psychedemia o a world of adventure for fate core (7824570)

8/19/2019 Psychedemia o a World of Adventure for Fate Core (7824570)

1/54

A WORLD OF

ADVENTURE FOR

P a u l S t e f k o

P S Y C H E D E M I A


2/54

This adventure was made awesome thanks to our Patreon patrons at patreon.com/evilhat —thanks guys!

INSIDERSAlan Bartholet

Alan-Michael

Havens

Alexander Gräfe

Alexander R.

Corbett

Amethyst Lynx

Andrew Sier

Anne-Sylvie Betsch

Antero Garcia

Arlo B Evans

Brandon Burger

Brett Abbott

brian allred

Brian Chase

C. J. Hunter

C.K. Lee

Cerity

Charlton Wilbur

Chirag

Chris Caporaso

Christian

Christian Svalander

Christopher

Gunning

Dan Moody

Daniel

Daniel Gallant

Daniel Linder

Krauklis

David

David Dorward

David E Ferrell

David Ellis

David L Kinney

David Reed

Dustin Evermore

Edgardo A Montes

Rosa

Edward MacGregor

Elsidar

Amhransidhe

Emmanuel

eneko zarauz

Eric Bontz

Eric Willisson

Frank

Frédéri POCHARD

Garrett Rooney

Gavran

Geoffrey

Giuseppe

D’Aristotile

Glenn Mochon

Graham

Graham Wills

Griffin Mitchell

Haakon

Thunestvedt

Harry Lewis

Heron Jay Adkins

Jack

Stephenson-Carr

Jacob Moffitt

James F Thunberg

Jason

Jason Blalock

Jason Cotton

Jason F Broadley

Jason Tocci

Jean-Christophe

Cubertafon

Jeff Craig

Jeff Xilon

Jere Krischel

Jeremiah McCoy

Jeremy DeVore

Jeremy Tidwell

Jim Nicholson

Jin Shei

Johannes K.

Rasmussen

John Beattie

John Rogers

John Rudd

John Wyatt

Jon

Jon-Pierre Gentil

Jordan Dennis

Joshua Reubens

Juanma

Barranquero

Katie Ramsey

Keith Stanley

Ken

Ken Ditto

Kenji Ikiryo

Kevin Li

Leif Erik Furmyr

LeSquide

LilFluff

Marc Mundet

Mark Miller

Marshall Smith

Marty Chodorek

Matt and Nykki

Boersma

Matt Anderson

Matthew Broome

Matthew Dickson

Matthew Orwig

Matthew Whiteacre

Micah Davis

Michael Bowman

Michael Cambata

Michael Green

Michael Pedersen

Michael Shumate

Morgan Ellis

Nick Bate

Nick Reale

Nicola Urbinati

Nicolas Marjanovic

Noel Warford

Osye Pritchett

Pablo Martínez

Merino

Patrick Ewing

Patrick

Mueller-Best

Paul Shawley

Paulo Rafael

Guariglia

Escanhoela

Pavel Zhukov

peter burczyk

Peter Gates

Peter Hatch

Philip Nicholls

PK

Randy Oest

Richard

Richard Bellingham

Rick

Rick Jakins

Riggah

Robert Hanz

Robert Kemp

Rod Meek

Roger Edge

Ryan Singer

Sanchit

Sarah Vakos

Scott Hamilton

Sean

Sean O’Dell

Sean Smith

Sean Smith

Selene O’Rourke

Sharif Abed

Shervyn von Hoerl

Stephen Rider

Tim L Nutting

Timothy Carroll

Troy Ray

Will Goring

William J. White

William Lee

William McDuff

Woodrow Jarvis Hill

Zach

ADVENTURERSAdam Gutschenritter

Aidan Grey

AJ

Al Billings

Alan Phillips

Alex Norris

Alexander

Alexander Permann

Alexey Kreshchuk

Alexis Lee

Alistair

Allan Bray

Alloyed

Andrew Betts

Andrew Dacey

Andrew Grant

Andrew Loch

Andy Arminio

Angus MacDonald

Anthony Popowski

Antoine Pempie

Arlene Medder

Arne

Babenhauserheide

ArthurDent

athalbert

Aviv

B. Bredthauer

Barac Wiley

Bastien Daugas

beket

Ben Howard

Benjamin Welke

Bill

Björn Steffen

Blake Hutchins

Brad Davies

Brad Robins

Brandon Metcalf

Brandon Wiley

Brandt

Brendan Clougherty

Brendan Conway

Brent Ritch

Brett Ritter

Brian Batchelder

Brian Bentley

Brian Creswick

Brian Koehler

Brian Kurtz

Brian S. Holt

Bruno Pereira

Bryan

Bryan Gillispie

Bryan Hilburn

Bryce

Bryce Perry

Caleb Figgers

Carl McLaughlin

Carl-William

Carlos Martín

Charles Chapman

Charles Kirk

Chip Dunning

Chris & Brigid Hirst

Chris Edwards

Chris Heilman

Chris Kurts

Chris Lock

Chris Mitchell

Chris Nolen

Christian Lajoie

Christoph Thill

Christopher Allen

Christopher Smith Adair

Christopher W. Dolunt

Chuck

Cody Marbach

Cole Busse

Colin

Colin Matter

Craig Andera

Craig Mason

Craig Wright

Curt Meyer

Cyrano Jones

Dain

Dan Behlings

Dan Hall

Daniel Byrne

Daniel Chapman

daniel hagglund

Daniel Kraemer

Daniel Ley

Daniel Markwig

Daniel P. Espinosa

Daniel Roe

Daniel Ross

Daniel Taylor

Darren Lute

Dave

Dave Joria

David

David

David Bellinger

David Bowers

David Buswell-Wible

David Goodwin

David Maple

David Millians

David Morrison

David Olson

David Rezak

David Silberstein

David Stern

Davide Orlandi

Declan Feeney

Denis Ryan

Derek Mayne

Devon Apple

Dianne

Didier Bretin

Dillard

Don Arnold

Doug Blakeslee

Douglas

Doyce Testerman

Drew Shiel

Duncan

Dylan Sinnott

Earl Butler

Ebenezer Arvigenius

Edward Sturges

Eirch Mascariatu

Elsa S. Henry

Eric I

Eric Poulton

Eric Steen

Erik Ottosen

Ernie Sawyer

Etienne Olieu

Evan Jorgenson

Ezekiel Norton

Fabrice Breau

FelTK

Florent Poulpy Cadio

Florian Greß

Francis Dickinson

Frank Beaver

Frank G. Pitt

Frank Jarome

Frédérick Périgord

Gabriel Whitehead

Galen Pejeau

Garrett

Garrett Jones

Gary Anastasio

Gavin

Genevieve

Geoff

Gian Domenico Facchini

Glynn Stewart

Gonzalo Dafonte Garcia

Graham Meinert

Greg Park

Gregg Workman

Gregory Fisher

Gregory Hirsch

Gustavo Campanelli

Hans Messersmith

Heather

Henry Brown

Herman Duyker

HFB

Hillary Brannon

Howard M Thompson

Huston Todd

Ian Charlton

Ian Noble

Ian Stanley

Indi Latrani

Irene Strauss

Isaac Carroll

Ismael

Ivan Begley

J. Brandon Massengill

Jack Gulick

Jackson Hsieh

Jaime Robertson

Jake Linford

James

James

James Boldock

James Heide

James Husum

James Rouse

James Schultz

James Stuart

James Winfield

Jamie Wheeler

Jan Stals

Janet

Jared Hunt

Jason

Jason Bean

Jason Best

Jason Lee Waltman

Jason Lund

Jason Mill

Jason Pasch

Javier Gaspoz

Jayna Pavlin

Jean-François Robillard

Jeffrey Boman

Jeffrey Collyer

Jeffry

Jens

Jens Alfke

Jeremy

Jeremy Glick

Jeremy Hamaker

Jeremy Kear

Jeremy Kostiew

Jeremy Wong

jerry anning

Jesse

JF Paradis

Joanna

Joe

Joe Patterson

Joe.D

Joel Beally

Joel Beebe

John

John Bogart

John Buczek

John Clayton

John Fiala

John Hawkins

John Hildebrand

John Lambert

John Petritis

John Portley

John Taber

John Tobin

John William McDonald

Johnathan Wright

Jon Rosebaugh

Jon Smejkal

Jonas Matser

Jonas Richter

Jonathan

Jonathan

Jonathan Dietrich

Jonathan Finke

Jonathan Hobbs

Jonathan Korman

Jonathan Perrine

Jonathan Rose

Joonas Iivonen

Jordan Deal

Jose A.

Joseph Formoso

Josh Rensch

Joshua

Joshua

Joshua Ramsey

JP

Juan Francisco

Gutierrez

Julianna Backer

Julien Delabre

Jürgen Rudolph

Justin

Justin Beeh

Justin Thomason

Kaarchin

Karl Naylor

Keith Byrd

Kenny Snow

Kent Snyen

Kevin Flynn

Kevin Lindgren

Kevin McDermott

Kevin Payne

Kevin Veale

Kieren Martin

Kris Vanhoyland

Krista

Kurt Zdanio

Kyle

Lanarch

Larry Hollis

Lars Ericson

Lester Ward

Link Hughes

Lisa Hartjes

Lobo

Loren Norman

Lowell Francis

Luca Agosto

Lucas Bell

Lucian Smith

Lukar

M Kenny

M. Alan Thomas II

m.h.

Manfred

Marc

Marc Kevin Hall

Marcel Lotz

Marcel Wittram

Marcus

Mario Dongu

Marius

Mark

Mark A. Schmidt

Mark Gedak

Mark Harris

Mark Mealman

Mark Widner

Markus Haberstock

Markus Schoenlau

Marley Griffin

Martin Cumming

Martin Deppe

Martin Terrier

Mason

Masque Raccoon

Mathias Exner

Matt Clay

Matt Jackson

Matthew Karabache

Matthew Miller

Matthew Whalley

Matti Rintala

Maurice Strubel

Max

Max Kaehn

Michael

Michael

Michael

Michael Barrett

Michael Bradford

Michael D. Blanchard

Michael D. Ranalli Jr.

Michael Hill

Michael Hopcroft

Michael McCully

Michael Thompson

Mighty Meep

Mike de Jong

Mike Vermont

Misdirected Mark

Productions

Mitch Christov

Mitchell Smallman

Naomi McArthur

Nathan Barnes

Nathan Reed

Neal Dalton

Nessalantha

Nicholas McIntyre

Nicholas Pilon

Nicholas Sokeland

Nick Proud

Nick Townsend

No Reward

Olav Müller

Oliver Scholes

Olivier Nisole

Owen Duffy

Owen Thompson

Pablo Palacios

paolo castelli

Paolo Cecchetto

Patrice Hédé

Patrice Mermoud

Paul Arezina

Paul Baldowski

Paul Olson

Paul Stefko

Paul Yurgin

Pavel Panchekha

Pete

Pete Figtree

Peter Griffith

Peter Kahle

Peter Woodworth

Phil Groff

Philip Harboe Larsen

Philipp Pötz

Philippe Marichal

Philippe Saner

Phillip Webb

Porter Williams

R R Clark

R. Brian Scott

Rachael Hixon

Ralf Wagner

Randall Orndorff

Raun Sedlock

Raymond Toghill

Ricardo Gesuatto

Richard Greene

Richard Lock

Richard Warren

Rishi Agrawal

Rob Voss

Robb Neumann

Robert Biskin

Robert Daines

Robert Rees

Robert Rydlo

Robert Zasso

Rocco Pier Luigi

Rodrigo

Roger Carbol

Roland

Ron Blessing

Ron Müller

RoninKelt

Roy

Roy LaValley

Ryan Burpee

Ryan D. Kruse

Ryan Gigliotti

Ryan Good

Ryan Lee

Ryan Macklin

Ryan Olson

Samuel Steinbock-Pratt

Samwise Crider

Sarah Williams

Schubacca

Scot Ryder

Scott Acker

Scott Dexter

Scott Greenleaf

Scott Krok

Scott Martin

Scott Puckett

Scott Thede

Scott Underwood

Scott Wachter

Seán Harnett

Sean M. Dunstan

Sean Nittner

Sean Smith

Sebastian S

Sergio Le Roux

Seth Clayton

Seth Hartley

Shadowmyre Kalyn

Shai Laric

Simon Browne

Simon Brunning

Simon White

Simon Withers

Sion Rodriguez y

Gibson

Sławomir Wrzesień

Sophie Lagace

Stefan Feltmann

Stefan Livingstone

Shirley

Stefan Schloesser

Stephan A. Terre

Stephanie Bryant

Stephen Caffrey

Stephen Holder

Stephen Hood

Stephen Morring

Stephen Waugh

Steve Ela

Steve Gilman

Steve Kunec

Steve Radabaugh

Steven Code

Steven D Warble

Steven desJardins

Steven K. Watkins

Steven Markley

Steven sims

Svend Andersen

Tabletop Audio

Teresa Oswald

Tevel Drinkwater

The Roach

Thom Terrific

Thomas

Thomas Balls-Thies

Thomas Erskine

Thomas Maund

Tim

Tim

Tim Popelier

Timo

Timothy Seiger

Todd Estabrook

Todd Grotenhuis

Torolf de Merriba

Trevor Crosse

Trevor/Mishy Stellar

Tyler Hunt

Tyson Monagle

Udo Femi

Urs Blumentritt

Victor Allen

Vincent Arebalo

Vladimir Filipović

Warren Wilson

Wayne Peacock

Wes Fournier

William Carroll

William Chambers

William Johnson

William Keller

Winston Crutchfield

WinterKnight

Xavier Aubuchon-

Mendoza

Z Esgate

Zeb Walker

Zed Lopez

Zonk PJ Demonio

Sonriente

http://patreon.com/evilhathttp://patreon.com/evilhat


3/54

PSYCHEDEMIA

A WORLD OF

ADVENTURE FOR

writing & adventure

design by

PAUL STEFKO

development by

BRIAN ENGARD and

ROB DONOGHUE

editing by

JOHN ADAMUS

art direction by

MARISSA KELLY

layout by

FRED HICKS

interior & cover

artwork by

MANUELA SORIANI


4/54

An Evil Hat Productions Publication www.evilhat.com • [email protected]

@EvilHatOfficial on witterfacebook.com/EvilHatProductions

Psychedemia

Copyright © 2014 Evil Hat Productions, LLC and Paul Stefko. All rights reserved. First published in 2014 by Evil Hat Productions, LLC.

10125 Colesville Rd #318, Silver Spring, MD 20901.

Evil Hat Productions and the Evil Hat and Fate logos are trademarksowned by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.

Te Academy and Realm icons were made by Lorc;available on http://game-icons.net

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,

electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior express permission of the publisher.

Tat said, if you’re doing it for personal use, knock yourself out.Tat’s not only allowed, we encourage you to do it.

For those working at a copy shop and not at all sure if this meansthe person standing at your counter can make copies of this

thing, they can. Tis is “express permission.” Carry on.

Tis is a game where people make up stories about wonderful, terrible,impossible, glorious things. All the characters and events portrayed in

this work are fictional. Any resemblance to real people, academics, alienspecies, psychic individuals, or brilliant talented youngsters trying toachieve interstellar peace, is purely coincidental, but kinda hilarious.


5/54

CONTENTS

Introduction ...................................................................................... 2

The Academy .................................................................................... 3

History ..............................................................................................................3

Admission ...................................................................................................... 4

Facilities ...........................................................................................................5

Faculty .............................................................................................................6

Instruction .......................................................................................................8

Security ............................................................................................................8

Companies ........................................................................................ 11

Alpha Company .......................................................................................... 12

Bravo & Charlie Companies ................................................................... 13

Delta Company ........................................................................................... 14

Choosing Delta’s SCom ........................................................................... 14

Characters.........................................................................................18

Aspects .......................................................................................................... 18

Skills ...............................................................................................................20

Psychic Aptitudes ...........................................................................22

ESP ................................................................................................................. 22

Psychokinesis ............................................................................................. 24

Telepathy ...................................................................................................... 25

Conditions....................................................................................................26

The Realm ........................................................................................27

Regions ......................................................................................................... 28

Formatting ................................................................................................... 28

Entering and Exiting the Realm .......................................................... 29

The Residents ..................................................................................30

Weavers ........................................................................................................30

Spindles ......................................................................................................... 31

Choir .............................................................................................................. 32

Wandoon ...................................................................................................... 33

Adventure ........................................................................................34

Suggested Issues ...................................................................................... 35Discovery ..................................................................................................... 36

Exploration ................................................................................................... 41

Reckoning ....................................................................................................46

Going Forward ................................................................................49


6/54

INTRODUCTION

In the face of inscrutable and terrifying alien neighbors, teenagers with nascentpsychic abilities are sent to a secret military Academy for training, in prepara-

tion for an inevitable interstellar war. In Psychedemia , players take the role ofthese teenagers, forced to choose between their instincts and their orders.

At the Academy, hidden in an asteroid in a distant system, the studentsdiscover something their instructors couldn’t imagine. Tey tap into a realmof thought inhabited by the very aliens they are taught to hate. In this other

world, they become part of a wider society where no other humans have joined.Te military built them to destroy. Te Residents show them a way to peace.

Can these young people build a bridge between these worlds? Or will theirelders storm the Realm and bring their war with them?

Psychedemia presents a science-fiction setting and adventure for Fate Core that combines military school pressures with the exploration of mental powersin psychedelic dreamscapes. It raises the questions: What is the price of peace?Can we learn to understand what we fear, or are we doomed by our ownprejudices?

2 FATE: WORLDS OF ADVENTURE


7/54

THE ACADEMY

Te Academy is an installation for the training of young individuals with innate psychic abilities to serve in the military fleet tasked withprotecting humanity’s interests in deep space. It is the most diverse

and truly international effort in our planet’s history, and everyone responsibleconsiders the Academy program to be the most important endeavor humanityhas ever undertaken.

HistoryHumanity’s expansion into space is sev-eral generations old, but compared toour neighbors, we have barely steppedout the front door. We settled a number

of worlds, first by sublight ships ondecades-long journeys, then much morequickly following the invention of faster-than-light propulsion.

Soon after humans developed FLdrives, the starship Procyon encounteredthe first known alien species, who wecalled the Weavers. Tese beings wereeither unable or unwilling to communicate. Instead, they sought to cocoon

the Earth ship in diamond filaments. Procyon’s captain saw no choice but tofire missiles, disabling the Weavers and allowing her vessel to escape.

Following contact with the Weavers, humanity encountered two other spe-cies: the scavenger Spindles; and the enigmatic Choir. First contact with theformer also ended in violence, while the latter launched a crippling cyberat-tack that forced the human ship to flee.

For the decades since, we’ve engaged all three races in repeated battles. While the Weavers avoid us whenever they detect us, their ships are far morepowerful and numerous than ours. Te Spindles seem intent on taking apart

any technology they come across. Tere are even rumors of them abduct-ing human crews for dissection. And whenever we encounter the Choir, theybombard us with senseless data and overload our systems. Standing orders areto close all communications channels and drive them off.

Te threat of aggressive aliens limiting our expansion into space promptedthe formation of a Unified Fleet combining the space forces of the majornations. Te Fleet escorts merchant traffic through disputed areas, investigatesreported alien sightings, and when necessary, engages in space battles to pro-tect human interests.

It was only in the last generation that science discovered three psychic apti-tudes and created tests to identify young people with latent ability. Data existssuggesting that the aliens possess psychic ability themselves. It is hoped thata force of human psychics, trained in the latest tactics and equipment, canprove sufficient in securing human space from our enemies. Te Academy wasformed as a training center for these young paragons.

3PSYCHEDEMIA

OUR PALE BLUE DOT

The details of Earth’s political and

economic situation are left to you

and your players. The Academy’s

location and security keep it locked

tight, making the asteroid base the

totality of human space as far as the

characters are concerned. If a player

wants to make Earth or another

colony world important, they are

free to do so through the aspects

they choose for their character.


8/54

Admission While the precise genetic basis of psychic ability is not known, there are mark-ers that indicated a predisposition. Governments test children at birth forthese markers, and report the results to the United Fleet. (Rumors of certain

governments withholding this information are surely exaggerated.) Duringtheir early education, potential recruits are given aptitude tests, and any thatshow psychic ability are flagged for the Academy.

Te admission process consists of a battery of physical tests, an academicexam, neurological scans, and a psychological evaluation. Te Fleet is look-ing for fit, intelligent students with high psychic potential and above all, astable mental condition. Recruits not meeting these criteria may still qualifyfor other Fleet positions, but most wash out entirely.

All new students receive a battery of chemical and retroviral treatments that

increase endurance, sharpen focus, and protect the body against the dangersof space such as zero-gravity atrophy, radiation, and known terrestrial andextraterrestrial microorganisms.

Te Academy’s exact location is so highly classified that all navigationalrecords are encrypted and anyone traveling to the Academy does so in sus-pended animation. Te first glimpse students get is through a window as theirship glides toward a nondescript gray asteroid.



9/54

FacilitiesTe Academy was constructed to withstand any conceivable enemy attackby putting a kilometer of asteroid between most critical areas and the spaceoutside. Te tunnels and chambers were dug out by automated equipment,

whose insect-like AI developed a structure that prompted the facility’s nick-name, the “Ant Farm.”

At the core, a fusion reactor provides energy to the complex. In an emer-gency, large solar arrays can be unfolded from within hangars at either end ofthe asteroid. Cramped service conduits carry water, heat, and artificial gravity.

Te tunnels and chambers were dug out to no set design, the dumb botstaking the path of least resistance around pockets of tougher materials. Assuch, there are no clear levels or decks in the facility. Corridors curve or slantat strange angles, and although the gravity field allows occupants to maintain

a vertical orientation, the sensation can be disorienting. It takes students a few weeks to acclimate to the Academy environment, and some upperclassmenstill get sick when forced to run the halls during P.

Te broadest organization scheme the Academy uses is the cluster : com-monly repeated groups of similar chambers that are each utilized for a specificfunction. Each Company has a barracks cluster, for example, while anothercluster serves as the base’s medical bay. Clusters are outfitted with appropriateequipment, though everything is modular, allowing clusters to be reallocatedas necessary. With no practical way to number them, clusters are referred to

simply by function: “Alpha Company cluster,” or “Mess cluster,” for example.Te two largest clusters are the academic classrooms and the training bays.

A dozen identical classrooms are arrayed along a cross-shaped pair of corridors.Each classroom has terminals for 20 students and an instructor’s station withfull holographic interface. Te training bays are huge and high-ceilinged, andthey are used for fitness training, marksmanship (with both projectile andparticle weapons), tactical exercises, and vehicle simulators.

Shuttles dock in a hangar at one end of the asteroid, and passengers take amagnetic carriage to the security cluster. All arrivals are scanned for contra-

band and interrogated briefly by a duty officer with an aptitude in telepathy.Te Academy does not allow personal weapons, alcohol or other intoxicants,or any devices capable of recording and storing audio, video, or holograms.Recorded communications from the outside are screened by the staff. Mostmessages to and from students are not passed on.

5PSYCHEDEMIA


10/54


11/54

Ishiguro KiyonoriIshiguro Kiyonuri studied meditation with Zen masters and vision-seeking with entheogen shamans before turning to neuroscience to understand thephysiological effects of these same practices. With the development of psy-

chotronic sensors, Ishiguro moved into the neurological study of psychicaptitude, and he’s now the acknowledged expert in the effects of psychicpowers on the brain.

Ishiguro’s official role at the Academy is to monitor the students’ neurologi-cal development and offer scientific suggestions for developing their psychicaptitudes. However, he also teaches classes in meditation and biofeedbacktechniques that can have profound effects on some students. He often servesas an unofficial counselor to the highly stressed.

Ishiguro Kiyonuri is a stocky, average-looking man in his late 30s. He dresses

in a standard-issue jumpsuit during duty hours, but favors looser clothing inhis downtime. He keeps his hair cropped very short.

Ishiguro Kiyonori Aspects:

Student of World Philosophies; Spiritual Neurologist Skills

Great (+4): Academics

Good (+3): WillFair (+2): Friendships Average (+1): Influence, Perception

StuntsGuided Meditation: He can lead characters in meditation,

allowing them to roll the higher of his Will or their own Will to recover emotional consequences or psychic condi-tions (Fate Core , page 164).

Stress

Mental4 Physical2

WHERE ARE THE PSYCHIC ADULTS?

With the exception of the Fleet Psychics (page 10) the

default Academy has no adult psychics in residence. The

students are emblematic of the new generation of psy-

chics being both more powerful and more numerous.

You are free to place a psychic faculty member in yourcampaign, but you should tailor them to fit your PCs. They

can serve as a mentor to the students, teaching them dis-

cipline and flexibility over raw power.

7PSYCHEDEMIA


12/54

Instruction A student’s day begins with an hour for hygiene and daily Company briefingfollowed by an hour-long morning meal in the Mess. Tere are 6 80-minutesessions of classroom instruction and training, with a 60-minute period at

midday for meal and individual study. After an hour-long evening meal, stu-dents have 4 hours for extracurricular activities and free time before the callfor lights out.

Instructors are hand-picked to provide an intensive, interactive curriculumthat involves the students at the highest levels. Classes use holographic pro-

jections, AI expert systems, and databases that include the sum of all humanknowledge correlated in an evolving index.

Te presence of at least minimal telepathic ability in every student renderstraditional testing methods useless. Instead, classes rely on discussion, debate,

and critical analysis. Objective testing is administered by computers withoutdirect teacher input, to remove the possibility of a student potentially teasingthe answers out of the instructor’s mind.

Security

Colonel Jean-Vincent Prudeaux Colonel Jean-Vincent Prudeaux is head of the Academy’s security detail of 30trained marines and 5 adult psi officers. Teir responsibilities are two-fold:

maintain the physical and digital security of the Academy; and instill propermilitary discipline and ideology in the students. Some at Fleet Commanddoubt that Commandant Stein has the mindset to produce military leaders.Colonel Prudeaux is tasked with ensuring that the young people destined tolead mankind in war are able and (more importantly) willing to do so.

Jean-Vincent Prudeaux is a 30-year veteran of military operations. Hetransferred from the European Space Defense Force to the new United Fleet’sMarine Corps at its inception and rose quickly through its ranks. Prudeauxis the most highly decorated officer in the Fleet Marines, and he may be the

most experienced human being, period, when it comes to encounters withalien species.

Te story everyone hears about Jean-Vincent Prudeaux involves the loss ofthe Charles de Gaulle . Tis Fleet carrier was ordered to investigate a disruptionin the signal from a space telescope in an outlying system. When they arrived,they discovered three Weaver ships cocooning the device. Prudeaux issued thestandard warning hail, but the Weavers didn’t respond. His standing orders

were to drive off any Weaver ships he encountered, so he ordered his fightersto engage.



13/54

One Weaver ship was crippled within minutes, but the others responded with increasing firepower. Te Charles de Gaulle’s primary engines weredestroyed, her communications systems were down, her command crew wasdead, and she had only her seven nuclear missiles left. In the end, Prudeaux

sacrificed the ship to take out the Weavers. He set an automated course,armed the missiles, and ordered all hands to evacuate. Te other crewmen inhis escape pod say he shed a single tear when the carrier blossomed so brieflyinto nuclear fire.

Jean-Vincent Prudeaux is an extremely fit man in his early 60s with tan skinand white hair cut nearly to the scalp. His height (only 5’3”), muscular build,and aggressive personality cause some to call him “Colonel Pitbull” behind hisback. He never lets anyone see him in anything but his Fleet Marine uniform.

Jean-Vincent Prudeaux Aspects: Cigar-Chomping Roughneck ; Eternal

Vigilance; Te Many Before the FewSkills

Great (+4): CombatGood (+3): Athletics, WillFair (+2): Friendships, Mechanics Average (+1): Academics, Infiltration, Perception

StuntsLock and Load: Before the first exchange of a

physical conflict, he can make a free createan advantage action on his Eternal Vigilanceaspect using Combat with a Fair (+2)opposition.

StressMental4 Physical4

9PSYCHEDEMIA


14/54

Fleet MarinesTe Marine platoon assigned to the Academy has full privileges to the trainingbays, superseded only by Alpha Company. Tey are armed with energy weap-ons that are kept on a nonlethal setting unless the Academy is on battle alert.

Fleet Marine (Good) Aspects: First Into Fire; Last One Standing Skills: Good (+3) Combat; Fair (+2) Athletics;

Average (+1) Infiltration and PerceptionStress: 2

Fleet PsychicsTe United Fleet has several hundred adult psychics in service, but none havethe potential measured in even the lowest rated Academy students. However,they have trained intensely with their individual abilities and in ways to usetheir powers together. Te five psychics assigned to Academy security are themost experienced in the Fleet.

Note : When using the Fleet psychics together, assume that there is at leastone member that has any of the psychic aptitudes at Good. All of them haveat least Average (+1) in all of the aptitudes, so they can all contribute using

teamwork.

Fleet Psychic (Good) Aspects: raining rumps Power Skills: Good (+3) Combat and one psychic aptitude;

Fair (+2) Perception, Will, and one psychic apti-tude; Average (+1) Athletics, Influence, and onepsychic aptitude

Stunts: Gestalt. Once per scene when a group of psy-

chics with this stunt can see or touch each other,they may all take an action to form a psychic link.Tis creates a Gestalt aspect which the group caninvoke for free once for each member, but no morethan once on any roll. While in this link, mem-bers can take stress for other members as pain andmental trauma bleed through the gestalt.

Stress: 2



15/54

COMPANIES

Te Academy is divided into four Companies. Each Company is comprised ofstudents who tested similarly during the admissions process. Alpha Company

is the best of the best, while Delta Company includes students who nearly washed out of testing. esting is unreliable, however, and measures only bruteoutput. It cannot account for factors like flexibility, intuition, or resolve.Students from all Companies can and do perform outside expected limits.

Companies are assigned a supervising instructor, but day to day they’re runby a student commander (SCom, pronounced “ess-com”), an upperclassmenin their final years of training. SComs plan training schedules, oversee sup-plies, and maintain Company discipline.

FELLOW STUDENTS

Other students who do not warrant a more complete write-

up can be run as nameless NPCs. Most will be Fair, with an

additional Fair skill in one of the three psychic aptitudes.

If you are using a mob of such students, assume all three

psychic aptitudes are Fair among the group.

SComs and other named students follow special rules

for determining stress. See page 18 for details.

11PSYCHEDEMIA


16/54

Alpha Company Alpha Company are the elites, with highest measured psychic aptitude as wellas mental and physical capability. Tey receive the best equipment, the mostintense training, and all the comforts a student could want.

Janel Cosgrove Janel Cosgrove stalks the corridors of the Ant Farm likea queen. Alpha Company tests highest, is given the besttraining and equipment the Academy can provide, andshould be kowtowed to by the other Companies (and by

the faculty as well, in Janel’s perfect world). Tat is thenatural order, and anyone who steps out of line must be

reminded harshly. Janel is a stunning young woman of mixed Afro-

Caribbean heritage. She wears her hair in tightbraids and has multiple piercings in her earsthat are technically against Academy regulations.

Her grey eyes fall on everyone around her like thecold touch of steel. She wears the student uniform

adorned with multiple commendation medals atnearly all times.

Janel Cosgrove,

Alpha SCom Aspects: Best of the Best of the Best ;

Whatever It akesSkills

Great (+4): Influence, WillGood (+3): Psychokinesis, elepathy Fair (+2): Academics, Combat,

Friendships Average (+1): ESP, Mechanics,

PerceptionStunts

Imperius Regina: When she suc-ceeds with style on an attack withInfluence, in place of a boost, shecan reduce her shifts by 1 and gain asituation aspect with a free invoke.



17/54


18/54

Delta CompanyStudents assigned to Delta Company scored just high enough to qualify forthe Academy. If Fleet had more choices, they would have turned the Deltasaway. As it is, they take what they can get. Instructors are supposed to look for

any excuse to wash a Delta out of the program. Most of the civilian staff pitiesthem, and many minor infractions go unreported.

Delta SCom Aspects: We Can Show Tem; two other aspects (see below)Skills

Good (+3): FriendshipsFair (+2): Academics, Will

Average (+1): Combat and InfluenceNotes

Psychic aptitudes vary (see each option below).

Choosing Delta’s SCom When creating your campaign, the players should decide on which of thefollowing three possible SComs they want to have in command of DeltaCompany. Each has a distinct style of command. One wants to be the

Company’s best friend and get everyone through the program without seriousharm. One is a tough but competent leader who wants to show the rest of the

Academy that Delta can be the best in its own unconventional ways. And thethird is a moderate, neither too harsh nor too familiar.

Choosing your SCom helps set a tone for the Academy-side parts of yourcampaign. Gideon provides a place of comfort to escape both the pressuresof Academy training and the potential strangeness of the Realm. Jane, mean-

while, is just another source of stress, emphasizing the Academy as a placeof hardship and the Realm as a possible sanctuary. Hyun-woo’s moderation

makes him more flexible, letting you to tailor his reactions to the ups anddowns of your game.



19/54

Gideon MakumbeZimbabwe is one of the proudest nations when itcomes to identifying children with potential psy-chic aptitudes. Te state sponsors entire villages

to house these young people, and their lives arecoordinated by officials who see them as a brightsymbol of humanity’s future and redemption forsins of the past.

Gideon Makumbe grew up in one of these com-munities, and he fully embraces the utopian spiritof the Zimbabwe program. He sees the studentsof Delta Company as his surrogate siblings, andhe will do whatever he can to help them cope

with the pressures of Academy life. Te otherCompany SComs think he coddles Delta, butGideon can’t help himself. His is a nurturingspirit.

Gideon is tall, lean, and handsome, withvery dark skin and hair. He smiles almost con-stantly, and he is quick with a joke to defusea tense situation. He only wears his uniform

when it is absolutely required by regulations,

enjoying comfortable, colorful civilian outfitsthe rest of the time.

Gideon Makumbe Aspects:

Let Me Help;We Protect Our Own

SkillsGood (+3): elepathy Fair (+2): ESP Average (+1): Psychokinesis

15PSYCHEDEMIA


20/54

Jane St. John Jane St. John’s parents are actors in theSydney holonovela industry. Teir work keptthem away from home for months at a time.

When they were there, they brought their work friends around, and Jane grew to resentthe fake laughs and plastic smiles. She pushedherself toward her natural talent for athletics,instead, becoming a national champion atgymnastics, swimming, and fencing.

While her physical testing was exemplary,her scores in academics and psychic potentialrelegated her to Delta Company. However,

she quickly rose to the top and was namedDelta SCom after only 2 years.

Jane St. John is an attractive but severeyoung woman. She plays up the classic

“drill sergeant” persona, barking orders andpushing her fellow students to see just howfar they can go. She keeps her auburn hairshoulder-length, and she wears her uniformslightly loose to allow for ease of movement.

Jane St. John Aspects: You Will Not Fail ;

Hardest On Herself Skills

Good (+3): Athletics, PsychokinesisFair (+2): elepathy Average (+1): ESP



21/54

Park Hyun-wooPark Hyun-woo wants to impress the rest of the

Academy with Delta Company’s performance givenits reputation. But he also understands that the

students under his command are potentially frag-ile, having been shuttled across known space andpossessed of strange powers they are all justlearning to control. He does his best to bal-ance a rigorous training schedule with thedowntime his students need to adjust totheir experiences.

Park is guarded with his fellow students,but those who show him respect and

perform well can earn his friendship. Inhis less guarded moments, Hyun-wootalks about his partner, Min-jun, andhow homesick he is for their apartment inIncheon. Te two were planning to marrybefore Hyun-woo received his call to the

Academy, and Min-jun said he could wait untilHyun-woo graduated.

Park Hyun-woo is an average-looking young

man with a slim build. He keeps his black haircut in the recommended Fleet style. He resem-bles an engineer or teacher more than a soldier.He usually wears a duty jacket over his uniformand fills the pockets with odds and ends.

Park Hyun-woo Aspects: One More Drill ;

ough But Fair SkillsGood (+3): ESPFair (+2): Psychokinesis Average (+1): elepathy

17PSYCHEDEMIA


22/54

CHARACTERS

Characters are members of Delta Company, students assessed as “marginal” inthe Academy entrance examination. Te other students view them as rejects

and liabilities. Te faculty is waiting for them to wash out. Tey must rely oneach other, draw strength from their shared hardships, and prove themselvesto an unkind universe.

AspectsEvery character begins with a High Concept that reflects their psychic potentialand placement at the academy. One student might be a actical elekinetic ,

while another is a Clairvoyant Scout . Te High Concept can also define thecharacter’s hopes or beliefs: Warrior for Peace, or Looking for a Bug Hunt .

As the dregs of Delta Company, players can have their pick of roubles.Deltas face prejudice from instructors and ridicule from peers. Tey receivethe oldest and worst maintained equipment. Tey have to fight for privi-leges like entertainment and communications from family. And soon they willenter an alien world, utterly alone among the other races.

Since the characters are newly minted students, they don’t have the benefitof sharing past experience. Instead, the Phase rio in Psychedemia consists ofBreakout, Conditioning, and Muster.

CHARACTER CREATION OVERVIEW

• Aspects: High Concept, Trouble, Breakout, Conditioning,

Muster

• Mundane Skills: Start with one Good (+3), two Fair (+2),

and two Average (+1).

• Psychic Aptitudes: Start with one Good (+3) and two

Average (+1) skills.

• Refresh & Stunts: Starting refresh is 3. Choose up to

three free stunts.

• Stress & Consequences: Start with 2 Physical stress and

2 Mental stress, plus a mild, a moderate, and a severeconsequence. These are not adjusted for skills.



23/54

In the Breakout phase, the player describes the character’s first experience with their new powers. For many, this involves some kind of trauma thatshocks the mind into new paths. Tis can leave scars that never heal, especiallyin the high-pressure environment of the Academy.

Te Conditioning phase involves the character’s examination and admis-

sion to the Academy, followed by a battery of genetic tweaks and militaryindoctrination. Te government wants to rebuild each student as a weapon,but the process is never perfect. What happened to your character during thistime that leaves them different from other students?

Finally, Muster details your induction into Delta Company and your firstexperiences with your squadmates. Tis phase most resembles the traditionalFate Core phases, though you don’t have time for the back and forth of thatprocess. How does your character feel about the others? Do you have anyimmediate first impressions that strongly define a relationship with any of

them? Tis could be a rivalry, a bond of loyalty, or a physical attraction, butthe aspect you create should tie you to at least one other member of DeltaCompany.

19PSYCHEDEMIA


24/54

SkillsPsychedemia compresses the standard Fate Core skill list from 18 skills downto 9. Te consolidated skills are:

• Academics: Tis is simply Lore, renamed.

• Athletics: Tis skill combines Athletics and Physique. It cannot defendagainst firearms or energy weapons.

• Combat: Combines Fight and Shoot.• Friendships: Combines Contacts, Empathy, and Rapport. Use as

Contacts is limited by the nature of the setting and the general inabilityto communicate with anyone back home.

• Infiltration: Combines Burglary and Stealth.• Influence: Combines Deceive and Provoke.• Mechanics: Combines Crafts and Drive.

• Perception: Combines Investigate and Notice.• Will: As in Fate Core . Use of this skill is greatly expanded in the Realm.

At creation, characters have one skill rated at Good (+3), two rated at Fair(+2), and two at Average (+1). Te campaign skill cap begins at Good (+3).

High skill levels do not affect a student’s stress tracks or consequences.Characters have two boxes of physical stress, two boxes of mental stress, andthe standard three consequences. (Adults, even those with psychic aptitudes,follow the normal rules for stress and consequences, with Athletics substitut-ing for Physique.)

StuntsCharacters can take up to three stunts without lowering their refresh. Manyof the stunts in Fate Core work in Psychedemia , taking into account the con-densed skill list. Te following new stunts are also available. (See the psychicaptitude descriptions for more stunts tied to those skills.)

Eidetic Memory (Academics): You automatically recall anything you havestudied or experienced. If there is any doubt that you have studied something,you get +2 to any Academics roll the GM requires. You do not get this bonus

to actually apply your knowledge to a practical purpose.

Microgravity raining (Athletics): You get +2 to Athletics rolls in areas withgravity significantly below Earth normal. (Areas of the Realm may be format-ted with variant gravities.)



25/54

Treat Assessment (Combat): Before the first exchange in a physical conflict,you can make a free create an advantage action using Combat, opposed by thehighest Combat or Influence among your opponents. On a success, in addi-tion to a free invoke, the GM will tell you the highest Combat skill among

them.

eacher’s Pet (Friendships): When you use Friendships to create an advan-tage based on your relationship with a teacher, treat a tie as a success. If youattack another student mentally by leveraging your relationship with a teacher,on a tie you can choose to take the boost or to inflict a 1-stress hit.

Ninja Vanish (Infiltration): Once per scene, if it’s possible to find cover orconcealment, you can hide without taking an action and create an appropriateadvantage with a single free invoke. Anyone trying to find you must overcome

a Good (+3) opposition (or your active opposition, if higher) to remove thisadvantage.

Lackeys and Stooges (Influence): You forge bonds through coercion anddeception, rather than developing healthy relationships. You can use Influencein place of Friendships when performing any of the actions associated withthe Contacts skill in Fate Core .

Intuitive Inventor (Mechanics): In the fluid reality of the Realm, you cancreate any machine you can imagine. You can use Mechanics in place of Will

when formatting a region to create a machine-related aspect or when defend-ing against another character attempting to remove such an aspect.

Quick Reaction ime (Perception): When you become aware of a hiddenthreat, you respond with lightning speed to overcome that danger. When youdefend against a create an advantage action using Perception and succeed withstyle, you create a situation aspect with a free invoke instead of gaining a boost.

Private Domain (Will): You carved out and “formatted” your own section ofthe human construct, creating an area where you have final (although never

total) authority. When you take this stunt, and again at each significant mile-stone, you can establish a permanent formatting aspect for your domain. Youget a single free invoke of each such aspect. If anyone tries to alter (“refor-mat”) your domain, you can roll active opposition with Will, even if youaren’t present.

21PSYCHEDEMIA


26/54

PSYCHIC APTITUDES

Te three psychic aptitudes are represented by three new skills: ESP,Psychokinesis, and elepathy. Characters begin with one psychic aptitude at

Good (+3) and the others at Average (+1). When advancing, these skills donot fall under the normal skill column rules. Tey are still subject to thecampaign skill cap.

Each psychic aptitude includes a few common methods that anyone withthe aptitude can use. In addition, a number of stunts for each aptitude expandtheir use and represent natural talent or practiced technique.

ESPExtra-Sensory Perception is the ability to extend the consciousness beyond

the physical body, allowing the psychic to perceive things a normal humancouldn’t, to sense the past, and to view remote locations or even project a fullyrealized mental form.

OESP can overcome obstacles a normal human’s senses simply couldn’t.No normal human can see through a wall without technological assis-tance, but a psychic can. ESP can only extend your senses in one particular

way at a time. If you are remotely viewing a location, you cannot also hearand smell that place.

ESP is not a catch-all replacement for Perception. Roll your mundane skill

for anything a normal human could sense.

CESP can create a variety of advantages. Te ability to sense possibleambushes with psychometry or scout a location through remote view-ing can set up wide-ranging aspects.

AESP cannot be used to attack.

D

ESP can defend against attempts to create an advantage by affecting the

senses, such as technological or psychic illusions, sensory overload, orconcealment like smoke or white noise.

Astral Projection Astral projection is the ability to send a fully conscious mental form fromthe psychic’s body. Tis form can travel anywhere at great speed, but it isinvisible and intangible. Te psychic cannot interact with anything and canonly be perceived by other psychics actively scanning for projectors. While inthis astral form, the psychic can use their normal senses as well as ESP andelepathy but not Psychokinesis.

Normal remote viewing provides limited information (one or two senses atmost) and does not allow the psychic to use additional psychic aptitude, butit is far safer as they are not “there” in the same way they are when projecting.

Just as a projector can use ESP and elepathy, other psychics can use thosepowers on them.



27/54

Psychometry Psychometry is the perception of past events based on the impressions leftbehind on objects by conscious beings. When a psychic uses this ability, they

witness a vision of the past, but this vision is colored by the thoughts and

emotions of the people involved. Events with more participants and greateremotional impact will be easier to “read” but much harder to interpret.

Tere is no corresponding ability to perceive the future as there are no psy-chic impressions of an event that hasn’t happened.

ESP Stunts

Aura Reading: You perceive energy fields around conscious beings that fluctu-ate with mood. You can use ESP in place of Friendships or elepathy to get aread on someone’s emotional state.

Poltergeist: You can use your Psychokinesis aptitude while projecting. If youdo, you become visible to psychics, even if they are not actively scanning forprojectors.

23PSYCHEDEMIA


28/54

PsychokinesisPsychokinesis is the ability to manipulate energy by thought. You can impartkinetic energy to objects, causing them to move. You can bend light, creatingillusions or making yourself invisible.

OPsychokinesis can overcome any kind of physical obstacle by moving itor bashing it down. It can also overcome any opposition that relies onenergy, such as electronic security systems.

CPhotokinesis can create advantages based on light. More broadly, psy-chokinesis can create advantages by moving objects or characters. A With Psychokinesis, you can attack anyone you can see within twozones. By default, this requires something to throw (but see thePersonal Laser stunt).

DPsychokinesis can defend against physical attacks (including firearms)as well as energy weapons.ElectrokinesisTis is the ability to manipulate the flow of electricity in an area. A commonuse of Electrokinesis is to interface with a computer without having to touchit. When you work with a system this way, you use the lower of Psychokinesisor the appropriate mundane skill (Academics for research, Mechanics for pro-

gramming, etc.). You can affect any computer you can see within two zones.PhotokinesisTis is the ability to control photons, allowing the psychokinetic to shapelight. Photokinesis can be used to create advantages like Invisible, UncannyIllusion, and so on. A simple effect like invisibility or tinting the light in aroom to a single color requires no concentration. Complex illusions that reactto viewers take your full attention, however.

Tese manipulations affect sight only. Anyone who would come into con-tact with it can automatically discern an illusion.

Psychokinesis Stunts

Personal Laser: You can focus light into a deadly beam, allowing you to makeenergy weapon attacks without a weapon using the higher of Psychokinesisor Combat.

Sonokinesis: You use psychokinesis to impart motion on the air. You get +2to rolls to create an advantage when making illusions that would be morebelievable with sound.



29/54

Telepathyelepathy is the ability to sense another being’s thoughts, read their emotions,and otherwise receive signals from their mind. It does not allow a psychic totransmit thoughts or otherwise alter another’s mind. Communication is pos-

sible if both parties agree to read the other’s surface thoughts.

O You can use elepathy in the same ways you could use the Empathyskill in Fate Core (and in place of the Friendships skill in these rules).In combination with Influence, it enables efficient interrogation (see MindProbe below).

CReading someone’s thoughts can take the form of an aspect represent-ing the information you gained or even the surprise you instill in yourfoe by knowing it. Tis can give you an advantage in many situations.

Aelepathy cannot be used to attack.

Delepathy can be used to defend against other telepaths reading one’smind as well as against attempts to deceive with Influence.Mind Probe

A psychic cannot use elepathy to forcibly reveal hidden thoughts or memories.Instead, they must browbeat or trick the subject into recalling the information,

which the psychic can then read.Tis takes the form of a Contest between the psychic and the subject. Te

interrogation usually progresses through a series of Influence or elepathyrolls by the psychic to manipulate the subject and read their responses andInfluence, elepathy, or Will rolls by the subject to misdirect the interrogatorand resist their scans.

If the interrogator wins the Contest, the subject gives up relevant informa-tion. Tis doesn’t mean the subject talks; instead, the interrogator reads thesubject’s surface thoughts as they drift toward areas the interrogator wants.

If the subject wins, they stymie the interrogator. If the interrogator wantsto proceed, they will need to take more drastic measures (pushing the sceneinto a full Conflict).

elepathy Stunts

Aggression Sense: You instinctively read violent thoughts and can sense whensomeone is going to attack you. You can use elepathy to defend against phys-ical attacks by intelligent beings that are directed at you alone.

River of Toughts: You ease another mind’s psychic trauma by letting it flow

into yourself. You can spend a fate point to immediately recover another char-acter’s mental consequence. If the consequence was moderate or severe, youmust absorb it. Either take a similar consequence one level lower or check offa elepathy condition: Uncontrolled for moderate or Burnt Out for severe.

25PSYCHEDEMIA


30/54

ConditionsIn addition to a skill, each psychic aptitude includes two conditions:Uncontrolled (sticky), and Burnt Out (lasting). Tese work as described inthe Fate System Toolkit : you can check off a condition to absorb stress from a

successful attack, 2 stress for Uncontrolled or 4 stress for Burnt Out. Whilea condition is checked, it serves as an aspect on your character like any other.

In addition to absorbing stress, you can also check off a condition forextreme effort on a roll. Tis gives you a bonus to a roll, +2 for Uncontrolledor +4 for Burnt Out.

Checking off a condition indicates that you have taxed your psychic apti-tude to produce the desired effect. If you are absorbing stress, this means yourpower mitigated the attack in some way. Psychokinesis can blunt a punch,

while telepathy gives you insight into the pain fueling a bully’s taunt. In the

same way, extra effort implies the use of psychic aptitude to aid in anotheraction. ESP can boost your normal Perception when you’re searching a room,for example.

However, pushing your aptitude in this way leaves it strained. AnUncontrolled condition can be compelled to make your aptitude flare up atthe worst moment. While one or both Burnt Out boxes are checked off, youcannot use that skill at all.

Recovering from a condition takes time. You can focus yourself throughquiet meditation to remove an Uncontrolled condition. You or another char-

acter must overcome Great (+4) opposition with Will or the same psychic skillto recover the first box of a Burnt Out condition, though it still takes anothersession for the second box to recover. You cannot check off or recover anUncontrolled condition if either box is checked on the corresponding BurntOut condition.



31/54

THE REALM

Te universe exists on uncounted dimensions beyond the four our mindsare evolved to perceive. But as the human mind expands to include such

things as psychic powers, it touches on these higher dimensions, shap-ing a fragment of hyperspace into a higher dimensional membrane.

Tis membrane can be perceived by those with psychic aptitude as a physi-cal construct accessed in dreams or meditation. Te psychic’s body still residesin our normal space-time, while the mind experiences the construct as a real,solid environment. Anyone in the construct can focus their thoughts andshape its reality, given sufficient will. Where individuals’ visions contradict,they can choose to peacefully blend together or violently expel each other.

Humans are the youngest in a collection of species in our galaxy to reach

the evolutionary threshold and enter one of these constructs. Several otherraces all went through the same process of formatting their membrane intoa familiar world. Tey pushed the boundaries of these constructs until theyoverlapped in hyperspace. As whole constructs interacted, the races smoothedout their differences along the borders. Te result was a single continuousconstruct that faded from one species to the next. Tey called this the Realm,and the various races became Residents.

Humanity’s construct has not yet expanded naturally to touch on the Realm. And yet, the students of the Academy stumble onto connections between our

world and the greater one. Te Residents have opened roads that only theyoung and open-minded students can traverse.

27PSYCHEDEMIA


32/54

Regions A region consists of one or more zones that have been formatted together. Aconstruct begins without regions, being an featureless volume of space. Assoon as an inhabitant formats a section of the construct, they form a region.

Every region has at least one formatting aspect (see Formatting below).Regions do not inherently share a spatial relationship. Anyone can create a

link between regions by formatting both. Te link takes the form of a physicalpath, such as a road or bridge. Te formatting of both regions mingles alongthis path, blending from one to the other. You arrive at your destination with-out a sense of crossing a border.

Tis blending of regions is the foundation of the Realm itself. At the center isthe Hub, where all of the Residents original constructs have blended togetherinto a gathering place for all species. Te farther out from the Hub you travel,

the deeper you go into an area that is suited to one race in particular.

FormattingTe process of shaping the reality of a construct is known as formatting . Tisrequires clear vision and the will to force the construct into its new shape.Existing changes and the presence of other beings with opposing vision makeformatting more difficult.

Formatting is a create an advantage action using Will. Any other characterpresent can roll active opposition using Will if they choose. Multiple charac-

ters use the teamwork rules. If no one opposes, the roll is against a Mediocre(+0) obstacle. A success creates a permanent formatting aspect on a singlezone, multiple zones, or the entire region, as desired. Te character gets a freeinvoke as normal for create an advantage. A tie still produces an element inthe scene that can provide a boost, but it is not significant enough to form anaspect. For simple formatting like creating a mundane tool, no roll is requiredand no boost or aspect is generated.

Regions possess inertia that makes formatting more difficult as featuresbecome more complex. Opposition to formatting (active or passive) increases

by +1 for every formatting aspect already on all zones to be affected. Creatingtruly alien environments is even more difficult, as the inhabitant cannot easilyimagine them. If a formatting aspect differs so completely from the creator’sexperience, increase the opposition by an additional +2.

Forming a link between two regions works the same way. In the absenceof active opposition, determine passive opposition for the more complicatedregion, and then add an additional +1 for each formatting aspect on the otherregion that directly contradicts, as determined by the GM.

Formatting aspects represent the unique physical properties of a region.

Any feature that a human would consider normal does not need an aspect,including light, temperature, and gravity within the range of human com-fort. Instead, formatting aspects should be reserved for the most dramatic andinteresting features of the region.



33/54

For example, a tech-savvy psychic may format a zone into an IndustrialPlayground , creating machinery, tools, and spare parts for tinkering. Herfriend, at home in orbital habitats, formats a region with Microgravity andHatches & Airlocks, recreating the station she grew up on.

Objects created through formatting work identically to those in the real world, even if the person making them does not have a perfect technicalunderstanding. Te process of formatting accesses deep knowledge gatheredsubconsciously through the low-level intuitive ESP of every inhabitant. In this

way, it’s possible to create guns, computers, or airplanes through formatting.Objects without any real-world analog, even physically impossible things,

can be created in regions that support them. Depending on the nature of thecreation, it may earn the +2 to opposition for being alien.

FORMATTING LIFE

It is possible to format a region with seemingly indepen-

dent beings. Simulated animals make a region feel more

realistic. You can even create facsimile humans or other

sentient beings, but these are automatons. They follow

simple scripts instilled at formatting. A guard, for example,

may try to stop anyone that isn’t authorized. Facsimiles

cannot answer questions or provide information that is

outside their programming. They make poor companions,unless you have very limited interests.

Entering and Exiting the Realm Whenever a psychic accesses the membrane, they appear in a place of comfortand familiarity. For humans, this means a region in the human construct. ForResidents, individuals are allocated “awakening” zones in their species’ homeregion. A psychic appears clothed however they’d like but with no functional

tools or equipment. It is possible to format objects into existence, and you canleave formatted objects behind before you leave the Realm.

A visitor can leave the Realm at any time with a thought, unless they arefully restrained or anchored to a spot. Handcuffs are not enough to keepsomeone from “waking up,” unless the victim’s arms are around a fixed pipe,for example. Chained to a wall, hanging from a tree, or buried up to one’sneck in quicksand: all are sufficient to block escape. Te visitor must over-come whatever obstacle is holding them before they can leave the Realm.

29PSYCHEDEMIA


34/54

THE RESIDENTS

Te Realm is inhabited by four alien species, coexisting more or less in peace.In physical space, these races are spread out over roughly a quarter of our

galaxy. In the Realm, of course, they each have “territory” formed from theiroriginal membrane constructs.

Humanity has encountered three of the Resident species in physical space:the Weavers, the Spindles, and the Choir. Te others are unknown until thecharacters arrive at the Hub. Each species desciption includes three aspectsthat are common to members; a given alien may have one or two of theseaspects at a time.

WeaversBetter, Stronger, Faster ; Constructive Critic ; Everything Has a Weak Point

Te core of Weaver psychology is the drive to improve . Tey are engineersand craftsmen because they simply need to make things better than theyalready are—more efficient, more durable. All social interaction involving

Weavers includes at least one moment where each party is assessed and weak-nesses identified. If possible, the Weaver offers solutions to mitigate them.

When the Weavers first encountered a human ship, they sent standard greet-ing protocols. Unfortunately, the humans’ communication systems could notreceive the message. Tis was an obvious failure of design, so the Weavers

offered an upgrade. Te first step in any Weaver upgrade in a vacuum is tospin a construction lattice out of artificial diamond filaments. Te humans

misinterpreted this as an attempt to traptheir ship and opened fire. Severaldozen Weavers were killed before thehumans escaped.

While not a naturally aggres-sive species, the Weaver’s ability toanalyze weaknesses makes them a for-

midable opponent. As the human Fleetlaunched engagements against Weaveroutposts, the Weavers collected data.Eventually, they formulated efficient ways to combat their attackers withminimum casualties to both sides.

Physically, Weavers resemble upright,tailless scorpions. Four limbs serveas legs, while two more limbs end in

grasping manipulators and two in mus-cular gripping claws. Many Weaverspossess cybernetic implants that extendtheir natural capabilities.



35/54

SpindlesSee All, Hear All ; Tere Is No Down; What Does Tis Do?

Spindles are defined by one thing: curiosity. Whereas the Weavers analyzethings to improve them, Spindles just want to see how they work. Tey aren’tfoolhardy, though. If something is obviously dangerous, they’ll collect as

much information as they can from a safe distance. Spindles do a brisk trade with the Weavers for protective equipment, however.

Humanity first encountered the Spindles while the aliens were pickingover a derelict human ship. Te responding Fleet captain assumed that theSpindles had crippled the ship and were scavenging it. He opened fire, andthe Spindles were forced to flee. After that, Spindles were more likely to fleeaggressive humans than to fight.

Spindles are radially symmetrical, with six thin limbs around a cylindricalcore. Tree limbs at a time serve as legs in normal gravity, while three other

limbs are free to manipulate objects. Each limb branches into three sub-limbsthat each end in three “fingers.” Spindles have no natural “upright” direc-tion; they can invert themselves without discomfort. A ring of sensory tissuearound the middle of their core allows for 360 degrees of vision and audioreception. Spindles are asexual and prefer the pronoun “it.”

31PSYCHEDEMIA


36/54

ChoirPerpetual Cassandra; Voice of the Metatron; We’re No Angels

Te Choir know something. Te mathematical models

are pure, unassailable. Teir devotion to this knowledgeborders on the religious, and they desperately want to

share it with others. But the information is too com-plex and the Choir’s language too dense for theirknowledge to be easily transmitted.

Still they try, whenever they encounter a newrace. When they do, the message floods all avail-able bandwidth. When humans first encounteredthe Choir, they sent us their message, too. We

could only decode a minor audio component, which sounded like discordant singing throughour protocols. Te rest of the data overloaded theship’s computer, disabling communication, weap-ons lock, and sensors. Te captain was forced toretreat, assuming the transmission was prelude toan attack.

Teir inability to express the fundamentaltruth of their culture has a depressing effect on

the Choir when they interact with other species.Many Choir appear dour or overly serious, while

some are condescending to other races who are incapable of understandingthe deepest truths of the universe.

A small faction of Choir believes the truth should not be shared with thoseobviously unprepared to receive it. Tese zealots hunt down anyone who hasglimpsed even a part of the truth and eliminate them. Tey claim this is forthe good of the entire universe.

No human has seen a Choir in the physical world. When the students

encounter them in the Realm, they appear as tall, attractive, blond human-oids with an unidentifiable otherness about them. It’s unclear if this is theirrace’s true appearance or a result of the Choir formatting themselves to betterinteract with humans.

WHAT’S UP WITH THE CHOIR?

Who knows?

Seriously, the Choir are presented as enigma to be ex-

plored as your group likes. They don’t play a crucial role inthe default adventure. Whatever their secret knowledge

may be is up to you, but realize that if you can summarize

it for your players, the Choir could do so in the setting.



37/54

WandoonShort Fuse; Sneak Attack! ; Willing Warrior

Te Wandoon are more naturally aggressive than the other Residents, butthey possess an inclination toward secrecy and stealth as well. Tey learned of

humanity from the Weavers and Spindles before encountering us in physicalspace, and they decided to hide until they could formulate a strategy to defeatus.

Te Wandoon were shocked by our propensity for violence, however, andthey now see humanity as the biggest threat to a peaceful galaxy they have everknown. Tey have been calling for war for a decade, but the other species haveurged them to be calm. So far, it has worked.

In the Realm, the Wandoon are openly hostile toward humans, but they will not start a fight unless provoked. Unfortunately, Wandoon are easily pro-

voked. Should violence break out, other Residents will quickly try to stop it,but serious harm could be done to both sides in the meantime.

A Wandoon looks like two muscular, grey quadrupeds were fused togetherat their spines. Tey walk on four squat legs, and hold their four manipulat-ing limbs above them, tucked against their body when not in use. Tey standabout four feet tall at the “shoulder.” A crude face rests in the fold betweenthe two sets of limbs, consisting of a mouth, a single wide nostril, and fourround black eyes.

33PSYCHEDEMIA


38/54

ADVENTURE

Te default Psychedemia adventure sees the characters first entering the humanmembrane construct, learning to format, and later exploring the wider Realmand interacting with the Residents. In the process, they discover that the

Residents want peace but don’t understand humanity and cannot commu-nicate with us. Many fear us as aggressors, even barbarians, and some fewResidents are willing to follow our lead into all-out war.

Te leadership of the United Fleet becomes aware that the students are ableto access a deeper level of mental space than even their most advanced adultpsychics. If they can unlock the secret, they would gladly march into theRealm and burn it down.

In this section, the text speaks directly to the GM. Obviously, players mayspoil the adventure if they read ahead. If that’s you, know that your GM has

plenty of ways to switch things up if you make her.

THE ADVENTURE AT A GLANCE

Here is an outline of the key points of the default Psychedemia cam-

paign. You can use this box if you need to condense the adventure

into a handful of sessions.

1. The characters arrive at the Academy and join Delta Company. They

meet their SCom, the instructors, Commandant Stein, and Colonel

Prudeaux. They experience a typical day of instruction and training.

2. Either in dreams or during guided meditation with Ishiguro, the

characters first experience the human membrane construct and

learn basic formatting.

3. While experimenting in the construct, the characters stumble upon

the bridge to the Realm. They are met by a Weaver named Tensor

and encounter members of other species.

4. The students must balance their daily routine at the Academy with

their visits to the Realm. Instructors like Ishiguro will eventually

learn of the students’ connection. The characters help set the tone

for how the adults deal with the Realm.

5. Meanwhile, the characters encounter factions within the Realm

who are not as welcoming as Tensor’s. Conflict can occur in mental

space just as readily as in physical.

6. The Fleet decides to utilize the students’ connection to the Realm.

Prudeaux and his marines try to recruit the characters as spies

against the Residents.

7. Alpha Company fortifies the construct. When Prudeaux learns of

the Realm, he recruits the Alphas as spies. This sparks a counter-

attack by the anti-human faction of Residents.

8. The characters must resolve the crisis. The choice between peace

and war is in their hands.



39/54

Suggested Issues A typical Psychedemia game might have the following current and impending

issues. Of course, your group may see other possibilities in the setting you would like to explore.

• Humanity’s inability to listen and relate to our neighbors is driving usto destroy them out of fear of what we don’t understand. ( A Failureto Communicate)

• Te characters are teenagers or young adults without a full grasp of themotivations either of their elders in the Fleet or the alien Residentsthey meet. (...When You’re Older )

• When the hawks in Fleet command learn of the Realm and the poten-tial intelligence to be found there, they will use the students as spies orguerillas against the Residents. ( An Emerging Battlefield )

35PSYCHEDEMIA


40/54

DiscoveryTe first part of the campaign establishes the twin settings of the Academy andthe Realm. Initially, focus on the physical world, establishing human NPCsand playing up the underlying push toward competition and judgment driv-

ing Academy life. Once the students discover the construct and the Realm,emphasize the freedom mutable reality brings. emper that freedom with thebarely concealed distrust they elicit from members of the alien society.

Tey should develop allies and rivals in both worlds. Te characters are notthe only students who gain access to the Realm, so relationships they form inthe Academy do carry over. Tat makes humans more important during thisphase of the adventure, but that could very well switch in the second act.

Arrival All visitors are shipped to the Academy in suspended animation to preservethe security of its location. Students are decanted an hour before arrival andinstructed to change into their uniforms. Regulations and student guidebooksare downloaded to their personal computers, and they are told to familiarizethemselves. Most students ignore the materials as the facility comes into view:the irregular gray body with a few obvious artificial features around its surface.

Te transport ship docks at a hangar bay on one end, and the studentsboard directly onto a magnetic shuttle to the security cluster. All students are

scanned by marines and interrogated by a Fleet Psychic. If a player decidesto resist, run a mind probe contest to introduce the concept. Once they arecleared by security, students are escorted to the Assembly Hall, where all fac-ulty and current students are waiting.

Commandant Stein and Colonel Prudeaux welcome the incoming class andexplain the basics of Academy routine, though they leave the bulk of detailsto the materials downloaded earlier. Play up the differences between the twoauthority figures. Stein is stern, commanding, but ultimately someone thestudents can look up to. Prudeaux is as friendly as a surface-to-air missile.

Making Friends & EnemiesTe first days at the Academy are about learning the rhythm of daily life: class- work, training, meals, free time. Tis is also the time to establish importantNPCs among the faculty and students. A few critical NPCs are written up foryou, but you should tailor a few more characters to serve as allies or rivals toyour particular group of player characters. You may do this on the fly, pro-moting some nameless fellow students as you go, or come up with some goodchoices before play begins.

Conflicts are likely during this period as the characters adjust to the newpecking order. Tey should run into opposition from Janel Cosgrove and her

Alphas who seek to put the Deltas into their expected place. Te Delta SCommay help the students acclimate, but they can only do so much.



41/54

Intramurals A large part of the Academy experience revolves around competitions betweensquads and entire Companies. With the wide array of training required of all

students, these competitions can range from athletic trials to tests of theoreti-cal and practical knowledge or even simulated combats. Physical activities cantake place under nearly any environmental conditions.

If you want to incorporate these competitions into your campaign, start with the team’s preparation and training. Tis can be run as a challenge.Important skills during this phase include: Academics or Athletics for actualtraining (depending on the competition); Influence to psych out the otherteam; ESP or Infiltration to gain clandestine knowledge of the other team’sstrategies; and the team captain’s Friendships for an inspirational speech.

Let each player choose an action during the challenge. One character may just hit the gym, while another fast-talks a teacher into giving up some insideinformation, and another pores over footage of the opposing team’s previousmatches. Success means that character is in top form for the competition.Failure should instead be turned into success with a cost, the cost being asetback for the whole team.

After the challenge comes the actual competition. In most cases, this willbe a contest with two (or more) sides and everyone on a side rolling togetherusing the eamwork rules (Athletics for a physical contest or Academics for

a scholarly one). In the case of simulated combat, however, use the conflictrules. Just remember that all weapons are nonlethal, so any consequences orconditions for being taken out should reflect embarrassment or at most a fewbumps and bruises.

Examples of intramural competitions include:• Academic Lightning Rounds: Participants are quizzed on history,

sciences, humanities, and all other topics taught at the Academy.Questions get progressively harder, and as the rounds advance, partici-pants must split their attention between multiple topics at once. Te

winner is the last student eliminated.• Field Engineering rials: Students must diagnose and repair a mal-

functioning vehicle or other piece of equipment. Scores are basedon time to completion and efficacy of the repairs. (Tis contest usesMechanics, rather than Academics.)

• Te Grand Arena: Once each term, the entire training bay cluster isturned into a sprawling battleground. Each Company is assigned ahome base with a field computer, automated defenses, and an array ofnonlethal weaponry. Te goal is to sneak into an enemy’s base and hack

their computer, turning their automated defenses against them. Tefirst Company to control all four computers wins. Te competitiondoes not end until a winner is declared; some Arenas have lasted days

when Companies dug in rather than attack.

37PSYCHEDEMIA


42/54

Entering the Construct Te characters’ first experience with the human membrane construct shouldcome as a surprise. While some students may enter the construct while dream-

ing, players may be tempted to write the experience off if it occurs under whatamounts to “GM fiat.” Instead, have the player characters enter the constructduring a session of guided meditation with Professor Ishiguro.

As Ishiguro leads them into the meditative state, he instructs them to clearall conscious thought and drown out all stimuli. However, the students soonfind themselves in a shared space, conscious of each other but not of anyphysical features around them. In fact, there are no such features until one ofthem focu

psychedemia o a world of adventure for fate core (7824570)

Documents