SPORE

The Archives

A fading memory

The Archive District holds the collected knowledge and history of Dimm City. This district contains vast repositories of information, both physical and digital, guarded by sophisticated security systems and inhabited by those who seek to control or protect the city's secrets.

Sporos who venture here must navigate not only the physical dangers of the district, but also the digital threats that lurk in its networks and the dark magic that seeps through its corridors.

Dream Guide

Roll or choose from the tables below to setup the scenario for the dream:

A powerful...

  1. racoon Cybersurgeon, known as Shivjacc
  2. snake Channeler of Daalim, Apep
  3. rogue shell-shifting AI designated as D0l0r
  4. District Alderman Dev Null, a fox Transpiler
  5. alligator Technosorcer, Professor Magus
  6. bat Wirephreak, Pipistrello, posing as an intern

Has executed their plan to...

  1. turn kidnapped sporos into techno killers
  2. summon an undead army to the district
  3. give sentience to the machines of Dimm City
  4. attempt a coup on the district governance
  5. kill seemingly random targets with minidrones
  6. crash the power grid permanently

What will your sporos do?!

As a group, decide how you will respond to the scenario that is unfolding. Do you attempt to thwart the evil plan or join in the mayhem to gain a bit of the power for yourselves?

Character Creation

  1. Choose a name - The first step in connecting to your sporos is to give it a name, from the fanciful to the mundane.

  2. Choose its form - Rabbit, cat, monkey, or even an autochthon of your own design.

  3. Choose a specialty - Augmerc (fighter), Channeler (cleric), Cybersurgeon (doctor), Etherlock (wizard), Gutterdruid (shaman), Proxy (paladin), Streetwarden (ranger), Technosorcerer (hacker), Transpiler (con artist/spy), or Wirephreak (standard rogue).

  4. Choose a mood or vibe - compassionate, confident, enthusiastic, foolhardy, hilarious, jovial, low-key, reverent, serene, whimsical or any combination.

  5. Choose a number from 2 to 5 - A low number means your better when DREAMING (magic; communication; persuasion). A high number means your stronger AWAKE (athletics, science; technology, logic).

HP (hit points): The number chosen in step five is also your base hit points.

Basic Inventory: Any clothes, a dreamcred wallet, a Bananacom™ Comlink, a weapon/wand/tool, and one extra item.

Sporos goal: Gain Some Rare Tech, Fight For Your Rights!, Make Your District a Safer Place, Research Something Lost to History, or Help the Community.

Dice Mechanics

When you want to do something outside of the usual, your DM may call for you to roll a 1d6 to determine your success or failure.

Roll +1d if you're prepared and +1d if you're skilled. If you or a friend help out, give them a +1d.

Over: If you are DREAMING (using magic or fluid people skills), you want to roll above your number

Under: If you are AWAKE (using technology or physical skills), you want to roll below your number

Results:

  • 0 successes: The attempt goes sideways
  • 1 success: You make it by the skin of your teeth, but there's a cost
  • 2 successes: You pulled it off! SCHWING!!!
  • 3 successes: You perform flawlessly and receive an extra boon

!! LUCID: If you roll your number exactly on all dice, you become LUCID. Ask the DM a question and they'll answer honestly. Then you may change your action and roll again.

Dream Master Guide

As the Dream Master, your only job is to introduce the scenario and find out how the players survive it. Hint at what their sporos observes from a distance, then up close if they choose to investigate. Rarely spring unavoidable traps and always try to give them info that will let them piece together the danger they are facing.

Talking with NPCs should always be an option. Not every minion nor villain wants to fight. In many cases, anticipated combat can be avoided altogether with fleet feet and a smooth tongue.

Call for a roll when the situation is risky. Use failures to enhance the story instead of stopping it.

Plot Twist - Roll a die or pick one:

  1. The killers are not fully under Shivjacc's control
  2. They also summoned some outsiders too
  3. Some of the machines like their servitude
  4. The citizens of the archive were ready for them to try that type of bullshit
  5. One citizen of the Archives can track and hopefully turn the drones against their controller
  6. Many buildings have backup means of power