TEXT: Chi-Town ‘Burbs:
  Forbidden Knowledge
  ™
  By Kevin Siembieda
  Adventure Sourcebook
  ®
  Palladium Books® Presents:
  
  Warning! 
  Violence, War, Magic & the Supernatural 
  The fictional world of Rifts® is violent, deadly and filled with supernatural monsters. Other-dimen­
  sional beings often referred to as "demons," torment, stalk and prey on humans. Other alien life forms, 
  monsters, gods and demigods, as well as magic, insanity, and war are all elements in this book. 
  Some parents may find the violence, magic and supernatural elements of the game inappropriate for 
  young readers/players. We suggest parental discretion. 
  Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage the occult, the practice of 
  magic, the use of drugs, or violence. 
  A Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook. 
  An overview of the Chi-Town 'Burbs & the 'Burb of Firetown 
  
  Dedication 
  To Alex Marciniszyn and Wayne Smith. One longtime editor and one more recent. Both of these gents help to keep me on track and 
  make my words look good. More importantly, both are cherished friends who are always there when I need them. Thanks for every­
  thing from then to now, and for years to come. 
  Also for Rifts® ... 
  Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: Firetown & the Tolkeen Crisis 
  Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: The Black Vault™ 
  Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: The Vanguard™ 
  Revised Rifts® Conversion Book One 
  Rifts® Dark Conversions (Nightbane, demons & more). 
  Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook 
  Rifts® Phase World®: Guide to the Three Galaxies™ 
  Rifts® Phase World®: Anvil GalaxyTM 
  Rifts® Game Master Guide™ 
  Rifts® Book of Magic™ 
  Rifts® Aftermath™ 
  Rifts® Adventure Guide™ 
  Rifts® Coalition Wars (Tolkeen) #1-6 
  The Rifter® Sourcebook series and more. 
  -Kevin Siembieda, 2003 
  The cover is by Mark Evans. It depicts a Ley Line Walker or Earth Warlock using magic to strike Coalition soldiers with rocks in 
  the hope of making good an escape. 
  PDF Edition - November 2017 
  First Printing - March 2003 
  No part of this publication may be scanned, OCRed or reproduced in any way for electronic publication on the web/internet or any other medium. 
  Copyright 2003, 1990 Palladium Books Inc. & Kevin Siembieda 
  All rights reserved, worldwide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, 
  without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any 
  similarity, without satiric intent, of characters or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental. 
  Rifts®, The Rifter®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, After the Bomb®, Phase World®, and Palladium Books® are registered trade­
  marks owned and licensed by Palladium Books Inc. and Kevin Siembieda. 
  Coalition Wars, Coalition War Campaign, Coalition Navy, Cyber-Knights, Federation of Magic, Free Quebec, Juicer Uprising, Lone Star, Mindwerks, Mutants in 
  Orbit, Mystic Russia, Psyscape, Rifts® Conversion Book, Rifts® Game Master Guide, Rifts® Book of Magic, Rifts® Mercenaries, Rifts® Underseas, New West, Spirit 
  West, Splynn Dimensional Market, Triax & the NGR, Vampire Kingdoms, Warlords of Russia, Wormwood, Xiticix Invasion, Coalition States, Chi-Town, Old Chi­
  cago, New Waukegan, Little Chi-Town, Old Town 'Burb, New Town 'Burb, 'Burbs, Firetown, Prosekville, Josephton, Ironforge, Gravel Town, Lazlo, Tolkeen, Free­
  hold, Northern Gun, Manistique Imperium, Iron Heart, Kingsdale, Naruni Enterprises, Triax, Glitter Boy, Skelebots, Xiticix, Dog Boy, Dog Pack, Wolf en, Biomancer, 
  Bio-Wizardry, Ley Line Walker, Mind Melter, Mind Bleeder, Cloudweaver, Conjurer, The Corrupt, Stone Master, T-Man, Tattooed Man, Maxi-Man, Undead Slayer, 
  Techno-Wizard, Temporal Raider, Shifter, Millennium Tree, Whalesong Magic, Headhunter, Psi-Stalker, Simvan, Cyber-Knight, Mystic Knight, Mystic Kuznya, 
  Burster, Zapper, Psi-Slayer, Psi-Ghost, Mega-Juicer, Titan Juicer, Juicer, Crazy, 'Borg, Bio-Borg, 'Bot, Cyber-Doc, Body Fixer, Operator, Cyber-Snatcher, 
  Body-Chop-Shop, City Rat, Hack Rat, Maze Rat, Pack Rat, Gutter Rat, Bio-Systems, Bioware, Psynetics, Headjack, Full Conversion Cyborg, E-Clip, Mega-Damage, 
  M.D.C., S.D.C., I.S.P., P.P.E., Emperor Karl Prosek, Joseph Prosek the First, Joseph Prosek II, Erin Tam, Sir Thorpe, Lord Coake, Darklighter, Sebastian Shock, 
  Splugorth, Splugorth Slaver, Splynncryth, Splynn, Kittani, Powerlord, MetztJa, Sunaj, Brodkil, Witchling, Warlord Scard, and other names, titles, character names, 
  character likenesses and slogans are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. 
  Palladium On-Line: www.palladiumbooks.com 
  Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: Forbidden Knowledge (in the Chi-Town 'Burbs) is published by Palladium Books Inc., 39074 
  Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185. Printed in the USA. 
  2 
  
  Palladium Books® Presents: 
  ® 
  l.:iiiI 
  Chi-Town 'Burbs 
  Adventure Sourcebook 
  Written by: Kevin Siembieda 
  Some additional text & ideas by: Julius Rosenstein 
  Alex Marciniszyn 
  Editors: Alex Marciniszyn 
  Wayne Smith 
  Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein 
  Cover Painting: Mark Evans 
  Interior Artists: Wayne Breaux Jr. 
  Kent BurIes 
  Apollo Okamura 
  Freddie Williams 
  Michael Wilson 
  Art Direction & Keylining: Kevin Siembieda 
  Typography: Wayne Smith 
  Special Thanks to Alex, Julius, and Wayne for their input on this project; Apollo "Transformers" Okamura 
  and Freddie "I'm there" Williams for their artistic endeavors. And, as always, to Palladium's hard working and 
  heroic staff. 
  - Kevin Siembieda, 2003 
  3 
  
  Contents 
  Life in the 'Burbs· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 
  The first step to new adventures ............. 6 
  Chi-Town 'Burbs-Today I09P.A .............. 7 
  A typical CS security squad· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 
  A Brief Overview ofthe Chi-Town 'Burbs •••••••• 7 
  Old Towns· ......................... 7 
  New Towns .......................... 8 
  Tranquility ........................ 8 
  Shanty Towns ........................ 9 
  Mayhem· ........................ ·9 
  Living in a State of Limbo .................. 9 
  Slang Tenns Common to the 'Burbs . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 
  Dark-House ....................... 11 
  Retribution Squads· ................... 12 
  Tamits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: . . . 12 
  A Brief Overview of 'Burb Society • • • • • • • • • • • • t:Z 
  The frrst 'Burbs ..................... 12 
  Today .......................... 13 
  Old Town 'Burbs •••••••.•..••••••.... 14 
  Unsavory and criminal activities ............ 14 
  Statistical Breakdown .................. 15 
  New Town 'Burbs • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . . 16 
  Unsavory and illegal activity .............. 16 
  Shakedowns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 
  Statistical Breakdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 
  Shanty Towns ••.••••.••••••••••••••• 18 
  Statistical Breakdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 
  Forbidden Knowledge • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • 20 
  Magic· ........................... 20 
  The Works of Erin Tam· .................. 21 
  Books & Literacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 
  Automatic Disqualification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 
  Pre-Rifts Films & Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 
  Pre-Rifts Artifacts· ..................... 23 
  Alien Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 
  Streets of Opportunity, the Chi-Town 'Burbs ••.... 24 
  A flood of the forbidden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 
  Firetown: A New Town 'Burb •••••••••••••• 26 
  1. Hayley, Mind Melter for Hire .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 
  2. Karl's Revenge· ..................... 30 
  Philosopher's Comer .................. 30 
  3. Camp Fireplace Orphanage ............... 32 
  4. Fire House No. Four . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 
  5. Robert Street ....................... 33 
  Adventure Hooks .................... 33 
  6. The home of Sebastian Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 
  7. David Darklighter, home of ............... 37 
  Map of Firetown ...................... 38 
  8. Parkview Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 
  9. Park Lane Bakery .................... 39 
  10. Park Place Restaurant· ................. 39 
  Park Gentlemen's Club & Fine Dining . . . . . . . . . 39 
  Adventure Hooks .................... 40 
  11. Park Phannacy & General Store .. . . . . . . . . . . 41 
  4 
  12. Greenleaf Park ..................... 41 
  13. Barter Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 
  14. The Bunker Nightclub ................. 43 
  15. Michael's School of Self-Defense ........... 44 
  16. Calmoth & the Big-C Wilderness Shop· ........ 44 
  17. The Meat Market (Body-Chop-Shop) ......... 46 
  18. The Psi-Cola Man .................... 47 
  19. Banner Orphanage ................... 48 
  Quick Find 
  Black Market Kingpin (see Sebastian Shock) ....... 35 
  Book & Artifacts Dealer (see Robert Street) ........ 33 
  Camp, The (see Camp Fireplace) .............. 32 
  City Rats (see Camp Fireplace) ............... 32 
  Culling ........................... 18 
  CS Secret Bunkers (see, The Bunker Nightclub) ...... 43 
  CS Tavern, see Karl's Revenge· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 
  Firetown· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 
  Firetown, Map of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 
  Lazlo Safe-House & School (see Banner) ......... 48 
  Literacy Disqualification for Citizenship . . . . . . . . . . 22 
  Most favored by CS, see Old Towns· ........... 14 
  New Town 'Burbs, list of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 
  New Town 'Burbs, Stats .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 
  New Town: Center Court· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 
  New Town: Firetown· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 & 26 
  New Town: Hannony .................... 8 
  New Town: Hope· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 
  New Town: Staunton Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 
  New Town: Stockyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 
  New Town: Tranquility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 & 8 
  Old Town 'Burbs, list of ................... 7 
  Old Town 'Burbs, Stats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 
  Old Town: Ironforge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 
  Old Town: Josephton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 & 8 
  Old Town: Little Chi-Town .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 
  Old Town: New Colfax ................... 8 
  Old Town: Prosekville· ................. 7 & 8 
  Orphanage: Banner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 
  Orphanage: Camp Fireplace ................ 32 
  Orphanage: Robert Street, friend of the Camp . . . . . . . 33 
  Park Gentleman's Club (dining for criminal elite) ..... 39 
  Park Gentleman's Club (security) ............. 40 
  Park Place Restaurant (family dining) ........... 39 
  Purge ............................ 18 
  Riots in Tranquility· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 
  Sebastian Shock, stats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 
  Sebby, (see Sebastian Shock) ................ 35 
  Secret School (see Banner Orphanage) ........... 48 
  Shakedown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 
  Shanty Town 'Burbs, list of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 
  
  5 
  
  Life in the Burbs: Forbidden Knowledge & Secrets 
  The first step to new adventures 
  Welcome to the ftrst Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook - a se­
  ries where we plan to delve into parts of the world we have yet 
  to explore, many of which actually exist in familiar territory. 
  People like Emperor and Joseph Prosek, artiftcial people like 
  Archie-3, organizations like the Vanguard and the Republicans, 
  places like the new fortress city of New Waukegan, and shad­
  owy comers of the world like the nooks and crannies of the 
  Chi-Town 'Burbs and the Black Vault are all about to be laid 
  out for your enjoyment. All are familiar names and places that 
  remain nebulous and unknown even though they have helped to 
  shape the region or play an important role on Rifts Earth. Each 
  of these Adventure Sourcebooks should open up entire new 
  realms of adventure on a smaller and more intimate scale. 
  Our starting point is the Coalition State of Chi-Town and 
  the many people, places and stories born from its existence. 
  Why Chi-Town? Because it is the heart and schizophrenic soul 
  of human civilization in North America. Because whether one 
  likes it or not, the continent would be a very different place 
  without the Coalition States or without Chi-Town at its epicen­
  ter. Chi-Town's history, leaders and actions have helped to 
  shape the region, giving rise to the Coalition States, Free Que­
  bec and many kingdoms that were inspired by it or became its 
  antithesis, like the Federation of Magic, Lazlo, the Pecos Em­
  pire, and the late Tolkeen, among others. Chi-Town's very exis-
  6 
  tence, politics, actions and leaders - particularly its Emperor -
  inspire and motivate millions, even if half the time that motiva­
  tion is born from fear or hate. In fact, many kingdoms and indi­
  viduals have risen up to challenge, oppose or offer an alternative 
  lifestyle to the Coalition's oppressive ideals, but the CS is still 
  their motivating factor, the reason they came into being or took 
  a particular stance. Furthermore, whatever path the CS takes 
  creates ripples (sometimes shock waves) that affect every king­
  dom and nation within 3000 miles (4800 km). The war and fall 
  of Tolkeen is just one recent and dramatic example of the Coali­
  tion States' legacy of influence, power and terror. 
  The ftrst several Rifts® Adventure Sourcebooks take an 
  in-depth look at the people who live directly in Chi-Town's 
  shadow, the inhabitants of the Chi-Town 'Burbs. Portions of the 
  'Burbs will be mapped, many of its notable inhabitants, movers 
  and shakers examined, and some of its dark comers exposed for 
  the very frrst time. In the process, stories of individuals and 
  groups will unfold to bring the lives of these people into sharper 
  focus and present numerous opportunities for exploration, ad­
  venture and heroics. 
  Adventure is a prominent part of the title, because each book 
  should include one or more adventures built around the subject 
  of that title, as well as present information, people and settings 
  from which many additional adventures can be spun on your 
  
  own. Some Rifts® Adventure Sourcebooks will be heavily ad­
  venture driven while others, like this fIrst one, may paint a 
  broader picture, laying the groundwork for adventures and pres­
  ent a setting rather than an outright adventure. However, even 
  setting- and people-based books shall offer platforms for build­
  ing your own adventures. 
  Future Rifts® Adventure Sourcebooks will include more 
  on the 'Burbs and its many stories as well as Tolkeen Retribu­
  tion Squads, the Vanguard, the Black Vault, the Ruins of Old 
  Chicago, the Great Library, the Prosek Family and more. Other 
  Adventure Sourcebooks will take place away from Chi-Town, 
  including the Fortress City of New Waukegan, the Republicans, 
  Archie Three, Demon-held Detroit, Tolkeen (in the aftermath of 
  war), Splugorth Slavers, Federation of Magic, and overseas. 
  Each book is designed to be a quick read and an easy to use 
  48-64 pages (maybe the occasional 96 pager) focusing on one 
  particular subject. And while many may be set in, or start from, 
  the same location, each will go in a different direction, tackle a 
  new idea or subject matter, and stand complete in itself (no cliff­
  hanger continued stories ). We hope to produce these little gems 
  on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, which means Palladium is 
  likely to let some (or all) eventually go out of print as new titles 
  take their place. 
  So join us on new travels and adventures. Bring your friends 
  along too, you may need all the help you can get. 
  - Kevin Siembieda, March 2003 
  Chi-Town 
  'Burbs - Today 
  Summer 109 P.A. 
  The Kingdom of Tolkeen has only recently fallen (days or a 
  couple of weeks). Word of its collapse has already sent 
  Chi-Town and the 'Burbs buzzing like an excited beehive. 
  Security in and around the great fortress city of Chi-Town has 
  been increased ten-fold (and it was super-tight to begin with). 
  Visiting passes have been severely restricted (reduced by 90%; 
  indefmitely), sky patrols tripled, police and military presence 
  doubled and a general uneasiness hangs in the air. Worry about 
  possible repercussions on Coalition soil for Tolkeen's destruc­
  tion is omnipresent. To ensure the safety of Emperor Prosek, he 
  and his family have limited their public appearances and each 
  has been assigned an additional security squad to escort them 
  everywhere. A typical security squad is made up of elite troops 
  as follows: A trusted human Psychic (usually a Psi-Net "Spot­
  ter"), two Dog Boy "Psi-Hounds" from NTSET and two human 
  or Psi-Stalker NTSET Protectors as defense against magic and 
  the supernatural, plus two SAMAS, two CS Cyborg Strike 
  Troopers or Coalition Juicers, and two experienced Sol­
  diers/Grunts, in addition to electronic security measures and un­
  dercover agents nearby. 
  Emotions in the 'Burbs are much more raw and openly dis­
  played. They boil with stories about Tolkeen's fall, the fmal 
  7 
  siege, notable people, and what comes next. The emotions are 
  mixed. Angry and frightened voices are heard from open win­
  dows, while cheers of joy, shouts of victory, cries of protest and 
  tears of relief all fIll the streets. The immediate reaction among 
  the people of the 'Burbs is just that intense and diverse. But 
  there is something else: an air of lingering anticipation as if 
  something big is about to happen. 
  Josephton, the oldest of the boot-licking Old Town 'Burbs, 
  declares a national holiday and celebrates the great victory to 
  "make us all safe from magic and Hell spawn" as if it were New 
  Year's Eve for a week. Prosekville, the richest of the Old Town 
  'Burbs, behaves similarly, though with more reserve and class. 
  In fact, most of the Old Town 'Burbs, fIlled with loyalists and 
  prime candidates for citizenship to the City of Chi-Town or New 
  Waukegan, cheer, parade, celebrate and send congratulatory 
  messages to Emperor Prosek and the people of the Coalition 
  States. New Colfax is the quietest of the Old Towns, Little 
  Chi-Town the noisiest, and even the machine shops, factories 
  and furnaces of Ironforge are shut down for two days in honor 
  of the victory and to allow people to celebrate and reflect. 
  Things are much wilder in the New Towns and Shanty 
  Towns. 
  Rioting and attacks on Coalition Forces erupt in the New 
  Town 'Burb of TranqUility and two neighboring shanty towns. 
  The riots rage for three days until the Coalition Army sweeps 
  down and obliterates the two shanty towns in less than 90 min­
  utes. Truth be told, though word of Tolkeen's fall sparked the 
  initial rioting, things quickly spilled out of hand as people began 
  looting and rioting just for the thrill of it, with certain individu­
  als trying to profIt from it, or extract anonymous revenge on old 
  rivals and enemies under the cover of the riots. 
  Elsewhere in the 'Burbs, humanoid predators and opportun­
  ists begin to stir, sensing opportunity and money on the wind. 
  The unofficial 'Burb police, protectors and vigilantes prepare 
  for trouble as adventurers, lowlifes and others flutter out of their 
  roosts and take wing to capitalize on the loss, despair and hatred 
  of others, waiting, circling, like hungry vultures. Everyone, 
  good and evil, self-serving or selfless, gets ready for the after­
  math of war - for the shock wave of humanity, treasure, secrets 
  and horror that is inevitably on its way. 
  There hasn't been this much activity and excitement in years, 
  and it is making the Chi-Town authorities nervous. Very ner­
  vous. 
  A Brief Overview of 
  the Chi-Town 'Burbs 
  Old Towns 
  Ironforge: The third oldest of the Old Town 'Burbs (68 
  years old) is fIlled with heavy industry factories and foundries. 
  Racial mix is 92% human, 2% Psi-Stalker and 6% D-Bee; 10% 
  are literate. They are hardworking loyalists and dreamers who 
  are certain some of their citizens will be picked for citizenship 
  in Chi-Town or New Waukegan thanks to their work ethics and 
  conviction. 
  
  Josephton: The oldest Old Town 'Burb (it is 80 years old 
  and built on a site where a shanty town existed for 16 years 
  prior). Super-loyal to Chi-Town, the Prosek family & the Coali­
  tion States. These inhabitants are staunch human supremacists 
  who refuse to use D-Bees even as slave labor. Known to cooper­
  ate openly and fully with the Coalition authorities at Chi-Town. 
  Racial mix is 100% human (even Psi-Stalkers are looked down 
  upon); 25% are literate. 
  Little Chi-Town: The newest and most irreverent of the Old 
  Town 'Burbs (only about 38 years old). Has a 15 foot (4.6 m) 
  stone wall (half is made of M.D.C. materials) around it, with 
  gate towers and independent police force/defenders. It is a mix 
  of light industrial and residential. Racial mix is 96% human and 
  4% D-Bee; 40% are literate. 
  New Colfax: An Old Town built around a foundation of fac­
  tories and industry. Most residents are working class, loyal to 
  the CS and Chi-Town, but they also voice their frustration about 
  the slow turning wheels of CS bureaucracy and the injustices of 
  the no-man's zone that is the 'Burbs. Many also question the 
  Coalition's stance against magic of any kind, and rumor sug­
  gests the Vanguard may have its foundation in this 'Burb. (That 
  is, if one believes in the urban myth about a secret enclave of 
  sorcerers loyal to the CS who quietly work for its benefit.) Ra­
  cial mix is 93.5% human, 2.5% Psi-Stalker and 4% D-Bee; 8% 
  are literate. 53 years old. 
  Prosekville: The second oldest (76 years old) and richest Old 
  Town 'Burb. Super-loyal to Chi-Town, the Prosek Family and 
  the Coalition States. Half are dedicated human supremacists, the 
  other half are quietly more tolerant (toward D-Bees and magic) 
  as long as they profit from their efforts. Racial mix is 96% hu­
  man, 2% Psi-Stalker, and 2% D-Bee; 15% are literate. 
  New Towns 
  Center Court: Is quickly becoming an intermediary for trade 
  and business between the Shanty Towns and other New Towns 
  with the Old Towns and outsiders looking to trade. Racial mix is 
  80% human and 20% D-Bee; 30% are literate. 
  Firetown: A typical mix of light industry, residential and 
  free enterprise. It is notorious for its fires. Half or more of the 
  town has burnt down on three occasions and there have been six 
  significant fires over the last 13 years (and numerous minor in­
  cidents). Ironically, this has prompted Firetown to form the best 
  fire and rescue department in the Chi-Town 'Burbs, using con­
  ventional 
  technology 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  magical 
  means 
  (i.e., 
  Techno-Wizard water guns and rain flares, magic spells and the 
  aid of Water and Fire Warlocks). Racial mix is 85% human and 
  15% D-Bee; 15% are literate. Note: Firetown is the 'Burb we 
  are going to map and describe in detail for this book and subse­
  quent Adventure Sourcebooks as an example of a "typical" New 
  Town 'Burb. 
  Harmony: A mix of light industry, residential and free en­
  terprise. Racial mix is 85% human and 15% D-Bee; 10-15% are 
  literate. 
  Hope: A typical mix of light industry, residential and free 
  enterprise. Racial mix is 82% human and 1 8% D-Bee; less than 
  10% are literate. As the name suggests, many of its residents 
  8 
  hold on to a deep, abiding hope and trust that they will fmd a 
  better life as citizens of Chi-Town or New Waukegan. 
  Staunton Heights: The richest of the New Town 'Burbs, this 
  is where the most successful (and conniving) adventurers, re­
  tired mercenaries, smugglers, merchants, business owners, and 
  white collar workers live when they can't get into one of the Old 
  Towns or the fortress city. It actually has manicured parks, 
  fountains, an M.D.C. town hall and courthouse, and a number of 
  large, nice homes, many with lawns and picket fences. Its po­
  lice force is diligent about keeping law and order and is known 
  to cooperate openly and fully with the Coalition authorities at 
  Chi-Town. Consequently, crime is the lowest of any New Town 
  and the Black Market has a minimal presence. Racial mix is 
  90% human and 10% D-Bee; 32% are literate. 
  Stockyard: This town is mostly working class residential 
  and industrial. Smoke belching factories, junkyards, lumber­
  yards, used vehicle lots and warehouses are its most distinguish­
  ing features. Residences are small houses and shabby apartment 
  buildings, the inhabitants rough and tumble, but mostly hard­
  working and god fearing. Seventy-five percent are human and 
  25% D-Bees, most of the latter are the big, strong types who en­
  gage in heavy labor and are treated as a secret sub-class of 
  slave-like workers. Only about 6% are literate. The CS turns a 
  blind eye to these inhuman laborers provided they hold no posi­
  tions of power and know their place, i.e. are subservient to hu­
  mans and bow down to CS authorities. Those who stand out or 
  defy the CS are beaten into submission or cut down. 
  Tranquility: Is the wildest of the New Towns. It has suf­
  fered several Coalition purges, the most recent only a few days 
  ago to quell riots the local authorities could not handle. 
  Chi-Town authorities have had their fill of this lawless 'Burb 
  and are considering putting an end to it once and for all. In the 
  meanwhile, the CS is keeping a close eye on this seedy town. 
  There is an increased PolicellSS presence with independent Co­
  alition Army patrols (both in the air and on the ground), and ru­
  mor has it a large number of CS operatives have gone 
  undercover. Word on the street is that the only reason the CS 
  hasn't flattened Tranquility is because it has its own network of 
  spies entrenched in the community providing valuable intelli­
  gence on the place and criminal (and terrorist) activities 
  throughout the 'Burbs. 
  The only place more decadent than Tranquility is Mayhem, 
  but that Shanty Town is under such tight control by the Black 
  Market and criminals under the Market's thumb, that it is com­
  paratively tame, at least on its public face. Tranquility, on the 
  other hand, seems to erupt in violence on a daily a basis. Gun­
  fights, shootings, stabbings, duels, brawls, gang clashes, arson, 
  displays of magic, monsters on the rampage, and all manner of 
  trouble are daily occurrences in the town that is anything but 
  tranquil. Prostitution, drug deals and other illegal activities are 
  conducted out in the open, Cyber-Snatcher gangs prowl the 
  streets along with other street gangs and predators. The walls of 
  its alleys and many business establishments are covered in graf­
  fiti - much of it anti-Coalition States - and panhandlers, drunks 
  and bums are a frequent obstacle in the streets, especially late in 
  the night and wee hours of the morning. Racial mix is 70% hu­
  man and 30% D-Bee; less than 5% are literate. 
  
  Shanty Towns 
  The Frontier: The newest outlying shanty town; two months 
  old. Mostly residential, well, people living out of the back of 
  their vehicles, in tents and shabby huts. Racial mix is 75% hu­
  man and 25% D-Bee; less than 5% are literate. 
  Gravel Town: Also known as "Pit Town" and "The Pits" be­
  cause it is built in and around an old gravel pit. Mostly residen­
  tial. Tunnels and underground dwellings plus Pueblo Indian 
  style dwellings line the walls of the town/gravel pit. Four years 
  old and this is actually its third incarnation, with half the place 
  being destroyed on two different occasions, one an "accident," 
  the other a Coalition purge. Racial mix is 70% human and 30% 
  D-Bee; 25% are literate. 
  Hodgepodge: Also known as "The Hodge" and "Podge 
  Town" interchangeably. It had a different name when it was 
  founded, but no one can remember what it might have been, and 
  folks prefer the ones it is known by today, anyway. There are no 
  streets that run in a straight line in the Hodge or that don't stop 
  in a dead end. It is very easy to get lost here. Podge Town is 
  home to a good number of illegal operations, and the Black 
  Market, Juicers, Mercenaries and City Rats have a strong pres­
  ence and influence. Two years old. Racial mix is 80% human 
  and 20% D-Bee; 12% are literate. 
  Mayhem: The town that never sleeps. Locals like to think 
  visiting Mayhem is rather like stepping into the Wild West, 
  complete with noisy saloons and shoot outs in the street. Most 
  places of entertainment are open around the clock and most 
  other businesses from 9:00 A.M. till 10:00 or 12:00 P.M. The 
  town is home to a lot of bars/taverns, dance halls, nightclubs, 
  gambling casinos, blind pigs (small, private saloons and gam­
  bling places for underworld figures and those with connections), 
  theaters (live, film and competitions like boxing and wrestling), 
  underground movie theaters (show illegal, ancient pre-Rifts 
  movies and TV shows), prostitution, drug dens, Psi-Cola flop 
  houses, pit arenas (illegal gladiatorial arenas and animal fights), 
  and so on. Almost three years old. Racial mix is 65% human 
  and 35% D-Bee; roughly 1 5% are literate. The CS keeps its eye 
  on this 'Burb. 
  Outer Watch: Popular among warrior and adventurer types, 
  including Psi-Stalkers. 10 months old. Racial mix is 50% hu­
  man, 35% Psi-Stalker (mutant humans) and 15% D-Bee; less 
  than 5% are literate. 
  Roadside: Built along the side of one of the M.D.C. roads 
  that leads to Chi-Town. 18 months old. Racial mix is 85% hu­
  man and 15% D-Bee; less than 8% are literate. 
  Eastwood: Six months old. Built on the bones of Harveston 
  which existed on this spot before it was destroyed by fire, just 
  like the six shanty towns that came before it. Racial mix is 72% 
  human and 28% D-Bee; less than 5% are literate. 
  Razor Ridge: Nine months old, it was Kelly's Ridge, a year 
  old Shanty Town until it was taken over by the Razor Crimm 
  Gang, a company of mercenaries known to work for the Coali­
  tion Army as scouts and Special Forces "freelancers." In fact, 
  Wolverine Crimm (one of Razor's sons) and some of his boys 
  pulled reconnaissance and Black Ops for the CS in Tolkeen un­
  til about six months ago. They had their fill and left shortly be­
  fore the infamous Sorcerers' Revenge, but rumor has it they 
  participated in the "scorched earth" part of General Drogue's 
  9 
  Operation Hardball, though none of them talk much about their 
  "tour of duty in Tolkeen." Racial mix of the town is 84% human 
  and 16% D-Bee; about 1 5% are literate. 
  Snake's Skin and Camp Generation Next, near the New 
  Town of Tranquility, have been recently purged and expunged 
  from existence by Coalition forces with no tolerance for insur­
  rection. Though an extreme measure, their obliteration put an in­
  stant stop to the rioting in and around Tranquility, and quelled 
  any similar notions in the other 'Burbs. Residents who happened 
  to escape the razing of these two Shanty Towns, along with 
  scavengers and thieves, sift through the charred rubble looking 
  for what few valuables and personal items may have survived. It 
  is likely to be at least six months before two new Shanty Towns 
  are erected on these locations, though a few dozen tents have al­
  ready been pitched. Racial mix for each was 65% human and 
  35% D-Bee. Estimated casualties from the purge: 25% of all hu­
  mans and 70% of all D-Bee inhabitants. 
  Living in a state of lim bo 
  'Burbs, the communities that don't exist 
  The Coalition Government, never one to miss an opportunity, 
  has made the 'Burbs a weird nonentity. Unlike other cities, 
  towns and communities found throughout the Coalition States, 
  the 'Burbs are NOT recognized as a legal entity. Instead they 
  are each considered an illegal community of squatters without 
  any claim to the land they inhabit or any of the normal rights en­
  joyed by the average CS citizens all around them. Desperate 
  and/or blinded by the dream of paradise that life as a big city 
  dweller promises, most people in the 'Burbs (90%) accept this 
  legal limbo as a consequence of the path they have chosen. Af­
  ter all, most of these people have risked everything, including 
  their lives, just to get here in the first place. 
  What this means is those who choose to live in the 'Burbs 
  have no rights. None. Those born in the rural and wilderness ar­
  eas of the Coalition States are born with the rights of CS citizen­
  ship, but they also give up those rights if they move to the 
  'Burbs, becoming a nebulous nonentity for the promise of a 
  better life in the fortress city. Normally, any humans born within 
  lands claimed by the CS are presumed to be citizens and ex­
  pected to accept the Emperor as their leader and the Coalition 
  Government as the law of the land. Those who do not are con-
  
  sidered traitorous rabble, barbarians, or rebellious malcontents 
  and dealt with accordingly. The people living in the 'Burbs are 
  neither citizens or malcontents, for they desire to live in the CS 
  but in a fortified city. To get that special, elite living environ­
  ment, they accept the nonexistent limbo that is the 'Burbs, 
  where they have no value or rights in the eyes of the Coalition 
  Government until they are accepted as a citizen of the fortress 
  city or leave the 'Burbs to fmd citizenship in one of the other 
  (non-walled) CS cities, towns or rural communities. 
  The fact that the 'Burbs are unrecognized as a legal town­
  ship, city or community of any kind gives the CS government 
  and military absolute power over those living there. Conse­
  quently, the Coalition military and local city authorities (from 
  the fortress city) can do pretty much anything they want to the 
  "squatters" and "rejects" in the 'Burbs. Furthermore, it is the 
  fortress city that owns the land on which the 'Burbs are located. 
  All this means the local and national CS governments can ha­
  rass, interrogate, arrest, beat, and even murder people and bull­
  doze entire city blocks if they so choose, because the people of 
  the 'Burbs have forsaken their rights as recognized citizens. 
  Crazy? Yeah, like a fox. The Coalition government uses the 
  unique situation of the 'Burbs to their advantage in countless 
  ways. 
  For one, it enables them to attract, keep tabs on and infiltrate 
  scores of criminal, mercenary and opposition groups using the 
  'Burbs as their base of operations, as well as those groups who 
  come to visit or trade at the 'Burbs (adventurer groups in­
  cluded). 
  For another, the Coalition's secret agents and visible CS po­
  lice and army troops operating in the 'Burbs are able to identify 
  10 
  practitioners of magic, unregistered psychics, smugglers, rebels, 
  criminals, adventurers and other "undesirables." To help them in 
  their task of identifying and gathering intelligence on these 
  undesirables, they utilize a network of gung-ho informants liv­
  ing in the 'Burbs, all hoping to win the authorities' favor to get 
  themselves or family members "fast-tracked" into the fortress 
  city. 
  Third, the Coalition Military attracts thousands of new re­
  cruits with the implied promise that anyone who serves in the 
  military will earn themselves and their immediate family special 
  consideration for citizenship in the city, as well as get them 
  moved to the top of the waiting list. Of course, no such promise 
  is ever put in writing. It is implied and understood with a wink 
  and a nod. This practice gets them thousands of volunteers join­
  ing the Coalition Army annually. These Burbie dupes played a 
  big role in the siege against Tolkeen and the war on Free Que­
  bec as they served as front-line troops in both campaigns. 
  Fourth, the 'Burbs provide the CS with a cheap labor force 
  living in such deplorable third-world conditions that they are 
  willing to take almost any job at cut rates to feed themselves or 
  support their families. 
  Fifth, the 'Burbs provide a constant source of volunteers for 
  all kinds of dangerous tasks, from agreeing to test new medi­
  cines, vaccines and experimental treatments to wilderness re­
  connaissance and spy missions. 
  It is also rumored that the Coalition States, particularly the 
  City of Chi-Town, conducts secret experiments on sectors of the 
  'Burb population. Everything from testing the response to new 
  propaganda to testing psychological warfare/manipulation, ex­
  perimental military weapons, and even testing biological agents 
  (plagues). 
  Remember, the inhabitants of the 'Burbs are not citizens of 
  the allied States. They are unauthorized and unrecognized com­
  munities that have invaded the Coalition States. Their problems 
  are not the concern of the Coalition States. Its people have no 
  rights, no claim to land, and exist in a political no-man's zone. 
  The majority of inhabitants are undesirables, rejects or squatters 
  who are non-entities in the eyes of the Coalition. The CS does 
  not acknowledge any government, ruling body, organization or 
  leader that may rise from the 'Burbs. Any declaration of inde­
  pendence or sovereignty is an act of war! Consequently, the Co­
  alition Military and government can tear a 'Burb down and/or 
  harass its inhabitants whenever they want to. Remember, the in­
  habitants of the 'Burbs are not CS citizens and their communi­
  ties are not recognized as any sort of political entity, so they 
  have absolutely no rights! Thus, the CS Army can enter a 'Burb, 
  burst into a home or business, trash the place, threaten any of its 
  people, and beat, rape and even kill inhabitants with impunity. 
  Any resistance on the part of the "Burbies" or attacks leveled 
  against the CS authorities can only instigate serious trouble. 
  Riots, destruction of a neighborhood or wholesale slaughter are 
  the least of the probable aftermath of a confrontation with the 
  CS Military or ISS. 
  Slang Terms Common to the 'Burbs 
  Black Mark: As in, "has a black mark," meaning someone is 
  marked by the Black Market for capture and questioning, or 
  marked for death ("Death Mark" or "Black Death Mark")! 
  
  Those "marked" may have a bounty on their heads, but turning 
  over those marked who do not have a reward (which is about 
  halt) may earn the person or group the recognition and/or favor 
  of the Black Market, or at least that particular faction or group 
  leader. 
  Black Shop: A business owned or run by the Black Market 
  and which probably offers contraband and illegal services or 
  knows who does. Black Shops run the gamut from gambling es­
  tablishments, saloons, drug dens, houses of prostitution, fencers, 
  smuggling rings, forgery operations, and worse, to dealers in 
  weapons, armor, magic, books and contraband, and legitimate 
  businesses. 
  Body-Chop-Shop: A Black Market cybernetics facility that 
  sells, installs, and implants bionics and cybernetics. Most can 
  perform partial bionic reconstruction, repairs and implants. Only 
  the best can perform full bionic conversion or install major arti­
  ficial organs like the heart and lungs. Most Body-Chop-Shops 
  also buy stolen and used bionics, giving rise to roving gangs of 
  cutthroats known as Cyber-Snatchers who attack people to steal 
  their bionics, usually maiming or killing and butchering their 
  victims in the process. Both the Body-Chop-Shops and 
  Cyber-Snatchers are found in the 'Burbs. 
  'Burb: A town or city of squatters outside a large Coalition 
  city, typically a fortress city like Chi-Town, who hope to peti­
  tion the State for residence in the fortress city. 
  Burbie: Somebody who takes up residence in a 'Burb. Also 
  see "Reject." 
  City Rat: A general term for youths and gangs of youths 
  who are technophiles (love technology and cybernetics) and 
  who know the city better than most. Many are computer hack­
  ers, information dealers, runners and small-time crooks. See the 
  Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook for the City Rat "redefined" and 
  complete stats for the City Rat Archetype, Hero Rat, Hack Rat, 
  Maze Rat, Pack Rat, Gutter Rat (killers and Cyber-Snatchers), 
  and the Roof Rat, as well as Cyber-Snatchers (villains). 
  Cyber-Doc: A medical doctor and surgeon who specializes 
  in installing, repairing, upgrading and implanting cybernetics 
  and bionics. Common at Body-Chop-Shops. 
  Cyber-Snatchers: Roving gangs of murderers who target 
  people with bionics and rob them of their cybernetics, usually 
  killing their victims in the process. See Rifts® Bionics 
  Sourcebook, page 26, for complete stats and greater info. 
  D-Bee: Short for "Dimensional Being," typically referring to 
  any humanoid or bipedal alien from another world. 
  Dark-House: Slang for underground movie theaters that 
  show illegal, pre-Rifts films and television shows banned by the 
  CS. They are also known as "historyplexes" and "sin-o-plexes." 
  Dead Boy: Typically refers to soldiers in the Coalition Mili­
  tary, so named for their black, skeleton motif body armor, and 
  their habit of shooting suspects and troublemakers "dead." 
  Dead Head: A Coalition soldier or police officer willing to 
  take bribes (money, favors, goods, etc.) to look the other way­
  i.e. a "dead head" who sees nothing. The more serious the of­
  fense the more costly the bribe. 
  Dog Boy: The Coalition's famous canine troops - part dog, 
  part human. 
  Downsider: A term to describe residents of the big city who 
  live on one of the lower levels. 
  11 
  Fed or Federal: Slang for someone from, working with or 
  connected to the Federation of Magic. ("I'd watch out for him, I 
  hear he's a Federal.") 
  From Beyond the Rift: Typically refers to someone who 
  came through a dimensional portal/Rift from another world or 
  dimension. May be a "D-Bee" or a supernatural being or crea­
  ture of magic. 
  G-Club: The nickname for the Park Gentleman's Club in 
  Firetown. A reputed hangout for organized crime bosses and big 
  shots from throughout the Chi-Town 'Burbs. 
  Grunger: A resident of the big city, but one who is a low life 
  involved in a gang or with crime, City Rats or the 'Burbs or 
  Burbies. 
  I.C.: Identification Coding for psychics. All psychics living 
  in the Coalition States, including those in the 'Burbs, are sup­
  posed to participate in the Psychic Registration Program (PRP) 
  in which they get an Identification Code (bar code) and 1.0. im­
  plant. 
  Inkslinger: A tattoo artist. 
  I.S.S. a.k.a. "The Eyes": I.S.S. stands for Internal Security 
  Specialists, an elite Coalition States law enforcement and inter­
  nal security organization that is the equivalent combination of 
  the F.B.I., C.I.A. and Homeland security agents. It is their job to 
  keep Coalition cities safe, and that means keeping an eye on the 
  'Burbs and nipping terrorists, saboteurs, practitioners of magic, 
  and superhumans from threatening CS citizens. See Rifts® 
  World Book 11: Coalition War Campaign for complete de­
  tails. 
  I.S.S. 'Specter: An Internal Security Specialist Inspector, 
  basically the equivalent combination of the F.B.I., C.I.A. and 
  Homeland Security agent rolled into one. 
  Lawman: A police officer or sheriff that is NOT affiliated 
  with the Coalition States, i.e. a sheriff from a kingdom outside 
  the CS. 
  LL or Low Leveler: Another term for residents of the forti­
  fied city, who live on the lowest levels. An elite status that many 
  Burbies would love to achieve (at least from their point of 
  view). 
  Mage: A generic term for any practitioner of magic, but usu­
  ally refers to some sort of spell caster. Thus, a Necromancer or 
  Shifter would be referred to as such, while a Ley Line Walker, 
  Warlock, Mystic, or other spell caster (often including 
  Techno-Wizards) is a "mage." 
  New Town: The newer, middle laying 'Burbs that grow up 
  around the Old Towns. 
  NTSET a.k.a. "Nut Set": An elite division of "psychic po­
  lice" and "monster hunters" within the I.S.S. Sometimes re­
  ferred to as "psychic police." See Rifts® World Book 11: 
  Coalition War Campaign for details. 
  Old Town: The oldest and most city-like of the 'Burbs. 
  Old Townee: An inhabitant of an Old Town 'Burb. 
  Paper Inker: Slang for a forger or underground operation 
  that manufactures fake identification cards, travel papers, etc.; 
  typically a Black Market operation. 
  Psi-Hound: A NTSET Dog Boy trained specifically to sniff 
  out, recognize and counter psychic, supernatural and magical 
  threats. 
  
  Reject: Someone who has applied for citizenship in a forti­
  fied city and has been rejected. The rejection of a city applica­
  tion is usually permanent and irrevocable, but many Rejects stay 
  to live in the 'Burbs, and many still cling to their dream of life 
  in the big city if only they could find some way to prove them­
  selves worthy. "Reject" is sometimes used by I.S.S. and Coali­
  tion Military troops as a derogatory term for ALL inhabitants of 
  the 'Burbs,. 
  Retribution Squads: Typically sorcerers, freedom fighters, 
  terrorists and vengeful citizens or monsters from the fallen 
  Kingdom of Tolkeen seeking revenge against the Coalition 
  States, in general, and the Coalition Army, Chi-Town and the 
  Prosek family in particular. They may engage in sabotage, van­
  dalism, attacks on CS authority figures, murder, bombings, sui­
  cide bombings, sniping, assassination, kidnaping, extortion and 
  other acts of revenge and damage against the CS. 
  Shanty Town: The newest shabby communities springing up 
  around the New Towns. They are part tent city, part refugee 
  camp and part trailer park. 
  Sin-o-plex: Slang for underground movie theaters that show 
  illegal, pre-Rifts films and television shows banned by the CS. 
  They are also known as "historyplexes" and "dark-houses." 
  Stoolie or Stool Pigeon: An individual who makes a living 
  or regularly earns favors from the CS or other organization by 
  providing them with information about people, places and 
  goings on in the 'Burbs. A City Rat who is a Stool Pigeon is 
  known as a "Roof Rat" or "Rat Fink." 
  Tarnits: People who are fans and promoters of the famed 
  historian, Erin Tarn. 
  Tolkeenite: The name of people who once resided as citizens 
  in the Kingdom of To Ike en. 
  A Brief Overview 
  of 'Burb Society 
  The fortified cities of the Coalition States, of which 
  Chi-Town was the first and, arguably, the greatest, represent a 
  safe haven for humans. A refuge and urban paradise for humans 
  who live within its Mega-Damage walls without fear of attack 
  from invaders, monsters, demons, aliens or marauding sorcerers 
  or raiders. Each citizen is given a job and finds his or her place 
  in CS society. The people live a life of comparative high-tech 
  luxury and civility. All apartments and businesses have hot and 
  cold running water, reliable electrical power, heating and cool­
  ing systems, secure telephone network, city-wide internet ac­
  cess, modem conveniences of every kind, social interaction, and 
  even leisure time and entertainment by way of CS television, 
  film theaters, concert halls, live theater, museums, diners, sport­
  ing events and all the things one imagines an advanced mega­
  lopolis would have to offer. 
  Most importantly, the government and economy are stable 
  and the leadership works to provide for and protect its citizens 
  like few others on Rifts Earth. Law and order are enforced to 
  provide a safe and secure place to live, work and raise a family. 
  As basic as all this may sound, such amenities, security and lei-
  12 
  sure are truly rare commodities in North America and much of 
  the world. 
  'Burbs is the slang term for the communities that appear 
  around the cities and strong-holds of the Coalition States, partic­
  ularly around the great, fortified super-cities like Chi-Town. 
  However, this is most defmitely not suburbia as we think of it, 
  but rather a collection of a ragtag people who either share the 
  dream of becoming CS citizens inside one of the fortress cities 
  or believe that the 'Burbs, as unstable as they may be, are safer 
  and better than making a go of it in the wilderness or a rural 
  community. 
  The first 'Burbs appeared as campsites scattered around the 
  outer walls of the fortified city of Chi-Town. These camps were 
  originally supposed to be a temporary holding zone for human 
  refugees who sought citizenship in the Coalition States, and/or 
  petitioned for work or residence in Chi-Town. However, peas­
  ants, farmers, woodsmen and wilderness folk throughout North 
  America came in droves. Unable and unwilling to accommodate 
  everybody, the local CS officials were forced to push the multi­
  tudes a safe distance beyond its city limits. With nowhere else to 
  go, and clinging to hope that the fortress city would accept 
  them, they pitched tents and waited. 
  As time passed, some turned their vehicles into homes, or 
  built a little fence around a pitched tent. Others began to cobble 
  together a shack or simple cabin out of wood, clay, stone and/or 
  salvaged sheet metal, plastic and scrap. Vegetable gardens were 
  grown to help feed those who waited. Traveling merchants 
  stopped to hawk their wares, and some established semi-perma­
  nent trading posts. The Coalition government ignored these 
  
  "temporary camps" even as many of them grew into squatter 
  homesteads and shanty towns. Before the CS knew it, the great 
  city of Chi-Town was surrounded by tens of thousands of peo­
  ple unwilling to leave, and patiently waiting to be recognized 
  and accepted into the city. 
  In the early days, the Coalition Military would forcibly re­
  move the squatters, sometimes escorting them hundreds of miles 
  away, but many would return after a few weeks, joined by other 
  hopeful newcomers, to rebuild. 
  No matter how many times the people would be routed and 
  the shanty towns leveled, they would return. Legends among 
  anti-Coalition factions (the Federation of Magic and Tolkeen 
  among them) claim there were instances in the early days when 
  the great city would dispatch troops to mow down people by the 
  thousands, bulldozing the bodies and the tents and huts and 
  dumping them in a giant pit. (Indeed, the skeletal remains of 
  hundreds, if not thousands were accidently unearthed among de­
  bris estimated to be at least 90-120 years old beneath one sec­
  tion of Ironforge. The CS claims they are the remains of early 
  Chi-Town citizens who perished at the hands of D-Bee invaders. 
  Nobody knows the truth, but the CS has a long history of fight­
  ing to preserve humanity and has always tried to avoid killing 
  their own kind, at least when they embrace the Chi-Town way 
  of life. So while most of the "Burbies" may have been crude, 
  uneducated, and unskilled, they were human, making mass mur­
  der an unlikely option.) Even if the horrid tale is true, it made 
  little difference, for still they came pleading for mercy, protec­
  tion and citizenship in the fortress city. To complicate matters, 
  at least a third of those who came really were desirable candi­
  dates for citizenship or work in Chi-Town. However, sorting 
  through the mass of humanity thronging outside was difficult 
  and time consuming. All that could be done was to place every­
  one, the desirable and the undesirable, on a waiting list and 
  made to languish outside the fortified walls to fend for them­
  selves until each applicant could be interviewed and ranked as 
  qualified or rejected. One might think that processing these 
  hopeful people would send them packing when rejected, which 
  two-thirds were, but that didn't happen. At least half of those re­
  jected stayed. Some stayed because they planned to reapply and 
  prove themselves worthy. Others stayed so their children would 
  have a chance of making it inside the paradise of the fortress 
  city, while others stayed because they didn't know where else to 
  go. After years of trying to deal with these squatters, Chi-Town 
  (and the Coalition States government that followed) gave up and 
  simply allowed the shanty towns to flourish, "like weeds outside 
  the garden," as General Cabot once commented. 
  Over the generations, thousands of hopeful "Burbies" wait­
  ing in the slums and tent villages around the city turned into 
  hundreds of thousands, and then millions. Over the decades, 
  tents and shacks turned into villages, shanty towns and even 
  modem looking cities. These communities have their own 
  quasi-democratic republic system of government, with their own 
  leaders and representatives, merchants' associations, commer­
  cial guidelines, laws and police force. Most are based on or in­
  spired by the government and society they dream of someday 
  being accepted into, the Coalition States. Many believe they will 
  earn a place in the fortified cities if they can prove themselves to 
  be "cultured," "civilized" and "worthy." They do this by adopt­
  ing the ways and laws of the CS fortress cities, collaborating 
  13 
  with CS authorities, and even by joining the Coalition Army -
  the latter is something Emperor Prosek took advantage of to 
  raise an army against Tolkeen by offering preferential status and 
  "first look" consideration of any Burbie who voluntarily joined 
  the military to fight on the Coalition States' behalf. Over half a 
  million joined and fought as front-line troops (and an estimated 
  50-65% perished on the field of combat). Afraid to leave for 
  fear that they would be forgotten, the multitude of hopeful peo­
  ple pitch camp and wait. Since the wait may be years, they usu­
  ally gather in family clans, build some sort of hut or house or 
  live out of tents or vehicles and wait. And wait, and wait. Thus, 
  the 'Burbs were born. 
  Today, the average wait for a highly desirable candidate to 
  be admitted into a fortress city is 5-10 years! For the less desir­
  able, unskilled, and uncouth masses, that wait is said to be 
  1 5-30, but few have any real chance of acceptance at all. People 
  continue to come, apply and wait. 
  All 'Burbs start as shanty towns and tent cities, but the oldest 
  look like full blown cities. Around Chi-Town they are an array 
  of small, independent communities that flow seamlessly from 
  one into another. Often the only elements differentiating these 
  unofficial towns and neighborhoods from one another are each 
  community's level of poverty, technology, and lawlessness or 
  civility. 
  In a way, the 'Burbs can be thought of as the rings of a tree. 
  At the core is a fortified city, like Chi-Town. The frrst several 
  small rings of growth around the core are the oldest suburbs of 
  the city - the frrst camps and shanty towns that have grown up 
  around the city into thriving communities in their own right. 
  Around the center and the inner core that is the Old Towns are 
  the larger New Town 'Burbs followed by the equally large and 
  newest Shanty Town 'Burbs. Chi-Town has some of the oldest 
  and largest 'Burbs of all the allied States - Free Quebec and 
  Iron Heart are next in line. This is because most refugees are at­
  tracted to the largest, most prosperous and famous of the fortress 
  cities. 
  The Coalition way is the best way. Since the vast majority 
  of those living in the 'Burbs dream of one day being chosen to 
  live in the great fortified city of Chi-Town or one of the other 
  fortified cities in the States, most humans believe in and try to 
  live by many, if not all, of the laws and views of the Coalition 
  Government in general and Chi-Town in particular. To win fa­
  vor and acceptance, many of the squatter communities zealously 
  practice and preach what they see as the Coalition way. This 
  means most are human supremacists who are suspicious and 
  fearful of non-humans, if not outright hateful of them. Many 
  outspokenly chastise and rebuke nonhumans, and threaten, mis­
  treat and attack D-Bees, dragons, and other nonhumans with lit­
  tle or no provocation. They also feed on CS propaganda, 
  accepting it as gospel and doing whatever the Emperor or CS 
  authorities might ask of them. This is especially true in the old­
  est and (arguably) most "civilized" and established Old Town 
  'Burbs. Consequently, the 'Burbs present the CS with thousands 
  of willing spies, informers and sympathizers willing to rat-out 
  their neighbors and visitors to make a name for themselves and 
  hopefully earn the Coalition's favor to get bumped higher up on 
  the waiting list of citizenship in Chi-Town. The CS exploits this 
  "hope" mercilessly. 
  
  That having been said, there are people who have opposing 
  views and question, challenge and/or defy the Coalition way. 
  Most of these folks are inhabitants of the New Towns and new 
  arrivals to Shanty Towns, or visiting adventurers and outsiders. 
  However, those who have opposing views or engage in illegal 
  activities must be very careful in exactly how they express 
  themselves and to whom they talk. CS spies, undercover cops, 
  bounty hunters, mercenaries and civilian sympathizers are ev­
  erywhere, so one never knows what kind of trouble he might 
  elicit if he isn't careful. Likewise, criminals, rebel groups and 
  dissidents might try to enlist, trick or extort careless visitors into 
  working for their cause, or target the visitors for some other ne­
  farious operation. Furthermore, "crimes" in the shadow of 
  Chi-Town include things like owning magic items and practic­
  ing magic, possessing pre-Rifts artifacts and knowledge, pos­
  sessing banned books and films, supporting and reading the 
  works of Erin Tarn, teaching D-Bees how to read and write, be­
  ing a nonhuman or helping nonhumans, and harboring danger­
  ous thoughts, such as believing in a different way of life than the 
  Coalition's chosen path. The latter includes thinking D-Bees 
  should have human rights or that the use of magic is not inher­
  ently bad or evil. 
  Old Town 'Burbs 
  If there is a high society in the mostly rough and tumble 
  'Burbs, it is the power brokers, business people and wealthy 
  members of the Old Town communities. 
  14 
  Generally speaking, the Old Town 'Burbs - the ones that 
  look most like real, permanent modem cities and factory dis­
  tricts outside the fortress city - are the most dedicated and loyal 
  to the Coalition States. They are the oldest, most established and 
  permanent of the 'Burbs. Some are very old and have existed for 
  50-80 years. In fact, they are so clean and well kept that if one 
  did not know better, they could be mistaken for genuine Coali­
  tion towns or small cities. The loyalty, admiration, and obedi­
  ence of many Old Town inhabitants often borders on the 
  fanatical. Most of the people living here are willing to do almost 
  anything to see members of their community become residents 
  of the fortress city. These denizens of the 'Burbs tend to be psy­
  chotic about appearing civilized, cultured and desirable to the 
  Coalition States. That means obeying CS laws and adopting CS 
  customs to the "T," making them the most law abiding, orderly, 
  and zealous human supremacists living anywhere in the 'Burbs. 
  Old Town settlements are also the safest places in the 'Burbs. At 
  least two thirds of their structures, from businesses to resi­
  dences, are permanent structures, one to four stories tall. Two 
  thirds of the commercial buildings are Mega-Damage structures, 
  as are a third of the homes. Likewise, half the streets are paved, 
  the rest are covered with gravel, and only the back alleys are dirt 
  (and half of them are covered with gravel). There is very little 
  that changes in the Old Town 'Burbs. Businesses come and go 
  but most of the buildings and streets stay the same. Only in the 
  event of a destructive fire, battle, or large urban renewal project 
  is there a major change to the size, look and shape of an Old 
  Town 'Burb. By comparison, the buildings and streets in the 
  New Town and Shanty Town 'Burbs are constantly changing. 
  The Old Town sections are "managed" by a formal, but un­
  official seat of government, including a self-regulated judiciary 
  and police force who follow the law of the Coalition States to 
  the letter. Additionally, many factories and businesses in Old 
  Town 'Burbs manufacture goods and perform services for the 
  fortress city, and these denizens of the 'Burbs regularly enjoy 
  day and weekend passes into the city itselt1 
  The inhabitants of these elder 'Burbs usually consider them­
  selves to be steadfast loyalists to the Coalition States and Em­
  peror Prosek, and whether true or not, they choose to believe 
  they are among the most favored by the CS, thus making their 
  citizens the elite upper-crust in the 'Burbs, and therefore the 
  most likely to become city residents; or so they have convinced 
  themselves. As the upper-crust in 'Burb society, many turn their 
  nose up to newcomers, poor folks, adventurers and those who 
  criticize the CS or engage in "unsavory and criminal activities." 
  Unsavory and criminal activities can be a pretty long list, 
  especially for real fanatics, but the following are typically ac­
  cepted as "unsavory" by most Old Townees and a good half of 
  the New Town folks. 
  • Studying, researching, teaching, believing or even just talking 
  about pre-Rifts history that conflicts with or challenges the 
  "official history"presented by the Coalition States. 
  • Collecting pre-Rifts artifacts; particularly technological se­
  crets, weapons and books, films and video banned by the CS. 
  All such artifacts are supposed to be turned over to Coalition 
  authorities for proper evaluation and archiving. 
  • Selling contraband, particularly magic, alien artifacts, and the 
  books of Erin Tarn. 
  
  • The private study and/or practice of magic is absolutely taboo 
  even for personal use or entertainment. Those who practice 
  and/or encourage the use of magic on any scale are typically 
  regarded as dangerous malcontents or traitors, and ratted out 
  to the CS. 
  • Collecting a few magical odds and ends, or owning a couple 
  of books on the subject of magic, and even a magic weapon 
  or two are seen as dangerous and forbidden. However, 
  among the high society of the Old 'Burbs, its is increasingly 
  tolerated, as long as the owner is very, very discreet about it 
  and not showy or threatening. In fact, owning a few magic 
  items has become highly fashionable and prestigious, and 
  said to exhibit a daring and bold personality. Thus, it is "deli­
  ciously exciting and adventurous" to own 1-4 forbidden 
  magic items in a secret collection (most are usually small, ba­
  sic items). The CS is completely unaware of this growing so­
  cial trend among the Old Town elite, but is not likely to care 
  too much, because they know these 'Burbies are extremely 
  loyal to the CS and would never use such items in acts of re­
  bellion, insurrection or anything else. On the other hand, 
  these wealthy and decadent elite of the 'Burb subculture 
  sometimes acquire rare, powerful and/or dangerous magic 
  items without any idea of what they have. This may endanger 
  their lives if "outsiders" (particularly members of the Federa­
  tion of Magic, thieves, dragons and evil mages) covet the 
  item, or if it has a corrupting/evil effect on its owner, or en­
  dangers the lives of their family and neighbors if it could un­
  leash a dangerous being or destructive force when improperly 
  used. 
  • Dealing in alien technology - "alien" as in, out of this world, 
  an alien race like the Naruni, Kittani or Splugorth. 
  • Dealing in magic, teaching magic or using magic for personal 
  gain are heinous crimes for which there is no excuse or toler­
  ance. Most Old Townees will turn in a neighbor without hesi­
  tation when they think they are using or trafficking in magic. 
  • Association or fraternization with the Federation of Magic 
  (seen as a mortal enemy of Chi-Town and the Coalition 
  States for generations) is an act of treason and villainy be­
  yond redemption and is immediately reported to Coalition 
  authorities (or dealt with quietly within the power structure 
  of the 'Burbs themselves). 
  • Association or fraternization with demons and monsters (i.e., 
  dragons, Splugorth and their minions, and other creatures of 
  magic and supernatural beings), and often extends to Shifters, 
  Witches and Necromancers. This is an act of treason and vil­
  lainy punishable by death. 
  • Words (and actions) of insurrection. It is okay to complain 
  and criticize the Coalition States, its Emperor, the Prosek 
  family and especially policies concerning the 'Burbs and citi­
  zenship, however, it is quite another thing to promote rebel­
  lion, civil unrest, riots, overturning the government or 
  physical attacks on the CS police, military or government. 
  • Most conventional crimes are handled by the "local" 'Burbs 
  authorities or private individuals. 
  Note: Whenever its says something is immediately ''re­
  ported" to Coalition authorities, it means this act is seen as a ter­
  rible and dangerous crime that threatens the stability of human 
  civilization, and is probably treasonous and of the utmost impor­
  tance. However, it may not actually get reported to Coalition au-
  15 
  thorities. As good as their relationship is with Chi-Town and the 
  Coalition Army, police and politicians, even Old Town 'Burbs 
  can be invaded, purged, and obliterated by Coalition forces as 
  easily as the Shanty and New Towns, especially if the authori­
  ties fear that the community harbors dangerous dissidents or 
  represents a serious threat to Chi-Town security. As a result, se­
  rious problems involving magic, aliens, monsters, forbidden 
  teachings, and acts of insurrection and treason are frequently 
  (90% of the time) dealt with "internally" by the powers that be 
  within the Old Town 'Burbs themselves. Each of the Old Towns 
  has its own political structure, leaders, police force, independent 
  protectors and powerful individuals who see to such "delicate 
  matters." Their philosophy is, why involve the CS and make 
  them nervous or suspicious when they can handle the matter 
  themselves, without Coalition knowledge or involvement? This 
  is a constant when it comes to the Old Towns, with each work­
  ing in concert to quietly eliminate such sources of trouble 
  amongst themselves. However Old Town politics and justice of­
  ten overflows into the New Towns and Shanty Towns. The old 
  guard often see these places as nothing but troublesome dens of 
  iniquity inhabited by uncouth rabble, thieves, wild men and 
  nonhumans, in the fIrst place, so they have no qualms about tak­
  ing independent action to solve things they see as problems, cir­
  cumventing the local law and leadership to quiet things down or 
  further their own agendas. Consequently, the leaders, wealthy 
  and powerful members of the Old Towns are constantly sticking 
  their noses into the affairs of the New and Shanty Town 'Burbs, 
  often stirring the pot and creating as much trouble as they re­
  solve. This may involve hiring mercenaries, assassins, adventur­
  ers or criminals, or using a "trusted insider" (a citizen or friend 
  of an Old Town) to assassinate, sabotage, frame, intimidate, ex­
  tort or do whatever else may be deemed necessary for "the 
  greater good of everyone" - or so the most arrogant of the Old 
  Town elite see it that way. The local powers don't appreciate the 
  Old Townees' warnings, interference and direct intervention, all 
  of which creates a strong sense of "them and us" and the notion 
  that the Old Townees are the lap dogs of the CS and possibly 
  even Coalition spies, assassins and secret agents. Along those 
  same lines, while the leadership of the Old Towns quietly work 
  together to solve problems without involving the CS, they have 
  no qualms about informing on "suspicious or illegal" activity, 
  people and places in the other "uncivilized 'Burbs." 
  Typical Statistical Breakdowns for Most Old Town 'Burbs: 
  92-98% Human population. 
  2.5% Psi-Stalkers (human mutants). 
  1-3.5% D-Bees and others (unwanted refugees, supernatural 
  beings and creatures of magic). The exceptions are towns with 
  heavy industry where 4-6% of the population may be D-Bee 
  slaves or forced labor and kept very quiet. 
  91 % are dedicated human supremacists. 
  87% have nothing to do with D-Bees whatsoever, and shun 
  them completely. 
  1-4% accept magic in any form; all others (96-99%) fear and 
  reject it. None practice it openly. 
  5-1 5% are literate in American. (Note: The Chi-Town 'Burbs 
  are an exception because they are so old.) 
  4% Possess psychic abilities; 99% of those are IC registered 
  psychics with Psi-Net. 
  
  1 0% of the buildings are tents, huts, shacks and vehicles 
  turned into dwellings. 
  50% are 1-10 story buildings (average is four story); half are 
  M.D.C. structures. The rest are small homes. 
  75% of the Old Town 'Burb is permanent and mostly un­
  changing. Streets and businesses are well established and don't 
  change or move much. 
  Crime is low. 
  Poverty is low, only about 20% are truly poor. The rest live 
  well and may be considered middle class, while 10% are down­
  right well-to-do and 5% (mostly criminal kingpins and mer­
  chants) are worth millions of credits. 
  Has a solid and strong local governing body and militia/po­
  lice, but may also have a few street or criminal gangs as well as 
  powerful and influential businesses and individuals. 
  CS authorities have the most trust and respect for the Old 
  Town 'Burbs and regularly go to its local governing body to re­
  solve any problems before resorting to violence. Soldiers sweep 
  the Old Town 'Burbs only once or twice a week, although there 
  may be an increase if trouble is afoot or if the 'Burb's leaders 
  call the CS in to resolve a problem; namely incidents involving 
  spies, terrorists with a vendetta against the CS, rebel dissidents, 
  practitioners of magic, and those speaking out against Emperor 
  Prosek and/or spreading history and propaganda contrary to the 
  Coalition's views. It may also be visited by the police from the 
  fortress city, but only if it is suspected that the culprits of a 
  crime or trouble are hiding in an Old Town, or the police are 
  looking for the help of Old Town authorities to track down a 
  suspect or criminal operation in one of the other 'Burbs. 
  New Town 'Burbs 
  The newer, but established 'Burbs are known as New Town 
  'Burbs. They are larger, more sprawling than the Old Towns 
  and are seldom more than 7-1 0  years old, falling prey to de­
  struction and CS purges only to be rebuilt as someplace new. 
  New Towns are unstructured, disorganized and only partially 
  civilized. They are noisy communities with gravel and mud 
  streets, poor sanitation and a haphazard layout. The only 
  semi-permanent structures are the 2-5 story buildings of its busi­
  ness district, filled with trading posts, saloons, boarding houses, 
  entertainment and places of ill-repute. The business area is sur­
  rounded by small homes, shacks, broken down vehicles used for 
  housing, tents and campsites. Only twenty percent are 
  Mega-Damage structures. Most of these New Towns are consid-
  1 6  
  ered to be established communities and function as towns or 
  small cities in and of themselves, complete with their own local 
  government and police force. Like the Old Towns, most 'Burb 
  governments are patterned on the Coalition States or the idea of 
  a democratic republic, though some, like Razor Ridge, are dicta­
  torships and others more like a feudal kingdom. 
  The atmosphere is similar to the boomtowns of the pre-Rifts 
  American Wild West, where there are shootouts in the streets, 
  the community never seems to sleep, and there is always some­
  thing going on (whether one wants it to or not). These are the 
  communities where organized crime and the Black Market 
  abound, and where one can find just about whatever illegal sub­
  stance, pleasure or information he may be looking for. Of 
  course, the Coalition Military patrols these places regularly and 
  frequently sets up "sting" operations to capture criminals and 
  spies. Bounty hunters, mercenaries, slavers, scholars, mutants, 
  psychics, practitioners of magic, Juicers, Crazies, 'Borgs, City 
  Rats, adventurers, D-Bees and monsters also call the New Town 
  'Burbs home, or use them as a rest stop to resupply and have a 
  little fun, or to get lost in a sea of faces, human and inhuman. 
  Unsavory and illegal activity is commonplace at most New 
  Towns; the crime rate is moderate to high, at least in parts of 
  town. In most cases, half to two thirds of the inhabitants are 
  (mostly) Coalition loyalists and Chi-Town wannabes, however, 
  a third to half are resigned to spending the rest of their lives in 
  the 'Burbs and do whatever it takes to survive. These pragma­
  tists are also the most likely to question, criticize and speak out 
  against the CS, its laws, leaders, police and military, as well as 
  read (many practically worship) the books and words of Erin 
  Tarn, study alternative theories of history (other than the official 
  CS propaganda), accept D-Bees (as second-class citizens if not 
  full 50/50 equals), and even accept (if not actually practice) 
  magic. In fact, even some of the loyalists question the Coalition 
  States' harsh stance on magic or the collecting and studying of 
  ancient, pre-Rifts artifacts, books, films and culture. (Of course, 
  the reason is simple, the CS doesn't want its people to learn 
  about old Earth cultures' battles for democracy, civil rights, and 
  equality for all people for fear it may lead to discontent, weaken 
  its power base and challenge the currently widely accepted dic­
  tatorial culture. It's all about maintaining the status quo by keep­
  ing the people ignorant but blissful.) As a result, the New Towns 
  are the places to go to fmd banned books, magic items, illegal 
  technology like Juicer and Crazy conversions, Body-Chop­
  Shops, illegal weapons and other contraband. Likewise, this is 
  where one can fmd magical and psychic healing, mercenaries 
  and adventurers for hire, Rogue Scholars, Rogue Scientists, Op­
  erator mechanics' garages, smugglers, the Black Market, 
  D-Bees and a fairly large range of entertainment from family 
  fare to the decadent. 
  Among the residents are people who have traveled and seen 
  the world (or at least the continent) and who may still have con­
  nections to the outside world or hide away some alien or magi­
  cal artifact. 
  These worldly inhabitants are retired and 
  semi-retired men at arms, mercenaries, explorers, Rogue Scien­
  tists, Rogue Scholars, Psi-Stalkers, adventurers and other 
  travelers. 
  Unlike the Old Towns which tend to close themselves off 
  from the outside world, the New Towns offer goods and ser­
  vices that attract outsiders, so there is always a constant stream 
  
  of adventurers, men at arms, Psi-Stalkers, merchants, farmers, 
  refugees, D-Bees and even practitioners of magic, dragons and 
  other alien, magical or supernatural beings (the latter usually in 
  disguise) in town. Farmers and crafts people come to sell and 
  trade their wares, as do trappers and Wilderness Scouts, adven­
  turers and warriors come to sell or trade the booty of war or just 
  to get a little rest and relaxation before going back out into the 
  world. Bounty hunters and cutthroats may come to collect on a 
  bounty or seeking the target of a bounty, or just to get a drink or 
  resupply. In many regards, the New Town 'Burbs, more than 
  any other, are centers of commerce. They're places to buy and 
  sell goods or services, to resupply, rest, hide, spend money or 
  acquire any number of different modem conveniences, tools, 
  weapons or contraband. And because so many "outsiders" come 
  and go, also centers for news, rumors, gossip, and the buying, 
  selling and trade of information and secrets. In fact, this con­
  stant exchange of information is what makes the New Town 
  'Burbs less inclined to buy into the Coalition's propaganda and 
  compels them to consider other viewpoints and ideas. The high 
  level of traffic in and out also makes the New Towns perfect for 
  smuggling and for passing secrets and contraband. All of these 
  factors are what compel the CS to maintain such a constant mili­
  tary and police presence (as well as spies and undercover 
  agents) in the New Town 'Burbs, launching purges to shake 
  things up, ferret out spies, mages and undesirables, and to break 
  down criminal networks, smuggling rings and dissidents before 
  they get too entrenched or powerful. 
  Note: Unlike the Old Town 'Burbs, even steadfast loyalists 
  hesitate to "report" activity or trouble that might instigate a Co­
  alition purge or any kind of disruptive CS intervention or shake­
  down. This means they tend to report isolated incidents, minor 
  trouble and conventional crime which the CS authorities may or 
  may not take an interest in. The human supremacists of New 
  Towns are also quick to fmger D-Bee crooks, scoundrels, and 
  innocent passers-by for crimes and trouble even when they may 
  not be responsible for it. Of course, CS authorities are quick to 
  act on any accusations against D-Bees, dragons, monsters and 
  practitioners of magic. However, because incidents involving 
  forbidden knowledge (including magic and pre-Rifts books, 
  films and artifacts) often result in an overblown and destructive 
  CS response, most New Town inhabitants ignore them or keep 
  quiet. So what if a bunch of two-bit dissidents, Rogue Scholars, 
  Scientists or Tam advocates are secretly teaching kids to read or 
  smuggling and selling old books and artifacts, or Erin Tam ti­
  tles? Let 'em. Who is it hurting? Loyalists dismiss all that sort 
  of stuff as lies and tripe anyway. Likewise, the discreet use, 
  study and teaching of magic as well as the quiet sale of magic 
  items and alien gadgets are usually ignored, though these activi­
  ties are much more unacceptable and frightening, so if things 
  heat up or get too scary, the CS or local authorities are notified. 
  Speaking of local authorities, New Town police, vigilantes, 
  influential business people and powerful individuals frequently 
  try to step in and quell any trouble and activities that might 
  bring the Coalition Army or police down on them. In fact, the 
  local police and hired guns often find themselves in a race to 
  bring down trouble and conceal the true extent of the operation 
  or cover up the incident before Coalition forces fmd out or ar­
  rive on the scene. For this reason, the CS rarely trusts the local 
  authorities, and the local authorities have become expert 
  spin-doctors to weave convincing cover stories that the CS can't 
  17 
  prove otherwise even if they suspect a cover up. And because 
  the CS is so extreme in its handling of situations with practitio­
  ners of magic, D-Bees, supernatural beings, and treason, many 
  citizens willingly jump in to help cover-up the truth, provided 
  the local authorities or their hired adventurers have truly stopped 
  the villains and have this situation well under control. 
  Ironically, the Coalition's own disdain and attitude contrib­
  utes to the lack of trust and cooperation from inhabitants of the 
  New Town 'Burbs, and works to help make cover ups easy. Af­
  ter all, the majority of the Coalition authorities, police and mili­
  tary personnel don't care if the inhabitants of the 'Burbs kill 
  each other, die from disease, enslave and mistreat D-Bees, 
  struggle against supernatural predators or destroy themselves in 
  any way, provided their internal conflicts and behavior do not 
  directly affect or threaten the security of the Coalition States or 
  the human citizens of Chi-Town (or whatever CS fortress city 
  may be nearby). A Coalition Grunt or ISS police officer will 
  step over the body of a dead D-Bee without so much as a, "what 
  happened here?" The body of a monster or demon may elicit an 
  investigation to make sure there aren't more lurking around or 
  building an army of worshipers or minions that might threaten 
  the citizens of the neighboring CS communities. The body of a 
  human is more likely to raise an eyebrow, provided the deceased 
  is not a known vagabond, gang member, City Rat, criminal or 
  troublemaker (i.e., somebody who spoke against the CS or the 
  Emperor). The murder of a respected citizen from the fortress 
  city who foolishly visited a 'Burb, even if he was a known 
  scoundrel involved in criminal or morally reprehensible activi­
  ties, always warrants a thorough investigation, however, and 
  may be reason for a "shakedown," "purge" or "culling." 
  
  Even when the 'Burbs are not under martial law, both the Co­
  alition Military and ISS maintain a presence via frequent pa­
  trols, investigations and shakedowns. 
  Shakedowns are surprise raids to "flush some of the rats into 
  the open and see what we get." Such raids are typically directed 
  at Rogue Scholars and Scientists, practitioners of magic, 
  nonhumans and organized crime, particularly brazen Black Mar­
  ket operations. 
  Purges are full military invasions that can devastate entire 
  neighborhoods, see the slaughter of dozens, the imprisonment 
  and/or routing of hundreds and, occasionally, the obliteration of 
  some or all of that 'Burb. 
  Cullings are similar to shakedowns and purges, but with the 
  express purpose of cutting out and removing - culling them 
  from the rest of "the herd" within the 'Burbs - a specific faction 
  of people; i.e. practitioners of magic, psychics, a particular 
  gang, monsters or D-Bees. A culling may start with one specific 
  type/creature in mind, but generally degenerates to include ev­
  erybody who falls into that broad category. Anybody who op­
  poses the action or gets in the way is rolled over, and probably 
  killed. 
  Statistical Breakdown & Notes Common to New Town 'Burbs: 
  70-84% human population. 
  5-8% Psi-Stalkers (mutant humans). 
  6-20% D-Bees, occasionally more. Most D-Bees are illegal 
  slaves, indentured servants, or renegades on the run and living 
  the low life. Independent and visiting D-Bees are typically ad­
  venturers, Rogue Scholars, Rogue Scientists, Bounty Hunters, 
  Mercenaries, Vagabonds and traders. The CS considers all 
  D-Bees to be untrustworthy miscreants, but corrupt soldiers and 
  police often ignore D-Bees kept as slaves and servants unless 
  they act suspicious or cause trouble. D-Bees who cause trouble 
  or commit a crime - even a minor offense - are savagely brutal­
  ized and often killed on the spot; no arrest nor trial is necessary. 
  D-Bees have no rights. Consequently, D-Bees who are only ac­
  cused of a crime or wanted for questioning run for their lives 
  and hide from the authorities. Independent, free D-Bees are con­
  sidered to be spies, assassins, the worst kinds of criminals or 
  dangerous rebels out to undermine and destroy the Coalition 
  States. As such, they are automatically wanted for "questioning 
  and extermination!" Lazy CS soldiers and police often give up 
  the chase for D-Bee suspects who prove to be too elusive, diffi­
  cult or dangerous to pursue, while corrupt ones may accept 
  bribes and payoffs to look the other way and let D-Bees go or 
  even arrange their escape from local 'Burb authorities and lynch 
  mobs. 
  1-2% others; unwanted supernatural beings and creatures of 
  magic. 
  50-60% are dedicated human supremacists. 
  40% have nothing to do with D-Bees whatsoever and shun 
  them completely. 
  4-10% practice magic! You read that correctly, as many as 
  1 0% of a 'Burb's inhabitants may practice or otherwise embrace 
  magic (use TW weapons and devices, or magic weapons, deal in 
  magic, etc.) 
  40% fear but accept magic as a strange but useful ability; 
  they look the other way to its practice, especially if the magic is 
  used to their benefit. 
  18 
  50% fear and shun magic, and will turn those who practice it 
  or shelter magic users over to the authorities. 
  2-6% are literate in American; this percentage may be double 
  or triple in progressive and wealthy 'Burbs. 
  6-12% possess some measure of psychic abilities. 
  30-50% of all buildings and homes are tents, shacks, huts and 
  vehicles turned into dwellings or trading posts. 
  25% are 2-5 story buildings; half are businesses and half are 
  M.D.C. structures which can be considered semi-permanent 
  structures. Only a few of the most traveled streets (namely the 
  business area) are permanent. Otherwise the configuration of the 
  streets, buildings and houses change regularly; every few (2D4) 
  weeks. 
  25% are 1-2 story homes; one third are M.D.C. structures. 
  Crime is moderate to high. Poverty is the norm. Only 
  20-30% live well, 3-6% high on the hog. Note that by CS stan­
  dards, crime is rampant, because they consider reading forbid­
  den books and using magic as a "crime." 
  There is a local governing body, police force and neighbor­
  hood militia, but depending on the 'Burb and changing times, it 
  may be a vocal and showy figurehead, corrupt or criminal au­
  thority and alternately, a true and honest governing body. Most 
  New Town 'Burbs also have at least half a dozen street and 
  criminal gangs as well as some influential merchants and power­
  ful individuals. 
  The Coalition Army sends soldiers to patrol the streets of a 
  New Town 'Burb ID4+4 times a day, and may also conduct 
  ID4+ 1 flybys (usually rocket bikes, Sky-Cycles or SAMAS). It 
  may also be patrolled or visited by the police from the fortress 
  city (ISS or NTSET), but only if it's suspected that the culprits 
  of a crime or trouble are hiding or based in the 'Burb. 
  New Towns are perfect for spies and undercover police offi­
  cers (namely the ISS). However, there are much fewer CS un­
  dercover and spy operations going on than most people imagine. 
  The CS has a few long-term operations in place, and may send 
  spies out when they suspect something big or important is going 
  down, but otherwise could care less about the goings on in the 
  'Burbs. The Chi-Town Department of Internal Security and the 
  Coalition Army concur that Chi-Town defenses and security 
  measures are the best there is, and that the city is virtually im­
  pregnable with layers of redundancy measures in place to catch 
  anyone (or anything) that manages to slip through. 
  The Tolkeen situation has caused Chi-Town to increase the 
  number of patrols and spies in the 'Burbs and in the fortress city 
  to counter any acts of retribution by Tolkeen survivors and sym­
  pathizers. Attention on the 'Burbs, particularly the New Towns, 
  is also intended to intercept dangerous magic and contraband 
  items, as well as war criminals and dissident who are like to 
  make their way to the cities. 
  Shanty Towns 
  The outer ring of tent villages, muddy compounds and vehi­
  cle parks are Shanty Town 'Burbs, the latest gatherings of the 
  hopeful and visitors. Shanty Towns are just what they sound 
  like, and are the poorest, most wild, lawless and deplorable of 
  the 'Burbs. Shanty Towns are the largest, most sprawling and 
  least organized of the three types of 'Burbs. A third are tran-
  
  sients who won't stay for more than a month or two, though 
  there are always newcomers to take their place. The 'Burb itself 
  has few actual buildings except maybe a couple of trading posts 
  and/or a town hall for meetings and gatherings. Nor do the 
  Shanty Towns have much in the way of stores and shops, as 
  most people travel to the New Towns to buy supplies, sell their 
  wares or fmd entertainment and work. The majority of Shanty 
  Towns are divided up into sections ruled by gangs, criminal or­
  ganizations or powerful individuals (Juicers, 'Borgs, psychics, 
  practitioners of magic, merchants, etc., good and evil). Some are 
  even controlled by monsters lurking in the shadows where they 
  pull the strings of their human puppets. Since there are no for­
  mal laws or official ruling body, anarchy prevails and the level 
  of violence, crime, corruption and mayhem can change dramati­
  cally from one Shanty Town neighborhood to the next - often 
  without warning. Most Shanty Town 'Burbs are considered 
  sprawling, lawless dens of iniquity where visitors can purchase 
  all kinds of low-end contraband and lose themselves among the 
  masses. Thus, they are havens for fugitives, runaway slaves, 
  bandits, thieves, practitioners of magic, D-Bees, monsters, spies, 
  and adventurers, as well as terrorists and enemies of the Coali­
  tion States. 
  The smallest Shanty Towns are little more than a gathering of 
  strangers and nomads. Most of these "little villages" are com­
  posed of tents and ramshackle buildings made from scraps and 
  the gutted husks of vehicles. These can have as few as 20-100 
  people and are the most likely to be temporary dwelling places 
  that fall victim to roaming gangs, thugs, monsters, disease, or 
  the Coalition Military. These places never have large, perma­
  nent structures nor attract merchants, although small time mer­
  chants selling items from the trunk of their vehicle, smugglers, 
  traveling shows, adventurers and mercenaries with booty to sell, 
  19 
  trapper/woodsmen, Cyber-Docs or con men may temporarily set 
  up shop. 
  Because there are no tall buildings nor organization, most 
  Shanty Town 'Burbs are sprawling affairs that rather resemble a 
  tent city, refugee camp or the packed parking lot of a massive 
  pre-Rifts stadium for a major sporting event - with vehicles, 
  tents, campsites and people going every which way for miles 
  and miles. For most visitors, one only passes through or goes 
  around a Shanty Town (they are kept away from the main roads 
  to Chi-Town). Shanty Towns are worse than slums, conditions 
  are deplorable, and sanitation is a nightmare. 
  Ayerage Statjstical Breakdown & Notes for Shanty Town 'Burbs: 
  60-75% human population. 
  15-20% D-Bees; most of which (70%) are independent and 
  free adventurers, mercenaries, Vagabonds, Rogue Scholars and 
  Rogue Scientists, and other O.C.C.s and R.C.C.s. 30% are 
  slaves and indentured servants. The general situation with 
  D-Bees and how the CS responds to them is basically the same 
  as described under New Town 'Burbs. 
  1 0-15% Psi-Stalkers (mutant humans). 
  2-5% others; supernatural beings and creatures of magic. 
  35% are dedicated human supremacists. 
  40% have nothing to do with D-Bees whatsoever and shun 
  them completely. 
  1-4% are literate in American. 
  1 0-15% accept and practice magic! 
  40-50% fear but accept magic as a strange but useful ability; 
  they look the other way to its practice, especially if magic is 
  used to their benefit. 
  30% fear and shun magic, and will turn in those who practice 
  it or shelter magic users. 
  20-30% don't know what to think about magic. 
  8-1 5% possess some sort of psychic abilities. 
  95% are tents, huts, shacks & vehicles turned into dwellings. 
  5% are one and two story buildings; half are M.D.C. struc-
  tures. None can be considered permanent. The configuration of 
  the mud and dirt streets, buildings and houses move and change 
  regularly (every 4D6 days), with people, businesses and places 
  appearing, moving or disappearing completely, replaced by 
  somebody new. 
  Crime is rampant. Poverty, lawlessness and uncertainty reign. 
  There is no governing body or authority other than rival 
  gangs, powerful individuals and CS military patrols who wander 
  the Shanty Town 'Burb 2D4+8 times a day. It may also be pa­
  trolled or visited by the police from the fortress city, but only if 
  the 'Burb is suspected of harboring culprits responsible for 
  crimes or troubles in the city. 
  Shanty Town 'Burbs are investigated and tossed by the CS 
  authorities, military and police, every few days, and they are 
  likely to knock apart 2D4x 1 0% of it every month or two. When­
  ever the CS troops want to make an example of someone, 
  D-Bees or practitioners of magic and those known or suspected 
  of associating with either group are targeted (and usually killed 
  in the streets). 
  
  Note: Since the Shanty Town 'Burbs are inhabited by the 
  poorest and newest arrivals, 60-75% of the people are as green, 
  uneducated, unskilled and unsophisticated as they come, making 
  them easy victims to con artists and easily frightened, angered 
  and turned into a mob. However, because they are dirt-poor, 
  most crimes are small time or born from passion. Big time 
  crooks and adventurers have no interest in Shanty Towns unless 
  it is to fmd somebody hiding in them or they are looking for 
  cheap labor or to stir up trouble. 
  For more information on the 'Burbs and how the CS sees 
  them, as well as CS police and military actions in the 'Burbs, 
  see Rifts® World Book 11: Coalition War Campaign. Also, 
  the Rifts® Adventure Guide offers more info on the 'Burbs, 
  plus 50 adventure ideas, while the Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook 
  presents several varieties of City Rats and the villainous 
  Cyber-Snatcher, as well as data and info on Cyber-Docs, 
  Body-Chop-Shops, cybernetic systems and bionics all gathered 
  in one book. 
  Forbidden 
  Knowledge 
  Despite their power, the leaders of Chi-Town and the Coali­
  tion States fear many things. One is magic. Another is free 
  thought. And another is opposing views and different ways of 
  life. 
  Note: Some people mistakenly believe the CS fears D-Bees, 
  but that is not true. They wage a campaign of hate to mislead 
  their citizens into fearing nonhumans because it gives them a 
  common enemy - a demon to galvanize the people and get them 
  to trust and tum to their government for protection and guid­
  ance. That trust, in tum, gives the Prosek regime incredible 
  amounts of power in the name of national security, defense, jus­
  tice and freedom. It is a brilliant and effective ruse Emperor 
  Prosek has exploited to the maximum for years now, and in the 
  process has made himself, the government, and the Coalition 
  Army the saviors of human civilization. 
  This plot has led the CS to forbid, condemn and ban 1) magic 
  in all its forms, 2) the writings and speeches of Erin Tam (the 
  lady, herself, branded as a criminal and dangerous traitor), 3) 
  books from before the Coming of the Rifts (and literacy in gen­
  eral), 4) old films/movies and television, 5) alien technology, 
  and 6) anything that challenges or goes against Coalition teach­
  ings or its way of thinking, and that last one is a pretty broad 
  category. 
  Magic 
  Nothing has been more maligned and vilified than magic and 
  those who wield its secrets. According to Coalition propaganda 
  hammered and hammered into the heads of its citizens, magic is 
  inherently evil - a mysterious power said to be drawn from vile, 
  demonic beings who seek to torture, enslave and destroy hu­
  mankind. A sinister force that blackens the soul and twists the 
  20 
  M; "-"" 
  .: 
  :...=:;-• •  r'-
  mind. As evidence of magic's evil and destructive nature, the 
  CS points a condemning fmger to its favorite bogie-man, the 
  Federation of Magic - the poster child for dark magic, demonic 
  forces and evil, all directed at Chi-Town. Exaggerated and 
  one-sided versions of the War on Tolkeen and other incidents 
  involving practitioners of magic out to harm Chi-Town and hu­
  mans only help to convince those living isolated within the Co­
  alition States to believe the worst and shun magic in all its 
  forms. This nonstop propaganda campaign has worked so well 
  that most citizens of the Coalition States are terrified of magic 
  and report the mere suspicion of magic use in a heartbeat - at 
  least in the fortress cities and other large communities of the 
  States. 
  Things are different in the 'Burbs. Perhaps it is because the 
  'Burbs exist in that limbo state outside the parameters of CS so­
  ciety, and because its residents have much greater contact with 
  the rest of the world (including practitioners of magic), that 
  magic is seen through different eyes. Though Coalition forces 
  condemn and outlaw magic in the 'Burbs, actively seeking it out 
  for elimination, magic is not seen as the great evil by the people 
  who live there. Many in the 'Burbs have seen magic work won­
  ders and save lives, thus, about half of those in the New Towns 
  and Shanty Towns accept magic as having value, and while they 
  do not embrace its use, they don't condemn it either. Conse­
  quently, most Burbies tum a blind eye toward practitioners of 
  magic, the sale and distribution of magic items, and even the use 
  of magic as long as it is to the benefit of the 'Burbs' inhabitants. 
  That having been said, there is no love for the Federation of 
  Magic. The Federation has caused too much grief and bloodshed 
  
  to ever be trusted completely, so anybody who comes from the 
  Federation of Magic is presumed to be up to no good and 
  viewed as evil and dangerous until proven otherwise. Even then, 
  there are those who will never trust a Federation sorcerer. Like­
  wise, Necromancers, Witches, Shifters and others who consort 
  with demons, the dead and the supernatural are looked upon 
  with fear and revulsion. Still, if one keeps to himself and stays 
  out of trouble, most people will ignore practitioners of magic 
  and leave them to conduct whatever business they may have in 
  the 'Burbs; this is especially true of New Town 'Burbs and 
  Shanty Towns. 
  Even those Burbies who avoid magic often question how it 
  can be inherently evil, especially when they see what good it 
  can do and hear about spell casters who are good and heroic. As 
  a result, there is a growing portion of Burbies who will seek the 
  counsel of a mage, turn to practitioners of magic for healing and 
  other magical help, and/or use a magic item. Techno-Wizardry 
  is the most readily accepted, probably because its technological 
  machines and devices seem familiar and their use doesn't actu­
  ally require any knowledge of magic, making the seem like most 
  any other high-tech machine. Of course, those who do use 
  Techno-Wizard items do so quietly, for fear of getting caught by 
  Coalition forces. It is illegal to own, use or trade magic in any 
  form, including Techno-Wizard devices, and those caught with 
  one or more in their possession see the item seized or destroyed 
  and they are beaten, interrogated (which often means torture), 
  fmed, imprisoned or killed, sometimes right on the spot. Those 
  who flee or try to fight Coalition authorities are pursued and 
  gunned down in the street. Worse, friends, family and associates 
  are likely to be questioned, frisked for illegal contraband and 
  possibly taken into custody for further interrogation or killed 
  where they are found as conspirators in the trafficking of magic. 
  The CS has zero tolerance for magic and their tactics are as ex­
  treme as they come. Note: This gives corrupt and overzealous 
  Coalition forces considerable power, because all they have to 
  say is they had reason to believe an individual was a practitioner 
  of magic, using magical devices and/or teaching, hiding or sell­
  ing magic. Nobody questions if one or a hundred D-Bees are 
  killed under this pretext, nor if some no name adventurer meets 
  his end this way. However, if the target is a notable resident of 
  the 'Burbs, CS authorities need to be a bit more careful. They 
  have ultimate power and jurisdiction over everybody in the 
  'Burbs, but if they hope to avoid riots, street retribution, or fur­
  ther difficulties, they need to have good cause and genuine 
  proof. 
  The works of Erin Tarn 
  Erin Tam is the most famous and beloved Rogue Scholar in 
  North America and a constant source of consternation to Em­
  peror Prosek and the Coalition States. Her courage, conviction 
  and honest words combined with the Coalition's lasting perse­
  cution have made her a folk hero. Even many of the people who 
  don't believe what she has to say (choosing to believe CS propa­
  ganda for whatever reason) grudgingly respect her. In the New 
  Town 'Burbs and communities outside the CS, Erin Tam is a 
  celebrity and a living legend, with countless numbers of people 
  willing to help her or pass along her words. Though most people 
  on Rifts Earth are illiterate, Erin Tam's books are printed and 
  distributed by the thousands, with a hundred times that number 
  21 
  in audio book form for listening use in computers and disk play­
  ers. Furthermore, those who can read, do so aloud for audiences 
  as few as a single youngster to dozens, hundreds and even gath­
  erings of thousands. 
  Anything and everything attributed to Erin Tam is illegal and 
  banned in the Coalition States. Anyone caught with one of her 
  works is beaten and the article confiscated and destroyed. Mass 
  market sellers are executed as rebels and the books or disks de­
  stroyed, often on the spot. Anyone found to have harbored the 
  famous historian is considered a traitor and may be executed as 
  such, not that it stops most people from doing so. Note: The 
  works of Erin Tam are so common, particularly among visitors 
  to the 'Burbs and the inhabitants of New Towns, that the Coali­
  tion forces who patrol the streets confiscate and destroy the 
  item, threaten and beat the individual in possession of it, and 
  move on as a matter of routine. Corrupt authorities (CS police 
  and soldiers) may also "fme" the individual, taking (for them­
  selves) credits and/or belongings they fmd desirable or which 
  they can sell on the street or to the Black Market. People who 
  "refuse to cooperate" are beaten severely or killed and stripped 
  of all (or most) of their belongings. Any Burbie or visitor who 
  reports such acts of misconduct can expect similar retribution by 
  other corrupt officers assigned to the 'Burbs, or even legitimate 
  Coalition officers who either don't believe the allegations or 
  don't like their "good name" being smeared by a bunch of 
  D-Bees, troublemaking outsiders or tattletales. 
  Books & Literacy 
  Though not strictly forbidden, the CS frowns upon formal 
  education and literacy for the masses. It prefers to keep the ma­
  jority of its people ignorant and unable to read so it can spoon 
  feed them whatever it wants through spoken and visual presen­
  tations on television, radio and pictures. Except among the up­
  per echelon, everything in the Coalition States is visual and 
  audio. Even the Coalition States' internet is primarily made up 
  
  of icons, symbols, pictures and audio-visual presentations of 
  data rather than words. Likewise, street signs and warnings are 
  all icon based, displaying a visual image that represent "X" 
  rather than a word. Stores flash picture images and logo designs 
  with lights, and the blare of music, slogans, and spoken an­
  nouncements, advertisements and pitches emit from speakers 
  everywhere. The concept is that if the majority of people cannot 
  read, then they can't be as easily influenced by outside forces 
  and different (corrupting) ideas. Isolating the people inside a 
  fortified paradise where they and their families are safe, and the 
  written word is not important, helps to enforce their goal of 90% 
  illiteracy. 
  Surprisingly few people realize this is a deliberate plan on the 
  part of the Coalition government, or don't believe it. Most CS 
  citizens content with their lives don't miss the written word nor 
  do they see anything wrong with being illiterate. After all, they 
  don't need books and writing when all the news and entertain­
  ment they can get is on the television, radio and regional in­
  ternet - and all presented in a slick, entertaining way via sound 
  and visuals. 
  Ironically, Burbies waiting for citizenship to a Coalition for­
  tress city don't realize that if they can read, it is an automatic 
  disqualification for eligibility. The only exceptions are if, for 
  some reason, the candidate is considered highly desirable or 
  there are mitigating circumstances to allow citizenship to a 
  "Reader." From the Coalition's paranoid point of view, literacy 
  is like a hereditary disease. If the parents have it, they will prob­
  ably pass it along to their children, and the disease of literacy 
  may also be spread to friends and acquaintances, and the CS 
  wouldn't want that now, would they? 
  This is why Rogue Scholars and Rogue Scientists are branded 
  as criminals, dissidents, traitors and madmen - they are contam­
  inated with an open mind and their world view corrupted by dif­
  ferent cultures and ideas. They have had, through reading, 
  experienced many different ideas, events and concepts. They 
  have a different understanding of life and a larger view of the 
  world. All of that makes them question the status quo and want 
  to learn new things and uncover more knowledge, history and 
  truth. Things the Coalition States discourages. The CS wants 
  happy, complacent sheep, not explorers and philosophers. Edu­
  cation, reading and creative thought are reserved for the edu­
  cated elite who hold positions of power within the Coalition 
  government and business world (and even many top business 
  people are illiterate). Others outside that elite rank are renegade 
  free-thinkers and rebellious malcontents in the eyes of the CS. 
  Anybody who teaches people to read and write, those who se­
  cretly collect books (pretty much books of any kind and origin, 
  but especially the works of Erin Tarn and books from pre-Rifts 
  times), writers who create new books, poetry and newsletters, 
  printers (which includes underground presses and factions 
  within the Black Market who sell anything if makes it a buck, 
  including the works of Erin Tarn and other banned material 
  from pre-Cataclysmic comic books and novels to history books 
  and science journals), distributors, smugglers and booksellers 
  who traffic in books are treasonous dissidents bent on destroy­
  ing the CS. They are to be flushed out of hiding and terminated 
  whenever possible. The curious individual who reads only occa­
  sionally and even the inquisitive City Rat or street urchin who 
  can't read a word but who "holds, hides and delivers" books for 
  22 
  Rogue Scholars, collectors, smugglers or the Black Market are 
  typically threatened, beaten and their book(s) taken from them 
  (sometimes ripped up, burned or blasted to smithereens on the 
  spot). Those working for booksellers, printers, smugglers and 
  scholars may be interrogated and forced to reveal who they 
  work for and where books and/or printing facilities are hidden. 
  Then a full scale CS raid or shakedown is made on the place, the 
  books seized and taken away for evaluation or destroyed right 
  there, and those responsible shot where they stand for acts of se­
  dition to undermine and overthrow the government of the Coali­
  tion States. Book burnings and hangings of book dealers are 
  commonplace in the 'Burbs. 
  Perhaps needless to say, this extreme position has made 
  books, old films, television shows, and books or film transferred 
  to computer/video disks (text or audio), as well as other 
  pre-Rifts artifacts, are hot commodities in the 'Burbs. They are 
  offered through many underground and illegal venues and there 
  are no shortage of buyers. The CS fails to realize that it is hu­
  man nature to a) want what is forbidden, and b) want to learn 
  about one's history/past. Consequently, many folks, including 
  the illiterate majority, fmd it appealing to own something, 
  whether it's bottle caps and candy wrappers to books, films or 
  relics, from the past. Furthermore, the Coalition's attack on 
  books and literacy compels some people to want to learn how to 
  read and learn for themselves what the CS doesn't want them to 
  know. It also turns bookworms, teachers, scholars, historians 
  and scientists into heroes and rebels whether they want to be or 
  not. Heroes that many residents of the 'Burbs willingly help to 
  escape Coalition punishment. 
  It should be pointed out that anyone who turns books and 
  other contraband over to the Coalition authorities are given a 
  special badge of honor (which is prestigious for loyalists like 
  
  those living in the Old Towns), plus some sort of minor reward 
  such as a bag of candy, ice cream, bottle of booze, a loaf of 
  bread and cheese, or a few credits (4D6). If a number of items 
  (more than ten) are turned over to authorities, or if the item is 
  rare or hated, the individual might get a reward of 50-100 cred­
  its and/or a day pass to inside the fortress city, in addition to the 
  badge of honor and a treat. This encourages loyalists and the 
  poor to turn in items they might fmd on the street rather than try 
  to resell them to visitors or back to the Black Market or under­
  ground book and antiquities dealers. 
  Pre-Rifts Films & Television 
  Unrestricted pre-Rifts films, movies and televison shows are 
  also taboo. The Coalition government is careful to control, edit, 
  restrict and ban what it deems to be appropriate or inappropriate 
  for CS society. Films and televison shows about civil rights, 
  slavery, Nazi Germany, genocide, freedom of expression, etc., 
  as well as the American Revolution and fun, happy movies that 
  promote the value of freedom of speech, equality and education 
  are all censored and banned by the CS for fear they might give 
  their citizens "wrong" ideas. In other words, anything that might 
  give people a reason to consider a way of life other than that 
  promoted by the CS. For this reason, historical documents are 
  also censored or edited to promote Coalition ideals. 
  Going to the movies. Since the people of the Coalition 
  States are already conditioned to watch "film" for their news, in­
  formation and entertainment, old films and television have a 
  huge potential audience. Furthermore, thousands upon thou­
  sands of pre-Rifts films, documentaries and television programs 
  have survived on digital disks of various types, all of which 
  have been for entrepreneurs of Rifts Earth to display and copy 
  onto present day technology. The Black Market and independent 
  film duplicators and dealers can charge top dollar for most films 
  banned by the CS (50-200 credits, sometimes more; averages at 
  around 100 credits). Similarly, underground theaters, known as 
  "historyplexes," "sin-o-plexes" and "dark-houses," can pack the 
  seats when they show particularly exciting or rare films. 
  Admission at the door can vary from as little as 5-10 credits if 
  the theater is out in the sticks where people are poor and the film 
  is dull, pedestrian or of poor visual quality (usually from bad 
  duplication), to 20-80 credits a person for the good stuff: rare, 
  controversial, exciting, scary, or of outstanding quality. Average 
  cost is 20-40 on average and sometimes includes a double fea­
  ture (two films or a film and a short like a half-hour to an hour 
  of TV cartoons or comedy show); only 5-10 credits for films 
  and movies approved (and possibly edited) by the CS. 
  The Black Market and other underground film exhibitors are 
  fastidious and ruthless in keeping films that pack the house off 
  the "video-disk" market and send the "good stuff" on a regular 
  viewing circuit. Many of these underground theaters will keep 
  the same "hot" film for weeks or months; i.e., keep showing the 
  same one titles until the crowds start to thin. The typical 
  "dark-house" is fairly small, seating an audience of 100-300, but 
  can be as small as seating 20-50 or large enough for as many as 
  a thousand or two (these are usually found at kingdoms outside 
  the Coalition territory, not the 'Burbs). Sometimes a regular the­
  ater is used, showing films illegally after hours to a private audi­
  ence (may be done with or without the theater owner's 
  knowledge and approval). 
  23 
  Pre-Rifts Artifacts 
  Not all pre-Rifts artifacts are banned or considered danger­
  ous. Extremely common items like pottery, china, coffee mugs, 
  coins, jewelry, bottles, bottle caps, most toys, food and beverage 
  cans, silverware, hand tools (screwdriver, scissors, etc.), clothes 
  and other basic utensils and knicknacks are generally considered 
  harmless and okay to sell and own. Such articles, particularly 
  coins, jewelry, bottles, cans, toys, baseball caps and certain arti­
  cles of clothes, get very good prices from collectors of ancient 
  memorabilia, as well as from the wealthy and powerful, a grow­
  ing number of whom are starting to think collections of antiqui­
  ties are prestigious. Still, CS authorities are not too thrilled 
  about such collectors, fearing it will go from the legal to want­
  ing forbidden items and a desire to learn more about the "real" 
  past. 
  Ancient .artifacts that are banned include pre-Rifts weap­
  ons (namely high-tech energy weapons), advanced body armor, 
  advanced technology (including medical and industrial), and 
  anything that is military or NEMA (the pre-Rifts national de­
  fense force in North America), in addition to books and films. 
  Additionally, many works of art are illegal (or at least coveted 
  for the Coalition's own museums, secret archives and private 
  collectors). Ancient weapons like swords, knives and projectile 
  weapons/guns, as well as most tools and other basic items have 
  been knocked off and marketed for generations, besides it is dif­
  ficult to prove something is the genuine, historical article. It is 
  high-tech, written and cultural material that the Coalition States 
  covets for themselves and wants kept out of the mainstream. 
  Remember, much of Chi-Town's and the Coalition States' 
  own advanced technology, weapons and vehicles (including 
  SAMAS, Skelebots, Sky-Cycles, tanks, and others) are copies 
  of, or based on, pre-Rifts technology they unearthed decades 
  earlier and reverse engineered to make their own. These are ad­
  vancements and secrets the CS wants to keep for themselves. 
  Furthermore, the CS has claimed to have invented many of these 
  items as part of their pUblicity and propaganda campaign. Since 
  most are rare military items, nobody can effectively prove other­
  wise, and any books, films, or documentation literally dug up by 
  Rogue Scholars, unauthorized historians and outsiders can be 
  denied and disputed as convincing "fakes" created to discredit 
  the Coalition States. 
  
  Alien Technology 
  Alien technology falls into the same basic category as old, 
  pre-Rifts technology in that the CS either wants it for them­
  selves or want it out of the hands of rivals. On the other hand, 
  the xenophobic, human-centric CS government genuinely dis­
  trusts alien technology and tends to ignore, lock away or destroy 
  anything that is too alien/strange, beyond their comprehension 
  or even hints of magic. Basic alien gizmos and weapons whose 
  purpose can be recognized are usually ignored by CS authorities 
  in the 'Burbs, unless they want the item for themselves, at which 
  point the item in question will be confiscated as alien contra-
  band (" . . .  and you should be glad we're taking it and letting 
  you off with only a warning"). Alien technology that is easily 
  overlooked (nano-items, force fields, and advanced communica­
  tion systems among them) aren't even noticed 90% of the time. 
  Obvious "weird" looking items are confiscated, but even then 
  the owner is just given a stem warning, and beaten or killed only 
  if he tries to make a run for it or fights back. Likewise, anything 
  that appears to be magical (even if it isn't) may be seized as 
  contraband, though in these cases the CS authorities are likely to 
  want to question the owner and use lethal force at the slightest 
  hesitation or protest. 
  Streets of Opportunity 
  The Chi-Town 'Burbs 
  The war in Tolkeen has come to a cataclysmic end. The king­
  dom of magic lays in ruin, its people scattered to the wind, its 
  leaders, educators and heroes hunted by the Coalition Anny like 
  animals to be put down. Survivors and the disenfranchised are 
  making their way to other, safer lands, and are already starting 
  to show up at the Chi-Town 'Burbs. Some of these people 
  search for loved ones gone missing in action, others for work 
  and a means (any means) to support themselves and their fami­
  lies. Others come to the 'Burbs to lose themselves among the 
  masses. Still others arrive clutching valuables to sell. Some are 
  personal items salvaged from destruction and offered by the true 
  owners; many, however, are valuables found or looted during 
  the war, and half the sellers don't even know they may hold in 
  24 
  their hands ancient, magical and forbidden knowledge and arti­
  facts. 
  With the war over, mercenaries and adventurers from both 
  sides of the conflict are also limping their way out of the battle­
  field and back to civilization. Some return home. Some come to 
  lick their wounds or to fmd a little rest and relaxation before 
  their next assignment. Others come to cash in on booty "ac­
  quired" (one way or another) while in Tolkeen or on the way 
  home. 
  Following behind these people are the vultures of war: scav­
  engers, looters, smugglers, thieves, and murderers who know 
  darn well what they have in hand and seek to sell their ill-gotten 
  
  gains to the highest bidder. In this case, the booty is often books, 
  magic and other contraband tom from the hands of the dead, 
  dug out from under collapsed buildings, or stolen from 
  Tolkeenites at gunpoint. These professionals go right to the 
  Black Market, underground shops, collectors and adventurers 
  who they think will give them a good price. Unscrupulous scum 
  to begin with, they have no qualms about selling items to mem­
  bers of the Federation of Magic, enemies of the Coalition States, 
  dragons, demons or any evil buyers. Likewise, they ignore 
  pleas from refugees and heroes who may claim the items have 
  been stolen from them or who represent a righteous cause, un­
  less they have the credits to buy the items back. 
  Right behind the vultures are the predators still on the prowl, 
  bounty hunters, assassins, CS agents and adventurers turned 
  man-hunters searching for "war criminals" and "treasure" 
  wanted by the CS and for which a bounty or reward is offered. 
  They follow the trail of their quarry wherever it leads, and for 
  many, that trail leads to the Chi-Town 'Burbs. 
  Among all of these motley batches of people are also fugi­
  tives, the homeless, ex-Tolkeen freedom fighters, spies (from 
  many fronts, including the CS and Federation of Magic), practi­
  tioners of magic, dragons and other beings magically trans­
  formed to look human, as well as Tolkeenites turned terrorists in 
  search of revenge. The 'Burbs are ideal for these so-called Ret­
  ribution Squads on many levels. 1. They can lose themselves 
  in the anonymous masses of the 'Burbs where they can lay low 
  while they plot their next act of murderous revenge. 2. They can 
  acquire stolen relics, artifacts and magic (especially magic 
  items) from the vultures who stole them and use them in their 
  cause. 3. The 'Burbs give them easy access to Coalition forces 
  (CS soldiers and police) who they can target for death. 4. They 
  can also wait and watch, like man-hunters, to fmd and kill the 
  CS hired bounty hunters, spies and soldiers who fought against 
  them in the war. This range of targets also includes known inde­
  pendent adventurers, heroes, and individuals who opposed the 
  war or refused to join the battle to save Tolkeen. Remember, 
  many of these self-proclaimed "patriots" are as fanatical and 
  evil as their reviled enemy, and they see many noble and honor­
  able individuals as traitors, turncoats, and enemies because they 
  didn't share their view or choose to fight for their cause. The 
  worst are absolute cold-blooded killers and madmen bent on ex­
  acting revenge on all their enemies, including Erin Tam, 
  Cyber-Knights and Lazlo. Note: More on Retribution Squads in 
  the Final Siege and Aftermath of War World Books and the 
  next Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: The Tolkeen Crisis. 
  The bottom line is, the Chi-Town 'Burbs is one of the most 
  sought after destination points, because it offers the greatest op­
  portunity for people from all walks of life, D-Bees included and 
  humans in particular. Here survivors, looters, wizards and war­
  riors can all fmd a place to stay and some kind of work. Those 
  with booty to sell can fmd a buyer to purchase whatever they 
  may have, provided it has genuine value. Fugitives find the 
  'Burbs an attractive place to lay low, for a little while anyway. 
  First, they can hide in plain sight among the mass of humanity 
  that fills the streets. Second, there are a vast number of "out­
  lets" for buying and selling goods - both over the counter and il­
  legal. Third, the 'Burbs provide a vast range of contacts, 
  opportunities and resources a fugitive may need to survive and 
  move on. In short, the Chi-Town 'Burbs have a little bit of ev-
  25 
  erything anybody might need. D-Bees and practitioners of 
  magic have to be more subtle and careful, but they too can fmd 
  what they need in the 'Burbs, whether it be a roof over their 
  head, fake identification documents, bionic upgrades, a smug­
  gler to buy their contraband loot or an avenue of escape. 
  And when opportunity knocks, the people of the 'Burbs em­
  brace it with open arms, and that's exactly what the fall of 
  Tolkeen means to the 'Burbs: opportunity (at least in the short 
  term). Likewise, other scavengers and scoundrels are arriving to 
  take advantage of the situation, namely agents from the Federa­
  tion of Magic, Atlantis and other kingdoms that oppose the CS, 
  hoping to purchase magical artifacts, weapons and secrets. 
  Many minor, major and super-rare magic artifacts were gathered 
  by the Tolkeen forces, and now that the kingdom has fallen, 
  many of those items will hit the streets, with the Chi-Town 
  'Burbs being a primary marketplace. 
  Even in the shadow of Chi-Town, the 'Burbs have always of­
  fered a large range of legal and illegal goods, services and activ­
  ity, at least for those who know where to fmd them. For those 
  who don't, there are City Rats, Cyber-Snatchers, Black Marke­
  teers, thieves and others skilled at recognizing people in need to 
  direct them where to go, for a price. Others are good at recog­
  nizing fresh meat to victimize, chew up and spit out, or lead 
  astray. Adventurers and mercenaries can usually fmd work as 
  "guns-for-hire," bodyguards and bounty hunters if they want it. 
  As for selling goods, half the time those who prowl the streets 
  and deal in contraband can fmd the seller if it's worth their trou­
  ble (i.e. is profitable enough), plus there are dozens of pawn­
  shops, fences, private entrepreneurs (crooks, thieves and 
  smugglers only too glad to help line their own pockets) and 
  Black Market outlets to buy, sell or trade a large range of illegal 
  goods and services. One can buy or sell almost anything com­
  mon to North America to somebody in the Chi-Town 'Burbs, 
  from "used" bionic parts, vehicles and weapons to magic items, 
  illegal drugs and banned books. 
  Of course the CS does not allow anything too alien, danger­
  ous or outrageous on its doorstep, so contraband items and ser­
  vices must be handled discreetly and underground. Furthermore, 
  if the Coalition authorities catch wind of a particularly powerful 
  or deadly magic relic or alien weapon, they'll search for it them­
  selves and may launch a shakedown and/or a purge if they 
  strongly suspect it is located in a specific area. That means deal­
  ers, traders, buyers and teachers of magic, literacy, history and 
  the alien must conduct their business in the shadows without 
  fanfare and constantly be on the lookout for Coalition forces in­
  tent on shutting them down, probably killing everybody in­
  volved in the transaction. Still, secret schools, book dealers, 
  purveyors of magic, and other things banned by the CS are 
  found scattered throughout the 'Burbs, particularly in the New 
  Town and Shanty Town 'Burbs. 
  A flood of the forbidden. What worries the CS is that with 
  Tolkeen's collapse, vast treasure troves of magic, books and for­
  bidden knowledge have vanished, looted by rebels, freedom 
  fighters, thieves, and refugees, or carried away by those intent 
  on preserving the knowledge and those who need to sell it for 
  their own survival. Coalition authorities know that a good 
  amount of that material will fmd its way to the Chi-Town 
  'Burbs (estimates suggest as much as 40-50%) where it may fall 
  into the wrong hands, i.e., not the Coalition's and into those of 
  
  its enemies. This has instigated an increased campaign of pa­
  trols, law enforcement and surveillance in the 'Burbs, particu­
  larly the New Towns where it is mostly likely to change hands 
  and Shanty Towns where it frrst comes in. Coalition forces are 
  also looking closely for practitioners of magic who may be refu­
  gees, war criminals and buyers from the Federation of Magic or 
  Atlantis. 
  Firetown 
  A New Town 'Burb 
  1. Hayley, Mind Melter for Hire 
  Hayley Chonlan is a 19-year old Mind Melter on a mission: 
  to fmd her sister. The Chonlan family arrived at the Chi-Town 
  'Burbs when Hayley was 1 1 .  Unfortunately, Hayley's parents 
  were ill-equipped for the harsh and dangerous 'Burb life. Within 
  a matter of a few months, both of them were dead, leaving 
  Hayley and her sister, Jenni (who was older by 4 years), alone in 
  the world. 
  For the next several years, Jenni acted as the surrogate parent 
  for her younger sibling. When Hayley's psychic powers first 
  manifested a few years later, it was Jenni who helped her kid 
  sister keep her sanity tlrrough the traumatic time of becoming 
  psychic and getting the subsequent Identification Coding (lC) 
  26 
  process. The two sisters became very close, sometimes adopting 
  a "You and me against the world" attitude. 
  Things fmally started looking good for the sisters a couple of 
  years ago. Jenni had fallen in love with Gar Semple, a young CS 
  Grunt. The pair were engaged to be married and Jenni would be 
  moved up the CS Citizenship list (with Hayley likely to follow). 
  Then disaster struck. 
  Gar was lost on a patrol mission and presumed dead. A few 
  months afterward, Jenni vanished without a trace. Hayley has 
  been searching for Jenni ever since, but without a single clue or 
  lead . . .  it has been a painful and sad process. Those who know 
  Hayley believe it is an exercise in futility, but the young woman 
  insists she would know (psychically) if her sister was dead, and 
  she's not. Unfortunately, those same psychic powers have been 
  unable to locate Jenni, so the search continues. Hayley has 
  scoured the 'Burb of Firetown and several of the neighboring 
  'Burbs and favorite haunts of her sister, but has come up empty. 
  As of late, she has started to hire herself out to adventurers and 
  mercenaries as a local guide and a psychic for hire, using her 
  psychic talents to do odd jobs and assist in missions away from 
  
  the 'Burbs. She hopes by associating with outsiders, particularly 
  adventurers, she might get a lead on her sister's whereabouts. 
  While "out on a job," Hayley asks her employers if they may 
  have seen or heard anything about her sister, Jenni, or an MIA 
  Coalition soldier known as Corporal Gar Semple. She also dis­
  creetly asks (and reads the minds of) those she meets along the 
  way. 
  Hayley is working on a number of assumptions. 1. She 
  knew Jenni was pining away for her fiance missing in action; 
  she could feel her pain. 2. Though Jenni never actually spoke of 
  it, Hayley's psionic powers picked up a number of stray 
  thoughts about her sister going out into the wilderness to see if 
  she could fmd Gar. 3. Though she had no psionic abilities, Jenni 
  insisted she knew Gar was alive and needed her. 4. Hayley 
  found out that Jenni had picked up some wilderness supplies 
  and gear she had ordered the night she vanished. Conclusion: 
  Hayley is currently working on the belief that her grief-stricken 
  sister ran off that night to search for Gar somewhere out in the 
  wilderness. Knowing Jenni, she wouldn't have endangered her 
  kid sister on such a harebrained venture, though it seems equally 
  unlikely that Jenni would have just run off without leaving at 
  least a note. Hayley realizes she could be wrong and that her sis­
  ter might have been abducted and sold into slavery, which is 
  why she also keeps an eye out for slavers, and tries to keep an 
  open mind for any possible leads in directions she has not con­
  sidered. 
  Hiring herself out to anyone who needs her psychic abilities 
  helps to finance her private search for her sister and takes her in 
  directions and places she might not have otherwise considered 
  (hoping that the hand of fate might put her on the right path). 
  Hayley has proven to be a reliable, cagey and resourceful 
  hired hand, using her psychic abilities to avoid danger, find peo­
  ple and get the group out of trouble. She has even found that she 
  enjoys adventuring, as much as she can while consumed by her 
  private mission. Any information that might help her fmd her 
  sister given in good faith is not forgotten and Hayley will feel 
  she owes that individual a favor in the future. On the other hand, 
  those who pretend to know something to either mess with her or 
  to lead her on for their own purpose, as well as those who delib­
  erately attempt to avoid paying her the credits they owe her, 
  bring out the worst in the Mind Melter, and her powers usually 
  tell her when someone is trying to deceive or cheat her. 
  Hayley was originally adamant that Jenni is still alive some­
  where, but with each false trail and dead end, she grows more 
  discouraged and desperate. If her search efforts continue without 
  success, she could be a powder keg just waiting to ignite. 
  Adventure Hooks: Player characters encountering Hayley 
  may fmd her out in the wilderness with another group who has 
  hired her, or following up a lead on her own, or hanging around 
  firetown looking for work. She talks to any adventurers she 
  runs into and tells them about her quest to fmd her sister. Any­
  one who can provide her with information or possible leads 
  about Jenni will make a loyal friend and ally. Anyone who of­
  fers to assist her in her search can be taken on any number of 
  adventures to almost anywhere. Hayley usually has 1-4 possible 
  leads. (A slaver group that was visiting firetown when Jenni 
  went missing and they are back in the region at [fill in the 
  blank]. Or a mercenary team she worked for once saw a woman 
  matching Jenni's description, and though they spoke to her and 
  27 
  she claimed to be someone else, Hayley feels compelled to 
  check it out. Or Hayley had a dream about [someplace, some 
  person, some monster] and wonders, could it have been a pre­
  monition? She needs to go and fmd out. Or Hayley has recently 
  found out where Gar went missing. Presumably Jenni went that 
  way. Maybe the same person has them both? Of course the 
  G.M. can work up any of his or her own. Hayley could be a use­
  ful vehicle to get the player group to go on a particular adven­
  ture or place.) 
  Here are some possible adventure ideas involving 
  Hayley's quest. Exactly how or why the adventure group gets 
  hooked up with her is left to the G.M. Remember, Hayley tries 
  to follow every lead she comes across, so she can take the player 
  characters almost anywhere. 
  1. Trapped in the 'Burbs. An outfit of evil miscreants (hu­
  mans or D-Bees) operating out of one of the other 'Burbs has 
  been snatching women and forcing them into slave labor. These 
  villains could be a group that has gotten cocky with power, such 
  as a street gang, Cyber-Snatchers, Slavers, criminal outfit, a 
  group led by a Shifter, sex-slave ring, etc. The only way to find 
  out if they have Jenni is to infiltrate the group, pose as fellow 
  underworld crooks or as potential buyers (of whatever it is they 
  have to offer) or to raid the place and see what shakes loose. 
  The last option has its problems, one, the criminals and workers 
  will scatter and if Jenni is there, the group might miss her, and 
  two, if enough noise and trouble is made, a Coalition patrol is 
  likely to appear on the scene. 
  2. The CS connection. During an adventure in the 'Burbs or 
  the wilderness, the group encounters a Coalition Officer turned 
  rogue. He hears Hayley or some member of the group asking 
  about Gar and/or Jenni, and decides to pipe up. "I know them. 
  Dead? Lost?" he chuckles, "quite the contrary." According to 
  this guy, Gar had minor psionics and volunteered for an experi­
  mental mind boost and the opportunity to work in Psi-Battalion. 
  Turned out his girlfriend did too, only she was a Burbie and had 
  to "disappear" without a trace to be recruited by Psi-Battalion. 
  This rogue Coalition Officer insists the story is true and that 
  Jenni and Gar are super-elite Psi-Battalion agents - assuming 
  the psionic boosting process didn't kill them. Psychic probes in­
  dicate that he certainly believes what he is saying is true. But is 
  it? Jenni never exhibited psionic abilities. Then again, Hayley 
  never could read her thoughts when Jenni didn't want her to. 
  Could that have been Mind Block or Mind Block Auto-Defense 
  in action? Could this be true? How do they fmd out? 
  3. Follow a trail to Gar. Hayley has plucked Gar's last CS 
  assignment out of the head of an old CS comrade or his com­
  manding officer during a chance (friendly) meeting in the 
  'Burbs. This is the best lead she has had in months. If Jenni 
  went after Gar, this is likely the path she followed. Actually, 
  Game Masters could weave together a string of adventures, one 
  after the other, as Hayley and the player group follow every pos­
  sible lead along the trail. The player group may be with her be­
  cause of the promise of treasure/reward or revenge along the 
  way or because they like her or because she has hired them. 
  A string of adventures could include any or all of the follow­
  ing, and then some. 
  a) The group comes across a village that has recently been 
  raided by Xiticix or Simvan Monster Riders. Several villagers 
  have been carried off by the raiders, including a young, human 
  
  woman fitting Jenni's description. The woman was found wan­
  dering the woods with no memory not long after Jenni disap­
  peared (or it could be a male fitting Gar's description. It might 
  be fun and nice to find the missing soldier fIrst, leading up to re­
  uniting everybody). The group has to fmd and then rescue the 
  person (and all of the villagers?) in question. This could be yet 
  another false lead or the real thing. If they find Gar, the need to 
  fmd Jenni seems all the more imperative. 
  b) Local people know about a CS soldier who has gone rogue 
  and has established himself in a little village kingdom of his 
  own. They cheerfully point the group in the right direction. 
  When the group arrives, they fmd the fellow chumming around 
  with a squad of Coalition soldiers. He is not Gar but it seems he 
  has a deal going on with corrupt soldiers and mercenaries, but 
  mostly Coalition soldiers, who come to him to fence Tolkeen 
  artifacts, magic items and other contraband, including CS weap­
  ons. He takes a 33% cut for his troubles (actually he skims an 
  extra 10% off of non-Coalition personnel) as the middleman and 
  everybody is happy. This soldier, calling himself Jason King, 
  has Black Market connections with both the Chi-Town 'Burbs in 
  the east and Bandito Arms in the west. He is also developing 
  some connections in the Pecos Empire who are willing to pay 
  top dollar for Coalition and other high-powered weapons, armor 
  and vehicles. He is really Lieutenant Andrew Kingsley, missing 
  in action since the slaughter of the Sorcerers' Revenge near 
  Tolkeen. His body was recently recovered and he has been offi­
  cially counted among the dead, so he is no longer MIA - he's 
  officially dead and able to develop his new life as Jason King. 
  The fake body was set up by his corrupt buddies who claim to 
  have rescued Lieutenant Kingsley from a band of Tolkeen Ter­
  rorists. As the story goes, the lieutenant got "misted" - vapor­
  ized in the ensuing pursuit by the villains. All the soldiers could 
  recover was his pinky finger which has been DNA confirmed to 
  be Lt. Andrew Kingsley. Case closed. 
  Jason King and his CS associates are leery of outsiders and 
  his old Army chums will suddenly pretend to be on a routine pa­
  trol checking the village for any trouble. They will shoot the 
  player group a glance, and ask them if they mean any trouble. If 
  Hayley tells them about her quest (and why not), one of the 
  grunts may actually know about Gar, and relate when and how 
  he went missing but other than some details, has no new leads to 
  offer. There are no problems if the group moves on or accepts 
  Jason's cover story. In fact, he could become a means through 
  which they can trade or sell weapons and loot. However, if they 
  threaten his budding little enterprise the group will find them­
  selves wanted by the Coalition as spies, Tolkeen resistance 
  fighters or worse. King and his army buddies have enough con­
  nections and pull to make life miserable for any they choose, 
  and not just with the CS, he could get Pecos Bandits on their 
  tails too. The villagers are happy with their new leader and feel 
  safer now that Coalition soldiers regularly visit. 
  c) Slaver. He and his band of minions find Hayley's plight 
  amusing and refuse to tell her anything they know without a 
  thousand Universal Credits or some kind of fair trade. This dirt 
  bag doesn't know anything of use to Hayley or the group. How­
  ever, while they are present, the adventurers see plenty of inno­
  cent people, mostly Psi-Stalker and human women and children, 
  caged like animals. Some plead for help, others just stare or hide 
  their faces. Is the group in a position to help? Do they? 
  28 
  d) An encounter with bandits. They know nothing and could 
  care less, but they don't intend to walk away empty handed. Un­
  less the group is willing to give up half their gear and vehicles, a 
  fight will ensue. Fortunately, the bandits are not as tough as they 
  seem to think they are and the player group can fight them off 
  with relative ease, though they earn the bandits' lasting enmity. 
  e) An old Tolkeen Monster Squad (doesn't have to be near 
  Tolkeen, they may be on the run). The G.M. can determine the 
  exact mix though a Brodkil or two and a Witchling or Black 
  Faerie are probably among them (can be smaller than a typical 
  squad). These villains are bold and nasty. One of them is fmish­
  ing eating a large animal and the pile of bones nearby look 
  frighteningly human (a character with medical or biology skills 
  will know they are). If asked about Jenni or Gar the creatures 
  start to giggle and taunt the group about humans, the Tolkeen 
  war and why should they help them. Finally, one grins and an­
  nounces, "I remember that woman. Yes, sometime back. I re­
  member her well, she was my plaything for a month and tasted 
  wonderful when I chose to eat her." His buddies laugh and 
  agree. If Hayley keeps her wits she can determine psionically 
  that the monster is lying and knows nothing. However, these 
  creatures' behavior is far from endearing and they may make a 
  few threatening gestures and comments that could set Hayley or 
  one of the other adventurers off. Killing these fiends can only 
  make the world a better place, and the G.M. may exacerbate the 
  situation by having a humanoid prisoner or two in the monsters' 
  clutches; of course the prisoners are a future meal waiting to 
  happen. 
  f) The adventurer group encounters a band of nomads or fel­
  low adventurers who mistake them for Coalition spies or bounty 
  hunters working for the CS. Hayley can tell they know about a 
  woman who fits Jenni's general description (they don't know 
  her name) and that they recently escorted her someplace safe, 
  but that's all she can get from telepathic skims of their surface 
  thoughts and they refuse to admit even that. These people are 
  convinced the group are CS agents, how can they be convinced 
  otherwise? If their minds can be changed, or if they can be 
  tricked or forced into revealing the location, that will be the next 
  lead to follow. Only it takes the group to a band of Tolkeen sur­
  vivors on the run. Most are practitioners of magic, and a cell of 
  evil sorcerers of which this woman is a member, and no, she is­
  n't Hayley's sister. Problem is, now that the player group has 
  managed to fmd them, the sorcerers can't allow them to live. To 
  escape the group must fight. 
  g) Coalition forces. Gar went MIA in this region because the 
  CS is locked in a conflict with . . .  whatever the G.M. wants: 
  Bandits, Simvan, Xiticix, Tolkeen rebels, the Federation of 
  Magic, a new (secret?) threat, or something else. That means 
  there is some danger/evil plus CS troops everywhere. Which 
  side does the player group fall on, or do they get caught in the 
  middle? Does anybody, CS soldier or otherwise, know anything 
  about Gar? Do they think he's dead? Have they seen Jenni? 
  h) The horror. According to a villager, woodsman, traveling 
  mage or someone, he distinctly remembers an attractive young 
  woman named Jenni looking for someone, a husband or fiance. 
  Sweet girl, he recalls. He couldn't help her find her man, but 
  later learned that she was taken captive by some evil being go­
  ing around turning humans into giant (10 footl3 m tall) mon­
  sters. Doesn't know much about the actual villain, only that it 
  
  has a hate for humans and delights in turning them into mon­
  sters. According to rumor, this being is building an army to send 
  against Coalition forces in the area. Doesn't know much else 
  other than the story is true. He saw the poor Jenni-Creature after 
  the transformation. She had managed to escape and came to him 
  for help, only there was no magic he knew that could transform 
  her back to normal. He knows of someone who probably can 
  (and will share that info with the group), but before he could 
  take her there, four of the monsters showed up and took her 
  away. He tried to stop them but got knocked unconscious. It was 
  a miracle they didn't fmd him and kill or transform him. The 
  character is glad to point them in the right direction where the 
  monsters are gathering. 
  To rescue the Jenni-Creature, the group will have to face the 
  monsters and their creator: Shaartar, a Devilman Shifter driven 
  mad by some terrible experience with the CS (may be a Tolkeen 
  based event or entirely unrelated). He has uncovered a magical 
  alien device that, when used at a ley line, can transform a nor­
  mal human into a powerful monster. (Note: All monsters have 
  supernatural P.S., energy blasts do half damage, 5D6xlO 
  M.D.C., recover lost M.D.C. at a rate of ID6xlO per hour and 
  double on a ley line, have a speed of 2D6xlO, P.B. 104, but a 
  low animal-like I.Q. and can only growl a word or two. Most 
  forget any skills they once knew and only have a vague recollec­
  tion of their past lives. The Jenni-Creature is an exception so she 
  suffers emotionally more than most.) The alien device can be 
  used to reverse the process and so can a hermit who was once a 
  powerful practitioner of magic. The reclusive mage is only one 
  day's journey away. The Shifter has only begun his diabolical 
  plot for revenge - his madness prevents him from being well or­
  ganized or acting decisively. He cannot be reasoned with or paid 
  off, however, nor is he willing to give up any of "his" creations. 
  To get the Jenni-Creature and/or the alien magic device, they 
  will have steal it and her, or face Shaartar and his monstrous 
  minions. Other than Jenni, his other creations are loyal and obe­
  dient (she is not because Jenni, it turns out, is a minor psychic 
  with the powers of Mind Block and Total Recall, and the latter 
  will allow her operate the alien device because she's seen it 
  used.) As a Shifter, Shaartar may have other demonic or mon­
  strous minions (adjust their numbers and types to fit the player 
  group's power level). G.M. Note: This could be Jenni if you'd 
  like (especially if Gar was found earlier), or it could be a differ­
  ent Jenny - Jennifer Gowel, an attractive young woman search­
  ing for her husband. Whatever the case, there are a couple ways 
  to return any and all of the monsters back into humans. Once 
  Shaartar is slain or the device taken from him, his control over 
  them is broken. If the group has the device; the monsters will 
  follow and obey them. If not, the beasts will have to be bound 
  and forced to come along. Thankfully, their experiences as mon­
  sters are mostly forgotten when returned to normal, and seems 
  like a bad dream even to Jennifer. 
  4. One possible bappy ending (if everything goes well). 
  Jenni Chonlan is alive and well in New Lazlo. Gar Semple was 
  wounded and lost consciousness during the Sorcerers' Revenge 
  near Tolkeen (or one of the campaigns in that war). He awoke to 
  fmd that he had been found and given medical treatment by a 
  group of refugees; D-Bees no less. Turns out his benefactors 
  were actually innocent victims of Coalition atrocities, but de­
  spite their suffering, could not let a fellow living being perish 
  when they had the power to save him. It was then that Gar real-
  29 
  ized the CS High Command had gone too far and lied about 
  D-Bees being evil monsters. Gar deserted the CS and joined the 
  refugees on their trek to New Lazlo. 
  Gar wanted to retrieve both of the Chonlan sisters and bring 
  them to New Lazlo where they could live a better life, but was 
  still too badly wounded to do this. Instead, the Council of New 
  Lazlo sent a team of adventurers who volunteered to infiltrate 
  the Chi-Town 'Burbs and return with the girls. Unfortunately, 
  the adventurers couldn't fmd Hayley who was off secretly prac­
  ticing her developing psionic powers. Scant seconds after fmd­
  ing Jenni, they were attacked by a CS patrol and had to make a 
  run for it, spiriting away Jenni in the process. The CS patrol had 
  mistaken them for saboteurs from the Federation of Magic, and 
  gave chase halfway to Michigan before they gave up. Leaving 
  like that was the hardest and most heartbreaking decision that 
  Jenni Chonlan ever had to make. She did provide for a message 
  to be sent to her sister; unfortunately, the messenger was killed 
  in a street brawl before he could find Hayley. 
  Since that time, Gar and Jenni (who are now citizens of New 
  Lazlo) have prevailed upon the New Lazlo Council to send an­
  other team of adventurers to fmd and bring Hayley to New 
  Lazlo or at least send another message, but other, more pressing 
  matters consume their attention. Gar has considered going back 
  himself, but it is too dangerous for him, and he won't let Jenni 
  go, especially in her condition - she'll give birth to their first 
  child in two months. 
  The Player Characters could be a group of adventurers on 
  their way (or may already be in the 'Burbs) to fmd and retrieve 
  Hayley and bring her "home" to Jenni and Gar in New Lazlo 
  (Ann Arbor, Michigan). They are under orders to keep a low 
  profile and not attract unwanted attention. Thus, they should 
  take their time in their search for Hayley Chonlan. 
  A few adventure twists and turns: 1. Turns out Hayley is the 
  one in trouble. The survivors from the latest group to have hired 
  the young Mind Melter report she was taken captive by . . . 
  Could be almost anything or anyone: A cell of Tolkeen 
  Retributionists or monsters who attacked the group because they 
  stumbled onto one of their plans. A lot of innocent people would 
  get hurt so Hayley and company tried to stop them. They failed 
  and now they have her. Or the villains could be from the Federa­
  tion of Magic, Splugorth Slavers, bandits, Xiticix, an evil 
  dragon, Coalition troops, or whatever. The player characters 
  now have to rescue her before they can bring her back. 
  2. Hayley is out following her latest (false) lead in her search 
  for her sister. She's been gone for some time now. Could she be 
  in trouble? How long does the group wait? Do they get into 
  trouble while waiting? 
  3. Gar can't stand it anymore. Nothing would make his wife 
  happier than to have her kid sister at her side when the baby is 
  born, so he has run off to fmd Hayley. On the way there (or 
  back) he runs into the player group and begs for their assistance. 
  He can pay them, but not much. Adventure follows, and at some 
  point, Coalition soldiers get involved. If Gar is recognized, he 
  will be arrested and taken into custody for interrogation and exe­
  cution as a deserter and traitor. Now what? Hayley will want to 
  mount a rescue! She can pay more, though nowhere near enough 
  to risk one's life. Do the player characters help out of the good­
  ness of their hearts (or revenge on the CS)? If so they need to 
  act now, before Gar is taken inside the fortress city. Of course 
  
  even a successful rescue of Gar will brand the player group, Gar 
  and Hayley as members of a Tolkeen Retribution Squad. And 
  the group had better make sure they aren't followed back to 
  New Lazlo, because if they are, that peaceful community will be 
  mistakenly added to the Coalition's list of hostile magic com­
  munities to be eradicated! 
  Note: On the other hand, Hayley could go on adventure after 
  adventure without ever fmding her sister, providing all kinds of 
  adventure possibilities for her friendslbosses/teammates (Le., the 
  player characters, hint, hint). As a low level character, she could 
  even be adopted and used as a player character if somebody 
  would like. 
  Hayley Chonlan Quick Stats 
  Real Name: Hayley Chonlan. 
  Aliases: None. 
  Alignment: Unprincipled. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 15, M.A. 1 1, P.S. 10, P.P. 13, P.E. 20, 
  P.B. 15, Spd. 12 
  Hit Points: 32 and S.D.C.: 14. 
  Weight: 1 17 pounds (53 kg).Height: 5 feet, 8 inches (1 .75 m). 
  Age: 19. 
  P.P.E.: 10. I.S.P.: 162. 
  Disposition: First and foremost, Hayley is a survivor. She is 
  still a decent person but is becoming more hardened and 
  driven as worry about her sister is taking its toll on her. She 
  is clever, resourceful and fiercely independent. 
  Experience Level: 4th level Mind Melter (closing in on 5th 
  level). 
  Magic Knowledge: None. 
  Psionic Powers: 
  Super-Psionics: 
  Bio-Manipulation 
  (10), 
  Bio-Regeneration (super; 20), Electrokinesis (varies), Group 
  Mind Block (22), Mentally Possess Others (30), Mind Bolt 
  (varies), and Telekinetic Force Field (30). 
  Other Psionics: Alter Aura (2), Death Trance (1), Detect 
  Psionics (6), Empathy (4), Impervious to Fire (4), Mind 
  Block (4), Induce Sleep (4), Levitation (varies), Object Read 
  (6), Presence Sense (4), Psychic Diagnosis (4), Psychic Puri­
  fication (8), Resist Fatigue (4), Resist Thirst (6), See Aura 
  (6), See the Invisible (4), Sixth Sense (2), Summon Inner 
  Strength (4), and Telepathy (4). Considered a Master 
  PsioniclMind Melter with 162 I.S.P.; requires a 10 or higher 
  to save vs psionic attack. Attacks per Melee: Five physical 
  or psionic attacks. 
  30 
  Bonuses: +2 to parry, +2 to dodge, +2 to roll with impact, +2 to 
  pull punch, kick attack does ID6 S.D.C., +3 to save vs poi­
  son and magic, + 1 0% to save vs coma/death. 
  Skills of Note: Speaks American, Spanish, and Techno-Can, all 
  at 90%, Basic Mechanics 55%, Computer Hacking 30%, 
  Concealment 42%, Detect Ambush 55%, Detect Conceal­
  ment 50%, Lore: Psychic 50%, Pick Locks 45%, Pilot Auto­
  mobile 67%, Pilot Motorcycle 73%, Prowl 50%, Streetwise 
  42% and Hand to Hand: Basic. 
  Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Revolver and W.P. Energy Pistol, 
  both at 4th level proficiency. 
  Weapons & Armor: Hayley has a .38 revolver and a Wilk's 
  320 laser pistol for whenever her psionic powers are de­
  pleted. Wears a modified suit of Plastic Man body armor (35 
  M.D.C.) made to look less bulky and more shapely. She can­
  not afford better armor since she puts as much money as pos­
  sible toward her quest to fmd her sister. 
  Money: Most everything she earns goes into basic living ex­
  penses and her quest to fmd her sister. 
  Description: Hayley is an attractive young, human woman with 
  long brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. 
  2. Karl's Revenge 
  An out of the way bar that serves hard liquor and attracts hu­
  man supremacists and the staunchest supporters of Emperor 
  Prosek and the Coalition States. That having been said, the pa­
  trons love to muck it up with "D-Bee lovers," "sorcerous scum," 
  "anti-Coalition losers," and "bleeding heart Tarnits." Tarnit is 
  the slang label for people who espouse the views of Erin Tarn. 
  In fact, the regulars at Karl's Revenge so dislike the rabble-rous­
  ing historian, Erin Tarn, that there are two dart boards with Erin 
  Tarn's face taped to them (riddled with holes), and what is sup­
  posed to be a life-sized likeness of the woman painted on a 
  punching bag in the Philosopher 's Corner where customers can 
  punctuate their anti-Tarn statements with blows to the bag. The 
  Philosopher's Comer is also where Tarnits, panhandlers, critics 
  of the Coalition States or Emperor Prosek, and outspoken advo­
  cates of free speech and rights for D-Bees are taken to have the 
  snot beaten out of them. 
  This sentiment makes the bar a happy watering hole for Co­
  alition military personnel on leave, as well as soldiers and police 
  on duty who slip in to grab a quick drink or a bit to eat before 
  going back on patrol (CS soldiers and police get a 50% discount 
  on everything in the bar). Bounty hunters, mercenaries, scouts, 
  adventurers and Psi-Stalkers who work for the Coalition Army 
  also fmd this establishment a good place to unwind and share 
  tales of hunting down, capturing, tormenting and killing "ene­
  mies of the States" with little fear of retribution or being ostra­
  cized for their harsh, pro-CS views and cruel antics in the field. 
  Here people regularly talk cheerfully about CS policies, the 
  Prosek family, war, killing D-Bees, wiping out the Federation of 
  Magic and similar topics. This kind of patriotic talk, washed 
  down with several rounds of liquor, also makes Karl's Revenge 
  a place of inspiration for mob justice ("let's go lynch us some 
  *@#$%# D-Bees") and random acts of mindless violence, in­
  timidation, terrorism, and vandalism in the name of the Emperor 
  and the Coalition States - usually for the purpose of showing 
  "them" who is boss (whoever "them" might be for that night). 
  
  I 
  \ 
  \ 
  I 
  \ 
  \ 
  .- .-M! .. .  
  � . 
  � 
  .. .  -. 
  31 
  Of course, their targets are usually nonhumans, practitioners of 
  magic and those who openly speak against the Great and Noble 
  Emperor Karl Prosek or the Coalition States. 
  With the fall of Tolkeen stirring up all kinds of negative talk 
  about the Coalition Army, the government and Emperor, as well 
  as bringing in refugees, freedom fighters, sorcerers and others 
  who fought on the side of Tolkeen or supported the enemy's 
  cause, these bullies have plenty of new targets to victimize. 
  Adventure Hooks: The obvious brawl and troublemaker 
  scenarios are clear, but there are other avenues for adventure. If 
  one is looking to find and meet with a particular CS soldier or 
  ISS officer assigned to patrols in or around the Firetown 'Burb, 
  then Karl's Revenge is a likely place to fmd him, or someone he 
  knows. The reasons for meeting with a Coalition cop or soldier 
  can be many. Some reasons include: 1. To secretly (or at least 
  quietly) pass information to CS authorities. 2. To get informa­
  tion and rumors from CS authorities. Get a guy drunk enough 
  and he might reveal everything he knows. Corrupt authorities 
  may sell information to Burbies and what better place than at 
  Karl's where nobody would suspect such duplicity. Or get info 
  just by staying quiet and keeping one's ears open. 3. To target a 
  specific officer or soldier for a beating, kidnaping or killing. The 
  actual dirty deed is usually done outside of Karl's, but the bar is 
  a great place to fmd and follow one's quarry. 4. To issue a warn­
  ing or threat. 5. A nice doorstep to dump a beaten and tied up 
  criminal or Coalition soldier or lawman (the latter to issue a 
  statement or shame the CS authorities; sometimes to make sure 
  the poor fellow isn't killed if he were left on the street or in an 
  alley). 6. To make a trade or swap (CS loyalists feel safe here). 
  7. To secretly (or quietly) turn over a dangerous magic item or 
  contraband. 8. To make contact with a "good" 'Burb patrolman; 
  someone who can be trusted. 
  Other catalysts for trouble and adventure: 
  a) One of the workers at the bar is a snitch for the Black Mar­
  ket or trades information to City Rats. 
  b) One of the workers at the bar is really a member of the 
  Federation of Magic and uses his position to spy on CS goings 
  on in the 'Burbs and to target important CS operatives. 
  c) One of the regular patrons is a fanatical human suprema­
  cist who has a gang of skin-headed, tattooed punks who go 
  around beating up and robbing D-Bees, Tarnits and (when pos­
  sible) practitioners of magic. He hangs around the bar because 
  he's a Coalition ISS wannabe and loves being around all these 
  heroic figures. In addition, he figures getting to know some of 
  these guys might help on the street if he ever gets into trouble. 
  d) A known watering hole for Coalition troops and bigots, 
  the bar is regularly targeted for graffiti, rock throwing, drive-by 
  shootings and other acts of violence (including back alley duels, 
  and street fights). That's why the building and its windows are 
  made of Mega-Damage materials and there are outdoor lights 
  and surveillance systems. If the perpetrators are caught they can 
  expect a vicious beating. If someone from the bar is killed, those 
  responsible can expect the same street justice when they are ap­
  prehended by CS authorities or a lynch mob from the bar. 
  
  3. Camp Fireplace 
  Also known as "The Camp" 
  A charitable organization for orphans, of which there are 
  plenty in the 'Burbs. Life is hard and often short in the 'Burbs 
  and even worse in the wilderness areas beyond. The lawlessness 
  and number of rogues, criminals, mercenaries, gangs and mon­
  sters that live in or visit the 'Burbs accounts for plenty of deaths 
  and disappearances every week. Drunken craziness, duels, 
  brawls and clashes 
  in 
  the streets with the likes 
  of 
  Cyber-Snatchers, Slavers (Splugorth and humans), gang-bang­
  ers, inhuman predators and Coalition callousness only add to the 
  mortality rate. Thus, a child's parent may be cut down in his or 
  her prime of life, kidnaped and sold into slavery, killed or 
  locked away by Coalition forces, or simply vanish, leaving their 
  offspring alone in the world. Without someone to care for them, 
  these children run wild in the streets and are easy victims for ex­
  ploitation and foul play. 
  Places like Camp Fireplace function as a combination or­
  phanage and halfway house where children are kept under adult 
  supervision (as much as possible), looked after, given a place to 
  sleep, provided with three square meals a day, taught some basic 
  trade and given guidance (and maybe a little illegal schooling in 
  reading, writing and arithmetic). 
  Adventure Hooks: 1 .  Kids will be kids and the streets of the 
  'Burbs call with excitement. That means from time to time a 
  child or group of kids (lD4+2) sneak off and get into trouble. 
  Most Coalition authorities could care less and make no effort to 
  32 
  help runaway orphans. That leaves good Samaritans like the 
  player characters to help. 
  2. One (or several) of the children have gone missing. The 
  volunteers who run Camp Fireplace are extremely worried be­
  cause nearly a dozen children have gone missing over the last 
  few weeks and four have been found dead, gutted like fish. 
  Word on the street is that a death cult, Witch or evil practitioner 
  of magic is using children as human sacrifices for an as of yet 
  unknown, but undoubtedly evil, purpose. Help anyone? 
  3. One of the player characters is adopted by a cute little kid 
  who offers to be his guide to the city for an ice cream sundae or 
  a bag of candy. If the character takes the child up on the offer or 
  sends the kid scooting away, he (or she) will soon discover he is 
  missing one or more valuables (ideally a credit card, but other 
  items such as a knife, gun, radio, booze, food items, etc. are 
  suitable substitutes). In the alternative, one or more of the char­
  acters may get entangled with a group of street urchins having 
  fun in the streets, but soon learns or sees them snatching some 
  things off his belt or out of his travel bag. If the character or 
  group gives pursuit, they lose the little thieves somewhere 
  around the Camp Fireplace Orphanage. Going to the orphanage 
  will bring an encounter with one or more of the truly good peo­
  ple who run it. They dismiss any allegations that any of "their" 
  kids could be thieves and point out that the streets are filled with 
  ragamuffins, but they will look into the matter. "Dh, but while 
  here, would you be so kind as to make a donation?" Followed 
  by a long, heartfelt pitch about orphans and their needs. Staking 
  the place out for more than eight hours will fmd the little thief 
  (or band of thieves) sneaking out from the back of the building 
  someplace and scurrying into the street. If they are observed, 
  those watching will see them first trade stolen items for food, 
  clothing or medicine, and then return to the orphanage where 
  they claim "a nice adventurer bought these things." Yep, these 
  are child-thieves with a heart of gold. It's wrong, but their hearts 
  are in the right place. If the children are caught and dragged 
  back to the orphanage before it's discovered what they are up to, 
  the manager of the orphanage will exclaim there must be some 
  mistake, these are good kids and the facility's best charity fund 
  raisers. The kids will be punished for sneaking out, but thieves ... 
  preposterous. Calling in the Coalition authorities will get the or­
  phanage raided and tossed, causing a lot of damage and no re­
  sults. Calling in the local authorities gets a polite inquiry and no 
  results. Note: The child-thieves range in age from 9-13, levels 
  2-5 (professional Thieves or Maze Rats), Unprincipled and An­
  archist alignments, and know the streets and alleys of Firetown 
  like the back of their hands. They can point the characters to all 
  kinds of people and places - for a price. 
  4. City Rats under cover. Yep, a gaggle of the older kids are 
  Hack Rats (see Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook for complete stats 
  on all types of City Rat D.C.C.s) who deal in gathering, trading 
  and selling information. They are mostly in it for the adventure 
  but can be a valuable source of information in Firetown and the 
  neighboring 'Burbs for a nice donation to the orphanage and a 
  little bit extra in their own pockets (nothing exorbitant, but fair). 
  They are assisted by other orphans, about 30 of which are Maze 
  Rats, a dozen or so Pack Rats, a dozen or so are City Rat Arche­
  types, and another dozen or so Hero City Rats (well, as heroic as 
  kids ages 7-1 8  can be). Adventures can arise if one of these City 
  Rat orphans (or a group of them) get into trouble during one of 
  
  their escapades, especially if they were hired by the player char­
  acters to get them some information. If so, the player characters 
  should feel obligated to get them out of trouble without involv­
  ing the authorities or getting the little buggers in trouble at the 
  orphanage (or killed). In the alternative, any characters who de­
  velop a relationship (friendship or business) with any of these 
  kids can expect to be called upon when they or one of their pals 
  gets into trouble. Which in tum can lead to getting the player 
  character into trouble. Note: The City Rat orphans range in age 
  from 7-1 8, levels 2-8, Unprincipled and Anarchist alignments, 
  and know the streets and alleys of Firetown like the back of 
  their hands. They also know a lot of other City Rats, gangs, 
  other notable people and a good number of underground and 
  criminal places of business, as well as being tapped into roughly 
  80% of the most current rumors and news traveling on the street 
  grapevine in Firetown. 
  Note: Approximately 1 10 to 130 orphans are housed at the 
  Fireplace Orphanage at any given time. Actually, the number 
  keeps growing by IDI0 every couple of months because safe 
  placement with good families is difficult and the orphan popula­
  tion keeps growing. That can only get worse with the fall of 
  Tolkeen. Camp Fireplace can barely afford to feed and clothe 
  the children they have, so they often recommend the Banner Or­
  phanage (#19), church groups and other places. The Camp is lo­
  cated in the "low rent" section of town surrounded by 
  residences. The street kids have an ongoing rivalry with those 
  from the Banner Orphanage. 
  4. Fire House No. Four 
  This 'Burb has become notorious for its many fires, hence 
  the relatively new name of "Firetown." Over the last 13 years 
  half of the town has bumt down on three different occasions and 
  there were also six other significant fires and numerous minor 
  incidents. The worst big blaze was eight years ago, so many 
  people believe the town is overdue for a devastating fire. 'Burb 
  leaders insist those days are over and to make sure of it, the 
  Firetown government has put in place the best fire and rescue 
  department in all the Chi-Town 'Burbs. State of the art conven­
  tional fire trucks, equipment and frrefighting techniques are used 
  by the 12 well funded and staffed fire stations scattered 
  throughout the 'Burb. The firefighters are all well-trained, half 
  have years of experience, and Firetown has been declared to be 
  ready for any crisis. 
  To further insure the 'Burb's safety, there is also an under­
  ground frrefIghting network in place. One the Coalition authori­
  ties would dismantle if they knew about it, but one the local 
  leadership believes is an absolute necessity. This is a network of 
  local volunteers to assist frrefIghters using magic. Consequently, 
  the Firetown Volunteer M Brigade ("M" for magic) is trained to 
  use both conventional equipment and magic items. Techno-Wiz­
  ard water guns made to look like real hoses and pumps, but 
  which magically generate the water, rain flares, and other TW 
  gear are standard for M Brigade. Furthermore, 25% of the vol­
  unteers are Water Warlocks, 25% are Fire Warlocks, and 25% 
  are other practitioners of magic (and creatures of magic) who 
  know spells that can contain, extinguish and manipulate fire or 
  water. The remaining 25% are regular volunteers with no spe­
  cial spell casting abilities, but who use the Techno-Wizard 
  frrefIghting gadgets. Racial mix of the Firetown Fire Depart-
  33 
  ment is 85% human and 15% D-Bee, with most of the least hu­
  man looking D-Bees serving in M Brigade. Approximately 1 5% 
  of the firefighters are literate, 33% are trained paramedics, 2% 
  are Psychic Healers, and all know basic frrst aid. 
  5. Robert Street 
  Robert Street is not his real name, but it will do. Robert is a 
  small time, human dealer in illegal books and antiquities. Noth­
  ing big, mostly common stuff, but once in a while he scores big. 
  The Coalition authorities know about Bob (they insist on calling 
  him "Bob"), but ignore him most of the time. However, when 
  something big is going down, they comer Street (he prefers to 
  be called "Street") and shake him down for information. They 
  also raid his place from time to time to see if he's hiding any­
  thing dangerous or valuable. They raid his home or shake him 
  down whenever something the Coalition States wants is said to 
  be circulating on the streets. He probably won't have it, but 
  Street may know who does or who the most likely candidates 
  are. Though not technically a stool pigeon, Street is not a brave 
  man and the Coalition authorities know which buttons to push to 
  get Street to give up the goods and tell them what they want to 
  know. Nobody knows how much Street squeals when his feet 
  are put to the frre, so he is not disliked or distrusted by his un­
  derworld compatriots. However, most of Street's contemporar­
  ies consider him to be a strictly "small time nobody" barely 
  worth their time or attention. That means he doesn't have many 
  connections in high places and even his lowly ones don't give 
  him a lot of respect. That having been said, Street keeps his ear 
  to the ground and knows a lot more than people give him credit 
  for, the CS included. Consequently, he gives up a lot less than 
  the CS could get out of him, and the scoundrel is more cagey 
  and brave than people suspect. Furthermore, a lot of the local 
  street people, other two-bit hoods and City Rats know and like 
  Street. Because of this, they regard him as one of their own and 
  will come to him with goods, and offer a helping hand when 
  they can. They may not be powerful or the sharpest pencils in 
  the box, but they are legion. One of these days, Street could very 
  well have the score of a lifetime fall into his lap, and with 
  Tolkeen's downfall, that could be soon. 
  Adventure Hooks: Just a few possibilities, Street could be 
  involved in any number of scams and schemes in the 'Burbs, 
  provided they involve smuggling, hiding, and fencing contra­
  band, particularly books, disks, artifacts and magic items. 
  1 .  Street learns the location of something that will make him 
  a fortune (pre-Rifts or Tolkeen artifacts; could be magic, tech­
  nology, weapons, ancient books or disks, etc.). Problem is, he 
  knows the CS will be coming to shake him down soon, and will 
  probably keep an eye on him for a few weeks. Besides, he does­
  n't have the skills or resources to get "it." However, Street digs 
  out his secret savings to hire an adventurer group he thinks he 
  can trust to get him the treasure. Pay is low but fair, plus the 
  clever man promises the group a 20% cut of whatever he can 
  fence it for, and he assures them it will be a considerable 
  amount. Word on the street is that Robert Street is a dealer who 
  can be trusted, so if they deliver, he will too. Their share should 
  be at least 50,000 credits, possibly two or three times that. Obvi­
  ously the group he hires should be the player characters, and if 
  they have a friendly relationship with any of the kids from 
  Camp Firetown, Street will know about them. 
  
  This scenario can get complicated if there is a rival group af­
  ter the treasure, or if the CS catches wind of the expedition and 
  quietly follows behind, waiting to show themselves only after 
  the group recovers the artifact(s). In addition, there could be an 
  unknown defense, guardian or danger protecting or shielding the 
  item(s). Or perhaps a gang of mercs, bandits, practitioners of 
  magic, Retribution Squad, or adventurers who might have stum­
  bled across it first, or shortly after the group gets there, and in­
  sists it is theirs to take. Getting the loot (there might be more 
  than one key item of value) back could be a problem. 
  2. Street purchases something of great value for cheap. The 
  seller didn't know what he had, Street wasn't sure either when 
  he bought it, but everybody wants it - the CS wants it, private 
  collectors will pay a fortune for it (at least half a million), the 
  Black Market and/or the Federation of Magic wants it by what­
  ever means necessary (will pay double whatever the perceived 
  street value is) and maybe it could help a good cause in the right 
  (probably poor) hands. Problem is, Street has learned what the 
  item is and exactly what it can do, so on top of everything else, 
  he wants to make sure it goes to a good home and liquidate it 
  before anybody realizes he has it. 
  In the alternative, Street knows he must have the item and 
  may even know what it does and how much it is worth, but has 
  no idea what it looks like (and neither does anyone else), so he 
  doesn't know which item in a pile of (4D4xlO) items he recently 
  purchased it might be. How does he figure it out? What is it? 
  Who gets it? Who figures out he has it (by backtracking the 
  footsteps of the now dead or tortured, gentle D-Bee who sold a 
  "bunch of junk," to him)? Ah, that is the stuff of adventure. 
  34 
  3. Unknown to the CS and most others, Street has an excel­
  lent, ongoing relationship with the child-thieves and City Rats 
  of the Camp Firetown Orphanage. He is something of a kindly 
  mentor to them and a street buddy. They provide him with free 
  information, news, rumors, and general assistance, and he regu­
  larly donates 20-30% of whatever he makes from that info. He 
  also does the kids favors, buys them candy, soft drinks, and 
  toys, gets them electronics at cost, talks and plays games with 
  them, and frequently covers up for them to keep them out of 
  trouble, even if it gets him into (a little bit of) hot water. All of 
  this is done out of genuine friendship and kindness, which has 
  earned Street (the kids always call him "Street," out of respect) 
  the kids' lasting loyalty. Most would consider doing almost any­
  thing for the man, not that he would ever ask them to do any­
  thing really dangerous. Street genuinely cares about the Camp 
  children, especially his secret, street urchin pals. The Coalition 
  doesn't know about them (nor does anyone else) and it is a se­
  cret Street will take to his grave before ratting them out. Street 
  will also come to their aid or rescue should any of them get into 
  serious trouble and may hire or trick adventurers to help 
  him/them or do the real dirty work for him while he takes all the 
  credit. 
  Robert Street Quick Stats 
  Street is a reasonably happy and smart guy, who became dis­
  illusioned with the life of a scholar. One day he decided if he 
  was to be branded a criminal simply because of his education 
  and knowledge, then he'd step over the line and become one. 
  Not a violent or evil individual, Street became an underground 
  dealer in what he knew best, contraband books and pre-Rifts ar­
  tifacts. Over the years, he has added magic and other contra­
  band, but avoids drugs and weapons, and physically large items. 
  He has done reasonably well for himself in his one-man opera­
  tion, but is small time compared to the Black Market and many 
  others. He talks about making one big score so he can retire and 
  move away, but he likes the excitement of the 'Burbs, loves the 
  orphans at Camp Firetown, and this 'Burb has been his home his 
  entire life. Truth is, he'd buy a nicer place, or fix up the one he's 
  living in, conduct a little illegal book trade business on the side, 
  and become the Camp's biggest supporter, maybe even teach 
  there (or on the side). 
  Real Name: Robert Stanislov. 
  Aliases: Robert Street, Street, and Stan Robertson. 
  Alignment: Anarchist, with strong leanings toward Unprinci­
  pled, and a soft spot for orphans. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 14, M.A. 12, P.S. 9, P.P. 10, P.E. 12, 
  P.B. 9, Spd. 21 
  Hit Points: 32 and S.D.C.: 14. 
  Weight: 200 pounds (90 kg).Height: 5 feet, 8 inches (1 .75 m). 
  Age: 49 and looks every bit his age. P.P.E.: 7. 
  Disposition: A hard working dreamer who insists he is a realist. 
  In truth, a hard life and many disappointments have disillu­
  sioned Street about life, people, honor and nobility in gen­
  eral, and the Coalition States in particular. However, while he 
  sometimes talks tough and pretends to be a gruff pragmatist, 
  he still puts his faith in a lot of people he knows. He also 
  loves children, especially orphans, tries to help others when 
  he can, is reasonably honest, and dreams about making the 
  one "big score" that will enable him to retire. If not for his 
  
  low-end criminal life, love of books and history (which 
  makes him a criminal in the eyes of the CS) and the thieves 
  and cutthroats he associates with to conduct business, he 
  would probably be a productive, lawful citizen (and an Un­
  principled alignment). Ironically, Street is, in his own 
  frumpy, down to earth way, everything he's disillusioned 
  about, not that he can see it: peace-loving, honorable, noble, 
  trustworthy, well intentioned, open to new ideas and tolerant 
  of different life forms, and tries not to deliberately hurt any­
  body. 
  Experience Level: 7th level Rogue Scholar and dealer in con-
  traband books, relics and stolen goods. 
  Magic Knowledge: Only lore and book knowledge. 
  Psionics: None.Attacks per Melee: Five. 
  Bonuses: +2 to parry, +2 to dodge, +2 to roll with impact, +2 to 
  pull punch, kick attack does 106 S.D.C. 
  Skills of Note: Basically a Rogue Scholar turned antiquities 
  street dealer and petty crook. Speaks and is literate in Ameri­
  can, Spanish, and Dragonese, all at 98%, Writing 80%, Basic 
  Math 90%, Anthropology 65%, Art 90%, Cook 80%, Com­
  puter Operation 95% Computer Programming 85%, Cryptog­
  raphy 65%, Radio: Basic 90%, TV & Video 63%, Conceal­
  ment 48%, Intelligence 50%, Law 80%, Lore: Demons & 
  Monster 75%, Pick Locks 65%, Palming 55%, Pilot Hover­
  craft 95%, Pilot Automobile 84%, Pilot Jet Pack 80%, Prowl 
  60%, Streetwise 48%, Running, Swimming 85%, and Hand 
  to Hand: Basic. 
  Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Automatic Pistol (S.D.C.) and 
  W.P. Energy Pistol, both at 7th level proficiency. 
  Weapons & Armor: Has a suit of Urban Warrior armor (50 
  M.D.C.), a small Vibro-Knife (104 M.D.), a Wilk's 237 
  "Backup" laser pistol (3D6 M.D. per single blast, 6D6 M.D. 
  per double pulse, 500 footll52 m range, 16 single shot or 8 
  double shot clip payload, and +2 to strike on an aimed shot), 
  a Triax TX-20 "Short" laser pistol (2D6 M.D., 800 footl244 
  m range, 20 shot clip, and is easy to conceal; he won it in a 
  game of cards), and a 10 rom automatic pistol (5D6 S.D.C., 
  20 shot clip, 200 footl61 m range); four ammo clips for each 
  weapon. He has access to other weapons and gear, but has no 
  need for them. 
  Money: ID6xl000 Universal Credits on him at any time, 
  40 000 credits in a local bank, and another 25,000 credits 
  burled along with roughly 30 forbidden books and an extra 
  Backup laser pistol and two E-Clips in a secret place away 
  from home. 
  Description: Street is just plain folk, a burly leather-faced hu­
  man with a tinkle in his warm brown eyes. His hair is light 
  brown with streaks of grey, and he usually dresses in plain 
  articles of clothing dirty from roaming the streets. He cheats 
  at gambling only when he's confident he won't get caught, 
  and rips off Coalition citizens and authorities whenever he 
  can, otherwise, his word is his bond and he can be trusted. 
  35 
  6. The home of Sebastian Shock 
  Sebastian Shock is the owner of S&S Pictures and Frames, 
  an art store, frame shop and gallery, but on the street he is r�­
  puted to be a (not so) retired smuggler and forger. The home IS 
  nothing special on the outside, except for the painted-over 
  Mega-Damage doors and bars on the windows. Inside is a dif­
  ferent story. The house is super clean, neat, and as posh as they 
  get in the 'Burbs. A state of the art electronic security system 
  protects the owner and the home's contents. Furnishings are 
  plush and expensive, the high-tech entertainment systems, elec­
  tronics and computers are of the best brands and latest models, 
  the master bedroom opulent. Like most of the homes in 
  Firetown, there is indoor plumbing, hot and cold running water, 
  and electric lights. However, Sebby, as his friends call him, has 
  a private generator out back in case of power outages, central air 
  conditioning, a forced air heating system and private well. The 
  basement is a Mega-Damage bunker with a spare bedroom, 
  game room (pool table, big screen TV, disk player and elec­
  tronic arcade games), but here again, there is nothing to hint of 
  illegal activity or contraband. His 500 video disks are all legal 
  and his computer files clean as a whistle. The home can be 
  swept and gone over with a fme tooth comb by CS troops with­
  out unearthing anything illegal or the least bit incriminating. 
  The only thing one can say about "Sebby" is that he likes to 
  hang out with unsavory characters: Adventurers, City Rats, 
  known underworld figures, prostitutes and dance hall girls - but 
  poor choices in friends is not a crime even to the CS and Sebby 
  makes no bones about living an exciting and "wee bit decadent" 
  lifestyle. 
  Adventure Hooks: I .  Though the CS has never been able to 
  prove it, word on the street is that Sebastian Shock is one of the 
  very best (and smartest) forgers and smugglers in the business, 
  and is most defmitely not retired. Part of what makes him so 
  good is that he masterminds and orchestrates everything but 
  takes a direct hand in nothing. When people come to him with 
  "a problem" he directs them to "a friend" who may be able to 
  help them out. That friend, of course, is a forger, smuggler, 
  fence, Black Market agent, mercenary, assassin, professional 
  thief, City Rat, Cyber-Doc, plastic surgeon, practitioner of 
  magic, scholar, specialty dealer, crook or other free agent who 
  specializes in solving particular problems. According to the 
  street grapevine, Sebby knows everybody who is anybody in the 
  criminal underworld operating in the 'Burbs of Firetown, May­
  hem and New Colfax. So if a player character has "a problem" or 
  is looking for "something special" (i.e., illegal contraband), 
  Sebby can, probably, fix them up. Likewise, Sebby can put 
  freelancers, adventurers, D-Bees and even practitioners of magic 
  looking for work in touch with "the right people." Presumably, 
  Sebby gets a kickback from every "referral," but there are many 
  who suspect he is actually a kingpin in the Black Market. Ex­
  actly how big or high up he may be, or if the speculation is even 
  true, remains a mystery. 
  Note: This makes the Sebastian Shock character a wonderful 
  reappearing Non-Player Character in any ongoing 'Burbs cam­
  paign or setting where the Chi-Town 'Burbs are the adventurers' 
  base of operation. However, player characters should never 
  think of this criminal mastermind as a true friend or ally. De­
  spite appearances, Sebby does everything for a reason, usually a 
  fmancial reward, a favor he can call upon or a valuable connec-
  
  tion for the future. If he has to turn somebody in to the CS to 
  save his own backside or to advance his own agenda he does so 
  without the slightest hesitation. 
  Sebastian Shock Quick Stats 
  Sebastian Shock, himself, comes off as a confident, sleazy in­
  dividual who half-pretends to be an honest businessman but 
  seems more like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. He 
  always has at least one beautiful woman on his arm, often two 
  or three, is an infamous womanizer and loves to party, throwing 
  gatherings and events at his home and at rented halls and night­
  clubs. In fact, Sebby spends 90% of his time socializing and par­
  tying, leaving his business, S & S Pictures and Frames, in the 
  capable hands of his manager and employees. 
  Sebby has never been known to threaten or attack anybody, 
  let alone kill. In fact, very few people can ever remember him 
  raising his voice even under the most tense situations 
  - Mr. 
  Shock always seems to be calm, confident, smiling and un­
  afraid. Being who he is and who he hangs out with (the criminal 
  underworld, adventurers and fugitives), Sebby is always sur­
  rounded by a posse of 12-36 "friends and associates," several of 
  whom function as his personal bodyguards. He never hires 
  bodyguards himself, somehow they are just always present. 
  Real Name: Henry Collins Quin. 
  Aliases: Steven Smith, Sebastian Shock, Mr. Shock, and Sebby. 
  While he encourages "friends" to call him Sebby, people can 
  only do so after he asks them to. If a stranger walks up out of 
  the Blue and calls him "Sebby," he will snap his fingers or 
  glance at one of his bodyguards and a trio of them will escort 
  the stranger to the street where they'll give him a few 
  punches, kicks and a toss into the dirt. 
  Alignment: Miscreant evil. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 24, M.E. 19, M.A. 22, P.S. 9, P.P. 14, P.E. 10, 
  P.B. 1 1, Spd. 10 
  Hit Points: 61. S.D.C.: 24. 
  Weight: 200 pounds (90 kg). Height: 6 feet (1 .8 m). Age: 46 
  (looks 34). 
  P.P.E.: 9 
  Disposition: Cool, calm and supremely confident with the cool 
  demeanor of a cobra who can mesmerize you with his charm 
  and strike you down before you know what hit you. Sebby is 
  perpetually charming, smiling and content. Nothing seems to 
  get under his skin, and he always has a bit of wry wit or an 
  amusing retort for every situation. His calm confidence is 
  scary, leaving many who meet him to wonder what's really 
  going on behind those twinkling eyes and his serpentine 
  smile. He is this way even when discussing life and death sit­
  uations. 
  Sebby is a master planner, strategist and organizer who 
  can see the big picture and nine times out of ten, be ready for 
  every possible contingency, thus nothing throws him. When 
  that one out of ten happens, so far he has been able to think 
  on his feet to pull victory out of defeat or to cut his losses 
  (usually sacrificing others) with no or minimal losses. 
  Insanities: Sebastian Shock is a narcissistic megalomaniac with 
  delusions of absolute superiority. Though it doesn't show, he 
  thrives on action, intrigue and excitement. If there wasn't a 
  chance he'd get caught or lose part of his criminal empire, 
  36 
  there would be no fun in what he does, and he lives for the 
  challenge. He delights in outwitting all comers and knows he 
  is better than everybody else, so much better that nobody 
  even suspects how rich or powerful he really is. His exterior 
  calm is just a mask. His chosen method of operation is to be 
  the invisible mover and shaker behind the scenes. The wheels 
  in his head are always spinning with new schemes and up to 
  the second reassessments. What makes him so good, besides 
  being a genius and his ability to think on his feet and manip­
  ulate others, is he has learned to accept his (very few) limita­
  tions. Thus, he (usually) doesn't overreach, act on emotion or 
  do anything foolish. He is so comfortable with the image he 
  has built for himself that his secret life as a criminal master­
  mind means everything, and he loves every minute of it. As 
  for other weaknesses, Sebby coyly admits he has "a taste for 
  colorful characters and a weakness for beautiful women, but 
  who doesn't." In truth, it's all part of his narcissism, power 
  games and thrill seeking. 
  Experience Level: 12th level Smuggler and crime lord. 
  Magic Knowledge: Only lore and rumors about people. 
  Attacks per Melee: Six. 
  Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +2 to strike, +3 to parry, +3 to dodge, 
  +4 to roll with impact, +4 to pull punch, kick attack does 
  ID6 S.D.C., +2 to save vs psionic attack, and 70% to evoke 
  trust or intimidate. 
  Skills of Note: Includes the +10% skill bonus for a high I.Q. 
  Speaks American, Spanish, and Techno-Can, all at 98%, lit­
  erate in American/English 98%, Basic and Advanced Math 
  98%, Radio: Basic 98%, Radio: Scramblers 98%, Cryptogra­
  phy 98%, Detect Ambush 98%, Detect Concealment 98%, 
  Disguise 98%, Concealment 88%, Palming 98%, Streetwise 
  88%, Find Contraband 98%, Escape Artist 98, Computer Op­
  eration 98%, Computer Programming 98%, Computer 
  Hacking 80%, Law 98%, Lore: Magic 80%, Pilot Hover Ve­
  hicles 98%, Pilot Hovercycle 98%, Pilot Motorcycle 98%, 
  Pilot Motorboats 85%, and Hand to Hand: Basic. 
  Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Energy Pistol and W.P. Knife, 
  both at 12th level proficiency. 
  Weapons & Armor: Wears fashionable suits made of light 
  M.D.C. fabric (16 M.D.C.) and has bodyguards nearby to 
  shield him and to throw on an additional M.D.C. armored 
  trench coat (26 M.D.C. with plating over key areas; the latest 
  offering by the Black Market for those who need to be fash­
  ionable). When he knows he's heading into a potentially vol­
  atile situation, Sebastian wears an illegal force field belt of 
  alien origin. It provides 200 M.D.C. with the press of a but­
  ton. Additionally, Sebby is so skilled at slipping it on and off, 
  palming it and slipping it to one of his bodyguards, that no 
  one knows he owns it. 
  Bodyguards: Typically, all six to twelve are 6-8th level protec­
  tors in a variety of O.C.C.s. A basic, small group includes 
  one Juicer (Sebby finds Crazies too annoying for him), two 
  professional assassins (women), one full conversion 'Borg 
  that looks completely human (female), one other heavy, full 
  conversion 'Borg, and a psychic, preferably a Mind Melter, 
  Psi-Slayer or Nega-Psychic. A larger group will include 2-4 
  Headhunters or other warrior types, another psychic or two 
  and a practitioner of magic (spell caster); half are women. 
  
  Remember, Sebby never actually hires these people though 
  they always meet with his taste and approval. If questioned 
  by the authorities, Sebby says something like, "Apparently, 
  one of my friends or acquaintances thought I was in need of 
  protection. Thankfully, I have many concerned friends to 
  watch out for me. Darling of them to be so concerned, isn't 
  it?" Note: Mr. Shock is famous for never having harmed the 
  hair on the head of any living being, at least not personally. 
  That's what his bodyguards, friends and associates are for, 
  and even then Sebby never gives out a direct order to harm or 
  kill anybody. 
  Cybernetics: Built-in language translator, head jack, amplified 
  hearing, sound filtration system, sound identifier, radio ban­
  dit's ear, lung: toxic filter, lung: oxygen storage cell, 
  gyro-compass, and clock calendar. See Rifts® Bionics 
  Sourcebook for descriptions of them all; the Rifts® RPG 
  also has most. 
  Money: Sebby has 6D6xlOOO credits and wears 90,000 credits 
  worth of jewelry on him at any time. He has another 120,000 
  credits in the Firetown Universal Bank, his home and the 
  contents inside are worth a collective 1 .5 million credits (the 
  M.D.C. features is what jacks up the value), and his Pictures 
  and Frame shop business grosses one million annually. 
  That's his legitimate and apparent worth. On the Black Mar­
  ket who knows. If he is the big player some people think he 
  is, Sebby could be worth 100-600 million credits, maybe 
  more! Part of it safely tucked away in Black Market banking 
  facilities, part stashed in places outside the CS and part of it 
  invested. Speaking of which, rumor has it that Sebby owns a 
  mansion, and a Juicer and a Bionics conversion shop in the 
  independent kingdom of Kingsdale, and who knows what 
  else. 
  Description: A thin, fairly good looking fellow who appears to 
  be thirty-something. He has a full crop of black hair, always 
  dress impeccably in expensive clothes, wears jewelry, has a 
  beautiful woman (or two) hanging on his arm and he smiles 
  most of the time. A half dozen to a dozen (unofficial) body­
  guards are part of his entourage and image. 
  7. David Darkiighter 
  Nobody knows exactly what David Darklighter does or how 
  he makes his living. He is said to be an adventurer or explorer 
  though others claim he is a Rogue Scientist, and some that he is 
  a practitioner of magic. Whatever the guy is, he tends to stick to 
  himself, and stay in his home. As an adventurer, Darklighter is 
  often away for months at a time. He has recently returned from 
  an 18 month sojourn and is worse for the wear. Those who saw 
  him limp into town say his face and hands were scarred and he 
  is minus his left leg just below the hip. He has been holed up in 
  his home, calling out for deliveries of food and supplies. His 
  damaged appearance a week or so after the fmal siege on the cit­
  ies of Tolkeen and Freehold has started the rumor mills cranking 
  out stories that Darklighter is indeed a sorcerer recently returned 
  from the Tolkeen war front. He currently refuses to take visitors, 
  not that he has any (known) friends in town, and has locked 
  himself indoors. 
  Adventure Hooks: 1. Curious youngsters, perhaps from one 
  of the orphanages, have been spying on Darklighter, perhaps 
  even sneaking into his home where they saw . . .  what? Game 
  37 
  Master, this is your chance to go with any number of storylines 
  involving this mysterious figure. Here are a few ideas, some of 
  which could be combined: 
  a) Saw a pair of demons but no sign of the man. Could he be 
  a Shifter? If so, what is he up to? Are the demons protectors or 
  minions? Or could they be looking for Darklighter? If so, why 
  and where is Darklighter? 
  b) Saw him talking to three or more hooded figures, couldn't 
  hear everything, but they were saying something about 
  "Tolkeen," "the CS must be made to pay" and "striking at 
  Chi-Town before they are completely prepared." Is Darklighter 
  a Tolkeen supporter? Is he a member of a Tolkeen Retribution 
  Squad? Is the 'Burb in danger? 
  c) Saw him arguing with three or more shadowy figures, 
  couldn't hear everything, but Darklighter was saying he "had 
  enough of killing," "will not participate," "don't threaten him," 
  and that they should leave. The only clear thing one of the other 
  men was heard saying is, "Don't interfere with this" and ''you're 
  either with us or against us." What's this about? 
  d) Saw Darklighter weeping and asking God to forgive him. 
  A handgun was on an end table nearby. Regret for past deeds? 
  Considering suicide? Or is something terrible about to be un­
  leashed/happen? 
  e) Found Darklighter in his basement burning books and 
  computer disks. What's that all about? 
  t) Saw Darklighter hiding a small metal box, sealed with 
  wax, in a secret place in the floor. They went back later, after 
  the man was asleep, but they couldn't fmd the secret compart­
  ment where they thought it was. Maybe they're mistaken. Don't 
  know what was in the box. Mean anything? 
  g) Darklighter wasn't there, but they heard strange sounds 
  and creaking floorboards like somebody walking. When the 
  lights came on and a door opened, but nobody was there, the 
  kids bolted. They are convinced Darklighter's home is haunted. 
  2. If Darklighter is recently returned from Tolkeen is trouble 
  following him? What kind, Coalition, Retribution Squad or de­
  monic? Did he return with any souvenirs, like magic artifacts or 
  weapons, or treasure? Local thieves are asking themselves that 
  same question right now. The CS don't seem to care or haven't 
  heard the rumors. 
  3. A half naked, dead body is found laying in an alley or in 
  Greenleaf Park. In his clenched fist is a crumpled piece of paper 
  with Darklighter's address. He's an outsider nobody knows. 
  Looks like an adventurer or maybe a mere judging from his 
  muscles and scars. The body has been looted (probably by lo­
  cals) so it's hard to tell anything else about the deceased. Puz­
  zling is the fact that he appears to have been electrocuted 
  (magically?). If questioned and shown photos of the dead man, 
  Darklighter claims not to know him or to have any idea why he 
  may have had his address. Could this be a thief or assassin dis­
  patched by Darklighter and dumped away from his house? If an 
  assassin, who's out to get Darklighter and why? The CS still 
  doesn't care even if told about the rumors and dead man. Is this 
  just typical CS disinterest or is there some other reason? Could 
  Darklighter be one of their agents or freelancers? If so, he prob­
  ably isn't a sorcerer of any kind. Psychic, scout or assassin, per­
  haps? 
  
  1 2 .  The Park 
  ..
  .
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  D D D O  
  D D 
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  Factory District 
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  Note: This map is obviously incomplete. RIfts� Adventure 
  Sourcebook Two: The Tolkeen Crisis will present more nota­
  ble people and places on this map plus an entire second page for 
  the 'Burb of Firetown, as well as data and conflict with Tolkeen 
  Retribution Squads. 
  38 
  
  4. Darklighter is found dead (or has gone missing), his home 
  broken into and tom apart as if the perpetrators were looking for 
  something. Other broken furniture and articles suggest they 
  were smashed in rage - perhaps frustration that they could not 
  fmd whatever it is they were looking for (or that Darklighter got 
  away)? 
  Note: No stats for this NPC so the G.M. can make him any­
  thing he or she may want. Just because the street grapevine 
  thinks Darklighter is a sorcerer doesn't mean he is one. Such 
  talk could be a red herring, a false lead or distraction to what's 
  really going on, and Darklighter could be a good guy or evil, or 
  an absolute nobody who has become mysterious simply because 
  he is a loner and the completely unsubstantiated gossip has 
  sprung up as a result. 
  8. Parkview Hotel 
  A fairly new but dingy looking, four story hotel. It has 320 
  rooms, six suites, an exercise room, swimming pool and eight 
  small conference rooms, one large. There is no onsite restaurant, 
  but there are a few good ones nearby, with Park Place getting 
  the highest recommendation. A parking structure for the hotel is 
  next door. An average room costs 65 credits a night, a high-end 
  room 100, and a luxury suite 200 credits (can comfortably ac­
  commodate 6-8 guests sleeping over). 
  Adventure Hooks: Hotels can be the meeting place and 
  source of all kinds of intrigue. The very nature of a hotel makes 
  them an anonymous meeting place for illicit affairs, sex, prosti­
  tution, gambling, drug buys, illegal bionic augmentation, abor­
  tions, buying or selling contraband, drop-offs and exchanges of 
  (legal and illegal) goods and services of every conceivable pos­
  sibility, to parties, reunions, business meetings, contract negotia­
  tions, romantic getaways and innocent get togethers. 
  Guests may include out-of-towners, vacationers, families, 
  teenagers, priests, business people, scholars, the homeless who 
  happened to scrounge enough cash to stay a night or two, refu­
  gees, fugitives, prostitutes, drug dealers, gamblers, smugglers, 
  thieves, killers, weapon dealers, bounty hunters, mercenaries, 
  adventurers, practitioners of magic, monsters, D-Bees, Coalition 
  soldiers, CS spies, CS citizens slumming or on an adventure, 
  and scores of others. Use these diverse people and the anony­
  mous setting as the backdrop of numerous rendezvous, meet­
  ings, intrigue and skullduggery. 
  9. Park Lane Bakery 
  Yummy cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, bread and snacks at 
  very reasonable prices; pies are among the high priced items at 
  4-6 credits a pie (good for 8-10 slices) and whole cakes cost 
  6-10 credits depending on the size and decorations. Also sells 
  fruit juices, milk, tea and coffee by the glass and by the quart; 
  1-3 credits each. A popular place for locals, visitors from the ho­
  tel and shoppers at the nearby Barter's Square and stores across 
  the street. 
  Adventure Hooks: 1 .  Park Lane Bakery is a regular hangout 
  with a couple dozen kids from the Camp Fireplace Orphanage. 
  There are a few reasons for this: One, the owner and most of the 
  bakers use the orphans to make short delivery runs and do sim­
  ple chores or little favors and the pay the kids in bread, cookies 
  39 
  and pastries, sometimes a whole pie or cake. The orphans also 
  keep a lookout for shoplifters. They never steal from the bakery, 
  so it is a happy, win, win situation for all parties involved. Two, 
  the City Rats and other orphan street kids can pick up on current 
  news, rumors and gossip from the many patrons who come and 
  go all day long. Three, the child-thieves can sometimes pick an 
  easy pocket, snatch items hanging out of a purse or bag, and bat 
  their big eyelashes and get the occasional handout. This also 
  means the orphans may recognize public figures, criminals and 
  others who come to the shop. 
  2. The City Rats and street urchins from Camp Fireplace 
  might also bring trouble to the bakery from time to time. For ex­
  ample, several of them hide stolen items and cherished personal 
  items on the premises. If some thug or victim of theirs is looking 
  for them, they might follow the kids to the bakery. Or if a kid 
  gets caught trying to pinch a wallet or steal a pastry out of a cus­
  tomer's shopping bag, there could be trouble. 
  Otherwise, the owners and the workers keep their noses clean 
  and stay out of trouble. 
  10. Park Place Restaurant 
  Location, location, location is what helps to make the Park 
  Place Restaurant a busy, around the clock, establishment. It is 
  located at a junction where Greenleaf Park is its backyard, the 
  Parkview Hotel is a short walk down the street, the pharmacy is 
  next door, the bustling Barter's Square is across the way, a 
  mini-shopping district is on the opposite street and the Bunker 
  Nightclub is two streets over, not to mention the local residents 
  and factory workers, all of which send a constant crowd of hun­
  gry patrons their way. 
  The Park Place is really more like two businesses in one, the 
  family restaurant on the main floor and the Park Gentlemen's 
  Club on the second floor. 
  The first floor is the Park Place Family Restaurant. It is 
  open to the mainstream public and offers a wide range of dining 
  selections. Everything from soups, meatloaf, steaks, lamb, fish 
  and chicken dinners to sandwiches, french fries, breakfast foods 
  (available anytime of the day) and a selection of desserts (half of 
  them purchased from the Park Lane Bakery). Prices are fair to 
  low, 5-10 credits for the average meal depending on what it is, 
  non-alcoholic drinks 1-2 credits, and a choice of six beers and 
  four different wines at 2-4 credits a glass. All the food here is 
  good to very good and the service is quick and friendly. The res­
  taurant is usually packed at breakfast, lunch and dinner time till 
  about 10 0' clock at night when it thins out to about half and then 
  to one third of the patrons after midnight. A downstairs hall can 
  be rented for family functions, receptions, birthdays and meet­
  ings for 60 credits a day (ends at 6:00 p.m.) or night (from 7:00 
  pm till 1 :00 a.m.) on slow weekdays, or for 200 credits on the 
  busy days, Thursday through Sunday. Catering is an additional 
  cost charged by the plate. 
  The second floor is the Park Gentlemen's Club & Fine 
  Dining, also known on the streets as the "G-Club." It is reserved 
  for Firetown's business people, wealthy and elite, and though it 
  is call a "gentlemen's club," women are just as welcome. There 
  is a dress code (suits and ties optional if the clothes are expen­
  sive, elegant and fashionable) and a 500 credit cover charge per 
  person (that's in addition to the meal and drinks) for visitors not 
  
  known by the maitre d' or manager, or who are not "guests" of a 
  regular patron. This is to keep out the riffraff and sightseers. 
  Reservations are required, ideally two days in advance, and a 
  walk-in off the street is usually looking at a 1-4 hour wait, and 
  sometimes there are no available tables any time of the day or 
  night. This happens when several groups reserve part of the res­
  taurant for parties, gatherings and meetings. 
  Where the downstairs family restaurant is bright, noisy and 
  tables are packed close together, the ambiance of the Club is 
  dark, quiet and luxurious. A full-service bar offers a huge range 
  of alcoholic drinks and a wonderful wine list, a pianist plays 
  softly in the comer and a pair of waiters present the five or 
  seven course dinners to each table, waiting on the diners hand 
  and foot. In addition to the open dining area, there are six pri­
  vate dining/meeting rooms that seat up to 12 people (cost 1000 
  credits an hour) and eight intimate dining rooms for 2-4 people 
  (cost 600 credits an hour). For those who enjoy such pleasures, 
  there is an after dinner smoking lounge where patrons can relax, 
  light up and order drinks . The hidden upstairs kitchen, the wine 
  room, security office, the owner's spacious office and a private 
  apartment (the owner's, but often rented out to special patrons) 
  are also found secluded away on the second floor. 
  The cost of an average meal is 150-200 credits, plus drinks 
  and dessert (both cost about 5-15 credits per drink or serving). 
  Of course, part of what one is paying for is the atmosphere and 
  security. Nobody knows how it's been accomplished, but the CS 
  authorities have never raided the club and give it a wide berth. 
  Presumably, somebody has been paid off, but to pull this off, 
  that "somebody" must be very high up in the CS military and 
  ISS police totem poles. 
  Security to keep the Park Gentlemen's Club exclusive and 
  safe for the rich and powerful, is invisible. Some look like wait 
  staff or maitre d's, others like diners out for a quiet evening. 
  They include a tap dancing Dog Boy named Rulf dressed as a 
  maitre d' (8th level), a Psi-Tech named Lola dressed as high so­
  ciety femme fatale (6th level; P.B. 22), a Psi-Nullifier named 
  Bruce dressed as a businessman (9th level, and usually accom­
  panies Lola), a Zapper named Sparky, dressed as a lounge 
  singer (7th level and has a great singing voice), an ebony 
  skinned Ley Line Walker named Tyrone, dressed in a white tux­
  edo and posing as one of the club's two photographers (7th 
  level), and lastly, a cyborg called Doorstop. He is a full conver­
  sion 'Borg armed with a battery of weapons ideal for close com­
  bat and subduing party crashers. He stands in one particular 
  comer so still and quiet that many patrons think he is a statue. 
  He is so motionless because he is jacked into the entire security 
  surveillance system where he simultaneously monitors eight se­
  curity cameras and radio chatter between the other members of 
  the security team. Doorstop takes action only when necessary. 
  There are six additional 4-6 level security personnel, half fe­
  male, all experts in the art of hand to hand combat (any Man at 
  Arms O.C.C. skilled in close combat) and one Air Warlock and 
  one Ley Line Walker (both 5th level) on staff in a private secu­
  rity office. They come out only when needed or asked to address 
  a situation. Furthermore, concealed electronics scan for explo­
  sives, cameras, and recording and listening devices, none of 
  which are allowed in the club. 
  The Park Gentlemen's Club is so safe that crime lords and 
  big shots throughout the Chi-Town 'Burbs come to dine and 
  40 
  hold meetings. Even the occasional Chi-Town hot shot makes 
  an appearance, but most CS citizens know to stay away from the 
  club. 
  Adventure Hooks: Wherever the wealthy, powerful and 
  criminal elite go, secret deals, trades, meetings and skullduggery 
  are sure to follow. 
  1 .  All kinds of top secret meetings, hand-offs, and deal mak­
  ing go on here. Run with it. 
  2. All kinds of top criminal kingpins dine and hold private 
  meetings here. It is one of Sebastian Shock's favorite places, so 
  he can be found here most evenings around 7:00-10:00 p.m. be­
  fore he goes nightclub hopping. 
  3. All kinds of underworld meetings and transactions take 
  place in the quiet of the G-Club, as it is called in certain circles. 
  To infiltrate or bust one up is to risk one's life. Troublemakers 
  at the club have a nasty habit of disappearing. Note: While raid­
  ing the club may border on the impossible (or the insane), stak­
  ing out the back door, streets, and the downstairs restaurant are 
  easy. This could be a good place to spot and then follow an un­
  derground figure. 
  4. Rumor: The owner, an elusive man by the name of 
  Kalrisian Blue, who lives in a mansion in Prosekville, is really a 
  powerful adult dragon who spent decades adventuring and mak­
  ing connections. Exactly why he has settled down in the 
  Chi-Town 'Burbs, what his personal agenda may be, and what 
  ties he has, if any, to the Black Market or criminal underworld 
  are unknown. This could explain another rumor that the G-Club 
  is protected by a Sanctum spell and other protective magicks. If 
  
  the CS should get evidence that this rumor is true, their 
  hands-off policy might come to a swift end and the Park Gentle­
  men's Club shut down or the entire building tom down after a 
  thorough search of the premises. 
  5. Rumor: The most powerful and valuable magic items and 
  pre-Rifts artifacts are sold and hand delivered at the G-Club. In 
  fact, Mr. Blue is said to have quite a collection himself. Like­
  wise, big payoffs for other contraband and drugs are also said to 
  take place at the club. 
  6. Rumor: Kalrisian Blue is really a Coalition spy and the 
  G-Club an incredibly well crafted and complex scheme to ob­
  serve (and undermine) the criminal underworld and anti-Coali­
  tion factions. This would certainly explain why the Coalition 
  authorities stay away, but could it really be true? 
  11. Park Pharmacy & General Store 
  An all purpose, above the boards pharmacy and general store 
  that sells everything from greeting cards, scotch tape and cos­
  metics, to basic grocery items, snack foods, alcohol and over the 
  counter vitamins and medicines. Includes a 30 terminal 
  cyber-cafe on the second floor that taps into the Chi-Town in­
  ternet. Prices are standard. 
  Adventure Hooks: Nothing cosmic, this one's a typical 
  Walgreens style pharmacy. Shoplifting, the occasional armed 
  robbery, parking lot mugging and bounty hunter snatch job is 
  about as exciting as things get. 
  12. Greenleaf Park 
  This used to be an old city dump, but it has been covered 
  over, cleaned and turned into a nice park with low rolling hills, 
  cut lawn, trees, flowers, small pond, park benches, walking trail, 
  bike path and sidewalk vendors (peanuts, popcorn, hot dogs, ice 
  cream, and refreshments). It is reasonably safe and populated 
  during the day, though there are rowdy groups of children, 
  mouthy punks, beggars, homeless, City Rats and the occasional 
  street gang hanging at the park. Local authorities patrol the 
  grounds and so do a couple of citizen groups, keeping it pretty 
  safe and 
  clean. Scores of factory workers also come to the park to eat 
  their lunch and to grab a smoke or some fresh air during break 
  periods and to chat for a while after work. 
  At night, it's a different story. Police patrols stop after mid­
  night and that's when trouble visits Greenleaf in the form of 
  vice, violence, crime and stupidity. At night, the nocturnal pred­
  ators come out, and Greenleaf Park is one of their hunting 
  grounds. Roving bands of City Rats, gangs of street punks and 
  Cyber-Snatchers, gang wars, drug dealing, buying or trading 
  contraband, prostitution in the bushes, duels, and random acts of 
  violence and stupidity all take place in the park. Things are es­
  pecially bad in the Spring, Summer and Fall when the weather is 
  at its nicest, but these sorts of things occur in the Winter too. A 
  hundred or more homeless people also make their homes in the 
  park, arriving as it gets dark and fmding a place to sleep on park 
  benches and under trees. Residents and street smart individuals 
  know to stay out of the park unless they are looking for drugs, 
  contraband or trouble. Visitors aren't so bright and may stumble 
  onto trouble in complete ignorance. 
  41 
  Adventure Hooks: These are just a few ideas. 
  1 .  Any of the encounters suggested above. 
  2. The late-night meeting. So and so said to meet him in 
  Greenleaf Park at 1 :00 a.m. 
  3. The safe public meeting. A daytime meeting when and 
  where plenty of people are around as witnesses to any acts of 
  foul play. 
  4. The romantic rendezvous (perhaps really a trap for a mug­
  ging, a kidnaping, cyber-snatching, etc.). 
  5. Someone or something is killing hookers or homeless peo­
  ple in the park. What does it mean and does anybody care? 
  6. One of the player characters is challenged to a duel in 
  Greenleaf Park, or the group is challenged to a rumble in the 
  park (may or may not be a fight to the death). 
  7. A man is found slain in the park, nothing new there, only it 
  turns out that he was a notoriously mean Coalition Army officer 
  (or ISS officer). A note taped to the body reads: "One by one the 
  tyranny shall end." Is this the handiwork of one man or some 
  kind of group? This officer had plenty of enemies in the 'Burbs 
  and in the Army. The letter could be a ruse to draw attention 
  away from a military suspect. Or it could be a group of D-Bees 
  or Burbies tired of this man and his crew's brutality, or the work 
  of a Tolkeen Retribution Squad or agents of the Federation of 
  Magic, or someone else entirely. 
  The soldiers (or police) who served under this officer are 
  equally vicious and cruel. They are out for revenge and con­
  cerned about fmding the person or persons responsible for their 
  own safety. They begin a ruthless campaign of terror to fmd that 
  individual or group. CS higher ups are not happy when one of 
  their own is killed and give these brutes plenty of latitude in 
  their investigation - Burbies and D-Bees are likely to get hurt 
  and some people will die. Consequently, the local authorities are 
  also looking into the matter and may hire outside investigators 
  (the player group). Is this murder an isolated incident that passes 
  without resolve or is another slain Coalition soldier found a few 
  days later? Is it from the same squad (which might suggest a 
  vendetta against that particular group rather than an attack on 
  the Coalition States or Chi-Town) or is it someone from a differ­
  ent squad? How do the CS loyalists and soldiers who frequent 
  Karl's Revenge take these killings? Do they launch their own 
  vigilante investigation, go on a lynch party, or start beating up 
  innocent D-Bees? (See description #2 for details on this tavern 
  and its patrons.) 
  8. Gang violence at night is spilling into the daytime and 
  causing such a stir the local police may be forced to do some­
  thing about it. Or to avoid continuing retribution from the gang 
  members' comrades and friends, the police secretly hire a band 
  of adventurers (the player characters) to fmd and teach the bul­
  lies a lesson. If anyone gets killed (gang-bangers or the hired 
  guns) the police are not implicated, and lethal force on the part 
  of the hired adventurers is advised. "These gangs of thieves, 
  murderers and Cyber-Snatchers need to be eradicated," they tell 
  the adventurers. "Don't be shy about using extreme force." 
  13. Barter Square 
  Barter Square is a combination outlet mall and giant flea 
  market. There are 16 permanent retail stores and 160 spaces for 
  4D4xl0 independent vendors who buy a display space to pitch 
  
  their tent or set up tables to hawk whatever it is they have to 
  sell. Every other weekend has a special theme and the non-per­
  manent vendors are required to sell products or services related 
  to that theme. In the center of the Square is a large food court 
  and restroom, with tables for shoppers to sit and eat or rest their 
  tired feet. 
  The temporary vendors include local businesses looking to 
  sell off extra or old inventory at a discount, traveling merchants, 
  medicine shows, snake oil salesmen, psychic healers, fortune­
  tellers, Wilderness Scouts and fur traders, adventurers with 
  booty to sell, Psi-Stalkers or Indians (usually selling animal 
  skins, teeth, tusks, jewelry, herbs and blankets) or residents of 
  the 'Burb (and surrounding 'Burbs) looking to sell off a bunch 
  of old junk, flea market style. 
  Adventure Hooks: Most dealers and temporary sellers are 
  honest, but there a number of con artists, thieves, cheats and 
  scoundrels at every show. A confrontation with them can lead to 
  a brawl, gunfight and even murder. 
  1 .  A weapons dealer selling second-hand weapons as new. 
  Half need a thorough cleaning, a third are junk that break after a 
  few weeks of use (and are minus -I to strike even on an aimed 
  shot), and about a quarter of the weapons in good condition may 
  even be new. Everything is overpriced for what one actually 
  gets, but the seller makes them sound like the deal of the decade 
  and is doing strong business from people who don't know 
  better. This crooked arms dealer will remember anybody who 
  makes a fool of him, criticizes his merchandise or chases away 
  customers. He will take note of them and get even when the op­
  portunity presents itself. 
  2. Medicine show. This traveling snake oil salesman has a 
  tonic, herbal concoction or ointment for anything that might ail 
  a person. Only 10% have any true medicinal qualities, 80% are 
  alcoholic concoctions passed off as medicine or a drug mixture 
  to make the user high (and hence, feeling no pain) and 10% are 
  completely worthless as medicine or for a drug high. This fast 
  talking weasel is a con man from way back and he has 3-6 team­
  mates working the crowd by offering testimonials, picking 
  pockets and rolling drunks. If somebody challenges or threatens 
  the salesman, his goons (3-6 level thieves and bandits) are on 
  them in a heartbeat. 
  3. A gem among junk. A shopper (one of the player charac­
  ters?) accidentally fmds something of value, for cheap, in a pile 
  of second-hand junk. It could be a pre-Rifts artifact, an alien 
  weapon, tool, expensive machine part, an alien device, a magic 
  item, a gem, an expensive piece of jewelry, a rare or outlawed 
  book, and so on. Did anyone else notice the purchase? If so, is 
  the character jumped by thieves as he makes his way home, or 
  beset by CS troops looking for contraband, or approached by 
  someone who wants to buy it from him for a profit? Or ap­
  proached by someone who wants to hire him for a job/adven­
  ture, saying anyone who knew what the item was (or wanted 
  one) is the person he is looking to hire. 
  4. An old enemy. What are the odds of running into an old 
  adversary here? 
  5. A fugitive or criminal with a price on his head and he or 
  she is all yours for the taking. The only problem is all the inno­
  cent people who might get hurt when the fugitive is attacked. 
  And maybe the player character or group isn't the only one to 
  have noticed the desperado. In the alternative, a bounty hunter 
  42 
  or Coalition soldier looking to apprehend or destroy a player 
  character or the adventurer group. 
  6. A player character or the group is on the run and there's no 
  better place to lose someone than in the thronging evening or 
  weekend crowds at Barter's Square. 
  7. The frightened seller. A scrawny looking teenage boy (or a 
  kid, old lady, housewife, Psi-Stalker, scout, warrior, or who­
  ever) has something to sell in a bundle under his arm. He is ob­
  viously nervous, keeps looking over his shoulder and at the 
  people around him. He has walked up to this particular booth 
  three times now in the last 15 minutes, and once even asked if 
  the gent buys "antiques, really old antiques," but has yet to 
  screw-up the courage to show him what he has. One of the 
  player characters could carefully approach the timid teen and 
  strike up a conversation. He'll have to be careful or he'll spook 
  the lad. With some smiles and polite conversation he should be 
  able to get a look at what he has in the bundle. Otherwise, the 
  player character(s) could hang around the booth, looking over 
  his shoulder until the kid reveals his treasure. If the dealer does­
  n't want it, or if the dealer offers a low price for it, the player 
  character could jump in with a better offer. This can be tricky 
  because if the dealer wants it but was looking for a good deal, it 
  could start a bidding war and earn the dealer's ire (the player 
  character just cost him money or bought the item right out from 
  under his nose). If the dealer is a criminal or evil, the character 
  may have just earned himself an enemy and trouble to come 
  later that day. Note: An observant character may be able to spot 
  all kinds of shoppers and sellers who might be looking for more 
  than to buy or sell a few odds and ends. There are those looking 
  to sell items they found or stole and have no idea what they are. 
  There are those who found or stole items the know are contra­
  band but want (or need) to sell them for as much as possible so 
  they come to Barter Square looking to get the best possible price 
  (or best sounding price) they can. They don't care who they sell 
  it to. 
  8. The promise of forbidden knowledge is what one of the 
  temporary dealers or one of the 
  shoppers is offering. This individual may be attractive, plain, 
  ugly or sleazy looking, old or young, probably human. He 
  claims to have books and films banned by the CS. Items that he 
  is willing to sell for low prices and which he (or she) is willing 
  to allow prospective customers to examine before buying. All 
  one has to do is meet him at the east entrance and he'll take all 
  interested parties to his "stash." Is this person legitimate or is 
  this come kind of con game? Or is it a sting operation? Are there 
  CS surveillance people taking their pictures or taping their con­
  versation? Is this a sting to flush out dealers and collectors of 
  contraband? Is it a trap or a rare opportunity? Are any of the 
  characters willing to fmd out? 
  9. A D-Bee is clutching a stack of (ID6+4) books under his 
  hooded cloak. They are rare and highly valuable items, easily 
  worth ID4xIO,OOO credits each. He will only "trade" and wants 
  magic items (perhaps a few very specific items) or to fmd a par­
  ticular individual (a reputed sorcerer) or some other dangerous 
  information about Chi-Town or the CS patrols, or the sewers un­
  der the city, etc. Do the player characters have what it takes to 
  trade? Is it worth following this little guy to see what he's up to? 
  It's gotta be trouble. 
  
  10. Drugs dealers also wander the premises looking for buy­
  ers, and pick pockets and thieves keep an eye out for easy 
  marks. 
  14. The Bunker Nightclub 
  Imagine a low rectangular building made entirely of M.D.C. 
  concrete whose only windows are narrow slits and whose only 
  entrance and exit are two massive blast doors (800 M.D.C. 
  each), and you have the nightclub known as the Bunker. It is a 
  popular dance club that has become a chain that can be found in 
  various 'Burbs, usually near the border of an Old Town and 
  New Town or a busy intersection. It is a place where a wide 
  range of people can meet, mingle, dance and unwind. The 
  Bunker Nightclubs strike such a nice balance and have enough 
  class and atmosphere that young Old Towners and New 
  Towners, humans and D-Bees, young people and older clientele 
  (30s and 40s, though usually criminals) fmd it equally appeal­
  ing. The fact that D-Bees are allowed and known criminals and 
  street gangs frequent these establishments gives them an edge 
  and sense of excitement that few other clubs out in the open can 
  claim. Like some of the elite, posh clubs of the pre-Rifts era, 
  customers stand in a line that can wrap around the building. The 
  nightclub manager or his "spotters" go out to eyeball the crowd, 
  picking out the beautiful and interesting people for admittance 
  as they go along. Those not chosen get to advance in the line 
  and wait for untold hours until they are either selected in one of 
  the later reviews or the club thins out enough to let in the less 
  desirable clubbers. The music at each is live and may include lo­
  cal acts and/or traveling entertainers. The pay for performers is 
  very good, attracting the better groups. 
  43 
  One of the unique and fun aspects of the Bunker is that its 
  patrons dress up in outrageous, sexy and provocative costumes, 
  which include take-offs on garments worn by practitioners of 
  magic or costumes that make the wearer resemble a D-Bee, 
  demon or other inhuman creature. The CS authorities are not 
  thrilled with this idea but tolerate it. This dress code helps the 
  real McCoys to blend into the crowd and offers a comfort zone 
  most illegal facilities don't provide. Additionally, the thick, 
  bunker-like M.D.C. construction keeps the sights and sounds of 
  the party inside off the streets, and the happenings locked inside, 
  a feature that the people inside love ("Wow, nobody knows 
  what's going on in here.") and the residents and businesses wel­
  come ("God, I don't want to know what's going on in there."). 
  Likewise, the dense M.D.C. walls prevent gunfire and magic 
  that may erupt from a brawl that has gotten way out of hand 
  from spilling into the street and causing injury or property dam­
  age. 
  The idea of the Bunker Nightclub chain originated with the 
  son of a recently deceased crime lord, Rex Baxter, otherwise 
  known as "Frag" because of his love for explosives and incendi­
  ary devices, and the two M.D.C. fragmentation grenades he al­
  ways carries. Frag had a vision. A vision to provide booze and 
  drugs to the masses and get them so hooked that they would 
  come pounding on his door begging for more. His goal that was 
  realized with the creation of the Bunker Nightclub chain, the 
  brainchild of his well-dressed partner, Roger "the Razor" 
  Carmichael, a retired member of the Coalition's Special Warfare 
  Division. 
  The two have managed to get this idea past the Coalition au­
  thorities by selling them on the concept that if the people stay 
  drunk, drugged up and partying the night away from midnight 
  till sunrise, and sleep half the day away, they are less likely to 
  become involved in subversive activities or be attracted to the 
  wrong kind of people, like Rogue Scholars. Both could care less 
  about the effects drugs and alcohol have on their patrons or how 
  it impacts their families and the community, nor do they really 
  care about stopping subversives and civil unrest for the sake of 
  the CS - they're in it for the fame and money. As impossible as 
  it may sound, they sold the CS on it with the proviso that they 
  report any dissident factions to the I.S.S. and allow undercover 
  agents to operate unimpeded in the clubs. Since the CS is look­
  ing for dissidents and not criminals, drug operations or even 
  D-Bees, the relationship has been a booming success that has 
  lasted five years now and going strong. To Frag and Razor, most 
  of these people are little more than vermin to them anyway, 
  while they see themselves as some kind of entrepreneurial ge­
  niuses. The people, of course, know nothing about any of this 
  and just see Frag and Razor as fellow party animals and the 
  leaders in cutting edge entertainment. Both are flashy dresser, 
  ladies' men and enjoy hobnobbing with up and coming crime 
  lords, though Razor tends to eschew the limelight, appearing 
  only from to time at the most avant-garde and prestigious 
  events. 
  The Bunker, itself, also has a double life and is much more 
  than it seems. There are three levels under the dance floor, ac­
  cessible only from an entrance shaft covered by a multi-ton 
  M.D.C. slab which is hidden among some bushes right next to 
  the club. An elevator platform rises to the surface to carry sup­
  plies and troops to the appropriate level. You see, the Bunker 
  
  Nightclub chain (there are currently nine) serve as a series of 
  super-secret, secure Coalition munitions warehouses designed 
  by CS Army engineers to survive a full-scale, military style at­
  tack. If martial law is declared or if the fortress city fell to an en­
  emy force, Coalition troops could move in and have a secure, 
  easily defensible command post in the 'Burbs. Each "nightclub" 
  contains enough weapons, ammo and gear to equip an entire 
  military battalion, complete with communications center, sick 
  bay, water purification, independent energy system and a pla­
  toon of SAMAS power armor. The CS builds these bunkers un­
  der a false company known as Concrete Entertainment, 
  presumably part of the Bunker Nightclub empire based in the 
  Old Town of Josephton. Frag and Razor have no idea that their 
  Bunker Nightclubs are, well, military bunkers part of a CS 
  failsafe strategy - nobody does. They foolishly believe the CS is 
  so absolutely sold on their stupid nightclub idea that the govern­
  ment is secretly willing to build their clubs for them at no cost. 
  How could they pass up a deal like that? 
  Adventure Hooks: Frag and Razor, particularly Frag, are 
  into all kinds of illegal and underworld stuff, mostly through as­
  sociation with others. They can get away with it because the CS 
  looks the other way to just about anything they do. As long as 
  the two do not engage in or support any subversive activities, 
  they can, literally, get away with murder. This gives these two a 
  tremendous amount of freedom and power, though neither one 
  realizes it, nor exploits more than a small fraction of that power. 
  Why? Because they are much too caught up in being cult figure 
  celebrities, socializing, getting drunk, being important and mak­
  ing money; which is why the CS agreed to this venture in the 
  first place. To the CS, Frag and Razor are the perfect, highly 
  paid, public stooges and front-men for an operation they know 
  nothing about. Consequently, all kinds of violence, drug use, 
  drug deals, fights, duels, murders, crimes and decadence take 
  place inside the clubs (and never suspecting for a second that it 
  is happening above a secret Coalition Army depot). The CS 
  doesn't care because they are glad to see D-Bees, free thinkers, 
  rogues and troublemakers destroy themselves, and because it is 
  the absolutely perfect cover for them, and they are right. Note: 
  While all kinds of trouble, crime and adventure may take place 
  inside the Bunker Nightclubs, the one scenario that will not hap­
  pen is the CS underground bunker and weapons being discov­
  ered. (And if it was, 30 Skelebots instantly come to life to hold 
  the depot, a silent alarm alerts the Army at Chi-Town and a pla­
  toon or a company of CS armored troops arrive to keep the 
  bunker under their control. This happens in 2D4 minutes with a 
  wing of SAMAS arriving in under two minutes. In the case of 
  such an unfortunate event, all patrons inside the club are pre­
  vented from leaving and are summarily executed so the secret of 
  the military bunkers is preserved. Nobody on the street can see 
  or hear what is happening inside, so the CS can pin the entire 
  event on a Tolkeen or Federation of Magic terrorist attack with 
  an alarming number of casualties, "who shall be avenged!" The 
  only exception to the "kill everyone" contingency are Frag and 
  Razor who will be Mind Wiped by a CS Mind Melter and the 
  appropriate memories of a terrorist attack implanted. 
  15. Michael's School of Self-Defense 
  Various forms of unarmed combat are taught at this school, 
  including all of the following: Boxing, Wrestling, Gymnastics, 
  44 
  Body Building, W.P. Staff, W.P. Blunt, W.P. Chain, Basic Hand 
  to Hand, Expert Hand to Hand and Martial Arts Hand to Hand 
  Combat skills. The school is run by Michael Liu and his three 
  sons and three daughters. If a student shows a particular aptitude 
  and strong leadership abilities, he may be invited to meet Master 
  Liu personally. Then, if Master Liu is impressed, the student 
  may be offered entrance into the Special Training School, either 
  to develop him into an instructor or to teach him armed forms of 
  combat, including the sword and/or bow. The building is a rea­
  sonable size with a gymnastics wing and regular, full-sized 
  gymnasium. Students range from ages 6-66, with the majority 
  being 14-30; humans only. 
  Adventure Hooks: Any of the following could be true, or 
  not. 
  1 .  The Coalition authorities have been suspicious about the 
  school for years and frequently drop in without warning to 
  watch the workouts for a while or to inspect the facility and 
  question some of the students, parents and instructors. So far, 
  the school has checked out as clean as a whistle every time, and 
  there have easily been a hundred surprise visits over the last two 
  years alone. 
  2. A persistent rumor is that Michael Liu was once a master 
  instructor for the Cyber-Knights and is a good friend of Lord 
  Coake and a number of other famous Knights. Another is that 
  Liu is, himself, a retired or disillusioned Cyber-Knight. If true, it 
  had to be years ago, because Michael Liu has lived in the 
  Chi-Town 'Burbs for more than 25 years, and in Firetown for 
  the last 15. The CS has tried to follow up this story but can find 
  no information on anyone named Michael Liu, or fitting his de­
  scription, ever having been involved with the Cyber-Knights. 
  3. Rumor: The Liu family has a secret sanctuary where they 
  hide and protect visiting Cyber-Knights and other heroes. 
  4. Michael Liu has three other children, two boys and a girl 
  who are Cyber-Knights. 
  5. Michael, two of his children and a couple of other instruc­
  tors secretly instruct D-Bees in the martial arts. However, there 
  is no official building for these instructions. Classes are moved 
  from place to place every couple of weeks, or whenever they 
  feel necessary. One time classes are held in an abandoned ware­
  house, next time in building owned by a trusted friend, the next, 
  in a local gymnasium after hours, or in a secluded area of a park, 
  or a parking structure late at night, and so on. An oath of secrecy 
  is required of each student. 
  16. Calmoth and the 
  Big-C Wilderness Shop 
  This is a small shop that sells stuffed wild animals, and ani­
  mal antlers, horns, teeth, claws, skulls, and skins, as well as a 
  good selection of animal traps, snares, fishing and hunting gear, 
  and wilderness supplies (rope, canteens, sleeping bags, tents, 
  etc.). In a lot of ways, the Big-C Wilderness Shop is like an 
  army surplus store, only for hunters and trappers. The prices are 
  reasonable, the quality good, and it attracts a fair number of 
  adventurers, woodsmen and Psi-Stalkers to keep the canine's 
  head above water. 
  Calmoth is a canine from another world (a Palladium 
  Wolf en) passing himself off as a large Dog Boy, retired from 
  
  active service. He is on the run, hiding from his older brother 
  Calbuck (a Cyber-Knight), and came to the 'Burbs figuring that 
  his brother would not follow him here. Calmoth is a third-gener­
  ation Rifts-Earth Wolfen. His grandparents were part of a pack 
  from the Palladium World that arrived through a Rift and settled 
  in the North American southwest. When Calmoth was just a 
  cub, his idol, protector, and role model was his oldest brother, 
  Calbuck. 
  The pack's fmest athlete, hunter, tracker, and warrior, 
  Calbuck was the fair-furred boy. It came as a surprise to no 
  member of the clan that Calbuck would eventually succeed in 
  attaining the status of a Cyber-Knight. It was after Calbuck be­
  came a Cyber-Knight and returned to his pack for a visit that 
  things went terribly wrong for Calmoth. 
  Although on the smallish side for his people, Calmoth was a 
  valued member of the pack, whose Major psychic abilities of a 
  Psi-Sensitive were often of great value. Unfortunately, these tal­
  ents made him too vulnerable to the effects of Psi-Cola and ulti­
  mately led him into addiction. 
  Nevertheless, Calmoth was able to hide his addiction from 
  family and friends for a long time, until he followed his brother 
  on a mission to pursue some brigands. Calbuck took some of his 
  men and set off as a scouting party, leaving Calmoth behind 
  with the rest of the group. The Cyber-Knight figured that 
  Calmoth's psychic talents would make him the perfect sentry. 
  Unfortunately, after downing a couple jugs of Psi-Cola he 
  had smuggled in, Calmoth passed out and his comrades were at­
  tacked by a band of brigands. Unconscious, Calmoth was ig­
  nored 
  by 
  the 
  invaders, but many 
  others 
  were killed. 
  Unfortunately for Calmoth, a few of his other comrades sur­
  vived to tell the returning Calbuck about his brother's deadly 
  sloth and folly. 
  When Calmoth heard that Calbuck was enraged enough to 
  kill him, rather than fight the brother he had always loved and 
  respected, he fled. Eventually, Calmoth ended up in the 
  Chi-Town 'Burbs and has remained ever since, eking out a liv­
  ing and hoping that he is never forced to face the brother he 
  feels he betrayed. Further complicating matters is that Calmoth 
  is still a Psi-Cola junkie. 
  G.M.'s Notes: Unknown to Calmoth, Calbuck no longer 
  wants to kill him. The Cyber-Knight was enraged when he first 
  found out about his brother's addiction and the death of some of 
  his friends due to it. If he had found Calmoth a year or two ago, 
  the two brothers would have enacted a rendition of Cain and 
  Abel. Since then, Calbuck has spent time at Tolkeen helping out 
  with rescue efforts and has seen enough mortal weakness, death 
  and families tom apart forever. It has softened his heart and he 
  wishes to forgive his brother. Calbuck plans on thrashing 
  Calmoth to within an inch of his life for getting addicted to 
  Psi-Cola and do whatever it takes to help his brother beat the ad­
  diction. Ultimately, Calbuck wants a brother who is clean and 
  sober, not a corpse and some unpleasant memories. Right now 
  he has other pressing matters, but someday he will make things 
  right. 
  Adventure Hooks: 1 .  Calmoth is as addicted to Psi-Cola as 
  ever. If not, his business would be thriving, but he spends a full 
  third of his income on the stuff and half his time in a stupor. If 
  the Cyber-Knight brother learns of this, he may hire a group of 
  adventurers to get Calmoth "clean." This could be an adventure 
  45 
  in and of itself (played for laughs or deadly serious), and proba­
  bly best accomplished by making Calmoth a (NPC) part of the 
  team. 
  2. The player characters, probably in the wilderness, away 
  from the 'Burbs, encounter a half crazed Calmoth who begs 
  them to take him back to Firetown, please! He promises to pay 
  them (with money he doesn't have) and tells them how he was 
  abducted by madmen and needs to home and get fix. In truth, it 
  was scenario #1 above, but he leaves out the parts about his ad­
  diction and his brother hiring folks to help him. Calmoth will be 
  both a help and a hindrance during any adventures he may ac­
  company the group on during the trip home, and if it takes long 
  enough, he might actually go through sufficient detox to break 
  the hold of the Psi-Cola addiction - unless he gets his hands on 
  some sooner, and he'll steal to get it, possibly getting the group 
  into trouble. Additionally, the first group hired by his brother is 
  looking for him and Calmoth's lies may lead to the player group 
  and these other adventurers getting into a skirmish. 
  3. Calmoth gets a loose tongue after drinking enough 
  Psi-Cola and will tell a drinking buddy (the buddy can drink 
  something other than Psi-Cola, though the canine can't under­
  stand why) rumors and things that he knows about. These could 
  be leads for adventure. Likewise, Calmoth may lead them into 
  trouble when out of his head. 
  4. May get into adventures and trouble doing favors for 
  Psi-Cola dealers in order to get paid in the stuff. 
  Calmoth Quick Stats 
  Alignment: Was scrupulous, but his addiction has turned him 
  into Anarchist. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 12, M.A. 9, M.E. 7, P.S. 23, P.P. 14, P.E. 15, 
  P.B. 10, Spd. 20 (was 31, but his weight and laziness has 
  brought it down; will return if he can kick Psi-Cola and lose 
  200 Ibs/90 kg). 
  Height: 7 feet, 3 inches (2.21 m) (smallish for a Wolfen but 
  towers over most Dog Boys). 
  Weight: 530 pounds (238.5); guzzling Psi-Cola by the barrel 
  gives one a gut. 
  P.P.E.: 1 1 .  I.S.P.: 67. 
  Disposition: A lazy, slow moving (reduce speed and P.P. by 
  half) mellow space cadet when high, a hyper whiner when in 
  need of a fix, and a pretty good guy inbetween. 
  Experience Level: 5th level Wilderness Scout. 
  Skills of Note: All the typical O.C.C. skills plus Basic Math, 
  W.P. Pole Arm, W.P. Energy Rifle and Hand to Hand: Ex­
  pert. 
  Magic Knowledge: None. 
  Psionic Powers: Intuitive Combat (10), Mind Block (4), See 
  Aura (6), See the Invisible (4), Sense Evil (2), Sense Magic 
  (3), Sense Time (2) and Sixth Sense. 
  Money: Rarely more than 3D6xl0, everything goes to buying 
  Psi-Cola and running the business, in that order. 
  
  17. The Meat Market 
  (Body-Chop-Shop) 
  The Meat Market is ostensibly a butcher shop with a large se­
  lection of meats, including beef, pork, lamb, lunch meats 
  (pressed and smoked), and sausages, along with some breads 
  and drinks. Price are low to average with a special deal on 
  ground "Mystery Meat" believed to be part beef, pork and 
  chicken (some say horse, others rat, and others human!). Al­
  though Dr. Panach and his fellow "butchers" adamantly refuse 
  to divulge the ingredients of this meat (claiming it's a trade se­
  cret), their prices are so good that they regularly manage to sell 
  nearly their entire stocks and have developed a loyal following. 
  However, the Meat Market is actually a front for the 
  Pan-Man Body-Chop-Shop. Dr. Virgil Panach, a Cyber-Doc, 
  acts the part of the owner and head butcher, and took the time 
  and effort to study the meat cutting and packing business, so he 
  pulls off the role quite convincingly. Cybernetic and bionic en­
  hancement is where the really big money is, however, and is 
  Doctor Panach's true love. Dr. Panach considers Cyber-Medi­
  cine to be his calling, but he also enjoys his masquerade as a 
  butcher and sees to it that his customers receive good quality 
  meats and service. 
  Adventure Hooks: 
  1 .  Connections to the Black Market provide Doctor Panach 
  with a full range of bionic services. Anyone up for a full bionic 
  conversion? Partial reconstruction? Implants maybe? He's hav­
  ing a sale on cosmetic cybernetics - 25% off list price. 
  2. Rumor: The Mystery Meat to augment the Meat Market's 
  stock and is a means of getting rid of incriminating evidence 
  (Le. is the ground up body parts taken from patients getting 
  bionic replacement limbs). Gross. Does anyone really want to 
  learn if this is true? 
  46 
  3. Meetings and clashes with Cyber-Snatchers, Headhunters, 
  Cyborgs and City Rats can start here. The good doctor regularly 
  buys "used" bionics and implants. 
  4. Rumor: Doctor Panach may be responsible for disappear­
  ances and kidnapings when the victim had bionics or several cy­
  bernetic systems. Word on the street is that the Doc regularly 
  hires Cyber-Snatchers and evil D-Bees to "acquire" used equip­
  ment for him. 
  5. Rumor: Doctor Panach is really a UTI alien that survived 
  the Juicer Uprising. If true, what else is he up to and are there 
  others of his kind in Firetown? 
  6. Rumor: The Doctor will install bionics for free if one is 
  willing to let him experiment and do as he pleases. 
  Doctor Panach Quick Stats 
  Real Name: Dr. Virgil Panach. 
  Alignment: Aberrant evil. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 1 5, M.A. 1 1, P.S. 9, P.P. 14, P.E. 
  1 5, P.B. 12, Spd. 7 
  Hit Points: 45. S.D.C.: 7. 
  Weight: 215 pounds (96.7 kg). Height: 5 feet, 9 inches (1 .75 
  m). Age: 48. P.P.E.: 7. 
  Disposition: Dr. Panach considers himself to be a rebel against 
  an oppressive system, using his medical skills and knowledge 
  to aid a downtrodden populace. Dr. Panach sincerely feels 
  that his actions are benefitting both his patients and society in 
  general. He sees nothing wrong with anything he's done. The 
  doctor is genial and friendly to his meat market customers 
  but projects an air of competence and confidence to his cy­
  bernetic patients. 
  Experience Level: 8th level Cyber-Doc. 
  Magic Knowledge: None. Psionic Powers: None. 
  Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Basic. 
  Attacks per Melee: Five. 
  Bonuses: +1 to strike, +2 to parry, +2 to dodge, +2 to damage, 
  +2 to roll with impact/to pull punch, critical strike on a 
  19-20, kick attack, and judo-style body throw/flip. 
  Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Auto. Pistol, W.P. Energy Pistol, 
  and W.P. Knife, all at 8th level proficiency. 
  Skills of Note: Literacy in American 95%, Speaks Latin 98%, 
  Medical Doctor 95/85%, M.D. in Cybernetics 95/98%, Pa­
  thology 85%, Biology 85%, Chemistry 75%, Computer Op­
  eration 80%, Mathematics: Advanced 90%, Read and Use 
  Sensory Equipment 80%, and Pilot Automobile 80%. 
  Weapons & Armor: Dr. Panach is a healer and avoids combat 
  if at all possible. However, he does keep a Vibro-Knife and 
  some pistols (both automatic and energy) nearby for protec­
  tion of himself and his patients if the need arises. Dr. Panach 
  has a suit of Plastic-Man armor stowed away in case he 
  makes a house call in a particularly dangerous area. He is 
  also protected by an insane Headhunter named Butch, turned 
  nurse (7th level, Diabolic), and a light, full conversion cy­
  borg who looks completely human, named Cleo (5th level 
  'Borg, Anarchist). Both are loyal to the Doctor and Cleo and 
  the Doc are becoming more than friends. 
  Cybernetics: The right arm is bionic with several bionic fea­
  tures, including a scalpel fmger, laser finger, camera fmger, 
  
  retractable utility anns, and a wrist hypodennic needle sys­
  tem. Implants include a headjack, enhanced hearing, 
  gyro-compass, clock calendar and a Type AA- I with an ASH 
  supplemental cyber-disguise. 
  Money: Has 36.7 million credits stashed away and his meat 
  business pulls in an easy 1 .3 million credits a year. He also 
  has an expensive home in Prosekville, a sport car, hovercycle 
  and motor boat. He is a frequent patron of the Park Gentle­
  men's Club. 
  Description: A portly middle-aged man with a shaved head. He 
  will almost always be wearing something in white (whether it 
  is a surgical gown or a butcher's apron), and often a 
  mUlti-optics system. 
  18. The Psi-Cola Man 
  "What, you're a psychic who'd like to score some good 
  Psi-Cola? Well, my man, you came to the right place! Billy 
  Bosco's the name and Psi-Cola's my game! I've got the sweet­
  est batch of Psi-Cola you've ever tasted and, for the right price, 
  I can supply you with as much Psi-Cola as you'll ever need for 
  as long as you need it. Remember the name, Billy Bosco, the 
  Psi-Cola Man!" 
  That upbeat sales pitch belongs to Billy Bosco, the self-pro­
  claimed "king" of the Psi-Cola sellers. Billy's got cases of the 
  stuff and is willing to sell it off at bargain prices. Billy is new to 
  the Chi-Town 'Burbs and works out of his new apartment 
  (wherever he is staying at for the moment), a local cafe or res­
  taurant, right out on the street, out of the back of his van, or any­
  where that is convenient for the customer. The word on the 
  street is out, "If you need Psi-Cola, go see Billy Bosco!" 
  Unfortunately, the snappy sales pitch is a pack of lies Gust 
  like everything else about Billy Bosco). The truth of the matter 
  is that, no matter how much Billy implies (or claims outright) to 
  be the new Psi-Cola representative for the Chi-Town area, Billy 
  is a small-time hustler who has no connection with the real pro­
  ducers and distributors of Psi-Cola. 
  Billy Reinhardt was eking out a living as a smuggler. Al­
  though the job kept him clothed and fed, it also kept him from 
  reaching his true potential (so he thought). Billy always worked 
  as an underling and felt that he was capable of so much more if 
  he could only get the chance to prove himself. He figured his 
  talent for seeing the "big picture" should qualify him for a lead­
  ership position. His superiors, however, saw things differently, 
  and felt Billy's penchant for grandiose schemes and reluctance 
  to deal with minor details made him a recipe for disaster. 
  Recently, Billy was part of a crew that had smuggled a big 
  shipment of Psi-Cola into the Chi-Town 'Burbs. As low man in 
  the group, Billy was assigned to stay with the truck while his co­
  workers went to meet with their buyers and set up the fmal ex­
  change. This was a lucky break for Billy because the I.S.S. were 
  waiting for the drug traffickers. There was a brief shoot-out and, 
  within a matter of minutes, Billy Reinhardt's colleagues were 
  dead. 
  Sitting by himself at a bar and staring at one of the Cola bot­
  tles, Billy pondered what to do next when a gruff voice hailed 
  him. It turned out to be a Dog Boy whose keen sense of smell 
  detected the scent of Psi-Cola. After a little bit of dickering, 
  Billy made his frrst sale and decided that this was his golden op-
  47 
  portunity - he would sell the Psi-Cola shipment himself and 
  reap all of the profits. Since then, Billy has taken on the street 
  handle of "Bosco" (he got this from a broken sign that he 
  passed. The sign originally said "Talibos Company," not that 
  this means anything to Billy, it just sounded good to him) and 
  has been trying to pass himself off as the new area distributor of 
  Psi-Cola. 
  Billy is out to make a quick score and then get out of town. 
  Although his supply of Psi-Cola is limited to what was in the 
  truck and he has no way of getting any more, Billy has been 
  readily promising his customers that he can obtain all they need 
  with no problem. He intends to be long gone when the junkies 
  realize that their source has dried up. Billy has been very ag­
  gressive in hawking his wares but, because of his typical lack of 
  attention to details, he has no idea of how much in over his head 
  he really is. Although Billy knows about avoiding the I.S.S., he 
  has not considered problems from other areas, such as: 
  1 .  His customers are addicts, not morons. If any of them see 
  past his lines of bull, they may decide to eliminate this pain in 
  the butt and take all the Psi-Cola for themselves. Even the ones 
  who are convinced that Billy Bosco is the real thing are desper­
  ate. So far, no one has been desperate enough to try to rip off 
  Billy but that could change. 
  2. If Billy's fonner employers (the people who sent the 
  Psi-Cola shipment to Chi-Town in the first place) ever fmd out 
  that one of their smugglers survived, with the merchandise no 
  less, while all the others were killed in a Coalition ambush, they 
  may assume that as the sole survivor, he set up the rest of the 
  crew to steal the shipment and sell it himself. Although this is 
  not true and Billy had nothing to do with the I.S.S. being there, 
  they will come gunning for him. 
  3. Any of the actual Psi-Cola pushers who nonnally service 
  the area may figure out this new guy is a fake and come after 
  him. He's stomping all over their turf and they don't like it. 
  Junkies, like Calmoth (and those trying to help him, like the 
  player characters) and innocent people, could get caught in the 
  crossfrre. 
  Billy Bosco Quick Stats 
  If Billy Bosco lived some 500 years earlier, he would have 
  sold snake oil. A con artist with a glib line, Billy is always on 
  the lookout for the best deal he can get. Other people are simply 
  there to be used for his advantage. 
  Real Name: William "Billy" Reinhardt. 
  Alignment: Miscreant evil. 
  Attributes: I.Q. 10, M.E. 14, M.A. 13, P.S. 1 1, P.P. 9, P.E. 12, 
  P.B. 12, Spd. 13 
  Hit Points: 34. S.D.C.: 17. 
  Weight: 1 75 pounds (79 kg). Height: 6 feet (1 .8 m). Age: 24. 
  P.P.E.: 9. 
  Disposition: Billy is a schemer who likes to take chances. He is 
  overconfident of his ability to talk his way out of almost any 
  situation and is not the big picture guy he thinks he is. Still, 
  he talks a good game and thinks quick on his feet. If he was­
  n't always looking for his big break he might rise tlrrough the 
  ranks to a mid-level position, but he's too impatient and 
  cocky for that. 
  Experience Level: 6th level Smuggler. 
  
  Magic Knowledge: None. Psionic Powers: None. 
  Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Basic. 
  Attacks per Melee: Five. 
  Bonuses: +1 to strike, +2 to parry, +2 to dodge, +2 to roll with 
  impact/to pull punch, critical strike on a 19-20, kick attack, 
  + 1 on initiative when palming or involving streetwise or con­
  cealment. 
  Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Energy Pistol and W.P. Knife, 
  both at 6th level proficiency. 
  Skills of Note: Literacy in American 75%, Speaks Euro, 
  Gobblely, Spanish, and Techno-Can, all at 95%, Mathemat­
  ics: Basic 98%, Concealment 50%, Detect Ambush 70%, De­
  tect Concealment 60%, Disguise 60%, Escape Artist 60%, 
  Palming 55%, Streetwise 56%, Streetwise: Drugs 50%, Ra­
  dio: Basic 85%, Radio: Scramblers 70%, Cryptography 60%, 
  Computer Operation 80%, Pilot Truck 65%, Prowl 50%, and 
  Running, Automotive Mechanics 50%. 
  Weapons & Armor: Billy prefers to talk his way out of tense 
  situations rather than fighting. However, he will carry some 
  type of energy pistol and a Vibro-Knife for protection. Billy 
  has never worn armor nor does he intend to. 
  Money: Right now he's making money hand over fist. He has 
  290,000 in credits, 80,000 in trade goods (mostly electron­
  ics), lives in a large, furnished, rented home (as indicated on 
  the map), and has bought himself an impressive wardrobe, 
  entertainment system and hover-van totaling around 250 
  grand all by itself. 
  Description: An average-looking man with long, dark hair tied 
  back in a ponytail. In the past, Billy was perennially dressed 
  informally (i.e. in leathers and such). Since "hitting the big 
  time" (as he feels it), Billy now dresses "fashionably," like 
  he's a real player. 
  19. Banner Orphanage 
  Also known as the "Big House" 
  A four story facility that is the largest orphanage in town 
  with 1700-1800 children at any time and room for as many as 
  2200. It is a highly disciplined, extremely well organized and 
  apparently well fmanced operation. Like Camp Fireplace, it has 
  a certain faction of troublemakers, thieves and City Rats operat­
  ing out of the place, but they are generally less precocious or ex­
  perienced than the kids at the Camp, and less well informed 
  (only tapped into ID6x10% of the current rumor mill at any 
  given time and only really know the northern part of town near 
  the orphanage). The highly skilled rogues of Camp Fireplace are 
  constantly competing with and showing up the City Rats at Ban­
  ner, and think of "the Big House" as a place for sissies and cry­
  babies. 
  The reason the rogue faction at Banner is less experienced is 
  because the folks who run the orphanage are much better staffed 
  and more strict. They give the children uniforms, all the basics 
  and plenty of love and discipline, but they also keep them in 
  check as much as possible. This is done both for the welfare of 
  the kids and to keep their secret operations from being discov­
  ered. You see, Banner is also an underground school and a ha­
  ven for D-Bee orphans funded, in part, by sympathizers from 
  the city of Lazlo. In this particular instance, the school and 
  48 
  D-Bee orphanages are literally underground, located in a secret 
  subterranean complex built by Earth Warlocks and friends from 
  Lazlo. The two level underground facility is located 60 feet 
  (18.3 m) beneath the basement of the orphanage and is accessi­
  ble via magic or four concealed shafts and one, long diagonal 
  tunnel. It has a cafeteria-style kitchen and dining area, large sup­
  ply storage room, large playroom, meeting hall, gymnasium 
  with a stage for performance, nine classrooms, a library (yes, of 
  books), offices, an infirmary and an indoor garden with grass, 
  flowering plants, bushes and a few trees. It is kept alive with 
  magically installed sunlight that follows the pattern of the sun. 
  In fact, half the underground complex uses a Techno-Wizard 
  sunlight system of lighting as well as a TW quiet, solar powered 
  generator and air filtration system. 
  Chosen children (those who are intelligent or gifted and can 
  keep a secret; roughly 10-15%) in the surface orphanage are se­
  cretly taught how to read and write in special classes, but not in 
  the underground. The underground orphanage is used to house 
  1 80-240 D-Bee children, half of whom are taught to read and 
  write. The rest of the "students" in the underground school are 
  adults, humans and D-Bees, cultivated from trusted friends and 
  acquaintances who wish to become literate. There is a library 
  with books for teaching how to read and write as well as over 
  300 books on various other subjects, including the complete 
  works of Erin Tarn, volumes on Earth's real history, and a num­
  ber of highly collectable pre-Rifts books, plus an additional 700 
  books on computer disk. Adult classes are kept small to avoid 
  attention and are snuck in, in groups of 20-40 at a time. A 
  course in reading is usually 12 weeks, three days a week, 3-4 
  hours per session. After the fundamentals are taught, the stu­
  dents are sent off to pursue furthering their reading skills on 
  their own. Only helpers at the school and orphanage, and special 
  cases are allowed to continue their studies in the secret facility. 
  Adventure Hooks: 1 .  Coalition Authorities in the ISS are 
  suspicious of the orphanage's funding and try to keep an eye on 
  the place to see if they can notice anything unusual from a dis­
  tance. A few ISS undercover officers have gone so far as to pose 
  as prospective adopting parents to snoop around inside the or­
  phanage, but have failed to uncover anything untoward. Neither 
  have a few surprise raids. Still they watch and wonder. If an ISS 
  officer should learn something damaging, he would need to be 
  silenced before he could spread the word. That doesn't necessar­
  ily mean killed. He could be psionically Mind Wiped, Hypno­
  tized, etc., to forget what he learned (or paid off, threatened to 
  stay silent or, if necessary, terminated). 
  2. Since Banner is heavily fmanced by friends in Lazlo, the 
  place is also used as a safe house for visiting practitioners of 
  magic and adventurers on assignment from Lazlo. They are usu­
  ally kept in the underground levels or pose as a visiting friend, 
  temporary worker, or prospective adopting parent. Likewise, 
  practitioners of magic from or with ties to Lazlo may tum to 
  Banner for medical assistance or a place to hide out in case of 
  emergencies. Of course, such activities place the orphanage and 
  the kids in jeopardy whenever they happen. The folks who run 
  the operation are incredibly discreet and well organized but 
  someday something will go wrong and when it does . . .  
  3. If the Coalition authorities ever fmd out about the secret 
  D-Bee orphanage, the literacy school or the orphanage's con­
  nection with the magic kingdom of Lazlo, there will be Hell to 
  pay. 
  
  ● Imagine Earth transformed into an alien landscape.
  ● Humans exist – barely. And we are not alone.
  ● Aliens and monsters emerge from the Ri�s – holes torn in the fabric of 
  space and �me, connected to countless worlds and reali�es.
  ● Ancient gods, demons and magic have returned.
  ● Magic and technology clash.
  ● Hund
  ● Hundreds of character classes, many inhuman.
  ● Ri�s® Ul�mate Edi�on is the core RPG rule book.
  ● Expansive world se�ng with 90+ sourcebooks to draw upon.
  ● Ri�s®, your portal to endless adventure.
  ● Limited only by your imagina�on.
  Other RPG Worlds from Palladium Books®:
  ● Ri�s® – the ul�mate role-playing experience.
  ● Ri�s® Chaos Earth® – Play the apocalypse as it happens.
  ● Splicers® – Weird science. Bio-tech ba�les insane robot legions.
  ● Robotech® RPG – All eras of the TV show brought to life.
  ● Dead Reign® RPG – Can you survive the Zombie Apocalypse?
  ●● Palladium Fantasy RPG® – Unique world, monsters as player characters, 
  magic and more.
  ● Heroes Unlimited™ RPG – Play any hero; mutants, aliens, cyborgs, superhu-
  mans, mages, immortals and more.
  ● Nightbane® RPG – Conspiracy, magic, horror and monsters.
  ● Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG – Modern horror and suspense.
  ● Ninjas and Superspies™, and more.
  www.palladiumbooks.com
  © 2014 Palladium Books. Ri�s®, Megaverse®, Nightbane® and other �tles, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books, Inc.    
  Palladium Books - 39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185 USA – 734-271-2903 order line.
  ®
  
  © 2014 Palladium Books. Robotech®, Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles®, Macross® Saga and other �tles and likenesses are trade-
  marks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc. Palladium Books - 39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185 USA – 734-271-2903 order line.
  www.palladiumbooks.com
  ®
  Role-Playing Game and Sourcebooks
  ● Four generations of heroes and mecha ● Giant transformable robots ● Alien 
  invaders ● Battle for control of the Earth ● Combat takes to the stars ● All pre-
  sented in a core rule book and dynamic set of epic sourcebooks ● Easy to learn 
  ● Fun to play ● Quick character generation ● Fast combat ● Captures the action 
  and adventure of the anime TV series ● Isn’t it time you joined the adventure?
  Robotech® “Core Rules” – Shadow Chronicles® RPG Hardcover
  All the rules and informa�on a player needs to start a Robotech® 
  role-playing campaign with Admiral Rick Hunter and the United Earth 
  Expedi�onary Force trekking across the galaxy.
  ● Human mecha: Alphas, Betas, Cyclones & much more.
  ● Five character classes. 25 diﬀerent Military Special�es.
  ● I
  ● Invid mecha, Haydonites, and alien enemies.
  ● Quick roll character tables. Make a character in 15 minutes.
  ● A complete, stand-alone RPG.
  ● 224 pages. Cat. No. 550HC. 8½ x 11 size, hardcover.
  Robotech®: The Macross® Saga Sourcebook – Cat. No. 551
  A treasure chest packed with the iconic mecha, vehicles, weapons and 
  characters that made Robotech® famous. Valkyries, Destroids, ground 
  vehicles, aircra�, spacecra�, weapons, Zentraedi soldiers, Zentraedi 
  mecha, alien invaders, heroes, villains, and more.
  ● All the iconic Macross mecha, vehicles, weapons & characters.
  Robotech®: The Masters Saga™ Sourcebook – Cat. No. 552
  Tons of never before seen stats and descrip�ons for the many 
  weapons, armor, mecha and robots of the Army of the Southern Cross.
  ● The Army of the Southern Cross™ – all 15 branches and their mecha!
  Robotech®: New Genera�on™ Sourcebook – Cat. No. 554
  The ba�le for the libera�on of Earth starts here.
  ● Ki
  ● Kit-bashed mecha combining parts from diﬀerent mecha.
  ● Invid Hives, world overview, key characters and adventure ideas.
  Robotech®: Genesis Pits™ Sourcebook – Cat. No. 555
  The Invid Genesis Pits, their purpose, func�on.
  ● Inorganics and other war machines of the Invid Regent.
  ● Genesis Pit muta�ons and monsters.
  Robotech®: Expedi�onary Marines Sourcebook – Cat. No. 553
   Join the UEEF (United Earth Expedi�onary Force) led by Admiral Rick 
  Hunter as they travel across the galaxy libera�ng planets from the 
  bondage of the Invid Regent, the Robotech Masters and other tyrants.
  ● New mecha, weapons, and character classes of the UEEF Marines.
  ● New alien species and allies. Planet hopping and more.
  
  © Palladium Books Inc. Robotech® is a Registered Trademark of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
  Palladium Books, 39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185-7606. Order line: 734-721-2903.
  www.palladiumbooks.com
  Zentraedi Glaug Command™ – Cat. No. 55403
  This diverse pack provides your Zentraedi forces with greater tac�cal 
  capabili�es; three game pieces total. $36.95 retail.
  ● 1 Glaug Oﬃcer’s Ba�lepod – the fast and deadly mecha of Zentraedi 
  ﬁeld leaders.
  ●● 1 Quel-Regult Scout Ba�lepod – the stealthy eyes and ears of your 
  Zentraedi ba�le force; electronic warfare capabili�es.
  ● 1 Quel-Gulnau Recovery Pod – enhances the Glaug’s ability to bring 
  in Ba�lepod reinforcements. Note: This ﬁgure has NEVER before 
  been oﬀered by any company.
  Zentraedi Ar�llery Ba�lepods™ – Cat. No. 55402
  Give your Zentraedi legion greater ﬁrepower with these ar�llery and 
  support Ba�lepods; four game pieces total. $36.95 retail.
  ● 4 Zentraedi Support Ba�lepods, each of which can be made into:
  Gluuhaug-Regult – Light Ar�llery Ba�lepod
  Serauhaug-Regult – Heavy Ar�llery Ba�lepod
  TTelnesta-Regult – Experimental Par�cle Beam Ba�lepod
  Four game pieces total.
  Zentraedi Regult Ba�lepods™ – Cat. No. 55401
  Expand your Zentraedi forces with their main infantry ba�le mecha; 
  six game pieces total. $36.95 retail.
  ● 6 Regult Tac�cal Ba�lepods – the lightning quick Regults, armed with a 
  pair of par�cle cannons and auto-cannons, a�ack in wave a�er wave.
  UEDF Spartan/Phalanx Destroids™ – Cat. No. 55203
  Add some long-range power and up-close punch to your army with 
  these valuable Destroids; four game pieces total. $32.95 retail.
  ● 2 Spartan Destroids – civil defense, riot control and deadly in hand to 
  hand combat.
  ● 2 Phalanx Destroids – a walking, long-range missile ar�llery unit.
  UEDF Tomahawk/Defender Destroids™ – Cat. No. 55202
  Expand your Destroid squad with these formidable walking tanks; 
  four game pieces total. $32.95 retail.
  ● 2 Tomahawk Destroids – the main ba�le tank of Destroids, brimming 
  with powerful par�cle beam cannons for arms, and wielding a 
  ba�ery of missiles and an array of other weapons.
  ●● 2 Defender Destroids – a long-range, an�-aircra� juggernaut capable 
  of shoo�ng down incoming Zentraedi Ba�lepods and Gnerl Fighters.
  UEDF Valkyrie Wing™
  – Cat. No. 55201
  Build your ﬂeet of Earth defenders with the Valkyrie Veritech 
  Fighter; six game pieces total. $36.95 retail.
  ● 2 Valkyries in Fighter mode.
  ● 2 Valkyries in Guardian mode.
  ● 
  ● 2 Valkyries in Ba�loid mode.
  ● Mul�ple heads for making the VF-1A, VF-1J, VF-1R & VF-1S.
  Note: Each product contains plas�c game pieces requiring assembly and pain�ng. Glue not included. This is not a toy. Small parts, not suitable for children under the 
  age of 13. Adult supervision advised. Images shown here are not to scale.
  A fast-paced, strategy ba�le game that captures the speed and ac�on of Robotech®. 
  Play Earth defenders or Zentraedi invaders.
  ● Scalable from small squad skirmishes to mass ba�les.
  ● Turn-based system of play and uses D6. Two or more players.
  ● 34 highly detailed game pieces. 6mm scale.
  ● 112 page color rule book with paint guide and index.
  ● 53 laminated, color game cards.
  ● 24 cu
  ● 24 custom dice, two decal sheets and more.
  ● Assembly and pain�ng required. Glue not included.
  ● $99.95 retail – Cat. No. 55100 – shipping now!
  ● Available in North and South America, the EU, Australia & New Zealand.
  Main Boxed Game – Cat. No. 55100 – Available Now!
  
  www.palladiumbooks.com
  © Copyright 2017 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved. Rifts®, Palladium Books®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, Dead Reign®, Heroes Unlimited and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc.
  Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG        Nightbane® RPG
  Other horror titles from Palladium Books®
  Fear the Reaper™ Sourcebook
   Heroes who, like knights of old, travel the highways fighting zombies 
  and helping survivors.
  ● Comprehensive background on the Road Reapers.
  ● Their code, missions, weapons, strategies and tactics.
  ● The Terror Zombie and more.
  ● $12.95 
  ● $12.95 retail – 48 pages – Cat. No. 234. Available now.
  Graveyard Earth™ Sourcebook
   The Zombie Apocalypse across the globe; provides a world overview 
  and many adventure ideas.
  ● Many tables for settings, encounters and adventure hooks.
  ● Random Safe Havens by region, and Survivor Leaders.
  ● How to get home from abroad, zombie threat levels & more.
  ● $12.95 
  ● $12.95 retail – 64 pages – Cat. No. 235. Available now.
  Hell Followed™ Sourcebook
   This big, 160 page sourcebook begins to redefine the zombie genre. It 
  broadens the field of possibilities and expands upon the modern zombie 
  mythos. It is full of twists and surprises you will not expect.
  ● 11 new types of terrifying zombies.
  ● 7 player characters, plus Masked Lunatics – heroes or madmen?
  ● 21 disasters to complicate survival, and urban survival.
  ● 21 disasters to complicate survival, and urban survival.
  ● Government enclaves, conspiracy theories and more.
  ● $20.95 retail – 160 pages – Cat. No. 236. Available now.
  The Dead Reign® RPG series
  Dead Reign® RPG – “Core Rules.” It is the aftermath of the zombie 
  apocalypse. The dead reign and the living fight against impossible odds. 
  Can you survive? Find out with this fast-paced horror game. Easy to 
  learn. Fast character creation and combat.
  ● Zombie combat and survival rules, vehicles and equipment.
  ● 
  ● 6 iconic Character Classes plus Ordinary People (40+ occupations).
  ● 7 types of zombies, plus the Half-Living.
  ● 101 Random Scenarios, Encounters, Settings and other tables.
  ● $22.95 retail – 224 pages – Cat. No. 230. Available now.
  Civilization Gone™ Sourcebook
  Civilization has crumbled to nothing. There is no army. No govern-
  ment. No help coming. What now?
  ● Madmen, Psychopaths, villains, heroes and protectors.
  ● House, home and survivor camp tables, resources & encounters.
  ● $12.92 retail – 64 pages – Cat. No. 231. Available now.
  Dark Places™ Sourcebook
  Travel the rails and urban underground to move about undetected by 
  zombies.
  ● Worm Meat, Bug Boy, Sewer Crawler & Impersonator Zombies.
  ●● Traveling the rails, sewers and other dark places.
  ● Random encounter tables, boxcar content tables, and much more.
  ● $12.92 retail – 64 pages – Cat. No. 232. Available now.
  Endless Dead™ Sourcebook
  The zombies grow in number and strangeness. Can humankind 
  survive?
  ● Zombie amalgamations, tables and encounters.
  ● New playe
  ● New player characters & timetables for your campaign.
  ● Weaponizing vehicles, vehicle combat rules, and military bases.
  ● Creating survivor caravans, hideouts, Safe Havens & more.
  ● $16.95 retail – 96 pages – Cat. No. 233. Available now.
  Can YOU survive the Zombie Apocalypse?
  
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  The Rifter® Series
         175 The Rifter® #75 – $13.95
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         200 Splicers® RPG – $23.95
  Dead Reign®
         230 Dead Reign® RPG – $22.95
         231 SB 1: Civilization Gone™ – $12.95
         232 SB 2: Dark Places™ – $12.95
         233 SB 3: Endless Dead™ – $16.95
         234 SB 4: Fear the Reaper™ – $12.95
         235 SB 5: Graveyard Earth™ – $12.95
         236 SB 6: Hell Followed™ – $20.95
         237 SB 7: In the Face of Death™ (coming)
  Rifts® Novels
         301 Sonic Boom™ – $9.95
         302 Deception’s Web™ – $9.95
         303 Treacherous Awakenings™ – $9.95
         304 Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs™ – $12.95
         305 Rifts® Path of the Storm™ – $12.95
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         401 Weapons and Armor™ – $8.95
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         404 Weapons & Castles of the Orient™ – $9.95
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         450 The Palladium Fantasy RPG® – $26.95
         4500HC Palladium Fantasy RPG® 30th 
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         451 Dragons & Gods™ – $24.95
         453 Old Ones™ 2nd Ed. – $24.95
         454 Monsters & Animals™ 2nd Ed. – $24.95
         455 Adventures on the High Seas™ – $24.95
         458 Island at the Edge of the World™ – $20.95
         459 Yin-Sloth Jungles™ – $20.95
         462 Western Empire™ – $24.95
         463 Baalgor Wastelands™ – $24.95
         464 Mount Nimro™ – $20.95
         465 Eastern Territory™ – $24.95
         466 Library of Bletherad™ – $20.95
         467 Northern Hinterlands™ – $24.95
         468 Land/Damned 1: Chaos Lands™ – $24.95
         469 LoD 2: Eternal Torment™ – $24.95
         470 LoD 3: The Citadel – $24.95 (coming)
         471 Wolfen Empire™ – $20.95
         472 Mysteries of Magic™ One: Heart of 
  Magic – $16.95
         474 Bizantium/Northern Islands™ – $20.95
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         500-2 Heroes Unlimited™, 2nd Ed. – $26.95
         5000HC Heroes Unlimited™ 30th Anniver-
  sary Hardcover – $50.00
         501 Villains Unlimited™ Revised – $24.95
         503 After the Bomb® RPG – $24.95
         505 Road Hogs™ (After the Bomb® II) – 
  $9.95
         507 Mutants Down Under™ (AB III) – $9.95
         511 Mutants of the Yucatan™ (AB IV) – $9.95
         513 Mutants in Avalon™ (AB V) – $16.95
         514 Mutants in Orbit™ (AB VI) – $16.95
         515 Aliens Unlimited™ – $24.95
         516 Heroes Unlimited™ G.M.’s Guide – 
  $24.95
         517 Century Station™ – $24.95
         518 Gramercy Island™ – $24.95
         519 Aliens Unlimited Galaxy Guide™ – 
  $24.95
         520 Mutant Underground™ – $16.95
         521 Powers Unlimited® One – $16.95
         522 Powers Unlimited® Two – $16.95
         523 Powers Unlimited® Three – $16.95
         525 Revised Ninjas & Superspies™ – $20.95
         526 Mystic China™ – $24.95
         527 Armageddon Unlimited™ – $20.95
  Robotech® RPG
         550 Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® 
  RPG (manga size) – $16.95
         550HC Robotech® The Shadow Chroni-
  cles® Deluxe Hardcover RPG – $30.95
         5500HC Robotech® The Shadow Chroni-
  cles® Gold Ed. Hardcover RPG – $70.00
         551 Robotech® Macross® Saga Source-
  book – $16.95
         552 Robotech® The Masters Saga™ 
  Sourcebook (NEW in 8½ x 11) – $20.95
         553 Robotech®: Expeditionary Force 
  Marines Sourcebook – $20.95
         554 Robotech® The New Generation™ 
  Sourcebook – $16.95
         555 Robotech® Genesis Pits Sourcebook – 
  $16.95
  Robotech® RPG Tactics™  (New!)
         55100 Robotech® RPG Tactics™ – $99.95
         55105 Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Rule-
  book – $20.00
         55101 UEDF Dice Pack – $12.00
         55102 Zentraedi Dice Pack – $12.00
         55201 UEDF Valkyrie Wing – $36.95
         55202 UEDF Destroid Pack – $32.95
         55203 UEDF Spartan Pack – $32.95
         55401 Zentraedi Regult Battlepods – $36.95
         55402 Zentraedi Artillery Battlepods – $36.95
         55403 Zentraedi Glaug Command – $36.95
  Rifts® Chaos Earth®
         660 Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG – $20.95
         661 Rifts® CE Creatures of Chaos™ – $12.95
         662 Rifts® CE The Rise of Magic™ – $12.95
         665 Rifts® Chaos Earth® First Responders™ 
  – $16.95 (coming)
         666 Rifts® Chaos Earth® Resurrection™ 
  – $20.95
  Beyond the Supernatural™
         700 Beyond the Supernatural™, 2nd Ed. 
  – $24.95
         702 Tome Grotesque™ – $20.95 (coming)
         703 Beyond Arcanum™ – $24.95 (coming)
  Nightbane®
         730 Nightbane® RPG – $24.95
         731 Nightbane®: Between the Shadows™ 
  – $20.95
         732 Nightbane®: Nightlands™ – $20.95
         733 Nightbane®: Through the Glass 
  Darkly™ – $20.95
         735 Nightbane® Survival Guide™ – $20.95
         736 Nightbane® Dark Designs™ – $20.95
  Rifts®
         800HC Rifts® RPG Ultimate Edition – $39.95
         801 Rifts® Sourcebook One Revised – $20.95
         802-E Rifts® World Book 1: Vampire King-
  doms™, Revised – $24.95
         803 Rifts® Conversion Book One™ – $24.95
         804 Rifts® WB 2: Atlantis™ – $20.95
         805 Rifts® Sourcebook 2: Mechanoids™ 
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         807 Rifts® WB 3: England™ – $20.95
         808 Rifts® WB 4: Africa™ – $20.95
         809 Rifts® Dimension Book 1: Worm-
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         810 Rifts® WB 5: Triax™ – $24.95
         811 Rifts® Pantheons of the Megaverse® 
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         812 Rifts® Sourcebook 3: Mindwerks™ 
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         813 Rifts® Mercenaries™ – $20.95
         814 Rifts® WB 6: South America – $20.95
         815 Rifts® WB 7: Underseas™ – $24.95
         816 Rifts® DB 2: Phase World® – $24.95
         817 Rifts® DB 3: Phase World® Source-
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         818 Rifts® WB 8: Rifts® Japan™ – $24.95
         819 Rifts® WB 9: South America Two™ 
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         820 Rifts® WB 10: Juicer Uprising™ – 
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         821 Rifts® WB 11: Coalition War Cam-
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         822 Rifts® WB 12: Psyscape™ – $20.95
         825 Rifts® WB 13: Lone Star™ – $20.95
  
         826 Rifts® WB 14: New West™ – $24.95
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         831 Rifts® Index Volume Two™ – $16.95
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         833 Rifts® WB 18: Mystic Russia™ – $20.95
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         838 Rifts® WB 23: Xiticix Invasion™ – 
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         839 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Sedition™ 
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         840 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Coalition 
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         841 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Sorcerers’ 
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         842 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Cyber-
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         843 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Shadows of 
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         844 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Final 
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         845 Rifts® Game Master Guide™ – $26.95
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         866 Rifts® WB 27: Adventures in Dino-
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         867 Rifts® Mercenary Adventure Source-
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         870 Rifts® John Zeleznik Coloring Book 
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         MI8006 Cyborgs Pack #1 – $18.00
         MI8007 Simvan & Ostrosaurus Pack – 
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         MI8008 Coalition Skelebots Pack #1 – $18.00
         MI8009 Coalition SAMAS Pack #1 – $22.00
         MI8010 Coalition Sky Cycle Pack – $22.00
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         MI8015 Damaged Skelebots Pack #1 – 
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         MI8016 Cyber-Adventurers Pack – $18.00
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         MI8021 Shadow Beast – $12.00
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         MI8028 Coalition Dog Boy #3 – $6.00
         MI8029 Coalition Dog Boy #4 – $6.00
         MI8030 Coalition Dog Boy #5 – $6.00
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         MI8032 Glitter Boy Pilot – $6.00
         MI8033 Kydian Overlord – $20.00
         MI8034 Dragonsaurus – $10.00
         MI8035 Slaver and Slave (Atlantis) Set – 
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         MI8036 Crazy – $6.00
         MI8037 Juicer #1 – $6.00
         MI8038 Juicer #2 – $6.00
         MI8039 Cyborg #1 – $12.00
         MI8040 Cyborg #2 – $12.00
         MI8041 Cyborg #3 – $6.00
         MI8042 Coalition Officer – $6.00
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         876 Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™ – 
  $24.95
         876HC Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™ 
  Gold Hardcover Edition – $50.00
         877 Rifts® Heroes of the Megaverse® – 
  $16.95
         878 Rifts® Sourcebook: Shemarrian Na-
  tion™ – $16.95
         880 Phase World®: Fleets of the Three 
  Galaxies™ – $16.95
         881 Rifts® WB 31: Triax™ Two – $24.95
         883 Rifts® DB 14: Thundercloud Galaxy™ 
  – $20.95
         884 Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™ – $20.95
         885 Rifts® WB 32: Lemuria™ – $24.95
         886 Rifts® Black Market™ – $24.95
         886HC Rifts® Black Market™ Hardcover 
  Gold Edition – $60.00
         887 Rifts® WB 33: Northern Gun™ One 
  – $24.95
         888 Rifts® WB 34: Northern Gun™ Two 
  – $26.95
         889 Rifts® Sourcebook: Coalition States, 
  Heroes of Humanity™ – $20.95
         890 Rifts® Dimension Book 15: Secrets of 
  the Atlanteans™ – $24.95
         890HC Rifts® DB 15: Secrets of the 
  Atlanteans™ Gold Edition – $50.00
         891 Rifts® World Book: Sovietski™ – 
  $24.95 (coming)
         892 Rifts® Sourcebook: The Disavowed™ 
  – $16.95 (coming)
         893 Rifts® CS: Heroes of Humanity™ 
  Arsenal Sourcebook – $16.95 (coming)
         894 Rifts® Haunted Tech™ – $16.95 (coming)
         895 Rifts® Living Nowhere™ – $16.95 
  (coming)
         2510 Rifts® & The Megaverse® Art Book 
  – $22.95
         2510-HC Rifts® & The Megaverse® Art 
  Book, Hardcover – $50.00
         2510-CML Rifts® & The Megaverse® Art 
  Book, Collector’s Masterwork – $125.00
  Miscellaneous Products
         600 Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG – 
  $22.95
         2537 Gamer Coffee Mug – $10.00
         2545 Dead Reign™ Coffee Mug – $10.00
         2554 Palladium Bookmarks, Set One – $5.00
         2555 Palladium Bookmarks, Set Two – $5.00
         2561 Property of Chi-Town Library Pencil 
  – $0.50 each
         2562 Future Visions™ – The Artistry of 
  Charles Walton II – $13.95
         2566 Glitter Boy Mouse Pad – $9.95
         2567 Old Ones Mouse Pad – $9.95
         2568 Zombie Graveyard Mouse Pad – $9.95
         2575 Rifts Poker Cards 1 (full color) – $11.99
         2576 Rifts Poker Cards 2 (line art) – $11.99
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         MI8002 Xiticix Pack – $18.00
         MI8004 Coalition Dog Pack – $18.00
         MI8005 Men of Magic Pack #1 – $18.00
  
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  ®
  Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook
  The Chi-Town ‘Burbs™: An Overview & Firetown™
  The first of several Chi-Town ‘Burbs sourcebooks fleshing out the world in the shadow of Chi-Town.
  ● Overview and history of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs.
  ● Key places in the ‘Burb of Firetown, with an emphasis on the forbidden.
  ● Key people, the criminal underground and intrigue in Firetown.
  ●● Adventure ideas by the dozens. Rumors, villains and starting points.
  ● Map of Firetown, and more.
  ● 48 pages by Kevin Siembieda.
  Rifts®, endless possibilities
  limited only by the imagination!™
  $9.95
  Cat. No. 853
  ISBN-10: 157457-082-X
  ISBN-10: 157457-082-X
  ISBN-13: 978-1-57457-082-3
  The Rifter®
  An ongoing sourcebook series for the entire Palladium 
  Megaverse. Each issue has optional (sometimes official) 
  material for Rifts® and other Palladium RPGs.
  ● Great source for new ideas and fun.
  ● Optional O.C.C.s, monsters, weapons, and skills. 
  ● Optional magic and/or super abilities. 
  ● Optional magic and/or super abilities. 
  ● Adventures, gaming tips and Q&A.
  ● Rifts® source material & fiction.
  ● HU2, Palladium Fantasy & Nightbane® typical.
  ● The latest news and sneak previews.
  ● 96 pages.
  Rifts® Book of Magic
  ● Every spell for every magic O.C.C.
  ● Every spell for every magic O.C.C.
  ● Magic Tattoos, Necromancy & all the rest.
  ● Techno-Wizard, Rune Weapons & other magic items.
  ● Rifts® magic all in one big book.
  ● 352 pages.
  Rifts® G.M. Guide
  ● All skills listed & described.
  ● Stats for all weapons & armor to date.
  ● Stats for all weapons & armor to date.
  ● Vehicles, maps, indexes & much more.
  ● Rules clarifications and G.M. tips.
  ● 352 pages.
  Join the adventure.
  Explore the Megaverse®
  Also from Palladium Books®
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/RIFTS/Adventures/Rifts - Adventure Sourcebook 01 - Chi - Town Burbs - Forbidden Knowledge - PAL853P.pdf