The Price of Knowledge - Carousing for ASE Scientists

Experimentation – ASE Scientist Carousing Table

Scientists are one of the more ridiculous classes in Anomalous Subsurface Environment, and one of the most flavorful.  Below is a carousing table for scientist, who may alternatively decide to spend money “Experimenting” rather than simply getting smashed on fermented caterpillars, chasing around nightclub performers and brawling.

"Welcome to the Temple of Science! - Consider this Bath of Gamma Rays a Bath of Honor!"

Below is a ranked table – the Scientist must roll on it regardless of the success of her save vs. poison.  Should the Scientist make the save however she will automatically gain XP equal to the money invested (as opposed to simply losing the money invested with no gain) and may add the number of points he or she made the save by to the roll (the results tend to be better that way).

D20	The Glories of  the Life of the Mind
1	Explosion, flame, mutilation and flying glass shards.  You owe the temple 1D4x1,000 GP for damage and suffer the following permanent injury(D6) 1-Facial scarring [-1 CHR] 2 – Internal injuries [-1/2 HP] 3 – bolt embedded in head [-1 INT] 4-Lost Fingers [-1 DEX] 5 – Eye Injury [-1 to hit ranged] 6 – Crushing Self Doubt [-1 WIS]
2	Brain Swap was a success; you’re now in the body of a “test subject” procured from the “field”.  Reroll all physical statistics (3D6 in order) and lose all current cybernetic enhancements.
3	It’s Escaped! Test subject for growth and strength serum escaped and rampaged through town.  You owe 1D4x100 GP in restitution to the victims or the local authorities will imprison you.
4	You cannot have progress without destruction! Start a destructive fire. Roll d6 twice. 1-2 - Burn down a few chambers of the Temple, 3-4 - Nearby buildings, 5-6 A big chunk of town goes up in smoke. 1-2 - no one knows it was you, 3-4 - Your fellow experimenters/party members know you did it, 5 – Rival scientist knows, 6 - Everybody knows.
5	Pre party for experiment raged too hard – unspeakable hangover (-2 to all rolls next session)
6	Your experiments on local children have aroused the ire of the populace. You are chased, beaten and robbed by an angry mob.  Lose all possessions and begin next session with only 1D4 HP.
7	Battle clone experiment a smashing success, but in your hubris and delight you failed to implant the proper hypno-memories. You are now hunted by an assassin of level equal to your own – with your appearance and a propensity for atrocities
8	All is vanity! So close to a breakthrough that you decided to invest all your remaining gold in the experiment, which ultimately resulted in an unsalable semi-sentient alarm clock system the size of a small horse (or similar useless mad science)
9	The mutagen worked after all! You now have (roll a D6) 1- A Pig’s nose, 2 - Glowing eyes, 3 – Odd color of skin, 4 – Scales, 5 – Neck cilia, 6 – Shamefully mutated private parts.  Regardless people find you less trustworthy and appealing (-1 CHR)
10	Minor burns.  – 1 HP/per level for next session.
11	Poorly considered cybernetic enhancement tinkering causes a blood infection.  Lose 1 HP a day until you die or you can sheepishly have a cure disease spell cast on you.
12	New scientific tattoo. 1-3 – Very scientific! 4 – Derivative!  5 -It could have been badass, but it’s off 6 – Not scientific! Insulting to other members of the Temple, they question your commitment to the cause.
13	A brilliant triumph for Science! Yet you wish you could remember more, the after party sure was something, and somehow you’ve become infatuated with a fellow scientist or worse (50%) a non-scientist.  75% chance they’re already involved with someone.
14	You’ve gone too far, breached the tissue of worlds seen things man is not supposed to see.  Anytime you roll a ‘1’ make a save vs. WIS or fall into a mad catatonic state for 1D6 turns as you remember the cold vastness beyond the stars.
15	Insult a local person of importance with you “evolutionary balderdash” or similar scientific hokum.  A save under CHR will convince the luminary that you’re just another mad scientist, failure may result in imprisonment, duels or a rumor campaign.
16	You manage to catch the attention of a senior Scientist, who dubs you a “game fellow” and recruits you for an expedition on his behalf.  Perform this duty fairly soon or face professional consequences.
17	That’s what I call a punitive expedition! Unbelievers have been shown the power of Science by the thugs you hired and your own enhanced self.  Gain an additional 1D6X100 XP for the rumble, but start next session with 1D4 less HP (minimum 1) due to the lumps you took.
18	Well at least you got a dull paper out of it.  Nothing special, your research is uninspired and unremarkable, but you learned a few things and made your devotion to Science clear.
19	Biology?  Well I guess it’s science, but it doesn’t involve lasers so we can’t give you full credit.  Your study of local fauna was a success, your GM should give you descriptions including HD, AC and Attacks for monsters you encounter next session, assuming you make an INT check for each monster you wish to identify.
20	Alchemy! It’s not strictly Scientific, but maybe just this once… recover 50% of the gold you spent on carousing plus 1D4x100GP.
21	You earned yourself some favors by turning your research over to the head cyber monk – gain 1 new cybernetic enhancement from the Scientist list appropriate to your level.
22	Successful research has enraged a rival scientist or faction of scientists, they might be mollified with gold or technology, and they might just be waiting to kill you outside town.
23	Who knew the spares would be in stock! You’ve managed to repair a broken robot which will serve you loyally as an expedition porter and research assistant (Gain a loyal Level 1D4 Robot Henchman).
24	Reputation as excellent teacher, all future Experimentation rolls at this temple cost double the amount as swarms of “students” flock to your lab and waste your resources.
25	“Solid” research, makes “important inroads” and produces “meaningful points for follow up research” . It wasn’t really a failure and next time you’re pretty sure you can do better (+1D4 to next Experimenting Save)
26	Attract an adoring lab assistant (Level 1 Scientist as free retainer) (roll a D6) 1- Romantically infatuated, 2- Sees you as way to advance career, 3- psychotic stalker will kill and replace you, 4- Schemer will sabotage your research, 5- Loyal but rock stupid, 6- Secret member of Orbital God church out to convert you.
27	Experiments prove to be mildly useful and allow the temple to construct a faddish consumer item with the letter “I” before its name (i-Spoon, i-Mat, or i-Doorknob) earning the Temple quick cash – your share is 1D4x100 GP.
28	You’ve managed to turn yourself an awkward color.  50% it’s permanent, 50% it’ll wear off in 2D6 weeks.
29	You’re not a wizard, but you’ve managed to make yourself a familiar – with Science! Small animal like robot now follows you about and can communicate with you (as find familiar spell) Roll D6 for robot form 1 –Large  spider, 2 – Sparrow, 3-Mouse, 4- Floating orb, 5- Trashcan with legs, 6 – Snake.
30	Your research reveals the location of a cache of ancient technology (as a treasure map).
31	You’ve managed to create a clone of yourself, and record your memories in its mind.  Should you be killed the clone will awake ready to avenge you – identical to your character at the time of the Experimentation roll.
32	The Decuffed wizbobulator should have been connected to the reticulated shock vambrace – arrgh! The shocks course through your body but strangely leave you not just unharmed but with a pair of glowing eyes and the ability to shoot a bolt of energy from your palm once per day (as magic missile spell).
33	Serums, Genesplicing, nanite injections, bionics – well whatever it was you were write to conduct the Experiment on yourself.  Gain +1 Str, +1 Con or +1 Dex (your pick).
34	Breakthrough! The secret of eternal life and unimaginable power.  Gain +2 points to all attributes, and the ability to levitate on command using your giant pulsing brain.  Develop megalomaniacal tendencies and try to take over the world.