Art

Stormrift: The Invasion of Earth is done. Well, at least the written portion. I'm still awaiting some art and then of course Precis Intermedia will be doing the layout.

After a few bumps and bruises with some other artists, the illustration duties were finally taken over by Matt Vassey and let me say, he's done a fantastic job so far. I've seen a few of the finished pieces and a bunch of sketches and they all look great. Matt's also really easy to work with, so other designers and would-be designers take note.

No release date on the finished product, but look for it some time in the first quarter of 2010. More to come . . .

Pete

The Akorras: The Korr Doomsday Device

Long ago, a doomsday device capable of wiping out the entire Korr race was developed (some say discovered) by a Korr warlord named Shivik’sa. This device was named the Akorras. At the peak of Korr Doomsday Wars (see pg. xnx), Shivik’sa unleashed the Akorras upon the Korr homeworld, believing he could control its awesome power. He was wrong. The Akorras ravaged Korr society and nearly destroyed the entire planet before running its course and disappearing from the shattered annals of Korr history.

It is unknown when or how the weapon came to Earth, but many suspect it arrived through one of the stormrifts that began appearing on the Korr homeworld around this time. Upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, the Akorras broke apart into thousands of small shards and was scattered across the globe. The weapon’s shards resemble precious gemstones and today may be found in places such as ancient tombs, museums, vaults, royal treasuries, or in the hands of wealthy collectors.

Shard Appearance
The shards of the Akorras appear as flawless gemstones of varying type and size that are indestructible for all practical purposes.

Shard Activation
The recently opened stormrifts created quantum distortions that caused the shards of the Akorras to activate. The stones now glow with a faint light and traces of alien circuitry can be seen within.

Shard Defensive Powers
The shards of the Akorras contain technology that is fundamentally similar to the self-replicating biological nanotechnology mastered by the Korr (see Nanoborgs, pg. xnx). Upon activation, each shard infuses its surroundings with nanoborgs, producing a variety of strange defensive effects. These effects vary from place to place, most often reflecting the shard’s environment.

For example, a shard located near a Hawaiian volcano might cause the volcano to erupt and encircle its resting place with bubbling lava. A shard located in Alaska might cause a nearby polar bear to mutate into a biotechnical bear-like guardian. A shard located inside an Egyptian tomb might cause cyborg mummies to arise or ancient traps to manifest, while a shard passed down as a family heirloom might cause an entire house to animate, giving it the appearance of being haunted. Effects such as intense heat and cold, disorientation, zero gravity, mutations, and animated machines have also been encountered.

A few OLS scientists have suggested that other quantum distortions in the past may have caused some shards to activate, giving rise to mythical and supernatural manifestations such as ghost sightings, dragons, yetis, and other strange creatures and unexplained events.

Shard Detection
The shards produce an energy pulse that can be detected within a mile by anyone with the psionic or nanoborg gimmick (see Gimmicks, pg. xnx). A psionic character must make a complex awareness-based investigation task to home in on the source of the strange psychic vibrations. Failure means the character suffers +2diff to all awareness-based tasks for the remainder of the day.

A nanoborg-enhanced human must make a complex fitness-based athletics task to home in on the strange vibrations coursing through his cybernetic body. Failure means the character suffers +2diff to all fitness-based tasks for the remainder of the day.

Shard Fusion
The Akorras was designed to bond with sentient organisms. When an Akorras shard is pressed against living tissue or swallowed by a living organism, the shard embeds itself in the creature’s soft tissues, crippling the host with painful spasms as it bonds with nerve endings and brain relays, and leaving the character unable to take any action except writhe on the ground in pain for a number of turns equal to the roll of two dice. Once the spasms subside, the shard conveys certain properties to the host (see below).

Akorras shards often leave visible bumps and impressions in the skin. A character who fuses with a number of shards equal to or greater than his fitness rating automatically receives the fearsome gimmick.

Psionic and Cybernetic Increase
The Akorras shards produce a range of effects, especially in psionic and cybernetic organisms. A character with the psionic gimmick who fuses with an Akorras shard increases his psionic potential by one and reduces one grade of psionic overload (if any).

A character with the nanoborgs gimmick who fuses with an Akorras shard increases his cybernetic potential by one and reduces one grade of cybernetic overload (if any).

A character who fuses with a shard without possessing the psionic or cybernetic gimmick receives a bonus of +1 to either his fitness or awareness rating (player’s choice).

Psionic-Cybernetic Crossover
A psionic character who fuses with a number of Akorras shards equal to the total sum of his fitness plus awareness rating may opt to use experience to purchase the nanoborgs gimmick. The number of fused shards is added to the character’s fitness rating to determine his cybernetic potential.

A cybernetic character who fuses with a number of Akorras shards equal to the total sum of his fitness plus awareness rating may opt to use experience to purchase the psionic gimmick. The number of fused shards is added to the character’s awareness rating to determine his psionic potential.

Shard Removal
Removing an Akorras shard is a long and painful surgical procedure that usually ends in the death of the host. A complex fitness-based medicines and a complex reasoning-based Korr sciences task is needed to safely remove a shard. The character suffers 2inj of absolute damage for each task. If either task fails, the character dies.

Recovery
The Korr and the OLS have deployed a number of special teams to actively search for Akorras shards (see the Korr Akri’daan pg. xnx and the OLS Doomsday Recovery Division pg. xnx). Although the shards are too numerous and scattered to collect and fully reassemble the device, human scientists believe they may be able to replicate the awesome power of the Akorras if they can gather and examine enough shards. This is something the Korr fear and is one of the main reasons they continue to wage such a gruesome war—after Earth’s devastating nuclear strikes, the Korr believe that if humans possessed the Akorras it would only be a matter of time before they unleashed it against them.

The OLS Resistance

“If you’re listening to this, you are the Resistance.”
---John Connor, Terminator Salvation

The Resistance
The governments of the world quickly and admirably responded to the Korr invasion by forming an alliance of world powers. For the first time in recorded history, mankind stood united against a common enemy. Humanity’s superior firepower initially halted the Korr’s invasion of Earth. However, as the effects of voss corrosion took hold, major armed opposition began to collapse. In the end, even a combined nuclear strike by several world powers was not enough to drive the Korr back to their homeworld.

As the lines of communication and defense broke down across the globe, elements of the allied governments realized a change in tactics was needed to ensure the survival of the human race. Rather than meet the Korr head-on, the armies of the world began to split into smaller cells, retreating to remote locations to wage a guerilla war against the alien invaders.

And so, the Resistance was born.

The American Resistance
The United States was one of the last major world powers to join the resistance movement. When the invasion first began, the country was struggling through a severe economic recession and President Victor Paige’s approval ratings were at an all-time low. The president was quick to capitalize on early military victories against the Korr which boosted the spirit of the American people, however, as Earth’s defenses began to fail, military generals led by Army Chief of Staff General Greg W. Carswell realized that an organized resistance movement was the only way to defeat the invaders. A formal proposal was drawn up and placed on the President’s desk, however, afraid that the formation of a resistance movement would be interpreted as a sign that the United States had conceded defeat, the President’s chief advisors convinced him to veto the bill. In response, General Carswell and several other concerned military leaders convened to discuss the conflict and eventually decided to dismantle the armed forces and proceed with the plan despite the veto.

OLS Central Command
Under the designation Operation Liberty Strike (a.k.a. Operation Last Stand), or OLS for short, the American Resistance adopted a loose command structure that uses a simplified version of the military ranking system. OLS Central Command is responsible for monitoring Korr activity, overseeing operations, and equipping and providing intelligence to Resistance cells. Central Command is directed by several decorated military generals, who are said to be in close contact with the President of the United States, but President Paige has not addressed the nation since launching strategic nuclear strikes against the Korr motherships almost three months ago and many believe he is no longer alive.

OLS Cells
Resistance cells vary in size and makeup. Most are comprised of less than a dozen fighters who grimly wage war against the Korr and receive only sporadic communications from Central Command. A few are better organized and are able to maintain vehicles and heavy weapons, while a rare few have access to military-grade vehicles and hardware. These last tend to be remnants of local governments who are regularly in touch with Central Command. Central Command issues each formal cell an OLS letter/number combination that is used for record keeping and identification purposes.

OLS Bases
Resistance cells are always on the move, never staying in one place long to avoid attracting unwanted attention. They sometimes establish temporary bases, whether to resupply or to plan and launch raids against the Korr. These bases can be as simple as a suburban basement or as complex as an abandoned military hangar surrounded by lookouts and booby traps. A few fixed OLS bases do exist, mainly supply depots and communications bunkers, but the location of these remain a secret known only to the Resistance’s highest-ranking members. In North America, for example, Central Command is said to be located inside a military bunker in the Southwest where they are able to monitor Korr activity and communicate with other governments via satellite uplinks.

OLS Ranks
Resistance fighters are commonly referred to as “soldiers.” OLS ranks consist of private, corporal, sergeant, captain, major, colonel, and general, although most characters will never even meet a colonel or general. Stormrift characters typically begin the game as privates or corporals under the command of a sergeant or captain. As Resistance fighters tend to have short lifespans, status within one’s rank is also determined by seniority and/or military achievements (i.e. a private who has been with the Resistance for two months is more respected and awarded more responsibilities than a newly recruited private even though they technically hold the same rank). No distinction is made between enlisted soldiers and officers—a sergeant is promoted to captain after outstanding service—which means that higher-ranking officers tend to be war-wise and battle-tested.

Vehicles
The number and type of vehicles used by the Resistance depend primarily on the capability of each cell to maintain them. Older vehicles, particularly American trucks and muscle cars, and vehicles such as dune buggies, four-wheelers, and motorcycles are preferred because they contain simpler engines that are easier to access, clean, and maintain. Aircraft such as fighter planes and helicopters are built from more complex alloys such as aluminum, titanium, and magnesium, making them more resistive to the corrosive effects of the voss, although good pilots are always in short supply. Vehicles have a limited lifespan and can only survive contact with high concentrations of voss for short periods of time before becoming useless (see pg. xnx).

Equipment
For the typical Resistance cell, weapons, food, and other everyday items are always in short supply. Most cells take only what they can carry on their backs or in their vehicles, but a few strike deals with local communities and settlements that enable them to refit and resupply before and after forays against the Korr. In addition, Central Command often rewards its most capable Resistance cells with better intelligence, weapons, vehicles, and supplies.

Communication
The world has become larger, its people once again isolated from one another. With no internet, no telephones, and fewer working radios and television sets, most people know very little about what is happening just a few miles down the road, much less across the globe.

In North America, the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) have both been commandeered by OLS Central Command. Central Command uses the network to broadcast infrequent television transmissions to those lucky enough to own battery-operated television sets. More frequent are the biweekly radio broadcasts that deliver survival tips, information on safe zones and Korr activity, and inspirational stories that are designed to boost morale and give mankind hope for the future. First Lady Evelyn Paige (see pg. xnx) is a weekly guest on these shows. OLS broadcasters sometimes work in conjunction with news agencies such as FXNN (see pg. xnx) to inform the public of major developments and upcoming newscasts.

Resistance cells pass information to each other mainly through word of mouth and, when possible, through coded radio transmissions. OLS technicians are also working on ways to adapt Korr communications technology for human use.

Travel
Most OLS Resistance members are forced to travel on foot. A few have vehicles at their disposal, but these have a limited lifespan so many Resistance cells are turning to horses and other beasts of burden for transportation. OLS scientists have also begun experimenting using control techniques for various Korr servitors, but these experiments have met with only limited success.

The Resistance Today
Today, the Resistance is respected and feared by both humans and the Korr. Most humans actively help the Resistance, providing safe haven, supplies, and even fresh volunteers whenever possible in exchange for protection and information about the Korr invasion. At the very least, Resistance members are given a wide berth as trouble seems to follow them wherever they go. In fact, a few havens wrongly believe the Resistance only incites the Korr to greater violence.


OLS Resistance Cells
OLS Resistance cells are designated by size, equipment, and/or function.

Level I
Level I Resistance cells are the most common type of cells encountered. They typically number one to twenty fighters armed with small arms such as assault rifles and handguns, homemade explosives, and makeshift melee weapons (spiked baseball bats, fire axes, machetes, etc.). Level I cells may have access to one or two ground vehicles that are in a sad state of repair. They frequently form or occupy havens and focus on defending fixed areas (such as city neighborhoods, suburbs, small towns, etc.) from Korr invasion forces. Level I cells maintain only sporadic communications with Central Command and usually gather intelligence, plan, and conduct their own operations.

Level II
Level II Resistance cells typically number between twenty to one hundred fighters who have access to small arms, heavy weapons such as RPGs and machineguns, better equipment, and several vehicles. An Air Corps pilot or two and their ground crews may be assigned to the cell or the cell may be able to call in air support from a larger cell for particular operations. Level II cells maintain regular scheduled communications with Central Command. These cells are usually encountered in larger cities, but they tend to move around a lot, establishing temporary bases from which to launch operations against the Korr.

Level III
Level III Resistance cells are usually remnants of former military units and can number well over one hundred fighters, including several Air Corps units. Level III cells maintain direct contact with Central Command and are supplied with the best weapons, gear, and vehicles the Resistance can muster. Level III cells usually occupy fixed bases, however, these bases make excellent targets for Korr invasion forces. After the Staked Plains disaster where cell TX5-3009 was wiped out by the Broken Moon mothership attack, Level III cells have been ordered to implement organized withdrawal, rendezvous, and alternate base relocation procedures.

Other Units

OLS Research and Development
The Research and Development branch of OLS Central Command is crucial to the resistance effort. R&D scientists are always looking for ways to counteract or neutralize the effects of the voss, reverse-engineer Korr biotechnology, and develop new weaponry to use against the Korr. OLS R&D is responsible for the now-infamous Project 13 that resulted in the creation of enhanced humans (see pg. xnx). They are currently researching biological agents designed to affect only the Korr and need live Korr specimens for testing. R&D may also call upon characters to field test experimental weaponry, equipment, or servitor control devices.

OLS Air Corps
The OLS Air Corps was founded shortly after Earth’s strategic nuclear strikes failed to drive off the Korr invaders. Most Earth aircraft are made from rust-resistant metals such as titanium, magnesium, and aluminum, with only a few components made from common metal parts. Once replacements were found for these parts, Earth’s aircraft became ideal weapons for combating Korr invasion forces. Korr flyers simply cannot match the speed or power of modern aircraft and the Air Corps has achieved almost complete air superiority except in the vicinity of a Korr mothership.

Aircraft require constant maintenance and upkeep to remain operational and voss-free, so the Air Corps receives the best equipment and training the OLS can muster. Some Air Corps units are permanently assigned to larger OLS cells. Other cells may coordinate air support for crucial operations or request support from passing aircraft. Pilots are also routinely sent on attack runs to destroy enemy “targets of opportunity” on the ground, being able to land and refuel at small airports and abandoned military airbases scattered across the country.

Air Corps HQ is currently based at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, but Air Corps units are spread out across North America. The Air Corps is always looking to recruit and train new pilots. OLS pilots are treated with great respect--almost every Resistance cell can name a time when the Air Corps saved them from certain destruction.

Air Corps pilots are commonly referred to as “airmen.” The OLS Air Corps uses the same ranking system as the standard Resistance except that pilots are also designated as such (i.e. Pilot Private, Pilot Corporal, etc.). The Air Corps patch is a pair of wings superimposed over the OLS initials. Korr warriors consider these patches to be excellent trophies.

Psionic Research Division (a.k.a. PRD a.k.a. Psi-Corps)
The Psionic Research Division is a branch of OLS Central Command that is designed to recruit, train, and individuals who exhibit psychic powers (see Psionics, pg. xnx). Although Psi-Corps itself is a fledgling organization, the United States government has long been involved in psychic and paranormal research and many of the protocols and procedures for managing psychics had already been established during the government-funded remote-viewing Stargate Project which was “officially” adopted by the CIA in 1995 and then supposedly disbanded shortly thereafter.

Psi-Corps agents are assigned to OLS Resistance cells, particularly larger cells, but they may be recalled or reassigned as needed. Psi-Corps prefers those with psychic powers to submit to their training and rules before working with a Resistance cell which has caused some psychics to fear that elements of the former government are trying to control the spread of psychic powers.

Psi-Corps psychics are commonly referred to as “agents.” The OLS Psi-Corps uses the same ranking system as the standard Resistance except that agents are also designated as Psi- (i.e. Psi-Private, Psi-Corporal, etc.).

Project 13
Project 13 was a failed OLS experiment that focused on the implantation of Korr nanoborgs in human test subjects. Although the implantation itself was a success, OLS scientists were unable to halt the nanoborg growth, and over time the spread of nanoborgs throughout the human body have caused serious physical and mental disorders (see Cybernetics, pg. xnx).

Almost 500 humans volunteered for the experiment, mostly patriotic OLS soldiers, scientists, and men and women whose lives had been devastated by the Korr invaders. These “enhanced humans” as they came to be called utilize a blend of human technology and Korr cybernetics. Most of the volunteers still serve the OLS in various capacities, but a few have broken away from the Resistance to live out what is left of their lives. The OLS has supposedly scrapped Project 13, but some believe scientists continue to reverse-engineer Korr biotechnology in the hopes of creating super humans capable of defeating the Korr.

Enhanced humans are commonly referred to as “cyborgs.” Enhanced humans are assigned to various OLS Resistance cells where they automatically receive the rank of corporal and may rise in rank normally.

Doomsday Recovery Division (a.k.a. DRD a.k.a. Dread)
The Doomsday Recovery Division is a branch of the OLS Resistance created to track down and recover shards of the Korr doomsday device (see The Akorras, pg. xnx). DRD cells are typically made up of three to five highly-skilled, deeply patriotic individuals, including at least one Psi-Corps agent and one enhanced human. DRD cells are authorized to fuse with recovered shards of the Akorras in order to enhance their recovery capabilities as OLS scientists believe the shards can always be removed at a later time.

OLS Central Command provides DRD cells with the suspected location of Akorras shards whenever possible. Otherwise, DRD cells are allowed free reign to seek out shards on their own. DRD cells may be found working in conjunction with standard Resistance cells until an Akorras shard is located, however, their presence can be unnerving to some.

DRD members are commonly referred to as “spooks.” The DRD uses the same ranking system as the standard Resistance except that agents may also be designated as Dread (i.e. Dread Private, Dread Corporal, etc.). DRD cells often go by colorful names such as Nighthawks, Howlers, the Black Guard, or Gray’s Demons.

[Stormrift] Korr Invasion Tactics

The Korr prefer to meet enemies head on, relying on physical strength and overwhelming numbers to win battles. The Korr’s disdain for ranged weaponry caused them to suffer heavy losses during the initial days of the invasion as their living war machines withered under the barrage of Earth’s guns, missiles, and artillery. The tide of battle began to turn, however, as the voss slowly eroded Earth’s defensive capabilities.

Now that major opposition has been crushed, the Korr have begun a more systematic conquest of Earth’s inhabitants, using a variety of biotechnology and bioengineered creatures. The scope of the operation is stunning---the Korr will not be satisfied until humanity has been subjugated and almost every trace of human civilization has been destroyed. Having successfully completed several such conquests in the past, the Korr believe they have the time and the resources to accomplish this goal. Although the Korr remain confident of victory, the unexpected strength of human resistance has grudgingly forced the Korr to alter some of their time-honored tactics.

Korr invasion tactics take place in four separate stages: Reconnaissance, Conquest and Extermination, Eradication, and Withdrawal.

Stage I: Reconnaissance
Stachek (a.k.a. Scouting Parties)
The Korr deploy scouting parties across the countryside, searching for large human cities, towns, settlements, and refugee havens. These parties vary in size and makeup, but are always led by at least one korrital warrior. Korr scouting parties map out the location of all human havens and are authorized to exterminate any smaller havens or bands of humans they encounter. Larger havens and towns are left for raiding parties to handle.

Rakatorr (a.k.a. Raiding Parties)
Raiding parties are similar to scouting parties except that they are typically larger and better equipped for confrontation. A raiding party’s primary mission is to disrupt human activity and destroy organized resistance. Raiding parties are often deployed to an area before a major assault begins, usually sending skreel hunter-killers ahead of them to infiltrate enemy camps and create havoc before the attack.

Korrtalar (a.k.a. Assault Parties)
Assault parties are deployed during invasion efforts involving large towns and small cities. Assault parties consist of at least one ganj juggernaut which may or may not be supported by an arejjik mothership floating overhead. The juggernauts deploy their forces and attempt to eliminate any major opposition using standard Korr invasion tactics.

Stage II: Conquest and Extermination
When the Korr are ready to launch a major assault against a large city, a stormrift appears over the target area. After about an hour, a mothership floats through the rift and begins deploying korrtalar assault parties. These forces vary in size and makeup, depending on the size of the city. At least one ganj juggernaut oversees the assault, but as many as twenty can be used to cover a city as large as New York for example. The korrtalar then sweep through the city, destroying all resistance and killing any humans they discover. Any major organized resistance results in the deployment of additional forces. In the unlikely event that all of the mothership’s assault forces are destroyed, the Korr open a stormrift and retreat to regroup and resupply.

Stage III: Eradication and Cleanup
Once major organized resistance has been dealt with, bolog sweep teams scour the city, spraying voss mist into the air to hasten corrosion. Once the voss is disseminated (the process typically takes a few weeks to blanket a full city), sojor rumble teams are sent to collapse buildings and reduce structures to rubble. Hiri harvester teams are then sent to pick through the rubble and remove any wood or wood products for processing and consumption. During this time, dimwo continue to scour the city in search of survivors while scout, raid, and assault parties fan out from the city in search of smaller towns and havens.

Stage IV: Withdrawal
Once the city has been reduced to ruin, the survivors slain, and wood products harvested, the Korr return to the mothership. The mothership then either leaves through a newly opened stormrift or moves on to the next target if one presents itself close by.

Battlefield Developments
Korr Bases
The OLS Resistance has proved to be a major thorn in the side of the Korr invasion force. The korrital were initially content to launch assaults from the safety of the arejjik motherships, but constant pressure from the Resistance has caused Korr leaders to alter their tactics. The Korr have recently begun establishing temporary bases on the surface of the planet inside ruined buildings such as walled compounds, open-air sports stadiums, etc. These bases make it easier for the Korr to launch forays against smaller Resistance cells without tying up the resources of an entire mothership, however, the bases also provide the OLS with viable targets to attack, destroy stores, kill servitors, and capture supplies. The Korr’s disdain for human society makes land-based duty an unfavorable assignment.

Communication Concerns
The Korr communicate in their own language using their own equipment and wireless radio frequencies. It is uncertain whether or not they are aware of the range of human frequencies. Many believe they simply do not care. The Korr have thus far disdained learning the human language, believing that learning the language of a lesser species is beneath them. After suffering several coordinated and devastating Resistance attacks, however, a few nomen have proposed the idea of utilizing a human interpreter or perhaps an electronic translator to monitor human communications, but the proposal has been met with derision and skepticism, particularly by the korrital.

Verem Servitors
The Korr have made use of more verem servitors during the invasion of Earth than in any other war. In addition to overseeing bolog, sojor, and hiri teams, verem are now being used to ferry supplies back and forth between land bases and arejiik motherships. They are also used to scout for human havens and report the locations back to their masters. A takari-backed proposal to arm the verem and program them for war has been brought before the Kaladri Council, but the korrital swear to cease fighting if the measure passes as there would be no honor to be gained in a war won by servitors. Arming the verem would cause a host of other problems as well, especially if they are not truly the near-mindless servitors the Korr believe them to be not to mention that an army of verem could prove to be valuable allies to the OLS Resistance.

Current Operations
Satisfied that Earth’s major armies have been neutralized, the Korr have begun their systematic conquest and extermination process. The Korr have successfully eradicated a number of small towns and cities and have moved on to larger targets. In North America, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Chicago are currently in the process of being wiped out. The Resistance has all but abandoned D.C. and San Francisco, but is fighting hard to drive the invaders from Chicago.


Korr Invasion Forces

Ground Forces (a.k.a. Tagken)
Ganj
Ganj juggernauts form the backbone of any major Korr invasion. The Korr mothership deploys its ganj in an open area and the juggernauts begin advancing on their targets almost immediately, unleashing kirai flyers and using their great tentacles to deploy tagken ground forces. The long, earthshaking strides of a ganj juggernaut have a demoralizing effect on many defenders. Ganj are designed to absorb the brunt of any resistance, using their raw power and brute strength to tear buildings apart, crush vehicles, and flatten enemy positions.

Chark
Charks are frontline assault beasts controlled by an interfaced tagken korrital warrior. Charks race ahead of the ganj and plunge headlong into battle. A chark’s thick skull makes an excellent battering ram.

Dimwo
Dimwo are frontline assault beasts bioengineered to assist charks in battle. Clusters of dimwo scrabble along behind their assigned chark, attacking anything in their path, and swarming over enemy positions. Dimwo are also sent to clear buildings and root out Resistance fighters and refugees from tunnels and sewers.


Air Forces (a.k.a. Kirai)
Arrejik
Arrejik motherships provide the Korr with mobile bases from which to launch major assaults. Arrejik have no armaments, but their skin is extremely tough and resistant to damage. If attacked, an arejiik launches flyers or uses its massive tentacles to swat enemy aircraft out of the sky.

Kajii
Kajii are alien flyers controlled by interfaced korrital warriors. Kajii often provide air support for tagken ground forces, usually focusing their attacks on the largest and/or most dangerous foes. Kirai korrital rush to attack enemy aircraft, considering it a great honor to destroy enemy flyers. Although kajii cannot match the speed or firepower of Earth’s fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes), they are more than a match for its helicopters. More kajii are being bred each day as the Korr believe the invasion of Earth would be much simpler without the humans’ air superiority.

Jikka
Jikka are alien flyers bioengineered to assist kajii in battle. Flocks of jikka flit around their assigned kajii, attacking on command. Jikka give little thought to self preservation and have been programmed to impede aircraft by damaging vital systems, obscuring pilots’ vision, and diving headlong into engine turbines. Jikka also pose a threat to enemy ground forces, swooping out of the sky to attack.

Sea Forces (a.k.a. Fraasa)
The Korr have yet to unleash a major seaborne invasion, but the OLS suspects that a host of bioengineered servitors have been designed specifically for the task.

Other Korr Forces

Cachell (a.k.a. Capture Parties)
Cachell teams are occasionally sent to capture humans and animals for experiments, research, and entertainment. Cachell parties typically consist of a welka overseer, a dozen dimwo, and a number of verem aboard a hoverskiff.

Hiritak (a.k.a. Harvesting Parties)
Harvesting parties consist of 3-6 hiri attended by a welka overseer and a number of verem servitors. Harvesting teams may be encountered in wooded areas or on the outskirts of towns and cities, tearing down structures such as isolated farmhouses to harvest wood and wood products.

Ta’Bolog (a.k.a. Bolog Sweep Team)
Bolog sweep teams are sent into towns and cities after most of the fighting is done. These teams consist of large bologs that are attended and controlled by a dozen or so verem who use biomechanically attached hoses to spray voss into the surrounding area. Bolog sweep teams are often protected by 1-6 dimwo. One welka overseer is usually placed in charge of several ta’bolog.

Sojorri (a.k.a. Sojor Rumble Team)
Sojor rumble teams are usually deployed after bolog sweep teams have weakened the steel supports of surrounding structures. Sojor are attended and controlled by 2-4 verem. One welka overseer is usually placed in charge of several sojorri.

Akri’daan (a.k.a. Doomsday Recon Forces)
The Korr know that pieces of the Akorras have appeared on Earth and special teams known as the akri’daan have been organized to seek out and recover these shards. These commando-like squads are made up of 5-7 skilled members of different castes who work together to accomplish their mission. Akri’daan typically travel about on charks or hovercraft.

[Stormrift] GD3 Version

Well, it's official. There will be a Genrediversion 3 (GD3) version of Stormrift released in the near future. I've got most of the writing finished and most of the setting-specific system elements ironed out, so really it's just a matter of compiling the artwork and then waiting for Brett Bernstein of Precis Intermedia to handle layout, printing, and distribution.

GD3 is a fairly rules lite game that uses a stat + skill roll over mechanic. It's a great game to run because stat blocks are small and NPCs are easy to create. Precis has its own fanbase, which is always a plus, and I believe Stormrift will be GD3's first complete setting so that should also turn some heads.

More info can be found at the Precis website: http://www.pigames.net/

As you can tell I'm pretty excited about it. Time to get back to writing . . .

[Stormrift] Voss (a.k.a. Rust)

Voss is a tiny biomechanical nanobacteria produced by bologs as an odorless, tasteless, liquid. The bioorganic voss feed on common metals and metal alloys causing them to become brittle and more susceptible to rust. The more complex the metal, the longer the process takes (i.e. steel takes longer to break down than iron). Voss is a self-replicating organism that is constrained only by its food source. This means that voss spreads quickly over metals as the bacterium feed and multiply.

High concentrations of voss gas were introduced into Earth’s atmosphere after meteors made of solidified voss struck the earth. Further applications of liquid voss are regularly dispersed by bolog sweep teams during Korr eradication efforts. Liquid voss that is not attached to a food source evaporates under heat and is carried up into the air, descending again with the rains. Large quantities of water dilute liquid voss’s effectiveness, but the gaseous form can spread over a wide area without losing its potency.

Effects of the Voss
Human technology has suffered enormously from the effects of the corrosive voss. Power stations are down. Many electronic devices such as television sets, radios, and computers have become inoperable. Steel supports for skyscrapers, bridges, and tunnels have become compromised. Without constant maintenance, vehicles, gear, and weapons cease to function. Voss is the most demoralizing weapon the Korr possess as it reduces cities to ruins and strips men of the tools to fight off the invasion.

Combating the Voss
The corrosive effects of the voss are not instantaneous. Corrosion occurs over a period of days, weeks, and even months, depending on the concentrations of voss in the area. In many cases, humanity has had time to adapt and find alternate sources of metals for necessary items. Humans have also discovered a number of ways to counteract the worst effects of the voss.

Regular oiling and cleaning can stop voss corrosion. Liquid voss may be killed by certain oils, cleaners, and other lubricants (including gasoline and other petroleum-based products), which prevents further damage, but does not repair damage that has already been done or prevent recontamination. Metal coatings such as paint or enamel delay corrosion, but a simple scratch is all that is needed for voss to take hold.

Motorcycles and older vehicles with simpler engines and items such as Ham radios that contain fewer electronic parts are being sought by the Resistance as they are easier to clean and maintain. OLS technicians have also designed specially modified sprayers that give “oil baths” to the small number of functioning large vehicles such as cars, tanks, helicopters, and fighter planes that are still operational, but these vehicles grow weaker each time contact with voss is made.

Since voss gas is lighter than air and disperses with rains, deserts and other regions with low precipitation tend to be less affected by the corrosion. Many airtight facilities such as underground bunkers and bomb shelters have also resisted the worst of its effects. Basements and sublevels have also proven valuable, particularly for storage of items such as weapons, medical supplies, and canned goods.

Voss in the Campaign
Voss is a plot device designed to shake up the gameworld. It is up to the director to decide how much voss contamination is present in any given area and what equipment, weapons, and vehicles are still usable. In general, major cities have higher rates of voss contamination than rural areas, but this may be affected by a variety of factors including weather conditions, proximity to voss craters, and recent Korr operations.

Jury-Rigging
Jury-rigging refers to makeshift repairs or temporary devices made with whatever tools and materials happen to be on hand. In the Stormrift setting, jury-rigging has become a common practice, as metal parts are replaced with those more resistant to voss corrosion. Jury-rigging requires not only mechanical skill, but also the ability to think “outside the box.”

Jury-rigging need not always be relegated to an abstract die roll. Roleplaying game players tend to have a diverse amount of knowledge and may know how to do something the director does not. This is not only understandable, but should actually be encouraged. Let’s face it, if you include rules for jury-rigging in a game, everyone at the table suddenly turns into MacGyver. In a world where technology has taken a huge leap backwards, any gaming group worth their dice is going to try to push the envelope and try to find ways to make things work. In fact, humanity’s resilience and ability to overcome hardships in the face of adversity is one of the major themes of the Stormrift setting.

Directors should encourage creative use of pursuits and gimmicks and be flexible with their rulings. Don’t bother poring over old weapons manufacturing texts to decide whether or not a Sten gun can be made from piece of copper tubing and some wires. If it sounds cool, let the character make a roll. Jury-rigged items have a limited lifespan, so at the very worst you’ll end up with a slightly overpowered device that is extremely unreliable and prone to fail at the most inopportune times.

[Stormrift] Korr Servitors

The Korr make use of a number of alien servitors in their everyday life as well as during the invasion of earth. Korr servitors are implanted with cybernetic nanoborg technology and bioengineered and bred for maximum efficiency. The cybernetic nanoborgs deaden natural impulses such as hunger, fear, and pain, and provide the Korr with a means of control. Depending on their size, Korr servitors are fed either intravenously or orally with a nutrient paste. Korr bioengineers consider each creature to be a living work of art and no two servitors appear exactly alike.

Although Korr servitors are looked upon as little more than tools, they are not complete automatons. Living war machines such as the ganj and chark have been known to stubbornly refuse Korr commands and the verem in particular are capable of higher thought processes. The Korr punish disobedience by sending excruciating pain impulses through the host’s nanoborgs. Repeat offenders are either sent to fight in one of the Korr’s deadly games or publicly liquidated as a warning to others.

The creature descriptions below contain both the Korr name and the nickname given them by the OLS Resistance.

Arejjik (a.k.a. Motherships)
Arejjik motherships are enormous living war machines that resemble earth’s jellyfish. Arejjik float through the sky at a height of about 500 meters. Arejjik average approximately 1500 meters wide, with dozens of retractable tentacles that are capable of reaching the earth's surface in minutes. These hollow chute-like tentacles are filled with a gelatinous fluid that enables the arejjik to rapidly and safely deploy Korr ground forces like the ganj.

Arejjik serve as mobile bases for the Korr while they are away from their homeworld. An arejjik’s soft tissues are riddled with networks of tunnels and chambers that are occupied by Korr invasion forces. Arejjik are controlled from within by teams of interfaced Korr that must be frequently rotated due to fatigue.

An arejjik’s outer surface is decorated with one or more stylized identifying markings. These markings are also carved or branded upon the Korr and any servitors assigned to the vessel. Arejjik markings are also used by the OLS Resistance to track Korr forces and monitor the invasion’s progress.

It is believed that only a hundred or so motherships are participating in the invasion of North America. A few of these were destroyed outright and several were severely damaged during strategic nuclear strikes launched by earth's defenders. Prior to the earth invasion, the Korr had never lost a mothership in battle with a lesser species.

Sidebar
The OLS Resistance identifies motherships by their alien markings. Examples of mothership names include:

3-18
3. Three Trees
4. Yin-Yang
5. Ocean Waves
6. Five Eyes
7. Many Teeth
8. Rocky Mountains
9. Black Spirals
10. Medicine Wheel
11. Quetzalcoatl
12. Three Pyramids
13. Broken Moon
14. Many Stars
15. Fishhook P
16. Many Blobs
17. Black River
18. Kokopelli

Ganj (a.k.a Juggernauts)
Ganj juggernauts are giant living war machines that stand approximately 30 meters tall and measure 60 meters in length. A ganj’s head contains two curved tusks surrounded by a dozen or more tentacles. Six slender crablike legs extend from the ganj’s torso, ending in thick clawed elephantine feet that shake the earth with each step and give the ganj a long, plodding stride that is deceptively fast.

Ganj serve as frontal assault beasts and troop transports. A ganj’s soft tissues are riddled with networks of tunnels and chambers that house various assault forces including kajii and jikka flocks, chark and dimwo clusters, and bolog, sojor, and hiri teams. Organic assault bays are carved into the ganj’s underside and the ganj uses its massive tentacles to carry these forces to the ground. Ganj are controlled from within by an interfaced Korr.

In the wild, ganj are herbivores who feast on wood and wood products and the Korr sometimes reward them by letting them feed on earth’s foliage.

OLSR: These are the workhorses of the Korr army. They say you can see them coming miles away, but they’reon you before you know it. When we had tanks, artillery, ICBMs, and all that other heavy firepower, the juggernauts didn’t stand a chance. Now, if you see one, you’d better call in air support.

---Greg Holston, OLS Central Command

Kajii (a.k.a. Big Flyers or Flyers)
Kajii are living war machines that resemble winged, lizard-like crustaceans. Kajii are carnivores that measure approximately 5 meters tall and 15 meters long, (30 meters long counting the tail). They serve as aerial assault vessels that are controlled through an interface cavity located on the creature’s back. The korrital consider it a great honor to be chosen as a kajii rider. Kajii are capable of transporting a number of jikka that cling to its sides during flight.

OLSR: The bug flyers look like a cross between a crab and a dragon. Our planes are too fast for them, but I’ve seen them bring down choppers, attacking from underneath so they won’t get chewed up in the rotors. On the ground, if we see a flyer, we run for cover and try to pick them off at range. Get too close and they’ll have you for lunch. I once saw a flyer swoop down, pick my sergeant up, and then tear him in half as it circled back around for more. I don’t want to go out like that.

---Soldier Kenneth Greene, OLS Cell TN334-RG4

Jikka (a.k.a. Little Flyers)
Jikka flyers are living war machines that resemble tentacled manta rays. Jikka are omnivores that have a wingspan of approximately 2 meters and measure 5 meters long from head to tail. Jikka serve as aerial assault creatures and often accompany kajii on missions. Dozens of jikka can be controlled directly by a kajii-interfaced Korr or the jikka can be programmed to attack on their own.

OLSR: They’re not too dangerous one-on-one, but you get three or four of them on you and you’ve got problems. Us pilots hate them. The bugs send them flying straight at us to get hung up in helicopter rotors or sucked into jet engines. We’re seeing a lot more of them these days. The big flyers are no match for us in the air so the bugs are using the little ones to help even the odds.

---Pilot Sergeant Cam “Uptown” Sandhill, OLS Air Corps

Chark (a.k.a. Crushers)
Charks are living war machines that resemble blunt-headed, wormlike crustaceans. Charks are herbivores that measure about 5 meters tall and 15 meters in length. Equipped with a pair of curved, ram-like horns and capable of reaching speeds of 30 kph, charks are often used to break through defensive lines and tear down fortifications. Charks are controlled through an interface cavity located on the creature’s back and are usually accompanied by a dozen or more dimwo.

OLSR: We call them “crushers” and that’s exactly what they do. At Abingdon we had received advance notice of a bug raiding party--reports said six crushers and about three dozen crabs, but it was really about twice that many. We’d already fortified our positions, blocking off the streets with rubble and setting up ambushes at various choke points. We dug in and waited, but the bugs decided not to play our game. The crushers swarmed over the rubble and crashed headfirst through our barricades--I saw one explode through a bus that a fire team was using for cover while another demolished the church tower that housed our best snipers. With our flanks exposed, we tried to retreat and regroup, but the crushers were so fast they kept us on the run for the rest of the day as the crabs mopped up the stragglers. Only a handful of us made it out of the Abingdon alive.

---Sergeant Harold Tucker, OLS Cell MD16-11FF

Dimwo (a.k.a. Crabs or Crab Walkers)
Dimwo are living war machines that resemble giant alien lobsters. Dimwo are carnivores that measure approximately 2 meters tall and 5 meters long. Dimwo serve primarily as ground forces. They are ruthless killing machines that are easily recognized by the distinctive bone-rattle click of their legs as they walk. Dimwo are always hungry and receive -2D to all actions when in the presence of fresh kills as their appetite-suppression programs are forced to work overtime. Dozens of dimwo can be controlled directly by a chark-interfaced Korr or the dimwo can be programmed to search and destroy targets on their own.

OLSR: The crabs attack in swarms. They’re big, dumb, and brutal and they’re always hungry, so if you can get ‘em thinking about food, they’re less effective. They’re also extremely susceptible to booby traps and most of the times they’ll just walk blindly into an ambush. But they keep coming. I’ve seen them crawl over dozens of their own dead just to get mowed down themselves. Of course, all the firepower usually brings the flyers and crushers running, so I guess they serve their purpose, which is to locate our positions and flush us out.

---Sergeant Mike Ganowitz, OLS Cell GA665-YT1

Skreel (a.k.a. Stalkers or Worms)
Skreel are solitary agents of death that resemble biomechanical wormlike creatures. Skreel stand just over 2 meters tall and measure over 4 meters in length from head to tail. Although they possess only slightly greater than animal intelligence, they are skilled hunter-killers who are capable of learning and adapting to their surroundings. The stealthy skreel are most often sent to scout, infiltrate, and eliminate dangerous human targets such as charismatic generals and other leaders of the Resistance.

OLSR: I’ve only seen one of these and that was enough. I was taking a SITREP to our commanding officer, Captain Kowalski, when I heard a cry from inside her tent. I drew my sidearm and ran in only to find her impaled on the end of a stalker’s blade. I cursed and fired, but the worm cut the main post in half with one slash of its other blade and the whole tent came down around our heads. By the time the rest of C Company helped me free, Kowalski was dead and the worm was gone. We still don’t know how it penetrated our defenses.

---Sergeant Gary Rosenberg, OLS Cell SC667-43T

Bolog (a.k.a. Slugs or Slug Bags)
Bologs are living war machines that resemble giant, slug-like creatures with gelatinous, voss-filled bags on their backs. Bologs vary in size, measuring approximately 5-15 meters tall and 5-20 meters in length. Larger bologs are attended and controlled by a dozen or so verem who use attached hoses to spray voss into the surrounding area. These bolog sweep teams are deployed to hasten the destruction of earth’s cities and towns. Bologs are bred to be nonviolent and flee if attacked. Bolog sweep teams are often protected by 1d6 dimwo.

OLSR: The slugs are the source of all our problems. They make the stuff that makes stuff go kaput. They’re easy to kill, but the bugs never send them out until most of the fighting is already done. At Freedmont, some bright boy in Command got the idea to have us dig in and wait for the bugs to sweep the city and then take the slug teams out before they started spraying, which basically would have meant leaving the locals to die at the hands of crushers, crabs, and flyers. We just couldn’t do that. We managed to slow the assault and get most of the people out, but we eventually lost the city and I got busted back down to Soldier. I still think it was worth it.

---Soldier Jim Eagleton, OLS Cell TX154-Q

Sojor (a.k.a. Sweepers)
Sojor are circular, clawless crustaceans who measure approximately 2 meters tall and 5 meters long. Sojor produce a subsonic vibration in a 360 degree field that causes glass to break, and rocks and minerals to separate into smaller fragments. Sojor are attended and controlled by 2-4 verem. Sojor are usually deployed after bolog sweep teams have weakened the steel supports of surrounding structures. Sojor are bred to be nonviolent and flee if attacked.

OLSR: The bugs routed our forces at Castleton Hills, killing everyone except for the few of us who managed to hide in an old root cellar. The sweepers came in after the crushers and crabs had moved on. Trapped behind enemy lines, we decided to take them out before making a break for safety. I could feel the vibrations the sweepers put off as we maneuvered into position, but as far as I know, the sounds are harmless to the human body. The fight was over fast and we started a retreat before the bugs could send reinforcements. Unfortunately, by then, the sweeper vibrations had so weakened the surrounding buildings that three good men got caught in a collapse.

---Sergeant Frank Loma, OLS Cell GA176-RR

Hiri (a.k.a. Harvesters)
Hiri are living war machines that resemble long, centipede-like alien creatures. Hiri measure approximately 2 meters tall and 15 meters long. A hiri’s long back is covered with numerous cage-like spiny ridges that are used to store logs, lumber, and other wood products. The hiri possess two long, powerful claws that are used to sift through rubble and cut trees and lumber down to manageable size. Hiri are attended and controlled by teams of 3-6 verem. Hiri harvest teams are usually dispatched once bolog and sojor teams have reduced an area to rubble, however, they may also be found harvesting trees in the wild. Hiri are bred to be nonviolent and flee if attacked. They are often attended by 2D6 dimwo.

OLSR: Talk about efficient! Imagine a living machine that can traverse any barrier, cut down, limb, and transport trees and you’ve got a harvester. I watched three of them mow through a whole swathe of forest in just a few short hours. I wish I had one of those back when my company was logging the Northwest.

---Dustin Barnaby, Mooreland Refugee Camp

Verem (a.k.a. dogmen, bugmen, lizardmen, fishmen, molemen)
The verem are actually several races that have been enslaved by the Korr. Verem appear as emaciated humanoids implanted with Korr biotechnology. They possess animal-like intelligence, but can be programmed to perform specific tasks. Every now and then, a verem displays signs of higher independent thought and must be punished or destroyed. A few psions have noted that this type of thought appears to be present in many verem they have encountered, and there are some who believe the verem keep this carefully concealed from their Korr masters. There are currently five types of verem--canid, reptoid, insectoid, sea mammal, and burrower. It is assumed that humanity will also be added to the Korr’s collection of verem.

OLSR: The bugs from the Yin-Yang mothership had established a base in the old train yard and we’d been watching resupply hoverskiffs from the mothership for several weeks. We hit the last supply caravan just after dawn, blasting the lead skiff with IEDs and killing all of the dogmen on board. The dogmen on the other two skiffs jumped ship and tried to run as we cut them down. I know they’re just slaves, but they’re helping the enemy so we can’t get too sentimental. Anyway, they’re supposed to be near-mindless and entirely concerned about their own self-preservation. Funny thing though, I had one of them in my sights and he wasn’t a drone like the rest of them. He seemed to be herding the others, almost as if he was trying to get them to safety. It caught me off guard seeing one act that way and by the time I lined up my shot, he and his followers had disappeared into the woods.

---Sergeant Jeff Womack, OLS Cell NJ66703-44G

[Stormrift] OLSR

OLS Report (OLSR)
OLSRs are a collection of notes, radio transmissions, videos, and eyewitness accounts collected by the Resistance that document the ongoing invasion of earth. OLS Central Command is compiling as much data as it can, hoping to keep track of Korr activity and perhaps discover new weaknesses to exploit. A number of OLSRs are scattered throughout the text of this book, designed to give players better insight into the ongoing invasion.

Sample OLSR:

The Invasion
We gave ‘em hell. Their enormous motherships dropped wave after wave of invaders--living war machines that were no match for earth’s superior firepower. Our fighter jets and attack choppers blasted their flyers out of the sky. Our tanks and artillery tore through the rubbery flesh of the lumbering juggernauts. Our small arms shattered the carapaces of the scrabbling crabs. It was the worst attack on U.S. soil and we defended our homeland with pride, certain that despite the horrors before us we would prevail. But in spite of their losses, still they kept coming.

That was back when we could coordinate our efforts. When the supply lines were up and running and before the comm systems started going down. Before the tanks stopped moving, the planes stayed grounded, and the chatter of the guns slowly went silent.

If they would have waited a month, maybe even a week before launching their assault we never could have put up such a fight. Maybe someone was watching out for us after all. We’re still alive, still fighting. That’s all anyone can ask for now.

---Captain James Dawfrey, OLS Cell GL5-664L

[Stormrift] The Korr

The Korr are a technologically advanced alien race from a parallel dimension. They are violently xenophobic and believe themselves superior to all other races. The Korr excel at science, particularly biotechnology, and specialize in breeding and control of lesser species.

Physical Description
The Korr are carbon-based lifeforms that resemble large, black, beetle-like aliens with retractable necks, insectile heads, and greasy manes. Their bulky frames average about 2.5 meters tall and contain eight to twelve segmented legs and two powerful fighting claws. These war claws make formidable weapons, but they are also capable of wielding tools and melee weapons.

A Korr’s mouth is located in its chest, surrounded by a mass of prehensile tentacles that are used to perform delicate operations. Korr communicate using a combination of mandible clicks, whistles, and throaty growls. They are extremely tough and able to shuffle along at a surprisingly fast pace.

The Korr are a long-lived species who number only a few million. They are asexual, having both male and female sex organs and reproduce only once every hundred or so years, laying dozens of egg sacs, only one of which contains a fertile egg. Since every Korr death brings the race one step closer to extinction, the Korr prefer to conduct war through a variety of bioengineered servitors. A Korr only enters direct combat against a lesser species as a last resort, or as a sign of great respect for a particular foe.

Society
Korr society is a capitalist society based around a caste system that is divided into four separate castes--nomen, takari, korrital, and welka. High-ranking caste members are afforded respect and luxuries equivalent to their rank. They are responsible for setting caste-related policies and mediating grievances. Mid-ranking caste members are responsible for managing affairs and troubleshooting problems. Low-ranking caste members handle day-to-day caste-related operations.

Rank and status within each caste is typically determined by age, however, younger caste members may rise within their caste through exceptional caste-related performance and achievements. Nomen caste members typically ascend through political maneuvering, takari through creative bioengineering and new scientific developments, korrital through victories, and welka through hard work and determination. Korr are typically born and raised to a particular caste, but a Korr may join another caste if he hears a different calling later in life. Only one such change can be made over the course of a Korr’s life and the Korr may suffer prejudice from current and former caste members.

Although the caste system has largely stabilized Korr society, rivalries between castes are always present, with nomen leadership often being challenged by the korrital, especially during times of war, and the welka viewing the takari as elitists who sit back and reap the benefits of others’ hard work. In addition, each caste is divided into many different members, factions, and sects all vying for wealth, influence, and power. The caste system has recently been challenged by factions such as the Korruun (see The Korruun, pg. xnx) and many believe that major changes to its structure lie on the horizon.

Nomen (Noble) Caste
Members of the Korr noble caste occupy the upper levels of Korr society. The nomen are responsible for managing government, setting policies, enforcing laws, rooting out dissidents, and making decisions that affect the entire race. On earth, nomen are most often found in command of arejjik motherships.

Takari (Medical Sciences) Caste
The takari caste is made up of bioengineers, physicians, and scientists. It is the smallest caste, but perhaps the most influential as so much of Korr society is dependent upon biotechnology. The takari are rarely encountered on earth and almost never leave the protection of their mothership.

Korrital (Warrior) Caste
The korrital is the Korr warrior caste. Korrital pride themselves on physical prowess and skill in battle. They specialize in hand-to-hand combat, feeling that ranged weapons are a sign of cowardice and weakness. Korrital warriors collect trophies such as weapons, patches, gear, and other distinctive items from slain enemies. They are the only Korr known to eat meat, often dining on the flesh of their enemies during elaborate post-battle rituals. During the Korr Civil War, the ranks of the korrital swelled to record numbers. After the war, with no enemies left to fight, the warriors began to clash with members of the other castes. It was the warrior caste who pushed hardest for the premature invasion of earth.

Welka (Worker) Caste
The Korr worker caste is the largest of the four castes and is made up primarily of merchants, educators, technicians, and security personnel. Welkas are responsible for overseeing tasks too important to leave to verem and other servitors such as constructing interface cavities, hollowing out organic passages and chambers inside arejjik motherships and ganj juggernauts, and overseeing verem cleanup teams.

Attitudes and Customs
Korr society is based around strict adherence to tradition and laws. In fact, the recent civil war was fought between Korr old guard conservatives and those who wished to break with many of the ancient traditions. The Korr believe they are the master race who holds dominion over all other lifeforms and that it is their right and duty to decide the fate of the lesser races. In their view, it was pure chance that humanity had evolved enough to pose a serious threat to the Korr.

The Korr prefer warm, humid climates over cold ones and avoid freezing weather whenever possible. For clothing, they normally wear decorative streamers that flutter in the wind and trail behind them as they walk. The more ornate and colorful the streamers, the higher the Korr ranks within his caste. In battle, the korrital remove most of their streamers and wear harnesses to carry weapons and gear. A Korr’s carapace is also engraved with symbols indicating his caste, rank, major achievements, and arejjik mothership designation. Hair is worn loose, braided, beaded, or stiffened back into a spiky, quill-like mane. The oldest and most influential Korr often carry ornately decorated staffs made from alien wood.

The Korr are a vegetarian race that subsists on trees and treelike growth. In particular, rarer trees such as redwoods, acacia, and several species found in the Amazon rainforest are considered delicacies. Although the Korr prefer to dine on fresh plants and raw wood, they can also eat processed wood such as lumber, paper, etc., and have even developed a pulpy nutrient paste for extended campaigns. With only a few exceptions, the Korr consider those who eat meat to be little more than savage animals.

War
War is an essential component of Korr society. When war begins, everyone prospers--the nomen expand their influence by dictating policies and managing resources, the takari receive new test subjects and are able to oversee field tests of experimental servitors and other bioengineered creations, the korrital have a means of attaining honor and glory, and the welka are inundated with additional jobs and funding.

The Korr have never lost a war. In fact, outside of their own civil war, the Korr have never been seriously challenged in any sort of conflict. The most advanced weaponry the Korr have ever faced was roughly equivalent to that of earth’s Iron Age. If the invasion of earth continues to prove costly, however, the Korr may be forced to rethink their warlike ways.

Weaknesses
If the Korr have a weakness that humanity can exploit, it is the race’s unyielding nature. The Korr are a stubborn race who despise change. In their view, if something works 1000 times, there is no reason it should not work another 1000 times. This makes them reluctant to adapt to changing situations or admit defeat, even in the face of overwhelming odds. During the initial stage of the invasion, this ideology almost proved to be their undoing as wave after wave of living war machines broke against the devastating weapons of earth’s defenders. Only the fact that the Korr’s legion of bioengineered servitors had swelled during the civil war gave them the resources to continue the invasion.

Currency
Korr “currency” is based upon a complex web of rank, status, achievements, favors, and property. A high-ranking Korr is treated to gifts, food, favors, etc., by lower-ranking Korr. Taking too much advantage of these gifts, however, lowers the Korr’s status. Similarly, giving gifts, favors, etc., to higher-ranking Korr (within reason) increases one’s own status in Korr society. A master storyteller who tells a tale at a formal nomen gathering increases his status (and thereby his wealth) in Korr society. A welka who happens to be present to hear the tale also increases his status. However, the same master storyteller who tells the same tale in a Korr marketplace decreases his own status while increasing the status of those who listen and even the status of the marketplace itself. If the Korr currency system seems confusing, it should--the Korr are an alien race whose culture is extremely different than those of earth.

Entertainment
In stark contrast to their herbivorous diet, Korr prefer violent entertainment, the bloodier the better. The three primary forms of entertainment are death matches, blood mazes, and death races.

In death matches, Korr animal handlers collect specimens from earth and stage fights in a variety of interesting ways. Obviously stronger fighters are often handicapped to make the fight more fair (i.e. crippling a tiger and pitting it against a pack of wolves). In rare cases, humans are captured and forced to fight against animals or even other humans. In even rarer cases, Korr outcasts and dissidents are forced to compete in these deadly games.

Blood mazes are another favorite Korr sport. Specimens are brought aboard a mothership and placed inside a maze full of strange traps and deadly creatures. The specimen must find its way out of the maze without being crippled or killed. Those who do are usually sold off as prized pets.

Death races occur when a specimen is turned loose and given a head start. Korrital warriors then hunt the creature down to the delight of the watching crowds. Death races typically occur on earth’s surface and often involve human prey.

Government
The Kaladri Council governs Korr society. The council is composed of twelve appointed members, three from each representative caste, but each member is free to vote as it pleases. Matters of great importance to the race are discussed and voted upon in council. In the case of a tie vote, the three nomen council members hold a separate, final vote.

Religion
The Korr pay homage to a divine entity known as Abas who appears in their mythologies as a massive black hole. Abas embodies the Korr’s destructive philosophy towards other races. He is portrayed as a harsh and unforgiving god who consumes everything in his path. The Korr frequently curse to Abas, but seldom actually pray to him except for a small, reclusive priesthood known as the Abas’akorr.

Korr History
Although Korr society is largely at peace now, the Korr have a violent and turbulent past that is marked by a number of wars and conflicts.

The Doomsday Wars
Ages ago, the Korr were divided into several industrialized nations who lived on the surface of their homeworld Chiirika. These nations were constantly at war with one another, forging new alliances, breaking old treaties, and trying to protect and expand their power, borders, and influence. Things changed when a Korr leader named Shivik’sa developed (some say discovered) a doomsday device named the Akorras which was said to be capable of wiping out the entire Korr race.

Shivik’sa demanded that the various Korr nations submit to his rule and when they refused, he unleashed the Akorras, not fully comprehending the devastation it would cause. Although many of the details of this dark time in Korr history have been lost, what is known is that the destructive power of the Akorras swept across land and the resultant deaths, famines, plagues, and pollution were so great, that to this day, large swathes of the Korr homeworld are unable to sustain life. The first stormrifts also appeared at this time, seemingly triggered by the Akorras’s awesome power.

The Dark Ages
The Akorras eventually ran its course and disappeared from Korr history, but the devastation it had caused forced the Korr to retreat into the enormous geothermal caves beneath the surface of Chiirika. There, the Korr split off into family tribes and regional clans who retained only a fraction of their technology, customs, and knowledge. Despite the decline of their civilization, it wasn’t long before territorial disputes between the clans boiled over and the Korr were once again warring with one another.

The Lawgiver War
The Lawgiver War began when a Korr leader named Tii’haiak peacefully united several clans under a series of laws that marked the beginning of the caste system. Korr were assigned duties and roles based on their skills and then trained their offspring to follow the same trade or path. Tii’haiak’s clans prospered under the caste system and the other clans, envious of their prosperity, began plotting against them.

The rival clans stormed Tii’haiak’s caves, but Tii’haiak was a brilliant leader and an excellent tactician and his entrenched forces crushed the invading armies. Rather than exact revenge on the clans as was the custom, Tii’haiak offered their leaders the chance to accept his laws and join his confederation. With most of their hunter/warriors dead, the clans agreed, leading to an age of increased growth, peace, and prosperity. Only a few outlying clans remained independent of the union, but these were eventually pushed into the deep caverns of Chiirika.

The Riikin Uprising
Once relative peace had been established, Tii’haiak slowly steered the Korr away from the destructive technologies that had poisoned and befouled their world, spearheading major advances in Korr science and medicine. During this time, the Korr and their servitors began being implanted with biotechnology, however, Korr bioengineers had not yet mastered the technology and could not halt the growth of nanoborgs in all infected subjects. In higher lifeforms such as the Korr, the nanoborgs expanded unchecked, transforming infected Korr into individual biomechanical lifeforms. As a result, the Kaladri Council convened and voted to terminate any Korr infected with nanoborgs. As the command was being carried out, the infected, also known as the riikin, rose up in rebellion, using their biotechnology to take control of several breeding facilities and turn the bioorganic servitors into living war machines. The riikin were eventually defeated and hunted to near-extinction. Most Korr believe the riikin no longer exist and they have become the equivalent of the Korr boogeyman, although some claim the riikin still dwell in the deep, dark parts of the world or even on the blasted surface if Chiirika. Korr takari eventually mastered the nanoborg technology in higher lifeforms and Korr biotech and servitors began to play an increasingly vital role in Korr society.

The Conquest Wars
The Conquest Wars began after a Korr mothership was caught in a stormrift and transported through the rift to planet earth--an entire new world rich in resources. The takari immediately began working on ways to control the stormrifts. Once they succeeded, the Korr began the first invasion of earth, easily overpowering the primitive insectoid natives. The war provided the glory-hunting korrital with a means of gaining rank and status as well as supplying the race with food and new types of servitors. After the initial conquest, the Korr tried to settle on earth, but the alien landscape and climate proved too erratic for colonization. The Korr then began a process where they would return every few thousand earth years, conquer any evolving species, collect new specimens and servitors, and harvest wood products for processing and storage.

The Korr Civil War
The Korr Civil War began as a series of protests organized by a Korr nomen named Jajunn. Jajuun was the leader of a faction of free thinkers and reformists named the Korruun who gained the popularity and support of many younger Korr. The Korruun demanded major changes be made to the Korr’s rigid caste system including more equal distribution of wealth and status, less reliance on biotechnological servitors, particularly verem, and more emphasis on traditional technology. Korruun dissenters disrupted and/or ignored traditions, vandalized takari laboratories, and committed other acts of civil unrest including freeing verem and teaching them how to speak, think, act, and even fight for themselves. Civil war broke out when the Kaladri Council finally ordered a brutal crackdown on Korruun subversives. During the last stages of the war, desperate Korruun warriors employed plasma energy weapons that destroyed not only their enemies, but also ignited a series of wildfires that decimated several subterranean sustenance forests. After the fires, the Korruun lost the support of the public and were hunted down by the korrital and the nomen secret police. The last of the Korruun were executed after the Civil War, however, many of their radical ideologies linger with old and young Korr alike.

Postwar
The Korr Civil War ravaged many levels of Korr society and prevented the Korr from returning to earth. Looking to replenish their food supplies, the Korr opened a stormrift and discovered the human race which had evolved far beyond any species they had encountered before--possibly even enough to be a threat. What’s more, the Korr were alarmed to find that humanity had depleted earth’s natural resources, burning fossil fuels, felling trees, and polluting the air and water.

The Kaladri Council quickly convened to discuss plans for an invasion of earth. A vote was held between those who wished to attack earth immediately and those who wished to wait and rebuild their forces which were still reeling from the civil war. The vote was split, forcing the nomen council to hold a separate, deciding vote. With food supplies depleted by the civil war and facing civil crises at home (namely pressure from the korrital), the nomen voted to launch a premature attack on earth.

The Invasion of Earth
The Korr did very little reconnaissance before launching the invasion and knew almost nothing about earth’s governments, alliances, or its defensive capabilities. The Korr simply saw an evolving species and decided to eliminate them as they had so many others in the past.

The Korr know that the simplest way to conquer an evolving species is to take away its ability to resist. Therefore the Korr began the invasion of earth by opening hundreds of stormrifts and launching meteors of frozen voss across the earth. Their primary targets were earth’s major cities and the damage was catastrophic. Millions died in the first assault. Millions more died in the chaos that followed. More importantly, the asteroids vaporized on impact, spreading voss gas across the globe. A few weeks later, as earth’s technology began to fail, the Korr launched the second wave of the invasion, sending arejjik motherships loaded with assault forces through the stormrifts.

Confident in their superiority and accustomed to facing much less technologically advanced cultures, the korrital led their forces against the armies of man only to suffer staggering losses. The Korr’s living war machines were simply no match for the deadly-accurate long-range human weaponry. However, the tide of battle soon turned as the corrosive voss began to take effect. No longer able to stop the Korr’s advance with conventional weapons, the world’s great powers ordered strategic nuclear strikes against the Korr motherships. Many motherships were damaged and several were destroyed outright, but the damage to the earth and her people had farther-reaching consequences.

The Korr were initially surprised and alarmed at the level of resistance humanity mustered against them and several Kaladri council members lobbied to break off the invasion. However, the damage caused by the nuclear attacks hardened the Korr’s resolve to exterminate the human race. The Korr believe that nothing short of conquest can remove the threat humanity poses to Korr society.

Intelligence on the Korr
Humans are largely ignorant as to the intricacies of Korr society and way of life. What information they have gathered is unreliable at best, as captured Korr refuse to communicate with what they consider lesser beings, even under pain of torture. A few psions claim to know more of Korr culture and rumors have begun to circulate of a Korr faction or possibly a separate alien race providing aid and information to the Resistance or remnants of certain earth governments.

Korr Homeworld
Very little is known about the Korr homeworld of Chiirika, but from the creatures that come from within it must be a terrible place.

[Stormrift] 101

Stormrift Premise
Earth is being invaded from a parallel dimension by an alien race that is intent on harvesting the earth’s natural resources and wiping out the human threat. The invaders have caused most of earth’s technology to fail, sending entire governments into collapse and crippling mankind’s ability to defend itself. Characters play members of the scattered Resistance.

The Korr
The Korr are a technologically advanced alien race from a parallel dimension. They are violently xenophobic and believe themselves superior to all other races. The Korr excel at science, particularly biotechnology, and specialize in control of lesser species. Their living war machines are a terrible blend of cybernetics and organics.

Background
On December 12th, 2012, the attack began.

It started with the storms, roiling patches of inky blackness punctuated by lightning strikes and most of all thunder, terrible thunder. All over the world men huddled in fear as low, deafening rumbles reverberated to the core of our being. Then the meteors came, raining down from the very center of the dreadful storms, destroying the cities of man. The event lasted for almost an hour and the damage was catastrophic. Scientists were at a loss to explain the phenomenon and were unable to predict whether or not it was an isolated incident. Governments all over the world became stretched thin between keeping the peace and providing humanitarian aid to millions of refugees.

Then technology began to deteriorate. Computers ceased to function and communications faltered. Buildings and bridges weakened and collapsed. Dams and levees became compromised. Nuclear facilities threatened meltdown. Highways became junkyards of abandoned vehicles and planes fell from the sky. It was later determined that the meteors had been composed of some sort of corrosive compound that had vaporized upon impact and been released into the atmosphere.

When the second round of storms came, mankind braced for the worst. Only then did we realize we were under attack as dozens of gelatinous motherships floated out of the blackness. Thousands of ropy tendrils descended from the motherships toward earth, depositing alien vessels and creatures the likes of which we had never imagined.

We fought back. Even as technology failed, even as society died around us, we fought back. The armies of man slowed the oncoming horde, but could not stop it, until at last we were scattered, down, but not out.

Today
The world of this setting is much changed from what you see outside your window. No cars travel down the freeway. No planes fly across the sky. No computers or cell phones exist to keep people informed. Humanity is scattered across the globe as thousands of refugees have left the major cities, trying to escape the conflict. Food is scarce. Electricity is rare. Running water is practically a thing of the past and drinking water must be purified. The days are quiet and the nights are long and dark.

Always there is the constant threat of the Korr lurking over the horizon as the Korr slowly and systematically continue to wipe out all trace of human society. The cities of man are being laid to waste as Korr assault forces sweep in, secure the area, and then send in teams to reduce the cities to rubble. The Korr are thorough and relentless and the process is time consuming, but the Korr are confident they will prevail.

Players
The Stormrift setting takes place a few months after the armed invasion has begun. Players play members of the Resistance, forced to use hit and run tactics against the technologically superior Korr. Characters can be normal humans, psionic humans (using psychic powers brought about by the stormrifts), or enhanced humans (humans implanted with captured Korr biotechnology). The exact size and makeup of each cell is left up to the GM to decide, but for game purposes the characters answer to someone higher up who can provide intelligence and assign missions. The characters are constantly on the run, knowing that one mistake could be their last, but they are determined to free earth and drive the Korr back to their alien homeworld. Some believe that the only way to accomplish this is by using the Korr’s own doomsday device against them.

Adventures
Members of the Resistance may be called upon to perform a variety of different missions.

Defense
The characters are placed in charge of defending something, whether it be a place, person, plans, or captured piece of Korr biotechnology.

Recruitment
The resistance sends the characters to recruit volunteers from a nearby haven. The haven may welcome the resistance or be hostile towards it or the settlers may only be willing to let resistance members talk to their people if they perform some task.

Search and Destroy
Search and destroy scenarios are fairly straightforward. The characters are sent to destroy an enemy which can be a violent band of raiders, an alien creature, or a Korr assault team.

Intelligence Gathering
The characters are sent to infiltrate a gang of raiders, haven, or even a Korr mothership, gather information and perhaps disrupt activities.

Resupply
The characters are sent to hunt for supplies. The resistance might have intelligence that leads them to believe supplies are at a certain location (such as a Wal-Mart) or the characters may be searching blind, hoping to stumble across food or weapons.

Escort
The characters must escort someone or something from Point A to Point B. Common escorts are provided for leaders of the resistance, supplies, or captured technology.

Rescue or Recovery
Someone or something needs rescuing--it could be a friend, ally, leader of a haven, or stolen supplies or gear.

Escape
The characters begin the scenario trapped and must get free.

Field Testing
Human scientists are constantly trying to reverse-engineer Korr technology, sometimes with disastrous results. The characters are chosen to field test an experimental weapon or device.

Doomsday Recovery
The characters are sent after a piece of the Korr doomsday device. They may have to break into a vault, descending into an ancient tomb, or steal the stones from raiders or even the Korr themselves.

[Stormrift] Starting Over

Well, since my employer's IT have blocked Xanga as a social site, I decided to start fresh on blogger. I'm going to repost a lot of the basic Stormrift information from the Xanga site beginning with Stormrift 101, but most of the entries have been updated with new material.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, here is the link to the original blog:

http://petespahn.xanga.com/