Authors

Marzio Morganti – Daniele Fusetto – Luca de Marini - Gilbert Gallo

Published by Acchiappasogni
Graphic and Layout: Luca De Marini
Editing: Hélène-Maya Calamai, Guy Larke Translated by: Guy Larke

Illustrations
Fabio Porfidia, Gaetano Carlucci

Ave, Praetorians! (Hail Praetorians!)

Augusta Universalis - the manual that you have in hand - it is the fourteenth of a series of published RPGs by the highly successful Italian game
company, Acchiappasogni. It is also the second to use the new game engine first introduced in the game Dark Destiny (Destino Oscuro) 2.0! For those
that have been with us for a long time will notice some familiar concepts already introduced with our first manual, Crimson Sky, released 5 years ago,
and some mechanics from develop our second milestone product, Musha Shugyō, published in 2014 (with a wide variety of expansions and spin-offs).
But, it is important to remember that this manual is thought and structured to be a stand-alone product, that will allow you to quickly dip into the
powerful and fantastic scientific history of the game without the more advanced rules, choices or details from the volume that you hold in your hand.
Welcome, therefore to old friends and new ones. Rome greets all its Praetorians!
The Long Road to the Spur
The development of Augusta Universalis has been a long time coming (more than two years). During that time we have installed the new system from Dark Destiny in
addition to all the knowledge we have acquired over the years as creators and editors of games. We have strived to produce a body of work to you with a deep, detailed
background with room for artistic license by Demiurges (Game Masters) with spectacular abilities and the unique directions for your Characters to grow in!
Naturally, none of this would have been possible without the hundreds of fans that have supported our plans. Thanks also to our friends on social media who have
come to know to us and to playtest the game. We will never forget the weeks and months you contributed to the playtest. Lastly thanks to our personal friends with
whom our writers played live and online with every week!
In short, to all you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Playtesters and precious Contributors
Alberto Ottaviani, Alessandro Costella, Alessandro “The DiceFather” Monteverde, Alessandra Marino, Alessio Cipriani, Andrea Micaloni, Andrea Sirombo,
Antonio Scendrate, Barbara Tossani, Carlo Valenti, Chiara Libang, Christian Cernusco, Christian Fontana, Christian Vergari, Cristian “Gayus” Pupella, Cristiano,
Cristiano Albini, Cristiano T., Daniele, Dario Alberto Bergamaschi, Dario Guarise, Davide Dal Pozzo, Davide “Darolin” Iozzi, Diego “Brenna” Baronchelli, Edoardo
Cremaschi , Eleonora Comba, Elia Rampi, Enrico Pusceddu, Federico Carlini, Francesca Coronese, Francesco, Francesco Asuni, Francesco Miccoli, Gabriele
Spreafico, Gaglio, Giangi, Gianluca Valli, Giulia Garassino, Giulia Palumbo, Hector “Satana” Chan, Heimdall Erik, Ivan Lanìa, Lapo Bindi, Lavinia Gallinari,
Lorenzo “Kebab” Ragaglia, Luca Bechi, Luca Carettoni, Giuliano Gianfriglia, Ivan, Marta Villa, Marzio Morganti, Massimiliano Lucchina, Matteo Ermolli, Matteo
Hakudoshi, Matteo Leto, Matteo Gunetto, Matteo “Vincent” Concardi, Mattia, Mattia Crotti, Michele Bianco, Paolo “Precisazione” Pallini, Pauly, Ponzio, Riccardo,
Riccardo Passacantando, Roberto Galvani, Sara Romano, Scudo, Tirry, Tony, Ugo Moreno, Vanessa Cavina, Vanessa Colciago, Zappa, Zeus Maria Longhi.

Alphatesters
Simone Tortellini Lusetti, Alessandro Pierazzo, Beatrice Fabris, Luca Fabris, Alberta Franco, Giacomo Bain, Matteo Poletto
The Acchiappasogni Team.

WWW.ACCHIAPPASOGNI.ORG

http://www.acchiappasogni.org/augustauniversalis/eng/
Augusta Universalis is published by:
Acchiappasogni di Luca De Marini e Davide Quaroni - Via Leonardo da vinci 30
27020 TRAVACO’ SICCOMARIO (PV) - ITALIA
All rights reserved.
Reproduction of any of this material without the written permission of the publisher is expressly
forbidden. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, organizations, places, or events is to be
considered purely accidental. Made in Italy. First limited edition. Printed in the month of October 2017.
For any further information please write to:
pinguino@acchiappasogni.org

4
 Augusta Universalis: Quickstart

ULTOR MARTIS
“Now!”
As Gaius Valerius shouted, the whole Manipulum moved as if it was just one body and a single mind.
The sudden crossfire of the soldiers transformed the hangar into a burning hell of explosions, scorching
lead and dust. In the blink of an eye Praetorians wrapped themselves in the reinforced plates of their
Technoloricae, dashing at superhuman speed.

Qaleb switched between phase movement and brief flashes of his visible presence, while twirling in the
air wrapped in the golden laminates of his finely chiseled armor. He stopped, standing in front of two armed
opponents. He pierced the first man’s throat with his wrist blade, while directing against the second a fire gush
spurting directly from his helmet, shaped as the face of one of Phidias’ perfect Greek statues. The burning
Colonial Guard’s screams counterbalanced the low gurgling of his companion, who faintly grabbed the
arm of the assassin of Byzantium in the useless attempt to pull the blade out of his throat, before collapsing
lifelessly on the ground.

Lars chanted holy litanies in ecclesiastical Teutonic, wrapped and defended by his heavy battle armor that
turned him into a stronghold, against the enemies’ bullets. The enemies were assailing him with a heavy and
old-fashioned machine-gun, screaming in rising fear for the approaching Teutonic knight, who was getting
nearer one firm step after another in a blinding sight of sparks and metallic smashes. He reached the target
with a last, sudden dash, and with a flowing movement he pulled his greatsword out of his back laminates,
grabbing it with two hands, and dealt a tremendous blow. The blow tore apart the machine-gun and chopped
the enemies’ bodies, slashing flesh and polymer alike, cutting into the ground and sent a clump of dirt flying
into the nearby wall.

Zaphyra carefully examined the elevated positions of her opponents, evaluating her own reaction speed
against their surprise. Thanks to her systems of spectrometric analysis implanted in her retinae, she roughly
determined the protection value of the observation tower from which the guards were targeting her with an
automatic grenade launcher, and pulled out of her scapula her shoulder anti-tank light gun. Zaphyra rested
firmly her foot on the ground, and shot, making the observation tower explode. Torching men felt down for
several meters, while their companions were watching in terror.

Thulile swiftly jumped onto the group of guards blocking the exit, roaring with the sonic implants of her
lion-shaped helmet, and pulling out the long hunting spear from her spine. Running, she threw the spear and
impaled the first opponent against the armored door. While the other foes were watching their companion’s
corpse, the young Zulu summoned back the spear, which came back flying to her, and she pierced a second one
with all her might. Soon after, she pulled out of her wrist a small gun, quickly ending the last opponents with
a double lead injection in their torsos.

Briefly, a deafening silence descended upon them, broken only from the noises of the last opponent still
standing. The captain of the Colonial Guard, provided only of an old assault rifle, was facing a Gaius
Valerius with his Imperium at the fullest. The shining muscular centurion armor wrapped him with its plates
of reinforced titanite, the crest stood out of the helmet protecting his face, electrical discharges run through the
metallic club, symbol of his rank, and the heavy square shield with the engraved eagle of Rome clawing the
thunder.

The face of the captain was pale, his hopes to make use of the outnumbering forces against the Praetorians
had vanished in a stream of blood... and it was his fault.

5
 Augusta Universalis
Quickstart Guide
Welcome to the galaxy of Augusta Universalis: a paper
sci-fi and alternate history role-playing game. In this
handbook, you will find everything you need to play, but
it will be possible to freely download much more material
from our website augustauniversalis.destino-oscuro.com.
If you are already acquainted with Dark Destinies, you
will be pleased to know that Augusta Universalis is a Dark
Destiny new setting, inspired by several science fiction and
space opera archetypes. While reading the handbook,
you will feel yourself at home, noticing nonetheless many
changes in the playing system.
On the other hand, if you are approaching this system
or even a role-playing game for the first time, don’t worry!
First of all, we will explain you what a role-playing game
is. Moreover, you won’t have to deal with tons of rules
to learn by heart. The lion’s share of the handbook is the
exhaustive description of the setting, that is the section of
the Spur of Orion ruled by the Roman Empire, so that you
and your friends will be able to picture this alternative
reality, and live amazing adventures.
The Setting in Brief
In the year 2771 a.U.c. (2018 A.C.), Humanity rules
over the solar system, with colonies that rise and spread
on the inhabitable planets of the so-called Outer Rings.
Merchant spaceships pass through huge spacetime
gates floating in the orbits of the civilized worlds, while
special ultra-light speeded shuttles face danger to bring
supplies, weapons, materials and medicines to the
further colonies.
Rome and its Empire are the forces who united all
the human beings under the same flag, in an outburst
of grandeur who brought together the destiny of all
humanity.
But it hasn’t always been like this.
There was a time when human beings were divided,
unconscious of the magnificence of the planet they lived
upon, of the existence of all the other people, and of the
real form and structure of the universe. It was during the
reign of the Princeps Octavianus Augustus, that the Great
Sserath Kingdom crossed its millenarian path with a very
young and intelligent life form, native of one of the richest
planets ever discovered. The Earth was destined to become
part of the Sserath dominion, a new world to be given in
sacrifice to their polycephalic Great King.
The only mistake the invaders made during their little
twelve-member explorative mission was to land on that
peculiar peninsula that catches the eye from the space,
rich on water, natural resources and amazing biodiversity.
The vivisection experiments and the mass murders
ordered to the Sserath Warriors by the Sserath Sages did
not force those “uncivilized” mammals to surrender, but
6
instead their fierce military reaction....and THAT was
unprecedented and unexpected.
Thanks to the cunning guerrilla of the Romans, the
mission was annihilated, even if the huge technological
gap between the two cultures caused thousands of victims
among the humans.
Thus, the vanquishers were able to have access to the
keys of a much more developed science, taking advantage
of one of their enemies: the humble Servant Ysszir, the
only survivor of the massacre, and the one who revealed
the secrets of his culture, in the end even loving humanity.
Thanks to his friendship with Octavianus, Ysszir took the
roman name of Lucius Astropherius.
Two centuries later, the Sserath aliens arrived in
large number to conquer the Earth, they found a species
(humans), who were very united and technologically
advanced to deploy a barrier strong enough to prevent
them from landing and to force them to go back to
Usselet, one of the Sserath mother worlds, with the
dishonor of being defeated and humiliated for the first
time in the History of the Great Kingdom.
It was the beginning of a deep and ferocious hatred,
which connected the destinies of the two races in the
centuries to come. From that point on, Rome began the
conquering of the interstellar space and the strengthening
of its domain on Earth, after developing the first reactors
from the projects found in the database of the spaceship
of the Sserath exploration mission, Rome sent the first
rudimental missions to the Moon, to Venus and to Mars,
while gathering resources and material on Earth.
Following Lucius’ latest instructions, Rome sent
automatized missions to Mercury to dismantle the
planet and extract its hematite, until the planet became
just a handful of dust lingering in space. The natural
characteristics of the mineral were used to surround the
Sun with a Dysonic Swarm, a set of titanic solar panels
that still today transfer the energy of our star to the Earth
via high-intensity laser pulses.
Exploiting the almost never extinguishing energy of
the Sun, Rome managed to develop the new Kugelblites
engines (“ball lightning”), focusing billions of times a
beam of light, it is possible to produce a tiny black hole;
its devastating gravitational effects are restricted by a
powerful magnetic field that allow the exploitation of the
black hole itself to create large amounts of energy.
Due to this new kind of engines, it was possible to
assemble and activate the Limes Orbitalis (singular - Limen
Orbitalis), that is stable spacetime tunnels connecting two
cosmic systems by bending space and thus nullifying the
otherwise huge times of travel. The only needed requirement
is the presence of another Limen at the destination point, and
that is why only highly civilized outer systems can benefit
from this strategic advantage. For all other destinations,
 Augusta Universalis: Quickstart
there are the Guidae Alcubiaeris: ultra-light speeded
motors that bend the spacetime to surpass the relativistic
limit of three hundred thousand kilometers per second; on
the other hand, to maneuver these motors it is needed to be
in an altered state of consciousness in order not to be caught
inside a star or against some asteroids or planets in the way
from the departure to the arrival point.
Rome and the people federated with Rome
accomplished all these innovations and even more under
the astounded gaze of the Great Sserath Kingdom ...and
in only two millennia. Two millennia during which
Rome and its allies lived quite in harmony on the Earth,
due to the gradual Romanization of the elites, that
had been so useful in subjugating and civilizing all the
barbarian tribes at the borders.
Today, Rome rules over the Earth and the solar system,
forming the so-called Inner Ring. This Ring is protected
by systems of detectors and semi-automatized military
bases, altogether forming the Shoulder of Orion.
Moreover, there are human colonies in the star systems
of Sylde, Mayranis, Gliese and Proxima Centauri,
forming the Outer Rings.
Military exploring and patrolling missions are
addressed to the creepy and mysterious systems of
Tau Ceti, Kapteyn and Epsilon Eoli, too much
unwelcoming, far, strange or dangerous to be useful to
establish new colonies.
Outside the Empire borders, in the giant Cloud of
Kepler, many star systems compose the Great Sserath
Kingdom, still definitely outnumbering the “few”
human worlds.
Centuries didn’t completely change the political
structure of the Empire: only one Augustus holds
unconditioned reigning power; around the Augustus,
nine Caesars form the Imperial Senate with the task to
assist and advise the Augustus. Each Caesar is sovereign
by unassailable right, keeper of the highest military and
civil power over his own country.
• Rome, the Western Mediterranean area and the
Protectorate of Oceania are ruled directly by
the Augusti, supreme Emperors.
• Byzantium (or Constantinople, “second Rome”),
the Eastern Mediterranean area and Asia Minor
are under the Basileis (“Kings”), the most powerful
among the nine Caesars, ranked in authority only
behind the Augustus of Rome.
• Moscow (“third Rome”) and the wide spaces of the
steppes of the Russian Empire, one of the two parts
Structure of the Chapters
In the manual, the Setting is presented in chapters
called Pillars, while the rules are presented actual Chapters.
A Secret Chapter is dedicated to deepening the setting
for the Demiurge and introduces potential adventures
and unresolved mysteries from the Roman galaxy. In
order to play it is necessary only to read the Praefatio
(the preface) which contains all the basic rules and the
notions of the setting needed to dive into play.
7
 composing the Union of the Soviet Tsarist
Empires, from the White Sea to the Pacific
Ocean, are the domain of the Tsar (“Caesar”) and
of the Soviet Tsarist Party that the Tsar represents.
• As of today, the whole portion of the Africa
Australis under the line of the Sahara Desert is
reunited in the Zulu Confederation, headed by
one and only Shaka (“Guide”).
• The Holy Roman Empire includes the insular
and continental Europe of Celtic and German
ethnicities, ruled by the Kaiser (“Caesar”), the first
among all Reges (“Kings”).
In addition, other people of the Romanized Humanity
are: the Apache Federation of the Tatanka (“High
Chief”), the Nihon-koku of the Tenno (“Heavenly
Sovereign”), the Heavenly Empire of the Longhuang
(“Dragon Emperor”), the Aztec Dominatum
(“Dominate”) of the Tlatoani (“One who Speak”), and in
India the Pravakta serves the republican structure of the
Congress.
The Praetorian Guards (the Player Characters) are
independent military forces to the direct service of the
Caesars and of the Augusti, with the task to protect and
serve them.
The Praetorian Guards of the most ancient nations,
close to Rome, are:
• Guardia Adamantis of Rome (“Diamond
Guard”)
• Guardia Aurea of Byzantium (“Golden Guard”)
• Guardia Rubis of the Russian Empire (“Ruby
Guard”)
• Guardia Ferrea of the Holy Roman Empire
(“Iron Guard”)
• Guardia Leonis of the Zulu Federation (“Lion
Guard”)
The Praetorian Guards have their own inner
organization divided in military Grada (“grades”),
having the same value in the different Guards, but
differently name according to the original culture of
the foundation. The higher the Gradum, the greater
and wider will be the military and civil authority of the
Praetorian. Here follows the list of the classification of the
Grada in the Guardia Adamantis:
I. Probatus
II. Immunis
III. Triarius
IV. Signifer
V. Optio
VI. Centurion
VII. Tribunus
VIII. Legatus
IX. Consul
X. Imperator
The Characters of the Players always belong to the
Grada from I – Probatus to VII – Tribunus, because
only these levels in the hierarchy are united in small special
8
units called Manipuli, and given operative Missions far
and wide in the Empire and beyond. Praetorian Guards
are given the privilege to “wear” the Technolorica, a
system of bio-mechanical implants that transforms the
human body in a living weapon consisting of a variety of
assault, protection and support systems.
There are other Guards fighting for Humanity, but
their exotic histories, coming from the mysterious Asia or
from the wild Neurope, deserve to be treated in different
circumstances.
The economic structure of the Empire is divided in
hundreds of different Corporationes (“corporations”):
these are associations gathering all the experts in a given
branch of work and production, from the humblest
farmer to the richest merchant. The Corporationes
follow through the life of each human being, teaching a
profession and granting for his/her rights, when no one
else is able to do so.
Among the Corporationes, some of them take a
different name: these specific associations gather the
experts in the branches, that are the most important for
the survival and the prosperity of humankind, that are the
Five Ordines which are:
• Ordo Martis- the soldiers;
• Ordo Dianae- the explorers;
• Ordo Mercurii- the diplomats;
• Ordo Plutonis- the spies;
• Ordo Minervae- the philosophers.
Only the Ordines can choose the men and the women
who will become Praetorians: during their Tirocinium
(“training”), all candidates are trained in each of all
the five associations, thus receiving a basic, but wide
training on all of the five branches of knowledge of these
honorable corporations. At the end of the training, the
new Praetorian has to choose one Ordo, that will continue
to train him during all his career to follow.
Thanks to the Ordines, the inner wars that often shook
the peace of the Empire, never managed to achieve the
complete crumple of the solid Imperial political structure.
Praetorians partially depend on the Ordo they are formed
and trained by. To preserve peace, it has been established
the possibility to reunite Manipuli of Praetorians from
different (and not always friendly) associations. In such
circumstances, as of today, no Emperor has ever dared to
bring into question the availability of his own Praetorians
when requested from an Ordo, but instead trying to
benefit as much as possible from the occasion.
Today, Rome and the countries of the federation are
involved in several diplomatic and military ventures in the
Spur of Orion, quite enough to engage Praetorians in a
good deal of tasks.
The War of the Eagles involve the most powerful
nations of the Earth in a fratricidal struggle. Rome and
the Holy Roman Empire protect the right to reign of the
young Livia Akiko Augusta, while Byzantium and
Moscow are allied in the attempt to overthrow the Empress
and establish on the Diamond Throne her gorgeous and
terrible older sister, Anastasia Heracliades. Behind the
conflict, there lies not only the human fragility before
the flatteries of power, but also the tragedy that tore
 Augusta Universalis: Quickstart

apart their parents from these two sisters, altogether with • Always round down. Any decimal number as a
unsetting dreams foreseeing horrors coming from the result of a calculation, always round it down.
deep space... or testifying the folly of unreliable visions. • First, describe, then bend the rules when needed.
Always adopt this method. From the Creations
of the Systemata (“systems”) to the actions
How to play to Augusta carried out by the Characters. For example, when
you use your Tabula Praetorianis (your PC
Universalis sheet), focus on the PC’s name, Historia, Ordo,
Here follows an overview of the rules of Augusta Guardia and Systemata of the Technolorica
Universalis, explained in detail in the handbook. (contained in the Cartae Systemis). Secondly,
wait for the Demiurge to help you apply potential
What is a role-playing game? effects and Emblems. In time, you will learn to
In a role-playing game, you create your own story, manage them by yourself, but at the beginning it
Player Characters (PCs) that will make choices without an
established script. There are many kinds of RPG: firstly, it
is important for you to know that Augusta Universalis is
designed for the players to focus on playing their character,
possibly making tactically wise choices at the right time
during every kind of scene. It is the task of the Demiurge
(Game Master) to make the game experience as immersive
as possible, making it easier for the Characters to grow
up, rather than impose his own story concept. Players are
often requested to make choices, to reflect on the game
rules and manage them independently, especially when
they concern their own PC (Player Character).
You are the ones who will create the stories, and their
main protagonists and, when you will tell you friends
what happened during one of your adventure, you will feel
as the main characters did as if you really experienced all
those adventures and events...THIS is the main purpose
of a role-playing game!

Required Material
To play to Augusta Universalis you need:

• a pencil, an eraser and a paper clip;

• a Character Sheet: Character Sheets
are available in the handbook or on
our website http://www.acchiappasogni.
org/augustauniversalis/eng/;
• a few eight-sided dice: mostly, you will
need only two, but sometimes you
may need to add Bonus Dice (Bd),
so it would be better to keep at
hand four or five of them;
• a group of friends to explore
the mysteries of Augusta
Universalis. One friend
will narrate the events
(Demiurge), while the others
will perform the Characters
(PCs) of the story.

The basics
In this Role-Playing Game there are
a few basic laws to follow in order to correctly
interact with the rules. Some games (including
board ones) call these laws with other names,
such as “golden rule” or likewise: we call
them “laws” because they came before the
Rulebook.

9
 is very useful to make use of this method, because
it greatly simplifies your first exposure to the rules.
• If a specific rule collides with a generic one, the
first one prevails. For example, if an Emblem
allows you to automatically inflict Danger Dice
(Dd) to your opponent’s throw, this rule prevails
on the generic one, that allows only the Demiurge
to inflict Danger Dice to the PCs’ and NPCs’
throws.
• If it has any kind of characteristics, it can be
defeated. Huge Kyroptid Butchers, powerful Nazi
Ubersoldat, mammoth unspeakable creatures from
deep space... it doesn’t matter how big they are, if
they have any kind of statistics, there is always a
way (no matter how difficult) to defeat them!
Check
The game proceeds as if it were simply a dialogue until
there is an obstacle (or it is anticipated) to your character,
whether that it is to find information on a manufactured
product (information that you do not have), to move
secretly (in order to avoid an enemy), to convince someone
with which you are interacting, to defeat an enemy, to cross
a river or a crevasse, etc.
Firstly, you need
to describe how your
Character tries to
overcome or
10
defeat the obstacle. Secondly, after you described, you
need to make a Check to know how the story continues: it
is up to you to suggest a fitting Peritia (“proficiency”), and
the Demiurge proposes a fitting Virtus (“virtue”). Peritia
plus Virtus make the Basic Value (BV). You can decide to
counter-propose to the Demiurge a different Virtus and/
or Peritia, according to the description you made of the
action.
Then, add the outcome of the throw of 2d8 to the Basic
Value. The amount of Basic Value plus dice outcome is
called Actual Value (AV).
Virtus + Peritia = Basic Value (BV)
BV + 2d8 = Actual Value (AV)
If the Check is made at the beginning of a Fight, the
opponent too has to make a Check. The winner is the
Character with the higher AV (in the event of a tie, the
defender is the winner).
In all other circumstances, a Check defines the Degree
of Success (see below for further explanation), according
to the AV: the Check is not made to verify how well an
action was made, but the degree of success or failure the
Player obtained.
Please keep in mind that it is not always necessary to
make a Check to resolve a situation: if the Player plays well
his Character, the Demiurge could consider unnecessary
to make him Check. Always ask yourself if it is interesting
to check what could happen if a PC was to fail for the
purposes of the adventure.
On the other hand, at the right occasion, the Demiurge
has to decide on which mixture of Virtus and Peritia the
Check is to be made, and he decides according to the
description of the PC’s actions made by the
Player, therefore interpretation is fundamental!
In the event that the Player hasn’t an
appropriate Peritia for the occasion, the
Player must make the Check adding
only the modifier of the appropriate
Ars, this meaning that probably the
Degree of Success won’t be very
high. Whatever the outcome, the
Demiurge includes in the Scene an
unexpected difficulty...trouble is
brewing!
Degree of
Success
An action is successful when the
Check is equal or more than 20. The
degree of success or unsuccess depends
on the distance from and above the
aim of 20. Here follows a list of the
different degrees:
• Critical Failure. It
occurs when the AV of the
Check is negative, that
is under zero: so, not
only you have failed, but
more problems will
 Augusta Universalis: Quickstart
soon arise. In this circumstance, the Demiurge has
to apply one or more Complications. In Contests,
the Player obtaining a Critical Failure immediately
loses the confront.
• Failure. It occurs when the AV of the Check is
less than 12. You have failed and you have no idea
how to unravel the knot.
• Partial Result. This occurs when the AV of the
Check is between 13 and 19. The Demiurge can
choose between the following options: (1) a Partial
Success, thus applying one or more unexpected
Complications; (2) a Partial Failure, thus applying
one or more unexpected Advantages. In both
circumstances, Advantages and Complications
can prove useful from a storytelling point of view,
and managed as “hints” to Concoct to improve
the situation.
• Whether the outcomes of a Partial Success or
Failure have consequences on the long term, the
Demiurge is free to apply Positive or Negative
Fortunae (“Fortuna = luck”; see below for further
explanation).
• Success. It occurs when the AV of the Check
is between 20 and 25. You succeeded, and the
Demiurge simply describes the outcome of your
action.
• Critical Success. It occurs when the AV of the
Check is equal or more than 26. If possible, the
Demiurge will grant you one or more Advantages
to use in the development of the adventure.
Otherwise, the Demiurge could assign you the
doubled value of the Experientia (“experience”)
Dots usually gained.
An abundance of information, a situation breaking
through, strokes of luck and so on are Advantages.
Extra difficulties, hitches, problems, people to
convince and so on are Complications.
Fas and Nefas Throws
In given circumstances, the Check outcomes can
cause peculiar effects. These are Fas (“positive, legal”) and
Nefas (“negative, illegal”) Throws as seen below:
• 2nd Degree Fas Throw: when the result of a 7
and 8, add an extra +1d8 to the final AV of the
Check. These extra dice are called Fas dice, or Fd.
• 1st Degree Fas Throw: when the result of a
double 8, add an extra +2d8 to the final AV of
the Check.
• 2nd Degree Nefas Throw: when the result of
a 1 and 2, subtract -1d8 to the final AV of the
Check. These extra negative dice are called Nefas
dice, or Nd.
• 1st Degree Nefas Throw: when the result of
a double 1, subtract -2d8 to the final AV of the
Check.
Critical Failure or Success can be greatly helped by
these throws. The results for Checks can still be obtained
even without them if the group doesn’t want them in play.
How do I recognize
a Scene?
Within the game world all the events experienced
by the Praetorians are divided into Scenes, the basic
unit of measurement of the passage of time during the
narration. Many resources available to the Praetorians
are in fact usable a certain number of times per Game
Scene and it is absolutely essential to know how to
identify when a Scene starts and one ends. To do
this we will use the 3 classical Aristotelian Units, a
late interpretation of the temporal subdivision in the
Hellenic (Greek) theater:
• Unit of Place: a Scene takes place in one
place, if the action moves to another place, the Scene
ends and a new one begins.
• Unit of Time: a Scene takes place in a
determined period of time, if the action moves away at
another time of the day (or even months and years),
the Scene ends and a new one begins.
• Unit of Action: a Scene narrates a
specific episode, referring to a specific company
and to a particular, single objective of the Characters
involved in it; if this objective or the company
changes, the Scene ends and a new one begins.
In order for a Scene to end and another to begin,
one Unit is sufficient for it to stop.
Fortunae
Fortunae are Temporary Bonuses or Malus given
by the Demiurge to the PCs. Fortunae are quick and
easy-to-use options in every minor, but lasting aspect of
the Plot. Fortunae can reproduce any circumstance or
equipment of the game, as long as they are less important,
weaker, or more expensive of any other skill or means at
hand of the Praetorian.
A discovered item like a weapon, a protective or
electronic device can turn into a Fortuna, using the
rules to construct Systemata, but the final number of
Actio (“action”) Points (AP) is doubled. That is the value
resulting after determining Emblems and eventual Ammo
(if applicable). Otherwise, a Fortuna can be managed as a
1st Level Tractum (“trait”).
A Praetorian can have a maximum of 5 Fortunae
at the same time. If he acquires a sixth one, he has to
discard an old one or renounce to the new one. It is up to
the Player to properly storytell the reasons and times of
this renouncement.
There are really few limits to the management of
positive or negative Fortunae, and it is up to the Demiurge
to create them if so desired.
Concoct
When a Player obtains a Partial Result, just for one
time it is possible to Concoct in order to try rolling the
Check again, but with a +3 bonus. The Player has to
justify the reroll and justify the PC’s new attempt.
Here follows a few examples on how apply the Concoct
11

Cooperative Checks
Sometimes all the Players, or just a few, will
want to roll dice and run Checks of the same type
just for the sake of finding more information about
one thing. In this case it is useful to let one player
roll the dice while considering the other PCs as
helpers to the test. This is a Cooperative Check!
Therefore, the Demiurge will propose the
appropriate Virtus and Peritia and will ask the
Players who among their PCs possess the highest
Basic Value. Even if different characteristics are
used, due to the description of the actions, the
Check will be performed only by the Character
who has the highest Base Value. The others can
collaborate only on the condition that they possess
Peritiae compatible with the action that they are
attempting to accomplish (no Basic Values with​​ the
sum of simple Artes in these cases).
Each Character contributing to the Check will
automatically provide + 1Bd to the person performing
the Check. In addition, he may use his resources or
his Interpretative Bonuses to further improve the
Basic Value before the Check is performed - up to a
maximum of 3 benefits per Check type.
trick but, generally speaking, it is always about making the
Player dipping deeper into in the Scene; trying to think
what the Character could do to improve his chances of
success.
• Method change: try with a different Peritia or
Virtus, changing the description of the executed
action.
• New options: basing on his skills or on the
elements described by the Demiurge, the Player
gains a new tool or information that justifies a
second Check.
• Detailed description: simply, describe again in
a more detailed way, what the character is trying
to do.
• Strokes of genius: the Demiurge can reward
Players’ bright ideas or thrilling and exciting
descriptions, giving them the chance to Concoct.
Always keep in mind that it is never possible to
Concoct more than once per Check, and never in
a Contest (where a roll never ends in a Partial Result).
It is also important not to mistake a Concoct situation
with situations where it is perfectly legitimate to go with
a different Check, for example when it concerns a
completely different action with different goals.
Advantages in Checks
While playing, it may occur to earn advantages in
Checks in the form of +2 Bonus at the BV or of Bonus
Dice. The latter meaning that you can throw an extra 1d8
with the regular 2d8, and will the choose the two highest
scores to add at the BV.
12
It is not possible to have more than three advantages of
the same kind in the same Check. That is the highest bonus
for Checks is +6, and the highest number of Bonus Dice is “3”.
The Player can have a +2 Bonus to the Support
Emblems, or Bonus Dice describing how Historia, Guard,
Ordo, or Anima (Logos, Pathos or Deimos) and/or a
Systemata is connected to the Check itself.
Every time you find a way to explain in game how you
benefit from one of these elements in order to accomplish
a given action, you gain the sought advantage, keeping in
mind that advantages can be used only once per Scene.
Tracta
Tracta are training skills that your PC learnt from
his Guard, and they can be both an advantage or a
disadvantage, according to the situation. When you
describe how you profit from them in a Check, you
gain +1 Fas Dice per Tractum Level on the given throw.
On the other hand, when you describe how you are at a
disadvantage because of them in a Check, you gain +1
Nefas Die per Tractum Level on the given throw, but you
earn +1 Missio Point for each Danger Die.
Special Attributes
Special Attributes consist of Logos, Pathos and
Deimos:
• Logos represents positive and altruistic acts and
behaviors;
• Pathos is the ability to feel human sentiments,
feelings and affection;
• Deimos is egotism and negativity.
When one of these Attributes is somehow connected to
your Check, you can blacken one Experientia (“experience”)
Dot in the corresponding Attribute to gain a Bonus Dice. In
one session, it is possible to blacken a number of dots in an
Anima equal to the level of the given Anima.
Danger Dice (Dd)
The Demiurge can reflect the complexity of a test or
its dangerousness, by using Danger Dice. The Demiurge
explains the circumstances that make the situation
so difficult. For example, the weather influences the
condition of a jump. Another example could be a target
very far away, making it hard to aim.
The Demiurge identifies the kind and number of
sources of Danger to the Player, before he resolves the
Check. If, nonetheless, the Player continues, each source
turns into a Danger Die, up to a maximum of three. It is
important to notify the number of Dd before the Player
resolves it using Bd, thus he can think whether it can be
useful or not to add them.
The Player makes the Check and chooses the two
highest scores. If the result is not a Critical outcome,
the Demiurge rolls all the previously notified Dd: the
Demiurge cannot modify the circumstances.
After the Demiurge’s throw, if the result of the Dd is
lower, the Player is obliged to exchange his dice with the
Dd. In other words, the results of the 2d8 chosen by the
Player cannot be higher than the Dd.
 Augusta Universalis: Quickstart
Danger Dice and Fas Throws
A Fas Throw in the Player’s Check can undo one or
more Danger Dice of the Demiurge:
• 2nd Degree Fas Throw: removes the lowest Dd
• 1st Degree Fas Throw: removes all Dd.
Experience
A PC gains experience with each Check he makes, be
it positive or negative. Thus, when you make a Check:
• mark one Experientia Dot in the exploited Virtus,
up to a maximum of two Experientia Dots per
Scene in the same Virtus;
• mark one Experientia Dot in the Ars that refers to
the exploited Peritia.
In the event of a Critical Success of whatever degree,
double the Dots earned in the Check. Obviously, in the
full rulebook, the mechanics for levelling up are described
in more detail.
If a Cooperative Check is carried out, all the Players
cooperating earns Experientia Dots.
Fighting
In Augusta Universalis, fighting breaks down into
rounds and Contests among the opponents with
attacks, defenses, counterattacks and interruptions. The
visible effects of the blows are represented by univocal
symbols, the Emblems.
When a fight is obviously going to start, it is necessary
that the contenders describe how they get ready to fight.
Then they roll a Check for the appropriate Virtus +
Peritia according to the description. The outcome of
this first Check establishes the Initiative Order ( i.e.
the sequence of rounds where each contender will take
action). The higher the score, the faster the reaction
compared to the other opponents. The Initiative Order
stays the same during the entire fight.
Even the unaware contenders, those taken by surprise
or victims of an ambush roll for Initiative and then
describe how they become aware of the impending attack.
If the AV of the defender is lower than the attacker’s, the
defender is “Surprised” (the defender undergoes an extra
Powerful Emblem or Block Emblem at the discretion of the
attacker, and in addition to the Emblems of the attack).
Each contender receives Actio Points equal to his
own Celeritas immediately after rolling for the Initiative,
before the first Tempus. In addition, he receives other
APs equal to Celeritas at the beginning of his personal
second and subsequent rounds. To perform actions and
use weapons and protections, he will have to spend the
respective cost in APs reported on the Carta Systemis
or, for actions, in this manual.
He can perform actions and use Systemata as often as
he wishes, even more than once per turn, as long as he
can pay the cost in APs. APs may be unspent but kept
between turns to a maximum of 20 APs per fighter. APs
13
 can never go below zero. Therefore, if you do not have
APs for an action, simply, you can not do it.
All Combat Checks follow the normal rules of
narration. After the description, the Demiurge will assign
a Virtus and a Peritia to be added to the result of 2d8 plus
any Bd or Dd, just like any other Check. Each attack and
defense can involve one of the Systemata of Praetorian
Technolorica, paying the relative cost in APs and adding
to the basic damage of the blow the effects of its Emblems.
To strike, the attacker performs an Attack Check.
The AV of the Check will be used both to hit the
opponent and to hurt him. To succeed, the attacker must
pass the AV of the opposing Defense Check.
The defender chooses between the two available
defenses, Parry (free) and Dodge (Cost 1 AP).
He carries out a Defense Check. In order to succeed, the
defender must reach or exceed the AV of the opponent’s
Attack Check.
The Base Damage inflicted by the attacker is equal to
the AV of the Hit Check.
The Total Damage is equal to the Basic Damage
modified by Emblems and effects and reduces the
Life Points of the target by 1 LP for every 1 Damage.
If a Parry is Successful, the defender only suffers any
damage category Emblems related to the hit, eliminating
the base damage of the opposing AV.
If a Parry obtains a Failure, the defender absorbs
damages equal to their AV, but suffers the effect of all the
possible Emblems linked to the blow.
14
If a Dodge succeeds, the defender avoids
all damage and the effects of the Emblems.
If a Dodge fails, the defender absorbs the damage equal
to the level of the Virtus used in the Defense Check,
but suffers the effect of any Emblems related to the hit.
In any case, a failed Defense Check can never reduce the
damage suffered by the target to 0 (minimum damage is 1).
Altered States
Emblems that Affect Altered States (AS) have no
cumulative effect and can not be entered more than
once in the same Technique unless otherwise specified in
the description of the Emblem itself.
If a Character is already affected by the maximum
number of Emblems with an Altered State of the same
type, you can not use a Technique with the same Emblem
(or a heightened version) again.You can also use it, but
the Altered State already present will not be applied
cumulatively. If they are not treated, the Altered States
last for the whole Fight, after which they are automatically
reset with a little rest or through a curative intervention,
also according to the seriousness of the situation and to the
circumstances that led to the condition of Altered State.
Emblems without activation, Passive symbols
These are Emblems that are activated regardless of the
result of a Check. They apply to some types of passive
defenses, such as the automatic absorption of the Aegides
(“Protections”) which possess the Emblem Absorb.
 Augusta Universalis: Quickstart

Cumulative Emblems Conclusion

A Cumulative Emblem can be added to an action
The game system of Augusta Universalis has been
several times. Each Emblem will tell you how many
designed, from beginning to end, to help you bring to life
times it can be accumulated within the same Action or
any situation typical of movies, comics,alternate history
Technique.
and fantastical science fiction. You can build objects,
weapons, support equipment and much more by yourself.
Types of Emblems The possibilities of customization provided by the system
For pure convenience, the Emblems are presented
are unlimited.
divided by type:
The handbook is full of ideas, objects, Characters and
many other aspects of the game. It is a world to be
• advantages;
discovered, in which you will be driven step by step
• alterations;
from a regulation explained in detail, with
• damage;
many examples and basic procedures to
• protection;
follow for Demiurge and Players. This
• space-time.
booklet, however, will continue
to be useful both as a quick
Below we list them in a synthetic form.
reference for the basic rules
Obviously you find them explained
and as a guide to the Emblems!
in more detail and in-depth in the
All this and much more is
core rulebook.
explained in detail in the manual,
along with a rich Setting, for a most
Versatility of the Emblems immersive experience possible. Augusta
Using the Emblems and, above Universalis is still all to be explored.
all, creating Systemata that mix We are waiting for you, Praetorian!
together different Emblems, you
may have some doubts about
how the Emblems can interact
with each other, but do not
worry; in the handbook you
will find a list of some common
examples of interaction.
Therefore, should any doubts
arise, we encourage you to email us
or contact us through our social
groups or our website.

15
 ALTERATIONS
Continuous Damage: AS that deals 1d8
C
/ 2 damage for each Emblem at the beginning
of the target’s turn before getting the APs of
the turn. Cumulable up to 10 times. Removed
at the end of the scene/ fight.
Weakness: +1 DD at each opponent’s
IMP, DEX or RES Test. Cumulative up to
D 4 times. Removed with Remove, a strong
adrenaline rush (1 AP per Emblem) or at the
end of the scene / combat.
Sensory Deprivation: +1 DD at each
opponent’s attack, Defense or Perception
E Check. Max cumulative 4 times. Removed with
“Remove” or source (1 AP for each Emblem).
Disarm: if the opponent holds any
weapons (does not apply to Systemata), he is
F disarmed. This is not cumulative. To counter
it you must recover the weapon with a Resume
action or using Disarm on the opponent.
Equipment: the target obtains a temporary
Fortune until the end of the Scene. This is
G cumulative. It can be removed with Cancel,
Remove or at the end of scene/ combat.
Numbness: +1 DD at each opponent’s
ING, SOP or AUC test. It is cumulative up
J to 4 times. It can be removed with Remove,
Concentration (1AP for each Emblem) or at
the end of the scene / combat.
Non-Lethal: if the opponent’s LP goes to 0
or less, they remain at 1, but he faints and can’t
A act. This is not cumulative. Remove with Shake
the Target (1AP) or automatic at the end of the
scene following the current combat scene.
Paralyze: target → -2APs for each Emblem
at the beginning of the turn (not less than 1).
I Cumulative up to 4 times. Removed with
Remove, a muscle reactivation (1 AP per
Emblem) or at the end of the scene / combat.
Refracting: for each Emblem, anyone
attacking or defending from the PC suffers
H 1DD per test. It is cumulative up to 2 times.
Removed with Remove or at the beginning of
the next turn of the activated.
DAMAGE
Collimator: if the action fails, roll 2d8
and add up to the previous EV to improve the
V EV only. It does not apply to damage. This is
not cumulative.
16
Conclude: the action deals 1d8 more damage,
as long as it is the last action of your Turn. It also
L gives a number of d8 Bonuses equal to the attacks
made in the Turn, including the latter. Choose the
highest die and add it to Damage.
Relative Damage: if LPs lost from the
target are different from 10 or its multiples,
M round the number of Damage already suffered
at the next ten, then inflict the Damage. This is
not cumulative.
Multi: deals half damage but all enemies
adjacent to the PC. The primary target also
N suffers the effects of any additional Emblems
(+ 1AP to extend the Emblems to other
targets). Not cumulative.
Piercing: the target absorbs only with the
reference Virtue of the Defense Check if hit or
K with the BV if it has successfully parried. The
effects of the Aegides do not apply. Piercing
always excludes Smash.
Powerful: + 1d8 damage. When used with
O Absorb + 1d8 damage and when with Healing,
curi + 1d8. This is cumulative ∞.
Crumble: destroys 1 Systema or target
R object when hit. This is not cumulative.
Smash: the target ignores the Reference
Virtue of the Defense Check when it
S absorbs or the BV when it blocks. This is not
cumulative.
Extreme Effort: decrease the cost of
another 1 AP Emblem (min 1), but sacrifice
T 1d8 LP for each level of Extreme Effort. This
is cumulative ∞.
Utmost: + 3d8 to AV before of the damage
U
if the action is successful. If the action fails,
you lose the Turn and you can’t act. This is
not cumulative.
PROTECTION
Remove: delete 1 Emblem, Alteration or
X Damage, from attack. This is cumulative ∞.
Usable only for Defense.
Absorb: it activates only together with
Y Mighty: + 1d8 to absorption. Not cumulative.
Usable only for Defense.
Heal: transforms Damage Emblems into
Z Emblems that make life recovery possible. Not
cumulative. Not able to be improvised.
 Augusta Universalis: Quickstart
Reflect: if the defense succeeds, the attacker
suffers his attack and his emblems, he can’t
a defend himself and his turn is interrupted. Not
cumulative. Usable only in Defense.
Undo: delete a SA immediately. This is
b cumulative. ∞. Not able to be improvised.
SPACE-TIME
Push Away: move the target away from
c you. If he hits an obstacle, the target suffers +
1d8 damage. It is cumulative up to 2 times.
Draw Near: bring the PC closer to the
h target of a distance step per Emblem. It is
cumulative up to 2 times.
Fall down: the target has to spend 1PA to
restore himself, otherwise he can only defend
e himself. He/ she also suffers + 1d8 damage (not
absorbable) for each Distance step covered
with the fall. This is not cumulative.
Slump: -1PA to another used emblem
(min. 1 AP). The PC is lying on the ground
f after the attack and must get to his/ her. This
is not cumulative.
Distance: Increases the range of the attack
i by a Distance step for each Emblem. There is a
maximum of 3 levels of Distance.
Neural: if the result of the Test to hit is
lower than your ING, substitute it with your
g level of ING (max 8 and each Emblem is valid
for one die). The effects of Fas and Nefas
Throws still apply. This is not cumulative.
Launch: while target in the air, the next
attack hits automatically. The target suffers
j 1d8 damage for each level of falling distance.
This is not cumulative.
Drag: bring the target closer to the PC by
k a Distance level for each Emblem. Max. This is
cumulative up to 2 times.
VANTAGGIO
Conditional: provides +2 to the Check
+2... under specific conditions as detailed in the
manual. Every +2 is an emblem. Max. 3 in total.
Support: inserted into an Instrumentum.
It provides +2 to non-violent actions under
+2... specific conditions as detailed in the manual.
Every +2 is an Emblem. This is cumulative up
to 3 times.
Reliable: each Emblem cancels 1d8 when
you get a Nefas Throw. This is applied to Ammo.
l A jam occurs after the attack. This is cumulable
up to 2 times.
Blitz: if the result of the attack Check is
lower than your Dexteritas, replace it with
your Dexteritas level (max 8 and each Emblem
d applies to one die). You can’t get Critical
Success or Critical Failure. The effects of
Fas and Nefas Throws still apply. This is
cumulative up to 2 times.
Block: the next attack hits automatically
without the need for a Test. The opponent can
Unlock by paying 2 AP as soon as he is hit, in
m this way he does not suffer the effects of the
Emblem and can defend himself from the next
attack. This is not cumulative.
Explosive: in the case of a Fas Throw,
launch 2 more dice and choose the highest,
r which will be added to the EV. This is
cumulative up to 2 times.
Unstable: decrease the cost of another emblem
of 1 AP (min 1) but increase the chances of making
o a Nefas Check according to the instructions in the
manual. This is cumulative up to 2 times.
Invert: Flips AS that do not interact with
damage / heal: the LPs become DD, the malus
P become bonuses. Not cumulative, but can be
combined 3 associated emblems.
Aim: increases the chances of obtaining a
n Fas Throw. This is cumulative up to 2 times.
Heavy: decrease the cost of another
B emblem of 1 AP (min 1) but the PC Test suffers
a DP. This is cumulative up to 2 times.
Returning: only for or Active Aegides. If the
System is launched by the PC, it automatically
p returns to its hands immediately after the attack.
It also makes them immune to disarmament. Not
cumulative.
Stun: until its next turn, the target can’t
s move, interfere, counterattack or interrupt the
turns of other creatures. Not cumulative.
Vampirism: cures 1 LP of the attacker for
every 3 Damage dealt to the opponent. Each
additional Vampire Emblem increases the
recovered LPs by 1 point. This is cumulative
up to 3 levels.
17
 Augusta Universalis
Annientamento
The one shown below is a trial adventure to test the
Augusta Universalis ruleset and Fighting System.
Introduction
Annihilation is a Missio for 3-5 Praetorians of Augusta
Universalis, created through the contents of the Chapter
“The Demiurge” of the Basic Handbook.
The adventure is designed to be a quick introduction
to most of the mechanics possible, while allowing for a
lot of flexibility for the players’ actions and their ideas in
an open and non-linear context. Feel free, as Demiurges,
to interpret events according to the mentality of the
individual factions or individual NPCs involved in the
Manipulum actions.
The Core of the Mission
The Praetorians are sent in support of Titus
Tanthius Tysonis, the Tribune of the Guardia
Adamantis at the head of the Roman conquest mission
on Taygeta, a planet disputed among Kyroptids,
Humans and Sserath in the Gliese star system. Tanthius
has lost contact with Castrum Ferri, the military
research outpost of the Archimandrite Hierotheos
Ileo Parmenides, a man of enormous wisdom
who oversees secret experiments to understand the
conscience of the Kyroptids and how to fight them better.
The Manipulum will have to cross the Blood Jungle, a
swampy area infested with aliens and beaten by the Tagma
Amazon. Before the betrayal of the Basileia Anastasia,
they fought alongside the forces of the Tribune and now,
although not formally at war with other humans, refuse to
submit to the will of the Augusta ruler, of whom Tanthius
is the delegate in command.
The goal of the Missio is to get to Castrum Ferri, find
out the cause of the communication failing and recover
Hierotheos safe and sound.
The Archimandrite, however, is actually crazed,
dragged by his growing obsessions to the hive mind
Kyroptid that has increasingly isolated him from his
subordinates and his loved ones. He sold his soul to a
Kyroptid Queen who called directly into his laboratory
to be able to merge with it, becoming an integral part
of his psyche and thus having access to the Beehive
Mind of the insectoids, giving all the information
on the armaments and the human technology to the
Queen. At that point, the Praetorians will have to kill
Hierotheos and the Queen (fused into one Aberration)
to prevent access of all the knowledge of Hierotheos to
the Hive Mind.
18
Background
Gliese is a system that has been contested for millennia
between the Sserath of the planet Akhssam, the Humans of
the planet Alcyon (arrived just a few centuries ago, the most
recent and inexperienced faction of the system’s nature)
and the violent native population of wild insectoids, the
Kyroptids of the planets Aptere, Endoptere and Exoptere.
In various phases of the colonial history of the system,
Sserath and Humans found themselves allied against
the common Kyroptid threat, but the recent genocide of
Usselet by the Basileia of Byzantium Anastasia Heracliades
severely tightened the relations between the two races,
reopening a conflict in which the insectoids thrive and gain
more and more land on the only world for now contended
among all the forces in the field, the fertile Taygeta, in the
inner ring of the star system.
The insectoids keep the orbital space clear with their
specimens of Bombers. These huge swollen insects,
unable to move and with a repulsive appearance, collect
boulders and then eject them from fleshy pressurized
sacs against human and sserathi ships suspended in
orbit, knocking them down or damaging them. Bombers’
largest and oldest specimens are stationed in orbit around
Aptere, Endoptere and Exoptere (not needing air to
survive) and are able to catapult boulders as big as small
hills with so much power and precision that they hit
Akhssam and Alcyon with cataclysmic impacts that the
planetary defenses are not always able to block altogether.
It is still a mystery how it is possible for such
unintelligent creatures to be able to make such precise
attacks. They are comparable to human systems of
targeting human missiles. Hierotheos and his research
team were trying to unveil their secrets.
Following the outbreak of the War of the Eagles
between Livia Augusta and Anastasia Heracliades, the
veteran Ecatontarca (Centurion) Byzantine Kyriake Eleni
Corintia and its contingent of soldiers separated from
the rest of the troops led by Titus Tanthius Tysonis. They
established a base in the Castrum Coelis, the Byzantine
spaceport from which the entire human contingent could
receive supplies and control the airspace of the Blood
Jungle. Kyriake is not directly hostile to Titus, but does
not intend to assist him in his work until he receives direct
orders from Byzantium. There is no doubt, however, that it
will not allow the use of the skies over the Blood Jungle to
anyone other than their own men. Kyriake has also been a
lover of Hierotheos for a long time.
The Warlord Shazyr is the general commander of the
Sserathi contingent of conquest in the area. A few well-
trained Warriors, Servants and Sages and determined to
defeat both the insectoids and the humans. However they
were crushed between the two fronts, decisively more
hindered than their human opponents. . They established
 Augusta Universalis: Annientamento
a command center in the old Tyridium Mines in
the northern mountains of the region. The Mines are
connected to a series of transport tunnels that cross the
entire Blood Jungle underground, the fastest way to reach
Castrum Ferri after the activation of the Quarantine by
the defense systems.
Notes about NPCs
NPCs have only a few values.They can be created in
a flash.
• Unique Basic Value (UBV): This is the score
that will be used as a basis for any type of Check.
In any situation, having to take a Check, the NPC
will use its UBV + the result of two dice. With this
kind of NPCs we do not need several scores related
to social situations, fighting, etc.
• Resistance (RES): This is the value that determines
the amount of Damage that is absorbed by the NPC
every time he is hit, just as happens to the PCs.
Rapidity (RAP): As for the PCs, it is used to establish
the number of Action Points available to the NPC.
• Special Abilities: A set of Emblems of
your choice, useful for representing the
physical abilities and armaments of the NPC.
Life Points: Obviously, even NPCs, have a certain
amount of Life Points available. Once they are
reduced to “0” they are defeated.
Special Abilities
Whenever a NPC attacks or defends, it is possible
to activate a Special Ability Emblem. The first
activation is always free. From the second on, the cost is
1 AP per activation. To activate one of these Emblems,
it is always necessary to describe how it is done. It is not
possible, during an attack, to declare: “The marauder
activates the Emblem Smash!”. We must rather describe
the scene: “The marauder jumps on you and screams
as he throws his immense ax at you.” The activation
of the Emblem Smash is implicit, but the Demiurge can
point it out after describing the Scene. As always, the
description and the interpretation is first, then the
mechanics is activated thanks to the description. Of
course, it is always possible to activate more than one
Emblem at the same time (Action Points permitting).
Managing NPCs
In common scenes, managing NPCs is quite simple. It
is not different from playing a common PC, except that
using a simpler Tabula will make everything much faster.
During Fighting, however, the normal rules of Augusta
Universalis are followed, only that the use of a sheet
and a pencil to take some notes is recommended to the
Demiurge. Typically, the things to consider in combat are
the following:
19
 • Initiative - of PCs and NPCs;
• NPCs Life Points and Damage;
• Actio Points of NPCs;
• Special Abilities - which Emblems were used for
the first time, so that the Demiurge can remember
having to pay 1 additional AP when he decides to
use them for the second time;
• Possible Altered States.
It is not difficult to keep note of these variables. We
suggest creating a very basic chart on which, first of all,
the Demiurge can list the names of the PCs and NPCs
with their various Initiative scores: the fight, in fact,
always starts with the calculation of this value.
After that you can draw a horizontal line and note
only the damages or the Altered States suffered by the
various NPCs. It is not necessary to keep track of the PCs’,
as the Players will take care of them.
For the Emblems of the Special Abilities the method
can be much the same. You can keep track of them on a
line under the name of each NPC, for example.
For Actio Points you have various options. You can
write them down as dots next to the names of the NPCs
(which can be just symbolic names, like “Living Statue
1”, “Living Statue 2”, etc.), write them as numbers, delete
them with a diagonal line every time you spend or earn
AP and write then next to the new value, or you can use
playing cards or dice.
Management of the Missio
Annihilation does not contemplate a linear course of
events.
Each Faction in the field has its own objectives and
resources and it is up to the Manipulum to decide if, how
and when to approach certain situations, in search of the
solution. The Demiurge will keep in mind the movements,
objectives and forces in the field of the different factions
making them react to the actions of the Praetorians,
according to their intuition and a healthy dose of logic.
There are no pre-established maps for the Missio.
Travel times in the region and the distances of its places
correspond to what the Demiurge deems appropriate
for the pace he/ she wants to give to the game, while the
risks will be dealt with in a specific chapter. Below are the
factions in the field in the Blood Jungle:
The Sserath Contingent
The Warlord Shazyr commands a reduced contingent
of Sserath in the region. They control the transport
systems in mines that extend below the wet ground
of the Blood Jungle. The system once transported the
Tyridium to Castrum Ferri to feed the fusion reactors of
the complex scientific machineries.
Target
The Sserath are isolated in the region, unable to
communicate their position to the rest of the Race on the
planet. They want to leave but, to do so, they need to be
airborne. Retreating on foot through the areas infested by
the Kyroptids would result in certain death. To do this,
20
you need to convince Kyriake to remove the airlock and
reactivate the 4 Sserathi radio stations (see Places in the
Blood Jungle) scattered around the jungle. Once the radio
beacons have been reactivated, Shazyr will be able to call
for help. If Kyriake has not removed the airlock, then a
battle will begin in the skies of the jungles between flocks
of Byzantine Rotors and Sserathi Fighter-bombers, which
will culminate in the defeat and death of Kyriake.
Base
The Sserath camp is an improvised mine as barracks
and shelter for reptiloids. Long, twisted networks of
tunnels connect different areas of the base in a labyrinth
difficult to distinguish without the aid of special
equipment or the guidance of those who have occupied
it for months. A possible battle against the Sserath inside
the Mines of Tyridium would be long; a slow series of
ambushes, explosive traps and collapsing walls that will
put any PC in difficulty.
Information
The Sserath are the only ones in the region to have
been able to sense the awakening of a Kyroptid Queen at
Castrum Ferri. Their instrumentation is more advanced
than human design and their secular knowledge of the
insectoid behavior have made it easy to understand that
the humans, whatever they were trying to do, had drawn
the attentions of the most monstrous and aberrant of the
Kyroptids, able to penetrate with their consciousness into
the weakest minds and absorb their will. The Sserath also
know that the radio beacons produce waves that greatly
disturb the psyche of the Queens and the pheromonic
transmission of orders to the Kyroptids submitted to them
if overloaded until they explode in an electromagnetic
storm. Obviously, this information will be given to the
Manipulum only if they manage to get on good relations
with Shazyr.
Shazyr
60 LP, UBV 14 (RA 4, RE 4)
Emblems: Absorb, Distance, Piercing, Powerful, Undo,
Utmost
Shazyr is a Sserath Warlord with proven tactical
experience. He stands about two meters tall with reddish
scales and piercing eyes. He is equipped with a thick
armor. His pistol and sword typical of his genetic rank of
Warlord. His devotion to the cause of the Great King is
absolute, but he also knows that he will not be useful to
the Race if he remains stuck with his men in the Blood
Jungle. If the PCs manage to earn his trust, at least in part,
then he will be willing to negotiate to give them a quick
and safe entry to Castrum Ferri.
Sserath Warrior
60 LP, UBV 12 (RA 4, RE 4)
Emblems: Absorb, Collimator, Distance, Powerful
Sserath warriors, veterans, armed with pulsed energy
rif les with monomolecular wire bayonets to use in
melee. The creatures are about two meters tall with dark
green scales and fierce eyes. They speak little, with their
 Augusta Universalis: Annientamento
human tongue being particularly poor. Sserath tend to
be very unwilling to forgive any provocations and tend
to reacting with violence. Their obedience to Shazyr, in
any case, is absolute.
Sserath Sage
40 LP, UBV 10 (RA 4, RE 4)
Emblems: Distance, Paralyze
The Sserath Sages are scientists and scholars, armed
with electrocuted guns that are also used as instruments
of torture and interrogation. They are slightly shorter
than the warriors and much slimmer, but endowed
with an emotionless calm, with purple scales and cold
stare. Each of them is a specialist in a certain branch of
knowledge (at the discretion of the Demiurge) who may
decide to exercise against or in favor of the Praetorians,
depending on the situation.
Sserath Servant
20 LP, UBV 8 (RA 5, RE 3)
Emblems: None
The Sserath Servants are small bipedal lizards, more
or less fifty centimeters tall, with light green scales. Once
disarmed they are totally incapable of fighting even if
only to defend themselves. If possible they flee before
any threat is made to their safety. Their task is to perform
manual work under the orders of the Sages and the
Warlords and almost none of them speak the language of
humans.
Byzantine Rebels
The Ecatontarca Kyriake commands the Byzantine
forces in the Blood Jungle. They control the Castrum
Coeli spaceport and all the combat airplanes available
to humans in that devastated region of the planet, with
which they exert a severe air blockade against all forces not
directly loyal to the Basileia. She agreed to let the landing
cell of the PCs land at Castrum Terra due to the presence
of Qaleb Silone and Zaphyra Sebastova, Praetorians of the
Guardia Aurea and Guardia Rubis and therefore formally
allied or subjected to Anastasia Heracliades.
Target
Kyriake would like to know of new, possible orders
from the Basileia to its contingent on Taygeta. New orders
have not yet been issued (for this reason the PCs can not
know them).
The PCs can try to deceive and give them false
orders (1 Danger Die to the Check, Kyriake is not
stupid), but unless they are “fighting against Titus
Tanthius Tysonis and his men”, there will be very little
that it will satisfy the Ecatontarca and her feeling of
having been forgotten on that haunted world, without
the possibility of returning home or at least on the
small and poor human colonies on Alcyon. The PCs
can exploit this sentiment to peacefully reunite the
rebels with Tanthius’s human contingent.
21
 Base
Castrum Coeli is poorly defended at the level
of walls or physical barriers, but has excellent aerial
coverage provided due to constantly flying around it
to monitor possible assaults of Kyroptids, Sserath and
even Tanthius and loyalists. Castrum’s barracks and
halls are all in the gigantic Control Tower that stands
at the center of the esplanade where landing tracks
and open-air workshops or depots have been built for
the Rebels’ Combat Rotors (high-tech helicopters).
A possible battle against the Rebels would result in an air
battle between the Battle Rotors and the PCs (also able to
fly with the Lorica in Assectum) that would culminate in
the progressive climb of the Control Tower, fighting room
by room from the bottom to the top (if the PCs enter on
foot) or from top to bottom (if the PCs fly to the top), until
you reach Kyriake.
Information
Kyriake strongly suspects that this time Hierotheos
has made a mess from which he can barely get out by the
skin of his teeth. She is the only one to know about the
obsession her lover had gradually developed towards the
Kyroptids, arriving to secretly inject blood and insectoid
DNA to try to better understand the functioning of their
mind and forcing the Philosophers subjected to him
to exhausting rhythms of research in a state of almost
complete sleep deprivation. In his delirium he had also
tried to involve her in that madness and she had therefore
22
left him, without however telling anyone in higher ranks
about these manias (after all, she still felt bound to him).
Kyriake has also been able to see thanks to the aerial
exploration with the Rotors that Castrum Ferri has
activated the automatic Quarantine systems, an
impenetrable dome of reinforced and ultralight metal
that blocks access from the ground and the sky. She
has no idea how it could be possibly entered, unless
the possession of heavy orbital artillery capable of
annihilating the dome (and anything underneath it), but
hopes that the PCs can find out about what happened
to her ex-beloved. Obviously, to get this information
the PCs will have to develop a good relationship with
Kyriake (which in addition will remove for them the
airlock on the Blood Jungle).
Kyriake Eleni Corintia
60 LP, UBV 14 (RA 4, RE 4)
Emblems: Absorb, Continuous Damage, Distance,
Powerful, Smash, Undo
Kyriake is a middle-aged woman of Mediterranean
appearance, with a tired expression and protected by
a shimmering golden Technolorica (powered armour)
and decorated with the ornamental motifs typical of
the Tagma Amazon. She has with her a considerable
number of soldiers and airmen of the Byzantine Ordo
Martis. Like many Praetorians of the Guardia Aurea, her
armour has attached enhanced flame-throwers and anti-
personnel weapons.
 Augusta Universalis: Annientamento
Byzantine Soldier
40 LP, UBV 12 (RA 4, RE 4)
Emblems: Continuous Damage, Distance, Multi, Smash
The Ordo Martis soldiers serving the Basileia wear
simple camouf lage uniforms with golden military
decorations that identify their rank. Their armament is
usually chosen based on the amount of destruction that
can spread on numerous and poorly armoured adversaries,
as is the war tradition of Constantinople. Submachine
guns, flamethrowers and incendiary grenades are by far
the most used equipment.
Byzantine Combat Rotor
100 LP, UBV 14 (RA 7, RE 3)
Emblems: +2 VS Smaller Size, Continuous Damage,
Distance, Piercing
This airborne craft is expensive and difficult to
repair. It is several meters long, moved by the rotation
of propellers and equipped with incendiary missiles and
machine guns. The minimum crew is made up of a Pilot
who holds the controls and a Gunner who takes care of
the cover by handling the heavy machine gun with tracer
projectiles. The "+2 VS Smaller Size" Emblem applies to
all the PCs and NPCs that have a maximum Life Points of
less than 100 LPs.
Loyalist Army
The Tribune Titus Tanthius Tysonis of the
Guardia Adamantis is the general commander of the
Roman forces on Taygeta, a Roman interimperial
contingent. It could count on its side also a conspicuous
Byzantine support, before the outbreak of the War
of the Eagles. They have the control of Castrum
Terra, the initial base camp of the conquest, and
most of the soldiers and armored land vehicles.
Tanthius is evaluating the evolution of the political
situation on Earth and has requested the sending of
Praetorians for the recovery of Hierotheos, given that all
the teams sent have never returned.
Target
Tanthius wants first to recover Hierotheos and find
out what is happening at Castrum Ferri, not having the
opportunity to explore the area by air has sent many
recovery teams but none of them has ever returned.
He himself can not get away from Castrum Terra as he
is occupied in the increasingly complicated logistics of
the base itself. His secondary objectives are to get rid of
the Sserath presence in the Blood Jungle and make the
Kyriake Byzantine contingent come to its senses, in order
to continue the conquest of the region.
Base
Castrum Terra is a heavy coastal fortification in
reinforced concrete and ultralight metal, with anti-aircraft
batteries and numerous barracks where the regular
soldiers of the Ordo Martis live, almost all natives of
Alcyon. The base rises between the ridges overlooking the
Taygeti Ocean (a unique, immense sea of the ​​ planet) and
the huge, alien native trees of the planet. The absence of
flying means the loyalist soldiers must move over land and
rivers into the territory infested by the Kyroptids and with
the constant risk of crossing the enemy Sserath, slowing
down enormously the conquest of the region. The base
always provides the PCs with all the tools and resources
needed to rest, feed, treat their wounds and repair their
Systemata. An eventual battle going against Tanthius and
his soldiers would involve having to overcome the anti-
aircraft artillery and armored vehicles in an attempt to
enter the main building of the base and engage room-to-
room collisions with the garrison, breaking or breaking
through the numerous armoured doors, until you reach
Tanthius in the Central Command.
Information
Tanthius has no problem in giving all the information
he knows to the PCs.
He will speak of the treason of Kyriake as an inevitable
setback due to the politics of the Earth, but will not
express hatred or hatred towards her. After all, Kyriake’s
loyalty is a huge merit for an old-school Praetorian like
him. Obviously, he will ask the PCs not to use the airspace
in the region so as to avoid having problems with the
Byzantines. Moreover, the only reason they were able to
disembark is precisely because on their cell there were
two Praetorians of the Rubis and of the Aurea, which
he had requested on purpose in a neutral and reliable
interimperial contingent. Tanthius knows the existence
and the approximate position of all the factions in field
in the region, which unfortunately is much more infested
by the Kyroptids than in the past. This constant invasion
began precisely with the end of communications with
Castrum Ferri, almost two months ago. The Sserath seem
to be those who have lost more men and terrain, so much
so that their radio beacons lie abandoned in four different
locations of the Blood Jungle, unattainable by their
probable new base located in the northern mountains.
Tanthius is sure that Hierotheos is in danger and knows of
the sentimental relationship that bound him to Kyriake.
Titus Tanthius Tysonis
60 LP, UVB 16 (RA 4, RE 5)
Emblems: Absorb, Drag, Heal, Launch, Powerful, Smash,
Undo
Tanthius is a middle-aged man with a Mediterranean
appearance and an extremely robust build. His priestly
vocation appears in the insignia of the Legio Ecclesiastica
Apothecaria, Military Chaplains of the Guard Adamantis.
He has a calm and decisive character, always on top of
things and with enormous determination to resume the
planetary conquest. He is revered and respected by his
men and even by his enemies. He is armed with a titanic
battle-hammer that he wields with Herculean might in his
gargantuan Technolorica of Gravis Category.
Loyalist Soldier
40 LP, UBV 12 (RA 4, RE 4)
Emblems: Distance, Multi, Piercing, Smash
The Ordo Martis soldiers in service on Taygeta come
almost exclusively from the wild colonies of Alcyon.
These men and women were hardened by life on the
wild and Kyroptids infested worlds. They have their
23
 own, peculiar culture focused on hatred of insects, with
meanings and gestures that can leave the inhabitants of
the Earth baffled. Their speech tends to drag the vowels
when they speak Latin, while their local idioms are
now difficult to understand without specific linguistic
training. They are armed with every kind of Ordo Martis
standard weapon.
Lightweight Armoured Loyalist
100 LP, UBV 14 (RA 3, RE 7)
Emblems: Absorb, Distance, Multi, Powerful
Small and agile armored vehicles, suitable for
movement in the marshland of the Blood Jungle. They are
armed with deflagrating bullets and lateral light machine
guns, useful to devastate the Kyroptid hordes. The
minimum crew required to operate them is composed of
a Driver, a Gunner and a machine gun Operator.
The Jungles of Blood
The region known as the Jungles of Blood is a huge
forest of native trees with an extremely high level of
humidity in the soil and in the air, with natural geysers
of methane and sulphurous gases that make normal
breathing impossible in their vicinity. The gravity of the
planet is slightly higher than that of the Earth (1.07 G)
and the presence of liquid water is however contaminated
by chemical compounds that make it necessary to filter
it before being able to drink it. In any case, centuries of
Sserath presence on the planet have contributed to the
partial “terraformation” of Taygeta, so that it is now quite
hospitable even for humans, albeit with due caution
and equipment. The tops of the trees reach almost fifty
meters in height, blocking the light rays of the small and
stable red dwarf Gliese, the star that illuminates the whole
system. The appearance of the jungle is oppressive, dark
and always enveloped in a bluish mist with a slight smell
of methane and sulfur, a climate where only the Kyroptids
and their constant, crazy biological evolution can easily
prosper. Beyond the tops of the trees, the airspace above
the jungle is an endless expanse of blue-green leaves
that reach the mountains to the north, rich in Tyridio,
and with a huge central artificial clearing where you can
see a rock formation similar to a small hill. If you come
within a few hundred meters, you can recognize it as
Castrum Ferri, locked inside the corroded metal walls
and reinforced concrete of the Quarantine automatic
systems, now active for months.
24
Exploration by Earth
Exploring the Blood Jungle by land is a long,
difficult and oppressive experience. The absence of
stable satellites or orbital vessels that can triangulate
the position of the PCs makes it necessary to use
“traditional” methods of orientation on the ground,
using machinery and Peritia typical of the Ordo
Dianae. The Demiurge is encouraged to cultivate an
atmosphere of constant danger, mystery and tension.
Some of the encounters that can be carried out during
this exploration are as follows:
• Sserath Radio Beacon 1: if the PCs know the
position of the beacons, they can get to this too.
It is not possible to meet it by moving casually
through the Jungle. The Radio Beacon 1 is a
medium-sized structure with an alien antenna
appearance surrounded by a thin, ultralight metal
wall. The door of the Radio Beacon has been
broken for years, inside there are rotten skeletons
of Sserath Servers and Warriors, striated (at a
medical examination) by Kyroptid claws and fangs.
To repair Radio Beacon 1 a Check in electronic or
similar subjects will suffice.
• Sserath Radio Beacon 2: as before, if the PCs
know the position of the beacons, they can get
to this as well. It is not possible to meet it by
moving casually through the Jungle. This Radio
Beacon is only off, inside it will be the small and
undernourished Servant Kyuss, who survived
years in total solitude to keep the machines
partially working. Kyuss speaks very little Latin
and is terrified by the PCs, but if approached with
delicacy can be saved and brought back to the
Mines of Tyridio, where he will be honored for his
long resistance in solitude. To reactivate this Radio
Beacon, the PCs only need to simply activate the
main switch.
• Sserath Radio Beacon 3: like in the other two,
if the PCs know the position of the Beacons, they
can get to this too. It is not possible to meet it by
moving casually through the Jungle. The Radio
Beacon itself has little damage,
but has been chosen
by the Kyroptids as
a nest to lay their
eggs.
 Augusta Universalis: Annientamento
• The disgusting larvae infest machinery and,
without removing them, it will not be possible to
reactivate it.
Horde of Kyroptid Larvae
80 LP, UBV 8 (RA 3, RE 3)
Emblems: Continuous Damage, Powerful
The larvae of Kyroptids are fatty, whitish worms about
half a meter long, with mouths drooling acid from the
circular teeth. They have a constant appetite for human
flesh. They prefer to attack in groups but they are not a
serious threat to the Praetorians if managed carefully.
• Sserath Radio Beacon 4: If the PCs know the
position of the Beacons, they can reach this too. It is
not possible to meet it by moving casually through
the Jungle. This Radio Beacon is desert, sealed
since the first retreats of the Sserath following the
revenge of the Kyroptids in the region. Inside there
is a precious box of Sserath Eptaionic Batteries
that, if properly grafted with a Biomechanical or
similar Check, constitute a Fortuna that allows
you to get +1Bd to a single fighting Check, by
downloading the battery accordingly. In the box
there are 2 eptaionic batteries for each PC, each
of which constitutes an independent Fortuna. To
reactivate the Radio Beacon , it will therefore be
sufficient to reactivate the main switch.
• Kyroptid Explorers: Crossing the Jungle is very
likely to result in Kyroptidi assaults that, if the PCs
can not identify with a proper check, will always
involve an ambush and being caught by surprise.
An Explorer patrol usually consists of 3 actual
Explorers and 2 Warriors.
Kyroptid Warrior
80 LP, UBV 14 (RA 5, RE 5)
Emblems: Absorb, Continuous Damage, Piercing, Powerful
About two and a half meters tall, wrapped in a thick
chitinous armor, with eight eyes and clawed paws, the
warriors are the backbone of the warlike force of the
insectoids. Their poisoned bite can easily pierce almost
any armor, while the chitinous scales absorb and cancel
the fire of lighter weapons. Once the enemy is seen, they
charge at him relentlessly until they or their prey stop
moving.
Kyroptid Explorer
60 LP, UBV 12 (RA 4, RE 3)
Emblems: Continuous Damage, Piercing, Powerful, Undo
About two meters or so in height, they are thinner and
slimmer than the Warriors and have come to understand
concepts like teamwork and strategic retreat. If they
cannot kill an opponent, they run to warn the colony.
They can fly with retractable wings and their scales are
much lighter and more brittle than those of Warriors.
• Geyser Swamp: The rare flat marshes in the
middle of the Jungle almost always host the
methane and sulfur gases that make the air in the
vicinity unbearable for humans. These areas are
used by the Kyroptid Collectors to absorb the gas
in fleshy sacs under their skin and take it to the
colonies, where the Collector itself will be fed to
a Bomber that will store such a propellant useful
for the constant attack on humans and the lizards
in the system. It is therefore not uncommon that,
when the PCs arrive at one of these areas, there
are at least 3 or 4 collectors that absorb the gas of
the Geysers. The Collectors are not hostile, but if
they notice an alien presence (human or Sserathi)
they will launch pheromone signals with peculiar
dances that will soon attract a patrol of Kyroptid
explorers to evaluate the situation. As soon as a
Collector is hit by any firearm or melee strike, its
organic system increases the temperature of the gas
until it detonates as real devices, causing serious
problems to the Praetorians in the immediate
vicinity. A single exploding Collector deals a 2d8
AV dice attack, while if the Geysers catch fire after
the first detonations, AV dice increases to 4d8.
You can defend and absorb these Damage dice as if
they were a normal attack by Dodging or Parrying
with your Systemata.
Exploration by Air
Exploring by Air the Blood Jungle may seem like the
best solution (although Tanthius will insist on not doing
so), but as soon as the Byzantine Rebels’ Control Tower
captures the position of the PCs it will immediately
send Battle Rotors to apprehend them. Clearly, not
being Kyroptid Explorers, they will not be shot down
on sight, but will be required to follow them to Castrum
Coeli, to meet and be interrogated by Kyriake. A refusal,
the repeated violation of the air blockade or a direct
attack against the Rotors will give the PCs the clear and
violent opposition of the Byzantine Rebels every time
the Praetorians take off. Also they will lose any chance
of support of Tanthius who, to preserve a possibility of
reconciliation with Kyriake, will be forced to no longer
provide the structures, resources and machinery of
Castrum Terra to the Manipulum of the PCs. Exploring
by air is not however immune to the danger of being
attacked by Kyroptid Explorers as well, although good
relations with Kyriake can yield a stock of Byzantine
Rotors during Manipulum air travel.
Underground Exploration
If the PCs arrive at the Tyridio Mines and deal
effectively with the Sserath, they will be able to access
the transportation network that connected those areas
with Castrum Ferri. The trip will be relatively short,
on awkward but well-maintained magnetic carts. The
Demiurge can evaluate possible battles between Kyroptid
Warriors and the PCs (aided by the Sserath allies) during
the crossing: after all, the insectoid colonies are located
just below ground level. If the PCs can not make the
Sserath allies, they will be forced to proceed on foot. In
this case the attack on the part of the Kyroptids is certain,
and gets stronger and stronger as they approach Castrum
Ferri. Old indications of magnetic exchanges for trucks
are present and still legible on the junctions of the railway,
so it is impossible to get lost.
25
 Castrum Ferri
The main method to reach Castrum Ferri is
underground, through the magnetic carriages of the
Tyridio mining transport. The PCs can be particularly
brilliant and find other ways to overcome the thick,
strong layer of ultralight metal and reinforced concrete
of the dome that closes this building in an absolutely
hermetic Quarantine: the Demiurge must encourage
them (and maybe share it on the Augusta Universalis RPG
page!), without impeding it to follow the normal course
of the Missio. In any case, if the PCS manage to pass the
Quarantine barrier, the scenario that arises before them
is as follows...
• The atmosphere is dark, disturbing, with a
strong smell of decomposing carcasses and
unmentionable organic substances of alien origin.
• Kyroptid cobwebs are everywhere. They are sticky,
but fragile, and wrapped in slimy drool that envelop
all the corridors and the halls of the laboratory.
• Destroyed machines scream in the distance, with
flickering lights. Some are simply out of service.
In the background sounds as distant as billions of
small steps fade before the PCs can really realize
what they’ve heard.
As the PCs advance in the corridors (whose complexity
and precise structure is left to the improvisational skills of
the Demiurge and to the actual rhythm he wants to give
to his game), they will encounter the horribly mutilated,
scarred and decomposed corpses of the scientists
following Hierotheos. Any of these could still be alive,
devoured by pain and madness, quartered, mutilated
and used as an obscene organic sacs to contain the eggs
of the insectoids ready to hatch at the slightest stimulus,
killing the host and vomiting on the Pretorians a Horde
of Kyroptid Larvae.
The Demiurge is free to invent and propose delusional
dialogues that these scientists address to the PCs, letting
them send bits of the terrible truth about Hierotheos’
betrayal and his madness, which has led them all to
death. When the Demiurge deems it opportune, it will be
possible for the PCs to arrive at the great Reactor Hall
where the Queen and Hierotheos give endlessly birth to
eggs for a new colony. It is also where they both wish the
PCs to arrive.
Final Fight - Hierotheos
Hierotheos, fused to the body of the repulsive
Kyroptid Queen, has the appearance of a naked, lean and
lanky man, grafted with insettoid eyes and chitinous legs.
He is connected by aberrant fleshy tumors directly to the
chest of a monstrous Queen, a creature six meters tall
with dozens of legs and a tiny skull with an expression
full of hatred, which constantly pops small, sharp
dribbling appendages. From the soft underbelly of the
monstrosity there are constantly emerging eggs that run
down through the claws of the Workers who take care
of them until they open up. The reactor room is entirely
occupied by Warriors and Explorers, who will not attack
26
the Manipulum (merely sniffing and threatening them)
until the Hierotheos-Queen orders it.
The reactor itself shines with bluish light, highlighting
the internal anatomy of the Queen lying on it.
The reactor control machines are positioned in
a raised cell, closed by windows with armored
glass, that the PCs can break (or break from the
outside) to eventually take control of the machine.
Hierotheos will try to persuade the PCs to step aside
and join the only Hive Mind to receive his great, sacred
revelations. Whether the PCs accept or do not accept,
after an absolutely crazy dialogue in which the scientist
will praise the illumination received by the Mind Hive.
He will insult the irrevocably evil nature of human beings
and glorify his effort to give the Kyroptids new specimens,
more armed and intelligent, with which to invade the
worlds “stolen” by humans and massacre them all. If the
PCs refuse, he will try to get them killed by the insectoids,
making the fight begin.
Hierotheos-Queen
140 LP, UBV 18 (RA 4, RE 6)
Emblems: Distance, Continuous Damage, Crumble, Drag,
Launch, Piercing, Powerful, Smash
Hierotheos-Queen will attack the PCs even if they fly,
shooting highly corrosive acid at them and grabbing them
with chitinous tentacles that protrude from its bulging
body. He will continue to fight to the death, ignoring the
pain and the eventual attempts of the PCs to make him
come to his senses.
Kyroptid Warrior
80 LP, UBV 14 (RA 5, RE 5)
Emblems: Absorb, Continuous Damage, Piercing, Powerful
About two and a half meters tall, wrapped in a thick
chitinous armor, with eight eyes and clawed paws, the warriors
are the backbone of the warlike force of the insectoids. Their
poisoned bite can easily pierce almost any armor, while the
chitinous scales absorb and cancel the fire of lighter weapons.
Once the enemy is seen, they charge at him relentlessly until
they or their prey stop moving.
Kyroptid Explorer
60 LP, UBV 12 (RA 4, RE 3)
Emblems: Continuous Damage, Piercing, Powerful, Undo
About two meters or so in height, they are thinner and
slimmer than the Warriors and have come to understand
concepts like teamwork and strategic retreat. If they cannot
kill an opponent, they run to warn the colony. They can fly
with retractable wings and their scales are much lighter and
more brittle than those of Warriors.
Horde of Kyroptid Larvae
80 LP, UBV 8 (RA 3, RE 3)
Emblems: Continuous Damage, Powerful
The larvae of Kyroptids are fatty, whitish worms about
half a meter long, with mouths drooling acid from the circular
teeth. They have a constant appetite for human flesh. They
prefer to attack in groups but they are not a serious threat to
the Praetorians if managed carefully.
 Augusta Universalis: Annientamento
Advice for the Demiurge
The following tips will be useful for managing the
final battle:
• To avoid being overwhelmed by the enemy’s
numbers, the PCs will simply be able to fly using
their Technoloricae. Neither the Warriors nor the
Larvae have wings, and only the Explorers and
Hierotheos-Queen can hit them while they are in
flight. Obviously, this means that falling on the
ground will result in being easily overwhelmed by
the Kyroptid hordes, with the maximum possible
attacks every round. The death of the landed PC in
this case is practically assured.
• The Kyroptid Explorers are not as fierce as the
Warriors nor perpetually hungry like the Larvae.
If struck by flashy or flashing weapons, they will
retreat temporarily and prefer to hit the enemy
from behind or suddenly, perhaps all together,
team up against a single isolated target that
stayed behind. A decisive reaction by the PCs
should however repel them again and wait for a
new assault. If the PCs demonstrate cowardice
and fear, the rangers will immediately assault
them en masse.
• There is no limit to the number of Larvae, Warriors
and Explorers that the Demiurge can throw against
the PCs. When one dies, another takes its place
the next Tempus.
• If the PCs decide to blow up the reactor, they
must first enter the Overhead Control Cell in the
hall, reactivate the machines with an electronic
or computer Check while the Kyroptid Explorers
assault them on all sides. The PCs then finally
trigger the energy overload to escape quickly while
Hierotheos-Queen, blocked by her own obscene
body unable to move, laughs madly. If the PCs are
not fast enough (at the discretion of the Demiurge)
the nuclear explosion will also annihilate them
along with all the blasphemous insect colony
founded by Hierotheos.
After the battle, all the insectoids born of Hierotheos-
Queen who survived the battle (or the explosion of the
reactor) will lose the mind control of the Mind Hive
and will start killing each other, ignoring the PCs. The
PCs will then be able to return to Castrum Terra where
Tanthius and Kyriake (if they are still alive) will welcome
them as heroes.
Finale Bonus - Annihilation
If the PCs have succeeded in making friends and
resolving the objectives of the Sserath faction, of the
Loyalists, and of the Byzantine Rebels, the death of
Hierotheos-Queen (regardless of how it takes place) will
not end the adventure or the fight..
From the rubble of Castrum Ferri, laughing madly
from the horrendous wounds suffered, Hierotheos will
absorb all the bodies of the hundreds, thousands of
Kyroptid who gave birth in the months when he was able
to build his colony, attracting those alive to his thousand
repellent mouths, rebuilding his aberrant body in a new
form, crawling out of the Castrum until it becomes so
colossal that it can be seen standing out on the trees.
The Praetorians will easily realize that they no longer
have enough strength to hurt and destroy the monster,
which is not even attacking them. They are little more
than ants compared to him.
Before the PCs withdraw or choose suicide assaults,
they will be contacted by means of radios integrated into
their Technolorica by all their allies, who have not left
them alone.
A flock of Sserath Fighter-Bombers launches into
the colossal monstrosity, hitting it with bullets full of
explosive blue energy, led by the Warlord Shazyr.
At the same time, the entire aircraft of the Rebels’
Rotors, devotees to Byzantium, will go to their aid,
bombarding Hierotheos with incendiary missiles. On
the Rotors you can also see Tanthius and his men, finally
reconciled with Kyriake for this final battle.
To end the fight it will be enough to hit Hierotheos
directly, in the rare moments when he is forced to open
the obscene and strong chitinous plates inside which he
is taking refuge from the blows.
To do this, at least 3 PCs must be able to distract him,
hitting him, flying so close that it is impossible to see
them or inventing something else appropriate (a simple
Check will be enough to decide the outcome of these
actions). Hierotheos, mad with rage, will open the barriers
and an appropriate Check with a successful outcome will
be enough to eliminate it definitively, bringing down its
entire, demonic, chitinous body for good!
This Scene is not a Fight, but a gift for the PCs from
the Demiurge. He does not spare the extra Bonus dice
for distraction and the support given to the Praetorians
by the two battle air fleets, so that the last, lethal blow is
brought into a true moment of glory for all the Players at
the table. The rules for Action Points and all the other
Fight Scenes must not be used, keeping the whole Scene
the most beautiful, fluent and narrative possible. At this
point, the PCs can not really lose.
The finale remains the same, with a moving greeting
between Shazyr, Kyriake and Tanthius, which will
promise to unite forces more against the common
threat, ignoring in the future the extremely important
diplomatic issues between their races and political
factions.
27
8 VI Centurion Medium 3