TEXT:  
  ATOMSWORN 
  A post-nuclear primer powered by IRONSWORN 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  This work is based on Ironsworn (found at www.ironswornrpg.com), created by Shawn Tomkin, 
  and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License 
  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 
   
  Written By: Tyler A. Thompson 
  Contributions By: Tyler J. Urish, Owen L. Luetkemeyer, and Arcane 
  Published By: Sad Fishe Games 
   
  Atomsworn  |  1 
  
   
   
  About Ironsworn 
  This product was written using the Ironsworn SRD and with its system in mind. In the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ironsworn tabletop roleplaying game, you are a hero sworn to undertake perilous
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
  quests in the dark fantasy setting of the Ironlands. 
  Others live out their lives hardly venturing beyond the walls of their village or
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  steading, but you are different. You will explore untracked wilds, fight desperate
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  battles, forge bonds with isolated communities, and reveal the secrets of this harsh
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  land.  Are you ready to swear iron vows and see them fulfilled—no matter the cost? 
  To
  learn
  more
  about
  the
  Ironsworn
  tabletop
  roleplaying
  game,
  visit
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ironswornrpg.com​. 
   
  About Atomsworn 
  Atomsworn is a primer intended to lay the foundation for ​Ironsworn ​gameplay in a
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  modern/sci-fi post-apocalpytic setting rather than the Ironlands. Atomsworn is not
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  an official ​Ironsworn ​product, but is intended to utilize the ​Ironsworn ​System Resource
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Document
  via
  the
  Creative
  Commons
  Attribution
  4.0
  International
  License
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (​https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/​). The reality is that transitioning the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ironsworn ​mechanics and themes to a certain sort of post-apocalyptia requires
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  essentially no changes to rules, one change of terminology (Iron Vows to Atomic
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Vows), and the rest is mere stage setting. ​Atomsworn ​sets out to simplify that stage
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  setting by providing a workbook customizing the Atomlands just as ​Ironsworn ​does for
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the Ironlands, provide foe templates adapted to the setting, and a new map and region
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  descriptions suited for the genre.  ​Atomsworn ​claims to offer nothing more.   
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  2 
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS 
  What You Need
  ​6 
  Atomic Vows
  ​6 
  Radiation
  ​6 
  PART ONE: 
  YOUR CHARACTER
  ​8 
  You are Atomsworn
  ​8 
  PART TWO: 
  FOES AND ENCOUNTERS
  ​9 
  Humans
  ​10 
  Degenerate
  ​10 
  Commoner
  ​10 
  Hunter
  ​11 
  Priest
  ​11 
  Soldier
  ​11 
  Warrior
  ​12 
  Bandit
  ​12 
  Ranger
  ​13 
  Powered Soldier
  ​13 
  Mutant
  ​14 
  Mutant Abominations
  ​14 
  Doppelganger
  ​14 
  Devourer
  ​14 
  Conduit
  ​15 
  Cancerous Ascendant
  ​15 
  PART THREE: 
  ORACLES
  ​17 
  Action Oracle
  ​17 
  2. Theme Oracle
  ​18 
  3. Combat Action Oracle
  ​19 
  4. Major Plot Twist Oracle
  ​20 
  Atomsworn  |  3 
  
  5. Challenge Rank Oracle
  ​21 
  6. Region Oracle
  ​21 
  7. Character Role
  ​22 
  PART FOUR: 
  YOUR ATOMLANDS
  ​24 
  The Fall of the Old World
  ​25 
  Ruin
  ​25 
  Scale
  ​26 
  Radiation
  ​27 
  Nature of Atom
  ​28 
  Legacies
  ​28 
  Technological Taboo
  ​29 
  Communities
  ​31 
  States
  ​31 
  Mysticism
  ​32 
  Religion
  ​33 
  Remnants
  ​34 
  Beasts
  ​35 
  Horrors
  ​35 
  Regions
  ​36 
  1- Dust Plains
  ​36 
  2- The Sprawl
  ​36 
  3- Dead City
  ​37 
  4- Grand Oasis
  ​37 
  5- Savage Wastes
  ​38 
  6- Heartland
  ​38 
  7-Nomad Wastes
  ​38 
  8- Free Isles
  ​39 
  9- Shallows
  ​39 
  10-Hazy Hills
  ​40 
  11- Weald
  ​40 
  Atomsworn  |  4 
  
  What You Need 
  If you’re playing solo, just grab some materials and get started. A session can be as
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  long as you like, from a few minutes to a few hours. 
  If you’re playing with one or more friends—either guided or co-op—you probably
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  want to dedicate enough time to make some progress in your quests. Plan on a couple
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  of hours or more. 
  Make sure you have: 
  ●
  A Copy of ​Ironsworn ​or the ​Ironsworn ​SRD 
  ●
  Two ten-sided dice (d10) for each player. These are your challenge dice. 
  ●
  One six-sided die (d6) for each player. This is your action die. 
  ●
  Optionally, another pair of ten-sided dice to use as your oracle dice. 
  ●
  A printed character sheet for each player and printed asset cards. 
  ●
  Some counters for marking status tracks on your character sheet. You can use
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  paper clips, beads, dice, coins, tokens from other games, or whatever is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  convenient. 
   
  Atomic Vows 
  Vows are the core of playing Ironsworn- so too in Atomsworn. Rather than oaths
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  taken upon pieces of iron, Atomic Vows are made on atom emblems, chunks of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  harmlessly radioactive material (see Tritium), or in places of non-fatal levels of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  historic radioactive contamination. It is your vows that drive you. These goals create
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the context for your adventures and challenges. As you complete vows, you gain
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  experience and new abilities. 
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  5 
  
  Radiation 
  The Atomlands are, depending on your choices in creating it, ravaged by radiation. It
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  may be a persistent danger, threatening both your health and willpower when
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  appropriate. It might even be weaponized by your foes in the Atomands, human and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mutant alike.  Incorporate this into your typical Ironsworn rolls.   
  For optional Radiation rules, apply the following system:  
  ●
  Draw a new track on your character sheet, titled Radiation, and labeled
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  0-5, starting at 0.   
  ●
  When you Make a Camp, Resupply, or Sojourn in the wilderness of a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  Region or in an irradiated area, or take an action related to contact with
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  an irradiated item or linger too long in an irradiated area, on a Weak Hit
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
  or a Miss, you must take an Endure Radiation Suffer Move. 
  ●
  ​Endure Radiation: ​When you are exposed to unsafe Radiation, move up
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  +[Radiation Level] of that Region, Location, or Item on the Radiation
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Track.
  If you are already at 5 or surpass 5 Radiation, suffer negative
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
     
   
   
   
  momentum equal to the remaining value of the Radiation Level of that
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Region, Location, or Item. Then roll +Iron. On a Strong Hit, you shake
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  off your exposure and may reduce your Radiation track by -1 in exchange
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  for -1 Momentum. On a Weak Hit, you carry on. On a Miss, you suffer -1
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  Momentum and must either mark Irradiated (debility) or roll on the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Endure Harm table.   
  ●
  Irradiated (debility): ​You cannot increase Health or Spirit.   
  ●
  Utilize the Radiation Level of the Region generally if the Endure
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Radiation Suffer Move is forced in the wilderness of that Region or in an
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  otherwise non-specific location, or from an irradiated item from that
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  region. 
  ●
  Utilize the Oracle generated Radiation Level for specific locations if the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Endure Radiation Suffer Move is forced in that location, or from an
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  irradiated item from that location. 
  ●
  It is up to you to decide if there is treatment to reduce the Radiation track
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  or remove the Irradiated debility. Finding Radiation free locations in a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  Region in which to rest is vital to avoid contamination.   
   
  Atomsworn  |  6 
  
  ●
  Protective gear may reduce the risk of Radiation exposure.
  Use the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  following custom Asset:  
   
  Hazmat Gear 
  Useless if damaged 
  ❏ When you Make a camp, Resupply or 
  Sojourn in a radiated area, or interact with a 
  radiated item, only Endure radiation on a 
  miss 
  ❏ When you endure radiation, reduce the 
  radiation level by 1 
  ❏ When you endure radiation, add +1 and take 
  +1 momentum on a Hit 
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  7 
  
   
  PART ONE: 
  YOUR CHARACTER 
   
  You are Atomsworn 
  Many live out their lives hardly venturing beyond the walls of their village or steading,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  and others travel only the safest trails when circumstances demand, but you, by
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  choice or necessity, are different. You are Atomsworn, a name with different
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  connotations to different people, but always a name for those who have placed their
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  fates in the hands of Atom’s winds through Atomic Vows. Your sworn vows will lead
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  to a life of danger, heroism, and sacrifice at the edge of the known world.   
  Before you jump into the mechanics of your character, consider her motivations,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  interests, skills, personality, and weaknesses, and, perhaps most importantly, what
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  has led (or will shortly lead) to taking their vow casting them into this life.  
  Your character is highly competent- the Atomlands suffer no weakness, and those
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  without a minimum degree of skill and capacity never last long beyond the safest of
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  areas. You can hold your own in a fight, generally know at least the basics of how to
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  survive in the wastes, and have some experience handling their dangers.
  Some
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Atomsworn are elite rangers who spend their lives all but alone in the wastes and are
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  intimately familiar with its dangers, some are trained caravan men whose practiced
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  hands ensure their safety, and others still are merely fortunates whose intuition
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  carries them through. 
  You can envision your character however you like—unbound by geography, lineage,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  sexual orientation, and gender. Indeed, many of these things in the Atomlands may
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  not carry the same importance they did in the past, differences and prejudices
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  forgotten in light of more pressing survival. Your character can be inspired directly by
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  a real-world or historical culture, or you might weave a blend of cultural influences
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  into your concept. 
  Atomsworn  |  8 
  
  PART TWO: 
  FOES AND ENCOUNTERS 
   
  An NPC (non-player character/creature) is anyone who inhabits your setting other
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  than your character and those portrayed by your fellow players. They can be a person,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  being or creature. You will roleplay your interactions with NPCs, and make moves
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  when you attempt to influence them, aid them, gain their help, or act against them. 
  Included below are a number of sample NPC blocks adapted to this setting. Depending
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  on your Atomlands, they may or may not actually exist. You should not hesitate to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  utilize the official ​Ironsworn ​NPC blocks as needed, nor from creating your own or
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  modifying these.  
  Rank 
  Type 
  Progress 
  Harm 
  Troublesome 
  Common enemies 
  3 progress per 
  harm 
  Inflicts 1 
  harm 
  Dangerous 
  Capable fighters and 
  deadly creatures 
  2 progress per 
  harm 
  Inflicts 2 
  harm 
  Formidable 
  Exceptional fighters and 
  mighty creatures 
  1 progress per 
  harm 
  Inflicts 3 
  harm 
  Extreme 
  Foes of overwhelming skill or 
  power 
  2 ticks per harm 
  Inflicts 4 
  harm 
  Epic 
  Legendary foes of 
  mythic power 
  1 tick per harm 
  Inflicts 5 
  harm 
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  9 
  
  Humans 
  Degenerate 
  Rank 
  Troublesome (3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Shrivelled, festering flesh 
  ●
  Rotten teeth and gnarled nails 
  ●
  Malformed limbs and features 
  Drives 
  ●
  Bask in Radiation 
  ●
  Feed 
  ●
  Breed 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Hide in ruins 
  ●
  Pack hunting 
  ●
  Little self-preservation 
  ●
  Rip and tear 
   
  Commoner 
  Rank 
  Troublesome (3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Diverse 
  ●
  World weary 
  ●
  Wary 
  ●
  Armed with simple or crude, tools, weapons, and firearms 
  Drives 
  ●
  Survival 
  ●
  Protect family and community 
  ●
  Keep horrors and mutants at bay 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Band Together 
  ●
  Appeasement 
  ●
  Hide behind walls 
   
  Atomsworn  |  10 
  
  Hunter 
  Rank 
  Dangerous (2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Grizzled 
  ●
  At home in the wastes 
  ●
  Equipped with survival gear and weapons 
  Drives 
  ●
  Provide for community 
  ●
  Eradicate predatory creatures and mutants 
  ●
  Mapping the wastes 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Stealth 
  ●
  Traps 
  ●
  Live to fight another day 
   
   
  Priest 
  Rank 
  Troublesome (3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Learned in the ways if Atom 
  ●
  Holder of secret knowledge 
  ●
  Master of rituals 
  Drives 
  ●
  Unite community 
  ●
  Appease Atom or other deities 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Rally community 
  ●
  Protective bodyguards 
  ●
  Esoteric Cunning 
  ●
  Deceptive Guile 
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  11 
  
  Soldier 
  Rank 
  Dangerous (2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Disciplined fighters 
  ●
  Equipped with high quality armaments 
  ●
  Some semblance of uniforms 
  Drives 
  ●
  Obey Masters 
  ●
  Defend Community 
  ●
  Awaiting payday 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Group tactics 
  ●
  Logistical planning 
  ●
  Engage at range 
  ●
  Fortify position 
   
   
  Warrior 
  Rank 
  Dangerous (2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Peak physicality 
  ●
  Martial proficiency 
  ●
  Equipped with fine martial armaments 
  Drives 
  ●
  Protect tribe/community 
  ●
  Hone their skill 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Up close and personal 
  ●
  Overwhelming force 
  ●
  Undaunted advance and intimidation 
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  12 
  
  Bandit 
  Rank 
  Dangerous (2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Uncouth 
  ●
  Predatory nature 
  ●
  Scavenged and looted armaments 
  ●
  Persona non grata 
  Drives 
  ●
  Loot 
  ●
  Ravage 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Hit and run 
  ●
  Bandit fortresses 
  ●
  Kidnapping 
  ●
  Razing 
   
   
  Ranger 
  Rank 
  Formidable (1 progress per harm; inflicts 3 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Masters of the wastes 
  ●
  Survival Proficient 
  ●
  Custom equipment 
  ●
  Lonesome Travellers 
  Drives 
  ●
  Purge the Wastes 
  ●
  Forge new frontiers 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Sharpshooter 
  ●
  Exploit advantages 
  ●
  Innate talent and expertise 
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  13 
  
  Powered Soldier 
  Rank 
  Formidable (1 progress per harm; inflicts 3 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Strength enhancing armor 
  ●
  Peak technological weapons 
  ●
  Disdain for wastelanders 
  Drives 
  ●
  Return to the old ways 
  ●
  Purge wastes of mutants, horrors, and unworthy 
  communities 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Shock and awe 
  ●
  Blitz 
  ●
  Callous destruction 
   
   
  Mutant 
  Rank 
  Dangerous (2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm); or 
  Formidable (1 progress per harm; inflicts 3 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Various 
  ●
  Grotesque mutations 
  Drives 
  ●
  Radiation worship 
  ●
  Feed 
  ●
  Destruction of humanity 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Various 
  ●
  Nest in ruins 
  ●
  Create Broods of Degenerates 
   
  Atomsworn  |  14 
  
  Mutant Abominations 
  Doppelganger 
  Rank 
  Dangerous (2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Humanoid form 
  ●
  Morphing appearance 
  Drives 
  ●
  Infiltrate communities 
  ●
  Kidnap children for unknown purpose 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Murder travellers, take on their form 
  ●
  Garner trust 
  ●
  Sow community conflict 
   
   
  Devourer 
  Rank 
  Formidable (1 progress per harm; inflicts 3 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Hulking carnivores 
  ●
  Foot-long claws 
  ●
  Vicious maw 
  ●
  Thick hide 
  Drives 
  ●
  Feed 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Dull camouflage  
  ●
  Senseless consumption 
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  15 
  
  Conduit 
  Rank 
  Extreme (2 ticks per harm; inflicts 4 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Radioactive mutant 
  ●
  Hazardous radioactive aura 
  ●
  Red hot, glowing flesh 
  Drives 
  ●
  Spread deadly aura 
  ●
  Become Cancerous Ascendant 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Taint food and water resources 
  ●
  Mutate others 
  ●
  Evisceration 
   
   
  Cancerous Ascendant 
  Rank 
  Epic (1 tick per harm; inflicts 5 harm) 
  Features 
  ●
  Sprawling mutant mass 
  ●
  Vast Tendrils and apendages  
  ●
  Horror filled nests 
  ●
  Mutant servants 
  Drives 
  ●
  Consume all 
  ●
  Spread across planet 
  Tactics 
  ●
  Integrate structures and beings into self 
  ●
  Use servants to capture beings 
  ●
  Gather radioactive materials to feed on 
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  16 
  
  PART THREE: 
  ORACLES 
   
  The following Oracles are modified to better fit the setting, or are included in the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ironsworn ​SRD copied here to minimize page turning and tab switching. Use of the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  official ​Ironsworn ​Oracles found in the free pdf to supplement these is suggested-
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  there was no sense recreating tables that already sufficiently covered the necessary
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  possibilities. It is also suggested to use any other third party Oracles desired- your
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  game, your rules, your story to tell.   
  1. Action Oracle 
  Use this table to inspire a discovery, event, character goal, or situation. A roll on this
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
  table can be combined with a Theme (see below) to provide an action and a subject.
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  Then, interpret the result based on the context of the question and your current
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  situation. 
  1  Scheme 
  26  Withdraw 
  51  Persevere 
  76  Betray 
  2  Clash 
  27  Abandon 
  52  Serve 
  77  Secure 
  3  Weaken 
  28  Investigate 
  53  Begin 
  78  Arrive 
  4  Initiate 
  29  Hold 
  54  Move 
  79  Affect 
  5  Create 
  30  Focus 
  55  Coordinate 
  80  Change 
  6  Swear 
  31  Uncover 
  56  Resist 
  81  Defend 
  7  Avenge 
  32  Breach 
  57  Await 
  82  Debate 
  8  Guard 
  33  Aid 
  58  Impress 
  83  Support 
  9  Defeat 
  34  Uphold 
  59  Take 
  84  Follow 
  10  Control 
  35  Falter 
  60  Oppose 
  85  Construct 
  11  Break 
  36  Suppress 
  61  Capture 
  86  Locate 
  12  Risk 
  37  Hunt 
  62  Overwhelm 
  87  Endure 
  13  Surrender 
  38  Share 
  63  Challenge 
  88  Release 
  Atomsworn  |  17 
  
  14  Inspect 
  39  Destroy 
  64  Acquire 
  89  Lose 
  15  Raid 
  40  Avoid 
  65  Protect 
  90  Reduce 
  16  Evade 
  41  Reject 
  66  Finish 
  91  Escalate 
  17  Assault 
  42  Demand 
  67  Strengthen 
  92  Distract 
  18  Deflect 
  43  Explore 
  68  Restore 
  93  Journey 
  19  Threaten 
  44  Bolster 
  69  Advance 
  94  Escort 
  20  Attack 
  45  Seize 
  70  Command 
  95  Learn 
  21  Leave 
  46  Mourn 
  71  Refuse 
  96  Communicate 
  22  Preserve 
  47  Reveal 
  72  Find 
  97  Depart 
  23  Manipulate 
  48  Gather 
  73  Deliver 
  98  Search 
  24  Remove 
  49  Defy 
  74  Hide 
  99  Charge 
  25  Eliminate 
  50   Transform 
  75  Fortify 
  00  Summon 
   
  2. Theme Oracle 
  As with the Action oracle, this is an interpretative table which you can use to answer
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  questions or generate new situations. Combined, the Action and Theme tables provide
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  creative prompts suitable for most situations and questions. 
  1  Risk 
  26  Barrier 
  51  Stranger 
  76  Rival 
  2  Ability 
  27  Creation 
  52  Passage 
  77  Problem 
  3  Price 
  28  Decay 
  53  Land 
  78  Idea 
  4  Ally 
  29  Trade 
  54  Creature 
  79  Revenge 
  5  Battle 
  30  Bond 
  55  Disease 
  80  Health 
  6  Safety 
  31  Hope 
  56  Advantage 
  81  Fellowship 
  7  Survival 
  32  Superstition 
  57  Blood 
  82  Enemy 
  8  Weapon 
  33  Peace 
  58  Language 
  83  Religion 
  9  Wound 
  34  Deception 
  59  Rumor 
  84  Spirit 
  10  Shelter 
  35  History 
  60  Weakness 
  85  Fame 
  11  Leader 
  36  World 
  61  Greed 
  86  Desolation 
  12  Fear 
  37  Vow 
  62  Family 
  87  Strength 
  Atomsworn  |  18 
  
  13  Time 
  38  Protection 
  63  Resource 
  88  Knowledge 
  14  Duty 
  39  Nature 
  64  Structure 
  89  Truth 
  15  Secret 
  40  Opinion 
  65  Dream 
  90  Quest 
  16  Innocence 
  41  Burden 
  66  Community 
  91  Pride 
  17  Renown 
  42  Vengeance 
  67  War 
  92  Loss 
  18  Direction 
  43  Opportunity 
  68  Portent 
  93  Law 
  19  Death 
  44  Faction 
  69  Prize 
  94  Path 
  20  Honor 
  45  Danger 
  70  Destiny 
  95  Warning 
  21  Labor 
  46  Corruption 
  71  Momentum 
  96  Relationship 
  22  Solution 
  47  Freedom 
  72  Power 
  97  Wealth 
  23  Tool 
  48  Debt 
  73  Memory 
  98  Home 
  24  Balance 
  49  Hate 
  74  Ruin 
  99  Strategy 
  25  Love 
  50   Possession 
  75  Mysticism 
  00  Supply 
   
  3. Combat Action Oracle 
  Use this oracle to help inspire an action for an NPC in combat. When you’re not sure
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  what your foe does next, particularly when they have initiative, roll on this table and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  interpret the result as appropriate to your foe and the situation. 
  1-3 
  Compel​ a surrender. 
  4-6 
  Coordinate with allies. 
  7-9 
  Gather reinforcements. 
  10-13 
  Seize something or someone. 
  14-17 
  Provoke a reckless response. 
  18-21 
  Intimidate or frighten. 
  22-25 
   Reveal a surprising truth. 
  26-29 
  Shift focus to someone or something else. 
  30-33 
  Destroy something, or render it useless. 
  34-39 
  Take a decisive action. 
  Atomsworn  |  19 
  
  40-45 
  Reinforce defenses. 
  46-52 
  Ready an action. 
  53-60 
  Use the terrain to gain advantage. 
  61-68 
  Leverage the advantage of a weapon or ability. 
  69-78 
  Create an opportunity. 
  79-89 
  Attack with precision. 
  90-99 
  Attack with power. 
  00 
  Take a completely unexpected action. 
   
  4. Major Plot Twist Oracle 
  Use this oracle to introduce a narrative surprise or revelation. Most of these results
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  have a negative implication, and can be used to resolve a match at a crucial moment in
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
     
   
   
   
  your story. In particular, this is an effective tool to leverage when you make a move
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  with matched 10’s on the challenge dice.  
  1-5 
  It was all a diversion. 
  6-10 
  A dark secret is revealed. 
  11-15 
  A trap is sprung. 
  16-20 
  An assumption is revealed to be false. 
  21-25 
  A secret alliance is revealed. 
  26-30 
  Your actions benefit an enemy. 
  31-35 
  Someone returns unexpectedly. 
  36-40 
  A more dangerous foe is revealed. 
  41-45 
  You and an enemy share a common goal. 
  46-50 
  A true identity is revealed. 
  51-55 
  You are betrayed by someone who was trusted. 
  Atomsworn  |  20 
  
  56-60 
  You are too late. 
  61-65 
  The true enemy is revealed. 
  66-70 
  The enemy gains new allies. 
  71-75 
  A new danger appears. 
  76-80 
  Someone or something goes missing. 
  81-85 
  The truth of a relationship is revealed. 
  86-90 
  Two seemingly unrelated situations are shown to be connected. 
  91-95 
  Unexpected powers or abilities are revealed. 
  96-00 
  Roll twice more on this table. Both results occur. If they are the same 
  result, make it more dramatic. 
  5. Challenge Rank Oracle 
  Use this oracle when you want to randomly determine the challenge rank of a quest,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  journey, or fight. 
  1-20 
  Troublesome 
  21-55 
  Dangerous 
  56-80 
  Formidable 
  81-93 
  Extreme 
  94-00 
  Epic 
   
  6. Region Oracle 
   
  1-10 
  Dust Plains 
  11-19 
  The Sprawl 
  Atomsworn  |  21 
  
  20-28 
  Dead City 
  29-38 
  Grand Oasis 
  39-47 
  Savage Wastes 
  48-56 
  Heartland 
  57-65 
  Nomad Wastes 
  66-74 
  Free Isles 
  75-83 
  Shallows 
  84-92 
  Hazy Hills 
  93-00 
  Weald 
   
  7. Character Role 
   
  1-5 
  Farmer 
  6-9 
  Scavenger 
  10-13 
  Criminal 
  14-17 
  Vagrant 
  18-22 
  Entertainer 
  23-26 
  Fisher 
  27-30 
  Scientist 
  31-33 
  Raider 
  34-37 
  Warrior 
  40-43 
  Adventurer 
  44-47 
  Trader 
  48-51 
  Guard 
  Atomsworn  |  22 
  
  52-55 
  Soldier 
  56-59 
  Hunter 
  60-63 
  Mercenary 
  64-67 
  Leader 
  68-71 
  Craftsman 
  72-75 
  Engineer 
  76-79 
  Mechanist 
  80-83 
  Doctor 
  84-87 
  Caravaneer 
  88-91 
  Laborer 
  92-95 
  Scribe 
  96 
  Adventurer 
  97 
  Priest 
  98 
  Lawspeaker 
  99 
  Ranger 
  00 
  Unusual Role 
   
  8. Location Radiation Level 
  1-60 
  Radiation Level 0 
  61-70 
  Radiation Level 1 
  71-80 
  Radiation Level 2 
  81-90 
  Radiation Level 3 
  91-99 
  Radiation Level 4 
  100+ 
  Radiation Level 5 
  Atomsworn  |  23 
  
   
  PART FOUR: 
  YOUR ATOMLANDS 
   
  Select options from the following to set the tone and general facts of your Atomlands 
  adventures.  The most basic facts are as follows: you are i the Atomlands, a region 
  which has suffered a great calamity that scarred the land and people and released the 
  power of the Atom to taint what remains.  Atom has taken on a mystical, even 
  religious connotation to the people of this region, and it is to Atom that even 
  non-believers swear powerful, binding vows.  Some of the following options to flesh 
  out the setting may require creative thinking to make them mesh effectively, but they 
  are generally compatible.  You should not hesitate to omit, modify, or add additional 
  options as you see fit- it is your post-apocalyptic adventure.   
  Atomsworn  |  24 
  
   
  The Fall of the Old World 
  ❏ Apocalyptic War: Whether the Atomlands were participants or not, sudden and 
  total war stemming from ongoing conflict between Old World nations led to 
  hellfire raining down on these lands.   
  Quest Starter: A bomb from the war failed to detonate upon impact, and sits 
  untouched.  Someone or something is attempting to learn how to detonate it, 
  threatening nearby communities.   
   
  ❏ Environmental Disaster: Negligent stewardship of the Atomlands or a lack of 
  preparation permitted natural disaster to create chaos in the Atomlands.  The 
  disruption of these disasters allowed for horrific accident leading to meltdown 
  or other nuclear catastrophe, making matters far worse and scarring the 
  Atomlands forever. 
  Quest Starter: Much was lost in the disaster, but somewhere in the Atomlands there is 
  a vault which contains samples of the 
  plantlife that used to thrive here.  If it can be 
  found and opened, a prudent community 
  could begin reconstituting the landscape.   
   
   
  ❏ Radiation Storm: The planet failed to 
  shield the Atomlands from a cosmic event 
  beyond humanity’s control or 
  understanding, ravaging the land, 
  destroying technology, and corrupting 
  people’s bodies.   
  Quest Starter: The mystics speak of a second 
  storm to come at an unknown time in the 
  future and a way to shield the Atomlands 
  from its effects, and mutants rally to ensure 
  the storm comes.   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  25 
  
  Ruin 
  ❏ Utter: The destruction of the Atomlands was near total, leading to a complete 
  breakdown of Old World society and institutions and the death of the majority 
  of people, perhaps beyond recovery. 
  Quest Starter: A community has need of a 
  forgotten or lost idea or institution, and a 
  local mystic believes they know where to 
  find information to help. 
   
  ❏ Breakdown: The destruction of the 
  Atomlands was sufficient to force 
  significant change on the people and 
  institutions that remained, making some 
  unrecognizable and leaving others to pick 
  up the pieces of what was lost. 
  Quest Starter: A pre-disaster community 
  knows where a persistent supply of clean 
  water is, but the disaster cut off their ability 
  to access it.  The local leader believes they 
  have found a solution. 
   
  ❏ Disruption: The destruction of the 
  Atomlands was significant and disrupted 
  society, but in large part institutions 
  remained intact and the damage could be 
  remedied, if given enough time. 
  Quest Starter: A pre-disaster authority hopes 
  to restablish a line of rapid communication 
  across the Atomlands, if only they can fix the 
  infrastructure in a dangerous ruin.   
   
  Atomsworn  |  26 
  
  Scale 
  ❏ Global: The entire planet suffered the same fate as the Atomlands, with few 
  corners of the world not markedly touched by the consequences of that fate. 
  Quest Starter: Refugees from far beyond the Atomlands have arrived, searching for 
  somewhere safe.  The Atomlands are no better than where they came from, but their 
  arrival has overwhelmed a local community. 
   
  ❏ Hemispheric: A large portion of the planet suffered the same fate as the 
  Atomlands, but clear winners in the war or fortunates in the disaster reside in 
  regions all but untouched by that catasrophe.   
  Quest Starter: Foreigners from the untouched part of the planet have arrived in the 
  Atomlands, scouting what remainds, with unclear motives. 
   
  ❏ Local: For whatever reason, the Atomlands were among the only places touched 
  by catastrophe, leaving a wider world free of its scars and horrors.   
  Quest Starter: The Atomlands have been sequestered by its neighbors, but a local 
  leader has a plan to breach that sequestration.   
  Atomsworn  |  27 
  
  Radiation 
  ❏ Ubiquitous: Atomic energy and/or 
  radioactive contamination is everywhere 
  and all but inescapable- almost all aspects 
  of Old World life made use of some form of 
  atomic energy, and much of the very soil is 
  tainted with its particles.  +10 to rolls for 
  the Radiation level of a location and +1 (up 
  to maximum 5) for the Radiation Level of 
  Regions. 
  Quest Starter: A nearby ruin has been 
  identified as the source of a wave of radiation 
  sickness in the area.  Something inside is 
  leaking, and needs to be repaired.   
   
  ❏ Emergent: Atomic technology was 
  just emerging when the disaster struck, 
  making it common but not universal, and 
  the resulting contamination is a real and 
  present danger, but on par with other 
  problems people face. 
  Quest Starter: A community has made good 
  use of what little atomic tech they can 
  scavenge, but this has made them a target of 
  mutant raids coming from a nearby nest. 
   
  ❏ Rare: The atom was poorly 
  understood by the Old World at large, and 
  ongoing contamination is minimal and 
  found mostly in secret, terrible places.  -10 
  to rolls for the Radiation level of a location 
  and -1 (to a minimum of 0) for the 
  Radiation Level of Regions. 
  Quest Starter: The sole nearby atomic power 
  plant has sat abandoned since the disaster, 
  but was recently seen spewing water vapor from its stacks, and locals are concerned.   
  Atomsworn  |  28 
  
  Nature of Atom 
  ❏ Benevolent: Atom is perceived as 
  a 
  helpful, life-bringing force or 
  being, one which provides great 
  power, but whose gifts cause 
  destruction if abused or if Atom is 
  angered; to swear an Atomic Vow 
  is 
  beseech Atom for help in your 
  mission. 
  Quest Starter: A local mystic has 
  received a vision from Atom 
  warning of a coming mutant horde. 
  The community must prepare, and 
  needs help from allies far away.   
   
  ❏ Indifferent: Atom is perceived as an indifferent force of nature little different 
  from the tide or wind; to swear an Atomic Vow is make an oath on existence 
  itself. 
  Quest Starter: You have a dream of a labyrinthine ruin, and feel the pull to find it.  It 
  calls you first to the south.   
   
  ❏ Malicious: Atom is perceived as an evil, corruptive force or being, one to be 
  thwarted or fought back lest it consume everything; to swear an Atomic Vow is 
  to give Atom license to your soul should you fail. 
  Quest Starter: Atom cultists plague the local landscape, dragging people from their 
  homes into a ramshackle fortress.  They have come for you.   
   
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  29 
  
  Legacies 
  ❏ Recent: The disaster occurred within living memory, and is still fresh on the 
  minds of at least some who remain. 
  Quest Starter: Many were scarred, both physically and mentally, when the disaster 
  came, and needed resources to help them are in short supply.  Folks would pay 
  handsomely and shower praise upon those who can procure what is needed.   
   
  ❏ Generations Passed: The disaster occurred beyond the natural lifespan of those 
  who experienced it, leaving their descendants to deal with whatever remained 
  and the event itself to become a story rather than a memory.   
  Quest Starter: Many families tell stories of what happened to their ancestors during 
  and following the disaster.  Yours tells of a lost family relic of great value. 
   
  ❏ Long Ago: The disaster occurred many generations ago, and has taken on a 
  legendary or mythical place in the minds of those in the present, even if its 
  effects are still tangible. 
  Quest Starter: Legends tell of great wealth and power locked behind a pre-disaster 
  vault door in a secret facility, and many seek to find and open it.  In truth, a terrible, 
  forgotten danger is sealed within.   
   
  Technological Taboo 
  ❏ Forbidden: Many people have completely cast off much of the technological 
  trappings of the Old World in favor of a more simple way of life, free from the 
  devices they believe caused the disaster one way or another; others digging too 
  deep into Old World tech is unwelcome.   
  Quest Starter: Machines are seen in motion in a taboo ruin, but folks forbid anyone to 
  investigate, even when it seems possible that they might represent a threat.   
   
  ❏ Wary: People do not eschew common technology, but much has been lost and 
  folks are loathe to tinker too much with unknown and poorly understood pieces 
  of it out of fear. 
  Atomsworn  |  30 
  
  Quest Starter: A mysterious device has been unearthed by chance, drawing the 
  attention of dangerous folk who know what it does and want to use it against the 
  wishes of the finders. 
   
  ❏ Indifferent: Technology is regarded neutrally, as a normal and natural 
  manifestation of progress.   
  Quest Starter: A nearby community has organized a grand excavation at a 
  prospecting site thought to contain valuable tech, drawing the opportunistic folks of 
  all kinds to the site.   
   
  ❏ Sacred: The technology of old is considered sacred by many, and great energy is 
  spent trying to preserve and restore it- sometimes without regard for the 
  consequences. 
  Quest Starter: A group of well-armed people travels the Atomlands rounding up 
  dangerous and valuable technology claiming benevolent purposes.  They do not 
  hesitate to forcibly take it from others, nor to use the very weapons they confiscate 
  against those that resist, however.   
  Atomsworn  |  31 
  
   
  Communities  
  ❏ Sparse: Settlements are few, mostly small, and often ephemeral; the world is 
  dominated by a mix of nomads, refugees, and primitive communities scraping 
  by. 
  Quest Starter: A band of well-meaning folk seeks to defend the few settlements that 
  remain, but struggle to keep consistent lines of communication intact, necessitating 
  the use of messenger-runners like you.   
   
  ❏ Established communities: Stable, sometimes sizable settlements stand firm 
  among the dangers of the world as nomadic and primitive communities give 
  way to their development. 
  Quest Starter: A nearby settlement has grown, and threatens to displace a nomadic 
  group from its territory, with nowhere else to safely go.   
   
  ❏ Thriving communities: Towns and even proper cities are capable of surviving 
  and even thriving, rarely falling to the threats of the world beyond their walls.   
  Quest Starter: The region’s largest community faces internal political conflict which 
  threatens to turn to actual violence, while a larger threat waits outside the gates for 
  a chance to strike.   
   
  States 
  ❏ Anarchy: Every person, group, or settlement fights for itself among the 
  wreckage, with essentially no organization outside of a particular community. 
  Quest Starter: A mystic is struggling to bring together communities to deal with a 
  larger, mutual threat, and needs someone to travel to each to implore them to work 
  together.   
   
  ❏ City-States: Some communities have managed to consolidate their power 
  enough to exert influence on smaller communities nearby, leading to each 
  resembling a small nation in its own right. 
  Atomsworn  |  32 
  
  Quest Starter: Two larger communities bordering one another are at odds with one 
  another, leaving those caught in the middle to navigate both the dangers of the 
  Atomlands and petty politics.   
   
  ❏ Borderlands: The Atomlands are dotted with largely independent communities 
  or small federations, but one or more much larger nations have extended to its 
  edges, and have begun exerting influence there.   
  Quest Starter: A hegemonic coalition of communities neighboring the core 
  Atomlands has begun to colonize the Atomlands proper, bringing communities 
  under its sway whether they want to be or not 
   
  ❏ Unified: All of the Atomlands are unified under one banner, for good or ill. 
  Politics and conflict are either internal or against the hazards of the wilds and 
  ruins.  
  Quest Starter: A community has a problem that the Atomlands’ authorities are 
  unable or unwilling to address, leading them to turn to other sources of aid.   
   
  Atomsworn  |  33 
  
  Mysticism 
  ❏ Real: The supernatural is not only real but tangible and most people have seen 
  some evidence of such personally.   
  Quest Starter: Mystics routinely perform amazing feats of healing and manipulation 
  of the elements, but one in particular shows particularly potent abilities, leading 
  some to flock to him, and others to want him gone before he grows too powerful.   
   
  ❏ Mysterious: Some things are beyond human understanding, and those with the 
  right know-how can appeal to such mysterious, dark forces at their own peril.   
  Quest Starter: Dark clouds and strange creatures roam near a community known for 
  horrific rituals.  One day the community goes silent to the rest of the Atomlands and 
  the issue is becoming unignorable.   
   
  ❏ Technology: What appears to be mystical is really just poorly understood 
  technology, and ritual is simply knowing enough to prompt some sort of 
  response from it. 
  Quest Starter: An AI has sent out a call for help, which mystics have interpreted as a 
  divine call, prompting a response from the community.   
   
  ❏ False: All phenomena can be explained rationally, and the rest is mere 
  superstition.   
  Quest Starter: A charlatan posing as a mystic has taken over a town through 
  elaborate spectacles and warding off supposed demonic dangers.  In truth, his 
  cronies stalk the roads in costume.   
   
   
   
  Religion  
  ❏ Faith Remains: Whatever the religion of the Old World, it remains the primary 
  source of divine comfort, no matter the fringe presence of Atom worshippers. 
  Atomsworn  |  34 
  
  Quest Starter: A pre-disaster faith offers great rewards for those willing to work with 
  them to help the populace.  They find themselves in great need of urgent assistance.   
   
  ❏ Old and New: Old World faiths coexists, peacefully or not, alongside 
  post-disaster cults and Atom worshippers in approximately equal proportions. 
  Quest Starter: A community finds itself tensely split between Atom and another faith, 
  and one side has elected to relocate.  They need someone to survey a new site, 
  however.   
   
  ❏ Atom Reigns: The Old World gods are all but forgotten and abandoned in favor 
  of Atom and new cult deities and blood gods.   
  Quest Starter: Atom devotees call for volunteers (or “volunteers”) to undertake a 
  terrible task in order to satisfy Atom. 
   
  ❏ God is Dead: Most people reject the notion of any divinity in the world as result 
  of the disaster, and any belief at all is considered fringe, especially in that of 
  Atom.   
  Quest Starter: A small group of religious devouts struggle to find and preserve articles 
  of their faith, but are pursued and persecuted endlessly by the common folk at large 
  Atomsworn  |  35 
  
   
  Remnants 
  ❏ Shelters: Communities of the elite 
  class pre-disaster persist to this day 
  in safe strongholds, sufficiently 
  secure to ward off the worst of threats 
  and even exerty often abusive 
  influence into the Atomlands beyond.   
  Quest Starter: A sheltered c0mmunity 
  has been rounding up common folk, 
  abducting them, and hoarding 
  resources.  Their helicopters are sighted 
  nearby.   
   
  ❏ Struggling: Communities of the elite 
  class pre-disaster remain, often in 
  sad communities, clinging to dying 
  beliefs and ideals, and just desperate 
  enough to cause problems for new 
  settlements.   
  Quest Starter: A sheltered community 
  has located a long forgotten weapon, 
  and has hired on outsiders to ensure the 
  excavation and transportation goes 
  smoothly.   
   
  ❏ Long gone: The pre-disaster elite are gone, lost to the ages, for better or worse.   
  Quest Starter: An unoccupied shelter has opened, luring in scavengers, settlers, and 
  horrors alike. 
   
  Beasts  
  ❏ Abominable: Nature itself has been twisted in the Atomlands, with few species 
  untouched and more than a few taking on dangerous, abominable forms. 
  Atomsworn  |  36 
  
  Quest Starter: Even the most passive of pre-disaster animals are sometimes born 
  with grotesque features and violent tendencies.  Local farmers struggle to locate feral 
  creatures that can be tamed and domesticated once more. 
   
  ❏ Tempered: Nature in the Atomlands has been scarred by the disaster, but for 
  every abomination a natural species remains, all but untouched. 
  Quest Starter: Something is slaughtering wildlife, leaving a trail of animal corpses. 
  At this rate, there will be no natural animals left in the area.   
   
  ❏ Natural: Nature bore the disaster without major, lasting effect, and 
  abominations are few or non-existent.   
  Quest Starter: A few local animals are showing signs of minor mutations.  They must 
  be culled, before they spread across normal populations.   
   
  Horrors   
  ❏ Mutants Roam: The disaster caused/created/released a number of horrific 
  mutations of humanity, and these abominations roam freely in the wastes and 
  at the edges of inhabited spaces.   
  Quest Starter: A horde of mutants destroyed a nearby community.  Refugees have led 
  the horde toward another nearby town, which must decide whether to fight, flee, or 
  something else. 
   
  ❏  Dark Nests: Horrific mutants exist, though they are limited mostly to 
  forbidden places few dare to tread.  
  Quest Starter: A terrible mutant has just moved into a nearby den.  Where did it come 
  from, and why has it come out into the open? 
   
  ❏ Mere Legends: Although stories abound of truly horrific abominations, almost 
  none have any truth to them. 
  Quest Starter: A group of bandits have taken to masquerading as mutants to extort 
  travellers, but the local authorities have put out a bounty on whomever exterminates 
  the alleged monstrosities.   
  Atomsworn  |  37 
  
  PART FIVE: REGIONS 
  1- Dust Plains 
  Constant dust storms have stripped this region of its once fertile soil, but hardy
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  grasses capable of persisting off wind-deposited nutrients blown in from the sea
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  dominate the landscape. Settlements that subsist here do so by grazing unfortunate
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  livestock on such plants. The storms wreak havoc on the lungs of those that reside
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  here, but the region is relatively safe, its flat landscape lacking in monstrous nests or
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  hidden horrors. Such threats do make incursions into the plains, but never stay for
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  long and move on once their appetite is sated.
  The bigger danger is the frequent
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  incursions from seafaring raiders, eager to try their own hands at animal husbandry
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  after burning homesteads, feasting on livestock,
  and making off with those that
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  remain unslaughtered.   
  Radiation Level 1, +10 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: A herding community lost all of its livestock in a recent wave of storms and 
  predatory attacks, and needs to replenish its herds in order to survive.  
   
  2- The Sprawl 
  Once upon a time this was where the majority of the Atomlands residents lived, with
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  towns and suburbs dotting the region in a much higher density than anywhere else.
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Sustaining this sprawl as it became difficult after the incident, and much of it was
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  rapidly abandoned, and over time the frequent dust storms from the west force even
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  greater abandonment. Such places are ruins now, either picked clean by scavengers or
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  used as camps and outposts by persistent survivors, outcasts, and hardy settlors from
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the Heartlands- or as dens by the inhuman. The Sprawl is labyrinthine in places, both
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  a danger and a boon for eager scavengers who search for yet untapped prospecting
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  opportunities. 
   
  Radiation Level 2, +20 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: A group of Heartland Settlers has not been heard from since they left their 
  Heartland homes.  A relative of one has put out a reward for anyone who can find them.   
   
  Atomsworn  |  38 
  
  3- Dead City 
  The first place to suffer from the fall of the Old World, the Dead City was once a major
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  population center that suffered the greatest proportion of casualties and was
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  immediately rendered al but uninhabitable.
  Between the disaster and the disorder
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  that followed, the Dead City was abandoned by those that remained. Legends abound
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  about horrific things that dwell in its ruins, but few make the journey to confirm
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  them, and fewer return of those who do. Even if true, such legends are hardly the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  biggest risk; the very air here is a hazard, and the unprepared are certain to walk into
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  an otherwise unassuming area laden with deadly particles. Despite this, some chance
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the Dead City, searching for valuable loot to scavenge from the ruins.   
  Radiation Level 5, +50 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: A Grand Oasis community needs something that can only be reliably found in 
  the Dead City anymore.  Obtaining it is a matter of existence for them, and they have put up 
  a tremendous bounty for it. 
   
   
  4- Grand Oasis 
  Situated within the Savage Wastes, the Grand Oasis is a bastion of brimming life.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  Settlements dot its shores, thriving in as much as that is possible, making sound use
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  of the bountiful clean water and healthy animals in and around it. Unfortunately, such
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  thriving life brings with it similarly thriving beasts that haunt the landscape and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  waters. Worse, it brings determined raiders and bandits; while many are dissuaded by
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the Savage Wastes from attempting such attacks, the best prepared are incentivized to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  risk it. The Savage Wastes also serve to isolate the Grand Oasis from the rest of the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Atomlands- news from elsewhere is prized, and when something from other regions
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  is needed, acquiring it often amounts to an arduous journey or tremendous expense.   
  Radiation Level 0, +0 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region.   
  Quest Starter: Folk have reason to believe that smugglers are siphoning off huge amounts of 
  Oasis water and supplying it to bandits in the Savage Wastes, and have put a bounty on 
  stopping the operation.   
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  39 
  
  5- Savage Wastes 
  A dry hellscape of whipping storms, dens of horrors, hungry beasts, and the most
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  brutal and savage of bandit fortresses, degenerate tribes, and clans of hardy warriors.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ruins and resources are not wholly scarce in the Savage Wastes, but even the most
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  experienced and cautious traveller is nearly certain to encounter one life-endangering
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  hazard or another here.
  For bandits, this means safety from whatever authorities
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  might be pursuing them. For beasts, it means unenthusiastic hunters. Whatever the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  reasons for a being to be present in the Savage Wastes, remaining means a constant
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  competition for the little water that rains down. 
  Radiation Level 3, +30 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: A family hopes to travel to the Grand Oasis to start a new life, but needs 
  protection during the journey through the Savage Wastes.   
   
  6- Heartland  
  The rivers of the Heartland are among the least tainted in the Atomlands, and it is
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  here that most of the common folk of the Atomlands have made their homes. The
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  highest density of communities can be found here, and while their lives are often
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  relatively simple, they are also relatively safe and few find themselves starving here.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  For many, the dream of residing in the Heartland is a distant one, wary of strangers as
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the communities here can be, but merchants are welcomed with open arms and often
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  depart much wealthier than they arrived. This relative wealth and prosperity brings
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  frequent raids from other regions, both by land and sea, as well as significant internal
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  competition which always threatens to destabilize the region if some horrific or
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mutant threat decides to emerge at the wrong time.   
  Radiation Level 0, +0 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: A tributary in the Heartland has suddenly had all of its life die, its waters 
  toxic.  Folk are worried about the source of this poison and whether it will affect others 
  downstream. 
   
   
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  40 
  
  7-Nomad Wastes 
  A onetime bountiful plain and the breadbasket of the Atomlands, the Nomad Wastes
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  are now rocky, windswept, and largely barren, the topsoil stripped away.
  Crop
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  farming is all but impossible here, and the environment is rarely sufficiently dense to
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  provide sufficient food by other means, forcing those that remain to take on a
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  nomadic lifestyle, searching for greener pastures to graze whatever livestock they
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  have, hunt small prey, and scavenge from the environment- all while avoiding the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  paths of other, larger nomadic troupes. Some settlements eek out an existence, built
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  atop the few hills of this region, often reliant on trade and outside support, but not
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  always.
  It is from the nomad wastes that most of the dreaded raiding parties that
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  plague the Atomlands originate, although as far as bandits go they tend to be the most
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  preferable sort- disinterested in cruelty and easily paid off without violence.   
  Radiation Level 1, +10 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: An upstart chief of a nomadic group has sent emissaries to other nomads and 
  settlements, insisting the chief is the true master of all of the Nomad Wastes.  The chief’s 
  scouts scour the roads, looking to prey upon those who refuse to respect this declaration.   
   
   
  8- Free Isles 
  When the Old World fell, the relatively few residents of the islands off the Atomland
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  coast were largely spared. Those residents also turned their backs on the survivors of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the mainland, refusing to offer any resources, rescue, or aid in any reconstruction,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  even violently defending their islands from desperate folk looking for safety.
  The
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mainland never quite forgave the Islanders, and the Islanders still seek to minimize
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  mainland interference with their affairs.  
  Radiation Level 0, +0 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: Despite the Isles’ best efforts, a colony of mainlanders has established on one 
  of the islands, almost guaranteeing conflict in the immediate future.   
   
   
   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  41 
  
  9- Shallows 
  Some life persists in the Atomland seas, and while much of it is just as scarred and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  dangerous as the Atomlands itself, the rest can be a source of sustenance for the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
  people of the Shallows. Rocky and unprotected from the storms that come in from the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  sea, little can grow on the land here and what little does is frequently swept away with
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the waves when the stormy season begins. This makes for a sparse existence on land
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
  or a hazardous life at sea for those who choose to dwell here. In its own way, the
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  scarcity on the land here is a defense of its own; with little to steal an the ability to
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  rapidly flee out to sea, raiders from elsewhere rarely make the journey here.
  Of
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  course, this does little to stop local raiders with boats of their own, and the folk here
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  tell tales of beasts and horrors lurking just beneath the waves that suggest the seas are
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  as dangerous as any bandits.   
  Radiation Level 1, +10 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: A small fleet of vessels has appeared just off the coast, and has begun 
  harassing and making ever increasing demands of fishermen and coastal villages. 
   
  10-Hazy Hills 
  A long series of rolling hills, some gently sloped, others with brutal, jagged faces. The
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  geography shelters this place from the worst of the dust and firestorms that plague
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  other regions, but such protection comes at a price of its own; the hills provide just as
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  much shelter to the worst inhabitants, human or otherwise, of the Atomlands in the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  hillside shadows and caverns, and in the valleys between hills radioactive dust and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  other dangerous substances settle. Sometimes this pollution creates a tell-tale haze
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
  to alert those of its dangers, but other times the danger remains unseen until it is too
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
   
  late and folks return to their homes only to find their flesh apparently burnt and their
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  bodies sickly shortly after.
  Still, the Hills are a place where folks with the right
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  know-how can survive in walled settlements built above the haze.   
  Radiation Level 3, +30 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this Region. 
  Quest Starter: It is believed that a sacred item of significance is located at the bottom of a 
  perpetually haze-filled valley, and a prize for its retrieval has been put forward by a local 
  mystic.   
   
   
  Atomsworn  |  42 
  
  11- Weald 
  A vast, damp forest, poorly mapped or understood. In the rainy season its rivers and
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  streams swell from runoff coming down from the Hills, bringing with it the toxins
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  that coalesce there, flooding much of the Weald. In the dry season the waters recede,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  revealing a bountiful, yet dangerous wilderness. Beasts of all sorts roam in the open
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  here, and worse things still may be hidden deep within its seemingly endless groves.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Though trappers make frequent journeys here, few settle here for long; between the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  routine toxic floods and brazen beasts, most are better off braving the dangers
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  elsewhere.   
  Rainy Season: Radiation Level 4, +40 to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in 
  this Region. 
  Dry Season: Radiation Level 2, +20  to rolls for the Radiation level of a location in this 
  Region. 
  Quest Starter: The plantlife of the Weald has begun growing with frightening rapidity, and 
  is encroaching on settlements and even into neighboring regions.  Something in the water is 
  causing this growth. 
   
  Atomsworn  |  43 
  
   
  Atomsworn  |  44 
  
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