CY_Borg (Free League Publishing)
Written and designed by Christian Sahlén and Johan Nohr
You can download the CY_litary De.file_ment solo rules here
Read how Zalec’s adventure began here
Before Zalec heads to The Fickle Fig, she doubles back to Blink the Tinkerer, tossing them the packet of Vurt. Blink grins from ear to ear and gestures that Zalec can take any item she likes. Among the shelves, the gearhead discovers a SmartMine. This object is just like a typical mine – triggered by pressure – but it has cloaking tech, so it blends into any surface you place it on. That could come in handy. The only problem is that Zalec can’t tell what the mine will do when set off.
(Because I double-backed, I’m making myself have to get through one more street before my destination.)
Street #3 – smoky/dense, canal, gang territory, occult symbols, Skulker in hot pursuit of his target
Naturally, it’s Virid Viper territory as they were taking out that tenement a few blocks away. The smoke from the fire has drifted here, crawling over the canal waters. The neighborhood is just starting to wake up; markets & tobacco shops are preparing for the early risers, the workers are coming home from the night shift, and kids are on their way to school.
A man in a bomber jacket, a thick digi-sense visor, and holding a compact pulse pistol is clearly staking the street out, examining business names. He bumps into Pearl, who responds with a chirrup bark. Zalec sees a curious eyebrow arch over the visor. He looks up at her. “Your…pet?”
“Yup,” she responds tersely, sizing him up as she does.
The man looks left, then right, and leans in. “You happen to know where Blink’s Tinkery is located?” he asks.
Zalec feels certain this man means to do Blink harm, and the little weirdo has been pleasant to her. She attempts to bluff, pointing the man in the wrong direction.
(GAM w/Presence DR12 vs. -3+14, 17 = 11, 14 – Partial Success)
“I think they’re down that way,” Zalec gestures towards the smoke from the tenement. “Hm, maybe someone got them already?” She goes back to scanning the contents of a bakery case positioned towards the grimy storefront window.
The man says nothing, but the gearhead is convinced he’s glaring at her. She feels him walking away. Hope Blink doesn’t get hurt.
Location: The Fickle Fig food stall
Materials: Repurposed Size: Small Form: Cubic
Materials quality: crumbling Composition: concrete
Sounds: loud Type: bellowing
Odors: sweet Business age/legality: neighborhood fixture (5+ years), legal
Oracle Question: Is Riz already here? Odds: Likely. Answer: Yes
There’s a counter open to the street with places to stand. Clearly, sitting is not encouraged. The cook is on roller skates, which is only made to look even stranger as the woman is clearly a bodybuilder using whatever steroids she can get her hands on. The fluorescent veins are a dead giveaway of that, using black market shit that can’t get rid of the toxins. Yet another counterpoint, despite her imposing size, Zalec detects she’s a frail woman. Cook’s got burn scars up her hands & arms. Zalec relates, briefly touching the ones that mark her face. A glance down at a nametag that reads “Soma.”
Soma the Cook
HP 3 Morale 2
No armor meat cleaver (D4 damage)
Style: Roller bruiser Features: burns scars on hands & arms, fluorescent veins
Wants to see others fail (neighborhood rivals)
Quirks: wheezes
Currently obsessed with graffiti
“What can I get for yah?” the cook asks, in an exhausted tone, as she barely manages to drag the words out into the air.
Zalec glances over the menu. “Bowl of cold soy noodles.” Soma wheels away without a word, the sound of sizzling and clanging replacing the silence of this block. The Fickle Fig looks in need of repairs. It is a concrete block, probably poured into a mold purchased by mail order. The corners have been eroded from frequent rain; the paint has faded, too.
Zalec isn’t the only customer. Standing on the far-end of the counter is a man in a bandana and fatigues. A monosword is strapped across his back. A compact pulse pistol in a holster on his belt. Even looking at his profile, the gearhead can see the ever-shifting holomorph filter installed over his face. Keeps his true identity concealed so his loved ones can’t become targets. The one & only Riz.
Riz, the Military Officer
HP 16 Morale 10
9mm D6a Monosword D8
Tier 2 Armor –D4
Style: Hexcore Features: headband, holomorphed face
Wants to kill a Nanomancer
Twitchy
Currently obsessed with blades
Highly trained: Defend at DR14
DR7 Presence vs 2D20:
Strong Hit: They pass by;
Weak Hit: Question you suspiciously;
Fail: Attempt to arrest you: talk your way out, flee, fight, or submit!
Increase DR to 14 if the law is already seeking you!
He side glances, and Zalec feels goosebumps. He’s exuding something evil, a roiling mass of hate ready to kill. She feels the same way about Riz as she does about the unsettling graffiti she’s seen in this neighborhood since she arrived. That babyface Cord had mentioned the vault under the Fig, built on a pre-war bunker. That where Riz and his toadies are bunked up? Keep ‘em close to their favorite eatery.
Zalec attempts to drop her SmartMine and walk away without being noticed
(GAM w/Agility DR12 vs. 1+18, 6 = 19, 7 – Weak Hit)
The SmartMine garners no attention, but Riz focuses on Pearl, roughly grabbing her by a hind leg; she struggles to escape.
“Nice little drone you have here. ACGS Loyalty model?” he inquires.
Zalec shakes her head, “Nah. Genemalum surplus. Modded.”
He looks Pearl over, who makes quiet, worried blips. “Nice modifications. She’s a beaut. Looking for work?”
Zalec attempts to excuse herself from the food stall without Riz suspecting anything.
(GAM w/Presence DR12 vs. -3+13, 9 = 10. 2 – Failure)
“Not really. I gotta head to work, actually. Thanks for the noodles.” Zalec chucks a few creds on the counter and goes to leave. Riz’s hand shoots out and grabs her by the wrist.
“You weren’t dismissed.” The holomorph on his face crackles red and black.
Riz attacks with his monosword (DR14 vs. 1+17 = 18)
Zalec bends backward as the blade barely misses the tip of her nose. She draws her revolver and fires at Riz’s face. (DR14 vs. 0+10 = 10)
His blade catches the bullet, deflecting it.
Oracle question: Does Riz shout orders at Soma? Odds: Likely. Answer: Yes.
Verb/Noun: Override Path.
Riz shouts for Soma to lock the stall down. Zalec knows there must be something worth hiding in the basement.
Riz steps towards her (SmartMine check DR14 Toughness vs. 2+8 = 10) The SmartMine detonates
(I decided to make an improvised call and say for a soldier, Riz likely would have a +2 in Toughness)
Instead of an explosion, a minor EMP is triggered, knocking out all tech within 15m for 4 rounds.
This means Soma cannot lock down the food stall, Riz’s compact pulse pistol won’t work, and Pearl shuts down.
4 rounds to go til Pearl is back
Riz attacks with his monosword (DR14 vs. 1+18 = 19)
Zalec finds herself able to anticipate where the blade is about to strike and evade it. That old Genemalum survival programming kicking in.
Zalec points her revolver again and fires (DR14 vs. 0+12 = 12, Miss). Shot pings off the countertop. Zalec’s hands are shakier than she realized.
Oracle question: Does Soma join the fight against Zalec? Odds: Unlikely. Answer: Yes.
3 rounds to go til Pearl is back
Soma scrambles over the counter, attempting to sink her cleaver into Zalec’s shoulder.
(Defend DR12 vs. 1+9 = 10, Miss)
The meat cleaver connects with the SmartWear and absorbs the kinetic force of the blow.
Riz charges with his sword straight out
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+20, Nat Success)
The sword lodges in the side of the food stall, giving Zalec a chance for her damned pistol to work.
(Free Attack = 7 damage, armor takes -1)
A bullet rips through Riz’s left shoulder; blood & small pieces of bone come with it.
While Riz is in a stunned state, Zalec swings around to Soma
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+20, Nat Success)
(5 damage, killing Soma)
(Free attack on Riz = 1 damage; his armor eats it)
Soma takes the bullet through her throat, tumbling back over the stall counter with the clattering of dishes and pans. Riz’s armor takes the next bullet Zalec unloads on him.
2 rounds to go til Pearl is back
Riz takes a new attack stance and swings
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+16 = 17, Success)
Zalec rolls over the counter to take cover behind a shelf of cooking implements.
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+3 = 3)
The bullet ricochets off the wall, shit.
1 round to go til Pearl is back
Riz leaps over the counter, trying to plunge his blade into Zalec
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+19 = 20, Success)
Zalec chucks a pot that connects with Riz’s face. The holomorph scrambles for a second but quickly corrects.
Oracle question: Can Zalec see any hatch in the floor that would lead to the basement? Odds: Likely. Answer: No
Zalec attempts to land another shot on Riz
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+nat 1)
Zalec’s revolver is jammed. Fucking antique. She’ll spend a round fixing the weapon.
Pearl is back online, & so is Riz’s compact pulse pistol
Riz draws his weapon and unleashes a spray of fire across the food stall kitchen.
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+19 = 20)
Zalec stays down as she tries to make up for months of improper gun maintenance.
Riz sees none of his shots have connected and does so again. Pearl crawls into the kitchen, shaking against her mistress.
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+5 = 6, Fail)
(Take 5 damage, SmartWear negates 3)
It stings when the pulse fire ripples across her back; Zalec grits her teeth, waits for a pause, and stands up to fire back.
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+nat 1)
Click. Out of ammo. It’ll take Zalec a round to reload
Zalec sics Pearl on Riz
(Pilot DR10 vs. 1+6 = 7)
Pearl’s survival protocols have her hiding scared behind her owner.
Zalec shifts forward, pistol at the ready, peppering the space in front of him with fire as he tries to get something going.
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+17 = 18)
Nothing but misses. Zalec talks real gentle like to Pearl, she’s a good girl, and she needs to tear this fucker’s head off ASAP, pretty please?
(Pilot DR10 vs. 1+9 = 10, Success)
Pearl bends at the knees and then lunges over a shelf, chainsaw teeth revealed as she goes for the jugular.
(3 damage, armor takes -1)
Metal rips through the flesh of Riz’s shoulder; he slings Pearl away, who uprights herself across the room and takes cover.
Riz searches for the quadbot and blasts away with his pistol
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+nat 20)
(Free attack = Pearl goes in for a bite, does 4 damage, armor absorbs -3)
Zalec isn’t looking great, but he’s still resilient.
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+13)
Pearl stands up as Riz swings his head around her way and fires into his face.
(4 damage, armor takes -3)
Zalec shouts a command to Pearl, who is at the ready
(Pilot DR10 vs. 1+15 = 16)
(1 damage, armor absorbs it)
Pearl has latched onto Zalec’s leg and won’t let go.
Riz points his pistol at the quadbot and fires
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+16 = 17)
She lets go, and he empties the pulse cartridge into the floor.
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+18)
The hammer clicks, and a bullet exits the revolver and strikes Riz in the chest.
(3 damage, the armor takes it all)
Riz’s armor glows as it kicks into overclock-mode. He throws back his head and cackles.
(Pilot DR10 vs. 1+2)
Pearl gets kicked, rolling over on her back and struggling to get up. Riz is now hunting for Zalec, who has ducked behind cover.
Riz laughs, going crazy from the pain, firing shots across the kitchen and leaving scorch marks.
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+11 = 12)
(1 damage, SmartWear absorbs it)
Zalec whistles at Pearl, who is up on her legs. She lunges, chainsaw teeth whirring.
(Pilot DR10 vs. 1+15 = 16)
(2 damage, armor absorbs 2)
Pearl does her best, teeth shredding the fatigues; the armor underneath protects Riz.
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+16)
(5 damage, armor takes -2)
(Morale roll = fail)
Riz leans against the fridge, blood smeared across the floor as he limps over to it, steadying himself, ready to fight.
Wild pulse fire across the whole kitchen.
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+7 = 8, spend 1 Glitch, re-roll: 1+15 = 16)
Zalec & Pearl stay hunkered down. She motions to the quadbot, which circles around and goes for Riz’s legs.
(Pilot DR10 vs. 1+3 = 4)
Riz is still stimmed-up and keen, dodging Pearl’s slicing attack.
Zalec stands up again to fire at her target.
(Attack DR12 vs. 0+nat 20)
(6×2 = 12 damage, armor absorbs -2)
The bullet goes through the center of Riz’s head. He goes flying back, splattered across the stainless steel table where prep happens.
Zalec takes a beat, then checks the body.
(Search – Fail)
Zalec finds Riz had rigged his body if anyone were to search him in case of death. Backlash happens
(2 damage, SmartWear absorbs it all)
Zalec is thrown back from a ripple of energy through the air. A red light blinks on the wall of the food stall. She’s got four rounds to get into that vault and find something of value before Riz’s soldiers arrive.
Locate and open the basement door
(GAM w/Knowledge DR12 vs. 1+1, 4)
Zalec should have known the basement door would be rigged without the proper codes.
Disarm the trigger
(GAM w/Knowledge DR10 vs. 1+11, 11 = 12, 12)
Zalec disarms the explosive so quickly she gets to search for an item in this round.
(3 doses of random, unmarked drugs are sitting on a table when she descends)
(Searching for Objects – 0+6, 2)
Zalec misses the pressure plate on the ground. Boom.
Black Ice streams from a hidden unit into Zalec’s RCD (Retinal Comm Device), making the screen staticky.
(6 damage, SmartWear takes -3)
Zalec only has this round left before Riz’s soldiers descend. She searches one last time as the Black Ice sears through her RCD.
(Searching for Objects – 0+1, 15, Weak Hit)
(A credstick with 65 on it)
(Flee from Combat DR14 vs. 1+9, 13 = 10, 14, Weak Hit)
She never looks back to see them, but Zalec hears them, and their weapons fire as she and Pearl flee.
(Defend DR14 vs. 1+17, 12 = 18, 13. Weak Hit)
(4 damage, SmartWear takes -3)
Zalec feels the pulse blast strike the middle of her back. She stumbles but doesn’t miss a step, feeling her legs burn as she and Pearl hightail it.
(Mission Accomplished – Glitches DR8 vs. 0+9, 3 – Weak Hit)
It appears that Riz had far more soldiers under his command than Zalec realized and she’s finding all her ways out of the neighborhood are being blocked off. She knocks down the door of the closest building and ducks inside to see if she can wait them out.
This is where we will leave Zalec and CY_Borg for now. Of the four Borg games I’ve played thus far, this one was the one I had the most fun with. I think the tools that come with CY_Borg and the addition of CY_literal De.Filement makes this one shine beautifully as a solo experience. I will definitely be adding this to my list of games in rotation and would love to see what happens to my gearhead next.
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