By Kirt "Loki" Dankmyer

"At the break of day on the 15th we were far outside our lines, attacking; surrounded on all sides by explosions and heat. Having taken them by surprise, with less than 16,000 men we waded through the snow and routed 60,000; capturing over 10,000 stands of small arms, six pieces of artillery, and a great many prisoners, many of them BAs. Gen. Buckner had opened the way for our escape, but instead of that he was ordered by our chief commanders, Floyd and Pillow, back to the reinforced prefab shelters we had left the day before.

"The Feds had been receiving reinforcements every minute, until now their forces numbered over four to one of our worn-out, frozen soldiers. Even the BAs, covered with winter fur, were bitten by the cold. During the night of the 15th a council of war was held. The same was communicated to the Federal general, who proposed surrender. General Forest was in the council and refused to surrender. He contended over a bullhorn that the way was open for us to march out and he moved his command, hovering close to the ground in their choppers, all along our lines of shelters. This was the first intimation we had that we were prisoners of war. So we had nothing to do but stand around our space heaters and talk of our experiences and narrow escapes during the eight hours of carnage."
--Letter sent by Milton Asbury Ryan, Captain, of Co. G, 8th MS Regiment (Tolson Guard), CSA, from prison on 2061-06-16

"I don't need your civil war
It feeds the rich while it buries the poor"
--Guns and Roses

Prelude
[Excerpted from the controversial textbook Postmodern North America, published in 2102 by Manifest Press]

The 21st century was the golden age of genetic engineering and, until the conditions that lead to Second Civil War, a golden age for human beings. Europe led the innovation at first, but the lobbyists for the biotech firms in the United States managed to get the Supreme Court to declare biotech law to be a state, rather than a federal, matter, after legislative deadlock between the House and Senate resulted in extreme difficulties for the industry. Some states were very restrictive on biotechnology, while others welcomed it. Even in restricted states many biotech firms managed to keep themselves legal by restricting themselves to animal and plant DNA, avoiding human genes entirely.

The first intelligent, bioengineered animal (BA) was developed in Texas in 2021, a talking chimpanzee by the name of "Billie", to the protest of religious groups. In the years that followed, different states took different stances on the status of intelligent animals, from treating them no different than under pre-2021 law to near-citizen status (though no animal had the right to vote in any state), to the complicated rules and regulations of Maine which differentiated between bioengineered animals based on IQ, genetic profile, and whether the BA walked upright or not, though by 2040 nearly all BAs were anthropomorphic.

BAs were very popular as laborers. As sophisticated as machinery became, greatly reducing the amount of labor required even in the most labor-intensive fields, there were still things that needed to be done that required more initiative and discernment than the most sophisticated computer equipment could provide. In agriculture, certain bio-engineered crops, especially those developed in the early 21st century to produce medicines, turned out to be more fragile than their creators had originally intended, despite multiple attempts to re-engineer them. These crops benefitted from older, more labor-intensive crop cultivation methods that could be performed by BAs. In particular, crops used in making anti-AIDS drugs and other immune-system boosting medicines tended to thrive in the climate of the American South, which came to rely heavily on BA labor.

BA labor was also very cheap. Even in the most progressive states, one could usually pay a BA laborer half the amount paid to an equivalent human worker, even in fields that required a certain amount of education. Since the crackdowns that followed the anti-globalization riots of 2041, the American labor unions were powerless to stop the proliferation of BA labor, having to remain satisfied with programs that shunted tax money (often earned from taxes on BA labor) into re-education programs for human workers, as increasingly "blue collar" became synonymous with "middle management" in firms that relied heavily on BA labor.

Generally, the Southern states treated BAs as simply that: Animals. The South had used BAs to re-build the South along idealized, agrarian (but high-tech) lines, and the concept of the Southern gentleman had come back into vogue. This process would have had more detractors if it had not happened so slowly, and if Southern racism, sexism, and homophobia had not virtually disappeared during the process, though it has been argued that such negative impulses were merely redirected at the BAs. Regardless, in the New South, the Southern Gentleman farm-owner, listing over 100 BA workers on his tax forms every year, was as likely to be a Afro-American lesbian as a white heterosexual male.

Most Southern politicians justified this attitude toward BAs as a way of preventing humans from becoming disenfranchised as the BAs took over the more menial jobs. Since no one had figured out how to modify behavior through genetic engineering (and not for lack of trying), it was argued by the same politicians that those states that used a lot of BA labor needed the flexibility to act as needed in case of a rebellion.

(It is important to note that while it is now common to call the New Southern farms "plantations", considering the parallels to the pre-Reconstruction South, at the time referring to farms which used BA labor as "plantations" was considered inflammatory, and indicated one had an agenda. The metaphor is still very apt, however.)

The laws of the North were varied. They generally gave BAs more autonomy and rights, but not as much as a full citizen, since doing so might require the federal government to get involved. In many states BAs were not allowed a college education, so as to ensure human beings held the more lucrative jobs. However, the autonomy accorded BAs in the North increasingly led to friction between the North and South, and more and more people were lobbying for BAs to be treated somewhat like Resident Aliens, with nearly all the rights of a human citizen excepting only the right to vote.

On top of this, the economic and cultural forces of globalization, spearheaded by powerful corporate conglomerates and protected by the increasingly activist hegemony of the United States, the sole remaining superpower, also brought to fruition in the early part of the 21st century the "new world order" alluded to by George H.W. Bush in the waning years of the 20th.

However, the flaws of globalized capitalism -- the concentration of wealth in increasingly fewer hands, the marginalization of local culture in favor a single homogenous "pop culture" matrix, and the structural inequities favoring developed over developing nations -- led to resistance, even violence, in some parts of the world. Cheap BA labor from the First World nations made the gap even larger. By the middle of the 21st century, the United States -- even with the limited assistance of the European Union and Japanese militaries -- was hard-pressed to maintain its security commitments throughout the world as well as domestically, especially in the face of sophisticated Chinese hacking, spoofing, and phreaking capabilities and continuing expenses related to efforts to deploy a space-based missile defense system. "Imperial overstretch" was proving a very real and problematic drain on the resources of the United States.

The Datapanic of 2059 and subsequent bailout of the United States government by AOLsoft (and the Supreme Court rulings which followed) set the stage for the Second War of Rebellion. AOLsoft lawyers, announcing their intention to place the state governments in receivership as well, were met with a countersuit by an alliance of former states, including most of the old 19th century Confederacy.

As the legal battle played itself out, rebellious governors quietly put local National Guard units on a alert, carefully shuffling personell so as to create units loyal to the local government alone. Meanwhile, they sought the aid of the "upstart-ups": software, finance, and (most importantly to the New Southern economy) biotech firms based around Atlanta, but with branches and laboratories throughout the South.

These issues split the Democratic party along geographic lines, and caused the Religious Right to leave the Republican party when a pro-BA rights candidate, Joseph Alverson, took the party nomination. (These occurences were the final results in ideological drifts in both parties from their accepted "roles" in the late 20th century, especially the takeover in the Republican party by its more secular wing.) Issues dividing the North ans South included BA rights, questions about the legality of the AOLsoft case, concerns about globalization and its affect on local autonomy, and, eventually, questions about the legitimacy of the Presidential election. Joseph Alverson's election to President became a symbol of these issues and set the stage for the South to rise up again.

Timeline
[Excerpted and paraphrased from Appendix A of the controversial textbook Postmodern North America -- several parts of the timeline have been skipped over]

November 2060 - Joseph Alverson is elected president by a narrow margin, and after several Supreme Court rulings. Though shorter than the election crisis of 2000, the legal mess, involving two Democratic candidates, AOLsoft, and several newly-formed political parties, is even worse. (See Appendix B.) Many are concerned about Alverson's close friendship with the sitting members of the Supreme Court. In addition to his point of view on BA rights, Alverson makes it clear in his acceptance speech that he expects the states to follow the Federal lead in the matter of the AOLsoft case. Thomas O'Reilly, a Southern Democrat, protests loudly when he is not elected President, despite winning the popular vote, especially in the South. He publicly denounces the US Supreme Court, accusing it of a "corrupt, evil, and illegal coup over the desires of the American people."

December 2060 - South Carolina, declaring the actions of the United States during and after the Civil War to be illegal and invalid, secedes from the United States. It is followed almost immediately by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Texas: all are states heavily dependent on "work animals" for their economy. A new Confederate States of America is formed with Thomas O'Reilly as President, calling for "all true Americans to join the New Confederate cause. The only way we can save American democracy is by starting anew."

January 2061 - As Internet discussion on the topic of the legality of the new CSA rages, several states join the New Confederacy, often for their own, idiosyncratic reasons, relating to the increased freedom states are accorded in the Confederacy: New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah and Southern California. (The state of California splits during arguments about whether or not to join the Confederacy.) The CSA now has 17 states, while the US retains 33 states, not counting North California, which becomes part of Oregon by the end of the month.

In the meantime, Alverson is sworn in as President of the United States of America. He declares the actions of the "new CSA" to be illegal.

March, 2061 - President Alverson attempts to solve the "Confederate problem" through court battles and negotiation. The resulting media circus results in a public speech by CSA President O'Reilly which refuses to recognize the current US Supreme Court or any international treaties signed by the US since the 19th century. "This travesty has gone on long enough."

April 12, 2061 - At 4:30 a.m. Confederates under Gen. Peter Edwards open fire with three attack helicopters upon Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, in a deliberate re-creation of the shots that started the first Civil War. The Second Civil War begins.

Rumors on the Internet that the Confederates attacked with the battle cry of "Get out your Confederate money, boys" are quickly debunked. The closest thing to a battle cry was General Edwards' statement over an open comm channel, quoting Manilius: "Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes." (It is foolish to fear that which you cannot avoid.)

April 14, 2061 - In a surprise move, New Hampshire, citing better protections for local business in the CSA, joins the side of the Rebels, immediately deploying a large number of BA forces, which, unlike most BAs at the time, were force-grown to adulthood by local BA manufacturing firm DiabetoGENIE Biosciences, a major defense contractor due to lose a lot of money because of the US "bankruptcy". The CSA now numbers 18 states.

April 15, 2061 - US Congress re-activates the draft. Ironically, with the formal declaration of war, President Alverson gets the legislative power he needs to get AOLsoft off the nation's back, though behind closed doors he promises various corporate executives, including the heads of AOLsoft, that any money they lose during the war will be made up from seized assets in re-captured CSA territory.

April 20, 2061 - Robert R. Parkenson resigns his commission in the United States Army. "I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children." Parkenson then goes to Richmond, Virginia, is offered command of the military forces of the CSA, and accepts.

April 21, 2061 - Senator John Rhodes, an Afro-American Republican from Alabama, manages to pass a law which changes the Confederate battle flag slightly, "to repudiate its connection with slavery". (See Figure 10)

April 22, 2061 - Preliminary BA Citizenship Proclamation granting BAs near-citizen status (sparing only voting rights) issued by President Alverson.

May 1, 2061 - President Alverson issues the final BA Citizenship Proclamation, the so-called "May Day Declaration", "freeing" all BAs in territories held by Confederates and emphasizes the enlisting of BA soldiers in the Union Army. Curiously, the May Day Declaration excepts "chimera", without defining the term.

In a stunning counter-move, declaring "this war is not about BAs, it is about the right of individual states to determine their destiny", President O'Reilly of the CSA declares that any BA that serves a five-year stint in the Confederate military forces without a dishonorable discharge will get full citizenship in the CSA, including voting rights, an action unprecedented on the global stage. "But the cowards who do not fight will remain merely animals."

June 7, 2061 - The tide of war turns against the South as the Confederates are defeated at the Second Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, when the North reveals several new kinds of BA "shock troopers" bioengineered from insects and scorpions, officially designated as "chimera". Confederate soldiers call the new BA troopers "buzzers" after the noise they make.

Nov 1, 2061 - The Federal army take Atlanta forces by surprise, capturing the city. "Atlanta is ours, and fairly won," General Ian Wilkerson tells Alverson via cell phone.

Jan 3, 2062 - The last offensive for Parkenson's forces begins with a bombing run on the center of Federal forces at Petersburg. Four hours later the attack is broken, and most of the Confederate force shot down.

Emergency telephone negotiations between O'Reilly and Alverson result in a cease-fire, which both sides use to "catch their breath".

March 20, 2062 - The cease-fire officially breaks when Federal and Rebel commando forces fire on each other near Dover, while CSA President O'Reilly is touring the city. This is the closest any Federal assassination attempt gets to O'Reilly for the duration of the war.

April 2, 2062 - Despite the Rebel forces on high alert, Federal forces begin a general advance and break through Rebel lines. The Confederate Capital, Richmond, is evacuated. Fires and looting break out. The same day, Federal troops airlift in and raise the Stars and Stripes.

April 4, 2062 - Gen. Robert E. Parkenson, in a surprising move, orders all Confederate forces disbanded, ordering all Confederate soldiers to engage in wholesale guerilla war against the North. "After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude the Army of Northern Virginia will not at this time be compelled to yield to supposedly overwhelming numbers and resources," Parkenson tells his troops. "Our fighting spirit lives on."

Declaring martial law, General Parkenson also decrees that all current BA troopers are to be considered full citizens of the Confederacy. "With your aid, victory is in our grasp. We made you tougher and stronger than mortal men. The United States will have another Vietnam on their hands, and this time the toll will be even greater."

Please note: While this setting material is current, the system is a very old draft. Check out the revised version of the system here

Character Creation

1. Come up with a character concept. Generally, we assume Confederate BAs (if you want to know why, see "The Premise", below), but Confederate humans and Federal BAs and humans, or even foreign humans or BAs, may be viable characters in some campaigns. Most important is the ethical path the character follows, no matter how simple. For purposes of "local flavor", when defining a character, remember that BAs, in addition to the issues of species and nation, also have a "brand" -- a corporation that created/sold the BA in the first place, and very possibly (depending on the state) was responsible for the BA's education. (Sleep-teaching and forced-growth technologies were relatively new at the time of the Second Civil War, though possible (if unreliable), used mostly to produce buzzers and by DiabetoGENIE.)

2. Every character has five basic Traits, and 45 points to distribute between them. No Trait may be higher than 19 or lower than 1. For each Trait, one should pick an adjective, noun, or phrase (called a Descriptor) that relates to specifically what one would think of when considering the character and that Trait. It may be an explanation of what that Trait is for that character, or the way the character is when succeeding in a check based on that Trait, or just a personality quirk associated with that Trait. The Traits (and sample Descriptors) are:

SAVVY: This represents the character's knowledge, education, and experience. It can represent anything from a formal college education to "the school of hard knocks". Sample Descriptors include: "West Point Graduate" "Street Smart" "Well-Read" "Old Enough to Know Better" "Sleep Taught"

SENSE: This is the character's ability to acquire and process information, whether on a conscious or unconscious level. It's perception, mental quickness, and raw, uneducated intelligence all rolled into one. Sample Descriptors include: "Spotting Ambushes" "Fast-Thinking" "Intuition"

GUTS: This is the character's ability to deal with horrible, disturbing things, and the ability to remain calm while performing a nasty task under stress, particularly during combat. A Guts check is used to determine if the character can shoot someone in combat: If the character is calm, then everything else follows. It is also rolled when, say, the character encounters horribly mutilated bodies, to make sure the character can remain calm, or any other "terrible scene" the GM thinks may be difficult to deal with. In cases such as those, on a failed Guts check, the character will usually attempt to remove himself from the situation that caused the Guts check. Descriptors for Guts can include how one deals with stress, and sample Descriptors for Guts include: "Steely" "Business-Like" "Gallows Humor"

MEAT: This relates to everything purely physical about the character, mainly the ability to take damage and the character's raw, physical strength. Generally, the former is more important than the latter, see the Combat section below. Sample Meat Descriptors include: "Beefy" "High Pain Threshold" "Oxlike" "Wiry" "Battle-Scarred"

RESPONSIBILITY: This is arguably the most important Trait. Every character should have an ethical system, even if it's something as sketchy as "don't screw over your friends". The Responsibility Trait represents the ability to stick to one's guns, ethically speaking, under pressure, and not compromise. During the course of the game, one's Responsibility Trait will go up or down depending on the character's actions, though it can never go above 19 or below 1. Responsibility can be rolled to convince someone that the character is trustworthy. Responsibility is especially important in preventing a Lapse (see below). Descriptors for Responsibility usually relate to the most important principles that the character holds dear, such as: "Loyalty" "Honor" "Patriotism" "Egalitarianism"

3. Pick a species package. This will have a small effect on your Traits, and perhaps give you a bonus or penalty in certain situations. Again, no Trait may be modified above 19 or below 1. Sample species packages follow.

HUMAN
No changes to Traits, no special bonuses or penalties. Optionally, the GM may allow a human character to add or subtract 1 from a single Trait.

DAWG
Technically, a dawg is not 100% canine, being a mix of canine and primate genes to create an upright, humanoid, canine entity. Dawgs are prized for their loyalty and for their ability to co-ordinate within a group due to their pack mentality. Dawgs are just as varied as the canines they are engineered from.

Dawgs may add or subtract 1 to their Responsibility, depending on the player's preference. Their sense of loyalty can make an individual more responsible, or it can blind them to the excesses of their leaders. Dawgs also get a +2 bonus to any check involving their sense of smell. (Usually this is an Sense check.)

KAT
Like a dawg, a kat is a blend of feline and primate genes, creating an humanoid feline. Kats are prized for their ability to operate alone with little supervision, and, in military circles, for their excellence as commandos.

Kats subtract 1 from Responsibility and add 1 to Sense. (Anyone who has owned a cat should understand why.) Kats also gain a +2 bonus to any check involving stealth.

HAWK
The term "hawk" is generally applied to all avian BAs, many of which do not contain any hawk DNA at all. Most hawks are a complicated combination of avian, reptile, and primate DNA resulting in a humanoid, feather-covered creature with a bird-like head and no wings. Hawks are prized as pilots, since they have an instinctive grasp of three-dimensional space.

The scientists who created the various types of hawks tried real hard to "engineer out" hollow bones, but were only somewhat successful. All Hawks should reduce their Meat by 1. Any check relating to piloting a flying vehicle (including aerial combat and bombing runs) by a hawk has a +5 bonus.

RILLA
The word "Rilla" was originally the name given by a particular Japanese company to a gorilla-based BA "model" intended for heavy lifting, but like "cola" it became a general term for any primate-based BA, even the spider-monkey based scouts employed by the CSA. Rillas are notable in that their genetic modifications are the least radical, consisting only of a boost to intelligence and a change to the vocal cords allowing speech. It is rumored that unlike most BAs, Rillas are not sterile at birth, but are sterilized after they are grown; every corporation that produces Rillas claims the rumor is false. The Rillas themselves were too young when it supposedly happened to remember, though some of them are rather curious about the rumor, as one might imagine.

All Rillas have a -1 to Sense. They are deliberately designed not to be too smart. Every Rilla has a +1 to Guts or Meat, player's choice. Rillas also get a +5 bonus to any check involving climbing or swinging from an object, and can manipulate things with their feet just as well as they do with their hands, even if that wasn't true for the original animal.

RAPTER
The term "rapter" is another case of a brand name that eventually became a general term for any BA that visibly favored reptilian DNA, tho in fact most "rapters" were made of a combination of reptilian and avian DNA, perhaps with a touch of primate. Rapters were usually designed by defense firms, for situations where certain desirable traits, such as resistance to certain toxins or the ability to "sense" heat, did not seem to "mix" well with mammalian DNA.

Rapters have a -1 to Responsibility (they are figuratively as well as literally "cold-blooded", part of their military heritage) and a +1 to either Sense or Meat, player's choice. Since rapters were designed for military service, the most common "feature" was a venomous bite. Those bitten by such a rapter must make a Meat check (with appropriate penalties for being Tagged) or go Down (see Combat, below). Others were designed to survive in areas "spoiled" by chemical or biological weapons, giving them a +5 bonus to Meat rolls involving such things.

Note that a unique "package" is possible for any BA, but particularly appropriate in the case for rapters, which came in a wide variety of "models". Players should discuss this with the GM; the GM's word is final.

4. After your Traits have been appropriately modified by species, one must calculate a sixth Trait: Instinct.

INSTINCT: Instinct is not allocated a value out of the original 45 points; instead it is equal to 20 minus the character's Responsibility. This is always the case: For every point Responsibility goes up, Instinct goes down, and vice-versa. This represents how in touch the character is with their basest, most animal nature, the way the character behaves when all civilization is thrown out the window. It is best thought of as an abbreviation for "Killer Instinct". Any successful Instinct check can be used as a bonus to any Guts check, through the Rule of Currency (see below): If you're in touch with your animal nature, it's easier to do the sort of brutal things war requires of you, or dismiss such brutality as unimportant. Also, Instinct should be rolled whenever cold, animal cunning comes into play, such as when trying to scare someone or during a brutal interrogation. The Descriptors for Instinct usually indicate the way the character is when "out of control", such as: "Cold" "Wild and Screaming" "Feral" "Savage" "Emotionally Cruel"

Also, when using the Rule of Currency to gain a bonus to a Guts roll, after the die has been rolled and the Instinct check is a success, the player has the option of doubling the bonus gained to the Guts check, at the risk of a Lapse (see Lapses, below).

Example of Character: Joe decides he is going to play a Dawg named Rover. He decides Dawg is an extreme CSA patriot who believes that the most noble thing one can do is sacrifice himself for his country. He used to work on a farm, but joined the army as soon as war broke out. Years of hard battle have not dampened his enthusiasm. Joe decides Rover's patriotism often blinds him to larger issues, serving as an excuse for irresponsible behavior, and so he decides to subtract 1 from his Responsibility. After assigning points to his Traits (he decides that Rover is strong and uneducated, allocating points to Savvy and Meat appropriately) and subtracting 1 from his Responsibility (as per his species package), Joe calculates Rover's Instinct based on his Responsibility and picks Descriptors for all his traits. Because Joe subtracted 1 from Rover's Responsibility due to his species package, his first five Traits total 44 rather than 45. The resulting character looks like this:

Rover -- Quote: "I'll be damned if the Yankees are going to get past me." SAVVY:          5 "simple country wisdom" SENSE:          10 "intuition" GUTS:           10 "grim determination" MEAT:           12 "energetic" RESPONSIBILITY:  7 "patriotism" INSTINCT:       13 "angry" +2 to any check involving smell

Basic Mechanic

When the character wants to do something that the GM feels requires a roll, the player rolls a d20, seeking to roll equal to or under the appropriate Trait, such as Guts in order to hit with a gun. This is called a "check". One should only make a check when there is a reasonable chance of failure in the GM's opinion -- one does not usually need a check to walk across the room.

The Trait that should be used for a given check is decided upon by the GM and should be obvious from the descriptions above, but below are some examples of the various traits and the sorts of checks they are appropriate for.

Guts: Firing a gun, punching someone, not running in the face of an enemy, not losing one's lunch when discovering skinned children
Meat: Lifting a stone, shrugging off snakebite, resisting disease, not going Down when shot at
Savvy: First aid, recalling important trivia, driving a car, remembering a procedure
Sense: Noticing an ambush, smelling odd chemicals in the air, applying new knowledge, understanding new concepts, figuring out an abstract problem, reacting before anyone else
Responsibility: Convincing someone that the character is trustworthy, avoiding Lapses under pressure (see below)
Instinct: Intimidating someone, interrogating someone, gaining bonuses to a subsequent Guts check

When the roll is successful (i.e. is under or equal to the Trait), if a degree of success is needed (such as when invoking the Rule of Currency, see below, or for descriptive purposes), the number rolled is the "degree of success". The higher the degree of success, the better the character did. In cases where it is important to know if one character is "better" than the other (such as when players are making Sense checks to determine who wins at a game of chess), they compare degree of success. (In the case of ties, roll again, or declare the person with the higher Trait the winner -- GM's choice.)

Sometimes the GM might want a "degree of failure". That is, she may want to know how badly the character failed when the player rolls over the character's Trait. The degree of failure is equal to 21 minus the number rolled. The higher the degree of failure, the worse the character failed. In the case two characters playing chess, if they both fail their Sense rolls, the one with the lowest degree of failure (that is, the highest result on the die) wins. Of course, if during a contest between two characters one character fails a roll and one succeeds, the successful one "wins", whatever "winning" means in context.

If the player rolls a number exactly equal to the Trait in question, it's considered a critical success: The player should be allowed to describe a spectacular success on their character's part. For the purposes of the Rule of Currency or for contests with other characters, a critical success has a degree of success of 20, which is normally not possible.

Bonuses or penalties may be applied to a check by the GM, to represent an unusually easy or difficult task, or as a result of the Rule of Currency (see below). They usually vary no more than 5 in either direction, though extremely difficult tasks might have a penalty as high as -10. A bonus is a temporary increase to the Trait in question for the purposes of that one check only, and a penalty is a decrease in the Trait for that one check only. A task with a +5 bonus is a very hard task, and a task with a -5 penalty is very difficult. Keep in mind every -1 or +1 to a check lowers or raises the chance of success by 5%.

The GM should also keep the character's Descriptors in mind when calling for checks. An action that is particularly in-line with the character's Descriptors (even if they're associated with a different Trait than the one being used in the check, though those Descriptors should count less) should be worth at least a +1 bonus, and possibly more, depending on appropriateness and how much the GM wants to emphasize Descriptors. Similarly, actions that go against the character's Descriptors may incur a penalty. Some tasks may be impossible without an appropriate Descriptor. For example, only a character with the Savvy Descriptor of "went to medical school" should be allowed to even attempt surgery.

No bonus or penalty, no matter how it is derived, may modify a Trait below 1 or above 19. There is always a chance of success or failure.

Optional Rule: It may bother some GMs that when a Trait, after modification, is equal to 1, that if the check succeeds at all, then the result is always a critical success. In that case, use the following rule: If the modified Trait for a check is equal to 1, and the player rolls a 1, the player must make another check against the raw, unmodified Trait. If that second check is successful, the check is a critical success. If the second check fails, the first check is treated an ordinary success with a degree of success of 1.

Example of Trait Checks: Joe tells the GM he's going to have Rover flip over the crumbling gravestone of a Union soldier from the first American Civil War. The GM rules this is a fairly difficult task, as the stone is heavy, albeit crumbling, so there is a -5 penalty to Rover's Meat for the purposes of this check, meaning Rover's Meat (normally a 12) is effectively 7 for this roll. Joe rolls a 6, which is not quite a critical success, but successful enough to flip over the gravestone in the GM's opinion.

That same day, Rover and his friend, a rapter named Spuds, played by Sue, decide to have a contest to see who can toss Union grave markers the furthest. Both incur the -5 penalty mentioned above. Spuds has a Meat of 10, which comes out to 5 when modified. Sue rolls a 5 and Joe rolls another 6. Normally, Rover would beat Spuds, as his degree of success (6) is higher than the degree of success Sue rolled (5), but since Sue rolled the number she needed exactly, that's a critical success, which counts as a degree of success of 20, which beats Joe's roll hands down. Sue describes the grave marker Spuds is throwing as sailing over Rover's head and hitting another gravestone. The GM then tells the players that the Federal soldiers that have been surrounding them while this went on open fire, which is probably what they deserve for desecrating graves.

The Rule of Currency

There are many cases where the success of one check would logically affect the success of another. For example, a character may make an Sense check to find the best location to set up a sniper's nest, giving that character a bonus to the Guts check to shoot the enemy commander when he strolls by. Also, the chain can continue, and can include penalties as well as bonuses: The result of the Guts check to shoot the enemy commander causes a penalty to the Meat check the commander makes to survive the shot (see Combat, below).

The way it works is this: Take the degree of success of the original roll, divide by 4 (round up), and apply that number as a bonus or penalty, as appropriate, to the next roll. Remember that no bonus or penalty can modify a Trait above 19 or below 1.

If the first check is a failure, the penalty or bonus to the next roll (usually a penalty, but it's the GM's call) through the Rule of Currency is slightly more complicated to calculate: Subtract the number rolled from 21, and divide the resulting number by 4, rounding up. Or, if you prefer, take the degree of failure and divide by 4, rounding up.

No more than one bonus or penalty, from one previous check, may be applied to a check due to the Rule of Currency. It should be possible to set up the different checks in a clear "chain" as to what check affects what check, which in turn affect another check.

It might help to think of it like this:

4 degrees of success = +1 bonus = -1 penalty = 4 degrees of failure

The situations where one check applies to another check using the Rule of Currency is determined by the GM. The GM is encouraged to be flexible on this issue and to listen to player input regarding the Rule of Currency. Note that if the Rule of Currency has not yet been invoked to give a bonus or penalty to a Guts check, the player can always choose to check Instinct before checking Guts and apply the Rule of Currency, though a failed Instinct check will result in a penalty to the Guts check. This is the biggest advantage of being in touch with one's primal, animalistic urges.

Example: Rover is moving through the woods when the rounds the corner on the trail he's following and finds himself face-to-face with a Union soldier. The GM tells Joe to make a Guts check to draw his sidearm and fire. Joe opts to roll his Instinct beforehand and invoke the Rule of Currency. Rover's Instinct is 13 and his Guts are 10. Joe rolls a 14, barely missing his Instinct check, resulting in degree of failure of 7 (21 - 14). This means the penalty to his Guts check 2 (7/4, rounded up). So, for the purposes of this roll, Rover's Guts is 8. Joe rolls an 8 on 1d20 -- critical success! Joe describes shooting the Federal soldier in the head. Invoking the Rule of Currency (see also the Combat section below), the GM penalizes the Union soldier's Meat roll to remain standing by 5 (20/4, since it was a critical success). The soldier normally has a Meat of 10, modified to 5 by the Rule of Currency. The GM rolls a 6 for the soldier: He falls Down.

Lapses

Under stress, it is difficult to maintain one's sense of self, to remember to pause and think about the moral implications of one's actions. It is much easier to act on instinct.

If there is a stressful situation going on but the player has the character continue to act in a way that is consistent with the character's ethical system, where the character is continuing to take responsibility for his actions, the GM may call for a Responsibility check, especially when there is an obvious advantage to an ethical compromise. If the check succeeds, the character acts as the player specified. If the check fails, the character suffers a Lapse.

When suffering a moral Lapse, the player loses control of the character and takes the easy way out. The character kills a prisoner rather than taking the prisoner with him, fires at civilians, or whatever seems appropriate at the time. Usually the most brutal or ruthless action, in context, is taken. All of the players of the game except the player whose character is experiencing the Lapse, plus the GM, vote on what the character would do, based on the situation and the character's background. The GM breaks ties, but the player who normally runs the character has no say whatsoever.

Remember, when this happens, that what your character does during a Lapse is a gift from the other players. It may seem odd to think of it that way, but it's true. If they give your character a Lapse that is extremely in line with your character, they're showing their enjoyment of the character concept. If they have your character act in a way you wouldn't expect, they're adding something to your character, something you can then explore yourself. Many people have said "where the Hell did that come from" during times of stress, and a Lapse can be an opportunity to discover something about your character that even you weren't aware of. Either way, it's a gift.

The player whose character is suffering a Lapse is encouraged, however, to help add details to the Lapse, to make it more meaningful, while maintaining the spirit of what the group voted on. In fact, the whole group is encouraged to add details to the character's story to enhance the effect of the Lapse, though the one veto power the player whose character is in the middle of the Lapse has is over such details, if not over what the character actually does.

After making any rolls called for by whatever action that takes place during the character's brief Lapse of judgment, the player who normally controls the character makes another Responsibility check. If it succeed, the character realizes that he's suffered a Lapse, and reacts to this fact as the player feels appropriate. If the check fails, the character's Responsibility is permanently reduced by 1 (and the character's Instinct goes up); whether the character notices or not is up to the player.

Also, if the player opts to have the character engage in some heinous act, like firing on civilians or rape, the GM has the right to demand an immediate Responsibility check, with a penalty appropriate to the seriousness of the action. Again, the GM is encouraged, but not required, to take player input on this matter. If the Responsibility check is successful, there is no further effect: The player may rationalize the act as he thinks appropriate for the character. If the Responsibility check is a failure, then the character's Instinct is permanently increased by 1 (and his Responsibility drops).

Similarly, a particularly responsible and ethical act, such as risking one's life to save a child, may cause the GM to call for a Responsibility check. Once again, the GM is encouraged to take player input on these matters, though such checks should be relatively rare. If the check succeeds, the character's Responsibility goes up by 1 permanently (and his Instinct drops). If the check fails, there is no further effect: Sometimes one acts heroic reflexively, and is unchanged by the experience.

Generally speaking, when the character chooses not to let forth their worst side during a tough situation, and is "defeated" because of it, the character should have a chance to gain Responsibility, as above.

Example: During a firefight with Federal troops, Rover sees a child fleeing the scene, in the direction of HQ. He knows that if the child warns HQ, his unit will be fired on by artillery and many of his fellow BAs will die. Joe says that Rover will not fire on the child, and in fact attempts to distract his unit from the child so they don't fire on the child either. After making his Responsibility check not to have a Lapse, the GM, at the urging of the other players, grants Joe another Responsibility check to see if Rover's Responsibility goes up.

In addition, after rolling Instinct to gain a bonus to a Guts check through the Rule of Currency, after the Instinct roll is made the player has the option of doubling the bonus to the Guts check he is normally entitled to through the Rule of Currency. However, if this option is exercised, after the Guts check is made (and any results of that check adjudicated, such as in battle), the player must immediately make a Responsibility check for the character or suffer a Lapse: the character has dipped too far into the well of his own brutality, and must suffer the consequences. (For another way to ensure Guts checks, see the Rule of Sacrifice in the Combat section below.)

The player can opt, at any time a Responsibility check is called for, to not roll, automatically failing. This is the equivalent, for all purposes, to rolling a 20 on the die. Some people choose to embrace their damnation. (As an optional rule, the GM may decide that a character that opts to have a Lapse rather than rolling their Responsibility check get a vote in what the character does during the Lapse.)

No matter what happens, Responsibility can not go below 1 or above 19, and the same goes for Instinct. No one is perfect, and no one is beyond saving. (A character with a Responsibility of 1 will find a way to destroy themselves eventually anyway.)

Combat, Damage, and Healing

Combat is obviously of major importance to "Rise Again". However, it is supposed to mainly be a backdrop for the moral decisions that the characters are making, so the system is fairly abstract.

At the start of any given battle, every character should make a Sense check, perhaps with a bonus from a previous check of some sort through the Rule of Currency (such as when the characters have set up an ambush) for initiative. The characters act in order, starting with successful checks with the highest degree of success and going down, and moving on to the failed Sense checks in order from highest number rolled to lowest. Use Sense to break ties, or roll off. Or, optionally, the GM could have each player roll 1d20 and add their Sense and any bonuses for the Rule of Currency, having characters act in order from highest total to lowest total.

The GM can have everyone roll initiative every "round" of combat, or just use the same order every round for the entire battle. The latter is suggested for speed and ease of play.

To hit someone, whether with a fist or with a missile, requires a Guts check. The GM may access appropriate penalties for range, targeting computers, and so on, if the GM and players are interested in that sort of thing. Like any Guts check, if the Rule of Currency has not yet come into play, the player has the option of rolling Instinct first to get a bonus (or, in the case of failure, a penalty) to the Guts check.

There is also what is called The Rule of Sacrifice. The player can also choose, at any time during the battle, to automatically make a Guts check by permanently losing a point of Responsibility (and gaining a point of Instinct). In this case, the character should describe how they are compromising their ethics to, say, ensure a hit -- this may be entirely an "internal" matter, where the player describes a shift in the character's attribute. "I decided, at that moment, that if they were Northerners, they were no longer worthy of moral consideration." Or, optionally, the player may narrate a detail to the combat that furthers the character's personal story while illustrating his downward spiral; any detail not covered by the GM is fair game. "As the bullet tore into the Federal trooper, and he looked behind him, I realized I recognized him. Every day, John Tylon, the only man who was ever kind to me at the factory, would talk about his cousin and best friend, who lived in New York City, and who he missed terribly. Every day, he would show me a picture of them together. And now, for the first time, I saw the man in person -- and I had put a bullet in him. And yet, I felt nothing." The degree of success when using the Rule of Sacrifice is equal to the character's Guts, as modified by any bonuses or penalties. A character with a Responsibility of 1 cannot use this rule. By permanently losing two points of Responsibility, one can ensure a critical success on a Guts check and therefore a degree of success of 20; an internal or external detail regarding the slow degradation of the character's morality must be narrated as above. Characters with a Responsibility of 2 or less cannot invoke this version of the Rule.

Regardless of how a hit occurs, the person hit immediately makes a Meat check, with a penalty determined through the Rule of Currency, based on the Guts check to hit. There is also an additional penalty based on the weapon:

Small Sidearm (pistol)  -1
Large Sidearm (rifle)   -2
Heavy Weapon  (grenade) -3 and up

If the character fails the Meat check, they are Down. The character falls and is out of the combat. If the character makes the Meat check, they are Tagged. Players should keep track of how many times they are Tagged. For every time the character is Tagged beyond the first, this is an additional -1 penalty to any subsequent Meat check, in addition to whatever other penalties exist, until they go Down.

After the combat, if a character is Down, they should make a Meat check, with a -1 penalty for every time they were Tagged beyond the first, as usual. If the check fails, the character is dead. If the check succeeds, the character must make a second Meat check, again with penalties for being Tagged. If that second check succeeds, the character wakes up, and the number of times they are considered to have been Tagged goes up by 1. If the second Meat check fails, the character permanently loses 1 Meat. The character must then make another Meat check in order to wake up, as above, with the possibility of losing more Meat. If the character's Meat drops to 0, the character dies.

Optional Rule: In some cases, for the purposes of the system above, the GM may consider a character that has "woken up" has merely stabilized, and does not actually wake up, per se, remaining unconscious until someone makes an effort to wake them, or they receive more adequate medical care. Go with what seems more dramatic and/or convenient, or what causes the most moral problems for the other PCs.

After battle, if the character was Tagged but did not go Down, once the character has a chance to pause and rest for a moment, the GM should call for a Meat check, with appropriate penalties for being Tagged. If the check succeeds, the number of times the character is considered to have been Tagged goes down by 1, which may mean the character is no longer Tagged. If the check fails, the wounds catch up to the character, and the character goes Down -- see above.

Regardless, a character who is Tagged or Down can receive first aid. A successful Savvy check for first aid can reduce the number of times the character is considered to be Tagged by 1, or can be used with the Rule of Currency to give a bonus to a Meat check the character is about take, especially in the case of a Down character that is receiving first aid and trying to wake up. First aid may be attempted on a given character once per battle and once after the battle (and only if the character was Tagged at least once during the battle); subsequent first aid attempts, while perhaps comforting to the victim, have no effect, and the character may carry their Tagged status into a new battle. After first aid has been exhausted, only proper medical care can help the character.

When the character receives what the GM considers to be a proper amount of medical care and/or rest, he can make a Meat check, with appropriate penalties for being Tagged and appropriate bonuses for the quality of the care. If the check succeeds, the character is no longer Tagged. If the check fails, the number of times the character is considered to be Tagged is reduced by 1, which may heal the character completely. If not healed completely, after an appropriate amount of time under medical care passes, the character gets another Meat check as above.

Optional Rule: Some GMs may consider it unrealistic that being Tagged is a penalty only to one's Meat checks. Such a GM may choose to apply the normal penalty for being Tagged more than once to all other rolls as well, or only to certain other rolls, to represent pain and suffering. One way of handling it is to only give penalties due to Tagging to non-Meat checks outside of combat -- during combat, adrenaline takes care of the pain.

Character Advancement

War changes a person. Lessons are learned in war that are learned nowhere else. It is inevitable that the character pick up things more and more over time. Every so often, the characters should get a chance to change their Traits to reflect that experience. (We recommend every five sessions or so, but that's up to the GM.)

When a character's Traits might change, here is how it is handled:

1. Every player makes a Savvy check for their character. If that check fails, the character's Savvy is permanently increased by 1. It is easier to gain experience the more ignorant you are. (Savvy generally does not go down, except due to brain damage or old age. If this is relevant, we trust the GM to handle it appropriately.)
2. If the character in question has been involved in a lot of physical activity for an extended period of time (GM's call), the player can make a Meat check as well. Again, if the check fails, the character's Meat permanently goes up by 1. (Meat generally goes down as the result of combat. The GM should limit the number of times the character's Meat can go up -- exercise only takes you so far.)
3. Responsibility and Instinct naturally go up and down over time, and don't change during advancement. Sense is generally not changed during advancement, tho it can go down due to brain damage or damage to the character's five senses, which should be handled on a case-by-case basis by the GM.
4. The character gains a new Descriptor. Yes, character can have multiple Descriptors in one Trait, representing the character's ongoing change and development, giving another potential source of bonuses. The player proposes a new Descriptor and the Trait it goes with, and the other players vote as to whether it fits the character's story so far, with the GM breaking ties. If the majority vote "yes", the Descriptor is added to the character sheet. If the majority vote "no", the player must propose a different Descriptor, and the process begins again. Players and GMs are wecome to discuss what sort of Descriptors are appropriate for the character. The player can also propose that a Descriptor that is no longer appropriate be replaced with a different Descriptor, and have everyone vote on that. (Optionally, the GM may decided that a player needs only her approval to add a Descriptor. If so, this should probably be mentioned before the campaign starts.)

Also, every ten sessions or so (again, this is only a suggestion), every player should get a Story Point. This can be used to raise or lower any Trait permantently by one, or replace/add a Descriptor to any Trait without a vote. The player must explain, in detail, why this makes sense in terms of the character's personal story. (Optionally, the GM may award bonus Story Points for particularly good play, or have the players vote on bonus Story Points.) The idea is to use Story Points to change the character in ways not normally allowed by the rules.

Regardless, no Trait may be above 19 or lower than 1, and remember that if a Story point is used to increase Responsiblity, Instinct goes down (and vice versa).

Please note: While this setting material is current, the system is a very old draft. Check out the revised version of the system here

Expanded Timeline
[Excerpted and paraphrased from Appendix A of the controversial textbook Postmodern North America -- several parts of the timeline have still been skipped over]

November 2060 - Joseph Alverson is elected president by a narrow margin, and after several Supreme Court rulings. Though shorter than the election crisis of 2000, the legal mess, involving two Democratic candidates, AOLsoft, and several newly-formed political parties, is even worse. (See Appendix B.) Many are concerned about Alverson's close friendship with the sitting members of the Supreme Court. In addition to his point of view on BA rights, Alverson makes it clear in his acceptance speech that he expects the states to follow the Federal lead in the matter of the AOLsoft case. Thomas O'Reilly, a Southern Democrat, as well as a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army officer, protests loudly when he is not elected President, despite winning the popular vote (and, arguably, the electoral vote as well -- see Appendix B), especially in the South. He publicly denounces the US Supreme Court, accusing it of a "corrupt, evil, and illegal coup over the desires of the American people."

December 2060 - South Carolina, declaring the actions of the United States during and after the Civil War to be illegal and invalid, secedes from the United States. It is followed almost immediately by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Texas: all are states heavily dependent on "work animals" for their economy. A new Confederate States of America is formed with Thomas O'Reilly as President, calling for "all true Americans to join the New Confederate cause. The only way we can save American democracy is by starting anew." About one-third of the American military joins the CSA, though officially the top brass who join with O'Reilly (many of which were friends with O'Reilly at West Point) view O'Reilly's government as the "US Government in exile", refusing to recognize the legitimacy of Alverson's government. Those that do not recognize O'Reilly fly or sail to more friendly parts of the country, taking everything they can with them in the process.

January 2061 - As Internet discussion on the topic of the legality of the new CSA rages, several states join the New Confederacy, often for their own, idiosyncratic reasons, relating to the increased freedom states are accorded in the Confederacy: New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah and Southern California. (The state of California splits during arguments about whether or not to join the Confederacy.) The CSA now has 17 states, while the US retains 33 states, not counting North California, which becomes part of Oregon by the end of the month.

In the meantime, Alverson is sworn in as President of the United States of America. He declares the actions of the "new CSA" to be illegal. He compares the one-third of the American military that has joined with the "so-called government in exile" with the one-third of Heaven's angels that, in some accounts, sided with Lucifer during the Fall. This comparison, considered "irreverent" by many religious groups, further ostracizes the Religious Right from the Republican Party.

Both sides begin to fortify their borders, and intense corporate espionage goes on between large Northern conglomerates and smaller pro-CSA firms.

March, 2061 - President Alverson attempts to solve the "Confederate problem" through court battles and negotiation. The resulting media circus results in a public speech by CSA President O'Reilly which refuses to recognize the current US Supreme Court or any international treaties signed by the US since the 19th century. "This travesty has gone on long enough."

April 12, 2061 - At 4:30 a.m. Confederates under Gen. Peter Edwards open fire with three attack helicopters upon Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, in a deliberate re-creation of the shots that started the first Civil War. The Second Civil War begins.

Rumors on the Internet that the Confederates attacked with the battle cry of "Get out your Confederate money, boys" are quickly debunked. The closest thing to a battle cry was General Edwards' statement over an open comm channel, quoting Manilius: "Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes." (It is foolish to fear that which you cannot avoid.) During a subsequent interview, General Edwards says he had been warned by friends in the Federal military that the Federal forces were starting to mobilize due to the breakdown in legal recourse, and and that the quote from Manilius summed up his feelings. Indeed, the shift response by the North indicates that General Edwards were right -- planes were already in the air, headed for CSA airspace, when Edwards fired the first shots.

April 13, 2061 - Information warfare between the North and South renders most "smart" weapons, including satellite weapons and the newly-deployed missile defense system, useless for the rest of the war. Global media companies howl for Southern blood as their communication abilities are disrupted by "slash and burn" tactics of the Sixteen Hour Infowar, though it is believed several foreign powers, including China, exacerbated the problem.

April 14, 2061 - In a surprise move, New Hampshire, citing better protections for local business in the CSA, joins the side of the Rebels, immediately deploying a large number of BA forces, which, unlike most BAs at the time, were force-grown to adulthood by local BA manufacturing firm DiabetoGENIE Biosciences, a major defense contractor due to lose a lot of money because of the US "bankruptcy". This gives the CSA access to much-needed naval facilities outside the South, as well as a "back door" into Federal territory. The CSA now numbers 18 states. Antiaircraft weaponry provided by Genesis Industries, a "hardtech" defense contractor owned by the same family as DiabetoGENIE, turns New Hampshire into a virtual fortress.

April 15, 2061 - US Congress re-activates the draft. Ironically, with the formal declaration of war, President Alverson gets the legislative power he needs to get AOLsoft off the nation's back, though behind closed doors he promises various corporate executives, including the heads of AOLsoft, that any money they lose during the war will be made up from seized assets in re-captured CSA territory.

April 16, 2061 - Robert R. Parkenson, son of a hero of the anti-terrorist brigades of the early 21st century, and a 25-year distinguished veteran of the United States Army and former Superintendent of West Point, is offered command of the Federal Army. Parkenson declines.

April 17, 2061 - President Alverson issues a Proclamation of Blockade against Southern ports and Southern airspace. For the duration of the war the blockade limits the ability of the rural South to stay well supplied in its war against the industrialized North and its robot factories, though air traffic via "neutral" Mexico and New Hampshire gives some relief.

April 20, 2061 - Robert R. Parkenson resigns his commission in the United States Army. "I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children." Parkenson then goes to Richmond, Virginia, is offered command of the military forces of the CSA, and accepts.

April 21, 2061 - Senator John Rhodes, an Afro-American Republican from Alabama, manages to pass a law which changes the Confederate battle flag slightly, "to repudiate its connection with slavery". (See Figure 10)

April 22, 2061 - Preliminary BA Citizenship Proclamation granting BAs near-citizen status (sparing only voting rights) issued by President Alverson.

May 1, 2061 - President Alverson issues the final BA Citizenship Proclamation, the so-called "May Day Declaration", "freeing" all BAs in territories held by Confederates and emphasizes the enlisting of BA soldiers in the Union Army. Curiously, the May Day Declaration excepts "chimera", without defining the term.

In a stunning counter-move, declaring "this war is not about BAs, it is about the right of individual states to determine their destiny", President O'Reilly of the CSA declares that any BA that serves a five-year stint in the Confederate military forces without a dishonorable discharge will get full citizenship in the CSA, including voting rights, an action unprecedented on the global stage. "But the cowards who do not fight will remain merely animals."

May 4, 2061 - The Federal Army under Gen. Hooker is decisively defeated by Parkenson's much smaller forces at the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia as a result of Parkenson's brilliant and daring tactics and the bravery of the Fighting Hounds, a mostly-canine all-BA division of fighter pilots. Hooker retreats.

May 6, 2061 - The Plague Month starts when a virulent form of bioengineered Anthrax (Anthrax 6B-45) is released near Washington, DC. While DNA analysis reveals the disease came from US labs, it is unclear if the disease was released by Federal or Rebel forces, as all countermeasures on both sides prove ineffective when the disease mutates at a much faster rate than originally expected. While only 10% of all BAs are affected (and then only those designed by certain corporations), 90% of the local human population is affected, and only draconian quarantine methods (including firing on planes fleeing quarantined areas) prevent the outbreak from lasting more than a month. This marks the first and last time biological weapons, other than specially-designed BAs, are used during the course of the war. Most analysts agree that after the Plague Month, use of standard biological warfare would be an unmitigated PR disaster.

May 10, 2061 - The US media manages to recover enough from the Sixteen-Hour Infowar to aid in spreading warnings regarding Anthrax 6B-45. Several media pundits accuse "terrorists" of being responsible, though evidence points to rogue elements of either the CSA or Federal military.

June 7, 2061 - The tide of war turns against the South as the Confederates are defeated at the Second Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, when the North reveals several new kinds of BA "shock troopers" bioengineered from insects and scorpions, officially designated as "chimera". Confederate soldiers call the new BA troopers "buzzers" after the noise they make.

July 4, 2061 - The tide turns further against the Rebels as "buzzer" troops inflict nearly 90% casualties on Confederate troops in the West in the "Fourth of July Massacre".

July 13-16, 2061 - Antidraft riots in New York City include arson and the murder of BAs by destitute humans.

Aug 10, 2061 - The US President meets with BA-rights lobbyist Brian Larkins, who pushes for full equality for US BAs, but Alverson refuses to allow them the vote. "Unlike the rebels, ours do not have to fight. So they will not have the vote." He also refuses to talk about the chimera, and their already-poor track record with regard to war crimes.

September 1, 2061 - The beginning of a massive, coordinated campaign involving the entire Federal military. Federal air and naval superiority increasingly becomes a factor.

Sept 2, 2061 - Atlanta is put on alert, fearing that the nearby Federal forces will attempt to capture it on the anniversary of Atlanta's capture in the first Civil War.

Sept 31, 2061 - The Rebel forces in Atlanta go off high alert status (back to "normal" wartime status) after it seems that the Feds do not intend to attack, though Federal forces have inflicted terrible casualties everywhere else in the CSA.

Nov 1, 2061 - The Federal army take Atlanta forces by surprise, capturing the city. "Atlanta is ours, and fairly won," General Ian Wilkerson tells Alverson via cell phone.

Dec 15, 2061 - General Ulysses Goffman's Rebel Army of 230,000 is crushed at Nashville by Federal air raids, supported on the ground by "buzzer" (chimera) troops under Gen. George H. Thomas. The Confederate Army in Tennessee ceases as an effective fighting force, though several units take to the bushes.

Dec 23, 2061 - Though the war has been punctuated by teleconferences and attempts to make peace, it is not until this date that a tentative formal peace conference finally occurs as President Alverson meets with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens at an undisclosed location in Virginia, but the meeting ends in failure - the war will continue.

Jan 3, 2062 - The last offensive for Parkenson's forces begins with a bombing run on the center of Federal forces at Petersburg. Four hours later the attack is broken, and most of the Confederate force shot down.

Emergency telephone negotiations between O'Reilly and Alverson result in a cease-fire, which both sides use to "catch their breath". Covert operations between the two sides, aimed at destroying each other's infrastructure and leaders, continue unabated during the cease-fire, leading some media pundits to label the period the "Ceaseless-Fire".

February 2062 - President Alverson enters into negotiation with various NATO allies to get them involved in the war. So far, most US allies have stayed out of the war by invoking an "internal troubles" clause in the NATO pact that was, ironically, added at US insistence in 2022 (see Chapter Two).

However, simultaneously with President Alverson's negotiations, Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens is touring the Third World, making alliances with disenfranchized Third World nations. The ensuing Confederate-supported violence results in NATO (without the US) deciding to serve as world policeman while the US is left to sort out its problems for itself.

Feb 27, 2062 - A United Nations resolution to recognize the CSA as a sovereign nation is barely stopped in the Security Council by the United States.

March 20, 2062 - The cease-fire officially breaks when Federal and Rebel commando forces fire on each other near Dover, while CSA President O'Reilly is touring the city. This is the closest any Federal assassination attempt gets to O'Reilly for the duration of the war.

April 2, 2062 - Despite the Rebel forces on high alert, Federal forces begin a general advance and break through Rebel lines at Petersburg. Confederate Gen. Ambrose Reynolds is killed, but not before Reynolds evacuates Petersburg. The Confederate Capital, Richmond, is evacuated. Fires and looting break out. The same day, Federal troops airlift in and raise the Stars and Stripes.

April 4, 2062 - Gen. Robert E. Parkenson, in a surprising move, orders all Confederate forces disbanded, ordering all Confederate soldiers to engage in wholesale guerilla war against the North. "After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude the Army of Northern Virginia will not at this time be compelled to yield to supposedly overwhelming numbers and resources," Parkenson tells his troops. "Our fighting spirit lives on."

Declaring martial law, General Parkenson also decrees that all current BA troopers are to be considered full citizens of the Confederacy. "With your aid, victory is in our grasp. We made you tougher and stronger than mortal men. The United States will have another Vietnam on their hands, and this time the toll will be even greater."

The Premise (Designer's Notes)

"Freedom implies responsibility." PCs generally take the part of Confederate BA Troopers. Part man, part animal, fighting a difficult and dirty guerilla war, they have every reason to dodge responsibility for their actions: Instinct, their status as second-class citizens, the horrors of war, and the fact they are, in a sense, made rather than born. Vietnam meets the First Civil War, and terrible, terrible things are going on out there. Are you willing to take responsibility for what you do as a free individual? The idea here is to illuminate human ethics through an inhuman, but sympathetic, character.

Rise Again is designed to be a situation where the characters are struggling to uphold a system of ethics in a difficult situation. That is, one is not free until one spends time thinking and acting according to one's ethics, rather than relying on knee-jerk reactions, which are as much a prison and anything made of stone and iron. The ethical issues that the game is intended to invoke include but are not limited to: