Act 2 Roving Pursuit System
Act 2 Roving Pursuit System
VantaCore and Helix Meridian are represented by separate enemy markers that move across the Act 2 regional map.
Neither faction remains tied to a specific encounter location. Their forces travel between safehouses, routes, settlements, and industrial sites while searching for the twins.
Pursuit Markers
Place two markers on the regional map:
| Marker | Force | Typical Assets |
|---|---|---|
| VantaCore Hunter Cell | Living operatives and mercenaries | Onyx agents, infiltrators, ash skimmers, capture specialists |
| Helix Recovery Pack | Fully automated recovery force | Cyber-hounds, drones, interceptors, restraint platforms |
The markers begin at different map edges or known corporate facilities.
Their exact starting locations can depend on how Act 1 ended.
Floating Across the Map
Each enemy marker occupies a map node but is not attached to a fixed encounter.
At the end of every pursuit interval, each marker can:
- Move one connected route toward the party.
- Investigate its current node.
- Remain in place to establish surveillance.
- Move toward a detected safehouse.
- Follow a false trail created by the party.
- Move toward Rookhaven if it loses the party completely.
Enemy markers do not need to use the same routes as the party. Helix drones may cross exposed terrain, while VantaCore operatives may use vehicles, bribed contacts, or commercial routes.
The GM should normally keep the markers visible. The players may know where enemy forces were last reported without knowing exactly what those forces intend to do next.
Pursuit Interval
Make one pursuit check after:
- Every four hours of significant travel
- Every completed route segment
- Every extended rest outside a secure safehouse
- Any major use of the twins’ resonance powers
- Any loud vehicle encounter or open firefight
Only make one check when several triggers happen during the same scene.
A quiet night inside an uncompromised safehouse does not normally require a pursuit check.
Heat Index
Heat measures how accurately the two enemy factions can track the party.
| Heat | Pursuit Condition |
|---|---|
| 0–1 | Search is scattered and unfocused |
| 2–3 | Regional patrols are active |
| 4–5 | The party’s likely route is known |
| 6–7 | Dedicated hunter forces are closing in |
| 8–9 | Most safe routes are under observation |
| 10 | Both factions know the party is approaching Rookhaven |
Increasing Heat
Heat usually increases by 1 when the party:
- Uses the twins’ powers openly
- Travels in a recognizable vehicle
- Leaves witnesses able to report them
- Fails a major infiltration or stealth challenge
- Uses compromised communications
- Remains at one safehouse too long
- Leads an enemy directly to a Rook location
A major failure or public battle may increase Heat by 2.
Reducing Heat
Heat can be reduced by:
- Changing vehicles
- Traveling through subterranean routes
- Destroying tracking devices
- Sending false transmissions
- Exposing an infiltrator
- Leaving a convincing false trail
- Temporarily shutting down a surveillance network
Heat should rarely fall below 0 or rise above 10.
Travel Posture
Before each route segment, the party selects a travel posture.
| Posture | Effect |
|---|---|
| Hustle | Reduce journey Delay, but take a –2 circumstance penalty to the pursuit check |
| Normal Travel | No modifier |
| Concealed Travel | Gain a +2 circumstance bonus to the pursuit check, but the route takes longer |
| False Trail | No travel progress; attempt a relevant skill check to move one enemy marker away from the party |
Useful skills for concealed travel or false trails include Stealth, Survival, Computers, Deception, and appropriate Lore skills.
Pursuit Check
At each pursuit interval, the GM makes a secret pursuit check.
Roll:
1d20 + current Heat + route modifiers
against DC 16.
The party’s travel posture modifies this roll:
- Concealed Travel applies –2 to the GM’s roll.
- Hustle applies +2 to the GM’s roll.
- Particularly exposed terrain can apply +1 or +2.
- Underground or shielded routes can apply –1 or –2.
Critical Success
Both factions accurately converge on the party’s current or next map node.
VantaCore and Helix encounter each other before either can complete its attack on the party.
The collision occurs close enough that the party can:
- Avoid the battle and continue traveling.
- Observe the fight.
- Intervene against one or both factions.
- Wait and attack the survivors.
- Slip through while both sides are occupied.
If the party avoids involvement, resolve a quick conflict between the two factions.
Success
The nearest enemy marker moves into the party’s node.
The party encounters that faction.
The encounter’s difficulty depends on Heat:
| Heat | Encounter Difficulty |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | Low |
| 3–5 | Moderate |
| 6–8 | Severe |
| 9–10 | Severe with reinforcements or an additional objective |
The other enemy marker moves one route segment toward the disturbance.
Failure
No direct encounter occurs.
Move each enemy marker one route segment according to its current information.
The party may notice signs of nearby pursuit, such as drone contrails, intercepted transmissions, disturbed ash, abandoned equipment, or frightened travelers.
Critical Failure
The party’s concealment, misinformation, or route choice sends both factions toward the wrong location.
Move both enemy markers into the same map node away from the party.
They encounter one another and fight while the party remains clear.
Resolve their clash using the quick conflict rules.
Quick Conflict Between Pursuers
Each enemy marker has a Force Rating.
| Force | Starting Rating |
|---|---|
| VantaCore Hunter Cell | 4 |
| Helix Recovery Pack | 4 |
Modify the rating when appropriate:
- Strong reinforcements: +1
- Previously weakened: –1
- Ambushed: –1
- Defensive position: +1
- Major vehicle or heavy unit present: +1
Each faction rolls:
1d20 + Force Rating
The higher result wins.
Conflict Results
| Result | Effect |
|---|---|
| Winner | Loses 1 Force Rating and remains on the map |
| Loser | Loses 2 Force Rating and retreats one route segment |
| Tie | Both lose 1 Force Rating and retreat in different directions |
| Victory by 10 or more | Loser loses 3 Force Rating instead of 2 |
The surviving or retreating factions continue hunting the party in their weakened state.
A faction reduced to Force Rating 0 is temporarily removed from the map.
It returns after two pursuit intervals with Force Rating 2, representing replacement units or a newly assembled hunter cell.
Effects of a Weakened Force
| Force Rating | Condition |
|---|---|
| 4–5 | Full-strength pursuit group |
| 3 | Normal encounter |
| 2 | Weak encounter or damaged vehicle group |
| 1 | Small survivor team, lone machine, or infiltrator pair |
| 0 | Temporarily eliminated |
A weakened force might appear with:
- Missing personnel
- Reduced ammunition
- Damaged vehicles
- Disabled communications
- Injured operatives
- Machines already below full Hit Points
- No access to its strongest special ability
The party may deliberately lure the two forces together to weaken both before reaching Rookhaven.
Enemy Movement Priorities
VantaCore
VantaCore follows people and information.
Its marker moves toward:
- A compromised Rook contact
- The party’s last known safehouse
- A stolen or tagged vehicle
- Reports of the twins
- Rookhaven
VantaCore is more likely to wait, infiltrate, or establish an ambush than attack immediately.
Helix Meridian
Helix follows signals and infrastructure.
Its marker moves toward:
- An active resonance signature
- Omicron-9 tracking data
- Helix-made vehicles or equipment
- Automated surveillance detections
- Major power or communications usage
- Rookhaven
Helix machines usually take the shortest available route and attack once they confirm a target.
Safehouse Detection
When an enemy marker enters a safehouse node, the safehouse is not automatically destroyed.
The GM determines what the enemy finds based on Heat and the party’s precautions.
| Circumstance | Result |
|---|---|
| Safehouse uncompromised, Heat 0–3 | Enemy finds no entrance |
| Safehouse recently evacuated | Enemy finds signs but no residents |
| Tracking device present | Enemy locates the outer defenses |
| Infiltrator active | VantaCore gains access or plants sabotage |
| Helix infrastructure still active | Automated systems may identify the location |
| Party remains inside | Run a defense, escape, or infiltration encounter |
This allows the pursuit markers to threaten the network without automatically removing every location they visit.
Reaching Rookhaven
Both markers continue floating across the map until the Rookhaven climax.
Their condition determines the attack.
| Act 2 Result | Rookhaven Effect |
|---|---|
| Both forces remain strong | Two major attacks arrive during the climax |
| One force is weakened | Its Rookhaven force arrives damaged or late |
| Both forces are weakened | The Rooks face smaller but unpredictable attacks |
| One force is temporarily eliminated | That faction arrives only during the final stage |
| Party reaches Heat 10 | Both factions know Rookhaven’s location |
| Party reaches Rookhaven at low Heat | The attack still occurs, but the Rooks receive more preparation time |
The party cannot completely prevent the climax, but it can determine when each enemy arrives, how strong it is, and whether the two hostile forces are already fighting each other.