SYMBIOSIS SCI-FI

An Atomic Ninja One Shot Adventure by Jerrod ‘Savage Daddy’ Gunning

for use with Savage Worlds
Stranded thousands of light years from Earth, the crew of the Galileo is hunted by
an insidious alien life-form.

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Halfway through their journey home, the crew of the deep Panicked (Game Master’s discretion). Wild Cards roleplay
space research vessel Galileo are awoken from cryosleep to their reactions instead of rolling on the Fear Table and
repair a mysterious hull breach. suffer unique effects based on the source of fear defined in
Paranoia sets in when they realize their vessel has been Savage Worlds.

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invaded by an alien life-form that assimilates its victims and Nausea: The victim is Shaken and Fatigued. Critical
assumes their identities. Failure means they are also Distracted until the end of their
next turn.
SETTING RULES Terror: The victim gains the Hesitant Hindrance for the
Fast Healing, Hard Choices, More Skill Points, Skill remainder of the encounter. If the character has it already,
Specialization, and Wound Cap are appropriate for this sci-fi they are both Distracted and Vulnerable. Critical Failure
horror scenario; as are the original Atomic Ninja Studios means the victim is Stunned instead.
Setting Rules below.
GRIEVOUS DAMAGE
FEAR FACTOR Wild Cards add Wound modifiers from attacks before

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Creature Fear penalties are added to all rolls to recover
from Shaken. Extras that fail a Fear check are typically
making Soak rolls. If a character fails to Soak all Wounds
from the attack, roll on the Injury Table and apply the
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This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com.
Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission.
Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.

www.atomicninja.com
 ONE SHOT WONDERS
results immediately (but just once per incident). Any injuries Stage Two: Proceeding at a deliberately safe pace
sustained in this manner are temporary and fade at the end eliminates all penalties involved in the Dramatic Task.
of the scene in which they occur. Critical Failure means that They must collect 40 Task Tokens over four rounds to
the injury is permanent. finish the job within the allotted time. But, they must first
collect 5 tokens using Repair (or skills to Support it) to
ZERO-G scavenge enough metal to patch the breach. Successes from
Characters operating in zero-gravity suffer a flat –2 to this step don’t carry over to subsequent rolls to complete
Agility and Agility-based skill rolls. The absence of gravity the Dramatic Task. As usual, attempts to resolve the task
also increases Pace by 3 and Strength by one die type (up or Support it in the face of Complication are made at

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to a maximum of d12). an added −2.
Newton’s laws of motion apply in zero-gravity. Any While scavenging, the crew discover the source of the
character pushing off from a stable platform, as an example, hull breach. A severely damaged escape pod lies lodged in
is propelled a number of inches equal to their full Pace plus the deck. Before anyone can comment on the discovery,
Gaia’s voice crackles in their comms.

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running die type each round until they come in contact
with a fixed object, or apply thrust in the opposite direction. “Attention. C-type asteroid detected. Collision is imminent.
Melee attacks and weapons with recoil provide thrust that ETA eight hours.”
pushes the attacker backward 1” (2” with large caliber It is possible to complete the patch and restart the
weapons or high melee damage rolls). engines at their current pace, but it leaves no room for error.
If the party is willing to sacrifice safety for speed, they only
UP AND AT ‘EM need to collect 15 Task Tokens over three rounds (instead of
Soft white light illuminates an antechamber where the 40 over four). This imposes the usual −2 penalty for Dramatic
canopies of five cryosleep chambers open slowly. Tasks and increases the penalty for Complication to a −4.
Waking from stasis is a process akin to rolling out of bed Assuming the crew resolves the Dramatic Task, it will

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with a hangover on Monday morning. Each crew member
must make a Vigor roll, or become Fatigued.
After a quick communal shower, the crew gather in the
mess hall, where they cheerfully enjoy a meal. This is an
still be a few days before they can return to cryosleep and
resume the journey home.
Failure means the entire party loses consciousness and
must make a Vigor roll. With success, they avoid a level of
Fatigue as Bumps & Bruises and awaken to find themselves
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ideal moment to inject some roleplay with an Interlude
using the Backstory focus. floating above the engineering deck.
A holographic schematic of the Galileo flickers into No longer in danger, the crew completes the job in a
existence overhead. It rotates on its axis as a female voice matter of 1d4 hours…
calmly announces, “Galileo has suffered a hull breach.” The OUT OF THE FRYING PAN
dulcet voice belongs to Gaia, the ship’s artificial intelligence
A quick assessment of the situation reveals that the Galileo
interface. “Standard protocols enacted. Surrounding decks
is limping through space, light years from the core systems
sealed. Hyperlight drive suspended. Crew revived from stasis
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with an FTL drive damaged beyond any hope of repair.

to affect repair.” Gaia intervened at the last moment, activating the FTL
The breach is localized to Engineering. The FTL drive is drive to slingshot the Galileo out of the asteroid’s path.
functional, but without power there is no artificial gravity or Surprisingly, the main engine is still intact and there is
life-support. Gaia suggests that the crew spacewalk through nominal structural damage. Even after they complete the
the breach, scavenge materials and seal it from within. She necessary repairs, however, the crew is facing a cryosleep
estimates it will take ten hours to affect repairs and restart voyage lasting over a century.
the engines.
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All things being equal, the crew must now deal with their
INTO THE BREACH uninvited guest.
Patching the breach is a two stage process run as a Quick HUNTER AND PREY
Encounter and Dramatic Task respectively. If they successfully resolve the Dramatic Task, the crew finds
Stage One: Crew members make a Piloting roll at the the escape pod the way they left it, sealed and embedded in
standing –2 zero-g penalty to traverse the hull in Vac Suits the deck. If they failed, the pod has been forced open from
using their EVA zip-guns. the inside and lies empty.
Those that fail the roll arrive at the breach with a level How and when the party deals with the stowaway is their
of Fatigue. On a Critical Failure, they also cut their vac suit business. Your duty is to the story, not the plot. Sit back
on jagged metal as they enter. Apart from a fresh Wound, and let events unfold naturally; focus instead on what you
they must patch the spacesuit or suffer Fatigue from know of the creature’s motivations and abilities to inform
decompression each round thereafter. This can lead to your decisions. That said, here is what you know as the
Incapacitation and death. Game Master:

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 SYMBIOSIS
The stowaway is an alien creature that assimilates crew is capable of modifying what is at hand should they
and mimics its victims. It was discovered by a mining need an improvised weapon.
vessel collecting core samples from an asteroid belt
in the Beta Hydri system. Before it could assimilate EVA ZIP GUN
the entire crew, its captain ordered a core meltdown The device is a hand-held propulsion system used for
intended to destroy his ship and the creature with it. spacewalks (extra-vehicular activity, or EVA). It resembles
Moments before detonation, the alien assimilated a
a pneumatic nail gun with twin tanks of highly pressurized
young girl and launched an escape pod.
hydrogen from which it derives its propellant; up to four
The creature doesn’t feel pity or remorse. It cannot

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hours at full charge.
be bargained or reasoned with. It’s driven by a single Maneuvering in zero-gravity at a Pace of 4 or less requires
instinct — to assimilate life wherever it finds it and
no roll. At Pace 6 or higher, the user must make a Piloting
spread to find more.
check to round corners or navigate with precision. If failed,

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the victim makes an Athletics roll at −2 or suffers Fatigue
AFTERMATH
This adventure could play out any number of ways depending from Bumps and Bruises.
on each player’s level of paranoia, poor decisions and bad
MT3 MULTI TORCH
dice rolls, or simple dumb luck.
Shrewd characters may invest time in Research or Notice Powerful enough to cut through metal in all of its forms,
to discover the creature’s origins. It is just as likely they this handheld tool doubles as a cutting and welding torch.
use Science to ascertain its weaknesses and capabilities to It features a flip-up display to protect the user’s vision, as
destroy or capture it for study. well as interchangeable fuel cells (hydrogen, plasma and
ion) attachable beneath the grip. Each half inch deep square
ASSIMILATION
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This adventure features a foe that assimilates and mimics its
prey. It is a big part of the story and we have a few simple
rules to help you play that out.
Any time a player character is separated from the
foot cut, or seam, made takes one full round (twice that
for Heavy Armor). When used as an improvised weapon, it
causes 3d6 damage (AP 10) and subtracts 2 from Fighting
and Parry.
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party, the other players are certain to assume they were
assimilated. Feed the paranoia and encourage them to split VAC SUIT
up. Send them on brief missions with a +2 to all checks. Or Designed to withstand the cold vacuum of space, the
offer the players a Game Master Benny to split the party; airtight and pressurized suit provides +1 Armor and shields
a tempting offer considering the Hard Choices setting rule. the wearer from radiation (+4 to rolls to resist more
The moment a character rejoins a scene, deal them a card intense sources).
face up from the Action Deck. Red suits mean all Support
An integrated ‘bubble helmet’ with a domed visor
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rolls to aid the character are made at −2.

A black suit means the character was assimilated by the provides a full field of vision and ample surface area to
creature. Assimilated characters are unaware of the fact up display information, such as atmosphere, remaining oxygen,
to the moment the creature (GM) decides to attack. Until vital statistics, temperature and incoming messages. It
then, they are under its control — as if puppet was cast also includes a top-mounted headlamp and integrated
upon them with a raise. Unlike the puppet power, control is communications rig with a range up to five miles.
never lost; it is only delayed. An integral backpack-sized carapace interlocks with the
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When ordered to assimilate or injure another, the helmet to provide up to eight hours of oxygen. If it becomes
assimilated character makes a Spirit roll opposed by the
important, a typical human can hold their breath a number
creature’s Vigor. Success means the character is able to
ignore the order. Any resistance, successful or not, forces of rounds equal to their Vigor die.
the creature to reveal its true form. When this happens, the Vac suits are easily repaired and each includes two
character gains a Benny and must immediately narrate the adhesive patches. A wearer that suffers wounds from
details of their assimilation. cutting or piercing damage in a vacuum must apply a patch
From this point forward, they continue play as the (an Athletics roll) or gain Fatigue each round from rapid
creature until it assimilates another victim, is killed or depressurization.
escapes from the ship. Incapacitated characters perish in a number of rounds
EQUIPMENT & GEAR equal to half their Vigor die. If someone reaches them before
The Galileo is adequately equipped with various tools and time runs out, they may be resuscitated with a Healing
any necessities imaginable. There are no weapons, but the roll at −2.

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 ONE SHOT WONDERS
PERSONALITIES • Fast Regeneration: The creature may attempt a natural
healing roll every round, unless Wounds were caused
THE CREATURE by fire.
This advanced parasitic entity is focused on a single goal; • Fear (−4): Hideously Cthulhuian creature.
assimilate and imitate other life forms, which serve as host • Lashing Tentacles: Str+d8. The creature may
and food source. spontaneously generate up to four tentacles (Reach +1,
It assimilates life forms by deploying autonomous body +2 to Grapple rolls) and make a free attack against up
parts or using its mass to subdue and consume prey. Using to two foes in any direction at no penalty.
the newly acquired biomass and genetic data, the creature • Mitosis: The creature can separate parts of its anatomy

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restructures itself into an identical copy of the deceased to act as autonomous creatures with the same abilities.
host in every imaginable detail, including physiological flaws Separated body parts, such as the head or limbs, spawn
and memories. arthropod-esque legs and eyes stalks and function
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, as Extras with the Resilient and Wall Walker special

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Vigor d12 abilities. Use Giant Spider stats from Savage Worlds at
Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d8, Intimidation d10, Notice Size -4 without the poison or webbing abilities.
d8, Stealth d6; plus assimilated victim’s skills • Shape Shifter: As an action, the creature may make a
Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (4) Vigor check to assume the appearance of any lifeforms
Edges: Frenzy, Level Headed (Imp) it has assimilated.
Special Abilities: • Weakness (Conjoined): Each cell or group of cells
• Armor +4: Rubbery hide spawned from the creature is self-aware. Successfully
• Bite/Claw: Str+d6 damaging attacks against them cause the primary
biomass to become Shaken.

Wound modifiers. e
• Alien: No additional damage from Called Shots,
immune to disease and poison, ignores 1 point of

• Assimilation: The creature may assimilate prey it has

Entangled or Bound with a Strength roll opposed by
• Weakness (Fire): The creature suffers twice the usual
damage from fire and fire-based attacks.
• Weakness (Organic): It cannot absorb inorganic or
metallic objects like piercings, tooth fillings, and so on.
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Spirit as an action on its turn. With success, the creature These may be clues to potential replicas.
completely absorbs the victim by the end of its next
turn and instantly heals any unresolved Wounds or
Fatigue.
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 SYMBIOSIS
PREGENERATED CHARACTERS
Below are pregenerated Seasoned characters for Symbiosis, built using the Born A Hero, More Skill Points, and Skill
Specialization Setting Rules from Savage Worlds. Piloting (EVA) d6 has been added a Core Skill for the setting.

BAKER
AGILITY PACE

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The corporate appointed captain of the Galileo, Baker is the

D6 undisputed law. Best described as fair but stern, most crew

members tend to give the character a wide berth. 6
SMARTS SKILLS PARRY

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D6 Athletics d6, Battle d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d6,
Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Piloting (EVA) d6,
Shooting d4, Stealth d4
5
SPIRIT HINDRANCES
TOUGHNESS
D8 Overconfident, Loyal, Mean
EDGES
5
STRENGTH Charismatic, Elan, Command, Common Bond, Natural WOUNDS
D6 Leader, Tactician -1 -2 -3
VIGOR
D6 e
GEAR
Uniform, personal data pad INC
-2 -1
FATIGUE
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CARLISLE
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AGILITY Carlisle is Galileo’s chief navigator and pilot and Baker’s right PACE
D8 hand. The two share a personal history that spans decades,
including a short-lived romantic relationship. 6
SMARTS SKILLS PARRY
D6 Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Electronics d4, Fighting
d4, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Piloting d10, Piloting (EVA) d6, 4
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Shooting d4, Stealth d6

SPIRIT HINDRANCES
TOUGHNESS
D6 Cautious, Hesitant, Mild-Mannered
EDGES
5
STRENGTH Ace, Ambidextrous, Extraction, Free Runner, Quick, WOUNDS
D6 Steady Hands -1 -2 -3
VIGOR
D6
GEAR
Uniform, personal data pad INC
-2 -1
FATIGUE

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 ONE SHOT WONDERS

GRAVES
AGILITY Life sciences officer, makeshift doctor… and part-time PACE
D6 alcoholic. Usually controlled and thoughtful, Graves can be
gruff and unpolished when the situation requires it. 6

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SMARTS SKILLS PARRY
D10 Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d8, Healing d8, Intimidation
d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Piloting (EVA) d6, Research d8,
Science (Exobiology) d8, Stealth d4
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SPIRIT TOUGHNESS

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HINDRANCES
D6 Habit (Major: Alcohol), Phobia (Minor: Zero-G), Stubborn
EDGES
5
STRENGTH Common Bond, Healer, Investigator, Jack-of-all-Trades, WOUNDS
D6 Liquid Courage -1 -2 -3
VIGOR
D6
GEAR
Uniform, personal data pad, medical scanner (+2 Healing INC
rolls), flask
-2 -1
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PALMER
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AGILITY Palmer is the foul-mouthed, wisecracking, cigar-chewing PACE

D6 engineer of the Galileo.
SKILLS 6
SMARTS Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Electronics d8, Fighting PARRY
D8 d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Piloting (EVA) d6, Repair d12,
Science d4, Stealth d4 5
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SPIRIT HINDRANCES TOUGHNESS

Arrogant, Hard of Hearing (Minor), Outsider (Minor: Engineer)
D6 EDGES 5
STRENGTH Alertness, Brave, Calculating, McGyver, Mr. Fix-It
WOUNDS
D6 GEAR
Uniform, personal data pad, tool kit -1 -2 -3
VIGOR
D6
INC
-2 -1
FATIGUE

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 DECKER
AGILITY Decker is Galileo’s standoffish franchise security advisor. PACE
D8 SKILLS
Athletics d10, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Notice d8,
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SMARTS Piloting (EVA) d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d8 PARRY
D6 HINDRANCES
Overconfident, Secret (Major – Synthetic)
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SPIRIT EDGES TOUGHNESS

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D6 Acrobat, Combat Acrobat, Assassin, Martial Artist
GEAR
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STRENGTH Uniform, personal data pad, 16” expandable baton (Str+d6, –2 WOUNDS
D6 to Notice if hidden)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
-1 -2 -3
VIGOR
D8
• Synthetic: These genetically engineered, bio-enhanced
individuals add +2 to recover from being Shaken; ignore 1
INC
point of Wound penalties. Enhanced reflexes add +1 Parry; -2 -1
e enhanced Vigor (+1 Toughness).
• Psychopathy: Synthetics often demonstrate sociopathic
behavior; antisocial, impaired empathy, lack of remorse,
etc. Support rolls to aid them are made at −2; they
FATIGUE
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subtract 2 from Persuasion rolls to influence non-
synthetics, and Persuasion is not a core skill for synthetics.
• Directive A-937: Synthetics are designed with a
particular purpose; serve the interests of the corporation
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• Note: Synthetics are practically indistinguishable from their human counterparts, meaning Decker is
susceptible to assimilation by the creature. In fact, the moment it becomes clear the stowaway is a
previously undiscovered life form, Decker must make a Spirit roll at −6 to subvert Directive A-937. Failure
means the character takes any action necessary to ensure the return of the creature to the corporation’s
laboratories, even at the expense of the entire crew.
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