SLA Industries

SLA Industries

SLA Industries is an urban horror roleplaying game set in dark futuristic universe called the World of Progress. The World of Progress spans thousands of worlds, most of which are ruled by the ubiquitous SLA Industries. SLA Industries is a giant megacorporation, the virtually unchallenged power in the World of Progress. Players play the part of Operatives - freelance agents who take jobs from SLA to protect the public and the company.

The World of Progress

Although the World of Progress is vast, spanning thousands of planets, the players will spend the majority of their time on the SLA capital of Mort, in the planet's capital city by the same name.

Mort

The planet Mort is the flawed jewel in SLA's crown. The giant planet consistes mostly of desolate wastelands and dead oceans, scoured by industry and pollution. Giant atmospheric processors keep the planet habitable, and weather control systems keep the cities safe from the worst of Mort's environment. Even so, rain falls on the cities of Mort constantly.

War Worlds

Certain planets hold rare phenomenon or resources, or a vital strategic location, and become so heavily fought over by SLA and other companies that war envelops its entirity. Often the thing that was being fought over is destroyed in the process, but more often than not the war rages on regardless. War Worlds such as Dante, Cross and Charlie's Point have been fought over for so long that the average life of a soldier is measured in minutes, and the few who survive their tours are generally tough, dangerous and utterly insane.

Soft Companies

While SLA Industries maintains an iron grip on the world of progress, there are many pretenders to the throne. Rival companies, known by SLA as Soft Companies, work tirelessly to undermine SLA and bring about its downfall. From sprawling subversive organisations, to elite high-tech paramilitaries, to small back-street industries, the enemies of SLA are many and various.

DarkNight

DarkNight are by far the largest of the Soft Companies, and the biggest thorn in SLA's side. They fight SLA in open ground on the War Worlds, battling on planetary scales with huge armies. They own their own spacecraft with which to harry SLA shipping. They produce vast amounts of hardware and their planets home billions of people. Even so, they are small in comparison to SLA and survive mainly by stealth and concealment. To the average SLA citizen, DarkNight are a terrorist organisation. They live in the cities, spying and subverting. They supply the illegal weapons and drugs and control the black markets. Rarely will DarkNight operate in the open on Mort, preferring guerilla tactics and media subversion. SLA Operatives will encounter DarkNight Operatives and agents most often of the Soft Companies, but often the first they know of the encounter is from the impact of a sniper's bullet.

Thresher

Smaller in number than DarkNight, but more direct. The Thresher have powerful weapons and armour that make them difficult to stop, even by SLA's troops. Operatives stand little chance faced with their giant armoured suits and chainguns. Luckily they are rarely seen on Mort, and when they do they prefer hit-and-fade tactics.

Tek Trex

Tek Trex are a Soft Company that specialise in robotics. While robotics and cybernetics died off after the Chrome Age, Tek trex have continued to make security and attack robots for sale on the black market. These robots are often thought of as comical - at less than a meter tall and with a sort of round body and waddling gait they often appear so. They also sport light SMGs though, and are usually deployed in large numbers.

SLA Industries

Mort City

The capital city of SLA Industries takes the name of the planet it dwells on, visible from space like a great black scar. Covering 76,000 square kilometers of the surface and stretching deep into the earth and high into the atmosphere, Mort is the largest city in the World of Progress.

Uptown

Uptown is the district of Mort that is home to the elite. SLA Headquarters sits in the middle of uptown, a great glass pyramid with its upper floors masked by cloud. Around it, open to the sky and the as yet untainted rain, are the neon malls and shining tower blocks. Uptown rises from ground level, or thereabouts, from the centre of Mort for kilometers into the sky. The skyline is dominated by SLA Headquarters, as indeed is much of the city.

Operatives

Players take the role of Operatives. Ops, while technically freelance, take jobs only from SLA in the form of Blueprint News Files (BPNs). These jobs are colour coded to indicate the type of mission, and upon completion will provide the Op with payment and a Security Clearance Level (SCL) increase. The majority of the civilian population an Op meets will be downtrodden, poor, unemployed, and loyal to only themselves. They are suspicious of Operatives and jealous of their money and power, which can often be a hinderance in an investigation. This can be a severe disadvantage to obvious SLA employees, such as aliens and Stormers.

Races

Human

Billions of humans live in the World of Progress. They are the soldiers, the administrators, the cleaners, the police, the unemployed. They are the most versatile race in the World of Progress and as such are prolific. Humans are by far the most common race of Operative, not only because there are so many in proportion to the other races, but because they blend in and adapt. They can be intelligent, subtle, and nondescript. They can be tough, strong and brutal.

"You think I'm weaker than those aliens because I'm human? Let me tell you buddy, we're the dominant race here. Just because I'm not big and red, or because I don't grow back limbs, doesn't mean I'm not a damn good Op. I can take the head clean off a Dino from 800m away, fold down my rifle and walk into a gang bar like I'd been drinking there for years. You show me an alien that can do that."

Red Jones, Human, Point Package, SCL 8A.3

Frother

While physically human, Frothers have enhanced their bodies and reflexes through the use of powerful drugs. Loud, aggressive, cocky and rowdy, Frothers aren't the most social people to be found in Mort. They do make excellent fighters though, and SLA employ them regularly. Socially, Frothers form into close celt-like clans with whom they can relax (read: drink and fight) without the hassle of having people around who would almost certainly object to their behaviour. Their clans influence Frothers in much of their life, especially combat - many Frothers wear their tartan over their armour, sometimes even as kilts, and carry powered claymore swords. A Frother knows that before too long either the drugs or the combat will kill him, so they make a point of enjoying both and making it clear to everyone else they are doing so.

• Be aware, in my house rules Frothers don't take half damage as stated in the main rule book. Instead they ignore bruising damage and negative modifiers from bleeding.

"You want someone to take into combat, you can't do better than one of us boys. Bigger, faster, stronger - and fucking fun to boot! I mean come on, every day's a party and I take my party to work baby! Sure, some people don't like us 'cos we're loud and crazy, but there's too many stuck up arseholes in this world. Still, the boring bastards at least have the manners to die when you hit 'em."

Malcolm "Fishy" McFish, Death Squad, SCL 10A.5

Ebon

Ebons are a unique alien race, saved from oblivion by SLA because of their abilities. By using complex mathematical formulae they can visualise probabilities and then bring them into reality, using a force called The Ebb. They are assisted by this by their Deathsuits - symbiotic organisms created using The Ebb that act both as armour and as a complex computer for channelling their formulae into reality. The results of these formulae vary in power and effect, from healing cuts to regenerating limbs, lighting cigarettes to causing massive blasts. Ebons are characterised by their empathic and inquisative nature. They are highly emotional, thoughtful and poetic beings, always searching for meaning. Outwardly the look almost human. Always slim and often attractive by human standards, they are recognisable by their hair and eyes, the colour of which varies wildly. An Ebon's eyes, their most distinctive feature apart from the Deathsuit that operatives are never without, are without iris or pupil and of uniform colour.

• In my house rules an Ebon's Ebb ability rank is limited to twice their Formula statistic.

"There's a lot of evil in this world and a lot of evil people comitting it. I might work for the Company, but that doesn't make me one of them. I do this job to try and make everyone's life a little better, and the Company might not always seem benevolent but I've seen the things that are out there and I know what horrors we'd all have to face without it."

Fallacy, Investigator, SCL 8.2

Brain Waster

Brain Wasters are from the same genetic stock as Ebons (indeed, often from Ebon parents), but psychologically are very different. Wasters are violent, antisocial and sadistic bullies who delight in causing pain and misery. They dress to enhance their reputation, usually wearing leather and chains. Unlike Ebons, Wasters generally have pure black hair and evil coloured eyes. Their eyes are further enhanced by the scorch marks that surround them from birth. Wasters have the same Ebb abilities as Ebons, but tend to choose more combat orientated ones that they can use to inflict damage, pain and fear.

"What did you say? What did you just ask me? How's about I reach down your throat and set you on fire from the inside, like an upside down human candle? Don't like that idea? Well leave me the fuck alone then before I turn nasty."

Inferno, Kick Murder, SCL 10A.2

Wraith Raider

Wraith Raiders are cat-like aliens who originate from an icy home world. They are efficient and ruthless hunters, equally at home with a sniper rifle or a pair of vibro claws. Their speed and agility make them perfect close combatants, and their stealth and athleticism make them excellent scouts. Raiders often seem like lone-wolves, frequently operating away from their squads as they observe proceedings from a rooftop or walkway, but as intelligent hunters they know the value of their team mates. As such, while rarely loyal or sociable, Wraith Raiders are generally welcome members of any squads and many a Frother or Brain Waster has endlessly taunted a quiet Raider companion, only to find their life saved by a sniper's bullet in the middle of combat.

"How do I feel about the people I killed? Well, which ones? The civilians who got in the way were a waste of my ammo and money. The DarkNight I took down should have known how to use cover better. Travis? Well I didn't shoot any of my own squad, but since the enemy hacked him to pieces I suppose I'm going to have to find another Frother to use as bait. I'll choose a better one this time."

Makra Shah, Scout, SCL7B.7

Shaktar

The Shaktar are an alien race of proud warriors. To a human they appear to be monsters, and with good reason - towering above even the tallest humans and thickly built, with blood-red reptilian skin, horns and yellow eyes, they can appear demonic. Fleshy dreadlock-like tendrils grow where hair would be on a human, and their odd, mandible-like lips add to their alien appearance. Many humans who are not too familiar with Shaktar are terrified of them, but in reality they are calm and meditative. All Shaktar live to fight in battle and die in combat, they will never retreat and never surrender for that is a sign of weakness and cowardice. They take care about why they fight though, to protect their honour or friends, or the company to which they have pledged their loyalty. A Shaktar will rarely enter a brawl - they fight to kill or not at all. Out of combat Shaktar are serious and introspective, concentrating on the task at hand or relaxing by meditating or deep thought.

"I came from my homeworld to fight for my honour and for SLA. My courage and strength will prove my worth to my forefathers, and will terrify and destroy my enemies. Many beings here on Mort can fight well, but few have the power and finesse of the Shaktar. "

Mgr'shrk, Death Squad, SCL 9B.3

Stormer 313

313 variant Stormers are huge, vat-grown monsters, created to fight for SLA Industries. Most are shipped to the War Worlds, but a few are released as Operatives. All Stormers are genetically programmed to be completely loyal to SLA, and to be oblivious to danger and personal risk. 313s are large and humanoid, their heads are long and animal-like and their lipless maws hold rows of large sharp teeth. They might well look fearsome - they are designed for battle and are very tough and very strong. Stormers also have the ability to regenerate quickly, recovering in hours from injuries that would kill lesser beings outright. Their temprament varies as a human's would, although they tend to be less extreme. Most are naive and almost child-like (hardly surprising, as most are only a few years old when they start working as an Op), looking to their peers for guidance and direction.

"Stormers big and tough. I like being Stormer. I pull arms off humans like you. Not you though, you not bad person. I only hurt bad people. Yesterday I pop bad man's head, it went pop like a melon. Hur hur hur. I like being Stormer."

Tortoise, Strike Squad, SCL 9A.1