mecha:

kaiju

by Jacob ross

mecha:

Kaiju
By Jacob Ross

Heroic
Journey
Publishing

Written by Jacob Ross

Additional material provided by
Wayne Humfleet and Chris Perrin
Cover by Khairul Hisham
Art by Khairul Hisham and Sara Rude
Edited by Chris Perrin
Layout by Eloy Lasanta

table of contents
Dedication/Foreword........................4
Introduction.......................................5
What do I need to play Kaiju..........5
Conventions Used in This Book.....5
Running a Kaiju Game........................7
Types of Games..............................7
Sizing the Opposition.....................8
A Good Story...................................8
Integrating Players.........................9
Integrating Kaiju.............................9
Making Kaiju.....................................10
Random Kaiju................................10
Kaiju Descriptors...........................12
Buildings........................................16
Linking...........................................16
How does Linking work?...........16
Linking Compatibility................16
Operating a Mecha in a Link.....16
An Example................................17
Extra Sturdiness........................18
Linking and Character Generation....18
Dreams of Ruin.................................19
The Early Days..............................20
Emergences..................................20
Rebel Networks and Celebrity Kaju..21
The Harbinger................................21
Models..........................................22
Experimental XJ-13....................22
Lawbot......................................23
Construction Mecha.................24
Military Walker MK II................25
Rebel.........................................26
Archetypes....................................27
Plucky Kid..................................27
Gearhead...................................27
Military Officer..........................27
Law Officer................................28

Concerned Citizen.....................28
Politician....................................28
NPCs - Humans.............................29
Mr. Yamashida..........................29
Kayleigh OHare........................29
Sinya Tazaki...............................30
Otis Macmenamin.....................32
Eliza Broadmoor.......................33
The Prophet...............................35
Kaiju Guardians.............................36
Kamizami..................................36
Suzumegane.............................36
Vamaros.....................................37
Atanithos..................................39
Kaiju Titans...................................40
Kaiju Champions............................41
Taoitora......................................41
Kamak........................................42
Rendaza....................................43
The Prophets Mecha...............43
Special Rules.................................45
Available Damage Types...........45
Available Configurations..........45
New Configurations..................45
Buildings....................................45
Mayhem....................................46
Story Stages..................................47
Stage One: The Gathering........47
Stage Two: Stormfront............48
Stage Three: Final Clash...........49
The Realm of Chaos and Order..49
Gamemasters............................51

Dedication/Foreword

Dedication
Foreword

To Amy, and to our Little One. Thanks for the time that I needed.

This book you are reading is a kaiju-sized step for Mecha.

When I first wrote the core book, I
had always hoped that maybe one day
someone would write a supplement for
it, but I was pretty sure it wasnt going
to happen. It seemed like the wildest
dream imaginable that my little robot
game would inspire someone else to
write an entire setting.
Wildest dream come truecheck.
A big thank you for this book goes
out to Jacob. When I first envisioned
how I would write a kaiju supplement,
my ideas were pretty vanilla. Im not
a huge fan of the genre (I dont have
anything against it, I just never really
got into it), so my ideas were basically a
reimagining of the Godzilla film starring
Matthew Broderick plus giant fighty robots. (And minus Matthew Broderick.)
Thankfully, Jacob had other ideas
which were far and away much cooler
than mine and his game world is a lot
more fun to play in. So to him, I give
heartfelt thanks. I never want anything
to be mediocre for Mecha and Jacob
saved Kaiju from being just that.
Thanks for this book also go out to

Pacific Rim. Guillermo del Toros beautiful epic masterpiece of giant robots
punching alien lizards in the face has
pushed the envelope of how cool mecha movies can be. My sincerest hope is
that Hollywood will take notice and we
can soon expect a flood of giant robot
movies, or, at the very least, a sequel to
Robot Jox.
Still, while were waiting for that day,
grab some dice and get ready for some
non-stop giant space lizard fighting action.
Now, go fight!

Introduction

Introduction

From the ocean, a giant lizard attacks

a power station, causing an environmental catastrophe.
A world government trades freedom
for luxury and hides the truth about the
existence of huge creatures known as
kaiju.
People all around the world dream
that Taoitora is coming, bringing pain
and death to us all.
And somewhere, Order and Chaos
continue their eternal struggle.

What do I need to
play Kaiju?

Kaiju is a supplement for the core Mecha book. Playing Kaiju requires a copy
of the core rules, especially the sections
on character creation, scene structure,
and how to play. All of the rules from
the core book are fully compatible with
this supplement.
Some of the rules reference Configurations presented in Mecha West, Mecha Combiners or Mecha Mercenaries.
If you dont have those books, though,
dont worry. They are not required, but
some of their special rules do add extra
flavor to Mecha Kaiju.
In addition to copies of this book
and other Mecha books, you will need
a good handful of six-sided dice (abbreviated D6s), one or more copies of
a Mecha character sheet (which can be
downloaded from mecharpg.com), a
writing utensil of some sort, and something to represent Overdrive tokens.
Of course, having a few other people
and some snacks to play never hurts!

Conventions Used
in This Book

For ease of reference, the first time

a term is introduced in this book that is
not addressed in the core rule book, it
will be written in bold.
Also, as in Mecha, for clarity in writing, gender will be used to distinguish
players from the Gamemaster (abbreviated GM.) When gender-specific pronouns are used, he or his refers to the
players and their characters and she or
her or hers always refers to the GM.
These gender distinctions are largely arbitrary and were chosen because I
(a male) identify with the players more
than the GM. The choice of pronoun
should not be construed an attempt on
my part to limit one gender or another
to a given role. Males can be GMs and
females can be players, but it will be
useful in later sections to distinguish
between GM and player. In these cases,
having two different sets of pronouns is
a good way keep everything straight.

Running a
Kaiju Game
Running a game with kaiju is a little
different than running a standard Mecha game. Kaiju are huge, overwhelming creatures that often attack solo.
Most mecha games involve squads of
relatively evenly matched mecha battling it out with all of the maneuvering
and tactics that implies. Kaiju is a little
different. Therefore, you have several options with your preferred type of
game and how you size the opposition.

Types of Games
As most fans of kaiju movies may
know, in almost any kaiju film, the kaiju
usually handily defeats any human forces. As the players will most likely not
want that to be the outcome of each of
their battles, this section will provide a
few ideas for playing Mecha in a manner
consistent with a kaiju film theme.
First, keep most of the Pilots' combat action against other human forces
because most of the time the Pilots will
be fighting opponents on a more-orless even footing. Have the players only
very rarely encounter kaiju. Start them
off against a Titan or two (or the equivalently powered opponent in a custom
setting) and give them a lot of time to
power up before introducing larger kaiju, such as the Guardians or Champions.
Second, if you want, allow the players to control two different characters.

Once character is a standard Pilot, and

the second is a minor kaiju created by
the player who is fighting for the good
guys. Then you can alternate between
human and kaiju battles. This will allow
the players plenty of entertaining kaiju
action without having to worry about
simple human Mecha eventually becoming too powerful.
Third, you can always forget the puny
humans! Let the players play as their
own kaiju, working to get stronger and
finally take on a larger kaiju, like Taiotora and his allies. Youd still use the same
Link Stats (and only use Pilot stats for
out of combat rolls.)
If youre doing this in Dreams of Ruin,
you can play kaiju growing in power until they are the undisputed ruler of the
beasts. An easily-workable story for
this type of game would be four players
acting as a Titan seeking to usurp one
of the mad Guardians and then to challenge Taiotora to defend the planet.
Fourth, let one or a few of the players
to play psionic Pilots. These Pilots are
not traditional Mecha Pilots, but rather
characters who have formed a psychic
bond with a kaiju and who guide and encourage it in battle. In game terms, this
means that the Pilot and the kaiju both
share an Overdrive pool, and in most
rounds, the Pilot will stay still (or even
ride their kaiju), watching the battle
while the kaiju acts. The Pilot may, once
per battle, spend a point of Overdrive to

Running a Kaiju Game

add their Intelligence to one of their kaiju's stats for one round. While this may
seem at first to be very overpowered
compared to a regular Pilot and Mecha,
remember that the psionic Pilot is stuck
on the ground, not protected by a Mecha. If the Pilot is ever incapacitated or
killed, then its linked creature will go
berserk, attacking friend and foe alike,
or it will simply run off, reeling from psychic shock.
Fifth, you can always underpower the
kaiju. However, keeping them awe-inspiringly large can be a fun challenge.

Sizing the
Opposition
Unlike a lot of mecha games, determining the strength of the opposite kaiju can be tricky. On one hand, kaiju are
extremely powerful since they are supposed to be the iconic enemies in the
game. On the other hand, players wont
want to be soundly defeated by superior foes for many battles.
Feel free to start the players off
against weaker foes and build up to the
kaiju. However, once you put a kaiju
down on the bullseye battlemap, it can
get killed. If that happens, dont worry
about it, just file away the kaiju, make
some changes to the character sheet
and have the kaiju return a few battles
later. Only this time it will appear in a
new and more powerful form. Think
Mecha-Ghidora or Gigan's chainsaw upgrade from Godzilla vs. Mecha-Ghidora
and Godzilla Final Wars. The players will
then have both a sense of accomplishment from the achievement of taking
down a great kaiju and the dread of

having to face it when it is stronger and

very mad.
Also, no matter how strong the kaiju
foe, dont let it face the players alone
in any game with a Tactical Waypoint.
At the very least throw in some mooks
so that the kaiju doesnt get flanked or
overwhelmed by superior numbers.

A Good Story
While most RPG settings revolve
around the plot, as should a kaiju-based
SRS, special attention must be given
to the kaiju themselves. Think back to
the last kaiju movie that you watched.
What do you remember most about the
film? Is it the dialogue, the story or the
nuanced human characters? Or rather,
is the first thought in your mind of an
enormous reptile breathing fire on his
enemies?
Historically, great kaiju movies have
striven to be fine films in their own right.
Movies like Gojira teach lessons about
the folly of hubris and the true weakness
of humanity in the face of nature. As a
GM, you have an obligation to provide a
worthwhile story to your players. Keep
in mind, though, that the most brilliant
of stories will fall flat if it does not offer
a cast of truly spectacular kaiju. As with
all things in life, balance is needed.
A truly compelling story will drive
your players to really appreciate your
hard work. Everything in kaiju films is
larger than life. Real-world problems
work best if presented in an overly dramatic manner. Pollution? Create a monster from garbage! Famine? Use a locust-like kaiju swarm! Poverty? The kaiju
have come to level the infrastructure
of the rich and return everything to the

Running a Kaiju Game

people! In good kaiju stories, the monsters do not exist simply to smash. They
are often representative of an issue facing society.

Integrating
Players
In most kaiju films, human characters take a secondary role to the action. While this allows greater focus on
the monsters, it would make for a poor
role-playing experience.
The good news is that kaiju films do
have some advice for how to make humans the star. Some of the most memorable human characters in kaiju filmdom are Captain Gordon from Godzilla:
Final Wars, Commander Tachibana from
Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidora: Giant
Monsters All-Out Attack, and, of course,
Doctor Serizawa from Gojira. Each of
these characters shine because they
show the same larger-than-life attributes
as their rubber-suited counterparts. For
instance, Gordon, Tachibana and Serizawa display incredible courage and are
each willing to put their lives in mortal
peril to save the Earth. Pilots should be
allowed and encouraged to display better-than-human feats of strength and
courage when appropriate.

Integrating
Kaiju

Finally, the kaiju themselves must be

memorable. A truly fantastic monster is
instantly recognizable and stands out
from the rest. Therefore, when introducing the kaiju, describe in detail the
exact attributes of a monster. Any kaiju fan can tell Godzilla or King Ghidora
from their trademark roar or chirps.
A shadowed silhouette of the daikaiju
is also distinct. If possible, draw a picture of your monsters. Experiment with
sound effects to play for your players
to reinforce the feeling of dread when
your behemoth arrives for battle.
Also, despite their bestial appearance, most monsters have complex and
individual personalities. Is Mothra in Tokyo? You can bet that she's protecting
her people from humanity. Does Gigan
have his foe on the ropes? He will almost
certainly gloat about it and taunt his enemy. Is a child in peril? Gamera will be
there! Your own monsters should also
have believable motivations and personalities. If possible consider your own
passions or those of your players and
assign personality traits to monsters
based on what they value or what they
fear.

Making Kaiju
As for the rule mechanics behind
creating your own kaiju, follow these
guidelines.
1. All NPC kaiju are their own entity,
separate from a pilot (see Types
of Games for a possible exception) and thus do not have Linked
Stats, only one set of stats reflecting their capabilities.
2. They are all extremely tough and
automatically gain an additional
Success on all Defense rolls. This
Success does not count towards
earning Overdrive or Cutscenes.
3. Lesser kaiju, known as Titans,
receive 24-28 points to distribute to their stats. Greater kaiju,
either Champions or Guardians,
receive 30 points to distribute.
4. Kaiju have a number of weapons equal to half their attack
rating (rounded up.)
5. Kaiju have one combat skill, Kaiju

Combat, which is set at 3 for normal kaiju (for instance, Titans) or

4 for kaiju bosses (for instance,
Champions or Guardians.) Kaiju
Combat replaces Mecha Combat
for all kaiju-related rolls.

Random Kaiju
Kaiju come in many forms. If there
is one that makes particular sense for
the story, the GM should use that form.
However, sometimes a GM wont have
a clear idea of how the kaiju should look
or what abilities it might have. In this
case, GMs should feel free to consult
the following Kaiju creation table.
To use it, choose 1-3 descriptors for a
kaiju and use them to create your own
giant beast. You can also roll a D66
twice to get two descriptors and use
that as the basis for a kaiju.

Tank

Force

Axe

Spikes

Strong

Climber

Flier

Impact

Tail

Forcefield

Tough

Commander

Fast

Fire

Grapple

Armor

Smart

Howler

Jumper

Electric

Extra
Arms

Snake

Regenerating

Shark

Burrower

Acid

Claws

EMP

Stable

Ice

Long
Limbed

Angry

Large

Swimmer

Berserker

Horns

10

making kaiju

Kaiju
Descriptors

Once a set of descriptors has been chosen, GMs can consult the following write
ups for what those descriptors might
mean. Each write up contains a story description and a list of possible Configuration choices that GMs can use or they
should feel free to choose their own.
Armor - Heavily armored with scales
or plates of chitin, the kaiju can withstand a lot of physical damage. Possible
Configuration(s): Stalwart
Axe - the creatures hands or beak
form a powerful axe like weapon capable of delivering crushing blows and
opening up armor. Possible Configuration(s): Butcher, Brawler, Targeter
Acid - Acid oozes from the creatures
pores or flies from its mouth. This terrible organic attack melts armor and destroys solids. Possible Configuration(s):
Brawler, Burner
Berserker - The more damage the
kaiju takes, the angrier and the stronger
it gets. One of these creatures can wipe
out a couple of mecha on their own, but
combine this with Stable and Regenerating and it will be unstoppable. Possible Configuration(s): Berserker
Burrower - This Kaijus claws can dig
holes quickly, allowing it to traverse
enemy positions easily and causing the
earth to buckle under their feet. Possible Configuration(s): Prowler, Mine
Layer

Claws - Big nasty claws rip into their

targets with the savage ferocity of a
predator. These claws cause extra damage in melee attacks and could even
help the Kaiju climb. Possible Configuration(s): Ripper, Slayer, Assassin
Climber - This creatures moves up
the side of mountains and buildings like
it was walking. It can reach to top faster
then you can even think. Possible Configuration(s): Bombardier, though without its damage type restrictions.
Commander - This creature can coordinate with other Kaiju to make devastating combined attacks. It doesnt
need to be smart, it could just be crafty,
but combine it with smart and watch
out. Possible Configuration(s): Scanner,
Analyzer
Electric - Electricity arcs and takes
out whatever is in its path shorting out
circuitry and overloading systems. Possible Configuration(s): Assassin, Distruptor, Prowler
EMP - An EMP burst is emitted either
from some form of antenna or the kaijus roar shuts down sensitive mecha
equipment. Either way, mecha are left
helpless. Possible Configuration(s): Disruptor, Jammer
Extra Arms - Just what this says. Extra arms allow a creature to make multiple attacks and can be combined with
other abilities like grapple, axe, etc. Possible Configuration(s): Supercharged,
Berserker, Alpha Strike

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making kaiju
Fast - Watch out! This Kaiju will move
from one side of the battlefield to the
other in a blink of an eye so that it can
hit its target and then and run out of the
way of slower mecha. Possible Configuration(s): Flanker, Booster
Fire - Flaming death! This is the
fire-breathing dragon of fantasy stories.
Unarmored infantry have no chance
against this creature and its breath sets
whatever it hits on fire, like napalm. Possible Configuration(s): Burner
Flier - Wings of any shape from bat to
moth carry allow this creature to easily
fly through the air, making it hard to hit
and giving it more maneuverability. Of
course, the trade off is that its easier to
damage with a good hit. Possible Configuration(s): Hot Shot, Flanker
Force - This Kaiju emits
force like a laser striking
ing Mecha from a distance
through armor. Possible
tion(s): Ripper, Snap Shot

a beam of
unsuspectand eating
Configura-

Forcefield - The monster generates

its own force field, protecting it from
missile and ranged attacks. Possible
Configuration(s): Defender, ECM, Covered, Hardened, Protected
Grapple - the creatures limbs are designed for grabbing on and crushing an
opponent, allowing it to devour its prey
easily, or crush them like a tin can. Possible Configuration(s): Lasso, Disruptor

Horns - Terrible sharp horns protrude

from this creatures head, allowing it to
make rend attacks or do extra damage
when charging enemy units. Possible
Configuration(s): Brawler, Slayer, Charger
Howler - The bellows, roars, and
growls that come out of this creature
can shake a pilots nerves and cause ear
drums to rupture and bleed and even
cause soft tissues to explode. Possible
Configuration(s): Assassin
Ice - Cold emanates from this monster and can cause joints to freeze up
and slow of mechanical devices, and
even allows the creature to freeze his
enemies at a distance. Possible Configuration(s): Distruptor, Ablative
Impact - Spitting or throwing rocks or
other solid matter the projectiles, this
Kaiju hits with can crumble armor and
walls easily. Possible Configuration(s):
Boomer, Alpha Strike
Jumper - Strong legs carry this monstrosity flying over the heads of ground
bound mecha without any effort. Watch
out for death from above attacks as it
slams down upon your cockpit! Possible
Configuration(s): Flanker, Charger
Large - The creature is supersized.
Deadly to smaller mecha. Possible Configuration(s): Stalwart or consider this
creature to be on Combiner scale
Long Limbed - Normal Kaiju have to
close with their enemies to use their melee attacks, but not this one. He can hit
from distance, allowing him to attack
without being countered. Possible Configuration(s): Brawler, Butcher, Berserker

13

making kaiju
Regenerating - Damage dealt to this
creature heals up over time, allowing it
to stay in the battle longer or run and
come back another day to try again. Fire
is the enemy of a regenerator. Possible
Configuration(s): Engineer (but can
work on itself)
Shark - The teeth on this creature
are large and many. It can make a bite
attack that can take a chunk out of the
heaviest armored mecha. Possible Configuration(s): Prowler, Ripper
Smart - This monster is different.
It thinks about its tactics and doesnt
just blindly rush into battle. It analyzes
its opponents and looks for weaknesses and exploits them. There is nothing
scarier than a smart kaiju. Possible Configuration(s): Analyzer
Snake - This Kaiju slides across open
terrain fast and is hard to knock off of
its feet since it doesnt have them. Possible Configuration(s): Prowler, Heavy
Metal
Spikes - The creatures body is filled
with spikes, allowing it to parry attacks
and cause more damage with slamming
attacks. A grappler with spikes is a thing
to be feared on the battlefield. Possible Configuration(s): Slayer, Defender,
Hardened
Stable - This creature can take its hits
and keep on going even to the point of
death. Possible Configuration(s): Stalwart

Strong - Muscles bulge on the creature and its great strength can tear
limbs off of mechas bodies. The damage delivered by this creature is enormous. Possible Configuration(s): Ripper, Distruptor
Swimmer - the large fins at the end of
the monsters limbs allow it to swim and
breathe in water. It will try and draw its
prey into its element and destroy it. Possible Configuration(s): Hot Shot, Prowler, Bombardier
Tail - Whipping around the creature,
its tail is to be feared because it can
cause horrible damage to unsuspecting
mecha. Possible Configuration(s): Lasso, Ripper
Tank - This Kaiju is big and slow. Lumbering across the battlefield, he can absorb a lot of damage before being taken
down. Possible Configuration(s): Heavy
Metal, Stonewall, Bulwark
Tough - Like the tank, this Kaiju can
take a lot of damage. Possible Configuration(s): Stalwart, Defender
Whirlwind - The creature spins like
the Tasmanian devil or buffets you with
its wings or strong breath, blowing objects and mecha this way and that making it hard to stand. Possible Configuration(s): Jackhammer, Disruptor

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making kaiju

Buildings

No kaiju game would be complete

without some terrain to smash. Thats
why its highly advisable to have buildings in your game. Buildings are covered
briefly in Mecha book and there are
new rules in the Special Rules section of
Dreams of Ruin.

Linking
Given the popularity of a certain recent kaiju movie, Mecha Kaiju would not
be complete without rules for two pilots
operating the same giant war machine.
In Kaiju, this is called Linking.
Linking can take many forms, but it
usually involves not one pilot, but several operating, communing or forming
symbiosis with the same mecha unit. Its
not Combining, in which multiple pilots
join multiple mecha together to form a
super robot. With Linking, there is only
one mecha with multiple pilots.

How Does Linking

Work?

When using Linking in your games,

GMs must decide how Linking works. Is
the mecha just so complex that it needs
two operators to handle all the levers or
is there a more spiritual/communal aspect to the Link? This really has no mechanical effect on play, but oftentimes
how Linking works affects the fiction of
the game.
Note to GMs: If you dont have any
strong ideas about how to make Linking
work, consider having the Link be a direct mental connection between two or

more pilots. Once Linked, the pilots will

be able to read each others thoughts,
feel their fears, see their dreams, and
know their secrets. Again, it makes no
difference mechanically, but this type
of Linking makes for a good story and is
fertile ground for role playing.

The Mechanics of
Linking: Link
Compatibility

Before pilots get into their mecha

and start fighting, they must first determine how many of their Linked Attributes are Link Compatible. Mechanically, being Link Compatible means that all
pilots who operate the same unit Link
their Stats the same way in their Link Array. For instance, if all pilots link Agility
to Weapons and Intelligence to Technology, those pilots are Link Compatible
for Attack and Engineering. (Depending
on the setting, it might be said they are
50% Link Compatible or have two points
of Link Compatibility.)
Two pilots can operate a mecha if they
have no Link Compatibility at all, but they
wont be as efficient as two pilots who
have the exact same Link Array.

The Mechanics of
Linking:
Operating a Mecha
in the Link

Once two or more pilots are operating a mecha in the Link, the way rolls
work changes slightly. Instead of one
pilot rolling for Movement, Attacks,
Defense, Stability, etc., all pilots roll.
All may earn Overdrive if they roll over
5 Successes and all rolls can generate

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making kaiju
Cutscenes.
However, only one result will be used
as the final result. If the pilots are Link
Compatible for that Linked Stat, the
higher number of Successes is used. If
the pilots are not Link Compatible for
that Linked Stat, they must use the lower number of Successes. Even if multiple
players roll a Cutscene, the lowest roll is
used for non-Link Compatible attributes.
The exception to this rule is rolls during
a Cutscene itself. During a Cutscene, the
highest roll is always used.
The good news, though, is that because the pilots are synchronized and
working closely together, they can
spend Overdrive on each others rolls.
Also, perhaps even better, the lowest
Stability roll is always used, no matter
how Link Compatible the mechas pilots
are.

An Example

Lieutenants Day and Hunnam are operating the giant kaiju killer Hikarinotsurugi. They are Link Compatible for Attack and Defense, but not Movement or
Engineering. On their turn, they decide
they are going to close with a giant kaiju
who happens to be sitting on the Tactical
Waypoint.
To move, the players controlling Day
and Hunnam both roll. Days player rolls
5 Successes and Hunnams player rolls 7.
Both players collect a point of Overdrive
for their Great Success, but Hikarinotsurugi will only have 5 Movement Points
because Day and Hunnam are not Link
Compatible. Fortunately, its more than
enough to close to melee range and they
decide to use Sword of Light, a (Melee/0)
attack to hack the kaiju to bits. Both pilots are Link Compatible for Attack rolls

and both players roll. This time Days

player rolls 2 Successes, while Hunnams
player rolls 4. Because the two pilots are
Link Compatible, the Attack is Successful
with 4 Successes.
Fortunately, the kaiju beast rolls a
measly 3 Successes for Defense and takes
a point of damage, however it passes its
Stability roll.
On the Kaijus turn, it moves back into
the Tactical Waypoint and Attacks Hikarinotsurugi with a fiery breath weapon
for a whopping 7 Successes. Thats bad,
but Day and Hunnam are Link Compatible
on Defense and both players grab their
dice.
In a truly impressive display of dice
rolling that has the GM complaining
about loaded dice, Hunnams player rolls
8 Successes and Days player rolls a whopping 11! Thats a Successful Defense at 11
Successes and two Cutscenes!
Now for the Cutscenes. Days player
lets Hunnam go first, who decides to Attack the Kaiju. Both players roll 7 Successes, which turns out to be enough to hit
the kaiju and knock it back 5 Movement
Points. Next, Day decides he is going to
occupy the Tactical Waypoint, so he uses
his Cutscene for Movement. Both players
roll. This time Days player rolls 2 Successes, but Hunnams rolls 7. Normally,
Hikarinotsurugi would only get to move
2 Movement Points, but because this is a
Cutscene, the higher roll is always used.
Hikarinotsurugi uses a few of its 7
Movement Points to move into the Tactical Waypoint and will win at the start of
its next turn.
Note that had Day and Hunnam not
Successfully Defended, both players
would have rolled Stability and taken the
higher roll.

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making kaiju

The Mechanics of
Linking: Extra
Sturdiness
(Optional)

Linking and
Character
Generation

As an added, optional rule, some GMs

may want mecha operated by Linked pilots to be a little sturdier than normal
units. If so, a unit operated by Linked pilots may ignore their first point of damage in any battle. That damage requires
no Stability Roll and does not check off
a box on the Stability Track.

Lastly, players may wonder about

how to generate their characters if they
are sharing a mecha. Fundamentally,
there is no difference between generating a shared mecha or a personal
mecha. Traits are still selected based on
the units Configurations, Stat Optimizations are spent the same way, etc.

18

Dreams
of
Ruin

19

Dreams of Ruin

The Early
Days

The political and social landscape of

Earth in the year 2113 is vastly different
from 2013. Mankind is unified under a single World Government, crime has been
largely eliminated due to the tireless efforts of the Ministry of Domestic Peace,
poverty has seen its end, and one never knows from day to day whether their
house will be leveled by a giant monster.
The current situation finds its roots in
the city of Tokyo, in the year 2076. During
the summer of that year, mega-corporation Chiba Development Enterprise activated their newly-built clean fusion reactor. The new technology provided safe,
environmentally friendly and cheap power for their entire prefecture and great
profits for CDE. Unfortunately, only three
days after coming on line, disaster struck.
An unknown creature rose from the
water of Tokyo Bay onto the shore. Standing 100 meters tall, it was a completely
unknown animal. Resembling a shark in
vague respects, the beast made a beeline
for the reactor. As the creature's appearance was totally unexpected, Tokyo was
unprepared for the assault and it was able
to reach the reactor before the Japan
Ground Self-Defense Force was activated. While the JGSDF did eventually arrive,
they were not able to save the reactor,
and the monster retreated.
The damage to Tokyo was severe.
While the destruction of the reactor did
not result in a city-leveling explosion, the
resulting radiation leaks meant that a
quarter of the city had to be evacuated,
contained and demolished. A full-scale
manhunt was launched, but there was no
sign of the beast, dubbed Kamizami by
the JGSDF. The government acted swiftly

to blame the damage on faulty construction and to take legal measures to prevent
the few civilian witnesses to the incident
from talking.
Four months after the Kamizami incident, CDE was purchased by a private
investor who began plans to bring a new
reactor online in a more isolated area. The
investor, a man only known as Yamashida,
made good on his promise to ensure the
safety of Japan while still providing for the
nation's energy needs.

Emergences
Yamashida soon began investing outside of Japan. His advances in agriculture
wiped out famine in the third world, new
forms of transport reduced pollution, and
the introduction of the Mecha revolutionized industry and law enforcement.
Acting with industrialists from all corners
of the globe, Yamashida and his associates
helped introduce and were instrumental in
passing, the United World Government Act
at the United Nations. In the summer of
2088 every country on Earth formally submitted to a unifying alliance. Headed by a
president elected from one of the member
states, the UWG eliminated warfare and
large-scale organized crime. It also instituted a system where the common citizen had
access to enough food, water, medicine
and entertainment programming at the expense of personal liberties.
Still, what should have been heralded
as a golden age was clouded by a growing
unease. While Japan had not heard from
Kamizami in twelve years, reports from
around the world indicated that other
kaiju had emerged, attacking high-population centers and leaving devastation
behind. This would have been bad enough
on its own, but just as worrying as the attacks was the official response.

20

Dreams of Ruin
In the years leading up to the formation of the UWG, no national government
had ever publicly acknowledged a kaiju attack, and all major media outlets remained
silent despite their sensational nature.
Before the development of the UWG, civilians only knowledge of kaiju was what
they could glean from social media sites
and low-quality viral video.
This was made worse in 2096. Following his election, Ronaldo Rodrigues of
Brazil quickly established the Ministry of
Information (MoI), which initiated sweeping security measures greatly restricting
the online freedoms that most civilians
had enjoyed in previous years.
As kaiju attacks increased in frequency, the Ministry of Domestic Peace introduced their new Mecha models designed
to combat any threat from the feared behemoths. The valiant men and women of
the MDP daily pilot their Mecha to protect
important urban areas from the kaiju, and
have succeeded in minimizing the worst
of the attacks.
Elsewhere, civilians have to make due
by surreptitiously converting industrial
and farm Mecha into fighting suits, scavenging parts from whatever they can find
to defend their meager properties and the
lives of their families. Driven by the purest
form of desperation, many of these homegrown Mecha Pilots have succeeded in
killing scores of lesser kaiju that have become prevalent in recent decades.

Rebel Networks
and
Celebrity Kaiju
Just as ordinary citizens have turned
to Mecha to protect themselves, others
have developed methods of freely ex-

changing information despite MoI internet crackdowns. Running their own networks, these idealistic rogues hack MoI
servers, find classified information and
make it available to the public.
While the MDP and the rest of the
UWG work to keep humans safe from
kaiju, their ultra-strict methods and regulation have caused many to actually
root for the kaiju they see in pirated video files. In fact, the four kaiju who most
frequently attack (and then attack only
military targets) have shown themselves
to be far more powerful than other kaiju and have been dubbed the Guardians.
These four lizards have become celebrities far more popular than any politician.

The Harbinger
While the actions of a scattered few
governmental resisters and likable kaiju
have given hope to many that freer days
are coming, one ominous portent hangs
over the population. Ever since the winter
of last year, 2112, billions of people have reported having the exact same nightmares.
It starts with visions of an enormous, malevolent entity whose form is only hinted
at through flashes of light in the shadows.
Screams and a horrific, dissonant music score the vision while a hooded man,
whom every dreamer describes as The
Prophet, casts his gaze upon the dreamer and says only, Taiotora is coming.
What this dream means and why it
is plaguing mankind are questions that
nobody seems able to answer. Still, everyone is certain. Every night the far-off
nightmare form of Taiotora grows just a
little larger.
It is this world that a group of brave
Mecha Pilots must fight to save.

21

Dreams of Ruin: Models

Model: Experimental XJ-13

This model was developed specifically by Yamashida to level cities and installations before the kaiju can reach them and become Enraged. It is presented to
the public, however, as a search-and-rescue Mecha whose capabilities are used to
swiftly search through rubble for survivors of attacks.
Weapons: 2
Armor: 2
Technology: 3
Speed: 1
Stat Optimization Points: 3
Weapons:
Power Lance (0/Energy)
Seeker Missile (2/Missile)
Configurations:
Charger
Destructor

22

Dreams of Ruin: Models

Model: Lawbot

The standard law enforcement Mecha. It is used as often to round up dissidents

opposing the United World Government as it is to prevent real crimes. Ironically,
it is also frequently stolen and used by resistance movements in their sabotage
efforts.
Weapons: 2
Armor: 3
Technology: 1
Speed: 2
Stat Optimization Points: 3
Weapons:
Net (1/Melee)
Nightstick (0/Impact)
Configurations:
Disruptor
Bulwark

23

Dreams of Ruin: Models

Model: Construction Mecha

The most common Mecha used by the resistance because it is the easiest to
acquire. It also seldom raises suspicion from the Ministry of Justice when seen
walking the streets. The only problem is the base models lack of ranged weapons
forces it to go toe-to-toe with kaiju.
Weapons: 2
Armor: 2
Technology: 2
Speed: 2
Stat Optimization Points: 3
Weapons:
Chain Saw (0/Energy)
Claw (0/Melee)
Configurations:
Ripper
Heavy Metal

24

Dreams of Ruin: Models

Model: Military Walker MK II

Made for one mission, seek and destroy, this powerful model is capable of standing against weaker Titans with little modification. Despite its firepower, the Military
Walker Mk II is usually seen acting as an artillery unit and hanging back due to its
slow speed and high range. The only resistance fighters to use this model are usually military deserters.
Weapons: 3
Armor: 3
Technology: 1
Speed: 1
Stat Optimization
Points: 3
Weapons:
AR-45 Assault
Rifle (3/Impact)
Flamethrower
(2/Energy)
MK-Bar(0/Melee)
Configurations:
Berserker
Slayer

25

Dreams of Ruin: Models

Model: Rebel

A cobbled-together Mecha developed by the resistance. Able to take a beating

and dish damage from a distance, the Rebel is equipped with external speakers
which blare resistance propaganda to all innocent bystanders, warning them of the
UWG's malicious intent.
Weapons: 1
Armor: 3
Technology: 3
Speed: 1
Stat Optimizations Points: 3
Weapons:
The Voice of Truth
(3/Sonic)
Configurations:
Supercharged
Flanker

26

Archetypes
Characters in Dream of Ruins are usually on the fringe. Hunted by their government because they spread the word of
kaiju or for other crimes, they find themselves thrown into battle against the Titans and Gaurdians.

Plucky Kid

Not all of the kaiju are bad; one of them

is even my friend!
The world may yet be saved by annoyingly-optimistic children. They are usually
nave and loud-mouthed, but provides a
surprising amount of insight into kaiju behavior. Some have even persuaded a kaiju to cease its attacks with their innocent
pleas.

Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 4
Will: 2
Stat Optimization Points: 3
Skills:
Mecha Combat 2
Personal Combat 1
Social 1
Field Ops 2
Repair 3
Medic 1
Skill Points 3
Traits: Nerdy, Curious, Inquisitive, Fanboy/girl, Smelly, Anti-Social, Pedantic

Strength: 1
Agility: 3
Intelligence: 2
Will: 2
Stat Optimization Points: 3

Military Officer

My government betrayed me. I will not

rest until I have my revenge.
Experienced deserters from the military make the best soldiers. Of course
each new deserter is initially viewed with
suspicion until she proves herself to be
dedicated to the cause and not a secret
infiltrator.

Skills:
Mecha Combat 2
Personal Combat 2
Social 2
Field Ops 2
Repair 1
Medic 1
Skill Points 3
Traits: Curious, Annoying, Plucky, Inexperienced, Worldly, Conniving, Kindhearted

Gearhead

one with whom the others all try to make

friends.

Quit breakin' my work, will ya?

Kaiju are tough, and fighting them
causes a lot of damage to a Mecha. This
makes the Gearhead among the most useful members of a resistance cell and the

Strength: 3
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 1
Will: 2
Stat Optimization Points: 3
Skills:
Mecha Combat 2
Personal Combat 2
Social 1
Field Ops 2

27

Dreams of Ruin: Archtypes

Repair 2
Medic 1
Skill Points 3
Traits: Gruff, Militaristic, Confident, Strategic, Gung Ho, Tough, Aggressive

Law Officer

To serve those in my precinct and protect them from the lumbering kaiju!
Similar to the Military Officer, the Law
Officer often finds himself in conflict with
kaiju. For her, it is a personal thing. The
monster has invaded her home territory, has destroyed the landmarks that she
holds dear and has menaced her charges.
Sadly, Law Officers who diligently investigate kaiju attacks usually find themselves
running afoul of the Ministry of Justice and
wind up on the run.
Strength: 1
Agility: 3
Intelligence: 2
Will: 2
Stat Optimization Points: 3

Strength: 2
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 2
Will: 2
Stat Optimization Points: 3
Skills:
Mecha Combat 2
Personal Combat 2
Social 2
Field Ops 1
Repair 1
Medic 2
Skill Points 3
Traits: Concerned, Curious, Troublemaker,
Pacifist, Passionate, Afraid, Determined

Politician

Skills:
Mecha Combat 2
Personal Combat 1
Social 1
Field Ops 3
Repair 2
Medic 1
Skill Points 3
Traits: Straight-laced, Dutiful, Protective,
Hardworking, Committed, Blunt, Hard
Case

Concerned Citizen

desperation, and even the most ordinary

person is capable of anything. In the wake
of the kaiju incursions, more and more citizens have taken up arms to protect their
homes. Although not trained for war, their
diverse background gives them access to
a wide array of skills.

If nobody else is going to save my

home, it falls on me to do so!
Just your average, everyday citizen.
However, push someone to the brink of

Read my lips, NO NEW KAIJU!

Stereotyped as a sleazy, spineless
gladhander, the average politician has no
desire to do anything more than make
speeches and line his pockets. Some,
however, are motivated by their ideals
and want to mobilize against the kaiju
menace. Others, however, do it for show,
hoping that the image of them in combat
gear will further their political careers.
Strength: 2
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 1
Will: 4
Stat Optimization Points: 3

28

Dreams of Ruin: NPCs

Skills:
Mecha Combat 2
Personal Combat 2
Social 3
Field Ops 1
Repair 1

Medic 1
Skill Points 3
Traits: Liar, Smooth Talker, White Knight,
Blowhard, Cheesy, Trustworthy, Untrustworthy

NPCs - Humans
Mr. YamashidaVisionary of History

In his late seventies, Junichiro Yamashida possesses the appearance, wit, energy
and physique of a much younger man. He
attributes all of this to his hard work; he
has devoted his life to the single cause of
elevating humanity above squalor, poverty, disease and war.
Yamashida quietly made his billions and
then burst onto the public scene when he
began to provide affordable clean energy
to the world. Yamashida's altruism directly led to the founding of the United World
Government and the driven philanthropist
has had a central role in its administration
from day one.
Strength: 2
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 3
Will: 4
Weapons: 4
Armor: 3
Technology: 3
Speed: 1
Links:
Attack-> Will
Defense-> Intelligence
Engineering-> Agility
Movement-> Strength
Linked Stats:
Attack: 8

Defense: 6
Engineering: 5
Movement: 3
Skills (Yamashida is an ace):
Mecha Combat: 3
Personal Combat: 3
Mecha of choice: Experimental XJ-13
Weapons:
Power Lance (0/Energy)
Seeker Missile (2/Missile)
Laser Rifle (3/Energy)
Machine Gun (1/Impact)
Configurations:
Charger
Destructor

Kayleigh O'HareOptimistic Idealist

A bright-eyed young girl from Portland, Kayleigh has lived her entire life in
the beautiful forests of the Pacific Northwest. A psionically gifted youth, Kayleigh
has always felt attuned to the beautiful
wilds. Hiking one day, she happened upon
the waking form of Vamaros. Kayleigh
reached out with her mind to bond with
the noble beast, and since that day she
and Vamaros have shared a connection.
Kayleigh realizes that not all of the attacks blamed on Vamaros were his doing.
While the kaiju has certainly destroyed his
share of human development, the vast

29

Dreams of Ruin: NPCs

majority of the reports on his activities
are false. After trying to tell the media
the truth through legitimate channels,
Kayleigh finally joined the resistance to
clear her friend's name once and for all.
Strength: 2
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 2
Will: 3
Weapons: 3
Armor: 4
Technology: 3
Speed: 1
Links:
Attack-> Will
Defense-> Agility
Engineering-> Intelligence
Movement-> Strength
Linked Stats:
Attack: 6
Defense: 8
Engineering: 5
Movement: 3
Skills (Kayleigh is an ace):
Mecha Combat: 3
Personal Combat: 2
Mecha of Choice: Experimental XJ-13
Weapons:
Power Lance (0/Energy)
Seeker Missile (2/Missile)
Logger Saw (0/Melee)
Configurations:
Charger
Destructor

Shinya TazakiBitter Warrior

Shinya is a grizzled, unhappy man. He

was serving as a lowly lieutenant that
fateful day when Kamizami first attacked
Tokyo. Shinya's unit provided the first
response to the attack and valiantly provided the aid needed to ensure that the
devastation did not spread to catastrophic levels.
Unfortunately, Shinya's girlfriend, Mayumi, was a causality of the attack. Shortly after the fighting, she died an agonizing
death from radiation poisoning. Shinya
vowed that he would one day cause Kamizami to suffer tenfold what Mayumi had
suffered.
Shinya became a high-ranking member of the Ministry for Domestic Peace.
For years he coordinated efforts against
the kaiju until he realized that the United
World Government seemingly had little interest in killing the monsters. Shinya left
the MDP and began a resistance cell using
stolen MDP equipment and Mecha. He
fights continually in Mayumi's name, hoping to one day join her after finally avenging her tragic death.
Strength: 4
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 1
Will: 2
Weapons: 4
Armor: 4
Technology: 1
Speed: 2
Links:
Attack-> Strength
Defense-> Agility
Engineering-> Intelligence
Movement-> Will

30

Dreams of Ruin: NPCs

Strength: 4
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 2
Will: 3

Linked Stats:
Attack: 8
Defense: 8
Engineering: 2
Movement: 4

Weapons: 2
Armor: 4
Technology: 2
Speed: 3

Skills (Shinya is an ace):

Mecha Combat: 3
Personal Combat: 3

Links:
Attack-> Will
Defense-> Strength
Engineering-> Intelligence
Movement-> Agility

Mecha of choice: Military Walker Mk II

Weapons:
AR-45 Assault Rifle (3/Impact)
Flamethrower (2/Energy)
MK-Bar(0/Melee)
Ribbon (1/Impact)

Linked Stats:
Attack: 4
Defense: 8
Engineering: 4
Movement: 5

Configurations:
Berserker
Slayer

Otis MacMenaminSimple Man

Otis is a simple man with a simple purpose. Born into a long line of farmers, Otis
would have been content to spend his life
at the plow. However, because of the chaos of constant kaiju attacks, that life has
been denied him and Otis finds himself
fighting to protect his community.
When the various Ministries of the
UWG failed to protect his farmland from
the pollution caused by the fighting between kaiju and human forces, Otis covertly upgraded his farming Mecha. What
once worked the earth to feed the population became a tool instead for its defense.
Otis is a large, kindly man who nevertheless has gained a reputation as a ruthless Titan hunter. He takes any refugees
into his farmhouse who come his way and
he is proud to say that nobody under his
protection has ever fallen to the abominable kaiju that plague his territory.

Skills (Otis is an ace):

Mecha Combat: 3
Personal Combat: 3
Mecha of choice: Construction Mecha
Weapons:
Chain Saw (0/Energy)
Claw (0/Melee)
Configurations:
Ripper
Heavy Metal

Claire CocteauCop on the Run

Clare Cocteau is an intimidating presence. At nearly seven feet tall, she towers
over nearly everyone, a fact that she used
to good effect as a police officer. She was
fiercely devoted to the Ministry of Justice
and its mission, until she found herself on
the run as a fugitive.

32

Dreams of Ruin: NPCs

Set up by a spiteful gang in retaliation for
arresting their leader, Clare was forced to
run from the law. Her friends on the force
provided no help, as she soon discovered
that she was one of the few non-corrupt officers within the Ministry.
Claire fled her home city of Paris by
night, taking her patrol Mecha after disabling its tracking system. Right now, all
that she wants is to be able to stop running. In order to pay for food and repairs,
though, Claire freelances for various resistance cells. While she never goes without, Claire longs for the day when she can
somehow clear her name and return to
the City of Light.
Strength: 2
Agility: 3
Intelligence: 4
Will: 2
Weapons: 2
Armor: 3
Technology: 1
Speed: 3
Links:
Attack-> Agility
Defense-> Intelligence
Engineering-> Strength
Movement-> Will
Linked Stats:
Attack: 5
Defense: 7
Engineering: 3
Movement: 5
Skills (Claire is an ace):
Mecha Combat: 3
Personal Combat: 4
Mecha of choice: Law Bot

Weapons:
Net (1/Melee)
Nightstick (0/Impact)
Configurations:
Disruptor
Bulwark

Eliza BroadmoorUnlikely Pilot

A socialite from the Belgravia neighborhood of London, Eliza Broadmoor never

thought that she would one day become
a Mecha Pilot. Chiefly concerned with
parties and charitable work, Eliza found
herself in the middle of a fierce melee between a local resistance Pilot and a Titan.
When the Titan knocked down its opponent, the young heiress felt compelled
to act. She quickly leapt into the cockpit to
aid the injured Pilot. Acting on the Pilot's
instruction, Eliza successfully, if clumsily,
managed to get the Mecha back to the local resistance headquarters. The Pilot was
the cell leader, and in appreciation of her
efforts, made Eliza an honorary cell member.
Eliza is far from the ditzy blonde that
she appears to be. She is a woman of action. She has funneled massive portions of
her fortune to better outfit her cell, and
she pilots her own Mecha on various missions.
Strength: 2
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 4
Will: 4
Weapons: 2
Armor: 4
Technology: 4
Speed: 1

33

Dreams of Ruin: NPCs

No one has seen his face, as the Prophet is always shrouded in a dark black cloak.
His deep, echoing voice is the stuff of nightmares. If he is not stopped, his mad ambition will lead to the greatest era of suffering in the history of human civilization.

Links:
Attack-> Intelligence
Defense-> Will
Engineering-> Strength
Movement-> Agility
Linked Stats:
Attack: 6
Defense: 8
Engineering: 6
Movement: 2

Strength: 3
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 4
Will: 4

Skills (Eliza is an ace):

Mecha Combat: 4
Personal Combat: 2

Weapons: 5
Armor: 5
Technology: 4
Speed: 3

Mecha of choice: Rebel

Links:
Attack-> Will
Defense-> Agility
Engineering-> Intelligence
Movement-> Strength

Weapons:
The Voice of Truth (3/Sonic)
Dueling Pistol (1/Impact)
Configurations:
Supercharged
Flanker

The ProphetHerald of Taiotora

The Prophet is the most notorious man

on Earth. Thought at first to be a mass delusion inspired by some strange environmental effect, his existence was proven
when footage of him piloting a wicked
Mecha was leaked.
The Prophet is a menace to the entire
planetary population. By means of power granted to him by Taiotora, he coordinates the actions of Kamak and Rendaza
to simultaneously weaken Earth's ecology, attack the Guardians and gather the
power needed to open a portal to the
realm of Chaos and Order. This same power heightens his physical abilities, and he is
a match for any other human in both single combat and Mecha piloting.

Linked Stats:
Attack: 9
Defense: 6
Engineering: 8
Movement: 6
Skills:
Mecha Combat: 3
Personal Combat: 4
Mecha of choice: The Prophets Mecha
Weapons:
Scythe-whip (1/Melee)
Scythe-whip (2/Melee)
Cape Strike (0/Energy)
Dead Silence (0/Sonic)
Vile Darkness (4/Energy)
Configurations:
Charger
Destructor

35

Dreams of Ruin: Guardians

Kaiju Guardians

These are the four great kaiju who have reached celebrity status amongst the people.

Kamizami

The first and greatest of the kaiju to

appear, Kamizami is a slumbering leviathan brought from the depths of the sea
to wreak vengeance on those who disturb his habitat. Like all Guardians he is a
sentient being, capable of making canny
strategic choices in combat.
Kamizami stands a towering 100 meters tall at the crest of his head, while
his dorsal fin rises somewhat higher.
The kaiju looks like a bipedal shark. His
aspect is always intimidating, whether it
is the sight of thousands of liters of water cascading from his silver scales as he
rises from the depths or the sound of his
terrible roar as he smashes skyscrapers
with his fists.
In combat, Kamizami relies mostly on
melee attacks to devastate man-made
structures and the occasional burst of
superheated electrical plasma from his
eyes. His moves are vaguely reminiscent
of karate and he never adopts a passive
role in combat.
Out of the four Guardian kaiju, Kamizami holds humanity in the lowest
regard. He seldom, if ever, acts to preserve human life. While some of his actions have led to benefits for humankind, this is due to the fact that it serves
Kamizami's agenda, rather than a fondness for humans. He prefers to swim the
waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans
and considers everything from Hawaii
west to India and from China south to
Australia to be his own territory. Within
this area, his name is always whispered
in fearful tones.

Stats:
Attack: 8
Defense: 9
Engineering: 5
Movement: 8
Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 4
Weapons:
Roar (4/Sonic)
Eye Burst (1/Energy)
Dorsal Strike (0/Melee)
Claw (0/Melee)
Configurations:
Heavy Metal
Assassin

Suzumegane

The swiftest, most graceful kaiju

to appear, Suzumegane is by far the
most beautiful, as well. A deceptively
fragile-looking creature, Suzumegane
leaves every combat with an opponent
who will never again underestimate her.
Suzumegane, or Suzi, as she is
known by admirers, is 115 meters long,
with most of this length being a forked
tail resembling that of a scissor-tail kite.
Her wing span is equal to her length, but
her torso is relatively small, only about
the size of Kamizamis head. Her most
striking feature is the millions of tiny
prismatic crystals that cover her wings
and tails. The crystals sing in the gusts
and jets of wind where Suzi flies and
cause hope in the hearts of her admirers and dread in her enemies. A brilliant
rainbow streaks across her moving form
and trails behind her as she flies.

36

Dreams of Ruin: Guardians

Suzis less-than-formidable frame
makes her a poor melee combatant, at
least as far as kaiju go. She is, however,
not a pushover. Her forked tail gives her
incredible agility while flying, allowing
her to dodge many attacks. She is capable of causing great damage with her
falcon-like screech that is augmented by
her crystalline scales. Because of this,
Suzi prefers to snipe from a distance,
but will dive-bomb enemies who enrage
her.
Suzi does not share Kamizamis hatred of humanity, but she has little tolerance for human meddling in the natural world. Suzi lives mostly in Russia,
but she has been known to fly as far as
Spain in her travels. She will generally
leave human settlements alone, but will
attack any intrusion into undeveloped
territory, such as logging operations in
virgin forest areas. She will also violently attack any other kaiju who invades as
well.
Stats:
Attack: 8
Defense: 10
Engineering: 4
Movement: 8
Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 4
Weapons:
Tail (2/Impact)
Screech (3/Sonic)
Flying Assault (0/Melee)
Crystal Blur (1/Energy)
Configurations:
Flanker
Hot Shot

Vamaros

A stalwart and implacable beast, Vamaros is a behemoth, towering over

most other kaiju. Gentle to his allies
and those whom he chooses to protect,
Vamaros is nevertheless a terrible foe.
He does not leave an enemy alive if he
can help it, and will surely die one day
in combat, fangs bared as he attacks his
rival with the last of his strength.
Vamaros is 150 meters tall and is the
most human-looking of the Guardians.
He looks like a hybrid of a wolf and a gorilla, which has led many to believe he
was the original inspiration for the Sasquatch myth. While he looks ungainly
and slow with his long limbs and coating
of moss and lichen that grow on his fur
during his long hibernations, Vamaros
is very agile and a skilled melee fighter. While able to utilize a cold-breath
attack, Vamaros seldom does so, as he
prefers pummeling an opponent with
his bare hands or the trunk of a massive
tree.
Vamaros seems to like some humans.
He seems to instinctively know when
children, the elderly or the infirm are in
danger and even while stomping a city
flat when fighting another kaiju, Vamaros will never destroy a school or a hospital. He will attack any military facility
or fighting force, though. He prefers to
spend the summer months in his home
at the base of Mount Hood in North
America and the winter months at
Chichen Itza in South America.
Stats:
Attack: 10
Defense: 6
Engineering: 7
Movement: 7

37

Dreams of Ruin: Guardians

Atanithos has yet to assault a human
city directly. Each appearance that he
has made in an urban center has been
to challenge a kaiju already in the area.
He seldom loses a fight, but has never
actually killed an opponent, either. Thus
far, no one has been able to deduce the
logic behind his behavior. Atanithos
likes to stay in the Sahara desert and
can be tracked by following the trails of
glass and molten dunes that he leaves
in his wake.

Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 4
Weapons:
Fangs (0/Melee)
Cold Breath (1/Energy)
Batter Up! (0/Impact)
Powerful Kick (0/Melee)
Devastating Punch (0/Melee)
Configurations:
Slayer
Ripper

Atanithos

Mysterious and the least-known of

the Guardians, Atanithos rarely makes
appearances in populated areas. With no
known loyalties or enemies, Atanithos
may one day attack his fellow kaiju, retreat when it seems he has them on the
ropes and retire for months on end only
to return to aid that same kaiju in battle.
Atanithos is 40 meters tall and 90 meters long. He is insectoid, but does not
resemble any known Earth species except for a vague resemblance to a scarab. His black exterior is a super-dense
chitin carapace that shines like an oil
slick. Spikes at vital areas ensure that
any kaiju who strikes Atanithos will pay
for it dearly. He also has limited flight
ability, although it is nothing compared
to the graceful flight of Suzumegane.
Atanithos is capable of generating
enormous amounts of heat, which allows him to shoot lava from his stomach
at an enemy, burning them severely. His
claws and mandibles will crush stone
and shred metal with little effort. Knowing that he is immune to much damage,
Atanithos likes to grab an enemy and
burn them or maul them as they struggle futilely.

Stats:
Attack: 7
Defense: 9
Engineering: 8
Movement: 4
Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 4
Weapons:
Spikes (1/Impact)
Lava Barf (2/Energy)
Claws (0/Melee)
Mandibles (0/Melee)
Configurations:
Flanker
Bulwark

39

Dreams of Ruin: Titans

Kaiju Titans

All kaiju who are neither one of the

four Guardians nor acting as Champion
of the enemies of humanity are classified
as Titans. Titans are considerably less ferocious and powerful than Guardians or
Champions, but are still a threat to civilization. At any given moment there are up
to two dozen Titans roaming the planet.
Titans exist in this SRS as a means of
allowing the players to fight gigantic kaiju
at an early stage in the story without ruining the credibility of the Guardians or the
Champions as endgame threats. Presented below is a table for generating Titans
on-the-fly.

Sample Titan:
Ranarg

Ranarg began life as a simple Gila

monster. Content to spend his days lazing in the heat of the desert, Ranarg's
inconsequential existence was dramatically altered when he came into contact
with waste from a Yamashida plant in the
southwestern United States.
Ranarg's appetite became insatiable,
and he began to grow to impossible dimensions as he ate. Topping out at 20 meters tall, Ranarg became a fearsome Titan.
Though he does not possess the raw pow-

er of the Guardians, Ranarg has become a

powerful creature indeed.
Named for the sound of his disconcerting roar, Ranarg scurries quickly into
battle, spitting and biting with terrible
venom. He has taken down far larger foes
with a simple bite, running off and waiting
for the poison to do its work. Pilots who
feel invulnerable against the poison in
their metal battle frames are in for a nasty
shock when the caustic venom begins to
corrode their armor.
Stats:
Attack: 6
Defense: 8
Engineering: 5
Movement: 8
Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 3
Weapons:
Terrible Scream (3/Sonic)
Bite (0/Melee)
Spit (1/Impact)
Configurations:
Slayer
Prowler

d6

Form

Disposition

Powers

Mythological
creature

Vicious

Electrical

Dinosaur

Jittery

Fire

Primate

Protective

Wind

Sea Monster

Territorial

Ice

Bird-of-prey

Kind

Poison

Roll twice on
this column

Lonesome

Exotic (star plasma,

dark matter, etc.)

40

Dreams of Ruin: Champions

Kaiju Champions
Taoitora

Taiotora is the ultimate human nightmare. He is the scourge of planets and

he is headed straight for the Earth.
Taoitora is 200 meters tall at his shoulders. He is roughly feline, with bile-colored fur and two horrible tiger heads
that are always restlessly searching for
prey. His tail is too long for a feline, and
seems to possess
its own awareness,
attacking targets
behind him with
a horrible venomous barb. Still, his
worst feature does
not cause fear,
but rather distress. Rather than
a proud battle cry,
each of Taoitora's
heads emits a wail
that sounds exactly like a woman
screaming in terror. This wail can
be heard for miles,
and its volume
does not decrease
with distance from
the kaiju.
Taiotora fights
like one would expect from a cat:
swiping, biting and
pouncing. He is a
blur in melee, stopping only to eat his
fallen opponents.
He will do this even

while surrounded by enemies and uses

his tail to continue the fight while he
dines at an almost leisurely pace. Each of
set of his eyes are completely white, with
no visible irises or pupil and frequently
fire a deadly beam. The beams are ultraviolet, having the same visible effect as a
black light and cause horrendous pain in
their targets, usually incapacitating them
while the beast moves in for the kill.

41

Dreams of Ruin: champions

Taiotora has not reached Earth. He
has been headed here for centuries,
after psionically detecting life. Now,
Taiotora waits at the edge of the solar
system, just outside the Oort cloud,
waiting for some unknown reason.
Stats:
Attack: 10
Defense: 8
Engineering: 6
Movement: 8
Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 4
Weapons:
Scream of the Dishonored Dead (5/Sonic)
Tail Strike (1/Impact)
Tail Barb (0/Impact)
Eye Beams (2/Energy)
Claws (0/Melee)
Configurations:
Assassin
Berserker

Kamak

The name Kamak is seared forever into the minds of the inhabitants of
countless worlds. A sadistic monster,
Kamak fights for anyone willing to pay
him and is often used to attack a planet
as a vanguard and decimate its defenses. In return, Kamak receives upgrades
to his cybernetics, unique trinkets or
captives to torture for his amusement.
Kamak is not a true kaiju, but the
last survivor of a race of giants. He engineered the downfall of his fellows on
a whim and has spent the last few centuries finding ever more creative ways
to kill and tougher enemies to fight. He
stands 80 meters tall, a mass of twisted

flesh and metal, the cobbled-together

product of the enhancements of dozens
of grateful and fearful employers.
Kamak is an unrelenting opponent.
He spins like a dervish, striking out with
his four bladed arms, heedless of the
danger to himself. Kamak also possesses a dangerous electromagnetic field
weapon, which causes chunks of earth
to erupt from beneath his opponents,
turning the ground itself into a weapon. While deadly, Kamak has a crippling weakness. He feels that there is
no true threat to him, so when he has
an opponent on the ropes, he will take
a moment to gloat, roaring and leaping about to demoralize any onlookers.
One day, he may find that he has made a
deadly mistake.
Kamak currently fights for Taiotora.
Kamak does not care for Taiotora's reasons, only that he will receive the ultimate enhancements that Taiotora has
promised him. Meanwhile, he is a cerebral fighter and knows that a blow to an
enemy's psyche is just as painful as one
to his body. Kamak will ruthlessly target
major residential centers, leveling cities
while he laughs gleefully and flies away
to cause more misery.
Stats:
Attack: 8
Defense: 8
Engineering: 7
Movement: 7
Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 4

42

Dreams of Ruin: champions

is slowly developing sentience. To what
path this will lead remains to be seen.

Weapons:
Blade Arm (0/Melee)
Blade Arm (0/Melee)
The Ground Itself (2/Impact)
Cyber Eye Ray (3/Energy)

Stats:
Attack: 6
Defense: 12
Engineering: 7
Movement: 5

Configurations:
Flanker
Boomer

Rendaza

Skills:
Kaiju Combat: 4

An unknown quantity, Rendaza is

about to make its entrance into the
struggle for Earth. Created by The
Prophet using plans given to him by
Taiotora, Rendaza is the key to Taiotora's plans.
In its base form, Rendaza resembles
a mechanical eight-limbed starfish. It
is 70 meters in diameter, but this base
form is seldom seen. Instead, Rendaza
mounts tens of thousands of hard light
projectors, scent synthesizers, acoustic
speakers and energy emitters. He utilizes this equipment to alter its appearance and abilities to appear like any other kaiju that it has observed.
Rendaza fights in the style of the kaiju whom it is currently emulating. It will
spend a great deal of time tracking its
target and observing every mannerism
and ability. When observing, Rendaza
uses its projectors for stealth, remaining
undetected until it departs, ready to assume a new form for whatever mission
it must accomplish.
Rendaza houses a battery capable of
absorbing energy in many forms from
kaiju or Mecha that it fights. This stored
energy is being hoarded to accomplish
Taiotora's goals, but exactly how this
will happen is as yet unknown. Rendaza was built without a personality, but
as it encounters various forms of life, it

Weapons:
Limb (0/Impact)
Limb (0/Impact)
Hard Beam (4/Energy)
Configurations:
Prowler
Supercharged

The Prophet's Mecha

A tall, slender Mecha that resembles

no other earthly design, this mechanical
terror is a stalking nightmare. Because
the Prophet has duties to attend elsewhere, he seldom makes an appearance
in his Mecha. When he joins a battle,
onlookers and participants can be sure
that critical events are unfolding.
Seemingly carved from obsidian,
this spindly Mecha resembles nothing
so much as a black humanoid skeleton.
Eyewitnesses claim that tiny blue sparks
dance along or just below the surface
of its plating, but these sparks are not
evident in the few video and still images
available. A free-floating cape and cowl
surround the Mecha, serving as a form
of active armor, catching missiles and
absorbing energy fire.
Whether moving normally or in combat, the Mecha makes no sound as it
hovers slightly above the ground. The

43

Dreams of Ruin: champions

only noise is the eerie whisper-swish
of its flying scythe-whip. That and the
screams of its victims.
While formidable, this Mecha does
not often see combat. If the tide turns
against him, the Prophet will turn tail
and run. He fights only when necessary,
as the completion of his plan is more
important than the outcome of a single
battle.

Configurations:
Charger
Destructor
Weapons:
Scythe-whip (1/Melee)
Scythe-whip (2/Melee)
Cape Strike (0/Energy)
Dead Silence (0/Sonic)
Vile Darkness (4/Energy)

Weapons: 5
Armor: 5
Technology: 4
Speed: 3

44

special rules
Available
Damage Types

Destructor

Kaiju uses the standard damage

types from Mecha: Energy, Missile, Impact, and Melee and also adds Sonic as a
damage type to pay homage to numerous kaiju scream weapons.

Available
Configurations

All Configurations from the core

book are allowed in this setting.

New
Configurations
Charger

Special Rules

Hey, the enemy smashed through the

building, why shouldnt we?
-- Claire Cocteau, formerly of the Ministry of Justice
Traits: Hurried, Relaxed
Description: Any mecha can smash
through a building, but Chargers do it in
style. Whether they are better fortified
to smash into a building, have special
battering rams, hooks, or other equipment, a Charger is as much an enemy to
the scenery around it as it is to the enemies it is trying to kill.
Game Effects: Spend 1 point of Overdrive to active Charger. For each sector
through which your character movies,
you may make an unarmed Attack (roll
half your Attack dice) against every
building in the sector.

An Enraged kaijus nothing to sneeze

at. Thats why we take down the buildings. Yeah, were doing the beasts work
for it, but at least were doing it on terms.
Thats got to count for something, right?
-- Captain Jaysin Liebgott, 1st Division, United States Army
Traits: Constructive, Destructive
Description: Destructors are a buildings worst nightmare, even more than
a rampaging kaiju. Destructor come
equipped with special equipment: blasting charges, mining drills, dozer blades,
etc. that allow them to be especially lethal to buildings. Even more impressive,
they can make attacks against several
buildings at once.
Game Effects: Spend 1 point of Overdrive to active Destructor and make an
Attack roll. This amount of damage is
applied to all buildings in the given Sector. Destructor may only be used once
per turn per Sector, however, it can be
used in multiple Sectors in a given turn
with each Sector getting an Attack roll.

Buildings

Buildings play a larger role in Kaiju

than in other Mecha settings, so here
are optional rules that you can use when
putting buildings into combat.
First, the Gamemaster should indicate how many buildings are in a given
Sector, how many Damage Points each
building has and whether they impede
line of sight and/or movement. The
number of Damage Points doesnt need
to be share with players, but they will

45

Special Rules
obviously know if the buildings block
line of sight or movement.

Damage Points

Damage Points work just like damage

against mooks. In other words, Damage
Points are the number of Successes it
takes to destroy the building and can
range from 3 (an apartment building) to
10 (a military bunker.) Damage to building is cumulative and buildings cannot
be healed in a turn.
Example: Kayleigh OHares player decides he will have Kayleigh attack a skyscraper. The Gamemaster determines
that the skyscraper has 8 Damage Points.
On his attack, the player rolls four Successes and tells the GM. She marks four
points off the building and notes the skyscraper can take four more points before
collapsing.

Line of Sight

Sometimes buildings are so large that

you cannot see even a giant kaiju behind
it. When this is the case, it means that
certain units will not be targetable on
the board. If the GM determines a building blocks of line of sight, then all units
in the Sector with the building cannot
be targeted. Also, the Attacking player
should trace a path using the shortest
range possible between the Attacker
and the Defender. If that path crosses
a building blocking line of sight, the Attacker cannot make the Attack.
Units in the Sector that blocks line of
sight can still Attack so long as another
Sector doesnt block line of sight.

Blocking Movement

Some building will prevent movement from a certain direction into and

out of the Sector. When this is the case,

the GM must indicate which sector is
impeded and from which direction(s),
movement is blocked. Units cannot
moved into the Sector from the impeded directions nor leave in those directions until the building is destroyed.

Destroying Buildings

The player or NPC that destroys a

building gains 1 Point of Overdrive.

Mayhem

To represent both the high level of

scenery destruction in kaiju films and
the boost in power that kaiju receive
from eliminating modern infrastructure,
the Mayhem mechanic has been devised. Mayhem acts to keep the action
in this SRS in line with that of the greatest kaiju movies.
In any round in which a kaiju specifically targets and damages a building,
they gain one point of Mayhem. If a kaiju
attacks and damages a building on the
round after he first gains a point of Mayhem, then he gains two points instead,
and on the third round he gains a three
points. When a kaiju gains a total of six
points of Mayhem, he becomes Enraged.
An Enraged kaiju gains an additional
point of Overdrive. On the round after he
becomes Enraged, the kaiju's Kaiju Combat skill is temporarily increased by one,
and any Cutscenes that the kaiju may
roll give a whole combat action, instead
of a half combat action. For Titans, the
Enraged state passes after one round,
whereas Guardians and Champions stay
enraged for two. After the Enraged state
passes, Mayhem is reset to zero and the
process begins all over again.

46

story stages
Story Stages are major arcs within a
campaign. They are presented to players and GMs so that everyone is on the
same page about where the game starts
and what might happen during a Kaiju
campaign. These stages are just a suggestion and the GM should feel free to
tell whatever story she would like.
Each stage lists three things: Initial
Conditions, Types of Action, and Story
Milestones.
Initial Conditions describe the
status of the setting at the start
of the stage. You should notice
that the stages build on each
other so that the types of action
and milestones from one stage
should lead naturally to the next.
There are no rules that say a story has to go through each stage,
or any of them. They are provided as a broad outline of how a
game could go.
Types of Action list the different battles that players should
expect. GMs can use the Types
of Action list to give them some
ideas of the types of battles they
can setup.
Lastly, the Story Milestones give
GMs some ideas of different
things which might happen at
each stage.

Stage One:
The Gathering
Initial Conditions
The various Pilots may not know one
another at this point, and will likely have
to be introduced. One possibility for
bringing together the group is utilizing
a shadowy patron who recruits the Pilots and acts as mission control. Another idea is to begin in media res, placing
all of the Pilots together at the site of a
kaiju attack.

Types of Action
Hunting Titans, investigating the
United World Government and its Ministries, clashes with other resistance
movements, scavenging upgrade parts.

Story Milestones
At this stage, players should be familiarized with the setting, one of a totalitarian utopia anticipating the apocalypse. Players should see that neither
the UWG nor the industrialists led by
Mr. Yamashida are to be trusted. The
Pilots will likely be hunting down dangerous Titans, and should be hearing rumors about the locations and intentions
of the Guardians. While contact with
the Guardians should be limited, feel
free to tease future developments with
glimpses of the Guardians in action or
in cryptic psionic communications with
the great kaiju.
Beginning in this stage and continuing until the very end of the game, on
her turn the GM should roll a d6 for each

47

story stages
player. On a result of 1, that player's Pilot suffers from a visionary nightmare
of Taiotora. Pilots having nightmares
must engage in a pre-scene where
they encounter the pyschic projection
of Taiotora and/or the Prophet. After
this, they must roll their Will, using the
Willpower as their skill.
Failure on this roll means that in their
Scene for this episode, their TN is increased by 1 if they choose a Social or
Field Ops Scene, or the number of Successes rolled is considered one fewer
for Recovery or Repair Scenes. If a player has a psionic Pilot who has a nightmare, that Pilot suffers a penalty to their
Will for the roll to resist the nightmare
equal to the number of the current Story Stage.
By the end of this stage, Pilots formerly loyal to Yamashida and the UWG should
be formally and publicly renounced as
traitors, knowledge of resistance movements should be open to the players and
the fact that Yamashida's technological
breakthroughs are making things worse
should be apparent.

Stage Two:
Stormfront
Initial Conditions
The Pilots are now active members of
a resistance movement. They have had
experience in combating weaker kaiju.
Barring the players' use of disguises,
every encounter with the UWG will be
hostile. As they are public enemies of
the state, their options for carrying on
a normal life are severely limited, but
many sympathizers will provide for their
basic needs.

Types of Actions
Infiltrating and sabotaging military
installations and Yamashida plants and
laboratories, researching and seeking
out the Guardians, recruiting new resistance members, negotiating between
rival cells.

Story Milestones
The Pilots will soon learn the nature
of the Guardians and of the nightmares
of Taiotora (see What's Really Going
On? in the GM section). This knowledge
can be gleaned from ancient archaeological sites guarded by the UWG or
from downloading files on Yamashida
servers.
Players should see their first action
with the Guardians, These will be major
encounters, almost always in high-population areas. Psionic characters will be
given flashes of insight into the Guardian minds, allowing them to perceive
that the Guardians are indeed not their
true enemies. As the Guardians are opposed to the industrialization of the
planet, an easy way to make allies of
them is for the players to attack cities,
factories and the like. This of course will
raise questions about the morality of
destroying innocent cities, as opposed
to evil UWG forces, in order to accomplish a hopefully greater good.
Rendaza should make an appearance, and it is best used in a scenario
that brings the Guardians together.
Having Rendaza revealed as an impostor will serve to unite the Guardians
against a hated new foe. Kamak should
be making his rounds as well. To prevent
Pilots and kaiju from teaming up against
the Champions too easily, have the two
Champions make attacks against differ-

48

story stages
ent areas of the planet simultaneously.
The party can be split up, with different
groups allying with various Guardians.

Stage Three:
Final Clash

their kaiju promoted to Guardian instead of an NPC Titan. This must make
thematic sense, however. Each Guardian represents an element, so the promoted Titan will have to fill in the same
role as their predecessor.

Story Milestones

Initial Conditions
Yamashida forces have finally succeeded in weakening the force field
around the Oort cloud sufficiently for
Taiotora to pass through and approach
the Earth. Although many brave battles
have been fought to prevent the terrible
Champion from arriving, those efforts
have been for naught. Taiotora is near
and hope is dwindling. Regardless of
whether or not it has been destroyed by
the players, Rendaza has fully charged
and activated its special battery, tearing
open a portal to the dimension where
Order and Chaos have been trapped for
eons. It only requires the will of Taiotora
to activate it and enter the dimension to
completely eradicate Order.

Types of Actions
It is entirely possible that the players have advanced to this point but are
not powerful enough to stand against
Taiotora and his minions. If this is the
case, there are several things that can
be done to help them out.
Any or all of the Guardians may have
fallen in battle. To fill in this roster gap,
the GM may promote any Titans previously encountered to Guardian status.
The fallen Guardian's elemental power
is absorbed into the Titan, strengthening it for its new role.
Any Pilots who are psionically controlling a Titan may, at their wish, have

This is going to be the shortest of all

the stages. Once the world-devouring
menace touches down, it is only going
to be a matter of hours or days at the
most before the matter of Earth's survival is settled.
The final battle should be the most
spectacular of the entire story. Taiotora and his surviving minions are struggling mightily to destroy the Guardians
so that the vile Champion can do away
with Order itself.
At the end of the battle, any surviving Guardians will regard the Pilots with
gratitude before moving on to slumber
once more. Whatever is next for the Pilots is up to the group. Do they retire
now that the danger of the kaiju has
passed? Do they continue on in their
efforts, now determined to bring about
a truly beneficial United World Government? Do they go their separate ways
or do they stay together? Whatever the
choice, the story is now finished. The
Pilots have proven to be brave until the
end, standing strong in the face of the
mightiest threats in the universe and
prevailing.

The Realm of
Chaos and Order

The final battles of this SRS will take

place within the Realm of Chaos and
Order. For eons both have been locked
away, with Chaos fighting bitterly to get

49

story stages
Order to relent and break down the barriers that hold them both in place, while
Order struggles to repair any damage
done to their prison.
The realms are mainly featureless.
For the most part it is a flat stone bed
stretching to an infinite horizon. The sky
is always black and lightning strikes constantly. Above the characters float giant
stone slabs at various elevations and impossible cloud-manifestations of earth.
Where the landscape is damaged in battle, holes form in the ground, revealing
that it is only about ten meters thick and
that it is just another floating slab in the
unfathomably large void.
Sparsely dotting the landscape are a
series of structures. Some of these are
black, twisted, wrong-looking stonework. Klein bottles, hyperbolic non-Euclidean structures and other shapes
incomprehensible to the human brain
twist and sway, watching and laughing
at the characters. Others are white.
These are obelisks, Moebius bands, pyramids and the like, standing stalwart
and radiating warm light.
The structures represent various
machinations of Chaos and Order, manifested in forms visible to humans and
kaiju. These should dot the Bullseye
Map in the same manner as buildings on
Earth. When a Guardian destroys a black
structure, they gain Mayhem just as if
they had destroyed a building. Taiotora
and the Prophet, although not Rendaza
or Kamak (if these two are somehow
present in the Realm) will suffer -1 die on
all rolls per black structure destroyed in
the previous round.
If the forces of Chaos destroy a white
structure, then they gain Mayhem. Additionally, if all of the white structures on
a map are destroyed by Taiotora or the

Prophet personally (at least 4 per map),

then Taiotora will become infused with
the power of Chaos, and will gain an
extra Cutscene every time he gains a
Cutscene. The players may decide to level one or more white structures themselves in order to prevent Taiotora from
powering up. This will cause pain to the
Guardians, but it will prevent Taiotora
from powering up. All Guardians suffer
-1 die per white structure destroyed in
the previous round.
In addition to the black and white
structures, there are several points of
opalescent energy radiating above the
ground. These points are manifestation
nodes. Manifestation nodes are points
where either Chaos or Order can establish a firmer hold upon a small area of
the Realm. In game terms, the Tactical
Waypoint on any Bullseye Map within
the Realm of Chaos and Order will be a
manifestation node. Controlling the Tactical Waypoint means securing the area
for the force of Order, giving a brief respite from combat.
There are a total of three combats in
the Realm of Chaos and Order. If after
two combats Taiotora has not fallen,
then at the beginning of the third combat he will become permanently bound
to the force of Chaos. Chaos Taiotora
receives an extra Cutscene every time
that he receives a Cutscene. He also has
two extra boxes on his Stability Track.
These boxes do not count when making
Stability Checks. In fact, the first Stability Check isnt rolled until the third point
of damage is taking.
If Chaos Taiotora is ever slain and
the Prophet or Kamak (but not Rendaza) are alive, then he will drain their life
force, healing a number of boxes equal
to their remaining Stability. In a battle

50

story stages
with Chaos Taiotora, there is no Tactical
Victory. He must be destroyed utterly,
and he will seek nothing less.

Gamemasters
Whats Really Going On?
Great stalking monstrosities with
ineffable motivations, a global government secretly run by a reclusive individualist and a species-wide communal
nightmare. These are all elements of the
story, but a question has to be asked:
what does it all mean?
The awakening of the Guardians
and the coming of Taiotora are events
that trace their origins to the beginning
of time. Hundreds of millions of years
ago there existed two great Forces.
Each was nameless, as they preceded
the existence of any species intelligent
enough to comprehend their natures,
and they are known today only as the
Orderly Force and the Chaotic Force.
These Forces were personifications
of light and dark, creation and decay,
order and chaos. Each was diametrically opposed to the other, and eventually
they began a war that lasted for eons,
wiping out countless newly-formed wild
worlds, until the Orderly Force managed to lock away the Chaotic Force in
a secluded reality wholly separate from
this one.
The cost of imprisoning Chaos was
that Order had to sacrifice its own freedom. While far from ideal, Orders purpose was to give the lesser species a
chance to escape Chaos wrath, even if
that meant they would not benefit from
Orders guidance.
The four Guardian kaiju are all that
remain in this reality of the forces of

Order. Lesser avatars of the greater

whole, they have been tasked with protecting the Earth, the key to the seal
that binds the two forces away. Their
goal is to stop any machinations of
those who would release Chaos upon
creation once more. Unfortunately all
four Guardians have damaged minds.
The final confrontation between Order
and Chaos psychically wounded each of
them, causing them to forget their identities. While united the four are an invincible fighting force, at this point they are
unaware of or do not trust each other.
Taoitora, the last Champion of Chaos,
has spent centuries seeking the location of the seal. Having finally found it
on the Earth, he has begun his plan for
revenge. A force field erected by Order
and maintained by the Guardians prevents any Chaotic being from passing
through the Oort cloud of this solar system. The force field relies upon Order,
as represented by ecological harmony.
In order to deplete the field, Taiotora
has psionically recruited Mr. Yamashida
to be his Prophet. Yamashida has done
well for his master, sowing fear and maneuvering industry to the point where
harmony will be upset so greatly that
Taoitora will be able to approach Earth.
While Yamashida currently runs a
clean energy program, his facilities are
stocked with dangerous material that
is released when the facilities are destroyed. Resistance fighters, Titans and
even enraged Guardians are all unwittingly playing a part in decaying the barrier.
Still, Yamashida is not alone. The
mercenary kaiju Kamak has been called
in to aid the mayhem, and to weaken or
kill any Guardians that he can. Rendaza,
built by Yamashida on Taiotoras orders,

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story stages
serves as an agent of obfuscation, using the forms of the Guardians to place
blame on them for the death of innocents.
When the barrier falls, Taiotora will
assault the seal by opening a portal from
Earth. The power to open the portal will
come from Rendaza, who has been storing energy collected from many battles
for just this purpose. More than just
opening the seal, Taiotora and his minions also plan to kill the Guardians and

release Chaos. Should this come to pass

then Chaos will surely triumph, as Order
will be bereft of its avatars and assailed
by merciless, nigh-omnipotent foes. The
day that the Guardians fall is the day
that all creation weeps in the face of unyielding doom.
Okay pilot, there are kaiju roaming
free out there and order to save. Go
fight!

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