TITAN EFFECT: COVERT TALES

AUTHOR
Richard Woolcock
Christian Nommay

The world is not what it seems. Most people don’t realize how dangerous it has become, but things SYSTEM
are about to change. Psychics and bio-augmented humans work as spies and soldiers on behalf of Tricube Tales <

criminal organizations, private military companies, and secret societies in a covert war that has SETTING
Titan Effect RPG <
raged for decades. Some fight for control and power, while others seek to shape the future. All rights reserved
In the middle of this conflict stands the worldwide clandestine organization known as the “Special © 2022 Knight Errant Media

Executive Assault and Recon”—or “SPEAR.” Its mission is to track and neutralize biological and psychic STORY SYMBOLS
Delapouite, Lorc, Skoll
threats and prevent the world from falling into chaos. Game-icons.net <
You are agents of SPEAR, recruited for your psychic gifts or bio-augmentations, and trained as elite
ILLUSTRATION
operatives. Can you face the challenges before you, complete your mission, and save the day? Leonarda Ariza

CHARACTER CREATION RESOLVING CHALLENGES MISSION BRIEFING

Each player creates a character as follows: If a player attempts something risky, they roll 1-3 Roll on the following tables to generate the latest
1. Choose a trait: Agile (used for reflexes, dexterity, six-sided dice and must equal or beat a difficulty mission (see the next page for some examples—as
stealth, and ranged combat), brawny (covers strength, of 4-6 on at least one die. Succeed on multiple dice well as a “twist” table for further inspiration):
vitality, athletics, and melee combat), or crafty (covers for an exceptional success (narrate an additional The agents need to...
smarts, charm, alertness, and mental/social combat). benefit). Rolling “1” on all dice is a critical failure A Secure a location D Spy or obtain intel
2. Pick a concept: Ghost, spy, pilot, tech expert, (introduce a complication to the scene). B Extract an asset E Capture an enemy
investigator, medic, or commando. The GM chooses a trait and difficulty for each C Eliminate a threat F Destroy a facility
3. Choose a perk: Telepathy, psychokinesis, ESP, challenge. Most are difficulty 5, but a particularly From, at, on, or near a...
biokinesis, neo-therianthropy, or chimera. easy or hard challenge might be difficulty 4 or 6. A Corporate building D Commercial airport
4. Select a quirk: Heroic, overconfident, cynical, Combat challenges use effort tokens—eliminate 1 B Secret hideout E Private island
notorious, rookie, stubborn, or trigger-happy. effort token for each die that succeeds. C Casino or hotel F Moving vehicle
5. Grab 3 karma tokens and 3 resolve tokens. Players usually roll 2 dice, but roll 3 dice if the While dealing with...
6. Come up with a name and introduce yourself challenge matches their trait. If a challenge falls A Enemy agents D Dangerous rivals
to the group (e.g., “I am Orisa “Solo” Oni, a crafty completely outside the scope of their concept (e.g., B Difficult terrain E A hostage situation
tech expert with ESP who is rather stubborn”). a medic repairing a vehicle), they lose 1 die. C Extreme weather F Unexpected betrayal

OVERVIEW OF POWERS KARMA AND RESOLVE RUNNING THE GAME

Each perk offers a broad range of powers: Each player has 3 karma and 3 resolve. Spend 1 The GM should describe the opening scene, react
Telepathy covers mind reading, mind control, karma after rolling to reduce the difficulty by 1, if to the players’ decisions, and assign the traits and
psychic attacks, and mental illusions. you can explain how the powers granted by your difficulties for challenges. Offer players karma in
Psychokinesis allows the agent to control one perk help you overcome the challenge. Recover 1 return for complications based on their quirks!
specific type of matter or energy. karma when you increase the difficulty by 1 before For combat encounters, assign the challenge 2-
ESP grants premonitions, enhanced senses, past rolling, narrating how your quirk hinders you. 3 effort tokens per player. The enemy is defeated
and remote viewing, and astral projection. If you use a quirk and succeed at the challenge, once all the effort tokens have been eliminated.
Biokinesis can heal, modify, and enhance living you may recover 1 resolve instead of 1 karma. The players should make all the rolls, drive the
beings, including changing appearance. For dangerous actions (such as combat), failure story forward, and narrate the outcome of their
Neo-therianthropy allows shapeshifting into costs 1 resolve (or 2 on a critical failure). If a PC actions as much as possible—but don’t push them
a human-hybrid of one specific animal. runs out of resolve, they are eliminated from the out of their comfort zone. Players can also spend
Chimeras are bio-augmented with the physical scene—but death is primarily a narrative conceit, 1 karma to influence the story or discover a clue
characteristics of one specific species of animal. and the agent usually returns later at full resolve. through their perk, at the GM’s discretion.
 OBJECTIVES LOCATIONS COMPLICATIONS
Described here are examples of objectives for the Described here are examples of locations for the Described here are example complications for the
mission generator (first table): mission generator (second table): mission generator (third table):

1. CAPTURE A SECRET LAB 1. MODERN FORTRESS 1. ARES MERCENARIES

The Olympians are a secret influence group who This high-rise office building has ballistic mirror One of the most powerful military companies in
seek world domination. They breed supersoldiers glass windows, a state-of-the-art security system, the world, ARES serves as the armed wing of the
to hunt psychics, and SPEAR has fought them for and heavily armed guards in the lobby. Olympians and carries out all of their clandestine
decades. Their lab could prove highly valuable. operations. Its biotechnology division created the
2. VILLA RETREAT first neo-therianthropes and chimeras.
2. RESCUE AN EXPOSED SPY This secluded waterfront villa offers a panoramic
A compromised SPEAR mole requires immediate view of the nearby bay. There is a helipad beside 2. STEALTH INSERTION
extraction—the agents must act quickly! the private dock, and an old underground bunker The agents will have to parachute in, and find (or
has been converted into a lavish safe room. steal) transportation to escape after the mission.
3. STOP A DEATH CULT
A rogue psychic has formed an apocalyptic death 3. THE ADUMBRAL HOTEL 3. EYE OF THE STORM
cult with terrorist links. They must be stopped. This luxurious hotel has ties to multiple criminal A powerful storm makes satellite communication
organizations and shady groups. It offers neutral impossible, and even travel becomes challenging.
4. SPY ON A RIVAL GROUP ground and a safe haven for those who need it. Air support is totally out of the question.
The Order of the Holy Mystery is a secret group
within the Roman Catholic Church. It eliminates 4. FLYING IN STYLE 4. TYPHON CELL
psychic threats and bio-augmented soldiers—but This international airport offers a range of luxury TYPHON is a terrorist organization that follows
usually remains neutral in the Great Game. features to wealthier and more discerning guests, a posthumanism agenda. Most of its members are
including private suites, flight concierge services, bio-augmented, or scientists who rebelled against
5. ABDUCT AN ENEMY AGENT and an exclusive VIP terminal. ARES and the Olympians. The SPEAR operatives
The Directorate is a secret organization founded should treat this group with extreme caution.
at the end of the Cold War. It conspires to build a 5. FORTIFIED ISLAND
new Russian Empire dominated by psychics, and An eccentric billionaire owns this private island. 5. INNOCENT BYSTANDERS
it sees both SPEAR and the Olympians as threats. He is known for his reclusive lifestyle, but SPEAR Innocent civilians are at the scene, and the agents
Its feared “Baba Yaga” unit is composed of strong suspects he also funds clandestine groups. must take care to avoid collateral damage.
psychics, and the agents must abduct one!
6. SUPERYACHT SANCTUARY 6. CLOAK AND DAGGER
6. DIRECTORATE FACILITY The true ownership of this superyacht is buried An enemy mole has infiltrated SPEAR and passed
The agents must destroy a secret training facility beneath layers of shell companies. However, it is on sensitive details about the mission. The agents
that brainwashes and radicalizes young recruits. rumored to belong to a well-connected oligarch. are going to be in for an unexpected surprise!

ADDING A TWIST TO THE MISSION

For further inspiration, roll two dice on the table below and use the symbol as an improvisational prompt (you don’t need to interpret it literally). For example,
A D might indicate surveillance, vigilance, an inspection, or an observation, while rolling D F could mean a stealth insertion, flight gear, air support, mission
supplies, or an airdrop, and F C might represent tranquilizers or sedatives, medicine, narcotics, designer drugs, biological agents, or poison.
AA AB AC AD AE AF BA BB BC BD BE BF CA CB CC CD CE CF DA DB DC DD DE DF EA EB EC ED EE EF FA FB FC FD FE FF