Beyond the Glow Corebook

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Preface
Beyond the Glow – © Copyright 2005 by Thomas Biskup. All Rights Reserved.
Game Concept and Design:
Thomas Biskup
Inspiration:
Gamma World (1
st
through 6
th
Edition), Metamorphosis Alpha (1
st
Edition, Fast Forward Entertainment
Edition), Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega, Age of Ruin, Endland, Degenesis, Aftermath, Mad Max I-III, Wasteland (the
best computer rpg ever), D&D 3
rd
Edition (although some of D20s ideas were conceived in a similar manner so many
years ago on the Gamma World mailing list)
Dedication:
To Jim Ward for the original vision and the original games. To TSR, WotC and White Wolf for trying again
and again. To the Gamma World Mailing list which I was blessed to host for a while for the first attempt so many years
ago. To Melanie, my most wonderful girlfriend, who suffers through such weird ideas as trying to design a role-playing
game within 24 hours…
“Beyond the Glow” was created with the following software:
Microsoft Word, Adobe Indesign, RealDraw Pro,
Microsoft Excel, Paintshop Pro, Java 2 Standard Edition, Eclipse.
Artwork:
Some artwork in this book is ©2005 Team Frog Studios, used by permission.
All trademarked and copyrighted terms in this document are used without the knowledge of their owners. Any such
mention is in no way is meant as an infringement upon the rights of the respective owners – all rights belong to the fine
folks who own those terms.
Contents
Preface .........................................................2
Background .................................................5
From the Diary of the Last Starfarer ...............5
The Game .......................................................5
The Setting......................................................5
How Glowing Earth came to be…...................5
A Word about Science ....................................6
A Word about Gender .....................................6
Core Rules ...................................................6
Tests................................................................6
Die Rolls..........................................................6
Difficulty numbers ...........................................6
Contested Tests ..............................................6
Prolonged Tests ..............................................6
Margin of Success / Margin of Failure.............6
Character Generation .................................7
Picking a Species............................................7
Determining Attribute Scores..........................7
Random Attribute Generation............................7
Point-based Attribute Generation ......................7
Determining Mutations....................................7
Random Mutation Generation ...........................7
Point-based Mutation Generation......................7
Determining Defects .......................................7
Random Defect Generation...............................7
Point-based Defect Generation .........................7
Buying equipment ...........................................8
Attributes .....................................................8
Basic Attributes ...............................................8
Derived Attributes ...........................................8
Species ........................................................9
Humans (“Pures”) ...........................................9
Mutated Humans (“Muties”) ............................9
Uplifted Animal (“Beasty”) ...............................9
Awakened Plant (“Cabbage”)........................10
Skills ..........................................................10
Skill Levels ....................................................10
Skill Groups...................................................10
Skill Descriptions ..........................................11
Mutations ...................................................12
Mutation Overview ........................................13
Physical Mutations ..........................................13
Mental Mutations .............................................13
Plant Mutations................................................13
Mutation List..................................................13
Adrenaline Boost (P) .......................................13
Allurement (V) ............................................................. 13
Anti-Life Leech (P, V) ................................................... 13
Beguiling (M) ............................................................... 13
Body Control (P, V) ...................................................... 13
Brachiation (P, V) ......................................................... 13
Carnivorous Jaws (V) .................................................. 13
Chameleon Power (P, V).............................................. 13
Confusion (M).............................................................. 13
Contact Poison Sap (V) ............................................... 13
Death Field Generation (M) ......................................... 14
Density Control, Other (P, V) ....................................... 14
Density Control, Self (P, V) .......................................... 14
Devolution (M) ............................................................. 14
Directional Sense (M).................................................. 14
Displacement (M) ........................................................ 14
Dual Brain (P, V) .......................................................... 14
Duality (M) ................................................................... 14
Electrical Generation (P, M) ......................................... 14
Emergency Escape (M)............................................... 14
Empathy (M) ................................................................ 14
Empathy Control (M) ................................................... 14
Energy Absorption (P, V) ............................................. 14
Energy Metamorphosis (P, V) ...................................... 14
Enlarged Lungs (P) ..................................................... 15
Fear Generation (M) .................................................... 15
Fire Lungs (P).............................................................. 15
Flexible Bones (P) ....................................................... 15
Force Field Generation (M) ......................................... 15
Fruits (V)...................................................................... 15
Gas Ball (P, V) ............................................................. 15
Gas Generation (P, V).................................................. 15
Giant (P, V) .................................................................. 15
Gills (P)........................................................................ 15
Heightened Hearing I / II / III (P).................................. 15
Heightened Strength (P).............................................. 15
Heightened Dexterity (P) ............................................. 15
Heightened Consitution (P) ......................................... 15
Heightened Perception (P) .......................................... 15
Heightened Intelligence (M) ........................................ 15
Heightened Willpower (M) ........................................... 15
Heightened Charisma (M) ........................................... 15
Heightened Precision (P) ............................................ 15
Heightened Speed (P)................................................. 16
Infravision (P) .............................................................. 16
Jumper I / II / III (P)...................................................... 16
Kinetic Absorption (P, V) .............................................. 16
Levitation (M)............................................................... 16
Life Leech (M).............................................................. 16
Mental Blast (M) .......................................................... 16
Mental Invisibility (M) ................................................... 16
Mental Paralysis (M).................................................... 16
Multiple Limbs (P, V) .................................................... 16
Natural Attack (P) ........................................................ 16
Night Vision (P, V) ........................................................ 16
Partial Carapace (P) .................................................... 16
Quantum Architect (M) ................................................ 16
Quills I / II (P, V) ........................................................... 17
Regeneration I / II / III (P, V)......................................... 17
Sonar (P) ..................................................................... 17
Total Carapace (P)....................................................... 17
Water Reservoir (P, V) ................................................. 17
Wings I / II / III (P)........................................................ 17
Defects .......................................................17
Defect Overview............................................17
Defect List .....................................................17
Achilles Heel................................................................ 17
Allergy ......................................................................... 17
Body Change............................................................... 17
Bloodlust...................................................................... 17
Chemical Susceptibility ............................................... 17
Cold Vulnerability ......................................................... 17
Diminished Hearing ..................................................... 17
Diminished Sight ......................................................... 17
Diminished Smell / Taste ............................................. 17
Double Pain ................................................................. 18
Energy Sensitivity........................................................ 18
Fadeout ....................................................................... 18
Fire Vulnerability .......................................................... 18
Greedy Metabolism ..................................................... 18
Hostility Field ............................................................... 18
Setting the Tone of the Campaign.................24
Experience....................................................24
Combat............................................................24
Role-Playing ....................................................24
Ideas................................................................24
Advancement ..................................................24
Increasing Attributes........................................24
Learning New Skills.........................................24
Improving Skills ...............................................24
Foes ...........................................................25
Reaction Tests...............................................25
Robots...........................................................25
Household Robot.............................................25
Guardian Robot ...............................................25
Warrior Robot ..................................................25
Warmachine ....................................................25
Designer Notes .........................................25
Malformed Mouth ........................................................ 18
Equipment .................................................18
Currencies.....................................................18
Finding items.................................................18
Melee Weapons ............................................18
Missile Weapons ...........................................18
Armor ............................................................19
Shields ..........................................................19
Other Stuff.....................................................19
Loot ...............................................................19
Combat ......................................................19
Combat Rounds ............................................19
Initiative & Actions.........................................19
Movement .....................................................20
Melee Attacks ...............................................20
Missile Attacks ..............................................20
Defense.........................................................20
Parries .............................................................20
Dodges ............................................................20
Damage & Healing........................................20
Additive Damage .............................................20
Harm ...............................................................20
Wounds ...........................................................20
Dying ...............................................................20
Stabilizing Lethal Wounds ...............................20
Recovering Endurance ....................................21
Recovering Non-Lethal harm ..........................21
Recovering Toughness ....................................21
Recovering Lethal Harm..................................21
Physical Mutations in Combat.......................21
Mental Mutations in Combat .........................21
Special Manoeuvres .....................................21
Attacking to Subdue ........................................21
Charging..........................................................21
Disarming ........................................................21
Fighting with Two Weapons .............................21
Wrestling .........................................................21
Encumbrance................................................21
Hazards.........................................................21
Heat.................................................................22
Cold .................................................................22
Climbing & Falling............................................22
Poison..............................................................22
Swimming & Drowning ....................................22
Suffocation ......................................................22
Radiation .........................................................22
Campaigns ................................................22
Tech Levels ...................................................22
The Glowing Earth ........................................23
Settlements .....................................................23
Wilderness ......................................................23
Starting your own Campaign ...........................23
‘Hoods...........................................................24
The Church of the Mushroom Cloud ...............24
The Pure..........................................................24
The Brotherhood of Darwin .............................24
Background
TheSetting
Beyond the Glow (BtG from now on) is a game of post-
apocalyptic adventure. A terrible war has permanently
altered our world and reshaped it as the Glowing Earth.
Players can be the descendents of the Ancients, mutated
humans, uplifted animals, awakened plants or sentient
robots. Technology mostly has been lost and only fables
and legends remember the Age of Wonder. Occasional
artefacts from the Age of Wonder hint at the glory of the
Ancients but mostly the world has become a kind of Wild
West Setting featuring lots of fantastic and mind-boggling
mutations, medieval technology, occasional remnants from
before the Final Wars and all kinds of weird civilizations. Try
to carve out an edge of living on this new glowing frontier
or perish to a multitude of dangers lurking around every
corner!
This game has been designed for one Game Master
(GM) and one or more
players (preferably 3-6)
controlling one player
character (PC) each. All
other beings (non player
characters or NPCs for
short) are controlled by
the GM.
FromtheDiaryoftheLastStarfarer
“It’s the 21
st
of June, 2983. My stasis chamber seems to
have decided that it was time for me to wake up… time
before the lights go out forever that is so that I at least will
have a nice death if my life was not destined for greatness.
Whoever you are who hears this last voice recording let
me tell you my story shortly – because I only have little
time left. My name is John Sykes and I was born in 2214 in
the wonderful city of New York as the third child of Graham
Sykes, police officer. My fascination has always been with
the stars and I wanted to be among the first who went
into Deep Space. After my studies I thus volunteered for
the United Nations Space Agency (UNSA) Deep Freeze
program. Going into hibernation for three centuries and
testing the effects on humans – finally. Nothing should
have gone wrong… or so we thought. And what a mess
everything has become. And I don’t even know why. I
was awakened 7 hours ago… and about 440 years too
late, even if you consider my 300 years as an iceblock in
a hibernation chamber on the moon. <COUGHES> Now
I wake up and find… nothing. Except for some garbled
messages almost 680 years old. Something about a brutal
war that ravages Earth. The guys here in Moon #3 seem
to have gone crazy within days. Energy started to fail…
and all they left for me is an ancient photo taken from the
main deck of Moon #3… Earth seems to shine in a strange
green light… some continents are altered… not much to
recognize. Today <COUGHES> life systems failing… no
cameras active anymore. <COUGHES BRUTALLY> no
idea how Earth might look these days – but I will find out
before my oxygen supplies run out – which should be in
about five minutes. <COUGHES> …to open the exit to the
moon surface to take a direct look at good old Earth. The
mechanisms still seem to …<STATIC>… <COUGHING
AND HEAVY BREATHING> … now I’m on top of the hill
and should be able to see Earth… <WHEEZING> … oh
my God! Oh God! This is impossible! … <COUGHING>
… <STATIC> … they have… <COUGHING> … how could
they… <WHEEZING> … <STATIC> … not now… <STATIC>
… so close… <COUGHING> … maybe someone else
can … <EXPLOSION> … <STATIC FOR SEVEN MORE
MINUTES – THEN THE RECORDER SEEMS TO HAVE
STOPPED>”
HowGlowing
Earthcameto
be…
Humankind had created
paradise. Sickness was a
memory almost lost, pain forgotten. Hardships no longer
existed. Mechanical and biological servants provided all
needs to the Ancients living in the Age of Wonder. Then
something terrible happened… the reason forgotten… silent
weapons suddenly erupted and the Final War begun…
chemical, biological, atomic and nanotechnological
weapons reshaped the face of Earth forever… civilizations
ended within seconds… darkness descended upon the few
survivors. Some believe that the machines rebelled against
their creators… others point at the servitor races who no
longer wanted to suffer from the whims of their masters. Yet
others just believe everything was a stupid error. No matter
what the explanation might be – the Age of Wonders ended
a glowing new era begun for Earth. Mankind was mutated
by radiation and biochemical weapons, machines continued
to work according to rules long forgotten, nanotechnology
reshaped the new world. Centuries of chaos, bloodshed,
hunger and terror passed and the remnants of the Age
of Wonder declined more and more. Now, more than six
centuries after the Final War, most of the knowledge of
the Ancients has been lost. New races inhabit Earth, side
by side with surviving humans. Wilderness has conquered
back what man once took. Treasure troves of the Ancients
wait for rediscovery. Civilization was moved back into the
Dark Ages. Only occasional technological artefacts from
the Age of Wonders grant incredible and almost mystical
TheGame
Beyond the Glow is my personal vision of post-apocalyptic
role-playing fun (or at least what could be written down
within 24 hours). The existing rules naturally are targeted
at experienced Game Masters (GMs) which are confident
in making consistent ad hoc decisions. Many parts of the
rules are made up by GM decisions. Apply your sense of
reason and drama and go with it. Just be as consistent as
possible. These rules have been modelled after ye goode
olde times – so there is a lot of room for interpretation and
improvisation.
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