TEXT: v
  e
  r
  s
  i
  o
  n
   
  2
  contested
  groUNd sTUdIos
  
  Credits
  Original Concept: Malcolm Craig
  Additional Concepts: Rab Robertson & John Wilson
  Writing: Malcolm Craig
  Additional Writing: Iain McAllister
  Editing: Iain McAllister
  Typesetting: Paul Bourne & Malcolm Craig
  System Design: Malcolm Craig
  Cover & Interior Art: Paul Bourne
  Graphic Design: Paul Bourne
  Proofreading: Rab Robertson
  Additional System Revision & Advice: Iain McAllister & Matthew Machel
  CGS Website Design: Paul Bourne & John Wilson
  Business Management: John Wilson
  Playtesting: Tam Connelly, Alex Duchart, Gareth Fortheringham, Baz Johnston, Chris Jones, Ally Leishman,
  Stuart McKelvie, Andy MacVicar, Brian Pickles & Fraser Thornton.
  Thanks to: Matthew Barrowcliffe, Chris Baylis, Ferry Bazelmans, Brett Bernstein, Conpulsion, Simon Cox
  (cyberpunk.co.uk) Matt Drake, DrakCon, David Innes, Berin Kinsman (unclebear.com), Guy McLimore, Jens
  Meyer, China Mieville, Liam (Black Lion Games, Edinburgh), Janet Pashley, Greg Porter, Simon Proctor, Ron
  van der Velden, James Wallis (for invaluable help and advice right at the very start), Mike (Asylum Books &
  Games, Aberdeen), Dylan (Impact Games, Liverpool), Angus Abranson, Gregor Hutton, Leanne Fulton, John
  & Irene Craig, Ed Arrowsmith, WarpCon, all the members of the Contested Ground Studios forum and mailing
  list, all the members of the Digital Publishers Group (digitalrpg.org) and all those people who’ve given us
  help, advice, encouragement, discouragement, criticism, abuse, wise words and general support: you know
  who you are and you know we’re grateful.
  Published by:
  Contested Ground Studios
  14 Summerford Gardens
  Falkirk
  Scotland
  FK1 5BT
  www.contestedground.co.uk
  mail to: info@contestedground.co.uk
  Legal Stuff
  a/state and its associated concepts are Copyright 2001- 2003 Contested Ground Studios. All rights
  reserved. Reproduction without the permission of the publishers is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes
  of reviews. Permission is given to reproduce blank character sheets for personal use only. Any similarities to
  characters, places, situations or insititutions, etc (without satirical intent) are purely coincidental
  Disclaimer
  a/state is a game for mature gamers. Remember, it’s only a game. The views expressed in some parts of this
  book do not necessarily represent the view of the staff of Contested Ground Studios. This is a work of fiction
  and should be treated as such. Contested Ground Studios take no responsibility for physical or mental dam-
  age as a result of reading or using this book in other ways. In other words, if you hit your friend over the head
  with this, then it’s not our fault. If anything in a/state disturbs or upsets you, then it’s probably best that you
  stop reading now. If you choose to continue, then on your head be it. Although, as we said, it’s only a game
  and should be treated as such. If you’re concerned parent who’s reading this, aghast at what your child has
  been looking at, then maybe you should pay closer attention to what your child is purchasing, rather than
  blaming us for publishing what is, admittedly, a fairly darkly themed game.
  Support your friendly local games shop!
  
  The Precepts
  Tales Of The City
  3
  The Shortest Distance: Transport & Travel
  4
  Lifeblood: The Canals
  4
  Tracks: The Railways
  6
  Complexity: The Streets
  7
  Overhead: Air
  8
  Nervous System: Computing & Communication
  8
  Sedate The Masses: Entertainment
  10
  You Are What You Eat: Food & Drink
  12
  But Where Does It All Come From?: Resources
  14
  The Shifted
  14
  The Lost Places
  17
  The Place
  City Map
  19
  Bankside
  20
  Clearwater Break
  21
  Folly Hills
  23
  Mire End
  24
  Luminosity Tower
  27
  The Contested Grounds
  28
  The Power
  The 3rd Syndicate
  31
  Three Canals Metropolitan Area Authority
  32
  Arclight
  34
  Sideband Media
  35
  Religion and Cultism
  36
  The Third Church Of God The Architect
  38
  The Procedure
  Modifying The Roll
  41
  Skill and Attribute Challenges
  41
  Skills and Skill Modifiers
  41
  Combat
  42
  Basics
  42
  Melee Combat
  42
  Fire Combat
  43
  Hitting The Target
  43
  Penetrating Armour
  45
  Damage
  46
  Medical Aid And Healing
  46
  The Players
  Attributes
  49
  Buying Attributes and Skills
  49
  Character Concept
  50
  Questions To Be Asked
  50
  Origin
  50
  Upbringing
  51
  Types Of Characters In The City
  52
  Starting Wealth
  54
  Skills Table
  55
  Rounding Out The Character
  56
  Skill Descriptions
  56
  The Product
  Money In The City
  61
  Pricing And Scarcity of Resources
  61
  Technology Level In The City
  61
  Armament Technology In The City
  61
  Weapons
  62
  Armour
  65
  Dingins
  66
  Clothing
  66
  Navigation Devices
  67
  Medical Equipment
  67
  Survival Gear
  67
  Tools
  67
  Vision Enhancers
  67
  Miscellaneous Equipment
  68
  Vehicles
  68
  Boats
  68
  Aircraft
  69
  Groundcars and Other Vehicles
  69
  contents
  
  intro
  Welcome to a/stateLite V2, the playable preview of a/state, the role-playing game of gothic horror SF.
  Within these pages, you’ll find  all you need to get a flavour of The City, its inhabitants, power groups
  and technology. A simple but detailed game system allows you to generate interesting characters for
  hundreds of hours of fascinating gaming in The City.
  a/stateLite V2 is divided into six chapters, as follows:
  The Precepts
  An introduction to the City, its past, its present and possible future. You’ll find essays, lectures and sto-
  ries giving information on many aspects of city life, from the stinking canals to sports and entertain-
  ment.
  The Place
  6 areas of The City described in detail, with highlighted locations and important local personalities.
  However, the full version of a/state contains 33 detailed areas of The City, with more to come in the
  upcoming supplement ‘Avenues & Alleyways’.
  The Power
  Who controls life in The City? Macrocorporations, religions, criminal syndicates and many others all
  try to influence the lives of the citizens. Presented here are 6 of the 21 organisations presented in the
  full version of a/state.
  The Procedure
  The basic rules system for play in the world of The City. Covering task resolution and man to man com-
  bat. The full a/state book will feature rules on poisons, vehicle combat and all the hazards of life in
  The City.
  The Players
  The people who make the game really live. Presented here are rules for creating unique characters for
  play in a/stateLite. The full a/state book will contain an expanded character generation system, with
  advantages, disadvantages, pre-generated characters and much more.
  The Product
  From clunky, primitive sparklock pistols to tiny nanoscale dingins, all the variety of technology avail-
  able is featured here. In the a/state main rule book, you’ll find a substantial expanded selection of
  weapons, equipment and vehicles.
  The full a/state book also contains two additional chapters: The Preface (which contains introductory
  fiction set in The City) and The Prescription (which contains a full sample adventure and 8 adventure
  nuggets).
  
  the precepts
  "I tell you one thing, there's something not right
  about this place. I've seen things, done things and
  turned my back on things that, well, I forget. But,
  there's something deep, something really, really
  wrong with The City. I don't care for all these aca-
  demics and speculators who study The Shifted and
  mutter on endlessly about lost science. There's
  something out there that we're not getting told.
  Someone is hiding something, something really big.
  Why do we all accept that we can't leave this
  place? Because we're told we can't. Who tells us?
  Rumour, folklore, stories. Old wives tales.
  Something's happening, something bad."
  Nina Locke, Stringer, Sideband Media.
  
  TALES OF THE CITY
  Centuries of industry and human activity have created a pall
  that hangs over The City. Some pilots say they have seen the
  stars. Eight giant mercantile structures dominate The City. Yet
  in many ways, they fail abjectly in their goals. So numerous
  are the inhabitants, so fractured the layout of this giant
  sprawl, that domination is impossible. Yet they fight, and
  scheme and plot and affect the lives of millions. The citizens
  struggle to get by. Fear and desperation are the defining
  attributes of society. Some sell their souls to the corporate
  monoliths, others get by on their own, and others seek solace
  in the blissful ignorance of religion, whilst the unfortunate are
  driven beyond the edge of insanity.
  The unremittingly heavy nature of The City crushes even the
  most hardened soul. The oppressive presence of the millions
  of gargoyles, spires, arches, buttresses and walls would drain
  the life out of the most optimistic of people. Stone, brick and
  concrete are the bones of The City. The Canals are the blood.
  The corrupted, unfathomably complex network which makes
  up the Dataflow the nervous system. Despair, madness and
  suicide are commonplace, just normal facets of life in the
  crushing urban maze. A good night's sleep is a luxury
  enjoyed by only the rich or the dead. The Sound is every-
  where, the constant hum of traffic, of industry and of all
  human activity. Silence must be bought, and then only at the
  highest of prices.
  The variety of technology is remarkable. Some live in claus-
  trophobic brick built tenements, lit by gas piped in from
  ancient landfills, flickering blue flames in the dark. Others
  repose in utter luxury atop a granite spire, served by armies
  of semi-aware drones or fully aware slaves. The greatest divi-
  sion of technology can be seen in that defining icon of The
  City: the gun. Backstreet gangers, guffers and underworlders
  kill each other with oily cartridge pistols and smoking spark-
  locks while the macrocorporate security shoot back with
  magnetic repeaters. Some men's wealth can be judged by
  how hitech a firearm they carry. A sad and inescapable fact.
  Nearly one thousand years ago, as far as anyone can tell,
  two legends came in to being. Why and how these cata-
  clysmic events happened remains unknown. But learned men
  are sure they happened, and since then things have been dif-
  ferent in The City. Philosophers, scientists and poets argue
  that The City once had a name. In the present it is simply
  called The City, for there is nowhere else other than the blast-
  ed Outlands. 
  One event came to be known as The Shift, rumoured to be   a
  change so great that the very fabric of The City was changed
  forever. Places and people were altered, new beings sprang,
  fully formed, into existence. Then, so the tellers of tales would
  have it, The City was subjected to a rain of fire: The
  Bombardment. Infernos fell from the sky and laid waste to
  whole tracts of land. More important than the destruction of the
  physical was the destruction of knowledge that The
  Bombardment caused. Datacores were wiped, libraries
  reduced to ashes and the memories of the survivors scarred.
  Few remnants of life before The Shift and The Bombardment
  remain. A few structures of vast size and strength remain to
  remind the inhabitants of the past. For centuries people have
  lived in limbo, the only history that of the past hundred
  decades. The people also discovered that invisible forces pre-
  vented them from leaving their wasted home. Survivors trying
  to reach the Outlands disappeared in a storm of vapour and a
  titanic thunderclap. To the present day, no one leaves The City.
  Folklore has it that the Outlands were once fertile and green,
  now they are a blasted land of desert, rock and desiccated
  forests. The City itself is a place of dark alleys, ponderous
  architecture and stinking canals. In the centuries following The
  Shift and The Bombardment, the survivors sought to band
  together and make some sort of life for themselves. Not only
  did they have to deal with the destruction of their technology;
  they had to deal with the creatures which became known as
  The Shifted: beings which seemed to have come from
  nowhere. It appears these entities  are just as angry and con-
  fused by The Shift as the human inhabitants of The City. In the
  thousand years since The Shift, something of an equilibrium
  has been reached. The Shifted and humans go about their
  affairs, mostly co-existing in a rough semblance of order.
  Some do not. Some on both sides seek to inflict pain on the
  rest of the population. Alliances between humankind and The
  Shifted are made and broken every day. Humans stumble on
  areas affected by The Shift and descend into abject madness.
  The struggles of the first century gave rise to organisations
  which still exist today. The macrocorps all grew from the
  ashes, each with their own unique story of war, decimation
  and survival. Over the coming centuries, The City and its
  inhabitants would reach a twisted equilibrium with their situ-
  ation. Society grew and expanded, the population stuttered,
  fell and then grew again. Sciences and technologies were
  rediscovered, yet even today, many live in poverty and 
  grindingly primitive conditions. The rediscovered technolo-
  gies were harnessed by those who had the power and
  resources to utilise them. The macrocorps evolved into bas-
  tions of knowledge, hoarding their precious discoveries, only
  to find them ripped away by unceasing war and the more
  subtle calamities of espionage and treachery.
  the precepts 3
  
  Now, in the present day, The City is a study in contrasts. The
  majority of the population live in tenements and towers built
  of brick, stone and concrete. Their dwellings are lit by gas
  piped in from huge rubbish heaps or by flickering electric
  lamps, their clothes made from crude fibres and their proper-
  ty that of a society barely reaching the industrial age. In the
  domains of the macrocorps, things are very different. The cor-
  porate citizens have access to the finest food, to unlimited
  power, to shining vehicles and well made clothes. The sol-
  diers who guard them ward off the unruly, clamouring mobs.
  In the slums of Mire End, Dreamingspires and Fogwarren, life
  is a daily toil, earning enough to buy some food as best you
  can. The middle classes fear the slums, seeing them
  encroaching upon their own moderately comfortable lives. In
  the corporate bastions of Luminosity Tower, Konkret and The
  Forbidden City, the macrocorporates look down upon the
  teeming millions: their workforce and their potential downfall.
  Through the backstreets and alleys, The Shifted Ubel stalk,
  ripping and tearing those who come too close, leaving only
  a cooling corpse as an echo of their passing. Simils made of
  iron and brass, surmounted with a human head, clank their
  way through the streets or lay down their existences in the
  hell of the Contested Grounds. Lugner spread rumour, fear
  and suspicion through their whispers and fleeting dreams.
  Some seek to stand up to the despair and hopelessness.
  Lostfinders investigate the miserable dealings of the common
  populace for little or no reward while Stringers piece together
  fragments of information to feed into the hungry newswires and
  memory cores of the Dataflow. The Provosts of the Three
  Canals Metropolitan Area Authority (TCMAA) try to enforce
  some form of law and order in their chaotic collection of
  burghs, holding on to the belief that theirs is the one place in
  The City where life is that little bit better. Others believe that the
  unknown forces which prevent anyone leaving this place are
  corroding, that soon they will be able to leave this place for a
  better life above the smog.
  Perhaps the clouds will one-day part, and then, the people of
  The City will once again have that rarest and most precious
  of commodities: hope.
  THE SHORTEST DISTANCE: transport and travel
  Getting around The City is a problem that can tax even the
  most cunning, intelligent and streetwise of citizens. The mas-
  sive complexity and interconnectivity of The City makes navi-
  gation an extremely difficult proposition. That having been
  said, there are three main ways which allow you to get
  about: the canals, the railways and the streets. 
  LIFEBLOOD: THE CANALS
  The floating wharves and loitering skiffs rocked violently as
  the ekranoplan rushed by in a howl of props and a wall of
  spray. Traders were pitched overboard and stock sank into
  the impenetrable depths.
  "Bastard!" screamed Innes. "Utter, utter, utter bastard!"
  "I wouldn't worry, pal. Someone'll get the gadgie." uttered a
  dripping, brown figure standing unsteadily on a small plastic
  skiff.
  "Fuck that, I've jist lost all me stock."
  "Ach, never mind, you'll get more."
  "Get more? Fuck you, ya dick. It took me weeks of raking
  about underground to get that lot. Good scrap it was, too.
  Don't you blether to me about getting more."
  "Steady, man. Didn't mean to cause any offence. Just com-
  menting, like."
  "Oh, jist piss off, OK."
  The dripping figure scrunched his fists up in his pockets and
  made to start the engine of his skiff. He turned.
  "Hey, pal!"
  Innes looked up from what remained of his stock, ready to tell
  that annoying idiot exactly where to go.
  "What the fu..." He found himself looking down the barrel of
  a massive sparklock.
  "Stitch this, ye miserable sod." 
  The roar of the gun was lost as another ekranoplan roared
  past, rocking the boats.
  If the Dataflow is the nervous system of The City, then the
  canals are its lifeblood. From the majesty of the Grand Canal
  to the stinking Capillary Streams, the canals provide trans-
  port, food, water and even entertainment. Dominating the
  canal network are the eight major Lateral Canals. The
  Laterals are connected by the Concentrics, rings of water
  spreading out from the centre of the city. At the very heart of
  the system is Basin, a deep, dark pool of water a thousand
  yards across. This perfect black circle is home to no drifters,
  no markets float on its surface. Rumour and superstition
  abound about Basin. Some say that monsters inhabit the
  depths, other state with authority that it is a bottomless pit.
  Whatever the real story, Basin is another one of the mysteries
  of The City, a mystery no one is in a hurry to investigate.
  The Grand Canal
  Largest and most impressive of all the main canals, the Grand
  (or 'Big Blue' as it is known locally) is walled by sheets of
  incredibly tough, grey metal which seems impervious to any
  known force (short of an atom weapon, whichno one has
  tried yet). Completely different in construction to any of the
  the precepts 4
  
  other canals, the Grand is by far the biggest, at a constant
  one hundred yards wide for its entire length. Ancient and ill-
  understood pump mechanisms ensure that water flows (at a
  very slow rate) around the canal, preventing stagnation.
  However, many of the mechanisms have broken down and
  the Grand has become choked
  with rubbish at several points
  along its length. The largest
  event of the year on the Grand
  Canal is the GC:2000, the
  biggest and most impressive
  ekranoplan race of the season.
  Teams from all classes and from
  all over The City line up to
  make two hundred sprints up
  and down a ten mile section of
  the Grand. Hundreds of thou-
  sands of spectators line the
  banks and millions more watch
  on TV or from the buildings
  overlooking the canal, all hop-
  ing to catch sight of the most
  impressive crash or spectacular
  mechanical failure.
  The Least Canal
  Narrowest of the main lateral canals, the Least is, at points,
  totally clogged with waste and rubbish. Indeed, at some
  points along the canal, settlements have grown up on the
  solid ground formed by the rubbish blockages. This has cre-
  ated large stagnant ponds fed by sewers and runoff from the
  streets. Disease is common around these pools, hence the
  fact that some of the worst slums in The City can found along
  the banks of the Least. 
  The Black Canal
  Poisoned by slurry and toxic waste from the mining zones,
  which straddle the canal, and by toxic waste from rustbelts
  and landfills to its north, the Black Canal has been closed off
  at its eastern end to prevent contamination leaking in to the
  main canal system. All of the concentric and capillary canals
  leading into Black have also been blocked off.
  The Red Canal
  The Red Canal takes its name not from the colour of the
  water, which is the usual blackish brown, but from the smooth 
  red stone which makes up its banks and bed. Theorists spec-
  ulate that the Red Canal is the oldest of the main canals
  (apart from the Serpentine, whose origin may be natural).
  Nonetheless, the Red is a massively busy waterway, con-
  stantly thronged with rowboats, barges, steamers and hover-
  craft. Many areas of the bank have been cut away over hun-
  dreds of years to provide good stone for building and now
  resemble vast flights of steps.
  The Nothing
  The Nothing is deep. Not just
  deep like the other canals, but
  really deep. A slab sided trench
  extending one hundred metres
  into the ground. Why the
  Nothing was built like this,
  nobody is sure and any records
  of its creation were lost long ago.
  The Green Canal
  For most of its length, the Green
  Canal is covered with a thick
  carpet of hardy waterplants.
  Traffic along the Green is sorely
  impeded by the tough, fibrous
  growths which emit highly toxic
  compounds when slashed or
  cut. They also seem almost immune to any form of toxin or
  parasite, fuelling the theory that they originated from geneti-
  cally modified stock, created for some forgotten purpose.
  The Serpentine Canal
  Winding its lazy way through the western reaches of The City,
  the Serpentine Canal is an oddity amongst the sharp regular-
  ity of the canals. Some topologists speculate that at some
  point in the distant past, the Serpentine was a river on which
  the ancient ancestor of The City stood. Now, the Serpentine is
  enclosed by concrete banks and brick walls, a naturally
  shaped feature in an unnaturally twisted environment. 
  The Trench
  Cutting through what must have once been an upland area,
  The Trench has steep rock walls, sometimes as much as two
  hundred metres high. The walls are now riddled with
  dwellings, factories, malls, sewers, traintubes and roadways.
  The Trench is seldom used as a means of transport and is, for
  most of its length, ill supplied with turnoffs and tributaries.
  However, the canal itself is criss-crossed with a latticework of
  walkways, traintubes, bridges, conduits and pipelines. On
  occasion the lattice becomes so thick that it is impossible to
  view the canal from above.
  the precepts 5
  
  THE CONCENTRIC CANALS
  Slashing across the main lateral canals are the eight
  Concentric Canals. Unlike the Laterals, the Concentrics are
  bereft of romantic names, being referred to as Ring One
  through Eight. They are uniformly sixty metres wide and are
  often thronged with watercraft and speeding ekranoplans (in
  some sections, there are dedicated ekranoplan lanes for
  safety purposes). Certain parts of the Concentrics are
  blocked off, especially all of those connecting with the Black
  Canal. This can sometimes prove a hindrance to traffic, but
  back canals and capillary waterways usually provide an
  alternative route.
  THE MINOR CANALS AND CAPILLARIES
  Connecting up the Laterals and the Concentrics are hundreds
  upon hundreds of minor canals, some no more than a couple
  of metres wide, water alleys through the heart of The City. In
  some places they are hemmed in by buildings, only accessi-
  ble through tight, narrow lanes, sewage outfalls and water-
  gates at their edge. Others have walkways, paths and streets
  by their sides whilst gangways, bridges, pipes, ropes and
  cables create a latticework over the canals, often making
  high speed travel a distinctly dangerous prospect. 
  TRACKS: THE RAILWAYS
  An analysis of the rail network prepared for presentation to
  the 2nd Level Disbursements Committee, Nakamura Yebisu
  Group.
  "While the canals dominate the mercantile life of our city, the
  extensive railway network operated by the Ancient and
  Honourable Guild of Fulgurators and the Transit Militia pro-
  vides a useful adjunct to waterborne transport. Please do not
  be mistaken that the railway system is anything like our own
  railtracks used to bring resources in from the Outlands. Our
  tracks are wonders of engineering. With the city network, one
  wonders how the engineering holds up.
  The tracks spread through the city like a parasitic plant, some
  times aping the spread of the canals, sometimes following
  their own routes. At times they are held aloft on brick arches,
  iron trestles and concrete skyways. In other sections they dive
  deep underground, threading through ancient tunnels and
  passageways, but at no time do the railways run at what we
  would call 'ground level', i.e.: the level of the canals. They are
  always either elevated or subterranean.
  Power for the railways is provided by the ancient, failing sys-
  tems of the Guild. We have always denied them aid, as have
  the other seven, in accordance with our agreements. The
  Guild maintains rusting, decrepit power production systems
  at various locations around The City, patching, tending and
  caring for these decaying mechanisms as best they can.
  Power outages and flow failures are becoming more and
  more common in some areas as they fight to maintain a work-
  ing supply. 
  The power is routed to the railways through massive over-
  head power lines, dangerous, deadly systems that have killed
  more than one wandering unfortunate. Pantographs on the
  tops of the engines hauling the trains draw power from these
  lines, sparking and arcing in a most alarming manner. The
  engines and trains are impressive things to behold. The
  engine itself is essentially one huge electric motor driving
  eight or more wheels. They are ornate constructions of black
  iron and brass, impressive in a primitive sort of way. The
  coaches are variable in the extreme, no two exactly alike. The
  trains rumble and crackle along the tracks, the blue sparks
  from their engines mingling with the orange sparks of the iron
  brakes. The train drivers are all members of the Guild, clad
  from head to toe in heavy, insulated suits to protect them-
  selves from the ever-present danger of electrocution.
  The engines are jealously guarded, precious things. We hold
  a strong suspicion, as do other intelligence organisations,
  that the Guild no longer has the capability or the funds to pro-
  duce more engines. We feel this is evidenced by the increas-
  ing number of engines being stripped for parts in the yards
  and sidings. It is therefore not unsurprising that the engines
  are guarded with some vigour by the Transit Militia. Gaining
  access to one is impossible within the precincts of a station or
  yard. The Militia are somewhat trigger-happy and will glad-
  ly shoot anyone they suspect of interfering with the engines. I
  personally experienced this while gathering intelligence in
  CrossBar Terminus, but gladly, I escaped unscathed.
  You will note from the map behind me that stations are numer-
  ous and widely scattered. Each parish, burgh or area has at
  least one station, many of the larger areas having several
  within their boundaries. Stations are very variable in their
  construction and facilities, but none are kept in particularly
  good repair. The Militia guards at all stations I visited are,
  however, highly motivated and devoted to their duty. Any
  transgression of rail law is punished very swiftly, as I wit-
  nessed on several occasions.
  The locus of all rail activity in The City is CrossBar Terminus.
  You will see on the map that all lines converge here. A mas-
  sive, rambling place, it is the bastion of power for both the
  the precepts 6
  
  Guild and the Militia. I have a firm belief that the Guild main-
  tains its most important power production facilities under the
  terminus, although I was, sadly, unable to find their location
  or even to confirm their very existence.
  In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I
  would say that our current course of
  action, i.e.: doing nothing, should be
  continued. It is my strong belief that the
  railways are on a downward course
  and will expire without any excessive
  outside influence from ourselves.
  I do sincerely hope you found this short
  exposition useful and I thank you for
  your time."
  COMPLEXITY: THE STREETS
  For sheer diversity, complexity and
  maddening resistance to order, only
  one network comes close to The
  Dataflow: the streets, alleys, boule-
  vards, thoroughfares and sidewalks of
  The City. An ancient tangle, riddled
  with secrets, with hidden byways and
  centuries old paths. No one person
  can claim to have knowledge of the
  millions of interstices and nodes which
  make up the street network of The City.
  However, few need to make such a
  claim, as only a small percentage of
  the population ever travels more than a
  mile or so from the place of their birth. 
  In most areas of The City, traffic on the
  streets is primarily on foot. Porters sell
  their backs for the carriage of heavy
  burdens, entire families draw small
  wagons of goods, ground vehicles are
  rare and treated with a semi-mystical
  awe. The occasional clanking, stuttering electric wagon
  owned by a haulage company can be seen making its
  unsteady way down the wider streets. Only in the more pros-
  perous area, mainly those controlled by the macrocorps,
  does ground traffic become increasingly vehicular. Vehicles
  that cost more than the average citizen could hope to earn in
  their lifetime are used for short trips, for promenading or for
  terrorising those of a lesser social status. Armed gangs of
  well-to-do youngsters stream out of their protected areas to
  cause chaos on the streets. Many never return, ripped apart
  by real gangs who have lived their entire lives through vio-
  lence and chaos, their expensive powerbikes destroyed or
  sold for a fraction of their real value. 
  Some areas offer alternative methods of
  transport, such as cablecars, funiculars
  and 
  trams. 
  In 
  the 
  Three 
  Canals
  Metropolitan area, the Authority lays on a
  ramshackle, irregular and somewhat dan-
  gerous tram service. These rickety con-
  structions, drawing their power from unin-
  sulated overhead lines, rattle down the
  streets according to a timetable which is
  never published. Other parts of The City,
  such as Burningfell, are criss-crossed by
  funiculars, carrying goods and people up
  and down the steep sides of the fell. Some
  areas, in an effort to reduce the chances of
  their citizens being preyed upon by crimi-
  nal elements, have even set up cable cars
  which swing above the streets, carrying
  passengers between stations perched on
  top of tenements and clinging to the sides
  of towerblocks.
  However, the most important thing to
  remember about the streets is that the vast
  majority of people walk. And that includes
  the vast majority of people who have
  designs on the money, property or lives of
  their fellow citizens. Only a few streets are
  well lit, wide and easy to stroll down, the
  vast majority being small and cramped,
  with dwellings reaching high above on
  either side. Stalls and ramshackle accom-
  modations make them even more crowded,
  forcing walkers to press past each other in
  a constant, flowing mass of bodies. The
  streets are home to cutpurses, pickpockets,
  jackers and thieves of all sorts. Wise peo-
  ple keep one hand on their money and
  another hand on a stout cosh. 
  The best advice, if you have to travel, is to avoid areas with
  which you are not familiar. There is a very real chance that
  wandering through unknown alleys and lanes, you will
  emerge into places with which you are desperately unfamil-
  iar. Many who, by accident or design, take a stroll into
  Bankside, Mire End or Fogwarren are never seen again: lost,
  murdered, eaten or taken into slavery. 
  Be warned: The streets take no prisoners. 
  the precepts 7
  
  OVERHEAD: AIR
  The air above The City is choked with pollution, a permanent
  brown haze hanging over the buildings. Through this haze
  comes the occasional thrumming cargo aerostat, screeching
  mikefighter or wallowing dirigible. Air travel is almost exclu-
  sively the preserve of those organisations wealthy enough
  and powerful enough to be able to afford the massive costs
  involved in building, buying and maintaining aircraft. Outside
  of the macrocorps, hardly anyone maintains substantial fleets
  of aircraft, with most of those outside of macrocorp service
  being ancient, decrepit, patched up and generally time-worn. 
  The most common form of aircraft in the skies over The City is
  the aerostat. Flat, disc or oval shaped craft, they use massive
  arrays of fans to lift their bulky bodies into the air and further
  arrays of jets or fans to propel them forward. While not par-
  ticularly fast, they can carry heavy loads and have the
  advantage of being able to land almost anywhere. Huge 
  circular cargo aerostats carry heavy loads of resource 
  materials from the outer edges of The City into the factories
  nearer the centre. Most of the really big aerostats are manu-
  factured by Gorunna Logistics, who have something of a
  monopoly in the design and building of such craft. Smaller
  aerostats serve a wide variety of different functions, from gun-
  ships to one man personal transports. 
  Buzzing between tower blocks and flitting across the rooftops
  are the mikefighters, tiny warplanes optimised for combat in
  The City. Barely big enough to hold a pilot, an engine and
  some weapons, they come in a staggering variety of designs,
  from pure fighters to warcrawl-busters and bombers. 
  A few centuries ago when the mikefighters first started
  appearing, they were much larger and heavier than they are
  now. Then a bright spark working for one of the macrocorps
  had the idea that by reducing the space needed for the pilot,
  and the systems which support him or her, the overall size of
  the craft could be reduced. Fast forward to the present era
  and the current situation, with that single idea long ago taken
  to its logical conclusion: mikefighters are piloted by children.
  Kids as young as five are drafted into macrocorp training
  academies and instructed to become pilots. Most start their
  careers aged eight or nine, careers which are over by the
  time they hit puberty. Very few now question the use of child
  soldiers in this way, it has become just another part of life in
  The City. The rate of attrition amongst rookie mikefighter
  pilots is terrible, with crashes, equipment failures and death
  in combat all being contributing factors. The majority of mike-
  fighters are either vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) craft
  or short take-off and landing (STOL) craft. Some users, how-
  ever, do make use of some rather interesting methods for the
  rapid launch of their aircraft. Trilhoeven are known to main-
  tain launch and landing areas on top of some of their larger
  buildings, using magnetic catapults to accelerate mikefighters
  up to speed before  launching them off the side of the build-
  ing. Others simply drop them from the sides of the tallest
  buildings, sending them plummeting to the ground before
  their engines take hold and curve them skyward.
  Compared to the mikefighters and aerostats, drigibles (or air-
  ships) are slow, ponderous and unwieldy and a relative rari-
  ty in The City. They are all homemade, patchwork construc-
  tions of dubious reliability, floating under bags of explosive
  hydrogen. Many areas will not allow dirigibles to pass over-
  head, due to the risk of fire and explosion, and so they are
  mostly confined to the outer areas of The City where
  aerostats are rare. Powered by chugging, inefficient alcohol
  burning engines, they plough through the skies, sometimes
  coming to a virtual halt when the headwind becomes too
  great.
  NERVOUS SYSTEM: computing and communication
  The Dataflow has often been likened to the nervous system of
  The City, twisting through its gargantuan body, sending,
  receiving and processing information. However, The
  Dataflow should not be thought of as one consistent, con-
  tiguous whole; like The City itself, it is a phenomenally com-
  plex agglomeration which has built up over time into a fright-
  eningly convoluted network. Every communications and com-
  puter system constitutes a part of The Dataflow. Telegraphs,
  cablenets, microwave relays and laser comms provide the
  transfer capacity, while datacores, dingins and electronic
  computers provide the storage and processing capacity. An
  important note is that radio systems are unused in The City.
  Something prevents radio being used, nobody even bothers
  trying any more, it's just an accepted part of life.
  COMPUTING
  By far the most common form of computer in The City is the
  mechanical computer, or dingin as it’s more commonly
  known. They range in size from the massive assemblies of
  cogs, gears and rods of macroscale engines, down to the tiny
  nanoscale dingin processor blocks produced by macrocor-
  porate manufacturers. Between these two ends of the spec-
  trum, there are the microscale engines, where the mecha-
  nisms are too small to be seen with the naked eye (sometimes
  only just) but can be easily viewed with a microscope. Some
  of these are produced on vast automated production facili-
  the precepts 8
  
  ties, while others are painstakingly constructed by hand by
  the most skilled of artisans. No matter what scale of dingin is
  used, there must be a means of programming it so that it will
  carry out its functions. Macroscale engines are most com-
  monly programmed by sequences of punched cards or slot-
  ted tapes which the dingin reads and translates into machine
  code. Microscale engines use a variation on the tape idea,
  using tiny spools of coded metallic tape run at vast speed to
  program the engine. Nanoscale engines are the most com-
  plex of all, using strings of individual molecules as the ‘tape’.
  Dingins have become so prevalent in The City because of the
  high level of background radiation and the constant threat of
  viruses. The virus threat comes in many forms: so many have
  been used over the centuries that many of the viruses have
  evolved 
  and
  changed, becoming
  predators in The
  Dataflow. However,
  they cannot attack
  dingin systems with-
  out having some
  means to physically
  insert their program-
  ming. Also, dingins
  are far more resist-
  ant to radiation and
  extremes of tempera-
  ture, making them
  ideal for life in The
  City. Most weapons
  systems with inte-
  grated computing
  modules use dingins for this very reason.
  Other forms of computer system are found in The City, but
  none are so widespread as the dingin. Optical computers
  are utilised by macrocorporate and corporate organisations,
  but they are most often separated from the main body of The
  Dataflow by firewalls and banks of dingin safeguards. These
  optical computers most often use DNA  cores for information
  storage purposes, giving massive amounts of storage capac-
  ity. The DNA systems use crystalline vats containing DNA
  material suspended in a storage medium. Variable frequency
  lasers read the information stored on the DNA chains while
  information is added and removed through chemical enzyme
  activity. Some of the macrocorps are known to use such
  things as quantum gate computers on a limited basis for ultra-
  high level encryption purposes. However, only one of the
  macrocorps (Hirplakker) is known to have created Artificial
  Intelligences.
  COMMUNICATION
  Like The City itself, The Dataflow is almost incomprehensibly
  complex, multi layered and incredibly variable in its level of
  technology. The Dataflow encompasses telegraph lines,
  phone lines, cablenets, microwave relays, laser comms and
  many other, esoteric, forms of communication. Something as
  simple as telephoning one of your friends can be a night-
  marish operation, depending on the kind of access you have,
  where you are in The City and quite often, who you are. In
  many of the poorer areas, communications are non-existent,
  or extend only to a battered public telephone kiosk standing
  on a street corner or by a canal. Wealthier areas usually
  have contracts with telecomms companies or the macrocorps
  to provide communications services. These can range from
  simple telephone sys-
  tems to full visual
  conferencing 
  and
  information access
  systems. As an exam-
  ple of the complexi-
  ty, someone calling
  from Bankside to a
  friend in Burningfell
  may have to wander
  down to a public
  kiosk and dial the
  number that they
  think the individual
  might be on (these
  can change with
  alarming frequency).
  This will then be rout-
  ed to the nearest exchange (if the exchange is still working).
  The exchange will then have to see what systems it can
  access in order to patch a call through to Burningfell. This
  might involve linking into a macrocorporate comms network,
  routing the call through a series of microwave relays to a
  main processing exchange. This bigger exchange would then
  prioritise the call and route it through the most appropriate
  and available network. The call could then be shunted onto
  a local cablenet and fired towards Burningfell. Luckily,
  Burningfell has stumped up for local cable access. Then, the
  call gets routed to the local server system and finally, maybe,
  reaches the intended destination. As can be seen, this is a
  ridiculously complex system and it can often take an age to
  actually get a call patched through to the person you want.
  The most comprehensive (indeed, the only) citywide integrat-
  ed comms network is provided by Barrage Balloon
  Communications, a subsidiary of Sideband Media. BBC
  the precepts 9
  
  maintains a network of massive gas balloons floating at
  heights between 4,000 and 8,000 feet above The City.
  Below these balloons are clusters of microwave downlinks
  and relays. Subscribers to the service can send a message,a
  phone call or conduct video conferencing at reasonable
  speed and with relative security. Messages are routed into
  the network through an extensive series of uplink/downlink
  stations and sent to the nearest downlink to the target point
  via the network of balloon relays. This avoids the vast, com-
  plex body of The Dataflow as whole. Users still need a
  means of access to the ground stations and most use the
  hardwired cablenets provided by BBC. Corporate users are
  most common, although private individuals can buy into this
  expensive system. The largest non-corporate users are the
  TCMAA Provosts who use the network to route most of their
  inter-unit comms traffic.
  Now, the above is just on the level of actually talking to some-
  one. When it comes to exploring The Dataflow or accessing
  information, this process becomes even trickier. If you have
  the right system and access, then entering an information
  database is relatively simple. Searching the entire Dataflow
  for information is a much more worrying task due to the dif-
  ferent technology levels, connections and processing speeds
  and means of data transfer, it can often take days to track
  down the particular bit of information you're looking for.
  Specialist software companies such as Firefinger have estab-
  lished a reputation for building dingin programs designed
  explicitly for information search and retrieval. Even with these
  specialist programs, it's never easy. The bit of info you might
  be looking for could be stored on a centuries old macroscale
  dingin with a ridiculously low retrieval and transfer speed.
  So, while finding the information might not be so complex,
  actually retrieving and downloading it would be the time con-
  suming part of the process. Data retrieval specialists (or
  flowghosts as they are more commonly known) have devel-
  oped unparalleled skills for get information from The
  Dataflow, cracking secure databases and sneaking off with
  information that they really shouldn't have.
  SEDATE THE MASSES: entertainment
  With such a huge, factionalised, unstable population, The
  City could easily explode into mass violence at any moment.
  One of the few things that keeps the population stable is (rel-
  atively) easy access to a vast range of entertainment. From
  the ridiculously expensive night-clubs of Brightlights to the
  parasite infested brothels surrounding the Contested
  Grounds, entertainment comes in many forms.
  TELEVISION
  Easily the most widespread entertainment medium in The
  City, low-grade television is supplied to hundreds of thou-
  sands of homes by Sideband Media and other, smaller com-
  panies. Many years ago, it was Sideband who took the deci-
  sion to provide free television to any part of The City that
  requested it. Hence, even the most impoverished homes will
  have a television, albeit a battered and scarred one, sitting
  somewhere in the room. Sideband took this decision (a deci-
  sion which was followed by other corporations) for three
  main reasons. The first reason was, in agreement with the
  other macrocorps, to effectively sedate the population and
  provide them with an outlet for their fears, hatred and pas-
  sions. The second reason was to make money from a range
  of other services. Although TV is provided free, only a limited
  range of channels are offered, with more popular, diverse
  channels costing an extra fee. In addition, users can also pay
  to have their cablenet carry phone signals. Sideband makes
  a healthy profit from this service, charging exorbitant rates for
  telecommunications provision. The third reason was that TV
  could penetrate the home more effectively than any other
  advertising medium. A full 35% of programming consists of
  adverts and infomercials. New products are glamourised
  and glorified, encouraging the huddled masses to purchase
  the latest consumer goods, even if they can barely afford
  them. 
  Actual entertainment programming covers a wide spectrum.
  The free channels mostly concentrate on cheap fiction shows,
  often featuring sex or violence as their main themes.
  Romances, war stories, police dramas and series purporting
  to give an insight into the lives of the rich and famous are all
  extremely popular whilst factual and news programming is
  almost non-existent on the free channels. For anything
  approximating documentary or serious news, a user must
  pay for one or more of the additional channels. More popu-
  lar than these are the film channels, which show an endless
  diet of the low-budget movies churned out by Sideband, its
  subsidiaries and other smaller studios. They tend to follow the
  same pattern as the free TV shows, only with bigger budgets
  and better known actors. Sports channels are also highly
  popular, with the Association of Ground Effect Racing
  Leagues Wingship channel being by far the most heavily sub-
  scribed. 
  Workers come home at night, shrug off their working clothes
  and place themselves in front of the TV to while away their
  evenings. TV sedates the population and allows the macro-
  corps to create demand for their products. A more effective
  method of keeping the population under control has yet to be
  found.
  the precepts 10
  
  LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
  Musical trends in The City are very varied, not just from cul-
  ture to culture but from region to region. The most popular
  musical style at the current moment is a discordant, almost
  unlistenable, style named rust. There are many young bands
  that seek to make it on to TV and the rust scene is a very
  vibrant, constantly changing part of the music business.
  Popular new bands in this vein are Deadly Lethargy,
  WaaWaaWaa and SCB, all signed to small, non-macrocor-
  porate, independent labels. Among the more wealthy, club
  orientated set there is a fad for fast, highly syncopated string
  music, quite hard on the ears but
  apparently great for dancing to. The
  scene is virtually dominated by bands
  made up of young macrocorporates.
  There have been a few good bands in
  this vein that are not tied to the macro-
  corps in some way, yet they seldom
  seem to have much success, possibly
  due to the stranglehold of the macro-
  corporates on the music industry. For
  the more cultured listener, opera and
  more sedate string pieces are still big
  business. The Grand Opera House in
  Brightlights and the Unsooth Hall in
  Luminosity Tower both play host to
  many high profile, expensive events.
  Theatrical productions hold a strange place in The City, seem-
  ingly being confined to the two extremes of society. The mas-
  sively rich attend live theatre events as a style statement, to
  show that they would not watch TV like the common herd. At
  the opposite end of the spectrum, the most  poverty stricken
  members of society, who live in places where even Sideband
  refuses to provide TV access, rely on live acts for their enter-
  tainment. Ironically, it is crudely satirical plays which are most
  popular with both audiences. 
  SPORTS
  Newsline
  Subject : HSD Launch New Ekranoplan Racing Ship
  Stringer : Merryn Lysak
  "In a glittering ceremony at the Straits Raceway, HSD
  launched their new ship for the upcoming Class-A season.
  Based on last year's controversial fusion-powered design, the
  new ship is claimed to be faster, more agile and more stable.
  Regular readers may recall the tragic debut race of last
  year's design when 2 racers were killed at the Rapid Ring."
  The most popular spectator sport in The City is, without a
  doubt, ekranoplan racing. The sight of these massively pow-
  erful ground effect planes careering around the canals, a few
  yards above the surface, is quite something. From the Class
  A races down to the lowest of the Limited classes, events
  draw huge crowds, all hoping for an exciting win or spec-
  tacular crash. Racing is co-ordinated and controlled by the
  all-powerful Association of Ground Effect Racing Leagues
  (AGERL). The Association controls every aspect of racing and
  lays down the rules for competition and vehicle design, occa-
  sionally enforcing them by rather violent methods. 
  RACING CLASSES
  Class A: Class A is the fastest and most popular of the three
  racing classes. Using cutting edge design and having the
  best pilots, only teams with massive corporate sponsorship
  can afford to enter. 
  Class B: Less expensive than Class A, often using technolo-
  gy from Class A races of two or three seasons ago, Class B
  offers a more affordable route into the higher echelons of
  racing for less well off teams.
  Limited: Within the Limited class there are numerous strata,
  from local clubman racing, up to semi-professional teams
  striving to get the sponsorship needed to enter the big time.
  Aside from the three main classes, there are numerous
  underground and illegal races which take place across The
  City. These are frowned upon by burgh councils and militant
  organisations, but they all seem unable to stop them. Home
  built ekranoplans of widely varying design take to the waters
  for little or no prize money and often only for the kudos of
  winning.
  the precepts 11
  
  FAMOUS TRACKS AND RACES
  The Grand Canal 2000: Sponsored by Trilhoeven and
  organised by the TCMAA, the GC:2000 is the biggest, rich-
  est and most spectacular sporting event in The City. Every
  season, teams from all classes converge on the Grand Canal
  as it runs through the TCMA. 200 times they race up and
  down a ten mile stretch of the canal, the leading craft reach-
  ing speeds in excess of four hundred and fifty miles per hour.
  Fatalities are common, not only amongst pilots, but amongst
  the throngs of spectators and those foolhardy enough to slip
  past the Provosts and stray onto the canal in small craft. On
  average, five million pounds in bets changes hands running
  up to and during the GC:2000.
  The Rapid Ring: A lethal, twisting watertrack, the Rapid
  Ring was downgraded from Class A to Class B last season
  after a series of horrific accidents on its numerous tight bends.
  Hirplakker, its owners, are furious about this and have made
  numerous threatening advances towards the AGREL.
  The Straits Raceway: From the pollution of the Black
  Canal came something to cheer the population. Two sub-
  sidiary canals, cut off by the blocking of the Black were
  linked up to form the Straits Raceway, a highly competitive
  Limited Class watertrack. Maintained by sponsorship from
  the Firefinger corporation, the Straits are located in
  Fogwarren and often provides the only outlet for the enter-
  tainment starved population.
  OTHER SPORTS and pastimes
  Aside from ekranoplan racing, there are few sports in The City
  which achieve anything other than limited or underground pop-
  ularity. Combat sports are, by the very nature of life in The City,
  rather popular and many variations abound. One of the more
  widespread and popular underground combat games is
  Cripplecut. A Cripplecut venue can be almost anywhere: a cel-
  lar, a tunnel, a back alley or a factory floor. Games range from
  backstreet brawling involving a couple of local toughs to major
  underground events, perhaps drawing as many as a thousand
  spectators. Cripplecut is, at its most basic level, knife fighting.
  But the object is not to kill your opponent but, as the name sug-
  gests, to cripple him or her. Even in the lawless, violent world
  of cripplecut, actually killing your opponent is considered
  rather bad form. Each fighter uses the edged weapon of their
  choice (although there are informal restrictions on what you
  can and cannot use) and attempt to prevent the use of the arms
  and legs of their opponent. Surrender is allowed and takes
  place generally when one fighter has lost the use of two limbs.
  The permission of surrender and the prohibition against killing
  blows are the only two rules in cripplecut. Major cripplecut
  events are often organised by the big criminal groups such as
  the 3rd Syndicate. Betting is always keen at these events,
  whether they are large or small and considerable amounts of
  money change hands. Due to the huge sums wagered on some
  events, some groups have taken to bringing in ‘ringers’ fro-
  moutside the normal cripplecut circles. These are often ghost-
  fighters (a class of stealthy knife-fighters) who have been paid
  very well to take part. However, much to the disappointment of
  their backers, the ghostfighters are often at a severe disadvan-
  tage, as their first instinct in a fight is to strike to kill.
  Card games are particularly popular across The City, mainly
  because they provide a cheap, convenient form of entertain-
  ment. All games are based around the standard eighty card
  deck, containing five suits (Black, Red, Grey, Green and Blue)
  of 16 cards each. The numeral cards run from one to ten, while
  the face cards are named (in ascending order) Assassin, Priest,
  Temptress, Captain, Warlord and Daemon. Widely played
  games include ‘Railwaymans Bluff’, ‘Dog’ and ‘Height’.
  ‘Railwaymans Bluff’ originated with the drivers, signalmen and
  engineers who work on the railways and can have up to ten
  players. The object of the game is to bluff the other players into
  getting rid of the face cards which you need in order to com-
  plete a run of all the face cards and the one card, of a specif-
  ic suit. Assassin cards can be used to force the other player to
  discard a specific face card. If, for example, you suspect that
  one of your opponents holds Black Warlord, and you are
  attempting to collect Grey suit cards and have a Red Assassin
  which you don’t need, you can throw the Assassin down a
  declare an assassination’ on the other player's card. However,
  you need to be careful, because if you’re wrong, the other
  player can randomly select a card from your hand and have it
  discarded. ‘Railwaymans Bluff’ can take an excruciatingly long
  time to play. Needless to say, it helped railway workers while
  away the hours during strikes.
  YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAt: food and drink
  In a city of millions, isolated from the outside world, one
  major question arises: how do the inhabitants survive? More
  pointedly, where does the food come from to allow them to
  survive? The are no farms, no herds of cattle, no rolling fields.
  People require sustenance and that sustenance has to come
  from somewhere. 
  The sustenance problem can essentially be divided into two
  categories: the macrocorporate problem and the everyone
  else problem. Dealing first with the macrocorporates, their sit-
  uation is somewhat easier due to their access to resources
  and labour. Over the decades, the macrocorporate institu-
  the precepts 12
  
  tions have built up vast supply networks, providing them with
  all the food they require, and more. All of the eight maintain
  vast underground hydroponics facilities producing fruit, veg-
  etables, and pharmaceutical plants. Usually located away
  from the centre of The City, these enormous, multi-layered facil-
  ities consume extraordinary amounts of power and water.
  Plants exist in these facilities which are grown nowhere else in
  The City. Salvaged from the chaos of The Shift and The
  Bombardment, the genetic codes for these plants are almost all
  that remains of The City's pre-Bombardment flora. Outside of
  the macrocorporate facilities, many companies, families and
  individuals grow their own food, through various means. Some
  small corporations have purchased equipment and seeds from
  the macrocorps in order to start their own production facilities.
  These vary in quality from sparkling clean underground grow-
  ing houses to dank, pestilence ridden warehouses which bare-
  ly manage to produce anything edible at all. On roofs and in
  courts throughout The City, individuals and family groups main-
  tain small gardens to feed themselves and, occasionally, to
  make a little money. Fertilised by treated sewage (or sometimes
  untreated sewage) these little gardens are fiercely guarded
  against those who might steal valuable food. Most law
  enforcement organisations will look the other way when a gar-
  den owner beats or kills a miscreant who has attempted to
  make off with a vegetable.
  The most commonly available foodstuff in The City is fish, in
  all its varying forms. Bred in the turgid waters of the canals,
  feeding on the plant life (and other fish) they are perhaps the
  most valuable resource in The City. Commercial fish breeders
  use vast cages suspended in the canals to contain and grow
  their stock. Most famous of the fish producing areas is
  Bankside, which sells produce far and wide. Many people
  who dwell beside the canals maintain fish cages on a small-
  er scale, providing for themselves, their family or their local
  community. Selective breeding and limited genetic engineer-
  ing have allowed the fish farmers to breed fish which are
  hardier and better able to survive and grow in the polluted,
  dark waters of the canals.
  In stark contrast to the fishermen of the canals, the macro-
  corps maintain huge underground facilities (normally in the
  same complexes which house the hydroponic facilities)
  devoted to the production of edible fish. Using the water
  which has been cycled through the hydroponic growth areas,
  the fish not only provide food but also provide valuable fer-
  tiliser for the hydroponic facilities. Bloated, lazy specimens
  swim lethargically in the warm tanks, gobbling up food pel-
  lets as fast as the tenders can throw them into the water. The
  fish are a valuable source of food, oils and a wide range of
  other useful stuff: bones are turned into glue, fish skin is
  turned into clothing and oils are sold as lubricants. 
  Outside of the large-scale facilities, fish are still available if
  you have a line, a hook and a lot of patience. Canal dwelling
  fish are often ill, diseased and foul tasting, but for many they
  are the only option available if they wish to survive. However,
  fish stocks in the canals are sinking lower and lower and the 
  chances of catching anything worth eating are becoming
  more and more slim as the years wear on. 
  Another popular food choice in The City, coming second
  only in popularity to the ubiquitous fish, is dog. Man's best
  friend has become man's favourite main course. Dogs, in a
  wide variety of shapes an sizes were and are endemic, found
  in every area of The City, adapting to different environments
  and generally thriving. Wild dogs are hunted for their meat
  and skin, whilst others are bred for the same purposes. Fat,
  waddling ‘meat hounds’ are kept in pens and fed on fish
  products that even the hungriest human would probably pass
  up. Here they are fattened for the slaughter, their meat sold
  for food, their skin made into clothing and shoes, their bones
  reduced to glue and other useful products.
  Some people do keep dogs as pets, but a careful eye must
  be kept on them, as a stray dog is most likely to be snapped
  up and eaten. Dogskin is also tanned and made into shoes,
  coats, trousers hats and bags, another valuable source of
  raw materials for the imprisoned citizens of The City
  All this having been said, The City does not simply survive on
  a diet of fish, dogs and vegetables. More sinister sources of
  food are available. Decades and decades ago, some bright
  spark figured that there was a huge source of raw material
  that was being burned to a cinder every day. A valuable
  resource was simply going up in smoke. What was happen-
  ing? People were being cremated. Now, the thought of actu-
  ally eating human flesh was repugnant to the vast majority of
  the population. Folklore recalled the horrific years after The
  Bombardment, when vast numbers of people were reduced
  to cannibalism in order to survive. But what if this resource
  could be used to create a more palatable foodstuff, one that
  the population would accept. Hence, the practice of selling
  the dead to food companies began, slowly at first, but now it
  has grown so much that it is a fully accepted part of City life.
  Large numbers of the dead are bought by so-called
  Deathdealers who reduce the bodies to a nutrient soup from
  which tasty treats are grown. Using genetic engineering to
  modify the growth, meat, vegetable type substances and all
  manner of foods are churned out by the factories. Even the
  macrocorps have got in on the act. Macrocorporate workers
  often have to sign contracts which stipulate that they give up
  all rights to their body when death finally comes to them. The
  macrocorps can then use their loyal workers one last time to
  the precepts 13
  
  feed the ravening hordes of The City. In return for this service,
  the families of the dead are paid a small amount, usually in
  foodstuffs. One chain of fast-food stalls has even adopted the
  name 'Meat The People' as a blatant signifier of what it is
  actually selling. As unpalatable as this may seem, it provides
  another valuable source of nutrients for a city which is cut off,
  isolated and in desperate need.
  BUT WHERE DOES IT ALL COME FROM?: resources
  An address by Fion Schleichner, Resource Management
  Executive, Hirplakker Combine, given to new employees of
  the Combine. Certain segments have been excised for securi-
  ty reasons.
  "Colleagues, friends, co-workers. You're all gathered here
  today as new employees of Hirplakker Combine to find out
  one thing. How does this sprawling, chaotic, filthy cesspool in
  which we live survive? You've all suffered hardships to a
  greater or lesser extent. Now, you're one of us. Hirplakker
  shall provide everything you could need. However, I'm not a
  marketing man, so, enough of the advertising shit.
  [laughs from audience]
  How do our factories keep producing? Where do we get the
  raw materials for the steel, glass, fibreoptics, wood, plastics
  and all the other vital items this company produces? Well, I'll
  tell you. And this is something that 95% of the people in this
  city don't know. From The Outlands.
  [gasps from some members of the audience, muted laughing
  from others]
  Yes, I know, no one can go into The Outlands, Death waits
  for us at the borders of The City, blah, blah, blah. Well, that
  part is true. However, we've overcome that. Out there, under
  the blistered, cracked sand and rock are billions of tons of
  minerals, petrochemicals, a storehouse of natural resources.
  Desiccated forests of ancient lumber just waiting to be hacked
  down. Lights please.
  [lights dim.]
  [holo projection springs into life show a shaky view of a
  seared desert]
  This is how we do it. Robots. Automatons. Drones. Whatever
  you call them, they can go where we can't. We've been send-
  ing them out for hundreds of years now, setting up mining
  installations, prospecting. And not one of them has been
  touched by 'forces from above'. As long as they don't leave
  the ground, that is.
  [camera pans to a view of a construction of pipeworks, tub-
  ing, massive cylinders set on end]
  My friends, this is Extractor 34. It mines for ferrous metals,
  iron to you and me. The iron ore that we turn into steel, turn
  into weapons, armour, boats, mikefighters. We've got anoth-
  er seven like it, all dragging iron from the ground. Similar
  plants produce precious metals, light ores anything we need.
  Now don't get me wrong, we're not the only ones doing it.
  Gorunna, Trilhoeven, Arclight [sound of spitting] they're all at
  it. There's an unspoken law: don't fuck with the mining facili-
  ties, without them, this place would grind to a halt. Lights.
  [lights come up]
  We bring the stuff in, along the canals and on automated
  train lines, right into our factories, smelters and furnaces.
  That's how we keep going. That's how this city survives. We
  hold the keys. Only us and the other macrocorps can do this.
  Only we have the power. The will. The resolve. That's what
  puts us at the top of the food chain.
  Never forget: we rule this city. Not the people. Not the
  Council. Us.
  Thank you for your attention."
  THE SHIFTED
  Mysterious? Misunderstood? Monstrous? The Shifted who
  inhabit The City are all of these, and more. Where they came
  from, none can truly say. What they want, no one has the
  answers for. Suffice to say, there is no group in The City more
  hated, reviled and mistrusted than The Shifted. 
  Shortly after The Shift and The Bombardment, the shell-
  shocked, terror-crazed inhabitants of The City began to
  notice strange new shadows and hear incomprehensible new
  voices. Ghastly figures stalked the alleys and prowled the
  streets. No one could pin down exactly what was wrong or
  what was causing these manifestations. In the chaos which
  abounded, most of the reports were discounted as the rav-
  ings of starving lunatics. Yet, as time wore on and The City
  began to haul itself into some semblance of normality, peo-
  ple began to take the tales and stories more seriously. Efforts
  the precepts 14
  
  were made to investigate sightings and discover the truth
  behind these horrific folk stories. Then the truth dawned.
  Humanity was no longer the sole inhabitant of The City.
  Since the dawning of realisation, The Shifted have been iden-
  tified and classified into numerous groups. While only a small
  percentage of the population can say with any confidence
  that they have encountered a Shifted being (apart from the
  ubiquitous Simils), they are a real fact of life. From reports,
  sightings, and horrific evidence, mankind has pieced togeth-
  er fragmentary knowledge of these beings and learned
  something about their behaviour and existence.
  Dealing with The Shifted
  To all intents and purposes, the motivations and goals of The
  Shifted are totally incomprehensible to humankind. If a
  Shifted being is heard to speak, it is, to the casual listener, a
  relentless babble of noise. Some of the creatures have been
  heard to speak in human tongues, yet even then their speech
  is beyond the realms of understanding. Jumbled words and
  fractured sentences pour from between their lips (if, indeed,
  they have lips). Some have, to a greater or lesser extent,
  attempted to deal with The Shifted, to make pacts and
  alliances. In some cases, these appear to have been moder-
  ately successful. In other cases, they have resulted in violence
  and death. 
  Theories on The Shifted
  Different groups across The City have widely varying views
  on The Shifted. Those who believe in the tenets of the Third
  Church of God The Architect view The Shifted as the minions
  of the Great Demolisher, out to destroy the work which God
  in His wisdom has wrought. Various sects of the Church
  actively attempt to fight the Shifted, tracking them down and
  destroying them. Admittedly, their schemes have met with lit-
  tle success, yet they continue to pursue their efforts with
  unabated vigour. The most easily dispatched are, surprising-
  ly, the Simils. Captured Simils are fed into furnaces and melt-
  ed down; their component parts reduced to iron ingots that
  the Church buries in crypts and catacombs. Efforts to destroy
  other Shifted beings have met with less success. Church Lay
  Reserves Martial units have often been torn apart trying to
  capture or destroy an Ubel, a fact which seems to little hinder
  their enthusiasm for the chase.
  Perhaps the most sensible views on Shifted beings come from
  the Shift Studies Faculty (SSF) of Longshore University.
  Endowed with massive funds and utilising some of the best
  scientific brains in The City, they probe the very nature of The
  Shift and the beings which it threw up. The best guess of the
  SSF is that the Shifted were brought here from somewhere
  else, although where that somewhere else is (or  was), they
  seem unwilling or unable to say. Of all organisations attempt-
  ing to enter some sort of meaningful dialogue with The
  Shifted, they have met with the most success. According to
  University rumour, members of the SSF have actually entered
  into conversation with Lugner and Ubel. What these 'conver-
  sations' revealed, the Faculty has not yet said. However, it
  seems that if any one group of people is going to penetrate
  the true nature of The Shifted, the Shift Studies Faculty will be
  that group.
  A third source of speculation on these beings is the folklore
  and rumour which permeates The City like a fog. Pervasive
  rumours state that The Shifted are in fact the spirits of all those
  who died during The Shift and The Bombardment. The story
  goes that they have been brought back to life, to haunt The
  City and take vengeance for lives cut dramatically short.
  Other folk tales insist that The Shifted are the product of hor-
  rific experiments carried out by the macrocorps in years gone
  by. All of the macrocorps stoutly deny any involvement in
  either The Shift or the beings which arose after it. Those who
  shout too loudly about this theory are quietly disposed of,
  adding even more grist to the rumour mill. The last of the
  more common folklore theories is one of the oddest and least
  well regarded. Some say that The Shifted are in fact beings
  from beyond The City, maybe from even further beyond. This
  particular theory states that they were not created by The
  Shift but they themselves created The Shift for their own ends. 
  Suffice to say, until things are proven one way or the other,
  the competing theories and beliefs will continually war
  against each other for dominance. 
  The Shifted Races
  Below you will find the extent of common knowledge on the
  five most frequently encountered Shifted beings.
  Drache
  Insubstantial, seemingly nothing more than a vague, shim-
  mering haze in the air, Drache are the least understood of
  The Shifted, mainly because they have no physical aspect
  which humankind can relate to. Gazing upon a Drache caus-
  es the eyes to twist, vision to blur and pain to explode inside
  the head of the viewer. They seem to be a species which was
  never designed to be gazed upon by human eyes. Careful
  research has discovered that Drache can control small elec-
  trical currents and manipulate electrical fields. Hence, the
  Drache are viewed as the cause of most of the cases of 'pos-
  session' in The City. There have been documented cases of
  criminals being shot dead in the act of committing a foul
  the precepts 15
  
  crime, only for those who stand witness to see a faint shimmer
  depart from the body at the time of death. Reliable individu-
  als will swear to have seen some people surrounded by a
  faint haze which is painful to look at. While undoubtedly
  some of the incidences are acts of imaginative fancy, it is cer-
  tain that Drache are responsible for some of these events.
  hager
  Tall, powerful, appearing from
  the dark and fog to kidnap and
  assassinate. Even in the rarefied
  circles of studying The Shifted,
  precious little is known about the
  Hager. Tales circulate of their
  immunity to bullets, their massive
  strength and utter ruthlessness.
  Many 
  disappearances 
  are
  attributed to the predations of
  Hager, but few can be proven.
  Physically, they are tremendous-
  ly imposing, standing seven feet
  tall with a sculpted musculature
  beneath their all enveloping
  black garments. Their heads are
  featureless ovoids of pale,
  almost 
  white, 
  flesh. 
  Their
  exposed hands are similarly featureless, six fingered, long
  and slender, without the knuckles and joints which charac-
  terise human hands. Hager never seem to travel alone, unlike
  other Shifted entities. They are always seen in groups of three
  or four. Reliable witnesses are, however, rare, for a visitation
  by Hager is seldom a time of joy.
  Lugner
  Lugner are seldom seen, but often heard. Of all The Shifted,
  they appear most adept at utilising human language for their
  own mysterious ends. Rumours and whispers appear from
  nowhere. Citizens lying in their beds hear strange voices in
  their ears, whispering terrible things. Those who claim to have
  seen the physical manifestation of the Lugner describe them as
  squat beings, almost obese, with pallid skin and puffy pink lips.
  Scientists working at Longshore University have theorised that the
  sole purpose of the Lugner is to spread dissent and misinfor-
  mation. Why they do this, no one can truly say.
  Simils
  By far and away the most common of Shifted beings, Simils
  present an aspect to the world which seems radically at odds
  with the other Shifted races. Walking juggernauts of iron,
  brass, glass and stone, they tramp about The City, emitting
  sparks and gouts of steam. The most disturbing aspect of a
  Simil is its head: a human head. Seemingly impaled upon the
  mechanical construction which is the rest of the Simil, the
  head is that of a dead man or woman. Some have run
  screaming from certain Simils, fearing that they recognise cer-
  tain features in the twisted face which looks out upon the
  world. The face of many Simils are horrific to look upon, rav-
  aged by pain and frustration. Others present an altogether
  more calm outlook, a calm so unnatural is highly disturbing.
  However, such is the strength of the Simils, they are com-
  monly found labouring in hazardous environments, working
  for bizarre payments such as dolls, plants or photographs.
  Why they choose to do this, it is, again, one of the mysteries
  of The Shift. Suffice to say, they seem to be the only Shifted
  beings who will actually work for humankind, selling their
  services to whoever will pay them. Some gangs have taken
  to using these metal giants as hired muscle, relying on their
  strength and the fear that they inspire to defeat their oppo-
  nents. In some cases, they have been hired as soldiers. In the
  Hundred Block War, Hirplakker hired many hundreds of
  Simils as 'suicide' troops in their fight against Arclight. Their
  lack of regard for their own physical bodies allowed them to
  wade through fields of fire which would decimate even the
  toughest and best equipped human troops. 
  Ubel
  Of all The Shifted, it is perhaps the Ubel who are most feared
  by the common populace. Many of the most horrific killings
  and brutal murders have been attributed to Ubel and it is
  because of the frequency of these acts that Ubel are amongst
  the best documented of The Shifted. Sightings are relatively
  commonplace, the unlucky viewers always giving the same
  description: horrible, creaking beings, apparently with skele-
  the precepts 16
  
  tons of rotting wood, strung with sinew and muscle, cloaked
  with tattered black rags. They are always reported as carry-
  ing rusted black iron blades, with which they slice and chop
  at their victims, all the while gibbering in their own language.
  On very rare occasions, Ubel have been captured and place
  in the most secure of detention cells. Here, they slam them-
  selves against the walls, raving and screaming. After a peri-
  od of incarceration, despite constant watches, they always
  simply disappear into nothingness. 
  THE LOST PLACES
  A lone man walks down a darkened alley, never to emerge
  on the other side.
  An emaciated dog runs from nowhere into the middle of a
  crowded street.
  Children scrabbling in cellars and basements, playing to
  blank out the misery of existence, find one of their friends
  gone. Forever.
  Squads of heavily armed troops disappear while on patrol,
  their screams faintly floating on the breeze.
  Half heard voices from nowhere, partial glimpses from the
  corner of an eye.
  These are the Lost Places.
  Even those who are wise in the ways of The City fear some
  places. Most feared are the Lost Places. Only whispered
  about on the streets or glimpsed in nightmares, the Lost
  Places are one of the mysteries of The Shift, places that are
  difficult to find and impossible to leave.
  Some alleys, courtyards, cellars and even whole buildings
  appear on no map and reside in no memory. They are only
  stumbled upon by the unfortunate, the desperate or the mad.
  These are the parts of The City worst affected by The Shift,
  parts that were twisted and torn by the changes which The
  Shift wrought. No scientist can explain the nature of the Lost
  Places, they merely shrug their shoulders and turn away,
  afraid of what they may find if they look deeper.
  Finding a Lost Place is a formidable task, you may only stum-
  ble upon one. For a moment, things seem familiar, but then
  you realise you must have taken a wrong turning, be on the
  wrong street. Then truth closes in. Buildings in these places
  seem to loom closer in, they appear to be more threatening.
  Alleys are tighter and more twisted, cellars more dank and
  dingy. It is here where The Shifted are at their most powerful.
  Overhead, the sky is pure black without a hint of colour. 
  Even aerial photography will not reveal the location of a Lost
  Place, they remain hidden from sight. Once the casual visitor
  is within, there is only one way out: the exact way you came
  in. Any other routes will simply bring you right back to where
  you started. Entering a Lost Place can be as simple as step-
  ping slightly to the side when entering a courtyard, it can be
  as complex as winding through a maze of dark tunnels. 
  Some of these places are recollected in myth and legend.
  Torture Lane, supposedly a place of unimaginable pain and
  suffering. Corner Alley, a twisting nightmare which can drive
  even the sanest, most rational man to the brink of madness.
  These are only two of the legends. Two out of a myriad of folk
  tales. Those who claim to have visited a Lost Place are usual-
  ly discounted as insane, not an unreasonable viewpoint
  given the state in which these alleged victims are found. 
  Some have gone so far as to question The Shifted about the
  Lost Places, seeking arcane knowledge which may give them
  power over others. Allegedly, no answers have ever been
  forthcoming. Even the more 'talkative', of The Shifted remain
  tight-lipped (in those occasions where they are seen to have
  lips).
  the precepts 17
  
  the place
  "Nah, don't care me. Got me boat, got me gun,
  got me shivs. Fine, I am. Nothing scares me, not a
  thing. I see one of those Ubel, I spit in his eye.
  Shifted? It's all just madness. Me, I got me own
  thinking on that. S'all just a big things those macros
  got goin'. All this Shift stuff, just a big gag, keep the
  locals frighted. Blokes in suits wi' knives is all. None
  of it's real. All a con, if you ask me. Which you did.
  Now, about that shilling…."
  'Mudjack', Nomad/Boatperson, Least Canal South.
  
  the place 19
  Burghs
  1.
  Bankside
  2.
  Brightlights
  3.
  Calculus Tor
  4.
  Clearwater Break
  5.
  Colsetter Parish
  6.
  Dog Junction
  7.
  Dreamingspires
  8.
  Fogwarren
  9.
  Folly Hills
  10.
  Hangside
  11.
  Long Pond
  12.
  Lucent Heights
  13.
  Merryhell
  14.
  Mire End
  15.
  Project 97
  16.
  Shore Ditch Warrens
  Industrial Areas
  17.
  Burningfell
  18.
  Deepdown
  19.
  The Train
  Macrocorporate Domains
  20.
  The Cathedral
  21.
  The Forbidden City
  22.
  The Iron Bastion
  23.
  Konkret
  24.
  Luminosity Tower
  25.
  The Powerhouse
  26.
  Trenevier
  Notable Buildings
  27.
  CrossBar Terminus
  28.
  Inferno
  29.
  Longshore University
  Other Areas
  30.
  The Brackens
  31.
  The Contested Grounds
  32.
  The Forest
  33.
  Smokey Mountain
  
  The Passing of time
  A year in The City is composed of ten months, each month
  consisting of thirty three days and each day consists of 25
  hours of sixty minutes each. Months, days and hours are sim-
  ply referred to by their numbers, nobody has gone to the trou-
  ble of devising specific names for them. However, the year is
  also divided into five two month seasons named Cold (1st
  and 2nd months of the year), Mist(3rd and 4th months of the
  year), Burn (5th and 6th months of the year), Damp  (7th and
  8th and months of the year) and Freeze (9th and 10th
  months of the year). The most common system of counting the
  years is to take the alleged time of The Shift as a baseline
  and numbering from then on. Consequently, the current year
  is 997, with the time of The Shift being Year Zero.
  For the vast majority of the inhabitants of  The City, time is not
  a massively important feature in their lives. They live accord-
  ing to when they have to go to work, when they have a day
  off, when it’s time to eat. Actually taking note of what day it
  is seems rather pointless, especially when most days drag by
  in a dull repetition of those which have gone before. Those
  who feel the need keep track of the day of the month and
  what year it is through various means. Holographic displays
  (if you are that wealthy), water clocks, steam timepieces and
  mechanical watches all have their part to play in keeping
  those who need to know in the know. For example, if you had
  to meet someone in front of Luminosity Tower at a given time,
  you would arrange to meet them at, for example,
  18.35/15/5/997. 18.35 represents the time of day (in this
  case thirty five minutes past the eighteenth hour of the day),
  15 represents the fifteenth day of the month, 5 represents the
  month itself and 997 tells you what year it is.
  BANKSIDE
  Region: Lat 8, Ring 4
  Status: Residential, light industrial
  Law: Self-policed
  Wealth: Low
  OVERVIEW
  An almost palpable odour of fish, sweat and sewage rose
  over Bankside. As the sun came up, the residents were
  already going about their business, legal or otherwise.
  Stories circulated that One Eye Frank had jacked another
  Provost patrol on the edge of the burgh. Down by the canal,
  massive cages full of bulbous, lethargic fish were scrutinised
  by expert eyes. The fish were the lifeblood of Bankside and
  anyone that fucked with them would have a whole heap of
  trouble on his hands. Hardly any buildings here were over
  three stories tall and all were interconnected by walkways,
  gangplanks, ropes and pipes. This was a place of scum and
  treachery, but also a place of invention and commerce. The
  genetically engineered fish were sold all across The City,
  making Bankside one of the most prosperous slums any-
  where. Boats, barges and skiffs began to congregate around
  the wharves, off loading buyers, keen to get the best fish for
  the best price. They were met with the steely glares of the fish
  farmers, who knew a good deal when they saw one. Back
  from the wharves, more secretive dealers laid out their wares
  and filthy mod clinics opened their doors for business.
  Commerce. That was the key. Something which hellholes like
  Mire End could never hope to achieve. Bankside began to
  throng and the day wore on.
  Running for three miles alongside the hundred metre wide
  Grand Canal, Bankside is really numerous smaller districts
  that have become tangled together. The smells of sewage
  and rotting fish are predominant in this area. Many residents
  run microcorps specialising in breeding bio-modified fish that
  can live and reproduce in the stinking, polluted waters of the
  canals. While not especially tasty, these fish are a valuable
  source of food. Bankside is also home to numerous back
  street biosci clinics which, rather strangely, have grown out of
  the genetic engineering programs used to breed the fish. So
  twisted and tangled are the streets and so numerous and
  aggressive the denizens, the Provosts seldom venture into
  Bankside and as such, it is considered to exist separately
  from the TCMA.
  However, despite the lack of interference from the forces of
  law and order, there is one conspicuous absence from
  Bankside: organised crime. For some unexplained reason,
  even the 3rd Syndicate and the Hohler Gang refuse to have
  anything to do with Bankside. Perhaps it is the clannishness of
  the denizens, or that the complexity of the area is too much
  even for the hardened criminals and then maybe it was
  because the 3rds and Hohlers found out that the people of
  Bankside were even more violent and nasty than themselves.
  Few buildings in the area rise over two stories and only one
  could be described as high-rise: Block 54. This is the only
  remnant of Bankside as it was hundreds of years ago, some
  say that Block 54 even predates The Shift. Whatever its ori-
  gins, it is an imposing, looming concrete tower, stretching two
  hundred metres into the sky. Scabbed with fungus and black-
  ened with centuries of smoke and soot, '54 is uninhabited
  and feared. Many rumours surround the block: some say it is
  home to families of cannibals who snatch babies from their
  the place 20
  
  beds, others will tell you with authority that it is the lair of a
  cadre of Ubel who stalk the streets, creaking and rasping in
  their search for victims. The more hard-headed will tell you
  that this is all a load of old nonsense and that the block
  should be used for living space. Regardless of opinions,
  nobody ventures into Block 54.
  Street level in Bankside resembles a cross between and open
  sewer and full-scale riot. If you want to get anywhere fast, use
  the walkways, gangplanks and bridges that arc across the
  streets and between the buildings. Such is the complexity of
  this overground highway system, that you can often find your-
  self walking through someone's dwelling without realising it.
  Most take this as a part of everyday life.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Despite the fact that Bankside forms part of the TCMAA, the
  Provosts still refuse to go in. "Too dangerous" they say,
  "Cannibals" say some. Whatever the reason, you'll only ever
  find Provosts on the very edges of Bankside, never daring to
  venture more than a few tens of yards inside its boundaries.
  The only law in Bankside is that dished out by the citizens
  themselves. The most heinous crime in the area is interfering
  with the fish cages. Anyone found damaging cages, poison-
  ing fish or stealing farming equipment is drowned in the
  Grand Canal without so much as a trial. Nobody asks ques-
  tions. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Underground Market
  Description: Black market trade site, below Black Row,
  Bankside, TCMA
  Located under Black Row in Bankside, the Underground
  Market (known simply as 'The Market') is an extensive series
  of underground tunnels, rooms and disused cellars. Within
  this cramped maze, hundreds of people come to deal in var-
  ious illegal or stolen goods. The Provosts are well aware of
  its existence but as it lies deep within Bankside, they prefer to
  leave it alone. Current thinking goes that a campaign to clear
  it out would prove extremely costly due to the defensive, not
  say psychotically violent, nature of the inhabitants. Almost
  anything, from a sewing machine to a machine-gun can be
  purchased here, from individuals or small groups of dealers.
  The large criminal organisations such as the Hohler Gang
  and the 3rd Syndicate have no presence here, only occa-
  sionally sending someone in to purchase a particular item.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Wilbur Renton
  Age: Unknown, looks in his mid 30's
  Height/Build: Short/Plump
  Eye/Hair Colour: Hazel/Mousy brown
  Occupation: Drug Dealer
  Affiliations: None
  If the price is right, Wilbur Renton can obtain almost any
  pharmaceutical substance you care to mention. Rumour has
  it that he has major league connections in one of the big
  chemical corps, other rumours say that he makes most of
  the drugs in a secret lab of his own. Whatever the case, it
  seems he has a never-ending supply of most drugs on the
  market. Circumspect and cautious, he never seems to be
  troubled by the police and maintains two tough body-
  guards for that little bit of personal protection. If you met
  him in the street, you’d probably pass him by, being ordi-
  nary and unremarkable is his stock in trade, standing out
  would only be a hazard.
  CLEARWATER BREAK
  Region: Lat 8, Ring 5
  Status: TCMAA Burgh
  Law: Strict
  Wealth: Very high
  OVERVIEW
  "Easy, easy. Wind it back gentle now. Not that hard you
  arse! Gently. That's it."
  Bearnice Micwhat crossed her arms and prayed that the
  rope would hold. Her colleagues strained and sweated as
  the pressed back on the levers attached to the winding mech-
  anism of the bastard assemblage which stood in the centre of
  the roof. Creaks emanated from the spars and lines, iron bars
  groaned as the pressure increased. Micwhat watched the
  ropes.
  "Easy now lads, just a couple more turns."
  "Bearnice, why are we doing this?" The questioner was a
  small, scrawny figure clad from head to foot in a bulky, matt
  black suit which looked as if it had been made from lengths
  of electrical insulation.
  "Because, young Hegger, we are striking a blow against the
  bloody posh nobs what live in that stuck up, dandified,
  overblown rats nest over there. See?"
  "Yeah, I get that, but why?"
  "You bloody just stop asking questions and get on with wind-
  the place 21
  
  ing that damn thing, right!"
  "Right Bearnice, sorry."
  Standing out at right angles to the rest of the contraption,
  two laminated beams of iron were gradually being bent
  back, the tension increased.
  "Whoa, whoa! That's it! Put the lock in place and get back."
  Bearnice ambled around the contraption, fiddling with
  lines, checking nuts, applying oil here and there.
  "Here's the plan. First off, we fire that bag of iron there at
  the nets. Then, we crank her up as quick as we can and start
  slinging those bags of shit through the hole. That should
  give them a little surprise. Now, Hegger, you sure you got
  the range right?"
  "No worries, checked it again this morning, we should be
  dead on."
  "Right. Load! Stand back! Ready? FIRE!"
  There was a thump and an immensely loud TWANG as the
  catapult arm was slammed forward by the massive cross-
  bow construction. Half way through its trajectory, the bag of
  iron split open and a rain of scrap fell on the filternets of
  Clearwater Break, tear gaping holes in the opaque sheets.
  "YES!" Bearnice danced about the roof. "Yes, yes, yes!" She
  danced over to a shocked and confused Hegger and kissed
  him full on the lips. "Get the crap loaded and wind that
  thing back." She grinned broadly and made a rude gesture
  towards Clearwater Break.
  "Great plan Bearnice. So where did you get the idea for an
  excrement catapult?"
  Clearwater Break claims to be "The Cleanest Place You'll
  Ever See" and, on the surface, that would seem to be a pret-
  ty viable claim. Walled off from the rest of the TCMA,
  shrouded in fliternets, its canals cleansed and purified,
  Clearwater Break sparkles with perfection. From a dis-
  tance, the burgh looks like a low fortress which has been
  draped with gossamer fine tents. In reality, this is not far
  from the truth. The gossamer fine nets are filters which puri-
  fy and strain the rain which falls almost every day, remov-
  ing pollutants and particulates, turning it into a clear drizzle
  free from harmful contaminants. The nets themselves are
  products of Trilhoeven biosci, living creatures which trap
  pollution and send it to centralised collection sacs, from
  which it is taken and dumped elsewhere. The canals which
  riddle the burgh are also clear and sparkling. Complex fil-
  tration systems, using some of the technology developed for
  the filternets, strain the water flowing in from the Grand
  Canal and elsewhere. However, this has given rise to the bit
  of a security problem for the burgh. So clean is the water
  which flows out from Clearwater Break that hordes of the
  poorer citizens of the TCMA gather round the outflowing
  canals, filling buckets with water before it can mingle with
  the polluted filth of the Grand Canal.
  It is unsurprising that Clearwater Break is not the cheapest
  place in the TCMA to live. Many wealthy citizens choose to
  make their homes here, amongst the clean canals and ele-
  gant glazed brick buildings. Some of the macrocorps have
  also purchased property in this area, gifting it to favoured
  executives or using the area for rest and relaxation purpos-
  es. For those not wealthy enough to live in Clearwater
  Break but who still have to work in the various service indus-
  tries which keep the burgh running, cleanliness and hygiene
  measures are extremely strict. Workers coming into the
  burgh are thoroughly showered and periodically cleansed
  of parasites and other noxious evidence of life in The City.
  Their working clothes are not permitted to leave Clearwater
  Break and must be scrupulously cleaned at the end of each
  working day. Actual amenities with the burgh are lavish but
  not extensive. There are many bars and restaurants, but few
  nightclubs, limited shopping and no theatres or music halls. 
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The very nature of the area and the wealth of those who
  live in it makes Clearwater Break a target for the spite and
  vitriol of the lower orders. This leads to a rather substantial
  and intimidating Provost presence. All entrances are guard-
  ed with extreme vigilance by Assault Division Tacticals,
  clad in their best dress uniforms. On the streets, subtle but
  effective plain clothed officers patrol night and day, keep-
  ing watch for any disturbances or breaches of security. The
  all-important filternets and canal filters are constantly moni-
  tored and any attempts at sabotage are dealt with in the
  harshest possible manner. At any one time, there will be
  upwards of two hundred Provosts in and and around
  Clearwater Break.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Peak
  Description: Restaurant, 1-5 Trium Crescent
  The only building extending above the all encompassing fil-
  ternets, The Peak juts into the sky on a slim blue concrete
  needle, allowing dinners to look down on the shimmering
  sea of the 'nets. The cost of a meal in its glass walled and
  glass floored dining room can be far in excess of what the
  average city dweller earns in a whole year, yet The Peak is
  always fully booked. Discriminating guests come from as
  far afield as Lucent Heights and Coldbath Fell to sample the
  creations of the renowned chef, Filip Horten. Horten is
  known to scour The City for the best fish to serve his well-
  heeled diners.
  the place 22
  
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Claudine Loftus
  Age: 26
  Height/Build: 5' 4"/Slender
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Black
  Occupation: Barmaid
  Affiliations: None
  Claudine Loftus is a young woman with a long standing
  grudge. Ordered by her rich parents to do, of all things, work
  for a living, she spends her days seething about her situation
  and longing for her thirtieth birthday when she can finally get
  her hands on some of her parent's money.
  She feels that working as a barmaid in the
  'Yellow Strand Brasserie' is way, way
  beneath her and that she really deserves
  something better. In truth, Claudine is not
  that bright and not that highly motivated,
  with a self-opinion that far exceeds her
  intelligence. What got her in to trouble
  with her parents in the first place was her
  unwholesome habit of wandering out into
  The City and picking up boys. Many a
  time her parents had to call upon a pri-
  vate security firm to pick her up from some
  sordid drinking den in Folly Hills or else-
  where. Now she either works full time or
  suffers the consequences.
  FOLLY HILLS
  Region: Lat 1, Ring 3
  Status: TCMA Burgh
  Law: Moderate
  Wealth: Low-moderate
  OVERVIEW
  The view from the soldiers' head was incredible. Below, all of
  Folly Hills, Coldbath Fell, Mire End and father afield were
  spread out. It was as if the soldier would reach down and
  scoop The City up in the palm of his mighty hand. Ahead
  stood the great arch and beyond, the splendid angel, shroud-
  ed in a thin mist, reflecting the flares, gas lamps and sodium
  slights below. 
  Cordwainer drew breath. Even two hundred feet up, the air
  was still stale. He looked down. Far, far below the denizens
  of Folly Hills went about their business, scurrying like vermin,
  serving their masters, serving themselves. A fight broke out at
  the base of the giant statue. Some drunk appeared to be hav-
  ing an argument with a Simil. An argument he was going to
  lose, if Cordwainer was any judge of things.
  This was the place to be. Far above the streets, far above the
  crime, the filth, the despair. One day, he thought, all people
  would feel like this. The City can't go on forever. Staring up
  through the brown clouds, there was a sudden break and for
  moment, a gap. A black space filled with twinkling lights.
  Then it was gone.
  Time to go. Cordwainer balanced on the eyelid of the soldier
  and gazed around for one last time. Closing his eyes, he
  smiled and launched himself into space, falling away from the
  soldier and his mighty hand.
  A study in contrasts, Folly Hills combines areas which only
  just raise themselves above the level of a slum in its eastern
  end, with expanding areas of middle-class housing in the
  West End. The eastern half is deemed too near to Mire End
  for any renovation or area assistance, while the East End
  abuts Coldbath Fell, one of the more salubrious residential
  areas in the TCMA. Hence the extensive monetary assistance
  that the west end has received. The good people of Coldbath
  Fell do not want to see a slum on their front doorsteps. 
  The area gets its name from the three hills on which it is built.
  Sloping up from the Green Canal, the hills rise to a little over
  five hundred feet. These are the hills. The follies surmount
  these minor rises, increasing their height to over seven hun-
  dred feet. Each hill is topped with a different folly. 
  the place 23
  
  The southernmost is capped with a concrete angel, wings out-
  stretched, right hand clasping a sword of justice. The middle
  hill displays a fine stone arch, badly corroded by centuries of
  acid rain and vandalism. The northernmost of the three hills is
  surmounted by the most massive of the three follies, a statue
  of a soldier, clutching a rifle and pointing to the south.
  Nobody knows why they were built but all are sure that they
  predate The Shift. Folly Hills has grown up around these
  gigantic monuments, crowding into their bases. Rumour has it
  that Folly Hills was once open parkland, where families could
  stroll and admire the fantastic architecture. Sadly, if this was
  ever true, it is not now the case.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Being one of the lower priority areas within the TCMA, Folly
  Hills has only one Provost bunker, and a small one at that. If
  additional forces are needed, the Provosts are happy to fly in
  manpower from Bankside Air Station a few short minutes
  away. The Folly Hills Bunker can accommodate up to 90
  Provosts, which is deemed more than enough. A couple of
  aerostats are always at the ready on the rooftop pad, but
  these are always older, less reliable models, with the newer
  aircraft being used over the wealthier areas. Most of the
  Provosts consider Folly Hills only one step up from Mire End
  just across the Green Canal, despite the expanding middle-
  class population in the renovated buildings of the east end. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Boundary Street
  Description: Street of food stalls, Boundary Street, Folly
  Hills, TCMA
  Lying parallel with Folly Hills High Street, Boundary Street is
  one of many thoroughfares in The City devoted to fast food.
  The street is lined with tiny cafes and open-air stalls serving
  all manner of food and drink. All kinds of cuisine are avail-
  able here at reasonably cheap prices. Most stalls and cafes
  are family or individually run, there are no chain outlets in
  these locations. The street is thronged 25 hours a day, and
  making your way down the street carrying a full plate of food
  can be a tricky proposition.
  The air is humid from the heat being given off by hundreds of
  cookers and grease hangs like a fog. Your senses are assault-
  ed by a myriad of scents, some pleasant, some downright dis-
  gusting. The clientele of the area are as varied as the foods
  on offer, from Mire End types trying to bum a hot meal, to
  well-to-do businessmen from Coldbath Fell (trying to avoid
  getting mugged).
  The most common fare by far is fish, freshly brought in from
  the tanks and cages of Bankside. Poached, fried, grilled,
  baked, barbecued, you name it, it's available on Boundary
  Street. As Bankside fish are not the most pleasant tasting
  items in the world, the Boundary Street chefs have become
  adept at whisking up pungent and spicy sauces to coat their
  wares. It's really better that you don't ask what's in the
  sauces. Honestly.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Robert Baker
  Age: 34
  Height/Build: 6' 2"/Toned and well-muscled
  Eye/Hair Colour: Brown/Black, short
  Occupation: Flowghost and Security Consultant
  Affiliations: None
  Robert Baker is something of an outsider in the Dataflow com-
  munity. Not only is he a capable and intelligent flowghost,
  but his training in combat techniques and security make him
  a formidable physical opponent also. It is this physical aspect
  that other ghosts dislike, they feel that using violence to solve
  problems is for the ignorant and unworthy. However, his skill
  earns him a nice living and his third floor flat in a Folly Hills
  block is one of the most secure places in the area. Physically
  imposing, he is not the average pale, underfed flowghost of
  popular folklore. He works out every day and practices mar-
  tial arts. In addition to this, he has a natural way with tech-
  nology and wears his clothes in a manner which impresses
  clients. Baker also makes money from repairing and selling
  firearms as well as computers and security equipment, a
  large cache of which he has at his flat.
  MIRE END
  Region: Lat 2, Ring 3
  Status: Uncontrolled slum
  Law: None
  Wealth: Poverty stricken
  OVERVIEW
  Slap. Slap. Slap. The sound of boots hitting concrete through
  an inch or so of water. Water was everywhere here. A per-
  vasive dampness, a state of decay. Across the canal was Folly
  Hills, even that had been taken in by the TCMAA. But, they
  wanted nothing to do with Mire End, too deprived, run down
  and plain hellish for the Burghers and the Provosts to deal
  with. Three men came round the corner, ducking the jagged
  the place 24
  
  ended pipes jutting from the rotting brick wall. Sparklocks in
  their hands, heavy, ugly weapons. Not guaranteed to kill you
  straight away, but kill you they will in the infected waters of
  Mire End. A single gas lamp above the alley caught their
  pale, waxy faces, almost the same sheen as their slick oilskin
  coats.
  "Cardyouthere?" It was almost like hearing a machinecannon
  speak. The man's comrades shifted uneasily and hefted their
  guns. One was a bit too nervous and held the trigger that lit-
  tle bit tight. The sparklock boomed and emitted a huge gout
  of smoke. There was splintering sound as the heavy ball
  embedded itself in the brick.
  "Youutterprick!" said
  the 
  leader 
  and
  stabbed the shooter
  in the throat with a
  long stiletto. He fell
  backwards into the
  scummy water, gur-
  gling and moaning.
  But only for a while. I
  lowered myself from
  the 
  rusting 
  fire
  escape and stepped
  out into the middle of
  the alley.
  "Brady, you should
  really be more toler-
  ant."
  "Hefuckin'! Miss Card, how nice to see you." He spoke slow-
  ly, stilted, like a man unused to enunciating individual words.
  "Likewise Brady, likewise. So, what you want?"
  "Needafighterfor... I need a 'fighter to take out Frontier, he's
  stepping in on my territory."
  "Expensive, what you got?"
  "This." He grinned, exposing a row of broken, brown teeth. In
  his hand he held out a small, matt grey object. An Arclight
  computer. An exceptionally rare sight in these parts.
  "You could sell it for a pretty sum, Miss Card."
  "Deal." It's not a nice way to make a living, but in Mire End,
  your choices are few and far between. I took the comp.
  Mire End is a forgotten, forlorn place. Denied help by the
  powerful TCMA sitting just across the Green Canal and
  despised by its citizens, it is a place of crime, indolence and
  apathy.
  A few square miles of brick and concrete tenements, Mire
  End is slowly rotting into the ground. Drainage system s
  destroyed years ago have given rise to a permanent layer of
  water to cover the streets. The ground floors of most buildings
  are left empty, the inhabitants moving to the higher levels in
  order to escape the dampness and rot. With little indigenous
  industry or employment, Mire End has had to turn to crime in
  order to survive. Most of the citizens are engaged in some
  form of illegal activity, whether it be shopkeepers selling bla-
  tantly stolen goods or young toughs soldiering for the Hohler
  Gang, criminality is endemic. Out of this, Mire End has
  become something of a trading ground for those dealing in
  items that the Provosts across the canal may take a dim view
  of. 
  If any one group
  can be said to
  control Mire End,
  then it would be
  the Hohler Gang.
  They moved in
  countless 
  years
  ago and began
  swallowing up the
  smaller outfits and
  local 
  gangs.
  More than half of
  the population of
  Mire End is now
  connected 
  in
  some way to the
  Gang. The gang
  ruthlessly runs all the prostitution along the bank of the Green
  Canal facing Folly Hills, with any freelancers being dealt with
  in the most ruthless of fashions. The pitted, worn concrete
  bank with its jagged stumps of rebar ready to slice the
  unwary is a 25 hour a day flesh market, with girls in their
  flouncing skirts and young men in their frock coats selling
  themselves to punters from across the water. Scattered
  amongst the flesh peddlers are sellers of trinkets and assort-
  ed wares. The Hohler Gang 
  tolerates these individual enterprises, as long as they don't
  get too big for their boots. Here you can find ammunition
  being sold from rolled up blankets, drugs from trays and
  pornography from coat pockets.
  Most activity is concentrated around the ferry, the ancient,
  creaking, highly dangerous means of getting from Folly Hills
  to Mire End. There are few sizeable bridges connecting the
  two areas and the ferry provides the main link for those trav-
  elling between the two areas. A decrepit, flat-bottomed
  the place 25
  
  wooden construction, the ferry is guided by two huge chains
  strung across the canal. Sparking, arcing, diabolical electri-
  cal engines beneath the decking power the gearwheels
  which grip the chains and drag the ferry across the carpet of
  green. Sparks shower down from the pantograph which runs
  along the electrical cables suspended above the canal, pow-
  ering the ancient vehicle. At both landing stages, there are
  always crowds of passengers, prostitutes, pickpockets and
  assorted gawpers. A one way trip on the ferry will cost you
  a shilling, handed over to the bent and bewhiskered ferry-
  master, a man of venerable age and spiteful temper.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The only thing that could be described as a 'security service'
  in Mire End are the internal strictures of the Hohler Gang.
  They police themselves brutally and efficiently, weeding out
  the weak, the traitorous and the incompetent. Unlike many
  other organised crime groups, the Hohler Gang does not
  extort protection from the citizens. On one level, this is to
  make the citizens more amenable to their activities and on
  another level, and certainly in Mire End, the people are just
  too poor to pay protection money. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Corner of H Street & Powell
  Description: Ruined, semi-inhabited area
  Devastated during the Hundred Block War, this was already
  one of the worst bits of Mire End. Hirplakker, in their wisdom,
  decided to build a fake staging area here, on the other side
  of The City from the main fighting in what are now the
  Contested Grounds. The residents of Mire End were in no
  position to argue, while the TCMA turned it's back and pre-
  tended nothing was happening. Nobody expected Arclight
  to strike as massively as they did.
  Eleven days after the fake staging area was built and manned,
  the Brigade of Light attacked. Two armoured Tentenel compa-
  nies, backed up by aerostat gunships and swarms of mike-
  fighters descended from the skies. On the canals, Brigade
  gunboats pounded the supposed Hirplakker positions, caring
  little for the poor, forgotten inhabitants of Mire End. When the
  dust settled, the only corpses were those of the unlucky resi-
  dents. The Brigade quietly withdrew. Now, H Street & Powell is
  home to the most wretched of Mire End's residents, living in
  hovels constructed from scrap brick and iron sheeting. Disease
  is rampant here, even more so than in the main body of Mire
  End. Cripples, orphans and the insane all cluster together
  through sheer lack of somewhere else to go.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITIES
  Janus Kripitsch
  Age: 28
  Height/Build: 5' 11"/Thin, slope shouldered
  Eye/Hair Colour: Deep green/Black, cropped
  Occupation: Lostfinder
  Affiliations: The people of Mire End
  One of the few Lostfinders in Mire End and the only one not
  to be completely under the thrall of the Hohler Gang,
  Kripitsch is a man of moral principle and utter practicality.
  Born in Folly Hills, he moved to Mire End because of a girl.
  The girl went a long time ago, but Kripitsch remains. Standing
  a little above average height, he has a slightly lopsided
  appearance due to a head injury sustained as a child. His
  cropped black hair, sallow complexion and deep green eyes
  combine to give him an appearance which is not immediate-
  ly trustworthy.
  However, his appearance belies his manner, which is kind,
  caring and compassionate. He believes deeply in helping the
  people of Mire End and, unbeknown to all, he is conducting
  a long letter writing campaign to Markus Heilige in the
  TCMAA, begging that the TCMA give Mire End some assis-
  tance. Letters scrawled in his scratchy handwriting arrive on
  Heilige's desk every few weeks, beseeching that notable man
  to offer succour of some kind.
  Jane Card
  Age: 25
  Height/Build: 6' 0"/Muscular
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Light brown
  Occupation: Ghostfighter
  Affiliations: None
  Card is a hard woman, and one that it is best not to cross.
  Even the Hohlers leave her alone, pretending to themselves
  that she is not worth the trouble. Her skills are in great
  demand and she travels far across the City, wherever a job
  may take her. She grew up in the Third Church of God the
  Architect orphanage in the eastern half of Mire End, endur-
  ing an upbringing of toil, prayer and abstinence. Aged thir-
  teen, she left the orphanage and set out to make her own
  way in the world. The hard life of the streets quickly taught
  her that she had a natural talent for fighting and she soon
  saw that there was money to be made from this talent. Now
  twenty-five, she has been fighting on the streets for over a
  decade, honing her skills and establishing a fearsome repu-
  tation. At six feet in height, she is tall and also very broad.
  the place 26
  
  She is also exceptionally light on her feet, almost a prerequi-
  site for being a ghostfighter. Always the professional, she has
  made many enemies in her life. Yet nothing seems to perturb
  her dour, humourless exterior. She always maintains the same
  blank expression of total disinterest. It is only when fighting
  that a faint spark of life comes into her eyes.
  LUMINOSITY TOWER
  Region: Lat 7, Ring 3
  Status: Macrocorporate domain
  Law: Extremely high
  Wealth: Extremely high
  OVERVIEW
  "It is a work of the deities. Man can-
  not have built so wonderful a struc-
  ture. Man alone has not the strength
  or the genius to draw such a splen-
  did thing from the earth. I come here
  every day to gaze in wonder. I peti-
  tion the guardians at the portal to
  grant me access, to see the wonders
  kept sealed within. Yet, they continu-
  ally deny me. They are harsh men
  and women, the light of suffering
  and torture is in their eyes.
  Although, behind it all is pride,
  pride to stand guard of the greatest
  wonder man has ever gazed upon.
  I have contacted those who serve the builder-deity. I beseech
  them to allow me to serve, even in the most humble fashion.
  Continually, they reject me. What can I do to make them think
  me worthy. I know that there are those who would seek to
  destroy the tower, to smash its wonder into dust. Perhaps if I
  strike against the defilers, then I will be granted access, even
  if it is in the next life.
  So here I stand, gazing at the holiest of holies for perhaps the
  last time. I stand with this device, this assembly of wires and
  clockwork parts, ready to strike with all the power of my faith.
  This corporeal body may be struck down in the process, but
  my spirit will live on. I will be granted access. Some day."
  A gigantic building, dwarfing all those around it, Luminosity
  Tower is home to Arclight. A slender, glass pyramid, the tower
  reaches 700 yards into the air, making it easily the tallest
  building in The City. How Arclight mustered the resources to
  construct such a magnificent building in only three years is
  unknown, speculation is rife. That having been said,
  Luminosity Tower succeeds in putting all other macrocorpo-
  rate domains in the shade by quite a margin.
  In the weak sunlight, the glass plates shine gold, bathing the
  area surrounding the tower in heavenly light. The main
  entrance is ablaze with light. When the main doors open,
  brilliant white light shines out, turning night into day. Arclight
  knows the value of impressing the public and people will trav-
  el over large distances to see the wonder that is Luminosity
  Tower. The structure itself is divided into 110 floors. The vast
  majority of levels are taken over by administration and
  research facilities. 
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Security is provided by elite companies from the Brigade of
  Light. It is considered a great honour to be chosen to guard
  the tower and competition is fierce to be chosen for this most
  prestigious of duties. It is often given as a reward to units
  which have performed particularly successfully in the
  Contested Grounds. On average, there will be eight compa-
  nies (each containing 110 men and officers) guarding the
  tower, including at least two Tentenel companies. The main
  entrance is always watched over by Tentenel troops, ready to
  crush anyone who attempts to enter the building.
  Dotted in a half mile radius around the tower are numerous
  mikefighter and aerostat bases, providing round the clock
  combat air patrols. There is a three quarter mile diameter no
  fly zone around the tower; any and all aircraft breaching this
  zone without permission are automatically attacked.
  Concealed within the tower is an impressive array of anti-mis-
  the place 27
  
  sile weapons. A mix of laser and gauss weapons are used to
  provide defence against anything from an RPG to a cargo
  aerostat. Within the tower, the Brigade guards are vigilant
  but unobtrusive. Tentenel troops guard the most high-security
  areas, while regular Brigade of Light infantry are posted
  about the rest of the building.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Atrium
  Description: Ground floor of Luminosity Tower
  Designed to awe those who enter the tower, the Atrium is a
  massive space, a giant gap running up through ten stories of
  Luminosity tower. Massive glass cases hold items which
  Arclight is proud of, including a Hirplakker powersuit cap-
  tured during the initial phases of the Hundred Block War. The
  sole purpose of the Atrium is to give an impression of power,
  wealth and strength. This it manages with singular aplomb.
  Cunningly fashioned into the massive support struts, gauss
  lifts run to all levels of the tower, although some require high-
  er clearance to enter than others. Lush greenery, tended by
  an army of low paid workers manages to introduce an organ-
  ic feel to the place, offsetting the prominence of technologi-
  cal sophistication. No inhabitant can fail to be struck dumb
  with wonder at this most magnificent of sights.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Shigunda Bundabbie
  Age: 57
  Height/Build: 6'/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Watery blue/Grey
  Occupation: Head Gardener, the Atrium, Luminosity Tower
  Affiliations: Arclight
  A man of fierce devotion to his duty, Bundabbie cares for the
  plants within the Atrium of Luminosity Tower with a fervour
  that approaches fanaticism. Ten hours a day, his knurled
  hands prune, water and landscape, driving his minions to
  greater exertions in the name of the macrocorporate. His loy-
  alty surpasses even that of Brigade troopers, he will brook no
  dissension and will absolutely not tolerate any form of criti-
  cism of Arclight. Orders from above are to be obeyed with-
  out question and without delay. Those who tamper with the
  plants, walk on the grass or pollute the soil will rue the day
  they ever met Shigunda Bundabbie. A spade to the head is
  the most likely consequence, and rumours circulate that he
  has used certain 'fertilisers' to make the blooms in the Atrium
  grow with even greater vigour. 
  THE CONTESTED GROUNDS
  Region: Lat 7, Ring 4 
  Status: Warzone
  Law: None
  Wealth: High
  OVERVIEW
  "It was a terrible, exhausting battle above and below the
  ground, in ruins, cellars and factory sewers. Our warcrawls
  climbed heaps of rubble and tangles of iron, and crept
  screeching through chaotically destroyed workshops and
  fired at point-blank range in the narrow railyards.
  Many of the warcrawls were shaken apart or exploded from
  the force of an exploding Hirplakker mine. Or, it could have
  been one of our mines. Such is the nature of war in this place,
  the battle swinging back and forth so quickly, that we are
  constantly being strafed by our own mikefighters and wan-
  dering into our own minefields.
  I cannot understand how men can survive in such a hell as
  this, yet the Hirplakkers sit tight in the ruins, and foxholes and
  cellars, and a chaos of steel skeletons which used to be fac-
  tories.
  No one can tell me this war means anything any more. We
  are all just meat for the cannon, pawns in a game none of us
  understand."
  Force Commander Eric Danzig, 2nd Battalion, Brigade of
  Light.
  Formerly a vast industrial and railhead area controlled by
  Hirplakker, the Contested Grounds bore the brunt of the
  Hundred Block War and still remain a festering sore on the
  face of The City. While Hirplakker admitted defeat, no formal
  surrender was ever organised between them and Arclight.
  Hence, the war drags on in a low-level manner, each side
  desperately wanting to pull out, yet unable to concede.
  The Contested Grounds lie alongside the Black Canal, on the
  northern bank. Because of the ongoing conflict, their periph-
  ery has become a haven for smugglers, traders, scavengers
  and thieves. Small settlements housing prostitutes, drug deal-
  ers and gambling dens have sprung up along the water's
  edge, taking advantage of soldiers who have gained a few
  hours respite from the constant pressure of the Grounds.
  These settlements are interspersed with the camps of both
  sides, areas of unspoken truce where supplies are offloaded
  and the wounded taken out. Noise is constant, with boats
  the place 28
  
  coming and going, mikefighters and aerostats droning over-
  head and the intermittent thump of artillery and heavy
  weapons fire. The heaviest fighting takes place around the
  Flak Towers, massive concrete fortifications constructed
  decades ago by Hirplakker for just such an eventuality.
  The opportunities presented by the Contested Grounds are
  many, hence the fact that large numbers of scavengers and
  mercenaries come to probe the ruins for hitech military equip-
  ment. Discarded weapons are quietly removed and find their
  way onto the black market. Stores are liberated and some-
  time small units of fighting troops are attacked in order to
  steal their gear.
  However, of all the inhabitants of the Grounds, most hated
  are the snipers. Concealed in ruined towers and in camou-
  flaged trenches, they strike without warning. Snipers from
  either side are shot if caught, an end usually accompanied
  by brutal, inhuman tortures. The pain and suffering of the
  'Grounds draws The Shifted in as well as the scavengers and
  mercenaries. Simils sell their services to the highest bidder,
  clanking through the ruins, hunting for their prey. Reports
  abound of strange sightings within the Grounds; visions best-
  left unseen and sounds best left unheard.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Large numbers of troops from both sides occupy the
  Contested Grounds, making it the most heavily militarised
  region in The City. Add this to the hundreds of mercenaries,
  scavengers, prostitutes, and peddlers which occupy the
  Grounds and their borders, then you have a fairly sizeable
  population. At any one time, it is estimated that there will be
  ten thousand troops from both sides fighting in and around
  the Contested Grounds.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Flak Towers
  Description: Weapons emplacements/fortifications
  Constructed decades ago by Hirplakker for just such an
  eventuality, the Flak Towers have become the bastions of the
  Contested Grounds. Concrete towers five stories tall, with
  reinforced walls five metres thick, the eight towers are virtual-
  ly impregnable. Bad planning on Hirplakker's part caused
  four of the towers to be captured during the Hundred Block
  War. Never really expecting that such a conflict would take
  place, the towers were kept poorly supplied and badly
  equipment. When the war kicked off, the Hirplakker troopers
  found themselves sealed inside with precious little food and
  dwindling ammunition supplies. Unwilling to surrender, the
  troops starved, some turning to cannibalism in a vain attempt
  to survive. When the last, emaciated, half-mad soldiers final-
  ly opened the portals, they were summarily shot by Brigade
  of Light troops, disgusted at what they found within. Arclight
  now controls three towers, Hirplakker four and one acts as a
  base-cum-meeting ground for scavengers, guffers and assort-
  ed camp followers. 
  Each tower can hold up to two thousand soldiers and enough
  food and ammunition to keep them fighting for two hundred
  days. The roofs are studded with anti-aircraft artillery which
  is in constant use, shooting down mikefighters and aerostats
  from both sides. Hirplakker concentrates its fight on the tow-
  ers, preferring to occupy solid defensive positions rather than
  adopt a more attacking style. Arclight on the other hand uses
  the towers as supply bases for its more fluid form of fighting,
  striking out at the enemy, then retreating for re-supply. No
  weapon has yet been developed that can breach the walls
  of the towers, although the Brigade are known to have in
  place something known as Unit 731 which, it is alleged, may
  give them a decisive edge in the battle for the towers.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Sergeant Gerald Green
  Age: 30
  Height/Build: 5' 10"/Stocky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Grey
  Occupation: NCO commanding, 3rd Platoon, 'C'
  Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, Hirplakker Cadre
  Affiliations: Hirplakker
  Green has served in the Contested Grounds for two years
  and doesn't want to leave. Every time he goes on leave he
  feels dislocated, disjointed. The hell of the Grounds has
  become normality for him, without them, nothing seems right.
  He can no longer relate to civilians, preferring the company
  of soldiers. Three times he has been assigned other duties
  within Hirplakker's military forces, three times he has
  demanded reassignment to the Contested Grounds. His com-
  manders have resigned themselves to the fact that Green will
  live out the rest of his days there. Some discount him as a
  madman, others see him as the harbinger of a new race, a
  new breed of man evolved for fighting in this wasted land-
  scape. Whatever their opinions, he remains, crouching in the
  rubble, cradling his rifle, praying that he will remain here for-
  ever.
  the place 29
  
  the power
  ""Those people down there don't have a clue. You
  think they matter, the scum, the plebs, the huddled
  masses? All they want is violence, pornography,
  booze and blissful ignorance. None of them matter.
  Drones, nothing but a resource, Their blood lubricating
  the machines of society. Why? Because it's
  the cheapest thing there is. From here I can see farther
  than any of them have been in their lives.
  None of them can comprehend, none of them
  understand. We built this company, we sit on top of
  a timebomb, waiting for the final second to come.
  They will not be the cause of our downfall. Not
  while I still have one breath left in me."
  Matt Kenzie, Senior President, Arclight
  Macrocorporation.
  
  THE 3RD SYNDICATE
  Status: Criminal organisation
  Headquarters: Unknown
  Membership: Not quantified, but supposed to be at least
  ten thousand
  Areas Of Operation: Narcotics, hitech weapons pro-
  curement, kidnapping, extortion
  OVERVIEW
  Most massive and widespread of the criminal groups in The
  City, the 3rd Syndicate wields enormous power and exerts
  influence over the lives of a vast number of inhabitants.
  Notoriously violent, individual assemblies (as the sub-organi-
  sations are known) can control entire burghs and parishes in
  the more lawless parts of  The City. They are particularly
  active in the TCMA, where they are a continual thorn in the
  side of the Provosts. 
  Persuasive rumours circulate that the leaders of the 3rds
  have powerful, influential contacts within the Council and
  the macrcorps. Although never proven, they do seem to
  have access to large amounts of hitech weaponry and
  equipment. Another persistent rumour is that back in the
  mists of history, the 3rds were allied to one or more of the
  macrocorps. However, any media service even mentioning
  this rumour (indeed, any rumour about the syndicate) sud-
  denly find themselves the target of threats, escalating into
  violence. Another feature of the 3rd Syndicate is its almost
  pathological hatred of the Hohler Gang. The most obvious
  expression of this is the continual gang warfare around the
  Long Pond area of the TCMA. The Provosts are at a loss to
  prevent the continual round of killings, bombings, reprisals
  and kidnappings which this conflict has given rise to. The
  citizens of Long Pond have become inured to this over the
  years, seeing collateral casualties as just another hazard of
  living in The City. 
  ORGANISATION
  The 3rd Syndicate is made up of many assemblies, individual
  cells numbering from ten to two hundred gang members.
  Only the most trusted of the assembly leaders are aware of
  the identities of the Syndicate leaders, and even they do not
  know the exact location of the groups headquarters. What is
  known is that there are three people who exercise overall
  control, criminal masterminds of unparalleled sophistication
  and brutality. Each assembly has strict instructions to avoid
  treading on the toes of others, transgressions of this rule
  being punished in the most severe way.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Carpenter Halstead
  Age: 25
  Height/Build: 5' 8"/Stocky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Blond, shaven
  Occupation: Assembly leader (Long Pond)
  Affiliations: 3rd Syndicate.
  Weak willed is a description which could never be applied
  to Carpenter Halstead. Exceptionally young to be in charge
  of a major 3rd Syndicate assembly, he is extraordinarily
  young to be in charge of one of the most important assem-
  blies in The City. Long Pond is the scene of constant fighting
  between the 3rds and the Hohler Gang, a war which has
  been carried on over many years. 
  Murder and deception come easily to this young man, a fact
  which has only endeared him to his superiors. Hating the
  Hohlers with a passion which seems routed in his very soul,
  he persecutes the 3rd Syndicate's aims with unabashed
  vigour. It is an immense source of pride for both him and his
  assembly that he ranks among the top ten most wanted indi-
  viduals in the TCMA.
  the power 31
  
  THREE CANALS METROPOLITAN AREA 
  AUTHORITY (TCMAA)
  Numerical Strength: 56,000 personnel directly
  employed by the authority.
  Wealth: Expenditure of approx. £234,000,000.00 per
  annum.
  Areas of Operation: Three Canals Metropolitan Area
  and surrounding border areas (see map).
  Military Capability?: TCMAA Provosts (police service).
  OVERVIEW
  Seen by many as an oasis of order within the chaos that is
  The City, the Three Canals Metropolitan Area (TCMA) is a
  sprawling mass wedged between the Green and Red canals.
  Running straight through the heart of the region is the Grand
  Canal, mightiest of waterways within The City. Incorporating
  diverse areas such as Folly Hills, Bankside, Lucent Heights
  and Clearwater Break, the TCMA is a study in contrast. From
  abysmal poverty to enormous wealth, it is a microcosm of The
  City itself. 
  Exercising control over the teeming masses which inhabit the
  area is a phenomenal task, a task overseen by the Authority.
  Here, bureaucracy is taken to the highest level, as civil ser-
  vants strive to make sense out of the labyrinth of streets and
  canals which surround them. Monitoring this hydra is the
  Chief Burgess, Markus Heilige. Heilige rules with an iron fist
  concealed within an iron glove. He is not averse to making
  deals with the Shifted or criminal organisations such as the
  3rd Syndicate in order to ensure the smooth running of his
  Authority. It is, for example, well know that he let the Hohler
  Gang have Mire End, lying just across the Green Canal from
  Folly Hills, if they guaranteed not to encroach into Folly Hills,
  Fogwarren and Bankside. It is this kind of manipulation and
  bargaining, which have made Heilige such a force within the
  Authority.
  Heilige manipulates public opinion through the august office
  of the Mayor. The current incumbent is Owin Hardgadley, an
  easily lead dupe from the Authority who is little more than a
  figurehead for Heilige's machinations.
  Ruling from the enormous, rambling pile that is Breaken Hall,
  there are two forces within the Authority which vie for
  supremacy: the Community Service Board and the Provosts.
  the Community Service Board is in absolute charge of wel-
  fare, housing, healthcare and the provision of residency per-
  mits, whilst the Provosts have ultimate control over law
  enforcement within the TCMA. 
  THE COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD
  Dear Mr Jorgensen,
  It has come to our attention that you have been resident with-
  in the TCMA for nineteen years, within which time you have
  been employed for a total of seventeen days. The TCMA val-
  ues each and every one of its citizens, which is why your situ-
  ation concerns us. It would therefore be appreciated if you
  could attend Community Service Board Office 26 (Lake
  Boulevard, Folly Hills) for an informal interview. Please bring
  your residency permit, birth certificate, Council Tax certificate,
  water and sewerage tax certificate and a two thousand-word
  essay on why you should continue to be a citizen of the
  TCMA.
  Yours sincerely,
  Rolf Garner
  pp Islera Koretz
  Both fearsomely complex and fearsomely harsh, the
  Community Service board is the most powerful and influen-
  tial (outranking even the Provosts) part of the TCMAA. They
  provide unemployment benefit, citizenship permits, business
  permits, tax collection, health services and also (by some
  long forgotten ancient ruling) water, power and sewerage.
  Every citizen lives in fear of the Board, dreading the day
  when a message inviting them to attend an informal interview
  lands in their lap. The working lower and middle classes are
  terrified of losing their jobs, as this entails a huge round of
  interviews and tests to see if they will be allowed to remain a
  resident. In a stark contrast to this, the Board seems to take
  precious little interest in the unfortunate slum dwellers of
  Dreamingspires and other run-down regions. They prefer to
  husband their resources, dolling them out to those who they
  deem most worthy.
  The CSB has one hundred and three sub-offices scattered
  about the TCMA, each with their complement of assiduous,
  tenacious CSB staff. Externally, the offices are surprisingly
  like Provost bunkers, a fact which has not gone unnoticed
  among the citizenry. Working for the Board is a guarantee of
  a job for life and good treatment for ones immediate family.
  the power 32
  
  Competition to join (especially amongst those in more tenu-
  ous employment) is unsurprisingly fierce, despite the revulsion
  which the majority of the population feels towards the Board. 
  THE PROVOSTS
  Sideband Newsline
  Subject: CATCH Team Kills 43 In Raid
  Stringer: Anon
  "Tonight, the neighbourhood of Crush Street bore witness to
  one of the most bloody police actions in the history of the
  TCMA. An eight man Provost CATCH team raided a tene-
  ment block in which it was suspected that members of the 3rd
  Syndicate were operating a drugs factory. '
  'In the ensuing violence, 43 people, men, women and chil-
  dren are known to have been killed and many more injured.
  The CATCH Team suffered no injuries.'
  'Local burgess Francois Hoysek stated: "Seldom have I seen
  such brutality and casual disregard for the wellbeing of the
  very citizens whom the Provosts are sworn to protect. I shall
  be taking this matter to the highest level"
  'Commander of Provost Assault Division, Captain Adam
  Micdevitt gave the following statement to the press: "Fuck off."
  Maintaining law and order within any portion of the City is
  an arduous task, a task that is no easier within the boundaries
  of the TCMAA. Since the TCMAAs' inception, one of the
  prime concerns of the authority has been to provide safety
  and security for its citizens. Consequently, one of the earliest
  programs set up by the fledgling authority was to train and
  equip a professional police force.
  In the one hundred and eighty years since then, the Provosts
  have grown to a force of 9,000 men and women. Although
  they nominally answer to the TCMAA Council, the Provosts
  are commanded by Provost Marshal Graeme, an officer with
  thirty-eight years of service behind him. Graeme oversees the
  workings of the five Provost Divisions (Patrol, Support,
  Assault, Investigation and Internal Affairs) and represents the
  interests of the force on the council. 
  Broadly speaking, the Provosts are well respected by the citi-
  zens of the Three Canals and the job brings with it no small
  measure of pride, responsibility and remuneration. It is well
  known that the Provosts receive a handsome paycheck for car-
  rying out what is an admittedly difficult job. In terms of man-
  power, the largest of the five divisions is Patrol, which carries
  out the role of general policing. Second to Patrol is Support,
  which is home to pilots, mechanics and vehicle crew as well as
  other ancillary staff. All vehicles used by the Provosts are main-
  tained by support and all vehicles are piloted by Support offi-
  cers. Compared with Patrol and Support, the other three divi-
  sions are very small, scarcely having one thousand officers
  between them. Least liked is Internal Affairs (not surprisingly).
  Made up of dedicated officers with no families or strong ties,
  IA watches not only the activities of the provosts but also covert-
  ly spies on the goings on within the TCMAA Council.
  Investigation Division carries out the work of investigation into
  Category A crimes (murder, rape, industrial espionage etc.)
  and is a strictly plain-clothes division. Lastly, Assault carries
  responsibility for riot control, hostage rescue and tactical
  response. For this purpose, it has three sections to call on: the
  Rapids, the Tacticals and CATCH. The Rapids are fast response
  SWAT units and are often the first on the scene of a violent dis-
  turbance. They are lightly armed and equipped. The Tacticals
  are the heavier counterpart to the Rapids, carrying heavier
  weaponry and wearing far more substantial armour. Last of the
  Provost units are the CATCH Teams. When the toughest crimi-
  nal hideouts have to be raided, or a crazed serial killer is cor-
  nered, it's CATCH who are called in. Other Provosts reckon that
  the CATCH team members are borderline psychotic themselves
  and tend to steer clear of these very heavily armed, very well
  equipped but very unpredictable officers.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITIES
  Lieutenant Myles Harking
  Age: 29
  Height/Build: 6'/Strong
  Eye/Hair Colour: Hazel/Black
  Occupation: Police officer
  Affiliations: TCMA Provosts
  First and foremost, Myles Harking is reckoned by most that
  are in the know to be one of the few good cops left in The
  Provosts. Saying that is quite something, as he is commander
  of the Assault Section officers of the 87th Street Patrol Area.
  His gritty determination and an iron will in the face of adver-
  sity have got him where he is today. He is known to react with
  disgust to dishonesty within the police force and has had
  many officers under his command transferred or dismissed.
  Rumour has it that he is being groomed to take over one of
  the top spots in the Provosts, possibly as head of Assault
  when Adam Micdevitt retires (although the likelihood of that
  happening in the future is minimal).
  Physically, he is an imposing figure at 6'1" tall and of strong
  build. His dour visage masks a keen sense of humour and a
  sharp mind.
  the power 33
  
  Deputy Assistant Chief Community Service Officer Islera Koretz
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 9"/Average
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Blond
  Occupation: TCMA CSB
  Affiliations: TCMAA
  Koretz is a stern woman, and is most certainly on her way to
  the top. It is no secret that she has ambitions of eventually
  inheriting Markus Heilige's job, a position which she has
  been manoeuvring for over a period of years. Her talents for
  sniffing out fraud and keeping a tight reign on expenses have
  achieved almost legendary status. What is less well known is
  her background.
  Growing up in Dreamingspires provided the hardest of pos-
  sible educations. Life amongst the most wretched citizens of
  the TCMA was a lesson in survival. Through her own
  choice, she begged for entrance into one of the Third
  Church of God the Architect orphanages dotted about the
  TCMA and when she came of age, was eligible for TCMA
  citizenship. Determined to make the best out of her like, she
  joined the CSB as soon as she was able and since then her
  steely determination and killer instinct have taken her
  almost to the top of the most complex organ in what is a
  diabolically labyrinthine bureaucracy.
  Captain Adam Micdevitt
  Age: 42
  Height/Build: 5' 10"/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Pale grey/Black, greying at the temples
  Occupation: Police officer
  Affiliations: TCMAA Provosts
  Well known throughout the TCMA and further afield,
  Micdevitt is the hard-hitting commander of the Provost Assault
  Division, with personal command of the feared CATCH
  Teams. Leading from the front and providing an example for
  his men are two of the features which have endeared him to
  the personnel under his command.
  A fairly unremarkable figure at first sight, Adam Micdevitt is
  wiry and of average height, not at all looking like the public
  image of an ex-Brigade of Light man. On duty he is tough
  and at times brusque, off duty he can be pleasant and mild
  mannered. Unknown to anyone but himself he regularly
  makes large donations to various charities helping the vast
  numbers of homeless in the TCMA.
  Superintendent Julia Whitelaw
  Age: 44
  Height/Build: 5' 6"/Trim, well muscled
  Eye/Hair Colour: Dark brown/Strawberry blond
  Occupation: Police officer
  Affiliations: TCMAA Provosts
  The highest-ranking female officer in the Provosts, Julia
  Whitelaw has proved to be an exceptionally gifted and talent-
  ed senior officer. An Inspector with Lansing Defence before
  being headhunted by the Provosts, she has risen through the
  ranks at a steady pace but has finally settled on being the com-
  manding officer of the Patrol Division. Despite offers of higher
  ranking, less demanding supervisory posts, she has stolidly
  stayed put for the past four years, tackling the day to day diffi-
  culties of the Provosts largest division with skill and ease. 
  Now aged 44, she is a slim, slightly greying woman of above
  average height. Physically, she is very capable, easily able to
  cope with the rigorous and regular Patrol combat training.
  With an IQ of 178, she is undoubtedly one of the most intel-
  ligent officers within the organisation.
  ARCLIGHT
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: Luminosity Tower
  Product(s)/Service(s): Advanced armaments, aircraft,
  communications systems, personal electronics, powered per-
  sonal armour.
  OVERVIEW
  A stern challenger to the might of Trilhoeven in the field of
  advanced armaments, until a few years ago Arclight were
  considered outsiders in the macrocorporate world. Indeed, it
  was the opinion of the other seven macrocorps that Arclight
  were merely a very large company trying to create waves in
  The City by attempting to gain control of resource facilities.
  However, Arclight asserted their macrocorp status during the
  Hundred Block War three years ago when they defeated the
  massive Hirplakker Combine in a dispute over trade and
  the power 34
  
  exploitation rights to several highly lucrative regions of The
  City. Arclight are now firmly ensconced as the eighth macro-
  corp while the tail end of the Hundred Block War rumbles on
  in the Contested Grounds.
  Arclight rules its corporate empire from the astonishing
  Luminosity Tower, built entirely since the Hundred Block War.
  No citizen can fail to be impressed by the elegance and
  might of the tower. From here, the leaders of the corporation
  control their business dealings, watching the thousands who
  labour for Arclight live out their lives.
  ORGANISATION
  Controlled by five families, the van den Haas’, the
  McKenzies’, the Singhs', the Grays’ and the Spitzers,
  Arclight's business organisation is somewhat idiosyncratic
  and not a little nepotistic. Infighting, assassination and some-
  times war are not uncommon within Arclight. Currently, the
  Grays' hold the upper hand, with seven out of the twenty-
  three seats on the board.
  SECURITY FORCES
  The Hundred Block War revealed that Arclight had managed
  to construct one of the best equipped and best trained secu-
  rity forces anywhere in The City. The military heart of these
  forces lies in the Brigade of Light, a 15,000 strong force of
  elite soldiers. Complementing this military arm are the para-
  military Ruby and Sapphire Sections. Ruby Section deals with
  internal security matters, Sapphire with external matters. The
  Brigade is made up of infantry with limited heavy armour
  support, a reasonably sized air wing and a large force of
  power armoured Tentenel troops. Their tactical ability and
  training are second to none, while their equipment is among
  the best, if not the best, in The City. Most troops are fanati-
  cally loyal to Arclight, more than ready to lay down their lives
  to defend both it and the honour of the Brigade.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  General Katarina van den Haas
  Age: 67 (looks 30)
  Height/Build: 5'7"/Slim
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Dark Brown
  Occupation: Commander of the Brigade of Light
  Affiliations: Arclight, all sections of the Brigade
  General Katarina van den Haas, Commander-in-Chief of the
  Brigade of Light. Eldest daughter of the van den Haas family,
  one of the five families who control Arclight, Katarina is now
  sixty-seven years old but thanks to her genetically enhanced
  background and limitless medical treatment, she hardly looks
  a day over thirty. This has lead to more than a few embar-
  rassing situations with young suitors apparently unaware that
  she is old enough to be their grandmother.
  A strong willed woman, it was she who masterminded
  Arclight's victory over Hirplakker during the Hundred Block
  War. She also turned the Brigade of Light from a merely
  good military machine into one of the most formidable fight-
  ing forces in The City. Her drive to ensure Arclight's pre-emi-
  nence saw the Brigade of Light go from strength to strength,
  increasing the number of armoured Tentenel troops and
  destroying the rigid, stratified,  nepotistic chain of command
  which had been so endorsed by previous commanders.
  SIDEBAND MEDIA
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: The Cathedral, 
  Product(s)/Service(s): Films, television, tri-D, newspa-
  pers, Dataflow access services, media analysis, intelligence
  gathering.
  Overview
  Working out of the massive, gargoyle encrusted edifice that
  is the Cathedral, Sideband dominate the media landscape of
  The City. No other corporation can claim to have such an
  influence over the daily lives of so many citizens of the urban
  sprawl. They wire themselves into the consciousness of The
  City, feeding dreams and playing off nightmares. Sideband
  holds a vital position in keeping the citizens sedated. Without
  the entertainments they produce, the entire city would simply
  descend into chaos. The controllers of the corporation are
  well aware of this, using their perceived power to influence
  other organisations. Cutting off TV services to a burgh can
  have drastic effects as the population are isolated from their
  electronic sedative. More than once have Sideband used this
  tactic and more than once they have got their way.
  ORGANISATION
  Each of the eight departments has an equal controlling interest
  in the corporation. In many ways, each of the departments can
  be seen as a separate corporation, competing for market share
  the power 35
  
  and scarce resources. SBMT (Sideband Media Technologies,
  providers of TV, Tri-D and pay-per view cable) compete in the
  same marketplace as Cinematographics (who produce feature
  films). Laydown (newspapers and Dataflow newswire services)
  compete against HiGloss (magazines and Dataflow informa-
  tion services for the well-off). This often results in bitter infighting
  between the departments as they scrabble to attract the atten-
  tion of the jaded consuming public. In the many vaulted cafe-
  terias and restrooms of the Cathedral, fights are commonplace
  between employees of varying departments and Media Break
  (the security arm of Sideband) are often called out to intervene.
  Perhaps the most lucrative part of the Sideband operation is
  its intelligence gathering operations. With the vast flow of
  data which pours into the Cathedral, everything is useful to
  someone and the corporation are willing to sell information 
  to anyone. SideScan are the department responsible for intel-
  ligence gathering and information sales. Everything has a
  price and no request (apart from the monumentally unrea-
  sonable) will be refused.
  SECURITY FORCES
  As mentioned before, the corporation maintains a reasonable
  security force in the form of Media Break. Their purpose is
  mainly to provide internal security services, as most of the other
  corporations see Sideband operations as too vastly
  labyrinthine to even contemplate a violent take-over. Employees
  of the corporation view Media Break as a harsh, authoritarian
  part of the company, and, indeed, they are. They have no bias
  towards any part of the company, despite the influencing tac-
  tics that other departments employ. In addition to their more
  obvious security function, they also provide an arbitration serv-
  ice between squabbling sections and departments. Their
  smooth, urbane negotiators are the last word in diplomacy,
  exercising their skills for the good of the corporation.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Brandon Shape
  Age: 43
  Height/Build: 6' 7"/Very well muscled
  Eye/Hair Colour: Green/Light Brown
  Occupation: Head of Security, Sideband Media
  Affiliations: Employed by Sideband Media, alleged con-
  nections to the 3rd Syndicate.
  Respected by his superiors, peers and staff, Brandon Shape is
  a man of great cunning, wit and immense physical presence.
  Standing a fraction over six and a half feet tall, he is an impres-
  sive figure, always clad in immaculately pressed black suits.
  After a stint in the armed forces of an unspecified company,
  he joined Sideband at the lowest level of their security oper-
  ation but, after many years of hard work, perseverance and
  success in his field, he has now gravitated to the very highest
  echelons of his profession. He oversees all aspects of securi-
  ty operations for the Cathedral with a precision and dedica-
  tion which almost defies belief.
  It is said that he knows the name and career record of every
  single one of his security personnel. A career corporate, it is
  rumoured that he has close ties with the 3rd Syndicate,
  although he remains characteristically tight lipped and the
  3rd's are certainly saying nothing.
  Religious Groups
  religion and cultism
  The City is a fertile seedbed for all manner of religious and
  quasi-religious organisations. Millenarian cults, animist
  klatches and apocalyptic suicide sects all play their part in
  the decaying tapestry of life. Religion is a vital part of life for
  many people, providing them with a bulwark against the hor-
  rors of everyday life. It provides the column which gives them
  strength in a horrible, dark place. 
  Millenarian Groups
  By the common reckoning, The Bombardment and The Shift
  occurred 997 City-years ago. This means that it is nearly one
  thousand years since the terrible events which so shaped life
  in The City. In recent decades, there has been an explosive
  rise in the number of sects whose beliefs are centred on the
  upcoming millennium. Groups such as this have always exist-
  ed, most of them believing that there is a thousand-year cycle
  of destruction, chaos and re-building. However, as the thou-
  sand-year mark draws closer, many more extreme groups
  have sprung into being, with views and practices that chal-
  lenge even the hardened sensibilities of The City. 
  Most common are groups which believe another Shift is on
  the way and that they alone hold the key to living through the
  event. Sacrifice, torture and self-mutilation are hallmarks of
  these sects. Believers generally have tenets that revolve
  around extreme practices, practices which guarantee their
  survival during the next Shift.
  the power 36
  
  One of the most radical of the millenarian groups are the
  Soldiers of Change. They are almost exclusively made up of
  veterans of the ongoing conflict in the Contested Grounds,
  most of them driven to the edge of insanity (and beyond) by
  their experiences. Having a strict code of martial discipline
  and religious observance, their rigorously regimented hierar-
  chy demands that any transgressions are punishable by
  death and all orders from the senior officers must be followed
  to the absolute letter, even if it means death or injury for the
  soldiers concerned. Their central belief is that only through
  martial virtue and discipline will man be prepared for the tri-
  als of the next Shift. Unsurprisingly, the Contested Grounds
  have become the spiritual home of the Soldiers of Change, a
  place where they learn to master themselves and indulge
  their compulsion to kill. Driven by their nightmares and per-
  sonal demons, they see most people as traitors, infiltrators,
  spies, an enemy to be rooted out, tortured and executed. The
  Soldiers of Change are a dangerous, violent and unstable
  group of people (probably amounting to no more than a few
  hundred individuals) who could, if they desired, wreak major
  havoc in The City.
  Macrotists
  Some citizens choose strange idols to worship. To many peo-
  ple, those who belong to the macrocorps are beautiful fig-
  ures who come down from on high, dressed in wonderful fin-
  ery, skin unblemished by soot or pollution, beautiful in every
  aspect. Macrocorporate worship assumes many forms, from
  idolisation of a particular figure or product, to a building or
  even the organisation itself. Within all of this, there a two dis-
  tinct types of worship: spontaneous and conceived.
  Spontaneous worship (as the name would suggest) arises
  naturally, as individuals or small groups start to hold certain
  aspects of macrocorporate life as the acme of existence or
  examples of the divine. In recent years, one of the most
  notable aspects of spontaneous worship is that associated
  with Luminosity Tower, the headquarters of Arclight. So
  impressive is the building, shining with an almost heavenly
  glow, that many have come to believe that it has indeed been
  divinely inspired. Some choose to believe that the structure
  itself was created by a deity figure, others choose to believe
  that, although built by men, the tower is a symbol of holiness
  and divine wisdom.
  Conceived worship is an altogether different matter. Some
  elements within the macrocorps noted the existence of cor-
  porate worship and decided that such beliefs could be valu-
  able to their interests. Through various means, certain macro-
  corp interests manipulate people into macrotism. Some
  choose to 'plant' individuals who preach belief in certain
  divine aspects of the company, whilst others choose subtle
  manipulation via television and the media. Others choose
  even more insidious methods, such as drug manipulation of
  entire workforces to make them susceptible to religious sug-
  gestion. Whatever the means, worshipping macrocorps has
  become a part of life in The City. Although fractured and dis-
  parate, the number of believers steadily grows, becoming
  ever stronger as the years roll by.
  Animism
  Some within The City hold the belief that natural objects,
  places and even The City itself have a 'spirit', a binding force
  which unifies all things. Most animists or groups of animists
  have differing views on what exactly constitutes a 'spirit' and
  how it is manifested, yet all adhere to the same basic beliefs.
  Animists quite often recive revelations from the spirits in the
  form of dreams and visions, often connected with the pres-
  ence of a particular things or place. Some areas in The City
  have attracted large numbers of animists to live in and
  around them. The Forest and Central Park are both popular
  locations, due to their bountiful natural resources. Much of
  the time, the authorities in these areas tolerate people build-
  ing tiny shrines under trees or next to flowering shrubs. They
  realise that the believers are highly unlike to damage the
  objects which they venerate and are, in most cases, more like-
  ly to tend the item in question. There are some cases where
  animists stray dangerously close to Shift worshippers and
  there is some cross-fertilisation of belief between the two.
  Some of the more extreme animist sects see The Shifted as
  spirits of The City, to be worshipped and communed with.
  This, from any reasonable standpoint, is a fairly bad idea
  which can only end in trouble.
  One of the more notable and widespread animist religions
  are the Greenkeepers. Each Greenkeeper worships their own
  personal plant, which they must tend and respect. Each plant
  is grown from a cutting taken from a gigantic, ancient tree
  which grows at a secret location somewhere in The City.
  Only the inner circle of believers know where the tree is locat-
  ed and they guard it with a fierce determination. Members of
  the religion believe that by tending for the plant, there is a
  two-way process which benefits both the plant and the ten-
  der. There may be a certain amount of truth in this, as
  Greenkeepers tend to be marginally happier and better bal-
  anced than your average citizen.
  Apocalyptic Cults
  Often confused with some of the millenarian groups, most
  apocalyptic cults believe that The Shift and The
  Bombardment were a literal apocalypse and that the world,
  the power 37
  
  as it existed prior to these events, no longer exists. In many
  senses, this is true. Life in The City is radically changed from
  what it once was; it is now a cauldron of social problems
  gone hopelessly insane. These cults believe that the inhabi-
  tants of The City are literally living in a hell. Some of their
  beliefs are not so far removed from the tenets of the Third
  Church of God The Architect. Indeed, some apocalyptic cults
  are splinter factions of the Third Church. These cults vary in
  the extreme in their beliefs. Some believe that as the popu-
  lace has been condemned to hell, then it must be because
  mankind is essentially evil and deserves as much punishment
  as possible. In a contrary view, some believe that the only
  way to release mankind from this apocalyptic state is by
  doing good, by exhibiting kindness and compassion. This
  view is exemplified by the Children of Beneficent
  Compassion and Blessed Relief. Although not very wide-
  spread, they run a number of poorhouses, orphanages, hos-
  pitals and schools in an attempt to bring succour and assis-
  tance to as many poor souls as possible.  Taking a opposite
  line to the Children are the Despondent Brothers, a quasi-
  monastic group which believe that extreme penitence
  through starvation, flagellation and self-mutilation are they
  key to achieving external rest. Needless to say, the Brothers
  attract the more unusual citizens of The City into their fold,
  sadists, masochists, the insane and the hopelessly weak-
  willed.
  Shift Worship
  Disturbed, deranged and quite possibly demented. This is
  the common perception of those who worship and adore
  Shifted beings, venerating them as deities. However, the
  truth is, if anything, even more disturbing. Not all Shifted
  worshippers are the deranged lunatics of popular folklore,
  sacrificing themselves in bloody services and ending their
  miserable lives in a frenzy of destruction. Many see the
  power of The Shifted as a key to greater power for them-
  selves. Respected citizens, powerful executives and
  admired sportsmen and women have been know to be fol-
  lowers of The Shifted, worshipping them for their own ends.
  In truth, worshipping The Shifted is dangerous; at best, a
  path to insanity, at worst, a road to death. The incompre-
  hensible nature of The Shifted makes dealing with them a
  shaky proposition, one founded on misunderstanding, con-
  fusion and hatred. If The Shifted do, in their own way,
  decide to 'assist' worshippers, it is usually for their own mys-
  terious ends rather than for the ends of the worshippers.
  Yet, many still flock to the underground churches, the dark-
  ened back rooms, the secluded courtyards to pray and
  beseech in the hope of attracting those whom they fear and
  venerate.
  THE THIRD CHURCH OF GOD THE ARCHITECT
  Status: Citywide religious organisation
  Headquarters: Colsetter Parish
  Membership: Estimated to be between 15 and 25% of the
  population of The City
  OVERVIEW
  Austerity. Penitence. Toil. These are the hallmarks of the
  Third Church of God The Architect. Born out of the schis-
  matic fires of the Second Church, the Third Church has
  grown to be even more powerful and popular than its more
  lenient predecessor. Hundreds of thousands worship God
  in His aspect as the Great Architect, creator of this peniten-
  tial domain and judge over all. The core belief of the
  Church is simple: God created The City as a testing ground
  for the faithful, to see who was fit to enter His Eternal
  Heavenly City or be forever cast into the Many-Cursed
  Slums of the Great Demolisher. Only those who show true
  devotion to the Church, who live an appropriately humble
  and austere life, who regularly sing the Seventeen Virtues
  and Devotions and who work to further the glory of God
  can even have a hope of entering His Eternal Heavenly
  City. Everyone else is just in the shit.
  ORGANISATION
  The Church is ruled over by the High Cardinal, supreme
  leader of all the faithful. The High Cardinal is chosen from
  the ranks of ordinary cardinals upon the death or abdica-
  tion of the previous incumbent. This is by no means a posi-
  tion for life and more than one High Cardinal has been per-
  suaded to abdicate his office in light of certain matters.
  Under the cardinals are the numerous bishops who take
  care of the day to day running of the Church. It is they who
  hold the true power within the Church, as it is the bishops
  who carry out the vast amounts of clerical and organisa-
  tional work required to keep the Church running. The low-
  est rung on the ladder of ordained members of the Church
  are the ordinary priests. Their duties can range from pre-
  siding over a given parish, assisting in clerical (in the
  the power 38
  
  administrative sense) matters, carrying out diplomatic work
  or any number of duties which the bishops and cardinals
  might find for them. The ordained hierarchy is exclusively
  male, the Church forbidding women from taking holy
  orders.
  While not hugely vocal, there have always been factions in
  the Church who seek to change the status quo and allow
  female adherents to become priests. However, these move-
  ments are never very large and rarely manage to obtain the
  support of higher officials within the hierarchy.
  Working alongside the priests, bishops and cardinals, there
  are numerous members of the laity who have chosen to
  dedicate their life to the Church. These are the deacons and
  sub-deacons. While many deacons act as assistants and
  advisers to members of the clergy, a large proportion of
  their number serves in the Lay Reserves Martial, the military
  arm of the Church. Ordinary priests are forbidden from tak-
  ing up arms except for ceremonial purposes. It is the sub-
  deacons and deacons who act as non-commissioned and
  junior officers within the Reserves. The higher ranks are
  held by bishops and some of the more senior and well-
  regarded deacons.
  SECURITY FORCES
  As has been mentioned, the Church maintains a large
  armed force in the form of the Lay Reserves Martial. Each
  member of the Church, male or female, is expected to serve
  at least two years in the armed forces.
  An almost monastic organisation, the Reserves indoctrinate
  its members with a fanatical devotion to the Church and to
  God. Combining the functions of police force, army and
  intelligence agency, they are a stern and forbidding group,
  clad in their tight fitting black uniforms and proudly dis-
  playing the elaborate tonsures which are their marks of
  rank. As rank increases, the tonsure become even more
  elaborate, the highest ranking officers must maintain their
  hair on an almost daily basis if they do not wish to be rep-
  rimanded and suffer loss of face in front of their fellow
  believers. 
  The vast majority of the reserves are formed into infantry
  companies, they have no air force as air travel is consid-
  ered a sin against God and His Creation. Armaments vary
  widely, with the most lowly units simply being armed with
  sparklocks, while expensively purchased hitech weapons
  are reserved for the members of the Chosen Path: the per-
  sonal guard of the High Cardinal.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  The Reverend Jaimes Mickitrik
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 5"/Slight
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Brown 
  Occupation: Priest
  Affiliations: The Third Church of God The Architect
  A lowly parish priest, Mickitrik tends to the needs of his
  parishioners in the densely populated slums of Fogwarren
  with a care and attention to duty which surprises even his
  superiors. He seems to be one of those rare individuals who
  actually care for the wellbeing and safety of others above all
  else. Many laugh and deride his efforts to help the poor, the
  sick, the starving and the mad. However, despite his seeming
  naivete, the people of Fogwarren have taken him to their
  hearts. His trust is rarely abused, his Chapel left relatively
  untouched and he can even walk in safety through the rough-
  est neighbourhoods. His chapel has expanded from a single,
  small stone building in to a structure large enough to house a
  sanatorium, hospital, dormitory, soup kitchens and meeting
  hall. Physically, Mickitrik is a small, unassuming, prematurely
  balding man of quiet demeanour. He evangelises to a certain
  extent, but most take this as small penance for the good
  works that he carries out. 
  the power 39
  
  the procedure
  "It's not right, you're not right, he's not right, nothing's
  RIGHT! Concrete, blood, iron, tracks, canals,
  houses, trees, towers, knives, axes, fire, fury, wealth,
  poverty, shit, death. None of this matters, you don't
  matter, he don't matter, I don't fucking MATTER!
  Nobody cares. That's the point. Nobody cares. At
  all. Any time. We are all dead men. We're born
  into the shit and just don't realise until a bullet tears
  our spine out. You just don't get it, neither does he.
  Because I know. I KNOW! I FUCKING KNOW!"
  Prisoner 74019, Wing 32, 'Inferno' Mental
  
  In a/state, all primary attributes and skills are defined by a
  number from one to one hundred. If a player wishes to have
  their character try their hand at a particular test of a skill or
  attribute, the player must roll a 100-sided die (hereafter
  referred to as a D100) on or under the appropriate attribute
  or skill in order to succeed. Under normal circumstances,
  rolling on or under the attribute means that the character is
  successful and passes the test. If a number greater than the
  attribute or skill level is rolled, then the character fails the test.
  MODIFYING THE ROLL
  Sometimes, circumstances will conspire to make it easier or
  harder for the character to pass an attribute or skill test.
  When a skill or attribute is modified (either positively or neg-
  atively) the modified number is known as the 'Effective Total'.
  This is the number which must be rolled on or under in order
  that the character is successful in the test. 
  The difficulties and the level by which they modify the appro-
  priate skill or attribute are shown below.
  Difficulty
  Modifier
  Absurdly Easy
  +80
  Very Easy
  +60
  Easy
  +50
  Simple
  +40
  Routine
  +30
  Complicated
  +10
  Challenging
  0
  Difficult
  -10
  Very Difficult
  -30
  Extremely Difficult
  -50
  Formidable
  -70
  Impossible
  -90
  example
  John is playing the character of Janus Kripitsch, a type of
  character known as a Lostfinder. Kripitsch is attempting to fol-
  low a suspected thief silently and without being observed.
  Unfortunately, the thief heads down a silent alley strewn with
  discarded rubbish, making it rather difficult to move quickly.
  The GM informs John that he must make a successful
  Shadowing roll in order that the thief remains unaware of
  Kripitsch's presence. Kripitsch is rather good at this and has
  a Shadowing skill of 70%. However, due to the circum-
  stances, the GM states that this is a Difficult roll, meaning that
  John must subtract 10 from Kripitsch's skill level in
  Shadowing. This gives an Effective Total of 60%. John makes
  his roll. The dice come up 25, Kripitsch has passed the test
  and the thief remains blissfully unaware that he is being fol-
  lowed. 
  However, a roll of 01 will always pass and a roll of 00 will
  always fail. This serves to at least give characters a small
  chance of succeeding, even in a hopeless situation, and
  makes characters with very high skills nervous, as there is
  always the chance of failing. 
  SKILL AND ATTRIBUTE CHALLENGES
  On certain occasions, a character will be called upon to pit
  a particular skill, or attribute, against that of another charac-
  ter, creature or even an inanimate object. This is known as a
  Skill (or Attribute) Challenge. Resolving such a challenge is
  very simple. Both sides roll against their base skill or attribute.
  Whoever passes by the most or fails by the least has won the
  challenge. Simple as that.
  Example
  Local Mire End loudmouth and all round bully Valentin Brady
  is in a local pub one night. Out of sheer braggadoccio, he
  challenges another man to an arm wrestle. Brady has a
  Strength of 70 (the appropriate attribute for such a chal-
  lenge) and his opponent has a Strength of only 40. Should
  be easy to beat. The player playing Brady rolls first and the
  dice turn up a score of 75, Brady fails his roll by five. The GM
  rolls for his opponent and gets a 35, passing by five. Much
  to his surprise, Brady is defeated by the weaker man.
  SKILLS AND SKILL MODIFIERS
  Skills are organised into groups of related skills know as 'Skill
  Areas'. These Skill Areas serve to indicate what attribute or
  attributes should be used to modify a particular skill. Each
  Skill Area (see 'Skill Descriptions' in 'The Players' for a full list
  of skill areas and skills) has an attribute, or attributes, associ-
  ated with it. The associated attribute(s) serve to modify the
  skill.
  In order to work out what the modifier is, take one tenth of the
  attribute (or one tenth of the average of the attributes) asso-
  ciated with the skills in the area and use this as a positive
  modifier in any skill roll. Note: Skill areas cannot be bought,
  you have to buy the individuals skills separately in that area. 
  This is explained further in 'The Players'.
  the procedure 41
  
  COMBAT
  In a/state, the best way to avoid being killed or injured is to
  avoid a fight in the first place. Even if a stab wound or a gun-
  shot doesn’t kill you straight off, there’s a good chance you’ll
  succumb to infection, medical care being what it is in The City.
  Unless you’re rich, affiliated with a macrocorp or have man-
  aged to scavenge some decent medical gear, medical care
  will be primitive and not particularly effective. Take the hint:
  don’t get into a fight, and if you do, keep behind cover and out
  of the line of fire.
  Basics
  Combat can be divided into two types: melee combat and
  ranged combat. The end result is essentially the same in that the
  object is to kill or injure your opponent. However, there are
  specifics for each which must be covered in detail. Before we
  get into that, though, there are some basics which apply to
  both types of combat.
  Rounds
  Combat is arbitrarily divided into one second segments called
  ‘Rounds’. Within this timescale, an individual can perform a sin-
  gle action, such as run a given distance, fire a gun a certain
  number of times, throw a knife and so on. How quickly a char-
  acter can react in combat is determined by the Reaction (REA)
  rating. The higher Reaction is, the faster your character can
  react in a high pressure combat environment. Base Reaction is
  found by taking the average of Awareness, Intelligence and
  Agility, and rounding down to the nearest whole number if the
  fraction is below .5 and rounding up if the fraction is .5 or
  above and adding or subtracting certain modifiers. The com-
  bat round runs from the highest Reaction to the lowest, thus
  allowing faster, more aware characters to get the drop on slow-
  er opponents. A character can also choose to hold their action,
  waiting until their opponent has moved before taking action.
  This allows a quick character to instantly react to manoeuvres.
  When a character has chosen to hold action and reacts to an
  opponent's move, both the actions of the opponent and the
  character are considered to have happened simultaneously.
  Example
  Jane Card, a ghostfighter has an AWR of 70, INT of 50 and
  AGL of 80. Her Reaction is therefore the average of these three
  numbers, giving an REA of 67 (66.67, rounded up). She's just
  been challenged by Flash Valentine, a well known local gang
  leader. Valentine has an AWR of 65, and INT of 40 and an
  AGL of 60. His Reaction is therefore 55. Card can therefore
  either strike at Valentine before he has a chance to move or can
  hold action until he moves and choose an appropriate
  response.
  Melee Combat
  Melee combat, whether using weapons such as knives and
  clubs, or using fists and feet can be a messy, brutal business.
  Generally, no one gets out of a fight completely unscathed.
  Melee weapons (from table legs to laminate combat blades)
  are all defined by the following stats:
  Damage Value (DAM)
  The basic level of damage which the weapon will do to a tar-
  get. The damage level of a hand held weapon is added to a
  character's Punch Damage.
  Penetration (PEN)
  How good the weapon is at penetrating armour.
  Reach (RCH)
  How much the weapon extends your effective reach, gener-
  ally based on the length of the weapon.
  Reaction Modifier (REM)
  How the size and mass of the weapon affects the reaction
  time of the user.
  Mass (MSS)
  How heavy the weapon is.
  Cost (CST)
  The basic retail cost, in pounds, shillings and pence, of the
  weapon.
  For weapons such as knives and swords, PEN will usually
  have two ratings separated by a slash. The number before
  the slash represents the PEN when stabbing with the weapon,
  the number after the slash represents the PEN when cutting
  with the weapon.
  Example
  The profile for a Llive looks like this:
  DAM
  PEN
  RCH
  REM
  MSS
  6
  10/20
  +0
  +5
  2
  Characters who are within two meters of each other may make
  melee attacks, using any appropriate close combat skill.
  Hitting The Target
  Taking into account any appropriate modifiers (see next
  page) a character may attempt to strike an opponent with
  fists, feet, knives or their melee weapon of choice. 
  the procedure 42
  
  The attacker must specify where they are striking, taking the
  appropriate modifier shown in the table below
  Area
  Penalty
  Head
  -20
  Chest
  -10
  Abdomen
  -10
  Arm
  -15
  Upper Leg
  -10
  Lower Leg
  -15
  A Challenge roll must be made between the attacker and
  the defender. Whoever makes the roll by the most or fails
  by the least makes a successful attack or defence.
  Defending does not count as an action on the part of the
  defender, allowing them to strike back when their turn
  comes.
  Fire Combat
  Fire combat is a deadly and dangerous business, usually
  over and done with in a few seconds, with one or both sets
  of combatants either injured or dead. Firearms (and this
  covers gauss weapons, lasers and all ranged weapons) are
  defined by the following attributes:
  Damage Value (DAM)
  The basic level of damage which a standard round from the
  weapon will do to a target.
  Penetration (PEN)
  How good a standard round from the weapon is at pene-
  trating armour.
  Range (RNG)
  The close range (in metres) of the weapon.
  Rate Of Fire (ROF)
  How many times in a  one second combat round the weapon
  can be discharged.
  Reaction Modifier (REM)
  How the size and mass of the weapon affects the reaction
  time of the user.
  Clip (CLP)
  How many shots a single clip for the weapon contains.
  Mass (MSS)
  How heavy the weapon is.
  example
  The profile for a medium sparklock looks like this:
  DAM
  PEN
  RNG
  ROF
  REM
  CLP
  MSS
  7
  5
  10
  1
  +10
  1
  2.5
  Hitting The Target
  Actually hitting the target in fire combat is a combination of
  many factors including, but not limited to, the skill of the user,
  the range to the target, the quality of the weapon, the ambi-
  ent light, movement, etc. In order to hit the target, the firer
  must make a skill roll against the appropriate skill for the
  weapon they are using (i.e.: firing a sparklock pistol requires
  the use of the Pistol skill, firing a shotgun requires the use of
  the Longarms skill). In ideal conditions (which never, ever
  exist) the skill of the firer is merely modified by the range to
  the target and the modified skill is rolled against to see if the
  round hits. This is always the first step in determining if you
  can hit the target. The Range (RNG) stat for a given weapon
  shows the Close Range in Metres of the weapon. Medium
  range is between the figure for close range and twice that
  number. The figure for Long Range is between twice and four
  times Close Range and the figure for Extreme Range is
  between four and eight times this number.
  the procedure 43
  
  Example
  The profile for the Medium Sparklock given above shows a
  RNG figure of 10. Therefore, the range bands are:
  Close
  10
  Medium
  20
  Long 
  40
  Extreme
  80
  As the range to a target increases, it becomes increasingly
  difficult to hit the target. Each range band has a different
  modifier, as shown below:
  Close
  00%
  Medium
  -20%
  Long 
  -50%
  Extreme
  -80%
  Range is not the only modifier. Movement, lighting, rain, tired-
  ness and a vast range of situational modifiers can all con-
  spire to turn the best marksman into a hopeless shot. The list
  given below is not exhaustive and GMs should feel free to
  change the modifiers and make up new ones as the situation
  demands it.
  Situation
  Modifier
  Walking
  -10
  Jogging
  -20
  Running
  -30
  Sprinting
  -40
  Poor Light
  -10
  Bad Light
  -30
  Near Dark
  -70
  Mist
  -20
  Fog/Smog
  -40
  Light Rain
  -10
  Heavy Rain
  -30
  Poor Footing
  -10
  Restricted Movement
  -10
  Aiming (1 second)
  +10
  Aiming (2 seconds)
  +20
  Aiming (4 seconds)
  +30
  Aiming (8 seconds)
  +40
  Laser Targeting
  +20
  Example
  A character running through mist and attempting to hit a tar-
  get fifteen metres away with the aforementioned medium
  sparklock, would suffer a whopping -70% penalty to hit.
  Called Shots
  Sometimes, it may be better to try and hit a specific part of
  a target rather than just randomly blazing away, hoping
  that something vital will be hit. In this instance, the firer can
  declare a called shot and take a penalty to hit based on the
  area of the body they are attempting to shoot.
  Area
  Penalty
  Head
  -40
  Chest
  -20
  Abdomen
  -20
  Arm
  -30
  Upper Leg
  -20
  Lower Leg
  -30
  RATE OF FIRE
  The Rate Of Fire (ROF) of any weapon determines how
  many single shots or bursts it can fire in any combat round.
  For example, a semi-automatic cartridge pistol has a ROF
  of 4, meaning that it can fire up to four shots per combat
  round. Automatic weapons (i.e.: those that can fire continu-
  ous streams of bullets) will have their ROF show like this :
  4(5). This means that the weapon can fire up to four single
  shots or four bursts of five rounds each. Burst fire can either
  be Aimed or Suppressive. 
  Aimed burst fire is treated exactly like firing a single shot at a
  target, only multiple rounds are being fired at once. A single
  hit roll is made for each burst, all rounds either hit or miss.
  When a target is hit by a burst, all rounds strike the same
  area. Needless to say, a well aimed burst can have a dev-
  astating effect on a target.
  Suppressive burst fire is mainly designed to cover an area or
  keep opponents heads down. A single burst can be used to
  cover an area one meter wide and the chance to hit a target
  within that area equals:
  (number of bursts fired x number of rounds in each burst) x2,
  modified by various range modifiers.
  The chance to hit is doubled at close range and halved at
  extreme range. As an example, an automatic rifle with a
  ROF of 4(5) could spray bullets across an area four meters
  wide in one combat round, giving a chance to hit targets
  within the area of 10% (modified for range, if appropriate).
  Or, the firer could concentrate all four bursts on an area
  one meter wide, giving a chance to hit of 40% (modified
  for range, if appropriate). Targets caught by a suppressive
  the procedure 44
  
  burst will be struck by 1D10/2 rounds, up to a maximum of
  the number of rounds in a single burst. 
  Recoil
  All firearms produce recoil
  and this can quite easily
  throw off the aim of the
  firer. To represent this, each
  shot or burst fired AFTER
  the first shot or burst in a
  round takes an additional,
  cumulative -10% to hit (so
  the second shot is at -10%.
  third shot is at -20% and so
  on). Of course, this rule
  does not apply to lasers.
  That would be silly.
  COVER
  In some situations, a target may have benefit of cover: walls,
  barrels, tables and so on. Cover is defined as either full or
  partial. Full cover, as the name would suggest, provides pro-
  tection to the character's entire body whilst partial cover pro-
  vides protection to either the upper or lower half of the body. 
  Cover effectively provides extra armour for the character,
  depending on the construction of the cover. So, a brick wall
  provides more protection than a wooden table, for example.
  Sample AVs for some common types of cover are given
  below.
  Cover Type
  AV
  Brick Wall
  10
  Plasterboard Wall
  03
  Reinforced Concrete
  40
  Table
  02
  Wooden Door
  03
  If a character is in full cover, then the AV of the cover applies
  to any hit location. If the character is in partial cover, the AV
  only applies to those areas of the body which are behind
  cover.
  Hit Location
  Once it has been determined that the target has actually
  been hit, then the attacker must roll to see where he or she
  hits the target (with a called shot, this part of the process is
  unnecessary, as the attacker will either hit the chosen area or
  miss completely). Rolling on the table below will determine
  where the bullet or blow hits.
  D10 Role
  Location
  1
  Head
  2,3
  Chest
  4
  Abdomen
  5
  Right Arm
  6
  Left Arm
  7
  Upper Right Leg
  8
  Upper Left Leg
  9
  Lower Right Leg
  10
  Lower Left Leg
  The hit location will come into effect later on when determin-
  ing armour effects and damage results.
  Penetrating Armour
  Each weapon has a Penetration (PEN) rating and each item
  of armour has an Armour Value (AV). The basic rule of thumb
  is that if PEN is greater than or equal to AV, then the round
  hits the target with no reduction in the damage. If, however,
  the PEN is less than the AV, one point is subtracted from dam-
  age for each point PEN is less than AV. Armour is only effec-
  tive if the area which it covers has been hit. A character wear-
  ing an armour vest would be protected if hit in the chest or
  abdomen, but not if hit in the head, legs or arms.
  Soft armour (chainmail, armoured clothing, etc) have no
  effect against blunt melee attacks (club, fists, etc). Hard
  armour (such as a flak vest) has half effect against blunt
  attacks. Melee weapons such as knives, swords and axes use
  the full armour value.
  the procedure 45
  
  Damage
  Trauma Damage
  All characters and NPCs will have a resistance to damage
  known as Resilience (hereafter referred to as RES). When a
  target is struck by a projectile, melee weapon, fist, foot or
  whatever, compare the damage (taking any armour effects
  into account) with the RES of the target. If the DAM is less
  than RES, then the character takes a light wound. If the DAM
  is equal to or more than RES, then the character takes a
  moderate wound. If the DAM is equal to or more than twice
  RES, then the character takes a serious wound. 
  The effects of wounds are decided in terms of Shock Points,
  which combine blood loss, trauma, broken bones and the
  effects of shock into one number. The table below will show
  the number of shock points a specific wound on a specific
  area will cause.
  However, for each five points that DAM exceeds the serious
  wound level for the character (twice RES), an additional
  Shock Point is added.
  Light
  Moderate
  Serious
  Head
  1S
  4S
  Dead
  Chest
  2S
  4S
  Dead
  Abdomen
  1S
  2S
  4S
  Upper Leg
  1S
  2S
  3S
  Lower Leg
  Bleeding
  1S
  2S
  Arm
  Bleeding
  1S
  2S
  Example
  A character with a RES of 5 is wearing an armour vest with an
  AV of 10. He is shot by an attacker with a rifle which has a PEN
  of 7 and a DAM of 20. Comparing the PEN with the AV, we
  see that AV exceeds PEN, therefore reducing the DAM by 3
  points (AV of 10, minus PEN of 7 = 3). The damage is now
  reduced to 17. The target has been hit in the upper right leg
  with the adjusted DV of 17. This is more than twice the target's
  RES, inflicting a serious wound. Normally, this would give 3
  Shock Points. However, the DV of 17 exceeds the serious
  wound level for the character by seven points, inflicting anoth-
  er Shock Point, bringing the total to 4, a very serious wound.
  BLUNT TRAUMA DAMAGE
  Attacks with feet, fists, clubs (or indeed any non-penetrating
  melee attack) and non-penetrating projectile attacks (such as
  stones or bricks) do what is known as blunt trauma damage.
  Blunt trauma damage is worked out in the same manner as
  trauma damage, only there is no blood loss effect. 
  Projectiles which fail to penetrate armour are still capable of
  doing severe damage. Take the damage level which was
  stopped by the  armour and divide by five. The number which
  is arrived at is taken as blunt trauma damage, measured
  against RES to determine actual damage in the normal way.
  UNCONSCIOUSNESS & DEATH
  When a characters total number of shock point becomes
  greater than his or her RES, then they must make a Willpower
  check with a modifier of -(10x number of Shock Points). If
  they fail, they lapse into unconsciousness. This check must be
  taken each time another Shock Point is gained. 
  When a characters total of Shock Points equals RES x1.5,
  they are about to die and only immediate first aid can save
  them. At this point, characters will die in a number of minutes
  equal to their basic RES unless a successful first aid roll is
  made (see below).
  Damage Effects On Skills
  When characters receive Shock Points, they automatically
  receive a penalty to all skill use equal to the total number of
  Shock Points x10.
  Medical Aid and Healing
  After being shot, stabbed, cut, kicked, punched or generally
  injured in some way, the first thing a character will probably
  want to do is get some form of medical aid. For the purposes
  of the game, there are essentially two forms of medical aid:
  First Aid and Long-term Aid. 
  First aid refers to any treatment which is administered shortly
  after an injury being received. It is, in the main, designed to
  stop bleeding, set bones and hopefully ameliorate the dam-
  aging effects of shock. 
  Long-term aid refers to any medical care which is received
  after first aid. This can range from something simple, like tak-
  ing pills, to something more complex, like an extended stay
  in an intensive care unit.
  When a character has been injured, first aid may be attempt-
  ed in order to prevent further damage from a particular
  injury. The individual giving aid must make a basic roll
  against their First Aid skill, modified according to the condi-
  tions and the severity of the wound, as laid out below.
  Light Wound
  +0%
  Moderate Wound
  -20%
  Serious Wound
  -40%
  Using Extemporised Materials
  -20%
  the procedure 46
  
  Working Under Poor Conditions
  -20%
  (e.g.: in a rain-soaked alley)
  Working Under Terrible Conditions -40%
  (e.g.: in a combat zone with mortar shells falling all around)
  If the character giving the aid make the roll successfully, then
  the character being treated will have had the bleeding
  stopped and had basic treatment of his or her injuries. 
  However, if the first aid roll is unsuccessful, the character will
  continue to accumulate Shock Points at the following rate:
  Most Severe Wound Is Additional Shock Points
  Light
  +1 per hour
  Moderate
  +1 per 30 mins
  Serious
  +1 per 10 mins
  However, first aid does not necessarily mean that the char-
  acter will recover successfully from his or her injuries. Injuries
  take a long time to heal, the more serious the injury, the
  longer the healing time.
  RECOVERY FROM INJURIES
  A character will naturally recover from one shock point per
  week. This can be increased through the use of drugs and
  medical care. Rolling for any of the tasks below will allow
  shock points to be regained over the period specified in the
  task. The skill used is the General Medicine skill of whoever
  is carrying out the treatment.
  Intensive hospital care
  +20%
  1 shock point regained
  per day
  Hospital care
  +0%
  1 shock point regained
  per 2 days
  In-home care
  -20%
  1 shock point regained
  per 4 days
  the procedure 47
  
  the players
  "Why am I  happy? Because I've managed to make
  peace with myself. There are too many people in
  this city who are bent on causing misery for others.
  I choose a different path. Make a difference. Bring
  some light into peoples lives. Give them hope.
  That's the key. Hope is important."
  Florentina Venkatseramany, Streethealer, Hangside.
  
  The a/state character creation system is designed to allow
  players to create rounded, realistic characters. Although this
  involves a large number of individual choices, the process is
  laid out in as simple and straightforward a manner as possi-
  ble, making it easier for both player and GM. 
  Character creation follows seven stages:
  1) In discussion with the GM, the player should come up with
  a character concept that both are happy with.
  2) Choose Advantages and Disadvantages: These
  are not included with a/stateLite
  3) Choose an Origin for the character.
  4) Choose an Upbringing for the character.
  5) Purchase the character's attributes, using the attribute point
  pool.
  6) Purchase the character's skills, using the skill point pool.
  7) Round out the character and purchase any appropriate
  personal possessions.
  ATTRIBUTES
  Before going any further into the character creation system,
  we should have a look at the main attributes which define
  characters in a/state. These are:
  Strength (STR)
  This represents the raw physical power of the character. A
  character with Strength 10 is very weak, while a character
  with Strength 90 is exceptionally strong.
  Agility (AGL)
  Sense of balance and physical flexibility.
  Dexterity (DEX)
  Fine manipulation with the hands (or occasionally, feet). 
  Health (HLT)
  The general state of health and resistance to disease and
  injury.
  Awareness (AWR)
  The spatial awareness and generalised sensory acuity of the
  character. Awareness covers all five senses and the more
  nebulous category of 'intuition'.
  Intelligence (INT)
  The 'brainpower' of the character, the ability to learn and use
  knowledge.
  Willpower (WIL)
  How mentally strong the character is. A character with
  Willpower 10 is remarkably gullible and phenomenally eas-
  ily lead. Whereas a character with Willpower 90 would be
  a leader of men and able to bend others to his or her will.
  Personality (PER)
  How likeable, friendly and charismatic the character is.
  Personality 10 would be someone remarkably unapproach-
  able, dull and not in the least likeable. Whereas, someone with
  personality 90 would be the life and soul of any party going.
  BUYING ATTRIBUTES AND SKILLS
  Attributes and skills are bought using Attribute Points (APs)
  and Skill Points (SPs). Starting APs and SPs for all characters
  are 360AP and 500SP. These amounts can be modified by
  taking advantages and disadvantages. Buying attributes and
  skills is a simple 'one for one' process until you reach 70%,
  when both attributes and skills become more expensive, as
  shown on the table below:
  Skill/Attributes
  Cost
  70 - 79%
  X2
  80 - 89%
  X3
  90 - 100%
  X4
  Some skills on the Skill Table have the letter ‘d’ in brackets after
  them. This means they are difficult to learn, either because of
  their complexity or rarity. Learning these skills costs 50% more
  than normal. For example, learning to pilot an ekranoplan is
  quite a difficult business, so to get a level of 40% in this skill
  would require the expenditure of 60 skill points.
  Certain skills have sub-skills which form part of the whole. On
  the skill table, these are indicated by being indented under
  the main skill. If a character wishes to be more specialised in
  particular areas of a skill, he or she can choose to purchase
  sub-skills if appropriate. Sub-skills add their level to the main
  skill when rolling for success in the particular skill area. Sub-
  skills are purchased at half the cost of normal skills, but can
  only be taken to half of the level of the main skill. For exam-
  ple, a character has the skill of Unarmed Combat, which
  means she can punch, kick, grapple, etc. However, the play-
  er wants their character to be good at kicking, so decides to
  spend some SPs buying the Kick sub-skill. With an Unarmed
  Combat skill of 60%, the character can take Kick up to
  +30%. So, when in close combat and using a kick, the char-
  acter (if the maximum level of skill was purchased) could kick
  with a skill of 90%. All other melee attacks would be at 60%,
  unless sub-skills in other areas were purchased.
  the players 49
  
  Each skill area has a 'controlling attribute'. This gives an addi-
  tional bonus when using the skill. This bonus is equal to 10%
  of the attribute in question. For example, a character with a
  DEX of 50 and a Pistol skill of 60 would make rolls against a
  total skill of 65%.
  All characters can speak Common at their INT x1.5.
  Characters from the Lower Middle Class, Upper Middle
  Class, Nomenklatura, Median Corporate and High
  Corporate upbringings also gain Common (read and write)
  at a level equal to their INT.
  CHARACTER CONCEPT
  The first and most important stage of character creation is the
  basic concept. Where is the character from? What do they
  look like? What is their outlook on life? By answering a series
  of questions about the character (given below), the player will
  create a broad picture of what this person is like,  making the
  more number based sections of character creation far easier.
  Questions to be asked
  1)
  The name, age and sex of the character.
  2)
  What part of The City was the character born in?
  3)
  What social class were the character's parents?
  4)
  What were the character's parents' occupations?
  5)
  What was family life like? 
  6)
  Did the character have siblings? 
  7)
  Why did your character eventually leave the family
  home (if at all)?
  8)
  What kind of things did your character learn as a child?
  9)
  What does your character look like?
  10) Does your character have any notable physical strengths
  or weaknesses?
  11) Does your character have any notable mental strengths
  or weaknesses?
  12) What does your character do for a living?
  13) What kind of training (if any) has your character 
  received?
  14) What are your character's main goals in life?
  15) What motivates the character?
  16) Are there any particular traits which the character
  respects in people?
  17) Are there any particular traits which the character dis
  likes in people?
  18) Does the character have any close friends, dependants 
  etc?
  ORIGIN
  Origin tells you what kind of family your character comes
  from. This should be firmly based in the Character Concept
  and reflect the answers given by the player. Each different
  origin offers the character a choice of certain skills. The play-
  er can choose to purchase two, all, or any number in
  between of these skills for their character. However, no start-
  ing skill may be greater than 20%. The player has 40 skill
  points (not part of the starting total of skill points) to spend on
  Origin skills.
  dispossessed
  The lowest of the low. Dispossessed is an origin where char-
  acters are born into the serried ranks of the homeless that
  inhabit The City. It is a rough upbringing that teaches you to
  look after yourself, sure as hell no one else will.
  Skill Picks: Armed Combat, Unarmed Combat, Sneak,
  Foraging, Fast-talk
  redundant
  Lucky enough to have a place to live but not lucky enough to
  have a job, the redundant are a step above the dispossessed,
  but only just. 
  Skill Picks: Unarmed Combat, Mechanics, Foraging,
  Economics.
  drudge
  Born into a family which slaves through a life of hard, manual
  work. Most of the drudge class work for the lowest echelons of
  monolithic corporate organisations.
  Skill Picks: Unarmed Combat, Mechanics, Machinist,
  Electrician, any Trades skill.
  MIDDLE CLASS, LOWER
  Mildly affluent, the lower middle classes are made up of shop
  owners, small businessmen and the lower ranking profession-
  als. Their life is not extravagant but they are comfortable in their
  situation.
  Skill Picks: Mechanical Computing, Economics, Writing,
  Land Vehicles, Bureaucracy.
  MIDDLE CLASS, UPPER
  Professionals, skilled tradesmen and the owners of mini or
  microcorps go towards making up the majority of the upper
  middle classes in the City.
  Skill 
  Picks: 
  Negotiation, 
  Economics, 
  Diplomacy,
  Bureaucracy, Writing.
  the players 50
  
  nomenklatura
  The nomenklatura are respected professionals of high rank or
  those who have been born into inherited wealth. They are the
  cream of non-corporate society in the City.
  Skill Picks: Act, Diplomacy, History, Politics, Economics.
  LOW CORPORATE
  Perhaps skilled tradesmen or lower echelon managerial staff,
  low corporates have security and a regular wage, which is
  more than many can boast.
  Skill Picks: Mechanical Computing, One Trades or Science
  skill, Ground Vehicles, Persuasion.
  MEDIAN CORPORATE
  The people who truly run the corporate monsters, they live com-
  fortable lives, mostly secluded from the rough and tumble of
  the city streets.
  Skill Picks: 2 Science, Trades or Administrative skills,
  Mechanical Computing, Negotiation, Persuasion.
  HIGH CORPORATE
  The very top echelons of corporate society, an individual born
  into this stratum of society can expect a life of luxury and priv-
  ilege unparalleled anywhere else in the City.
  Skill Picks: 3 Scientific or 3 Academic skills, Act,
  Diplomacy.
  UPBRINGING
  Again, this is a choice which the player must make based on
  answers given during the creation of the character concept.
  The player may only choose one upbringing, and this choice
  is influenced by the origin of the character. The 'Available To:'
  line under the title of the upbringing shows which origins can
  have this type of upbringing. For example, someone with a
  dispossessed origin, could not choose the Academic upbring-
  ing, as this is only available to the Upper Middle Class,
  Nomenklatura, Low Corporate, Median Corporate and High
  Corporate. However, the player, in consultation with the GM,
  can choose an upbringing which is not normally allowed by
  the origin, if the character concept warrants it.
  As for the origin, upbringing bestows certain extra skills on
  the character. The player can choose to purchase two, all, or
  any number in between of these skills for their character.
  However, no starting skill may be greater than 20%. The
  player has 40 skill points (not part of the starting total of skills
  points) to spend on upbringing skills.
  ACADEMIC
  Available To: Upper Middle Class, Nomenklatura, Low
  Corporate, Median Corporate, High Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Any 4 Scientific and Academic skills, Writing.
  APPRENTICED
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge, Lower
  Middle Class, Low Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Any Trades skill, Economics, Mechanical
  Computing, Ground Vehicles or Water Vehicles.
  CORPORATE (macrocorp or smaller business)
  Available To: Low Corporate, Median Corporate, High
  Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Economics, Writing, Law, Diplomacy, Act.
  CRIMINAL
  Available To: All
  Skill Picks: Pistol, Unarmed Combat, Sneak, Fast-talk,
  Criminal Culture.
  DANGEROUS
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge, Lower
  Middle Class, Low Corporate
  Skill Picks: Pistol, Armed Combat, Unarmed Combat,
  Tracking, Tactics.
  INDEPENDENTly minded
  Available To: All 
  Skill Picks: Unarmed Combat, Negotiation, Psychology,
  Economics, any Trades skill.
  MILITARISTIC
  Available To: All
  Skill Picks: Longarm, Armed Combat, Ground Vehicles,
  Unarmed Combat, Tactics.
  MINORITY group
  Available To: All
  Skill Picks:
  Unarmed Combat, Act, Diplomacy,
  Negotiation, Running, Hide.
  political
  Available To: Upper Middle Class,  Nomenklatura,
  Median Corporate, High Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Writing, Economics, Politics, Psychology, Act.
  the players 51
  
  POOR
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge.
  Skill Picks: Foraging, Economics, Unarmed Combat, First
  Aid, Negotiation.
  RELIGIOUS
  Available To: All
  Skill Picks: Theology, Psychology, Oration, Writing, History
  (Own Religion)
  SHELTERED life
  Available To: All
  Skill Picks: Any 2 Scientific or Academic skills, First Aid,
  Writing, Musical Instrument
  TRANSIENT or nomad
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge.
  Skill Picks: Ground or Water Vehicles, Foraging, Fishing,
  First Aid, Negotiation, Persuasion.
  WEALTHY
  Available To: Upper Middle Class, Nomenklatura,
  Median Corporate, High Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Economics, History, Musical Instrument,
  Bureaucracy, Diplomacy.
  TYPES OF CHARACTER IN THE CITY
  This particular section outlines different types of character
  which can be found in The City. Each character type gives a
  brief description of the essentials of the character, as well as
  listing some recommended skills for that particular type.
  However, everyone is an individual, and these are merely
  guidelines. A player may think that the ghostfighter is a great
  character type, but wants something a little different. So, they
  may decide that instead of using knives, their ghostfighter
  only uses blunt weapons such as clubs, nightsticks or coshes.
  This is only a small change to the character type, but serves
  to make it unique.
  Character type also has an influence on the starting wealth
  for the character. This is explained further in the section enti-
  tled 'Starting Wealth'.
  Activist
  The scent of power lures many into the shady, shadowy world
  of local politics. The many and varied burgh and parish coun-
  cils, local committees and advisory boards are always stocked
  with the ambitious, the cunning, the concerned and the glory
  seeking. People come into politics for different reasons. Some
  would seek to make things better for their fellow citizens, some
  merely do it in order to exercise some feeble and meaningless
  power over others, whilst others use it as a means of making a
  living via graft and corruption. Whatever their reasons, Activists
  are all strongly motivated. Some are skilled orators, while other
  adopt a quieter, more measured approach. 
  Recommended Skills: Bureaucracy, Diplomacy. Oration,
  Negotiation, Persuasion, Act, Fast-talk
  Resource: A small office (either owned or rented), type-
  writer and printing press.
  Wealth Level: 6
  Clergy
  For the millions who seek solace in religion, the clergy are their
  spiritual and moral leaders, passing on the word of God (or
  Gods) to the masses of the laity. From the rigid, dour priests of
  the Third Church of God the Architect to the voluble, demon-
  strative orators of The Shining Sky, many tend to the welfare of
  their flock and to the survival of their religion with great devo-
  tion. However, some slip from the true path and become more
  self serving, more interested in worldly possessions and physi-
  cal pleasures than inner piety. Members of the clergy can vary
  between these extremes, often exhibiting a pragmatic view of
  life, counselling where necessary and holding their tongues as
  the occasion demands. 
  Recommended Skills: Psychology, Theology, Music,
  Writing, Oration, Persuasion
  Resource: Holy items and garb
  Wealth Level: 1 to 5
  Criminal
  If there is one thing that The City has more than enough of, it's
  criminals. From the common cutpurse working the canalsides
  and back alleys to the heads of the massive organised crime
  syndicates, they all contribute to the criminal culture of The City.
  In many ways, the vast majority of The City's population are
  criminals in one way or the other. However, to actually make a
  living through a life of crime requires a special mindset and a
  particular kind of person.
  Specialisations: Ganger, Scrounger/Scavenger, Fence,
  Crook, Cutpurse
  Recommended Skills: Unarmed Combat, Armed Combat,
  Running, Persuasion, Act, Hide, Sneak, Criminal Culture
  Resource: Varies, from a bludgeon to an entire gang
  Wealth Level: 1 to 9
  the players 52
  
  Flowghost
  Prowling the pathways of the Dataflow, the calling of the
  Flowghost is a dangerous one. Nobody likes their information
  being stolen and some groups will pay Flowghosts back with
  the proverbial six inches of steel. Incompetent Flowghosts,
  therefore, are few and far between. Skilled in cryptology, math-
  ematics and the science of The Dataflow, they are adept at
  using both dingin and electronic computer systems to trawl the
  vast pool of information, cutting into secure systems and extract-
  ing the juiciest morsels. Unlike netrunners, matrix jockeys and
  hackers in other game settings, Flowghosts are more closely
  related to cryptographers and codebreakers than to the proto-
  typical cyberspace cowboy. Such is the nature of the Dataflow
  and so widespread the use of mechanical dingins, that having
  a bank of programs ready to assault a datacore is just not
  enough. Careful perception, skilled manipulation and intelli-
  gent application of mathematics will see the successful 'ghost
  through. There is no 'jacking in' and perceiving the Dataflow as
  a 360 degree simulation. Flowghosts must observe what hap-
  pens on screens, tanks or mechanical displays, listening to
  sounds through headphones, handsets or speakers. The skill of
  Dataflow Perception is not easily picked up and takes a lot of
  trial and error. Simple visual cues are not enough, the success-
  ful Flowghost must listen, observe and often act on instinct and
  intuition.
  Recommended Skills: Dataflow Perception, Mathematics,
  Cryptography, 
  Electronic 
  Engineering, 
  Mechanical
  Engineering, Computing (electronic), Computing (mechanical),
  Investigation.
  Resource: Microscale dingin and peripherals
  Wealth Level: 7
  Ghostfighter
  The ghostfighters of The City are a breed apart from the com-
  mon guffer or militant trooper, having honed their skills in
  knife fighting and stealthy attack to a remarkable degree.
  The most talented of ghostfighters are prosperous and in
  demand. Untalented ghostfighters are dead.  A ghostfighter
  is quite simply an individual who has trained themselves to a
  high degree of expertise in stealth, infiltration and armed
  combat. Do not make the mistake of thinking that they are
  assassins. They are stand up fighters, preferring to look their
  enemy straight in the face before delivering the killer strike.
  Many notable figures employ a ghostfighter or two as unob-
  trusive bodyguards at exorbitant prices.
  Recommended Skills:
  Unarmed Combat, Armed
  Combat, Thrown Weapon, Tactics, Running, Climbing, Hide,
  Sneak, Shadow, Tracking
  Resource: 2 melee weapons
  Wealth Level: 6
  Labour
  The toiling masses of The City. Labourers struggle in the fac-
  tories, mills, and works. They scrabble in mines, unload cargo
  and construct new buildings. Being a labourer is a harsh,
  rough, unyielding lifestyle which offers little reward for hours
  of toil. Many members of the labouring classes supplement
  their meagre income through petty crime or some kind of
  shady second job. Labourers in the employ of the macro-
  corps fare slightly (only slightly, mind you) better than their
  fellows working for smaller companies or local councils.
  Specialisations: Factory Worker, Labourer, Construction
  Worker
  Recommended Skills: Unarmed Combat, Machinist,
  Drinking, Bureaucracy, Criminal Culture, Mechanics.
  Resource: The resources available to the common labourer
  are understandably limited. They may have a few tools, spe-
  cialised working clothes etc, etc.
  Wealth Level: 2 to 4
  Lostfinder
  Seekers, searchers, investigators. Lostfinders take a quasi-
  mystical approach to their work, seeking to be in har-
  mony with The City and its people in order to better carry
  out their chosen tasks. As a result of this, Lostfinders will
  never accept payment in cash, only in kind or in the form
  of simple goodwill. An investigation of weeks into the disap-
  pearance of a child may result in no more payment than
  a hot meal and the long-lasting thanks of a poor family.
  In the parish or burgh where they work, Lostfinders are often
  figures of respect, trusted by the community for their altru-
  istic efforts to help others. It is a foolish person, however,
  who betrays the trust of a Lostfinder. For not only will they
  incur they anger of an individual, they will incur the
  wrath of the entire community. Such is the place of
  the Lostfinder, a semi-religious force for goodin a dark place.
  Recommended Skills: Investigation, Law, Diplomacy,
  Negotiation, Shadow, Forensics, Criminal Culture.
  Resource: The good-will of community is a resource not to
  be underestimated.
  Wealth Level: 2
  Mikefighter Pilot (ex)
  "One centimetre too tall, one kilo too heavy". So runs the
  credo of the former Mikefighter pilots. Most have finished
  their careers by the time they are sixteen, if they are lucky.
  Once they are too tall or too heavy for maximum combat effi-
  ciency, they get thrown out by their corporate masters, out
  onto the streets where they must use their skills as best they
  can. Even aged sixteen, most ex-mikefighter pilots are com-
  the players 53
  
  bat hardened veterans, carrying a casual contempt for life
  and limb. Despite being skilled pilots, they often find it diffi-
  cult to find work. Getting a job as an aerostat pilot is prized,
  but rare. Most live out their lives in criminal activities, never to
  take to the air again.
  Recommended Skills: Pistol, Unarmed Combat, Tactics,
  Air Vehicles, Vehicular Weapons, Navigation
  Resource: Flight suit, small handgun
  Wealth Level: 4
  Nomad
  Nomads wander the canals and streets, having chosen a life
  without a permanent home, rather than having the existence
  thrust upon them like a jake. All their worldly possession are
  carried in a pack, a carpetbag or some other easily carried
  piece of luggage. Due to their wide-ranging travels, nomads
  are experienced in the many diverse cultures of The City and
  often have an excellent grasp of idiosycratic local laws and
  customs which could catch the unwary by surprise.
  Recommended Skills: Longarm,  Unarmed Combat,
  Mechanics, Fish Farming, Negotiation, Water Vehicles,
  Orienteering, Navigation
  Resource: Small boat (if waterbourne), bundle of posses-
  sions (bedroll, cooking pan, oil stove etc)
  Wealth Level: 3
  Scientist
  Whether they be experimenting in pristine white clean rooms
  or dissecting a mutated fish in a dingy garret room, scientists
  throughout The City all share a passion for research and the
  advancement of knowledge. Sometimes, this is perverted for
  their, or their employer's, ends, resulting in horrific experi-
  ments or dubious technological 'advances'. The life of a sci-
  entist can range from one of great wealth and prestige to an
  existence little better than that of a jake. Great discoveries
  tend to go unnoticed when the discoverer dies of alcohol
  poisoning, slumped in a urine soaked alley. 
  Recommended Skills: Electronic Computing, Mechanical
  Computing, Investigation, Writing, Biology, Chemistry,
  Physics, Bureaucracy, Pharmacology
  Resource: Lab (standard of which depends on the reputa-
  tion, status and wealth of the character)
  Wealth Level: 2 to 8
  Stringer
  Digging in the dirt for juicy stories, stringers are the lowest
  level of the media system which encompasses The City. Some
  are crusading journalists, out to expose the cruelties of the
  macrocorps or the schemings of the crime syndicates. others
  are simply greasy hacks looking of a titillating bit of gossip
  that they can sell to a newswire for a few shillings. All
  Stringers are skilled at wheedling information out of people,
  putting two and two together (often arriving at a figure of
  five), watching, waiting and following. The average citizen
  has an intense dislike of stringers, viewing them as parasites
  trying to burrow under their skin. The only hope for many
  stringers is that one day they will be taken on by the vast
  empire of Sideband Media, where a comfortable office, reg-
  ular pay and the admiration of one's peers awaits.
  Recommended Skills: Investigation, Politics, Writing,
  Bureaucracy, Negotiation, Persuasion, Act, Disguise,
  Shadow, Fast-talk
  Resource: Notepads and pencils, recording device of
  some kind
  Wealth Level: 3
  Starting Wealth
  Each character has certain amount of money to begin with,
  representing cash on hand, savings, property etc. There can
  be wide variations in this, according to social status, occupa-
  tion etc. Each character profession has a Wealth Level. This
  level is cross referenced with a D10 roll on the table below to
  find out how much wealth the character starts with. Some pro-
  fessions have a range of Wealth Levels. It is up to the GM to
  decide which level within the range to use, according to the
  fame, skill or otherwise of the character in question. 
  the players 54
  Roll
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  Wealth
  1
  £0
  £0.05s
  £0.10s
  £1
  £1.10s
  £2
  £2.10s
  £3
  £3.10s
  £4
  2
  £1
  £2
  £3
  £4
  £5
  £6
  £7
  £8
  £9
  £10
  3
  £5
  £8
  £11
  £14
  £17
  £20
  £23
  £26
  £29
  £32
  4
  £8
  £12
  £16
  £20
  £24
  £28
  £32
  £36
  £40
  £44
  5
  £10
  £15
  £20
  £25
  £30
  £35
  £40
  £45
  £50
  £55
  6
  £20
  £30
  £40
  £50
  £60
  £70
  £80
  £90
  £100
  £110
  7
  £40
  £60
  £80
  £100
  £120
  £140
  £160
  £180
  £200
  £220
  8
  £60
  £100
  £140
  £180
  £220
  £260
  £300
  £340
  £380
  £420
  9
  £100
  £200
  £300
  £400
  £500
  £600
  £700
  £800
  £900
  £1000
  10
  £1000
  £2000
  £4000
  £6000
  £8000
  £10,000 £15,000 £20,000 £25,000 £30,000
  
  the players 55
  Combat (Aimed) - Dex
  Heavy Weapons
  HeavyMG
  Man-portable Cannon
  Medium MG
  Launcher
  Grenade Launcher
  Missile Launcher
  Mortar
  Rocket Launcher
  Longarm
  Crossbow
  Light MG
  Rifle
  Shotgun
  Pistol
  Semi-auto
  Single Shot
  SMG
  Revolver
  Thrown Weapons
  Axe
  Grenade
  Improvised
  Knife
  Spear/Javelin
  Vehicular Weapons
  Heavy Weapon
  Launchers
  Light Weapons
  Combat (Melee) - Agl
  Armed Combat
  Axe
  Club
  Improvised
  Knife
  Polearm
  Sword
  Unarmed Combat
  Block
  Grapple
  Kick
  Punch
  Throw
  Combat (Misc.) - Int
  Command
  Logistics
  Strategy
  Tactics
  Computing - Int
  Dataflow Perception
  Electronic Computing (d)
  Mechanical Computing
  Academic - Int
  Economics
  History
  Law
  Investigation
  Philosophy
  Politics
  Psychology
  Sociology
  Theology
  Writing
  Language - Int
  Commerce (spoken)
  Electrospeak
  Fighting Talk
  Commerce (read & write)
  Electrospeak
  Common (spoken)
  Broken
  Menace
  Common (read & write)
  Culture (spoken)
  Cant
  Culture (read & write)
  Cant
  Scientific - Int
  Architecture
  Biology
  Chemistry
  Cryptology
  Cryptanalysis
  Cryptography
  Engineering
  Genetics
  Mathematics
  Physics
  Shift Studies (d)
  Technical - Int/Dex
  Demolition
  Dinginsmith
  Macroscale
  Microscale
  Nanoscale
  Electrical Systems
  Electronics
  Gas Systems
  Locksmith
  Machinist
  Mechanics
  Trades - Int/Dex
  Blacksmith
  Fish Farming
  Jeweller
  Watchmaker
  Administrative - Per
  Bureaucracy
  Diplomacy
  Man-management
  Athletic - Hlt
  Climbing
  Abseiling
  Free Climbing
  Rappelling
  Drinking
  Running
  Distance Running
  Sprinting
  Swimming
  Communications - Per
  Fast Talk
  Negotiation
  Oration
  Persuasion
  Artistic - Awr/Int
  Act
  Creative Writing
  Dance
  Draw
  Moviemaking
  Music
  Musical Instrument
  Accordion
  Barrel Organ
  Drums
  Harp
  Guitar
  Mouth-organ
  Penny whistle
  Piano/Organ
  Squeezebox
  Violin
  Paint
  Photography
  Poetry
  Sculpture
  Medical - Int
  First Aid
  Forensics (d)
  General Medicine (d)
  Pharmacology
  Surgery (d)
  Vehicles - Awr/Dex
  Air Vehicles
  Aerostat
  Dirigible
  Mikefighter
  Ekranoplan (d)
  Military
  Racing
  Ground Vehicles
  Automobile
  Haulage Wagon
  Powerbike
  Trains
  Cablecar
  Funicular/Tram
  Train
  Tracked Vehicles
  Water Vehicles
  Large Barge
  Large Skiff
  Small Barge
  Small Skiff
  Subterfuge - Awr/Dex
  Bribery
  Criminal Culture
  Disguise
  Forgery
  Hide
  Lockpick
  Pickpocket
  Shadow
  Sneak
  Survival - Awr/Int
  Fishing
  Line
  Net
  Rod
  Spear
  Foraging
  Navigation
  Orienteering
  Tracking
  
  Rounding Out The Character
  Rounding out the character is simply a matter of defining var-
  ious secondary attributes and deciding on such things as
  height, weight, hair colour, etc (taking into account the
  answers given when deciding the basic character concept).
  The secondary attributes are as follows:
  Reaction (REA)
  Reaction is found by taking the average of Awareness,
  Intelligence and Agility, rounding down if the number has a
  fraction below 0.5 and rounding up if the number has a frac-
  tion of 0.5 or above.
  Resilience (RES)
  This is the character's resistance to injury and disease.
  Resilience is found by dividing Health by 10 , rounding down
  if the number has a fraction below 0.5, rounding up if the
  number has a fraction of 0.5 or above.
  Encumbrance (ENC)
  The maximum weight (in kilos) a character can carry before
  he or she starts to feel weighed down and have his or her
  actions slowed. Encumbrance is found by dividing Strength
  by two.
  Kick Damage
  The damage a character can do with a kick equals STR/15
  Punch Damage
  The damage a character can do with a punch equals STR/20
  Skill Descriptions
  Combat (Aimed) - Dex
  Pistol: Skill required to use all types of handgun and one
  handed automatic weapons. (Specialisations: Single-shot,
  Revolver, Semi-auto, Submachinegun.)
  Launcher: Covers the use of all rocket, missile and grenade
  launchers. (Specialisations: Grenade Launcher, Missile
  Launcher, Mortar,  Rocket Launcher.)
  Longarm: The use of all rifles, shotguns and man-portable
  machineguns. (Specialisations: Crossbow, Light Machinegun,
  Rifle, Shotgun.)
  Heavy Weapon: Semi-portable, fixed and support
  weapons. (Specialisations: Medium Machinegun, Heavy
  Machinegun, Man Portable Cannon.)
  Thrown Weapon: The ability to accurately throw an object
  is a skill in itself and covers knives, grenades, bolas, axes and
  any other form of thrown weapon. (Specialisations: Axe,
  Grenade, Improvised, Knife, Spear/Javelin.)
  Vehicular Weapons: Covers the use of any weapons
  mounted on a vehicle. (Specialisations: Light Weapons, Heavy
  Weapons, Launchers.)
  combat (Melee) - Agl
  Unarmed Combat: Utilisation of fists, feet, elbows and other
  body parts to inflict damage on an opponent. (Specialisations:
  Block, Grapple, Kick, Punch, Throw.)
  Armed Combat: Hand to hand combat using knives,
  swords, axes, polearms, clubs or any other form of melee
  weapon. (Specialisations: Axe, Club, Improvised, Knife,
  Polearm, Sword.)
  Combat (Miscellaneous) - Int
  Tactics: The use and deployment of small units in combat.
  Strategy: The use and deployment of large scale military for-
  mations in combat.
  Logistics: The supply of combat related materials and asso-
  ciated formations in the field.
  Command: The ability to command others is a skill harnessed
  by few but can prove valuable when attempting to control sub-
  ordinates. Command can be used to control and influence oth-
  ers in a combat situation. How effective this is and how far it
  can be taken is up to the GM.
  Computing - Int
  Mechanical Computing: The programming and operation
  of dingins.
  Electronic Computing (d): The programming and operation
  of electronic computers, a rare and little used skill in The City.
  Dataflow Perception: The ability to make sense out of the
  sensory chaos of the dataflow, pulling out relevant information
  and retrieving desired data.
  Academic - Int
  Investigation: Use of investigative techniques (searching
  records, interviewing people, looking for evidence, etc) to
  ascertain facts or come to conclusions.
  the players 56
  
  History: The study and theory of events and people in the
  past. 
  Sociology: The study of social groups, individuals and their
  interactions.
  Politics: Understanding of the purpose and processes of gov-
  ernments and institutions, ranging from tenement councils to
  macrocorporate structures.
  Theology: The study of religion.
  Psychology: Can be used to gain understanding of the sub-
  conscious feelings affecting an individual's actions and emotions.
  Philosophy: The study of various schools of thought.
  Writing: The ability to write reports, theses, essays and disser-
  tations in a coherent and understandable way.
  Economics: The ability to understand the arcane and often
  confusing workings of economic systems and trends.
  Language - Int
  Commerce (spoken) and Commerce (read and
  write): The language of business and trade in The City.
  (Specialisations: Electrospeak, Fighting Talk.)
  Common (spoken) and Common (read and write):
  Most widely spoken of all languages and used by the vast
  majority of citizens. (Specialisations: Broken, Menace.)
  Culture (spoken) and Culture (read and write): The
  language of the arts and the upper classes. (Specialisations:
  Cant.)
  Scientific - Int
  Cryptology: The study and application of codes and code-
  breaking. (Specialisations: Cryptoanalysis, Cryptography.)
  Biology: Knowledge of organic life and how it functions.
  Chemistry: Understanding of the workings, composition and
  interaction of chemicals and chemical processes.
  Physics: The science of matter and energy.
  Genetics: Understanding of the genetic makeup of organisms
  Engineering: The design and application of engineering
  principles to a wide variety of manufactured items, from
  bridges to powerbikes.
  Architecture: The application of architectural principles to
  the design of buildings.
  Shift Studies (d): The study of the phenomenon known as
  The Shift, the entities known as The Shifted and the effects of
  both on The City and its inhabitants. Note: It is extremely unlike-
  ly that any character would have a very high skill in this, if at
  all. It is a little known, poorly understood area, mostly the pre-
  serve of a select group of scientists and academics.
  Mathematics: The ability to understand and utilise mathe-
  matical systems such as algebra, trigonometry and geometry.
  Technical - Int/Dex
  Mechanics: The ability to operate, repair and design
  mechanical equipment.
  Electronics: The ability to operate, repair and design elec-
  tronic equipment.
  Electrical Systems: Design, usage and repair of large scale
  power systems such as cable networks.
  Demolition: Knowledge of how to use explosives effectively
  to demolish buildings or vehicles.
  Dinginsmith: The construction of dingins. (Specialisations:
  Macroscale, Microscale, Nanoscale.)
  Gas Systems: Design, usage and repair of large scale gas
  transfer systems such as those which supply gas for heating
  and lighting to many houses in The City.
  Locksmith: The construction and operation of mechanical
  locks.
  Machinist: Skilled at using lathes, drills, presses and other
  machinery to fabricate items.
  Trades - Dex/Int
  Blacksmith: The ability to use furnace and tools to manu-
  facture items from iron, usually less intricate, more functional
  items than someone would produce using Machinist skill.
  Fish Farming: Knowledge of how to breed, care for and
  harvest fish for sale or consumption.
  Jeweller: The ability to produce items of jewellery from a
  variety of materials.
  the players 57
  
  the players 58
  Watchmaker: The construction and operation of intricate
  clockwork mechanisms for use in timepieces.
  Administrative - Per
  Bureaucracy: Knowledge of the ins and outs of any
  bureaucratic system and how to manipulate and utilise them
  to best effect.
  Man Management: The effective use, deployment and
  treatment of individuals within an organisation.
  Diplomacy: The subtle art of representing the interests of
  one group to another group or to an individual.
  Athletic - Hlt
  Running: The ability to run particularly fast or for extended
  periods. (Specialisations: Distance Running, Sprinting.)
  Climbing: The ability to climb using a variety of equipment
  or simply using hands and feet. (Specialisations: Free
  Climbing, Rappelling, Abseiling.)
  Swimming: The basic ability to swim.
  Drinking: The ability to consume large quantities of alcohol
  over a short period of time or in some form of 'sporting' com-
  petition.
  Communications - Per
  Fast-talk: Bamboozling, confusing and confounding anoth-
  er individual by rapid-fire discussion.
  Oration: The ability to influence people's attitudes and behav-
  iour patterns through powerful and effective public speaking.
  Negotiation: Mainly used in mercantile transactions, negoti-
  ation allows the manipulation and alteration of the flow of com-
  munication to give the successful user advantage.
  Persuasion: The ability, through reason and psychological
  manipulation, to influence individuals to change their opinions
  or actions.
  Artistic - Awr/Int
  Creative Writing: Skill in crafting words to induce emotions
  in the reader.
  Poetry: The ability to craft words into a variety of poetical
  forms.
  Songwriting: The ability to write pleasing or effective lyrics.
  Musical instrument: Ability to play a chosen instrument
  (this skill must be taken once for each instrument the character
  can play). (Specialisations: Accordion, Barrel Organ, Drums,
  Guitar, Harp, Mouth Organ, Penny Whistle, Piano/Organ,
  Squeeze Box, Violin.)
  Music: The ability to compose musical scores.
  Sculpture: The ability to carve or construct sculptures from a
  variety of materials.
  Paint: Skill at rendering images using various types of paint.
  Draw: Skill at rendering images with pen, pencil or charcoal.
  Moviemaking: Usage of various equipment and techniques
  to make moving pictures.
  Act: The ability to use dramatic techniques to portray charac-
  ter or emotion.
  Dance: Allows the skilled performance of many forms of
  dance.
  Photography: Skill at using photographic equipment to take
  pleasing, accurate or otherwise effective images.
  Medical - Int
  Forensics (d): A branch of medicine concerned with identi-
  fying causes of death and any criminal circumstances sur-
  rounding it.
  First Aid: Emergency medical treatment given shortly after an
  injury.
  Surgery (d): Use of instruments to alter, repair or remove
  parts of the human body.
  General Medicine (d): An education in medical care and
  treatment, such as that a doctor would receive.
  Pharmacology: The ability to make, use and identify a
  variety of drugs and medicinal compounds.
  Vehicles Awr/Dex
  Air Vehicles: Covers the ability to take off, land and per-
  form manoeuvres in a variety of aircraft. (Specialisations:
  Aerostat, Dirigible, Mikefighter.)
  Ground Vehicles: Any wheeled vehicles. (Specialisations:
  Automobile, Haulage Wagon, Powerbike.)
  
  Water Vehicles: Covers the piloting of boats and barges
  of all sizes. (Specialisations: Small Skiff, Large Skiff, Small
  Barge, Large Barge.)
  Trains: The ability required to control the mechanisms of the
  train systems which run throughout The City. (Specialisations:
  Cablecar, Funicular/Tram, Train.)
  Ekranoplan (d): A fairly rare skill, this is the ability to pilot
  the dangerous, unstable and fast ground effect planes used
  for racing in The City. (Specialisations: Military, Racing.)
  Tracked Vehicles: Any ground vehicles which run on
  caterpillar tracks, such as warcrawls and APCs.
  Subterfuge - Awr/Dex
  Disguise: Use of various means (makeup, false hair, cos-
  tume and suchlike) to resemble someone else or to alter one's
  own appearance.
  Pickpocket: The theft of items from pockets and bags,
  either by directly lifting them or by cutpursing.
  Hide: The ability to make maximum use of cover and con-
  cealment to remain unseen in a static position.
  Sneak: Using concealment, shadow, cover and stealth to
  move quietly and unobtrusively around.
  Shadow: Unobtrusively tailing another individual.
  Bribery: A knowledge of who, where, how and when to
  bribe officials, functionaries, policemen and others in authority.
  Forgery: In conjunction with various artistic skills, forgery
  can replicate (to a greater or lesser extent) money, coins,
  documents, paintings and so forth.
  Lockpick: The use of specialist tools to open purely
  mechanical locks.
  Criminal Culture: Knowledge and awareness of the struc-
  ture and operation of criminal organisations in The City.
  Survival - Awr/Int
  Tracking: The ability to follow the signs left on the environ-
  ment by a person or animal, thereby allowing it to be fol-
  lowed.
  Orienteering: The determination of location using known
  or easily identifiable landmarks.
  Navigation: The determination of location, distance trav-
  elled and course taken using a variety of maps and instru-
  ments.
  Fishing: Use of rod, line, net or spear to catch fish to eat.
  (Specialisations: Line, net, rod, spear.)
  Foraging: The ability to find edible plants and animals.
  the players 59
  
  the product
  "Uh huh, I want a big set of sparklocks just like
  One Eye Frank. Me mum says that guns isn't nice,
  that there's too many bad people wiv them. Nah,
  me mum talk shit. Guns is what folks respect you
  for. Got no guns, got no respect. Bankside here,
  you got no gun, people don't care 'bout you. I
  want a big gun. Then I can jack a macro and get
  his gun. Shiny, quick, slick. Guns are good."
  Oleevia Harkness, age 9, Bankside
  
  Money In The City
  Currency in The City consists of Pounds, Shillings and Pence.
  While all of the macrocorps, several banks, some local gov-
  ernments and a few churches produce their own scrip, all are
  denominated in the same manner and are generally given
  equal value, as money circulates around The City at a fairly
  rapid rate. That having been said, most people prefer to deal
  with macrocorp pounds, as they are backed by the power
  and resources of the largest institutions in The City. Local
  governments, such as the TCMAA issue money through banks
  which they control, as is the case with the TCMAA and the
  Canals Trading Bank.
  One pound contains twenty shillings, with each shilling being
  made up of five pence. A good baseline for working out the
  value of items can be found by looking at the average week-
  ly wage, which amounts to £5.0s.0p. Admittedly, this is an
  average, many earn far less than this and a few earn vastly
  more.
  Pricing & Scarcity of Resources
  When browsing through The Product, you’ll notice that each
  item has a cost and availability. The cost indicates an aver-
  age price for the item if it were freely available on the open
  market, whereas the availability indicates the scarcity or oth-
  erwise of the item. Cost and availability have a direct rela-
  tionship, as scarcity will tend to increase the perceived value
  of an item.
  There are six levels of availability, as show below:
  Very common: The item can be purchased anywhere and
  commands no premium on the listed price
  Common: The item can be purchased in most places and if
  it does command a premium, this will only be a matter of a
  few percent.
  Uncommon: The item is available in specialised retailers or
  through underground contacts. It may command a premium
  of up to 100% more than the listed price.
  Rare: The item is hard to come by, requiring a bit of work to
  obtain. It may command a premium of 100 to 200% more
  than the listed price.
  Very rare: The item is very hard to come by and will
  require a lot of tracking down or considerable influence or
  money to purchase. It can command a premium of from 200
  to 400% more than the listed price.
  Scarce: The item is almost impossible to find. If available, it
  will command a premium of 500% more than the listed price.
  And that’s just for a start, it could be a lot more.
  Technology Levels in The City
  Broadly speaking, technology in The City can be divided into
  two areas: hitech and lotech. Hitech equipment is generally
  compact, highly designed, reliable and most of all, expen-
  sive. Hitech gear is generally produced by the macrocorps or
  by smaller companies with ties to the macrocorps. At the
  opposite end of the scale is lotech equipment. Lotech items
  are often crude, clunky and large but can be astonishingly
  well made and reliable. Lotech technology does not imply a
  lack of skill on the part of manufacturers. Indeed, the skill
  required to produce a lotech microscale dingin may exceed
  that required to produce a hitech nanoscale dingin. 
  Armament technology in The City
  Sparklocks
  The most common and the most primitive firearms in The City,
  sparklocks range from crudely lashed together specimens
  made from old iron pipe to cunningly fashioned devices made
  by skilled artisans.  The weapons function by using an electric
  spark to ignite a propellant charge of loose powder. The pow-
  der is poured down the barrel, tamped down, then a ball or
  bullet forced down the barrel on top of the powder. When the
  trigger is pulled, a spark is provided by scavenged capacitors
  or superconductors. The spark causes the propellant to ignite
  and propel the bullet down the barrel. After firing, the capaci-
  tors or superconductors need to be recharged, usually accom-
  plished by connecting them to a small clockwork
  generator/dynamo mechanism. In order to allow more rapid
  fire, many sparklocks mount more than one power source. 
  Ammunition for a sparklock is usually a ball or elongated bul-
  let made from compressed brick dust bound with resin,
  carved stone or cast iron. The weapons can come in a vari-
  ety of forms, including pistols, carbines, rifles and small can-
  non. They can also come in single or double barrel variants,
  or even in rare revolver or repeater configurations. 
  Sparklocks are, in the main, unreliable at best and tremen-
  dously dangerous at worst.
  the product 61
  
  Cartridge Guns
  Offering superior reliability with good power and accura-
  cy, cartridge guns are highly favoured by most of the mili-
  tant organisations in The City. The guns themselves are fair-
  ly easy to manufacture but it is the ammunition which poses
  problems. Intricate primers, precision made bullets and
  high-tolerance casings are required to make the weapons
  function effectively. Hence, they tend to be made by the
  macrocorps or companies affiliated with them. This having
  been said, a cartridge revolver is possibly the most inher-
  ently reliable weapon in The City, and find much favour
  with soldiers, police officers and criminals. Cartridge guns
  can be found in single shot, semi-automatic, revolver and
  fully automatic versions, Depending on your needs, you
  can acquire the weapons as pistols, rifles, sub-machine-
  guns, machineguns, shotguns and a whole plethora of
  weapons types.
  Magnetic Repeaters
  The highest of hitech weapons, magnetic repeaters are
  almost exclusively used by macrocorporate forces and a
  few favoured allies.  Magnetic repeaters use no propellant,
  but instead use a series of stepped magnets arranged
  down the barrel to propel an iron flechette up to very high
  velocity.  Although very small, the projectiles are fired at
  such a speed as to ensure great armour penetration and
  reasonable tissue damage. Another feature of these
  weapons is the rate at which they can fire. They can, if
  required, spew out flechettes at an astounding rate, allow-
  ing them to literally ‘hose’ a target. If striking power is the
  issue, then magnetic repeaters can also be made very
  powerful. Long barrels can endow such weapons as sniper
  rifles with extreme rage, accuracy and firepower.  They can
  also be used in lower-velocity applications such as mortars
  and grenade launchers, where their adjustability allows for
  a variety of range settings. 
  Reliability
  In the harsh world of The City, having a reliable weapon by
  your side is often an important issue. Some types of
  weapon are more reliable than others, some manufacturers
  make weapons which are inherently of better quality, some
  systems are just more prone to breakage by their very
  nature. In a game context, each weapon is rated according
  to its reliability. In simple terms, this rating tells you how
  often the weapon needs to be cleaned/maintained in order
  to stop it malfunctioning
  There are five classes of reliability. They are:
  Very Unreliable
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 10 shots.
  Unreliable
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 20 shot.
  Average
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 100 shots.
  Reliable
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 1000 shots.
  Very Reliable
  Only needs maintenance and cleaning about once per
  year.
  WEAPONS
  Pistols (lotech)
  Sparklock Pistol
  Most primitive of firearms found in The City, sparklocks use
  batteries or clockwork to charge scavenged capacitors or
  superconductors to spark-ignite powdered propellants.
  They are single shot weapons, mostly of dubious reliability.
  When fired, they create voluminous clouds of smoke which
  can often impair the vision of the firer. Repeating pepper-
  box and double barrelled  versions are available at an
  increased cost (roughly 75% more than their single bar-
  relled cousins).
  Light
  Medium
  Cost: £20
  Cost: £30
  Availability: Common
  Availability: Common
  Heavy
  Pepperbox
  Cost: £40
  Cost: £100
  Availability: Common
  Availability: Uncommon
  the product 62
  
  Cartridge Pistol
  Representative of the thousands of sidearms manufactured by
  back street shops and microcorps, the Cartridge Pistol is a
  regular, cased ammunition weapon with no special ad-ons.
  The cartridge pistol is available in Light, Medium and Heavy
  versions as well as in semi-automatic and revolver styles.
  Light
  Medium
  Cost: £65
  Cost: £85
  Availability: Uncommon Availability: Common
  Heavy
  Cost: £110
  Availability: Uncommon
  Pistols (hitech)
  Gorunna 'Sling' Heavy Pistol
  A bulky, ugly weapon, the Sling is a semi-automatic heavy
  gauss pistol used by Gorunna corporate forces. Due to
  Gorunna's liberal sales of arms and equipment, untold numbers
  of these weapons have found their way on to the streets. Many
  toughs find the size and bore of the weapon appealing and
  intimidating, that is until the recoil breaks their arm. They are lim-
  ited in ammunition capacity but have massive stopping power.
  Cost: £300
  Availability: Rare
  Souken Vent-450 Heavy Pistol
  Manufactured in plants across The City, the Vent-450 has
  become the symbol of a mercenary for hire, and as such has
  become something of an institution. Its popularity is mainly
  due to its reliability and solid hitting power.
  Cost: £230
  Availability: Rare
  SUBMACHINEGUNS AND MACHINE PISTOLS (lotech)
  Cartridge SMG
  Like the Cartridge Pistol, the Street SMG is a typical, cheap
  weapon found on the streets. While variants may differ slight-
  ly, they all share broadly the same characteristics.
  Cost: £120
  Availability: Uncommon
  SUBMACHINEGUNS AND MACHINE PISTOLS (hitech)
  Trilhoeven KM-067R
  Trilhoeven’s latest SMG produced for its front line troops
  and security operatives, the KM-067R is well ahead of any-
  thing produced by other corporations, perhaps with the
  exception of Arclight. Each round consists of a projectile
  bonded to a superconducting power cell. On discharge,
  the cell is ejected from the bottom of the weapon, just
  ahead of the trigger guard. Integral to the weapon is a din-
  gin moderated sensor array which scans for human silhou-
  ettes and highlights them for the user. An additional back-
  up din-gin unit makes the gun effectively invulnerable to any
  kind of interference and very resistant to battlefield dam-
  age.
  Cost: £900
  Availability: Very rare
  rifles (LOTECH)
  Sparklock Rifle
  Other than sparklock cannon, these are the largest and most
  powerful sparklock weapons in The City. Generally between
  three and four feet in length, they provide good firepower but
  are pretty unwieldy for use in tight spaces.
  Cost: £100
  Availability: Common
  the product 63
  
  rifles (hiTECH)
  Trilhoeven KSK-G30
  Rarely available in the commercial markets, the KSK-G30
  equips large numbers of Trilhoeven militia troops. The
  weapons main advantage is its massive ammunition supply,
  which allows troopers to literally hose targets with flechettes.
  Cost: £1500
  Availability: Very rare
  SNIPER WEAPONS
  Furien 'Shellbreaker' Gauss Rifle
  A devastatingly accurate and powerful weapon, the
  'Shellbreaker' has enabled Furien to virtually corner the market
  in gauss sniper weapons. Fully 50% of this type sold to militant
  organisations are Furien 'Shellbreakers'. Expensive, they are
  seldom seen outside militant or macrocorporate hands.
  Cost: £2000 (including basic sight)
  Availability: Scarce
  SHOTGUNS (lotech)
  Sparklock Blunderbuss
  Using a design common to most other sparklocks, the spark-
  lock blunderbuss looks like nothing more than a sparklock
  carbine with a grossly over-sized barrel.  While inaccurate in
  the extreme and possessing a hopelessly short range, few
  toughs will argue with someone toting one of these vicious
  weapons.
  Cost: £70
  Availability: Common
  SHOTGUNS (hitech)
  Hirplakker 'Lacerator' Gauss Shotgun
  This versatile 15mm weapon can fire clusters of needles,
  HEAP shells, APDS rounds or all manner of specialised
  ammunition. Examples captured by Arclight during the
  Hundred Block War were studied and Arclight have since
  produced their own weapon, the 16mm 'Thorn'.
  Cost: £600
  Availability: Scarce
  Ammunition Types & Costs
  Solid shot
  The standard projectile for sparklocks, cartridge weapons
  and magnetic repeaters, solid shot is a basic solid ball, bullet
  or (in the case of magnetic repeaters) flechette. The listed
  DAM and PEN values for all projectile weapons (other than
  those firing explosive rounds, such as the Microhowitzer) are
  for solid shot.
  Cost multiple: None (see table below for costs)
  Availability: Same as weapon
  Safety Rounds
  Something of a misnomer, as they are anything but safe for
  the target. Safety round are designed to increase the dam-
  age done to a target at the expense of penetrating power.
  They can be frangible, soft-nosed, hollowpoint, crosshead or
  any number of similarly nasty ways to do more damage to liv-
  ing tissue. Safety rounds have their PEN reduced by 50% but
  any damage that gets through is increased by 50%.
  Cost Multiple: x2
  Availability: Same as weapon
  Armour Piercing Rounds
  The exact opposite of safety round, armour piercing (AP)
  rounds have increased penetration at the expense of deliv-
  ered damage. AP rounds have their PEN increased by 50%
  but penetrating DAM is reduced by 50%.
  Cost Multiple: x3
  Availability: One level higher than weapon
  Ammunition Cost is per clip, or 20 rounds if the weapon uses
  loose ammo.
  Type of Weapon
  Ammunition Cost
  Sparklock Pistol (any)
  £1
  Cartridge Pistol or SMG (any)
  5% of weapon cost
  Magnetic Repeater Pistol   
  10% of weapon cost
  or SMG (any) 
  Sparklock Carbine, Rifle
  £1.10s
  or Blunderbuss (any)
  Cartridge Rifle or Shotgun (any)
  5% of weapon cost
  Magnetic Repeater Rifle 
  10% of weapon cost
  or Sniper Weapon (any) 
  Heavy Weapon (lotech)
  5% of weapon cost
  Heavy Weapon (hitech)
  15% of weapon cost
  the product 64
  
  Melee Weapons
  Ceramic Blade (hitech)
  Constructed from composite ceramic materials, the blade of
  this knife has unrivalled sharpness and strength.
  Cost: £25
  Availability: Rare
  Ceramic Long Knife (hitech)
  A longer, larger version of the ceramic blade, offering slight-
  ly greater reach and a more intimidating appearance than its
  smaller cousin.
  Cost: £40
  Availability: Very rare
  Llife (hitech)
  Incredibly sharp weapons, llives are made up of extremely
  thin layers of diamond sheet, ceramic and high quality steel
  bonded together on the molecular level. Not designed at all
  as stabbing weapons, in a slashing attack they can cut
  through armour, bone, muscle, metal and just about anything
  else. They are very much in favour with ghostfighters and oth-
  ers who rely on quality edged weapons for their livelihoods.
  Cost: £200
  Availability: Very rare
  Billy Club
  As used by the Provosts and numerous other police agencies
  across The City. The billy club is constructed from high-impact
  materials and is carefully weighted to allow maximum ener-
  gy transfer upon impact. In trained hands this can be an
  exceptionally effective weapon and gives superior punch
  when compared to a regular cosh or club.
  Cost: £35
  Availability: Rare
  ARMOUR
  Armoured Clothing (hitech)
  Regular clothing with a layer of ballistic fibres.
  Cost: £7 per item
  Availability: Uncommon
  Armour Vest (hitech)
  Covers the torso, shoulders and groin with a layer of hard-
  ened plastics, ballistic fibre and other materials which the
  manufacturer chooses to include.
  Cost: £20
  Availability: Common
  Integrated Armour Suit (hitech)
  Fully sealed, semi-powered, used by some macrocorporate
  troops for assault duties
  Cost: £500
  Availability: Rare
  Mail Vest (lotech)
  Painstakingly made of tiny metal links, mail vests are gener-
  ally the highest quality lotech armour.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Common
  Makeshift Armour (lotech)
  Constructed from a hodge-podge of materials, most
  makeshift armour looks and is home-made.
  Cost: Homemade
  Availability: Very common
  Padded Armour (lotech)
  Really nothing more than very heavy clothing, perhaps rein-
  forced with hardened dogskin at vital points. Useful against
  knives and suchlike, but pretty much useless against guns.
  Cost: 10s per item
  Availability: Common
  Helmet (hitech)
  Protects the head and features attachment points for sensor
  systems.
  Cost: £20
  Availability: Rare
  the product 65
  
  Helmet (lotech)
  Still protects the head, but not very well.
  Cost: £1
  Availability: Common
  Roadarmour
  Ideal for the powerbikers who wants that little edge in pro-
  tection. Made from the same light but strong materials as light
  bullet proof vests, Roadarmour is a tight fitting, full body suit
  of powerbike/ekranoplan clothing. With padded joint sec-
  tions and improved ballistic fabrics, it offers impressive pro-
  tection in a potential roadrash situation.
  Cost: £40
  Availability: Rare
  DINGINS
  Dingins are the fundamental building blocks upon which
  almost all the computing power of The City is based. Rod
  logic provides the power for businesses to operate and for
  the Dataflow to function. The dingin is both ubiquitous and
  vital, in all its many forms and variations. From the creak-
  ing, clanking macroscale engines still used by the Three
  Canals Metropolitan Area Provosts to store their crime
  information, to the compressed efficiency of single cubic
  inch nanoscale units (and all the sizes in between), dingins
  are everywhere you look, calculating, storing, processing
  and analysing. 
  Macroscale
  Slow, clunky and requiring constant maintenance,
  macroscale dingins can perform basic arithmetical and math-
  ematical tasks. Provided you keep them oiled. They are gen-
  erally programmed by means of punched cards, punched
  tapes or manual programming inputs.
  Cost: £30 to £1000
  Availability: Common
  Microscale
  Faster and more powerful than macroscale dingins,
  microscale variants can run more sophisticated programmes
  and carry out far more complex tasks. However, they are
  high maintenance items requiring specialist skills and tools.
  They are programmed via tiny metallic tapes.
  Cost: £50 to £2000
  Availability: Common
  Nanoscale
  Packing immense processing power into the same space as a
  microscale unit, nanoscale dingins can also be made
  extremely small to fit into a variety of other devices.
  Exclusively produced by the macrocorps, they are pro-
  grammed by molecular 'tapes' or 'chains'.
  Cost: £80 to £5000
  Availability: Very rare
  GENERAL EQUIPMENT
  CLOTHING
  The following lists give costs for various common items of
  clothing.
  ITEM
  COST
  Hat
  2s to £50
  Work Trousers
  10s
  Cheap set of clothes
  15s
  (trousers, shirt, jacket)
  Average Suit
  £2.15s
  Tie
  1s to £100
  Waterproof Jacket
  £1.5s
  Military Trousers
  £1.2s
  Jumpsuit
  £2
  Greatcoat
  £2
  Dogskin Coat
  £10 to £500
  Cheap Shoes
  7s.2p
  Average Shoes
  £1.10s
  Quality Shoes
  Up to £200
  Quality Boots
  Up to £250
  Powerbike Boots
  £10 to £400
  Belt
  1s upwards
  the product 66
  
  NAVIGATION DEVICES
  Automapper (hitech)
  A handy device for those who
  just can't find their way about.
  Simply tell the unit where you are
  currently and where you wish to
  go to, plug it in to a public phone
  and it will link in to the local
  Dataflow and access map data-
  bases to give you the best route
  to your destination. It can, how-
  ever, take a very long time to
  access the information through
  the chaos of the Dataflow.
  Cost: £10
  Availability: Rare
  Inertial Compass (hitech)
  Must be calibrated at the starting point of each journey. The
  small dingin computes distance travelled and gives direction
  back to the starting point. Not hugely effective in a three-
  dimensional environment.
  Cost: £7
  Availability: Rare
  MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
  First Aid Kit (hitech)
  Contains hypospray with a variety of drugs, self-hardening
  casts, second skin spray and a small dingin with diagnostic
  programming.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Rare
  First Aid Kit (lotech)
  Contains some antiseptic, bandages and tourniquets.
  Cost: 10s
  Availability: Very common
  SURVIVAL GEAR
  Blanket
  A simple doghair or plant fibre blanket.
  Cost: 2s
  Availability: Very common
  Gas Mask (Lotech)
  A lowtech solution to airborne gases and toxins, the gas
  mask is a simple, flexible mask with two glass covered eye-
  holes. Air is filtered through a bulky box attached to the users
  belt and makes its way to the mask via flexible hose.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Uncommon
  Respirator (hitech)
  This is a small (10x20cm) oxygen cylinder attached through
  a hose to a light facemask. It provides enough air for five
  hours of moderate exertion.
  Cost: £25
  Availability: Rare
  Rucksack
  Multipurpose bag, ideal for all manner of outdoor activities.
  Available in a variety of sizes.
  Cost: 5s to £50
  Availability: Very common
  Tools
  Basic Tool Kit
  This kit includes small hand tools, suitable for a variety pur-
  poses, including wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers etc.
  Cost: £10 to £100
  Availability: Very common
  Electrics Tools
  A standard set of tools for working on electrical equipment.
  Cost: £15 to £200
  Availability: Very common
  Vision Enhancers
  Binoculars
  Either flat, compact digital imagers or bulky, easily damaged
  lotech optical versions. Hitech models can have lowlight, IR,
  gyrostabilisation and rangefinder facilities. Hand made opti-
  cal binoculars can also be purchased, but only from spe-
  cialised manufacturers at considerable (not to say extortion-
  ate) prices.
  Cost: £4 to £200
  Availability: Rare
  the product 67
  
  Electric Torch (hitech)
  Compact, reliable, tough and powered by high-capacity bat-
  teries. Once the batteries run down, it is almost impossible to
  buy spares unless you are in some way connected with the
  manufacturers of such things or have access to nomenklatura
  shopping areas.
  Cost: £3
  Availability: Rare
  Electric Torch (lotech)
  Powered from either a hand crank or clockwork mechanism
  connected to a dynamo or by very bulky, short-duration bat-
  teries.
  Cost: £1
  Availability: Common
  Fish Oil Lamp (lotech)
  Hand carried lamp which burns refined fish oil in a glass
  enclosed chamber in order to produce light. More than a lit-
  tle smelly in operation.
  Cost: 5s (enough oil for an hour of operation costs 10p)
  Availability: Very common
  Miscellaneous Equipment
  Climbing Kit
  Contains 50 yards rope, pitons, hammer and slings.
  Cost: £3 (lotech), £35 (hitech)
  Availability: Common
  Clockwork Generator
  Wind-up dynamo used to recharge sparklocks, power din-
  gins or similar activities.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Very common
  Goggles
  In hitech or lotech form, both feature flat lenses of glass plas-
  tic to prevent harmful objects reaching the eyes.
  Cost: 7s (lotech), £3 (hitech)
  Availability: Very common
  Grappling Hook
  A heavy, three pronged grapple designed for scaling walls.
  Cost: £2
  Availability: Common
  Rope, 10 Yards (hitech)
  Artificial fibre rope with a breaking strain of 1000 kilos.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Rare
  Rope, 10 Yards (lotech)
  Made from huyzel vine fibres, lotech rope has a breaking
  strain of 200 kilos.
  Cost: 15s
  Availability: Very common
  VEHICLES
  Boats
  Of all types of vehicle in The City, boats are by far the most
  widely used. From tiny, one man, skiffs for punting about the
  capillary canals to massive ore barges used by the macrocorps
  to transport precious natural resources, all sizes and classes of
  vessel can be found on the watery network of canals. Almost
  as wide as the variety in size is the variety of construction mate-
  rials used. Wood, harvested by the macrocorps from long
  dead forests in the Outlands, is used to construct rude rowing
  boats. Metal sheeting makes the hulls of barges. A melange of
  different materials goes towards making some vehicles, con-
  structed from the scrap and detritus of life in The City. Power
  sources also display wide degrees of variation. The smallest
  craft are powered by oars or punts, relying on the strength of
  their users to propel them along. Others use primitive electric
  engines, sparking and shuddering, driven by bulky, badly
  sealed, dangerously toxic batteries. Hitech watercraft use
  hydrogen-fuelled turbines and fuel cells, technology unavail-
  able to the common citizen.
  The examples below illustrate only a few of the myriad of
  designs available in The City
  Small Skiff
  A small, flat-bottomed boat, ideal for swift, stealthy move-
  ment along the canals. Typical skiffs can seat up to four
  people in relative comfort, overloading the boat gives an
  increased chance of being dumped unceremoniously in the
  canals. Oar-driven versions are extremely common, with
  electric driven being slightly less common. For long jour-
  neys, some travellers mount sails on crude masts, taking
  advantage of the winds that whistle down the canals.
  Cost: A new, oar powered skiff will cost between £25 and
  £100, depending on quality. Add another £30 to £70 for
  an electric engine.
  Availability: Very common
  the product 68
  
  Medium Cargo Barge
  By far the most common form of cargo transport in The City,
  medium barges can range from 10 to 25 metres in length
  and 4 to 10 metres in width. If you can think of a cargo, there
  will be a barge carrying it somewhere in The City. Some citi-
  zens, disdaining a life fixed to one place, use barges as their
  homes, floating about The City in search of work, food or sal-
  vage. Macrocorporate barges tend to be swift, solid and
  well armed, typically with reinforced bows to allow them to
  breach right through obstacles (robbery on the canals being
  a regular occurrence).
  Cost: £600 on average.
  Availability: Common
  aIRCRAFT
  As discussed in 'The Precepts', aircraft in The City can be
  divided into three broad categories: the heavy, lumbering
  aerostats, the flimsy, agile mikefighters and the wallowing,
  slow dirgibles.
  Aerostats
  Gorunna Logistics 'Megalifter' Heavy Cargo
  Aerostat
  Workhorse of aerostat fleets across The City, the 'Megalifter'
  is the most common large aerostat in The City. Used by all of
  the macrocorporations and a few smaller organisations, this
  disc shaped craft can lift up to five tons of anything you care
  to load inside it. Modified 'Megalifters' have been given mas-
  sive underside doors and used as rubbish dumpers over
  Smokey Mountain whilst others are used by macrocorp
  forces as troop transports. Their wallowing, disc-shaped bod-
  ies can been seen everywhere in The City, yet very few citi-
  zens will ever see one close at hand or from the inside.
  Cost: £150,000
  Availability: Rare
  Groundcars and other vehicles
  Haulage Wagon
  Commonly used in the more outlying areas of The City,
  where the canal network becomes more sparse, these behe-
  moths are normally powered by pantograph systems, mas-
  sive battery trailers or (rarely) by compressed gas burning
  internal combustion engines. Most of the space on the
  wagon is normally taken up by the engine which in most ver-
  sions transmits power to the massive rear driving wheels.
  Cargo is carried on a trailer or series of trailers strung behind
  the wagon. Constructed of iron and brass and often very,
  very old, these vehicles are most usually owned by small pri-
  vate haulage companies.
  Cost: £500 to £20000
  Availability: Common
  GSV Imperator Automobile
  Wide, low, sleek, menacing and always black, the Gorunna
  Special Vehicles Imperator is the vehicle of choice for those
  who wish to make a serious impression. Rising on wide
  HyGrip tires and clamped to the road by DynaGlyde sus-
  pension, the Imperator carries it passengers smoothly and
  comfortable from one high-powered appointment to another.
  Its powerful hydrogen burning engine gives impressive accel-
  eration combined with quiet running. Gorunna’s latest
  Glyphread driving aids, running off of a powerful nanoscale
  dingin unit, give the driver every possible assistance. The sin-
  ister, dark Imperators are rarely seen outside of macrocorp
  controlled areas or the domains of the supremely wealthy. If
  they do venture out of such areas, they do have discreet
  armour to protect themselves from the occasional stone or
  garbage throwing mob.
  Cost: £35,000
  Availability: Scarce
  the product 69
  
  the product 70
  DAM
  PEN
  RNG
  ROF
  REM
  CLIP
  MSS
  Rel.
  Cost
  Avail.
  Pistols
  Sparklock Pistol, Light
  5
  4
  5
  1
  +10
  n/a
  0.5kg
  UR
  20
  Common
  Sparklock Pistol, Medium
  7
  5
  10
  1
  +10
  n/a
  1.0kg
  UR
  30
  Common
  Sparklock Pistol, Heavy
  9
  5
  10
  1
  +5
  n/a
  1.5kg
  UR
  40
  Common
  Sparklock Pistol, Pepperbox
  5
  4
  5
  3
  +10
  10
  1.0kg
  VUR
  100
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Revolver, Light
  6
  4
  10
  3
  +10
  6
  0.8kg
  VR
  65
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Revolver, Medium
  9
  7
  15
  3
  +5
  6
  1.3kg
  VR
  85
  Common
  Cartridge Revolver, Heavy
  11
  9
  15
  2
  +5
  5
  1.7kg
  VR
  110
  Common
  Cartridge Auto, Light
  6
  4
  10
  4
  +10
  10
  0.5kg
  AR
  80
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Auto, Medium
  9
  7
  15
  4
  +5
  10
  1.0kg
  AR
  120
  Common
  Cartridge Auto, Heavy
  11
  9
  15
  4
  +5
  8
  1.5kg
  AR
  150
  Common
  Gorunna 'Sling'
  16
  13
  10
  4
  +5
  4
  2.3kg
  VR
  300
  V. rare
  Souken vent-450
  13
  11
  15
  4
  +5
  12
  1.2kg
  VR
  230
  Rare
  Sub-machineguns
  Cartridge SMG
  9
  7
  15
  3(5)
  +5
  25
  3.5kg
  UR
  120
  Uncommon
  Trilhoeven KM-067R
  12
  17
  20
  4(5)
  +5
  100
  2.5kg
  VR
  900
  V. rare
  Rifles
  Sparklock Rifle
  13
  12
  20
  1
  +0
  n/a
  4.5kg
  UR
  100
  Common
  Trilhoeven KSK-G30
  16
  24
  50
  4(10)
  +0
  100
  3.5kg
  VR
  1500
  V. rare
  Sniper Weapons
  Furien 'Shellbreaker'
  19
  47
  100
  10
  -10
  10
  6.0kg
  R
  2000
  Scarce
  Shotguns
  Sparklock Blunderbuss
  15
  4
  5
  1
  +5
  n/a
  2.5kg
  UR
  70
  Common
  Hirplakker 'Lacerator'
  30
  10
  15
  4(5)
  +0
  40
  3.0kg
  R
  600
  Scarce
  AV
  Weight
  Cost
  Avail.
  Armoured Clothing (hitech)
  5
  1.5kg
  £7
  Uncommon
  Armour Vest (hitech)
  20
  3.0kg
  £20
  Common
  Integrated Armour Suit (hitech)
  50
  35kg
  £500
  Rare
  Mail Vest (lotech)
  10
  5.0kg
  £5
  Common
  Makeshift Armour (lotech)
  8
  5 - 15kg
  n/a
  V. common
  Padded Armour (lotech)
  3
  2.0kg
  10s
  Common
  Helmet (hitech)
  30
  1.5kg
  £20
  Rare
  Helmet (lotech)
  15
  2.0kg
  £1
  Common
  DAM
  PEN
  RCH
  REM
  Weight
  Cost
  Avail.
  Ceramic Blade
  5
  10/12
  +0
  +10
  0.3kg
  £25
  Common
  Ceramic Long Knife
  7
  10/12
  +0
  +10
  0.5kg
  £40
  V. rare
  Cosh
  6
  0
  +0
  +5
  1.0kg
  10s
  V. common
  Hatchet/Axe
  6
  8
  +0
  +0
  1.5kg
  £5
  Common
  Knife
  5
  7/8
  +0
  +10
  0.5kg
  £2
  V. common
  Llife
  6
  5/20
  +0
  +5
  1.0kg
  £200
  V. rare
  Polearm/Spear
  8
  12/7
  +2
  -10
  2.0kg
  £20
  Uncommon
  Sword
  8
  7/8
  +1
  -5
  3.0kg
  £40
  Uncommon
  Billy Club
  6
  0
  +1
  +0
  2.0kg
  £35
  V. rare
  Weight
  Cost
  Avail.
  Dingins
  Macroscale
  Varies
  £30-£1000 
  Common
  Microscale
  0.5-50kg
  £50-£2000 
  Common
  Nanoscale
  0.1-20kg
  £80-£5000 
  V. rare
  Navigation Devices
  Automapper (hitech)
  0.5kg
  £10
  Rare
  Inertial Compass (hitech)
  0.5kg
  £7
  Rare
  Medical Equipment
  First Aid Kit (hitech)
  0.5kg
  £5
  Rare
  First Aid Kit (lotech)
  1.0kg
  10s
  V. common
  Medical Kit (hitech)
  5.0kg
  £20
  Rare
  Survival Gear
  Blanket
  2.0kg
  2s
  V. common
  Gas Mask (lotech)
  2.0kg
  £5
  Uncommon
  Respirator (hitech)
  0.5kg
  £25
  Rare
  Rucksack
  1.0kg
  5s-£50
  V. Common
  Weight
  Cost
  Avail.
  Tools
  Basic Tool Kit
  5.0kg
  £10-£100
  V. common
  Electrics Tools
  2.0kg
  £15-£200
  V. common
  Vision Enhancers
  Binoculars
  1.0kg
  £4-£200
  Rare
  Electric Torch (hitech)
  0.5kg
  £3
  Rare
  Electric Torch (lotech)
  2.0kg
  £1
  Common
  Fish Oil Lamp (lotech)
  1.0kg
  5s
  V. common
  Misc. Equipment
  Climbing Kit (hitech)
  5.0kg
  £35
  Common
  Climbing Kit (lotech)
  10.0kg
  £3
  Common
  Clockwork
  Generator (lotech)
  1.0kg
  £5
  V. common
  Goggles (hitech)
  n/a
  £3
  V. common
  Goggles (lotech)
  0.5kg
  7s
  V. common
  Grappling Hook
  2.0kg
  £2
  Common
  Rope (hitech)
  2.0kg
  £5
  Rare
  Rope (lotech)
  3.0kg
  15s
  V. common
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/A-State/A-State - Lite Edition v2.0.pdf