Freedom Fighter Survivors as Difficulty Control
GM Tool — Freedom Fighter Survivors
The exact number of Freedom Fighters who escape the cell block is intentionally flexible. Decide after Scene 2, once you know how depleted the party is. Do not roll publicly or treat the number as a retcon; describe survivors arriving from side conduits, carrying wounded companions, or failing to answer Rook's comm calls.
| Party Condition | FFs Still Mobile | Use at the Table |
|---|---|---|
| Strong; most resources intact | Rook plus 0–1 | No active specialist. Survivors escort the twins and manage off-map threats. |
| Normal attrition | Rook plus 2 | Choose one active specialist who fills the party's weakest skill role. |
| Weak, badly injured, or missing a core role | Rook plus 3 | Choose one active specialist. A second survivor can provide one emergency assist during the route. |
| Crisis; likely defeat without help | Rook plus 4 | Use two specialists or remove 20 XP of enemies from the chosen route. Never do both unless the group is in immediate danger of a total defeat. |
Selecting the Active Specialist
| Missing Need | Choose | Best Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine or emergency recovery | Sera “Patch” Vey | Stabilization, field treatment, suit sealing |
| Computers, Crafting, or Thievery | Kip-9 “Latch” | Bypass work, repairs, security systems |
| Front line, Athletics, or protection | Brakka Tor | Cover, forced doors, carrying wounded |
| Survival, Stealth, or Perception | Nima Sable | Scouting, route finding, hazard warning |
Keep the PCs central. Specialists do not take complete three-action turns and do not solve a challenge alone. Each provides the single support benefit on their NPC page, normally once per encounter. Other FFs remain in the fiction: carrying the wounded, guarding the twins, holding a rear door, or drawing off patrols.