2400 BC

ANCIENT APOCALYPSE

A 24XX HACK BY OZ BROWNING

RULES CHARACTERS
PLAYERS DESCRIBE THEIR CHARACTERS’ ACTIONS. YOU WERE RAISED IN THE GREAT CITY OF URUK.
The referee advises when an action is The cradle of civilisation, nestled between Tigris
impossible, requires extra steps, demands a and Euphrates. You were someone before the
cost, or presents an avoidable risk. apocalypse, but those titles are gone now.

PLAYERS ROLL TO AVOID RISKS. ➤WHAT DID YOU LEARN IN YOUR OLD LIFE?
Roll a d6 skill die — higher with a relevant skill, Take two skills at d8 or one at d10:
or d4 if hindered by hunger, injury, sickness, or
circumstance. If helped by circumstance, roll an 1 Craft 7 Medicine
extra d6; if helped by an friend, they roll their 2 Diplomacy 8 Oration
skill die and share the risk. Take the highest die. 3 Discipline 9 Persuasion
4 Haggling 10 Reading
1–2 DISASTER. 5 Incantation 11 Ritual
Suffer the full risk. Referee decides if you 6 Law 12 Strategy
succeed at all. If risking death, you die.
THE APOCALYPSE SHATTERED URUK LIKE A CUP.
3–4 SETBACK. The earth was flattened by fiery wind and
A lesser consequence or partial success. If rushing water. Old ways were abandoned one
risking death, you’re maimed. by one, until only survival remained.

5+ SUCCESS. ➤HOW DID YOU SURVIVE THE APOCALYPSE?

The higher the roll, the better. You succeed, or Take two skills at d8 or one at d10:
at least get useful info or an advantage.
1 Brawling 7 Hoarding
CARRY AS MUCH AS MAKES SENSE. 2 Cowardice 8 Murder
Carrying more than one bulky item may hinder 3 Deception 9 Pillaging
you at times. 4 Extortion 10 Theft
5 Heresy 11 Trespass
WOUNDS ARE FATAL WITHOUT URGENT CARE. 6 Intimidation 12 Witchcraft
Infections kill in hours or days. If you die, make
a new character to be introduced ASAP. Favour A NEW WORLD STRUGGLES FROM THE RUINS.
inclusion over realism. Humanity has been abandoned by the fickle
gods. The ghosts of Uruk haunt your dreams
MAKE THE TABLE A SAFE SPACE. and all that is left is what you can build.
Set lines not to cross in play. Fast-forward,
pause, or rewind/redo scenes for pacing and ➤WHAT HAS THE NEW WORLD TAUGHT YOU?
safety, and invite players to do likewise. Take two skills at d8 or one at d10:

KEEP PLAY DYNAMIC, FAIR, AND INTERESTING. 1 Animal Husbandry 7 Hunting

Present problems you don’t know how to solve. 2 Climbing 8 Mending
Move the spotlight around. Test periodically for 3 Command 9 Riding
complications. Offer rulings to cover gaps in 4 Driving 10 Scavenging
rules; double back during a break to revise 5 Foraging 11 Stealth
unsatisfying rulings as a group. 6 Hard labour 12 Superstition
 POSSESSIONS DETAILS
WHAT WAS COMMON IS NOW TREASURED. YOU HAVE BEEN RESHAPED BY APOCALYPSE.
Food, quality tools, animals, shelter, these Everyone has been marked by tragedy, but you
things are rare in the new world. Other things, are a new person now, in spirit and maybe in
coins, jewels, have lost all value. name.

➤WHAT HAVE YOU GOT LEFT? ➤WHAT NAME DO YOU GO BY?

Take a knife and two prized possessions:
1 Agarin 11 Kishar
1 A bow and a few arrows, most unbroken 2 Anki 12 Malah
2 A small cart, designed for an onager 3 Dagrim 13 Namkuzu
3 A dog, trained to a degree 4 Erish 14 Narua
4 A jar of soma, for opening the mind 5 Eshkar 15 Sagma
5 A riding horse, fast enough to count 6 Garash 16 Shimsusa
6 A set of tools, for your skills or another’s 7 Gishimmar 17 Temen
7 A shield, battered but intact 8 Harran 18 Uanna
8 A spear, poorly balanced 9 Hashur 19 Urda
9 A staff, a sturdy support 10 Hazi 20 Zigan
10 A sword, a warrior’s weapon
11 A wineskin, mercifully full ➤WHAT IS YOUR DEMEANOUR?
12 An onager, a belligerent companion
1 Arrogant 11 Knowing
2 Brooding 12 Morbid
COMMUNITY 3 Cautious 13 Optimistic
4 Cold 14 Patient
NO ONE CAN SURVIVE ALONE. 5 Curious 15 Prickly
The social structures of Uruk are lost, and no 6 Dramatic 16 Reckless
position is secure. Alone you will starve or 7 Dry 17 Stoic
worse. Your survival rests with the community. 8 Formal 18 Weary
9 Gentle 19 Wild
➤WHO ACCOMPANIES YOU? 10 Impatient 20 Wry
Add one or two to the community:
➤WHAT IS YOUR LOOK?
1 A crew of hardy loggers and carpenters
2 A former noble and their reluctant retinue 1 Armoured 11 Muscled
3 A healer and herbalist, who may be a witch 2 Ascetic 12 Pierced
4 A redeemed criminal, a thief or worse 3 Bearded 13 Practical
5 A vintner, eager to start planting 4 Curvy 14 Relaxed
6 A warrior who owes you their life 5 Formal 15 Round
7 A weary priest whose faith is in ruins 6 Frightening 16 Scarred
8 Fellow members of a cult to an old God 7 Gaunt 17 Small
9 Former soldiers, now mercenaries 8 Inconspicuous 18 Stocky
10 Lost children who don’t remember before 9 Lanky 19 Tall
11 Scouts, familiar with the new landscape 10 Luxurious 20 Tattooed
12 Your spouse, children, and extended family

The cover art – The End of the World by John Martin (1851-1853) – is free of known copyright restrictions.
LOCATIONS OPPORTUNITIES
1 Euphrates, the good river, source of fish, 1 A group of pilgrims require an escort to the
mud, and other building materials. banks of the Tigris.
2 The Gods Wood, the last stand of cedars to 2 A great herd of oxen is sighted across the
survive the apocalypse. Shattered Land.
3 The City of Kish, a new kingdom that seeks 3 A neighbouring community comes to you
dominion over southern lands. for help, they have something you need.
4 The Fire Mother Desert, and the promise of 4 An emissary of a distant kingdom is lost
trade and safety beyond. nearby, beset by bandits.
5 The First Mountains, rolling stony hills and 5 An empty boat floats down the river,
a reliable source of bronze. carrying wine and salted meat.
6 The Freehold of Akkad, home to rebel 6 Rumours tell of a branch of the Gods Wood
mercenaries from Kish. far to the east, untouched by apocalypse.
7 The Second Mountains, home to a struggling 7 There is a surplus of something that could
community much like your own. be traded to the right people.
8 The Seventh Mountains, impassable jagged 8 Traders visit from a settlement to the north,
peaks to the north that claw at the heavens. but what they want you don’t yet have.
9 The Shattered Land, south towards the 9 You find a source of something scarce, in a
distant sea, ruined by the Apocalypse. dangerous place.
10 Tigris, the swift river, a site of pilgrimage for 10 You meet someone forgotten who believes
those who honour the old gods. they are in your debt.

COMPLICATIONS THREATS
1 A charismatic youth challenges the leader of 1 A cruel immortal arrives in the company of
your community. lions, and swiftly gathers a following.
2 A child goes missing, and the community 2 A hierophant threatens your community,
mobilises to find them. declaring it an affront to the gods.
3 A disagreement between two members of 3 A pale rider from the cult of the court of
the community turns to violence. death demands a terrible tribute.
4 A faction within the community demands to 4 A plague of waking death sweeps over the
be heard. community, the victims moan and claw..
5 A tool or weapon breaks beyond your 5 Stone Ones are sighted in the First
community’s means to repair. Mountains, a worrying omen.
6 People in the community want to move to 6 The earth heaves and struggles like a raging
pastures new, or to stop moving. bull, shattering your works.
7 Something valuable runs low; food, fresh 7 The Euphrates slows and dries, its water
water, or worse. tainted with livid toxins.
8 Something valuable is stolen, and the thief 8 The new King of Kish demands fealty and a
cannot be identified. tithe of workers.
9 Someone you trusted betrays the 9 Sea-folk raiders from distant Dilmun attack
community. local settlements.
10 The community gets unwanted attention 10 Voracious loggers threaten the last cedars of
from a distant power. the Gods Wood.