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Alien - Heart of Darkness

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74% found this document useful (35 votes)
26K views80 pages

Alien - Heart of Darkness

Uploaded by

Walter Plum
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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H E A R T O F

D A R K N E S S
A N D R E W E . C . G A S K A
l e a d w r i t e r
Andrew E.C. Gaska

g a m e d i r e c t o r s
Nils Karlén, Tomas Härenstam

i l l u s t r a t i o n s
Gustaf Ekelund

g r a p h i c d e s i g n
Christian Granath

MAP DESIGN PR MANAGER


Christian Granath, Andrew E.C. Gaska Boel Bermann

EDITORS E V ENT MANAGER


Tomas Härenstam, Nils Karlén, Dave Semark Anna Westerling

PROO F READING STREAMING


Brandon Bowling, Kosta Kostulas Doug Shute, Matthew Jowett

B RAND MANAGEMENT COSTUMER SUPPORT


Joe LeFavi/Genuine Entertainment Daniel Lehto, Jenny Lehto

PLA Y TESTERS
Alistair Schollaert-Semark, Connor Clarke, Dean Semark, Morgan Semark, and Tony Semark

SPECIAL THAN K S TO
Clara Fei-Fei Čarija

i s b n

978-91-89143-23-4

© 2022 20th Century Studios


H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

”We live in the flicker—but darkness was here yesterday.”


—JOSEPH CONRAD

INTERFACE 3301 — WEYLAND-YUTANI — FROM NETWORK

COMCON NODE 1010141 — EIJA33477975

MESSAGE BEGINS.

NEW LIFE DISCOVERED. CLASSIFICATION, EXTREMOPHILE. SERVICES REQUIRED.


CONTRACT FOLLOWS.

AWAITING ACKNOWLEDGMENT  ■  ■  ■

The company found a new lifeform, and they want its sister stars in a cacophony of swirling plasma,
you to study it. Their offer’s uncharacteristically gamma rays, and death. Extremophile or not, what
generous—you catalog this organism, determine the hell can live in all that? Whatever it is, it’s got
how they can use it, and bring it back so they to be different from anything we’ve encountered
can slap their patent on it. Fairly routine stuff. before—something strange. Something alien.
In exchange, they’ll hook you up with a cushy Heart of Darkness is a complete Cinematic
corporate department head position, secure you Scenario for the ALIEN roleplaying game. It
a book deal, and make sure the institute of your requires either the ALIEN RPG core rulebook or
choice gives you tenure. Did I mention the money? the boxed Starter Set to play. In this scenario,
There’s a lot of it. Simple survey, sample, and anal- players take the roles of an extrasolar science
ysis job. Seemed too good to be true. team with a mystery to solve. While it is a stand-
Of course, it is. alone adventure, Heart of Darkness also serves as
They neglected to tell you this alien life was a conclusion to the Draconis Strain Saga begun
found by a work crew on a lonely space station in the cinematic scenario Chariot of the Gods
sitting on the razor edge of a black hole. They also and continued in Destroyer of Worlds. Heart of
forgot to mention that the station crew is a prison Darkness is designed for 3–5 players plus the
workforce—composed of murderers, thieves, and Game Mother and is a spiraling descent into soul-
the robot guards who wrangle them. crushing madness. Expect it to take at least three
This isn’t some minor singularity. It’s devouring sessions to complete.

FOR MOTHER’S EYES ONLY


This entire booklet is solely for the GM, to be NOT read the scenario text beforehand to avoid
read before the game begins. Players should spoiling the horror of what is in store for them.

2
I N T R O D U C T I O N

CHARACTERS
This scenario comes with seven pre-generated Let the players choose who they want to play. Any
characters for the players to choose from—a leftover PCs become NPCs under your control. If
science team with their corporate wrangler, any of the PCs should die during the scenario, you
security guard, and pilot. Weyland-Yutani tapped can use any other station personnel or prisoners
the Geholgod Institute for the very best science as replacements—including a surprise (see Be the
experts in their fields, regardless of nationality. Cat on page 16).
The company has sent them to the Erebos trawling
platform and energy depot to investigate signs of G E T T I N G S TA R T E D : When your players have
life where there shouldn’t be any—in the swirling chosen their starting PCs and familiarized them-
plasma streams circling a black hole. Located selves with the character sheets, show them the
beyond the recognized Frontier of space, this USCSS Cetorhina handout. The PCs are traveling
lonely station sits precariously on the razor edge of on this FTL plasma tanker-ship when the scenario
an event horizon. Together with the station’s small begins. Read the boxed text entitled “What’s the
crew and a prison work detail, the team must solve Story, Mother?” out loud (page 9). Show them
the mysteries of this lifeform and its connection to the image of the Ablassen Black Hole and lay out
the black hole before it devours them all. the large map of Erebos station. Then give each
player their Personal Agenda for Act I to kick off
C H A R A C T E R S H E E T S : Filled-in character the action.
sheets for the PCs can be found in this boxed set.

PERSONAL AGENDAS STORY CARDS


Each character has a Personal Agenda for each of the Just like Destroyer of Worlds,
Worlds, Heart
three Acts of the scenario. More so than in previous of Darkness uses Story Cards. A Story
ALIEN RPG Cinematic scenarios adventures, conflicting Card is similar to a Personal Agenda,
agendas play a major role in Heart of Darkness. These but is handed out to a player when a
Agendas are printed on playing cards included in this
specific event in the scenario triggers
boxed set. At the start of each Act, give each player
it. The player is not allowed to share the
their new Agenda for the Act about to start, and tell
them not to reveal it to the other players. information on the Story Cards with the
other players—instead, the player should
E VA L U AT I N G A G E N D A S : At the end of each act in accordance with the Story Card.
Act, collect the Agendas from the players and eval- At the end of each Act, Story Cards are
uate them individually. If you feel a player has actively evaluated just like Personal Agendas.
advanced their PC’s Agenda despite significant
If you feel a player has introduced the
personal risk or sacrifice, announce this and award
content of their Story Card into the
them one Story Point (see page 61 of the ALIEN RPG
rulebook for more on spending Story Points). Don’t game in a meaningful way during the
reveal the actual Agendas to the entire group, they Act, the player gains one Story Point, in
should remain hidden until the end of the scenario. addition to any Story Point gained from
following their Personal Agenda.

3
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

MAPS THE GEHOLGOD INSTITUTE


This boxed set contains a giant fold-out map with The PC scientists hail from the Geholgod Insti-
floor plans of Erebos Station. Show this map to tute—a prestigious international research
the players when they approach the station (the institution that focuses on higher scientific
Cetorhina’s
Cetorhina’s ship A.I. provides it). A smaller map principles. A gathering of leading minds from all
also depicts the Cetorhina on one side and the supernations, Geholgod has a keen interest in
Cheiron on the other. Let the players see only the both exolife and humanity’s possible extraterres-
Cetorhina side at the start of the game. trial origins.

SCENARIO OVERVIEW
The PCs arrive in orbit around the Ablassen Black an archaic word meaning “to perfect”—or, the
Hole, ready to catalog a new form of proto-plas- Perfected.
matic organism found living in the accretion disk
of the singularity. They are here to be scientists A C T I I : The Perfected reveal they intend
and do science work on Erebos plasma trawling to release their spores on human colonies,
rig and platform. They quickly find out they are in converting entire worlds into Proto-Hives. These
for more than they bargained for. Damaged by an beings make the PCs an offer—help them recreate
apparent meteor strike, Erebos station is running the 26 Draconis Strain for the next step of their
silent. The Cetorhina is nearly swept up into the evolution and the PCs will be spared. The PCs
black hole, but crashes into the station instead. work for a way to either stop the Perfected or
help them find the 26 Draconis Strain in exchange
A C T I : Investigating Erebos, the PCs discover for their lives. Searching for a way to escape
the meteors that hit the station are protoplasmic Erebos, the PCs perform several tasks to deter-
spores. They have grown fleshy roots and veins, mine how to destroy these alien lifeforms. They
covering the station’s walls. The growth spreads, learn the Living Proto-Hive is fusing the Cetorhina
converting the station into a living biomechanical and Erebos into one, intending to use the tanker’s
hive. The lifeforms the PCs came here to inves- FTL drive to take it to other systems.
tigate have infected all energy conduits of the
station’s machinery, transforming it into the Living A C T I I I : As the Living Proto-Hive traps the PCs
Proto-Hive’s circulatory system. The PCs must in a maze of vascular tunnels, the station itself is
look for survivors and earn the trust of potential transfigured into a biomechanical behemoth. The
allies, obtain the parts needed to attempt repairs PCs and their allies must make their final move
on the Cetorhina, and discover just what they are against the now-living station and each other as
up against—the station is crawling with Proto-Xe- they fulfill their personal agendas. Few avenues of
nomorphs and is under control of evolved escape present themselves—the surest being the
biomechanoid beings the station’s Science Officer cold embrace of death.
Clerke has dubbed the Fulfremmen—derived from

4
T H E 2 6 D R A C O N I S S Y S T E M

T H E 2 6 D R A C O N I S
S Y S T E M
A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: 26 Draconis is
26 Draconis was once a trinary star system considered a stellar anomaly—stars
composed of two orange giants and don’t just spontaneously collapse,
one red dwarf. Seventy-five years ago, the process takes millennia and is
the ill-fated Cronus mission visited the relatively easy to predict. That’s
system’s sole habitable planetoid LV-1113, not what happened here. The actions of
and stranded half the crew there (see the the Cronus crew caused the red dwarf
Chariot of the Gods Cinematic Scenario). star’s cycle to accelerate into a black
Soon after, a chain reaction within hole within a few short years. Because
the red dwarf caused the star to collapse of this, the system is considered
in on itself, forming a black hole. It has unstable. Colonial Administration put a
since been devouring the other two stars travel ban and exploration restrictions
and their planets one by one. Today, the on the system. Weyland-Yutani was
system is just rubble spiraling down the contracted to exploit 26 Draconis and
drain. placed Erebos station in orbit with a
conscripted labor force.  ■

26 DRACONIS
(ABLASSEN BLACK HOLE, 26A AND B, EREBOS HIGH ENERGY PLASMA TRAWLING PLATFORM AND RECHARGE STATION)

Location Beyond the Outer Rim, unclaimed space


Coordinates +14 Spinward, 0 Coreward
Affiliation Weyland-Yutani
Classification Former trinary system. Now a black hole and two diminishing orange
stars.
Climate (C) Artificial (station only)
Mean Temperature 18°C (station)
Terrain Artificial (station only)
Colonies Erebos Station
Current Population 12 Administrators, 12 Corrections Officers, 99 prisoners, 36 Synthetics,
and one cat.
Key Resources Plasma batteries

5
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

E R E B O S S TAT I O N
Erebos—a place of darkness halfway between earth recycled and refurbished starship and refinery parts.
and hell. Twelve years ago, a company probe flyby Erebos’s main sections are broken up into ten decks
cataloged the young singularity, reporting the detailed in Stationside Locations (page 24).
system’s breakdown and its high-energy output. To absorb energy, the station extends its
Weyland-Yutani won the exploitation contract from trawling arms into the plasma jet of one of the
Colonial Administration and set up Erebos station diminishing stars. The plasma is channeled
to harness the plasma flow in energy trawlers, through an energy distillery and a battery of
storing it in vast arrays of battery cells. converters, eventually concentrating and storing
A Resurrection-class plasma trawling rig and the mixture in energy cells for transport back to
platform, Erebos is a cruciform station composed of the Frontier.

LIFE ON THE RIM OF THE ABYSS


Life on the edge of a black hole is neither physi- maintained by a team of android prison guards.
cally or psychologically safe. After several deaths Discovery of the plasmatic lifeforms was
and an employee revolt, the company had to accompanied by an uptick in psychological
call in an independent review. Employees there problems on Erebos (see NDDS: Terror on the
claimed the singularity crushed souls—so now Edge of Space on page 7). By the time the
laborers assigned here have none. The station was PCs arrive, the station has suffered severe meteor
converted into a prison work site for maximum-se- damage and is itself transmorphing into a Living
curity penal workers under the supervision of Proto-Hive (page 62). Survivors are spread
a company administrative team that is mostly throughout Erebos, grouped into crazed factions
rotated out every six to twelve months. Order is who want revenge against each other.

THE ABLASSEN BLACK HOLE


Stumbled upon by a malfunctioning Weyland- nothing—the ignited plasma circling it burns with
Yutani probeship, the black hole in the 26 the orange-red plasma of the stars it consumes.
Draconis system was unceremoniously called Something about the black hole’s energies
Ablassen—”the drain”—by the work crew affect the electro-synaptic signals in the human
originally brought in to trawl the accretion brain, causing severe depression and psychotic
disk. While Ablassen itself is a yawning black behavior.

6
T H E 2 6 D R A C O N I S S Y S T E M

”You’re saying we get something inside...


there’s no way it can get out?”

”That’s right. No fucking way.”

— LT. E L L E N R I P L E Y A N D
FRANCIS ”85” AARON

NDDS: TERROR ON THE EDGE OF SPACE


Proximity to the singularity’s immense modify this rate to suit your game. Roll
electro-magnetic fluctuations and insuf- a D6 on the NDD table on page 8 for
ficient shielding have proven dangerous each PC to see what impact they suffer. For
to the human psyche, triggering an acute each roll after the first, add a cumulative +1
psychological effect in mammals known as modifier to the roll. Eventually, everyone will
Neurological Distortion Disorder—or the feel the effects of the black hole unraveling
NDDs for short (page 151 of the core rule- their minds. Use the Story Cards included to
book). The NDDs are also known to occur inform your PCs that they are affected.
when someone is exposed to faster than There are two types of anti-NDD drugs avail-
light space travel outside of cryosleep. able to the players, that can be found in the
Here, however, the effects are much more Medlab on Deck C (page 32): five doses of
acute. a mental relaxant, nicknamed “Chil-X,” that
reduces a PC’s accumulated NDD roll bonus
RULES: On Erebos, NDD rolls are made much total by 1 point when taken, and two doses of
more frequently than at FTL speeds—typi- a neural stimulant, nicknamed “NeuroTick,”
cally once per Shift, but you are free to that removes one NDD effect from a PC.

7
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

NEUROLOGICAL DISTORTION DISORDER,


ABLASSEN VARIANT
–5 NO EFFECT. Yet.
6–7 PARANOIA. You become convinced that someone or something on board the ship is out to
get you. The effect, which lasts until the PC leaves the system, should be roleplayed.
8–9 EPILEPSY. You suffer episodes of epileptic seizures that disable you for a Turn. Exactly
when in the Shift the seizure occurs is up to the GM.
10–11 OBFUSCATION. Your memory is clouded—you are very confused or even deluded. Roll D6
on the sub table below. The effect lasts for one Turn (about 5–10 minutes), unless other-
wise stated, and should be roleplayed.
1. WHO ARE YOU? You’re surrounded by strangers. You no longer recall who the other
characters are or if they are friend or foe. You’re suspicious of their motives and it
will take a lot for you to trust them.
2. WHO AM I? You have no memory of who you are. You know where you are and what
you are doing, but you have no clue who you are or why you’re doing what you’re
doing. You must question everything!
3. SHHH! THE VOICES ARE TALKING. Voices in your head are making a lot of sense, telling
you that you’ve got things all wrong about the people around you. For the duration
of the affliction, you are convinced that your Buddy is really your Rival, and your
Rival is actually your Buddy.
4. NOTHING IS CERTAIN ANYMORE! You’re terribly confused. Are these people your friends
or enemies? The things on the station are friendly, aren’t they? There’s nothing
dangerous on the station, it’s all just a big misunderstanding. The others are
behaving irrationally—it must be the damned NDDs! You have to stop them all from
hurting themselves.
5. I KNOW WHO I AM! You believe yourself to be one of the other player characters (roll
randomly or the GM may choose). The other is an imposter, and you must convince
the others that this is the case.
6. HOW DO YOU DO IT? Tying shoes is hard. You’ve forgotten everything you’ve learned
about your specialty—i.e. your highest rated skill. Rolls for that skill are made without
any Base Dice added for your skill level.
12+ PSYCHOSIS. You’ve lost your shit. You immediately attack the nearest person or creature,
friendly or not. You won’t stop until you or the target is Broken. The effect lasts for one
Turn. Every friendly character who witnesses your rampage must make an immediate
Panic Roll.

ASTEROID 1113B
A chunk of LV-1113, this crumbling asteroid is less before the end of Act III, 1113B will collide with
than 1,200 meters in size and disintegrating fast. If the station before plummeting into the black hole
Erebos Station doesn’t make a course correction (page 57).

8
T H E S I T U A T I O N

T H E S I T U A T I O N
WHAT’S THE STORY, MOTHER?
You’re an international science team, hand- desk. Understandable. I’m not a Bishop
picked by Weyland-Yutani to investigate a android—I created them. I’m Michael Bishop,
new form of life. It’s a survey, sample, and company director of special projects. I’m
assay job—but one where you were offered recording this August 7th, the year of our
book deals, benefits, university tenure, and lord, 2185—the morning of your departure
lots of money to accept. You were hastily from Gateway Station.”
contracted and transported past the Outer Mr. Bishop’s hologram stands before the
Rim aboard an understaffed plasma trawler viewport, gesturing towards the black hole.
called Cetorhina. After a three-month cryo- “Magnificent, isn’t it? Living in that swirling
sleep trip, you’ve arrived at your destination. plasma soup is a Xeno-extremophile they’re
The viewport shields in the galley slide calling the Hessdalen Lights. The lights fit
open. A swirling whirlpool of pitch black all the criteria for life, and they may even be
greets you, set against a starry back- intelligent. Erebos observed them swarming
drop. The ravenous mass gulps torrents of around a significant meteoric mass in the
plasma from two unraveling orange globes plasma field, so we gave the green light
that were once dwarf stars. This is 26 to anchor the meteor to the station for
Draconis—a restricted system that’s home study. Erebos’s science officer—ah, name is
to the Ablassen Black Hole. The powerful Clerke—will brief you more on that when you
singularity is consuming both the planets arrive. Now, a couple of safety concerns—
in its path and the system’s two remaining First, Erebos is a W-Y prison work site—99
stars. Whatever life they found is out there, conscripted convicts. Warden Douglas
in all that. Stykes and his android officers maintain
You’re headed for Erebos—an orbiting order—just don’t wander off alone.
Weyland-Yutani plasma-trawling platform Second, that black hole puts out electro-
and recharge station. You assemble on the magnetic energies that can scramble your
observation deck for hot coffee (the only brain—like staying awake during FTL, but
good thing on the ship) and the breathtaking much worse. If you feel depressed or para-
view. The ship’s Bishop-type android— noid, talk to Dr. Lark. If you start feeling
Grey—quietly places an activated Modular anything extreme, report to the station’s
Computing Device on the deck. “From the medical officer—Webb—he’s got meds to
company, I’m told,” he whispers. help.
The module sputters to life, projecting a Now about these lights—how smart are
holographic antique desk before the view- they? Is there a pattern to their flashes—are
port. A familiar looking gentleman peers out they trying to communicate? What exploit-
from behind the monolithic furniture—he able properties do they exhibit?” Bishop
resembles the ship’s android, Grey, only a shakes his head and laughs.
bit older and a bit more tired. The man looks “Think of all we can learn from them! I
right through you and smiles. only wish I could be there with you. Good
“You look confused—probably wondering luck!”
why a synthetic is sitting behind a mahogany

9
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

”How far would you go to get what you came all this way for—your answers?
What would you be willing to do?”

”Anything and everything.”

”Worth drinking to, I’d imagine.”

— D AV I D 8 A N D D R . C H A R L E S H O L L O W AY

W H A T T H E H E L L I S R E A L LY G O I N G O N ?
2183: In the ALIEN RPG Cinematic Scenario, Chariot Draconis infected Third Officer Lavigne to sleep and
of the Gods, the USCSS Cronus was discovered closed off that section of the ship to protect the
adrift 72 years after leaving the 26 Draconis System. young officer.

FLASHBACK, 2111: When the Cronus was here, the C U R R E N T S TAT U S : Flash forward to now,
red star that would become the Ablassen Black 2185: The Hessdalen Lights are proto-plasmatic
Hole had not yet collapsed. Making planetfall on lifeforms evolved from microscopic drops of
LV-1113, the system’s only habitable world, the the 26 Draconis Strain. The “meteoric mass”
Cronus science team investigated ancient ruins that Erebos anchored to is the science/lifeboat,
left behind by alien Engineers—beings that the Cheiron. Both are now aboard the station—and
fringe scientific community claims are responsible are the heart (and blood) of the problem. Through
for creating humanity (page 284 of the ALIEN whatever processes were unlocked on LV-1113, the
RPG core rulebook). Cheiron is now a Living Proto-Hive (page 62).
In the process, they inadvertently primed What’s worse, pulling the Cheiron out of its
long-dormant Engineer biotechnology—and were orbit altered the trajectory of the meteor swarm
infected by Neomorphic motes (page 294 of the that accompanied it—Proto-Hive Nodules that
core rulebook). A hasty cure for the motes was slammed into the station and began to grow.
devised from the Engineers’ black goo—a formula The Hessdalen Lights have infested Erebos’s
that became known as the 26 Draconis Strain. The energy core, becoming the life force of the station.
strain arrested Neomorphic growth in a human The reactor now thrums in rhythm with the pulsing
body, but had a high probability of transforming frequencies of the black hole—like the beat of an
those inoculated into inhuman Abominations. alien heart. Biomechanical tendrils grew out of
the Cheiron and meteoroids, tapping into Erebos’s
T H E P E R F E C T E D : When the Cronus itself was various functions and transforming the station into
endangered, the ship’s company liaison made the a living biomechanical beast. The station has grown
decision to jettison the science/lifeboat (the Cheiron) its own antibodies—multistage Proto-Xenomorphs
and abandon half the crew on LV-1113. The Engi- who hunt down all life aboard (page 64).
neer technology activated, crushing the system’s The abandoned Cronus crew aboard the life-
red star and collapsing it in on itself as the Cronus boat had changed, evolved into Perfected. That’s
escaped. Those left behind became trapped in the the ultimate secret of the 26 Draconis Strain—it
accretion disc when the fledgling singularity tore doesn’t just turn people into Abominations—it
the planetoid apart, eventually mutating into a new evolves its survivors into higher beings. The
hyper-intelligent form of xenobiological life called Fulfremmen tried to escape the system via the FTL
Fulfremmen or “the Perfected.” Before one of the lifeboat, but a semi-rational mind amongst them
Cronus crew—Chief Technician Aly Lugar—completed destroyed its engines, lest the strain be spread to
her transformation into a Perfected, she put the 26 countless other worlds.

10
T H E S I T U A T I O N

T H E E N D G O A L : Released from their P R O J E C T I R O N F I S H : To complicate matters,


perpetual imprisonment in the black hole’s accre- Erebos was involved in a black op called Project
tion disc, the Fulfremmen began transforming the Ironfish before the disaster. The Ablassen Black
station into a Living Proto-Hive, awaiting an FTL Hole draws in the same electro-magnetic signals
ship’s arrival. The Fulfremmen intend to fuse the used for Network transmissions, making it an
Cetorhina to the station and use its FTL engines to ideal antenna dish for spying on the nearby UPP.
crash them into a highly populated core world— United American Allied Command contracted
where they can multiply themselves and spread Weyland-Yutani to collect the data via broad
Proto-Hive Nodules across the middle heavens. spectrum receivers disguised as Hawking radi-
Science Officer Clerke and Medical Officer ation sensors. Through Ironfish, the UAAC has
Webb realized what was going on, and tried to learned about fleet deployments and several MSS
both recreate the 26 Draconis Strain and devise black projects during the Frontier War.
a necrotic virus to kill the Living Hive. Sadly, Warden Stykes, Science Officer Clerke, and
Webb was driven insane and Clerke was meta- the DA/UT/UR mainframes were the only ones
morphosed into a monster before they could aboard the station aware of Ironfish. The data
complete their work in Medlab. Before his death, is stored in the DA/UT/UR Supercomputers on
Clerke left clues to defeat the Perfected across Deck H and MU/TH/UR’s mission recorder on
the station (page 28). Deck C.
Now, the station itself is in chaos. Fires rage In the arriving science team, potential PCs
across decks. As the station transforms, the staff Colonel-Doctor Drabikowski and Professor
and conscripts are also becoming monsters. The few Navarre are both after the Ironfish data, and a
survivors are mostly split into two feuding groups— UPP Destroyer lurks nearby. A Space Operating
staff and corrections androids led by Warden Forces unit led by Sub-Lieutenant Pflüger (page
Stykes and the prison work crew led by inmate 23) stands ready to extract Drabikowski
WY082609—Flo Wicks. Stykes and Wicks have a and Navarre upon retrieval of the data (see the
history that has them more concerned with killing events S.O.S. and The “Rescue” on pages 55
each other than surviving this hell (see below). and 58).

INTERNAL CONFLICTS
Warden Stykes and inmate Flo Wicks have the fires. He claimed Wicks killed the entire
a history dating back to when Erebos crew—67 roughnecks—but in reality, he killed
station was new. Stykes was the first Colo- them when he vented the entire station to
nial Marshal assigned to Erebos and Wicks space. Stykes arrested Wicks and retired.
was the station manager. After her shuttle The company made the station a private
was stuck in a decaying orbit around the prison work site and hired Stykes as warden.
black hole for eight hours, Wicks returned He requested Wicks spend her life sentence
changed… somehow different. She blew up a on Erebos so that he could keep an eye on
plasma tank and set fire to the station. her—and keep her from revealing the truth to
Stykes vented the airlocks, which put out anyone who’d actually listen.

11
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

USCSS CETORHINA

MANUFACTURER: Kellard and Howdeshell


USCSS CETORHINA
CREW: 2–8
MODEL DG-23B RORQUAL M-CLASS
AI: MU/TH/UR 6500
COMMERCIAL PLASMA HARVESTER/TANKER
LENGTH: 280m
The Cetorhina is a relatively new ship (less
than a decade old) of the Rorqual class.
Designed to collect plasma energies from
stars and comets, the vessel’s bow is a yawn-
ing-open ribbed tunnel wrapped in high
energy absorption coils. When taking in
plasma, the coils’ collector panels glow a harsh
blue-white. The ship is essentially one-half
energy collector, one quarter plasma storage,
and one quarter engine. Collected plasma is
channeled directly into the engines, providing
a higher efficiency rating than other vessels in
its weight class. The Cetorhina has undergone
extensive modification to her displacement
drives, giving her an FTL rating of 6. The ship
and her captain have made the run from 26
Draconis to Earth and back eight times in the
last six years.

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: Captain Lugar has equipped the Cetorhina


with a surprise for any pirates—jury rigged plasma charged orbital
mines. Cetorhina’s internal cargo bays are plasma storage tanks.
The flatbed area behind the conning tower is an external cargo area
for magnetized storage containers. The salvage crane is used to
load these containers.  ■

12
T H E S I T U A T I O N

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: As most of the action takes


place on Erebos, there are no detailed maps of the
Cetorhina. A cross section of the plasma trawler is
included in the handouts, labeling Decks A–E and
what sections are located there. In addition, the
ship has four external airlocks on Deck B—fore (with
an extendable docking umbilical), aft, port, and
starboard.  ■

FTL RATING: 6 INTERNAL MODULES: ARMAMENTS:


SIGNATURE: +1 T Artificial Intelligence I T Orbital Mines × 2
THRUSTERS: +2 T Air Scrubbers II (four mines total)

HULL: 9
T Cargo Bay IV × 4 UPGRADES:
(Plasma Tankage) T Boosted Displacement
ARMOR RATING: 5
T Cyro Deck II Drives × 6
T Salvage Crane III T Overpowered Thrusters × 2
T Docking Umbilical II T External Cargo Bay IV
T EEV II × 4
T Galley II
T Medlab II

13
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

THE PERFECTED PLAN


The Perfected want only one thing—to be formula as they work to “perfect” entire
perfect. Unfortunately, they cannot achieve worlds. To that end, they will mate Erebos
this without the original 26 Draconis Strain— station to Cetorhina
Cetorhina’s
’s FTL drive and use it
there has been too much genetic drift in the to enter populated systems, eject Living
Living Proto-Hive. They intend to spread Proto-Hive Nodules, and move on, creating a
themselves across the stars, seeking the Proto-Hive network that spans the stars.

B E AT I N G P E R F E C T I O N
There are several ways to defeat the Perfected— P O I S O N T H E M : Either flood the station with
some friendly, some not so much. In order for the toxic gasses from the Wastebin on Deck H or
PCs to consider any of these options, they must perfect the necrotic virus Clerke and Webb were
first discern the goals of the Perfected through working on and begin administering it to the
dialogue, action, and reaction. Living Proto-Hive. If the PCs want to buy them-
selves some time, they can also “overfeed” the
G I V E ‘ E M W H AT T H E Y WA N T : In a sealed Living Hive to slow it down.
forgotten chamber on the Cheiron, there is a
frozen specimen with pure 26 Draconis in their D I S A B L E C E T O R H I N A’ S F T L : Without
veins—Cronus Third Officer Lavigne (page 50). the trawler’s FTL Drive, Erebos cannot leave the
The Perfected are unable to detect living things in system. Of course, this will screw over the PCs as
cryosleep, so do not realize he is hidden aboard well as piss off the Perfected.
their own vessel.
Either through taking samples from Lavigne D E S T R OY T H E S TAT I O N : Either find a way
or by finishing what Science Officer Clerke and to overload the Reactor Rods in the Central Hub
Medical Officer Webb started in the Medlab on on Deck H, the Thermal Plasma Sinks on Deck I,
Deck C, the PCs can reconstruct the 26 Draconis or push the goddamn thing into the black hole
Strain and offer the Fulfremmen the serum. If the before the Perfected perfect themselves.
PCs do this, no Proto-Xenomorph on Erebos will
harm them unless the PCs strike first—but Erebos T H E G R E AT A U N T : One of the Perfected is
will go FTL and begin infecting colonies. former Chief Technician Aly Lugar—the great aunt
of the Cetorhina’s Captain Aloÿsia Lugar. If the
C U T O U T T H E I R H E A R T : A little less friendly, PCs can use that familiar connection to convince
this method involves destroying or otherwise the Perfected elder Lugar to help them, they
removing the Heart of Darkness itself—the Cronus’ may be able to defeat the enemy from within.
lifeboat—Cheiron. This can be done by cutting off Perfected Aly haunts the Operations Center on
the main tendrils and blowing the thing into space. Deck B. See the event The Help on page 58.

14
T H E S I T U A T I O N

EQUIPMENT
In addition to the personal gear the science electrical tool kits and med kits, three mainte-
team has brought with them, the Cetorhina has nance jacks and cutting torches (with D3 POWER
a supply of the following: four P-5000 Power each), eight rebreather masks (with D3 AIR each),
Loaders, four Spacesub ASSO-400 Harpoon six Rexim RXF-M5 EVA pistols (one reload each),
Grappling Guns, 200 meters of line, three Watat- and six ECO2 All-World Systems Survival Suits
sumi DV-303 Bolt Guns (four shots each), four with 6 AIR each (page 74).

KICKING OFF THE ACTION


The Cetorhina approaches Erebos station, greeted The Harvester lurches, loses control and
only by her automated docking beacon signal. The careens towards the black hole. If Captain Lugar
station has external damage to a few decks—it is an NPC, the sudden acceleration causes her
looks like it took some meteor hits (but there is to smack her head on a console, temporarily
no evidence of the Living Hive visible). Erebos is knocking her out cold. While Grey can help the
mostly dark… mostly. As the Cetorhina approaches, PCs take control of the ship, he is incapable of
the lights on the Main Concourse come alive—a taking control of the situation himself.
docking port extends at Terminal 02 of Deck G. The PCs must assume the piloting and naviga-
The PCs can orbit the station, spacewalk to it, tion stations and make a PILOTING roll. No matter
or extend an umbilical to one of its docking ports. if they fail or succeed, the Cetorhina is pulled
Whether they decide to dock the Cetorhina at toward Erebos, and a crash is unavoidable. If the
Erebos or keep their distance, disaster strikes! An roll succeeds, the pilot can choose one of three
alarm goes off—the black hole’s gravitational pull possible crash locations—see the chart on page
has momentarily jumped, causing a storm of mete- 16. If the roll fails, the crash location is rolled
oroids to pummel the ship and trawling station. randomly, and the crash is so violent that all PCs
The stabilizing thrusters on Erebos fire to steady take 2 points of falling damage (mitigated by
her—but the Cetorhina is caught in a gravity shear. MOBILITY).

STATION’S THRUSTERS
Fluctuating gravity will cause more gravity station’s thrusters fire periodically to keep it
shears to occur throughout the entire in its proper orbit. Controlling those thrusters
scenario. Each time, Erebos
Erebos’s
’s thrusters will later can help the PCs survive (see the event
automatically fire to keep her on balance. Gravitic Shear and the Finale on pages 55
It’s important to mention to the PCs that the and 59, respectively).

15
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

CRASH LOCATION CHART


D6 DECK LOCATION CONDITION AND POINT OF ENTRY
1–2 E Supplies and Quarters The deck is exposed to space. Compression Suit required
until the docking umbilical is secured. Station can be
entered via the Chute on this deck, but will need to be
cleared of wreckage before Cetorhina
Cetorhina’s
’s docking umbilical
can be connected to it. Will take cutting tools and one
Turn of work to clear.
3–4 F Port Side Cell Block This area is engulfed in Intensity 12 fire. The PCs can avoid
the blaze in this area by connecting their docking umbil-
ical to Junction F8 on the map (HEAVY MACHINERY roll).
Unless station airlocks are opened and fire snuffed out, the
temperature in the Cetorhina
Cetorhina’s
’s docking umbilical here will
reach 55° Celsius. Characters without Compression Suits
who operate here must make a STAMINA roll each Turn, or
be unable to perform any form of hard work. The fires will
begin to overtax Cetorhina
Cetorhina’s
’s life support, raising internal
room temperature by five degrees every six hours.
5–6 H Trawling Arm 01 The Cetorhina is wedged in the now-twisted Plasma
Collector MAW 01. EVA entry required via Airlock 21 on
the map. A Compression Suit is required.

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: Wherever they crash, the


Cetorhina will become entwined in the station’s
superstructure and slowly be invaded by the
Living Proto-Hive. When the PCs first board the
station, there is no obvious evidence of the
Living Hive aboard Erebos itself—it’s all behind
the walls (see Act I, page 51).  ■

BE THE CAT
Erebos station has a mascot—a resident rat-stalking, over-
weight, tuxedo cat named Adrien. If you allow it, a player
whose PC has been killed can pick the cat as their next role.
A unique experience, playing the cat is completely optional.
Adrien has his own agenda that might not always sync up with
those of the other PCs—and in fact might even get some of
them killed.

16
T H E S I T U A T I O N

17
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

ASSESS THE CETORHINA


Once they have crashed, the PCs may want to and corrode (the Living Proto-Hive is
examine the meteorite damage done to the responsible). Replacement energy cells
Cetorhina.. They won’t know yet, but these
Cetorhina (one-meter-tall barrels with harness straps,
meteoroids are Living Proto-Hive Nodes Weight 3) can be found in Terminal 01 and
(page 63). Several have struck the ship, the Lower Tower, or the PCs can repair
embedding themselves in the hull (number (HEAVY MACHINERY Roll) and fire up the
and location are up to you, but there should plasma distillery on Trawling Arm 01 to
always be at least one the PCs missed). The recharge them (pages 40, 44, and
Nodes will quietly root their way through the 41). The ship needs at least three cells
deck and into Cetorhina
Cetorhina’s
’s systems, eventually for engine ignition. It will take one Turn to
bonding with the ship’s FTL drive. reinstall a cell on the ship.
The PCs’ agendas should cause them to
want to explore the station, find out what THRUSTER COMPRESSION COIL: It’s a nothing
happened, and/or rescue the survivors. Or part, but without this coil the Cetorhina
Cetorhina’s
’s
not. Even if they decide not to follow their main thrusters won’t work. The PCs will need
agendas, they will need to repair the ship to to remove a working Compression Coil from
leave. The repairs will reveal living tendrils one of the station’s external thrusters, found
beginning to grow through the ship’s power near the Visitor Docking Port on Deck D,
conduits and machinery. The Living Proto- the Comms Tower on Deck H, and the Boiler
Hive Nodes are preparing the ship to become Room on Deck J (pages 34, 44 and
an extension of the Living Proto-Hive, melding 46). It takes one Turn to remove or install
it with Erebos (see Escape on page 57 for the Compression Coil.
breaking free in Act III).
The Cetorhina is mangled, twisted, and CUTTING TOOLS: Cumbersome power tools
locked in Erebos
Erebos’s
’s superstructure. PCs do not (weight 3) and/or EVA Pods will be needed
have everything they need to free the ship, to cut the Cetorhina free from the super-
and will have to get some or all of the equip- structure. Tools can be found in the Machine
ment and parts here from various areas on Room and Plasma Relay Stations (page
the station. Unless he has become a PC, Grey 41) and if used will take one Shift to
will not leave the ship—it’s his duty to see to cut the ship free. EVA Pods are equipped
repairs. with similar tool arms that can do the job
in half the time. There are over a dozen of
POWER CELLS: The crash flash-drained the these pods marked on the map, located
ship’s batteries, causing them to oxidize throughout the station.

18
N O N - P L A Y E R C H A R A C T E R S

N O N - P L AY E R
C H A R A C T E R S
GREY

A service android, Grey was designed to take


orders—he simply cannot act on his own recog-
nizance. Lugar’s been saving for a processor
upgrade that will allow him more freedom of
thought. Grey, however, is perfectly content to just
lend a hand. His philosophy—you can’t miss a thing
if you never had it in the first place.

STRENGTH 7, AGILITY 5, WITS 5, EMPATHY 3

HEALTH: 7
SKILLS: Heavy Machinery 4, Comtech 4,
Observation 2, Medical Aid 2
HYPERDYNE SYSTEMS MODEL 341-G SERVICE TALENTS: Bodyguard
ANDROID, USCSS CETORHINA, UA SIGNATURE ITEM: Red neckerchief

FULL NAME: First Mate Grey 88-80 GEAR: P-DAT, boltgun, med kit, six bottles of bug

AGE: 12 (appears 44) juice.


PERSONAL AGENDA: Serve humankind.
PERSONALITY: Docile

WEBB

When Clerke warned the warden about the


Living Proto-Hive, Webb was skeptical. Then the
monsters came. Webb started designing a virus
to kill them, and then lost his shit—a victim of the
NDDs. Suffering from obfuscation (page 8)
brought on by stress and the black hole, he’s been
running around in his lab coat without his pants
ever since.

STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4

HEALTH: 2
SKILLS: Observation 3, Close Combat 2, Survival

SCIENCE AND MEDICAL OFFICER, EREBOS 3, Medical Aid 4


STATION, 3WE TALENTS: Field Surgeon

FULL NAME: Doctor Asher Webb, Md. SIGNATURE ITEM: Pants (or lack thereof)

AGE: 51 GEAR: Scalpel, three doses each of X-Stims,


Naproleve, and Neversleep
PERSONALITY: Cranky
PERSONAL AGENDA: Get his memory back, help the
others complete the virus, and find some pants.

19
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

THE CAT

STRENGTH 1, AGILITY 5, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2

HEALTH: 1
SKILLS: Close Combat 3, Mobility 4,
Observation 3, Manipulation 4
TALENTS: Stealthy
SIGNATURE ITEM: Crusty butt
GEAR: Implanted PDT
PERSONAL AGENDA: Eat, sleep, and get the
humans to give him all the attention.
CLAWS AND FANGS: The cat attacks with claws and
teeth, no bonus and Damage 1.
TUXEDO CAT, STATION MASCOT, EREBOS NIMBLE: Cats tend to land on their feet. When
STATION falling, they take half the usual falling damage
(page 108 of the core rulebook).
FULL NAME: Adrien
SLINKY: Cats can slip through where others
AGE: 13
cannot. Unless an airlock is involved, a cat
PERSONALITY: Glutinous
can skitter under the floor plates or through
Adrien is an accomplished tracker—he stalks, but tubes and vents to get to another area with a
always from a safe distance. He hates being alone, successful MOBILITY roll.
so will howl when he can’t find anyone—even when PURR: A purring cat can calm one’s nerves. Once

he was just with them two seconds ago. Picked up, per Turn, the cat can use the MANIPULATION skill
to reduce the STRESS LEVEL of another PC within
he’ll want to sit on a human’s shoulders—wrapping
SHORT range. For each rolled, their STRESS
himself around the back of their neck. He gives his
LEVEL is reduced by one extra step (in addition
humans love bites when it’s feeding time. If they take to the default one step). You cannot use this on
too long, he’ll make the bite a good one. yourself.

HOBBS

An ex-con, Hobbs served his sentence here—his


culinary skills securing him favors from the Warden.
The day he was released, Stykes hired him back as
his personal cook. Hobbs was surprised that the
salary offer was decent, so he took it. The black
hole doesn’t bother Hobbs. In fact, he finds it
relaxing.

STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2

HEALTH: 5
SKILLS: Heavy Machinery 4, Mobility 3,
Stamina 3, Survival 2
CHIEF COOK, EREBOS STATION, UA TALENT: Watchful

FULL NAME: John Hobbs SIGNATURE ITEM: Meat cleaver

AGE: 51 GEAR: Chicken livers for Adrien, can of Aspen for


himself.
PERSONALITY: Crude
PERSONAL AGENDA: Murder monsters and steal the
cat’s affections from Crash.
20
N O N - P L A Y E R C H A R A C T E R S

STYKES CRASH

WARDEN, EREBOS STATION, UA WEYLAND-YUTANI DAVIS MODEL S TYPE F


FULL NAME: Douglas Stykes CORPORATE CORRECTIONS DRONE, EREBOS
STATION.
AGE: 59
FULL NAME: Corrections Officer Davis
PERSONALITY: Narcissist
404-4 “Crash Test Davy”
When Erebos station was new, he was Colonial
AGE: 49
Marshal and Wicks was Station Manager. She lost
PERSONALITY: Curious
her shit and blew up the plasma tanks. Stykes
Crash would be a just another automaton
vented the atmosphere and snuffed the fires. 67
devoid of personality like the other corrections
Roughnecks were killed—not by the explosion,
androids—if Stykes hadn’t wanted an android
but because Stykes’ hero-move blew them all
bodyguard. Crash was augmented with a 3GO/1d
into space. He framed Wicks. The company made
personality upgrade meant for more sophisti-
the station a private prison worksite and made
cated models. It crashes his synapses now and
Stykes warden. He requested Wicks spend her life
then, forcing him to reboot—but he’s evolved
sentence on Erebos so that he could keep an eye
because of it. He feels alive.
on her. Wicks led a prisoner revolt just as Erebos
was overrun with Protomorphs. Now, Stykes is
STRENGTH 7, AGILITY 2, WITS 2, EMPATHY 1
more interested in winning his war against Wicks
HEALTH: 7
than saving any lives. He has all the station’s
SKILLS: Ranged Combat 3, Observation 2,
passcodes memorized. Along with Clerke, Stykes
Command 3, Comtech 2
knows about Project Ironfish (page 11).
TALENTS: Bodyguard
SIGNATURE ITEM: A bag of cat treats for
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 2
Adrien.
HEALTH: 4
GEAR: U4C civilian projectile launcher, kevlar
SKILLS: Close Combat 2, Ranged Combat 3,
vest, stun baton, six tear gas grenades.
Mobility 1, Observation 2, Manipulation 2,
PERSONAL AGENDA: Return the prisoners to
Command 2
their cells; ensure the safety of civilians and
TALENTS: Personal Safety
staff aboard the station. Feed the cat.
SIGNATURE ITEM: Insulated rubber gloves
OUTDATED ANDROID: In an exceptionally
GEAR: Kevlar vest, Weyland ES-4 Pistol, ES-7 emotional situation, roll a Stress die. If the
Supernova Dual-Action Shockgun (page 74), result is a , Crash is forced to shut down
two G2 Electroshock Grenades. and reboot, a process that takes the next
PERSONAL AGENDA: Keep Wicks under his Round to complete.
thumb, take back the station.

21
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

WY844528 WY082609

CONVICTED MULTIPLE MURDERER, EREBOS PRISON GANG LEADER, CONVICTED ARSONIST,


STATION EREBOS STATION

FULL NAME: Brut “Cecil” Amor FULL NAME: Flo “Candlestick Maker”

AGE: 52 Wicks

PERSONALITY: Demure AGE: 65


PERSONALITY: Psychotic
Cecil sees himself as a victim of unfortunate
circumstances—it’s not his fault everyone else A decade ago, Wicks was Erebos
Erebos’s
’s station

is an asshole in need of killing. His massive manager. After her shuttle was stuck in a

bulk and menacing appeal belay his true decaying orbit around the black hole for

refined nature. He considers himself an intel- eleven hours, Wicks returned changed…

lectual—sometimes he even reads an entire different. She ignited a plasma tank and set

novel in only one month. Though capable of fire to the station (see Stykes’ bio). She says

leading a prisoner faction himself, he doesn’t the black hole told her to do it. Accused

want the burden of leadership. of killing 67 workers, Flo was given a life
sentence. She got stuck serving it on Erebos
Erebos—

STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2 thanks to Stykes. She knows she didn’t kill
HEALTH: 5 anyone, and that bastard Stykes is the devil
SKILLS: Close Combat 4, Ranged Combat 5, himself. She’s going to make him pay.
Mobility 3
TALENTS: Menacing STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 4

SIGNATURE ITEM: Copy of Moby Dick from the HEALTH: 5


prison book cart. SKILLS: Close Combat 3, Heavy Machinery 3,
GEAR: Weyland Flammenmacher 3 Heavy Manipulation 2, Command 4
Incinerator Unit (page 72), toothbrush shiv TALENTS: Merciless
(knife).
SIGNATURE ITEM: Bloody handkerchief
PERSONAL AGENDA: Revenge stories are
GEAR: Lighter, moonshine flask
Cecil’s favorite. He’s backed Wick’s play to
PERSONAL AGENDA: Destroy any means of escape
see how this one turns out.
on the station. Finish what she started—burn all of
Erebos—and
Erebos—and shove Stykes head first into the black
hole.

22
N O N - P L A Y E R C H A R A C T E R S

WY972313

organized crime operations within the Three World


Empire. Weyland-Yutani originally bought his
prison sentence with the intent of using Tommy’s
skills against their competitors, but when he stole
from the company instead, they threw him into
lock-up here.

STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 3

HEALTH: 3
SKILLS: Close Combat 3, Mobility 3, Comtech 4,
Observation 2,
TALENTS: Hothead

CONVICTED ORGANIZED CRIME, EREBOS SIGNATURE ITEM: Mess hall napkin with the
STATION station’s MU/TH/UR and DA/UT/UR access codes
scrawled on it.
FULL NAME: Tommy “Mr.” Man
GEAR: Two stun batons.
AGE: 28
PERSONAL AGENDA: Tommy wants out of here. There’s
PERSONALITY: Cocky
$100 million unmarked W-Y dollars waiting for him in a
A computer slicer formerly working for the storage bay on Anchorpoint—$10 million of that’s for the
Yakuza, Tommy has multiple convictions related to asshole who gets him out of here.

PFLÜGER

When she comes into play, Pflüger’s team has just


been murdered by monsters—all to save a traitor to
the People and an MSS keeper who couldn’t get the
job done on his own. She can only hope the Ironfish
data is worth it.

STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2

HEALTH: 5
SKILLS: Close Combat 4, Ranged Combat 4,
Mobility 2, Stamina 1, Survival 1
TALENTS: Zero-G Training
SIGNATURE ITEM: Kill marks scratched on her
UPP SOF COMMANDO, SVV SNOVA TRAKHNUL helmet.
GEAR: AK104 Suit Gun (page 73), CC5 Compression
FULL NAME: Sub-Lieutenant C’ng Pflüger
Suit, six grenades, combat knife.
AGE: 28
PERSONAL AGENDA: Retrieve the Ironfish data
PERSONALITY: Annoyed
(page 11). Extract anyone she deems useful
to the People.

23
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

CORRECTIONS ANDROIDS

WEYLAND-YUTANI DAVIS MODEL S TYPE E


STRENGTH 7, AGILITY 2, WITS 1, EMPATHY 1
SECURITY DRONE
HEALTH: 7
These synthetic “officers” are repurposed Secu- SKILLS: Ranged Combat 2, Observation 1,
rity Drones—the next step up from cheap Working Comtech 1
Joes. Corrections Androids have a rudimen- TALENT: Pack Mule
tary personality that is normally augmented GEAR: Kevlar vest, stun baton, Weyland ES-7
by their connection to a computer mainframe. Shockgun (page 74), two tear gas grenades
With that connection corrupted on Erebos by GEAR: Weyland Flammenmacher 3 Heavy Inciner-
the Proto-Hive, they can only perform limited ator Unit (page 72), toothbrush shiv (knife).
pre-programmed actions. PERSONAL AGENDA: Revenge stories are Cecil’s
favorite. He’s backed Wick’s play to see how this
one turns out.

CONSCRIPTED CONVICTS

The prison workforce on Erebos has been a primed SKILLS: Close Combat 3, Heavy Machinery 1,
reactor ready to blow for far too long—these Stamina 2, Manipulation 2
convicts finally went nuclear. Wicks warned them TALENT: Killer
monsters lived in the black hole, and she was damn GEAR: Two shivs or an ES-7 Shockgun (page 74),
right—so they rallied behind her to take the station. one dose of Arcturian Sweet Dreams.
GEAR: Lighter, moonshine flask
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 3 PERSONAL AGENDA: Destroy any means of escape on the
HEALTH: 4 station. Finish what she started—burn all of Erebos
Erebos—and
—and
shove Stykes head first into the black hole.

S T A T I O N S I D E
L O C A T I O N S

Lights are out all over Erebos, but the station sporadically, slowly growing rhythmic and strong,
is far from dead. Unidentified clanging noises and the station’s hull groans as machinery shifts
echo somewhere in the labyrinth of corridors and is replaced with Living Proto-Hive (see the
that make up the place. The reactor hums boxed text on the next page).

24
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

THE LIVING PROTO-HIVE


Infected with the protoplasmic Hessdalen Fleshy black veins and tendons grow inside
Lights (page 61) Erebos station is rapidly the station’s walls, transmogrifying metal
being converted into a Living Proto-Hive. supports into skeletal structures and power
Similar in appearance to the smooth-sculpted lines into arteries designed to pump plas-
and ribbed free-forms of a Xenomorph XX121 matic energies. Eventually, the station itself
hive, the Living Proto-Hive is a biomechan- will become a monster of its own. For more
ical honeycombed organism that supports on the Living Proto-Hive and its protomorphic
a wide variety of protomorphic lifeforms. offspring, see the addendum on page 62.

EREBOS STATION
de ck

a
w e y l a n d - y u ta n i c o r p

ASTROMETRICS OBSERVATORY

EREBOS
p l as m a trawl i n g stat i o n
01
de ck

b OPERATIONS
CREW COMPLIMENT
de ck

c HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER


de ck

STAFF: 12 Administration
d RECEPTION AND SCIENCES
de ck

e FOOD AND SUPPLY


LABOR: 99 Prisoners
SECURITY: 12 Corrections
Officers

36 Synthetics

01 Cat
de ck

f CORRECTIONS MODULES
de ck

g MAIN CONCOURSE
de ck

FACTORY
h COMPLEX
1 KM

USCSS CETORHINA
deck

i LOWER TOWER
deck

j THE BOILER ROOM

25
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

CONDITIONS INSIDE EREBOS


T GRAVITY: Parts of Erebos station are gravity that enters a zone with strong radia-
free, as is space. Characters in Zero-G need tion must make a Sickness Roll against
to make MOBILITY checks to move effec- Virulence 6 or become tainted by the
tively, and may suffer penalties due to the Hessdalen Lights (page 61), becoming
compression suit they are wearing. A failed an Abomination (page 69) within one
roll means they are floundering and will Shift. If the radiation is weak, the roll is
bump into walls or other structures. If they made against Virulence 4.
are outside Erebos
Erebos,, they may float away T EVOLUTION: Erebos station becomes less
to die in deep space, unless secured to the and less machine and more monster as
base by a safety cable. the scenario progresses. Check your Act
T SPACE-WORKAROUND: There are many descriptions for the state of the Living
obstacles on the station—but there are also Proto-Hive growth overtaking the station.
many airlocks. PCs may need to go outside T PLASMA FIRE: The port side of Decks F, G,
to circumvent things. Anyone outside the and H are all ablaze with an Intensity 12
station is bombarded by Strong radiation plasma fire. Venting any of these areas
(one Rad per Turn) from the black hole to space via airlock override (HEAVY
(below). MACHINERY or COMTECH roll) will snuff out

T RADIATION ZONES: Any human or android the fire there.

D E C K A : A S T R O M E T R I C O B S E R VAT O R Y
A watchtower added to the original station years phosphorus paint across the viewports are
after it was built, the Astrometric Observatory is ancient hieroglyphics—some with corresponding
perched atop Erebos. English translations. Anyone with Geholgod
training will recognize the pictograms from Star
S C I E N C E S TAT I O N : A five-meter square Teacher artifacts discovered on Arcturus. For the
compartment filled with an array of radiological message, see Clerke’s Clues on page 28.
monitoring equipment, the room is currently a T SENSOR TERMINAL: This multi-monitored
wreck. Half-eaten emergency rations and sour terminal is tied directly into Erebos’s sensor
smelling clothes are bundled into a nest—it looks arrays. recording the gravitational waves
like someone (Science Officer Clerke) was living generated by the black hole as chirping songs.
here in squalor for weeks. It also relays encrypted audio transmissions
T AMBIENT ENERGY COLLECTORS: The Cetorhina’s drawn to the black hole, sending that data
batteries can be connected to these external directly to MU/TH/UR on Deck C. It can only
ten-meter-long panels for recharging. be retrieved at her interface terminal (see Iron-
T STORM SHIELDS: The room is dark—the storm fish, page 11).
shields are closed. One of them is caught in a
cycle, skipping open again a few inches each L AT T I C E C O R R I D O R , P E R S O N N E L
time it tries to lock. Opening them reveals a A I R L O C K 0 0 : Exposed to the vacuum of
360-degree view of space, dominated by the space, this ten-meter-tall tower of metal bars
horrific splendor of the black hole and its plasma connects the Astrometric Observatory’s ventral
feeding frenzy— but also something more (see airlock to Operations. One must spacewalk
Viewports). through the lattice to travel between the two.
T VIEWPORTS: Once the storm shields are open, Someone has been using the Astrometric Obser-
the viewports reveal a secret—scrawled in vatory’s airlock as a bathroom.

26
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

ASTROMETRIC OBSERVATORY

AMBIENT ENERGY
COLLECTORS
AMBIENT ENERGY AMBIENT ENERGY
COLLECTORS COLLECTORS

SCIENCE PERSONNEL AIRLOCK 00


DECK

AMBIENT ENERGY
STATION (LATICE CORRIDOR

COLLECTORS
5×5 METERS BENEATH)

THE CHUTE, PERSONNEL AIRLOCKS, AND JUNCTIONS


RANDOM CHART
There are no lifts on Erebos station. There doors and control panels—so if a hull breach
are many airlocks and junctions with ladders occurs in these areas, atmospheric loss can
throughout, but most vertical transportation is be isolated. Someone just has to hit the
routed through a centralized zero-gravity Chute. switch to cut the compartment off.
The Chute traverses the vertical length of the When the PCs are utilizing these areas, you
station from Deck B to Deck J. can roll on the chart below at any time you
feel it is appropriate or simply pick from the
EMERGENCY: Every airlock and every 20 options to determine what makes the most
meters of chute has its own set of emergency sense for the current situation.

D6 OBSTACLE
1 OXYGEN FIRE. This zone is filled with Intensity 7 fire caused by a damaged life support line.
Adjacent zones are filled with smoke (OBSERVATION −2). The fire can be extinguished if
the zone’s emergency doors are sealed, and oxygen flow is cut (one Turn of work and a
successful HEAVY MACHINERY roll).
2 IMPASSIBLE WRECKAGE. Will take cutting tools and one Turn to clear, otherwise another route
must be found. Explosives will cause explosive decompression (see Vacuum on page 107 of
the core rulebook or page 73 of the Starter Set rulebook).
3 COLD AND DARKNESS. Power is out in this zone, as is life support. The temperature is −20
degrees Celsius, the air is stale. The zone is otherwise clear.
4 FLICKERING LIGHTS. If a PC is epileptic due to the NDDs, an episode is automatically triggered
by the strobing lights (see the NDD chart on page 8). Otherwise, all clear.
5 FLESHY TENDRILS. Veins of Living Proto-Hive cover the walls in this Zone. If the PCs keep moving,
nothing occurs. If they stop to linger, one of the tendrils will automatically grab a random PC’s
limbs. The grasp is weak and does no damage but will increase STRESS LEVEL by +1 for everyone
present. The tendril has no armor and will immediately retreat if met with any resistance.
6 SPORE ATTACK. This zone has been completely converted into a bypass for the Living Proto-
Hive. Spore polyps blemish the fleshly walls like acne. Anyone not actively looking will trigger
the spores (page 63) One PASSIVE Deacon may be lurking here as well (Dealer’s Choice).

27
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

CLERKE’S CLUES
Throughout all locations, notes and clues MU/TH/UR (DECK C): Booted up, MU/TH/UR
have been left by Clerke—the station science can supply the PCs with as many of Clerke’s
officer who began classifying the Hess- Reports (page 29) as you desire. MU/TH/UR
dalen Lights. Clerke is long dead—killed by can also report that Clerke attempted to access
Stykes in the MU/TH/UR station while he was restricted company files, and she denied him. He
mutating into an Abomination (page 69). expressed dissatisfaction with her performance,
The now torched creature sits in MU/TH/UR, and moved his work to the classified DA/UT/UR
identified only by Clerke’s half-melted plastic computers instead. Later, Clerke was attempting
ID card (page 32). Listed below, Clerke’s to override Operations from MU/TH/UR’s access
Clues along with any of Clerke’s Reports (see terminal and set Erebos to collide with Asteroid
page 29 and handout) can be found in the 1113B. When the Warden’s security lockouts
following areas: made that impossible, he attempted to send the
station into the black hole.
ASTROMETRIC OBSERVATORY (DECK A):
Mentioned on page 26, some of the Engi- DA/UT/URS (DECK H): Located in the Comms
neer hieroglyphs scrawled over the viewports Tower (page 44), the DA/UT/UR super-
in phosphorus paint have translations under computers are expensive hardware that are
them—Engineer warnings that “Humankind running something called Project Ironfish on
must be obliterated.” and “Do not allow Erebos (page 11). Clerke hijacked these
perfection.” Also written there in German is machines, having 01 dig up buried Weyland-
“Border Bombers?” Yutani files on the Cronus mission, and
tasking 02 to decode signals emanating from
MEDLAB (DECK C): Dr. Webb and Science the black hole. Any of Clerke’s Reports can
Officer Clerke had already begun work on also be accessed here.
reconstructing the 26 Draconis Strain. Partial
virus cell cultures can be found with notes on COMPUTER TERMINALS (ALL DECKS): Computer
disk. The PCs can try to continue the work. terminals are located on every deck, right
Clerke and Webb’s notes indicate they needed off the Chute (page 27). Many of the
living cell cultures from a Proto-Xenomorph machines sing a chirping “song” derived from
to complete the serum, and had slipped out the black hole signal (see DA/UT/UR 02 on
to hunt down a Proto-­Xenomorph (see the page 44). Clerke also filed a dozen reports
event Catch of the Day on page 54). With at various terminals around the station. The
the living cells and a Shift of work, they will data cannot be accessed remotely—the PCs
also be able to develop a virus that will kill the must go to a terminal to retrieve data. See
Living Proto-Hive (page 34). the handout Clerke’s Reports.

28
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

CLERKE’S REPORTS
These reports are available for the players someone accesses a terminal. Most of these
to find on computer terminals in a variety entries are complete. Report eight was
of locations. Most provide information that deleted and is irretrievable. Reports nine and
can help the PCs understand what’s going ten are corrupted and can each be partially
on. Feed the players whatever info you recompiled with a successful COMTECH roll
want from these logs individually whenever (see the handout entitled Clerke’s Reports).

HANDOUT: CLERKE’S REPORTS

85:09:12:22:02 HOURS, S.O. CLERKE: METEORIC MASS FROM HESSDALEN PLASMA FIELD
BROUGHT ABOARD. HEADING TO TERMINAL 01 TO EXAMINE NOW.  ■

85:09:13:07:00 HOURS: PRELIMINARY SURVEY COMPLETE. IRREGULAR OBJECT, 40 METERS


LONG BY 22 METERS DIAMETER. COMPOSED OF BOTH ORGANIC AND INORGANIC RESIDUE.
PETRIFIED CARCASS? SECRETED SHELL OR NEST, GENERATED BY THE HESSDALEN LIGHTS?  ■

85:09:14:01:00 HOURS: WARDEN ORDERED CORE SAMPLE OF OBJECT. DRILLED THROUGH ROCK
AND BIOMATTER—FLESH? STRUCK TEMPERED METALLIC MASS. HUMANMADE. A SHIP?  ■

85:09:14:04:14 HOURS: UNIVERSAL POWER PORT LOCATED, WILL ATTEMPT TO RECHARGE


OBJECT.  ■

85:09:14:06:02 HOURS: STATION-WIDE BLACKOUT WHEN OBJECT WAS CONNECTED TO POWER.


STYKES LOST HIS SHIT. WICKS’ CONSCRIPTS PLAYED NICE—NO RIOT. POWER RESTORED.
QUERYING OBJECT’S EMERGENCY BEACON FOR TRANSPONDER ID PULSE.  ■

85:09:14:09:18 HOURS: BEACON ACTIVATED. OBJECT IDENTIFIED AS CHEIRON—SCIENCE BOAT


ATTACHED TO THE USCSS CRONUS. ABANDONED IN SYSTEM 72 YEARS AGO. MU/TH/UR SAYS
CRONUS MISSION CLASSIFIED. DA/UT/UR LOOKING DEEPER.  ■

85:09:15:13:21 HOURS. MU/TH/UR LOCKED ME OUT OF CRONUS NETWORK FILES. DID


DOWNLOAD LOGS FROM CHEIRON[][][][][][][][] BLACK HOLE SINGING? [][] DA/UT/UR TO
DECRYPT.  ■

85:09:15:20:00 HOURS: <<FILE DELETED>>  ■

85:09:16:17:12 HOURS: —[][][] 72 YEARS [][] CHRON[][] ENCOUNTERED [][] ENGINEER


STELLAR-F[]RMING FACILITY. [][][] AFFECTED [][] RED STAR, COLLAPSING [][][][][]
[][][][][][]. [][][][] LOGS [][][][] ERASED. [][][][][] STILL [][][] 26 DRAC[][]
[]S STRAIN IN [][][][] CHEIRON [][] LAVIGNE IS KEY. [] HIEROGLYPH NOTEBOOK ALSO
THERE. [][][][][][][][] COMPARE WITH [][][] OWN FINDIN[]S.  ■

85:09:18:04:46 HOURS: —CHEIR[]N REACTOR ONLINE. IT[] PULSE [][][] RHYTHM [][][][]
LIKE [] HEARTBEAT[][][][] SYNC STATION. LIGHTS [][] S[]NG CHANGING [][]. [][][][]
CR[]NUS CREW [][][][][][][][] ABOMINAT[][][][] [][][][][][][][] EVOLVED BEINGS []
[][] PERFECTED [][][] NEED FTL [][][] SPREAD INFECTION [][][]HOW CAN WE KILL [][]
CAN’T LET THEM ESCAPE [][][] BLACK HOLE[] <<ERROR>>  ■

29
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

D E C K B : O P E R AT I O N S C E N T E R
The cognitive center of Erebos, Operations has T DAMAGE CONTROL: The holotab here is active,
no indication of Living Proto-Hive on it. Red depicting a blue holo of the station with
emergency lighting clashes with the pale blue flashing yellow-green sections. The Cetorhina
light from the center’s many screen readouts. crash cracked the central hub and started a
Any diagnostic run here will show that immense plasma fire that is sweeping through the port
amounts of station power are being diverted to side of the station on Decks F, G, and H.
the Starboard Hangar Deck on Deck G. This is to
feed the Heart of Darkness, the Cheiron. A single A successful COMTECH Roll displays the location
Fulfremmen haunts this deck, looking for humans of Erebos station crew and workers via Personal
to observe. Data Transmitters (page 132 of the core rulebook)
and shows many are on the move—spread out all
C O N T R O L : The computer terminals here are over the station. If not encountered yet, Clerke
making chirping sounds and running numbers is with MU/TH/UR on Deck C, Stykes is in the
when the PCs arrive (see DA/UT/UR 02 on page Security Office on Deck F, and Webb is wandering
44). All functions of the station can be moni- around Deck H. There are large concentrations of
tored and activated here—thrusters, sensors, crew in four places: 16 in Hydroponics on Deck C,
communications, plasma-collectors, and more. 24 in the Starboard Hangar Deck on Deck G, 21
Only MU/TH/UR does not respond. Your choice of in the Cellblock on Deck F, and 20 in the Lifeboat
Clerke’s reports can be found here (page 29). Bay on Deck I.
T STATION LOGS: Records here indicate the Most importantly, the PCs will also notice eight
discovery of the Hessdalen Lights and the large PDT signals that are different from the others—
organic object from the plasma stream. They Labeled WYCRONUS, they are those of the former
decided to bring the damn thing aboard about Cronus Crew who are Perfected (but the PCs won’t
five weeks ago. After that, they started having actually know that). One of them is coming from
power failures and accidents. See Clerke’s the Heart of Darkness in the Hangar on Deck G (this
Reports for more information (page 29). is Lavigne). Another is marked A. LUGAR—Captain
Beyond that, most of the logs are wiped. Lugar’s missing aunt (see Perfect Aly on page 31).

OPERATIONS
OBSERVATION
DECK DECK

B
THE TRACK

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: The PCs


won’t know it, but the workers
PERSONNEL PERSONNEL in the Cellblock and Terminal
AIRLOCK 03 OPERATIONS AIRLOCK 02
01 are dead. Those in the
Lifeboat Bay are incubating
CHUTE TERMINATES
WITH PERSONAL Deacons (page 67), and those
AIRLOCK 01 ABOVE
SECURITY
MUSTER 01
(DORSAL) in Hydroponics are being
Perfected (page 70).  ■
STANDBY
CREW
REC
ARMORY BUNKS
ROOM

5×5 METERS
DAMAGE CONTROL

30
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

PERFECT ALY
A lone PASSIVE Fulfremmen wanders Deck airlocks and blowing itself out into space.
B, looking at everything with an alien fasci- If the PCs choose to watch or follow
nation. This biomechanoid is actually the Perfect Aly, they will see these beings can
perfected version of Cronus Chief Technician easily survive in vacuum and endure high
Aly Lugar—great aunt of the Cetorhina
Cetorhina’s
’s radiation exposure. Perfect Aly will make its
Captain Lugar. way across the hull to Terminal 01 on Deck
Perfect Aly is curious about the PCs. If G, enter the airlock there, and step into the
Captain Lugar is with them, hand the PC Heart of Darkness itself (see the Cheiron on
playing the captain the Familiar Story Card. page 47).
Perfect Aly will be mesmerized by Captain Perfect Aly will find the PCs again after
Lugar’s monogrammed maintenance jack—as it this encounter, intervening if they get in
once belonged to the human Perfect Aly was. over their heads. Perfect Aly has grown too
If Captain Lugar attempts to communicate alien to grasp human concepts, but human
with Perfect Aly and makes a successful OBSER- emotions and a familiar bond with Captain
VATION roll, the PC will believe this creature has Lugar can cause it confusion. Perfect Aly
something to do with her great aunt. Perfect may help the PCs escape in the end, but the
Aly will not attack unless the PCs do, instead biomechanoid will be conflicted—it is also
observing the PCs before entering one of the loyal to the Living Proto-Hive.

T H E T R AC K , P E R S O N N E L A I R LO C K S everyone three Rounds to shore up the window or


0 2 A N D 0 3 : A corridor that loops around Main evacuate Operations (HEAVY MACHINERY roll, cutting
Operations, the Track was used by station staff for torch or inventive idea required).
exercise. Port and starboard airlocks can be found
here along with two MK.40 Compression suits each. A R M O R Y 0 1 , M U S T E R P O I N T : These
areas have been stripped clean by Stykes and his
O B S E R VAT I O N D E C K : A ramp from Opera- androids—not a single weapon or piece of ammo
tions terminates here. This large viewport to space can be found here.
sits along the outer wall of the Track. Something
has cracked the viewport—in fact, it looks like R E C R O O M , S TA N D B Y C R E W B U N K S :
something about three meters across was applying These bunks are bare. A box of petrified glazed
pressure in a starfish pattern. Any weapons fire donuts sits open on the rec room table. The coffee
in this area will cause the glass to splinter, giving machine works. Sadly, they only have decaf.

31
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

D E C K C : H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S C E N T E R
Dominated by a large hydroponics garden, Deck Clerke-corpse to do it. Add another STRESS
C was designed for the psychological well-being LEVEL +1 for the PC handling this.
of the station’s crew. Unfortunately, it’s now
overgrown with Living Proto-Hive. The station’s L I F E S U P P O R T : The air scrubbers for different
MU/TH/UR mainframe is also located here, as is sections on the station are labeled here—A to E,
Medbay. F to H, and I to J. If someone wants to shut down
MU/TH/UR: The mainframe is dark and full of life support to any particular section, all they need
smoke (−2 OBSERVATION). There are no blinking to do is pull the appropriate air scrubber (HEAVY
server lights. MU/TH/UR’s access terminal on MACHINERY roll). A large vent above the door leads
Deck C sits on a balcony over the Coolant Pit. directly to Hydroponics.
A charred-black body is melted to the chair
here—a grotesque misshapen deformity that M E D L A B : The lab is undamaged. There are two
used to be Science Officer Clerke, only identi- incubators here and any medical supplies the PCs
fiable by its partially melted plastic ID card. It might need. Dr. Webb is not here.
looks like Clerke was in mid-transformation into T AUTODOCS: There are two of these diagnostic
an Abomination when he was torched (it was devices functioning here (page 136 of the core
Stykes who killed him). STRESS LEVEL +1 for all rulebook).
PCs present. T THE DISK: A disk containing Webb’s research is
T COOLANT PIT: Reactivating MU/TH/UR from this sitting on the counter—they were on the cusp
room means flipping a circuit breaker behind of reproducing the 26 Draconis Strain. They
a locked panel at the bottom of the server needed to analyze a live Proto-Xenomorph
Coolant Pit—someone must dive into the to finish it (see the event Catch of the Day on
four-degree Celsius coolant and make a HEAVY page 54). They were also close to finding
MACHINERY roll. The work takes three Rounds (if a virus that will kill the Living Proto-Hive
needed, see Freezing and Drowning on pages (see the sidebar Weaponizing the Virus on
107 and 110 of the core rulebook). Replacing page 34).
the circuit activates the server lights and T JAR OF FIREFLIES: A large horizontal and
reboots the mainframe. MU/TH/UR can tell the transparent cylinder full of plasma energy
PCs anything you want them to know. dominates the room. A laser is refracted
T MISSION RECORDER: MU/TH/UR has a sepa- through it, illuminating thousands of tiny
rate mission recorder drive that is dedicated phosphorus lifeforms—the Hessdalen Lights.
specifically to the encrypted Project Ironfish Increasing radiation levels in the cylinder
data (page 11)—proof that the station is causes the Proto-Plasmamorphs to multiply.
being used to spy on UPP communications. Increasing them again will cause them to go
It also contains confirmation that the Cronus dormant, essentially in a food coma. The same
disappeared here 73 years ago, and that can be done with the Living Hive to buy the
the “meteor” brought aboard the station is PCs time.
its science boat, the Cheiron. A successful T MEDICAL LOG: Webb’s logs here can provide
OBSERVATION roll while examining MU/TH/UR’s any piece of information relating to Clerke’s
station will determine that the shoebox-sized Clues (page 28) or anything in the Medlab
recorder is accessible through a panel that the GM so wishes. They also state that the
beneath the terminal seat—the PCs will just biomechanoid beings (the Perfected) appear
have to get real friendly with the abominable to be blind to creatures in hypersleep.

32
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

T EXPERIMENTS: Several cell culture dishes are H Y D R O P O N I C S : The curved front wall of this
scattered across the room—all of them dead steamy, twelve-meter-high room is all viewport—but
from exposure. Some of these are Clerke and humidity has fogged it up. The plants have over-
Webb’s necrotic virus and others are partial grown and mutated, transforming the garden into
successes at reproducing the 26 Draconis a slimy black-resin jungle. It is a nesting ground for
Strain (see Clerke’s Clues). beehive-shaped leafy cocoons—Abominations that
T NDD MEDS: In the medical supplies are five are undergoing metamorphosis into the Fulfremmen.
doses of a mental relaxant Chil-X (reduces a T VIEWPORT: Scaffolding on the clouded viewport
PC’s accumulated NDD roll total bonus by 1 can be climbed by the PCs. Shooting towards
point when taken), and two doses of the neural this three-story tall window is not recommended
stimulant NeuroTic (removes one NDD effect (Armor Rating 3), see Explosive Decompression
from a PC when taken). on page 107 of the core rulebook).
T SWADDLING: A PASSIVE Mutant Abomination
WA R D E N ’ S Q U A R T E R S , E M E R G E N C Y (page 69) climbs the Chute, entering the
C R YO S L E E P P O D S : Wrecked by a meteor Garden. The Mutant vomits a vicious black
strike, these rooms are overgrown with pulsing liquid, lays in it and begins sticking black vege-
tendrils of Living Proto-Hive. Three of the six tation to its body—cocooning itself.
cryosleep tubes here can be salvaged. Each T JUST PERFECT: If the PCs linger here, a PASSIVE
needs a Turn of work and a HEAVY MACHINERY roll. Fulfremmen is birthed from another cocoon,
shedding their shroud and taking in their new
R E C O V E R Y R O O M : The fluorescent lights world. The Fulfremmen will not attack unless
in this pristine sterile white room are way too provoked—instead they simply stare curiously at
bright, the white linens on the bed tucked way the PCs.
too tight. T VENT: A large vent on the rear wall leads
directly to Life Support.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER


LIFE SUPPORT

DECK
MU/TH/UR

c
MEDLAB EMERGENCY
CRYOSLEEP
PODS

CHUTE

RECOVERY ROOM WARDEN’S QUARTERS

VENT
HYDROPONICS
GARDEN

5×5 METERS
VIEWPORT

33
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

WEAPONIZING THE VIRUS


In addition to recreating the 26 Draconis Strain, a target via an aerosol spray, injection or even
Webb and Clerke were close to developing a splashed in liquid form. If the virus is used
necrotic virus to wipe out the Living Proto- against a Proto-Xenomorph it will immediately
Hive. The Medlab contains nearly everything become sick, suffering a negative dice modi-
the players need to weaponize the virus and fier equal to the number of successes on the
take the fight back to the Living Proto-Hive. COMTECH roll to weaponize the virus. Obviously,
Scribbled notes and data discs litter the this also applies to a player who is infected by
workbench, and conical flasks contain withered the Proto-Hive and exposed to the virus…
Proto-Hive samples, mottled by a strange red Once the virus is proven, the Medlab
ochre. contains the equipment needed to produce it in
The notes make it clear that the Proto-Hive sufficient concentrations and package it in the
samples have been killed by a virus. If the delivery mechanism of the players’ choice (this
players spend a Turn analyzing this, and make could be in syringes, gas canisters, hand-held
a successful OBSERVATION roll, they will learn: pump-action sprays or breakable containers).
T The living virus is fast-acting and deadly to It will take another COMTECH roll and then a Shift
the Proto-Hive and any creatures geneti- in the incubator to produce the weaponized
cally bound to it—there are dead samples in
necrotic virus (the PCs can do other things, but
petri dishes around the lab.
if they leave it unguarded, an Abomination is
T Webb and Clerke had not found a way to
concentrate the pathogen and administer it waiting for them when they return).
to the Proto-Hive. Once introduced to the Proto-Hive the
T They will need a live Proto-Xenomorph (not virus’s effects will be seen after another
just a hive tendril) to generate successful Shift—at that point there is no way to save
living viral cultures. the Proto-Hive other than spreading it to new
worlds. Forty-eight hours after the effects are
The virus is resilient and could be delivered to first seen, the Proto-Hive will be dead.

DECK D: RECEPTION AND SCIENCES


Visitors to Erebos usually dock here, far removed V I S I T O R D O C K I N G P O R T, V I P B AY,
from the convict population. The Astrometrics PA R T S S T O R A G E : The docking port and bay
Lab here is fed data from the Sensor Arrays, are mostly empty—only a single EVA Pod sits
Astrometric Observatory, and the Comms Tower. on the deck. Some parts the PCs need to fix the
Cetorhina can be found in storage here.
A S T R O P H Y S I C S L A B : This room is empty
save for the Holotab (page 132 of the core rule- E VA S U I T S T O R A G E : Four ECO2 suits are
book) in the center. stored here. A large amount of dried blood is
T HOLOTAB: The Holotab is functioning. The table splattered across the airlock door—the legs and
is projecting a 3D mapping image of stars lower torso of a former station staffer lie sprawled
26A and B, the black hole, the plasma jets by the airlock, apparently cut in half by it.
cascading towards it—and if the PCs take a
close look—Asteroid 1113B.

34
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

P E R S O N N E L A I R L O C K 0 4 : If a PC opens E N G I N E E R ’ S O F F I C E : This room has been


the airlock or peers through its little window to ransacked. A post-it note attached to a broken
get a look at the rest of the man found in the EVA monitor says: OVERRIDE followed by six sets of
suit storage, they are in for a shock—an ACTIVE numbers. Their functions become clear only after
Protomorph Deacon seethes on the other side. If they are input. These codes supersede station
the PCs attempt to vent the beast into space, it settings and can be implemented from any
will make its way across the station, looking for a hardwired terminal. Can be used remotely with a
way back in. successful COMTECH roll.

RECEPTION AND SCIENCES


ASTROPHYSICS LAB HANDOUT: POST-IT NOTE
DECK

CHUTE
D

ENGINEER’S
OFFICE
VIP BAY

PARTS EVA SUIT


STORAGE STORAGE

5×5 METERS

VISITOR DOCKING PORT


PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 04

67EC9420KA Controls the station’s thrusters.


WY082609 STYKES? Controls the station’s airlocks—individually or all at once. This is a back-
door code Stykes used to kill the fires years ago (page 11).
MAW5578112 Controls Trawling Arms 01 and 02 on Deck H. This can be used to “over-
feed” and slow down the Living Hive (page 41).
ECHO9X-887W3 Deactivates/activates the station’s MU/TH/UR, DA/UT/URs, and
Corrections Androids (one Round). Can be used to wipe and reset them
to factory specs (one Turn).
T8333SIG33 Prompts the user with the query: Astrometrics Observatory, Comms
Tower, or Lifeboats? Triggers explosive bolts that will eject these
modules. The Observatory on Deck A and Comms Tower on Deck H will
spiral into the black hole (this is to protect Ironfish, page 11).
LESSthan3CATZ Prompts the user with the query: Operations, Medlab, or Security? It
then dispenses cat food through the automatic cat feeder dish at that
location on Deck A, C, or F, respectively.

35
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

RESIDENCE
STORAGE

DECK E: D ECK

RESIDENCE
A meteoroid smashed through E
this crew quarter deck, demol-
STORAGE STORAGE
ishing it. The airlock to the chute is
functional. QUARTERS QUARTERS

STO R AG E A N D Q UA R T E R S : CHUTE
These rooms are flooded with
Extreme radiation and are exposed
QUARTERS QUARTERS
to space. There is nothing here but
death.
QUARTERS QUARTERS

5×5 METERS
STORAGE

THE CAUSEWAYS
There are two Causeways on Erebos station (Decks F and G). The first time the PCs
traverse one, describe the causeway to them: CORRECTI
“Gravity fluctuations from the black hole buffet the passageway, causing it to OFF
sway and creak ever so slightly. As you move down the corridor, the light ahead
begins to flicker.”
Pause, and when the players start to talk, pick up the core rulebook and drop it
on the table, hard.
“WHAM! Something has hit the top of the causeway in front of you. A thick
shadow squeaks across the transparent wall. Then there is nothing.”
Everyone present receives +1 STRESS LEVEL. The thing is a Protomorph Trilo­
bite (page 66). If the PCs don’t pursue it, it will ignore them. If they insist,
however…

JUNCTION
F1

DECK F: CORRECTIONS MODULES


These modules have suffered lots of fire damage.

C A U S E WAY 0 1 : This zero-G external passageway expedites movement along the


deck. Causeway 01 is exposed to Weak radiation and offers an overwhelming view
of the black hole (+1 STRESS LEVEL). See boxed text on page 7.
T EMERGENCY STATIONS: Located at both ends of Causeway 01, these alcoves each
have four ECO2 EVA Suits, two ASSO-400 harpoon guns, and two spools of
100-meter line.

36
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

CORRECTIONS MODULES

DECK

F
PLASMA VENT
5×5 METERS

EMERGENCY STATION

CHUTE

ONS I N M AT E
FICE INFIRMARY
BAY 001 SECURITY BAY 002
ARMORY
BULLPEN

GALLEY CAUSEWAY 01

JUNCTION JUNCTION
J5 J6
DETENTION

DECON

DECON

PERSONNEL PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 05 AIRLOCK 06

JUNCTION
EMERGENCY F2
STATION

CELL
BLOCKS
JUNCTION JUNCTION
F7 F8

37
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

P L A S M A V E N T : Controlled from Control T GALLEY: This is Hobb’s cooking kingdom.


on Deck B or the Boiler Room on Deck J with Delighted that the PCs are here to save
a successful COMTECH roll, this vent will flood him, he will cook them his “Bachelor’s
Decks D through J with plasma fire Intensity Special”—a surprisingly delicious meal
12. The fire will spread one deck per Turn made of whatever food scraps and ration
through the Chute and burn until the airlocks packs are left in the cabinets.
are opened on each burning deck to cut off T SECURITY ARMORY: This room is stocked
the oxygen supply. with kevlar vests, tear gas grenades, stun
batons, and both ES-4 and ES-7 weaponry.
C E L L B L O C K S : Six PASSIVE Corrections T BAY 001: There are two EVA Pods on
Androids are throwing two screaming standby in this mini hangar.
Conscripted Convicts (page 24) they’ve T DECON, AIRLOCK 05: This sterilization room
rounded up into fire-choked cells (Intensity 12). is undamaged. One Turn spent here during
Several charred corpses lie behind bars here— the decontamination process means the
it’s not a pretty sight. PCs are clear of Hessdalen Lights, curing
any of them afflicted with Stage I Abom-
I N M AT E I N F I R M A R Y : These areas have ination sickness (Stage II and higher is
become an inferno of Strong radiation and untreatable). All NDD roll bonus totals
plasma fire of Intensity 12. (page 7) are halved.
T DECON, AIRLOCK 06, AND BAY 002: The fire
here can be snuffed by opening the bay
doors to space. The two charred EVA
Pods in Bay 002 can be repaired with a
successful HEAVY MACHINERY roll.

S E C U R I T Y O F F I C E : This is the warden’s


base. The office is protected by four PASSIVE
Corrections Androids, led by a Davis android PERSONNEL
model 404-4 designated “Crash.” Unlike AIRLOCK 09

the other androids, Crash is personable and TERMINAL 01


reasonable.
T BULLPEN: Desks here all face a centralized
transparent wall with a blueprint view of the
PERSONNEL
station on it. Monitors show all areas of the AIRLOCK 07

station.
T DETENTION: These open cells have been
STORAGE
STARBOARD
converted to quarters for Warden Stykes HANGAR BULK
DECK
and Chief Cook Hobbs (see their bios)— DOCKING
PORT 01
the last surviving human staffers of
Erebos. Any Androids asked will bring the CARGO
BAY 01
PCs here (under guard) to see the warden.
Stykes can tell the PCs how Erebos got
PERSONNEL
like this. He’s more interested in tracking AIRLOCK 08

Wicks’ gang and dealing with them than STARBOARD


EMERGENCY
the bizarre things happening here. At CRYOSLEEP
JUNCTION
first he will insist the PCs help him retake G1

the station, but a little persuasion may


convince him they need to leave.

38
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

MAIN CONCOURSE

JUNCTION G9 DECK G:
MAIN CONCOURSE
TO COMMS TOWER
ON H

There are Living Proto-Hive Nodes spread


D E CK throughout this deck (location is Dealer’s
Choice), and the Heart of Darkness itself.
G C A U S E WAY 0 2 : This external tunnel of cross
beams and transparent walls is the only way
CAUSEWAY 02

to access the Comms Tower without taking an


5×5 METERS
unprotected spacewalk. Causeway 02 is exposed
to Weak radiation and offers an overwhelming
view of the black hole (+1 STRESS LEVEL). See The
Causeways boxed text on page 36.

A S S E M B LY H A L L , S E C U R I T Y M U S T E R
P O I N T : These wrecked areas are flooded
SECURITY MUSTER

with Strong radiation and overgrown with the


POINT 02

Living Proto-Hive.

JUNCTION
G3 CHUTE

JUNCTION
PERSONNEL PERSONNEL G4
AIRLOCK 10 AIRLOCK 13

PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 16

TERMINAL 02
ASSEMBLY
HALL

PERSONNEL
JOE’S
AIRLOCK 17
PERSONNEL PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 11 AIRLOCK 14
STORAGE

JUNCTION JUNCTION PORT


BULK

G5 THE G6 HANGAR
DUSTPAN DECK
DOCKING
PORT 02

REPAIR
PERSONNEL PERSONNEL BAY
AIRLOCK 12 AIRLOCK 15
PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 18

PORT
EMERGENCY
CRYOSLEEP
JUNCTION
G2
JUNCTION JUNCTION
G10 G11

JUNCTION JUNCTION
G7 G7

39
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

J O E S : This is a storage/repair bay for twelve T DOCKING PORT 01, STARBOARD HANGAR DECK: The
Corrections Officers Androids. The PCs can artificial gravity has failed here. The bodies of
activate them. Three have been overwritten with 18 dead Conscripted Convicts float around this
biological imperatives from the Living Proto-Hive large bay compartment—each with their neck
and will hunt all humans they find. snapped. Three EVA Pods and several drum-
sized drained batteries also float here.
B U L K S T O R A G E : The rooms here below the T SURPRISE!: A PASSIVE Protomorph Deacon is
Security Office are empty storage bays. PCs can getting ready to birth from one of the corpses
move through here to get to Terminal 01. The (+1 STRESS LEVEL to all who see it).
storage under the Infirmary is burnt out, having T THE HEART: Parked at the end of the deck
suffered a major fire. directly under massive dorsal pressure doors
is a large, crusted mass with biomechanical
S TA R B O A R D E M E R G E N C Y C R YO S L E E P : tendrils rooting it to the deck. The pulsing
The twelve maximum-security cryotubes here thing is so big it barely fits in the bay. This is
were used for prisoner isolation. Each has a the Cheiron (page 47).
particularly nasty and violent—and dead—convict T CARGO BAY 01: The drum-sized batteries (3
in it. Warden Stykes cut power to these pods Encumbrance each) in here are all charged and
weeks ago, leaving these men to die horribly of ready to go— three of these are just what the
dehydration and slow suffocation. Cetorhina needs.

T E R M I N A L 0 1 : These large wing-shaped T E R M I N A L 0 2 : This wrecked area is consumed


areas are for receiving ships both internally and in an Intensity 12 plasma fire, Strong radiation
via docking umbilical. The hangar deck in each conflagration.
Terminal has massive pressure doors over it, T DOCKING PORT 02, PORT HANGAR DECK, REPAIR
allowing a ship to enter and leave vertically. The BAY: Nothing here is salvageable.
bay in Terminal 01 houses the “meteor” recovered
from the plasma flow. D U S T B I N : rare elements like yttrium,
T JUNCTION G5: The corridor is patrolled by two lanthanum, and neodymium are sorted from the
Corrections Officers Androids. Fluxgate and stored here.

D E C K H : FAC TO R Y C O M P L E X
Most of this deck is packed with refinement C E N T R A L H U B : This is a containment core of
machinery with few habitable spaces. The plasma energy, filtered through the distillery and
complex is a dank, cavernous, rusty industrial ion charged here to feed the reactors. The hub is
center. It was hit hard in the crash, flooding all cracked from the Cetorhina’s crash. Blue plasma
areas on the port side with Intensity 12 plasma fire Intensity 12 is pouring out of here to consume
fire. the port side of Decks F, G, and H. Nothing can
survive in the hub—save for the Hessdalen Lights.

40
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

R E A C T O R R O D S : If the PCs attempt to over- Cheiron)—plus there is their sordid past.


load the reactor from any of these four control rods She will demand the PCs help her by taking
or the Boiler Room on Deck J (a COMTECH roll), a DA/ the Warden hostage at the Security Office
UT/UR will count down ten minutes over the public on Deck F, and forcing him to deactivate the
address system… and nothing will happen. While the synthetic guards. Wicks intends to take the
plasma energy is building, the Hessdalen Lights will Operations Center on Deck B or the Boiler
regulate the pressure and keep it from exploding. Room on Deck J, open the Plasma Vent on Deck
F to burn the station, and steer Erebos head
P O R T WO R K S H O P S , M AC H I N E R O O M , first into the black hole. While she will pretend
P L A S M A R E L AY S , A N D C A PA C I T O R S : to help the PCs fix their ship, she intends to
These areas are flooded with a plasma fire Inten- destroy their FTL once aboard—the Perfected
sity 9. can’t be allowed to leave the black hole.

P O R T A N D S TA R B O A R D S M E LT I N G S TA R B O A R D C A PA C I T O R S : Cetorhina’s
C O N T R O L S TAT I O N S : These rooms were batteries can be recharged by hooking up and
designed to withstand intense heat and are safe from laying down lengths of power conduit cabling
any fires. An old mattress lies on the floor of the first (hundreds of meters worth) between here and the
station the PCs visit here—along with several empty ship (HEAVY MACHINERY roll and a Shift’s work).
food trays. Dr. Webb (bio) has been living here.
WA S T E B I N : A byproduct of the plasma and
S TA R B O A R D W O R K S H O P S : Using the ore refining process is toxic corrosive gas that is
equipment in any of the workshops here adds +3 collected here.
to HEAVY MACHINERY rolls made on the premises. T TOXIC CORROSIVE GAS: Anyone without a
pressure suit suffers an attack rolled with five
S TA R B O A R D P L A S M A R E L AY S TAT I O N S : Base Dice at the start of each Round. Every
These rooms monitor and control the Trawling rolled inflicts one point of damage. If the
Arms. The cutting tools (Weight 3) needed to fix victim is Broken, they must make a Death Roll
the Cetorhina can be found here. every Turn until they die or are brought to
safety. ECO2 EVA Suits protect against the
S TA R B O A R D M A C H I N E R O O M : Wicks and gas. The Living Proto-Hive will begin to wilt
her entourage of sixteen convicts have made their and die, prompting the Perfected to regroup in
base here (six are on patrol with Cecil, but ten are Hydroponics on Deck C.
home). PCs entering the area will find it covered T VALVE ROOM: The Valve Room controls can
in lit candles (Wicks insists on marking her terri- purge the gas into space. Explosives or two
tory). They’ll soon be surrounded by four to six Turns of hard work (HEAVY MACHINERY roll) will
ACTIVE Conscripted Convicts who will attempt to open the seals here and flood Decks F to J.
take them prisoner.
T WICKS’ HIDEOUT: When Wicks realizes the T R AW L I N G A R M 0 1 : This extension arm takes
PCs aren’t station crew, she’ll explain what’s in stellar plasma streams to be processed into
going on—from her point of view, of course usable battery power. It’s dormant, but can be acti-
(page 11). She blames Stykes for bringing vated from Control on Deck A, the Boiler Room on
the “meteor” aboard the station (the Deck J, or any Plasma Relay Station on Deck H.

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: It’s possible to “overfeed” the Living


Proto-Hive by opening up the collector and taking in too
much energy. The Hive will suffer a “food coma,” halting the
Perfected’s progress for an hour or two (Dealer’s Choice).  ■

41
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

FACTORY COMPLEX

T MAW 01 PLASMA COLLECTOR: When the


collector is active, the station descends
into a plasma flow. The maw absorbs the
energy, channeling it through the Distillery
Tanks to prepare it for the Particle Acceler-
ation Ring.
T DISTILLERY TANKS AND THE PLANK: These
massive tanks process plasma. Set on top STARBOARD PLASMA
RELAY STATIONS
of them is the “Plank”—a personnel catwalk
between the Plasma Collector and the
Central Hub. A PASSIVE Protomorph Deacon
rests here. PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 21

T R AW L I N G A R M 0 2 : The layout here is


identical to Trawling Arm 01, except these
areas are consumed in a Strong radiation, PLASMA DISTILLERY TANK
plasma fire Intensity 12 conflagration. COLLECTOR “THE PLANK”

T MAW 01 PLASMA COLLECTOR, DISTILLERY “ M AW 0 1 ”


TANKS, AND THE PLANK: The fire here is
raging out of control. Eventually, these STARBOARD
WORK SHOPS
areas will explode, destroying Trawling Arm
02 and triggering the Finale (page 59).
T R AW L I N G A R M 0 1
STARBOARD
MACHINE ROOM

T H E B O O M : This extension arm captures


and breaks apart small asteroids, separates EXTERNAL

out different metals, and then feeds them to POWER CELL


STORAGE RING
STARBOARD
PLASMA
the Fluxgate and Dustbin. A 20-meter diam- RELAY
STATIONS
eter tunnel stretches on for over 120 meters
here. A series of massive metal grinding
machines fill the space.
T CRUSHERS: Upon arrival, these massive
screws are powered down—but an ACTIVE
Conscripted Convict named Bobbie (page
24) will power things up and try to
crush the PCs. A successful MOBILITY roll
(slow action) is needed to escape and POWER
COLLECTION
avoid being crushed (attack with six Base CELLS

Dice, Damage 3).


T FLUXGATE: Any energy released from the
pulverized asteroids is fed through here
to the Central Hub. Precious metals are
shunted up to the Dustbin (page 40).

42
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

COMMS TOWER
JUNCTION H9 - ONLY
ACCESSIABLE FROM LEVEL
ABOVE (JUNCTION G9)
DECK

DA/UT/UR 01

PERSONNEL
DA/UT/UR 02

PERSONNEL
H
AIRLOCK 23 AIRLOCK 24

10×10 METERS
PORT PLASMA
RELAY STATIONS

WA S T E -
BIN
VALVE ROOM TOXIC GAS COLLECTOR PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 22

JUNCTION JUNCTION
H3 H4

KS
CHUTE
DISTILLERY TANKS
PLASMA
REACTOR REACTOR “THE PLANK” COLLECTOR
RODS RODS
“ M AW 0 2 ”
CENTRAL
CAPACITORS

CAPACITORS

HUB PORT WORK


SHOPS

PORT
MACHINE T R AW L I N G A R M 0 2
ROOM

F L U X G AT E

PORT
PLASMA
RELAY
STATIONS

JUNCTION JUNCTION
H7 H8
CRUSHERS

STARBOARD PORT
SMELTING SMELTING
CONTROL CONTROL
STATION STATION

POWER
COLLECTION
CELLS
CRUSHERS

THE BOOM

PERSONNEL PERSONNEL
AIRLOCK 19 AIRLOCK 20

RAW
COLLECTOR

43
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

C O M M S T O W E R : This array of sophisticated it—exactly when is Dealer’s Choice. Once


listening sensors is designed to pick up and decrypted, all data about the Cronus mission
amplify transmissions bounced off the black should be accessible to the PCs.
hole itself. The DA/UT/UR supercomputers T DA/UT/UR 02: Clerke networked DA/UT/UR 02
located here use the black hole itself to spy on together with all the computer terminals across
the nearby UPP in a project called Ironfish (page the station to increase processing power. They
11). Each DA/UT/UR requires a passcode or are running an algorithm on the chirping black
a successful COMTECH roll to access. While the hole transmission recordings from the Astro-
Comms Tower is bathed in Strong radiation, metric Observatory on Deck A. If accessed, the
the DA/UT/UR access tubes themselves are supercomputer starts spitting out numbers.
shielded. Close examination reveals them to be sets of
T ACCESS TUBES: The only accessible space here coordinates for a location hundreds of parsecs
is through two vertical zero-G access tubes for spinward of known space.
the DA/UT/UR supercomputers. These white If the PCs ask DA/UT/UR (or the Perfected)
semi-circle terminals blink with thousands of to extrapolate, this is the location of Perfected
yellow server-lights. The walls of these access Space. Researching the coordinates will see
tubes are fitted with keyboards and monitors the area overlaps with the location of Earth’s
on all sides. lost colonies. It’s also where the Children of the
T DA/UT/UR 01: This supercomputer is decrypting Two Divines cult was headed in the campaign
black files on the Network about a ship called included in the Colonial Marines Operations
the USCSS Cronus. She will finish compiling Manual. This hook will be followed up on in a
the data within a Shift of the PCs accessing future campaign module for the game.

FAMILY MAINFRAMES
DA/UT/UR supercomputers run in tandem sophisticated, and insanely expensive. The
with a MU/TH/UR mainframe, allowing Geholgod Institute has one. Erebos has two,
processing power for scientific exploration to because of the covert intelligence project
not impede MU/TH/UR’s ability to complete called Ironfish (page 11).
other tasks on the station. DA/UT/URS are

DECK I: LOWER TOWER “THE STICKS”


Made up of vast, lonely areas filled with C AT WA L K S : These bridges are suspended
Plasma Tanks and automated Battery 100 meters up between four massive Thermal
Rechargers, “the Sticks” is named so because Plasma Sinks. A haphazard pile of twenty bodies
no one ever comes down here. Everything litters the deck, directly in front of the Chute.
echoes in this quarter-of-a-kilometer high Two PASSIVE Protomorph Deacons (page 67)
chamber, making it very hard to tell exactly are loading the Lifeboats with Living Proto-Hive
where a sound is coming from. The deck is Nodules (page 63) and dead convicts who are
flooded with Weak radiation. gestating Deacon embryos.

44
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S

LOWER TOWER
CHUTE OPEN
CHAMBER
EEV LIFEBOAT
BAYS DECK
EEV LIFEBOAT

i
BAYS
C
S G

H
L IN

A LL
R
C
G

THERMAL
G S
E
R
L

I
A

PLASMA
H
E

G
C
C

SINKS

THERMAL THERMAL
PLASMA PLASMA
SINKS SINKS

THERMAL
L NG
C
H EL

PLASMA
E GI
A

S
R LS
C

SINKS
G

A
L
I

H
N

C
C
G

5×5 METERS

EEV LIFEBOAT
BAYS

45
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

T OPEN CHAMBER: Anyone falling from the the fire will spread through Decks B–J, one deck
catwalks through the variable gravity in the per half hour, claiming the entire station within
Lower Tower suffers ten Base Dice of falling five hours.
damage, mitigated by a successful MOBILITY
roll (page 108 of the core rulebook). An access E E V L I F E B O AT B AY S : Examination shows
port at the bottom leads to the Boiler Room on each Lifeboat is jury-rigged to break up upon
Deck J (page 46). entering a planet’s upper atmosphere. Anyone
with the Analysis or Breakthrough talents will
T H E R M A L P L A S M A S I N K S : These realize these are “seed pods” and will spread
250-meter-tall tanks store processed plasma the Nodes across a planet (see The Offer on
energy. Explosives used on one of the massive page 53).
tanks will fill the deck with Strong radiation and
plasma fire of Intensity 12. Unless stopped by C H A R G I N G C E L L S : Cetorhina’s battery cells
venting airlocks on whatever level it has reached, can be recharged here, one Turn per cell.

DECK J: ENGINEERING
POWER POWER POWER
EXTERNAL
COLLECTION COLLECTION COLLECTION
BAY DOOR
CELLS CELLS CELLS A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR:
DECK
Seeing the Deacons perform

J
these actions may perplex
EXTERNAL EXTERNAL the players. If they ask,
BAY DOOR BAY DOOR
tell them it’s a sign of
higher intelligence at
work, and that the Deacons
must be under the influence
CHUTE TERMINATES
AT THIS LEVEL of a more intelligent
creature (i.e., the
5×5 METERS
PERSONNEL Perfected).  ■
AIRLOCK 26

DECK J: “THE BOILER ROOM”


ENGINEERING CONTROL
With the right code (stolen from the engineer’s P OW E R CO L L E C T I O N C E L L S A N D
desk on page 35 or a successful COMTECH roll) the E X T E R N A L B AY D O O R S : These batteries
consoles here can monitor the station’s status, over- are charged with the station’s plasma and
ride thruster control, and/or set the autodestruct, for stored in bays with external doors. The same
all the good it will do (see Reactor Rods on Deck H. batteries have been charging here for weeks.
Diagnostics show that the majority of station power is They are corroded and useless.
being diverted to the Starboard Hangar Deck on Deck
G. This is to feed the Heart of Darkness, the Cheiron
(page 47). There is also an external airlock here.

46
T H E C H E I R O N

T H E C H E I R O N

Locked in orbit around the black hole for 72 Starboard Hangar Deck, the Cheiron is barely
years and now throbbing within Deck G’s recognizable.

THE METEOR REVEALED


More Living Proto-Hive than ship, the Cheiron’s thick A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: The
biomechanical hull absorbs all light, making it appear Cheiron has all the special
pitch black. Sitting on the Starboard Hangar Deck on properties of the Living
Deck G, its outer covering expands and contracts like Proto-Hive (page 62).
a beating heart. Bioluminescent tendrils and tubes, Severing any external arterial
pulsing with Hessdalen Lights, connect the ship to the connectors to the station will
station through seven hangar deck power conduits. As cause Acid Splash of 14 to
the PCs approach the science boat, her airlock cycles those within ENGAGED range.
open, inviting them in. If four or more connectors
The Heart itself—the transformed Cheiron—will can be removed, the station’s
survive the death of the station/hive, simply going Living Proto-Hive is crippled
dormant to await a new opportunity. Unless other- and will go into hibernation.
wise noted, the external and internal hull, plus its Six or more will kill the
connecting arteries, are starship scale, Hull 4, Armor 4. station’s hive.  ■

INTO THE HEART OF DARKNESS


Inside, the former science boat has become a The blood vessels, arterial passages, and
living, twisted, Heart of Darkness. Overgrown with ventricles of the Living Proto-Hive form a deadly
gray-blue mottled flesh—its interior chambers maze inside the Cheiron. Several areas of the ship
more resemble the inside of a living being than a are overgrown with Living Hive and inaccessible.
starship. A thick but breathable atmosphere and The PCs can access a map of the Cheiron via
a constant temperature of 40 degrees Celsius is any terminal—but it will show the ship before the
maintained within. change. Show the players the handout map.

47
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

THE CHEIRON

1×1 METERS

A–E = AIRLOCKS

BIOCHEMICAL
DECON AIRLOCK CHEIRON
TESTING LAB U SCSS CRO N US
CLASS D FTL LIF EBOAT
CHEM
TANKS
BIOLAB WITH
MEDPODS 02-04

OBSERVATION
ROOM

REACTOR
RELAY
STATION
POTABLE
WATER
TANKAGE

E
THRUSTER THRUSTER
ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY

ASTROPHYSICS
LAB, HOLOTABLE

CRYO-
SLEEP LADDER TO UPPER
MAINTAINANCE
CRAWLWAY AND
VENTRAL AUX
D HATCH

O2 SCRUBBERS

COMPUTER CORE/
NAVIGATION

MEDPOD 01
OPEN
OFFICE
SHOWERS/
HEAD
C
CONFERENCE
OPEN GALLEY

HALL

THRUSTER THRUSTER
ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY

A HEAD

MAIN SCIENTIFIC
AIRLOCK LIBRARY

FOOD
SPACESUIT
STORES
LOCKERS

48
T H E C H E I R O N

I N T E R I O R S U R FA C E S : The fleshy walls inside ROOM, BIOCHEMICAL TESTING LAB,


the Heart have an Armor Rating of 4. If their armor C H E M TA N K S , A N D S H O W E R S / H E A D
is pierced, they deliver an Acid Splash of 2 (page 63). ( I N T E R N A L O R G A N S ) : These areas are full
of strange pulsing organs—the inner workings of
C O M P U T E R C O R E , N AV I G AT I O N , the Heart of Darkness. They can be crippled with
B I O L A B , R E A C T O R R E L AY, P O TA B L E an incinerator or cutting tools (Health 8, Armor 4
WAT E R S T O R A G E , O B S E R VAT I O N (2 vs fire), Acid Splash 2).

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: If three or more of these areas are


destroyed, the Heart itself and the station’s Hive will
go into a coma and take a few hours to regenerate itself.
Attacking these areas alerts the Deacon hibernating at
the DECON Airlock (page 50), making it ACTIVE.  ■

M A I N A I R L O C K ( C A R O T I D VA LV E ) : The resin encrusted hundred-year-old unopened


airlock looks like a fleshy heart valve, irising open bottle of Mezcal with a worm larva in it (worth
to expel gasses every other Round. Polyps directly thousands) and a .357 Magnum pistol with six
inside the chamber are ripe with Living Proto-Hive rounds left. A STAMINA roll is required to break
Spores (page 63). Anyone failing a MOBILITY the resin).
roll will receive a Spore blast to the face. Anyone
in a Compression Suit is unaffected. These can be C O R R I D O R S ( VA S C U L A R T U N N E L S ) :
destroyed with an incinerator. These former corridors are roughly two-to-three-
meter-high tubes made of pulsing biomechanical
C O N F E R E N C E H A L L ( AT R I A C H A M B E R ) : gelatinous resin.
The large open room vibrates with a thunderous T INITIAL GREETINGS: The first time the PCs enter
thumping. Skittering sounds echo across the a tunnel, three ACTIVE Squid Babies (page
chamber, their sources unseen (see Initial Greet- 65) who were hiding in the Conference Hall
ings, page 49). will follow them into the tunnel and attack
T ACID POCKET PUSTULES: These angry-red meter- from behind.
wide growths blemish the walls and floor of T AUTOIMMUNE TRAP: After the PCs have been to
the Atria. These are easily avoided unless a PC a few areas within the Cheiron, the tunnel they
is engaged in combat, then a MOBILITY roll is are in contracts and collapses into a chasm,
required. Failure bursts the pustule and trig- four meters wide and deep. A successful
gers an Acid Splash 6 attack. MOBILITY roll is required to work around the

T OPEN OFFICE: This area is clustered with six slippery edge. Failure means the character falls
dangling Utero Pods—all of which have already and suffers falling damage of 2, mitigated by
burst. MOBILITY rolls (page 108 of the core rulebook).

T OPEN GALLEY: An PC openly investigating If the PCs don’t vacate the area within five
this area will find prizes under the bar—a Rounds, the Deacon at DECON will investigate.

49
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

M E D P O D 0 1 ( L O T U S C H A M B E R ) : This they successfully tested the 26 Draconis Strain


room splits off Airlock B and is mostly overgrown on. Scans show the Strain was active in his blood-
with Living Proto-Hive. The dark fleshy parts of stream before he was put to sleep. His pulse is in
the room are arranged like an open flower with tune with the fusion reactor hum and lights on the
the ship’s Pauling MedPod at the center. With a station.
HEAVY MACHINERY Roll, the MedPod can be brought T THE PILOT: Revived, Lavigne can answer any
back online and used to heal any PCs. When questions the PCs have about the Cronus
performing any operation, roll a Stress Die. On a mission, 26 Draconis, the Perfected, and how
roll of , the MedPod malfunctions, inflicting a the black hole was formed. He is aware he is
new critical injury. Any drugs or med kits the PCs infected, and can even suggest that the PCs
might need can be found here as well. take his blood for analysis.
Lavigne will insist that the Perfected aren’t
A S T R O P H Y S I C S L A B ( U N S TA B L E all monsters. 72 years ago, Chief Technician
V E N T R I C L E ) : The fleshy chamber is Lugar (Aloÿsia Lugar’s great aunt) realized
contracting and expanding as if it’s breathing. she was being “Perfected.” She wrecked the
Each character makes a successful MOBILITY roll Cheiron’s FTL so the Perfected couldn’t leave
to keep their footing. Failure means being stuck the system, trapping them in orbit around the
between contracting muscles and suffering an black hole. She then pushed Lavigne into this
attack rolled with six Base Dice. If anyone in the compartment and sealed it shut, stopping
group rolls a , the tube behind them sphinc- Lavinge’s own transformation and hiding him
ters shut. On their way out, they will have to go a from the others. The Perfected are blind to
different route. Anyone examining the room will those in hypersleep—and the fact that the PCs
realize that there is a former ventral hatch built were allowed to board the Cheiron and find
into the ceiling that can be opened with a HEAVY Lavigne likely means the Perfected wanted
MACHINERY roll to leave the Cheiron. them to locate him. He says the Perfected
cannot be allowed to get their hands on an
D E C O N C H A M B E R ( V E N U L A E ) : A PASSIVE FTL—he says if the PCs have one, they should
Proto-Xenomorph Deacon (page 67) dwells trash it.
in this dark, cramped and partially collapsed T TOO GOOD TO LAST: After a few Rounds,
passage. Any serious damage done to the Heart Lavigne starts gasping for air. His skin
will make the creature ACTIVE. darkens and withers from exposure to the
air. The screaming man grabs the nearest
C R YO S L E E P ( N U L L P O C K E T ) : While this PC and agonizingly disintegrates (+1 STRESS
chamber has a few Living Proto-Hive veins spread LEVEL to all present), raining black sticky
over the floor and ceiling, it otherwise appears globs on everything (Virulence 6 to anyone
intact. It’s as if the Hive forgot to grow here. unprotected). Those who fail their Sickness
Of the eight capsules that should be here, one is Roll will become an Abomination within
missing and six are inoperative. Only one is online. one Shift (page 69). If the PCs collect
A perfectly preserved human male lies nude in and analyze the globulates, they discover
it—Nevin Lavigne, Third Officer on the Cronus. particles of the original 26 Draconis Strain—
His medical chart explains he was the first crew which can help them either kill or bargain
member infected with Neomorphic spores that with the Perfected.

50
E V E N T S

E V E N T S
”I can’t bring none of that shit back home with us. Can’t let it
happen. And I’ll do whatever I have to to see that it doesn’t.”

”Make sure you do, captain.”


C A P TA I N I D R I S J A N E K A N D
D R . E L I Z A B E T H S H AW

The following section contains events that you can use as you see fit. Some events are mandatory
spring on the players, divided into Act I, II, and however—these are clearly indicated as such.
III. Not all of these events need to occur, and they Remember to make the NDD rolls (page 7)
don’t need to occur in the order listed. Instead, and also give the players new Personal Agendas
see the events as an arsenal of drama for you to at the start of each Act.

ACT I: CHRYSALIS
The Cetorhina has crashed into Erebos, and the S T R E A K E R PA R T 1 : The PCs can feel like
PCs are off to explore, gather what they need someone is following them, always just out of sight.
to repair the ship, and complete their agendas Food and smokes might suddenly disappear. This is
(they grow up so fast, don’t they?). The station Dr. Webb, and he’s a little out of his mind (page 19).
is dark and creepy, only just beginning to show Webb doesn’t allow himself to be seen as more than
signs of the Living Hive growing behind its wall a shadow until Act II, Streaker Part 2 (page 55).
panels.
C U D D L E S T H E S TA R F I S H : It looks like the
T H E G I F T : Out of a dark corridor, something PCs have found their first survivor. Someone is
stirs—something not human. It’s Adrien, the sleeping in the corner, their shadowy bulk facing
station’s pudgy tuxedo cat! Adrien has brought away from them—his back rising and falling with
the PCs a gift—a “dead” Squid-Baby (page 65). the steady breath of sleep. It isn’t a man at all—it’s
The cat places the PASSIVE Squid-Baby at the PCs a curled-up PASSIVE Protomorph Trilo­bite (read
feet. But the Squid-Baby is playing possum—it will the text Meeting Cuddles on page 52). Cuddles
bolt when least expected, scurrying off under the wants to give someone a fatal hug—and it won’t
flooring somewhere. No matter the outcome, the take no for an answer. It attacks the nearest char-
cat will follow the PCs, becoming available as a acter (not the cat). If wounded, it will flee, but
player character should one of them die (see Be then stalk the PCs from a distance, harrying them
The Cat on page 16). when they are at their weakest.

51
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

R I O T C O N T R O L : Two Corrections
Androids are moving through the station,
culling Protomorphs and wrangling up
escaped prisoners. Encountering the PCs,
the synthetics’ eyes flash red as they attempt
to ID them. The androids look for barcodes
on the backs of the PCs’ necks, which could
cause some issues (see Hedenström’s bio. The
androids will be confused that his barcode is
not in the system).
With MU/TH/UR offline, the androids’
deductive reasoning is very limited. Uncertain
if the PCs are scavengers, rescuers, or other,
the androids will stand around confused, their
eyes blinking red as they try to decide what
to do. Unless challenged, they will default to
taking the team to the Cellblock on Deck F for
later questioning.
If the PCs demand to see who is in charge,
the androids may be convinced to take them
to the Warden (he’s hiding out at the Security
Office on Deck F. The PCs can then learn from
survivors anything you want them to know
about how the station got to this point.

WAT C H T H E W O R L D B U R N : Either
while under escort of the synthetics from the
MEETING CUDDLES
event Riot Control or while facing off against a
Protomorph like Cuddles, the PCs’ adversaries Read the following out loud to your
are ambushed by Wicks’ revenge squad—Cecil players:
and six ACTIVE Conscripted Convicts. They will
take the PCs to Wicks’ Hideout in the Star- With a low guttural moan, the dark fetal
board Machine Room on Deck H to meet the man begins to rise—his back shifting as
prison boss herself.
thick tentacles spill out in front of him.
You don’t know what the hell you’re
T H E H O W L : Play this event before Adrien
becomes a PC. A piercing shriek echoes looking at. With no arms, legs, or head,
throughout the station, subsiding in the distance this thing is clearly not a man at all, but
(+1 STRESS LEVEL). After a pause, the PCs hear a rather a monstrous seven-limbed star-
howling reply from the other direction. One way fish. Rising to its full man-sized height,
lies a PASSIVE Protomorph Deacon, the other lies it turns towards you, revealing a maw of
the cat Adrien (page 20)—and the two of
scissor teeth surrounded by blossoming
them are heading towards the PCs.
fleshy petals. Each petal reveals what

MU/TH/UR’S NOTE: This Protomorph Deacon can looks like a swollen eye. Something
easily be the one that kicks off Act II. launches from the creature’s mouth and
scatters across the floor at your feet—
the gnawed fleshy skull of its last victim.

52
E V E N T S

AC T I I : T R A N S M O G R I F I C AT I O N
The Living Proto-Hive is rapidly spreading imparts information. The jarring communication
throughout the station, converting whole sections is experienced by everyone present (+1 STRESS
into smooth biomechanical tunnels and caverns. LEVEL). Read “The Offer” sidebar text to the PCs
The Perfected make their intentions clear and (page 53) and then return here.
offer the PCs a choice—find the 26 Draconis Strain The Perfected want the pure 26 Draconis Strain
or die. Personal Agendas will dominate the action and will spare the PCs lives for it.
in this act, as PCs attempt to accomplish their The PCs can then ask the Perfected three
own goals as well as those of the group. questions before the being turns to leave. These
This act kicks off with a Protomorph Deacon questions will be answered with flashes of thought
finding the PCs. After an attack or two, a shrill imagery—for example, if the PCs ask how they
whistle will resonate in everyone’s skulls—not can make the 26 Draconis Strain, the Perfected
their ears. The Deacon will pull back and sit in the will flood their minds with images of a rib cage
corner, waiting. opening and the PCs being drawn into a black,
A Perfected steps out of the shadows, running beating heart (the Cheiron, page 47).
their hand across the Deacon’s smooth head. The If a PC tries to stop the Perfected, a rustling
Perfected reaches out to touch the nearest PC, in the shadows reveals there are now a total of
beckoning without malice (if the GM so wishes, four ACTIVE Protomorph Deacons with them. If the
this can be Perfect Aly from page 31). The PCs back away, they are allowed to leave. If they
Perfected does not attack—but instead psionically persist, the Deacons attack.

THE OFFER
Images of grotesque and morbid beauty The world explodes. Spiked trees impale
flood your mind—a flesh and metal tree other worlds, starting the process again. A
twists in a surreal landscape—its bark made broken genetic code appears in your head—
of a thousand writhing faces. Blue sky fades an incomplete formula. One of you knows
to white. Black vines dig in gray soil, birthing it—the 26 Draconis Strain—which one of
a ribbed landscape of swelling bronchi and you? It doesn’t matter—now you all know it.
pulsing aortas. The tree grows ripe and rots. A wave of forest rolls over this new world.
Pollen explodes everywhere—choking off It bears down on you. You give the formula
life, mutating whole forests. The planet’s to the Perfected. The wave strikes—but
surface becomes a crisscross of wiggling grows around you instead of through you.
tree limbs, grasping and closing off the sky The message is clear—give this thing to the
above them. Perfected and be spared. Do not, and die.

53
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

HANDOUT: SERUM ANALYSIS

O U T O F A I R : The Proto-hive’s tendrils


FORMULA INCOMPLETE
have seeped through the Cetorhina and
destroyed its Oxygen Compression units. MISSING LIVING BIOLOGICAL COMPONENT 
COMPONENT  ■
The PCs can no longer recharge their suit
AIR supplies on the Cetorhina—they’ll need SUGGESTION:
to do it in Life Support on Deck C.
SECURE LIVE PROTO-XENOMORPH, STAGE
II+ 
II+ ■
C AT C H O F T H E D AY : Wherever the
PCs are, a computer prompt comes alive
RECOMMENDATION:
at a nearby screen, sent from the story-ap-
TARGET HEPTOPUS TABELLARIUM
propriate mainframe—be it the station’s
MU/TH/UR or either of the DA/UT/UR IMMATURE “SQUID-BABY” FORM 
FORM  ■
computers. The AI has been processing an
equation postulated to it by Webb earlier INSTRUCTIONS:
and has devised a response. See the
BRING SPECIMEN TO MEDLAB
Handout “Serum Analysis.”
If the event Streaker Part 2 (page 55) EXTRACT LIVING MUTAGENIC CELLS FROM
has occurred, this will help jog Dr. Webb’s NEURAL GLAND
memory. This can refer to the necrotic virus
INTRODUCE CELLS TO EXISTING FORMULA 
FORMULA  ■
Clerke and Webb were developing to kill
the Hive or the reconstruction of the 26
Draconis Strain (whichever applies).
If the PCs decide to partake in hunting
and subduing a Squid-Baby, a rock sample HANDOUT: NETWORK EXCHANGE
container or a cat carrier will not be too
hard to find on Erebos. Bring the cat— TO: EREBOS CLASS E — PRISON UNIT 453339
Adrien can be useful in the hunt. After a
FROM: NETWORK
brief search, they’ll find a Squid-Baby with
a rat in its death embrace. Capturing it COMCON 76300— [UNDEFINED] WEYLAND
won’t be easy—make too much noise and
a Trilo­bite might appear.
In order to capture it, a PC will have AWARE OF YOUR SITUATION  ■
to grapple the Squid-Baby long enough EXPEDITING RESCUE TEAM. ARRIVAL WITHIN
for the others to restrain it (STRENGTH SIX HOURS  ■
rolls). The creature will be uncoopera-
ABSOLUTE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
tive and attack at any given opportunity.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED  ■
A successful MEDICAL AID roll within the
Medlab will extract the needed cells. The TRANSMIT ENCRYPTED DATA DESIGNATION
formula will then be ready for trials within IRONFISH  ■
a Shift.
AWAITING ACKNOWLEDGMENT  ■

54
E V E N T S

A R O O M W I T H A W O M B : There are several (Streaker Part 1 on page 51). Now, the PCs
areas such as these throughout the station—rooms will be involved in some other task or conversa-
that have been converted by the hive into Proto- tion, and someone will run by in a lab coat with
morph birthing chambers. The area is dank, humid, no pants. This is Dr. Webb, but he doesn’t know
and smells like rotting flesh. A number of PASSIVE that. Webb and Clerke were attempting to create
fleshy translucent-red Utero-pods (page 65) a necrotic virus in Medlab to kill the Living Proto-
equal to the number of PCs dangle from the Hive. With some help from the PCs (just by them
ceiling, each containing a fluttering Squid-Baby talking with him or by Lark using her psycholog-
embryo that is not quite ripe-for-birth. If the PCs ical training), Webb will begin to remember parts
stay stealthy, they might be able to sneak past. of what they had accomplished. He will be able to
The PCs need to make a MOBILITY roll each lead the PCs to the Medlab on Deck C so they can
Round to stay undetected. As soon as anyone fails finish what he and Clerke started.
a roll, the Utero-pods all become ACTIVE. At that
point, anyone moving directly under a pod can G R AV I T I C S H E A R : This event should occur
trigger a Squid-Baby birth. The pod will burst its a few times, as knowledge of it will help the
water and spill the Squid-Baby out onto the floor. PCs save the station later if they so choose.
A squid is slow to react at first, automatically The station suddenly shudders—and the PCs
getting initiative 10. feel their stomachs drop. All PCs need to roll
MOBILITY to stay on their feet. A gravity shear—
S . O . S . : A nearby terminal begins flashing not unlike the one that pushed the Cetorhina
red—a Network transmission has been received into the station in the first place, has struck. The
and is awaiting a reply. Show players the handout PCs will feel G-forces hitting them momentarily
“Network Exchange.” The message is from as Erebos automatically engages sustained
“Weyland,” not Weyland-Yutani—a minor mistake thrust to maintain a safe orbit. One of the NPCs
made by the not-so-corporate messengers. The will comment on it. “When the black hole acts
communication is a ruse from the nearby UPP up like that, the thrusters kick in. Fed by the
destroyer SVV Snova Trakhnu. Pretending to be stored plasma tanks, the thrusters are the only
the company, the Snova claims that the transmis- thing keeping us from falling into the swirling
sion of the data is for security confirmation. They bastard and being crushed (see the Finale on
say the encrypted data will prove the PCs are who page 59).
they say they are and not escaped prisoners.
The Ironfish data is inaccessible via terminal— Q U A R T E R M A S T E R : The sounds of struggle
it’s stored in the DA/UT/UR supercomputers and come from ahead—it’s five members of the Erebos
backed up in the MU/TH/UR mainframe’s mission Station crew and/or conscripts. This event works
recorder (page 32). If the PCs do manage to best if you include at least one NPC the PCs have
send the data, the Snova Trakhnu will acknowl- previously met but have been away from, such
edge receipt, move in, and attempt to nuke as Stykes, Hobbs, Wicks, or Cecil. Unfortunately,
the station (see the Retaliation event on page these people are... transformed. Four PASSIVE
58). If the PCs think to bargain for it, the UPP Mutant Abominations are attempting to draw-
Captain will send an extraction team (the Rescue and-quarter a fifth. They tear the fifth Mutant
event on page 58). See the Ironfish sidebar apart, each taking a limb and sitting down to
on page 11 for more info. eat it. Laying in his pooling blood, the quartered
Mutant sees his own entrails laying near his head—
S T R E A K E R PA R T 2 : Since Act I, the PCs have and savagely begins eating them. Okay, maybe
been followed and had things stolen from them the writer has problems.

55
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

T H E P E R F E C T D E M A N D : A shrill noise The Deacons then stalk the PCs from afar. If
and imagery explodes inside the PCs’ heads. A the PCs deliver the Strain to the Perfected, their
Perfected and two of their Deacons have cornered heads are filled with an overwhelming sense of
the PCs again. They are overwhelmed with the relief, gratitude, and victory. The Perfected offer
Perfected’s doubt—they question why the PCs them the best reward it can conceive—strip and
have not delivered them the 26 Draconis Strain. bathe in the Hessdalen Lights (any radiation
The Perfected leaves them with a warning to fulfill zone) to become one with the perfect Living
their obligations. Hive...

”No longer were there individual destinies; only a collective


destiny, made of plague and emotions shared by all.”
—ALBERT CAMUS

ACT III: PERFECTION


In Act III, the impact of the NDDs (page 7) is to stop the Hive tendrils from invading the
starting to become overwhelming. Read aloud the Cetorhina, the Living Proto-Hive begins priming
boxed text The Change to the players to kick off her FTL drive.
Act III, make an NDD roll for each and give them Whatever the PCs plan on doing—escape,
their new Personal Agendas. assist, or destroy—now is the time. Within one
The metamorphosis complete, the station Shift, the station will leave the system. The Living
has become a Living Proto-thing of its own. Proto-Hive will spread like a virus from colony-to-
After the change occurs, the station is crawling colony across the Outer Rim Territories. The PCs
with a dozen newborn PASSIVE Fulfremmen need to decide what they are going to do to stop
(page 70). If the PCs haven’t done anything it… or aid it.

THE CHANGE
The station groans and sways. The floors living contents across the floor, birthing more
buckle and shift. The reactor reverberates multi-armed monsters. The pipes on the walls
in your chest, echoing your own heartbeat. pulse like arteries. The station sighs a hot
Flesh covered metal bends and stretches fetid breath that blasts through the corridors.
like a wizened grizzly bear waking from The Proto-Hive has transformed the station—
a long winter’s slumber. Dangling pods Erebos is alive. The biomechanical behemoth
throughout the station pop and splash their yawns.

56
E V E N T S

M R . M A N ’ S E S C A P E A R T I S T S : Led by causing explosive decompression (page 107 of


Tommy Man, six ACTIVE Conscripted Convicts the core rulebook and page 73 of the Starter Set
(page 24) storm the Cetorhina in an attempt rulebook). The same thing will occur if the PCs
to flee the station. If they take control, they try to rush their escape as well. See the sidebar
gun the thrusters—breaking the ship free, but “Escape” for what happens next (below).
with consequences. A hole is torn in both hulls,

ESCAPE
If the PCs’ ship tries to pull away—be it Severing any external arterial connectors to
the Cetorhina or any other vessel—Erebos
vessel—Erebos the station will cause Acid Splash of 14 to those
bends and twists in defiance. Tendrils erupt within ENGAGED range. These connectors have
from the station, lashing on to the ship and Hull 2, Armor 4 (page 167 of the core rulebook).
yanking it back to the station. The Cetorhi- If three or more connectors can be removed in
na’s
na’s FTL drive begins cycling up, thrumming one Turn, the station will let go. If the PCs are
in rhythm with the station’s heartbeat. The able to generate a plan that could free the ship,
ship isn’t likely going anywhere unless the reward them and let it take off—just realize they
Living Proto-Hive around it is killed. will need to fight off the Living Station.

T H E N I N T H PA S S E N G E R : Whether the PCs The second time it goes off, the system identi-
can free the Cetorhina from Erebos or not, they fies it as Asteroid 1113B. Some calculations by the
have a stowaway—a Protomorph Deacon has PCs, MU/TH/UR, or DA/UT/UR will confirm that
made its way aboard. While it will hunt the PCs if the station’s orbit isn’t changed, the asteroid
throughout the ship, it will make its nest at the will pulverize Erebos within the next two hours.
top of the two-story tall FTL engine, amongst Depending on their goals, the PCs can work to
the Living Proto-Hive tendrils that are growing course correct Erebos or sabotage its ability to
through the deckplates to connect with it (see maneuver. This can be accomplished at Control on
Cetorhina cutaway handout). If Cetorhina escapes Deck B or the Boiler Room on Deck J either via a
without realizing the Living Hive is growing COMTECH and HEAVY MACHINERY roll or by wrecking
onboard the ship, it will be bringing death to civi- the joint.
lized worlds. As this Hive is young, it can be killed If the asteroid does hit, it’s a glancing blow.
with fire of Intensity 9 and above. The station is severely damaged, not destroyed.
It will begin spinning like a top as it dives into the
T H E B L I P : A proximity alarm alerts the PCs to a black hole, giving your PCs another chance to
large mass in a slightly different orbital trajectory. escape.

57
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

T H E “ R E S C U E ” : The “Weyland” rescue ship destroying itself in an attempt to take out the
(see S.O.S. on page 55) moves in close station as well. While the Cellblock on Deck
enough to the station to be scanned, revealing F, Boom and Starboard side of Deck H are
itself to be the UPP Destroyer Snova Trakhnu. destroyed, Erebos’s Plasma Collectors draw most
They are here to retrieve its operatives and of the energy in, momentarily supercharging the
destroy Erebos. station. All lights aboard burn bright and burn
T DEALER’S CHOICE: The UPP may be persuaded out, blinding everyone for one round and forcing
to take the PCs with them. You can play this all Protomorphs to go into hiding (they don’t like
event in tandem with the events Escalation intense light). The force of the blast sends the
and Retaliation (page 58)—and have the station hurtling towards the black hole (See the
Destroyer crushed by the living station. Finale).

S U R V I V O R : This can be played with The T H E H E L P : Great-Aunt Lugar (Perfect Aly,


“Rescue.” A gray Cheyenne dropship (UPP page 31) decides to help the PCs, warning
Accipiter) docks at a port near the PCs—and is them that the Perfected are going to use their
immediately besieged by three ACTIVE Proto- FTL to leave the system. Aly won’t actively defy
morph Trilo­bites (page 66). The dropship crew the Perfected, but she will provide hints and
is a Space Operating Forces commando team attempt to stall any attacks against them. Aly can
from the “Weyland” ship in the event S.O.S. (page provide the PCs with whatever missing informa-
55). They are decimated by the Trilo­bites, tion you see fit.
leaving only one survivor—Sub-Lieutenant C’ng
Pflüger (page 23). T H E D E AT H T H R O E S : This Event can be
played if Erebos has been infected with the weap-
E S C A L AT I O N : If the event the Rescue is in onized virus or poisoned by the toxic gas from the
play, the Snova Trakhnu has moved in close to Wastebin on Deck H. As the virus swarms through
pick up the survivors. Erebos’ trawling arms the Proto-Hive pustulous globules swell and weep
bend and reach for the Destroyer, embracing and the acidic “blood” of the station. It hisses and
crushing it. If Erebos no longer has the Cetorhina’s corrodes anything it touches. Every now and then
FTL drive, it tries to take the Snova’s. one of these globules bursts apart, spraying the
area with an Acid Splash rating of 10. This may hit
R E TA L I AT I O N : The Snova Trakhnu fires the players or simply make life harder for them in
its nukes at Erebos from point blank range, other ways.

THE FINAL SACRIFICE


Heart of Darkness is even harsher than the doesn’t mean getting out alive—it means
other ALIEN RPG Cinematic Scenarios— stopping (or depending on your agenda,
the PCs aren’t expected to survive. It’s aiding and abetting) the menace of the
important to remember that winning here Perfected.

58
E V E N T S

FINALE
Erebos is going down the Ablassen Drain. There’s A L L B E T S O F F : Once the station is doomed,
been a black hole sitting right outside for the the Fulfremmen have had enough. The PCs have
entire Cinematic Scenario—surely you realized it ruined their plans one way or another, so a lone
would come down to this. ACTIVE Perfected is tasked with killing the PCs.
The Finale should run concurrent with the The relentless Perfected (page 70) is wounded
last event or two you have planned for the PCs. (remaining Health of 7) with a jagged piece of
Whether caused by external circumstances or metal protruding from its abdomen, but is still a
the actions of the PCs themselves, the station formidable threat.
should start its descent into the black hole before
the Fulfremmen threat is fully resolved, thus L A S T G R A S P : Throughout the scenario, the
increasing the drama of the endgame. thrusters have been firing to stabilize the station.
Getting the station to fall into the black hole Give the PCs a chance to realize they might be
can be accomplished in several different ways: able to alter their trajectory. If the PCs manage
T If it’s been hit in the face by an asteroid (the to neutralize the threat of the Fulfremmen before
Blip event), pushed out of orbit by violence the station is crushed, or their agendas aligns with
(Retaliation event), or wracked by explosions the Perfected, or simply are too afraid to die, they
from the fires on Deck H—Erebos is spiraling may want to save the station.
towards the black hole already.
T If the Living-Hive is in its death throes due to P L O T T I N G T H E E S C A P E : Accessing any
the PCs’ use of a virus, fire, or poison against station terminal will tell them what they need to
it, the station might try to throw itself into the do—calculate the proper trajectory to escape the
black hole to take them down with it. black hole’s pull and dump all the station’s stored
T It’s also possible the PCs may just decide to energy into the thrusters. A MU/TH/UR or DA/UT/
push the station into the black hole, sacrificing UR can be used to calculate the trajectory, or a PC
themselves to save the colonies from the threat can do it with a COMTECH roll. A HEAVY MACHINERY
of the Perfected. roll made in the Boiler Room on Deck J will unlock
the plasma values so the thrusters can fire full
As Erebos enters a severely decaying orbit around power, and then a Formidable (−3) PILOTING roll is
the Ablassen black hole, its hull begins to buckle required from Control on Deck B.
under the immense pressure (STRESS LEVEL +1 for
all PCs still aboard the station). Use the following O V E R R I D E C O D E S : If the PCs have the
points to increase the stakes as the finale override codes that were left on a note in the
progresses: Engineer’s Office on Deck D, or they can get
the info out of Stykes, the codes allowing them
B E AT T H E C L O C K : The station’s remaining to make these rolls can be inputted into any
time is up to you, but the point of no return computer terminal in the station or even on the
should be reached at the dramatically appro- Cetorhina’s bridge. Some of those override codes
priate moment. Feel free to set up a timer for the allow portions of the station to be jettisoned—the
amount of time you feel should be left—dwindling Astrometric Observatory (Deck A), the massive
numbers on a tabletop can really get the PCs’ Comms Tower (Deck H), and the Living-Hive filled
adrenaline pumping. Lifeboats.

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H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

FA I L I N G : If the PCs fail the PILOTING roll to area. Firing the Cetorhina’s thrusters reduces
change the station’s trajectory, MU/TH/UR, a the difficulty by two steps.
DA/UT/UR, or an NPC will tell them the station
is too heavy and doesn’t have enough thrust. T H E L O N G G O O D B Y E : If all that fails, or if
The PCs have enough time to try one more the PCs want the station destroyed, Erebos is now
PILOTING roll. If the station sheds some weight officially doomed. In two Turns, the station’s Control
(see Override Codes above), or the Cetorhina’s Tower crumples in on itself. In four Turns, the station’s
own overpowered thrusters are fired at the right trawling arms and boom begin to spaghettify,
time, the difficulty of the PILOTING roll can be spiraling towards the center of oblivion. After six
reduced (if the PCs don’t think of the Cetorhina, Turns, the station’s hub cracks like an egg, igniting
Grey can suggest it). Reduce the difficulty of the lower tower’s plasma supplies in a massive explo-
the PILOTING roll one step for each jettisoned sion that wisps away down the Ablassen Drain.

DESPERATE MEASURES
Unless something has happened to them, aboard. If they time things right and rupture
there are Lifeboats located on Deck I—but the deck’s Thermal Plasma Sinks right before
they have been packed with Living Proto- launching the Lifeboat, (HEAVY MACHINERY roll
Hive Nodules (page 63) and bodies followed by a MOBILITY roll to get the Life-
that are incubating new Proto-Xenomorph boat hatch closed in time) the force of the
Deacons. If the PCs want to survive that explosion can catapult them into a stable
badly, they can attempt to escape the station orbit around the black hole (PILOTING roll).
in one of those—but they risk spreading the Someone with Breakthrough or Analysis can
Perfected to the colonies. An incinerator can figure this out, or a successful OBSERVATION
be used to kill the Living Hive in the life- roll can do the trick. The Lifeboat will be
boat, but they will damage the life support stuck in a high orbit unless someone stum-
system and need to wear compression suits bles upon them, but they will survive.

E P I L O G U E

AGENDAS & STORY POINTS


After it’s all over, evaluate how well each player discussion. Story Points belong to players, not
followed their PC’s Personal Agenda for Act III, and PCs, and players can keep their Story Points to
hand out a Story Point to those who did. Then have use in the next Cinematic Scenario if they wish. No
the players reveal all their Personal Agendas for player can ever have more than three Story Points,
the scenario if they so wish, and have a debriefing however.

60
A P P E N D I X I

SIGNING OFF
It’s more than likely the PCs aren’t making Unleashed by the Cronus crew nearly 75
it out of this one, dying to keep the menace years ago, the lifeform discovered here is
of the Living Proto-Hive from spreading the ultimate expression of the 26 Draconis
across the stars. If at least one of the PCs Strain. Lifeform is contagious and deadly
does make it, however, here is a suggested to humankind. The crew and workforce of
sign off message for them. The player can Erebos station are dead. Only [NUMBER] of
read the following message aloud, or adapt it us have survived. We’ve limited options left.
according to what happened in the scenario. We can only hope that interference from the
black hole doesn’t prevent the Network from
“Final report from the Weyland-Yutani picking up this message before the UPP does.
science team. [PC NAME] reporting. This is [PC NAME], signing off.”

THE FINAL FUCK YOU


Any PCs who survived by escaping in the is a growing Living Proto-Hive Nodule, and
Cetorhina or by lifeboat are in for a rude something outside the ship is scratching on
awakening. Hidden in a cargo compartment the hull...

APPENDIX I:

T H E P R O T O -
X E N O M O R P H S

Erebos hasn’t just discovered new life, it has PCs—including variations on some familiar aliens
become it. The following section showcases the of truly Promethean design.
horrific delights the station has in store for your

IONIC PROTO-PLASMAMORPH
“HESSDALEN LIGHTS”
Named after the centuries-old light phenomena survived the breakup of LV-1113. Instead of vapor-
observed over Norway’s Hessdalen Valley, izing in the ionized plasma jets of the Ablassen
Luxiventem hessdalen is Latin for “Hessdalen black hole, they have self-organized into micro-
living lights.” L. hessdalen are spaceborne micro- scopic helical structures. They are life that shouldn’t
scopic particles of the 26 Draconis Strain that have exist, living where life shouldn’t be able to survive.

61
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

These plasma-based extremophiles live within C O N TA I N M E N T A N D T E R M I N AT I O N


the black hole’s accretion disk. They can infect P R O T O C O L : Stay away from black holes. If you
both machinery and biological entities by hitching bring these things aboard your ship and hook
a ride on radiation—then spreading through power them up to anything with power, they will use that
conduits and circulatory systems alike. Humans conduit to invade the vessel’s power systems. If
and androids alike who suffer direct exposure to you get blasted with a radiation burst, you best
Proto-Plasmamorphs must make a Sickness Roll check yourself for infection.
against a Virulence of 6. Those exposed become E
Type Abominations (page 69).

SECRETS OF THE 26 DRACONIS STRAIN


A derivative of Chemical A0-3959X.91 – 15 morphed into the Proto-Xenomorph repre-
(page 287 in the core rulebook), 26 Draconis sented here. The Proto-Xenomorphic life
was a vaccine created by the Cronus crew cycle is a codependent symbiosis between
to arrest the development of a Neo-Xeno­ four separate organisms created by the 26
morphic embryo within a host, turning it into Draconis variation—Luxiventem hessdalen,
an inert benign tumor while turning the host Alvumventem erebos, Heptopus tabellarium
into a monster. 26 Draconis was responsible and finally Plagiarus noxapater (see the
for the creation of Abominations. It also was following pages).
used to alter the DNA of Xenomorph XX121 For more on the 26 Draconis Strain, see
during the Frontier War. the cinematic scenarios Chariot of the Gods
In orbit of the Ablassen Black Hole, the and Destroyer of Worlds,
Worlds, as well as the
live viruses in the vaccine mutated and Colonial Marines Operations Manual.
Manual.

THE LIVING PROTO-HIVE

Created when Hessdalen Lights invade a growth of proto-plasmamorphic life within it. The
machine’s power systems, the biogenetic-material infected machinery is altered as the lifeforms take
(scientific name Alvumventem erebos) will fuse root, growing acidic tendrils and secreting resin
itself with mechanical forms, leeching power from that begin to form on the machine’s surface. This
all systems and altering the machine’s molecular melding of biology and technology produces the
structure to accept a self-replicating parasitic Living Proto-Hive.

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T H E P R O T O - X E N O M O R P H S

PROTO-HIVE SPECIAL ABILITIES


The special abilities described here are common acid blood will also affect the environment, and
to the Living Proto-Hive. may splash nearby ammo and grenades, or burn
through floors, wiring, a ship’s hull, and so on
R A D I AT I O N : Most forms of radiation will (GM’s discretion).
nourish the Proto-Hive rather than harm it. Any The acid blood continues to burn after the
section of Hive bombarded with radiation will initial splash. A victim who suffers damage from
regenerate 1 Health per Round for up to ten Rads the initial splash suffers another attack each
without ill effects—i.e., the first 10 points suffered Round, at the start of the Round, just like for fire
are ignored from any radiation rolls. After that, the damage (see page 108 of the core rulebook).
overload of radiation takes its toll and damage is However, the number of Base Dice rolled for the
suffered as per normal radiation effects (page 76 attack is halved (rounding fractions down) at the
of the Starter Set rulebook or page 110 of the core start of each new Round, as the acid is slowly
rulebook). used up. If at any point an acid attack roll fails to
inflict any damage the acid has burned itself out
N O H E AT S I G N AT U R E : Using infrared and and the acid effect is over.
thermographic sensors to locate someone or If a victim is Broken by the acid splash, or
something within the Living Proto-Hive is impos- suffers further acid splash damage when already
sible—the entire structure radiates a mask of Broken, they must make a Death Roll every Round
thermal energy. until they either die or are saved by a MEDICAL AID
roll.
A C I D S P L A S H : When a tendril, membrane,
wall, vein, or artery of the Proto-Hive is damaged I R R I TAT I N G S P O R E S : These spore polyps
some of its acid blood may splash on its attacker grow around sensitive areas of the Living Proto-Hive
and anyone within ENGAGED range. Only damage and act as an early warning system for the Fulfrem­
that draws blood causes an acid splash—hence a ­men. Anyone within ENGAGED range of a polyp must
fire attack does not have this effect. make a MOBILITY roll (no action) each Round to not
The strength of an acid splash is the Acid disturb it. Failure means the polyp bursts, spreading
Splash rating of the Hive segment plus the amount its spores. They can cause a nasty rash and irritation
of damage that the segment took from the attack, (+1 STRESS LEVEL), but no real damage. The spores
in Base Dice, with Damage 1. Armor reduces the can be washed off (and the stress modifier removed
damage, but for each rolled, its Armor Rating with it)—or the effects can be negated by an anti­
is reduced by one, as the acid eats through it. The allergic from any medkit.

LIVING PROTO-HIVE NODULES “NODES”


Nodes are resilient—they don’t die easy. These growing veins through the flooring and into
man-sized fleshy organic pods have tendrils the machines to modify them into a Living
at their bases, covertly weaving their fast Proto-Hive.

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H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

“PROTO-HIVE” “NODES”
SPEED: 1 SPEED: 0
HEALTH: 24 per zone HEALTH: 4
SKILLS: None SKILLS: None
ARMOR RATING: 8 (4 against fire damage) ARMOR RATING: 6 (3 against fire damage)
ACID SPLASH 8 ACID SPLASH 6

C O N TA I N M E N T A N D T E R M I N AT I O N infection source. Kill it. Cut out the goddamn


P R O T O C O L : Find the biggest, nastiest biome- thing’s heart.
chanical glob of gunk around—that will be the

P R OTO -X E N O M O R P H X X 0 3 3 D
DRACONIS TYPE

Similar to other Plagiarus lifeforms, the Proto-Xe- creatures are genetically linked to the Fulfre-
nomorph is a parasitic organism that gestates mmen and will always respond to their
within a living host. Unlike the Proto-Hive, a empathic commands. Their life cycle goes
Proto-Xenomorph’s blood is only mildly caustic, through at least four known stages of evolu-
but not acidic enough to cause damage. tion, the details of which are covered on the
Called Protomorphs for short, these following pages.

PROTOMORPH SPECIAL ABILITIES:


S P R I N T : All Protomorph varieties except Stage I R A D I AT I O N : The Protomorph has proven
can, as a slow action, sprint as if having used two run extremely resistant to all forms of radiation.
actions—i.e., through two zones or from an adjacent They can suffer 10 Rads before feeling any ill
zone directly into the ENGAGED range of a target. effects—i.e., the first 10 points suffered are
ignored from any radiation rolls).
R E S I S TA N C E T O VA C U U M : A Protomorph
can act indefinitely in the vacuum of space N O R E S P I R AT I O N : A Protomorph does
without suffering any ill effects. not breathe in any way that human science
understands.
I M M U N E T O T H E C O L D : Cold temperatures
seem to have no effect on a Protomorph.

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T H E P R O T O - X E N O M O R P H S

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: Gestation periods typically take one


Shift each. As with all endoparasitic alien lifeforms, the
Protomorph’s incubation cycle per stage is variable and
dependent on the metabolism of the host organism.  ■

S TAG E I U T E R O - P O D S “ W O M B - B AT S ”
Once the Living Proto-Hive has a significant tabellarium (page 62). This material consumes
foothold on a mechanical form, it will seek to the cocooned hosts alive in a centralized
fuse with biological entities. The Proto-Hive will chamber, metamorphosing them into translucent,
sabotage life support systems to incapacitate Proto-Ovomorphic Utero-Pods. Within one Shift,
and secure victims. It then suspends them from these pods burst, spilling amniotic fluid and their
the ceiling, grows webbing over them and injects contents to the floor as they give birth to Stage II
them with genetic material from Heptopus Protomorphs.

S TAG E I I N A I A D ( I N FA N T ) “ S Q U I D - B A B Y ”
The Draconis variant of this pallid creature sterilization protocols will stun this thing for up to
gestates within the Proto-Hive’s Utero-pod. The a Turn, but not kill it. If you really want to sterilize
Naiad is born resembling an aggressive if not the goddamn thing, go for a good old incinerator
particularly effective eyeless squid with only four unit instead.
grasping arms—but it’s fast and has a vice grip.
The creature will look for a place to hide until its L A U N C H I N G U N G U L AT I O N : As a slow
tentacles split and it metamorphoses to Stage III. action, the Squid-Baby can launch itself up to
one Zone as if using a run or retreat action (not
C O N TA I N M E N T A N D T E R M I N AT I O N crawling).
P R O T O C O L : Flash-freezing and medical

“WOMB-BATS” “SQUID-BABY”
SPEED: 0 SPEED: 2
HEALTH: 2 HEALTH: 2
SKILLS: None SKILLS: Mobility: 9, Observation 4
ARMOR RATING: 1 (none against fire damage) ARMOR RATING: 1 (none against fire damage)
UTERO-POD SPECIAL ABILITIES: If a victim
comes within ENGAGED range of a Utero-Pod,
they must make a MOBILITY roll each Round (no
action) to not disturb it. If they fail, the pod will
burst and release a Squid-Baby. A Utero-Pod
can release its young even at SHORT range—roll
a Stress Dice each Round. On a , the Squid-
Baby is born.

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H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

“SQUID-BABY” ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1–3 SLITHERING ESCAPE: In a blur of whipping tentacles, the Squid-Baby flees one zone away, slipping into
the nearest cover or air duct if possible. As soon as the PCs lose line of sight, combat ends and stealth
mode ensues. After one Shift, the Squid-Baby grows into a Trilo­bite and begins looking for a host to
implant.
4 REVULSION: The Squid-Baby’s undulating motions are revolting to watch, inducing waves of nausea in
everyone within close range. Victims must make a Sickness Roll against Virulence 8 or immediately
drop what they are carrying, losing a round of action.
5 VICE-LIKE GRAPPLE: The Squid-Baby hurls itself at the victim and latches on with its tiny but strong
tentacles. Roll using six Base Dice, Damage 2. If any damage is caused, the victim is grappled,
automatically inflicting critical injury #13 (even if the victim is not Broken) and triggering an
immediate Panic Roll.
6 SMOTHER ATTACK: The Squid-Baby snaps its tentacles onto the victim’s head and squeezes with an
unexpected crushing power. The attack has a strength of six Base Dice, Damage 1. Any damage
sustained automatically inflicts critical injury #16, but the Squid-Baby remains attached. The victim
will suffocate unless the Squid-Baby’s grip can be broken (see Suffocation on page 110 of the core
rulebook).

S TAG E I I I T R I L O B
­ ITE (CARRIER) “CUDDLES”
First hinted at in the garbled recordings of the appendages grasp the head of its prey and hold
David Transmissions sent from the USCSS Cove- it steady for oral proboscis insertion. After a
nant decades ago, the three-meter tall adult successful penetration, H. tabellarium will go cata-
Trilo­bite is a seven-tentacled parasitic extrater- tonic, covering the victim with its own body to
restrial organism. As it matures, H. tabellarium protect the host during embryo implantation.
increases size and mass exponentially, growing After embryo implantation is complete, H.
from a two-kilogram juvenile to a half-ton adult in tabellarium will remove itself from the host and
only one Shift. Just how the creature attains such die nearby. A Stage IV of the Protomorph life
enormous proportions in so little time has baffled cycle will emerge from the dead host within
the few scientists who’ve studied them. As the another 1 Shift.
growth process has never been closely monitored,
theories range from a bacterial mass propagation C O N TA I N M E N T A N D T E R M I N AT I O N
on a macroscale to the creature simply being able P R O T O C O L : This goddamn thing is huge, and
to feed off ambient radiation. hard to kill. Try not to get too close to it—if one of
The Trilo­bite is a massive delivery system for those thick tentacles grabs you good, it will either
a Stage IV Deacon embryo. It will use its large, snap your neck or line you up and ram a meter
grasping pincer-tipped tentacles to both brace long by twelve-centimeter-thick phallus down
itself and pin its prey, exposing the victim to the your throat. If you’re lucky, you’ll pass out from
toothy maw located on its ventral side. Once so the pain before the thing lays its massive bulk
secured, six fleshy petals arranged around the over you, pumps you full of its genetic payload,
mouth will open, revealing winking orifices that and dies. You know what, fuck this thing. Napalm
contain coiled prehensile tendrils. These whip-like the son of a bitch.

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T H E P R O T O - X E N O M O R P H S

“CUDDLES” A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: If the embryo can


be surgically removed from the victim
SPEED: 2
within three Turns of implantation
HEALTH: 9
(MEDICAL AID roll with a −3 modifier),
SKILLS: Mobility: 4, Observation 9 the victim will survive. They will still
ARMOR RATING: 5 (2 against fire damage) require 2D6 days to heal.  ■

“CUDDLES” ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 INTIMIDATE: The Trilo­bite rises to its full three-meter height, exposing its underbelly maw and sizing up
its victim. Panic Roll.
2 SIZING UP FOR HOSTS: The beast silently undulates and shakes its tentacles as it surveys the available
targets. It seems to be smelling or tasting the air in its search for the best host. Everyone within SHORT
range gains +1 STRESS and must make an immediate Panic Roll.
3 GRABBING TENTACLE: The Trilo­bite whips out a tentacle, snaring the victim. It attacks with eight Base
Dice, Damage 1. If the tentacle hits, the Trilo­bite immediately drags the victim to a neighboring zone.
The victim goes prone. STRESS LEVEL increases by +1 for the victim and they must make an immediate
Panic Roll.
4 TOPPLING LASH: The Trilo­bite lashes out with a tentacle, sweeping the victim’s legs. It attacks with ten
Base Dice, Damage 1. If the attack hits, the victim is knocked prone, dropping any hand-held items.
The victim gains STRESS LEVEL +1 and must make an immediate Panic Roll.
5 CRUSHING GRAPPLE: The Trilo­bite wraps its tentacles around the victim, grabbing it. It attacks with
eight Base Dice, Damage 2. If it hits it automatically inflicts critical injury #33 (even if the victim is not
Broken) and the victim makes an immediate Panic Roll.
6 VIOLATION: The Trilo­bite entangles the victim with its tentacles, grabbing it. Make an opposed roll with
ten Base Dice against the target’s CLOSE COMBAT skill.
T If the Trilo­bite wins, the victim is grappled, and tendrils force their head into position.
Immediately roll for a new attack with ten Base Dice. If it gets one or more , the poor
victim is immediately Broken and suffers critical injury #46. Their last sensations are
horrifying as the Trilo­bite thrusts its proboscis into the victim’s mouth, implanting its embryo
before they pass out. The Trilo­bite goes catatonic, covering the victim with its own body to
protect the host during embryo implantation.
T If the victim wins, they fend off the proboscis for this attack, but they must still make an
immediate Panic Roll.

S TAG E I V A E T H O N ( J U V E N I L E ) “ D E AC O N ”
Stage IV Protomorphs carry many similar traits Protomorph’s lack of biomechanical features,
to Xenomorph XX121. For instance, they are both dorsal stacks and tail—as well as their completely
voracious, eyeless humanoid creatures with different jaw structure.
elongated skulls. The major differences lie in the

67
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

A Deacon’s upper jaw protrudes in a manner similar weakened ribcage and emerging with limbs fully
to a goblin shark when provoked, allowing it to pull developed. A newborn Deacon will flop out of
prey in for the kill. That upper jaw contains human- its victim and to the ground with an amniotic
like teeth, while the creature’s lower and inner jaw feeding sac still attached to. Deacons are gangly
sport hooked incisors for grasping. The curved and and awkward, not unlike a newborn fawn. Curious
tapered head of the eyeless alien is reminiscent of creatures, they will take the time to survey their
a bishop or deacon’s cowl, prompting its uncon- surroundings before making an attack. The
ventional nomenclature. The deep blue-skinned Deacon’s most chilling attribute however would
bipedal Deacons have no tail. A Deacon born from be its signature shriek—a wailing cry that can
a human starts off at about half a meter tall and freeze you in your tracks with fright.
grows to three times that size within one Shift, its
strength and endurance increasing continuously CONTAINMENT AND TERMINATION
during that time. PROTOCOL: A newborn Deacon is disorientated
A gestating Deacon’s cells rapidly consume at birth, needing a Round to disconnect itself from
organ, muscle, and bone mass directly from its its feeding sack and take in its surroundings before
host, killing the victim and leaving nothing more it can act. If you want to kill it, that’s as good a
than an empty brittle-boned shell of a corpse in time as any. The shock of witnessing its birth can
its wake. When the juvenile is ready to be born, cause you to hesitate (Panic Roll), however, so I
it uses its pointed head to slice its way out of recommend that as soon as you gather your own
the deceased host’s chest, bisecting the already wits you pull that trigger. And don’t miss.

DEACON ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 HORRIFIC SCREECH: The Deacon emits an ear-piercing wail that shakes anyone present to their very
core. All victims within MEDIUM range must make an immediate Panic Roll.
2 RIPPING CLAWS: By slashing hands and kicking feet, the Deacon’s claws tear at its victim. The attack is
made using six Base Dice, Damage 1 (armor piercing).
3 PIERCING SHRIEK: The Deacon focuses on the nearest target and emits a terrible war-shriek directly
at them. The victim must make an immediate STAMINA roll (no action) or lose their next slow and fast
actions. They gain +1 STRESS LEVEL either way, as the Deacon marks them for death.
4 SLASHING LIMBS: The Deacon uses its incredible agility to attack one victim with eight Base Dice,
Damage 1, then pivots and slashes at a second target within SHORT range. This second attack is made
with six Base Dice, Damage 1 (armor piercing). If there is no target within range the second attack is
made against the original victim. All who witness this terrible display gain +1 STRESS LEVEL.
5 HOOK JAW: The Deacon’s jaws spring forward, latching onto a victim’s limb. The victim is attacked
using eight Base Dice, Damage 2. If the attack causes damage, it automatically inflicts critical injury
#36 (even if the victim is not Broken) and grapples the victim. Anything the victim is holding is
dropped and the Deacon stays latched on. Any CLOSE COMBAT attempt to break the grapple suffers a
−3 modifier. The victim must make an immediate Panic Roll. As a slow action on each of its initiatives,
the Deacon can then attack the grappled victim using six Base Dice, Damage 2 (this attack cannot be
blocked).
6 SNAP SHREDDER: The Deacon makes its Hook Jaw attack as above with one alteration—once latched on
to the victim’s limb, the Deacon immediately snaps its extended jaw back into its mouth. The victim
is attacked using eight Base Dice, Damage 2. If the attack causes damage, it automatically inflicts
critical injury #54 or #55 (even if the victim is not Broken). The victim’s limb is shredded and severed
in the process. This attack causes a Panic Roll.

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T H E P R O T O - X E N O M O R P H S

A NOTE FROM MU/TH/UR: Scientifically


“DEACON” referred to as plagiarus noxapater—or mimic
father of night—the Deacon may be an early
SPEED: 2
step in the evolutionary chain of even more
HEALTH: 5
complex Plagiarus forms. Although it most
SKILLS: Mobility: 7, Observation 6 certainly has one, the Protomorph’s fifth
ARMOR RATING: 6 (3 against fire damage) stage has yet to be confirmed. As such,
their full capabilities are unknown.  ■

A B O M I N AT I O N E T Y P E VA R I A N T

A monstrous mutation of both humans and through two stages of gestation before achieving
androids brought about by exposure to the Hess- “perfection.” For further variations of the sickness,
dalen Lights, the E variant Abomination goes see the cinematic scenario Chariot of the Gods.

S TAG E I “ T H E TA I N T E D ”
Changes begin with the onset of rapid surface is treated as a disease with Virulence 6. If the
mottling in the infected victim’s extremities and Sickness Roll fails, the patient enters Stage I.
moves inward towards the core body. Eventu- For the purposes of this Cinematic scenario, you
ally the victim’s cranium begins to soften and as GM are allowed to skip the roll and simply
elongate as their higher functions are rewired. decide if a PC is infected, for maximum dramatic
By the end of this stage, the process becomes effect.
excruciating, and the victim lashes out. As Within one Shift, the victim starts to exhibit
acidosis takes effect, the victim’s pH levels shift the first symptoms. For humans, this causes their
significantly. STRESS LEVEL to increase by one. Androids will
simply be confused. Within another Shift, the
I N F E C T I O N : Exposure to the Hessdalen Lights patient typically advances to Stage II.

S TAG E I I “ T H E M U TAT E D ”
Painful cellular mutations ravage the Abom- elongate, and the victim takes on a feral appear-
ination’s body, causing them to take on an ance and attitude. Strength, speed, and agility are
aggressive posture. The victim’s limbs distend all heightened. Only a rudimentary knowledge of
and become pliable, allowing them to contort into their former self remains, but they are still aware
strange positions. The brain and skull continue to enough to use basic tools and weapons.

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H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

E F F E C T S : The victim gains Speed 2, i.e. it gets such attack, then the victim turns into an NPC
to act twice per Round. STRENGTH increases by 3 controlled by the GM.
(and Health along with it). AGILITY is increased by Other variations of the Draconis Strain
1, while EMPATHY is reduced to 1. EMPATHY-based transform the victim into further Abominations.
skills cannot be used. Firearms and other techno- On Erebos, a Mutant will stalk the corridors for
logical items cannot be used. The victim becomes one Shift, finally cocooning itself within the
immune to MANIPULATION. Living Proto-Hive to metamorphose into the
The victim becomes aggressive and attacks Perfected.
others on sight. An infected PC can play out one

FULFREMMEN “THE PERFECTED”

A hyper-intelligent form of xenobiological


life, the Fulfremmen are the ultimate secret
of the 26 Draconis Strain—it doesn’t just turn
people into Abominations—it evolves anyone
who survives those stages into higher beings.
The Fulfremmen have an affinity for the black
goo, manipulating its coding to meld flesh and “THE PERFECTED”
steel into biomechanical monstrosities like the SPEED: 3
Living Proto-Hives. HEALTH: 12
A forbidden evolutionary variation
SKILLS: Mobility: 9, Observation 12
accidentally unlocked by the Cronus crew
ARMOR RATING: 12 (5 against fire damage)
on LV-1113, the Fulfremmen seek revenge
against the beings who engineered FLUIDITY OF MOTION: The Fulfremmen move
humanity. Unable to reproduce without with a measured grace that allows them to leap
hosts and the Living Hive, the Fulfremmen twice the distance of a human being without
have no gender. They intend to multiply any negative side effects.
themselves through human and Engineer
hosts and spread Proto-Hive spores across
the middle heavens.

H Y P E R B L I N D : The Perfected are unable to


detect living things in cryosleep.

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T H E P R O T O - X E N O M O R P H S

71
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

“THE PERFECTED” ATTACKS


D6 ATTACK
1 MESMERIZE: The Perfected stares down its victim in SHORT range with its pitch-black eyes. The victim
must make a Wits roll (the attribute only, no skill) or be lost in the depths of those soulless voids,
entranced and immobilized. If the roll fails, the victim loses their next fast and slow action. In addition,
STRESS LEVEL increases by +1 for the victim and all friendly PCs in SHORT range. If uninterrupted, the
Perfected will attempt a Fatal Kiss attack (below) on its next action.
2 TURN: The Perfected locks eyes with the nearest victim. Through a combination of mental prowess and
pheromones, it can hypnotize a single victim into attacking their own kind. The victim must succeed
at a straight Empathy test (no skill) or be compelled to defend the Fulfremmen who hypnotized them.
The hypnotism lasts until the victim succeeds at an Empathy test, made at the start of each Round, or
suffers damage, which breaks the link.
3 PSIONIC BLAST: This mental surge reverberates through the victim’s skull, automatically causing critical
injury #16 and ears, eyes and nose to bleed. The attack is made with ten Base Dice, Damage 2.
4 SLASH AND GRAB: Using six Base Dice, Damage 1, the Perfected attempts to rake its nails across its
victim’s torso. Unless the victim is able to contain the bleeding, the Perfected will be able to track the
victim through the scent of their blood.
5 PSIONIC SUMMONING: A psionic whistling rings in the ears of everyone present, calling two Deacons to
the Perfected’s defense. They reach the zone the following Round, then draw initiative and can act.
6 FATAL KISS: Make an opposed roll with ten Base Dice against the target’s CLOSE COMBAT skill (does not
count as an action for the victim).
T If the Perfected is successful, it embraces the victim, leaning in for a kiss. Immediately roll for
another attack with ten Base Dice (does not count as an action). One or more means the
Perfected locks lips with the victim, lashing its barbed tongue into their mouth. The victim is
T immediately Broken by this and automatically suffers critical injury #46.
If the victim wins, they fend off the kiss, but must still make an immediate Panic Roll.

APPENDIX II:

G E A R
WEAPONS
WEAPON BONUS DAMAGE RANGE WEIGHT COST COMMENT
Bionational TX-9 Chemical And +1 1 Medium 1/2 $300 Delivers toxins or
Biological Injection Air Pistol bioweapons, armor
doubled.
Weyland ES-4 Semi-Automatic +1 1 Medium 1/2 $1,000 Stun effect, armor
Electrostatic Pistol piercing.
Weyland ES-7 Supernova +2 2 Short 1 $1,200 Stun effect, armor
Dual-Action Electrostatic piercing.
Shockgun
Weyland Flammenmacher 3 +1 3 Long 2 $2,000 Fire Intensity 12
Heavy Incinerator Unit
Norcomm QSZ-203 Semi-Auto- +1 1 Medium 1/2 $400 Armor piercing.
matic Pistol

72
G E A R

WEAPONS
WEAPON BONUS DAMAGE RANGE WEIGHT COST COMMENT
Norcomm AK-104s Pulse — 2 Long — — Armor piercing, full auto,
Action Suit Gun included in the CCC5 Combat
Compression Suit.
Armat U4C Civilian +2 VARIES LONG 2 $1,100 Equipped with M230 Baton
Crowd Control Projectile Rounds and T3 Tear Gas
Launcher Rounds (page 74).

AMMUNITION
WEAPON DAMAGE WEIGHT COST COMMENT
M230 Baton Rounds
(for U4C Launcher) 3 1/4 $30 For U1/U4. Armor doubled. Any crit-
ical injury inflicted will be #16, #24,
or #33 (equal chance of each).
T3 Tear Gas Canister Special 1/4 $30 If no eye and breathing gear, all skill
Rounds (for U4 Launcher) rolls are −2 until the area is vacated
and a MEDICAL AID roll is made.

OTHER EQUIPMENT
DEVICE WEIGHT COST COMMENT
CBRN Detection Kit 1 $800 Detects viruses, toxins, radiation and gives +2 to Sickness Rolls.

SUITS AND BODY ARMOR
SUIT ARMOR RATING AIR SUPPLY WEIGHT COST COMMENT
Full Face — 1 1/2 $100 Protects against gaseous and
Rebreather Mask airborne chemical and biological
contaminants, but not vacuum.
Breath underwater. Air Supply of 2.
Built-in comm unit.
Kevlar Riot Vest 4 — 1 $600 Built-in comm unit.
ECO2 All Worlds 8 6 3 $20,000 Built-In comm unit. Air Supply
Systems Hostile of 6. Reinforced shell. Designed
Environment for high pressure environments.
Survival Suit
Professional 1 3 2 $1,000 Armor Rating 1, Air Supply 3.
Hazmat Suit Built-in comm unit. Protects
against chemical and biological
contaminants and radiation.
CCC5 Combat 2 5 2 $15,500 OBSERVATION −1, AK-104 attached
Compression
Suit
.

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H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

WEAPONS
B I O N AT I O N A L T X - 9 C H E M I C A L A N D by the Corrections Officers on Erebos, these
B I O LO G I C A L I N J E C T I O N A I R P I STO L : electrostatic kinetic energy projectile weapons
This short-range pistol fires darts that can be fire armor piercing rounds that carry a stun
loaded with a variety of pharmaceuticals or toxins, charge. Any human target that suffers damage
including bioweapons in serum form (page 109 in from an attack must make a hard STAMINA roll (−2,
the core rulebook). Armor is doubled against this doesn’t count as an action) or be stunned for one
weapon, and it can never cause more than one Round, unable to act.
point of damage—which it also needs to inflict in
order to deliver its payload. A R M AT U 4 C C I V I L I A N C R O W D
CONTROL PROJECTILE LAUNCHER:
W E Y L A N D E S - 4 S E M I - A U T O M AT I C Designed for crowd control, this dedicated
E L E C T R O S TAT I C P I S T O L A N D projectile launcher is equipped with the M230
E S - 7 S U P E R N O VA D U A L - A C T I O N Baton Rounds and T3 Tear Gas ammunition, but it
E L E C T R O S TAT I C S H O C KG U N : Carried can also fire other varieties.

EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION


M 2 3 0 B AT O N R O U N D S : These rubber T 3 T E A R G A S C A N I S T E R R O U N D S : This
projectiles are non-lethal deterrents. Armor non-lethal gas causes a stinging sensation in the eyes
is doubled and any critical injuries from these and upper respiratory tract. Any unprotected human
rounds will be #16, #24, or #33 (equal chance of or feline within the same zone as a fired canister
each). suffers −2 to all skill rolls. The effect lasts until the
victim exits the area and a MEDICAL AID roll is made.

SUITS AND GEAR


E CO 2 A L L WO R L D SYST E M S H I G H P R O F E S S I O N A L H A Z M AT S U I T : This
P R E S S U R E S U R V I VA L S U I T : Like the sealed bodysuit acts as protection against
original ECO, this EVA hardsuit has fully hazardous materials. The suit protects fully against
articulated rotary joints and self-actuating fingers, chemical and biological contaminants as long as
providing a limited range of mobility. The ECO2 nothing has pierced it. It also acts as armor against
is designed for both vacuum and high-pressure radiation. Each time you suffer a Radiation Point,
environments. The helmet has a sophisticated roll six Base Dice—if you roll one or more , the
heads-up display built in, and the suit has its own Rad is absorbed by the suit. HAZMAT suits have a
thrusters for tether-free zero G maneuvers. built-in comm unit and an Air Supply of 3. They do
not protect against the vacuum of space.

74
G E A R

C B R N D E T E C T I O N K I T : This Chemical detection paper, and four heat resistant specimen


Biological Radiological and Nuclear Detection jars. Using this kit automatically detects the
Kit includes a Geiger counter, a biological and current Radiation Level (page 110 of the core
chemical agent diagnostic device, four doses of rulebook and page 76 of the Starter Set rulebook)
neurotoxin inhibitors, four emergency respirators and any chemical or biological pathogen at
(good for one Turn each before they need to the user’s location. It also gives the user a +2
be recharged), a pair of acid proof gloves and modification to any Sickness Roll (page 109 in the
goggles, syringes, sampling tools, chemical core rulebook).

APPENDIX III:

V E H I C L E S A N D
S P A C E C R A F T
VEHICLES I
KELLARD AND HOWDESHELL MODEL
DG-23B RORQUAL HARVESTER WEYLAND EVA-7C PRESSURE POD
CLASSIFICATION: T M-Class Commercial Plasma T Extravehicular Activity
Harvester/Tanker Pressure Pod
STANDARD EQUIPMENT: T 8 × Power Loaders T 4 × low-powered industrial
lasers damage 2
T 2 × heavy, 2 × medium, 2 × fine
manipulator arms provide +3 to
HEAVY MACHINERY rolls
VEHICLES
VEHICLE LENGTH PASSENGERS MANEUVERABILITY SPEED HULL ARMOR
EVA-7 Pressure Pod 8m 1–2 +2 3 6 6

SPACECRAFT
SPACECRAFT LENGTH CREW FTL SIGNATURE THRUSTERS HULL ARMOR
Class B Type 20 EEV 8m 4 N/A −2 −1 2 2
USCSS Cetorhina
M Class Harvester/Tanker 280m 2–8 6 +1 +2
9 5
SVV Snova Trakhnu
VP-153D Kremlin Class Destroyer 900m 18 3 +2 −1 15 10
Erebos Station Resurrection Class 1100m 160 N/A +3 −2 15 8
Plasma Trawling Platform/
Recharge Station

75
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S

CLASS B EEV TYPE 20 SERIES


A cheap box-like, eight-meter-long pod with no FTL, and can sustain up to four occupants
minimal thruster capability, the Type 20 has for only ten days. Type 20s cannot land on a
cramped seating, no capacity for cryosleep, planet and will burn up on reentry.

WEYLAND EVA-7 SERIES PRESSURE POD


Designed to perform deep space excavations scanners use a form of echolocation to
and sample retrieval, the Extravehicular penetrate rock and map out what may be
Activity Pressure Pod is a two-person buried in it. The pod can withstand up to
armored bubble with engines, storage 30,000 psi of pressure, making it an ideal
pods, an airlock and massive diggers and work vehicle near gravitational eddies.
manipulator arms attached. The pod’s

SVV SNOVA TRAKHNU VP-153D


KREMLIN CLASS DESTROYER
This UPP Destroyer has been sent to retrieve weapons, the formidable warship also carries
its operatives from Erebos and destroy the a squad of highly trained Space Operating
station. Equipped with an array of nuclear Forces commandos

MANUFACTURER: NORCOMM-LIU
CREW: 18 INTERNAL MODULES: ARMAMENTS:
FTL RATING: 3 T Artificial T Tactical Nukes
SIGNATURE: +2
Intelligence I T 800MeV Particle
THRUSTERS: −1
T Air Scrubbers IV Beam Weapon
T Cargo Bay V T 400MeV Particle
HULL: 15
T Cryo Deck IV Beam Weapon
T Docking Umbilical II × 2 T Short Lance ASAT
T EEV II × 6 Missiles
T Galley IV T Orbital Mines
T Hangar IV × 2 UPGRADES:
T Vehicle Bay IV T Overpowered
T Medlab II × 2 T Thrusters
T Boosted Displace-
ment Drive × 6
T Added Hardpoints

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