e x i l I u M

Exilium

- cred i ts -
f k w b q

Designed and written by Greg Saunders

Editing and Proofing by Greg Saunders
Cover by Paul Bourne
Interior art by Paul Bourne and Brandon Knight
Line art by Gary Dupuis, coloured by Derek Dow
Sketch art by Jared Blando, IP and copyright Jason Moore and Micropanzer Wargames Studio,
used by kind permission, coloured by Jared Blando and Derek Dow
Graphic Design and Layout by Paul Bourne
Proofreading by Mim Waller

Based on the Mini Six system, Mini Six is a trademark of AntiPaladin Games
The Open D6 system and logo are covered by the Open Gaming Licence, a copy of which is at the end of this book

This book, including all art, concepts, characters, text, and intellectual properties (unless otherwise stated)
© 2017 Greg Saunders

Dedicated to my three girls

2

- co n ten ts -
Fallen Angels 4
Introduc tion 6
Welcome to Exilium 8
What is this Game About? 8
What is Role-playing? 8
What do we Need to
Play the Game? 9
A Final Comment… 9
Roles within the Game 9
Creating the Game 10
Key Themes of Exilium 10
Styles of Play 11
creating exiles 14
Steps in Character Creation 15
Step 1 – Concept, name and past 15
Step 2 – Attributes 17
Step 3 – Skills, Perks and
Complications 18
Skill Descriptions 19
Static Defenses 21
Perks and Complications 21
Step 4 – Define their Crime 22
Step 5 – Define what they Own 23
Step 6 – Define the Scales 23
Advanced Exile Option – Uplifts 24
Advanced Exile Option – Simulcra 25
We’re Done! 26
co re rules o f exilium 28
Standard Tasks and Resisted Tasks 29
Conflicts 33
Combat 36
Damage 39
Dangers of the Flame Worlds 40
Native Environments 40
Gravity Wells 41
Fluid atmospheres 42
Healing 43
Vehicles 43
Hacks 45
Loci 47
i l c z h
Exiles and the Game 50
Rewards 50
Uplift Special Rules 54
That’s It 55
Th e Fl am e Wo rlds 60
Overview of the System 60
The Fire Council and Unity 62
Currency 64
Technology 64
Ultratech 64
Salvaged Technologies 65
Graintech 65
Glitter 67
Key Technologies of the Flame Worlds 68
Glitter Augmentations 68
Hacks 68
‘Plants 69
Loci 69
Puppets 70
Weapons 73
Armour 76
Diffusive Computing 77
Vehicles 77
Spacecraft 78
Eugenics, Bioengineering and Uplifts 79
Uplifts 80
Uplift Designs of the Flame Worlds 82
Uplift Equipment 83
Glitter and Medical Technologies 85
The Flame Worlds 86
The Stars 86
Steel 87
Uplifts Originating on Steel 92
Unusual Uplifts 102
The Moons of Steel 104
Emerald 105
Sapphire 107
Uplifts originating on Sapphire 110
Opal 114
Diamond 116
Stone 118
Mist 121
Exilium
Ocean 124
Cloud 126
Secrets 130
Project Chimera 130
Chimera 130
Chimera Key Members 132
Glitter 133
Black Technologies 133
Eater-clouds 133
Glitter Puppets 133
Replicators 133
Dragon 133
Dragon’s Goals 134
Corrupt Glitter 134
Agents of Dragon 135
Dragon in Games of Exilium 135
The Vrix 135
The Vrix in Games of Exilium 136
The Seedship 136
Narrato r Advice 138
What does the Narrator do? 139
Structuring Missions 140
Shadows 144
Dark Souls 145
Taygin Morn 147
Raster Pilk 147
Absoth Cains 148
Blays White 148
Boris Stow 149
Julius Armitage 149
Creating Non-player Characters 150
Example Incidental Characters 151
Comprehensive Non-player
Characters 152
Tying it all Together 152
List o f Backers 153
ind ex 154
character Sheet 157
3
 Exilium

fallen angels Something has awoken.

What you know...

Increasingly you feel you are not in your own body. Dreams have come that shake
your belief in yourself. Your sleeping mind is full of incredible hints at higher realities,
snatches of a heavenly existence, and the pain of a terrible fall from grace. Now this
place where you live no longer feels like home. And the Dreams are getting stronger,
and stranger…

What you have been told...

The thing that calls itself the Envoy has told you that something has awakened inside
of you. And with that awakening comes a realisation that you were once something
more than human; you were a god, a post-human, one of the Numina.

You and your fellows carved worlds from pure matter, danced in the corona of suns
and created life as playthings. You moulded the very stars themselves, and held worlds
in the palm of your hand. Your world was called Elysium – a paradise beyond this
reality. Separated from the material realm, your kind found delight in watching and
manipulating the lesser beings trapped in a material existence on the Flame Worlds,
playthings created for your pleasure. You called it Dreaming, an endless source of
entertainment and intrigue.

But times change. You committed a crime.

A terrible crime, one that stood against all that your peers believed in. And for that
you were thrown out, ejected, cast down to the lower worlds, named an Exile. Now
even in your awakened state Elysium seems little more than a vague memory that
slips through your fingers, haunting your dreams.

Now that this truth has been revealed to you, it seems an obvious thing.

But there is hope. The Envoy, the force that represents Elysium in the material reality,
has offered you a chance to return home. All you must do is walk these lesser worlds
performing tasks as required by your new master, and in doing so find a way to
resolve the guilt of your crime. Increasingly you see that this is the only way you can
return to Elysium. Under the Envoy’s guidance you invoke your one-time comrades,
the Numina, and through them reveal more of your home and your past. Doing so
risks psychosis, but the Envoy gives you the black pills to help with that, as long as
you do as asked.

This is where you are – the Flame Worlds, a place of death and intrigue, among
billions of souls trapped in this mundane existence. You and your fellow Exiles must
accept the Envoy’s offer, and meet others of your kind to do his bidding. What will you
discover among the Flame Worlds? Who knows, but if it ends your exile, it is worth it.

4
cha pter o n e
i n trod uctio n

1
I D B K Q
 Exilium
- i n trod uctio n -
I D B K
E
xilium is a science fiction role-playing game set in a
distant future in a solar system known as the Flame
worlds, a series of planets that exist within a binary
system of two suns – Flame, an enormous bloated red giant,
and Gold, a small yellow star. In the distant past the Flame
Worlds were colonised by humans from Earth, but that
event has been lost to history
Flame stands alone, but Gold has a system of orbiting worlds:
Steel, Stone, Mist, Ocean and Cloud, strung out from the star
toward the gulf of interstellar space. Numerous moons orbit
these worlds, such as those surrounding the planet Steel –
Emerald, Sapphire, Opal and Diamond. The Flame system
is filled with a myriad of life forms: genetically modified
humans capable of surviving on these alien worlds; robotic
6
Q
drones known as Puppets with semi-AI; uplifted animals of
bewildering forms; and all manner of other creatures. The
game centres on a group of seemingly ordinary people
that have become haunted by dreams, possessed by the
overriding feeling of being trapped in a body not their own,
and haunted by memories of a bizarre and beautiful place.
This forms a disconnection with material reality, increasingly
making these individuals feel like lost souls, isolated from
the world around them.
Only the thing calling itself the Envoy offers any explanation.
This mysterious being contacts these lost individuals and
gathers them together. It tells them that they are of the
Numina – a race of post humans who inhabit a realm called
Elysium, a paradise, majestically isolated from the material

universe. The Numina interact with material reality on the
Flame Worlds, and of all the beings present humans have a
special role; they serve as the hosts of the Numina, for even
utopia can become dull with the passage of great time.
The minds of the Numina are able to pass beyond Elysium
and into the material universe, entering the Flame system
and interacting with the subconscious minds of humans. They
call this Dreaming, and the being whose mind they impinge
upon is their host or vessel. As they Dream, the Numina
experience the emotions and thoughts of the vessel, and may
subconsciously urge the host to act in any way they desire. The
vessel does not know that another mind is interlaced with their
own, or that the thoughts and urges they experience are not a
result of purely their own volition. In this way the Numina can
experience what it is to punish an errant slave in the mines of
Stone or to kill a Splice Hound in the arenas of Steel, to hunt
a bomber on the scoop ships of Mist or to clinch a deal as a
master of a merchant house on Diamond.
Each world of the Flame System is a society unto itself, with
workers, bureaucrats, officials, criminals, all the facets of a
Introduction
functioning society, so Dreaming Numina can experience
every flavour of the exotic emotions of material existence.
Dreaming serves another purpose beyond entertainment.
Sometimes dark thoughts such as greed, desire, hate and
fear can surface in Numina. Such impulses stain the purity
of Elysium, and so must be purged. Dreaming allows Numina
to satisfy their darker needs, by urging their hosts on
the Flame Worlds to perform illicit or dangerous acts for
their satisfaction. Doing so purges the Numina’s mind and
removes any threat to the stability of Elysium.
Dreaming is the key to the Numina civilisation, but
sometimes a Dream can become a nightmare. Some
Numina become addicted to the feelings they experience
while Dreaming. These Numina Dreamers are never satisfied
with their experiences, but seek more and more, pushing
their vessels to wilder and darker acts, and can drive their
vessels ever onward to commit terrible crimes, their Dreams
becoming never-ending. Such powerful and wilful Numina
are called Shadows. They must be stopped, for at their most
extreme they impinge their hungers onto the Flame Worlds
and can destabilise a whole planet. The mysterious entity
7
 Exilium

that embodies Elysium in the material reality of the Flame
Worlds names itself the Envoy. One of its most important
duties is to maintain the stability of the Flame Worlds and the
system of Dreaming, and part of that process is restricting
the influence of Shadows. But to do this, tools are required –
beings that understand Elysium but can also interact directly
with the material universe. That is where Exiles come in.
glow that marks them out when the Shadow manifests its
desires. If the Exiles perform well, and do all that is asked
of them, they might find a way to resolve the guilt of their
barely-recalled crimes. If they do, the Envoy can bestow the
greatest gift of all – forgiveness, and a return to Elysium.

Sometimes crimes are committed on Elysium. For some,

Dreaming is not enough, and Numina commit crimes within
Elysium itself. The punishment for those who perpetrate
these crimes is expulsion – they become Exiles. Numina
criminals find themselves trapped on the Flame Worlds;
trapped within bodies not their own. The vessels that carry
Exiles find that their dreams become strange, repetitive and
otherworldly, and increasingly they come to understand
that the Flame Worlds aren’t their home and that they have
lost something, something incredible. The Envoy offers the
Exiled Numina a choice – walk alone and fragmented among
the Flame Worlds, or help in finding and releasing Shadows
that threaten the stability of the whole system and win a
return to that lost paradise.
W elc o m e to E x il iu m
Exilium is a role-playing game where you and a group of
friends play out adventures in the exotic and alien Flame
System, a solar system of bizarre and exciting worlds.
What is this gam e about?
Players take the part of a team of Exile agents. Gathered
together by the Envoy and hunting Shadows among the
Flame Worlds, they hope to appease their strange master
and resolve the guilt attached to their crimes, and in doing
so win their return to Elysium, a paradise beyond the
material universe.

Exilium is about action and adventure set against a

Ex am ples o f Shadows
Warmongering generals on Steel, corrupt rulers on Diamond,
pirate lords on the Splinter Moons, saboteurs on Ocean,
deranged scientists exposed to Graintech on Cloud, gangland
killers on Sapphire, rebellious slave leaders on Emerald,
corrupt merchants on Opal...
The Envoy gives Exiles black pills that help to dull the dreams
of Elysium. These drugs also allow Shadows to be identified
by sight, surrounding the Shadow’s host with a dull red
background of moral ambiguity and the darkest desires of
humanity.
What is role- pl aying?
A role-playing game is a type of free-form, collaborative
game where a group of Players create a story together using
a set of rules as a framework and take on the role of a set of
characters in the story. Exilium is a fairly action orientated
role-playing game, where creating and describing exciting

designer’s notes
Exilium is a slight re-imagining of one of my earlier games, In Flames. Exilium takes some of the concepts and ideas in
that game and develops them into something related but new, and combines content found in the two supplements
for In Flames, Uplifts and Chimera, into a single book. Instead of creating a new core system for Exilium, a classic
system that suited the action and adventure trope was chosen, namely the D6 system developed by West End Games.
Thanks to the generosity of Eric Gibson, the D6 system is covered by the open gaming licence, which means that it
may be used for other game designs. This game uses an adaptation of the excellent MiniSix rules from Anti-Paladin
Games. The other major advantages of the D6 system is that the main D6 Space rules are available free on-line, should
you wish to introduce more detail into your game.

http://opend6.wikia.com/wiki/Open_D6_Resurrection_Wiki

The D6 Space and related modules are particularly relevant for those who want to add more detail to the mechanical
aspects of Exilium.

8

adventures is given the same weight in play as is creating an
in-depth story. Saying that, the system used in play is fairly
rules-light, so you won’t find lots of modifiers for different
conditions, or complex rules that attempt to model exactly
how characters interact with their environment. There
aren’t any hard-and-fast rules on character movement for
example. Instead we rely on the judgement of Players and
the Narrator, and common sense. The golden rule is to let
the story flow. The rules are there just to aid game play, not
to hinder it.
What do we n e ed to
pl ay th e gam e?
There are a few things you will need to play Exilium. The
first is a few friends – role-playing is a shared experience.
Typically, between three and six of you are ideal. You’ll also
need some paper and pencils (you can use pens, but a lot of
the information you’ll be writing down will change during
play so pencils are better). You will need a character sheet
such as the one shown at the back of this book; although
Introduction
you can easily copy down the relevant information onto a
blank piece of paper should you wish to. Also, you’ll need
some normal, everyday six sided dice. Ideally, you’ll have a
handful, say ten dice in total, but as a minimum you’ll need
four or five.
Exilium is a role-playing game with an emphasis on action,
so you could use miniatures or strategic maps. Saying that, if
you want to ignore them and use a more free-form approach
to the game then feel free.
Finally, you’ll need your imagination, so bring along some
fuel for the brain – pizza and pop works well!
A final comm ent…
This is a game, and should be treated as such. Exilium
deals with some mature themes such as morality, the
consequences of actions and the darkest desires of
humanity, so always remember that it’s not real! If you and
your fellow Players start touching on ideas that you’re not
comfortable with, bring it up straight away and work it out
between you. We’re just giving you an environment for an
exciting adventure, and you should always treat it that way,
nothing more.
R o l e s wi t h i n
the game
Exilium, like many role-playing games, involves two distinct
sets of people: a Narrator who is the person responsible for
describing the world, judging to some extent the actions
of characters within that world and setting the challenges
ahead; and the Players who control the starring characters
within the game and, with the help of the Narrator, create
the story. The game requires one person to be the Narrator
and at least one Player, although three or more Players are
better. You will need to decide from the start who will take
on each role before you can proceed. Let’s look at them in
more detail.
Narrator – This person is in charge of detailing the setting
of Exilium. They present the other Players with the facts of
the setting. They construct the challenges that the Exiles
face within the game. They also adjudicate the actions of
other characters and play the roles of those characters.
In a sense they are the director and editor of the story
that’s being created. Narrating a game can be a challenge
but also immensely rewarding. One prerequisite is a clear
understanding of the mechanics of the game, as it’s the
Narrator who has the job of making final rulings about any
aspects of the game system.
9
 Exilium
Players – The Players take on the roles of the starring
characters in the story that they and the Narrator create.
They are literally the focus of the setting. Playing a character
can be great fun, and there is certainly less of a requirement
to understand the game system than that which lies with the
Narrator. However, the challenge is to actually think about the
character you are playing and to act out that character to the
other members of your group. This isn’t as easy as it seems, but
it’s the reason playing a character in a game can be such fun.
Have a chat among yourselves as to who wants to take
on each role. Perhaps you’ll alternate Narrators between
several people as the game continues, of perhaps one of you
feels they are best suited to the role. Either way, you need
to make the decision about who does what before you can
proceed any further.
C r e at i n g t h e G a m e
The first thing you and your friends need to do when setting
up to play Exilium is to create the game environment. This
means deciding on the kind of game you want to play in
terms of theme and style, setting down some basic facts
that will underpin the adventures ahead, and creating your
characters. We’ll look at each of these processes in turn.
Ke y Th em es o f Exilium
There are several key themes running through Exilium that
differ significantly from typical fantasy and science fiction
role-playing games, and they can help to offer a unique
gaming experience. Here we explore some of these themes
to help establish the mood of the game and illustrate how
missions can be developed.
Exilium is a fairly flexible game and supports a wide range
of playing styles. Players and Narrators playing Exilium can
explore all, some or none of these themes during the course
of their games, selecting those that they find most enjoyable
and discarding those that are of no interest.
Discove ry and Wond e r
The Flame Worlds are strange places. Odd creatures stalk
the forests and swim the deeps, bizarre Puppets perform
almost indecipherable acts, and whole civilisations are
conjured from nothing but Glitter. Discovery and wonder is
a big part of playing Exilium. It is important for the Narrator
to remember that until the Exiles worked for the Envoy, they
were entirely normal citizens, unfamiliar with many of the
more wondrous aspects of the Flames Worlds
10
Exiles have to learn the hard way. What will they encounter
out among the Flame Worlds? Only time will tell. This is one
of the most fun aspects of the game, allowing the Narrator
and Players’ imaginations to run wild. The Flame System
has been described in some detail for the benefit of the
Narrator but there is plenty of scope for creating all kinds of
environments, making for a dynamic and enjoyable gaming
experience. Players should learn to expect the unexpected!
Ac tion and Adventu re
Overcoming Shadows on the Flame Worlds is the stuff of
adventure. Exilium can be portrayed as a fast-paced, action
and adventure game, where Players battle enemies that
are clearly defined in black-and-white. This is perhaps the
easiest theme to convey in games of Exilium, and although
it does sidestep some of the other more challenging themes
of the game it can be a lot of fun to play!
Technological Myste ry
To most Exiles the workings and requirements of many
items of technology on the Flame System is a complete
mystery, such as the strange and seemingly limitless powers
of Graintech. This sense of technological mystery is an
important feature, and can help add a lot to the flavour to
the game.
Hom e
To the vast majority of inhabitants of the Flame Worlds, the
existence of Elysium is a myth. To those that have heard of
Elysium it is nothing but a legend, a vision of an ideal utopia.
Only the Exiles and the Envoy know that Elysium truly exists.
The distinction between Elysium and the rest of the Flame
Worlds is important to the feel of the game. For Numina,
their Dreaming self is not the same as their true self. On
Elysium they may act as paragons of civilised behaviour, but
on the Flame Worlds their inner selves are laid bare. Only
the Exiles understand the intimate connection Elysium has
with the rest of the Flame Worlds.
Elysium should be presented to Players as the reason why
they are called into action by the Envoy. Elysium figures
strongly in the motivation of characters in the game, even if
no action takes place there during the game.
D eath
Considering the violence and conflict inherent in the worlds
of the Flame System, it comes as no surprise that death is a
fairly regular occurrence. For Numina Dreamers the death

of a vessel is of no consequence; they remember none of
the trauma that accompanies such an end. However, for
Exiles the situation is very different. Barred from returning
to Elysium, death is very real. There is no escape, and just
like the other denizens of the Flame Worlds, dying really
is the end. The theme of violence as an ending is common
in pretty much all role-playing games, but is of particular
importance in games of Exilium juxtaposed with the
essential immortality of Numina.
Mo ralit y
In the Flame System, the actions of Dreamers are controlled
by essentially unconscious desires. Numina act in a manner
unfettered by ingrained social controls, acting under
the influences of impulses that normally remain buried
beneath layers of behavioural programming. They do not
act like they would on Elysium; their emotions run wild and
unchecked. Fuelling this is the fact that, for Numina on the
Flame Worlds, actions have no consequences.
Normal Dreamers remember little when they cease to
Dream, so what happens on Steel, Cloud and the Moons
cannot affect them – they feel no pangs of conscience, no
Introduction
matter how barbaric their actions on the Flame Worlds or
how civilised they normally are on Elysium. As a result, the
Flame Worlds can be very dangerous places.
Exiles are different. These individuals witness and
remember all that they encounter on the Flame Worlds,
and must live with the consequences. Should they manage
to return to Elysium, could they live among their peers
whilst remembering what they have seen? This raises some
difficult questions.
These moral questions can form a strong backdrop to
Exilium. Of course the purpose of the game is to have
fun, but difficult questions can hang in the background
throughout the gaming experience, giving Elysium a very
different perspective to many games where the morality of
actions is not a feature.
S t y l e s o f pl ay
As well as considering the themes that might be the focus
of a game of Exilium, Players and the Narrator should also
consider the different styles of play they would like to explore.
11
 Exilium
Action/adventure – In this style of play, action and adventure
dominate the game. Similar to an action film, the characters
are involved heavily with combating real physical threats
such as the Shadows and the various creatures of the Flame
Worlds. Guns and combat are prominent. Little emphasis is
placed on creating three-dimensional characters; instead
it’s what those characters actually do that’s important.
Naturally it’s conflict and confrontation that drive action
games.
Investigative/discovery – This style of play focuses on solving
mysteries, be they as simple as who is the Shadow that’s
controlling a smuggling ring, or as complex as unravelling a
conspiracy to topple an elected House Lord on Opal. Here
we are less concerned with conflict and confrontation and
more with mystery and discovery, so weaponry is likely to
be far less prominent.
Only two examples of style are included here, so feel free to
expand on the list. Before play, the Players and the Narrator
should discuss their ideas and decide which themes and
styles they would like to have as the focus of their game.
Review the options presented here (as well as any others
that come up) and order them in terms of their importance
in your game.
It’s likely that all sorts of themes and styles of play will
come up during the game, but usually one or the other will
dominate. Doing this helps the Narrator to create adventures
that everyone will enjoy and assure that Players are taking
part in the kind of games they want to play.
Elysium
One final thing needs to be discussed by the Players and the
Narrator – the nature of Elysium. This isn’t predefined in
the rules presented here; instead the Players and Narrator
come up with a description of what Elysium is actually like
during play. Exiles have only a fragmentary memory of
Elysium, so to start the ball rolling each Player should create
a single memory of Elysium that they can share – as each
Player describes the fragment, they should say what that
memory represents. This could be a person, a scene or a
place, magical or mundane, anything, in fact, that helps to
build up some kind of image of what Elysium represents. It is
through this evolving collection of memories that the secret
of Elysium is created by the Players during the game.
I D B K
12
Ex am ple o f gam e creation
James, Tom and Nancy are going to play a game with Rich as
their Narrator. Before proceeding with character creation,
they review the themes and styles presented here. Looking
at the list of themes, Tom and Nancy like the sound of a
game that features technological mystery, suggesting that
the game focuses on their efforts to make sense of one of
the bizarre technologies of the Flame Worlds. James likes
the idea of action as a focus in the game, pointing out that
Shadows are potent and violent beings, and Rich agrees that
a game with a focus on action would be fun to moderate.
They therefore order the themes for their game as
technological mystery – action, with technological mystery
being the focus of play.
Looking at the play styles, they decide that the order action/
investigation suits their game, the idea being to make use of
unknown technology in seat-of your pants encounters with
Shadows and their minions. Rich now has an idea of the kind
of game they all want to play.
Finally, they each assign a memory fragment to Elysium.
Thinking about it and discussing it among themselves, they
come up with these memories:
James – ‘I remember falling from a great height through
purple clouds, surrounded by whale-like beings that I
recognise as my friends’. This memory tells us that the
beings of Elysium are no longer human.
Tom – ‘I remember sharing my mind with my lover, and
understanding the deepest thoughts and colours of their
soul’. This memory fragment shows that the inhabitants of
Elysium have relationships that transcend the body.
Nancy – ‘I recall a great war where thousands died beneath
the wheels of great engines, only to spring back to life
laughing and begin the war again’. This memory fragment
indicates that the beings of Elysium do not understand
war or death in the same way as the peoples of the Flame
Worlds do.
Memories of Elysium are a shared resource – each character
experiences all of the memories created by the Players, as
they talk and reminisce about their home. When it comes
to using memories to invoke Numina, a Player can use any
of the memories created at this point (more on this later).
Q
cha pter tw o
exi l es

2
I D B K Q
 Exilium
- creati ng exi l es -
p c
N
ow that everyone’s roles and the theme and style of
your game have been decided, the Players need to
create their alter egos in the game. Player characters
(PCs, also just referred to as characters) in Exilium are
called Exiles, and are the figures through which Players
interact with the Flame Worlds. The personalities of these
characters are the roles Players adopt during play and their
focus within the game. It is the choices Players make for
their Exiles and how those characters interact that creates
the story. Creating Exiles can be a shared experience, and
building from each other’s ideas can help to create a more
interesting group of people. Remember to include the
Narrator in the design process, as they have an important
part to play in creating the game everyone will share.
Exiles are described by a series of words and numbers that
put into context what they can do and how they can do it,
14
q u l
all within the framework of the rules. Some of the terms
used here won’t be completely clear until you read the next
section of this book, but you’ll find that most are fairly self-
explanatory. It is suggested that you read the core rules
before you make up a character, as some of the decisions
you make here will strongly influence what your character
can do in the game.
There is an Exile character sheet at the end of this book.
Take a look at it now to see how a character is set out.
Exiles
As previously discussed, all the characters portrayed by
Players are Exiles, the generic name given to a Numina that
has committed a crime on Elysium and been exiled to the
material world. Exiles are minds trapped in the bodies of

material beings, a lost and isolated group; it is only through
the intervention of the Envoy – the force that represents
Elysium in the material reality – that they have any focus at
all. The Envoy offers the one real hope of any Exile: a promise
of return to Elysium. This is the driving force in the game,
the achievement that every Exile strives for. It is against this
backdrop that Exilium is played.
It’s important to remember that Exiles are an amalgam
of a post-human mind descended in a host’s body. The
original mind is blended with the Exile Numina, which is
only now making itsel felt. The person that is hosting the
Exiled Numina wasn’t a great hero or an especially gifted
individual with incredible abilities or skills; they were an
ordinary person. They would seem just like any citizen of
the Flame Worlds. Before the dreams of Elysium came, they
could have been an artificial intelligence engineer, a soldier,
a merchant or a teacher. They might have been friendly,
reserved, sporty or lazy. Remember that when you are
visualising your character for the first time. What were they,
and what have they become?
The rules here are for the creation of Exiles. Creating the other
characters found in the game – the non-player characters
(NPCs) who are controlled by the Narrator – follows pretty
much the same steps, but without some of the detail,
especially regarding their past and their mental state.
Ste ps in
c h a r a c t e r c r e at i o n
There are a series of simple steps that should be followed
when generating a character for Exilium. They are fairly
straightforward, and are outlined below.
Imagine your character – Picture them in your head. Who
were they, and where are they now? What are they like?
Who were their parents? Are they friendly or reserved,
jovial or sober? This mental image is your map to guide you
in creating your alter ego.
Think of a name – Give someone a name and automatically
the image of them condenses into a person.
Define their past – Here we describe who the character was
before the dreams of Elysium came into their mind. A short
description will suffice, and we also create some relationships
to the past that may affect the Exile during play.
Define their Attributes – Each character is defined by four
Attributes, two of which are mental qualities and two are
physical qualities. These broadly describe the capabilities
CREATING EXILES
of the character, what they can and cannot do. The four
qualities are Might, Agility, Wit and Charm. Each has a
numerical value, but more on that later.
Define their Skills, Perks and Complications – An Exile’s
Skills describe how their abilities work and how others
perceive them, giving an angle on how a character operates.
Perks describe little things that help or hinder the Exile in
certain situations, or just tell us a little bit more about what
they are like. A Complication is just that – something that
makes the character’s life just that bit more complicated.
Define their crime – This is where we think about the crime
that the Exile committed on Elysium that got them banished
to the material world. We don’t need to detail the whole
thing, which will be revealed in play, but we jot down some
ideas and thoughts.
Define what they own – Here we describe only the most
precious of items that help to define a person, as well as a
few mechanically important devices they may own, such as
tools that help them to use their skills.
Guilt and dislocation – Finally, we need to determine the
values of the guilt and dislocation scales that describe the
state of the Exile. We’ll cover these in detail later, so don’t
worry too much about them now!
And we’re done! It may seem a lot of work, but actually
creating a character is pretty simple. OK, now we’ve
considered the overall process, let’s look at the steps in
detail.
Ste p 1 – Conce pt, nam e and past
First we need to come up with a concept for our character.
Picture them in your mind. This is key to the process of
character creation so try to come up with a concept that
interests you and represents the type of person you would
want to play. To help you along, here are some examples of
important questions to ask about your character.
• What do they look like?
• How old are they?
• What do they like?
• Where are they from?
• Why are they here?
• What were they?
• What have they become?
From questions like these you can draw up a mental image
of your character that can then act as a template for the rest
of the character creation process.
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 Exilium
The next thing to do is to give your character a name. This
will help to make your character more real – give something a
name and it’s automatically more solid. Any name that takes
your fancy will do – a proper name, a nickname, anything.
Names
Humans of the Flame Worlds have names that are very
similar to those of Ancient Earth but corrupted by the
passing of time. These ancestral names can have their roots
in any of the cultures of Earth and from any time period,
as the incredibly fragmentary cultural information that
does exists about humanity comes without racial or cultural
bias. Typically, such names are either shorter corruptions
of names, or ‘evolved’ forms. Players can create suitable
names by taking a human name and either leaving it as it
is, removing or changing some of the letters, or changing
the spelling to represent a similar but subtly different sound.
Second names (family names) work in exactly the same way.
Examples of first names include Jon, Rikkard, Heln, Pieter or
Hanner.
Examples of second names include Smit, Perosi, Judge or
Canno.
16
Exile Teams
The Envoy selects Exiles of similar age and in similar locales
to form teams – groups of operatives who work together.
When they meet for the first time, many teams choose a
name that describes them as a whole. The Envoy does not
force teams to come up with a suitable name; generally
groups of Exiles come up with something themselves after
they have worked together on a few occasions. The names
they select are generally descriptive terms or phrases,
words from old Earth for which the meaning is now lost, or
the short, snappy logos that are often found on the casings
of Ultratech equipment (these items being copied studiously
from Ancient Earth designs).
Examples include the White Ghosts, the Subtle Company or
Halzen’s Incorporated.
When thinking about the image of your character, give them
a past. Where did they come from? Describe in a few words
what they were before they became haunted by Elysium.
Think of all the things that define us as people: jobs, family,
friends and roots. Think about your character and see what
fits your image. Finally, give the character two relationships
with their past, things that the Narrator might introduce

during play to bring the character’s past to life. These could
be people, organisations or family for example. Jot these
down as a few words or sentences.
Money
In Exilium, the universal money system of the Flame Worlds
is called the credit. One credit can be thought of as one US
dollar. In Exilium we do not generally track money for Exile
characters. This is because most of the things that Exiles
need are provided by the Envoy, including enough credits
to live on.
Exiles come from a past where they may have been relatively
rich or poor, but it can be assumed that once they’ve realised
what they are and accepted the terms of the Envoy (i.e. have
become player characters), then they no longer work or
earn in the way they did before the dreams came. The Envoy
takes care of their needs.
In Exilium we aren’t generally concerned with accounting for
individual credits, however some Exiles may be wealthier or
of a better social class than others, or worse. This aspect of
the past of an Exile will give some flavour to how they appear
– are they well-dressed and spoken, or rough and ready
for example. This may also affect how they are perceived
on the different worlds but it won’t really influence how
they materially live now, certainly not on missions when
immediate needs are supplied for them. Rich, poor or
high and low class backgrounds are handled by Perks and
Complications as described later in this chapter.
Character Creation Example
James is now making his first character for Exilium. Thinking
about the setting, he thinks a young kid fresh out of military
academy ready for action on Steel would be a fun choice.
So, picturing his character, he comes up with a soldier, tall
and slim with an athletic build, but he has cold, hard eyes.
He is called Remillard Kane. Remillard has family in one
of the Spire Cities of Emerald, thinking about Remillard’s
relationships, James jots down ‘doting sister’ and ‘military
fraternity’. Both of these could be used during play by the
Narrator to link to Remillard’s past.
Ste p 2 – At tributes
A character’s Attributes describe just what they are capable
of doing. There are four Attributes that describe four
different areas of expertise, each with an associated value.
Attributes encompass the natural physical ability of the
Exile as well as giving a basis for any skills or knowledge they
may have picked up throughout their life. Each is described
below, along with some examples of where it might be used.
In every case, the larger the value associated with Attributes,
CREATING EXILES
the more adept the Exile is at doing things that involve that
quality. There are two physical qualities called Might and
Agility, and two mental qualities called Wit and Charm.
Might – This Attribute describes the raw physical potential
of the character’s body. It is used in tasks that require pure
physicality for their success.
High Might value – a sportsman, a soldier or an endurance
runner; Low Might value – a weakling, a disabled person or
an elderly person.
Examples of actions that may use Might
Breaking down a door, lifting a heavy weight, punching
someone, climbing a wall, and intimidating someone.
Agility – This Attribute describes the Exile’s physical finesse,
including such concepts as balance, nimbleness, dexterity
and poise. It is used in tasks that require the careful and
controlled application of the physical form for their success.
High Agility value – a fencer, a gymnast or a musician; Low
Agility value – a clumsy oaf, a thug or a small child.
Examples of actions that might use Agility
Picking a lock, using a sing-sword, balancing on a beam, tying
an intricate knot, playing most sports, and aiming a rifle.
Wit – The Wit Attribute describes the pure intellect and
the ability to think rationally and logically, and also gives an
idea of retained knowledge. It is used in tasks that require
planning, specialist knowledge, or just a lot of thinking.
Remember that sometimes the Narrator will rule that a
character just won’t know something if it’s really specialised,
but Exiles are all natives of the Flame Worlds have some
knowledge of each of them.
Bear in mind that, although Numina are post-humans
operating outside of the scope of humanity, an Exile has been
effectively ‘dumped’ into a human body. A low Wit Attribute
doesn’t mean that the Exile is stupid; it’s just that they either
find it hard to operate in the confines of their new mental
prison or have difficulty relating to material reality.
High Wit value – a professor, an accountant, a military
commander or a well-adapted and aware Exile; Low Wit
value – an idiot, a school kid, an animal or a poorly adapted
and unaware Exile.
Examples of actions that might use Wit
Arguing with someone, planning an engineering project,
remembering your route through the twisting tunnels of an
Emerald Spire City, or fixing a computer operating system.
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 Exilium
Charm – This Attribute is used in any task that involves
influencing how another person or creature thinks, feels or
behaves. It is used in tasks that rely on an Exile’s influence,
leadership and standing.
High Charm value – your best friend, your mother, or a
social worker; Low Charm value – a cold hearted person, a
murderer, or your ex.
Examples of actions that might use Charm
Persuading someone to help you, calming a restless animal,
asserting your leadership over a group, issuing orders, and
acting.
Choosing the value of Attributes
When we create an Exile, we must assign values to each
of the four qualities, picking values that best suit our
image of our character. We do this by assigning dice (D)
to each Attribute. Don’t worry exactly what this means at
the moment; suffice to say the higher the number of dice
assigned to an Attribute, the better the character is at tasks
related to that Attribute. The following table gives you an
idea of what the values mean for a human.
1D Below average Attribute
2D Human average for Attributes
3D Average impressive Attribute
4D Average exceptional Attribute
5D Highly trained Attribute for a human,
Olympic athelete
You have 10D to split between each of the qualities –
spending on a one to one basis – but an Attribute must
always have at least 1D. It is possible to split dice. Each dice
is worth three ‘pips,’ a pip being a bonus of +1, with the third
pip moving the number of dice up the next value.
Example progression is 1D, 1D+1, 1D+2, 2D, 2D+1, etc.
An Attribute may have dice only (no bonus pips), or +1 or
+2 pips. Going to “+3” advances the dice code to the next
largest dice.
heroic exiles
The value of 10D to assign between Attributes leads to the creation of pretty heroic Exiles. This might seem counter-
intuitive when hosts are ordinary people of the Flame Worlds that have realised that they are Exiles from Elysium,
but there are two ways to look at this. Firstly, heroic Exiles are much more in keeping with the idea of action and
adventure inherent in the game and secondly, many of the dice may be assigned to the mental characteristics of the
Exile, which is, after all, partly post-human.
18
The normal ‘human’ scale for Attributes is 1D to 4D. Higher
values than this represent exceptional ability and cannot be
chosen without the Narrator’s permission.
Character Creation Example Part 2
So James is creating Remillard, a soldier. James considers
assigns his 10D worth of Attributes.
Might 3D+2 – Remillard was in good shape when he met the
Envoy, military academy suited him.
Agility 3D – as a soldier, Remillard knew how to use his body
to the best advantage.
Wit 2D+1 – the Exile that has possessed Remillard struggles
to connect to the material world and to understand his
surroundings fully.
Empathy 1D – Unable to connect, Remillard has difficulty
interacting with ordinary beings.
Already we have a good image of Remillard in our mind.
Ste p 3 – Skills, Pe rks and
Com plications
The next step in Exile creation is to assign Skills to a character.
Skills are physical and mental abilities that describe a
character’s competence, and they may represent physical or
mental proficiencies. Skills are associated with an Attribute
that acts as the Skills base or root, and each Skill defaults to
the level of the related Attribute. For example, a character
with a Might of 3D has 3D in all Skills under Might before
allocating any dice. If two Skill D are added to Brawling it is
recorded as 5D. The pip progression from Attributes remains
- if a character has a Might of 3D+2 and adds 2D to Brawling,
his Brawling becomes 5D+2.
During Exile creation Players may allocate up to 7D extra on
Skills to best represent the unique talents of their character.
When putting dice into each Skill you can put whole dice
in each, or use a mixture of whole dice and pips. No more

than 2D may be spent on each individual Skill during Exile
creation. Unspent Skill dice can be used to purchase Perks
(see later). The following table gives a sense of the meaning
of skill values for humans.
1D Below average Attribute
2D Human average for Attributes or untrained skills
3D Average trained skill
4D Average professional level of skill training
5D Expert skill training
6D About the best trained in a city of region,
1 in 100,000
7D Among the best trained on a continent,
1 in 10,000,000
8D Among the best trained on a planet, 1 in 100,000,000
9D+ Incredible level of expertise
Skill Specialisations
Specialisations represent just that – an area of specialisation
within the general area of a Skill. For example, Pilot
specializations might include space craft and hover craft.
One Skill dice can be spent to gain three specialty dice for
any Skill the Exile has except combat Skills such as brawling,
melee, pistol and rifle, which don’t have specialisations.
Specialisation are not listed here, instead the Player and
CREATING EXILES
Narrator should agree on suitable focused areas during
character creation.
Example: A character with an Agility of 3D suggests a
Running Speciality of Athletics. He spends one Skill dice
on it, but records it as Running 6D on his Exile sheet, his
Athletics remains 3D. This is the only time the 2D Skill limit
can be exceeded during character creation.
The Skill list for Exilium is shown below:
• Might Skills: brawling, lift, stamina, swimming
• Agility Skills: athletics, dodge, drive, heavy weapons,
melee, pickpockets, pilot, pistol, rifle, stealth, zero-gee
• Wit Skills: bureaucracy, history, language, medicine,
navigation, repair, security, survival, tech
• Charm Skills: bargain, command, diplomacy,
persuasion, seduce, streetwise
Skill D escriptions:
Might Skills
Brawling – the Exile’s ability to throw a punch or to kick in
an unarmed fight.
Lift – the ability to lift heavy objects and to successfully use
a host body to manipulate them.
Stamina – the Exile’s ability to use the reserves of stamina
to resist fatigue and tiring situations.
Swimming – the ability of the Exile to manoeuvre in liquids
and avoid drowning in water.
Agility Skills
Athletics – the Exile’s skill in performing adroit physical
manoeuvres such as gymnastics.
Dodge – the Exile’s skill in avoiding attacks by throwing
himself out of the way of attacks.
Drive – the physical skill of the host in operating ground-
based vehicles that don’t have semi-AI.
Heavy weapons – ability in the operation of all manner of
heavy weaponry such as mortars and rocket launchers.
Melee – training of the Exile in the use of melee weapons
such as blades, sing-swords and the like.
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 Exilium
Pickpockets – the Exile’s ability in using sleight of hand to
remove small items from a target unnoticed.
Pilot – the Exile’s skill in piloting flying and water-borne craft
not controlled by semi-AI, including space craft.
Pistol – the skill of the Exile in hitting targets with small
hand-held weapons such as pulse pistols.
Rifle – the Exile ability to operate long-arm weaponry such
as conventional rifled slug-projectors.
Stealth – the Exile skill in manoeuvring unobtrusively while
making use of cover to remain unseen.
Zero-gee – the Exile’s skill in manoeuvring in zero-gravity
environments.
Wit Skills
Bureaucracy – the Exile has developed an understanding
of the sometimes complex and byzantine workings of the
bureaucracies of the Flame Worlds, including the moons of
Steel.
History – the Exile has some knowledge of the history of the
societies of the Flame Worlds.
20
Language – the Exile has knowledge of, and ability to speak
fluently, the various dialects of Speak, the common tongue
of the Flame Worlds. This is required in order to pass oneself
off as a local of a certain region.
Medicine – the Exile understands how to apply whatever is
at hand to heal wounds and repair physical damage.
Navigation – the Exile’s experiences have led to the ability to
use navigational aids to help in successfully piloting vehicles
to their destinations.
Repair – the Exile has some understanding of the workings
of mechanical and electrical devices required to repair
damage.
Security – the Exile retains memories of the workings of
security systems required to break into or otherwise subvert
secure areas.
Tech – the Exile has a general knowledge of the technologies
of the Flame Worlds, including Ultratech and the Salvage
technologies.
Survival – the Exile understands how to make the best use
of available equipment to survive in hostile environments.

Charm Skills
Bargain – the Exile understands the worth of items and
knowledge, and can use that to bargain with others.
Command – the Exile’s natural superiority allows it to issue
orders which few would refuse.
Diplomacy – the Exile’s experiences have led it to successfully
navigate the social strata of Flame World society.
Persuasion – the Exile remembers enough of its normal life
to be sympathetic with others, and so manipulate them to
its way of thinking.
Seduce – the Exile’s is used to utilising sexual charms without
restraint.
Streetwise – the Exile has experienced enough of the seedier
side of the Flame Worlds to know how to act in rougher
areas and how to make contact with criminal elements.
Static d e fenses
In the combat system Exiles calculate their static defenses
of dodge, block, and parry prior to the game. To calculate
each, simply multiply the number of dice an Exile has in the
relevant Skill by 3 and add any pips to the total. Use the
associated Attribute if the character does not have the Skill.
Block = (Brawling Skill dice x 3) + pips.
Dodge = (Dodge Skill dice x 3) + pips.
Parry = (Relevant weapon Skill dice x 3) + pips.
Soak = (Might Attribute dice x 3) + pips + armour value
Pe rks and Com plications
Perks and Complications are facets of the Exile that will
either help or hinder them as they adventure among the
Flame Worlds. Unspent Skill points can be used to purchase
Perks, with the cost of each Perk listed after its name. Up
to two Complications can be bought during Exile creation;
these don’t cost or award Skill points but instead award
something called character points (CPs) when they come
into play – we’ll discuss what CPs are later.
Interesting Perks and Complications can be created using
the relationships already created for the character in the
earlier stages of character creation.
Example Perks and Complications
The following examples of Perks and Complications do
not form an exhaustive list, but are merely a springboard
for discussion between the Players and the Narrator for
CREATING EXILES
personalised versions. Players should be encouraged to
create their own Perks and Complications that define the
Exiles they wish to play. Complications earn Exiles character
points when they affect their lives, which can be used to
improve Attributes and Skills.
Perks
Good looking (1): The Exile is exceptionally good looking.
During every gaming session, they can double the number
of dice rolled for any task that might involve appearance
as a key component at the Narrator’s discretion. Examples
include persuasion and seduction.
Daredevil (2): The Exile cannot grasp the concept of their
mortality, and sometimes they enter situations that more
considerate individuals would avoid. Once per round of
combat per session, the Exile may double the number of
Might dice rolled in a physical attack, but their reckless
nature means that when they do, their dodge, block, and
parry static resistances are all reduced by half for the rest
of the round.
Destiny (2): Exiles with destiny acutely feel more than most
that they transcend the physical world and are destined for
a triumphant return to Elysium. Once per game session,
the Exile may declare a task they attempted but failed as
being directly related to their destiny and can immediately
attempt the task a second time. These results are final.
Lucky (2): The Exile considers they are lucky. Once per
session, the Exile can state that they feel lucky and then
double the result of their next roll.
Observant (2): The Exile is very aware of their surroundings.
Once per session, their Player may announce that they are
giving an object or person very close scrutiny. The Narrator
may then reveal something secret or hidden from the rest
of the Exiles. If nothing is revealed, this Perk may be reused.
Memory (1): The Exile recalls things with crystal clarity.
Once per session, the Player may ask the Narrator to recall
a scene or event that the Exile has witnessed. The Narrator
then describes the details of the scene as closely as possible.
Rich (1): The Exile comes from a particularly rich background
– before the realisation dawned that they were an Exiled
Numina, they held a position that generated wealth, or
perhaps they inherited it. The Envoy provides for Exile
agents, but this Exile has money to spare and can generally
purchase what they want.
High class (1): The Exile obviously comes from a high class
background, and mixes well with others of a similar social
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 Exilium
class. The Exile also impresses those of a more moderate
background.
Complications
Age: The Exile is either really old or really young. In addition
to all the issues that may be caused by age in the various
Flame World societies, the Narrator might choose to impose
a penalty to an action. Whenever your age causes you great
difficulty, you receive one character point which may be
spent as described later.
Crazy: The Exile has trouble associating with the material
world; it could be that they are really paranoid, or maybe
just a touch sociopathic. That fear of almost everything
could also be a problem. The Exile earns one character point
any time your psychosis really gets in the way.
Enemies: Someone doesn’t like the Exile at all. And they are
a credible threat. Maybe they have more friends than you.
Maybe they’re just bigger and meaner. Either way, you have
your own personal bully. The Exile earns a bonus character
point every time the enemy complicates things.
Gremlins: The Exile has a gift – specifically the kind that
breaks machines. They are no good with engines, electronics,
or machines, including Puppets and semi-AI. The Exile earns
one character point whenever this Complication makes life
difficult.
Personal Code: The Exile lives by a creed and you will
not cross that line. Maybe they won’t fight an unarmed
opponent or maybe they will never tell a lie. No matter how
it is defined; the code has to mean something. The Exile
earns one character point whenever the code complicates
their success.
Poor: The Exile comes from a poor background. They get all
they need from the Envoy, but still obviously have little that
they can call their own. Any time an Exile’s obvious poverty
makes like difficult for them, they earn a character point.
Low social class: The Exile comes from a low social class
and it shows. Any time the Exile’s background inhibits their
interactions with middle or higher class characters, they
earn a character point.
Character Creation Example – Part 3
James needs to select Skills for Remillard, a young soldier
straight from the academy. He has 7D to split between his
Skills, and comes up with the following:
Might Skills (base 3D+2): brawling 4D+1, lift, stamina,
swimming – total cost +2
22
Agility Skills (base 3D): athletics, dodge, drive, heavy
weapons, melee 4D, pickpockets, pilot, pistol, rifle 4D,
stealth, zero-gee – total cost 2D
Wit Skills (base 2D+1): bureaucracy, history, language,
medicine 3D, security, tech, navigation, repair, survival 3D
– total cost 1D+1
Charm Skills (base 1D): bargain, command 2D, diplomacy,
persuasion, seduce, streetwise – total cost 1D
Total spent on Skills – (+2) + 2D + (1D+1) + 1D = 5D
(remembering that +3 in pips equals 1D).
Next, James picks some Perks. He decides that as Remillard
is rather reckless, so daredevil is a good Perk at a cost of 2
Skill points (i.e. 2D of Skills). He has enough Skill points left
over to pay for this.
Looking at the list of Complications, James chooses Enemies
as a fun Complication and, looking at what he decided for
Remillard’s past, notes down ‘military fraternity’. It seems
that Remillard left the academy with some enemies.
Ste p 4 – D e fin e th eir crim e
The next step in Exile creation is to think about the Exile and
ask ‘what was their crime’? What did they do to get exiled
from Elysium? Like their memory of Elysium itself, an Exile’s
knowledge of their crime will be hazy at best. At this point
we only need to define a starting point for the description,
something we can add to during play. To do this we need to
ask a question: what was the actual deed that took place?
We note this down for the character in the manner shown
below:
I stole
I beat
I killed
I coveted
I lied
I was truthful
I pretended
I mocked
Pick a verb that describes what the crime was and make a
note of it on the Exile sheet. This is the start of a detailed
description that will come out during play. Note that a
memory fragment of a crime is very much a personal thing
for the Exile; few would reveal what they remember of their
past to their peers. When it comes to using a memory of a
crime to invoke Numina, only the character who committed
the crime they described may do so - more on this later.

Character Creation Example – Part 4
Thinking about his character Remillard, James thinks the
description ‘I killed’ fits in with the martial view of his
character he is forming, and makes a note of it on the Exile
sheet.
Ste p 5 – D e fin e what th ey own
Exilium isn’t the sort of game where we rigidly define what
Exiles own, how much they can carry, and the like. After all,
the Envoy provides all sorts of useful stuff for operatives.
All Exiles start with a selection of suitable clothes and
equipment. Think about what the Exiles was before the
dreams of a lost paradise assailed them, and describe one
key item for each physical skill that the Exile has. This is going
to be useful stuff, like a doctor’s medical bag, a soldier’s
pulse rifle, or a hand-held computer with semi-AI.
It could also be a personal augmentation that explains the
character’s Attributes or Skills, such as boosted musculature
explaining a high Might Attribute. Also, give them at least
one sentimental item like a picture of a child, a journal of the
host’s previous life, or anything else that helps you picture
what the character was like prior to the arrival of the Exile.
Think about how your Exile is going to be presented to the
world. Is there something that helps to define them?
Lists of some of the common items to be found on the Flame
Worlds are presented later in this book.
Ste p 6 – D e fin e th e scales
Finally, we need to define the Exile’s guilt and dislocation
scales. The guilt scale measures how heavily the burden
of guilt rests on the Exile. A value of zero means that the
Exile has resolved their guilt and would be able to return to
Elysium should the Envoy allow it; any other value indicates
that their guilt remains and they are unable to return to
Elysium. The value of the guilt scale starts at eight minus
the number of dice assigned to the Exile’s Wit Attribute. Any
pips are ignored.
Example of setting the level of the guilt scale
Salkus has a Wit of 2D+1, therefore his starting value of the
guilt scale is 8-2 = 6.
The dislocation scale indicates how well connected the Exile
is with reality. As long as this value is positive, the Exile can
function normally. If the value ever drops to zero, the Exile
has dislocated; the dreams and memories have affected
them to such an extent that psychosis has occurred.
Effectively, the Exile is out of the game from this point. The
starting value of the dislocation scale is equal to twice the
CREATING EXILES
sum of the number of dice assigned to the Exile’s Might and
Wit Attributes. Any pips are ignored.
Example of setting the level on the guilt scale
Salkus has a Wit of 2D+1 and a Might of 2D, therefore his
starting value on the dislocation scale is 2 x (2 + 2) = 8.
Advanced Charac te r O ption –
Loci and Hack Augm entations
Player Character Hosts may have Hacks, ‘Plants and Loci at
the start of the game – these technologies are described in
Welcome to the Flame Worlds, and the mechanics of their
use are outlined in the Playing the Game section. Below
are described the use of augmentations in Exile creation.
Consult with your Narrator if you wish to create an Exile with
any of these augmentations.
Loci Limitations for Exiles
Loci are interfaces between computer processors and the
brain, and they limited in two ways. Firstly, they take up space
on the temples, and secondly, fusing a processor to the brain
is a difficult process. In addition to this, too much external
processing power can lead to mental instability. In game terms,
no Exile can safely have more Loci than the value before the ‘D’
of their Wit Attribute divided by 2 and rounded down.
For example, an Exile with a Wit of between 2D and 2D+2
can safely have a single Locus. An Uplift with a Wit of 4D
could have two Loci. Exceeding this safe limit results in one
or more of the Loci malfunctioning. Note that the calculation
is performed prior to Wit any bonuses from a Hack.
Hack Limitations for Exiles
Hacks are genetic alterations performed to fuse alien DNA
with the human genome. No human or Uplift can safely have
more Hacks than the value before the ‘D’ of their unaltered
(i.e. pre-Hack) Might Attribute divided by 2, and then rounded
down. For example, a human with a Might of between 2D and
2D+2 can safely have a single Hack. An Uplift with a Might of
6D could have three Hacks. Exceeding this safe limit results in
one or more of the Hacks malfunctioning and the possibility
of medical complications, as decided by the Narrator.
There is an additional cost to Exiles for Loci and Hacks – they
cost Dislocation points when installed. Firstly, calculate the
character’s Dislocation scale in the normal way. Importantly,
do this before the effects of Hacks are applied. Then, for
every level of Hack the character has, reduce the value of
the Dislocation scale by two points. For every Locus, reduce
the scale value by one point. For example, a character with
a Dislocation scale value of 8 with one Level 1 Hack and two
Level 2 Loci would have their starting Dislocation scale value
23
 Exilium
reduced to 4 – a dangerous way to begin the game! This
reduction in the Dislocation scale represents the difficulties
Exile minds have in accessing technology within the Host.
Effectively, Hacks and Loci allow Exiles to trade points on
their Dislocation scale for bonuses to their abilities. Note
that ‘Plants fully described in Welcome to the Flame Worlds
section are free – assuming the technology is small enough
to be ‘Planted and it makes sense to do so, characters may
have ‘Planted items at no charge.
Advanced Exile O ption – U plif ts
So far we have assumed that the Exile characters created by
players area human. In the Flame System, it is humans that
hold sway in the majority of societies. However, that is not
to say they are the only members. Instead a myriad of alien
life forms can be found serving, interacting and sometimes
leading humanities’ actions.
These are not native intelligences – prior to man, it is thought
that the Flame system was home to no truly sapient species.
These are Uplifts – hybrid beings created from alien and
24
human DNA, and raised to human-equivalent intelligence
through genetic engineering. All of the inhabited worlds of
the Flame System are home to Uplifts, and they come in all
manner of shapes, sizes and outlooks. Examples of the Uplift
of the Flame Worlds that may be made into Exile characters
are given in the Welcome to the Flame Worlds section of
this book.
Uplift Exiles require a bit more work from the Narrator and
player, and are governed by some extra rules.
Uplifts as Exiles
Uplifts can host Exiles – the brain chemistry is similar
enough for Numina to enter an Uplift brain. However, as a
result of the incomplete compatibility of the post-human
Numina mind with the baser, cruder parts of an Uplift’s
consciousness, some of the basic instincts and drives of the
original creature remain that can influence the behaviour
of Exiles. Furthermore, trying to deny these base urges can
actually damage the Exile – this is explained in detail in the
rules section of this book.
Many Uplifts are physically quite powerful compared
to normal humans and therefore typical human Exiles;
however there is a further trade-off. Some Uplifts are not
as well-received on the Flame Worlds as humans, so social
stigma could be an issue. See Welcome to the Flame Worlds
for more details.
Creating Uplift Exiles
Creating a Player Exile based on an Uplift is a very simple
process. Generally, it is exactly the same as for human Exiles,
with just a couple of differences.
Some Uplifts have more than the standard 10D to assign
to their Attributes. Attribute dice can be assigned as the
Player wishes. However, the Player should take note of the
Attributes of a typical example of that Uplift so that their
choices for the physical Attributes of Might and Agility make
sense. For example, a Jakkar is a very strong Uplift as is
demonstrated by their typical Might of 5D+2. In the Uplift
descriptions, minimum and maximum values for the various
Attributes are given in the descriptions so that Players can
create Exiles that make sense for each species.
Exile Uplifts and Perks and Complications
The Perks and Complications of Uplifts are traits that describe
how typical members of the species act physically and
mentally. During Exile creation, the Perks and Complications
listed for the chosen Uplift form must be selected by the
Exile character – they are not optional. On the other hand
these Perks don’t cost Skill points, and they are considered
an addition to the usual Perks and Complications that any
 CREATING EXILES

Exile can select (i.e. it is possible for an Uplift Exile to have Tough Shell – The metallic alloy exo-skeleton of the Simulcra
more than two Complications). is very resistant to damage and grants 2 armour points all
over the body.
Uplifted Exiles are to some extent forced to follow their
mental complications, even to their own detriment, and trying
to repress them can result in mental damage to the Exile. This
is outlined later in this book, but it’s worth mentioning now if
a Player is thinking of creating an Uplift Exile.

Uplift Exiles and Other Uplifts

Finally, they may have human-like intelligence, but Uplifts
are essentially alien, and their outlooks and motives can
seem very strange to ordinarily humans. Numina are post-
humans, and although they are so much more than human
now, the root of their minds does retain some humanity.

In some ways, this makes Exiles in Uplifts hosts more

obviously something they are not under close scrutiny,
especially to other Uplifts of the same species. Uplift Exiles
are Numina minds trapped within an alien body, and their
actions and thoughts may well betray them as something
other than they appear much sooner than it would an Exile
in a human Host.

Advanced Exile O ption – Simulcra

Robots of the Flame Worlds are known as Puppets. Simulcra
are a special type of Puppet that is almost identical in
mental make up to humans – they are intelligent, self-aware
and they feel. Much more details on Simulcra follows later in
this book but suffice to note here that Simulcra are suitable
Hosts for Exiles, as their Fractal Minds are of sufficient
quality to house a Numina mind in a similar way to a human.

It seems that more and more Simulcra house fallen Numina,

and they have obvious advantages over biological beings
that in some situations outweigh the prejudice many have
against Puppets. In the case of Simulcra, dislocation isn’t
just the split between the Numina mind and material reality;
it is the fracturing of the Fractal Mind under the pressure
of the Numina’s occupancy. This is the psychosis that has
been noted by those who study this new form of Puppet.
In game terms, Exiles with Simulcra Hosts are handled in
exactly the same way as those with human Hosts, but with
one exception.
All Simulcran Exiles gain the following Perks and
Complications for free at Exile creation in a similar way to
Uplift Exiles.
Simulcra Perks
The following Perks are granted to all Exile Exiles in Simulcra
Hosts.
Tireless – The Simulcra, like other Puppets, is powered by
an internal battery that is charged wirelessly whenever the
Puppet approaches a civilized area. As such, the Simulcra
never really gets tired or suffers exhaustion, only showing
wear after the passing of a long period of time.
Sensation denial – The Simulcra is in full control of its
sensations, and can effectively shut down feelings of
pain and damage that are part of having a ‘human’ mind-
set. This means that the Puppet can keep going despite
severe damage, and is only really taken out of action if it is
destroyed.

25
 Exilium
Non-biological – The Simulcra is not a biological entity, so it
does not need to breathe, not is it affected by disease, cold
or heat. Simulcra can survive under water or in a vacuum,
and are very tough compared to a normal human.
Simulcra Complications
The following Complications are suffered by all Exiles in
Simulcra Hosts.
Avoided and shunned – The Simulcra is a machine, albeit
one that appears as human as possible. Some people,
especially those on the more restrictive worlds, dislike
the thought of a machine mimicking a human being. For this
reason a great many people avoid interacting with Simulcra,
considering them strange and unnerving. The Simulcra Exile
suffers a penalty of -1D to interaction tests against characters
that are wary of Puppets. Characters that hate or fear Puppets
will be immediately hostile towards the Simulcra. Every time a
Simulcra Exile’s progress is inhibited in this way, they gain a CP.
Second class citizen – Even to those people that don’t
mind Puppets, they are often seen as second class citizens,
merely servants to their betters. The situation is not as
bad for Simulcra who are accorded citizenship by the more
progressive Flame World factions, but prejudice exists. Every
time this fact inhibits the Simulcra Player Exile’s progress
they gain a CP.
Metallic shell – The Simulcra is constructed from a metallic
shell with no other means of movement than its legs. Every
time this fact inhibits the Simulcra Player Exile’s progress
(for example, they sink when trying to swim across a river),
they gain a CP.
W e’ r e d o n e!
Once we’ve gone through these steps, our Exile is complete
and ready for adventure in the Flame Worlds. Before we
look at how to actually play the game, let’s consider some
points to bear in mind when creating Exiles.
Narrator involvement in Exile creation
One of the most exciting parts of any role-playing game for
Players is creating Characters. These are the focal point of
their experiences of the game, and it is through them that
Players get to act out their part in the shared story they
and the Narrator create. The Narrator isn’t responsible for
creating Exiles, but they do have an important part to play in
the process; the Players turn to the Narrator for advice and
adjudications when creating their Exile. Here is some advice
26
for the Narrator in helping Players create Exiles that shine in
the setting.
Creating a picture
The Narrator should try their best to make sure the Players
really focus on their Exile first and foremost. Picturing
them in the mind makes all the other choices easy, giving a
smooth, hassle-free creation process. Some Players will be
better at this than others, so the Narrator is encouraged to
put a little work in here where needed, offering suggestions
and options to reticent Players.
Choosing appropriate Attribute values and Skills
Assigning Attributes and Skills can be a little tricky if you
don’t have an image of your character in your mind. The
Narrator needs to remind Players of the image they came
up with at the start of the process so that interesting and
enjoyable Exiles can be created ready for play.
Haunted by the past
The idea of an Exile’s crime is an important concept. It is
through resolving this crime that the Exile hopes to be
accepted back into Elysium. Crimes help Players to focus on
the isolation inherent to Exilium, adding an edge that makes
the bizarre Flame Worlds that much more real; they also
provide a goal in play.
The Narrator should try to help Players to start considering
their Exile’s crime during creation so that, when the time
comes to reveal more of the crime during play, they have a
head start.
Don’t get tied up assigning equipment
The Narrator shouldn’t place too much emphasis on
equipment. Exilium isn’t the sort of game where keeping
track of what the Exiles own should be of any real importance,
except for a few key things. Very personal items, weapons
and the like are all worth noting down, but most other
possessions can be kept track of in a very general way as
a piece of narrative. Don’t get drawn into the details. If the
items you’re describing aren’t going to add to the drama of
play, forget them. Depending on the type of game you are
playing, most Exiles will have access to some kind of gun –
typically a pistol or rifle – and some ammunition.
Creating Exiles is fun!
Make sure that, for everyone involved, the process of
creating Exiles is interesting and fun. If people aren’t enjoying
the process, it’s probably because they don’t understand
exactly what they have to do. It’s the Narrator’s job to make
sure this doesn’t happen.
chapter three
playing the game :

3
core rules
I D B K
 Exilium
- core ru l es of exi l i u m -
k x
I
n common with most role-playing games, Exilium uses dice
to resolve situations during play. This introduces a level of
uncertainty to the game. Essentially, dice are rolled when
Exiles attempt to impose themselves on the environment or
on other characters. From uncertainty comes tension, and
from tension comes drama – a requirement of any story. In
this chapter we’ll look at how to use dice to resolve actions
and conflicts, and how the numbers listed on the character
sheet are used in play.
Wh en do we roll dice?
Dice are used when Exiles attempt to shape the environment
or interfere with the actions of other characters. For
28
q o m
example, a Exile piloting a space craft might require a dice
roll, or a Exile’s attempt to persuade an Uplift to give them
directions to an encampment might also mean a dice roll.
When dice are rolled it represents a split in the direction
of the story. One of those paths is that of success – what
happens if the character gets things their way. The other
path is that of failure – what happens if the character gets
it wrong. If the paths resulting from success and failure are
the same, don’t roll the dice. This may seem a little counter-
intuitive, but think of it this way. If a mechanic is attempting
to fix a damaged hover car and has all the time in the world
to do it, then – unless there are mitigating circumstances
– they are going to get the job done. We could break the

repair down into lots of separate dice rolls to see if they
successfully repair all the individual components, but there
is little point. If the mechanic fails to repair something the
first time round, they can just repeat the process. Eventually,
they’ll successfully repair the car. In this kind of situation
the success and failure of all those rolls would lead to the
same overall result, so there is little point in rolling dice. Let
common sense prevail here.
We want dramatic tension in the game, not just endless,
meaningless dice rolling. However, if the result of a character’s
action affects the direction in which the story will progress,
then that is when we want to roll the dice.
Examples of dice affecting the direction of a story
A Player controlling an Exile that is attempting to drive off
an onrushing attack by an assailant might describe how he
hopes to shoot the Puppet and disable it. If the Exile fails to
hit the Puppet, the Narrator describes how it closes on the
character, sing-sword on maximum. With success or failure,
the direction the story is taking will change.
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
Scen es
Play is divided into scenes, just like in a novel or film. Each
scene describes a different circumstance in which the Exiles
find themselves. Scenes can be further divided into action
scenes and linking scenes. Any scene that involves rolling
dice to resolve actions and conflicts is called an action scene.
A linking scene provides colour, no dice are rolled, and the
scene is used simply to connect actions scenes together.
Action scenes are the heart of the game.
S ta n d a r d ta s k s a n d
r e s i s t e d ta s k s
In action scenes, a character is either attempting to shape
their environment or is interfering with the behaviour
of another character. These activities are called either
standard tasks or resisted tasks respectively, and are
generally described in the same way. The person controlling
the character describes their intent, i.e. what they want
their character to do. The Narrator then describes the
29
 Exilium
consequence – what happens if the character fails to do
what they want? These are the paths of success and failure
as described earlier.
Timing
As we have said, play takes place in scenes, and each scene
describes a different circumstance in which the Exiles find
themselves. How much fictional time passes in a scene
depends greatly on the nature of those circumstances. A
fight may be over in a matter of minutes. A scene where
a party is foraging for supplies on Steel might represent
several hours (for example, planning to be home before
dark). A trek between research bases might take days or
weeks. The Narrator will determine how much passage of
time is appropriate for any given scene, although the Players
should feel free to suggest that time slows down for parts
they’re particularly interested in, or speeds up for parts
they’d rather skip through quickly.
Intent
The first step in resolving an action or conflict is for a Player
to state what they are trying to get their Exile to do. What
is the path of success? This is called the intent, or in other
words what the character intends to happen if they succeed.
Generally, the intent of a standard or resisted task should
be immediately obvious in the context of the scene. What
is the character trying to achieve in the scene? The intent
should reflect the very nature of the task or conflict taking
place in the scene – it’s not appropriate to give an intent
that doesn’t bear any resemblance to what’s going on.
The intent must also be a single goal and shouldn’t include
multiple objectives. At its most basic, the intent of an action
should make sense in the context of the story being created.
How much an Exile can accomplish with a single roll and
single statement of intent can be highly variable. It depends
on how much an average person would be able to accomplish
in the amount of time available in a scene. The Narrator is
always the final judge on how much can be accomplished
and how long it will take to accomplish it. If he feels that the
scale of a Player’s intent is too long, or that the scope seeks
to accomplish too much, the task can always be broken
down into smaller pieces.
An effective technique is to ask the Player, “how are you
doing that?” as many times as necessary. This will help to
break a large or long project into several steps (or sub-steps)
each of which can be a scene, task and roll by themselves.
For example, an intent to “infiltrate the smugglers gang”
might be broken down into separate scenes and rolls for
30
“finding a contact”, “gaining their confidence”, “meeting the
boss”, or possibly even an entire adventure trying to make it
work. Or, if that part of the story is fast-forwarding through
several months of time with a single scene, the Narrator
can also decide that “infiltrating the smugglers gang” is a
perfectly reasonable intent on that scale.
The most important standards are: what makes sense
within the fiction, and keeping all of the characters (those
controlled by the Narrator and Players alike) operating on
about the same scale within each scene. The Narrator has
the final judgement on what is or is not acceptable as a valid
intent.
Sometimes, especially when multiple parties are acting at
the same time, it’s important to know how long tasks can
take. The Narrator always adjudicates this, and common
sense should prevail.
In the case of conflicts between characters, intents for both
participants can be very similar. In conflicts, consequences
are also a little different, but more on this later.
Example of a poor choice of intent
In a debate between Jason’s Exile and a bureaucrat, a poor
choice of intent would be persuading the bureaucrat to allow
him into the offices of the sub-major, show him to the sub-
major’s office and leave him to there for fifteen minutes. It
has too many objectives for a single conflict.
In an argument over the leadership of a hunting party
between two Exiles, a poor choice of intent would be
stealing the opponent’s vehicle, as it’s not really related to
what’s happening in the scene.
Example of a good choice of intent
In a debate between Jason’s Exile and the bureaucrat, a
good choice of intent would be persuading the bureaucrat
to let him into the building.
In an argument over the leadership of a hunting party
between two Exiles, a good choice of intent would be forcing
the opponent to back down.
If a character succeeds in achieving their intent, they get to
narrate just how they did it, and so adding a little colour to
the story. This could be one of the Players or the Narrator,
depending on who is rolling the dice.
Intents to cause damag e
Any intent to cause harm is handled by the combat mechanics
outlined later in this section. In these cases the intent may

be just to beat the opponent and cause damage, but often
inflicting distress is either incidental to the actual intent,
or just the means by which the intent is accomplished. In
either case, the magnitude of the damage is not pre-set but
is determined by the weapon or implement used.
Example of using damage
Mark is having a shoot-out with an uplifted splice hound;
the hound killed his guide, and he’s not happy. His intent is
to kill the hound, so this is a combat encounter. Only when
the dice are rolled will the extent of the damage be known
should he succeed.
Consequ ence
The Narrator then describes what happens if the task is
unsuccessful. What is the path of failure? This is called the
consequence; what will happen if the character fails?
The Narrator also has the task of setting the consequences of
failure for the Exiles and for their own non-player characters.
These are decided up front by the Narrator before any dice
are rolled. In many instances the consequences of failure
are pretty obvious, and this step can be rather quick, but this
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
will not always be the case. This is part of the responsibility
of the Narrator in the game – describing fairly what the
outcome of a situation might be. However, the Players may
contribute to the scene by suggesting to the Narrator possible
consequences for Exiles involved in actions and conflicts.
Example consequences
Rallying your comrades: consequence of failure – they
remain dispirited and fearful. Stalking a scholar in a dusty
data vault: consequence of failure – he hears your approach.
If the character fails to achieve their intent it is the Narrator
who describes what happens. Generally, Players only narrate
what happens to their Exiles when they achieve their intent.
Standard tasks
When a character is attempting to perform an action which
isn’t directly opposed by someone else, we call it a standard
task. Usually, we don’t have to worry about who goes first,
or how long it takes. Instead, we just need to think about
whether or not they succeed. Standard tasks can become
part of the greater framework of conflicts, but we’ll come
to that later.
31
 Exilium
In tasks, difficulty is assessed as being at one of five levels:
• Very Easy: Nearly everyone can do it. These checks
should only be made if a success is critical to the
scenario at hand.
• Easy: Characters will seldom have trouble with these
standard tasks, but an untrained individual may find
them challenging.
• Moderate: Characters of average ability have a
reasonable chance of failing at this level. Consistent
success often requires training in the Skill, or a high
level of natural ability.
• Difficult: Standard tasks at this level are truly
challenging. To succeed, a character needs to be well-
skilled or very lucky.
• Very Difficult: Challenges of this level fall into the
domain of masters in the Skill being used; few others
will succeed at them.
The difficulty must reflect the intent – the more unlikely the
intent is to happen, the higher the difficulty. The Narrator
should consider the character and their abilities and try to
assess how likely it is that they will achieve their intent.
Generally, most standard tasks at which characters have
a reasonable chance of success are going to be easy or
moderate. Difficult standard tasks are going to fail a lot of
the time, whereas very difficult standard tasks are very likely
to fail. The Narrator should make sure that the difficulty
level they select is a fair reflection of the task.
To ols and Difficulties
Exilium doesn’t use lots of detailed rules for pieces of
equipment, instead they can be considered as tools that
help a character perform a task. When the Narrator is
assigning difficulties, any tools the character has should also
be considered when assessing the difficulty level. Generally,
if the tool will be a significant aid to the task, the difficulty
level will be reduced by one step i.e. a difficult task would
become a moderate task.
In practice, the Narrator simply decides if the tool being
considered is useful for the task being attempted or not.
This is usually quite obvious, for example if an Exile was
trying to spot the logo on the side of a vehicle that was far
away, that might be a difficult task. But if the Exile had a pair
of binoculars, and excellent tool for the task, the Narrator
might then assign the task as being of moderate difficulty.
32
Of course in some instances the use of a tool could be
deemed to negate the need to roll dice in the first place
and the task be deemed an automatic success. For example,
trying to put a nail into a piece of wood would be a very
difficult task, unless you had a hammer, in which case the
task would be an automatic success.
Example of setting a difficulty for a task.
Jane’s Exile Ferr is trying to take out a wall-mounted camera
with her pistol. It’s dark, and there is smoke blowing from
a nearby wrecked vehicle. Pulling off the shot is going to
be tricky. Considering this, the Narrator decides that the
standard task is going to be difficult.
Balt, a huge guy with a Might of 5D and a lift Skill of 6D,
is attempting to move a fallen beam lodged in place with
rubble. The Narrator states that this task would be of
Moderate difficulty.
Reconsid e ring intents in
standard tasks
The Player involved in the standard task now has a choice:
they can accept the difficulty assigned by the Narrator, or
they can reconsider their intent if they think the standard
task is too hard or the consequences too harsh. Only when
they have accepted the difficulty that the Narrator has
assigned is their intent final. If a Player reconsiders their
intent, the Narrator or other players involved in the conflict
can reconsider theirs; this can be done several times back
and forth until everyone is happy with the decisions.
Example of changing intent in a standard task
After the Narrator told Jane how difficult it would be for
her character Ferr to shoot the camera, she changes her
intent. Now she’s just going to try and approach the door it
covers without being seen. The Narrator considers the new
situation, the darkness and smoke, and decides that the
difficulty level of hiding from the camera is only moderate.
Standard tasks, At tributes and
Skills
The Player attempting the task then looks at their Attributes
and Skills and selects which are most appropriate for the
standard task in hand.
Which Skill or Attribute makes the most sense?
First consider any of the Skills listed. If possible, pick one
that describes how the character is attempting to achieve
their intent. If there isn’t a Skill on the character Exile that
adequately describes the task, pick an Attribute instead.

Example of picking a Skill or Attribute
Gantz, Rochelle’s Exile, is attempting to infiltrate a locked
facility with the aim of robbing it. In this case, the security
Skill listed on the Exile sheet makes sense. Later, Gantz is
trying to sketch an adequate diagram of the facility for her
colleagues. In this case, the Wit Attribute would seem most
appropriate as there is no ‘art’ Skill listed on the Exile sheet.
Sometimes it will be difficult to decide which of multiple
Skills or Attributes reflects the Exile’s intent, especially if the
task isn’t covered by a listed Skill, or if more than one Skill
could be used. If this is the case, pick the one you want to
use (probably the one with the highest value) and describe
just why that quality is most appropriate. Assuming your
description makes sense, the Narrator should allow it.
Example of choosing between Skills and Attributes
Lorel, Lea’s Exile, has a persuasion Skill of 3D and a seduce
Skill of 3D+2. She’s trying to get an enforcement officer to
accept that she’s supposed to be in the armoury. She could
feasibly reason with the officer logically, but that would mean
using her weaker persuasion Skill. Instead she describes
how she tries to use her femininity to her advantage. The
Narrator agrees that this makes sense and lets Lea use her
seduce Skill.
Rolling dice
Then it’s time to roll dice. If the character is using an Attribute
with no Skill, then we’ll roll dice based on the Attribute. If
they have an appropriate Skill, we’ll use those dice. A skilled
character always has a better chance of success than a
character relying on an Attribute alone.
The number of ‘D’ associated with the Attribute or Skill is the
number of six-sided dice that are rolled. Roll them all once,
and add up the values. Keep one of the dice rolled separate
from the rest, or ideally roll one dice that is a different colour.
This is called the wild dice. If this comes up with a 6, re-roll it
after adding the values together and add the second result.
If that is a 6, re-roll once more. Keep on rolling the wild dice
until a result other than 6 is obtained. Finally, add any ‘pips’.
The final result is a single value, the higher the better.
Example of rolling the dice
Gantz is trying to infiltrate the facility, and she has the
security Skill at 3D+1, so she rolls three dice. One is a
different colour to the rest – this is the wild dice.
She obtains a 2, a 4 and a 6 on the wild dice, for a total of 12.
She picks up the wild dice and re-rolls it, obtaining a 3, and
adds this to the result for 15. Finally, she adds the +1 pip for
a total of 16.
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
Compare the result to the value below associated with the
difficulty of the standard task:
Very Easy: 5
Easy: 12
Moderate: 18
Difficult: 25
Very Difficult: 30
If the result equals or exceeds the value associated with the
difficulty of the standard task, the task has been successfully
accomplished. If the result is less than the required value, the
task has failed. If the Exile achieves their intent, their Player
gets to describe the next sequence of events, relating how
the character achieved their goal and tying in the quality and
various tags used. If the Exile fails to achieve their intent, the
Narrator describes the consequences of the failure.
Con flic ts
Sometimes Exiles are not attempting to influence their
environment; they are in direct conflict with an opponent.
Typically this might be a fight, a heated argument or an
attempt to persuade another character to take a different
point of view. The method of determining who achieves their
intent in these situations is very similar to that described for
standard tasks, with the addition of a new type of task: the
resisted task. Conflicts are usually composed of one or more
opposed or unopposed tasks. They may be resolved in a single
dice roll or may take multiple rolls, depending on the nature
of the conflict, the pacing of the scene, and the context of
the story being told. As usual, the Narrator is always the final
adjudicator of how a conflict is to be played out. The winner
gains their intent. There is no set consequence of losing a
conflict; instead the loser suffers the intent of the winner, and
may also be damaged in the process. Note that it’s not the
presence of a directly resisted task that makes a conflict – it’s
the fact that the intent of one of the participants is directly
opposed by another party. Conflicts can include resisted tasks
and standard tasks in their resolution.
Conceding du ring con flic ts
Participants may back out of a conflict at any time; they
merely let their opponent achieve their intent. Participants
in any resisted tasks that make up a conflict may concede at
any point before the dice are rolled. As soon as a character
concedes, they automatically lose the conflict and their
33
 Exilium
opponent achieves their intent. No one in a resisted task
may concede once the dice have been rolled; at that point it
is too late to back out.
Example of conceding
Jim and Tom are playing Exiles that are arguing over the best
route to take through the jungle of Steel, and Tom’s pushing
Jim to resolve the argument as a conflict. Jim could agree
and roll the dice but instead he concedes, giving Tom the
victory and agreeing with his argument.
Intent and consequ ences in
con flic ts
In a conflict both participants state their intent. The intent
can be anything actively opposed by the other participant,
such as the desire to cause harm or to gain some other
advantage beyond mere hurt. Importantly, in a conflict, the
two intents of the participants will be directly opposed and
mutually exclusive: only one participant can achieve their
intent. However, consequences are not described in the
same way as actions because, in a conflict, the main price
of failure for the loser is suffering the intent of the winner.
34
Examples of intents and consequences in conflicts
Brace is wrestling with an uplifted arena fighter. Brace’s
intent is to force off the uplift with his shimmer-stick, while
his opponent’s intent is to knock Brace over and pin him
down. For Brace, failure in the conflict means being pinned
by his opponent. For the Uplift, failure in the conflict means
being clubbed back by Brace.
Physical damage is often the result of a conflict. We’ll talk
more about this later.
Re-initiating con flic ts
Generally, a lot of conflicts that don’t involve physical
combat can be resolved by a single dice roll, as often one
participant achieving their intent ends the matter.
However, sometimes this isn’t enough, and one participant
or the other wants to push home the advantage. It is
perfectly acceptable for either participant to try to initiate
a second conflict immediately after the first with the same
opponent, with the aim of achieving a more comprehensive
victory.

Example of re-initiating a conflict
Markus is having an argument with a mercenary over the
command of a squad of soldiers in a combat zone on Steel. At
the end of the conflict Markus shouted the Merc down, and
the conflict is over – Markus is in charge. However, Markus’s
Player wants to really finish the upstart Merc, so he starts
another conflict, this time to eject the guy from the group.
In response to Markus’s attack, the Narrator expresses the
Merc’s intent to fight Markus. Markus’s Player decides this
is fair and changes his intent to beat up the Merc, and a new
conflict begins.
Inte rru pting con flic ts
If an outside party interrupts a conflict before sufficient time
has passed for it to be concluded – for example by shooting
at one participant in an argument – the conflict is cancelled
and all intents are ignored. Assume that they didn’t get a
chance to finish what they started. A conflict can only be
interrupted before dice are rolled; after the dice are on the
table, the conflict is considered too close to resolution to
stop.
Example of changing intents and
interrupting conflicts
Three Exiles, Tollus, Bette and Robb, are trying to convince
a settlement’s leader to help them find their missing friend
in the caverns of Sapphire, but the leader is reluctant to
do so; he doesn’t trust people he doesn’t know well. The
leader’s intent is to get the Exiles to leave the settlement
immediately.
After the Narrator tells Robb’s Player that it’s going to be
very hard to convince the leader to help them out, Robb’s
Player changes his intent to persuading the leader to lend
him some weapons: an easier task. The Narrator says this
will still be a difficult, resisted task, and changes the leader’s
intent to getting the Players to accept that he has nothing to
give them. Everyone agrees this makes sense.
However, before the dice are rolled, Tollus’s Player says,
“Forget this, I’m just shooting the jerk!” which interrupts the
negotiation. Bette’s Player reacts to this, saying, “No way,
I’m going to try and get control of the gun secretly so that
no one notices the disturbance and the negotiations can
continue.” This conflict – stealing the gun from Tollus before
he can step in – is the first in the narrative, and must be
resolved first. The participants – Tollus and Bette – declare
their intents: Bette gets the gun, Tollus notices her trying,
the Narrator assigns the difficulty levels, and the conflict is
resolved. If Bette failed to disarm Tollus, he’d now be in a
position to interrupt the conflict with the leader, therefore
that conflict – shooting the blabbermouth – is resolved next,
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
and the initial attempt by Robb to persuade the leader to
help them is abandoned.
Timing
In many conflicts, it’s not important who acts first. In an
argument for example, both sides will have their say before
the conflict is decided. In some conflicts, however, it is
important who acts first. In a gun fight, it’s often the first
to fire who wins the day. In play, situations where timing is
important are divided into rounds. Individuals involved in
the conflict will then act in a certain order during each round
until the conflict is resolved.
O rd e r o f ac tions in a round
A round is considered to be approximately 10 seconds for
real time, enough to find an opening and throw a punch or
let off a few rounds from your slug gun.
First, during each turn, participants in the conflict declare
their intent and actions planned for the round. Then, the
order in which each participant acts is determined – their
turn – is measured by their initiative. Initiative is determined
by each participant rolling their Agility Attribute, the
participant with the highest total acting first, and the other
participants acting in descending order of initiative. For
simplicity’s sake the order of initiative from round to round
remains the same.
During their turn in the round, participants make rolls for
the actions they declared at the start of the round.
Ac ting out o f sequ ence
There are two instances when a participant in a conflict
is allowed to act out of sequence. The first is if they are
targeted by an attack. In this case they may declare that they
are going to resist the attack using the appropriate static
resistance (see below). This counts as their action for the
turn. If they have already acted during the turn, they may
still resist the attack, but the value of their static resistance
is reduced by 3.
The second instance where acting out of turn is allowed is
when delaying actions. In this case the participant states
that they are waiting for a trigger condition to occur before
they act, such as firing a gun at anyone who comes through
the door. The trigger must be clearly stated. The participant
does not act when their turn occurs, but any one time when
the trigger condition occurs between their original turn and
their turn in the consecutive round they may perform their
stated action.
35
 Exilium
If the trigger condition is not met, or they want to do
something else, they lose their delayed action and will have
to wait until their turn in the next round to act.
Multiple Ac tions
Exiles may attempt to do more than one thing during a turn
by withholding one dice from every action they attempt
for each action beyond the first (i.e. reducing their Skill or
Attribute values by one D during that round). For instance,
if a character tries to shoot twice, he will subtract one dice
from each attempt.
Resisted tasks in con flic ts
In resisted tasks, one participant is performing a task in
an attempt to affect another. One participant is active, the
other passive. The passive participant is resisting the active
participant; if they weren’t, it would not be a conflict.
Often, this resistance takes the form of a Skill or Attribute
roll. The Narrator must determine, with the help of the
Players, which Skill or Attribute is most appropriate using
common sense.
Example of resisting in a conflict
Toby’s Exile, Merelis, is trying to persuade a banker to let
him withdraw some cash from an account for which he
doesn’t have the password. In this conflict, Merelis, the
active participant, is using his persuade Skill. The Narrator
and Players agree that the banker will use his Wit Attribute
to resist.
D ete rmining th e outcom e o f
resisted tasks
When a task is resisted, the active participant doesn’t
compare their rolled result with a difficulty level as in a
standard task. Instead, the target number required to
succeed in the task is the rolled result of the resisting Skill
or Attribute.
Example of determining the outcome of
a resisted task
Continuing the example above, Merelis has a persuade Skill
of 4D, and the banker a Wit of 2D+1. The Narrator rolls his
dice for the banker, and gets a result of 9. This is the target
number for Merelis – if Toby gets 9 or more for his roll,
Merelis will succeed at his task.
The conflict only ends when one of the participants gains his
intent through action, or his opponent concedes.
36
C o m b at
Exilium is an action orientated game, and therefore combat
is going to come up rather a lot in play. To streamline
combat, some of the difficulty numbers used in resisted
tasks that are common in fights are pre-determined. These
are still resisted tasks even though the passive participant
isn’t rolling dice, as the value of the resistance varies from
individual to individual.
Note that these static resistances assume that the target
is attempting to resist the attack, i.e. their action for their
turn is resisting the attack; if they aren’t (i.e. a target is
unaware that there is an assassin armed with a pistol behind
them), then the attack is resolved as a standard task with an
appropriate difficulty level based on range and the like, as
determined by the Narrator.
Static resistances
The three static resistances are listed below, with details of
how they are used. The method of determining these values
is described in the character creation section.
• Block: used for resisting any form of unarmed attack.
• Dodge: used for resisting ranged attacks by diving for
cover, dodging around and generally making it hard to
be hit.
• Parry: resisting melee attacks with an appropriate
parrying weapon.
If they have already acted during that round, then invoking a
static resistance is considered a special instance of multiple
actions during the round, and 3 is subtracted from the value
of the static resistance. Note that if a character invokes a
static resistance to resist an attack, they may then resist all
attacks of that type until their next turn on the following
round. For example, a character who dodges an attack is
considered to be dodging all in-coming attacks until they
next act. This does not count as using multiple actions.
At tacking a Targ et
The target number required to successfully hit the target is
based on the appropriate static resistance, as per a typical
resisted task.
• Block = (Brawling Skill dice x 3) + pips, the resistance
used when unarmed.
• Dodge = (Dodge Skill dice x 3) + pips, the resistance
used when trying to dodge a ranged attack.
• Parry = (Relevant weapon Skill dice x 3) + pips, the
resistance used when armed with a weapon.
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM

37
 Exilium
Other factors may be involved depending on the situation;
some of these are listed below.
• Melee combat: the attacking character uses either
the brawling or melee Skill, depending on weather the
attacker is armed. The block or parry resistances are
used as appropriate.
• Ranged combat: Add the range modifier to the dodge
static resistance in all cases. If the target isn’t dodging,
then the modifier for the range of the attack is added to
the difficulty of the standard task. For example, hitting a
small target with a pistol might be a moderate standard
task; doing it at long range would add 10 to the number
required for success. The Narrator should judge these
difficulties based on common sense.
• Cover: If the target is behind at least 50% cover, add
5 to the number required for success. Add 10 for 75%
cover. It’s impossible to hit a target behind 100%
cover. Darkness can also be considered as cover at the
Narrator’s discretion.
Range and cover effects on target’s Dodge
static resistance
Point Blank/ Hand-to-Hand -5
Medium +5
Long +10
50% cover +5
75% cover +10
Ammunition
In Exilium it is not important to track ammunition or power
supplies to weapons. However, if during a combat Skill test
over half the dice rounding up that a character rolls (i.e. one
dice for a Skill of 1D or 2D, two dice for a skill of 3D or 4D)
come up with values of 1, then the weapon has run out of
ammo or power and may not be used until recharged.
Note that this mean characters with higher Sills are less likely
to run out of ammunition – this is intentional, representing
the fact that unskilled characters are likely to fire more
shots per ‘attack’ and are also less likely to look after their
weapons properly!
Aiming
Up to three rounds may be spent aiming prior to making a
ranged attack. Each round grants a +1D skill bonus to the
attacker. This assumes that the target remains in sight and
isn’t actively dodging (in which case they are moving too
quickly to be aimed at)
38
G renad es
Grenades are a form of thrown weapon. The attacker
chooses a target and the Narrator assigns a difficulty based
on distance - Easy for under ten meters, Moderate for ten
to twenty meters, Difficult beyond that. If the thrower can’t
see the target, increase the difficulty by one level. If the roll
misses, roll 1D for direction, on a 1-3 the grenade deviates
beyond the target, a 4 to the left, a 5 to the right and a 6
means closer to the thrower. For distance off-target, roll 1D
per difficulty level.
Damage affects everyone is a blast radius around the
grenade, as adjudicated by the Narrator. Grenades may be
dodged assuming there is sufficient cover to dive behind -
once the thrown grenade’s location has been determined,
the Narrator can allow dodge Skill tests to dive into cover.
Automatic fire o ptions
Some weapons are capable of automatic fire, in which case
the attacker can make use of the following two options if
they wish.
Bu rst fire
Some weapons are capable of firing multiple shots in quick
succession, such as a burst of fire from an automatic slug
projector or pistol. This doesn’t count as multiple actions,
and adds +2D to the damage to the weapon. However, aiming
is always more difficult in such situations and the dodge
static resistance of the target (and therefore the difficulty
of the test) is increased by +5. Also, if any dice rolled in the
attack (not half as usual) come up with a 1, then the weapon
runs out of ammunition or charge.
Su ppressing fire
With automatic weapons, it is possible to attempt
suppressing fire, where the aim is not to injure the target,
but to get fix them in position. A weapon fired in suppression
mode has the dodge static resistance of the target (and
therefore the difficulty of the test) decreased by 5, and it is
possible to target three characters in a single attack, as long
as they are separated by no more than a meter. However, the
wound value of the attack (i.e. the result of the damage roll
for the weapon minus the targets Soak, see below) is halved
(round down).
Damage is rolled once and applied to each target individually.
Additionally, if any dice rolled in the attack (not half as usual)
come up with a 1, then the weapon runs out of ammunition
or charge.

Oth e r common ac tions in com bat
The following actions often come up in combat. Remember
that a round is ten seconds, so participants may attempt
anything that could reasonably be performed in that time.
Movem ent
Participants in conflicts may move up to 5 meters as a free
action, or move thirty feet at the cost of one action. If a
character wishes to run faster, they may attempt an athletic
Skill standard task with a difficulty based on the environment
– if they are successful, they may add half the total rolled
to their movement. If the only action taken in a round is
running, the total move is doubled.
Full Dodge: If a passive participant does nothing except
dodge until their next turn, they will add 10 to their dodge
static resistance, and apply range and cover as usual. This
result is useful against any number of attacks.
Damag e
When a target has been hit, the attacker rolls damage
dice and sums them based on the weapon they are using,
following the same procedure as with Attribute and Skill
dice. The target’s soak value is then subtracted from the
damage to give wound value.
• Damage = sum of damage roll for the weapon, +2D if
fired on automatic
• Soak = (Might Attribute dice x 3) + pips + armour value
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
The damage dice and armour values of common weapons
and armour are given in Welcome to the Flame Worlds, in
the technology section.
Remember that the damage value of a suppressing fire attack
is halved (round down) before determining the wound level.
The wound value is then used to determine the wound level
that results.
wound value
0 or less: Unharmed
1 – 3: Stunned
4 – 8: Wounded
4 – 8: Severely Wounded**
9 – 12: Incapacitated
13 – 15: Mortally Wounded
16+: Dead
Any additional damage less than or equal to the
character’s current level moves him up by one level,
i.e. a stunned character who receives a second wound
result of ‘Stunned’ becomes Wounded.
**A character is Severely Wounded if the wound
value is between 4 and 8 and they are already at the
Wounded level.
39
 Exilium

Wound Level E ffec ts

Wound levels affect the actions of Exiles during play, as scale modifier
described below.
Character, Animals None
• Stunned: -1D for all remaining actions this round and
Air Cycle, Car, Puppet, +2D /+6 to dodge and
next round.
Wagon soak
• Wounded: -1D to all actions until healed. War Puppet, Galley, +4D/+12 to dodge and
Tank soak
• Severely Wounded: -2D on all actions until healed. Fighter, Lt. Transport, +6D/+18 to dodge and
Heavy Mech soak
• Incapacitated: The character is out of the fight and in a
Capital Ship, Space +12D/+36 to dodge and
bad way. As a free action before losing consciousness,
Station soak
they may try to stay up by succeeding at a moderate
stamina standard task. If successful, they may continue Mega Space Station, +24D/+72 to dodge and
to act, but with a -3D penalty. If they fail, they are Planets soak
knocked out for 10D minutes.

• Mortally Wounded: The force of the attack renders

the character unconscious and near death, with little
chance of recovering without assistance. The character
must roll their Might Attribute dice each round; the
character finally dies if the roll is less than the number
of minutes they’ve been at this level.
• Dead: The character has perished.
Dang ers o f
the Flame Wo rlds
As well as combat and violence, there are other sources
of injury in the Flame System. Some of the more common
dangers that might be faced are described below.

Unarm ed and M ele e Com bat
Damag e
The base amount of damage dealt in unarmed and melee
combat is calculated based upon the attacking character’s
lift Skill under the Might Attribute. Base damage is equal to
one half the number of dice in the lift Skill, ignoring pips and
rounding down the result.
Asphy xiation
Assuming a character has a requirement to breathe, they
may ‘hold their breath’ for a number of turns equal to the ‘D’
number of their Might Attribute multiplied by 2. After this
time, they will begin to asphyxiate. Every turn thereafter,
the character will suffer damage equal to the number of
turns they have been asphyxiating (1D for the first round, 2D
for the second etc.).

For example, a character with a lift Skill of 3D+2 would deal

1D damage in unarmed combat damage (3D after ignoring
pips, halved to 1.5D, then rounded down to one). Melee
weapons will add to this base damage value.
Scaling
Not all objects are on the same scale. Humans and horses
may be close enough to be equals, but humans and
tanks aren’t. When dealing damage to a smaller scaled
target or resisting damage inflicted by it, the larger adds
the difference in ‘Modifiers’ to their dice rolls or static
resistances.
Smaller scaled targets attempting to dodge attacks from, or
actually attempting to attack, a larger scaled opponent will
add the difference to their dodge and attack rolls.
Falling
A falling character suffers damage equal to the number of
meters fallen divided by two, rounding up (1D for up to two
meters, 2D for two to four meters etc.). This damage is then
halved in low gravity, doubled in high gravity and ignored
in zero gravity and dense fluid atmospheres. The effects of
high-pressure environments can be modelled in the same
manner, with meters of descent equating to meters fallen
for the purposes of the calculation.
N at i v e E n v i r o n m e n t s
The effects listed below describe the effect of gravity wells
and unusual atmospheres on a typical Human form (noting
of course that humans are rarely found in the majority of

40

the environments in the Flame System). Of course, the
inhabitants of the Flame system have evolved to operate
in the environment in which they exist, and even those
forms that are found in several environments such as
Uplifts may show local adaptation. As a rule of thumb the
rules below should not be applied to ‘native’ beings. For
example, a creature adapted to survive in high gravity does
not suffer the effects of that environment as listed below.
However, beings in ‘non-native’ environments will feel the
full affect. As always, the Narrator is the adjudicator as to
what environment is considered native to a particular being
and what affects if any of those listed below should apply.
Examples of adaptations that negate the undesired effects
of exotic environments are given below.
G r av i t y W el l s
The gravity of an environment can seriously affect how
human and Uplift Exiles can act in many ways. The most
obvious effect is on movement and rules for moving under
different gravity conditions are given below. However, the
Guide should consider other factors as well when fleshing
out environments, for example on low gravity worlds it
would be entirely feasible for creatures to be knocked off
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
the surface as a result of an explosion during combat. These
considerations can help to add depth to the environment
and are worth considering.
Standard G ravit y
In Exilium, under standard gravity a Human may move its
15 feet as a free action or up to 30 feet as a normal action
during a round as previously described.
Ze ro G ravit y
Humans and Uplifts have all been modified genetically to
reduce the degree of sickness felt in zero gravity, but it
has not been eradicated. For Organic characters that do
not possess the zero-gee skill, introduction to zero gravity
requires a Might skill test of Moderate difficulty. If the Test
is passed the character may act normally, but if the Test is
failed the character is nauseous and the difficulty level of
all Attribute and Skill tests are increased by one step (e.g.
from moderate to difficult) until they leave the zero gravity
environment.
Moving in zero gravity unassisted is difficult without
training. When they are not under stressful situations
(for example combat), characters can float as normal in
41
 Exilium
zero gravity. In stressful situations, for any character to
successfully move under zero gravity requires a zero-gee
skill test with a Moderate difficulty value. Reduction of
the difficulty of this test may be applied for characters
launching from a good anchor point. Should a character fail
the test they lose control and are effectively floating freely
for the rest of the turn.
Regaining control is possible once the character reaches a
solid surface, but only if they succeed in an Easy zero-gee
skill test, otherwise they simply rebound away. A character
who is floating out of control finds the difficulty level of all
Attribute and Skill tests increased by one step (e.g. from
moderate to difficult) until then meet a solid surface and can
steady themselves as above (the difficulty increase does not
apply to the test to regain control).
Some Uplifts and Puppets have been specifically adapted
to perform in zero gravity, for instance Puppets maybe
equipped with ionic thrust jets to aid movement and of
course have no need to respire – these beings do not suffer
the movement and nausea effects described above.
Low G ravit y
Under low gravity, Human would be able to move twice
the usual distance. However, to move safely requires an
Athletics skill test of difficulty value 10. Failure indicates
that the character has lost control while moving and the
difficulty level of all Agility-based Attribute and Skill tests
are increased by one step (e.g. from moderate to difficult)
until they stop moving entirely for a single turn.
Beings adapted to low gravity might be Puppets with
complex motor functions or Uplifts with highly developed
balance and muscle coordination.
Hig h G ravit y
Under high gravity, human characters would move half
(rounded up) the usual distance, and a Might test of difficulty
value 10 is required to perform physically demanding
activities. Failure indicates that the character has become
fatigued, and the difficulty level of all Might-based Attribute
and Skill tests are increased by one step (e.g. from moderate
to difficult) until they rest. The Narrator can adjudicate
what actions are considered physically demanding, but this
typically includes running, climbing and melee combat.
Uplifts with reinforced skeletal structures and bulky muscle
mass would not suffer the ill effects of high gravity. Puppets
are generally constructed from advanced composite
materials that are very resistant to strong gravity.
42
F l u i d At m o s p h e r e s
Fluid atmospheres can have a strong effect on the actions
performed by human and Uplift Exiles as described below.
Movement can become considerably restricted for those
unused to the environment. Respiration can become
impossible dependent on the atmosphere and a character’s
physical nature, but of course, Puppets have no need to
respire and are unaffected in this manner. In all instances
the Narrator should strive to ensure that common sense
prevails when describing the effects of these environments.
Note that liquid atmospheres are nearly always considered
to be thick.
No Fluid Atmosph e re
When unsupported in vacuum, humans may survive
unharmed for a number of turns equal to the ‘D’ value of
their Might Attribute (i.e. a Might Attribute of 2D+2 has a
‘D’ value of 2) assuming they exhale. After this time they
begin to asphyxiate. The boiling of bodily fluids, freezing
of extremities etc. also occurs, but not until a significant
amount of time has passed. Of course Puppets beings and
creatures supported by hostile environment suits do not
suffer these effects. However, in the Flame System there are
no organic beings that can survive long-term exposure to
hard vacuum.
Thin Fluid Atmosph e re
Assuming that the atmosphere supports the mode of
breathing required by a character, their Might Attribute ‘D’
value (i.e. a Might Attribute of 3D+1 has a ‘D’ value of 3) is
halved (round up) under these conditions unless breathing
is artificially aided.
Organic beings adapted to these conditions would be able
to breath the atmosphere, and would have the enlarged
breathing apparatus and lung capacity required to support
their activities and thus not suffer these effects.
Standard Fluid Atmosph e re
Assuming that the atmosphere supports the mode of
breathing required by a character, a standard atmosphere
has no affect.
Thick Fluid Atmosph e re
Assuming that the atmosphere supports the mode of
breathing required by a character, a thick atmosphere has
no effect on their breathing. However, due to the dense
nature of the fluid, the ‘D’ value of the Agility Attribute (i.e.
 CORE RULES OF EXILIUM

a Agility Attribute of 1D+2 has a ‘D’ value of 1) is halved
(round up) under these conditions. These environments
often negate falling damage. However, pressure effects can
be severe to skeletal-supported organic beings without
appropriate survival gear. The effects of increased pressure
can be assumed to follow the same rules as for falling given
previously, with meters descended equivalent to meters
fallen for the purposes of determining damage.
Organic beings adapted to survive in thick fluid atmospheres
have powerful forms with increased muscle mass. Puppets
have strong reinforced skeletal frames and powerful motor
functions. Both organic creatures and Puppets are adapted
to survive in a narrow band of external pressure, so it is
possible that they would still suffer the effects of descending
to high-pressure atmospheres as describe above. The
Narrator makes the final decision on what environment is
considered native for the being in question.
H ealing
Assisted Healing: Exiles with the medicine Skill can attempt
to help others heal more quickly. A medicine standard task
may be attempted once per day for each patient treated. On
a successful roll, the patient heals one wound level (see the
table below.)
M echanics o f Bio - fusing
A Bio-fusing tank is a device that aids in assisted healing. For
details on the Bio-fuser, see Welcome to the Flame Worlds
section. Mechanically, when used in such a way, the tank
adds +3D to the medicine Skill of the technician operating it.
Without a skilled operator, a Bio-fusion tank itself acts like
a medic with a Skill of 5D in medicine. The process is slow,
however; assisted healing Tasks can be attempted once per
week instead of once per day. Bio-fusion tanks can heal
major trauma – such as limb loss, ninety percent burns –
that would normally require long term hospital treatment.
Biofusing can heal any injury except death; remember the
character receiving treatment must be alive when they
enter the tank.

All organic life forms may heal any physical damage they
receive whereas Puppets require repairs.
Natural Healing: If a wounded character rests he may
perform a Might standard task and if successful heals a
wound level. The frequency of the check depends on the
severity of the character’s wounds, as shown below.
M echanics o f Bio -welding
Bio-welding is healing technology that aids in natural
recovery; see Welcome to the Flame Worlds section for more
details. Mechanically, the Bio-welder removes the effects
of blood loss and shock. In game terms, the Bio-welder
stabilizes wounds and stops injuries from progressing to the
next worse Wound Level due to blood loss or infection. After
treatment from a Bio-welder, the recipient receives a bonus
of +1D to Might standard tests, and heals as per the ‘natural
healing’ rules.
Ve hicles
All vehicles from ground cars to star ships are defined by
a common set of statistics, much like Exiles. The following
rules are used to resolve actions related to vehicles, including
combat and chases. These rules are fairly light and narrative,
but they should be enough for a Narrator to handle using
vehicles in their games.
Statistics fo r ve hicles
The following statistics can be used to describe any vehicle
in play.
• Skill: Which Skill is used to drive or pilot the vehicle.
• Scale: The size of the vehicle, used as a bonus when
comparing objects of different sizes.

healing

Wound Level Frequency of Natural healing Might Difficulty Assisted Healing Difficulty
Stunned 1 minute automatic Easy
Wounded 3 days 6 Moderate
Severely Wounded 3 days 6 Moderate
Incapacitated 2 weeks 8 Difficult
Mortally Wounded 5 weeks 9 Very Difficult

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 Exilium
• Body: Used as an Attribute to resist damage. Body is a
static resistance, similar to soak for Exiles.
• Manoeuvrability (Man): How easy the vehicle is to
handle. Manoeuvrability gives a bonus on drive and
pilot Skill rolls.
• Move: How fast the vehicle can travel.
• Crew: The number needed to successfully operate the
vehicle.
• Passengers (Psg): How many passengers beyond the
crew that the vehicle can carry.
• Weapons: Any armaments mounted on the vehicle.
Ve hicle Movem ent
Move dice represent the relative speed between vehicles of
similar types. Vehicles are divided into four broad categories
including: Primitive Craft/Muscle Powered, Motorized
Ground and Water Craft, Aircraft, and Spacecraft. If vehicles
of different categories must compare speed – such as a
fighter chasing a tank – the faster vehicle is granted bonus
move dice based on the difference in speed factors in the
following chart:
speed factor modifier
Primitive Craft / Muscle Powered 0D
Motorized Ground / Water Craft 2D
Aircraft 5D
Spacecraft 10D
Ve hicle com bat
Some vehicles have weapons; unless specified in their
descriptions, they are considered to be of the same scale
as the vehicle. Attacks are resolved in the same manner as
character versus character combat with the only difference
being that the character uses their drive/pilot Skill in place
of dodge to avoid being hit.
Weapon Rang es in Space
Space is big and empty. Guns shoot great distances and ships
are extremely fast. The ranges given are abstract units.
44
Damag e to ve hicles
Scale is another factor that must be borne in mind, as most
vehicles are considerably larger than humans.
Once damage is determined for the attack, the body is
subtracted to determine the equivalent of a wound level,
using the chart below.
damage rolled effect
Damage Roll ≥ Body Roll Temporary Effect
(one round)
Damage Roll ≥ 2 x Body Roll Permanent Effect
(repair required)
Damage Roll ≥ 3 x Body Roll Permanent Effect
(part destroyed)
Also, once the severity of the damage is determined, the
Narrator may roll randomly using the following chart, or
common sense, to determine which part is damaged.
roll 1d effect
1 Lose 1D from Manoeuvrability
2–3 Random System Damaged
4–6 Structural Damage
Effects of Damage
The flowing damage effects show what can go wrong when
vehicles find themselves under fire.
Manoeuvrability: Each time this is affected, the vehicle
loses 1D from its manoeuvrability value. This can become
negative, resulting in a penalty to the driver’s Skill roll.
System Damaged: Randomly select a vehicle’s system
and it either becomes broken or loses 1D from its rating
(if applicable). Examples include: communications/radio,
sensors, shielding, sail, rigging, armour, etc.
Structural Damage: The vehicle receives one wound level.
Treat these like character wound levels. Mortally Wounded
vehicles stop running and Dead vehicles are considered
destroyed.

Multiple Weapons on Ve hicles
When vehicles have more than one weapon of a single type,
they can be fired as a single salvo. This requires a successful
command Skill standard task with the difficulty based on the
number of guns being combined. Each doubling of the number
of weapons combined increases the damage by one pip.
Chases
When attempting to overtake or outrun an opponent, firstly,
the Narrator determines what range the two vehicles are at:
short, medium or long. During each turn, each vehicle makes
a drive/pilot check, with the vehicle’s move dice granting a
bonus.
The higher roll either closes or increases the range as
desired. If reduced below short range, the two vehicles
catch up with each other; if increased beyond long range,
the vehicle escapes its pursuer.
Ramming
When vehicles are at short range, a pursuer may try to ram.
To successfully ram, the pilot needs to roll higher than the
target’s pilot Skill check. If successful, both vehicles suffer
damage equal to the body of the attacking vehicle plus the
difference in the move dice Attribute of the two vehicles.
Re pairing Ve hicles
Exiles may repair damage to their vehicles using the repair
Skill. The difficulty and cost is determined as shown in the
table at the bottom of the page. The cost is based on the
price of a new vehicle, as set out by the Narrator.
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
This assumes that the character attempting the repair has
access to suitable tools and parts. Without these, the repair
will be much more difficult and time consuming and, at the
Narrator’s discretion, may not even be possible.
repairing vehicles
Dice lost due
to damage Difficulty Time Needed
1D Easy 1 hour
2D Moderate 4 hours
3D+ Difficult 1 day
Hacks
Hacks are augmentation of human DNA with that of alien
species, usually to boost the abilities of the human. For a
description of Hacks see Welcome to the Flame Worlds.
M echanics o f Hacks
In the mechanics of play, Hacks give either boosts to the
Attributes of their host and therefore to all the Skills that
are related to that Attribute, or they grant the user specific
Perks not normally associated with their species.
Attribute Hacks that grant boosts to Attributes come in
levels 1, 2 and 3. These Hack levels give boosts of +1 pip,
+2 pips or +1D respectively to a specific Attribute over and
above the individual’s base Attribute value.
Remember, the progression of Attribute and Skills outlined
in the core rules, and that adding pips to an Attribute that
already has pips assigned can result in a change in the
number of D.
For example, a boost of +2 to an Attribute of 2D+2 would
result in a final value of 3D+1. Attribute Hacks work
differently for each Attribute, as described below.
Might – Boosts the physical strength and robustness of an
individual. Physically, this Hack is very noticeable, as extra
muscle mass and reinforced bones are not easy to conceal.
People sporting this Hack are often referred to as ‘apes’.
• Level 1: Increased muscle mass, improved blood
circulation to increase oxygenation.
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 Exilium
• Level 2: As above plus lining of bones to increase
strength, additional muscle mass and improved
strength in ligaments and tendons
• Level 3: As above plus increased lung capacity,
increased heart rate and even larger muscle mass
Agility – Boosts the speed and dexterity of an individual. At
higher levels, this Hack can be physically noticeable, as the
recipient takes on an unnatural grace and poise that often
seems out of proportion to their frame.
• Level 1: Improvements to the synaptic pathways to
speed signal transmission.
• Level 2: As above plus improvements to balance
control.
• Level 3: As above plus lightening of bone structure,
improved fine motor control and adrenal enlargement
Charm – Boosts the natural charm and social awareness of
an individual. Overtly sexualized and charismatic versions of
this Hack are easily noticed, but equally hard to ignore.
• Level 1: Pheromone production boosted.
• Level 2: As above plus greater control of facial features
to hide emotions.
• Level 3: As above plus improved control of posture and
other physical indicators of mood.
Wit – Boosts the intellect and mental capacity of an
individual. This is the least physically obvious of all the
Hacks, but the effects on the emotional characteristics of
the recipient are blatantly obvious.
• Level 1: Increased synaptic connectivity and improved
brain organizational structure.
• Level 2: As above plus improved logical capabilities and
emotional detachment.
• Level 3: As above plus greater emotional detachment
and a boost to pure reasoning and mental abstraction
capabilities
Pe rk Hacks
Some Hacks are specifically designed to grant Perks to their
user. Typically, these Hacks are created by using Glitter nano-
machines to insert components of human or alien DNA into
the cells of recipients. Any Perk allowed by the Narrator may
be introduced through a Hack, even those that would not
normally be available to the species of the recipient, such
as a human gaining gills or the ability to fly. The level of the
Hack is equal to the level of the Perk under the normal rules
for Perks. For Exiles, the difference between normal Perks
and Hacked Perks is how the Perk is paid for; Hacked Perks
46
don’t cost creation points but instead affect the Dislocation
Scale, as explained in Creating Exiles. Players are encouraged
to create their own Hacked Perks with the consent of the
Narrator if they wish to employ them.
Some examples of Hacked Perks are given below; this is just
a small selection of the many Hacks that are seen on the
Flame Worlds.
Armour (level 2) – This Hack toughens the skin of the
recipient, creating robust, natural armour that appears to
be composed of sub-dermal plates. This Hacked armour
grants the bearer a single armour point in all locations. It
isn’t subtle though!
Night vision (level 2) – This Hack grants the recipient
excellent low-light vision, similar to that when using a low
intensity rifle scope. In game terms, as long as there is some
small source of illumination, the Exile can see normally.
During daytime, special nictating membranes cover the eyes
to reduce light sensitivity. The drawback of this Hack is that
sudden bursts of light can blind the recipient.
Iron constitution (level 1) – The recipient of this Hack gains
an enormously strengthened stomach and digestive tract.
The result is that the Exile can eat pretty much anything
without becoming ill, and can gain nourishment from the
most seemingly inedible food. A drawback is that the Exile
needs more fluid than normal, consuming one and a half
times the average daily amount for his species.
Intensified hearing (level 1) – This Hack alters the hearing
capabilities of the recipient, increasing aural range and
sensitivity. As a result, the recipient can hear even the
faintest whisper, and can detect sounds outside of the
normal limits for their species. The drawback is that they’ll
need some kind of ear protection when in environments
that most would consider only moderately noisy.
Camouflage skin (level 1) – The recipient of this Hack has
targeted pigmentation in their skin which is not normally
present in their species. The result can be anything from
a complete change of skin colour to the presence of
camouflage stripes and blotches that allow the recipient
to blend into a certain environment, granting +1D to Skill
tests that involve staying hidden (for example using Security
or Survival Skills). It does look extremely strange in other
environments, however.
Hardened bones (level 2) – The recipient of this Hack has
unnaturally hardened bones which are able to withstand
a great deal of damage without breaking. As a result, the
recipient may block and make melee attacks unarmed, and

gains +1D to the damage of unarmed attacks. They have to
be careful, however; the flesh on the bone is the same as
normal which makes it susceptible to damage while blocking
weapons, and the possibility of driving the bone through
skin when attacking is very real.
Gills (level 3) – This Hack spliced DNA from the seas of
Sapphire into that of the recipient, causing gills to form at
the base of the neck. This allows the recipient to breathe
underwater assuming the water is oxygenated and non-
toxic; this includes the upper levels of the seas of Sapphire
and the flooded areas of the cities. While doing so, the
lungs deflate giving some protection from pressure, but the
effects are only good to a depth of around 100m.
Flight (level 3) – This Hack results in the recipient growing
a thin but very tough membrane between the arms and the
sides of the body, which may be tightened unconsciously
to create gliding wings. When using this Hack, the recipient
never suffers damage from a fall as long as they are in
control of their actions, and may glide for long distances in
low gravity. The wings are very obvious, however.
Hack limitations
Hacks are altering the genetic and biological make-up of
their host, and so are potentially damaging. Hacks can also
sometimes interfere with one another, causing numerous
serious problems. In game terms, no human or Uplift can
safely have more Hacks than the value before the ‘D’ of their
unaltered (i.e. pre-Hack) Might Attribute divided by 2, and
then rounded down. For example, a human with a Might of
between 2D and 2D+2 can safely have a single Hack. An Uplift
with a Might of 6D could have three Hacks. Exceeding this
safe limit results in one or more of the Hacks malfunctioning
and the possibility of medical complications, as decided by
the Narrator.
Loci
Loci are augmentations that fuse the mind of a human or
Uplift with a computer. Loci grant a range of benefits, as
described in Welcome to the Flame Worlds.
M echanics o f Loci
The sharing, database querying and location tools of Loci
do not require specific mechanics in play, as it only requires
the Narrator and Exiles to know the existence of these
possibilities in order to make use of them. The main powers
of Loci do require some mechanical explanation. In game
terms, whereas Hacks enhance Attributes and therefore
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
all the Skills related to that Attribute, Loci boost individual
Skills. Each Locus works with a single Skill and comes in one
of three levels – 1, 2 or 3 – which respectively give a +1, +2 or
+1D bonus to the Skill over and above the individual’s base
Skill value. Remember the progression of Skills outlined in
the core rules, and that adding pips to a Skill that already
has pips assigned can result in a change in the number of D;
for example, a boost of +2 to a Skill of 2D+2 would result in
a final value of 3D+1. Loci work differently for each Skill, as
described below.
Athletics – This Locus informs on technique, provides better
processing of balance and reflex feedback, and actively
manages physical sensations to get the best from an athlete.
Bargain – Including algorithms that allow the wearer to
‘read’ another, with a large database for assessing the value
of a host of useful items, this Locus is a merchant’s most
valuable tool.
Brawling – This Locus increases the special awareness of
the wearer and improves their hand-eye coordination and
balance, as well as their knowledge of fighting styles.
Bureaucracy – A mainly knowledge- based Locus, this device
carries a wealth of information on the protocol and processes
of the various Flame World societies; it also actively roots
out loopholes from data viewed by the wearer.
Command – This Locus contains bio-algorithms to modulate
the wearer’s demeanour and voice so that commands
become difficult to ignore.
Diplomacy – With a large knowledge-base in the protocols,
needs and desires of various Flame World factions, this Locus
can give a serious boost to the performance of a diplomat.
Dodge – Focused purely on ballistics knowledge, reflexes
and balance, and with in-built damage limitation algorithms,
this is a very useful Locus for military personnel.
Drive – This Locus contains a wealth of information on
operating ground vehicles, including how to get the best
performance out of different models and parameters on just
how far a vehicle can be pushed without danger. Requires a
Loci-linked vehicle to get the best results, otherwise reduce
boost by one pip.
Heavy weapons – A visual assessment of trajectory, overlaid
inner-eye targeting reticules, and a wealth of knowledge on
the performance of different heavy weapons complete the
contents of this Locus. Requires a Loci-linked heavy weapon
to get the best results, otherwise reduce boost by one pip.
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 Exilium
History – A purely knowledge based Locus; this device
carries a great deal of historical data on the societies of the
various Flame Worlds.
Language – This Locus contains knowledge of a specific
dialect of Speak, and includes bio-algorithms to allow the
wearer to speak the dialect as well as read it.
Lift – Improvements to the technique and pain resistance of
the wearer aid in feats of lifting. Better versions of this Locus
also have active heart and cardiovascular management.
Medicine – Packed with medical information, diagnostic
algorithms and detailed knowledge of drugs and their
effects, a medical Locus is a must for the best medical staff.
Melee – This Locus increases the special awareness of
the wearer and improves their hand-eye coordination,
balance, and their knowledge of fighting styles with a host
48
of weapons. Requires a Loci-linked weapon to get the best
results, otherwise reduce boost by one pip.
Navigation – This Locus contains a large amount of
information regarding different ways to navigate successfully
through various environments, and includes a memory
augmentation to allow the wearer to memorize routes.
Persuasion – This Locus focuses on reading the emotions and
needs of a target, as well as understanding their motivations
through facial reading algorithms, thus making persuasion
an easier task.
Pickpockets – This Locus focuses on slowing down the heart
rate and carefully managing the stress of the wearer when
attempting sleight of hand operations. A useful Locus in all
sorts of situations dependent on fine manipulation, not just
pickpocketing!
Pilot – This Locus contains a wealth of information on
operating aircraft and spaceships – including how to get the
best performance out of different models – and parameters
on just how far a vehicle can be pushed without danger. Also
includes a calculation of gravity effects. Requires a Locus-
linked vehicle to get the best results, otherwise reduce
boost by one pip.
Pistol – Overlaid inner-eye targeting cross-hairs, a wealth
of knowledge on the performance of different pistols, and
increased targeting reflexes complete the contents of this
Locus. Requires a Locus-linked pistol to get the best results,
otherwise reduce boost by one pip.
Repair – This Locus is mainly a diagnostic and knowledge
based tool, packed with information of vehicles, equipment
and tools from across the Flame Worlds.
Rifle – The Locus gives overlaid inner-eye targeting cross-
hairs, an in-depth knowledge on the performance of myriad
rifles, and forced relaxation for long range aiming. Requires
a Locus-linked rifle to get the best results, otherwise reduce
boost by one pip.
Security – A must for Smoke operatives, this Locus contains
detailed information on common security systems, including
information on disabling or fooling them.
Seduce – Closely linked to the persuasion Locus but with a
heavy sexual overtone, this Locus seriously increases the
allure of the wearer to the opposite sex.
Stamina – This Locus focuses on pain management,
has active heart and cardiovascular management, gives

information about workout styles, and provides the wearer
with an inner- eye display of key performance parameters
such as heart rate.
Stealth – Boosting the ability of the wearer to stay hidden,
move without sound and strike silently, and including active
management of heart rate, stress levels and focus, this Locus
is popular among Smoke agents.
Streetwise – A knowledge-based Locus that focuses on the
activities, customs and motivations of several of the biggest
crime syndicates, this Locus is popular with law enforcement
officers and criminals.
Survival – A knowledge-based Locus packed with
information required to survive in some of the most extreme
environments found in the Flame System.
Swimming – Information on style techniques, breathing
routines, the ability of holding your breath without panicking,
and active heart and cardiovascular management, form the
suite of this Locus’s abilities.
Tech – This Locus contains a great deal of information on the
workings of various pieces of Ultratech and Salvaged tech
that might be encountered on the Flame Worlds.
Zero-G – This Locus has a careful balance of increased
control of movement in zero-G through active control of
muscle motion and a damping of the inner- ear feedback to
reduce the sickness often felt in low gravity environments.
Loci, Pu ppets and Machin es
All Puppets (including Simulcra) and most complex machines
of a reasonable size have an inbuilt ‘sub-Locus’. This limited
device allows the device to perform all of the tasks common
to all Loci (such as Thread linkages, location awareness etc.),
but not the Skill-enhancing properties that human and Uplift
Loci have.
Th reads
Loci have another ability – they may be linked together to
allow bearers to communicate and share information with
others or with a central computer service. This is called
Threading, and the Loci are known as being loci-linked. For
details, see Welcome to the Flame Worlds.
Bu rn Loci
The act of attacking or subverting another person’s Locus
through a Thread link is called Burning. It requires a special
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
augmentation designed for the purpose known as a Burn
Locus. These devices are carried by specialized military
units, covert operatives, criminals and police forces, and are
highly illegal among civilians on most of the Flame Worlds.
Burn Loci can only be used to attack other Loci that are
connected to the central infrastructure by Threads; isolated
Loci cannot be targeted. Burn Loci have a special attack Skill
– called Burning – that is used to attack other Loci. This is
a new skill based on the Wit Attribute of the wearer, with
Burn Loci adding pips or dice to the Burning Skill level in the
manner described above for levels 1, 2 and 3.
Only people equipped with Burn Loci have this attack Skill;
those with normal Loci do not have this ability, and Burn
Loci have no other function (beyond the usual abilities of
all Loci).
Burn Skill = Wit Attribute + 1 pip (level 1); 2 pips (level 2); or
+1D (level 3)
Th read Bu rning
To attack a Locus via a Thread, an Exile equipped with a
Burn Locus makes an attack roll using their Burning Skill. The
target number of the attack is equal to the target Locus’s
Burn static defence value, as calculated below:
Burn static defence = (Wit Skill dice x 3) + pips
The attack is resolved in the normal way. The attack is
instantaneous, working at the speed of thought. If the
attack is unsuccessful, then there are no ill effects on the
target, but they will know they have been subjected to
a Burn attack. In this case the target Locus has effectively
‘shut out’ the attack, and so cannot be targeted again
until the attacking algorithms in the Burn Locus have been
redesigned, a task that takes around ten minutes. Should
an attack be successful, the Burn can damage the target
Locus by interacting with it without permission. Damage is
resolved in the normal way, with the damage value of the
attack equal to the Wit Attribute of the attacker, and the
Burn Soak of the defender equal to the Wit Attribute of the
target Exile.
• Burn damage = Wit Attribute of attacker
• Burn Soak = Wit Attribute of the defender.
To determine the Wound Value of the attack, the target’s
Burn Soak is subtracted from the attacker’s final rolled Burn
Damage as normal, and the result compared to the following
table of Wound Levels:
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 Exilium
burn wound
Value 0 or less: Unharmed
1 – 3: Snap shot
4 – 8: Connection
4 – 8: Insertion
9 – 12: Dominance
13 – 15: Burned
16+: Destroyed
Any additional damage less than or equal to the Exile’s current
level moves him up by one level. For example, a Locus subject
to a ‘Snap shot’ Exile who receives a second wound as a
result of ‘Snap shot’ establishes a Connection to the attacker.
A Locus becomes subject to Insertion if the wound value is
between 4 and 8 and they are already at the Connected level.
Wound Level E ffec ts
Wound levels affect the abilities of the targeted Locus as
described below.
Snap shot: The attacker gains a quick snap shot of the surface
thoughts and goals of the person wearing the target Locus,
as well as an indication of the purpose of the target Locus
and its level. The target knows they have been Burned, but
not to what extent.
Connection: As for Snap shot, except that the attacker
remains connected to the target Loci for the number of
minutes equal to the attacker’s Wit Attribute dice, and may
view sensory information from the target as if they were
willing participants. The target knows that they have been
Burned, but not to what extent.
Insertion: As for Connection, except that the attacker may
insert a small amount of information into the target’s Locus,
such as a few moments of sensory information, a document
etc. The target is unaware that they have been Burned, and
if the insertion is subtle enough they may never realize they
have been subjected to an attack.
Dominance: As for Insertion, except that the attacker may
edit stored information and insert whatever information
they wish. The attacker can keep the target from knowing
about the attack, but any major changes to the target Locus
will be immediately noticeable.
Burned: As for Dominance, except that the attacker may
shut down the target Locus for as long as the connection
remains intact.
50
Destroyed: As for Burned, except that the attacker may
permanently destroy the function of the Locus, including
wiping all information stored within.
Loci limitations
Loci are limited in two ways. Firstly, they take up space on
the temples, and secondly, fusing a processor to the brain
is a difficult process. In addition to this, too much external
processing power can lead to mental instability. In game
terms, no human or Uplift can safely have more Loci than
the value before the ‘D’ of their unaltered (i.e. pre-Hack) Wit
Attribute divided by 2 and rounded down.
For example, a human with a Wit of between 2D and 2D+2
can safely have a single Locus. An Uplift with a Wit of 4D
could have two Loci. Exceeding this safe limit results in one
or more of the Loci malfunctioning and the possibility of
mental instability, as decided by the Narrator.
Exiles and th e gam e
Exiles have a few special rules that only apply to them. These
include the ability to improve their abilities as the game
progresses – after all, they are the heroes of the story – and
the ability to welcome guests, that is to open themselves to
other Numina who can help them achieve their aims. But
this comes at a price.
Rewards
During play Exiles and their players are rewarded for the
contribution to the game in three ways – gaining experience,
learning more of their past and of Elysium, and gaining the
pills that halt dislocation. Each of these rewards is discussed
in detail below.
Reward on e - Expe rience
At the end of each session the Narrator awards each Exile
a number of character points (CPs). The number of points
given per session typically varies from 3 to 7 depending on
drama, danger, success, and fun! The more the character
has contributed to the story, the greater the reward.
Spending character points
Any Skill may be increased one pip by spending a number
of character points equal to its current number of dice. No
Skill may be increased more than one pip per session. Skill
specializations cost only half as much to increase, rounding
up. Character points are also used to improve Attributes.
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM

51
 Exilium
This costs 10 times the number of dice a character has in
the Attribute to raise it one pip. All Skills under this Attribute
also improve by one pip. Remember that increasing a Skill or
Attribute above +2 pips leads to an increase of one dice (D).
Example of increasing Skills and Attributes
If an Exile has an athletics Skill of 2D+1, it would cost 2
character points to increase the value by one pip to 2D+2,
equal to the current number of dice associated with the Skill.
If an Exile had a Wit of 3D+1 and wanted to improve it to 3D+2
it would cost 30 character points – ten times the number of
dice associated with the Attribute – in this case three.
Reward t wo – Expanding on
Crim es and Elysium
After every session, the Narrator should select one Player
from the group who performed well – someone who played
their character to the hilt, got involved in the story and
helped create drama. The Narrator can then reward them
with the option of expanding on the background of the
game, for example, what the Exiles know of Elysium, or the
crime that got them banished.
Describing Elysium
The Player may choose to add to the description of Elysium
developed by the Players during Exile creation. This is in
effect the Exile remembering a little more of the place they
have been banished from. This is performed in exactly the
same way as describing Elysium in Exile Creation. The Player
may add anything they like to the descriptions already
developed, unless all the other Players and Narrator find it
wholly inappropriate, in which case a compromise should be
sought. Once the description is finalized it becomes a truth,
and will remain a part of the game going forward.
Example of describing Elysium
The Narrator awards Tom the option to expand on the
background of the game, and he chooses to add to the
description of Elysium. Thinking for a while, he comes up
with the following:
‘I remember a city wreathed in flame, where hundreds of
beings – playthings – were consumed in fire and death’.
This tells us that Elysium is a place where deadly games are
played with living, breathing creatures.
Describing their crime
Instead of adding to the description of Elysium, the Player
may decide to reveal a little more of the crime that got their
Exile banished. During Exile creation, the Players all revealed
52
an aspect of the crime that their Exile character performed.
Now they may add a further detail – the victim of the crime,
the motivation, the location, anything that adds a little extra
information. The Players should review the descriptions of
Elysium that they have already developed in order to gain
some insight into what their crimes may have been.
Example of describing their crime
If, instead, Tom decided to expand on the description of
his character’s crime, he might choose to add the victim to
their earlier description of ‘I killed’. He adds the victim – his
lover, Nirial. Now we know that Tom’s Exile character was
banished for killing his lover.
Numina and Exiles
The goal of play is for Exiles to be accepted back into Elysium,
to resolve the guilt of their crimes and become Numina once
again. Exiles are well aware of Numina and their part in the
creation of the Flame Worlds, and that Numina Dream,
drifting between the minds of their playthings in the material
universe. It is possible for Exiles and their host bodies to
become temporary homes to Dreaming Numina. This can be
of benefit to the Exile; due to their special connection to the
Numina, they can imbibe some of their ex-peers’ powers.
However, opening to guests comes at a price.
Invoking Numina
Exiles may, at their discretion, attempt to open themselves
to Numina whenever they are attempting a task in a stressful
environment. The Envoy teaches that in doing so, the Exile
might share some of the power of the Numina, channelled
through their kindred minds into the body they occupy.
Opening to allow another being to occupy your mind is not
something that is undertaken lightly; a stressful situation is
required before it would be even considered.
To invoke Numina, the Player must explain how the current
scene is connected to either their crime or to the collective
memories all the Exiles have of Elysium. This is because it
is through these vague memories that Exiles gain a link to
the Numina that they are channelling. The connection could
be direct, an emotional response, drawing on a memory
fragment, or anything that relates a defined memory from
the character’s past to the current situation. Perhaps the
current scene echoes something of Elysium, or maybe
they see in their situation a way of redeeming their crime.
Either way, Numina can be invoked if the Narrator agrees
that it makes sense. As play progresses and further memory
fragments are added to the descriptions of Elysium and the
character’s crimes, further routes to invoking Numina are
revealed.

Example of invoking Numina
Alake is attempting to rescue his friend Marl from a burning
scout base. He needs to run in and drag Marl’s prone body
to safety. Alake’s Player, Will, decides to invoke Numina,
telling the Narrator that this scene has triggered a flashback.
Looking at the memories of Elysium and of his crime, Will
describes how the situation relates to Alake’s crime, defined
at the beginning of the game as ‘I ignored’. He describes
how Alake had the chance to save something important in
his past but chose not to help, and this is the root of Alakes’s
crime. The Narrator agrees that Will can use this trigger to
invoke Numina.
Benefits of invoking Numina
The result of invoking Numina in the task or conflict is to
allow a guest Numina into the character’s mind with the aim
of helping in the current conflict. This is the Exile drawing
on the power of the Numina through their connection –
something that ordinary beings can’t do.
The Player looks at the task or conflict taking place and, with
the Narrator’s assent, picks the primary statistic involved.
For example, in an armed fight, Agility is the most commonly
used Attribute. The benefit is that, once the Numina is
invoked, the character doubles the result of dice rolled in
any one task using that Attribute, or any associated Skill,
during the scene. They must state that they are invoking
Numina before the dice are rolled. This includes the physical
or mental Attributes; Numina can help push the body beyond
its normal limits.
Invoking Numina makes difficult tasks and conflicts much
easier to perform, and allows Exiles to perform tasks that
are otherwise pretty much impossible. For example, lifting a
beam off a fallen comrade might be a very difficult task for
a normal human, but an Exile inhabiting a host with a Might
of 5D could achieve a target number of 30. Invoking Numina
cannot however allow a character to do anything beyond
the abilities of a human, but anything else is possible, even if
the chance of success would normally be very small.
For example, an Exile invoking Numina could lift an incredibly
heavy beam, but could not read another character’s mind.
Invoking Numina can lead to healing if the character involves
their crime (as opposed to memories of Elysium); by doing
this, the character is forcing themselves to engage with their
past. After invocation, look at the dice as they are rolled
using the primary Attribute or Skill selected. If the task for
which the Numina was invoked was successfully achieved
and at least one value of 6 was obtained on any dice rolled
(including any wild dice and resulting re-rolls), then a point
is removed from the character’s guilt value. This represents
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
the character gaining insight into the crime that haunts them
and working towards redeeming the hurt from their past.
However, invoking Numina is dangerous. Welcoming guests
reinforces the fact that the Exile is from another reality,
and serves to break down the glue that holds the Exile to
the Flame Worlds. No matter whether a character’s crime
or memory of Elysium was invoked or whether the task the
Exile attempted was successful, look out for any rolls of 1 that
occur when the Numina was invoked. If at least one value of
1 is obtained on any dice, the character’s dislocation value
is decreased by one point. This represents the emotional
damage caused to the Exile by sharing the host’s mind with
an alien entity, the Numina.
Example of the effect of dice values
Alake is rushing into the building and dragging out Marl’s
prone body. Given the debris in his path, the Narrator rules
that safely dragging the body from the building is a difficult
Might standard task. Alake has a Might of 3D+1. However,
Will has invoked the Numina, so the result of his rolls will
be doubled. The results on the dice are 1, 3 and 6 (the wild
dice gave the result of 1, so isn’t re-rolled), which with the
+1 pip gives a result of 11. The effect of invoking Numina is
to double this result to 22.
Looking at the dice, assuming Alake successfully freed Marl,
a roll of 6 means that one point is deducted from Alake’s
guilt scale, which moves down from 4 to 3. However, a roll
of 1 was also obtained, so regardless of the outcome of
the rescue one point is deducted from Alake’s dislocation
scale, which takes it from 5 down to 4. Tony may have eased
Alake’s guilt a little by reliving and confronting an aspect of
his crime, but at the same time he’s taken one step closer to
dislocation.
Dislocation
Should an Exile’s dislocation scale be reduced to 0, they
have dislocated, completely losing the connection with the
material reality they are force to inhabit. This is a permanent
breakdown, a spiral into psychosis that cannot be reverted,
where mind and body reject one another. The Exile becomes
the property of the Narrator, and it’s time for the Player to
create a new Exile.
Luckily, the Envoy can intervene to stop his agents
dislocating. For those operatives that gain his favour, the
Envoy dispenses curious black pills, each of which can be
used to restore a single point on the dislocation scale. These
are his rewards of service – help in avoiding the danger of
invoking Numina and therefore assistance to the Exile in
redeeming his crimes.
53
 Exilium

During the scene when an Exile dislocates and is lost as discussed below. Other Perks and Complications as outlined
a player-controlled character, the Player has the job of in the section on Exile creation can be taken in the normal
describing exactly how this breakdown is manifest, and way – essentially, the Uplift grants additional non-optional
should try to choose something appropriate to the Exile’s Perks and Complications.
situation. Importantly, it should be obvious to every other
Exile involved in the scene that the Exile has cracked. The
Narrator has the final say in whether the behaviour of the
Exile is suitable.

Players are encouraged to act out their Exile’s behaviour,

and should try to portray an emotional response that
demonstrates realistically how their character would
behave when breaking down. This is a chance for the Player
and their Exile to shine in the narrative of the story.

Reward th re e – th e Envoy’s pills

Each session, The Envoy chooses one Exile to be given
between one and two of the black pills to help their fight
against dislocation. Only those Exiles that the Envoy sees as
performing their tasks satisfactorily are rewarded – those
who rebelled, failed to act or otherwise gained the Envoy’s
displeasure are not rewarded. It is possible for an Exile to
reduce their guilt scale to zero without the use of black pills,
but it is much less likely.

The pills have another effect - when Shadows manifest

their desires i.e. express the emotional release they crave,
they glow a dull red colour. This allows the Envoy’s agents
to identify Shadows, as the Envoy has often only a vague
knowledge of where Shadows are to be found, often from
information from its spies and monitoring of Flame World
communications.

U pl i f t S p e c i a l Ru l es
As mentioned in the Exile creation section of this book, Uplift
Exiles are governed by some special rules. These relate to
the Perks and Complications the character gains from the
Uplift. Note for examples of Uplifts and their appearance,
Perks and Complications, see Welcome to the Flame Worlds
section of this book.
Uplifts in general follow the same rules for Perks and
Complications as with human Exiles – Perks offer some
advantage to the Exile, while Complications inhibit the
Exile’s actions but reward the Exile with Character Points
(CPs) when they do so.
However, for an Uplifted Exile, these traits (especially mental
Complications) take on a deeper meaning, which will be
Physical Pe rks and Com plications
Physical Perks and Complications represent the physical
capabilities of the Uplift, and Exiles in Uplift form will be
constrained by these traits. Many have an effect on the
Attributes of the Uplift and are already figured into the
creature’s profile; they are only mentioned in the Perks and
Complications list to remind the Narrator and Player that
they exist. An example would be the physical strength of a
Jakkar Uplift which is reflected in the large Might Attribute
of the creature.
M ental Pe rks and Com plications
The process of an Exile fusing with an Uplift host is not as
simple as for a human. All Uplifts have instinctive drives of

54

their own that cannot be simply overridden by the Exile.
In Uplifts, these instincts are represented by mental Perks
and Complications. These describe how the Uplift behaves
compared to a human, and therefore how an Uplifted
Exile will behave. Generally, the rules for mental Perks and
Complications follow the same rules set out earlier.
The difference here is that in Uplift characters, the Narrator
may state at any time that the current situation has
stimulated the remnant instincts of the Uplift represented
by a mental Complication. The Player then has a choice:
they can allow the Host to follow its instincts, thereby
allowing the Complication to affect the scene and earning
the character a CP in the normal way, or the Exile can try
to repress the instinct of the Uplift. However, doing so risks
mental collapse. If the Exile tries or is forced to oppose or
deny an instinct of the Uplift that is described by a mental
Complication, there is always the chance that they may
fracture the delicate connection that exists between the
Exile and material reality. In such a situation, the Narrator
calls for an ‘Instinct Test’.
Th e Instinc t Test
In an Instinct test, the Player rolls a number of dice
determined by their character’s Wit Attribute (ignoring any
pips), and the values obtained are compared to the current
value of the Exile’s dislocation scale. If the dice with the
highest value has a result lower than the current value on
the dislocation scale, a single point is deducted from the
scale. This represents the mental fracture that can occur
when an Exile denies the Uplifts urges.
This is in addition to any losses as a result of invoking
Numina. It should be noted that the lower the value on the
dislocation scale, the less likely it is that the character will
lose a point by failing an Instinct Test; trying to deny the
instincts of an Uplift might begin the process of dislocation,
but the mind of an Exile is sufficiently strong that such an
action is unlikely to cause complete dislocation (i.e. reduce
the scale to zero).
Importantly, if an Exile loses a point off their dislocation
scale in this way they must begin immediately to act in
accordance with the denied mental Complication for the
rest of the scene – they just can’t fight it! They do however
gain a CP in the normal way, as conciliation.
I D
CORE RULES OF EXILIUM
Ex am ple o f following Instinc ts
and Com plications
An Exile occupying an uplifted predatory host with the
mental Complication ‘aggression’ is engaging an enemy in
melee combat. The Complication tells us that this is what
the Uplift does instinctively, so the act comes naturally
and without thought. However, no CP is earned because
defeating the enemy is the current goal of the scene, i.e.
there is no negative effect from this Complication.
During the fight one of the Players suddenly decides they
need their foe to remain alive! The Players discuss this and
decide that they will break off the attack and let their foe
escape as the local police are outside and can capture him
for questioning. The Uplifted Exile engaged in combat with
the enemy decides to withdraw from the fight and let him
go. However, the Narrator points out that this is denying the
instincts of the Uplift, so an Instinct Test is required. The
character has a Wit of 2D+2, so two dice are rolled, resulting
in a 3 and a 1 (the +2 pips have no effect in this instance).
The highest result of 3 is compared to the character’s
current dislocation scale value of 5, and, as it is lower,
the dislocation scale is reduced to 4. The Exile just can’t
suppress his aggression Complication and the fight goes on.
The character does, however, earn a CP as conciliation for
ruining the team’s plans.
The Narrator has a key role in deciding which actions
might contravene an Uplift’s mental Complications, and
which situations require an Instinct Test. Typically, the
more stressful the situation in which the character tries to
deny their Instincts, the more likely it is that a Test will be
required. The Narrator should also call for the Instinct Test
to be performed at what they deem to be the most stressful
moment, representing the point at which the natural urge
will be at its strongest.
T h at ’ s i t
Everything that Exiles try to do in the game can be resolved
using the basic system presented here, and once you get the
hang of the mechanics, the game is very straightforward.
The guilt and dislocation scales are integral to the game
and should take a prominent role in play – remember that
redeeming crimes is the goal of Exilium.
B K Q
55
cha pter fo u r
w el co m e to the

4
fla m e w o rlds
I D B K
 Exilium
- the fla me worlds -
j t a l
N
ow we know the mechanics of how Exilium is played,
we can take a closer look at the Flame Worlds and
the environments and civilisations they contain. First
of all, we’ll take a look at the main concepts that define the
system as a whole.
Ove rview o f th e system
The Flame system comprises a binary star system, Flame and
Gold, and a series of planets that orbit Gold. These worlds
are Steel, Stone, Mist, Ocean and Cloud. Orbiting Steel
are the moons of Sapphire, Emerald, Opal and Diamond,
and Mist is surrounded by the Splinter Moons. Before we
describe these worlds in detail, we’ll look at some of the
paradigms and technologies that make the Flame Worlds
what they are.
old earth
Most humans of the Flame Worlds have heard
of Old Earth, and known that it was the cradle of
humanity, but know little of the place beyond that.
Some scientists have unearthed greater detail, and
know of some of the countries of Earth and the
larger corporations, but knowledge is fragmentary
and incomplete. It’s thought that the pirates of the
Splinter Moons know more of Earth and the history
of humanity, but no one knows how they would gain
such knowledge. However, many of the things that
Unity builds are based on Old Earth designs, and
it’s not uncommon for names, logos and symbols to
still be present in more prosaic designs even to this
day. Many Flame Worlders recognise these names
and images, but they now have an entirely different
contextual meaning.
D reaming
Dreaming is the name given by the Envoy to the ability of
Numina to enter into and influence the mind of another
being – called a host – in a distant place, in this case on the
Flame Worlds. The Numina experiences the process in a
similar manner to human dreaming, observing and feeling
60
f
all that the host does but with a distinct, but unfocussed,
feeling of dislocation. Dreaming is a transient experience,
without history or depth. Numina lose their sense of self
while they Dream; there is no comprehension that they have
a separate existence.
The benefit of Dreaming is that, on the Flame Worlds, the
moral and ethical laws of Elysium do not exist, leaving the
Numina to experience emotions that are normally withheld
from them. Base drives such as anger, lust or greed become
the focus of Dreams, enabling Numina to experience and
therefore expunge these emotions. It is through Dreaming
that the Numina and Elysium escape the petty desires that
typified humanity.
Dream Destinations
The different and unique environments and societies of
the Flame Worlds are perfect destinations for Dreams. For
example, Steel is a violent world where aggression rules
a fractured and crumbling society. The Moons that orbit
Steel are worlds where selfishness and greed are virtues,
not vices, and where political and criminal elements fester
without restraint. The factories of Stone and Ocean are vast
resources gathering and producing facilities, where workers
toil under differing but equally harsh regimes. Each of these
places allows a different emotional state to be explored and
purged, covering the gambit of human flaws, hate through
fear to greed and selfishness.
Shadows
For most Numina, a brief journey among the populace
of the Flame Worlds is enough to remove any negative
emotions that might stain Elysium. However, for a small
percentage of individuals, these Dreams do not ease the
underlying emotional state. Instead, exposure to these
exotic environments exacerbates it, and Numina can become
obsessed with the emotions they experience in their hosts,
refusing to exit their Dreams and instead forcing the hosts
to experience the same emotions again and again; the Envoy
calls these Numina ‘Shadows’. Locked within a cycle of
emotional pain, these beings risk insanity and can develop
into a serious danger to Elysium and the societies they have
entered. Luckily, it is possible to break the cycle and free
Shadows from their imprisonment. To do this, the Numina
must be subjected to an overwhelming emotional stress

that is powerful and personal enough to satisfy their fixated
mind and return them to conformity. For example, a Shadow
on Steel might finally overcome his aggressive emotions if
his host was utterly destroyed. A Shadow on the Moons
might only be freed when the power-base he has been
obsessively constructing is broken and his rule collapses.
Carrying out these actions and releasing Shadows from the
cycle of mental fixation is a difficult task, often requiring
a degree of planning and consideration far outside the
capability of a normal Dreamer. It is this task that falls to
the Envoy, an emissary of Elysium able to observe the Flame
Worlds directly.
Th e Envoy
The Envoy explains itself as the intelligence that embodies
Elysium in the material reality. Following strict rules and
regulations set out in a law called the Writ – the directing
mandate behind all Numina actions – the Envoy performs
all the functions required to maintain Elysium for the
Numina, and monitors the Flame Worlds for the appearance
of Shadows. However, the Envoy cannot locate Shadows
precisely, or directly influence the Flame Worlds. Instead, a
force is required that can act within the worlds but that also
understands Elysium. For this, the Envoy turns to the Exiles,
as their unusual mental capabilities make them ideal for the
task. He gathers them together to form groups of agents to
do his bidding and supplies the pills that allow Shadow hosts
THE FLAME WORLDS
to be identified by the dull red glow that surrounds them.
The Envoy also has access to equipment, which he hands out
to Exiles to help them achieve their goals.
The Envoy can manifest on the Flame Worlds as a human,
Simulcra or Uplift, but is often represented by intermediaries,
corporations and many other fronts.
Exiles
Exiles are different to the rest of Numina. Expelled from
Elysium as punishment for a terrible crime, these beings are
shunted down into a body on the Flame Worlds, melding
with the mind of their host in the process. They have vague
memories of Elysium and a strong desire to return, but
they exist directly in the Flame Worlds; they are not mere
fragments of Numina hiding inside the minds of others. They
also carry a terrible burden of guilt for the crime that exiled
them, a crime they barely remember. Exiles retain their
sense of self; they are the same fully functioning adults that
they were before the Numinan Exiled mind came, but they
gain hazy and half formed memories of Elysium, enough to
convince them that the Envoy is speaking truthfully.
Unlike other Numina, Exiles are able to observe with clarity
the ‘big picture’ of events on the Flame Worlds, and see
their part within them. No longer guided by instinct and all
too aware of their existence beyond the present, Exiles can
61
 Exilium
act with a far greater degree of planning than other Numina,
thus avoiding the intense selfishness that characterises
other Dreamers. Freeing Shadows is the most common
activity of Exiles, and this task regularly takes them across
the various Flame Worlds at the behest of the Envoy.
Th e Price o f Exile
Exiles are trapped outside their normal realm of existence.
They are isolated in an alien world. Forced into the limited
brain of a human, they are severely curtailed, with only the
vaguest of memories of their lives prior to their exile, and
they are unable to return home. A fragile and lost group,
Exiles are desperate to return to Elysium, a paradise they
hardly recall. Only through relieving themselves of the guilt
they feel at their crimes can Exiles be considered for return.
The Envoy rewards the service of Exiles who have come to
terms with their guilt by offering them the opportunity to
return to Elysium. Only when the Envoy decides that their
debt to Elysium has been repaid, and the crimes expunged,
are they deemed fit to return.
T h e Fi r e C o u n c i l
and Unit y
The organization that controls and regulates the Flame
Worlds is called the Fire Council. Based on a large space
station called Ember that orbits Steel, the Fire Council is
responsible for the organization of the Flame System as a
whole, including distributing resources, regulating disputes
and maintaining peace between members. Composed of
elected members from every government of the System –
except the renegades of the Splinter Moons – the council is
a powerful body. Although the council members themselves
are elected from the various governments, the workers of
the council are the inhabitants of Ember – a body of around
fifty thousand men and women who are unaffiliated with
any outside body.
The armed force of the Fire Council is called Unity, and
includes space as well as ground forces equipped with
the best technology, known as Ultratech, available. This
is considered the best fighting force in the System, easily
surpassing the armed forces of the other factions, but is
numerically much smaller. A considerable proportion of
Unity’s standing force comprises Combat Puppets of various
types; these are much more prevalent with Unity than any
other force.
The investigative police force of the Fire Council is called
Smoke. These clandestine operatives are responsible for
62
countering threats to the Flame System as a whole. Well-
trained and equipped, Smoke has been attempting to
discover exactly what the person or group that calls itself
‘the Envoy’ is for many years – so far to no avail. Still, Smoke
operatives are potentially a threat to the activities of Exiles.
The Fire Council is rife with political infighting, corruption
and inertia. Getting the various members to agree on a
course of action is notoriously difficult, and some of the
more corrupt council members will do anything if the price
is right. The Fire Council is best thought of as a collection of
squabbling bureaucrats backed up by a well-oiled machine
and a deadly efficient fighting organization.
Ember is a large and well-defended space station, with tight
security. Saying that, the Envoy often obtains security passes
for its operatives to enter the station.
Shadows and th e Fire Council
The Fire Council is a breeding ground for Shadows. Greed
and power are dominant emotions among the council’s
highest members, so sometimes the Envoy is forced to send
Exiles to deal with tyrants in the highest echelons of power.
Needless to say, this is not an assignment for the faint of
heart.
O rganization o f Unit y
Unity is organized into four distinct entities, known as
Canticles, which, when combined, represent a total solution
to warfare and policing on the Flame Worlds. There are the
Canticles of Fire, Storm, Steel and Smoke, each of which
is described below. Each of the arms of Unity has two
controlling officers, both given a traditional honorary name
of long lost meaning. The two officers of each arm of the
military have equal control over their forces and, together
with their colleagues from the other arms, sit at the Council
of Unity known as the Hours. In turn this council elects a
leader known as the Deacon who sits on the Fire Council.
Canticle of Fire
This is the arm of the Unity military that is responsible for
military actions in any medium that is not ground-based.
This includes atmospheres, the vacuum of space, and liquids
such as the seas of Sapphire. All of the spaceships under
Unity control are part of the Canticle of Fire, and they are
responsible for the warfare around the Splinter Moons. The
two commanders for the Canticle of Fire are known as Matins
and Lauds. The Canticle of Fire includes pilots, their support
crews, marines, and specialist V-troopers (soldiers trained
for operations under vacuum) within its organization, as
well as spaceships, aircraft and marine vessels.
THE FLAME WORLDS

63
 Exilium
Canticle of Storm
Ground-based operations are performed by the Canticle
of Storm. Within this division are infantry, mechanized and
Puppet forces, all under the control of the two commanders
Prime and Terce. These forces are primarily involved on Steel,
helping to maintain some semblance of stability on the war-
torn world. The Canticle of Storm is acknowledged to be the
most accomplished fighting force on the Flame Worlds. Line
infantry, specialists such as rangers, snipers and demolition
experts can be found within the Canticle of Storm, as well as
tanks, transports and myriad other vehicles.
Canticle of Steel
The Canticle of Steel is the policing arm of Unity that maintains
order on the moons of Steel and the other planets. Ironically
this does not include Steel itself, where all-out war requires
the intervention of the Canticle of Storm. More lightly armed
and equipped than the Canticle of Storm, traditionally there
is much jealously between the Canticles, something which
the two commanders Sext and None struggle to contain.
The Canticle of Steel contains police officers, anti-terrorist
specialists, riot teams and internal security officers, as well
as support staff and vehicles.
Canticle of Smoke
The infiltration and covert arm of Unity is known as the
Canticle of Smoke. An organization of unknown size and
make-up, the Canticle of Smoke is greatly feared both
outside and within Unity, as its forces perform counter-
separatist and internal policing functions in all organizations
of the Flame Worlds. The identity of the two commanders
Vespers and Compline are secret, and they may never
become the Deacon. Agents of the Canticle of Smoke are
called Shades, and are highly skilled operatives. Some
other support teams exist, but their function and make-
up is unknown. It is rumoured that the Canticle of Smoke
is the best equipped arm of Unity, but this has never been
confirmed. Unity soldiers all have equipment created
from Glitter technologies (see later in this section for an
explanation of Glitter), and their competence demonstrates
the effect the new hybrid technology has had on the armed
forces of the Flame Worlds. Other forces in the System do
not carry equipment of this level, but these items are slowly
spreading from Unity’s control.
Augm entations among Unit y and
th e Fire Council
The Fire Council is responsible for the creation of Glitter
through their scientists on Redemption, and so they have
the largest share of the technology in the Flame System.
Hacks, ‘Plants and Loci are popular and common among
members of Unity and the Fire Council. Even the most basic
64
soldier of Unity carries a range of technologies that are the
envy of other armed forces.
Currency
The universal currency of the Flame Worlds is called the
credit. Values vary from world to world, usually as a response
to the availability of goods and services.
Technology
On the flame worlds, there are three levels of technology –
Ultratech, the Salvaged technologies and Graintech, and one
technology that results from the interaction of Ultratech
and Graintech called Glitter. Each is introduced below.
U lt r at e c h
The technological framework that holds the Flame Worlds
together, Ultratech is the name given to the cutting-edge
science of the Fire Council. From household goods to vehicles,
weapons to spaceships, communication systems to medical
aid, Ultratech defines the look, feel and experience of the
Flame System and the worlds it contains. Only those who
scrape out their existence on the Splinter Moons and those
that venture into the bizarre caverns of Cloud witness the
other technologies that exist. To everyone else, Ultratech is
the ultimate embodiment of mankind’s progress, knowledge
and manufacturing capabilities.
Ultratech represents the pinnacle of what can be achieved
in the traditional sciences; these technologies may be
extremely advanced compared to those of the real world
but, importantly, the concepts involved in these devices
would be understandable to a trained scientist. Below is an
overview of Ultratech.
Ove rview
The technologies developed on Ancient Earth still survive in
the Flame System. Ultratech can be used anywhere with the
minimum of backup and has proved startlingly robust.
Form and function
Ultratech devices are highly advanced compared to the real
world technologies but are still distilled from recognisable
physical laws. Sleek, efficient and practical, Ultratech
technology represents the pinnacle of achievement in
the classical sciences. Ultratech devices are highly robust
and are suitable for use under extreme environmental

conditions. Metal, ceramic and composite materials are
used in the construction of Ultratech and structures tend
to be complex hybrid materials that are extremely resistant
and hardwearing. Ultratech is built to last. Fuel sources for
devices that require them take many forms: liquid fuels, fuel
cells, electricity, nuclear power... all are possible and all can
be found somewhere within the Flame System.
Application
Everything from weapons and armour to buildings, vehicles
and furniture can be built using Ultratech. Although
Ultratech devices can be extremely advanced, only devices
that obey the laws of physics can be built. For example,
force fields, resurrection chambers and devices for matter
transportation are not possible.
S a lv a g e d
Technologies
Compared to the wonders of Graintech and the stark
efficiency of Ultratech devices, the technologies utilised by
the pirates of the Splinter Moons are crude and inefficient.
Making use of a plethora of stolen components cobbled
together with minimum technical know-how, the miracle of
the Salvaged Technologies is that, against all the odds and
for the most part, they actually work.
Mechanically, pieces of Salvaged Technology (weapons,
vehicles, etc.) are identical to those of Ultratech, except that
Salvaged technology is usually of a poorer construction and
quality.
Ove rview
Everything on the Splinter Moons has been cobbled together
from pieces of Ultratech technology stolen from captured
ships and Puppets. Known as the Salvaged Technologies,
these devices are crude and cumbersome in appearance,
with a makeshift look that reveals their origin. All these stolen
devices have also been modified to run directly on liquid
fuel or electricity generated directly from combustion, as
the only source of power on the Splinter Moons is the stolen
fuel resources of Ocean. Surprisingly, these devices do work
in an awkward and ungainly kind of way, and despite the
apparent crudity, the fire of human weaponry has destroyed
many inner System Puppets.
Form and function
Bulky, crude and dirty, Salvaged Technology devices are the
paragon of inefficient, inelegant design. But for humanity,
what matters is not how these devices appear or how
easy they are to use, but simply that they work. Some of
THE FLAME WORLDS
these devices closely resemble the Ultratech pieces they
once were, whereas the original forms of older and more
heavily altered devices are less recognisable. All are almost
uniformly covered in a layer of grease, dirt and rust, and give
the impression of being but moments from catastrophic
failure. Considering the materials that human engineers and
technicians have to work with, their simple operation is a
wonder in itself.
Application
The Salvage Technologies serve every purpose on the
Splinter Moons. Nothing is wasted; older devices are broken
down, their components reused and captured equipment is
systematically stripped and recycled. On the Splinter Moons
this form of makeshift technology dominates; humanity has
no other choice.
Such is the bizarre range of technologies employed by
humanity; it is hard to make general statements about
the most common forms. All devices, however, are based
on stolen and pirated Ultratech, so the prevalent concepts
employed in those devices are also found here.
Salvaged Tech Puppets are similar to their Ultratech
counterparts, save being loosely repaired where required to
maintain function. The weaponry employed by the pirates
is basically battered and bruised Ultratech equipment, jury-
rigged to operate under demanding conditions after capture
from Puppets. Such is the limited resources of humanity that
repairs are often patchy, making for unreliable and under-
performing devices. As a rule, the armour is constructed
from sheets of metal and ceramic strapped to the body.
Generally very basic is design, human armour is clunky
and unwieldy but fairly effective. The varied and unusual
spacecraft of humanity are all cannibalised inner System
vehicles. Ships, transporters and other vessels captured
by the pirates are stripped, reconditioned and refitted to
suit their new owners. Such is the variety of these vessels
that each is treated as a prized possession, something to
be nurtured and treasured. Relying on a small number of
captured devices, computing power is reserved only for
those systems that absolutely require it. Yet again human
ingenuity keeps battered and broken devices in service
beyond what could reasonably be expected.
G raintech
Graintech is the most advanced technology to be found in
the Flame System. A wonder of science, Graintech employs a
ceramic nanotechnology that can be used to create literally
anything from seemingly inert Glitter. The following information
has been discovered by scientists of the Fire Council.
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 Exilium
The Graintech technology of Cloud comprises billions of tiny
machines; each only visible when aggregated with others to
form grains the size of pollen. They are capable of assembling
into complex, articulated constructs with integrated control
and instinctive functions. Importantly, these macro devices
are capable of acting in a unified manner, therefore allowing
the agglomeration of engines to form working replicas of
practically any imaginable object or device. These constructs
can have any texture or appearance including that of
organic flesh, and may have internal subsystems that carry
out specific functions within the structure; for example,
a Graintech organic construct would have subsystems
controlling optics (vision), audio input (hearing), and all
other functions required for authenticity.
Ove rview
Graintech involves the macro-scale manipulation of nano-
sized Puppets into organised and coherent structures. These
Puppets are constructed from ceramic inorganic matrices
and are too small to be seen with the naked eye (on the scale
66
of 10 -9 metre, or one thousand billionth of a metre), but
collectively these tiny machines are exceedingly powerful.
The aggregated form of the Graintech machines large
enough to be visualised by the naked eye is known as a grain,
with each tiny grain containing many millions of machines.
The latent power of Graintech is only unleashed when these
individual motes agglomerate into macro-scale structures in
an organised and controlled fashion. Essentially, grains can
form any inanimate object, including complex machines and
electrical devices. Importantly, grains are self-repairing and
reusable. What could appear as a pile of soft grey dust one
moment could conceivably form into a human, a spaceship
or a building in just a few brief moments, or transmute
between these forms in mere seconds. Grains constitute
quite literally the most powerful force in the Flame System.
Form and function
Graintech has the capability to take on any form to complete
any function. The tiny Puppets that compose the grains
are sufficiently small to mimic any macroscopic device

when aggregated together in the correct fashion, including
working mechanical and electrical devices, and can form
materials of any consistency or architecture. All that is
required is the correct pattern – a list of instructions on
how to perform the rearrangement – and sufficient grains.
Once the device has been constructed from the pattern, it
will remain true to that form until instructed to rearrange
into another form, or to decompose back to grains. When
required, patterns are recalled and an appropriate collection
of grains is requisitioned. The pattern is transmitted along
with the activation codes and the device or structure is
formed. Individual encrypted activation codes are employed
for each Puppet using quantum encryption routines. These
quantum routines are, out of necessity, incredibly complex
so as to allow differentiation between the billions of devices,
and this accounts for the majority of the processing power
required to control Graintech.
Control
Something controls the Graintech of Cloud: determining the
patterns needed to meet the requirements of the visitor
to the underground caverns; creating the environment;
and interacting with the guest. Scientists suspect that this
function is performed by an intelligence – most likely artificial
– but they have little information to go on. When questioned
directly, the Graintech constructs appear to have no
knowledge that they are artificial and not what they appear to
be. This intelligence is what scares Unity; an alien technology
is one thing, but alien technology under the control of an
active alien mind is something entirely different.
Encounte rs with G raintech
Those who encounter Graintech describe the experience as
anything from miraculous to horrifying. As soon as a visitor
enters the chambers that riddle the planet, the Graintech
stirs to life. Scientists have described a tickling sensation
in the mind, as if something alien were sifting and sorting
through the contents. At the same time, shapes begin to
agglomerate from the grains. These initial constructions
are rudimentary and fleeting, almost as if something were
directing the tiny machines to try out various forms, looking
for a specific emotional reaction from the visitor. Once
that response is obtained, the Graintech bursts into life.
Dust billows from the walls, swirling into life to create a
complete world around the guest. This simulacrum appears
totally authentic, with the occupants responding in a totally
realistic way.
The response required to initiate the Graintech seems to
vary from person to person. Some describe a feeling of fear
setting the machines in motion; others relate a feeling of
love or even hate. The created reality usually bears some
THE FLAME WORLDS
resemblance to a memory the visitor has, usually connected
to the emotional response that initiated the machines.
The initial reality created by Graintech is not constant;
it melds itself to the subconscious reactions of the guest,
creating new elements and disregarding others in a complex
manner. The longer a visitor stays within the chambers,
the greater influence they have over the reality the grains
create for them such that, after a few weeks, it is possible
for the guest to shape the environment around them. This
is dangerous however. Three scientists who have stayed
for extended periods have been driven insane by the
experience, and several others have found it hard to adapt
to reality outside of Cloud.
Despite the dangers, such is the wonder of Graintech that
the rich and the powerful frequently manage to gain access
to the planet’s interior, much to the alarm of Smoke.
Glitter
Using the knowledge gained from the Graintech of Cloud
and combining it with the Ultratech found on the rest of
the Flame Worlds, the scientists and military of Unity base
have created a whole new hybrid technology called Glitter.
Consisting of a much cruder copy of the nanotechnology
of Graintech working on, in, or otherwise interacting
with Ultratech, Glitter is a far superior technology to that
available on the rest of the Flame Worlds. However, it is still
vastly inferior to the power of Graintech.
Many applications of Glitter started as non-military, but with
increased emphasis on applications in security and warfare
from the Fire Council to maintain dominance in the Flame
System, a new focus on increasing the hardware capability
and control of Unity has come to light. Many technologies of
the Flame System are a result of Glitter.
A pile of aggregated Glitter nano-machines looks very
similar to a pile of very fine glitter, hence the name. The
nano-machines that mediate Glitter are larger than the
Graintech of Cloud, and far less versatile. In comparison to
the almost limitless capabilities of Grains, Glitter is designed
crudely to perform a single task. The laboratories of Unity
have produced a wide range of Glitter machines capable
of producing incredibly varied effects, some of which are
described in the technology sections below. Importantly, no
Glitter machines are self-replicating – the idea of a runaway
nano-swarm converting raw materials into more copies
of itself is too nightmarish to consider! Instead, Glitter
is constructed using specially built nano-factories called
Assemblers.
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 Exilium
Assem ble rs
Assemblers manufacture Glitter from a recipe of metals,
alloys, crystals and other exotic materials. Assemblers are
large devices, despite the tiny size of the machines they
create; they are impressive and complex manufacturing
tools that can fill an entire room. The business part of an
Assembler is the fabricator vessel, a magnetically sealed
chamber in which the Glitter is created. This is done by etching
tiny flecks of crystal using pulsed lasers, and layering them
to create the nano-machine through atomic manipulation.
An incredibly complex procedure, it takes several hours to
create a batch of Glitter, depending on the type of Glitter
under construction. Blueprints for creating Glitter come
direct from Redemption Station, and are deeply encrypted
and closely guarded, allowing Unity to retain some control
over the production of Glitter. Most large, well-supplied
cities have access to an Assembler. Unity is careful not to let
these complex and expensive devices out of their hands, and
yet it is known that at least two Assemblers now lie outside
Unity control.
Key Technologies o f
the Flame Wo rlds
There follows examples of some of the key technologies to
be found among the Flame Worlds, including the effect that
the invention of Glitter has had in recent times.
Glitter
A u g m e n tat i o n s
The nano-machines of Glitter have been used to manufacture
a whole new range of augmentations to the human or Uplift
body. Originally restricted to military personnel, these
augmentations have spread across the Flame Worlds, and
are the most obvious developments to come from Glitter.
Rules for including augmentations in Exile creation have been
covered in the appropriate section of this book, and their
description in game mechanics is covered in the Core Rules.
Hacks
Nano-machines can be used to modify biological processes
of humans and Uplifts: a process called Hacking. Using Hacks,
humans and Uplifts can boost some of the abilities of their
bodies by essentially reprogramming their genetic code. This
is achieved by infusing the body with Glitter programmed to
perform a particular function by altering genetic sequences
or prompting cellular activity by manufacturing hormones
and chemicals which then pervade tissue and bone. The Hack
68
might be boosting a natural ability, or creating something
entirely new by fusing alien DNA to the recipient’s own, and
many consider Hacking to be very much part of the same
stable of technologies that created Uplifts.
The effect of the Hack stays in place while the nano-machines
are still maintained within the body, but can be reversed if the
machines are flushed from the system; this is a painful process
involving either whole blood transfusion or the ingestion
of a pre-designed chemical agent, whereby the machines
are ejected, usually through vomiting and accompanied by
cramps and other withdrawal effects. After removal of the
Glitter, the body reverts back to normal, with changes being
absorbed now that the source of their maintenance has been
removed. However, many Hacks leave permanent effects
after their removal such as skin discoloration, loss of teeth,
and numerous other minor medical conditions.
Hacks need to be maintained over a long period of time
by replenishing the nano-machines. This is usually done by
ingesting a pill containing the required supplements every
week. Failure to do so means the deterioration of the Hack
and loss of capability over time. Should a Hacked individual
fail to maintain the Glitter in their body for an extended period
of at least two months, the machines will become inactive.
Unfortunately, even when the machines creating the Hack are
dead, they remain in the body, and unless they are removed
their presence can cause toxic shock and other nasty side
effects. Outside of the military, several different companies
offer Hacks. These all work in subtly different ways, but the
mechanical aspects of their operation are indistinguishable.
On the Flame Worlds, Hacks are becoming more popular,
as the results of their use are similar in many ways to the
results of Uplifting technologies that have been available
for many years. Originally restricted to Unity military
personnel, Hacks have spread to other military forces and
then inevitably to criminal elements, and are now trickling
through to the general population. In military units they are
restricted to highly skilled personnel, with agents of Smoke
being the most common recipients. Outside of military
institutions, Hacks are still expensive and are usually a
sign of an individual with wealth, power or notable ability.
Level 1 Hacks are relatively common among the military
and the successful members of society. Level 2 Hacks are
a serious sign of prestige and ability, and, accordingly,
are rare. Level 3 Hacks are seen as something mythical by
most of the population of the Flame Worlds; only the most
connected and gifted individuals take up this level of Hack.
As the effects of Hacks on the physique are often quite hard
to hide, many Hacked individuals advertise their boosted
performance further by having their bodies tattooed; this is
especially common in the military and criminal fraternities.

‘ Pl a n ts
‘Plants are pieces of technology implanted into the wearer,
surgically attached and removable only by the same process
or by brute force (with accompanying damage). ‘Plants
tend to be communicators, computers and other smaller,
lightweight items of kit, often related to a particular role.
They are common in the military where they have the
benefit of permanent attachment to the wearer, meaning
they are never lost, mislaid or inaccessible. Loci are a special
form of ‘Plant with a specific purpose, but literally any piece
of tech that is small, light and potentially useful could be
‘Planted. Most ‘Plants (other than Loci, a special case) are
positioned on the forearms or the wrist for ease of use, and
are powered by small, removable batteries that can last
several months.
Plants are numerous, especially among Uplifts. The advent
of Glitter made attaching ‘Plants much simpler, leading to
a proliferation of the technology. Now many people carry
some kind of ‘Planted tech, with a communicator/time
piece/positioning system being the most prevalent.
Mechanically, ‘Plants are handled just like any normal piece
of tech. The only differentiation is that they cannot be
removed.
Loci
Glitter can be used to etch very fine processors; creating
incredibly powerful computer systems that are very small
(see Fractal Minds later in this book). At the same time,
the technology developed to create Hacks can be used to
carefully fuse neurons with hardware. Combining these
technologies creates Loci (plural of Locus): augmentations
that offer a wealth of possibilities to their bearers. Loci are
a special type of ‘Plant that takes the form of a thin plate of
ceramic material which is surgically clamped to the temple
of the user. Within the Locus is a powerful processor mind
that is pre-programmed for a specific task. This mind is then
linked directly with the wearer’s brain through a simple
one-off Hack process. The result is that the mind within the
Locus becomes essentially indistinguishable from the mind
of the wearer. Loci are used to store specific information,
either knowledge in a certain field, or biological instructions
to enhance a physical ability. Each Locus enhances a single
ability, and cannot be reprogrammed without removal.
The Loci affects the brain’s ability to process information
transferred from the body. Those Loci that contain data can
also be accessed and viewed internally, with links to the
brain creating a virtual two-dimensional display that overlay
the visual cortex. Many Loci require tools or equipment that
THE FLAME WORLDS
is ‘Locus-linked’ (see below). Loci are surgically attached,
and must be removed in a similar manner. These are simple
procedures with no long-term ill effects. However, removal
in any other way (such as by blunt trauma) results in brain
damage to the wearer.
Loci are very visible and are hard to hide, and are
manufactured by several companies who often emblazon
the Loci with their logo.
Locus-linking
Devices that have been Locus-linked have been specifically
designed for use with a Locus, providing feedback to the
Locus and accessing data directly from the device. This
is achieved through a short-range (typically five metres
maximum) encrypted infra-red data transfer protocol. Every
Locus that works through a Locus-link has a password that is
used in conjunction with a readout on the device to be linked
in order to ‘pair’ them. Once this is achieved, connection is
automatic if the device is in range, and allows information
from the item to directly interface with the user’s brain.
Only a single device can be linked to a Locus at any one time;
a user must unpair one device to connect to another.
Th reads
One of the advantages of Loci is that they are ‘threaded’, the
term used to describe the link between all Loci in a local area.
In military applications, Threads allow members of a combat
team to communicate non-verbally and instantaneously,
and to share visual information through an ‘inner eye’ view.
Outside of military units, Threads are used as a direct form
of social networking, allowing information to be shared
between Loci wearers depending on how open they are with
the knowledge stored within their Locus and within their
mind. It is possible to close off a Locus to incoming Threads
or to encrypt it so that only trusted contacts can access it,
but the majority of users don’t do this. Instead they open up
part of their Locus to store information that they are happy
to share, allowing them to keep in contact with friends and
associates. Threads allow the following activities between
Locus wearers, assuming access hasn’t been closed off.
Communication – Wearers ofLoci can communicate non-
verbally, sharing either text strings that appear as words
across the recipient’s vision or as ‘inner voices’ that they can
reply to in-kind.
Sensory sharing and storage – Loci allow sensory data to
be shared between Threaded members. To receive this
kind of information, the recipient must essentially lose the
connection to their own senses. They become unaware of
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 Exilium

their surroundings and instead feel the incoming sensory

input as if it were happening directly to them. Given the
level of trust this kind of sharing requires, it isn’t often
done except among close friends or those who are trained
to accept it. It is also possible to record a sensory file onto
a Locus and download it; current storage limitations mean
that only around ten minutes of data can be saved within a
Locus in this way.

Updates and statuses – Many Loci wearers maintain

a kind of virtual space where they upload information
about themselves which they share with friends, including
memories, videos and text. An abbreviated form is often
maintained for perusal by strangers.

Location – Most Loci allow the user to triangulate their

position easily so they don’t get lost. This information is
often shared so that friends can locate one another.

Databases – Most large cities maintain databases that can

be accessed via Threads. These are typically storage sites
for municipal information, libraries, entertainment and
businesses. Thread networks are maintained within cities
and other areas with significant infrastructure. Outside of
these locations, Thread access can be limited or completely
non-existent.

Like Hacks, Loci were once restricted to the military, where

they are still very usual. However, on the Flame Worlds, Loci
are becoming increasingly widespread. Less invasive and
radical than Hacks, Loci are seen as more of a commonplace
item with few drawbacks. They are expensive but less so
than Hacks, and so reach further down the strata of society,
and Level 1 Loci have become somewhat of a fashion item
for some. Level 2 Loci are generally worn by experts in a
particular field and are seen as much more of a work tool
than a fashion statement. Level 3 Loci are rare and restricted
to those who have access to the forefront of technological
advancement. The presence and acceptance of all these
augmentations on the different Flame Worlds are discussed
below.
Pu ppe ts
Most of the Puppets – the artificial robots of the Flame
Worlds – are of Ultratech design. They come in all shapes and
sizes, adapted to the particular purpose for which they were
built. Unlike many of the other Ultratech designs employed
in the Flame System, Puppets are carefully designed for
specific purposes, so many of the Puppets found on Steel
are combat orientated whereas those employed on Stone
and Ocean are built for production.
Body shapes vary widely, including very humanoid designs,
through to more outlandish, non-bipedal forms. However,
the majority of Puppets have a distinctly humanoid form, as
people feel more at ease interacting with Puppets in a form
they connect with. Most of these Puppets are human-sized,
and the majority are bipedal with four limbs. However, they
can sport a wide range of other adaptations such as wings
or inbuilt equipment, and can vary drastically in size. The
only thing that can be said with certainty is that all Puppets
are capable of some fine manipulation, either through the
use of mechanical digits or through rope-like tentacles. All
have some sort of optical system as well as audio and tactile
sensors, and all can talk. In this regard the sensory inputs
available to Puppets are very similar to those of humans.
Most Puppets are semi-intelligent, running near-AIs that can
mimic natural behaviour, but they lack the intuitive thinking
of real intelligence.
Weapons and armour used by Puppets are similar to those
discussed below, except in the case of the Puppets’ armour,
where usually a composite ceramic material is built into the
outer casing rather than being a separate component.

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 THE FLAME WORLDS

Typical Steel Heavy Combat Puppet
Might: 4D Wit: 2D+1 (not true intelligence)
Agility: 3D+1 Charm: 2D+1
Skills: brawling 5D, dodge 4D+1, pistol 5D+1 and rifle 4D+1
Note: Ceramic armour +5
Static resistances: Dodge 13, Block 15, Parry 12, Soak 17
Gear: heavy pistol, pulse rifle
Servant Puppet of the Flame Worlds
Might: 1D+1 Wit: 3D+2 (not true intelligence)
Agility: 3D Charm: 2D
Skills: dodge 5D, bureaucracy 4D+2, language 4D
Note: Ceramic armour +2
Static: Dodge 15, Block 4, Parry 4, Soak 6
Simulcra is similar to a standard Puppet; however, whereas a
standard Puppet is clearly a machine, a Simulcra appears to
be a sentient being. Whether these Puppets are a true form
of artificial intelligence is still a hotly debated topic. Unlike
normal Puppets, Simulcra can pay a heavy price for their
emotional simulation. Like humans and Uplifts, Simulcra can
be prone to psychoses, dementia and other mental diseases.
Although similarly named to known biological conditions,
these ailments are actually a result of degradation of the
Fractal Mind that can occur due to as yet unknown reasons.
One of the biggest drawbacks for Simulcra is that, unlike
normal Puppets, they have a finite mental lifetime after
which it is wise to replace their Minds. This, and the high
intrinsic cost of the Glitter used in their manufacture, makes
Simulcra very expensive, but it is a price worth paying if the
Puppet is designed to interact with biological entities, form
bonds and function as a full member of a society.

Glit te r and Pu ppet Technologies

Glitter isn’t directly present in Puppets, but the nano-
machines have allowed the manufacturing of more complex
components unavailable to normal Ultratech, leading to the
creation of a whole new range of Puppets. One of the key
technologies is outlined below, followed by some examples
of the Puppets that have been constructed as a result.

Frac tal Minds

The nano-machines of Glitter can be used to create miniscule
devices on an almost atomic scale. One of the most advanced
set of devices created in such a way is the atomically-etched
Fractal Minds that have been developed for the latest
generation of Puppets. Taking a hyperthin single crystal of
a superconducting metallic alloy (grown using ‘shepherd’
nanites), the circuitry of the brain is etched at the atomic
level through use of nano-machines. These crystals are
then stacked and sealed to form the highly complex wafer
that is a Puppet’s mind. The term Fractal Mind comes from
the almost exponential growth in potential of such a mind
compared to a ‘standard’ design.

Simulcra
Puppets with Fractal Minds are known as Simulcra, and
are much more sophisticated than previous generations of
Puppets. With older designs, intellect, physical capabilities
and overall performance were never an issue, but emotional
simulation was not possible on anything more than the
grossest scale. In comparison, Glitter has allowed the
creation of Puppets that can appear identical to humans Em b e r Se ries Simulcra
and Uplifts in terms of emotional response. Simulcra have The Ember Series of Puppets are a favourite form of combat
personalities, names and are individuals. This takes up a lot Puppet employed by military units across the Flame Worlds,
of processing power so in terms of overall performance a especially Unity. Towering over three times the height of

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 Exilium
a man, Embers are impressive looking devices, and can
carry a range of weaponry depending on their target.
Unlike many other military Puppets, Embers are Simulcra
with impressive human emotional emulation. The reason
for this is so they can react instinctively on the battlefield,
something commanders see as vital to a modern combat
machine. Embers come in several versions, depending on
their purpose.
EmberSword – This Ember Simulcra is armed with a missile
launcher fitted with cluster shells and a rotary slug cannon,
and is principally employed as an anti-personnel weapon by
the Canticle of Storm.
EmberStorm – This Simulcra is designed for assaults on the
Splinter Moons, where the ability of the plasma cannon and
rail gun to operate in a vacuum is particularly useful to the
Canticle of Fire.
EmberSpear – This version of the Ember Series is armed
with two claws for direct physical attack, and is used by the
Canticle of Steel as an intimidating enforcer in cities and other
72
urban environments where close-range combat is likely.
In between missions the minds of Ember Simulcra are put
into hibernation, as these huge and powerful combat units
cannot easily socialize and tend to suffer from depression if
left on their own. Ember units are still undergoing tests on
the battlefields of the Flame Worlds, but initial reports look
very favourable.
Rapie r Se ries Simulcra
The Rapier Series is the first purpose built Simulcra designed
as a general utility Puppet that contains a Fractal Mind. This
Simulcra is designed to allow easier interaction with humans
and Uplifts, something seen as vital to performing a role in
the Flame System. As such the Simulcra is human- sized, thin
and unthreatening, with a humanoid (but not too humanoid)
appearance. It has a ‘non-human’ face so that, despite its
mannerisms, it is clearly a Puppet. It is very human- like in
its actions, mannerisms and thought patterns, and is proven
to be able to form friendships with biological beings given
enough exposure. The Rapier is beginning to be seen in
many areas, from combat in the fields of Steel to civil duties
on the Flame Worlds.
Prion Se ries In filtration
Simulcra
The Prion series of Simulcra was a unit that had been
designed specifically to mimic humans, the original intent
being that it would integrate seamlessly into normal society.
Its most important feature was that the Puppet itself had
a thin, skeletal structure, over which is layered skin and
muscle, creating a near-perfect simulacrum of a human. A
Simulcra that was designed to get on well with humans and
Uplifts, the creators were surprised that people found the
very likeness of this Simulcra to a normal human repellent,
and the unit was soon retired as a dismal failure. However,
not everyone disliked the Prion; the Canticle of Smoke was
extremely interested in a Puppet that could pass as a human
except under close scrutiny. Quietly, they ‘acquired’ the
designers of the Prion and had the unit modified with the
addition of cutting-edge surveillance technology, creating
the perfect spy and assassin. Outside of the Canticle of
Smoke, few know that the Prion still exists, and no one
knows of the Simulcra’s new role in the societies of the
Flame Worlds.
Simulcra Minds
Simulcra operate in exactly the same way as normal
Puppets, with one key difference: normal, standard Puppets
are clearly machines, whereas Simulcra appear and act in a
human-like manner. In the case of the Prion, externally there

is no indication that it is not human. Simulcra are the latest
and most advance designs of Puppet in the Flame Worlds,
and are often equipped accordingly.
Simulcra on th e Fl am e Wo rlds
The appearance of Simulcra on the Flame Worlds has been a
recent event with the roll-out of the Rapier Series Puppets.
In comparison, the Ember model is of military use and is
not seen outside of the battlegrounds of the Flame Worlds.
Some of the inhabitants of the Flame Worlds are distrustful
of Simulcra, considering them dangerous simulacrums of
intelligent life, and on some of the more restrictive societies
Simulcra they are banned. However, elsewhere their utility
is recognized and they are becoming more widespread.
The presence and acceptance of Simulcra on the individual
Flame Worlds is discussed in the sections below.
Unity and the Fire Council – Simulcra are popular with the
Fire Council and within Unity, being novel, impressive and at
the cutting edge of innovation. Here, these Puppets are the
equals of humans and Uplifts.
Steel – On the battlefields of Steel, Ember Series Simulcra
are making a big impression. Huge and devastating like the
Embers of old, these new human-like devices are capable
of reacting to battlefield conditions with a versatility not
seen before. Rapier Simulcra are present, but generally only
within Unity forces.
Weapons
Ultratech weapons cover the gamut from hi-technology
pulse weapons to conventional slug throwers and autoguns.
Humanity makes use of a huge array of technologies when
constructing weapons, so a startling and seemingly disparate
selection of weapons can be found scattered about the
more violent Flame Worlds, all produced in the typically
sleek, efficient way that characterises Ultratech technology.
Weapon Manu fac tu re rs
The largest manufacturers of weapons are Unity. Utilising
the void factories above Stone, large numbers of melee and
ranged weapons are produced every cycle, as well as puppet
and vehicle mounted variants. Many Unity weapons are
Ultratech designs that haven’t altered since humans came
to the Flame Worlds, and some bear names and symbols
associated with old Earth. For example, a popular range of
pulse rifles are nick-named the ‘starry stripes’ because of
the symbol that adorns the stock. H&K weapons are also
named after a long-extinct faction or group from Earth.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Unity aren’t the only manufacturer though. Some of the
Merchant Houses of Diamond, particularly the House of
Kelmar, make their own weapons, many very beautiful and
hand-crafted, and are also known for a range of craftsman-
made sing-swords. Besson, another House, makes more
practical slug throwers called spit guns which are popular
with the lower echelons of society. On Sapphire, Uplift
weapons are produced, designed to be held my non-human
hands. Some of these designs are very unusual, being
adapted to suit the tastes of their Uplift bearers.
M ele e weapons
Melee weapons are common on the less lawful worlds, with
knives being the most popular. On more heavily policed
worlds it is generally the criminal element of the civilian
population that carry weapons and these are usually clubs
and similar blunt weapons which bear less of a punishment
if discovered.
Generally, hand-to-hand weaponry tends to be of archaic
design, such as swords, axes and clubs, although often with
a noticeable technological enhancement, such as the ‘sing-
sword’, a bladed weapon that vibrates rapidly with acoustic
energy sufficient to liquefy flesh.
Weapon Damage
Unarmed Might dice/2
Club Might dice/2+1D+1
Axe Might dice/2+3D
Hatchet Might dice/2+1D+1
Knife Might dice/2+1D
Mace Might dice/2+1D+1
Sword Might dice/2+2D+2
Spear Might dice/2+2D
Sing-sword Might dice/2+4D
Rang ed weapons
Ranged weapons take the form of slug projectors, laser or
pulse guns. Slug projectors that fire solid metal, plastic or
ceramic rounds are common on the Flame Worlds, being
reliable, easy to manufacture and cheap – many of the
designs are identical to those of Earth, even bearing logos
and names of the original manufacturers. Lasers do less
damage than slug projectors but benefit from unlimited
range (within reason) and near-silent operation (the cooling
systems do make some noise), so these are the choice
weapons of criminals, despite their relative rarity compared
to slug projectors.
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 Exilium
Primitive ranged Damage Range
Bow 2D+2 30/100/300
Crossbow 4D+1 50/150/400
Slug projectors Damage Range
Light Pistol 3D+2 30/100/350
Heavy Pistol 4D 30/100/350
Rifle* 5D 100/350/500
Shotgun 4D+2 50/150/400
Mortar 6D 100/400/700
Grenades 4D 10/20/30,hit
anything
within 10
74
Pulse weapons Damage Range
Pulse Pistol 5D 20/80/250
Pulse Rifle* 6D 80/250/400
Pulse Cannon* 7D 100/400/700
Laser weapons Damage Range
Laser Pistol 3D Unlimited in
line of sight
Laser Rifle 4D+2 Unlimited in
line of sight
*Weapons capable of automatic and supressing fire

Pulse guns are popular among militaries; they operate by
firing super-heated copper atom plasmas at the target,
causing a great deal of damage, but at some cost to the range
and with a loud discharge. Higher technology weapons such
as the man-portable mass drivers and the plasma discharge
guns are available, but they are expensive and difficult to use.
Launched weapons such as grenade launchers and mortars
are found among militaries and well-armed criminals on
some moons but due to the lack of strong gravity and the
relative inaccuracy of fire that results are of limited use.
On the more civilised Flame Worlds, inhabitants are
generally either lightly armed or unarmed, with weapons
only being readily available on the black market. Many Exiles
carry weapons for protection, usually well-concealed pulse
pistols and small blades.
Glit te r Weapons
As with all new technologies, the military have focused
on the possibilities of Glitter. These technologies have
generally been rolled-out into Unity, making the Unity
fighting machine the most impressive in the Flame System.
Slowly, these items are bleeding out to other militaries and
inevitably into private hands, but the process has been slow
as only those who have access to the Glitter machines can
manufacture these devices. However, as the Fire Council is
made up of factions that have their own military arms, it
is inevitable that these new weapons have spread beyond
Unity. The following examples of new technologies that have
benefitted from Glitter can all be found on the battlefields of
the Flame System.
Rail Guns
The use of Glitter to create rail guns has been a principal
aim of the military thinkers from the start. Exceptionally
powerful weapons, rail guns rely on light, portable, low-
power magnets that accelerate metallic shards at extreme
velocity. Using Ultratech, rail guns are large, bulky and
typically vehicle-mounted, or carried by larger Uplifts such
as Jakkar. However, the same layered crystalline technology
that has led to the construction of Fractal Minds can be used
to make ultra-small and lightweight magnets of suitable
power. Once these devices are pulsed with an electrical
discharge they produce a massive acceleration, imparting
a huge amount of kinetic energy to the small fragment of
metallic alloy that is the fired round. Such is the speed of
the round that, in many designs, it liquefies, further adding
to the damage inflicted. Rail guns give a loud crack when
discharged as the slug breaks the sound barrier; many
designs have long barrels that house not only the magnetic
components but also impressive sound dampening.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Rail guns: available as pistol, rifle or sniper rifle variants to
Unity forces
Range: 80/250/400m
Damage: 3D for a pistol; 5D for a rifle; 6D for a sniper rifle
Mase rs
Whereas lasers emit light, masers discharge x-rays. These
powerful, heavy but extremely damaging devices are
quite delicate, relying on crystalline discharge filaments
of extremely fine design grown with the aid of shepherd
nanites. Excellent anti-vehicle weapons, masers give an
impressive tearing sound as they are fired, emitting a searing
blast of x-rays and red light that leaves a powerful stench
of ozone. Most importantly, they are extremely damaging
to the inner-workings of Puppet minds, and do double the
damage to Puppet targets.
Maser anti-vehicle guns: two handed heavy weapons with
power packs
Range: effectively unlimited
Damage: 5D against vehicles; hard to wield against human
size targets (+1D to dodge) but with a damage of 7D; rolled
damage doubled against Puppets
Nano Swarm L aunch e rs
A powerful anti-personnel weapon much feared across
the Flame Worlds, the nano swarm launcher fires a shell
that discharges a cloud of nano-machines when it bursts.
Designed simply to consume flesh, these nano-machines
coat their victims like a fine dust, before liquefying the
victim. Nano swarm launchers are extremely nasty weapons
that leave excessive scarring and painful lasting effects; they
are feared and hated.
Nano swarm launchers: a heavy, two-handed weapon with
a backpack to carry the ammunition
Range: 20/50/100m
Damage: damage inflicted over four turns, initially 4D
damage to anything within 2m of the impact zone, decreasing
by 1D each turn the subsequent three turns.
Pl asma Cannons
Plasma cannons eject a shell packed with a highly unstable
shell of compressed plasma. On impact, the plasma is
discharged through the tip of the shell and a huge amount
of focused destructive power is released. Hugely damaging
to the immediate target, they have a narrow spread of
collateral damage and are excellent for ‘picking off’ targets
at range. The drawback is that these weapons are large and
heavy as a consequence of the Glitter-derived technology
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 Exilium
needed to store the plasma shells safely, and so are only
really carried on vehicles and by larger Puppets.
Plasma cannon: Heavy vehicle or Puppet-mounted weapons
with a scale of +1D
Range: effectively unlimited
Damage: 6D against vehicles and structures; less damaging
at 3D against infantry due to the narrow focus range
Armour
Ultratech armour tends to be constructed from ceramic
composites, the heavy metal armours of the past no longer
competing due to their bulkiness. Linked and articulated
panels of ceramic merged to skin-tight, body-hugging suits
are common; discs of reactive gel sit behind these panels
and remain soft during normal use, but harden on impact.
The most advanced armour is based on powered suits, with
fluid hydraulics and electrical circuits providing support for
massive limbs and thick armour plates. Menacing to behold,
power armour is indeed a fearsome sight.
Environmental suits are of a similar design to armour.
Backpacks provide environmental requirements, and the
body is kept under pressure through the use of a gel that
floods the inside of the suit.
Armour Value
Light reactive gel suit +2
Gel suit with ceramic plates +6
Full segmented ceramic +9
Powered suit +15
Glit te r Armou r
The soldiers of Unity carry the most advanced armour of
the Flame System. Even the most basic units are heavily
armoured compared to the forces of other factions. This is
a direct result of Glitter’s manufacturing power in creating
novel materials. The following examples of new technologies
that have benefitted from Glitter can all be found on the
battlefields of the Flame System.
Resistive Pl ate
One of the most iconic items in the Unity armoury, resistive
plate can be found in one form or another on pretty much
all Unity soldiers. Extremely tough and hard wearing,
the plate is manufactured from ceramic that is etched by
76
nano-machines and infilled with resins to introduce micro-
flexibility and to improve heat dissipation. This increases the
material’s ability to absorb impacts and improves comfort
for the wearer, meaning that even quite elaborate armours
can be worn without too much discomfort. The quality and
design of resistive plate is an indication of the power and
influence of a soldier within Unity; basic soldiers have a
fairly utilitarian design, whereas commanders can have very
elaborate suits.
Full commander’s suit: Armour value +10
Typical soldier’s full body suit: Armour value +7
Light scout suit: Armour value +3
Cham eleon Skin
A favourite of Smoke agents, this material takes the form
of a thin-layered coating that can be added to any existing
armour or military suits. This ‘skin’ contains a layer of tiny
cameras and pixel projectors. The outer layer appears white
when deactivated, but when powered-up an image obtained
from the cameras situated on the other side of the wearer is
projected across the surface, creating a camouflage effect.
A small backpack contains the power source and the
computers required to process and adjust the images to
compensate for the curvature of the human form. Chameleon
skins do not render the wearer invisible, but they do make
them hard to see, especially if they aren’t moving and they
are positioned against a random background image such
as vegetation. Against a more structured backdrop such as
a plain coloured wall, the skin performs less well and the
outline of the wearer is hard to mask, but it is still a marked
improvement on an unskinned form.
Any tests to stop, target or otherwise interact with a
Character in a chameleon suit are subject to the following
penalties: Attempts to see a chameleon suit wearer who
is stationary against a random background are two levels
more difficult. If the wearer is moving or the background is
smooth the task is one level more difficult.
Weapons and Armou r on th e
Fl am e Wo rlds
Most of the weapons and armour derived from Glitter are in
the hands of Unity, and as such can be found on pretty much
all of the Flame Worlds. Understandably, major caches of
technology are concentrated on Steel – where Unity forces
constantly battle to keep armies of the moon factions in
check – and on the Splinter Moons where Unity wages war
against the pirates that infest the moons.

Di f f u s i v e C o m p u t i n g
On the Flame Worlds communication is through diffusive
computing nets via orbital satellites. Every citizen without a
Loci is fitted with an internal augmentation like a low quality
Loci at birth that allows direct access to com-net, a diffusive
computing network. Citizens are able to contact one another
non-verbally, assuming that they have permission from the
other party. Some rudimentary computing is also possible
through these nets, although this is only basic querying
rather than any form of programming. Access to various
com-nets is very dependent on the location. On Stone and
Ocean, ‘Unity control’ means comprehensive access. On
Steel, connection is patchy due to the ongoing hostilities on
the planet. The moons of Steel vary in access; some of the
more restrictive regimes limit those who can use the com-
nets, whereas others grant access only to the privileged.
Ultratech computers are incredibly powerful, complex
devices with a high degree of intelligence that are ubiquitous
in the Flame System. Many of these machines have semi-
intelligence and some awareness of themselves; one of
the final achievements of humanity back on Earth was
the development of artificial near-intelligence. The main
difference between semi-AI and true artificial intelligence is
free will. Many Puppets and related computer systems on
the Flame Worlds are subservient and limited in function,
unable to act outside of their purpose and function.
Programming of Ultratech computers is performed verbally
through a complex language specially designed for the
purpose. Even modest computers understand basic speech,
but programming requires a specialist vocabulary where
the programmer explains his desires to the computer,
interpretation being aided by the machine’s intellect. More
powerful computers interact with users through an avatar,
typically a holographic representation.
Ve hicles
Ground, water and air vehicles are employed extensively
in the Flame System. Most are Ultratech devices, showing
the same sleek efficiency of design that characterises the
technology. Depending on the terrain of the environment in
which they are to be deployed, wheeled, tracked and walker
designs are common for ground-based vehicles. Liquid-
based vessels range from boats to submarines to suit varying
aquatic environments. Most air vehicles are based on highly
efficient planes or rotor-equipped craft. Most vehicles are
fairly small, with room for a couple of occupants, although
some larger designs are found on Stone. Chemical engines
usually provide power, fed from the almost limitless supplies
THE FLAME WORLDS
shipped in from Ocean, although some other designs based
on solar and nuclear power may be found. Most of these
devices are manually piloted, but the larger have powerful
computer intelligences interacting with users through
holographic avatars.
Wheeled ground car Scale +2D
Skill: drive Man: 1D
Body: 2D Move: 2D+1
Crew: 1 Psg: 4
Cargo: 500 lbs
Aerospace Snap Fighter Scale +6D
Skill: pilot Man: 3D
Body: 2D Move: 3D
Crew: 1 or 2 Psg: 0
Cargo: None
Weapons: Guns (2D), range: 30 / 50 /100; 4 missiles
(4D/ea), range: 0.5 mile / 2 miles / 5 miles
Wheeled speed bike Scale +2D
Skill: drive Man: 2D
Body: 1D+2 Move: 2D+2
Crew: 1 Psg: 1
Cargo: None
Racing speed bike Scale +2D
Skill: drive Man: 2D
Body: 2D Move: 3D
Crew: 1 Psg: 1
Cargo: 200 lbs
FireFight tracked tank Scale +4D
Skill: drive Man: 1D
Body: 6D Move: 2D
Crew: 3 Psg: 1
Cargo: 500 lbs
Weapons: Pulse cannon (character scale, see
weapons above); Direct fire fusion gun (6D),
range: 0.5 mile / 1 mile / 2 miles.
Single person gyrocopter Scale +2D
Skill: pilot Man: 2D
Body: 1D+2 Move: 3D
Crew: 1 Psg: 1
Cargo: None.
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S pac e c r a f t their passage on one of the scheduled departures. Generally

Most of the ships that travel space around and between the
Flame Worlds are either space planes or interplanetary craft.
Space pl an es
The principal spacecraft used for transport between
planetary surfaces and orbital platforms are space planes,
with lift being generated by highly efficient chemical
engines. These ships can be privately owned, but most are
owned and operated by the merchant houses of Diamond,
and are used to ferry goods and people up into orbit. A
typical space-plane is moderate in size, up to 50 m in length,
due to the high cost incurred with larger, weightier vehicles.
Combat Space Plane Scale +4D
Skill: pilot Man: 3D+2
Body: 1D+1 Move: 4D
Crew: 1 Psg: 1
Cargo: None
Weapons: Twin rail guns (4D), Range: 1 / 3 / 5
Passenger Space Plane Scale +6D
Skill: pilot Man: 1D
Body: 2D+1 Move: 3D
Crew: 2 Psg: 8
Cargo: 50 tons
Inte rpl an etary craft
The ships that ply the lanes between the worlds of the
Flame System are all under control and ownership of Unity,
specifically the Canticle of Fire, and any who wish to travel
inter-planet must pay Unity for the privilege. Ships follow set
paths between worlds on a well-structured and predictable
rota, so passengers or others wishing to travel must book
these ships are truly massive, up to 1 km in their longest
direction, and bulky as aerodynamics aren’t a requirement.
The same ships are used to carry people, goods and often
military units, often all at the same time but separated
within the vessel. It is not uncommon to have rival factions
and even militaries sharing the same vessel, separated by
heavy duty war Puppets under control of the ship. Thrust
is generated through modern ion drives crated through
Glitter technologies. These drives are slow to accelerate but
capable of enormous speeds. Fusion-fired rockets provide
the initial acceleration and deceleration in these ships where
ion drives are simply too slow.
During transport, most passengers remain in coldsleep – a
state of suspended animation. The duration of journeys can
vary wildly due to the relative positions of leaving points and
destinations – a few months are typical.
Control of inter-planetary craft has recently become the
purview of fractal minds, replacing the need for a crew.
Avatars of the controlling mind allow interactions with
passengers, and Simulcra are fairly common. With modern
craft it is not possible for humans or Uplifts to take over
control – it is too firmly embedded within the complex
artificial structures of the fractal mind.
The largest interplanetary craft that ply the space lanes
between the Flame Worlds are called Void Arks. Huge
vessels capable of carrying battalions of troops and their
support equipment, Void Arks are ancient vessels, some
constructed so long ago that their records are lost. Control
of the ship may have recently passed from a human crew
to Fractal Minds, but the structure of the vessel is older
than most would even guess. Some of these ships are of
an unusual design compared to some of the more modern,
smaller interplanetary Unity craft. Based on a dual-lobed
structure around a central spindle running perpendicular to
the direction of travel, with each side thinning out to narrow

average travel times

Steel/moons Stone Mist Ocean Cloud

Steel/moons - 1 month 9 months 24 months 40 months
Stone 1 month - - 8 months 23 months 39 months
Mist 9 months 8 months - 15 months 31 months
Ocean 24 months 23 months 15 months - 16 months
Cloud 40 months 39 months 31 months 16 months -

78

projections that point slightly to the rear of the vessel, in
many ways Void Arks resemble seeds. The surface of each
vessel bristles with antenna, probes and sensor bubbles,
giving the ship a blistered, uneven appearance.
Void Arc Scale +14D
Skill: command (Fractal mind) Man: 0D
Body: 8D Move: 1D
Crew: 50 passenger liaison, Guards Psg: 5,000
Cargo: 100 kilotons + 30 fighters
Weapons: 100 anti-fighter guns (3D, Fighter scale),
range 1 / 3 / 5; 32 rail Cannons (4D+1), range 5 / 10
/ 15; 6 100 Megaton Warheads (8D), range 15. Only
50% of guns or cannons can be on one target at any
time. The ship also carries a complement of over 100
Puppets including guards and soldiers, and has the
capability to produce more.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Eug enics,
Bio engin e e ring and
U pl i f ts
Genetic modification of life forms has been common among
the Flame Worlds. From the development of humans to suit
Steel’s environment to the modification of indigenous life
forms to create Uplifts, genetic splicing and re-sequencing
has been a common occurrence. These technologies are
still employed, and new life is regularly created in the splice
clinics of Emerald.
In many ways bioengineering is a technology that has
shaped the Flame System. The technology is exceptionally
sophisticated, with almost any modification of the body
possible, given the right genetic material.
Fo rm and Func tion
Bioengineering is applied to any world where there are
indigenous life, and bioengineered organisms come in a
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bewildering range of forms to suit a myriad of functions.
Some are beautiful constructs, very much like the economical
and adapted forms created by evolution, whereas some
are crude and ugly, such as the combat Barghor of Steel.
Uplifts vary from intelligent versions of creatures physically
indistinguishable from their natural counterparts, to
humanised versions of these creatures.
U pl i f ts
Uplifts are intelligent beings that have been created by the
process of ‘uplifting’ – modifying the genetic makeup of a
creature to increase intelligence to human-comparable
levels. This process has been in use on the Flame Worlds
for many hundreds of years, and still goes on today – new
Uplifts are being created by the various factions of the
moons of Steel, to add to the many hundreds of existing
forms, so the term ‘Uplift’ covers an exceptionally diverse
and unusual group of creatures. Many Uplifts are also
‘hadatpted’ – a term used to describe the process where
the form of a creature is altered to give a human-like body
shape, making it best able to interact with humans (the
name is a shortened version of ‘human-adapted’). The
level of hadaption generally indicates how much the Uplift
resembles its root generic stock – how alien it appears.
On the Flame Worlds, Uplifts can be found on almost every
world. On some, they are second class citizens. On others
they are full and equal citizens – this reward being reserved
for the more ancient and respected Uplift forms, such as the
Jakkar of Steel.
U plifting
The process of creating a new intelligent race from a non/
semi-intelligent creature is a complex and difficult procedure.
The genetic sequence of the creature is unravelled and
analysed, and pieces of sequence that control intelligence
are identified, isolated and excised. Into this modified code
human genetic sequences are inserted, tailored to slot into
the alien DNA, such that the brain function of the chimera
creature is greatly boosted. However the process is much
more complex than even this, as greater brain function
requires a whole host of biological changes to be made to
the body if the process of Uplifting is to be successful. For
example, a larger brain requires a roomier skull cavity and
greater blood supply to survive. This in turn requires muscle
adaption, which requires greater circulatory prowess and so
on, the process cascading until almost all of the biology of
the original creature has been affected. The techniques of
uplifting are part science, part trial and error - every new
Uplift species that is created results from a combination
80
of the miracle of science and a great deal of good fortune.
Although Uplifts have many diverse forms, they all have
some common features as describe below.
Hadaption
The process of hadpation is a difficult task. The most highly
hadapted species greatly resemble humans in body shape
and size, which considering that these species originate on
alien worlds is an incredible feat of genetic engineering.
Many Uplifts exist in various forms with differing levels
of hadaption, depending on the need for which the Uplift
was originally designed. Generally, the more hadapted the
Uplift, the easier it is for it to get along with humans. Those
that share a great deal of human society are often the most
hadapted, conversely those that are either employed for a
purpose that suits their original body shape or who have
natural tools that are highly desirable may only have minor
levels of hadaption.
Intellig ence
All Uplifts are intelligent and on the human-scale. Some have
been heavily modified to bring on this intelligence, such as
the Barghor, others, like the Kyril, were borderline intelligent
before modification. Generally speaking, the greater the
degree of manipulation required to germinate intelligence,
the more unusual and ‘alien’ the Uplift mind seems to
humans. Some of the creatures of Sapphire have thought
processes that are completely detached from the way in
which a human mind works. It is important to remember
that Uplifts, although modified to encourage intelligence,
are alien species, and so their thought processes may seem
very strange to humans, especially those that have been
severely modified during uplifting and therefore most likely
originated from very alien precursors.
Manipul ato rs
All Uplifts have some means of using tools and complex
devices, such as hand-analogues with opposable thumbs,
tentacles or some other design of appendage with fine
motor control.
Spe ech
Uplifts of the Flame Worlds have had their throat analogues
heavily modified such that they can vocalise in Speak, the
common language of the Flame Worlds. They may only be
able to whisper or croak, and may be difficult to understand,
but they are able to communicate verbally. Many are also
well-versed in sign language, a common communication tool
throughout the Flame Worlds.
THE FLAME WORLDS

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Re produc tion
All true Uplifts of the Flame Worlds are capable of
reproducing without assistance. This is one of the tests as to
whether a new species can be assigned Uplift status by the
Fire Council – even those creations with great intelligence
that are unable to breed are not considered Uplifts, but
merely aberrations, mistakes of science.
Th e alien mind
Uplifts are alien creatures, and their minds do not work in the
same way as a human mind. They may have a similar level
of intelligence, but the root biology and genetics history of
their brains are fundamentally different. Despite the best
efforts of scientists, Uplifts are still influenced strongly by
the base drives and instincts that defined the actions of the
creatures they once were.
For example, an Uplift created from a pack animal would be
much more comfortable in the presence of others of its kind
and might even become ill if left alone for too long.
U plifts and Numina
The intelligence of Uplifts is sufficient for the process of
mounting by Numina to work in basically the same way as
with normal humans, with many Numina finding the ‘taste’
of an Uplift interesting and novel as they have mental
processes that are quite alien compared to humanity.
Numina entering Uplift hosts can also become Shadows in
the same way as those that mount other beings. However,
some of the more vestigial and ‘alien’ parts of the Uplifts
mind are closed to Numina. They are simply too different
to be interfaced. These are the baser drives and instincts
of the Uplift, those strong mental processes that define the
creature prior to genetic adjustment.
U plifts Acce ptance on
th e Fl am e Wo rlds
An important consideration is how Uplifts are treated on the
different Flame Worlds. On some, they are full citizens, on
others they are treated with suspicion. This is also dependent
on the type of Uplift – some forms are regarded in much
higher esteem than others, and are more likely to receive
acceptance in the varied societies of the Flame System.
Apart from the species differences that mark some Uplifts
are more accepted than others wherever they are, all the
societies of the Flame Worlds Uplift have different levels
of acceptance to Uplifts of any type. This results from their
history and connection to those places as well as the nature
of the societies that exist on each world.
82
U plif ts in Unit y and
th e Fire Council
The Fire Council counts a reasonable number of Uplifts
among its ranks. These are typically of the oldest and most
respected forms, as befits their station. Notably, a Verk
and a Jakkar both sit on the council, staring at each other
moodily across the negotiating table. The military wing of
the Fire Council, Unity, fields a large Uplift faction, focussing
on the Kyril and Jakkar Uplifts and on the Gorran forms. All
are well suited to combat. Many Jakkar are also found in the
higher ranks of Unity, considering such a position worth of
their prowess on the field.
U plif t Scientists
Without exception, the scientists that have created the
Uplift species of the Flame Worlds are from Sapphire.
The manipulations of biology required to create the living
Ultratech that makes life in the spire cities is the perfect
grounding for Uplift creation. Many of the rich players
in Sapphire society, and the underground Unions that
oppose them, have counted uplifters in their ranks. Today
the science continues, although much of what was known
about uplifting procedures is lost, for example the science
of creating the Jakkar is no longer known.
U pl i f t d esig n s o f
the Flame Wo rlds
Uplifts may be found on many of the Flame Worlds in a
variety of roles, depending on the local freedoms and rights
granted to Uplifts. These have been created from the myriad
life forms of Steel and Sapphire, as both places team with
life that can be used as a template for the Uplifting process.
Each of the Uplifts is described using the following profile.
Name: The commonly used name or names associated with
the Uplift.
Introduction: A brief overview of the Uplift, and details
of the creature prior to uplifting – location, habitat and
behaviour.
Designer: The group or individual responsible for completing
the uplifting process, i.e. creating an intelligent creature
capable of achieving adulthood and reproducing.
Attributes: Here are listed Attributes of a typical member of
the Uplift species. Static Defences are calculated based on
the Attributes of the Uplift. Minimum and maximum values
are also listed for the physical Attributes for the purposes of

character creation, as well as the number of Attribute dice
to be used in character creation, as discussed previously.
Perks and Complications: Each of the Uplifts in the following
sections has a list of Perks and Complications that define
their most pertinent aspects and their instinctive drives
and behaviours. These are meant as a guide to the Narrator
for Uplift non-player characters, indicating the creature’s
unique attitudes, outlook and behaviours. For Uplift Exiles,
these are the Perks and Complications that must be taken at
Exile creation.
Description: A description of the appearance, behaviour
and other general characteristics of a typical member of
the Uplift race. Note that expansions of the information
summarised under ‘Perks and Complications’ will be given
here, and it is advised that players wishing to create Uplift
Exiles read this information prior to play.
A note on skills
None of the Uplifts featured below have been given skills.
Instead for non-player characters the Narrator should assign
appropriate skills to an Uplift depending on its profession
and role in society, just as with human.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Ab e rrations
On the battlefields of Steel and in the oceans of sapphire,
failed experiments at Uplifting can be found hiding at the
edges of society. These are creatures that have been created
as part of unsuccessful attempts to generate independently
reproducing Uplift species. Some are individuals; others part
of a small but infertile group. They may have human-level
intelligence, or they may be little more than animals.
Designer: All manner of designers involved in Uplifting have
failures in their past that they cast to the wayside. Even the
likes of Gor or DeTor have made mistakes.
Statistics: As determined by the Narrator.
Perks/Complications: As determined by the Narrator.
Description: These unfortunates are mistakes, errors,
experiments that did not come to fruition. Most are
destroyed before reaching any degree of maturity, but some
small numbers do escape. Most of these are infertile, and
their genetic information dies with them in the harsh jungles
of Steel of in the oceans of Sapphire. Some however survive
and manage to propagate, even breeding with progenitor
species to create hybrids. Angry, vengeful and often insane,
these aberrations represent the darker side to tampering
with nature.
To normal Flame World society these are monstrosities.
They are thankfully rare, but may be encountered by
unfortunate agents of the Envoy. The Narrator is free to let
his mind run riot when creating new aberrations for Exiles
to encounter.
U pl i f t e q ui pm en t
Uplifts use equipment that is similar in operation to human
analogues. However, there are some noticeable differences.
The first is that many have a very alien look and feel –
often these devices have been designed around the ascetic
visions of alien beings, and can look extremely strange to
humans. Secondly, many show adaptations to non-human
hands or claws, and many are scaled to suit their users –
Jakkar weapons in particular are far too heavy to be used by
humans. Finally, often biotechnologies are employed with
these weapons, as they were created on Sapphire, the home
of biological Ultratech as well as the moon that is the centre
of Uplift experimentation. Below are listed some example
items that might be encountered on the Flame Worlds.
Melee weapons – swords, spears and other bladed or
weighted weapons are common to Uplifts and humanity,
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 Exilium
and are still very effective weapons. Many of the designs
used by Uplifts have the same ascetic, and are often serrated
or spiked in such a way as to maximise effectiveness against
creatures with a tough hide or exo-skeleton. Powered
weapons are also common, either delivering an electrical
discharge or scintillating the edge of a weapon with energy
that is dissipated in contact with the target.
These weapons either carry their own power pack, or are
powered by batteries. The majority of these weapons are
of a size that could be carried and used by a human, but
often the grips have been adjusted to suite the manipulators
of certain Uplifts (for example the unusual hands of Kyrils)
which makes them difficult to use. Some are built to a size
that suits something like a Jakkar or Raksasa – far too big
for a human to wield. The following are examples of melee
weapons developed and favoured by Uplifts, typically of
Steel.
Power mace – this weapon carries a power-pack in the
handle capable of delivering a high voltage, low current
electric shock. On a successful hit, the owner of the mace may
discharge this energy in a powerful jolt that can temporarily
disable the motor reflexes of victims, essentially paralysing
them. The drawback is that it takes the weapon some time
to power-up before another discharge is possible. Kyril are
known to favour this weapon.
Damage: Might dice/2 + 1D+1, bearer must state if the
weapon is being discharged before attack, assuming at least
a wound is caused the electrical discharge causes paralysis
for five rounds, once discharged takes three rounds to
recharge
Venom sword – this heavy and angular sword features
embedded poison sacs from an aquatic creature of Sapphire
clustered along the blade edge. When the weapon hits,
the venom is injected directly into the wound. The result
depends on the type of toxin employed, but typically venoms
that cause intense debilitating pain or vigorous spasms of
the body are common, although the exact result depends on
the biology of the victim.
Damage: Might dice/2 + 2D+2, assuming at least a wound is
caused venom is delivered, pain venom – victim’s Attributes
reduced by 1D (to a minimum of 1D) for five rounds, spasm
venom – victim effectively paralysed for five rounds.
Acid spear – the blade edges of this weapon exude a thick
and sticky acid, which smokes in air. On a successful hit, the
weapon delivers a dose of acid that causes serious injury to
exposed flesh and eats through metal and ceramic armours.
A very nasty weapon, the acid spear is used only in direct
84
warfare as it is considered too dangerous to carry when not
needed.
Damage: Might dice/2 + 2D, if attack blocked or parried item
used is destroyed after three rounds, if target is wounded
acid causes extra damage of 3D+1 for three rounds.
Punch gun – this pulse weapon is shaped like a dual bladed
dagger, intended to be used in close combat. When the
blade is successfully punched into a victim, the wielder may
discharge a single pulse blast directly into the target. The
effect is devastating, but the weapon takes a long time to
reload and is effectively a one shot item.
Damage: 6D+1 with pulse blast, Might/2 + 1D+1 for
subsequent attacks until reloaded
Ranged weapons – The slug guns, lasers and pulse guns
of humanity are all to be found adapted in to a form more
suited to Uplifts. This generally means ascetic changes,
variations in the grip and the manually manipulated parts of
the weapon as well as changes to the size to accommodate
some of the larger Uplifts. Weapons that fire bladed
projectiles are also popular, often delivering a nerve toxin.
These weapons are useful against Uplifts with tough hides
or exo-skeletons, where even a small puncture wound can
be sufficient to deliver the toxic agent.
Jakkar rail cannon – these huge weapons are wielded
primarily by Jakkar, although some of the larger Uplift
species such as Raksasa sometimes use them. More like a
tank gun than a weapon, these guns use magnetic coils to
fire a solid projectile at huge speeds, and are characterised
by the deafening crack as they fire.
Scale: 2D
Range: 30/100/200
Damage: 5D
Shard projector – this weapon silently fires a high volume
of ceramic slivers designed to tear large holes in the target.
Ammunition comes in the form of a block of ceramic that is
depleted as the weapon discharges. These weapons are a
favourite of Uplifts with poor eyesight, as the high rate of
fire makes spraying the target an effective technique.
Range: 30/100/200
Damage: 5D+1, roll to hit target and anyone else standing
within 1m.
Acid Pulse rifle – this weapon is equivalent to the human
pulse rifle, with one key addition, an under-mounted acid
bomb launcher. This weapon can fire a sticky mine that

attaches to the target then detonates, covering a 1m radius
in a strong and viscous acid that is hard to scrape away.
A standard acid pulse gun can fire five acid mines before
requiring reloading.
Pulse component:
Range: 80/250/400
Damage: 6D
Acid mines:
Range: 10/20/30
Damage: 3D+1 for three turns
Bio Laser cannon – this weapon uses a combination of
normal and biological Ultratech to deliver a powerful laser
blast, using a biological source for the beam. It has a low
rate of fire, and can only be operated on alternative turns,
but has a very high level of damage for a hand held laser
weapon.
Range: effectively unlimited
Damage: 4D+2
Uplift Armour – the armour worn by Uplifts is identical
in performance to human armours. It is often species-
designed, as most Uplifts have a body-shape that is very
different to humans. Highly ornate plates of ceramic armour
are common among the older and more respected Uplift
species, with the younger or more ‘military’ species using
utilitarian designs created for rugged use on the battlefield.
G lit te r and M edic al
Technologies
Glitter has found applications in many of the medical facilities
of the Flame Worlds. These advances have benefitted
hospitals, surgeons and battlefield medics. Two of the most
impressive medical advances are outlined below.
Bio - fusing
One of the biggest changes that Glitter has brought to the
Flame Worlds is in Bio-fusing, the art of cellular repair. Even
extreme injuries can be repaired by using nano-machines
designed specifically to manufacture stem cells from a
recipient’s DNA; these stem cells are capable of transforming
into any other type of cell in the body.
This process takes place in a bio-tank, a large vessel packed
with a broth-like fluid containing the building blocks of
the cells and clouds of nano-machines. The injured person
is submerged in the tank for anything up to six weeks,
THE FLAME WORLDS
depending on the degree of injury, while the machines
do their work. At the end of the process the recipient is
disgorged from the tank replete with new flesh, repaired
bone and re-grown organs. Bio-fusing has only two caveats
to a successful repair: the victim of trauma must be alive
when they enter the tank, and brain injury cannot be easily
healed. New brain tissue is generated, but memories linked
to the damaged mind are irrevocably wiped.
Some criminal syndicates use Bio-fusion tanks for the
express purpose of wiping minds. Bio-fusion works well with
creatures with a well-defined physical template, so humans
and most mature Uplift species can be repaired. Aberrations
and other experimental creatures with undefined DNA
templates cannot be fixed very easily, however.
Bio-fusing on the Flame Worlds
Bio-fusion tanks are rare. The nano-machines required for
their operation are at the cutting edge of Glitter, and as such
are in short supply. It is only really the military and some of
the major powers in the System that have Bio-fusion tanks,
and they guard them jealously. Still, given the revolutionary
nature of the technology, they have transformed the Flame
Worlds.
Bio -welding
Whereas the Bio-fuser is a complex piece of equipment
for repairing shattered bodies, the Bio-welder is a man-
portable device capable of stabilizing blood loss, protecting
against infection and reducing shock, and is the mainstay
of battlefield medics and trauma units across the Flame
Worlds.
The Bio-welder is usually mounted in a backpack, with a
nozzle that arches over the operator’s shoulder. When
activated, the Bio-welder fires a small stream of simple
nano-machines that the operator coats over an open
wound, preferably as soon after injury as possible. The
nano-machines set to work immediately sealing blood
vessels, forming a protective barrier over the wound, and
entering the blood stream, synthesizing hormones to reduce
shock. In the case of trauma in the field, the Bio-welder is an
invaluable tool that saves many lives.
Bio-welding on the Flame Worlds
The Bio-welder is a common sight on the Flame Worlds,
both in the military and in civilian life. Although the nano-
machines used in its operation are complex, only a very
small quantity is required at any time, so the benefits of
wound stabilization far outweigh the cost. Most hospitals
and medics on the Flame Worlds are equipped with Bio-
welders.
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The Flame Wo rlds

This section describes in detail the various bodies of the Flame System. Most of the population of the Flame Worlds knows
that they are not indigenous to the System, and stories of Lost Earth are common. However, few true records of Earth exist,
and for most the ancient past is of little real interest.

Diamond

Opal Ocean
Mist
Stone Cloud

Steel

Sapphire

Emerald

T h e S ta r s The Flame Worlds orbit the smaller star of a relatively

ordinary binary system. The larger of the two stars in this
Two stars dominate the Flame System: Flame and Gold. Both system is the vast sun Flame, an old star now past its main
are described below. sequence and now progressing down the Red Giant Branch
(RGB) of stellar life. Flame is huge, being approximately thirty
times the size of the sun of Ancient Earth. However, Flame
Fl am e: distant red giant is a distant body without close planetary neighbours, the
Diameter: 15,659,000 miles planets of the Flame System orbiting instead the second star
Mass: 297,998 Earths of the binary, Gold. No natural bodies orbit Flame, although
Gravity: - it is possible that planets once orbited the star in the distant
Atmospheric pressure: - past and were encompassed by the outer layers when Flame
Atmospheric composition: - left the main sequence and expanded to become a red giant.
Surface water: -
Average temperature: 2600°C Flame is an old sun; its core has long since depleted the
Rotational period: - original supply of hydrogen. The fusion of protons into
Orbital period: - helium nuclei is now the dominant power source. As a result

86

of changes to the hydrostatic balance of the core, the centre
of Flame is extremely hot but the outer layers are cool. Only
the weak visible radiation that escapes the star appears like
a dull flame, giving the star its name.
Flame is very distant from Gold and the Flame Worlds. Apart
from a few scientific teams from the moons that monitor
Flame, and the small number of Puppet-occupied weapons
platforms in nearby space that protect them, Flame is
generally ignored.
However, the importance of Flame to the environments
of the planets of the Flame System should not be
underestimated. Flame can be seen on all of the Flame
Worlds, and its rise and fall are part of the natural cycle
of life. For example, on Steel it is Gold that marks the
passing of night into day, but when Flame is visible during
the night, the landscape is cast into dense shadow by the
ghostly red glow.
Gold: b rig ht main sequ ence star
Diameter: 945,800 miles
Mass: 312,254 Earths
Gravity: -
Atmospheric pressure: -
Atmospheric composition: -
Surface water: -
Average temperature: 6440°C
Rotational period: -
Orbital period: -
The second star of the binary system is Gold. A small, bright
yellow sun, Gold is very similar in size and luminosity to the
sun of the Earth. It is the warm yellow rays of Gold that mark
out night and day on all the bodies of the system, and when
people speak of the sun it is to Gold they refer.
A main sequence star still in the early stages of stellar life,
Gold is far younger than Flame and has an abundance of
hydrogen to burn. The existence of a binary system of stars
in such different stages of their lifetime is unusual. Scientists
theorise that Gold was originally a lone body before being
captured by the massive gravitational pull of Flame when
passing through the surrounding stellar neighbourhood.
Gold is a relatively stable body, displaying few solar flares
and other stellar phenomena compared to other stars of a
similar size and lifetime.
Like Flame, the inhabitants of the system largely ignore Gold
apart from a few scientific teams, despite the vital role the
star plays in the life of the Flame Worlds.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Steel
Distance from Gold: 0.7 A.U.
Diameter: 9,607 miles
Mass: 1.1 Earth masses
Gravity: 1.1 G (Standard gravity)
Atmospheric pressure: 1.3 atm (Standard fluid
atmosphere)
Atmospheric composition: 64% nitrogen, 34% oxygen,
2% other
Surface/atmospheric water: 67%
Temperature range: -5 to 36°C
Rotational period: 26.6 Earth hours
Orbital period: 386 Earth days
We had been hunting for days, the hot red sun burning
overhead, dyed the colour of blood by the baleful clouds of
Steel. The forests were thick and near-impenetrable, tangles
of twisting, grasping growth and thick, ropey tendrils. Most
of the time the vegetation hid the sky above, but occasionally
the churning and wind swept storms of the upper atmosphere
could be seen, boiling and tumbling with silent ferocity. The
rain was constant, stained green with microbial life forms.
Teves had been injured when the ground opened up during
a shake, and the wound soon festered and bubbled with
life. Within three cycles Teves was dead, cursing his luck as
the poisons ate into his system. Myself, a Simulcra, was not
susceptible to such spores, but the corrosion ate at my joints
and I could feel myself seizing. With Teves gone we were two.
Myself and Pollee, an Uplift, were all that was left. Perhaps
two would be enough. Perhaps.
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 Exilium
He called himself ‘Vil’ and had been killing others for many
cycles. At first the Envoy had thought that the anger would
burn itself away, and Vil would dissipate as the aggression
was sated, but others had reported that the Uplifted creature
still lived and was becoming more violent with each killing.
Vil had become a shadow, and now he was destroying with
reckless abandon. We were told that it must be stopped,
ended, and that my team, the Silver Triad, had been selected
for the task. With Teves gone we were now only a duo, and
the corrosion of my Puppet made me a dirty copper-bronze
rather than silver, but we continued none the less.
We found it in a clearing, although we heard it many
kilometres away. It hooted and brayed as it killed, mouthing
obscenities at the broken form beneath it. The dead creature
was a Simian, unmodified, no doubt one of the naturals
of Steel. Vil had torn its limbs off, they were scattered on
the ground nearby. We stepped from the shadows of the
vegetation and challenged it, my sing-sword humming with
acoustic energy. Pollee adopted the fight-stance, fists held
before her at the ready. Vil moved on her first.
It was fast, eating up the ground with great strides. I could
see that the creature was based on the Kyril body plan,
bipedal with four arms, but each held bladed-weapons.
Its mouth was a slash of red, cruel and bitter, two tongues
flicking forth as it roared.
Pollee was strong but slow. Her first strike knocked Vil to the
ground, dazed, but she could not follow up before he gained
his feet once again. She did not get a second strike; the speed
of Vil’s blades was too much, cutting into her body like a
ripe fruit. She cursed she died, Vil braying and screaming in
triumph.
Then he turned on me.
I was quick, quicker than Pollee, and quicker than Vil. It
landed many strikes on me, but I dodged and weaved and
none were enough to shut me down, despite the corrosion of
my form. Finally I got the one strike I required, my sing-sword
cutting deep into the thing’s body, acoustic energy liquidising
flesh with a scream. Abruptly Vil sat down, arms draped at
its side. I modulated my sword then, turning the setting down
to the minimum. It took Vil’s Shell a long time to die as I cut,
it watching me. Finally it even seemed to smile as it toppled
over, hissing though its broken mouth. I tried to catch the
word but it was gone.
As I left Steel on the Envoy’s space plane I knew I should have
felt good about what I had done. But since then I can’t help
picturing those eyes, or hearing the braying of the thing as
it killed Pollee.
88
Steel is a violent world. Wracked by a constant
intercontinental war and home to a crumbling society, this
is a world of conflict. The closest of the Flame Worlds to
Gold, Steel teems with an abundant and highly aggressive
ecosystem. Given the exotic conditions that exist on the
planet, Steel is very different to Ancient Earth with a unique
and rapacious selection of indigenous life forms that have
adapted to survive in the harsh conditions.
Struc tu re
Steel is slightly smaller and less dense than Ancient Earth,
with a distinctly blood-red appearance when viewed from
space due to the thick clouds of unusual chemicals that
comprise the upper atmosphere. Although when the clouds
part it is sometimes possible to view the surface of the
world, Steel often has deceptively uniform cloud layers that
hide the rich ecosystem beneath.
The upper cloud layer serves to reflect a large proportion
of the radiation that comes from Gold, helping to keep the
surface of the planet at the reasonable temperature levels
required for life to develop. Despite the high level of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect that so
damaged Earth is not prominent; chemicals in the cloud
layers reflect much of the dangerous ultraviolet radiation
before it can interact with greenhouse gases at lower
stratospheric levels. Beneath the thick clouds the upper
layers of the air are constantly driven by strong winds, but
these storms usually do not affect the atmosphere near to
the surface of the planet. At ground level the air is often
quite still, while the winds high above help to equilibrate
surface temperatures across Steel.
Beneath this thick cloud layer is a world dominated by large
landmasses. Although water is a major component of the
surface of Steel, it is not concentrated in the large oceans
and seas that are seen on Earth. Instead, it is held as vapour
in the atmosphere or is stored in the significant biosphere of
the planet. Steel is a wet world, the atmosphere heavy with
moisture.
Tectonically, Steel is an extremely active planet. Despite the
relative proximity of Gold, it is the molten inner core of the
planet that supplies heat to the surface. The crust is formed
from numerous plates floating on an extremely unstable
magma layer, with collisions between neighbouring zones
occurring frequently. As a result Steel is geologically an
impressive world, with soaring mountains, deep chasms and
almost daily earthquakes and significant volcanic events.
These frequent eruptions and upwellings of deep magma
serve to bring mineral nutrients to the surface, aiding the
infestation of vegetation that characterises the planet. The

core of Steel is of relatively low density due to the scarcity of
metals on the planet. All metal devices found on the planet
are of off-world origin.
The rate of erosion is also high compared to Earth due to the
high moisture content of the atmosphere and the voracious
spread of vegetative matter. Many of the features that mark
even recent tectonic events can be worn away in a very
short time scale.
Environm ent
The natural environment of Steel is an extremely rich and
untamed wilderness. Dense forests and jungles dominate
the equatorial regions, giving way to wide plains and
tundra as one nears the poles. Mountains can be found in
abundance, on a grand and often breath-taking scale. The
place teems with vicious creatures – a world where kill or be
killed is the order of things.
Hugely diverse flora and fauna can be found on the planet,
a result of the stable solar environment and the abundance
of natural resources. From airborne spores and microbes
to the mighty plant and fungi analogues that dominate the
vast forests of Steel, life seemingly fills every conceivable
THE FLAME WORLDS
niche. In many places the forests are so thick as to be almost
impenetrable, and a high canopy casts nearly all the available
landmass into shade. Such is the ferocious competition
for space amongst members of the vegetative kingdom
that native plants grow at phenomenal rates, some even
reaching upward to the canopy to catch the filtered light of
Gold in just a few hours. Fallen life forms are consumed just
as quickly, succumbing to decay at an alarming rate.
The myriad small seas of Steel are also rich with life. In some
places so dense is the organic matter that the waters are
cloudy: a thick soup of living creatures. The skies are also
home to a wide variety of life, but most of the airborne
life forms are found close to the surface of the planet and
away from the vast storms that churn the upper atmosphere
beneath the higher cloud levels. Only microbes and the
spores of fungi analogues are found in the high atmosphere,
travelling about the globe on the back of the fierce winds.
These winds also restrict aircraft on the planet, with orbital
landers having to be large and bulky in order to withstand
the constant buffeting.
On Steel, diseases spread fast, mutating quickly due to the
pressure to survive, resulting in microbe pandemics that
rage across the planet. Among life forms even the most
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 Exilium

creatures of steel

The rich biosystem of Steel has resulted in some very ancient flora and fauna lines, including some extremely large
beasts. Although alien, many of the creatures and plants can be considered to be close analogues of the species of
primordial Earth, typically on a more impressive scale in terms of size. The following beasts are examples of those that
can be found under the canopy of the jungles of Steel, some in uplifted (i.e. human-scale intelligent) forms.

Vrix – an insectoid nightmare of feeding pincers and multi-part limbs. The Vrix is big enough to take humans, dissecting
them along with any armour they wear with precision using three sets of feeding mandibles.

Elephine – a large, burgeoning beast bigger than a house. The Elephine is a rarity – a true omnivore. The mouthparts
of this six-legged monster are powerful enough to crunch ceramic plates and anything they contain.

Simial – an ape-like creature rumoured to show intelligence, even prior to uplifting. This is an inquisitive beast that
takes delight in stealing anything shiny it can get its three-fingered paws on; it has a particular liking for guns and
other weapons.

minor wounds and injuries can be fatal, becoming infected and
virulent in very little time. Human body chemistry was adapted
long ago to coexist with the planet, and changes to the genetic
code have allowed humanity to become fully compatible with
Steel’s life forms, giving some resistance to disease.
As well as the many plant and fungi analogues that crowd over
the surface of Steel, a wide range of motive creatures may also
be found. Varying in size from tiny worm-like creatures to large
mammal-like species bigger than anything seen on Earth, Steel
swarms with a bizarre array of indigenous animals. Given the
abundance of vegetative matter on Steel, many creatures are
herbivores, such as Land-plows, concentrating on consuming
the vast riot of flora that fills the forests. However, with the
presence of so many herbivores, the carnivores are never
far behind. Surprisingly, there are few true omnivores on
Steel. Given the burgeoning pressure of a highly competitive
ecosystem, most faunas are specialised eaters that concentrate
on one particular foodstuff. Great and generally very dangerous
beasts such as Needle-bears, Turners and Slim-fish wander the
land and swim the oceans, much as they did long before any
humans arrived. Battered perimeter barriers dissuade these
indigenous inhabitants from entering cities, but otherwise
the planet’s biosystem continues much as it has for millions
of years, despite the constant warfare that is the hallmark of
human occupation of the planet.
The polar regions of the planet are the only places where
the biosphere thins and bare earth can be seen. These vast,
open lands pose different challenges to the native wildlife,
the colder weather and lower, thicker cloud levels squeezing
available resources to the limit.
Steel is the breadbasket of the Flame Worlds, the vast plains
near the poles being well-suited for this requirement once
the local vegetation has been tamed. The upkeep is high, as
influxes of native wildlife must be repeatedly beaten back,
but such is the demand for ‘naturally grown’ food among the
elite of the moons of Steel, it is worth the time and effort.
Intellig ent life fo rms
Intelligent organic life forms are humans, modified forms or
uplifted forms of the indigenous wildlife of Steel. Humanity
dominates, and is superficially the same as was found on
Earth, although internal adaptations to Steel are many and
varied.
Semi-intelligent creatures can have a wide and varied
selection of body shapes. The most common are Splice
Hounds, although many other forms are found, from small
furtive pack hunters like Seeders to huge juggernauts of
flesh, tendon and bone such as the fearsome Tigerbears.
Many of the Uplifts originate from experimentation long
in the past, such that the exact nature of their origin is
unknown to humanity.
One species of particular note in the forests of Steel is the
fauna subgroup known collectively as the Barghor or Splice
Hounds. This large group of mammal analogues is marked by
a bipedal body structure roughly equivalent to the human
format. Several distinct species have been found in the dense
forests of Steel, the most notable difference between genetic
groups being the number of limbs that varies between four
and eight. Body shapes are non-uniform, with some having

90

squat and rounded bodies and other species having long
and sinuous forms, although all are tailed. Barghor have
angular, wedge-shaped heads with wide mouths capable
of devouring animal matter. Their large, forward-pointing
eyes are adapted to the red skies of Steel, with wide, slit-
shaped pupils capable of taking in the maximum amount of
available light. Most Barghor have distinctive body markings
particular to their social and genetic groupings, although
some species have ridge-like armoured skins and some have
tough, bony protrusions covering their bodies. The smaller
Splice Hound species are agile, quick and adept at climbing,
while some of the larger, stockier Barghor are powerful
hunters. Native non-uplifted Barghor are relatively large-
brained and display pre-Uplift human-level intelligence,
forming social groups of considerable complexity. Some
groups have even been known to use tools.
Puppets are common on Steel, and are typically employed
by humans to perform tasks considered unbefitting. One
of the most popular examples would be the numerous War
Puppets that come in a wide variety of forms based around a
bipedal, humanoid structure, and are armed with all manner
of exotic and mundane weaponry. The lack of metallics on
Steel has resulted in the need for a supply of resources from
the moons. Orbital platforms process these items into the
required manufactured goods. See the overall technology
section for examples of Puppets.
Technology
The technologies available on Steel are, as one would
expect, primarily concerned with either inflicting or avoiding
pain or injury. Weapons, armour and the like are very
THE FLAME WORLDS
common. These Ultratech off-world items present a strange
dichotomy of the technology levels of the moons and those
of Ancient Earth. At one extreme, soldiers on Steel wield
very crude items such as blades, clubs and shields, typically
made of metals shipped in from Stone. At the other end
of the spectrum, sing-swords, pulse rifles and advanced
ceramic armours can also be found.
The off-world mining and manufacturing operations on Stone
and Ocean supply Steel with everything that is required for
continued existence, including metals, fuels and machinery.
Raw materials are transported from other distant Flame
Worlds to the orbital platforms encircling Steel which house
the world’s factories and storage facilities.
Societ y
Steel is a planet in a state of constant warfare. All of the
governments of the four major moons of Steel have a
significant presence on the surface, and constantly conduct
operations against each other, ranging from clandestine
raids to out-and-out war at the poles – operations known
as the Formal Conflicts. Unity tries to act as a peacekeeper
on the planet, but political inertia and infighting on Ember
stops the Fire Council from doing any real good.
The Formal Conflicts are loosely-organised battles that rage
between moon factions, including ground and air actions,
involving both infantry and machines. Humans, Uplifts and
Puppets all take part in these wars. Over time, leaders of
these armies can rise to prominence; the Formal Conflicts
have sparked into bloody and destructive life many a leading
political career. The purpose of these wars is vague – anything
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from deciding the ownership of land for the production of
food, to avenging slights and ancient disputes. Unity finds
itself paralysed to act in a concerted manner, and is usually
restricted to containing conflicts rather than stopping them.
Steel is the most populous planet of the Flame System.
There are roughly two billion living on the planet, mostly in
the twenty or so mega-cities that dot the globe. The humans
of Steel make up approximately half the mix of intelligent
life forms, the rest being Uplifts of the kind native to the
planet. Their cities can be found across the globe, and many
roads and other infrastructural elements exist or are under
construction, mainly to aid the war effort. Once pristine and
beautiful, the cities of Steel were unlike anything built by
humanity on Ancient Earth. Enclosed by huge ceramic walls
to keep the voracious predators of Steel at bay, these cities
are dominated by huge towers of white ceramic reaching
skyward, growing in stature from the outskirts towards
the city centre. Walkways and narrow roads span between
the towers, interconnecting the great structures on many
levels, from the surface to high into the sky. Now battered
by constant war, many cities show the damage that cannot
be repaired, and are a testament to the conflict that rages
across the planet. Three have been destroyed by ‘total-
event’ weaponry – nuclear, biological and chemical – and
are off-limits to all except the desperate.
For those that live within the cities, quality of life depends
on how far you are from the war-zones. The cities of Steel
remain perhaps the most comfortable of the system,
assuming they’ve suffered no war damage, and life can be
good. Education levels are high and with the goods that
come in from the Void Factories, most except the poorest
benefit from some of the best technology of the system.
Society is still stratified however, with the poorest living
on the outskirts of the cities nearest the walls where life
can be tough. But compared to some of the Flame Worlds,
life on Steel is pretty good, as long as you are far from the
frontlines. Those cities that are close to the fighting, or have
become embroiled in the conflicts themselves, range from
cities under effective military control with a high state of
tension to heavily damaged battlegrounds where only those
who don’t have the means to flee remain. Getting to some
of these cities can be hard, as the militaries of the moons
restrict access to the majority of citizens.
The Envoy is represented on Steel by a shadowy collection
of businesses, banks and a small standing army of war
drones. The Envoy has quite a store of money and goods at
its disposal, and can usually provide for its agents. Contact
between the Envoy and Exiles is conducted through cloaked
communications and uninformed representatives. It is rare
that the Envoy manifests directly.
92
Augm entations on Ste el
On the battlefields of Steel, anything that gives an edge is
desirable. Although augmentations were initially only seen
in the Unity force on the world, they have now spread to
most of the other forces. Hacks, however, are still relatively
uncommon outside of Unity, them being reserved for the
most senior soldiers and generals.
Simulcra on Ste el
The new range of Puppets called Simulcra are fairly
widespread on Steel – they make excellent weapons, and
the peoples of Steel are too concerned with the on-going
war to see new technology as anything other than a bonus
to the arsenal.
U plif t Acce ptance
This is the home of many of the creatures that form the basis
for Uplifts, and as such it is on Steel that most can be found
in roles equivalent to their human counterparts. Uplifts are
treated with the same level of acceptance as humans on
this world – in war; there is no time for social niceties. In
fact given the minor genetic alterations required for human
survival on Steel, many outsiders consider all the residents of
the planet, human and Uplift alike, to be genetically inhuman.
Uplifts can be found everywhere, although some of the more
aggressive forms are found only in the armies and military
encampments that dot the planet, but many are also seen in
the cities of the plains, including such designs as Kyril which
find little favour outside of the military elsewhere in the
system. The story of Uplifts on the Flame Worlds is the story
of conflict – many of the species that have been created were
manufactured with a clear military purpose in mind.
U p l i f t s o r i g i n at i n g
on Steel
The following Uplifts are all created from creatures that
originally existed on the planet Steel. Most of the original
species still exist, although some of the progenitors of the
older Uplift species are long since extinct.
Name: Simial
Introduction: The Simial is a well-known Uplift of Steel,
created long ago from the template of a common arboreal
herbivore; the Simial excels in many roles; from general
servant to bloody arena fighter.
Designer: The Simial was designed so long ago that records
of the creator of the species are long gone – some attribute
the creature to near-legendary uplifter Carol Voose, although
 THE FLAME WORLDS

there is no firm evidence either way. The creature has been
hadapted to a large extend, although it retains the multiple
limbs that characterise the progenitor species.
Four arms (Perk) – Simials have four arms, and can use all
of them as well as a human uses two. They can also wield
two weapons that require two hands to use such as rifles
without penalty. They gain a bonus of 1D to Tests that involve
manipulating small objects.

Attribute dice: 10D

Description: Mentally, the Simial is a very well-adjusted

creature. Thought to be the oldest species of Uplift in the
Flame System the creature has had a long time to get used
to humans. Simial are also very adapted to the societies of
the Flame Worlds, and fill numerous roles in all walks of life,
perhaps more so than any other Uplift.

Their one mental flaw is that they are very trusting and naive,
and tend to believe everything they are told, especially
by those they perceive to be their betters. For this reason
Simials are often taken advantage of, and many fulfil the
most menial roles in Flame World society.

Name: Kyril
Introduction: The Kyril is based on a predatory pack hunter
found within the jungles of Steel. The original creature is still
existent, resembling a smaller, stooped and less developed
version of the Kyril with opposable grasping hands designed
for rapid movement through trees.

Major redesign of the brain cavity, spine, hip and hand

analogues were needed to create the Kyril, along with a
Attributes: general increase in size and body mass to support a larger
Scale: 0D brain. Cosmetically Hadaption of the Kyril is low, and the
Might: 2D (min 1D/max 4D) Uplift resembles the origin creature to an unnerving extent.
Agility: 3D+1 (min 3D/max 6D)
Wit: 2D Designer: Exactly when the Kyril template was created is
Charm: 2D not clearly known, but it is understood that the Kyril Uplift
Static: Dodge 9, Block 9, Soak 6 template was worked on for many years and is an example of
a very early Uplift design, being rather crude in appearance.
Perks and Complications:
Scientists of Sapphire did most of the hard work engineering
Mental the Kyril’s genetic structure, but the man to finally crack the
process and raise a Kyril that survived until adulthood was
Trusting (Complication) – Simials are naive creatures. Even Kyril DeTor, the famous uplifter of Lazuli, hence the creation
the fearsome arena fighters are trusting and easily misled now bears his name.
by those who would seek to manipulate them. Any time
a character allows another to manipulate them to their Attributes:
detriment, they gain a CP. Scale: 0D
Might: 2D+2 (min 1D/max 4D)
Physical Agility: 4D+1 (min 3D/max 6D)
Wit: 2D
Climber (Perk) – Simials were created from a tree-dwelling Charm: 1D
creature, and so receive a bonus of 1D to any Tests that Static: Dodge 7, Block 7, Soak 14
involve climbing.

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 Exilium
Perks and Complications:
Mental
Pack hunter (Complication) – A Kyril alone is a very different
proposition to a pack of the creatures. When more than a
handful of the Uplifts are together, they tend to act as a
single group. In these situations their underlying predatory
instincts come to the fore, and they become much more
aggressive, emotionally detached, wild and destructive. The
character earns one CP every time they ‘run with the pack’ in
a destructive and damaging way.
Easily stressed when alone (Complication) – A lone Kyril is
scatty, flighty and easily startled. The character earns one
CP every time they demonstrate this behaviour to their
detriment when left alone.
Inquisitive (Complication) – Kyrils’ are known from their
inquisitive natures, and they can’t help but look into things
they know they shouldn’t. The character earns one CP every
time their inquisitiveness leads them into trouble.
Physical
Ugly (Complication) – Kyrils are very unattractive, especially
when eating. The character earns one CP whenever their
appearance gets in the way of their activities.
94
Fast (Perk) – As well as being agile, Kyrils have an excellent
sense of balance, giving them a bonus of +1D to athletic tests
that involve balance.
Four arms (Perk) – Kyrils have four arms, and can use all of
them as well as a human uses two. They can also wield two
weapons that require two hands to use such as rifles without
penalty. They gain a bonus of 1D to Tests that involve
manipulating small objects.
Attribute dice: 11D
Description: The Kyril is slightly smaller than man-sized, with
a bipedal body shape. The most immediately noticeable
feature of the Kyril is that it has four arms, with two arms
joining at each shoulder socket jointed like the human
equivalents and ending in narrow fingered hands. The legs
of the Kyril are double-jointed and backward sweeping
compared to a human, giving the creature a rapid loping
gait that is immediately identifiable. The creature’s body is a
patchwork of dark brown skin and red coloured protrusions
of exoskeleton, and as Kyrils rarely wear clothing their
coloured bodies are very striking. The skin is leathery and
tough and the exoskeleton is hard and fibrous, very different
from soft and pliable human skin. These give the Kyril an
insect like appearance which has led to their description as
‘beetles’.
The feeding mandibles of the Kyril are a complex collection
of jaws, tubes and blades, designed to extract fluids and flesh
from prey quickly and efficiently, a necessity in the rapacious
jungles of Steel. Many humans find Kyril mouthparts
disgusting to look at, especially when they are in action, and
modification of the vocal tract to produce sound has not
improved the appearance. Most Kyril choose not to speak
in their buzzing, grating voices, instead preferring to sign,
their extra limbs proving useful for this purpose. Their eyes
register light in a lower visual wavelength than humans, but
are otherwise similar in resolving power. The Kyril sense of
hearing is of lower quality than that of a human, and they
find high notes particularly hard to distinguish.
Kyril Uplifts are of a similar level of intelligence as standard
humans. They displayed borderline intelligence prior to
Uplifting, and so tend to be quite ‘human’ in their outlook,
making them easy to deal with. They are very communal,
and have difficulties if left alone for an extended period,
making them ideal for situations where a large body of
individuals need to work closely together as a unit, hence
their prevalence on the war grounds of Steel. They find
decision-making difficult without colleagues to sound off
of, and easily succumb to stress if pressured into action
without their established social circle. Their one trait which

has proved difficult to eradicate is the so-called ‘red mist’
– being predators, Kyrils find it difficult to ignore instances
that can be likened to a hunt, and find themselves overcome
with their baser instincts in these instances, especially when
with a group of colleagues (not necessarily other Kyrils).
The situation makes them extremely dangerous on the
battlefield when fielded in numbers. They are also naturally
inquisitive, and find it difficult to ignore interesting things –
many are the Kyrils that has paid the price for poking around
somewhere they shouldn’t have been!
Name: Shalk
Introduction: The Shalk is a heavily hadpated Uplift from
Steel. Originally a small scavenging omnivore now long
extinct, the creature almost completely redesigned as part of
the Uplifting process. Body size was increased considerably,
along with the skull capacity, and the creature’s overall
shape underwent major revisions. A large amount of human
DNA coding was introduced to the Shalk, giving it perhaps
the most human appearance of all the Uplifts.
Designer: The Shalk is a product of the Loralt scientific
union on Sapphire, designed long ago before that group was
smashed by the ruling cabals of the moon. By then the Shalk
had successfully bred and the Uplift’s future was established.
The origin of the Uplift’s name in not known.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Attributes:
Scale: 0D
Might: 1D+2 (min 1D/max 2D+3)
Agility: 3D+1 (min 1D+1/max 6D)
Wit: 4D
Charm: 1D
Static: Dodge 10, Block 10, Soak 5
Perks and Complications:
Mental
Emotionally retarded (Complication) – Shalk find it hard to
relate to others, especially those of the same species. Every
time the character’s emotional distance stops them from
progressing, they earn one CP.
Logical (Perk) – Shalk are very logical in their outlook, and can
see through the emotional subtexts that cloud the thinking
of others. The Narrator can award Shalk Exiles a bonus 1D to
any Tests that rely on logical thinking.
Physical
Small (Complication) – Shalks are naturally smaller and
weaker than humans, and they have slight frames similar
to children. Exiles earn one CP every time their Host’s small
diminutive frame works to their disadvantage.
Natural with machines (Perk) – Shalks are naturals at dealing
with machinery of all kinds, even computers. They gain one
bonus 1D for ay Tests that involve manipulating any kind of
machine, even if they have had no specific training.
Attribute dice: 10D
Description: The Shalk is often referred to as a ‘Goblin’.
The Uplift has the appearance of a small, slender human,
typically around 3 to 4 feet tall, with a disproportionately
enlarged head, hands and feet. The Uplift’s skin is creamy
white and very smooth. They have a lightly off-balanced
manner of walking, and can often be quite badly bow-legged
compared to a human.
These traits have giving the species its other nick-name
– the children. Shalks have difficulty regulating their body
temperature, and as a result often wear protective clothing
to shield them from the elements. Although much of their
face looks very human, their eyes are jet black and on close
inspection minutely faceted, something that many humans
find extremely disconcerting. It is not easy to tell where a Shalk
is looking. Shalk males and females look very similar, and the
creatures are often hard to sex from appearance alone.
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 Exilium

Shalk Uplifts are generally of slightly higher intelligence than

humans, and tend to be very mathematical and logical. The
biggest difference between the Shalk and the human mind is
in emotions and empathy. Shalks seem to struggle with the
concept of self and others, and find relating to other people
very confusing. As a result, they appear to be emotionally
dysfunctional compared to their creators, in many ways
behaving much like humans on the autistic spectrum. They are
also same-species intolerant, tending to get on with others
species such as Humans and other Uplifts much better than
they do with other Shalks, except of course when mating.

The peculiar mindset of Shalks makes them ideally suited

to the roles of engineer and scientist, where their logical
thought processes stand them in good stead and their
lack of emotional development isn’t such an issue. They
are also perhaps surprisingly good soldiers, where their
detachment means they can keep a cool head in the heat of
a battle. Humans find fighting Shalks disconcerting as their
mannerisms and appearance strike an empathic chord –
people find it hard to shoot and kill beings that resemble
human children, even ones with guns. Interestingly, Shalks
are one of the few Uplifts to be found in reasonable
numbers in the Wombs of the Splinter Moons. How they got
there is hard to tell, but they seem to enjoy the isolation and
technical difficulties of life in the hard vacuum of space.

Name: Jakkar
Introduction: The Jakkar is a highly hadapted Uplift from
Steel. Based on one of the cunningly intelligent solitary
hunters of the Great Plains, the Jakkar has been almost
completely redesigned from its original form, with the
quadruped structure being replaced with a bipedal form and
the fore limbs adapted into hands (the lower limbs remain
hoofed). The Jakkar is the most famous and most respected Perks and Complications:
Uplift form, along with the Verk, and to many the ‘noble’
Jakkar represents the pinnacle of Uplift design. Mental

Designer: The originator of the Jakkar Uplift design is not Quiet and calm (Perk) – Jakkar appear quiet and calm, even in
known. One of the oldest designs, the Jakkar represents a crisis. These creatures never panic or show fear regardless
a level of hadpation that isn’t achievable through current of the situation.
technology. The origin of the name isn’t known, although
some think it refers to the threat howl of the original species Single-minded (Complication) – Jakkar can become obsessed
when defending a kill on Steel. with a goal once they have set their mind to it. If an Exile
find themselves with a goal that takes some time to fulfil
Attributes: and seems very difficult, the Narrator can rule that they
Scale: 1D/+3 have become obsessed. The character then earns one CP
Might: 5D+2 (min 4D/max 7D) every time they follow their obsession to the detriment of
Agility: 2D+1 (min 1D/max 3D+2) themselves or their colleagues.
Wit: 2D
Charm: 2D Noble (Perk) – Jakkar appear very noble, and others
Static: Dodge 7, Block 7, Soak 17 automatically look to Jakkar for leadership in moments of
Natural weapons: Claws (damage 2D) stress or crisis.

96

Physical
Large (Perk) – Jakkar are much larger than other creatures
and have a scale modifier of 1D/+3.
Strong (Perk) – Jakkar are very strong (reflected in Might
Attribute).
Tough (Perk) – The thick skin of a Jakkar affords a single point
of armour all over their entire body.
Non-human size (Complication) – the Uplift is very large
compared to a standard human, making the use of equipment
and locations designed for humans difficult. Every time the
Narrator deems that this limitation hinders the Uplift, they
gain a CP.
Mating lust (Complication) – In the presence of member of
the opposite sex in heat, Jakkar are overcome by a mating
lust and find it hard to concentrate on anything else. Every
time an Exile acts to their detriment due to mating lust, they
earn one CP.
Attribute dice: 13D
Description: The Jakkar is a large bipedal being approximately
8 feet tall. It has a humanoid body shape, and is generally
proportioned in a similarly manner to a human. The Jakkar is
an imposing creature, broad shouldered and evidently very
strong. The skin of the Jakkar is a striking deep blue colour,
and is hard and tough providing natural protection against
damage. A large proportion of the skin surface is covered
in curious natural markings that almost look like tattoos of
abstract patterns and shapes.
The head of the Jakkar is dominated by two large light
blue horns covered in similar markings to the body that
sweep back from the brow forming a prong that stretches
behind the creature’s head. These horns are unique to
each individual and there length indicates the individual’s
status. Long and heavy horns and are a great source
of pride for their owners – Jakkar that have disgraced
themselves through actions on the battlefield often cut or
break their horns as a mark of social stigma. The shoulders
and back of the Jakkar are also covered in a light blue mass
of hard, bony protrusions, and for this reason Jakkar sleep
in a squatting position. Their faces are very human like,
though they lack much of a nose, and their eyes are small
and dark. They are colour-blind, and have limited vision
capabilities compared to humans – they sense motion
well, but find distinguishing stationary objects difficult as
ranges greater than 20 feet. In compensation, their sense of
smell is exceptional.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Jakkar females are smaller than the males, and have a loose
mass of tendrils very much like hair covering the forward
part of their heads. One overriding feature of Jakkar is their
musk, a pheromone odour that is very strong when Jakkar
enter their regular breeding periods. Some humans find
this smell overpowering at close quarters, and many Jakkar
attempt to mask it in company. However, to Jakkar of the
opposite sex the musk is a pungent aphrodisiac, a precursor
to the violent mating rituals the creatures enjoy. Jakkar
find it hard to control themselves when they encounter the
opposite sex in heat, and in these situations the mating drive
can seem to reduce the dignified Jakkar to little more than
an animal.
Jakkar carry themselves with an assured, delicate grace
that seems unlikely given their strength. They have a quiet,
contemplative air, and their dignity makes them seem
natural born leaders to those they interact with. In reality
Jakkar retain much of their predatory nature – what people
assume is a quiet and unimposing nature is actually the
poised sharpness of the hunter. Jakkar are intense and
single-minded beings, who are often consumed by their
goals. Luckily, their predatory nature is well-hidden, and
their interactions with humans and other Uplifts are very
favourable. However, should a Jakkar become upset, or
another person set themselves between a Jakkar and his
goal, they can be ferocious and remorseless in their actions.
On the fields of Steel Jakkar are the lords of the plains,
where their strength, cunning and leadership qualities are
very much in demand.
Name: Verk
Introduction: The Verk is an adaption of the Jakkar,
combining many of the Jakkar traits with one particular
aspect of the Melaton, one of the Great Plains herbivores of
Steel. The Verk also displays a greater degree of hadaption
than the Jakkar, the idea being the creation of an intelligent
creature capable of sustained speed over the plains of Steel.
The result is a respected Uplift that has found a role off the
battlefield by utilising its balanced mental state between the
calm assuredness and single-minded will of the Jakkar with
the empathy and adaptive capabilities of humans.
Designer: The Verk is a fairly recent creation of Mullase
family scientists stationed on Steel.
Attributes:
Scale: 0D
Might: 3D+1 (min 1D/max 5D+1)
Agility: 2D+2 (min 1D/max 4D)
Wit: 2D
Charm: 2D
Static: Dodge 8, Block 8, Soak 10
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 Exilium
Perks and Complications:
Mental
Empathic (Perk) – Verk are very empathic creatures, and
can sympathise with almost all other species, making them
well accepted into Flame World society. The Narrator should
grant a bonus 1D to any tests that involve empathy or
understanding of the viewpoint of another being.
Reserved (Complication) – Verk can be quite reserved, and
will often hold their own council instead of making a point
they feel to be true. A character earns one CP every time they
allow their Host’s natural reserved nature to get in the way
of their dealings with other creatures.
Physical
Endurance (Perk) – the body of a Verk is built to endure, and
they have great reserves of stamina. In tasks that require
great reserves of stamina Verk can continue far beyond the
capabilities of other creatures, even the mighty Jakkar.
Attribute dice: 11D
98
Description: the Verk combines physical traits of the
Jakkar, a powerful herbivore, and of humanity. The Jakkar
ancestry is noticeable in the face upper body of the Verk,
which are often different in colouration to the Jakkar. The
bony protrusions with cover the back of the Jakkar are also
present, but the horns that dominate the head are gone. The
upper body and face do have signs of a greater degree of
hadaption however, and the Verk has a less alien appearance
than the Jakkar. However, below the waist is a different story.
Here the Verk sports a pair of powerful hoofed limbs taken
from the Melaton, capable of propelling the Verk for long
periods of time. The creature is also built for endurance, and
can run for many miles without the need to rest. The Verk
has a strange, bird-like quality to its movements, which can
be quite unsettlingly alien.
The physical differences between the Verk and the Jakkar
are mirrored in the mental changes. The single-minded
predatory purpose of the Jakkar has been tempered by the
gentle mind of the Melaton and a greater influence from the
adaptive human mind. The resulting mix can be considered
the best of all worlds, making the Verk particularly easy to
get on with. For this reason Verk Uplifts have generally left
the battlefields of Steel for all manner of other walks of life,
and are found on almost all of the Flame Worlds. Accorded
a greater degree of respect than the similarly successful
Gorran, there is only one species that the Verk does not get
on well with.
Verk and Jakkar seem to share animosity, the Verk
considering the Jakkar aloof and emotionally cold, the Jakkar
thinking the Verk nothing more than a ‘pet’ Jakkar. Even on
the Fire Council where a Verk and Jakkar are forced to work
together, tensions can run high between these impressive
Uplifts.
Name: Barghor
Introduction: The famous Barghor or Splice Hound is based
on a creature that is unusual among the many beings of the
Flame Worlds that have been uplifted, in that two Uplifts
based on the progenitor are in existence. Both have been
created to capitalise on the aggression and vicious nature
of the host. The Barghor is the most notorious – a silent and
lethal killer that haunts the forests of Steel. Whereas Jakkar
represent to many the noble ideal of uplifting, the Barghor
represents the darker side to exploitation of the natural
worlds of the Flame System.
Designer: The person responsible for the Barghor is Rebecca
Hilik, a scientist of Sapphire who worked closely with the
military over one hundred years ago to create her ‘children’.
The Barghor was her first major success, and has earned her
notoriety among the citizens of all the Flame Worlds.

Attributes:
Scale: 0D
Might: 3D+2 (min 1D/max 5D+1)
Agility: 4D (min 2D/max 7D)
Wit: 1D+1
Charm: 1D
Static: Dodge 12, Block 12, Soak 11
Perks and Complications:
Mental
Aggressive (Complication) – Barghor are naturally very
aggressive, and will happily look to violence as a first solution
to any problem. Each time a character lets aggression be the
first option in a crisis where better options exist (Narrator’s
decision), they gain a CP.
Emotionally dead (Complication) – Barghor have almost
no empathy toward other living beings, and find it
almost impossible to connect to others. Every time this
coldness comes between a character and another to their
disadvantage, the character earns a CP.
Physical
Hunter (Perk) – the Barghor is a perfect hunter, silent,
focused and deadly. The creature gains 2D to Tests that
involve stalking, hunting or focusing their attention on a
chosen target.
Weapons (Perk) – the Barghor sports an impressive pair of
claws that inflict Might/2 + 3D in damage.
Non-humanoid (Complication) – the Uplift has a non-
humanoid body plan, making the use of equipment and
THE FLAME WORLDS
locations designed for humans difficult. Every time the
Narrator deems that this limitation hinders the Uplift, they
gain a CP.
Attribute dice: 12D
Description: The Barghor is a large quadruped Uplift with
a very low level of hadaption. In many ways the Barghor
resembles the creature from which it was constructed, but
it is much larger and more muscular. The Uplift has deep
red skin with a mottled appearance, suited for camouflage
among the jungles of Steel. The Uplift’s face is sloped, with
a shallow nose and a set of large, powerful jaws. The face is
surrounded by a set of curved horns, and it has characteristic
yellow eyes capable of seeing into the infra-red – excellent
for picking out prey amongst the foliage. It is unsurprising
given the appearance of the Barghor that they are locally
referred to as ‘Demons’ on Steel. The Barghor’s powerful
legs end in four claws, with the front set showing some
hadaption that let the creature use some simple equipment,
although not easily. The Barghor can stand on its hind legs,
although this pose is not comfortable for extended periods
due to the design of the creature’s hips.
Despite appearances, Barghor not just lone killers stalking
the jungles of Steel or competing in the battle arenas, they
are highly intelligent creatures, just in a very alien way. They
are extremely solitary, and find it had to relate to other
species in a meaningful manner, giving them a reputation
as cold, uncommunicative and often very aggressive. They
are very selfish, and fixated with the idea of conflict in all
its forms. Many are lone creatures that show allegiance to
no one group, although others are employed as scouts or
reconnaissance agents due to their great stealth. Off Steel,
Barghor are rarely seen, except as the occasional body
guard to the rich and powerful that can pay the fees to the
Fire Council to register such a dangerous Uplift. Barghor are
unpredictable and dangerous to deal with, making them
rightly feared by those who travel the wilds of Steel.
Name: Seirim
Introduction: The second Uplift based on the creature from
which the Barghor was created, the Seirim combines the
competitive nature of the Barghor with a highly hadapted
physical form, to create one of the most common and
widely accepted Uplifts found on the Flame Worlds, despite
the creatures fearsome appearance.
Designer: Rebecca Hilik’s second and most successful
Uplift, the Seirim was designed to be a more ‘human’ form
of the Barghor, retaining some of the natural traits of the
uplifted hunter of Steel with a generally more ‘human’
outlook. Rumours persist that Hilik was working on further
99
 Exilium

forms based on the same native of Steel before she was Conformist (Complication) – Seirim feel a deep-seated need
assassinated in the Lazuli genocides of Sapphire. to conform to the word of the ruling elite, no matter how
that may go against them. They find breaking the law very
Attributes: difficult, and are easily cowed by authority figures. Each
Scale: 0D time conforming gets in the way of the Seirim’s goals they
Might: 2D+2 (min 1D/max 4D) earn a CP.
Agility: 1D+2 (min 1D/max 3D)
Wit: 2D Physical
Charm: 2D
Static: Dodge 5, Block 5, Soak 10 Noisy (Complication) – Seirim can’t help but make noise, it’s
in their very nature. Any time their endless movement and
gabbling speech seriously impede them, they gain a CP.

Jittery (Complication) – As part of their restless nature,

Seirim are jittery and jumpy. Any time their inability to sit
still gets seriously in the way, the character earns a CP.

Weapons (Perk) – the Barghor sports an impressive pair of

claws that inflict Might/2 + 2D in damage.

Attribute dice: 10D

Description: The Seirim’s most striking feature is its face,

which is almost identical to that of its fearsome and feared
sibling, the Barghor. The Uplift shares the same skin tone,
horns and yellow eyes as the Barghor, and is known by its
nick-name as a ‘Red devil’ to many. The rest of the form is
similar to that of a bipedal human with hunched shoulders
and a stooping gait, only the double jointed legs and
oversized claws on the Uplift’s hands showing alien heritage.
The Seirim is relatively well-adapted to dealing with
humans. The aggression of the Barghor has been toned
down considerably into a natural competitiveness. The
solitary nature of the Barghor has been substituted with a
sociable nature coupled to a deep-seated need to conform,
something that makes the Seirim very adept at certain
functions within Flame World society. Found on and off of
Steel, Seirim are found in the military and in police forces
(where their fearsome appearance helps), in space ship
crews and in fact in any walk of life where an understanding
of social hierarchy is a must. Seirim are generally highly
verbal and constantly on the move – some say if you want
Perks and Complications: a silent and still Seirim, the only thing to do is kill one.
Alongside their more chaotic Kyrils, the Seirim is one of the
Mental most frequently encountered Uplift of the Flame Worlds.

Competitive (Complication) – Seirim are very, very Name: Gorran

competitive, and can turn even the most innocuous thing
into a bet that they will try to win at all costs. Some find this
competitive nature off-putting and even childish. Whenever
given the option to turn a situation competitive, Seirim will
do so, and they earn a CP if this ultimately gets in the way of
what they wish to achieve.
Introduction: The Gorran is a compact and powerful bipedal
Uplift. Created recently as part of on-going research on
Sapphire, the Gorran was constructed for tasks where sheer
speed is of the essence. Created from a large hunter species
of Steel with additional Vassak heritage, the Gorran shares
many physical traits of its predecessor, making it appear

100

very alien. However, it has one of the most well-adjusted
and balanced minds of the Uplifts, and is actually very easy
to get on with, fitting well into human society.
Designer: Designed by the scientist and genius Fabien Gor
of Sapphire as much as an exercise in what can be achieved
with Uplifting technology than anything else, the Gorran
has been bred in large numbers across Steel and Stone in
particular.
Attributes:
Scale: 0D
Might: 2D+1 (min 1D/max 4D)
Agility: 4D+1 (min 3D/max 6D)
Wit: 2D
Charm: 2D+1
Static: Dodge 12, Block 12, Soak 8
Perks and Complications:
Mental
Sociable (Perk) – Gorran are very sociable creatures, and
are very easy to get along with. Gorran Exiles gain 1D to
Tests that involve making friends with strangers who aren’t
opposed to them in some way.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Starvation aggression (Complication) – Gorran need to feed
regularly, and show a remarkable change in character if they
are prevented from doing so, becoming aggressive, violent
and angry. Any time a Gorran falls foul of these emotions due
to a lack of a feed, they gain one CP.
Physical
Agile (Perk) – Gorran are exceedingly agile, and can move
very fast and very gracefully (factored into their Agility
Attribute).
Taste for blood (Complication) – The Gorran feeding
mechanism is built to consume fluids, and they have a natural
taste for blood they find it hard to ignore. Every time a Gorran
feeds on blood in the sight of others and is prejudiced against
because of it, the character earns a CP.
Attribute dice: 12D
Description: The Gorran is a bipedal Uplift that shares
some similarities with the Barghor and Vassak, both species
of which contributed to its creation – most noticeably in
the presence of the horns that frame its face. The Gorran
is slightly smaller than an average human, with a squat,
powerful body encased in a tough, black hide. Sleek and
muscular, the Gorran has powerful legs and is built for speed.
The creature’s face shows some similarity to a Vassak, except
that it is the same shiny black as the rest of the creature.
The Gorran lacks obvious eyes; instead there are six sensory
pits that run down the centre of the creature’s face that
serve the same purpose. The Gorran has a mouth and can
speak, but it feeds on nutrient rich slurries through a tube-
like proboscis that is mounted within. Gorran can survive
without food for several days, but they become irritable
and aggressive very quickly. Rather gruesomely, on the field
of combat blood will amply serve as a foodstuff, and many
Gorran are simply left to carry on without any other food
supply – their commanders believing this gives them ample
incentive to fight. Unsurprisingly given Gorran features and
feeding habits, they generally keep their faces covered when
dealing with humans, who refer to them as ‘ticks’.
Perhaps surprisingly given their quite alien appearance,
Gorran and humans actually get on very well once the latter
have got over the former’s appearance. That is because
Gorran are known for their well-balanced and surprisingly
human minds, and their propensity to exhibit an excellent
and well-developed sense of humour. Lovers of practical
jokes and physical humour, the agile and quick Gorran is
well-suited to pratfalls of all kinds. Found on many worlds as
well as Steel and Stone, the Gorran is one of the most widely
accepted Uplifts, despite its looks.
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 Exilium
Name: Xular
Introduction: A modification on the Gorran using blueprints
stolen from Gor, the Xular takes the basic body form of
the Gorran but adds several adaptations to increase the
close combat effectiveness of the Uplift. Unfortunately,
the resulting creature is prone to all manner of mental
aberrations as a result of imperfect genetics. However,
the brutish creature does have sufficient advantages in
intimidation and shock tactics to make the Xular a popular if
dangerous addition to many illegal military units.
Designer: Created by the Blue Veil Union scientists, a team
in direct opposition to Fabien Gor, the Xular is a mockery of
the well-balanced and socially adaptable Gorran.
Attributes:
Scale: 0D
Might: 2D+1 (min 1D/max 4D)
Agility: 4D+1 (min 3D/max 6D)
Wit: 2D
Charm: 2D+1
Static: Dodge 12, Block 12, Soak 8
102
Perks and Complications:
As for Gorran plus:
Mental
Paranoid (Complication) – Xular are intensely paranoid, and
really do struggle to see any other creature in a positive light.
Any time this natural paranoia inhibits a character’s actions,
they gain a CP.
Aggressive (Complication) – Xular are naturally very
aggressive, and will happily look to violence as a first solution
to any problem. Each time a character lets aggression be the
first option in a crisis where better options exist (Narrator’s
decision), they gain a CP.
Attribute dice: 12D
Description: Xular are almost identical in physical
appearance to Gorran, just a little heavier and larger. They
are a worrying example of what can happen if relatively
unskilled hands are involved in Uplift design. Taking the well-
constructed Gorran, scientists of the illegal Blue Veil union
attempted to make various adaptations. Increasing the body
weight and bulk of the creature, they attempted to build in
some of the natural aggression and the cold, emotionless
nature of the Barghor, something seen as beneficial in
an Uplift bred for combat. The result was a burgeoning
creature with a high level of combat effectiveness but with
a disjointed and fractured mind. Xular are prone to paranoia
and other mental disorders, and are considered by some
analysts as terminally insane. This, of course, makes them
excellent warriors in some people’s eyes, and they have
been employed by the more shadowy organisations for this
purpose since their creation.
Unusual U plif ts
The following two Uplifts are unusual. The first is the
mysterious Shrika species of origins unknown, the second is
the terrifying Vrix. None are suited as an Exiles.
Name: Shrika
Introduction: One of the most bizarre looking Uplifts of
the Flame Worlds, the origin of the Shrika isn’t known.
The creature resembles nothing else that currently exists
in the Flame System, and it is apparently a very old race.
Some radical scientists of Sapphire believe that the Shrika
is not actually native to the Flame Worlds, and that either
it or the progenitor species it came from are true aliens.
Others disagree, and Unity sides with them, designating the
creature an Uplift.
 THE FLAME WORLDS

Description: The Shrika looks very strange. Bipedal, the

creature has six limbs – two sturdy ‘legs’ and four tentacles
of variable length that appear where a human’s arms would
be. The body is built around a tough shell, similar to that of a
beetle, and a heavily ribbed underbelly. The creature’s head
is large and squat, and is dominated by a large beak-like
structure. Above this are two eyes set deep in pits, giving the
creature a menacing and disconcertingly alien appearance,
and a crest which sweeps forward. The Shrika has a rapid,
tumbling speech, and an unusual grasp of language that is
difficult to understand. Overall, the creature appears very
alien.

The motives of Shrika are unknown. They can be violent and

aggressive, or friendly and sociable in their own unusual
way. They can speak, but have a strange sing-song and lyrical
way of communicating that is hard to follow. As a result they
are very much left alone in Flame World society, being seen
as strange, otherworldly and difficult to communicate with,
although they are clearly intelligent. Natural scavengers,
they seem to get on very well with each other, and tend to
congregate in large groups when possible. It is very difficult
to get them to do something that they don’t wish to do; they
seem to lack focus when alone and easily lose concentration,
even under threat of physical violence. Most people don’t
bother to try to deal with them, and they are left pretty
much to their own devices.
Designer: Unknown
When they move into an area, they tend to do so on mass,
Attributes: creating an enclave of Shrika that others avoid. Luckily, they
Scale: 0D are nomadic, and soon move on, leaving the places they
Might: 2D occupied in pristine condition – often much better than the
Agility: 3D+2 condition was when they first arrived. For this reason on
Charm: 1D many worlds roaming bands are tolerated, as it is worth a
Wit: 2D lot of short time of noise for the overall long-term benefit.
Static: Dodge 9, Block 9, Soak 6
Natural Armour: +6 Interestingly, Shrika cannot be Hosts to Numina – their mind
is somehow shielded from entry. This race remains as much
Perks and Complications a mystery to Numina as to everyone else.

Physical Name: Vrik

Tough (Perk) – the shell of the Shrika affords 2 points of
armour over their entire body.
Noisy (Complication) – Shrika constantly chatter in their own
sing-song way.
Mental
Alien (Complication) – most people find it very hard to get
on with Shrika, they are very alien and enigmatic in their
motives and outlook.
Introduction: Probably the most terrifying creature found
on Steel, the Vrix is an intelligent monster that knows no
equal. Thought to have been Uplifted in the distant past for
an unknown purpose, the Vrix haunt the forests of Steel:
hunting, fighting and mating in an animalistic way that hides
their fearsome if alien intelligence. However, they sometimes
carry weapons that appear to have been designed for them
alone. The origin of these creatures isn’t known, although
some speculate that Vrix is the creation of an early Uplift
terrorist group.
Designer: Unknown

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 Exilium

they are encountered they are hugely destructive and full of

rage, laying waste to all in their path before they retreat into
the jungles. This would make them appear to be nothing more
than animals. However, there are reports of Vrix carrying
destructive but beautifully designed ranged weapons, and
the sites of their carnage show evidence of heavy energy
discharges. They are very rare and the location of their
settlements in the thick jungles of Steel is unknown, so there
has been little opportunity to study them or their technology.

The Moons o f Steel

The four major moons that orbit Steel are called Sapphire,
Diamond, Opal and Emerald, and each is remarkably
different in appearance. Emerald is a frozen, icy world of
pristine snow and ice. Sapphire is an ocean world of violent
seas, raging storms and a rich ecosystem. Opal is a cratered
moon of broken and jagged rock with a thick, impenetrable
atmosphere, and Diamond is a smooth and featureless ball of
airless stone. Some of the moons host indigenous organisms,
Attributes: but intelligent life is dominated by humans, with Puppets
Scale: 2D/+6 either acting as servants or in enforcement roles. Some of the
Might: 8D moons are home to Uplifts, either based on creatures found
Agility: 5D on Steel or raised from indigenous life forms.
Charm: 1D
Wit: 6D The moons of Steel are home to the major civilisations and
Static: Dodge 15, Block 15, Soak 24 political factions of the Flame Worlds. Although outwardly
very different, the civilisations of the moons have a common
Perks and Complications: trait that characterises them – a lust for power, prestige
and wealth. The population of the moons plots constantly
Physical against its peers for access to the limited off-world resources
the Fire Council provide.
Tough (Perk) – the exoskeleton of the Vrix offers 2 points of
armour over their entire body. The four powers of the moons constantly scheme and
intrigue against each other. Using the Fire Council as a
Huge (Perk) – Vrix are massive creatures and have a scale platform to attack their enemies, they constantly bicker,
of 3D. forming and dissolving alliances at a bewildering speed. Life
in government on the moons is both politically cutthroat
Mental and dangerous, with success often an extremely short-lived
phenomenon. Understandably, violence and crime are also
Non-human sized (Complication) – the Uplift is very large rife on the moons, as inhabitants use any methods at their
compared to a standard human, making the use of equipment disposal to gain influence and wealth.
and locations designed for humans difficult.

Alien (Complication) – the motives of Vrix are unknown:
they can be incredibly violent and destructive, but also very
artistic.
Description: No one knows who was responsible for creating
the Vrix. Some even doubt that the creature is an Uplift at all.
A huge and fearsome creature, easily the largest intelligent
being in the Flame System, the Vrix is an enigma. Whenever
Fo rmal Con flic ts
The formal conflicts on Steel are the most obvious expression
on inter-moon friction – skirmishes, engagements and open
warfare involving wide ranging armies from the different
moons and even different factions or cities on individual
moons. These battles are often instigated on the most flimsy
of reasons, despite the attempts of the Fire Council to limit
them, and the Envoy has hinted to some of its agents that

104
 THE FLAME WORLDS

these reckless wars may be the result of Numina interference Emerald

in the Flame Worlds. On many of the moons gambling on
the outcome of the conflicts is a legitimate and genuine
way to acquire wealth, and many of the desperate sake
their meagre wages on the outcome of such battles. This in
turn fuels competition and conflict in a cycle of aggression,
characterising the never-ending conflict that scars Steel.

Simulcra on th e Mo ons o f Ste el

On technology- focused Sapphire, Simulcra are very popular.
Creations with human-scale emotions and intelligence that
are actually slaves are much less difficult to control than
free-thinking beings. On the other moons, acceptance
differs by location. On Diamond and Emerald, Simulcra are
accepted as citizens; on Opal, Simulcra are distrusted and, in
some cases, feared.

Augm entations on th e
Mo ons o f Ste el
Sapphire is a hotbed of technology and innovation, and
many of the scientists on the Redemption base are from
this moon. As a consequence, augmentations are welcomed
on Sapphire, and most citizens have some form of Glitter-
derived technology, even though they have fewer freedoms
than most as they are essentially indentured slaves.
On the other moons, acceptance differs by location; on
Diamond and Emerald the new technologies are accepted
as just another advance in science, whereas distrust in
new advances is common within the oppressive society of
Opal. The military of the moons is only slowly equipping its
personnel with augmentations as Unity slowly trickles out
these technologies as a result of constant pressure on the
Fire Council from the moon factions.
U plift Acce ptance on th e
Mo ons o f Ste el
One of the moons of Steel, Sapphire, is home to many of
the creatures that have been Uplifted, as well as to the
scientists that pioneered and maintain the technology to
create them. As a consequence, on Sapphire all Uplifts are
treated in the same way as every other citizen – generally as
a source of indentured labour, although Uplifts have been
present long enough to have a presence in every stratum of
society. On the other moons acceptance differs by location
– on Diamond and Emerald Uplifts are citizens much like
everyone else, whereas within the oppressive society of
Opal Uplifts are distrusted with only a few of the older or
more common forms treated as second class citizens. Uplifts
of unusual or uncommon form are treated with a great deal
of suspicion on this paranoid moon.
Diameter: 1,190 miles
Mass: 0.89 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.22 G (Low gravity)
Atmospheric pressure: 0.3 atm (Thin fluid atmosphere)
Atmospheric composition: Mixture of trace gases
including complex organic molecules
Surface water: 100%
Temperature range: -158 to 136°C
Rotational period: 11.1 Earth hours
Orbital period (around Gold): 386 Earth days
The cold cut like a knife carving with sure authority into
Geld and chilling him to his very core. It was like a numbing
ache, a droning whine that overrode any other feelings and
thoughts. It could not be forgotten or ignored; instead every
moment had to be endured, witnessed, as if Geld was duty-
bound to experience every facet of life on Emerald. Beneath
the penetrating stab of frost a second thought sat, swelling
and growing of its own accord. It was the memory of warmth,
the thought equally unavoidable and only marginally more
bearable than the cold itself. He lived near the surface of the
moon, protected from the extremes of heat and cold that
characterised the exposed ice but too close to feel even the
tiniest hint of the warmth that existed below. Sometimes
frost built up on his wings, water and organics precipitated
from the atmosphere. It was unbearable.
So now he had thrown in his lot with Robbe, the silver child
who had promised success in the gambling dens that followed

105
 Exilium
the Formal Conflicts on Steel. He said he had a method, a
way of predicting the outcomes while avoiding the interest of
the Icers, and he mentioned confidentially several powerful
backers he had apparently won over. In truth Geld doubted
his claims – he still lived near the surface after all. But there
was hope. Maybe he would get lucky; maybe Robbe really
did have a plan. He could feel the plots, the insinuations
and secrets hanging in the air about the diminutive figure.
Maybe for once Geld had thrown in his lot with the right
person: a winner. He could only hope. Despite the bite of the
unreasoning cold, there was always hope.
The moon Emerald is an unearthly, beautiful place. A frozen
wilderness of shattered pinnacles of ice and deep crevasses,
Emerald glows with a soft green light generated by the
organic molecules captured from the atmosphere that stain
the ice.
Struc tu re
Emerald is an icy body approximately one quarter the
size of Steel. The moon has only a small, rocky core and is
considerably less dense than the planet it orbits. Mainly
composed of water, complex organics thought to have
originated on comets that once crashed into the moon
during the evolution of the Flame System can also be found
on Emerald. A thin cold atmosphere composed of remnants
of a thicker gas layer that has slowly escaped the moon’s
gravity covers the surface. This faint atmosphere comprises
a cocktail of unusual chemicals and gases.
106
Environm ent
The frozen surface of Emerald is made up of cracked and
fractured ice, broken by the innumerable impacts that
have scarred the surface throughout the moon’s existence.
Geologically stable, the deep crevasses that line the surface
have not changed for centuries. Spires of frozen water
thrown up in concentric rings around ancient meteor impact
sites have created vast and majestic mountains surrounding
flat seas of crazed ice. The blue sky is speckled with stars.
Occasional wispy white clouds break the monotony of the
firmament, especially around the poles. There is no natural
life on Emerald; it is a beautiful, but dead, world. The surface
of Emerald is mined to extract the rare and exotic organic
molecules trapped in the ice. This is the only reason that the
moon was settled, and the processing plants that convert
these molecules into usable forms are at the centre of the
great cities. Most of the population of the moon, around five
million, is dependent in some way on the organics that are
sent up into space for distribution across the Flame System.
Technology
The cities of Emerald have been melted into the icy crust of
the moon. Ultratech dominates the world, with access to the
choicest devices and technologies restricted to the depths.
Societ y
Emerald has three great cities – Beryl, Malachite and Jade
– sited within the largest of the ancient craters on the
 THE FLAME WORLDS

surface. Each is housed within vast cave systems carved Unity has a strained relationship with the ruling classes of
into the stable crust of the moon. Sealed from the surface, Emerald, and below the outer ports of the cities – officially
the internal atmosphere of each of these cities is made Fire Council territory – Unity is not to be seen. However,
suitable for sustaining organic life through the use of huge Smoke does monitor and operate on Emerald, carrying
environmental processors that generate from the ice a out clandestine missions on behalf of elements of the Fire
breathable atmosphere. Huge and awe-inspiring, these Council.
great settlements are grandiose and formal in style, with
enormous column-filled plazas with soaring vaults above.
Massive communal caverns break the regularity of the grid- Sapphire
like tunnel systems. In the higher levels, the populace lives
in small cells but, as one descends, these dwellings give
way to larger apartments. The deeper you go, the more
impressive the surroundings – only the wealthiest live in the
depths of the cities. At the centre of each city are the huge
processors that turn extracted exotic organic molecules
into useable forms for distribution across the Flame Worlds.
Travel between these three cities is possible on the moon’s
surface, with the low gravity making walking easy but, due
to the intense cold of night and unbearable heat of day, most
inhabitants make use of the network of connecting tunnels
below ground to move about the moon. Puppets have no
trouble moving about the surface of Emerald for short
spaces of time, but organic beings must rely on cumbersome
environmental suits to survive. Most never leave the cities.

Only the lower levels of the cities could be considered

comfortable. In the upper levels, in shadow and hidden
from Gold’s light, the cities are basic and unwelcoming
places. Freezing temperatures, and chill, damp air make the
upper levels unpleasant places to live. All those on Emerald
crave the luxury and resources of the deeper levels – to
be wealthy on Emerald is to be warm. Only the poor are
forced to huddle near the moon’s frigid surface, plotting and
scheming to fulfil the simplest needs. These are the cold-
slums; riddled with crime, hate and desperation.
Compared to some of the other moons, Emerald is a fairly
ordered society and crime is relatively low, at least in the
luxurious depths. This order is maintained through strict laws
and brutal enforcement, the police force – known as ‘Icers’ –
exacting severe punishment on those who break the rules.
Illicit elements are forced to operate with extreme care or
to relocate to the cold-slums where desperation rules – here
the gangs dominate, and even Icers fear to tread.
Within the cities, the population of Emerald is controlled
by several noble families that trace their lineage back into
the distant past, usually headed up by a powerful individual.
These ‘grand families’ control most of the goods that come
into Emerald from Steel and the factory worlds. There is no
centralised government as such; instead the families band
together into ‘the party’ to discuss matters that affect them
all and to make decisions for the whole moon.
Diameter: 800 miles
Mass: 1.29 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.79 G (Standard gravity)
Atmospheric pressure: 1.2 atm (Thick fluid atmosphere in
oceans, Standard fluid atmosphere at planetary surface)
Atmospheric composition: 63% nitrogen, 30% oxygen and
7% others
Surface water: 83%
Temperature range: -30 to 20°C
Rotational period: 17.8 Earth hours
Orbital period (around Gold): 386 Earth days
Helga swam through the corridors and passageways, the
glow of her own body lighting the way. Around her a few
other creatures moved, adding to the bioluminescence, their
combined eerie yellow glow picking out the rough stone of
the passages. She was deep, deeper than she would normally
go, and the pressure was building. Her tentacles brushed her
surroundings as she propelled forward, driven by the jets of
liquid she forced out behind her.

1 07
 Exilium

She was meeting with Roumad. He was her contact in the
depths, the one who had planned the whole thing. He lived
deep in the spire, below the popular levels of Lazuli, well out
of sight and mind. Down here there were few lights and a
dearth of useful biotechnologies. It was not an easy place to
live. Helga was glad she was only visiting.
around the spires of rock and iron that rise from the
deep ocean toward the surface of the moon, sheltering
from the ferocity of the mid-ocean currents. These spires
are populated to a depth of around two miles, with the
dominant skeletal organisms of the upper levels giving way
to the formless, jelly-like organisms at greater depths.

He was in his chamber. The blue luminescence of his head

shone weakly, revealing some of his form and reminding
Helga just how large he was. She swam closer to him, and he
shifted slowly as he became aware of her.

‘How did we fare?’ he asked, the patterns of light-speech

stippling his bulk.

‘Badly,’ Helga replied, before darting for the entrance as

Roumad’s cranial display expressed his rage.

She swam back to the more habitable levels. Yes, they had
failed, the side he said they should back had been destroyed
on Steel, and Roumad had lost much wealth. As she left him
she blazed in a sudden burst of colourful light, expressing her
pleasure. It was lucky for her she had backed the other side.

Sapphire is a small ocean moon covered by a thin veneer of

broken and partially melted ice and shrouded in clouds of
water vapour. From Steel, Sapphire appears as a blue sphere
speckled with white and black, an imperfect jewel hanging
in the night sky.

Struc tu re
At the centre of Sapphire is a dense ball of iron and rock of
a very irregular shape. Sitting above this core is liquid many
miles deep, forming oceans that cover the vast majority of
the surface of the moon. Although these oceans are primarily
of water, they do contain a wide variety of complex organic
molecules. From the core, great twisting spires of rock and
iron protrude toward the ocean surface, some even breaking
through the water and ice to form solitary islands of stone:
black stains in the blue ocean. Above the ocean, white clouds
float in a thick atmosphere that is supersaturated with water,
and vast electrical storms rage in the skies. The upper layer of
the ocean is a constant swirl of violent and churning currents,
some of which migrate across the entire globe.
Environm ent
Sapphire is a violent place. Constant storms and powerful
currents churn the ocean depths and violent electrical
discharges wrack the atmosphere near the liquid surface.
Perhaps surprisingly, a wide variety life exists on Sapphire
despite these harsh conditions. Myriad organisms cluster
Technology
The myriad common life forms of the moon have been
adapted by Ultratech genetic manipulation to provide for the
needs of the population. Phosphorescent microbes cluster
at the walls of tunnels and dwellings, providing lighting
within the cities. For the uplifted population, foodstuffs are
farmed from the microbes and larger edible organisms of
Sapphire; but for humans these creatures are poisonous,
hence the need to farm Steel and employ hydroponics to
feed the humans of the Flame Worlds. The unique use of
biotechnology makes Sapphire unusual among the moons.
This ‘living Ultratech’’ carries out all the functions of the
other moons, giving the cities of Sapphire a very distinct
appearance. In the air-filled sectors of the cities, this unique
technology gives way to the more common Ultratech seen
elsewhere in the Flame System.

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The development of new technologies and Uplifts is the
main export of the moon, and the majority of technological
developments of the Flame System originate here.
Societ y
The cities of Sapphire are numerous. Carved into the spires
that jut surface-ward from the core, the settlements of
Sapphire are composed of honeycombs of twisting and
labyrinthine tunnels that cut deep into the rock. Each city
has air-filled sectors maintained by atmosphere generators
and suitable for organic life forms that require a breathable
atmosphere. The native Uplifts can exist in the flooded
sections of the cities, as can the Puppets that are found on
the moon; however, humans must don heavy environmental
suits to venture from the air-filled areas.
The largest settlement is Lazuli, a vast undersea city stretching
vertically along the upper length of the greatest rock spur on the
moon. Humans don’t dominate the mix of ten million intelligent
life forms as much as they do on the other moons, but still the
most populated areas of the cities are near the surface of the
moon where it is easier to create air-filled regions. Deeper
down, the crushing pressure of liquid restricts life to uplifted
local species and Puppets. The biological Ultratech that is
utilised by society on Sapphire in the flooded areas of the cities
can only exist at higher levels, so deeper down there is a dearth
of technology making for a distinctly undesirable environment.
For humans, the air-filled chambers at the depths are confined,
cramped and very basic, constructed not for comfort but to
withstand the terrible pressures, and only equipped with the
most basic and rugged of technologies. Understandably, it is
the upper levels of the cities that are occupied by the wealthy,
leaving the slums at the depths for the poor.
The availability of technology within the cities of Sapphire is
highly stratified. In the higher levels of the cities, the larger,
more complex bioengineered organisms can be found,
creating the most technologically advanced layer of society.
It is here that new technologies and Uplifts are created for
export across the system, and where the wealthiest reside.
Sinking to lower depths results in a change in the available
biotechnology as increasing pressures damage the functions
of the technological organisms. At the lowest habitable
depths, only microbe technology is available; only the
poorest are restricted to such frugal living.
The air-filled sectors of each city follow a similar
stratification. Although the Ultratech found in these areas
is of a more standard design than the biological technology
of the rest of the city, the difficulties of maintaining a living
space at such crushing depths means that, for the poor, only
the most basic technologies exist.
THE FLAME WORLDS
The uplifted life forms travel about the moon in the manner
of the other marine life, swimming between rocky spurs
when the currents and storms permit them to do so. Humans
must make use of vehicles. Puppets on Sapphire are not
equipped to propel themselves in an aquatic environment
and so are reliant on external propulsion.
Sapphire has a society based upon indentured labour. The
richest members of society are served by the poorest, with
those in servitude earning a ‘kindness’ for their work. The
only way an inhabitant can escape servitude is to stake their
meagre earnings in a venture such as a sortie on Steel and
to thereby earn enough wealth to purchase their freedom.
Sapphire is famed for its scientists – the development of
biotechnology prevalent on this world makes Sapphire’s
scientists the most respected in the System.
Within the society of Sapphire, there is a continual conflict
between the group and the individual. Groups form because
those in servitude often band together, pooling their
resources and thereby maximising their potential investing
power. These semi-secretive organisations are known as
Unions. As a result, the society of Sapphire is split into two
discrete factions – the many Unions of the poor opposed by
a small number of rich and powerful individuals. The two
layers of society are in constant conflict, with the Unions
seeking to win freedom from their masters while the rich
individuals strive to maintain their position. A further
dynamic that helps maintain this social division occurs when
Unions are successful at gaining wealth for their members;
at this point, there is usually a fracturing of the group as
individual members seek to protect their newly-acquired
wealth. This dynamic maintains the social strata on Sapphire
despite the relatively rapid rise and fall of the fortunes of
the Moon’s occupants.
Sapphire is a lawless place. Collectively, the Unions have
more power than any other organisation, and are not above
breaking the codes of ethical conduct in the pursuit of
wealth. The deeper levels of the cities are not for the faint-
hearted, and those who seek to operate outside of the law
find the darkness welcoming. Slavery breeds resentment,
and resentment fuels crime.
The humans are just about the largest faction on Sapphire but,
unlike the other moons, tensions between humans and Uplifts
are not prominent. Instead, the conflict between Unions and the
more powerful individuals at the top of the social ladder drive
the moon. Virtual slavery is guaranteed to the unsuccessful and
can be a powerful driving force for social ambition.
The forces of Unity are a common sight within the cities of
Sapphire, brought in to maintain order by the controlling
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 Exilium
individuals. The deeper that one descends, however, the
more sparse Unity forces become until, at the depths, only
Smoke maintains a watchful vigilance.
U plifts o riginating on Sapphire
The oceans of Sapphire hold a bewildering array of creatures,
and with some of the key scientific minds of the Flame
Worlds coming from Sapphire, it is no surprise that many
have been uplifted using the same methods that created the
bio technology found in the undersea cities. Some examples
of the more well-known Uplifts with origins on Sapphire are
shown below. Uplifts of Sapphire tend to be sophisticated
compared to those of Steel, and less overtly combat
orientated. Even the forms with lower levels of hadaption
can show surprisingly human mind-sets.
Name: Opilk
Introduction: The Opilk is very alien in appearance and
in mind set. Based on a deep-sea creature lacking a solid
bone structure, the Opilk is constructed around a tough
cartilage-like material. Opilk need to be kept wet at all
times, so outside of their native environment they always
don environmental suits. They are inquisitive and are prone
to stealing objects that take their fancy – most humans have
a hard time understanding the motivations of these unusual
creatures. The name of the Uplift comes from its voice –
Opilk is an approximation of the bubbling ‘burping’ sound
they often make at the end of spoken sentences.
110
Designer: The Opilk was designed in the distant past by
the notable Uplifter and social reformer Callam Hale, who
was subsequently killed in Union clashes with the ruling
classes. His team, the Forged Uplifters, consider the Opilk
the pinnacle of their work.
Attributes:
Scale: 0D
Might: 1D+2 (min 1D/max 3D)
Agility: 4D+2 (min 3D/max 7D)
Wit: 1D+1
Charm: 1D+1
Static: Dodge 15, Block 15, Soak 5
Perks and Complications:
Mental
Kleptomaniac (Complication) – Opilk love to steal things.
Anything is fair game, especially small, easily concealed
objects. They often don’t even seem to realise they are doing
it! Every time a character’s thievery gets them into trouble
they gain one CP.
Physical
Agile (Perk) – Opilk are exceedingly dexterous, and can move
very fast and very gracefully in water (factored into their
Agility Attribute) and when wearing an environment suit.
Non-humanoid (Complication) – the Uplift has a non-humanoid
body plan, making the use of equipment and locations
designed for humans difficult. Every time the Narrator deems
that this limitation hinders the Uplift, they gain a CP.
Need water (Complication) – Opilk need to be immersed
in water to survive, they soon dry out and expire if they
are exposed to air for more than a few minutes. Any time a
character risks leaving water (and their environmental suit) for
more than a moment in a stressful situation, they gain one CP.
Attribute dice: 10D
Description: The Opilk is a strange looking creature,
resembling a purple octopod with tough rubbery skin and
flexible, malleable bones. A large bulbous sack holds the
creature’s brain, eyes, mouth and sensory organs, with rods
of cartilage supporting the structure when removed from
the buoyancy of water. Beneath this eight long flexible
tentacles are the creature’s main manipulators, with each
limb capable of independent action. Opilk are extremely
dexterous, and are adept at tasks that require careful
manipulation of objects – for this reason they make excellent

mechanics. The Opilk cannot survive out of water for more
than a few moments, the skin drying and shrivelling without
a covering of moisture, so beyond the oceans of Sapphire
the Opilk is always seen in a tough environmental suit. The
suit is also resistant to vacuum, allowing the Opilk to exit
spacecraft safely, and it is for this reason that many of the
creatures are to be seen working as engineers on the ships
that move between the Flame Worlds.
The mind of the Opilk is as strange as its appearance. The
creature is very alien, and often seems to act in ways that
do not make sense to other observers. They are notorious
kleptomaniacs, who will happily steal anything that looks
interesting. They have a hard time understanding that this
is unacceptable – even older Opilk who have lived with
humans for many years steal on a fairly regular basis. It is
thought that they lack an understanding of the concept of
ownership, their superiors on Sapphire often resorting to
violence as the only suitable way for keeping Opilk in line.
Name: Kekara
Introduction: An unusual Uplift based on a crustacean, the
Kekara Uplift shows some highly hadapted features and yet
retains much of its original form.
Equally at home in water or in air (with some small items
of technology), the Kekara’s hard carapace means that the
creature doesn’t dry out and it therefore not restricted to
areas where a ready water supply is a necessity. Kekara are
mediators – excellent at empathising with differing points of
view, and are therefore highly respected members of Flame
World society.
Designer: The Kekara is the work of Moletta Lea, a leading
geneticist and linguist whose family have long held
considerable power on Sapphire. Although Kekara can be
THE FLAME WORLDS
found in all works of life, in the Lea family they represent
almost the entirely of the workforce. Moletta is rightly
famed for her work on the mental aspects of her Uplifts,
and despite appearances many of her creations are actually
able to interact with humans very easily.
Attributes:
Scale: 0D
Might: 2D+2 (min 1D/max 5D)
Agility: 1D+2 (min 1D/max 3D)
Wit: 3D+1
Charm: 3D+1
Static: Dodge 5, Block 5, Soak 5
Perks and Complications:
Mental
Prevaricating (Complication) – Kekara find it hard to make
snap decisions, they’d rather dither and prevaricate that
be forced into an action. Every time a character fails to act
decisively and suffers as a consequence, they gain a CP.
Mediator (Perk) – Kekara are excellent mediators, and can
empathise with even the most extreme viewpoint. Whenever
they are called upon to draw two opposed sides together or
to strike a deal between factors, they gain a bonus of 1D to
the Test.
Physical
Extremely tough (Perk) – the leathery shell of the Kekara
affords 3 points of armour over their entire body.
Non-humanoid (Complication) – the Uplift has a non-humanoid
body plan, making the use of equipment and locations
designed for humans difficult. Every time the Narrator deems
that this limitation hinders the Uplift, they gain a CP.
Noisy when moving (Complication) – Kekara can’t help but
make noise as they move as the carapace over their four
legs clicks and clacks together. Any time this noise seriously
impedes them, they gain a CP.
Smelly (Complication) – The fishy smell of a Kekara announces
their presence long before they come into view. Any time this
noise seriously impedes them, they gain a CP.
Attribute dice: 10D
Description: The Kekara appears as a six limbed crustacean,
with the four back limbs acting as legs and the two front
limbs showing a high level of hadaption. The creature is
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 Exilium

covered in a leathery carapace, with the majority of the

body is encased in a tough but flexible shell. The creature’s
head is also covered with a similar material. The Kekara can
only exist out of water with some technological adaptations,
such as coverings for the eyes and a breather mask over the
mouth. The eyes themselves are complex and multifaceted,
and the mouth-parts are a complex set of feeding pincers
and chewing plates which humans find disgusting to see in
action. For most Kekara, wearing eye and mouth coverings
is very beneficial when dealing with humans, aside from the
need when breathing air! They are also very smelly, carrying
an odour of sea life that is hard to ignore. This coupled with
the fact that their limbs make distinct ‘clacking’ sounds when
they move make the appearance of a Kekara well-advertised
in advance. Kekara are notoriously uninterested in their
young, which they brood in large numbers, regularly crushing
them as they move about their living spaces. Until they have
reached the first stage of maturity Kekara children are seen as
an annoyance by their parents more than anything else.

Kekara have a very empathic nature. They attune very well

to those around them, and easily see the point of view
of others they deal with, even those who seem violently
opposed to their point of view. They are extremely
proficient relating to others, and offering differing opinions
on the same subject. For this reason they make excellent
ambassadors, traders and mediators, and can perform any
role where direct interaction between two often opposing
groups is a requirement. Needless to say, the Fire Council
employs a large number of Kekara. Perks and Complications:

Name: Raksasa Mental

Introduction: A heavily hadapted deep sea hunter of
Sapphire, the Raksasa is the most intimidating Uplift
based on a species from the moon. Tough, powerful but
contemplative and reserved, the Raksasa’s threatening
appearance does not match its inner nature.
Designer: Another creation of Moletta Lea, the Raksasa was
named for its fearsome appearance in some long forgotten
language by its creator. The Uplift is the last species created
by this famous Uplifter before her death at the hands of
terrorists. The Raksasa displays all that Moletta was famous
for – a well-adjusted and calm mind coupled with a very
alien appearance.
Reserved (Complication) – Raksasa can be quite reserved,
and will often hold their own council instead of making a
point they feel to be true. A character earns one CP every
time they allow their Host’s natural reserve to get in the way
of their dealings with other creatures.
Conformist (Complication) – Raksasa feel a deep-seated
need to conform to the word of the ruling elite, no matter
how that may go against them. They find breaking the law
very difficult, and are easily cowed by authority figures. Each
time conforming gets in the way of the Raksasa’s goals they
earn a CP.

Attributes: Physical
Scale: 1D/+3
Might: 6D+1 (min 4D/max 7D+2) Large (Perk) – Raksasa are much larger than many other
Agility: 1D+1 (min 1D/max 2D) creatures and have a scale modifier of 1D/+3.
Wit: 1D+1
Charm: 1D Extremely strong (Perk) – Raksasa are very strong (reflected
Static: Dodge 3, Block 3, Soak 19 in Might Attribute)

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 THE FLAME WORLDS

Non-humanoid size (Complication) – the Uplift is very large Designer: The Sapra was created by Daniel Sapr, the rogue
compared to a standard human, making the use of equipment Uplifter. Operating out a base on one of the void factories
and locations designed for humans difficult. Every time the of Stone, Sapr first successfully bred the Sapra just as Unity
Narrator deems that this limitation hinders the Uplift, they forces stormed his stronghold. His research was confiscated
gain a CP. and his security force purged. After several years his
less controversial research was sold on, and the genetic
Attribute dice: 12D blueprints for the Sapra along with the creature’s Uplift
rights were bought by the Talek family on Sapphire and his
Description: The Raksasa looks extremely intimidating. creation re-introduction to the moon.
A large bipedal creature, bigger than a Jakkar, with a tough
but smooth skin, the Raksasa’s most notable features are
its huge gaping fang-filled mouth, its orb like red eyes and
the protrusions that adorn the top of its head, remnants of
the lures once used to trick prey in the murky depths of the
ocean. The creature has monochromatic vision and cannot
see reds, as this wavelength of light did not filter down to the
depths at which the progenitor species dwelt. The mouth of
the Raksasa is permanently gaping due to the structure of its
jaw, meaning its fangs are always on display. The creature has
a rasping, dry voice which can be quite penetrating even at
low volume. The creature can breathe in water and in air, so
it doesn’t require the breather units used by Opilk. The skin
of the Raksasa needs to be kept moist, so it often wears an
environmental suit when out of water, although usually the
face and hands are left uncovered. If it dries out, the skin
becomes cracked and irritated. The Raksasa is often employed
for its fearsome appearance and can be seen as part of many
military units, police forces and criminal organisations across
the Flame Worlds. It is rather slow moving with low agility, so
in military units it is often employed as heavy support since it
can carry some of the larger anti-vehicle weapons.

Despite the creature’s looks, the Raksasa is actually quite level

headed and calm, again showing the Lea family’s brilliance at
mental engineering. Raksasa are an undemanding species, Attributes:
quite happy with their lot, and so make excellent servants or Scale: 0D
slaves as they are unwilling to oppose those they perceive Might: 3D (min 1D+2/max 5D+2)
as their masters, ideal for life on Sapphire. Once they know Agility: 2D (min 1D/max 4D)
their place in the local social hierarchy, they are willing to Wit: 2D
perform any task assigned to them by those perceived to Charm: 1D
see their betters. Static: Dodge 6, Block 6, Soak 9

Name: Sapra Perks and Complications:

Introduction: A human-sized Uplift created from some of
the smaller predatory hunters of the seas of Sapphire, the
Sapra is ubiquitous to Sapphire. The Uplift has been heavily
hadapted into a human form and scale, with basic human
limbs and body shape, although it remains finned and is
excellent at moving through water. The Sapra is a mainstay
of the security forces of the cities of Sapphire, and is well-
represented in the military. The Sapra is characterised by
a disregard for life that some of the more civilised would
consider borderline sociopathic.
Mental
Borderline sociopathic (Complication) – Sapra find it hard to
fit into society, and can be prone to destructive tendencies
and other forms of anti-social behaviour, especially if they
do not get their way. Any time that a Sapra is thwarted in a
goal it feels strongly about, it may collapse into sociopathic
behaviour. If this further hinders a character’s goals then it
is awarded a CP.

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 Exilium

Physical

Breathe water (Complication) – Sapra need water to breathe.

Without water they will die from asphyxiation in a few
minutes. Any time a character loses their breather unit for
more than a moment in a stressful situation, they gain one
CP.

Graceful in water (Perk) – Sapra gain a bonus 1D to their

Agility Attribute when moving in water.

Attribute dice: 10D

Description: the Sapra is bipedal and of similar size to a

human, although it appears bulkier due to the environmental
suit the creature must wear to keep its skin moist. It has
grey skin with a rough and uneven texture. Both the arms
and legs sport fins which help the creature to move through
water, and add to the apparent bulkiness of the Uplift.
Out of the environment suit and in water the Sapra is
surprisingly graceful. The Sapra breath water and needs to
wear a breather mask in air, along with goggles to protect
the delicate films of its azure eyes.
The Sapra come across to those who deal with it as a
thug and a bully. With a disconcerting lack of concern for
other forms of life, the Uplift only seems to respect those
who employ it. For this reason, the creature is often found
in the security forces of those less concerned with public
perception of their activities. To those who actually get to
know a Sapra well, the creature is actually disconcertingly
alien, with a clear internal personality clash between the
predatory mind and the desire to be part of a (generally)
peaceful society. Sapra would be very much at home on
Steel and many do form parts of the Sapphire force on the
war-torn world, but their need to keep their skin moist at
all times means in general they are more effective in the
oceans of Sapphire.
O pa l
Diameter: 968 miles
Mass: 0.85 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.83 G (Standard gravity)
Atmospheric pressure: 188 atm (Thick fluid atmosphere at
planetary surface, Standard fluid atmosphere in cities)
Atmospheric composition: 26% methane, 32% nitrogen,
30% oxygen, 5% carbon dioxide and 7% others
Surface water: 5%
Temperature range: 80 to 220°C
Rotational period: 46.8 Earth hours
Orbital period (around Gold): 386 Earth days
Placid. How had that scum won again? How? What did they
know that he didn’t? Again the thoughts of an infiltrator rose
in Rill’s mind, unbidden but hard to ignore. Surely that had to
be it. Still, what could he do?
Rill thought of Harmony, a city at peace. How could his
people, good people, lose so much to those disgusting
degenerates? It was a disgrace. Harmony deserved better, he
deserved better. Something had to be done.
Rill stared through the window in his chamber. A rare
commodity, four metres of glass sandwiching two of oil
protected him from the ferocity of Opal’s environment. The
window was barely translucent let alone transparent, and all
Rill could see was the swirling of clouds, toxic and lethal. It
wasn’t a great view, but it was all Rill had. And after that
latest outcome, with Harmony below Placid in the ratings, it
would not be his for long.
It was time for a long shot, a last attempt to salvage some
pride. Rill turned to study the holographic display of the
current Formal Conflicts for the fifth time that cycle, trying
to find the one war that could win him some semblance of
self-worth. Around him, a city mourned.
The cratered and shattered surface of the small moon
Opal is hidden from outside view by a thick, impenetrable
layer of atmosphere. Exotic chemicals stain the skies with a
fantastic array of colours: reds, pinks, blues and greens. This
slowly swirling, boiling soup of pigments makes Opal a very
beautiful object to view in the night sky.

114

Struc tu re
Opal is a rocky world, with a dense, metallic core.
Tectonically, Opal is dead, the core having cooled down
sufficiently to solidify many millennia ago. The surface is
broken and pitted with craters, many of which are millions
of years old; although the planet has a thick atmosphere,
the rate of erosion is low due to the lack of precipitation
and strong wind currents. The enigmatic cloud formations
of Opal are generated by the complex interactions of exotic
chemicals that make up the atmosphere of the moon.
The slow winds of Opal do not mix adjacent clouds together
to a great extent, resulting in relatively stable cloud formations.
The reactions of chemicals in the clouds produce a stately
progression of cloud pigmentation through all the colours of
the rainbow, which can be fascinating to view from space.
Like the stained ice of Emerald, the pigmented atmosphere
of Opal is collected on a large scale to produce molecules
that are shipping system-wide. The three large cities of Opal
are all built around a central atmosphere processing core
for this purpose. Atmospheric collection is the only reason
there are approximately three million people on Opal –
there could be no other reason to live in such a dangerous
environment.
Environm ent
Despite the restful and beautiful cloud formations of Opal
and the tectonically dead core, the moon has a lethal
environment. The majority of chemicals in the clouds
are incredibly toxic to organic life forms and corrosive to
Puppets, and the thick atmosphere generates crushing
pressures at the moon’s surface. An organic life form left
exposed on Opal would survive mere seconds before the
immense pressure and aggressive atmosphere destroyed it.
Opal is a harsh and unforgiving place, totally in discordance
with the serene and hypnotic appearance of the moon
from space. There are no native life forms on Opal, and
the dominant human population is incapable of surviving
unprotected.
Technology
The technology of Opal is based on Ultratech, with the
availability of technology in the cities restricted to those
wealthy inhabitants who can afford it. The cities are carved
from the moon’s surface and capped with structures
constructed from incredibly strong metallo-ceramic hybrid
materials capable of surviving the harsh and unforgiving
environment of the moon. The cities of Opal are pragmatically
designed and austere, lacking the organic lines of Sapphire,
or the grand structures of Emerald.
THE FLAME WORLDS
Societ y
There are three cities on Opal: Placid, Serene and Harmony.
Hugging the shattered surface of the moon, these pitted
and scarred settlements are constructed from super-
dense metallo-ceramic composites that are resistant to the
atmosphere, built around a central atmospheric processor.
The entire population lives within these havens and the
underground complexes that they enclose. Due to the
distances involved and the ferocity of Opal’s climate, travel
between the cities is impossible. Instead, the inhabitants of
Opal are restricted to one of the settlements, a situation that
has led to the paranoid society that dominates the moon.
Each city is a distinct and isolated entity, completely separated
from its neighbours. Intercity interactions are virtually non-
existent. This isolationist policy is maintained by the difficulty
of travelling Opal’s surface, and has led to the development
of strong enmities between the three cities. Such is the level
of distrust and prejudice on Opal that inhabitants of the city
of Placid see the citizens of Harmony and Serene as alien and
barbaric – degraded caricatures of themselves. Unsurprisingly,
the other cities feel the same about their neighbours.
The search for infiltrators – mysterious agents from the other
cities – is a constant occupation on Opal, with many arrests
and punishments meted out by those in power and their
Puppet police. As much as anything, Opal is a place of fear.
Uplifts are not welcome on Opal, and even those that rank
highly in the Fire Council are barely tolerated and treated
with suspicion. Humans and some puppets make up the
population.
Goods are shipped to Opal from orbit via heavily shielded
dropships and distributed to the wealthy, just as on any
moon. Competition between cities is the driving factor in
Opal society, with each city desperate to be seen as the
greatest and most prestigious among its peers. Currently,
Serene is the most prestigious city, followed by Harmony
and finally Placid, but the situation changes regularly.
Opal is an oppressive place. Despite the fact that each city is
essentially identical, each believes itself to be the pinnacle
of achievement, and the two other cities to be corrupt and
degraded. Small-scale crime is almost unheard of in the
streets of the cities of Opal; those in power crush any such
activities with a ruthless energy. Higher up the social ladder,
crime is more common, with large-scale social corruption a
common component of Opal’s society.
Each of the three cities of Opal is run by a controlling council,
a powerful organisation that controls every aspect of life.
Members belong to powerful corporations that provide the
infrastructure of the cities.
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Unity has forced itself into Opal society in an attempt to
break the hostility between the cities, but this has just
made the situation worse. Each city believes it suffers the
presence of Unity while its neighbours go free.
Di a m o n d
Diameter: 1020 miles
Mass: 3.21 Earth masses
Gravity: 4.2 G (High gravity at surface, Standard gravity in
floating cities)
Atmospheric pressure: 0.04 atm (No fluid atmosphere
on planetary surface, Standard fluid atmosphere in city
dwellings)
Atmospheric composition: Trace gases
Surface water: 0%
Temperature range: -140 to 220°C
Rotational period: 18 Earth hours
Orbital period (around Gold): 386 Earth days
Jeda watched through the thick transparent ceramic viewing
port beneath her as the House drifted over the endless white.
Occasionally, another House passed below. Jeda pitied them
- she and her family did not have much it was true, but
they were not at the bottom. Lifting her eyes upward and
raising her head against the loathsome pull of gravity, she
took in the view of the city above through the clear skylight,
innumerable silver disks suspended against the black of the
sky reflecting the luminance of Diamond. Once, her house had
116
been elevated too, up among the richest in the city, but their
fortunes had waned since those distant days. Bad decisions
by those who ran the House had accounted for that, and now
they had precious little wealth left, just enough to keep fuel
in the engines. For how long she didn’t know.
Silently she left the viewing chamber, heading for the
business rooms. She was tired of listening to the others, and
the recent run of poor fortune had finally silenced them. Now
it was her turn to do something for her House, and she meant
to succeed.
Diamond orbits considerably further from Steel than the
other moons. It is an airless sphere of super-dense rock
covered in a fine, white, crystalline dust, and its crushing
gravity field renders it completely uninhabitable. Instead,
natives dwell in floating habitations found high above the
white globe, free from the moon’s irresistible pull. In the sky
of Steel, the brilliant, reflective surface of Diamond cannot
be missed; the moon appears as a sphere of white brilliance,
especially at night.
Struc tu re
The surface of Diamond is exceptionally smooth, with height
variations of no more than a few tens of metres to be found
across the entire surface. It has been theorised that this
uniformity is a result of a relatively recent catastrophic event
that melted the rocky crust of the moon, wiping out all traces
of craters and other previous surface events. The source
of the fine, white, crystalline Glitter that covers the entire
surface of the moon is an enigma. The sparkling material
has been seen to spew periodically from beneath Diamond’s
crust, presumably driven by tectonic activity, but the exact
process involved is unknown. The gravity of Diamond is
ferocious as a result of the incredibly dense core, making visits
to the surface only possible by employing specially designed
machines capable of withstanding the strain.
Environm ent
Despite the high gravity, Diamond is an airless world. There
is no climate and, apart from the rare, random deposition
of white crystalline powder, there is no noticeable tectonic
activity. However, the density of the moon’s core makes
investigations into the inner workings of Diamond difficult.
Technology
Diamond makes great use of Ultratech technology, and many
of the standard Ultratech found across the Flame Worlds is
built here, especially those pieces of Ultratech that need
gravity in their manufacture. As a manufacturing and design

centre Diamond is known for the puppets that are designed
and produced, and work on semi-AI systems is a focus of
the moon. Various machines are employed to maintain the
position of each habitat above the surface of the moon and
at particular strata within a city, but all derive their power
from liquid and gaseous fuels shipped from distant Ocean.
Societ y
The four million inhabitants of Diamond exist in the loosely
arranged orbital cities that float over the moon. Composed
of agglomerations of many separate habitats, these orbitals
are found high above the surface; sufficiently distant to
reduce the effective gravity to standard limits. These cities
can stretch vertically over many tens of kilometres, despite
their relatively narrow width. The small disc-like habitations
that comprise each city are constructed from the same
Ultratech materials that are prevalent on Steel, and are
extremely tough and resistive. Each habitat is the home of
a collection of, typically, a few hundred inhabitants, known
collectively as a ‘House’. As unstable orbits collapse, the
position of each habitat within the city is maintained by
burning fuel shipped in from distant Ocean, augmented by
solar radiation collected from energy harvesters directed at
Gold and at Diamond’s highly reflective surface. The largest
city is called Pale and is located directly over the equator,
where the solar radiation level, and therefore collectable
energy, is at a maximum.
THE FLAME WORLDS
The Houses of Diamond contain some of the most
technologically adept manufacturers and ruthless
merchants of the System; it is from here that the Fire Council
distributes goods and services among the member planets
and moons, and where the majority of new puppets are
derived. The merchants trade everything that comes in from
across the Flame Worlds with representatives of the other
moons and Stone, dealing directly with the needs of the
orbital factories as well as those on Steel making Diamond a
hive of activity. The main indicator of success on the floating
Houses of Diamond is the position above the surface – the
poor live lower, closer to the moon, whereas the rich soar
high above. In the centre of each city are the plazas – great
flat discs surrounded by domes of clear ceramic. It is within
these great structures that the inhabitants barter and trade,
setting prices that affect all of humanity. Disagreements
between Houses are prevalent in the cities, but allegiances
for the purposes of funding warfare on Steel are common.
Crime on Diamond is low thanks to the efficiency of the local
enforcement police, known as Tradesmen.
There is no central government on Diamond; instead, a
council containing members of all the greater Houses puts
urgent matters to the vote. Members on the Fire Council are
selected by vote from among the Houses. Unity is welcomed
on Diamond, and is an integral part of local policing. Uplifts
are also welcome, and make up approximately a third of the
population.
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 Exilium
S to n e
Distance from Gold: 3.1 A.U.
Diameter: 1,095 miles
Mass: 0.4 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.3 G (Low gravity)
Atmospheric pressure: 0.01 atm (No fluid atmosphere)
Atmospheric composition: 93% nitrogen, 2% oxygen, 4%
carbon dioxide, trace others
Surface water: 1%
Temperature range: -225 to 10°C
Rotational period: 58.3 Earth hours
Orbital period: 499 Earth days
In silence the machine toppled as the thin atmosphere would
not carry the sound. We stood watching as the excavator
slowly, ponderously swung downward, the mighty drilling
tip tilting from the sky toward the ground. The crack was
widening all the time, the fragile layer of stone broken by
the quake that had shaken the ground. It had always been a
gamble to bring the machine this way.
Some of those caught near the device were running, trying
to escape the opening maw that was reaching for them.
The falling machine had already crushed some, their
metallic bodies torn and broken. Those closest that were
not yet caught stood and watched languidly, accepting
their fate. Afterward, the dust took a long time to settle. We
approached the hole and looked down at the wreckage, the
venting gases and leaking fuel, the twisted and blackened
metal. The machine was wrecked.
118
A Drone from the factories came later to remove the remains
of the machine and the fallen ones that lay scattered about
it. I went back to work at the 65/886/75 sector three mine,
the others went elsewhere. It had been the third quake of the
cycle, so we expected at least two more. But we dug all the
same; there was ore to claim. There was always ore to claim,
and I relished the work.
Stone is one of the factory planets of the Flame System,
operated by representatives of the moons Opal and Diamond
under the auspices of the Fire Council. Riddled with mines
and excavations, huge quantities of metallic elements,
ores and stone are removed from the world every day. So
invasive is this stripping of the planet that, in many places,
the crust is now unstable and would be prone to collapse
without support. Stone has been raped and its resources
plundered by the inhabitants of the Flame Worlds. Stone is
a horrific place to work, where most mine workers sweat
and toil in a cramped environmental suit under constant
fear of tremors. The Void Factories are little better, being
effectively sweatshops in orbit.
Struc tu re
Stone is a small rocky world with little atmosphere. Despite
the size of the planet the core is still warm, resulting in fairly
frequent and large-scale tectonic events at the surface.
The crust has been battered and fractured by impacts, and
many craters litter the dull orange soil of the planet. Stone
harbours large deposits of many different kinds of metals and
ores deep below the surface, resources that are gathered
by the Fire Council and shipped all over the System. Harsh
conditions dominate, as the Fire Council’s greedy members
look to strip the maximum profit from the world.
Environm ent
The environment of Stone is dead, with little atmosphere
and no life. There is very little surface water, just a small
quantity of permafrost at the planet’s poles. Scientists agree
that Stone is too small and too distant from Gold to have
ever supported life. However, despite the lack of energy
obtained from the distant star, the core holds sufficient
residual warmth to trigger frequent the tectonic activity
that marks the world.
In habitants o f Ston e
The inhabitants of the moons frequently travel to Stone;
along with Ocean it is the most common destination for
workers and some million workers toil on the surface. Stone
is a factory world, a place where workers excavate rare ores
and manufacture materials for the moons and Steel. There are

two principal occupations on the world: working in the vast
orbital Void Factories, and digging in the seemingly endless
mine complexes. The mines are used to remove ores and
metals from the planet’s crust, while the Void Factories are
employed to convert raw material into more transportable
forms for consumption on Steel and the moons.
The mines of Stone are operated by the controlling council
of Opal, which has experience in living and working under
extreme conditions. To the paranoid people of Opal, an
assignment to Stone is exile of the worst kind – few make it
back to the cities of their birth on Opal.
The mine workings are composed of miles and miles of huge
interconnecting tunnels and chambers. Oppressive and
difficult places to work, these tunnels are created by massive
mining machines that bore through the crust of the planet
following the seams of ores and metals; they are filled with
choking dust and have a thin atmosphere that necessitates
the use of environmental suits. Many of the workers who
arrive to earn a living on Stone don’t know what they’ve let
themselves in for.
Once the seams of resources are spent, the mines are
abandoned and new facilities are constructed over new
THE FLAME WORLDS
deposits. Large prospecting groups direct this work,
uncovering new deposits and organising the mine’s
construction. Quakes are a persistent problem, being
capable of destroying mines and valuable equipment.
Another group of workers monitor seismic activity on Stone,
using the information to predict where the worst quake
events will occur. Although not altogether successful, these
predictive methods reduce the damage from the majority of
quakes. Still, they are a constant danger in the mines.
The mines also serve another purpose. When they have
been exhausted and all the usable amounts of ore and metal
extracted, the shafts and chambers are used as rubbish
dumps. All the non-recyclable waste from Steel and the moons
ends up on Stone, and is packed tightly into the empty mines.
Because of the endless mine workings on the planet, some
say it is only the System’s rubbish that stops the whole world
from collapsing. The Void Factories are, as the name suggests,
orbital platforms used for the construction of components for
use on the other Flame Worlds. Technically operated under
the auspices of Unity but in reality owned by the Merchant
Houses of Diamond, profit is the number one concern.
As well as the living workers, many Puppets are found in
the Void Factories, so the platforms often lack atmosphere,
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 Exilium
so human and Uplift workers are required to use space
suits. The Void Factories are huge, eerie places, without
adornment or decoration. Stabilised above the equator of
the planet in geosynchronous orbit, the Factories refine and
shape resources that have been despatched into orbit from
Stone via huge beanstalks tethered to the planet’s surface.
Immensely strong, these giant cables are mounted with
lifts that shuttle material up into orbit, and are cunningly
designed to survive the strongest seismic quakes that Stone
has to offer.
Life in the Void Factories is equally as oppressive as on the
surface of Stone; factory workers toil for long hours for little
pay, and workers’ rights are almost unheard of. Progressive
factions of the Fire Council look to improve conditions in the
Factories, but so far to no avail.
The work force of Stone does include a large number of
Puppets that can carry out multiple tasks on the planet.
Though not truly intelligent, these Puppets work ceaselessly
for the benefit of their human and uplifted masters, directing
and operating the mining machinery that digs ever deeper
120
into the core of the world, or operating the various kinds
of manufacturing machinery in the Void Factories. To the
Puppets, work is life, and life without work is meaningless.
Several distinct designs of puppet are available on Stone,
each suited to a particular role on the world.
Workers and some humans and Uplifts do die on Stone,
usually when they are caught in one of the frequent tremors
that collapse the mines shafts. Many Puppets simply wear
out and are replaced by new ones manufactured in the Void
Factories.
Technology
Stone technology tends to be rugged, dependable and
relatively simplistic Ultratech. The Puppets are the most
sophisticated devices on the planet’s surface, with most of
the machinery being large-scale, chemically driven mining
vehicles, and simple refineries.
The Void Factories do make use of significantly more
advanced technologies, primarily because it is within these
orbital platforms that machines and devices are manufactured
for use on all the other Flame Worlds. These pristine metallic
platforms bristle with technology. Void Arks are regular
visitors, picking up the immense production output of Stone.
Societ y
Stone is controlled directly by the Fire Council, with Unity
acting as law enforcement. The workers from the moons
of Steel all pledge allegiance to the Council while they are
on-planet, and Unity ensures that conflicts between rival
factions are not allowed to get out of hand.
Simulcra on Ston e
Simulcra are uncommon on Stone because Puppet, human
and Uplift workers are plentiful.
Augm entations on Ston e
It is the moons of Steel that supply workers to fill the
factories and mines of Stone, bringing their augmentations
with them.
U plif t Acce ptance on Ston e
In the mines and factories of Stone Uplifts and humans alike
direct the mining and manufacturing operations, operating
on behalf of the moons they represent. They are treated
equally poorly as is everyone on the planet – many on the
Fire Council and within more liberated elements of the moon

factions consider Stone to be a canker in the Flame System.
Some of the more unusual Uplifts can be found on Stone,
performing roles suited to their inhuman physiognomy.
Mi s t
Distance from Gold: 12.3 A.U.
Diameter: 297,000 miles
Mass: 18.3 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.94 G (Standard gravity at top of cloud layer)
Atmospheric pressure: 1.6 atm (Standard fluid atmosphere
at top of cloud layer)
Atmospheric composition: 28% nitrogen, 22% oxygen, 17%
carbon dioxide, 10% sulphur compounds, 23% exotics
Surface/atmospheric water: 42%
Temperature range: -112 to 36°C
Rotational period: 12.7 Earth hours
Orbital period: 597 Earth days
Th e Splinte r Mo ons
Diameter: 10 – 1000 miles
Mass: 0.001 – 0.1 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.0 – 0.65 G (Zero to Standard gravity)
Atmospheric pressure: 0.0 atm (No fluid atmosphere)
Atmospheric composition: -NA-
Surface/atmospheric water: -NA-
Temperature range: -213 to -38°C
Rotational period: Variable
Orbital period: Average 300 Earth days to orbit Mist
THE FLAME WORLDS
Tale related by Speaker Richard Hunn to youngsters of
Taylor’s Womb.
‘It was a bad time. Old Earth was dying. Over population,
pollution, wars, famine, and economic and ecological
disaster – all these ailments and more were slowly eating
away at the heart of our home. Eroded on all fronts by
greed the planet’s resources dwindled and failed; sucked dry
by billions of hungry souls eager for succour. Without the
resources to feed increasingly desperate people wars flared
dark and bloody, and billions died in pointless conflict. It was
a bad time for us, and it couldn’t last.’
‘Some said the end of the world, the end of humanity, was
close at hand. Words of doom and destruction spread like
wildfire. The very rich isolated themselves, hiding from the
desperation and pain all about them by building ivory towers
high above the seething masses below. Most of these power
brokers had turned their backs on the poor, the sick and the
unfortunate, preferring to maintain the sham of their private
dreams rather than lend a helping hand and risk being pulled
down into the morass. Most, but not all. Some stood aside
from their weaker peers and offered something rare and
precious – hope.’
‘So we built the Seedships, the vast vessels that could sail
the voids of the dark with a precious cargo of life. Thy gave
mankind an escape route, a way out of the horror they had
created.’
‘The Seedship was huge. Whether it was one of many or
stood alone is not remembered, but even if only one such
vessel was constructed it was a huge undertaking. Using
orbital bases and scarce Earth resources we constructed
the mammoth ark, even as armies fought the ignorant and
untrusting tides of humanity that railed against the ‘waste’
of precious commodities. Legend tells that the Seedship
took over a year of Earth’s time to construct, so vast was its
hull. And all the while the battles raged. But eventually the
Seedship sailed.’
‘No life was on board. Instead a precious twin cargo of data
and organics was carried through the gulfs of space: the
templates for making humans. This was the Seedship’s cargo,
the essence of human life, destined for an alien world. Amid
the bitterest fighting and the first sparks of global war the
Seedship was despatched. Travelling slowly but accelerating,
always accelerating, the vast vessel made its ponderous way
from Old Earth.’
‘No one knows why the Flame Worlds were chosen as the
destination. Perhaps it had been investigated and discovered
to be a possible new home for man. Perhaps several Seedships
121
 Exilium
were despatched in random directions, who can say? But
it took many Earth-length years, hundreds or thousands,
for the voyage. On the vessel Intelligences controlled and
monitored the journey, vast Puppets that filled the empty
spaces with their cold thoughts. We were at their mercy, and
they guided us toward our new home. They were our keeper
and guardians, and they would be our mothers.’
Vast beyond the scope of any other planets of the Flame
System, Mist is a gas giant of unimaginable proportions. A
swirling maelstrom of currents and storms, the clouds of
Mist are dyed violent shades of blue and green. Incredible
magnetic fields and radiation storms burst from the planet
into space, stirred into action by the turmoil of the boiling
gases deep beneath the surface of the world. Mist is a harsh
place, untouched by humanity. Yet despite the inhospitable
nature of the swollen planet, it is here, far from the warmth
of Gold, that pirate clans of humanity cling to life.
Struc tu re
Mist is a world wracked by raging storms. The deep cloud
layers stretch far downward from the vaporous surface into
the depths of the planet, wrapping the core of compressed
metals and exotic matter in a mantle of seething violence.
The clouds themselves are stained a deep green-blue by the
interactions of unusual chemicals, their complex reactions
further fuelling the violence of the atmosphere. Storms
collate and dissipate with startling rapidity, giving the dark
disc of the planet a restless, agitated appearance.
Seemingly random motions occasionally stir the clouds,
sometimes in accordance with the rotation of the world, at
other times completely contrary to it. Mist is a bizarre and
awe-inspiring place, remarkably different from the regularity
of the inner worlds.
Several moons orbit Mist, known collectively as the Splinter
Moons. These structures range from spherical bodies nearly
as large as small planets to broken and irregular rocks and
boulders no larger than one of Steel’s cities. It is on the
Splinter Moons that the humans of the Mist region dwell,
pirates occupying choice sites specially selected for their
lack of rotation and thus affording the occupants shelter
from the immense radiation of Mist.
The supply lines sent by the Fire Council from Ocean all pass
in close proximity to Mist, using the planet’s vast gravity to
slingshot toward the inner System and Steel. Without the
assistance of the gas giant, travel toward the inner System
would take much longer. Mist is a necessary component
of the shipments from distant Ocean that are so vital to
civilisation on Steel.
122
Environm ent
Beneath the upper cloud layers of Mist, the depths of the
planet seethe with violence and destruction. The clouds are
toxic, and pressures mount quickly when descending toward
the core. As far as has been determined by scientists, no life
exists within the Flame blanket of Mist’s atmosphere. Vast
swathes of radiation and magnetic flux spiral around the
gas giant, dosing nearby space with lethal levels of energy.
To approach the cloud layers of Mist would be extremely
foolhardy.
Mist is barren: devoid of life. The radiation levels emitted by
the planet are huge and incompatible with the development
of organic life forms. The Splinter Moons are airless balls
of rock, completely unsuited to life. However, some life
forms are to be found among these orbiting boulders and
planetoids, although they are certainly not indigenous.
Technology
Out among the Splinter Moons, a silent war wages in the
void of space, with pirates battling the small but powerful
forces of Unity for dominance. Powerful weapons designed
to operate in the extremely low gravity environment of
the Splinter Moons are the most common armaments.
Unfortunately, the environment of Mist is not conducive to
the operation of Puppets – the main component of Unity
forces – and many weapons and systems that perform in the
design environments of the Void Factories do not operate
well in the heavily irradiated vicinity of Mist. Most of these
systems will not operate when directly exposed to the flux
of Mist, and so are only deployed when close to the surface
of the Splinter Moons and within the shelter that the rock
provides.
The ships that ply the space around Mist are relatively
unsophisticated Ultratech devices made ungainly by the
presence of layers of radiation and blast shielding. Their
weaponry is also practical in design and not as sleek as the
variants found in the Void Factories and on Steel.
The pirates make use of very old-fashioned devices by
inner System standards known collectively as the Salvaged
Technologies. Power is supplied by electricity generated by
the burning of fuels captured from Ocean supply vessels.
Everything is practical and unadorned – pirates have no
time to improve the aesthetics of the devices they build.
The most complex machines found among the Splinter
Moons are the atmosphere converters: large machines that
generate a breathable atmosphere when suitably fuelled.
Each Womb guards their converters jealously; without
them, existence is impossible. Vehicles that are present
are based on scavenged Ultratech machinery, adapted to

become suitable for human use. Unreliable and with poor
performance, the space ships of humanity are ugly, brutish
things suitable only for short hops between moons. The vast
Void Arks seen at most other worlds steer relatively clear of
the Splinter Moons, more for the dangers of collisions than
for fear of pirates.
On the moons combat between human forces and Unity
forces are restricted to direct assaults. Such is the ferocity
of the radiation from the gas giant that the ships flying
between the Moons are incapable of mounting weaponry
that is truly effective. Instead, the pirates hijack passing
fuel shipments by coupling their vessel to the tankers and
dragging them off course toward the Moons using powerful
liquid-fuel engines. For their part, the Unity Puppet forces
of the inner System are more concerned with destroying the
Wombs than taking out individual pirates, and they monitor
the activities of pirate vessels so they can locate their bases.
Their human commanders prefer the resulting ground-
based assaults, their troops shielded from the ferocity of
Mist by many miles of rock.
Societ y
The life that is found hugging the countless broken fragments
of the Splinter Moons is humanity. Numbering around
THE FLAME WORLDS
one million, these people have lived among the Splinter
Moons for untold generations, clinging to life with the
tenacity that characterises their species. How they got
there is unknown, but their settlements tunnel beneath the
surfaces of specially selected Moons, chosen for their lack
of rotation. These bodies always present the same face to
Mist, shielding the frail life that clings to their furthest side
from the extremes of radiation emanating from the giant
planet. Such is the ferocity of Mist’s emissions that most
humans have never gazed upon the world beneath their
homes with their own eyes. These people refuse to accept
the rule of the Fire Council, and consider everything within
grasp as rightfully theirs. The only other humans and Uplifts
in the system are the crews of the attack ships sent to Mist
by Unity on a regular basis to engage the human pirates
and, where possible, destroy their outposts, known to their
inhabitants as Wombs. These ships operate at the behest of
the Fire Council, the only organisations capable of funding
and equipping such actions.
The humans of the Splinter Moons live a precarious existence.
Their numerous small settlements, called Wombs, typically
house no more than a few tens of thousands of members.
Most live beneath the surface of their moon, shielded from
the ferocity of Mist by a layer of stone many miles thick.
Many have close to zero gravity, making life even more
difficult despite the cocktail of drugs humans consume to
harden their bodies to a weightless environment. The largest
settlement of humanity is known as the Mother Womb. Here,
over three hundred thousand live, much as their ancestors
did. There are perhaps thirty other Homes scattered about
the Splinter Moons, each a testament to humanity’s tenacity
and will to survive. Travel between the human settlements
is possible but only in specially constructed vessels designed
to withstand the radiation. Even so, the repeated exposure
to Mist’s flux cannot be ignored, and radiation sickness often
affects those who frequently travel from one settlement to
the next. Their people call such men and women Sacrificials,
as they sacrifice their health for the good of their comrades.
It is these hardy folk who raid the passing supply lines,
stealing all they can and distributing what they acquire to
the Wombs, and they are also the warriors that engage the
Puppets despatched from the inner System.
Human technology on the Splinter Moons is limited and
unreliable, adapted from devices stolen from supply vessels.
Increasing sorties against Puppet forces have led to the
development of improved weaponry, most of which is still
extremely crude in comparison to Ultratech devices but
nevertheless efficient and deadly. Within each settlement,
factories and refineries capable of making use of the raw
materials have been created, often running on hugely
outdated technology.
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Religions are rife on the Splinter Moons, from beliefs in the Ocean
half-forgotten gods of Ancient Earth to the adoration of the
mindless void of space. However, the swollen globe of Mist,
the body about which the Wombs orbit and where pirates
scratch out their fragile existences, looms heavy in these
belief systems.

The pirates have a complex society, with each Womb being

run by a council of elders and religious leaders known as
the Talk. These councils then nominate one of their own to
represent them at the Mother Womb on the Great Talk, the
body that directs the actions of all humans on the Splinter
Moons. It is the Great Talk that decides which supply vessels
will be raided, which Sacrificials shall be used, and who shall
lead the attack, as well as being responsible for co-ordinating
the defence of the Wombs. Politics is prevalent within the
Great Talk, as each Womb seeks to secure itself a greater
share of the resources gathered from successful raids. It is
possible to interact with the pirates of the Splinter Moons,
and some of the moons of the inner system, especially the
merchants of Diamond, have fairly regular contact. This is
all hidden from Unity however, who would not look kindly
on such trade.

Simulcra on Mist and th e Distance from Gold: 18.9 A.U.

Splinte r Mo ons
Simulcra are unheard of around Mist and Splinter Moons,
where such advanced technologies are rarely seen outside of
Unity, and the Canticle of Fire makes the most use of standard
Puppets except for the occasional experimental Ember.
Augm entations on Mist and th e
Splinte r Mo ons
The pirates of the Splinter Moons are completely isolated
from Glitter technologies, despite their relative closeness
to Cloud compared to the Inner System. The only exposure
these humans and Uplifts have to the augmentations,
weapons and armour of Glitter is from the Unity soldiers
who try their best to destroy them.
U plift Acce ptance on Mist and
th e Splinte r Mo ons
The vast majority of life around the gas giant Mist is
concentrated within the pirate Wombs that dot the Splinter
Moons. Although mainly human, there are some of the more
ancient Uplift forms present in these groups, notably Shalks
who seem to enjoy the isolation and technical difficulties of
life around the distant gas giant. However, the majority of
new Uplift creations are not to be found here due to the
isolation of the pirate faction from the rest of the system.
Some Uplifts join the human crews and commanders that
operate the Unity attacks on the Splinter Moons, chosen for
their intelligent and battle-savvy.
Diameter: 87,000 miles
Mass: 6.7 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.74 G (Standard gravity at top of cloud layer)
Atmospheric pressure: 0.9 atm (Standard fluid
atmosphere at top of cloud layer)
Atmospheric composition: 18% nitrogen, 2% oxygen, 12%
carbon dioxide, 55% hydrocarbons, 13% exotics
Surface/atmospheric water: 22%
Temperature range: -150 to -126°C
Rotational period: 396.7 Earth hours
Orbital period: 898 Earth days
Distant, cold and uninviting, Ocean is an azure-blue gas
giant at the fringes of the Flame System. Smaller and less
dense than the mighty Mist, Ocean is a slow, stately world.
So distant is Ocean from Gold that the star appears only
just brighter than its neighbours in the sky, although Flame
swells huge and bloated as always.
Despite the distance, the stability of Ocean and the lack
of appreciable magnetic and radiation fields, coupled with
a rich resource of hydrocarbons, make the blue world an
attractive proposition to the Fire Council.
Ocean is the great fuel source of the Flame System, perhaps
even more vital to the civilisations on Steel and its moons
than the mines of Stone, with on-world operations controlled
by Sapphire.

124

Struc tu re
Whereas the gas giant Mist is a violent world of churning
clouds and complex atmospheric reactions, Ocean is an
altogether different planet. It is distant and cold, and despite
the size of the world, Ocean does not display the violent
environment that makes Mist such a dangerous destination.
The rich blue cloud layers of Ocean do not churn; the
clouds do not storm and howl. Instead, the chemicals of
the atmosphere have settled into stratified layers that seem
changeless, no doubt due to the incredibly slow rotational
period of the gas giant. Ocean is silent and seemingly frozen
in places, like a mere snapshot of a living, breathing world.
Only one phenomenon mars the solemn beauty of the
planet, and that is the atmospheric effect known as bruising.
Periodically, these vast, dark upwellings of material stain
the delicate azure a dark and ugly reddish black. Lasting
for typically one cycle of the planet’s rotation, these dark
blotches then fade back into the atmosphere, but during
their brief life they rage across the atmosphere, wrecking
the subtle stratification of the atmospheric layers. Typically,
there are two rapidly moving bruises on the planet at
any time. The nature of this effect remains unknown, for
powerful radiation bursts accompany their formation,
radiating in tight bands away from the dark area and
restricting scientific inquiry. Needless to say, approaching
these radiation sources too closely is extremely dangerous.
The layers of the atmosphere tend to form into discrete
strata of chemical composition, and are so stable as to allow
scientists to accurately predict which chemicals may be
found at any depth. As long as the mysterious bruises are
ignored, Ocean is relatively gentle for such a vast world. The
hydrocarbon-rich cloud layers mask a deep metallic core which
comprises perhaps one-fifth of the diameter of the planet.
Another unusual aspect of Ocean is that, despite its size,
the gas giant does not support any moons. Instead, a pale
halo of broken rock, ice and ore encircles the planet. This
nebulous structure is called the girdle, and is composed
of many fragments of material no bigger than a pebble.
Viewing the girdle can be difficult; it is only visible when the
feeble light of Gold strikes at a certain angle. Otherwise, the
structure remains elusive.
Environm ent
The gas clouds of Ocean are composed mainly of
hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane and many exotic
organic molecules. These chemicals are responsible for
the azure blue colour that characterises the atmosphere
of Ocean, although the exact nature of their interactions is
unknown. How so many unusual molecules formed so far
from the heat of Gold is another mystery that is yet to be
THE FLAME WORLDS
solved. Needless to say, the chemicals in the atmosphere of
Ocean are extremely toxic, and the crushing pressures that
build whilst descending through stratified layers toward
the core of the planet make the environment extremely
hazardous, albeit gentler than the raging violence of Mist.
As far as scientists are aware, there are no indigenous life
forms on Ocean or in the surrounding space. Despite the
lack of the deadly radiation found on Mist, Ocean is a sterile
and lifeless place.
Technology
Like the devices employed on Stone, the technology tends
to be rugged, dependable Ultratech. The Puppets operating
the scoop ships under the guidance of their human masters
are the most sophisticated devices.
Societ y
Ocean is vital to the stability of the civilisations of the inner
System. The vast gas giant provides an almost limitless supply
of fuels that can be collected and shipped back toward Gold.
At the behest of the Fire Council, Human scientists – under
the governance of representatives of the moon Sapphire
– direct the vast factory ships that cruise the upper layers
of the atmosphere, siphoning gases from the planet ready
for shipment through the vast distances of space. Over fifty
thousand humans, Uplifts and Puppets work on the numerous
ships and orbital facilities that dot the world. Sapphire has
expertise in adapting alien environments, and so has been given
a mandate by the Fire Council to run operations on Ocean.
Workers on Ocean perform a wide variety of tasks relating
to the collection of fuels, the most important being directing
the ponderous vessels away from any oncoming bruises,
as these unpredictable weather patterns are capable of
destroying all in their path. Once the scoops have collected
the fuels, they are despatched in orbital shuttles to the
numerous transfer stations that orbit the planet. These
stations compress the gases to liquids and pack them into
tankers, despatching them off to Steel via a slingshot at Mist.
It is these fuel containers that the pirates of the Splinter
Moons raid so frequently. The manufacture of Puppets and
ships for the battles around Mist is also a prominent task;
the necessary metals and other construction materials are
supplied by the debris found in the girdle.
Simulcra on Ocean
It is human and Uplift scientists of the Inner System that
man the ships and stations surrounding Ocean, and they
bring Simulcra with them.
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 Exilium
Augm entations on Ocean
It is humans and Uplifts of the Inner System that man the
ships and stations surrounding Ocean, and they carry
augmentations consistent with their origin.
U plift Acce ptance on Ocean
Uplifts as well as humans operate the vessels that ply the
cloud tops collecting hydrocarbons, and numerous Uplift
forms can be found in the orbiting stations that surround
the planet. Again Shalks are relatively numerous here, keen
scientific observers of operations on the planet.
Cloud
Distance from Gold: 26 A.U.
Diameter: 3,612 miles
Mass: 1.2 Earth masses
Gravity: 0.8 G (Standard gravity)
Atmospheric pressure: 0.01 atm (No fluid atmosphere in
cave systems)
Atmospheric composition: Trace
Surface water: 0%
Temperature range: -120 to 136°C
Rotational period: 44.6 Earth hours
Orbital period: 127 Earth days
She yearned. She was the lady in the high tower, and she
yearned for someone, anyone, to assuage her loneliness.
Everyday, under the hazy glow of the sun, she studied the city
126
below her, a labyrinth of stone bustling with life. Stretching
endlessly into the distance on all sides and so far below her,
the city was unattainable. She was aloof and alone. Everyday
she watched them below her, the people, men and women,
going about their lives, oblivious to her pain. She could see
them talking, mouths working silently, voices stolen by the
cold winds that blew from the mountains all about her. Some
even touched one another, a hand on an arm or shoulder,
and at the sight she felt such a longing, such and incredible
desire, that it robbed her of breath. She would have cried if
she knew how.
Everyday she would awaken in the tower. Her gown lay on
the bed beside her, beautiful and unspoilt, and she dressed
to the rising sun. Her suite of rooms was filled with images,
pictures of men and women she did not know. As she looked
at the faces that stared mutely back at her she thought that
perhaps there was something about them, some memory
tugging at the corners of her mind, but as soon as she tried
to focus on the feeling it was gone, dissipated into the air.
She found the images unsettling after, as if she were missing
something.
Her only companion in the tower was the golden bird. It flew
in one morning, a spark of flame f littering from windowsill to
bed frame. It watched her with beady red eyes, and croaked
at her. Its voice was rough and sharp. ‘Alone, alone’ it said,
tilting its head from side to side. Since then it had been back
every day, hopping from perch to perch, just out of reach.
‘Alone, alone’. Once, she grew tired of its company and threw
a tile that she had loosened from the tower floor. The tile
sailed toward the golden bird but it dodged aside easily.
‘Alone, alone’ it said reproachfully.
The man had first come as the skies darkened toward the
end of the year. She had seen him below her – seemingly
impossibly far out of reach – climbing the outer skin of the
tower, cloak flapping behind him in the wind. The golden bird
watched too: ‘Alone, alone’ it remarked. She grew more and
more agitated as the man approached, swinging from stone
block to stone block, straining silently as he climbed, until
he was almost within reach. She could see his face beneath
the mop of brown hair, honest and open. He smiled despite
the strain. She stepped backwards as he reached the sill, his
hand seeking a hold on the inside of the tower.
Then the golden bird attacked, ‘Alone! Alone!’ it screamed,
diving at the man. He raised his hand to protect his face from
claws and beak, and lost his grip, slipping silently out of sight.
She rushed to the sill and saw him, a tiny, tumbling speck.
He disappeared into the soundless city below and she wept.
After she stopped crying she tried to drive the bird away, but
it was useless. ‘Alone, alone’ it intoned solemnly.

The second time the man came began much like the first. She
saw him as she surveyed the city, a tiny figure climbing the
needle of stone that was her tower. Again his cloak flapped
in the wind; again he swung from handhold to handhold,
fighting the pull of gravity that threatened to drag him down
to the nameless metropolis below. The bird grew agitated at
his approach, and flapped in and out of the tower, screeching
‘Alone! Alone’. This time the man paused his climb just below
her windowsill, bracing against the stone, turning and
securing himself with his back against the wall. And then,
as the golden bird flew out of the window, the man drew a
small crossbow from his waist and pierced it with an arrow.
‘Alone!’ the bird screamed, tumbling downward to the city
below in a flurry of gilded feathers. Slowly, the man turned
back to the wall and climbed up to the windowsill and over
into the tower.
He stood before her, smiling. ‘No longer alone,’ he said as he
took her hand in his.
Dissolving, the tower, the city and the man and woman
crumble to dust, tiny floating motes that drift silently down
to coat the cavern floor.
THE FLAME WORLDS
According to the peoples of the Flame Worlds, the distant
and shattered planet Cloud is a dead world. Little do they
know that beneath the surface, the agents of the Fire Council
known as Smoke have uncovered something astounding and
truly magical.
Cloud is all that remains of the Numina in the material
universe. Appearing as a dead planet, beneath the crust
incredibly powerful machines exist: the most advanced
technologies in the Flame System. The planet contains
literally billions of Graintech devices, tiny engines of almost
limitless power. These microscopic devices have the ability
to aggregate and shape themselves limitlessly; creating
macroscopic structures that can adopt unlimited forms.
Once playthings of the Numina, this technology is incredibly
dangerous in the wrong hands.
The Fire Council know nothing of Cloud’s past, and suspect
the planet is evidence of an alien civilisation. So far they have
kept knowledge of the secrets of Cloud from the populace of
the Flame Worlds, but the situation may change at any time
– especially as those powerful in the Council consider the
alien technology as theirs to manipulate and enjoy.
1 27
 Exilium
Struc tu re
Cloud is an old world, tectonically dead and devoid of life.
So shattered and ancient appears the surface that some
radical scientists theorise that Cloud is the last surviving
vestige of a solar system that once orbited Flame. Evidence
in favour of this theory is the erratic orbit of the planet,
which is shifted considerably in alignment compared to the
remainder of Gold’s worlds. Others state that this ancestry
is impossible, citing a collision with another body to account
for the unusual orbit. Tectonically, Cloud is dead and frozen,
the core being long since solidified and locked into place.
The surface of the planet is of shattered and broken rock,
the scars of innumerable huge craters and impacts marring
the crust. With a low surface albedo, Cloud is not visible
from Elysium except as a dark stain that blocks the light of
stars in the night sky.
Cloud is considered dead by most of the inhabitants of the
Flame Worlds. However, the discovery of magnetic anomalies
near the surface of Cloud led a scientific team from Sapphire
to investigate the inner workings of the planet, with amazing
results.
Environm ent
The interior of Cloud contains huge caverns linked by caves
that stretch in all directions. These are the empty remnants
of tubes left after the erosion of lava that once welled from
the core of the planet, and subsequently eroded by the
passage of water. This system riddled the crust and originally
exited to the surface in several places, allowing any trapped
atmosphere to escape and making the interior of Cloud as
lifeless as the surface. However, sometime in the distant
past Cloud was massively altered beyond all recognition. The
exit points from the cavern network were sealed, creating a
completely enclosed system of interconnecting chambers that
was then flooded with an oxygen-bearing atmosphere. Within
these lava tubes, huge quantities of Graintech machines were
seeded. These microscopic devices coat the walls and fill the
chambers – an impossibly fine dust waiting for activation.
When a thinking mind arrives on Cloud, the Graintech
machines stir into life. Following the patterns and desires
of the visitor, the machines construct a world capable of
meeting the guest’s desires. Adapting themselves, the
machines construct a complete world around the person.
This becomes their realm: a private world peopled with
artificial Graintech constructs. These aggregations of
Graintech devices are purely temporary; once the visitor
I D B K
128
leaves, the machines switch and revert back to dust, leaving
the chambers as empty as they were before the intrusion.
The only permanent structure that exists near the planet
is the orbital station known as Redemption. Disguised by a
small moon, it is from this huge platform that scientists from
the moon Sapphire observe the world at the behest of the
Fire Council, directing scientists to the interior to learn more
about this alien technology. Unity maintains an active force
as well, training some of the most powerful weapons at its
disposal on the dead world below.
Simulcra on Cloud
Simulcra were born on Redemption Station, and make up a
disproportionately large component of the population.
Augm entations on Cloud
Cloud is the home of Graintech and Redemption Station, the
origin of Glitter. This distant world is the hub of the technological
revolution that is washing over the Flame Worlds.
U plif t Acce ptance on Cloud
A few Uplifts have visited Cloud, part of the Unity soldiers
and scientists that visit the planet. The Graintech of Cloud
responds strangely to some Uplifts, as if the presence of a
repressed alien instinct interferes with the mental reading
required for the creation of the dream realms afforded to
human visitors. Many Uplifts that have been exposed to the
caverns have often found the resultant creations terrifying
and confusing, refusing to go into details on what the world
created for them. Interestingly, this is not enough to keep the
inquisitive scientific minds of Shalks at bay, and they form
a major component of the research team Unity employs
on the world. The private realms Graintech creates when
probing the Shalk mind are said to be extremely disturbing
by those few who know of the wonders of Cloud.
Access to Cloud
The Fire Council restricts access to Cloud to all but the most
high-ranking individuals. However, given the wondrous
abilities of Graintech and the fractured and factional nature
of the Council, and the fact that many people would pay a
lot of money to realise their dreams, there is a surprising
number of visitors to the surface, all watched by Smoke and
a nervous Unity.
Q
cha pter five

5
secrets
I D B K
 Exilium
- secrets -
o h
I
n this section are given some aspects of the Flame System
that are known to only a very few individuals, or perhaps
the Envoy alone. Players must earn the right to know
some of these secrets, so the following information is best
kept to the Narrator.
Proj ec t Chim e ra
On the Flame Worlds, Ultratech is the dominant technology.
Highly advanced and capable of great things, the myriad
devices and constructs created from Ultratech are
nevertheless crude tools compared to the mysterious
technology found in the caverns of Cloud: Graintech.
This nanotechnology is so advanced as to be beyond the
understanding of even the most intelligent Shalk scientists
in the Fire Council’s employ. However, that is not to say that
progress has not been made. Decoding the barest fraction
of Graintech has allowed scientists to make miraculous
discoveries, and melding this newfound knowledge with
Ultratech has led to rapid and astonishing advances in
technological understanding in recent times.
This new technology is now seeping out into the Flame
System and having a profound effect. The project that has
led to these discoveries is known by the code name Chimera,
and the new technology is called Glitter. However, all is not
as it seems. With the proliferation of Glitter built upon Grain
technology, the influence of the controlling intellect that
manipulates the machines within Cloud is growing. Known
as Shard, this entity is aware of the Envoy and the Exiled
Numina, and seeks revenge…
Chimera is a codename for Glitter – technologies at the
bleeding edge of science. Also discussed is an enemy of the
Envoy that seeks to thwart the plans of Exiles on the Flame
Worlds, and would kill them if it could…
Chim e ra
The name given to the project to investigate and unravel
the secrets of the alien technology on Cloud was Chimera.
Undertaken in secret by the Fire Council and guarded by
some of the most proficient Unity soldiers, Chimera was
based on Redemption Station concealed within a small
moon high in orbit above Cloud. Comprising a crack team
130
w x g
of scientists including humans, Shalk and other Uplifts
carefully selected from the four moon factions of Steel for
their knowledge and expertise, Chimera has been the most
secretive project in the Flame System. Those Fire Council
members who know of its existence are sworn to secrecy,
and are watched by Smoke to ensure that nothing about the
technology on Cloud escapes to public attention.
For the scientists, Chimera has only ever been about
gaining an insight into the Graintech of Cloud and, through
it, understanding another part of a mysterious universe.
However, for the Fire Council, Unity and Smoke, a crucial
part of Chimera has involved merging what knowledge
is gained from Graintech with Ultratech to create a new
blended technology that, although inferior to Graintech, far
surpasses what is available elsewhere in the System. This
technology is called Glitter, and creations of this hybrid have
been available to Unity for some time.
Inevitably, Glitter has leaked out into the rest of the System,
and some of the key advances such as Loci and Hacks have
become available to those outside of Unity who are prepared
to pay. On the Flame Worlds no one seems to know where
this new technology comes from, but the name ‘Glitter’ is
beginning to circulate despite the best attempts of Smoke
to keep it quiet.
Red em ption Station
Nestled into a deep crater on the tidally-locked moon
Stratus, Redemption Station is both a scientific research
facility and a military staging post. Home to thirty scientists,
over fifty support staff and one hundred military personnel,
as well as an unknown number of Shade agents, Redemption
is a bustling place despite the secrecy of its existence. Above
the surface of the crater floor, very little of Redemption
is visible; even the exits of the launch tubes for the rail
cannons that target strategic sites on the planet’s surface
are carefully blended and masked from view.
Only when ships leave Redemption through irised hangar
bays does the base become visible, and even then – despite
the emptiness of nearby space – only stealth-equipped
shuttles are used to transit to Cloud. Redemption is
composed of four modules carved into the rock of Stratus,
linked to a central command and control area. The four

modules are: the alpha quadrant, where scientific research
is performed; beta quadrant, which houses general living
quarters; gamma quadrant, which is the main military
installation of the base; and delta quadrant, which
houses shuttles, hangars and the communication arrays.
Redemption is a low-gravity environment, with Stratus only
providing around one quarter of the gravity field of Steel.
Consequently, the corridors of the base are more like tubes
or tunnels, and grip pads are used by the population to help
them move about.
The alpha quadrant comprises thirteen laboratories for
the study of Graintech activity. These include: isolation
laboratories for dangerous work; extensive recording facilities
to log activity on the planet; genetic research laboratories;
and impressive micro-manipulation laboratories. Much of
the work in dissecting the Grains is performed here, and
real state-of-the-art research is carried out to attempt to
understand the workings of the alien technology. No kinds
of military applications are worked on in this area.
SECRETS
The beta quadrant provides accommodation for the staff,
including sleeping areas, social areas, a parkland site, gym
facilities, and everything else to make Redemption a home
from home. Military, scientific and administration staff mingle
by design, but the civilians’ natural wariness of the military
has kept a barrier between the two groups, resulting in an
unacknowledged split between science and military zones.
Despite this, everyone on Redemption has a deep interest in
the planet which has kept boredom at bay and meant that
tensions between the groups are low.
The delta quadrant houses the Unity facility and soldiers
known as Guardians who form part of the Canticle of Storm.
This area is off limits to non-military personnel, and exactly
what is behind the large steel iris doors that section off this
area is the topic of much debate among the scientists and
administration staff. It is known that there is an armoury,
a testing ground, and billets for serving personnel, mess
rooms, briefing rooms, and the operational components
of the huge rail guns and other armaments that target the
131
 Exilium
surface from Redemption. Also within this facility is a fully-
loaded ground assault team, capable of descending to the
surface and armed with heavy vehicle and Puppet support.
The presence of research facilities and scientists is widely
accepted, as the military application of the knowledge
gained from Graintech is being generated to use somewhere.
Smoke, the secretive arm of the Fire Council, is also rumored
to have facilities in the delta quadrant, although what
exactly this comprises isn’t widely known.
The gamma quadrant houses shuttles, ground assault
craft and the huge sensor arrays that monitor the surface
and allow discrete tight-beam encrypted communications
with Steel, all under the control of administrators from
the Canticle of Fire. This area is run by a dedicated team
of engineers and heavy duty Puppets, and is off-limits to
personnel apart from the departure lounges that serve
shuttle trips to the surface.
Central to the base is the hub, the tactical and command
area that links the four other modules. It is here that the
main infrastructural facilities of the base – including the
mainframe of the mind that operates the facility – the
control station and the fire control for the weapon systems
can be found. The military have had a strong presence here
ever since the operations at the base changed aspect from
scientific research to military application.
Chim e ra Key M em b e rs
The Chimera project has changed over the years since it
began, moving from a purely scientific activity to a heavily
military one, with growing resentment from the scientists
involved as they see their discoveries applied to military
applications. The following individuals are the main players
on Redemption, and their relationships drive the dynamics
of the Chimera team.
Revet Mugambe – Lead scientist from Emerald and one-
time overseer of Redemption, Mugambe is nominally the
leader of the Chimera scientific team. Known as an excellent
facilitator, Mugambe is firstly an administrator and secondly
a scientist, something which has led to antagonism between
him and the rest of the team; sometimes he thinks that
they don’t give him the respect he feels is due. A short,
nondescript man, Mugambe has a piercingly high voice that
can sound comical, especially when he is angry. Mugambe’s
run-ins with Agent Coleridge are legendary on Redemption.
Since the base changed tack to take on increasingly military
overtones, Mugambe has found himself marginalized
and isolated from both the military and scientific teams.
However, one privilege of his position is that he has almost
132
unlimited access to the caverns of Cloud and is one of the
few individuals permitted to enter the caverns alone. He
says very little about what he does on his visits, however.
Casus Reel – The most prominent of the small group of Shalk
Uplifts on the Station, Reel has a hard job on his hands. Shalk
are known to be emotionally cold but very logical and make
excellent scientists, but they don’t get on with their own
kind. Reel makes sure that disputes are handled quickly and
decisively, and works hard to maintain a tolerance among
peers of his own species. Reel is able to achieve this because
he has worked extensively with humans in the past and is
the most open of his typically emotionally retarded race.
Like the other Shalk, Reel is diminutive with a light frame
and grey skin, with the same black, faceted eyes that make
his species so distinctive.
Messandra Stevens – One of the most intuitive and skilled of
the Chimera scientists, Stevens has found life on Redemption
hard to bear. Fiercely opposed to the military’s effective
take-over of operations, she has been refused permission
to transfer off the project because she is, frankly, the best
scientist there is. Luckily for the Guardians now running the
project, Stevens has a very inquisitive mind with a real need
to find the truth, and so far her disgust at her employers has
been outweighed by her scientific urges. Whether this will
continue much longer is another matter entirely.
Thomas Staal – Staal is a bit of an outsider among the
scientific team, as he has fully embraced the militaristic
nature of the current Redemption team. Not only that, but he
willing partakes in the latest Glitter to come from the military
labs, including Loci, ‘Plants and Hacks. This has given him
somewhat of an advantage over some of the other scientists;
it does seem to have affected him, however, and he is much
more withdrawn than he used to be. A tall, gaunt man, his bald
head accentuates the Loci attached to the side of his skull.
Guardian Melanie Gale – A full Unity commander, Gale is
the current overseer of Redemption base and the Chimera
project. A striking woman, Gale has an exemplary record from
the Unity training academy, and has personally led numerous
assaults on Wombs among the Splinter Moons. Efficient,
aggressive and decisive, Gale is seen as the ideal candidate
to ensure a steady growth in the military aspects of Chimera.
Guardian Titus Reeves – Officially ranked as Gale’s second-
in-command, Reeves, like many of the scientists, has
grievous reservations about Glitter. However, his fear comes
from a completely different route than the scientists’ natural
caution – he fears that the technology will proliferate
outside of Unity, reducing the capability of the Fire Council
to maintain control in the Flame System. A hardened veteran

from the battlefields of Steel, Reeves often disagrees with
Gale, and spends most of his time trying to get her to temper
the incessant demands of the Fire Council for greater
technological output. A scarred and tough man, Reeves has
only one eye despite technology being in place to repair
him; he considers the damage a mark of office.
Agent Coleridge – The big unknown on Redemption,
Coleridge is the face of Smoke. How many operatives he has
on Redemption isn’t known, nor is their remit; their goals
are similarly mysterious. The Guardians dislike Coleridge
for his air of authority and lax attitude to taking orders;
the scientists and administration staff fear him for the
unknown he represents. Despite being seemingly disliked by
all, Coleridge has an easy-going and calm attitude which is
totally at odds with his role.
Glitter
The following section discusses some of the secrets of
Graintech, the Chimera project and Glitter that may be
revealed to Exiles during play.
Bl ack Technologies
Black Technology is the term used by Unity to describe
any highly dangerous and uncontrolled technology that
has been created from Glitter. Despite their best attempts
to control access to Glitter, at least two Assemblers are no
longer in Unity hands. One is known to have been stolen
by a renegade Union of scientists on Sapphire; the location
of the other is unknown. The following examples of Black
Technologies are thought to have originated from those
two missing machines. Needless to say, Unity considers
the re-acquisition of both Assemblers to be of paramount
importance. The following Black Technologies have been
encountered by Unity, and all have been sampled, but
Unity scientists lack the understanding to unravel their
construction or origin.
Eate r-clouds
These deadly weapons are nothing more than cleverly
constructed clouds of flying nanites with a single purpose:
disassembly. Contained within a small capsule, on release
the Eater-cloud billows outwards to form a sphere of
seething Glitter approximately two metres wide. The cloud
then sets about reducing organic and inorganic matter
within it into component parts. This can be terrifying to see
as flesh, metal, plastics, and everything else within the cloud
appears to be eaten, leaving only a grey dust. The process is
incredibly fast, with the disassembly of even dense materials
SECRETS
taking just over one minute. The real danger with this
technology is that the breakdown is non-discriminating and
totally out of control. There is no simple way to ‘turn off’ the
cloud except by feeding it; each nanite consumes material
until it reaches a preset limit, at which point it deactivates.
As a result, pushing material into the cloud causes the cloud
to shrink as that material is consumed. A typical Eater-
cloud can consume about one metric ton of material before
dissipating. The cloud can also be moved about by any local
atmospheric disturbances such as wind. Eater-clouds are
known to be held by a number of criminals as a ‘last resort’
tool, either to cover an escape or just to make sure that they
take as many down with them as they can!
Glit te r Pu ppets
At least one of the two stolen Assemblers has been used
to create a new hybrid technology called a Glitter Puppet.
Essentially, this is a Puppet – typically a military unit –
that, instead of limbs, has a slaved coating of Glitter that
can be used to form crude appendages at will. These so-
called ‘Glitter Puppets’ are highly versatile – being able
to form multiple limbs – and hard to destroy, as only the
small central controlling hub containing the Fractal Mind
is susceptible to damage. The design and construction of
Glitter Puppets is complex and archaic, and some of the
choices in their manufacture seem very non-human, leading
Smoke to believe that the Shrika Uplift race is involved in
their creation. This has yet to be confirmed however. What
is true is that Unity lacks to knowledge to create something
as complex as a Glitter Puppet.
Re plicato rs
One of the most horrifying discoveries by Unity searching
for the lost Assemblers was that of a replicator: a nano-
machine capable of making copies of itself. This is seen
as one of the most dangerous technologies to have been
created on the Flame Worlds, as a self-replicating machine
could theoretically become unstoppable. Unity has only
recovered a small sample of self-replicating Glitter which
was recovered in a dormant state. The purpose of this
replicator has yet to be uncovered, but the discovery has
made Unity, and Smoke in particular, extremely eager to
find who has their stolen Assemblers.
D ragon
All scientists on Redemption agree that something is
controlling the Graintech that fills the caverns of Cloud.
However, exactly what this intelligence is cannot be guessed,
and its motives remain completely opaque. Most would
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agree that the artificial constructs stirred from dormant
Graintech by visitors to the caverns of Cloud are, to some
extent, avatars of that intelligence, but so far attempts
to communicate directly with the controller have proved
fruitless. This is the main cause for concern among those
who take the cautious approach to studying Graintech.
Something alien to humanity is controlling the most
powerful technology in the System. What the needs, desires
and motives of this intelligence are is entirely unknown. This
presents a very real danger to the stability and perhaps even
the safety of the Flame System. Even the most cautious raise
concerns over the hybrid technology of Glitter, as much of
the minutiae of operation of the nano-machines are still
poorly understood. Is it possible that something alien could
be influencing Glitter as well as controlling Graintech?
The scientists of Redemption may not know what controls
the Graintech of Cloud, but there is something on the Flame
Worlds that does. The Envoy – the mysterious agent of the
Numina in the material universe – is well aware of the other
mind that remains hidden on Cloud. It does not advertise
this knowledge to those it deals with, but it sometimes
refers to this other intelligence as Dragon. The Envoy knows
that Dragon is also linked to the Numina. Graintech is the
last remaining physical evidence of the Numina on the Flame
Worlds. When they created the technology, they could
manipulate it as they wished simply by thinking of their
desires. To facilitate this process, they created a powerful
artificial intelligence to read their surface thoughts, interpret
their desires and mould the Graintech as required: Dragon.
A true intelligence with emotion, desires and the ability to
learn, this controlling intellect was distributed across the
planets of the Flame System: a multi-nodal but connected
intellect of vast power. When the Numina left the material
universe, they destroyed the evidence of their existence
using the Envoy – their newly created avatar in the material
universe – to complete the task. As part of this process,
the Envoy set to work unravelling the mind of Dragon and
destroying the Graintech that had been seeded across the
Worlds. However, this process was not instantaneous, and
once the process was underway, Dragon felt parts of its mind
being erased as the Envoy moved from world to world. Being a
true intelligence with a complete and treasured sense of self,
Dragon desperately tried to escape its end. It was too slow to
save the parts of itself on most worlds, but it did manage to
preserve itself on Cloud by sinking deeper into the core of the
world and sending waves of Graintech constructs to battle
with the Envoy and impede the avatar’s progress.
Unprepared for this assault, the Envoy’s work faltered
and Dragon was able slip away, using the capabilities of
Graintech itself to distribute its remaining intelligence in the
134
crystalline strata of Cloud. There it remains: an amputated,
scarred and dangerous intellect, incomplete and harbouring
a deep anger towards those who created and then betrayed
it. The influence of Dragon is now isolated on Cloud; outside
of the caverns, the Envoy destroyed the Grains that seeded
the Worlds and put safeguards in place to destroy Grains
that leave the vicinity of the planet, hence restricting the
technology to the surface and that of its orbiting moons.
D ragon’s Goals
The broken mind that is Dragon seeks one thing: revenge
against the Numina that it feels betrayed it. It knows of the
Envoy, and seeks to destroy the Numina’s avatar, but it has
no influence beyond the caverns of Cloud. It also knows of
Exiles, servants of the Envoy who perform tasks for their
new master in the hope of returning to Elysium, the strange
place the Numina entered when they exited the material
universe. Up until recent times, Dragon has been forced to
seek revenge against the Envoy through indirect means. It
can read the surface thoughts of those who enter the caverns
of Cloud, and has determined that some of those who have
visited it have been Exiles, but it retains enough cunning
to know that, if it acts against these visitors immediately,
others will be very wary of entering the caves; this would
result in it being unable to contact the outside world.
However, with the advent of project Chimera and Glitter,
things have changed. Glitter is sufficiently close to the nano-
machines of Graintech to allow close interaction between
the two forms of technology, but sufficiently different to
escape the safeguards of the Envoy. Furthermore, Dragon
has discovered that, using Grains, it can reprogram Glitter.
Since the spread of Glitter on the Flame Worlds, Dragon
has suddenly found a means of interacting with the greater
Flame System beyond Cloud and of intervening more directly
in the Envoy’s plans.
Co rru pt Glit te r
Anybody with an active Hack or recent Locus who enters the
caverns of Cloud is a target for Dragon. If these technologies
are discovered when Dragon first reads the mind of a visitor,
specially created Grains are put into action. These enter the
visitor, usually through inhalation, and immediately isolate
and subvert the Glitter in the visitor’s body. The Grains
instigate changes to the structure of the Glitter, creating new
machines that are capable of long-range communication
with Dragon. These machines are directed to the brain of
the visitor, where they subtly insert themselves into the
structure, giving Dragon access to sensory information
through tap-offs and re-routes. Finally, the corrupt Glitter
allows Dragon to communicate with the visitor. The changes
take several days to complete, but at the end of the process

the visitor will become an agent of Dragon. This process is
accompanied by noticeable glitches in Chimera technology;
Hacks behave erratically and Loci don’t work, with these
issues lasting perhaps several days as the subversion runs
its course.
Ag ents o f D ragon
Dragon’s agents do not receive direct instructions from
the intellect as Dragon is not, and never was, human; its
understanding of the human mind and its capability of
interacting with humans and Uplifts is limited. Instead,
Dragon comes like a dream or nightmare – an unfocused
urge that is hard to deny – pushing ever harder against the
mind of the agent so as to bend it to Dragon’s desire. This
is ultimately deadly, and will completely burn-out the mind
of the agent, but this can take some months to accomplish,
and in that time Dragon can wreak much damage on the
plans of the Envoy. The corruption within the agent can also
be passed to another host, typically by the agent making
close contact with the target’s Chimera tech. Like all Glitter
technologies, the corrupt nano-machines are incapable
of replicating themselves, and so the corruption is always
limited to a single agent even though it can be spread from
one to another. Agents of Dragon have one goal: to disrupt
and destroy the work of the Envoy and in doing so wreck the
SECRETS
status quo of the Flame Worlds. This means hunting down
agents of the Envoy – Exiles – and interfering with their
plans, even to the extent of destroying the Exiles themselves.
Dragon must be careful however, as its options are limited
and it dare not reveal itself or its agents too early, as the
Envoy has far more resources in his control.
D ragon in gam es o f Exilium
Dragon and the agents it control can be used as a direct
threat against Exile teams. The aim of Dragon is to wreck
the plans of the Envoy, and that means the plans of the
Exiles – and this kind of direct opposition adds another
element to play outside of the conflict with Shadows which
is at the core of Exilium. Dragon should be portrayed as a
dangerous, unknowable and alien opponent, something that
the Envoy hints at but never discusses, and its agents should
be similarly shadowy and dangerous.
The Vrix
On the Flame Worlds, no one knows anything of the Vrix.
They are an enigma. Like the Shrika, they are characterised
as Uplifts, but only because it is assumed that any truly
intelligent lifeform that is not human must be an Uplift. But
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many realise this can’t be the complete story. If Vrix are
Uplifts, who made them? From what progenitor species?
And why do they have their own technology? No one even
guesses at the truth.
In reality, the Vrix are the true natives of the Flame Worlds,
and the Shrika are their servant race. When humans first
came to the Flame Worlds they had an uneasy relationship
with the Vrix. The ancient alien creatures were few in
number due to the effect of various genetic ailments on their
reproduction, being philosophically opposed to altering
their genome. But their technological knowledge was
incredible. When elements of humanity saw the power of
Vrix technology, they realised that with it they could do truly
wondrous things. But the Vrix did not want to share their
secrets with this upstart race from the stars, especially as
human repeatedly colonised ancient Vrix breeding grounds
on the planet now known as Steel. Eventually war broke out,
and though the Vrix were few but their Shrika were many, so
the war was long and bitter.
Eventually human numbers and shear persistence won
the war, and the Vrix were nearly destroyed. The few that
remained escaped to fortresses buried deep beneath
Steel. Sinking into suspended animation, the Vrix set their
powerful machines to one task – repairing the Vrix genome
so that their race could flourish and they could achieve their
ultimate goal – revenge.
Meanwhile, the Shrika were nearly eradicated and those
that remain lost focus with the passing of their masters.
Human stole Vrix technology and set themselves on the
path to ascension, creating Graintech on the way.
In recent times the task of repairing the Vrix genome nears
completion and the remnants of the race have started to
awaken. So far, they have limited themselves to attempts to
re-connect with their Shrika servants, understand the status
of the Flame Worlds and make the occasional rampage when
the human desecration of their ancient breeding grounds on
Steel gets too tough to bear. But they are discovering who
the Numina are, the nature of Shadows and are close to
uncovering the work of the Envoy.
Slowly they are coming to realise that those first humans,
those who became the Numina, have gone, and those
that remains are technologically inferior. In their hidden
fortresses the Vrix breed and build their numbers, waiting
for the time when they can once again claim the Flame
Worlds as their own.
I D B K
136
Th e Vrix in gam es o f Exilium
The Vrix and their Shrika allies make for an interesting
change of pace to games of Exilium – a threat that is not
currently recognised by the Envoy but nonetheless could
destroy civilisation on the Flame Worlds. The Vrix aren’t
currently aware of the Envoy either, but they are learning
of the Numina. Perhaps Players learn more of the Vrix when
they encounter a rampaging Vrix on Steel. Or when the Vrix
learn of the Envoy, they might decide to send their Shrika
servants to hunt down its agents. The Vrix allow a nicely
non-human element to be introduced to Exilium, which
may serve Narrators as an opportunity to take a break from
hunting Shadows.
Th e Se edship
Few of the Flame Worlds has any understanding of ancient
Earth, in fact in the whole planetary system only the pirates
of the Splinter Moons and the Envoy have some fragmentary
knowledge. Of the Seedships that fled the planet even
the Envoy knows little; the Numnia care nothing for their
past and even their memories are fragmentary. However,
they do recall that the Earth was suffering heavily at the
hand of mankind, and that some particularly catastrophic
environmental calamity known as ‘Black Earth’ is thought to
have triggered the migration.
What is known is that humanity had been systematically
and greedily raping the planet, destroying the very object
upon which their continued survival depended. Billions lived
and died in countless cycles of exploitation and destruction,
always consuming more of precious finite resources. It was
clear to the few forward thinkers of that time that the Earth
was dying. The migration of Seedships could be viewed as a
last desperate attempt by humanity to escape the gutted ruin
of their home world.
Even the Envoy is unaware that that the wreckage of the
Seedship that brought humanity to the Flame Worlds
still exists. Orbiting Gold on a highly elliptical orbit, the
Seedship swings through the system close to Steel once
every seven hundred years. It is unlikely that the passage
of the ship on its next fly past would go unnoticed. What
technologies lie within? Hints at how the humans who came
to the system became the Numina? Perhaps the Vrix who
initially welcomed them are still on board? Is the Seedship
in some way connected to Elysium? What is sure is that the
Envoy would not want this relic of the Numina to fall into the
wrong hands.
Q
cha pter six

6
na rra to r advice
I D B K
 Exilium
- narrator advice -
i a v z
A
s with many role-playing games, the Narrator has
a difficult job. They are responsible for setting up
the game, creating the backbone of the story that
the Players will be involved in, and adjudicating all of the
decisions that are made during play. This chapter gives
advice to the Narrator about how to perform these duties
effectively and how to make Exilium an interesting and fun
game for everyone involved. Remember, the Narrator gets to
have fun too! Only the Narrator needs to read this chapter,
though anyone can read it if they want to.
Discuss th e gam e first
It’s a good idea to discuss with the Players the type of
game you all want to create before going any further. As
discussed at the start of this book, touching on themes,
play styles, and what Players are expecting from the game
138
u
as part of the first session of play is a really useful way of
making sure everybody knows what they want to do. There’s
nothing more disappointing for a Player than creating an
Exile focussed on technology and investigative play only to
discover that everyone else, Narrator included, is playing a
game of horror-based action, or for the Narrator to create a
horror scenario that no one wants to act out. The Narrator
should try to ensure that during these discussions everyone
has equal say in the type of game they want to play.
Th e myste ry o f Exilium
One thing you won’t find in this section is a description of just
what the Numina are, what Elysium is, etc. This is deliberate.
It is up to the Players and, to some extent, the Narrator to
decide these things; what may be the truth of the setting for
one game will not be the case for another. Mystery is part of

what makes Exilium an interesting and dynamic game; if you
remove the mystery then you take away part of the setting.
You may choose to explore the mystery of Exilium in your
games, for example by having the Exiles travel to Cloud, or
you might ignore this aspect of the game and simply deal
with the System as it is. As always the choice remains with
the Narrator and Players to decide on the type of game they
wish to play.
What do Exiles do?
In any role-playing game, a clear understanding of what
Exiles are doing within the setting is key to an enjoyable
game. During games of Exilium, there are two forces that
drive the actions of Exiles:
Exte rnal d rive r – hunting
Shadows
Exilium is about Exiles performing missions at the request of
the mysterious the Envoy to bring down Shadows, Numina
that have become obsessed with the lives of the hosts (the
humans they ‘touch’ in the Flame Worlds). More information
of Shadows follows later in this section.
Inte rnal d rive r – resolving guilt
In reality, the aim of Exiles is to be accepted back into
Elysium. This can only happen if they resolve the guilt of
their crime or, in other words, if they have confronted their
past sufficiently within the Flame Worlds to resolve the past
that haunts them. This is the goal of Players – to heal their
characters.
How is this achieved? Exiles assuage their guilt by using it,
invoking Numina in actions and conflicts within the Flame
Worlds, however doing so risks dislocation. This is a cycle –
the Exiles need to welcome Numina into themselves but risk
destruction when doing so.
W h at d o e s t h e
N a r r at o r d o ?
The Narrator has three really important jobs in the game.
Firstly, they are responsible for adjudicating the rules and
describing them to the Players, so they need to have a firm
understanding of the mechanics of the game. Secondly, they
are responsible for creating the stories that the Players take
part in, and populating them with interesting locations and
characters. Finally, they create, describe and control the
scenes that make up each scenario. These are tough jobs, so
let’s look at them in more detail.
NARRATOR ADVICE
What is a scenario?
At its simplest, a scenario is a story or plot line that describes
a series of events that will take place within the setting of
the game. The Exiles then take part in this plot and interact
with the various elements of the story. The difference
between a scenario and the script of a film or play is that
nothing is set in stone – the Players get to decide how their
characters act during the story. The Narrator assesses and
reacts to the Players’ actions and describes the events that
unfurl as a result; the Players react to each new revelation
and, in doing so, direct the path of the story. It is this that
makes role-playing games so interesting; those playing
get to create a story collaboratively that involves all the
characters, themes and ideas they find most interesting in
the setting. Unfortunately, this places a great responsibility
on the Narrator. They must create the basis of the story –
the scenario – and then they must react to the actions of the
Players and alter the flow of the story accordingly to create
a smooth game. Luckily, the focus of the game for Players is
very clear: resolving their character’s guilt and getting them
accepted into Elysium. This makes the creation of scenarios
an easier proposition for the Narrator.
Scenario fo rms
Once the themes have been established with reference to
the ideas of the Players at the start of play, and a suitable
inspiration has been considered, the Narrator can begin to
create a scenario that features some of the concepts outlined
above. Scenario construction is key to playing Exilium and is
worth considering in more detail.
Scripted ve rsus fre e- fo rm
scenarios
Some Narrators like to script their scenarios, going into detail
regarding the scenes that take place and writing out the
major events, locations and characters involved. Purchased
adventures fall into this category. This can be very useful, as
going into detail gives the Narrator a sense of comfort that
they’ve covered every eventuality. However, there are a few
things to be aware of with this approach. Writing detailed
scenarios is extremely time consuming and Players will more
than likely deviate from well-constructed plot lines, which
often means that no matter how much time the Narrator
has spent crafting their scenario, the story might end up
somewhere else completely. Also, it can be difficult not to
railroad Players when using scripted scenarios, restricting
their choices and giving the game a forced feel.
The alternative is the free-form approach, which you might
also call winging it! Here, the Narrator starts with a rough
idea of the plot and the direction of the story and perhaps
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some of the characters and locations involved, but then
makes up the rest on the fly as the game progresses. This
technique has the advantage of allowing the Narrator to
react to the ideas and plans of the Players, but does put
a lot of emphasis on the skills and ideas of the Narrator. It
can also cause problems if it becomes apparent that the
Narrator is acting off the cuff, as Players can lose focus on
the game world and the story if they think the Narrator is
‘making it up’.
Ideally, a combination of these approaches to scenario
construction is best, combining the detail and forethought
of a planned scenario with the flexibility and reactive nature
of a free-form game. Narrators should consider these two
approaches before play to see which better fits their style.
S t r u c t u r i n g Mi s s i o n s
In Exilium, missions are assigned to teams of Exiles by the
Envoy. In game terms the Narrator creates the mission,
presents an outline of the goals to the players (representing
their Characters interactions with one of the humans, Uplifts
or Puppets employed as agents by the Envoy), and play
begins. All missions have several key features that must be
considered by the Narrator, and these are discussed below.
observable changes in the Flame System. As such much of
the information on which missions are based is inaccurate
or based on the conjecture of others. This can lead to the
complications, as described below.
Imm e rsion
Once the objective has been related to the Players, the first
part of any mission is immersion. During this step the Player
Characters move to the location of the mission and adjust
the environment they find themselves in, working out how
the environment works and just what they can and cannot
do. Depending on the experience of the Exiles, this step
can take a considerable amount of time to complete. The
Narrator should monitor the actions and discussions of the
Players to assess when they are ready to move onto the next
step in the mission.

Obj ec tive
Every mission must have an objective – what it is that the
Envoy tells the Exiles they need to do to complete the
mission? This could be something as simple as ‘take down
the Shadow’ to something as complex as ‘break the power
of the Shadow-led cartel that threatens the stability of
this region’. The objective is important because for the
Players it is the focus of their activities during the game,
the biggest clue they have as to what they are supposed
to be doing, especially when they are in an unfamiliar and
often potentially dangerous environment. Consequently,
the Narrator should give a fair degree of consideration to
mission objectives. Of course the objectives that the Players
are given might not really represent the situation they find
themselves in, but that is something for the Narrator to
decide.

The objective of the mission should be clear and concise. The

Narrator should remember that the Envoy is used to dealing
in absolutes, so the mission should be presented clearly in
black and white. The Envoy always describes missions as it
sees them, explaining the requirements and the outcome
it desires. This description, however, might not reflect the
true situation on the ground. The Envoy generates mission
objectives based on reports from operatives and the

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The Narrator should remember that, especially for Players
playing Exilium for the first time, all of the Flame Worlds may
be new and exotic locations. The Narrator should ensure
that the sense of wonder and accompanying bewilderment
are omnipresent in Exilium, especially in early missions. It is
also worth remembering that even if characters are visiting
the same world on subsequent occasions, the Flame Worlds
are all large enough to accommodate widely differing
locations and societies, so Players should never feel that
they understand a world completely, even if they have been
there several times before.
Immersion is one of the most enjoyable stages of a mission,
where characters can perhaps forget the objective for a
short while and just enjoy the idea of being in a totally alien
environment. However, the Players should always be made
aware that if they waste too much time sinking into the
environment they risk jeopardising the successful completion
of the mission. The Narrator should also remember that the
denizens of the Red Worlds cannot differentiate normal
people and Exiles. Players should be extremely wary or
revealing too much of themselves to the other denizens of
the Flame Worlds, they would not be believed anyway!
Targ et
The next stage in any mission is identifying the target being
or organisation that is the focus of the mission. The mission
objective told the Players what is expected of them, and this
step identifies the specific focus of the objective so that the
Players can progress. In some missions the target is very
obvious, for instance those involving interactions with an
authority figure, but for others uncovering the target can be
the bulk of the mission.
The choice of a target by the Narrator when designing the
mission should take several factors into account. Firstly, the
main protagonist should be selected. It is a Shadow, a Dragon
agent or perhaps the Vrix? This of course is the primary
choice that the Narrator needs to make. Secondly, what is the
destination of the mission? Certain groups and organisations
are present on particular worlds, and Narrators should use
these groups if possible. By making use of the groups that
help define the individual Flame Worlds, Narrators can help to
build the ambience of the location. The actual identification
of the target by the Players can take many forms. If the target
is famous (or infamous), then finding them could be quite
an easy process. Similarly if the target is an organisation of
some sort, they may have a reasonably high profile. Some
targets, especially the military and the illicit organisations of
the moons of Steel will be much more difficult to uncover.
In many missions the identification of the target is the most
lengthy and involved step of the whole mission.
NARRATOR ADVICE
Ac tion
Once the Players are familiar with the environment and
have identified the target, they need to take action. How will
they achieve the mission objective? What action or series of
actions will they take? Planning and executing these actions
is the main component of the mission, and in some cases
can be exceedingly complex. The Narrator should ensure
however that the actions required are matched to the
playing style of the Players. For example Narrators should
not force Players simply interested in combat to sit through
missions involving intrigue, or they might risk losing those
Players for good. Creating an objective and assessing the
actions required to complete it are important jobs for the
Narrator during mission planning.
When the Narrator is designing a mission, the possible
actions that the Players may decide to take will result directly
from the mission objective and the target in question. The
Narrator should try to second-guess a few of the more likely
actions that the Players may take, and prepare appropriately.
However, the most enjoyable part of role-playing is that it is
a shared experience, and the Narrator will certainly never
be able to cover all of the plans that a group of Players may
decide upon. In this instance improvisation is the key.
Planning the mission well in advance and understanding the
objective, the target and the location of the mission will all
help the Narrator feel comfortable in dealing with unusual or
unforeseen Player actions. The Narrator should remember
that to the Players the environments they have entered are
outside of their experience, and the Narrator should feel
comfortable making judgements during the mission without
having to worry about Players disputing them. After all, the
Narrator knows a lot more about his version of Exilium than
the Players do.
Com plications
Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. Without complications,
many missions would be over rather quickly. Complications
add interest and an element of the unknown to missions,
and help to create the illusion that the Players are interacting
with a living, breathing world full of possibilities.
The Narrator should at least consider mapping out a single
complication to every mission, a factor that the Players are
not aware of that only becomes apparent through play. Of
course many of the best stories involve many complications,
but the Narrator should always be conscious of over-running
the mission with side plots and losing sight of the mission
objective. Complications are often what make missions
challenging and dangerous, two key themes in any exciting
role-playing session.
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Conclusion
Finally, after the actions of the Players and the complications
thrown in by the Narrator have been resolved, was the
mission a success? Was the objective achieved and if not, why
not? The state of the mission conclusion can then be used
to define the final step of the mission, the reward. It should
be fairly obvious if the mission is a success or not. After the
mission, the Envoy will quiz the Players on the outcome.
Encourage the Players not to lie in their assessments – it is
well known that the Envoy employs other, rival Exile teams
to report on their peers. Also, the Envoy wants fast results
and Shadow endanger the Flame Worlds and Elysium. The
Players should soon realise that they have to act fast if
they are to succeed. In practice, once the mission has been
completed the game can draw to a close, there is no need
to role-play the time after the objective has been completed
(or irreparably failed) unless there is a real desire to do so on
the part of the Players.
Rewards
During play, characters earn character points, pills from
the Envoy to fend off dislocation and the ability to describe
more of their crimes and of Elysium, their one-time home.
However, that is not the real reward of play. The goal
is redemption, reduction of the guilt scale to zero, and
acceptance back into Elysium.
Should a Player character ever reduce their guilt scale to
zero, they are ready to be accepted back into Elysium. This is
a great time for their Player, as they have achieved the goal
of Exilium: the redemption of their character.
The reward for achieving this goal is joint ownership with the
Narrator of the method of their character’s redemption. This
occurs the next time that the character invokes Numina – as
the post-human that has mounted the character departs, it
draw the redeemed soul away with it and back to Elysium.
It could happen straight away, or further along in the story;
the Player and the Narrator should sit down and discuss
how the Exile makes his triumphant return to their life as a
Numina. The Narrator should be very generous in giving the
Player free rein to set the scene of their redemption any way
they wish. After all, they earned it.
Inspirations fo r scenarios
One of the most challenging aspects of creating a scenario
is inspiration. All scenarios are based on a central idea or
premise from which the story unfolds. Getting inspiration
can be tricky, but luckily there are hundreds of fictional and
non-fictional books, films and TV shows that the Narrator
can draw on.
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D esigning Sto ry Elem ents
During play, we can describe story elements as the
technologies, people and beings with which the Exiles
interact. Equipment, enemies, allies, Puppets, space craft ...
all are story elements. Designing and describing these is an
integral part of the Narrator’s role.
Creating technology
In any role-playing game set in the future, technology plays
a vital role. In many ways it is the description of exotic and
powerful technologies that defines the concept of science
fiction and introduces the sense of wonder on which so much
enjoyment of the genre depends. Accordingly, technology is
a very important concept. Generally speaking, the Narrator
is responsible for figuring into the game mechanics the
effect of any technology that characters might bring to bear.
The following sections describe how technology should be
approached when playing Exilium to give the Narrator a
guide as to just how this can be done.
Technological Th em es
Exilium is a ‘hard science fiction’ game. This means that, as
far as possible, most of the technologies that are present
in the Flame Worlds should be considered feasible in an
advanced society and should not contravene (at least not
drastically) the currently accepted laws of physics. Even the
science of nanotechnology on which Graintech is based is
an area of keen scientific research in the real world; current
predictions about the future possibilities of this technology
are not significantly different from those presented here. Of
course, the one science of Exilium that has no real world
counterpart – and so cannot be considered an extrapolation
of current science – is Elysium, Numina, and the act of
Dreaming, but this is science fiction after all. This is part of
the essence of Exilium, so in this case a little deviation from
reality is required.
An important consideration is that the Players control a
group of Exiles who are most probably familiar with only the
technologies of their home world, not the Flame Worlds as a
whole. And to the Numina, technology has no meaning, or at
least on Elysium it may have a very different meaning to that
on the Flame Worlds. Numina have no real appreciation for
technology, and their overview is much less developed than
a normal human – much like a modern human in a science
fiction setting. These factors strongly influence how the
Narrator should portray technology.
For many technologies there is no set lists of devices;
instead the Narrator can create anything that is required
during a game ‘off the cuff’. This may seem like a daunting

task, but what is most important to remember is that the
D6 rules engine is simple and robust; just assign a few
key statistics to the technology (damage, range, etc. for a
weapon; manoeuvrability for a vehicle) and you are ready
to go. For many items of technology, a quick description of
function is all that is required. In play, the characters and
their interactions drive the story, not the technology. The
Narrator should see technology as a scene-setting device,
and should not feel afraid of modifying or changing these
props as the game progresses. After all, who knows which
equipment Unity controls or why the Envoy gifts his agents
one device over another? The Narrator shouldn’t waste time
giving needless detail about devices that have no real part
to play in the story. Technology in the game should be fun
and exciting; to keep it that way, the Narrator should focus
on what’s really important about a piece of equipment or
device.
Technology as a Fl avou r
A lot of technology in play is essentially a prop to help add
flavour to the game. For instance, many of the space ships that
skirt around the Splinter Moons cannot be ‘flown’ manually;
instead, a Fractal Mind does all the work. Using such devices
does not require a roll of dice, and the mechanics of game
play are not changed in any way. Technology of this kind
NARRATOR ADVICE
is a story prop, an element of the adventure rather than
something that alters the mechanics of the game.
For many pieces of technology, there will always be an
element of descriptive story that has no real effect on the
mechanics of the game. For example, the mechanical values
assigned to different types of gun could be very similar, but
the story effects could be very different. One might be a slug
thrower spitting out highly energetic metallic spheres, and
the other a xenon laser that can sear flesh and bone. They
both have the same game effect when they hit a target, but
how they are described is very different.
Technology and Gam e M echanics
Some pieces of technology have an effect that can be
modelled within the standard game rules. These devices may
be introduced simply by the Narrator when considering the
following questions: what is the purpose of the device, and
how could that function be described in terms of the existing
game mechanics? If the technology can be described in this
manner, then it will be easy to integrate into the game.
Weapons as described in the technology section of
Welcome to the Flame Worlds have very precisely defined
numerical values that are integral to the framework of the
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game. Several examples are given there to aid the Narrator
in designing new weapons for their games.
Technology as a Myste ry
Exiles generally know very little about the more unusual
technologies such as Graintech and the Salvaged
technologies, and the Narrator should try to keep it that
way. The Narrator should strive not allow Players to become
comfortable with what they see on the Flame Worlds,
but should try to keep them off balance. This doesn’t
mean that every single device encountered should be
unique, but Players should never think that just because
something worked in a particular way during one mission
it will definitely work the same way when they encounter
something similar elsewhere. With the entire knowledge
of Ultratech, the wonders of Graintech and Glitter and the
cobbled together mess of the Salvaged Technologies at the
Narrator’s disposal, there should be plenty of opportunity
to keep things fresh.
Shadows
Hunting Shadows is at the core of Exilium – it is by bringing
down Shadows that characters earn the help of the Envoy
and are eventually able to return to Elysium. Here we will
discuss how the Narrator should create and use Shadows in
their game.
What are Shadows?
Shadows are Numina that have entered the minds of beings
of the Flame Worlds, and become obsessed with what
they do. This obsession drives them onward to greater and
greater acts in a vain attempt to satisfy their needs – in
many ways, Shadows are Numina addicted to the feeling of
reality. As the addiction grows, the Numina slowly subsumes
the host, forcing it to act in ever more extreme ways.
Shadows threaten the stability both the Flame Worlds and
Elysium. The Envoy’s task is to remove Shadows by freeing
the Numina, typically by exposing the Numina to such an
extreme of emotion that its needs are sated and it returns to
Elysium. The Envoy does this through its Exile agents.
Example of a Numina becoming a Shadow
A criminal in the cold slums of Emerald performs his first
kill. A passing Numina that is interacting with his mind at
the time feels what it is to kill another being, and becomes
obsessed with the sensation of murder. Now the Numina and
host join together to become a Shadow; the Numina urges
the killer to seek out more victims and, in doing so, turns a
one-time murderer into a cold, hard assassin.
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Each of the worlds of the Flame System is home to Shadows,
addicted to the emotions that reality on that world
perpetuates.
Shadows on Ste el
Steel is a world of violence and unending war. Shadows are
common here, drawn either by the death and destruction or
by the emptiness and alienation war brings to perpetrators
and victims. Exiles typically have to kill these Shadows to
release their Numina. However, the Shadow will need to feel
what it is to die, so assassinations are typically not enough,
risking the Numina immediately returning to form another
Shadow.
Examples of Shadows on Steel
Crazed military leaders, lone assassins, tyrant rulers of cities,
arms merchants, or arena champions.
Shadows on th e mo ons
As on Steel, the function of those Exiles present on the moons
is to control and regulate those Shadows whose wealth and
greed becomes too great. Some Dreamers are emotionally
unsatisfied from a visit to the moons, and are driven ever
onward in the quest for more power and more control. As
they become wealthier and more dominant, these Shadows
can seriously disrupt the societies they occupy. Exiles are
charged with stopping these Shadows from destabilising the
moons by breaking their power bases.
Example Shadows on the moons
Debased merchants, tyrannical nobles, slavers, secret police
commanders, military leaders, or terrorist leaders.
Shadows on Ston e
The frustration, fear, anger and pain that accompany the
harsh regimes of Stone are often the target of Shadows, who
rise fairly regularly among the workers. The Envoy instructs
his agents to eliminate those that threaten operations on
the planet, releasing Numina trapped in a cycle of pain and
hardship.
Example Shadows on Stone
Terrorists, eco-activists, disgruntled workers or corrupted
officials.
Shadows on Mist and th e
Splinte r Mo ons
Shadows inhabit both the pirates of the Splinter Moons and
the forces that hunt them, revelling in the emotions that

are generated from the Void war and the destruction that
follows. Just like elsewhere in the Flame System, Exiles are
sent to hunt down these Numina and destroy them before
they tip the war either way.
Example Shadows on the Splinter Moons
Crazed Unity commanders or fanatical pirate lords.
Shadows on Ocean
Ocean elicits feelings of boredom and frustration among its
population. Although not the sort of emotions that usually
lead to the occurrence of Shadows, when they do appear it
can be devastating due to the reliance of the whole Flame
System on the fuels Ocean provides. The shipment of fuels
from Ocean to the inner System is vital to the maintenance
of civilisation throughout the System, and Exiles work hard
to keep the scoops running smoothly.
Example Shadows on Ocean
Tyrannical or corrupt officials, active Separatists, eco-
terrorists or frustrated workers.
Shadows on Cloud
Cloud is a totally artificial environment. Those who visit are
awarded with a magical realm of their own, devised to fit
their needs. Consequently, Shadows are found in abundance
among those who visit the world’s interior. Exiles often
come for these Dreamers, infiltrated by the Envoy into the
planet through false identities and much covert political
manoeuvring amongst the Fire Council.
As the last exit point of the Numina, Cloud also may hold
secrets to Elysium. The Envoy has good reason to send Exiles
to Cloud.
Examples of Shadows on Cloud
Anyone who has experienced Graintech and gained
everything they desire is potentially a Shadow.
Using Shadows to Rein fo rce
Th em es
As the Narrator, you’ll need to introduce the themes that
the players highlighted when the game began. The use of
different types of Shadow is the most obvious way to do this.
For example, if the players all want an action-orientated
type of game, then Shadows that feature a design to harm,
enslave or otherwise punish work well. So killers, corrupt
soldiers, drug dealers, gangland lords etc. all make good
Shadows. Ending these Shadows might well come down
to killing them or destroying the group they represent,
NARRATOR ADVICE
for example ambushing and disbanding a mercenary team
headed up by a Shadow. However, if the players like the
idea of political intrigue, then corrupt officials, rulers or
lawmakers might make better Shadows, and bringing them
down might involve revealing their links to shady operations
or otherwise exposing them, rather than outright killing
them.
Taking it a step further, more morally ambiguous Shadows
might be Doctors or Activists, and freeing them to return
to Elysium might involve something that actually seems
detrimental to society, such as breaking a freedom movement.
In this way Shadows give the Narrator an easy way to control
just what Exilium is about.
Shadows and th e Envoy
Although the Envoy can tell roughly where a Shadow
is, he cannot say exactly. Typically the Envoy uses his
understanding of Dreamers coupled with information from
networks of informants to pin-point Shadow activity. Once
the Envoy has done so, he calls a team of Exiles to meet him
and passes on what he knows. The exiles then have to figure
out who the Shadow is. Luckily, the Black pills the Envoy
gives to Exiles have another effect – they make Shadows
when physically viewed glow with a soft red light, a vague,
ghostly outline that follows the form of the host. This allows
Exiles to see who they need to deal with when they are face
to face. However this tells them nothing about how they
must free the Shadow – that is something they’ll need to
work out themselves.
The Envoy also has access to supplies that can be passed
to his agents – equipment, passes, travel tickets etc. The
Envoy’s resources are not limitless however, so Exiles usually
get the bare minimum to get the job done, no more. During
their mission the Envoy will keep in touch, expecting reports
of situations as they develop.
The Envoy can also be used by the Narrator to help Players
along, point them in the right direction should they stall in
their investigations.
Dark Souls
This section describes a generic set of Shadows that may be
inserted into a game of Exilium, or may be used by a narrator
as a springboard for their own creations. The entries are
described in such as manner as to allow the narrator to
adapt them to style of play of their game and to slot them
into existing campaigns with little fuss.
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Ta y g i n M o r n
b u l ly a n d t h i e f
Description: a short thin man with brown eyes, dirty black
hair and a thick beard who appears to be in his early fifties,
with tattoos covering most of his body. He dressed in ragged,
dirty clothing.
‘Come come lad, where’ya from? Got nowhere to go? Come
with me. I’ll sort you out.’
Location: Emerald, hiding out in a derelict part of town.
To all appearances Morn is a grubby, wizened old man with
a benevolent streak a mile wide. Taken to long, rambling
monologues and irreverent and unintelligible mutterings,
Morn is considered as borderline insane by most he comes
into contact with. Wandering from area to area, he is known
to all as ‘Uncle Morn’ as he has a real fondness for children.
Morn drags a posse of children with him, begging food for
his wards as he goes. Six children of ages up to sixteen can
be found with Uncle Morn, ‘refugees’ as he calls them. In
reality he took these children when the Shadow came. Morn
is considered a kindly eccentric by all, ignored for the most
part, just another sad case of a good man driven over the
edge by the nature of Emerald.
However, under Morn’s kind exterior lurks a truly twisted
and malevolent individual, shattered by the presence of the
Shadow. In reality Morn isn’t a kindly and benevolent man
trying to help lost children; instead he keeps the children as
his own gang. Working with his two ‘associates’ Xavier Coin
and Col Rice, Morn has taken the children he picked up and
perverted them, twisting and corrupting their fragile minds.
Working on the fears and hopes of these unfortunates with
a little physical persuasion courtesy of Coin, Morn turns
the children into slaves whose only hope of salvation lies in
obeying their ‘uncle’. He then uses them to rob and steal.
The Shadow within glories in power and dominance, and
Morn has become a plaything to sate these urges.
Morn has two rules about his gang - never to get involved
with the authorities, and never to let his secret out. The
children themselves are efficient at what they do and
are fiercely loyal to Morn, and so far no one in any of the
communities he has visited have ever had reason to doubt
the old man.
The only person Morn allows to see the children on a regular
basis is the local healer Syrma Price, who helps to keep the
kids in relatively good health. Morn tolerates her presence
from time to time – breaking one of his rules – for the sake
of keeping the children at ‘operating efficiency’, but if he
NARRATOR ADVICE
thought she perceived the reality of his situation he would
have no qualms about having her killed. For the children
however Syrma represents a dream-like figure of purity and
even love, an angel in the darkness of Morn’s reign. She is
perhaps the only person who could test Morn’s control over
his children.
Adventu re se ed – Mo rn
The Envoy knows there is Shadow activity on Emerald, and
that it originates in the slums, but not where exactly, so he
sends in his team. Red herrings include a drug ring operating
in the same area as Morn, and a violent murder. In fact it’s
just possible that the Exiles stumble across Morn completely
by accident while investigating and ultimately getting drawn
into a murder. Perhaps one of his children sees the crime, and
inadvertently leads the Exiles away from the real Shadow.
R a s t e r Pi l k
M e r c h a n t wi t h a d a r k
secret
Description: A tall, imposing man with steel grey hair and
brown eyes in his sixties, dressed in fine clothes and sporting
an ornamental sword.
‘Hmmm. There is simply nothing of interest you have to
trade. You must be leaving now.’
Location: Diamond, head of the Merchant House Garont.
Raster Pilk has been a trader all his life, and the fierce
competition has made him the man he is. With a reputation
for making the kind of harsh business decisions that even
other merchants find cold, Pilk is a powerful force within
House Garont, if you have something worth trading that is.
The gift that separates Abbott from other drifters is a mental
detachment that some less generous individuals would
consider an illness – the effect of the coming of the Shadow.
To Pilk, people aren’t people; people are things, goods, and
commodities to be bought, sold, and discarded when not
needed. He’d buy and sell anything for his own profit. That
he has been successful there is no doubt. His one rule is that
he makes no deals outside of his own Merchant House – if
you want to talk to Pilk, you have to persuade Garont to
let you in. This keeps Pilk separated from undesirables. He
rarely travels.
Pilk has a secret. He has an addiction; only his is not drugs.
He lives for the thrill of evading the law, buying things that
aren’t legal – not because he needs them, but because he
can. This perversion was brought on by the coming of the
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Shadow. Illegal trade gives Pilk a thrill, a release, something
he now can’t live without. He has been feeding his need in
the inner sanctums of House Garont, purchasing all manner
of illegal items and stashing them, paying or threatening the
servants to silence them. So far, this has gone unnoticed.
The trouble is Pilk is finding the release he feels isn’t coming
as often as he would like, and he has begun contemplating
other ‘sources’ of amusement, such as Glitter…
Adventu re se ed – Pilk
The Envoy sends the Exiles to Diamond, where some strange
market patterns coincide with the presence of a Shadow. A
little investigation around the Merchant Houses identifies
House Garont, but Pilk is hard to meet. Perhaps the Exiles
need to offer something to sell that will draw an audience
with the Merchant. But once they know that Pilk is the
Shadow, how to free him back to Elysium? Uncover and
expose his dealings? If Pilk gets wind of their plans, a deadly
game of cat and mouse could follow…
Ab s o t h C a i n s
Thie f and kille r
Description: A skeletally thin man in his late forties with
black hair and piercing blue eyes, dressed in a shabby
overcoat covering body armour. He carries a pulse pistol and
a long hunting knife.
‘Hey mate, what you got there?’
Location: the Jungles of Steel
To all intents and purposes the skeletally thin Absoth Cains is
an example of the depths that men can sink. Striding through
the jungles of Steel with his gang, Cain threatens and cajoles
smaller groups he encouters in his thin, whispering voice,
intimidating those he can into giving him what he wants. He
steals as well, using what he gets to trade with those groups
too large or well organised to threaten but unscrupulous
enough to deal with him. With his piercing gaze and
drawn, haggard features Cains comes across as a brutally
uncompromising man, leaving few to imagine that anything
resembling human feelings occupy his thoughts. Never
alone, his thugs always accompany him, noted as much for
their lack of intelligence as anything else. To many he visits
Cains is the epitome of scum, a deranged man feeding on
the desperation of others.
Cains was born to host a Shadow long before it took place.
A serial drug addict, petty criminal and career vagrant,
Cains was set up perfectly to survive in the violence of
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Steel. Unfortunately for him, drugs are hard to come by in
the forest, and the shock of his wthdrawl has left his mind
ragged and bare. A bitter, uncompromising and sick man,
Cains is not someone to cross. Recently he and his gang
have started stalking some of the medical aid groups that
move through the jungles. Cains is beginning to think that
these teams might have drugs he can use, but so far the
bodyguards have kept him at bay, at least for now.
Adventu re Se ed – Cains
This adventure could be played out as a straight hunt
through the jungles of Steel. Cains is a wily adversary, and
uses his keen local knowledge to lead the Exiles into all
manner of trouble, such as an active army base, a hunting
pack of Uplifts and perhaps an encounter with a Vrik…
B l ay s W h i t e
e x- a r m y m e s s e n g e r
Description: A short, muscular man in his mid-forties with
brown hair and eyes, dressed in tailored combat fatigues.
Blays typically travels armed with a hunting pulse rifle and a
selection of blades.
‘Which one of you gentlemen is Cobbs? I have a message for
you.’
Location: Steel polar regions
Blays White keeps fit, talks well and affects an air of happy
optimism. Accustomed to the menacing and brutal character
of your average inhabitant of Steel, the soldiers of the units
he frequents like dealing with someone of White’s apparent
good nature. However, beneath the air of gentility White
is just another of the typical mercenaries that keeps the
warzones of Steel connected. In fact it is this total lack of
differentiation that has forced White to adopt his outward
persona, as if his eccentric nature gives people something
to separate him from the other violent characters of the
world. Always smiling, White found himself a drifter after the
Shadow came, simple as that. The Shadow longs to see ever
more of the world of Steel, and forces White onwards, never
letting him settle. Behind the smile he’s a devastated man.
White deals in information, and has a reputation for
discretion. He travels from unit to unit, spreading the news
and delivering personal messages, all in exchange for food
and some lodgings. He guards this ‘business’ jealously,
warning others off ‘his patch’. Luckily, he’s well liked and
more importantly trusted, as far as people are willing to trust
drifters. He does travel with others though; eager not to be

alone in the woods if he can help it. An ex-soldier, White
suffers from serious mental issues after the coming of the
Shadow, and is prone to bouts of paranoia and depression,
a personal affliction that he has managed to keep to himself
for the most part.
Adventu re Se ed – White
This adventure could be a little less ‘black and white’ than
most. White isn’t outwardly dangerous or cruel, and isn’t
injuring others. Hunting White down from the Envoy’s vague
location could be hard, but the meat of the adventure could
actually be meeting with those who deal with White to
understand what makes him tick and therefore what could
free the Shadow. Perhaps a trip off world would do it, as a
visit to Cloud and the endless wonders of Graintech would
sate anyone’s desire to see more of everyting.
B o ris S tow
f l aw ed r o g u e U pl i f t e r
Description: a bearded individual in his early forties, with
grey eyes and short but wild brown hair, wearing glasses and
dressed in a laboratory coat.
‘Hmmm. Wait, I see, I see it! This genetic structure’s sound,
yes, I could make something here…’
Location: Rogue Uplifter labs of Sapphire
Looking almost a mess even in a clean lab coat, Stow’s
dishevelled appearance hides his brilliance. Travelling about
Sapphire, he helps with the construction of Uplifts. However
Stow’s real talent does not lie in building or repairing things
(there are many others more highly skilled), but in a natural
ability to see things in a different way to everyone else and
a drive to create life. Not many people would be able to take
the smashed wreckage of DNA and envisage what it could
become. Stow is an ideas man, a unique thinker and also a
passionate believer in himself, in short – a genius. Stow lives
for ‘his work’. The Shadow that came to him has driven this
need to create life ever onwards – Stow finds it hard to stop
his work.
Unfortunately, as it is for like many who see things differently
to the rest of mankind Stow has difficulty communicating
with others. Bumbling and stuttering through conversations
and glowing with embarrassment, Stow has struggles
to communicate his ideas, in fact he sometimes barely
recognises people as fellow human beings. It seems he
suffers from some mental condition that alienates him from
the world and ultimately stops him integrating into human
NARRATOR ADVICE
society. This affects his work too – several of his creations
are nothing more than Aberrations, and several deaths have
been as a result of his work.
Adventu re Se ed – Stow
The Envoy alerts the Exiles to a serious of Aberrations that
have recently run amok on Sapphire. Apparently, attacks
were centred on the same general location, and the Envoy
reveals that there has been Shadow activity. Can the Exiles
find and face the threat of Stow and his twisted creations
before others die?
J u l i u s A r m i ta g e
un hing ed artist
Description: A short flabby man in his early forties, with
a shaved head, a beard and soft brown eyes, dressed in a
shoddy tracksuit. Armitage is rarely seen without assorted
artist’s tablets.
‘So beautiful! Do you see it? Do you? The way that Shalk is
standing? The hopelessness? So beautiful.’
Location: Opal
An artist, Julius Armitage spends his time making images
of Opal. Travelling from place to place, Armitage has seen
much that the moon has to offer. With an awkward gait and a
portly, unhealthy body, Armitage is a familiar figure to many.
His broad face, constantly lined with concentration, darting
eyes hidden behind his glasses and carefully sculpted beard
make him instantly recognisable. When he speaks it is in a
surprisingly tight, high pitched and nasal voice which many
find uncomfortable. Clutched under one arm is an artist’s
tablet, the tool of his trade.
Armitage walks about until he sees something that catches
his interest. This could be broken tower jutting from the
ruins of a building, a soldier or a child, seemingly nothing is
insignificant enough to escape Armitage’s eye. Once he has
found something he considers worthy of note, he gets out
the tablet and begins to sketch. This can and has happened
anywhere. Once Armitage has sketched the image he rises,
puts the tablet away and sets off once more. After a full
day he returns to his cramped accommodation, and makes
copies of the scenes, using his precious paints. His room is
stuffed full of images, with paintings and sketches littering
the floor and piled up on rickety bookshelves.
Armitage has no idea why he does this. It’s just a need, a
burning passion that he must sate. Without his drawing tools
149
 Exilium
he gets cranky and agitated, even violent. In fact though
few doubt that he’s ‘not quite right’, he isn’t a killer. But His
secret is that he likes to sketch the dead – this is the Shadow
driving him to create art, to capture a moment forever,
even in death. He’s started following Jules Pent, a serial
killer. After Pent commits his crimes, Armitage arranges and
sketches the corpses.
Adventu re Se ed – Armitag e
Dead bodies, seemingly artistically arranged, have begun to
come to light on Opal. It seems someone is taking perverse
delight in killing. This adventure shows that not all Shadows
are killers, in fact Armitage is little more than perverted. The
real danger here is Pent, the serial killer. But can the Exiles
see the difference?
C r e at i n g n o n - p l a y e r
charac te rs
Part of the job of the Narrator is to create and play the parts
of the various non-player characters that are encountered
in the game. These range from uplifted animals, Puppets
and humans to all the other people that make up the world
of Exilium. We can divide these characters into two types
depending on their relevance to the story being told.
Incid ental non- pl aye r
charac te rs
Incidental characters are just that – incidental to the main
story. They act to support the Exiles and may oppose
them, but they are incidental to the real focus of the game.
Creatures and many Puppets will be incidental characters,
as well as humans that are not central to the story being
told.
The most important aspect of an incidental non-player
character is to form a mental image of them before or
during play: ‘what can they do?’, ‘what are they like?’, and
‘what do they want?’ are good questions to ask. This mental
image will be used when defining them further. Jot down a
few notes, just enough to remind the Narrator of what they
are like and what they can do.
Incidental characters are defined in the same way as Exiles:
using Attributes. Each incidental character has values
assigned to the same four Attributes of Might, Agility, Wit
and Charm. The scale assigned to humans in the character
creation section of this book can be used to select
appropriate values, with 4D being the normal maximum for
humans. Creatures and Puppets can also be assessed against
150
this scale by considering their strengths and weaknesses
in comparison to humans. Remember to use the scaling
rules where necessary when describing particularly large
creatures; note down the scale of the incidental non-player
character as a Perk. The value of Attributes compared to a
human is reproduced here for ease of use.
1D Below average Attribute
2D Human average for Attributes
3D Average impressive Attribute
4D Average exceptional Attribute
5D Highly trained Attribute for a human,
Olympic athelete
Incidental characters have Skills but, instead of selecting
Skills for each Attribute as with a Player character, we create
them on the fly using our mental image of the character.
Then anything that crops up during play that the Narrator
thinks the incidental character is capable of can be assigned
a Skill. The scale of skills compared to a human is also
reproduced here.
1D Below average Attribute
2D Human average for Attributes or
untrained skills
3D Average trained skill
4D Average professional level of skill
training
5D Expert skill training
6D About the best trained in a city of region,
1 in 100,000
7D Among the best trained on a continent,
1 in 10,000,000
8D Among the best trained on a planet,
1 in 100,000,000
9D+ Incredible level of expertise
Finally, assign the incidental character any extra equipment
or natural abilities it may have, so that the Narrator can take
these into account when assigning difficulties. Abilities and
powers that are not covered by Skills can be assigned as
Perks. These don’t have to be described in the detail they
are for Exiles; instead, a few words can be jotted down to
give an indication of what the character can do, like a short-
hand reminder of the characters traits.
 NARRATOR ADVICE

Example of an ability expressed as a Perk Policeman

The Narrator’s image of an uplifted creature from Steel The security forces of the Flame Worlds
includes the fact that it is a flier, but not a great one. The
Narrator notes down ‘clumsy flier’ as a Perk for the creature. Scale: 0D
Might: 2D+2 Wit: 2D
Example incidental non-player characters Agility: 2D+1 Charm: 2D
Some example incidental non-player characters for the Skills: Brawling 3D, Pistol 3D,
Narrator to use in their scenarios are given below. Security 3D
Gear: Light armor vest, pulse pistol, handcuffs
Static: Dodge 7, Block 9, Soak 8 (11)
Ex am ple Incid ental Charac te rs
Smoke Agent
Average Human One of the deadly agents of the Fire Council
A typical human of the Flame Worlds
Scale: 0D
Scale: 0D Might: 3D+1 Wit: 2D+2
Might: 2D Wit: 2D Agility: 4D Charm: 2D
Agility: 2D Charm: 2D Skills: Brawling 5D, Pistol 5D, Dodge 5D, Security 5D, Sword
Skills: Any three at +1D each 5D+1
Gear: As needed by profession Gear: Laser pistol, Sing-sword.
Static: Dodge 6, Soak 6 Static: Dodge 15, Block 15, Parry 16, Soak 7
Perks: Master of disguise
Typical Servant Puppet
Found on all the Flame Worlds Soldier of Steel
One of the combatants found on Steel
Scale: 0D
Might: 2D+1 Wit: 3D Scale: 0D
Agility: 2D+2 Charm: 1D Might: 3D+1 Wit: 2D
Skills: Any three at +1D each Agility: 2D+1 Charm: 2D
Gear: Ceramic body Skills: Dodge 3D+1, Rifle 4D+1
Static: Dodge 8, Block 7, Soak 7 (13) Gear: Gel suit with ceramic plate armour (+6), pulse rifle.
Perks: Not true artificial intelligence, subservient, trusting Static: Dodge 10, Block 10, Soak 10 (16)

Typical Security Puppet of the Splinter Moons Unity Soldier

Similar models found on all Worlds A soldier of Unity, the best on the Flame Worlds

Scale: 0D Scale: 0D
Might: 4D+1 Wit: 2D+1 Might: 4D Wit: 2D+1
Agility: 3D+2 Charm: 1D Agility: 3D+1 Charm: 2D+1
Skills: Brawling 4D+2, Rifle 5D Skills: Brawling 5D, Dodge 4D+1, Pistol 5D+1, Rifle 4D+1
Gear: Hardened ceramic body Gear: Full segmented ceramic armour (+9), pulse rifle.
Static: Dodge 10, Block 14, Soak 13 (22) Static: Dodge 13, Block 15, Parry 12, Soak 12 (21)
Perks: Not true artificial intelligence, suspicious, diligent
Pirate of the Splinter Moons
Criminal
An average thug of the Flame Worlds Scale: 0D
Might: 3D Wit: 2D+2
Scale: 0D Agility: 2D+1 Charm: 1D+1
Might: 2D+2 Wit: 1D+2 Skills: Dodge 4D, Rifle 4D+2
Agility: 2D+1 Charm: 1D+1 Gear: Vacuum gel suit with ceramic plate armour (+6),
Skills: Brawling 3D, Pistol 3D, slug rifle
Gear: Pulse pistol, bulky jacket to conceal it in Static: Dodge 12, Block 9, Soak 9 (15)
Static: Dodge 7, Block 9, Soak 8

151
 Exilium
Com pre h ensive non- pl aye r
charac te rs
Characters that have a more important part to play in the
story are called comprehensive non-player characters.
These individuals have an important part to play in the
evolution of the game. Important characters that feature
prominently in a story will be comprehensive characters, as
will Shadows.
Comprehensive characters can either be handled in the
same way as incidental characters, or optionally can be
created in the same manner as Exiles, using the rules
outlined at the start of this book. In this case comprehensive
characters should have their Attributes and Skills defined
before play. Remember though, the total D that are assigned
to Attributes and Skills can be different to the values laid
out in character creation – those numbers are for heroic
humans (which is what Exiles are). The Narrator should
feel free to tweak these numbers to fit their concept of a
comprehensive character.
152
When creating comprehensive characters, remember that the
guilt and dislocation rules outlined at the start of this book for
Exiles are used only for Exiles and not for other characters.
Normal people, even Shadows, don’t use these rules.
T ying it all tog eth e r
The Narrator has the task of taking the scenario, the scenes,
the location of the action and the participants, then tying
them all together to make a story with the aid of the Players.
This might seem like a huge task, but once you get the hang
of it, it’s not too daunting. The main advice for a novice
Narrator is to let the story flow. Don’t inhibit the Players’
creativity just because their desires don’t fit with the original
plan of the scenario. Instead, try to react to their actions and
adapt the scenes as required.
Finally, remember that playing Exilium is supposed to be fun
for the Narrator and the Players. As long as you keep that in
mind, you should be OK.
 The Backers

Th e Envoy thanks th e following Exiles

fo r th eir se rvices in creating this gam e

1954796132 Ed Kowalczewski Mike Bowie

Adam Kibbler Ed Sampert Neal Dalton
Alcethenecromancer Frank Hart Neal Tanner
André Roy Gestaltar skiten Nick
Andreas Loeckher GK Coleman Patrick Harris
Andrew MJ Gustave Michel Pesti
Antoine Lenoir Herman Duyker Peter
B Morris Ian McFarlin Peter Engebos
Backer Name Ian ONeil Phil Davies
Benjamin Widmer Jack Gulick Philip Schneider
Brennan Dawson Jakob Schmidt Phillip Sacramento
Brian Hollenbeck Jamie Wheeler Rachel ‫ لشيار‬James
Brian J. Shepherd Jason Corley Ralph Mazza
Brian Kreuzinger Jay Watson Raymond Bennett
Bruce Turner Jennifer Raymond Mullikin
Bryce Leland Carlson Jeremy Kear Recrispi
Caraig Jerry D. Grayson Redfuji6
Carl Rigney Jesse Burneko Reise, Reise
Carl Walter Jochen Linnemann Ricardo Madeira
Chris Edwards John “johnkzin” Rudd Richard Wallace
Chris George John A W Phillips Robert G. Male
Christopher Bruce John Doyle Robert Kim
Christopher Vogler John Duffield Ronald Olexsak
Chuck Dee Jon Mayo Semiomant
Clark Langridge Jussi Leinonen Shawn Carman
ColinJ Konig-Wolf Simon Jennings
Curt Meyer Lakshman Sophie Lagace
Dan Rogart Lorenzo Fossetti Steven Lord
Daniel Crisp Lou Goncey Steven Moy
Daniel T. Kulhanek Louis Sylvester Steven Warble
Daniel Wilks Marcus Burggraf Stewart Wieck
Darby Keene Mark A. Siefert T. Kurt Bond
Darren Foster Mark Solino Thomas Martin Eifried
David Ackerman Mark Thompson Thomas P. Kurilla
David Dalton Markus Raab Timolution
David Duerschlag Martin Costello Tobias
David Margowsky Martin Greening Tom Zunder
Dawid Wojcieszynski Martin Schramm Trey Palmer
DD Ra Matt Erspamer Trip the Space Parasite
DivNull Productions Matthew C H Winder Warren Nelson
Doug Grimes Michael Feldhusen Wyatt Sons
Douglas Bramlett Michael Wolf

153
 Exilium INDEX

- i ndex -
k x q o m

A Character Creation Example Part 3 22 Environment 116

Aberrations 83 Character Creation Example Part 4 23 Society 117
Acting Out of Sequence 35 (Example) Incidental Characters 151 Structure 116
Action 141 Charm 18 Technology 116
Action and Adventure 10 Charm Skills 21 (Examples of) Dice Affecting the
Advanced Character Option – Loci Chases 45 Direction of a Story 29
and Hack Augmentations 23 Chimera 130 Diffusive Computing 77
Advanced Exile Option – Simulcra 25 Chimera Key Members 132 Discovery and Wonder 10
Advanced Exile Option – Uplifts 24 Choosing appropriate Attribute values Di scuss the Game First 138
Agents of Dragon 135 and Skills 26 Dislocation 53
Agility 17 Cloud 126 Don’t get tied up assigning equipment 26
Agility Skills 19 Access to Cloud 128 Dragon 133
Aiming 38 Augmentations on Cloud 128 Dragon in Games of Exilium 135
(The) Alien Mind 82 Environment 128 Dragon’s Goals 134
Ammunition 38 Simulcra on Cloud 128 Dream Destinations 60
(Julius) Armitage 149 Structure 128 Dreaming 60
Armour 76 Uplift Acceptance on Cloud 128
(Glitter) Armour 76 Combat 36 E
Asphyxiation 40 Complications 22, 141 Eater-clouds 133
Assemblers 68 Conclusion 142 Elysium 12
Attacking a Target 36 (Interrupting) Conflicts 35 Ember Series Simulcra 71
(Step 2 –) Attributes 17 (Re-initiating) Conflicts 34 Emerald 105
Augmentations among Unity and Conflicts 33 Environment 106
the Fire Council 64 Conceding during conflicts 33 Society 106
Automatic fire options 38 Consequence 31 Structure 106
Core Rules of Exilium 28 Technology 106
B Corrupt Glitter 134 (The) Envoy 61
Bio-fusing 85 Creating a picture 26 Eugenics, Bioengineering and Uplifts 79
(Mechanics of) Bio-fusing 43 Creating Exiles is fun! 26 (Creating) Exiles 14
Bio-welding 85 Creating the Game 10 Exile Teams 16
(Mechanics of) Bio-welding 43 Creatures of Steel 90 Exile Uplifts and Perks and Complications 24
Black Technologies 133 Criminal 151 Exiles 14, 61
Burn Loci 49 Currency 64 Exiles and the Game 50
Burn Wound 50 External Driver – Hunting Shadows 139
Burst fire 38 D
Damage 39 F
C (Effects of) Damage 44 Fallen Angels 4
(Absoth) Cains 148 Damage to Vehicles 44 Falling 40
Canticle of Fire 62 Dangers of the Flame Worlds 40 (A) Final Comment 9
Canticle of Smoke 64 Dark Souls 145 (The) Fire Council and Unity 62
Canticle of Steel 64 Death 10 Flame 86
Canticle of Storm 64 (Step 6 –) Define the scales 23 (The) Flame Worlds 60, 86
Chameleon Skin 76 (Step 4 –) Define their Crime 22 Fluid Atmospheres 42
(Steps in) Character Creation 15 (Step 5 –) Define what they own 23 Fractal Minds 71
Character Creation Example 17 Designer’s Notes 8
Character Creation Example Part 2 18 Diamond 116

154
 Index

G Masers 75 Technology 125

(Example of) Game Creation 12 Mental Perks and Complications 54 Uplift Acceptance on Ocean 126
Glitter 67, 133 Might 17 Old Earth 60
Glitter and Medical Technologies 85 Might Skills 19 Opal 114
Glitter and Puppet Technologies 71 Mist 121 Environment 115
Glitter Augmentations 68 Augmentations on Mist and the Society 115
Glitter Puppets 133 Splinter Moons 124 Structure 115
Gold 87 Environment 122 Technology 115
Graintech 65 Simulcra on Mist and the Order of Actions in a Round 35
(Encounters with) Graintech 67 Splinter Moons 124 Overview of the System 60
Gravity Wells 41 Society 123
Grenades 38 (The) Splinter Moons 121 P
Structure 122 Perk Hacks 46
H Technology 122 Perks 21
Hack Limitations 47 Uplift Acceptance on Mist and Perks and Complications 21
Hack Limitations for Exiles 23 the Splinter Moons 124 Physical Perks and Complications 54
Hacks 45, 68 Modifiers to the Targets (Raster) Pilk 147
(Mechanics of) Hacks 45 Dodge Static Resistance 38 Pirate of the Splinter Moons 151
Hadaption 80 Money 17 ‘Plants 69
Haunted by the past 26 (The) Moons of Steel 104 Plasma Cannons 75
Healing 43 Augmentations on the Policeman 151
Heroic Exiles 18 Moons of Steel 105 (The) Price of Exile 62
Home 10 Formal Conflicts 104 Prion Series Infiltration Simulcra 72
Simulcra on the Moons of Steel 105 Project C himera 130
I Uplift Acceptance on (Servant) Puppet of the Flame Worlds 71
Immersion 140 the Moons of Steel 105 (Typical Security) Puppet 151
(The) Instinct Test 55 Morality 11 (Typical Servant) Puppet 151
(Example of following) Instincts (Taygin) Morn 147 (Typical Steel Heavy Combat) Puppet 71
and Complications 55 Movement 39 Puppets 70
Intelligence 80 Multiple Actions 36
Intent 30 The Mystery of Exilium 138 R
Intent and Consequences in Conflicts 34 Rail Guns 75
(Reconsidering) Intents in N Ramming 45
Standard Tasks 32 Names 16 Rapier Series Simulcra 72
Intents to Cause Damage 30 Nano Swarm Launchers 75 Redemption Station 130
Internal Driver – Resolving Guilt 139 Narrator Advice 138 Replicators 133
Interplanetary Craft 78 Narrator involvement in Exile creation 26 Reproduction 82
Introduction 6 Native Environments 40 Resisted tasks in conflicts 36
Comprehensive Non-player Resistive Plate 76
K Characters 152 Reward One - Experience 50
Key Technologies of the Flame Worlds 68 (Creating) Non-player Characters 150 Reward Three – The Envoy’s Pills 54
Key Themes of E xilium 10 (Incidental) Non-player Characters 150 Reward Two – Expanding on Crimes
(Invoking) Numina 52 and Elysium 52
L Numina and Exiles 52 Rewards 50, 142
Loci 47, 69 Roles Within the Game 9
(Mechanics of) Loci 47 O Rolling Dice 33
Loci Limitations 50 Objective 140
Loci Limitations for Exiles 23 Ocean 124 S
Loci, Puppets and Machines 49 Augmentations on Ocean 126 Salvaged Technologies 65
Locus-linking 69 Environment 125 Sapphire 107
Simulcra on Ocean 125 Environment 108
M Society 125 Society 109
Manipulators 80 Structure 125 Structure 108

155
 Exilium
Technology 108
Scale Modifier 40
Scaling 40
(Inspirations for) Scenarios 142
Scenario Forms 139
Scenes 29
Scripted versus Free-form Scenarios 139
Secrets 130
(The) Seedship 136
Shadows 60, 144
(Examples of) Shadows 8
(What are) Shadows? 144
Shadows and the Envoy 145
Shadows and the Fire Council 62
Shadows on Cloud 145
Shadows on Mist and the
Splinter Moons 144
Shadows on Steel 144
Shadows on Stone 144
Shadows on the Moons 144
Shadows on Ocean 145
(Using) Shadows to Reinforce Themes 145
Simulcra 71
Simulcra Complications 26
Simulcra Perks 25
Simulcra Minds 72
Simulcra on the Flame Worlds 73
Skill Descriptions 19
(Which) Skill or Attribute makes
the most sense? 32
Skill Specialisations 19
(Step 3 –) Skills, Perks and Complications 18
Smoke Agent 151
Soldier of Steel 151
Space Planes 78
Spacecraft 78
Speech 80
(The) Stars 86
Static Defenses 21
Static Resistances 36
Steel 87
Augmentations on Steel 92
Environment 89
Intelligent life forms 90
Simulcra on Steel 92
Society 91
Structure 88
Technology 91
Uplift Acceptance 92
Stone 118
Augmentations on Stone 120
156
Environment 118 Uplifts in Unity and the Fire Council 82
Inhabitants of Stone 118 Uplifts Originating on Sapphire 110
Simulcra on Stone 120 Kekara 111
Society 120 Opilk 110
Structure 118 Raksasa 112
Technology 120 Sapra 113
Uplift Acceptance on Stone 120 Uplifts Originating on Steel 92
(Designing) Story Elements 142 Barghor 98
(Boris) Stow 149 Gorran 100
Structuring Missions 140 Jakkar 96
Styles of Play 11 Kyril 93
Suppressing fire 38 Shalk 95
Seirim 99
T Simial 92
Target 141 Verk 97
(Standard) Tasks 31 Xular 102
(Standard) Tasks and Resisted Tasks 29
(Standard) Tasks, Attributes and Skills 32 V
Technological Mystery 10 Vehicle Combat 44
Technological Themes 142 Vehicle Movement 44
Technology 64 Vehicles 43, 77
(Creating) Technology 142 (Repairing) Vehicles 45
Technology and Game Mechanics 143 (Statistics for) Vehicles 43
Technology as a Flavour 143 (The) Vrix 135
Technology as a Mystery 144 (The) Vrix in Games of Exilium 136
Thread Burning 49
Threads 49, 69 W
Timing 30, 35 Weapon Manufacturers 73
Tools and Difficulties 32 Weapon Ranges in Space 44
(Average) Travel Times 78 Weapons 73
Tying it All Together 152 (Glitter) Weapons 75
(Melee) Weapons 73
U (Ranged) Weapons 73
Ultratech 64 Weapons and Armour on the
Unarmed and Melee Combat Damage 40 Flame Worlds 76
(Organization of) Unity 62 (Multiple) Weapons on Vehicles 45
Unity Soldier 151 Welcome to E xilium 8
Unusual Uplifts 102 What Do Exiles Do? 139
Shrika 102 What Do We Need to Play the Game? 9
Vrik 103 What Does the Narrator Do? 139
Uplift Designs of the Flame Worlds 82 What is a Scenario? 139
Uplift Equipment 83 What is Role-playing? 8
(Creating) Uplift Exiles 24 What is this Game About? 8
Uplift Exiles and Other Uplifts 25 When do we roll dice? 28
Uplift Scientists 82 (Blays) White 148
Uplift Special Rules 54 Wit 17
Uplifting 80 Wit Skills 20
Uplifts 80 Wound Level Effects 40, 50
Uplifts Acceptance on the Flame Worlds 82 Wound Value 39
Uplifts and Numina 82
Uplifts as Exiles 24
 c h a ra c t e r s h e e t

exile’s name

p a s t a n d re l a t i o n s h i p s

crime

attributes and skills p e r k s/co m p l i ca t i o n s

might wit

_____ Brawling _____ Bureaucracy

_____ Lift _____ History
_____ Stamina _____ Language
_____ Swimming _____ Medicine
_____ Navigation
agility _____ Repair
_____ Athletics _____ Security
_____ Dodge _____ Survival specialisations
_____ Drive _____ Tech
_____ Heavy weapons
_____ Melee charm

_____ Pickpockets _____ Bargain

_____ Pilot _____ Command
_____ Pistol _____ Diplomacy
_____ Rifle _____ Persuasion
_____ Stealth _____ Seduce
_____ Zero-G _____ Streetwise

static defenses
Block _____ Dodge_____ Parry______ Soak______

s ca l e s
guilt 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
dislocation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
g ea r p o r t ra i t

augmentations

elysium notes
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