Syndicate Introduction

1 Introduction

Welcome to the dark future of the mid-21st century. The human life is cheap and most Third World countries are completely polluted and demolished in countless wars.

Syndicate is a roleplaying game for futuristic action movies. If you have never played roleplaying games before, this is one place to start. Find an experienced game master (a person that runs RPGs) and start playing. Details are not described here, find another RPG for that.

1.1 Basic Rules for Syndicate RPG

Action is everything. Do not bog it down with character sheets, die rolls or equipment lists. Think too long, and your character is wasted.
No detailed system. Do not expect to get exact information on success, combat or skill rolls. There is none. Concentrate on playing and leave the details to the GM.
Play your character. All skills, abilities and other such things are so simplified that roleplaying is the only real way to distinguish the characters from each other.
Play it cinematic. Slide down the hills while firing. Cover when fired at, and make short attacks before ducking again. Take example from movies. But remember, normal campaigns are not as cinematic as some films. Realism is still there.
Be careful. You can still be easily killed; cinematic does not make you invulnerable. Do not be stupid and charge a dozen armed men.
Play different characters. You do not have to be a hitman or killer to survive in Syndicate. Wit and skills play an important part, and fighters just get more easily killed.

1.2 Dark World

It is year 2036 and the world is a much meaner place to live in. Big corporations rule the economic world and crush all those who oppose them. Skill and knowledge are power, and those without either are worth less than nothing.

First came the wars in the Third World. Countless bombings with biological and chemical weapons demolished most of the African, Asian and South-American nations.

Then came the global depression, famine and collapse of the political system.

The fusion was invented but various resources started to run out. Recycling and reproducing were enforced and the real power moved to those with power plants.

After the wars and the collapse of the totalitarianism, the corporations expanded their power into Third World countries, making them more and more dependent on corporate power and technology. Finally, in some countries, a vote could be hired and thus the corporations could buy votes from the poor.

For new resources and food, mass production was moved to the oceans. Gigantic corporate food droids collect seaweed and other plants from the sea, in order to produce cheap synthetic food and materials for everyday goods.

1.3 How to Start?

Read the rules about characters, character creation and check the equipment.
Create your character. Consult the GM where applicable.
Got the attitude? Now, you are ready to enter the dark future...