A “game world” is a complete background setting for a game. It might be an original creation, or it might be based on history, current affairs, or a work of fiction (novel, movie, comic, TV series, etc.). It takes many hours of research to “design” an accurate historical game world. Worlds based on fiction require research, too – to ensure that every detail conforms to the source, and to extrapolate logically where the original story gave no information. Creating an original world, and making it believable and interesting, is the biggest challenge of all. Some things to consider when designing a game world: • Geography. Map the world, indicating such features as oceans, major rivers, and mountain ranges. For an alien world, you also have to determine gravity, atmosphere, water coverage, climate, etc. • Inhabitants. Create racial templates for the major sapient races (see Racial Templates, p. 450), and generate game statistics for common or interesting animals and monsters (see Chapter 16). • Civilizations. Describe the major cultures, specifying customs, languages, laws, religions, etc. Mark major political boundaries on the world map. Make notes on economic considerations that will matter to the PCs: jobs, systems of currency, prices, etc. • Technology. Decide what is possible in the realms of communications, medicine, transportation, weapons, and so forth. Don’t forget to create price lists for PCs who want to go shopping for equipment! • Character abilities. List any advantages, disadvantages, or skills that are unusually common, that work differently, or that do not exist at all. If a trait works differently, or is unique to the setting, describe it. Create character templates for common professions (see Character Templates, p. 445). This chapter touches on some of these points, and provides advice to the GM who wishes to design his own world. CULTURES AND LANGUAGES You do not need to specify every culture and language in the game world, but you should list all the important ones. Adventurers operating outside their native culture and language have skill penalties – see Culture (p. 23) and Language (p. 23) for details. CULTURES Cultures are extremely broad in GURPS, and usually encompass multiple nationalities (or planets, in futuristic settings). Populations and locations that share cultures change with time. For instance, “American” and “Italian” are distinct nationalities, but both are part of the “Western” culture – at least in the modern world. In 200 A.D., the “Anasazi” and “Roman” cultures would be quite distinct.
LANGUAGES Languages can be considerably narrower; a few might even be exclusive to particular cities or social groups. They are rarely isolated, however. If two languages are close, those who know one at a given comprehension level can understand the other at one or two levels below that, and can improve their comprehension from that level. Worldbuilders should note such connections ahead of time.
LAWS AND CUSTOMS
Each game world has its own laws and customs. Furthermore, laws and customs vary from place to place (and time to time) within each world. In some worlds, it is possible to research these things in advance (the Law skill helps here). In other worlds, you must learn them the hard way (Law helps here, too, if you specifically investigate; Streetwise can find out “informally”). As a rule, the use of force or the threat of force is illegal or improper wherever you go. The stronger the local government (see Control Rating, below), the more true this is; government usually considers the use of force to be its own right and monopoly. Self-defense is sometimes an exception – but not always! Note that public display of noncustomary weapons is a “threat of force,” and leads to bad reactions even if it’s technically legal. If you walk down a medieval village street in heavy armor, axes and polearms at the ready, the villagers will be very suspicious of your motives. In general: • Violating a law usually leads to some sort of trial (see Trials, p. 507) and possible punishment (see Criminal Punishment, p. 508). • Violating someone’s rights might lead to a “civil” trial and a fine – or just an informal beating. • Violating a custom gives you a reaction penalty – possibly a big one – whenever you try to deal with a local. The offended locals might not even tell you what you are doing wrong!
Travel Etiquette The wise traveler avoids attracting too much attention. Travelers always stand out if they display technology more advanced than that with which the local citizens are familiar (see Tech Levels, p. 511). They also attract unwelcome attention if they violate local laws or customs. In general, any boisterous behavior or breach of peace should have “interesting” consequences. Travelers should also remember that politeness to local dignitaries is always wise, and strangers met by chance might be more than they appear . . .
CONTROL RATING “Control Rating” (CR) is a general measure of the control exercised by a government. The lower the CR, the less restrictive the government and the freer the people. Government type (see Society and Government Types, p. 509) does not absolutely determine CR – it is possible to have a very free monarchy, or a democracy where the voters have saddled themselves with thousands of strict rules. Assign CR according to the following guidelines: CR0 – Anarchy. There are no laws, taxes, or controls. CR1 – Very free. Nothing is illegal save use of force or intimidation against other citizens. Taxes are light or voluntary. Only access to LC0 items is controlled (see Legality, p. 507). CR2 – Free. Some laws exist; most benefit the individual. Taxes are light. Access to items of LC0 and LC1 is controlled. CR3 – Moderate. There are many laws, but most benefit the individual. Taxes are moderate and fair. Access to items of LC0 through LC2 is controlled. CR4 – Controlled. Many laws exist; most are for the convenience of the state. Broadcast communications are regulated; private broadcasts (like CB) and printing may be restricted. Taxation is often heavy and sometimes unfair. Access to items of LC0 through LC3 is controlled. CR5 – Repressive. There are many laws and regulations, strictly enforced. Taxation is heavy and often unfair. There is strict regulation of information technology: computers, photocopiers, printing presses, transmitters, etc. All goods are effectively controlled; you can’t buy anything without the appropriate ration coupons or paperwork. CR6 – Total control. Laws are numerous and complex. The individual exists to serve the state. Many offenses carry the death penalty, and trials – if there are any at all – are a mockery. Taxation is crushing, taking most of an ordinary citizen’s income. Censorship is common, and private ownership of any information technology is forbidden. All goods are controlled, and the government might even withhold basic necessities. If a question of legality arises, or if you need to determine how severely the government checks and harasses newcomers, roll 1d. If the result is lower than the CR, then the act is illegal, or the authorities harass, delay, or even arrest the PCs (see Law Enforcement and Jail, p. 507). If it is higher, either the act is legal or the authorities overlook it. If it equals the CR, the situation could go either way: play out an encounter or make a reaction roll.
The GM should skip this die roll in any situation where there is only one logical outcome. For instance, regardless of CR, it is almost always unacceptable for airline and starship passengers to carry weapons. Split Control Rating A society does not have to have a single, uniform CR. If the GM wishes – and doesn’t mind the extra work – he can specify several CRs for a society: one for basic human rights, another for taxation, a third for weapons, and so on. In worlds with magic, psionic powers, or super abilities, societies may have separate CRs for these things as well. LEGALITY Each item of equipment has a “Legality Class,” as defined under Legality Class (p. 267). Some modernday examples include: LC0 – Banned. Weapons of mass destruction; strategic missiles; orbital weapons platforms; intercontinental bombers. LC1 – Military. Heavy weapons; airdefense radar; sensor jammers; armed vehicles; land mines. LC2 – Restricted. Light assault weapons; silencers; surveillance technology (wiretaps, etc.); armored cars; burglar’s tools (e.g., lockpicks); explosives; dangerous drugs. LC3 – Licensed. Handguns; hunting guns; radio transmitters; most unarmed vehicles; ordinary drugs and medical equipment. LC4 – Open. Nonlethal weapons (e.g., stunners); home computers; radio and television receivers; cameras; most tools; first-aid kits. Spell Legality In a society where magic is common, each spell might have a Legality Class as well. Damage-dealing spells would be on par with light concealable weapons (LC3), while most other spells would be LC4. There are many possible variations: societies that place a high value on privacy would put Knowledge spells in a lower LC; otherwise-tolerant societies might take exception to Necromantic spells; and all “witchcraft” might be LC1 (or 0!) in a puritanical society. Control Rating and Legality Class Legality Class interacts with Control Rating as follows: LC = CR + 1 or more: Any citizen may carry the item. LC = CR: Anyone but a convicted criminal or the equivalent may carry the item. Registration may be required, but there is no permit fee. LC = CR - 1: A license is required to own or carry the item. To get a license, one must show a legitimate need or work for the government. Generally, a license costs 1d ¥ 10% of the price of the item itself. LC = CR - 2: Prohibited except to police SWAT teams, military units, and intelligence services. LC = CR - 3 or worse: Only permitted to the military or secret police. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JAIL If you break the law, it will be the duty of some local official to do something about it. This can range from a polite request that you clean up your act, through arrest and jail pending a trial, to judgment and execution on the spot. Arrest In some places, police are also judge, jury, and executioner, empowered to make an instant decision and act on it. This has to do with local values, not CR! The only lawman in a CR1 frontier town and a secret policeman in a CR6 dystopia are equally likely to execute lawbreakers – but for very different crimes. In societies that respect human rights – and in some legalistic societies that stand on procedure – the GM will secretly roll against the Law (Police) skill of the arresting officer. On a critical failure, the officer bungled the arrest so badly that the authorities release the prisoner without a trial. On a failure, the officer made a procedural error that the prisoner might be able to exploit. He or his lawyer gets a Law (Criminal) or Law (Police) roll to spot it; on a success, he identifies the error and the charges are dropped. This roll cannot be against default Law skill! Jail “Jail” is where the accused is held pending trial. In theory, this is not the same thing as “prison,” which is where convicted criminals serve sentences. In reality, the two are often one and the same. Jails range from “honor systems” to dungeons with chains. Many game worlds have widely varying types of jail, depending on the crime, the accuser, the Status of the prisoner, and any timely bribes. Jail time between arrest and trial is highly variable. It depends on local laws, whether a judge is available, and – if there is a judge – how busy his court is. In general, the higher the CR, the longer the possible wait. Bail The authorities might be willing to release a jailed prisoner on “bail”: a sum of money that serves as a pledge that he will return for the trial. The amount required depends on the severity of the charges, the prisoner’s Reputation and legal record, and the judge’s reaction to the prisoner. If the prisoner flees (“jumps bail”), he will face additional charges. TRIALS A trial might be totally fair and honest . . . or entirely for show, with a predetermined outcome. It might be rigorously formal, or noisy and informal.
Trial by Ordeal This is a trial in which Fate is supposed to decide guilt or innocence. Example: Anyone accused of witchcraft is thrown into a pond. Anyone who floats is a witch, and is taken out and burned. Those who sink must have been innocent. For a trial by ordeal, the GM should determine the success rolls needed to survive. (The above example would be hard to survive!) More examples: walk a beam across a canyon (roll DX-4 every 10 feet; those with Perfect Balance don’t need to roll); hold a hot piece of iron (roll ST- 3 and Will-3, at +3 for High Pain Threshold); find your way out of a maze (roll IQ; Absolute Direction gives +3). Trial by Combat Trial by combat is like trial by ordeal, in that Fate is supposed to judge guilt or innocence. As a rule, though, trial by combat provides the punishment as well: the guilty party dies. A trial by combat might be fair (evenly matched champions), loaded (uneven champions), or totally unfair (throw the prisoner into a pit with a monster). Trial by Judge In some societies, a noble, elder, magistrate, etc. unilaterally decides guilt or innocence. The GM determines the judge’s reaction toward the accused by making a reaction roll, and bases the judge’s decision entirely the result. In some trials, an Influence roll against the appropriate Law specialty, by the accused or his lawyer, can replace this reaction roll; see Influence Rolls (p. 359). In other trials, the accused might not be allowed to have a lawyer, or even speak! If two parties ask a judge to settle a dispute, make a reaction roll for both. The judge will find in favor of the party that gets the best reaction. Modifiers: +1 to +3 for evidence or testimony that favors the accused, or -1 to -3 for evidence or testimony against him, if the judge is inclined to listen; reaction modifiers for the Reputation, Social Regard, Social Stigma, and Status of the accused; other reaction modifiers that the GM feels apply with this judge. Adversarial Trials In still other societies, trials are a Quick Contest of Law (Criminal) skill between the prosecution and defense, in the presence of a judge and possibly a jury. If the accused chooses to defend himself, he is at -1 to -3 due to his emotional involvement. (The saying “The lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client” is often true!) Record the results of the Quick Contest, and then make a reaction roll for the judge or jury (as appropriate). Modifiers: A bonus equal to the defense’s margin of victory, or a penalty equal to the prosecution’s margin of victory, depending on the victor; +2 or more if the player roleplayed a compelling defense; +1 to +3 if the evidence supports the defendant, or -1 to -3 if it supports the prosecution; +1 or more for a plausible alibi; -1 or more for bad publicity; -2 if the defendant jumped bail (see Bail, p. 507); -3 if an eyewitness placed the defendant at the crime scene; any bonus or penalty for the defendant’s Reputation. The reaction is the verdict: a reaction worse than Neutral means “guilty”; a reaction better than Neutral means “not guilty.” Neutral reactions go to the side that won the Quick Contest. If that was a tie, the result is an acquittal. In the case of a conviction, punishment is left to the GM, playing the part of the judge. See Criminal Punishment (below) for ideas. If a PC behaves in a way that truly deserves punishment, the GM should not feel obliged to get him out of it, even if the penalty is serious.
Bribery If the judge presiding over your trial is corrupt, bribery might buy you a reaction bonus – or even an automatic victory. But if the judge is honest, attempted bribery will cast doubt on your innocence, giving a reaction penalty and possibly bringing further charges.
CRIMINAL PUNISHMENT The severity of the punishment for a crime will depend on the crime, the victim, the accused, and the judge’s reaction. Punishments are generally more severe in high-CR societies. Punishments might include: • Fines or restitution. • Public humiliation; e.g., the stocks (treat as a bad Reputation with those who witnessed the punishment). • Prison sentences, sometimes at hard labor. • Beating, stoning, flogging, etc. • Branding (treat as a Social Stigma). • Maiming – temporary or permanent. • Deprivation of rights; e.g., loss of citizenship, loss of the right to carry weapons, or reduction in formal Status. • Exile, temporary or permanent. • Slavery, either to the government or to the victim of the crime. • Imposition of a specific task or quest, possibly by a magical geas. • Imposition of a psionic or magical bond or geas to make repeat offenses impossible. • Combat in the arena (the worse the punishment, the worse the foe). • Torture. • Execution (not too useful in game terms, except as a threat to force the party to take immediate action to rescue the prisoner).
SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT TYPES
Mankind has lived under dozens of different societies. Futuristic, fantasy, and alien settings might offer dozens more – some of them very different. A few possibilities appear below, in order of increasing Control Rating (see Control Rating, p. 506). The GM should choose a society type for each major society in the game world. Anarchy There are no laws. The social conscience (or strength and weaponry!) of the population maintains order. “Anarchy” could mean a lawless mob . . . or a society of clear-eyed, strongbacked pioneers. CR0, but if your well-armed neighbors unanimously disapprove of what you’re doing, it is effectively illegal! Athenian Democracy Every citizen (the definition of “citizen” can vary) votes on every action the society takes. Below TL9, this is only practical for groups under 10,000. At TL9+, information networks allow large populations to discuss and vote electronically. CR2 to 4. Representative Democracy Elected representatives form a congress or parliament. If the citizens are vigilant and informed, this is a benevolent government. If the citizens are badly educated, government policies are bad but popular (bread and circuses!). If the citizens are apathetic, factions or special-interest groups may dominate government. In all cases, conspiracies may operate to control the society. CR2 to 4. Clan/Tribal The society is one large, interlocking family made up of allied clans or tribes and ruled by the clan elders. Customs and tradition are very important. Younger clan members might feel forced to conform, or become rebellious to protest their lack of influence; seniors may channel this energy by encouraging sports, recreational combat, or adventuring. CR3 to 5. Caste As for Clan/Tribal, but each clan has a set role or profession. Those who don’t follow their clan profession become clanless (a Social Stigma), unless there is a system for adoption into a new clan. Clans usually form a social hierarchy; e.g., administrators outrank warriors, who outrank street sweepers, and so on. Individuals are expected to associate only with those of equivalent status. There may also be rivalries among clans of the same type (different warrior families, for instance). CR3 to 6. Dictatorship All government is vested in a single ruler – king, dictator, etc. (If the ruler is a king, this is a monarchy.) Succession might be by inheritance, election, single combat, or any number of other means. This sort of government can act faster, for good or for evil, than most representative governments. Dictatorships (and other totalitarian states), if they endure long enough, sometimes develop a “balance wheel” in the form of custom. Though the ruler’s will is law, there are unwritten laws that even he may not violate with impunity. CR3 to 6. Technocracy Engineers and scientists rule in the name of efficiency. Everything is carefully planned; of course, plans can go wrong. The better the technocrats are at running things, the less oppressive they are; if they’re incompetent, they are also dictatorial. CR3 to 6. Theocracy This is rule by a religious group or leader. Freedom of religion is unlikely, and there is no distinction between religious and civil law. The leaders may or may not believe in their own religion; “miracles” might be faked or genuine. Theocracies range from benign utopias to totalitarian religious dictatorships. CR3 to 6. Corporate State Corporate officers rule the society. Most citizens are employees of the corporation. Society runs smoothly – it has to, or it can’t be profitable! CR4 to 6.
Feudal Similar to monarchy (see Dictatorship, above), but subsidiary lords retain local power; therefore, the ruler must be careful to maintain the lords’ support, or be overthrown. Since each lord rules his own territory, laws and personal freedoms will vary from dominion to dominion. CR4 to 6 (at least for the commoners).
VARIATIONS One or more of these special situations may apply to most of the society types listed above: Bureaucracy: A self-perpetuating “civil service” runs the society from day to day. Because these bureaucrats are not elected, they are largely insulated from public pressure. Government seems to run very smoothly – if there are difficulties, you aren’t told about them. But there are high taxes, many laws, and lots of red tape. The government is unresponsive to citizens. There may not be a free press. CR4+. Colony: A dependent region ruled by the mother society, usually through a governor. The colonists may have an elected council (through which they influence the governor), an elected representative to the mother government (with nonvoting power), or both – but they have no direct say in their own government. Colonies have less government than the mother society; reduce CR by 1 or more. Rebels and outcasts may be welcome if they have useful skills. Cybercracy: A statewide computer system controls administration – and perhaps actual legislation! This is impossible before TL8, and highly unlikely before TL9. Government might be efficient, inhuman, or both. The system is only as good as its programmers and technicians. Trust the Computer . . . CR3+. Matriarchy. Positions of authority are open only to females. Any CR is possible. Meritocracy: No one may enter the government without passing a series of tests. A good meritocracy is likely to have competent leaders . . . but this can lead to a rigid caste system. CR3+. Military Government: The military runs the state. A society led by a single commander-in-chief is likely to be a dictatorship; one where the commander must answer to a council (or junta) of officers is likely to be feudal. Military governments can be strong and honest, but most are totalitarian. CR4+. Oligarchy: Regardless of the nominal form of government, leadership is in the hands of a small, self-perpetuating clique. CR3+. Patriarchy: Positions of authority are open only to males. Any CR is possible. Sanctuary: A sanctuary refuses to extradite the “criminals,” “refugees,” or “terrorists” hunted by other societies. This might be informal, or there might be a tribunal to decide each petitioner’s fate. Lawmen or bounty hunters from elsewhere are outlaws here. CR is rarely over 4. Socialist: The government directly manages the economy. Citizens get free or subsidized education, medical care, housing, etc., and the government tries to give everyone a job. The resulting expenses can stifle an economy at low TLs. Most wealthy, hightech states have elements of “mild socialism,” such as heavily subsidized health care and “safety-net” welfare benefits for the poor. Like any government expenditure, these benefits might raise local taxes. CR3+. Subjugated: This society is under outside control – whether military (an occupying army), economic (a “puppet government,” subservient to foreign masters), or something else (e.g., magical mind control). CR4+. Utopia: A utopia is a perfect society in which all citizens are satisfied. CR always seems low . . . but is it? Real utopias are rare. Seeming utopias often have some dark secret – for instance, a hidden technocracy ruling by mind control. A sinister utopia is a real GMing challenge. A genuine utopia is an excellent “good guy” society for the heroes to save from conquest or other threats (but real utopias, unless threatened by destruction, are boring).
The Big Picture The GM should also decide how the major societies in the game world interact with one another. Possible political situations include: World Government: One government rules the entire world (which might be a continent in a low-tech setting, an entire galaxy in a very high-tech one). Regional differences, if any, are strictly cultural or linguistic. Coalition: A few powerful allies dominate the world. They squabble on occasion, but they usually present a united front. The individual societies are still quite distinct, and might have radically different government types. Factionalized: A small number of rival “blocs” or superpowers dominate the world. Each bloc has enough economic and military might to rule the world, but the other blocs would sooner unite in opposition than let that happen. As a result, alliances shift regularly. Ties within blocs are more permanent. Diffuse: There are dozens, if not hundreds, of clans, nations, and groups. No one can make any claim to world domination.
Restrictions Powerful or advanced societies might attach “restricted” status to uninhabited regions – or even to weaker or more primitive societies. Examples include: Embargoed: A stronger society might prohibit all trade with a weaker one. They usually enforce this through military means, and search visitors carefully to prevent smuggling. Hazardous: The region harbors something dangerous: cannibals, vicious wildlife, magical storms, etc. Buoys, signs, flags, etc. warn travelers of the risk. The authorities don’t move to prevent entry into the region . . . but they don’t rescue travelers who get into trouble, either! Prohibited: The region is completely off limits without special permission. This might be because the region is hazardous or quarantined – or because it contains some kind of secret (often military). The authorities might forcibly remove trespassers, prevent them from leaving, or simply destroy them on sight. Protected: The authorities limit contact in order to protect native culture, wildlife, etc. Visitors might have to undergo medical quarantine before entering the region, or be prohibited from carrying certain equipment. They might even have to disguise themselves as natives! Reserved: The region is off limits for colonization or development.
TECH LEVELS
“Tech level” (TL) is a general rating of a society’s highest achievement in technology (or a certain type of technology). Tech levels run from zero on up. Each TL describes a set of technologies that become available after a certain point in time. The standard TLs, and associated eras on Earth, are: TL0 – Stone Age (Prehistory and later). Counting; oral tradition. TL1 – Bronze Age (3500 B.C.+). Arithmetic; writing. TL2 – Iron Age (1200 B.C.+). Geometry; scrolls. TL3 – Medieval (600 A.D.+). Algebra; books. TL4 – Age of Sail (1450+). Calculus; movable type. TL5 – Industrial Revolution (1730+). Mechanical calculators; telegraph. TL6 – Mechanized Age (1880+). Electrical calculators; telephone and radio. TL7 – Nuclear Age (1940+). Mainframe computers; television. TL8 – Digital Age (1980+). Personal computers; global networks. TL9 – Microtech Age (2025+?). Artificial intelligence; real-time virtuality. TL10 – Robotic Age (2070+?). Nanotechnology or other advances start to blur distinctions between technologies . . . TL11 – Age of Exotic Matter. TL12 – Whatever the GM likes! Note that TLs have start dates but not end dates. The innovations of a given TL fade as those of higher TLs displace them, but they rarely vanish completely. A blacksmith in 1850s England uses TL3 techniques to shoe the horses that pull the carriage the gentleman rides to catch his TL5 train to London – and those techniques might still exist in TL8, albeit as a quaint hobby. The GM should decide which “dated” technologies remain in use in his game world, and which items from earlier TLs are still commonly available for purchase. Differences in tech level become very important when adventurers travel between societies. Technology is likely to seem like magic to anyone more than three or four TLs less advanced. If a WWII soldier (TL6) gets dropped back into the days of King Arthur (TL3) . . . things get interesting. Of course, time travel isn’t necessary – even today, you can drop back three or four TLs if you visit the right part of the world. A party always attracts attention if it displays technology from a higher TL than that of the locals. This attention might take the form of worship, awe, curiosity, envy, fear, or hatred – the greater the disparity in TL, the stronger the reaction. The GM should set a “baseline TL,” which describes most societies in the game world, most of the time. However, exceptions may exist. Backward Societies A society might have a lower TL across the board. This could be because it is impoverished, isolated (either geographically or economically), resistant to change (such as 17thcentury China), or regressed (possibly in the wake of war or natural disaster). PCs from such societies will have the Low TL disadvantage (see p. 22). Advanced Societies Likewise, the TL of a particular society might be higher than that of the rest of the game world. If the GM chooses to introduce such advanced societies, he should ensure that PCs who wish to use their advanced technology pay the points and cash to acquire it honestly. PCs from such societies must have the High TL advantage (see p. 23). Split Tech Level Realistic societies rarely have the same TL in every field of endeavor; they tend to be advanced in some fields, backward in others. GMs who desire extra detail can rate each society for its TL in a few key areas. It is most efficient to list only those TLs that differ from the baseline; e.g., “TL8 (Communications TL7, Medical TL9).” PCs have a personal TL equal to their society’s baseline TL, but the TL of their technological skills matches that of their society in the relevant area.
Borrowed Technology A society can be familiar with technology that it does not itself possess. This is frequently the case for low-tech societies with high-tech neighbors, and for colonies. A village with Iron Age technology (TL2) might be quite familiar with the TL3 steel weapons carried by travelers, and richer villagers might have a few, but local smiths could not duplicate or repair them. Express this as “TL2/3.” PCs from such societies have a personal TL equal to the lower TL, but may learn the skills needed to use (but not repair or design) equipment of the higher TL.
Improving Skills in Alternate Tech Levels An adventurer who wishes to learn a technological skill can save points if he already knows that skill at another tech level. Treat the skill at the new TL as a different skill that defaults to the known skill at the penalty listed under Tech-Level Modifiers (p. 168); e.g., Engineer/TL5 defaults to Engineer/TL7 at -3. Handle improving skills from “cross- TL” defaults identically to improving any skill from default; see Improving Skills from Default (p. 173). (If your skill is not high enough to let you start from a favorable default, ignore these rules and learn the skill normally.
Variations Within a Tech Level The equipment listed for a TL does not appear all at once as soon as a society enters that TL. Instead, items appear gradually after that date. Shortly after a TL begins, devices from the previous TL will be common – along with experts in skills associated with those items. A player could easily justify a PC with a personal TL one step below that of his society, or with one or two skills that are several TLs out of date. As the TL wears on, devices from the next TL start to appear. If PCs wish to obtain such equipment, they must either invent it or buy a prototype – see New Inventions (p. 473). Access to prototypes is not sufficient to justify a PC with a personal TL above that of his society! At the GM’s option, adventurers may have a skill penalty of -1 or more when dealing with technology of their own TL that is more or less advanced than what they are used to. Treat this as an unfamiliarity penalty; see Familiarity (p. 169). Finally, the GM should be aware that not every item of a given TL must appear in every society that attains that TL. The GM always has the final say as to which items are currently available – both to the PCs and in the game world in general.
Tech Level by Field It is often important to know what a given TL implies for a particular area of knowledge – for instance, when using the Building Up Local Technology and Split Tech Level rules. The tables below outline the effects of TL on four sample fields. Many other such fields exist: architecture, communications, materials, etc. Transportation TL0 – Skis; dogsleds; dugout canoes. TL1 – Bare horseback; the wheel (and chariots); shipbuilding; sails. TL2 – Saddle; roads; triremes. TL3 – Stirrups; oceangoing sailing ships (longships, roundships, etc.). TL4 – Stagecoach; three-masted sailing ships; precise navigation. TL5 – Steam locomotives; steamboats; early submersibles; balloons and early airships. TL6 – Automobiles; continental railways; ocean liners; submarines; aircraft. TL7 – Nuclear submarines; jet aircraft; helicopters; manned space flight. TL8 – Satellite navigation; SSTO (“single stage to orbit”) spacecraft. TL9 – Robot cars; space elevators; manned interplanetary space flight. TL10 – Fast interplanetary space flight. TL11 – Manned interstellar space flight. TL12 – Fast interstellar space flight. Superscience! Reactionless thrust; contragravity; faster-than light (FTL) travel; matter transmission; parachronic technology; time machines. Weapons and Armor TL0 – Wooden and stone weapons; primitive shields; hides for armor. TL1 – Bronze weapons and armor. TL2 – Iron weapons; iron armor (including mail); siege engines. TL3 – Steel weapons; early firearms; plate armor; castles. TL4 – Muskets and pikes; horse artillery; naval broadsides. TL5 – Early repeating small arms; rifled cannon; ironclads. TL6 – Smokeless powder; automatic weapons; tanks; combat aircraft. TL7 – Ballistic body armor; guided munitions; combat jets; nuclear weapons. TL8 – Smartguns; blinding lasers; unmanned combat vehicles. TL9 – Electrolasers; heavy laser weapons; battlesuits; combat robots; designer viruses. TL10 – Compact laser and heavy particle-beam weapons; Gauss guns; nanotech armor; nanoviruses; antimatter bombs. TL11 – Compact particle-beam weapons; disassemblers (“gray goo”); defensive nanites. TL12 – Gamma-ray lasers; “living metal” armor; blackhole bombs. Superscience! Monomolecular blades; force-field technology; gravitic weapons; nuclear dampers; disintegrators. Power TL0 – Human muscle power; dogs. TL1 – Donkeys; oxen; ponies. TL2 – Horses; water wheels. TL3 – Heavy horses and horse-collars; windmills. TL4 – Improved windmills; belt drives; clockwork. TL5 – Steam engines; direct current; batteries. TL6 – Steam turbines; internal combustion; alternating current; hydroelectricity. TL7 – Gas turbines; fission; solar power. TL8 – Fuel cells; advanced batteries. TL9 – Micro fuel cells; deuterium-hydrogen fusion; high-temperature superconductors. TL10 – Helium-3 fusion; antimatter. TL11 – Portable fusion power. TL12 – Portable antimatter power. Superscience! Broadcast power; cold fusion; zeropoint energy; total conversion; cosmic power. Biotechnology/Medicine TL0 – First aid; herbal remedies; primitive agriculture. TL1 – Surgery; animal husbandry; fermentation. TL2 – Bleeding the sick; chemical remedies. TL3 – Crude prosthetics; anatomical science. TL4 – Optical microscope makes cells visible. TL5 – Germ theory of disease; safe anesthetics; vaccines. TL6 – Antibiotics; blood typing and safe transfusions; heredity; biochemistry. TL7 – Discovery of DNA; organ transplants; pacemaker. TL8 – Genetically modified organisms; gene therapy; cloning. TL9 – Human genetic engineering; tissue engineering; artificial wombs; cybernetic implants. TL10 – Brain transplants; uploading; bioroids; uplifted animals. TL11 – Living machines; cellular rejuvenation. TL12 – Full metamorphosis; regeneration. Superscience! Fast-growth clone tanks; psi drugs; regeneration ray.
BUILDING UP LOCAL TECHNOLOGY There may be times when you need to improve the local TL. A group of castaways might have high-tech knowledge, but little or no equipment to work with. In that case, they need to “build the tools to build the tools” to use their technological knowledge. In extreme cases, your castaways might have to go all the way back to primitive mining to get the ore to refine to metal to build the tools to build the tools . . . ! Or a single traveler might want to impart his high-tech knowledge to the people he is visiting. (We assume that he has the cooperation of his hosts, or he doesn’t have a chance.) Any such situation is largely at the GM’s discretion. But it can be done. Some of the best adventure stories of all time have revolved around one of these premises: Swiss Family Robinson, Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen, the Riverworld series, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, etc. General guideline: a “science” is one of the categories of knowledge listed under Tech Level by Field (p. 512). It takes two years of work to move each science from one TL to the next, assuming that: (a) you have an ample supply of labor; (b) you have an ample supply of raw materials; © you are fully familiar with the lower TL (all relevant skills at 12+); and (d) you know where you’re going, and are fully familiar with the higher TL (all relevant skills at 12+). This rule is specifically for high-TL characters re-inventing or introducing technology to a low-tech society or situation. It does not cover inventions – for that, see New Inventions (p. 473). DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES Some technologies (and some societies) do not fit nicely onto the standard tech-level charts. GMs who run into this problem might wish to use one of the optional rules below. Technology Paths Certain categories of inventions might appear in an order other than that suggested by the default TLs. In particular, there is no guarantee that TL9+ technologies will appear in the order GURPS predicts. Apply the Split Tech Level rule (p. 511) as liberally as you wish to simulate your favorite genre! For instance, in a “cyberpunk” society, computing, bionics, and biotechnology might be two to four TLs more advanced. In contrast, a “retro-tech” setting that mimics 1940s sci-fi might have computers frozen at TL6 but many other technologies at anywhere from TL9 to TL12. Any combination is possible! Divergent Tech Levels In other cases, a society has a single, consistent TL – but it got there along an unusual path. The GM can designate this “divergent TL” with the notation “TL(x+y),” where x is the TL at which the technology diverged, y is the number of TLs since the divergence, and the sum x+y is the effective TL for most purposes. Example: TL(5+1) is effectively TL6 – but a different TL6 that split off at TL5. TL(5+1) devices produce similar results to TL6 ones, but look little like those devices and rely on different operating principles. A TL(5+1) “steampunk” world based on Victorian visions of the future might have steam cars, steam dirigibles, and high-speed telegraph lines instead of the automobiles, airplanes, and telephones of TL6. Divergent TLs are not unique. There could be any number of versions of (for instance) TL(5+1), each different in its own way. The GM should specify what caused the split in each case, be it different thinking, different prevailing physics, or something else. Characters used to a “normal” or “differently diverging” TL suffer an additional -2 penalty for unfamiliarity, over and above any penalties for TL differences, when dealing with divergent technology. Superscience “Superscience” technologies violate physical laws – relativity, conservation of energy, etc. – as we currently understand them. Examples of superscience technologies appear under Tech Level by Field (p. 512), and several articles of superscience equipment appear in Chapter 8. By definition, it is impossible to set a firm TL for superscience – we might discover faster-than-light travel tomorrow, a thousand years from now, or never. Equipment TLs are always debatable, but superscience
TLs are arbitrary. To reflect this, the rules give the TL of superscience developments as “^” instead of a number. The GM is free to assign such innovations to any TL. To note a superscience invention that appears at a specific TL in a particular game world, put a “^” after its TL; e.g., “TL3^” for a TL3 superscience item. Remember: superscience doesn’t have to change a society’s overall TL, create a new technology path, or cause a divergent TL. It just adds totally new developments to all the usual technologies for a given TL in that society. TECH LEVEL AND GENRE When designing a game world with a specific genre in mind, the GM should be sure to choose a TL that will meet his players’ expectations for the genre. Some examples: • Sword & Sandal: Gladiators, chariots, and amazons. TL1-2. • Medieval Fantasy: Knights, wizards, and castles. TL3. • Warring Provinces Japan: Samurai and ninja. TL3-4. • Swashbucklers: Pirates and musketeers. TL4. • Wild West: Cowboys and Indians. TL5. • Steampunk: Fiction of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. TL5, diverging to TL(5+1). • Pulp: Archaeologists and detectives between the World Wars. TL6. • WWII: Axis and Allies. TL6. • Cold War: Capitalism vs. communism. TL7. • Modern Day: You’re living in it! TL8. • Cyberpunk: Netrunners and cyborgs. TL9. • Space Opera: Interstellar adventure. TL10+, plus superscience.
ECONOMICS
Each game world has its own economic situation. But money, in some form or another, is important in almost every setting. Money is anything you can exchange for what you want. It varies from one game world to the next. In a high-tech world, everything might be done by credit card. In a low-tech world, gold and silver may be king. For the sake of convenience, GURPS prefixes all prices with a dollar sign – $ – in all settings. The GM is welcome to translate this to credits, copper farthings, Martian foomphra, or whatever he feels is appropriate to the game world; see Tech Level and Starting Wealth (p. 27). In a low-tech world, jewelry is also money. It might not have a set value imprinted on it, but it is small and portable, and easily traded for coins or bartered directly for needed goods. In fact, many societies exist largely by barter – which can be a test of the players’ ingenuity. Bankrolls and Possessions List the money a character has on his person on his character sheet, just like his other possessions. If a lot of transactions are taking place, it might be wise to record money on a separate sheet of paper to avoid erasing a hole in the character sheet! List the money a character does not carry with him separately, along with its location. The GM may arrange floods, bank robberies, tax increases, and other entertainments to deprive the PCs of their savings – or at least make them work to get their money back. The same is true of all other possessions the heroes do not carry with them.
Moving Money Between Worlds If the PCs move between game worlds (see Travel Between Game Worlds, p. 520), they will naturally want to take some cash along. But what is “legal tender” in one world might be worthless in another. There are two principles for the GM to remember here: 1. Money in a new world isn’t “legal tender”; it’s a commodity. If you bring medieval gold coins to the 21st century, they will sell as curios – or as gold, for perhaps $400 a troy ounce. If you take American paper money to the 10th century, it will be worthless. So, rather than money, take along a few plastic hard-hats and maybe an MP3 player. (“What am I bid for this miraculous orchestra in a box?”) 2. A cross-world trading operation can get very rich very quickly. If a GM allows cross-world travel, it is up to him to preserve balance by limiting the quantity or type of goods that traders can move between worlds. A suggested limit: only what the travelers can carry on their persons – and trips should not be frequent.
BUYING AND SELLING Players can buy and sell among themselves at whatever prices they can agree on. For outside transactions, the GM (or Adversary) should roleplay a merchant dealing in the needed goods or services. Most transactions do not require a reaction roll. Only make a reaction roll if the situation is in some way unusual. For instance, if the adventurers are new in town and have been swaggering around in armor and acting strangely, roll to see if the merchants will have anything to do with them! In general, the GM should set prices reasonably, following the laws of supply and demand. Camels are valuable near the desert, worthless in the jungle. After a great battle, used armor might be on sale at scrap-metal prices. And so on. The Merchant skill (p. 209) will help the PCs get good deals.
Equipment and Supplies The GM should give the players a list of standard equipment and supplies, and their “normal” costs. The items and prices on the list will vary from game world to game world. The players will want to buy things that aren’t on the list. The GM should allow any reasonable purchase – as he defines “reasonable” – setting prices by comparison with things on the list. Real-world catalogs can be useful here! For more information, see Chapter 8, Equipment.
Making Your Own Goods Adventurers with appropriate skills may want to save money by making their own equipment. Use the following guidelines in this situation. Starting equipment always costs “list price,” even if the PC could have made it himself. Assume that buying materials and taking time out to make the item had the same impact on the PC’s starting wealth as if he had bought the item. Building equipment in play is legal . . . if the GM is willing to go along with it. Some things to consider: 1. What raw materials are needed, and how much will they cost? “Parts cost” is usually around 20% finished item cost. 2. How long will it take? PCs who build equipment between adventures can’t earn income or learn skills during that time. PCs who build equipment during adventures are out of the action. 3. What skills are required, and what happens on a failure or critical failure? As a rule, failure just ruins the raw materials. Critical failure produces equipment that fails catastrophically when used! It would take several books to list all possible items, raw materials, building times, and skills – so this must be left up to the GM.
LOOT, AND DISPOSING OF IT Many adventures are overt quests for treasure. Many aren’t. Nevertheless, it is customary to let the heroes find something of value if they successfully complete an adventure. If nothing else, this lets them buy their supplies for the next adventure . . . The classic fantasy adventure sends successful adventurers home with chests of gold and jewels. Very convenient! If you are writing a more realistic adventure, invent more interesting forms of treasure. Let’s say the party was hired to guard a caravan. They drove off the bandits that attacked the caravan, tracked them to their lair, wiped them out, and took their loot. Now, assuming the heroes have enough pack animals, it will be a simple matter to take the goods into town. Locate a merchant (using Area Knowledge – or Streetwise, if necessary). Make the best sales approach possible. The GM makes a reaction roll for the merchant. If he’s interested in the goods, he makes an offer, which the players can accept or reject. Simple. But it doesn’t have to be that simple. Identifying treasure, and turning it into cash, can be a major part of the challenge! Some possibilities: • The treasure is not portable. How will they get it home? • The treasure is not recognizable as such without a skill roll – or looks like treasure to the unskilled observer, but is really junk! • The treasure is valuable only to certain collectors or specialists. Getting it to a buyer might be an adventure in itself. • The treasure is illegal or immoral, making it risky to trade. • The treasure is perishable or dangerous, and requires special handling. • Somebody else is hunting the treasure. • The treasure is not goods, but information – a clue to the real loot, or a major plot hook toward the overall campaign goal. In spite of your best planning, the players will occasionally find “loot” you had not anticipated. For instance, the slavers had the PCs trapped in iron cages . . . and when they escape, they
take the cages with them to sell for scrap. This is when you improvise. If you have no clear idea what the goods are worth, just make the story interesting. If you want the party to have money, then there’s a demand for scrap iron in the next village. If not, nobody is interested. Simple.
Gold and Silver A traditional assumption of fantasy games (and many fantasy novels) is that gold and silver are heavy, and inconvenient to carry around for purchases. If you are the GM, this is true only if you want it to be true. Historically, gold and silver were very valuable – and many goods were cheap. For an authentic medieval English (14th-century) economy, treat the $ as a “farthing”: a copper coin about an inch across. A silver penny is worth $4 and is less than half an inch across; 250 such coins ($1,000) weigh one pound. If silver and gold trade at 20 to 1 (a reasonable ratio for much of history), a pound of gold is worth $20,000! A man could carry a king’s ransom in his backpack. On the other hand, a GM who wants wealth to be less portable might assume that the $ is a one-ounce silver coin, like a silver dollar. A one-ounce gold piece would then be worth $20. At that rate, 12 coins (troy weight) would weigh a pound; a pound of gold would be worth only $240. In such a world, precious gems are the only way to carry a large amount of wealth in a small package, and caravans loaded with gold might actually exist!
Controlling Inflation The GM should be careful not to let the PCs get too rich too soon. Rather than drive up prices, make expensive things (ships, noble titles, etc.) available, and give the heroes opportunities to invest in interesting long-term, high-risk ventures (e.g., bankrolling an inventor). Alternatively, arrange an occasional catastrophe to keep the PCs broke – or simply an adventure where no amount of money can replace brains. In a high-tech world, there is no limit to the advantages you can buy with money. In a low-tech environment, once you have one good suit of armor, one fine weapon, and a couple of fine horses, there’s not much else you can buy to enhance personal prowess. But you can hire an army . . . Finally, be realistic about the value of loot. Armor, combat vehicles, and similar military materials are likely to be damaged after a fight – the PCs will be lucky to get 1/3 “retail value” if they drag this kind of hardware into town. (A very realistic GM will assess the PCs maintenance costs for repairing their own vehicles, weapons, armor, etc., too.) WEALTH AND STATUS Wealth (p. 25) and Status (p. 28) are separate but related traits. It is up to the GM to determine the details of the relationship. In many game worlds, those with high social standing must buy up Wealth by one level past Average per Status level above 0, but can have high Wealth without high Status. In others, wealthy characters must buy an additional level of Status per level of Wealth past Average, but can purchase high Status without Wealth. The GM might even enforce both requirements and rigidly associate Status levels with Wealth levels – but this excludes many good character concepts. In all game worlds, it is common for those with negative Status to have Wealth one level below Average per Status level below 0. To keep things fun, the GM should forbid high Status to poor characters or high Wealth to low-Status ones only if the setting absolutely demands it! Cost of Living and Status Each PC must pay the monthly “cost of living” for his Status or accept the consequences, as explained under Cost of Living (p. 265). Assume the PCs are Status 0 – or “middle class” – unless they buy their Status up or down. To calculate how much money a character has for discretionary use each month, subtract his cost of living and that of noncontributing dependents from his monthly pay (see Jobs, below). In a campaign that does not use jobs, either subtract cost of living from the PCs’ adventuring income or ignore this rule entirely! JOBS The GM determines what jobs are available in the game world, either on his own or by encouraging the players to come up with ideas for jobs suited to their characters’ talents. In a historical campaign, the GM can reduce his workload by inviting the players to research and submit reliable information about the jobs they want! Regardless of whether the GM or the players come up with the job’s description, the GM assigns its prerequisites, job roll, monthly pay, and wealth level. The next few sections explain these things. Description This includes the job’s title, and tells exactly what kind of work the job entails. The GM should give hours, risks, guild or union affiliations, etc., and point to the occupational template (see Character Templates, p. 258) for the job, if any. Prerequisites A job’s prerequisites are the skills – if any – needed to do the job. Most jobs specify a minimum required level in each prerequisite skill. This might be absolute (“Administration at 12+”) or relative (“Administration at IQ+2 or better”); the former is likely if the employer requires testing, the latter if the employer awards jobs on the basis of experience. In either case, candidates must have at least one point in the skill – default skill will not suffice! Some jobs also require specific advantages, or forbid certain disadvantages. Job Roll At the end of every month in which a character works, he must roll against one of the prerequisite skills for his job. This is called a job roll. For jobs with multiple prerequisite skills, the GM should specify whether the worker uses his best prerequisite, his worst prerequisite, or one specific skill at all times. This roll might be at a bonus for an easy job, at a penalty for a difficult one. For jobs without prerequisites, the GM should specify either a flat success roll (e.g., “All characters roll vs. 12.”) or an attribute roll (e.g., “Roll ST.”). Most jobs offer a fixed wage or salary. On anything but a critical success or critical failure, the worker collects the monthly pay for the job (see below). On a critical success, he gets a 10% permanent raise. Other occupations are more variable; for instance, freelance jobs and work on commission. For these jobs, the worker earns the monthly pay if he makes his job roll exactly. For greater success, increase that month’s income by 10% times the margin of success; a critical success triples the month’s income! On a failure, decrease that month’s income by 10% times the margin of failure. For any kind of job, a critical failure is always bad. At best, the worker will earn no pay for the month. He might also face demotion (at least a 10% reduction in monthly pay), lost savings (due to damages, fines, etc.), loss of job, on-the-job injury (due to an accident – or possibly a fight, if the job is a violent one), or arrest (especially at a criminal “job”). The GM should be creative! Monthly Pay Each month on the job, a worker earns his monthly pay – modified for his job roll, as described above. Time spent adventuring is usually not “on
the job,” although the GM might wish to make exceptions for vacations, work done while traveling, etc. The GM may set any pay he likes. The first table at right suggests a fair monthly pay for someone of Average wealth working at a “typical” job for his tech level. Actual pay at each TL varies within a range bracketed by the typical monthly pay of the previous TL and that of the next TL; e.g., from $2,100 to $3,600 at TL8. Unless the economy is under some sort of stress or outside control, jobs near the high end of this range will be difficult (significant penalty to the job roll), dangerous (severe consequences on a critically failed job roll), or highly trained (many or high-level skill prerequisites). Wealth Level The monthly pay numbers above are for workers of Average wealth. Assume that those of lower Wealth normally have jobs that pay less than this, while those of higher Wealth usually have jobs that pay more. Multiply the average pay and pay range for jobs suitable to a given wealth level by the starting wealth multiplier for that wealth level (see Wealth, p. 25). Example: “Comfortable” wealth doubles starting wealth; therefore, Comfortable jobs pay twice as much. At TL8, this means that monthly income for those of Comfortable wealth is typically $5,200, but can range from $4,200 to $7,200. The more a job pays, the higher the Status it can support. The second table at right sums this up. If a PC lands a job associated with a higher wealth level than his own (which isn’t easy – see Finding a Job, p. 518), the GM should let him earn the usual pay for that job. Most employers cannot get away with paying poorer workers less! However, if the PC’s savings reach the starting wealth of the next-highest wealth level, he must pay the points to buy up his Wealth (see Adding and Improving Social Traits, p. 291). This continues until his personal wealth level equals that of his job. Likewise, a wealthy PC may work at a job below his wealth level. He gets the usual pay for that job; he does not receive extra pay simply because he is wealthy! Such people often have Independent Income (p. 26) as well as a job in order to meet the cost of living for their (usually high) Status.
Campaign Typical Campaign Typical Tech Level Monthly Pay Tech Level Monthly Pay 0 $625 7 $2,100 1 $650 8 $2,600 2 $675 9 $3,600 3 $700 10 $5,600 4 $800 11 $8,100 5 $1,100 12 $10,600 6 $1,600
Job’s Monthly Pay Typical Wealth Level Multiplier Status Level Poor 1/5 -2 Struggling 1/2 -1 Average 1 0 Comfortable 2 1 Wealthy 5 2 Very Wealthy 20 3 Filthy Rich 100 4 Multimillionaire 1 1,000 5 Multimillionaire 2 10,000 6 Multimillionaire 3 100,000 7 Multimillionaire 4 1,000,000 8
Finding a Job A PC seeking a job that requires an employer (that is, one at which he is not self-employed) may roll against IQ once per week to see if he finds work. The Laziness disadvantage gives -5 here! Apply the following modifiers: City Size: The more people in the town or city, the better his chances (see table). Overqualification: If his skill exceeds the minimum level required by the job, he is more likely to find work: +1 if his skill is one level higher, +2 if two or more levels higher. The GM may give further bonuses if the job hunter has additional abilities that would logically help him do the job (or impress a potential employer). Advertising: He can advertise that he is looking for work: +1 if his budget is 5% the monthly pay of the job sought, +2 if 50%, +3 if 500%, and so on. This money might be for bribes, “business clothing” for interviews, handbills, placement fees, etc., depending on the job and the setting. Scarcity: Higher-paying jobs are harder to find. Subtract twice the typical Status level of the job sought from the roll; e.g., a “Filthy Rich” job typically accompanies Status 4, so it would give -8. Negative Status gives a bonus! For instance, roll at +2 to find a “Struggling” job (Status -1). Multiple Jobs: A seeker who is qualified for more than one job can look for more than one job at a time, at a cumulative -1 to all rolls per job after the first.
HIRELINGS A “hireling” is any NPC in the adventurers’ employ. The GM controls hirelings; the players can give any orders they like, but the GM decides how they are followed! A hireling provides an excellent way to add muscle or special talents to a party without introducing more PCs. A party may have any number of hirelings, but the GM should keep the number of important “personality” hirelings down to two or three at a time. The GM can manage any number of generic swordsmen – but keeping up with an important hireling, whose personality and character sheet are as detailed as any PC’s, is challenging. Creating Hirelings The GM sets the hireling’s abilities. If there is an occupational template (see Character Templates, p. 258) for the hireling’s profession, the GM can save time by copying statistics from that template. (If the template is for heroic PCs as opposed to average members of a profession, apply a -1 or -2 to all attributes and skills.) The GM keeps the hireling’s record sheet; the players may not see it. Unimportant hirelings need only a card or a note; important hirelings require a full character sheet. Finding a Hireling The PCs can’t pull a hireling out of thin air. When they need to employ someone, they must search for a suitable person – just as in real life. They might not always get what they want. The recruiter may attempt an IQ roll once per week to find a hireling of the desired type. The GM may permit him to substitute an appropriate skill for IQ: Administration (for formal, corporate-style hiring), Current Affairs (if seeking prominent “world experts”), Propaganda (for aggressive recruiting), Streetwise (if seeking criminals), etc. The party may attempt only one roll per hireling per week. Modify this roll as follows: City Size: The bigger the town or city, the better the odds:
Population Modifier Less than 100 -3 100-999 -2 1,000-4,999 -1 5,000-9,999 0 10,000-49,999 +1 50,000-99,999 +2 100,000 or more +3
Advertising: +1 if the advertising budget is 50% the monthly pay of the job, +2 if 500%, +3 if 5,000%, and so on. This money covers the expense of business lunches, handbills, newspaper ads, “recruiting parties,” etc. Money Offered: +1 if the pay is 20% higher than normal for the job, +2 if 50% higher, and +3 if 100% higher or more. Risk: -2 to find a hireling for a job that involves obvious risk of combat, unless seeking a guard, mercenary, or other “combatant” hireling. The GM decides which potential hirelings are “combatant.” Legality: -5 to find a hireling for an illegal job – and any critical failure on the roll results in legal complications. The GM may waive this -5 when the employer uses Streetwise skill for the search, but the critical failure result is the same! On a success, the PCs find a candidate. The GM describes the potential hireling to the players, and can even take his part for an “interview.” The players must then decide whether they actually want to hire that person. If they decide not to, they must start their search over again. A failure might mean that a hireling simply is not available – especially in a small town. It is up to the GM whether to allow repeated attempts. Of course, the GM is free to “load” the roll, if he feels the PCs absolutely should have (or should not have) a hireling of a specific type! For instance, if an adventure calls for a particular hireling, the GM can ensure that the hireling will appear. He may do this overtly (the NPC approaches the party in a bar and asks for a job) or covertly (the players say that they are looking for hirelings; the GM pretends to roll, but gives them a preplanned NPC). Loyalty of Hirelings A hireling might not always act in his employer’s best interests. The GM should use the hireling’s “loyalty rating” as a guide. Unless this is preset for a reason, generate it by making a reaction roll (see Reaction Rolls, p. 494) for “loyalty” when the PCs first encounter the hireling. The GM can even use this during the initial meeting or interview, to see whether the hireling lies about himself. Note that a very loyal potential hireling might exaggerate his abilities out of desire to join the party!
Loyalty Checks A “loyalty check” is a roll made by the GM, usually in secret, to see how a hireling behaves in a given situation. Check loyalty whenever a hireling is in mortal danger, or when violating his trust seems to be the wise, profitable, or easy thing to do. To make a loyalty check, the GM rolls 3d against the hireling’s loyalty rating (see Loyalty of Hirelings). On a roll equal to or less than his loyalty, the hireling “passed” the check and behaved loyally. A hireling with loyalty 20+ passes all checks automatically. If the GM rolls over the hireling’s loyalty, the hireling “failed” the check and served his own interests. This does not always mean total betrayal – it depends on the situation. It just means he let his employers down. He may repent and beg forgiveness; this is up to the whim (and dramatic ability) of the GM. If the PCs forgive a hireling with a loyalty of 16+, with or without punishment, his base loyalty goes up by 1. The GM is free to modify a loyalty check for special circumstances. A huge bribe from a foe, for instance, would give most hirelings a penalty to their loyalty check. It is up to the GM to decide when a check is necessary. This depends on the hireling. For a veteran, “mortal danger” does not mean “any combat.” He would not fear an orc – or even a whole pack of orcs. But he might have to check loyalty if asked to battle a dragon! Changes in Loyalty Several factors can change loyalty, temporarily or permanently: Higher Pay: +1 to loyalty per 10% by which the hireling’s pay exceeds the norm for his job, whether it’s a “salary” or a share in loot. This bonus persists for a month after the extra pay ceases. (This factor also affects slaves, if they are allowed their own possessions.) Great Danger: Whenever a noncombatant hireling is exposed to a combat situation, check loyalty. Failure gives -1 to loyalty for a week. Repetitions might have a permanent effect. Rescue: If the PCs risk their lives (or the mission) to rescue the hireling, make a reaction roll at +3 or more, depending on the nature of the rescue. A “Good” or better reaction means the hireling is grateful. His loyalty becomes the result of the roll or his original loyalty – whichever is higher. If one of the PCs was seriously injured or killed in the rescue, the GM should consider adding a permanent loyalty bonus on top of this! Employers’ Competence: Loyalty of a “continuing” hireling might change by one point at the end of an adventure, based on the party’s performance. A botched mission reduces loyalty; great success increases it. This modifier is permanent. Length of Service: After each year, make a loyalty check. A success gives a permanent +1 to loyalty. Thus, the best hirelings become better . . . but poor ones are unlikely to improve much.
SLAVES In a game world where slavery is legal, the PCs may buy slaves as either workers or an investment – or they might be enslaved themselves! Anywhere slavery is legal, slaves make up a large part of the job market, and there is a 50% chance that any hireling found is actually a slave. The price of a slave is generally equal to the amount the slave could earn in five years, if free and working at the typical pay rate for the best job he qualifies for. The GM may adjust this price for any number of reasons: extra skills, good or bad attitude toward slavery, physical appearance, health, etc. Slave traders rarely give a real bargain! Loyalty of Slaves Determine a slave’s loyalty per Loyalty of Hirelings (above). However, slaves are less predictable than hirelings. After determining the slave’s initial loyalty, roll 2d on the following table to determine a loyalty modifier: 2-7 – No modifier. 8 – He was enslaved for some crime, and resents it: -1 to loyalty. 9 – As above, but -2 to loyalty. 10 – His previous master was very cruel. If he is treated with kindness during the first week, apply +2 to loyalty; otherwise, no change. 11 – He has a fanatic hatred of slavery. If treated well, he may like his masters as people, but will still escape as soon as possible. If treated badly (or even “average” for a slave), his loyalty drops to 6. 12 – He has the Slave Mentality disadvantage (p. 154), and considers
himself truly the property of his owner. His loyalty is automatically 20. You need never check loyalty; he will not demur, even if given orders that condemn him to death. Make loyalty checks for slaves as for any other hirelings. Modify loyalty by +1 or +2 if they are in a situation where they have nowhere to run! Legal Complications When slave-holding PCs enter an area where slavery is illegal, they must either dispose of their slaves or pass them off as free servants. Possible anti-slavery attitudes include: legal to own slaves, but not to buy or sell them locally; legal for noncitizens to own slaves while passing through, but illegal for permanent residents to own them; or illegal to own slaves at all. A creative GM may impose other laws and customs regarding slavery. For instance, it might be legal to enslave members of some social groups or races, but not others. There might be ways for a slave to earn his freedom – some societies might even permit slaves to own property and buy their freedom.
OTHER PLANES OF EXISTENCE
A campaign can extend across several game worlds instead of being tied to just one. This makes it possible to explore themes that do not work well in a single-world campaign. For instance, the PCs might visit several radically different settings in the course of a single adventure, and the world – at least one world – could actually end without the campaign coming to an abrupt halt. Multi-world campaigns greatly increase the players’ options. They get to experience several settings and genres while playing the same characters. And if they grow tired of the current world, the GM can simply move the action to a new one. This can give a flagging campaign a new lease on life. However, a multi-world campaign increases the GM’s workload. Instead of having to design one world in detail, he has to create many. He must also address the question of travel between worlds, which can be as much work as designing a world!
The GM needs to be prepared to deal with another potential problem. Many players see little point in working hard to achieve goals in one world if they believe the fruits of their labors will be lost when the campaign moves to the next. This can lead to a gamedisrupting sense of detachment. To prevent this, the GM must strengthen campaign continuity by creating storylines that span worlds . . . which adds even more work. Any GM should know the limits of his time and ability, and consult with his players ahead of time. This is even truer for GMs who wish to run crossworld campaigns.
Travel Between Game Worlds One of the chief purposes of the GURPS design is to let players explore multiple game worlds without learning a whole new set of rules each time. A player can participate in several different campaigns, each in a different place or time, and play a different character in each campaign. Each character stays in his own world. But the characters can also move from one game world to another. This can happen in three ways: 1. A player can develop a character in one game world and then bring that character into another game world. An example might be a medieval wizard, hurled hundreds of years into the future by a magic spell, participating in a WWII adventure. 2. An entire campaign can move from one game world to another. For example, suppose the party is the crew of an interstellar trading ship. They crash-land on a primitive planet. Until they can make their way to the spaceport, on the other side of the world, they are effectively living in the 12th century! 3. The campaign can include multiple game worlds by design, along with the means to travel between them. See Other Planes of Existence. Differences in Worlds As a rule, the more different two worlds are, the harder it should be for PCs to move between them deliberately. Significant differences would include: • Magical world vs. technological world. • Very low-tech world vs. very high-tech world. • Largely human or all-human world vs. world with many races. • War-wracked, plague-ridden world vs. peaceful, decadent world. • Fantasy world vs. strictly historical, “real” world. Certainly, any or all of these differences could exist on a single planet! But they would not be found next door to each other. Likewise, the GM should make travel between incompatible worlds difficult. This achieves an effect that is very rare in gaming; it improves both realism and playability. Players will appreciate the fact that “rule changes” come only with warning. Possible obstacles to interworld travel include all the standard geographical barriers: high mountain ranges, wide oceans, extensive deserts or badlands, swampy jungles, etc. Magical barriers are also a possibility, as are intervening hostile lands. GMs may also have their different worlds located literally on different worlds. The problems of interplanetary travel at low TLs are not to be taken lightly, but powerful magic can do almost anything. Of course, such powerful magic is not likely to be within the PCs’ control . . . Alternate Earths “Alternate Earths” are worlds that are like Earth . . . but different in some way. The differences might be tiny (Kennedy’s picture is on the dime), huge (Kennedy is now King of the Western Hemisphere), or unbelievable (the Earth is ruled by intelligent lizards who have the same cultures, languages, and politics as us). A “reasonable” alternate history is sometimes called a parallel world. Inventing parallel worlds is a great intellectual game. One way to approach it is to pick a historical event and ask, “What if this were different?” What if Lincoln had survived Booth’s attack? What if Chamberlain had stood up to Hitler? What if Eric the Red had died in a brawl at age 16? As the GM, you can invent any sort of alternate Earth. You can assume as many basic points of difference as you like. But it is interesting to see what logical consequences you can develop from one change. Pick any historical event – great or small – and ask yourself, “What if this had gone differently?” For an entire campaign setting built around alternate Earths, with many examples, see Chapter 20. Virtual Realities A virtual reality (or “virtuality”) is basically a synthetic plane of existence generated by high technology. Much of the advice given here for cross-world campaigns is equally valid in high-tech campaigns that feature an immersive “cyberspace” where the PCs can have adventures and interact with the real world indirectly.
TYPES OF REALITIES Many different types of game worlds can exist in a cross-world campaign. These are often called “planes of existence” (or “planes”), “dimensions,” “realities,” “realms,” or “universes” to distinguish them from distant lands or planets in the same physical universe, which are sometimes called “game worlds” as well. Physical Realities These are planes of existence that travelers can actually visit – either in body or in spirit – much as they would visit another country or planet. The
defining feature of such realms is that visitors possess a physical body during their stay. This might be their normal body . . . or it might be a “spirit body” that is corporeal only within that realm. The most common physical reality is the alternate world (also known as an “alternate history” or “alternate timeline”). This is almost the same as the PCs’ home world, but in this world, history diverged at some pivotal event, creating a different reality. (See Alternate Earths, p. 520.) Almost as common is the mirror world. Mirror worlds look just like the PCs’ home world, but the resemblance is cosmetic. No reasonable sequence of historical shifts could explain the differences! A good example is the world of faerie: it looks a lot like our world, but it is actually a magical realm ruled by powerful spirits. Another common example is the “evil parallel.” Many things about the world are similar, but personalities and even governments are “opposite”: republics become dictatorships, saints become fiends, and so on. Some physical realities might be even more alien. At best, they might be as different as alien planets within our universe. At worst, the laws of physics might be different, or suspended. Humans might be unable to survive there! Interpenetrating Planes Two or more planes of existence might interpenetrate, with each location in one world corresponding to a similar location in all the others. Such realms are generally distinct from one another, and invisible to each other’s inhabitants – although some gifted people, such as mediums and seers, might be able to perceive more than one reality at a time. Perhaps even ordinary people can occasionally see the inhabitants of the other realms, but regard them as ghosts. This is a common way to look at “dream,” “phantom,” and “spirit” realms in fiction. Often, travelers to such planes do not go anywhere; they just shift their perceptions. Phases A phase is not a destination in itself, but an invisible sub-dimension of one specific reality. Unlike an interpenetrating plane, it is not distinct from its partner reality; it merely represents a physical or supernatural “wavelength” different from the standard one. The main use of such realms in fiction is to let travelers rapidly bridge the gap between two locations within the same physical reality. An example of a phase is the ethereal state that those with Insubstantiality (p. 62) assume in order to walk through physical obstacles. Another example, common in science fiction, is hyperspace: the “space” into which stardrives shift starships for faster-than-light travel. Voids A void surrounds physical realities in much the same way that outer space surrounds stars and planets. A void differs from an interpenetrating plane in that it touches realities without overlapping them. It differs from a phase in that it is not a sub-dimension of just one reality, but a “super-dimension” that engulfs and connects all realities. Like the ocean and outer space, the void in fiction is a dramatic device that serves one purpose above all others: it mediates travel – in this case, interplanar travel. For instance, popular interpretations of the “astral” plane suggest that it is a void that travelers must pass through when using magic or psionics to journey between realities. PLANAR COSMOLOGY The GM must determine what planes of existence are present – in number and in type – and how they interact. The possibilities are endless! Here are some popular arrangements. Worlds Within Worlds In this model, realities are nested one within the next – like the layers of an onion. Alternate worlds or interpenetrating planes might exist on a more-or-less equal footing at some levels of this hierarchy, but the truly important events in the campaign always involve movement up or down the hierarchy, not across any one level. This structure lets the GM hide secrets within secrets, and offers a classic explanation for many supernatural powers and beings: “They come from a higher plane.” As a result, it is well suited to multiple-reality campaigns with a strong supernatural flavor. Example: A fantasy campaign takes place in a fairly ordinary physical reality – a world with mountains, oceans, stars in the sky, etc. “Inside” this world, there is a phase called the Ethereal Plane; this explains magical effects such as teleportation and walking through walls. Surrounding the physical world is an inner void: the Spirit World, realm of ghosts. The Spirit World does not overlap the physical world; instead, it is a layer that dead souls (and powerful wizards!) must traverse on their way to an outer void known as the Astral Plane. The Astral Plane, in turn, allows travel to the alien “physical” realities of demons, gods, and other higher powers. Parallel Worlds This cosmology features multiple physical realities standing shoulder to shoulder. Most are true alternate realities, but a few might be mirror worlds. Some might even be “pressed so close together” that they interpenetrate. The defining feature is that there are no planes of existence within, between, or surrounding these worlds. All realities are on an equal footing, and travel involves a direct shift as opposed to a journey through some kind of intervening dimension. This structure eliminates mystical journeys, speeds the act of travel, and provides a rational explanation for weird events (“ghosts” are just inhabitants of unusually close realities, “demons” are merely ugly interplanar voyagers, etc.). These features make it desirable for science-fiction campaigns centered on cross-world travel and trade. This framework is conceptually simple, but the GM can make it as convoluted as he wishes. Travelers might only be able to visit “adjacent” worlds . . . and a satisfactory definition of “adjacent” could defy scientists’ best efforts. It might take multiple hops to travel to some worlds, and while worlds might form a ring or other simple pattern, the GM could instead decree that they exhibit a brain-busting geometry that humans and their best computers simply cannot map. Use your imagination!
Mixing It Up The GM is free to add any number of twists. For instance: • Start with a hierarchy of realities, as explained under Worlds Within Worlds, but place parallel worlds on some tiers of the hierarchy. • Start with worlds that abut on worlds, as described for Parallel Worlds, but make certain “worlds” fully realized hierarchies of dimensions instead of simple physical realities. • Add any number of distinct phases to some or all of the worlds in the setting (e.g., each physical reality might have its own hyperspace and an ethereal plane). INTERPLANAR TRAVEL Many stories that feature multiple worlds assume that travel between those worlds is a one-way trip: unlucky (or lucky!) travelers somehow fall through the gap between worlds. But regular travel between worlds is an interesting possibility, as it lets explorers study, exploit, and perhaps even conquer entire worlds. In this case, the most important question to answer is, “How do the adventurers get there?” Instantaneous vs. Time-Consuming Travel Travel between worlds could be a “Poof! You’re there!” phenomenon: the heroes just have to cast a spell, push a button, walk under a hill, etc. Or it might be a slow process, comparable to sea or space travel. Both approaches have pros and cons. Instantaneous travel – like the Jumper advantage (p. 64) and Plane Shift spell (p. 248) – allows furious, universe-spanning action, with the heroes and their foes battling from one reality to the next. However, some players will try to avoid enemies (and Debt, Duties, etc.) this way, sapping drama instead of adding to it. This kind of travel also encourages brisk interplanar trade, which is great fun . . . until it destroys the campaign’s economy. In general, if interplanar travel is to be quick, the GM should make the means of travel hard to come by, introduce reasonable risks (e.g., nasty surprises on failed Plane Shift rolls), limit what travelers can carry, and make it clear that some alternate worlds are dangerous. If interplanar travel takes time, the GM must determine how much time passes, and at what rate relative to time in the PCs’ home world. The primary advantage of time-consuming travel is that the trip itself is an adventure. The downside is that the campaign can get bogged down in travel. Many players grow bored if their characters must make long trips to achieve their goals. If the GM chooses this option, he should be prepared to build an adventure around each trip, or let the PCs spend their time on gainful long-term projects such as study, invention, and magical enchantment. Physical Travel vs. Projection Interplanar travelers sometimes visit other planes of existence in person, but this is not the only option. Visitors might instead journey to other realities in mind or in spirit. Physical travel (teleporting between worlds, moving there in some kind of vehicle, etc.) lets the GM use classic “hooks” like money and physical danger to steer the campaign. It is also involves less bookkeeping: the PCs have the same abilities and equipment as in their home world. However, physical travel lets the PCs vanish bodily, perhaps along with their possessions, making it possible to escape the consequences of their actions. It also opens the door to commodities trading, which can have unwelcome economic effects. The GM should take care to create adversaries who can follow the PCs wherever they go, and should consider imposing strict limits on the physical goods that can accompany travelers (e.g., “You arrive naked.”). Projection involves traveling to other planes as a mind or spirit while the body remains behind. This solves many of the problems GMs have with cross-world campaigns. What belongs in each world stays in that world. The only thing that moves between worlds is information – and the GM can easily control that. There are two disadvantages. First, the GM must keep records for both the PCs’ physical selves and their projections. (The GM could just say that the projection is the same as the original, but he would be discarding an interesting dramatic tool.) Second, players might feel that other realms aren’t “real,” and behave accordingly. The solution here is to let them . . . and then have the consequences of their actions show up in their “real” world! Modes of Travel Finally, the GM must decide on the actual mechanism used for interplanar travel. Options include: Artifacts: Interplanar travel relies on magical, psionic, superscience, or weird science gadgetry. There are endless possibilities, from hyperdrives and parachronic conveyors to magic mirrors and stone circles. Be sure to specify whether the artifact goes with the traveler to the other side, or merely sends him there – and whether it’s good for the return trip! Right Time, Right Place: Anyone can reach other planes, but only under certain conditions: while dreaming, on certain days of the year (“When the stars are right!”), at specific places (such as the “hollow hills” of faerie myth, or a wormhole in deep space), and so on – and possibly more than one of the above. Special Powers: Travelers need advantages (e.g., Jumper), magic spells (e.g., Plane Shift), or similar powers to move between worlds. To keep PCs with such abilities from going off and leaving the rest behind, the GM should either require all PCs to have such abilities or make sure that the person in charge of transportation has the power to convey his companions (and that the player is responsible enough to do so).
This is the end of the file.