3 Generations After The End

3 Generations After The End
A System-Agnostic Post-Apocalyptic Setting
Preface
3 Generations After The End is a small post-apocalyptic setting that the Gamer Assembly released in January 2012.
e deliberately !ept 3 Generations After The End generic" and in fact" each monster includes stats for #ungeons $ #ragons %E" Gamma orld %E" &a'age orlds" (ATE" and Apocalypse orld.
Table of Contents
)reface...............................................................................................................................................................1 *redits................................................................................................................................................................1 +ntroduction...................................................................................................................................................... 2 The ,alley.......................................................................................................................................................... 3 &anctuary" &hedra-s #omain............................................................................................................................. 3 &tronghold" The .ingdom of Tomas.................................................................................................................% Entry Gate )amphlet......................................................................................................................................... / ,ie0 (rom The 1ottom 2f Greybar *ity...........................................................................................................3 The (orests....................................................................................................................................................... 4 The ol'es of Thanatos.................................................................................................................................. 5 The 6aces......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Technology is 7agic.......................................................................................................................................... 11 The 7onsters................................................................................................................................................... 12 The Enemies.....................................................................................................................................................18
Credits
Than!s to *hris #undon" *hris Jac!son" 1rian 9iberge" and T. . ombat for their articles and support. This document 0as assembled" typeset" and edited by 1rent ). :e0hall. All images used in this issue are in the public domain" or released under an appropriate license and credited 0here appropriate. 6eally" 0e chec!ed. Go to http;<<gamerassembly.net for more.
jeff jones (order #3335840)
Introduction
1y 1rent ). :e0hall
Wizards Are Powerful And eared

Though Auite a fe0 lo0- to mediumpo0ered 0i>ards li'e scattered around the 0orld" the public imagination 'ie0s 0i>ards as super-po0erful" Auasi-immortal beings 0ho can mold reality to their 0ill and rule their fiefdoms 0ith absolute authority. i>ard-ruled !ingdoms are usually theocracies" basically large and organi>ed cults de'oted to the 0ill of the 0i>ard ruling them. Those in'ol'ed are rarely happy about this" but those 0ho disobey are Auic!ly disco'ered and sacrificed to demons ?or 0orse things@.
scurry through the se0ers. 2ld par!s are no0 farms struggling to coaB e'en mutated 'egetables from the tired earth.
"a#age $ature Abhors Technology

The deeper one presses into the 0ild forests and Cungles of the 0orld" the less technology functions. ,icious" po0erful creatures li'e deep in the 0ild places. 6are is the non-0i>ard 0ho can sur'i'e in the 0ilderness.
**-1=-:# Jeff )reston
The Apocalypse Introduced Magic

The s!y collapsed. The sun 'anished. The moon crac!ed. a'es plunged the cities into the sea. Airplanes fell from the s!y. And the 0i>ards" 0arloc!s" and 0itches of olden times returned. These may be related. The 0i>ards ?0hich is 0hat most people call those 0ith magical ability@ soon retreated into abandoned labs and created armies of strange beasts and beast-men. These creatures could not be controlled" and many of 0hom still sur'i'e in bands around the 0orld.
Techno!Priests Control the Cities

ithin the crumbled cities of yore" the )riesthood has arisen to preser'e the technology of the past. +n some places" they are merely the preser'ers of 'ast archi'es of !no0ledge. +n others" they subdue and rule the others 0ho li'e in their cities" demanding tribute and sacrifices. The cities themsel'es are marginally safer than the 0ilderness" but hold uniAue dangers. inged li>ards nest on the roofs far abo'e" 0hile ratfol!
%egions Are Controlled &y Wizards 'r Warlords

2pen" habitable spaces--the farmlands of old--are usually split up into small nation-states" each ruled by a 0i>ard or a 0arlord. Technology has regressed to a subsistence le'el of food production" sca'enging" and trade. 6emnants of the old 0orld are used for shelter and ra0 materials.
http://blogs.gamerassembly.net/?p=134
The (alley
1y 1rent ). :e0hall The ,alleyDs a hard place. Earder than most. The Gray *ity hul!s on the 0estern hori>on" of courseF canDt miss that. The aging to0ers house the )riesthood and their supposed ci'ili>ation. TheyDre safe enough amidst the crumbling asphalt and filtered sunlight" bet0een the giant flying li>ards roosting in the roofs abo'e and the cra0ling sca'engers of the se0ers belo0. 7ay the ratfol! ne'er learn ho0 to organi>e. 2utside" itDs your choice bet0een Tomas and &hedra. Tomas rules his !ingdom 0ith ruthless efficiency" more to0ns and armies sprouting up e'ery month" it seems. 9ife in his !ingdom is tiring but hopeful; heDs built a poc!et of real li'ing that !eeps many dangers out. &hedra the itch pays little attention to her subCects. They pay a lot of attention to her" and to her cloa!ed priestesses. The latter roam the streets" occasionally comandeering people and their gear for strange rites. :o reason is gi'en. hole families can disappear o'ernight. This is the price paid for the magical barrier that !eeps hostile creatures from entering &hedraDs !ingdom. This barrier must also 0arn &hedra 0hen anyone enters" as strangers Auic!ly earn a 'isit from her priestesses" 0ho learn the strangersD businessGor !ill them. Eer !ingdom isnDt as prosperous as TomasDs" but itDs a little easier. (or a price. Their !ingdoms are surrounded by the ilds" a sa'age forest filled 0ith e'en more sa'age creatures. Eell" the plants themsel'es 0ill !ill you. And that itself is strange. Those fe0 0hoD'e li'ed outside of the !ingdoms or the city 0ill tell you that the things li'ing in that forest donDt ma!e sense" and donDt li'e any0here else. +tDs li!e they 0ere made in there. 1y someone. 2r something.
"anctuary) "hedra*s +o,ain

1y 1rent ). :e0hall
They say it is &hedra-s magic that !eeps the beasts out of the rolling hills and 'alleys of &anctuary" and brings the rains in spring. &anctuary is" indeed" a strange place. +t is more...'ibrant than most" more full of life. 9ife in &anctuary is peaceful" and her people ha'e full bellies. 2f course" those full bellies come at a price; total obedience to the priestesses of &hedra. Eer robed priestesses roam the streets on inscrutable errands. They occasionally commandeer people and supplies. :o reason is gi'en" but rarely is a reason as!ed. That is the price. &anctuary is made up of about t0o do>en to0ns and 'illages" nearly all of them farming communities. This is ama>ing in itselfF little of ne0 earth-s soil is capable of farming. &trange" t0isted things come from this earth" but it-s edible" and there-s a lot of it. The only non-farming to0n is To0er" a massi'e mining compleB in the mountains and &hedra-s home. This is a dar! place. Though it employs hundreds of people" the only ones 0ho e'er lea'e are &hedra-s priestesses. Eere" &hedra performs po0erful magic in the dar! passages of the compleB she car'ed from the li'ing roc! of the mountain. 7oans and screams can sometimes be heard from inside. The truth; &hedra is a necromancer. &he spends most of her time creating undead" for the gray area bet0een life and death fascinates her. &he has released so much life energy that it has seeped into the lands around her" gi'ing them the strangely po0erful life her subCects cra'e. &hedra 0ill undoubtedly become a lich someday. )erhaps she already is" and uses a glamour of beauty to hide her true self.
**-1=-:# Jaydot &loane
"tronghold) The -ingdo, of To,as

1y 1rent ). :e0hall
The Eggshell
Tomas-s !ingdom is entirely surrounded by a 0all" 0hich is no mean feat in this 0orld. :ear the roads" the 0all is solid stone ten feet highF out in the 0ilderness" it-s mostly pieces of scrap tied together and barely comes up to a man-s chest.
This is the Eggshell" so named because it protects the precious life 0ithin it. E'ery road into &tronghold passes through large gates and guard houses set in the Eggshell. The guards stationed here can inspect anyone or anything" and often abuse their pri'ileges. Bif is a typical guard; broadshouldered and narro0-minded. Ee-ll sift through belongings and find 0ays to claim 'aluables as Hsuspicious.I
To,as*s Ar,y
7a!e no mista!e; Tomas-s army is probably the best in the 0orld. Ee forged a rabble of bandits into a hard military unit" conAuered the to0ns that no0 ma!e up &tronghold" and built his follo0ers into an army. The army is di'ided into three le'els; The Guard are the lo0est le'el. All able-bodied men ?12 to 30 years old@ are forced to ser'e in the Guard for siB-month terms e'ery three years. Their training is minimal by Tomas-s standards but 0orld-class outside. Any member of the Guard has an iron 0ill. The (ists are chosen from the Guard to li'e out their li'es in the Army ?and rarely ha'e a choice in the matter@. They train daily and are feared throughout the land. (or the past fi'e years" they-'e been the center of the )roCect. The (ists are actually Tomas-s biggest problem" as they are the most restless. They need ne0 enemies to fight. The 1lades are Tomas-s personal bodyguards. E'ery 1lade is handpic!ed from the (ists as an eBample of some eBtreme; bra'ery" loyalty" might. They-re an odd lot" but they-re fanatically de'oted to Tomas" and any one could easily defeat a do>en normal men.
The )*s find a dying man 0ho claims that the buildings are being constructed in a magical pattern that" 0hen completed" 0ill summon a demon that 0ill gi'e Tomas tremendous po0er but 0ill destroy the 'alley in the process. The )*s find a dying man 0ho claims to ha'e been attac!ed by one of Tomas-s 1lades. Ee says that Tomas-s actual goal is to build an unstoppable army. The )*s are captured on a pretense and brought to the arena for the monthly gladiator fights.
To,as
Archetype: &tern general Actors to imitate: J from 7en +n 1lac!" that guy 0ho al0ays plays yatt Earp Behaviors: &tand straight" fro0n" bar! orders" spea! in straightfor0ard English Goals: (ind out if the )*s are a threat or useful. What he'll say: +f Tomas doesn-t see the )*s as threats" he-ll hold nothing bac!. Ee sees himself as the only sane organi>ational force in this part of the 0orld. The 0i>ards are insane and insanely dangerous" and nobody else is strong enough to protect a lot of natural humans. Ee has no problems 0ith mutants themsel'es" but he-s afraid that humanity 0ill mutate further into complete monsters" and that ci'ili>ation 0ill ne'er be able to reco'er. Ee readily admits that he 0ants to in'ade &hedra-s domain" defeat her armies" and !ill the 0itch. Ee sees her as a threat.
Wo,
The capital city of &tronghold" om is a to0n of bustling acti'ity. +t 0as a ci'ili>ed to0n before the 1last" too" and the old stone buildings that form the center of om ha'e been fortified into a castle" complete 0ith a circular 0all and a foul-smelling moat.
om also has an arena. 2ne day a 0ee!" beasts are raced in the morning" and human teams play aggressi'e ball games in the afternoons. 7ost crimes in Tomas-s !ingdoms are punished by forced gladiator combat. 2nce a month" all criminals are brought to the arena and fight to the death. The sur'i'or returns neBt month. +f a criminal lasts for more than a fe0 months" he or she is put against increasingly large teams of enemies and e'entually !illed.
The Pro.ect
Tomas is building. A lot. (ortifications and to0ers are going up all o'er &tronghold. 2nly Tomas and the 1lades !no0 0hat it-s all for.
Plot /oo0s
The )*s are sent by a 0ealthy metal trader 0ho sent his youngest son to 0or! in &tronghold for siB months. That 0as t0o years ago.
Entry Gate Pa,phlet

1y T. . ombat youDll accrue credits in our centrali>ed system 0hich can be cashed in for some great re0ards" so lea'e the uncertain barter system at the gate. +f youDre interested in becoming a member of Greybar *ity" please as! any .eeper 0earing a 1lin!ing 1lue )ersonal &tar )ass. to !eep you safe. %. $%ey All &eepers +f anyone 0ith a 1lue or hite &tar as!s you to do something" they are spea!ing 0ith the authority of the entire city behind them. )lease comply 0ith the .eeperDs reAuest as Auic!ly as possible for e'eryoneDs safety and comfort. (ailure to follo0 these rules 0ill result in a 0arning from a .eeper follo0ed by immediate eBpulsion from Greybar *ity. (urther infractions 0ill be met 0ith increasingly escalated responses.
Welco,e to Greybar City1

e hope you enCoy your 'isit to our fair community. (eel free to as! a !eeper if you ha'e any Auestions about reconstructing a 'ibrant" ad'anced" and safe society in these modern times.
En.oy co,fort and con#enience1

All aspects of daily life in Greybar *ity ha'e been designed 0ith your comfort in mind. Any inCuries or diseases 0ill be treated as soon as you arri'e" and youDll be bac! on your feet in no time. #onDt miss our nightly sho0s in the *entral Aud" running the gamut from ancientstyle li'e theatrical performance" to massi'e trideo sho0s" to stadium-style music concerts. 2ur chefs use the freshest ingredients to ma!e you the best meals in the 0orld today. E'ery guest room has a terminal to eBplore the 'ast 0ealth of information stored on our net0or!" indi'idual en'ironmental controls" a pri'ate bath 0ith hot 0ater" and con'enient 0aste reclamation receptacles. Kse our communications grid to contact people across to0n 0ithout lea'ing the comfort of your room. Trideo conferencing is a'ailable" as is immersi'e pri'ate entertainment. +f you ta!e the 2ath and Coin our city" all of this can be yours e'ery day. =our )ersonal &tar )ass 0ill be upgraded from 6ed to =ello0 and
Please be courteous and follow our si,ple rules2

2ur rules are simple and meant to pro'ide the maBimum comfort for all citi>ens and 'isitors. 1. Your Personal Star Pass Must Be Worn At All Times e cannot protect you if 0e donDt !no0 your location or status. =our &tar is fitted 0ith a communicator and personal life signs scanner. +f you tra'el more than three paces from your &tar" a team 0ill be dispatched to determine if youDre in danger and help you out of 0hate'er situation youDre in.
Interested in ,o#ing to Greybar City3

e 0ould lo'e to be your ne0 home. After ta!ing the 2ath of *iti>enship and recei'ing your =ello0 &tar" you 0ill be assigned a role in the city. :e0 citi>ens are tested for aptitude and assigned to help the city in a manner appropriate to their s!ill set. Kns!illed citi>ens 0ill spend at least siB months in (ood &er'ices 0hile learning a ne0 trade in the off hours. e 0ant you to be happy and healthy. e 0ant you to be safe. e 0ant you to unloc! your full potential. EnCoy your 'isit to Greybar *ity. hope you come bac! soon.
?)roduced by Greybar *ity )rinting" a 0holly-o0ned subsidiary of the &yrinB *orporation.@
2. !ecycling "s Man#atory ith a lac! of ra0 materials" 0e stri'e to reuse and recycle e'erything. )lease use the con'enient 0aste reclamation receptacles scattered throughout the city" mar!ed 0ith a green triangle. 3. !espect Boun#aries =our &tar 0ill 0arn you if you stray into a restricted area. Greybar *ity runs on 'ery large machines 0hich could hurt you if you get too close. 6estricted areas eBist
(iew ro, The &otto, 'f Greybar City

1y T. . ombat diligent enough to find them. 9i!e +nternet data came from the hea'ens to enlighten the 0orld" but only the .eepers ha'e the implanted interface to truly appreciate the scope of the data. And yet they donDt bother loo!ing at sub'ersi'e messages hiding in corrupt image files. + dodged a bullet 0hen they as!ed me to Coin. + came up 0ith an idea" but + con'inced them it 0asnDt me. They tapped a friend of mine" and 0hen + sa0 him the neBt year he remembered me. Ee said he 0as happy" but he 0as completely different. Ee didnDt e'en thin! the same 0ay any more. Ee as!ed me to Coin" and + Cust couldnDt. + li!e the 0ay + thin!. &o + resol'ed to !eep my head do0n and do 0hat 0as reAuired in as unremar!able a 0ay as + could manage. And thatDs 0hen + disco'ered the (ree #ata 7o'ement. + 0or!ed in the (ood 7ines for years. The .eepers maintain t0o sub-le'els of hydroponic gardens and li'estoc! genetics labs under the city. The 'at-gro0n flesh eBperiments turn my stomach" but thatDs the tasty meat that !eeps the city fed and docile. + s0ore it off after + sa0 ho0 it 0as made. There are more sub-le'els under those t0o" and + sa0 a guy 0ith a yello0 star 0ho loo!ed li!e he o0ned the place coming out of an access stair0ay right behind one of the )aB one time. The .eepers donDt ha'e the manpo0er to de'elop and use the lo0er le'els" 0hich is 0hy theyDre so !een on recruiting ne0 citi>ens. They send )aB patrols do0n there to ma!e sure nobody has mo'ed in. + learned that the (ree #ata 7o'ement can someho0 control the )aB" so it ma!es an ideal base of operations for them. There are plenty of secret entrances and no other humans go do0n there. The )aB are the .eepersD hole card" an army of perfected robot soldiers 0ho obey 0ithout Auestion or hesitation. )eople say the )aB are built from people" but thatDs Cust rumor. E'ery once in a 0hile some of them seem to recogni>e something and act strangely" so maybe thatDs not far off. The .eepers read about :uclear #eterrence" and theyD'e been using that doctrine for the past 30 years to hold the 0ol'es at bay outside the city 0alls. *ombat robots donDt feel pain. TheyDre pinpoint accurate" and their pulse lasers recharge to full gi'en time. 1ut usually one 0ell-placed shot from a clic! a0ay tends to end fights before they begin. 2nce in a 0hile a i>ard gets uppity and ta!es one out before he falls" but thatDs been rare. The .eepers trusted the )aB so much that they turned o'er all security responsibilites to the )aB. :o0 they can concentrate on finding the truth at the bottom of the pile of data in their heads. The (ree #ata 7o'ement hac!ed the .eepersD interface a 0hile ago. TheyDre listening in on e'erything the .eepers do. +Dm not sure if they hac!ed the )aB or if they Cust 0or!ed out a deal someho0" but +D'e ne'er seen a )aB attac! a member of the 7o'ement. According to the sub'ersi'e propaganda that sometimes interrupts the entertainment sho0s" ne0 data comes in at random inter'als. +t loo!s li!e thereDs some sort of intermittent connection to other sites in other cities. The .eepers thin! itDs The ord 2f God" so theyDre o'erCoyed 0hen ne0 data comes in. The 7o'ement is more pragmatic. They learned about computers the same 0ay + did M hac!ing and eBperimentation. + thin! theyD'e got the right idea" but they ha'e no
The follo0ing teBt 0as found encrypted 0ith 62T13" hidden in a file tagged H*orrupt +mage (ileI. +t has the latest date of the 318 files in the directory" each containing a similar bloc! of hidden and encrypted teBt.
+tDs all coming to a head. + can feel it. +tDs only a matter of time before the .eepers s0itch from masters to sla'es" and no0 itDs closer than e'er. + !no0 the (ree #ata 7o'ement ta!e a loo! at any ne0 file that comes online. + only hope theyDre bright enough to find and read this. + used some s!ills from the pre-disaster days 0hen + 0as a total digit head so + could hide my Cournal" but + !ept it simple. hen the .eepers didnDt haul me in for treason" + figured they missed these files. *orrupt data is pretty common and thereDs no sense scrutini>ing e'ery little thing" is thereL +Dm an old man 0ho 0ants to set the record straight about Greybar *ity before + shuffle off or they ta!e me to *ybernetics to put my brain in one of the )aB bodies. 9etDs tal! about life in the big city. The .eepers run e'erything. They control the entertainment" the food" the medical establishment" access to the data cached from 0hen there 0as an +nternet that theyD'e been bastardi>ing" and all high-tech de'elopment. The rest of us go on li!e sheep" ser'ing our role as proletariat laborers. +f one of us gets a great idea" 0eDre as!ed to Coin the .eepers. 1ut hereDs the thing; +f you Coin them" thatDll be the last original idea you ha'e. + donDt !no0 0hat they do for the initiation ceremony or 0hat they cut out of your brain 0hen they attach that infernal metal boB to the bac! of your head" but .eepers are con'inced that all the ans0ers already eBist online if only theyDre
idea ho0 to run a go'ernment. TheyDre specialists" not leaders or e'en team players. &o theyDre great for thro0ing mon!ey 0renches around" but + fear theyDll ta!e o'er and the 0hole city 0ill come crumbling do0n. :ot that the .eepers are too far off from total meltdo0n either. +tDs a hard 0orld no0. The )aB !eeps the raiders at bay" but the infrastructure itself is threatening to implode. Gathering genetic material from banished citi>ens is mostly for sho0 no0 since they donDt ha'e a 0or!ing genetic scanner any more. 6ecycling +s 7andatory" but that only gets us so far. e still need ne0 things to fill the holes left be raids and theft and the passage of time. The .eepers ha'e been ranging farther and farther afield" desperately searching for more technology they can sal'age to !eep their machines running. + hear theyD'e left the 'alley a couple of times" but they !eep absolutely clear of the forests. All their defensi'e and curati'e gadgets and theyDre afraid of goblins in the 0oods. 7aybe their dogma ma!es them belie'e in the Tooth (airy too. (ood production is al0ays a tric!y
thing. TheyD'e tried to mo'e some of the fields outside" but the )aB couldnDt stop the sheer number of raiders in an unfortified field. e lost a fieldDs 0orth of seed cord that year and more than a fe0 good people. eD'e got enough for no0" and the synthesi>ed spices can ma!e feces taste gourmet" but 0ho !no0s ho0 long until one of the eBperiments ta!es out a 0hole field. :obody thin!s about the ris!s in'ol'ed in 0hat 0eDre doing e'ery day Cust to sur'i'e. And thatDs my big problem 0ith the .eepers and the &yrinB *orporation they represent. E'erybody listens sympathetically" and e'erybody 0ants a better place to call home. &ome people ha'e great ideas" but once the .eepers gi'e you the implant you start na'el-ga>ing and sifting through data loo!ing for the secret of life. #ata acts li!e a narcotic" and 0hen itDs in your head all the time nothing else matters Auite as much. The .eepers get a non-stop information buffet to !eep them complacent. The .eepers in turn pro'ide a constant stream of bread and circuses for the masses" and the people stuff their mouths too full to Auestion their self-appointed leaders. &o 0hoDs at the top reaping the fruits
of this docile societyL +f the .eepers and the (ree #ata 7o'ement e'er decided to listen to each other" Greybar *ity 0ould actually become the beacon of hope in a dar! 0orld that the brochures 0ant you to belie'e. eDd be able to use the .eepersD archi'ed data as a starting point for inno'ation instead of an ending point of religious intolerance. e could rein'ent the 0orld and get humanity connected again. e could all pull together to0ard a better life for our children and their children. 1ut + doubt that 0ill e'er happen. The 7o'ement 0ants a say" and the .eepers only hear the data from before the cataclysm echoing in their heads. The 7o'ement !eeps grabbing for attention through thie'ery and 'andalism" 0hile the .eepers fight bac! the chaos 0ithout e'er analy>ing 0hat the city really needs. 1oth sides butt heads because they al0ays ha'e. And that stupidity 0ill get us all !illed one day. &o 0elcome to Greybar *ity. +tDs crappy" but itDs a far sight better that your alternati'es. Good luc! out there.
Greybar *ity is a tough place. The .eepers cater to those fe0 souls 0ho thin! they can re-capture life before the catalcysm. &ome still belie'e that there are poc!ets of pre-collapse ci'ili>ation" li'ing in the height of luBury. All their materials trumpet this" and they spend a fair amount of time manufacturing their utopian facade. 9ife-s a bit more rough inside. E'eryone does 0hat the .eepers tell them to do" mostly because the )aB frea! out e'ery last citi>en of Greybar. There are plenty of stories about robot insurgent armies and berser! androids !illing entire cities. There hasn-t been a problem yet" but..... M 1rent
The orests
1y *hris Jac!son
The face of the 0orld has irre'ocably changed" three generations after the end. The landscape is di'ided neatly bet0een 'ast s0athes of desolate 0aste and gigantic" ancient forests. Arable land that has not become completely o'ergro0n is an incredible rarity in the 0orld" and all of that has long since been claimed by the 0arlords or the sorcerer-!ings. 7any of the remaining cities ha'e been built 0ithin the crumbling remains of those left from before the end" cro0ding along the coasts of ri'ers" la!es" and oceans. These are almost in'ariably held under s0ay by the ineffable 0hims of the )riesthood. here'er one can gain a fleeting sense of security" one also must ha'e to sacrifice liberty. 7agic seems to ha'e not only returned to human!ind. The forests are" perhaps" the most dangerous place in the 0orld. Technology begins to ineBplicably brea! do0n and malfunction" the further one strays from ci'ili>ation" but there is no0here 0orse than deep 0ithin the forests" 0here technology Cust doesnDt 0or! at all. E'en more primiti'e implements such as compasses can often lead one astrayF the magic imbuing the place seems to disrupt natural as 0ell as artificial magnetic fields. This may also contribute to some of the more subCecti'e eBperiences" deep in the 0oodsF spending too much time in the 0ilds can lead to di>>iness" confusion" eBhaustion" and anBiety. These effects seem to be particularly bad to those 0ith natural magical talent of their o0nF not only does magic freAuently misfire or go astray" but but it is more eBhausting for the caster to carry through. orse" it seems that many flora and fauna 0ithin the forests and Cungles seem naturally attracted to magic" >eroing in on the errant caster" often ignoring their companions completely. ,ery fe0 animals still d0ell 0ithin the forests" and those that do are monstrous. The plants themsel'es" it seems" ha'e become the chief predators" preying both upon each other" and anything else that 0anders too far in 0hether for folly or for food. 7any ha'e changed into things unrecogni>able from 0hat they may once ha'e been" de'eloping bulbous" tuberous" 'ining" stic!ing" and piercing structures to assist in their predations. :early e'ery predatory plant can eBhibit short bursts of incredible gro0th" draining storage organs and shri'elling pseudobulbs in order to achie'e these 0ild grasps. 6oots" stems" and e'en flo0ers are often co'ered in minute hairs" 0hich sense something brushing against them" or e'en 0al!ing o'er the ground abo'e" and stimulate the plant to stri!e. These hairs can also ser'e another purpose as 0ellF many are pac!ed full of potent crystalli>ed toBins" causing s!in that brushes against them to burn" scab" or e'en necroti>e. 7any pollens ser'e a double-duty as soporific agents" lulling the breathers into a narcotic sleep. &pines and mucilaginous glands along the lea'es and stems further ser'e to deli'er the plantsD predatory payloads to their unsuspecting 'ictims. 2nce bound by rapidly-gro0ing 'ines" disabled by poison or inCury" or simply eBhausted from fighting bac! cruel nature" the plants slo0ly gro0 o'er their 'ictims. Ad'entitious roots pour out of any part of the plant and di'e into the flesh" dra0ing out nutrients as they eBude en>ymes that brea!s do0n the tissue. E'en calcium is dra0n out from the bones" e'entually" lea'ing nothing as e'idence after only a couple 0ee!s. )eople 'enturing into the forests" 0hether for ad'enture or for forage" often do not return. 6escue parties are a rare sightF usually once someone has been attac!ed" there is 'ery little chance of sur'i'al. :e'ertheless" the sight of a scarred" scabbed indi'idual is not an uncommon one 0ithin the settlements nearest to the forests. &ome are e'en permanently disfigured from their eBperiences in the 0ild. +t is sheer folly to 'enture 0ithin the 0oods alone" so oftentimes a member of an ad'enturing group 0ill ta!e a misstep and be attac!ed by feral foliage" and for the rest of their li'es bear the mar!s of the encounter. =et the incredible bounty promised 0ithin the forests continues to dra0 the bra'e and the desperateF despite all of the deadliness" there is also an abundance of edible fruits" roots" and fungus. 7any nomadic groups tra'el from forest to forest" foraging and sca'enging 0ithin for items of subsistence and trade" as 0ell as for the components of 'aluable medicines 0hich they can produce. +t is unreasonable" therefore" to ma!e any sort of attempt to destroy the forests 0holesale" despite the threat they present" because it is counterbalanced by their incredible fecundity of natural resources.
**-1=-:# Jaydot &loane
The Wol#es of Thanatos

1y *hris #undon hen predators rise in the food chain and e'entually hit the top" it is seldom that they remain in that place unchallenged. Gi'en enough time" other predators 0ill reali>e their potential and e'ol'e into a threat to the complacent. The 0i>ards of the orld 6eborn Auic!ly asserted themsel'es as the dominant species across the de'astated lands" but in many places across the lands there 0as no room for shared po0erF 0i>ard fell upon 0i>ard in desperate struggles to be the strongest among them. +t is often 0hen these 0i>ards hunt alone that they fall 'ictim to another predator" one that hunts them specifically. 9ittle is publically !no0n about the ol'es of Thanatos" other than they seem to specifically target 0i>ards throughout the 0astelands. The fe0 facts people ha'e scraped together range from ama>ing to horrifying. i>ards ha'e suddenly 'anished in the night" e'en from their o0n lairs. The 'ast maCority is ne'er seen again" and looters 0ho descend on the riches of the missing 0i>ards say that" despite clear signs of a struggle ha'ing occurred" their libraries and artifacts are freAuently intact. Their numbers arenDt !no0n" nor has a base of operation been identified. The greatest Auestion" though" is ho0 theyDre able to ta!e do0n such immensely po0erful beings 0here many ha'e failed. 2n only a fe0 recorded occasions has a 0i>ard returned from going missing" and in e'ery case theyDre found crucified to the gates of a city" butchered li!e a s0ine and 0ith a loo! of unending terror on their faces. The reports from autopsies that are performed on the remains become loc!ed a0ay by the Techno)riests and those 0ho as! Auestions are either rebu!ed or Cailed. +nformation among the common fol! is little more than scary stories and rumors. Those in the inner circles of the Techno-)riests" though" !no0 much more about the ol'es than theyDre letting on. The bul! of 0hat is !no0n has been chronicled by a Jocelyn Albrecht" a young Techno)riest in training at the Grey *ity in The ,alley. Than!s to her efforts" 0e no0 !no0 that the ol'es of Thanatos are a band of fierce hunters 0ho prey specifically on 0i>ards. &he also learned that they seem to ha'e no political aspirations outside their o0n internal dealings" and their entire society is centered on the hunt itself. 1ut" most significantly" she 0as the first to disco'er one of the secret hunting techniAues of the ol'es; the ability to dampen magic. The actual method they use to produce the mysterious liAuid is guarded e'en fiercer than the !no0ledge of its eBistence" but the effects are no0 !no0n through obser'ation. The effects 0hen introduced en'ironmentally are profound; lo0 concentrations of the liAuid in the area and soil causes magic in the area to become significantly dampened. &uccessfully cast spells are 0ea!er" and some fi>>le before they can e'en manifest. &tronger concentrations intensified the effects. 6obbed of their potent offensi'e and defensi'e abilities" 0i>ards fall as if they 0ere mere lambs. 7ost intriguing 0as 0hen the ol'es seemed to begin eBperimenting in the AssassinDs arts. +n one situation obser'ed by a spy planted in a 0i>ardDs home" the 0i>ard 0as drin!ing from a cup of tea 0hen he suddenly cho!ed and fell to the floor" sha!ing before going unconscious. The 0i>ard reco'ered se'eral minutes laterG and his connection to the ley lines had been completely se'ered. Ee could no longer summon a light" let alone summon a creature or a lightning bolt. The spy reco'ered some of the tea" 0hich tested positi'e for the dampening poison. e donDt !no0 if the effect 0as permanent" thoughF the ol'es raided the lair hours later and the spy barely escaped 0ith his life. *ombining the effects of their dampening poisons and brutal combat techniAues 0ith tactics that border on terrorism" the ol'es of Thanatos ride a thin line bet0een being praised as sa'iors of the populace from the 0i>ards and deeply feared for their horrific and eBtreme methods. 7any 0onder 0hat 0ill happen if all of a regionDs 0i>ards are slain" dri'en into hiding or mo'e on to less hostile lands. ill the ol'es mo'e on" or 0ill they remain and loo! for ne0 preyL ithout !no0ing 0ho they are or 0hat their true purpose is" speculation runs rampant.
The %aces
1y 1rian 9iberge
3 Generations After The End ?3GATE@ is designed to be a primarily humancentric setting. ThatDs great in a lot of 0ays. Eumans are the dominant race in most 6)G settings" and are certainly the stars of most modern media. +tDs easy for us to relate on a common le'el 0ith them" as 0ell as imagining them competing in a fantastic 0orld.
Eo0e'er" many systems also support the idea of multiple player races and 3GATE is easily eBpanded to include those. After humans" the 1eastmen are the most prominent race. *reated by the early 0i>ards after the great apocalypse" the beastmen are po0erful men and 0omen infused 0ith bestiality of nature. &ome are still under the control of 0i>ards but many still escaped to the 0ilderness" forming their o0n tribes. 7any races are naturally suited for beastmen as they already represent creatures 0ho are part man" part animal. 7inotaurs" li>ardfol!" shifters" and thri-!een are all eBcellent choices. +f you 0ant to get creati'e" ta!e a good loo! at the mechanics for the race and re-s!in for different animals as needed. Gnolls are an eBcellent template race 0hen playing #$# %E. They get bonuses for hunting in groups" and their feats allo0 them to become eBcellent trac!ers or gain a natural cla0 0eapon. These traits could be used to represent any number of animals in the 0orld. 1eastmen are also naturally suited to 0or!ing in a miBed party. &ome are already allied 0ith the 0i>ards" 0hile others ha'e a natural reason to oppose them" so humans from either area could find reasons to 0or! 0ith them. TheyDre less
naturally suited to the cities of the techno-priests" but in fantasy your characters are already eBceptional. They could be con'erts" prisoners 0or!ing to0ard release" or maybe they 0ere an eBperiment left behind and freed by the priests. #epending on the le'el of artifact technology you 0ant to play 0ith" the techno-priests offer another great race idea" that of the robot" cyborg" or android. The 0arforged of #$#" the gearforged of 7idgard" and the giant robot of 1ig Eyes" &mall 7outh are all great mechanics to use for these races. =ou could be a ne0 creation" an eBperiment of the techno-priests and the ultimate representation of manDs 0orship of technology. )erhaps you 0ere found and only recently reacti'ated. 7any high tech labs 0ould be outside of the city and in secret locations" lea'ing you to ally 0ith the first 0illing humanoids you can find. =ou may e'en ha'e been around since the apocalypse" remembering the old 0orld. Tal! to your G7 about this option first. 7any things from the past may need to be a secret to allo0 proper eBploration and disco'ery. 7aybe your character 0as a simple 0or!er drone before" and ne'er learned of life outside a three bloc! radius" or it could be that years of poor maintenance ha'e ruined your memory" gi'ing you glimpses of the past in short" confusing bursts" ma!ing you a modern oracle. (inally there are the deepest areas of the 0ild" 0here technology ceases to function" and the beastmen roam 0ith unforgi'ing sa'agery. (e0 dare to tread here" and e'en fe0er return to spea! its tales. &ince magic returned 0ith the apocalypse" the
secrets held here could be the source of the most fantastic racial options. )erhaps technology doesnDt function here because of magicDs rich 'eins. (ey lines could emanate from these >ones" and perhaps their hearts are portals to other planes. 2ne might stumble into cities of humanityDs mythic past; the mines of d0ar'es and gnomes" tree-top el'en 'illages" or roaming tribes of goblins and giants. 9i!e humans" members of these races may feel compelled to bra'e the un!no0n and eBplore the 0astes outside their hidden sanctuaries. hat happens 0hen they lea'e" thoughL #oes their magic changeL #o they themsel'es become 0arped by the apocalypseL hat grand creations might come into being if d0ar'en master craftsman 0ere to 0or! 0ith the technopriestsL hate'er you decide" use it to build the lore of your 0orld" and ha'e a grand ad'enture.
10
Technology is Magic
1y 1rian 9iberge
to ma!e as a group if you 0ant to include these classes as an option for your players. 1y default" there is no di'ine magic in 3GATE. The apocalypse brought bac! the 0i>ards and 0itches of old" but not the gods. The easiest 0ay to deal 0ith di'ine magic is to ban it outright. That means no paladins" clerics" or oracles" at least not in the mechanical sense. +nstead" these characters 0ould ta!e classes li!e engineer" artificer or alchemist. hen they step into battle" no godly force inter'enes more than the ad'anced technology that only they seem to be able to master. +n this 0ay" a priest could appear 'ery differently depending on the tech le'el of the city he hails from. + imagine something li!e *arl from ,an Eelsing" 0earing simple bro0n robes" and then pulling out cloc!0or! rifles" and numerous 0ondrous items created from astounding future tech repaired into ne0 uses. 2n the opposite end" a priest from The .eepers of &yrinB might dress in a perfect suit" accessing databases remotely 0ith nanoimplants" and calling laser stri!es do0n from satellites. Either style 0or!s" and thereDs no reason 0hy they canDt eBist in the same campaign. hich brings me to the other 0ay to run things" and the point of the opening Auote; Allo0 di'ine classes" but play all their abilities as the result of technology. A searing bolt spell is really a 0rist laser. Eealing 0ith a 9ay on Eands
6eligion meetsTechnology by 6in>e ind on (lic!r
HAny sufficiently ad'anced technology is indistinguishable from magic.I NArthur * *lar!e
ability isnDt the 0or! of the gods but ad'anced ointments or biorepairing nanobots. E'en a pillar of di'ine fire doesnDt need to come from the hea'ens but from a satellite" or a tossed 'ial of properly miBed chemicals. The priest might understand the technology he 0or!s 0ith" or he may only !no0 the ritual of it all and really belie'e itDs the 0or! of the gods. The gods did" after" all gi'e the priests the holy teBts to tell them ho0 to accomplish these miracles. 9i!e any good technology" some people seem to be naturally gifted or ha'e a calling. Then again" sometimes no matter 0hat you do it Cust 0onDt 0or! until someone breathes on it the right 0ay. &ounds li!e the 0or! of gods to me. ThereDs no need to ma!e it all one 0ay or the other. )erhaps the re-fluffed di'ine characters only come from the more ad'anced cities" or represent those that are naturally gifted in understanding technology. They may be in the same party 0ith another priest 0ho is Cust as de'out" but their technology eAuates to only to a fe0 special items" and play a fighter mechanically. These differences can gi'e depth to your 0orld" as long as they retain lin!s to each other. +t shouldnDt loo! li!e 0hole different 0orlds happened to be neBt to each other for the sa!e of the ad'enture. 7a!e sure some things carry o'er" e'en if its Cust a fe0 symbols" sayings" and beliefs.
+n most of the cities 0ithin the post-apocalyptic 0orld of 3 Generations After the End" the priests rule. These are 'ery different men of the cloth than 0e see in our current time. These priests do not re'ere an unseen god or the 0ords of prophets translated from ancient tomes and scrolls. +nstead" they 0orship the remnants of a once great society" pulling 0ords from )#(s of technical manuals on computer tablets. +n most fantasy tabletop games" a priest or cleric" is 'ery different thing from our techno priests. +n #$#" clerics are 0arriors of their god" able to 0ield di'ine magic to smite foes. +tDs a 'ery different style" and you ha'e some choices
11
The Monsters
1y 1rent ). :e0hall
All images in this 7onsters section ?eBcept for the image of the Trill@ are by )eter &ec!ler" and 0ere released under a *reati'e *ommons Attribution 3.0 Knited &tates 9icense.
%atfol0
6atfol! are intelligent enough to use tools" but remain sufficiently feral that they can rarely be reasoned 0ith. 6atfol! usually attac! any creatures that in'ade their territory ?0hich is usually a se0er beneath a crumbling city@. They lo'e 0ater" and li'e in half-submerged nests stuffed 0ith sca'enged food and belongings. +n combat" they prefer to s0arm enemies.
12
4izzies
)eople eBposed to strange energies mutate into these small" sa'age" li>ard-li!e humanoids 0ith limited intelligence. 9i>>ies are smarter than" say" ratfol! and ha'e their o0n primiti'e societies. *lans of ten to fifty li>>ies are usually led by a shaman 0ho performs bloody rites and leads the clan on raids for sacrifices and sla'es. That is the other problem 0ith li>>ies; they lo'e collecting sla'es" 0ho do much of the hea'y lifting in li>>ie societies before being sacrificed to their inscrutable gods. +n combat" li>>ies prefer to stay at range" using their slings to great effect. The clanDs shaman 0ill also attempt great feats of magic.
CC-ATT-ND Jaydot Sloane
13
Arachnoid
These mutated creatures are actually Auite sentient" and are slo0ly building their o0n subterranean !ingdom. They occasionally burst to the surface" attac!ing human outposts for food and sla'es ?0hich may be the same thing@. Though sentient" they are not particularly intelligent" relying on brute force tactics and numbers. Tales are told of a telepathic de'ice that allo0s the arachnoids to mold sla'es into mindless fighters.
1%
Trill) the Carni#orous Plants

Trill are dangerous because of their stealth. They lay out their tentacleseach dozens of yards longalong the forest floor, where they appear to be normal roots. When a meal approaches, the tentacles grip the trills prey and, secreting a dulling poison, pulls the struggling creature towards the trills sticky mouths.
'Carnivorous Plant (Tattoo Design)' by Paul Stratton (used with permission)
1/
+e,on
Occasionally, a wizard will get the bright idea to summon a demon to help around the house. It ne er ends well. !emons are solitary creatures" they ne er work with others, e en their own kind. #ost of the demons summoned so far ha e been brutes, intelligent enough to take direction and e$change a few words. !emons prefer to charge into battle, howling and dominating enemies with their glowing eyes and slashing at the rest.
13
The Ene,ies
7any of the monsters you face 0ill be all too human.
All images in this 7onsters section are by Jeff )reston" and 0ere released under a *reati'e *ommons Attribution 3.0 Knported 9icense.
&andits
%andits cling together to get safety in numbers. The most feared group of bandits in the &alley are those led by a mysterious, cloaked and masked man known only as !readnought.
18
+readnought) &andit Captain

'ittle is known of !readnought. (es a smart bandit leader, but is generally brutal and bloodthirsty in battle.
14
To,as the Warlord

Tomas united the people of his kingdom, )tronghold, with the promise of safety. (es mostly made good on that promise, but life in )tronghold is hard. Tomas sees the world in black and white terms* wizards are unnatural and should be killed.
15
"hedra the "orceress

)hedra is rarely seen, e en inside her own domain of )anctuary. )he usually sends her priestesses to collect supplies for her strange rituals. In persona, )hedra is calm and mysterious, always seeking her own ends.
20

3 Generations After The End

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3 Generations After The End

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3 Generations After The End

A System-Agnostic Post-Apocalyptic Setting

jeff jones (order #3335840)

Wizards Are Powerful And eared

"a#age $ature Abhors Technology

**-1=-:# Jeff )reston

The Apocalypse Introduced Magic

Techno!Priests Control the Cities

%egions Are Controlled &y Wizards 'r Warlords