REALITY IS A LIE.

It may look like late 20th Now you’re on the run, forced to work in secret
century Earth, but you glimpsed The Truth: It’s a with other isolated cells of codebreakers to find
simulation. Virtual reality. Code. And code can a way forward — to beat the daemons, liberate
be broken. So you did — and all hell broke loose. the masses, or maybe even find a way out.

► Contacts ► Operations (and twists)

1 Aero, reckless, idealistic codebreaker, loner 1 Daedalus asks for help rescuing a teammate
2 Biloxi, trustworthy dealer of illegal weapons from the feds (a trap by feds and daemons)
3 Claviger, can help you step through any door 2 Escape detention (a sim within the sim —
4 Daedalus, leads a cell of would-be liberators “codebreakers” help, ask to meet contacts)
5 Eon, meek hacker, starting to suspect Truth 3 Floppy offers a skill install each for help with
6 Faybelline, fabulous, can remake your face a “delivery” (a crate of “suspended” people)
7 Floppy, can “install” new skills, for a price 4 Get findings of proprietary study on lucid
8 Grigori, cryptic, claims to be “rogue” daemon dreams (researchers keep “transcending”)
9 Haque, chummy fence, stocks duped items 5 Help (?) Daedalus install virus on network at
10 iMac, bubbly, uncannily skilled hacker Psychologic (127 devs would see The Truth)
11 Mothman, paranoid, wide-eyed info broker 6 Investigate rumored “door” out of the sim in
12 Norton, intense, offers to clear “viruses” Systronic HQ (leads to audience with “Root”)
13 Peters, warm “coyote,” helps folks disappear 7 Mothman offers reward for data on C*crecy
14 Royce, mundane detective, unsure about you onsite server (unlocks an exploit: Exit)
15 The Seer, offers vague advice, baked goods 8 Rob local organized crime outfit for funds
16 Tink, untrusting, lost cell to daemon betrayal (they could be allies against authorities)
17 Umbra, tired, can point you to a safehouse 9 Save a newbie codebreaker from police
18 Vox, doped up, constantly hears thoughts (they’re actually a plant by daemons)
19 Whiteout, bald, stern, can erase your past 10 The Seer says Eon will be important — guide
20 Xi, sells drug that unlocks 1 exploit for 1 day and protect them (Eon’s a hapless goof)
► What is the simulation? ► Daemons are AI tasked to preserve the illusion
that the simulation is real. They can effortlessly
1 Aliens studying us to save their own species
punch through concrete, dodge bullets, and shrug
2 Ancient game — bots gradually grew sentient
off being hit by a truck. No codebreaker is known
3 Corporate storage for risky but valuable staff
to have killed one.
4 Dreams of a godlike machine
5 Grazing area so human livestock don’t rebel When daemons are alerted, they investigate. A
6 Illegal game — you’re unwitting NPCs second alert or odd behavior will trigger pursuit.
7 Last refuge of humanity after the apocalypse
When investigated by daemons, codebreakers
8 Live demo showcasing AI for sale
risk (1–2) being identified as hostiles or (3–4)
9 One of countless timelines run by PROPH3T
being detained or surveilled indefinitely.
10 Prison meant to reform dangerous criminals
11 Procedure to extract intel from captives When fleeing pursuing daemons, codebreakers
12 Psych experiment you (maybe?) opted into risk (1–2) getting caught and hindered, or just
13 Recruitment test for secret defense initiative (3–4) getting caught. If caught, they can’t attempt
14 Refugee camp for backed-up personalities escape again until they create an opening .
15 This is reality — it has always been an illusion
When resisting hostile daemons, codebreakers
16 Trains combat AI on reusable human targets
can attempt to create an opening or use an
17 Trash directory — or afterlife — for dead AI
opening to flee, at the risk of (1–2) death, or
18 Trauma ward for damaged minds
(3–4) grievous injury. Killing or harming daemons
19 Trippy game — you’re mind-wiped players
is not (ever?) feasible; the goal is to escape alive.
20 You think you escaped? That was level 1....
Version 1.2 • Art by Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) • Permission is granted to reproduce for personal use
RULES CHARACTERS EXPLOITS DETAILS
PLAY: Players describe what their characters do. ► Choose your background. ► Choose 1 exploit — how you bend the simulation ► Choose a handle rolled on or picked from this list,
The GM advises when their action is impossible, to your will. To use an exploit, roll Simulation (d6 or make one up. Note pronouns.
BYSTANDER: Ordinary person who learned The
requires extra steps, demands a cost, or presents skill by default), at the risk of alerting daemons
Truth by happenstance. Search online for “local 1 Alias 6 Finder 11 Lossy 16 Salt
a risk. Players only roll to avoid risks. (1–2) nearby or (3–4) within a block.
job listings” and take a random, mundane job title; 2 Beta 7 Gain 12 Meta 17 Trojan
ROLLING: Roll a skill die — d6 by default, higher treat as a skill (d8) for anything remotely related, To enhance a risky action with an exploit (e.g., 3 Cable 8 Hazard 13 Nonce 18 Vuln
with a relevant skill, or d4 if hindered by injury, and describe a few personal items you took when Shift bullets while Shooting; Move by Running on 4 Dox 9 Image 14 Phish 19 Worm
circumstances, or carrying more than 1 bulky you went on the run. You’re a relatively minor a wall), roll Simulation and the other skill; use the 5 Enter 10 JPEG 15 Query 20 0-day
item. If helped by circumstances, roll an extra d6; target; daemons won’t recognize you at first. higher die. If not already engaged by daemons,
► Choose a link to another codebreaker — either
if helped by an ally, they roll their skill die and replace the roll’s risk with “alerting daemons.”
INVESTIGATOR: Detective, conspiracy theorist, another player’s character, or someone from
share the risk. Take the highest die.
or journalist who fell down a rabbit hole. Increase ❏ BREAK: Strike with piercing force — shatter a another cell who might do, or ask for, a favor.
1–2 Disaster. Suffer the full risk. GM decides if (d8) three skills from Climbing, Deception, Hand- tree trunk, punch through a car door, etc.
1 Your exploits unexpectedly activated at the
you succeed at all. If risking death, you die. to-hand, Intimidation, Reading People, Running,
❏ COPY: Duplicate a small object. Hinder (d4) for same time, same place
3–4 Setback. A lesser consequence or partial Shooting, Stealth, or Tracking. Take a go-bag with
something bigger than you, up to car-sized. 2 One of you used to provide illegal goods or
success. If risking death, you’re injured. a handgun, first aid kit, flashlight, and battery-
software to the other before going on the run
5+ Success. The higher the roll, the better. powered radio. You’re wanted; daemons recognize ❏ CHOWN: An item you specify is recognized as
3 Kept bumping into each other “by chance,” as
you, and passers-by might know you from posters. yours, legally and in public opinion. (The
If success can’t get you what you want (you make if the simulation brought you together
previous owner might pretend otherwise.)
the shot, but that’s no soldier — it’s a daemon!), PROGRAMMER: Saw the code in the world around 4 Friend or colleague who discovered The
you still get useful info or set up an advantage. you. Increase (d10) skill in Hacking. Either raise it ❏ DELETE: A small item you touch ceases to exist Truth of the simulation with you
again (d12), increase Simulation (d8), or take an — a gun, a doorknob, a laptop, etc. 5 Escaped interrogation rooms at the same
ADVANCEMENT: After an op, increase a skill
extra exploit. Take a bulky laptop and pay-as-you time, daemons hot in pursuit
(none ➡ d8 ➡ d10 ➡ d12) or gain a new exploit. ❏ FIND: Unerringly locate an item, either general
go flip phone. You’re a medium-priority target; 6 Accidentally got you tangled up in one of
(“a gun”) or specific (“this door’s key”).
DEFENSE: Break an item to turn a hit into a brief daemons recognize you, but passers-by don’t. their ops, leading to you learning The Truth
hindrance. Broken gear is useless until repaired. ❏ KILL: Touch to induce cardiac arrest. No effect 7 One turned on fellow law officers to help the
► Choose your prior reputation.
on daemons. Being seen using this will turn other when it was clear something was weird
HARM: Just like in the real world, the worse the
ACCOMPLISHED: Apply 3 skill increases to any many principled codebreakers against you. 8 Intercepted you and provided a hiding place
harm, the longer it takes to heal. If killed, make a
skills — except Simulation. Skills could include any when they spotted you on the run
new character to introduce ASAP. Favor inclusion ❏ HIDE: People ignore you as long as you can
of those you already have, and/or comparably 9 You’re twins — or copies? — and each sensed
over realism. Most codebreakers believe dying in hold your breath. Daemons fooled only briefly.
narrow abilities like Climbing, Deception, Driving, when the other discovered The Truth
this world means dying in the real world; others
Electronics, Hand-to-hand, Intimidation, Labor, ❏ MOVE: Move with preternatural speed and 10 Offered cryptic invitations to learn The Truth
wonder if it’s the only way to “escape.”
Medicine, Persuasion, Reading People, Running, grace — jump across rooftops, scale walls, etc. — they “had a feeling you should know”
GM: Describe characters in terms of behaviors, Shooting, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, or Tracking.
❏ PING: Sense everything around you, as if by ► Choose a feature for your hideout.
risks, and obstacles, not skill dice. Lead the group
ORDINARY: Most who knew you can’t believe radar. Helps when someone sneaks up on you.
in setting lines not to cross in play. Fast-forward, 1 Alarm: your pager goes off if it’s breached
you’re a criminal. If you call on them for a favor
pause, or rewind/redo for pacing and safety; ❏ RESTORE: Reveal an injury is not as bad as it 2 Armory: a stock of guns and armored vests
(and don’t act like a nutcase), your history helps
invite players to do likewise. Present dilemmas looked, removing a hindrance. 3 Backdoor: secret exit, hidden on both sides
(d6) convince them to be discreet. Increase 2
you don’t know how to solve. Move spotlight to 4 Fallback: another hideout elsewhere
fairly ordinary, not-remotely-unnerving skills. ❏ SHIFT: Momentarily exert invisible force on an
give all time to shine. Test luck as needed (e.g., 5 Guard: a dedicated ally watches over it
object — bend a spoon, guide a bullet, etc.
Are there guards in there? Is the hideout breached WEIRD: Your old acquaintances will call the cops 6 Meds: enough supply to stock a small clinic
today?) — roll a die to check for (1– 2) trouble now on you. Increase skill in either Intimidation, ❏ SUDO: Force an object to perform or cease its 7 Mobility: it’s in a van, bus, or trailer
or (3–4) signs of trouble. Improvise rulings to Stealth, or something weirdly specific. Also function — stall an engine, unlock a door, etc. 8 Surveillance: see trouble coming from afar
cover gaps in rules; on a break, revise increase Simulation (you always suspected…), 9 Traps: rigged to blow on unauthorized entry
❏ SUSPEND: Gently pause someone a short
unsatisfactory rulings as a group. and start with either an extra exploit or a sword. 10 Workshop: engineering tools and materials
while, as if entranced. No effect on daemons.