Alien - Heart of Darkness
Alien - Heart of Darkness
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
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
MESSAGE BEGINS.
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.
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.
3
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
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
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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)
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.
6
T H E 2 6 D R A C O N I S S Y S T E M
— LT. E L L E N R I P L E Y A N D
FRANCIS ”85” AARON
7
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
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?”
— 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
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
12
T H E S I T U A T I O N
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
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H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
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).
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
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
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
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
WEBB
HEALTH: 2
SKILLS: Observation 3, Close Combat 2, Survival
FULL NAME: Doctor Asher Webb, Md. SIGNATURE ITEM: Pants (or lack thereof)
19
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
THE CAT
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
HEALTH: 5
SKILLS: Heavy Machinery 4, Mobility 3,
Stamina 3, Survival 2
CHIEF COOK, EREBOS STATION, UA TALENT: Watchful
STYKES CRASH
21
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
WY844528 WY082609
FULL NAME: Brut “Cecil” Amor FULL NAME: Flo “Candlestick Maker”
AGE: 52 Wicks
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
22
N O N - P L A Y E R C H A R A C T E R S
WY972313
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
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
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
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
STAFF: 12 Administration
d RECEPTION AND SCIENCES
de ck
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
25
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
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
AMBIENT ENERGY
STATION (LATICE CORRIDOR
COLLECTORS
5×5 METERS BENEATH)
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).
85:09:12:22:02 HOURS, S.O. CLERKE: METEORIC MASS FROM HESSDALEN PLASMA FIELD
BROUGHT ABOARD. HEADING TO TERMINAL 01 TO EXAMINE NOW. ■
85:09:14:01:00 HOURS: WARDEN ORDERED CORE SAMPLE OF OBJECT. DRILLED THROUGH ROCK
AND BIOMATTER—FLESH? STRUCK TEMPERED METALLIC MASS. HUMANMADE. A SHIP? ■
85:09:18:04:46 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
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.
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.
DECK
MU/TH/UR
c
MEDLAB EMERGENCY
CRYOSLEEP
PODS
CHUTE
VENT
HYDROPONICS
GARDEN
5×5 METERS
VIEWPORT
33
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
34
S T A T I O N S I D E L O C A T I O N S
CHUTE
D
ENGINEER’S
OFFICE
VIP BAY
5×5 METERS
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
41
H E A R T O F D A R K N E S S
FACTORY COMPLEX
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.”
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
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...
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
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).
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.
59
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
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.”
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
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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63
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
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.
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T H E P R O T O - X E N O M O R P H S
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” 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
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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 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
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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
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
.
73
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.
74
G E A R
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
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
76
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