polaris rpg - quickstart

8/16/2019 POLARIS RPG - Quickstart

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Q U I C K S TA R T G U I D E

TM

P � L A R I S

For Promotional Use Only - Not For Sale Or Resale

N O W O N

Rossi (order #9016322)


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E Q U I N O X

H E G

E M O N Y

M E D

I T E R R A N E A N

U N I O N

C O R A L

R E P U B

L I C P

O L A R A L L I A N C E

R E D L E A G U E

TheWorldoft

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A N D T H E G R E A T N A T I O N S



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TM

P �

L A R I Sby Philippe Tessier

The Polaris RPG is set in a far future where the worldaboveground has become uninhabitable for the hu-man species. Human beings have found refuge in thedepths of the ocean, where they try to somehow sur-vive in spite of the many difculties they encounter inthis hostile environment. The species’ degeneration

(characterized by the increasing number of sterile in-dividuals and various genetic mutations), the perpet-ual wars that have ravaged entire colonies, the mon-sters, and, above all, the difculty of exploiting naturalresources are the immediate problems encounteredby this civilization.

In this new world of silence and darkness, play-ers can choose to become agents of one of theunderwater factions, mercenaries working to

keep aoat, or freelancers trying to establish theirown communities. No matter which side they pick,they will discover that nothing is completely blackor white, and that humankind will need to uniteagainst a common adversity if it wants to survive.

Meanwhile, they will have to ght against all oddsand gear up as best they can, buying preciousbreathing mixes or uids. They will need to tin-ker, patch up, and stitch together their vessels.Luck may smile upon them when they discoverbrand-new equipment or one of the stashes left

behind by the ominous Empire of the Geneticians.Their fate will be much darker if they happen tostumble upon raiders or pirates. Adventurers will,however, get a chance to gain fame and even in-uence the world’s destiny through their actionsand discoveries. Humankind is in need of heroes,and empires can sometimes be born from simpleideals.

All these elements and many others make up the

backdrop of this universe in which one great mys-tery prevails: the Polaris Flux (also called Flux orPolaris Effect ).



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H

umankind was forced to ee from

the surface and nd shelter inthe seas. Why, you ask? We can’texactly answer that anymore. It seems ourexile has affected our memory in some way.What we know for sure, is that the worldwe came from was ravaged by a war anda climatic catastrophe, and was foreverchanged. Water engulfed huge parts of thedry lands; 12-mile-deep faults opened at thebottom of the sea; the surface became uninhabitable.Over centuries, we learned how to live inthis new and utterly hostile environment.

We succeeded thanks to the intervention ofsome mysterious beings, the Geneticians ,who offered us the technology we neededto survive. There was however, a price topay—the price of servitude. We eventuallyrebelled against these enigmatic masters,and the Azure Alliance overthrew their empire. We accomplished great deeds afterthe rebellion, and we even found ourselvesdreaming of a better future. However, thedreams of men are often short-lived. Ourquarrels smashed our union to pieces, and

very soon our personal interests were tak-

ing over again. The Alliance had crumbled,and, from the chaos that ensued, a myriadof small communities were born, each ofthem with their own objectives.Powerful nations were established: the He- gemony to the east of North America; theRed League to the west of South America;the Coral Republic around former Austra- lia; the Polar Alliance to the north of formerRussia; and the Mediterranean Union to thesouth of Europe.Conicts and rivalries once again brought

humankind to the brink of extinction, until

the Flux and its terrible destructive powerappeared. The Cult of the Trident was bornwith the discovery of this strange energy,originating from a nearby dimension. Whatthis energy is exactly, I do not know. Sometalk about a psychic force, a sort of universemade out of pure energy and radiation, anintangible manifestation of all that lives . . . Itremains a mystery. It is a fact however, thatsome individuals are able to see and manip- ulate what we call the Polaris Effect.The Priests of the Trident had kept the peace



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for years, with the help of a multinationaltask force, the Watchers . . . But once again,the thirst for power and scheming overcamethe will for peace. While an enemy known asthe Conscience effectively beheaded theCult of the Trident, eets from the Coral Re - public overwhelmed the other nations of theunderwater world. Devastated by civil war,the Hegemony, once the most powerful nation, resisted the invader by throwing all itsforces into the fray. This led to a simmering

conict that, to this day, still pollutes diplo - matic relations. The tensions between nations have never been as strong as they arenow. Although from time to time a few voicesare raised to try and nd a solution to this

crisis, no one knows what will happen.This conict has bled the underwater nations

dry. Many resources have been destroyed,and the great eets of vessels that the na - tions could once muster are now wrecksresting at the bottom of the ocean. Militaryforces are all but exhausted. The Watchers

are deeply divided and weakened . . . Neverhave the communities from the deep beenas isolated as they are today.Furthermore, other protagonists haverevealed themselves during this crisis.Contrary to what we had believed, the Ge- neticians have not disappeared. They stillwork secretly to implement their arcaneprojects. Strange beings known as Terna- sets conspire against humankind from theirabysses. And on the surface, a mysterious

organization, the Iron Enclave , attacks theinterests of the underwater states.And there is worse . . . What I have seen inthe Flux . . . The things that lurk there . . .

May the Trinity have mercy on us.

— DEMETER Master of the Cult of the Trident

According to an old Hegemonian saying, it is in the ocean’s darkness thatyou can really measure the courage of a man . . .

Another proverb, from a forgotten author before the time of the Exodus,says “when you gaze into the depths of an abyss, the abyss also gazesinto you”.



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ARCHETYPES

The vast underwater realm that is now home towhat is left of humankind consists of a multitudeof states, most of which are very small in size.They try to establish their idea of civilization andto participate, on their own level, in the rebuildingof a world in utter chaos. There are enormousdifferences between the communities. The mostpowerful ones have access to huge productionfactories and cutting-edge technology. The weak-

est, in other words, 99% of them, have to settlefor tinkering and bartering to survive. While theHegemony can produce gigantic vessels like theAtlantis, small states have to use all kinds of tricksto maintain two or three half-rusted cruisers inworking order and carry out the upkeep of theirunderwater microstations. This is a world of manycontrasts, where the high technology masteredby a few is contrasted with the arts of tinkeringand makeshift repairing imposed on the great

majority.

Equinox is a city whose proportions are truly colos-sal. The city is 4,000 meters high. It’s a huge octa-hedron, the central level of which is a square of fourkilometers by four kilometers. The whole structureuctuates in depth depending on the variationof the ow. Its base may reach a depth between-4,200 meters and -6,200 meters, and its top be-tween -200 meters and -2,200 meters.

This uctuation can be felt inside the city throughvibrations and the regular buzzing of the hugemachinery that moves the city and ensures itsstability. The rst time someone comes to Equi-nox, they need a certain amount of time to getused to the constant background noise.

Over 70% of the population of Equinox are huddledtogether in the 13 levels that make up the GreatBazaar. It is the largest existing market in theworld. You can nd pretty much anything and ev-erything on sale there.

“You have got to see this city at least once in your lifetime, to be crushed by its majesty. This gigantic structure seems as if

it lls the entire ocean, illuminating the water with its thousands of spotlights. It looks like a golden beehive with hundreds

of vessels and majestic mammals buzzing around it. When the currents that surround it unleash their immeasurable pow-

er, it appears as a ghost city adorned with lightning bolts, an underwater city veiled with mysteries and intrigues.”

— Statement from a League diplomat, during his rst visit to Equinox



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ARCHETYPE

Archetypes

DIPLOMAT

The states and factions of the entire world live in a very fragile

equilibrium, sustained by a perpetual war of inuence.

You’re not a soldier and yet your sphere of action—politics and

diplomacy—sometimes resembles a battleeld. No warships or

ries, but tight negotiations, secret deal-making, fragile accords,

encounters where what isn’t said is more important than the

ofcial declarations... Not all combat takes place with weapons

and, in these diplomatic battles, the tactics are no less complex

than in a conventional war.

Sometimes, conflicts break out, sadly. Then it’s neces-

sary to manage the crisis, find allies, and negotiate with

the enemy. You’re convinced that violence doesn’t re-

solve everything. It’s the last resort, and you know that

it’s possible to win a war without even having to fight,

through an effective diplomatic strategy. It’s too bad ifthis must be accompanied by more narrow-minded ma-

neuvers and discreet manipulations. The whole world is

just one big game o f chess for whi ch there a re no rules.

You were born in the Coral Republic where you were

trained to become a diplomat. For the last few years

you have been assigned to the diplomatic services in

Equinox. However, you a re seriously consi dering taking

an extended vacation to travel and see the world.

SKILLS

COMBAT (MELEE): Armed combat (1+8) 9

COMBAT (SHOOTING): Handguns (3+7) 10.

SOC. RELATIONSHIPS/COMMUNICATION: Eloquence/Persuasion(6+8) 14; Empathic analysis (5+7) 12; Socializing/seduction(6+8) 14.

KNOWLEDGE: Bureau cracy (6+5) 11; Educa tion/General culture(6+9) 15; Finding information (6+5) 11; Knowledge of a nation(Coral Republic, orig.) (6+13) 19; Knowledge of a nation (Equinox)(6+10) 16; Knowledge of an organization (Coral Republic politicalsphere) (6+5) 11; Knowledge of an organization (Cult of theTrident) (6+5) 11; Knowledge of a nation (Hegemony) (6+5) 11;

Science/Specialized knowledge (Political Science) (6+7) 13;Science/Specialized knowledge (Law/legislation) (6+5) 11;Science/Specialized knowledge (Geography) (6-3) 3; Science/Specialized knowledge (History) (6+2) 8.

LANGUAGES: Foreign language (Neo-azuran) (6+5) 11; Nativelanguage (Isitacian) (special) 19; Specialized language(Absolanese) (6+5) 11; Ancient language (Azuran) (6+5) 11.

SURVIVAL/OUTSIDE: Knowledge of an environment (underwatercities and stations )(4+4) 8

TECHNIQUES: Computing (6+5) 11; Espionage/Surveillance (6+7) 13.

SPECIAL SKILLS: Mental shield (4+9) 13.

STR CON COO ADA PER INT WIL PRE

BASE 8 10 10 12 14 16 14 18

N.A.* 0 1 1 1 2 3 2 3

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES

LUCK 13 REACTION 13

MELEE DAMAGE MODIFIER -1 DAMAGE RESISTANCE +0

STUN THRESHOLD 10 KNOCKOUT THRESHOLD 20

* Natural Ability

ATTRIBUTES

SAVINGS: 9,900 Sols

PERSONAL GEAR: Communication jammers (level 6),Communicator Global 12 + Computer (personal assistant, TL 4,Gen. 4), holdout pistol, concealed knife.



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ARCHETYPES

MARINE COMMANDO

You are not a si mple soldier.

You are a Special Forces soldier, and an expert in un-

derwater combat operations. The underwater world is

not made for humans, but you have evolved to survive

and fight in these icy waters. Now you're (almost) as at

ease as a Hybrid. Okay, you still need divi ng exo-armor,

but that's the kind of machine one feels safe in.

You can't help feeling a little superior to other soldiers.

Your missions are tough and need major tactical and

technical preparation. Everything must be organized

and planned. There's no room for improvisation. That's

the difference between you and the limited operations

run by simple grunts. They can die by the hundreds like

cannon fodder, hoping to overwhelm the enemy with

their numbers. You cost too much to be sent to the bat-

tle without minimum prepping.You were trained by the Mediterranean Union. You have

a perfect combat record and you were even an officer

for a while in the army. Then the Dark Reaper came, a

cyborg from the Polar Alliance who killed every member

of your team. Now you have left the army and you are

planning to go off on an adventure to find the Reaper…

Rumor has it that he has left the Polar army.

ATTRIBUTES

SAVINGS: 45,600 Sols

PERSONAL GEAR: Dagger, Typhoon diving exo-armor, Heavy pistol(with permit), Light handgun (supercavitation pistol), assaultrifle (supercavitation rifle), Plastitanium fibers armor (full).


BASE 14 14 16 16 16 11 14 9

N.A.* 2 2 3 3 3 1 2 0


LUCK 13 REACTION 16

MELEE DAMAGE MODIFIER +2 DAMAGE RESISTANCE -2


* Natural Ability

SKILLS

PHYSICAL ABILITIES: FOF breathing (4+6) 10, Underwater maneuvering

(4+10) 14

COMBAT (MELEE): Armed combat (5+5) 10 ; Hand-to-hand combat (5+8) 13;

Martial arts (Wrestling) (6+4) 10; Heavy weapons (Melee) (4+3) 7

COMBAT (SHOOTING): Handguns (6+10) 16; Heavy weapons (6+5) 11; Bows,

harpoon-launchers and crossbows (6+6) 12; Shoulder-fired weapons/

Rifles (6+8) 14.

KNOWLEDGE: Bureaucracy (2+1) 3;Education/General Knowledge (2+8) 10;

Knowledge of a nation (Mediterranean Union, orig.) (2+8) 10; Knowledge

of a nation (Polar Alliance) (2+6) 8; Knowledge of an organization

(Mediterranean Union army) (2+6) 8; Strategy (2+1) 3; Tactics

(commando operations) (4+7) 11.

STEALTH/SUBTERFUGE: Camouflage/Concealment (6-3) 3; Stealth/Silent

movement (6+0) 6.

LANGUAGES: Native language (Oceanian) (Special) 15; Sign language (6+3) 9;

Specific language (Neo-azuran) (2+7) 9.

PILOTING: Armor Maneuvering (Underwater exo-armors) (6+9) 15; Armor

Maneuvering (External exo-armors) (6+5) 11; Piloting (Ground vehicles)

(6+0) 6; Piloting (Underwater scooters) ( 6+1) 7.

SURVIVAL/OUTSIDE: Observation (5+5) 10; Orientation (6+5) 11; Survival

(4+0) 4. Knowledge of an environment (Oceans) (4+7) 11; Knowledge of

an environment (underwater cities and stations) (4+5) 9;

TECHNIQUES: Computing (2+1) 3; Electronics (2+3) 5; Mechanics (Exo-armors) (2+2) 4; Explosives (3+5) 8; Soundscan analysis (4+8) 12.



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ARCHETYPE

PILOT

Fast. Stealthy. Lethal. This is the basic vocabulary of a

good fighter pilot.

It's extremely difficult to fight in this dark and cold un -

derwater environment because you seldom see your

opponent directly. This means that you have to be cun-

ning, and play with the distances and reliefs of the sea

floors, swooping down on the enemy before he can even

detect you. Fighters are ideal tools for that kind of thing.

Without the human factor, however, the tool is nothing.

Whereas the biggest vessels can count on numerous

crew members, you are piloting your machine alone.

This means that you have to be the best, be versa-

tile, and be completely autonomous. At least you are

the only master and commander onboard! You have

trained hard to be what you have become today. You

deal with the hazards of the job, but you really hopethat someday your abilities will be fully appreciated. Af-

ter all, you often are on the front lines...

You were born in the Hegemony, with the identity nu-

mber OUR43268. Unfortunately, your tendency to not

listen to orders and your inability to break up a fight

have earned you a temporary suspension from duty.

Therefore, you have been sent to Equinox to join the

Watchers

ATTRIBUTES


PERSONAL GEAR: Computer (personal assistant, TN 3/Gen.3), Dagger, Heavy pistol, “last chance” pilot armor, secondhand Fulgur (worn : Integrity 20, Maneuverability 14, Damageresistance 0, Armor rating 7, Speed 21 knots/on credit, debt126,125),


BASE 14 13 13 17 14 16 12 10

N.A.* 2 2 2 3 2 3 1 1


LUCK 13 REACTION 15

MELEE DAMAGE MODIFIER +2 DAMAGE RESISTANCE -2 (-4)


* Natural Ability

SKILLS

PHYSICAL ABILITIES: Athletics (4+6) 10; Endurance (3+5) 8, FOFbreathing (3+5) 8

COMBAT (MELEE): Armed combat (4+6) 10; Hand-to-handcombat (4+0) 4


SOC. RELATIONSHIPS/COMMUNICATION: Leadership (2+1) 3.

KNOWLEDGE: Bureaucracy (6+4) 10; Cartography (6+2) 8;Education/General knowledge (6+9) 15; Knowledge of anation (Equinox) (6+4) 10; Knowledge of a nation (Hegemony,orig.) (6+5) 11; Navigation (6+2) 2; Science/Specializ ed

knowledge (Arms/weapons systems) (6-2) 4, Tactics (Navalcombat) (6+5) 11.

LANGUAGES: Native language (Olosakian) (Special) 18; Specificlanguage (Neo-azuran) (6+5) 11; Sign language (4+1) 5.

PILOTING: Armor Maneuvering (Underwater exo-armors)(5+1) 6; Piloting (Underwater fighters) (6+8) 14; Remotepiloting (6 +1) 7.

SURVIVAL/OUTSIDE: Observation (3+5) 8; Orientation (5+5) 10.Knowledge of an environment (Oceans) (6+4) 10; Knowledgeof an environment (Underwater cities and stations) (6+5) 11

TECHNIQUES: Computing (6+1) 7; Electronics (6–3) 3; Mechanics(Ships/Underwater Fighters) (6+1) 7; Onboard weapons/

artillery (6+6) 12; Soundscan analysis (6+6) 12.



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ARCHETYPES

PIRATE

"Prepare to board!" Such clamor is sweet to your ears...

You are a predator of the seas, proud of who you are

and of your blood brothers and sisters. Let the enemy

shake, because you'll never let anyone get in you r way.

Even if you enjoy fighting, you are not a mindless brute,

however; boarding a vessel needs a lot of cunning and

you are here to get rich, not die stupidly.

You know full well your occupation is legendary throughout

the seas. Many are the merchants who fear you, whether

they're right or wrong to do so. You are an outcast, but all

you want is to share the world’s riches more equitably!

Rumors about you make you smile. They think you're just

a bloodthirsty monster. Bullshit! You are no crueler than

many decorated generals... At least you can count on the

fear you inspire... Let's have a good catch, my fellow pi-

rates, and tonight the drink will ow freely!You have spent almost all your life in the Pirate Kingdoms,

moving from station to station, one crew after another.

The pirates have taught you everything you know and

you have joined a fellowship. Unfortunately, the group

was wiped out by the Watchers. It happened when you

had just found a treasure map… a real one. Now, all you

can do is try to gather a few people who are up for an

adventure to help you get your hands on this treasure.

ATTRIBUTES

SAVINGS: 9,200 Sols

PERSONAL GEAR: Exo-alpha underwater exo-armor, Heavypistol, Knife, Saber.


BASE 15 13 13 12 14 13 16 13

N.A.* 2 2 2 1 2 2 3 2


LUCK 13 REACTION 13



* Natural Ability

SKILLS

PHYSICAL ABILITIES: Acrobatics/Balance (4+1) 5; FOF breathing (5+0) 5,

Underwater maneuvering (4+8) 12

COMBAT (MELEE): Armed combat (4+12) 16; Hand-to-hand combat

(4+8) 12; Martial arts (wrestling) (3+7) 10.

COMBAT (SHOOTING): Bows, harpoon-launchers and crossbows (4+7) 11;

Handguns (4+8) 12; Shoulder-fired weapons/Rifles (4+7) 11; Throwing

weapons (4+8) 12.

SOC. RELATIONSHIPS/COMMUNICATION: Intimidation (5+5) 10.

KNOWLEDGE: Education/General Knowledge (4+6) 10; Gambling (5+5) 10;

Knowledge of a nation (Pirate nations, orig.) (4+5) 9; Navigation (4-3) 1;

Tactics (Special ops) (3+0) 3.STEALTH/SUBTERFUGE: Stealth/Silent movement (3+0) 3.

LANGUAGES: Native language (Ithraxian) (Special) 16; Specific language

(Neo-azuran) (4+3) 7.

PILOTING: Armor Maneuvering (Underwater exo-armors) (3+10) 13;

Armor Maneuvering (External exo-armors) (3+5) 8; Piloting (Light

ships) (4+0) 4, Piloting (underwater scooters) (3+7) 10; Remote

piloting (3+5) 8.

SURVIVAL/OUTSIDE: Observation (5+7) 12; Orientation (3+5) 8; Survival

(4+4) 8; Knowledge of an environment (Oceans) (3+9) 12; Knowledge

of an environment (underwater cities and stations) (3+5) 8

TECHNIQUES: Electronics (4+1) 5; Mechanics (Exo-armors) (4+5) 9;

Mechanics (Ships/Underwater Fighters) (4+3) 7; Explosives (4-3) 1;

Soundscan analysis (3+3) 6.Rossi (order #9016322)


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ARCHETYPE

SURGEON

You are an orphan, but you were taken into care by

Cortex, one of the greatest companies in the underwa-

ter world. You were taught by the best medical and

surgical specialists. You could have done one of the

great courses in cybertechnology, genetics, or in one

of the other prestigious disciplines, but you quickly

understood that your desire for independence and

your frank way of speaking would never open the right

doors for you.

So you turned to emergency surgery, an area of medi-

cine that matched your personality well but also hap-

pens to be the department of Cortex with the lowest

budget. You’re hardly rolling in money, but at least you

don’t lack for work, and you don’t soil your hands in

doubtful “medical” practices. Certainly, you too have

blood on your hands (it’s crazy, all the blood that ahuman body can lose), but for good reasons. Are you

an idealist? No, no more than most people. You simply

know that you enjoy a certain immunity: no one shoots

the guy who might save your life. That’s your secret:

the people whose lives you’ve saved are innumerable

and, among them, there are several high dignitaries

and even a few crime bosses. Those guys know that

they owe you one.

ATTRIBUTES

SAVINGS: 7,200 Sols

PERSONAL GEAR: portable lab, first aid kit, Computer (personalassistant, TN 3/Gen. 3), Medkit, 3 stabilizing patche s, lightpistol, knife, NBC suit


BASE 11 12 14 14 12 16 14 10

N.A.* 1 1 2 2 1 3 2 1


LUCK 13 REACTION 13



* Natural Ability

SKILLS

COMBAT (MELEE): Armed combat (3+6) 9; Hand-to-handcombat (3+6) 9.


SOC. RELATIONSHIPS/COMMUNICATION: Empathic analysis(4+0) 4; Intimidation (3+1) 4

STEALTH/SUBTERFUGE: Pickpocket (4+0) 4

KNOWLEDGE: Bureaucracy (6+3) 9; Finding information(6+2) 8; Education/Gene ral c ulture (6+6) 12; Knowledgeof a nation (Equinox, orig.) (6+8) 14; Knowledge of a nation(Coral Republic) ( 6+2) 8 ; Knowledge of an organizatio n

(Cortex) (6+5) 11; Science/Specialized knowledge (Biology)(6+5)11; Science/Specialized knowledge (Medicine)(6+10) 16, Science/Specialized knowledge (pharmacology)(6+5) 11; Science/Specialized knowledge (Physics/chemistry) (6+5) 11.

LANGUAGES: Foreign language (Azuran) (6+0) 6; Nativelanguage (Neo-azuran) (Special) 16; Specialized language(Metalan) (6-3) 3.

SURVIVAL/OUTSIDE: Knowledge of an environment(underwater cities and stations)(5+5) 10

TECHNIQUES: Computing (6+2) 8; First aid (5+14)19; Surgery(6+10) 16.



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ARCHETYPES

TECHNICIAN

Technology is great, as long as it's working properly.

And that's what your job is about. You are one of the

most respected people under the seas. Most people

make do with secondhand gear and breakdowns can

have dreadful consequences. Most of the time, nobody

pays attention to you, but at the first hiccup, you be-

come a living god. You've got to admit it's pretty cool!

You have chosen to be an exo-armor mechanic. Of

course, you'd rather work on new gear and seeing it

damaged pisses you off. However, you have no choice:

like everyone else you have to salvage, fix, patch up...

Nothing is lost and you turn into a true scavenger as

soon as you come across a wreck to salvage the spare

parts you need so badly. It's best not to get stranded

in the middle of nowhere without bei ng able to repair.

You were born in the Red League, in a medium sizedstation. You have had a gift for mechanical work ever

since you were a very young child. You have been a

member of the Working-class for a while before leaving

your nation to follow you dream: working in Equinox

and getting to meet great names like Malgo Eight-Legs.

You have bought a small workshop but you still need

money and tools. To get them, there’s nothing like wor-

king on the go... and looking for adventure.

ATTRIBUTES


PERSONAL GEAR: Portable computer (TN 3, Gen. 4), Electronictoolkit TN 2 (+1), Mechanical toolkit TN 2 (+1), Dagger(augmented damage +1), Medium pistol (extended range+10%, augmented damage +2).


BASE 11 12 15 12 12 16 10 9

N.A.* 1 1 2 1 1 3 1 0


LUCK 13 REACTION 12



* Natural Ability

SKILLS

COMBAT (MELEE): Armed combat (3+8) 11; Hand-to-handcombat (3+1) 4.


KNOWLEDGE: Bureaucracy (6+1) 7; Cryptography (6+6) 12;Education/General knowledge (6+5) 11; Knowledge of anation (Equinox) (6+5) 11; Knowledge of a nation, ori gin(Red Le ague) (6+8) 14; Science/Specialize d knowledge(physics/chemistry) (6+7) 13.

LANGUAGES: Native language (Olakar) (Special) 15; Specificlanguage (Neolan) (6+2) 8, Foreign language (Neo-azuran)(6+5) 11.

PILOTING: Piloting (underwater scooters) (2+1) 3; remotepiloting (4+9) 13; Armor Maneuvering (underwater exo-armor) (3+6) 9, Armor Maneuvering (external exo-armor)(3+7) 10

SURVIVAL/OUTSIDE: Knowledge of an environment(underwater cities and Stations) (4+5) 9

TECHNIQUES: Armory (6+5) 11; Computing (6+6) 12;Electronics (6+7) 13; Mechanics (Exo-armors) (6+9) 15;Mechanics (Ships/Underwater Fighters) (6+8) 14;Mechanics (Ge nerators/Life Su pport Syste ms) (6+8) 14;Security systems (6+7) 13, Traps (4+5) 9, Technicalengineering (mechanics/Electronics) (6+5) 11



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GAME SYSTE

Game system

The game system for the Polaris RPG 3rd Edition requiresstandard 6, 10 and 20-sided dice (d6, d10 & d20).

HOW TO USE YOUR SKILLS

The Success Probability for your skill test is equal to your

SKILL LEVEL + ANY DIFFICULTY MODIFIERS THAT MIGHT APPLY.

Example : The pirate (presented in this leaflet) tries to-

find drinking water in an abandoned Genetician depot. He

needs to make a Survival skill test to see if he’s success-

full with his research. His Survival Skill level is 9. He hassearched this depot before. The Gamemaster determines

that knowing where to find the necessary resources

would be a fairly easy task for him and grants him a +3

modifier. The Success Probability would then be 12 (9+3).

DIFFICULTY OF THE ACTION MODIFIER

Very easy +7

Easy +5

Fairly easy +3

Average +0

Difcult -5

Very difcult -7

Extremely difcult -10

HOW TO TEST YOUR ATTRIBUTES

Sometimes, a Test is not linked to a Skill but is insteaddirectly linked to an Attribute. For example, you can test acharacter’s Strength to see if he is able to lift a very heavyobject. In this case you simply use the level of the Attributein question.

ROLLING THE DICE

To work out the result of a Test, roll a D20:

If the result of the roll is EQUAL TO or LESS THAN the

Success Probability of the Test, the attempted action

has SUCCEEDED.

If the result of the roll is HIGHER THAN the Success Proba-

bility of the Test, the attempted action has FAILED.

SUCCESS OR FAILURE MARGINS

The Success Margin of a successful Test is equal to the resultof the roll (this is a direct reading: the aim is therefore toroll the highest possible score that is still below the SuccessProbability score).

The Failure Margin of a failed Test is equal to the number ofpoints over the character’s Success Probability (taking intoaccount the Difculty Modier).

SUCCESS MARGIN Degree of Success Success Modier

1–2 Just barely +0

3–4 Decent +1

5–6 Fairly good +27–9 Good +3

10–12 Very good +4

13–14 Excellent +5

15–19 Perfect +6

20–24 Extraordinary +7

FAILURE MARGIN Degree of Failure Failure Modier

1–2 Just barely +0

3–4 Mediocre -1

5–6 Fairly bad -2

7–9 Bad -3

10–12 Very bad -4

13–14 Terrible -5

15–19 Catastrophic +6

The Degrees of Success or Failure are descriptive terms.Among other things, they allow the Gamemaster to describemore precisely the result of the action: they are above allguides and narration tools to help develop the atmosphere.

CRITICAL SUCCESSES AND FAILURESCRITICAL SUCCESS

If the result of the roll is exactly the same value as the TotalSuccess Probability (thus taking into account the DifcultyModier), you score a Critical Success. In this case, youcan add the Mastery Level (the second value mentionedbetween parenthesis for each skill in the provided characterArchetypes) to the previously obtained score to increase

your Success Margin.



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GAME SYSTEM

CRITICAL FAILURE

If the die rolls a '20', then the result is a critical failure. In thiscase, roll the d20 again and add the result to the Test’s originalFailure Margin.

LUCK

Luck is an Attribute that can be used at the discretion ofthe Gamemaster to determine an event’s favorability towarda character or his group. The Test is a normal Random Test:the Player must roll a d20 and obtain a result lower thanor equal to the Luck level of his character. If the Test isa success, the events become favorable to the character orgroup of characters. A player can also spend a Luck point togain a clue from the GM or a +5 bonus on a skill or attributecheck.

OPPOSED TESTS

In these cases a character’s actions are confronted byanother character. In this case, we refer to an Opposed Test.This kind of Test is used during hand-to-hand combat, forexample.

Both characters rst determine their Success Probability.Then both roll their d20 and check whether or not their testis a success.

If only one character rolled below his Success Probability,he is the winner of the confrontation. His Success Margin isthe result of his die roll.

If both characters succeed at their Test, the winner ofthe confrontation is the one who obtained the highestscore on the die or the highest nal total after applyingany Critical Successes (so you need to roll a score lower than

your Success Probability, but higher than your opponent’sscore). The Success Margin of the winner is the number ofpoints he obtained over the loser’s score.

If both characters succeed at their Tests and get the samescore on the dice or the same nal total after applying anyCritical Successes, the result is considered to be a 'tie'. Theyboth succeed in performing their action, but neither of themmanages to take the upper hand. Both opponents’ SuccessMargins are 0.

SUMMARY OF A COMBAT ROUND

1. SURPRISE (IF APPLICABLE)

If one or more of the participants are at risk of beingsurprised by their opponents (ambush, sudden attack, etc.),they must perform a Reaction Test, to see if they can act.Characters who fail their Test in the rst Combat Round willhave a normal Initiative again during the following Round.

2. BASE INITIATIVE

For the Quick Start rules the Initiative of each character isequal to his Reaction Level.

3. RESOLVING THE ACTIONS

Actions are resolved in decreasing order of Initiative (the

fastest goes rst), during their respective Action Phases.Therefore, the character with the highest Initiative canact during the rst Action Phase. The Players perform anyrequired Tests in turn (any Attack Tests, for example), thenthe GM announces the Actions and their results.

TYPES OF ACTIONS

During a Combat Round, each character is given theopportunity to perform one of the following Actions:

◊

A MOVEMENT, to move around in the area of the ght.◊ A COMBAT ACTION, often an Attack in Melee Combat orwith a Ranged-Combat weapon.

◊ ANY OTHER SIMPLE ACTION that can reasonably beperformed in less than ve or six seconds.

◊ FREE ACTIONS are very fast actions that do not slowdown the character at all (saying a word, dropping an object,etc.). As these actions are almost instantaneous, we willconsider that a character can always perform a FreeAction, before, during, or after a normal Action.

ATTACK & DAMAGE

MELEE COMBAT

Melee tests are resolved through an Opposed Test made byeach of the two combatants rolling on the Skill their chosencombat technique is based on, which is determined by theweapon they are using: Heavy weapons, Armed combat, and Hand-to-hand combat.

RANGED COMBAT

A Shooting Test is a normal Test based on the appropriateSkill. The Difculty Modier is essentially based on twofactors: the distance to the target and its size. The two tablesbelow indicate the Modier to use:

DISTANCE Modifier

Point Blank Range +5

Short Range +0

Medium Range -5

Long Range -10

Extreme Range -15



15/24

GAME SYSTE

SIZE OF TARGET Modifier

Tiny (around 30 cm) -10

Very Small (around 50 cm) -5

Small (around 1 m) -3

Medium (human size) +0

Large (around 3 m) +3

Very Large (around 5 m) +5

DAMAGE AND WOUND POINTS

A character who hits his adversary will inict physicalDamage points equal to:

◊ In melee: Weapon Damage roll + Success Modier +character’s Melee Damage Modier.

◊ In ranged combat: Weapon Damage roll + SuccessModier

To this base total of damage, you must also add theModier for the target character’s Damage Resistance.

The nal total must be compared to the character’sWound Thresholds: every 5 points of damage increases theseverity of the wound by one threshold. The wound inictedcorresponds to the highest threshold crossed.

WOUND THRESHOLDS

Physical Wounds are classied depending on their levelof severity. Each level of Wound severity is associated witha xed Wound Threshold. As soon as the sum of physicalDamage Points inicted becomes equal to or larger than oneof these thresholds, the character receives the equivalentWound:

THRESHOLD Seriousness

5 Light Wounds

10 Moderate Wounds

15 Serious Wounds

20 Critical Wounds

25 Mortal Wounds

30 Sudden Death/Limb Destroyed

WOUND SCALE

The total number of Wounds that a character can receiveis limited. As soon as a character is wounded, the Playermust then tick one of the boxes in the Wound Scale of hischaracter sheet, as determined by the Wound Thresholdchart above, depending on the

Location of the hit and the severityof the wound.In each Location, when all of

the boxes of a line have beenticked and the characterreceives another Wound ofthe same severity, the Playershould then:

1. Tick a box in the nexthigher degree of severity.

2. Erase the Wounds noted in the boxes of thecompleted line.

Indeed, we will considerthat the total of the Woundsinicted at a certain levelof severity ends upcreating a wound of ahigher severity.

Wound Scale

WOUNDS HEAD BODY RIGHT ARM LEFT ARM RIGHT LEG LEFT LEG Penalties

Light (5) ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ -1

Moderate(10)

¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ -3

Serious (15) ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ -5

Critical (20) ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ -10

Mortal (25) ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Impossibleaction -15

Death/LimbDestroyed

Death Death ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Impossibleaction -30

Hit location

table

1D20 Location

1-2 Head

3-8 Body

9-11 Right arm

12-14 Left arm

15-17 Right leg

18-20 Left leg



16/24

The Polaris Effect lives inside all things and seems toconsciously act in certain circumstances. The manipulationof the Effect is still in its infancy.

Use of the Polaris Effect is achieved in two steps: rst thecharacter releases the Polaris energy that is inside him, then heshapes it into a specic form that will be the effect of the power.

Step 1 : In terms of game play, you must rst perform aMastery of the Polaris Effect Test to know if the character cansucceed in releasing the Polaris Effect while controlling it:

◊ On a Success, the character releases the Effect andmaintains control of it. He may then shape the Polaris Effectto use a specic power. Got to step 2.

◊ On a Failure, the Polaris Effect is poorly controlled, whichmay lead to consequences of varying severity (examples: temperature changes, pressure changes, noises, itching,dizziness, outages, seizures...).

ENERGY BOLTS

Number of energy bolts: 1 + Success Modier.

Damage: 2D10, +2 points per additional bolt. It is possibleto spread the energy bolts in order to attack severalopponents at once.

Range: 15 meters +/- Success Modier.Duration: 5 Combat Rounds +/- Success Modier.

This power creates a number of energy bolts that inict

physical damage. If the power is controlled, the PC chooseshis targets as long as he can see them. The attack Testis performed with the Energy bolts Skill. Armors andprotections are usually effective against this power.

If the power is not controlled, the bolts randomly strike at1D4 target(s) each Combat Round. An attack Test must beperformed with a Skill Level of 10 + Success Modier.

Molecular Healing

Note: the character can use this power on himself.

The character can heal physical wounds (Location by

Location). If the Test is successful, the healed Locationimmediately recovers a number of Wound boxes equal tothe Success Modier.

Disruption of Reality

Penalty to the actions : -1 - Success Modier.

Area of Effect: 5 meters in diameter +/- SuccessModier.

Max. Range from the center of the Area of Effect: 15meters +/- Success Modier.

Duration: 5 Combat Rounds +/- Success Modier. Reality seems distorted under the effect of thisdisruption. Distances can no longer be estimated, sensesare disturbed, etc. For the whole duration of the power,every Action performed in the spherical Area of Effectsuffers a penalty.

Step 2: To use a power of the Polaris Effect, you must

perform a Polaris Power test corresponding to the power used:◊ On a Success, the power is triggered and produces theexpected effects. The Success Margin allows you to increasethe effects of the power. See “Powers of the Polaris Effect”below.

◊ On a Failure, the power is not triggered (and nothingfurther happens).

Polaris Powers

Polaris Effect

GAME SYSTEM



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HAVOC ON IRMINGER

GM INTRODUCTIONThe Player Characters are hired by services from the Cult

of the Trident to negotiate the release of Oscar Pevler, Cultoperative captured by an obscure pirate group. The trade issupposed to happen in a small remote station to the east of whatis left of Greenland. Of course, not everthing is going to happenas planned, because the “package” is not who he claims to be.

Although there actually is a Trident agent called OscarPevler who was inltrating the Hegemony, he is actually dead,accidentally killed by Melane, the man who took his identity.The latter suffers from the Polaris effect, which he is unableto control, and Oscar wanted to take him to his leadership on

Equinox before he could become unstable and dangerous.Desperate, Melane encounters two pirates and introduceshimself as a Trident operative. To serve their commoninterest, Hans and Gilion offer to sell him to the Trident andinform the Cult that they are detaining him. Since they wantto raise the price, they also make an offer to the Hegemonybut make sure to keep Melane in the dark about it.

PLAYER INTRODUCTION

Read this to your players before starting the adventure:

“Your contact at the Cult of the Trident on Equinox (neu-

tral capital of the Polaris setting) has paid you 10,000Sols to travel and recover “the merchandise,” a person

from the organization. During the transaction, you need

to make sure that he actually is Oscar Pevler before con-

cluding the trade. In order to do so, all you have to do is

take a genetic sample from the individual, then scan the

sample with the analyzer you have been provided (the

only memorized DNA in the device is Oscar Pevler’s). If

he is an impostor, you need to head back to Equinox and

return the funds to your contact, minus 2,000 Sols for

your services.”

The adventure begins as the PCs approach the Irmingerstation. Feel free to tell the PCs what they know about thestation during the Player Introduction, or just after they dock.You can have the PCs make Science and/or Geography tests todetermined their level of knowledge about the station.

THE IRMINGER STATION

The Irminger Station is made of rather typical and quitedilapidated modules (reference: the colonists’ base in the

James Cameron’s Aliens movie). It is rather large and mostlyused as a resting station for miners who work and spendmost of their time a few miles to the west. The station countsabout fty permanent crew members, mostly technical andmaintenance staff, in charge of its upkeep. It is composed of a

central dome attached to several peripheral modules.Irminger is a neutral station, unafliated to any faction, but

its leaders have made a deal with the local pirates so thatthey can conduct their business and resupply. However, noweapon is allowed on the premises.

Whether they have their own vehicle or whether theTrident has provided one to them, the PCs are not allowed todock directly to the Irminger station, because of quarantineand security measures. Their vessel must rst join acylindrical structure equipped with several docking airlocks,then wait for one of the station’s shuttles to pick them up.This structure can accept up to four small submarines, andone is already docked when the PCs arrive.

After they arrive, the PCs can leave their vehicle and enterthe cylindrical structure, a narrow space where, squeezing intightly, only eight people could t. There, each PC is examinedby a pilot equipped with a scanner to detect potentialconcealed weapons (yes, explosives are weapons!). Now is nota good time to make a stupid joke or have a coughing t...

If the PCs do not make any fuss, the shuttle takes them directlyto the station’s unloading dome, where they are supposed tomeet the pirates. The pilot, Corl Benton, a solid individual inhis fties, bald and with a beard, is rather jovial. If the PCs askhim questions about the pirates and the merchandise they

Havoc on irminger

THE CULT OF THE TRIDENT

The CULT OF THE TRIDENT

runs the neutral city ofEquinox, situated on the

Rockhall Threshold, and is the

keeper of the peace below the

seas, thanks to the interna-

tional troops of the Watchers .

The priests of the Trident also

master the Polaris Effect—a

seemingly infinite power. Led by Jason Helio, who bears

the title of Demeter, the Cult of the Trident is a rela-

tively recent organization, founded in 373 to put an end

to the wars that ravaged the underwater world. This

group is both political and religious, and, as far as some

people are concerned, it could be humanity's last hope

for peace. For others, it is just one of the many great

powers that are constantly fighting to control the world.

ADVENTU



18/24

have to sell, Corl knows nothing and certainly doesn’t wantto know anything.

DOCKING

The PCs’ shuttle docks at the end of the station, inside a

dome-shaped hangar/workshop resting on a cylindrical basepartially sunk into the seabed. In the middle of the hangar,a small single-seat vehicle is oating on a pool, from whicha tunnel provides access to the ocean. The hangar holdsa repair workshop where several vehicles similar to thescooter are parked. Some kind of underwater buggy and twolarge exo-armors are in various states of repair. There are afew technicians in the hangar at all times.

As the PCs disembark, they notice that the station seemsto be experiencing a few technical difculties. Lightsicker from time to time, technicians complain aboutmalfunctioning tools, etc. If asked, Corl tells the characters

that the stations has had problems with its generator forseveral days. Resources may be scarce to perform suitablerepairs.

As they walk across the hangar, a worker shouts“Shit, take that away, TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME! ”

The PCs see a workerwearing a miner’s divingsuit without its helmet,trying to remove the partcovering his right arm. Asmall female and electronicvoice, says in a jovial tone:“Right arm’s breach security system

engaged, administrating topical anesthetic. Amputation in 10 seconds, 9 seconds,”etc.The characters have exactly 9 seconds toact and prevent the unfortunate minerfrom painfully losing his arm then mostprobably bleeding to death.

PCs can carry out Mechanic Tests todeactivate the auto-destruction system ortry to stabilize the victim with a First AidTest.

Whatever happens to the miner, Corl blurts“Welcome to Iminger.”

Next, Corl takes them to the meeting place atthe other end of the base, inside a warehouse.Check the station’s description to tell themwhat they see along their way. Observantcharacters can notice a few oddities: strangetemperature variations, eeting electricarcs running along pipes, unidentiablesmells, strange discordant sounds (as ifsomeone was tuning a radio), and echoingsounds (coming out of nowhere) in thegangways. In every module that the PCstravel through, someone’s grumbling

about a piece of equipment. When asked about it, Corlattributes this to small technical issues that will soon beresolved, and complains about the lack of resources.

As they arrive at the other end of the station, the charactersenter a room similar to a docking hangar, where dozens ofcrates, tools, spare parts, bags and various merchandise are

stored. In the middle of the room, two men who look likepirates are standing next to an individual sitting on a chair,handcuffed and wearing a hood on his head.

NEGOTIATION

The two men standing near the prisoner are pirates, Hansand Gilion. These small-time thugs are not part of a piratefellowship anymore and are trying to earn some cash byselling people. They know nothing about the man theyrecovered, except that he claims to be Oscar Peveler, amember of the Trident, and that he seems slightly ill.

Convinced that he is going to be placed into the care ofTrident’s agents, Melane manages to control himself. He ishowever increasingly weakened by his link with the Flux, andthe Polaris effect is starting to manifest all over the station.

The pirates do not waste any time in introductionswhen the PCs arrive. They remove the hood from theirprisoner’s head and start the bid. The Hegemonians,

who are only a few hours away from the station,have offered 15,000 Sols. Melane, who thought

that the deal was already sealed, starts topanic but still holds on to the hope that themembers of the Trident are going to buyhim back.

Characters with medical or psychologicalskills can easily detect that this man is

utterly terried and quite sick. Fromthere on, the PCs can lead the

transaction in any direction theywant:

◊ Melane starts calming downif they seem reassuring by not

performing the genetic test rightaway, and by attempting to buy him, for example.

◊ They can also elevate the situation to a conictwith tools recovered in the hangar. Beware that thepirates are vicious. They already have found bladesto defend themselves, and one of them has a rivetgun that he will not hesitate to aim at a PC or Melane.

- They can make a counter-offer, but the pirateswill want to meet the Hegemonians to get as manySols as possible.

Whatever happens, things get real when the PCsstart talking about a DNA test, because Melane

breaks down under the pressure of the

Polaris effect and starts fully channeling the

ADVENTURE



19/24

Flux energy, which will eventually consume him entirely, with

catastrophic results.

As a PC approaches him to perform the test, the room’slighting suddenly brightens then ickers, and electrical arcsstart travelling along the hangar’s walls. Melane’s eyes rollback and literally start melting whilst one of the two pirates

(Gilion) is suddenly vaporized right in front of the otherprotagonists. The room’s temperature skyrockets and aninhuman sound comes out of Melane’s mouth.

The second pirate tries to ee as soon as the phenomenonmanifests. If the characters want to stop him, they have only twoRounds before the situation in the room becomes unbearable.

If they want to survive, they have no other choice but tohead back to the hangar as fast as possible. All that is leftof Melane is suffering and hatred against anyone left insidethe room. His body is ablaze with the Flux energy, which isdevouring him from inside. He can only stay here, used asan involuntary conduit for the devastating energy, until he

is totally consumed and has completely destroyed the base(of which the duration is left to the GM’s discretion). Onlythen will the phenomenon stop. He is unaffected by attacks,which may only accelerate the process. Touching him meansan immediate and denitive death.

If the PCs succeed in calming down Melane and manageto somehow extract him from the station, he unleashes hispower due to the stress once the group reaches their vehicle.It is very unlikely that the PCs would survive this kind ofoutbreak of the Flux.

ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE

Under Melane’s inuence, the Flux is unleashed in thestation. The PCs must not only escape from the incontrollableeffects released by Melane, but also nd makeshift weaponsto protect themselves from some of the station’s inhabitants,who have been turned into raving lunatics by the Polariseffect (exposure started a few days ago for them, which iswhy the characters are spared). The description of the baseincludes information about what an be found in each room,what can be scavenged by the PCs, the phenomena theyencounter and potential adversaries or dangers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE BASE

◊ 17: STORAGE ROOM: This is the room where Melane isburning up. Four Rounds after the events begin, this roomis locked down and anyone who enters it will die instantly.

The access tubes: the tubes are constantly shaken andtwisted, but none of them is breached. Sparks run up anddown the pipes and electrical wires, but if the charactersdon’t touch them, they will be ne. They will need to carryout Coordination Tests to move forward without falling.

Underground tunnels: The underground tunnels thatrun under the stations are probably the safest way to crosssome of the rooms if the characters noticed them earlier.

However, they are affected by a phenomenon connected tothe Polaris effect: Nightmare. Each PC who enters them willbe subject to terrible visions that may prevent them frommoving forward. They must therefore carry out a WillpowerTest every time they want to move. If a character fails, thenhe must leave the tunnel as quickly as possible and by the

shortest route, followed by his imaginary monsters.

◊ 16: LABORATORY AND INFIRMARY: This inrmarycontains a treatment table, six medikits (for the needs of thisadventure, each medikit can be used to reduce the severity ofa wound by one level) and everything required to treat lightor serious wounds. There is also a bulletproof hyperbaricchamber that can be used to save one of the characters, as itcan withstand the pressure outside the station.

Phenomenon: The temperature in this room changes rapidlyand it even varies in areas within the room. In some places, tinyplates of ice may form, whereas in other areas the metal can

be white hot or papers can burst into ames. This is, however,more of a hindrance than a real danger, and the PCs cannotsuffer more than 1 Damage Point because of this phenomenon.

◊ 14 AND 15: HYDROPONICS. These two huge greenhousesare used for the base’s hydroponic plantations. This is wherethey grow tomatoes, some fruit, beans, etc. The room isbrightly lit by rows of neon lights.

Phenomenon: In here the presence of the Flux is very special,almost calm. The technicians who are working here are standingstill, their gazes locked on the plants that are slowly, even gently,curling their stems around them before burrowing under theirskin. At times, the atmosphere is disturbed by a thin grey fog in

which one can see strange inhuman silhouettes. There are twodangers when moving through this room: the plants and thegrey fog. The plants will try to get hold of the characters. Duringeach Round, a character must carry out a Strength Test to see ifhe can cross one square of the room. If he fails, he can try againon the following Rounds, but with a cumulative penalty of -1after each failure. A PC can help another if he succeeds his ownTest. In this case he carries out a Strength Test and gives a bonusto the person he is helping, equal to his own Success Modier. Ifa player has a penalty equal to his own Strength, he is capturedand killed by the plants.

The second danger is the fog, which is a materialization ofthe Flux into this reality, a passage to the other dimension.For each square a character wants to cross, he must carryout a Luck Test to see if the next square ahead of him will belled with this fog. If this is the case, then he can wait for oneRound and roll his Luck Test again, try to go around it or goinside it. If he chooses the latter, the whole station disappearsaround him and he nds himself at the edge of the Flux itself.He still has a chance to turn around immediately, but if hedoesn’t, then he disappears into the Flux forever.

◊ 13: HANGAR/SECONDARY WORKSHOP WITH DIVINGARMOR: This secondary hanger has an airlock that leads

HAVOC ON IRMING



20/24

out into the ocean (two people can use the airlock at thesame time and it takes 10 minutes between two activationsof the airlock) and small workshops for carrying out repairsand maintenance on exo-armor. Four medium exo-armorsuits are kept here. Four spearguns can also be foundhere (medium speargun) and one of the armor suits has a

supercavitation pistol that can be dismantled. There will bethree raging technicians in here when the PCs arrive.

Phenomenon: There are no visible phenomena affectingthis room, but by paying close attention to this place, one cannotice little electric arcs travelling along the metallic surfacesand over the armor suits. These suits may seem incrediblyinteresting as a means of escape, but they are in fact a trap.You can either let the PCs nd that out for themselves or usethe pirate. If you choose the latter, the PCs arrive just as he isgetting into one of the suits and is about to attack them with it.Brighter arcs begin to cover the armor as its systems go mad,and then it activates its guillotine systems at the elbows and

knees. These systems are designed to protect a diver if his suitis breached in the forearm or lower leg sections... in this case,the poor pirate will have all four limbs amputated, this timewith no warning at all. If a PC tries the armor on, he can carryout an Intelligence Test with a -2 penalty when the systems gohaywire to see if he can detect the danger and eject before it’s

too late. If he fails the test, he can still carry out a Luck Testfor each of the four systems. Every time he succeeds a Testthe guillotine system doesn’t activate. The PCs (his friends canhelp him) have 6 Rounds before he ends up in pieces.

◊ 11-12: WORKSHOPS/TECHNICAL LABS: These small labs

and workshops are nothing special, although the characterscan nd some tools there that can be used as weapons.However, if anyone thinks to rummage through the mess inhere, they might nd two uid diving suits and enough uidfor both of them. This can provide an alternative escaperoute for two of the characters... if they are trained in theuse of uid, or if they are capable of resisting its use. Thesesuits provide 3 points of protection against Physical Damage.

Phenomenon: These two rooms are subject to a curiousphenomenon that prevents a person from entering if theirbody is not adapted to it. Until that adaptation is done,anyone who sets foot in there will have trouble standing

up, nd it hard to breathe, feel dizzy, feel nauseated, etc.To be able to enter this room characters must successfullycomplete an Adaptation test with a penalty of -8. Thispenalty is decreased by -1 for each attempt.

◊ 10: RELAXATION ROOM: This big room contains severaltables and a small bar. This is where the technicians come toplay dice games, card games, read or have a drink.

Phenomenon: When the PCs enter this room it iscompletely empty. There are no chairs or tables left, onlythe bar is still standing. In the center, a sphere of absolutedarkness is sucking in anything that enters the room. Aslong as the characters don’t enter the room they are safe,

however to cross it, they will need to keep as far from thesphere as possible by hugging the walls and carrying out asuccessful Strength Test. If a character fails the Test, he cantry a Luck Test. If he succeeds, he resists the attraction. If hefails, he is annihilated by the sphere.

◊ 8 AND 9: DORMITORIES, REST ROOMS ANDBATHROOMS: These long modules are furnished with abouttwenty bunkbeds and a space for the toilets and washrooms.This is also where the crew members have their lockerswhere they keep all their personal belongings.

Phenomenon: When the PCs enter this room none of the14 technicians are insane. They are all lying on their bunkwith a strange shape oating above them, some kind ofnightmarish creature that is feeding on their mind. If the PCstake no action, then they have nothing to fear in here, butif anyone disturbs the feeding creatures, they will suffer adevastating mental attack, which causes 6D6 Damage Points.

◊ 7: CAFETERIA/KITCHENS: This circular room is usedboth as a cafeteria and a kitchen by the inhabitants of thestation. There are always about 10 people in here, but onlyfour of them will have survived and have gone insane. One of

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them is the cook and he is armed with a long knife (Damage1D10). There are several kitchen knives to be found in here.

Phenomenon: Chaos has taken over in here. Tables,chairs and kitchen utensils are ying around the room, butthey systematically avoid the insane crew members. EachPC must carry out a successful Coordination Test for each

Round spent in this room or suffer 2D6 Damage Points aftergetting hit by a ying object.

◊ 5 AND 6: STORAGE ROOMS: These two small storageareas are mainly used to store food and water. There isnobody in here and nothing that can be used as a weapon.

Phenomenon: Despite the chaos taking over the wholestation, these two rooms are strangely calm. In fact, there isnothing to be feared inside, but anyone who wants to leavethese rooms will have to succeed a Willpower test with apenalty of -2, or instead of leaving the room, they will ndthemselves entering it again.

◊ 4: MAIN CONTROL ROOM: The main control room is acircular room where all the basic control panels are located,as are the Soundscan stations, the energy controls, etc. ThePCs will nd two technicians here who have gone insane,and more importantly the commander of the base who has aweapon (a light pistol with a charger loaded with 15 bullets)and is pointing it at his men. The commander is also on thebrink of madness and will not use his pistol, unless, in a lastmoment of clarity, he turns it against himself.

Phenomenon: strident sounds and strange ashes of lightwill hinder the concentration of anyone within this room(except for the insane technicians). All Actions will be carried

out with a Difculty Modier of -2.

◊ 3: ENERGY STATION, OXYGEN FILTRATION SYSTEM,WATER PURIFIERS, ETC.: This huge room is the heart of thebase. This is where all of the station’s life support systemscan be found. The oor is a wire grill with lots of cables andpipes running under the metal mesh and along the walls.

Phenomenon: The generator is overloaded by the Fluxenergy and bolts of energy are shooting through the roomrandomly, hitting anyone inside. Furthermore, strange,ghostly gures can be seen in there. These shapes are thoseof Flux creatures, but they cannot break through into ourdimension, so they are harmless. As for the energy bolts,each PC will need to carry out a Luck Test for each Roundspent in this room. If the Test is a failure, he will suffer anenergy attack that inicts 1D6 Damage Points + 1D6 perFailure Modier.

◊ 2: SMALL WORKSHOPS: There is a technician enraged bythe Polaris effect inside each of these workshops, as well as acoworker lying dead on the oor in a pool of their own blood.These rooms all have workbenches and small machine tools.Small tools can be scavenged to use as weapons.

Phenomenon: The structure of each module is deformed bythe Polaris effect. The walls are twisting, the oor undulatesbut the modules do not rupture. It is however very hard tokeep one’s balance.

◊ 1: DOCKING HANGAR AND WORKSHOP: Here the PCscan pick up several tools that could be used as weapons,such as screwdrivers, wrenches, pipes, and battery packsto charge rivet guns. The machines under maintenanceare unusable. Two persons can escape by using the small

scooter in the pool. The shuttle that is currently docked cantransport at most ten people.

If the PCs make it that far, they have to ght three enragedtechnicians armed with various tools. Three others lie on theoor, their skulls shattered. If he was saved in the adventure’srst scene, the worker in the miner diving suit will get a gripon himself and help the player characters to escape.

Phenomenon: Pressure is utterly altered here, and waterlevel is rising from the pool, ooding the room. After fourRounds, PCs have water up to their ankles and some of itstarts owing into the rest of the station. After six Rounds,hatches leading to rooms 2, 5 and 11 lock themselves. TwoRounds later, water rises to knee level. They have four moreRounds to board the shuttle before the water level preventsthem from accessing it. Twenty Rounds after the beginningof the phenomenon, the room is completely ooded.

TO BE CONTINUED…

When they reach their vehicle, the sonar indicates a vessel isapproaching. The Hegemony is joining the party and will wantto know what has been going on... This could be the setting ofa future adventure you would want the PCs to explore!

THE HEGEMONY

THE HEGEMONY is, for the mo-

ment, the most powerful na-

tion of the underwater world. It

controls the trenches to the east

of what was once North America.

Under the rule of the mysterious

Patriarchs and High Admiral Vi-

ramis, it follows an aggressive

policy and believes that peace can only be brought to the

world beneath the seas by using force. With structures

like the gigantic Dome of Keryss, its two base-vessels

(the Artemis and the Atlantis) and its elite troops, the

Techno-Hybrids, the Hegemony has always had a certain

technological lead on its rivals, and more importantly, far

greater resources for production.

HAVOC ON IRMING



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Irminger station

ADVENTURE

TUNNEL LEAD ING TO THE

OCEANAirlock

Hatch

Hatch and ladder

Tunnel

6ft

37 13

16

17

10

4 15

14

9

8

612

115 2

2

2

1



23/24

HAVOC ON IRMINGE

ARCHETYPES REQUIRED

Station personnel: use the Technician archetype, but once they are under the inuence of the Flux, they will be immune to shocks andto the effects of wounds. They can only be taken out by a Mortal Wound.

Pirate (Hans): use the Pirate archetype. He has a light rearm. The PCs can easily form an alliance with Hans if it allows him to survive.

If the PCs help him, he will not betray them.

MODEL Dam. STR Init. Reach Cost

Barehanded 1D6 - - - -

Combat staff 1D10+5 11 - +2 600

Monkey Wrench and similar 1D10+5 9 - - 80

Screwdriver and similar 1D10+1 - - - 20Iron pipe and similar 1D10 - - +1 10

Shark dDagger - Shark 1D10+2 - - - 200

Knife - Conger 1D10+1 5 - - 120

Sword/saber - Capitan 2D10+2 10 -2 +2 600

Electric Booster 1D6

MODEL Dam. Range STR Init. Firing Mode Cost Ammo. (Cost)

Light pistol 2D10+3 2/10/20/40 (60) 10 - SS 800 25 (136)

Medium pistol 2D10+4 4/20/40/80 (120) 11 - SS 1,100 17 (119)

Heavy pistol 3D10+2 7/35/70/140 (210) 14 - SS 2,200 30 (170)

Light assault rie 4D10 14/70/140/280 (420) 13 -3 SS/SB/LB 3,500 30 (170)

Rivet gun 1D10+5 1/2/4/6 (10) - - SS 180 -

MODEL Dam. Range STR Init. Shooting mode Price Ammo. (Price)

Medium speargun 2D10+5 2/5/10/20 (30) 10 - SS 500 1 (10)

Heavy repeater speargun 3D10+3 1/2/5/10 (20) 13 - SS 3,200 2 (120)

Supercavitating pistol (light) 3D10+1 2/10/20/40 (60) - - SS 900 30 (250)

◊ DAM.: Physical damage inicted by the weapon.

◊ RANGE: range of rearms, in meters (Short/Medium/Long/Extreme). The maximum range is also indicatedbetween parentheses, beyond which a target is consideredimpossible to hit.

◊ STR: Minimum strength to handle the weapon.

◊ INIT.: Penalty imposed on Initiative (Preparation), caused bythe weight and/or the poor maneuverability of the weapon.

◊ REACH: Reach bonus of the weapon (melee weapons).

◊ FIRING MODE: Firing mode (rearms), with «SS» for singleshot, «SB» for short burst, «LB» for long burst.

◊ COST: Approximate value of the object, in Sols.

◊ AMMO. (COST): Magazine capacity (rearms), and cost ofammunition (per magazine).

Weapons



24/24

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For centuries, wars and climatic catastrophes have ravaged the surface of the earth,making it uninhabitable by all but the mutated and monstrous. Humanity, searching

for refuge, combs the world’s oceans and nds sanctuary... and more.Welcome to POLARIS!

AVAILABLE IN 2Ω16From Black Book Editions, the French publishers of the award-winning Pathnder RPG, comes

POLARIS ! A bestselling French post-apocalyptic sci- RPG system and setting that let’s youdiscover the darkness of the oceans...

"HUMANKIND WAS BORN IN THE SEAS AND IS NOWCOMING BACK HERE TO DIE."

-VULRICK THE MAD

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