TEXT: M i n d j a m m e r
  TM
  THE CITY PEOPLE
  MYSTERY AND EXPLORATION BEYOND THE FRONTIER!
  A MINDJAMMER ADVENTURE
  by Sarah Newton
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  THE CITY PEOPLE — DEADLY 
  EXPLORATION AND ADVENTURE!
  The recording showed some kind of forest. The drone 
  wove through tangled undergrowth, weird plants bigger 
  than a flyer. The place stank. Biodata scrolled down my 
  peripheral vision, then flashed up an anomaly.
  “Okay,” the ship interrupted. “This is where things get 
  weird. There’s a life form over there—through that dense 
  patch of foliage. Keep watching. It’s only a flash.”
  It was. The drone broke cover, and amidst the green 
  there was this flash of pink, and a stink like the rankest 
  body odour ever. An impression of something huge—
  monstrous, big as a house, just sitting there. Then—and 
  my flesh still crawls—there was a groan. A really human 
  groan. Then the drone went down.
  There was a silence as the recording ended, and Dr Clay 
  looked up. “We’re gonna have to go down there.” 
  An event horizon probe has discovered a lost colony 
  world beyond the Commonality Frontier like no 
  one has ever seen before. Join the crew of Maggie, 
  the Magnanimous Intervention, and take the light of 
  humankind’s civilisation to the stars. Are you ready to 
  push back the darkness—whatever you may find?
  The City People includes: 
  •	
  a whole alien world—maps, biosphere, and more; 
  •	
  a deadly multi-session scenario of conflict, 
  investigation, and mystery;
  •	
  tech specs, deckplans, and details of the Space 
  Force instrumentality. 
  A danger-filled exploration adventure for Mindjammer 
  — The Roleplaying Game. The Mindjammer — The 
  Roleplaying Game core book is required for play. 
  M i n d j a m m e r
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  SKU: MUH042203
  $24.99
  TM
  www.mindjammerpress.com
  
  BETA FORMIAE
  Preliminary Report to the Commonality 
  by Event Horizon Probe Path of 
  Luminosity RM9712-alpha
  The Beta Formiae system is a mature 
  G-class main sequence system with 
  an inferior garden world in the second 
  orbit. Indications are that this is a lost 
  colony world. No trace of the colony 
  vessel was found on the preliminary 
  system and planet scans, but 
  indications of past colonisation efforts 
  are found on the planet surface and 
  highly divergent hominids have been 
  observed.
  Beta Formiae 2 is a cool dry world; the 
  biome is expected to be t-analogue. 
  The lost colony is observed to be 
  in a highly primitive state; coupled 
  with the extreme divergence 
  observed, initial analyses suggest 
  this may represent a significant risk 
  of memetic cascade. The planetsider 
  unit remained behind to conduct 
  preliminary analyses. 
  A follow-up stage 2 evaluation visit is 
  requested. Involvement of SCI Force 
  to conduct evaluation and threat 
  analysis is advised.
  High Concept: Cool, Dry World
  Aspects: G-class Main Sequence Star
  PLANETARY TYPE:  
  INFERIOR GARDEN WORLD
  Planetary Age: Mature (+0)
  Orbit: Habitable Zone (+0): 0.5AU
  Year Length: 155d
  Size: Large Standard (+1): 19500km
  Density: Low Standard (-1): 0.7
  Surface Gravity: Standard (+0): 1.14G
  Day Length: Standard (+3): 29h
  Atmospheric Pressure: Standard (+0); 
  Oxygen (breathable)
  Surface Temperature: Standard (+0): 
  12 °C
  Surface Liquid: Average (+0):  
  47% water
  Seasonality: Low (-2)
  Satellites: Planetoid
  Planetary Bodies: 8 (3 gas giants,  
  2 asteroid belts)
  Habitability: Benign (+4)
  CIVILISATION TYPE: REGRESSED
  Civilisation Designation: Lost Colony 
  (-5)
  Population: Low Standard (-1): Millions
  Government Type: Unknown
  Societal Dev: Small-scale  
  Communities (-4)
  Openness: Unknown 
  Control Index: Unknown
  Trade Index: Unknown
  Embargo: n/a
  Tech Index: Post-animal (-5)
  Starport: X (-5)
  Mindscape: None (-4)
  Culture: Unknown highly divergent: 
  POSSIBLE MEMETIC CASCADE
  Inferior Garden World / Regressed
  1 hex = 1362 km
  
  TM
  THE ROLEPLAYING GAME
  THE CITY PEOPLE
  MYSTERY AND EXPLORATION BEYOND THE FRONTIER!
  A MINDJAMMER ADVENTURE
  by Sarah Newton
  s a r a h  n e w t o n s
  
  Credits
  Mindjammer: The City People  
  written and developed by Sarah Newton
  Cover	Art by Jason Juta
  Layout	and	Graphic	Design by Michal E. Cross
  Interior	Art by Jason Juta, Simon Powell, Ian Stead, Andy 
  Wintrip
  Graphic	Design	Elements by Josephe Vandel & Paul Bourne
  Deckplans	and	Logos	by Ian Stead
  Cartography	by Sarah Newton
  Edited	by Sarah Newton
  Playtested by Steve Dempsey, Jon Hancock, Nick Marsh, 
  and Jason Woodburn.
  Mindjammer	Working	Group: Glenn Berry, Michal E. Cross, 
  David Donachie, John Snead, Graham Spearing, Ian Stead, Tom 
  Zunder.
  Produced	&	Art	Directed	by Chris McWilliam &  
  Sarah Newton
  Enquiries: info@mindjammerpress.com
  Mindjammer	Press	Ltd is a private limited company,  
  reg. no. 8222890. Our registered office is at  
  35 Altham Grove, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2PQ, UK.
  © 2016 Mindjammer Press Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 
  MindjammerTM is a trademark of Mindjammer Press Ltd.
  ISBN	(ebook): 978-0-9574779-4-0
  ISBN	(physical	version): 978-0-9574779-9-5 
  First paperback edition printed in the UK
  Product	Code:  MUH042203
  Published by Mindjammer Press Ltd,  
  35 Altham Grove, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2PQ
  Distributed by Modiphius Entertainment Ltd,  
  35 Turneville Road, London, W14 9PS
  Publicity	and	Promotion by Modiphius Entertainment.  
  For publicity and promotion details contact  
  pr@modiphius.com.
  Fate Core System by Leonard Balsera, Brian Engard,  
  Jeremy Keller, Ryan Macklin, Mike Olson
  Fate™ is a trademark of Evil Hat Productions, LLC.  
  The Powered by Fate logo is © Evil Hat Productions, LLC and 
  is used with permission.
  The Fate Core font is © Evil Hat Productions, LLC and is used 
  with permission. The Four Actions icons were designed by 
  Jeremy Keller.
  Thanks to Ralf Schemmann and Simon Rogers of 
  ProFantasy Software Ltd for their Fractal Terrains software 
  application, which was used in creating the planet and 
  overland maps in this adventure.
  Find out more about Mindjammer and other Mindjammer Press games and fiction at  
  www.mindjammerpress.com & www.facebook.com/mindjammerpress
  DEDICATION — To the real ETs out there, who’ll be more alien than we could ever imagine.
  
  3
  Contents
  Memetic Cascade!
  Playing The City People
  Where it All Happens
  Beta Formiae 2
  The Formionts
  Metabolism
  Modus Operandi
  Analysis
  The Shapechanger Plague
  Reproduction
  “Society” and Leagues
  Motivation
  Communication
  Formiont Models
  The Magnanimous Intervention 
  Botany Bay-Class Stage 2 Explorer
  Technical Specification
  Description of Ship Areas
  The Crew
  Pregenerated Characters
  Starting Play 
  Who Are the PCs?
  Playing the Crew
  Gathering Intel: What’s Going On?
  The Default Plot Thread
  Plot Stress: The Breach
  Episode One: First Contact
  Scene One: Initial Surveys
  Scene Two: Secondary Surveys
  Scene Three: Preliminary Cultural Analysis
  Scene Four: The Monolith
  Episode Two: The Valley of War
  Scene One: The Mono League Purity Compound
  Scene Two: The Warring Leagues 
  Scene Three: Vaccine
  Scene Four: The Captive
  Episode Three:  
  The Old One in the Mountain
  Scene One: The Peaceful Lands
  Scene Two: A Different Purity
  Scene Three: Prime Colony
  Scene Four: The Old One
  Episode Four: The Lost Ship
  Analysis and Deductions
  The Ship Interior
  Scene One: Getting In
  Scene Two: Ambiguous Life Signs
  Scene Three: Memcore
  Scene Four: Salvation?
  Epilogue: Threat Analysis
  Player Handouts
  Index
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  4
  Memetic Cascade!
  Memetic
  Cascade
  An event horizon probe exploring far beyond the Commonal-
  ity frontier has returned with a report of a lost colony world 
  in a system called Beta Formiae. Space Force has requested a 
  SCI Force evaluation team to assist them in a contact mission 
  aboard the Botany Bay-class stage 2 explorer Magnanimous 
  Intervention.
  The report suggests the second planet in the Beta Formiae 
  system is inhabited by divergent hominids in a primitive state, 
  with a culture appearing to manifest toxic memes which may 
  represent a risk of memetic cascade (page 11).
  PLAYING THE CITY PEOPLE
  The City People is an action and exploration adventure, 
  investigating a deadly mystery on an alien world. Across the 
  Frontier Commonality personnel are spread thin, and the 
  PCs are key crew members aboard a joint Space Force / SCI 
  Force mission. Each player has his or her character, but the 
  players as a whole also manage the ship’s crew, using them as 
  minions, temporary characters, sources of expertise, and even 
  replacement characters in the event of loss. 
  Players may play not just SCI Force agents, but also Space 
  Force crew, including marines, scientists, and others. But 
  where Space Force is open and honourable, SCI Force is devi-
  ous and manipulative, and the ship is a hotbed of intrigues 
  and rivalries.
  As well as the default “action, exploration, and adven-
  ture” approach to The City People, here are some of the 
  other ways you can play this adventure. 
  The Military Approach
  The City People can be out-and-out military sci-fi. Keep the 
  ship’s command crew as NPCs, providing missions to the 
  We all patched into the drone’s sensorium, picking up the strange sights, sounds, and smells 
  of this alien world. Maggie kept a running commentary: “Okay, this is where my sensors 
  show the stage 1 planetsider went down. I’m still picking up a residual trace, though it’s not 
  broadcasting any more. Remember we’ve lost two drones already this morning, so I’m not 
  wasting any more—this is a recording.”
  We were—or rather the drone was—in some kind of forest. Weird over-specialised 
  plants everywhere, no wildlife. Very odd, but it fitted the planetary profile. The drone wove 
  through lianas, tangled undergrowth, pale papery ferns bigger than a flyer. The place stank, 
  but it was also deadly quiet. Unsettling. Biodata scrolled down my peripheral vision, then 
  suddenly flashed up an anomaly.
  “What the hell is that?” Lyra cast in disgust.
  “Okay,” the ship interrupted. “This is where things get weird. Weirder. Whatever. There’s a 
  life form over there—through that dense patch of foliage. Keep watching. It’s only a flash.”
  It was. The drone broke cover, and suddenly amidst all the green there was this flash 
  of pink, and a stink like the rankest body odour ever. I got this impression of something 
  huge—monstrous, monolithic, as big as a house, but sitting there. Then—and my flesh still 
  crawls—there was a groan. A really human groan. Then the drone went down.
  There was a silence. Dr Clay looked up.
  “We’re gonna have to go down there.”
  
  5
  Memetic Cascade!
  PCs based on the episodes and scenes starting on page 35. 
  De-emphasise the adventure’s investigative aspects, instead 
  giving players clear military goals in each episode and 
  scene, and let NPC scientists and analysts draw conclusions 
  from the information the PCs uncover. Begin the adventure 
  with Episode	One	Scene	Four:	The	Monolith	or even later, 
  and provide plenty of combat opposition from the Formians 
  (page 15).
  The Stealth Approach
  The PCs are few in number, undertaking subterfuge and intru-
  sion missions. Combat is rare and deadly; instead, emphasise 
  the PCs’ abilities to neutralise the Formians and get in and out 
  without detection.
  The Science Approach
  Game play focusses on the scientific mysteries and non-com-
  bat threats posed by Beta Formiae: the nature and treatment 
  of the Shapechanger Plague, the fate of the original colony, 
  and the final revelation of the Formians’ true nature. De-
  emphasise physical combat in favour of contests, hazards, 
  interpersonal conflicts, and mystery, only resorting to vio-
  lence as a result of dice roll failures or successes at cost. 
  The Moral Dilemma
  Play up the “prime directive” aspects of Space Force and SCI 
  Force missions. The Beta Formians represent a deadly threat, 
  but are a culture in their own right, and Commonality policy 
  is to integrate and coexist, not blindly destroy. The dilemma 
  becomes acute when the PCs discover the formiont bacteria 
  and what the Formians truly are.
  Involving the Characters
  The crew of the Magnanimous Intervention provides a large 
  but limited number of characters with whom the PCs may 
  interact. Use them when determining the “interpersonal 
  problems” which combine with the “external problem” of Beta 
  Formiae to drive the adventure (Mindjammer page 420).
  
  6
  Where it
  All Happens
  Where it All Happens
  BETA FORMIAE
  High Concept: Cool, Dry World
  Aspects: G-class Main Sequence Star
  PLANETARY TYPE:  
  INFERIOR GARDEN WORLD
  Planetary Age: Mature (+0)
  Orbit: Habitable Zone (+0): 0.5AU
  Year Length: 155d
  Size: Large Standard (+1): 19500km
  Density: Low Standard (-1): 0.7
  Surface Gravity: Standard (+0): 1.14G
  Day Length: Standard (+3): 29h
  Atmospheric Pressure: Standard (+0); Oxygen 
  (breathable)
  Surface Temperature: Standard (+0): 12 °C
  Surface Liquid: Average (+0):  
  47% water
  Seasonality: Low (-2)
  Satellites: Planetoid
  Planetary Bodies: 8 (3 gas giants,  
  2 asteroid belts)
  Habitability: Benign (+4)
  Inferior Garden World
  The City People takes place in the Beta Formiae star system, 
  an unexplored system far beyond the Commonality Frontier, 
  in a location appropriate for your game. It was first visited by 
  event horizon probe only a couple of months ago. This sec-
  tion focusses on the second planet in the system.
  BETA FORMIAE 2
  Three thousand years ago Beta Formiae 2 was a colony of 
  the Old Commonality slowship Astral-440. It was overcome 
  by a virulent biohazard, a form of sentient bacteria called 
  formionts	which are the dominant life form on the planet. 
  Formionts are gut bacteria, colonising and controlling larger-
  scale life forms; the human-derived Formians	expanded to 
  fill almost every ecosystem niche, out-competing the simple 
  native fauna. 
  This event damaged the Beta Formiae ecosystem. The 
  human colony fell 2000 years ago, and since then the planet’s 
  biosphere has suffered extensive environmental damage. It’s 
  unclear how much longer it will remain viable.
  The Environment
  Beta Formiae 2 has one sun, slightly cooler than Sol, a pale 
  blue sky, and yellowish-green flora. It’s a cool, dry, rather 
  barren world. Pools of protoplasmic “goop” lie everywhere.
  Plant-analogues comprise tree and shrub equivalents, 
  with heavy leaf canopies and undergrowth, creating a humid 
  and fertile ecosystem. Since the colony’s fall, human-derived 
  Formians have been destroying vegetation, leaving the 
  “Our initial scans were uneventful. We’ve done the same thing a thousand times, but we 
  were excited to have finally found a garden world. There’s life there, analogous, a warm sun 
  and a pale blue sky. Then we saw the hominids, and I knew we had a problem…” 
  — Event horizon probe Path of Luminosity RM9712-alpha, 
  in its emergency report to the Commonality.
  
  7
  Where it all Happens
  The Noble Pioneer Transport 
  Astral-440
  The Beta Formiae colony ship was an expedition of the 
  later Great Diaspora, when interest was waning and 
  the Core Worlds becoming mired in Byzantine introver-
  sion. The vessel is hidden in the system, holding a 
  secret vital to the PCs’ futures—and perhaps even the 
  Commonality. See page 66.
  ground infertile, and the planet has become drier and more 
  barren. The climate is currently unstable.
  Climate zones and terrain types, while diverse, are static, 
  including ice caps, deserts, barrens, badlands, swamps, moun-
  tains, papertree forests, and ragrass plains. Formiont bacteria 
  are found in all native fauna (see below) and human-derived 
  Formians (page 15), and even loose in the environment in 
  microscopic colonies and the mother	mass	pools of proto-
  plasmic “goop” (page 17). All are lethal threats to unprotected 
  explorers.
  The Native Ecosystem
  T-Analogue Biosphere With Extensive T-Congruent Colonisation.
  Beta Formiae has two ecosystems: a native one, damaged 
  since colonisation; and a hybrid one consisting of human-
  derived life forms colonised by formiont bacteria. This section 
  discusses the native ecosystem.
  Biodiversity:	Low (-2).
  Paradigm:	T-Analogue.
  Metabolic	Bases:	Photosynthesis; cellulose and flesh and 
  blood analogues. 
  Body	Plans: Primary Sessile: Large (+1) Bilateral 4-frond 
  Endoframe With Segmented Body and Fronds; Primary 
  Motile: Medium (+0) Spherical Limbless Frameless “Flesh Bag”; 
  Secondary Motile: Small (-1) Bilateral 2-limbed No Frame 
  “Ragbat”.
  Environmental	Characteristics:	Short Year Length and 
  Low Seasonality; Cool and Dry.
  Key	Parochials:	Bacterial Symbiosis (primitive brain and 
  nervous system and “shadow” nervous system); Membranous 
  Absorption Feeding.
  
  8
  The City People
  RAGRASS
  This low, shrub-like grass analogue once covered 
  the planet. Its ecological niche has been damaged 
  as it has been stripped by voracious, human-derived 
  Formians.
  Table 1: Timeline of Beta Formiae History
  Date
  Years	Ago	(Commonality)
  Event
  5700FA
  5000 years ago
  The colony ship Astral-440 leaves Old Earth. It takes 1750 years to 
  reach its destination.
  7450FA
  3250 years ago
  The Astral-440 arrives in the Beta Formiae system. It sends a signal to 
  Old Earth.
  8450FA
  2250 years ago
  Prime Colony falls, having survived for 1000 years.
  8450-10700FA
  To the present day
  The Beta Formiae colony has been “wild” for 2250 years.
  FLESHBAGS
  There are many species of the ecosystem’s primary motile, 
  from tiny larval insect- and worm-analogues to grazers 
  larger than cattle. Although related to Formian mother 
  masses, fleshbags are endangered and increasingly rare. 
  They ripple along the ground, grazing on papertrees and 
  ragrass; some scavenge on the dead.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3  4      Mental Stress: 1  2  
  Consequences: 1 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Denuded Woodland Grazer, Low Level 
  Sentience Unable to Compete, Solitary Absorber, 
  Spits Acid Mucous If Threatened, Slow but Versatile 
  Generalist
  Skills: Good (+3) Physique, Ranged Combat; Fair (+2) 
  Stealth, Unarmed Combat; Average (+1) Athletics, Notice
  STUNTS
   Danger Sense: Notice is unaﬀected by environmental 
  conditions when something means you harm.
   Take the Blow: Use Physique to defend against bashes 
  with Unarmed or Melee Combat.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Engulf: Create an Engulfed Unarmed Combat advan-
  tage, then target is automatically attacked  for at least 2 
  stress each exchange.
  ê Malleable Body: Reconfigure your body up to 50% in 
  1 exchange, plus 1 exchange per enhancement hidden or 
  revealed.
  ê Mucous Spittle: Weapon:2 damage bonus
  Supporting Life Form
  The following life forms are typical of the Beta Formiae 
  ecosystem. Sessile life forms (plant analogues) are diverse 
  and highly evolved, free of formiont colonisation and inhab-
  iting both land and sea. Formiont-controlled motile species 
  have suffered ecological damage and loss of diversity. Note 
  that characters cannot	be affected by formiont bacteria in 
  native fauna (page 12).
  
  9
  Where it all Happens
  RAGBATS
  Ragbat species include grazers and carnivores evolving 
  in the papertree fronds out of reach of fleshbags. They 
  compete relatively well with human-derived Formians, 
  and thousands roost in the papertree canopies and in 
  caves and cliﬀ sides. There’s even an aquatic variety. Larger 
  ragbats can cause physical injury, but even the smaller 
  ones can be a terrifying nuisance in large numbers.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  
  Mental Stress: 1  2  
  Consequences: 1 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Small (-1)
  Aspects: Flappy Woodland Gatherer, Poor Natural 
  Defences, Flock Absorber, Raises Alarm If Threatened, 
  Tied to the Papertrees.
  Skills: Fair (+2) Athletics, Notice; Average (+1) Investigate, 
  Provoke, Unarmed Combat.
  STUNTS
   Danger Sense: Notice is unaﬀected by environmental 
  conditions when something means you harm.
   Keen Hearing: +2 Notice bonus to detect sounds.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Expert Climber:	+2 bonus to overcome and create 
  advantage actions when climbing.
  ê Glide Membrane: Use Athletics to make aerial 
  movement actions between higher and lower points; 
  minimum horizontal distance is vertical distance 
  descended.
  ê Hyper-Reflexes: +2 bonus to quick reactions, 
  initiative, dodging.
  Supporting Life Form
  PAPERTREES
  A typical point-producing sessile life form (plant 
  analogue), papertrees comprise a tall palm-like trunk 
  with four fern-like “fronds” with a peeled, shredded 
  appearance. “Bark” trails oﬀ in large “leaves” like sheets of 
  paper, grazed by Formians and other formiont life forms.
  A FLOCK OF RAGGED FLAPPERS 
  The PCs disturb a large flock of ragbats, roosting in caves 
  or cliﬀ sides, or in the papertree canopy. Suddenly the air 
  is filled with the deafening flapping of fleshy wings!
  Stress:          
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Ragged Flappers
  Skills: Average (+1) Provoke (+9 teamwork bonus)
  Group of 10 Average  
  (+1) Minor NPCs
  THE REST OF THE SYSTEM
  Beta Formiae 2 is one of eight planetary bodies in the Beta 
  Formiae system, including two asteroid belts and three gas 
  giants. It’s likely these bodies were visited by the Astral-440 
  colony, and the PCs may wish to investigate them—see the 
  system schematic on the next page.
  At least one other planet (or one of its moons) is the 
  location of a colony pod and up to three shuttles (page 68); 
  ponics, power plants, habs, and so on indicate colonists tried 
  to establish a presence there (probably fleeing Beta Formiae 
  2—see page 62). The GM (or players) can determine the 
  location of these desperate remnants, and whether they show 
  signs of formiont contagion (page 12), then or now.
  
  10
  The City People
  
  11
  The
  Formionts
  The Formionts
  The PCs will discover there was once civilisation on Beta 
  Formiae 2. What isn’t quite so clear is whether there 
  still is—and, if so, what its nature is. The data points 
  below (and on the planet page on the inside front cover) 
  describe parameters of the current (albeit notional) 
  regressed civilisation. Theoretical parameters for the lost 
  civilisation which the PCs’ archaeological investigations 
  may reconstruct are given in parentheses. Later (page 
  49), the PCs may conclude they’re dealing not with a 
  regressed lost colony but rather an alien exoculture.
  CIVILISATION TYPE: Regressed [United World]
  Civilisation Designation: Lost Colony (-5) [Unknown]
  Population: Low Standard (-1): Millions [Unknown]
  Government Type: Anarchy -5 [Unknown]
  Societal Dev: Small-scale Communities (-4) [Unknown]
  Openness: Closed (-5) [Unknown]
  Contol Index: No Control (-5) [Unknown]
  Trade Index: No trade -5 [Unknown]
  Embargo: n/a
  Tech Index: Post-animal (-5) [T7—First Age of Space 
  (+2)]
  Starport: X (-5) [U (-4)]
  Mindscape: None (-4) [Global (-2) or better]
  Culture: Lost Colony Culture in Stage 0: Interdiction 
  and Manipulation [Unknown]
  A Lost Civilisation?
  The formionts are a mystery, and key to the terrible fate 
  which befell the Beta Formiae colony. This section provides 
  you with detail to play them and gradually reveal their nature 
  to your players.
  Formionts are sentient stomach bacteria parasitising non-
  sessile life forms on Beta Formiae 2. Formians—descendants 
  of the original human colonists—are their hosts, each a bacte-
  rial community in its own right.
  Before the arrival of humans, formionts were primitive, 
  limited by their world’s simple fauna. The sudden presence 
  “They look human—or at least humanoid—but there’s nothing human about them. They 
  don’t laugh, they don’t cry, they don’t even seem to feel hunger or pain. They just move and 
  eat and kill. And when the giant lactating one screams, it sounds like an infant fighting for 
  its life…” 
  — Xenobiologist Totmis Var1781, crew of the Magnanimous Intervention
  of advanced sentient hosts gave them a huge evolutionary 
  boost. 
  Formionts modify their hosts. Some become huge, 
  round, immobile, producing liquid foods; others are modi-
  fied for burrowing, manipulating, fighting. Formionts even 
  modify individuals via metamorphosis, a kind of nanoscale 
  shapechanging, permitting them to extrude new limbs and 
  change physical form. The apparently divergent human 
  Formians the PCs encounter aren’t human at all, but rather 
  “vehicles” for formiont bacteria. 
  
  12
  The City People
  Naming the Formionts
  You may have your own nomenclature for Beta Formi-
  ae’s life forms. Here’s how we refer to them, and why.
  The obvious name for the apparently human in-
  habitants of Beta Formiae is Beta Formians, or simply 
  Formians. When the PCs discover the formiont bacte-
  ria, they may described them as symbiotic bacteria or 
  symbionts. A contraction of “Beta Formiae symbiont 
  bacteria” is formionts.
  When the PCs decipher the formiont “language”, 
  they may discover the formionts call their Formian 
  hosts “the City People”—perhaps because the formi-
  onts regard each of them as a place they inhabit.
  Unaffected life forms (including the PCs) are in great 
  danger: formionts can rapidly infect and overcome a new 
  host. This Shapechanger	Plague would be an existential 
  threat to the Commonality if it ever made it off-world.
  METABOLISM
  The formiont metabolism reduces matter to undifferenti-
  ated goop—the “mother masses” (page 17) which dot the 
  landscape. The base of the Formian food hierarchy, they can 
  metabolise any organic matter. Next, “milk truck” Formians 
  lactate to feed all Formians when required. Formians eat 
  anything, including other Formians, although they prefer 
  organic matter left to decompose in their purity	compounds 
  (page 14).
  MODUS OPERANDI
  The Beta Formiae DNA-analogue replicator—BFR (“Beta For-
  mian Replicator”) for short—incorporates chromosomal BFR 
  and self-modifying “pseudo-plasmid” nanofactories, effec-
  tively making the formionts into expert genurgists. 
  Most formionts dwell in a host’s gut, from where they act 
  as a form of neural network—a big, soggy “brain”. They tap 
  into the host’s nervous system, producing neurotransmitters 
  controlling its behaviour. They also invade host cells, mimick-
  ing mitochondria, spreading throughout the host in days and 
  weeks and transforming it on a cellular level.
  During this period the host shows signs of bacterial 
  infection: nausea, nervous ticks, behavioural changes, and 
  finally a drastic loss of intelligence and apparent brain 
  death. By this stage, the host has acquired a secondary 
  “shadow” nervous system comprising a network of formiont 
  bacteria concentrated in the gut but present in every host 
  cell. The host brain and nervous system are relegated to 
  autonomic functions.
  Formionts are unconcerned if their host feels pain. A 
  Formian registers pain stimuli, reflexively flinching, but to an 
  observer otherwise appears stoic, even uncaring of wounds.
  ANALYSIS
  PCs analysing Formians or native fauna (perhaps by life	form	
  analysis—page 48) observe they have simple—even atro-
  phied—brains, too simple to account for their sophisticated 
  behaviour. This is a clue that the apparent brain isn’t a brain at 
  all, but a secondary nerve cluster: the real business of thinking 
  is done by the bacterial formiont mass in the host’s gut.
  Cellular analysis of the Formians reveals unidentified alien 
  mitochondria, and that their gut flora have been replaced by 
  alien analogues able to metabolise native life forms. Ses-
  sile life forms on Beta Formiae—the plants—don’t have this 
  vector for formiont bacteria, and their cells lack the pseudo-
  mitochondria.
  THE SHAPECHANGER PLAGUE
  The problem, of course, is that humans can be infected by 
  formiont bacteria. This is a deadly threat—and it’s unclear 
  how the situation came about. One theory is that the original 
  colonists engineered themselves to metabolise the native 
  flora and fauna (a common procedure throughout Common-
  ality history), and unwittingly made themselves susceptible 
  to colonisation. Less obviously, it’s also possible that the 
  formiont bacteria engineered	themselves to be compatible 
  with human cells.
  Formiont bacteria are everywhere in the Beta Formiae 
  environment. Any cut, graze, or ingested liquid may result in 
  infection.
  From the formiont point of view, this isn’t an infection at 
  all—it’s simply how they live and thrive. To them, colonisation 
  is like a war between clans, tribes, or small-scale communities. 
  Most native life has developed a resistance, and their own 
  formiont microbiomes can fight off most direct colonisation 
  attempts (see below). 
  Offworld visitors (like the PCs) have no such resistance. 
  Although they’re not susceptible to purely native bacteria 
  inhabiting fleshbags and ragbats, they are highly susceptible 
  to formionts inhabiting human-derived Formians and the 
  environment around their leagues (page 13). 
  Related Formians—members of a league—exchange 
  formiont bacteria regularly, ensuring commonality. This 
  exchange is usually a meaty “kiss”. Formionts inhabiting 
  Formians separated for long periods without exchange may 
  evolve in divergent directions, and no longer recognise one 
  another as belonging to the same league. These unrelated 
  
  13
  The Formionts
  formionts exchange bacteria by force, often by a “stinger” 
  extruded from a Formian’s mouth or elsewhere on their 
  bodies. PCs may also be subject to this. In combat, any	physi-
  cal	consequence	usually	results	in	exposure to invading 
  formiont bacteria.
  Exposure is a biohazard (Mindjammer page 177). An 
  exposed character must make a Physique roll against the 
  attack Intensity, typically Fair (+2), or Great (+4) if the expo-
  sure was caused by a successful attack with style. The roll is 
  made a few hours after exposure. On a success, the character 
  avoids infection; on a failure, he becomes Infected By the 
  Formiont Bacteria of the attacking league, a situation aspect 
  exposing those contacting the victim to the same biohazard.
  Antibiotics may be administered to infected victims. Even 
  standard antibiotics have an effect, but a tailored treatment is 
  required to be truly effective. See Episode	Two	Scene	Three:	
  Vaccine (page 56) for more (note that this replaces action 3 of 
  the Biohazard writeup on Mindjammer page 177).
  Formiont infection is a conflict	hazard (Mindjammer 
  page 177). An infected character must make a Superb (+5) 
  Physique roll every day, or take physical stress damage equal 
  to the shifts of failure. If the character is forced to take a con-
  sequence, describe it as a physical mutation under formiont 
  control: limbs twisting and behaving independently, random 
  utterances, lapses of mental control. A character who is taken 
  out becomes a Formian.
  Mechanicals are immune to this Shapechanger	Plague, 
  but if exposed must be scrupulously decontaminated (an 
  observance	roll—page 42) to avoid a Formiont Bacteria Car-
  rier situation aspect.
  Knowledge Acquisition
  A formiont colony which takes over a human can begin to 
  access that human’s knowledge and memories, even though 
  the human consciousness has been destroyed. This isn’t 
  immediate—a Formian can’t suddenly know how to fire a 
  gun or fly a starship—but over time a Formian can explore its 
  host’s knowledge to understand it on its own terms. In game 
  terms, formionts may acquire their host’s skills and stunts 
  using advancements.
  A formiont colony taking over a PC or NPC will eventually 
  discover the existence of the Commonality. It will want to 
  “get out there” to continue its spread. This threat is mitigated 
  by the inventor	paradox (see page 14), but is still alarm-
  ing—especially if the Walker formionts (page 62) acquire the 
  information.
  Treating the Shapechanger Plague
  The PCs may try to counter the Shapechanger Plague. See 
  Episode	Two	Scene	Three:	Vaccine below (page 56).
  REPRODUCTION
  Formionts reproduce by fission. Over several hours, a host 
  body literally splits into two. Accompanied by steam and heat, 
  the resulting identical twin bodies are thin, emaciated, cold 
  and thirsty—although they quickly feed and recover. Watching 
  this is disturbing, especially when a human-derived Formian is 
  concerned; observers must defend against a Good (+3) Provoke 
  attack causing Distracted and Disgusted-type consequences. 
  “SOCIETY” AND LEAGUES
  Formians—formiont colonies—are related to one another 
  by common descent from the same original human. They’re 
  basically clones, cooperating in loose associations called 
  leagues. Leagues which don’t share common descent are 
  mutually hostile.
  There’s an uneasy truce within a Formian league, coupled 
  with constant fighting between them. Formionts in one 
  Formian host continue to evolve in isolation from others, 
  even with the mixing promoted by Formian “kissing”. Leagues 
  are held together by genurgic proximity but, as they grow 
  
  14
  The City People
  in size, divergence pushes them apart. As a result, leagues 
  are obsessive about maintaining genurgic “purity”. Formian 
  leagues are small, with some 15-30 members; larger leagues 
  tend to collapse due to genurgic divergence, and try to wipe 
  one another out.
  Formian “society” is therefore driven by alien dynamics. 
  Some are visible on casual inspection (Investigate, Notice, 
  or Science rolls). First, there are no Formian children or 
  old people: it’s death or fission after a certain age. Second, 
  knowledge is passed on by fission descent, or by formiont 
  colonisation; descendants develop the same skills as their 
  originators, and leagues tend to “specialise”.
  Formian league territories concentrate around a “nest” 
  called a purity	compound, inhabited by league members 
  and policed for divergence. A purity compound looks like 
  one or more mounds of earth, sometimes surrounded by a 
  rough earthen dyke. To observers expecting human behav-
  iour, it resembles a hill fort, although its nature is closer to a 
  termite mound.
  The oldest tumuli in a purity compound may be built 
  around ancient structures erected by the original human 
  colonists: prefabricated shelters, storehouses, even shuttle-
  craft. Their shapes have been blurred by time, but Superb (+5) 
  Investigate, Notice, Intrusion, Science, or Sensor rolls (with 
  appropriate equipment) may identify them. Tumuli have been 
  added to in an organic, chaotic manner, with rounded silhou-
  ettes and no discernible aesthetic. They stink.
  Formians patrol purity compounds, attacking and colonis-
  ing anything smelling “wrong”. Compounds have several 
  areas: rudimentary “hospitals” where damaged Formians are 
  brutally “repaired”; storehouses for uneaten food (including 
  lumps of other Formians mixed in with lactation products and 
  vegetable matter); and hut-like nests with fires when it’s cold. 
  They’re primitive, barbaric places, bereft of little touches that 
  might make them feel human.
  MOTIVATION
  Formian leagues vie for dominance, aiming to propagate 
  their line. Members cooperate in unstinting genocidal 
  attacks to wipe out competition. Leagues field “war parties” 
  of differing models which clash in challenge	zones—the 
  waste areas between leagues—patrolled by both sides. 
  Offworlders smell “uninhabited”, and are attacked if they 
  present a threat; otherwise the formionts try to colonise 
  them (see “Formian Kissing” below).
  For example: the “Loki League” is a typical Formian league 
  comprising 30 human-derived Formians (and numerous lesser 
  life forms) of various models (page 15). Each Loki Formian is a 
  formiont colony, referring to itself as “we”. Each is an identical 
  clone, with sexual characteristics expressing themselves vestigi-
  ally. They diverge in appearance according to model.
  In Loki territory, all fauna are controlled by Loki formionts, 
  from mother mass jellies and packrats up to milk trucks and 
  monitors. All consider themselves related. Like all Formians, Lokis 
  shapechange for specific functions; some are as big as a house, 
  producing milk and meat; others are war-specialists with sword-
  like appendages; others are “brains”; and so on. See “Formian 
  Models” below.
  The Inventor Paradox
  In the Formians, the formionts are victims of their own suc-
  cess. The more rapidly and effectively they spread, the more 
  likely they are to diverge from their original form and branch 
  off into a new league. The challenge for formionts is always 
  the same; to remain a coherent league long enough (with-
  out fragmenting) to invent technology. So far this inventor	
  paradox has proved a brake on the Formian development; 
  formiont history is a constant, rapid cycle of rise and fall, 
  invention and loss. Recently, however, the emergence of a 
  special type of Formian league possibly capable of circum-
  venting the inventor paradox is on the verge of causing a 
  new spurt in Formian evolution. See Episode	Three:	The	
  Old	One	in	the	Mountain for more.
  COMMUNICATION
  Language is relatively new to the formionts, acquired from 
  colonists who spoke the Uniworld language of the Old Com-
  monality of the 6th millennium FA (5000 years ago). Formian 
  utterances are superficially similar to that language—their 
  tongue has changed remarkably little, considering the time 
  which has passed. It’s familiar to Commonality Mindscape 
  databases, but in reality it serves entirely different purposes: 
  formionts simply don’t talk about things humans do.
  Formian speech is loud, raucous, and screeching, like the 
  formionts don’t know how to use the Formians’ vocal chords 
  properly (they don’t...). It’s unpleasant and disturbing to 
  human ears—something totally alien produced by a human 
  mouth.
  Examples of Formian Language
  Even if the PCs collect enough samples to attempt translation, 
  they’ll find Formian speech hard to understand. Translation is 
  a Great (+4) Science contest, requiring at least PMI Mindscape 
  connectivity or similar augmented linguistic processing facili-
  ties, and one day of close surveillance of a Formian league for 
  each roll. Attempting the same without technological support 
  is Epic (+7), with one roll every six months. 
  A successful roll provides an approximate literal transla-
  tion; success in the contest allows all subsequent utterances 
  to be translated, although this may not automatically lead to 
  understanding…
  
  15
  The Formionts
  A Problem of Scale
  Formiont bacteria have a Micro (-2) exoscale and a 
  Low Human (-2) evolution index (page 16), meaning 
  it’s difficult for them to even perceive intelligences 
  on a human scale, and vice versa—and, even if they 
  could, a diﬀerence in intelligence would make com-
  munication troublesome. Whenever interpersonal 
  skill rolls are called for between PCs and formiont 
  bacteria (not the Formians per se, but their micro-
  scopic controllers), apply a -3 penalty to account 
  for this fundamental mismatch, or -2 in the case of 
  Walker formionts (page 63).
  Table 2: Typical Formian League 
  Structure
  Formian	Model
  Number	in	League
  Mother Mass
  1
  Milk Truck
  2-6
  Monitor
  1-2
  Warrior
  3-5
  Dozer
  2-3
  Tank
  1-3
  Packrat
  5-10
  Total
  15-30
  Here are some examples of Formian speech. The literal 
  translation is given first, followed by what the formionts 
  might mean. Let players puzzle out these meanings them-
  selves, providing hints with rolls and invokes.
  •	
  “Fission complete. Confirm convergent replication.” The 
  Formian has reproduced; it’ll now “sniff” its progeny to 
  ensure it hasn’t become too divergent.
  •	
  “Lactation... Lactation...” A milk truck is producing food, 
  and Formians from its league are being called to feed.
  •	
  “Ambient moisture increasing.” The formiont colony has 
  detected its host Formian is being rained on—or has 
  fallen in the water!
  •	
  “Purity compound breach. Secure resources and deploy control 
  team.” A non-league Formian (or possibly a PC or NPC) has 
  entered a purity compound, and Formians are mobilising!
  •	
  “Multi-model threat. Alarm! Alarm!” A Formian is issuing a 
  general call to arms!
  •	
  “Structural integrity compromised. Require evacuation 
  vehicle.” A Formian has been critically wounded, and the 
  formiont colony wants a new host.
  •	
  “Communication fails—divergent basis.” The Formian has 
  detected a divergent Formian, possibly from another 
  league. This probably also happens when the Formians 
  encounter the PCs.
  •	
  “Models are analogous yet appear unmanned and autono-
  mous. Confirm.” The Formian reaction to trying to “interact” 
  with the PCs. This is the “giveaway” that the Formians 
  aren’t what they appear.
  •	
  “City people not identified! Models are autonomous or aban-
  doned!” The Formians can’t identify the PCs as belonging 
  to any Formian league—even a hostile one. Most telling 
  perhaps is the formionts word for themselves—the City 
  People (page 12).
  •	
  “Autonomous models originate beyond challenge zone. 
  Possible territory expansion.” Be afraid—the formionts have 
  identified the PCs as promising colonisation material!
  •	
  “Unable to identify unbreathing model. Non-divergent. No 
  communication.” When faced with a mechanical or similar 
  non-organic synthetic character, the formionts have 
  trouble even determining it’s alive—no matter how hard it 
  tries to communicate.
  •	
  “Clarify: where does unmanned model communication 
  attempt originate? Is this divergent? There is no olfactory 
  marker. Open niche?” The formionts have trouble under-
  standing that the PCs may be intelligent in their own right, 
  and not simply mindless vessels for sentient bacteria. The 
  PCs may have the opposite problem.
  •	
  “Transmission protocols do not conform. Communicate 
  and identify!” Even though the PCs are attempting to talk, 
  they’re making no sense to the formionts—so a kiss or 
  stinger exchange is needed!
  FORMIAN MODELS
  Formians take many physical forms, phenotypes of the origi-
  nal colonised humans, tailored to a specific purpose. We’ve 
  grouped these into broad models—warrior, monitor, tank, 
  and so on—and provide stats and descriptions below. These 
  definitions are for convenience only: there’s a lot of variability 
  and overlap. If a league runs out of a model, others can be 
  repurposed to fill the gaps, given a few days.
  Formians wear no clothing, unless draping themselves in 
  crudely-made items for “protection”, and are generally unkempt. 
  Some appear “tidier” than others—as if some formiont colonies 
  realise it pays to keep their “vehicles” in good condition!
  
  16
  The City People
  Formian Attacks
  Formian attacks are in fact formiont attempts to communicate, 
  ensure genurgic convergence, or conduct “boarding actions” 
  of the hosts of enemy formiont leagues (or even unoccu-
  pied hosts like the PCs). Attacks succeeding with a moderate 
  consequence or better usually expose the target to the Shape-
  changer Plague (page 12). Attacks usually take three forms:
  •	
  Formian	Kiss:	Formians exchange formiont bacteria via 
  a routine “docking manoeuvre” which looks like a meaty 
  “kiss”, exchanging copious bodily fluids. 
  •	
  Projectile:	If a target refuses a kiss, the Formian escalates, 
  spitting or vomiting bacteria up to 1 zone range. While 
  this doesn’t cause injury, figure physical stress to see if a 
  moderate consequence or better results in Shapechanger 
  Plague exposure (page 12). 
  •	
  Stinger:	The Formian extrudes a sharp, gristly “barb” with 
  a weapon:1 rating and which can cause Shapechanger 
  Plague exposure (page 12). All Formians may do this; 
  infected life forms develop a stinger over a few days as 
  part of the Shapechanger Plague.
  Formiont Exointelligence Build
  The following exointelligence build applies to all Formian 
  models except the Walker Formians (page 63). Exointelligence 
  concept, behaviour, and manifestation aspects are available 
  to every Formian, in addition to aspects provided for each 
  model below.
  Exointelligence	Scale:	Micro (-2).
  Evolution	Index:	Low Human (-2).
  Exointelligence	Concept:	Microorganism Exointelligence 
  League Destroying for Dominance.
  Behaviours:	League Social Structure, Attempts to Infect 
  If Encounters Non-League Life Forms, Shapechanges to Fit 
  Specialised Niche.
  Exointelligence	Skills: Empathy -4, Investigate -4, 
  Knowledge -4, Notice -4, Science -4, Will +0.
  Manifestation:	Parasitises Host Senses; Communal 
  Communication via Chemical Exchange in Shared Host Envi-
  ronment, Intra-League Communication via Bacterial Exchange 
  (Formiont Kiss), Extra-League Communication via Bacterial 
  Intrusion (Formiont Stinger); Communal Hive Inhabiting Host 
  
  17
  The Formionts
  New Extra: Formian Shapechanging
  Costs 1 aspect
  Any Formian can change shape into another model to 
  replace league losses. Each change takes a few days, 
  and conforms to the first law of thermodynamics: 
  Formians shrinking in size lose lots of heat and mass 
  (usually via water loss, but sometimes in other, less 
  pleasant, ways); those increasing in size eat voracious-
  ly—even things humans can’t usually metabolise—
  and extract heat from their surroundings.
  MOTHER MASS
  This isn’t so much a Formian model as a pool of 
  undiﬀerentiated protoplasmic goop which all formionts 
  can dissolve matter into and re-use as a kind of “raw 
  material”. The mother mass sends out motile “jellies” 
  which can infect other life forms on touch, and which 
  in time may become packrats (page 18). They sit in the 
  open air in the centre of a purity compound. Note that the 
  Large (+1) scale of a mother mass means it’s subject to 
  scale eﬀects (Mindjammer page 174).
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3  4      Mental Stress: n/a
  Consequences: 2 mild + 1 moderate + 1 severe
  Scale: Large (+1)
  Aspects: Large Pool of Protoplasmic Goop, Vulnerable 
  to Heat and Cold.
  Skills: Fantastic (+6) Physique; Superb (+5) Ranged 
  Combat; Great (+4) Unarmed Combat; Good (+3) 
  Unarmed Combat; Fair (+2) Unarmed Combat;  
  Average (+1) Unarmed Combat.
  STUNTS
   Take the Blow: Use Physique to defend against bashes 
  with Unarmed or Melee Combat.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Dispersed Body: As aspect; invoke to be hard to 
  harm, compel to be disrupted or unfocussed.
  ê Extend Limb: Unarmed attacks are range 1.*
  ê Motile (Jelly) Eruption: For a fate point, eject a group 
  of 3 Average (+1) minor NPCs with Shapechanger Plague.
  ê Multi-attack: Roll Unarmed Combat once at +7 (+4 
  +3), dividing total between up to 4 targets.*
  ê Pseudopod Attack: Weapon:2 damage bonus + 
  possible Shapechanger Plague exposure (page 12).*
  * subject to scale eﬀects (Mindjammer page 174).
  Supporting Life Form
  DOZER
  Heavy-lifting Formians with great spatulate “hands” 
  with horny claws, ideal for digging and earth-shifting. 
  As well as creating purity compounds, they dig traps and 
  protective earthworks.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3  4      Mental Stress: 1  2  3
  Consequences: 1 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Hulking Parody of a Human Trapper,  
  Single-minded.
  Skills: Great (+4) Physique; Good (+3) Unarmed Combat; 
  Fair (+2) Provoke; Average (+1) Will.
  STUNTS
   Grappler: +2 create an advantage Physique bonus 
  when wrestling or grappling.
   Heavy Hitter: Reduce shifts by 1 on a Melee Combat 
  success with style for an additional full situation aspect 
  with free invoke.
   Tough As Nails: 1/session, pay a fate point to reduce 
  moderate physical consequence to mild, or erase a mild.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Formian Shapechanging: Reconfigure into diﬀerent 
  Formian model, shrinking or increasing up to 50% in size. 
  Takes a few days.
  ê Horny Claws: Weapon:2 damage bonus.
  ê Massively Muscled: +2 Physique bonus for strength, 
  and weapon:2 damage bonus on Unarmed and Melee 
  Combat attacks.
  ê Stinger: +2 Unarmed Combat attack bonus, plus 
  possible Shapechanger Plague exposure (page 12).
  Supporting Life Form
  as Member of League; Individuals at Millisecond Scale Aggre-
  gated Into Communal “Historical” Experience at Host Time 
  Scale (1 standard exchange).
  
  18
  The City People
  TANK
  Tanks can make ranged projectile attacks by spitting 
  barbs from their malformed mouths. They also have 
  thick plates of knobbly skin and carapace covering their 
  bodies. They’re as ugly as hell.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3  4      Mental Stress: 1  2
  Consequences: 1 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Behemoth Pouncer, Slow and Ponderous.
  Skills: Great (+4) Ranged Combat; Good (+3) Physique; 
  Fair (+2) Provoke; Average (+1) Notice.
  STUNTS
   Called Shot: Pay 1 fate point and declare a situation 
  aspect to inflict on a target on a successful Ranged 
  Combat attack, as well as damage.
   Hi-Threat Manoeuvre: Use Provoke against 
  constructs.
   Take the Blow: Use Physique to defend against bashes 
  with Unarmed or Melee Combat.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Barb Thrower: +2 Ranged Combat attack bonus, 
  range 2, plus possible Shapechanger Plague exposure.
  ê Carapace: Armour:2 damage reduction.
  ê Formian Shapechanging: Reconfigure into diﬀerent 
  Formian model, shrinking or increasing up to 50% in size. 
  Takes a few days.
  ê Large: +2 Provoke bonus, plus aspect.
  Supporting Life Form
  WARRIOR
  Insanely violent Formians with slashing, blade-like claws, 
  spikes breaking from their skin, and huge mouths with 
  tearing tusks and fangs. They fight against the warriors of 
  other leagues.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3      Mental Stress: 1  2
  Consequences: 1 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Insanely Violent Raider; Remotely Controlled.
  Skills: Good (+3) Athletics, Unarmed Combat; Fair (+2) 
  Physique, Stealth; Average (+1) Notice, Provoke.
  STUNTS
   Dazing Counter: On a defend success with style vs 
  Unarmed or Melee Combat, automatically counter and 
  attach a Dazed situation aspect with a free invoke.
   Killing Stroke: 1/scene, pay 1 fate point to increase a 
  physical consequence you inflict by 1 step.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Bite, Spikes and Claws: +2 Unarmed Combat 
  attack bonus, weapon:2 damage bonus, plus possible 
  Shapechanger Plague exposure.
  ê Formian Shapechanging: Reconfigure into diﬀerent 
  Formian model, shrinking or increasing up to 50% in size. 
  Takes a few days.
  ê Massively Muscled: +2 Physique bonus for strength, 
  and additional weapon:2 damage bonus on Unarmed 
  and Melee Combat attacks.
  ê Natural Armour: Armour:2 damage reduction.
  ê Stinger: +2 Unarmed Combat attack bonus, plus 
  possible Shapechanger Plague exposure.
  Supporting Life Form
  PACKRAT
  Packrats aren’t rats, but a collection of “lower” Formian 
  models: scavengers, cleaners, nuisance creatures, vermin, 
  even the base motiles (“jellies”) from the mother masses 
  (page 17). They still belong within purity compounds, 
  but there are also plenty “in the wild” which serve also 
  as food. Aggressive and dangerous in large numbers, 
  attacks by packrat groups carry the Shapechanger 
  Plague. Those attaining sufficient size may assume the 
  forms of other models.
  Stress:          
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Gibbering Motiles.
  Skills: Average (+1) Unarmed Combat (+9 teamwork 
  bonus, plus Shapechanger Plague).
  Group of 10 Average 
  (+1) Minor NPCs
  
  19
  The Formionts
  MILK TRUCK
  Milk trucks are barely mobile, enormously fat, tower-like 
  creatures with stubby atrophied arms and legs. They are 
  covered with grease and lactating glands providing a 
  ready source of food for smaller Formians. They can eat 
  anything, and are often brought food by other Formians 
  (a kind of primitive Formian “farming”). Usually they’ll 
  park themselves in a fertile woodland area and strip it 
  bare before moving on.
  Although a milk truck stinks to high heaven, they release 
  pheromones which attract and pacify potential prey 
  (divergent or unaﬀected life forms—including the PCs!). 
  A milk truck’s Provoke skill works only against unaﬀected 
  humans; its form is so disturbing and its stench so over-
  powering most people simply want to get out of the way.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3  4      Mental Stress: 1  2
  Consequences: 2 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Denuded Woodlands Eater; Distracted by 
  Food.
  Skills: Superb (+5) Physique ; Great (+4) Provoke ;  
  Good (+3) Unarmed Combat ; Fair (+2) Rapport;  
  Average (+1) Notice.
  STUNTS
   Armour of Fear: Use Provoke to defend vs Melee and 
  Unarmed Combat until damaged.
   Tough As Nails: 1/session, pay a fate point to reduce 
  moderate physical consequence to mild, or erase a mild.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Formian Shapechanging: Reconfigure into diﬀerent 
  Formian model, shrinking or increasing up to 50% in size. 
  Takes a few days.
  ê Horrific: +2 bonus to Provoke attacks and create 
  advantage actions to instil fear.
  ê Howl Attack: Area eﬀect Provoke in your zone, +1 
  zone per fate point.
  ê Large: +2 Provoke bonus, plus aspect.
  ê Natural Armour: Armour:2 damage reduction.
  ê Stinger: +2 Unarmed Combat attack bonus, plus 
  possible Shapechanger Plague exposure.
  ê Swallow: Create a Swallowed Unarmed Combat 
  advantage, then target is automatically attacked each 
  exchange.
  Supporting Life Form
  MONITOR
  Monitors are shrivelled, emaciated humanoids which 
  stalk the purity compounds (page 14) checking for 
  impurity and destroying divergent Formians. They also 
  act as firekeepers and firestarters, and work in purity 
  compound hospitals. They’re the nearest thing to 
  Formian leaders.
  Physical Stress: 1  2      Mental Stress: 1  2  3  4
  Consequences: 1 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Aspects: Leader Caste Controller, Shrivelled Humanoid.
  Skills: Great (+4) Rapport, Will; Good (+3) Investigate, 
  Stealth; Fair (+2) Knowledge, Notice; Average (+1) 
  Empathy, Unarmed Combat.
  STUNTS
   Barbarous Surgeon: Use Knowledge to remove 
  physical consequences.
   Indomitable: +2 Will bonus to defend against Provoke 
  fear and intimidation attacks.
   Overseer: 1/scene, make a Rapport overcome action 
  to generate a pool of shift points you can redistribute.
   Sixth Sense: +2 Notice bonus to perceive threats or 
  find clues, plus as aspect.
   Smell Divergence: +2 Investigate or Notice bonus 
  when attempting to detect divergent Formians.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Formian Shapechanging: Reconfigure into diﬀerent 
  Formian model, shrinking or increasing up to 50% in size. 
  Takes a few days.
  ê Stinger: +2 Unarmed Combat attack bonus, plus 
  possible Shapechanger Plague exposure.
  Supporting Life Form
  
  20
  The Magnanimous 
  Intervention
  The Magnanimous
  Intervention
  BOTANY BAY-CLASS 
  STAGE 2 EXPLORER
  The Magnanimous Intervention is a typical Botany Bay-class, a 
  dedicated deep space explorer with extended endurance for 
  50-100 crew, system survey drones, and docks for Icarus-class 
  scout and / or orbital grav ATVs. It’s equipped with xenosci-
  ence labs and environments and even a small cargo bay, and 
  an “open-air” pressurisable force field assembly space. 
  TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
  Hull	Size:	18378m3 (1313 displacement tonnes) 
  Hull	Class: 3.1D with removable O-type booms (3rd power 
  hull, disk)
  Generation: Second Gen (T9).
  Planing	Engines	(p-4):	7351m3 (525 d-tons)
  Gravity	Engines	(m-1):	184m3 (13 d-tons)
  ZIP	Plant:	3675m3 (263 d-tons)
  Total	Drive	System	Volume:	11210m3 (800 d-tons)
  Crew	Capacity: 50 (100)
  Dedicated	Cargo	Capacity: 534m3 (38 d-tons)
  Small	Craft	Complement: 2 x Hydrodyne grav ATVs; 10 x 
  1-metre survey drones.
  Ship Dimensions
  Booms: 64.5m x 14.5m x 6m (2 decks).
  Companionways:	15m x 16.5m x 3m (1 deck).
  Ship	Hub: 42m x 22.5m x 6m (2 decks).
  “Maggie’s saved my life more than once. You know what they say about mechanicals not 
  understanding organics? Maggie proves that’s not true. I don’t know whether it’s her avatar, 
  or her relationship with 2-pilot K’Soo, or the decades she’s spent patching us all up in sick-
  bay, but our ship’s one of the most sympathetic people I’ve ever known.”
  — Captain Cornelius Chang, Space Force Performance Review, 192NCE
  Gravity
  Engines
  Hub
  Starboard Boom
  Docking / Landing Bays
  Bridge
  Null Cannon Variform Turrets
  Sensor Arrays
  Port Boom
  
  21
  The Magnanimous Intervention
  DECK	ONE
  Icarus Class Scout
  Docking/Landing Bay
  Docking/Landing Bay
  Hangar
  Airlock
  Airlock
  Airlock/Field Access
  Bridge
  Office
  Medical
  Tech 
  Support
  Workshop
  Workshop
  Captain’s 
  Cabin
  Briefing 
  Room
  Corpus 
  Access
  Corpus 
  Access
  Security
  SCI Force
  Bureau
  Bridge Rest 
  Room & 
  Freshers
  1st Officer’s 
  Cabin
  Office
  Office
  Mezzanine Level
  Mezzanine Level
  Conference
  Room
  Main Engineering
  Engineering 
  Control
  Engineering 
  EVA Room
  Bridge Void Space
  Lower
  Cargo Bay
  Aft Bay Airlock
  Grav Lift
  Grav Lift
  Variform Bay Door and Field
  1	square	=	1.5	metres
  External Access Hatch
  Aft Bay Airlock
  Cargo Bay
  Cargo Bay
  Travel Tubes
  Travel Tubes
  Hydroponics
  Lower
  Cargo Bay
  Null Cannons
  Null Cannons
  Recreation
  Hydroponics
  Recreation
  Office
  Lab
  Lab
  Lab
  Lab
  Lab
  Freshers
  Stores
  Recreation
  Airlock
  Upper Engineering
  Recreation
  Recreation
  Lab
  Lab
  Stores
  Briefing 
  Room
  Rest 
  Room
  Field Access & 
  Airlock
  Airlock
  Living Quarters
  Hangar Control
  Hangar Void Space
  Docking Bay
  Void Space
  Gantry
  Office
  Freshers
  Airlock
  Airlock
  Lounge
  Upper Cargo Bay
  Life Support
  Ship’s 
  Brain
  Airlock/Field Access
  Living Quarters
  Living Quarters
  Pilot’s Ready Room
  Pilot’s Ready Room
  Hangar
  FIELD
  MAIN	SECTION	UPPER	DECK
  BOOM	ARM		
  UPPER	DECK
  Recreation
  Office
  Lab
  Lab
  Lab
  Lab
  Lab
  Freshers
  Stores
  Rest Room
  & Freshers
  Recreation
  Recreation
  Lab
  Lab
  Stores
  Briefing 
  Room
  Rest 
  Room
  Field Access & 
  Airlock
  Airlock
  Living Quarters
  Hangar Control
  Hangar Void Space
  Docking Bay
  Void Space
  Gantry
  Office
  Freshers
  Airlock
  Airlock
  Lounge
  Upper Cargo Bay
  
  22
  The City People
  DESCRIPTION OF SHIP AREAS
  The Magnanimous Intervention is a relatively old example of 
  the Botany Bay-class stage 2 explorer, laid down 130 years ago 
  in the second generation of planeship construction immedi-
  ately prior to the Venu War. It has an elegant and comfortable 
  design, but like all two-gen ships is characterised by not 
  being designed for combat. Its main areas are as follows.
  Airlocks, Grav Lifts, and Travel Tubes
  The ship hub and twin booms have two decks, access 
  between which is provided by grav lifts also equipped with 
  wall ladders in case of emergency or power loss.
  There are several forms of access to and from the ship. 
  Docking bays provide conventional access when the ship is 
  in flight; variform airlocks lead out onto the hull or field area; 
  grav lifts or field steps / ramps can be extended to the ground 
  if the ship ever makes planetfall. Finally, manual hatches also 
  provide emergency hull access.
  The following illustration shows typical airlock and grav lift 
  features, including: a variform airlock in closed reflec configura-
  tion; a grav lift with single occupant; and holopanels configured 
  into the chameleon hull surface displaying technical readouts. 
  Bridge
  The bridge of the Botany Bay–class is a relaxing and ergo-
  nomic activity space for extended low stress operation. 
  Variform surfaces and double-deck / mezzanine layout permit 
  an uncrowded and mobile environment. Bridge crew com-
  prise: the command staff (captain, first officer, morale officer); 
  bridge staff (comms officer, science officer, tactical officer); 
  and flight crew (2-pilot / n-pilot and two assistant pilots).
  The following illustration shows the bridge of the Mag-
  nanimous Intervention, including personalised crew stations 
  with grav chairs and mixed holo / virtual vision control surfaces; 
  forward chameleon hull surface configured as a viewscreen 
  showing the forward view; and ubiquitous ambient flora creat-
  ing a pleasant and low stress work environment. 
  Cargo Bays
  The upper, lower, and main cargo bays offer limited (534m3) 
  storage for items which cannot be easily replicated by 
  makepoint. Bays often contain material collected during 
  exploration missions, including artefacts, genurgy and biosa-
  mples, and so on. Usually these relatively small areas are filled 
  with racks and shelves, managed by the five logistics officers 
  also responsible for the makepoint workshops.
  Crew Quarters (Daytime Config) 
  Staterooms for 50 crew members (100 with double occu-
  pancy) are provided, with full variform capability. 
  The illustration shows a typical stateroom configured for 
  single occupancy daytime use, including: visiwall keyed for a 
  stimulating open-space planetside vista; variform shelving and 
  display units for personal effects; and variform stowage cloaked 
  by the visiwall (not shown).
  
  23
  The Magnanimous Intervention
  Crew Quarters (Nighttime Config)
  Usually the ship operates on a single day / night cycle. Under 
  extraordinary conditions, particularly when double occu-
  pancy is required, it may operate two shifts, with half the crew 
  on daytime and half on nighttime cycles.
  The following illustration shows a typical stateroom con-
  figured for single occupancy nighttime use, including: visiwall 
  keyed for open-air peaceful nighttime vistas (some organics 
  prefer enclosed areas for a greater sense of security); and grav 
  bed with physical pillows and coverlets (many organics prefer a 
  visible support to mid-air suspension. Genotypes will vary).
  Docking / Landing Bay
  The ship incorporates twin docking / landing bays, with field 
  energy screens operating as universal docking interfaces with 
  larger vessels. Each bay is large enough for a single Icarus-
  class scout to land; the Magnanimous Intervention instead has 
  two Hydrodyne grav ATVs (Mindjammer page 253). Each bay 
  can also be reconfigured for live sample (“ark”) storage. 
  The following illustration shows the Magnanimous Inter-
  vention’s starboard docking bay with a Hydrodyne grav ATV 
  prepping for departure. Gangways on the inner boom bulkhead 
  provide access to the sensor arrays. Note the holographic roundel 
  located midway on the bay screen door, indicating it is currently 
  closed. Blast doors are not shown.
  Engineering
  Engineering includes lower, secondary, and control sections, 
  as well as access to the planing engine lattices distributed 
  throughout the hull superstructure. The chief engineer and 
  his four assistants are responsible for these sections, includ-
  ing the large ZIP power plant and the relatively modest 
  gravity engines located in the aft hub and booms. Second-
  ary engineering contains the x-core secondary power plant, 
  increasing the vessel’s jump maximum.
  The following illustration shows lower (main) engineering, 
  including the primary ZIP plant and capacitor arrays, and the 
  access space configured for physical control stations.  
  Engineering EVA 
  Upper engineering also incorporates facilities for engineer-
  ing EVA access to the exterior hull surfaces of the ship’s 
  drives, including EVA harnesses, hazard suits, and effector 
  field arrays.
  Field
  Many Commonality vessels utilise field technology to 
  provide pressurised environments on outer ship hulls and 
  even (as with the Botany Bay-class) complete field envi-
  ronments extended beyond the hull. Field surfaces are 
  frequently painted with holographic displays to replicate 
  planetary or interior environments, and are used for 
  crew assembly or activity when virtual environments are 
  deemed insufficient or inappropriate. This may include 
  recreation and assembly when not planing, as well as 
  quarantine, impromptu life form storage, and larger-scale 
  docking / landing operations. 
  The following illustration shows the active field configured 
  for shuttle landing and departure, showing opaque ceiling and 
  floor fields with line guides and semi-opaque bay screen doors. 
  Field projectors (above and below floor and ceiling fields) are 
  not shown.
  
  24
  The City People
  Hangar
  Twin ship hangars sit directly aft of the docking / landing 
  bays, used for small craft storage and maintenance. Normally 
  each contains a Hydrodyne grav ATV and 5 survey drones; 
  if an Icarus-class scout is hangared, the other hangar will 
  contain all 10 survey drones. Like the docking / landing bays, 
  hangars can be repurposed for ark storage.
  Hydroponics
  Ambient flora are distributed throughout the ship; in these 
  sections, plant life is cultivated intensively, principally as a 
  leisure activity, sometimes supplementing makepoint rations 
  and air supply as part of the ship’s extended life support 
  capacity. 
  Labs
  The ship provides laboratories for all major branches of 
  exploratory science, including: planetology; astrophysics; 
  geophysics; biology; archaeology; and genurgy. Each lab has 
  at least one scientist and one assistant. 
  Life Support 
  Life support facilities are more robust than usual because of 
  the ship’s extended life support capability. These sections 
  include stores, backup processing units, and direct makepoint 
  hook-ups. 
  Lounges
  Under normal operations crew have ample free time, and 
  lounges are provided for relaxation, carousing, and social 
  events.
  Medical
  On the Magnanimous Intervention, the ship’s sentience, 
  Maggie, acts as ship’s doctor (often via her avatar). She’s based 
  here, together with two assistants, an autodoc, and other 
  medical facilities.
  Null Cannons
  The ship is armed with twin null cannon (beam lasers) which 
  sit in variform turrets to either side of the hub, providing an 
  omnidirectional field of fire. They’re usually controlled from 
  the bridge, although each turret also has a secondary fire 
  control station and Mindscape overrides.
  Pilot’s Ready Room
  Personal lounges are provided for the 2-pilot and assistants, both 
  for relaxation and therapy sessions with the ship sentience.
  Recreation
  On extended missions recreation for the crew is a vital prior-
  ity. These variform recreation areas also comprise full holo and 
  virtual environment support, and host regular team-based 
  and individual recreation activities.
  
  25
  The Magnanimous Intervention
  The Event Horizon Probe
  Path of Luminosity RM9712 is a standard event 
  horizon probe and a member of the Space Force 
  scout branch. A variform stage 1 explorer, it’s 
  Medium (+0) scale, comprising a Medium (+0) 
  return unit (usually called Luminosity Alpha) and 
  a Small (-1) planetsider unit (called Luminosity 
  Beta). The Alpha unit is part of the Magnanimous 
  Intervention crew; the Beta unit remained behind 
  on Beta Formiae 2 and is currently missing in ac-
  tion (page 50).
  The planetsider, just under a metre across, is 
  equipped with variform manipulators and a sensor 
  array, able to operate as a seed node or zero node 
  (Mindjammer page 351). Combining with the 
  return unit, the two form a Unity Configuration 
  approximately 2 metres in diameter.
  SCI Force Bureau
  As a concession to the importance of the SCI Force compo-
  nent of the Beta Formiae expedition, a SCI Force bureau has 
  been set up adjacent to the bridge mezzanine. It has a quiet, 
  investigative air, and is left alone by Space Force personnel, 
  including the ship sentience. 
  Security Station
  The duty station for the ship’s five-person security team 
  includes a weapons locker, armour and force field storage, 
  and rosters for away team security details. 
  Ship’s Brain
  The core corpus is the genurgic hub where the semi-organic ship’s 
  brain hooks into all ship systems. It’s secure and well-protected, 
  but can be accessed by crewmembers at a pinch. It sits centrally 
  within the hub, between the bridge and main engineering.
  Stores
  Unused space within the ship is usually left for storage of 
  personal effects, supplies, samples, and so on. It can be repur-
  posed as required.
  
  26
  The City People
  The Space Force instrumentality today is in a state 
  of flux. It maintains close contacts with the 
  Ministry of Movement of which it was 
  originally a part, but also has “difficult” 
  relationships with both SCI Force and 
  the Ministry of War and Defence, 
  with which its missions often cause 
  it to come into conflict.
  During the First Com-
  monality and early years of 
  Expansion, Space Force was a 
  civilian exploration and trans-
  portation agency. It became 
  militarised during and after the 
  Venu War.
  THE BUREAUS
  Space Force comprises four “bureaus”, 
  tasked with diﬀerent areas of activity in Com-
  monality Space and particularly its frontier regions. Each 
  is organised into “fleets”—groupings of Space Force 
  vessels. Space Force operations frequently involve mixed 
  fleets of vessels from more than one bureau.
  Exploration (SFX)
  The Exploration Bureau is responsible for expanding the 
  Commonality frontier, exploring new star systems, iden-
  tifying habitable worlds, and rediscovering lost colonies. 
  The event horizon probes (page 25) are members of this 
  bureau, as are the stage 2 explorers.
  Transportation (SFT)
  One of Space Force’s main responsibilities has always 
  been the transport of Commonality citizens between 
  worlds and the movement of vital products like make-
  points and makepoint factories. Although corporacies 
  have taken up much of this activity, particularly on the 
  Fringe, Space Force remains a significant player, with a 
  virtual monopoly in the Core Worlds. 
  Intelligence (SFI)
  Space Force has a huge intelligence bureau, which fre-
  quently conflicts with SCI Force. It gathers intel from con-
  tacted worlds, often upsetting SCI Force plans; where SFI 
  wants the information for its own sake, SCI Force are more 
  concerned about cultural issues and threats, to 
  which the intel’s intrinsic value is secondary. 
  Local SFI heads are often synthetics, 
  with classes and designs exclusive to 
  Space Force.
  Warfare (BOW)
  Officially called the Bureau of 
  Space Warfare, but generally 
  referred to as the Warfare Bu-
  reau or sometimes just BOW 
  (the Bureau of War), this is the 
  new kid on the block within 
  Space Force, created only seven-
  ty years ago during the Venu War 
  and still large, ungainly, and swag-
  gering. Its mandates are: to protect and 
  defend Commonality star systems and the 
  citizens that move between them; to attack and 
  neutralise identified threats; and to conduct research and 
  development eﬀorts to improve its capabilities. The BOW 
  mediators are famed throughout Commonality Space.
  BRANCHES
  Branches group skill sets and the individuals and training 
  structures associated with them. Loosely put, they are “oc-
  cupations”, each of which can belong to multiple bureaus. 
  In theory individuals trained in a specific branch may be 
  transferred easily between bureaus, but in practice most 
  people tend to choose a bureau and stick with it.
  Administrators
  Commonality government loves administrators, and 
  Space Force is no exception. The Administrator branch is 
  responsible for keeping the instrumentality functioning 
  from day to day, and for managing relations with other 
  parts of the Commonality bureaucracy. See Mindjam-
  mer page 52.
  Archaeology
  Scientists responsible for detecting and identifying lost 
  colonies and determining what happened to them. See 
  Mindjammer page 55.
  Continued	on	the	next	page...
  Space Force
  “VIS PER SPATIA”—STRENGTH THROUGHOUT SPACE
  
  27
  The Magnanimous Intervention
  ...continued	from	the	previous	page.
  Engineers
  Space Force is dependent on the functioning of thousands 
  of ships, constructs, space stations, and synthetics—of-
  ten under challenging conditions. Engineers are found 
  on any Space Force vessel of significant size, and Space 
  Force depots throughout Commonality Space have teams 
  maintaining, repairing, and constructing ships. See Mind-
  jammer page 61.
  Marines
  Ship’s troops responsible for boarding actions, away team 
  security, planetside security operations, and so on. See 
  Mindjammer page 59.
  Mediators
  In the “flat” hierarchies of Space Force fleets, mediators 
  are ship sentiences which act as advisors, arbiters, and in-
  formation relay hubs for other ships. They are most often 
  associated with the Warfare Bureau, but in principle can 
  be found anywhere. See Mindjammer page 56.
  Meditechs
  Responsible for medical treatment aboard Space Force 
  vessels, but also for biosecurity on missions. See Mind-
  jammer page 61.
  Pilots
  Space Force trains both 2-pilots and n-pilots; on smaller 
  vessels individuals may assume both roles. As instinct, 
  empathy, and reflexes are as important to pilots as techni-
  cal know-how, Space Force actively recruits new pilots on 
  rediscovered worlds using the Fringe Pilot Programme. 
  See Mindjammer page 65.
  Scouts
  Perhaps with the greatest proportion of mechanical 
  synthetics of any Space Force branch, scouts conduct 
  preliminary surveys and explorations, transport and 
  courier duties, reconnaissance, and regular diplomatic  
  and surveillance visits to outlying systems. Event horizon 
  probes are generally scouts. See Mindjammer page 56.
  SPACE FORCE HUBS AND DEPOTS
  Within Commonality Space, Space Force maintains de-
  pots in most octants for service, repair, and upkeep of ves-
  sels and personnel, usually major facilities complement-
  ing the system’s starport. There is also at least one Space 
  Force hub in every sector (sometimes more), occupying 
  an entire star system. 
  SPACE FORCE ACADEMIES
  There’s usually a Space Force academy in every subsec-
  tor, with local centres on octant capitals running part-
  time courses and outreach activities for the recruitment 
  and training of new and existing Space Force personnel. 
  Every C-class starport or better also has a Space Force 
  liaison officer.
  The Fringe Pilot Programme
  A training and recruitment eﬀort across the Com-
  monality Fringe. Its purpose is to identify natural 
  pilots and oﬀer them a career within Space Force. 
  Liaison officers in starports constantly scout local 
  talent to refer candidates.
  Technical Support
  The tech support station is manned by the chief technical 
  officer and his four assistants, responsible for the continued 
  smooth running of ship systems. 
  Workshops
  The ship’s enhanced makepoint facilities provide not only 
  life support and supplies, but also replacement and spare 
  parts and primary materials to keep the ship operating for 
  extended periods away from depots or starbases. 
  THE CREW
  The crew of the Magnanimous Intervention is a microcosm 
  of Commonality society—multi-genotype, multi-gendered, 
  multi-skilled. About 40% are synthetics. It’s a typical Space 
  Force crew, with a heritage in civilian space exploration 
  overlaid with a relatively recent semi-military discipline. It’s 
  still touchy-feely, although operational procedures have been 
  toughened up by repeated contact with the Venu.
  The table below represents a minimal crew roster for 
  the expedition, including high concept aspects as appro-
  priate. Pregenerated stat blocks are also provided for 
  
  28
  The City People
  Table 3 – Magnanimous Intervention Crew Roster (50 Personnel)
  Department
  Personnel
  Command Staff (3)
  Captain CORNELIUS CHANG: Heroic Space Force Captain (page 30).
  First Officer HAL WEYN: High-G Muscle and a Mind to Match.
  Morale Officer IMBATLOK: Spindly Native of the Javawayn Star Cities (page 34).
  Bridge Staff (4)
  Comms Officer CYNASIA: Silver Forked Tongue.
  Science Officer KORMUS BLYNE: This Isn’t Logic, This Is Science!
  Tactical Officer TARGET: A View to a Kill.
  Flight Crew (3)
  2-Pilot MAYAMEER K’SOO: Feline Xenomorph Natural 2-Pilot (page 32).
  2 assistant pilots
  Event Horizon Probe PATH OF LUMINOSITY RM9712-alpha (“Returner”): Intrigued By the Pos-
  sibilities of Beta Formiae (page 25).
  Event Horizon Probe PATH OF LUMINOSITY RM9712-beta (“Planetsider”): Blind Trust in the 
  Alpha Unit (page 25).
  Engineering (5)
  Chief Engineer MIZMILLAR: Neo-Assyrian Anunnaki Nanoform.
  4 engineering assistants: Integrate Communal Grouping.
  Technical Support (5)
  Chief Technical Officer LONGWO: Nwashan Xenomorph Grease Monkey.
  4 technical assistants
  Logistics (5)
  Chief Logistics Officer STOREJACK: Grav Mech Hoarder.
  4 logistics assistants
  Medical (3)
  Chief Meditech MAGGIE: Exotic Transhuman Intelligence.
  2 assistant meditechs, including Assistant Meditech WYNDHAM FORGETTY: Manhome 
  Autotroph Bred to Please.
  Security (5)
  Chief Security Officer LANDER: Lethal Mech Marine Commander (page 29).
  4 security assistants, including CHECKER (Bullet Magnet) and IRINA RIMBAUD (Ex-CORESEC; 
  Don’t Worry, It’ll Stop Bleeding).
  Research Staff (12)
  Planetologist BEHOLDER i-NINER-NINER: Orbital Sensor Drone.
  Astrophysicist CANALLA DELKA-LATER: Hydragand Wanderlust.
  Geologist VORZINE HARPER-HANDRA: Committed to the Core.
  Xenobiologist TOTMIS VAR1781: Variform synthetic; Fascinated With Biological Life.
  Archaeologist LEEHA SOKOLOV: Dammit But There’s So Much to Look At!
  Genurgist BELEGAKWA: Chembu Corporacy Can Fix It All!
  6 assistants, including Assistant Genurgist KWAY: First Time Away From the Planetary Intelligence.
  SCI Force Evaluation 
  Team (~5)
  SCI Force Controller YUSOL MENARD: Many-Bodied SCI Force Controller With a Single Mind.
  ~4 assistants, including General TITO “HAMMER” KARHOON: The Hammer That Knocks the Nail In.
  selected crew members beginning on page 29. GMs and 
  players are encouraged to customise the roster as desired. 
  PREGENERATED CHARACTERS
  This section provides statistics for several key members of the 
  Magnanimous Intervention crew (including the ship itself), for 
  use as pregenerated player characters or major NPCs.
  
  29
  The Magnanimous Intervention
  LANDER, COMMANDER OF THE 
  SPACE FORCE MARINES
  A Commonality mechanical who first saw service in 
  the Stop-Start War, Lander has been in the Space Force 
  marine branch since instantiation, and has served aboard 
  the Magnanimous Intervention for most of his existence. 
  He feels protective of her crew, and has saved the lives of 
  some of them several times.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3  4       Mental Stress: 1  2  3
  Consequences: 3
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Refresh: 2
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Lethal Mech Marine Commander.
  Trouble: First In!
  Other Aspects: On the Side of Civilisation, I Have a 
  Number of Big Weapons, Maggie and I Go Way Back, I 
  Watch Everyone’s Back.
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Physique, Ranged Combat
  Good (+3): Drive, Notice, Provoke 
  Fair (+2): Athletics, Pilot, Knowledge, Unarmed Combat
  Average (+1): Melee Combat, Rapport, Stealth, 
  Technical, Will
  STUNTS
   Coolness Under Fire: Use Ranged Combat to defend 
  against ranged physical attacks.
   Take the Blow: Use Physique to defend against bashes 
  with Unarmed or Melee Combat.
   Tough As Nails: 1/session, pay a fate point to reduce 
  moderate physical consequence to mild, or erase a mild.
  HALO
  ê Mindscape Instance: Enables technopsi and local 
  Mindscape connectivity.
  OTHER EXTRAS
  ê Armoured Hull: Armour:2.
  ê Away Team: Average (+1) Active Sensing, Passive 
  Sensing, Ranged Combat.
  ê Blaster Rifle: Weapon:3 damage bonus, range 3, Full 
  Auto, automatic blaster advantages on success.
  ê Quadruple Built-In Blasters: 3 x Average (+1) Ranged 
  Combat; provides +3 Ranged Combat attack bonus, may 
  split attack total against up to 4 targets.
  Major NPC
  
  30
  The City People
  CORNELIUS CHANG, 
  THE SPACE FORCE CAPTAIN
  A Space Force captain in the heroic mould, handsome, 
  charismatic, and action-oriented. He’s honest, open, and 
  honourable. He sprang heroically to the rescue when 
  Mayameer K’Soo looked doomed at the hands of the 
  Assassins of Borgo; on the verge of getting romantically 
  involved with the fickle feline, he has feelings for her still. 
  After the Xeno Wars, Chang’s first planeship command 
  was the newly outfitted Magnanimous Intervention, 
  exploring a failing colony on the edge of the Sentient 
  Alliance. In uncovering its terrible secret, Chang joined 
  forces with SCI Force, and had his first close encounter 
  with the Venu.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3 	 Mental Stress: 1  2  3  4      
  Consequences: 3
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Refresh: 2
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Heroic Space Force Captain.
  Trouble: Prefers Clarity and Frankness to Subterfuge 
  and Deception.
  Other Aspects: Always Willing to Try Something New, 
  Watch Your Back When SCI Force Are Around, I Hate 
  Venu! Don’t Talk to Me About Cats!
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Empathy, Rapport
  Great (+4): Provoke, Will
  Good (+3): Deceive, Pilot, Ranged Combat, Resources
  Fair (+2): Bureaucracy, Contacts, Knowledge, Notice, 
  Unarmed Combat
  Average (+1): Athletics, Investigate, Physique, Science, 
  Technical
  STUNTS
   Cool Customer: +2 Deceive bonus when bluffing.
   Gunnery: Use Ranged Combat for construct actions.
   Indomitable: +2 Will bonus to defend against Provoke 
  fear and intimidation attacks.
   Okay, Fine! Use Provoke instead of Empathy to learn 
  aspects.
   Overseer: 1/scene, make an overcome action to 
  generate a pool of shift points you can redistribute.
  HALO
  ê The Magnanimous Intervention: Fair (+2) Active 
  Sensing; Average (+1) Passive Sensing, Ranged Combat.
  ê Mindscape Implant: Enables technopsi and 
  Mindscape connectivity.
  OTHER EXTRAS
  ê Biomed Array: Fair (+2) Technical skill for overcoming 
  mild consequence recovery obstacles.
  ê Omnipax Stun Pistol: +0 Ranged Combat attack 
  bonus, range 2, causes mental stress damage.
  ê Space Force P-Suit: Armour:1 damage reduction, +1 
  defence bonus; Vac Sealed.
  Major NPC
  
  31
  The Magnanimous Intervention
  MAGGIE, THE SHIP SENTIENCE
  Maggie is the ship sentience of the Magnanimous 
  Intervention. She’s 130 years old, and was instantiated 
  just before the Venu War; she’s seen a great deal of action 
  along the ever-advancing frontier. She was rescued by 
  2-pilot Mayameer K’Soo during a failed spy mission 
  against the Venu in the Sentient Alliance, since when 
  the two have been inseparable, sharing an often torrid 
  romantic relationship.
  Physical Stress: 1  2   	
  Systems Stress: 1  2  3  4   
  Mental Stress: 1  2  3
  Consequences: 3
  Scale: Huge (+2)
  Tech Index: T9
  Refresh: 2
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Exotic Transhuman Intelligence.
  Trouble: SCI Force Sympathies for Yusol Menard.
  Other Aspects: A Light for the Many Worlds of Space, 
  The Face That Loved a Thousand Ships, Fascinated by 
  Humans, Unfathomable Love for Mayameer K’Soo.
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Technical
  Great (+4): Empathy, Planing
  Good (+3): Active Sensing, Rapport, Systems
  Fair (+2): Contacts, Knowledge, Passive Sensing, Science
  Average (+1): Manoeuvre, Ranged Combat, Resources, 
  Stealth, Will
  STUNTS
   Docking Bay: 1 Large (+1) construct, 10 Medium (+0) 
  constructs, etc.
   Extended Manoeuvrability (Atmospheric): Use 
  Manoeuvre in atmospheric actions.
   Meditech: +2 Technical bonus for overcome actions to 
  treat physical consequences.
  HALO
  ê Avatar: Fair (+2) Athletics; Average (+1) Ranged 
  Combat, Unarmed Combat.
  ê Remote Sensor Package: Use Passive Sensing via 
  avatar as Notice skill for character actions. Provides 
  avatar.
  ê Special Ops Mindscape Instance: Special ops 
  technopsi and Mindscape connectivity.
  ê System Survey Drones: Average (+1) Active Sensing, 
  Passive Sensing.
  OTHER EXTRAS
  ê Autodoc: Gain the Meditech stunt; use Technical for all 
  recovery actions.
  ê Away Team: Use selected construct abilities on 
  planetary surfaces, etc, via appropriate away team 
  member.
  ê Makepoint: Produce basic materials and small items 
  of equipment.
  ê Makepoint Workshop: Produce spares and repairs 
  without a Commonality shipyard.
  ê X-Core: Doubles jump maximum.
  Major NPC
  
  32
  The City People
  MAYAMEER K’SOO, THE 2-PILOT
  Mayameer K’Soo, 2-pilot and n-pilot of the Magnanimous 
  Intervention, is a feline xenomorph. With +3 Genotype 
  Divergence, she’s totally humanoid and very human-
  looking, although she has slanted, catlike eyes and a 
  “feline” facial structure. She has slightly pointed but 
  otherwise human ears, no whiskers, and a human mouth 
  with delicate teeth and prominent canines. Her skin is 
  hairless, although her head has a gorgeous mane of black 
  and white hair. She has no tail, claws, or dew-claw—her 
  feline origins betray themselves more in her personality 
  than appearance.
  Raised in the Space Force Fringe Pilot Programme 
  (page 27), K’Soo saw action in the closing battles of the 
  Xeno Wars, particularly against the Assassins of Borgo, 
  where she was saved by Cornelius Chang. She met the 
  Magnanimous Intervention on a mission to rescue the 
  kidnapped and disabled ship, and has had a passionate 
  (if somewhat feline…) affair with the ship ever since. 
  Her natural curiosity nearly got her killed in a tense 
  game of bluff and deception against the Venu with 
  Cornelius Chang.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  	
  Mental Stress: 1  2  3  4  
  Consequences: 3
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Refresh: 3
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Feline Xenomorph (GD+3) Natural 
  2-Pilot.
  Trouble: Irresistible Curiosity.
  Other Aspects: Good As You, Sublimated Predator 
  Instinct, Unfathomable Friendship With the 
  Magnanimous Intervention, Sensuous Movements.
  SKILLS
  Great (+4): Pilot
  Good (+3): Technical, Will 
  Fair (+2): Empathy, Notice, Ranged Combat
  Average (+1): Athletics, Deceit, Stealth, Unarmed Combat
  STUNTS
   Gunnery: Use Ranged Combat for starship actions.
   Hyper-Reflexes: +2 bonus to quick reactions, 
  initiative, dodging.
   Starship Pilot: Use Pilot for starship actions.
   Starship Therapy: Use Empathy to treat mental stress 
  and consequences incurred by sentient starships.
  HALO
  ê Mindscape Implant: Technopsi and Mindscape 
  connectivity.
  ê Starship Pilot Skill Chip: +1 bonus to Pilot skill 
  checks.
  OTHER EXTRAS
  ê Away Team: Average (+1) Investigate, Science.
  ê Biomed Array: Fair (+2) Technical skill for overcoming 
  mild consequence recovery obstacles.
  ê Null-Pistol: +0 Ranged Combat attack bonus; range 3.
  ê Space Force P-Suit: Armour:1 damage reduction, +1 
  defence bonus; Vac Sealed.
  Major NPC
  
  33
  The Magnanimous Intervention
  YUSOL MENARD, 
  THE SCI-FORCE CONTROLLER
  Yusol Menard is a SCI Force controller, and head of the 
  evaluation team seconded to the Space Force expedition 
  to Beta Formiae. It’s also a multiple, a single person with 
  several physical bodies. Yusol was born 150 years ago as 
  part of the sexually neuter Nootrope caste on Old Earth, 
  the byzantine class of Commonality administrators. 
  Later it chose multiple status, gradually adding another 
  neutral nootrope body and a male and female human 
  body to its multiplicity.
  Some time ago something terrible happened. The 
  original Yusol Menard died, under mysterious and 
  possibly suspicious circumstances. Rather than reporting 
  this, the Yusol Menard multiplicity has continued 
  regardless, taking missions further and further out on the 
  Commonality Frontier, all the while their neuter Nootrope 
  member claiming to be the original Yusol, yet convinced 
  it’s going to be found out. So far no one has worked out 
  the truth—whatever that truth is.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3 	 Mental Stress: 1  2  3  4  
  Consequences: 3 / 3 / 3
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Refresh: 3
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Many-Bodied SCI Force Controller With 
  a Single Mind.
  Trouble: They’ll Think I’m Not a Real Person!
  Other Aspects: Humankind Is Transcending, Old and 
  Weird Former Old Earth Nootrope, The Secret Fourth 
  Body of Yusol Menard, Hammer Karhoon Owes Me  
  His Life!
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Technical
  Great (+4): Intrusion, Will
  Good (+3): Deceive, Provoke, Rapport
  Fair (+2): Bureaucracy, Knowledge, Ranged Combat, 
  Stealth
  Average (+1): Investigate, Notice, Physique, Resources, 
  Science
  STUNTS
   Memetic Engineer: Use Technical to take culture 
  actions; you also have a culture extra.
   Mindburn: Use Will for mental attacks using the 
  Mindscape.
   Peripheral Awareness: +1 Notice bonus on overcome 
  and create an advantage actions for each additional 
  Multiplicity body you can bring to bear.
  HALO
  ê Multiplicity: Male body, 3 physical consequences.
  ê Multiplicity: Female body, 3 physical consequences.
  ê Personal Sensor Array: Fair (+2) Investigate, Notice, 
  for sensorview actions.
  ê Special Ops Mindscape Implant: Special ops 
  technopsi and Mindscape connectivity.
  OTHER EXTRAS
  ê Biomed Array: Fair (+2) Technical skill for overcoming 
  mild consequence recovery obstacles.
  ê Commonality Culture: Average (+1) Assimilate, 
  Provoke.
  ê Extended Lifespan: +100 years and 5 skill points, plus 
  longevity aspect.
  ê Nanocells: Control Mindscape-enabled devices via 
  physical contact without Mindscape connectivity.
  ê P-Suit: Armour:1 damage reduction, +1 defence 
  bonus; Vac Sealed.
  Major NPC
  
  34
  The City People
  IMBATLOK, THE COMMONALITY 
  MORALE OFFICER
  Scion of the Batl’A management clan on the I’Shu-Shai 
  (“Thousand Points of Light”) Javawayn STL star city 
  currently passing through Sentient Alliance space, 
  Imbatlok grew up steeped in Javawayn history and 
  traditions. From his earliest days he was accustomed to 
  observing the Commonality from without—being “in” the 
  Commonality, but not “of” it. 
  During the Xeno Wars, contacts Imbatlok had made 
  within Space Force approached him with an oﬀer of 
  employment—to be a Space Force morale officer in the 
  stricken xenomorph worlds. With a command position on 
  oﬀer, he agreed.
  Imbatlok is eﬀective and respected, if not widely liked. 
  On the trail of clandestine Venu activity in the Sentient 
  Alliance, he had the Magnanimous Intervention and 
  Cornelius Chang do his dirty work. Finding how easy it 
  was, he’s done it again and again, in spite of the friction 
  it causes.
  Physical Stress: 1  2  	
  Mental Stress: 1  2  3  4  
  Consequences: 3
  Scale: Medium (+0)
  Refresh: 2
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Spindly Native of the Star Cities.
  Trouble: The Urge to Manipulate.
  Other Aspects: Takes to Zero-G Like a Duck to Water, 
  Dispassionate Observer, Javawayn Grav Harness, 
  Maggie and Chang Do My Dirty Work.
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Investigate
  Great (+4): Deceive, Will
  Good (+3): Empathy, Notice, Provoke
  Fair (+2): Bureaucracy, Contacts, Rapport, Resources
  Average (+1): Athletics, Knowledge, Ranged Combat, 
  Science, Stealth
  STUNTS
   Armour of Fear: Use Provoke to defend vs Melee and 
  Unarmed Combat until damaged.
   Eye for Detail: For a fate point, make a Notice / 
  Investigate roll to “look over” a place you’ve already left.
   Lie to Me: Use Investigate instead of Empathy to 
  defend against Deceive.
   Lie Whisperer: +2 Empathy bonus to detect lies.
   Mind Games: Use Deceive to make mental attack 
  actions.
   Probe: +2 create an advantage Will bonus to discern 
  surface thoughts.
   Truth Scan: Use Investigate via technopsi to determine 
  if a Mindscape-linked target is lying.
  HALO
  ê Personal Sensor Array: Fair (+2) Investigate and 
  Notice skills for sensorview actions.
  ê Special Ops Mindscape Implant: Special ops 
  technopsi and Mindscape connectivity.
  OTHER EXTRAS
  ê Hand Scanner: Average (+1) Knowledge, Science.
  ê P-Suit: Armour:1 damage reduction, +1 defence 
  bonus; Vac Sealed.
  ê Stun Pistol: +0 Ranged Combat attack bonus, range 1, 
  causes mental stress damage.
  Major NPC
  
  35
  Starting
  Play
  Starting Play
  You can begin The City People where you like—from the 
  initial return of Luminosity Alpha to Commonality Space 
  and Space Force’s decision to mount the expedition, to the 
  moment the first away team sets foot on the planet. The epi-
  sodes and scenes below assume play begins when the ship 
  first arrives in the Beta Formiae system.
  WHO ARE THE PCS?
  Although this is a joint Space Force / SCI Force mission, there 
  are a number of options for playing characters.
  Space Force
  Space Force is the obvious organisation for PCs to belong to. 
  Pilots, marines, engineers, scientists, and more make great 
  Space Force characters, disciplined crew members accus-
  tomed to working in a clear professional hierarchy.
  SCI Force
  The SCI Force contingent numbers some half a dozen 
  individuals under controller Yusol Menard or another 
  similar character. Typical of SCI Force, it’s a motley team of 
  misfits and renegades recruited from all walks of life, with 
  a penchant for breaking rules and getting things done in a 
  ruthlessly effective manner. They don’t get on at all well with 
  Space Force.
  “I don’t care how you do it—stay down there until you find us an answer. And stay safe! All 
  hell’s breaking loose up here, and I don’t know if we can lock it down. You may just be the 
  only chance we have to get out of here alive!” 
  — SCI Force controller Yusol Menard (multiple), 
  thoughtcasting to its neuter self in the Beta Formiae away team
  AFI
  The Armed Forces Instrumentality could easily have a contin-
  gent aboard the Magnanimous Intervention—a commando 
  or even HiTAT squad providing high-powered support for any 
  military action. 
  Scientists
  There are scientists within the Space Force crew, but that 
  doesn’t mean outsiders can’t also be part of the expedition. 
  Chembu Genurgy may send a team, or other corporacies 
  or even the local pansectorate. A scientist-based adventure 
  emphasises investigation, problem solving, and resisting the 
  Beta Formiae threat over firepower.
  Others
  Other characters may be aboard the Magnanimous Interven-
  tion—diplomats, members of CORESEC, representatives of 
  other cultures or genotypes. You can even discard the whole 
  mission premise, and play the adventure with a different 
  group of PCs, perhaps happening upon the Beta Formiae 
  system by accident. Perhaps a New Trader ship has mis-
  jumped, or been redirected by a sinister corporacy to follow 
  up a distress beacon left by a previous expedition... 
  PLAYING THE CREW
  The City People is intended to feel claustrophobic. The crew, 
  for this adventure, might as well be the whole universe; 
  
  36
  The City People
  A Different World—
  Things Visitors Notice
  While Beta Formiae is a fairly Earth-like world, there 
  are some things which will remind the PCs (and play-
  ers) that they’re in an alien environment. 
  •	
  The day is slightly longer—29 hours, just long 
  enough to feel time drag.
  •	
  The slightly higher gravity (1.14G) means every-
  thing, from walking to picking things up, feels a 
  little more tiring.
  •	
  The world is cooler and drier. The PCs will get dry 
  throats, chapped skin, and so on.
  •	
  Large swathes of the surface are barren—dry, 
  friable earth stripped of plant life, where the wind 
  whips up dust devils and impressive storms.
  •	
  There are no insects. Instead, weird fleshy 
  “squishies” like Colorado Beetle larvae creep, crawl, 
  flap clumsily through the air, and get squashed 
  everywhere.
  •	
  Everything is filtered through the contact proto-
  cols (page 42). Away teams use p-suits and force 
  helmets to protect themselves from the environ-
  ment, configurable to exclude everything but 
  generally set to allow through temperature, air 
  pressure, humidity, and even smells—albeit filtered 
  and reduced.
  they’re all that’s available. They’re a microcosm of the Com-
  monality, but they’re also limited in number. They may start 
  with 50 or so members, but once things start going south and 
  people start dying, the players should start to feel like they 
  may run out of bodies. 
  All crew members have p-suits, access to PSAs, sensoria, 
  direct perception feeds, and so on, meaning players can easily 
  share data and even live feeds of actions with the crew, relay 
  their away team experiences back to the ship, or even play 
  command staff vicariously experiencing the same feeds from 
  the bridge. You can use the crew to replace lost PCs, or allow 
  players to take temporary control of other crew members as 
  characters. 
  Away Teams
  The PCs are in contact with fellow crew members skilled 
  in a wide range of technical tasks. This is a different set-up 
  from many scenarios, where PCs are frequently thrown back 
  on their own resources to solve problems, using only their 
  own skills and the equipment they’re carrying. While such 
  situations may arise in this adventure, the default assump-
  tion is that the PCs will be working with (and maybe leading) 
  teams of varying sizes—the full crew, if they’re on the ship, or 
  perhaps away teams of half a dozen to a dozen individuals if 
  they’re on planet or elsewhere off the ship.
  Away teams in Mindjammer are a form of extra. For a 
  sentient starship, an away team represents a way for it to use 
  certain of its skills remotely. For other characters, an away 
  team lets them use certain ship’s skills, represented by crew 
  members accompanying them on missions. 
  Here’s how those two approaches work in rules terms.
  NEW CONSTRUCT EXTRA: AWAY TEAM
  Costs 1 stunt
  An Away Team extra lets a construct like a sentient starship 
  send a disciplined subset of its own crew off-ship (usually 
  onto another ship or a planetary surface) on a mission. The 
  construct may interact remotely with other characters under 
  limited circumstances (see Mindjammer page 104). An Away 
  Team extra automatically has its own stress tracks and 3 
  consequences.
  A ship can use its own skills on another ship or planetary 
  surface via an Away Team. Scale effects apply as usual if the 
  construct attempts to affect another character directly, unless 
  the construct also has an appropriate stunt or extra, such as 
  “Science Officer”, or a specific extra skill. For example, a con-
  struct could make Passive Sensing rolls via an away team to 
  scan the local environment (representing the ship interacting 
  with its away team, using PSAs and hand scanners with orbital 
  support, and so on); but in order to spot an NPC reaching for 
  a weapon, it would be necessary for the away team extra to 
  have the Notice skill as an extra skill (representing an observ-
  ant member of the crew on the team).
  AWAY TEAMS AND PCS
  If the ship is an NPC, or if other non-construct PCs wish 
  to take advantage of a ship’s away team, then those PCs 
  should take the ship and / or its away team as a shared extra 
  (Mindjammer page 105). The extra doesn’t have to include 
  space operations skills or stunts, but should concentrate on 
  the planet-oriented abilities the PCs want to use in the field: 
  sensors, security teams, scientists, and so on. Most simply, PCs 
  can take an Away Team aspect, enabling them to gain invoke 
  bonuses when trying to use any of its abilities. 
  TRACKING AWAY TEAM CASUALTIES
  Consequences to away team extras should generally com-
  promise their effectiveness, representing crew casualties. For 
  example, a security team operative may be killed in a conflict 
  
  37
  Starting Play
  Fear and Horror
  The formionts and the threat of the Shapechanger 
  Plague are instinctively horrifying to organic characters. 
  Further, a lot of action takes place in the nightmarish 
  conditions of the purity compounds—claustrophobic, 
  stinking, with the constant threat of lethal attack.
  Here are some ideas for handling that atmosphere 
  of fear and horror in your game:
  •	
  Growing realisation:	The PCs gradually realise 
  what the Formians are, and the existential threat 
  they represent. Feel free to use these moments of 
  realisation to create We’re Never Going to Get 
  Out of Here!-type situation aspects which may 
  present obstacles or be compelled or invoked when 
  the PCs try to cope with them. 
  •	
  Sense of isolation: We recommend introducing 
  a game aspect such as Isolated Far Beyond the 
  Frontier for the duration of the adventure. Once 
  lockdown happens (page 42), you can intensify 
  this to Getting Picked Off One by One.
  •	
  Sacrifice: As good SCI Force or Space Force 
  agents, the PCs—like the rest of the crew—are 
  expected to sacrifice themselves to preserve quar-
  antine. How do they feel about that when it actu-
  ally starts to happen? You can compel character 
  aspects which conflict with this expectation, and 
  also play up the problems other crew members 
  experience when everyone is expected to be no-
  ble. Will anyone panic? Can Rapport and Provoke 
  rolls save the day?
  when physical stress leads to an away team consequence. You 
  can track this against the crew roster and use the consequence 
  severity to determine whether the casualty is merely injured, or 
  if they have been killed and can’t be replaced on this mission. 
  Be ruthless: damage to away teams should have a sig-
  nificant cost, and players should be willing to take stress and 
  consequences themselves to offset it.
  Character and Crew Equipment
  The crew of the Magnanimous Intervention has the best equip-
  ment available for the mission, and that includes the PCs. The 
  leader of the marines may have a suit of assault armour; the 
  chief medical officer may have an autodoc; and so on. Before 
  starting play, let the PCs pick their gear and describe it in 
  advance if they like, giving it extras abilities (skills, stunts, and 
  aspects) as appropriate. 
  They don’t have to describe everything. Remember, 
  Mindjammer equipment isn’t intended to exhaustively 
  enumerate every last item of gear a character has in their 
  possession, but rather to provide rules mechanics for those 
  items the player considers important enough to a charac-
  ter’s concept to warrant special attention. In particular, if a 
  player doesn’t think of an item during set-up, but instead 
  comes up with an idea during play, and it seems perfectly 
  reasonable, let them have that item as a situation aspect 
  for a fate point. No character in The City People should be 
  penalised for having insufficient gear; they’re hyper-compe-
  tent specialists with whatever they need.
  That said, if players want to define their gear in ways 
  which have clear rules effects beyond those of a situation 
  aspect, and which require extras budget expenditure (say, if 
  a player isn’t content with their character having a Sentient 
  Null Rifle With Sniper Scopes as an aspect, but also wants a 
  Weapon:4 rating and an Autofire weapon aspect), then they 
  should pay the additional cost from their extras budget as 
  usual. Remember: the way an item of equipment is statted 
  on a character sheet doesn’t define its abilities in descriptive, 
  game world terms, but only its rules-mechanical functions in 
  terms of the importance it plays in defining how that charac-
  ter, at his current level of advancement, can act.
  Away Team Events
  When the PCs participate in away team expeditions, whether 
  using the grav ATV or on foot, you can include events and 
  encounters at appropriate junctures. Use the terrain type 
  descriptions on Mindjammer page 352 or the planetary 
  hazards on page 353, or the Beta Formiae-specific events on 
  Table	4 overleaf. Events may be situation aspects, hazards, 
  NPC or life form encounters, or a combination of all three.
  Pick an event when you feel the situation merits one, or 
  as the result of a success at a cost. Not all events need be 
  conflict-oriented, but those resulting from costly successes 
  should at least pose some significant trouble.
  EVENT NOTES
  Ancient	Crater:	This may require a Fair (+2) Notice roll 
  to detect. The PCs traverse a large manmade crater, several 
  hundred metres across, possibly caused by a huge explosion 
  such as an orbital bombardment. There may be ruins nearby, 
  including blasted	areas (page 48).
  Biohazard: A concentration of formiont bacteria threat-
  ens to overcome the PCs’ protective measures. Have each PC 
  make an observance	roll (page 42) to avoid exposure (page 
  13). The biohazard may be an aerosolised form of formiont 
  colony, a microfine bacterial dust, or even a virulent organic 
  acid which defeats vac seals.
  
  38
  The City People
  Table 4: Beta Formiae Wilderness Events
  4dF	Roll
  Grav	Cruising
  Woodland
  Barrens
  Mountains
  At	Sea
  Ice	Caps
  -4
  Biohazard
  Biohazard
  Biohazard
  Biohazard
  Biohazard
  Biohazard
  -3
  Storm
  Denuded 
  Terrain
  Desertification
  Cold Snap
  Squall
  Distressed 
  Biome
  -2
  Cold Snap
  Storm
  Storm
  Flash Flood
  Rough Seas
  Storm
  -1
  Native Life 
  Forms
  Native Life 
  Forms
  Native Life 
  Forms
  Native Life 
  Forms
  Native Life 
  Forms
  Cold Snap
  +0
  Distressed 
  Biome
  Distressed 
  Biome
  Distressed 
  Biome
  Distressed 
  Biome
  Distressed 
  Biome
  Cold Snap
  +1
  Formians
  Formians
  Formians
  Rockfall
  Formians
  Cold Snap
  +2
  Purity 
  Compound
  Purity 
  Compound
  Purity 
  Compound
  Formians
  Rough Sea
  Native Life 
  Forms
  +3
  Ancient Crater
  Ancient Crater
  Ancient Crater
  Purity 
  Compound
  Squall
  Formians
  +4
  Ruins
  Ruins
  Ruins
  Ancient Crater
  Cold Snap
  Purity 
  Compound
  Cold	Snap:	The PCs are affected by intense cold, and must 
  roll to avoid an exposure	hazard (Mindjammer page 177) 
  every 1-3 hours, starting at Fair (+2) Intensity. The cold lasts 
  for 4 successive rolls, and can only be avoided by leaving the 
  area entirely, or seeking or making shelter.
  Denuded	Terrain: The papertree forests give way to a 
  large open area where Almost All Plant Life Has Been Stripped 
  Away. Spending any time here, or incurring a serious cost, 
  may result in a Formian encounter.
  Desertification:	The biome has collapsed in the area, 
  and the topsoil is a sandy dust. There’s no water, and frequent 
  quicksands (Mindjammer page 354).
  Distressed	Biome:	The local biome is failing, with too 
  much or too little water, heavy over-grazing, stripped and 
  sickly plant life. There’s little ground cover, and a significant 
  number of Formians (see below) grazing the area.
  Flash	Flood: Lack of ground cover further upstream 
  results in a flash flood in the immediate vicinity; water levels 
  in a 2-zone radius quickly exceed waist height. Roll an Avoid 
  Exposure hazard (Mindjammer page 177) every 5 minutes 
  until you escape the vicinity.
  Formians: The PCs encounter one or more Formians 
  (page 15). See Table	5:	Formian	Encounters on page 39.
  It’s a Fair (+2) Investigation or Knowledge (Survival) roll 
  to track a Formian back to a purity compound (see below). 
  Note that this may also be a good opportunity for a fission 
  encounter (page 13).
  Native	Life	Forms: In woodland or cliff / cave areas, the 
  PCs are mobbed by 1 group of ragbats (page 9) per PC. In 
  other areas, they encounter 1 Medium (+0) fleshbag (page 8) 
  per combat-competent PC.
  Purity	Compound:	The PCs happen upon a major 
  Formian community, comprising 15-30 individuals (page 13). 
  See page 53 for a typical purity compound.
  Rock	Fall: The PCs are affected by a rockfall or landslide 
  (Mindjammer page 177) which may also create an obstacle to 
  movement.
  Rough	Seas: The PCs find themselves in rough seas. If 
  they’re in a grav ATV already above the surface, they may 
  avoid the adverse conditions; otherwise it’s a Good (+3) con-
  test hazard doing physical construct damage. 
  Ruins: Some 2250 to 3250 years old, these are remnants 
  of the original colony. Although there are no colony pods 
  (page 67) at these locations, there may be late T7 to early T8 
  non-perishable gear which may be salvaged (Mindjammer 
  page 441).
  Squall: The PCs are affected by a storm at sea; treat as a 
  storm affecting their vehicle as well as the PCs.
  Storm: The PCs are affected by a Great (+4) or higher 
  Intensity violent electrical storm (Mindjammer page 354) 
  
  39
  Starting Play
  Table 5: Formian Encounters
  4dF	Roll
  Formian	Encounter
  -4
  A single tank (page 18).
  -3
  1 warrior per combat-competent PC 
  (page 18).
  -2
  A single milk	truck (page 19).
  -1 to +1
  1 group of packrats per PC (page 18).
  +2
  A single milk	truck (page 19).
  +3
  1 warrior per combat-competent PC 
  (page 18).
  +4
  2 dozers (page 17) creating a new 
  purity compound.
  Luminosity-Alpha’s 
  Sensorium Report
  The Path of Luminosity event horizon probe did a 
  preliminary survey of the Beta Formiae system and 
  Beta Formiae 2 before losing its planetsider unit and 
  returning to Commonality Space. You can use the 
  return unit’s initial report, and the planetsider’s more 
  detailed analyses, to convey information to the PCs 
  without them having to dig it out themselves. 
  We recommend you don’t inform the PCs of the true 
  nature of the Formians in this way, but you can certainly 
  provide them with some or all of the planetary and sys-
  tem data on the Beta Formiae page on the inside front 
  cover of this book as the event horizon probe’s initial 
  report to the Commonality, then perhaps information 
  on the ecosystem (page 7) once the PCs retrieve the 
  planetsider in Episode One Scene Four: The Monolith.
  with high winds and possibly torrential rain. It’s at least 
  Superb (+5) Magnitude, and lasts half a day to a few days.
  GATHERING INTEL: 
  WHAT’S GOING ON?
  Much of The City People is about encountering a complex 
  and mysterious situation, trying to understand it, and then 
  dealing with the problems it poses. While there’s a lot of 
  action, the backbone of the adventure is investigative. 
  Depending on your players, you can feed information to 
  them step by step if they prefer to occupy themselves mostly 
  with action scenes, perhaps by having Captain Chang and the 
  scientists on board the ship do the investigative work behind 
  the scenes. Alternatively (and to be honest we assume you’ll 
  probably want to do this), you can incorporate some or all of 
  these investigative activities into your game, letting PCs with 
  technical and analytical skills shine just as much as those with 
  combat, stealth, or action-oriented abilities. 
  Standard Analyses and Scans
  It’s important not to go overboard: use skill rolls to deter-
  mine how well PCs perform scans and analyses and what 
  conclusions they draw, but equally feel free to simply provide 
  baseline information to PCs with appropriate skills and spe-
  cialisations at appropriate moments, and only go to the dice 
  if a player decides their character would like to go the extra 
  mile on a particular topic of investigation, or if something 
  interesting may happen if they fail. 
  Investigation is meant to be intriguing, and a lack of 
  information doesn’t help anyone. Information should be 
  readily available, and the players should feel they’re drawing 
  their own conclusions and figuring out the nature of Beta 
  Formiae for themselves. Most importantly, be sure not to 
  reduce the fascinating and potentially lethal situation the 
  PCs find themselves in to a mere series of dice rolls, but 
  rather let the PCs’ abilities provide more and clearer informa-
  tion which the players themselves can use to try and work 
  out what’s really going on. 
  Where appropriate, we’ve included analyses and scans as 
  explicit actions in the scenes which follow. Feel free to embark 
  upon any of these out of order, when the players think of 
  them; or to gloss over some analyses in favour of others; or to 
  let the players come up with their own analyses and even def-
  initions of the protocols if they feel creative. Remember: their 
  characters are the experts, and they should feel confident that 
  what they decide to do will generally be the right thing. That 
  said, don’t fail to penalise them if they absolutely insist upon 
  doing something dumb—even experts make mistakes!
  ASSESSING DETAILS VS DECLARING DETAILS
  Fate is geared towards letting players get creative with the 
  setting, coming up with details, descriptions, histories, even 
  entire life forms, objects, and worlds. This is an integral part of 
  Mindjammer, and you shouldn’t ignore it, especially if your 
  players enjoy riffing off their successful (or failed!) skill rolls to 
  come up with improvised coolness.
  
  40
  The City People
  Attitudes Among the Crew
  There are many opinions among the Magnanimous In-
  tervention crew about their mission. Regardless of what 
  the PCs think, crew members will adopt one of the fol-
  lowing five broad attitudes. In extreme circumstances, 
  the PCs may face opposition from their own crew.
  •	
  Nuke them from orbit: Lander and the marines 
  and other “direct action” fans argue for this ap-
  proach, as do crew members who fear (or perhaps 
  truly appreciate) the formiont threat. Ultimately 
  this approach may end up in favour of the Samson 
  Protocol being invoked (page 73).
  •	
  Quarantine: Space Force purists such as Captain 
  Chang and Mayameer K’Soo support this ap-
  proach. It guarantees work for years to come.
  •	
  Wade in and reengineer them: The typical 
  Chembu approach; it’s risky, but there’s a lot to be 
  learned for the corporacy. Belegakwa and Kway 
  support this approach.
  •	
  Leave them as they are but try and establish 
  a relationship with them: This may well be the 
  default SCI Force approach of the Yusol Menard 
  multiple—probably also requiring Space Force 
  cooperation in quarantining the system.
  •	
  Coopt them—they’re a weapon! Imbatlok and 
  Luminosity Alpha both secretly support this ap-
  proach—and indeed there may be other “conspira-
  tors” on the ship. It’s unlikely they’ll confess to this 
  unless the PCs are of a like mind. See “A Secret 
  Mission?” on page 44 for more.
  Usually, if a PC doesn’t have a skill above Mediocre (+0), 
  it means their player isn’t that interested in having that 
  skill play a big role in his character’s actions. Neverthe-
  less, on a planetary exploration mission, characters may 
  sometimes seek answers to questions requiring skills they 
  don’t possess; analysing genurgic traces, deciphering 
  alien languages, and so on.
  In all these cases, remember that the PCs have expert 
  backup in the ship’s crew. If the PCs have taken steps to 
  gain access to the crew’s abilities—perhaps using a shared 
  Away Team or ship extra (page 36)—then let them make 
  rolls using those abilities. But if they don’t have access to 
  those abilities, assume that means the players aren’t really 
  interested in gaming through those information processing 
  activities themselves, and instead simply assume “the crew” 
  (ie NPCs) will take of that stuﬀ for them. 
  In this case, resolve the PCs’ queries in whatever way 
  suits your story as GM. Answers may take time, the crew 
  may come up against dead-ends, or they may provide 
  full or partial information almost immediately. Above all, 
  don’t let the story grind to a halt just because a PC doesn’t 
  have a skill.
  What If the PCs Don’t Have a Skill?
  That said, The City People is also a science-fiction scenario 
  with a strong investigative element and a detailed logical 
  underpinning—we provide “explanations” for many of the 
  mysteries the PCs encounter, with guidelines for how the 
  players can find those explanations out.
  It’s therefore a judgement call for you as GM as to when 
  you should allow player analysis, sensing, and scanning rolls 
  to discover pre-existing explanatory detail, and when you 
  should allow players to improvise those details themselves. 
  The explanations we present here are internally consist-
  ent and (we hope) fun and fascinating to play; but they’re 
  absolutely not the one true way. If your players want to forge 
  their own story out of the phenomena they encounter on 
  Beta Formiae, discovering their own unique truth behind its 
  uncanny events, then you can certainly let them.
  Probably you’ll want to strike a compromise; keep the 
  “core plot” of The City People intact, revealing those elements 
  which must be fixed for the existing explanation to hang 
  together, but letting the players go wild with improvising 
  details in areas where the core plot isn’t overly affected. To 
  help you with this, we’ve indicated key	assessments in the 
  episodes, scenes, and tasks which follow: if you keep these 
  “facts” fixed in your adventure, then you can let your players 
  freely riff on everything else without disrupting the underly-
  ing story. Have fun! 
  THE DEFAULT PLOT THREAD
  At first glance, Beta Formiae appears to be nothing more 
  than a lost colony; primitive, with isolated settlements, tribal 
  and regressed. It’s only as the expedition investigates that it 
  becomes clear not everything is as it seems.
  Once on the ground and observing the Formians, the 
  Space Force expedition personnel and SCI Force evaluation 
  team quickly realises it’s facing an extreme biohazard, and 
  
  41
  Starting Play
  COUNTDOWN TO THE BREACH!
  The biointegrity of the Beta Formiae expedition is 
  compromised!
  Plot Stress Track 1  2  3
  CONSEQUENCES
  MILD (-2): 
  Contamination 
  Protocol Breach
  Bacteria found in the ship, a charac-
  ter’s protection fails temporarily, the 
  shuttle is contaminated by Formian 
  fluids, etc.
  MODERATE 
  (-4): Single Case 
  Infection
  After a few hours, probably a crew 
  member—if possible someone 
  without a haze field—displays 
  symptoms of infection (page 13).
  SEVERE (-6): 
  Epidemic
  Multiple crew members display 
  signs of infection.
  TAKEN OUT: 
  Expedition  
  Failure
  The entire expedition, including 
  the ship, falls to the formionts. 
  Individual PCs may still be holding 
  out, but the mission is a failure.
  CAUSES OF PLOT STRESS
  A PC is exposed to a Formian.
  Automatic mild 
  consequence, or 1 
  plot stress.
  A character is infected by the 
  formionts.
  Automatic moderate 
  consequence, or 2 
  plot stress.
  A character takes physical stress 
  from a Formian.
  0 plot stress and an 
  exposure check.
  A character takes a physical 
  consequence from a Formian.
  1 plot stress.
  A Formian or Formian / formiont 
  sample is aboard the ship, albeit 
  quarantined.
  1 plot stress.
  A protocol observance roll fails as 
  a minor cost.
  2 plot stress.
  A protocol observance roll fails as 
  a serious cost.
  4 plot stress.
  Plot Stress
  may have already been compromised. They may even have 
  been infected by a Formian, reinforcing the critical need to 
  quarantine themselves until they’ve worked out the nature 
  and extent of the threat, and possibly contained it.
  Without the PCs’ intervention, the Beta Formiae expe-
  dition will be doomed, and the Commonality facing an 
  existential threat. 
  As usual, we’ve presented the suggested plot episodes 
  in the likely order the PCs will encounter them. Players being 
  players, this often won’t happen: the Beta Formiae system is 
  an open book, filled with mysteries and puzzles, and the play-
  ers may choose to approach things completely differently. 
  Use the material which follows as the basis for your story, and 
  improvise on top of it.
  PLOT STRESS: THE BREACH
  Where the PCs realise they’re facing a biohazard threat, and 
  must lock the expedition down!
  While the identification of the threat posed by the formi-
  ont bacteria forms the investigative part of this adventure, 
  much of its action is driven by how that threat directly affects 
  the expedition—horribly and lethally. We’re using plot	stress 
  (Mindjammer page 432) to track the progress of this threat, 
  and the moment the whole expedition becomes compro-
  mised and realises they must neutralise the threat if they ever 
  want to return to Commonality Space.
  
  42
  The City People
  We’re presenting this breach of the expedition’s biose-
  curity as an event outside the suggested episode order, as 
  it’s something that could happen at any point during play. 
  Although it doesn’t have to happen, it most likely will: but 
  how and when and why are questions which are up to your 
  game to answer.
  When the breach occurs, the PCs realise they’re facing a 
  deadly contagion. Commonality contagion protocols (page 
  43) dictate they must put the expedition into lockdown, 
  prohibiting them from returning to Commonality Space until 
  they have fully resolved the situation.
  The breach is an important plot event, and this section 
  provides detailed background to help you run it.
  How the Breach Happens 
  Initially, the PCs and Magnanimous Intervention crew assume 
  that a biosecurity breach can’t happen. They’re an expert 
  and highly trained group of contact specialists, and issues of 
  contamination are taken extremely seriously, with advanced 
  measures and protocols. Nevertheless, a breach does happen; 
  this section looks into how. 
  THE CONTACT PROTOCOLS 
  The Commonality has protocols for almost everything. The 
  contact	protocols ensure contact with exointellligences or 
  rediscovered lost colonies is handled in a disciplined way, 
  ensuring no contamination occurs in either direction. Each of 
  the following protocols must be stringently followed; you can 
  require the players make an observance	roll (see immedi-
  ately below) to do so at critical moments.
  •	
  Away teams may only be present on-planet for a few 
  hours, to keep contamination risk low, until the environ-
  ment has been determined to be low	risk (page 48). 
  •	
  The shuttle is considered a habitat; its anti-contamination 
  measures are less stringent than the ship, but neverthe-
  less time spent in the shuttle habitat is not considered 
  time spent on-planet.
  •	
  P-suits and force helmets are to be worn until the envi-
  ronment has been determined to be low risk. Even then 
  biosecurity is usually maintained.
  •	
  Environment boundaries are to be kept sterile and 
  isolated: between surface (planetary environment) and 
  interface (shuttle), and between interface and headquar-
  ters (ship), sterilisation and decontamination measures 
  are to be carried out. These may require observance	
  rolls (below).
  •	
  No items are to be transferred between headquarters and 
  surface without authorisation. Items are to be transported 
  in sterile secure containers.
  OBSERVANCE ROLLS
  Following the contact protocols at crucial, delicate, or 
  stressful moments may require an observance	roll of 
  Bureaucracy, Science, or Technical. The roll is usually Fair 
  (+2), but may be made more difficult by other complicat-
  ing aspects. It’s up to you when and if you mandate a roll; 
  instead you can rely on plot stress to time a breach of the 
  contact protocols, or simply decide (based on your story’s 
  actions) when the breach happens. Note that observance 
  rolls put the highest risk of breach upon non-specialist per-
  sonnel such as security teams, pilots, and so on.
  
  43
  Starting Play
  The PCs may contain the contagion to its current extent 
  by rolling Technical (or the biohazard protection level) 
  against its Magnitude, which begins at Fair (+2). 
  They may also decontaminate the aﬀected zone or 
  zones. This is a roll of the biohazard protection level or BPL 
  (see Contagion Protocol 5 below), chosen by the PCs from 
  the ranges below, against the contagion’s Intensity (see 
  Contagion Protocol 3); Technical may provide a teamwork 
  bonus. In this case, characters in the aﬀected zones must 
  also roll Physique against the result of the BPL roll. On a fail-
  ure, they incur physical stress equal to the shifts of failure, 
  plus a weapon rating equal to the BPL. Armour protects 
  only if vac-sealed; force fields protect normally.
  BPLs of ship areas are as follows. Note that PCs may 
  choose which BPL they apply. 
  •	
  The Field: Average (+1) to Good (+3) BPL (weapon 
  rating 1 to 3).
  •	
  Ship Interior: Average (+1) to Superb (+5) BPL 
  (weapon rating 1 to 5).
  •	
  Labs and Engineering: Average (+1) to Legendary 
  (+8) BPL (weapon rating 1 to 8).
  For example: A single-case infection breach occurs as 
  a moderate (-4) plot stress consequence in one of the 
  Magnanimous Intervention staterooms. Maggie herself 
  acts to contain the contagion, rolling her Superb (+5) 
  Technical against the contagion’s Fair (+2) Magnitude, 
  with a +1 teamwork bonus from the ship interior’s 
  biohazard protection level, which she sets at Average 
  (+1).
  She then decides to try to decontaminate the state-
  room. The Intensity of the contamination is Great (+4), 
  equal to the moderate plot stress consequence’s sever-
  ity. She can only use her Technical skill for a teamwork 
  bonus, and must decide what BPL to apply. She decides 
  to be ruthless, frying the stateroom with a Superb (+5) 
  decontamination procedure, increased to +6 with her 
  teamwork bonus. 
  Unfortunately one of Yusol Menard’s multiples is in 
  the stateroom, and must make a Physique roll against 
  the decontamination result. If it sustains any physical 
  stress, the damage will be increased by a weapon:5 
  rating, representing the hard decontaminating radia-
  tion Maggie has used. Menard may be losing another 
  multiple…
  Containment and Decontamination
  THE CONTAGION PROTOCOLS
  The contagion protocols are followed in the event biosecurity 
  is breached. They come into play if any plot stress conse-
  quence (page 41) is incurred—even a mild one. Following the 
  contagion protocols may require observance	rolls, and can 
  exacerbate plot stress consequences already incurred. 
  1.	 The	expedition	is	locked	down.	Movement and com-
  munication are forbidden until the extent of the threat 
  and the possibilities of isolating and quarantining it are 
  known. Individuals are expendable.
  2.	 Communication	is	incrementally	restored. Initially 
  only indirect (non-realtime) thoughtcasts are permitted, 
  analysed to ensure no memetic virus or other contami-
  nant is being communicated. Once confirmed, real-time 
  communication is permitted.
  3.	 The	extent	of	contamination	is	determined. Is only 
  one area affected? Is the ship environment compro-
  mised? Are individuals contaminated, and if so is 
  their function compromised, and do they need to be 
  replaced? Can they be treated? At this point Intensity 
  and Magnitude of the biohazard are determined; the 
  Intensity is equal to the severity of the breach plot stress 
  consequence (Fair (+2), Great (+4), Fantastic (+6), etc); 
  Magnitude is initially Fair (+2).
  4.	 Contagion	is	analysed	and	a	treatment,	containment,	
  and	decontamination	strategy	devised. Can analysis be 
  performed without transfer? If not, what form of transfer 
  is required? Transfers are subject to contact protocol quar-
  antine and isolation (requiring observance	rolls).
  5.	 Containment	and	optional	decontamination	pro-
  cedures	are	implemented. This is action 2 on the 
  biohazard write-up on Mindjammer page 177. If the 
  contamination is on board the ship, different areas have 
  different biohazard	protection	levels (from Average 
  (+1) to Superb (+5) and up), which may replace or pro-
  vide teamwork bonuses to the Technical roll to contain 
  the infection. See the text box above.
  HOW ARE THE PROTOCOLS DEFEATED?
  The plot stress mechanic indicates whether the breach hap-
  pens, and how severe it is—but it doesn’t tell you exactly 
  how it happens. That’s something you’ll have to work out 
  
  44
  The City People
  A Secret Mission?  
  The event horizon probe’s initial report on Beta 
  Formiae was immediately classified by an extremist 
  splinter group in the Commonality comprising mem-
  bers of the Integrator faction (see the Hearts	and	
  Minds adventure), the 3SI, AFI, Bugs and Slugs, and 
  others. The group immediately commenced a secret 
  operation to include agents among the crew of the 
  Magnanimous Intervention sent to investigate Beta 
  Formiae, and if necessary use its crew members as 
  guinea pigs to determine the extent and seriousness 
  of the threat, with a view to using it as a weapon. 
  The event horizon probe, Luminosity Alpha, and the 
  ship’s morale officer, Imbatlok, are members of this 
  shadowy group; there may be others. You can use the 
  actions of this group behind the scenes to make life 
  difficult for the PCs.
  yourself, depending upon the PCs’ actions and the circum-
  stances of your story. 
  To be honest, the best way to handle this in play is as a 
  mystery. Present the PCs with the breach as a fait accom-
  pli—and let them try to work out how it happened. Let 
  speculation run riot—fear and paranoia are your friends! You 
  can even treat this mystery as a separate	plot	thread, as the 
  PCs not only have to deal with the breach, but also work out 
  how it happened—and even identify possible perpetrators.
  Here are some ideas:
  •	
  No one spots the existence of the formionts, and instead 
  everyone assumes the Formians are devolved humans, 
  and declares the environment low	risk (page 48), where-
  upon the Formians attempt a “kiss” or a stinger attack. 
  At that point, regardless of whether the PCs or crew are 
  directly affected, they realise they may have been exposed 
  to a pathogen. 
  •	
  A biosample is returned to the ship in compliance with the 
  protocols. It’s kept in secure containment, but somehow 
  that containment fails—a “single drop of water” escapes, 
  a vac seal breach occurs, or (ever popular) someone cuts 
  corners or is clumsy, etc.
  •	
  Someone is injured on the planet and exposed to the 
  environment before risk-assessment is complete.  They 
  may even be returned to the ship (albeit quarantined). 
  Either way, this constitutes a breach.
  •	
  The formionts really are that effective—they’re intelligent 
  bacteria, and potentially ubiquitous. Given time, perhaps 
  they can overcome almost any countermeasure. 
  •	
  Someone seems to have deliberately exposed the 
  away team, or engineered a breach once a sample was 
  returned to the ship. Why would anyone do this? Possible 
  answers include: 
   -
  To test the extent of the biohazard.
   -
  As an attack on the Commonality.
   -
  Because they were contaminated and themselves 
  compromised and controlled.
   -
  Because they’re terrorists, or have some kind of “eco-
  war” agenda.
   -
  Because they’re insane. 
  WHEN DOES THE BREACH HAPPEN?
  Tracking plot stress means that the breach could happen at 
  any moment. In the episodes and scenes which follow, we 
  indicate moments when a slip or chance event could also 
  result in contamination. Be alert for similar opportunities to 
  introduce the breach or increase plot stress.
  Dealing With the Breach
  While the extent of the breach may vary, from relatively mild 
  to disastrously severe, the point when it is judged to have 
  happened and the contagion protocols are implemented is 
  a single and unambiguous one. Once it happens, there are 
  many implications for the PCs’ situation. Where are they when 
  lockdown happens?
  A GRADUALLY COLLAPSING SENSE OF SAFETY
  When the breach happens, stress how isolated the PCs are. 
  Not only does the lockdown protocol forbid the expedition 
  from returning to the Commonality, the PCs may also find 
  themselves isolated from their ship, or even one another. 
  Highlight how vulnerable they feel, and how exposed they 
  are to further risks. 
  THE RACE AGAINST TIME!
  Initially the PCs have no idea how or why the contact proto-
  cols failed. They have theories, and are probably afraid and 
  paranoid. Take the opportunity to stress what they’re up 
  against and how bad it is—the players should feel they’re in 
  a race against time to try and understand and resolve their 
  dilemma. Put them under pressure; put them on the clock.
  IS THE SHIP SAFE?
  When you’re describing the breach, don’t forget it’s a 
  dynamic, evolving situation. It’s possible the initial lockdown 
  protocol was enforced for a relatively minor breach—say a 
  
  45
  Starting Play
  mild plot stress consequence. But plot stress continues to be 
  incurred, and attempting to follow the contagion protocols 
  can result in worse plot stress consequences coming into play.
  Note also that the ship sentience itself isn’t completely 
  immune; there are organic and genurgic components to its 
  corpus, and even these could conceivably be affected. If the 
  events of your story support it, an outbreak on board the 
  Magnanimous Intervention and an infection of Maggie herself 
  can ratchet the tension up to astronomical levels!
  NO SURFACE TO SHIP TRAVEL
  Travel from surface to ship is forbidden during lockdown. 
  While this makes life more precarious to anyone stranded on 
  the planet, it does help stop plot stress from worsening.
  EXTERNAL DECONTAMINATION
  Note that decontaminating an environment without killing or 
  treating an infected victim still means the stomach bacteria 
  (and therefore the contagion and Shapechanger Plague) 
  remain and are unaffected.
  USE MECHANICALS / REMOTES ONLY
  Although this avoids the possibility of transfer via stomach 
  bacteria, the mechanicals in question must still be thoroughly 
  disinfected (page 13). This is an observance	roll. 
  WHODUNNIT?
  If the breach was deliberate and the PCs realise it, they may 
  need to work out who was guilty. Be sure to emphasise the 
  fear and paranoia in this case: someone in the crew has 
  endangered everyone’s lives. If anyone panics and tries to 
  return to the Commonality, the whole Commonality may be 
  put at risk. 
  Outcome
  The breach marks a major turning point in the events of The 
  City People; once it happens, the PCs are plunged into a 
  much more perilous, time critical plot.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  Once lockdown has happened and the contagion protocols 
  are in force, the PCs should be aware that the expedition has 
  been exposed to a deadly infectious agent. Whatever they 
  were doing (which scene or plot event they were involved in) 
  when the breach occurred will continue, but naturally they 
  will probably also want to look into finding a treatment. See 
  Episode	Two	Scene	Three:	Vaccine for more.
  
  46
  The City People
  Episode One
  First Contact
  Episode One
  First Contact
  After arriving in system the PCs scan the planet and search for the 
  Path of Luminosity planetsider unit. Let the players decide how 
  to do this: they can use the ship, drones, and even avatars from 
  orbit; send away teams to the surface; or descend themselves 
  to establish a base camp. Players will be familiar with explora-
  tion and first contact procedures from books and TV, and the PCs 
  have the Commonality contact protocols to guide them, so let 
  them organise themselves as they see fit—they’re in charge!
  Gradually they’ll realise the Formians are not only diver-
  gent but probably no longer even human, and that their 
  analyses have been based on incorrect assumptions.
  SCENE ONE: INITIAL SURVEYS
  Aboard the Magnanimous Intervention, the PCs survey the alien 
  world.
  Locations:	The Magnanimous Intervention.
  Environment:	In Orbit Above an Unknown Alien World situ-
  ation aspect.
  The Hook 
  Space Force conducts standard analyses on entering a new 
  star system, usually from orbit. Players may choose to use 
  survey drones or even away teams.
  PRELIMINARY SCANS
  The Path of Luminosity event horizon probe conducted 
  preliminary scans and planetary analysis on its first visit, 
  reporting its findings to the Commonality via its return unit 
  (inside front cover). The PCs may re-run these scans for more 
  accurate information.
  •	
  System	Scan:	A Passive or Active Sensing roll revealing 
  the star	system	high	concept G-class Main Sequence 
  Star With 8 Planetary Bodies.
  •	
  System	Analysis: A Passive Sensing roll identifying 
  stellar body, number of planets, and their planetary 
  types. 
  •	
  Planetary	Scan: A Passive Sensing roll revealing the 
  main	world	high	concept Cool Dry and Barren World 
  With Denuded Biosphere. The initial EHP report didn’t pick 
  up on the denuded part of the biosphere. This is a key	
  assessment (page 40).
  •	
  Planetary	Analysis: A Passive Sensing create advantage 
  roll identifying the planetary parameter the analysis 
  focusses on. A success with style identifies 2 parameters.
  DETAILED ANALYSES
  The EHP return unit didn’t conduct any of the following 
  analyses, although the planetsider unit should have done 
  some of them. The planetsider is nowhere to be found, 
  unless the PCs prioritise the Stage 2 Planetary Registration 
  to search for it.
  •	
  System	Analysis: A Passive or Active Sensing roll identify-
  ing one system parameter, aspect, or hazard per shift from 
  the system schematic (page 10).
  IN WHICH THE PCS MAKE THEIR FIRST FORAYS ONTO BETA FORMIAE,
  AND COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE FORMIANS.
  
  47
  First Contact
  SIGNALS	1	+	2
  SIGNAL	3
  •	
  Stage	Two	Planetary	Registration: To search for the 
  lost EHP planetsider unit Luminosity Beta (page 25), the 
  PCs may prioritise a detailed surface scan. A Passive / 
  Active Sensing roll producing a planetary map (see “Metal 
  Objects on the Surface!” below) and listing the planetary 
  terrain types.
  •	
  Life	Form	Analysis	(orbital): A Science (Biology, etc) roll 
  identifying the native ecosystem’s body plans (page 7) 
  from orbit. It takes several hours, and also identifies purity 
  compounds all over the planet as Life Form Concentrations. 
  More detailed analysis can be done from the ground, 
  within a zone or so. 
  •	
  Hazard	Identification	Survey: A Passive Sensing roll 
  taking a day to identify one hazard by name only, for 
  the system, planet, terrain, biosphere, or civilisation. 
  An Active Sensing roll instead also reveals one of its 
  parameters (Intensity, etc). A success with style reveals 
  the “blasted areas” on the planetary surface (see “Blasted 
  Areas” below). Note that biohazard surveys are usually 
  secondary survey ops (see Scene	Two:	Secondary	
  Surveys).
  Dealing With It
  You can run some or all of these surveys as actions requir-
  ing rolls, or simply as the players asking questions about 
  the planet, perhaps prompted by the titles of the stand-
  ard Space Force analyses. Hazards may result from costly 
  successes, but otherwise this should be an information 
  gathering scene.
  METAL OBJECTS ON THE SURFACE!
  The PCs obtain a planetary map from the Stage	Two	Plan-
  etary	Registration, with signals showing three significant 
  refined metal deposits—possibly remains of the ancient 
  colony and the missing EHP planetsider unit. From orbit sig-
  nals 2 and 3 are broadly similar (there are differences, but you 
  may want to stress the similarities if you want the PCs to visit 
  the Valley of War before the Peaceful Lands).
  •	
  Signal	1:	the	EHP	planetsider	unit.	Unresponsive and 
  apparently operating on minimal power. It may nevertheless 
  have useful data. See Scene	Four:	The	Monolith, below.
  •	
  Signal	2:	dispersed	signals,	possible	colony	settle-
  ment.	The second signal the PCs investigate. Close to 
  signal 1, it appears to show two small population centres. 
  See Episode	Two:	The	Valley	of	War.
  •	
  Signal	3:	dispersed	signals,	possibly	colony	settlement.	
  Similar to signal 2, again with two small population centres. 
  See Episode	Three:	The	Old	One	in	the	Mountain.
  An unlabelled version of the map is provided in the player 
  handouts (page 76).
  
  48
  The City People
  BLASTED AREAS!
  A success with style on the hazard	identification	survey 
  above (page 47), or a deliberate Active Sensing scan at Great 
  (+4) difficulty, reveals three “blasted areas” on the surface, hit 
  from orbit by null weapons approximately 2500 years ago. 
  This vaporised the targets, but caused no radiation or wide-
  spread environmental damage. It didn’t affect a wide area, but 
  did create a crater where there may be noticeable concentra-
  tions of metallic dust and other residue.
  Outcome
  This scene reveals remnants of the lost Beta Formiae colony 
  that are worth investigating, and a possible location for 
  the lost EHP planetsider. It may also reveal that there are 
  regressed divergent hominids on the planet living in a dam-
  aged partly t-congruent biosphere.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may continue their surveys, perhaps by drone 
  (Scene	Two:	Secondary	Surveys) or in person (Scene	Three:	
  Preliminary	Cultural	Analysis). They may take an away team 
  to the surface to retrieve the unresponsive EHP planetsider 
  (Scene	Four:	The	Monolith).
  SCENE TWO: 
  SECONDARY SURVEYS
  The PCs conduct more detailed surveys, focussing on the unusual 
  biosphere on Beta Formiae 2.
  Locations:	The Magnanimous Intervention.
  Environment:	Complex and Contradictory Biosigns situa-
  tion aspect.
  The Hook 
  The expedition focusses on the world’s biosphere, either from 
  the ship, via survey drone or avatar, or away team on the 
  surface.
  THE BIOHAZARD SCAN
  By default the Commonality considers a new world an 
  extreme	biohazard	risk, and permits no away team 
  operations. It conducts a hazard	identification	survey, 
  taking a day, to search for biohazards or other hazards. An 
  Active Sensing or Passive Sensing roll, this will find the Beta 
  Formiae environment is low	risk, unless the nature of the 
  formiont bacteria has been understood, in which case the 
  analysis will automatically switch to high	risk. Risk levels are 
  as follows:
  •	
  Extreme	Risk:	No away team operations are permitted. 
  •	
  High	Risk:	Interactions with the environment are difficult, 
  facing an Onerous High Risk Mitigation Measures aspect. 
  Failed observance	rolls (page 42) of the contact or con-
  tagion protocols do so with a minor cost (see Plot	Stress:	
  The	Breach on page 41).
  •	
  Low	Risk:	Interactions face no undue difficulty, but failed 
  observance	rolls do so with a serious cost (see Plot	
  Stress:	The	Breach on page 41).
  The PCs may continue the hazard identification survey 
  further; each success identifies one hazard by name only on a 
  Passive Sensing roll, or one hazard and one of its parameters 
  on an Active Sensing roll. 
  BIOSPHERE ANALYSES
  Once the risk level is determined, the expedition analyses the 
  biosphere and its life forms.
  •	
  Biosphere	Analysis: An Average (+1) Science (biology, 
  etc) roll with active sensors, survey drones, or an away 
  team, taking several days and revealing the key assess-
  ment biosphere	concept	T-Analogue Biosphere With 
  Extensive T-Congruent Colonisation. The EHP planetsider 
  probably did this already.
  •	
  Life	Form	Analysis	(ground): A Science (biology, etc) roll 
  identifies one life form parameter (page 8) of a specific 
  Beta Formiae life form (ragbats, papertrees, etc) within a 
  zone or so, or two on a success with style. It also discovers 
  traces of DNA throughout the biosphere, something quite 
  unexpected—DNA is specifically Old Earth’s replicator. 
  Analysis reveals the DNA is basically human, but found 
  in the cells of many Beta Formian life forms, and even—
  somehow—in microbes throughout the environment. 
  This is a key assessment (page 40).
  •	
  Life	Form	Analysis	(Formians): Analysing the seemingly 
  human Formians (by capturing one) reveals: 
   -
  The genurgic profile of the Formians is of a post-longev-
  ity era human. Formians should have indefinite lifespans. 
   -
  There are “shadow mitochondria” in every Formian 
  cell—something very unusual (page 12). The implica-
  tions of this probably won’t come out until Episode	
  Two:	The	Valley	of	War (page 52).   
  •	
  Note that capturing a Formian may expose the PCs to the 
  Shapechanger Plague (page 12).
  CIVILISATION ANALYSIS
  The EHP return unit attempted to analyse the Formian 
  “civilisation”, but didn’t get far—see the inside front cover. An 
  
  49
  First Contact
  Investigate create advantage action, visiting the world for a 
  few hours or observing with sensors, reveals one civilisation 
  parameter (two on a success with style) from those on page 
  11, or optionally one per shift. Passive Sensing and cultural 
  analysis may create advantages. See also page 13. 
  Dealing With It
  The PCs observe Beta Formiae’s life forms and “inhabitants”. 
  While their analyses tell them one thing, their instincts tell 
  them another.
  THE NATURE OF THE FORMIANS
  The PCs may gradually realise the Formians aren’t human at all. 
  In many ways they look human, but have become so divergent 
  they’re effectively a different species, and a very alien one. 
  Space Force and SCI Force may agree the expedition may be 
  facing an exointelligence first contact situation, not a rediscov-
  ery, and subsequent actions will be performed on that basis.
  Even then, the expedition will view the Formians as a 
  discrete life form, not as a host parasitised by the formiont 
  bacteria—that realisation comes later, possibly as early as Epi-
  sode	Two:	The	Valley	of	War. It’s important that you present 
  the PCs’ findings in an appropriate light, and not give away the 
  true nature of the Formians too early. In particular, analyses 
  will reveal a Formian model’s overall life form concept (such as 
  Denuded Woodlands Eater Eats Anything) rather than the under-
  lying formiont exointelligence concept (such as Microorganism 
  Exointelligence League Destroying For Dominance). Astute PCs 
  may push for an exointelligence concept anyway, in which case 
  you can give them Exointelligence Destroying For Dominance.
  Outcome
  The PCs are analysing Beta Formiae’s life forms, including its 
  divergent Formian hominids. Their strangeness and incongru-
  ity poses lots of questions, but as yet they have few answers. 
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may continue to observe the Formians: see Scene	
  Three:	Preliminary	Cultural	Analysis. They may retrieve the 
  planetsider: see Scene	Four:	The	Monolith. Or they may con-
  tact the Formians directly: see Episode	Two:	The	Valley	of	
  War or even Episode	Three:	The	Old	One	in	the	Mountain. 
  SCENE THREE: PRELIMINARY 
  CULTURAL ANALYSIS
  Where the PCs observe the Formians from afar, and attempt 
  initial cultural analysis.
  Locations: Near a Formian purity compound.
  Environment: Hominid Culture With Extreme Divergent 
  Behaviour situation aspect.
  The Hook 
  If this was a normal rediscovery mission, this would be the 
  time for a preliminary cultural analysis. However, this is far 
  from a normal situation. The Formians aren’t even human, 
  so no amount of cultural analysis will make sense: this is an 
  exointelligence first contact situation, requiring a manifesta-
  tion	analysis (see below).
  Dealing With It
  The PCs stealthily observe the Formians at a distance, perhaps 
  via avatar. They risk discovery and even breaking the contact 
  protocols on failed rolls—especially if they don’t understand 
  what they’re dealing with.
  PERSISTING WITH A PRELIMINARY CULTURAL 
  ANALYSIS
  Understandably (at least at first), the PCs may persist in 
  treating the Formians as a human culture, and attempt a pre-
  liminary cultural analysis to ascertain its dominant meme and 
  civilisation type. This is a create an advantage action using 
  Empathy, Investigate, etc, and takes a month; it must be done 
  on the ground. 
  It’ll produce weird results. The PCs may conclude there’s 
  no current civilisation on Beta Formiae, and instead start 
  analysing the extinct one—requiring archaeological work. 
  The reason for these results of course is that the Formians 
  aren’t human. 
  In any case, the PCs may fall foul of the formionts before 
  any cultural analysis gets far. 
  CONDUCTING AN INITIAL EXOINTELLIGENCE 
  MANIFESTATION ANALYSIS
  First contact (Mindjammer page 412) is a challenge com-
  prising three actions: manifestation analysis, magnitude 
  analysis, and contact. This scene deals with manifestation 
  analysis and magnitude analysis; contact is dealt with in 
  Scene	Four:	The	Monolith.
  Manifestation analysis is often done by avatar, with con-
  tact personnel close by (perhaps in a shuttle). It can also be 
  done in-person. The PCs may also do this as part of their con-
  tact encounter in Scene	Four:	The	Monolith, or by capturing 
  a Formian for analysis (see “Life Form Analysis” in Scene	Two:	
  Secondary	Surveys above).
  It’s a Fair(+2) Investigate roll, with possible advantages 
  from Science (biology, etc). It may require sensorview, 
  depending on how the PCs conduct their observations. It 
  
  50
  The City People
  takes at least a day. The subject is likely to be the monolith in 
  Scene Four below, but could be any Formian (page 15). 
  At this point the PCs probably don’t yet realise the true 
  nature of the Formians, and the results of their analysis will 
  be inaccurate (albeit still useful), identifying the following 
  manifestations (Mindjammer page 409):
  •	
  Sensorium: Human-derived Senses.
  •	
  Communication: Via Human-derived Speech and Possible 
  Chemical Exchange.
  •	
  Self	View: Individual as Member of Extended Family.
  •	
  Temporality: Human-derived (standard exchange).
  See Episode	Two:	The	Valley	of	War for a second, accu-
  rate manifestation analysis of the real exointelligence—the 
  formiont bacteria (page 16).
  CONDUCTING A MAGNITUDE ANALYSIS
  A magnitude analysis (Mindjammer page 412) is a Fair (+2) 
  Science roll revealing:
  •	
  Evolution	Index: Low Human (-2).
  •	
  Exoscale: Medium (+0).
  See Episode	Two:	The	Valley	of	War for a second, accu-
  rate magnitude analysis.
  Outcome
  The PCs will be stymied doing a cultural analysis on some-
  thing that isn’t a culture, or they’ll have inaccurate but still 
  useful data from analysing the Formians as an exointelligence. 
  They may be confused, but even that confusion may be tell-
  ing them something—they need more information.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may proceed to actual contact: see Scene	Four:	The	
  Monolith. Alternatively they may observe the Formian “settle-
  ments”: see Episode	Two:	The	Valley	of	War.
  SCENE FOUR: THE MONOLITH
  Where the PCs approach their first Formian.
  Locations: The wilderness in the Valley of War.
  Environment: Sickly Smells and Body Noises situation 
  aspect.
  The Hook 
  The third, “contact” part of first contact operations requires 
  personal contact and communication. The faint signal from 
  the EHP planetsider unit leads the PCs to an over-grazed 
  papertree forest 30 km upstream from a Formian “hillfort” 
  settlement, where they discover the planetsider has been 
  “swallowed” by a Formian milk	truck (page 19).
  The analyses and activities below could also be performed 
  with different model Formians. Adapt this scene to your story.
  Dealing With It
  This is the PCs’ first contact with a Formian. They may learn a 
  lot, but risk breaching the contact protocols. 
  FIRST IMPRESSIONS
  The milk truck “monolith” is a 5-metre tall Buddha-like mound 
  of horribly human flesh, twisted and mutated and covered 
  with lactating buds. The whole zone Stinks To High Heaven. 
  The surrounding woodland is stripped of vegetation, 
  and teems with flollopping creatures—packrat minions, 
  occasionally wriggling up and feeding off the monolith’s 
  lactation buds.
  The PCs may observe or approach the monolith stealthily; 
  if they try and fail, it emits a terrifying disturbing screaming, 
  upsettingly human, to call Formian warriors to its aid (see 
  “Generalised Attack” below).
  
  51
  First Contact
  If the PCs approach the monolith openly and non-aggres-
  sively, they may make first contact. Signals from the dormant 
  planetsider unit are detectable inside the creature.
  CONTACT WITH THE MONOLITH
  This is the third part of the first contact challenge (Mind-
  jammer page 412). The milk truck may shriek and cry in its 
  high grating voice, which the PCs may recognise as human 
  language—the Uniworld of the 6th millennium (page 14) of 
  the First Age of Space. Let the PCs describe their actions, then 
  have them make a Great (+4) Science or Knowledge roll.
  •	
  On a success, they establish Friendly Communications: the 
  monolith initiates a Formian kiss (page 16), which the PCs 
  may interpret as an attack. It shrieks “Communication fails! 
  Divergent basis!”
  •	
  On a success with style, the same occurs, but the monolith 
  shrieks “Models are analogous yet appear unmanned and 
  autonomous! Confirm!” 
  •	
  On a failure by 2 shifts or fewer, the PCs incur a Commu-
  nication Failure situation aspect (actually a minor cultural 
  consequence), and the monolith initiates a Formian kiss 
  (page 16).
  •	
  On a failure by 4 shifts or fewer, they incur a Hostile Contact! 
  situation aspect, and the monolith initiates a stinger attack.
  •	
  On a failure by 5 shifts or more, they incur a Violent 
  Confrontation! situation aspect, and the monolith and its 
  packrats attack.
  There’s a good chance this contact situation may cause 
  a breach (page 41), or devolve into a generalised attack (see 
  below).
  GENERALISED ATTACK
  If the monolith is attacked or surprised, it will shriek and 
  scream with a disturbingly human voice (a Provoke attack), 
  calling for aid from Formian warriors (page 18) in the valley 
  and alerting the rest of its league (let’s call it the Mono 
  League) at its purity compound. Warrior Formians and moni-
  tors will investigate and repel or infect the threat, arriving 
  within a few minutes to a few hours.
  FURTHER SURVEY OPS—SCI FORCE STAGE ZERO 
  EVALUATION
  The PCs’ analyses of the Beta Formiae “culture” and its possible 
  threat (Mindjammer page 306) will probably be ongoing 
  during this adventure, depending on the PCs’ skill set and 
  style of play. In some ways the whole adventure can be 
  regarded as the threat	analysis undertaken by the expedi-
  tion. Ultimately, the PCs will have to decide on the threat 
  analysis themselves, based on their investigations. See the 
  Epilogue (page 73) for more.
  Outcome
  The PCs have tried to make direct contact with a Formian. It 
  probably hasn’t gone well. They’ll  now have to determine 
  what kind of threat the Formians represent—and what hap-
  pened to the colony to get here. 
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs have a lot of options. They’ll probably want to investi-
  gate the nearby Formian “settlement”: see Episode	Two:	The	
  Valley	of	War.
  
  52
  AMPHIB	LEAGUE	
  PURITY	COMPOUND
  MONO	LEAGUE	
  PURITY	COMPOUND
  THE	MONOLITH
  THE VALLEY OF WAR
  —	=	10KM
  Episode Two
  The Valley of War
  In this episode the PCs investigate Formian leagues (page 
  13) for the first time, exploring a Formian purity compound, 
  gathering information and figuring out what happened to the 
  ancient slowship colony. They may work out the true nature 
  of the Formians, and the existence of the formionts—pos-
  sibly as a result of a breach (page 41), or leading to one. They 
  may attempt to synthesise a treatment for the Shapechanger 
  Plague (page 12).
  SCENE ONE: THE MONO 
  LEAGUE PURITY COMPOUND
  Where the PCs learn the Formian “hill forts” aren’t what they seem.
  Locations: The second signal location in the Valley of War.
  Environment: Filthy and Primitive Stone Age Settlement 
  situation aspect.
  Episode Two
  The Valley of War
   
  IN WHICH THE PCS ENCOUNTER THE FORMIAN LEAGUES.
   
  
  53
  The Valley of War
  HOSPITAL
  SHUTTLE
  HOWE
  STOREHOUSE
  MOTHER	MASS
  TRAIL
  RIVER
  HUTS	AND	FIRES
  HUTS	AND	FIRES
  DEBRIS	
  “WALL”
  MONO LEAGUE 
  PURITY COMPOUND
  —	=	50M
  The Hook 
  The Mono League purity compound is the location of 
  the second signal (page 47). The PCs probably see it as a 
  “Formian hominid settlement”. They may observe Formian 
  behaviour and analyse ruins and artefacts from the original 
  colony.
  Dealing With It
  Approaching the purity compound openly will result in a 
  similar situation to “Contact With the Monolith” on page 51. At 
  best, it’ll be a stand-off while the PCs investigate the com-
  pound; at worst, the situation will devolve into open attacks. 
  The compound is a mess. It’s the territory of 15-30 Formi-
  ans, a filthy and shambolic clutch of ramshackle huts and 
  lean-tos of breathtaking primitiveness. The Formians must 
  have devolved a long way. Low fires burn outside the huts, 
  and Formians lurk listlessly. There are several larger mounds 
  like tumuli, one of which contains the metallic signature the 
  PCs detected from orbit.
  HUTS AND FIRES
  Not all of these are occupied, and those that are barely  
  seem lived in. Emaciated Formian monitors light and tend 
  the fires.
  
  54
  The City People
  SHUTTLE HOWE
  —	=	4M
  6
  1
  2
  3
  4
  7
  8
  8
  9
  9
  5
  THE MOTHER MASS
  Central to the compound is a large mass of gooey fleshy 
  matter almost like protoplasm or undifferentiated tissue. 
  The Formians will be unconcerned if the PCs approach this 
  mother	mass (page 17); it can defend itself.
  THE HOSPITAL
  This larger hut is occasionally occupied by injured or sickly 
  yet apparently very stoic Formians. Monitors (page 19) of the 
  Mono League are also found here.
  THE SHUTTLE HOWE
  One of the two larger tumuli or midden mounds in the 
  compound shows the outline of a buried shuttlecraft in sen-
  sorview or with Active Sensing. A scoured yet intact section of 
  hull metal tailfin protrudes from its top. 
  An overgrown cavernous mouth opens into the Nightmar-
  ish and Claustrophobic “howe” interior. Like everything else, it 
  stinks. Inside it’s like a tomb or pyramid, As Spooky As All Hell, 
  with the following areas:
  1.	 The	Outer	Hull: One wall of this earthern “cavern” is a 
  badly pitted and vacuum scoured slab of hull metal, 
  impenetrable without heavy weaponry or cutting tools. 
  It’s Several Thousand Years Old, and the outer hull of a 
  shuttle craft.
  2.	 Ambush: A group of 3 Formian warriors (page 18) rushes 
  out at the PCs, in front of another exposed section of shut-
  tle craft hull.
  3.	 Food	Station: A milk truck (page 19) is the focus of 
  Formian interest.
  4.	 Radioactive	Drive: A broken aft section of shuttle craft, 
  covering a damaged portion of fusion plant and a radia-
  tion	hazard (Mindjammer page 354).
  5.	 Fission: A Formian warrior is undergoing fission (page 13).
  6.	 Shuttle	Bridge: The half-buried bridge is ancient and 
  primitive. A Fair (+2) Investigate or Notice roll reveals it 
  was Deliberately Destroyed. A Science roll detects an early 
  synthetic intelligence—also destroyed.
  7.	 Cabin: Rotting and Filthy. Occupied by a Formian monitor 
  (page 19) or alternatively the Walker Formian captive from 
  Scene	Four:	The	Captive.
  8.	 Data	Stacks: Behind sealed and jammed doors (Good 
  (+3) Physique, etc, to open) are the Stack Access Remnants 
  of an ancient proto-Mindscape. A Superb (+5) Hacker 
  roll reconstructs the remnants into a Fragmented Partial 
  Virtuality, filled with gaps and darkness, but also impres-
  sionistic shards of words, visuals, reports, and memories. 
  It’s spooky and haunting even for Commonality citizens—
  the tantalising remains of memories millennia old. 
  Querying the virtuality reveals one fact per shift on a 
  Hacker roll:
   -
  The virtuality pinpoints a language and era: the 
  Uniworld of approximately 5700FA (five thousand 
  years ago).
   -
  The colony was growing: “There is so much room! We 
  are keeping checks on our population growth while 
  we engineer ourselves.”
   -
  Confusion, panic, and death spreads throughout the 
  colony—or the fear of something worse. “They are 
  not dying!”
   -
  As the colony appears close to collapse, the datastacks 
  also reveal the location	of	the	original	colony—
  named “Prime Colony”—in an area which the Formians 
  call the Peaceful Lands. The location matches the third	
  signal (page 47). 
  9.	 Drives	and	Stores: With a Dangerously High Background 
  Radiation aspect, the rearmost accessible cabins in the 
  shuttle craft contain non-perishable T7 gear from the 6th 
  millennium.
  THE STOREHOUSE
  Similar to the Shuttle Howe, this an old prefab habitat cov-
  ered with midden-like detritus has no power plant or data 
  stacks, but is inhabited by several Formians. There are sealed 
  storage areas containing T7 gear. 
  
  55
  The Valley of War
  MANAGING THE DISCOVERY OF THE FORMIONTS
  The discovery of the formiont bacteria is a key	assessment 
  (page 40). Be sure to reveal the nature of the Formians gradu-
  ally—perhaps taking several scenes or episodes. Here are 
  some ideas:
  1.	 The PCs observe a Formian kiss, and obtain and analyse 
  biosamples. They discover the “shadow mitochondria” 
  (page 12).
  2.	 The PCs witness a battle between leagues, and observe 
  the stingers at work. They may witness Formian 
  shapechanging.
  3.	 The breach (page 41) occurs, and a crewmember is infected 
  and shapechanges. The process alerts the PCs to the exist-
  ence of the formionts, and perhaps their true nature. 
  Redoing the Manifestation Analysis
  The PCs may realise their analyses have been incomplete and 
  perhaps plain wrong. They may re-do them with knowledge 
  of the existence of the formionts for more accurate results. 
  See also “Preliminary Cultural Analysis” in Episode	One	Scene	
  Four:	The	Monolith.
  Outcome
  The PCs have observed the inhuman behaviour of the Formi-
  ans, and may have discovered the hybrid formiont bacteria 
  and Shapechanger Plague. They may have encountered the 
  Walker Formian captive (page 57). They may not yet realise 
  it’s the formionts and not the Formians that are the exointel-
  ligence they’re encountering, but the clues are mounting. 
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may continue to observe the Formians (Scene	Two:	
  The	Warring	Leagues or Scene	Four:	The	Captive), or may 
  research a treatment for the Shapechanger Plague (Scene	
  Three:	Vaccine). They may travel to the lost Prime Colony 
  (Episode	Three:	The	Old	One	in	the	Mountain).
  SCENE TWO: 
  THE WARRING LEAGUES
  Where the PCs observe and perhaps participate in the conflict 
  between the Mono League and its neighbour.
  Locations:	The Valley of War.
  Environment: Constant State of Annihilating Warfare situ-
  ation aspect.
  The Hook 
  The Mono League’s valley is also occupied by a second 
  “Amphib” league. Both leagues are in constant low-level con-
  flict. The PCs observe and may be affected by this, and may 
  understand the cause of the endless internecine conflict. They 
  may capture and “interrogate” a different model Formian.
  Dealing With It
  The Mono League and Amphib League come into open con-
  flict, and the PCs are caught between. 
  THE AMPHIB LEAGUE
  The Amphib Formians are clearly different from the Mono 
  Formians. Their skin colour and any hair colour is differ-
  ent, and they have different adaptations and have slightly 
  different models from the Mono league. Amphibs are 
  Amphibious, Dedicated to Unthinking Destruction, and Have 
  Multiple Arms.
  A Fair (+2) Science (cultural anthropology) or cultural 
  Investigation or Notice roll theorises the two leagues are dif-
  ferent cultures—but more different from one another than 
  simple neighbouring “hill tribes” should be. 
  
  56
  The City People
  FIGHTING THE FORMIANS
  This scene can be a pretext for combat; perhaps the PCs, 
  observing a league from a distance, are surprised by a “war-
  party” from the other league. Figure 1 warrior, dozer, or tank 
  (page 18) for each PC, plus one group of 3 Formians per PC. 
  The PCs may think they’re the target, but the Formians are 
  only attacking because they’re in the way.
  TAKING A SIDE
  If the PCs help one league against another, their “allies” will 
  appear unimpressed and even ungrateful. However, they’ll 
  subsequently tolerate the PCs in their purity compound 
  unchallenged—at least, until they try to interact… 
  TAKING ADVANTAGE
  The PCs may take advantage of the fighting to explore either 
  league’s purity compounds, possibly finding the shuttle and 
  captive Walker Formian (Scene	Four:	The	Captive).
  Outcome
  The PCs witness the genocidal fighting between leagues if 
  Formians of one league aren’t able to “kiss” or “sting” the other. 
  Analysing the Formians of different leagues reveals they 
  belong to different clone lines for	the	most	part; some rare 
  members differ, but even they share almost identical stomach 
  bacteria and “shadow mitochondria” (the actual formionts)—
  the real basis for league differentiation.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may analyse the formiont bacteria in more detail, 
  perhaps to find a treatment for the Shapechanger Plague 
  (Scene	Three:	The	Vaccine). Alternatively they may meet the 
  Walker Formian (Scene	Four:	The	Captive) or go directly to 
  the Walker league in the Peaceful Lands (Episode	Three:	The	
  Old	One	in	the	Mountain).
  SCENE THREE: VACCINE 
  Where the PCs try to create a treatment for the Shapechanger 
  Plague.
  Locations:	A medical lab on the ship, in the shuttle, or 
  elsewhere on Beta Formiae 2.
  Environment: Virulent Deadly Biohazard situation aspect.
  The Hook 
  The PCs have discovered the Shapechanger Plague; per-
  haps one of the crew is infected, or a breach (page 41) has 
  occurred. They may be developing a treatment, or wondering 
  if the original colonists created something—especially if they 
  know the “Prime Colony” appears to have held out longer.
  Dealing With It
  The PCs analyse the Shapechanger Plague, identifying pos-
  sible treatments and devising strategies for producing them.
  GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 
  SHAPECHANGER PLAGUE
  The Shapechanger Plague is described on page 12. Treating 
  an existing infection (a therapeutic	treatment) or staving off 
  future infection (a prophylactic	treatment) are both difficult; 
  the formiont bacteria adapt actively. Any treatment the PCs 
  create will rely upon sophisticated, hyper-advanced Com-
  monality medical know-how. 
  BROAD ANTIBIOTIC
  The easiest, most short-term treatment, which any medical 
  character will recommend. It can be administered in a few days 
  with a single Technical (Meditech) roll. A successful treatment 
  increases the time period for Plague attacks by one step to a 
  few days, or by two steps to a week on a success with style.
  TARGETED PROPHYLACTIC
  A targeted prophylactic treatment helps characters resist 
  future infections. Once a PC has created the targeted pro-
  phylactic, a successful Technical (Meditech) roll to administer 
  it will make a character Resistant to Formiont Infection, or 
  Immune to Formiont Infection on a success with style.
  Creating the targeted prophylactic is a challenge, com-
  prising rolls of Science, Technical (Meditech), and Technical 
  (Genurgy), with each exchange taking a week, or a month 
  without at least PMI connectivity. Medical facilities of T6+ 
  are required. All rolls must succeed, and rerolls are allowed. 
  The difficulty is Superb (+5) with living patients, or Epic (+7) 
  without.  
  TARGETED THERAPEUTIC
  A targeted therapeutic treatment helps characters resist an 
  already existing infection, ultimately wiping it out and allowing 
  recovery obstacles to be overcome. It’s the hardest, most time-
  consuming, and longest-term option. It requires a few months 
  by default; treatment is 1 step faster with each of: the Mind-
  scape, an overclocked sentience, a genurgy lab, and so on.
  It’s a challenge, comprising the following stages:
  •	
  Stage	1:	Analyse	and	design	the	therapy.	A Fair (+2) 
  Technical (Genurgy) or Science roll.
  
  57
  The Valley of War
  Don’t Forget Successes at a Cost
  The PCs and ship’s crew are hyper-competent sci-
  entists, and it’s unreasonable to expect them to be 
  stymied in their search for a vaccine by bad dice rolls. 
  Don’t forget they can always succeed at a cost—and 
  that cost could be plot stress, hazards, or even incur-
  sions by Formians or other threats.
  •	
  Stage	2:	Create	the	therapy.	This is the second of the 
  two rolls above.
  •	
  Stage	3:	Overcome	a	Microdrone	Avatar	conflict	
  hazard using a Technical (Meditech) or Intrusion (Hacker) 
  roll in the Mindscape. This is an attack on the infecting 
  formionts, which are Good (+3) opposition and have 4 
  stress boxes and 2 consequences. If the infecting formi-
  onts are taken	out, the victim is freed of infection. Failures 
  damage the host. 
  DID THE ORIGINAL COLONY DEVELOP A TREATMENT?
  The PCs may wonder if the original Beta Formiae colonists 
  attempted to tackle the Shapechanger Plague. The answer lies 
  on the Astral-440. Fragmentary clues can be found on a Fair 
  (+2) search of the old colony proto-Mindscape—the colony 
  tried to keep it secret. The location of the Astral-440 may still be 
  unknown—it can be found in the Prime Colony proto-Mind-
  scape (see Episode	Three	Scene	Three:	Prime	Colony).
  If lockdown is in place and the PCs are prevented from 
  accessing the ship’s medical facilities, finding a treatment cre-
  ated by the old colony may be their only hope.
  Outcome
  The PCs may have begun to treat victims of the Shapechanger 
  Plague, or be searching for a treatment to neutralise the 
  threat. 
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  If the PCs are working on the treatment themselves, they 
  may continue with other scenes and episodes alongside their 
  painstaking research work. If they’re looking for a treatment 
  created by the old colony, they may search the Beta Formiae 
  system for the lost colony ship (a Fair (+2) Active Sensing roll 
  taking a few weeks—see Episode	Four:	The	Lost	Ship), or 
  travel to the Prime Colony site (see Episode	Three:	The	Old	
  One	in	the	Mountain).
  SCENE FOUR: THE CAPTIVE
  Where the PCs encounter an unusually aware Formian.
  Locations: Anywhere in the Valley of War.
  Environment: An Inhuman Brightness Behind the Eyes situ-
  ation aspect.
  The Hook 
  A Formian league—probably the Mono League—has a cap-
  tive Formian they haven’t killed, from an unknown league (the 
  Walker league from Prime Colony—see page 60). It may be 
  kept in the Shuttle Howe (page 54), or anywhere else the PCs 
  can stumble across it.
  Dealing With It
  The Walker Formian is calmer than any Formian the PCs have 
  met, and appears able to resist the urge to kiss, sting, or 
  attack.
  MEETING THE WALKER
  The PCs may realise how unusual this is. The unknown league 
  Formian is more observant, more “advanced” or “civilised” than 
  those they have seen so far—an Empathy, Notice, or other 
  appropriate roll reveals this if the players don’t deduce it for 
  themselves. 
  COMMUNICATION ATTEMPT
  Communicating with the Walker still isn’t straightforward, 
  although it’s easier than with other Formians (see page 14). 
  The PCs may hear about “the Peaceful Lands” and “the Walker 
  league”, and perhaps conclude that the Peaceful Lands, Prime 
  Colony, and the third signal are the same place. At some point 
  the Walker Formian defers to a higher authority, with the 
  words: “Unable to proceed. Intervention by the Old Colony in 
  the Mountain required”. 
  Outcome
  The PCs know there’s a settlement of “super-Formians”—clev-
  erer, more original, more able to communicate—somewhere 
  on Beta Formiae. They may realise their “Peaceful Lands” is the 
  original Prime Colony, and the third signal of their scans.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may continue their investigations with any other 
  unplayed scenes or unvisited locations. More answers may be 
  forthcoming at the old “Prime Colony”—see Episode	Three:	
  The	Old	One	in	the	Mountain.
  
  58
  Episode Three
  old one in the Mountains
  Episode Three
  The old One in the Mountain
  The PCs discover an unusually advanced Formian league in 
  a place the Formians call “the Peaceful Lands”—site of the 
  original Prime Colony.
  SCENE ONE: 
  THE PEACEFUL LANDS
  Where the PCs arrive and explore the Peaceful Lands
  Locations: The mountain range and river valleys adjacent 
  to the old Prime Colony.
  Environment: Tropical Rainforest Settlements Denuded but 
  Free of War situation aspect.
  The Hook 
  The equatorial mountains and lowland rainforests near the 
  remains of the ancient Prime Colony are inhabited by at 
  least two Formian leagues, as well as another apparently 
  larger Formian league in the Prime Colony valley itself, site 
  of the third metallic signature detected from orbit (page 47). 
  All these leagues seem free of the constant conflict which 
  the PCs have so far observed between Formian purity com-
  pounds elsewhere.
  Dealing With It
  The PCs observe the “Peaceful Leagues”, either from the 
  air or via closer ground-based surveillance, and may even 
  contact them.
  TRAVELLING THROUGH THE PEACEFUL LEAGUES
  If the PCs investigate the purity compounds near the ancient 
  Prime Colony, they discover none of them are directly hostile. 
  They are still Formians, and still conduct Formian kisses 
  within their leagues, but the genocidal conflict with neigh-
  bouring leagues is absent. The leagues are larger than those 
  seen before, with 100 or so members. A Fair (+2) Science roll 
  to analyse their DNA reveals the “Peaceful Lands” Formian 
  leagues are accepting a great deal more genurgic diversity 
  than those in the Valley of War. 
  If the PCs communicate with the leagues, they hear that 
  “intervention by the Walker league is required”. They’ll be told 
  the Walker league lies “through the tunnels in the mountains” 
  about 15km away. A success with style may even provide a 
  Formian guide!
  Outcome
  The PCs realise something very different is going on in the 
  Peaceful Lands, with larger Formian leagues and greater coex-
  istence—all apparently thanks to the “Walker” league.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may visit a Peaceful Land purity compound—see 
  Scene	Two:	A	Different	Purity. Alternatively, they may trav-
  erse the caves beneath the mountains, or use the shuttle to 
  descend into the Prime Colony mountain valley directly (see 
  Scene	Three:	Prime	Colony).
  IN WHICH THE PCS DISCOVER THE TRUE THREAT POSED BY THE FORMIANS
   
  
  59
  The Old One in the Mountain
  CAVE	SYSTEM
  PRIME	COLONY
  PEACEFUL	LEAGUE	#1
  PEACEFUL	LEAGUE	#2
  THE PEACEFUL LANDS
  —	=	10KM
  SCENE TWO: 
  A DIFFERENT PURITY
  Where the PCs visit a purity compound of one of the Peaceful 
  Leagues.
  Locations:	A Peaceful League purity compound.
  Environment: An Evolutionary Leap in Action situation 
  aspect.
  The Hook 
  If the PCs visit a purity compound of a Peaceful League, they 
  can directly observe the effect the Walkers are having on 
  Formian society. 
  Dealing With It
  The PCs may expect immediate Formian “attacks”; let them 
  take any steps they like. However, Formians they encounter 
  (whether Walkers or not) won’t attempt even a Formian kiss 
  with an unknown Formian, but instead defer to Walker Formi-
  ans in their compound. 
  TALES OF THE WALKERS
  If the PCs succeed at the still risky task of communicating 
  with Peaceful Lands Formians, they discover there’s an entire 
  league of Walker Formians “in the mountain”. The Peace-
  ful League Formians know they live in a purity compound 
  accessible “through the caves”. They know “the Walker 
  models talk between our leagues. The Old One in the Moun-
  tain is the last original.”
  You can place one or two Walker Formians in any Peace-
  ful League purity compound. They act as “advisers” or even 
  “priests”, and a watchful stand-off replaces the lethal hostil-
  ity of the Valley of War. The formiont colonies inhabiting the 
  Walker Formians are intrigued by the PCs, and keen for them 
  to visit the Old One. 
  The PCs may already have communicated with a Walker 
  Formian in the Valley of War (see Episode	Two	Scene	Four:	
  The	Captive). This is another opportunity to give them the 
  same information, plus a little more.
  Outcome
  The PCs witness how Walker Formians in Formian leagues 
  act as mediators, resolving disputes and allowing leagues to 
  coexist with their neighbours and grow.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may travel (perhaps with a Formian guide) through 
  the caves into Prime Colony, or cross the mountains in the 
  shuttle and land there. See Scene	Three:	Prime	Colony.
  
  60
  The City People
  HOSPITAL
  SHUTTLE
  COLONY	POD
  CROSSING
  THE	WALL
  MOTHER	MASS
  ANCIENT
  PREFABS
  CAVE	SYSTEM
  HUTS	AND	FIRES
  PRIME COLONY
  —	=	200M
  SCENE THREE: PRIME COLONY
  Where the PCs visit the final holdout of the original colonists, and 
  discover a special—and highly dangerous—kind of Formian.
  Locations:	The ruins of the original “Prime Colony” in the 
  equatorial regions.
  Environment: Heart of the Lethal Alien Hive situation aspect.
  The Hook 
  Prime Colony is a “lost city” in the mountains, accessible to the 
  Formians of the outside world only through an intricate cave 
  system. The PCs can fly into the secluded mountain valley, 
  or pass through the caves on foot—they’re too narrow to 
  traverse with the ATV. From orbit the city looks like ruins, but 
  on close observation (particularly in the infrared) it’s teeming 
  with Formians—perhaps a thousand or more, more than has 
  been seen anywhere else on the planet. 
  Dealing With It
  Familiarise yourself with this scene and with Scene	Four:	
  The	Old	One to release information to the players at appro-
  priate times, and to judge the changing motivations of the 
  Walker Formians as they find out in turn about the PCs. If the 
  Walkers discover the existence of the Commonality, they will 
  cooperate with the PCs in an attempt to get offworld. If they 
  remain unaware, or if the PCs try to thwart them, they may 
  try to overwhelm the PCs, infecting them with the Shape-
  changer Plague and gaining their knowledge by formiont 
  colonisation (page 13).
  TRAVELLING TO THE MOUNTAIN
  Make as much of this journey as you like: if the PCs are 
  approaching on foot, perhaps with a Walker Formian guide, 
  it’s a classic exploration adventure scene. Have them make 
  Athletics rolls to climb the mountains to the cave system 
  entrance; emphasise the alien rainforest environment, the 
  local fleshbag and ragbat species, the threat of infection.
  THE CAVE SYSTEM
  The caves are intriguing, with obstacles and earthworks 
  everywhere. A Notice or Investigation roll reveals an ancient 
  
  61
  The Old One in the Mountain
  T7 ship null cannon half-buried inside the entrance, pointing 
  out towards the Peaceful Lands (it’s repairable). An Investiga-
  tion or Science (archaeology) roll identifies the obstacles as 
  the remains of defences, a couple of thousand years old. Even 
  now they’re patrolled by Walker Formians. 
  ENTERING THE CITY
  The cave system debouches into an archaeological treasure 
  trove: a lost city. A colony pod from the Astral-440 is flanked 
  with half-buried prefabs and more recent Formian “huts”. 
  The whole “city” is perhaps a couple of kilometres square, 
  bounded by a huge wall 100m high, intact but partly over-
  grown. Scans will reveal the ruins are teeming with life signs. 
  Formians!
  The ruins are a “super purity compound” inhabited by 
  Walker Formians, in a league vastly larger than any the PCs 
  have seen so far. There are over a thousand Formians here, 
  more technologically advanced than elsewhere on the planet, 
  with a T1 (Neolithic) tech index.
  INTERACTING WITH THE WALKERS
  The Walkers won’t automatically try to infect intruders. They 
  usher them (eventually using force if necessary) to the Old 
  One (see Scene	Four:	The	Old	One), even telling the PCs this 
  if pressed.
  If the PCs don’t comply, the Formians will make Provoke 
  attacks. If those don’t work, the Old One will come to them. 
  Until the Old One has made its judgement, the Walkers won’t 
  physically try to infect the PCs.
  THE COLONY POD
  The enormous and obvious heart of the fallen colony is the 
  200m long, 40m wide, 30m high self-contained colonisation 
  unit, typical of modular colony ships of the Great Diaspora. 
  See the description on page 68 for more. 
  It’s a ruined “city”, abandoned for two thousand years, 
  swarming with Formians. The pod comprises many areas—
  you can decide upon these yourself, as well as letting 
  characters skilled in archaeology, intrusion, casing, architec-
  
  62
  The City People
  ture, or other appropriate skills describe the layout as they 
  find their way through to the areas they’re looking for. Pos-
  sible locations include:
  •	
  Sickbay:	Ancient and probably spoiled drugs, T7/T8 medical 
  equipment, and possible hints about the vaccine research 
  efforts which were being carried out on the Astral-440.
  •	
  Morgue:	The Walkers use this as a “shrine to the found-
  ers”—when the original infected colonists died off 
  (leaving the Old One, and any other originals you as GM 
  decide are around), any fission progeny or other Formians 
  placed them here. It’s filled with the desiccated corpses 
  of mutated humans—all of whom are different from one 
  another (no clones). Their formiont bacteria may still be 
  active, if dormant. The Formians have strange, icky, and 
  upsetting “rituals” to “commune” with them.
  •	
  Proto-Mindscape:	Comprising a primitive corpus where 
  the proto-Mindscape instance for the colony pod was 
  once located—badly damaged (probably sabotaged), but 
  still functional. The Old One (page 63) spends some of its 
  time here.
  THE SHUTTLE 
  Fair (+2) scans reveal a fusion source here. There are tunnels 
  similar to the Mono League shuttle (page 54), but the shuttle 
  craft is intact: it hasn’t been opened for millennia.
  A Technical roll (or a Legendary (+8) use of brute force) man-
  ually operates the airlock. Like the Valley of War, the early shuttle 
  sentience has been thoroughly and deliberately destroyed, but 
  more of the proto-Mindscape datastacks have survived. There’s 
  the equivalent of a proto-Mindscape PMI here, requiring a Good 
  (+3) Technical or Hacker roll to query, revealing the following: 
  •	
  The Astral-440 left Old Earth 5000 years ago, late in the 
  Great Diaspora, arriving in the Beta Formiae system 1750 
  years later.
  •	
  The colony initially thrived, establishing three secondary 
  urban centres and hundreds of major settlements. Prime 
  Colony remained as the command and control hub.
  •	
  Shortly after genurgic adaptation to the biosphere, the 
  colony realised it had been exposed to a contagion.
  •	
  The other satellite colonies fell in quick succession. Prime 
  Colony implemented draconian quarantine procedures, 
  and kept the infected at bay, but were unable to leave…
  •	
  The colonists attempted to produce a “treatment” for the 
  contagion.
  •	
  They were retreating to the Astral-440—all the advanced 
  labs were there—but lost contact with the ship.
  •	
  The proto-Mindscape contains the last known location of 
  the Astral-440 before control was lost (page 66).
  With work, the shuttle could be made flightworthy.
  A SPECIAL KIND OF FORMIAN
  What makes the Walker Formians special? How are they over-
  coming their drive to infect every other life form? A Notice 
  roll reveal the Walkers aren’t all clones of the same individual; 
  there are several leagues working together. 
  At this point, or possibly after the PCs have encountered 
  the Old One, they may analyse their findings (you can suggest 
  this). Doing so is a challenge. 
  •	
  First, a cultural	anthropology-type roll reveals that what’s 
  going on here is memetic. In other words, each Formian 
  league is behaving like a culture.
  •	
  Second, a biology	or	genurgy roll speculates a league’s 
  memes might be “hardwired” into each Formian’s genurgic 
  makeup by the bacterial formionts which inhabit its cells. 
  •	
  Third, a cultural	manipulation or culture	ops-type roll 
  reveals that this means a Formian league, and even a 
  Formian individual, should be able to be affected by a 
  memetic attack.
  Stress	how	much	of	a	big	deal	this	is. It’s a key moment 
  in the PCs’ investigations, and means they now have a way 
  to deal with the Formians: by engaging in memetic attacks, 
  using Technical to create memes as advantages, and under-
  taking cultural operations to manipulate Formian leagues. 
  The Walker Formians are mutants, combining exofauna 
  characteristics with those of more developed exointel-
  ligences. Their threat	reaction (Mindjammer page 306) 
  means they self-protect not by attacking / defending, but 
  by manipulating other lines into passivity using a form of 
  meme attack. This is an entirely new evolved behaviour, and 
  isn’t yet widespread or even stable. However, it is persist-
  ent, and has put the formiont exointelligence on the cusp 
  of moving from the Low Human (-2) evolution index to 
  Standard Human (-1).
  This has allowed the Walkers to stop the constant 
  fragmentation of the Formian leagues into subcultures, and 
  instead allow leagues to combine and grow. This is why the 
  Walker league is so large—and why its members are dispers-
  ing around the world... 
  THE WALKER FORMIONTS
  This section provides the exointelligence build for the 
  Walker formionts, updated from the base formiont build on 
  page 16, as well as the Walker league (actually its formiont 
  bacteria) statted as a culture. SCI Force and other characters 
  with appropriate skills may attempt cultural manipula-
  tions on the league—another strategy for dealing with the 
  Formian threat.
  
  63
  The Old One in the Mountain
  THE WALKER FORMIONTS
  Scale: Enormous (+3) 
  Physical Stress: 1  2  
  Reach: Continental (+5) Mental Stress: 1  2  3  
  Tech Index: T7  
  Consequences: 2 mild + 1 moderate
  Tech Index: T1 (-4)
  Aspects: Manipulating Formiont Expansionism, A 
  Larger World We Can Barely See, Still Finding Our 
  Way, We Must Sublimate Our Killing Communication, 
  Vestigial League Tribalism.
  Skills: Fair (+2) Empathy, Rapport; Average (+1) 
  Assimilate, Contacts, Deceive, Intrusion, Knowledge, Will
  STUNTS
   Memetic Cascade: Make an Intrusion create 
  advantage roll to target progressively larger scale 
  cultures with an Assimilate attack.
   Shock and Awe: Make meme attacks on any part of 
  a culture in a zone currently under organisation Security 
  attack.
   Suicide Synthetics: +1 Intrusion bonus by using 
  disposable sleeper agents.
  Supporting Culture
  WALKER FORMIONT EXOINTELLIGENCE BUILD
  Exointelligence	Scale:	Micro (-2).
  Evolution	Index:	Standard Human (-1).
  Exointelligence	Concept:	Microorganism Exointelligence 
  League Manipulating for Power.
  Behaviours:	League Social Structure, Attempts to Control if 
  Encounters Non-League Life Forms, Shapechanges to Fit Special-
  ised Niche.
  Exointelligence	Skills: Empathy +0, Investigate -3, 
  Knowledge +0, Notice -3, Science -4, Will +0.
  Manifestation:	Parasitises Host Senses; Communal 
  Communication via Chemical Exchange in Shared Host 
  Environment, Intra-League Communication via Bacterial 
  Exchange (Formiont Kiss), Extra-League Communication via 
  Verbal Communication; Communal Hive Inhabiting Host as 
  Member of League; Individuals at Millisecond Scale Aggregated 
  into Communal “Historical” Experience at Host Time Scale (1 
  standard exchange).
  that the old colony ship, the Astral-440, is still in the Beta 
  Formiae system, and may hold the secrets to a treatment for 
  the Shapechanger Plague. Finally, they may have discovered 
  there’s a notional “leader” of the Walkers in the Peaceful 
  Lands—the Old One.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may take what they know to create and implement 
  a treatment for the Shapechanger Plague—see Episode	
  Two	Scene	Three:	Vaccine. They may meet with the notional 
  leader of the Walker Formians: see Scene	Four:	The	Old	One. 
  Or they may travel to the Astral-440 lost colony ship: see Epi-
  sode	Four:	The	Lost	Ship. 
  SCENE FOUR: THE OLD ONE
  Where the PCs meet the intelligent “leader” of the Walker Formians.
  Locations: The shuttle or colony pod or elsewhere in 
  Prime Colony.
  Environment: In the Presence of a Powerful Alien Intelli-
  gence situation aspect.
  The Hook 
  The Walker Formians have a “leader” they call “the Old One”, 
  perhaps a survivor from the original Beta Formiae colony, 
  colonised by the formionts. It wants to meet the PCs… 
  Dealing With It
  This isn’t necessarily a combat scene, although it may devolve 
  into one. The PCs pit their wits against the ancient formiont 
  colony called “the Old One”, which is trying to manipulate 
  them to let it—and the whole formiont threat—leave Beta 
  Formiae and expand to other worlds. 
  THE VISION THING
  The PCs know they’re up against something special from the 
  outset. If nothing else, they may suddenly find themselves 
  subject to mindburn attacks via the Mindscape! An Investi-
  gate, Notice, or Science roll using the Mindscape reveals these 
  aren’t mindburn attacks, but rather supercharged, clumsy, 
  and primitive attempts at thoughtcasting emanating from the 
  Old One. The Formian has a Mindscape implant!
  But how? A Mindscape analysis roll reveals these “thought 
  surges” may be greetings or summons, apparently from a vast 
  number of minds—millions upon millions of them…   
  The Old One remembers (as do some other Walkers)  
  the ancient human Prime Colony. Its first words to the PCs are 
  a clue:
  “Model is known. Model is called human.”
  Outcome
  The PCs may finally understand the nature of the Formians 
  and their formiont inhabitants. They may have discovered 
  
  64
  The City People
  THE OLD ONE
  Physical Stress: 1  2  3   Mental Stress: 1  2  3  4
  Consequences: 3 + 1 mild
  Scale: Medium (+0) 
  Refresh: 2
  ASPECTS
  High Concept: Formian Survivor From the Original 
  Colony Population.
  Trouble: Shrivelled Humanoid.
  Other Aspects: Empire Builder, Inhuman Incisiveness, 
  The Vision Thing.
  SKILLS
  Superb (+5): Will
  Great (+4): Knowledge, Rapport
  Good (+3): Deceive, Investigate
  Fair (+2): Notice, Provoke, Stealth
  Average (+1): Empathy, Physique, Resources,  
  Unarmed Combat
  STUNTS
   Indomitable: +2 Will bonus to defend against Provoke 
  fear and intimidation attacks.
   Overseer: 1/scene, make a Rapport overcome action 
  to generate a pool of shift points you can redistribute.
   Thought Surge: Any type of Mindscape contact the 
  Old One makes also acts as a mindburn attack and may 
  do mental stress damage.
  NATURAL ABILITIES
  ê Formian Shapechanging: Reconfigure into diﬀerent 
  Formian model, shrinking or increasing up to 50% in size. 
  Takes a few days.
  ê Stinger: +2 Unarmed Combat attack bonus, plus 
  possible Shapechanger Plague exposure.
  OTHER EXTRAS
  ê Special Ops Mindscape Implant: Fairly crude and 
  primitive version, but it works.
  Major NPC
  The Old One is an infected but original colonist; the host 
  organism before the PCs is 2000 years old. It’s uncertain what 
  that means in formiont terms. 
  The Old One remembers that the original human colonists 
  were intelligent without hosting formiont colonies. After two 
  thousand years without meeting an uninfected human, it’s 
  curious to know why the PCs are here, what they know, and 
  what’s “out there”.
  The PCs may communicate with the Old One. It’s reasona-
  bly articulate, with a greater grasp of human-comprehensible 
  language than other Formians. It doesn’t speak like a human, 
  but may end up sounding more like the crew of a large 
  starship or the official communiques of an organisation or 
  community. It refers to itself as “we”, its body as “this model”, 
  other Formians as “other city people”, and other formionts as 
  “our species” or “colonists”. It also remembers its host’s memo-
  ries—albeit imperfectly—and refers to them as “this model’s 
  experience store”.
  Have fun with this, and don’t give the players an easy 
  ride—but they should be able to communicate. 
  Give the PCs the opportunity to understand the Formi-
  ans—and particularly the Walkers—in this encounter. You can 
  present information as a conversation, but also allow Inves-
  tigation, Notice, Science, and other appropriate perception, 
  cultural anthropology, and cultural analysis rolls to provide 
  insights when the players need them.
  The PCs should realise the Old One has a vision of a 
  longer-term and larger-scale society for the Formians. The 
  Walkers have grasped the nature of inter-colony relations, and 
  are helping colonies to co-exist without trying to overcome 
  one another. They’re empire-builders. This puts them at 
  
  65
  The Old One in the Mountain
  Deception and Lies
  The Old One knows that humans will oppose 
  formiont colonisation, and won’t openly discuss it. 
  Other Walkers also know this in principle, but have 
  no experience of communication with humans, and 
  so are less able to dissimulate. Between themselves, 
  when they think humans can’t overhear, they freely 
  discuss their plans.
  the forefront of formiont evolution, and makes them very 
  dangerous. By creating their shaky league alliances, the Walk-
  ers are on the verge of solving the “Inventor Paradox” (page 
  14)—a quantum leap in formiont societal evolution. 
  What are the PCs going to do? They may realise the 
  danger a unified and expansionist formiont culture may rep-
  resent to the Commonality, but, equally, they may also realise 
  this culture has a common point of reference for communica-
  tion. Can SCI Force do business with these “people”?
  THE OLD ONE’S PLAN
  The Old One may react to the PCs in several ways. Its motiva-
  tion is simple: it wants to find out where the PCs have come 
  from. If the PCs aren’t forthcoming with this information, it 
  will use Deceive to create advantages to find out, using Rap-
  port advantages to put the PCs at ease. 
  If the Old One learns about the existence of the Com-
  monality, it will cooperate with the PCs as fully as it can, with 
  a view to getting offworld and spreading into the cosmos. It 
  will attempt to pass this information to other Formians. 
  If the PCs hide the existence of the Commonality from 
  the Old One (whether the Old One suspects it or not), it will 
  become hostile, and decide to infect the PCs to gain access to 
  their knowledge. 
  Outcome
  The PCs may understand what the Formians are about to 
  evolve into—and that the Commonality may be able to com-
  municate meaningfully with them. But should they?
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  If the PCs are still searching for a treatment, they may create 
  one (Episode	Two	Scene	Three:	Vaccine), or travel to the lost 
  colony ship in search of one (Episode	Four:	The	Lost	Ship). 
  They may also complete their threat	analysis and decide 
  how the expedition (and therefore the Commonality) will deal 
  with the Formian threat (see Epilogue:	Threat	Analysis).
  
  66
  THE ASTRAL-440
  Physical Stress: 1  2 	
  Systems Stress: 1  2  3  4
  Consequences: 1 mild + 1 moderate
  Scale: Enormous (+3)
  Tech Index:  T7
  Aspects: Long-abandoned Relic From the Great 
  Diaspora; Ancient and Unfamiliar Systems; Nominal 
  Power Only; Bulky Physical Shielding; Time-
  Travelling Sleepers in Vulnerable Stasis Berths (flaw); 
  Consequences: Dead Sentience, Explosive Damage, 
  Gutted and Depleted Reserves.
  Skills: Good (+3) Resources, Systems; Fair (+2) Passive 
  Sensing, Technical; Average (+1) Manoeuvre, Ranged 
  Combat.
  STUNTS
   Long-Distance Life Support: +2 bonus for 
  functioning on systems and reserves.
   Passenger Accommodation: Accommodations for 
  300 passengers.
  EXTRAS
  ê Extended Passenger Accommodation x2: 
  Accommodation upgraded for 6000 passengers.
  ê Physical Ray Shielding: Invoke against kinetic, null, 
  and plasma weapons, missiles: Bulky Physical Shielding.
  ê Stasis Berths: Accommodations converted to 
  transport 60,000 colonists in stasis.
  ê Primitive Ponics: Provides tenuous food and 
  breathable atmosphere.
  Supporting Ship
  Episode Four
  The Lost Ship
  The Astral-440 is a colony ship of the later Great Diaspora 
  period. It transported some 60,000 colonists in stasis. Typical 
  of late Diaspora vessels, it prioritised form over function; it’s 
  highly ornate, with decorative flourishes, and to modern 
  Commonality eyes has a “decadent” feel. 
  The ship shows signs of battle damage, explosions, and 
  fighting. There are vacuum-exposed remains, desiccated long 
  ago. It’s been derelict for at least 2000 years.
  Episode Four
  The Lost Ship
  IN WHICH THE PCS DISCOVER AND EXPLORE THE ANCIENT COLONY SHIP ASTRAL-440.
  The Astral-440 is somewhere in the Beta Formiae system; its 
  exact location depends on how your game has been going, 
  the PCs’ rolls, theories, and opinions, and so on. By default 
  we’ve located it in the atmosphere of the gas giant Beta 
  Formiae 5 (page 10).
  In this episode the PCs find the ship, and try to access its 
  ancient data records to discover what happened to it, and 
  perhaps find a treatment for the Shapechanger Plague.
  
  67
  The Lost Ship
  FORMIONT	RING
  Colony Pod attaches to the outer ring
  Airlock
  Shield	Ring	
  (water	tanks/cargo/storage)
  Middle	Ring	(stasis	pods)
  Inner	Ring	(memcore/labs)
  A	
  B
  C
  Metres
  100
  200
  0
  CARGO	SECTION
  ACCOMMODATION	AREA
  POD	POWER	PLANTS	&	DRIVES
  POD	BRIDGE
  SHUTTLE	BAY
  SHUTTLE	BAY
  STORAGE	AREAS
  SHUTTLE	(PLAN	PROFILE)
  BRIDGE
  SYSTEMS	&	
  OPERATIONS
  PRIMARY	SENSORS
  NAVIGATION	ARRAY
  AUXILIARY	BRIDGE	&	
  FLIGHT	CONTROL
  WORKSHOPS	&	ENGINEERING	
  CONTROL
  FUSION	PLANT
  MAIN	GRAVITY	ENGINES
  SECONDARY	ENGINES
  BACK	UP	
  POWER	PLANT
  FORMIONT	RING
  MID	RING
  MID	RING
  INNER	RING
  (Memcore)
  (Labs)
  COLONY	POD
  COLONY	PODS	(8)
  SHUTTLE	
  BAYS	(8)
  COLONY	POD
  RING	CROSS	SECTION
  SIDE	PROFILE
  THE LOST SHIP / ASTRAL-440
  A
  B
  C
  ANALYSIS AND DEDUCTIONS
  Provide the PCs with the unlabelled ship schematic from the 
  handouts on page 76. Cursory passive scans reveal the ship 
  has limited power: there are emissions from a fusion power 
  plant in the engineering section; the central habitat and 
  stasis rings are rotating slowly; and the empty colony pod 
  bays act as solar vanes. The non-rotating parts of the ship 
  are probably in zero gravity; the rotating sections may have 
  anything up to .25G.
  The outer section of the habitat and stasis ring appears 
  to contain liquid water; the ship has an atmosphere which 
  may be breathable. A successful Active or Passive Sensing roll 
  reveals that the level containing water is acting as shielding, 
  as well as providing potable water reserves. However, there 
  are ambiguous but definite life signs both in the water and 
  elsewhere—perhaps ancient ponics and unidentified slow-
  moving life forms. 
  The schematic indicates the ship’s main areas. These won’t 
  be immediately obvious to the PCs, but you may reveal them 
  on the basis of appropriate Intrusion, Knowledge, or Technical 
  rolls, or by exploration.
  
  68
  The City People
  THE SHIP INTERIOR
  The ship central habitat is spinning gently, providing 0.25G 
  gravity; solar energy and the semi-dormant fusion plant 
  provide minimal life support. Sensors show the atmosphere 
  is loaded with virulent and all-too-familiar bacteria; any 
  exposure automatically exposes the character to the Shape-
  changer Plague (page 12).
  The ship interior comprises three broad sections: bridge 
  and operations (forward); the rotating habitats (amidships); 
  and engineering (aft).
  Bridge and Operations
  This relatively small section (40m long and 20m diameter) is in 
  zero-G, sealed off, empty, and abandoned. It comprises:
  •	
  Main Bridge
  •	
  Auxiliary Bridge and Flight Control
  •	
  Navigation Array
  •	
  Primary Sensors
  •	
  Systems and Operations
  •	
  Storage
  Many of the ancient T7 control systems look to have 
  been deliberately sabotaged, in places by a single large 
  explosive device. A Good (+3) Technical roll taking half an 
  hour in the main bridge, auxiliary bridge, or systems and 
  operations sections can re-establish fire control for the ship’s 
  null weapons.
  Engineering
  This section, also in zero-G, has been sealed, and is where 
  the colonists made their last stand against the Formians. A 
  Superb (+5) ship’s engineering roll reveals the engines have 
  been deliberately scuttled—but they are reparable. There are 
  big STL fusion-powered gravity engines and early proto-
  Mindscape datastacks. There is still low power in the fusion 
  core.  The engineering section comprises:
  •	
  Backup Power Plant
  •	
  Fusion Plant
  •	
  Workshops and Engineering Control
  •	
  Main Gravity Engines
  •	
  Secondary Gravity Engines
  The Rotating Habitats
  The central section of the ship; the rotation is a “low power 
  default”—when under power it would provide a 1G gravity. 
  Most of this episode’s action happens here. Viewed in cross-
  section, it’s divided into four areas: three “rings” plus an outer 
  array of colony pods, all but one of which are gone. Viewed 
  laterally, it’s divided into eight “transversals”, which form com-
  partments in each of the three rings.
  THE COLONY PODS
  The outer level of the rotating habitats originally consisted of 
  eight colony pods, each designed to detach from the Astral-
  440 and form the core of a new colony. Only one remains. The 
  fate of the other seven is as follows:
  •	
  One forms the core of Prime Colony (page 60).
  •	
  Three are “blasted areas” on the surface of Beta Formiae 
  (page 48).
  •	
  Three are unaccounted for. Where did they go? In fact at 
  least one of these is elsewhere in the system—see page 9.
  The remaining colony pod on the Astral-440 is a pristine 
  example of the one shown on page 61: 200 metres long, 40 
  metres wide, and 30 metres high, with 9 decks. It contains 
  mothballed factories, a bridge at the front, and thrusters at 
  the rear. With a few days and a Great (+4) Technical (Starship 
  Engineer) roll, etc, it could be reactivated. 
  A corresponding stasis section exists in the middle ring 
  below the colony pod, with many of its original 7500 colonists 
  still intact in stasis. See The	Middle	Ring and Scene	Two:	
  Ambiguous	Life	Signs below.
  THE SHIELD RING
  Scans indicate this outermost cylindrical habitat level is filled 
  with water—fairly standard for colony ships, providing natural 
  shielding for the stasis chambers further in, and a ready 
  source of water, oxygen, hydrogen, and habitats for ponics 
  and aquatic life. It also contains its own ecosystem, inhabited 
  by aquatic	Formians and vac	Formians (page 70). Due to 
  environmental paucity the population is low, and the vac 
  Formians usually in semi-hibernation.
  THE MIDDLE RING
  This was the main stasis section, with each of its 8 subsections 
  holding 7,500 colonists in stasis. It’s mostly empty, with mini-
  mal life support. The vac Formians can enter, but usually don’t 
  because of the conditions. There is one stasis subsection still 
  under power and operational (See “The Awakening” in Scene	
  Two:	Ambiguous	Life	Signs).
  THE INNER RING
  Empty and sealed, the inner ring has zero life support. It 
  requires a few hours of hands-on work and a Fair (+2) Intru-
  sion roll to enter (failure means a costly success, probably 
  
  69
  The Lost Ship
  alerting the vac Formians. PCs entering may access the mem-
  core and vaccine / treatment labs (see below).
  The rotating habitats section also contains:
  •	
  Shuttle	Bays:	There are bays for eight shuttles, all empty. 
  For examples of shuttles on Beta Formiae, see pages 54 
  and 62.
  •	
  Storage: With a lack of makepoint technology, Great 
  Diaspora colony ships had to bring pretty much every-
  thing with them, and these sections were where it was 
  stored. Most raw and prefab materials and micro-factories 
  were removed long ago, but a substantial amount 
  remains, clearly to support an ongoing occupation. It’s 
  mothballed now, but could be reactivated in a week on a 
  Great (+4) Technical roll. There are items of T7 gear here.
  SCENE ONE: GETTING IN
  The PCs approach and board the Astral-440.
  Locations:	The outer hull, airlocks, and maintenance 
  hatches of the Astral-440.
  Environment:	Creaking Clanking Scary and Dark situation 
  aspect.
  The Hook 
  The PCs arrive at the Astral-440 and, having conducted their 
  scans from outside, attempt to board.
  Dealing With It
  The outer hull has various airlocks, indicated on the sche-
  matic (page 67), plus maintenance hatches (not shown). 
  These are more manual than the variform airlocks the PCs 
  are used to, requiring a Fair (+2) Intrusion or Technical roll to 
  force open, with a risk of alerting vac Formians or suffering 
  injury from explosive decompression debris on successes 
  at cost. Opening maintenance hatches in particular breaks 
  atmospheric integrity of ship sections, exposing interior 
  compartments to vacuum unless mitigated from the bridge 
  controls. Vacuum conditions won’t stop the vac Formians, 
  which are smart enough to move between sections and 
  operate hatches. 
  The ship interior contains all the elements of classic sci-fi 
  horror: it’s a dark, abandoned spaceship, filled with weird 
  sounds and ancient remains, and a horrible, infectious foe, 
  lurking murderously in the dark, one touch from which will 
  turn you into a hideous zombie! Milk this for all it’s worth—
  the PCs should be thoroughly spooked. Treat each move 
  between ship sections as a Good (+3) Provoke attack vs Will, 
  taking half an hour and doing mental stress damage from 
  fear, claustrophobia, and isolation.
  Outcome
  By the end of this scene, the PCs will be inside the Astral-440.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  Let the PCs choose which ship section they have entered, 
  by airlock or maintenance hatch. Then move to Scene	Two:	
  Ambiguous	Life	Signs.
  SCENE TWO: 
  AMBIGUOUS LIFE SIGNS
  The PCs explore the interior of the Astral-440.
  Locations: Any of the ship sections shown on the sche-
  matic on page 67.
  Environment: Strips and Strings of Fleshy Organic Matter 
  Growing Up the Walls situation aspect.
  The Hook 
  The PCs explore the ship and come into contact with the 
  vac Formians. Attacks, analyses, conversation attempts, and 
  
  70
  The City People
  The Bremengen Diaspora
  The Astral-440 left Old Earth seven hundred years after 
  the main era of the Great Diaspora had ended. By that 
  point, the Old Commonality was already starting to 
  become introverted and isolationist, entering its early 
  stages of decadence which would gradually become 
  more stagnant and oppressive. What made this bor-
  derland arcology mount a colony mission? Who were 
  the 60,000 who were chosen to leave?
  possible stand-offs are all possible. The fleshy organic matter 
  growing up the walls appears anywhere there is light.
  Dealing With It
  A cursory investigation reveals the ship interior is heav-
  ily damaged, and that the damage is very old. There was 
  once fighting here—millennia ago. A Fair (+2) Investigate or 
  Science (biology, chemistry, etc) roll reveals organic traces 
  throughout the interior. The Formians are here! A success with 
  style reveals the traces aren’t identical with those found on 
  Beta Formiae-2. 
  On any failed roll or costly success, the vac Formians pick 
  up the PCs’ scent and start to close in! 
  VAC FORMIAN ATTACK!
  As is traditional with ship-based sci-fi horror, you can pre-
  figure vac Formian attacks before they happen, usually by 
  describing “pings” on hand scanner readouts, sensorview or 
  virtual vision, showing multiple alien life signs converging on 
  the PCs’ position. The PCs may try to evade, an Athletics or 
  Stealth contest against the vac Formians’ Athletics. 
  Figure the PCS will be attacked each time by 1 group 
  of 3 vac Formian minor NPCs per PC, plus an optional 1 vac 
  Formian warrior per combat-competent PC, or a variation.
  All vac Formians have adapted to the ship environment, 
  but otherwise have the same stats as other Formian models. 
  They’re Lethargic and Dozy Unless Hunting or Eating. There are 
  several models:
  •	
  An EVA model—the classic vac Formian, a Hydragand 
  / Dezimeer-type adaptation. They tend outlying meat 
  plants and activate the occasional stasis berth. They have 
  a Vac Adapted aspect.
  •	
  An aquatic model—the “meat farmers” of the shield ring 
  ecosystem. They have an Aquatic aspect.
  •	
  Meat plants—hopefully now non-sentient—include the 
  fleshy growths on the walls as well as sessile lactators 
  and meat producers and photosynthesising plant/human 
  hybrids. They’re Hideous Hydroponics, and quite upsetting.
  THE AWAKENED
  The second instance of “ambiguous life signs” is the semi-
  intact stasis section in the middle ring. There were originally 
  7500 colonists here—time travellers from six millennia in the 
  past. The vac Formians have been predating on this “food 
  store”, munching their way through and using “awakenees” as 
  “booster stock”, leading to a brief florescence as the faltering 
  biome receives a boost. They’ve probably killed half of the 
  colonists in this way, leaving about 3500 still in stasis.
  The vac Formian biome is undergoing just such a flores-
  cence currently. A single stasis pod occupant has recently 
  been awakened, and is now infected with the Shapechanger 
  Plague and undergoing metamorphosis. The individual is 
  Nuschka	Cheng	He from the Bremengen Arcology on the 
  Shine / Yarp borderlands. If the PCs track her down, she’ll be 
  guarded by vac Formians and in a state of shock, infected and 
  suffering moderate and severe (mental) consequences, and 
  effectively temporarily insane. She speaks the same Uniworld 
  dialect the PCs may have identified on Beta Formiae-2; a time 
  traveller from Old Earth’s distant past. She’ll be terrified, disori-
  ented, and deranged—and also very alien.
  Outcome
  The PCs have explored the ship interior and understood its 
  layout. They may have encountered the vac Formians, and 
  also found the Awakened. 
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  To check out if the Astral-440 contains any data records, 
  see Scene	Three:	MemCore. To search for traces of the old 
  colony’s research into a treatment for the Shapechanger 
  Plague, see Scene	Four:	Salvation?
  SCENE THREE: MEMCORE
  Where the PCs explore the inner habitat ring and discover the 
  colony ship’s ancient memory core. 
  Locations:	The inner habitat ring “MemCore” section.
  Environment: Failed Memories of a Dead World situation 
  aspect.
  The Hook 
  The PCs enter the zero-G hard vacuum of the ship sentience 
  data stacks, looking for information on what happened to the 
  Astral-440 and its research into a treatment for the Shape-
  changer Plague. 
  Dealing With It
  The data stacks are in a hard vacuum and zero-G along the 
  central axis of the ship. It’s a Superb (+5) Technical (Mind-
  
  71
  The Lost Ship
  scape) contest to repair them; nanocells can help. Any failures 
  or costly successes may alert the vac Formians.
  THE SHIP SENTIENCE
  The Astral-440 had its own sentience—an early model in 
  comparison with modern corpuses. It was housed in the 
  memcore, but is no longer there, although there are traces. A 
  Good (+3) Empathy, Investigation or other forensics roll in the 
  ship’s proto-Mindscape, or examining the memcore exter-
  nally, reveals it killed itself.
  HACKING THE MEMCORE
  Once the memcore is repaired, the PCs may try a Great (+4) 
  Intrusion (Hacker) roll to access its records. These tell the tale 
  of the colony’s final fall, the heroic last stand 2000 years ago. 
  Each success reveals one of the following pieces of informa-
  tion, or two on a success with style.
  •	
  The ship was reorganised into a “colony” in its own right, 
  under the command of the “MediCom” medical commit-
  tee, whose sole purpose was the creation of a vaccine.
  •	
  “Our labs have developed a vaccine, but we cannot 
  administer it. The hybrids are too aggressive. We have lost 
  contact with Prime Colony. We have not been able to self-
  destruct. I only hope this virulent life form does not make 
  it to the Commonality.” The location of the ship’s labs is 
  given: see Scene	Four:	Salvation?
  •	
  Four of the vessel’s colony pods landed on Beta Formiae-2.
  •	
  There are indications that two of the remaining colony pods 
  fled to other planets in the system. What happened to the 
  remaining missing colony pod is unknown. Artful GMs may 
  want to tap this for player paranoia—where could it be? 
  Could the Formians have made it to another system? Even 
  to the Commonality? Could they still be on the way?
  Outcome
  By the end of the scene, the PCs may have discovered the fate 
  of the Beta Formiae colony, and also located the treatment for 
  the Shapechanger Plague. They may also have encountered 
  an infected “time traveller” from the Old Commonality of the 
  sixth millennium.
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs may still have to get the Shapechanger Plague under 
  control, at least for themselves—see Scene	Four:	Salvation? 
  Otherwise they are probably now free to decide what to do 
  about the system and the formiont threat—see Epilogue.
  SCENE FOUR: SALVATION?
  Where the PCs discover the original colony’s treatment for the 
  Shapechanger Plague—and encounter a dilemma.
  Locations: The inner habitat ring “labs” section.
  Environment: Ancient and Threadbare Biohazard Protec-
  tion situation aspect.
  The Hook 
  The PCs break through to the labs in the zero life support and 
  low grav heart of the habitat ring, in the face of vac Formian 
  opposition on costly successes.
  Dealing With It
  FINDING THE VACCINE
  Searching the labs is a Superb (+5) Technical (Meditech) 
  contest, opposed by marauding vac Formians. Archaeology 
  and Science skills may provide advantages. On a success, the 
  PCs find the vault and capsules containing the treatment 
  created by the MediCom emergency medical committee—a 
  full-blown targeted	therapeutic (page 56). 
  The contest also reveals:
  •	
  If the PCs haven’t already worked it out, that “We are 
  dealing with a new species. It is not the hybrids which are 
  intelligent—it is the bacteria which have colonised them, 
  forced to evolve by the environment within the human 
  host. Do we have the right to destroy a new species?”
  •	
  The treatment was never used: by the time the MediCom 
  had deliberated, it was already too late. But do the PCs 
  have the right to use it against the Formians now, know-
  ing widespread use of it may constitute genocide, and 
  even the most basic use on an infected individual tanta-
  mount to mass murder?
  If the PCs try and employ the treatment as is, it’s an Epic 
  (+7) Technical (Meditech) roll; the Shapechanger Plague 
  has itself changed over the millennia. Failure either renders 
  the plague immune, or destroys the infection and the host. 
  However, some slight tweaking and a Superb (+5) Science 
  (biology) or Technical (Meditech) create advantage roll on 
  a captured Formian or infected character and a few days’ 
  work can create a Modified Vaccine advantage and allow the 
  treatment to be administered by Mindscape-linked nano-
  drone—see “Targeted Therapeutic: Stage 3” on page 57.
  Outcome
  The PCs have the ability to cure the Shapechanger Plague, 
  and even potentially wipe out the formionts.  
  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
  The PCs (and players) must decide how the expedition is 
  going to deal with the Formians and end the adventure. See 
  Epilogue:	Threat	Analysis below.
  
  72
  Epilogue
  Threat Analysis
  By the end of the adventure, the PCs may have overcome the 
  formiont threat, or may have succumbed, possibly leaving the 
  formionts more powerful than they were before.
  VICTORY CONDITION: 
  THE FATE OF BETA FORMIAE
  If the PCs counter the threat posed by formiont contagion 
  and the Shapechanger Plague—either by avoiding contami-
  nation, or discovering a treatment for it—they may return to 
  Commonality Space. First, though, they must decide what to 
  do with the Formians. 
  Quarantine
  The PCs may decide the Formians represent an existential 
  threat, but are nevertheless a sentient species with a right to 
  exist. They may decide to enforce the Commonality Quar-
  antine (Mindjammer page 307), prohibiting unauthorised 
  personnel from visiting the planet and stationing Com-
  monality q-ships in system. They may also recommend the 
  Commonality continue its contact and cultural manipulation 
  efforts—possibly with mechanical personnel.
  CULTURAL MANIPULATION
  The PCs may realise that a Formian league is an exoculture, 
  and that the Walkers in particular can be manipulated and 
  encouraged to evolve into a less threatening form. This is a 
  good way of dealing with the situation. You can run the PCs’ 
  (or SCI Force’s) attempts to manipulate the Walker Formian 
  exoculture (page 63) as an ongoing effort, as a sequel to this 
  adventure or as an ongoing activity in your campaign.
  DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
  There are many mysteries about the formionts, including 
  whether or not they are native to Beta Formiae, or whether 
  they arrived on the world via some process of panspermia. 
  The fact that the planet’s sessile life forms are not host to 
  formionts may be significant. Until a research expedition can 
  analyse the world’s fossil record and genurgic history, theories 
  are pure conjecture.
  Extreme Sanction
  The PCs may decide the formionts constitute too great a 
  threat to the Commonality, and should be destroyed—
  euphemistically referred to as extreme	sanction. An extreme 
  sanction of the formionts probably uses Commonality planet-
  busters, and requires the invocation of the Samson	Protocol.
  THE SAMSON PROTOCOL
  The Samson Protocol is one of several procedures by which a 
  Commonality sentient starship may voluntarily destroy itself. 
  A Samson is a frequent archetype in human and hominid 
  cultures; a hero who destroys him- or herself and environ-
  ment to neutralise a far greater threat. The Samson Protocol 
  may specifically be invoked as a planetbuster when the Com-
  Epilogue
  Threat Analysis
  WHAT DO THE PCS DECIDE IS THE FATE OF 
  BETA FORMIAE AND THE FORMIONTS?
  
  73
  Threat Analysis
  monality is facing an immediate and unavoidable existential 
  threat and no other recourse can be envisaged. The voluntary 
  self-destruction is a necessary part of the Samson Protocol to 
  ensure it is only resorted to in extremis. 
  With the Samson Protocol, a single planeship releases the 
  stored energy of its ZIP plant capacitors in a single “reverse 
  makepoint” explosion. It’s a complex task, with microsecond 
  adjustments requiring the ship’s own participation in its own 
  destruction, and a Fair (+2) Planing roll.
  A planetbuster detonation causes an extinction level 
  event on a garden world, sterilising its surface. The Samson 
  vessel’s sensor drones are permitted to survive to ensure the 
  extreme sanction has been effective. Any other survivors 
  incur at least a Severe mental consequence as instruments of 
  such widespread destruction.
  Treatment
  A possible middle ground is to aerosolise the vaccine and 
  destroy all the formionts on Beta Formiae 2. This involves 
  massive environmental destruction, but will not kill the 
  formiont hosts, instead leaving them helpless and infanti-
  lised—blank slates ready to start again. This still imposes at 
  least a Moderate mental consequence on those taking part: 
  it’s “genocide-lite”.
  Cultural Impact
  Regardless of what the victorious PCs decide, if the story of 
  Beta Formiae becomes public knowledge, it acts as a Sentient 
  Bacteria Are Scary-type Good (+3) Memetic Cascade meme 
  attack against the Commonality culture.
  DEFEAT CONDITION: 
  THE FORMIONT MENACE
  At best, the entire crew of the Magnanimous Intervention 
  perishes without their knowledge being acquired by the 
  Formians. At worst, the Shapechanger Plague succeeds in 
  its attempt to get offworld—perhaps by stealing the shuttle 
  (slower-than-light, so a great hunt!) from Maggie, or even the 
  ship itself! In this case, there’s a new power in the galaxy: the 
  Formiont Menace.
  This condition may also arise if the PCs bring back a 
  Formian, or even a formiont sample, or someone infected to 
  the Commonality, and it gets out—though this shouldn’t be 
  possible if the contagion protocols are followed. 
  It’s even possible a deranged Commonality agent or a foe 
  like the Venu may find out about the Shapechanger Plague, 
  and travel to Beta Formiae to get a sample and release it. 
  These events are outside the scope of this scenario, but the 
  GM may wish to use them in subsequent adventures.
  
  74
  The City People
  It’s possible the PCs will never piece together what really 
  happened on Beta Formiae. If they don’t, and you like do-
  ing “cut scenes”, here’s a historical montage of the disaster 
  which befell the hapless colony.
  Beta Formiae was the site of a colony from the 
  Bremengen Arcology on 6th millennium Old Earth. Even 
  when its satellite colonies fell to the Shapechanger 
  Plague, Prime Colony held out the longest; its goal was to 
  hide and survive.
  Prime Colony held out for perhaps a thousand years. 
  Sometimes it seemed like it would succeed; then it would 
  be thrown back again. Eventually even it fell to the 
  Shapechanger Plague, and the human presence on Beta 
  Formiae 2 was extinguished. 
  For a time the colonists held out on the Astral-440, 
  in a race against time to discover a treatment for the 
  Shapechanger Plague before life on the colony ship 
  became untenable. Finally, however, the plague broke out 
  there, too. In desperation, the ship sentience tried to self-
  destruct the ship, but it was prevented from doing so by 
  the colonists—the exact reason is unclear. Those colonists 
  in turn fell to the Shapechanger Plague, but not before the 
  ship sentience was able to destroy its own genurgic brain 
  before its knowledge could be subsumed by the formionts. 
  Back on Beta Formiae 2, the values and capabilities 
  of the last human colony were passed on to the invading 
  formionts which took the colonists’ forms. Over time 
  they evolved into a new “advanced” formiont—the 
  Walkers—building upon the subtle legacy of defensive-
  ness and manipulation of Prime Colony to become a 
  league of expert mediators free of the urge to destroy 
  any divergent life form.
  The Secret History of Beta Formiae
  Commonality Reaction
  In the worst case scenario, treat this as an automatic 
  Memetic Cascade success against the Commonality culture, 
  resulting in witch-hunts, persecutions, sanctions, quaran-
  tines, and more.
  Cultural Impact
  If the formionts get offworld, this will also cause an ongoing 
  Memetic Cascade meme attack on the Commonality, using 
  the formiont culture stats on page 63. SCI Force will be des-
  perate to keep it under control.
  
  Player Handouts
  75
  CONTAGION PROTOCOLS
  1.	The	expedition	is	locked	down.	Movement and 
  communication are forbidden until the extent of 
  the threat and the possibilities of isolating and 
  quarantining it are known. Individuals are expendable.
  2.	Communication	is	incrementally	restored. 
  Initially only indirect (non-realtime) thoughtcasts 
  are permitted, analysed to ensure no memetic virus 
  or other contaminant is being communicated. Once 
  confirmed, real-time communication is permitted.
  3.	The	extent	of	contamination	is	determined. 
  Is only one area aﬀected? Is the ship environment 
  compromised? Are individuals contaminated, and if so 
  is their function compromised, and do they need to be 
  replaced? Can they be treated?
  4.	Contagion	is	analysed	and	a	treatment,	
  containment,	and	decontamination	strategy	
  devised. Can analysis be performed without transfer? 
  If not, what form of transfer is required? Transfers are 
  subject to contact protocol quarantine and isolation.
  5.	Containment	and	optional	decontamination	
  procedures	are	implemented. If the contamination 
  is in a controlled area such as a vessel, the 
  environment may have variable biohazard	
  protection	levels which may be selected and which 
  may be hazardous to life forms.
  NCE Contagion Protocols 193.151 inst.
  CONTACT PROTOCOLS
  •	 Away teams may only be present on-planet for a few 
  hours, to keep contamination risk low, until the environ-
  ment has been determined to be low	risk. 
  •	 The shuttle is considered a habitat; its anti-
  contamination measures are less stringent than the 
  ship, but nevertheless time spent in the shuttle habitat 
  is not considered time spent on-planet.
  •	 P-suits and force helmets are to be worn until the 
  environment has been determined to be low risk. Even 
  then biosecurity is usually maintained.
  •	 Environment boundaries are to be kept sterile and 
  isolated: between surface (planetary environment) 
  and interface (shuttle), and between interface 
  and headquarters (ship), sterilisation and 
  decontamination measures are to be carried out.
  •	 No items are to be transferred between headquarters 
  and surface without authorisation. Items are to be 
  transported in sterile secure containers.
  NCE Contact Protocols 193.151 inst.
  
  Player Handouts
  76
  
  Player Handouts
  77
  
  78
  The City People
  INDEX
  A Different World – Things Visitors Notice . 36
  A Lost Civilisation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Alternative Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 
  Amphib League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
  Analyses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
  Biohazard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
  Biosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
  Civilisation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
  Magnitude  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
  Manifestation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
  Preliminary Scans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
  SCI Force Stage Zero Evaluaiton . . . . . . . . . .51
  Secondary Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
  A Secret Mission?   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
  Assessing Details vs Declaring Details . . . . . 39
  Astral-440, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7, 66
  Ship Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
  The Awakened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
  Away Teams  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
  Away Team Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
  Beta Formiae. . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover, 6
  Blasted Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Botany Bay-class Stage 2 Explorer . . . . . . . . . 20
  Breach, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 42
  Dealing With . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
  Cave System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
  Colony Pod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61, 68
  Communication  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 57
  Containment and Decontamination . . 43, 45
  Crew  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
  Attitudes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
  Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
  Playing the Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
  Cultural Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 74, 75
  The Default Plot Thread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
  Defeat Condition: The Formiont Menace . . 74
  Description of Ship Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Did the Original Colony Develop a 
  Treatment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
  Diplomatic Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Dozer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
  Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Event Horizon Probe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Exointelligence Builds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 63
  Extreme Sanction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Fear and Horror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
  Finding the Vaccine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
  First Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
  With the Monolith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
  Fleshbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Formians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15, 16
  Fighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
  Knowledge Acquisition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
  Metabolism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
  Motivation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
  Nature of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
  Formionts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 16
  Naming  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
  Fringe Pilot Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
  How Are the Protocols Defeated? . . . . . . . . . 43
  Inventor Paradox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Involving the Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Key Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
  Lost Ship, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
  Luminosity Alpha’s Sensorium Report . . . . . 39
  Maggie, the Ship Sentience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
  The Magnanimous Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Managing the Discovery of the Formionts 55
  Meeting the Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
  Memcore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
  Metal Objects on the Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
  Milk Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  Mono League Purity Compound . . . . . . . . . . 53
  Mother Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 54
  Native Ecosystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  New Construct Extra: Away Team . . . . . . . . . 36
  New Extra: Formian Shapechanging . . . . . . 17
  Observance Rolls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
  The Old One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58, 64
  The Old One’s Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
  Packrat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Papertrees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Peaceful Lands, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58, 59
  Persisting With a Preliminary Cultural  
  Analysis  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  Player Handouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
  Plot Stress: The Breach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
  Pregenerated Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
  Prime Colony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
  Protocols  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
  Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
  Contagion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
  Samson  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
  Quarantine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Ragbats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Ragrass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Reproduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  Rest of the System  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  SCI Force  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 25
  Shapechanger Plague . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 56
  Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13, 56, 74
  Broad Antibiotic, Targeted Prophylactic, 
  Targeted Therapeutic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
  Ship’s Brain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Ship Sentience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
  Shuttle  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54, 62
  Space Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 35
  Starting Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
  “Society” and Leagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  Table 1: Timeline of Beta Formiae History . . 8
  Table 2: Typical Formian League Structure 15
  Table 3: The Magnanimous Intervention Crew 
  Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
  Table 4: Beta Formiae Wilderness Events . . 38
  Table 5: Formian Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
  Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Threat Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Vac Formian Attack! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
  Valley of War, The  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
  Victory Condition: The Fate of Beta  
  Formiae  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Vision Thing, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
  Walker Formionts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59, 62, 63
  Warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  What If the PCs Don’t Have a Skill? . . . . . . . . 40
  When Does the Breach Happen? . . . . . . . . . . 44
  Who Are the PCs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
  
  79
  KICKSTARTER 
  BACKERS
  A V Jones, Aaron H, Aaron Nuttall, Achim 
  Oppelt, Adam Brant, Adam Brooks, Adam 
  Conlan, Adam Crossingham, Adam Derda, 
  Adam Dray, Adam Fry, Adam Matherly, Adam 
  Rajski, Adam Whitcomb, Adrian Arias-Palomo, 
  Adrian Maddocks, Adrian Smith, Adumbratus, 
  Akos Varga, Al Billings, Al Rosales, Alan Kohler, 
  Alan Millard, Albert Nakano, Alberto 
  Colombo, Alberto del Pozo, Alessandro Ricco’, 
  Alexandra Markusson, Alf Granger, Alfredo 
  Amatriain, Alistair Cleave, Aljen, Allan 
  Carpenter, Alun Rees, Amir B, Anders Garmo, 
  Andreas P Rauch, Andreas Timel, Andres G 
  Aguirre, Andrew Alsberge, Andrew Brown, 
  Andrew Brownell, Andrew Cook, Andrew 
  Foxx, Andrew Grant, Andrew Head, Andrew 
  Knipfer, Andrew Mertz, Andrew Moore, 
  Andrew Moreton, Andrew Phillip Moore, 
  Andrew Rout, Andrew Sahlberg, Andrew 
  Sturman, Andrija Popovic, Andy Agnew, Andy 
  Antolick, Andy Hirth, Andy Law, Andy 
  Leighton, Andy Sangar, Andy Tuttle, Angel 
  Moreno Beltran, Angela Robertson, Angus 
  MacDonald, Annette Beatwell, Antonio 
  Morena Bañuelos, Aoren, Argel1200, 
  ArkhamNative, Arnaud Le Gué, Arthur Dent, 
  Arthur McMahon, Arwyn Maxwell, Asurber, 
  Atlictoatl, Aviv Beeri, Barry T Snyder, Bastian 
  Clarenbach, Bastian Platz, Ben Frost, Ben 
  Mullen, Ben Quant, Ben Toon, Benny Cooper, 
  Bhelliom Demian Rahl, Bill Garrett, Bill Kokal, 
  Bill Weir, Blake McCormack, Blue Tyson, Bob 
  Ferris, Bob Langley, Brad De Gregorio, Brad 
  Osborne, Brennan Dawson, Brett Bozeman, 
  Brian Allred, Brian Borth, Brian Callies, Brian 
  Goubeaux, Brian Greer, Brian Isikoff, Brian 
  Kurtz, Brian Sommers, Brook West, Bruce 
  Baugh, Bruce Ollerenshaw, Bruce Turner, 
  Bryan Brake, Buster, C W Piper, Caitlin Jane 
  Hughes, Calanth, Cameron Jacobs, Cameron 
  Paine, Cang Ling Yee, Carl Clare, Carl Lamb, 
  Carl Pabst, Carl Walter, Carlos Castaño 
  Gonzalez, Carlos Daniel Muñoz Diaz, Carlos 
  Ovalle, Carmen Bellaire, Carroll J Hunter, 
  Carsten Lederer, Cassandra Moore, Catherine 
  Halpern Dock, CB Ash, Charles Alston, Charles 
  Davis, Charles Dexterward, Charles Eklund, 
  Charles Engan, Charles Evans, Chaviro, Chris 
  Bekofske, Chris Bond, Chris Collins, Chris 
  Dolunt, Chris Edwards, Chris Halliday, Chris 
  Hartford, Chris Hitchcock, Chris Kenna, Chris 
  Little, Chris Lloyd, Chris M Brewer, Chris 
  Mercer, Chris Michael Conrad, Chris Slowinski, 
  Chris Stewart, Chris Stuetzle, Chris Wenn, 
  Chris P Noodle, Christian “Corvus” Häusler, 
  Christian Duus, Christian Hanisch, Christian 
  Peter, Christian Schreinemachers, Christoph 
  Lühr, Christopher D Meid, Christopher 
  Miranda, Christopher P Stilson, Christopher P. 
  Crossley, Christopher Polky, Christopher 
  Shaffer, Christopher Shotwell, Christopher 
  Trdan, Claus Bo Christensen, Claus Bornich, 
  Clayton Culwell, Clint Williams, Coman Fullard, 
  Conner Jimison, Conrad Murkitt, Corey Liss, 
  Corey Spillis, CottonCthulhu, Craig, Craig 
  Bogun, Craig Burton, Craig Huber, Craig Lee, 
  Craig Maloney, Craig Namvar, Craig Senatore, 
  Curt Kremer, Curtis Anderson, Cyril Pasteau, 
  Dain Lybarger, Damian Lund, Dan Byrne, Dan 
  Moody, DaNay Minnick, Daniel Butz, Daniel 
  Charlton, Daniel Delaney, Daniel Elwell, Daniel 
  Gregory, Daniel Henderson, Daniel Hernández 
  Garrido, Daniel Holmberg, Daniel Jacobsson, 
  Daniel Ley, Daniel Markwig, Daniel Mosley, 
  Darrick Dahl, DaseinWasHere, Dave Brown, 
  Dave Luxton, Dave Sanders, Dave Sherohman, 
  David A. Nolan, David Ackerman, David 
  Buswell-Wible, David Chart, David Dalton, 
  David Dorward, David Hurn, David Jack, David 
  Jakowyszyn, David Lai, David Leaman, David 
  Ma, David Matthew Collinson, David 
  McCracken, David Millians, David Morris, 
  David Paul Guzmán, David Rivas Ascaso, 
  David Robinson, David Scoggins, David 
  Starner, David Terhune, Davide Orlandi, 
  Declan Feeney, Denis Crucifix, Denis Ricard, 
  Derek Lynch, Derek Mayne, Devan Leon Allen, 
  Devin Croak, Dexter Stevens, Dillon Burke, 
  Dion Sayles, Dirk Brandherm, Divineseeker, 
  DivNull Productions, Dominic Mooney, Don 
  Arnold, Donald Crankshaw, Donald Edmonds, 
  Dorian Knight, Doug Grimes, Doug Sims, 
  Douglas Mawhinney, Douglas Molineu, Doyce 
  Testerman, Dragginz, Dragon’s Lair Comics & 
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  80
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/FATE (fudge) [multi]/Mindjammer - Fate/MUH042203-Mindjammer-The City People.pdf