Armory Inventory

[Ilana Logan]

Weapons, ranged

Blowgun: 2
A small-to-long tube used to shoot tiny darts at a target by blowing through it. Blowgun darts generally don’t do much damage. The point is to deliver some sort of toxin that does the real work, like Kortine or Cyanol.

Bolo: 4
A throwing weapon consisting of two or more weights connected with a rope cord, used to entangle a target or even knock ‘em out.

Boomerang: 2
An aboriginal weapon dating back to the Earth-That-Was, used by hunters to stun or kill small prey. Settlers on Lilac tell of a feral child brandishinga metallic, razor-edged boomerang. They say it may be, heaven forbid, a Reaver child, if such a thing could actually exist.

Crossbow: 2
A little more practical than the longbow, the crossbow is used as a hunting weapon. A case usually holds 20 bolts that cost.

Crossbow, powered: 10
High-powered, fancy crossbows are used almost like sniper rifles by some, though they were meant for hunting game, not people. The bolts for these cost as much as bullets.

Dart: 20
A small weighted weapon thrown point-first at a target. These are larger and heavier than the kind of darts you use for a dartboard, and can cause a world of hurt. Can be dipped in poison.

Grappler: 2
This device fires a spiked grapple with force considerable enough to put it into a hard surface, or send it a ways. Someone in a pinch might use a grappler in an offensive manner, so to speak.

Knife, Throwing: 5 sets
A lightweight knife, usually without a hilt or crosspiece, balanced for throwing. Throwing knives usually come sheathed in sets of three.

Mace: 5
A chemical spray used to cause temporary nausea, blindness, and coughing in the victim. Someone sprayed in the face with mace must make an Average Endurance

Machinegun, Heavy: 2
A big and rugged weapon, usually too heavy to be easily carried about. Most heavy machineguns have foldable bipods or tripods, or they’re mounted on a vehicle.

Machinegun, Light: 2
Compared to an assault rifle, a light machinegun is a heavyweight.

Mortar:
A firing tube designed to propel explosive rockets at a target, usually a vehicle or structure. It uses a high-trajectory arc to maximize range, and often an electronic rangefinder is essential to properly target mortar fire

Pistol, Dart: 2
This light pistol uses a compressed air canister to fire small darts filled with any substance desired—generally some drug or poison.

Pistol, Flare: 2
Though a flare pistol’s intended purpose is to let folks know where you are if you’d like to be rescued, you can also use one as a pistol. Say you have a falling out with the other guy in a life-raft. If you shoot someone with a flare pistol and achieve an extraordinary success, gohn shi you’ve set ‘em on fire. They’ll take another d2 Basic damage each turn until they can extinguish themselves. A flare pistol usually comes in a padded case with six rounds ready for use.

Pistol, Heavy: 4
This meaty, powerful pistol has a bit of heft and considerable physical presence. Two popular brands are the Century Marauder VI and the Deutrex SI–4. The best thing about a heavy pistol is that once you run out of ammo, you can always hit someone with it. If it jams and you can’t fix it, you’ve got yourself one fine and impressive nutcracker.

Pistol, Light: 4
A ladies weapon or a good holdout gun, light pistols range in size and configuration from derringers to those fancy rigs some folks use for trick shooting.

Pistol, Medium: 4
A medium pistol is a standard sized pistol.

Rifle: 4
Whether used for hunting or combat, the rifle is a very deadly weapon. Unfortunately, carrying one of these around is a might conspicuous.

Rifle, assault: 4
Full-auto weapons are definitely frowned upon by most authorities ('cept when they're the ones using them), but the attraction of being able to saw a man in half is right strong in some. Most feds carry a Newtech assault rifle as their main weapon.

Rifle, sniper: 4
Used by those who prefer one shot, one kill. When bracing the rifle and using the scope, the range can cover 1,000 feet.

Shotgun: 4
Two barrels of death. 'Nuff said.

Submachine gun: 4
SMGs are popular in the criminal underworld. Machine guns eat ammo, but at least you can sleep better knowing your enemies are carrying around two pounds of lead.

Shotgun, Automatic: 4
A shotgun with a larger magazine, capable of burst fire.

Shuriken: 10
A flat, star-shaped piece of metal thrown at someone you’re not overly fond of. Throwing stars aren’t usually enough to kill someone, but do cause considerable annoyance.

Sling: 4
A primitive weapon consisting of a leather strap, used to hurl a weighted bullet or stone at the target.

Stunner: 4
A short-ranged energy rifle capable of firing a coherent electric pulse, set to the same frequency as human brainwave function, capable of scrambling the target’s mind and stunning him temporarily.

Ammo, ranged

Ammunition, Standard (50): 1,000 rounds
Needed to shoot weapons

Armor Piercing: 100 rounds
Armor piercing rounds are coated with a polymer that helps punch right through armor.

Bolts, Crossbow, Standard: 200
Standard crossbow bolts

Bolts, Crossbow, Electric: 100
Crossbow bolts that deal an electric charge on impact, shorter range than standard because they're heavier, but they electrify anything they touch for about 30 seconds.

Bolts, Crossbow, Explosive: 100
Crossbow bolts that explode on impact. Also shorter range due to weight. They won't blow a vault or anything, but they'll blow off limbs.

Bolts, Line: 100
This is a reinforced bolt with a microthin, woven monofiber line attached to a spool that clips onto the bow. The spool has 100 feet of line, and the head of the bolt is designed to open with spring-loaded backpointing claws like a little grappling hook. That acts to snag any surface it sinks into. Once the line is taut, you can use special gloves to climb hand-over-hand along it, or use the convenient folding handles on the spool.

Explosive round: 100 rounds
Each explosive round is like a tiny little grenade, set to go off when it hits. They’re expensive, they require a weapon tooled for ‘em (or a secondary barrel), and they’re pretty much illegal across the ‘Verse. The explosion has a five-foot increment.

Flare: 100 rounds
A flare arrow does the same damage as a regular arrow, and a phosphorescent chemical in the tip ignites when it’s scraped against a rough surface, so it lights up a room aplenty.


Nonlethal: 50 rounds
Nonlethal ammunition consists of semisolid projectiles—beanbag, rubber, or low-impact—designed to stun and knock downa target rather than penetrate flesh.

Tracer: 100 rounds
Tracer ammo is covered with a chemical that ignites in the face of sufficient friction, lighting up a trail through the air so the shooter can keep a tight cone of fire.

Miscellaneous

Barrel light: 4
A clip-on flashlight resting below or alongside the weapon’s barrel that illuminates the area your gun’s pointing at.

Bipod: 4
A bipod clips or folds down from the barrel or stock of a rifle, assault rifle, or machine gun, stabilizing it while you’re firing. Generally a shooter using a bipod is prone or using an object such as a rock, fence, or window sill to elevate the weapon.

Flash Suppressor: 4
A suppressor baffles the flash from a firearm’s discharge, helping a sniper keep concealed. It has no effect on range or accuracy, but increases the Difficulty of visually spotting a sniper by two.

Scope: 4
A sight lets you ignore range increment penalties. Scope Magnification lists the increase in range before penalties are imposed, as well as the cost. You can put only a 2x or 6x scope on a pistol; a scope has no effect on a shotgun, stunner, or other type of energy weapon.

Scope, Night-Vision: 4
A night-vision scope enhances visible light and allows the shooter to see in the dark.

Scope, Ocular: 4
A simple electronic scope, offering computer-assisted magnification and zoom capabilities. An ocular scope is more powerful than a regular scope, offering 64x magnification (7x range increment increase) or 128x magnification (8x range increase). Sometimes an ocular scope is more powerful than the effective range of the firearm.

Scope, Thermal: 4
A thermal scope detects the heat signatures of living beings (or anything putting off radiant heat).

Sight, Laser: 4
A laser sight snaps onto a barrel and projects a nice red line of light where you’re pointing, putting a little red dot saying “Shoot here” on your target.

Silencer: 10
A silencer can’t entirely muffle the sound of a gunshot, but it does muddle and soften it enough that it’s more difficult to hear. Trying to hear a silenced firearm from more’n 10 yards away is a Hard task, while trying to identify the location of the shooter is a Formidable one.

Stock, Folding or Telescopic: 4
A rifle, shotgun, assault rifle, or other longarm can have a folding or telescopic stock. This has no game effects when extended other than ease of carrying.

Underbarrel Launcher: 2
A second barrel, mounted onto the barrel of your rifle. It lets you fire grenades if simple bullets ain’t enough. An underbarrel launcher only holds one grenade at a time, so you’ve got to reload it between shots

[Ilana Logan]

Weapons, melee

Baton, security: 4
The collapsible metal rod that extends up to two feet when unfolded is used for beatin' on folk who trespass where they ain't wanted. Usually has a rubber grip on one end.

Baton, stun: 4
Kinda like a standard security baton, but with more zap and less thwap. Instead of smackin' someone with this, you use it like a cattle-prod and poke 'em. A battery in the handle discharges a fairly large jolt, enough to shock without doin' much real damage to the poor guy on the other end. The batteries cost c1, and last for up to 10 shocks (8 shocks will put someone unconscious).

Blackjack: 4
A leather or nylon sack filled with lead shot, used to knock someone down without putting ‘em in the morgue.

Brass knuckles: 4
This little piece of hand hardware is a nasty surprise in a bar fight.

Caltrops: 4 sets
Not exactly a hand-to-hand weapon, but something capable of imparting a bit of pain upon an enemy. Caltrops are little, monosharp, pyramid-shaped spikes coated with an armor-piercing surface polymer. The price given is per handful (about a dozen). They’re thrown or left on the ground to hinder movement.

Garrote, handled: 4
A length of strong cord made out of wire, leather, nylon, or what have you, used for strangling. Fancy ones have handles to make it easy, or you can improvise if you need to.

Hatchet: 4
One of the most versatile hurtin' tools ever invented, you can also use it to cut down trees and chop firewood. You can even upend it and use it like a club (just don't grab it by the sharp part!).

Knife, combat: 10
A 6"-10" long blade is standard. Combat knives make deadly weapons. Can be used to stab or cut, and can also be thrown with some accuracy if you practice at it. ((Mod note: however, the winner of the knife fight is always the one who brings the gun ))

Knife, utility: 10
A paring knife or pocket knife can be used as a weapon, but not as well as others.

Lasso: 4
Also called a lariat, a lasso consists of a length of rope with a loosely coiled loop at one end. Out on the ranges of the Rim, every cowhand carries a lasso for working stock. You can’t rightly kill a man with one, but you can certainly put him in a state where more harm might come to him.

Machete: 4
A broad, heavy knife used as both an implement and a weapon. Settlers on the Rim use machetes for chopping through brush and foliage.

Nunchaku: 2
Two short-staff lengths attached to each other with chain or rope. Time was these were used by farmers to thresh grain. Now they’re mostly used to beat on people.

Stunner: 4
A hand-held device that delivers a powerful incapacitating shock to the target it’s directed against.

Sword, combat: 2
Weapon made of metal with a long blade and hand guard. The art of swordsmanship is considered a gentlemanly sport in the Core and for the wealthy on the outer worlds, where some indulge in the tradition of dueling to the death. Might be troublesome if you don't even know which end to hold.

Sword, Extensible: 2
When it’s retracted, an extensible sword appears as little more’n a griplike cylinder, usually disguised as something else. Press a small release on the hilt (a safety lock keeps it from accidentally opening) and the blade extends lightning-fast into a yard of telescoping double-edged segments that lock in place magnetically. Press the release again and it scoots back into the grip. These are covert weapons, used primarily in places where they screen for weapons. Some extensible swords are made of woven mono-string carbon fibers, stronger than steel, rendering ‘em invisible to metal detectors.

Sword, Gentleman's: 2
Swords like this are all fancied up with extra frills and decorations, and are more prone to breaking. Many gentlemen wear these to fancy-dress shindigs, to show what bad taste they have in weapons.

Whip: 2
Not exactly the most sensible weapon, a whip’s more for putting pain into someone who can’t fight back. A whip has a range equal to its length and the arm of the user, near two to three yards in total.

[Ilana Logan]

Weapons, explosives

Acid: 10
It’s a horrible thing using acid as a weapon, but the ‘Verse is full of horrible people that think nothing of it. The really sick ones take pleasure from it.

Charge, Breaching: 2
A shaped charge designed to blow open a ship’s hatch or the door of some other structure. Usually it’s got magnetic plates to lock it in place, and is able to function without oxygen, either out in the black or underwater. Small breaching charges can take out a lock, while big ones are arranged around a hatch to blow the whole thing out. As they’re shaped to funnel the blast in a particular direction, a breaching charge has a very short range and is used as a prelude to busting in on someone.

Charge, Satchel: 10
A wide-purpose bomb the size of a small rucksack, a satchel charge can breach a door or wall, take out a structure, be rigged as a booby-trap, or even be tossed into a vehicle’s open hatch to watch it shake. Satchel charges come with either a timer or a remote detonator.

ChemPlast Charge: 10
A high-yield plastic explosive, these charges let loose their energy in a relatively small area. Shrapnel isn’t an issue (unless whoever set the charge packed it full of nuts and bolts and the such), but the blast wave is apparently a lot like being struck by a cruiser.

Grenade, Concussion: 10
Used offensively because their smaller blast radius is less dangerous in the open, these grenades can still clear an area very effectively.

Grenade, Flashbang: 10
Designed to stun enemies, flashbangs do relatively little damage, but everyone within 20 feet of the grenade is automatically stunned. The only way to deal with this effect is complete ear and eye protection.

Grenade, Fragmentation: 10
Sharp fragments of metal rip through everything and everyone in the area. The only effective protection usually involves diving behind something—or someone—big and thick and heavy.

Grenade, Smoke: 10
Inhaling the smoke does some damage, seeing as you get less air that way, but mostly the smoke obscures vision inside and through the cloud. The smoke fills the blast area and dissipates slowly (usually in about two minutes). NBC masks prevent the damage.

Grenade, Gas: 10
The grenades release a special nerve-gas designed to knock out those who breathe it. The effects are like several hours of hard drinking on an empty stomach. An NBC mask will prevent the damage. The gas dissipates in around a minute.

Grenade, Incendiary: 10
A grenade packed with highly flammable chemical gel capable of burning through metal when it’s ignited. This chemical gel doesn’t require oxidization, so it burns just as fiercely underwater as in vacuum.

Grenade, Magnetic: 10
Your basic fragmentation grenade, but with the added benefit of a magnetic field that lets it stick to most metallic surfaces.

Grenade, Plasma: 10
A plasma grenade produces enough heat to melt right through metal and nearly anything else. It works underwater or in vacuum. Unless you like the thought of synthetic skin grafts or extensive burn scars, you’d best get out of the way if someone throws one of these near you.

Grenade, Pulse: 10
Designed to take out electronics or cripple computer systems, a pulse grenade can also be used to immobilize a vehicle operating with any engine using electrical current (as opposed to combustion). A pulse grenade does no damage to living people, but takes out any unshielded electronics within the pulse range.

Grenade, Web: 10
When they go off, web grenades distribute a wide spray of liquid that instantly hardens into sticky biodegradable webbing that’s Hard to break. The webbing dissolves within an hour. Alliance security forces use web grenades for peaceful crowd control, though they can be put to other uses of a more nefarious nature.

Explosive, Improvised: 10
A makeshift bomb fashioned with available chemicals, usually packed into a pipe or plastic bottle. You can fill an improvised explosive with pieces of metal if shrapnel appeals to you, or you can leave it as is if you’re trying to make the right “blast and set on fire” impressions.

Flamethrower: 2
Setting someone afire is just about the unkindliest way to do away with ‘em, and it’s not looked upon well by most folks. A flamethrower’s got a back-mounted tank full of liquid fuel, a hand-held igniter, and a hose connecting the two.

Flamethrower, Barrel-mounted: 2
A compact flamethrower, this mounts onto assault rifles and has a shorter range, smaller tank, and is less likely to ignite the user. An extraordinary success sets the target on fire. A botch only means that the flamethrower fails to ignite.

Mine, Antipersonnel: 10
Mines are a common enough hazard in ground combat, not so much in space, but they still see some use and turn up now and again. Antipersonnel mines injure enemy combatants instead of killing ‘em—a tactic devised by the Alliance during the Unification War. Wounded soldiers require considerable hardship getting ‘em off the battlefield, and caring for the stricken is even more of a drain on your resources. Antipersonnel mines throw a large blast upwards, generally taking off the limb that triggered the mine. Others, of the “Bouncing Betty” type, hop up into the air to spread the blast around. Mines are either concealed or simply scattered around out the open—or both.

Mine, Pulse: 10
This antivehicle mine uses an electromagnetic pulse to fry any electrical components when it goes off. When the charge triggers, it sends out a big blast of EMP radiation that cripples any vehicle liable to be passing within the range increment. Pulse mines were used by Alliance troops to capture vehicles and supplies without harming either. The men inside . . . they usually died defending their vehicle.

Mining Charge: 10
Used to blast mine shafts, these charges are perfect for demolition of all kinds, and often come with a remote detonator or a timed electric fuse.

Molotov Cocktail: 10
An improvised firebomb made out of a glass bottle filled with alcohol, a rag for a fuse, and the will to light it and throw it. A Molotov cocktail splashes an area a yard in diameter when it hits. An extraordinary success on an attack means the target has been set afire, doing the same damage each turn until the fire is put out. A botch often means the attacker has set his gorram fool self on fire to the same effect.

Squadkiller: 10
A horrific little surprise left by retreating Alliance forces during the war, squadkillers are about the size of a large book, and are usually buried or hidden at a major intersection or common areas where people are likely to congregate. Built-in sensors wait until there are at least 12 warm bodies within 15 feet of this bomb, and then boom! Folk are all dead, just like that.

[Ilana Logan]

Wearable items


Ballistic Mesh: 4
Used much like the bulletproof vests of Earth-That-Was, ballistic mesh is a finely woven cloth of metal and plastic over polymer sheeting. In basic dummy-talk, the mesh stops bullets, and isn't as heavy or bulky as other armors. The mesh was often used by the Independents during the war, since it was hard for them to find heavier body-armor. Ballistic mesh is meant to stop bullets and that's about it. It does not stop arrows, bolts, axes, knives, or explosive ammunition.

Chameleon Cloak: 2
The chameleon cloak shares the same technology as the chameleon suit, though it’s in the shape of a long hooded cloak, baggy enough to cover at least two people if they’re snug together. A chameleon cloak has an integral computer wired together with a passel of light sensors and emitters.

Chameleon Suit: 2
Snipers favor these to remain hidden whole on the job. Mostly consisting of a baggy set of overalls with clumps of fiber optic wires sprouting here and there, the suit also sports a small computer and dozens of light sensors placed around it. When activated, the suit attempts to match its color to the surrounding area. It does a fairly good job if the wearer is holding still. It also acts as normal Ballistic Mesh armor.

Camouflage Paint: 10
Flat canisters of camouflage paint come in a variety of natural colors (browns, greens, tans, grey, black, etc.). Cover your face with some, and you can minimize your visibility.

Clothes, Registered Companion: 2
There are few things in the ‘Verse as heart-stopping wondrous as the sight of a Companion in the altogether, but a close second would be a Companion dressed in his or her full regalia. Elegant lines and the highest craftsmanship in the classic sense, a Companion’s garments manage the difficult balance between being outstanding and utterly at place, both at once. Whether it be a ball-gown, a robe, or a paislied kimono, a single set of a Companion’s clothes are usually worth more’n the horse you rode in on.

Cold-Weather Gear: 10
An insulated outfit offering the best in protection from cold temperatures, whether weather-based or in an environment offering similar conditions. It consists of an insulated parka, hood, gloves, pants, and heavy boots.

Diving Gear: 2
Based on the old-style SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) gear, diving gear contains a rebreather, mask, flippers, a weighted belt, and a bodysuit. There’re fancier ones, but the basics are the same.

Duster, Armored: 2
A long coat fashioned of tough-but-supple leather with armored mesh woven beneath the surface, and rigid plates on the shoulders and chest. Fashionable and functional.

Firefighting Gear: 1
Flame-retardant, heat-shielded garments of the type used by firefighters on ground or in the black. This includes a sealed helmet with an air filtration system or oxygen bottles, a heavy jacket, boots, pants, gloves, and a harness for equipment such as a fire axe, extinguisher, and prybar.

Flight Suit: 2
A snug, reinforced suit for use by pilots and crew onboard planetary air defense vehicles, and some forms of starship without gravity plating. The suit helps the pilot resist G-forces and incorporates a thin layer of insulation.

Frock, Gingham: 2
A common sort of dress, worn by settlers out on the Rim. Frilly floral bonnet optional.

Gas Mask: 5
A half- or full-face mask that filters any impurities from smoke, gas, or other airborne hazards.

Goggles, Standard: 10
This protective gear guards your eyes from sparks, intense light, or particle
shrapnel. Highfalutin’ low-light ones let you see in the dark.

Goggles, Night Vision: 10
Highfalutin low-light googles.

Grounder Mesh: 2
If you’re in the line of work where you find yourself opposed to someone, say Alliance troops, armed with stunners, this is the pair of long-johns for you. A one-piece thin, grounder mesh goes under your street clothing and provides protection against any sort of electromagnetic pulse that would otherwise send you floorward in a hurry.

Hat: 10
Whether it’s a fine cowboy hat, a knit cap from your mother, or a natty bowler worn by criminal lowlifes, a hat is good for two things: keeping the sun off your head and swatting flies.

Helmet, Squad: c35
This helmet originated with the Alliance during the war. It functions he same as an Infantry helmet, but also includes a small communicator to allow members of a squad to stay in constant communication. Unfortunately the design impedes hearing and peripheral vision.

Mask, NBC: 10
A fancy gas-mask, this gadget lets you breathe safely in an area contaminated by nuclear, biological, or chemical hazards. Unfortunately, the mask doesn't let you see all that well, and it doesn't protect the rest of your body.

NBC Body Suit: 10
A full-body, airtight, hazardous environment suit provides complete protection from nuclear, biological, and chemical hazards. The mask allows for slightly better vision than the NBC Mask. The bulky material makes it difficult to handle small objects or perform feats that require coordination.

Ocular: 4
A pair of electronically-assisted binoculars, with a digital rangefinder that tells you how far away something lined up in your sights is. Oculars auto-focus and have a range around a mile and a half.

Plate Vest: 2
Ceramic inserts sewn into a ballistic mesh offer torso protection on both the back and the front. Unlike the Ballistic Mesh, the Plate Vest will protect against sharp instruments (knives, axes), as well as bullets. The upside--the Plate Vest looks like a normal garment. The downside--the weight and bulk restrict movement slightly.

Poncho: 10
A hooded rain slicker usually made of thin nylon or vinyl. It doesn’t offer any benefits other than keeping you dry, but that’s enough for most folks.

Radiation Tag: 10
A small badge, worn clipped to a uniform or on a chain around the neck, measuring the level of rads you’ve soaked up. It shows a warning when radiation exposure threatens your well-being.

Shield, Tactical: 2
A big clear rectangle of reinforced ballistic polymers, this shield generally sees use in riots or crowd control situations—where a group of Alliance soldiers or constabulary line up and make a wall, one that’s flexible enough to shove back.

Suit, Men’s: 2
A fine two- or three-piece suit in whatever style you favor. You can get a good measure of a man by the suit he wears. For those with serious money, it’s bespoke; with a little money, it’s tailored; for the rest, its off-the-rack.

Tactical Suit: 2
This is the armor the Alliance Federals wear, usually with a squad helmet. The suit covers the entire body and is armored with ceramic and composite plates, along with heavy padding. It will stop a heap of damage, but tends to rattle when you walk.

Uniform, Alliance: 1
Sometimes it’s a useful thing to have a spare Alliance uniform around, whether it be from a soldier or an officer. There’re few people in the ‘Verse that’ll ask questions of someone in the black and grays. If you’re smart, you’ll steal a set. If you’re dumb or just plumb crazy, you take one the prior owner got no more use for. Might want to take caution to wash the blood out before you try to pass yourself off as someone you’re not. Naturally, there’s considerable penalty for owning Alliance threads, but for some jobs, the gains outweigh the risks.

Uniform, Medico: 2
Say you want to infiltrate a hospital to lay hands on some expensive pharmaceuticals, medical gear, or to take advantage of the best facilities the Alliance has to offer. Having a medico uniform on hand is the sly way to go about getting what you want. It’s not necessarily illegal to possess a medico’s uniform if you don’t have the IdentCard to go with it, but more’n likely you’re up to something that’ll put you on the wrong side of the law.

Vestment, Shepherd’s: 1
The black coat and pants, grey shirt and white collar all come with the ordainment. It’s not illegal for non-Shepherds to wear the vestment, but true believers might take offense.

Walking Stick, derringer: 2
A cane roughly a meter in length, with an end
that’s either a knob, curved, orbent. Some walking sticks conceal thin-bladed swords, small pistols, Holsters.

[Ilana Logan]

Tools and gear

Burn Gel: 10
This clear chemical gel is safe to handle with bare hands, but when a slight electrical charge is run through it, it becomes an extremely powerful acid. It can cut through gorram near anything, up to and including a ship’s hull. The gel is extruded from a pistolshaped dispenser, and a thin trail of it leads to an igniter. Burn gel works anywhere—underwater or vacuum. It burns for as long as the charge is active, so it’s perfectly safe to handle once the igniter is shut off or removed.

Climbing Gear: 10
If you’ve got a hankering to climb a wall, a mountain, or the side of a building, you’ve a friend in this. Climbing gear includes pulleys, pitons, rope, chocks, ascenders, clips, a handaxe/ hammer combo, and a harness. Also, gloves keep your hands safe; a helmet’s included so’s they can recognize your face when they find you at the base of the cliff.

Cuffs: 2
Plastic, alloy, or metal handcuffs used to secure a prisoner’s wrists together, either in front of or behind his body.

Cutting Torch: 2
Whether you’re working on your ship or cutting your way into someone’s vault, this is the tool of choice for most folk. The small energy pack can be worn at your hip, and the device includes a face mask to keep you from burning off your eyebrows. Requires atmo to work.

Earplugs: 10
You can use these stoppers dayto-day in a loud area like an engine room, or even in the cockpit to muffle the yapping of an especially chatty pilot.

Filtration Canteen: 10
A quart-sized plastic canteen, with a filtration ring at the top. The water’s potable, but it won’t be winning any taste contests.

Fire Jelly: 10
Sold in 8" tall tin cans, fire jelly was originally designed as an alternative to camp fires for soldiers during the Unification War. When lit, the jelly burns at 550 degrees at a rate of 1/2" per hour; the can is largely heat-proof, and putting the lid back on quickly snuffs out the low-burning, smokeless flame

Flare: 10
Your standard-issue chemical flare, about the length of a pencil and near an inch thick. It activates with a simple twist at the end, and burns brightly for around an hour. Flares aid in spotting a downed crewmember; a bunch of‘em mark a spur-of-the-moment landing strip.

Generator, Portable: 1
This suitcase-sized generator provides enough power to handle all of the needs of a medium-sized campsite or domicile.

Glowstick: 10
A cross between a lantern and flashlight, a glowstick provides plenty of ambient light from the top end, and has an adjustable focusing lens that lets you shine a spotlight where you want to see more clearly.

Grappler: 2
A gun that uses a compressed air canister to launch a grapple hook and attached line. The hook can either be snagged on an edge, or fired directly into a wooden or concrete surface. It has a range of 50 feet. The cable is tough enough to withstand roughly 1,200 pounds of weight, and the gun has an integral wheel so it can be used to slide down the cable. Variations on grapplers include those with magnetic clamps or fancier models with internal winches allowing the grappler to pull the user up the cable’s length.

Multi-Tool / Survival Knife: 4
A Knife, with Attachments. Think Swiss Army Knife with a slightly thicker blade. Made for those whom need tools on the go.

Parachute: 5
A basic parachute, worn on the back, for use in the rare situation where your ship’s falling through atmo and you’ve got the chance to jettison.

Parasail: 10
A specialized form of parachute constructed with integral air channels that allow for far more maneuverability and vertical movement than a standard parachute. Parasails are sometimes used for entertainment purposes, such as might be had from being dragged behind a boat or other vehicle. Alliance forces use ‘em for covert operations; the specialists drop a ways off from a target and parasail in quietly and with little fuss. Using a parasail is mechanically the same as using a parachute.

Purification Crystals: 10
Frontier settlers and soldiers usually stock packets of these powdery, pale blue crystals. One packet (a box has 20) can cleanse up to a gallon of water for human consumption, killing pretty much all bacteria and parasites, just as if you'd boiled it.

Restraints: 2
Restraints range from full manacles keeping a prisoner’s hands, feet, knees, and elbows secure, to a one-piece jacket that wraps a body up.

Rucksack: 10
Some folks call it a backpack; to others, it’s a sling bag. Whatever the moniker, it’s a canvas or suchlike bag with a strap or two for convenience. You can stuff nearly 60 pounds worth of gear into a good one.

Sewing Kit: 2
A bunch of spools of thread, a bundle of needles and pins, and a tiny pair of scissors can keep your duds looking a little less raggedy than they might otherwise.

Shelter, Portable: 2
This item is basically a small tent, with collapsible poles and stakes. It don’t provide much cover from extreme weather, but it’ll keep you dry and beats sleeping out in the open on a stormy night. Fancier versions have small heat cyclers and built-in light emittersin the central pole. Really fancy ones are made of smart cloth that just snaps into shape or folds up on its own.

Sleepsack: 10
A basic synthetic fiber mummybag, insulated to keep you warm. Cozy when you’re in it; easily collapsed when you’re not. If you’re in a friendly mood, you can zip two together.

Snaplight: 20
A little tube filled with phosphorescent chemicals. Snaplights come in a few different colors. Twist it, and it glows pretty bright. Break it open, and you’ve got a few ounces of fluid that glows for a couple of hours.

Snaplink: 50, varying sizes
An oval-shaped ring of metal with one section that opens and locks closed, snaplinks are used everywhere to secure gear. They come in a variety of weights, from ones thick as a finger for holding cargo, to smaller ones used to fasten personal gear onto your belt or harness.

"Sticky" Scrapper's Gel: 10
When cutting your way into derelict ships, sometimes you have to do it with no atmo around—and then your trusty cutting torch won’t work. The solution is Scrapper’s Gel. The device lays down a line of the goo that has a conductor embedded inside. When a small surge of energy is applied, the goo turns into a powerful acid that can eat its way through most metal. Since it doesn’t work in atmo, someone bent on cutting a hole in the hull with gel will have to go outside to do it.

Survival Gear: 5
Generally, you’d take this little pack if you were roughing it, or as a precaution in case you find yourself stranded somewhere unexpected. Inside you’ll find useful items such as water purification pills, a mini first aid kit, a multi-tool , a little fishing kit, a lighter, a tiny survival guide, a compass, some cable, a flare or two, a few snaplights, a wire saw, and some basic fire-startingmaterials.

Welding Tape: 10
A chemical-imbued adhesive tape that can instantly weld two metal surfaces together. To use it, stick it to one metal surface, remove the neutralizing backing, and stick the other metal surface to it, sandwiching the tape between ‘em. The chemicals in the tape rapidly
ignite and produce an adhesive weld, sticking the two substances together with near the strength of a proper weld.

[Ilana Logan]

Miscellaneous

Altimeter: 1
A hand-held sensor that detects your altitude, based on atmospheric pressure. An altimeter’s usually part of a ship’s sensor package, but when you’re on foot, the hand-held versions can be useful.

Babbler: 4

Debugger: 1

Disguise Kit: 1.

Eavesdrops: (4 bugs and transmission hub)

Earwig: 10
A tiny ear-set, linked into a ship’s comm system, with a range of about a mile. They’re not very secure, and reception’s not the best for sent messages, but they’re a good means of staying in touch and being discreet about it. Emergency Strobe: Standard on most shuttles or smaller ships. If you’re stranded, an emergency beacon sends out a regular pulse of light visible for miles, depending on the weather conditions. The battery’ll last you near 12 hours of continual use. If it’s longer than that before you expect rescue to arrive, best take stock of the surroundings and commence settling in for the long haul.

Fedband Scanner: 2
A ship’s communication system can be tuned in to most frequencies, but civilian ships do not typically pick up the official government and police channels. There are ways around this, if you feel like tinkering, but for most folks, a wave-scanner such as this does the trick.

"Jabberwocky" Signal Blocker: 2
The Jabberwocky box is only one of any number of illegal devices used by some folk to prevent other folk from hearing what they figure they have a right to say. Once activated, the box can scramble all to hell any signal within five miles. If you use it for more than a minute or two, it quickly becomes obvious to the authorities that something isn’t quite right. The Jabberwocky is difficult to locate, but it will be eventually be found.

Laserlight Mist: 10

Lock Picks: 1

Lock Picks, Electronic: 1

Mag Charge: 2

Micro Transmitter: 10
Usually a hard-to-spot earpiece, micro-transmitters are used by the majority of security forces in the ‘Verse. The transmitter’s range is generally limited to a few hundred yards, but it makes up for that by allowing easy and discreet contact.

Optical Bomb: 5

Poison, Kortine (Debilitating): 10

Poison, Cyanol (Lethal): 10

Reprogrammer: 7c
A simple, jury-rigged computer capable of little more’n hacking existing code, essentially a shell around some dyna-ram. As reprogrammers are highly illegal and can be easily traced once used on any system or network connected to the Cortex, they’re usually thrown together with whatever cheap pieces of hardware can be spared, and ditched immediately after use.

Ship-linked handset: 10
A clunky little walkie-talkie handset, this is the standard device used for keeping crew members in touch with their ship. Most ships come with several handsets, but generally. additional or replacement units are needed—there’s always some lummox who sits on his handset and smashes it.

Surveillance Gear: 1
Generally, you’d take this little pack if you were roughing it, or as a precaution in case you find yourself stranded somewhere unexpected. Inside you’ll find useful items such as water purification pills, a mini first aid kit, a multi-tool , a little fishing kit, a lighter, a tiny survival guide, a compass, some cable, a flare or two, a few snaplights, a wire saw, and some basic fire-startingmaterials.

Vox Scrambler:2