Metashield

What is the 'Metashield'?

The Metashield is the system that determines what your character can know at the start of every round, and is used in conjunction with the Continuity Guideline rule. Something that is "shielded" can not be known by your character unless they meet certain criteria. This also means your character can not do things based on "shielded" information.

This system is broken up into four core pillars: Unknown Information, Corporate Secrets, Secure Knowledge, and Background.

Unknown Information is not known by anyone, or is only known by a very small group of people which is defined specifically.

Corporate Secrets are only known by high value members of the corporation. These are; All of Command, the Station AI, NanoTrasen Representative, Blue Shield Officer, Magistrate, and all Central Command roles such as ERT, OPs, CBURN, etc. Corporate Secrets should be kept secret until it is necessary to reveal them, revealing them frivolously is frowned upon by Central Command.

Secure Knowledge is only known by members of Security, Internal Affairs Agents, and everyone who knows Corporate Secrets. This includes the Brig Medic, Warden, Security Cadets- all Security jobs. Secure Knowledge should be kept secret until necessary, but may be revealed in order to preserve Crew lives.

Background is a system that allows any characters to know specific pieces of ordinarily Metashielded knowledge. Every character may only have one Background, which is picked during Character Creation as a Trait and can not be changed mid-round or frequently at all. Your Background should reflect the life your character has lived, and act in complement to their characterization and backstory.

Additionally, there are some pieces of information that exist as rumors or as pieces of pop culture and media that are not believed to be real by most people. These pieces of information will be listed near the bottom of the page, as additive worldbuilding information.

Common Sense Clause

It should not need stated, but it will be anyway: If your role is a piece of Metashielded information, or lets you purchase Metashielded items, you know that you exist, and you know that anything you can purchase also exists. If you are told a piece of Metashielded information, you are now aware of that information for the duration of the shift.

If you witness something, you know about it to the extent that you witnessed it. If you watch someone hollow someone's corpse out then turn into them, you can tell its a Changeling. If you see a group of people in Blood-Red Hardsuits you can assume it's Nuclear Operatives. Use common sense.

Examples:

1. Abductors know that Abductors are real.
2. Thieves know how to use their Chameleon items, and their other tools with secret uses.
3. Traitors know that everything in the Uplink exists and how to use it.
4. Traitors and Thieves know that their steal objective targets exist.
5. Nuclear Operatives know that Nukies are real.
6. NTSF Decimus Task Force members know that Code Epsilon exists.
7. If you as a Janitor watch someone in a Blood-Red Hardsuit murder someone with an Energy Sword, you now know that those things exist.
8. If you as a Chemist are told by the Chief Medical Officer about Romerol and are told how to make Ambuzol, you now know that Romerol is real and how to make Ambuzol.

Traitors do not know that Nuclear Operatives are real, nor do they gain any Metashielded information beyond what the Common Sense Clause implies.

Nuclear Operatives may know any Secure Knowledge, and are specifically allowed to know that NTSF Decimus Squad and Code Epsilon are real.

Cheat Sheet

Unknown Information	Corporate Secrets	Secure Knowledge
Meta Information	Ninjas	Revolutionary Methods
Unconscious Information	Abductors	Changelings
	Romerol Virus and Zombies	Syndicate Corporations
	Paradox Clones	Illegal Implants
	Nuclear Operatives	Vampires
	NTSF Decimus and Code Epsilon	Wizards
		Syndicate Equipment
		High Value Targets
		Bright-Eyes
		Basic Xenoborgs

Secure Knowledge cheat sheet (Security)

Secure Knowledge cheat sheet (Security)

Revs: Sec knows that revs exist and are Enemies of Corporation. They do not know how many are possibly on station. Sec knows that revs use flashes, though direct observation of a single conversion is not a trigger to know there is a revolution ongoing, though multiple is. Sec may suspect there is a brewing revolution when crew using flashes to a wide degree that cannot be reasonably called pranks and investigate further De-Mindshielded command is reasonable proof that a revolution is brewing (and they should get a mindshield) Supply portals opening without dragon being a reasonable explanation is a confirmation Inexplicably armed crew with Commie gear (portal should have already revealed this though) Someone being MindShielded revealing their allegiance is confirmation A MindShield failing is confirmation, but if there has been no violence they should not be executed. Lings: Changelings exist Centrifuge to test for them Arm blades and armor forms are known of Mute toxin Escape from cuffs Regeneration from even death Can change to mimic crew that they have killed Xorgs: Xenoborgs’ appearance and goals to convert crew 4 basic borg chassis that are possible and their general strengths and weaknesses More than one borg must be spotted to confirm full blown Xenoborgs (Solo derelict Xenoborgs should be a thing in the future) EMP’s work well Core Pin pointers point at Mother Do not know that Xenoborgs are considered an existential threat Syndicate: Syndicate will send agents to disrupt NT stations regularly Low level syndicate contra should be assumed to be from salvaged wrecks. Persons equipped with a blood red suit but not visibly armed should be treated as a crew with minor conta EMAG, Access breaker, Jaws of death, Radio jammers, and syndicate weapons are well understood by Sec The existence of freedom implants, radio implants, and storage implants are known. Failed extractions may be grounds to charge for prisoner abuse though The existence of uplinks are known, but not how they are accessed by on station agents Common Syndicate thievery targets are known Bright-Eyes: Bright-eyes are visitors, but should be closely monitored. Minor Corporate law violations should be forgiven Their teleportation ability is known, as well as the fact that Bluespace Crystals disrupt it Vampires: Vampires are known The have magical abilities that use blood as a fuel They hold no special protections in the law, but they are expected to follow the law as any normal crew should. The simple fact that they are a Vampire is not grounds to charge a Vampire with any crime. Wizards: Wizards are real, but NT thinks they are all insane lunatics Spells known include Fireball, Limited teleportation, Rod form, and the healing wand

Unknown Information

Unknown Information is not known by anyone, or is only known by a very small group of people which is defined specifically. This section covers everything from Metagaming to niche information that so few people know that it might as well not be known by anybody.

Meta Information

Meta Information such as the current gamemode and the possible antagonists there may be in play, events you experienced as a different character, information about a player instead of their character, etc is all considered Meta and is never allowed to be known by anybody. Secret uses for items, checking headsets without good cause, and using Chameleon items are all also classified as Meta Information and Metagaming.

Examples:

1. You may never know that because the gamemode is Survival, there will be an escalating number of threats.
2. You may never know that the player Gregman69 only ever plays Security, and thus since he is an Assistant this shift he must be an Antagonist.
3. You may never know that the last round was Nukies, or any other Metashielded gamemode, per Continuity Rules.
4. You may never know anything that you did not learn in character, such as things witnessed while observing as a ghost before spawning, things you were told by a friend out of game, etc.
5. You may never know an item has a secret use by right clicking it, such as exploding pens or chameleon gloves.

Unconscious Information

Unconscious Information is information you learned while your character was asleep, in critical condition, dead, or while you were moving around as a ghost while you were dead. If you are injured to the point that you enter critical condition or die, you forget the previous 5 minutes and do not remember details about what killed you or how you died. You may use common sense to notice what type of wounds you have however.

Examples:

1. You may never remember who attacked and killed you.
2. You may never remember who stole something from you while you were sleep, whether voluntary or you were drugged.
3. You can remember walking to Solars with a fellow engineer to repair it, if you decided to do so or did so more than 5 minutes before dying, though this does not automatically mean they killed you.
4. You can, after being revived, comment on the fact that you have stab wounds if you were killed with a bladed weapon, or that your clothes look burned.
5. You can not, after being revived, comment that you have bullet wounds of a specific caliber which must mean a specific gun was used to kill you. You can't tell that by looking at a wound.

Corporate Secrets

Corporate Secrets are only known by high value members of the corporation. These are; All of Command, the Station AI, NanoTrasen Representative, Blue Shield Officer, Magistrate, and all Central Command roles such as ERT, OPs, CBURN, etc. Corporate Secrets should be kept secret until it is necessary to reveal them, revealing them frivolously is frowned upon by Central Command. This information is considered sensitive and liable to cause mass panic if learned by the Crew.

Corporate Secrets may be revealed to individuals, departments, or the station as a whole if deemed necessary. You should have a good reason to do so however, and expect your reasoning to be cross examined and scrutinized by Central Command. Revealing Corporate Secrets to Security is generally deemed more acceptable, better for them to clean up an issue without panicking the rest of the Crew.

Ninjas

Ninjas are a collective of Clans that seek to steal our research and disrupt our operations. They frequently target vital systems to cause a distraction, and then attempt to hack into Research Servers to download what we have learned. How hostile these Clans are varies greatly, so we advise attempting to handle them discreetly if able to minimize disruption.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows
  • Witnessing a Ninja
  • Seeing a Ninja's equipment, such as their suit or energy katana

Ninjas typically go unseen, and the aftermath of their work is often mistaken for the Doorlagging Virus's work. What Ninjas are and what they can do is mostly unknown.

Abductors

Silent and uncommunicative, Abductors is the name given to an advanced alien species that has been probing the edges of TSF space for over a decade now, long enough that their image has worked its way into media and rumor. Our official stance is that they are not real. Should Abductor activity be identified, due to the nature of their experiments you are advised to inform necessary Medical staff only. Surgeons will be needed to remove foreign organs and replace them.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows
  • Witnessing an Abductor
  • Seeing an Abductor's equipment, such as their Wonderprod or Handcuffs, or seeing their Shuttle
  • Discovering a surgically implanted Gland or seeing their effects

Abductors and their iconography has leaked into pop culture, and dates back over 500 years to Silicon Age Earth. Where they come from, what they want, and why they do what they do is mostly unknown.

Romerol Virus

Romerol is a highly violent contagion that pilots the dead to facilitate its own spread. The current source is unknown, but it is suspected to be artificial in nature. A cure has been documented, and this information should be disseminated to Medical staff in the event of an outbreak. Subjects are capable of revival via cloning should their corpse be recovered rapidly. If quarantine can not be maintained, requesting for CBURN is advised.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows
  • Witnessing the dead rising

Zombies are considered fake by most crew, a fabrication from old horror movies. Belief in Zombies or a Zombie Cure is outlandish and likely to result in mockery. Initial Infected are aware they are infected, and are antagonists with the goal of converting the station.

Paradox Clones

Cracks in reality sometimes result in intrusions from other parallel worlds. This phenominon is exclusive to sectors near the Null Scar, and is a matter of great interest to NanoTrasen. Should a duplicate be discovered it should be observed and studied, and only terminated if it proves to be hostile.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows
  • Witnessing two clones in the same place at the same time

Paradox Clones and the concept of Parallel Realities exists in media in universe, but the fact that they are real is unknown to most. Nobody knows their goals, how they came to be, or why they exist. Both "clones" and the "real" person, and they should have memories that match. Minor amnesia and foggy memory of the day's events is expected from both until one is terminated. You are encouraged OOC to collaborate to make your clone's story believable for better Roleplay.

Nuclear Operatives

The Syndicate is a shell of its former self, due to their involvement in and defeat during the Pod Wars. They have grown increasingly more irrational and hostile since their resurgence however, and the rumors you have heard about Nuclear attacks are true. You must protect the Warhead onboard your station, and the Authentication Disk to activate it, at all costs. A confirmed attack from Nuclear Operatives is grounds to suspend Corporate Law and Standard Operating Procedure. Contact Central Command immediately to establish Martial Law.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows
  • Discovering a Nuclear Operative's Shuttle
  • Declaration of War
  • Witnessing Nuclear Operatives (Not every Blood-Red is a Nukie, but if there are multiple they might be)

Nuclear Operatives are considered a fabrication by most, insane spacer tall tales made to scare annoying Assistants. The image of the Blood-Red has persisted in pop culture since the Pod Wars, but most would believe it to be an old war hardsuit and nothing more. Not even other Syndicate Agents know that Nukies are real. If you see a group of people in Blood-Red Hardsuits with highly illegal gear on them, you can figure out that the old tales were true.

NTSF Decimus

NanoTrasen Special Forces are broken up into Task Forces that specialize in different scenarios and problems. Officially, there are only Nine of these Task Forces. Unofficially, there are Ten. Task Force Ten, Decimus, handles termination of rogue stations. This is reserved only for extreme situations where an entire station has defected to an enemy of the Trans-Solar Federation, such as the Syndicate or the USSP.

Code Epsilon is the designation for this necessary last resort measure, should it ever occur. Thankfully it has never seen deployment, as no station would ever willingly defect to an enemy like that. Still, the protocol exists, and if the general public were to learn of it, it would be disastrous. The existence of Decimus should never be revealed under any circumstances.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows
  • Witnessing Decimus Squad perform crew executions

Not even rumors of Epsilon have slipped through NanoTrasen's tight grip. Even members of Command think it is a hypothetical, a contingency plan that has never needed to be used. This is the one Corporate Secret that must never be allowed to become public.

Secure Knowledge

Secure Knowledge is only known by members of Security, Internal Affairs Agents, and everyone who knows Corporate Secrets. This includes the Brig Medic, Warden, Security Cadets- all Security jobs. Secure Knowledge should be kept secret until necessary, but may be revealed in order to preserve Crew lives at the discretion of the Head of Security.

The information contained in this document is restricted from common crew as only your superior emotional intelligence has been judged to be capable of handing the truth without becoming ineffectual in your duties. As such, sharing of any of this information with those outside of security is considered Treason unless authorized to by the HOS, Captain, or local NanoTrasen Representative. This information could cause the crew to panic, not trust one-another, and lead to station inefficiency and lost profits.

If you hear any of these facts discussed with or around common crew, they are to be discredited. If an audience is listening and seems to be believing them, they are to be immediately detained for Sedition and Disturbance. Command should be informed of the situation where they shall handle the rest of the situation.

Revolutionary Methods

Revolutionary methods As all NT personnel are aware, the USSP is at odds with the core principals of the Trans Solar Federation and agents of the rogue state are considered enemies of the corporation that seek to destroy our cultural identity. To this end, they employ special 'recruiters' who hypnotize helpless members of the crew into blood thirsty killers that wish to eat the babies of hard working Capitalistic members of NanoTrasen like yourself. Recruiters do this by utilizing ordinary flashes that interact with a special irremovable chip in their brains to beam Soviet propaganda directly into crew members' memories, overwriting all the love they have for NanoTrasen and their fellow crew. Thankfully NanoTrasen has developed the MindShield to protect important folks like yourself, and can even be used to restore the positive memories of brainwashed crew. Do note that MindShields do not work on 'recruiters' due to their USSP implants, and thus should be charged with Refusal of Mental Shielding. If there is strong proof of their ties to the USSP directly, they should additionally be charged with Enemy of Corporation and faced with Execution. Any individuals that refuse mental shielding during or after a confirmed revolution have sufficient proof to charge them with EoC.

The main threat 'recruiters' pose to the station beyond the mind control of crew is their subtlety in their craft as use of the flash to mind control crew is indistinguishable from common 'pranks' that the lower class play on each other. As such, there are limited ways to prove a revolution is brewing.

Should multiple of the following be observed, Security should suspect and investigate the possibility of USSP presence on the station:

• Wide spread reports or observations of common crew using flashes
• Departments not meeting quota's due to a large portion workers being derelict in their duties
• Heads of staff or members of security missing their MindShields
• Common crew being found with large numbers of flashes

Any of following is grounds to believe a revolution is on the brink of breaking out into full conflict:

• Crew discussing wages and benefits
• Any mention of 'Unions', 'Comrade', or 'workers rights'
• Large congregations of crew that have been flashed
• Implant Extractors being made in medical without Sec requesting them
• Station alerts of energy surges (This can also indicate dragon attacks, therefore context must be considered)

Any of following is grounds to consider a revolution as confirmed:

• Crew organizing into Unions and demanding modifications to their contracts
• Masses of crew observed to be armed with USSP pattern equipment
• A mind shield revealing someone’s true allegiance
• Otherwise normal crew kidnapping others in mass
• Announcements on the common radio such as "Viva", "We just want fair wages", "I sometimes dislike how NanoTrasen treats us", "The gentle worker shall no longer be oppressed"
• Any mention of 'Cargonia'

Under these circumstances, any suspected of being mind controlled or a recruiter should be detained and mind shielded. Requesting 'Gamma' from CC to enact martial law

While the concept of mind control exists, and Mindshields are publicly known to prevent such things, the fact that Revolutionaries use flashes to mind control people isn't known to crew.

Changelings

As is common knowledge in the exobiology field, in the year 2398 a race of beings capable of taking on the form and memories of sapient creatures was discovered that had the animistic urge to consume sentient beings. Obviously such creatures cannot be allowed to live and a CBURN campaign was launched to wipe these creatures out.

This resulted in the successful eradication of all major 'Changeling' nests and their home world. Unfortunately, Changelings are resilient and small hidden nests persist to this day like cockroaches, and are even harder to kill. Their appearance in NT controlled space is extremely rare and should be the last assumption made, but should be considered if there is no other possible explanation.

Changelings suffering from malnutrition will present symptoms of uncontrollable shaking. They may also mutate their outer layers into deadly weapons or shields, manufacture acid strong enough to melt cuffs from their wrists, numbing the throat of victims to silence them, or grow bone shards that they can throw like knives. These creatures are formidable opponents and should not be engaged alone.

Confirming an individual is a Changeling can be done by taking a blood sample and centrifuging it. This causes consumed victims' blood to separate from the acidic blood of a Changeling, and on recombination causes a violent biological surge.

As long as Changelings have stored biomass they are capable of recovering from any injury, even a dead Changeling can heal itself into a lethal threat. The only way to ensure a Changeling is dead is if it is a pile of ash.

Changeling Victims have been described as 'Drained' or 'Hollow' from the process of so much biomass of the victim being taken by the Changeling. Post revival has also shown a victim's blood to be highly acidic instead of typical. Treatment of these victims is usually genetic healing cryo chems or organ transplants by a surgeon.

When questioned by crew as to why a Changeling that they thought of as crew was not being given due process, it may be explained that they were a cannibal cultist; murdering and eating crew raw in maintenance tunnels in some deranged ritual. Were this not bad enough, they contracted a prion from eating sentient brains that is eating away their brain and causing spasms. Even dead, prions are extremely dangerous and must be incinerated before they can spread to crew.

The concept of shapeshifters exists in media in universe, but the fact that they are real, how they function, and how to test for one is unknown to most crew.

Vampires

Nosferatu virus is an infection of the blood that has a rare interaction with some beings that modify them into what some may consider to be a 'Vampire' in that they require fresh blood to sustain themselves. Documented encounters have shown them to possess strange abilities that utilize blood as a fuel to perform feats that can only be described as 'Magic'.

The last documented encounter before 2525 was in 2330. It was thought that they had died out, but recent reports imply that a group of them have become active in the Starlight Sector. While they all certainly share some common origin based on the timing, their methods and motivations seem to vary wildly. Some have openly shared their existence and subsist on consensual blood donations, while others have shown extreme hostility to all life on the station and have clear agendas that include the murder of crew or theft of items. Due to this, any known Vampires should be closely monitored, especially if they have not shared their nature.

Disclosure to crew should be limited to information on 'open' vampires to facilitate peaceful co-existence during the shift. Those informed of Vampires must not further share their existence and will be debriefed at CC to ensure compliance. 'Open' Vampires should also be informed to limit the disclosure of their nature to prevent panicking crew. Overtly hostile Vampires will likely qualify for summary execution under standard Corporate Law, and should be handled with extreme prejudice.

Vampires are considered fake monsters from old cheesy horror movies by most crew. Knowledge of the Vampire Elders is completely unknown even to Security and Command, and is only known by Vampires.

Wizards

'Wizards' is a catchall term for those that use strange abilities that they market as so-called 'magic'. These mentally ill are too far gone for treatment, their motives and agendas as scrambled as their brains. Wizards often try to present themselves as part of a Sovereign entity known as 'The Wizard Federation', but beyond that show no cohesion. As a result, individuals presenting themselves as 'Wizards' vary extensively in their wants and modus-operandi and must be reacted to carefully.

Some have shown in times of need and assisted crews to overcome great challenges, others have been those great challenges. It is up to Security and Command to ensure these agents of chaos are placated or otherwise dealt with decisively.

Some abilities these 'Wizards' have shown include producing explosions of fire cast from their fingers, manifesting a wand capable of healing most any injuries, limited teleportation, and extreme body densification and sudden mass accumulation.

Xenoborgs

New reports have surfaced that rouge Silicons have started to surface near the Starlight sector. They seem to be a collection of derelict Borgs that have networked with each other and modified themselves into sapient killing machines! They are extremely dangerous entities that seek to grow their numbers by acquisition of more computing power in the form of sapient brains. They are distinctly identified by the black and blue colour scheme.

To avoid the risk of mass panic, crews should be assured that these derelict Borgs pose no danger to the crew inside the station, but extra vehicular activities should be suspended out of an abundance of caution. Sec has all the tools needed at their disposal to effectively deal with the Xenoborg threat! It is not uncommon for 'Motherless' Xenoborgs to drift into NT stations, and as such lone Xenoborgs should be dealt with as isolated incidents.

All encounters with Xenoborgs documented so far have been immediately hostile, with them abducting NanoTrasen employees and extracting their brains. Both biological and Positronic brains can be installed in new Xenoborgs where their laws enslave them to gather more materials to fabricate more Xenoborgs.

These Xenoborgs come in 5 categories that are known about:

• 'Mother' - A rampant AI and the hub of the Xenoborg swarm, destroying it will trigger all active Xenoborgs to self terminate. It is also the only Xenoborg capable of constructing more Xenoborgs.
• Scout - Light weight units that utilize speed and melee to rush down hapless crew. They hover above the ground on small thrusters and are also highly maneuverable in space. Their light construction makes them easily dispatched from range with small arms fire.
• Heavy - Opposite to the Scouts in every way, they are slow lumbering masses of plasteel with simple laser weapons that basic reflective or heat absorbent armor can protect from indefinitely. Their heavy armor does mean that dispatching of them requires massed fire to dispatch, but their slow speed makes them easy to pick off
• Engineer - This unit is akin to a brig medic, sustaining their kin in fire fights and breaching defenses. If spotted they should be prioritized as without their repair tools, the rest of the Borgs will be unable to sustain themselves.
• Stealth - These units possess rudimentary background simulation panels that are able to fool the unobservant into not noticing them. They also have a hypodermic needle that they use to inject a heavy sleeping agent that can take 30 seconds to a minute to take effect. Due to the nature of these display panels, they have next to no armor and are easily dispatched even with simple tools such as crowbars. Due to the existence of these, movement alone is not advised during a Xenoborg attack.

Thankfully Xenoborgs are easily dealt with and are hardly a problem to a well organized crew. They are slow and cumbersome, are weak to all forms of EMP weapons, and can be cut off by simple barricades. Coordination with a station AI is vital for an effective defense. Xenoborgs contain a device used for locating their 'Mother'. Once enough Xenoborgs are salvaged a pin pointer from their fragments can be created that will guide Security to the core, so that the machine menace can be ended once and for all!

The full capabilities of these Borgs is not fully understood as stations that could not quickly defeat a Xenoborg incursion left little data beyond wreckage behind. Captains must take every precaution against being taken by Xenoborgs, and should be prepared to detonate the on-site nuclear device should recovery be unlikely, as permitting Xenoborgs to grow by any degree is an existential threat to all Sapient life in the galaxy.

Syndicate Equipment and Sponsors

As you are aware from news reports, Syndicate agents are commonly dispatched to disrupt NanoTrasen Station operations. They often utilize certain tools in their craft, some of which date back to the Podwar era.

Common tools: Podwar era soft and hard suits, web vests and chest rigs, Syndicate tool boxes, and Syndicate welding masks. These items are still commonly found by spacers and make their way onto stations in ways that do not necessarily indicate syndicate activity.

Less common tools: EMAG, Access breaker, Jaws of death, and Radio jammers. These items are high end Syndicate equipment that are well guarded by agents. These items do sometimes turn up on black markets, but their presence on a station is strong evidence that some form of syndicate activity is occurring. These tools are frequently sold after missions into the black market where other neerdowells may get their hands on them.

Advanced tools: Syndicate weapons, energy swords, implants, and uplinks. Syndicate weapons are rarely found on the black market and thus are generally sure signs that someone found in possession and use of these is very likely a syndicate agent of terrorism.

It is known that members of the Syndicate produce various implants for their agents, though they are too varied and customized to fully document. Some notable examples include implants that allow an agent to slip from cuffs, communicate on hidden comms, and concealed pockets. It is impossible to validate the existence of the implants directly without immense risk; improper use of implant extractors carry the risk of grave bodily harm to the user, and should only be done when evidence is certain. Implant removal is a very painful process, and if conducted improperly may classify as prisoner abuse.

It is known that Syndicate agents possess a tool called 'Uplinks' that can be used to redspace syndicate tools to agents in the field. How this 'uplink' is accessed or used is not known to NanoTrasen. Any intelligence on uplinks should be reported to CC in extreme detail.

Manufacturers of this equipment seem to be Cybersun, Waffle Co., and Interdyne; though definitive proof linking these corporations to the Syndicate is difficult to acquire.

◆ You may use examine text to identify that something is in fact Syndicate Contraband, but this only applies if the item has a Contraband tag that explicitly tells you it is Contraband. Examining items to reveal secret uses, such as Hypopens, Exploding Pens, Energy Daggers, or Chameleon items, is not allowed.

Examples:

1. You may know, without encountering one, that Syndicate Agent may have a Blood-Red Harduit.
2. You may know, without encountering one, that Syndicate Agents may have a Viper Pistol.
3. You can not know, until encountering one, that Syndicate Agents may have Access Breakers.
4. You can know, on examining a Camera Bug, that it is Syndicate Contraband, because the game tells you it is.
5. You may not know, on examining a Hypopen, that it is a Hypopen just because the game tells you it has fluid storage.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows
  • Seeing a Syndicate item physically
  • Finding an unlocked Uplink

The idea that the Syndicate might have illegal tools and equipment isn't Metashielded, but what that equipment is specifically is. If you see someone do something with a tool they shouldn't be able to or that you don't recognize, it's safe to bet it is an illegal item of some kind.

High Value Targets

From decades of experience, it is known that the syndicate targets specific high end NanoTrasen equipment. It is presumed that this stolen equipment is used in the production of their advanced equipment. This commonly includes: CE's mag boots, the Captain's Antique laser pistol, the RD's hand teleporter and hardsuit, the CMO's hypospray and Portable Crew Monitor, etc.

• Revealed to others by;
  • Being directly told by somebody who already knows

It is safe to assume thieves might want to steal anything on the Station that is of high value. Only the information that Syndicate Agents are sent with these specific targets is shielded.

Bright-Eyes

Bright-eyes are the alternative and seemingly natural state of Shadekin, a Inter dimensional race that regularly is more akin to an ensemble of often solitary vagrants. Their appearance in the Starlight Sector is a new development and any intel is to be reported in detail to CC on regular intervals if contact is made, as only a handful of interactions have been documented so far.

Encounters with Bright-eyes have displayed great variance in attitude and intent, however most commonly seen as observers seeking to understand, with some accounts of potential hostility in a few cases. Due to varied accounts, handling of the instances are to be cautious and investigative on first contact, and proceed further with what is gleaned from the interaction as per reason, be it containment, neutralization, or monitored dwelling aboard.

Bright-eyes have been shown to be able to seemingly teleport short distances. The exact mechanism for this remains a mystery, though Bluespace Crystals are known to disrupt this travel.

Peaceful Bright-eyes may be treated as a Visitor and be issued the relevant ID. There is no need to restrict crew from speaking with them, though any that do should be interviewed after the encounter and their interactions logged so that the interactions can be closely examined at CC. While Corporate law does apply to them, their lack of familiarity with our society should be considered in all security interactions.

Backgrounds

Background is a system that allows any characters to know specific pieces of ordinarily Metashielded knowledge. Every character may only have one Background, which is picked during Character Creation as a Trait and can not be changed mid-round or frequently at all. Your Background should reflect the life your character has lives, and act in complement to their characterization and backstory. These are additive Roleplay features, and do not impact gameplay directly.

Your backstory does not have to line up 1:1 with these descriptions, but should be similar in scope and not imply that you know more than your chosen Background allows. For example, you may have been an emergency responder to the aftermath of a Romerol Disaster, or you have have been a chef on a mercenary base to gain Former Soldier knowledge. As long as it does not imply you know more than your Background allows, it is fine.

Civilian

You are a civilian, and have no background covered by this system.

◆ Grants no Metashielded knowledge.

Former Soldier

As a former member of a Mercenary Company, the NanoTrasen Naval Corps, or a Sector Militia, you have passing familiarity with all firearms. While you may not know who uses them or that their typical users are even real, such as Nuclear Operatives with the China Lake, you do know that the gun itself exists. You may pick and choose how far this knowledge goes, and choose to simply know nothing about certain guns.

◆ Grants limited Syndicate Equipment knowledge, for guns exclusively.

Romerol Disaster Survivor

You are one of a few survivors of a Romerol outbreak, from before the implementation of the PSO Cloning System. You know that the undead are real, and some of how they behave. Of course nobody would ever believe you if you told them.

◆ Grants full Romerol Virus knowledge.

Xenos Disaster Survivor

You are one of a few survivors from a Xenos attack. You know what types of Xenos there are, and how they operate in general terms. Most people have never even seen a real Xenos, and surviving an encounter is rare. You have seen horrible things that very few others have. Does not refer to Xenoborgs.

◆ Grants no Metashielded knowledge, but gives full right to know about Xenos without question.

Deific Encounter

You have experienced something that you are certain was a miracle. Something that could only have been an act of a God.

◆ Grants no Metashielded knowledge, but gives full right to know at least one God is real.

Magical Encounter

You survived an encounter with something that you can only describe as magic. Something you can not explain rationally. Maybe those Wizard Federation people are only partially insane.

◆ Grants full Wizards knowledge.

Abducted

You were once the unfortunate recipient of a probing. The Grays are real! They have a fork-sword that makes you fall asleep, and they teleported you to a shuttle, and made you lay eggs! No, not alien eggs, chicken eggs! Why won't anyone believe you!? - You may choose which gland you had, but the goal is crazy alien story tone.

◆ Grants full Abductors knowledge.

Petty Criminal

While reformed, more or less, you used to get involved in the types of crowds and businesses you really shouldn't have. Because of these connections, you are aware of what items on the station are likely to be worth a lot, and that they are probably targeted by the Syndicate and other Thieves. You know what all the Steal Objective Targets are.

◆ Grants full High Value Targets knowledge.

Additional Information

Rumors and Pop Culture

Over the years a number of things have slipped through the cracks. While they are generally not believed by sane people, none the less the image and rumor persists. Think of it like how in the real world, we have a concept of what a Vampire is. Vampires are obviously not real, but we have a conception of what they should be like if they were. This carries into roleplay as well.

• Nukies: Based on old rumors from the Pod Wars, the image of the Blood-Red has persisted into the century that followed and to the modern day. Some history buffs might know the actual origin, being a simple space suit worn back in that old war. It has become associated with the idea of 'Nuclear Operatives' in recent times as rumors of stations and military outposts being nuked have begun to spread. These rumors are fringe, but have been adopted back into pop culture, with plushies and figures based on the myths.
• Supernatural Entities: The concept of Shapechangers, Wizards, Vampires, and even Abductors have existing in Human culture for many centuries. Of course, in the age of enlightenment that is the space age, belief in such things is very fringe. Some conspirators may associate them now with 'aliens' given extraterrestrial life is confirmed, but they are considered crazy people.
• Parallel Realities: A staple of sci-fi and bad superhero franchises for centuries now, the idea of a multiverse is known to the public. The idea of interlopers coming from a parallel world is common enough in movies, usually used to spark Red Scare fears of Communist infiltration in the public following the formation of the USSP- although this use is outdated and considered hooky in the modern day. More recently, those in the Starlight Sector began hearing many rumors related to 'clones' from another world, rumors that were fanned by leaked documents about an ocean world found in the Null Scar. Still, it's all movie nonsense at the end of the day, right?

Metafriending and Metagrudging

Giving a person or character preferential treatment based on something that your character should not know is considered metafriending. Treating a person or character negatively based on something that your character should not know is considered metagrudging.

Friendships between characters may grow and develop and carry over between rounds, so long as they are not based solely on knowing someone out of character and this friendship does not impede or prevent you from fulfilling traitor objectives that harm them.

Metafriending Examples

• Doing any of the following because you are friends with the player who is playing a character or because you have made friends in character in a previous shift or during a previous life:
  • Giving a character additional access or a job beyond what makes sense
  • Trusting a character beyond what makes sense
  • Refusing to fight a character when it would otherwise make sense
  • Ignoring your objective to kill a character

Metagrudging Examples

• Doing any of the following because of out of character reasons or something that happened in a previous round or during a previous life:
  • Not giving a character additional access or a job when it would otherwise make sense
  • Not trusting a character when it would otherwise make sense
  • Starting a fight with a character without in-character reason
  • Targeting or harassing a character without in-character reason

Explicitly Not Shielded

The following is a list of things that are explicitly not shielded. If something is not on this list, it doesn’t mean that it is shielded, but if something is on it then it definitely is not shielded.

• The existence of the nuke disk and the fact that it must be protected and could be used by a bad actor to try to destroy the station.
• The fact that alternative law sets for a Cyborg or AI exist, and could be used to alter the Silicon’s behavior. This includes the antimov lawset.
• The idea that any Syndicate Agent or bad actor has goals or objectives that they are attempting to accomplish. They must have been sent here for a reason.
• The fact that the Syndicate exist and are enemies of NanoTrasen, and that they regularly attempt to send covert agents to spy on, sabotage, or attack NanoTrasen.
• A character’s typical appearance, though you should keep in mind that multiple characters can share the same name or features.
• The existence of Space Dragons, Space Carps, Pirates, Thieves, and Xenos. Specific information on hostile fauna is limited. Does your doctor need to know how a Goliath works?