THE SAGA SYSTEM 13 ROLE PLAYING GAME

*** INTRODUCTION ***

A long, long time ago, back in 1985, I began to tinker with the idea of role playing games. My introduction to such entertainment was the old-style Marvel Super Heroes Role Playing Game (or MSH RPG, for short). It was a pretty fun pastime, and me and a couple of friends would get together to stage adventures where everyone beat up on whatever imaginary villain had launched whatever ridiculous plot each week.

In the beginning, I was not very good at this sort of thing. I do believe our very first adventure involved Thor and Wolverine hanging out in a bar, seeing who could get drunk first, when a 'giant radioactive dinosaur' suddenly attacked the city. Of course, by this point both of them had managed to get rather tipsy through sheer volume, and chaos (and staggering property damage) would quickly ensue.

I eventually got better at the whole storytelling thing, though, and we managed to keep our game going for a decade. After that, our gaming group drifted into other things, a lot of them succumbing to the 'Vampire' chain of games while I instead started running a PlaneScape campaign. I subsequently experimented with numerous other games, such as Cyberpunk and Rifts, but MSH always felt like 'home' to me.

It's just one of those things, I suppose.

Over the course of that decade of gaming, I believe I cooked up an inordinate amount of NPCs (numbering in the thousands), along with multitudes of customized rule systems. I was always tinkering with things, either streamlining the actual rules themselves, or vastly improving on the character generation options by making all new paths of power for players to walk their characters through.

Having since discovered the Internets, I thought that it would be great to share my original (and some not-so original) creations with the world, doing so mostly through an e mail list dedicated to the MSH RPG. It sort of died a horrible death when it got absorbed by topica.com (the jerks), and with the subsequent release of the Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game (MSHAG), a role-playing game based on the Saga card system.

So I thought 'Why not put it all on my own site'? Thus, on April 9th, 1998, 'Technohol 13: the Atomic Drink' was born! I use the site to house the characters and rule sets I'd concocted over the years and put on-line, though there's still a lot of work to do in that regard. The ultimate goal of course is to 'rebuild' the MSH RPG on my own terms, and in my own way, a goal that continues to this very day.

But what about that whole Saga thing, you ask?

Well, in order to keep my site relevant when the new game came out, I thought it might behoove me to update my work, making it all compatible with the Saga system. And as this work proceeded, that game wound up being cancelled much like the original Marvel RPG was. So now I was in the same boat as before, save for the fact that I was now supporting two cancelled RPGs based on the same source material.

But the funny thing was that, the more I produced material for the Saga system, the more it grew on me. I found I liked the simple, fast-paced action that the game allows for, which resonated with the comics it drew its inspiration from. But once again, I found myself tinkering with bits and pieces of the rules, tweaking things here and there to make them fit with how I felt they should work. I'm weird like that.

Which ultimately led me to start work on System 13. This work is an expansion and modification of the original, Marvel-style Saga system, produced as a sort of 'plain label' variation of such, as has been done with many other game systems which have drifted into obscurity over the years. And though I could probably legally put some sort of copyright on my new take on this material, I'm not going to.

I hereby offer System 13 under the Creative Commons Attribution license.

What this means is that if you wish, you may use System 13 material in any way you see fit, whether copying, distributing, or displaying all or part of this text, as long as you credit my work in your own derivative texts or products. If you would like more information about me for attribution, you can contact me via e mail.

Other than that, I hope you enjoy System 13, and can make use of some (or all) of it!

** The Big Idea Behind Saga System 13 **

Well now you know why System 13 exists, but in the event that you've never enjoyed a role playing game before, you may find yourself asking just what the heck you do with this thing. Simply put, the idea behind System 13 is to allow players to assume the identity of at least one character, and play out his or her (or its) activities in a setting decided upon by all the players involved.

Most players of System 13 will assume the role of just one character. This character is referred to as a Player Character (or PC). This is the player's 'avatar' in the setting, the means by which he or she participates in it. Keep in mind that a player character should talk and behave as that character would, not as the player managing them might (unless the player character is some version of their 'real life' self).

On the other hand, one player must assume the role of the Narrator. He or she adjudicates all of the rules during play, and handles the roles of every character encountered that is not managed by the other players. A Narrator's characters are hereby referred to as Non Player Characters (or NPCs). It is the Narrator's job to present a scenario for the other players to operate within, as well as to manage all of the action.

Therein lies the beauty of a role playing game: it is not mere inflexible fiction.

It is instead a collaborative effort, where the Narrator sets the stage for events, and the other players act out their roles, taking their characters wherever their personas would dictate - for good or ill. It is a truly active form of entertainment, one which draws all its participants into the limelight, and lets everyone influence the story. And the story can take place almost anywhere!

From ancient, lost lands where sorcery holds sway to distant planets in far-flung futures, System 13 allows its players to have adventures anywhere, in any time - the only limit is their imagination! Furthermore, these stories can take the form of solitary tales, a 'one shot' sort of thing, or instead expand into an entire campaign - a series of adventures that tell a much larger tale.

While the former can be good fun now and then, the latter allows a group to fully explore their characters and the setting presented to them by their Narrator. But either is an acceptable use of System 13, for both can be equally entertaining. This is just a choice that a group of players needs to make beforehand - though they can surely mix and match between the two as is desired!

But what is required to play System 13, you ask?

Not much, really. All that's essentially necessary are these rules - and a means with which to resolve actions as they are attempted. The original Adventure Game came with a special deck of cards, but barring that deck or an equivalent, one can make do with a few decks of cards or, if desired, a set of percentile dice. To this end, here is a simple d100 number generator, if you like.

Other than that, all you need is a tiny bit of creativity - and the desire to have fun!

*** PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ABILITIES ***

The Saga System 13 Role Playing Game (or just System 13) is designed to let you vicariously experience the adventures of heroes, whether all by oneself or alongside a group of like-minded souls. But you may find yourself asking, 'just what is a hero?' Merriam-Webster tells us that 'a hero is a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities'.

Expanding on that a bit, we can define a hero as a man or woman that selflessly uses his or her talents, abilities or resources to help others - rather than being selfish and using these qualities solely for personal gain. So when playing System 13, players take on the role of a hero, whether it's an existing comic book / cartoon / other fictional character or an original creation designed for the game by said players.

In order to properly play the character(s) you are responsible for, whether PC or NPC, it's imperative to get a basic handle on just what they are and are not capable of. The essential capabilities of every character, no matter how strong or weak, can be determined by their ability scores.Standard Abilities

Almost every character in System 13 is represented by six ability scores. The four primary ability scores are Strength, Agility, Intellect, and Willpower, while the two secondary ability scores are Hand and Edge. All six character traits are described here, with generalized statistical comparisons to give one an idea what a certain level in each ability score means in the course of play.

Strength: "Perhaps I am stronger than I think."- Thomas Merton

Strength exemplifies the raw physical power one's body possesses. At its base, Strength refers to how much weight a character can lift. It also determines the amount of brute force a character can apply to their environment, or in other words, how hard and how accurately they can strike in melee combat, whether punching, kicking, biting, or even smashing a foe with a baseball bat.

Strength is more than just a damage rating, however. It describes how well one may apply their power over time, as well. Such indications involve how fast a character can run over distances short and long, how competently a character can swim or how high they can jump, and how much weight a character may carry on their person without being slowed down by it.

Table 1: Strength Ability by IntensityIntensity Strength Benchmarks1 Able to lift / press up to 25 lbs, particularly feeble2 Able to lift / press up to 50 lbs, rather weak3 Able to lift / press up to 75 lbs, somewhat weak4 Able to lift / press up to 100 lbs, slightly below average5 Able to lift / press up to 150 lbs, human average6 Able to lift / press up to 200 lbs, slightly above average7 Able to lift / press up to 300 lbs, well above average8 Able to lift / press up to 400 lbs, full-time training regimen9 Able to lift / press up to 600 lbs, Olympic lifter10 Able to lift / press up to 800 lbs, human maximum12 Able to lift / press up to one ton14 Able to lift / press up to 10 tons16 Able to lift / press up to 50 tons18 Able to lift / press up to 100 tons20 Able to lift / press up to 500 tons22 Able to lift / press up to 1,000 tons24 Able to lift / press up to 10,000 tons26 Able to lift / press up to 100,000 tons28 Able to lift / press up to 1 million tons30 Able to lift / press up to 1 billion tons

Agility: "There's no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves."- Frank Herbert

Agility is the means by which a character's inherent coordination and nimbleness can be measured - it is both manual dexterity and one's sense of balance. Agility exemplifies grace, if not grace under fire, and is used whenever a character physically interacts with his or her environment. Such interactions can involve anything from carving a statue to operating machinery to catching a Frisbee .

Agility also comes into play when piloting vehicles of any type. Of course, Agility is the primary measure of one's prowess in ranged battle, as well. It is used to handle almost all non-adjacent combat actions, whether flinging shuriken or firing a hand gun. Whether attempting an offensive or defensive maneuver involving ranged combat, Agility is the ability score which handles such concerns.

Table 2: Agility Ability by IntensityIntensity Agility Benchmarks1 Physically limited, either by accident or design2 Particularly clumsy or uncoordinated, especially sedentary3 Normal human reaction time and hand-eye coordination4 Casual dexterous discipline, minimal ranged combat training5 Competent ranged combatant, trained dexterous discipline(s)6 Professional training in dexterity, trained marksman7 Expert marksman, collegiate gymnast, professional athlete8 Professional gymnast, exceptional hand-eye coordination9 Elite gymnast, world class marksman, supremely flexible10 Olympic gymnast, maximum human ability12 Super-human coordination, staggering ballistic prowess14 Instinctive knowledge of trajectories, unnaturally flexible16 Super-human coordination, with extensive experience18 Super-human coordination, with overwhelming experience20 Agile beyond mortal ken, capable of microscopic movements22 Super-human training or agility, with lifetimes of experience24 Safely walks on mono-wire, movements on the atomic scale26 Almost never misses, reacts at near-light speeds28 Grace so extreme that movement itself implies liquidity30 Absolute control of one's bodily movements and processes

Intellect: "Let every man judge according to his own standards, by what he has himself read, not by what others tell him."- Albert Einstein

In loose terms, a character's Intellect score is an indicator of his or her I.Q. - a measure of intelligence and the capacity for logical thought. It describes one's ability to create items either from scratch or from the spare parts and salvage of others, as well as his or her ability to understand and operate equipment from the simple to the arcane. So basically, Intellect helps when mastering either geometry or German.

Practically speaking, Intellect also shows how well your character can retain knowledge - both in the short and long term - which comes in handy when either trying to solve a crime or graduate from college. This is utilized when trying to remember the features of a person's face, specific details of an encounter, or even the schematics of a device you've invented after some villain makes off with them.

Table 3: Intellect Ability by LevelIntensity Intellect Benchmarks1 Barely sentient, completely bewildered by tools, causality2 Can operate (if not understand) complex machines, devices3 Competent problem solving capabilities, human average4 Grasps complex electronics, mathematics, and physics5 Can easily repair / install modern technology for self or others6 Master of a single discipline, or familiarity with several others7 Fluent in several languages, understands even more8 Disciplinary polymath, world class expert in one discipline9 Understands and creates leading-edge devices, technologies10 Can decipher alien technologies, maximum human ability12 Develops technology far beyond modern understanding14 Can improve and / or modify alien technologies16 World class in several disciplines, or worlds beyond in one18 Super-human intellect with vast knowledge in many areas20 Walking encyclopedia, mastery of all terrestrial sciences22 Frighteningly smart, can process advanced math in real-time24 Worlds beyond modern knowledge in many fields26 Intelligent enough to be considered an alien technology28 Can multitask in multiple advanced areas at near-light speeds30 Contemplates the whole of space-time simultaneously

Willpower: "He who gains a victory over other men is strong; but he who gains a victory over himself is all powerful."- Lao Tzu

Willpower is the sum of a person's wisdom, common sense, and that sense of self that (most) people possess. A counterpart of sorts to Intellect, Willpower tends to rely upon inspirational leaps and bounds as opposed to logical deductions - a fine distinction, but an important one. It also helps to gauge a person's awareness of his or her surroundings, showing just how in tune with the multiverse they really are (or aren't).

Willpower is used to showcase a character's mental might, too. It acts as a descriptor of the sheer strength of will and force of personality a character has, which helps either when they steel themselves against the influence of others, or attempt to exert their own on the world at large. Willpower is thus a counterpart to Strength as well, providing an inherent barrier against damage of the supernatural sort.

Table 4: Willpower Ability by IntensityIntensity Willpower Benchmarks1 Easily dominated or (re)programmed, oblivious to the world2 Young or untrained minds, easily indoctrinated3 Normal human willpower, situational awareness, sensory acuity4 Headstrong and self-reliant, can usually detect manipulation5 Shrugs off standard mesmerism, actively studies surroundings6 Somewhat experienced with psychic forces, fine eye for detail7 Trained to counter external psychic influences / forces8 Highly trained, disciplined mind, superior situational awareness9 Impressive force of personality, highly accurate 'gut feelings'10 Seemingly indomitable willpower, maximum human ability12 Has seeming mastery of one's own body, superior awareness14 Intense training and experience in the use of mental powers16 Astounding force of personality, manipulates crowds handily18 Unbelievable focus and presence, commands total attention20 Overwhelming force of personality, can sway an entire nation22 Uncanny convergence of will, focus and drive inspires others24 Dominating presence, whole world hangs on your every word26 An adamantine mind, nigh-uncontrollable by external forces28 Supreme force of personality, sways worlds with mere words30 Mind is one with reality, unaffected by external influences

Hand: "Life may not have dealt you a great set of cards... but who says the one with better cards will win?"- Manoj Vaz

The System 13 game, unlike most role playing systems out there, relies upon cards instead of dice to resolve actions. Thus, each player character will be dealt a Hand as play begins, with which they can attempt any number of feats both mundane and fantastic. And the larger a Hand each character has, the more options they have at any given moment when they make such attempts.

Hand also represents the ability of a character to withstand damage that gets through their Strength, Willpower, and/or defensive powers (if any). Any damage that makes its way past these barriers will subtract from a character's Hand, which rapidly reduces their options in battle. Non-player characters, on the other hand, will simply make use of a flat sum of Health, as they aren't dealt their own Hand.

Edge: "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."- Hunter S. Thompson

Representing a character's experience, karmic balance, and/or sheer luck, Edge is a trait that showcases their ability to perform amazing feats above and beyond the norm, and which may in fact seem downright impossible! Using their Edge, characters may play more than one card from their hand per exchange - if the value of that card is equal to or less than that of their Edge score.

One's Edge is generally determined by their Hand Size, the former being of a value that is two less than the latter, barring character hindrances or augmentations that dictate otherwise. Thus, characters with a Hand Size of two possess no Edge to speak of, which is why they require some hero or another to rescue them from calamity so often.

** Special Abilities **

Each character, in addition to the six standard attributes that are used to describe their basic functions, may also be quantified in terms of special abilities. These are those traits that are not common to every single entity in the game, and may in fact be unique to a specific character. There are four types of special abilities, including powers, skills, contacts, and callings.

Powers: powers are what make super heroes super, as opposed to being 'just' a hero. Most player characters have at least one power, whether it be in the form of an inborn ability, a sample of high tech equipment, or such studied equivalents as spells or psionics. Just like primary abilities, almost all powers are gauged by intensities - though some can be rated as modifiers instead.

Skills: skills are talents that may be learned by virtually anyone, whether they be super human or not. Instead of having an intensity, almost all skills offer a reduction in the difficulty of a given action, making the character more proficient in that area than someone who does not have that skill. With enough skills under one's belt, there is almost nothing they cannot accomplish!

Contacts: a contact is a person or an organization that a body can rely upon when needed, for either information, resources, or whatever else may be necessary. Contacts are automatically considered friendly to a character for the purpose of NPC aura readings. A character's contacts may help to shape their origin, and are rather useful for background information.

Callings: something of a baseline motivation for a character, their calling is what eggs them on into action - or inaction, as the case may be. One's calling is not their entire personality rolled into a one word summary, but it does help to describe how they might react in a given situation. This can be useful for players who need help running a character, as well as fodder for their foes to exploit.

*** INTENSITIES AND CARD PLAY ***

** Intensities **

Almost every ability score, super power, and anything else that can be used to represent people, places, or things in the environment are quantified by intensities. An intensity is a gauge of prowess in something or another, and can range from one to thirty. Each intensity falls into three distinct classes of power: human, super human, and abstract.

Table 5: Intensity CategoriesCategory IntensityHuman 01-10Super Human 11-20Abstract 21-30

Previously, the human class was described in detail for each ability score, but the other two were more generalized. This is because, while it's relatively easy for players to gauge what a human is capable of, the super human is much harder to assess - as is the category of power beyond even that. The idea is to give one approximate estimates as to where a specific ability score or super power may lie, for conceptual purposes.

Additionally, ability score intensities are further expanded upon with ability codes. The idea behind ability codes is that they help to describe just how well a character can put that ability score to use, and detail how many skills they wield that rely upon it to function. Ability codes can be X (no skills), D (one skill), C (two skills), B (three skills), A (four skills), or A+ (five or more skills).

Finally, on top of the thirty standard intensities, ability scores and powers can sometimes be reduced to zero in effectiveness. This is most often due to the influence of a hindrance or some external manipulation of one's power. A character can still make an attempt to succeed despite their adversity with an intensity of zero, though doing so is nonetheless much, much more difficult than usual.

** The Fate Deck **

When adventuring with the System 13 rules, your fate is literally in the cards. Unlike most role playing games, System 13 uses a special deck of cards to resolve actions instead of dice, which is known as the fate deck. Each card in the fate deck is chock full of information, all of which assists players in the resolution of actions - whether they're the heroes of the game or its Narrator.

To start with, all fate deck cards have a suit, as is defined by the color of their border. A green border indicates the card has a Strength suit, a red border assigns the card an Agility suit, a blue border attributes an Intellect suit to the card, and cards with a purple border are allocated a Willpower suit. Finally, those dangerous cards with a black border are of the Ruin suit, which does not correspond to an ability score.

Moving inward, each card in the fate deck will have a value printed on it, ranging from one to nine (ten for cards with a ruin suit). A polarity is also assigned to this numerical value, being either positive (plus), neutral (dot), or negative (minus). Both of these traits aid players in the resolution of actions, either when utilizing the raw numerical sum provided or when determining a situation's aura.

Finally, the rest of a fate deck's card is filled with information that a Narrator can optionally make use of in a pinch, should he or she need to change the flow of an adventure. Such information includes both an event and a calling, which Narrators may invoke to create random plot twists. And, of course, the rest of the card features art indicative of a character representing that card's suit - great for surprise guest stars!

** Card Play **

Over the course of a game, there will be many instances when a character attempts a relatively easy task, one which does not involve the interference of others. During such occasions, nothing special need happen; a player declares what they wish to do, and they do it. However, when opposed by others, or while attempting something more trying, a player must engage in card play to resolve his or her action.

At its simplest, resolving an action involves playing a card, and adding its numerical value to the action ability indicated by the Narrator. An action ability is either of the four primary ability scores, or the intensity of the power, that is being tested by this action. If the resultant sum, the action score, is equal to or greater than the difficulty the Narrator has in mind for that action, it succeeds!

Table 6: DifficultiesRating Level0 Automatic4 Easy8 Average12 Challenging16 Daunting20 Desperate24 Superhuman28 Unfathomable32 Cosmic36 Godlike40 Impossible But how does the Narrator determine the difficulty of an action? In the course of regular play, Narrators can declare a task's difficulty based on how hard it should be for a normal human to accomplish it. Starting at automatic, which adds nothing, each successive increase in the difficulty of an action adds four to the resulting action score a player requires to achieve success, until reaching forty at a difficulty of impossible.

Furthermore, when an action is opposed, the Narrator will not only add the direct intensity opposing the player to the difficulty, but will draw a card and add its value as well. While the former is pretty straight-forward (say, when pitting the strength of two characters against one another), the Narrator card adds a layer of uncertainty to the proceedings, a level of variability that serves to keep everyone on their toes.

** The Ruin Pile **

As a game session progresses, numerous cards will be played to ensure everyone's characters succeed in their actions - or give their best effort, at the very least. These cards are all collected in a discard pile so that, when the deck is expended, they can all be shuffled in order to be used again. All save for cards with a Ruin suit, that is. These are thrown in a separate pile for the Narrator, known as the Ruin pile.

Armed with the Ruin pile, a Narrator has the ability to menace players with, well, ruin. He or she may play Ruin cards from the Ruin pile to add their numerical value to the difficulty of any action a player attempts, whether it is opposed or not - or even if it's seemingly inconsequential. In short, the Narrator can make life as tough for the other players as he or she sees fit - but must do so before they attempt card play.

The application of cards with a Ruin suit to an action can be completely arbitrary, or according to some grand design of the Narrator's, intended to produce a specific atmosphere. While this can be a further impediment to a heroic career, the idea behind the Ruin pile is to detail the danger of villainy - and just why a hero must stand up and oppose it in the first place.

This is why, when villainy is afoot, the Narrator must ensure that he or she ends a session with no cards in the Ruin pile. In other words, they are required to inflict ruin upon the players as they receive it, or shortly thereafter. Whether it is spaced out over a game or dumped all at the end, the Narrator will be free of cards with a Ruin suit by the time a game session is over.

** Trump and Edge **

It may seem that, particularly when attempting opposed actions, the resultant difficulty is insurmountable. However, players have a number of tricks up their sleeve that can readily level the playing field. The first, and possibly most important of these, is trump. When attempting an action, players who use a card with a suit matching that of the action ability of the task at hand have the option to invoke trump.

When this is done, the player may immediately draw a card off the top of the fate deck, and add it to their action score. If this new card's suit also matches the action ability, the player may draw yet another card, adding even more to their action score. The process of trumping continues until the player pulls forth a card from the fate deck whose suit does not match the action ability being tested.

On top of this, players may invoke their Edge for additional help. While they can only play one card at a time from their hand under all other circumstances, Edge allows players to exceed this amount - if the value of the additional card (or cards) is equal to or less than their Edge score. Thus, a character with an Edge of two can also play any card with a value of one or two to improve their action score, if desired.

This has the benefit of rapidly ridding players of cards with a less desirable value (and thus, an inability to soak up large amounts of damage), all while increasing their odds of success in a given endeavor. And if the suit of the last Edge card they play matches the action ability of the task at hand, players can still invoke trump on top of their Edge!

** Material Strength **

Finally, an important variation on intensities is the strength of a given material. Rated as material strength, or MS, this is a special intensity that indicates just how hard a given substance is. MS is mostly used when a person or weapon attempts to break (or break through) an object, like a street, wall, or vault. The table provided here describes a basic gamut of relative strength for common - and uncommon - materials.

The thickness of a mass or object also plays a part in determining its material strength. If an item is less than 2 inches thick, the MS of this item is the listed value -1. If the item is between 2 inches and one foot thick, it is of standard MS If the item is between 1 and 2 feet thick, its MS is the listed value +1. Finally, if an object is 2 feet thick or more, its MS is the listed value +2.

Table 7: Material StrengthsStrength Material0 Flesh, paper, leaves1-2 Glass, balsa wood, cloth, soft rubber, polystyrene3-4 Gold, ice, particle board, leather, hard rubber, asphalt5-6 Lead, bone, silver, nylon, ABS plastic, lignum vitae7-8 Bronze, uranium, Kevlar , rock, machinery9-10 Iron, concrete, Spectra fiber, granite11-12 Steel, diamond reinforced concrete, carbon composites13-14 Advanced steel alloys, rugged nanomaterials, plast-steels15-16 Titanium-Nickel and/or super-heavy alloys17+ Campaign-specific super-materials

A two foot thick cube of granite, for example, would have an effective material strength of 12, while an inch thick coating of asphalt would only be of material strength 3.

*** SPACE AND MOVEMENT ***

** Space **

As are many things with System 13, distance is a fuzzy subject. Since System 13 tends to focus on action more than minutiae, it is more effective to deal with distance in broad strokes, rather than measuring everything out to the nearest inch. To this end, System 13 utilizes eight distinct categories of range, in order to help players judge approximately where characters are relative to events transpiring around them.

Contact: if something is in contact with a character, it is physically touching him or her. This can involve the ground one stands on, a vehicle they are riding in, or an enemy attempting to grab an item the character is holding - if not the character themselves! At such distances, one can whisper to another without anyone hearing, if they so choose - assuming no one in the area possesses super senses.

Close Combat: when a character is adjacent to someone or something, they are in close proximity, but not quite physical contact. This can generally be considered anywhere within a dozen feet, give or take, allowing one to close to contact distance - or perhaps flee to near missile distance - within one exchange. One can readily discern fine details about a person or object that is at close combat distance.

Near Missile: this distance class represents being close enough to a person or object that, if desired, one could strike them with a thrown object. This is usually the ideal zone from which one can attempt short-range weapon attacks, and is usually great for observing details regarding targets from a safe distance, since they can't immediately 'reach out and touch someone' in response. Not usually, anyway.

Far Missile: while super humans might be able to fling an object this far, distances of this sort are usually where medium-range weaponry take place - possibly that with a high rate of fire. Observation of targets is difficult at this range, at least without technical or ascendant assistance, since fine details are most often lost over the intervening distance. Communication at this range most often involves shouting.

Artillery: one usually cannot converse with others at artillery distance, unless communicating via cellular telephone - or perhaps semaphore. Aside from long-range weaponry such as mortars, rockets, and sniper rifles, few ranged weapons can connect with one's foes at this distance. While people and things can be detected at artillery distance, fine details will escape most observers without assistance of some kind.

Visual: something at visual distance can be seen, if barely, though making out all but the most basic details about someone or something is nigh-impossible. Aside from some artillery, only guided weaponry or some powers are effective at this distance, since targeting without some kind of help is a pipe dream. In other words, interacting with someone or something at visual distance is virtually impossible.

Beyond Visual: anyone or anything beyond visual contact cannot be seen or perceived by normal senses. Very few weapons or powers can connect with a target at this range, though some such as teleportation or even radio waves are capable of bypassing such concerns of distance. Such abilities, when encountered, can be used to effect change within a truly incredible radius of oneself, as is indicated on table eight.

Infinite: a level of range that most people, much less most super humans, will never have access to, infinite distance implies that nowhere is beyond one's instantaneous reach. An ability that allows for effects at infinite range is not constrained by the previous categories of distance, as long as one has the ability to perceive who or what they intend to manipulate with such a potent ability.

Table 8: Beyond Visual Distances by IntensityIntensity Power Range1 1 mile2 2.5 miles3 5 miles4 10 miles5 25 miles6 50 miles7 100 miles8 250 miles9 500 miles10 1,000 miles11 2,500 miles12 5,000 miles13 10,000 miles14 25,000 miles15 50,000 miles16 100,000 miles17 250,000 miles18 500,000 miles19 1 million miles20 2.5 million miles21 5 million miles22 10 million miles23 25 million miles24 50 million miles25 100 million miles26 250 million miles27 500 million miles28 1 billion miles29 2.5 billion miles30 5 billion miles ** Movement **

Getting from place to place is a generally simple affair. Walking characters move at three miles per hour on average, and can run at a speed equal, in miles per hour, to their Strength times three (maximum of 30 MPH). A body can reach anywhere within close combat distance and still perform an action within one exchange, or near missile distance in that time without performing an action (unless charging).

If moving vertically, a character can ascend or descend one story (approximately twelve feet) each exchange safely, assuming access to the proper equipment or circumstances (either stairs, climbing accessories, or at least minimal hand holds). Attempting to climb faster, whether moving up or down, requires a challenging difficulty Strength action, the failure of which indicates that the character has fallen.

A character who is swimming may travel at one sixth the rate of a walking character, whether taking it easy or swimming their hearts out. This applies whether the swimmer is on the surface or deep beneath the waves. Of course, currents may act to help or hinder a swimmer, either greatly enhancing their effective speed, holding them in place, or even moving them in a direction they would not prefer.

* Jumping Ability *

A slightly more complex mode of movement is leaping. Most characters who have the ability to walk can at least manage a modest jump, the extent of which depends on their anatomy and physical condition. In order to determine a character's base ability to leap, subtract the intensity of their weight, as determined on table 1, from their Strength score, which gives one their resultant jumping ability (with a minimum score of 1).

For example, let us consider a character with a Strength score of eight, who weighs in at 200 pounds. As 200 pounds is a weight intensity of six, subtract that from the character's Strength score of eight to receive a value of two. That is this example character's ability to leap - which will not improve unless their weight changes, or they acquire the means to utilize super jumping in some manner or another.

This ability determines the distance a character may leap in a single exchange. Intensity 1 through 5 limits a character's jumping ability to close combat range, while 6 through 10 raises it to near missile distance, 11 through 15 extends it to far missile distance, 16 through 20 raises it to artillery distance, 21 through 25 boosts it to visual distance, and higher allows one to leap beyond visual distance.

* Exhaustion *

Maintaining one's maximum movement speed, or even performing any other exertion for long periods of time, raises the grim specter of exhaustion. Any character can exert themselves for a number of exchanges equal to their Strength score, at which point they must either rest or pass an easy difficulty Strength action. If this action succeeds, the character may continue doing whatever it was they were doing.

Every time the character's continued exertion reaches a like amount of time, they must repeat this action, though at an increased level of difficulty. A character with a Strength of 5, then, would have to pass an average difficulty Strength action on their tenth exchange of exertion. A character may continue to exert themselves for as long as they can continue to pass such actions, at least until their difficulty becomes impossible.

Assuming a character can pass an impossible difficulty exhaustion check, they only have until the next check is required to continue doing whatever it is that is stressing their body so. After this point, continued exertion requires an impossible difficulty Strength action each subsequent exchange, the final failure of which means the character must rest for a very, very long time indeed.

* Maneuvering *

While one will ideally travel in but one direction while moving at ludicrous speeds, the sad truth is that turning is occasionally necessary, often without notice. When moving, a character may execute up to a ninety degree turn without having to engage in card play. However, more extreme maneuvering requires one pass an average difficulty Agility action first, whether moving under one's own power or operating a vehicle.

If attempting to travel at speeds greater than intensity 1 in a crowded or cluttered area, maneuvering is opposed by the speed with which one is traveling relative to others. Changing lanes while driving a car on the highway isn't very hard, for example, but barreling through a crowded parking lot without hitting anyone is. This is why it usually pays to slow down when moving into an area rife with collision hazards.

If someone or something is struck while traveling at high speed, treat the resultant calamity as if it were an intentional charging attack - on both parties. The entity struck will suffer damage equal to the Strength, material strength, or velocity of what struck him, her, or it, whichever of the three is higher. Similarly, the traveling person will potentially suffer like damage, based on the Strength or material strength of what they hit.

Table 9: Velocity by IntensityIntensity Speed1 30 MPH2 60 MPH3 90 MPH4 120 MPH5 180 MPH6 240 MPH7 300 MPH8 450 MPH9 600 MPH10 750 MPH (Mach 1)11 1,500 MPH (Mach 2)12 3,000 MPH (Mach 4)13 4,500 MPH (Mach 6)14 6,000 MPH (Mach 8)15 7,500 MPH (Mach 10)16 15,000 MPH (Mach 20)17 30,000 MPH (Mach 40)18 45,000 MPH (Mach 60)19 60,000 MPH (Mach 80)20 75,000 MPH (Mach 100)21 669,600 MPH (.1% light)22 3,348,000 MPH (.5% light)23 6,696,000 MPH (1% light)24 33,480,000 MPH (5% light)25 66,960,000 MPH (10% light)26 37,200 MPS (20% light)27 74,400 MPS (40% light)28 111,600 MPS (60% light)29 148,800 MPS (80% light)30 186,000 MPS (100% light)

*** TIME AND COMBAT ***

** Time Scale: the Exchange **

Previously we discussed movement, and referred repeatedly to how fast one can move in an exchange. But just what is an exchange, you ask? When playing Saga System 13, an exchange is loosely considered to be six seconds - usually enough for every character to attempt at least one action each. In other words, one can think of an exchange as occupying that much time, but it can vary based on the situation at hand.

When player characters are not fighting with vicious enemies, much less each other, precision isn't really warranted. In other words, a player simply states what he or she would like their character to try, and with the Narrator's blessing, will attempt any applicable card play. On the other hand, in the midst of a life or death struggle, it may be absolutely vital for a Narrator to determine what can happen when.

When this is the case, it is imperative that players follow the combat sequence for an exchange, which allows each player to act in an orderly fashion... unless one character's actions obviate the need for another's. Exchanges proceed in the following fashion, for the most part, and are defined in much greater detail below:

1. Narrator Draw2. Declare Actions3. Determine Initiative4. Resolve Primary Actions in Order5. Resolve Contingent Actions in Order (if applicable)6. Wrap Up

* Step 1: Narrator Draw *

At the beginning of each exchange, the narrator will draw a card, one which serves multiple purposes. Primarily, the value of the card can be used by NPCs, either when added to their own actions or when used to supply opposition to the actions of players, whenever applicable. This helps to give players an idea just how difficult any actions they attempt against NPCs might be, in order to adjust their own card play accordingly.

Secondly, this card facilitates an aura reading. Aura readings help to resolve multiple things over the course of an exchange, but at this stage in the game, they determine whether or not player characters will recover cards lost to injury or pushes. To wit, if the aura draw has a positive result, players may draw one card to replenish their stores, if necessary. NPCs, meanwhile, can add the Narrator draw to their Health score.

Finally, this card can serve as a random event, if desired. Sometimes the Narrator feels the need to mix things up now and then, and the event trigger described on a Narrator draw allows them to do just that, if he or she so wishes. This is a great way to draw players into the action, particularly if the indicated trigger matches their calling. Players can ignore such events if they like, but may pay the price down the line.

Surprise?

The above, of course, assumes that nobody involved in the exchange was in a state of surprise. Surprise indicates that one or more individuals present were caught unaware by another, which can often happen in the event of an ambush. If it is possible that a character might be surprised by one or more other characters, they must pass an easy difficulty Intellect (agility) action, using the lowest Agility score of the opposition.

Each character that can pass this action may act normally over the course of an exchange, but those who fail cannot be proactive. Sure, they can attempt a defensive action against those who have surprised them, but they lack the ability to engage in offensive combat on this first, surprise-filled exchange. Surprise does not last, however, and after an exchange during which a character is surprised, they may act normally.

* Step 2: Declare Actions *

Next, it must be determined what each character will be doing in a given exchange. This applies to both player characters and non-player characters. In the interest of fairness, the Narrator should determine what their non-player characters are going to do before the other players make their declaration. This helps to keep non-player characters from seeming omniscient - especially when they shouldn't be.

This does not mean the Narrator need declare NPC actions first, or at all, at least until they are made - just that NPC actions should be determined before other players declare theirs. This may lead to the players occasionally ruining the Narrator's carefully laid plans, but then that's what player characters are for. That and it always gives players a warm, fuzzy feeling to get a surprise victory out of left field now and then.

* Step 3: Determine Initiative *

Initiative is the order in which characters act. The initiative for characters acting in an exchange is determined by their Intellect, counting down from the highest to lowest to detail who can act when. In the event of a tie, the Agility scores of characters with similar Intellect can be used to sort initiative out. This generally assures that more clever individuals will be able to act first in an exchange.

Alternately, Narrators can ignore initiative entirely. Players may simply act in a set order - perhaps clockwise around a gaming table. While this often doesn't reflect the 'reality' of combat or the relative speed of characters, it's definitely consistent and easy to remember. NPCs can then go either before or after the players do, according to the Narrator's whims (speedsters and ambushers go first, while the rest go after, or whatever).

Players can mix this up to their advantage on occasion, as well. Perhaps they decide to coordinate their actions as a team, instead of handling each brawl on their own. If using team tactics, players determine initiative based on their characters' lowest Intellect, and they act relative to the NPCs using that value. When using teamwork, though, it's sometimes amazing what a group of players can actually accomplish.

* Step 4: Resolve Primary Actions in Order *

As the Narrator counts down initiative values from the highest to the lowest, each character may act in turn. In complex encounters, PCs and NPCs will act in varying order, which can make some matters tricky. In fact, as some characters act, the actions of others will be rendered moot or impossible; knocking out one character means, quite naturally, that the unconscious person cannot perform his or her desired action.

If, after seeing the actions of others playing out, or even if they change their mind upon hearing the declarations of other players, a character has the option of changing their stated action. This requires the character to pass a challenging difficulty Agility action. If successful, the newly declared action can proceed as normal, though at an increased difficulty level - which accounts for the lack of preparation, etc.

If this action fails, however, the character in question may not act at all in a given exchange. This represents them dropping the ball (either figuratively or literally), and may leave them in a disadvantageous position upon the start of the next exchange. What form this 'disadvantage' may take depends on what task(s) they failed to accomplish, but may or may not represent an increased difficulty applied to their next action.

* Step 5: Resolve Contingent Actions in Order (if applicable) *

Step five only occurs in a given exchange if one or more characters have the ability to attempt a contingent action. Contingent actions are those that occur after or as a result of one's primary action in an exchange. Contingent actions most often include a power with the range of touch triggering after its wielder makes physical contact with their target, or multiple actions granted by skills or powers, like boxing or time control.

When characters engage in card play to attempt contingent actions, they act in the same order as when performing their standard action. If one or more characters can attempt in excess of one contingent action per exchange, as is often the case with super speedsters, repeat this same process with each additional set of contingencies until every character manages all the actions they are capable of.

* Step 6: Wrap Up *

Once every character (player or non-player) has expended all of their actions, it is time to end the current exchange. The Narrator will use this time to take stock of the action at hand, and determine if another exchange of activity is necessary or if action is done for the moment. He or she will also use this opportunity to introduce any events or changes in the situation as it currently exists.

This is when bombs go off, floors collapse, fires ignite... that sort of thing. Assuming circumstances cause them to occur, or the Narrator invokes the event on their draw (remember those?), they fall into the flow of action here, if they weren't already triggered by characters previously.

** Combat Essentials **

As you can see from the above, the structure of an exchange is very precise in order to best allow combat between characters to function as seamlessly as is possible. So keeping that in mind, let us speak about the essentials of combat when using System 13.

* Offensive Maneuvers *

While there are many techniques one may put into play in combat, a large number of these require education in their use before they'll function properly, as is the case with throws or wrestling. On the other hand, most characters have a basic roster of attacks they can attempt even without formal training, even if a few might suffer a penalty when at such an advantage. The most basic offensive maneuvers include the following:

Blast: whether one cannot move to become adjacent with an opponent, or simply prefers to attack from a relatively safe distance, attacking with a blast involves ranged combat of some stripe or another. This can take numerous forms, whether it involves flinging a rock at one's enemy, firing a shotgun in their general direction, or even unleashing some sort of super power at their person!

Blast attacks require an easy difficulty Agility (agility) action, though one will substitute the intensity of a super power for their Agility when wielding such in combat. Relying on brute strength to inflict damage as much as the precision with which they hit, blast attacks use the successful, Agility-based action score to determine the base amount of damage they inflict when they hit.

When flinging an object, one can add its material strength divided by four to the base damage, while wielding a ranged weapon will instead provide a consistent modifier to the harm inflicted (most often from +1 to +5). Super human ranged powers, on the other hand, simply use their listed intensity instead of one's modified Agility score, in order to determine the damage they cause.

Charge: actions which combine movement with assaults, a charge is a high speed body check which terminates at the target - often violently. A charging individual may make his or her full movement and still execute a charging maneuver - in fact, this is usually required, as one must cross at least one distance category in order to inflict a charging attack upon a target (whether it is a living foe or an inanimate object).

A charging attack is a contingent action, made after spending at least one exchange in movement, and requires an easy difficulty Strength (agility) action. A charge inflicts a base amount of damage equal to a normal strike, but its executor may add a +1 to such for each distance category crossed when closing the space between them and their target, as well as for each +1 modifier of body armor they possess.

If the target possesses some form of protection from the resultant damage, some of the energy of a charging maneuver may well rebound back upon its source - sure, the target will take a hit, but so will the aggressor. Upon impact, a charging character will suffer an amount of damage equal to the material strength or body armor of their target, though they can possibly discount it if their Strength or armor is high enough.

Strike: the basic form of combat since time immemorial, striking involves walking up to someone and hitting them. A strike might be with one's bare fists, a sword, or even a cargo container, but the basic mechanics are the same. Striking another requires a successful, easy difficulty Strength (agility) action, and the damage inflicted by such a maneuver is equal to the total action score generated by the striker.

A strike almost always requires the attacker and the target to be adjacent to each other - or, in other words, within close combat distance. Some weapons and special abilities may extend this range somewhat, but they are generally few and far between; after all, carrying a halberd about these days isn't all that practical. And closing to strike is generally considered a charging attack, and behaves somewhat differently.

If the striking character is armed, they may add a bonus to their damage, as is determined by the weapon they hold. For the most part, this will generally range from +1 for incredibly small weapons (such as brass knuckles) to +5 (two handed hammers). The raw lethality of an armed strike, on the other hand, depends entirely on a weapon's shape. Is it blunt, used to inflict bashing damage, or edged, used to inflict slashing damage?

* Defensive Maneuvers *

Instead of attacking in an exchange, a character may opt to focus on defense, instead. This can be a matter of avoiding undue harm to one's person or simply biding one's time while waiting for something specific to occur. There are numerous means of preventing incoming damage, even when a character finds themselves unarmed or without fancy super human powers to back them up, including the following:

Block: instead of dodging an attack, a character may instead attempt to block it. A blocking maneuver involves using one's Strength to counter incoming damage. No effort is made to avoid being struck by an attack; instead, one leans into it and attempts to 'muscle' away the damage with brute force. When attempting to block, a character forces an opponent attacking them to work against their Strength, instead of their Agility.

Furthermore, the blocking character may add the result of a played card, taking full advantage of trump and/or edge, in order to better ward off damage. The sum of such card play, when added to the character's base Strength score, is the amount of damage an attacker must inflict to overcome the blocking maneuver. Which is why super strong characters prefer this defensive technique instead of a dodge.

A block is proof against most physical attack forms. Bashing and slashing damage, whether attempted from melee or at range, can be countered by a block. Blocking maneuvers can defend against solidified energy (force) attacks, as well. A block cannot protect a body from piercing attacks, however, for the focused nature of such an assault - usually coming in the form of arrows or bullets - penetrates a body all too easily.

Dodge: the dodge maneuver is the primary means that most characters can use to avoid incoming damage. This basically involves getting out of Dodge, so to speak, and being somewhere else when an attack comes calling. A dodge maneuver does not overtly negate the ability of an attacker to score a hit on its executor, but may do so based on the resultant card play. When attempting to dodge, characters simply play a card.

They may add the value of this card to their Agility, along with any applicable benefits of trump and/or edge, in order to increase the difficulty of actions intended to hit them. While a dodge can help characters avoid being struck, they do not reduce the damage of an attack that actually hits them, bringing the full force of such to bear should they fail to dodge it.

A dodge maneuver is nonetheless quite versatile. It may be attempted against any melee or ranged assault that requires card play to actually hit, regardless of the type of damage it might inflict. A number of powers may bypass a dodge, however, most often those that involve overcoming the physical or spiritual resistance of their intended targets. Such abilities most often take the form of sorcery or psionics.

Shield: quite simply put, a shielding maneuver involves placing something between an attacker and their target, in order to prevent harm from coming to him, her or it. In order to shield something from someone, one need only perform an easy difficulty Strength (agility) action, and they will cause an attacker (if they manage to connect with their attack) to instead assault whatever it is that is being used as a shield.

For the most part, this involves a character using something to protect themselves from incoming attack. When carrying a shield, one may divide the material strength of an object by four to determine the defensive bonus they shall receive. Hiding behind a brick wall, for example, adds +2 to one's protection from attack, thanks to its material strength of 8 - which may also prevent a body from being struck in the first place.

On the other hand, a shield maneuver can be used to interpose oneself between an attacker and their quarry. In the event of such an occurrence, the shielding character will suffer the full force of an attack if it hits, upon making a successful shielding action. This is particularly helpful when the shielding character can (or at least thinks they can) absorb the brunt of the assault better than whoever or whatever they're protecting.

(moar)

*** POWERS ***

While there are no doubt many more incredible abilities available to ascendant beings, information is currently provided for the following. Those entities with such capabilities can use this reference, below, in order to better define their own aptitudes and limitations, as well as to more fully understand those that may be wielded by their mortal enemies!

** A **

Ability Boost (w)Type: Reality Control Power, Personal Spell, Superpsi SkillDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 1 point per power intensityRelated Powers: amplification, edge control, power boost, reassignment.

Ability boost allows its possessor to temporarily augment - significantly - any one ability score of his or her choice. When activated, its wielder can choose either their Strength, Agility, Intellect, or Willpower, and enhance it to a value that is equal to this power in intensity - or the value of the enhanced ability +2, whichever is higher. An ability boost of any kind lasts only for an aura duration.

Once it wears off, ability boost may not again be used for the duration of the encounter - at least, not without degrading its overall capability. For each additional use without a one hour 'cool down', ability boost loses -2 of its overall effectiveness. This is enough to neutralize its use upon abilities greater than its own intensity, while gradually reducing its power in all other instances, if used too frequently.

Ability boost may easily be limited by reducing the number of abilities it can temporarily boost. Constraining it to either physical or mental ability scores is considered a weak limitation (+2 or one point cost reduction), while allowing ability boost to enhance but one ability score is instead a strong limitation (+4 or two point cost reduction).

Similarly, one may enhance ability boost by allowing it to boost more than one ability score at once (enhancing the power by one step for each additional ability score so boosted), or with each doubling of duration (two aura durations would be a weak enhancement, and so on.)

Abstraction (?)Type: Deific PowerDuration: permanent (no maintenance required)Cost: 16 points (flat cost)

Something of a variation on immortality, abstraction is the ability of a being to embody some concept or another. Just about any idea that a sentient being can imagine may be embodied via abstraction, which grants its possessor a life force that will persist forever. Or, at the very least, for as long as at least one mortal entity continues to hold onto the notion which an abstract being has tied themselves to.

Upon acquiring or being created with abstraction, a character will change dramatically. While immortality doesn't cause extensive changes to what makes a person a person, abstraction does - because it ties its possessor's mind, body, and very soul to the zeitgeist, or spirit of the moment. This subconscious undercurrent beneath the thought of all sentient beings bolsters the abstract's existence, but shapes him, her, or it as well.

How this works is that while they may have an independent, distinct personality, the appearance, behavior, and very thought patterns of an abstract entity are strongly influenced by that which they emblematize. This may be somewhat subjective, depending on the player generating the abstract and the Narrator presiding over a game such an entity is used within, but should at least reflect some common opinion on the subject.

For example, an abstract representing digital information might be wreathed in ephemeral ones and zeroes, look like some sort of grainy, pixelated image, or perhaps even appear like unto a cloud of electrons. Their behavior could be cold and clinical like scientific data, heated and ignorant like a forum troll, or perhaps just incredibly whip-smart - like the speed of digital data transmission itself!

An abstract may allow themselves to be ruled by the preconceived notions others hold about what they represent, or they may instead strive to not only retain their independent persona, but act contrary to what they embody. Of course, this can be tricky in the face of their inherent compulsiveness hindrance, which is built in to the power and constantly compels them to toe the line (and whose actions are never automatic).

While abstracts share two weaknesses with immortals, namely their vulnerability to death either in their home plane or when slain by immortals of equal or greater standing, they aren't vulnerable to total bodily disintegration. As they embody some concept or another, an abstract can reconstitute themselves after their demise even if their body is annihilated - as long as at least one person shares the idea they emblematize.

Instead, an abstract entity will possess a weakness that is related to whatever it is they represent. Abstract entities that embody the idea of fire might have no immunity to death when subjected to watery attacks or when assaulted under water, for example, or one who has taken the concept of beards under their wing could be completely vulnerable to assaults with a razor - either conventional or electric!

Finally, the other powers an abstract entity possesses should be used to better represent their pet concept. They all need not be used to prop this idea up, of course, but the more convincing an abstract is in showcasing their adopted notion, the better their ability to cause it to spread far and wide. And the more people hold truck with it, the more faith an abstract can generate to further their ends - whatever they may be.

Aciurgy (i)Type: Biological Control Power, Faerie Spell, Empathic ArtDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 1 point per power intensityRelated Powers: cure disease, detoxification, healing / others, resuscitation, regeneration / others.

Aciurgy is the paranormal power to modify living tissues. A sort of super human medical ability, aciurgy can be used to perform procedures that generally require years of academic study and professional experience to execute competently. On the other hand, since it is of super human effectiveness, aciurgy can also be used to indulge in medical behavior that is highly irregular - if not normally impossible!

While aciurgy is in use, the life force of its recipients (or victims) will be artificially maintained, its wielder able to engage in all manner of procedures both simple and arcane. Whether simply removing a sliver or temporarily disassembling his or her patient, the character with aciurgy can complete with their work with the assurance that the subject of this power will not die in the process of it.

In other words, aciurgy itself doesn't cause damage, no matter how extreme the work done with it is. Of course, if someone with aciurgy completely takes the subject of its use apart and leaves him that way, said subject might be in a bit of a pickle! Such 'abandonment' can indeed cause damage, based on the nature of the work left undone (whether intentionally or otherwise), at the Narrator's discretion.

When using aciurgy, one can perform any conventional procedure, from liposuction to a heart transplant, with but easy difficulty. When engaging in wildly irregular operations, including brain transplants and installing parts where they don't belong, an aciurgeon must pass an average difficulty action. This power can even be used to engage in cross-species transplants and unnatural modifications with challenging difficulty.

When using aciurgy, most conventional medical concerns are rendered moot. Whether rotating limbs around for fun or even installing body parts foreign to one's anatomy, everything is 'wired' such that it will work properly (for a given value of propriety). Tissue rejection is simply not an issue, and an organism can persist and function indefinitely despite this power's use - assuming nothing else kills it, that is.

Aciurgy most definitely counts as a healing power for the purposes of metabolic overload, whether used to heal or to... modify. It requires one be in physical contact with the subject to work. If the target of aciurgy is unwilling, an aciurgeon must overcome their recalcitrance (Strength score) as opposition to its use - in addition to any resistance to metabolic or warping attacks they happen to possess.

Additional Limbs (a)Type: Physical Weaponry PowerCost: 4 points per bonus action or speed increaseRelated Powers: additional organs, super speed, various physical weaponry powers that provide bonus limbs.

This 'power' is representative of characters that possess more limbs than normal, as is determined by standard human anatomy - or any other abilities they may happen to possess. It is most often used to describe beings that do not readily fit into the bipedal norm (having two limbs for manipulation and two limbs for locomotion), but can also provide 'extras' of other limbs granted by the various physical weaponry powers.

Extra limbs allow for extra actions. A character with a superfluous amount of such extremities may use them to make a contingent attack each exchange, whenever applicable. A pro wrestler with four arms, for example, would gain an extra contingent attack with those arms each exchange, while a centaur has the option of making a bonus kick attack at the end of each exchange.

Similarly, limbs that allow for locomotion grant a +1 to the Strength of a character for the purposes of determining their speed. An entity with an extra set of wings would fly +1 faster than one with only one pair (for a like value of Strength), while an arachnoid creature with eight legs would gain a +2 to their Strength when determining their crawling speed, whether zipping along the ground or climbing up the walls.

A character with limbs that are both manipulators and provide locomotion can benefit from both perks of such, though not simultaneously.

Additional Organs (a)Type: Physical Enhancement PowerCost: 2 points per bonus providedRelated Powers: additional limbs, various powers that the bonus parts can provide.

This 'power' is representative of characters that possess more organs than normal, as is determined by standard human anatomy. An extra (or redundant) organ - or set therein - will generally provide their possessor a static bonus, one which is active at all times... unless either the original(s) or the duplicate(s) are rendered inoperable through physical injury or other means.

Common examples of additional organs include the following:

* Brains: an additional brain can give characters a +2 to their Intellect score - and possibly another personality!* Ears: spare ears aid both hearing in general (reduced difficulty on sound-based Willpower actions) as well as determining the direction a sound came from. Spare acoustic organs might readily allow a character to manifest a sonar sense (sold separately).* Eyes: one can have spare eyes anywhere they'll reasonably fit, really, which reduce the difficulty on visual Willpower actions or to obtain circular vision (sold separately). Specialized, light-sensitive pits can often perform this same task - if constantly uncovered.* Glands: spare glands can amplify the effects of ordinary organs considerably. Multiple pituitary or adrenal glands, for instance, might drastically alter one's biochemistry (great for justifying otherwise 'impossible' adaptations or powers).* Hearts: possessing two hearts is a great way to enhance one's stamina, reducing the difficulty of actions called for during lengthy exertions - and making one less likely to die of cardiac arrest for any reason.* Muscles: characters with superfluous muscle tissue enjoy a +2 increase to their Strength score - but probably have to eat a lot more than usual to sustain that mass of tissue.* Redundant Organs: redundant, spare vital organs increases one's base Health point total by half, or half again their allotted number of cards - round up. Such 'bonus' cards cannot be used on actions, only for Health purposes.

Adhesion (i)Type: Matter Control Power, Geomancy SpellDuration: specialCost: 1 point per power intensityRelated Powers: clinging, friction control.

Adhesion is the ability to bind two or more objects together on the atomic level. This may involve physically gluing them together, altering the molecular structure of each such that they merge into a singular whole, or even engaging in molecular charge suppression in order to force them to stick. Such stickiness only affects the surfaces of objects, but can hold them together with considerable strength.

In order to adhere two objects, they must be in physical contact with each other. If adhesion is caused by some sort of chemical (such as a bottle of home-brewed mega glue, or perhaps a secretion of the character's), the agent must first be applied directly to the spot the two objects will be stuck together. If the agency of adhesion is a power of some sort, simply touching both simultaneously will suffice.

Each exchange adhesion is applied to two objects, the strength of the binding between them will increase by +2. For example, one exchange of adhesion will produce a bond of intensity 2 strength, while ten would make the strength of such intensity 20. However, the adhesion power is limited such that it cannot produce a bond with a strength greater than its own power intensity.

Adhesion can last for a considerable amount of time. An easy difficulty adhesion action guarantees that the binding effect lasts for an aura duration. An average difficulty action extends the adhesion for the duration of an encounter.

Each additional difficulty scored increases the time the targets of adhesion will stick. Challenging difficulty makes it last for a day, daunting for a week, desperate for a month, superhuman for a year, unfathomable for a decade, cosmic for a century, godlike for a millennium, and impossible actions ensure that, no matter what else happens in the cosmos, a binding created by adhesion will last forever.

Breaking the bond instilled by adhesion requires overcoming the strength of the bond it has created - or undermining the surface of one or both objects glued together. Flesh will yield much easier than concrete, so gluing people to the street means they must peel or cut themselves free if they can't dislodge the bond between them and it. Doing this generally inflicts damage to someone ranging from intensity 1 to 10.

The specific amount, of course, depends on how much of a person's flesh is removed in the process of tearing them away from an object they've been molecularly bonded to.

Adjoining (i)Type: Group SpellDuration: per each individual spell grantedCost: 2 points per spell intensity

Adjoining is one of the thirteen known group spells available to mages. It includes a collection of abilities that allow the caster to communicate with others, in a variety of different fashions, no matter how alien said others may be. Once a day, upon first casting the adjoining spell, a wizard may choose from any one of the following six spell effects, at which point adjoining's outcome will be set for that day:

Animal Sympathy, Empathy, Plant Sympathy, Sending, Telepathy, or Translation.

However, should the caster of adjoining wish to retain its fluid nature for a time, he or she may forego choosing which effect it will manifest, leaving such to the whims of chance. If one does so, adjoining will produce one of its potential outcomes randomly, as indicated below, though mages achieving a 'bonus' result may choose adjoining's effect and keep its effects fluid for its next use.

Draw one card to generate a random Adjoining result:

* Draw either a one or ten card: Bonus!* Draw any other odd numbered card of negative aura: Animal Sympathy* Draw any other odd numbered card of neutral aura: Empathy* Draw any other odd numbered card of positive aura: Plant Sympathy* Draw any other even numbered card of negative aura: Sending* Draw any other even numbered card of neutral aura: Telepathy* Draw any other even numbered card of positive aura: Translation

Admittance (i)Type: Universal SpellDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 1 point per spell intensity

This convenient universal spell allows a thaumaturge to focus his or her will upon any lock, door or container and cause it to open, no matter how complex it may be. Whether it is simply a mechanical padlock or some fancy electronic gewgaw, the impediment to the caster's desire will cease to be such. All that is required to make this happen is a successful easy difficulty admittance action.

Keep in mind that this spell will only unlock a lock, and open up what it was protecting to the outside world. Any traps or sensors set to trigger upon the opening of said lock or door are not sidestepped by this spell. The wizard using admittance may need an additional spell or capability to bypass them - or simply have a patsy absorb the potential damage, instead.

Adrenal Boost (w)Type: Metapsi TalentDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 4 points (flat cost)

This potent ability allows its wielder to release a controlled burst of adrenaline into his or her system at will. This boost of naturally occurring chemicals, when released unnaturally, lets the wielder of this ability momentarily increase their Strength by +1 for a short period of time - namely, an aura duration. When this ability wears off, the character will suffer a -1 to his Strength for an aura duration while he recovers.

One cannot wield adrenal boost while they are still recovering from a previous use of the ability.

Adrenal Vampirism (i)Type: Metapsi ArtDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 1 point per power intensity

The power of adrenal vampirism allows its wielder to feed upon the biochemical energies of those in his or her vicinity. This ability requires physical contact with its target, occurring as a contingent action. If its wielder can pass an easy difficulty Adrenal Vampirism (strength) action, he or she may drain a number of Strength points from their target equal to the amount by which this action succeeds.

These drained points are funneled directly into the Strength score of this power's wielder. There is an upper limit to this enhancement, however, being equal to either their original values +5 or the adrenal vampirism power intensity - whichever of the two is higher. This boost will last for an aura duration, at which point the adrenal vampire's abilities will return to normal (until they drain someone else, that is).

When drained, a victim's Strength scores will have a bottom limit of 1. If drained again at this point, the target of this ability must pass an easy difficulty Strength (adrenal vampirism) action (at their current, diminished levels) or fall unconscious. However, after an aura duration has passed, they will recover lost Strength points at a rate of one per exchange, until it finally returns to normal.

Age Control / Others (s)Type: Biological Control Power, Dimensional Spell, Empathic Talent, Psimotive TalentDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 1 point per power intensityRelated Powers: age control / self, cure disease, decontamination, detoxification, healing / others, regeneration / others, resurrection, resuscitation.

Wielding this ability, a character can change the 'clock' on an organism, altering its apparent age. Age control / others can increase or decrease a target's apparent age by a number of years that is equal to its power intensity. This power only functions within near missile distance of its wielder, and requires a successful easy difficulty Age Control / Others (strength) action in order to function.

Age control / others can modify the age of its target as is desired, though the effects of such sudden, onset aging are rapidly debilitating. On average, a character will lose -1 of one physical and one mental ability score for each five years of aging past their 'prime'. If reverting someone to a child-like state, apply this -1 for every two years before they reached adulthood.

Of course, there's also the lovely side effects that such extremes of age can bring, including brittle bones, being unable to reach the pedals, etc.

If a character is aged so old that they should be long dead and buried, or is rendered so young that their age would be a negative number, they will simply vanish in a puff of light and smoke. This doesn't actually kill the target, so much as file them and their mass away in another dimension temporarily; their existence has been rendered momentarily moot.

The effects of age control / others generally only lasts for a short period of time. On an easy difficulty action, it will last for an aura duration. Average successes extends them for the duration of an encounter, and a challenging difficulty action will extend the time such an age modification lasts out to an entire day. Particularly powerful successes can extend the duration of age control / others even further.

Scoring a daunting result will cause an age change to persist for a week, desperate for a month, superhuman for a year, unfathomable for a decade, cosmic for a century, godlike for a millennium, and impossible for eternal. All of this assumes the wielder chooses to render his or her targets temporally different for the full duration; they can deactivate the change early at their leisure, if desired.

Age Control / Self (s)Type: Physical Control Power, Personal Spell, Metapsi Skill, Psimotive SkillDuration: maintenanceCost: 1 point per power intensityRelated Powers: age control / others, longevity, regeneration, regenerative armor.

The curious ability of age control allows its possessor to, for all intents and purposes, alter his or her apparent age. One may do so (in either direction) by a number of years equal to this power intensity times four. There is no upper limit to the age a character can assume, though certain extremes can be increasingly dangerous; advanced age makes one particularly injury-prone, while a prenatal state makes one helpless.

While at a differing age, one gains all the benefits and penalties of such a change. One might receive a senior citizen discount while roaming around as a centenarian, but they'd be rather likely to fall and break their hip. Similarly, being incredibly young might let someone get away with things that an adult otherwise couldn't - though they're also less physically capable at the same time.

If a character possessing longevity uses this ability, their age will be altered as if they did not have that ability in the first place (otherwise, the two powers would be mutually exclusive).

Aggregation (i)Type: Matter Control Power, Alchemy Spell, Psimotive TalentDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 1 point per power intensityRelated Powers: atomic sense, device generation, matter absorption, matter duplication, matter generation, organism generation, summoning, teleformation, teleportation, teleportation / others, transmutation.

Aggregation is the ability to summon forth materials from far and wide, collecting them in a single location. Said materials can be just about anything the character desires - as long as they actually exist, at least - ranging from a glass of water to a pile of gold to a mountain of gophers! In lieu of matter generation or transmutation, aggregation is a great way to assemble materials for a given project - and fast!

This power can draw forth any number of items or substances, within a few constraints. The first is that aggregation can only aggregate a finite amount of material at a time. Each turn aggregation is used, it may collect its power intensity in pounds from the surroundings. If a character wishes to aggregate a larger amount of material, he or she simply has to spend the appropriate number of exchanges doing so.

For example, let us say Carl the Constructor is attempting to gather materials for a new project he has in mind with his intensity 20 aggregation. He wishes very much to build a gleaming skyscraper out on his vast plot of land in Arizona. To start with, Carl aggregates the readily available materials required to create the concrete foundation - and can summon forth twenty pounds of it each exchange, until he has what he needs.

Aggregation's second constraint is that the substance in question must actually be present within range of this power's wielder for it to function properly; aggregation works on the desired items or substances that lie within visual distance of its possessor. If there isn't enough of whatever the character is looking for, the power will 'only' collect every last scrap of their desired substance within range.

As Carl's construction proceeds apace, he finds himself thinking that an osmium alloy frame for his building would be awesome. The problem is that there isn't that much osmium on the earth - particularly within his nominal area of effect. Making a ruling, the Narrator decides that he collects every last bit of osmium within several miles (in all six directions), and generously dumps a few grams of the metal at Carl's feet.

The third limitation of aggregation is that it cannot summon parts of (i.e., disassemble) a continuous object. This can be a problem if the only source of whatever the character is aggregating is in a chunk larger than they can manage in one exchange. In order to agglomerate larger objects, the possessor of this power must focus it on them for a number of exchanges equal to their weight divided by the power intensity.

When the osmium idea fell through, Carl decided to go with an ordinary steel frame for his modern tower. Luckily, the land he bought was relatively well populated with iron ore, and he gained a large amount of it somewhat quickly. However, the final chunk of available iron was all lumped together in one solid mass. In order to aggregate this lump of metal, Carl had to focus his power on it for one hundred exchanges!

The complexity of what the character is attempting to aggregate will determine the difficulty of the required cardplay. An easy action can conjure forth simple substances, ranging from atomic gold to A+ blood. Average difficulty actions are necessary when collecting manufactured items, whether they be a pile of pennies or the latest smartphones. Challenging actions can even summon living beings, if the character wants!

Most of the materials Carl was attempting to aggregate for the eventual construction of his tower were inert, mundane compounds, so he only required easy actions when drawing them forth. However, that last bit of metal was surprisingly difficult to collect, requiring average difficulty cardplay. Imagine Carl's shock when, upon the execution of this power, that lump of metal turned out to be an alien probe buried on his land!

Alchemical Analysis (w)Type: Alchemy SpellDuration: instantaneous effectCost: 1 point per power intensity

Wielding this utility spell, an alchemist can analyze a compound and determine just what it's made of. When used against 'mundane' concoctions, an alchemist can determine what went into making it with a mere easy difficulty alchemical analysis action. This allows an alchemist to easily break down the ingredients list of almost anything, even if the spell doesn't explain the process used to produce the final result.

On the other hand, if used against magical formulae, the power intensity the alchemical compound provides upon consumption is added to this action's difficulty. This is never an automatic action, as magic alters the very nature of a thing when mixed into it, and deciphering what went into a magical recipe is always a little bit tricky. If this action is successful, the alchemist will at least know what was used to make a magical formulae.

Even if, again, he or she doesn't know how a substance's component materials were enchanted beforehand, much less the specific instructions to reproduce it. However, this often underrated ability makes it a lot easier for alchemists to produce new magical compounds on their own - namely, by seeing how others are already doing it.

Alteration (i)Type: Group SpellDuration: per each individual spell grantedCost: 2 points per power intensity

Alteration is one of the thirteen known group spells available to wizards. It is a collection of abilities that allows the caster to change their own body for the better, sometimes drastically so, as the need arises. Once a day, upon first casting the Alteration spell, a mage may choose any one of the following six spell effects, at which point alteration's outcome will be set for the rest of the day:

Contact Absorption, Growth / Self, Healing / Self, Invisibility / Self, Reformation, or Shrinking / Self.

However, should the caster o