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ERIC RADOM – NEURALITE CEO

APPEARANCE: A tasteful exalt morph with chocolate brown hair, sharp cheekbones, and a smile of pearls.

ROLEPLAYING:

• Smooth and controlled.
• Likes a big smile and a firm handshake.
• Deflects specific questions by being a “big picture guy”, but “I’m going to have one of my people get back to you with that information ASAP”.

BACKGROUND:

• Radom was a minor research assistant on the team that helped develop the second generation menton morphs.
• Not a very good scientist, but very good at corporate self-promotion. Ended up as a mid-tier executive on Cognite’s Thought station in Venus orbit after the Fall.
• Hand-picked to lead the Neuralite project, Radom is going to move into the lower ranks of the upper echelons of Cognite (assuming the project is a success).

NOTES:

• He has an ego-cide implant to prevent being captured or interrogated. He has no cortical stack, but instead backs up to a Cognite facility using an ego bridge in his apartment once per week.
• If questioned about the connection between Cognite and Neuralite, Radom will play it down: He purchased technology Cognite was planning to abandon and independently founded Neuralite in order to capitalize on it. (He may even suggest that anything shady about the situation is the result of him ripping Cognite off; “but sometimes the little guy needs an edge, right?”)

LAURA PANNA – NEURALITE CEO

APPEARANCE: A sylph morph whose elegant features are distractingly marred by the deep lines of worry that have been etched into its forehead.

ROLEPLAYING:

• Bubbly. Constantly wanting to be liked.
• Smiles and cocks her head to one side whenever she’s confused.

BACKGROUND:

• Laura is something of a patsy. She is hopelessly naïve about what Neuralite is actually doing.

LYSANDER VANGELIS – NEURALITE HEAD RESEARCHER

APPEARANCE: An ostentatious menton morph, featuring the attractively bulbous forehead modifications which were popular about five years before the Fall. His skin is a glistening, gleaming silver that seems to pool the light of the room.

ROLEPLAYING:

• Huge enthusiasm for his research. This can rapidly devolve in to “mad scientist”.
• Initially opening and welcoming, but quickly dismissive of anyone who reveals themselves to be foolish or stupid.
• Scratches the back of his head with both hands when particularly worked up.

BACKGROUND:

• Official cover story is that Lysander was “stolen away” from Cognite by the upstart Neuralite. (In reality, he’s simply continuing work he started at Cognite.)
• Vangelis has been experimenting with the psi-epsilon opener. It’s granted him several psi sleights, but has also frayed his sanity to the breaking point.

NOTES:

• Vangelis is on the brink of utter madness. Over the course of the scenario he will deteriorate rapidly (particularly if put under any stress).
• Maintains a copy of himself in his ghostrider module to assist himself in his research.

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LYSANDER VANGELIS

Morph: Menton

Skills: Academics: Biology 80, Academics: Genetics 80, Academics: Nanotechnology 70, Art: Bodysculpting 50, Beam Weapons 50, Control 50, Deception 30, Fray 40, Free Fall 55, Hardware: Aerospace 50, Interests: Black Market Drugs 50, Interests: Genetics Research 70, Interests: Morph Designs 65, Interfacing 30, Kinesics 40, Language: Native Arabic 90, Language: English 45, Medicine: General Practice 65, Medicine: Gene Therapy 75, Medicine: Nanomedicine 70, Medicine: Trauma Surgery 60, Networking: Criminal 35, Networking: Hypercorp 45, Networking: Scientists: 55, Perception 50, Pilot: Spacecraft 25, Profession: Lab Technician 60, Profession: Medical Care 65, Programming 70, Psi Assault 50, Psychosurgery 60, Research 55, Scrounging 55, Sense 40

Implants: Access Jacks, Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Circadian Regulation, Cortical Stack, Eidetic Memory, Ghostrider Module, HyperLinguist, Math Boost, Medichines, Multi-Tasking

Gear: Backup Insurance, Dr. Bot, Drive (5 doses), Ego Bridge, Fabber, Frequency (2 doses), Guardian Angel Bot, Muse, Nanobandages

Psi Sleights: Instinct, Pattern Recognition, Penetration

Armor: Armor Clothing (3/4)

Ranged: Stunner 50 (DV 1d10 ÷ 2, shock – SA – 200 shots)

Psi: Decerebration 50 (EP, pg. 371)

Psi: Onslaught 50 (EP, pg. 371)

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CONWAY FEREN – NEURALITE CHIEF SECURITY SPECIALIST

Conway can be used to bump up the difficulty of any encounter with Neuralite security personnel.

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CONWAY FEREN

Morph: Bouncer

Skills: Academics: Astronomy 40, Academics: Engineering 35, Art: Writing 30, Beam Weapons 50, Blades 45, Climbing 75, Demolitions 35, Fray 55, Free Fall 65, Freerunning 45, Hardware: Aerospace 50, Hardware: Robotics 50, Infiltration 30, Interests: Brinker Groups 60, Interests: Esoteric Muslim Traditions 40, Interests: Habitat Infrastructure 50, Interests: Outer System Habitats 50, Interests: Scum Black Markets 45, Interfacing 25, Kinesics 45, Kinetic Weapons 55, Language: Native Arabic 85, Language: English 35, Language: Spanish 30, Medicine: First Aid 45, Navigation 55, Perception 50, Persuasion 30, Pilot: Spacecraft 55, Profession: Security Procedures 60, Protocol 30, Research 35, Scrounging 45, Unarmed Combat 65

Implants: Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Grip Pads (+30 Climbing included in stats), Oxygen Reserve

Mobility: Walker (4/20), prehensile feet

Armor: Body Armor (10/10)

Ranged: Medium Kinetic Pistol 55 (AP -2, DV 2d10+2 – 100 shots)

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Go to Part 1

For information on using proactive nodes, see Advanced Node-Based Design.

PROACTIVE NODE – NEURALITE MERCENARY CREW

If Neuralite becomes aware of the PCs and decide that they represent a serious threat, they’ll a freelance mercenary pair named Lorn and Ares. (PCs may be able to trace their hiring back to Neuralite.)

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NEURALITE MERCENARY CREW (x2)

Morph: Reaper

Skills: Academics: Anatomy 45, Beam Weapons 45, Blades 70, Fray 70, Free Fall 45, Gunnery 55, Hardware: Armorer 55, Hardware: Industrial 35, Hardware: Robotics 50, Interests: Merc Units 50, Interests: Music (Synth Rage) 55, Intimidation 35, Kinetic Weapons 75, Language: Russian (Native) 90, Language: Arabic 60, Language: Mandarin 45, Networking: Autonomists 35, Networking: Hypercorp 60, Networking: Firewall 30, Perception 25, Pilot: Groundcraft 80, Profession: Security Ops 60, Profession: Squad Tactics 65, Protocol 40, Research 20, Seeker Weapons 50, Unarmed Combat 40

Implants: Access Jacks, Basic Mesh Inserts, Combat Armor (Heavy), Cortical Stack, Cyberbrain, Cyberclaws, Extra Limbs (4), Magnetic System, Mnemonic Augmentation, Pneumatic Limbs, Puppet Sock, Reflex Booster, Structural Enhancement, Weapon Mount (4, articulated)

Gear: Back-Up, Monofilament Sword, Muse, Portable QE Communicator, Seeker Rifle with Smartlink (Frag and High Explosive Seekers), TacNet Software

Mobility: Walker (4/20), Hopper (4/20), Ionic (12/40), Vectored Thrust (4/20)

Senses: 360-degree, Anti-Glare, Radar, T-Ray Emitter

Armor: Heavy Combat Armor (16/16)

Melee: Monafilament Sword 70 (AP -1, DV 2d10+5)

Ranged: Railgun Assault Rifle 75 (AP -9, DV 2d10+8 – SA, BF, FA – 200 rounds)

Seeker: Seeker Rifle (w/smartlink) 60; Ammo: Frag Seeker (AP -4, DV 3d10+6); Ammo: High Explosive Seeker (3d10+10)

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PROACTIVE NODE – MODYA THE EXSURGENT

THE CALL: At some point after meeting the PCs, Modya calls: She’s not feeling well. She worries that her condition might be getting worse. She really needs some help and she wasn’t sure who else to call. She asks them to come and meet her at the balcony park she’s calling them from.

BALCONY PARK: A large, ovaloid platform suspended between two spindle-scrapers.

When the PCs arrive, Modya is in even worse shape: Protoplasmic bulgets erupt from her skin as her cell membranes rupture and then her body rips apart as the exsurgent virus takes hold of her. Something protoplasmic and horrible (a jelly exsurgent) tears its way out of her.

THE CHASE: The exsurgent, still fueled by Modya’s panic, will attempt to flee the scene. This triggers a chase scene featuring:

• Dramatic leaps from one microgravity building to the next.
• Accelerated microgravity freefalls.
• Bursting through windows and racing across office complexes only to leap out the other side.
• Disrupting an aerial dance routine being staged on a cobweb of wires strung between balcony stages.

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JELLY EXSURGENT

Skills: Exotic Ranged Attack (Spit) 40, Free Fall 50, Perception 60, Unarmed Combat 40

Notes: Minimum damage from standard kinetic weapons and blade attacks.

Mobility: 4/16

Senses: Enhanced Smell

Armor: 12/12

Melee: Tongue 40 (DV 1d10+3 plus toxin)

Ranged: Spit Attack (area effect, toxin); Toxin: onset 1 action turn, duration 5 action turns, effect 1d10 ÷ 2 DV per Action Turn

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PROACTIVE NODE – LYSANDER THE CONSCIENTOUS OBJECTOR

CALL FOR HELP: The still-sane fork of Lysander Vangelis that is running on his ghostrider module realizes that his alpha has gotten out of control.

This fork can be used to fill the PCs in on anything they’ve missed and warn them of the impending release of the epsilon psike-out (Node 5).

DEVELOPMENT: The fork might be able to actually copy itself out of the ghost module and escape. (Or it might request assistance from the PCs to accomplish that.) The fork might become an ally or resource for the PCs in the future, but it should be noted that even before he went insane Lysander Vangelis was still the sort of guy who would experiment with exsurgent virus strains on non-consenting civilian populations.

Go to NPCs

Go to Part 1

The Nova York water treatment facility is nicknamed the “coconuts” because the water reserves are held in huge spherical chambers. Some of these chambers have been built far back into the skin of Metis (feeding water through channels in the skin to distant parts of the city), but the oldest and primary water treatment facility takes the form of a patch of stone “dimples” which emerge from one side of the central chamber.

CORIOLIS GRAV-FEEDS:

• Four massive, rotating structures are suspended above the dimples. Huge, flexible pipes descend from the structures and can be “dipped” into the dimples below.
• These roving platforms spin to create the gravity necessary to create water pressure throughout Nova York.
• Two of the platforms process waste water (filtering it back into the dimples below); the other two platforms suction water out of the dimples and into the NoYo water system.
• At any given time, generally only one platform of each type is actively spinning. (The other platform moves into position over the next dimple and activates at “changeover” when a dimple has either been emptied or filled.)

SECURITY

• Neuralite controls security for the facility, but this has mostly been sub-leased.
• Security guards and water treatment plant workers have no idea what’s going on.

NEURALITE GRAV-FEED:

• Neuralite has used their authority to install “security equipment” in one of the outflow grav-feed platforms.
• This equipment is releasing the epsilon primer and has also been recently loaded with the epsilon psike-out.

NEURALITE TEAM – ON THE GRAV-FEED:

• Lysander Vangelis, Lead Researcher (see pg. 17)
• Conway Feren, Chief Security Specialist (see page 18)
• Neuralite Security Team (x8 – NPC File 1, pg. 15)

DEACTIVATING THE EPSILON FEED:

• The equipment is located inside the grav-feed; meaning it’s underwater inside the outer ring. If the outer ring is spinning, characters will experience 1.4g of force. (Their actions will be taken under the equivalent of 2 wounds; -20 penalty to tests, -2 penalty to initiative.)
• The grav-feed itself can only be shut down from the central control station. (This will also have the result of temporarily crippling Nova York’s water supply.)

RUNNING THE NODE:

• The Neuralite team is likely getting ready to release the epsilon psike-out when the PCs arrive. (Either because that was the original schedule or because they know the PCs are closing in.) The only thing they’re waiting for is the next changeover when this platform will go live.
• Vangelis will activate the platform if at all possible. Once that happens, there will be very little time before the psike-out contaminated water flows into Nova York.

Go to Proactive Nodes

Go to Part 1

On paper, Neuralite is a small freelance neo-genetic research farm. Anyone digging into the company’s background will quickly figure out that they’re actually just a cut-out corporation for Cognite, allowing the hypercorp to perform black book research projects with greater deniability. (Actually proving that would be a completely different ball of wax, of course.)

RESEARCH (-20): Research into Neuralite may also turn up the fact that six months ago, through a dummy subsidiary, they obtained a contract to provide security for the Nova York Water Treatment Facility. (This is odd because it’s way out of their area of expertise.)

NEURALITE OFFICE: The Neuralite facility is a large sphere hanging from one of the “bauble spindles” in Nova York. (A spindle-scraper with a multitude of spheres hanging from it.)

PERSONNEL:

• Eric Radom, CEO (pg. 16)
• Laura Panna, COO (pg. 16)
• Lysander Vangelis, Lead Researcher (pg. 17)
• 8 Research Scientists (NPC File 1, pg. 13)
• 6 Tech Support (NPC File 1, pg. 16)

Lysander Vangelis may already be onsite at the Water Treatment Plant (see Node 5).

SECURITY:

• 2 Security Troopers on guard in the Lobby. (NPC File 1, pg. 15)
• Security AI
• Guardian Angel

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NEURALITE SECURITY AI: Aptitudes: 10, INT 20. Skills: Beam Weapons 40, Hardware: Electronics 30, Infosec 40, Interface 40, Professional: Security Systems 80, Programming 40, Research 20, Perception 40.

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GUARDIAN ANGEL: Movement 8/40, Max Velocity 80, Armor 14/12, DUR 40, WT 8, Rotor

+5 REF, 360-Degree Vision, Access Jacks, Chameleon Skin, Eelware, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, LIDAR, Light Combat Armor, Neurachem, T-Ray Emitter

Laser Pulser: DV 2d10, SA. (Stun Mode: DV 1d10, SS, biomorphs make SOM x 2 and synthmorphs make SOM x 3 test. On failure, lose next action. Critical failure paralyzed for 1 turn per 10 points of MoF.)

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MODYA SURVEILLANCE: Neuralite has been monitoring Modya since the incident at Black Light. Modya herself is covered in taggants from a hive which has been hidden in her apartment. (See Node 2.)

• One workstation in the Work Farm is dedicated to the surveillance work.
• The tech assigned to the surveillance (and the fork of his muse actively monitoring it) could answer questions about it.
• Accumulated footage is also stored on Neuralite’s servers.

LAB A: Lab A was where the epsilon primer and epsilon psike-out was developed. The lab has recently been cleared out and sterilized. (The chemicals were moved to Node 5 for dispersal and Neuralite is beginning to position themselves for plausible deniability.)

LAB B – CELL CULTURES: Lab B is analyzing the epsilon primer and epsilon psike-out in active cell cultures and also from samples taken from test subjects (both null results and active results).

• These cell cultures can confirm that Neuralite is behind all of the recent incidents. They can also be used for medical analysis (see Node 3).

THE PLAN: The full report of Neuralite’s plans, the time they plan to release the epsilon psike-out, and the fact that they already have installed the mechanisms necessary at the Water Treatment Planet (Node 5).

• Full plan available from Neuralite’s servers.
• Questioning Eric Radom or Lysander Vangelis (they know everything).
• Researchers won’t want to violate their NDAs (severe consequences), but can confirm all the scientific data about psi-epsilon operner. Each researcher also has a 50% chance of knowing one detail of the plan.
• Each tech support member has a 25% chance of knowing one detail of the plan.

Go to Node 5: Water Treatment Plant

Go to Part 1

Given the nature of the investigation, there’s a lot of evidence that can be subjected to medical examination. In general, there are three broad results to be obtained (although they can be obtained from a variety of sources):

• MODYA DNA: The DNA from Modya’s morph (which can be easily traced to identify her, leading to Node 2).
• EPSILON PRIMER: Once isolated, the fact that the epsilon primer is a binary compound is easy to identify.
• EPSILON PSIKE-OUT: Like the primer, the fact that the epsilon psike-out is a binary compound is easy to identify. In addition, the psike-out possesses a unique set of artificial polymitotic cells. A Research (+20) test will identify these cells as having been originally developed by Cognite. Cognite then transferred the patent rights for these cells to Neuralite five years ago (leading to Node 4).

For each additional sample of a given type available for analysis, provide a +10 modifier to the test.

Further analysis of either the epsilon primer or psike-out can be performed as a task action (1 day), with a success indicating that the character has identified the general principles of what the chemical’s function is. Halve the required time if a character has access to both compounds.

MODYA’S BLOOD/TISSUE: Blood or tissue samples taken from Modya contain both the epsilon primer and the epsilon psike-out. (It also contains Modya’s morph DNA, but if they’re taking tissue samples from her the PCs have probably found her already.)

PROTOPLASMIC VOMIT: The protoplasmic vomit contains Modya’s DNA and epsilon psike-out.

FABBER CHEMICAL RESIDUE: The chemical residue in the drink fabber is epsilon psike-out.

CELL CULTURES FROM NEURALITE LAB: These contain both the epsilon primer and the epsilon psike-out.

WATER SAMPLES: Samples of water taken anywhere on Nova York will contain epsilon primer.

Go to Node 4: Neuralite Office