NAKADE 2020

42XX
Post-apocalyptic Exploration
RULES
PLAY: Players describe what their characters do.
The GM advises when their action is impossible,
requires extra steps, demands a cost, or presents
a risk. Players only roll to avoid risks.
ROLLING: Roll a d6 skill die—higher with a
relevant skill, or d4 if hindered by injury or
circumstances. If helped by circumstances, roll
an extra d6; if helped by an ally, they roll their skill
die and share the risk. Take the highest die.
1–2 Disaster. Suffer the full risk. GM decides if
you succeed at all. If risking death, you die.
3–4 Setback. A lesser consequence or partial
success. If risking death, you’re maimed.
5+ Success. The higher the roll, the better.
If success can’t get you what you want (you pull
at the artefact, but it’s molten into the rock!), you’ll
at least get useful info or set up an advantage.
LOAD: Carry as much as makes sense, but more
than one bulky item may hinder you at times.
CHARACTERS
► Choose your character’s team specialty.
EXPERT: Skilled in Appraisal (d8) and either
History (d8), Biology (d8) or Geography (d8). Take
a set of tools and brushes.
SURVEYOR: Skilled in Scavenging (d8) and either
Endurance (d8) or Survival (d8). Take a portable
shelter and binoculars.
DIRECTOR: Skilled in Command (d8), Survival
(d8), or pick one at d10. Take an emergency
firearm and comms beacon (bulky, allows
communication with space). One per team.
MEDIC: Skilled in First Aid (d8, use to stabilise
condition) and Surgery (d8, use in secure location
to treat wounds). Take a medkit and distress
beacon (bulky).
TECHNICIAN: Skilled in Repair (d8), Electronics
(d8, use to operate equipment). Take repair tools
and a rugged field computer (bulky).
► Choose your character’s origin.

ADVANCEMENT: After a mission, increase a skill DROID: You were manufactured to survive in a
(none→d8→d10→d12), requisition equipment. harsh environment. Take quadrupedal (increased
stability, climbing) or bipedal (increased height)
DEFENSE: Say how one of your items breaks to
locomotion, and a reinforced shell (break for
turn a hit into a brief hindrance. Broken gear is
defense). No need to eat or drink, recharge in
useless until repaired.
sunlight.
HARM: Injuries must be stabilised, and take time
SPECIALIST: You trained from youth for this
and well as medical aid to heal. If killed, make a
mission. Apply 3 skill increases (from no skill
new character to be dropped in ASAP.
→d8→d10→d12). You can take new skills and/or
RUNNING THE GAME: Lead the group in setting increase skills you already have.
lines not to cross in play. Fast-forward, pause, or
BELTER: You made your living surviving amongst
rewind/redo scenes for pacing and safety, and
the harsh asteroid belts. Take a skill increase
invite players to do likewise. Present dilemmas
(Survival or Scavenging). You can carry three
and problems you don’t know how to solve. Move
bulky items before getting hindered, and can
the spotlight to give everyone time to shine. Test
survive for two weeks without food without being
periodically for bad luck (e.g., run out of food) —
hindered.
roll d6 to check for (1–2) complications or (3–4)
signs of danger. Offer rulings to cover gaps in the ► Choose or invent skills (if prompted by origin).
rules; resolve unsatisfying rulings as a group
Appraisal, History, Biology, Geography,
during break.
Scavenging, Endurance, Survival, Command, First
Aid, Surgery, Repair, Electronics, Climbing,
 GEAR YOUR TEAM
► Weight is limited: Take a field communicator ► Invent or roll for team details.
(ground comms only), rations for 7 days, a water TEAM NAME (Roll 2d10)
purifier, and 2 pieces of gear.
1 Aeon 1 Legion
◻ Hardsuit (break x3 for defense) 2 Starlight 2 Force
◻ Environmental suit (protects against extreme 3 Hope 3 Lightbearers
temperatures and recycles water). 4 Aegis 4 Trailblazers
5 Reclamation 5 Trust
◻ Farmkit (selection of seeds, soil testing kit,
6 Return 6 Team
fertiliser).
7 Landfall 7 Unit
◻ Multi-purpose scanner (heat, movement, 8 Renaissance 8 Deployment
night-vision). 9 Earthshot 9 Passage
10 Union 10 Wanderers
◻ Portable shelter (covers one, protects against
elements and collects energy using photocells). TEAM INSIGNIA

◻ Rebreather helmet (Supplies oxygen and 1 Map of Earth 6 Drop pod design
protects against poisonous gases for up to 1 2 Three stars 7 Salvaged patch
hour per use). 3 Earth and Moons 8 Sprouting plant
4 Solar system 9 Human hand
◻ Medkit (Treats mild to medium injuries) 5 Union emblem 10 Combine 2

OBJECTIVES MISSION CONTROL (Roll 1d10)

1 Janus, cautious and warm AI

► What are the goals of your team?
BASE: Establish a forward base with comms
beacon and drop point for future expeditions.
SURVIVE: Brave the wastes for 1d12 weeks, until
supplies arrive or a relief team follows you down.
REGREEN: Establish viable and sustainable
farmland by finding a suitable source of water
and soil.
2 Lee Lai Ming, brilliant researcher
3 William, cold, wizened commander
4 Howitzer, trailblazing prodigy
5 Morrigan, calculating statistician
6 Qadir, concerned historian
7 Se-jeong, heavy-hearted belter
8 Titus, optimising guidance unit
9 Blake, bubbly and optimistic control
10 “Horus”, pessimistic young director

SURVEY: Map out an area for future settlers to

reference, taking note of any landmarks or
significant remains.
RESCUE: A previous team has gone missing. It’s
your job to retrieve them or their data.
REINFORCE: A previous team has requested
backup. It’s your job to link up and bring
additional supplies.
RECLAIM: Find or relocate an artefact, lost trove
of technology or point of conflict.
SURVIVAL RULES
> Overall, you can live…
- 3 minutes without oxygen
- 3 days without water
- 3 weeks without food
> After 1 week without food, you are hindered.
> After 2 weeks without food, you can no longer
carry bulky items.
> Unclean food/water carries the risk (1 in 8) of
infection, which must be treated with a medkit or
similar technology.
 Earth is a wasteland, devastated by war and ► Roll d6 to determine landfall preparations.
extraction. The remnants of humanity fled to the 1–2 Initial wave
stars. Now the Union Survey Corps (USC) prepares 3–4 Forward base established
for a return to the forgotten world... 5–6 Limited settlements

► Roll d20 for a location ► Roll d20 for a discovery

1 Combine 2 locations (Reroll doubles) 1 Combine 2 objects (Reroll doubles)

2 Crashed O’neill Cylinder from the System War
3 Forgotten missile silo with decaying munitions
4 Subterranean bunker city with sealed gate
5 Remains of mobile climate refugee camp
6 Collapsed residential tower, ship embedded
7 Scorched plains with noxious atmosphere
8 Submerged ruins of coastal metropolis
9 Missile impact crater, trace radiation remaining
10 Destroyed USC settlement, recently abandoned
11 Crushed sculpture or art installation
12 Massive help sign made from plastic garbage
13 Significant cultural landmark, half-buried
14 Collapsed spine of space elevator
15 Remains of forgotten academic institution
16 Failed regreening project, fallow earth
17 Anti-UV biodome, roof long since collapsed
18 Overgrown city transformed into jungle
19 Nanite-controlled malfunctioning manufactory
20 Regenerating high tech walled community
► Roll d12 for a complication
2 Planetary defence system controls
3 Nuclear missile launch device/launch codes
4 Preserved copy of holy text from lost religion
5 Location of seed vault/time capsule
6 Memorial plaque for ancient war
7 Last message by survivors of the apocalypse
8 Relatively intact plastic toy or tool
9 Jury-rigged distress beacon
10 Half-constructed, weathered escape rocket
11 Sample of unmutated flora deep underground
12 Broken ancient data storage device
13 Carved concrete tablets, detailing history
14 Operational self-sustaining nanite swarm
15 Fissure leading to untapped aquifer
16 Crashed USC pod carrying 1d6 gear/supplies
17 Protein-based food substitute container
18 Active autonomous mining platform
19 Another USC landing team
20 Roll again. On a 20, you discover a survivor
► Roll d20 for another team (Ally/backup/rival)

1 Combine 2 complications (Reroll doubles) 1 Combine 2 teams (Reroll doubles)

2 Crevice separating you from goal
3 Structure/object is extremely fragile
4 A shortage you have worsens
5 Weather begins to worsen (storm, flood etc.)
6 Pathway/doorway obstructed by debris/plants
7 Objective is further away than you think
8 You find another USC team in need of rescue
9 Structure/object is trapped/molten/destroyed
10 The team is separated
11 Equipment malfunction (E.g. comms outage)
12 Time is wasted/lost (thirst, hunger, rest etc.)
► Roll d4 for a wound development (1/3 days)
1 No change (Wound remains stagnant)
2 No change
3 Healing (Progress dependent on severity)
4 Infection (Requires urgent treatment)
Version 1.1. Text by Nakade. Inspired by 2400 from Jason Tocci. Art BY BEEPLE.
2 Homesteader Force, regreening expert team
3 Pioneer Squad, scouting and mapping team
4 Neo-American League, rookie settlers
5 Belt Homecoming Squad, veteran belters
6 201st Martian Expeditionary Force, explorers
7 Code Tekumel, privately funded archaeologists
8 Team Tensor, physicists investigating radiation
9 Sino Redevelopment Group, Chinese settlers
10 Jovian Consortium, private interest prospectors
11 Orbital Manufacturing, automated salvage crew
12 USC Marine Team 1, elite security force
13 Shinsekai Conglomerate, Japanese ecologists
14 Lunar Outreach Program, Lunarian regreeners
15 USC Emergency Team 6, medical specialists
16 Reclamation Squad, artefact hunters
17 USC Monitor Team 5, neutral observer force
18 Project Endurance, belter nation-claiming effort
19 USC Command Team 9, localised control squad
20 Mappa Mundi, geographers and cartographers