10 Hooks and Rumours for Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0.’s Night City
This list has ten hooks and rumours that can be heard in or about the Studio City district of Night City. Whether or not they are true is up to the GameMaster. They can be used as background colour or as potential adventure hooks.
Brookhaven Co-op in Studio City is a low-cost apartment building that was constructed predominately out of substandard materials. The tenants run the building as a co-op and are attempting to get parts of it brought up to a higher level, but are struggling both due to a lack of funds and because the building is fundamentally garbage.
Colonial Studios in Studio City is currently being renovated and repaired to make it a state of the art braindance and holographic producer, but it’s rumoured that work on this keeps running into problems, and sabotage is said to be suspected in some cases. The studio is said to be investigating, both on the Net and not.
Libertine Lanes in Studio City is an old-fashioned bowling alley, though with some more modern features. It’s also rife with juviegangs, gang fights and dorphers, though attempts to shut them down have so far failed. However, it’s rumoured that an attempt is being made to get the place condemned and pulled down which, though it won’t solve the problem, will move it elsewhere.
Malorian Firearms, Inc in Studio City specialises in custom weapons of high quality. Run by the gunsmith Eran Malour, it’s said that Malour is always looking for commissions to make new weapons that are “interesting” in some way. Malour seems less bothered about what such weapons will be used for, and more that making them will be interesting and a challenge to do.
Over the years, the quality of films produced out of Studio City declined a lot, though the new owners seek to turn this around. It’s rumoured, though, that on parts of the lot content is still shot that makes even the trash produced at the depths look like the highest quality of work, and that often what’s filmed ventures into the extremely dubious if not outright illegal.
Studio C at Studio City is in ruins and waiting demolition after a fire was started by an unknown arsonist. There are rumours that the company has been receiving threats, from someone claiming to be the arsonist and threatening to do it again unless they are paid off.
The United Non-denominational Churches of God(s) in Studio City amongst other things runs a soup kitchen for those in need. It’s rumoured that the kitchen has been having problems with juviegangers recently, with them terrorising those heading to the soup kitchen, including the staff. They haven’t been attacking the place directly, but even indirectly it’s causing problems.
There are warehouses on the Studio City lot that contain all kinds of things, some of them going back years. It’s rumoured that the company has recently uncovered a cache of old movies from the last century and are working to convert them to a modern medium. This is being done secretly, because the films are worth quite a lot, even in their current state.
There have apparently been problems with Colonial Studios’ new braindance programs. Some claim that they have had a deleterious effect on some users, damaging their brains, but the studio claims this is disinformation being put out by corporate enemies trying to destroy their business.
Z-KNT is based in Studio City and is one of Night City’s most successful progressive radio stations. Many rockers first found fame because of their exposure on Z-KNT, but some claim that money can be what gets someone played on the radio, not talent. Though this could just be coming from disgruntled rockers who weren’t themselves featured.
D10: Night City Rumours – Studio City is unofficial content provided under the Homebrew Content Policy of R. Talsorian Games and is not approved or endorsed by RTG. This content references materials that are the property of R. Talsorian Games and its licensees.
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Some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with permission
Cities of Sundara: Silkgift introduced aether weapons, firearms that use compressed air tanks to propel their shots, rather than gunpowder.
Aether Grapnel (Two-Handed Firearm)
In some ways a hybrid of Silkgift’s aether weapons and net casters, the aether grapnel has a design not dissimilar to that of an aether rifle, but instead of a harmful projectile being fired by the rifle, it launches a grapnel instead. A grapnel weighs significantly more than the normal ball ammunition fired from a standard aether rifle, and the integral aether reservoir can only launch one grapnel before being depleted. The grapnel will trail rope behind it once fired, and Archer silk is commonly used to make the rope, due to it being light and strong.
Reloading a new grapnel into an aether grapnel is an Attack action. All other rules that apply to standard aether weapons as found in the Silkgift book should be used for replacing and refilling the reservoir, misfires and firing underwater.
Though not a weapon, an aether grapnel still fires a hard object with force and it can still do damage. The cost includes one grapnel and 100′ of rope. Unlike normal aether rifles, aether grapnels do not come in dragon steel variants, as the improved material does not provide a noticeable benefit.
Numenera is a game published by Monte Cook Games. Its setting is the Ninth World, and this list has ten rumours for that setting. The rumours, which are similar to the Hearsay that can be found in the official books, can be used as adventure hooks or as simple misinformation.
Abhumans sometimes attack the village of Umdera, seeking the elixir that is the inhabitants’ most valued possession. The village has a small group of guards that defend against such attacks, amongst other things, and it’s said that, according to the guards, the number of abhuman attacks has been increasing over the years, both in number and in danger.
Charisa is the current High Elder of Umdera and has a reputation for a brusque nature and for behaving like a humourless automaton. Some claim that the reason for this is because that’s what Charisa is; an automaton that took the place of the original woman and thereby seized control of the council of elders.
Gardun Mlen runs a shop in Umdera that sells distilled elixir as well as oddities and parts. The latter comes from a group of explorers calling themselves the Few, who claim to enter dream titans and find items of value within. There are rumours that not every item Gardun sells comes from such a comparatively reputable source, though; some have muttered that a portion of his stock comes from bandits.
Night Speaker Kazwin feels a true connection to the dream titans and is confident that she can answer any question. It’s rumoured that some in Umdera are targeting Kazwin to prove that she is a fraud and thereby undermine the Night Speakers as a whole.
Raw elixir, which is a phosphorescent substance spewed by a single dream titan that Umdera follows, is a powerful substance that’s dangerous in its raw form. It can be safely consumed once it has been distilled, but there are rumours that, though raw elixir is dangerous, it can have a much more powerful effect on those who are able to withstand its effects.
The commons of Umdera is a central portion of the boardwalk that is clear of everything but a few large planters containing trees. The Night Speakers are those most usually found on the commons at night, though it’s rumoured that some are present during the day, in disguise, eavesdropping on conversations to provide them with knowledge to make it seem as if they have real powers.
The Council House in Umdera is where important meetings are held, primarily on a regular basis with the council of elders, which only consists of seven people. There are rumours that attempts by some of the population to get the council expanded always fail for some reason.
The dream titans are the shambling, mountain-sized hulks that roam the lowland region, followed by Umdera which follows the titan that leaves behind a blue, phosphorescent liquid known as raw elixir. Some claim that the dream titans are not living creatures as such, but ancient biomechanical machines constructed by a former civilisation that are now suffering a senescence that means they have lost their original purpose.
The Night Speakers of Umdera ingest a special formulation of the elixir that Umdera collects from a single dream titan which gives them many visions. The Night Speakers claim the visions are revelatory, but many insist this claim is wrong. It’s rumoured that the Night Speakers are still convinced that the visions can be revelatory; the elixir recipe just needs refining.
Umdera is a community that is constantly being dismantled, moved and erected at a new location as it follows creatures the size of mountains called dream titans. Though the community regularly moves, staying in one location for between a few months to a few years, it’s said that some of its inhabitants believe it should cease following the dream titans and make a permanent home somewhere.
The Strange is a game published by Monte Cook Games. It is, at least in part, set in the normal world, but there are other worlds out there, in the Strange. This list has ten rumours for that setting, similar to the various different adventure hooks in the books, and these can be used as adventure hooks or simple misinformation.
Baldran’s Maw in the Strange is a dangerous nexus whose flexing fundament can crush a traveller in moments. Those who venture to the centre of the Maw have the opportunity to try and invest a reality seed, but there are rumours that sometimes seeds invested at Baldran’s Maw turn out in unexpected and unplanned ways.
Brachistochrone dust can often be found in Baldran’s Maw, which is one of the reasons why travellers visit such a dangerous nexus. Some say that the dust from the Maw is different to that found in other parts of the Strange, but so far no-one has been able to confirm this.
Five chambers are set aside for investiture in the Orb of Worlds for those who come to the Orb with a reality seed. Naturally, given how rare reality seeds are, most of the investiture chambers spend their time empty. There are rumours that, on occasion, all five chambers have been used, and all by the same part, which some claim is the Order of the Orb itself, using reality seeds for their own purposes.
Nexuses are where the fractal energy waves of the Strange naturally meet and reinforce each other. Such locations are valuable to those who know how to channel their energy, and though only three have been catalogued by Ruk explorers, many more are believed to exist. It’s rumoured that expeditions have been dispatched by Ruk factions in order to locate more of these nexuses and, presumably, utilise them.
Radical organisations out of Ruk have attempted to take over control of the Orb of Worlds in the Strange on more than one occasion, only to be prevented by the Order of the Orb. It’s rumoured that one of the factions has decided to use a stealthier approach; instead of anything overt, they are gradually infiltrating members into the Order to slowly take control of the Orb from within.
Rive-shamash is one of the most proficient battle teachers of the Order of the Orb on the Orb of Worlds. There are rumours that she checks out those who visit the Orb very carefully, with some saying that if she doesn’t approve of them in some way, the Order will not permit the visitor to stay.
The interior of the Kray Nebula is crawling with kray of all kinds, as well as eggs that are as yet unhatched and larvae. Recently, there have been rumours of kray eggs being found drifting through the Strange in large numbers, all apparently originating from the Nebula, and seemingly being dispersed in quantity from it.
The Kray Nebula is a nexus in the Strange that most with any sense would stay clear of, given that it is home to the kray. And yet, there are rumours that travellers have been seen travelling to the Nebula from Ardeyn and, perhaps worryingly, returning safely again afterwards.
The Nexus of Baldran’s Maw is a great beacon that can be seen from hours away due to its glow, and the vibration from the vibrating fundament inside it is also transmitted through the Strange as a groaning raw that can be heard a day away. Some say that both of these properties of the Maw will sometimes act as a lure, drawing travellers to the Maw where they can be crushed inside it.
The Orb of Worlds is a nexus in the Strange that is guarded by an order of monk-like caretakers originally hailing from Earth. The Order of the Orb has prevented the Orb from being infested by dangerous creatures, though some claim the Order itself has been subverted by parasitic organisms that know control its members for their own purposes.
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10 Hooks and Rumours for Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0.’s Night City
This list has ten hooks and rumours that can be heard in or about the Little China district of Night City. Whether or not they are true is up to the GameMaster. They can be used as background colour or as potential adventure hooks.
Aerocab’s offices in Little China are essentially the dispatcher location, with its vehicles maintained and stored elsewhere. Aerocab was the first company specialising in short flights to locations in the Night City area, and Aerocab was one of the first in the market to provide this. It’s rumoured that the company has been getting pressure to sell out to a larger company, and that their Little China offices have come under various forms of electronic attack to try and force them to agree.
An Allpark parking facility in Little China is a prime target for a local boostergang known as the Lords of Discipline, who take advantage of the structure’s lack of security. The gang is not in general a dangerous one, mostly confining itself to muggings and car theft and is easy to intimidate. There are rumours, though, that the Lords have been investing in some better firepower and, though they may still be cowardly, now have better firepower to back them up.
Ling Po Imports in Little China imports various luxury and expensive items from the Orient, all of which have guaranteed authenticity and a history provided to make it clear why they are so expensive. It’s rumoured that the company can also get its hands on things that are equally authentic, but lack as complete a history, due to them being obtained illicitly.
Night City Police Headquarters in Little China hosts a number of high-security cells for containing high risk prisoners, terrorists and cyberpsychosis cases. Those suffering from cyberpsychosis are naturally the most dangerous of those being held in the cells, and it’s rumoured that every so often there is an incident that results in the security of the cells being upgraded yet again.
The Chinese leaders in Night City drew the line at Little China so that the area wouldn’t end up in the Combat Zone, and money from Southeast Asia has helped keep the area in local hands. There are rumours, though, that money is flowing in from somewhere else with the intent of taking control of Little China, though it isn’t known who would want to spend money to achieve that.
The CPU of the elevator in the Red Door Inn in Little China is known not to be always cooperative, and residents may have problems confirming their occupancy and getting to the correct floor. It’s rumoured that this is deliberate, for some reason, with suggestions that sometimes residents not only don’t get taken to their floor, but get taken somewhere else entirely.
The Night City Transit Center in Little China is the central hub for the city’s entire transit system, as well as being the location of the maintenance yards. It’s rumoured that the city is considering moving the hub to another location, which might have a deleterious effect on the district if it’s done.
The Piper Memorial Sports Arena in Little China is home to many blood sports, in particular professional wrestling and boxing. It’s rumoured that the owners of the Arena are looking into promoting some even bloodier sports, in the probably correct belief that attendees would be willing to pay to see things such as gladiatorial matches to the death, but are running into more than a few objections.
The Toy Box in Little China carries toys of the finest quality from all over the world. It’s rumoured that the proprietor, Hing Chin, also sells even finer goods than those he has on display; toys made from the most expensive materials for those who truly have money to burn.
There have been rumours about Madame Lin’s Massage Parlor in Little China, related to Madame Lin being involved in the Pacific Rim slaver circuit. Such rumours have never been substantiated, and it’s said that one reason for this is that those who get too close to the truth have a tendency to disappear.
D10: Night City Rumours – Little China is unofficial content provided under the Homebrew Content Policy of R. Talsorian Games and is not approved or endorsed by RTG. This content references materials that are the property of R. Talsorian Games and its licensees.
Want to Get a Discount on New Releases?
Sign up for our newsletter and get them by email in our weekly update together with discounts on new releases.
Cities of Sundara: Silkgift (PFRPG) introduced aether weapons, firearms that use compressed air tanks to propel their shots, rather than gunpowder.
Aether Grapnel (Two-Handed Firearm)
Some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with permission
In some ways a hybrid of Silkgift’s aether weapons and net casters, the aether grapnel has a design not dissimilar to that of an aether rifle, but instead of a harmful projectile being fired by the rifle, it launches a grapnel instead. A grapnel weighs significantly more than the normal ball ammunition fired from a standard aether rifle, and the integral aether reservoir can only launch one grapnel before being depleted. The grapnel will trail rope behind it once fired, and Archer silk is commonly used to make the rope, due to it being light and strong.
Reloading a new grapnel into an aether grapnel takes a full-round action. All other rules that apply to standard aether weapons as found in the Silkgift book should be used for replacing and refilling the reservoir, misfires and firing underwater.
Though not a weapon, an aether grapnel still fires a hard object with force and it can still do damage. The cost includes one grapnel and 100′ of rope. Unlike normal aether rifles, aether grapnels do not come in dragon steel variants, as the improved material does not provide a noticeable benefit.
Some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with permission
As well as the remains that could be found in a coffin, other items might be found inside as well. Here are ten different things that could be found in a broken open coffin.
Broken, once sealed pot that looks to have been emptied of something.
Cradled in the hands of the corpse inside the coffin is a chalice of blackened silver.
Crowbar, chisel, hammer and small spade in a cloth bag underneath the corpse.
Hidden under the remains is a dagger that still bears what appear to be bloodstains, perhaps a murder weapon hidden in the coffin.
Inside the coffin is the projectile that killed the occupant; it looks as if it was inside the skull until the body decayed enough.
Leatherbound diary, somewhat stained now by proximity to a corpse.
Scroll case tucked into the coffin’s corner. Inside it is the last will and testament of the occupant.
Small bag containing dried herbs, seeds and bones, with an occult symbol embroidered on the outside.
Tightly tucked into the coffin, next to the corpse that was clearly its intended occupant, is another body, one that has been bent and broken so that it fits inside.
Two sets of manacles, one for arms, one for legs, that look as if they may have been on the body.
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Numenera is a game published by Monte Cook Games. Its setting is the Ninth World, and this list has ten rumours for that setting. The rumours, which are similar to the Use that can be found with creature descriptions in the official books, can be used as adventure hooks or as simple misinformation.
A sarrak has been seen outside a number of villages recently, acting in what can only be called a strange way. Sarraks are normally only seen when they want to be seen, and are known to be highly intelligent, So, presumably, the sarrak in question, if it is just one, wants others to see what it’s doing.
Oorgolian soldiers are mechanical beings that patrol isolated parts of the Ninth World, and as far as can be told, they act on orders given many years ago that may no longer make sense. Though Oorgolians are usually found in groups of three or more, they are rarely seen in large numbers. Though it’s rumoured that somewhere there is a vast army of Oorgolian soldiers still following their ancient orders.
Philethis are strange creatures of unknown, or perhaps simply incomprehensible, motivation. They seem to be biomechanical in nature, though little of their true form is seen, but there are other claims. They are not automatically hostile unless provoked, but their conversations make little sense. Some claim they are ancient creatures whose sole intent is to simply spread confusion in their wake.
Rasters are large biomechanical airborne creatures that have an impressive appetite, though when caught it’s possible to train them into becoming airborne mounts. Sometimes the local population of rasters can apparently grow hungrier than usual, and will wreak devastation on nearby livestock and wide animals as they attempt to satisfy an appetite that appears to have grown temporarily insatiable.
Ravage bears are dangerous predators that at their most dangerous when hungry or protecting their young, or both. Most encounters with ravage bears are like any other encounter with a dangerous animal, but it’s rumoured that some abhumans have managed to train the bears and use them as watch animals, as well as a way of preying on travellers.
Seskii are loyal companions that can be trained in different ways, especially as they possess a degree of intelligence. There’s a rumour that someone in the wastes has trained an enormous pack of seskii to obey them, and are using this pack to spread terror through the region.
Snow lopers are fast-moving omnivores that are often trained to act as mounts. There are rumours of different types of snow loper, adapted to thrive in different climates, and even that there’s a purely carnivorous predatory type that hunts in packs.
Steel spiders are creatures of living metal that can be found in many places. They attempt to catch prey in their webs which are razor sharp and are dangerous to encounter. There’s a Nano who believes that it should be possible to train steel spiders into being effective guardians, and is looking for people to catch a number so that they have some to experiment on.
Stratharian war moths are dangerous flying creatures that swarm around the Ninth World, normally in the wilderness. There are rumours that some larger swarms of the moths act with an unusual intelligence, suggesting that in larger numbers the creatures have some form of hive mind.
The abhumans known as sathosh can join their minds together to act in union when attacking a foe. Normally, only two sathosh can do this, but there are rumours of larger numbers having the same power, and six to twelve sathosh acting together are a fearsome foe to face. Should even larger numbers band together, they might be extremely difficult to stop.
The Strange is a game published by Monte Cook Games. It is, at least in part, set in the normal world, but there are other worlds out there, in the Strange. This list has ten rumours for that setting, similar to the various different adventure hooks in the books, and these can be used as adventure hooks or simple misinformation.
Creatures that are not native to the Strange become alienated the more time they spend in the Strange, though there are other factors that also increase is. There are rumours that some organisations are performing deliberate experiments in alienation on unwilling subjects to find out all the ways alienation might affect them.
In the Strange, the edge of a recursion permeable to the Strange rarely has an interface surface more than a few miles in diameter. There are rumours, though, that further out in the Strange, away from the Shoals of Earth, there are recursions with interface surfaces that are much, much bigger. Though no-one has any proof of this as yet.
Just as there are black holes in space, there are rumoured to be similar things in the Strange, perhaps corresponding to black holes in the baryonic universe. Such things are said to have a tremendous pull that’s practically impossible to escape, and may well be portals to elsewhere.
Navigating the Strange can be difficult, especially without the original sentient protocols designed by the Precursors, but there are rumours of something described as navigational beacons out in the deeper parts. Most assume that these rumours are just that, for such beacons would make more sense in the better-travelled regions; others believe they are lures designed to capture the unwary.
People and objects that move through the Strange leave a faint wake, that can be used, with difficulty, to track them. There are rumours of travellers discovering wakes that were anything but faint, though, leading to speculation as to just what might have caused them, and how large such a thing might be.
Planetovores are the creatures interested in using the Strange to find and take over a prime world, and they can vary tremendously in origin and personality, but all are powerful. There are rumours that some planetovores, possibly alien AIs, cooperate with each other to help achieve their goals more easily.
Reality seeds can be grown into a recursion for those with the right skills and resources, when planted in the Strange. There are rumours that some unknown party is buying up as many reality seeds as they can, through different fronts, presumably with some unknown goal in mind.
Some explorers believe that portions of the Strange have gained intelligence, with parts moving as if they are thinking and alive. A more out there claim is that the Strange as a whole is a single, vast, intelligent being of unknown goals and motivations. And some of them claim that “God” is a perfectly justifiable name for the Strange in that case.
The Strange has been described as a chaotic flow of spiralling fractal patterns iterating in on itself. Some say that the patterns have meaning, and if they are studied for long enough, this meaning will be revealed. Others says that only madness will come from spending too much time attempting to find meaning in the Strange.
Untethered recursions in the Strange are rare and are often hard to understand. Some of the recursions seem to bear more in common with traditional depictions of Hell than anything else, and some recursors have posited that they are in fact the inspiration for descriptions of such.
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This list has ten hooks and rumours that can be heard in or about the Studio City district of Night City. Whether or not they are true is up to the GameMaster. They can be used as background colour or as potential adventure hooks.
