  Setting Up
  
  Diogenes is a very inquisitive AI, and one who 
  genuinely likes humans. Despite that fact that AI 
  have been around in the Twilight Sector Setting 
  for several hundred years, AI/Human relationships 
  are still somewhat rare but they do happen and 
  have since the first AI came online. 
  In Act Two of the Adventure, Diogenes is still 
  willing to back the players, although there is 
  very little he can 
  effectively do for 
  them other than 
  make and pay 
  for their travel 
  arrangements. He 
  would be more 
  helpful in Act Three, 
  although by this time 
  the situation has 
  gone well above his 
  “pay grade” and in 
  fact he will himself 
  have to relocate on 
  the Grid before the 
  OSS knocks him 
  offline permanently. 
  Beyond money, 
  Diogenes is also 
  good for assisting 
  the players as a Net 
  Pilot, riding shotgun 
  for them on the Net 
  as they go along. He 
  might be able to provide some limited assistance to 
  them in this capacity although the Referee should 
  disallow him being able to do every single thing for 
  the players (“Open this door” …“Can he knock out 
  the guard”?) or be used as a convenient source of all 
  possible information. He will however, be a excellent 
  source for any infodumps that the Referee needs. 
  Reese’s Request 
  Another example of a Patron for existing players, 
  especially if those players have already gone 
  through one or more of the Sominum Mundus 
  Adventures, is to have KBI’s resident genius, Reese, 
  ask the players to look into this issue. Aware that 
  there are several roadblocks in the investigations 
  which are politically flowing from well up the 
  governmental foodchain, Reese understands  
  that traditional KBI personnel will not be able to 
  penetrate the mystery and that the local cops 
  aren’t seriously even trying. 
  During Part Two, Reese will eventually have to go 
  underground if he remains in contact with the 
  players at all. The OSS will try to work through 
  him as a conduit to get to the Players. In fact, the 
  players may find out later that Reece has been 
  picked up for questioning by the OSS or that he 
  escaped one of their “friendly interdepartmental 
  interrogations” with several electrical burns and 
  a need for a new pinky finger. Either way, any 
  aid the KBI Man can provide to them is probably 
  going to be paltry by Part Three. Still, Reese is 
  a genius, and that alone might make him very 
  useful to the players  (and in a metagame sense,  
  a deceased character might also be replaced by 
  Reece to give that Player a chance to continue).
  A family of Sorts 
  The Characters could also be approached by 
  Wiley’s editor and friend Gordon Keith Joshua. 
  This works particularly well for ‘hired guns’. Joshua 
  is a member of the reclusive Joshua Colony, but 
  considers his employees to be family of a sort. 
  Start the game with the Part One, Act One scene 
  Star of the Plains and modify it so that Joshua is 
  hiring them rather than providing information. 
  Joshua would still be interested in the story as it 
  delves into Part Two, but at the same time the players 
  are being warned off, he is having a discussion with 
  someone from OSS. From that point forward, he will 
  be much more circumspect (although he might try 
  to sneak them some assistance).
  The Yakuza Connection 
  The Yakuza knows all about the Takara and they 
  do not want to become involved directly. They 
  do however want to “get the job done”, and one 
  of their major figures – Anjou – is willing to make 
  the supreme sacrifice by speaking with someone 
  about the matter. Because the Yakuza have a 
  variety of information sources, this might even be 
  an individual like the pregenerated characters Lu 
  Chongan or Nelli Drake who have lost someone to 
  the Ripper slayings. It would be an easy proposition 
  to say that prior to the Yakuza involvement, these 
  characters were conducting their own fruitless 
  research (start one off with the basic information in 
  KCPD Runaround). Afterwards however, they are 
  pointed in the right direction by Anjou (who may 
  have, for example, set up a meeting with Gordon 
  Keith Joshua on their behalf) and the Yakuza literally 
  get to save the day. How often does that happen?
  These four patrons are of course simply examples 
  of the wide variety of options that the Referee 
  has. Taking any one of them will shift some of the 
  encounters in Act One, which is left to the Referee 
  to best determine.
  As the Harddrive spins...
  An interesting sideline to this 
  concept, mentioned in the course 
  of the adventure, is that Diogenes 
  girlfriend Amanda was not faithful 
  to Diogenes, or conversely, that 
  he and she were having an affair 
  behind Wiley’s back. Perhaps all 
  three are involved in an even more 
  complicated romantic triangle. Not 
  all players or groups are interested 
  in this sort of melodramatic 
  roleplaying, but it might be an 
  interesting challenge to consider: 
  how would an AI react? What 
  happens when someone like an 
  AI becomes smitten? How do 
  they respond to the final crushing 
  reality? Note, these issues work 
  almost as well when Diogenes is 
  a patron as they do when he is a 
  fellow character (see Pre-Gens)
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Rolling up New 
  Characters:
  For Referees who may want to start this adventure 
  with “fresh” characters, there are a few helpful 
  suggestions which might make the adventure go 
  more smoothly:
  First, the adventure works best with characters who 
  have a strong moral compass. Hardened criminals 
  and ice-blooded killers will have a harder time 
  justifying why they care about a bunch of kids than 
  ex-Cops. Of course, to be fair it honestly depends 
  on the “hardened killer” and the storytelling 
  challenges an individual player is interested in 
  taking on. Still, something to consider.
  Second, “Hooks” can be inserted into players linking 
  them to the adventure by some simple decisions 
  made during character creation. Some of these 
  have been discussed in the Internal Motivation 
  heading above but they are no less apt (indeed, 
  they are more appropriate) with “fresh” PCs.
  In addition to establishing two other Connections 
  with other Characters (Traveller Main 
  Rulebook, pg. 8, 37) the characters should also 
  have the opportunity to establish connections 
  for one or two additional to the following 
  organizations and NPC characters  (Traveller 
  Main Rulebook, pg. 40): Wiley and Rosen (who 
  are themselves connected), OSS (in a neutral or 
  negative way), KBI (in  peripheral way, Reese from 
  the free adventure Sominum Mundus might be a 
  good contact for example), the AI Diogenes (if the 
  Referee plans to use him to hire the PCs for the 
  initial investigation) or a victim of the “Yamaguchi 
  Ripper” murders. 
  Referees using the Skill Package rules for their 
  new characters would be advised to pick from: 
  the Traveller Package (a solid general package), 
  Diplomat Package (useful skill sets, but the 
  characters may be burning some bridges long-
  term, still a good basis), Investigator Package 
  (probably the best one for this adventure, but 
  Referees might want to make a more long-term 
  decision) and ironically the Criminal Package 
  (requiring ethical criminals certainly, but an 
  interesting twist on the adventure would be to 
  have people who are already on the other side of 
  the law looking into the deaths/disappearances of 
  some of their friends. The sort of criminal to do so 
  would already be at least somewhat ethical). 
  A note about Starships: There are a lot of 
  adventures which involve players with ships. This 
  is not one of them. In fact, a ship is something of 
  a detriment in the long run and can be frustrating 
  for a player who has spent a considerable amount 
  of time and resources in the game obtaining one. 
  Best to avoid this complication from the start.
  Pre-Generated 
  Characters: 
  Perfect for a One-Shot or Convention-style game, 
  the Pre-Generated Characters below have the 
  skills which will make them successful in this 
  adventure. Their backgrounds are all optional, 
  not all of them have to be used as written. In fact, 
  Referee’s perhaps may not want to use them all of 
  the backgrounds as-written since this would tend 
  to make the group seem a bit too (dare we say) 
  pregenerated. 
  Best to mix one or two of the characters together 
  with their backgrounds listed below intact and 
  strip the others of their background connections 
  altogether: they could be relatives/friends of the 
  involved character, 
  “old army pals” or 
  even hired help.
  Nelli Drake: A 
  mutant ROP citizen 
  born to immigrant 
  parents from the 
  Aztec Republic (her 
  name is Nahuatl/
  Aztec: “truth.”). 
  She is a psionic 
  mutant who has 
  Telepathic and 
  Telekinetic abilities. 
  Her ex-husband was 
  recently killed in a 
  Yamaguchi Ripper-
  related incident. 
  Edward Foster: 
  A centennial (113), 
  Foster is a veteran 
  of Law Enforcement 
  offworld that has 
  come to Terra/Sol 
  in order to track 
  down his estranged 
  daughter Amanda, who recently turned up 
  missing along with her boyfriend Stephen Wiley. 
  Foster’s not willing to listen to the platitudes of 
  Using Mix-and-Match  
  Characters: 
  Looking over the table, the referee 
  decides to use the Edward Foster 
  and Diogenes characters as 
  written here, not the rest. The two 
  know one another through their 
  mutual connection with Amanda 
  Foster (there may of course be 
  friction on that count, what Daddy 
  wants an AI for a Son-in-Law? 
  (Answer: one who wants his taxes done). 
  The two other players in the game 
  want to play Baker and Nelli. The 
  Referee decides that Nelli was 
  hired by Diogenes to do some 
  work on the investigation but 
  when things started to heat up 
  and Edward arrived on-planet, 
  they joined together. The Baker 
  character is a friend of Foster’s, 
  who saved his life on Achilles 
  where Foster is now working as a 
  Sheriff in a little Prospector Town.
  
  Setting Up
  
  the local bumpkins… he wants his little girl and 
  isn’t playing any games.
  Baker: A simian Uplift, Baker was an old buddy of 
  Wiley in the Mutant War who was simply passing 
  through Terra/Sol on his way to a job opportunity 
  in the Inner portions of the System. Baker only 
  became aware of his friend’s disappearance when 
  her read about it in the Star of the Plains and has 
  come down to Terra/Sol to look for answers. 
  Lu Chongan: A local resident of Kansas City 
  whose brother was found dead in an alleyway 
  and linked to the Yamaguchi Ripper. Chongun is 
  a natural mutant who has checkered past with 
  the local law, but no solid convictions. Lu wants 
  answers, and he is willing to do what he must to 
  get them.
  Diogenes:  An AI who was involved in a romantic 
  relationship with Amanda Foster. Diogenes is 
  the same character described at length in the 
  Diogenes Calling Patron description. Here, the 
  AI is taking a more direct hand in these events as 
  they unfold. He has resigned his position in order 
  to spend more time with the investigation in a 
  more “hands on” fashion.
  Statistics and other game details for these 
  characters are at the end of the adventure 
  in sheets that can be copied or printed out 
  separately and handed to the Players. Note that 
  they are devoid of the suggestions listed above.
  Referee’s may also wish to ditch the background 
  entirely rather than use them as-written: such as 
  making Foster into Wiley’s (and thus Rosen’s) ex-
  CO in the Mutant War or making Nelli Wiley’s ex-
  wife (or daughter or… the list goes on and on. The 
  point is that these are simply suggestions to use 
  as a start, let your own imagination guide you.
  The Amanda Foster Question
  The character Amanda Foster is included in this 
  adventure primarily as another means to involve 
  the players in the plot. This does not make her 
  superfluous however, as she can easily become part 
  of the adventure in a variety of unique ways. But 
  because few of those clues are needed, the Adventure 
  does not detail scenes surrounding her in any great 
  length (her apartment, her workplace etc.). Still, for 
  Referee’s interested in making their own stamp on the 
  adventure, Amanda is a good way to accomplish this. 
  She was a member of the Staff in the Sociology 
  department of the University of Kansas City. While not a 
  faculty member, she had a keen interest in the subject 
  and was working on her Master’s degree (this is one 
  of the many different ways she could have met with 
  Diogenes). At the beginning of his investigation, Wiley 
  shared some of the data he collected with Amanda 
  and even later, as he shut himself down regarding her, 
  Amanda kept working on the few clues he gave her. The 
  Referee could connect the characters to the term “Takara” 
  through Amanda, as well as a meeting she had set up 
  with Kannushi-Hiro Fuwa but was unable to keep. They 
  could also discover more about the Clean Streets Initiative 
  and the Yamaguchi Ripper abductions. It was Amanda 
  that led Wiley in this direction, and to the considerably 
  larger pool of prospective victims he was only starting to 
  become aware of when they were captured.
  Another interesting suggestion is that Amanda Foster 
  could become a Player’s new character if one of them 
  dies in the course of the First Part. All the Referee will 
  have to do is place her alive in the catacombs of the 
  Takara. She will have a burning desire to see justice and 
  after listening to the children crying in the dark, she will 
  be well motivated with the later developments of the 
  case. She has excellent investigative and scholarly skills, 
  and through her father, some basic weapon skills.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  What the Players should know...
  A series of mysterious disappearances and brutal 
  slayings has hit the streets of Kansas City, the capital 
  of the Republic of the Plains. These have become 
  known by the somewhat misleading moniker 
  “Yamaguchi Ripper” because the first batch of 
  these abductions all happened within Yamaguchi. 
  Another half dozen however have happened 
  since then in the surrounding city districts.  Over 
  the past four weeks nearly a dozen people have 
  gone missing and even more have been found 
  gruesomely butchered and dumped (either in whole 
  or in nearly unrecognizable parts) around area waste 
  heaps and other forgotten places: the assaults are 
  fast, with little or no witnesses, and they often leave 
  an orgy of violence in their wake.  
  The facts of individual cases however vary widely 
  enough to give pause, and some Kancitians have 
  even gone so far as to discount the ‘Yamaguchi 
  Ripper’ entirely. These detractors claim that what is 
  taken as a “pattern” is merely separate examples of 
  normal violence that are bound to occur in cities 
  the size of the Metro Kansas City area.  “Gruesome 
  murders happen in crowded cities all the time,” they 
  say, “it doesn’t have to be a conspiracy.”
  But there are enough nagging similarities between 
  individual cases that fear has spread into a veritable 
  citywide panic. This panic is actually exacerbated 
  by the paucity of information. There are so few 
  actual eyewitnesses and no video footage of 
  these events has been released by the Kansas City 
  Police Department. Rumors have begun to spread, 
  claiming that mutants are involved (common 
  enough a claim that it is looked at somewhat 
  dubiously), and that there are even more cases that 
  are either unreported or under reported.
  Nothing has been discovered that links the 
  victims and no clues as to the identity of the 
  perpetrator have been uncovered by the 
  authorities, who remain very tight-lipped about 
  the situation. Even the underworld is on edge, 
  as they, too, are uncertain who is responsible for 
  these crimes.
  ...Behind the Scenes
  The true situation is, if anything, even more 
  horrific. Unbeknownst to the citizens of Kansas 
  City, a terrible evil lurks just beneath the surface 
  of daily life, feeding off the lives of the innocent. 
  For over a century, a loathsome cult of cannibals 
  calling themselves Takara have moved through 
  the population of Terra/Sol, living normal lives 
  and blending in with those around them. Though 
  the occasional member drifts too far into public 
  view, leading to the discovery of ‘serial killers’ and 
  ‘psychopaths’, few suspect them of the atrocities 
  they commit on an almost daily basis.
  In Kansas City, a large group of Takara established 
  themselves some time ago and quietly conducted 
  their terrible rites in secrecy. Preying upon transients, 
  the destitute, and others that have long since been 
  discarded by civilized society, the Takara have thus 
  remained undetected. However, a new public policy 
  was established two months ago proposing to ‘clean 
  up the streets of Kansas City.’  The policy removed 
  much of the Takara’s source of victims. This has 
  caused the group to become bolder and they have 
  begun taking greater risks by kidnapping people off 
  the street and from their homes.
  The Invasions appear so random because they 
  are random. The Takara are taking targets of 
  opportunity, using multiple teams of “hunters” 
  that stalk for stragglers and anyone else easily 
  ‘culled from the herd’. A serial killer generally has 
  a pattern, and while they may well be crazy that 
  pattern is defined by some internal logic. The 
  Takara hunting parties are far more atavistic and 
  thus harder to unravel. 
  The disappearances and the murders, combined 
  with the inability of police to gain any headway in 
  the case, led a crusading journalist by the name 
  of Stephen Wiley to do some investigating of his 
  own. With skill and determination, Stephen was 
  able to pick up some leads that unfortunately also 
  drew the attention of the Takara. Very quickly, 
  Stephen disappeared along with his notes, 
  becoming a part of the case himself. 
  Part One: Honor Bound
  Note: None of the information presented in this chapter is common knowledge. 
  The Story Thus Far
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  Setting: Part One
  One of the most important NPCs in Act One isn’t either 
  human or AI or Uplifted goat, but the megacity itself. 
  Like any NPC, the city has a distinctive description, 
  internal motivations and external behaviors, as well 
  as a “dialogue” all its own. Referees may want to 
  ensure that this sense of place is injected into their 
  adventures, both as a way of giving the players a 
  sense of place and to distinguish Kansas City from 
  other locations.
  Physicality: 
  This is a city of extremes, juxtapositions of the old 
  and the new, the immense and the humble. There 
  is always a skyline off in the distance in Kansas 
  City. For a place built on a plain, it has over the 
  years created its own hills and valleys.  
  Portions of Kansas City look like they could be 
  from any major metropolis on Old Earth in the 
  early 21st century: crisscrossed surface streets 
  packed with vehicles, sidewalks jammed with 
  people, tall skyscrapers and low-rise buildings 
  in a testament to man’s harnessing of his 
  environment. This is however not reflective of all 
  of the city. Indeed, this only stands true of the 
  most conservative components of the city, such 
  as the Downtown area, which fights to retain its 
  distinctive flavor and “old world charm”despite the 
  press of humanity all around. 
  Most of the city however cannot afford that 
  luxury. While the plains stretch for hundreds 
  of miles, the city designers for Kansas City 
  consciously fought against sprawl as the 
  population of the area began to mount with flood 
  upon flood of humanity looking to live on this 
  “other Earth”. In some other population centers, 
  the Sprawl is enormous, as is the ecological 
  impact which has caused those cities a major 
  environmental and health problem. Kansas 
  City, using zoning laws and rather draconian 
  environmental regulations “encouraged” the 
  city to grow in a different direction. Although 
  to be more accurate, this should be thought of 
  as a number of different directions: namely the 
  arcology and the Hive or Undercity/overcity.
  There are several arcologies springing from the 
  firmament of the metropolis. Some of these are 
  half-arcology half-normal city, while others have 
  become true arcologies – whole cities inside 
  of single massive structures. What they share is 
  the idea of conservation of space, innovation 
  of design and integration of multiple uses 
  to maximize efficiency and better distribute 
  resources. Roark Tower is one example used in 
  this adventure, almost a work of art this wing-like 
  structure rises out of the city and houses almost 
  a quarter million inhabitants alone (over 1% of 
  the total city population). And Roark Tower is 
  considered small by arcology standards.   
  And then there are the Hives or layered sections 
  of the city. These portions of the megacity 
  have literally been built one over the other in 
  layers. Using high-tech materials designed for 
  superstructures like Beanstalks, older industrial and 
  residential sections of the city have become the 
  base of a second layer of urbanized development, 
  retaining both the upper (Overcity) and lower 
  (Undercity) portions intact. In some cases, two and 
  three layers have been constructed over top of one 
  another in places, creating a hill-like areas which 
  look like somewhat hives when viewed from in 
  cross-section (thus the common name). 
  The inside of these Hives, specifically the undercity 
  portions, have become strange hothouses or 
  urban living. Make no mistake however, not all of 
  these sections have been turned over to criminals 
  and vagrants, several undercities boast upper-
  middle class neighborhoods along with Low and 
  middle class areas. These are however places of 
  perpetual night, or at best twilight, as the sun 
  pokes around the edges of the artificial canyons of 
  steel and carbon nanotubes. Nor are these places 
  that indeed can be avoided. As the megacities 
  grew and population pressures rose higher and 
  higher while sprawls were consciously nipped off, 
  these Hives (as well as the Arcologies) became the 
  answer. Some 40-50% of the city are estimated 
  to live in these areas. While some of them are 
  terrible places of desperation and darkness, others 
  A Slice of Kansas City, Terra
  Before Reading the Following, Referees who have not already, should 
  familiarize themselves with the Setting Information sheets found in the 
  Player Insert Section: “Republic of the Plains” and “Kansas City”
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  are welcoming and homey. The 
  neighborhoods of the undercities 
  tend to reflect the collective 
  personality of those who live and 
  frequent them.
  Personality: 
  The residents of Kansas City call 
  themselves Kancitians (CAN-city-
  ANZ) (similar to their 20th century 
  forebears who considered 
  themselves ‘Kansas citians’). The 
  Kancitians tend to be proud, 
  hardworking and somewhat 
  focused. While these are certainly 
  both overgeneralizations if not 
  stereotypes, the perception of 
  Kancitians is rooted in fact.
  Referees may want to play this 
  up: Kancitians that the players 
  encounter move fast, talk fast 
  and get things done. The crowds 
  here do not just loiter or mill 
  about randomly. They surge, they 
  act like great human streams 
  that go someplace. There are 
  to be sure some eddies and 
  ripcurrents, but the mass of them 
  have somewhere to be and the 
  players either go along with 
  them or have to fight against that 
  tide. 
  While certainly not the 
  only Arcology in the city, 
  Roark Tower, named af-
  ter legendary Architect of 
  the early to mid 20th cen-
  tury, H. Roark is certainly 
  an excellent example. It 
  combines both form and 
  function in the quest to 
  achieve a better future
  Tolle Lege
  While every effort has gone into making this a complete campaign sourcebook, there are a number of areas 
  which have deliberately been left blank for individual Referees to expand, explore or ignore as they wish. Like any 
  roleplaying supplement, this adventure is best when you use it to stimulate your own imagination, adding your 
  own ideas to it to make the whole better. These “blank areas” are just one method of allowing individual Referees 
  that space, and while it certainly is not the only method, it deserves some special mention.
  Some of these “blank areas” have been spelled out in no uncertain terms, these are intended to serve as an 
  example of the type as a whole, with some potentials presented for your consideration.  A good example of this 
  is the Amanda Foster material found in a sidebar in the Setting Chapter. Her story could be as compelling as any 
  of the other Non-Player Character’s in the Campaign, she could easily replace Wiley as a major source of critical 
  information and other sidebars like those dealing with her relationship to Diogenes give further possibilities. 
  But not all ideas can have as much space devoted to them: such as Johnny Ito from Part One. He could be a critical 
  link between the notes and the true lair of the Takara (The Yummy Dragon might just be one of many steps to 
  reach the Nest). The Players could spend a whole night chasing after him as he tries to evade them and the Takara. 
  Similarly, in Part Two, the story of Revanché is completely left out. What can the players find of this contract killer 
  on the grid, this pale imitation of the “Ghost in the Machine”? Such a search could create an excellent “B-Plot” for 
  the middle scenario. Again, these are some of the more straightforward examples. Hopefully, they provide ample 
  room for the Referee to tailor this book to their own style and their own version of the Campaign. Have at it!
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  10
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  11
  In the opening scene, the players attempt to track down Stephen Wiley’s notes in 
  the slums of Kansas City. But first, they have to know where to look.
  Using these encounters 
  The objective for first act of the adventure is to end with the players obtaining the Wiley notes from 
  Rosen. He had the most complete information available, compiled with the eye of a seasoned journalist.
  For Referees looking for the simplest, most direct method (or the fastest for Convention-style play 
  where everything must be accomplished within a single tight session), use the following: The Star 
  of the Plains (directed by their patron or the story of Wiley having been abducted) > Mean Streets 
  (to provide a little action) > Spring Street/Interactions with Rosen (to get the Notes) > The 
  Notebook (an information dump that leads directly into Scene Two).
  In another option, if the players are approached first by Kyle Reece of the KBI who serves as their patron 
  (see Reece’s Request in Setting up the Campaign), they might be issued some official documentation 
  and sent to Wiley’s Apartment (for background data) > The KCPD Runaround (as a nod to the 
  local law and “interagency courtesy”) > and then finally to The Star of the Plains (to look into the 
  background. Leave out the last quote from Keith – which is the most direct way to send the PCs to 
  Rosen – as the PCs should be able to make the connection between the two old army buddies and 
  the Notes given the photos in his apartment) > this could be followed by The Yakuza’s Offer (to give 
  them more information about who they are up against as the Yakuza try to use the players to defeat 
  the Takara) then > Spring Street/Interactions with Rosen (to get the Notes) > The Notebook (an 
  information dump that leads directly into Act Two). This results in a longer adventure, but gives the 
  players a more complete picture of the problems facing them.
  It hardly needs to be added that these are not the only choices for Referees,  (we even discuss some 
  other possibilities from time to time, such as the Amanda Foster character sidebar in Setting above). 
  It should also be noted that the first few scenes (Star of the Plains, Wiley’s Apartment, KCPD 
  Runaround and Yakuza’s Offer) are presented in no particular order. Which scenes play out first will be 
  a matter for individual Referees to determine based on their own story needs.
  Part I, Act One: Breadcrumbs
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  1
  Star of the Plains 
  Offices
  With some minor adaptations, the following 
  encounter could be used as a Patron encounter; 
  with the Editor hiring the Players to look into this 
  matter. He could give them some or all of the 
  information below in discreet parcels, as they 
  report back, or all at once as written; the Referee 
  must pace as they need to fit the time they have 
  available. For example, the Players might be sent 
  to the apartment first, find the photos and ask the 
  editor about the man (Rosen) in them. The Editor 
  will identify Rosen and has the information that 
  will send the players to him.
  Getting there
  The Star of the Plains is located in the almost-
  completed Roark Tower, an arcology located in 
  the downtown area. Because of its location in 
  the arcology, the Star’s offices are not so much a 
  “building” as they are a location or section within the 
  larger structure. 
  Getting to the arcology itself is the first step:
  Description:  
  The Roark Tower is a majestic structure that 
  rests on the banks of the Missouri River, and 
  rises up hundreds of meters tall, forming a 
  graceful wing-shape that has already given the 
  Downtown Zone a unique skyline.
  For Referees who want to add some “color” to their 
  descriptions, the main offices of the Star of the 
  Plains are located in Grid 12 of Roark Tower, on the 
  eastern half of the building on levels 12-14.  
  It is accessed it by taking some of the slideways 
  inside of the Tower to a bank of elevators in Grid 4 
  at the eastern edge of the structure and upwards 
  from there in some of the many elevators located 
  in that section. There, they must backtrack slightly 
  and take slideways to the main entrance of the Star 
  Offices. Use description to make the place vibrant, 
  alive, interesting and science fictional.
  Description:  
  The inside of the arcology is almost as beautiful 
  and awe-inspiring as the outside, filled to 
  capacity with residential, commercial, and 
  even industrial units The Star of the Plains for 
  example has a smartsign operation (the vast 
  billboard sized advertisements scattered around 
  the city) on Level 14. 
  There is also a burgeoning population that 
  provides a vibrant hustle and bustle here. 
  People of all walks of life and all stations are 
  constantly on the go . The Thoroughfares (their 
  major hallways) are always filled and there are 
  open spaces for people to gather, sit and talk 
  with one another. The air is alive with robots of 
  every shape, design and color. They too live in 
  this space and give it a unique flavor.
  The Star takes up almost the entirety of Grid 12, 
  so as the players zoom along the slideways to the 
  main entrance, they will be passing by many of the 
  offices which have windows facing out over the 
  arcology’s mass-transit network. 
  Eventually, they reach the Public Access Portal  
  (aka “front lobby”). 
  Description:  
  The front lobby is bustling with activity, with a 
  lot of high end robots in evidence [Referee Note: 
  Players who might be interested will actually 
  know that some are ‘Automatons’, but only 
  among Robosnobs. The reason for the difference 
  will be apparent when they meet the Editor.]. 
  A well-dressed and attractive female Biocon 
  greets the players as they approach the front 
  desk: “Welcome to the Star of the Plains. May I 
  help you?” Her eyes are only slightly glassy. The 
  model itself is a Karen, one of the types used 
  mostly in Executive Assistant positions.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  If the Editor (he likes to go by “Keith”) is expecting 
  the players, they have but to announce 
  themselves and they will be whisked inside to 
  the room described below. Otherwise, there is 
  a string of people they will need to talk to first. 
  Referees can ad lib these tedious encounters or 
  just inform the players that they go through a 
  montage of very pleasant and annoying folks 
  before something sinks in and they are taken to 
  see the one they came to see. Players with some 
  credentials (government, KBI, even the backing of 
  the Yakuza) will get there faster, but eventually the 
  Characters are whisked into a plush meeting area.
  Description: The players are taken to an 
  impressive room with a conference style table and 
  comfortable seating. The series of windows facing 
  the lobby slowly opaque once they are all seated. 
  Then a Holoscreen pops up in the center of the 
  now (slightly) darkened room. In the glow of the 
  Holoscreen a figure appears, obviously in zero (or 
  at least very low)-gravity. A space station floats 
  against a sea of stars behind his head.
  The figure is a Joshua, as in one of the Joshua 
  clone family (direct interested players to the 
  Joshua Colony insert). He is a handsome man, 
  as they all are, and smiles in a manner you can 
  tell is professionally polished (but not insincere 
  necessarily). 
  “Welcome [ladies/gentlemen/sentients as 
  appropriate], I’m Gordon Keith Joshua. Please 
  though, call me Keith.”  He gives you another one 
  of those dazzling Joshua smiles. “I’ve been told 
  that you are looking for information about one of 
  my employees.”
  Dialogue: 
  Keith is able to provide a good deal of information 
  about his employee, and can give them brief 
  details on the case. The following are examples of 
  the kind of dialogue “Keith” might use.  
  "Yes, Wiley is one of my employees, and I don’t 
  let one of my employees get treated that way."
  "He was abducted right from his own conapt, 
  not fourteen blocks from outside of this 
  arcology, which is enough for the police to 
  claim that this isn’t one of the Yamaguchi 
  Ripper. But we know better don’t we? When 
  a man who is investigating these events gets 
  snatched in almost the exact same fashion as 
  the other Ripper victims, you know he got too 
  close and they took him to shut him up. 
  If the Referee decides to use Keith as a Patron 
  add the following immediately afterward: 
  “Wiley wasn’t going to shut up voluntarily, 
  
  
  
  Gordon Keith Joshua, or “Keith”, Editor of the Star of the Plains
  and I’m not going to let someone else make 
  the decision for him. But I’m also not going to 
  squander my resources. I have plenty of other 
  reporters who would give their eyeteeth to 
  get onto this, but I need someone like you, 
  someone that isn’t going to end up the same 
  way.” 
  "I'm also worried about his 
  girlfriend, Amanda Foster. 
  She's a nice girl, worked 
  for a while as a researcher 
  for us before she went on 
  to the university. She was 
  kidnapped at the same time."
  Keith also can tell the players that 
  Wiley often made use of a source 
  named Rosen who is a vagrant 
  now residing in the Spring Street 
  Shelter. 
  [Referee Note: this is one of the 
  most direct ways for the players 
  to be directed to Rosen and thus 
  Wiley’s notes. Use carefully unless 
  you want to make Act I short] 
  
  Dialogue Coach: 
  Like some of the 
  other examples of 
  dialogue found in the 
  adventure,  Referees 
  do not have to use 
  these exact passages. 
  Do however keep 
  in mind that some 
  of this dialogue 
  might contain clues 
  Referees may want to 
  incorporate elsewhere, 
  either in another 
  format or using 
  another character.
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  1
  About Rosen: "The two fought in the war 
  together, old buddies that got separated. 
  Wiley went up, Rosen down. Way down." 
  "Rosen gives Wiley information from time to 
  time, street angle stuff you know? Wiley may 
  have contacted him during his investigation 
  of this case. Stands to reason, there was some 
  kind of street angle Wiley had latched onto 
  a week or so ago. That was about when he 
  stopped filing regular reports. Turned up 
  missing the next day, then the story came out 
  about his abduction."  
  [Referee Note: this behavior, going to 
  ground as it were, is not something unusual 
  for Wiley. If asked, Keith is very open about 
  how his star reporter can get so fully 
  immersed in a story that he looses all touch. 
  He describes the reporter as “intense”]. 
  "Rosen lives at the Spring Street Shelter, he's 
  one of their new 'residents' if you catch my 
  drift. Wiley did a story about the Shelter when 
  his friend went in, but Rosen is a stubborn 
  bastard; one of those self-destructive types 
  from what Wiley says." 
  "My guess is that Rosen might know 
  something, if not what Wiley knows than at 
  least what he doesn’t know…" [Referee’s 
  Note: this is the most direct means to send 
  the PCs to Rosen]
  The Crimescene
  Wiley lives in a decent section of town, in a 
  building with decent security. In addition to 
  being his residence, this is also a place of interest 
  because it is where he was abducted.
  Exterior
  If the Players decide to track down Wiley’s 
  apartment, it is easy enough to locate. Privacy 
  laws in the Confederation are moderately strict, 
  but telephone directories are not technical 
  violations of the law, even those that list “unlisted” 
  addresses. Wiley’s is 19724 Liberty Avenue, Apt 83.
  Description: Paxton Place is a tall blue-steel 
  Conapt (which stands for Condo/Apartment, 
  a term used for both the living unit and the 
  building) at the edge of Liberty Plaza, part of 
  the Downtown Zone (and thus not far from the 
  offices of the Star of the Plains offices). It is 
  well-maintained and quite impressive as such 
  buildings go, although it has been dwarfed by 
  the great arcologies that are beginning to rise 
  all around the city and constantly threatened to 
  be swallow up as layer after layer is built in the 
  surrounding zones.
  
  
  
  
  Bio: Stephan Wiley
  The ace investigative reporter of the Star of the Plains, 
  Stephen Wiley has had a varied and distinguished 
  career. Born in 2950, Wiley’s parents were immigrants 
  to the Terra/Sol system, originally settling on Achilles 
  where his father served as an Engineer on the massive 
  gravity inductor being used there for terraforming.
  Wiley entered the military in 2968, against the wishes of 
  his parents, and became part of Terra’s 144th Fusiliers, 
  a light infantry unit that performed work all along the 
  Crescent Sector during the War. It was as a member of 
  the Fusiliers that Wiley met Jan Rosen and the Simian 
  Uplift Baker. Receiving a field commission in 2972, 
  Stephen nevertheless maintained a close relationship 
  with his former non-commissioned comrades 
  throughout his service.
  During a particularly nasty engagement in 2980, 
  Stephen was wounded by one of the APR’s 
  “experimental weapons”. His injuries ultimately required 
  the biological replacement of both eyes (cybernetics 
  would not take), but also damaged his nerve endings 
  such that he could not bear intense light. Since then, 
  Stephen became known by the wraparound sun visor, 
  only taking it off at night and for dramatic effect.
  Wiley was hired by Gordon Keith Joshua himself at 
  the Star of the Plains , first as a way to get back on the 
  battlefield as a War Correspondent, but later embracing 
  his role as an Investigative Reporter. He has since 
  become the terror of Kansas City officials. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  The front of the building has an elegant lobby, 
  which is designed to be a show of “old money” 
  and “taste” above cutting edge style and 
  technology. They employ real human doormen, 
  in long buttoned coats at all times (refrigerated in 
  the hot months thankfully) with a peaked hat that 
  features the conapt’s stylized logo. They greet all 
  visitors with “Good (morning/afternoon/evening 
  as needed)” and request if they can be of service, 
  particularly when the individual they are greeting 
  is not one of the two-hundred residents of the 
  Conapt or a semi regular visitor. 
  Eyewitness
  The case of Stephen Wiley is unusual in that it 
  has an actual eyewitness, although only a partial 
  eyewitness. Pete Veskilaros is the Night Doorman 
  of the conapt, and he saw Wiley (and Amanda 
  Foster if the Referee is using her for a springboard 
  to the adventure as well) being taken away by 
  several men. This is where it gets a bit vague. 
  According to the police reports as well as the 
  report in the Star of the Plains and other news 
  outlets, he witnessed the two being pushed into a 
  waiting car by two “mutant types”. Reporting also 
  noted that the car Veskilaros identified was stolen 
  earlier that evening and later found abandoned 
  in the river, where the rushing water and general 
  contamination made it a useless as a piece of 
  evidence even with 30th century technology.
  Because Veskilaros is the night doorman of the 
  conapt, he is unlikely to be at the building in the 
  daytime. He can be found in one of the local area 
  pubs though both before and after his shifts, not 
  so much drinking and soaking in the atmosphere 
  of the downtown Zone rather than return to his 
  tiny bolthole apartment in Mission Hills. Most of 
  the other doormen know of his haunts and would 
  be happy to point the PCs in that direction if they 
  don’t seem like creeps. 
  Description: 
  Veskilaros is a tall man, slightly gangly, with a 
  broad smile and a jaunty, breezy manner. He 
  will either be dressed in his formal work clothing 
  or in casual but stylish clothing.
  Veskilaros willing to talk, practically to anyone 
  willing to listen to his tale, and he readily gives a 
  full account of the situation. Although he may also 
  ask that they come back later or during his boss’s 
  break-time if he’s on duty. The information has 
  been already been made public, but the Conapt 
  Manager doesn’t like the parts of his story that 
  reflect a lack of security. “Bad for the building, ya 
  know?” as Veskilaros himself says. Unfortunately, 
  for all his readiness to open up, Veskilaros actually 
  has very little to add to the general details 
  reported already (noted above). Some of what 
  Veskilaros has to say might include:
  "These weren't any normal mutants," (he 
  glances at any mutants there), no SIM 
  or even… uh, Emerged that I ever seen. 
  Definitely no Orc, although one guy was 
  as big if not bigger. They wore cheap suits, 
  looked... funny. Weird you know.   
  "The Cops said they swept the area with DNA 
  scanners and all, but got nothing. I don’t 
  know how, these guys weren't in vacc suits or 
  nothing…"
  "The Car? Cops said they found it floating 
  down the river next day. Stolen."
  (For games which have the Amanda Foster 
  character:) "Miss Amanda. Nice gal, stays 
  there sometimes you know. I let her up just 
  before Mr. Wiley got home. Should have seen 
  his face when I told him." He may blanche 
  slightly if someone close to her is present. 
  "Never any trouble from Miss Amanda. Nice 
  manners. Sweet girl, sweet couple really."
  There was one thing. I told the Cops about 
  it but they didn’t know anything about it. I 
  didn’t see it in any of the news reports either, 
  so they must have dismissed it right? What? 
  Oh, yeah... Miss Foster  said something when 
  she saw me coming over. Tak. Takra. Tara. [he 
  pauses a moment] Takara. That was it. Takara.
  He has no idea what that means. It appears in the 
  confidential police records as  “garbled statement 
  reported by witness.” (see Page 30 if the Player 
  tries to look this name name up)
  The Apartment
  If the Characters want to examine the apartment, 
  they will have to break in, since it is a sealed crime 
  scene. To break through the Police slap-lock. Make 
  an Electronics (Intelligence or Education, -1, 1-
  6 minutes) or a Deception (Intelligence, -2, 10-60 
  Seconds) check to disengage the Police slap-on 
  magbolt lock: If they fail, the System lets off a 
  silent alarm to the local station and police will 
  arrive in 2d6 minutes to investigate. If they only 
  Marginally Succeed, the players will still trip the 
  alarm, but they will also be aware of it and thus 
  know they have little time. 
  Description:  
  Wiley was a man on the go a lot, and his 
  apartment reflect this. It is spartan without 
  being actually bare. It’s also upscale as 
  these things go, definitely no cubicle but no 
  penthouse in the sky either. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  1
  The violence of the scene is unfortunately 
  also evident. His furnishings have been upset, 
  obviously in the tussle when he was taken, but 
  the place has been cleaned out already for most 
  Forensic analysis. Either by the KCPD or a herd 
  of Mammoths.  
  No real hard evidence remains in the by eye or 
  scanner however, some inept investigating and a 
  professional snatch job coming together. Referees 
  that have not started with the Editor at the Star of 
  the Plains have plenty here to remind the PCs to look 
  Gordon Keith Joshua up – from the various memos 
  and other corporate paperwork that Wiley has 
  around the place to his framed award-winning story.
  Investigate (Education, +1, 1-6 minutes) or Recon 
  (Intelligence, +0, 1-6 minutes): There are relatively 
  few pictures on the walls, or anywhere else in 
  the apartment for a man that makes his living in 
  the media. There is however nothing to indicate 
  that pre-existing photos have been taken away 
  however (shadows on the wall and other telltale 
  marks which are the classics of mystery fiction). 
  Description:  
  Of the few images that there are, they are all 
  old-style flat prints and they tend to be of the 
  same three people photographed in different 
  parts of the city, usually city parks and other 
  local monuments. 
  The figures in the photos are: Stephen Wiley 
  himself, a blonde woman (Amanda Foster) and 
  another man who appears (according to the 
  dates on the back) to be in increasingly worse 
  shape as the images progress.
  [Referee Note: this is Rosen, but as he is so far 
  off the grid, his name will be more difficult to find 
  without talking to some of Wiley’s other friends. If 
  one of the players has a history in common with 
  the men however, they will recognize him, but 
  only after a moment. They are also concerned.] 
  Other Details from the Complex: 
  There is precious little in the apartment for such 
  a large well-run place. The abduction was late 
  at night, and the many murders which have 
  taken place as part of the Assaults were other 
  eyewitnesses. The doorman is actually one of 
  the rare few and might himself one day come up 
  missing if the problem persists. Interviews with 
  neighbors get nothing solid either. Someone heard 
  a scuffle and called downstairs to complain, which 
  was why Vaskilaros the doorman noticed them 
  leaving the back way in the first place.
  The KCPD Runaround
  If the players have some official capacity with the 
  government or police (members of KBI or working 
  for members of KBI for example) talking to the 
  Police Department should be relatively easy in 
  theory. 
  In practice however, the Characters will have 
  some difficulty in getting in to speak to the right 
  person. The characters will quickly become aware 
  that they are being given the runaround. This 
  activity is so blatant that no skill check is required. 
  As they get shuffled between offices and an 
  endless stream of bureaucratic zombies and 
  Public Relations sycophants, the Characters can 
  possibly get some details along the outer edges 
  however. The Referee should roll the check Admin 
  (Intelligence or Education, +0) for each (frankly 
  pathetic) round of “pass-the-problem” the players 
  are willing to withstand beyond the first. An 
  extraordinary success should get 2 or more of the 
  tidbits. Each round takes roughly an hour of the 
  Character’s time. These details are, in order:
  The Police are obviously baffled. They would 
  not be tying so hard to stiff-arm questions 
  unless they had very little data themselves. 
  (free, for anyone with Admin, still takes an 
  hour to distinguish from normal inefficiency)
  Beyond this fact however, some details 
  surface: Including the fact that all of the 
  analysis done at the scene of the attack (any 
  of the attacks indeed) concerning the DNA 
  of the attackers (skin samples that were not 
  otherwise identified et al) have come back 
  from the lab as “anomalous results.” Help has 
  been requested from Confederation labs, but 
  officials there have been slow to respond. No 
  indication they have even tried on paper.
  There is an embarrassing fact that emerges as 
  well: the much touted sophisticated camera 
  systems scattered all over the city, even those 
  on freely moving remotes and drones, located 
  inside of the areas where the attacks occur 
  are mysteriously ‘blacked out’ during every 
  single attack.
  Furthermore, there is a section of the city 
  – Yamaguchi – which has spotty camera 
  feedback at all times. This has become worse 
  as the abduction situation has developed. The 
  difference however is that while the normal 
  video outages in the District have no patter, 
  cropping up randomly. Those outages that 
  coincide with the outages at the locations 
  where the abductions are taking place 
  
  
  
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  however are total, blacking out the entire 
  District. 
  There is a rather disturbing sense of fear in 
  those nominally in charge of the investigation 
  and the officials above them. Something has 
  warned them off the case or made them very 
  upset about pursuing it.
  In the extraordinary (or maybe not) event that the 
  Players confront (or kidnap) officials ‘in the know’ 
  they are given the following description, which 
  the Referee can adapt to whatever character and 
  whatever event they need (since, this is someone 
  that the players are choosing on their own the 
  Referee will have to just wing the descriptions). 
  The following could also come up if the Referee 
  wants to use the Police to bypass some of the 
  other optional scenes in this section of the 
  adventure, or if the player has a good contact of 
  ally in the KCPD:
  "Look, everybody wants this to be wrapped 
  up. Publicly. And we are taking the heat for 
  it. Publicly. But every time we make a step 
  forward, we got a lot of pushback from the 
  boys up stairs. Way up stairs. Look, I don’t 
  know what's going on, but I don’t know that I 
  want to know if you take my meaning."
  On Pressure: “Who? Who isn’t? I get reports 
  that are marked Code 3 Confidential to lay 
  off certain aspects of the case – like the 
  Yamaguchi video feed problem. That came 
  straight from the offices of the Confederation 
  Governor’s Special Task Force.”  
  [Referee Note: Chasing down this lead sends 
  them straight into the rabbit hole. The person 
  who sent it doesn’t acknowledge having 
  sent it or seen anything from the Kansas City 
  Police Department. Then the Players will also 
  be “officially dissuaded” from asking too many 
  questions. Punishment for raising their profile 
  in what they should by now understand is a 
  delicate, high stakes political situation.] 
  On Evidence: “Our labs turn over nothing, so 
  I send them out to the Colonial Government’s 
  Labs. They said there was nothing they could 
  detect. So I have a friend in OSS who I send it 
  to. An hour after the request was made, they 
  said there was nothing they could detect. Of 
  course, they almost certainly didn’t have the 
  samples in hand yet right? Then another hour 
  later, I get an order from an OSS director. They 
  informed me that I needed to send all of the 
  samples – all of them mind you – up to the 
  Labs. They made me personally sign them out. 
  Not some flunky, not some tech. Me.”
  
  
  
  
  If the players press further, and the Referee feels 
  it is a good idea at this point in the pacing of 
  the adventure, the players can get their hands 
  on the actual report form the local cops. It is not 
  particularly helpful, but a few details do stand out 
  that even Wiley manages to miss in his otherwise 
  copious notes (have to have something to reward 
  the players with for chasing down this lead after 
  all). The DNA results are to put it mildly: weird 
  beyond compare, it isn’t remotely human and 
  has a makeup that gave the testing program fits. 
  But there are some other details as well, a range 
  of complex carbohydrates and sugars taken from 
  touched objects that are normally associated with 
  kitchen supplies. Nothing too exotic to indicate 
  much specifics, nothing rare or only found in a 
  particular place. Might be a Texicalli or Oriental 
  restaurant, might be something else entirely: 
  there is too little to go on here. One of these 
  traces did however consist of an exotic oil extract 
  that was definitely not in an average eatery: 
  commercial-grade massage oil. The Policeman 
  will also reveal that he (or she if they got someone 
  female) held back some of the samples for their 
  own protection. 
  Lastly, if the players have somehow missed it, the 
  Wiley-Rosen connection can be stressed here. 
  That will get the Players onto the right track.
  The Yakuza’s Offer 
  Like Star of the Plains, this scene could be run 
  as a separate means of becoming involved in the 
  investigation writ large, or as a more polished 
  method to get the characters to connect the dots 
  between the evil-doers and the Yummy Dragon 
  – or at least as a means of entry to the Oriental 
  Section of the city. 
  Either coming off their run-in with Metro PD 
  intransigence over the case or if the Players 
  seem to not have a handle on the situation, the 
  following encounter could serve to point them 
  in the right direction. It could also serve as a way 
  to prompt them during the second part of the 
  adventure. The players should note however 
  that the Yakuza will only become involved if the 
  players ‘come onto their radar’ and they should 
  not be treated like a magical or omniscient group. 
  Still, they have a lot of connections.
  Setting Up the Meeting 
  The PCs are approached by an extremely well 
  dressed man of Japanese descent.  He introduces 
  himself as Katsumata and tells them his employer 
  would be honored if they would take a meeting 
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  1
  with him.  If asked he will tell them his employer is 
  Ori Anjou.  
  An Investigate (Intelligence or Education, +2) 
  check or a Streetwise (Intelligence or Social 
  standing, +4) check will identify Mr. Anjou as 
  the head of the Yakuza in Kansas City.  If the PCs 
  accept Katsumata’s offer (highly recommended 
  if they want to keep ties), a limousine will quickly 
  pull up and whisk them away to their meeting.
  Ori Anjou Takes his Last Meeting
  The players are taken to a walled estate 
  reminiscent of a Japanese castle.  
  Description:  
  Once out of the Car, you are ushered into a 
  peaceful-looking home that faces well away 
  from the bustling megacity. There are guards 
  discreetly placed all around the estate and in 
  small towers around the wall.  No weapons are 
  visible but you don’t doubt that they are present 
  or within easy reach.  
  You are lead into a courtyard where there is a 
  pool in the central garden that is stocked with 
  practically priceless Earth-originating Koi. There 
  is a rock and pebble garden for peaceful raking 
  and contemplation, beautiful shrubbery, and 
  stone benches arrayed in a serene pattern. 
  In one corner of the garden there are some 
  items laid out: a bowl of water two swords one 
  short and one long as well as several pieces of 
  what appears to be rice paper.  
  If the PCs (or your players) are at all familiar with 
  Oriental culture they will probably be begging for 
  rolls to identify what is going on here, as these are 
  all items used in Japanese ritual suicide (Seppuku).  
  If the PCs are so impolite as to ask about the items 
  they will be met with a cold stare and Katsumata will 
  step in and politely tell them that Mr. Anjou will be 
  the one asking questions, and they are to respond 
  only to Mr. Anjou’s questions.
  It is in this setting that the PCs will be introduced 
  to the ancient head of the Yamaguchi Yakuza, 
  Oyabun Ori Anjou. His appearance is somewhat 
  disconcerting because he looks ancient, which is 
  quite uncommon in the 30th century where even 
  the very old at least look young.  
  Description:  
  An old man enters the courtyard, dressed 
  in simple yet elegant fashion that is strictly 
  traditional. Stooped but still apparently spry, 
  he moves with complete confidence, practically 
  gliding as he walks to the players. When he 
  speaks, his voice has the slight wobble of a very 
  old Centennial.  
  “Are you interested in determining the identity 
  of the people behind the Yamaguchi Ripper?” he 
  asks them very directly. His eyes bore into theirs.
  Dialogue: From here on out, the Referee is going 
  to have to get more creative. Keep in mind that 
  Ori Anjou is a strict traditionalist and a Centennial. 
  He is performing a role that he sees as utterly 
  symbolic of his life:
  "These behind these assaults are a group of 
  foul… creatures.. who are the enemy of all 
  mankind – including the Yakuza. They are known 
  as the…" [He hesitates just barely, then hisses.] 
  “Takara.” 
  "The Takara come originally from Laos, where 
  they were often called the ‘other people’ 
  even before humanity began to splinter and 
  corrupt itself with our technology. Although 
  they look like us, they are not human at 
  all. They are not even as ‘human’ as the 
  subhumans among us – the uplifted beings 
  and the Artificial Intelligences.”  
  [Referee Note: The Yakuza isn’t overly 
  interested in nonhumans with their concern 
  over purity.]
  "They have been created for the sole purpose 
  of our downfall. They steal men’s souls and 
  corrupt their bodies. They conspire to bring 
  down the great with their own vices and give 
  them foul new ones as well."
  "A ghost was working with Wiley. One 
  of our Little Brothers who called himself 
  Shadowborn among the gaijin. He was killed 
  using someone from outside of Kansas 
  City, outside of the Republic of the Plains: A 
  London-based Netpilot named Revanche. 
  Revanche has powerful friends, we will not 
  touch him." [Referee Note: If this is where the 
  game begins, use that statement to direct the 
  Players towards Wiley and his notes] 
  "As powerful as they are, they are also weak 
  in their own way. You must locate the nest 
  of these Takara and root them out from their 
  secret places. Find the nest and destroy their 
  Queen. This is the key. This is the only way to 
  save us all from them and their corruption."
  With that he will turn away from the PCs indicating 
  they have been dismissed. 
  Katsumata will quickly usher them out deflecting 
  their questions as much as possible.  If the players 
  ask him for any further details, he will keep repeating 
  the mantra "Find the Takara, just find the Takara…" 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  Spring Street Shelter
  The shelter is one of those used in the city council’s 
  plan to provide housing for the homeless (whether 
  they want it or not) and get much of the criminal 
  and destitute off the streets. Established in a niche 
  underneath the city’s water storage and treatment 
  plant, the shelter is little more than a concentration 
  of the city’s discarded people. The Shelter has been 
  designed to meet the bare minimum requirements 
  for occupancy, beyond this the ambiance of the 
  shelter is similar to a post-apocalyptic prison. 
  Description (Exterior):  
  There are few cars in this section of the Lowdown 
  and the Slideways do not run into these sections. 
  Nonetheless, there is a road, and automated 
  vehicles often ply it so the locals keep off it lest 
  they turn into another kind of statistic. 
  You reach the Spring Street Shelter, which is 
  nestled under one of the cities major water 
  treatment reservoirs and note that there is a 
  crowd of around 75-100 gathered around the 
  exterior. No KCPD presence is nearby.
  The crowd is shouting and doing some minor 
  property damage here and there to the exterior 
  as you arrive, but there are no police in evidence. 
  Most of the people in the crowd have a glowing 
  red dot under the skin on their neck. A few are 
  glowing yellow.
  As discussed in the player insert on ‘Clean Streets’, 
  The glowing red means that they cannot leave, 
  yellow means that they have to get back to the 
  shelter. This is all a function of the Clean Streets 
  Initiative in Kansas City, and these semi-riots are 
  common enough that the Police don’t bother to 
  come out. The damage is caught on camera and 
  added to the records of the malcontents (thus 
  lengthening their ineligibility for the full dole). 
  At the top of the hour, (Referees should use as 
  deemed necessary) the players see the following:
  Suddenly the yellow dots turn red and the red 
  dots turn green. There is a ragged cheer from 
  the crowd and some mingled groans  as the 
  green-dots start to file out of the crowd, moving 
  in bunches and packs away from the building.
  The ex-yellow-now-red dots loiter for a while, 
  muttering. While some of them continue the 
  “fun” the vast majority begin to stream inside.
  Approach with Caution
  Whether the “shift change” occurs with the Players 
  present or not, the Shelter crowd is going to cause 
  City Ecology
  The Water Storage and Treatment facility on Spring 
  Street is one of hundreds of such facilities designed 
  to allow the teeming millions of Kansas City to live 
  without stressing the resources of Terra any more 
  than they already have. The place was designed to be 
  as self-contained as possible. The city then later built 
  these vagrant shelter facilities in an out-of-the-way 
  (and frankly undesirable) location where they already 
  owned the land. Like the water treatment facility. 
  Unfortunately, this makes shelters even worse to 
  actually live in, but the city doesn’t really mind. Why 
  should they? The decision-makers don’t have to live 
  here, and neither do the Tax-paying Kancitians.
  Brother, can you spare a Credstick?
  The Clean Streets Initiative (see Insert) has been 
  sweeping up the vagrant problem in Kansas City. The 
  average Kancitian is torn over this issue however: 
  there is a tension between the genuine desire for a 
  reform and the severeness of this approach that makes 
  many uneasy. The Tagging process alone is causing a 
  groundswell of discontent among voters. 
  But where is this problem coming from in the first place?
  Given that there is a significant Unemployment issue in 
  the Setting (somewhere close to 30%) created by labor 
  dislocation, where do vagrants and the need for shelters 
  come from? With a dole that large, what’s going’ on? 
  There are two perfectly good answers to that: 
  Metagame-wise having a poor and downtrodden 
  are helpful to a story from time to time. Happy 
  shiny futures have no need for crime and the sort 
  of mayhem most adventures involve. Simply put: 
  We Refs need ‘em.
  There is a tension that is involved in the 
  unemployment situation that cannot be 
  resolved by more robotic labor and fancier tech. 
  Actually, there is more than one, but they are 
  related: the need for consumption to maintain 
  an essentially capitalist model and the gap 
  between the dole and what is needed to survive 
  even in a hyperefficiency flat.  The government 
  provides just below what is needed. This forces 
  people to look for work, even temporary work 
  (“Oddjobbing”). It also means that sometimes 
  they cannot make it and slip through the cracks. 
  Beyond this, there is also an issue with eligibility. 
  Orions with criminal records are not eligible for full 
  benefits for a certain amount of time (based on crime) 
  and thus they have nowhere else to turn.  
  
  
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  0
  some friction as they come into contact with the 
  PCs. This is inevitable, and a major social problem 
  of the city since the Clean Streets Initiative began. 
  Shelter residents are very resentful of the freedom 
  of movement enjoyed by “normal” Kancitians. This 
  is understandable to some degree, but it often 
  manifests in outbursts of violence.
  In order to provide a little stimulation (since by 
  now, the players should have been combing 
  through information resources), the referee can 
  have this potential bubble over. The reasoning 
  is simple: emotions around shift change run 
  high. This is why the KCPD was nowhere near; 
  because the semi-riot turns into a real riot with 
  even minimal official presence. Even those who 
  are now “at liberty” are keyed up, throttled high, 
  and they are looking at some “straights” who 
  apparently have nothing better to do than alley 
  cat around their neighborhood.
  Then there are the genuine “bad elements” among 
  the shelter residents, ex-criminals who are angry 
  and bored. They want someone to resist.
  Description: While approaching the shelter, 
  you see four street thugs moving to intercept 
  you. The thugs are armed with a variety of light 
  hand weapons such as knives, pipes and chains 
  and they clearly have the eagerness to use them 
  for a little of the old ultraviolence.  
  The thugs appear to be little more than older 
  teens, but their demeanor says it all: they mean 
  business, and their business is violence. 
  The players do not need to fight the thugs in 
  order to get them to back down; players can 
  attempt a Streetwise (Intelligence, +0) or a 
  Persuade (Strength, -1) skill check to talk down 
  the thugs and get them to let the players pass. 
  Description (Interior):  
  Opening the door of the Shelter, one can feel the 
  heat and humidity inside. The air is thick with 
  the smell of chlorinated water, and the clammy 
  result makes most people begin to sweat 
  profusely as soon as they enter. 
  Trash litters the halls, graffiti covers most bear 
  surfaces, dried blood and human waste are 
  all over and vagrants can be found sleeping in 
  the halls, elevators and other spots throughout 
  the shelter. The smell becomes worse as one 
  moves deeper inside, cut slightly by the chlorine 
  smell. The lighting is sparse and erratic; making 
  some areas of the shelter completely dark while 
  others are bathed in bright light day and night. 
  Various smartsigns scattered around the walls 
  proclaim the benefits of “Staying Straight” and 
  “Becoming a Valued Member of Society”, these 
  have been targeted for special abuse. One has 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  been reprogrammed in a particularly graphic 
  way that is both scandalous and hilarious. 
  Inside of the Lobby, there is a Computer terminal 
  (Marked with stars on the map) inside of the wall, 
  its face covered by a thick layer of transparent 
  composite. However it looks as if someone 
  smashed the thick composite open (no mean 
  feat) and began to cannibalize what was within. 
  Another computer screen appears to be next to 
  the stairwell, and that may be intact (they cannot 
  see from here). [Referee’s Notes: It is]
  For Characters that ask about Computer 
  Systems: There is a computer system inside 
  of the Building, which is built into the load-
  bearing walls wall, with sealed touch-based 
  controls that are behind thick plaz. Many 
  of them look like they have been attacked, 
  but a few do function. The Intellect system 
  however is a bit primitive, perhaps even stupid 
  by digital standards, which probably reflects 
  having been tampered with so often.
  If the players enter the Shelter, there are usually 
  a few people loitering around in the Lobby and 
  the Common rooms. If they enter just after a shift 
  change, all of the neck-implants of those inside 
  the Shelter are shining red. 
  The players must first locate Rosen in the seven-
  story shelter; no one provided details as to where 
  in the shelter Rosen is located. This was not an 
  oversight, anyone who knows about the Shelters 
  knows that people move in and around them 
  constantly. The two easiest methods of locating 
  Rosen involve the players asking around among 
  the residents or using the shelter’s internal 
  computer system. 
  Players asking around find themselves 
  knocking on doors and waking those asleep in 
  the halls; doing so allows players to attempt a 
  Persuade (Intelligence, -2) skill check. 
  Players attempting to use the shelter’s 
  computers find the system outdated, 
  riddled with errors and very difficult to 
  navigate; players can attempt a Computers 
  (Intelligence, -2) skill check. 
  Success on either of the above skill checks result 
  in the players locating Rosen’s room on the fifth 
  level, room 5-7. Failure to locate Rosen’s room 
  means the characters must search for another 
  means to locate the man, most likely knocking on 
  doors and going through apartments one by one. 
  The journey through the shelter is one fraught 
  with anxiety and uncertainty; the players are 
  
  
  Typical Vagrant/Resident of the Shelters
  STR: 6  DEX: 6  END: 7  INT: 6  EDU: 5  SOC:  4
  Skills: Deception 1, Melee (Unarmed 1), Recon 1, 
  Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Trade (various) 0, 
  Equipment: Nothing of value
  Street Thugs aka “the Spring Street Droogs”
  STR: 9(+1)  DEX: 8  END: 7  INT: 6  EDU: 5  SOC:  5
  Skills: Deception 1, Melee (Blade 1/Unarmed 1, or 
  Unarmed 2), Recon 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 2, 
  Equipment: Knife (d6+2+STR DM), Leather Jacket in 
  Gang colors (Jack, AV: 1)
  clearly out of their element and the residents 
  of the shelter are unpredictable and potentially 
  dangerous. They don’t want trouble for the most 
  part, but paranoia, suspicion and violence are a 
  way of life for many of them. 
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  Meeting Rosen
  Referee Note: This scene is the “portal to the 
  Payoff” and primarily a roleplaying exercise. It is 
  simply a matter of how they get the notebooks 
  from this point forward.  
  Description From the Hallway:  
  The first thing they notice outside of 5-7 are 
  three bullet-holes in the door and three bullets 
  lodged into the wall behind it. The holes have 
  been sealed back up with some sort of detritus 
  from the inside, food packaging perhaps. 
  Knocking on the door of room 5-7 will do nothing. 
  Rosen does not want to reveal himself. Rosen 
  refuses to answer the door despite anything 
  said or threatened, and probably couldn’t if he 
  did make the effort: he has been reduced to a 
  quivering mass long before that point. 
  Room Description:  
  Rosen’s room is typical of those in the shelter, 
  small and filthy. No furniture exists in the room, 
  only piles of clothes, blankets and garbage. 
  The smell in the room is only slightly better 
  than that of the hall. A small, frosted window 
  casts a strange green light across the room that 
  serves as the only real illumination in the room. 
  It is weak, but good enough to see by for most 
  purposes. A small caliber pistol lays on the floor, 
  clip ejected and thrown against the far wall.
  Rosen’s Description:  
  Rosen is a middle-aged man, his clothing ragged 
  and dirty. He looks just this side of emaciated, 
  (almost thirty pounds lighter than the last photo 
  taken of him). Once the players are in the room 
  they notice a small knife concealed in Rosen’s 
  hand, his hand shakes slightly while holding the 
  weapon. 
  Depending on how the Players enter the room, 
  he is either docile (and still holding the knife) or 
  holding the knife to his own throat.
  If the Players barge inside: The door is secured, 
  but the lock is not that great, nor in fact is the door 
  itself (or the useless barricade he scrambled together). 
  An Athletics (Strength) (Strength, +1) or Strength (-2) 
  check is sufficient to bust it in/down. The knife blade 
  touches and activates his Transponder, which glows 
  green (he can leave any time) Rosen immediately 
  demands that the players tell him who they are what 
  they’re doing here looking for him. He holds a knife 
  at his own throat and after a few moments, blood will 
  start to trickle down slowly as he presses it against his 
  unshaven face.
  If the Players break inside without violence: 
  (by picking the door lock for instance or using a 
  passkey lifted from elsewhere) Rosen is still holed 
  up in a corner of the apartment, but does not 
  have the knife poised at his throat. Instead, he 
  holds it shaking, in front of him in a marine-style 
  knife-fighting technique grip
  While these actions may seem nonsensical, Rosen 
  knows more than he has been telling anyone 
  (and indeed, more than he ever would; he came 
  close to telling Wiley but stopped. No one in the 
  Universe would he have a closer relationship with, 
  although if Amanda Foster survives he might 
  relate his dark secrets to her later). His logic is 
  simple and astoundingly on-target: If the Takara 
  came for him, they would burst in and he would 
  be better off dead. Anyone else he might be able 
  to warn off (as he has done with the gun until he 
  ran out of bullets) or fight with (not really likely). 
  Dealing with Rosen
  If they wish to discuss anything with him, the 
  players must convince Rosen of their motives, which 
  requires either a Persuade (Intelligence or Social 
  Standing, +2) or Diplomacy (Intelligence or Social 
  Standing, -1) skill check. If the PCs barged inside, 
  the check is at an additional -1. If the PCs are people 
  known to him (like Baker from the Pre-Generated 
  Characters), the check has a +2 DM bonus but only 
  for that character (although others obviously with 
  someone he knows have a +1 DM bonus)
  Rosen, formerly Sergeant Jan Rosen, 144th Terra Fusiliers. 
  Currently a Volt Junkie in the Spring Street Shelter. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Success indicates Rosen believes the characters and 
  hurries them into his room by insisting they come 
  inside sand shut the door behind them. If the Players 
  get an Extraordinary Success, they can add 2 to 
  the result of their next check with Rosen. A Failure 
  results in him screaming and clutching the knife. If 
  the players approach and he has the knife, he may 
  well take his own life before they can ask him their 
  questions. If this is natural to the scene, so be it.
  Interrogation
  If the PCs do make a successful check to placate 
  the poor man, they can begin to interrogate him, 
  Rosen shakes his head and sets the knife down. If 
  PCs remove the knife, he will not stop them. When 
  questioned regarding Stephen Wiley, he will relate 
  the following in a rational calm voice:
  His initial statement: “Nearly two weeks ago 
  Wiley came around asking about any strange 
  activity since the clean streets’ policy was 
  put into place. The question was nothing 
  too special, you had to know Wiley… he had 
  a way of getting things… getting things 
  out of you…” Social Science (Psychology) 
  (Education, +0) or Investigate (Intelligence, 
  -2) check reveals that he is hiding something; 
  he practically winces in physical pain at this 
  statement.
  If gently prompted, he will continue: “I had 
  nothing for him. Nothing… he needed. 
  Anyway, he left after we had a few beers. 
  I…” He tears up. “I didn’t see him until a few 
  days ago. (he will say if pushed here) He was 
  scared. Bone scared…” He is openly weeping 
  now. “He had a gun. B-But he got a message 
  from his girlfriend. A-Amanda was going to 
  his apartment. He said he had to get there, 
  stop her before she went up. He wanted 
  me to hold onto… some stuff for him…” He 
  dissolves into tears, an agonized look on his 
  face. “I couldn’t tell him… I haven’t seen him 
  since, I know that they got him.” 
  Only If pressed: “I couldn’t say anything to him 
  before, then later it didn’t matter. He already 
  knew. He already knew. I knew he was in over 
  his head…” He stares into the eyes of the most 
  sympathetic character. “He said he knew all 
  about the killings, that he wasn’t safe anymore. 
  They were after him. On his trail. I offered to go 
  with him when he went back to stop Amanda, 
  but he said… he said he needed me to hold 
  onto that data. It was important. He said not to 
  let anyone have it. Not the cops, not anyone.” 
  He stares accusingly at the player now. (he is 
  reminded about his promise) 
  
  
  
  If pressed further, he breaks down utterly 
  and must be placated once more to deal with 
  cogently if they wish to. He has nothing more 
  really to add.
  To get him to give up the Notes: If asked, 
  Rosen has an immediate negative reaction. “No no 
  no. Wiley said not to give it up. He said to protect 
  it.” After this Initial response, though he pauses. A 
  Social Science (Psychology) (Education, +1) or 
  Investigate (Intelligence, -1) check reveals that he 
  wants to give it up, to end his burden, but he will 
  not just hand it over. Rosen must be given a reason. 
  There are no hard and fast rules, the Referee (as 
  Rosen) will have to play this by ear, but remember 
  that he wants to give up, he wants this to be over. 
  He is willing to part with what he has, is eager to in 
  fact, but he isn’t going to for some lame effort on 
  the part of the players. He is also all-but immune 
  to torture threats; although they could harden his 
  resolve entirely: dying would be doing him a favor.
  To snatch the Notes from him: While he 
  was once a fearsome soldier, a literal one-man 
  wrecking machine, Rosen is hardly a match 
  for a determined Orion Youth Scout much 
  less hardened PCs. He is literally sitting on the 
  information, shielding it with his body. He is 
  wasted, but not emaciated; he is weak, but not 
  completely out, he will mount a token offense 
  that said Youth Scout could easily evade or 
  contain. PCs should be made to feel like the heels 
  they are if they take this violent action against a 
  man that is essentially helpless and frightened out 
  of his mind. Crank up the pathos, maybe have him 
  suicide later: Violence is often the quickest and 
  easiest solution, but it has consequences. 
  The Aftermath: Ultimately, Rosen either provides 
  or the PCs snatch away a small notebook filled 
  with papers and wrapped with a rubber band and 
  a separate banged up datapad which has been 
  security-locked. Scribbled on the pages are Wiley’s 
  handwritten raw notes regarding this case and a 
  few others he was working on, but the Yamaguchi 
  Ripper case has obviously become his central 
  focus for the last few days. The contents of the 
  datapad can be accessed only after a considerable 
  amount of effort on the players part: a Computer 
  (Education, 10-60 minutes, +0) check is required, 
  or the password is entered, which Rosen knows 
  and might be cajoled into providing.
  Once he has handed his burden over, Rosen 
  will curl himself into a fetal position and stop 
  communicating. Players making appropriate 
  checks should discover that he has now given up, 
  his final ‘betrayal’ of Wiley being too much for him 
  
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  to take. He knows that there are horrific things out 
  there and knows that they will eventually get him, 
  whether or not he still has the datapad and other 
  notes. Exactly how they deal with him at this point 
  is a matter for their conscience. Rosen is a Volt 
  Junkie, the jack at the base of his skull isn’t good 
  for anything but mainlining current now. If they 
  leave him he will either just dies of neglect, or 
  wake and plug himself in (dying shortly thereafter 
  as he starves himself). Anyone with any level of 
  Investigate or Streetwise will see this without any 
  need for a check.
  Regardless of how they deal with Rosen, the 
  players will doubtless want to leave the shelter 
  without further incident and should find a quiet 
  place to review Wiley’s notes (as Rosen’s lighting is 
  terrible for reading if nothing else).
  Wiley’s Notebook
  Wiley’s conventional notes are a jumble of hand-
  scratched names, dates and locations throughout 
  Kansas City.  After reading through the 
  information, the players can make the following 
  assessments of the data without any specific 
  checks. (See Player Handout: Wiley’s Data in the 
  Appendix where the description and basic clues 
  are compiled and presented for the players in a 
  single written form)
  The datapad is scratched and has several dents 
  in the outer casing, but nothing altogether too 
  serious or permanent. It appears as if Rosen may 
  have thrown it away from him in frustration as his 
  mind spiraled further downward. But the pad was 
  designed for a beat reporter, which means it was 
  designed to work after rough treatment. 
  It takes the players some time to look through 
  the datapad and even more to decode the 
  handwritten notes and make some sense of 
  them. Included in the notes writ large is the basic 
  information of the case, including: the names of 
  the victims, the dates they vanished, and other 
  public information that the players already have 
  access to. This list is far longer than anything 
  official, and there is a list almost equal in length 
  of cases that Wiley either crossed out as non-
  abductions or placed a question mark next to as 
  mere possibilities. And this is just what one man 
  found after two weeks working essentially on 
  his own. Also among the notes are crime scene 
  photos of some of the murder victims, revealing 
  dismembered corpses and grisly locations where 
  the bodies were dumped. It is a painstaking 
  record and an excellent example of investigative 
  journalism of the highest order.
  There are good reasons that Wiley’s notes are 
  superior to the records of the police – and 
  especially the general public—has. First, there is 
  information that has been suppressed: there are 
  far more of these kidnapping/murders than ever 
  suspected and they have simply gone unreported 
  or under reported over time. Perhaps the police 
  have deliberately hid them in order to avoid the 
  potential political backlash – particularly as the 
  pressure mounts to find whoever is responsible. In 
  fact the disappearances, which officially number 
  just over a dozen or so, are actually closer to five 
  dozen if one counts the number of reports that 
  Wiley painstakingly researched and documented. 
  More if one bothers to talk to the street folk 
  (which Wiley did do as part of the investigation). 
  This expanded figure is thus still conservative 
  Deep Brain Stimulation
  The practice of Deep Brain Stimulation involves two 
  steps: First, place electrodes into the pleasure centers of 
  the brain itself. Second, apply a steady flow of current 
  to the electrodes. This creates an instant (and cheap, as 
  well as highly addictive) high.  
  In the Twilight Sector Setting, addicts of Deep Brain 
  Stimulation are referred to Volt Junkies. The practice is 
  very commonplace, and has become the most popular 
  means of suicide in the 30th Century.  Cheap (once the 
  electrodes are planted) and relatively easy (just plug in) 
  as well as highly addictive generally adds up to problems 
  for society. 
  Efforts by the stellar nations to ban or even limit this 
  practice have proven fruitless. It is too easy to perform 
  the simple procedure, and even when the actual 
  electrodes are banned, it is too easy to simply make 
  them with available materials.  Most local governments 
  have decided to take the other route: criminalizing 
  addicts. This has not stemmed the tide. This is also why 
  Rosen has a record, not for violence, but his additction.
  Thrill seekers are often easy targets because the similarity 
  of the “high”. It is also a matter of some concern that so 
  many returning Veterans of the Mutant War are turning 
  into Volt Junkies. For some it was the horror of the 
  conflict, for others the adrenaline rush. This has become 
  one of the more disturbing statistics of the War, with 
  thousands dying daily in a battle over the true hearts 
  and minds of these shattered men and women. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  and somewhat conjectural. And while the public 
  disappearances have been going on since the 
  recent “Clean Streets” program kicked in, the 
  problem among the street people and other 
  unwanted of the city predates the Yamaguchi 
  Ripper by a considerable measure. 
  Another curiosity in the notes on the datapad: 
  Just before he dropped the datapad to Rosen, 
  Wiley had received some curious photos that 
  were taken from low-resolution versions of 
  overhead satellite feeds. These show several 
  abductions – strange-looking mutants (or at least 
  some very strange combat implants) hustling 
  their victims into nondescript cars. These last bits 
  of information came without any real identifier 
  other than initials: “C.M.”
  Clues: 
  Basic Data: The following clues can be gained by 
  analyzing Wiley’s notes. Referees are free to reveal 
  these to the players in any order as well as add 
  their own, as they see fit: 
  The murders have been far more widespread 
  than reported, and stretch back well before 
  the Yamaguchi Ripper became public 
  knowledge. They also include a variety of 
  other, under or unreported abductions that 
  number at least into the mid-60s. He states, 
  purely as conjecture, that the further this 
  thing goes back (he's just charted a six-month 
  frame where he can get data from) the figures 
  mount up quickly.
  The police seem baffled and hobbled at 
  the same time in their investigations. The 
  evidence that Wiley has unraveled does not 
  directly confirm that this is deliberate, it could 
  well be an artifact of the pressure to solve 
  these crimes and the natural inclination of 
  the police to seek the simplest answer to their 
  current (political) dilemma. There are names 
  in the notes of Officers that have been vocal 
  about this inside of the force and many have 
  been sidelined (either before the notes were 
  given to Rosen or subsequently).
  A ghost of a Netpilot friend from the War 
  named Shadowborn was helping Wiley, 
  but this ally has since been destroyed by a 
  nasty cyber attack that came seemingly out 
  of nowhere. Shadowborn revealed that the 
  Video System has been compromised quite 
  deliberately by someone using a backdoor 
  into the KCPD system and a sophisticated 
  viral attack program to temporarily shut 
  down and lock out the video feed is selected 
  areas. Shadowborn was trying to find out 
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  more about these issues when he was 
  murdered. 
  Either by design or by accident (no proof 
  either way), the Oriental District seems to 
  always blink out whenever there are outages 
  elsewhere. Also, the Oriental District is the 
  place most prone to ongoing problems 
  with their video system. This suggests that it 
  may simply be a problem in that part of the 
  system that the virus makes worse. Of course, 
  it could also be by design. This led Wiley to 
  try and draw some connections with the 
  information he had and the Oriental district.
  Additional Data: Players should make an 
  Investigate (Intelligence, 10-60 minutes, +0) 
  skill check to find important pieces of important 
  information among the notes. Each player 
  reviewing the notes is allowed a check and each 
  success reveals a clue from those listed below:
  Several unreliable witnesses (most of whom 
  are vagrants) reported that the Yamaguchi 
  Ripper incidents are being conducted by 
  people who appear to be either "oriental" 
  (in their words), “mutants” or both. There 
  is however a lot of really 'bad data' here as 
  well – inconsistencies and some outright 
  bizarreness (one individual claimed that 
  they saw a woman with a tentacle coming 
  out of her mouth, another claims they saw 
  something flying over the city on leathery 
  wings, most of these accounts Wiley recorded 
  but dismissed). 
  A weird coda was added to the files, 
  apparently part of a blind email sent from 
  someone who only signed it "C.M.": it includes 
  some low-resolution images of people being 
  hustled into vehicles. The vehicle numbers 
  match some of those in the police reports, all 
  of which were found abandoned in random 
  sections of the city. The images reveal little 
  about the culprits, face recognition software is 
  useless when they are covered up as they are 
  in the photos. But the fact that these images 
  exist somewhere is a mystery in and of itself 
  and triggers a good deal of paranoia by Wiley.
  If the Referee wishes, this is also a good place 
  to bring up the name 'Takara', see notes under 
  Analysis. Wiley heard it, wrote it down but 
  made no connections. [Referee Note: This 
  was actually what Amanda Foster was on her 
  way to see him about.]
  In several places, the compiled data seems 
  to make one neighborhood in Yamaguchi 
  city stand out, a place called Little Pakxe 
  (pronounced Pack-SAY):
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  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  The Video feeds from this neighborhood 
  are among the worst even in the spotty 
  Yamaguchi City District.
  A woman named Takeo Batchai was 
  questioned by police regarding the 
  disappearance of one of the victims. While 
  the details are sketchy, apparently the officer 
  in question (who has since been relocated) 
  thought enough to bring her into the local 
  station for questioning. Ms. Batchai lives in 
  Little Pakxe and her occupation is listed as 
  'waitress' in the police report. The report 
  originally listed the restaurant where she 
  worked, but this was redacted at some point 
  and Wiley could not recover the data. This is 
  not entirely uncommon when Officers make 
  a mistake as they take the data down. The 
  fact that the women as later released might 
  be why the name was not entered later). 
  Privacy laws prevented Wiley from tracing 
  her through the tax records or Employment 
  Bureau and often Waitresses like her work 
  multiple jobs.
  The belongings of another murder victim 
  were pawned by a street thug named Ito 
  (who was cleared of the murder by an 
  ironclad alibi – he was in custody at the 
  time) at a shop called 24-Hour Pawn in Little 
  Pakxe of the Yamaguchi City District. This 
  was offered to Wiley by one of the officers in 
  which he was in contact. 
  One of the missing persons was last seen 
  at the Yummy Dragon Restaurant in Little 
  Pakxe. This was not the only such connection, 
  after all every one of the victims was last 
  seen somewhere, but Wiley noted it in his 
  handwritten records as it had to do with Little 
  Pakxe. 
  Analysis:
  A few things stand out here which the Referee 
  may want to subtly integrate into their 
  descriptions:
  The Mood: Also Players reading through Wiley’s 
  notes are able to see tension in later entries 
  through the obvious handwriting, although 
  this could be it was rushed. On a successful 
  Social Science (Psychology) (Education, +0) or 
  Investigate (Intelligence, -2) check they will sense 
  a clear and growing pattern of fear and paranoia 
  on the part of the author. 
  Something deeply rattled this man, and that 
  alone added to his anxiety. He had faced many 
  an opponent, in and out of the war, and he 
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  
  always faced down those fears. This investigation 
  apparently scared him down to the bottom of his 
  soul. As Wiley collected information and began to 
  discover important clues he became less coherent 
  in his notes as well. That included comments 
  which quite openly declared his growing fear. 
  A Sense of Disconnection: Additionally, Wiley 
  closed himself off from others during this point 
  (recall he did not let Rosen help him and stopped 
  sending regular reports to his boss) and it quickly 
  becomes clear to the players that Wiley thought 
  those responsible for these crimes would soon 
  find him and that their power and influence went 
  far beyond what he expected from a serial killer.
  Information Roundup, Part I: This would be 
  a good time to infodump the players that fact 
  that the surveillance network for the city is being 
  deliberately blacked out in each and every case 
  where the Yamaguchi Ripper struck. This alone 
  should be enough for the KCPD to know that this is 
  not isolated events, they are themselves spreading 
  the rumors about the Yamaguchi Ripper being 
  hype to take some of the heat off themselves. 
  If the PCs have already encountered this 
  information elsewhere, this should confirm it 
  for them. An internal report, which has been 
  suppressed and even removed from the main 
  system, indicates that there is a backdoor the 
  culprits are using, as well as a sophisticated virus 
  that shuts down the surveillance network for so 
  long. Wiley’s ghost friend Shadowborn was able to 
  access this for him. Shadowborn detailed for Wiley 
  the intermittent yet massive holes in the system, 
  and the fact that there seemed to be a pattern to 
  the gaps. 
  Information Roundup, Part II: This would also be 
  a good time (if it has not yet occurred) to introduce 
  the name ‘Takara’. In some games however, this 
  might be too much of a tip-off, so Referees should 
  consider what is right for their group before adding 
  this tidbit. If the players had the chance to meet 
  with the Yakuza already and blew off the (now dead) 
  leader, or if they have allowed that portion of the 
  investigation to get snowed under, this might be a 
  good time to drop in a reminder.
  A “Paper Trail” of sorts: The information Wiley 
  has downloaded from the KCPD system (thanks 
  to Shadowborn) has since been altered/doctored, 
  but he saved them as raw sourcefiles, including the 
  authentication codes. Thus these files will be able 
  to serve as genuine evidence in later stages of the 
  investigation/revelation to the public if needed. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  A direction forward: Just perusing this 
  information could be a vital source to clues that 
  lead to the second scene: the fact for example 
  that the Yamaguchi district is always blacked out 
  when these ‘mysterious outages’ of the video 
  system occur. While this seems like a stupid 
  mistake by the culprits of these terrible crimes, 
  it really is the only way to handle things once 
  surveillance becomes this ubiquitous. 
  Laying the Groundwork even further 
  forward: Regarding the contributions of “C.M.”: 
  This of course was none other than Cybil Mar, who 
  had been aware of the investigation peripherally 
  and sent along some tidbits she was able to glean 
  from the OSS systems. At some point, she hoped 
  to connect up with Wiley, but he was taken right 
  after she contacted him and she shut down all 
  further efforts to protect her background. She 
  (correctly) surmised that he was dead anyway. 
  The clues might also be helpful to PCs both to 
  track down the locations and connect to the real 
  culprits in the cult. Of course they should also 
  establish a connection in the next scene.
  Amanda Foster (again)
  In those variants of the adventure that use Amanda 
  as a female companion of Wiley, she was the one who 
  forced herself into the situation by confronting him at 
  his apartment. While this will not be revealed in the 
  notes, Referees may want to sprinkle in details like the 
  following: 
  “Amanda doesn’t need to know this. She cannot 
  know this. I have to protect her, even if it costs us 
  the relationship.” 
   “She was at my apartment today again, demanding 
  to know what was up. I really can’t keep stone-
  walling her but there is no other way. Maybe I 
  should just break it off now to protect her?” 
  
  
  As a reminder for the Referee:  
  You may wish to use the Audio File “Stephen 
  Wiley’s Audio Journal” here to get a feel for his 
  take on the story as it happened.
  What Read? Read!
  The note provide a lot of information, and not all players are going to want to read it. One way to get around this 
  is for the Raferee to provide an “executive Summary” for the players in addition to handing them the Player Inserts. 
  Basic Data:
  First, there were a lot more abductions than the police realize. A lot went unreported or have been covered up.
  Second, the KCPD are baffled, but it looks like this was deliberate from “higher up”
  Third, a Ghost named Shadowborn helped Wiley for a while. Before he was killed, the Ghost revealed 
  that the KCPD surveillance system has been hacked and has major blackouts. But these blackouts get 
  worse when their are Ripper Inicidents.
  Fourth, there is a lot of problems with the survillance systems in Yamaguchi City all the time. Might be 
  natural, might be an artifact of the same phenomenon.
  Additional Data: 
  Available if the players do well with a skill check or devote time to it ( these are in no particular order)
  Lots of crazy talk, Wiley dimissed most of it. See details on Sheet
  There was a wierd bunch of sat-feeds, pictures from orbit, showing some of the Ripper Incidents. No 
  signature and no trail back. These were signed only “C.M.”
  Name Takara came up, but Wiley didn’t know what it meant. [add if relevant: Amanda Foster did find out 
  some information however, and may have been coming back to his apartment to tell hm that ]
  Yamaguchi City stands out, lots of cross-references there, beyond the hokey title that Keith gave them.
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  The information from the above material is provided as a Player Insert that the 
  Referee can simply hand to their players. However, sometimes it’s better just to cut 
  to the chase, and so…
  Player Inserts on the Notes
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Act two puts the players on the trail of the deadly Takara and conflict breaks out as the 
  players enter the Yummy Dragon Restaurant in search of answers.
  Using these encounters
  The Objective for this portion of the adventure is to end with the players having a combat-based encounter with the 
  Takara in the Yummy Dragon. For Referees looking for the simplest, most direct method (or the fastest for Convention-
  style play where everything must be accomplished within a single tight session), use the following: Yummy Dragon 
  (Business Hours) (since they are practically handed this information) > The Yamaguchi Takeout (to provide a little 
  action) > After Hours (to finish this scene out). Again, this is not the only way to proceed.
  If not already played out in Act One, the players might get approached by the Yakuza (The Yakuza’s Offer) for 
  the Takara angle. Players on their own are likely to bring up other loose ends in this scene like checking on Johnny 
  Ito’s pawnbroker (Hardcore Pawn) or checking out Takeo Batchai) which is a great time to use Yamaguchi 
  Takeout. Players in the know about the Takara may well bring up Investigating the Takara on their own if they 
  know about them (which could also happen as an interlude after this Act of the campaign and before the next).
  Part I, Act Two: Butchery
  Referee Note: Getting personal with the Takara
  Up to this point, the perpetrators of the Yamaguchi Ripper slayings have been shadowy unknown 
  figures. Beginning with Act Two, the players will actually start interacting with the Takara themselves. 
  When they do, it is important for the Referee to establish a mood for these diabolical cultists.
  Many of the Takara have strange characteristics and appear to be rather unusual mutants, which 
  they are often mistaken for by average citizens. This often says more about the casual racism of even 
  enlightened Kancitians than it does about the Takara, because they are clearly not your average mutant.
  Players encountering members of the Takara will find them something more than human, but not in 
  a good sense. All Takara have an ‘otherworldly’ nature that leaves most people (including mutants) 
  uncomfortable in their presence. Referees should try to play this up in describing how the Takara 
  look, how they move and how they make the players feel. Though the “feel” of these creatures rests on 
  nothing quantifiable, it should be clear to the players that the Takara are well beyond human.
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  0
  Investigating the 
  Takara
  For players that have had the opportunity to meet 
  with Ori Anjou of the Yakuza (either as a patron or 
  as an encounter), or if the Referee decides to drop 
  some information into their hands through Wiley’s 
  Notebook, the Players may want to seek out 
  information about the Takara and Little Pakxe.
  Initial Searches
  If the players decide to search out the term 
  ‘Takara’ they have their work cut out for them, 
  Finding out someone who even heard of the 
  word, much less knows something, is apparently 
  quite difficult. 
  A web search will reveal several entries which 
  identify them as a sort of Japanese bogey 
  man used to frighten children. Little more 
  than this is found. [Referee Note: This stuff 
  is useless]
  If they think to ask for someone familiar with 
  Japanese culture they may begin to look 
  around Academia or cultural nodes on the 
  Internet. Here they will be eventually directed 
  to Kannushi-Hiro Fuwa at the Izumo Taisha 
  Shinto Shrine which is in what passes for 
  the downtown of Yamaguchi City. [Referee 
  Note: The information about the Kannushi 
  can also be acquired through Amanda 
  Foster’s connections should the Referee 
  decide to utilize those.]
  The Shinto Shrine in Yamaguchi
  The Izumo Taisha Shinto Shrine is located in one 
  of the more high profile sections of Yamaguchi 
  City. It is a delicate shrine built in the Sumiyoshi-
  zukuri style, with rectangular box-like honden 
  (shrine structure) that rests under a simple 
  uncurved roof that has a tall peak and low sides. 
  The roof is decorated with brightly colored 
  ornamental poles that have been carved by hand. 
  The building is surrounded by a small double 
  fence (a short one just outside of the building and 
  a larger one around the perimeter of that) and 
  painted in bright colors. It is a beautiful, serene 
  place nestled within a relatively congested part  of 
  the megapolis. 
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  
  Once the players arrive, they can meet with 
  Kannushi-Hiro Fuwa will be able to provide some 
  information on the Takara.  
  The Takara are an ancient boogie man figure, 
  they are not real. But relatively recently since 
  perhaps the 20th century or so, a cult which calls 
  itself by this name has taken on a more real and 
  sinister presence in the Japanese culture. 
  "They reputedly have the power to take men’s 
  souls and deny them rebirth. This is actually 
  a Buddhist belief but Buddhism and Shinto 
  beliefs sometimes share a strange synergy even 
  though they are very different…" If pressed for 
  further details like 'how?' he says: "They create 
  'impurity' in men which is an affront to Shinto 
  beliefs.  It is said that even the uttering of the 
  name of these foul people will leave an impurity 
  in ones soul.  Any greater dealings may require 
  more extreme measures to purify ones soul.
  "The more modern version of the Takara legend 
  says they are a shunned tribe from somewhere 
  in southeast Asia (most often said to be Laos).  
  "There are several Laotian enclaves in 
  Yamaguchi City but even the Laotians 
  would shun anyone who openly proclaimed 
  themselves as Takara.  So if any are present 
  they must be hiding the fact but looking in 
  the Laotian communities would probably be 
  the best way to start."
  The Kannushi can confirm that Little Pakxe 
  is a Laotian Community. (Others, should the 
  Referee want to cloud the waters a bit are Lan-
  Xang (which is actually the largest, but it is also 
  integrated with other Asian cultures and has a 
  bit higher profile) and the Golden Quadrangle 
  (which again, is actually more of a mixed 
  community, this one is known for its markets). 
  It is important to note that the Kannushi himself 
  does not believe in the existence of the Takara, 
  and in fact, very few will even those who fear the 
  name beyond all reason. To some extent, this is 
  wishful thinking,  but there is also a deliberate 
  effort by the Takara to both keep their names and 
  activities secret while spreading their myth. They 
  have been able to use their psychic talents in this 
  endeavor and have been at it for over a century.
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  The KBI “Black Files” 
  Another means of obtaining information on the foul Takara is to get hold of the KBI’s “Black File” which has 
  been suppressed by the OSS but still could be located by sufficiently motivated players or contacts/Allies in the 
  archives of the department. These files could also be given to the players by the Yakuza. They should only be 
  used  if the Refree feels that the players need more hard data on the Takara rather than the more mysterious 
  organization as presented oin the material above. See the Player Inserts at the end of the adventure.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  Hardcore Pawn 
  One of the clues Wiley uncovered leads to a 
  pawn shop in Kansas City’s Oriental District called 
  24-Hour Pawn in the section of Yamaguchi City 
  known as Little Pakxe. 
  Police reported finding the belongings of one of 
  the murder victims at the pawn shop, sold to the 
  owner by a street thug named Johnny Ito. The 
  police later cleared Ito of any wrongdoing, but 
  were unable to discover where Ito came upon 
  the belongings. Ito has since disappeared, maybe 
  unwilling to speak to the police any further and 
  maybe another victim (he is listed with a question 
  mark in the Wiley notes as a possible victim). 
  Players going to the pawn shop can question the 
  owner, an older man of oriental descent named 
  Mister Ha. 
  Description: The outside of the 24-Hour 
  Pawn makes the place look deserted, with 
  smoked over windows and a door that 
  appears quite formidable for the average 
  break-in artist. 
  The inside of the Hardcore Pawn smells of 
  strong herbs, and visible curlicues of smoke 
  dance around the open door as the players 
  enter. There are seven broadly spaced aisles 
  full of accumulated… stuff… (gaudy trash 
  along with some genuine treasures) all 
  apparently heaped at random on the shelves. 
  Although perhaps not randomly per se: items 
  are collected in what might best be described 
  as an artistic fashion rather than a functional 
  one. The objects seem to flow together.
  On a Social Science (Anthropology, culture, 
  or History) (Education, +0) or Art (anything) 
  (Intelligence, -2) check the players will notice that 
  the place has exceptional feng shui and that the 
  objects are grouped according to the dictates of 
  that ancient form. 
  Interrogating Ha
  Players questioning Ha find him suspicious of the 
  outsiders, as he was with the police and Wiley. 
  Players must make a Persuade (Intelligence or 
  Strength, -1) or Diplomacy/Streetwise (Intelligence 
  or Social Standing, -1) to get Ha to talk. If the 
  characters are law enforcement or even suggest that 
  they are affiliated with the Police (Wiley’s problem) 
  all checks with him have an additional -1 DM.
  Failure: “You buy something or leave.” If they 
  buy something he takes the money, then says 
  “Now you leave.”
  Marginal Failure: Same as Failure, but once they 
  buy something, they get a second check.
  Marginal Success: A bit of information is 
  delivered, but not all at once. The players still 
  have to ask questions to prompt him.
  •	
  "I don’t know where Ito got what he 
  brought me. You ask questions, and so 
  do police. The police took everything Ito 
  got, gave me stupid receipt." He waves a 
  receipt in the air. “You pay?”
  •	
  If asked specifically about Wiley “He 
  asked same questions too. I don’t know 
  anything, I told him that and he went 
  away.” Then he adds. “He don’t believe 
  me, just like you.” [The notes will confirm 
  this. Wiley actually described him in very 
  unflattering terms, an assessment you can 
  understand given Ha’s interpersonal skills.]
  Exceptional Success (initial) or after prodding 
  and a second check: Same as above, however 
  he does have some more details about Ito.
  •	
  "Ito hasn’t been seen around the area lately. 
  Not just here. He hasn't been around the 
  Yummy Dragon Restaurant either. He has 
  friends there I think, hangs around a lot.  
  •	
  If asked, Ha himself does not know 
  anything about the restaurant other 
  than that it serves excellent food. 
  Once he has answered the player’s questions, Ha 
  tells them to leave. On a successful Social Science 
  (Psychology) (Education, +0) or Investigate 
  (Intelligence, -2) check the Players will sense that 
  Ha is fearful, but that there is little if anything 
  ordinary that they can do to make the stubborn 
  old man budge. If the players do something 
  either exceptionally smart (find some innovative 
  way to get him drunk for example or tempt him 
  with some exotic goods) or exceptionally violent 
  (which is certainly unheroic but has been known 
  to happen) to force him to reveal his ‘secret’, he 
  confirms that there is something strange, but 
  does not link his suspicions to the Yummy Dragon 
  or another other specific location exclusively. 
  Instead, he feels that there is something weird in 
  the neighborhood; something dark. 
  “This place has always been on the edge,” he reveals 
  (either candidly or belatedly). “The edge of space, 
  the edge of sanity. Things move here that should 
  not. Things are moving in the shape of men.” He 
  cannot go into further detail, it is not something he 
  knows, but something he feels. He says that once 
  it troubled him, but now he has grown used to it 
  – and he worries that this may have indeed stained 
  his soul. “To find out now would be to confirm my 
  suspicions – and seal my damnation.” 
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  The Yummy Dragon 
  All slideways will eventually lead to the Yummy 
  Dragon Restaurant. Not only the information 
  players discover on their own, but also the clues 
  Wiley revealed all point to this location. Indeed, 
  the restaurant seems to be at the center of the 
  mystery and the players will eventually seek out 
  the location for clues. 
  The Yummy Dragon Restaurant is a staple of 
  Kansas City’s Oriental District, having been in 
  business for decades. The restaurant provides 
  customers with excellent cuisine at reasonable 
  prices and the staff is known for their prompt 
  service and friendly demeanor. 
  To all outward appearances, the restaurant is one 
  of many within the city. The staff however is quite 
  distrustful of police, reporters and investigators. 
  The presence of the players will quickly reveal 
  this distrust. The players can easily enter the 
  restaurant during business hours if they wish to 
  eat, but loitering around is discouraged. 
  Description: The restaurant is nicely furnished 
  in a typical oriental theme. The building is 
  well-maintained and business is booming for 
  the restaurant as it apparently has been for 
  decades. Despite the pleasant atmosphere and 
  the admittedly clean and well-furnished interior, 
  players entering the restaurant for the first time 
  feel a little uneasy. 
  (Specific to certain PCs with psychic abilities) 
  Any players with psionic abilities are especially 
  unsettled. A sense of foreboding settles in over 
  the players. It is hard to pinpoint with any 
  degree of accuracy just why it seems “off” and 
  “other” and “scary” all at the same time. 
  Referee Note: something to drop into 
  descriptions after the players enter and have 
  time to interact, either with a check of Social 
  Science (Psychology) (Education, +0) or Recon/
  Investigate (Intelligence, +0): This sense of 
  paranoia intensifies following interactions with 
  the staff and players begin to sense that all is not 
  right at the Yummy Dragon.
  Players looking to question the staff find 
  them immediately upset when questioned. 
  Getting any information out of them requires a 
  Persuade (Intelligence or Social Standing, -3) or 
  Diplomacy (Intelligence or Social Standing, -3) 
  skill check. Success results in the staff answering 
  questions as quickly and with as little information 
  as possible. 
  They can reveal that Johnny Ito is a regular 
  customer here and is friends with some of 
  the night staff. No one has seen him for a few 
  weeks however and the rumor is he moved 
  off-planet for work. 
  Takeo Batchai is indeed a server at the 
  restaurant but is not scheduled to work again 
  for a few days. 
  One of the missing persons was a customer 
  at the restaurant on the day of their 
  disappearance.  The Police came and 
  questioned everyone, including Takeo Batchai 
  but that is all anyone knows.
  Apart from confirming the above information, 
  the staff does not provide any additional data 
  no matter what the Players roll. Pressing harder 
  simply makes them shun the characters at first, 
  then order them to leave.
  Players will be unable to explore any areas of the 
  restaurant other than the main dining room. The 
  staff will prevent players from snooping around 
  any other areas of the restaurant and will call the 
  police if the players get belligerent or violent. 
  It should quickly become clear that the players 
  cannot learn more while the restaurant is open for 
  business.
  
  
  
  Takeo Batchai’s Mug Shot, late Autumn 2991
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Finding Takeo Batchai:
  In addition to Johnny Ito, the Wiley Notes also 
  contain a reference to Takeo Batchai, a waitress 
  who was questioned by police. If they decide to 
  look her up, this would be the best place to start.
  If the Players decide to check up on another of 
  Wiley’s leads, the waitress Takeo Batchai that was 
  brought in for questioning. They can locate her 
  address in Yamaguchi City’s Golden Quadrangle 
  neighborhood. 
  Online: Data records for Takeo Batchai indicate 
  that she was a waitress at the Yummy Dragon 
  and Mandarin House restaurants in Yamaguchi 
  city, working only part time in both. She resides 
  in Apartment 602 of 1614 A Golden Coin Street, 
  Yamaguchi City (which is low-to-medium level 
  housing in the Quadrangle Neighborhood). Her 
  image is available through Wiley’s notes: she is a 
  not unattractive woman of mixed oriental heritage 
  who appears to be somewhere in nearing middle-
  age. In the photo Wiley has in his notes, she has her 
  hair piled high on her head and a bun at the top in 
  Pseudo-Geisha style. 
  The Interrogation: Talking with the investigating 
  officer reveals that he brought her in because 
  she was a nervous wreck when they started to 
  investigate the disappearance of Ronald Choi, 
  one of the victims of the Yamaguchi Ripper. Choi 
  had been last seen leaving the Yummy Dragon 
  (he was the same victim that was last seen there) 
  in the company of Takeo Batchai. Other witnesses 
  said that he seemed drunk and they seemed 
  amorous together. When the Police started to 
  ask her questions however, Miss Batchai got very 
  nervous and this triggered the officer to hold her 
  over. Ultimately, she would not budge and when 
  Old Gold Coin
  1614 A Golden Coin
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  her lawyer came, the officer had to release her since 
  there was nothing more than a hunch that indicated 
  her involvement. Eventually, Takeo fell off the radar. 
  The officer also is very specific: he noted her place 
  of work and did not erase it at any time (which 
  means someone else got into the Kansas City Police 
  Department Records and did so themselves).  
  Looking her up: Miss Batchai’s address is easily 
  established but not as easily tracked down. The 
  Golden Coin seems to double back on itself 
  and actually comprises more than one level of 
  the street. The players may first end up in the 
  Commercial side of the street (above ground) but 
  they are quickly confused since the addresses 
  don’t line up at all. If they ask around, a Kancitian 
  directs them to “Old Gold Coin,” which is the 
  original (now sublevel) street. 
  Old Gold Coin is typical of the Understreet levels 
  of Yamaguchi City, a warren of shadows and 
  weird spaces that have become trapped under 
  a layered over section of the megopolis. The 
  streets here are lit all of the time as light only 
  filters in occasionally and with the ultimate 
  of effort. The greenish lamps are designed to 
  burn for years with the least amount of energy 
  possible casting a ghostly greenish pallor over 
  everything. 
  Traffic on Old Gold Coin is not as active as it is in 
  the topside portion of the city. But oddly it is here 
  that much of the residential sections are located. 
  Most people either stay inside when they are here 
  or take to quickest fastest route to the surface.
  1614 A is a low-rise building that was once 
  probably a middle-to-high income building. 
  There is a security system at the front vestibule 
  beside the door that operates on a camera 
  system. [If pressed: Her apartment is either 
  disconnected or she is not there.]
  Players can either choose to use the time-honored 
  “buzz someone else” technique or break inside by 
  jimmying the lock or bypassing the electronics. 
  Referees may make them roll or just have them 
  Batchai’s Building
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  perform the proper actions. An old security door 
  in a residential building is unlikely to cause the 
  intrepid adventurers much trouble; just have 
  them tell you how they plan on getting in and 
  respond accordingly. 
  Once inside, the apartment is pretty standard. 
  The lighting is better in the halls than it is on the 
  street, but the place definitely shows signs of wear 
  and tear. If there was any noise made (forcing 
  the door open for example) a few neighbors will 
  peek out, but for the most part there is little or 
  nothing to stop the players from heading straight 
  to Apartment 602.
  There will again be no answer to the knocking 
  on the door. Players located here however can 
  make a Recon (Intelligence, +1) or Investigate 
  (Intelligence, 0) skill check to hear faint noises 
  inside, which sounds like a vidsystem left on. They 
  will also, if the roll was an Exceptional Success, 
  they also detect that there is an old blood smudge 
  on the bottom side of the door handle. 
  Inside everything is in semidarkness. One lamp 
  has been shattered, another has been knocked 
  over and is casting most of it’s brilliance across 
  the floor. In the corner, the vidsystem is playing 
  softly while upside down, casting weird light 
  across the otherwise darkened interior. Between 
  these two light sources however (and whatever 
  the players have with them), they can still 
  easily see that Apartment 602 is in something 
  of a state, with the furnishings and bric-a-brac 
  scattered here and there. The signs of struggle 
  are also found in the kitchen, as well as a good 
  deal of blood. 
  The blood, if tested, are either Takeo’s or will 
  reveal “anomalous results” and the same bizarre 
  DNA data as any other sample from any other 
  Yamaguchi Ripper Scene. 
  Yamaguchi Take-out
  Referee Note: Referees should adjust the 
  strength of the Takara team as they see fit to 
  provide a decent workout for the characters. 
  Visiting the restaurant and asking questions 
  will cause the staff to grow suspicious of the 
  players. The players are followed by low-ranking 
  members of the Takara, one at a time taking turns 
  so as to keep the players guessing. Very quickly 
  after leaving the restaurant, the players will be 
  followed: they can make a contested Recon 
  (Intelligence), or Streetwise (Intelligence, -2) skill 
  check against the Stealth 3 (No Characteristic DM) 
  of the Takara. Success indicates that the player has 
  detected someone following them. If the Players 
  are still in the Oriental District, these checks are 
  harder, add an additional -1 DM to them. If the 
  Referee considers the area “crowded”, they are 
  even harder to detect: add another -1 DM.  
  Stage One, Stalking their Prey: Before the 
  attack, the Takara team will try to follow the 
  players, sizing them up for the kill. At first, there 
  are a few different individuals following them in 
  sequence (which is what creates the initial penalty 
  on the skill checks). If the players confront the 
  person following them, the stalker will attempt to 
  flee, avoiding capture at all costs. Once the Players 
  head into a lightly populated area, or If the players 
  do not immediately return to the restaurant 
  and/or if the Players do not appear to notice they 
  are being followed, the Takara launch an attack 
  against the group (Stage Two).
  Stage Two, Sneak Attack: When the Takara 
  attack, they attempt to capture or kill the players, 
  attacking them when they are alone. If the Takara 
  cannot take the players separately, they attack 
  them as a group, attempting to inflict as much 
  damage to the players as possible and warn them 
  off from their investigation.
  The attack itself comes at night, or if in one of 
  the Hive areas, at any time. The Takara attempt 
  to close in on the players’ location as quietly as 
  possible and will instigate the computer program 
  that cuts off the video feeds. If the PCs have 
  someone riding shotgun for them on the Net, 
  they can get something of a “heads up” on the 
  attack as the video feeds go dark. 
  Takara Stalker (A, brawny & powerful)
  STR: 10(+1)  DEX: 7  END: 11(+1)  INT: 7  EDU: 6  SOC:  5
  Skills: Gun Combat (Specialty 2), Melee (Blade 2), 
  Recon 2, Stealth 3, Streetwise 2,
  Equipment: Hvy Ritual Knife (d6+3+STR DM), 
  Autopistol (3d6-3) and either Shot gun (4d6) or SMG 
  ((3d6, Recoil: 1, Auto: 4) Armored clothing (AV: 5), 
  Takara Stalker (B, lithe and lean)
  STR: 7  DEX: 10 (+1)  END: 9 (+1)  INT: 7  EDU: 6  SOC:  5
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination) 2, Gun Combat 
  (Specialty 2), Melee (Blade 2), Recon 2, Stealth 3, 
  Streetwise 1 
  Equipment: Hvy Ritual Knife (d6+3+STR DM), 
  Autopistol (3d6-3) and SMG ((3d6, Recoil: 1, Auto: 4) 
  Armored clothing (AV: 5), 
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  Again, the best place is as PCs go into or out of 
  Takeo’s apartment, but it can be used anywhere.
  Sample Description:  
  The street is deserted, a rare event in Kansas City, 
  but since the Yamaguchi Ripper abductions 
  began it’s becoming more-or-less common in the 
  dead of night as more people huddle together for 
  protection. Ironically, this means that there is a 
  greater likelihood of running into a deserted street. 
  A pair of men turn the corner, breaking the 
  spell. They are dressed in dark clothes and carry 
  themselves with purpose, walking towards 
  the players… (this is when they might get a 
  call if anyone is watching for surveillance 
  blackouts on their behalf, such as Diogenes) 
  The Takara in the front are simply there to allay 
  the Player’s fears and expect to be martyred for 
  their Nest. The rest of the Takara are busy taking 
  up positions all around the players. The Takara 
  use a mix of close combat weapons and silenced 
  pistols to try and kill the players. They are smart, 
  they don’t take any chances of getting caught and 
  normally prefer stealth over brute force. This does 
  not mean they cannot employ brute force, and 
  likely will in order to head off the threat that the 
  players represent. 
  [Referee’s Note: The Takara as presented 
  here might not be powerful enough for your 
  group. If this is the case, feel free to adjust them 
  accordingly. Try not to make them too powerful, 
  but definitely a threat.]
  The Takara fight as a coordinated team, isolating 
  and eliminating powerful players first before 
  moving on to weaker ones. If the Takara suffer too 
  many injuries or any casualties, they flee, running 
  off into the night and to nearby vehicles to make 
  a clean getaway. Pursuing players can attempt to 
  follow them back to the restaurant. At least one 
  member of the Takara team is recognized by the 
  players as a staff member of the Yummy Dragon.
  Stage Three (Optional), To the Victor…: If the 
  players capture one of the Takara who are either 
  following or fighting them, they resist interrogation 
  like a champ, threatening the players with death if 
  they’re not released. The Takara are fanatics and will 
  never betray their brethren and all are willing to 
  die for their cult. After a time, the Cultists becomes 
  something like a ravening animal. 
  Takara Gatherers
  STR: 7  DEX: 8  END: 10(+1)  INT: 7  EDU: 6  SOC:  9(+1)
  Skills: Athletics (Stamina) 1, Gun Combat (Specialty 1), Melee (Blade 2), Persuade 2, Recon 2, Seduction 2, 
  Stealth 2, Streetwise 1
  Equipment: Ritual Knife (d6+2), Bodypistol (3d6-3) Armored clothing (AV: 5) 
  The Gatherers are the Cults primary means of gaining sustenance. These are individuals that have been provid-
  ed with pheromones that help attract prey. The pheromones themselves have to be employed for d6 minutes 
  before they are effective, and can alter the brain chemistry of the target significantly. These are the few Takara 
  that do not look scary, but they still feel “wrong” on first glance. After d6 minutes in proximity make an END 
  check to avoid becoming affected. Normally, this provides a bonus to Seduction checks, but in combat it simply 
  makes those affected hesitate to attack. Only gainst the Gatherers: lose the Initiative or take a -3 Targeting DM. 
  Takara Lay Cultists
  STR: 7 DEX: 7  END: 8  INT: 6  EDU: 6  SOC:  6
  Skills: Any one skill related to their “day job” at 2 plus, Gun Combat (specialty weapon) 1, Melee (Blade 1), 
  Recon 2, Stealth 2, Streetwise 1 
  Equipment: Ritual Knife (d6+2), and either the Autopistol (3d6-3) or Shot gun (4d6) Jack (AV: 1)
  Lay Cultists are not yet transformed, although they have become psychically linked to the Queen of the Nest (which 
  makes them slightly more dangerous if they become severed from their mistress and go into a berserker frenzy)
  The Butcher, Takara High-End Mutation
  STR: 14(+3)  DEX: 7  END: 12(+2)  INT: 7  EDU: 6  SOC:  3 (-1)
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination 1) (Strength 3), Melee (Natural Weapon 3), Recon 2, Stealth 2, Trade (Butcher) 3 
  Equipment: Hand-to-Hand (2d6+3+STR DM), Armored Skin (AV: 6) plus a Leather apron (Jack AV 1, total 
  AV 7). His mutations also allow him abilities similar to IR Chameleon Technology and the Enhanced Vision 
  Augmentation. He also has the Negative Mutations Light-Senstive and Large. See text on page to right.
  More Takara...
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  After Hours
  The players will realize that the answers they’re 
  looking for may lie in the Yummy Dragon 
  Restaurant and that they are unable to investigate 
  while the restaurant is open for business. It will 
  become necessary for the players to infiltrate the 
  restaurant after hours and search for clues under 
  the cover of darkness. Unfortunately the Takara 
  are aware of them now and they lie in wait for the 
  players to arrive.
  Getting into the restaurant after hours requires 
  the players to break in. They find that the locks 
  and security systems of the restaurant are well-
  maintained and top of the line; particularly for an 
  eating establishment in a so-so neighborhood. 
  In order to get to the restaurant undetected, the 
  players must make Stealth (Dexterity, -1) checks or 
  else be spotted by the Takara that are monitoring 
  the security systems. Players attempting to 
  infiltrate the building must make an Engineering/
  Mechanical (Dexterity, 0, 1-6 minutes) or Deception 
  (Dexterity, -2, 10-60 seconds) skill check skill check 
  to pick the locks with the proper tools. If the players 
  have other Mechanical-related Engineering skills 
  instead, they may use that as well with a -2. If the 
  players have to use a found or improvised object 
  instead of the right tools, apply a -2 DM to the 
  check. Kindly Referees may even allow a Mechanics 
  roll as a substitute; the locks are not electronic at 
  all but entirely mechanical). Failure to infiltrate 
  the restaurant quietly will alert the Takara inside, 
  who will plan an ambush for the players. Marginal 
  successes and blown checks are dead giveaways.
  Inside the restaurant, players find a small group of 
  Takara waiting for them. The small team of thugs 
  is armed with bladed weapons and small arms 
  such as pistols. if possible they will capture, but 
  they have no problem with killing either. They 
  do not want to use any more noise or force than 
  is needed, so if the players are only armed with 
  hand-to-hand weapons, the Takara will not use 
  their firearms first. This is not a noble gesture, they 
  still prefer their food live.
  The Takara at the restaurant are led by a powerful 
  creature called the Butcher; The Butcher works in the 
  dark of night preparing the grisly meals served at 
  the restaurant throughout the day. The Butcher has 
  the same strange otherworldly appearance as the 
  rest of the Takara, but is clearly some form of mutant 
  with massive blade-like bony protrusions jutting 
  from his massive forearms as well thick grayish skin. 
  A massive individual, the Butcher leads the Takara in 
  the restaurant to attack the players and will not give 
  up, fighting to the death. The rest of the Takara will 
  flee if they players get the better of them and inflict 
  significant damage on the thugs. Use the statistics 
  for the Takara Hunters for some, with a few of the 
  Gatherers and the Lay Cultists added in for flavor. 
  Referees should again keep in mind that they will 
  need to  balance the players and the Takara.
  Only after the players have eliminated the 
  Takara are they free to search the restaurant. If 
  any especially loud noises were made during 
  the combat (such as gunshots), the police will 
  respond in five minutes, giving the players only a 
  short amount of time to investigate. 
  Further Leads
  Once the Takara within the restaurant have been 
  dealt with, the players can begin searching the 
  place for clues. The two main areas of interest 
  within the restaurant are the kitchen and the office 
  and players searching those two locations can 
  make Investigate (Intelligence, +0, 1-6 minutes) 
  skill checks to reveal any of the clues listed below. 
  Players may also attempt to break through the 
  security on the restaurant’s computer system, 
  located in the office; doing so requires a Computer 
  (Intelligence, -2, 1-6 minutes) skill check with 
  success revealing some of the clues listed below.
  Clues: The following clues can be gained by 
  searching the kitchen or the office, as well as 
  breaking into the restaurant’s computer. Referees 
  are free to reveal these to the players in any order 
  as well as add their own, as they see fit.
  The restaurant is actually owned by a woman 
  named Madame Xiang. Further investigation 
  will reveal that Madame Xiang also owns the 
  Bamboo Serenity geisha house.
  Daily deliveries of the ‘House Special’ are 
  made to the Bamboo Serenity geisha house a 
  short distance away.
  Meat Deliveries (Meat!) are made from the 
  same address as the geisha house, although 
  the system does not list the name of the 
  supplier the address is the same. [Referee’s 
  Note: That means they are getting meat from 
  and sending dinners back to the Bamboo 
  Serenity. Also, real meat is very rare.]
  A recently delivered shipment of meat being 
  prepared in the kitchen does not appear 
  to match others in the restaurant. Further 
  investigation will reveal that it is human flesh 
  (and ultimately can be traced to one of the 
  missing persons).
  Money from the restaurant is transferred to 
  bank accounts that are also used by Bamboo 
  Serenity geisha house.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Who are The Takara ?
  The Takara are a widespread group of cannibalistic cultists found across Terra/Sol and, perhaps, the Twilight 
  Sector.  Very few are aware of the cult’s existence and those that do seem to view the Takara as nothing 
  more than a minor threat.  In fact, the Takara are engaged in a number of terrible activities whose sinister 
  motives remain unknown.
  The Takara were first identified by the Kansas City Bureau of Investigation in 2899 and classified as a ‘malign 
  organization of religious zealots’.  The Takara were targeted by the KCBI organized crime task force for their 
  involvement in a number of unexplained disappearances and they were quickly dispersed.  A few years later, 
  a similar cult was reported in the planetary capital of London and the Orion Security 
  Service began to investigate widespread activities by the organization and its members 
  all across Terra/Sol.  Since that time a number of intelligence organizations throughout 
  the Twilight Sector have reported encounters with similar cults; little has been done 
  by the OSS or other organizations to discover the extent of the cult’s influence or 
  operations.
  The KBI accumulated the most information regarding the Takara, though even  this 
  information is sadly lacking in details and has subsequently been supressed.  What they 
  were able to determine is that the Takara are a tightly organized group of religious fanatics 
  who follow an esoteric occult mythology and practice antiquated rituals and rites that 
  they believe grant them power and favor with their gods.  Many of these rituals require 
  blood sacrifices, ideally drawn from unwilling human victims but the Takara occasionally 
  use animal blood if pressed.  Other Takara rituals involve the preparing and consumption 
  of human flesh though the reasons behind this are unknown.  No other organization known to the KBI practices 
  such strange and gruesome activities, though few within the KBI are aware of the cult as it hasn’t been active in 
  Kansas City in nearly a century (or so it is thought).
  In nearly every encounter with the Takara, the cult has been led by a matriarch or ‘Mother’ who seems to 
  guide the actions of the cult as a whole as well as the lives of the individual members.  Like other such 
  organizations, the cult matriarch is often a charismatic and highly intelligent individual often holding a 
  position of power outside the cult and usually with a great deal of resources and connections.  The Takara 
  seem almost completely reliant on the matriarch for guidance and were unable to function without 
  her direction.  In past encounters, the cult matriarch was directly responsible for every activity the cult 
  performed and psychological advisors to intelligence organizations that have encountered the Takara 
  liken the relationship between the cult members and the matriarch to some insects – when the ‘queen’ is 
  removed, the ‘hive’ dies.
  No one knows how the Takara recruit their members.  Individual members of the Takara cults have come 
  from all walks of life; there have been no common ties between any of the recorded members of these cults.  
  What is known is that members almost completely forsake their old lives upon joining the cult, even going 
  so far as to assume new identities in new locations.  This has made tracking the members of the cults very 
  difficult as most use false identities and almost no records from their past life can be found.  Members of the 
  Takara are utterly and totally loyal to the cult matriarch and no success has been made attempting to de-
  program former cult members.  When these cults have been shut down, almost always requiring the death 
  of the matriarch, the cult members seem to lose all motivation to live though few actively attempt suicide.  
  Intelligence organizations have noted that the members of the Takara seem to share similar mutations and 
  individuals known not to possess any mutations before joining the cult seem to develop mutations after 
  their time with the Takara.  Typical mutations found among the Takara include Physical Deformity, Light 
  Sensitivity, Notable Strength, Endurance or Dexterity, Large and Psionic.  Finally, nearly all members of the 
  Takara seem to develop an almost nutritional need to feed on human flesh or blood.
  The frequency of the appearance of the Takara throughout Terra/Sol and the Twilight Sector cannot be a 
  coincidence.  Though intelligence organizations seem unable or unwilling to recognize the threat the Takara 
  present, many fringe organizations and conspiracy theorists believe they represent an active and malign 
  influence on Terra/Sol.  Whatever their true motivations, it is clear that the Takara are far more than a simple cult.
  Organization Information, Optional Handout
  This information is 
  for the Referee, but… 
  While the Takara 
  are a secret cult, this 
  information does exist 
  (but is still very hard 
  to obtain). Referees 
  may wish to allow the 
  Players to access this 
  infomation entirely 
  if they obtain the KBI 
  “Black File”…
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  0
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  Part I, Act Three: Silk and Blood
  The third and final Act reaches the climax of the story whereby the players 
  investigate the Bamboo Serenity geisha house. Clues discovered at the Yummy 
  Dragon Restaurant all point in the direction of the massage parlor and it is 
  clear that the sinister activities taking place in Kansas City are centered on this 
  location.
  Using these encounters
  The Objective for this portion of the adventure is to build towards the thrilling conclusion. Thus 
  the scenes are arranged in the order they need to be presented. Players somehow not headed 
  to the Bamboo Serenity after their discoveries in the Yummy Dragon are just not thinking real 
  hard. If it should happen, and the players have not had their discussion with the Yakuza (The 
  Yakuza Offer), the Yakuza can always take matters in hand. So as to “give” more information 
  for the Players to help them along.  
  Referee Note: Sensitivity may be Warranted
  Some Referees will be uncomfortable, or know that their players will be uncomfortable, in ‘allowing’ 
  the Takara to victimize children prior to the PC’s involvement (as is revealed at the end of the Act). The 
  choice of victim was made to emphasize the utter inhumanity of the Takara (and indeed their allies, the 
  OSS which have been driven well beyond the pale by their association with this foul cult). 
  It is easy enough to circumvent or ignore the “Nursery” aspects of this Act, but the Second Part of the 
  Campaign is designed to delve deeper into that very aspect of the cult and their allies. Still, it can be done 
  if the Referee is willing to perform a little more effort in setting up some alternatives. Instead, use victims 
  of another sort entirely: such as hospitalized Volt Junkies or individuals who have been placed into a 
  medically induced coma. This way the nature of the victim (weak, defenseless) still underscores the foul 
  depravity of the Takara but will not trigger the automatic ‘gut response’ some may evidence over the fact of 
  pedophagy. Doing so can even tighten the storyline, as this could indeed be why Rosen knew more than 
  he was willing to tell about the Takara. More on this can be found in the sidebar on Page 58 in Part 2.
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  Bamboo Serenity
  The Bamboo Serenity massage parlor is a well 
  known geisha house throughout Kansas City’s 
  Oriental District. Clients go in for a quiet and 
  relaxing massage as well as to arrange private 
  deals with the staff. The Kansas City Police have 
  done little to shut down this den of vice as the 
  head mistress, Madame Xiang, provides kickbacks 
  in the form of money and free services for police 
  officers. The geisha 
  house has never 
  been linked to other 
  criminal activity 
  such as drug use 
  or organized crime 
  and thus, it remains 
  off the radar of most 
  law enforcement 
  agencies.
  The clues 
  discovered by 
  the players at the 
  Yummy Dragon 
  Restaurant point 
  to the Bamboo 
  Serenity as the 
  center of something 
  vile. It should be 
  evident that the 
  players will need to 
  enter the house in 
  order to discover 
  more evidence and 
  potentially stop 
  whatever’s going 
  on in the house. 
  Some players may 
  decide to go to the authorities and have them 
  do the dirty work; this course of action will prove 
  quite unsuccessful as the police and the KBI will 
  require more concrete evidence of wrongdoing 
  on the part of the geisha house and tipping off 
  the police will result in the Takara getting wind 
  of an impending raid, which will cause them to 
  close up shop and leave. Intrepid players will seek 
  to discover the truth for themselves and to do so 
  they must enter the house.
  Description:  
  The house itself is a small, three story affair 
  decorated in an old oriental style and stands 
  out among the more modern buildings in 
  the district. The building has been used as a 
  massage parlor and geisha house for decades 
  – the same length of time the Yummy Dragon 
  Restaurant has been in business. All outward 
  appearances reveal a simple yet elegant 
  building. 
  A closer look, requiring a Recon (Intelligence, -2) or 
  Investigate (Intelligence, -2) skill check, will reveal 
  very modern security systems such as cameras, 
  security doors and armed bodyguards making 
  regular patrols of the house and the street/allies 
  outside. Scrutiny will also reveal that the house is 
  primarily empty, the inhabitants being tipped off 
  about the player’s attack on the restaurant.
  Players taking a sneaky approach to infiltrating the 
  house will need to sneak past the security systems 
  and the armed guards in order to get close; doing 
  so requires a Stealth (Dexterity, -2) skill check to 
  avoid detection. Players sneaking in can also make 
  Athletics: Coordination (Dexterity, +0) skill checks 
  to climb the outside of the building to the second 
  or third floors. Players attempting to infiltrate the 
  building must make an Engineering/Electronics 
  (Dexterity, 0, 1-6 minutes) or Deception (Dexterity, 
  -2, 10-60 seconds) skill check to pick the locks. 
  Failure to avoid detection tips off the Takara as to 
  how and where the players are entering the house, 
  giving them time to prepare an ambush against 
  the players.
  Description:  
  Inside the building, the players find the lights 
  dimmed and the house quiet. Most of the 
  staff and any clients have been rushed out 
  before the players arrived and only a handful 
  of patrolling guards lie in wait for the players. 
  The second and third floors are each made up 
  of a half a dozen rooms used by the staff to 
  entertain clients; little of value can be found in 
  these rooms or on these floors. The first floor 
  contains a large entry hall as well as some large 
  recreation rooms for clients to sit and relax, 
  have a drink and spend time with the staff. Also 
  on the first floor is Madame Xiang’s office and 
  bedroom, both of which are locked. 
  Two sets of two guards patrol the house, one on 
  the first floor and one patrolling the second and 
  third floors. The guards are armed with autopistols 
  and shotguns as well as knives and concealed 
  armor. They have been ordered to kill anyone 
  entering the house. If the players are discovered, 
  the guards respond with deadly force. Once 
  anything starts to happen, particularly gunfire 
  or the sounds of a struggle, the guards from 
  other floors rush to respond to the source of the 
  disturbance. Referees should note that this makes 
  How Rude! 
  There might be a timeline element 
  here if the referee want to incorporate 
  this into the adventure: If the players 
  show up within 10-15 minutes of 
  their entering the Restaurant, a few 
  of the stragglers from the house are 
  being hustled out the back door on 
  the pretense of an imminent police 
  raid. The players might notice an 
  excess of foot and/or vehicle traffic 
  coming out of the areas, Kancitians 
  who are half-dressed or look like 
  they dressed in the dark. Which is 
  more or less accurate. While casual 
  questioning is doubtful to elicit 
  ready answers, a persuasive and/or 
  threatening character might get 
  one of these ousted johns to give 
  them tidbits of information such as 
  “they started getting people out 
  in no uncertain terms five minutes 
  ago” and “I saw a pair of men with 
  weapons, I don’t know what kind of 
  raid they were preparing for, but I 
  doubt it’s the local cops”
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  the guards susceptible to feints and diversions. 
  The guards are fiercely loyal to Madame Xiang 
  and know that retreat and surrender is not an 
  option; they will fight to the death.
  There is little of value or interest in the house 
  itself, though the players may be able to find 
  some trinkets among the staff rooms that are 
  worth a small amount of cash. Searching Madame 
  Xiang’s office reveals more information, but little 
  that is terribly incriminating in a legal sense (for 
  her, although others in City Hall might start to 
  get very nervous). Players searching the office 
  should make Investigate (Intelligence, +0, 1-6 
  minutes) skill checks to discover a few scant 
  clues; players can also break into Madame Xiang’s 
  computer, requiring a Computer (Intelligence, -1, 
  1-6 minutes) skill check to likewise discover a few 
  minor clues. 
  Of the clues that can be gained in the office, 
  players can discover: 
  Further information linking the Bamboo 
  Serenity and the Yummy Dragon Restaurant
  Client lists revealing some prominent names 
  in Kansas City politics and law enforcement
  Correspondences with orphanages located 
  in London and future travel records to 
  and from London for Madame Xiang and 
  some of her staff. This includes four "open" 
  (as in unassigned to a particular person) 
  tickets to London on a flight that will leave 
  tomorrow afternoon and arrive in London 
  by early morning (local time). Along with the 
  tickets is a brief memo: "Meet with Mattias, 
  Cauldron, 11 AM"   There were also return 
  flight tickets for the following day after 2 
  p.m.. There appeared to be no hotel or other 
  accommodations tickets.
  Of key importance however (in terms of the 
  adventure progressing forward) is the presence of 
  a hidden door in the office. This can be discovered 
  by players searching the room (as above) or 
  making a Recon (Intelligence, -2) skill check to 
  notice something is amiss. The door is well hidden 
  behind a bookcase that is easily moved. The secret 
  door leads to a narrow staircase going down into 
  tunnels located beneath the house. The Referee 
  should read the following as soon as the players 
  open the door:
  As the players open the hidden door they feel 
  a short blast of cold air. Mere seconds later, a 
  bloodcurdling scream echoes up from below. 
  The player’s direction should be clear from that 
  point forward.
  
  
  
  The Nest
  After infiltrating the house and discovering a 
  hidden door leading to tunnels below the geisha 
  house, the players descend into the depths of 
  the basement. The tunnels and rooms beneath 
  the house have existed for decades and are well-
  maintained by the Takara. 
  Description:  
  The tunnels appear to have been carved straight 
  into the ground and have been walled over 
  by thick cement. Adequate lighting is present 
  throughout the tunnels and the air is clean even if 
  somewhat cold and dank. One thing that players 
  notice immediately is that between the thick 
  concrete and the tight confines, all of the noise 
  made here seems magnified with a slight echo.
  The footsteps of the players will be a dead 
  giveaway for anyone at the bottom of the stairs 
  due to the aforementioned echoes off the cold 
  concrete walls; this doesn’t mean however that 
  they cannot try. Impose a -1 penalty to all Stealth 
  skill checks while in the tunnels. Once the Players 
  commit to taking the tunnels down into the 
  bowels of the Takara nest, describe the following:
  Following the narrow stairway passage beneath 
  the house downward, you come to an opening 
  which has no door at the base of the stairway 
  itself. The chamber beyond looks to be large and 
  poorly lit. As they approach however, the air is 
  fouled by the smell of fresh blood. 
  There are no traps or other gimmicks that impede 
  transit from the passage to the Open Chamber, it is 
  after all used as a means of transit, smoothly going 
  back and forth for the Takara that dwell within. 
  Beyond the opening is a large central chamber 
  (roughly 13m x 19m) with two large double 
  doors on either side and a plastic strip door 
  directly on the opposite side of the entrance. 
  The space is lit by flickering lights that come 
  from braziers on either side of the chamber, 
  They give the place a weird appearance. 
  [Referee Note: they also impose a -1 on non-
  melee attacks, in addition to any range mods]
  The walls and floor of this room are sprayed with 
  fresh blood and the stench of it fills the nostrils. A 
  small drain in the center of the floor has collected 
  a large pool of blood and gore. Rivulets of crimson 
  stretch back to the center of the chamber.
  In the center of the room is a metal table, on 
  which the deceased body of a young man 
  stretches out obscenely  
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  [Referee Note: this matches the description 
  Stephen Wiley.] 
  Standing behind him, with a strangely curved 
  blade on one hand aloft that drips with blood, is 
  a small woman with a delicate frame and a pale 
  complexion. Her long black hair is tied up and she 
  wears a red silk kimono. A red silk veil covers most 
  of her face and players can only see her dark, black 
  eyes. She appears to be waiting for them.
  [Referee Note: Once they walk inside] On 
  either side of the entrance to the chamber 
  are identical alcoves. Inside of these are two 
  more flickering braziers and a low prayer table. 
  Several objects lie on the table that range 
  from the commonplace (incense) to bizarrely 
  wrought stone idols and wicked-looking knives.
  This woman is of course Madame Xiang, the Takara 
  local hive queen, and she is waiting for them to 
  enter. If the players shoot at her from the doorway, 
  keep in mind the dim lighting applies a DM of -1 to 
  ranged attacks and from their perspective she has 
  half-cover for a further -1 DM on top of any range 
  modifiers that apply. She is also not stupid, if they 
  raise their weapons, she will try to avoid being shot 
  by dodging behind the cover (thus giving a -2 DM 
  for cover rather than -1).
  During combat, or players can make a Recon 
  (Intelligence, -1) skill check to catch sight of a 
  strange deformity hidden beneath her veil – her 
  tongue appears to be more a tentacle than a 
  typical human tongue and her teeth are very 
  long and razor sharp. If Madame Xiang is killed or 
  captured, the body combusts (see below), but not 
  at once; any PC who is examining her even casually 
  will take note of this deformity (once dead or 
  unconscious, the tentacle-tongue sort of lolls out).
  Upon seeing the players, Madame Xiang simply 
  waits as the body of Stephen Wiley oozes blood 
  onto the metal table and from there onto the 
  floor. When the PCs move into the main chamber, 
  the remaining cultists emerge from the various 
  side rooms and alcoves (See sidebar to the left). 
  At that point, Xiang will also launch herself at 
  them with her deadly blade; she has realized by 
  now that the players are here to stop her activities 
  and that they cannot be bargained with. She 
  fights with preternatural skill and speed, reacting 
  far faster than a human being should. Madame 
  Xiang does not fight to the death, if she is injured 
  she will attempt to flee further into the tunnels, 
  eventually reaching the city sewers. If cornered, 
  she will continue fighting and will do anything in 
  her power to avoid capture. 
  The Queen’s Court
  The characters will quickly be able to defeat Madame 
  Xiang if she is alone, and she is not. She is however a 
  bit unprepared, as she was busy “tidying up” when the 
  Players arrived. As she heard the players coming down 
  the stairs, she commanded her remaining cultists to 
  hide among the alcoves and passageways. As soon as 
  the characters walk in and look like they are going to 
  attack, the cultists stream in and attack as well. These 
  are not true combatants, but they are (a) attackers to 
  draw attention away from the Queen and (b) A terrific 
  nuisance. Given their statistics and weapons, they will 
  likely not take out the characters, but they can allow 
  Xiang to escape or get a fatal strike in on a PC.
  No set number of these cultists are provided. The 
  Referee should gauge their number based on the 
  number of PC’s (at least one per PC) and the PCs health 
  and ability level (a group of unwounded PCs might 
  get two or three times their number, which is about 
  the maximum there should be in this encounter). They 
  are not fighting for a cause, or even self-preservation. 
  They fight on behalf of their Queen, and are psychically 
  linked to her as if they were extensions of her will.
  If the PCs manage to kill the Queen, the remaining 
  cultists go into seizures. Anyone with Psionics can feel 
  the backlash as well, although they will not themselves 
  seize or feel any other physical effects beyond bloodshot 
  eyes or a nosebleed. Very quickly into their seizures, the 
  cultists’ hearts literally burst, blood emerging from their 
  mouths, eyes, ears and whatever wounds they have. If 
  the Queen manages to escape, they become hopelessly 
  mad, their eyes glazed over and their minds literally fried 
  (this however makes them somewhat more dangerous, 
  as they no longer feel any pain whatsoever and will fight 
  past where normal people would just decently expire. In 
  game terms, should the Queen escape, cutting off their 
  psychic connection to her, they receive an additional 5 
  points to absorb damage and descend into hopeless 
  madness. Referees should note how even if they are 
  mortally wounded, their bodies ripped nearly apart, they 
  keep coming. Use Lay Cultist and Gatherers for the Court.
  Madame Xiang, Kansas City Queen
  STR: 10(+1)  DEX: 12(+2)  END: 11(+1)   
  INT: 9 (+1)  EDU: 8  SOC:  9 (+1) PSI: 12(+2) 
  Skills (relevant to scene): Athletics (Coordination 2), 
  Melee (Blade 3), Stealth 3, Telepathy 4
  Equipment: Monomolecular Ritual Knife (2d6+3+STR ). 
  Modifications: Her skin acts as armor (AV: 3), her Kimono 
  is also armored (AV: 3, total 6). Enhanced vision and her 
  Fangs do 2d6+3 damage (3 pt Armor Piercing).  She is 
  amped by natural endorphins that mimic the effects of 
  Combat Drug (see Traveller Main Book, pg 94)
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  If Killed, or if captured despite these efforts, 
  her body will begin the wrench – either flat on 
  the ground if she was killed or tugging against 
  whatever grip or bonds in which she is placed. 
  After a few moments (whether or not she is 
  conscious or even alive at the time): 
  Xiang’s body begins to bloat. The skin distorts, 
  then splits at the seams as her entire form 
  shudders and flops about. Finally she erupts in 
  foul stinking flames as something deep within 
  her body touches the open air and is rejected as 
  if by nature itself.  Wreathed in flame, the body 
  droops down, seeming to collapse slightly in 
  on itself, only to begin expanding again with a 
  popping and hissing sound… 
  Anyone not in full flight at this point potentially 
  becomes a statistic as the 6d6 explosion rips 
  through the small chamber.
  After combat, the players can explore the grisly 
  Nest further.
  Missing Persons
  Players exploring the Nest beneath the geisha 
  house find a macabre collection of chambers, 
  each more shocking than the last. Each chamber 
  reveals more and more about the sinister Takara 
  and the lengths of their gruesome activities.
  Referee Note: All of the following could technically 
  be considered description with mild editing.
  A large room contains a number of cages meant 
  to contain human victims (and appropriately 
  sized). The cages are dirty, covered in human 
  waste and dried blood. Only two of the cages 
  have people in them, but it is clear that Madame 
  Xiang murdered them before the players arrived. 
  Both these people match the remaining persons 
  reported missing. One of them is Amanda Foster.
  One room looks like a slaughterhouse in every 
  sense of the word. From the player’s investigations 
  it becomes clear that prisoners are taken from 
  the cages, killed in the center chamber and then 
  moved into the slaughterhouse for ‘processing’. 
  Here, the victims are stripped of their flesh, 
  
  Part One: Honor Bound
  
  which is clearly packaged and stored in a nearby 
  refrigerator. Boxes in this room match those found 
  at the Yummy Dragon Restaurant and it quickly 
  becomes clear that the Takara slaughter their 
  victims and harvest their flesh to be eaten later. 
  The remains of at least four people can be found 
  in this room and the refrigerator. One of these is 
  Takeo Batchai, who looks as if she was severely 
  tortured prior to being killed and carved up. 
  On several of the victims, particularly Batchai’s, 
  there are odd circular wounds, which look like 
  something tubular burrowed into the flesh.
  A strange room is ornately decorated, its walls 
  covered with velvet tapestries depicting various 
  strange scenes of stars and planets. A large plush 
  rug covers the floor of this room and a number of 
  bizarre artifacts can be found here such as silver 
  bowls, plates and cups, curved ornamental blades 
  and strange-smelling incense. On a small plate 
  in the center of the room is a human heart that, 
  upon closer inspection, has a large bite taken out 
  of it, but the dentition marks are all wrong for a 
  normal human (bright players should connect the 
  kind of teeth they saw on Madame Xiang). 
  By far the most shocking room located beneath 
  the geisha house is the nursery. A heavy metal 
  door leads into a large room lined with nearly a 
  dozen small cribs. Immediately upon opening the 
  door the players hear the cries of children and 
  it seems as though this room has been sound-
  proofed to prevent these cries from being heard 
  throughout the tunnels and the house above. 
  Approximately eight small children, ranging in 
  age from a few months to two years old, lie in the 
  cribs some crying and screaming for attention. 
  A variety of items used for caring for children can be 
  found throughout the room including baby food and 
  diapers. Each crib has a piece of paper framed next 
  to it and these appear to be adoption certificates for 
  each child. Some cribs are empty, though still have 
  certificates next to them; the children are nowhere to 
  be found and players can assume these children are 
  also used for food by the Takara. 
  Closer inspection will reveal that all the children 
  here, as well as those missing, came from one of 
  two orphanages located in London. This nursery 
  places the players within a much larger plot, one 
  that spans the entire planet of Terra/Sol.
  The Next Scenario: 
  London Calling
  Following the incident at the geisha house, 
  the players have a number of options on how 
  to proceed. The remains discovered beneath 
  the house have closed all the missing persons 
  and murder cases plaguing Kansas City. If the 
  authorities are called in, the player’s actions are 
  lauded as heroic if not reckless and the police 
  and KBI begin their investigation. The children are 
  taken to orphanages around Kansas City to be 
  found homes with loving families. The truth of the 
  events in Kansas City is heard across the Republic 
  of the Plains and, indeed, Terra/Sol; a strange cult 
  of cannibals has been found and eliminated.
  The presence of the children beneath the 
  geisha house however leaves many questions 
  unanswered. How could a murderous cult of 
  cannibals possibly adopt so many children? 
  What was Madame Xiang’s relationship to the 
  orphanages in London? Is it possible that other 
  such cults exist across Terra/Sol and are engaged 
  in similar adoptions? Though local authorities 
  promise to investigate further, a planetary 
  conspiracy will ensure that these investigations 
  never bear fruit. Only the players’ independent 
  investigations will prove to uncover the truth 
  behind these questions.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  Note: None of the information presented in this chapter is common knowledge. 
  The Story Thus Far
  What the Players already know…
  After tracking the activities of the Kansas City 
  cult behind the Yamaguchi Ripper slayings, and 
  subsequently stopping the cultists, the players 
  discovered a number of small children being 
  raised by the cult. Records from the cult indicate 
  the children were adopted from two different 
  orphanages located in the planetary capital of 
  London and that the cult has been involved in 
  similar adoptions for years.
  What lay beneath…
  In truth, the orphanages are involved in a number 
  of illegal activities, all covered up by the Orion 
  Security Service (OSS), a clandestine organization 
  run by the Orion government. At the behest of 
  the OSS, the orphanages in question are in the 
  business of brokering 
  out children as the 
  OSS sees fit. Children 
  are collected by the 
  orphanages from all 
  over Terra/Sol and 
  then adopted out to a 
  variety of individuals 
  in the service of the 
  OSS. None outside 
  the OSS are aware 
  of these bizarre and 
  detestable activities. 
  With any luck on the 
  part of the players, 
  they soon will and 
  that knowledge alone 
  will put a stop to it.
  Having uncovered 
  information regarding the 
  adoptions by the Takara 
  of Kansas City, the players 
  travel to London in the 
  hopes of discovering why 
  such a vile group would 
  be allowed to adopt so 
  many children from these 
  orphanages. 
  London Locations
  1:  Victoria Central Transit Hub
  2:  Witch’s Cauldron
  3:  Parkhurst Arcology
  4:  Northwoods Orphanage
  5:  Alexandria Orphanage
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Part II, Act One: Orphans
  The players have come to London to look into the adoption of nearly a dozen children 
  by a vile cult of cannibals in Kansas City. Evidence discovered in Kansas City leads 
  players to investigate two large orphanages in the planetary capital of London. 
  In the first scene of the act, the players arrive in London and begin either by 
  investigating the orphanages or in trying to forestall the meet with ‘Mattias’. 
  Using these encounters
  The Objective for this portion of the adventure is to end with the players having some of the local (London) 
  information they need to proceed, but being warned off by the OSS. 
  For Referees looking for the simplest, most direct method (or the fastest for Convention-style play where 
  everything must be accomplished within a single tight session), use the following scenes in the following 
  (approximate) order: Getting to London (note if they have attracted the Takara’s attentions) > Legwork at the 
  Orphanages (to give them something to do) > Men in Black (to finish this scene out). Again, this is not the only 
  way to proceed and after the Part One Adventure, Players may want to pursue the Mattias angle themselves. If 
  time is of the essence, referee’s may substitute Mattias with the legwork at the Orphanages, then have the Men in 
  Black descend on them and warn them off. 
  Refrees are also reminded to hand the players the Information Sheet from the Player Inserts Section. This is 
  commonly available information any resident of Terra/Sol either knows or can easily procure.
  Referee Note: Arrival Times and Horrible things oh my!
  As noted in “Getting to London’s”  subsection on “Setting up a Base of Operations”, the players will arrive 
  in London without weapons if they use commercial travel, or weapons that will need to be checked in 
  even if they are themselves legally entitled to carry them. Even if the players use their own ship to get 
  to London, there are strict legal restrictions on gun ownership in the Federal Enclave as a whole. This 
  means that using the “Meeting with Mattias’  scene will involve unarmed players (Shock! Horror!), Or 
  they will have to blow it off. For referees who feel this is critical and know their players well, feel free to 
  move the date back to the day following their arrival. 
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  0
  Getting to London
  Players can reach London in a number of ways, 
  (mostly Victoria Central Transport Hub) although 
  this is not crucial to the adventure it might have 
  an impact on how the game unfolds… 
  If the players are working for a larger 
  organization, such as the Kansas Bureau of 
  Investigations or even a criminal organization 
  such as the Yakuza, the organization 
  the players work for can arrange for 
  transportation to London. 
  Players working independently will have to 
  acquire their own means of reaching London, 
  usually by plane. Purchasing them is hardly 
  expensive (approximate cost for one way trips 
  on the suborbital from KC to London are only 
  around 750cr).
  The tickets which the Takara 'Queen' had in 
  her office were "open" tickets, not designated 
  to anyone in particular. The players could just 
  as easily use those tickets as purchase their 
  own to get to London.
  Players taking commercial means of 
  transportation may have difficulty 
  transporting weapons and other such goods, 
  depending on the legality of the items in 
  question. The journey to London from Kansas 
  City is a quick one and players can reach their 
  destination in a short period of time
  What the Players have to go on:
  There are three pieces of critical evidence that 
  the players have to work with that have London 
  connections: 
  Along with the tickets they found to London 
  was a brief memo: "Meet with Mattias, 
  Cauldron, 11 AM" No date was mentioned, 
  but the flight was to arrive in London by 
  10:30 AM local time. There were also return 
  flight tickets for the following day after 2 
  p.m.. There appeared to be no hotel or other 
  accommodations tickets.
  They also have the names of the Orphanages 
  that the kids came from, The Northwoods 
  Orphanage and the Alexandria Orphanage. 
  Shadowborn's Murderer Revanche is also 
  located in London. Revanche is a Net Pilot 
  Assassin for hire used by the OSS for "cleaner" 
  jobs and the like. This makes it difficult for 
  Criminal Organizations such as the Yakuza to 
  touch him for fear of beginning a conflict with 
  the organization.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A Slice of London
  London, the planetary capital, is a megopolis whose 
  urban sprawl extends Kilometers in all directions outside 
  the city proper. London’s center is filled with towering 
  skyscrapers and arcologies, and the constant hum of air 
  and ground traffic. Home to millions of people, the city 
  streets of London are choked with crowds at all times. 
  Players unfamiliar with such a big city will find themselves 
  a bit overwhelmed, especially those from the small 
  towns of the Republic of the Plains. Even players that 
  have been to big cities will take some time to get used 
  to the sheer size of the capital. Players can access basic 
  information about the city such as maps, methods of 
  transportation, etc using their computers and accessing 
  public information sites across the internet.
  By comparison, Kansas City was planned out as a 
  city, not a megacity or megopolis. At the time of its 
  construction, it had not even yet been decided whether 
  the location would be the capital of the Republic of 
  the Plains or not. Thus, a city of perhaps seven or eight 
  million was envisioned, not the Forty-Three million that 
  now inhabit it. This made Kansas City something of a 
  patchwork, and contributed to the “organic” feel of the 
  place in both good and bad ways. 
  London is different. This is a place that was planned 
  not for a few million, but potentially for hundreds of 
  millions. Right now it doesn’t have that many people, 
  not even by a third, but it has plans for them anyway. 
  As a result, arcologies were built into the design of the 
  city from the very start (rather than evolving later as 
  they have in Kansas City). Underground networks and 
  mass transit was sandwiched between functioning 
  Industrial sub-layers so that the building materials for 
  the labyrinth would be close at hand. 
  London today has 10 major arcologies, as well as a huge 
  number of skyscrapers in the Valleys and those areas 
  where the underground bedrock would not tolerate the 
  construction of such massive structures. While they have 
  major underground sections (in the sub-layers of the city), 
  these are not the Undercities of Kansas City or New York. 
  They are also not haphazardly designed out and planned.
  When describing London, you need to think vertical. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  [Referee’s Note: This is actually little 
  more than a rumor, although individual 
  Referee’s may want to develop this part of 
  the adventure to add some of their own plot 
  twists. Revanche works for the OSS as a sort 
  of digital version of the classic Cleaner. He’s 
  scary, but not invulnerable. Anyone of this 
  caliber in his field though, works smart and 
  has contingency plans to facilitate escape.]
  Of Special Note: 
  If the players use the Open tickets that were 
  pilfered from Madame Xiang, the Takara living in 
  London will spot them and keep tabs on them 
  immediately. Otherwise, detection will depend 
  on how much of Act I (and more importantly the 
  players role in it) is known by the public or by 
  officials (which they also have their hooks in as 
  the players ought to have realized already). 
  Despite being of the same foul character and 
  degenerate faith, the Takara of London are far 
  more cautious than the minions of Madame 
  Xiang, They are less likely to force some sort of 
  conflict unless they have to. Having lost one 
  Nest, the Takara are in no hurry to lose another; 
  the Queen of this Nest is very old (even by 30th 
  Century standards) and cautious. 
  Referees however might want to take note of 
  this presence, and let the players make checks 
  of their Recon or Streetwise against the stealth 
  skill of one of their pursuers as a contested test. 
  The Takara spotters have a Stealth skill of 3 on 
  average, and work in teams of no less than three. 
  Make one roll for both sides, add the scores of all 
  players involved to determine if they notice the 
  tail. The check nets the following results:
  Marginal Success: There is something vaguely 
  wrong. You aren’t sure what precisely.
  Average Success: Something is definitely wrong, 
  and you don’t like it. There is a face in the 
  crowd that is reappearing now and again, 
  maybe more than one. You cannot say for 
  certain you are being followed, but it sure 
  feels that way. The man is vaguely oriental, 
  but more than that you really cannot say. 
  Exceptional Success: You know you are being 
  followed by a 3-man team or more, at least 
  two of whom you can now positively identify 
  (probably more if you see them again). 
  Once the PCs are successful in noticing the tail, 
  give the pursuer a chance to detect any changes 
  in their behavior (unless there are no changes). If 
  the players do something surreptitious, this will 
  
  lead to a contested Stealth vs. Recon check (the 
  Takara Tail has Recon 2). If the Takara notice that 
  they have been detected, they will back off for a 
  time. They primarily want to ensure that they are 
  not the target of the Players’ investigation, they 
  will only strike if they feel that this is the case (see 
  The Takara Response sidebar).
  Setting up a Base of Operations
  When arriving in London, players must locate 
  a place to stay; countless hotels are available 
  throughout the city ranging from high-class 
  penthouses to seedy dives. Players that are 
  working for a larger organization may need to 
  take time to contact other such organizations 
  in the city and announce their presence. Players 
  bringing legal weapons into the city will need 
  to register them with federal law enforcement. 
  The players will also need to procure means of 
  transportation throughout their stay in the city; 
  public transportation such as cabs is available but 
  often unreliable and costly while rental vehicles 
  are readily available. Traffic is another matter.
  While players may want to immediately travel to 
  the orphanages upon arriving or chase down one 
  of their other leads, referees should ensure that 
  the players have thought out everything they 
  need to operate in London. It will take time for the 
  players to establish themselves in the city before 
  setting out on their investigations.
  Meeting with Mattias
  Clue: The only clue the characters have is: “Meet 
  with Mattias, Cauldron, 11 AM” 
  There is no date on the note, but the ticket’s 
  arrival time is a 10:30 AM (touchdown, with 
  disembarkation taking another 10-20 minutes 
  maximum) and so this is ‘doable’ but somewhat 
  tight right after the flight. Note, most players will 
  be without weapons of any kind here.
  If the players performed a relatively simple search 
  of the zone around the Transit Hub beforehand 
  (no real roll needed, just a little effort), they come 
  up with a bar called The Witch’s Cauldron that 
  is just outside of the Hub (about 4 or 5 minutes by 
  slideway) in a somewhat less-than-reputable part 
  of the Capital (though still Downtown).
  A net search for the name “Mattias” is less helpful, 
  because there is even less context. There are 
  literally hundreds of people by that name in the 
  city of this size (at least it isn’t Smith), and there 
  are no real records that will connect the Cauldron 
  with the name (ownership, employees et al). 
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  Visiting the Cauldron: 
  If the players decide to head to the Witch’s 
  Cauldron, they will only require a little time for the 
  transit. Referees should make certain that they 
  take a little time to explain how crowed that the 
  streets and slideways are, even given the density 
  of the Kansas City Megaopolis to which they are 
  accustomed. 
  Description: The buildings overhead tower, 
  sending massive shadows across the sprawling 
  city below. Along one of the shadowed streets 
  lies a small neighborhood of somewhat dubious 
  character. One of the storefronts along the back 
  edge of one of these alleys is marked “Witch’s 
  Cauldron”, with a perpetually lit OPEN sign. 
  The inside of the Cauldron is narrow and 
  jammed full of tables. A bar stands along one 
  side, with a robotic bartender, and a few of the 
  tables are already filled with custom despite the 
  early hour. There is a raised area on the opposite 
  side with a stage and booths along the walls.  
  Most of the people in here look like working 
  class types, with a few harried businessmen 
  here and there. None of them appear to be very 
  talkative, as they sit, drinking from frothy dark-
  hued pints in celebration of the local customs 
  (real glass in fact, one of the Bar’s few selling 
  points).  No one seems to take much notice of 
  them but the waitstaff.
  Mattias is to come there to meet with Madame 
  Xiang on the day of her arrival, but the Referee 
  may decide to change that date if they wish in 
  order to force the encounter. The only problem is 
  that Mattias would probably have become aware 
  of the arrest of Madame Xiang in the intervening 
  day, but this can be rationalized if the Referee 
  thinks the encounter is important enough.
  Timeline: 
  10:54 AM: A man dressed in a dark purple (new 
  power color!) business suit appears within the 
  doorframe of the Cauldron, he is middle-aged 
  in appearance (which could mean anything 
  above his mid 30s or 40s in practice) and the 
  suit itself is relatively upscale for the little bar. 
  He is fairly attractive, but in the bland way 
  that faces are in the era of easy facesculpting 
  technology. [For those with Medicine skill: His 
  chin probably received the most work but it 
  is a fairly good job. Players can make a Recon 
  (Intelligence, -1), Investigation (Intelligence 
  or Education, 0) or Social Science/Psychology 
  (Intelligence, +1) skill check to determine that 
  the man looks slightly flustered and scared. 
  Not anxious, but scared.]
  10:58 AM: A second man and a woman enter the 
  bar, they are more simply dressed than the 
  first man, but still reasonably well groomed 
  and also wearing “power” suits a little more 
  appropriate for the area.  
  [Referee Note: these are Red Herrings. 
  Referees should call for dice rolls on anyone 
  the PCs want to “read” and may want to add 
  a few more people of this type they pull out 
  of their imagination later on. The bar gets a 
  steady flux of customers, from a broad range 
  of classes.] 
  11:03 AM: The man in the dark purple suit grows 
  visibly nervous [Referee Note: If the players 
  failed their earlier check, they may make 
  another try with the same chances to notice 
  the genuine fear], repeatedly checking the 
  embedded watch on the inside of his wrist. 
  11:58 AM: If no one has done anything, the man 
  checks his watch a final time and then leaves 
  the Cauldron. [Players may tail Mattias with 
  a Streetwise or Stealth (Intelligence or 
  Education, 0) or, with less skill and more verve, 
  by a Recon (Dexterity, -2) check. If they do, 
  Mattias returns to his office described as below.]
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Confronting Mattias: 
  Confronting Mattias can take several forms, 
  from deceit and manipulation to outright 
  honesty. There are two stages to this effort, one 
  is in getting information from him, primarily an 
  admission to what he has been doing for the 
  Takara and perhaps more about this strange 
  group. The other is in forcing him to into action, 
  which in this case basically means acquiring 
  some of his files to in digital or hardcopy form to 
  supplement the other evidence as to what has 
  been happening.
  In the atmosphere of the Cauldron, Mattias will 
  actually prove to be easier to ‘open up’, but harder 
  to force into any action. If the players wait until 
  Mattias in on his home turf, the opposite is true. 
  If the players demonstrate any effort to use the 
  advantages of the “turf” (speaking loudly in the 
  Cauldron to make a scene for example), apply a 
  +1/-1 to the skill checks listed below. 
  How the players approach Mattias will determine 
  the skill checks needed for the encounter. If they 
  use manipulation, make Deception (Intelligence, 
  -2) Check, perhaps modified by Social Science 
  (Psychology) to determine the specific tactic 
  they should use (treat this like a Task Chain, 
  Traveller Main Rulebook, pg. 51). If the players 
  use blunt accusation, the check is more one of 
  raw willpower: make a Persuade or Diplomacy 
  (Social, -2) Check, modified by Social Science 
  (Psychology) or Deception to add just enough of 
  a twist to get him to do what they want. 
  Dialogue: At some point Eugene babbles…
  What he does for them: “I’m… a specialist 
  I guess. I specialize in getting paperwork 
  together, legal forms and that sort of thing, 
  for people moving about the planet on 
  account of their jobs. Nothing serious.”
  If Pressed further on this count: “These… 
  people… they wanted me to move some of 
  their employees around and their… families.”
  Further: “Children. Never easy to take a child 
  from one side of the planet to another, go 
  to a different nation-state and that sort of 
  thing. Of course, if it’s your child or at least 
  the paperwork says it is, well… that’s another 
  matter entirely now isn’t it?” [Referee Note: 
  Referees who are substituting children for 
  some other victim will need to amend this 
  accordingly.]
  If the players are interested in how he got snared, 
  which isn’t entirely necessary but still interesting, 
  he will give them the following type of answers:
  
  
  
  Eugene Mattias, ManPro District 
  Manager, Takara Thrall 
  Mattias is in something of a state. He has been black-
  mailed and extorted already by the Takara, and he has 
  not been sleeping very well because of the things that 
  he must do as a result. Mattias indulges in a wide variety 
  of sexual perversions (as they are considered by the rest 
  of society, he is quite defensive about this) at the Jade 
  Empress Club (the Takara’s local version of the Bamboo 
  Serenity in Kansas City). The Takara, who run several 
  brothels specializing in a wide range of activities of this 
  sort, have been using that indulgence as both carrot 
  and stick to get him to do what they want along with 
  other officials, key business people and even otherwise 
  “unimportant” (in terms of political or economic clout) 
  day-workers and other blue-collar types. A wide range 
  of “helpers” (like Takeo Batchai in Yamaguchi District) 
  are necessary for a group that causes such revulsion 
  in others, and the network of these individuals are still 
  crucial in their own fashion to the Takara.
  Mattias is more than a little scared of the organization, 
  but his situation is already sealed with regard to them. 
  They have also supplied him with various experiences 
  for “free”, thus assuaging his ego slightly and subtly 
  playing out his guilt. In this complex situation, Mattias 
  knows very little of who and what they are, other than 
  the fact that they have him in their clutches and that 
  they are not the sort to be trifled with, but he has 
  nonetheless become a critical part of their smooth 
  continued operation worldwide. Far moreso than he (or 
  perhaps even the Takara) realizes.
  In game terms, Mattias really needs no stats. He is an 
  average sort of person sucked into something well 
  beyond his sweaty little imagination.
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  How he got involved: “I… became involved 
  with a group of people at the Jade Empress. 
  It was a… private club. At first it was great, 
  sex and drugs – legal and illegal of both 
  varieties. Eventually, I was offered to become 
  a “preferred partner”. By then, I was… I was 
  already in over my head. I just didn’t know it.”
  Preferred Partnership: “It was… intense. I 
  was in freefall at the time, personal issues 
  and that sort of thing. The release it offered 
  was… intoxicating. Then I met people like 
  Xiang. People that wanted me to do things. I 
  also discovered that there was a dark side to 
  the whole thing.” The irony of this is that given 
  some of the unsavory details of what he was 
  doing, this seems self-evident.
  Further pressing: “I heard things, you know? 
  About what happened if a Preferred Partner 
  of the Club didn’t perform these little side 
  tasks? Someone got arrested for their private 
  stash for not obeying the request. Someone 
  else had their lives ruined: family abandoned 
  them, that sort of thing. A few had family 
  members…co-opted into the operation if 
  they even balked.” He shudders. “One guy 
  got killed for outright defiance; none of us 
  said anything though because if he had done 
  what he said and gone to the authorities it 
  was the end of all of us. By that time, I realized 
  I was inside way too deep. It was… I couldn’t 
  help myself. Just doing what they asked was 
  so small a thing individually, paperwork here 
  and there, and the rewards so…” he shudders 
  in a different way here and players will 
  probably ought to be disgusted. 
  Through this all, Mattias’ starts to sweat profusely, 
  his eyes glance too and fro. It hardly requires 
  Social Science (Psychology) or Investigation 
  to know that he feels guilty but he’s still in the 
  Takara’s thrall no matter how bad he feels about 
  what he is doing. The Referee may want to have 
  the player characters make a check to determine 
  that in their informed opinion Mattias is probably 
  going to tell the Takara everything eventually. 
  Maybe not right away, but he is, in his own words, 
  “inside way too deep.” Whether this is true or not 
  means very little. Once the Takara find out he is 
  their weak point, he’s a dead man.
  If the players want the files (“action”) …
  "They get me to come to them. Never the 
  other way around. I meet them in places 
  like this." He indicates the Cauldron. "Usually 
  the… Madame Xiang and the adults she 
  wants to process through the paperwork. 
  
  
  
  
  I give them the right paperwork, fill out 
  the portions I need to, using information 
  they send to me beforehand and a few 
  other details that help grease the wheels, 
  and then later on in the day the paperwork 
  comes back to me by commercial courier 
  service. [By “greasing the wheels” he means 
  that there are certain flags that set off the 
  border checks for different local nations 
  and sub-national governments. Mattias 
  knows what they are and how to avoid 
  them in advance. Nothing illegal or even 
  particularly illegitimate about that, more 
  a matter of bureaucratic competence. The 
  courier service is actually a decent lead, 
  the company Automaton Deliveries, uses 
  Drone and Robots to make their deliveries. It 
  is one of the Takara’s front companies.]
  The Material he has on him: “I… doubt it 
  will help you very much.” [He hands them 
  over, the material is about three-quarters 
  finished, it lists a company name in the ROP 
  where the “prospective client” is headed 
  along with their family. The data that has 
  been provided includes full details of the 
  children, but very little for the adults. The 
  transit is for tomorrow, the same date that 
  the Takara were headed back to the ROP]. 
  “They gave me a list of company names and 
  addresses some time ago. I just use that.”
  "My files? You want…. No… no I couldn’t."
  As the files in his office suggest, this is not the 
  entire truth. If Referees want, they can sprinkle 
  some of these details in, gleaned from the 
  following.
  The Office: 
  Mattias heads a local ManPro Agency, a franchised 
  Manpower Professional corporation. While 
  most ManPro Offices try to find employment 
  opportunities for their clients, Mattias himself 
  (as the franchise owner of Parkhurst ManPro) 
  specializes in moving these individuals around 
  once they have already found positions.
  Description:  
  The Parkhurst Hypertower, is a mid-sized 
  arcology located 20 minutes away from the 
  Cauldron by Slideway. The Slideways along this 
  stretch are decent, well-maintained and heavily 
  trafficked. [Referee Note: Referees can add 
  color here as desired. Make it grandiose.]
  The Hypertower is, as the name would suggest, 
  a tall spire-like structure (not too dissimilar to 
  others in the Downtown London Area) roughly 
  
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  1,000m tall (which is dissimilar to them as the 
  Downtown areas are less built up by conscious 
  choice). The structure is broken into discrete 
  sections, known as “Terra” and numbered from 
  the bottom to the top. In the upper part of the 
  lower half is a rather significant “bubble” which 
  serves as a Bourlag (hi-rise hydroponics garden), 
  providing the building with a pleasant green 
  appearance along with the ‘steel’ (actually 
  composite alloy materials that are ten times 
  stronger than building materials found in the 21st 
  century but still often referred to as ‘steel’) and 
  ‘glass’ (actually a transparent artificial plastic 
  affectionately referred to as ‘glaz’ but coming in a 
  wide variety of brand-names).
  The Parkhurst ManPro office is located on Terra 
  4, above the “bubble” at the top of the lower 
  half of the structure. The trip into the Parkhurst 
  Hypertower takes the players across broad plazas 
  as they enter the monumental structure, then up 
  express elevators that run along the outside of 
  the building (affording a marvelous view of the 
  city). Then the players go back into a central plaza 
  where they take a circular escalator to the floor 
  that they need (Terra 4, Grid 2, Section 41, Lot 7B). 
  Description: 
  The ManPro office is a relatively standard 
  looking “storefront” found in the commercial 
  level of the Terra (it looks very similar to a 21st 
  century Mall retail shop). Inside the office is a 
  narrow area with three small clusters of desks 
  at regular intervals in the front, where the glass 
  separates them from the arcade. There are 
  two other doors, one marked “office” the other 
  unmarked.
  Office: The Office is well-appointed and very 
  modern looking, with a visiwindow (which 
  shows a pastoral setting outside, the image 
  usually comes from a remote vidpickup 
  located somewhere else which has a nice view) 
  behind the broad desk. The desk itself has an 
  uncluttered surface, and doubles as a computer 
  interface station.
  Unmarked door: There is a short hallway with 
  four doors, two on either side: None of them are 
  marked. At the end of the hall is a visiwindow 
  that shows a scene taken from outside of 
  the Parkhurst building itself, but from one of 
  the much higher floors. [The doors lead to a 
  conference room, a pair of restrooms, and a 
  storage room, none of which are very exciting, 
  except perhaps the storeroom, where the 
  hardcopy files are located.]
  What About The Jade Empress and 
  Automaton Deliveries?
  The Jade Empress Club and the Automaton Deliveries 
  courier service are probably a great place to start if 
  the players are interested in going after the London 
  Takara. This is indeed an excellent springboard for that 
  investigation. But the in Part Two of Beyond the Open 
  Door, the focus is slowly shifting away from the Takara, 
  as evil as they are, and onto a larger and more horrifying 
  problem which is connected to the local OSS.
  Individual Referees running these adventures as a part 
  of an ongoing multi-session Campaign may decide 
  that taking the time and effort to track this stuff down 
  will be fruitful. Either at the same time perhaps as the 
  Orphanages, which lay along the main track of the 
  adventure, or on their own track. Here however, such 
  a course of action is a sidetrack from the main thrust, 
  because as exhilarating as cultist-hunting is, there is a 
  bigger picture in the background. 
  Of course, Referees are free to make their own adventures 
  based on this information, and future freebies from 
  Terrasol games may even steer them in that direction. In 
  fact, this might be a good time for individual Referees to 
  assess whether they think their players will actually be 
  interested in chasing after the potentially world-spanning 
  kind of direction the main path of the Adventure takes. It 
  is not inconceivable to only use portions of Act One and 
  Two in your own games and go cult hunting. Good Luck!
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  Mattias’ Files: 
  Mattias’ files show that he has been moving 
  people around for over three years now, not just 
  the children, but adults on-planet and to the 
  various other worlds and colonies of the Terra/
  Sol System. All told, there are literally hundreds 
  of documents, revealing that at least several 
  hundred people have been shuffled through 
  Mattias’ bureaucratic legerdemain.
  An Admin (Education, 0, 1-6 minutes) check, 
  determines that the Takara number at least 
  in the low hundreds, if not thousands and are 
  spread out in pockets of the ROP, Columbia, 
  the Russian Republic and several other major 
  population areas – except notably the Aztec 
  Empire). Logic would dictate that Mattias is 
  most likely not the only one who performs 
  these services for the group.
  For Referees: The information, while provocative as 
  well as informative as to the nature of the problem, 
  is not going to help considerably taking this group 
  down. Once they “move” to the locations with 
  Mattias’ help, the Takara rarely stick around. The 
  addresses and other employer data they provide 
  for the paperwork are as phony as the names they 
  use. Still, it helps the players get a better picture 
  of the cult as a worldwide and even system-wide 
  phenomenon, even if it does not provide them 
  with a complete or highly detailed picture.
  The Takara Response: 
  If the players are being followed by the Takara, 
  they will not appreciate anything that they do with 
  Mattias. If the Takara later discover his involvement, 
  Mattias will also be eliminated. His only real hope 
  is to start running now, and run far and fast. This 
  does have an impact on the players however: If they 
  meet with Mattias and get everything at one time, 
  nothing much happens from the players perspective 
  (Mattias is still someone’s lunch – literally), the 
  damage is done already and the Takara are still likely 
  to sit back and wait. If they meet with Mattias in 
  stages, or come back to get something, the Takara 
  will have already moved in very quickly. If given any 
  opportunity, they have killed Mattias in his office 
  and made certain that nothing remains of the files 
  he has on-site. Just how bloody this is depends on 
  the time and the circumstances. They don’t want to 
  execute the man and all of his subordinates in broad 
  daylight, but they will if they need to. 
  If the Players have Mattias’ files, the Takara could 
  consider going after them. Frankly the only reason 
  not to is that this is something of a sidetrack (see 
  Sidebar about Automaton Deliveries). Of course, 
  Referees may decide to run a Takara strike on the 
  PCs just to liven up longer sessions or multi-session 
  games. This strike will be much stronger than the 
  one used by the Yamaguchi Nest to eliminate the 
  budding thorn in the cult’s side. If nothing else, the 
  London Takara are fast learners.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Legwork at the 
  Orphanages
  Locating the two orphanages used by the Takara 
  to adopt children will not prove difficult. The 
  paperwork that was found with the children 
  held by the Takara prominently declares all that 
  information. The two orphanages in question 
  are two of the largest in London, both located 
  on the outskirts of the city. The first, Alexandria 
  Orphanage, is the larger of the two and well-
  known throughout London as a respected 
  orphanage. The second, Northwoods Orphanage 
  (ironically boarding South London), is slightly 
  smaller and not as prominent or well-known.
  Research using the Net: 
  Players can make a Computers (Intelligence, 
  +3, 10-60 minutes) skill check to gather basic 
  public information about the two orphanages. 
  Such information reveals the public internet 
  sites, addresses, operating hours, contact 
  information and other such common details of 
  the orphanages. 
  No specific information regarding the staff, the 
  children in the orphanages or past adoptions 
  can be found in such a search. Players can also 
  find testimonials from families that have adopted 
  children from these orphanages, all of which 
  praise the orphanages and their staff. 
  Making the Trip in Person: 
  If the players wish to travel to the orphanages and 
  speak with the staff, they find doing so difficult. 
  The orphanages do not allow unscheduled 
  tours of the facilities and players must make an 
  appointment to speak with adoption counselors, 
  the directors or other staff members. Players may 
  also make an appointment to schedule a tour 
  under the guise of adopting a child, but such one 
  of the only ways for players to receive a tour. 
  Speaking to the staff without an appointment 
  calls for a Diplomacy (Social Standing, -2), 
  Deception (Social Standing, -1) or Persuade 
  (Social Standing, -2) skill check to get even the 
  most basic information out of the staff. In casual 
  conversation the staff will only reveal common 
  information such as with whom to make an 
  appointment, procedures for adoption or making 
  an appointment, etc. Players will find that the staff 
  is curt and impolite to questions or queries; no 
  member of the staff will discuss specific adoptions.
  Players staking out the orphanages (or those 
  who enter them openly) can make a Recon 
  (Intelligence, -2, 1-6 minutes) skill check to 
  take notice of the security around the facilities. 
  Security at both locations is especially tight 
  with a significant amount of cameras and anti-
  infiltration equipment in evidence (and who 
  knows what microminiaturized video surveillance 
  may exist). Both orphanages also employ a private 
  security company called Paragon Security that 
  maintains a presence at all times 
  Referee Note: these security forces are 
  provided by the OSS, the company as a 
  whole is not entirely OSS, but there is a 
  division within it that the OSS is able to use 
  for these sort of operations. Players who 
  perform an analysis of the company using 
  existing records will need to make a check 
  of the following in order as a Task-Chain 
  (with the previous check modifying the 
  one immediately following it) with a total 
  time requirement of 1-6 hours: Computer 
  (Intelligence or Education, -1); Bureaucracy 
  (Education, -2). Success in the final check will 
  determine that Paragon operates as a front 
  for someone, although not precisely who 
  without some more information. Most of their 
  operations however which look “off” seem 
  to revolve around government contracts, 
  which should indicate at least a pull in that 
  direction.
  If the players desire to speak with a member 
  of the staff, such as an adoption counselor or 
  the director, they must make an appointment, 
  which will require them to state why they are 
  requesting an appointment. Players must make an 
  Admin (Social Standing, +0), Diplomacy (Social 
  Standing, -2), Deception (Social Standing, -1) 
  or Persuade (Social Standing, -2) skill check to 
  get an appointment otherwise their requests will 
  take an excessive amount of time or be downright 
  rejected. When and if the players manage to 
  meet with a member of the staff, requests for 
  information will result in the players speaking 
  with the director of either facility. Both directors 
  are surly individuals that are immediately 
  suspicious of the players and their questioning. 
  Players will be unable to gain any information 
  from speaking with the staff, aside from basic 
  information they may have already gained. As 
  with other members of the staff, the directors are 
  curt and rude, dismissing the players as soon as 
  it becomes evident that they are digging into the 
  operations of the orphanages at all.
  
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  General Description:
  Alexandria Orphanage: Located on a 
  sprawling estate near one of the “nature 
  pockets”, this is a very well-respected, well 
  maintained facility. It is located on the outskirts 
  of the London megopolis, so only one side bears 
  the skyline of her graceful towers and domes. 
  On the other side is open country, the vast and 
  expensive real estate of the London elite and 
  their faux country homes. 
  Alexandria’s main structure is an imposing 
  building, constructed from large cube-forms 
  which have been laid out in a diamond shaped 
  pattern. There is a central plaza and one large 
  cube in the center, with four smaller cubes at 
  the points of the diamond. Children are kept in 
  the cubes clustered around the points, while the 
  main cube serves as an administrative building. 
  In between the cubes is open space that is used 
  by the children under supervision. 
  [Referee’s may want to use this instead if 
  the PCs are planning a night break-in: They 
  can be found here by day, laughing and playing 
  in a natural environment; at night however the 
  landscape takes on a much more foreboding 
  appearance as Athena casts long shadows among 
  the deserted playgrounds.]
  The Northwoods Orphanage is tucked away 
  in one of the outer boroughs of the London 
  Megopolis. To one side lays the skyline of the city, 
  to the other the ocean. But they are themselves 
  located in a pinch point around two industrial 
  facilities, both of which have access to the Thames 
  for loading onto the barges and seaskimmers.
  The Northwoods compound consists of one 
  structure, and one walled-in playground area. It 
  is not so much rundown as deliberately spartan 
  and the block-style building holds several 
  hundred children (as much if not more than the 
  sprawling Alexandria Orphanage). Northwoods 
  fencing system is actually concentric, the fence 
  for the playground is bound in by another outer 
  fence, much higher and strewn with Ivy 
  The outer walls are covered with a fast-growing 
  form of ivy which was genetically engineered 
  some years ago for the original structure (a 
  school) and which baffles all efforts to remove. 
  The Ivy crawls up and over the walls and spills 
  into the neighboring industrial areas, which has 
  been scorched and cut by their robots for years. 
  [Referee Note: As one might imagine, the 
  neighbors don’t like this much. An Opportunity?]
  Have We No Orphanages? A Modest Proposal
  For those Referees who wish to replace the children with 
  other innocent victims, this (and Act Two) is where the bulk 
  of the work must be done. The Mattias material, specifically 
  the mention of children in his dialogue and the material 
  discovered in his files, have to be amended slightly, but this 
  is the section that has to be gutted and replaced.
  Luckily, doing so is moderately easy. Everything from 
  the description of the orphanages themselves to the 
  runaround from the staff and the tightened security 
  is going to be the same whether you are dealing with 
  an orphanage or a hospital facility designed to help 
  Mutant War Vets get off the wire (i.e. drop their Volt 
  Junkie addictions). Either way, the facilities in question 
  is supposedly reputable, take in innocents and then 
  mercilessly send them into the clutches of foul cultists 
  like the Takara, or some mad science laboratory which 
  has made a devil’s bargain with the OSS. 
  Alternatively, the Players could have discovered in Part 
  One  that  Xiang was trying to get children, but that 
  she had also received (to use the possibility mentioned 
  above) Volt Junkies in comatose states for her larder.  
  This way there is both, an Orphanage (where the OSS 
  recruit young talent) and a Rest Home for Distressed 
  Veterans (which are funneled into experimentation 
  programs). You might even salt the data that is yet to 
  be discovered to find that the OSS is one of the major 
  contributors to the problem of Mutant War Vets getting 
  hooked on the Wire. This way there are two different 
  targets, each with slightly different data to uncover.
  Surprise! You’ve been Tagged!
  While government contacts and the like can be a 
  great thing for getting information, they are also the 
  same waters in which the malefactors here (the OSS) 
  swim. That means going through official contacts and 
  resources will light the characters up when they conduct 
  these searches. 
  Something for Referees to keep in mind when they 
  consider the involvement of this shadowy organization. 
  It would probably be a bit shady to suggest that PCs use 
  their official resources in this endeavor, but if the players 
  ask, certainly have their contacts be eager to supply 
  lots of assistance. If the Players are carefully worded in 
  their approach, such as specifically telling their contacts 
  inside government or law enforcement to keep this very 
  secretive, the contacts will report that the mere hint 
  of interest in these orphanages brings an inordinate 
  amount of attention. That gives the Players another 
  piece of the puzzle. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Comparing the two Locations:
  Players visiting both orphanages in any capacity 
  will quickly realize how similar the operations 
  of both facilities are. Indeed, both organizations 
  employ the same security company (Paragon 
  Security), have similar security set-ups (including 
  a great deal of video surveillance for an operation 
  of this type), respond in almost identical ways 
  to questioning and use very similar methods of 
  organization and administration. 
  [Referee Note: Speaking with orphanages 
  outside of the two in question (as a means of 
  comparison) will reveal very different ways of 
  doing business and it will become evident to the 
  players that these two orphanages are clearly 
  linked in some way.]
  Players that deceive their way into the orphanages 
  can do so relatively easily, posing as prospective 
  parents. Doing so (requiring Deception skill 
  checks, as above) will result in the players being 
  granted a tour of the facilities; such a tour will 
  give the players an opportunity to get an idea 
  of the building layouts and allow players to see 
  firsthand how the children are being cared for. To 
  all outward appearances, the orphanages function 
  as one would expect and both facilities are well 
  maintained and the children well cared for. 
  Players can make a Recon (Intelligence, -1) skill 
  check while on a tour to notice the tight security 
  even within the facilities themselves. Apart from 
  gaining information about the building layouts 
  and security, players will be unable to notice 
  anything out of the ordinary when on a tour.
  It should quickly become clear to players 
  investigating the orphanages that gaining any 
  information about the two facilities proves quite 
  difficult; far more difficult than one would expect 
  from an orphanage. To summarize:
  The staff at both facilities are resistant to 
  questioning, Highly resistant.
  The buildings are very well secured and 
  there are uncanny similarities as to how both 
  organizations operate. 
  These facts create more questions than 
  answers and it appears as though the players 
  will need to dig deeper to find the answers 
  they’re looking for.
  Well, that is the plan until the Men in Black show up.
  
  
  
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  0
  Orion Security Service (Inside Info)
  If one were to ask a citizen of the Orion Confederation what the Orion Security Service’s role was, most would 
  flounder at the question.  Nearly every Orion citizen is aware of the presence of the OSS, but very few are certain of 
  the organization’s responsibilities.  As such, the OSS enjoys the anonymity associated with other clandestine agencies 
  despite being known throughout the galaxy.
  Publicly, the chief task of the OSS is to ‘protect the Orion Confederation and its citizens from external influences’.  This 
  description is intentionally broad-reaching in its scope, but overall the agency is responsible for monitoring and 
  responding to foreign threats to the Confederation.  In the past, the OSS has engaged in espionage and counter-
  espionage as well as intelligence gathering, but has recently moved into a far wider number of hidden operations and 
  agendas.  Few among the Orion government are aware of the vast reach the organization has, nor the lengths in which 
  the OSS will go to see their goals realized.
  Little is known about the OSS leadership or even if the agency has a centralized organizational structure.  What 
  is known is that the OSS is separated into a number of smaller branches, each operating out of one of dozens of 
  divisions.  In theory, these divisions are thought to maintain communication with one another, but the reality is far 
  less organized.  Each division is almost completely autonomous from the others, operating with its own set of goals 
  and rules.  This is intentional, giving the OSS as a whole complete deniability for the actions of any of its individual 
  divisions.  In the past, when an OSS division was found responsible for some gross wrongdoing (a rare occurrence), 
  blame was placed squarely on the heads of that division with the rest of the organization free of any criminal activity.  
  In addition, no division is aware of the activities of the others, ensuring that state secrets are limited to only those 
  responsible for their keeping.  This has had the effect of occasionally pitting two divisions of the OSS against one 
  another, unwittingly competing against one another.  The results of these encounters are highly classified and usually 
  result in significant collateral damage.
  The discovery of Terra/Sol resulted in the creation of a new sub-division of the OSS Twilight Sector Division: the 
  Terra/Sol Division, which has devoted a great deal of resources to the exploration of Terra/Sol. OSS operations on the 
  planet are among the most well-funded and heavily manned operations in the Confederation.  The Terra/Sol Division 
  maintains ties to the Twilight Sector Division, though the latter branch gives their sub-division a great deal of latitude 
  in their operations.  There is no public record of the Terra/Sol Division’s leadership or organizational structure; though 
  many believe it follows similar lines of the OSS as a whole.  
  Unbeknownst to most, the primary task undertaken by the Terra/Sol Division involves discovering the true nature 
  of the planet on which they operate.  Few among the Twilight Sector Division accept the Dukett Theory that Terra/
  Sol is a naturally occurring world and they seek to do everything in their power to discover how this unusual world 
  came to be.  Within the Terra/Sol Division is a growing belief that non-human forces are responsible for the world’s 
  origin and that these forces are actively working against humankind.  While this theory has yet to grow beyond the 
  Terra/Sol Division, a rising paranoia can be found among agents assigned to duty on Terra/Sol.
  A chief concern among the Terra/Sol Division is the event known as the Transformation: the spontaneous mutation of 
  a significant percentage of the population of Terra/Sol beginning in 2856.  This has led to an increased investigation 
  of mutants born on Terra/Sol following this event.  The OSS has engaged in a campaign of tracking such mutants 
  and studying them, tracing mutation trends and other such data that they hope will lead them to determine what, 
  if any, these trends might indicate.  These studies, by less than scrupulous individuals, often result in the abduction 
  and occasional dissection of mutants.  Conspiracy theorists among mutant communities on Terra/Sol speak of black 
  vehicles coming to take them away, never to be seen again.  Such stories are not far from the truth.
  As with most OSS divisions, the agents among the Terra/Sol Division are devoted to the cause and fanatically loyal 
  to their patron organization.  All but the most sedentary of operatives have been trained to resist interrogation and 
  the OSS ensures that most vital information is compartmentalized and insulated from discovery.  The OSS has little 
  compunction about using any means at its disposal to prevent its secrets from getting out and will use assassination, 
  blackmail and other tools without hesitation.  The paranoia prevalent within the Terra/Sol Division leads most of its 
  operatives to believe they are waging a shadow war with an unseen, alien foe; this belief ensures that members of 
  this division are usually far more fanatical about their service than most.  Enemies of the Terra/Sol Division are nearly 
  always thought to be agents of a malign alien force and treated as such.  
  The Orion Security Service remains a mysterious organization about which little is known.  If the public were to 
  learn about the myriad of otherwise criminal activity the organization was engaged in, it would cause a great deal 
  of turmoil for the agency.  The Terra/Sol Division, specifically, will stop at nothing to discover the secrets of Terra/Sol 
  and believe they are the only thing standing in the way of an alien invasion.  This misguided belief gives them carte 
  blanche to perform a variety of abhorrent tasks under the guise of patriotism.  
  Only time will tell if their beliefs hold any truth.
  Organization Information, Referee Handout
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  Men in Black
  Investigating the orphanages will take some 
  time on the part of the players as they search 
  for information, interact with the staff and stake 
  out the organizations. As the players dig into the 
  orphanages, they inevitably gain the attention 
  of the Orion Security Service. After the players 
  initial investigations of the orphanages, the OSS 
  sends two agents to begin following the players. 
  Even players posing as prospective parents are 
  investigated, such is the paranoia of the OSS. 
  Immediately after the OSS begins to tail the players, 
  the organization digs into their backgrounds. Within 
  the hour, they have all of the relevant facts garnered 
  from a legion of Net Pilots (some freelance, some 
  under the payroll). With these resources at their 
  disposal, the OSS is able to instantly learn everything 
  there is to know about the players, even information 
  normally difficult to find. It quickly becomes clear 
  to the OSS that the players intend to investigate the 
  orphanages further in response to the events that 
  took place in Kansas City. Keep in mind that the OSS 
  is an Intelligence agency after all: this isn’t some 
  hobby for them.
  Once the OSS begins following the players, the 
  players can make Recon (Intelligence, -3) skill 
  checks to notice the tail. Two men, dressed in 
  black suits and driving a black grav car have been 
  assigned to follow the players at all times and 
  take turns following players that split up. Players 
  attempting to slip the two agents can make a 
  Stealth (Intelligence, -3) skill check; OSS agents 
  that lose the players will return to stake out the 
  players’ hotel. The OSS agents will break off their 
  tail if the players approach them; cornering the 
  OSS agents will force an encounter.
  After the players have begun to investigate 
  the orphanages and the OSS has gathered 
  information on the players, the OSS agents 
  approach the players; likewise, if the players 
  confront the OSS agents following them, they 
  force an encounter. When the OSS agents finally 
  do approach the players, they do so when the 
  players are alone and in private; ideal locations 
  include the players’ hotel or on an empty city 
  street. The two OSS agents approach the players, 
  and introduce themselves as Agent Lynch and 
  Agent Needham. 
  The two men are relatively indistinguishable 
  and both are very average looking yet clearly 
  athletic. They are wearing black suits of slightly 
  above-average cut. Neither man looks overly 
  friendly, despite the fact they are smiling.
  If the players ask for identification, they will both 
  smile: 
  “We don’t need Identification citizen:  you do. 
  Nothing to worry about. This isn’t an arrest or 
  an interrogation, it’s a message: A Friendly one.”
  A Little Talk
  The men tell the players that they work for the Orion 
  Security Service and that the players’ investigation 
  into the two orphanages is one that has already been 
  undertaken by the OSS. The agents continue, telling 
  the players that the OSS is aware of the events in 
  Kansas City and that they have access to the same 
  information the players do. They make it absolutely 
  clear that the players’ services are not needed. The 
  agents thank the players for their hard work but ask 
  that they return to Kansas City immediately: ” You 
  know, for State Security” one quips.
  The OSS agents are direct in their communication 
  with the players. They make it explicitly clear 
  that the players have stumbled upon something 
  far beyond their abilities and that they should 
  suspend their investigation immediately. While 
  they do not threaten the players directly, the 
  two agents make it quite clear that the OSS is 
  not to be trifled with and that the players should 
  strongly consider abandoning their search for 
  information. The OSS agents will answer the 
  players’ questions with misdirection and veiled 
  threats. After the initial response by the players, 
  the agents leave, ignoring any further reaction on 
  the part of the players.
  In the Unfortunate case…
  If the players attempt to harm the OSS agents, the 
  two respond with deadly force. The two agents 
  flee if out-matched or injured. Should the players 
  corner or kill the OSS agents, they find little on 
  them that reveals their true identities or verifies 
  any information the agents provided. If the OSS 
  agents are killed, the strike team sent against the 
  players in the next scene uses every means at 
  their disposal to kill the players, ruthlessly cutting 
  them down rather than showing any leniency. 
  
  Agent Lynch/Needham
  STR: 9(+1)  DEX: 7  END: 9(+1)  INT: 8  EDU: 9(+1)  SOC:  7
  Skills: Admin (or Advocate) 2, Deception 3, Drive 2, 
  Gun Combat (Pistol 3), Melee (Unarmed 2), Recon 2, 
  Sensors 1, Stealth 2, Streetwise 1, plus Mission skill: 2
  Equipment: Gauss Autopistol (3d6, Auto 4, -1 Recoil) 
  Armored clothing (AV: 5), Their sun visors incorporate 
  IR and Light Intensification. 
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Part II, Act Two: Clandestine Affairs
  Having encountered the OSS, the players realize that they’ve uncovered something 
  important. Indeed, some player characters may be having second thoughts about the 
  entire business by now. In this scene, they are approached by the mysterious Cybil Mar 
  who helps the characters continue their investigations.
  Using these encounters
  The Objective for this portion of the adventure is to end with the players having proven themselves to Cybil Mar 
  and gotten some, but hardly all, of the data they need. It is Cybil’s introduction and her first (and only) test of the 
  Players. 
  This portion of the adventure is very linear. The only part that the players might skip is the OSS Strike team or 
  optional Cyberswarm attack, although the latter could easily be folded into their break-in at the Orphanage as 
  the Head of Security decides that a strike against the interlopers is worth the death of some kids who likely aren’t 
  going to make it anyway. 
  The players investigations into the two orphanages where children were adopted are however stalled. The players 
  were unable to discover much in the way of evidence as to why these adoptions took place and have come to 
  suspect the orphanages of wrongdoings. Their suspicions have been confirmed when two men, claiming to be 
  members of the Orion Security Service, warned the players not to investigate the orphanages further.
  Depending on their response to the veiled threats of the OSS agents, the players may be inclined to give up their 
  investigations and go home; the players will be more inclined than ever to continue their search for information 
  regarding the operations of the orphanages. If this is the case, the players will need to dig deeper into the 
  orphanages as well as research the OSS itself. While such investigations may prove challenging, the players receive 
  help and motivation from a mysterious source.
  The Purpose of this Scene is two-fold: The re-task the Player’s attention slowly from the Orphanages to 
  a larger conspiracy and the introduce the players to Cybil Mar. An action scene is included to keep the 
  players on their toes.
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  Meet Cybil Mar
  Following the encounter with the OSS agents, the 
  players will probably want to decide their next 
  course of action. 
  If the Players have chosen to heed the agents’ 
  warning and depart, they should proceed making 
  arrangements to leave London. But this will 
  take a little time, even if only to wait for the next 
  scheduled flight in the right direction. If the players 
  opt to stay and continue their investigations 
  despite being warned off, they must now dig 
  past the layers of security into the depths of 
  the orphanages and attempt to discover more 
  information in the mysterious organizations. 
  At this point, it would be romantic to say that fate 
  intervenes, and it would also be wrong. Cybil Mar 
  has been aware of the players for some time, and 
  has been eager for them to get to this point so 
  that she may contact them. She understands the 
  importance of timing, but that the same time she 
  understands that there is something big going on 
  inside of the OSS. Her cover is not a top agent, but 
  a rising star, and as such she has become privy to 
  information from the higher-ups that there is a big 
  operation that will affect the entire population. She 
  at present isn’t entirely sure of what that operation 
  entails, or even where it will be kicked off from, but 
  one of the reasons she latched onto the London 
  Office was to hear about such world-shaking 
  operations she might not otherwise hear about in 
  the Budapest Branch (not that she was ever there).
  Café Mar
  As the players are planning their next move, they 
  are approached by a woman who will prove to 
  be an invaluable asset in their investigations. 
  Cybil Mar currently works from within the OSS 
  to expose the organization’s dark secrets and 
  believes the players can help her. She knows that 
  the Players have been warned off, and what might 
  happen as a result. She also knows that this is the 
  time for her personal involvement and the role 
  that she needs to play at this point (mysterious 
  benefactor). She will approach the players and 
  offer to help them in their investigations if they 
  assist her in bringing this information to light.
  Cybil approaches the players discreetly at first, but 
  chooses a public location for the meeting so as to 
  ensure her own safety. When the players are eating 
  a meal or having a drink, Cybil seats herself with 
  the players, choosing one of the male players to get 
  close to. Cybil Mar is (at present) described as thus:
  Description 
  A beautiful young woman stands next to [the 
  players character she selects]. She has a slightly 
  pale complexion and light brown hair. She is 
  dressed very elegantly, and there is something  
  about her eyes that makes you sit up and take 
  notice. “Mind if I join you?” she asks, with just a 
  little purr in her voice.
  Sliding into the seat. she removes a small device 
  from her purse with a wink. At first, it looks like 
  a standard compact, the sort women have been 
  using now for over a thousand years. 
  [Referee Note: Players who have diplomatic, 
  criminal, intelligence or law enforcement 
  backgrounds will recognize it by function if not type: 
  a “Husher” that defeats remote surveillance efforts.]
  She activates the device. “There,” she says her 
  voice becoming a bit less vampish but still 
  sultry. “This will shield the us from anyone who’s 
  eavesdropping.”
  As a reminder for the Referee:  You can use the 
  Audio File “Cybil Mar in Restaurant” here just after 
  she activates the “husher”. It’s her way of breaking 
  the ice.
  She tells the players that she knows who they 
  are and what they’re doing in London and offers 
  to help them. While she will not reveal to the 
  players that she is a (nominal) member of the 
  OSS. She tells them that the OSS is responsible 
  for terrible things and is secretly using the two 
  orphanages as a way of recruiting children as 
  well as shifting them around to their assets and 
  allies for any number of unsavory purposes (such 
  as the Takara). She explains that the children are 
  adopted out to false families, which are covers for 
  the OSS. They are then shipped off to a number 
  of OSS facilities for any number of detestable 
  programs the OSS is engaged in on Terra/Sol. 
  She is not sure what the connection between the 
  OSS and the Takara are, but any adoptions going 
  Roleplaying as Cybil: 
  Cybil is a strong, confident woman with a seemingly endless amount of information on a vast array of subjects. 
  She’s intelligent and delights in learning more about people through casual wordplay. She is also very cautious, 
  paranoid really (although the old saw “...you’re not paranoid if they are really out to get you” applies in her case. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  through the two orphanages the players are 
  investigating are overseen by the OSS, who must 
  have surely known who the Takara were.
  Give the players a chance to respond after 
  the audio file (or your own recitation of the 
  information). The questions they ask will probably 
  concentrate on the following:
  While she is willing to answer some questions 
  the players might have, Cybil will remain with the 
  group for only a short time. She is clearly unwilling 
  to answer some questions, including any questions 
  involving her or her past; to such questions she 
  merely states that she has a grudge against the 
  OSS. She will not reveal (at present) that she is 
  “undercover” inside of the OSS at the very time.
  She is certain that this information 
  exists somewhere, most likely within the 
  orphanages computer systems, But these 
  are inaccessible from outside the facilities, so 
  someone has to go in. 
  She knows of their work already, and has 
  some assistance that will help, including 
  complete maps of the locations and the 
  security protocols from Paragon. 
  She suggests that there is a lot of “chatter” 
  right now, something big is about to happen 
  and even people on the inside don’t know all 
  the details. She’s going to work “her end” to 
  see what she can find.
  
  
  
  Players who specifically ask may make can 
  attempt an Investigate (Intelligence, -3) or Recon 
  (Intelligence, -3) skill check to detect any falsehood 
  in Cybil’s story; success indicates that she is clearly 
  telling the truth, but also that she is hiding a great 
  deal of information from the players.
  Then use the Audio File “Cybil Mar in Restaurant 2”  
  just before she leaves. She warns them that the OSS is 
  not to be underestimated and that the organization 
  is an evil, corrupt entity that will stop at nothing to 
  keep their secrets buried.
  After the Second Audio File, Cybil will tell the 
  team she has to de-activate her Husher soon or 
  it will overheat. Before she leaves, however she 
  hands one of them what looks like a standard 
  communication device, 
  “It looks like a normal commercial model but 
  it’s not,”  [Indeed, The player she hands it to notice 
  it is actually much heavier.] “Nice little toy, it’s 
  shielded from everything I’ve been able to find 
  but only works with another set on the same 
  frequency.” [She holds up another that is then 
  slipped into her purse]  ’I’ll be in touch again in the 
  near future. Remember what I said, be careful.”
  She turns off the Husher, then turns and leaves 
  without a further word. 
  Players attempting to follow Cybil will find that 
  she disappears into a crowd shortly after hitting 
  
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  the streets and is quite skilled at avoiding being 
  followed. If the players later attempt to search for 
  any information regarding a woman named Cybil 
  Mar, they will be unable to find any trace of such 
  a woman. The communication device she gave 
  them is a specialized model, it is untraceable and 
  it has been loaded with some very advanced (TL 
  15 or maybe TL 16) cryptography and sub-etheric 
  broadcasting modes. This thing should work on 
  the bottom of the ocean and get a clear reception.
  Busting into the 
  Orphanages
  In order to get any real evidence linking the 
  orphanages to the OSS and the Takara the players 
  must infiltrate the orphanages themselves. The 
  players will need to gain access to the computer 
  systems or offices of one (or both) orphanages in 
  order to get the information they need. Use the 
  Northwoods Map on Page XX for either facility the 
  Players choose to hit.
  Players hoping to infiltrate the orphanages 
  discreetly will find it easier to do at night when 
  the majority of the staff is not on site. Players 
  hoping to sneak into the orphanages must make 
  a Stealth (Dexterity, -3) skill check to avoid 
  detection by the guards on duty. Players must also 
  have detected the presence of cameras covering 
  the main entrances and the grounds or risk being 
  captured on video. Entering the buildings of the 
  orphanages requires a Deception (Dexterity, -3, 
  10-60 seconds) skill check to pick the locks.
  Each orphanage is guarded by a security staff of 
  three guards every night. One guard is present 
  within the security office while two are constantly 
  on patrol. The guards are armed with batons and 
  stunners. At the first sign of trouble, guards call for 
  backup; the guard in the office immediately calls an 
  OSS strike team to respond to any problems with a 
  concealed panic button. Players may take note that 
  police do not respond to any disturbances and the 
  OSS keeps all matters to themselves. Guards that 
  are injured or out-matched flee, calling in details of 
  any attackers to the security office.
  Players have the best chances of locating 
  important information in the director’s office or 
  by using any computer in the facility to attempt to 
  access protected information. Players infiltrating 
  the director’s office of either orphanage may 
  make an Investigate (Intelligence, -2) or 
  Recon (Intelligence, -2) skill check to discover 
  clues. Players accessing information using the 
  orphanages’ computer system must make a 
  Computers (Intelligence, -4) skill check; bonuses 
  from Intrusion software can be used to hack the 
  security system.
  The following clues can be gained by infiltrating 
  the orphanages. Referees are free to reveal 
  these to the players in any order as well as add 
  their own or divide the clues among the two 
  orphanages, as they see fit:
  The computer systems of the orphanages are 
  quite advanced and have Rating 2 security 
  software; far more advanced than is needed 
  for an orphanage. 
  Financial information reveals that the 
  orphanages receive a large amount of 
  donations from private individuals. Tracking 
  these individuals shows that nearly all of them 
  possess various ambiguous government jobs, 
  which could be covers for the OSS. 
  The orphanages receive a great deal of 
  information from government grants. 
  [Referee Note: Further research, defaulting 
  to an unmodified roll of any Science skill or to 
  Computer skill, reveals that these numbers are 
  far higher than other orphanages on Terra/Sol.]
  A large majority of families that adopt 
  children from the orphanages move 
  immediately following the adoption. No 
  information is given as to where they move. 
  [Referee note: Independent contractors 
  handle this, folks like Mattias who does this 
  same work for the Takara. This keeps the OSS 
  clean of the transactions.]
  Many families that adopt children from 
  the orphanages list their employer as 
  government agencies. The majority of these 
  list the same forms of ambiguous positions 
  within these government agencies as the 
  employees of the orphanages.
  Many staff members lack any real background 
  information such as previous employment, 
  education, etc. The data fields used in the 
  standardized personnel programs are blank 
  [Referee Note: These forms are used for 
  Taxes and thus hard to avoid even for a 
  clandestine operation like this one, that fact 
  also makes them an excellent resource for 
  hackers looking for this kind of data.] 
  Staff members from the orphanages who 
  do have some of these data fields filled out 
  appear to have previous employment for a 
  variety of government agencies.
  Many staff members list their home addresses 
  as the same address downtown with different 
  apartment numbers: 87559 Brown, Cameron 
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  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Center, Residential Hall XXX (the X's are the 
  rooms they occupy). [Note: Cameron Center is 
  an Industrial neighborhood in the inner-city/
  downtown area and while residences there are 
  not exactly unknown, it is a bit strange to have 
  so many in such a unique location].
  The adoption records of the children found in 
  Kansas City show the children were adopted 
  to the same woman, Madame Xiang, many 
  around the same time. There is a special 
  notation in the adoption records stating that 
  the adoptions were pre-approved by a man 
  named Thomas Crowley from the Federal 
  Children’s Services department. Crowley is 
  listed as a donor whose contact information 
  indicates he can be reached at the same 
  downtown address as many of the staff has 
  listed as their residence. 
  The players should feel a sense of urgency as they 
  investigate the orphanages, even if they have 
  eliminated the possibility of being caught by 
  the security guards. When they have completed 
  their investigations, they will need to leave the 
  orphanage without being spotted. If the players 
  infiltrate one of the orphanages, both orphanages 
  will vastly increase security making it far more 
  difficult for the players to infiltrate the other 
  orphanage in the future.
  Strike Team
  Having disregarded the warning given to them by 
  the OSS, the players have garnered the attention 
  of an OSS strike team called in to stop their 
  investigation once and for all. The strike team is 
  sent to kill the party or, at the very least, prevent 
  them from continuing their investigations and 
  silence them from revealing any evidence they 
  might have.
  Immediately following the players’ investigations 
  into the orphanages, they are set upon by the 
  strike team. The team can hit the players in a 
  number of locations: 
  Setting up an ambush for the players at their 
  hotel is the most direct method the strike team 
  will use; when the players return to their hotel 
  the strike team attacks, surprising the players. 
  If the players do not return to a central 
  location that has been staked out, the strike 
  team will lose patience and attempt a hit on 
  the road; waiting until the players are in a 
  dark and isolated location, the vehicles of the 
  team cut off the players and the strike team 
  attacks on the street. 
  
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  Paragon Guard (big ones)
  STR: 10 (+1)  DEX: 9 (+1)  END: 8  INT: 7  EDU: 7  SOC:  6
  Skills: Gun Combat (Pistol 2, Shotgun 1), Melee (Club 
  1), Recon 2, Sensors 1, Investigate 1 
  Equipment: They are armed with an Autopistol (3d6-3) 
  or Shotgun (4d6,) and wearing Light Cloth Armor (AV: 
  3). They are also armed with stun batons (d6, 2d6 stun).
  Paragon Guard (nimble ones)
  STR: 6 DEX: 12 (+2)  END: 8  INT: 7  EDU: 7  SOC:  6
  Skills: Gun Combat (Pistol 2), Melee (Club 2), Recon 2, 
  Sensors 1, Investigate 1 
  Equipment: They are armed with an Autopistol (3d6-3) 
  and wearing Light Cloth Armor (AV: 3). They are also 
  armed with stun batons (d6, 2d6 stun).
  Paragon Chief
  STR: 10 (+1) DEX: 10 (+1)  END: 8  INT: 8  EDU: 7  SOC:  8
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination 1), Comms 1, Gun 
  Combat (Pistol 4), Melee (Club 2), Recon 3, Sensors 2, 
  Investigate 3 
  Equipment: Gauss pistol (3d6, Auto 4, Recoil -1), stun 
  baton (d6, 2d6 stun) and wearing Cloth Armor (AV: 5). 
  The chief also has a Cyberswarm canister (noted above).
  While Paragon is a front company for the OSS, it is 
  actually useful to them separately as a training tool, 
  not only for security purposes but also for infiltration. 
  OSS conducts field ops against the various companies 
  which Paragon provides, both to check the Paragon 
  personnel for their defensive prowess as well as the 
  infiltrators to determine how well they can slip in and 
  out. As a side note, this practice also keeps the Paragon 
  Security personnel constantly wired, always on the 
  lookout for a possible break-in. All in all, this is one of 
  the most useful subdivisions of the OSS ever created.
  At various points during the break-in, use the Sensors 
  or Recon Skill of the Paragon Guards against the players 
  Stealth score in a skill vs. skill contest.
  Initially, the Paragon security people will not shoot to 
  kill or maim. Very quickly however,  following the failure 
  to return designated callsigns, the Paragon personnel 
  start to using more lethal tactics.  There should not be 
  more than twice the number of Guards as players on-
  site, plus the chief. The Chief may pop a Cyberswarm 
  (See next Sidebar) if he feels the PCs will get away, but 
  he will try to trap them first for maximum effectiveness.
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  Cyberswarm attack 
  As a swarm of gnat sized creatures spills from the cylinder. 
  Tactically, every bookwire and seminar says the same 
  thing: RUN. But there are a whole host of collateral targets 
  nearby including a number of children. What do you do?
  At some point during either the Break-in at the 
  Orphanage or the chase by the OSS Strike Team, the 
  Referee should drop in a Cyberswarm attack. It is 
  appropriate in either setting, the sort of desperation 
  move the OSS is capable of, and sets the tone nicely. 
  It should however be used when dramatically 
  appropriate, thus the Referee discretion.
  One of the purposes of this encounter is to ask the 
  players if they are indeed any better or different from 
  their rogue OSS opponents who will risk vast numbers 
  of individuals in the name of protecting the species. 
  On a smaller scale here the players are faced with the 
  dilemma of running from the swarm which would 
  probably slow to attack bystanders thus allowing 
  them time to escape or staying and defending these 
  individuals from this despicable attack. Referees should 
  feel free to call the players attention to there actions. 
  Perhaps a nearby mother pushing her baby in a stroller; 
  or A family eating ice cream cones; or even a nearby 
  uplifted canine trailed by nine puppies. What choice will 
  the players make? If they make the same one as the OSS it should be pointed out 
  to them at some point during the adventure.
   The best way to deal with a cyberswarm, as mentioned above, is to run. 
  Keeping ahead of the swarm at all costs is important. Per the Game Mechanics 
  section in the Player Insert, the swarm only does damage after they envelop a 
  given character.  If a character can move “free” of the swarm and stay so for the 
  rest of the round, the Swarm have to settle over them again to “reacquire”.  One useful tactic against smaller 
  cyberswarms is for individuals to split apart. The Swarms will usually stay with one of them (the one they 
  consider to be more damaged).
  Swarms are rated for their equivalent size in hydrogen displacement tonnage, just like ships. Each dton is an 
  additional 1.5mx1.5m area the swarm fills. A 1-Ton Swarm has 30 Endurance, does 2d6 damage and moves 
  at 9 (attacking) or 18 (not attacking). This has been determined to be the optimal size of cyberswarms on 
  the low-end of the scale, but larger swarms are certainly possible.  Swarms can combine, but will not unless 
  they are either programmed to do so or have sustained major damage and are attempting to combine 
  to form a single swarm with greater size. Although damage remains steady at 2d6, recall that swarms 
  attack everyone enveloped inside of them, which can make cyberswarms very dangerous and formidable 
  opponents when they are many meters across or cover entire battlefields. Game Mechanics to handle this 
  will appear in upcoming Terrasol products.
  1-Ton Cyber Swarm  
  Power Supply:  Solar Cell
  Type: Flying 
  Endurance:  30 (1 d-ton)
  Movement:  9/18 meters
  Damage: 2d6
  Skills:  Fly 1, Recon 1
  Palate Cleansers
  If possible, the Referee might want to try to break up the action here a little with a short sub-plot encounter 
  or scene. By this point in the Campaign, the players have probably begun to identify their own objectives 
  within the confines of the Setting (although not necessarily the plot). For example, if one player expresses 
  a desire to obtain a grav-belt, present him with the opportunity to acquire it. If the players expressed an 
  interest in chasing down the Takara, have a lead suddenly bob to the surface. Make it something non-combat 
  oriented so that the players have time to  slow down a bit just before you whack them with the Strike Team.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  The latter method is least preferred, as it will draw 
  the attention of bystanders and local authorities. 
  Referees are free to develop their own methods 
  for the strike team hit.
  When the strike team does attack, they shoot to kill. 
  They operate as a well-coordinated team, seeking 
  cover, focusing fire on high profile targets, etc. The 
  strike team consists of four men and is well armed 
  and armored, wearing body armor and carrying 
  advanced combat rifles (ACR). The Vehicles they are 
  using are actually standard civilian models, stolen 
  for cover. Make the vehicles the match of any that 
  the players have to keep the chase interesting.
  The strike team does not flee unless they begin to 
  suffer casualties; they will then attempt to escape 
  as quickly as possible. Strike team members that 
  are captured will not talk to the players under any 
  circumstances.
  Deus ex Cybil Mar
  If the players are significantly out-matched, Cybil 
  Mar or local authorities can arrive and disrupt the 
  strike team’s attack: the locals because the OSS 
  has ignored them (and thus has no real means 
  to call them off at short notice); Mar because she 
  wants the PCs to prove their mettle, not get killed. 
  She has been keeping track of them (as part of 
  the OSS detail since she is presently in disguise 
  amongst the group) since their first meeting. 
  In fact, this is probably the only reason why 
  the players would survive this kind of a hit: 
  organizations like the OSS have dozens upon 
  dozens of people and heavy military grade 
  equipment to send at the players. She works 
  behind the scenes to make certain the back-up 
  squad doesn’t join in when the Players start to 
  pull themselves out of the fire.
  The agents-in-charge (half as many as there are players) have the same stats as Lynch and Needham (upgrade 
  their equipment as below however and add Rifle 2 to skills) but the other members of the team aren’t full Agents:
  Strike Team Extras
  STR: 8  DEX: 7  END: 8  INT: 7  EDU: 8  SOC:  7
  Skills: Admin 1, Deception 1, Drive 2, Gun Combat (Pistol 1, ACR 2), Melee (Club 2), Recon 1, Sensors 1, Stealth 
  2, Streetwise 1, plus appropriate Mission skill: 1
  Equipment: Autopistol (3d6-3) or ACR (3d6, Auto: 6, Recoil 0) Reinforced Light Armor (AV: 7), “Sun visors”  which 
  incorporate IR and Light Intensification. Three stun grenades and a stun baton.
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  0
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  Part II, Act Three: State Secrets
  With the OSS clearly out to get them, the players use this scene to take the fight to their 
  enemy and attempt to infiltrate an OSS facility to learn its secrets.
  Set-Up
  Following the hit by an OSS strike team, the players should realize the seriousness of their investigations. It 
  becomes evident that the length the OSS is willing to go to in order to cover up their activities is significant and 
  the players are in real danger. The information gathered by the players at the orphanages suggests that the 
  OSS is culpable in the fake adoption of countless children into unknown hands. This information however, lacks 
  any concrete proof of the activities of the OSS, nor does it reveal the location of dozens of children presumably 
  adopted by the agency. The players have only touched on the activities of the OSS and will require more if they 
  are to bring these events to light.
  Players analyzing the information gathered from the orphanages will find that a great deal of data lists the 
  same address for a number of sources. Staff members listing this location as a residence, the address used as a 
  reference for donor organizations and even government contacts all point to a single location. Players looking 
  into this address find that it is a sizeable office building that doubles as an apartment complex on the outskirts of 
  downtown. No other information about the location can be found.
  Using these encounters
  The Objective for this portion of the adventure is to end with the players getting all of the data they need and 
  discovering that the “big operation” coming up is tied to the Precusor Project. This is enough to convince Cybil 
  that she has to move immediately. 
  This portion of the adventure is again very linear. If the Cyberswarm attack was not employed in the last 
  adventure, it would make an excellent “parting shot” for the OSS here, trying to kill the players to keep the data 
  they stole “safe”. Remember that most of the OSS are fanatics, convinced of their own righteous cause, and they 
  act accordingly. 
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  Another Meeting
  After the attack by the strike team, the players 
  are once again contacted by the mysterious 
  Cybil Mar. She calls one of the players and 
  asks to arrange a meeting at a public park in 
  the middle of the day. She tells the players she 
  knows of the attack and has information that 
  will help them hurt the OSS even more.
  The Players get a message from Cybil to meet with 
  her at Trafalgar Square at noon (unless of course 
  she pulled their fat out of the fire in the 
  Strike Team, even then she will have to 
  dispose of the bodies and needs some 
  time to do so.)   
  When the players meet Cybil, she is 
  dressed more plainly (attempting to 
  blend in with the public). As soon as they 
  meet up, she steers them towards one of the alcoves 
  just off the street. Once there, she again activates 
  her “Husher” before asking the players what they 
  managed to uncover at the orphanages. Cybil is 
  quite concerned with the safety of the players and 
  is clearly disturbed by the actions of the OSS. If the 
  characters have difficulty trusting this 
  mysterious woman, she is willing to offer 
  her personal assistance from this point out 
  to help the players. 
  If the players have not discovered the 
  unusual address (87559 Brown, Cameron 
  Center) in the orphanage records, Cybil 
  points this out for them If the players were unable 
  to recover any information from the orphanages, 
  Cybil can steer the players towards the address 
  downtown. 
  Her Pitch
  Cybil tells the players the following… 
  The location you found is an OSS front used as 
  offices and dormitories for agents in London. 
  The OSS secrets keeps it’s dirty secrets there, 
  but with your help I can gain access to in 
  order to uncover concrete proof of the OSS’s 
  illegal activities. 
  I  would like to help you infiltrate the Complex. 
  We can use the information in it to reveal the 
  secrets of the OSS and establish solid links to 
  the activities taking place in the orphanages. 
  I will personally help you to infiltrate this 
  building, but it’s even more heavily secured 
  than the orphanages. Still, it can be done.
  Look, I’ve been working undercover inside 
  the OSS now for  some time, gathering what 
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  I can. But it isn’t enough, not by far. Not 
  enough to do real damage. But I do have 
  access to the building, which will make the 
  operation a lot easier to get the information 
  we need to bring this thing down.
  In order to do anything substantial, I need 
  your help. 
  Something is going on inside, I’ve heard 
  distant rumblings about some upcoming “big 
  project”. I don’t know what it is, but I know that 
  the way they are talking about it, you , me and 
  anyone else with a shred of decency doesn’t 
  want any part of it. Folks… I need you. 
  If the players insist on performing the raid 
  themselves: Cybil will argue against it but 
  eventually yield as it becomes clear they do not 
  trust her completely.  Then she will say:
  I can provide you with an access card to gain 
  entry into the building and codes to disable 
  the security system once you reach the 
  security office. 
  If the players are unwilling to investigate any 
  further following the attack by the OSS strike 
  team, Cybil will say...
  I understand where you are right now. But 
  bringing these events to light will bring with 
  it a great deal of fame. If you go public with 
  what they know. 
  You can do it now, but without proof… 
  She can also offer monetary rewards for less 
  altruistic players.
  Don’t forget the Gravy
  Cybil is also able to help the players acquire material 
  they may need for the upcoming operation. She 
  has access to equipment and weapons that the 
  players may not and can even get some (mind you 
  some) military grade equipment and weapons if 
  they desire. She hooks players up with dealers who 
  ask no questions. She also gives them all a version 
  of the link she provided before so that they will 
  be able to remain in constant contact through her 
  secure comm. If the players indicate that they want 
  to conceal their identity, she suggests fauxmasks 
  (without compression), just enough to change their 
  appearance. This is just to get them close. 
  Cybil will work with the players to establish a specific 
  time to infiltrate the OSS building. She would prefer 
  to strike immediately, but is willing to listen to 
  reasonable arguments to wait. While the OSS would 
  not suspect such a bold and immediate response on 
  the part of the players, the Referee is encouraged to 
  allow the Players to dictate the timing. 
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  As a reminder for 
  the Referee:  
  You can use the 
  Audio Files “Cybil 
  leaves a message” 
  here.
  As a reminder 
  for the Referee:  
  You can use the 
  Audio Files “Cybil 
  Mar in Trafalger 
  Square” here.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Beneath the Surface
  With the help of Cybil Mar, the players have 
  decided to infiltrate an OSS complex in search of 
  information regarding the organization’s illegal 
  activities, specifically those pertaining to the 
  operations of the orphanages. 
  The players and Cybil have chosen a time and 
  date to launch their attack and Cybil has promised 
  the players easy access to the complex. At a pre-
  selected time and place, the players and Cybil meet 
  and make their way quickly and quietly to the 
  OSS stronghold in London. While still technically 
  located in downtown London, the Complex is 
  located in a quiet corner industrial neighborhood 
  that ensures foot traffic is kept to a minimum.
  The OSS complex is built into the base of a 
  nondescript block of mixed industrial facilities 
  located just outside the center of the city in the 
  Cameron Center. This neighborhood lays directly 
  along the Thames River, and is a designated 
  Industrial area, which means there is relatively 
  little foot traffic and mostly robotic vehicles in and 
  out of the various industrial complexes. 
  Technically the structure at 87559 Brown, 
  Cameron Center is owned by Nelson-Atkins 
  Manufacturing (Cybil confides that this is an 
  OSS front company). The Nelson-Atkins Thames 
  Complex (it’s official name) is dwarfed by the 
  structures that surround the neighborhood, 
  primarily because of the conscious choice by 
  designers to place shorter structures, like the 
  Nelson-Atkins Thames Complex  close to the river 
  (this allows the River Thames to remain a visible 
  part of the city, placing huge arcologies right next 
  to the Thames would obscure it from sight). 
  Note that it is not uncommon for such Industrial 
  facilities to contain residential barracks for their 
  workers or for low-income residents. The listed 
  addresses for the employees indicate that they 
  are for the residential section within the Thames 
  Complex.
  Exterior Description:  
  The Nelson-Atkins Building appears to be a 
  large, blocky structure hanging slightly over 
  the water of the Thames River. In the center of 
  the building, there is a tall spire with chromed 
  windows that extends several stories above the 
  roof of the main structure. The building is little 
  different from any of the other blocky structures 
  in this part of the district, and only has been 
  made noteworthy for the distinctive N-A logo 
  presented on the side of the Tower. 
  Players can make a Recon (Intelligence, -2) skill 
  check to notice heavy security for the building 
  in question. If the players opted to perform 
  the operation without Cybil present, they must 
  infiltrate the building without her help.
  Interior Details: 
  The Interior of Nelson-Atkins 
  Manufacturing Thames Complex is 90% 
  standard Industrial workplace, known as the 
  factory Floor. Almost all of the work is actually 
  done by robots in a never ending dance of 
  motion, the few human technicians are all OSS 
  support staff. Much of the main floor of the 
  Complex (two to three storeys tall depending on 
  where one is looking) is open through most of 
  the structure, except for some repair and office 
  sections (such as the Security office, detailed 
  below) along the Eastern face of the building 
  which are parceled off as individual rooms.
  There is also an inner tower at the center of the 
  Industrial floor that operates as a kind of central 
  column for the whole structure. It extends 
  upward for seven stories up, four past the 
  Industrial portion of the structure. 
  The Robot Workers occupy the “Congested Space” 
  on the map shown. A tangle of machinery, robots, 
  conveyors and such  that counts as soft cover and 
  “firing into combat” but can be dangerous.
  The Tower is the heart of the OSS Complex: 
  The first three floors of the tower are reserved 
  for offices where the OSS conducts day-to-day 
  business and runs their operations while the top 
  four floors (extending above the Industrial area) 
  are used as apartments by agents. The building 
  also possesses three sub-levels that are unknown 
  to anyone outside the OSS. These sub-levels 
  house the building’s secure computer systems 
  (aka The vault Archive), the OSS armories and labs. 
  Would you like to be Notorious?
  If the PCs have good Computer Skills, Cybil has a task 
  for them to help her with prior to their becoming 
  involved in the Scene of Part Two, Act III in which 
  the team goes into the OSS Complex. She has a 
  complicated program that still needs some tweaking. 
  Any characters who are interested can spend a 
  Computer (Intelligence or Education, -2, 1-6 Hours) 
  check on the Project. They may use their Computer 
  system (DM: Rating-2) to improve their skill check as a 
  “toolkit”. 
  Make the roll now and note whether it is a success or 
  failure and the effect of the check. 
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  One location of note on the first floor of the 
  Factory Floor is the security office, located inward 
  (adjacent to the inner working area) across 
  from the base of the Tower. This office is used 
  to oversee building security and coordinate the 
  activities of the multiple armed guards patrolling 
  the building. An armed guard is always present 
  in the security office who maintains radio contact 
  over the four other security personnel on patrol at 
  all times in the building. If anything goes wrong, 
  security guards call for backup. An OSS strike 
  team (use the stats from above) will respond in 
  only two minutes if any alarms are sounded. Use 
  the same stats as above for the guards.
  A Quiet Entry:
  Cybil will lead the group to the back of the 
  building where she will use an access key to gain 
  entry to the building. Before they enter, she tells 
  the players that gunfire or other loud noises will 
  result in their quick capture.
  When entering the building, Cybil does not 
  attempt to remain hidden — the number 
  and location of the cameras throughout the 
  building will make it impossible not to be seen. 
  Instead, she moves quietly and quickly into the 
  building, making her way to the security office 
  on the ground floor. 
  This is where the descriptions of the Industrial 
  floor and any other components go. If entering 
  the facility with Cybil…
  Cybil walks straight into the Security Office. 
  Once reaching the  office, Cybil will attack 
  the guard with her stunner, knocking him out 
  quickly and quietly. Players may make a Recon 
  (Intelligence, -3) skill check to notice that the 
  guard had not sounded the alarm, although he 
  clearly was able to see the players entering on 
  the cameras with Cybil and seemed to recognize 
  Cybil herself when she enters the Office. 
  When the guard has been dealt with, Cybil sits 
  in the strangely elaborate main console chair. 
  As her fingers begin to dance over the console 
  command keys she says that she is using the 
  security computer system to deactivate the 
  cameras (and wipe out all recent recordings) as 
  well as all of the other security features currently 
  active throughout the building. Anyone 
  watching the vidpanels will see that this is what 
  is being shown on-screen as well. 
  Cybil will then tell the players that she must 
  remain at the security station to ensure alarms 
  are not sounded (if pressed, and only if pressed, 
  she will reveal the Shepherd Failsafe used in 
  the office). Meanwhile the players will use the 
  elevators to travel to a sub-level of the building 
  where the OSS computer records are housed on 
  secure, offline systems. 
  From there, Cybil says that the players can gain 
  access to the information they’re looking for 
  regarding OSS activities in the Vault Archive. She 
  gives the players her access card as well as telling 
  them a code to be used so they can access the 
  computer and the names of some of the files they 
  need to start searching for. She also gives them 
  links so that she will remain in constant contact 
  with the players through her secure comm.
  Goin’ in Sans Cybil
  Entering the building without this access key requires 
  players to make an Electronics (Education, -2) or 
  Deception (Dexterity, -4) skill check to pick the lock, the 
  check will require a base time interval of 1 minute. 
  Entering the Complex without Cybil will result in the 
  Players having to either use an ally to hack into the 
  system and shut down the cameras, create a significant 
  distraction, or set off the equivalent of an EMP to fry 
  the delicate electronics. While the main systems are 
  hardened, the local lighting will be affected, allowing the 
  players to penetrate the perimeter without detection. 
  Failure to do any of this will result in an altercation with 
  5+2d6 agents entering into combat with the characters. 
  The initial five are the on-call combat team, and d3 
  agents arrive every minute afterward until the total 
  rolled shows up to the party. Referees should allow 
  Players to get creative in making some sort of diversion 
  to reduce these odds; possibly even get rid of the guards 
  altogether. It ought to be good though, not just some 
  token effort but solid role-play. 
  What about the AI?
  Simply put, there is none. In some facilities, the OSS 
  uses highly sophisticated Intellect programs in their 
  place, but these are not true AI, just expert systems 
  which have been maximized. They lack the particular 
  advantages of true AI.
  The reason is twofold: First, as sentients, AI gain full 
  rights of citizenship at the age of 18 and can leave their 
  sponsors. Second, AI tend to be highly rational beings, 
  and the OSS – particularly the Terra/Sol Division – is 
  based on a fervor that AI cannot always understand: a 
  little bit paranoia and a kind of jingoistic nationalism 
  they cannot share. This makes the suspect.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  And I Need You Again ‘Why’?
  Hopefully, by this point, the Players are not going to be asking themselves why they bother to come along. The 
  truth of the matter is that Cybil needs their bodies (ahem, no really). Having created a host of enemies with special 
  abilities, like Cybil Mar herself, the OSS has also taken some pains to reduce the effectiveness of ‘rogue elements’ 
  against them. One of the reasons that Cybil has not been able to acquire the files she needs is that there is a 
  Shepherd Failsafe in the Security Office. In order for the lower levels of the Compound to open up, someone with 
  the proper genetic sequence (which Cybil has recently been keyed to in her undercover identity) has to open doors 
  and maintain a constant presence in the security room. Effectively, this person in security (who must be alive and 
  capable of operating controls) holds the equivalent of a digital deadman’s switch for the Vault. If the Shepherd (the 
  person coded into the system) is not in the chair, or fails to enter the proper codes that randomly pop up, the doors 
  to the Vault seal themselves and the chamber is then pumped with a Halon-type gas to evacuate the air. 
  The OSS as counting on a certain personality type that accompanies these rogue elements. Specifically 
  their lack of trust, which makes it less likely that they will work with someone else. Cybil is no exception, in 
  fact she is even less trusting than other rogues. The Players timely arrival however, and their competence 
  in dealing with the Takara (as well as perseverance in going with her this far) make them her unique 1-in-
  50 chance to get in and get what she needs. But she needs them to do it for her. This makes her more of a 
  patron than an all-powerful NPC.
  So the players are not simply Cybil’s marionettes, she absolutely needs them in order to complete her 
  mission. She is averse to hiring mercenaries, generally untrusting of others, and has watched the players get 
  as far as they have from a distance before she decided to meet with them. As soon as OSS revealed itself, she 
  knew that she had kindred spirits to work with on her immediate goal.  
  This is the “Cybil Option.”  If Cybil is not with them, then having this Shepherd Failsafe would spell instant 
  doom. Thus ignore it, as the Failsafe is only a tool to make the players the focus of the action, not an NPC. 
  Should the players themselves do this, by freezing Cybil out for example, they have accomplished the same 
  goal on their own and this is an unneeded option.
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  The Vault Archive
  Presumably at this point, the players leave Cybil at 
  the security station and quickly reach the elevators 
  she has indicated for them. As they approach the 
  elevators, the keypad next to them lights up in 
  quick sequence and the doors slide open (This 
  is Cybil, controlling the codes from the Security 
  Office).  She reminds them they need to swipe her 
  card to access the sub-levels of the OSS block. 
  Using Cybil’s access card, the doors slide shut 
  and the players are quickly taken to sub-level 
  two, deep beneath the surface of the city. 
  The Elevator takes a considerable amount of 
  time to descend, and when the elevator doors 
  finally open again, the Players will at first see 
  nothing outside of them but a pitch black 
  empty space. A second later, the overhead lights 
  turn on and the players find themselves in a 
  large open room containing rows of computer 
  terminals. Fans beat overhead, and the room 
  has a chemical odor. 
  “Ignore the smell team, that’s just the way it 
  works. Time to get to work, you can access the 
  OSS computers using any one of these terminal..”
  What she doesn’t mention is that the chemical smell 
  comes from the Halon system, which evacuates 
  the oxygen from the room if there is no one in the 
  Security Room on the Industrial Floor above.
  Referee’s Note: Players can quickly transfer the 
  information from the computers to their own 
  devices with little difficulty using the equipment 
  and programs that Cybil has provided them. If the 
  players have dispensed with Cybil’s assistance, they 
  will have to make a Computers (Intelligence, -3) 
  skill check in order to reduce the counter-intrusion 
  and anti-copying routines built into the system.
  If the players use the access code given to 
  them by Cybil, they can gain quick and easy 
  access to the computers. Players will notice 
  when they use the codes provide that the 
  computer chimes back  “Welcome Director 
  Adams” and “Secure Mode” (which bypasses 
  biometric requirements). It appears Cybil 
  gave the players Director-Level access to the 
  information in the system. 
  Players not using Cybil’s code must make a 
  Computers (Intelligence, -6, 1-6 minutesx3 
  ) skill check to access the computer systems. 
  Players will find the computer systems top of 
  the line and containing quite a few advanced 
  software packages.
  
  
  The Scrap
  One of the network messages connected to the Precursor 
  file is a status report from an off-world agent named 
  “Fastov” sent directly to Director Adams.  The full version 
  of the file is in the Player Inserts section. 
  The upshot is this:  a critical component for the 
  weaponization of the Adams Retrovirus (see Part Three) 
  has to be manufactured outside of a major gravity well 
  and has to be created just before the virus is released. The 
  email indicates that the component is nearing completion 
  and that there are only six days until it is delivered to the 
  King William Island Complex.
  This suggests a timeline and a potential infiltration option 
  for the King William Island Complex which lay at the heart 
  of the next part of the campaign. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Digging through the computer systems 
  to find information regarding the OSS’s 
  connection to the orphanages with 
  Director-level Access is easy. A Computers 
  (Intelligence, +0, 1-6 minutes) skill check 
  is required, success indicating the players 
  can locate a large batch of files containing 
  information about the orphanages and their 
  use by the OSS. These files have information 
  regarding the adoption of children from the 
  orphanages, the approval of the orphanages 
  to adopt children to the Takara in Kansas 
  City as well as the funneling of funds to the 
  orphanages from the OSS [Referee Note: this 
  is the data that they will need to establish the 
  connections found in the Orphanage files.] 
  Also included in the records of adoption, 
  the players are able to find references to 
  a ‘Precursor Project.’  These indicate that 
  many children were sent to a facility located 
  on King William Island to be used for the 
  Precursor Project. As soon as they begin to 
  peruse the Precursor file itself, the system 
  literally begins to cannibalize itself. They do 
  escape with a scrap however. (see sidebar)
  Breach Protocol
  The self-destruct program was apparently linked 
  to a password that had to be used without so 
  much as a prompt. 
  Cybil curses in their ears, such traps are only 
  used for particularly high level data. The Screens 
  of all the computers in the chamber activate 
  and begin to purge their data. The Words 
  “BREACH PROTOCOL” are visible on every screen. 
  The Breach Protocol also triggers the Hellbots.
  “Hey team,” Cybil chirps in their ears, “obviously 
  something’s wrong here. The Security Board is 
  going crazy and the system is trying to access 
  the alarms. Get out of there. Now!” The Elevator 
  door however has gone crazy, opening and 
  closing rapidly (and dangerously, those are not 
  your standard safety doors). 
  Cybil will tell them that she is trying to keep 
  the doors open, and the only reason that they 
  aren’t sealed off down there (which would also 
  shut off the lights, trigger the Halon system and 
  deprive them of oxygen) is because she is actively 
  defending them from the Breach Protocol Program. 
  This is also when the Players are introduced with 
  the Robots designed specifically to take out 
  intruders that have penetrated deep into the OSS 
  file chamber: the Hellbots (see sidebar for stats)
  
  
  Hellbots
  STR: 12 (+2)  DEX: 10 (+1)  Hull: 4, Structure: 4   
  INT: 9(+1)  EDU:   7   SOC:  0 (-3)
  Traits: Armor 10, Integral System (Grav floater), Integral 
  Weapon/Ranged (Laser Rifle, 5d6+3), Integral Weapon/ 
  Melee (Tail Spike, 4d6+2, halves armor)
  Onboard Skills: Flyer 2, Gun Combat (Wpn System 3), 
  Melee (Tail Spike 2), Recon 2, Sensors 2, Stealth 2 
  They Can’t be that Bad…
  Actually they aren’t, but what makes the Hellbot “hellish” 
  isn’t how tough they are (indeed, these are designed 
  to not cause swaths of destruction- no PGMP or other 
  explosives for example), it is the fact that they are 
  autonomous, Intellect-driven Robots rather than Drones. 
  The use of autonomous robots for security and combat 
  duties is expressly forbidden by law and not too 
  smart to boot. But the OSS does not trust AI systems 
  in its most delicate facilities (remember, at 18, they 
  gain the rights of citizens and leave service) thus 
  the organization needs something that is capable of 
  operating on their own. The Intellect Program of the 
  Hellbots have been given a very aggressive profile. 
  Once unleashed, they make nasty opponents.
  Unfortunately for the players, the OSS likes their 
  hellbots and uses them in multiple facilities. Likely, this 
  will not be the first of these metallic monstrosities that 
  the players will encounter.
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  
  Bring out the Hellbots
  Rather than yet another living guard, the players 
  must face off against the Hellbots, a customized 
  robot design that was commissioned by the 
  OSS specifically and illegally (given that they are 
  autonomous combat models). 
  Description:  
  A panel in the ceiling over the elevator door slides 
  open, revealing a trio of robots on grav floaters 
  that drop quickly into the open space. They have 
  a underslung energy weapon of some kind and 
  a articulated spike that bobs behind them like 
  a cross between a cat and scorpion tail. The 
  robots are clad in gleaming chrome but they look 
  like they have been sprayed with blood some 
  time ago. One of them has the words “Wash Me” 
  written onto the front plate with someone’s finger. 
  [In Best Robot Voice] “Step forward and 
  surrender. You will be granted leniency if you 
  surrender immediately.”  
  If any of the players attempt to escape before the 
  Bots are taken out, refer below. The Door should 
  start opening and closing immediately as soon as 
  the Hellbots arrive. 
  In their ear, they can hear Cybil Mar trying to deal 
  with the Security Subroutines muttering in French 
  and Japanese as she does. She will tell them this 
  as they fight. (One item per round)
  Okay team, those are the Hellbots from the 
  Arsenal Level. That’s something new…. 
  I’ve spared with these things. The trick is to 
  keep moving, they have a tracking issue.
   The sensor is on the left so try and keep to 
  the right and stay moving.
  The players who are on the right-hand side of the 
  Hellbots and have moved in that round (even to 
  just ‘bob and weave’ in place) will get a +1/-1 DM 
  in combat (whatever is worse for the Robot, that 
  is: +1 to PC attacks on them, -1 to attacks on PC’s 
  on the right side). 
  Escape!
  After the Hellbots have been dealt with, the 
  characters will have to get back inside of the 
  elevator. 
  Unfortunately, Cybil is still dealing with a 
  particularly nasty security subroutine designed to 
  prevent anyone who accessed the Vault Archive 
  from leaving. The result of her constant struggles 
  with the system is that the door keeps opening 
  and shutting. Players will require players to 
  
  
  
  
  make a Dexterity (-2) Characteristic check or an 
  Athletics/Coordination (Dexterity, 0) skill check 
  to successfully enter the lift without harm (use the 
  margin of failure as a gauge to how much damage 
  they sustain from the doors if they fail the check). 
  Players who successfully get inside the elevator 
  will find that the platform does not ascend 
  immediately. It takes two or three stabs of the 
  panel before the elevator lurches into action. 
  Once in motion, she says the following:
  “The alarm has gone off, nothing more to be 
  done for it. Unfortunately It also means that 
  the doors in and out of the Complex  are now 
  all sealed tight.”
  [She waits for the groan response] “Which is 
  why I placed charges on the South Wall of 
  the building, next to a large Blue-and-Green 
  robot worker. Can’t miss him. I even painted a 
  smiley face on him. 
  [There is a new alarm going off, one that keens 
  in a stuttering wail] “Okay, I just told the 
  system that there’s a biohazard breach.  It will 
  be a while before most of the Agents can get 
  out of their rooms. 
  Some were able to get out and are headed to 
  your location. So heads up when the elevator 
  stops. See you at the South Wall.”
  From here, the question is exactly how long the 
  players were dallying in the Archive.
  If the Players took off quickly (including 
  escaping from the Hellbots before or during 
  their attack rather than staying to fight them 
  entirely), they are able to get to the Main floor 
  well before the guards arrive. Kudos to them, 
  they have a considerable head-start.
  If the players took more than a few combat 
  rounds to deal with the Hellbots, the players 
  have a moment’s warning before the elevator 
  doors open and the guards arrive. 
  If the players took a considerable time, Cybil's 
  commlink shuts down and her last words 
  were: "they are going to be there before you, 
  surrender." She will (unknown to the Players) 
  attack the guards from the rear of the building
  Cue the Guards: 
  Initially, there are two guards, both armed with 
  automatic weapons and wearing armor. The rest of 
  the floor detail (six in total) will arrive at the elevators 
  quickly. How quickly is up to individual Referees.
  If the players get to the top first (with something 
  of a head-start or just barely in time), they can 
  try to hide from the guards by making a Stealth 
  (Dexterity, -3) skill check to take cover amongst 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  the nearby maze of industrial machinery. Seeing 
  the Elevator unoccupied (the doors will remain 
  open when the elevator car is at the top, this is 
  part of the Breach Protocol), the guards will move 
  through the room searching for anything out 
  of the ordinary. Make contested Recon v Stealth 
  checks. If the players are detected, the guard 
  responds by calling for backup (silently) and then 
  attempts to apprehend the players. 
  Straying into the “Congested Area” is both risky 
  and helpful. It counts as Soft cover and as “firing 
  into Combat” for those trying to hit them with 
  ranged weapons. It penalizes the players similarly 
  unless they use an “Aim” action to aim between 
  the machinery parts. Referees should also call 
  on the player to make Dexterity or Athletics 
  (Coordination) checks at random intervals or take 
  (Ref determined) damage. The more the PCs use 
  it, the more dangerous this area gets.
  If the characters are taken (or are forced to 
  surrender when the lift reaches the top because 
  they lingered too long inside of the sub-level 
  chamber), Cybil will provide them with an 
  opening by dropping a series of stun behind the 
  guards that allow the PCs to ‘make a break for it’.
  A Particularly exciting method of escape is 
  suggested in the sidebar above, using Parkour to 
  vault and climb and leap across the congested 
  areas of the factory.
  If the Players took out the Guards too easily, have 
  the Hellbots get unleashed. Even if there is only 
  one or two, it might keep the escape more thrilling.  
  Remember: the key here is ‘action!’ Keep them 
  moving constantly, make sure that they get that 
  sense of leaving the lion’s den and the thrill that 
  ought to come from the accomplishment.
  Pardon moi, do you Parkour?
  One interesting option at this point for characters with some Athletics ability is to try to parkour their 
  way out of the area. Parkour, according to a committee of traceur is the “physical discipline of training to 
  overcome any obstacle within one’s path by adapting one’s movements to the environment” (a traceur 
  (male) or traceuse (female) is a practitioner of this athletic form). The factory floor, jammed as it is with 
  machinery and robots, is an excellent area to utilize these skills for a quick exit. It is not as easy as simply 
  walking out, but it has the advantage of being cool. Unfortunately, one has to have the skills: in this case 
  either Athletics (Coordination) or Athletics (Endurance) to pull this off. In this case, the area is perfect for 
  Parkour, but the time factor and chase factor are important as well: make the check with a -2 DM. How well 
  they do (higher effects) determines how quickly they move: a marginal success might mean they move 
  at half speed, with an effect of three or more, the players are moving at or near their full normal speed, 
  ignoring all of the obstacles in their way between themselves and the exit. Referees can have some fun with 
  the descriptions as the players careen off of swinging arms, perform acrobatic pop vaults and leap off of 
  robotic workers. If this is the Players idea rather than the Referees, the guards will be somewhat hapless in 
  the face of this tactic. That not only preserves a cinematic feel for the scene but rewards them for a cool exit. 
  Making an Exit
  Once the Guards are either dealt with or the PCs are 
  going for the Southern edge of the plant, they will 
  see the following:
  Description: 
  The machinery along the Southern Edge of the 
  Complex is involved with some sort of metal folding 
  activity. As the players approach, they see that one 
  of the machines quite close to the wall has a neon 
  green-colored “smiley face” painted on the surface.
  [If they get within 20 meters] An explosion rips out 
  of the area nearest the wall, sending up a plume 
  of smoke and a earth-shaking rattle but neither 
  concussion nor fragmentation (which would make 
  it a tamped charge of some kind). It will take a 
  while – nearly a minute – for the smoke to clear 
  completely. What do you do?
  [Referee Note: Their commlink frequency sets the 
  bomb off when they get close (not too close).  This 
  was to facilitate their escape should Cybil be captured] 
  Players that dive through the smoke will be in the 
  clear, evading their pursuers in the smoke and chaos. 
  Players that hesitate gain nothing. 
  Thames Complex Guards
  STR: 8  DEX: 9 (+1)  END: 8  INT: 7  EDU: 8  SOC:  6
  Skills: Gun Combat (Pistol 2, Shotgun 2), Melee (Club 
  2), Recon 2, Sensors 1 
  Equipment: Autopistol (3d6-3) and Shotgun (4d6,) 
  Reinforced Light Armor (AV: 7), One stun grenade 
  disguised as a Hand Commlink (they have earpiece 
  comms for real tactical use) and a stun baton.
  Referees may also want to throw in an Agent (page 61 
  after a few rounds.
  
  Part Two: London Calling
  0
  Leaving London
  If the players manage to escape the OSS building 
  with the information, they will have earned 
  Cybil Mar’s gratitude. She takes the characters 
  to an abandoned warehouse in the local area 
  (an industrial zone that was struck by fire and 
  not yet redeveloped) where the group can rest  
  – momentarily – and explore the information they 
  recovered. She tells them they have at best twenty 
  minutes before they have to go.
   If any of the players are injured, Cybil can attempt 
  to perform first aid on them (if one of the other 
  players does not have the skills or equipment to 
  do so) but she is obviously in a hurry.
  Paydirt?
  The information the players recovered shows that 
  the OSS is clearly using the orphanages as ways of 
  obtaining children for their clandestine operations. 
  It is also evident that OSS officials were fully aware 
  of the nature of the Takara of Kansas City and 
  allowed the cannibalistic cult to adopt dozens of 
  children from the same orphanages. 
  While the information the players acquired is 
  enough to cause problems for the OSS, Cybil is 
  clearly concerned when the Precursor Project is 
  mentioned. She admits to being familiar with the 
  project and now feels this is the “big push” they 
  have been talking about. It is now clear to her 
  that some of the children from the orphanages 
  are being taken to an OSS facility located on King 
  William Island in the Republic of Chicago. At this 
  facility, the children are being experimented 
  on using alien technology discovered by the 
  OSS when Terra/Sol was colonized. Cybil cannot 
  provide much more information apart from telling 
  the players that she has been to that facility many 
  years ago but only for a brief time and is unaware 
  of the extent of the current OSS operations there. 
  The Next Step
  Cybil asks that the players help her go to 
  that facility and stop the OSS from further 
  experimenting on innocent children. Though the 
  players could go to the press regarding the actions 
  of the OSS and the orphanages, revealing to the 
  public that alien ruins exist on Terra/Sol and that 
  the OSS is using this technology to experiment on 
  children would all but cripple the organization as 
  a whole and have a lasting impact throughout the 
  galaxy. Cybil appeals the players’ sense of morality, 
  justice and thirst for knowledge. 
  If this is not enough to convince the players to 
  help her, she promises them she can pay them 
  a great deal of money if they are able to bring 
  this truth to light. She is desperate, and she now 
  trusts the characters about as much as she trusts 
  anyone. (Their actions of course are going to 
  modify that statement).
  If the players agree to help her, Cybil has arranged 
  transportation to Chicago where they will set out 
  to the mysterious and isolated King William Island. 
  The Next Act
  The players have dealt a serious blow to the OSS 
  by recovering the information linking the agency 
  to the operations of the orphanages and the 
  adoptions of children to the Takara and a variety 
  of other mysterious families. Players can choose to 
  go public with this information immediately, but 
  doing so will make them fugitives all across Terra/
  Sol and the Orion Confederation. By waiting, the 
  players can maintain a somewhat lower profile, 
  which can allow them easier access to King 
  William Island and the secrets it holds.
  With Cybil Mar helping them, the players will have 
  a much easier time reaching the OSS facility in the 
  Republic of Chicago. Without her help, the players 
  will have a harder time infiltrating the facility and 
  living long enough to bring the information they 
  gain there to light. Though the players may not 
  trust her fully, Cybil has learned that she can trust 
  the players and that together they face a common 
  foe. Cybil will do everything she can to have the 
  players help her; through them, she believes she 
  can bring down the OSS. The direction for the 
  players is clear: they must reach King William 
  Island and uncover the secrets the OSS have been 
  keeping for over a century.
  The Need for Speed: 
  As soon as the Players escape from the Thames Complex, take account of the time because the OSS is coming. 
  Cybil’s window of opportunity, produced by the “Notorious” Dataworm assault (which is causing havoc with 
  the Internal Security Network or IntSec even as the Players sit in the warehouse), is about a half-hour to an hour 
  or so. She wants to be in North America by then and has already pre-paid for tickets, her twenty minute time 
  frame is barely enough time for them to get there and take off. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  Part Three: 
  Opening the Door
  Note: None of the information presented in this chapter is common knowledge. 
  The Story Thus Far
  What has gone before...
  The players have stumbled upon a bizarre plot 
  that threatens to shake the very foundation of 
  Terra/Sol and will have an impact the Known 
  Galaxy. The clandestine organization known as 
  the Orion Security Service has long been engaged 
  in falsely adopting children from two orphanages 
  located in the planetary capital of London. These 
  children are then scattered across Terra/Sol and 
  used by the OSS for any number of dark purposes 
  such as experimentation with alien technology… 
  With the help of the mysterious Cybil Mar, the 
  players have learned of the location of this site 
  and that many children adopted by the OSS 
  have been sent here to be experimented on. The 
  players have the opportunity to travel to King 
  William Island in the hopes of learning all they can 
  about the OSS’s activities here and bringing them 
  to light. They could also simply escape, and use 
  what they have to expose the OSS for what they 
  already have. The choice is theirs…
  Behind the Scenes:
  In 2945 a strange archeological discovery 
  was made on King William Island, just off the 
  extreme northeastern coast of North America. 
  Initial investigations into the location revealed 
  a strange complex of ruins that were clearly of 
  non-human origin: One of many ‘precursor’ alien 
  sites scattered throughout the known galaxy. 
  Archeological excavations began immediately by 
  civilians under Professor Dukette but were quickly 
  halted when members of the Orion Security 
  Service arrived and claimed an imminent threat, 
  which allowed them to take control of the facility 
  following a Supreme Court ruling in 2946. Since 
  that time, all information about the site has been 
  carefully controlled by the OSS and they have 
  spent decades performing their own examination 
  of the alien ruins.
  Through their research, the OSS believes they 
  have discovered the alien site’s purpose. It 
  appears that the site became active over a 
  century ago, programmed to release a virus 
  into the atmosphere of Terra/Sol; the OSS has 
  discovered evidence that it was this virus that 
  resulted in the explosion of ‘natural’ mutation 
  throughout the population of the planet in 
  2856. Believing this to be an insidious plot by 
  malign alien forces, the OSS has spent the last 
  four decades attempting to undo the work of 
  the alien virus. That involved experimenting on 
  children taken from the orphanages in London. 
  The OSS is now ready to use the alien site 
  themselves. They have altered the alien virus and 
  are releasing it (atmospherically) in the hopes of 
  reversing the effects. This has the potential to kill 
  millions of mutants that have emerged since the 
  Transformation and that is deemed “acceptable” 
  by the organization.
  The Player’s Endgame
  There is none. Or at least, the adventure itself does 
  not present the players with a simple means of 
  mission success in a nicely wrapped bow. They must 
  make their own plans for that. If they go into the final 
  stages of the adventure without some sort of a plan, 
  the players may well get caught and killed before 
  they accomplish their objective.
  It might behoove soft-hearted Referees to make 
  mention to the players that they are in a “sandbox” 
  when they get to the Island (Acts II): the scene is 
  set and will proceed, there are no set actions, no 
  cavalry to come for them (unless they have somehow 
  managed that on their own). Really kindly Referees 
  might remind Players of this as they enter into the 
  last stage (Act III) and are walking through the narrow 
  tunnel that is the only way in or out as far as they can 
  tell. You know… subtly.  
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  The players arrive in Chicago just as the OSS is back on their trail. Next they have a choice: 
  either to safely reach King William Island while avoiding detection, or to use the scrap of 
  information they were able to obtain concerning an offworld component that the OSS 
  Director of the Terra/Sol Division wants to incorporate into the Project (see Scrap Sidebar). 
  Cybil Mar and the players are escaping London after their raid on the OSS Thames Complex. They were able to 
  gain evidence that the agency is responsible for the false adoptions of countless children from orphanages in 
  London. However there is a new wrinkle: data recovered from the facility has revealed another, much larger, 
  OSS base located on King William Island and pointed to something called the Precursor Project. The project may 
  be involved with exposing these children to alien technology for experimentation purposes. They have also 
  uncovered that a “Big Operation” is getting ready to proceed within six days, something which alarms Cybil Mar. 
  This faces them with a choice: either run away now or take the fight to the OSS now that they are committed to it 
  and know of this upcoming major operation. If they choose to escape, the Campaign is over, but their actions will 
  have significant impact on Terra and beyond. If they choose to act, the team will attempt to reach King William 
  Island to discover proof of these vile operations and possibly halt the “big operation” that Cybil Mar has been 
  hearing about for months.
  Using the Material
  This Part assumes that the players want to move forward into this dangerous mission. While there are two major 
  options described here, the adventure starts with the madcap race to get as far away as possible from the OSS 
  and hide in one of the populated cities of Terra. From that point, the players themselves need to decide how 
  to proceed, although two options are illuminated for those (either Players or Referees) who wish. Players and 
  Referees are (as ever) free to devise something of their own that they feel will better capture the spirit of the 
  adventure and indeed they are encouraged to do so.  No matter what way they choose to go however, the 
  characters are on the run now, whether or not they have chosen to release the data that they have on the OSS. 
  The mood for this portion of the adventure is motion: keep moving, keep going. Time is running out.
  The main objective of Part III, Act One is to put the characters in a position for the run onto King William 
  Island with as little early warning as possible to the members of the OSS.
  Part III, Act One: Going to Ground
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  Run now, hide later
  The first scene involves getting the players out of 
  London. In order to get back to North America, 
  the Players will likely have to either catch a ride 
  with someone else or use commercial transport. 
  Either way they have a little problem. Whatever 
  they choose, their best chance is to run to a large 
  population center and mix in with the teeming 
  Billions of Terra. 
  But first, let’s examine why they have a window of 
  opportunity at all… 
  A Little Travelling Music if you Please
  Forensic science being what it is, the players 
  should have their DNA, what they had for lunch 
  last week and the name of their favorite pet when 
  they were a child plastered over every screen in 
  Orion Space. In addition, any and every Netpilot 
  worth their salt is going to try to find them. They 
  are not facing some back-alley drug smuggling 
  operation or petty crook. They are not even facing 
  a well-financed, well-backed criminal conspiracy. 
  They are facing one of the most efficient and 
  deadly espionage agencies of the 30th century. 
  And it’s about to throw the full power of the state 
  at them in a non-life affirming way.
  The one thing that the Characters have going in 
  their favor is that Cybil Mar left a little surprise back 
  at the Security Room (she wasn’t spending all that 
  time in the funny chair soaking in the atmosphere).
   Several dataworms are spewing out terabytes of 
  information purporting to be, well: your group. It 
  took Cybil six months while she was undercover 
  in the agency to compile all of the data, but the 
  intimate details of every OSS informant and dupe 
  she could get her hands on are residing in these 
  dataworms. As the data from Thames Complex 
  onsite forensic analysis is gathered, fingering the 
  team for the raid, and then is fed into the system 
  the data worms go crazy. 
  Before the first person even notices the problem, 
  the OSS has issued emergency “hold” orders, and 
  Confederation-level arrest warrants for 837 people 
  and several thousand more before someone is able 
  to actually do something about the whole mess. 
  And that “something” is complicated further when 
  the system, unprompted then starts to spit OSS 
  personnel and their families into the mix. At that 
  point, it begins sending out warrants and exposing 
  sensitive information about OSS insiders. 
  IntSec, the worldwide Internal Security Network 
  which coordinates Home Defense, is being blitzed 
  in a hack that will go down in the history books 
  of Terra/Sol. A glorious orgy of computer anarchy. 
  It will be known in the fullness of time as the 
  “Notorious Hack”.
  ...which hides the characters for perhaps an hour. 
  Realistically, it should perhaps be even shorter. 
  But by the time that the OSS eliminates all of the 
  offending dataworms and removes them from the 
  system. Cybil set them to go off in stages: as one 
  is eliminated, another is triggered. By the time 
  that someone flags the right information – and 
  convinces everyone that it indeed is the right 
  information – the characters should be long gone. 
  If they’re smart.
  Aw C’mon!
  One thing Referees should keep in mind here: Cybil Mar has had a lot of time, nearly open access (at least to 
  this personnel information) and a huge reservoir of resources to draw on. In fact, she does have superpowers 
  (okay, mutant powers) but devious players, given the same opportunity could have done the same feat.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Are you “Notorious”? 
  If the PCs provided Cybil with assistance (See the 
  “Notorious” Sidebar in Part Two), on the computer 
  project, they will have bragging rights on this history-
  making event. The effect number of their check will 
  determine to what extent they can brag about it later:
  Effect     Bragging Rights:
  -6
  What hack? Never happened. Welcome to the 
  workfarm citizen. Okay, maybe not, but when 
  Cybil saw what you were doing she chased 
  you away, threatening bodily harm. The 
  characters feel burning shame every time the 
  Notorious Hack is brought up.
  -5 to -2
  It really could have been better. The effect 
  didn’t work half as well as it should have. 
  There was less time for you to escape than 
  there otherwise should have, and you know 
  it was your fault.
  -1
  You spun your wheels on it, never hurt it but 
  you cannot really say you helped either.
  0
  You contributed to that Hack, a small part, 
  but hey, it was history man.
  1 to 2
  You improved the data flow rate and increased 
  the effectiveness of the hack, it gained maybe 
  an extra fifteen minutes of downtime, but hey 
  tying up the IntSec for even that long is an 
  accomplishment. Brag on Impressive One!
  3 to 5
  You provided critical support, so that 
  afterward there is a legal amount of doubt as 
  to whether your team was involved at all (the 
  hardcopy records by that time having been 
  completely lost as OSS destroys their internal 
  files to cover up evidence). Big Braggin’ rights
  6+
  Players choice: either…
  …you made the thing work when it 
  otherwise would have failed utterly (“The 
  hardware parameters for a system like IntSec 
  were way off, but I fixed that.”  It was yours.
  ….or, the Government has no legal evidence 
  whatsoever against the Characters following 
  the hack (this doesn’t mean the OSS doesn’t 
  know it was them, that’s another matter. 
  After a few hours the OSS “arrest and 
  detain” order is downgraded to “hold for 
  questioning” so the practical effect is pretty 
  much the same for this early – and critical 
  – period of time). You made it work good…
  Let their ego be your guide.
  Means of Travel:
  Burning for Orbit: Is a little unlikely at best. At 
  worst it is suicidal. Cybil explains that as soon as 
  the players appeared on the OSS vidscreen, any 
  spaceship or shuttle that they own has either 
  been disabled or so thoroughly blanketed with 
  surveillance equipment that it is effectively 
  useless for use in escape. The only exception 
  would be to get out of the system as quickly as 
  possible. If they have something that can move 
  with a Thrust of 6, this might be a possibility, 
  but for them the adventure is over. Once they 
  are on the grid, something as well-documented 
  as a  spacegoing vessel is too easy to spot. 
  “Best to move light, use the terrain” Cybil says, 
  quoting almost word for word from the OSS field 
  manual. ‘If you run thataway, you’ll just die tired.” 
  If they insist she will wish them well. Make new 
  characters. [Referee Note: while that seems 
  harsh, keep in mind this large complex vessel has 
  been possibly sabotaged, and even if it has not 
  been disabled it is lit up like a Christmas tree for 
  the best espionage agency in 100 light-years to 
  have at. Reality check time happens even in RPGs.]
  If the characters have their own (Terrestrial) 
  Flyer, transit from London is hampered by 
  the chaos invoked both by the OSS and the 
  dataworms. Many of the problems that exist for a 
  spacegoing vessel however apply to most other 
  forms of air travel. Any vessel that the players 
  own should be locked down, but that also goes 
  for half of the other ships in the field. The player’s  
  ship however, may be locked down and booby-
  trapped. Still, for a determined enough crew, 
  there is a silver lining: With the IntSec System 
  screaming in their ear, and with all manner of 
  annoyed travelers and a system which is obviously 
  on the blink, the flight control personnel can 
  probably be sweet-talked with a Persuade 
  (Intelligence, 0, 1-6 minutes) or Diplomacy/ 
  Admin (Education, -1, 1-6 minutes) check. 
  Commercial Travel has a far great chance of 
  success than either of these choices. Ironically, 
  the best option is to catch a scheduled flight out 
  of London, though it is slower and more prone 
  to being discovered once the system catches up. 
  The simple fact of the matter is that given already 
  dangerous congestion, London cannot afford to 
  ground it’s fleet that quickly. Incoming flights will 
  make the situation so dangerous so quickly that it 
  is a practical necessity. Cybil, as usual, is ahead of 
  the game and knows this. She has already secured 
  tickets on a transport for herself and all of the 
  players under assumed identities. If not for the 
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  OSS search, these Identities would have been as 
  good as their own, but by the time they land, the 
  IDs will already be, or are just about to be, cracked. 
  Cybil informs them that the system is still fouled 
  with false positives. This was her best solution, it 
  is easy, it has a lot of different possibilities and the 
  OSS cannot do anything about it for the moment: 
  Later? yes; Now? no. So run now, and then hide.
  Convincing 
  someone to take 
  you from a smaller 
  Independent 
  transit concern, is 
  probably the easiest 
  and most effective 
  route.  Interestingly, 
  Cybil would not 
  have thought of 
  it herself, as she 
  would consider 
  it too much of a 
  security breach. If 
  the players strike 
  on this solution, let 
  them know that it 
  sets the supercool, 
  ice-princess into a 
  spin. 
  Of course, the 
  transit concern owner (Ship captain, Shuttlejack 
  Hack or what have you) might be out for 
  their own “piece of the pie”, especially once it 
  becomes known (as it most certainly will) that 
  the characters are wanted sentients. If the players 
  take this route, the Referee can make this into an 
  interesting side-adventure or an object lesson 
  about the better side of humanity. In some cases, 
  both.
  The Sticking Point
  If there is a sticking point, it would be that 
  characters have been seriously injured in the 
  combat scenes of Part Two and cannot continue 
  due to their wounds. If this is the case, there are 
  two options, based on the nature of their injuries: 
  Not Dead Yet: Ambulatory characters can be 
  carted away and continue on. The Referee should 
  try to match the players delicate condition with 
  the transit stage of this Act and emphasize 
  roleplaying and non-combat situations over 
  violent clashes.  This is not coddling, it is keeping 
  things interesting.
  Again, the purpose is to keep the characters in 
  motion. If that means slower motion, with more 
  resting and a lot more talking than fisticuffs, it is 
  still motion. Keep things moving and don’t get 
  bogged down as a Referee. Use Cybil, who knows 
  all manner of ways to get otherwise walking-
  dead people moving; use her voice to emphasize 
  the need for alacrity. “You aren’t dead yet, so get 
  moving” is her motto. Okay, it isn’t, but after a 
  while the players will think so.
  Half-Past Dead: Non-ambulatory characters, 
  players requiring heroic measures are a little 
  tougher in some respects and easier in others. If 
  possible, the wounded character can be carted 
  away in cryosleep. The only problem here is if 
  some of the players are walking around and 
  some (or worse yet, one) are not. Referee should 
  keep in mind that no one wants to watch their 
  buddies roleplay without them. As there are so 
  many varieties of possibility here, the Referee 
  should pay close attention to the dynamics of the 
  table and keep an open mind. If in doubt, there is 
  always story hour… (see the sidebar at the end of 
  this Act)
  Excess Baggage will not be tolerated 
  If one problem persists, either traveling with a big 
  commercial outfit or an independent, it is making 
  one’s way through the transit grid with weapons. 
  Carriers don’t allow it (and yes, they check very 
  well) and indies get nervous with well-heeled 
  passengers in their holds. If Cybil Mar’s advice is 
  taken, the players will ditch their heavy weaponry, 
  even small pistols. She tells them:
  Look, I know enough contacts to re-equip 
  us later. Permits drag like a ball-and-chain 
  behind you. Travel light and easy, permits are 
  traceable and definitely not easy.  
  Ditch ‘em.
  No players will want to disarm, and some will 
  outright refuse. If this, or anything other than 
  combat wounds (see Sidebar), causes inordinate 
  delays; or if the players root in one spot: Simply 
  re-use the Strike Team scene in whatever location 
  they have clung to. Do make the encounter a 
  serious workout quite deliberately; and hint that 
  the OSS has far more where that came from. 
  Staying in one spot polishing your gun should 
  quickly be revealed as “not an option.” Eventually, 
  Cybil will bug out entirely and head off to deal 
  with the problem herself. The OSS will still be out 
  for the players blood after she is gone however.
  
  But we were so careful…
  If the characters took great pains 
  to conceal their identities or to set 
  up sidetracks to waylay the OSS, 
  the Referee should reward them. 
  Doubtless they spent at least as 
  much time and effort doing so 
  (if it was just dice rolls and vague 
  cautionary language don’t bother), 
  that this portion of the adventure 
  is not as crucial in the overall 
  scheme of the storytelling effort. 
  Just because we have presented 
  things this way should not preclude 
  their innovations from succeeding. 
  This and examples of player 
  initiative should be rewarded and 
  encouraged. The rule here is as it is 
  with all such efforts: just have fun!
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Location, location, 
  location
  Getting out is half the thing, getting out 
  without being followed (either immediately or 
  shortly thereafter) is a pleasant fairy-tale. At the 
  conclusion of Part Two, Cybil Mar has tickets 
  ready to go for Chicago. But players are funny 
  creatures. They may want to blaze their own trail, 
  and depending on the specific nature of Cybil’s 
  revelation that she was an Undercover member of 
  the very organization they just crossed – if indeed 
  such a conversation ever came up – might make 
  the players wary of any more of her “assistance.” 
  The reason that Cybil wants to go to Chicago is 
  that this is where she feels they can quickly and 
  easily loose their pursuers. There are plenty of 
  transportation possibilities in or around the city, 
  and the location should allow them the best 
  opportunity (other than Kansas City itself, which 
  is entirely too hot for them at the moment) to get 
  to King William Island in the timeframe they have 
  (as revealed by the stolen data). She also knows 
  Chicago well, it was her home base for some time.
  This is not then to say that Chicago is the only 
  option. In fact, there are plenty of airports and 
  starports the players could use. Eventually, any one 
  of them they pick is going to be tracked down, and 
  the more remote it is, the faster the OSS will be 
  onto their trail. Still, going to a yet more populous 
  place (such as the Delhi Hive or one of the other 
  high population density areas on Terra/Sol) will 
  help them “get lost” but not necessarily allow them 
  to utilize Cybil’s contacts. 
  The following exchange with local authorities is 
  thus likely to happen wherever they go as long as 
  the population is of a certain size. The authorities 
  are in something of a panic, the OSS has hit 
  the panic button on the planetary emergency 
  frequency and “turned it up to 11” in the immortal 
  words of Nigel Tufnel.
  Papers, Please
  Though Cybil Mar was able to conceal the group’s 
  identities for their journey, the OSS has begun to 
  distribute pictures and data regarding the players 
  to local authorities throughout Terra/Sol. Again, 
  all her effort and planning was only a short term 
  solution, and she knew that already. This is one of 
  the reasons she insisted on moving out quickly.
  The following, written as if it were Chicago (and 
  thus subject to modification as appropriate), should 
  demonstrate the problem now facing the players: 
  Description: 
  Arriving in the transportation center of the city, 
  the players will find themselves in one of the 
  busiest locations in the urban swamp. Like all 
  transit hubs since before the Long Pause, there 
  are some things that can neither be avoided 
  nor rushed. Crowds of people in Hub stations, 
  waiting for baggage and the constant babble 
  of distant Port announcements are ever the lot 
  of humanity-on-the-go. Eventually, they get to 
  where they need to be and are headed out… 
  free…
   [Make a Recon (Intelligence, +1) Check for 
  everyone, even characters without the skill. 
  Doubtless someone will make it.]
  Something is wrong. The players notice the 
  (local authorities) eyeing them suspiciously, 
  questioning travellers. As the authorities are 
  asking questions, showing pictures, moving 
  though the crowd, what do you do? 
  Players notice a number of police looking in their 
  direction. As the players begin moving through 
  the Hub to the exit, they will be approached by 
  the police. 
  Unless… 
  Players can attempt to sneak out of the 
  transportation center by making a Stealth 
  (Dexterity, -1) skill check to avoid detection. 
  Failure to do so by even one member of 
  the group will mean they are apprehended 
  by police. Using the crowds and the ample 
  hiding places the terminal offers, this is quite 
  within the bounds of reason. Their biggest 
  problem will be sneaking out one of the 
  exits, make it challenging but not impossible. 
  Remember: move, move, move!
  If the players allow themselves to be 
  taken, they will be escorted to the security 
  office within the transportation center; 
  any weapons the players are carrying are 
  confiscated. Here, the players will talk their 
  way out of it, or plan their escape, or wait for 
  the arrival of OSS agents who will take them 
  into custody (not the best plan… just sayin’). 
  Resisting arrest will result in more police 
  being called and a more violent response by 
  law enforcement personnel. Players will be 
  more aggressively pursued if they open fire 
  on police in a crowded building. If captured, 
  the OSS agents arrive in less than one hour 
  and take the players to be interrogated (and 
  eventually killed, then used for landfill… 
  hopefully in that order). 
  
  
  
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  Talking their way out: 
  If players are in a position to talk their way out, 
  they might be able to avoid any unpleasantness. 
  Who me? This is especially true if they made 
  any effort at all to change their appearance 
  since the run on the OSS Thames Complex. 
  It doesn’t have to be an ‘extreme facesculpt 
  makeover’ or anything particularly elaborate 
  (“Have the auto-surgeon make me look like 
  that York guy”), the authorities have had so 
  many conflicting reports and other bad data 
  they are genuinely baffled. (+1 to +3 DM 
  depending on the quality of the disguise). 
  This is a Deception  (Education, -1) or 
  Persuade (Intelligence, 0) check with a time 
  interval of 10-60 seconds. 
  Knowing is half the Battle:  On that note, 
  if the players make a Social Science 
  (Psychology) (Education, +0, 10-60 seconds) 
  or Deception or Investigation (Intelligence, 
  
  
  -2, 1-6 minutes) check. They will know that 
  the station is in something of a lather over the 
  false reports and seemingly endless rounds of 
  security protocols coming from IntSec Central 
  in London. They can use this information to 
  scheme more effectively (treat the result as 
  the first part of a Task Chain), or to prompt a 
  second attempt at the “who me?” check (as 
  above)  
  Cut to the Chase
  Ultimately, the Players must avoid capture by the 
  police if they are to flee Chicago and continue 
  their journey to King William Island. In the spirit of 
  the first Act, Referees should encourage a running, 
  driving, flying chase scene; either by itself or in 
  combination with the fight/sneak/talk checks 
  above. If this chase scene takes a considerable 
  amount of time, Referees may want to simplify the 
  next stage of the Act. Too many chases in the mix 
  and they become old and tired.
  Local Law Enforcement (Average Beat Cop, 30th Century Style)
  STR: 8  DEX: 8  END: 10 (+1)  INT: 7  EDU: 8  SOC:  7
  Skills: Admin 1, Advocate 1, Comms 1, Gun Combat (Pistol 2, Shotgun 1), Investigate 2, Melee (Club 1), 
  Recon 2, Stealth 1 
  Equipment: Autopistol (3d6-3) and/or Shotgun (4d6) Light Armor (AV: 6), One stun grenade disguised as a 
  Hand Commlink (they have earpiece comms for real tactical use) and a stun baton.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Path One: 
  Getting there is Half 
  the Fun
  Use this path if the characters decide to ignore 
  the snippet they received from the unnamed Low 
  Orbit Hab about the upcoming materials transfer. 
  That snippet was useful if for no other reason than 
  to provide a timetable, and that was all it needed 
  to do. Beyond that, there is Path Two to dangle, 
  but the players may not agree on such a risky 
  proposal. Instead, they may want to take their 
  chances and bluff their way onto King William 
  Island.
  Caveat Cursor 
  One problem is that they cannot use any of the 
  modern toys for navigation. Cybil (if present) will 
  advise them that the more gear they have that 
  picks up geostat information also sends geostat 
  information. Even if it is supposedly passive 
  these items are dangerous, keeping them means 
  bettering the chances for discovery by the OSS. 
  Cybil can name any one of a number of possible 
  espionage techniques to accomplish this as if it 
  proves her point (the players do not have to be 
  convinced, right up to the point where an OSS 
  strike Team drops in their laps). 
  This will also require that the team tosses, disables 
  or deactivates (at minimum) certain pieces of very 
  common equipment: Commlinks (other than the 
  secure one Cybil provided them earlier), Datapads 
  and other convenience items. She will also have 
  to short out or otherwise bypass any vehicle 
  transponders (she’s good at that though). 
  Are we there yet?
  Players have a variety of options for reaching King 
  William Island as they can travel by land, sea or 
  air to reach their destination. Any form of travel 
  requires the players acquire their own vehicle as 
  the location is quite remote and not accessible by 
  any commercial means. Cybil Mar can use false 
  identification to rent a vehicle, but will leave it 
  up to the players to best decide how they should 
  reach the island.
  Travel by road will prove the longest journey but will 
  allow the players to avoid detection easier. Players 
  opting to travel by sea will find the journey slightly 
  more difficult but faster than ground travel; players 
  must first travel to Toronto or Montreal to acquire a 
  boat that will take them out to sea. Finally, players 
  will find travel by air the fastest means of the journey 
  but has the potential to draw the most attention. 
  Realistically, there is no point in a game with 
  advanced technology to chart low-tech means 
  to get from one place to another on the planet’s 
  surface. While Grav Vehicles and shuttles are 
  commonplace, they do not lend themselves to 
  much of a “road picture” style of play. They move 
  too fast and there doesn’t need to be a road. 
  While this is not the best way to approach the 
  island itself (Cybil quickly informs them) it is a 
  good way to close the gap so they can figure out 
  what to do and move in (See Act Two) at their 
  leisure. The best way to handle this part of the 
  process is to simply ask players how much risk 
  they take on and how long they want to take in 
  getting there. As long as they start from “cover” 
  in a major metropolitan area, they have a pretty 
  good chance in the short term to avoid notice 
  in the lightly populated northern reaches of the 
  Republic of Chicago.
  Individual Referees of course are free to 
  complicate matters themselves as they wish. The 
  OSS looking for them, and every surveillance 
  camera and every cop is potentially going to lead 
  the players into trouble. The only suggestion here 
  is that such encounters should always include a 
  way out, remember: as the Referee, you want to 
  get them to King William Island.  
  The Next Step: 
  Preparation is Key
  Players will want to prepare for their journey 
  before departing and ensure they have the proper 
  supplies and equipment. This does not mean a 
  shopping spree. Referees can choose to have the 
  players encounter another police patrol or even 
  OSS agents if they take too long before leaving 
  for their trip. Once they get out of immediate 
  danger for a search, their options improve 
  enormously. Especially with Cybil’s contacts in 
  North America, which are if anything even better 
  than her contacts in London. This time, Cybil 
  pays the bills for player equipment (their assets 
  are currently frozen), but she only has a budget 
  of approximately 25,000cr each in cash she can 
  readily access. [Referees can allow certain special 
  purchases as well if they want or have her raid a 
  cache of goods she has in Chicago (her former 
  case of operations).]  
  Players may also want to think about changing their 
  appearances somewhat. Perhaps not as elaborately 
  as with a Holonet or a Fauxmask, but there are six 
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  0
  days to kill: more than enough time to heal up from 
  a facesculpt. If the players don’t think of this, Cybil 
  will let them know. If they point out that Cybil hasn’t 
  altered her own appearance she will simply say: “Not 
  yet. I will when the time is right.”
  Depending on how they left Chicago (if that is 
  where they landed), players may also encounter 
  local authorities or pursuing OSS agents during 
  their trip. If the OSS is tipped off as to the players’ 
  destination, they will ensure that defenses at the 
  base are increased in preparation for the group’s 
  arrival.
  Path Two: 
  Rendezvous in Orbit
  Referee Note: this scene can be adapted 
  in a number of ways. It is written to assume 
  that the players are not willing to take the 
  initiative in planning an assault on the Island. 
  If that assumption is incorrect, Referees may 
  need to adjust some of the descriptions to 
  account for increased player involvement 
  and be willing to ad-lib in some areas.
  If is also important to note that this is, in 
  essence, a side-adventure. The motto of 
  Act One (move, move, move) is no longer a 
  consideration.
  The Set Up:
  According to the email they were able to access, 
  the Precursor Project is waiting for a critical 
  component to arrive from an orbital Hab station 
  before they engage in “the Operation”. This will be 
  enough to give Cybil Mar an idea: to head off that 
  shipment and either smuggle the players onboard 
  or take their places using disguises that she 
  provides them (in reality, she plans for the team to 
  take the Hab Crew’s places but at least initially will 
  suggest that a less invasive option is possible).
  According to the OSS system, the “Scrap” 
  communication that they Players intercepted was 
  as-yet unread by the Director. That means he is 
  unaware of the contents of the file which clarify 
  that the time for pickup of the goods from their 
  low Orbit Hab is based on local time for King 
  William Island, not the local time for London. This 
  creates a six-hour window of opportunity.
  Cybil wants to send a terse response 
  acknowledging the correction. She knows that 
  this has to be done quickly. That is to prevent 
  the Orbital Operation from re-sending the 
  information, which she does not want the Director 
  to see. Also included in said communication is 
  an updated Security code, saying as well that 
  they will have to re-task another shuttle to that 
  location. This will make things easier later. Cybil 
  informs the players
  “The best part Is that this works because the 
  OSS is paranoid. They got the folks in that tin 
  can on communication restriction. 
  That means if we can move in time there will 
  be no other messages. This is the opening.”
  Puttin’ the plan together(-ish) 
  Likely, there are three more things they need 
  to do, and if the players appear to be faltering 
  at this point, help them find their way by Cybil 
  putting forward her plan. [Referee Note: Again, 
  this assumes a less proactive group, Referee’s 
  should only insert themselves here if they must to 
  preserve some sense of the players’ autonomy.]
  Figure out where the Low Orbit Hab is 
  located. This is a technical detail she either 
  delegates to a player or performs herself.
  Get the Equipment they need, preferably from 
  some of her unsavory contacts in Chicago. This 
  is the shopping fun part of Part III.
  Lastly, the players and Cybil will have to ‘relieve’ 
  someone of their shuttlecraft. She does not 
  have enough cash on hand to buy one or even 
  rent one. Likewise it would be unwise for the 
  Players to use one of their own, as these vessels 
  are being sought after by every OSS agent in 
  the system and using it would tip-off every 
  agent for hundreds of kilometers around.
  Putting the Toys in Order:
  Next Cybil Mar will introduce the players to some 
  of her friends in the “Equipment Provision” arena. 
  These are essentially the same lot of character 
  covered in Path One, but the kind of Equipment 
  that the characters will need will be quite 
  different. Now they are looking for toys like Vacc 
  Suits and snub guns.
  Something else they will need, and one of the 
  reasons Cybil is glad they are back in North 
  America, is some disguise technology. There 
  are two basic disguise technologies used in 
  30th century espionage that did not exist in the 
  Long Pause: Holonets and Fauxmasks. These 
  are of course in addition to the “old fashioned” 
  approach. (See Player Insert Handouts covering 
  both of these technologies) One of the masters of 
  disguise technology, a mysterious Uplift named 
  Ramón, lives near Chicago and Cybil is on excellent 
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  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  terms with him. As having the ability to disguise 
  themselves to look exactly like the Hab Agents 
  headed back down to Terra is a critical part of 
  the mission, Cybil handles all of the necessary 
  transactions (cost etc.) herself.
  Referee Note:  The Referee, as Ramón, will guide 
  the characters through the process of deciding 
  which technology to utilize. Ultimately, the players 
  are the ones who will make the choice of tech 
  based on what they think best. Note also that 
  there is no “right” answer, each of these forms 
  have their benefits and drawbacks. [The species 
  of Uplift Ramón belongs to was deliberately left 
  undefined. Determination is left up to the Referee 
  based on what they would be most comfortable 
  roleplaying. Don’t be afraid to chew a bit o’ scenery, 
  the adventure will get heavier later on.]
  Thar be Thievery Afoot
  Theft of a spaceship is a difficult thing, even the 
  theft of smaller craft. The problem is that the 
  authorities are looking for people (well, the player 
  characters) trying to do just what they are about 
  to do. This means that what is normally a dicey 
  proposition just got much harder. Either way, they 
  do have a few days to wait it out, as the Hab will 
  not be ready for the transfer until six days (well, 
  5 days and 18 hours) after the Players made their 
  escape from London. They have time to plan and 
  orchestrate something fantastic. Allow them to.
  Cybil doesn’t have the ready funds to buy or rent 
  (which is pretty much the same as providing the 
  funds to buy) a shuttlecraft. She does however 
  have the money to consign a cargo. If they need 
  to, they can then hijack the vessel. That will lead 
  to a lot of unnecessary bloodshed. It’s also a 
  relatively low thing to do, but it is an option she 
  will present. Referees may want to point out to 
  their players that Cybil seems to take the more 
  violent of two options when she can. From that 
  point on, they are considered forewarned.
  Likely, the players will simply have to bite the 
  slug-thrower projectile and try to steal a small 
  spacecraft.  Once they procure it, Cybil (or one 
  of the players who has the right skills) will be 
  able to bypass the transponder to either send 
  out a false signal or send out none at all. If a false 
  signal, the codes they use would have to be able 
  to stand up to scrutiny; they can purchase codes 
  from Cybil’s contacts, but there is no saying what 
  quality that they will get for a rush job. If they rig 
  their transponder to send no signal at all, the craft 
  could attract trouble from customs and/or Orbital 
  Law Enforcement. 
  Either way, the players will need to make an Orbit 
  Monitoring Check. The skill is Pilot/Small Craft 
  (Intelligence, 0) or Astrogation (Education, -1). 
  This assumes they are trying to cut an orbit that 
  avoids entanglements with the law. The one thing 
  they have going for them is that the law is certain 
  that if they do get ships to leave the planet, 
  they will do so, not go into low orbit. In fact, the 
  authorities are paying far more attention to the 
  upper orbit, where densitometers and similar 
  equipment don’t have to deal with the “noise” of 
  low orbit trash and the like.
  Sans code: make two rolls, one going up and 
  another coming back down. Both have a -1 DM.
  If using a purchased code: the DM for their 
  roll is determined immediately prior to the 
  Orbital check: d6:  
  1-2: -3 DM; 3-4: +2 DM; 5-6: +4 DM
  Habjacked!
  Once the players are in low orbit, they are able 
  to rendezvous with the OSS Low Orbit Hab DSX-
  2291 for the “delivery” they needed to make. 
  Doubtless there will be  mayhem and destruction, 
  but players may want to bear in mind that an OSS 
  team is headed to the Hab in six hours for the real 
  pickup, and that any major damage inflicted will 
  be obvious. Stress that they have the advantage, 
  they have the security codes and they have the 
  jump on the Hab’s occupants simply because they 
  know there will be a fight. 
  While there are a wide variety of very smart 
  means to “circumvent” problems on the Hab, Cybil 
  herself will not mention them. This is somewhere 
  that the players will have to either step in to make 
  non-lethal suggestions. Cybil is in revenge mode, 
  dead men don’t signal home base and all that.
  
  
  By the Prickling of my Thumbs
  It hardly needs to be said that a list of options includes: 
  Gas which the players have filters for, the use of 
  decompression (explosive if you want to go fatal, 
  otherwise slowly reducing O2 levels until they are 
  knocked out) at a critical moment when the players 
  are secure 
  The use of some kind of poison “Hey Fastov’s a 
  Russian name; Bread and salt are the traditions for 
  welcoming your relief right? Well c’mon comrade, 
  you get the bread, I’ll get some hard liquor in 
  squeezebulbs and be right back…”
  And these are just samples. Cybil’s methods aren’t always 
  the best. Reward cunning, it makes nasty things grow. 
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  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  Without violence erupting, the transfer should 
  go something like this [Referees should stop any 
  time that the PCs want to make their move, this 
  is how it would go with a legitimate transfer]:
  Description: 
  The Shuttle draws into the orbital path they 
  calculated at almost the same time they pick up 
  something on the densitometer. Hab DSX-2291 
  has running lights only, which should indicate 
  that it is an unmanned Robot factory of some 
  sort. But as they close in on the Hab, interior 
  shutters over the windows open up, showing 
  that there are indeed people on board. 
  The Hab itself is small, an example of minimalist 
  manufacture in microgravity. There are 
  probably less than ten onboard. As the shuttle 
  nears, the comm-system flashes.
  “Welcome up Agent Quinn,” A female voice 
  says, ‘your security code checks out. We are 
  deactivating the defense grid and guiding you 
  in remotely. [Referee Note: Agent Quinn was 
  the contact name that Cybil provided to the 
  agent onboard the Hab.]
  From that point forward, all they have to do is sit 
  back, listen to the Blue Danube on the speakers 
  and watch the pretty dance of two man made 
  objects docking in microgravity. Of course, at this 
  point they can also do things like use any sensor 
  equipment they have that can pick up life signs 
  (NAS units et al). If they have such gear, Cybil will 
  remind them if she has to. They also will get a 
  “read” on the Hab’s interior layout from the normal 
  scans their vessel is able to perform normally. 
  [Referee Note: In game terms, this means that 
  the players can be presented with a map of the 
  Hab. They also will be slightly shocked to discover 
  that the Hab is in Zero-Gravity. There are no 
  GravPlates detected in the Habitat at all.]
  Once the airlock is secured, the hatch opens, 
  and the slightly fresher air of the shuttlecraft is 
  mixed with the dank air of the habitat. The Hab 
  crew smiles as they catch a little cleaner air then 
  they are used to.
  Just outside of the hab airlock are six beings, 
  two women and four men. The men are all 
  wearing coveralls that are still commonplace 
  in microgravity, the women are wearing 
  clothing that is still utilitarian, but not designed 
  exclusively for space. 
  One of the women has a laser pistol in a holster 
  at her left shoulder, the other is unarmed and 
  carrying a datapad.
  “I’m Fastov. This is Dr. Sam Chase,” the armed 
  women says, indicating the woman next to her. 
  “She’s going to be part of the team headed back 
  down with us. We did final calculations this 
  morning and should only need the two of us.” 
  From there, Fastov introduces them to the rest 
  of the team one by one and expects the same 
  in return. Following this ritual, the men begin to 
  load canisters into the shuttlecraft one by one 
  until everything is completed and then they start 
  to prep the shuttle for it’s return to Terra’s surface. 
  When the Hab starts Rockin’
  Somewhere around “I’m Fastov”, combat will 
  doubtless erupt. When it does, the Agent is very 
  careful about not hitting one of the canisters to 
  be loaded. If the PCs shoot one deliberately, either 
  make it a glancing blow or roll new characters.
  Any player who made the check of their sensors on 
  the shuttle, Sensors (Intelligence or Education, 0), 
  will be aware that there are two more people on 
  board the Hab. They are just workers, the Referee 
  should place them wherever they think best.
  If the players manage to capture or kill the Hab 
  crew, they can scan their faces and use disguise 
  technology to duplicate them for the next stage. 
  Any survivors will try to communicate to the outside 
  world, but Fastov is the only one who has the 
  command override codes to accomplish that task.
  The next stage involves getting rid of the 
  shuttlecraft and duplicating the Hab crew as best 
  they can. Cybil will retreat into the Hab’s Primary 
  Operations Module with the body of Agent Fastov 
  (dead or not) and informs the team as she leaves:
  “Do the best you can to tidy up and duplicate 
  them. Keep an eye on the time. Don’t disturb 
  me for the next four hours.”
  She refuses to say much more, but she has a 
  solemn look on her face. She returns from the 
  Primary Operations Module as a complete (as in 
  perfect to every detail) copy of Agent Fastov… 
  who was a much larger individual. One of the first 
  things she says when she returns, in a perfectly 
  modulated voice that sounds exactly like Fastov’s:
  Don’t worry about the Hab crew. Fastov was 
  supposed to murder them up here once the 
  relief crew arrived and the cargo was loaded. 
  I’ll just tell them that I had to move up that 
  timetable. They’ll commend my initiative.
  As before, Cybil will not answer any questions, and 
  she will inform the team that the body of Agent 
  Fastov is hidden.
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  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  [Referee’s Note: not where however, snoopy 
  players will find it in an electronic closet in the 
  Primary Operations Control Room. The entire head 
  is missing and looks like Cybil burned it off with 
  welding tools from Primary Ops.]
  Anyone who enters the Primary Operations Cabin 
  will see that there was a lot of blood spilled there. 
  In microgravity no less. While it was wiped up as 
  best as she could, the blood still went everywhere 
  and some of it is still floating around. This gives the 
  cabin an abattoir stench. If pressed (hard), Cybil will 
  simply tell the Team that she is a mutant with some 
  unusual abilities that include shapeshifting. 
  “Anything more than that, you don’t want to 
  know. It isn’t mission critical information, that 
  much I can tell you.”
  Referee Note: From there onward, Cybil will know 
  the proper codes for the ship coming from King 
  William Island, as well as a wealth of data about 
  the individuals that the Players are duplicating. 
  This will give them some help in their mimicry (+1 
  DM to any Disguise or Deception check) as “that 
  person”. While this should only apply to those 
  who know the individual, think of it as providing 
  a placebo effect that helps the players establish 
  some verve in their performance (style counts for 
  something after all).
  So what exactly 
  was going on?
  Once they have taken control of the Hab, the 
  Players can do a little poking and prodding 
  on their own to determine what the devil was 
  so important up here.  There is a great deal of  
  sophisticated chemical manufacturing equipment 
  in the Hab. Any players with Physical Science 
  (Chemistry) will know right away that it is used to 
  grow crystals. Beyond this, it depends on what 
  mixture of various types of elements are used that 
  determine specifically what is in the canisters. The 
  canisters themselves are now sealed and require 
  a command code to open (which Cybil does have 
  after her trip to Primary Ops). When she returns, 
  Cybil explains it this way:
  “The Operations they are gearing up for 
  involves the introduction of some sort of 
  complex compound to the atmosphere, I’m 
  not sure exactly what Director Adams plans 
  on doing with them, but they need the kind 
  of crystals that can only be developed in Zero 
  Gravity in order to pull this off. “
  “That’s why this Hab has no artificial gravity, 
  the instant that these crystals are exposed 
  
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  
  The Habitat Crew
  Agent Fastov
  STR: 8  DEX: 12 (+2)  END: 9 (+1)  INT: 10 (+1)   
  EDU: 9 (+1)  SOC:  8
  Skills: Comms 2, Deception 3, Diplomacy 1, 
  Explosives 2,  Gun Combat (Energy Pistol 3), Physical 
  Science (Chemistry) 2, Recon 2, Sensors 3, Zero-G 2
  Equipment: Laser Pistol (3d6+3), Cloth Armor (Av:5)
  Porters
  STR: 12 (+2)  DEX: 6  END: 10 (+1)  INT: 7   
  EDU: 7  SOC:  6
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination) 2, Gun Combat 0, 
  Melee (Unarmed 1, Club 2), Trade (Cargo Handling) 
  3, Vacc-suit 1, Zero-G 3
  Equipment: A Thruster Stick, which has a thruster 
  unit on one end for maneuvering. These can cause 
  nasty burns on contact (2d6) or be used as a powered 
  spear (one 3d6 attack that will cause those individual 
  struck to pinwheel).
  Habitat Worker
  STR: 8  DEX: 9 (+1)  END: 6  INT: 7  EDU: 8  SOC:  5
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination) 2, Sensors 1, Vacc-
  Suit 1, Trade (Zero-G Manufacturing) 2
  Equipment: None of consequence.
  Sam Chase is not a combatant, she mostly just 
  clutches to Fastov and screams. If needed, use the 
  Base Scientist statistics on pg. 101
  to any more gravity than you have here, 
  they begin to break down, making the stuff 
  worthless. By the way, it’s also explosive in it’s 
  present state it will go up with a huge bang.”
  “Fastov wasn’t sure exactly what the plan was 
  any more than we are now. She isn’t even 
  sure if this stuff is mission critical or just an 
  optimizer. But we know more than we did 
  before, and we are in good position.” 
  “One thing is certain: If we sabotage these 
  crystals, Adams and his cronies will be sure to 
  know it. That is the first thing they are going 
  to check when they get this stuff down there.”
  Doubtless, the Players will want to use the 
  canisters to hide their weapons and any other 
  gear they are taking down with them. There 
  will also doubtless be the old standby of booby 
  trapping the whole mess. If so, that’s great: it 
  shows initiative! 
  Cybil seems oddly preoccupied and doesn’t 
  mention the obvious to them. 
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  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  The Habitat
  As with so many others of the same type, Low 
  Earth Hab DSX-2291 is little more than a series 
  of tubes connected by all-too thin metal. It 
  hangs in orbit over Terra, dancing across the 
  skin of the planet. Most of the Low Orbit Habs 
  are unmanned, and most to not have the fusion 
  power core in the reactor of this one. Of course, 
  they generally do not have weaponry or chemical 
  weapons platforms either. 
  Mapping the sections is something of a waste. The 
  modules are basically all concentric circles when 
  viewed from above, and much of the machinery, the 
  cargo space and the workspaces are built into the 
  sides of the modules along the inner edge. Still, a brief 
  description of the modules themselves is in order:
  Primary Operations Module (7m x 18m): This 
  is the “command Center” of the Habitat, the 
  closest thing that they have to a bridge. While the 
  Habitat doesn’t move as such, it does need to have 
  telemetry data for communications uplinks and 
  there are thrusters to maintain the orbit. This also 
  houses the communications center and the main 
  computer system for the Habitat (not an AI, per 
  the OSS’s feelings on the matter). This module is 
  connected to Main Occupancy and Power Modules.
  Main Occupancy Module (12m x 21m): The 
  Main Occupancy Module is where the Hab crew 
  spends most of their time, even on work cycles. 
  The Module has a sleeping bag arrangement (a 
  classic of “zero-g living” since the Long Pause)  
  and the “galley” if it could be so-named. There is 
  also a crew personal, modified to allow for the 
  microgravity conditions.
  Power Module (9m x 12m): Somewhat misnamed, 
  the Power Module not only houses the power 
  system (normally batteries or solar panels but a 
  compact fusion reactor here), but secondary life 
  support and electrical as well.  It has direct umbilicals 
  to the Primary Operations and Central Modules.
  Central Module (10-12m x 18m): The Central 
  Module isn’t the heart of the ship as much as it is the 
  transportation nexus, the place that most people 
  have to go through to get from one module to the 
  next several times each day. This is also where the 
  primary life support is found. The fans blow here 
  constantly. Connected to Power, Habitat, Docking 
  and Chemical Manufacturing Modules..
  Docking Module (9m x 16m): This is the Cargo 
  area as well as the first place anyone enters the 
  ship from if they have come from another vessel. 
  It is the most open of all of the modules, moreso 
  even than the Central Module. When the players 
  arrive, it is full of canisters on palettes that have 
  been belted to the sides.
  Science Module (7m x 13m): a fully-functional 
  laboratory is here, containing a well-stocked 
  larder of chemical compounds (bomb makers take 
  note!). The Hab’s Chief Scientist, Samantha Chase 
  and Agent Fastov also slept here rather than with 
  the rest of the crew. Connected directly only to 
  the Chemical Manufacturing module.
  Chemical Manufacturing Module (10m x 22m): 
  This is where the crystals were grown in solutions 
  perfected and maintained in the Science Module. 
  Most of the actual work done in the Chemical 
  Manufacturing Module is either automatic 
  (growing crystals) or done by the drones. This 
  module is connected to the Central, Science and 
  Final Assembly modules.
  Final Assembly Module (6m x 13m): This is where 
  the crystals were packed for transit as well as the 
  assembly of the cases and other machine-shop style 
  necessities. There are spare parts galore here if more 
  cases are to be made or if something needs to be 
  constructed. There are also several drones in the 
  Module who have been modified to perform most 
  of the machineshop functions with built-in tools. 
  Connected to Docking and Chem Manufacturing.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Story Hour
  As the situation from a preparation standard is so fluid, and there are such a wide variety of possibilities 
  based on how the characters performed in the previous portion of the Campaign, there is a certain 
  likelihood that none of the material presented in Act One is applicable to a given group.
  The ultimate solution in such a case is to fade to black and open up play in a staging area not far from King 
  William Island. After the Escape scene from the OSS facility in Part Two  (or wherever the snag develops), 
  the group ran into transportation problems and was forced to split up, either in singles or small groups. 
  They arranged to meet at the location where they are starting, and are recounting their travels.
  Have the players each then describe how their characters were able to escape and make their way to that 
  location. Turn the mechanics on their head: have the quality of the explanations determine 
  (a) how much damage they healed in the time since and/or 
  (b) what sort of equipment they have managed to acquire 
  The key is to press the players, make them work for it, provide an engaging 
  tale. The more novel and/or daring, the better the results in the above 
  categories. The technique works best when the Referee becomes an active 
  participant in the discussion, dolling out rewards as they related their tale. 
  It might be a good idea to use chits of some sort as markers of regained 
  health. The following is just an example
  [Referee as Cybil] “Okay what happened after we split up at the 
  Transit Hub.”
  [Victim Player 1/Jason] ”Uh. I ran.”
  [Referee rolls his eyes, he has a poker chip in his hands but 
  doesn’t extend it to Jason]
  [Referee as Cybil] “Obviously. And what happened when the cops 
  chased you outside? They were right on your heels when I last saw you.
  [Jason] ”They did? They were” [Finally the light comes on] “Oh yeah, I 
  ran through the Parking area… (he glances at his skills) and I lost them 
  by hiding under a vehicle once I’d gotten far enough ahead. 
  [Referee as Cybil] “Okay, how did you get out the Parking Garage 
  then?”
  [Jason]  “I managed to bypass the security system of one of the Aircars and shorted out the 
  transponder so they couldn’t track it.”
  [Referee tosses one poker chip Player 1/Jason]
  [Referee as Referee] “Okay, start thinking about anything else you did of note on the way from 
  Chicago here. Whose next?”
  [Player 2/Dave] ”I made my way into the baggage area, let the three who were on my tail at that 
  moment get good and lost inside. Then I used one of the baggage carousels to get out into the 
  concourse area and slipped out the side exit while a bunch of them who had been stationed there 
  were chasing after Jason.”
  [Referee hands three poker chips to Dave]
  [Referee as Referee to Dave] “Excellent. So when you were in the baggage area you must picked 
  up that Grav Belt right? Like Jason, think about anything interesting on the trip back. I’ll come back to 
  you again for that. Who’s next?”
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  This technique should not be 
  overdone, and it does not work 
  with all scenes. But given that 
  the point of the First Act  of this 
  Part is to engage the characters, 
  to get them moving, this could 
  be as good or better than a long 
  series of dice rolls and cautious 
  pre-planning. Some players do 
  better at this sort of thing in 
  advance, so if you plan to try 
  this out, you might want to give 
  them a slight head’s up.
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  King William Island
  King William Island is an inhospitable place covered in snow much of the year. Players traveling across 
  its surface on foot will need appropriate survival gear or risk exposure to extreme cold [Referee Note: 
  Those exposed with gear not developed for long-term cold use suffer 1d6 damage per hour if they fail an 
  Endurance check]. As inhospitable as it is, the Island was going to be the home of the Terror Bay Arcology 
  at one time, a structure on 
  the Southwestern coast. The 
  arcology was well into final 
  construction, and even had 
  the families of the crews 
  living there, when Dukette 
  mounted his expedition. These 
  individuals were forced out 
  when Dukette’s dig uncovered 
  the Precursor Site. Now Terror 
  Bay stands abandoned, a 
  testament to “official secrets.” 
  And the power of the OSS to 
  shut down a major project 
  of that sort when it was 
  nearly finished on a very 
  overcrowded world.
  While reaching King William 
  Island may prove difficult, 
  actually getting onto the island 
  is far more challenging. The 
  island itself is not accessible by 
  land (there was a single bridge 
  spanning the Rae Strait at one 
  time, it was discarded, but a 
  check-point remains of the 
  island side of the bridge.
   The entire island is covered by 
  an advanced radar system that 
  can spot incoming sea and 
  air vehicles. Such vehicles are 
  contacted by OSS personnel 
  from the base and asked for identification. Most often, vehicles not authorized to be on the island are 
  asked to turn back before defensive measures are put into place. The time around the buildup for this “big 
  operation” is not “most often” and they will likely challenge with force. 
  The Island is more than adequately defended: 
  OSS aircraft, sea craft and defense systems are quickly called into action against unauthorized vehicles. 
  The entire island is littered with anti-aircraft weapon systems such as missiles and gun emplacements; 
  these fire on any unauthorized vehicles. 
  OSS air and sea vehicles are immediately dispatched against unauthorized intruders. These vehicles and 
  weapon systems shoot to kill, as do any patrols on the island. 
  The island is also patrolled by probe drones that search for unwelcome intruders. If the players are 
  spotted by these drones, combat drones (Hellbots with PGMPs) are dispatched to eliminate them
  The OSS base itself is located approximately 50 kilometers inland in the center of the island. 
  
  
  
  
  While intended for the Refree, there is little here Cybil cannot tell the players so this may be used as a handout
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Having reached the remote King William Island, the players now attempt to 
  infiltrate the OSS base. This is where they will strive to uncover the secrets of the 
  OSS, and expose their villainy for the world to see. 
  Using these Encounters
  The players have managed to reach King William Island and locate the OSS base hidden amongst the 
  snow and rocks. Here, they intend to discover what the OSS has been doing to children adopted from 
  orphanages in London as well as search for evidence of the OSS’s involvement with the alien ruins 
  discovered on the island over forty years ago. 
  With the players is Cybil Mar, who has provided help and information in seeking out the truth behind 
  the insidious OSS. Cybil’s assistance at the base will be vital, as she admits to having visited the facility 
  some years ago and can relate some of the layout of the place to them. With her help, the players will 
  be able to infiltrate the base far easier and Cybil herself may be able to learn more about her own 
  mysterious past.
  At this point, the players are “in charge” and the Referee is going to be reacting to their 
  directions rather than the reverse. This is a good thing. Use the descriptions and the 
  details about the locations below to facilitate their actions.
  Part III, Act Two &Three: Island Siege
  The Path less Travelled…
  If the players took the “Path Two” Option shown at the end of Part III Act One, they will be able to circumvent 
  a lot of the checks that go on here for someone trying to penetrate the defenses using other skills. Cut 
  directly to “Special Delivery” and then recount the strangeness as the base begins final preparation for the 
  “Big Operation”.  The rest of the material presumes that the players have not cut things quite so close and 
  are coming to the Island a day (or more) in advance of the day of the “big operation”.
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  
  The Base
  The OSS facility is located in an isolated area of 
  snow and rocks in the center of the island. The 
  area directly surrounding the base has been 
  cleared of trees and other cover, giving the base 
  a 100 meter radius of clearing in every direction. 
  Fifty meters from the base itself is a large, 3 meter 
  tall concrete wall. Only a single gate is used to 
  access the facility from the ground and this gate 
  is made of heavy steel and guarded by a team of 
  OSS guards at all times. 
  The area between the wall and the base is always 
  lit by powerful flood lights, making it nearly 
  impossible to sneak across to the base. This area 
  is always under constant observation by probe 
  drones that immediately dispatch combat drones 
  at the first sign of an intruder. A large landing pad 
  for aircraft can be found between the base and 
  the wall on the north side of the complex; nearby 
  is a large garage used to store vehicles and keep 
  them out of the heavy winds. A single paved road 
  leads from the gate to this garage. In the garage 
  is a large ground vehicle used to transport heavy 
  equipment and a small aircraft.
  The base itself is a completely self-contained 
  facility ensuring the staff is sheltered from the 
  harsh cold of the island and their operations 
  cannot be viewed from the outside.  There 
  are three main entrances to the base from the 
  outside; one large entrance located on the north 
  side of the facility across from the landing pad/
  garage and two smaller entrances on the west 
  and east sides of the base. The large entrance 
  always has a single guard on duty.
  Inside the base, there are two main levels and a 
  sub-level where the alien ruins are located. Travel 
  between these levels is done via a number of 
  stairwells as well as a central elevator. The first floor, 
  located at ground level, contains the dormitories 
  for the staff, a nursery, mess hall, storage rooms 
  and offices. The second floor, located just below 
  the first, is comprised of laboratories, maintenance 
  workshops, the security office with a small brig, an 
  armory with an attached firing range, a medical 
  facility and utility rooms.
  Moving through the two main levels of the base 
  does not require any special access and nearly 
  every area is accessible to the entire staff. The 
  labs and the armory are off limits except to 
  authorized personnel and access to these areas 
  requires an access card from someone with that 
  authorization. Almost every square meter of the 
  base is carefully monitored from the security 
  office and cameras can be found throughout the 
  entire facility. A patrol of four guards is on duty 
  here at all times, with one constantly monitoring 
  the security feeds from the base.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  
  The base houses over seventy full-time staff and a 
  handful of visitors at any given time. Not included 
  in this total are children that have been sent to 
  the base for the various programs the OSS is 
  engaged in at the facility. While most of the staff 
  is laboratory technicians, maintenance staff and 
  other non-combatants, nearly a dozen guards are 
  present within the base at all times as well as an 
  equal number of OSS agents.
  Cybil Mar remembers a great deal of the layout of 
  the base and can provide players with a general 
  idea of the key locations within the facility.
  Breaking In
  The most challenging task for the players will be 
  getting into the base itself. Reaching the base 
  requires players to get over the three meter wall 
  and then make their way to the facility while 
  avoiding the probe drones patrolling the area; 
  doing so requires an Athletics: Coordination 
  (Dexterity, +0) skill check to climb the wall and 
  a Stealth (Dexterity, -4) skill check to avoid 
  detection by one of the probe drones.
  Once at the base, players must gain entry. The 
  doors leading into the base are always locked, 
  requiring a valid card key to gain entry. Players 
  attempting to break in must make a Physical 
  Intrusion (-4) skill check. Players may also 
  attempt to locate a ventilation shaft, requiring a 
  Recon (Intelligence, +0) skill check; entering one 
  of these small shafts calls for a Physical Intrusion 
  (-1) skill check. The ventilation shafts have 
  pressure sensors located throughout them and 
  will trigger an alarm if anyone or anything crawls 
  through them.
  Players may also attempt to pose as visiting OSS 
  agents (outside of the Special Delivery scenario 
  described below). While the players are currently 
  being hunted by the OSS, the security forces 
  at the base will not immediately recognize the 
  players or Cybil Mar. Cybil’s security clearance has 
  been deactivated following her aid in the break-
  in of the OSS facility in London, however she 
  still carries credentials that may be able to help 
  her and the players infiltrate the base. Using her 
  significant powers of deception, Cybil can arrange 
  for the players to reach the base unhindered. 
  Guards at the main gate and the main entrance 
  will allow Cybil and the players access to the 
  facility. Players taking this option however will 
  have only a few minutes before their entry into 
  the facility is checked by security and their true 
  identities are discovered.
  A “Physical Intrusion” Skill Check?
  Referees are encouraged to determine on their own 
  what skills will allow them to bypass the barriers, locks 
  and other hurdles found in the King William Island 
  Complex. 
  There are a variety of skills that touch on bypassing 
  security measures in the Traveller Main Rulebook, 
  if not outright then at least by implication:
  Engineering (Electronics) for magnetic locks and 
  high tech systems. Used in examples for bypassing 
  locks, but locks are not mentioned in skill 
  description (giving hope for some of the others).
  Mechanic as a general repair and maintenance skill 
  would not only work for more traditional locks, but 
  because it is designed to be a general application 
  skill it also should include how to take apart (and 
  thus bypass) systems that are not working or in this 
  case that you do not want to work. 
  Deception skill does not specifically mention 
  lockpicking skills at all, but it does mention the 
  use of slight of hand techniques which would be 
  critical for this application. Plus, as the general skill 
  for skullduggery, it seems to be a natural approach.
  Of course any single one of these might be rejected out 
  of hand among some roleplaying groups. Individual 
  Referees or other Traveller-related resources have also 
  developed their own approach or house rule. Here at 
  Terra/Sol games, we encourage the use of multiple 
  approaches to task resolutions. When it comes to this 
  area however, the use of different skills should have 
  different impacts. A general modifier is used as the 
  Referee deems appropriate. In some cases it might be 
  increased or decreased depending on the actual skill in 
  use. Some suggestions using the three skills listed above:
  Mechanics involve taking the device or barrier 
  apart at least to some degree. These checks 
  should not have a time less than 10-60 seconds 
  and may well be in the 1-6 minute range even for 
  “simple” electronic locks.
  Electronics skill involves the use of specialized 
  tools. If the character does not have these tools, 
  they will be at a decided disadvantage either in 
  terms of skill or in terms of time (as they try to 
  cobble together makeshift tools). 
  Deception should only be useful for certain kinds 
  of locks, not those of the most hi-tech kind, and 
  usually locks that would be “commonplace” rather 
  than specialized. The advantage of using this skill 
  is that it tends to be fast and simple, emphasizing 
  few tools that tend to be makeshift.
  
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  Part Three: Opening the Door
  100
  Referees are free to make entry into the facility as 
  challenging or as easy as they like, using Cybil as a 
  means to help the players. It should be clear that, 
  once in the base, the players have only a limited 
  amount of time before they are discovered. They 
  should work quickly to begin searching for the 
  information they need to bring the vile operations 
  of the OSS to light. 
  Special Delivery
  If the Players went along with Cybil’s Plan to hijack 
  the shipment headed from the Low earth Habitat 
  to King William Island (see Scrap sidebar, Part Two, 
  Act III and Path Two, Part Three Act II), the players 
  are able to bypass all of this and are taken directly 
  to the Island and in fact are welcomed inside.
  Once inside, the Players are assigned space in the 
  Dorms, the Complex is abuzz with action as the 
  Operation is to begin soon. Director Adams has 
  not yet “addressed the troops” but he will, and the 
  Complex Personnel are practically on the edge of 
  their seats in anticipation.
  This gives the Players a chance to sneak around 
  in plain sight. A few people will ask them who 
  they are, but most know that they came down 
  in the Shuttle and brought critical components. 
  Many will ask for some specifics, which the players 
  might utilize to make the OSS Personnel more 
  talkative about their own role in the base… 
  Finding the Truth
  A great deal if information can be gleaned by 
  players while in the OSS facility. 
  Labs: 
  If the players are able to reach the laboratories 
  on the second level they can find a wealth of 
  data. Some labs (Area 13A-F on Level Two) are 
  dedicated to specific projects, while a larger space 
  (Area 15 on Level Two) is designated as a “General 
  Lab Area” and a separate room attached to the 
  Infirmary (Area 24 on Level Two) is a specialized 
  for use as a Medical Lab. 
  The Team can search the labs by making a Recon 
  (Intelligence, -1) or an Investigate (Intelligence, 
  -1) skill check to locate evidence that the OSS 
  has engineered a strange virus. Players searching 
  the General labs will also find materials relating 
  to the study of the alien virus (identified as E. Ex. 
  Goblinus by Dukette). 
  Players are able to find samples of both viruses 
  as well as reference materials regarding each, 
  however all samples of the viruses are kept in 
  locked containers, requiring card key access from 
  someone authorized to examine the devices
  Referee Note: Information regarding what the 
  OSS is doing with these viruses cannot be found in 
  the labs on this level, players do find references to 
  the ‘Project Precursor’ labs located on level three.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  101
  The Workshop
  Players can make a similar search in the 
  workshops found on level two (Area 2, Level Two). 
  Here, alien technology has been brought up from 
  level three to be analyzed and reverse-engineered 
  by OSS scientists. All samples of alien technology 
  are kept in locked containers, requiring card key 
  access from someone authorized to examine the 
  devices. Reference material can be gained by 
  players searching the area (requiring the same 
  skill checks as above) hinting at the nature of the 
  alien technology, but analyzing this information 
  will take some time and key pieces have been 
  intentionally left out, referring instead to the 
  studies being done by the Precursor Project on 
  level three.
  Other:
  If the players choose to investigate the nursery 
  (Areas 15, Level One), they are able to discover a 
  number of children ‘adopted’ by OSS fronts and 
  sent to the island. In a scene reminiscent of the 
  tunnels below the geisha house in Kansas City, 
  the players find the children in cribs tagged with 
  numbers and data of each child held within. 
  Cybil will relate, or anyone can see, that there is 
  an Observation Room (Area 14) “hidden” behind 
  a large visiwindow. Access is directly from the leel 
  abve, although going through the visiwindow 
  is easy. Players can search the area with a Recon 
  (Intelligence, 0) or an Investigate (Intelligence, 
  +1) skill check  for data that points to the OSS 
  experimenting on the children using technology 
  found in the alien ruins as well as the viruses 
  found in the laboratories on level two. Much of 
  the information regarding these experiments is 
  missing and instead refers to files found at the 
  Precursor Project on level three.
  Should the players find a computer terminal 
  anywhere throughout the complex (these are 
  marked with a star), they can attempt to use it 
  to access the facility’s records. Doing so requires 
  a Computers (Intelligence, -6) skill check; the 
  computers of the facility are the most advanced 
  the players will have ever seen and use top-of-the-
  line software such as a rating 3 Security suite. If the 
  players manage to gain access to the computers, 
  they can find nearly all of the information 
  mentioned above, however specific data regarding 
  Project Precursor is kept on a secure and isolated 
  system located on level three. Players with access 
  to the base’s computer systems can also attempt 
  to create a new access code the players can use 
  to gain access to all areas of the base; players 
  King William Complex Staff
  STR: 6  DEX: 6 END: 7  INT: 9 (+1)  EDU: 10 (+1)  SOC:  7
  Skills: Admin 1, Computers 1, Gun Combat 0, Melee 0, 
  Recon 1, Job Specialty: 3 
  Equipment: A toolkit related to their job 
  King William Complex Scientist
  STR: 6  DEX: 6 END: 7  INT: 12 (+2)  EDU: 12 (+2)  SOC:  7
  Skills: Admin 2, Computers 2, Gun Combat 0, 
  Investigate 3,  Recon 1, Sensors 2, Science Specialty: 3 
  Equipment: Datapad,some scientific gear
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  10
  attempting to do so must make a Computers 
  (Intelligence, +0) skill check in order to do so after 
  they have gained access to the computers.
  Players can also search through the offices (Area 
  11A-D, Level One) and dormitories (Men’s Area 
  10, Women’s Area 12, both on Level One) using 
  a Recon (Intelligence, +1) or an Investigate 
  (Intelligence, -1) skill check in order to find small 
  pieces of the information listed above in the 
  personal effects of the personnel. Depending 
  on their role at the base, the staff of the facility 
  have access to some of this information. Players 
  can interrogate or question staff members for 
  information if they so choose. Referee Note: Keep 
  in mind that the staff will question the presence of 
  the players throughout the base and could alert 
  security if they suspect something is amiss.
  Points of Commonality:
  Any information the players recover that points 
  to the Precursor Project reveals the identity of the 
  project director, a man named Geoffrey Adams. 
  It appears that Adams is the man in charge of the 
  Precursor Project and players can find information 
  about Adams in the facility’s computer systems 
  revealing that he has a doctorate in genetic 
  engineering and is an expert in the field of gene 
  manipulation; very little information is given apart 
  from these facts.
  Digging Deeper
  Players searching the base for information 
  will find tantalizing evidence of the OSS’s 
  wrongdoings, but everything they find points 
  them to the Precursor Project, which is located 
  on level three. It should quickly become clear to 
  the players that they must reach level three to 
  discover the truth behind the project. Cybil Mar, 
  if present with the players, will suggest such a 
  course of action if the players do not.
  Level three of the facility can only be reached via 
  the single large elevator located near the center of 
  the base (Area 21, Level Two). Access to level three 
  is restricted to only the most senior staff members 
  of the facility and players will have to acquire one 
  of these key cards or make an Physical Intrusion 
  (-4) skill check to re-wire the elevator. 
  Referee Note: Any time the elevator is used to 
  access the third level, the security staff is notified 
  and will take notice if the players are traveling to 
  the third level; should this happen, the security 
  staff will alert the guards on level three and 
  attempt to apprehend the players.
  King William Complex Guards
  STR: 12 (+2)  DEX: 9 (+1)  END: 8  INT: 7  EDU: 8  SOC:  6
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination) 1, Gun Combat (Slug 
  Pistol 2, Slug Rifle 2), Melee (Club 2), Recon 2, Sensors 1 
  Equipment: Autopistol (3d6-3) and ACR (4d6, Auto 
  6, Recoil 0) Reinforced Light Armor (AV: 7), three stun 
  grenades. They also have autoinjectors with Combat 
  Drug loaded which can be activated as a free action.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  10
  The Precursor 
  Project
  Using this Material
  Once again, the Referee is in a reactive mode, 
  responding to the Character’s choices and 
  supplying information. This Act concentrates on 
  the lowest level of the Complex, where the real 
  work of the OSS is performed and where Adams is 
  preparing for his “big operation”.
  Into the Depths
  The following material describes the players 
  journey down into the belly of this particular 
  beast.
  Level three of the facility is a strange blending 
  of human and alien technology. The level is 
  colder than those above and a palpable sense 
  of foreboding settles in over those that travel 
  to this level. The first rooms the players arrive in 
  are a series of labs and airlocks set inside a large 
  cavern; entry into any of these rooms requires 
  an active key card from someone with the 
  appropriate clearance or a Physical Intrusion 
  (-2) Check.
  A marginal success indicates that the player 
  has either disabled the lock and set off the alarm 
  or disabled the alarm but left the lock intact; the 
  player’s choice. A Marginal Failure disables the 
  lock and sets off the alarm. A Failure simply sets 
  off the alarm.
  When the elevator finally settles down, the 
  doors open up into an rectangular room. 
  Marked on one wall are the words “Entry 
  Chamber” in large blue letters. 
  Airlocks with vacc suits hanging in them lead 
  into four labs connected to the entry chamber, 
  two on either side. The walls of the labs and 
  airlocks are transparent, allowing those within 
  to see into the other adjacent labs and airlocks. 
  Beyond the transparent labs, players can see a 
  large cavern. A single airlock at the end of the 
  entry chamber allows players access further 
  into the facility, through the transparent walls, 
  the players can see that the cavern pinches at 
  that end and continues on as a tunnel.
  When the players arrive, five lab technicians and 
  scientists are busy at work within the labs at 
  either side of the entry chamber. 
  If it is clear the players do not belong in the labs, 
  one of these scientists alerts security immediately; 
  this will trigger an alarm to go off and the base to 
  be locked down. The scientists will not fight the 
  players, instead fleeing deeper into the facility. 
  Players can interrogate one of the scientists to 
  learn the information presented below, which 
  requires a Persuade (Strength or Social Standing, 
  -2) skill check. Use the statistics for OSS personnel 
  (above) for the scientists.
  Players searching these labs will be able to quickly 
  learn what goes on within them. Players can 
  make a Recon (Intelligence, +1) or an Investigate 
  (Intelligence, 0) skill check to find evidence of the 
  activities performed within these labs. 
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  10
  A Marginal Success allows the team to gather 
  up armloads of data, but not sort them out at 
  the time. Ultimately, they will have more than 
  they need, tossing out about 45% of what they 
  scoop up. A Marginal Failure is the same, 
  but with more debris and less substance, some 
  75% ultimately proves to be useless garbage. 
  A Success will reveal that the OSS has been 
  experimenting with the alien virus found at the 
  site by splicing their own viral components into 
  the alien virus, creating their own biological 
  weapon. 
  Analysis
  Characters who rate a success during their search 
  can determine the following within 3-18 minutes 
  (a 3d6 roll, a critical success cuts this to a third):
  It is evident from information found in 
  these labs that the alien virus is believed 
  responsible for the Transformation that took 
  place decades ago, prompting a massive 
  surge in the mutant population of Terra/Sol. 
  It also becomes clear that the OSS has created 
  their own virus to counter the effects of 
  natural mutation, effectively killing mutants. 
  The OSS virus has been weaponized and 
  turned into an aerosol, capable of being 
  spread through the atmosphere. More 
  evidence points to the fact that the OSS has 
  
  
  tested both the alien virus and their own on 
  the children brought in from the orphanages 
  in London; most of these children did not 
  survive the experiments.
  Note whether the PC’s decide to take one of the 
  Vacc Suits. None of these Vacc Suits are armored, in 
  fact they aren’t “true” Vacc Suits at all, but duty suits, 
  the kind that are easier to wear but not particularly 
  good with explosive decompression. Of course, 
  that generally isn’t a problem planetside… 
  The Center of it All
  As the team delves deeper, read them the 
  following:
  A single passage leads from the labs through 
  the frozen earth and into the alien ruins 
  buried beneath the surface of the island. The 
  temperature drops to near freezing levels within 
  the ruins and the strange feelings of dread 
  begin to grow stronger as the players make their 
  way into the ruins and the entire structure has a 
  disorienting affect on the human mind. 
  The ruins themselves are comprised of a series 
  of twelve small chambers branching off from 
  a large circular passageway that surrounds a 
  single, large chamber at its center. 
  The walls of the passages throughout the ruins 
  curve in very strange ways, bending as they wind 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  10
  through the complex, adding to the disorientation 
  the players feel as they move through the ruins. 
  Pipes, hoses, wires and tubes – all man-made 
  – lead through the halls and from the small 
  chambers into the large, central chamber.
  When the Players stop a short while, or if they 
  examine the weird construction materials closely:
  The chambers themselves are cut into the rock 
  at very strange angles with little to no sense of 
  symmetry. The walls of the entire alien complex 
  are made of a bizarre crystalline material that is a 
  translucent light blue... with hints of something...
  [Referee Note:  staring too long at the walls of 
  the alien-made portion of the complex leads 
  players into believing they see shapes moving 
  beneath the surface of the wall, muted dark 
  shapes twitching and writhing behind the walls.]
  Navigation of the Chamber
  [Referee Note:  Most if not all of the following can 
  be considered description]
  The passage from the OSS labs leads into one 
  of the twelve small chambers surrounding the 
  central point of the ruins. Lights have been 
  set by the OSS at regular intervals, providing 
  significant illumination throughout the ruins 
  but giving the entire complex a strange blue 
  glow. 
  The Small chambers, once entered can be described:
  A semicircular(ish) chamber, with a shallow 
  “pool” in the center. Inside the pool is a misty 
  substance that bubbles, the edge of the mist 
  reaches up to a meter beneath the rest of the 
  floor, so the extent of the bottom is unknown.
  The chamber also contains various scientific 
  gear (presumably brought in by the OSS) as 
  well as what appear to be panels and consoles 
  set into the walls of each room. The various 
  tubes, pipes and wires leading into these small 
  chambers appear wired into the walls just 
  beneath the consoles and panels. The smooth 
  crystalline blue alien tech and the hard chrome 
  human tech abut one another obscenely.
  The “pools” are actually quite shallow, only 
  extending down another meter (thus 2m deep 
  in total). Players closely looking at these small 
  chambers will also see strange panels set into the 
  ceiling of each room. 
  Players may encounter more scientists moving 
  through the ruins, but these individuals will flee 
  from the players and immediately contact security.
  From inside of any of the smaller chambers, they can 
  easily see the central Chamber that they open up to:
  The central chamber of the ruins is truly 
  massive, reaching up to nearly ground level, 
  some ten meters. The entire chamber is 50 
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  10
  meters in diameter and sinks another three 
  meters down into the earth. The chamber looks 
  almost like an amphitheater with tiers leading 
  from where the players enter down to the 
  bottom of the chamber.  
  [Referee Note: The tiers marked with dotted lines 
  indicate .5m inclines, the most significant “drop” is 
  the Second Tier, called the “Lip” because it plunges 
  three meters down].  
  Various strange symbols and designs have been 
  cut into the walls of the chamber and, like the 
  walls themselves, seem to move if stared at too 
  long. The chamber is well-illuminated by OSS 
  lights and a great deal of human technology 
  has been placed at the center of the chamber. 
  A small, man-made platform has been created 
  with pipes and hoses leading into its base. 
  On the platform is a man with flaming red 
  hair wearing a vacc suit who matches the 
  description of Director Geoffrey Adams and he is 
  accompanied by two men who are not wearing 
  protective gear but appear at home in the cold.
  Confrontation
  When the players enter the main chamber, read 
  them the following:
  Director Adams and his two companions rise 
  from their work to confront the players. Director 
  Adams’ companions bear a striking similarity 
  to the Takara of Kansas City; they appear as 
  nondescript middle-aged men wearing simple 
  clothing. Both men are bald and, in fact, 
  completely hairless, their lack of eyebrows adding 
  to their bizarre appearance. The intensity of the 
  men’s’ eyes is immediately disturbing to all who 
  look at them, peering into the observer’s very soul. 
  As with the Takara, these men possess a strange, 
  otherworldly quality about them that is difficult to 
  place but instantly disturbing. Much of the alien 
  ruins react to psychic powers and these two men 
  are psychic advisors to Director Adams; no record 
  of their identities can be found anywhere.
  If they are confronted and the players either make 
  a threatening move or if they are successfully 
  scanned by the Psychic Advisors, Director Adams 
  will immediately become confrontational and hits 
  his autoinjector of combat drug. He says: 
  “You’ve arrived too late! The ultimate goal of 
  the Precursor Project will soon be realized. 
  “If you surrender yourselves now, you will not 
  be killed. None of the pure humans among 
  you at least.”
  
  
  Adams is willing to converse with the players, 
  but sharp eyed players (or those familiar with 
  its effects) will notice his eyes start to get glassy 
  and movements seem jerky as the combat drug 
  sets into his system. Knowing that the longer he 
  stalls the closer security forces get to reaching the 
  chamber; Adams having alerted security if they 
  haven’t been already. 
  Adams is willing to share with the players some of 
  the information regarding the site, revealing more 
  if it is clear the players have already discovered 
  the plans of the OSS. This is actually a plus for him, 
  a chance to show of a little and he is obviously 
  enjoying himself, (you might say ranting):
  This site is evidence! It proves an alien 
  influence in present on Terra/Sol! It 
  demonstrates categorically that millions of 
  so-called ‘citizens’ affected by the alien virus 
  are unwitting agents of this influence; 
  The OSS has deemed that this unknown 
  threat is too serious to continue. How could 
  they do otherwise? The decision was made 
  years ago that once our cleansing virus was 
  operational, it would be released to wipe out 
  this alien influence and ensure the security of 
  Terra/Sol! The galaxy no less!
  During this tirade, the Psychic Advisors stand 
  silent, but are ever watchful. They look, if 
  anything, even more strange and inhuman next to 
  this man blathering about ‘alien influence’. 
  Action
  If Cybil Mar is present, she refuses to let Director 
  Adams carry out such a fiendish plot that will 
  result in the deaths of millions; at her first 
  opportunity she will attack the Director, trying to 
  prevent him from activating the alien technology.
  When it becomes clear that the players will not go 
  quietly or combat erupts, the Director immediately 
  attempts to activate the alien ruins, injecting the 
  OSS virus into the atmosphere; doing so will take 
  the Director one minute (ten combat rounds). 
  Even if the Players managed to close up the 
  entryway or otherwise prevent Security from 
  descending upon them, there are enough “random” 
  elements already in the tunnels to combine with 
  the Psychic Advisors and give the players a workout 
  (i.e. don’t let six or seven players mop the floor with 
  just a pair of advisors). Half of these  “extras” are 
  Guards, the other half are Base Personnel with the 
  Guard’s sidearms pressed into service (to defend 
  their work if nothing else).
  
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  10
  Director Adams
  STR: 7  DEX: 9 (+1)  END: 8  INT: 13 (+2)   
  EDU: 14 (+3)  SOC:  12 (+2)
  Skills: Admin 2, Advocate 1, Computers 2, 
  Deception 3, Diplomat 1, Gun Combat (Energy 
  Pistol 2), Investigate 2, Medic 4, Recon 1, Science, 
  Physical/Chemistry 3, Science, Life/Genetics 4, 
  Sensors 1 , Stealth 2
  Equipment: Laser Pistol (3d6+3);  “Duty Suit” with 
  additional reinforcement (AV: 8). Takes Combat 
  drug
  Psychic Advisors
  STR: 10 (+1)  DEX: 10 (+1)  END: 12 (+2)   
  INT: 9 (+1)  EDU: 8  SOC:  4 (-1) PSI: 10 (+1)
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination) 1, Drive 1, Gun 
  Combat (Slug Pistol 2), Melee (Knife 2), Recon 3, 
  Stealth 3, Psi Skills: Awareness 1, Telepathy 3 
  Equipment: Gauss pistol (3d6, Auto 4, Recoil -1)  
  Reinforced Clothing armor plus natural toughness 
  (AV: 7). Their adrenaline is much like Combat Drug
  Psychic Advisor
  Director Adams
  As soon as the Director begins his work, players 
  can make a Recon (Intelligence, +0) skill check 
  to hear strange noises, like stone slowly moving, 
  coming from the small chambers as the whole 
  facility begins to shake and hum; if the players 
  return to any of these small chambers, they notice 
  the panels in the ceiling have opened to the 
  surface, revealing the stars above.
  The psychic advisors assisting the Director move 
  to stop the players, using their psychic abilities 
  to great effect. They fight silently yet well-
  coordinated, supplementing their psychic powers 
  with gauss pistols. Their silence, psychic abilities 
  and almost inhuman physique adds to their 
  otherworldly presence and players will quickly 
  realize that these men are far more than human. 
  The advisors fight to kill, focusing their efforts on 
  the biggest threat first before switching targets; 
  they do not ask for mercy and, if captured, will not 
  answer any questions instead attempting to kill 
  the players or escape. Failing this, they will appear 
  to die (using their Suspended Animation ability).
  Both the Director and the advisors know that 
  (more) security personnel will arrive shortly and 
  that the players will be unable to escape (as 
  opposed to the Director). If the players have not 
  done anything to prevent access to level three 
  and have not eliminated the security personnel at 
  the base, it will take approximately one minute for 
  a security team to reach the ruins. 
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  10
  The Transformation Virus
  Following the discovery of the precursor ruins on King William Island in 2945, the OSS devoted a great deal 
  of resources into unlocking the mysteries surrounding this strange site.  Shrouded in secrecy, this research 
  would lead to one of the most significant discoveries on Terra/Sol and set the OSS on a path to genocide.  
  The truth behind these findings is a closely-guarded secret of the OSS who will stop at nothing to ensure it 
  remains hidden from public view.
  It wasn’t until 2982 that Director Geoffrey Adams was placed in charge of the King William Island site that 
  real progress began unraveling the secrets of the alien ruins.  Dubbed the Precursor Project, Director Adams 
  was the first to suggest a correlation between the Transformation of 2856 and the 
  precursor ruins found on King William Island.  Long an adherent to the Precursor 
  Theory that Terra/Sol is a construct by alien forces, Director Adams and his 
  research team used his theories as a springboard for their work.  They 
  were quite surprised when their hypothesis was confirmed.
  The Precursor Project reported to the OSS in 2984 that the alien ruins 
  did, indeed, represent a delivery system for an engineered virus and 
  posited that numerous such sites existed all over Terra/Sol.  Working 
  with the respected Dr. Thaddeus White, Director Adams was able to 
  confirm that this alien virus was responsible for the Transformation – 
  the sudden mutation of a large percentage of the population of Terra/
  Sol.  The news shook the Terra/Sol Division of the OSS to its core and 
  from then on, the virus was referred as the Transformation Virus rather 
  than it’s taxonomic name, (identified as E. Ex. Goblinus by Dukette, 
  who thought it to be a naturally virus strand occurring because that fit 
  best into his theory).
  For the first time in recorded history, the Orion Security Service had proof 
  that an alien force had directly influenced humankind.  Already cautious 
  to the point of paranoia, the OSS began to increase its vigilance and prepare for an imminent alien threat.  
  What little remained of the Terra/Sol Division’s ethics and morality was discarded in favor of fear and anger.  
  Most members of the OSS on Terra/Sol were now able to justify their harsh measures under the guise of 
  protecting humanity from an unseen alien threat.  At the King William Island site, research continued and 
  began to take a dark turn.
  Believing the mutants carrying the Transformation Virus to be the first wave of an alien invasion, the OSS 
  embarked upon a terrible course of action.  Word came down from the highest echelons of the Terra/Sol 
  Division that something must be done to preempt any further alien influence.  Director Adams was given 
  orders to develop a virus of his own that would reverse the effects of the Transformation Virus and use the 
  precursor ruins to release it into the atmosphere.  This would most likely result in the deaths of every mutant 
  native to Terra/Sol, but such are the sacrifices the OSS is willing to make.
  The true nature of the Transformation Virus has been all but unraveled by Director Adams and his team.  The 
  virus itself appears to have been specifically tailored for humans and results in the gradual and dramatic 
  mutation of those exposed to the virus.  Only a small percentage of people experience this change, nearly 
  always during puberty.  No trend has been found to explain who will undergo mutation and who will 
  not, but the percentage is much higher than that for standard mutations (nearly ten percent).  Though it 
  is thought that the virus itself is no longer active on Terra/Sol, the continued rate of mutation among the 
  population of the planet indicates that the virus is still present and keeping the mutant population at these 
  high levels.  One additional effect that has been noted as a result of the Transformation Virus is the unusual 
  nature of many of the mutations suffered by those succumbing to the virus; mutations before unseen and 
  often quite dramatic have been documented among the mutant population on Terra/Sol.
  The extent of the alien influence through the Transformation Virus has yet to be seen and the motives of 
  such influence are entirely unknown at this time.  This has not prevented the OSS from undertaking severe 
  measures in order to curb this alien threat and only time will tell if their actions are justified.
  Referee Information
  A scan of  E. Ex. Goblinus 
  or as it is known by OSS: 
  the Transformation Virus.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  10
  If Adams is successful:
  If Director Adams is successful in releasing the 
  virus, any mutant players are immediately killed 
  as the virus is released; mutant players wearing a 
  vacc suit will not be affected, as long as they are 
  not exposed to the atmosphere.
  Once he accomplishes the virus release, Adams 
  begins to smash the control console. If he can smash 
  it (taking three combat rounds) the whole system 
  goes down and there is no way back: mutant life will 
  be extinguished on Terra. There is a secret escape 
  hatch on the platform, but he will only use it if he 
  has successfully triggered the device and smashed 
  the consoles (and then does so quickly).
  Should the Director not be able to smash the 
  console, the players could attempt stopping 
  the process. Doing so requires a Computers 
  (Intelligence, -6) skill check to gain control. From 
  that point forward it is simply a matter of “pulling 
  switches and levers” (proverbially) until the 
  chamber ceases to function.
  [Referee Note:  The crystals which the team 
  brought down from Low Orbit are optimizers, 
  they help loft the virus and provide it a safe place 
  to multiply while drifting. Use of the optimizers 
  allows the virus to be spread more quickly  and 
  with greater range: without them, he’s only able 
  to kill half the mutants on Terra with a single 
  application.]
  Escape with the Truth
  The players will need to flee the site following 
  their encounter with Director Adams and his 
  mysterious psychic advisors. The most direct and 
  obvious means of escape is through one of the 
  entrances to the base on level one. Observant 
  players may have noticed the vents open in the 
  small chambers of the alien ruins leading to 
  the surface. Players can attempt an Athletics: 
  Coordination (Strength, +0) skill check to climb 
  out these vents and to the surface.  On the 
  surface, two pairs of Hellbot drones patrol the 
  area immediately surrounding the base and will 
  attack the players if they are spotted.
  When the players reach the surface, the quickest 
  means of escape is to hijack one of the Grav 
  vehicles found in the garage. Cybil Mar is capable 
  of using either of these vehicles and will suggest 
  the players use them to make a quick getaway. 
  Thankfully, leaving in a OSS Grav Vehicle is much 
  easier than getting inside without one. Their IFF 
  systems must be overridden at the Complex for 
  the automated defense systems of the island to 
  target them. Depending on their escape plan 
  there may be considerable confusion which 
  means no one will make that call. If the players 
  can avoid these defenses, they can escape 
  without pursuit – the OSS at the base lacking the 
  manpower and resources to be able to follow. 
  
  Part Three: Opening the Door
  110
  Epilogue
  Depending on the actions of the players at the OSS facility, and after, the outcome for the players can vary greatly. 
  Of chief importance is the release of the OSS virus into the atmosphere. 
  If the players were able to stop Director Adams from releasing the virus, they have prevented the deaths of 
  millions of mutants across Terra/Sol. 
  If Director Adams was left alive and little damage done to the facility or the OSS research, the agency may be 
  able to try again to release the virus in the near future. 
  If the players were unable to stop the Director from releasing the virus, millions of mutants all across the 
  planet suffer painful deaths over the next few days.
  Beyond this, there is a coming public relations conflict to fight. It all depends however on what the players have 
  been able to uncover:
  If the players were simply able to uncover the information in Part Two (by for example not bothering to go to 
  the island or doing so and not gathering any evidence(, they will end the use of the orphanages and cause 
  the OSS to come under considerable scrutiny. The Agency will be a focus of intense government and media 
  scrutiny for some time. Eventually, the OSS will be forced to shut down the King William Island Complex, 
  but not before they unleash as much damage as they can to try and destroy the Precursor Artifacts (this will 
  ultimately prove fruitless).
  If the players were able to recover any of the many sources of evidence from the base indicating the extent 
  of the operations by the OSS and the means by which they were conducting them, these can be taken to 
  any one of a number of media sources for immediate release to the public. This is a meltdown for the OSS in 
  public relations terms.
  Thus, depending on the information gained and released by the players, the Campaign could deal a serious blow to 
  the OSS, both on Terra/Sol and throughout the Orion Confederation. If the evidence is enough to damage the OSS, 
  the agency works quickly to squash any and all incriminating information that it can. The OSS will suffer a black eye 
  from the incident and public outcry may result in the closure of the OSS base on King William Island (as discussed 
  above), but the OSS will be able to weather the scandal. The players will have the satisfaction of having participated 
  on it’s worst loss ever, but such a monolithic organization proves able to endure even this harsh attention. 
  For the players’ part, they have some significant legal problems ahead of them. Referees are encouraged to alter 
  the aftermath of the campaign based on their own ideas and the actions of the players during the campaign, but 
  the following two are reasonable responses. 
  If they release the information and run (probably a smart impulse), the Players will succeed as above but remain 
  fugitives in the eyes of the Orion government. Despite their success in bringing the corruption of the OSS to 
  light, the illegal actions of the players are far too severe to overlook publicly. Warrants will be issued for the arrest 
  of the players and Cybil Mar and remain in effect throughout the Orion Confederation. In addition, the players 
  have earned a powerful enemy in the OSS; the agency will be on constant watch for the players and will long 
  remember the actions of the players and the mysterious Cybil Mar.
  If on the other hand, the players go to the government first, there might be something done that is more nuanced 
  and less catastrophic for all parties. The Governor himself will become involved in the process, and demonstrate 
  his righteous anger towards both parties. Phrases like “There is a limit even to your power. How dare you!” and 
  “No one should circumvent the law; this kind of vigilantism is the surest road to hell even in our society”. In the 
  end, the Governor knows that the players could not have come to him, even had it been possible, beforehand 
  nothing would have been done and the activities of the OSS would have continued. He uses the information as a 
  bargaining chip, exposing some of it to the public (the OSS using orphanages for their recruitments) and allows 
  the public opinion to fester for a few days, then tells the OSS in Koning to disband the Terra/Sol Division or he 
  will release the rest. He also pressures the President to begin to monitor the OSS more closely. The Players illegal 
  activities are expunged from the record in the process, but the OSS will still want to have their revenge. 
  Cybil Mar can help the players flee Terra/Sol, escaping into the anonymity of the Twilight Sector. After helping 
  them escape any immediate danger of capture, Cybil Mar will bid the players farewell. Cybil knows that the OSS 
  will be looking for her far more than the players and will do what she can to steer the agency away from them. 
  She will disappear into the Twilight Sector, continuing her fight against the malevolent OSS.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  111
  Player Inserts
  These are resource materials, 
  use them as such. They have 
  been placed into this section 
  so as not to break the flow of 
  the adventure. They are also 
  designed to provide those 
  readers who are interested 
  the opportunity to delve 
  deeper into the setting of 
  Twilight Sector. They make 
  here to make the adventure 
  better, and are absolutely 
  not required reading. 
  There will be no test. 
  Honest.
  
  Player Information
  11
  Republic of the Plains
  The Republic of the Plains is the agricultural hub of Terra/Sol with a large 
  percentage of the planet’s food coming from this nation. As such, the nation has 
  enjoyed continued financial success and has seen a marked population growth as 
  Orions flock to the ROP to share in the country’s wealth. Adding to this economic 
  success are a number of mega-corporations such as SubAtomic that have helped 
  expand the ROP’s exports far beyond simple agriculture and the ROP is now also 
  known for its production of large-scale industrial equipment and technology.
  Life in the Republic of the Plains can often be described as idyllic and most citizens of the ROP find life an 
  easy one. ROP citizens are hard workers with a strong work ethic but who also embrace the finer things in 
  life, enjoying their time away from their careers. The ROP sports a number of well-known entertainment 
  attractions throughout the country and Orions from all over often travel to the ROP to experience this more 
  relaxed side of the country.
  In addition to a strong economy and rich work life, nearly every citizen of the ROP is touched by religion. 
  More than any other nation on Terra/Sol, the ROP has a deep connection to spiritual groups, primarily with 
  their ties to the Mennonite Agricultural Cooperative. In addition to the MAC, the Republic is a center of 
  activity for the Catholic Church under the auspices of the Knights Templar who were exiled from the Terran 
  Union. Finally, a large number of Orions who adhere to the traditions of the American Indians of Earth 
  have immigrated to the ROP and settled throughout the nation. This Indian presence has brought with it 
  the spiritual trappings of this culture and, as such, one can find all manner of medicine lodges and other 
  religious organizations dedicated to spirit worship. This propensity for religious service in the ROP means 
  that religion, in one form or another can be found all across the country and has influenced the lives of 
  nearly every member of the country. Religious holidays of all kinds are observed in the ROP and religious 
  tolerance is paramount. Likewise, the religious beliefs of others are nearly always respected by members of 
  the ROP, be it the pacifism of the Mennonites or the animism of the Indians.
  Religious tolerance goes hand-in-hand with an acceptance of mutants within the ROP. In 2856, following 
  the ‘Transformation’, the Mennonite Agricultural Combine extended an invitation to mutants of all kinds to 
  travel to the ROP and settle there. The ROP government backed this invitation with promises of jobs, support 
  and equal rights for all. The result was an influx of mutants to the ROP seeking refuge from persecution from 
  all over the galaxy. Mutants that had fled to the Orion Confederation sought out Terra/Sol as word spread 
  of the ROP’s generosity. As a result, the ROP boasts a larger population of mutants than any other nation on 
  Terra/Sol.  Nowhere on Terra/Sol are mutants as accepted as they are in the Republic of the Plains.
  Politics in the ROP function surprisingly smoothly for a nation with as much diversity as the Republic. The 
  various political parties are skilled at keeping the focus of their energy on the good of the people and, 
  though political differences and bickering often take place, such squabbles are handled quickly and quietly 
  so the business of governance can continue uninhibited. The people of the ROP trust their government and 
  believe their voice will be heard during elections. To that end, the ROP welcomes the opinion of all of its 
  citizens and is known for its high voter participation. Despite this smooth political system, the ROP has been 
  struggling to balance the influence of corporations on the political process. As the mega-corporations grow 
  within the ROP, their influence over politicians and the general populace has begun to intrude on national 
  policy. The ROP government is working hard to make sure that the corporations do not disrupt politics 
  within the country but must also ensure that the corporations do not leave the ROP for a more amicable 
  nation.
  For more information on the Republic of the Plains, see the Twilight Sector Campaign Setting Sourcebook, 
  pages 85-91.
   
  Setting Information, Player Handout
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  11
  London
  The city of London was founded during the first colonization of Terra/Sol. The location quickly became a seat 
  for a great deal of the original colonists and, as with its counterpart on Earth, the city quickly grew into a 
  major metropolitan area and was planned from the early stages to house hundreds of millions of inhabitants 
  someday. While the city’s present population is no where near this, the foundations were laid early on and 
  the infrastructure exists (at least in theory). In 2839, the Orion Confederation declared the British Isles of 
  Terra/Sol to be a Confederal Enclave and the seat of the Orion government on Terra/Sol. The result has been 
  the continued growth and success of London and the rest of the Enclave as funds are sent directly from the 
  Orion Confederation government to this ever-important megopolis. 
  London is a dense urban sprawl and boasts the highest population density of any city on Terra/Sol. Some of 
  the largest buildings on the planet are found in London. As the planetary capital, London also boasts many 
  Orion military installations, the corporate headquarters for a large number of mega-corporations, world-
  class universities and hospitals and much more. Over half of the population of the city is employed in the 
  Orion government, and the city houses a large population of Orion citizens born outside of Terra/Sol. One is 
  never alone in London and visitors often feel overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city. 
  Being a Confederal Enclave, visitors and residents of London are subject to harsher restrictions on personal 
  freedoms here than elsewhere on Terra/Sol. Criminal justice is handled by the Orion Confederal Police who 
  are far less lenient than many of the smaller nations on Terra/Sol. The city is home to the Orion Security 
  Service and the Confederate Justice Department as well as housing a contingent of the Orion Armed Forces. 
  These organizations work hard to keep the city free from crime, but being home to a large number of people 
  traveling to and from the city criminal elements have established themselves in London. Despite the harsh 
  restrictions on things like weapons and drugs, a black market thrives in the city and all manner of illicit 
  activity can be found if one digs deep enough.
  Many visitors to Terra/Sol reach the planet through London’s famed Victoria Central Transport Hub, bringing 
  a large number of foreigners to the city. People from all over the Known Galaxy can be found in London and 
  most Stellar Nations (as well as the 
  old nations of Earth that still cling 
  to the minds of so many) have their 
  own neighborhoods within the city 
  for people ‘from their country.’ Of 
  course, a more official presence is also 
  present: Embassies from most of the 
  various stellar nations can be found 
  within the city, making it a den of 
  intrigue and espionage. Such is the 
  wonder of Terra/Sol that many nations 
  do whatever they can to uncover 
  the secrets the Orion government is 
  hiding regarding the planet.
  As with elsewhere within the Orion 
  Confederation, a vast array of 
  cultures, religions and communities 
  can be found in London. Cultural 
  tolerance is as prevalent in the city as 
  it is within the Orion Confederation 
  and people belonging to any 
  number of different cultures can find 
  others of their kind in the city. Tolerance of mutants is common as well and mutants of all kinds as well as 
  AI’s, uplifted animals and others can occasionally be encountered within the city.
  Overall, life in the London Confederal Enclave is full of wonder and excitement but not without its 
  challenges. 
  Setting Information, Player Handout
  
  Player Information
  11
  Kansas Bureau of Investigations (KBI)
  The Kansas Bureau of Investigations is a unique organization in that it finds itself at the crossroads of local 
  and national law enforcement, as well as intelligence groups operating throughout the Republic of the 
  Plains. The organization began as a local concern and transitioned in 2979 into a national agency. It has 
  precariously balanced its role between different and often conflicting fellows since its inception in 2840. 
  Though it often faces challenges in day-to-day operations, the KBI is surprisingly competent and organized.
  The KBI was initially formed as a branch of the Kansas City Police Department, taking over the investigative 
  aspect of police duties in the new capital of the Republic of the Plains. At the time, the agency was referred 
  to as the Kansas City Bureau of Investigations (KCBI). The KCBI enjoyed success in preventing any significant 
  criminal organizations from taking root in the city and Kansas City remained one of the safest population 
  centers of its size on Terra/Sol. As the galaxy descended into the chaos of the Mutant Uprising in 2881, the KCBI 
  stayed hard at work ensuring the stability of the capital by rooting out criminal anti-mutant organizations and 
  aiding the police department in maintaining order. For Kansas City, as with much of the Orion Confederation, 
  the Mutant Uprising did little to disrupt daily life.
  Though the KBI weathered the storm of the Mutant Uprising with ease, the Mutant War following the initial 
  outbreak of violence would result in significant changes on the organization. The KCBI was put to work 
  coordinating with the Orion Security Service to ensure the enemies of the 
  Orion Confederation would not be able to use Kansas City to spy on 
  Terra/Sol. While this cooperation was not without its challenges, 
  the KCBI was able to gain a great deal of experience and 
  training working under the OSS. However, its work with the 
  OSS distracted the KCBI from its everyday duties and, over 
  the course of a few decades, a small number of criminal 
  organizations began to gain influence in the city. 
  As the war began to wind down, the KCBI was hard at 
  work cleaning up the city. It found that, along with a 
  strong criminal presence in the city, internal corruption 
  within the Kansas City Police Department had grown 
  to alarming levels. In the decades since its creation, the 
  KCBI had rarely been called upon to deal with internal 
  corruption but now it found itself at odds with its parent 
  organization. It was at this time that the government 
  separated the KCBI from the KCPD entirely, dropping 
  the word “City” from the name. The new Kansas Bureau of 
  Investigation (using the designation KBI) had autonomy to 
  clean house across the whole ROP. The Bureau made plenty 
  of enemies following this change, arresting dozens of corrupt 
  police and city officials. By the end of 2981, the KBI was on its 
  own and had established itself as a significant force of law and 
  order within Kansas City and the rest of the ROP.
  In the decade that followed, the newly minted KBI has been busy cleaning up after the war. Though most of 
  the internal corruption within Kansas City has been dealt with, the time spent looking outward has allowed a 
  criminal element to establish itself within the nation’s capital. The KBI is hard at work rooting out these groups, 
  focusing their efforts to remove the influence of the Yakuza and other such organizations. They still coordinate 
  with the KCPD, the OSS and other law enforcement agencies, often acting as liaisons between groups that 
  would otherwise have difficulties cooperating. 
  “Black Files”
  Like any organization of it’s type, the KBI has restricted files buried deep in it’s archives. The KBI Black Files 
  have however captured the imagination of the public of the people of the Republic of the Plains because of 
  a Tri-vid police drama which have uses them as a plot excuse for all sorts of nonsensical adventures.
  Organization Information, Player Handout
  The Official Shield of the Kansas Bureau of 
  Investigations, altered from the original following the 
  shift from a local to national organization in 2979.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  11
  Kansas City
  Kansas City epitomizes the Republic of the Plains and is the capital of the nation. Visitors to the ROP can look 
  at Kansas City as a perfect snapshot of the country as a whole and Kansas City is the political, economic and 
  religious center of the ROP. The city boasts the largest population anywhere within the ROP and is a bustling 
  center of activity. Within Kansas City one can find just about anything from grand cathedrals to massive 
  arcologies.
  Life in Kansas City is fast-paced and visitors often find the locals overworked, busy and sometimes rude. 
  Rather than being impolite, the people of Kansas City and its surrounding neighborhoods are focused on 
  the business of everyday life, almost to the exclusion of everything else. It’s only after the workday ends 
  that they lighten up and allow themselves time to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor. As a result, the 
  city is a hive of work and business during the day but then quickly transitions into a hub of excitement, fun 
  and energy. The people of Kansas City, Kancitians, work hard but play hard and the nightlife of the city is 
  renowned throughout the ROP.
  As a major population center, Kansas City has a well-established infrastructure for those living there as well 
  as visitors. Public transportation is reliable and cheap, and the city can be reached via two major airports, 
  a starport and a number of highways and rivers. The city boasts some of the richest neighborhoods as well 
  as a number of slums. Major attractions include the national capitol building, the SubAtomic and Roark 
  arcologies, the New Vatican and the Orcish Ghetto among others. In addition to a number of industrial 
  centers throughout the city, three major universities as well as a number of smaller colleges make the city a 
  center of higher education and learning. 
  Crime in Kansas City is always present, but is most often relegated to the more dangerous neighborhoods 
  or to the corporations. Corporate crime has been on the rise and instances of embezzlement, corporate 
  espionage and other ‘white collar’ crimes have grown in the past two decades. The Kansas City Police 
  Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigations (KBI) ensures that criminals are quickly found and 
  prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Criminals are often incarcerated or exiled to any number of penal 
  colonies found throughout the Orion Confederation; Kansas City has no death penalty. 
  Setting Information, Player Handout
  
  Player Information
  11
  The Clean Streets Initiative: 
  There is a major vagrancy problem in megopoli like Kansas City, which has led different governmental units 
  to scramble over how to deal with the issue. The Clean Streets Initiative, being pioneered now in Kansas City, 
  is a controversial program, but nevertheless is at least a tentatively legitimate way for the city to ensure that 
  the streets are ‘clean’ (protestors are having a field-day with that) and the shelters they have constructed to 
  house vagrants (well, now former vagrants) are filled. 
  They do so using randomized vagrancy roundups to ‘collect’ up people on the streets of Kansas City. 
  According to their own statistics, one of these ‘roundups’ is occurring every hour or so somewhere in the 
  city of 43 million. These roundups have turned into riots in places, as massive numbers of Kansas City 
  Police in riot gear force vagrants off of the streets and into special cargo vehicles. The cargo vehicles bring 
  the Vagrants to the nearest designated shelter. There, waiting them are specially-empowered judges who 
  conduct quick and dirty “sentence hearings” for vagrancy. If someone caught in one of these roundups has a 
  job or place of residence, they have the opportunity to speak up and are released. Otherwise, the individual is 
  declared officially to be guilty of ‘vagrancy’, they are “snagged and tagged” in the parlance of the underclass. 
  This involves consignment to a shelter and fitting with “deterrence measures” to ensure that they stay there 
  or get charged with criminal contempt. 
  The Deterrence Measure used in the Clean Streets Initiative is a subcutaneous transponder, literally injected 
  under the skin of the vagrantat the neck. At the time of the sentencing, any children that have been picked up are 
  either entered into the care of the state (orphanages) or their parents may bring them into the shelter with them. 
  If the latter is the case, the children are “snagged and tagged” as well. A parent swept up in the raid without their 
  children present must also decide whether to allow the state to take them into their care or to have them sent to 
  the shelter (after being “snagged and tagged”) to stay with them. This is a particularly heartwrenching situation 
  that has become the focus of much of the protests, particular the more “emotionally loaded” attacks.
  The transponders purpose is to determine when vagrants must be in their shelters, and when they are allowed 
  to leave. It also issues a silent alarm to the authorities if they leave the premises during periods when they are 
  not allowed to do so. For a half-hour before the designated time, the transponder lights to tell them their status 
  (red means they are restricted to the shelter, green they may move out of the shelter, yellow they are soon to 
  be in the red). If vagrants are not on the premises of their shelter during their proscribed times (or “shift” as it 
  is known among the residents) there are legal ramifications. The Sheltered individuals have the right to leave 
  during off-shift hours, and are in fact encouraged to get jobs and become “valuable contributors to society” if 
  possible. Businesses are even given a small tax advantages at the end of the year based on the number of such 
  individuals they hire. The subcutaneous transponder isn’t particularly difficult to remove, but doing so renders 
  the device inoperable and that causes its own problem (malicious destruction in addition to criminal contempt). 
  The rationale is simple: If the vagrants were allowed to leave, many of them probably would, and the City 
  would have the same problem it did before. By tagging them with subcutaneous transponders, the city 
  is able to monitor them and ensure compliance. If the residents try to escape, the city knows about it and 
  sends out a Truancy Division Squad (eventually, no rush really). While this system is generating a lot of 
  controversy, especially in those Orion Confederation worlds without population pressures like Terra/Sol, The 
  City government has however received a provisional allowance from both the Confederal Governor and the 
  Planetary Courts to allow this pilot program. They argue that the solution is in the hands of the vagrants and 
  easy: As long as the individual gets a job and a place to live elsewhere, they are dropped from the rolls of the 
  Shelter and the transponders come out. Thus it is not considered a ‘punishment’, but ‘deterrence’ for serial 
  vagrants. The courts have been jammed with cases challenging the policy and the program is receiving a lot of 
  political heat, but it has also led to a sharp decline in the number of crimes, at least in the areas where vagrants 
  have been ‘swept up’ already. This has only made the controversy greater by adding fuel to the opposite side.
  One of the problems with the program is that the Shelters have been constructed in out-of-the-way places 
  that are not really where people would want to live in the first place. For example, the Spring Street Shelter is 
  constructed underneath the Towers of one of the cities massive reservoir towers, where the water is treated and 
  held for use in the city’s water distribution system. Its hot and wet beyond the problems that have been created 
  by the residents themselves. This is not a “desirable” (or safe) location, but then the city owns the land and has 
  the space and building, so it there was ultimately a significant cost savings (hey, efficiency in government). 
  Player Handout: Beyond the Open Door
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  11
  The Joshua Colony
  The Joshuas are a community of clones based upon the brother and sister pairing Oshi and Mikada Joshua 
  (b. 2112 and 2114 respectively on Earth). They are concentrated in somewhat isolated communities 
  scattered around the Known Galaxy: Joshua Prime orbits Earth’s Moon; Joshua Alpha orbits a moon in the 
  Washington system in the UUP; the third and final Joshua Colony orbits Athena in the Terra/Sol system and 
  is known as Joshua Beta. Despite their seeming insularity, the Joshuas have had an impact far outside their 
  tightly knit communities in both secular and religious 
  contexts.  
  In the first rush to genetically modify humanity, 
  the Joshuas stood out as a community that refused 
  to alter their basic genetics. Perhaps vainly, Oshi and 
  Mikada held themselves up as pristine examples of 
  the human genetic code. This was part and parcel of 
  their decision to create the first Joshua Colony using 
  themselves as the sole templates. Their philosophical 
  choice took on religious and scientific overtones 
  as the Joshua community of cloned descendents 
  began to take shape. The Joshuas described 
  themselves as the last repository of the ‘pure human 
  genome’. The scientifically literate would hold this 
  claim to be patently false, pointing to other well-
  documented examples of humanity that to this day 
  have not undergone genetic modification. But the 
  Joshua siblings claims were, and remain today as, 
  the loudest. As is so often the case, this admittedly 
  spurious assertion is held with absolute conviction 
  by some, and perhaps more importantly as “common 
  wisdom” by those who have only a passing interest 
  in the subject. It is periodically reinforced by the 
  Joshuas themselves through cunning public relation 
  campaigns. For example: up through 2991, there 
  have been no reported spontaneous mutations in any 
  Joshua (not surprisingly considering they are all clones); the Joshuas hold up this fact to the public as a sign 
  of their purity, and it is taken as gospel by the faithful.
  Interestingly, many who carry other primary religious beliefs also support the Joshuas strongly. While the 
  very existence of a community based repeatedly cloning two individuals has been viewed as eccentric if not 
  downright extreme by a substantial portion of the population, it does lend itself a certain religious appeal 
  for a certain segment of the public. Thus, there are Joshua adherents throughout much of the Known Galaxy 
  who are not themselves Joshuas (and no Joshua ‘apostates’ have revealed themselves in the long history 
  of this phenomenon). These adherents do not constitute a formal religion, but rather a certain mindset, 
  or perhaps philosophy. They feel that preserving at least one repository of the pure human genome is 
  important in the face of the ‘genetic catastrophe.’ For the Joshuas and their core believers, this catastrophe is 
  an inevitability so long as man plays at being God and they rely upon that idea to continue being supported 
  by the faithful. 
  In terms of their internal operation, the Joshuas have supported themselves rather handsomely from the 
  beginning. The original Oshi and Mikada were both geniuses in the engineering field and were at the 
  forefront of the robotic revolution. The enigmatic pair made billions off of their innovations in the design 
  of industrial and domestic robots alike and invested wisely. To this day, Joshua Inc. is a leading robotic 
  manufacturer whose designs are still considered both cutting edge and desirable. A Joshua Automaton 
  Organization Information, Player Handout
  Mikada Joshua, 2142 
  
  Player Information
  11
  (they consider ‘robots’ the creation of others) is highly a sought-after commodity in the marketplace, many 
  are considered practically as works of art. 
  The Joshuas have not however limited themselves to robotic engineering in terms of their professional 
  development. Like any savvy organization, diversification of interests is considered crucial to long-term 
  viability. As just one noteworthy example, Individual Joshuas have traded on their good looks and sought 
  out careers in various media positions such as like actors or journalists; Careers from which they might have 
  a great deal of influence on public opinion. In this capacity, a Joshua might be found in many parts of human 
  space pursuing a career for decades before returning to a Joshua colony (which they all inevitably do). As a 
  group, the Joshuas also support a wide variety of scientific 
  expeditions throughout human space and their patronage 
  is highly sought after in the scientific community because of 
  the lavish endowments and significant autonomy that come 
  with them. 
  A peculiarity of the Joshuas is their personal and private 
  lives. In particular their sex lives. Or perhaps their stated 
  lack thereof. As far as is known, Joshua clones never marry 
  outsiders. Indeed, they do ‘consort’ with them ‘after a fashion’ 
  either (despite lurid claims sometimes surfacing in tabloid 
  vids). The Joshuas insist that they only reproduce themselves 
  through asexual reproduction: in other words, cloning. It is 
  rumored that some governments and other organizations 
  have placed a large bounty for the delivery of a Joshua/
  non-Joshua cross. A related urban legend says that Joshuas 
  have sometimes gone missing, the victims of kidnapping 
  by unknown persons or groups seeking a peek at their 
  genetic code for nefarious purposes. Thus, many Joshuas 
  wandering outside of their communities have learned to arm 
  themselves and/or seek out heavy security to stay protected 
  and maintain their purity. Most simply limit their exposure 
  outside of their tight knit communities in the first place. 
  As widespread as they are, mysteries concerning the 
  Joshua’s abound; What is known for certain is that they are 
  a controversial and enigmatic group that is enormously 
  wealthy. They actively promote themselves as the last examples 
  of unsullied humanity and have become a lightening rod for outside groups with similar mindsets and goals 
  in “preserving” humanity from its own scientific excesses. They currently number somewhere around 120,000 
  individuals concentrated into the three isolated communities (Joshua Prime, Joshua Alpha and Joshua Beta) 
  as well as a “handful” of perhaps several hundred scattered throughout the Known Galaxy.
  Oshi Joshua, 2142 
  Real Cloning versus Tri-Vid Cloning
  On the  lower end of Tri-vid, Clones are all carbon copies of one another, but in reality that is not quite 
  the case. While genetics plays a role in so much of who and what we are, there are certain developmental 
  processes that take place as far back as the womb which have a dramatic effect as well. The use of exo-
  wombs to carry the Clones does not ensure that the flow of hormones and other vital chemistry is steady, 
  quite the contrary. Exo-Womb technology, while well-perfected on some levels is still considered more 
  of an art than a science, and the delicate balance of chemistry in “the mix” is hardly uniform. Although a 
  well-maintained exo-womb in the hands of an expert can be better than many  a “natbirth” in terms of fetal 
  development and health. Still, the Clones come out somewhere far closer in appearance and behavior than 
  normal siblings, and yet they are definitely not the armies of exact duplicates of the tri-vid.  Add to this the 
  various paths which lives take when we leave the womb and the Joshuas are not cheap imitations of the 
  original pair but a living and unique community which has merely taken a divergent road.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  11
  OSS (ORION STATE SECURITY)
  The OSS grew out of the chaos of the War for Independence. Its founding in 2758 actually predates the 
  independence of the Orion Confederation, making it the oldest governmental agency in the Confederation. 
  The colonies that would later form the Orion Confederation suffered greatly at the hands of the UN 
  Peacekeepers. The disjointed coordination between the various colonies made it easy for the UN to put out 
  the brush fires that pretty much were the War for Independence. Those pushing for independence in Orion 
  space saw the problem and knew that without the resources or unity to form a cohesive fighting force they 
  needed to approach the problem from a different direction. So 
  instead they opted for creating a top notch intelligence agency. With 
  superior intelligence they would be able to move around the small 
  military forces at their disposal and to decide which colonies should 
  agitate and which should stand down because UN forces were on the 
  way. In his way they could make the rebellion more effective. 
  The original name of this agency was the Castle, because when it 
  was first formed it was housed in a large mansion on Koning that 
  resembled a castle. Because Koning was occupied by the UN at 
  different points during the War for Independence The Castle itself 
  had to remain a secret. It spent the better part of the war establishing 
  itself as one of the premier caterers in Sirrius, the capital city of 
  Koning. Indeed, it was one of the few that would cater UN functions. 
  Its original director was Isabella ValKristenbom. She was a master 
  chef who also possessed great interpersonal skills. A statue of her 
  stands outside the Castle, which is still used by the agency (albeit no 
  longer as its headquarters). Isabella, little known to most historians, 
  was one of the greatest heroes of the revolution. She made great 
  sacrifices for the cause and to this day, some of her exploits are still 
  classified.
  The Orion’s are a fiercely independent lot and have an abiding 
  mistrust of governments. Thus, they have always had a love hate 
  relationship with the OSS. After independence was won, many in 
  the Orion House of Equals sought to hamstring the agency, but every 
  President of the Confederation – no matter what stance they had taken towards the OSS prior to coming to 
  office – have always become supporters and protectors of the Castle (no longer an official title, it is still used 
  as a designation within government circles). Conspiracy theorists of course have had a field day with this 
  fact. The most common claim is that the OSS has managed to get some dirt on every President, thus forcing 
  each to support them. This hardly seems likely, but the urban legend is popular with the man on the street. 
  A more likely scenario is that once a President comes to office he realizes the immense task that of presiding 
  over the thousands upon thousands of “states” that makes up the Confederation. Quickly coming to terms 
  with his or her need to have accurate intelligence about what is going on in each “state” they shift there 
  stance. Thus, the reality is that the OSS allows the government to be able to keep a lid on the powder 
  keg that is the Orion Confederation. The dirty little secret is that the OSS must spy on their own people 
  to provide the President with any chance at all of keeping order within the Confederacy. Few inside the 
  government like to talk about this, few outside are willing to do so openly.
  The OSS has experienced a number of “institutional moments” during its existence. Things that have shaped 
  the culture and outlook of the institution and been handed down from one generation of OSS agents to 
  the next. From the time of their formation, they cultivated a sense of secrecy and esprit de corps; valuable 
  tradecraft lessons from clashes with their counterparts; perhaps though none of these “moments” have had 
  – and still has – the power of the 25 year campaign on Sologne during the Mutant War. 
  This was a war unlike any the Orion military had ever experienced. It was a war of attrition, with the APR 
  forces seeking to bleed the Orion’s and sap their will. The APR used everything in their bag of dirty tricks 
  Organization Information, Player Handout
  The symbol used by the OSS in 
  Public Relations Campaigns.
  
  Player Information
  10
  on Sologne, and invented more in the process. Mutants 
  transformed beyond recognition, psychic soldiers and 
  whispered rumors of horrors “beyond the kin of mortal 
  men”. These horrors have, like so much else, taken their 
  place among the urban legends and now so far removed 
  from the truth fact and fiction are hard to distinguish from 
  each other. 
  The most popular legends are that the Archenars used 
  precursor artifacts which killed a solider or drove them to 
  madness. Another even more far fetched but still earnestly 
  supported by some rumor is that the APR actually used 
  aliens to bolster their defense of the planet. If the truth is 
  known, it is buried deep in the vaults of the OSS. 
  When the military struggled to deal with the situation on 
  Sologne, the OSS was called in. They formed small units 
  headed by combat experienced agents to deal with these 
  irregular units fielded by the APR. It was a unique role for 
  the agency to become involved with, and the horrors they 
  found there shaped them significantly. The details about 
  any specific action may not be fully known to anyone 
  outside of the highest echelons of the agency, but it is clear 
  that it was during this campaign that the OSS came to a 
  have a deep hatred for all things APR. A loathing above and 
  beyond the normal sort of rivalries between Stellar Nations. 
  A hatred whose depth is hard to plumb even to this day. 
  Public Relations:
  Since the OSS first began operating “openly” (in as much as 
  any kind of organization such as the OSS does this), they 
  have been very savvy about using the media and public 
  relations to their benefit. 
  This includes actively encouraging entertainment 
  producers to utilize their name and image as long as the 
  good wins out over the evil in the end and the agency itself 
  is not tarnished by their depictions. The effects of this effort 
  have, when combined with selective “leaks” of information, 
  been very interesting to study from a sociological 
  perspective. 
  Internal Operation:
  Beyond the material presented here, there is little or no 
  information which the agency has released to the public 
  regarding their internal makeup, their decision-making 
  style or tables of organization. Often different depictions of 
  the agency (see Public Relations above) have treated these 
  issues in a completely different (and wildly contradictory) 
  fashion.
  Psychic Advisors
  In recent years there have been a number 
  of sightings of strange operatives of the 
  OSS working alongside other OSS agents 
  in the field. Research into these mysterious 
  individuals has uncovered little as to their 
  origin or purpose, but it appears as though 
  these individuals are universally powerful 
  psychics with significant psionic abilities. 
  As such, they are dangerous to say the least 
  and it appears as though the OSS uses them 
  as a new weapon in their operations.
  Conspiracy theorists have a wide array 
  of ideas as to the origins of these strange 
  beings, ranging from engineered mutants to 
  aliens working with the OSS. Whatever their 
  true nature, these psychic advisors have 
  reached a level of infamy along the lines of 
  vampires and other mythical creatures. 
  Despite this ‘popularity’, encounters with 
  these individuals are always unusual to 
  say the least though few remember ever 
  meeting one. Instead tales are told of 
  strange run-ins with bald, pale humans 
  bearing an intense stare through bizarre 
  eyes and an air of the unknown. Most 
  people dismiss these as fictional creations 
  designed for drama. Few that actually 
  encounter these mysterious individuals are 
  ever the same afterwards.
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  11
  Walking down a London street you hear a distinctive clink, clink, clink sound behind you. Turning to look you 
  hone in on the source of the sound: A metal tube approximately 6” long and a couple inches in diameter is 
  maybe a yard away now rolling on the ferrocrete. A distinctive symbol is pulsing on the side of the tube. Just 
  as you resister this, you hear a sharp pop as the “ball” end of the tube disintegrates. You run. Fast.
  Nanotechnology was once touted as the next great technology in warfare as well as everything else. Humanity 
  would be able to construct and program these tiny gnat sized or smaller robots to perform a host of functions, 
  everything from cyber-fabrication to cellular surgery so killing people would be a snap right? The reality 
  however has so far failed to live up to the hype. Cyber swarms were first used during the Cyber War in 2582. 
  Rushed into service, experts quickly realized that the projected gestalt “intelligence capabilities” of these 
  devices had been grossly overestimated. Able to follow a few simple protocols (like 
  correlate size with an attack function) they were unable to distinguish friend from 
  foe. These early models self destruct commands either did not exist or often failed to 
  initialize. The result was widespread destruction well beyond the intended targets. 
  These were truly terror weapons and it took years for the last traces of the swarms from 
  the Cyber War to be cleansed from Earth.
  Today, cyber swarms perform many functions like fabrication of simple items like 
  steel beams in space or clearing blocked arteries in a human patient. But the ability 
  to think, or to adapt to unprogrammed situations, continues to elude engineers. It 
  has been suggested that cyber swarms are a ‘thousand year technology’, meaning it 
  may take a millennium or more to perfect their use. In the meantime though humanity uses these devices in 
  a number of ways but most prominently through militarily applications. Many regard them as the “nuclear 
  threat” of the 30th century and a spirit of détente pervades: don’t use them lest you want them used on you. 
  Game mechanics: Cyber swarms are not treated like robots in game terms, although technically they are 
  robots. They are given a number of endurance points based on swarm density, once these endurance points 
  are reduced to zero the swarm is no longer effective and is ignored from a game play standpoint. They fly at 
  a speed of 9m unless they are not attacking, at which time they move 18m until they envelop their target. 
  The swarm damages everything it envelops automatically, and all damage is done first in the round after the 
  swarm settles. That means that if a swarm settles on someone, they can start running at full speed (24+ effect 
  of Athletics) and possibly get out of it. Of course, since it is not attacking, the swarm also moves at a faster rate.
  Degradation: Cyber swarms have significant Endurance stats (the swarm shown here is a small canister 
  version; 1 dton of H² in size, thus two 5x5 foot squares). The most effective means of avoiding damage is 
  to evacuate the area or get behind a sealed barrier. Unsealed armor is useless, sealed armor is considered 
  unsealed after d3 rounds of exposure. As the size of the swarm is reduced, the damage they cause is also 
  reduced. Use one-half (15 remaining END in the above example) and one-quarter (6 remaining END) as 
  benchmarks, reducing damage appropriately (2d6 to d6 to d3 using the above example). 
  Defense: The best way to combat a cyber swarm is to use an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse). This will 
  completely disrupt the swarm (as well as everything else unshielded). Shielding swarms themselves is 
  impossible because of their size and the manner in which they operate. Concussion grenades, flame and 
  similar broad area-effect weapons will cause full damage to the swarm. The least effective means is to use 
  projectile weapons (which do a single point of damage per four rounds expended). Laser weapons do 
  slightly better, burning out the motors of swarm members and ionizing the air. They do 2 points of damage 
  per (single) hit. Also particularly effective is the low-tech expedient of simply swatting them: using a club 
  does 1d6 END damage to a full strength Swarm (30 Endurance), this is reduced to a d3 when the Swarm’s 
  Endurance drops below 15 due to the increased spread (degradation cuts both ways). Blunt objects work 
  better obviously than swords or other sharp objects, turning the blade to mash the swarm with the flat 
  surface never seems to work as well as it ought (d3 damage, -2 DM to the roll).
  1-ton Cyber Swarm 
  Power Supply: Solar Cell
  Type: Flying 
  Endurance: 30 (1 d-ton)
  Movement: 9/18 meters
  Damage: 2d6
  Skills: Fly 1, Recon 1
  Shown, Right: a swarm canister mounted an 
  APR “Spudmasher” used to heave the weighty 
  tube a greater distance. It is not required for use.
  Also shown at extreme right is the universal 
  warning symbol used for nanotech devices.
  Cyber Swarm 
  Technology Information, Player Handout
  
  Player Information
  1
  Advanced Disguise Technology
  Disguise technology has expanded by leaps 
  and bounds in the 30th Century, offering 
  a wide variety of possibilities. Two of the 
  most common and versatile elements of this 
  technology are Holonets and Fauxmasks. 
  Each has their own unique advantages and 
  drawbacks.
  Holonets
  Holonets, which involve using holographic 
  technology to build a face of light around 
  their own but are relatively limited in 
  use and subject to some problems with 
  countermeasures .
  This technology is highly illegal in most Stellar 
  Nations (including the Orion Confederation), not because of any inherent danger, but because the only reason 
  one might want to use the tech generally involves mayhem of some sort. Tiny sensors are placed in a “mist” 
  solution that is applied to the face. These sensors, once they are covered over the area, capture changes in 
  expression and movement. A “skullcap” is then placed over the hair and individual holoprojectors are fitted onto 
  the face at key points to provide the image. The specialized computer that is built into the skullcap projects 
  an image over the individual’s face that will easily fool any simple visual inspection. Beyond this however, for 
  example a “pat down” or even deep densiometer scan, they are less useful. A similar form of technology can be 
  used for voice adaptation, similar to the “squawk box” used by Uplifts for human speech.
  Game Mechanics
  In terms of mechanics, this technology does not so much grant the disguise skill as it facilitates its use. It 
  is also a good way to get past cursory exams without any checks at all. The emitter technology (which is 
  shielded) goes through a continuous tug-of-war with detection technology, but emitters are usually on the 
  losing side at the cutting edge. If confronted with efforts to jam, block or disrupt, compare the Tech Levels 
  of the two, and use that as the DM. Treat this as a standard skill roll (i.e. looking for 8+ with the DM based on 
  tech and any other situational modifiers the Referee feels is appropriate -- range, effectiveness etc.).
  FauxMask
  Fauxmask technology moulds pseudo-skin to the face and hands and can duplicate specific individuals. 
  Fauxmasks first use compression technology to minimize the contours of the disguisers own face as much 
  as possible. This is a key to their success, but also the drawbacks of this technique. A specialized device 
  (approximately the size of a suitcase) builds layer upon layer of pseudo-skin based on a scan of the individual 
  to be copied and requires a high resolution 3D scan or the individual to be copied to be present (although 
  Fauxmasks are also useful for non-impersonation disguises which generally do not require compression). 
  This technique achieves a more natural appearance, which can resist even limited tactile examination. Two 
  drawbacks are a lack of comfort and a more limited range of disguises based on the basic contours of the face.
  Game Mechanic: The discomfort due to the compression technology causes a -1 DM to all conscious actions 
  after 10-60 minutes of use, -2 DM after 1-6 hours of use (maximum usage: 8 hours); these modifiers are based on 
  a combination of pain and muscle tension in the face and hands cannot be controlled pharmaceutically because 
  they have to remain flexible. The mask can be removed by the use of a special spray or by tearing it away in 
  chunks (either of which eliminates the negative DM immediately, but the tearing does require an action). Note: 
  if the Fauxmask is not being used to duplicate a specific individual, the compression does not need to be a limiting 
  factor; masks still dry out and crack over time and are only good for a maximum of 8 hours. There is also a functional 
  limitation: Some people simply cannot duplicate specific faces due to size or bone structure. The Referee should 
  first determine if it is even feasible then, make a d6 check: On a 1-3; Yes, the face may be copied. On a 4: Sort of, 
  close but not accurate, the mask can only fool people at a distance. On a 5-6: No, the face may not be copied. 
  Technology Information, Player Handout
  A Holonet Demonstration
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  What the Players should know...
  A series of mysterious disappearances and brutal 
  slayings has hit the streets of Kansas City, the 
  capital of the Republic of the Plains. These have 
  become known by the somewhat misleading 
  moniker “Yamaguchi Ripper” because the first 
  batch of these abductions all happened within 
  Yamaguchi. Another half dozen however have 
  happened since then in the surrounding city 
  districts.  Over the past four weeks nearly a dozen 
  people have gone missing and even more have 
  been found gruesomely butchered and dumped 
  (either in whole or in nearly unrecognizable 
  parts) around area waste heaps and other 
  forgotten places: the assaults are fast, with little 
  or no witnesses, and they often leave an orgy of 
  violence in their wake.  
  The facts of individual cases however vary widely 
  enough to give pause, and some Kancitians have 
  even gone so far as to discount the ‘Yamaguchi 
  Ripper’ entirely. These detractors claim that what 
  is taken as a “pattern” is merely separate examples 
  of normal violence that are bound to occur in 
  cities the size of the Metro Kansas City area. They 
  say: ‘Gruesome murders happen in crowded 
  cities – it doesn’t have to be a conspiracy.’ 
  But there are enough nagging similarities 
  between individual cases that fear has 
  spread into a veritable citywide panic. This 
  panic is actually exacerbated by the paucity 
  of information. There are so few actual 
  eyewitnesses and no video footage of these 
  events has been released by the Kansas City 
  Police Department. Rumors have begun to 
  spread, claiming that mutants are involved 
  (common enough a claim that it is looked at 
  somewhat dubiously), and that there are even 
  more cases that are either unreported or under 
  reported.
  Nothing has been discovered that links the 
  victims and no clues as to the identity of the 
  perpetrator have been uncovered by the 
  authorities, who remain very tight-lipped 
  about the situation. Even the underworld is 
  on edge, as they, too, are uncertain who is 
  responsible for these crimes.
  Part One: 
  Honor Bound
  The Scrap
  INCOMING TRANSMISSION
  16511-6545118-396998636
  re-routing antenna
  41515-9852-4548
  Transmission Recieved
  Director,
  Per our transmission last week, I am apprising you 
  of the final stages of the project.
  Chemical analysis is good. 
  Suitable containers have been fashioned.
  Early prognosis of Dr. Chase is that the 
  specifications you established will either be met 
  or superceded. The only question on our end is 
  how many staff will be needed down the gravity 
  well for monitoring purposes.
  This phase of project is otherwise ready-to-go.
  --------
  MATERIALS WILL BE READY FOR PICKUP ON 
  SEPTEMBER 15TH AT 6 A.M. GMT.
  --------
  Please note revised schedule for rendezvous. 
  As you well know, it is vital that the materials are 
  brought down the gravity well at the proper time 
  for maximum effect.  Given the date I was ordered 
  to meet in our last realtime meeting, I planned the 
  final harvesting of the medium. 
  However, I noticed that that time window is six 
  hours earlier than the time mentioned in your 
  General Mission Briefing of yesterday morning 
  (See mass communication FINAL MISSION 
  BRIEFING). If this does not correspond to your 
  current operations, please advise.
  FASTOV OUT
  Part Two: 
  London Calling
  
  Player Information
  1
  Wiley’s Notes, Informational Handout
  Basic Data: The following clues can be gained by analyzing Wiley’s notes. 
  The murders have been far more widespread than reported, and stretch back well before the 
  Yamaguchi Ripper became public knowledge. They also include a variety of other, under or 
  unreported abductions that number at least into the mid-60s. He states, purely as conjecture, that 
  the further this thing goes back (he's just charted a six-month frame where he can get data from) 
  the figures mount up quickly.
  The police seem baffled and hobbled at the same time in their investigations. The evidence that 
  Wiley has unraveled does not directly confirm that this is deliberate, it could well be an artifact of 
  the pressure to solve these crimes and the natural inclination of the police to seek the simplest 
  answer to their current (political) dilemma. There are names in the notes of Officers that have been 
  vocal about this inside of the force and many have been sidelined (either before the notes were 
  given to Rosen or subsequently).
  A ghost of a Netpilot friend from the War named Shadowborn was helping Wiley, but this ally has 
  since been destroyed by a nasty Cyber attack that came seemingly out of nowhere. Shadowborn 
  revealed that the Video System has been compromised quite deliberately by someone using a 
  backdoor into the KCPD system and a sophisticated viral attack program to temporarily shut down 
  and lock out the video feed is selected areas. Shadowborn was trying to find out more about these 
  issues when he was murdered. 
  Either by design or by accident (no proof either way), the Oriental District seems to always blink 
  out whenever there are outages elsewhere. Also, the Oriental District is the place most prone to 
  ongoing problems with their video system. This suggests that it may simply be a problem in that 
  part of the system that the virus makes worse. Of course, it could also be by design. This led Wiley to 
  try and draw some connections with the information he had and the Oriental district.
  Additional Data: Referees may choose to dole out the information below:
  
  
  
  
  Several unreliable witnesses (most of whom are 
  vagrants) reported that the Yamaguchi Ripper 
  incidents are being conducted by people who appear 
  to be either "oriental" (in their words), “mutants” or 
  both. There is however a lot of really 'bad data' here as 
  well – inconsistencies and some outright bizarreness 
  (one individual claimed that they saw a woman with a 
  tentacle coming out of her mouth, another claims they 
  saw something flying over the city on leathery wings, 
  most of these accounts Wiley recorded but dismissed). 
  A weird Coda was added to the files, apparently part 
  of a blind email sent from someone who only signed it 
  "C.M.": it includes some low-resolution images of people 
  being hustled into vehicles. The Vehicle numbers match 
  some of those in the police reports, all of which were 
  found abandoned in random sections of the city. The 
  images reveal little about the culprits, face recognition 
  software is useless when they are covered up as they 
  are in the photos. But the fact that these images exist 
  somewhere is a mystery in and of itself and triggers a 
  good deal of paranoia by Wiley.
  The name 'Takara' appears more than once Wiley heard 
  it, wrote it down but made no connections. He did ask 
  Amanda about it however
  In several places, the compiled data seems to make 
  one neighborhood in Yamaguchi city stand out, a place 
  called Little Pakxe (pronounced Pack-SAY).
  Yamaguchi City Material:
  The Video feeds from this neighborhood are among 
  the worst even in the spotty Yamaguchi City District.
  A woman named Takeo Batchai was questioned by 
  police regarding the disappearance of one of the 
  victims. While the details are sketchy, apparently the 
  officer in question (who has since been relocated) 
  thought enough to bring her into the local station for 
  questioning. Ms. Batchai lives in Little Pakxe and her 
  occupation is listed as 'waitress' in the police report. 
  The report originally listed the restaurant where she 
  worked, but this was redacted at some point and Wiley 
  could not recover the data. Privacy laws prevented 
  Wiley from tracing her through the tax records or 
  Employment Bureau and often Waitresses like her work 
  multiple jobs.
  The belongings of another murder victim were pawned 
  by a street thug named Ito (who was cleared of the 
  murder by an ironclad alibi – he was in custody at the 
  time) at a shop called 24-Hour Pawn in Little Pakxe of 
  the Yamaguchi City District. This was offered to Wiley 
  by one of the officers in which he was in contact. 
  One of the missing persons was last seen at the Yummy 
  Dragon Restaurant in Little Pakxe. This was not the 
  only such connection, after all every one of the victims 
  was last seen somewhere, but Wiley noted it in his 
  handwritten records as it had to do with Little Pakxe. 
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  
  Player Information
  1
  Pregenerated Characters
  Baker
  Uplifted Simian, Army/Infantry 3  (rk3, Lance 
  Sergeant), Drifter/Scavenger 1 (rk1 Scavenger)
  STR
  14
  (+2)
  DEX
  10
  (+1)
  END
  15
  (+3)
  INT
  7
  EDU
  6
  SOC
  1
  (-2)
  Skills:  Athletics (Coordination) 2, Drive 0, Gun 
  Combat (Slug Rifle) 1, Energy Pistol) 1, Heavy Weapons 
  0, Mechanic 0, Melee (Unarmed) 3, Recon 4, Stealth 3, 
  Streetwise 1, Survival 0, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 1
  Equipment: Armored clothing (AV: 5), Advanced 
  Combat Rifle (3d6, Auto: 6, Recoil 0) w/ permit*;  
  10,000 cr, 1 Ship Share, Ally
  Edward Foster
  Centennial, Agent/Law Enforcement  (rk5, Chief) 
  Citizen/Colonist (rk 3 Settler)
  STR
  6
  DEX
  6
  END
  7
  INT
  10
  (+1)
  EDU
  12
  (+2)
  SOC
  9
  (+1)
  Skills:  Admin 1, Advocate 1, Computers 2, Gun 
  Combat (Slug Pistol 2), Investigate 4, Jack of all Trades 
  3, Melee (Club) 1, Persuade 2, Streetwise 2
  Equipment: Gauss Autopistol (3d6, Auto 4, -1 Recoil) 
  w/ permit*, Cloth Armor (AV: 5), Stun batons (d6, 2d6 
  stun); 40,000 cr. (4,000cr in liquid assets), 2 Ship Shares 
  Lu Chongun
  Merchant/Free Trader 3 (rk2), Rogue/Enforcer 3 (rk 3)
  STR
  9
  (+1)
  DEX
  10
  (+1)
  END
  9
  (+1)
  INT
  7
  EDU
  7
  SOC
  6
  Skills: Athletics (Coordination) 1, Broker 0, Carouse 0, 
  Computers 1, Comm 0, Deception 1, Drive (Wheeled), 
  Engineer 0, Explosives 0, Flyer (Grav) 1, Gun Combat 
  (Slug Pistol) 2, (Slug Rifle) 1, Investigate 1, Melee 
  (Blade) 2, Persuade 2, Recon 2, Stealth 2, Steward 0, 
  Streetwise 2, Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 0, 
  Equipment: MagRail Pistol (3d6+2, Recoil 0) w/ 
  permit*, Blade (2d6), Armored clothing (AV: 5); 
  Residence in Kansas City, 60,000cr , Enemy
  Nelli Drake
  Artist/Performer 1, Psion Adept 2 (Initiate rk 2), Wild 
  Talent 4 (Witch, rk3) 
  STR
  4
  (-1)
  DEX
  9
  (+1)
  END
  7
  INT
  12
  (+2)
  EDU
  7
  SOC
  7
  PSI
  13
  (+2)
  Skills:  Art 0, Athletics (Co-ordination) 1, Carouse 0, 
  Computer 0, Deception 1, Gun Combat (Energy Pistol) 
  1, Investigate 0, Life Sciences (Psionology) 1, Persuade 
  2, Recon 0, Sensors 0, Social Science (Psychology) 
  1, Stealth 2, Steward 0, Streetwise 2, Telepathy 2, 
  Telekinesis 2
  Equipment: Cloth Armor (Av: 5), Stunner (2d6+3 
  Stun); Residence in Kansas City, 10,000 Cr., 2 Ship 
  Shares. 2 Enemies, 2 Contacts
  Diogenes
  AI
  STR
  9
  (+1)
  DEX
  9
  (+1)
  END
  9
  (+1)
  INT
  12
  (+2)
  EDU
  12
  (+2)
  SOC
  6
  0
  Skills:  Comms 1, Computers 3, Engineer (Electronics) 
  2, Gun Combat 0, Investigate 2, Mechanic 0, Physical 
  Sciences (Mathematics) 2, Recon 1, Sensors 1, Space 
  Sciences (Cybernetics) 1 
  Equipment: Subdermal Armor (Av: 3), TL 14 Neural 
  Comm, TL 14 Wafer Jack, Enhanced Vision. Stunner 
  (2d6+3 Stun), Cybernetics & Electronics kit; 100,000 cr 
  Notes: 
  Players are free to spend the credits listed with 
  each character on the sheet within guidelines set 
  by the Referee.
  Several characters have permits for their 
  weapons. These permits allow for possession and 
  transportation in regulated containers, not use.
  Lu Chongun and Nelli Drake  both have 
  residences in the city. Allow those characters 
  to determine where they live and the basic 
  character of the residence.   
  
  
  
  Below are the stats for the pre-generated characters mentioned in the Setting Chapter
  
  Twilight Sector: Beyond the Open Door
  1
  
  Trust him with your planet?
  Neither did we
  Expand your perspective on the Twilight Sector Setting with Beyond the Open Door.
  A trio of adventures designed to illuminate the world of Twilight Sector  as well as entertain. 
  Uncover the mysteries of the Yamaguchi Ripper, then watch in horror as the intrigues unfold
  to blossom into a planetwide threat that only your group can stop
  Requires the use of the Traveller™  Main Rulebook, available from Mongoose Publishing.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Traveller/08 - Mongoose Traveller/Third Party Materials/Campaigns & Settings/Twilight Sector/Traveller - Twilight Sector - Beyond The Open Door.pdf