™

The shAdOW wAr

Quick-Start Adventure:
The Worms of Nergal
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 “Fear of the dark is among our most primal fears
and has plagued humanity since the dawn of time
- only eclipsed by fear of the unknown. There are
hidden things, things from other worlds and the
spaces in-between, which exist just outside our
sight. Sometimes it is desirable not to glimpse the
things in the corner of your eye, for once you see
into these worlds there is no turning back.”

— Jameson Alfred Prufrock, selected lectures

Created by: Matthew Grau

Design & Writing: Matthew Grau, Bob Arens
Associate Designers: Jacob Bleier, Casey Chastain, Philip Flarsheim, Eric Talbert,
Travis Wickline, Lori Witwer
Production & Graphics: Matthew Grau
Editing: Bob Arens, Philip Flarsheim, Jacob Bleier, Steckel Bleier
Additional Material: Robert Glass, Bruce Graw
Cover by: Marco Mazzoni

WildFire is: Chris Dorn, Robert Glass, Matthew Grau, Steve Pitcher

©2023, WDF LLC dba WildFire. All rights reserved. CthulhuTech, CthulhuTech: the Shadow War, WildFire,
and their respective logos are ™ WDF LLC.

This PDF may be distributed freely in its unaltered state.

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A tale older than time.

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i i INTRODUCTION
“In some way, we’re all attracted to the dark side of existence, even though we
know that monsters lurk there.” — Jameson Alfred Prufrock, selected lectures

Welcome to CthulhuTech: the Shadow War! This section will give you a solid
overview of the game and mechanics to help get you playing as quickly as
possible.

WHAT KIND OF GAME IS THIS?

CthulhuTech is a science fantasy role playing game, set in a high-tech near-
future Earth, with magic and monsters blended in. The world teeters on the
DESIGNING ADVENTURES

edge of apocalypse, as aliens and powerful dark entities alike seek to bring
about their own new age and the end to ours.

This most important

thing is that you and HOW MANY PEOPLE DO I NEED?
your group have fun, The game is best played with a Game Master (GM) and four players, but you
so feel free to modify
things to your tastes. can play with as many people as your GM is comfortable managing.

WHAT DICE DO I NEED?

CthulhuTech is dice-agnostic, so you can use any kind of dice as long as they
are even-sided. You’ll need a pool of around ten.

REBOOTED & REVISED

This isn’t just a second edition of CthulhuTech, but rather the game re-
imagined and rebuilt from the ground up. If you’re familiar with the previous
version of CthulhuTech, most of the history and setting will be familiar to
you, though it has matured in tone, expanded, and even been retconned in
some places. The timeline of CthulhuTech has advanced to 2088, so all the
material from previous metaplot books has been integrated – and evolved.
The game mechanics, on the other hand, have changed completely and
present you with new, interesting, and streamlined options for play.

LEARN WHILE YOU PLAY

We want you to get to the fun of CthulhuTech as quickly as possible, which
doesn’t include deciphering all the material and rules. You want to play,
not read.
A summary of these
rules can also be
found on p. 70. This Quick-Start Adventure includes a starting adventure, along with six
ready-to-play characters, designed to teach everyone - players and GM’s
alike - about the setting and the rules through the course of play.

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i i

WHY WOULD I WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME?

We know we’re competing for the limited time and attention of your gaming
group, and you probably have a regular game going. If you find yourself
interested in what you see here, there is so much more to explore. We’ve
put a lot of thought into the universe of CthulhuTech and filled it with rich
Only one of these
texture and narrative to give you lots of inspiration. CthulhuTech offers a systems, the
unique, highly-detailed setting with fascinating characters in an interesting Fundamental, will
be explored in

DESIGNING ADVENTURES
environment, and a system with three variations for mechanics to better fit this Quick-Start.

your style.
Between the two core books — the Player’s Handbook and Game Master’s For more of what
Guide — you’ll have a wealth of material to keep your games and characters CthulhuTech
offers, see p. 68.
fresh for years to come.
But first, try before you buy.

THE CHARACTERS & ADVENTURE

These characters are
We’ve provided you with six ready-to-play characters, which you should just a sample of the
prepare in a format that you can distribute and use in the game, be it print 10 different heritages
and 10 different
or digital. Tager symbionts
found in the Player’s
If you’re a player, feel free to take a look at the characters and get a sense Handbook.

of which you might like to play. If any ability applies Edge, this means you
will get additional dice to roll to achieve success.
For more advanced
players and GMs,
You should skip p. 31-67, because that is the adventure which should only be there are additional
read by those intending to be the GM. rules you may like to
use starting on p. 72.

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READY-TO-PLAY CHARACTERS

PENTY

SINGS-FROM VOID

ZHANG WEI

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READY-TO-PLAY CHARACTERS
NOVADA

SELANIADE

SHOTHAAL

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NOVADA TARANOTA
Pronounced: PACKNAME Knuckles
no-vah-dah
ta-ra-not-ah
GENDER PRESENTATION Male

HERITAGE Amlati (Korraki, 4th Legion)

BACKGROUND Student

SYMBIONT Mirage

TRAINING Trickster

AGE 21
NOVADA TARANOTA

Average build, storied tattoos,

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
short black hair

PERSONALITY Sly, upbeat

LANGUAGES English, Nazzadi

MORTAL STATS

ATTRIBUTES: MORTAL

Awareness 4 Physique 2 Presence 5 Tenacity 4

CHARACTERISTICS: MORTAL
Novada’s base
Health is 6, which
is multiplied by
Health (total) 18 Speed 6
3 as a PC.
SKILLS

Novada is good with Alertness 2 Business & Politics 1

people, especially
acting and lying.
Convince 3 Hidden World 1

Humanities 3 Lie 3

Lie Specialization: Bluff +1 Odd Job 1

Body Fighting 3 Gun Fu 3

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TAGER STATS
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ATTRIBUTES: TAGER These stats
supercede your
Awareness 5 Physique 3 Presence 5 Tenacity 4 mortal stats when
you shift into your
Tager form.
CHARACTERISTICS: TAGER
Novada’s base
Health (total) 24 Health as a Tager is
8, which is multiplied
by 3 as a PC.
SUSTAIN: TAGER

Armor 1 Regeneration 1 every other turn

SENSES: TAGER

NOVADA TARANOTA
Nightvision 50

MOBILITY: TAGER

Running 6 Wall-walking 4

TAGER SPECIAL ABILITY

DISPLACEMENT

You project a mystical light-manipulating field around yourself, which can be

turned on and off at will. While active:

You can create temporary, photo-realistic illusions within Range 10 for

as long as you are concentrating on the ability. During this time, you
can’t take any action other than movement. These illusions may be up to
the size of a delivery truck, or a smaller number of things that add up to
the size of one and are within Range 3 of each other.
Displacement
Since they are only visual illusions, they won’t pass close scrutiny. allows you to create
visual illusions.
They have no material form, make no sound, create no heat, and do
no damage. The purpose of these clever constructs is to disorient and
confuse.

You may conceal your monstrous form inside an illusion, appearing to be

something else. This gives you Edge +1 to the Do It Better Complex Action
when used for this purpose.

Anyone who figures out that your illusions aren’t real can sense something
uncannily fake about them, but see them nonetheless.

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i SYMBIONT BLEED

GLAMOUR

Your Displacement Field allows you to change your face and clothing to
Glamour allows disguise or impersonate. This gives you Edge +1 to the Do It Better Complex
you to look like
someone else. Action when used for this purpose. Since they are only visual illusions, they
most likely won’t pass close scrutiny. Anyone who detects your illusion won’t
be able to see the real you, but you look uncannily fake to them.

ATTACKS
NOVADA TARANOTA

BASIC ATTACK Fundamental Attack

Use this as your Your basic attack involves either lashing out with your sharp tentacles, or
primary Close
Combat Strikeback. focusing your Displacement powers to discharge a bright beam of hard light.

EFFECTS Damage 4 or Damage 4 + Range 10

COLOR BLAST Fundamental Attack

Enemies hurt by this
attack suffer -2 Edge
to their Actions on You fire a beam of dazzling light, which explodes into a multi-colored burst to
their next turn.
blind groups of enemies.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 4 + Range 15 + AOE 5 + Disorient 2

If you hit with

this attack, you PHOTON BARRAGE Fundamental Attack
may make a free
second attack. Total
up damage from You focus a tight hard light barrage at the weak spots of your enemy, blasting
both hits before past their protection.
reducing by Armor.

This may not be EFFECTS Damage 6 + Shred 1 + Range 15

used as a Strikeback.

PHOTON BLAST Fundamental Attack

Photon Blast
allows you to snipe
enemies at range. You fire a concentrated blast of hard light, which flashes through the air to
snipe at enemies faraway.
Use this as a Ranged
Combat Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 8 + Range 25

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TENTACLE LASH Fundamental Attack

If you hit with
this attack, you
i
may make a free
second attack. Total
Seeking out your enemy’s weak spots and ripping at them, your vicious up damage from
tentacles whip out in a flurry. both hits before
reducing by Armor.

EFFECTS Damage 6 + Shred 1 This may not be

used as a Strikeback.

QUALITIES

BACKBONE Asset CAPTIVATING Asset

You can tolerate more physical pain than the Many people find your presence appealing.
average person.

NOVADA TARANOTA
MECHANICS
MECHANICS
You gain Edge +1 for the Use Force of
You gain Edge +1 for the Push Yourself Personality Simple Action when dealing with
Simple Action any time you attempt to resist someone who is likely to find you attractive.
the effects of pain.

STARCHILD Amlati Asset

NIGHTVISION Asset
A child of Human and Nazzadi parents, you
You see better in dim light than other
have an instinctual connection to objective
people.
reality and the way people behave in
MECHANICS relation to it.

You have Nightvision 50 MECHANICS

You gain Edge +1 for Complex Actions to

resist any attempt to convince, dissuade, lie,
or control you. You also gain Edge +1 for the
Use Force of Personality Simple Action when
used to figure out how to fit in with a group
of people.

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i PENTY NANOKY

Pronounced:
PACKNAME Barber
pen-tuh
nan-ock-uh GENDER PRESENTATION Female

HERITAGE Nazzadi (Keladi, 4th Legion)

BACKGROUND Freeborn

SYMBIONT Widow

TRAINING Trawler

AGE 23

Petite build, heart-shaped face,

PENTY NANOKY

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
short black hair

PERSONALITY Intense, unsettling

LANGUAGES English, Nazzadi

MORTAL STATS

ATTRIBUTES: MORTAL

Awareness 3 Physique 6 Presence 2 Tenacity 4

CHARACTERISTICS: MORTAL

Penty’s base Health (total) 30 Speed 12

Health is 10, which
is multiplied by
3 as a PC. SKILLS

Alertness 1 Athletics 3

Computers &
Construction & Engineering 1 1
Communications
Penty is smart,
educated, and a
capable investigator. Hidden World 2 Humanities 2

Law & Crime

Law & Crime 2 +1
Specialization: CSI

Lie 1 Science 2

Body Fighting 3 Gun Fu 2

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TAGER STATS i
ATTRIBUTES: TAGER These stats
supercede your
mortal stats when
Awareness 4 Physique 6 Presence 2 Tenacity 5 you shift into your
Tager form.

CHARACTERISTICS: TAGER
Penty’s base Health
as a Tager is 11,
Health (total) 33 which is multiplied
by 3 as a PC.

SUSTAIN: TAGER

Armor 1 Regeneration 1 every other turn

SENSES: TAGER

PENTY NANOKY
Nightvision 50

MOBILITY: TAGER

Running 6 Wall-walking 4

TAGER SPECIAL ABILITY

SPINNERETS

You have the ability to produce strong webbing, and can create a person- Spinnerets allow
sized web in an alleyway in about a minute (2 Turns). Anyone who might be you to spin webs.

caught, or is already caught, in your webs must succeed at the Do It Better There are many
other ways you can
Complex Action to avoid or escape, using the webbing’s Power 8. be creative with this
ability in-game.
These spinnerets also produce combat-ready abilities as well.

SYMBIONT BLEED

NIMBLE

You move at Speed 6 in your mortal form, and may move across things Nimble allows you to
move quickly across
which might not normally support you, from the fragility of glass on up, and unlikely surfaces.
walk on things no thinner than a tight-rope. You gain Edge +1 to the Use
Your Body Simple Action when used for these purposes.

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ATTACKS

BASIC ATTACK Fundamental Attack

Your basic attack involves either cutting enemies with your sharp extremities
or spraying webbing to twist them into painful positions.

EFFECTS Damage 4 or Damage 4 + Range 10

BOUNDING ASSAULT Fundamental Attack

You may make a
Jump at a foe as You leap into the air and drop onto your enemy, carving them up with your
part of this attack.
many lacerating appendages.
PENTY NANOKY

This may not be

used as a Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 12 + Pounce

You may make Run BUSHWHACK Fundamental Attack

at a foe as part of
this attack. Enemies
move half Speed on Charging at an enemy, you slash at them while spraying their legs and feet
their next turn if hit. with webbing.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback. EFFECTS Damage 12 + Advance + Slow (Half)

NECROTIC FANGS Fundamental Attack

Necrotic Fangs
allow you to do a
significant amount Delivering an ugly toxin which causes tissue to die and objects to erode, your
of damage.
large fangs are highly lethal.
Use this as a Close
Combat Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 12

STRANGLING SNARE Fundamental Attack

An enemy affected
by this attack may
not move for 2 turns. You spray your webbing at an enemy’s throat, where it begins to constrict and
cut off their airways and blood flow for a short time.
Use this as a Ranged
Combat Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 6 + Range 15 + Slow (Root) for 2 turns

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i
QUALITIES

ADAPTIVE COLORING Nazzadi Asset MIMIC Nazzadi Asset

Much like a chameleon, your genetic line Your genetic line has gifted you with the
was designed with skin which changes ability to mimic the sounds of animals or
coloring to match what’s around you. You impersonate a person’s voice.
may turn this ability on and off at will.
MECHANICS
MECHANICS
In order for you to mimic a sound, it must
You gain Edge +1 to the Be Sneaky Simple be made by a natural living thing. You
Action. must have spent at least two minutes prior
listening to and studying the voice of the
person or thing in question. You gain Edge

PENTY NANOKY
MADE FOR WAR Nazzadi Asset +1 for the Do It Better Complex Action
when trying to deceive someone with your
The Migou improved on many aspects of impersonation.
the Human metabolism, making you more
comfortable in what would otherwise be
unpleasant conditions. NIGHTVISION Asset

MECHANICS You see better in dim light than other

people.
You gain Edge +2 for the Push Yourself
Simple Action when you might be otherwise MECHANICS
negatively affected by the climate, weather,
endurance, or survival conditions. You have Nightvision 50.

CLIMATE: You are comfortable wearing light

clothing from 40°F/4°C to 120°F/49°C, SWIFT Asset
with any level of humidity. You can stay
warm in heavy clothing down to -40°F/- You’re faster on your feet than most.
40°C, and you can wear heavy gear in
100°F/38°C heat. MECHANICS

WEATHER: Designed to soldier on, you don’t Your Running speed in your mortal form
mind rain and never get the chills. Only gale increases to 12.
force winds bother you.

SUSTENANCE: You only need about 1000

calories and a liter of water per day, and can
survive for up to a week without water and
up to three months without food.

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SELANIADE VISIHNARU
Pronounced: PACKNAME Spot
sel-ahn-ee-ah-day
vi-si-hna-ar-oo
GENDER PRESENTATION Female

HERITAGE Ravenkin of Carcosa

BACKGROUND Seeker

SYMBIONT Whisper

TRAINING Scout
SELANIADE VISIHNARU

AGE 23

Dancer’s build, piercing eyes,

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
flowing blonde hair

PERSONALITY Curious, animated

LANGUAGES English, Bird

MORTAL STATS

ATTRIBUTES: MORTAL

Awareness 6 Physique 3 Presence 3 Tenacity 3

CHARACTERISTICS: MORTAL
Selaniade’s base
Health is 6, which
is multiplied by Health (total) 18 Speed 6
3 as a PC.

SKILLS

Selaniade is alert,
Alertness 3 Alertness Specialization: Sight +1
intelligent, and
technically-inclined.
Athletics 2 Construction & Engineering 3

Computers &
2 Hidden World 1
Communications

Law & Crime 2 Lie 2

Body Fighting 2 Gun Fu 2

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TAGER STATS
i

ATTRIBUTES: TAGER These stats

supercede your
mortal stats when
you shift into your
Awareness 6 Physique 4 Presence 3 Tenacity 4 Tager form.

CHARACTERISTICS: TAGER
Selaniade’s base
Health as a Tager is
Health (total) 24 8, which is multiplied
by 3 as a PC.

SUSTAIN: TAGER

Armor 1 Regeneration 1 every other turn

SENSES: TAGER

SELANIADE VISIHNARU
Nightvision 50

MOBILITY: TAGER

Running 6 Wall-walking 4

TAGER SPECIAL ABILITY

SENSORY NODE
Sensory Node
allows you to
You can funnel the sensory input of any willing Tager within Range 35 into use the senses of
yourself, sensing as if you were them. As such, you are limited to the ally’s another Tager.

range of senses and are unable to use your vast array. A Tager must consent Using this ability
feels like your mind
for you to do this, and may refuse entry or expel you from their mind at any is holding its breath.
time.

SYMBIONT BLEED

EMPATH
Empath allows
You’re attuned to the emotions of others. When you meet an NPC, you can you to discern an
ask your GM what mood they’re in and they must answer truthfully, unless NPC’s mood.

the character is mystically protected in some way.

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ATTACKS

BASIC ATTACK Fundamental Attack

Use this for your Your basic attack involves either raking with your claws, or firing energy balls
Close and Ranged
Combat Strikebacks. of scintillating light.

EFFECTS Damage 4 or Damage 4 + Range 10

GOSSAMER BOMBS Fundamental Attack

An enemy affected
by this attack suffers
You discharge a trio of scintillating energy balls, which explode into bursts of
SELANIADE VISIHNARU

-2 Edge to their
Actions for 2 turns. bright light and loud sound to temporarily stun enemies.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback. EFFECTS Range 15 + AOE 10 + Disorient 2 for 2 turns

GOSSAMER STORM Fundamental Attack

Gossamer Storm
harms a group
of enemies at From appreciably far away, you fire a trio of scintillating energy balls which
a distance.
painfully explode where they land.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 6 + Range 25 + AOE 5

You may make a full

Speed move and
attack an enemy in SHRIKE Fundamental Attack
your path.

You may also choose You quickly fly past an enemy while raking them with your claws, making you
an enemy within
Range 10 when
hard to hit for some.
attacking, and they
may not attack you
Damage 6 + Mobility (Advance)
on their next turn. EFFECTS
+ Evade 1 within Range 10
This may not be
used as a Strikeback.

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QUALITIES

KEEN SENSES Asset SIZE UP Ravenkind Asset

Your eyesight is especially sharp. Your first instinct is to assess the threat of
anyone you meet.
MECHANICS
MECHANICS
Your keen sense gives you Edge +1 to the
Notice Details Simple Action when it applies. You gain Edge +1 for the Notice Details
Simple Action when you want to get a
general idea of a person or thing’s intent
LIKE A FEATHER Ravenkind Asset and the danger they represent.

SELANIADE VISIHNARU
Gravity is kind to you and you can fall quite
a ways without getting hurt. You also have TALONS Ravenkind Asset
amazing balance and can perch on just
about anything. Catkin have hooked claws, High Ghouls have
wicked teeth, and Ravenkind have sharp
MECHANICS talons.
You can drop up to Range 5 without harm, MECHANICS
at half the rate of descent, and also gain
Jumping 2. Your natural weapons do Damage 2.

You gain Edge +1 for the Get Physical Simple

Action when your balance is important. MARKED Stranger Drawback

You are a Stranger and aren’t welcome

OF A FEATHER Ravenkind Asset in society. While you have the necessary
papers to operate, a close inspection of
You speak the lyrical language of birds.
you will reveal your true nature, to which
While not intelligent like the Ravens of
most people will respond with a level of
Carcosa, everyday birds are observant and
panic. Thus, you must keep your alien traits
can share information across distances.
hidden.
When given the choice, you prefer to work
with the much smarter ravens of any world. MECHANICS

MECHANICS Don’t let the authorities find out what you

are, because you would alarm them. People
You can talk to birds. In your interactions,
fear what they don’t understand, and fear
remember that they’re primarily motivated
leads to rash and harmful decisions.
by safety, food, and sometimes play. You
may influence them, but you can’t turn them
into a spy network or weaponize them.

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i SHOTHAAL KARG
Pronounced: PACKNAME Singe
sho-thall karg

GENDER PRESENTATION Male

HERITAGE High Ghoul

BACKGROUND Highborn

SYMBIONT Efreet

TRAINING Nova

AGE 30
SHOTHAAL KARG

Fit build, square jaw, stern eyes,

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
tapered-cut brown wig

PERSONALITY Natural leader, devoted

LANGUAGES English, Ghallish

MORTAL STATS

ATTRIBUTES: MORTAL

Awareness 2 Physique 5 Presence 4 Tenacity 4

CHARACTERISTICS: MORTAL
Shothaal’s base
Health is 9, which
is multiplied by Health (total) 27 Speed 6
3 as a PC.

SKILLS

Shothaal is a canny
Alertness 1 Business & Politics 3
businessman and a
tough negotiator. B&P Specialization:
+1 Convince 1
Management

Engineering 1 Hidden World 2

Humanities 1 Lie 1

Medicine 2 Science 2

Body Fighting 3 Gun Fu 2

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TAGER STATS i
ATTRIBUTES: TAGER These stats
supercede your
mortal stats when
Awareness 3 Physique 5 Presence 4 Tenacity 5 you shift into your
Tager form.

CHARACTERISTICS: TAGER
Shothaal’s base
Health as a Tager
Health (total) 30 is 10, which is
multiplied by
3 as a PC.
SUSTAIN: TAGER

Armor 2 Regeneration 1 every other turn

SENSES: TAGER

SHOTHAAL KARG
Nightvision 50

MOBILITY: TAGER

Running 6 Wall-walking 4

TAGER SPECIAL ABILITY

FIRESTARTER

You burn with heat, the seams of your skin and joints glowing with fire. At
will, you may ignite yourself or keep your fire at a smolder.

Here are some important characteristics of Firestarter when you’re ignited:

Firestarter allows
you to burn with
You light up a Radius 10 around you. intense heat.

Anything which physically strikes you takes Damage 2. You may color your
fire red, orange,
You can light any flammable material on fire with a touch, includ- yellow, green,
ing things on which you're standing. white, or blue, or
any rotation or
pattern involving
You always control what is ignited by your flames. While you leave those colors.
burned footprints, you don’t necessarily set the carpet on fire.
You suffer Edge -3 to the Be Sneaky Simple Action.

When smoldering, you consciously dull the flames, glowing only at your
seams, and the above characteristics do not not apply.

Regardless of state, you are immune to damage from any kind of heat or
fire, even super-heated plasma blasts.

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i SYMBIONT BLEED

ARCWELD

You can fuse together primarily metal objects with your touch, though these
Arcweld allows objects must be against one another in order to weld them together. When
you to fuse metal
together.
others attempt to break your weld, they’ll use the Use your Body Complex
Action against the Power you put into your work. It takes about a minute to
create a Power 4 weld, and every 30 seconds you spend beyond that increases
it by +2 Power, up to a maximum of 10.

ATTACKS
SHOTHAAL KARG

BASIC ATTACK Fundamental Attack

Your basic attack involves either bashing enemies with your huge fists, or
discharging a stream of fire.

EFFECTS Damage 4 or Damage 4 + Range 10

Dragonbreath allows DRAGONBREATH Fundamental Attack

you to attack at a
distance and light
things on fire. You breathe a tightly compressed stream of fire at faraway enemies, lighting
Use this as a Ranged up those things which will burn.
Combat Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 6 + Range 25 + Ignite (Flammables)

In addition to the
damage, affected
foes take an DRAGONFIST Fundamental Attack
extra Damage 2
from fire (igniting
flammables). As your body flares into the world, you raise your fist in fiery fury to smite and
Also, all enemies
automatically take ignite an enemy.
Damage 3 in AOE 1.

This may not be EFFECTS Damage 6 + Damage Aura 3 in AOE 1 + Ignite 2

used as a Strikeback.

On a successful SWAT Fundamental Attack

attack, you may
send an enemy
within Range 1 You strike an enemy with your giant fists, hitting them so hard they fly back
out to Range 5. quite a distance.
Use this as a Close
Combat Strikeback. EFFECTS Damage 6 + Reposition (Knockback)

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QUALITIES
i

ASSOCIATES Asset GHOUL NATION High Ghoul Asset

You’ve established a relationship with Ghouls are closely bound together by the
people within an organization (official Ghoul Nation, giving you access to their
or loosely defined) who can occasionally powerful resources.
provide you with information or assistance.
The organization may be your own, Ashcroft, MECHANICS
the Office of Internal Security, local criminal
Your loyalty to your people is deep and
gangs, or any other group which might be
unshakable. If you call on your own for aid,
useful for you.
they won’t refuse unless the risk is too great,
MECHANICS and vice versa. Ghouls stick together like an
organized crime family, and an insult to one

SHOTHAAL KARG
You do not need to detail your Associates is an insult to all.
until you need them during play. When
that time comes, you should work with your Ghouls also freely share information gleaned
GM to describe who your Associates are, from their various associations, so you have
the positions they hold, and what kind of a knack for knowing what’s going on.
relationships you have with these recurring You know how to find and navigate the
NPCs. Your GM will decide what your ghoulways. While others would have to be
Associates can and will provide. escorted by your people, you may come and
This ability may not come into use in this go as you please.
adventure.

MARKED Stranger Drawback

BITE High Ghoul Asset
You are a Stranger and aren’t welcome
High Ghouls have wicked teeth. in society. While you have the necessary
papers to operate, a close inspection of
MECHANICS you will reveal your true nature, to which
most people will respond with a level of
Your natural weapons do Damage 2. panic. Thus, you must keep your alien traits
hidden.

MECHANICS
DARKVISION Asset
Don’t let the authorities find out what you
You don’t need light to get around.
are, because you would alarm them. People
MECHANICS fear what they don’t understand, and fear
leads to rash and harmful decisions.
You have Darkvision 30.

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 ™

i
SINGS-FROM-VOID

PACKNAME Tiptoe

GENDER PRESENTATION Female

HERITAGE Hidden

BACKGROUND Born-in-Whispers

SYMBIONT Shadow

TRAINING Bolt

AGE 26
SINGS-FROM-VOID

Waifish build, bluish lips,

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
unblinking eyes, long black hair

PERSONALITY Quiet, focused

LANGUAGES English, Hidden

MORTAL STATS

ATTRIBUTES: MORTAL

Awareness 5 Physique 5 Presence 2 Tenacity 3

CHARACTERISTICS: MORTAL
Sings-From-Void’s
base Health is 8,
which is multiplied Health (total) 24 Speed 6
by 3 as a PC.

SKILLS

Sings-From-Void Alertness 3 Athletics 3

is agile, good with
computers, and
excellent at being Athletics Specialization: Construction &
quiet and sneaky. +1 3
Silent Movement Engineering

Computers & Communications 3 Hidden World 1

Law & Crime 2 Lie 1

Body Fighting 2 Gun Fu 2

24
 ™

TAGER STATS
i

ATTRIBUTES: TAGER These stats

supercede your
mortal stats when
Awareness 5 Physique 6 Presence 2 Tenacity 4 you shift into your
Tager form.

CHARACTERISTICS: TAGER
Sings-From-Void’s
base Health as a
Health 30 Tager is 10, which
is multiplied by
3 as a PC.
SUSTAIN: TAGER

Armor 1 Regeneration 1 every other turn

SENSES: TAGER

SINGS-FROM-VOID
Nightvision 50

MOBILITY: TAGER

Running 6 Wall-walking 4

TAGER SPECIAL ABILITY

FLICKER

You project a mystical stealth field, allowing you to flicker out of existence
and become more than just invisible. While concealed, you may use the Be
Sneaky Simple Action in plain sight with Edge +2.

Flicker allows you to disappear from sight, make no noise, and leave no
scent or thermal traces. A living being must be within Range 3 of you to
attempt to spot you in a Do It Better Complex Action, and you cannot be
detected or recorded by technology. Flicker allows you
to disappear from
nearly all senses.
There are restrictions to maintaining your Flicker:

You can’t move faster than Speed 3 or Jump 3, and you may Dash but not
Sprint.
You can’t attack.
You can’t touch any living thing – animal, person, or monster – of large
dog size or bigger.

You choose to Flicker, or not, at the beginning of every combat Turn. If you
choose to Flicker, you may not attack.

25
 ™

i SYMBIONT BLEED

OPEN SESAME

Doors or locked containers, such as lockers or crates, seem to just open for
you, allowing you to bypass basic security such as alarms or biometrics. In
Open Sesame makes addition to granting the ability to open things without keys, you also gain
it easy to get into
locked things. Edge +1 for the Demonstrate Competence Simple Action when this ability
applies. More advanced types, such as pressure plates or laser traps, are
beyond this ability. Open Sesame also does not apply to things without
physical seals, such as electronic passwords.

ATTACKS
SINGS-FROM-VOID

EYE OF THE NEEDLE Fundamental Attack

An affected enemy
suffers -1 Edge to
their Actions on You focus on a far away enemy, using your needles as a sniper shot for one
their next turn.
deadly attack.
Use this as a Ranged
Combat Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 8 + Range 35 + Weaken 1

QUILL BURST Fundamental Attack

All enemies hit by
this attack suffer -1
Edge to their Actions You spray your thorns out in every direction in a burst from your body,
for the next 2 turns.
creating a cloud that weakens everything in its path.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 6 + AOE 3 + Weaken 1 for 2 turns

An affected enemy THORNS Fundamental Attack

may only move half
Speed on their next
turn, and suffer -1 Growing out of the striking surfaces of your body, your Thorns are designed to
Edge to their Actions
for the next 2 turns.
stymie a foe.

Use this as a Close

Combat Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 4 + Slow (Half) + Weaken 1 for 2 turns

TREMORS Fundamental Attack

An affected enemy
may not move
for 2 turns. You concentrate your venom in one thorn attack, reaching enemies at a
distance and rooting them in place.
Use this as a Ranged
Combat Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 4 + Range 10 + Slow (Root) for 2 turns

26
 ™

QUALITIES
i

BENDY Asset SHADOWVEIL Hidden Asset

Your joints bend in unusual ways and you’re Everyday people simply ignore you, as you
quite flexible. don’t exist in their perception.

MECHANICS MECHANICS

You gain Edge +1 for the Get Physical Simple People will only notice you if you do
Action any time you attempt to escape something that draws attention to yourself,
restraints, or when maneuvering in tight such as interacting with your environment
spaces. within their view without succeeding at a
Be Sneaky Simple Action. Anything you can
carry in your street clothes is also concealed.

SINGS-FROM-VOID
DARK WHISPERS Hidden Asset
You also do not leave traces of yourself, such
You can float your whispers along the wind, as fingerprints or tracks, and you cannot be
using them to communicate with others or to visually recorded by any method or medium
scare people. against your wishes. You do still make noise
and must be careful to keep light feet.
MECHANICS

You can throw your whispers anywhere

MARKED Stranger Drawback
within Range 5, and gain Edge +1 for the
Use Force of Personality Simple Action when You are a Stranger and aren’t welcome
used to distract or frighten people. in society. While you have the necessary
papers to operate, a close inspection of
you will reveal your true nature, to which
DARKVISION Asset
most people will respond with a level of
You don’t need light to get around. panic. Thus, you must keep your alien traits
hidden.
MECHANICS
MECHANICS
You have Darkvision 30.
Don’t let the authorities find out what you
are, because you would alarm them. People
WARY Asset fear what they don’t understand, and fear
leads to rash and harmful decisions.
You have an intuitive sense for danger.

MECHANICS

You gain Edge +1 to the Notice Details

Simple Action or the Do It Better Complex
Action to spot traps or ambushes.

27
 ™

i
WONG ZHANG WEI
PACKNAME Bitters

GENDER PRESENTATION Male

HERITAGE Human (Chinese)

BACKGROUND Military Kid

SYMBIONT Nightmare

TRAINING Ripper

AGE 27
WONG ZHANG WEI

Gymnast’s build, hidden battle scars,

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
asymmetrical black hair

PERSONALITY Gruff, determined

LANGUAGES Mandarin Chinese, English

MORTAL STATS

ATTRIBUTES: MORTAL

Awareness 3 Physique 6 Presence 2 Tenacity 4

CHARACTERISTICS: MORTAL
Zhang Wei’s base
Health is 10, which
is multiplied by Health (total) 30 Speed 6
3 as a PC.

SKILLS
Zhang Wei is Alertness 3 Athletics 3
a bruiser and
a criminal.
Convince 1 Hidden World 1

Law & Crime 3 Lie 2

Piloting 1 Body Fighting 3

BF Specialization:
Gun Fu 3 +1
Tager Talons

28
 ™

TAGER STATS
i

ATTRIBUTES: TAGER These stats

supercede your
mortal stats when
Awareness 4 Physique 6 Presence 2 Tenacity 5 you shift into your
Tager form.

CHARACTERISTICS: TAGER
Zhang Wei’s base
Health as a Tager is
Health (total) 33 11, which is multiplied
by 3 as a PC.

SUSTAIN: TAGER

Armor 1 Regeneration 1 every other turn

SENSES: TAGER

WONG ZHANG WEI

Nightvision 50

MOBILITY: TAGER

Running 6 Wall-walking 4

SPECIAL ABILITY

SHAKE IT OFF
Shake It Off
You have the ability to shrug off massive hits. Once per combat, you can allows you to
survive otherwise
ignore the damage from any single source for one turn, and may choose to do deadly hits.
this after you learn how much damage you’ll suffer.

SYMBIONT BLEED

TOUGH AS NAILS Tough as Nails

allows you to use
your special ability
You may use your Shake It Off Special Ability in your mortal form, though it in mortal form.
still only works once per combat, regardless of form.

29
 ™

i ATTACKS

BASIC ATTACK Fundamental Attack

Use this for Ranged Your basic attack involves either raking an enemy with your talons, or firing
Combat Strikebacks. quick bursts from your shoulder pods.

EFFECTS Damage 4 or Damage 4 + Range 10

BLACK TALONS Fundamental Attack

Black Talons
allow you to do a
significant amount You slash your enemy with your giant, razor-sharp talons, which are capable
of damage.
of ripping through walls.
Use this for Close
Combat Strikebacks.
WONG ZHANG WEI

EFFECTS Damage 12

DEPTHLESS STRIKE Fundamental Attack

This attack affects
every enemy in
a straight line, Firing in synchronicity, your pods unleash a devastating blast of crimson
out to Range 5.
shockwaves, which flow around and through things in its way.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback.
EFFECTS Damage 8 + Line Nuke 5

This attack does OBVIATE Fundamental Attack

Damage 5 to all
enemies in AOE 1,
no roll required, and You radiate the crimson destructive energy within you, creating a cloud of
you immediately
heal 4 Health. slicing force-slivers while knitting your own wounds.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback. EFFECTS Damage Aura 5 in AOE 1 + Regeneration Burst 4

An affected foe TENTACLE SHEATHE Fundamental Attack

moves at half
Speed on their next
turn, and you may Normally retracted into your forearm, you let slide the long tentacles hidden
make a free Talon
attack if you hit. within to grab an enemy and bring them into your waiting talons.
This may not be
used as a Strikeback. EFFECTS Damage 6 + Slow (Half) + Free Talon Attack

30
 ™

QUALITIES i
BACKBONE Asset BE PREPARED Human Asset

You can tolerate more physical pain than the You’re an expert traveler who is more
average person. prepared than most.

MECHANICS MECHANICS

You gain Edge +1 for the Push Yourself Once per session you have access to a
Simple Action any time you attempt to resist needed piece of gear, even when it isn’t
the effects of pain. listed among your possessions. It must be
something you can justify your character
having access to, but can be something
unlikely for most people to have packed.

WONG ZHANG WEI

LUCKY Asset OUTLAST Human Asset

The Fates sometimes smile on you. You don’t know when to give up.

MECHANICS MECHANICS

Once per session, you may roll three times You gain Edge +1 for the Push Yourself
for a Complex Action and take the best Simple Action.
result.
You also gain 2 extra Resolve.

TOUGH Human Asset

You stay on your feet when others would go

down.

MECHANICS

You gain +2 Health, giving you a total of 6

extra Health.

31
 ™

i THE WORMS OF NERGAL

“Once we know the truth, we immediately wish we could forget. Ask any
lunatic.” - Fang Mang Chou, Selected Lectures

This Quick-Start Adventure is designed to get you playing CthulhuTech

with as little up front work as possible. As you read through and play, the
adventure will teach you and your players about the setting and base game
mechanics, preparing you to digest the more robust content contained in the
Player’s Handbook and Game Master’s Guide.
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Players don’t need to know anything to play, as you’ll be reading sections

This adventure of the adventure aloud which teach them what they need to know when they
runs two to four
hours on average. need to know it. This goes for you you, the Game Master, as well. We suggest
reading through the adventure first so you know what’s coming.

OVERVIEW
The players are summoned for a last minute mission. Visiting allies have
discovered a local cultist plan to contaminate the food supply of the Santa Fe
arcology. It is imperative the players stop the cultists at the food processing
facility. The players are hastily given uniforms, IDs, cover identities, and a
mission brief.
In addition to having to sneak into a secure facility, identify the cultists from
the workers, and keep the contamination out of the food, the players face an
additional surprise. The priests of the cult have cursed their agents, so that
they will transform into monstrosities if put in a life-or-death situation, which
the players will discover in the final battle.

ENCOUNTER 1: ONBOARDING
Colored text represents sections you should read out loud to your players, to
help make your job easier. Continue doing this throughout the adventure.
CthulhuTech is a near-future setting, where a mystical
apocalypse threatens the people of Earth. Lovecraft-
inspired terrors have reawakened and the world is, in many
ways, difficult to recognize.
It hasn’t taken long for the world to dramatically change.
Though industrialized and heavily-regulated by the
authorities, magic is real. Merged with technology, it has
unleashed a massive wave of advancement. The Earth

32
 ™

was attacked by an extraterrestrial enemy, a civilization of

clones called the Nazzadi, who ultimately turned on their
masters and are now an important influence on the world. You may want to
read these longer
Now the Old Ones return, dark god-like entities beyond sections aloud
before the session,

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

human understanding. Their cults spread out across the just to help you
feel confident in
globe, some with armies of monsters, others as something your delivery.
far more sinister. In the Shadow War, you’ll mostly be
concerned with Nyarlathotep, a being that is a primal force
of the universe. Their cult on Earth is the Children of Chaos,
which you’ll learn more about as you go on.
Your character has joined the Shadow War to fight against
the powerful, yet unseen, minions of Nyarlathotep. Part
of the mysterious Eldritch Society, you have undergone a
ritual to become a Tager, a kind of arcane shape-changer.
You’ve joined in symbiosis with a thing from beyond time
and space, allowing you to manifest powerful and often
monstrous special abilities in your fight against the Children
of Chaos. As the Eldritch Society does not trust the powers
that be, you fight as an outlaw under constant the threat of
arrest or worse.
Pause to give players a chance to ask questions, but put a pin in those which
will soon be answered.
If you’re playing
CthulhuTech is dice-agnostic, so you can use any kind of digitally, you can
also use a bot or
dice as long as they are even-sided. You’ll need a pool of online die roller.
around ten.
We have six characters available for you to play in this
adventure. I’ll say a little bit about each of them.
Wong Zhang Wei
He’s Human, which makes him one of the toughest sentient
species on Earth.
Evolving as pursuit predators, Humans persevere and that’s
what keeps them alive.

33
 ™

i Moments of the Rite of Union

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

The Rite of Union is

the key to joining a
person with a Tager
symbiont. Known
only to the Eldritch
Society, candidates
must train rigorously
if they hope to
survive the ritual.

Zhang Wei has joined in symbiosis with a Nightmare, a

beast of death and destruction.
Pronounced: Penty Nanoky
pen-tuh
nan-ock-uh She’s Nazzadi, a descendant of the clones bred by the
Migou, ancient aliens from an outpost on Pluto, who were
sent to conquer us for their masters. The Nazzadi broke
free and joined humanity.
Nazzadi skin comes in several unusual colors, including
white, black, purple, red, blue, and gold.
She has joined in symbiosis with a Widow, a cunning beast
skittering in the darkness.
Pronounced:
no-vah-dah Novada Taranota
ta-ra-not-ah
He’s Amlati, a child of mixed Human and Nazzadi heritage.

34
 ™

While most people live according to their perceptions, i

Amlati are instinctively connected to objective reality.
Amlati skin comes in several unusual colors, including
brass, bronze, copper, gunmetal, platinum, and silver.
He has joined in symbiosis with a Mirage, a creature of
mutable reality.
The Strangers
The remaining three characters are all from the peoples
collectively referred to as the Strangers. Though offshoots
of Humans, they are alien enough to would frighten most

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

people. They each have ways of hiding their non-human
features to freely move about in the world.
Shothaal Karg
He’s High Ghoul, a people very close to humans who live Pronounced:
sho-thall karg
in secret alongside them.
He wears prosthetics to cover up his inhuman features in
public.
Though it may feel strange to us, ghouls are socialist
gangsters.
He has joined in symbiosis with an Efreet, a thing born of
the fire of stars.
Sings-From-Void
She’s a Hidden, an offshoot of humanity that retreated into
the shadows.
People simply don’t notice her as long as she doesn’t
call attention to herself, allowing her to walk freely. Even
recording devices don’t capture her presence if she doesn’t
want them to.
She has joined in symbiosis with a Shadow, a thing that
slips in and out of perception.
Selaniade Visihnaru Pronounced:
sel-ahn-ee-ah-day
She’s a Ravenkind of Carcosa, their heritage influenced by vi-si-hna-ar-oo
an alien dimension overseen by intelligent Ravens.
Ravenkind are naturally social beings, content to be
anywhere with people, even if doing nothing.
She has joined in symbiosis with a Whisper, a flitting
creature that sees and hears all.

35
 ™

i You can divy up the characters however you want, but here’s a few
suggestions:
• Players can work it out amongst themselves
Don’t spend too
much time on • You can assign characters based on your understanding of the players
choosing characters.
That way you can
get to the action.
• Players can roll dice, picking characters in order from highest roll to
lowest
• You can spread them out face down on the table and have players
choose blindly and randomly
It’s important that players have their character sheets in front of them for
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

this next part, as they’ll be referring directly to them.

You’ll see several important things on your character sheet.
Let’s take a look, though we’ll skip over the parts that
involve your symbiont for now.
Attributes
Your Attributes, found on the first page of your character
sheet, measure your Awareness, Physique, Presence, and
Tenacity:
• Awareness measures your intellect and perceptive
abilities
• Physique measures your strength and agility
• Presence measures your force of personality
• Tenacity measures your will and endurance
Attributes are generally rated on a scale of 1 to 5. Some
characters have Attributes higher than 5, but this is due to
mystical augmentation.
Attributes & Skills are
the source of all the
dice players will use
Skills
during the game. Skills, also rated on a scale of 1 to 5, are areas of training
in which your character is capable. With 16 Skills to learn,
you might have a knack for Engineering, be capable of
Piloting anything with an engine, hack networks with your
Computers & Communication prowess, or know how to
throw down with Body Fighting.
Your skills are found on the first page of your character
sheet. Take a quick look at what you can do.
Qualities
Qualities are special abilities and every character has
several. Most are positive Assets, so you might have a
network of contacts, be hard to kill, talk to animals, or fade

36
 ™

from notice. Some characters will end up with a Drawback i

which impacts them negatively such as Shadow Walker,
which is a mystical form of bad luck.
Your Qualities are found on the last page of your character
sheet. Take a quick look at them, but don’t worry about
memorizing any of them. We’ll call them out when they’re Think of Qualities
useful in the adventure. Are any of them confusing? as mini-powers
or weaknesses.

Give the players a couple minutes to internalize this knowledge transfer, and
to clarify anything which has been discussed.
Once it seems your group is comfortable to proceed, go around the table

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

and have each player introduce themselves. You may even take a moment
to discuss what kind of relationships the characters have with each other.
Most of the Shadow War takes place inside arcologies,
mega-structures which contain an entire city. Each
habitation level is generally five stories tall inside, with a While it may be
difficult to visualize
simulated environment to make it feel more natural. arcologies initially,
they are explored
This adventure takes place in the Santa Fe arcology, home in detail in the
Player’s Handbook.
to about 90,000 people. It’s built on a hub-and-spoke
system, where floors radiate out from a central spine. From
the outside, the arcology is 750 yd/m tall and 700 yd/m
wide. The most distinctive feature of Santa Fe is its central
farm complex, which spans all 22 civilian levels of the
arcology, though separated from it and heavily secured.
The majority of the city’s food comes from this farm.
Despite its size, relatively few people are required to
farm the substantial vertical acreage. Much of the work is
automated.
Enough background. It’s time to get going.
Tagers are coordinated and supported by the Operator
Network, from which you receive the following briefing.
Two days ago, a Tager pack (designated pack N-342) who
The Worms of Nergal
was temporarily operating out of Albuquerque discovered are a localized
threat and have
evidence of a plot by the local cult known as the Worms of few resources
Nergal. What little is known about the Worms of Nergal is beyond the region.

simple. Instead of worshiping a dark god-like entity such as

Hastur or Cthulhu, they simply worship Nergal, an ancient
Mesopotamian god, and focus on sacrifice and wide-scale
bloodshed.

37
 ™

700 yd/m diameter

Floorplan of
average Santa Fe
arcology level.
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Farm Recreational
Residential Commercial
700 yd/m diameter

Map of average
Santa Fe arcology
level walkways.

Walkways & People Movers Exterior Mag-Lev Train

38
 ™

200 yd/m diameter

i

Overview of a slice
of the automated
central farming spire.

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Drone Patrolled Security Buffer Farming Stacks

The Worms have infiltrated the central farm complex of the

Santa Fe arcology with the intent of contaminating nutrient
bags, which will then be shipped to other arcologies in
the region. Rumor has it that the cult has developed an
arcanotech-enhanced fungal spore, which will destroy
large shipments of food and potentially lead to a short-
term food crisis. It also has the side-effect of carrying a
particularly contagious fungal skin infection, which will
cause a localized outbreak of disease and suffering.
N-342 has identified a contaminated shipment which is
already on the train, and they are racing to intercept. They
need you to stop the cult at the source by infiltrating the
central farm complex, identifying the cult who are trying to
contaminate the ‘nutrient bags’ from the regular staff, and
ultimately stop them before the authorities arrive.
You’ll need to sneak in during the shift change, which is in The clock doesn’t
start ticking until the
less than an hour. players get close to
their goal, so you
Here’s what else you need to know: don’t need to rush
through anything.
• The nutrient bags are about the size of an overstuffed
pillow.

39
 ™

i • They are identified by serial number, and N-342 has

provided partials. They should be among the most
recent entries in the inventory system.
• The cultists have blended in with the rest of the innocent
workers.
• They also seem new at this and a little skittish.
Working with haste, the Eldritch Society has provided you
with false IDs and uniforms for the central farm complex.
You’ll pick them up along the way.
Does anyone have any questions?
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

ENCOUNTER 2: GET DISGUISES

Even in a smaller arcology like Santa Fe, there are public
parks for people to enjoy a taste of the outdoors. This park
is big enough for a playground and space to sit under trees
or enjoy a picnic, along with a large abstract sculpture
*(Add a qu
intended to represent something to do with the mortal
tence on d
condition. To most, it looks like a series of stylized stalks
rising to intertwine with one another.
whether or
tell the pla
Now it’s time for the players to scope out the area to see if they’re being difficulty b
tailed or observed. hand? It’s
The first action you take before entering the park is to see in the read
if you’re being followed or watched in any way. Now is but later w
when we learn how to use Simple Actions, the kind which in the purp
aren’t being met with any active resistance. Specifically, brain had f
we’re going to use the Notice Details Simple Action. and was wo
if I should
In the Fundamental version of the game system, which this
players kno
adventure uses, you and your GM will work out which
There are two
difficult so
other ways to Attribute and Skill are the most appropriate for the Simple
play Cthulhutech is.)*
(see p. 68). Action. You will roll a number of dice equal to the sum of
the chosen Attribute and Skill ratings.
Each of you also has a Specialization among your skills,
which represents a specific part of the overall skill at which
your character is especially good. You add one more die to
your roll when it applies.
I will then give you a Difficult from 3 to 6, which reflects the
complexity of the Action. You will roll your pool of dice,
counting any even results as Hits. If you roll a number of
Hits equal to or greater than the Difficulty, you succeed.

40
 ™

SIMPLE ACTION 1: NOTICE DETAILS

i
Whenever you want more information about your environment, use this Action.

It can be used to:

notice traps spot a Dhohanoid

find an important clue hidden in a room determine if someone’s lying

discover an ambush in the nick of time follow someone in a crowd

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

scour a crime scene recognize when something’s fake

find an important passage in a document recall the details of an important moment

COMMONLY USED: Alertness, Awareness

uick sen- As a GM, you’ll set a Difficulty based on the Action. In this case, you’ll set a
deciding basic difficulty of 3 (Challenging). You don’t need to have players roll when
r not to the Difficulty is average or less (1 or 2 successes). They succeed at average
ayers the Actions automatically.
before- In this case, the Notice Details Simple Action recommends If no one is playing
Selaniade, here are
implied using Awareness as the Attribute and Alertness as the skill. the other characters’
d-through, Selaniade is the scout of the group, with an Awareness of
dice pools for
this Action, in
when it’s not 6 and an Alertness of 3, giving her a sizable dice pool of descending order:

ple text my 9. She also has the Sight Specialization under Alertness, 1. Sings-from-Void (8)
2. Novada (6)
forgotten which gives her another dice for a total of 10. 3. Zhang Wei (6)
ondering Selaniade, go ahead and roll your 10 dice. Your Difficulty
4. Penty (4)
5. Shothaal (3)
let the for this Action is 3.
ow how
omething Have this player make the roll. Given that she has 10 dice to roll, the odds
are in her favor. If she fails the roll, there’s no consequence, but you might
be cagey to keep her nervous.
There are a total of 6 Simple Actions you can take. While
we won’t go into detail right now, they are:
SIMPLE ACTIONS
1. Notice Details – observe things in your environment The six Simple
Actions should cover
2. Demonstrate Confidence – perform a skill well nearly all situations in
which players aren’t
3. Get Physical – use your body actively resisted.

4. Use Force Of Personality – win someone over

41
 ™

i 5. Be Sneaky – avoid detection

6. Push Yourself – strain your physical limits
All Simple Actions can be broken down into the six listed. Whenever a player
wants to do something, it should be covered by these Actions.

THE HIDDEN
The Hidden have Sings-From-Void, if she’s part of the group, will not have to worry about being
evolved to be seen, due to the Shadowveil Quality. You may want to read this description,
invisible observers.
so the player understands its limitations.
Sings-From-Void, you have the Shadowveil Asset. People
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

will only notice you if you do something that draws attention

to yourself, such as interacting with your environment
within their view without succeeding at a Be Sneaky Simple
Action. Anything you can carry in your street clothes is also
concealed.
You also do not leave traces of yourself, such as fingerprints
or tracks, and you cannot be visually recorded by any
method or medium against your wishes. You do still make
noise and must be careful to keep light feet.

APPROACHING THE DEAD DROP

The dead drop is located within a secret compartment at the
base of the sculpture, and all you need to do is press one of
your thumbs against the panel and it will open. Credentials
are small and the uniforms are vacuum sealed to keep their
volume low, all stored in a zippered messenger bag.
You want to retrieve your items as quickly as possible, but
you also don’t want to call undue attention to yourselves.
It’s still daytime, and there are children and families in the
park. How would you like to proceed?
This encounter is meant to get the players thinking and acting, but there is
no chance of consequence or failure. The players will get what they need
from the dead drop regardless of their plan. There are two likely options

Grab & Go
If the players want to be bold, they can just walk right up to the sculpture
and get their stuff. There’s nothing stopping them and they don’t need to
take an Action to do so. You may want to throw in something like “Mommy,
what’s that person doing,” just to heighten the tension and create a little
worry.

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Sings-From-Void is a Hidden with Shadowveil, but she will become visible i

once she begins interacting with the sculpture. It might be more unnerving
for the people in the park if she suddenly appears.

Create a Distraction
The players may choose to create some kind of distraction, in order to call
everyone’s attention away from the sculpture. While attention is focused on
them, the other players can retrieve their package without incident. This could be a
good opportunity
How the players do this is up to their imagination. They may start a mock for the players
fight, screaming at each other, they could make some sort of phony to start forming
relationships.
announcement to the park-goers, they may break into a musical number, or

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

any number of entertaining things. Since their success is guaranteed, they
don’t need to take an Action.

Package Retrieved
Armed with your false credentials, uniform, and symbiont,
you are ready to undertake your mission.
If Zhang Wei is a part of your group, also read the following:
Zhang Wei is a Human who has the Be Prepared Asset.
Once per session, you have access to a needed piece of
gear, even when it isn’t listed among your possessions. It
must be something you can justify your character having
access to, but can be something unlikely for most people

A Moment of Nature in the Arcology

43
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i to have packed. Is there something you want before we

move on?
The player, who is likely not familiar with the gear in the game, will probably
have general ideas of what they want. Use your best judgment to make it or
something like it work for them.

ENCOUNTER 3: TRAVEL TO THE SPIRE

From the park, you head towards the nearest public train
station, the primary way to get around in arcologies. They
run on elevated monorail tracks and float using magnetic
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

levitation for a smooth ride. Blending in with the crowd of

other people heading to work, you head up the stairs to
the elevated platform. It isn’t long before the sleek-looking
train arrives and you squeeze in.
Is there anything you’d like to talk about or do during your
If character
relationships began trip?
to form in the
previous Encounter,
they can cement
This scene is intended for the players to talk amongst themselves, getting
further here. to know one another better. If you have the interest and have some time to
prepare, you might have a chatty NPC who talks about in-universe things to
pique the players’ curiosity.
Once they’ve had a moment in the narrative, go on to explain a few
important details about the Eldritch Society and Tagers.

Keep to the Shadows

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Let’s take a minute to talk about how the Eldritch Society i

and Tagers work.
The Society provides for your basic needs and gives you
equipment for the field. You have access to safehouses,
gear drops, and solid cover identities. Your peek, the
future’s equivalent of a smartphone, is loaded with security
software and options.
The Society operates in secrecy, so the best mission is one
that isn’t noticed. You’ll need to be careful about where In full games this is
represented by the
you shift into your monstrous Tager form, which quickly Panic system, which

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

won’t have an impact
creates panic in sensible people. If you do have to become in this adventure.
a monster in view of the public, make sure you’re not the
first monster they see.
Fortunately, you all have Bleed: abilities that have been
gifted to you by your symbiont. You are able to use
these in your regular mortal form, and they aren’t easily
recognizable as supernatural.
For example, Novada has the Bleed called Glamour. If no one is playing
Novada, you may
Glamour: Your Displacement Field allows you to change instead have one
of the players read
your face and clothing to disguise or impersonate. This their Bleed from
their character.
gives you Edge +1 to the Do It Better Complex Action when
used for this purpose. Since they are only visual illusions,
they most likely won’t pass close scrutiny. Anyone who
detects your illusion won’t be able to see the real you, but There are many
different types of
they will likely be unnerved as you now look fake to them. Bleed available in
the full game.
Pause for a bit to give players a chance to review and ask questions about
their Bleed.
Your symbionts also make it possible for you to communicate
mind-to-mind, so you’ll coordinate this way most of the
time. It has a limited range, but that won’t come into play
in this adventure.

ENCOUNTER 4: ENTERING THE SPIRE

On an average day, your primary enemy is the second
largest corporate entity in the world: Chrysalis. The
company has been infiltrated and taken over by the
Children of Chaos. This cult worships the dark god-
like entity known as Nyarlathotep – who also runs the
corporation as his avatar, the Director. Hiding behind the

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i scenes, Chrysalis interfaces with the world through dozens

of subsidiaries, some of which work closely with high-levels
of the government. They are the enemy within, weakening
the fabric of the New Earth Government as more visible
threats close in from outside. In addition to near-limitless
funds and extensive corporate reach, Chrysalis also creates
Dhohanoids, shape-shifting monsters who act as their main
agents in the Shadow War.
Chrysalis has serious stakes in Santa Fe, running the central
farm through their subsidiary, Agrarian Foods, under
contract from the federal government. While the Worms of
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Nergal are not affiliated with Chrysalis, you will also need
to take additional care not to upset the farm’s corporate
masters. Attracting their attention would make this mission
exponentially more difficult.
A player may suggest simply phoning in this threat to Chrysalis, but there’s a
strong chance they wouldn’t take it seriously and time is of the essence. They
also sort of don’t care, because it’s chaos for which they won’t be technically
responsible.

ACCESS ROUTE
If Shothaal is part of the game, going in through the ghoulways is the safest
route and will allow the players to use some of their symbionts’ abilities. If
not, you may offer the players a High Ghoul guide, or you may have them
attempt to blend in and enter through the front door (see p. 49).
The shaft is the central access point to the spire, the rest of
the facility radiating out from it. If you can sneak into the
shaft, you can enter the facility at the highest level and take
a normal elevator from there.
If Shothaal is part of the group, read them the following:
Shothaal, you have the Ghoul Nation Asset. Your loyalty
to your people is deep and unshakable. If you call on
The Ghoul Nation is
an important part your own kind for aid, they won’t refuse unless the risk
of the Shadow War, is too great, and vice versa. Ghouls stick together like an
and often assist the
Eldritch Society. organized crime family, and an insult to one is an insult to
all.
You know how to find and navigate the ghoulways, which
are secret routes through the maintenance and utility tunnels
which line the floors, ceilings, and walls of an arcology.
While others would have to be escorted by your people,
you may come and go as you please. You’ll use these to

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make your way to the spire, hidden from outside eyes. i

The Ghoul Nation has provided him with directions through the tunnels, so
he won’t need to take an Action to stay on path.
If Shothaal is not part of the group, then the Eldritch Society provides him
as a guide, and you can read the previous just to help provide texture to the
environment.

THE GHOULWAYS
You enter the ghoulways through an innocuous access hatch
in an alley. Descending into the tunnels, you are forced to

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

climb in some places and crawl in others. It’s dark, a little
dusty, and sometimes a little grimy.
There’s little lighting in the ghoulways. Fortunately, through
your heritage or your symbiont, you can all see in the dark,
which is very helpful in this situation.
Your Ghoul allies have disabled security leading up to the
spire, making the journey easy. They regard going past that Ghouls don’t
generally push their
point as more trouble than it’s worth. luck when staking
out their territory.

THE SHAFT
You emerge from the final stretch of tunnel and through
a large access hatch into the main arcology elevator
shaft. There’s a platform, about 6 yd/m wide, around the
cylindrical abyss. Then it’s straight down for hundreds of
yd/m.
There are six elevators equally spaced around the outer
wall of the cylindrical shaft, each designed to hold dozens
of people at the same time, and you can see them moving
up and down below.
As Tagers, you have a variety of special abilities when
you shift into your monstrous form, which you can do in an
instant. You gain access to all the Tager abilities for your Tagers are generally
highly mobile.
symbiont, including the ability to wall-walk. This allows you
to cling to sheer surfaces like a bug, frog, or lizard, so you
can easily descend the shaft.
If Selaniade is a part of your group, also read the following:
Selaniade, you have the Like a Feather ability, which allows
you to drop up to 5 stories without harm, but this drop is
much further than that. As a Whisper, you can also fly, but
the buzzing which accompanies might be undesireable.

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i
SIMPLE ACTION 5: BE SNEAKY

When you don’t want people to notice what you’re doing, use this Action.

It can be used to:

hide in the shadows distract someone from your presence

follow someone without them noticing duck around a corner when someone appears

sneak quietly through a house misdirect a person as you do something

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

avoid security cameras pass something secretly

palm a small object hide something during a search

COMMONLY USED: Athletics, Law & Crime, Awareness, Physique

To determine if their journey goes as planned, have Novada take the Be

If no one is playing
Novada, here are the Sneaky Simple Action using his shifted Physique + Athletics. He has the
other characters’ dice
pools for this Action,
lowest dice pool in the group (3), and rolls against a Difficulty of 3.
in ascending order:
If he fails, something is dislodged from the shaft and is going to clatter
1. Shothaal (5)
2. Selaniade (6)
down, making an unfortunate mess of noise. Give Zhang Wei an opportunity
3. Sings-From- to catch it by taking the Be Physical Simple Action, using his shifted Physique
Void (9)
4. Penty (9) + Athletics for a dice pool of 9, against a Difficulty of 3.
5. Zhang Wei (9)
If Zhang Wei also fails, the piece bounces its way down the shaft. This has no
If no one is playing effect other than to make the players’ nervous.
Zhang Wei, here
are the other
characters’ dice
pools for this Action,
AEROPONIC DISPERSAL AREA
in descending order: After a short climb down, you open another hatch which
1. Penty (9) takes you into an ordinary maintenance closet, but one big
2. Sings-From-
Void (9)
enough to hold a wealth of industrial cleaning supplies.
3. Selaniade (6) You’re on the top floor of the aeroponic dispersal layer,
4. Shothaal (5)
5. Novada (2) level 22 of the arcology, which is the least populated of the
upper floors, making it the safest place to enter unnoticed.
Time to suit up.
One by one, you slip nonchalantly out of the maintenance
closet and into the hallway, looking like any other
employee. The interior of the building is a welcome change
of scenery – white, clean, and smooth, with ample diffused
lighting. You can see people working diligently at consoles,

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i
but regularly checking their clocks because it’s just about
quitting time.
From here, it’s a simple matter for you to catch an elevator
and go down to your destination on level 19.

EXIT STRATEGY
So the players know, their exit strategy is to get out the same way, but
skipping the elevator and jumping directly into the shaft from level 19.

GOING IN THE FRONT DOOR

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If Shothaal isn’t a part of the group and you want to make the experience This route introduces
more challenging for players, you can have them use their credentials and more danger for
the players.
just walk through the front door.
Have each player take the Do It Better Complex Action (see p. 50), using
their Presence + Humanities (for acting) or Lie against security’s dice pool
of 6. If everyone succeeds, they reach the processing floor and you can skip
to Encounter 5. Any player who fails can use Resolve, as detailed on p. 51.
*(Is this
If even one player only gets a Mixed Success, then two things referring to Path 5:
will happen.
The cultists will be notified of their presence (see p. 61),Confront a Nergalite?)*
and two armed
guards will arrive the first turn of combat on the processing floor (see p. 65).
You may need to go over some of the above Tager abilities described in the
ghoulways option if you skipped over that section.

ENCOUNTER 5: THE CHANGE OF SHIFTS

As you continue on through the pristine seamless hallways
of Agrarian Foods, you blend in with the workers starting
their shifts. No one seems to notice you as anything other
than another employee.

CHECKPOINT
You knew you’d need to pass through a routine security
checkpoint at some point, and here it is. It’s a row of
turnstiles, which automatically open when an employee’s
badge broadcasts its signal in close proximity. Nearby,
there are two armed guards wearing security uniforms and
light armor, and carrying what appear to be electrokinetic
submachine guns (railguns). They don’t appear to be
expecting any trouble, but they are doing their job, even if
chatting a little while they do it.

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i While the players have their false credentials, they still have to make it
through the checkpoint without inadvertently looking suspicious. The guards
are fortunately not on any kind of alert which would make them suspicious.
Any time something is actively working against you, you’ll
take a Complex Action. Complex Actions are roll offs,
If no one is playing
Penty, here are the pitting your dice roll against mine and comparing them to
other characters’ dice
pools for this Action, determine the result. This situation calls for the Do It Better
in ascending order: Complex Action using Presence + Lie, as you attempt to
1. Shothaal (5) pass by the guards unnoticed.
2. Selaniade (5)
3. Zhang Wei (5)
4. Novada (8)
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so in this case
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the player with the worst dice pool will determine the result
Sings-From-Void
will be ignored and for everyone. Penty, you’ll roll a pool of 3 dice against the
doesn’t have to
take this Action.
guard’s pool of 5.
Subtracting your Hits from the player’s Hits, determine the results on the
table below.

COMPLEX ACTION 2: DO IT BETTER

Use this Action when you need to compete with someone – physically, intellectually, or socially.

It can be used to:

take someone down (Body Fighting) win a debate (Convince)

grapple an enemy (Body Fighting) find something first (Alertness)

reach a target first (Athletics or Piloting) craft a better lie (Lie)

make it over the wall first (Athletics) win a poetry slam (Humanities)

resist manhandling (Physique) keep an upset patient sedated (Medicine)

ROLL: any appropriate Skill + Awareness, Presence, or Physique

RESULT EFFECT

-2 or -3 You fail to overcome your opponent.

Mixed success; you don’t quite succeed but you don’t quite fail. The GM will let
0 or -1
you know what happens.

+1 to +2 You succeed in overcoming your opponent.

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In this case, a Mixed Success means the players succeed, but they’ve i
been spotted by a Nergalite minder who will alert the other cultists on the In the complete
game, there is an
processing floor. The players shouldn’t know this, so you may want to be additional level of
failure below -3 and
withholding about anything other than they’ve succeeded. an additional level of
success beyond +2.
It’s entirely possible that the player will fail, so now is the time to introduce
Resolve. The players each have five, except for Zhang Wei who has seven.
There’s good news. Each of you has a pool of five Resolve,
each of which can be spent to help you succeed when you
might otherwise fail. One Resolve adds one Hit to your roll,
and you may spend up to three Resolve on a single Action,

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

for a total of three additional Hits to one roll. Would you
like to spend some to make this a mixed success or a total
If no one is playing
success? Shothaal, Novada
can also attempt
If the players somehow otherwise call attention to themselves, Shothaal can this Action with a
dice pool of 6.
take the Do It Better Complex Action to attempt to convince them all is well.
This requires his Presence + Business & Politics, along with his Management
specialization, for a total dice pool of 8.
There are a total of 5 Complex Actions you can take. While
we won’t go into detail right now, they are:
If the players
COMPLEX ACTIONS start a fight at the
checkpoint, skip
1. Combat – when one person wants to hurt another ahead to the rules for
combat in Encounter
6. Use the stats for
2. Do It Better – when one person wants to beat another the Agrarian Foods
at something Guard from p. 65.
This may seriously
3. Give Chase – when one person wants to catch or flee complicate the rest
of the adventure,
from another so do your best
to roll with it.
4. Perilous Escape – when a person must survive a
dangerous thing or environment
5. Set Explosives – when a person wants to use explosives

ENCOUNTER 6: ALTERCATION WITH A CULTIST

As you make the final turn, you can see the massive doors
Now is when the
which lead to the processing floor. You’re almost to your players should start
destination, but you appear to be among the last of the to feel time pressure.

employees arriving for shift as the hallway is mostly empty.

There’s no external security, as a valid employee badge is
required for the door to open. Your badges have worked
once already, so entering shouldn’t be a problem, which is
good because the clock is ticking.

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i An Instant in Mid-Transformation
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Tagers can shift

shape in an instant,
and little in the
universe can hinder
their transformation.

Some say the

sensation is similar
to having a warm,
wet towel sliding
over their bodies.

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SUCKER PUNCH i
There are a few Nergalite minders whose job it is to make sure the other
cursed cultists (see p. 55) get to the right place at the right time. They have
memorized images of every worker scheduled to leave a shift, and the same If you’re pressed for
for all those incoming. Anyone they don’t recognize they intend to waylay, time, you can skip
this Encounter and
or draw them away from the cultists poisoning the food supply. instead introduce
combat in the
next Encounter.
The players, rushing in at the end of the shift, are recognized by the Nergalite
minders as unscheduled and suspect. Given the time table, they have to act
quickly and decisively, which involves cracking the players in the skulls with
snap batons and dragging them away. Or so they think.

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

This altercation is intended to teach everyone how the combat system works
before the players enter the larger battle that’s coming.
The Nergalites have no idea the players are anything other than regular If no one is playing
Sings-From-Void,
people, and have no way of detecting Sings-From-Void unless she wishes here are the other
to be seen. She is also Wary, which means she has a sense for impending characters’ dice
pools for this Action,
danger, so have her player take a Notice Details Simple Action using in descending order:

Awareness + Alertness, which equals 8 dice, against a Difficulty of 3. If she 1. Selaniade (10)
succeeds - remembering to use Resolve in the case of failure - the player 2. Novada (6)
3. Zhang Wei (6)
notices the surprise attack and can alert the others. Otherwise, the cultists 4. Penty (4)
5. Shothaal (3)
will gain a free attack before combat starts in earnest.
Also, if a character
Without warning, one of the loitering workers charges and other than Sings-
From Void takes
swings at the back of your head, the baton snapping out this Action, increase
the Difficulty to 4.
from his fist as he does.
This altercation is meant to be simple, to introduce you to
the basics of combat. This is a Complex Action, and all such
Actions are rolls compared against the roll of the target.
In any turn of combat, you as players always go before
your enemies, so you don’t need to worry about Initiative.
There is a planning phase before we execute the turn,
during which you get to determine what each of you are
doing in an order of your choosing.
Give the players a chance to figure out what they want to do, reminding
them that shifting into their monstrous forms might not be a good idea just
yet. Shothaal has vicious teeth behind his prosthetics and Selaniade has
talons on the tips of her fingers, but everyone else is armed with their fists.
When you attack, you’ll use a dice pool equal to your
Physique + Body Fighting for close combat, or Awareness
+ Gun Fu for ranged combat, and your enemies will do the
same.

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i
COMPLEX ACTION 1: COMBAT

When you need to resort to violence, use this Action. The result of your dice roll will be in
comparison to your target’s roll.

COMMONLY USED: Physique + Body Fighting, Awareness + Gun Fu

RESULT EFFECT

-2 or less Attacker misses and takes damage from the defender.

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Trade blows or miss (attacker’s choice); trading blows means both attacker and
0 or -1
defender do damage.

+1 or more Attacker hits and does damage.

Both combatants roll their dice, subtracting the defender’s

Hits from the attacker’s. Then, consult the Combat table for
the result.
With a Fail result, the defender counterattacks with a
Strikeback and harms the attacker instead. Each character
may only Strikeback once per turn.
With a Partial Success, the attacker may choose to either
miss, or to trade blows. Choosing the latter means both
combatants will harm each other.
This close combat There is one Nergalite per player, each of whom uses the following statistics,
dice pool should be
competitive with the meaning the Nergalites will have a dice pool of 8 for close combat, and 4
players, though they
don’t have much of
dice for ranged combat. Though they don’t have ranged weapons, they’ll still
a damage output. use this dice pool to avoid getting shot, if the situation arises.
Now go ahead and roll some dice and read the following when someone hits.
When you hit an enemy, you do a base amount of damage.
This is subtracted from their Health, and they expire when
that score reaches zero. Important enemies may have
double or triple their usual Health, though that is not the
case here.
Shothaal has vicious teeth behind his cosmetic prosthetics
and Selaniade has talons on the tips of her fingers, each of
which do Damage 2. Everyone else is armed with their fists,
which do Damage 1.

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When you get hit, the process is the same, though you
i
have several advantages. With triple your Health score,
you won’t be felled by regular attacks and can even take
several bullets in your mortal form and keep going. You are
tough, but not bullet-proof, so beware automatic weapons.
You also regenerate your Health, which we’ll explore later
on.
Armor reduces the damage by its rating, but no one in this
combat is wearing any.
After the first turn, if the Nergalites cracked one of the players with a snap

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

baton, they’ll quickly notice the players are much tougher than they appear.
Damage 2 is enough to seriously hurt or kill a normal person, at least
breaking a bone, but this has only served to upset the players. Knowing they
can’t defeat the players, they’re going to instead try to draw them away by
fleeing. The players may also
choose to ignore
Keep in mind that people fist fighting or chasing each other is suspicious. these cultists and
run straight into the
People fighting with or being chased by monsters is a crisis that will put the processing floor.
These cultists will not
entire facility on lockdown. pursue the players,
as it would disrupt
The players now have a choice: pursue the Nergalites or enter the processing their plans in motion.

facility. Time is ticking and the Nergalite minders are only going to lead
them on a wild goose chase to have them burn precious minutes. There is no
effect on the narrative if they escape.

NERGALITE CULTIST

ATTRIBUTES

Awareness 2 Physique 4 Presence 2 Tenacity 3

CHARACTERISTICS

Health 7 Speed 6

SKILLS

Alertness 3 Athletics 4

Body Fighting 4 Gun Fu 2

ATTACKS

Snap Baton Damage 2

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i
Splitting up the group isn’t advised, but your players may wish to do so.
If that’s the case, resolve the chase and then move on to the group in the
facility. The chasing group will arrive later.

CHASING THE CULTISTS

To go after the cultists, we’ll use the Give Chase Complex
Action. All participants will roll using a dice pool equal to
their Athletics + Physique.
If someone has shifted shape and is moving faster than
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Speed 6, they get Edge +1. The amount of Edge assigned

to an Action, positive or negative, shows the number of
dice you add or subtract from your pool before you roll.
The cultists are normal speed for humans, Speed 6, and have a dice pool of
8 for this Action. The Action and results are below.
The cultists will take a poison pill if it looks like they’ll be captured and
interrogated. There’s nothing to learn from them.

COMPLEX ACTION 3: GIVE CHASE

When you want to catch someone who is running away from you, or you’re trying to get away
yourself, use this action. If your opponent is slower than you, this action is taken at Edge +1.
If your opponent is faster than you, this action is taken at Edge -1. If the terrain is difficult to
traverse, the GM may add Edge penalties (Edge -1 for somewhat difficult terrain, up to Edge -3 for
nearly impassable terrain).

ROLL: Athletics + Physique (foot chases) or Piloting + Awareness (vehicle chases)

RESULT EFFECT

-2 or less Your opponent escapes.

0 or -1 The chase continues. Roll again at Edge -1 (cumulative).

+1 or more You succeed in catching your opponent or escaping from your opponent.

MOVING OVER TERRAIN

The quality of terrain limits the maximum speed at which a Character may move. Difficult terrain,
such as sand or slippery ground, reduces your Speed by one category, and Severe terrain, such as
dense jungle or mud, reduces your speed to Slow.

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i
If the players give chase a second turn, tell them that each of these Actions is
30 seconds and that time is of the essence. This will also help you determine
how long any chasing players have been gone from the group entering the
floor.

ENCOUNTER 7: STOPPING THE CULTISTS

The security doors open without incident and you enter
the processing floor. The circular room is comprised of
two storage sheds and six tubes spread around the walls,

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

where workers feed nutrient packs into the foodstuffs being
piped up through them. The ceiling is a surprising 10 yd/m
up, so supervisors can monitor the flow visually through
transparent patches on the pipes.
To your right as you enter, you can see two guards, dressed
and armed like the guards from the security checkpoint.
They look up at you and nod, apparently assuming you’re
new or temp workers. Near their station is the processing
floor’s emergency panel, capable of sounding an alarm,
triggering fire suppression, and more with a quick touch. Or rather, a quick
touch if you have
the proper security
There are easily three dozen workers on the floor, in various authorization.
states of activity. Which ones are the cultists? Where are the
tainted nutrient bags?
Any players who may have been wounded in the previous Encounter will
have to hide their bruises and/or blood. Tagers heal an amount per Turn
(30 seconds), as listed on the character sheets, but players heal more slowly
when they’re hurt in their mortal form. For purposes of this adventure, allow
them to heal at the full rate from their sheet, so they can enter the final
combat fresh.
If the players achieved a Mixed Success in Encounter 5, the Nergalites know
the players are coming and what they look like, which will make some
actions more difficult.

NERGALITES
There are two cultists per player, each of them responsible for one
contaminated nutrient pack. They would prefer to execute this mission
quietly and do not want to start any trouble, though they don’t know they’re
ticking time-bombs.

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i = 3 yd/m

General map of
processing floor.
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Computer Terminal Security Station

Storage Shed Nutrient Pipe

NUTRIENT PACKS
There are two contaminated nutrient packs per player. Each is about the
No one will have a size of an overstuffed pillow and 40 lbs/18 kg, in a thick milky gel-like bag
problem managing
a nutrient pack.
with a metal mouth which attaches to the feeder receptacle. A smart tag is
attached to the outside, about the size of a credit card, displaying the serial
number and other salient information.

BLEED & QUALITIES OF NOTE

There are a few of the character’s abilities which may be useful during this
Encounter.
Novada’s Adaptive Coloring Quality:
Much like a chameleon, your skin changes coloring to
match what’s around you at will. You gain Edge +1 to the
Be Sneaky Simple Action.
Penty’s Parkour Bleed:
In your mortal form, you gain Wall-walking 3 and Jump
1. This means you can stick to walls and surfaces, and
vertically jump a full story.

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Selaniade’s Empath Bleed: i

You’re attuned to the emotions of others. When you meet an
NPC, you can ask your GM what mood they’re in and they
must answer truthfully, unless the character is mystically
protected in some way.

SEARCHING FOR THE NERGALITES

Since the players really don’t have an idea of what they’re supposed to
be looking for, their best chance to identify a Nergalite is by searching for
those who seem stressed or out of place. The cultists, fortunately, are all
generally sweaty, twitchy, and irritable, partly because of the situation and

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

partly because of the terrible boon bestowed on them.
The best player for this is Selaniade, with 10 dice for her Awareness + If no one is playing
Selaniade, here are
Alertness and Edge +1 for her Size Up Asset for this Do It Better Complex the other characters’
dice pools for
Action. Roll a dice pool of 4 for the Nergalites to avoid being noticed. this Action, in
descending order:
If they succeed, the player will immediately identify a cultist and the traits
1. Sings-from-Void (8)
they can use to find the others. On the off chance the player fails, they’ll 2. Novada (6)
have to spend more time looking during which the clock will be ticking. 3. Zhang Wei (6)
4. Penty (4)
5. Shothaal (3)

THE COUNTDOWN
The players have 3 minutes of free action in-game once they enter the room.
Let them know this and give them a minute to plan.
After 3 minutes, the first nutrient pack is fed into the system. The Nergalites
will then feed a contaminated pack into the system every minute (2 Turns
of combat) until all packs are used. For every two Nergalites who have
transformed into Vile Abominations (see p. 63), increase the time by a
minute. If all transform, there is no further threat of contamination.

TAKING ACTION
There are six likely courses of action:
• the players use the computer system to ID the contaminated packs
• the players use technical knowledge to shut down feeder pipes
• the players use the computer system to force an administrative Naturally, the
players may come
shutdown up with some other
clever ways to solve
• the players slash the packs and spill their contents on the floor their problems.

• the players further identify the cultists and stop them in the act
• the players pretend to be cultists to learn more of what they need to
stop them

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i This is a fast and

effective option, if
1. Using the Computer System
An easy way to identify the packs is by hacking into a computer terminal on
the players succeed.
the work floor. There are several and are in plain sight, but also in sight of
the guards.
The best candidate for this job is Sings-From-Void, with a pool of 8 dice from
her Awareness + Computers & Communication. Given that she has likely
remained unnoticed during all this, the player will need to create a way
where she can appear out of sight of others before using a terminal, or she
will suddenly appear out of thin air in front of one.
The Difficulty for the Display Competence Simple Action is 3, but the player
suffers Edge -1 if they want to keep Sings-From-Void’s actions private.
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

There are two ways to succeed. Rolling a minimum of 3 Hits will get the
players the complete serial numbers for the contaminated packs. Rolling
5 Hits or more causes the ID tags on the bags to light up purple, making
them very easy to spot. You may suggest the player use Resolve to reach
this greater threshold.
If the player fails, they still get the complete serial numbers, but the terminal
starts playing loud upbeat salsa music, which draws unwanted attention
to the players. They’ll have to be smart about evading the increasingly
watchful guards as they go about their business and Actions they wish to be
clandestine now suffer Edge -2.

This option is risky, 2. Using Scientific or Technical Knowledge

but can buy time
while the players One of the players may key in on the fact that several of the characters have
enact other plans. technical skills. They may be able to figure out a way to tinker with or shut
off the machinery to render the contaminated bags useless.
Whatever the players’ plan, this is a Display Competence Action using
Awareness + Construction & Engineering against a Difficulty 4. Selaniade is
a good candidate again, with a dice pool of 9.
Success means the player has identified which pipes are actively able to
receive nutrients, and they now know what the manual shut-offs on each
of the pipes look like. Using them will quickly call attention, as the regular
workers and armed guards will investigate why the system is shutting down.
The way they choose to execute this course of action can vary widely, so just
use the necessary Actions from the previous lists to facilitate.
Failure means they learn nothing and it’s time to try something else.

This option is also 3. Administrative Shutdown

risky, but can
potentially thwart Players may come up with the idea to force a full shutdown of the processing
the cultists in
one fell swoop. floor. There is a list of things that require one to happen, but they all require
observation, evidence, or a directive from a superior.

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Since the players have no evidence, they’ll have no luck trying to get the
armed guards to perform a shutdown. The best they’ll do is call a superior to
i
come down and hear their story, which will only waste precious time.
Once combat breaks out, there will be no chance of an emergency shutdown
as the guards will be too busy shooting at immediate threats.
An emergency shutdown can only be performed from the security terminal,
where the guards sit.
There is a chance Sings-From-Void can attempt to remotely hack the security
terminal from one of the floor terminals. This is a Do It Better Complex
Action, pitting her Awareness + Computers & Communication (a dice pool of

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

8) against the system’s dice pool of 8.
If she’s successful, the emergency shutdown is triggered and the Nergalites
have no more opportunity to complete their mission. The stress triggers their
transformation (see p. 62) and combat erupts.
If she’s unsuccessful, she triggers an alarm at the security terminal which
identifies her as the culprit and the guards will draw weapons and attempt
to detain her and any obvious associates. This will also waste precious time.

4. Slashing the Packs in Transit It doesn’t take long

for someone carrying
Once the players have identified the contaminated nutrient packs, they a nutrient pack to
may have the idea of just cutting them open while the Nergalites are notice it’s quickly
getting lighter,
carrying them. This will spill the contents on the floor, which will waste the but this option
can be effective.
contamination.
Although the bags can be cut open, there aren’t any sharp things on the
processing floor. There’s no need for them, so the players will have to be
creative, though Selaniade’s talons may be very useful in this regard.

5. Confront a Nergalite This option is can be

effective depending
Once the players have identified a cultist, they may choose to follow or on how the players
confront the Nergalites. What they do then is up to them, as they may create wish to approach
the interaction,
plans which allow them to deal with the situation quietly, or they may unless the cultists
have been notified.
accidentally trigger the cultist’s transformation (see p. 62).
If the Nergalites have been notified because of a Mixed Success in Encounter
5, this course of action won’t be very effective. The cultists, who know the
players aren’t supposed to be there, will wander aimlessly and avoid their
tasks to waste the players’ time while the others continue with the plan.

6. Attempting to Fake Being a Cultist This option can buy

the players time
Once the players have identified a Nergalite, they may want to pretend they to get into better
are also cultists to more quickly locate the contaminated packs. position, unless
the cultists have
been notified.

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i Convincing them of this is a Use Force of Personality Simple Action, against

a Difficulty of 4. Novada is the most effective character for this, with a base
dice pool of 9, including an Edge +1 for the Bluff Specialization, though any
character may take this on if they’re in the right position.
There are two possible outcomes. Success means the Nergalite believes
the player and will now behave accordingly. Failure means the Nergalite
immediately alerts the armed guards that the player or players are intruders.
They will train guns on the suspect. If the players choose to fight, play out
one turn with the armed guards (using the statistics on p. 65) before the
Nergalites begin to transform from the stress.
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

If the cultists have been notified because of a Mixed Success in Encounter 5,

this course of action won’t be very effective. The Nergalite will play dumb
and try to waste the players time while the others complete the mission.

TRIGGERING THE CULTISTS’ TRANSFORMATION

Before the mission, each of the Nergalites received a blessing from their
priest, though it was not what they thought it was. They were told it would
help protect them, but the magic will actually permanently transform into a
vile abomination when the threat is great.
A Nergalite will transform once they reach a certain stress threshold, and
they’re already near it. Whether social or physical, stressing a cultist further
will result in triggering this transformation, much to their surprise.

This is the players’

If it’s in question whether or not a Nergalite is going to transform, roll one
first interaction with die. On evens they remain how they are, and on odds they transform.
something terrifying,
so feel free to play up
the frightening and Combat begins once the first Nergalite mutates, and the rest will follow in
hideous appearances a chain reaction. Two cultists transform each turn of combat after the first
of the Abominations.
(more if you want to present a greater challenge).
Use the following statistics for the Vile Abomination, who have a dice pool
of 11 for close combat and a pool of 7 to evade ranged attacks. Fortunately
for the players, they don’t do a large amount of damage with each attack.

ENCOUNTER 8: THE FINAL BATTLE

Once anyone (cultist or Tager) transforms into a monster, the final battle
begins and we move into Turns (30 seconds each). The players face both the
Nergalites and the armed guards, who are going to shoot at anything that
isn’t human.
The civilians will scream and sensibly run for the nearest exit. Most panic and
head back to the elevator instead of the other emergency exits.

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VILE NERGALITE ABOMINATION

i
ATTRIBUTES

Awareness 2 Physique 4 Presence 2 Tenacity 3

CHARACTERISTICS

Health 8 Speed 6

SKILLS

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Alertness 3 Athletics 4

Body Fighting 4 Gun Fu 2

VILE ABOMINATION Eldritch Boon

On command, or when sufficiently stressed, this cultist’s body rapidly transforms into a
mindless slavering monstrosity. This is permanent.

They gain Edge +3 to any physical Action, but suffer Edge -3 to any mental or social
Actions. They also grow vicious claws, lashing tentacles, or other body modifications,
which do Damage 4.

ARMED GUARDS
At the start, there are two armed guards (use the following statistics) who
will quickly open fire on anything that isn’t human. They will immediately
ready their electrokinetic submachine guns (railguns) and unleash on the
nearest targets, cultist or player. If those targets are two cultists, the guards If the Efreet
will miss one of them. (Shothaal) ignites,
he will trigger
They have a dice pool of 7 for ranged combat, 8 if they’re using their SMGs, alarms, emergency
lights, and a simple
and a pool of 6 for close combat. sprinkler system.
This won’t affect
anything, other than
The armed guards shoot full-auto, which means they add the weapon’s Auto adding tension to
rating to their damage and spend half a magazine. There are other effects the atmosphere.

for Auto fire, but we don’t need to fully examine them now. They can fire
on full auto for two turns before reloading, and have enough ammo for a
total of four turns of autofire. If they run out of ammo, they’ll switch to their
pistols.
If combat moves to a third turn, four more guards show up as reinforcements.
If the players are flagging, you may choose to skip this in favor of expediency.

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i On the fifth turn, if you reach one, the players will hear the inbound military
Exosuits and know it’s time to go. They are not prepared to go up against
arcanotech powersuits just now, so they should best leave.
Instead of killing the While the Nergalites in this Encounter have increased Health, the armed
guards, an attacker
who landed the guards do not. They have only 6 Health and 1 Armor, so cultists and Tagers
killing blow may
instead choose
can easily take them out. Remind the players it isn’t cool to murder the
to render their armed guards or allow them to be murdered due to negligence. They’re
target unconscious,
with their victim tasked with the job of protecting a primary food production center, which is
remaining stable
at Health 1.
a good thing for society at large. They’re just people.

CULTISTS
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

If the players have

too easy a time, you There are two cultists per player. Use the stats for Nergalite Cultists for the
can have additional
cultists enter after
untransformed cultists (see p. 55), and the Vile Nergalite Abomination stats
the fight begins. for the transformed enemies (see p. 63.)

THE PLAYERS
The players have explanations of the special effects of their attacks on their
character sheets, but we should address Range, AOE, and Speed further.

Each point of With regards to range, Close attacks can affect enemies within 3 yd/m, Near
range or distance can attack halfway across the floor, and anything else can reach across the
equals 3 yd/m.
entire floor.
With regards to area of effect, Close AOE affects all enemies within 3 yd/m,
Near reaches across half the floor, and anything else will affect the entire
floor. Make one attack roll against which all those affected must defend.
A Speed of 6 means a player moves 18 yd/m in a turn. A higher or lower
rating will increase or decrease that rate by 3 yd/m per point.
Jumping is similar, with each point equaling 3 yd/m, including straight up.

OUTCOMES
There are four probable outcomes to this adventure.

1. All Cultists Defeated & Packs Recovered

The players have achieved complete success. They should not stick around,
as the authorities have dispatched a squad of Exosuits to the spire.
They can climb back up the shaft using the ghoulways and crawl away to
safety.

2. All Cultists Defeated, but Not All Packs Recovered

Same as above, but there’s an ugly outbreak of something akin to dysentery.
The Eldritch Society isn’t happy, but it’s not as bad as it would have been.
Some people die, which may weigh on the players’ consciences.

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AGRARIAN FOODS GUARDS i

ATTRIBUTES

Awareness 3 Physique 3 Presence 2 Tenacity 3

CHARACTERISTICS

Health 6 Speed 6

SKILLS

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

Alertness 4 Athletics 3

Body Fighting 3 Gun Fu 4

Gun Fu Specialization:
+1
Submachine Guns

ATTACKS

Damage 4 + Auto 6 (15) + Range 25 The RMG-14 is

an electrokinetic
RMG-14 + Magazine 30 + halves target’s Speed next turn submachine
+ targets suffer -1 Armor for attack gun - a railgun.

The CS-42 is a heavy

Damage 4 + Range 5 + Magazine 15 pistol. This one
CS-42 Peacemaker loaded with hollow
+ Damage +2 against unarmored opponents point rounds.

Snap Baton Damage 2

DEFENSE

Heavy Combat Vest Armor 1

GEAR
If the lights go
Imaging Monocle Nightvision 50 out, the guards
can still see.

3. All Packs Recovered, but Not All Cultists Defeated

If the players can get out after recovering the contaminated packs without
having to kill all the Abominations, they’ve achieved their mission. It’s not
the most efficient or brave solution, but it gets the job done and saves lives.
They will leave the mutated cultists for the incoming Exosuits, who should
easily be able to manage them.

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i If you’re planning on continuing to play in Santa Fe, the players may find
the Office of Internal Security (the federal police who cover the supernatural)
investigating the incident. If the group didn’t cover their tracks fully, they’ll
have to be careful.

4. Leftover Cultists & Packs

If the players fail to stop at least four contaminated nutrient packs, the
Nergalites succeed. The outbreak is sizable, people die, and the New Sol
Coalition declares martial law and shuts down the spire until the situation
can be managed. The cultists have created panic and slowed down food
production, which was their intention.
ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

This can have serious complications for the players if you continue on in
Santa Fe.

ENCOUNTER 9: AFTERMATH
Pack N-342 effectively stopped the shipment on the train, so the threat has
at least been contained to Santa Fe. They’re grateful to the players for their
swift and decisive action, but are off to another mission in another arcology.
This adventure only scratches the surface of CthulhuTech:
the Shadow War. There is far more world to discover, more
advanced Tagers to create, and a more narrative way to
play the game. I hope you enjoyed your first look at it and
that you’re inspired to see more!

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Prepare Yourself for Dhohanoids i

ADVENTURE: THE WORMS OF NERGAL

In this image,
Phantom (left) and
Spectre (right) Tagers
face-off against
a very dangerous
Dhohanoid:
the Zabuth.

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i
MORE WAYS TO PLAY!
The full version of CthulhuTech gives you several ways you can engage with
the mechanics of the game, beyond what you’ve seen in this adventure.

CORE MECHANICS
These Quick-Start Rules utilize only one of the three mechanical frameworks
you can use to play CthulhuTech. In addition to the Fundamental System
presented here, there are two other ways to play. No way is better or worse
than the others.

In the Avant-Garde
The Avant-Garde System is story-driven in its design. Dice rolling is minimized
System, you get and players instead manage their abilities as resources, spending Shots to
to call the shots
until you’re out guarantee success. This option is the most narrative of the three systems and
of resources.
often plays at a faster pace.
JUST A TASTE!

The Mixed System is a combination of the two. Players roll dice for all actions,
until they want to guarantee success. They then use Shots as resources to
forego rolling dice. This is a great option for transitioning traditional players
into the narrative system.

TAGER MECHANICS
Similar to how there are three ways to approach the mechanics, there are
three ways to approach Tagers. These Quick-Start Rules utilized Streamlined
Tagers, which are the easiest to create and manage.

Dynamic Tagers Dynamic Tagers take the most time to create and manage, but are good for
also get to custom
craft their attacks
longer running games and have the greatest potential for growth. Using a
during play. pool of points, you’ll customize your Tager using a variety of options. You
also can craft your attacks from scratch.
Blended Tagers are a middle-ground between ease and customization, good
for groups who want more options without having to use the full rules set.
Using a pool of points, you’ll customize your Tager, but in a more limited
fashion than you would with Dynamic Tagers.

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i
AND JUST PLAIN MORE!
The setting and rules in this QSR are only a portion of what the Player’s
Handbook and Game Master’s Guide, with their combined 800 pages, have
to offer:
• More Tager rules, including customization and the ability to craft
attacks from scratch There are many more
rules to help bring
• More core rules, including Counteractions, Engagement, Panic, and CthulhuTech into
Reputation, as well as optional rules to customize your game focus, though some
are optional based on
• More heritages, including Human, Nazzadi, Amlati, Catkin of Ulthar, your system choice.

Hidden, High Ghoul, Ravenkind of Carcosa, Tcho Tcho, Viperborn, and

Waveborn
• More symbionts, including Echo, Efreet, Mirage, Nightmare, Phantom,
Shadow, Spectre, Vampire, Whisper, and Widow

MORE AWAITS!
These options create
40 possibilities for
• With 10 heritages with 4 backgrounds, and 10 types of symbionts with 4 your heritage and 40
training packages, there are hundreds of unique character possibilities possibilities for your
Tager, for a total of
• Rules for wealth, acquisitions, and lists of weapons and gear 1600 possible unique
combinations.
• An extensive look at arcologies including how they function, what it’s
If we only account
like to live and adventure in them, guidance for designing your own, as for heritage and
symbiont, there
well as the new locations of Sante Fe and Nazza-Duhni are still 100 unique
combinations.
• A guide to understanding CthulhuTech technology, including D-engines,
nanofabrication, smart assistants, and revolutionary transportation It’s unlikely two
characters in
• An expansive setting which picks up after previous books, starting with your game will
be the same.
the profoundly changed society of the New Sol Coalition and adding
new details to the Eldritch Society, Chrysalis, Ashcroft, the Office of
Internal Security, and the Church of All
• A look at secret and mystical places, including the Dreamlands (Ulthar,
Celephais, and the Nightmare Gardens), Carcosa, the ruins of Arkham,
Area 108 (aka the Zone), Valusia, the Stone Wastes, and the Dark Side
of the Moon
• A look at the hidden world, including the prehistory of the Earth, as well
as terrifying aliens and dark gods
These include
• Frightening enemies, including 14 types of Dhohanoids, cultists, enough information
Gaunts, N’athm, Chronos Hounds, and Deep Ones and options for
you to create more
• Guidance for Game Masters, including adventure design and resource real and detailed
villains, in addition
management to the usual fodder.

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i
FUNDAMENTAL SYSTEM REFERENCE

Here are all the At its core, whenever you want to do something, you choose an Action to take
basic rules of and roll a pool of dice to determine whether or not you succeed.
CthulhuTech from
this QSR, together
and in one place.
DICE POOL
Your dice pool for any Action is determined by adding together the Attribute
and Skill ratings applicable to the task. Your GM will help you determine
what you should use in a given situation.

ACTIONS: SIMPLE & COMPLEX

FUNDAMENTAL SYSTEM REFERENCE

Anytime something you want to attempt is challenging and there’s a chance

of failure, your Game Master will ask you to take an Action.
There are two types of Actions: Simple & Complex. Simple Actions are Actions
taken where there’s nothing directly opposing you such as searching a room,
hacking an unsecured system, leaping a chasm, or locating a resource.
Complex Actions are taken when someone or something is actively working
against you or the situation is rapidly changing such as sneaking past
guards, hacking a system with active countermeasures, escaping a burning
building, or most combat actions.

SIMPLE ACTIONS
Simple Actions are those you use to interact with your environment when
nothing is actively working against you. You and your Game Master will
work out which Attribute and Skill works best for your stated Action. Add
them together and the result is the number of dice you’ll roll to determine
if you succeed.

ACTION DIFFICULTY
Your GM will assign you a Difficulty rating, from 3 to 6, based on the
challenge your task presents. Roll your dice and count each even number
as a Hit. You succeed if you get a number of Hits equal to or greater than
the Difficulty.

EDGE
Some Actions may be easier or harder due to special abilities, circumstances,
or the environment, which is accounted for with Edge. Positive Edge allows
you to roll more dice and negative Edge means you roll fewer dice. Some of
your abilities may give you Edge, and your GM will let you know when other
Edge adjustments apply.

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i
Positive Edge and negative Edge cancel each other out and you can never
have more than a total of Edge +/- 4 on any given Roll.

SKILL SPECIALIZATIONS
Specializations are narrow areas of focus within a Skill, and all characters
start with one. Anytime you and your GM agree your Specialization applies,
you gain Edge +1.

RESOLVE
Sometimes dice don’t cooperate. When an Action is important and you don’t
roll enough Hits, you can spend Resolve after you know the result of your

FUNDAMENTAL SYSTEM REFERENCE

roll. You get 5 Resolve for a four-hour session, and each point you spend
gives you an additional Hit, up to a maximum of three for one Action.
You can also use your Resolve to help out with an ally’s Action, giving them
the same benefit, but no more than three Resolve can be applied to any
Action regardless of source.

COMPLEX ACTIONS
When you want to do something when someone or something else is actively
trying to resist or stop you, you’ll take a Complex Action. The difference
between Simple and Complex Actions is that instead of rolling against a
Difficulty set by the GM, Complex Actions require you to compare your Hits
against another dice roll. You need to roll better than your opponent, instead
of against a fixed number. While meeting the number of Hits required
provides complete success in Simple Actions, you’ll achieve only a mixed
success if you tie your opponent’s roll.

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EXPANDED RULES
This section includes additional rules which may appeal to more advanced
players. Feel free to use what you like, but none of it is required for this
adventure.

COMBAT
The Combat Complex Action table presented earlier isn’t complete, in order
to keep it simple and easy to understand. For those who wish to introduce
critical results, use the complete table below.

DAMAGE & WOUND LEVELS

Health is greatly simplified in this QSR and doesn’t take into effect how
EXPANDED RULES

severe wounds affect a character. These rules introduce Wound Levels, each
Using Wound Levels
requires your players equal to a player’s base Health.
to do a little more
detailed record
keeping when DOING DAMAGE
they are hurt.
The amount of damage a successful attack applies is determined by the
weapon or attack used. Attacks may also do additional damage if the
difference between the attacker and defender’s rolls is significant (see
above).

COMPLEX ACTION 4: COMBAT

When you need to resort to violence, use this Action. The result of your dice roll will be in
comparison to your target’s roll.

COMMONLY USED: Body Fighting, Gun Fu, Awareness, Physique

RESULT EFFECT

As failure, but the defender adds the difference in results to their Strikeback
-4 or lower
damage.

-2 or -3 Attacker misses and takes damage from the defender’s Strikeback.

Trade blows or miss (attacker’s choice); trading blows means the attack is
0 or -1
successful, but the enemy may Strikeback

+1 to +2 Attacker hits and does damage.

+3 or higher As success, but attacker adds the difference in results to their damage.

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TAKING DAMAGE
Living things have Health scores equal to their Physique + Tenacity. Because
you are both a player and a Hero, you have triple that amount split up equally
among three Wound Levels: Bruised, Battered, and Hurt. Your wounds will
eventually penalize your actions, and damage effects are cumulative with
other Edge penalties.
In the complete
Most NPCs have only one level of Health meaning they do not become game, NPCs may be
designed to have
Battered or Hurt and instead move directly from Bruised to Dead. additional levels
of Health, or to go
For example, Diego has Physique 4 and Tenacity 4, giving them a Health of down in one hit.

8. Because Diego is both a player character and a hero, their total Health
is 24, but split up evenly into three pools of 8. Diego will be Bruised, with
no penalty, after taking 8 or less damage. Once they take 9 to 16 points of
damage, they’ll be Battered and suffer Edge -1 to all Actions. This penalty

EXPANDED RULES
increases to Edge -2 once Diego takes 17 to 24 damage, and they’re at
Death’s Door once they take 25 or more damage.

Physical Damage

HEALTH
WOUND LEVEL EFFECTS
LEVELS

BRUISED No effect 1

BATTERED Edge -1 to all Actions 2

HURT Edge -2 to all Actions 3

DEATH’S Use the Stay With Me Special

Out of Health
DOOR Action (on next page)

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i
Death’s Door
When a player reaches 0 Health, they may use the Stay With Me Special
Action to stay alive. Edge never applies to the Stay With Me Special Action.

SPECIAL ACTION: STAY WITH ME

When you would like to avoid death, use this Action.

COMMONLY USED: Physique, Tenacity, Athletics

HITS EFFECT

Less than 3 You die

As long as players
You don’t die, but are out of commission until the end of
EXPANDED RULES

have Resolve, it’s

unlikely characters 4
will die. combat, unless healed by someone else

5 You don’t die and immediately recover 4 Health

6 You don’t die and immediately recover 6 Health

If you’re hurt afterwards and are reduced to 0 Health, you will need to take
the Stay With Me Special Action again.

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i
GAME MASTER: TENSION
You use Tension points to make things more difficult for the players,
representing the increasing intensity of the adventure as they go along. In Tension adds some
additional record
this simplified version of the system, your pool of Tension builds as certain keeping for you.
events occur in your game, as listed here.

TENSION GENERATING EVENTS TENSION

Each time a player spends a Resolve 1 for each point

Each time a player rolls one or no Hits on a Simple Action 1 point The complete
Tension system has
additional options,
There are two ways you can spend Tension to influence the game in this which aren’t relevant

EXPANDED RULES
to this QSR.
simplified version: Complicating Actions and Resolve.

COMPLICATING ACTIONS
Tension Required: 1 to 3
You may spend a Tension to apply a Edge -1 penalty to the player for their
Simple Action, and up to 3 Tension for a maximum of penalty of Edge -3.

RESOLVE
Tension Required: 1 to 3
You can use Tension as Resolve for NPCs, up to a maximum of three for one
Action.

OPEN OR CLOSED TENSION POOL

You may choose to keep the Tension pool in full view of you and your
players, to build dread that something coming up isn’t going to be as easy
as normal. To make that dread more intense, you also have the option of
hiding the Tension pool from view and keeping it secret.

MAXIMUM TENSION
You may only pool 20 Tension at a time, and you cannot earn more until
some are spent.

75
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The shAdOW wAr

The year is 2088.

A secret war rages to save humanity.
Join with a symbiont.
Become a monster to fight gods.
Be feared by those you protect.
Run from the powers that be.
There is no other choice.

A Lovecraftian-inspired apocalypse in the near future, old gods

have awakened to make the planet their own. Fight in the dark
underworld of a besieged society, in symbiosis with an Other,
against a cult with the power of a giant corporation.

CthulhuTech is a unique experience.

Choose one of ten symbionts from one of ten heritages. A flexible
system allows you to play traditionally or using narrative resource
management. Use fast attacks or craft them on the fly. Customize the
rules for your own style.

Reimagined.
76 http://wildfire.games