GAZE V6

Based on the Gaze CYOA by redditor tg

https://imgur.com/a/47Hjs1B

Powered by Atomic Highway by Colin Chapman

Chapter I: Setting and System -- p. 2

Chapter II: Character Creation -- p. 4

Chapter III: Equipment and Vehicles -- p. 7

Chapter IV: Focus Powers -- p. 9

Chapter V: Fighting the Good Fight -- p. 13

Chapter VI: The Lost Patrol -- p. 16

 CHAPTER I: Setting and System
The world didn't end all at once. First there was pollution, then the hole in the ozone layer and lake
acidification. Climate change slipped in between the wars and rumors of wars. COVID-19 at the start
of the 21st Century was only the first of the super-viruses. There were soon many more. By the time
herpes simplex V started warping its victims into zombie-like abominations all over the world the 1%
and their loyal minions had fled the planet leaving an economic collapse in their wake.
The above might make it seem that 99% of humanity still lives on Earth. That is not even remotely
true. The wars and famines caused by the collapse killed about half of those who remained. Most of
the survivors either became victims of the plague-ridden Corrupted or joined their ranks. By the time
the virus made the jump to animals humanity had been reduced to 5% of its former numbers -- in the
year 2091 there are less than 400 million un-Corrupted humans left on Earth, while the Corrupted
outnumber them ten-to-one.
It's not all bad news, though. Corruption wasn't the only suite of mutations that appeared among
humanity. Four separate strains of superhumans arose among the survivors, and at the rate they're
becoming more prevalent all humans will be mutants of one kind or another within four generations.
With their newfound abilities the new humans are more able to fight back against the Corrupted. The
war to take back the planet has begun... and now civilization has a fighting chance.
Gaze V6 is based on the Gaze CYOA by the talented and prolific author tg. It combines elements of
post-apocalyptic fiction and zombie movies, though the Corrupted are mindless mutants rather than
undead. Players take on the roles of the new humans and use their powers to fight Corrupted and find
resources to help rebuild civilization.

Settlements and Salvage

The majority of survivors live in strongholds within the ruined cities -- small homesteads, let alone
individual households, lack the resources and manpower to fight off wild animals and roving bands of
Corrupted. The collapse was recent enough that there are stores of canned food still to be found, but
the survivors are mere months away from these supplies running out. Doomsday prepper food stores
will remain edible for years, but they're hard to find.
The problem with living in cities is that most of them are food deserts. Some strongholds have
begun growing crops and raising livestock, but those efforts are thus far less reliable for producing food
than for attracting Corrupted. The few walled townships in rural areas have been more successful in
this regard, especially with the lower population of Corrupted, but they still have trouble with raiders.
There are a few seagoing communities that live by fishing and by trading with coastal strongholds --
fruits and vegetables are hard to come by at sea, and you want that fruit if you don't like scurvy. The
seafarers have the advantage of spending most of their time in areas where there are no Corrupted. The
downside is their low incidence of new human mutation. If Corrupted attack while the ships are in
harbor the sailors must depend on their trading partners for defense.
There are still vehicles in working condition, but gasoline has a shelf life of only three months while
diesel lasts for six to twelve months if properly stored. With the refineries shut down this means that
automobiles are mostly a thing of the past. Most vehicles with working engines are either electric or
have been modified to run on some alternate form of fuel. To most survivors "vehicle" now means
"bicycle." Some fortunate strongholds have horses for transportation.
No fossil fuels also means no fossil fuel generated electricity. A few communities have solar farms
and/or wind turbines, and even fewer have managed to keep small hydroelectric power plants running,
but the default state of electrical generation in most strongholds is none. Items that can help generate
electricity without using fossil fuels are high priority salvage targets.
The most pressing supply issue facing the survivors is manufactured goods... and the fact that no
one is manufacturing more. Firearms and ammunition are in especially high demand. Every attempt at
restarting factories that make vital goods has either had electrical problems (municipal power grids no
longer function) or attracted record numbers of Corrupted. Nobody knows yet if the Corrupted are
drawn to the noise of machinery or active electrical fields, but until this problem is solved ammo will
remain one of the most precious commodities in the world and a good gun will be worth more than
most human lives. A working laptop computer would be a priceless treasure. Military bases are the
best sources of high-quality weapons and large ammo stores, but these locations are often home to large
nests of Corrupted.
The most valuable treasure that a salvage team can bring home is information. Books and technical
specifications, especially for things that improve infrastructure (i.e. how-to guides on making things
like paper, solar stills, and medicines) are the most welcome finds. These are hard enough to come by
in cities. In rural townships such a score is rare enough to be cause for a festival. Research labs might
contain invaluable information about medical treatments including data on the Corrupted and possible
ways to treat them, but such facilities always have their own electrical grids and automated security
systems. Anyone who says that Corrupted are the most dangerous things out there has never had to
fight a sentry bot.
Just to make things clear for players who think a big score is just a stroll through a big box store or a
library away, it has been years since the collapse and all the low-hanging fruit has already been picked.
There is nothing of value left in any of the obvious places, nor will characters be able to find anything
worth bringing home close to their strongholds. A successful salvage run means at least half a day's
walk to someplace sufficiently well-concealed that it wasn't picked over years ago... and if they don't
encounter any Corrupted on the way there, they're bound to meet some on the way back.

Wilderness
The wild places of the world are more dangerous at the end of the 21st Century than they have been
in a long time. Not only has existing wildlife had several years of not having to deal with habitat
destruction or being hunted, but much of the habitat that was once occupied by humans is now free to
be exploited by animals again. Even worse, compassionate but short-sighted humans freed a great
many zoo animals during the collapse. Europe and North America now have breeding populations of
lions, tigers, leopards, hyenas, elephants, and several species of antelope. Several American rivers now
have piranhas. It remains to be seen if these invasive species will survive in their new environments,
but the fact that crocodiles are thriving in the Everglades doesn't bode well.
The one good thing about traveling the wilderness is that there are far fewer Corrupted there; there
were fewer humans to start with, so naturally there were fewer humans for the virus to corrupt. Any
Corrupted that one does find in the wilderness are likely to be more aggressive due to having more
competition for smaller food supplies.
Wilderness travel is rare for urban survivors -- few things have big enough payoffs to justify such a
huge risk -- but characters from rural strongholds might need to spend several days on the road to reach
the nearest other settlement. A salvage run to a military base or research laboratory will likely require
some wilderness travel, as such facilities were rarely built in the middles of cities.

System
Gaze V6 is not a complete game; you will need a copy of Gallant Knight Games' Atomic Highway in
order to play, and it would help to have the bestiary supplement Irradiated Freaks. The pdfs are free
downloads that you can find at the links below:

Atomic Highway: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/70124/Atomic-Highway--Post-Apocalyptic-Roleplaying.

Irradiated Freaks: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/80465/Irradiated-Freaks
 CHAPTER II: Character Creation
Creating a character for Gaze V6 follows a modified version of the rules starting on p. 19 of Atomic
Highway. It's a good idea to read through this entire section before you start creating a character.

1) Concept
The first step in making a player character (PC) is deciding what kind of character you want to play.
The concept should be something that can be summed up in a simple phrase like pistol packin' priest,
hopelessly romantic berserker warrior, gunslinging scientist, or pyromaniac hacker. The concept serves
as a guide for the choices in the following sections -- either make choices that will make the character
better embody that concept, or make choices that complicate embodying that concept (thereby making
the character more interesting).

2) Assign Attribute Points

Gaze V6 characters have seven attributes which determine their basic physical, mental, and social
abilities. Look over the attribute descriptions on pp. 30-31 of Atomic Highway for more details on
what each attribute covers. The attributes are described by the acronym MUTANTS: Muscle (physical
strength), Understanding (intelligence and memory), Tenacity (willpower and courage), Appeal (looks
and charisma), Nimbleness (reflexes, agility, and hand-eye coordination), Toughness (endurance and
resistance to physical stressors like disease and poison), and Senses (keenness of sight, hearing, smell,
taste, and touch).
Distribute 18 points among the seven attributes. Each attribute must be rated at least 1 and no more
than 5. Exception: The Focus Attribute for the character's Strain can be as high as 6.

3) Calculate Derived Attributes

There are two derived attributes that are based on the value of other attributes. Health is a measure
of how much damage a character can withstand while Focus represents a pool of energy that fuels a
characters mutations.

Focus = (Focus Attribute x 2) + Tenacity + 7; spent Focus recharges at the rate of 1 point per hour of
rest or (Focus Attribute) points per hour of sleep.

Health = (Muscle + Tenacity + Toughness) x 2. Damage at or beyond the halfway point (round up)
heals at the rate of Toughness boxes per week for lethal damage or Toughness boxes per day for non-
lethal damage. This must be healed before damage up to the halfway point. Damage up to the halfway
point heals at the rate of Toughness boxes per day (lethal) or Toughness boxes per hour (non-lethal).
With medical care each success on an Understanding/Heal check restores 1 Health.

4) Record Natural Skills

All player characters begin with ratings of 1 in each of the following skills: Athletics, Brawl, Melee,
Notice, Persuade, Shoot, and Stealth.

5) Select Strain
Every PC is a member of one of the four known Strains of new human. There should be at least one
of each Strain in every adventuring group -- if there are fewer than four players NPCs will make up the
difference. A PC gets a +1 bonus to their Focus Attribute, and this bonus can take the final rating as
high as 6. Each Strain also has an innate disadvantage that makes certain activities more difficult.
Penalties to affected dice pools can't reduce the dice pool to less than 1.
 Strain determines which Focus Powers are available to the character. Each player character begins
play with the ability to use the basic powers from their Strain's list.

Crypto
Cryptos are very good with computers and locks and are naturally gifted with tech; if anyone can
figure out how to get old machines working or how to recycle old tech into something new, it's a crypto.
They can also bring the digital world into the physical world. This grants them a host of cyber-senses
and the ability to control machinery -- computers are easiest, but anything with electronics or precision
machining will do.
Cryptos are the rarest of the new humans; they make up about 10% of the total.
Focus Attribute: Understanding
Downside: Connecting too deeply to the digital world makes you a beacon in the physical world. Add
your Corruption score to an enemy's Senses dice pool for detecting or tracking you.

Gazer
A gazer is able to influence minds and/or emotions. At the most basic level they can dampen or
amplify what a target is feeling, detect minds, or read surface thoughts. Their more advanced talents
allow them to scan, erase, or edit memories, alter personalities, or control a target's actions.
At about 20% of the total gazers are the second rarest new humans.
Focus Attribute: Appeal
Downside: Your sound mind doesn't guarantee a sound body. Subtract your Corruption score from any
Toughness dice pool to resist physical stress (disease, poison, heat injury, fatigue, etc.).

Ranger
Rangers enjoy enhanced senses and improved hand-eye coordination. Experienced rangers can
temporarily grant themselves senses outside the human norm including clairvoyance, precognition, and
postcognition. Combining their extraordinary senses with ranged weapons makes rangers supremely
deadly combatants.
Rangers are tied with reavers for being the most common new humans at about 35% of the total.
Focus Attribute: Senses
Downside: Overusing enhanced senses causes you to dissociate from your fellow human beings.
Subtract your Corruption score from any Appeal dice pool for social interaction.

Reaver
Reavers have the easiest mutations to understand and learn to use -- enhanced strength, speed,
stamina, and toughness. As they grow more powerful they become capable of rapid healing, reducing
incoming damage, and surviving extreme environments.
At about 35% of the total reavers are tied with rangers for being the most common new humans.
Focus Attribute: Toughness
Downside: Your temper isn't just ugly, it's hideous AF. When you are attacked, even just verbally, you
must make a Tenacity check to suppress your rage. Add your Corruption score to the number of
successes required. If you fail you go berserk until you are taken down or you run out of targets. You
can tell friend from foe while in this state, but you will attack a friend if they get between you and a
hostile target.

6) Select Background and Occupation

A character's background (called Rearing in Atomic Highway) determines what sort of upbringing
they had. Look over the list of Rearings on pp. 24-25 of Atomic Highway and pick one. Record the
skills and gear from that background on the character sheet. Due to the limits of the setting the Feral,
Remnant, and Trog backgrounds are not available; a child alone in the wilderness would be Corrupted
food inside of a week, the collapse didn't happen long enough ago for anyone to have grown up in a
research lab or other high tech enclave, and the cave systems are often where the Corrupted are.
Further skill development comes from a character's occupation (also known as Pursuit). Look over
the list of Pursuits on pp. 25-30 of Atomic Highway and pick one. Record the skills, gear, and any
other benefits from that occupation on the character sheet. Because of the limits of the setting the
following occupations are not available: Airman, Pit Fighter, and Wastelander. There are no more
functioning aircraft, day-to-day survival is still too much of a concern to waste lives on gladiatorial
games, and the wilderness is too harsh an environment for a lone person to survive in.
Any occupation that gives a vehicle as a benefit is subject to the restriction on vehicles imposed by
the setting. With the GM's permission the player may replace an automobile with an electric vehicle (if
the PCs' stronghold has electricity), a trained war horse, or an animal-drawn wagon.
Skill levels gained from multiple sources (natural skills, background, and occupation) combine into
a single skill level. No starting skill may have a rating higher than 4.

7) Customize
Distribute 4 points either into existing skills or new ones. Keep in mind that starting skills cannot be
rated higher than 4.
Choose four pieces of special gear. Some items are restricted by Strain. The game details for each
item appear in the following chapter.
 Advanced Armor (Reaver only)
 Beacon Ward
 Freerunner Gear
 Gaze Catalyst (Gazer only)
 Mana Rebreather
 Medkit
 Omni Goggles
 Riot Shield
 Shield Amulet
 Smartgun (Ranger only)
 Survival Kit
 Wrist Terminal (Crypto only)

8) Personalize
Give your character a name and record their starting Fortune points. Each PC automatically gets 3
Fortune to start with.
You should also decide on the details of your character's appearance (sex, age, height, weight, hair
color, and eye color) and record a few simple phrases describing their personality and motivations. For
each of these that you do before the character enters play -- that is, before stating their first in-game
action or speaking their first line of in-game dialogue -- the character gets an additional +1 Fortune.
Soft role-play during character creation or Session Zero doesn't count as entering play for this purpose.

Sample Personality/Motivation Phrases: Adrenaline Junkie; Easily Distracted; Cautiously Optimistic;

Dangerously Curious; Hair Trigger Temper; I Just Work Here; Jerk with a Heart of Gold; Laughs When
Afraid; Nobody Left Behind; On a Mission from God; Shy Posing as Scary; The Scars Are On the
Inside; Someone to Watch Over; Take Back the World; Treasure Hunter; Wide-eyed Idealist.
 CHAPTER III: Equipment and Vehicles
Each background and occupation gives a player character some starting gear, often in the form of
selections from the scavenging tables (Atomic Highway pp. 56-61). When rolling on the scavenging
tables the player rolls 2d6 with the first result yielding the row of the table and second result giving the
column. When rolling for starting gear the player is allowed to shift either one row up or down or one
column left or right after the result is known.
Occupations give a character weapons, armor, and sometimes vehicles subject to the restrictions
imposed by the setting.

Weapons and Armor

All of the weapons and armor from Atomic Highway (pp. 39-43) are available for PCs' gear, though
not all of them will be available to starting characters. Gasoline powered weapons (i.e. the chainsaw
and hedge trimmer) must be modified to run on non-petroleum fuel. When rolling for starting gear any
ammo rolled is considered to be for a firearm that the character already has.
Medium, advanced, and heavy armor impose a penalty on Athletics checks for running, jumping,
and swimming. The penalty is -1 for medium or advanced armor, -2 for heavy armor.

Vehicles
The following vehicles from Atomic Highway (pp. 44-54) are available for PCs' gear. Those with
engines will either have electric motors or be modified to run on non-petroleum fuel. Use the vehicle
and customization rules resented in Atomic Highway.
 Automobiles: Dune Buggy, Family Sedan, Pickup, SUV, Van
 Motorcycles: ATV, Cruiser, Dual-sports Bike, Motocross Bike
 Trucks: Medium Truck
 Watercraft: Canoe, Dinghy, Kayak, Powerboat (modified for sail power)
 Miscellaneous: Bicycle

Tool and Science Kits

A player may trade one piece of gear granted by a character's occupation for a basic tool or science
kit, or two pieces of gear for a deluxe kit. A basic tool kit allows a character to make a skill check
when tools are required, while a deluxe tool kit adds +1 to the dice pool. The player must specify what
kind of work or science the kit is for, i.e. biology, botany, bowyery, cartography, chemistry, electronics,
gunsmithing, leatherworking, mechanics, pottery, or weaving.
A character can obtain a kit in play through scavenging. It's possible to assemble a kit piece-by-
piece with multiple scavenging checks, and a character might even find a full kit if scavenging in a
location where one can be found.

Special Gear
In addition to the normal equipment available to player characters each PC gains one of the special
items below at character creation.

Advanced Armor (Reaver only): This is heavy armor (protection 8) with enhanced articulation and
special comfort layers to prevent chafing and overheating. Movement penalties are the same as for
medium armor, and there are no penalties for wearing it in hot weather or for long periods.

Beacon Ward: It takes 10-20 minutes to set up the beacon, but once activated it creates a safe area about
5 meters in radius that Corrupted can't enter. The zone lasts for up to nine hours, and the beacon ward
then takes that same amount of time to recharge.

Freerunner Gear: This item consists of two pairs of sleeves, one for the arms and one for the legs. The
wearer adds +2 to Athletics dice pools for running, jumping, and climbing.

Gaze Catalyst (Gazer only): When you focus your powers through a gaze catalyst you add +1 to your
dice pool. The catalyst can also store raw mental energy or activated powers; you can use a gaze
catalyst to store up to 4 Focus, or you can place one of your active effects into the catalyst to use later.

Mana Rebreather: While wearing this mask a character recovers +1 spent Focus per hour of rest or +2
per hour of sleep. A mana rebreather (also called a "blueberry" after the smell of air inhaled through it)
also acts as a filter mask.

Medkit: Using a medkit to treat an injury or illness adds a bonus of +3 skill points to the check. The kit
contains enough supplies for 12 uses before it has to be restocked. With access to a medical research
lab or a hospital the medkit can be fully restocked without any sort of roll. Using scavenged materials
requires an Understanding/Heal check; each success restocks one use.

Omni Goggles: This vision aid gives the wearer night vision, infrared capability, and a tactical display
that tracks up to five targets.

Riot Shield: The extra-large shield grants a +2 bonus to parry attempts instead of the usual +1 bonus for
wielding a shield in addition to acting as light armor (protection 2) even if the parry is unsuccessful. It
is quite heavy, however; it takes at least Muscle 3 to use it effectively.

Shield Amulet: When activated the amulet generates a force field that acts as heavy armor (protection 8)
for one minute. Once depleted it takes 3d6 x 10 minutes to recharge.

Smartgun (Ranger only): This advanced combat weapon uses the same base stats as the Assault Rifle
(AH p. 42). It features an ammo counter, a digital scope with telescopic and night vision capability, and
a built-in flash suppressor. What makes the gun smart is the onboard computer and steerable bullets.
Attacks using the smartgun have a bonus of +2 to the dice pool and +2 skill points. Spending a few
minutes inputting an individual's bio-electric signature signature allows the gun to steer bullets away
from them; they become immune to friendly fire. The gun can save up to eight signatures.
The 10mm rounds that the smartgun uses for ammo are hard to come by; only military installations
have them, and not all of them will. Roll 1d3 +1 for the number of full loads at character creation.

Survival Kit: This small pack comes with fishing line, a selection of hooks, fire-making tools, a filter
canteen, an entrenching tool, a survival knife, a whetstone, a notebook with data on local flora and
fauna including some blank pages for additions, and four packs of trail mix or jerky (one meal each).
Using the kit grants a bonus of +2 to Survive dice pools. You can restock the edibles whenever you
have suitable food items available.

Wrist Terminal (Crypto only): This item combines a high-end desktop computer with a holographic
display system. A crypto can project their digital senses through the display to share their perceptions
with their teammates. When channeling crypto powers with range longer than self or Melee through a
wrist terminal the range is extended +1 step (Short to Long, Long to Distant).
 CHAPTER IV: Focus Powers
Focus Powers are the paranormal abilities that mark the difference between uninfected humans and
new humans. Theories abound as to what Focus Powers are -- some say they're physic powers, some
say magic has returned to the world, a few even claim that the powers are a divine blessing (or a
diabolical one). All that's known for sure is that having new humans in a community improves the
odds of survival... and that relying on Focus Powers too much carries a hefty price.
Focus Powers are either active or passive. Active powers require conscious activation. Activating
an active power costs 1 Focus for basic powers, 2 Focus for advanced powers, or 4 Focus for ultimate
powers. Passive powers cost 0 Focus and are constantly active unless the character chooses to suppress
them. A character who has spent all of their Focus points also loses the benefit of their passive powers;
at Focus 0 all passive powers shut down until the character regains at least one point of Focus. To
activate an active power the player makes a roll using the Focus Attribute plus an appropriate skill --
exactly which skill depends on what the character is trying to do.
Each PC begins play with basic powers. It costs 24 XP to learn advanced powers. Once a character
acquires advanced powers it costs 32 XP to gain ultimate powers.
The descriptions below are deliberately open-ended because the list of powers isn't meant to be a
static spell list. The active power descriptions are meant to describe the range of effects of which a
character is capable. If a player wants to attempt an effect that isn't listed here the GM should first
determine whether or not it falls under the character's Strain and then decide, based on the descriptions
here, whether it is a basic, advanced, or ultimate effect. The passive effects listed are static lists,
however; the passive effects listed are the only ones available.

Crypto Powers
Crypto powers allow the user to tune into the digital world -- apparently cyberspace is an actual
plane of existence that touches on the material world, and it didn't go away when the Internet went
down. Cryptos can manipulate the "hardware" of physical objects and the "software" that underpins
their existence.

Basic
Active: Toggle a device on and off or vice versa; power a handheld device for one scene; "hear" radio
signals or "see" TV signals for one scene; create a self-only tactical display that shows all terrain and
combatants you are aware of for one scene; interface with a computer for one scene.

Passive: You have +1 to the dice pool for skill checks that use the Criminal or Tech skills.

Advanced
Active: Disable a handheld device for one scene; power a room or small vehicle (up to a limousine) for
one scene; power a handheld device for one day; change a security setting (i.e. computer password or
lock's combination); send what you perceive or think as radio or TV signals.

Passive: You have +2 skill points on skill checks that use the Criminal or Tech skills.

Ultimate
Active: Destroy a handheld device with an Understanding/Tech attack; power a large vehicle (up to a
locomotive or trailer truck) or a building for one scene; power a room or small vehicle for one day;
"delete" a target with an Understanding/Tech attack (if Health is reduced to zero target is disintegrated);
create a simple tool or device out of raw Focus if you understand it well enough to make it by mundane
means (lasts for one scene); build a piece of arcanotech (such as a beacon ward, gaze catalyst, mana
rebreather, or shield amulet) over the course of one day.

Passive: You are invisible to machines unless you attack them or want them to notice you. You can also
ignore machine-based security measures like electronic locks or computer passwords.

Gazer Powers
Gazer powers influence the minds or emotions of people and animals -- this includes the ability to
exert a degree of control over one's own mind and emotions that few humans ever achieve. Gazers also
have the ability to gather information in unusual ways.

Basic
Active: Detect a target's current emotional state; dampen or intensify a target's current emotional state
(i.e. downgrade hate to strong dislike or inflame romantic attraction into raging lust); know if one target
person tells a deliberate lie for one scene; create a mental or emotional shield (add the successes on an
Appeal/Intimidate check as armor versus mental or emotional influence); create a distracting sensory
effect (subtract successes on an Appeal/Persuade check from target's Notice dice pool) on one target.

Passive: You have +1 to the dice pool for skill checks that use the Intimidate or Persuade skills.

Advanced
Active: Detect the prevailing collective emotional state of everyone in a room/area; change a target's
current emotional state to a different but not opposite state (i.e. happiness to confusion or anger to
sadness); read a target's surface thoughts for one scene; know if anyone within Short range tells a
deliberate lie for one scene; place a mental or emotional shield on someone else; create a distracting
sensory effect on multiple targets; create a full-blown illusion for one target; object reading (read past
events by touching an object, up to [successes] weeks in the past); ignore a language barrier for one
scene; psychic blast (deal nonlethal damage out to Short range with an Appeal/Shoot check).

Passive: You have +2 skill points on skill checks that use the Intimidate or Persuade skills.

Ultimate
Active: Mind control -- dominate a single target for one scene or multiple targets for a single command;
change a target's emotional state to the opposite state or change multiple targets' emotional states to a
dissimilar state; probe deep memories; sequester a memory beyond the reach of other mind readers
(add successes on an Appeal/Stealth check to the successes required to detect that memory); object
reading (up to [successes] months in the past); permanently alter some aspect of the target's personality
(on a PC you can change one of their personality/motivation statements); psychic blast deals lethal
damage out to Long range, or deal nonlethal damage out to Short range to multiple targets.

Passive: You are immune to effects that cause fear or confusion including some uses of the Intimidate
and Persuade skills.

Ranger Powers
Ranger powers amplify the senses, and this means all the senses -- the basic five, vestibular sense
(balance and motion), proprioception (body position and applied force), and the ability to perceive
vulnerabilities. This allows Rangers to use their weapons to best effect.
Basic
Active: Reduce effective range one range block (for example, sense something at Long range as if it's
at Short range); reduce visibility penalties one step (obscuring conditions to bad visibility, bad visibility
to poor visibility, etc.) for one scene; reduce Major Cover to Partial Cover or Partial Cover to no cover
for a single attack; reduce a sensory distraction penalty one step for one scene; Athletics dice pools +1
for one scene or +2 for a single check; reduce a target's armor by -2 for a single attack; +1 damage to a
single successful ranged attack.

Passive: You have +1 to the dice pool for skill checks that use the Notice or Shoot skills.

Advanced
Active: Reduce effective range two range blocks (i.e. sense something at Long range as if it's within
melee range); reduce visibility penalties two steps for one scene; reduce Major Cover to no cover for a
single attack; reduce Major Cover to Partial Cover or Partial Cover to no cover for one scene; reduce a
distraction penalty two steps for one scene; use a Reaction to reload a weapon; Athletics dice pools +2
for one scene or +4 for a single check; reduce a target's armor -4 for a single attack or -2 for one scene;
+2 damage to a single successful ranged attack.

Passive: You have +2 skill points on skill checks that use the Notice or Shoot skills.

Ultimate
Active: Ignore visibility penalties or cover for one scene; Athletics dice pools +4 for one scene or +6
for a single check; reduce all targets' armor -2 for one scene, reduce a target's armor -4 for one scene, or
ignore a target's armor for a single attack; +4 damage to a single successful ranged attack; +2 damage
to all ranged attacks for one scene; direct each round to a different target within the line of fire when
firing in burst mode (make a normal attack against each target).

Passive: You are immune to sensory distractions and to any effect that would overload your senses
(blinding flash, deafening sound, stink bomb, etc.).

Reaver Powers
Reaver powers make one better at close combat -- either taking damage or dishing it out. Reavers
can also use their abilities for specific bonuses to strength or endurance.

Basic
Active: Increase your armor +2 against a single attack; heal 2 Health; use a Reaction to move a Short
distance; double your lifting/carrying capacity for one scene; take one extra Reaction this turn; attempt
to trip/shove the target as part of a melee attack; +1 to all dice pools to resist disease, poison, or
environmental stress for one scene; hold your breath for (Toughness) minutes; +1 damage to a single
successful melee attack.

Passive: You have +1 to the dice pool for skill checks that use the Brawl or Melee skills.

Advanced
Active: Increase your armor +4 against a single attack or +2 for one scene; heal 4 Health; triple your
lifting/carrying capacity for one scene; take three extra Reactions this turn or one extra Reaction every
turn for one scene; attempt to disarm the target as part of a melee attack (Nimbleness/Brawl or Melee
check); +2 to all dice pools to resist disease, poison, or environmental stress for one scene; hold your
breath for (Toughness + Tenacity) minutes; if you hit with an attack roll you can divide the successes
(damage) between two adjacent targets; +4 damage to a single successful melee attack or +2 damage to
all melee attacks for one scene.

Passive: You have +2 skill points on skill checks that use the Brawl or Melee skills.

Ultimate
Active: Increase your armor +6 against a single attack or +4 for one scene; quintuple your lifting/
carrying capacity for one scene; heal 8 Health; take four extra Reactions during this turn or two extra
Reactions every turn for one scene; attempt to break the target's weapon as part of a melee attack
(Muscle/Brawl or Melee check); +4 to all dice pools to resist disease, poison, or environmental stress
for one scene; hold your breath for (Toughness ÷ 5) hours; take a second action during your turn to
make a melee attack; +6 damage to a single successful melee attack or +4 damage to all melee attacks
for one scene.

Passive: Physical damage heals at twice the normal rate, and you ignore wound penalties.

Corruption
Those who use their Focus Powers too much find that it puts stress on their minds, and this stress
takes the form of Corruption. Characters begin play with Corruption 0 and can accumulate up to
Corruption 4. The game effects of Corruption are described under each Strain's downside.
There are no resistance checks for avoiding Corruption; characters accrue it from bad choices rather
than bad die rolls. After spending all of their Focus points a character who needs (or just wants) to
keep using Focus Powers can recharge Focus equal to their Tenacity + Focus Attribute by accepting a
point of Corruption. The player can only do this once per game session.
Corruption, thankfully, isn't forever. It's possible to shed a point of Corruption by going a full 72
hours without using any Focus Powers at all. This includes suppressing any passive powers. Going
cold turkey isn't easy, though; lasting for the full three days requires three successes on a Tenacity
check. A PC can even shed Corruption during downtime, and with enough downtime they can lose
multiple points of Corruption. Each point of Corruption lost will require a separate Tenacity check.
 CHAPTER V: Fighting the Good Fight
The purpose of this chapter is to lay out what the PCs do (Missions) and who or what they have to
go through to do it (Antagonists).

Missions
There is plenty of work for PCs to do to keep their strongholds running. Most missions fall under
the following six categories.

Data Collection
Information is the most valuable commodity there is, but getting it is rarely safe or easy. Building
records, maps of the sewer or subway system, security codes, and technical schematics can make life
easier in a myriad of ways. It's easier to keep your tech running, or get it running again, if you can find
a manual that tells you how, and finding a list of passwords takes a lot of effort out of getting into a
high security area.
The problems of data collection runs are twofold. The first is that the resources are often found in
locations that a lot of people know about, which means there is frequently a lot of competition. The
second problem is that the most valuable data is in high security areas that can still have working power
grids -- there's no reasoning with sentry guns or security bots. An inexperienced team only finds itself
on a data collection run if they stumble upon it by accident and break from procedure to attempt the run
themselves instead of reporting back... though most teams who do that don't live to brag about it.

Escort Duty
Some of the larger strongholds have outposts that need resupply, while others have established trade
relations with other communities. No community sends convoys out without combat-ready guards.
Most escort runs are pretty boring -- ride there, keep watch while the goods are offloaded, ride back
-- but there is always a chance of running into Corrupted along the way. Escort duty is also the kind of
mission on which the team is most likely to run afoul of human raiders; a convoy laden with valuable
supplies is a tempting target.

Lab Raid
Research facilities are few and far between, but they are among the most valuable targets. Labs are
the best sources of medical supplies and data that could lead to a cure (or at least a vaccine) for the
Corruption virus. Government labs often have large caches of weapons and ammunition as well. Only
the most experienced and well-equipped teams are assigned to these missions.
How difficult a lab raid is depends on how well the community has kept their find a secret; the more
competition there is for the prize the harder it will be to get out with anything that's worth the effort.
There are rarely (but not never) Corrupted inside such a facility, but there might well be a nest nearby
or the location might be on a roving pack's patrol route. There might also be uninfected survivors
inside, and they will strenuously object to anything that might expose them to the Corruption.

Recon
Scouting is the most hazardous type of mission that new teams will get assigned to on purpose. Few
cities have their post-collapse geography completely mapped out, and there's even less information on
the spaces between communities. Filling in the newly blank spaces on the map is a priority for every
community; it's important to know where there be dragons.
Unknown hazards plus being far from any reliable help is a dangerous combination. Teams that
haven't proved their resourcefulness and self-reliance don't get sent out on recon runs.
Scavenging
The most common type of mission is searching for the supplies needed for everyday living. This
usually means food and water (or resources used for growing food and purifying water), tools for
building and maintaining tech, and weapons and ammunition. Personal hygiene items (hairbrushes,
toothbrushes, nail clippers, etc.) and books are low-priority from a survival standpoint but are highly
prized. Never a week goes by without a community needing at least one successful scavenging run.
Scavenging is the easiest mission and is generally the first type of mission given to newbies. The
biggest risk, other than that of running into roving packs of Corrupted, is encountering other survivors
who are after the same supplies. Such encounters can usually be resolved via diplomacy unless one
side or the other is desperate... or just greedy.

Search and Destroy

The second most common type of mission is to go out and kill stuff. It's a sad fact that uninfected
humans sometimes become Corrupted, and there is reason to believe that the Corrupted -- who are
living mutated humans rather than zombies, despite the behavioral resemblance -- are able to reproduce
in the human manner. Convoys are safer if wandering packs of Corrupted are dealt with in advance,
and some supply caches aren't accessible until a Corrupted nest gets cleared out first.
Search and destroy missions are dangerous because they're the only kind of mission of which
fighting is the point. Any team that goes out on one of these runs is guaranteed to see combat.

Antagonists
The creatures and people that PCs can find themselves fighting mostly come in only a few types.
The GM should note that the templates listed here are only starting points; the abilities and/or gear for
each type should be customized to provide a suitable challenge for the player characters.
The creature antagonists all have mutations . You can find the game effects of these mutations in
Atomic Highway pp. 36-37.

Animals
There are still ordinary animals in the world -- many species are even doing better now that humans
are no longer encroaching on their habitats -- and the release of zoo animals during the collapse means
that several species have been introduced to new biomes. It is now possible to be stalked by a tiger in
London or charged by a rhino in Texas.
Use the stats for natural animals provided in Atomic Highway pp. 108-111. You can also use these
stats -- in particular Bird of Prey, Bovine, Canine (Large or Medium), Feline (Small), and Horse -- to
represent mounts and pets. The category of mounts includes both animals that are ridden and animals
that are used to pull vehicles, while the term "pets" includes guardian beasts as well as working animals
like mousers and hunting companions.

Corrupted
The Corrupted are mutated humans who have been regressed to a feral state of mind. They can be
pests who feed on survivors' crops and livestock or active predators who hunt and kill humans. Any
Corrupted is smart enough to use simple melee weapons, but many prefer to fight barehanded.
There are four known Strains of Corrupted, each of which has three known variant sub-Strains. The
GM is free to design more sub-Strains to keep the players on their toes.
 Strain 1 (Goblin): Trog (AH p. 107); has the Natural Weapon (Fangs) and Swift mutations; Strain
1A also has Leaping, Strain 1B has Enhanced Sense (Smell), and Strain 1C has Toxic Saliva. Goblins
will use simple tactics to weaken prey before attacking en masse to overwhelm their target. They often
use simple thrown weapons ranging from rocks to crude javelins. In melee goblins rely on superior
numbers; they avoid large parties except to pick off stragglers.
 Strain 2 (Morlock): Morlock (AH p. 112); Strain 2A has +1 Muscle and +1 Toughness, Strain 2B
has +1 Nimbleness and +1 Senses, and Strain 2C has +2 Understanding. Strain 2C has the ability to
use ranged weapons (usually bows or slings, but they can learn from observation to use firearms) and to
make simple traps. Morlocks are strictly nocturnal.
 Strain 3 (Scuttler): Trog (AH p. 107); has the Stealthy and Wall Crawler mutations; Strain 3A also
has the Leaping mutation, Strain 3B has Natural Weapon (Claws), and Strain 3C has Patagia. Scuttlers
are ambush predators who focus on the weakest-looking member of the group. Their usual tactic is to
kill or disable a target as quickly as possible and escape with their prize.
 Strain 4 (Juggernaut): Abomination (AH p. 111) plus the Armored mutation and the Slow flaw;
Strain 4A also has the Stealthy mutation, Strain 4B is Amphibious, and Strain 4C has Night Vision.
Juggernauts are berserkers who will fight until killed or there are no enemies left. Thankfully they are
usually solitary, but they have been known to hunt in pairs. The most dangerous aspect of juggernauts
is that they're attracted to the sound of fighting. Strain 4A is an ambush predator while the other sub-
Strains are stalkers.

Corrupted Animals
Most animals are immune to the Corruption virus -- or, more accurately, the virus hasn't mutated in
ways that allow it to infect most animals yet. There are a handful of viral strains that can infect a few
related species of animals, however. You can represent these Corrupted animals using the Mutant
Horrors on Atomic Highway pp. 111-112 or on pp. 34-48 of Irradiated Freaks.

Humans
Humans are now fairly rare, but they're still around... and many of them will go to great lengths to
keep it that way. Not all humans are potential enemies, however; some are potential trading partners,
some might seek to join the PCs' stronghold, and some might even be potential love interests. It all
depends on what they need and whether the PCs are helping them get it or are in the way.
Any of the templates in the rogues' gallery section (AH p. 101-107) is suitable for a human NPC
except for Airman, Pit Fighter, Remnant, Trog, or Wastelander. Uninfected humans never have
mutations, while new human NPCs will have Focus Powers instead of mutations.

Robots
Some research facilities still have electricity thanks to their solar arrays and/or wind turbines, and
electricity means the security systems can still be active. While there are many variations of robot they
tend to fall within two categories.
 Secbot: Security drones come in three basic forms; Crawler, Flyer, and Tracked. Use the stats from
Irradiated Freaks (pp. 42-43) for Ant, Huge, Bee/Hornet/Wasp, Huge, or Centipede, Huge, respectively
and add +1 Understanding and Melee 2. Secbots are equipped with grappling appendages, stun guns
(4N, Melee range) and built-in firearms equivalent to a light handgun (AH p. 42). The gun can be
removed and fitted with a grip, and the magazine holds 24, 36, or 60 rounds of ammo (Flyer holds the
least, Tracked has the most). The drones are typically guided by a central AI. Secbots can use tactics
as advanced as the intelligence of the guiding AI will allow, and they often appear in large numbers.
 Sentry Gun: Sentry guns can't do much beyond detect targets and shoot things. but they are very
good at detecting targets and shooting things. A sentry gun has only three attributes (Nimbleness 5,
Toughness 6, Senses 4) and the skills Notice 3 and Shoot 3. The gun's outer casing is equivalent to the
Armor mutation, and its sensors include infrared vision, ultrasonic hearing, and radar. The onboard
weapon deals 8L damage out to Short range and has burst-fire capability. The gun could theoretically
run out of ammunition, but since the onboard drum holds hundreds of rounds that's not likely.
 CHAPTER VI: The Lost Patrol
"The Lost Patrol" is an introductory mini-adventure meant to familiarize players with the V6 system
and the Gaze setting. It is meant for a party of starting PCs equipped with nothing more than the gear
they got from character creation.

Scenario Summary
The following is a basic outline of the events of "The Lost Patrol." This is just a starting point, of
course; the PCs' choices might lead them in a direction that bypasses one or more of these points or
causes them to occur in a different order, and any such diversion might result in new events.
1. The PCs are assigned to find out what happened to a recon team that hasn't reported in.
2. Tracing the patrol route reveals a huge Corrupted nest from which the patrol fled.
3. Following the patrol's flight route takes the group to a hidden data cache.
4. Getting out with the data and the patrol means clearing a path through hundreds of Corrupted.

The New Assignment

As a new team the PCs are ready to receive their first assignment as a group. The foreman tells
them that a four-person recon team sent to map an area in the northeast quadrant of the city is overdue
to report in. The team is provided with a map of the assigned patrol route with known points of interest
marked. Their orders are to find out what happened to the patrol and bring them (or their bodies, and
definitely their gear) back.
It's easy enough to follow the marked path to where the patrol's vehicle is. One of the front tires is
blown, but the vehicle is otherwise intact.

Notice/Senses (1), there are four sets of shod footprints leading away from the site to the north.
Following these leads the team to the shop complex where the patrol has taken refuge.

Survive/Senses (1), there are signs of a struggle and spent ammo casings in the area. The vehicle
was attacked by a large group of humanoids who were on foot (and not wearing shoes). With 2+
successes the PC can tell that there were at least several dozen attackers.

Understanding/Notice (2), there is a concealed spike trap in the road; this is what damaged the tire.

Understanding/Tech (1), the PC can replace the tire to make the vehicle operational again. It's an
electric with a solar charger, so the battery is full.

Your Own Private Idaho

Following the tracks leads the team to a large structure with barred windows. The signage shows
that the building houses multiple businesses including a convenience store (no edible food left; this is
the only shop that has been broken into), an electronics shop, a clothing store, a hardware store, and a
toy store. The door of the electronics shop is blocked by rubble.
Allow the players to make scavenging checks if they go into the clothing, hardware, or toy stores. If
they try to clear the way into the electronics shop the noise attracts a Corrupted pack (Strain 1 goblins;
the number of them equals the number of PCs +2). If even one escapes it will return with many more.
Once inside the electronics shop they find the patrol. All four are still alive, though their Gazer is
wounded enough to need assistance walking.
 Nimbleness/Criminal (1), the PC is able to pick the locks on the shop doors.

Senses/Notice (2), there is a set of tracks leading to the back of the building where a similar pile of
rubble is blocking the back door, and there is a ladder back here with access to the roof. The roof hatch
is locked but not barricaded.

Senses/Survive (1), the tracks lead into the electronics shop.

Senses/Tech (2), the PC notices an improvised explosive device rigged to the front door of the
electronics shop. If they check the rear of the building after finding this they discover a similar device
rigged to the back door.

Understanding/Tech (1), the PC can tell that the rubble has been set up as a barricade. Removing it
will be noisy and time-consuming.

Understanding/Tech (2), there is a solar array on the roof that looks functional. The power cable is
connected to something inside the shop.

The Only Way Out is Through

The patrol is safely holed up in the electronics shop. They explain that they were attacked by a huge
number of Corrupted after hitting the spike trap, and the attacks were unusually coordinated. The
patrol fled to the shop and improvised a barricade complete with an explosive surprise. They are safe
for now, but they know that the Corrupted know where they are and that there are too many to fight
even with the additional ammunition that the PCs have on them. Their team leader, the Ranger, has
determined that their best bet is to open a hole in the enemy line and make a run for it.
While searching the shop for anything that might aid their escape the Crypto found a functional
computer with a collection of technical schematics for devices that can be built with scavenged tech;
apparently the shopkeeper was something of a doomsday prepper. The Crypto is transferring the data
to USB drives for transport.

Understanding/Heal (1+), none of the patrol has any medical training beyond basic first aid; they
managed to clean the Gazer's wound and stop the bleeding, but they can't do much otherwise. A trained
healer can provide medical care.

Understanding/Lore (1), the PC knows that the patrol leader's plan is sound. They have an even
better chance if they brought the patrol's vehicle with them and/or the team has a vehicle of their own;
once they clear the skirmish line they can easily outrun the Corrupted.

Understanding/Tech (1), a look over the schematics reveals that the value of this find is more than
enough to offset the loss of the patrol's vehicle. The reward for getting this back to the stronghold will
be lavish even after splitting it with the patrol.

Understanding/Tech (2), the PC can figure out how to pack up the computer and its power supply
for transport back to the stronghold.

Endgame
For the last part of the adventure the group must open a hole in the Corrupted line -- the explosives
on the door would be a good start -- and try to outrun them. If they succeed they get home with the
data and whatever scavenged goods they can carry. If they fail they are sure to be nutritious.
 Before they make their run there is a knock at the door. A Corrupted in an elaborate headdress
addresses the group in barely comprehensible speech with the offer, "Leave two. Rest go free." He and
his bodyguards then go back into hiding while the group makes final preparations to flee.

Appeal/Intimidate or Persuade (3), the Corrupted can't be convinced to let the group go, but a
good enough showing here will get them to hesitate enough to give the team a head start.

Muscle/Brawl (1+) or Nimbleness/Shoot (1+), the Corrupted aren't going to just let the PCs leave;
they will have to be knocked or shot out of the way. Even after that they will pursue for some time
(though the ones at the rear of the column will be seen falling upon their dead comrades).

Nimbleness/Athletics (9), the team makes a run for it once a hole is opened in the Corrupted line.
If the Intimidate or Persuade check was successful add a bonus success to this roll. Any PC who scores
more successes on the initial roll than the Corrupted either reaches the vehicle ahead of the Corrupted
or gets outside of their perimeter. Note that the patrol's Gazer and whoever is assisting him have a -1
penalty to the dice pool for this check. The Corrupted stop pursuing once the slowest member of the
group accumulates the indicated number of successes.

Nimbleness/Drive (6), if the team has vehicles they outpace the Corrupted horde once the driver has
accumulated the indicated number of successes.

Nimbleness/Tech (1+), the PC succeeds in unbolting the solar array from the roof. This takes five
rounds, -1 per success on this test, during which time the team will probably be under attack.

Understanding/Lore (2), the PC knows that most Corrupted lack intelligence, and they've never
been known to speak. This Corrupted chief is probably the one who built the spike trap, and he is
certainly responsible for the improved tactics. It's very much in the stronghold's best interests for this
unusually clever Corrupted to die.