America - Land of Monsters

America: Land of Monsters
A Campaign Setting for Heroines of the First Age by Voidspiral

Entertainment
And Powered by the Apocalypse
Words, Art, & Design

Joseph Lee Bush
Editing
Joseph Lee Bush, Richard Kelly
Associate Producer
Ian Hamilton
Copyright Voidspiral Entertainment 2017
• Print ISBN: 978-1-948614-09-2

• Print Product Number: HFA-ALM-SC
• PDF ISBN: 978-1-948614-10-8
• PDF Product Number: HFA-ALM-PDF
HFA.VOIDSPIRAL.COM
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America: Land of 🗲 Black Humor...........27
🕱 Absolute Terror ........28
Monsters ....................5 Terminology.............. 30
Trigger Warning ......... 6
Disclaimer ................... 7
2019 ..........................32
Changes From
☀ Hilarity Ensues .... 32
HFARPG ..................... 7
Demi-Friendly Jobs .....32
Customization ............ 7 The Dating Scene .........34
Culture Clash................35
The Land of Cell Phones and Cars ..37
Education......................38
Monsters ....................9 ☂ Crapsaccharine.... 41
The Sliding Scale of The World is Made of
Terror vs Hilarity........ 9 Cardboard.....................41
Threats ...........................11 Shills ..............................42
The Surge................... 11 ADRI .............................44
Worldwide.....................12 Trashland ......................45
Stateside.........................12 🗲 Black Humor........ 47
Government..................13 Gate Entry Task Force .47
Corporate Interests ......14 Citizen Patrol................48
Religion & Spirituality.14 Kemono Clubs..............49
Otherworld ...................15 Monster Combat
The Gates.......................15 Federation.....................50
The New Divide............18 It’s All Going to Hell ....52
Technology & Magic 22 🕱 Absolute Terror..... 53
Social Media .................22 The Paladins .................53
Magic Systems ..............22 The Purity Sect .............54
Natural Magic...............23 Kennel Clubs ................55
Firearms & War Surge Camps.................57
Machines .......................24 The Coalition................58
Demi-Human Needs ...24
Money & Jobs ...............25
Global Immediate
What the Hell Are
Threats ....................... 25 You? ..........................61
☀ Hilarity Ensues........26 New Basic Moves...... 61
☂ Crapsaccharine .......26 Modern Archetypes . 62
2
Office Worker ...............62 Criminal Record ....... 89
Odd Job .........................63 Stun Damage ............. 91
Romantic.......................64
Laborer ..........................65
Host................................66 Supervillain Club....93
Boss................................67 Agendas ..................... 93
Enforcement Agent......68 Principles ................... 93
Special Powers .......... 69 GM Moves ................. 95
Money in the Land of ☀ Hilarity Ensues........95
Credit ......................... 70 ☂ Crapsaccharine .......95
Equipment................. 71 🗲 Black Humor...........96
Respect and 🕱 Absolute Terror ........96
Purchasing ....................71 Handling Setting
Weapons........................71 Topics ......................... 96
Armor............................73 Setting the Tone ...........96
Tools...............................73 Trigger Warnings &
Resources ......................74 Concern Notes .............97
Flaws .......................... 75 Lighter and Softer
Challenges.....................97
The Rules of the New Moving Up the Scale ...98
Moving Down the
World .......................78 Scale...............................99
Housing ..................... 78 Using Implication ........99
Vehicles...................... 80 De-Escalating
Situations ....................100
Jobs............................. 82
Balancing the Books..101
Interviews......................82
Playing with
Pay Rates .......................83
Romance .....................102
Part Time Jobs ..............85
Raises .............................85
Promotions ...................85 Enemies of the
Taking out a Loan .... 86 Snake ......................106
Converting Salaries & Power Ratings .........106
Debts.......................... 86 Generic NPCs .........107
Debt ........................... 87 Our Corporate
Savings ....................... 87 Overlords.................108
Investing .................... 87 ☀ SaveFast..................108
3
☀ Kahuna Burger..... 109 🗲 The Knife of
☂ GlobalMart........... 110 Whimsy.......................128
☂ Sjors Inc. ............... 111 🕱 The Hatemonger ....129
🗲 Purity Sect ............ 112 🕱 The Foul Legions....130
🗲 GETF ..................... 113 🕱 The Great Dark
🕱 MacNeill One ..............................130
Corporation ............... 115
🕱 The Paladins........... 116 Appendices............133
🕱 Bryant Taylor Inc. . 117
🕱 The Coalition ......... 118 Conspiracies............133
People Problems..... 119 Lands of the
☀ Candace Sparrow. 119 Otherworld..............136
☀ Phoenix and Christen Entopia ........................136
Watts ........................... 120 Balefrust ......................136
☂ Senator Selena Yordenheim ................137
Lauwens...................... 121 The Golish Steppe ......137
☂ Victoria Draper.... 121 Dead Gods of the
🗲 Sergeant George Otherworld..............138
Autebery..................... 122 Almaril ........................138
🗲 Inspector Rolf Sendrec........................139
Botwright ................... 123 Fyera ............................139
🕱 Clayton Sloan Leoris...........................140
Randall ....................... 124 Yuraggon.....................140
🕱 Agent Ned Languages of the
Eriksson...................... 125 Otherworld..............141
🕱 Lauren Garrett....... 126
Haduadil .....................141
🕱 Valentin Werner Temerel........................141
Ivanov ......................... 126 Skyors ..........................141
Beyond Mortal Ken 127 Drogok ........................141
4
America: Land of
Monsters
I was just an alchemist’s apprentice before the darkness came.
My father was a court mage and my mother was an
enchantress, but they weren’t really important to the defense of
the realm in the grand scheme of things. Not when the demons
came.
They first we heard of them, they’d destroyed a border town by

the sea. The next we heard of them, they were raining down
brimstone and ash on the capital. I was lucky that the alchemist
thought to take refuge in the Gate, if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have
made it out of Yazador.
When I awoke, I couldn’t tell if I had been killed or taken

to Hell by the demons. Giant metal beasts careened past me
every which way, speeding faster than a bolt of lightning and
moving in perfect synchronicity and formation. That was when
I almost died.
–Simbarii Tracular
A modern campaign setting for Heroines of the First Age.
In America Land of Monsters, players are demi-humans who have

recently fled oppression and genocide in their fantastical ancestral
homelands in favor of a chance at peace here on Earth. Demi-
humans aren’t used to the modern world, and it’s culture clash after
culture clash as these people try to find or make homes for
themselves. Their sudden appearance is condemned by some
humans but accepted by others, leading to all kinds of civil strife
and chaos. Two years after their first arrival, the governments of
Earth have finally realized that this is an issue that is here to stay,
5
and that the demi-humans aren’t going anywhere. We’re all just
going to learn to get along, whether or not it kills us.
This is a pre-generated campaign setting for Heroines of the First

Age. It exists to give you the tools to quickly put together a game
within a specific setting and with particular themes. Always
remember that you can modify the setting as needed for your own
game. The core HFARPG book covers many ways to expand the
setting.
You’ll need a copy of the core Heroines of the First Age book to
play.
Trigger Warning
This book contains topics that may not be suitable for, may cause
undue stress to, or may be considered distasteful by some
audiences. It is possible to run the game without encountering
these topics, but they are presented in the book. Reader discretion
is advised.
Here’s a list of potentially sensitive topics covered in the book.
• Racism
• Domestic Violence
• Discrimination
• Romance, Sex, Fetishes
• Profanity, Swearing, Insults
Additionally, it’s probably a good idea for the players to pass the
GM a private note with topics they’re not comfortable with, so that
the GM can take that into account when running the game.
6
Disclaimer
Disclaimer
This book is not about glorifying racism, it’s about dealing with a
world in which it exists. It should be fairly clear that those who hate
demi-humans (or any other group) just because of where they
come from or what they look like is just plain wrong. Things in this
game will get complicated, dirty, and confusing. It’s time to put on
your adult pants, because this setting can very easily get out of
hand. You may experience terrible situations, hatred, and bigotry in
this setting, but don’t mistake our presentation of these things as
condoning them. The point is to see these evils as what they are and
give us a platform for talking about and exploring them like adults.
If you don’t think you can do that, bail.
Changes From HFARPG

Imagine the world of HFA is just on the other side of the veil from
Earth. When the forces of darkness triumph over Otherworld,
there’s nothing left to do but escape into the Gates.
ALM is more about people dealing with life in the US as a demi-

human that it is about heroines vanquishing evil. Most of the
heroines are still fighting in Otherworld; the demi-humans who
made it stateside are more likely to be civilians and refugees than
warriors and mages.
Customization
This setting provides a specific world and setting for you to play in,
but remember that the game is yours to do with as you please. If
your group wants to focus on specific parts, throw out sections of
lore, or rebuild the setting from scratch, keeping only the themes,
selections, or rules, by all means go for it.
7
8
The Sliding Scale of Terror vs Hilarity
The Land of
Monsters
The first human I met ran away screaming. It broke my
heart—I saw on his face the exact same expression I wore when
the demons invaded Vorden.
–Kerda, a slime newcomer from Yordenheim
America, the land of freedom. Home of the brave. A lot has

changed in the past few years.
The Sliding Scale of

Terror vs Hilarity
When you’re a demi-human living in the United States, your life
often swings between two polar opposites. We can analyze these
extremes on a sliding scale from one end to the other. We start with
the lighter end and work our way down the scale in terms of gravity
and seriousness.
☀H Hiilarity En
Enssues: Situational comedy revolving around the trials
and tribulations of newcomers adapting to life in the US, many of
which are spectacularly poorly adapted for modern life.
You walk down an alley and find a catgirl who insists she’s not a
kitten even though she’s sitting in a box that says “please adopt
me.”
☂ Cra
Craps
psacc
acchharin
ine:
e: A silly sweet outer shell of humor hiding a
darker, harsher world of cynical reality. Jokes cut a little deeper, and
humor may arise from schadenfreude.
9
The Land of Monsters
You walk down an alley and find a kitten in a box that says
“please adopt me,” but there’s a little girl next to it crying. She
runs away when you approach.
🗲B Bllac
ackk H
Hum
umoor: It’s terrible, but it’s just so terrible that you have to
laugh. Laughter eases the pain.
You walk down an alley to find a bruised young catgirl

smoking a cigarette and wearing a ripped band t-shirt. She’s
handing out flyers to anyone who passes from a big stack in a
Kinkos bag. The flyers are adoption papers.
🕱AAbs
bsoolute T
Ter
errror: Horror. Power corrupts. People are the real
monsters. Bad things happen to good people. Watch your back.
Expect racism, discrimination, and violence.
You walk down an alley and find a box that says “please adopt
me.” The box is closed. Blood is pooling from the bottom of it.
Before you move on, discuss this scale with the group and find out
where on the scale people are most comfortable, and how far away
from this baseline you’re willing to go. Decide what you’re willing
to explore and what you want to stay away from in advance. Make
lists if you want.
To get an idea of what can happen in each of the categories along

the scale, check the Global Immediate Threats section later in this
chapter.
Content in the rest of the book is organized into the same scale for
ease of reference, and the symbols (☀ ☂ 🗲 🕱) are used to denote
a particular section’s content. Since it’s expected that things will
tend to deteriorate, you can always read further in each section if
you’re looking for darker material. On the other hand, to keep
things lighter and fluffier, you stick to the earlier parts of each
chapter.
10
The Surge
Threats
Many sections in this and other chapters contain “Threats.” These
short descriptions can be used as Immediate Threats or
Background Issues as per Heroines of the First Age. See page 19 of
Heroines of the First Age for more information.
The Surge
Chaos in A
Aur
uroora!
Wednesday, 10/4/2017
It seems today’s unusual earthquake was not only a national

crisis, but the beginning of an even bigger problem. Local
police are now saying that several unusual creatures are now
loose and rampaging through downtown. So far, no one has
been injured, but dozens of eye-witnesses have reported what
appear to be large horses with bizarre mutations running wild
past Starbucks and McDonalds and taking refuge in the mall…
One day in October, the floodgates opened up and unleashed an

unprecedented phenomena into the world. Some climbed into their
bunkers, others took to the streets with signs—others with firearms.
Some joined the armed forces. Chaos reigned in the early days, and
for a few months few earth-humans were aware that the beings
rushing through the Gates were sentient. The Surge was a classic
watershed moment—and probably the most important one in
history.
11
Worldwide
The first few encounters between “monsters” and humans did not
go well, which is to say that no one had any idea what was coming.
No one was prepared for the sheer panic and fear that could be
roused from the human mind when confronted with beings as
strange as lamia, arachne, cephs, and harpies. So long-forgotten
were they myths old that no one who witnessed the first wave of the
Surge correlated it to ancient legend. By and large, across the entire
world, first contact was chaotic and full of fear. It wasn’t for weeks
that people started realizing that the phenomenon was more than
just a bunch of localized hysteria.
Nevertheless, even after the dots were connected on the internet, it

still took time for nations to admit that the Surge was a global crisis
and that cooperation would be necessary. Many countries were
content to handle the situation as they wished, without the
interference of outsiders.
Stateside
While it may seem like the vast majority of demi-humans are
appearing in the United States, this is a kind of survivorship bias:
we know of more demi-humans in the US because more demi-
humans make it into the media here. There are plenty of
newcomers arriving in Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, the
South Pacific, and even Antarctica, but none of these regions are
12
The Surge
sensationalizing the phenomenon quite as much as we are here.

And while America is no longer the super power it once was, it still
has considerable weight to throw behind issues that mean a lot to
its people. This has translated to a hugely diverse set of reactions to
the Surge from corporations, governmental bodies, politicians,
celebrities, and common people. Unregulated news outlets have
fueled the fires of fear and hatred while local city councils have
simultaneously taken steps to secure their metropolitan areas and
accommodate the unique biology of the newcomers. The times they
are a changin.
Government
Due to the chaos caused by the past few years of political turmoil
(not all of which was caused by the Surge) the official positon of the
United States Federal Government is complicated and
everchanging. Bills are being negotiated, passed, blocked, and
overturned on the topic of integration, with a whole new political
cross section appearing across party lines to further complicate
matters. Moves have been made to begin organizing a new third
party for proponents of integration, but it’s being mired in pushes
to make the party more focused on the complete and abject failures
of the Democratic and Republican parties.
No constitutional amendments or federal bills have been passed on

the topic of the actual basic rights of demi-humans. Demi-human
rights are currently subject to the whim of the local jurisdiction,
making America a very complicated place for newcomers. The case
of a beating of a demi-human by a human that one judge would
convict over might be completely thrown out by his colleague.
Traveling from one part of the country makes little difference
either, the divisions between detractors and proponents are so new
that they haven’t coagulated into regional allegiances yet. And since
there’s no federal oversight, everyone’s essentially free to make their
own rules.
13
Corporate Interests
Certain outlets of popular media would have you believe that all the
demi-humans who come through the Gates are poor and bereft of
belongings and wealth. The truth is substantially more complicated
than that. While many Newcomers arrive with little more than
what they could carry, there are lots of companies that are willing
and able to make money with, for, or on these demi-humans. Pawn
shops are making an absolute killing by ripping off newcomers for
their gold, jewelry, and other foreign artifacts, which they often
turn around and sell to super-rich investors and collectors. Jobs are
hard for many newcomers because they’re not used to the strict
adherence to the many laws and social customs of the USA, but
since many demi-humans have fantastical physical abilities, they
can often find work in unusual niches in the labor market. Medical
companies are interested both in how to make medicines to sell to
demi-humans, and what new discoveries can be made from demi-
humans. And unfortunately, there are a number of unscrupulous
cartels that are more than willing to help a poor unfortunate
newcomer find a job. That many of these people end up in slavery is
of no concern to them—there’s no law against it, after all.
Religion & Spirituality

The appearance of the Gates, the rediscovery of magic, and the
existence of supernatural beings and powers has somehow
managed to cement both belief in, and denial against God. Some
schools of thought believe that the very existence of “magic,” that is,
things which cannot be explained by science, is more than enough
evidence for the existence of God. What it does not seem to prove
is which god. All popular religions have laid claim to this proof,
though to date no specific religious miracles have occurred to
validate one religion over another. The same evidence has also led
to resurgence in ancient faiths, obscure cults, and new-age
religions. Additionally, small churches to the gods of Otherworld
have begun cropping up where demi-humans gather, but these are
invariably short-lived affairs plagued by vandalism and violence.
14
The Surge
Otherworld
Because the many demi-human races of who have come to the US
have languages just as diverse as those of Earth, it has been hard to
come up with a useful label for the world they come from except
“Otherworld.” Exacerbating this is the fact that most demi-human
cultures in Otherworld translate the word for their homeworld as
“Earth.” Otherworld has mostly stuck among the US population,
though in many cases of law the term used is “The Alternate Planet
Earth.” The acronym TAPE has become emblematic of bureaucracy
standing in the way of demi-human integration.
Otherworld itself is widely touted as a terrible place, a world nearly

every civilized creature would want to take refuge from. There are
no complete accounts of Otherworld; for all intents and purposes it
seems to be more of a chaotic mix of closely linked sub-worlds,
each of which is ruled by its own nefarious leader. Some cultures
are described as seeming pleasant or even utopian on the surface,
but the consensus is that every one of them is rife with conflict and
violence, either beneath the surface, or in plain daylight. Refugees
and immigrants from Otherworld report innumerable evils,
including tyranny, slavery, dark sorcery, concentration camps,
genocide, and even darker, unmentionable things.
The Gates
Everybody knows that if there had been one single Gate from
Otherworld, the US would have bombed it into oblivion. Such as it
was, that wasn’t possible. The Gates are many, shifting, and hard to
even recognize with modern technology, let alone close. Earth is
pretty much stuck dealing with demi-humans, but whether they’re
treated as invaders, interlopers, or refugees is up to those they come
in contact with.
In the years since the first Gates started appearing, several agencies
have put together task forces that specialize in dealing with
intrusions, including the Gate Entry Task Force, Guàiwù zhífǎ
15
bùmén, and others. For some communities, even that isn’t enough.
They have put together their own neighborhood watch programs
and private militia.
A less-reported issue involving the Gates is the increase in their

frequency. Statistical evidence suggests that Gate events are
accelerating, rather than declining. Considering that there are
already millions of demi-humans in the United States alone, this
increase could soon represent a major issue for the stability of the
country and its ability to provide for those living in it.
16
The Surge
17
The New Divide

In only a few short years, it has become difficult to remember the
times before the only thing on the news was the “integration
argument.” It fills the airwaves and screens every hour of the day
here in the US, to the point that other priorities are suffering from
being put aside.
The New Divide (coined by the influential book of the same name
by Kerra Dylan) is a complex thing. While it is definitely one of the
most momentous events in recorded history, sweeping away what
we thought we knew about almost every subject in science, religion,
and philosophy, it is also true that the sensationalism has been
taken to the extreme. Rather than sitting down to work out the
issues, most politicians have taken to using the New Divide as a
way to antagonize “the other side.” Meanwhile, normal people are
trying to figure out how to deal with day to day lives where it’s
almost impossible to sort out meaningful problems from invented
or conflated issues or outright lies.
Note: When discussing the New Divide, it’s important to remember

not to make gross generalizations of either side. Many people base
their beliefs on what little information they have, and there are
millions of voices screaming for their attention every minute of the
day. A lot of folks may fit into one camp or the other without
directly talking about or acting on their beliefs, and many are able
to be civil even to those who don’t believe as they do.
Detractors
Slang: Defenders, Humanists, Resistance, Bigots, Racists
Detractors disagree with integration. Some are actively working to

protect human culture and development while others are more
aggressive about ridding the nation of those they call “invaders.” A
large portion of detractors simply don’t feel comfortable around
demi-humans, often citing things like the uncanny valley and
18
The Surge
natural responses to other species. A lot of these people are

offended by claims that they are racist, especially those who are
simply waiting for evidence either way on demi-human behavior.
On the other hand, there are also detractors who are vitriolic,
hateful, and violent. They may make trouble for demi-humans in
their daily lives, post inflammatory remarks online, or even assault
or abuse demi-humans they come across. Because demi-humans
lack the same rights as humans in the eyes of the law in a lot of
places across the US, these assaults are not usually handled with the
seriousness and speed that cases of human-on-human violence are
handled with. Though this is often because the legal situation has to
be sorted out first by the lawyers, a lot of integration proponents
blame all these cases on racist police forces and corruption.
Corrupt police forces that do actually ignore demi-human cases
support their brethren in solidarity, often cementing the “us-versus-
them” attitude that is driving a wedge between the people of earth.
There are a number of approaches that detractors put forth.
• Border EnfEnfoorcem
cemenent:
t: The USA should withdraw troops from
abroad to defend our home soil. Military budgets should be
spent on developing ways to predict, catch, and detain any
creature that attempts to Gate into the United States. Newcomers
must be vetted.
• Non-H
n-Humumaan EExi
xile:
le: No non-humans should be permitted within
the United States. All those who are here are here illegally, and
should be deported or exiled. We owe invaders nothing.
• Zer
eroo R
Rig
igh
hts: Non-human invaders are just that, not human.
They have no rights at all, and therefore land owners are fully
within their own rights to trap them, capture them, or shoot
them on sight. Furthermore, every one of them that arrives takes
precious resources away from our own people.
Proponents
Slang: Bleeding Hearts, Hearts, Bleeders, Beastlovers, Satanists
19
Proponents agree with integration. They believe that (at some

point, at least) humans and demi-humans can get along, and that
America is strong enough to support both populations. They point
to the fact that America is and has always been a melting-pot of
cultures, and that studies have shown that immigrants have often
brought with them a wave of innovation and industry. While not all
proponents are comfortable around all demi-humans, they’re
usually willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt. Detractors
have a lot of insults for proponents of course, but even those who
aren’t insulting claim that proponents are being incredibly naive if
they think that demi-humans can integrate into American society
at the drop of a hat.
Not all proponents have the best interests of the people in mind,
however. There are a lot of hypocrites, swindlers, and fraudsters in
the ranks of the proponents. They know that there’s a lot of money
to be made in dealing with this situation, either through providing
expensive stopgap solutions to urgent problems, by taking money
for the protection of demi-human refugees, or through back-room
deals with corporations that have a stake in the demi-human
integration game. A number of these people have secret ties to
companies and politicians that are unabashed detractors.
There are a number of approaches that proponents discuss.
• Staged IImmig
mmigrarattio
ion:
n: To prevent damage to property,
misunderstandings, and dangerous standoffs, newcomers should
be gathered into immigration zones where they can be taught
what to expect in on Earth and in the United States. There they
would also be able to formally apply for immigration or refugee
status.
• Cultura
urall A
Amn
mnes
estty : We should take a stance of forgiveness and
accept these refugees. We should do our best to comfort them,
educate them, and learn from them. We should create
sanctuaries and neighborhoods where they can participate in
their own cultural expressions, rather than paint them over with
our own opinions.
• Welfa
lfarre & WWeelco
lcomme P Prrog
ogra
ram
ms: We are legally obligated by UN
treaties to offer certain protection to refugees, but this is only the
20
The Surge
barest minimum we can do. These people deserve sympathy and

respect, and its morally wrong to treat them like second-class
citizens. We should create federal programs to help them
integrate and settle in the USA, because that’s what a decent
person would do.
The Third Side
Opinions differ on whether the Third Side actually exists. Forum

threads and pundits alike have raged a over the semantics of
whether one can truly be neutral in the battle between detractors
and proponents of demi-human integration. Some argue that
everyone is fundamentally either for or against integration, and that
every opinion can be boiled down to a basic “in or out,” meaning
that there can be no Third Side. On the other hand, some say that
it’s quite possible to feel the jury is still out, that we don’t have
enough information. Others point out that this complex and
volatile problem isn’t so easily understood or discussed, and that
our early opinions will simply be extensions of our inherent biases
and preconceptions, having nothing to do with the eventual “right
answer.” Some even feel that integration is such a complex and
difficult problem that only those with specialized or expert
technical knowledge on the subject should be trusted with the
decision, not unlike medical or scientific professionals.
Collateral Damage
There are a number of groups of humans who feel that the hue and
cry raised over integration is an insult to the decades of work they
put in for their own causes. Some are frustrated that demi-human
rights movements are getting as much backing and being taken as
seriously as they are so quickly when their own rights are still not
supported. Some people with disabilities feel snubbed that changes
are being made for demi-humans so easily and readily, while others
throw their anger at the politicians who use these programs as a
way to win more voters. Another important subset of Americans
frustrated by the situation are the demi-humans who were already
21
living in the States in secret, who subsequently had their lives

turned upside down by the Surge and are now forced to either
remain hidden or answer some very uncomfortable questions.
Technology & Magic

Despite what some internet commentators have said, there is no
effect that causes technology to fail in the presence of magic; the
two are not incompatible in any way. In fact, certain cultures from
Otherworld had access to various technologies far more advanced
than our own. Nevertheless, modern “Earth” technology
consistently seems to surprise and confound newcomers, just as
newcomer magic confounds the minds of earthfolk.
Social Media
Social media, ironically, is one of the technologies that newcomers
find the most comprehensible. Because most of them come from
cultures and lands where one’s reputation was one’s livelihood,
social media seems merely like an extended, expanded version of
the same kind of social environment they’re used to navigating. Of
course, the specifics of platforms, networks, devices, and media
present a different challenge, but the core concepts and impetus
remains familiar enough.
What usually trips up newcomers is the availability of that data.

Few realize how readily accessible their data is to those they don’t
know, nor do they recognize the risks of talking about unpopular
opinions or the dangers of discussing criminal acts online, and are
quite surprised to find the police pursuing such investigations.
Many liken this to a form of thought-police.
Magic Systems
While most scientists observing the magic produced by the
newcomers agree that these phenomena can’t be explained by
22
Technology & Magic
current scientific theories, none would concede that these

phenomenon can’t be explained by any system. After all, most
magic users claim that there is some kind of methodology to
producing magic. What confounds scientists more is the apparent
dissimilarity between the systems of magic so far observed.
Contrary to their expectations, few utilize similar underlying
principles, so knowledge of one system of magic doesn’t in any way
translate to knowledge in another area. The same, obviously, is true
of science.
The observation and cataloguing of magic systems has already

proven useful in practical application though. Because magic
systems seem to be cultural in nature, their effects (as far as they
can be correlated to the system that produced them) can be used to
narrow down the list of suspects in a crime. While the police don’t
understand much about the magic they’re enforcing, they’ve
certainly collected a lot of data about the outcomes, and they’re
starting to get a handle on the differences between one system and
another.
Natural Magic
Not all magic comes from practiced instruction or can be easily
explained in terms of how it works. Such magic is sometimes called
“natural” magic because it’s used more like a personal skill than a
series of complex calculations or predefined incantations. Such
magic is the most annoying for both scientists and for law
enforcement, because it can be completely unique to the being that
wields it. Once the source can be determined, it becomes much
simpler to ascribe magical activity to the caster, but determining
the source is usually impossible without firsthand evidence or
observation.
Scientifically, natural magic is the most offensive to rational minds

because it usually only follows its own rules. This fact keeps
physicists up at night.
23
Firearms & War Machines

Many an internet flame war has raged over how the US armed
forces would fare if they were to counter-invade Otherworld, but
the simple fact of the matter is that demi-humans are usually
tougher than humans. Several newsworthy demonstrations have
shown that tougher specimens are more on par with armored
vehicles than soldiers when it comes to durability and strength.
While demi-humans aren’t at all “immune to bullets” the way some
claim, they are often much harder to bring down than would be
expected. When asked about it, most demis give the same kind of
“we’re used to it” response that those with a knowledge of weapons
or firearms regards as “not remotely how that works.”
Demi-Human Needs
Demi-humans generally eat more than humans do, perhaps
because of an increased metabolic rate. Some demi-humans can
consume truly prodigious meals. Some don’t have specific dietary
restrictions or needs, but it seems like a majority do, with that
percentage growing over time as more and more unusual vitamin
deficiencies are diagnosed among the demi-human population.
Often, these dietary needs relate to the environment the demi-
human evolved in, ranging from substances in fruit and meat not
available on Earth to plants that has ever heard of. More extreme
needs have also been observed, like utter dependency on crystalline
mineral deposits, sunlight for photosynthesis, and even human
blood.
Other demi-humans have requirements that aren’t nutritional:

harpies don’t do well unless they have room to flap around and
access to the outside where they can fly, for example. Other species
need certain temperatures or humidity levels, or have an
unfortunate tendency to ruin carpets and hardwood, like the slimy
cephs.
24
Global Immediate Threats
Some demi-humans come directly to their local government,

medical facility, or even grocery or hardware store in search of what
they need, but others try less socially acceptable methods to get,
particularly if social stigmas, financial issues, or logistical problems
stand in the way of getting what they need through legitimate
means. Obviously, not all needs are met by the offerings on today’s
market, leading more to crime for the sake of survival.
Money & Jobs

Because social security numbers and other documents are often
needed for various financial activities, many demi-humans find
themselves limited in the kinds of purchases they can make and the
ways they can earn money. Few businesses pay their employees in
cash these days, so it can be hard to get started in America. Because
people tend to judge demi-humans based on their appearance,
those who are more similar to humans or are more attractive are
more likely to stumble into someone who is willing to help them.
Intimidating creatures have a much harder time not just with
getting a job, but with banking, shopping, and socializing, opening
up a whole new rift of underground activity. At least in the States
there are no laws preventing demi-humans from holding a job.
Overseas, one can find many restrictions on the activities of demi-
humans.

These are the initial issues that the PCs have to deal with.
Remember that they are problems to be tackled, not just
background events.
It’s important to note that any of these themes can easily be

“dropped” to a darker part of the scale. It’s not as easy to elevate the
darker elements to lighter levels, but it can also be done.
25
☀ Hilarity Ensues
• Cookin ingg ffoor E
Evver
eryyone iiss H
Haard: A lot of terrible things can
happen in the kitchen. Maybe someone has no manners, or
doesn’t know how to not start a fire, or you have trouble keeping
the fridge stocked, every meal is a battle to be won, or the one
who likes to cook is an utterly lethal chef. Did we mention that
onions are toxic to all canids?
• Stra
rainin
iningg tthhe BBudg
udget:
et: If it’s expensive to be poor, it’s doubly so to
be a poor demi-human, especially with a household of people
who only have a loose grasp of American finances. Hide the
credit cards and don’t tell anyone about Amazon.
• Romance En Enssues: Isn’t it cute when n eleven-hundred pound
half-spider almost crushes the object of her affections? Or when
an overconfident outlander strips naked in the middle of the
mall food court while wooing a sweetheart? Of course it is.
• Stayin
ingg Em
Emp plo
loyyed IIsn
sn’’t E
Eaasy Ei
Eitther
er:: Gas stations aren’t exactly
made for centaurs. Orcs sometimes give into cravings in the
checkout at the grocery store. It’s super hard for catfolk models
to stay awake under those nice warm lights. And that’s not even
mentioning your coworkers.
• Dr
Drin
inkkin
ingg wwiith DDemi-H
emi-Hum umaans iiss D
Daangereroous: While oni can hold
their liquor better than anyone, a drunk oni is a walking disaster
area. Nevermind taking the vampire or the succubus to the bar,
we’re not having a repeat of the police station party again.
☂ Crapsaccharine
• Subtle Di
Disscr
crimin
iminaatio
ion:
n: Maybe it’s funny the first time that
someone thinks that every angel is nice or that every gigasborn
is tough as nails or that every ox is lactating all the time. But it’s
not that funny the seventeenth time just that afternoon. Not to
mention the other things people think about demi-humans.
• US C Coonstitutio
ion
nal A
Ammenendm
dmen
ents:
ts: It’s surprising to newcomers
how good Americans are at making laws that so completely miss
the point. It’s not surprising to Americans, newcomers just aren’t
as used to navigating the bullshit.
26
• Mandatory R Reeeduc
ucaatio
ion:
n: Sure, it’s helpful to participate in
society and to work towards fitting in. No one’s begrudging you
that, you hope. But it’s a whole other matter when it turns out
that there’s no regulation of what kind of education facilities are
required to provide. You don’t need damnation, you need a job.
• Law Enf
Enfoorcem
cemen
ent:
t: For some critters, like arachnes, mimics, and
cephs, it’s hard to just look normal. You’re either skulking about
suspiciously (while trying to stay out of the way of people on the
sidewalk) or you’re needlessly disturbing the peace (while trying
to get through the gawkers and picture-takers to check out at
Target).
• Poverertty : Americans don’t know how good they’ve got it. We
don’t even get access to the social welfare programs offered to
immigrants and refugees. If you can manage to convince
someone to give you a job, maybe you can avoid hanging out in
the hobo camps.
• Clim
limaate CChhange: Sure, ultimately, there hasn’t been a huge loss of
life because of the Surge. Mostly, life continues on in roughly the
same way it always has, cities and workers and the wealthy and
the whole bit. But this world has its own impending problems of
a more insidious nature than newcomers are used to dealing
with.
🗲 Black Humor
• Othererwworld: The Alternate Planet Earth was a hellhole so unreal
that stories of it sound like the plot of a heavy metal concept
album. A few newcomers with a talent for writing have become
quite famous telling stories of their homelands, but nobody
remembers it fondly to say the least.
• Corruptio ion:
n: While it’s not as hammy or as physically violent as
in Otherworld, there’s plenty of evil here in the US. To a lot of
newcomers, the whole world seems like an parade of duplicitous
liars and backstabbers. The worst part is that you never get used
to it; every time someone betrays your trust, you say to yourself
“I should have known better this time.”
• Desesp
pera
erattio
ion:
n: When you’ll do anything to get what you need, you
have this weird tendency to end up in embarrassing situations.
27
Sometimes it’s not so bad, but sometimes it doesn’t matter how

desperate you are, you’re going to have to make do without.
• Cr
Crim
ime:
e: There are a lot of demi-humans who end up in lives of
crime for various reasons. Some aren’t that good at it and end up
in ridiculous capers. Others only do what they must and even
occasionally turn themselves in afterwards. As with humans,
only a few are really bad, but those are the ones you have to
watch out for.
• Customs EnfEnfoorcem
cemen
ent:
t: Being chased across the country simply
for existing is pretty terrifying by itself, but the horror of the
situation is somewhat muted by the absurdity of how often these
agencies don’t know what to do with demi-humans they capture.
• Magic in tthhe US: Demi-humans aren’t the only ones causing
problems. Since people started hearing about magic a few years
ago people all over the world have been trying to harness it to
make money or do bad things or both. Since they don’t have the
experience to back it up, things often go horribly wrong with
these schemes.
🕱 Absolute Terror
• Adult F Feear: Even real live monsters have nothing on life itself.
Life is the cruelest teacher, the most inevitable killer. Terrible
things happen in life, from betrayal to systemic oppression, hate
crimes, brainwashing and insanity, the loss of children,
powerlessness, and any of these things happening to those you
love.
• Abuse: When you live in a world where minorities have no
representation, you inevitably and routinely see those minorities
taken advantage of. While it may be as limited as simple
bullying, it can also be as ubiquitous as racial segregation or
institutionalized discrimination. Often though, abuse is taken to
mean a very personal type of situation.
• Raci
acism:
sm: Demi-humans face all kinds of racism. While racism
isn’t new to them, the social acceptance and integration of it into
society is. At least in the Otherworld, you were allowed to fight
back. Here, you’re condemned for using violence even to defend
yourself.
28
• Demi-h
emi-humumaan T Tra
raffic
ffickkin
ing:
g: Humans are known for their interest
in the novel, and what could be more novel than strange
humanoids ripped from the pages of myth and legend? Like
exotic pets, demi-humans are valued by some based on their
appearance and pedigree.
• Slaver
eryy: There are those who take the lack of demi-human rights
to its extreme conclusion. Because they are not legally human,
they have no legal protections from those who would capture
them and keep them against their will. Strong ones may be kept
for work or sport, while attractive ones are kept for other
purposes.
• Monster V Viillain
inss & TTer
errrorists: Obviously, there are demi-
humans who do not agree with their treatment here on Earth.
Some of them strike out at the societies they find themselves in,
while others operate within those societies and subvert them
from inside.
• Demi-h
emi-humumaan E Exp
xpererim
imenenttatio
ion:
n: Medicine is big business, and
pharma companies are highly interested in the secrets they
could extract from demi-humans, especially those with unusual
traits or interesting powers. The military industrial complexes of
the world are likewise interested, leading to a whole new kind of
arms race and a New Cold War.
• World W Waar M: Diplomatic relationships have been strained to
the breaking point. Any minute now the New Cold War will boil
over and catch fire. Then, nations across the globe, many of
which who were allies until recently, will take aim at each other
once again.
• Eldr
ldriitch A
Abbomin
minaatioionns: While it’s widely touted that there is no
greater evil than that which lurks in the hearts of people, this is
not the case. Earth, for all its hazards, misfortunes, and
calamities, is a paradise compared to the ruined cinders of
Otherworld. Dark things hold dominion there, things that can
render—and already have rendered—even the greatest heroines
insensate with madness.
29
Terminology
In this politically charged atmosphere, some words and phrases are
considered offensive by some groups, while other terms are
relatively safe.
• Non-h
n-humumaan: Offensive, usually intentionally so.
• Demi-h
emi-hum umaan: Preferred. Sometimes shortened to demi or D.
• Dehu: Hashtag equivalent to demi-human, used among younger
social groups.
• Monster er:: Offensive, but demi-humans are taking ownership of
the word as a term between themselves.
• Newfolk/Nk/Neewcocom
mer
er:: Polite, verging on overly-polite. Used to
describe all demi-humans who arrived in the Surge.
• Shi
hitb
tblo
loood: Extremely offensive. Used only by the most egregious
bigots. Also used for proponents, implying sex acts with demi-
humans.
30
Terminology
31
2019
2019
A new study by the Speculative Biology Research Institute
shows that almost 75% of all demi-humans are involved in
violent crime in their first year on Earth. We talked to Doctor
Karl Brandt of the SBRI, who suggests that physical disabilities
may be causing violence among these refugees. Are we headed
for a new refugee crises? Get the whole story tonight. Watch
the interview at 7 PM eastern time, here on WGLA 5.
Three impeachments in two years, a record number of mega-

storms, government shutdowns, renewed rioting, scandal after
scandal, it sounds run of the mill until you add the sudden influx of
millions of demi-humans into the mix. 2019 is shaping up to be a
fairly big disaster already.
☀ Hilarity Ensues
Do you ever feel like your life has a laugh track that you can’t
hear? Because I sure do.
–James St. Martin, a host for several newcomers
Demi-Friendly Jobs
For most of the Surge, the only jobs that newcomers could get were
either very dangerous, migrant labor style work, or mom-and-pop-
shop type places owned by demi-friendly humans. What these
types of jobs have in common is a lack of corporate oversight and
standardization, allowing the business owners to take advantage of
the influx of newcomer workers. While this is convenient for both
parties, it also means that the business can often avoid paying more
32
☀ Hilarity Ensues
than minimum wage. Some can’t really afford it, while others just
choose to maximize profits since they can.
Especially early on, jobs newcomers were able to get were in no way
optimized for their physical traits. These early jobs were more of
arrangements of desperation than opportunities to find someone
who’s the perfect fit for a position, and so a number of demi-
humans ended up in weird positions, gargoyles working as clerks,
centipedes running deliveries, slimes serving food at hole-in-the-
wall restaurants, that sort of thing. As time goes on, however,
options are slowly opening up to both the business owners (who
now have access to more demi-humans who might have advantages
for the job) and to the newcomers (who are more socially prepared
to find jobs and negotiate).
As of now, larger corporations are finally getting wise to the idea

that they can hire demi-humans. Fast food chains, big box stores,
and grocery stores are all getting in on the action, hoping to turn a
profit before the laws change about how things have to be done.
While this has curtailed the number of destitute and feral demi-
humans, it’s also led to a lot of civil unrest, among those on both
sides of the New Divide. Detractors often want newcomers out of
their stores, while proponents are concerned about the
mistreatment and abuse of the demi-human workers.
Thr
Threeats
• Getting the job was like a hero story all by itself, fraught with
dangers, risks, and gambits and punctuated with mentors and
tribulations. Now that you’ve got the job, it turns out that getting
the job was the easy part.
• All this manual labor is bulking you out in ways you never
expected, let alone wanted. Now you’ve got to figure out how to
balance maintaining your figure as well as your social standing
among peers who sit in comfy chairs all day and type on the
computer.
• Your boss is suddenly and swiftly escorted off the property by
the FBI, his last words being “Ah crap.” Somehow, by virtue of
age, you, the demi-human, are now the most senior member of
33
2019
the staff, at least for the moment. Your human coworkers are
already overreacting.
The Dating Scene

Humans talk about dating like it’s one of the hardest things an adult
can do, but many of them haven’t even spared a thought for how
different things are for lonely demi-humans. Not only are they
thrown into a new culture with new social norms and mores, but
the vast majority of people they interact with aren’t even mentally
prepared to meet them let alone date. That leaves precious few
potential lovers who are stable, sane, and well-adjusted. Many of
the humans who go out looking for romantic relationships with
demi-humans are either looking for someone exotic purely for
aesthetic reasons or fetishize demi-humans to an unhealthy extent.
Unfortunately, there just aren’t that many places where humans and
demi-humans can intermingle in a social setting. Many of the clubs
and bars that permit newcomers quickly become hangouts for them
and end up deserted by their human clientele, contributing to more
aversive racism. Social pressures often prevent humans with open
minds from visiting these establishments, under pain of social
ostracism or stigma.
But finding someone to go out with isn’t the end of the problems.
The social ramifications of interspecies romance can be quite
extreme, on both sides. Even socially progressive friends or family
may find themselves suffering unconscious distaste for the
relationship, and demi-human friends may consider such
relationships betrayals of their people. Dates in public are
invariably the subject of unwanted attention, and sometimes others
interfere (even violently) in order to “save” one party from the
other. It can even get so out of hand that the police are called,
which doesn’t usually go well for the demi-human in question
regardless of what happened or if there was any ill-will at all.
On top of all that, romance with a demi-human can also be

physically complicated, not just because of body shapes and sizes,
34
☀ Hilarity Ensues
but also because many newcomers have vastly different biologies

from their human lovers. Claws, scales, fur, and horns can all
interfere in romantic activities among those inexperienced with
their challenges, and what might seem pleasurable or painful to one
species might be the opposite for another. Even cuddling can be
dangerous, lamia hugs must be executed carefully, and it takes a
special kind of person to be able to endure a ceph’s snuggling.
Thr
Threeats
• You just met this person, and they’re wonderful, but

unfortunately there’s a reason they were crying when you met. It
turns out they’re trying to get out of a bad relationship that’s
only getting worse. Who knows what would happen if you
intervened, but every time you see them together it gets more
tempting.
• What you thought was going to be a nice time with a flirt from
the bar turns into a nightmare when they can’t stop telling all
their friends about you. They won’t call, but instead spend all
their time talking about you on social media. You’re starting to
get the idea that they’re not saying good things.
• Feelings get hurt on both sides when the relationship is strained
by physical complications. Now you’ve both got to figure out
how to forgive each other and yourselves.
Culture Clash
When someone from overseas visits America, they at least have an
idea of what to expect, often drawing from popular music, movies,
books, and internet phenomena. Newcomers have no such
preconceptions. They know nothing about the US, about our
culture, about our memes, mores, values, society or anything else.
They come in as blank slates. What’s more, they don’t usually arrive
expecting to have to change their perceptions so completely to
integrate into our society. Most come through anticipating that
things will be more or less like Otherworld, with perhaps less fire
and brimstone. What they find when they arrive is as different from
their expectations as they are from ours.
35
2019
This can cause problems on all kinds of levels. In some Otherworld

cultures, mates are determined by ritual combat or physical contest,
which is called “assault” in the USA. In other cultures, it’s expected
that the king of a region pays for the upkeep of roads and
sanitation. In the USA, we have taxes for that. While many were
simple farmers and merchants by trade, there are a few that act like
Thor or Conan or Xena, and the others aren’t even phased by their
behavior. Americans, on the other hand, look poorly on bad
manners, public violence, might-makes-right attitudes, and the
kind of physical coercion that so many of them seem to think
demi-humans represent.
A lot of the culture clash comes down to value dissonance between

the societies. As far as anyone can tell, no newcomers hail from
lands anywhere near as corporate, as capitalist, or as bureaucratic as
America. They come from cultures that value glory and bravery
and honor, and none of these words mean the same thing to
American ears. Misunderstandings, miscommunications, and
assumptions are to blame for many embarrassing Youtube
moments.
Thr
Threeats
• You’re not sure how it happened, but everyone’s taking the other
person’s side now. What should have been a simple little brawl
over a lover has turned into a newsworthy event, and your pride
is standing in the way of you making amends.
• One of the most sacred practices from your homeland is
apparently anathema to American society. Whether it’s the raw
meat, nudity on the Sabbath, or the way you style your hair,
people around you have taken offense, and they won’t listen to
your side of the argument.
• The only acceptable outlet for your competitive and combative
side seems to be sports. Unfortunately the only league in your
area is horrified that you’d have the gall to ask to play with them,
especially after how hard you schooled them at their “private”
practice.
36
☀ Hilarity Ensues
Cell Phones and Cars

The two most ubiquitous devices in America are among the most
world-shattering to newcomers. For the price of a few meals, one
can effectively become a wizard, with access to all the knowledge in
the world. For a monthly payment easily supported by a stable job,
one can purchase a vehicle that travels faster than a dragon can fly.
What’s more, nobody is there to explain these devices to
newcomers; natives don’t even realize they’re holding magic in the
palm of their hand when they talk to a mesmerized catfolk or
suspicious wolfkin. Unfortunately, the same story is repeated over
and over again with every newcomer. At least now it’s become a
meme that nice folks try to explain things to newcomers they meet,
but this has the unintended consequence of being quite patronizing
to demi-humans who’ve lived on Earth for more than a few
months—or indeed their entire lives.
While these two pieces of technology are disruptive, they’re not

impossible for newcomers to understand individually. What’s more
of a problem is comprehending how different a world with cars and
cell phones is from a world without one. It’s almost impossible to
hide public events, it’s difficult to keep people in one place if they
want to leave, and many Americans have been further on vacation
than newcomers have ever traveled in their lives. Consequently,
subtle misunderstandings are quite pervasive, and many
humans—even those who consider themselves proponents of
integration—sometimes feel like they’re talking to aliens.
Thr
Threeats
• You just spent a fortune on this new eyefone at the behest of one
your human acquaintances, and only now, after you’ve gotten
your shiny new prize home and signed a blood contract with a
dark lord in a white button-up, have you discovered that your
fingers are simply too big to touch the right buttons.
• One day, quite without warning, you get to the bus to discover
that they’ve removed all the demi-human accessibility options.
When you confront the bus driver, he simply tells you that they
37
2019
did it to all the busses. When you ask who, he simply shrugs and
says “the government?”
• Hitchhiking isn’t well looked upon, even if you’re only doing it
to see all the different kinds of cars, trucks, and other vehicles on
American roads. The police try to explain this to you, but they’re
very bad at it, especially when they’re screaming at the top of
their lungs.
Education
The education level and preparation of newcomers varies
enormously depending on what culture and social class they came
from in the Otherworld. For that reason, many need varying levels
of education to participate in modern Earth society.
Basic Schooling Requirement
BSR is usually aimed at younger demi-humans or young refugees

who don’t yet match an elementary or middle-school level
education. Some times (to their embarrassment) older demi-
humans are told to take BSR classes in order to qualify for later
RCE classes.
BSR classes cover all of the following.
• Reading & Writing

• Basic Mathematics
• Basic Acculturation
BSR classes usually take between 6 months and 2 years. They cost
between $1000 and $10,000.
Remedial Cultural Education
RCE classes are specifically designed to help demi-humans

integrate into society more easily.
38
☀ Hilarity Ensues
RCE courses cover the following topics, usually all at once. The
most important material of each topic is front-loaded to the
beginning of the class.
• World Geography
• Home Economics
• Advanced Acculturation
• Computer Usage
RCE classes are usually structured so that they are useful even if the
student can’t afford to pay for the entire course, which often runs 1
or 2 years. Classes cost between $500 and $15,000 per year
depending on the quality of the staff and facility, but some schools
offer deferred payments or financial assistance so that newcomers
can use the courses to prepare themselves for jobs that allow them
to pay for their education.
College/University
Higher learning facilities have diverse outlooks on inviting in demi-

human students. Public and state-run schools are often more open
to newcomers than private ones, though private universities also
have more advanced and specialized programs for demi-humans.
A 2 year college usually covers only 1-2 of the following courses,

while a 4 year may cover up to 3-4+ depending on the quality of the
establishment. Part of attending college is the exposure to a wide
number of different courses, so you may also pick a couple fields
you’ve got tangential knowledge of. Notably, demi-humans that
attend college are vastly more prepared for life on Earth than those
that do not, as it trains the mind in the culture of the area as well as
the skills of the courseware.
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Communication
• Computer Science
• Education
39
2019
• Engineering
• Architecture
• Healthcare
• Medicine
• Math
• Science
• Psychology
• Social and Protective Service
• Visual Arts
• Performing Arts
Going to university usually costs between $10,000 and $60,000 per

year depending on the in-state/out-of-state/foreign-student policies
of the location and the quality of the program. Financial assistance
is offered to help students pay for their educations. To calculate
your monthly student loan payment, divide the amount of your
loan by 100. This is your monthly loan payment for 10 years.
Thr
Threeats
• For some reason, every time you try to talk to a human, they
burst out laughing at you. When you ask them why, most refuse
to answer or are glib about it. You’re beginning to suspect that
learning English from cartoons wasn’t the best idea.
• It was easy to figure out what major to take at university in order
to learn the skills you wanted. What wasn’t easy to understand is
that your major has almost no bearing on the kinds of jobs you’ll
get later on in the real world. When you complain about this to
humans you know, they commiserate with you. It’s good you
have something in common, but you’d rather they’d have just
told you from the beginning.
• There’s someone in your class who isn’t all there. It could be a
human or a demi-human, but either way they’re “that weird one”
in the class. Now the weird one is targeting you. They follow you
around a lot and are sometimes caught mumbling about you. In
their locker are pictures of you photoshopped into superhero
clothes.
40
☂ Crapsaccharine
☂ Crapsaccharine
Humans act like our powers and abilities instantly and
completely nullify any hardships we endure.
I hit my head on a low-hanging door hard enough to crack the

frame. People are like, “Oh, you’re a monster. You’ll be fine. You
all are tough like that.”
And no, thanks, I needed stitches and they kept me under

observation for a concussion. So yeah. Being a huge tough
demon is great, thanks. I’d never be so rude as to wish that
things were a little easier on us, heavens no.
–Anonymous Oni from the first wave, from an interview in a

hospital
The World is Made of Cardboard

There is one trait that really divides humans and demi-humans.
While the term “demi” seems to imply “half ” or “sub” human, in
truth it should be interpreted as “part.” Demi-humans are part
human, part something else. Something more. Demi-humans, on
the whole, are faster, stronger, and tougher than humans are. Even
among the weakest individuals, their physical abilities are
surprisingly notable. Demi-human children have accidentally hurt
their friends with their uncontrolled strength, and adult demi-
humans must be very careful indeed to keep from destroying
property or severely injuring those around them. Even those demi-
humans who are nearly on par with humans for physical strength
have other attributes that far outstrip humans. While a young
catfolk might not be as strong as a bodybuilder, she might be able
to run faster than olympic sprinter if she were so inclined.
And besides strength and endurance, many demi-humans have

characteristics that just make them more dangerous to be around
41
2019
than baseline humans: take for example the claws of a dragonewt,

the paralytic gaze of a medusa, or the venom of a centipede.
These are all things that a demi-human has to be constantly careful

with that humans never even have to think about. And for that
matter, many newcomers are likewise not used to thinking about
themselves as potentially dangerous, as many are from societies
where the heroes and heroines are far stronger and more powerful
than themselves. All told, there’s a reason humans are cautioned
against hugging newcomer demi-humans.
Thr
Threeats
• Most of the time, it’s fairly easy to fix or replace things you break
around the house: door knobs, pens, plates, etc. This isn’t one of
those times. Now you’ve broken the refrigerator somehow. You
have no cooler or anything to keep your food cold, and even if
you did, the repair men said you’re going to have to order a new
one anyway, and that’ll take days.
• While turning around, you accidentally walked through a wall.
Now the building superintendent is trying to have you thrown
in jail and to top it off your insurance doesn’t cover “acts of
God.”
• Some small-time crooks are trying to get you to join them for a
“smash and grab” run. While you’re not familiar with the term, it
sounds like something Americans would consider illegal.
Nevertheless, the crooks won’t leave you alone.
Shills
The smart and cunning among the first groups of newcomers
realized right away that this world was not prepared for them, nor
they for it. Some of these first newcomers made names for
themselves by allying with corporations or political bodies in
exchange for money and protection. These demi-humans are
treated with suspicion by most other newcomers, but make an
excellent living acting as emissaries of Otherworld to the United
States and beyond. Naive demi-humans aspire to the wealth and
42
☂ Crapsaccharine
prestige they see in the shills, while suspicious demi-humans are

more likely to feel betrayed by the shills’ lack of solidarity with their
own people. Resentment is growing for these “plastic-demis.”
Life isn’t a bed of roses for the shills either, however. Since they
entered contracts before anyone knew anything about demi-human
legal protections, they’re almost entirely owned by the corporations
they signed with. Only a very small number are clever enough to
play the corporations off each other in order to retain some
freedom.
The other kind of shill is the one who whole-heartedly joins human
society. Like others, they’re just trying to make the best of the cards
life has dealt them, but other demi-humans begrudge them their
easy transitions. Not everyone falls into the right situation to
become a police officer or lawyer right out of the Gate.
Thr
Threeats
• You meet your idol for the first time and the first thing you
notice is that she’s completely different in person. Instead of the
bright, sparkly, chipper demi-girl the media knows and loves,
she’s tired, distracted, and disappointed. She does her best
though, even if she has to sneak away to relieve her stress with
illicit activities sometimes.
• Ferica the quetzalcoatl had a nice life with a very accepting
human boyfriend and a close circle of human friends. That all
changed when someone used magic to brainwash her for a
night. Now she can’t face any of them and she’s too depressed to
be able to figure out who did it an why.
• Dendrobia, a famous Orchid demi-human, has slowly shifted
stances to the detractor camp. Now she has written a book that
detractors around the world are holding up as a defense against
racism. Nobody knows why Dendrobia would have written such
a vile book, nor what happened to her to make her change sides.
43
2019
ADRI
The American Demi-Human Rights Initiative (usually pronounced
like “Audrey”) is a political organization working to get demi-
humans included in the definitions of human rights. While it seems
like an obvious and straightforward task, the complexity of politics
has essentially quashed their efforts. ADRI has now taken several
different directions all at once in an attempt to outmaneuver the
problem. They’ve started pushing for ever more extreme legislation,
not because they hope to actually pass it, but because setting an
expectation high makes it easier to people fall back to a more
moderate—but still favorable—stance. They’ve funded numerous
clinics, law offices, and other small social service programs across
the states. They’ve started aid programs for foreign countries that
don’t have the resources to deal with the sudden influx of
newcomers.
All told, ADRI sounds like one of the most forthright groups in the
political arena around the New Divide, but it’s not all sunshine and
rainbows. ADRI supporters are growing frustrated with the utter
opposition to basic human decency they’re experiencing. Already
violence is erupting in the more contentious parts of the country,
which isn’t going to help legitimize their cause.
Meanwhile, in the background, the bureaucrats who work for the

Initiative are being run absolutely ragged trying to gain funding
and support, but it’s slowly taking hold. Some of the most clever
people in the business (and no small number of Shills) are working
on cementing ADRI as a powerful new federal task force, their goal
being to eventually enforce much more strict anti-discrimination
laws.
Thr
Threeats
• ADRI clinics are popping up more and more frequently, but

they’re not doing well. As an almost universal target for hate
speech, the more of them that go up the more people blame the
44
☂ Crapsaccharine
violence around them not on the racist perpetrators but on the

existence of demi-humans themselves.
• Social welfare programs just put into place are falling apart as
support for them in the government erodes. Many politicians
are finding that being a good person just isn’t good business, and
that they’re losing money and votes from the detractors in their
constituency, who are often louder and more impassioned than
their proponent rivals.
• A small-time robbery that happened at an ADRI safehouse and
ended in a shootout has brought public support for ADRI to an
all time low, mostly thanks to a complete news blitz by the
conservative media to paint this happening as a vicious battle
between savage monsters. The reality, that this was simply a drug
deal gone bad having nothing to do with demi-humans, is
completely ignored by much of the press.
Trashland
Funded by ADRI and a number of other proponent organizations,
the Las Sirenas Artificial Islands are a small atoll of specks off the
coast of California universally known as Trashland. They are
composed mostly of inert material contributed from California’s
various recycling and landfill programs, as well as a number of
dredging operations, and are topped with a chaotic mess of Gate-
imported plants and animals intended to mimic some of the lands
of Otherworld. Ever-growing, Trashland was intended as a kind of
new Ellis Island for demi-human refugees, who could take time to
reeducate themselves in American culture, or simply stay there
permanently.
As with most programs designed to make the newcomers feel at

home, Trashland has abjectly failed at its intended goal. No
technologies were ever found to be able to redirect the Gates to Las
Sirenas, so immigration has remained uncontrolled. On the other
hand, Trashland is still an appealing place for demi-humans, but
not as a transitional home. Instead, it’s seen as a kind of oasis or
promised land, where they don’t need to act like Americans or
participate in other cultures if they don’t want to.
45
2019
Trashland is now more like Burning Man than Ellis Island. A

thousand Otherworld cultures mingle with appropriated and
abused artifacts of Earth cultures, spanning miles of ramshackle,
sunny architectural creativity. The whole affair is run by a
Community Committee drawn from the hundreds of independent
cliques, families, clans, compounds, and tribes. Mostly, the CC sees
to continued air and sea travel to mainland Cali, in order to
transport more food, goods, and newcomers to the “monster
heaven” of the Las Sirenas Artificial Islands.
Thr
Threeats
• Yachts and liners are circling, offering wealthy tourists helicopter

rides over the islands for an exorbitant fee. Mirroring old British
safaris, they even offer guides who can point out the various
types and attributes of the demi-humans as they fly over. The
Committee is preparing their first Air Force, composed of
harpies, angels, hawks, and succubi.
• A very fancy and expensive cruise ship has run aground on the
atoll, leaving all 5000 passengers and crew stranded on an island
full of nearly feral demi-humans. While the staff act as
negotiators, many passengers are nervously awaiting rescue,
being too scared to leave the partially sunken vessel. Meanwhile,
factions among the demi-humans are arguing over whether they
should loot all the food from the ship.
• A young werewolf appears on the atoll and is adopted
immediately as a kind of mascot, since she’s apparently the first
demi-human to be Gated directly into Trashland. The many
cultures are quietly warring over who claims her and meanwhile
the girl herself is going about her mission: assess the political
situation of the Las Sirenas Artificial Islands, report to her
corporate superiors, and prepare for destabilization of the
Community Committee.
46
🗲 Black Humor
🗲 Black Humor
The driver waved the golem back into the car before flooring
it. “The hell you doin’, man? Shooting at the cops? We gotta get
outta here!”
“I did not shoot at the cops, they shot at me. It’s not my fault
that their bullets ricochet.”
“This was a terrible fucking idea.”
“I’m fine by the way.”
Gate Entry Task Force

While the federal government hasn’t handled the Surge well by any
measure, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a number of steps
and actions taken. One of the very first was the founding of the
GETF, a new agency under the Department of Homeland Security.
Analogous to ICE, the GETF exists to neutralize threats presented
by the appearance of Gates on US soil. This is task is tremendously
complicated, not only because of the jurisdiction and legal hoops to
jump through, but also because of how poorly understood the
Gates are and how random their locations are.
As time goes on, the powers granted to the GETF expand, at times
with alarming speed. Already it has jurisdiction over a surprising
number of cases and has powers that seem only tangentially related
to its mission. On top of this, their confidence in dealing with
demi-humans has increased as well, meaning that they often enter
situations with a level of cockiness and disrespect that quickly leads
to violence.
Thr
Threeats
• Given their reputation and what the others tell you about the
GETF, the man who came across you doesn’t seem to fit the bill.
47
2019
He was nice, courteous, and helpful, having directed you to a

number of useful resources when you first met. He checks in
from time to time to see if you need anything, but everyone else
around you is telling you to get away from him.
• Somehow you’ve made a new friend at the GETF. You have no
idea how he knows you or what he’s tracking you for, but he’s
doggedly determined, and he keeps leaving messages that he’ll
be seeing you soon. Asking him what this is all about isn’t really
in the cards at this point, since he put your face out on an APB.
• Getting captured by the GETF is one thing, but it’s a completely
different thing when you get captured from the GETF by the
local police. What started as a accident has now snowballed into
a federal standoff with the GETF besieging the police station as
the brave cops inside try to keep you from getting sniped. All
over an accident.
Citizen Patrol
Of course, it started innocently enough, with various
Neighborhood Watch members collaborating over the internet to
help deal with Gates that appeared in urban areas. Fueled by
paranoia and fear, and given voice by a number of conservative
forums, Citizen Patrol quickly became much more than that. Now
it is likened to the KKK, except even more hilariously incompetent
and confused. For reasons no one knows, they were among the first
organizations in the modern news era to receive coverage that was
almost universally flippant and dismissive.
While the Citizen Patrol is widely known for their suspicion and
fear of demi-humans, their members are usually non-violent.
Rather than seeking out “monsters” to harass, they tend to focus on
(ill-conceived) methods for keeping away from them. Their forums
are full of hate speech but rarely suggest employing force. Security
firms and prepper construction companies are making a killing on
this newly-expanded market.
Thr
Threeats
48
🗲 Black Humor
• The Citizen Patrol is on to you. They know where you live, and
they’re “not afraid to take steps.” What’s annoying is that you’ve
lived here longer than they have. You remember the neighbors
who moved out before they moved in, and they were nice folks.
Now these Patrol assholes can’t stop leaving you letters,
warnings, and notes in your mail, even though you’ve never seen
one of them in person.
• This is getting out of hand. Now they’ve posted pictures of you
on the internet, inviting others to come and harass you. They’ve
also erected a barbed-wire fence around their yard, and the dogs
keep getting stuck on it. You can’t go over to free them because
the Patrol members would probably shoot you on sight. Your
neighbors are getting worried too; property values are sinking.
• You receive an ultimatum: leave the neighborhood or there will
be consequences. It’s been issued on what looks like real police
letterhead, but you’re fairly sure that Sgt. Meyer wouldn’t have
permitted such a crass threat. Maybe they’ve got someone on the
inside, but it’s hard to tell what’s going on since nobody ever sees
these alleged neighbors.
Kemono Clubs
Skirting the grim edge between social generosity and moral
bankruptcy, kemono clubs are (mostly overseas) establishments
that employ demi-humans purely for the spectacle. These
establishments run the gamut from quiet, restrained cafes to freak-
show style carnivals to gentlemen’s clubs that focus exclusively on
sex appeal. Kemono clubs, by definition, are places where staff are
hired and work of their own free will. While some put pressure on
their staff for various reasons, anything beyond what would be legal
for a human is defined as a “kennel club” instead.
What kemono clubs have in common is the strategic use of demi-

human appearance and traits for the amusement and entertainment
of human clientele. The form of entertainment and the social
acceptability of the activities offered are up to the management of a
given establishment. While the proprietors of kemono clubs claim
that they’re doing both demi-humans and humans a service by
49
2019
employing the former and introducing them to the latter, a lot of

integration proponents (especially in the USA and Europe) aren’t so
comfortable with the idea of putting people on display solely
because they’re different. Nevertheless, it’s impossible to generalize
to all of these clubs because they vary so widely in how they treat
their staff.
Thr
Threeats
• When a kemono club pops up nearby in town, most people’s first

question is “Is that legal?” Regardless of the answer, the place
seems to be doing brisk business, and has a huge sign out front
advertising that they’re hiring demi-humans. A job is a job,
right?
• It seems you just can’t please some people. Even if the club is
clean and friendly, it’s looked down on as a filthy perversion.
Even if the job is good and pays well, people tell you to get out
and seek help. Even if the club is doing well and keeping dehus
employed and comfortable, the city government is always trying
to get the place shut down.
• The problem with small businesses is that they can change so
quickly. When a new owner takes over the club, things change
for the worse. First comes the pandering and sex appeal. Next
come changes to the contracts. After that, the clientele goes from
curious to hungry, and it’s all down hill from there.
Monster Combat Federation

This underground “boxing” circuit was founded as a web-series on
Youtube about “who would win” style bouts between various demi-
human varieties. Things became complicated when the fights
started actually taking place, with the showrunners of the MCF
offering various demi-humans prize money cut from their massive
ad revenue. After some legal wrangling, copyright battles, and
reorganization, MCF moved to its own video service, which now
hosts a vast number of short demi-human related videos in
addition to video series following the various fighters, trainers, and
tournaments.
50
🗲 Black Humor
While the fights and training are usually held in locations where
they’re technically not illegal, it’s fairly apparent that the
organization itself is not wholly above board. There are many hints
and suggestions that not all the competitors are fighting of their
own will, and as with any sport involving fighting or betting,
corruption is absolutely rampant.
Part of the draw is the chaos of the matches; the showrunners

(either intentionally or otherwise) are usually unprepared for the
ferocity and capabilities displayed by the fighters, who routinely
level the ring and cause massive collateral damage. Many matches
have their winners declared later by judges as filming cuts out when
the demolition occurs.
While there are many series and tournaments, viewers a show a

surprising amount of loyalty to particular combatants, not unlike
professional sports teams, which the MCF is actively encouraging.
Product deals are being made, merchandise sold, and marketing
being done to milk the fighters and their bouts for all they’re worth.
Thr
Threeats
• A battle between two of the most popular fighters of all time has
the fans of both sides ready to tear up the town. Bar atmospheres
are tense and arguments are rife as the lead up showcases the
best knock outs from both fighters’ careers. Friendships are
being made and broken over the lead up, and even the
mainstream media is talking about it, bringing on MCF and
ESPN commentators to discuss the upcoming bout.
• A popular youtube channel host goes undercover with his demi-
human friend to discover the truth behind the MCF and their
fighters. In a series of terrifying clips, they manage to get
involved in a rookie matchup and simultaneously uncover
evidence that the rookie they’re up against was kidnapped. The
channel goes off the air for a while, uploading only chaotic,
unedited video clips for several days before going dark. The
internet is torn between thinking it’s an elaborate promotional
campaign and calling for an investigation.
51
2019
• Underground “tryouts” begin to flourish, claiming that they will

accept the best fighters and produce them as new combatants in
the MCF. These fight clubs aren’t even sanctioned by the MCF,
let alone the police or local government, and tend to be broken
up quickly. Nevertheless, they’re leading to a rise in
underground activity and are correlated with higher crime rates.
The police and GETF are cracking down on demi-humans
spotted out at night or in out-of-the-way places.
It’s All Going to Hell

With the immense number of newcomers, each with their own new
breed of chaos to sew into the world, there’s the very distinct
possibility of it all going straight into the crapper. After all, if
otherworld is any indication, when worlds collide, neither is the
same afterwards.
If society starts to crumble, you can expect the following things to

start happening.
Thr
Threeats
• Goods start dwindling fast as people as people preemptively

stock up
• Gas gets ridiculously expensive
• Suspicions start to rise of people acting outside of the norms
• Generators, solar panels, wood stoves, and ethanol vehicles
become high-demand items
• Breakdown of law and order at the local level as police forces
can’t maintain budget
• Home invasion on the rise
• Preppers start carving up municipalities
• International action/interference, probably then opposed by the
country in question
• Rioting on the rise
• Martial law declared
52
I fled from a country burned to the ground. I watched the
flames of my family. I have fled from demons and been hunted
by nightmares.
Do you know what really scares me?
Looking into the eyes of a true detractor.
–Anonymous New York demi-human
The Paladins
Embedded in the worst parts of the GETF is a sinister gang called
the Paladins who join up and serve in the hopes of getting the
opportunity to kill monsters. Despite their evil intent, they’re not
stupid, and they don’t let any non-members in on their secrets or
operations. The Paladins have deep ties to various corporate
interests, and are supported by the Coalition’s most fervent
believers. With access to these resources, it’s easy for the Paladins to
cover up murder, but a lot of their kills have to be set up to become
a public spectacle that the Coalition can use to fuel fear and hatred
of demi-humans in the American population.
The Paladins are also known for their mastery of criminal law,
prosecution, and internal affairs investigations. They don’t take
applications, instead they look for law enforcement officers who
have shot or killed demi-humans and use their legal power to have
the case against them thrown out. After the officer has gone back to
work for a while, an invitation to the GETF arrives, with a shield-
and-cross pin that the Paladins use to signify their membership to
each other.
Other members of the GETF are at least aware of the rumors. Some
know what goes on and stay out of it, while others walk a very
dangerous line by trying to prevent their colleagues from getting
53
2019
away with murdering demi-humans. Unfortunately a lot of these

good cops get “transferred” when they become too much of a
problem.
Thr
Threeats
• A plan was leaked. This wouldn’t be a major deal to other

criminal enterprises, but to the Paladins, this is a hell-worthy
trespass. Now they’re dispatching units to harass and shake
down anyone who might have even tangential information
about the events. Today, they’re paying you a visit.
• A harried, terrified GETF agent comes to you and begs you to
skip town. He says that the Paladins are on their way, and they
have no intention of stopping to ask questions. They’re out for
blood tonight, and for some reason you’re on the list.
• Someone you know has gone missing. Coincidentally, the news
has reported another violent shootout with the GETF near
where they were last seen. If you go looking for your friend,
you’re going to end up getting on the Paladin’s bad side, but
there’s nothing else you can do.
The Purity Sect

Fight fire with fire is their motto. The Purity Sect believes that
monsters must be destroyed and returned to Hell at all costs, and
that doing so requires the use of a vast array of occult and religious
paraphernalia and rituals. Exorcisms, voodoo, blood sacrifices,
Buddhist chants, these are all tools that the Purity Sect is willing to
employ to destroy demons. While they generally have little idea of
how to actually accomplish their goals directly, they have no
qualms against massively overdoing it with the ceremonies and
artifacts they employ. If one thing doesn’t kill a target enough, they
simply keep trying with something else, reveling in every step of
the process along the way.
The Purity Sect is secretive and suspicious, and their members are
among the most hateful of human integration proponents. Their
priests claim that such people are actually worse than demons,
54
because a demon is simply a mindless agent of greater evil forces,

while integration proponents are the most vile kind of treacherous
sinners, betrayers of the blood of God.
It’s not known how many religions the Sect has penetrated, nor how
deeply, but as time goes on their membership and activities seem to
only be growing.
Thr
Threeats
• Another terror attack, this time using poison gas, is linked to

The Purity Sect. What’s more disturbing is that the gas can be
traced back to a dictator in the Middle East, who has not been
seen to have any contact with the group so far. The authorities
are not yet sure whether the gas was sold or stolen, but it is
known that more of it is unaccounted for.
• The Purity Sect has a new weapon at its disposal. A theologist
and former priest going by the name Lazzari has joined their
ranks, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge of ancient
witch-hunting techniques and a library of occult tomes. He is
eager to test as many of these techniques as possible on the Sect’s
captives.
• What everyone assumed was a simple string of more missing
persons cases involving demi-humans turns out to be the
prelude to a horrific terrorist action. The Purity Sect has
gathered together hundreds of demi-humans at a well-defended
ranch outside of town, where they’ve been recording and
distributing the torture and execution of them online. Public
outcry has forced the police and GETF to get involved, but
neither group has made any headway with entering the
compound.
Kennel Clubs
Kennel clubs take the ideas of a kemono club and brutally toss out
the concept that demi-humans are sentient or have any ethical
value at all. Kennel clubs are usually run by perverse collectors who
kidnap and enslave demi-humans they find interesting, unique, or
55
2019
valuable. Many of these people are quite comfortable with the

current lack of coherent legal protection of demi-humans, and are
actively working to destabilize any attempt at unifying or
expanding their rights. Nevertheless, they futureproof themselves
by keeping their businesses out of the public eye.
Kennel clubs are expensive affairs where huge amounts of money

change hands. Some buy and sell demi-human slaves for profit to
other rich collectors, while others do brisk business loaning out
their captives to those who can’t afford to purchase one themselves.
Needless to say, kennel clubs aren’t in the business of treating their
captives well. Abuse of every kind imaginable is rampant here, and
many also cater to fetishes not available elsewhere.
Ironically, kennel clubs are one of the strongest opponents of the

Paladins and Purity Sect, who view demi-humans very differently.
Thr
Threeats
• The news cycle is suddenly consumed with the story of

Arvaraca, a clever and determined spider demi-human, who
managed to save up the gifts and favors given to her by the
clients of her “owners” in order to purchase her way to freedom.
Her “owners,” acting via shell companies and intermediary law
firms, have filed a countersuit that she stole the money and
cannot legally make such purchases as a non-human entity.
• An escaped demi-human has broken into your home and is
desperate for a place to hide. Club minders are searching the
street for the escapee, who is in a state of growing panic. Before
an explanation can be made, you hear the thwup of suppressed
gunfire outside.
• Open war erupts between Paladin-led GETF agents and the
private armies of the benefactors of several of the most lucrative
kennel clubs. Caught in the middle, the captive demi-humans
can do little but lay low and hope for a chance to escape in the
fire and chaos.
56
Surge Camps
While no state in the Union has been tyrannical enough to round
up all demi-humans on sight, the same is not true of other nations.
Such camps are usually terminal, because the governments that
start them are not the sort of governments that would bother to
pass legislation granting demi-humans protection after the fact.
Surge camps are kept hidden from other nations who might choose
to interfere or report them to the UN, though some have already
grown so large that they’re visible in satellite imagery.
The camps are the worst possible situation for a newcomer. They do
not educate their captives, they are fed next to nothing, their needs
are not met, they are regularly beaten, abused, and experimented
on, and they offer little chance of escape. Even if a demi-human
does escape, they usually find themselves in a desolate wilderness
far from any kind of town or shelter, in a foreign land where the
natives are terrified of them and possibly armed.
Thr
Threeats
• A new surge camp has been started right here in the States, right
outside your town. Fueled by religious hysteria, fearmongering,
and xenophobia, a measure for its construction was slipped in as
a rider on a city planning bill. Now, by some cosmic irony, you’re
literally paying taxes to fund the creation of a detention camp
for yourself.
• The men who let you go from the camp in the Nevada desert
told you that if you ever speak of where you came from, they
would come and kill you. To your dismay, the police are now
investigating a group in the desert, and they’ve come to ask you
about your time out west.
• In a terrible freak accident, you are swapped with a newcomer
via a fresh Gate connected to a surge camp. You don’t speak the
language and have no idea where you are. Despite your
confusion, the guards blame you for the disturbance and punish
you severely. Do you escape, or do you try to free the others?
57
2019
The Coalition
In direct opposition to ADRI is the Coalition, which formed almost
as an afterthought. Made up of a cabal of insecure but powerful
politicians, the Coalition is shaping up to be the national standard
for defending the country from outsiders. Fundamentally an
organization of detractors, its members range from staunchly
defensive to spectacularly offensive. The worst members have taken
opposition to the Surge and to integration to the next level, and are
claiming minority races in the United States are “nothing less than
the monsters invading our country.” Somehow though, the insanity
of these bigots is tempered by the moderate members, who brush
off their inflammatory remarks with dismissal that leaves the door
open to condoning their statements without verbally agreeing with
them. Phrases like “I think what my esteemed colleague is trying to
say is…” and “I don’t know anything about that, but believe me…”
are stock and trade among the Coalition speakers.
But the real problem isn’t just the front face of the Coalition.
Behind closed doors, members are solidifying connections and
forging new allegiances in political bodies, corporations, and
foreign nations all the time. They have the money, resources, and
acumen to get away with just about anything, and the only saving
grace is that they’re still putting together their plan to expunge the
newcomers from US soil.
Thr
Threeats
• ADRI is forced to close its doors. At all levels, the Coalition has
applied pressure to make sure that it receives no support. First
they neutered it, then they handicapped it, then they destroyed
it. The politicians look so happy on television you could puke.
You can tell who the detractors are that week, because they’re
the ones who look like a major victory was won. The rest of us
look like death warmed over.
• The Freedom of Private Enterprise Act has passed, despite the
impassioned and enraged filibusters of proponents and
moderates alike. Now, corporations are given the unabashed
58
right to discriminate in any way they see fit, so long as their

qualifications “are made clear.” It’s not only a blow to demi-
humans, but millions of minority-group American humans as
well.
• The Defensive Supernatural Measures Act is passed, again
sliding past all opposition. The new act allows police and the
GETF (as well as the National Guard and all other military
branches) to treat anyone or anything that seems “supernaturally
suspicious” as a person or item of interest, thereby bypassing all
laws and rights for the protection of citizens. All the integration
proponent politicians can do is suggest that demi-humans stay
inside and out of sight for as long as it takes to resolve the
matter. Nobody’s holding their breath for that to happen.
59
2019
60
New Basic Moves
What the Hell Are

You?
• How tall are you?
• How do you go to the bathroom?
• Do you always eat your boyfriends?
• Was it hard learning to speak?
–Some of the many questions asked of newcomers
The creatures that have come through the Gates display a dizzying
variety of shapes, sizes, forms, colors, and attributes. There are so
many subtypes, lineages, bloodlines, and unique beings that
entirely new branches of science have been founded to try to make
sense of the utterly world-shattering revelation that was the Surge.
New Basic Moves

• Balance SShheet
◦ At the end of each month, sum up your Monthly Debts and
Monthly Income. Subtract your debts from your income and
apply that to your Balance. If your Balance is negative, fate
intervenes.
• Get SSoome RRes
esp
pect
◦ When you fight people’s preconceptions or strive to build
trust, roll Charm, Spirit, or Cunning. You take a penalty to
this roll based on your appearance. Human: 0. Nearly
Human: -1. Non-biped/bestial: -2. Monstrous: -3. You also
take a -1 penalty if your clothes and grooming are not up to
the standards of the person you are talking to. S: You get what
you want, but just barely. T: Either you manage not to offend
anyone, or you get what you want, choose 1. F: You don’t get
what you want and fate intervenes.
61
What the Hell Are You?
• Pu
Pubb Cra
Crawwler
◦ When you go out drinking, roll Charm or Power. S: choose 3
T: choose 2 F: choose 1, and fate intervenes on your bender.
◦ Your hangover only kind of sucks.
◦ You’ve made new friends, heaven help you.
◦ The collateral damage is limited in scope.
◦ Several people have new Relationships with you.
◦ No videos of your escapades go viral.
Modern Archetypes
All HFA Archetypes are viable in ALM, but many are perceived by
US citizens as at best backward and at worst criminally dangerous.
There are also new archetypes to choose from.
Office Worker
• It’s T
Teechnic
hnicaal
◦ When you meet someone in the same field as you, you get +1
to Get Some Respect with them.
• Computer SSys ysttem
emss E
Exp
xper
ertt
◦ You get +1 to all Moves related to working with computers.
• Phone O Op pera
erattor
◦ When you’re on the phone, you get +1 to Basic and Social
Moves with the person on the other end of the line.
• Air ooff LLeg
egiitim
imacacyy
◦ You get +1 ongoing to Get Some Respect while wearing your
work outfit.
• File
ledd IIn
nT Trriplic
licaate
◦ When paperwork stands in your way, roll Cunning or
Alertness. S: You’ve already got something (a license,
passport, or previous account, etc) that allows you to skip it
entirely. T: You get the paperwork done faster than
anticipated, but it still takes some time. F: Fate intervenes, but
at least you know what you need to complete the forms.
• Fin
inaanciciaal P
Pllannin
nningg
62
Modern Archetypes
◦ Each month, when you do your Balance Sheet, pick one Debt
you or another player has. The owner doesn’t have to pay it
this month.
Odd Job
• Self-Em
lf-Emp plo
loyyed
◦ Each month, roll Charm to see if you get more work. S:
choose 3. T: choose 2. F: choose 1 and fate intervenes.
◦ Grow the business
◦ Expand your market
◦ Get paid: calculate pay based on the lowest rate in your field
◦ Make a business connection
◦ Your work goes viral
• Tem
emp pAAggen
enccy
◦ You have an agency that places you in temporary jobs, usually
part-time. Your pay for these jobs is always the minimum
rate, but you don’t have to pay anything to get started, the
agency handles that. If you have problems with one job, the
agency can get you moved to another job the next day.
• Shad
adyy WWoork
◦ When you’re really hurting for some money, you can put your
feelers out to some contacts on the street. Roll Cunning. S:
They can get you something safe, lucrative, and possibly
illegal. T: They can get you something safe or lucrative, but
both are illegal. F: They told you it’d be safe and lucrative, but
it wasn’t either. Fate intervenes.
• My OOw wn SScchedule
◦ There’s no particular time you need to be at work. You’re
always up for an adventure, because you make your own
schedule. You won’t be fired for taking time off or
disappearing for a while. In addition, you can usually find an
advantageous time to get something important done, often
when no one else is trying to do the same.
• Handy
◦ When you have the tools and time to perform minor repairs,
roll Cunning or Alertness. S: choose 3. T: choose 2. F: choose
1 and fate intervenes.
63
◦
You get it done quickly.
◦
You don’t have to wait for replacement parts.
◦
You don’t need any tools that aren’t in your kit.
◦
You impress your client, they’ll probably hire you again.
◦
You prevent the problem from coming up again for long
time.
• Polymath
◦ When you make a Move that hinges on knowledge of science,
technology, engineering, or math, you take +1 on the roll.
Romantic
• Loverer’’s C
Coomf
mfoort
◦ When you spend some romantic time with someone, choose
1.
◦ They heal up to 2 health stars
◦ They take +1 ongoing for the next few hours
◦ They take a Relationship with you
◦ They mark 1 experience
• Prac
racttice
iced
dN Naaivet
etéé
◦ When you interact with someone you can hide your
intelligence and intent. Roll Charm. S: choose 3. T: choose 2.
F: choose 1, but fate intervenes.
◦ They accidentally reveal a piece of information they wouldn’t
have given someone suspicious.
◦ They gain a positive Relationship with you.
◦ They willingly invite you through whatever protections were
designed to keep others out.
◦ Hold 1. Spend 1 hold to reveal a new gap in someone’s plan
that involved you.
• Celelebbutante
◦ You know all the right people. When you encounter someone
famous or important, roll Charm. S: You actually are
acquainted with them, though they may not want to advertise
how. T: Either you’ve confused them into misremembering
you, or you’ve outwitted them and they’re forced to play
along. F: What were you famous for again? Fate intervenes.
• I SSp
peak FlFluen
uentt B
Boody L
Laangu
guaage
64
Modern Archetypes
◦ You can use Social Moves even when you can’t speak or your
target can’t hear you. This includes situations where you
might be bound, tied, or otherwise indisposed. When your
target can hear you, you take +1 to Beguile and Get Intimate
with them.
• Pu
Puttty in M
Myy H Haands
◦ Each session, hold 3. You can spend 1 hold to take +1
forward on a Move to deceive, beguile, threaten, play with or
manipulate someone.
• Too KKin
inkky ttoo T
Toortur
uree
◦ When you have 1 or more marked health star, you take +1
ongoing to Social Moves and Moves to resist revealing
information.
Laborer
• Indo
domi
mittable
◦ People trying to intimidate, threaten, beguile, or seduce you
take -1 ongoing to do so.
• IC
Caan GGoo A
Alll D
Daay
◦ When something would be arduous or difficult to keep doing,
roll Power. S: It’s no big deal for you. Take +1 on it ongoing.
T: Whatever it is, you get it done anyway. F: You get it done,
but fate intervenes, probably involving some sort of strain
injury.
• Toug
ughhA Ass N
Naails
◦ When you have 1 or more health stars marked, you get +1
ongoing to armor.
• Wreckiningg B
Baall
◦ When you inflict harm at close/melee range, you inflict +2
harm.
• Opera
eratte M
Mac
achin
hiner
eryy
◦ When you operate a loader, backhoe, crane, tractor, or other
piece of heavy machinery in a dangerous situation, roll
Alertness. S: choose 3. T: choose 2. F: choose 1 but fate
intervenes.
◦ You drive carefully, avoiding collateral damage.
◦ You’re faster than they thought.
65
◦ You pull off an impressive maneuver, such as picking up or

rolling another vehicle.
• Hard SSh
helle
led/Thic
d/Thickk SSkkin
◦ You get +1 armor ongoing against punches, kicks, and other
unarmed attacks from non-demi-humans.
Host
• Iron BBuutt MMoonkey
◦ You get +2 armor, but in exchange, the GM can redirect
interventions of fate from your allies and friends directly to
you, even though you don’t deserve it.
• Papa/M
a/Maama W Woolf
◦ When someone threatens or hurts a member of your close
circle of family or friends, you get +1 ongoing against that
person.
• Work Y Yoour BBu utt Off
◦ When confronted with an overwhelming amount of work,
you can mark 1 willpower star to get it done in a flash,
leaving you almost completely exhausted.
• Di
Dissco
coun
untt GGeni
eniu us
◦ When you want to purchase something, roll Alertness or
Cunning. S: You manage to finagle it down to 50% the
original cost. T: You only drag the price down by 20%. F: You
found a cheaper alternative, but it sucks.
• All Th
Ther
eree in tth
he MMaanual
◦ You’re considered to have perfect knowledge of any
paperwork, laws, guidelines, and contracts you or your
friends are involved in. You use the Seize by Force Move to
wrangle contracts or find loopholes.
• Weir
eirdn
dnesesss M
Maagnet
◦ When you encounter something unusual or supernatural, roll
Spirit. S: hold 2. T: hold 1. F: it gets weird in a whole new and
unexpected way. Spend 1 hold for one of the following:
◦ You’re completely unfazed by something that should have
surprised or terrified you.
◦ Something equally weird appears and temporarily neutralizes
the original problem.
66
Modern Archetypes
◦ Cosmic forces take an interest in you, with unforeseeable

results.
◦ It turns out you’ve got some useful but incomplete knowledge
of whatever it is.
Boss
• Delega
legatte R
Res
espponsi
sibbili
litty
◦ Each session, hold 3. You can spend 1 hold to get one of your
employees to come and try to handle a situation for you.
When you do so, roll Charm. S: Your employee is excited and
enthusiastic about the task. T: “Well, it’s a job.” F: Fate
intervenes on your employee, possibly causing you more
problems.
• Hig
ighhP Poower
ereed EExxecutive
◦ Each session, hold 3. You can spend 1 hold for one of the
following:
◦ A luxury car is pulled around for you to drive or be driven in.
◦ You wave your black credit card and ignore the purchase
price.
◦ Bribe someone into doing something you want.
◦ Automatically succeed to Get Some Respect.
◦ You’ve already got a meeting or reservation.
◦ Bypass lines, queues, and security.
◦ Receive an invitation to a party, gala, ball, or formal event.
• Managem emenentt E
Exp
xper
erien
iencece
◦ When you Read a Person, add the following questions. In
addition, you can ask 1 more question than your roll
indicates.
◦ What would motivate this person?
◦ What is this person good at?
◦ What would this person be good at?
◦ Who would be a good or bad match for them?
• Th
Thos
osee W
Woonder
derfful T
Tooys
◦ When you need something your company might make,
design, or sell, roll Cunning or Power. S: You get ahold of an
advanced prototype of the thing, and no one will be too put
out if you manage to return it in one piece. T: You get one,
67
but people are looking for it now, so be careful. F: You’ve

gotten something like it, but fate intervenes, somehow that
thing is doomed.
• Situatio
ion
nRRes
esoolutio
ionn
◦ When you interfere in a personal conflict, you can offer both
sides an out. If they both take it, they both mark experience.
If only one intends to take it, you can mark 1 health star in
order to convince the other party.
• Pep TTaalk
◦ When you talk to a group before they do some activity you
have knowledge of, roll Spirit or Charm. S: Your team takes
+1 ongoing while doing the thing. T: Your team takes +1
forward to do the thing. F: Your team takes +1 forward to do
the thing, but fate intervenes, either because someone didn’t
like your speech, or because someone else is interfering.
Enforcement Agent
• Dees
esccalate
◦ While in a conflict where no one has suffered harm yet, you
have a chance to deescalate the situation. Roll Charm or
Power. S: The situation goes from an actively hostile one to a
tense standoff, or from a tense standoff to a sullen silence. T:
The situation is still hostile, but the combatants hesitate,
possibly buying someone else an opportunity. F: Fate
intervenes, you’re the target now.
• Pain CCoompli liaance
◦ When you start a conflict within reach of an adversary, you
take +1 forward to grapple with them. Furthermore, you get
+1 ongoing with the Seize By Force Move for grappling
situations.
• Inves
esttiga
igattive AAwa
warren
enes
esss
◦ When you Read a Person or Situation, you add the following
questions to the list. Additionally, you can ask 1 more
question than usual.
◦ Did this person have something to do with ____?
◦ Who else might be connected to ___?
◦ What has already been overlooked?
68
Special Powers
◦ What piece of evidence is conspicuously absent?

• Cen
enttra
ralize
lized
d Di
Disspatch
◦ You are part of a web of other agents, allowing you to share
your information and resources. Each session, hold 3. Spend
1 hold for one of the following:
◦ Call in some backup to help you deal with a situation.
◦ Call in tracking or surveillance on a particular target you
have information about.
◦ Ask the network if anyone has reported something or
someone matching a description.
◦ Report an accident or incident for further cleanup or
emergency management.
◦ Ask for activities that need doing.
• Brothererhhood/S
d/Siister
erhhood
◦ When you yourself are in trouble with the law, you’ve got
people to turn to. Roll Charm or Power. S: Your compatriots
absolve you of the crime. You suffer no punishment, and your
reputation is unharmed. T: You’re not going to jail, but your
reputation isn’t what it used to be. You effectively take a -1 to
your criminal record. F: They’ll bail you out as in a Tie, but
you’re now obligated to help them with an illegal “chore” that
needs doing.
• Speci
ciaal A
Aggen
entt
◦ Select a specialty, such as Air Marshal, Interstate Patrol, or
Drug Enforcement. When on the job in your specialization,
you get +1 ongoing to Read a Person or Situation.
Special Powers
As with HFA archetypes, HFA Special Power Moves are also
available, but are often looked down as barbaric, dangerous, or
criminal. There are also some new Special Powers.
• Ga
Gatter
erider
ider
◦ When you encounter a Gate, you can actually leap into it,
which then deposits you at the output of some other random
Gate, often very far away. When you leap into a Gate, roll
69
Spirit. S: You can pick any active Gate to come out of. T: You
can choose a region to end up in, but not which Gate. T: You
can pick a region, but fate intervenes.
• Natura
urall RRes
esoour
urces
ces
◦ Your body naturally makes things that others might find
valuable, like feathers, scales, horns, or venom. When you
harvest your resources, suffer 1 harm past armor and roll
Charm or Alertness. S: choose 3. Base value is $1000. T:
choose 2. Base value is $100. F: choose 1, but fate intervenes.
Base value is $10.
◦ Good Harvest: Multiply your harvest by 1d6.
◦ Perfect Resources: Double the value of your harvest.
◦ Solid Deal: Nothing goes wrong with the trade.
◦ Active Buyer: You’ve already got a buyer, no need to track one
down.
◦ Easy Harvest: You don’t suffer harm from your harvest.
• Utili
litty M
Maagic
◦ You can use any of your Moves at a very low level of power.
When you do so, you can do simple tasks with it, like boiling
water with fire breath, or spicing the chili with your venom.
Doing so doesn’t require you to roll the move. With people
you don’t know, you may have to Get Some Respect to
prevent them from being weirded out.
• Hot BBlolooode
deddD
Deeclara
rattio
ionn
◦ When you make a declaration of your passion for a lover or
your wrath upon an enemy, roll Power. S: You take +1
ongoing with those who viewed the declaration. T: You take
+1 forward with them. F: Fate intervenes, someone probably
thought your declaration was embarrassing, cringeworthy, or
poorly timed.
Money in the Land of

Credit
ALM introduces two new concepts you’ll need to keep track of:
Monthly Debts and Monthly Income. List each item for both of
70
Equipment
these with a name and an amount (like Bus Pass: $20/mo) so that
you can remove them from your balance sheet if needed. See the
new Basic Move Balance Sheet for more on how this works.
When traveling from Otherworld to Earth, it may be helpful to

know that 1 gold coin is worth about $1000. Treasure sells for less,
usually about $700 per 1 treasure. Equipment itself sells for much
less, usually about $500 per 1 gold’s worth, unless it’s inherently
magical.
Equipment
All equipment from HFA is technically available in ALM, but most
of it is extremely rare or hard to come by. In addition, all HFA
equipment has the “Otherworld” tag, marking it as foreign to Earth.
Natural Weapons and Armor can’t be taken away from you, and
don’t require licenses, but mark you as a demi-human.
Whereas HFA uses Gold and Treasure to track money, the modern
world of ALM uses the almighty dollar.
Respect and Purchasing

A lot of items require a certain amount of respect to acquire, either
because you’ll get thrown out of the store otherwise, because you
need to apply for a loan or license, or because those selling the
goods are leery of dealing with people they deem “untrustworthy.”
If a price in dollars also has a DN listed, that’s the DN to Get Some
Respect in order to buy the item in question.
Weapons
One of the first (and only) things the federal government could
agree on was licensing for Otherworld Weaponry. Objects from the
HFA weapons list are still available, but they are limited in quantity
and require expensive licenses to own. Obviously, it’s illegal to
71
actually use them on someone, as that would be assault. It’s also

difficult for demi-humans to get licenses—even for the objects
they’ve brought with them through the Gates—because of how slow
the bureaucracy moves when you’re on that side of the fence.
Humans have a much easier time getting Otherworld Weapon
Licenses, of course, leading many newcomers to sell their arms for
a better leg up in US society.
There are, of course, new weapons, available to demi-humans and

humans alike.
Name Harm Tags Cos

ostt
Pistol 4 Ranged, Concealed, License $500
Rifle 5 Ranged, License $500
Assault Rifle 5 Ranged, Automatic, License $1000
Kitchen Melee, Ranged, Concealed, Limited
2 $20
Knife Use
Baseball Bat 3 Melee $50
IED 1d6 Area, Indirect, Trap, Illegal $50
Tranq Gun 4 Ranged, Stun $400
Taser 3 Melee, Stun, Concealed $200
Gas
3 Ranged, Stun, Area, Limited Use $40
Grenade
72
Equipment
Armor
Name Armor Tags Cos

ostt
Leather Jacket +1 Suit $150
Kevlar Vest +3 Suit $400
BDU +1 Impressive $150
Ballistic Ceramic Vest +4 Suit, Heavy $600
Combat Helmet +1 $100
Riot Gear +5 Impressive, Suit, Heavy $1000
Tactical Operations Gear +3 Suit, Stealthy $800
Note: Modern armor isn’t designed to take repeated abuse. After

you suffer harm in combat, you should get your armor replaced,
lest a hit go right through the same spot.
Tools
• Cellphone
◦ GlobalMart Brick: $20
◦ Smartphone: $500
◦ PhiOne: $1000
◦ Monthly Service: $60
• Laptop
◦ GlobalMart OEM: $300
◦ Convertible: $700
◦ Gaming: $2000
• Des
eskktop
◦ GlobalMart OEM: $300
◦ Gaming: $1500
◦ Advanced Workstation: $3000
• Fir
ireearms L
Licen
icensse
◦ Fees: $50
◦ Classes: $150
73
◦ DN: 3
• Standard Dr Driiver
erss L
Licen
icensse
◦ Fees: $40
◦ DN: 1
• Occ
ccuupatio
ionnal Dr
Driiver
erss L
Licen
icensse
◦ Fees: $60
◦ DN: 2
• Passport
◦ Fees: $100
◦ DN: 3
• Forged P Paaper
erss
◦ Simple Document: $100
◦ Verified Paperwork: $1000
◦ Fake Identity: $5000
◦ DN: 1
• Nice CClo
lotthes
◦ Cost: $300
◦ +1 to Get Some Respect
• Sexy/Em
exy/Embbarra rasssin
singg OOuutfi
fitt
◦ Cost: $30
◦ -1 to Get Some Respect, +1 to Moves to seduce
• Th
Thee N
Neew G Grreen B Boook
◦ Cost: $10
◦ Details local customs, feelings, jobs, and services available to
demi-humans across the United States and parts of Canada.
Resources
• Fres
eshhFFoood
◦ Planned Meals: $100/week
◦ Unplanned Stockup: $200/week
• Fast F
Foood
◦ Cost: $120–$200/week
• Fres
eshhWWaater
◦ Bottled, 2 gallons: $2/week
◦ Piped, 3000 gallons: $10/week
◦ Public, filled bottle: $0/week
• Ratio
ionns
74
Flaws
◦ Cost: $100/week
• Ga
Gass
◦ Hybrid: $10/week
◦ Midsize: $25/week
◦ Truck: $50/week
• Barb
rbeed/R
d/Razo
azorr W
Wiriree
◦ Cost: $150
◦ 200 ft
• Water/S
er/Seewer P
Pllum
umbbin ingg
◦ Cost: $50/mo
• Ga
Garb
rbaage & RReecyclin
lingg P
Pic
ickkup
◦ Cost: $15/mo
• Data CCoonn
nneectio
ionn
◦ Internet: $65/mo
◦ Internet & TV: $90/mo
• Office SSu
upplies
◦ Cost: $50–$150/mo
• Bus PPaass
◦ Monthly Pass: $70/mo
◦ Daily Ticket: $5/day
Flaws
All the flaws from HFA are available, but there are also modern
ones to pick from.
• Poorly A Addapted: Turns out that you can’t use a simple human-
oriented facility or appliance. You can’t fit in that space very
easily. You make a mess of everything in the area.
• Stuc
uckk in tth
he PPaast: Annoy others by talking about or reliving the
glory days. Ignore modern social conventions to the detriment
of your respect. Get in a huge argument about your ideals.
• Ter
errrif
ifyyin
ingg C
Cooun
untten
enaance: Scare the crap out of someone
completely by accident. Someone would rather run away than
listen to you for even a moment. Nobody can take you seriously.
75
• Values Di Disssonance: Glory is punishable by the police. Honor is

tacky and politically incorrect. The moral compass has been
replaced with bureaucratic law.
• Busy W Wiith W Woork: Someone gets mad because you’re never there.
You’re too tired to help out. You get in a terrible argument about
money.
• Horny : Someone attractive catches your eye and keeps it. You’re
caught not paying attention to the right thing. You manage to
offend someone just by looking at them.
• Nutritioionnal R Reequir
uirem
emenents:
ts: You’re too hungry to give it your all.
Food is more expensive or hard to come by than it should be.
You get sick because you haven’t had the right nutrition.
• Hararasssm
smen entt TTaarget: People take a liking to you in a bad way.
Someone thinks you owe them something. You can’t avoid their
unwanted attention.
• Massacracree SSur
urvvivor: There are always nightmares. Suffer
flashbacks that make you lash out in terror. Old wounds make it
hard to do something physical.
• Dark On Onee’s SScio
cion:
n: Religious people think you’re the devil again.
Zealots try to lynch you again. Your power goes badly out of
control.
• Long R Reeco
corrd: Nobody trusts you at all. You’ve got a court date
you can’t miss. People on the street want a piece of you.
• Escaped T Tesestt SSu
ubject: Avoid cameras and scrutiny. Lab security
agents arrive to apprehend you. You don’t feel so good, who
knows what they did to you.
• On C Caall JJoob: Drop what you’re doing and run off. Take an
important phone call at a bad time. End up on the wrong
schedule as everyone else.
• Depeprres
essio
sion:n: It’s not worth it. Pretend everything’s okay even
though they can tell it’s not. Ignore your own value completely.
76
Flaws
77
The Rules of the New World
The Rules of the

New World
What you don’t know can kill you dead.
–Newcomer saying
Housing
• Squattin
ingg
◦ Unpaid stay on someone else’s property.
◦ Expect them to come back any day now.
◦ They may serve you an eviction, but the police may refuse to
remove you, depending on how long you’ve been there.
• Camp SSiite
◦ Fees: $400–$800/mo
◦ Sometimes you can find campgrounds that offer discounts for
those with disabilities (and allow demi-humans to qualify) or
are planning to stay long term.
◦ Hygiene is hard.
◦ Lots of open space for demis.
• Hide
ideoout
◦ An abandoned warehouse or commercial building.
◦ Liable to be checked by police occasionally.
◦ Often home to bums, hobos, homeless, or drug operations.
• Apartmen entt
◦ Rent: $500–1500/mo
◦ Either a fancy apartment in a cheap town or a cheap
apartment in an expensive town.
◦ You can hear your neighbors doing whatever it is that they’re
doing.
◦ They can hear you too.
• Small HHoouse
78
Housing
◦ Down Payment: $5000–$40,000

◦ Mortgage & Utilities: $1200–$1800/mo x 30yrs
◦ This is a real house with real rooms and appliances.
◦ Don’t expect anything to fit demi-humans.
◦ Likely includes only 1 piece of random, unhelpful furniture
when you move in, like an end table that only fits in one
closet.
• Large HHoouse
◦ Down Payment: $20,000–$100,000
◦ Mortgage: $1800–$3000/mo x 30yrs
◦ Big huge fancy place.
◦ Actually big enough for decent-sized demi-humans.
◦ Probably too fancy to be utilitarian for demis.
◦ Likely to have haughty, suspicious, hostile neighbors.
• Mansio
sion
n
◦ Down Payment: $400,000
◦ Mortgage: $9000/mo x 30yrs
◦ Private pool, home cinema, conservatory, home automation,
library, study, gaming facilities, etc.
◦ Plenty of space for demi-humans.
◦ Numerous outbuildings, large gated property, private drive.
◦ Likely to be a public spectacle.
• Farm
◦ Subsistence Farm
▪ Purchase: $500,000
▪ Yearly Income: $75,000
◦ Grain Farm
▪ Purchase: $5,000,000
▪ Yearly Income: $600,000
◦ Corporate Farm
▪ Purchase: $25,000,000
▪ Yearly Income: $2,500,000
• Soci
ciaal W
Weelfa
lfarre H
Hoousin
singg
◦ Rent: $150/mo
◦ One room studio, shared bathroom, may actually be a garage.
◦ Low-income part of town.
◦ Frequent disturbances.
◦ Far away from all the good stores.
• Scien
cience
ce F
Fooun
und datio
ionnH
Hoousin
singg
79
◦ Pay no rent!
◦ Only occasionally subject to scientific experimentation!
◦ Receive compensation for your service to science!
◦ Omnipresent observation cameras.
◦ Frequent interviews.
◦ Occasional visiting scientists who treat you more like an
expensive exotic pet.
Vehicles
• Bike
◦ Purchase: $100–$1500
• Motorcycle
◦ Seats: 2
◦ Loan: $150/mo x 5 years
◦ Purchase: $7000
• Sedan
◦ Seats: 4–5
◦ Cargo: 150 lbs
◦ Loan: $200/mo x 10yrs
◦ Purchase: $35,000
• Pic
ickkup
◦ Seats: 2–4
◦ Cargo: 1 ton in bed, 5 tons towing
• Sports CCaar
◦ Seats: 2
• Semi
◦ Towing Capacity: 44,000 lbs
• Off
Offrroad
◦ Seats: 5–6
◦ Cargo: 400 lbs
80
Vehicles
◦ Loan: $200/mo x 10yrs

• Armored L Liiver
eryy C
Caar
◦ Seats: 5
• Industrial E Eqqui
uip
pmenentt
◦ Seats: 1–2
◦ Cargo: 2–15 tons
◦ Requires occupational license
◦ Lease: $2500/mo x 10 years
• Yac
achht
◦ Financing: $3300–$20,000/mo x 10 years
◦ Purchase: $500,000–$3m
• Priva
vatte JJet
et
◦ Financing: $8300–$83,000 x 10 years
◦ Purchase: $1m–$10m
• Helico
licoppter
◦ Financing: $2100–$15,000
◦ Purchase: $250,000–$1.8m
• Cargo SShihipp
◦ Used: $15m
◦ Custom Built: $30m
• Passen
engger JJet
et
◦ Used: $150m
◦ New: $350m
• Bomber
◦ Purchase: $400m
• Fig
ighhter
◦ Standard: $40m
◦ Advanced: $85m
• Warshihip
p
◦ Frigate: $500m
◦ Sub: $1.5b
◦ Destroyer: $1.5b
81
Jobs
To function in society, you’ll eventually need an income. To get an
income, most people work a job. For demi-humans unfamiliar with
the concept, a job is a profession where you typically go to do work
in exchange for a steady payment over time. Jobs often last multiple
years. Much of American society revolves around what one’s job is
and how well one does it.
Interviews
Regardless of the actual structure of the interview itself, the process
of getting a job is usually broken down into 4 parts.
• Applic licaatio
ion:
n: The vast majority of jobs in the US now require a
typed or digital resume. Generally, you’ll have to submit a large
number of applications to various companies to get a reply.
There are lots of filters to weed out candidates, and oftentimes
demi-humans accidentally filter themselves out simply by not
falling into the right categories or answering the right unasked
questions. Education and experience are the most common
factors.
• Fir
irsst IIm
mpresessio
sion:
n: Once you have a reply, you’ll go through
several interviews, often in phone or in person. At this time
you’ll need to Get Some Respect with everyone you meet with,
to make sure they aren’t completely turned off by you. You may
end up using Social Moves as well, depending on the situation.
• Technic
hnicaal KKnnowhow : In the process of the interview, you’ll be
tested to see if you have a working knowledge of the skills you’ll
need for the job. In the States, don’t expect to find an apprentice-
style position, you’ve got to know what you’re doing before you
start. You may be asked to demonstrate your skills.
• Teamwork/P k/Pererssonali
litty : You’ll also be tested (subtly) on how you
interact with the rest of the team. If you don’t get along well with
them, or if someone gets offended, or if you make a fool out of
yourself, the team will probably talk about it after your interview
and may decide to go with another candidate.
82
Jobs
Pay Rates
The following chart lists jobs by field rather than position; Retail for
example might include sales associate, custodial, and management
positions at various levels of pay and with various responsibilities.
The chart is followed by sections for Part Time Jobs, Raises,
Promotions.
The monthly pay range listed here is the low/entry end of the scale.
Initial positions are likely to be the less important/specialized/
valuable jobs in a given field.
Note that many jobs require several years of college training,

costing tens of thousands of dollars, before you can even start. The
costs of college/university are not included in the job cost.
83
Monthly P
Paay
Fie
ield
ld Tags Cos
ost†
t†
Range*
Retail $1600–$3200 Boring $60
Construction $1600–$4000 Hard $500
Transportation $2300–$4200 $120
Agriculture $1900–$5800 Outside $200–$15,000
Clerical $1900–$3300 Boring $150
Education $2800–$4300 $150
Small Business $2500–$5700 Unstable $50–$5000
Fire/Rescue $2500–$5100 Dangerous $2500
Military $2900–$6700 Dangerous $0
Police $2500–$4800 Dangerous $5500
IT $4200–$5800 Boring $200
Software $4400–$6000 $200
Industrial $2900–$4200 $250
Business-person $3700–$6300 $1000
Engineering/
$4200–$6700 $100
Science
Management $3300–$6700 $500
Entertainment $1200–$10400 $2000
Medicine $1800–$6300 Hard $300
Banking $2300–$5300 $1000
CEO $8300–$12,500 $12,000
*Monthly pay range assumes full-time employment.
84
Jobs
†Why do I have to pay to get a job? The US is a harsh place,

newcomer. You’ll need transportation, training, clothing, and
maybe even special equipment for a lot of jobs these days. A lot of
demi-humans end up in poverty simply because they can’t afford to
get a stable job. Generally, you have to spend this money before the
interview in order to prove your seriousness about the position.
Part Time Jobs

The pay ranges on the Job Field chart shows monthly pay for full-
time employment. Often, full-time employment isn’t offered or
available to every applicant, especially for entry level, and especially
for applicants the company feels it’s taking a risk on.
When you work a Part Time Job, you only receive half the monthly
pay you’d expect for full-time employment.
Raises
If you do well at your job, you’ve got a decent boss, and work for a
company that doesn’t completely stiff its employees, you might have
a chance at a raise every few years. For simplicity’s sake, multiply
your monthly pay by 105%, and that becomes your new monthly
pay.
Promotions
When you move from one type of position to another, use the
following chart to find out how much your new salary is, based on
the original pay you received.
• Base p posi
osittio
ion/en
n/enttry le
levvel: 100%
• Exp
xper
erien
ience
ceddp posi
osittio
ion:
n: 150%
• Part ttim
imee vs ffuull ttim
imee w
woork: 200%
• Master p posi
osittio
ion/m
n/maanagem emen ent:
t: 300%
85
Taking out a Loan

If you need a bunch of money, you can always try to take out a loan.
Pick an amount on the list below. The Payment is a Monthly Debt,
and the Term is how long it will take in years to pay off the loan.
Amoun
untt Paymen
ent/M
t/Moo Ter
ermm
$500 $50 1 year
$1,000 $100 1 year
$5,000 $500 1 year
$10,000 $200 5 years
$100,000 $1200 10 years
$200,000 $1900 15 years
$500,000 $3700 30 years
$1,000,000 $7300 30 years
Converting Salaries &

Debts
Job pay, debts, and credits are listed in monthly amounts for
simplicity of book-keeping during gameplay, but you may want to
figure out what these figures amount to over other periods as well.
• Monthly ttoo AAnn

nnuual: multiply by 12
• Ann
nnuual ttoo M
Moonthly : divide by 12
• Monthly ttoo HHoour
urlly : divide by 160
• Hour
urlly ttoo A
Ann
nnu
ual: multiply by 2000
• Ann
nnuual ttoo H
Hoour
urlly : divide by 2000
86
Debt
Debt
Because we live in a world of credit cards, loans, monthly
payments, and electronic banking, you may find yourself with a
negative bank balance through the course of play. When the
Balance Sheet move is done, it may lead to fate intervening because
your balance is low. When this happens, you may be penalized with
a $50-$100 service fee, your account may be closed or canceled, or
it may even be sent to collections.
Debt collectors are notoriously poorly behaved and often act more
like vigilante bounty hunters than responsible financial agents.
They’re not likely to handle tense situations with demi-humans
well, and many of them are armed for their own personal
protection.
Savings
There are several ways of saving or investing money, but the more
profitable they are, the more respect and money you need to gain
access to them.
Investing
Investing is when you give money to an institution or pay for some
asset with the expectation that you will be paid back later, with a
larger sum. Here are several simplified investments. You can own as
many of these as you want at a time. You can withdraw money from
the account, but doing so may affect the amount of money your
account continues to make, depending on the type. You’re going to
want a calculator.
• Dep
eposi
osit:
t: The amount of money you pay into the account to get
the account started. This is usually considered the account
87
minimum before you start getting $50–$100 service fees each

month.
• Acco
ccoun
untt B
Baalance: The amount of money in the account,
composed of the Deposit and the interest.
• Monthly V Vaalue: Each month, multiply the Account Balance by
this number to find the new Account Balance.
• Risk: Formatted as X/Y. You roll Yd6, and if you roll X or lower,
you divide rather than multiply the Account Balance Monthly
Value. You want a low X and a high Y.
• DN: The DN to Get Some Respect in order to open the account.
88
Criminal Record
Monthly
Inves
esttmen
entt Dep
eposi
ositt Risk DN Notes
Value
Deposit as much as
Savings $300 x1.005 - 1
you like
Money Deposit as much as
$0 x1.015 - 1
Market you like
No withdrawals for
CD $500 x1.025 - 1 1d6 years, rolled at
deposit
No withdrawals for
Bond $10,000 x1.04 - 1 1d6 years, rolled at
deposit
No withdrawals for
Long Term 6/
$50,000 x1.04 3 1d6 years, rolled at
Investment 4d6
deposit, sellable
Diversified
4/
Stock $100,000 x1.07 3
3d6
Portfolio
Day 1/
$20,000 x1.10 2
Trading 1d6
Small-
Time 2/ Fate intervenes each
$150 x1.1 1
Criminal 1d6 month
Enterprise
Established
2/ Fate intervenes on
Criminal $100,000 x1.2 1
2d6 Risk failure
Enterprise
Criminal Record
If you are caught breaking the law, you may gain a Criminal
Record. Your Criminal Record is a list of penalties that may apply
89
to Get Some Respect and other Social Moves depending on

whether the person you’re talking to knows about it, does a
background check, or has heard your reputation. You can get items
on your Criminal Record removed by doing time or getting them
overturned in court, though this is very expensive.
• Misdemeanors: -1
◦ Theft
◦ Prostitution
◦ Public Intoxication
◦ Assault
◦ Disorderly Conduct
◦ Trespassing
◦ Vandalism
◦ Reckless Driving
◦ Discharging a Firearm Within City Limits
◦ Possession of Drugs
• Felonies: -2
◦ Assault/Battery
◦ Animal Cruelty
◦ Vehicular Homicide
◦ Arson
◦ Burglary
◦ Tax Evasion
◦ Fraud
◦ Hacking
◦ Manufacture/Distribution of Drugs
◦ Grand Larceny
◦ Rape/Sexual Assault
◦ Obstruction of Justice
◦ Perjury
◦ Threatening an Official
◦ Escaping Prison
• Excessive Felonies: -4
◦ Treason
◦ Murder
◦ Manslaughter
◦ Kidnapping
90
Stun Damage
If you’re apprehended for a felony, you’re probably going to prison

for a while, though few prisons on earth are able to hold a
determined demi-human. Escaping prison isn’t exactly a good
thing to have on your record though, that’s a felony too.
Stun Damage
Stun damage is not tracked differently than normal damage.
Instead, if you are subject to harm from a weapon tagged with Stun,
write Stunned on your sheet. If you are knocked out in the fight,
you do not permanently lose 1 health star, and half of your health
stars are cleared at the end of the fight, along with the Stunned
status.
91
92
Agendas
Supervillain
Club
You just wait. I’ve got ten thousand of the best genetic
engineers on Earth in my employment. I have billions at my
disposal. I have clients in every world power on the planet.
And I have an apparently un
unlimi
limitted supply of test subjects.
Give me a couple of years and I’ll be the world’s first superhero.
–Valentin Werner Ivanov
Agendas
The GM’s agendas are basically the same as HFA and are on page
107.
• Complicate the characters’ lives

• Make the Land of Monsters come alive
• Discover the tale together
• Be Honest
Principles
The Principles of ALM are somewhat different than those of HFA.
• Fail F
Foorwa
warrd: Never, ever let failure or moderate success stop the
flow of the game. Always make failure interesting and dramatic,
and make it lead into another issue. Present failure as a challenge
to be overcome by finishing your Hard GM Move with “What do
you do?” Treat failure as another route to eventual success.
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Supervillain Club
• Blo
low
w IItt O
Ou ut ooff P
Prroportio ion:
n: Melodrama is funny, intensity is
dramatic, and obsession is terrifying. Keep the story moving by
keeping the action going. Is feeding a household of demi-
humans the challenge? Watch Food Wars and Monster Musume
for ideas.
• Th
Theey’
y’rre JJu
ust TTrryin
ingg T
Too GGet et BByy: Whether they were heroines or
civilians, the newcomers are not prepared for this new world,
and it’s hard enough to get three square meals and a roof on a
consistent basis. Most aren’t in the business of saving the
universe here.
• Name E Evvereryyone, H Hum
umaanize E Evven ThTheir
eir En
Enemies:
emies: Making
everyone they meet feel meaningful will make all of their tough
choices that much more important. Give them the reasons their
enemies have turned from the light. Reveal to them the tragic
backstories of the villains. Make the town that is under threat a
real place in their minds. You can’t do these things if the players
don’t even know these people’s names. Example names are given
in the last chapter, Appendices. Pull from them all the time or
make your own lists to use.
• Talk ttoo tthhe CChharac
ractter
ers,
s, nnoot tth
he PPllayer
ers:
s: Bring the players back to
their characters with everything you say. Draw them into the
story with questions about how their characters feel about
things, and whether those feelings will boil over into action or
keep piling up until they break.
• Inject SSoome Dra Dram ma oorr T Tra
raggedy : Not everything goes right.
Mistakes are made, by the PCs, NPCs, and villains. Show that
actions have consequences in this world. Make the choices
tough. Get them invested.
• Show tth he C Coomplexilexitty ooff tth
he WWoorld: Earth isn’t a simple place.
Even on a city level, there are going to be tons of subcultures,
religions, groups, and government organizations all vying for
control of various parts of peoples’ lives. Sometimes the
problems the PCs encounter aren’t directly caused by them
being demi-humans, but are instead caused because demi-
humans exist. The Surge has caused chaos on all levels
throughout all walks of life.
• Conser erva
vattio
ionn ooff D
Det
etaail: You don’t need or want to plan
everything out in advance. Having some ideas for events and
opponents is good, especially if you’re not great at flying by the
94
GM Moves
seat of your pants, but make sure that you focus your energy on
the space and characters directly around the PCs. Anything you
say can be the impetus for another adventure, so make sure you
point your details in the right direction. If you spend a lot of
time describing a suspicious person in the market, it’s almost
guaranteed the PCs will be chasing after that person in a
heartbeat. If that character wasn’t important, then too bad, the
PCs just made them important. Conversely, you can use this to
great effect to direct the interest of the PCs, often quite subtly.
GM Moves
The GM Moves in America Land of Monsters are the primary way
you’ll influence the tone and feel of the story. They work the same
way they do in Heroines of the First Age, and of course come in
Hard and Soft flavors, but here in ALM, they’re separated into the
four categories of the Sliding Scale of Terror vs Hilarity.
☀ Hilarity Ensues
• Humans Stop and Stare
• Someone Appears with the Most Awkward Timing
• Someone is Caught in an Accidental Innuendo
• Doing That is Way Harder for Demi-Humans
• Someone Misunderstands or Miscommunicates
• Complicate an Relationship
• A problem comes up requiring money to be spent
☂ Crapsaccharine
• Reveal Bureaucracy Setup Against Demi-Humans
• What Would Have Been Awesome Turns Out Not To Be
• They’re Just Not Built For That Cool Thing
• People Politely Avoid Them
• Everything’s More Expensive When You’re Poor
• A Suitor Backs Out Because of Race
95
Supervillain Club
🗲 Black Humor
• Heroes are Experts In Getting Dead
• Customs Enforcement Shows Up at an Awkward Time
• They Have to Make Do With Something Hilariously Bad
• Most Petty Corruption Ever
• Earth is Not Prepared for Magic
• They Cause Humans Panic and Hysteria
• Physically Can’t Make the Relationship Work
• Abduction Happens or is Revealed
• Abuse Happens or is Revealed
• The Forces of Darkness Spill Through a Gate
• Terrorists Attack
• Anti-Terrorism Teams Attack
• Make Them Steal to Survive
• Make Them Choose Between their Loved Ones
• Someone Goes a Little Yandere
Handling Setting Topics

There are a lot of things in ALM that can be hard to deal with as a
GM. Here, we’ll go over a few of them. While all your questions
might not be answered here, forewarned is forearmed.
Setting the Tone

The very first thing you should do when setting up a new campaign
of ALM is to introduce ALM to the players and the things that can
happen in it. Use the Sliding Scale and figure out where the group
sits on it right away. If people look like they’re not totally on board
with something, then talk it through with the group. No one wants
to be stuck in a game they’re not going to enjoy. Better to find out if
96
someone doesn’t agree with the others now than in the middle of a
heavy scene. Remind them that how the story works out isn’t set in
stone, but make sure people know that it’s okay to back out if it
looks like the story is headed in a direction they’re not going to like.
Trigger Warnings & Concern

Notes
Warn your players in advance of what ALM could entail. Read
them the trigger warning at the beginning of the book, and add to
it anything you think might come up in the story. Tell all of them to
write down anything they specifically don’t want to deal with on a
note and give it to you. Avoiding these subjects will go a long way
to making sure everyone feels comfortable with the story that
they’re participating in.
Lighter and Softer Challenges

Just as it can be hard to deal with story elements that are too dark, it
can likewise be difficult to deal with story elements that are too
light. When you’re playing close to the Hilarity Ensues end of the
Sliding Scale, it can be a challenge to think of and utilize
meaningful challenges. Here are some options.
• Figure out the goals of both the PCs and the players. Some
players might be comfortable just goofing around and getting
into random “weekly adventures” or playing slice of life stories.
Others are looking for something a little deeper, even in the
lighter end of the scale. Knowing what the PCs want out of life
allows you to set up stories allowing them to work towards their
goals.
• Once you know what the PCs are trying to accomplish, your job
is to use your Moves and the Adversaries to stand in their way.
In lighter stories, you can make gentle down dangerous
opponents either by playing them as bumbling, incompetent, or
misguided. You can make darker events or actions lighter by
“playing them for laughs,” which is the difference between
97
Supervillain Club
hitting someone because they insulted you and hitting someone

because they made a bad joke.
• Expand your GM Moves. Take the Hilarity Ensues moves and
think about them in a broader scope. You can make simple
events into ongoing running gags this way, while also providing
resistance to the PC’s actions. You can also look deeper in the list
and play those Moves for laughs as well, by phrasing them in a
cartoonish, silly way.
• Reality Ensues. Sometimes it’s funniest to imagine what would
actually happen to a demi-human in a given situation. What are
the tiny effects of their anatomy that can interfere in simple
things? Fox ears interfere with hats and helmets. Horns get stuck
in doorframes. Think of the other riders on a roller coaster when
you have an eleven-foot wingspan.
• Blow things out of proportion. Misunderstanding is the root of
all evil. Newscasts are always sensationalizing the most minor
things, and politicians latch onto meaningless nonsense, but
when that’s what people hear about, they may end up taking the
absurd seriously, especially since demi-humans aren’t yet
adapted to how cynical Americans are about the media they
consume.
Moving Up the Scale

You may find that you want a scene or even the whole story to head
upwards on the Sliding Scale, for whatever reason. It might be nice
to take a break after a major win, or maybe the players are getting
too downtrodden by recent events. Here are some ways to lighten
things up.
• Change up your Move selection

• Defeat Means Friendship
• Beach/Swimsuit Episode
• Hotsprings Episode
• It was all just a big misunderstanding
• Moving to a new town or location
98
Moving Down the Scale

You may find that it’s time to get serious. This often happens as time
goes on, or when you’re nearing the climax of some story arc.
Make ssur
uree yyoou’re nnoot oovver
er-r
-reeac
achin
hingg tth
he bbooun
undds sset
et u
upp aatt tth
he
beg
eginnin
inningg ooff tth
he ga
gamme w wiith tth
he ppllayer
ers.
s. You may be able to be
somewhat more flexible with this if everyone’s on board, but you
have to make sure of that first. Don’t break your social contract or
you risk offending or traumatizing your players.
Here are some ways to get darker.
• Change up your Move selection.

• Introduce a new villain
• Subtly begin to change an NPC’s personality in reaction to
events
• Start to hem them in with problems on many fronts
• Start implying darker things going on in the background
• Start revealing the edges of a conspiracy
Using Implication
There is such a thing in film called a “discretion shot” that allows
filmmakers to show the viewer something without really showing
them. Similar tactics can be used in role-playing to talk about
topics or actions without directly engaging them. Examples would
include things like having two characters pull each other into a
room and slamming the door behind them, a gunshot that echoes
down an alley as the characters run towards or away from it, or the
sound of screaming, thumping, and breaking glass from the room
next door. By watching how your players react to these
implications, you can gauge how on board they are with the
situation before you reveal (or hide) more details.
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Supervillain Club
De-Escalating Situations
Regardless of how well you’ve prepared the game and planned for
your players, you’ll someday hit a situation that someone isn’t
comfortable with. This can be as simple as someone disliking how a
situation is handled or it can be as complex as someone getting
deeply invested in a character and suffering unnecessary trauma
when that character is hurt.
It’s important to remember the golden rule here, that we’re all at the
table for entertainment. If something is ruining the entertainment
value for someone, it should be removed or avoided.
Complications arise when one player is not comfortable with

something that the other players find entertaining. Imagine you
have a player who was abducted as a child and has diagnosed
mental trauma from the incident, but hasn’t told anyone. While the
other players might be enjoying the pathos of a situation in which
one of their friends is abducted, and they’re trying to get that
person back, the other player may be deeply disturbed by the
situation.
A major part of your toolbox for this challenge are the notes the
players give you to notify you of topics they want to avoid, but this
doesn’t always work. Sometimes someone doesn’t want to bring
something up, or thought it wouldn’t be a problem, or the story
takes a turn that no one expected.
To deescalate situations like this, you first have to be watching your

players closely, especially in charged situations, to make sure no
one’s having trouble dealing with it. If some one is, it may be time
to try some of these options:
• Take a moment to tell the players that shit’s about to get real.
This works when you have an opportunity ahead of time, and
works best when the players are going into something they know
is going to be trying or emotionally risky. It also serves as a way
100
to make sure everyone’s still on board with the direction things

are going.
• Prepare some backup plans. Whenever you’re going into a scene
where some sort of emotionally disturbing content might arise,
try to think of at least one simple way to interrupt that. Read
over the GM Moves again. You can always extract someone from
one kind of danger by shaking up the situation with another
kind of danger.
• At the earliest convenience, set up a question to be answered but
take a break. Setting up a cliff-hanger for a moment and
adjourning gives you a moment to talk with people to see how
they’re doing, and it gives you a quick way to get back into the
story afterwards.
• Debrief the players. If the situation was rocky but got handled,
it’s probably a good idea to stop the game a little early and
discuss what happened and how people felt about it. You can use
this to look for ideas for further plot points, but you can subtly
check to see if people are on the same page as well, and you can
use it as an opportunity to calm people down and remind them
it’s a game.
Balancing the Books

Money and income are major parts of life in the US, and can be
especially important for demi-humans who may find themselves
living hand to mouth. While not every ALM story may be about
money trouble, you may find that your story does have a lot to do
with finances. If that’s the case, you’ll want to keep any eye on the
player’s balance sheets. It may be useful to keep notes or even a
whiteboard with the players’ information on it. This will make it
easier to give them challenges that depend on them not having
enough money: if you try to throw a monetary problem their way
and they’re all rich it’s not going to sell. On the other hand,
knowing how rich they are can also be fun for when they want to
go around throwing money at problems, buying hotels, and
purchasing whatever they want.
Ways to limit or reduce their money:
101
Supervillain Club
• Make it hard to get a job

• Part time vs full time work
• Home/Vehicle repairs
• Bills & debts
• Loans
• Mortage/rent
• Criminal fines
• Purchasing expensive stuff
• Spend money on food
Ways they may try to get more money:
• Raises
• Promotions
• Odd Jobs
• Reward money
• Selling things
• Participating in experiments
• Crime
• Investment
Keep in mind that money is another tool for creating drama. You
may not want to keep them broke all the time, but you may not
want them to stock up too much cash either.
Playing with Romance

Many of the franchises ALM draws influences from are romantic
comedies. The rules are wide enough open that you don’t need to
involve this trope if you don’t want to or if the group isn’t
comfortable with it, but you can also build a harem comedy using
the tools ALM provides for you. Obviously, make sure the group is
on board with the direction first.
There are several types of situation that usually occur. It’s better to
let the situations arise naturally, but you can also ask the group
what the setup is going to be and come to a consensus, which will
be easier if you’re still building characters and setting up the story.
102
Situations include:
• Stra
raig
igh
ht U
UppH Haarem: One character is generally the target of
everyone’s affections. Expect some interparty conflict, at least at
a low level. Make sure to keep things on track and avoid hard
feelings. Harems are usually composed of friends rather than
outright enemies, after all.
• Couple B Bui
uildin
lding:
g: The relationships are more equitable all
around, and pairs may form and separate frequently. Part of the
drama and comedy will be the guessing game who ends up with
who. This especially works when the player characters have
unique and well-articulated personalities.
• Ext
xter
ernnal R
Roomance: The players’ romantic interests are mostly
NPCs. Often the conceit will be that the players live or work
together, and their romantic interests are from outside that
circle. Serial relationship may happen. There are more options
open here, which may lead to either more complexity or more
stability. This can also be used to explore the dating scene more
thoroughly.
• Limi
imitted SSco
cop pe: If only one or two players in the group focus on
romance and the rest of the group is more concerned with other
elements of the story. Maybe the character just wants to be the
Casanova, is a complete hedonist, is an incubus or succubus or
something, or has some other specific romantic or sexual trait.
This is one of the more dangerous situations at the table, because
it requires the least buy-in from everyone. If someone’s headed
this way, make sure the group is cool with the direction things
are headed, and keep an eye on people’s reactions to the
character’s antics.
Regardless of the situation, there are two ways to play with it:
• For Dra
Dramma: The romance is driving a major part of the story,
possibly introducing conflicts or contradictions for the players
to grapple with in the course of other events. Handled well, it
can even be used as the core driver of the story. If you’re playing
it for drama, you’re going to want to rely a fair amount on
unresolved sexual tension, as that’s usually what prevents
103
Supervillain Club
characters from consummating their love and thus removing a

source of drama.
• For FlFlaavor: The romance isn’t really that important to the story,
it’s there to color the events in rather than shape the events
themselves. You may slowly transition from flavor to drama, or
you might also have some relationships that are played for
drama, while others are played for flavor, though this can be a
balancing act.
Other tropes and traits might include:
• Tsundere
• Yandere
• The Casanova
• Accidental Pervert
• It’s Not What It Looks Like
• Really Gets Around
• Blind Date
• Only Sane Man
104
105
Enemies of the Snake
Enemies of the
Snake
Neri clamped her hands over her mouth, daring not to breathe.
The man was already in the house, and there was no way to get
downstairs.
Ears twitching, she glanced at the window, wondering if she

could make it before he heard her moving.
Instead, a shadow loomed over the wall next to it.
“Here, kitty kitty kitty. Show me that pretty tail of yours.”
This section presents creatures, beings, demons, and monsters the

GM can field against the PCs. PCs are advised to avoid this section
and leave it to the GM. This is not an exhaustive, detailed bestiary.
Instead, it is a collection of interesting examples of what can exist in
Heroines of the Last Age. GMs should feel free to use or modify
these entries, or to create new adversaries based on these examples.
Each adversary is presented with a general description, a

Motivation, one or more GM Moves, and several example stat
blocks.
Power Ratings
The various opponents and challenges presented in this chapter
follow a five star rating system, which roughly parallels the NPC
Chart in HFA. Each rating is explained in this chart.
106
Generic NPCs
Power Ratin
ingg Approxim
ximaate Sug
uggges
estted
Ratin
ingg Title DN Appeararannce
★ Weak 1 Early game
Early game boss/
★★ Tough 1–2
heavy
★★★ Powerful 2–3 Midgame
★★★★ Great 3–4 Midgame boss/heavy
★★★★★ Godlike 4 Late game
Note: Suggested Appearance only indicates a rough outline of

where each level of power sits on the continuum of ability
described in HFA. It’s a suggestion rather than a limit.
Generic NPCs
These are NPCs you can use to fill out the ranks of organizations or
use as a basis for someone unexpected who has just popped up. You
can also use this list as a basis for creating new NPCs you may
need.
• Hum
umaan C Chi ld: 0 armor, 1 health. Power: ★
hild:
• Demi C Chi ld: 1 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
hild:
• Office WWoorkerer:: 0 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
• Youn
ungg A
Ad dult D emi: 2 armor, 4 health, 2 harm. Power: ★
Demi:
• Laborerer:: 1 armor, 3 health, 2 harm. Power: ★
• Officer:: 3 armor, 6 health. 4 harm, Ranged. Power: ★
Police Officer
• ldier:: 4 armor, 7 health. 5 harm, Ranged. Power: ★★
Soldier
• Th ug: 1 armor, 6 health. 3 harm, Melee. Power: ★
Thug:
• urgglar: 0 armor, 4 health. 2 harm, Power: ★
Bur
• yguaard: 2 armor, 7 health. 4 harm, Ranged. Power: ★
Bodygu
107
Our Corporate
Overlords
These threats are large groups that can’t be dealt with all at once.
They’ve usually got branches across a lot of territory and are fairly
well integrated into Earth society. Bringing down one of these
factions is a tremendous challenge.
☀ SaveFast
Why dig through the garbage when you could just go to
SaveFast and pay for the same thing?
–A medusa, voice dripping sarcasm and venom
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Sell cheap food but skimp in every possible way
Moves: Something Has Gone Bad, Inflexible and Inconvenient

Work Hours, Coworkers Make Your Life Hell
SaveFast is a major grocery store chain that actually does hire

demi-humans. like many of their competitors, they are renowned
for their low prices, wide selection, and availability in
neighborhoods other stores won’t put locations in. They’re also
renowned for their terrible treatment of their employees, from
scheduling problems to low wages to poor management. Because
they can’t afford to be picky, they hire just about anyone, leading to
fast turnover and lots of poor performers. Nevertheless, it’s rare to
find grocery stores that are willing to sell food to demi-humans, let
alone cater to any of their unusual dietary needs.
It’s important to remember that SaveFast employees aren’t evil,

they’re just overworked, underpaid, and poorly supported. This
kind of work environment is inexpensive to fund, but results in
massive turnover and a kind of corporate soul-suck that turns even
the nicest saint into a grumbling dullard after a few shifts. On one
108
Our Corporate Overlords
hand, it’d be nice if they could pay everyone better and treat their
employees a little more like human beings, but on the other hand,
the only reason they’re able to keep stores open for demi-humans is
because they’re so stingy.
• Hum
umaan B
Buully : 0 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
• Grum
umppy D
Demi-H
emi-Hum umaan: 2 armor, 4 health, 2 harm. Power: ★
• Some KKin
indd ooff SSlim
limee Th
Thaat E
Eaats tth
he Ga
Garb
rbaage: 3 armor, 8 health. 3
harm, Melee. Power: ★★
☀ Kahuna Burger
“I guess it’s alright for a sheet of burned animal flesh slathered
in goo.”
“Oh man, come on, I’m trying to eat here.”
–Theranfella, a drider newcomer, and her host, Jim
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Sell as many burgers as possible as fast as possible
Moves: Someone Unsavory is Hanging Around, There’s Another

Domestic Going On
Kahuna Burger is in the business of selling burgers. It’s not that

hard to think up a couple recipes that might be appealing to demi-
humans, and that’s an untapped market. To Kahuna Burger, demis
are just more customers. Because it’s one of the few places that
demi-humans can go to get food they might actually enjoy (without
offending American sensibilities) it’s become a relatively popular
hangout for demi-humans who aren’t too far off of human baseline.
And due to this new crowd, management (obviously called the Big
Kahuna) has started hiring demis on. While the hours are often
chaotic and unstructured, the outfits are sort of embarrassing, and
the job itself often sucks, it could be worse.
Kahuna Burger has been the center of an interesting inversion of

culture. Formerly known for the Hawaiian bent to their food,
109
they’ve become more known for their demi-human clientele than

their exotic burgers. Through no fault of their own, it’s become a
human fad to go to Kahuna Burger to look at demi-humans in a
relatively controlled environment.
• Ga
Gawwkerer:: 0 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
• Armed Ga Gaw er:: 0 armor, 4 health, 4 harm. Power ★
wker
• Over
erw
worked K Kaahununaa SSttaff: 2 armor, 4 health, 3 harm. Power: ★
• Big F
Fiish BBos s: 3 armor, 6 health, 5 harm. Power: ★★
oss:
☂ GlobalMart
I don’t understand. Why are these people so sad? You said they
work here, don’t they know what kind of riches and wonders
are on all these shelves? This store would have changed the
entire world, back where I’m from! How can they not see that
they’re inside a miracle?
–Princess Yuaris Sky, a naive harpy noble
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Labor is labor, and we have a lot of product to move
Moves: Objectify Someone, Mess With the Work Schedule
A combination department, electronics, and big box retail store,

GlobalMart keeps costs down mostly through economies of scale.
They sell cheap products by manufacturing more than they can get
rid of, and they pay minimum wage to just about everyone in the
store. So far, corporate hasn’t made it a policy to kick demi-humans
out, so it’s the place a lot of them end up going to shop for
household goods. That doesn’t mean they’re equitable, though.
They’ve taken wholeheartedly to the minimum wage loophole for
demi-humans, paying them a pittance for long, arduous hours.
They also employ exclusively human cashiers and management and
often have department leaders watching over the every move of
their demi employees. On top of that, demi-human employees can
expect to be forced into tasks based purely on their looks or
110
apparent physical abilities, as well as the things no one else wants to

do.
Many GlobalMart locations now suffer from a kind of split

personality. Because a lot of humans know that demi-humans shop
there, they mostly avoid it, and because the demis know that people
don’t like to see them out and about, they stay home during the day
and shop at night. Since GlobalMart is open 24/7, the night shift is
full of furtive, nervous customers, suspicious loss prevention
agents, and weary clerks. Many of the demi customers act like
they’re not allowed to be there and skulk about cautiously, making
the security guards nervous, and keeping the management running
around the entire shift. Ultimately, though, most of these “security
events” turn out to be simple purchases by shy newcomers.
• Slin
linkkin
ingg D
Demi
emi CCu er:: 2 armor, 4 health, 3 harm. Power: ★
ustomer
• Demi SSttaff: 2 armor, 4 health, 2 harm. Power: ★
• Secur
uriity G
Guuard: 3 armor, 6 health. 4 harm, Ranged. Power: ★
• Los
osss P
Prreven
enttio
ionn SSqquad: 4 armor, 9 health. 5 harm, Ranged.
Power: ★★★
☂ Sjors Inc.
I don’t understand this fascination with “equality.” I am strong.
I lift things. If I am stronger and lift more things, then why
must I be equal to someone who cannot?
–Epharant, a confused minotaur applying for Sjors Inc.
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Make use of cheap local labor for moving goods
Moves: Press-Gang a Demi Into Work, Dispose of Unneeded

Laborers
With great big purple trucks and a name no one knows how to
pronounce, Sjors is a shipping, trucking, delivery, and logistics
company. They’ve recently overtaken the top spot in the American
market, and are spreading across Asia and Europe as well. What
111
few realize is that Sjors hires a fair number of demi-humans for

their workforce. Unfortunately, these demis are often paid pennies
for their labor, and often teams of homeless demi-humans are
rounded up for short-term transportation gigs. They are locked in a
constant battle with the labor unions, but so far nothing has been
able to stop them from making use of the resources available to
them, and they claim to be proud to give desperate demi-humans
jobs, if only temporarily.
Sjors is extremely well practiced in the art of smuggling. They have

a solid reputation with US customs and border patrol, well-placed
turncoats and fences, and vast reserves with which to bribe or
eliminate those who get in the way. While the operators are kept in
the dark, the higher-ups never take a blind deal; they can’t charge
you right for their services if they don’t know what they’re
transporting. Once the deal is set up, all information about the
contents is destroyed, leaving no paper trail. Since Sjors
intentionally keeps their manifests encrypted and scrambled, it’s
basically impossible to find any illegal goods in the containers
unless you were to check every single one while still at sea. But
that’s why they arm the boats.
• Sjors D
Demi
emi L Loongsgsh
horem
emaan: 2 armor, 7 health. 4 harm, Melee.
Power: ★★
• Sjors F emaan: 3 armor, 6 health. 4 harm, Ranged. Power: ★★
Foorem
• Sjors T
Tac
acttic
icaal T
Teeam: 4 armor, 9 health. 5 harm, Ranged, Area.
★★★
🗲 Purity Sect
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you gentle folks what I’ve come
before you today to talk about. There is a blight on our country,
an infection in the blood of America. Dem emoons walk this land,
out there, in broad daylight, and they think that we’ll turn
a blind eye to them, but we won’t! We will cast them out,
vanquish, and destroy them! We will render this land pure
once again!
112
–Preacher Giles Martin Bystrom
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Deport or destroy all monsters in the USA
Moves: Shield Hate with Law, Form a Lynch Mob
Known for their spectacularly racist protests and hilariously

offensive remarks from their own Messiah William Stanley
Carpenter, Purity Sect has been roundly disowned or branded
heretics by most Christian denominations. They advocate for every
possible way of getting rid of demi-humans, which Carpenter calls
“the spawn of Satan himself,” including such fan favorites as
burning at the stake, summary execution by guillotine, public
lynching, and even bombing campaigns on American soil. Widely
condemned as a hate group, Purity Sect nevertheless grows year by
year, as fear and violence involving demi-humans spreads. They
depend completely on US legal protections for religions for their
continued existence, which many groups such as the SPLC and
ACLU have been trying to get revoked for years.
Before the Surge, Purity Sect was merely one among many hate
group cults, but when demi-humans started appearing, they took
this as a sign from God that they’d been right all along. They use
that as evidence that their views have been and always will be
vindicated. Like other modern hate groups, their members
generally use intolerant and vicious language to stir up trouble, use
“freedom of speech” as a shield, and sue those who interfere with
their “protests.”
• Hates
esppeech P
Pic
ickket
eter s: 0 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
ers:
yguaards: 4 armor, 8 health. 4 harm, Ranged. Power: ★
• Bodygu
🗲 GETF
Do people actually feel safer with these jack-booted thugs
strutting around town with assault weapons and full armor? I
don’t know, but what I do know is that my shop has taken a
30% cut in customers since they showed up.
113
–Rufus Allaway, Owner, Rufio’s Slice
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Secure Gates, contain demi-humans, and protect the
American population
Moves: Track Down a Demi-Human, Deploy a Fancy New Gadget
This section of the Department of Homeland Security was

organized in response to the threat presented by the Surge. As time
goes on, GETF’s legal powers and responsibilities grow. Presently,
they investigate all Gate entries, though much of the time they
simply aren’t able to get resources to the site fast enough to
intercept those coming through. This means their task is mostly
one of investigation and tracking down demi-humans who have
either arrived unannounced, not acquired the proper paperwork to
enter the United States, or caused damage or trouble since arriving.
This means virtually all demi-humans will be under investigation
by GETF at some point or another. Despite the fact that they’re
unable to apprehend many newcomers on arrival, their success rate
at tracking them down afterwards is very nearly 100%.
What GETF does with their detainees is essentially random. The

guidance they’re given from the Director changes almost every
week, and each district chief has control over how investigations are
conducted, what they try to uncover, and how long subjects are
kept confined for investigation. On top of that, individual agents
are given tremendous autonomy to conduct their duties.
• GE
GETF
TF FFie
ield
ld A
Aggen
ent:
t: 4 armor, 7 health. 6 harm, Ranged. Power:
★★★
• GE
GETF
TF OOppera
erattio
ionns SSqquad: 5 armor, 10 health. 8 harm, Ranged,
Area. Power: ★★★★
• Prototyp
ypee VVeehic
hicuular D Demi-H
emi-Humumaan NNeu
euttra
ralizer
lizer:: 6 armor, 15
health, 12 harm, Ranged, Indirect, Area. Power: ★★★★★
114
🕱 MacNeill Corporation
It’s beautiful isn’t it? Just look at it. Eight and a half pounds
of pure stopping power. Long rifle and bullpup configurations.
Fully automatic, and still legal here in Texas. The MacNeill
U-19 is the top of the line, the creme de la creme of Gate
Defense weapons. None better, we guarantee it.
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Make the most powerful and reliable anti-demi arsenal
Moves: Call in the GETF, Abduct a Demi for Testing
Labeled a knock-off by their competitor, Stark, MacNeill is a

defense firm that has recently put vast funding into the research
and development of weapons and systems designed specifically for
GETF and other Anti-Gate forces. This is, of course, a euphemism
for anti-demi weapons technology. They capture demi-humans for
research, develop new weapons from their discoveries, weaponize
those discoveries, then test their new weapons on captured demi-
humans. This has led to a surge in advanced weapons, and
MacNeill’s lawyers and spokesmen are the first to tell you that it’s
not the fault of the company that any random yahoo can get ahold
of one of their weapons.
A lot of the test subjects that are used by MacNeill are acquired
through shell companies posting ads for low-wage, demi-friendly
jobs. Those who reply are abducted and taken to black sites for
testing. There are no survivors of these tests, only escapees. When
one does escape, MacNeill often notified GETF immediately, rather
than get their own hands dirty on American soil, where they might
be questioned about their operations.
• MacN
acNei
eilll EExp
xpererimimen er:: 0 armor, 2 health, 6 harm. Power: ★★
entter
• MacN
acNei
eilll SSu
ubject H Haandler
ler:: 4 armor, 6 health, 6 harm. Power:
★★★
• MacN
acNei
eilll TTes
estt SSqquad: 5 armor, 7 health. 8 harm, Ranged. Power:
★★★
115
• MacN
acNei
eilll E
Exp
xper
erim
imen
enttatio
ionnP
Pood: Induces catatonia (DN 4) from
severe pain (DN 4). Power: ★★★★★
🕱 The Paladins
We know justice when we see it. It’s time for us to fight back.
To take a stand. The world just became a war zone. Whose side
are you on?
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Show those monsters whose country this is
Moves: Remove Witnesses, Secure and Contain the Area
Not all of the agents in GETF are there with the honorable intent to
protect and serve the people of America. Some are just mean-
spirited, others murderous. They often become members of gang
embedded within GETF known as the Paladins, who abuse their
rights and privileges to assault and murder innocent demi-humans.
The Paladins sometimes take direction from the Coalition, who
supplies them with funding and contacts to keep doing their
heinous work.
The problem for demi-humans is that it’s essentially impossible to

determine whether the agent or officer they’re dealing with is a
member of the Paladins or not. By maintaining discipline, giving
away nothing about their activities, and limiting their membership,
they have become perfect chameleons in the law enforcement
industry.
• Paladin B
Brrother
er:: 4 armor, 7 health. 6 harm, Melee, Ranged.
Power: ★★★
• Paladin U
Uni
nit:
t: 5 armor, 12 health. 9 harm, Melee, Ranged, Area.
Power: ★★★★
116
🕱 Bryant Taylor Inc.

Just think. What if you could bottle the regenerative powers
of a vampire or the self-replication of a slime or the strength
of a dragon. Imagine what that would sell for. Forget a cure
for cancer, we could make every American Steve Rogers if we
wanted. If they had the money.
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Medicine is money, and Magic is the next Medicine
Moves: Make a Deceptive Offer, Turn Medicine Into a Weapon
Bryant Taylor is a massive pharmaceutical conglomerate that has

purchased nearly 70% of multinational drug company stock in the
past 10 years. Their current goal is a complete biological teardown
of all demi-human sub-species, which they intend to use to build
ever more potent and valuable drugs for humanity. Specific
departments differ as to how they acquire their samples, but
considering that the actual average payout per subject is around
$4.75, it’s likely that most of their subjects aren’t part of the
program willfully.
Bryant Taylor employs private contractors, shell corporations, and

even organized crime in order to move subjects from collection
locations to test sites, most of which are outside the USA, where
governmental enforcement of medical and ethical standards are
poorly enforced or non-existent. The company is so large and
wealthy that has a whole department devoted to bribes, payoffs,
money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal deals.
• Doctor: 0 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★

• Priva
vatte C
Coontrac
racttor SSqquad: 4 armor, 8 health. 4 harm, Ranged.
Power: ★
• Delayed Eff
Effeect P
Pooison: Causes nausea (DN 2), sedation (DN 2),
and eventually paralysis (DN 2). Power: ★★★
117
🕱 The Coalition
Look, some naive kid from the Times comes into my office
every week, claiming they got dirt on me. That they’ll lock me
up “for all the evil I’ve done” or for the good of the country or
whatever.
But let me tell you something. It’s never the same kid twice.
Why? Because I own that newspaper. I own everything in this
city. And my friends and I own this whole world.
You think you’re some heroic David locked in a heroic battle

against Goliath, but you don’t even realize that war is over. We
won, decades ago. So go home and forget you ever came to my
office. Or you’ll find out just how much of you I own.
Motiva
vattio
ion:
n: Retain the Stranglehold, Balance the Books
Moves: Under New Management, The World Turns Against Them,

Always a Bigger Fish
There exists a stratum of super-powerful, ultra-elite, mega-rich that

very nearly live on another plane from the rest of us. These are not
the men and women who own corporations, these are the people
who own nations, industries, and ideas. They bankroll wars,
destabilize religions, and forge secret alliances so obscure nobody
even knows they exist. These men and women are called the
Coalition, and they decide the course of history.
One way to understand the power of the Coalition is to think of

them as the makers of the rules the game of life is played by, rather
than other players. They put into practice the systems of
government and banking, the very foundations our civilizations
run on.
Whether the Coalition was blindsided by the Surge or in fact

caused it is a matter of speculation even among those who are
aware of its existence. It’s quite possible that they agreed it was time
118
People Problems
for a new resource to be introduced on Earth, once that they could

take immediate advantage of.
• Coali
littio
ionn SSp
py : 3 armor, 10 health. 9 harm, any range. Power:
★★★
• Coali
littio
ionn SSp
pymaster er:: 6 armor, 15 health. 9 harm, any range.
Power: ★★★★
• Coali
littio
ionnT Tra
rannscen
cenden
dent:t: 6 armor, 20 health. 11 harm, any range.
Power: ★★★★★
People Problems
These threats are generally single characters or small groups.
Depending on their power and abilities, they range from annoying
to more difficult to deal with than some factions. Some people
listed are more social threats than physical ones, while others are in
charge of or part of a larger organization that may come to back
them up.
☀ Candace Sparrow
Are you telling me, a four star general, how to run a national
security agency, Mrs. Sparrow? You have the spine of a
jellyfish!
–General Rusty Mondo, on national television
Candace Sparrow is a TV host, celebrity, and commentator on the

Surge famous for her childish disgust, inflammatory remarks, and
vapid personality. Formerly the star of a poorly-written daytime TV
program, she switched gears to political commentating when she
realized that more fame awaited her there. Now, she represents a
certain contingent of middle-income white folks who share her
distaste for demi-humans and follower her vocally on social media.
Sparrow claims she “calls them like she sees them,” but she’s
renowned for her cowardly, prissy attitude towards not just
119
newcomers, but everything from movie theaters to public

restrooms to grocery stores. She has an intense but squeamish
dislike for anything that’s not perfectly clean, sanitized, and mass-
produced. Whenever she hears the slightest hint of an issue with
something—whether person or product—she publicly denounces
it.
parrow : 0 armor, 2 health, 0 harm. Power: ★

• Candace SSp
☀ Phoenix and Christen Watts

WELL MAYBE IF YOU ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING
AROUND HERE, WE WOULDN’T BE UP TO OUR
ANKLES IN SHIT AND TRASH!
FUCK YOU, PHOENIX! I WANT A DIVORCE! YOU GET

BOTH OF THEM!
–Tuesday at the Wattses’
The Wattses are the worst neighbors ever. They’re loud, obnoxious,
don’t take out their trash properly, leave their toys and junk laying
around, and have routine domestic disturbances.
The father, Phoenix, thinks of himself as God’s gift to day-trading,

while his wife Christen, is a stay-at-home mother who has
absolutely no intention of keeping up the house, nor raising her
children properly, spending all of her time on her phone. The two
of them often argue about who’s putting more of themselves into
the relationship. Tissy, their oldest, “plays” violin, in that she has no
training and the poor instrument is completely out of tune, bent,
and missing strings. Brent, their youngest, is renowned throughout
both the neighborhood and the internet as having a truly incredible
set of lungs.
• Phoenix WWaatts, P
Paatric
ickk B
Baatem
emaan W
Waann
nnaabe: 0 armor, 2 health, 1
harm. Power: ★
• Chr
hriisten W
Waatts, ID GAF:: 0 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
IDGAF
120
People Problems
• Tissy W
Waatts, V
Vio
iolin/C
lin/Caat T
Toortur
urer
er:: 0 armor, 2 health, 0 harm.
Power: ★
• Bren
entt W
Waatts, Th
Thee SScr er:: 0 armor, 2 health, 0 harm. Power: ★
creeamer
☂ Senator Selena Lauwens

Senatory Lauwens proposed new legislation on demi-human
newcomers today, called Path to Integration Via Education.
The bill is expected to pass easily, and is already being hailed as
“The Lauwens Bill.”
The Line: Selena Lauwens loves demi-humans. She’s your senator,

and she’s doing everything she can to help newcomers adjust to
their new lives here in the good ol’ US of A. She is a proponent of
integration and likes to personally meet every newcomer who
appears in her constituency. She always offers them reeducation
classes and makes sure to get them signed up for the right
programs, and is always friendly and polite. Unlike many
politicians, she never shows an ounce of fear or apprehension, even
when meeting the most intimidating demi-humans.
The Truth: Selena Lauwens hates demi-humans. She promotes

mandatory reeducation up to and including brainwashing and
electroshock therapy. She believes that all demi-humans must
immediately convert to American culture and her church to be
saved from their sins. To her, demi-human cultures from
Otherworld are abomination, a bunch of barbarous tribes hunting
and murdering each other in complete anarchy.
• Sen
enaator L
Laauwen s: 1 armor, 2 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
ens:
• Th
Thee L
Laauwen
enss B
Biill: Mandatory reeducation unless one can Get
Some Respect DN 3. Power: ★★★
☂ Victoria Draper
You stay away from Vicky, demon fuck. She’s my girl. Keep
your filthy evil hands off of her and get the fuck out of here.
121
–Barry
Victoria Draper is the cute girl next door. She’s very nice, mostly
unbothered by demi-humans (unless they actively try to scare her,
which elicits a little squeak) cooks delicious food, and is fun to talk
to. She’ll gladly tell you about her (unfortunately unsuccessful)
small business, her time in Europe and Asia, or the ins and outs of
gardening. While she currently works as an industrial designer,
she’s working towards a career in architecture and loves to go and
see foreign buildings. She dreams of being able to see Otherworld.
She’s also crazy about you. Crazy. Obsessed crazy. Not the good
kind. She’s made a neat little shrine with “collected” items and
photographs. She takes sick days at work so she can watch you. She
hangs on your every word. She never blinks in your presence.
• Vic
icttoria Dra
Drap er:: 0 armor, 7 health. Power: ★★★
per
◦ Tranquilizer Hypodermic: Unconsciousness DN 3
◦ Victoria’s Rope-Tying Skills: Remain bound DN 3
◦ Knife: 2 harm, Melee
◦ Saw: 4 harm, Melee, Slow, Messy
• Barry FFoonella, V
Vicicttoria’s E x: 3 armor, 6 health. Power: ★
Ex:
◦ Illegal gun: 4 harm, Ranged
◦ Baseball Bat: 2 harm, Melee
🗲 Sergeant George Autebery

I don’t know about Autebery, man. Don’ think he’s on the take.
Got a real pretty girl though. If we need put some pressure on
’im, I think that’s the spot to do it.
–Officer Carlo de Campo, to his conspirators
George is an average kind of guy. Sure, he’s a police detective, but he

sits firmly in the middle of almost every kind of polarizing
argument. He’s right on top of the golden mean. Unfortunately, his
weakness is his ignorance. He watches popular TV and is thus
misinformed about a lot of things, including just about everything
122
People Problems
concerning demi-humans. Nevertheless, once informed he’s wrong,

he’s quick to correct himself. George is fundamentally a nice guy.
George’s problem is that his precious daughter is dating a dehu.

Since he hasn’t had much experience just talking with them, George
doesn’t understand many of the finer points of newcomer lives, for
example that there are many different cultures a newcomer might
come from, or that they’re as diverse as humans are. He’s likely to
fly right off the handle when the truth is revealed, but he’s a smart
guy and kind person so he’ll probably come around if things don’t
get out of hand first.
• Ser
erggeant A
Au eryy: 3 armor, 8 health. Power: ★★
uteber
◦ Sidearm: 4 harm, Ranged.
◦ Baseball Bat: 2 harm, Melee.
• Kyle
leee A
Au eryy: 0 armor, 3 health, 0 harm. Power: ★
uteber
• Another ooff K
Kyyle uittors: 1 armor, 4 health, 1 harm. Power: ★
leee’s SSui
🗲 Inspector Rolf Botwright

Trust me. I’m not doing this because I enjoy it.
It’s for your own good.
Rolf Botwright looks like a haggard, used, ’80s cardboard cutout of

a man. He could easily be mistaken for a zombie, now that demi-
humans are known to exist. Botwright is a health inspector with a
very unique position. After an accidental lateral move that he nor
anybody else made intentionally, he is now in charge of inspecting
homes and activities of demi-humans living in the city.
Unfortunately, his job puts him in the position of accidentally
terrorizing the uninformed newcomers he’s sent to inspect. Few
realize that he’s not there to capture them directly, but to take stock
of things first before turning in a report. He usually gives people
advice on how to fix things up before he has to return.
Though he can seem heartless, dispassionate, and world-weary,

Inspector Botwright is actually very good at his job. Part of it is that
123
he fully believes in the health laws and rules put in place, and that
they help people live healthier lives. The other part is that he doesn’t
care at all about people on an individual level, and has essentially
no compassion when it comes to breaking the law.
• Inspector B Bootwrig ht: 1 armor, 9 health, 1 harm. Power: ★★

igh
• Fle
Fleein
eingg D emi: 2 armor, 4 health, 2 harm. Power: ★
Demi:
🕱 Clayton Sloan Randall

I want you to know that this is very important to me. It’s one of
my favorite pieces. Look at how beautiful it is, especially under
the UV light of the sun. Watch how it glimmers like opal or
pearl. Isn’t it just beautiful? And the girl it came from was just
as beautiful, let me assure you. That’s why I sent it in, because
everything is fleeting, life, beauty, perfection. I won’t be able to
keep all my pieces forever. So I thought I’d share with the paper,
for all to enjoy.
Sincerely, The Horn Collector
Known to the press as the Horn Collector, Randall is a serial killer

who murders demi-humans. The Horn Collector always takes a
souvenir of his victims, thus the name. By day, Randall sells home
security systems, giving him both the skills to penetrate any home
defense and an alibi for why he might be spotted casing a building.
He’s mild mannered, skinny, and kind of geeky-looking, which
belies his wiry, psychotic strength and speed. He always takes his
glasses off before he murders a victim.
The Horn Collector targets female demi-humans, with a strong

preference for the more unusual types; catfolk, wolves, and
lizardfolk are rare, while arthropods, cephs, and angels are more
frequently among his targets. Perhaps this has something to do
with the kinds of souvenirs he can collect from them, or perhaps it’s
just his preference. He already has dozens of known murders to his
name and the speed of his attacks is increasing, possibly as he
124
People Problems
refines his methods. The most telling evidence of his activities is the
artistic, visionary way he describes his crimes and souvenirs.
• Th
Thee H
Hoorn C lecctor: 3 armor, 10 health. Power: ★★★
Coolle
◦ Hatchet & Machete: 6 harm
◦ Booby Trap: 5 harm DN 3
• Di
Dissappearin
ingg A
Acct: Evades capture DN 3 and removes evidence
DN 4. Power: ★★★★
🕱 Agent Ned Eriksson

GET DOWN ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW! DOWN!
Ned Eriksson is an agent with GETF, and he’s damn good at his job.
Ned prides himself on being first on the scene, ever prepared, and
ready with a response to every situation. Ned is the kind of guy
with a disaster-preparedness plan in his home, a concealed carry
license, and EMT training. He’s often described as “keyed up,” and
“a little too intense.” Even his partner, Carson, sometimes tells him
to tone it back or bring it down a bit.
Ned Eriksson’s father was killed trying to deal with one of the very
first newcomer arrivals in the US. He says he doesn’t hold a grudge,
but he is hyper-conscious of the danger that they possess, and
would never think of putting a demi-human before a human life.
Nevertheless, he doesn’t attack peaceful demis, he’s just overly
vigilant and applies disproportionate force early and effectively to
neutralize problems, because he knows what can happen if they run
rampant.
• Agen
entt Er kssson: 5 armor, 12 health, Impressive. Power: ★★★
Eriiks
◦ Custom Assault Rifle: 9 harm
◦ Sidearm: 5 harm
◦ Combat Knife: 3 harm, Melee
• Agen Caarson: 5 armor, 8 health, Impressive. Power: ★★★
entt C
◦ Assault Rifle: 8 harm
◦ Sidearm: 5 harm
◦ Combat Knife: 3 harm, Melee
125
🕱 Lauren Garrett
You may be in danger here, ma’am. We need to get you
somewhere safe, out of sight. They could be here any moment.
This way, please…
Garret, usually known only by the codename Angel, is a spy and

assassin hired to work on United States soil. Her clients include
senators, representatives, lobbyists, princes, presidents, CEOs, and
the Coalition. Her marks are mostly demi-humans, but not because
she hates them, just because that’s who people want dead these
days. She’s also sent after rabble rousers, key witnesses, and
outspoken proponents. She’s fast, effective, clean, reliable, and
untraceable. She’s also very, very expensive.
Lauren Garrett is a career spy, she has no home life, no friends, no

“true” identity anymore. When she first joined the CIA, she was
already an undercover agent for another agency, and by the time
she left she was the center of dozens if not hundreds of covert
operations and conspiracies. Garrett is a consummate professional
and extraordinary social chameleon, able to fit in just about
anywhere.
• Laur
uren
en Ga
Garrret t: 3 armor, 15 health, Stealth. Power: ★★★★
ett:
◦ MacNeill R6 Prototype: 11 harm, Ranged, Stealth
◦ Poison: 6 harm, Undetectable, DN 3
◦ Keep Her Out: DN 4
🕱 Valentin Werner Ivanov

What’s better than being rich? Being a superhuman. And being
more rich.
Ivanov is a Russian-American business magnate, CEO, and

investor. He has become one of the most famous and polarizing
figures in modern media because of the way that he does business:
first he decides what he wants, then he finds someone working on
126
Beyond Mortal Ken
inventing it. He offers them massive funding in exchange for a

controlling share, then waits for them to finish. Once they’ve
completed the task, he exchanges the rights, liquidates the original
company, then sells the rights and technologies to other companies
for billions, then the cycle repeats. He’s always got at least a handful
of these schemes running at a time, though the more money he
accumulates, the more he simply hires people outright to make
things for him.
At heart, Valentin is still a teenager with too much money. He’s

brash, impulsive, and lacks good foresight. Even when he keeps
strategists on staff, he completely ignores them when he sees
something he wants. And on top of that, he’s got a narcissistic
streak as wide as the Hudson. He sees himself as the god of the
media age, and routinely refers to himself as various superheroes.
He even carries a utility belt.
But Ivanov isn’t content to be Batman. He’d much rather be

Superman, and to that end, he uses his vast resources for some of
the most cutting-edge surgeries and treatments on Earth, using
demi-humans as the ingredients and research materials. His quest
for more powers is unending.
• Valen
lenttin W
Wer
ernner IIva
vannov : 6 armor, 16 health, Impressive, Rich.
Power: ★★★★
◦ Personal Laser Pistol: 9 harm, Unreliable, Dangerous
◦ Pheromone Glands: Seduce someone DN 3 and cause
hallucinations DN 3
◦ Flame Breath: 6 harm, Area, Melee
◦ Paralysis Eyes: DN 2
◦ Arm Blades: 8 harm, Melee, Stealth
Beyond Mortal Ken

These are cosmic forces, the kinds of things that science denies and
that the Otherworld is plagued with. Merely mentioning any of
127
these is enough to send demi-human newcomers running for the

hills.
🗲 The Knife of Whimsy

When God and the Devil play cards, they wager worlds.
It is the Knife of Whimsy who deals.
There are many rumors, among the demi-humans and humans

alike, on Earth and Otherworld, about how the Gates came to be
opened and why the worlds are so messed up. Some believe that
wizards of Otherworld opened them to escape The Great Dark
One. Others that the gods, with their last breath, opened them to
free their people. Conspiracy theorists believe that the “real world”
has simply been uncovered, and that the massive operation
participated in by all world governments is coming down.
They are all wrong. All is the will of the Knife of Whimsy.
The Knife is the boogeyman of the Foul Legions, the Fate that the
Dead Gods of the Otherworld spoke of (in whispers, to themselves
alone), the strings and the puppetmaster. The Knife of Whimsy is
that which causes chaos, and by which chaos is made. It is creation
and destruction, rebirth and karma.
The Knife is not “conscious” the way one might think of a god. It’s
more accurate to think of it as a cosmic force controlling the flow of
events and the direction of history. It is the answer to “why,” the gap
in the circular timeline that exists between the end of the
multiverse and the beginning again. The Knife is the pain you feel
when life uses irony against you.
• Butter
erfl
flyy ooff C
Coonsequen
uence:
ce: Cause an unintended but unstoppable
consequence to come to pass: DN 4 Power: ★★★★
• Agen
entt ooff C
Ch haos: 0 armor, 1 health, Stealthy, Meddler. 10 harm.
Power: ★★★
128
Beyond Mortal Ken
• “Hand ooff G
Good” T Tem
emp pora rall SSttorm: Transported to another cosmos
for some unknown purpose DN 4 and confuse those
transported DN 2. Power: ★★★★★
• Go MMad
ad FFrrom tthhe R
Reevelatio n: DN 4. Power: ★★★★
ion:
• Meanin
ninggles
lesss A
Ava
vattar ooff IIrrony : 10 armor, 1 health, 1 harm Past
Armor. Power: ★★★★
• Tie T
Twwo TTog
ogeteth
her WWiith C Cooin
inciden ce: DN 4. Power: ★★★★
cidence:
🕱 The Hatemonger
Did that man have a knife? Perhaps a gun? Maybe he wants to
rob you. Maybe he was a serial killer. Is he following you? He’s
not like you. He’s different. You should kill him.
Part daughter of primordial chaos, part weapon created by The

Great Dark One, The Hatemonger is a mimetic virus that pervades
almost all races, cultures, and people, across all of time and space,
and in all worlds. Without her, there would be only peace and
animal necessity. She is the cause of war, the mother of fear, and the
enemy of utopia.
The Hatemonger exists in all of us, and is transmitted from person

to person like a a vast ocean of rage set on an adjacent plane to our
own. Hate moves through people and societies with tidal force,
crashing against itself and causing violence wherever it peaks. She
is not conscious in each of us, but together, she is a wicked and
malign intelligence that leads us towards disaster.
Any mortal can be the Hatemonger’s pawn, even the most

venerable priest and the most enlightened penitent.
• Escape tth
he HHaatem
emoonger Coontrol: DN 4. Power: ★★★★
er’’s C
• Break tth
he SSp
pell O
Ovver SSoomeone E Ellse: DN 4. Power: ★★★★
129
🕱 The Foul Legions

We saw them come through the walls. They didn’t even notice
as they burst through the stone ramparts that had stood for
a thousand years. They flooded across the city like a burning
black liquid. The screams, Almaril save us, the screams…
What kind of self-respecting dark lord is without minions. The Foul

Legions are the minions of The Great Dark One, and it is their
overwhelming might that has sent the demi-humans fleeing from
Otherworld and cascading onto Earth. They come in every
conceivable shape and size, not to mention sizes and shapes
inconceivable. Most do not have minds of their own, and are filled
only with The Great Dark One’s wrath and the Hatemonger’s
loathing.
The ones that do have minds of their own are the ones you have to
worry about. They are the generals and kings of the unending
legions. They are the conquerors of worlds, the poison in the minds
of leaders, and the agents of corruption that bring the downfall of
nations. When a heroine or hero brings down a dark lord, thinking
they’ve defeated The Great Dark One, they’ve merely cut down one
of these sinister generals.
• Foul SSco
couut: 1 armor, 7 health, 6 harm. Power: ★★
ldier:: 3 armor, 10 health, 9 harm. Power: ★★★
• Foul SSooldier
• Foul GGen eral:l: 6 armor, 25 health, 12 harm. Power: ★★★★★
enera
🕱 The Great Dark One

LIVE AND DO MY WILL, OR DIE, AND DO MY WILL
ELSEWHERE.
There is an evil force that moves through the cosmos, consuming

worlds and laying low civilizations as a farmer cuts grain. He
consumes the souls of the dead and the living, and he gains power
130
Beyond Mortal Ken
through fear and suffering. He has many names, often more than
one in a given culture, but he is always there, spoken of in whispers.
The Great Dark One drives his enemies before him and breathes
screams as men breathe air. The World Ender’s armies are in the
process of destroying the Lands of the Otherworld, and his minions
have already fought the heroes of those lands to a standstill. He has
killed their gods and pushed them to the brink of extinction. He
fears nothing, as entire pantheons have fallen to his evil sword. His
only concern is the Knife of Whimsy.
• Whihissper
erss ooff Th
Thee G
Grreat D
Daark On
One:e: causes insanity DN 4 and then
corruption DN 4. Power: ★★★★★
• Chi
hild
ld ooff Th
Thee GGrreat DDaark On
One:
e: 5 armor, 20 health, Impressive,
Cosmic. 10 harm. Power: ★★★★★
• Shado
adow w ooff Th
Thee GGrreat D
Daark On
One:e: 8 armor, 30 health, Impressive,
Cosmic. 15 harm. Power: ★★★★★
131
132
Conspiracies
Appendices
Libraries. Get a library card. That’s my advice. It’s warm, they’re
usually friendly, they have bathrooms, and places to sit inside.
On top of that, you can teach yourself to read, then learn about
any topic you want. They have computers to use too, and some
of them will even show you how they work.
–A Newcomer to a homeless friend
Conspiracies
Included for the sake of completeness, these conspiracies are
included because they mostly involve the interference of demi-
humans prior to the Surge or other metaphysical activities.
• Project BBllue B
Boook: In the early 1950s, a team was assembled by
the United States Government under Captain Edward Ruppelt.
It attempted to study, with scientific rigor, the phenomenon of
UFOs. Like its predecessors, it was plagued with accusations of
poor science, resulting in the project trading hands several
times. This was caused by a Grey-type demi-human, codenamed
Ghostly Light, trying to cover up her own involvement in US
arms development.
• Rosw
osweell: In 1947 a farmer found several patches of tinfoil,
rubber, and wood debris in a field in New Mexico. What
followed was one of the most talked about UFO investigations in
history, which in turn was a cover-up for another demi-related
incident, this time a high-altitude test of a creature known as
“Cetus Prime.” The project was set up to investigate whether the
creature could be used to fuel a nuclear-powered bomber, which
resulted in a crash and the death of Cetus Prime, whose body
was then moved around the country to maintain secrecy while
further research was conducted.
133
Appendices
• JFK: John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, by Lee Harvey

Oswald, who was in turn shot by Jack Ruby, who in turn died of
lung cancer. No less than 8 official investigations followed, none
of which turned up evidence conclusive enough to satisfy the
public. What had actually transpired was a tremendously
complex crime of revenge by a powerful demi-human who
Kennedy had had a relationship with sometime during his
service in World War II. Documents about the mastermind were
expunged from the federal record archives between the Warren
Commission and the Rockefeller Commission, and thus the
final fate of the demi-human perpetrator is unknown.
• Eye ooff P
Prroviden
idence:
ce: While it does appear on the Great Seal of the
United States of America, and it has had Freemasonry
connotations, the Eye of Providence is somewhat more sinister.
Created as an infections spell-virus by overzealous alchemists, it
was intended to help them find demi-humans to use as reagents
in their theosophical experiments. Originally, it was intended to
both locate these creatures (God Sees All) and protect the
alchemist (The Providence of God). The spell still exists, but is
inactive.
• Freem
emaasons: Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that dates
back hundreds of years and is heavily focused on symbolism and
ritual. While Freemasons are often seen as the center of a vast
conspiracy, this is not the case. They are simply another order
dedicated to their own practices. What is actually unusual about
them is that many of the older secret demi-humans have long
used Freemasonry lodges as places to meet and communicate
about their own secret dealings. These covert activities have
contributed to the mystique of Freemasonry despite being
completely unknown to most members.
• Scien
cienttolog
logyy: Founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard,
Scientology is a cult that operates worldwide and uses electronic
devices and social pressure to control its adherents. What
adherents and critics alike do not understand is that Hubbard
accidentally tapped into something much bigger and more
dangerous than his own imagination. All around the world,
some of the most influential people are practicing a religion that
is slowly but surely drawing spiritual beings from the
Otherworld towards Earth.
134
Conspiracies
• Big CCoorp: Big Corp refers to the (already achieved) goal of the
Coalition, which is to unify the world under a single common
system of control. In this case, the system of control is
economics, otherwise known as Capitalism. By directing with
various forces and powers over the past two hundred years, the
Coalition has arranged the modern world into a single system,
where power can be applied uniformly across any nation or
state. Big Corp thus refers to the global economic system that
the Coalition uses to control events around the world.
• Charles M Maanson: One of the most famous murderers in
American History, Charles Manson believed that a race war he
called “Helter Skelter” after the Beatles song was inevitable.
While it was widely reported that this meant war between black
humans and white humans, what he actually meant (and was
subsequently covered up) was war between humans and demi-
humans.
• Chememttraraiils: What many people believe to be “chemtrails,” or
toxic or volatile compounds sprayed into the air from
commercial jet aircraft, are actually a complex series of
hydrological travel paths maintained by various aerospace
companies for the purpose of allowing high-altitude weather
spirits easier access to larger parts of the globe. This is in
accordance with the 1976 Endelwenn Act, which allowed for the
sharing of the atmosphere with its natural citizens.
• Blac
ackk HHeelico
licoppter
ers:
s: The black hellicopters noted in many other
conspiracy theories are easily explained by the covert use of such
vehicles by the private component agencies of the Coalition and
its various members. Other unmarked vehicles noted, in use,
and found in popular culture are black vans, black SUVs, and
black drones.
• Th
Thee Il
Illlumin
uminaati: This name has been applied to several distinct
groups throughout history. The most recent incarnation is often
misrepresented to be a part of the Coalition, but it is more
closely aligned with the ancient and unseen forces of the elder
Earth-native demi-humans.
• Rep
epttili
liaans: This theory is actually somewhat more an example of
good PR than a dangerous conspiracy. There are in fact
“reptilians” who wear skin suits in order to assume specific
identities, but they’re not very good at it, and they’re very rare.
135
Appendices
Popular culture has taken a few reports and some carefully-

designed propaganda and conflated it into something much
more impressive. The reptilians derive no small joy from this.
Lands of the Otherworld

There are so many different worlds and nations described by
newcomers that an entire wiki has been written documenting their
existence. Nevertheless, there four that are substantially more
frequently attested than the others, sometimes called “the main
lands” by Earth-humans trying to make sense of the other side.
Entopia
• Gods: Almaril, Sendrec
• Clim
limaate: Tropical, Monsoon Forest, Sea
Entopia was a paradise world, where tropical merfolk, cephs, and

squids plied the waters, trading with the lizardfolk, dragonewt, and
wyvern people of the volcanic islands. The reptilian land-dwellers
tended to build large rafts of boats and move nomadically between
the islands, where they fished and cut wood and other materials to
trade with the Deep Cities of the water people. When the Foul
Legions came, they had no military to stop them and were quickly
overwhelmed. The Deep Cities lasted longer, but were ultimately
crushed by the King of Ice and Glaciers, master of the Lord of Seas
who had conquered the reptilians earlier.
Balefrust
• Gods: Yuraggon, Leoris
• Clim
limaate: Tundra, Taiga, Arid Desert
Balefrust was a hard, cold, unforgiving world of cold winds and

wide spaces. The people of Balefrust were mostly mammalian
demi-humans like bears, wolves, and cats, but there were also
136
Lands of the Otherworld
pockets of reptilians and avians in the mountain strongholds.

Balefrust stood long against the Foul Legions; the steppe tribes
worshipping Leoris made pacts early on with the mountain folk of
Yuraggon, and waged war on two fronts against the demons.
Unfortunately, their power was broken when the King of Lies and
Pain murdered their gods. After that, they drew back to the
mountains to make their final stand, taking the steppe tribes with
them. The relentless siege that followed was a war of attrition that
slowly eroded the population away to nothing.
Yordenheim
• Gods: Fyera, Yuragon
• Clim
limaate: Temperate, Steppe, Boreal
Even before the Foul Legions arrived, Yordenheim was a land of

war and battle. Among the immense trees, various nations of
arthropods, reptilians, and avians did battle constantly, each fief
fighting for rights to land, resources, and honorable placement of
their ancestors in the Halls of the Ages. So hard were these wars
that the warriors put a swift end to the first two invasion attempts
made by the Foul Legion, and they did so without even forming a
complete alliance. Instead, the wily and cunning strategists of each
army took advantage of the chaos created by the other groups in
order to win their own battles. Yordenheim would never have fallen
at all if it hadn’t been for Syldaris the Betrayer, who used his magic
to feed intelligence to the King of Blades and Stones.
The Golish Steppe

• Gods: Leoris, Sendrec
• Clim
limaate: Dry Steppe, Shrubland, Taiga
Home to nomadic tribes and imperial cities, the Golish Steppe was
a high, windy place of war and pillaging. While the tribes herded
sheep and cattle across the grasslands, the Empire of Arabirg
expanded its territory and furthered its agriculture. The two
137
Appendices
civilizations came into contact regularly, resulting in raiding eras

and extermination wars back and forth until the Foul Legion
arrived. The King of Glass and Screams sent spies and diplomats to
both kingdoms separately and negotiated in secret with both. In the
end, both sides swore fealty to the King in order to crush their
enemies, and he turned their final battle into an utter bloodbath by
ordering his legions to turn on all the natives at the same time.
Dead Gods of the

Otherworld
Once, Otherworld was home to entire pantheons of gods, each
independent from one another. This offended The Great Dark One,
who sent his Foul Legions to destroy not only the worlds but their
gods as well. Few stood against his legions long enough to face
World Ender himself.
Almaril
Renowned for her beauty and generosity, Almaril was a sea goddess
who ascended to divinity from a mortal life of saintly compassion.
The tale of her ascension is told as part of her church: she was the
beautiful daughter of a harsh slave master who turned against her
father. When she demanded he stop his business, he forced her to
take on the responsibilities of his slaves, which she did without
question. The slaves tried to help her, but she gave them back the
riches her father had taken from them and sent them out to live
their own lives. She then worked until she died. Overcome with
grief, her father begged the stars to bring her back. They
resurrected her as a goddess, but she refused to see her father again
until he pledged to free all the slaves he’d kept.
As a goddess, Almaril was wise and generous. She is the Sea that
Provides, the Wind that Guides, and the Sun that Shines. She
taught her worshippers that kindness and charity are the greatest
138
Dead Gods of the Otherworld
virtues, and they are among the easiest. Her priests preached
forgiveness and goodwill to all.
Sendrec
Resplendent in his green and yellow scales, Sendrec was a reptilian
god of song, dance, and romance. He taught his worshippers to
sing, not just for him, but to enrich their own lives. He is said to
have had many lovers and that he gave each of them one of his
perfect scales. In some cultures this was interpreted as a scale-
shield that was passed down from generation to generation as the
mark of the rightful ruler.
As a god, Sendrec was compassionate and forgiving. He accepted

the flaws of his people and encouraged them to work at bettering
themselves. Many of his cults were internally focused, seeking to
eradicate weakeness within the self before seeking to change the
external world.
Fyera
Burning with holy light and wielding the holy flame, Fyera was an
arthropod warrior goddess. She was stern and ferocious, fierce in
love and in war, and challenged all before her. Having won her
divinity in a grand tournament, she hated weakness and valued
strength, tenacity, and courage. She was fond of danger and combat,
propounding that it built character and showed one their own
limits.
As a goddess, Fyera was cruel and austere. She picked her chosen
ones from among the strongest and provided challenges and wars
for her worshippers to fight in. They called her the Source of All
Glory, and she sat at the Head of the Table in the Halls of the Ages.
Despite her harshness, Fyera could also be flirtatious and sensual,
but only with those heroes and heroines who had proved
themselves worthy of her adoration.
139
Appendices
Leoris
The Pridemother, Leoris, was a mammalian god of family,
hierarchy, and order. Her domain was the household, and the lives
of her worshippers were organized around family units. Leoris was
seen as the great grandmother of all extant tribes, clans, and
families, and was the ultimate mother to which all would give their
respect. It was Leoris who gave us laws and contracts, and who
enforced them. To swear on Leoris’s name is to give an oath one
cannot break even beyond death.
As a goddess, Leoris valued respect, order, rationality, and knowing

one’s place in the world. Her priestesses inherited their positons
and kept extremely detailed records of the families under their care,
sometimes dating back to the birth of their species. Leoris
rewarded those who put the family before themselves and bestowed
greatness upon those who were noble and just.
Yuraggon
The Daughter of the Dark, Princess of the Flame, Yuragon was a
dragon goddess who was sired by The Great Dark One himself.
After eons of ruling a world of destruction gifted to her by the
World Ender, she fought him and escaped to another world, where
she raised her own children, away from the hateful destruction of
The Great Dark One.
As a goddes, Yuraggon was a harsh but powerful mistress, charging

her worshippers with the duty to become strong enough to fight
their enemies. It was said that Yuraggon saves you by leading you
through the fire. Her worshippers were honorable and steadfast.
140
Languages of the Otherworld
Languages of the
Otherworld
Haduadil
Haduadil, Almaril, Throndunil, Aladil, Olramil, Landrilia,
Fonthilia, Amalia, Hadil, Ondunil, Alia, Almalandun, Andril,
Landunilia, Magilia, Ondilionath, Ordinas, Yrdenos, Yrdriskil,
Yrdrilia, Onthrondun, Almalmalion, Duadaelion, Yrdinath, Yrdil,
Hadilia, Fonas, Adaelion, Lionth, Almarisk, Ildaril, Ildronath,
Ilduadil, Isildrinath, Alionas, Thronath, Yrdron, Yrdrildaris
Temerel
Temerel, Benemel, Lemeren, Lem, Sen, Felren, Melreten, Drenfel,
Grendel, Sendrec, Brendec, Gretende, Meretend, Gren, Fendrel,
Merel, Tremel, Prentel, Senfel, Tel, Merenfel, Prel, Senemere,
Senfelre, Temere, Brende, Gretel, Grenemer, Felrente, Grenfel,
Lemerent, Telre, Bren, Dec, Grem, Merec, Lemerec, Prementec,
Meretendr, Ben, Tenfelre
Skyors
Haarskyo, Kylden, Varsyork, Harskoda, Vorda, Kyodetta, Korkylda,
Korsylda, Kors, Korden, Haroden, Vorsylda, Vorkorda, Skyorden,
Haalden, Haarkin, Hylda, Voda, Vorden, Kroden, Skerda, Varskord,
Kettarky, Vorskord, Kers, Vordersk, Syorda, Hars, Kin, Vaald,
Bretta, Skyors, Kylda, Skordaa
Drogok
Drogok, Arobok, Forglok, Borogok, Gimblok, Shra’ak, Krok’a,
Shrok’a, Gorok, Glogok, Gok, Shimbalak, Bimslak, Cromsmak,
Gramstok, Kramflok, Grobak, Alakroral, Gokralok, K’ala’al, Glora,
141
Appendices
Fokramak, Slorakrok, Alalok, Kralalora, Bimbok’ar, Grak, Akrak,

Goralak’a, Alara, Smalorogl, K’akrgra, Florak, Bimsmalal, Gramak,
Blora
142

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America: Land of Monsters

A Campaign Setting for Heroines of the First Age by Voidspiral

Words, Art, & Design

Copyright Voidspiral Entertainment 2017

• Print ISBN: 978-1-948614-09-2

Submit errors or questions to

They first we heard of them, they’d destroyed a border town by

When I awoke, I couldn’t tell if I had been killed or taken

A modern campaign setting for Heroines of the First Age.

In America Land of Monsters, players are demi-humans who have

This is a pre-generated campaign setting for Heroines of the First

Here’s a list of potentially sensitive topics covered in the book.

Changes From HFARPG

ALM is more about people dealing with life in the US as a demi-

–Kerda, a slime newcomer from Yordenheim

America, the land of freedom. Home of the brave. A lot has

The Sliding Scale of

You walk down an alley to find a bruised young catgirl

To get an idea of what can happen in each of the categories along

It seems today’s unusual earthquake was not only a national

One day in October, the floodgates opened up and unleashed an

Nevertheless, even after the dots were connected on the internet, it

sensationalizing the phenomenon quite as much as we are here.

No constitutional amendments or federal bills have been passed on

Religion & Spirituality

Otherworld itself is widely touted as a terrible place, a world nearly

A less-reported issue involving the Gates is the increase in their

The New Divide

Note: When discussing the New Divide, it’s important to remember

Slang: Defenders, Humanists, Resistance, Bigots, Racists

Detractors disagree with integration. Some are actively working to

natural responses to other species. A lot of these people are

There are a number of approaches that detractors put forth.

Slang: Bleeding Hearts, Hearts, Bleeders, Beastlovers, Satanists

Proponents agree with integration. They believe that (at some

There are a number of approaches that proponents discuss.

barest minimum we can do. These people deserve sympathy and

The Third Side

Opinions differ on whether the Third Side actually exists. Forum

living in the States in secret, who subsequently had their lives

Technology & Magic

What usually trips up newcomers is the availability of that data.

current scientific theories, none would concede that these

The observation and cataloguing of magic systems has already

Scientifically, natural magic is the most offensive to rational minds

Firearms & War Machines

Other demi-humans have requirements that aren’t nutritional:

Some demi-humans come directly to their local government,

Money & Jobs

Global Immediate Threats

It’s important to note that any of these themes can easily be

Sometimes it’s not so bad, but sometimes it doesn’t matter how

Three impeachments in two years, a record number of mega-

–James St. Martin, a host for several newcomers

As of now, larger corporations are finally getting wise to the idea

The Dating Scene

On top of all that, romance with a demi-human can also be

but also because many newcomers have vastly different biologies

• You just met this person, and they’re wonderful, but

This can cause problems on all kinds of levels. In some Otherworld