Fang: The Role Playing Game of Epic Horror

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Fang is a game of ancient evils and dark secrets. In it you can choose to be a mortal trying to survive in a world that most choose not to believe exists. You can choose to be a member of one of the Vampire courts, each with their own strengths and weakness given from a unique background never before used in the vampire genre. You could create a character born with the gift of sight and magic, one of the Magi a secret society that spawned the legends of the illuminati. Perhaps you would choose to take up the role of a Fallen, a being of energy whose parasitic nature requires a human host to exist, in ancient times these beings were known as demons, and Oni.You could even become one of the Shifters, the guardians of nature who fight nightly to control their inner demon beast. In Fang you will be tasked with improving your own rank among the circles of your people, achieving power through brute force, iron will, or political manipulation, and all the while conceiling your existence from mortal kind. Fang as a game, if ratings apply, should be considered "R". It is not recommended for children or young gamers as it deals with very adult material aimed at exploring the nature of power, morality, and death.

Fang will be played using Wicked North Games Cinema6 RPG Framework. This system is a next generation D6 System game engine and has proven to be the most appropriate rule set for this kind of high action, violent game.

Introduction

thumb|300px|leftThe book you have in your hands, or on your screen, is a dangerous thing. Once you are shown the truths of the world as it really is there will be no going back. I'm giving you this warning only in passing. There is a war that mortals are unaware of, a war that has raged for centuries between the immortal races of our world. You have read of us in your assumed fiction. Of the true lords of the earth, forever young, and as unknowable to mortal kind as the butcher is to his cattle. We once walked openly as gods among your kind. The vampires of your legends, though the eldest of our kind prefer no name at all. We are a secretive race. It has been the greatest asset of our survival over millennia immemorial. The movies and books of today would tell you some about us. But you must remember some of these things are deliberate misinformation from our kind. If knowledge is power, than he who controls it has power unrestrained.

We do not fear crosses, I am quite fond of crosses actually being born in time to serve in the crusades, unless the foes of the fallen ones take head of the prayers of a true believer. This is true of most of what you would call "supernatural" beings however. The God of Abraham does indeed wield power over the world, or perhaps it is the sheer will of belief in him that wields power. This is for you to answer for yourself. Silver does not harm us. We are however extremely susceptible to sunlight. Though, even this could be misinformation for you to ponder mortal. The magi cast this upon our bloodlines during the Day of Ashes nearly two thousand years ago now. Beheading or burning us, as with any other creature can kill us. But some of the eldest of our kind can return even from injuries such as those.

The world is it is, is similar to the world in which you live every day. There are taxis, and skyscrapers. Computers, and cell phones. But everything you experience lies on the surface of a much deeper ocean of darkness beneath. A darkness that has drowned many a cattle, our "loving" nickname for the herds of mankind that populate the world. We are the sharks of that ocean. We are the eternal lords of the night. But even our kind have foes, if not equals. The beasts are hinted at in your legends as well. There was a time when they were as we are now. But that was long ago. They are descendents of the pagans of old who in their arrogance thought they could learn to master the demon within, the hunger, with blood rites, and placation of the old gods. They lost their immortality in the process in, they thought, they were finally free of the beast. Little did they know through the generations that they would pass the essence of the demon unto their children, and their children's children. They are abominations of the blood. The closest one could describe them for you to understand would be the werewolves. Similar in most respects to those of your films, although silver is no more deadly to them as it is to any other mortal. They have chosen to, those few who make the change and keep their sanity, to hunt us. But they will soon learn who is the prey.

There are other beings that may rival us in the cities of mankind. The magi and their secret orders mostly keep to themselves. They are dangerous, and newly turned vampires would do well to never piss them off. The adage "subtle and quick to anger" doesn't do these beings justice. They have greatly longer life spans than other mortals, and can hold grudges for as long as any of our kind. The last time we went to war against their strong places in the old world was during the time when Caesar sat upon the emperors chair in Rome. It was then that the curse of light was laid down upon us, and brought our people low for hundreds of years. We recovered from the ashes, literally, and have learned since that these are not a people to fuck with. The others to be weary of are creatures that even in our vast knowledge we cannot fully understand. There are the fallen ones, those that claim to be the literal demons spoken of us the religious texts of the west and near east. They are immensely powerful beings. Some of the courts, the "families" of our kind, have in times past made pacts with these beings in exchange for power. It is rumored that an act such as this is what spawned our race to begin with. Though we can never be sure as the eldest of us perished during the Day of Ashes, the day the magi cursed us to dwell only in darkness and fear the sun.

Choose your allies carefully, fledgling, lest your elders make a meal of you.

Influences for Fang

These are the influences for the look and feel of Fang.

Movies/Books/TV

Metropolis, Batman: The Dark Knight, The Matrix, Ginger Snaps, Blade Runner, Dark City, The Crow, Terminator, Gattaca, 12 Monkeys, Seven, X-Files, Lord of Illusions, Jacob's Ladder, Wolfen, The Velocity of Gary, 1984, Cyberpunk, Lovecraft Short Stories, The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, Neuromancer, The Illuminatus Series, Farenheight 451, The Shadow Run Series, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Underworld, The Wolfman, Kindred: The Embraced, The Dresden Files, Dhampir, Moonlight, True Blood.

Music

Prodigy, Nitzer Ebb, My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult, Crystal Method, Front 242, Dark City Soundtrack, Front Line Assembly, Gary Newman, Blade Runner Soundtrack, Vangelis, Christopher Young, Rockwell, Paul Van Dyk, Carl Cox, Ministry, Sisters of Mercy, Pink Floyd, Sasha and Digweed, Paul Oakenfold, Underworld, Cirrus, Swing, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Flying Neutrinos, Traditional Jazz, Ray Brown Trio, Louis Armstrong, Corrosion of Conformity, Nuclear Assault, Killing Joke, NailBomb, Birmingham6, Fear factory, Cypress Hill, Rage Against the Machine, DMX, Anthrax, Sick of it All, NIN, KMFDM, Jethro Tull, GG Allin, Metal Church, D.R.I., Exodus, Wagner, Breaking Benjamin, Black Label Society.

The World of Fang

Write the second section of your article here.

Characters of Fang

Mortals

Mortals are certainly at a disadvantage but they make up for it with numbers, ingenuity, and sheer will.

Mortals are the ordinary people who like any other man or woman. The exception of the pure mortal in Fang is that they have been exposed to the truth. That they are a fragile species on a world of ravenous hunters. That they are cattle unknowingly put to the slaughter every single day. They could have been exposed in any number of ways but the common factor among every mortal character in Fang that sets them apart from the rest of their people in that they know. They know that the missing persons aren't always missing. They know that the monster in their child's closest isn't always their imagination. And they know that they stand little chance to save themselves are those they love. But they must try. There is a government agency that is aware of the existence of the supernatural. It is secret even from the police themselves. They operate in sleeper cells each being called into service as the need arises for them. This organization has been known by many names, for the few that know of it's existence at all, and is called Department 7 currently. Magi and vanilla mortals work side by side in this operation, and some even speculate that the Magi, the fathers of all conspiracy theories, run the Department itself.

Mortals generally need a good back story to be involved in the supernatural struggles of Fang. Be they biker thugs, professors, senators, businessmen, or law enforcement. This back story can be created in advance or the Director can incorporate it into the first few sessions of play. Mortals stand in the ominous position of not necessarily staying mortals throughout the entire game. They could be turned by the Vampires, not have experienced their first change as a Shifter yet, or some other form of supernatural change. While they don’t have much in the way of supernatural powers, mortals can still carry considerable power and influence from mundane sources. These could include societal influences, resources, or powerful connections. Some mortals have even negotiated for peace and recognition amongst the supernatural communities of the world. A rare feat amongst such an overwhelmingly outmatched species.

Vampires

Vampires occupy all walks of life. You are just as likely to see them at a rave in the punk scene as you are to spot one walking the halls of a multinational corporation.

The Vampires have been around for at least as long as humanity itself. They conceal their existence from the world at large and over the millennia have developed several unique bloodlines. Each with their own abilities and weaknesses. The Vampire Courts are the darkness wielding Shadow Court, the charismatic Court of Kings, the power mad Court of the Pact who consider themselves the only true Vampires, and the Devourers who feed on the very essence of their victims. The Vampires were given rise, according to their legends, when ancient man first discovering his ability to commune beyond the gate, the barrier between this world and the next, made contact with a particularly vicious entity who offered man immortality and power in exchange for allowing it passage into our world through their blood. The power came at a cost however, as the first Vampire soon discovered he had to feed the beast within, and in time allow it to expand a part of itself into those he loved. Millennia later in ancient Rome the Vampires suffered defeat in the War of Ashes against the Magi, the descendants of the same family who could touch the world beyond the gate, and were forever changed. No longer could they walk amongst men as gods. The sun itself had become their enemy .

Shifters

By harnessing the beast bound within the Shifters can take on aspects of the Hunter demon within. Some, once fully mastering the demon of their bloodline, can attain a pure wolf form completely freeing themselves of the violent hunger within.

The Shifters are the source of the Werewolf legend. The Shifters are often called "The Lost Court" among the Vampires. During the War of Ashes when the Vampire Courts fought against the Magi over 2,000 years ago now they were Vampire warriors who used the beast within to deadly effect. When they saw the war would be lost they submitted to a ritual that would bind the beast within and make them mortal again to remove them from the conflict. The collective power of the Magi Councel rout a casting that wasn't without flaw. Though the Lost Court was spared and became mortal once more the beast was only bound in their blood. After centuries of dillution through the generations the magic began to crack and the beast, the demon bound within the blood of all Vampires, began to bleed through. Only through the destruction of all the Vampire courts can the entity whose fragmented essense dwells within them finally be stilled.

Magi

The Magi are an ancient subset of mankind. Some say they derive their power from their bloodline claiming to descend from the Nyphalim, the prehistoric offspring of man and angelic beings.

The adage "subtle and quick to anger" doesn't do these beings justice. They are the stuff legends are made of. If you could look closely enough, though they likely wouldn't let you get that far, you would find nearly every conspiracy theory throughout history leads back to these men and women. The weave the fabric of our reality into whatever they desire by reaching into themselves and touching that part of them that draws it's power from beyond the gate. Magi lead normal lives to most observers. They use taxis, computers, and cell phones like the rest of mortal kind. Though they have drastically longer life spans. Some Magi have lived as long as 500 years. The story of Methuselah was likely spawned from an exceptionally powerful Magi. They must be careful using their power however as Magic is as dangerous a drug as any other. Those who use it too frequently, or for dark purposes, suffer the Karmic effects of their deeds. The Magi began as the Shamans of early man, and unlike the other secret races keep themselves hidden, for the most part, as a means of not making themselves defacto gods to mortals. When working all together the Magi of the world can work miracles, but these rites have been lost, or hidden, since biblical times. They are the paragons of mortal kind. It's only stewards throughout time. But even they can sometimes go astray. The Crusades were secretly started by the Magi Council, the ruling body of Magi, as a last ditch effort to eradicate the last of the Vampires in the East that survived the War of Ashes. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Skills and Attributes

Dexterity: Dictates your initiative and the speed of your physical prowess. This includes tasks that involve hand-eye coordination, motor skills and situations that call for graceful movement.

Strength: When the going gets tough, as it often does, how long can your Character last? Strength determines not only your Hit Points, but also how much of a beating they can take. Whether you crash through a wall or square off against your arch nemesis, this is when Strength becomes vital to your longevity.

Persona: Is your Character likeable? How well is she or he received by others? If she is easily trusted (Whether it is genuine or not…) or an effective leader then the odds are the Character has a high rating in Persona. This Attribute involves a set of skills that indicate how well your Character interacts on a social level.

Intellect: Intellect measures the academic and mental capacity of your Character. How well were they schooled? Do they have a sharp wit that allows survival? This Attribute reflects how efficiently your Character’s mind processes information during critical moments of stress.

Aptitude: Aptitude is a representation for a natural knack in operating or understanding technology and performing often more mechanical or technical tasks.

Dexterity Skills

Acrobat: If you dive through the air with a grace like no other and are able to pull off death-defying acts of balance several stories above the surface then you are highly proficient in the skill of Acrobatics. Being an Acrobat will help your Character get in and escape from situations no ordinary person could conceive.

Brawl: The act of brawling covers a lot more than just punching; it involves blocking, kicking and some martial arts. When in a situation and unarmed it is time to put up your dukes and make sure you are the last one standing.

Dodge: Bullets are whizzing by you as you dive for cover. When the action gets intense this skill is critical in staying alive, making a dodge check will add to your opponent’s DR when they attempt to do you harm.

Drive: Whether flying, aquatic or land-based the Riding skill dictates your control over domesticated creatures. No matter what the difficulty, sometimes the creatures will have ideas of their own. The terrain determines the DR.

Firearms: Whether you prefer up close and personal, point-blank shots, spraying an area with a semi-automatic, wielding the punishing shotguns or shooting your opponents from a distance with a crossbow or rifle, your method of choice uses this skill. The range of your opponent and their ability to dodge your attacks determines the DR.

Hide: Sometimes concealing weapons or items on your person makes the difference between staying alive or becoming a corpse. This skill allows a Character to conceal weapons or other items from view. See Pages ** - ** for concealment ratings of weapons and other items.

Melee: When you have run out of ammo and all you have on you is a trusty bowie knife, or are creeping through the darkness only armed with a hairpin, Melee is the skill to use. Melee covers attacks and parrying, as well as a range of hand-wielded weapons, simple, improvised and complex.

Running: Sprinting, jogging and running use this skill. Not only does it indicate how fast you travel, but also how far a distance your Character can cross. Much like Riding, the terrain determines the DR. A successful Running roll doubles your movement.

Sneak: The art of stealth is essential to survival. The sneak roll allows you to make an action without detection, if successful. This skill helps overall in avoiding detection.

'Pick'Pocket: Stealing, agree with it or not sometimes, we have to do it. However, it has justified the Pick Pocket skill covers most actions that involve sleight of hand. The Search skill of a target determines the DR. A successful Pick Pocket roll will mean that the target will not realize right away that the item is missing.

Throw: The ability to throw an item uses this Skill. Items not intended for throwing, a desired distance or height, a moving target can all contribute and determine the DR.

Strength Skills

Climb: Used when your Character scales a vertical surface, if the Characters are not under any pressure and can take their time then allow them safety. However, if they are under any type of stress then make them roll a Skill Check depending on the circumstance.

Jump: A jump check determines the amount of distance a Character can clear. Whether you are jumping from vehicle to vehicle, rooftop to rooftop or sprinting through some hazardous terrain a skill check will often determine the difference between life, death, or serious bodily harm.

Lift: While brute strength alone is a good thing to have, the instinct that guides you through lifting an object so you will not hurt yourself is a better idea. This skill allows you to lift objects much heavier than is comfortable or normal. A successful check determines how much stress your physical body can endure while under the objects weight.

Push-Pull: The raw skill behind pushing or pulling an object to get it moving, and understanding of the basics behind momentum and torque to aid in this task. This skill allows you to push or pull a normally stationary object to some advantage, such as pushing open a door that is stuck. A successful check determines how much force you can provide to push and pull.

Grapple: Being able to bring your opponent into a submissive hold can always help prevent an undesired action. Unlike brawling, the art of grappling may come in handy when the situation calls for it.

Stamina: Your endurance is essential. A high stamina will allow you to act longer as well as resist certain poisons or diseases.

Swim: Like a climbing check, a swimming check is not necessary if the Character is not under any form of stress. However, if they are battling a raging rapid or swimming a long distance, the check determines how long the Character can survive before succumbing to fatigue. The Character then has to make a stamina check to avoid losing Hit Points.

Persona Skills

Artisan: An artistic flare or a well-trained eye can help interpret ancient works of art as well as modern ones. This also includes diagrams, instructions as well as the ability to produce art of your own. This skill also governs other artistic areas such as acting, dance and music.

Bargain: This Skill includes the art of haggling, appraising, and negotiating for the best price for a sale whether buying or selling. A favorable outcome and the DR often depend on role playing and the legality of merchandise.

Command: Inspiring a legion of troops just before battle is no easy feat; those gifted with a high Command skill seem to pull off amazing levels of inspiration. Whether it is a platoon of rag-tag militiamen, a squadron of experienced mercenaries, those with Command can often influence the tide of battle.

Con: The act of subterfuge or tricking those around you is a trait possessed by many. They say information is power, those who make a living by deceiving others to obtain it often find employment as mercenaries or often by others with their own hidden agenda. A Con check occurs when a Character wishes to conceal their own motives, lie to others or fast-talk their way out of a situation.

Disguise: Impersonating another person or blending into a group of people draws upon disguise.

Gambling: Betting a small fortune requires both using the Gambling skill and a lot of luck. Those who whisper that fortune favors the bold maybe onto something and taking risks can be rewarding or devastating. Whether professional, fun, or addiction, your Character rolls his Gambling skill against an Extra, the highest roll determines the winner; role-playing during the scenario is encouraged.

Intimidation: Sometimes in order to get your way you have to make those around you feel, uncomfortable. The Intimidation check occurs when a Player wishes to appear menacing to the point where it breaks their opponents will. Intimidation challenges your opponent’s Willpower.

Languages: Knowing more than one language can help especially on a large planet like Earth. Language barriers often hinder encounters with between people, but the well traveled often know how to recognize mannerisms and dialect. The number of dice you place in this skill determines the number of fluent languages your Character understands. Everyone starts with at least one native language.

Persuasion: When a Character wishes to charm or convince someone to see a point of view use the Persuasion Skill.

Willpower: Resisting another’s will to dominate you or pressing yourself to move on is a trait vital to survival. Under strenuous conditions, the mind and physical body are at risk of reaching a breaking point. Your Character’s Willpower is a measure of your ability to resist that breaking point. Roll a Willpower check when resisting con, persuasion, and intimidation.

Intellect Skills

Academics: A background rich in Academics will benefit any Character. Did you attend school? How far did your Character advance? Depending on a situation, the resources and time at your disposal, the dice placed in Academics may act as a bonus or lower a DR of another Skill.

Astrography: Getting from one place to another and knowing where you are always relies on this skill. This skill is the study of and understanding how to discern location in the known universe, whether that it is on a planet, or while in space. Characters knowledgeable in this skill are often able to identify native species and work with developed trade routes.

Business: The art of business and understanding the local economy uses this skill. Being able to decipher good Business decisions from bad using your Business savvy depends on your familiarity with the particular field. The DR is set by your Character’s knowledge and experience with the industry.

Culture: What is the difference between our cultures? Those with a high rating in Culture know what to look for. Culture indicates your Character’s awareness and study of a culture’s preference with art, etiquette, history, literature and religion. These factors may aid you in negotiating with another Culture where if the situation were sensitive, you would not want to offend your guest due to ignorance.

Law: How well does your Character know the law and how it operates? Styles of law enforcement vary from place to place. With this skill, you know what to look out for, and have a basic to complex understanding of local laws, if any exist, depending on familiarity.

Medicine: This skill governs all forms of Medicine and Healing, (at advanced science fiction levels), Cybernetic and Mutant procedures. From applying Healing magic to applying Medipaks to performing surgery, the knowledge of Medicine and using it properly can spell the difference between life and death. The severity of wounds and Stamina of a victim determines the DR to heal another Character.

Occult: This Skill not only measures your capability in identifying unusual or supernatural beings, but also allows your Character to understand certain habits, features and any special abilities the beings may possess. The commonality of the being determines your DR.

Politics: Depending on your Skill Rating, Politics will allow you knowledge of local people in office, or the key figures in more regionalized Politics. The practice of Politics can influence your dealings with local authority figures that are giving you a hard time or knowing the proper people to bribe when the situation gets sticky.

Search: Perceiving clues, identifying details, spotting danger, and observing changes all tie into using the Search skill. The most obvious and widely used purpose of the Search skill is to spot another person Sneaking. The DR behind Searching includes complications such as environmental factors and the capabilities of opponents, as well as augmentations included with Special Abilities, such as magic or technology.

Streetwise: Criminals come in all shapes, sizes, and species. While the preferred methods vary, their upbringings typically start on the street. Tricks of the trade learned here come through their knowledge and networks. The more attuned the criminal the more informed they would become when the word gets out. Rumors also emerge from every corner, and the chances of you hearing it first will be determined by a high rating in this skill. After all, information is power.

Survival: Deep down in every being’s core is the essence of survival. The ability to survive the harshest of terrains and many punishing environments uses the Survival Skill. Whether it is a personal prowess or a trained specialty, an understanding of what plants are edible while will come in handy. Survival is the ability to change, adapt and live off your surroundings. Your Character’s familiarity with a place determines the DR.

Tactics: Gaining the upper edge over your opponent is a trait practiced by many, but mastered by few. In addition, those who possess a natural talent in this skill often seem godlike by those who serve under them. A Tactics check occurs against your opponents Tactics or Intellect rating and adds to an Initiative check, if the GM deems your strategy appropriate during the scenario.

Aptitude Skills

Demolitions: Knowing how to place explosives and time detonations is a craft not easily mastered but highly sought after. Regardless of intent, those experts in the field of Demolitions have little trouble finding employment. The higher the rating, the more complex the explosives the Character can pull off. The time and the equipment the Character utilizes determine the DR.

Engineering: A high skill rating in Engineering will allow a Character to perform basic maintenance and repairs to major overhauls to any device or mechanism with lots of moving parts. Having a team of engineers at your disposal will help lower the DR.

'First'Aid: While Medicine covers the knowledge of drugs and surgery techniques, First Aid covers the intense concentration and the hand-eye coordination involved when carrying out the task of healing someone in an emergency. First Aid is available as an action during for minor injuries. More severe wounds require a Healing Station or surgery.

Navigation: The ability to get from Point A to Point B is not a feat for the timid. The art of Navigation allows a Character an adequate knowledge of the star charts and understanding of magnetic north. Depending on the skill rating, they are able to predict the distance and time, and food or fuel consumption, and have an understanding of what lies along the destined route. DR is calculated by the frequency the route is traveled.

Piloting: Those gifted with a high Piloting skill are able to control a ship or vehicle as if it were an extension of their will. Pilots can find employment easily everywhere and often love their chosen trade for the rush and the freedom of traveling. No matter the vehicle, piloting is a risky business and mistakes are often fatal. However, the payoff can be very lucrative. Piloting is the ability to drive just about anything that flies or moves on the ground with an engine. The desired maneuver, environment, familiarity with a vehicle or technology, and basic aptitude determine the DR. Those who wish to dodge enemy fire while driving a car or shooting across the stars in a ship use their Piloting skill. If a ship or vehicle has a Maneuverability rating, that value augments the Pilot’s roll.

Security or Sentry Evasion: The security of information, individuals and items is highly sought after everywhere. Security systems and sentries are often found in every corner and can be dangerous. Yet they apply very different techniques in eliminating potential threats. Those understanding how security systems and sentries work and are able to slip by undetected, possess unique talents. A Security or Sentry Evasion roll occurs when a Character intends to hack a computer or general security system, or avoid Sentry patrols or similar countermeasures.

Ship, Vehicle, or Nautical Gunnery: Firing guns on a ship or vehicle takes a lot of coordination and training. Those proficient in a Gunnery skill are able to fire a vessel’s weapons accurately. A ship’s weapons may contain a Fire Control rating. If it does, add that value to your Gunnery check.

Tech Repair: Technicians well trained in Tech Repair can put together just about any system to perform any function they desire. Those with a high rating in this skill can build, operate and repair just about anything with a circuit board. Simple or complex, the DR is dependent on the age, familiarity, time and tools the Character has to work with.

Combat

Combat for Fang is taken almost completely straight from the Cinema6 RPG Rulebook by Wicked North Games.

Combat has specialized, but equally simple rules to encourage action-packed and cinematic combat. The dice rolling involved with Combat is in this chapter and outlines all the possible options available during combat.

As you can see, Game Play in the Cinema6 RPG is simple, but below we provide some more examples to help clear up any questions. These examples draw upon movie and video game scenes to assist in helping visualization of the Game Play.

Combat rules are a little more complicated than the basic Game Play as they depend on a specific set of circumstances. Combat is generally when at least one Character, whether controlled by the GM or a Player, wants to harm or kill at least one other Character. Combat runs under the basic premise of a Round, like boxing, however a Combat Round represents about six (6) seconds of time.

Combat normally utilizes a grid of some kind to maintain a sense of scale and apply tactics where necessary. The grid usually comprises of hexagons or squares, however the preferred method in Cinema6 RPG is a standard square grid as it provides eight (8) directions of horizontal movement, more than a hexagonal grid which only provides six (6).

A typical Combat Round:

1. The highest Initiative total wins the roll.

2. The Character(s) side whose roll won Initiative declares and has the choice to implement or hold declared actions. Held actions can occur at any point during the Round.

3. The Character(s) side whose roll lost Initiative now declares and implement their actions, as possible.

Combat involves attacking (brawling, grappling, hitting, shooting, or throwing), dodging, moving, sneaking, and taking cover.

An integral part of Combat Game Play is the understanding that rolls are primarily challenges between the GM and a Player, where the highest roll wins the challenge. A Tie between rolls goes by a simple rule.

A Tie goes to the Defender.

If a Character is Attacking and another is Dodging and the Attack and Dodge roll totals tie, the Character Dodging does so successfully, however narrowly.

There are special rules to help things run more smoothly, as well as to add a sense of danger and mortality to the Cinema6 RPG Framework. These special rules involve Initiative, Sneaking and Execution.

Initiative

Initiative is a tool for determining which Characters act more quickly in a Combat Round. Initiative can be determined using a couple of basic methods. The first method is using Group Initiative, the Player with the highest Initiative rolls for the group of lead Characters, and the GM uses the highest Initiative of the Extras opposing the lead Characters. The second method is having each individual Character roll Initiative independently, and sequence through the totals in order of each Initiative roll, highest to lowest. The first method tends to be faster, the second method tends to be more comprehensive.

Initiative Leveraging

As well, c6 uses a less is better approach for Combat and Initiative. Initiative advantage leveraged against an opposing Initiative in a successive round reduces rolling. This means that if a Player or group of Players wins an Initiative, they may opt to leverage their last Initiative roll against the new round.

Example

The players Vampire coven faces combat with a group of Shifters in Central Park and the GM, Fred, asks them to roll Group Initiative. Kyle rolls Initiative for his group of Player Characters, including Alicia and Terry, as Kyle has the highest Initiative among the; a 3d. Fred rolls 2d for the enemy party. Kyle’s Initiative roll totals fifteen (15) and Fred’s Initiative roll totals seven (7).

All the Characters take their actions and get to the next Combat Round. Fred asks them to roll Group Initiative again, and Kyle asks to leverage their last Initiative roll total against the new Initiative and Fred concedes. This time Kyle does not roll, but Fred does. Fred’s new Initiative roll total is a nine (9), and Kyle’s last Initiative roll automatically wins the Initiative.

This reduces rolling and speeds up the Combat Round flow a little, as well as affording the winning of Initiative a little greater benefit.

Movement

Understanding Character Move is very important in terms of Combat, and especially important to better understand Sneaking. Each Character has a Move score, which is the exact number of “Moves” available in a Combat Round. I.E.: A Move of four (4) indicates the Character can Move four (4) Squares or Hexagons (given a square or hexagonal grid) in any direction in a Combat Round. Climbing and Swimming half the Character’s Move. Sneaking can be done at Full Move, however is more difficult than a half Move or less.

Sneaking

A successful Sneak roll is a Challenge roll between two Characters, one rolling Sneak, and the other rolling Search. If the player rolling Search does not win the roll, the Sneak is successful for that round.

When Sneaking and if attacking, if you make a successful Moderate or better attack roll; a Melee Weapon does an additional amount of Sneak Damage based upon a melee weapon’s Sneak multiplier. This multiplier is in the weapon chart for melee weapons; typically x2 or x3. A Sneak multiplier does not affect firearms due to several factors; primarily that ranged weapon damage is gauged on distance and that firearms are typically lethal at close range. A successful counter to a Sneaking opponent is a higher Search roll. A tie forces both players to re-roll. Sneaking difficulty varies by environment, lighting conditions, and any actions taken. Characters cannot successfully Sneak while firing a gun since a gun is loud and produces light, unless the gun design includes stealth.

Executions

While Sneaking

When Sneaking if not detected and attacking, roll to successful hit a target. On an Easy Roll, the attack succeeds and does normal damage, on a Moderate Roll, the attacks succeeds and does Sneak damage (as described above), and if the roll is Complex or better (31+), an Execution occurs. No Dodge roll occurs, as this is a Sneak attack. If using a Firearm to attack, a Sneak ends after the attack unless the Firearm includes special rules for Sneaking.

During normal combat and not Sneaking

If an attacker makes a Melee, Brawl, or Grapple roll, and exceeds the defending Dodge or Grapple roll by twelve (12+), the attack automatically causes an Execution. During any attack, a Character can counter with Dodge, Grapple, or Melee, (if already holding a Melee weapon). While Grappling over an attacker’s Weapon, the highest roll causes a Reversal and keeps the weapon. While Grappling over a Weapon, if either Grapple roll exceeds another by twelve (12+), a Reversal and Execution occurs against the loser of that roll.

Scale

Not everything in the Cinema6 RPG Universe is the same size, so we have developed a Scaling system. If a Character or ship is trying to hit or damage something across the Scale, then dice add to a roll. See the chart below on how to add dice to a roll when suing different Scales.

Base Character Scale to Hit or Defend

	Character
Person	+2d
Ground Vehicle	+3d
Airplane	+4d
Naval Freighter	+5d
Battleship	+6d
Sears/Willis Tower	+12d

Base Character Scale for Modifying Damage

	Person	Ground Vehicle	Airplane	Naval Freighter	Battleship	Sears Tower
Character	+2d	+3d	+4d	+5d	+6d	+12d

Combat Actions

The GM may choose to omit or modify the following rules to best suit his or her Story.

Multiple Actions

Within one turn in any round, most characters are allowed to take as many actions as their die pool allows until a critical fumble (1 on the Wild Die followed by a 6) occurs or they reach 1d. A player who intends to take Multiple Actions must declare it at the start of the round if the GM allows it. If the player's character has a 4d die pool may roll the full pool at first. Then after everyone else takes their turn the GM and the player continue with the Multiple Actions. The player subtracts 1d because of his previous action, bringing his total die pool to 3d. Then following that action continues to subtract another 1d and so on.

Example

Derek is determined to end the existence of a Shifter Chief that has been giving his character Ruk a very difficult time. With his katana ready, Derek declares that Ruk will take Multiple Actions and Ruk's Melee die pool is 5d. (Dexterity 3d + Melee 2d) At the end of the round, Derek subtracts a die and rolls 4d to strike at the Shifter Chief with his broadsword. The Shifter Chief also subtracts one die and rolls his Melee skill to parry. Derek beats the GM's roll so Ruk hits! Damage is calculated and it's a devastating blow that drops the Shifter to the ground, dead.

If the Goblin Captain hadn't died in that attack, or successfully parried, Derek could have subtracted another die and attack again. This time he would have had a Melee skill of only 3d to use against his opponent.

Full Attack

A player who chooses to initiate a Full Attack may not use Multiple Attacks or a Full Dodge during the same round and vice versa. His or her character spends that entire round preparing for the full onslaught of all their concentration, courage or might. The GM may award the player with a +1d bonus to their attack roll if the bonus is appropriate for the scene. Such as a Sniper concentrating on her target one full round before she fires or a Barbarian focusing all his energy into one swing as he calls upon the strength of his gods. That character can do nothing else that round but attack.

Example

Instead of taking Multiple Actions, Derek decides that he will use a Full Attack against his nemesis, the Goblin Captain. Since the battle has already taken several rounds and Derek's character Ruk has a short temper, the GM deems it appropriate to give Ruk a +1d bonus for initiating a Full Attack on the Goblin Captain. For this round only, Ruk's die pool is now 6d (5d + the 1d bonus) to hit. Derek realizes that he cannot take any other action except for attacking the Goblin Captain. Luckily Derek rolls high, a 21! The Goblin attempts to parry but is no match for Ruk's vicious attack.

The GM describes the scene as a volley of attacks and slashes and suddenly, with their blades crossed Ruk and the Goblin Captain are engaged in a contest of might. Finally Ruk manages to bash down the Goblin's defenses with his broadsword and lands a devastating blow.

Full Dodge

When a player chooses to execute a Full Dodge, that player rolls their Dodge value plus an additional 1d bonus that round and their character spends the entire round dodging. They cannot take any other action except for the Dodge. That one roll then becomes the Difficulty Number for his or her opponents to beat. A player must declare at the beginning of a combat round that they are initiating a Full Dodge.

Example

Kathy has won the initiative and decides that her character, Lexi will be attempting a Full Dodge in order to avoid being hit by a burst of gunfire from a group of Mortal FBI Agents. Lexi has a Dexterity of 3d and a Dodge skill of 2d. Including the +1d bonus, she has a total of 6d for the Full Dodge to roll. She rolls her dice and gets a 6 on the Wild Die! She rolls the Wild Die again and gets a 2 bringing her total to 25! The Mercenaries roll their Firearms checks but none come close to a 25. Lexi dives for cover and a spray of machine gun fire strikes and ricochet's against the wall above her.

Movement Type	Movement Increase	Stamina DR
Walking	Move = Base	Effortless
Jog	Move x2	Moderate
Sprint	Move x3	Hard
Running under fire	Any Move	+1 DR
Running and firing	Any Move	+1 DR

Running

Running multiplies the character's Movement Rate. The following chart indicates the benefit of running followed by the Difficulty Rating for the character's Stamina check in order to keep running without getting winded. If the character is jogging they must make a Stamina check after two full rounds of running. If the character chooses to sprint, they must make a Stamina check at the very end of the first round. As long as they continue pass every, or every other round, they can continue moving at that rate before they run out of steam.

Example

Daryl's character Niv is sprinting across a jagged, hazardous terrain that could easily leave him crippled if makes one false step. To make matters worse for Niv, he is being pursued by a small band of Hunters actively tracking him from their pack and they're closing in fast! After dodging a leaping wolf, the GM makes Daryl roll a Running check. Niv has a total Running skill of 7d (4d Dexterity + 3d Running) Niv's normal Movement Rate is 7. Daryl rolls his dice and gets a 27 that does not meet the GM's selected DR rating of Complex. Daryl spends a Cinema Point rolls a d6 and gets a five! This brings his total to 32 and Niv moves 21 squares closer to an area that will provide him with a little more cover from the Hunters. In order to continue sprinting for another round, Niv must pass a Stamina check, the GM selects the DR Daryl must meet.

Healing & Taking Damage

There is always the threat of injury, pain, and the inevitability of death in any universe. These threats come in many forms and eventually your Character will take damage as a result. There are very few ways to heal an injury in the Cinema6 RPG. Healing is dependent primarily on the availability of the most advanced medical technologies and procedures of a given genre, from the magic of fantasy, to the extremely advanced medical techniques only available to the science fiction genres. Humans are still fragile creatures and die quickly from even minor injuries if untreated.

When taking damage, a Character suffers mental and physical pain and injury, represented by losing Hit Points. Whenever taking damage a player rolls to “Absorb” damage by rolling the Strength Attribute (up to 6d) and any additional protection provided by Armor or otherwise unique Special Abilities that afford protection.

Damage can occur through many methods. Damage through Combat usually occurs by a weapon. Damage occurring due to falling follows a basic rule, falling 5 meters or about 15 feet, deals 1d of damage. Each additional increment of 5 meters or 15 feet deals an additional +1d of damage. Drowning or suffocation damage occurs after a failed Stamina roll, DR determined by the amount of time under water or otherwise asphyxiated, normally 8d Damage per round, (or roughly every six (6) seconds). When a Character is unlucky enough to catch on Fire, damage occurs incrementally and increases each round, beginning at 2d Damage the first round, adding +2d each successive round until extinguished.

GMs should feel free with inventively handling Damage, especially that occurring through unique situations. Surviving dramatically through damage incurred in extreme situations is very Cinematic and worthy of developing unique and particularly specialized rules, such as Damage occurring in the vacuum of space.

First Aid Kits: First Aid Kits come in a small variety of standard packages and are widely available for purchase in most settings. They are a quick and easy way to treat wounds. A standard First Aid Kit provides the basic needs for common injuries involved in a workplace or from minor accidental injuries. An Emergency Kit has additional contents and provides some more advanced medical treatments. Using a standard First Aid Kit involves an Easy DR with First Aid. Using an Emergency Kit requires a Moderate DR with First Aid or an Easy DR with Medicine. While First Aid and Emergency Kits can help stabilize an injured person, they are limited to one use.

(Standard First Aid Kit +1 Hit Points, Emergency Kits +1d Hit Points)

Emergency Medical Treatment: Emergency Medical Treatment provides the necessary drugs, surgery, and stimulants necessary for a patient’s recovery. The success of Emergency Medical Treatment relies on the Stamina Skill of the patient and the Medicine Skill of the doctor(s) performing the treatment. A successful procedure will stabilize a critically injured person and stop them from losing additional Hit Points.

Advanced Technology Medical Treatment: Similar to Emergency Medical Treatment, an Advanced Technology Medical treatment provides the necessary drugs, surgery, and stimulants needed for a patient’s recovery. The differentiation here is that Advanced technology Medical Treatment may involve computers and robotics, and more precise handling of a patient’s problems. While a patient’s Stamina Skill is still a factor in survival of treatment, the Medicine Skill of the doctor(s) performing the treatment is of more concern. In this case, the doctor(s) involved gain a +1d Medicine from the advantages afforded by the Advanced Technology.