Game Information

In addition to the following, we discuss incorporating forks into games several times in the core rulebook (Handling Forks, Fork Hordes, Rez Points and Forks in EP2).

Characters As Forks

A fun concept that best works as a one-shot or limited-run campaign is to have everyone in the party play a fork of the same character.

The first thing to establish is: what is the relationship between the forks? Is one character the primary ego, with authority over the others? Or is everyone on equal footing? Are some of the forks growing restless at their treatment? Are they part of a larger family or aggregate? Are some of the forks derived from older backups, while others are newly instanced? How much have they diverged? Do they carry the same memories and information? Have their personalities been edited to make each distinct? Were any of them forknapped? Are they restricted or endangered by their habitat’s legal attitude towards forks? Does everyone even know they are a fork of each other at first? Depending on the scenario the GM has crafted, these forks may be meeting each other for the first time.

The biggest difficulty with everyone playing a different version of the same character is that their skills and abilities will largely be the same. Normally, a party of PCs relies on the diversity of different character types to handle different challenges that arise in the course of the game. There are a few tricks you can employ to diversify the characters: mind-edited skill sets, different morphs and ware packages, skillware, Watts-MacLeod infection, drugs, and reliance on bots and NPCs. You can also have one or two players play a separate not-fork PC, filling in some of the gaps in skills and abilities the forks lack and may need in that scenario.

The intriguing part about a PC team of forks is the roleplaying — getting everyone to play the same character’s personality and mannerisms. It’s best if the group defines a few aspects and quirks of the forked ego’s personality up front, so everyone has some common ground to work with. From there, the goal is to riff on each other’s roleplaying. If one player exhibits a specific mannerism, catch-phrase, or worldy outlook, the others should pick up on that and incorporate it into their own versions of the character. Over time, this back-and-forth will flesh out the ego and bring them to life.

Don’t worry about getting it perfect. Differences between forks can be explained away as personality edits and divergence over time. In fact, these distinctions can be used as in-character conversation points, as forks are likely to comment on differences that arise in order to feel unique and special or to discourage what could be seen as divergence from the group mindset.

For an example of how a scenario played with multiple forks of the same ego could work out, see our published scenario Ego Hunter.

Characters As Group Minds

GMs and players should carefully consider whether or not to allow PCs who are part of group minds into their campaigns, for the simple reason that it can break the game. After all, it’s not just a single character, it’s the entire group mind they bring along. For group minds based in flexbots or multiple personality, this is less of an issue. But for others, this can lead to a character having excessive capabilities as well as increased workload for the GM with handling NPCs and the group mind overall.

That said, playing a group mind can be interesting. One way to do it is to make all of the PCs part of the same group mind.

This can be challenging if the PCs are all confined to a single morph, such as with multiple personality ware or multi-ego controls. Scenarios would need to be crafted to accommodate this situation, as they will lack the full diversity of morphs, ware, and numbers that a normal team of PCs would have. Some capabilities could also fulfilled with bots, NPCs, or forks. However, the challenges of sharing a body could be an interesting roleplaying angle to explore. The same is true with flexbots, though they have more options in terms of separating their modules and shapechanging.

Aggregates and cohorts do not suffer the limitations of a single body, but they do encounter the same issues as a PC team of forks.

Neo-synergists and other group-mind types offer more open possibilities. A small cell of neo-synergists composed of just the PCs would not be that different from a standard group of characters. It could be compelling to explore the inner dynamics of the group mind, group decision-making, and the invasiveness of it all. This could be a particularly interesting project for a group of players that are invested in roleplaying and interpersonal dynamics.

Playing neo-synergist PCs who are part of a larger group mind would give the party a significant advantage, as they are able to draw upon the skills and memories of NPCs within the collective consciousness. GMs running such a scenario should increase the difficulty and detail some of the other NPCs linked within the group mind.

Stored Forks

Many transhumans keep inactive forks (usually betas) in storage to spin up as needed. An inactive fork does not take up the space of an ego and can be stored in almost any device. Forks are usually heavily encrypted and only kept on secured devices to protect forknapping. When the fork is needed, the stored fork can be copied and then activated, following the normal rules for forking (Creating a Fork in EP2). Reactivated forks suffer from lack due to their time in storage; at the GM’s discretion, the fork may need to make a WIL Check against SV 1d6.

Optional Merging Rules

These options expand upon the rules for merging forks (EP2).

Merging Non-Primary Forks

The rules for merging assume the most common scenario, in which a briefly instanced fork is re-integrated back with its primary ego. Any memory loss incurred applies to the fork’s memories, not the primary ego.

When two non-primary forks are merging together, the rules operate the same, but there are two extra things to keep in mind:

First, the divergence period should be based not only on how much time has passed since each was instanced from the primary ego (or whatever version of the ego the two forks have in common) combined, but also the time period between when each fork was instanced. For example, if one fork was spun up 2 weeks ago and the other 1 week ago, their divergence period is 4 weeks total.

Second, the source of any memory loss should be randomly determined by rolling 1d6: 1–2 from the first fork, 3–4 from the second, 5–6 from both.

Frequent Merging

The rules for merging assume that characters only occasionally merge with forks, to highlight the difficulties of reintegration. Some characters, however, may take heavy advantage of forking and merging in play, in which case the constant tests will become tedious and the stress will add up. To accommodate frequent fork merging, have the player make a Merging Test once a month with a –10 modifier (perhaps more if the forking was excessive), based on the largest divergence period that applies for that month. Any memory loss is spread among the various forks merged during that period. For situations in which the memory loss could play a significant story role, however, it is recommended to make a Merging Test as normal.

Merging Forks with Advancements

If a fork has been separate long enough to improve/acquire skills, gain or lose traits, or change their aptitudes, those differences are normally lost during merger as only the memories are prioritized for retention. It is possible for a gifted psychosurgeon to also transfer the improvements, however, but not without cost.

Any attempt to transfer aptitudes, skills, specializations, or traits during a merging incurs a –10 modifier to the Medicine: Psychosurgery Test for every 1 CP of improvements. If successful, the merging ego gains the skills points, traits, and/or aptitude points, but takes an additional stress point per CP. Additionally, you must spend Rez Points to purchase these advancements as normal (Train and Improve in EP2). If you do not have the Rez Points available, you owe a Rez Point debt, and any new Rez Points earned must immediately go to to pay off this debt. If the test fails, no advancements are gained, and you take an additional stress point per CP.

Merging Different Egos

Merging two distinct minds is a drastically difficult and dangerous affair. Only the most skilled and daring psychosurgeons could ever hope to succeed, and even then the outcome depends on luck almost as much as skill. Due to the risk and possible illegality of this procedure, finding a psychosurgeon willing to attempt it requires going through backdoor or black-market channels. GMs should require a successful g-rep Rep Test and the expenditure of a major favor or similar measures.

This procedure is incredibly complex; treat it as regular merging but with a minimum timeframe of 10 days and a –60 modifier. At the GM’s discretion, this same process can be used for forks that have been divergent for more than a year.

If the test fails, the combined ego is for all intents and purposes a shattered thing, haunted by fragments of its former minds. Most are simply brain-dead. Treat as a gamma fork NPC:

If the test succeeds, compare the stats of both egos and follow these steps:

• For each aptitude, roll 1d6: 1–2 take the lowest rating, 3–4 take the average rating, 5–6 take the highest rating.
• For each skill that the egos both have, roll 1d6: 1–2 take the lowest rating, 3–4 take the average rating, 5–6 take the highest rating.
• For each skill that only one ego has, roll 1d6: 1–2 lose it, 3–4 keep it at half its rating, 5–6 keep it at its full rating.
• Keep each ego trait, motivation, language, and sleight that both egos have. If they have a trait different levels, roll 1d6: 1–3 keep the lowest level, 4–6 keep the highest level.
• For each ego trait, motivation, language, or sleight that only one ego has, roll 1d6: 1–3 lose it, 4–6 keep it.
• For ego Flex, roll 1d6: 1–2 take the lowest, 3–4 take the average rating, 5–6 take the highest.
• Gain the Mental Disorder (Disassociative Personality Disorder) trait
• For each ego’s memories, roll 1d00. This is the percentage of memories you retain.
• The combined ego suffers SV 5d6.
• For each superior success, one lost or diminished stat (or one ego’s memories) is restored to its full value. Alternatively, one motivation or negative ego trait is removed or the SV applied from the procedure is reduced by half.
• Recalculate aptitude checks, Initiative, Lucidity, Trauma Threshold, Insanity Rating, and Infection Rating (Derived Stats in EP2).
• If the Psi trait is lost, all sleights and Infection Rating are lost.

Even when the procedure is successful, the composite ego suffers a –10 modifier on all tests for one week as the new identity comes to terms with its newly-integrated thought patterns.

New Mental Ware

Hypermesh Link

This ware was developed by the Neo-Synergists to create a group mind-state. Hypermeshed egos automatically share their real-time emotions, thoughts, and experiences with each other and also their memories and skills. These broadcasts can be tuned out to a low-level emotional “hum,” where changes in an emotional state can be picked up with a Perceive Test.

Hypermesh links are not for everyone — many find them too invasive or overwhelming. When first joining a group mind-state, you must make a SAV Check or suffer SV 1d10 from alienation. If you fail, you must make the test again in 24 hours.

Hypermeshed egos receive +1 Insight pool. You also gain a special use of Insight pool: you may spend an Insight point to make a test using the skill of another hypermeshed ego. For NPCs with this ware, treat this as being able to make any test with skill 50. At the GM’s discretion, certain specialized skills may not be available.

The intimacy of the group mind-state means that hypermeshed egos cannot deceive or withhold secrets from each other. Egos in the group are also subject to personality bleed: attempts to identify you using Kinesics suffer a −30 modifier and you receive a +30 modifier to impersonate other hypermeshed egos.

Egos may voluntarily leave the group mind-state and sometimes do for privacy (though their memories are accessible later when they return). However, the hypermesh creates a dependency for everyone part of it for more than a week. If cut off from the hypermesh for 2 hours, you suffer a –10 modifier to all actions. If cut off for more than a day, you must make a WIL Check against SV 1d10/half. At the GM’s discretion, you may continue to suffer stress if cut off for an extended period.

Forks of the same ego in the same hypermesh automatically merge in real-time (no tests necessary) as long as they remain linked.

Multi-Ego Controls

This cyberbrain enhancement allows more than one ego to control a single morph simultaneously. Up to 5 other egos in ghostrider modules can be linked to the primary cyberbrain. Each ego goes on their own Initiative order, allowing the morph to act multiple times during the action turn. Each ego must be assigned a specific function of the morph to control: movement, perception, specific weapons, or other capabilities. Only one ego may control a specific function each action turn, though other egos may access data from systems controlled by others. Switching control of a system is a free action, but the other ego may not use the system until the next turn. The morph’s pools are shared by all linked egos. Modifiers applied to the morph affect each linked ego.

For hacking and control purposes, the ego in the primary cyberbrain is considered the controller node, with each ghostrider module puppeted to it.

New Sub-Strain: The Swarm

You are no longer alone. Your mind is inextricably linked with others in a vast, unifying network. You feel it deep inside at all times, a distant if detached connection, but when you come close to others of your multitude, your minds automatically fuse together as one. You work in unison towards a vast, inscrutable purpose. Your individual identity is but a mask, a façade you show to others to blend in. Within, you have shed these singular shackles; you are not one, you are legion.

Negative Trait (Choose One): Enhanced Behavior (Swarm Unity, Level 2)

Free Sleight: Swarm Mind

Swarm Sub-Strain

D6 Roll	Influence Effect
1	Physical Damage. Take DV 1d6.
2	Mental Disorder: Paramnesia. You become confused with memories that are not your own.
3	Restricted Behavior: Physical Communication. You can no longer be bothered with vocalizing or emoting, you communicate exclusively online or with sleights.
4	Enhanced Behavior: Cooperation with Allies. You go out of your way to help allies, particular other members of the Swarm, even if it means taking risks or making personal sacrifices.
5	Enhanced Behavior: Specialized Role. You have a specific defined role to play for the greater good, your focus is on that role and that alone.
6+	Motivation: Control Territory. You must free an area you control from outside threats. You may be inclined to block off access, set traps, stock provisions, and otherwise protect your space from intruders.

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• Other Potential Enhanced Behaviors: Avoidance, Cliquisheness, Grooming, Hoard, Socialize.
• Other Potential Motivations: +Eradicate Enemies, +Transform Environment, +Spread Infection

New Sleights

Conjoin and Synchroneity are new sleights available to all asyncs. The others sleights listed here are only available to asyncs with the Swarm sub-strain.

Conjoin (Psi-Chi)

When you are within 40 meters of a fork of yourself in a biomorph who also has this sleight, your minds automatically merge with each other, sharing memories and experiences. Treat this as merging (EP2), but use WIL Check at +10 in place of Medicine: Psychosurgery and the process timeframe is 1 action turn per month apart. You can actively choose not to sync up your mind with a fork, but otherwise the process is automatic.

Possess (Psi-Gamma)

Action: Complex • Duration: Sustained • Infection Mod: 6

This sleight is only available to asyncs with the Swarm sub-strain. You may possess the body of any async you are linked to with the Swarm Mind sleight. You control this body the same as if jamming a drone (EP2). You may use your own sleights, but you do not have access to the possessed async’s skills or sleights.

Remote Targeting (Psi-Chi)

This sleight is only available to asyncs with the Swarm sub-strain and Swarm Mind sleight. You may target others with your sleights via the mind and senses of an async you are currently linked to with the Swarm Mind sleight. The remote async may not take any other actions using Psi skill that turn. Make the Psi Test as normal, but use the distance between the remote async and the target for range purposes. If attempting to use the sleight at Touch range (EP2), the remote async must make the Melee Test to make contact with the target.

Swarm Aid (Psi-Chi)

This sleight is only available to asyncs with the Swarm sub-strain and Swarm Mind sleight. You subconsciously draw upon the minds of others in the Swarm to aid your efforts. For every async you are currently linked to with the Swarm Mind sleight, you gain 1 additional Flex pool, to a maximum of +3.

Swarm Mind (Psi-Chi)

This sleight is only available to asyncs with the Swarm sub-strain. Whenever another async with this sleight is within 40 meters, your minds become interlinked. You may telepathically communicate with them and anyone else they are linked to. Language is a factor, but sounds, images, emotions, and other sensations may be transmitted. You can also experience via their senses in real-time and share memories. You can detect changes in the mental/emotional states of those you are linked to with a Perceive Test.

Swarm Power (Psi-Chi)

This sleight is only available to asyncs with the Swarm sub-strain and Swarm Mind sleight. You may spend a Flex point to use a sleight known by another async to which you are currently linked via your Swarm Mind sleight, for as long as you remain connected. Assume that NPC asyncs have 1d6 randomly selected sleights, evenly split between psi-chi and psi-gamma.

Synchroneity (Psi-Chi)

When you are within 40 meters of a fork of yourself in a biomorph who also has this sleight, you become subconsciously attuned and may synchronize your actions with perfect timing and coordination. You both act on the same Initiative. In situations where timing and coordination are a factor — including simultaneous attacks against the same opponent(s), hacking the same target, choreographed Athletics or Pilot maneuvers, etc. — you each receive a +10 modifier.

Asyncs with the Swarm Mind sleight may use this sleight to synchronize with any other async they are linked to who also has this sleight.