The Gun

This is the weapon assigned to all Sandmen in the City of Domes. It is always referred to as “The Gun”. Only Sandmen are authorized to carry them.

The Gun can fire several kinds of ammunition. It normally carries 4 shots of each type. Switching between types of ammunition is a complex process and requires training. Non-Sandmen can fire the weapon, but in order to change ammo types or determine how much ammunition is left, the user will have to figure out how to use the gun as if it were Underdweller technology. (50% + 5% per level for astronauts, %10 +5% per level for Chimpanzee Scholars)

If a untrained user fires the Gun, the AM can randomly determine what kind of ammunition is used.

Ammunition for this weapon can only be found at Sandman facilities within the City.

Ammunition Types

(Normally 4 of each per Gun)

Homer: Homer rounds are self-guiding projectiles that can automatically target a human’s body heat. They have a +3 against any human target, and a -3 against any other living creature (apes included). Light and Moderate cover will have no effect on human targets.  They will do 1d10 damage and target must Save vs. Energy or get an additional 1d10 damage to the target’s nervous system.

If the target is close to another human (if they’re grappling for example), there is a 50% chance the homer will hit the other target.

Rippers: A cloud of fletchettes – treat as shotgun. A trained user can change the range that maximum damage (3d6) occurs at.

Tanglers: This is similar to, but less powerful than the Underdweller webguns. It releases a cloud of plastic strands to ensnare the target. Armor will have no effect. Target must make a save vs. energy to resist or be unable to move for 1d6 turns.

Optional Self-Destruction Rules

The Gun is obviously a powerful weapon. AMs have the option of making the Gun only usable by Sandmen. They will explode (3d6 damage to user) if anyone other than a  registered Sandman tries to fire it.

 

Sandmen

The City of Domes is defended, and it’s laws are enforced, by the elite Sandmen. I’ve provided stats to treat them as creatures, or as a playable class.

Sandman (as a Class)

Requirements: DEX 9
Ability Adjustments: None
Prime Requisite: DEX
Hit Dice: 1d8
Maximum Level: 7
Attack As: Gorilla Soldier
Save As: Astronaut
Sandmen may use any weapons and armor.

Urban Tracking
Sandmen are highly trained in tracking down runners inside the city. If they’re tracking a runner with a palm-flower within the city the base chance is 70% + 5 percent per level (maximum 95 percent.) If they are tracking someone who has an altered palm-flower or no palm-flower at all, the base chance is 25% + 5 percent per level (maximum 95%)

The AM can modify this roll for any unusual circumstances.

Wilderness Tracking
More experienced and trusted Sandmen are allowed to leave the City to track runners. The base chance is 20% +5 percent per level. Outside the city the palm-flowers cannot be tracked.

The Gun
The Sandmen are issued a special weapon commonly called “The Gun“. It fires several kinds of specialty ammunition. Sandmen are trained to use these weapons.

Omnite Martial arts
+2 for all unarmed attacks

Armor
The black uniforms of the Sandmen are similar to Underdweller silksteel. They will provide a -2 Attack Modifier

Sandmen (as an Encounter)

Encountered: 1d6 (2d8x5 inside the City)
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Intelligence: Average
Psionic Potential: 2d4, inactive
Hits: 1d8
Armor: -2
To-Hit: 12
Save: H1
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d2 or by weapon (Usually a Sandman Gun)
Morale: 9
XP: 10

 

Runner

Requirements: DEX 10
Ability Adjustments: None
Prime Requisite: DEX
Hit Dice: 1d6
Maximum Level: 4 (normally)
Attack As: Astronaut
Save As: Astronaut
Runners may use any weapons and armor.

Runners are citizens of the City of Domes who decide to ignore the laws of the city and try to survive past the age of 21. There is a informal resistance within the city that helps the runners.

All citizens are identified with a first name and a number (Ex. Doyle-7, Kara-10). There are no surnames.

Palm-Flower: All citizens have a flower shaped crystal in the palm of their right hand.The color of the crystal indicated the citizen’s age. The crystal changes color every seven years.  It starts at yellow. It turns blue at age 7, then red at age 14.  On their LastDay (the day before their 21st birthday), it starts blinking black & red. The day a runner turns 21, it turns black.

Move Silently and Hide in Shadows
(As Bonobo)

City Knowledge
Runners will have common knowledge of all institutions and technologies within the city. Everything outside the city is unknown to them.

Maximum Level
Normally, a citizen won’t live long enough to go higher than 4th level. If they survive long enough, they can advance higher.

 

 

 

City of Domes – Common Knowledge

The following are everyday things that any citizen of the City of Domes would be familiar with.

City, The
Also called the City of Domes. The only known population of humans left in the world, The Domes protect the citizens from the Waste outside.

Cubs
Feral packs of children that live in the Shell. They are wild, and considered highly dangerous.

Face Shop
A medical facility where automated machines can make any cosmetic changes can be made to a citizen.

Halucimill
A facility that provides various drugs and libations for recreational use. This is where most citizens socialize.

Haven
A mythical place of peace and safety. It is rumored that other humans survive there, somewhere outside of the City of Domes. The symbol of Haven is a silver Omega pendant.

Homer
A special kind of bullet that Sandmen’s guns can fire. It is attracted to human body heat, and overloads the targets nervous system, causing an agonizing death.

MAXHA (Maximum Happiness Algorithm)
The system. The AI that protects, cares for and loves all citizens.

Palm Flower
Evry citizen has a crystal embedded in their right hand at birth. It changes color every seven years, first yellow (age 0–6), then blue (age 7–13), then red (age 14–20), then blinks red and black on Lastday, and finally turns black at 21

Lastday
The last day before a citizens 21^st birthday. By law, they must report to a Sleep Shop for Satisfying Slumber

Runner
Citizens who no longer believe in MAXHA and the laws of the City. They attempt to avoid Lastday and the Sandmen. Some try to flee the city. Some are starting to believe in Haven.

Satisfying Slumber
Death

Shell
The domes of the city have multiple layers for safety. There is a maze of scaffolding between them. Packs of wild Cubs live here.

Sandmen
Agents in service of MAXHA. They hunt down all Runners

Sleep Shop
Facilities where citizens report to on their Lastday for Satisfying Slumber

Waste, The
Anything outside of the city. Most citizens believe the outside is poisonous and uninhabitable.

City of Domes

Deep within the Forbidden Zone, there is a remnant of the pre-apocalypse society. The City of Domes is a technologically advanced human community protected from the world outside by a series of solid, opaque geodesic domes.

The people inside live a life of luxury, with all their needs provided for. They have little knowledge or interest in the world outside. They’ve never heard of or encountered Ape society. There is no government, and all decisions are made by intelligent computer systems.

In order to keep the the population stable, the City sets the maximum human lifespan at 21 years. This is enforced by the City’s armed enforcers – the Sandmen.

Most citizens go along with the society, but a few seek to escape. These rebellious few are called Runners. Sandmen ruthlessly hunt down and kill all known runners.

This is obviously based on Logan’s Run, both the book by William F. Nolan and the 1976 movie.  I’ve used bits of both and added some stuff of my own as well.

The City of Domes can serve as both an adventuring location  for players exploring the Forbidden Zone, or as a source for new players – either Runners or disaffected Sandmen.

I’ll be posting a little more detail on the city, including character classes for Runners and Sandmen.