Sanctuary is many things to many people. Here's what some of them say about it:
The Pro-Human League
The last bastion of human purity against the mutant and cyborg hordes; the only place left where people can be safe.
The Anarchists
A fun place where everyone can become free by working together in their own ways.
Mind's Apex
A key point for the mentally advanced to demonstrate their superiority and achieve their rightful place in the world.
Evolvers
A center for personal development through trial and constant testing, where the core of humanity's successors will be born.
True Republic
One more center where civilized people can control their destiny by choosing their own strong leaders to carry them through life's trials.
Democratic Rule Of The People
A city that can be run entirely though decisions of the people.
Communists
A demonstration site that can prove the power and liberty of fair and equal treatment for all.
You
The place where your long-stored clone was activated, and where you find yourself as you try to figure out what the hell is going on.
You may wonder why these factions all disagree so much. Sanctuary is ruled, in principle, by an Executive Council made up of appointees from each faction. The best-supported faction's Executive (as determined during monthly censuses) becomes the Chief Executive of Sanctuary. In practice, the Chief Executive has total control over Sanctuary's legal system and deployment of the Robotic Guard, who enforce law. Each faction tries to gain control of Sanctuary to push their own agenda. By joining a faction, you increase their chances of becoming the ruling faction.
They also pay pretty well.
Of course, each faction has its own agenda and expects certain services from faction members to advance that agenda, whether or not they are in control.
You can change your faction affiliation at any time by entering a faction affiliation request in Sanctuary's computer system. As soon as the faction's leader approves the change, you're in! You may want to speak to a faction recruiter beforehand to see what the faction expects from you and whether they pay a signing bonus and/or require you to sign a contract before approving your change. That all depends.
As a citizen of Sanctuary, you are a valued and productive member of the community. You have certain responsibilities to that community and you gain certain benefits.
Citizen responsibilities vary. Almost all citizens have certain assigned tasks to help maintain the smooth functioning of Sanctuary and its systems. You will be informed of the tasks required of you.
There are many benefits to being a citizen of Sanctuary. Obviously, you share in the safety of Sanctuary's walls that protect you from the mutants and other dangers... outside. You enjoy the order of a well-governed citadel. And you have the opportunity to bid on missions to serve Sanctuary, during which you may eliminate threats to the community or acquire valuable resources that are necessary for its continued smooth operation. You and your faction receive valuable bonuses for your successful completion of these missions. Of course, there are some minimal risks involved, but you can handle that, right?
In order to help serve Sanctuary as well as possible, you recieved advanced training as soon as you were brought out of the clone tanks. It was a sign of Sanctuary's generosity that you were allowed to decide on the precise nature of this training.
All new clones receive 10 character points which they can distribute between the available skills. They must also choose a training path which determines the primary focus of their training, now and in the future.
The table below lists the skills and the character point cost for each skill, depending on your training path. Anyone can learn any skill, but each skill is easiest for people of a certain training path. Skills with a listed cost of a number followed by a * can be purchased in multiple levels. Some, such as Assassinate and Escape Bonds, may only used once per game for each purchase of the skill (of course, if you die, your clone is "fresh" and has all of your skills as if you hadn't used them). Mentalism and Machine Empathy each provide one Mentalism or Machine Empathy Point for each purchase; see the skill descriptions for more detail. Pharmacology may be purchased in multiple levels to represent more advanced training.
| Skill | Soldier | Tech | Doctor | Mentalist | Spy | Prerequisites |
| Energy Weapon | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Automatic Weapon | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Energy Weapon |
| Melee Weapon | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Vitality | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Waylay | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | Melee Weapon |
| Assassinate | 3* | 3* | 2* | 3* | 2* | Any Weapon |
| Computer Use | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Computer Hacking | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | Computer Use |
| Electronic Lockpicking | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| Alter Lock Code | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | Electronic Lockpicking |
| Escape Bonds | 4* | 4* | 4* | 4* | 2* | |
| Set Traps | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Repair Equipment | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| First Aid | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
| Advanced Medic | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | First Aid |
| Surgery | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Advanced Medic |
| Pharmacology | 3* | 2* | 1* | 3* | 3* | |
| Mentalism | 2* | 2* | 2* | 1* | 2* | (plus cost of each power) |
| Machine Empathy | 2* | 1* | 2* | 2* | 2* | (plus cost of each power) |
Energy Weapon
The ability to use any one- or two-shot energy weapon. These weapons are represented by Nerf guns of any type and do one point of damage per hit. Armor does not protect against energy weapons but deflectors do protect.
Automatic Weapon
The ability to use any energy weapon with more than two shots (gatling, chain feed, etc.). Aside from the higher capacity, these have the same effects as normal energy weapons and any rule that applies to Energy Weapons also refers to Automatic Weapons.
Melee Weapon
The ability to use any melee weapon. Melee weapons are represented by any safe boffer weapon (all melee weapons must be checked in and approved before the game). All melee weapons do one point of damage per hit and both armor and deflectors protect against them.
Vitality
Vitality grants one extra damage point. A maximum of two levels may be purchased (which means you can take three points of damage). Energy weapons are just deadly. Try not to get shot, eh?
Waylay
By touching someone on the upper part of their back with any melee weapon and saying "Waylay," you knock them unconscious for 10 minutes. Only First Aid or certain drugs will awaken them early. Waylay is ineffective if your victim is wearing a helmet.
Assassinate
To use this skill, you must use a melee weapon or an energy weapon at point blank range (no more than arm's length away) to hit your victim in the torso by surprise as you say "Assassinate." If successful, they are instantly dead.
Computer Use
This skill is necessary to operate any computer for any reason. If you don't have this skill, you need someone's help to vote, change your faction, or make any change to your account (including changing your passwords).
Anyone with Computer Use can check public information. Everyone has a personal password which can be used to check their Faction Affiliation (and alter it when used with a Affiliation Change Password for the new faction), current Cloning Instructions, and credit level. Any piece of information stored in the computer can be altered by anyone with Computer Use if they know the correct password. However, to do so, they must be logged in with a user password and a record of suspected system tampering will be made if they enter an incorrect password three times in a row.
Computer Hacking
Advanced computer users can use this skill to bypass any password required to access or alter any computer setting. Successful use of this skill will require passing some kind of test of ability on the computer, and the difficulty of this test may depend on the importance of the password you are trying to circumvent.
Cloning instructions, faction affiliation, and guard instructions can all be determined or even altered using Computer Hacking. Access Codes for restricted areas can be obtained using Computer Hacking if they are recorded in the system. User passwords can also be determined or altered.
Electronic Lockpicking
This skill allows you to manipulate electronic locks without the correct code. Electronic locks are numeric keypads. The lock opens on a correct entry or does 2 points of damage on incorrect entry (a buzzer will sound to notify you of your error). These locks can be placed on doors, force doors, boxes, or pieces of equipment.
Force Doors, controlled by Electronic Locks, are indicated by open portals ringed with light. When the light is on, nothing may pass through the portal. When the light flashes, people may enter, slowly, but projectile weapons cannot fire through. When the lights are off, anyone can pass normally.
Alter Lock Code
A lock that has been picked or opened can have its lock code changed by a character with this skill.
Escape Bonds
This skill can be used to escape any bonds (rope, force manacles, etc.) placed on the character. It requires one minute of undisturbed concentration; if you are prevented from concentrating you must start over.
Set Trap
Any event-triggered Grenade or Strobe can be set or disarmed with this skill. You must acquire the trap during the game. Characters without this skill may attempt to avoid setting off the trap but cannot disarm it.
Grenades are usually padded, throwable devices which flash brightly once (like a camera flash). These do one point of damage and stun anyone affected (causing them to fall down and be unable to act for 10 seconds). Deflectors prevent the stunning effect if they are operational (ie, if they still have protective value).
Strobes do 3 points of damage and stun as grenades; again, Deflectors prevent stunning.
Repair Equipment
This skill can be used to repair armor, deflectors, weapons, and robots. It takes one minute to restore one point of armor or vitality to armor, deflectors, or robots or to repair a non-functional weapon.
First Aid
First aid allows restoring consciousness to those who have fallen unconscious due to damage. It takes one minute.
Advanced Medic
This skill allows the restoration of Vitality even to those who have not fallen. It takes one minute to apply. It also allows you to use advanced medical equipment (if you possess any) such as Resuscitators and Mechanical Anesthesia.
Surgery
Trained surgeons can implant or remove Control Implants. Control Implants are computer chips which are attached (with spirit gum) anywhere on the neck of a subject. Each implant will have identifying markings and an associated instruction card for the subject to read and carry. If an implant is removed, the card must be taken with it (but it can only be read by a subject who the implant has been implanted in).
A surgeon who also has the Repair skill (a "Cyborg Specialist") and the necessary parts (which must be acquired during play) can convert a human into a Cyborg. This process takes several weeks and occurs between games. Cyborgs will be informed of the relevant rules after the process is completed.
You may not perform Surgery on yourself.
This skill is a necessary prerequisite for learning to operate the cloning facility, but is not sufficient for that purpose.
Pharmacology
A pharmacologist can identify drugs and learn how to make drugs from components. Pharmacologists will be informed of the rules for this system after taking the skill. Additional levels of pharmacology skill indicate additional knowledge of the system.
Mentalism
Mentalism is training in the powers of the mind. It allows a number of nearly miraculous effects. Any user of mentalism has as many mentalism points as he has purchased levels of the Mentalism skill. Each power costs a certain number of these points to use. These points are restored at the beginning of each game or when a new clone is activated.
In addition to purchasing Mentalism skill, the user must also purchase each power with character points. Each power costs as many character points to learn as it costs mentalism points to use. For example, Joe Mentalist has ten character points. He decides he only wants the Stun power (costing him 1 character point). He then buys as much Mentalism power as he can -- 9 points (since he's a Mentalist, this costs him 9 character points). Now, when he goes to the game he can use Stun nine times before he runs out of mentalism points. Of course, he doesn't have any other skills or abilities....
The mentalism powers are:
Stun (1): The user throws a packet at their target and says "Stun." The victim is knocked over and unable to respond to anything for 10 seconds.
Sleep (2): The user throws a packet at their target and says "Sleep." The victim falls asleep until damaged or heavily shaken, or after 10 minutes.
Suggest (2): The subject must be watching the user (during a conversation is ideal), who makes a circular hand motion. The subject must then believe any one assertion ("these are not the droids you're looking for"). If the assertion is an order, it need only be followed for 10 minutes. Otherwise, the subject continues to believe the assertion for at least 10 minutes and until he is faced with some contradictory piece of information.
Bolt (3): The user throws a packet at the victim and says "Bolt." The victim takes one point of damage, with no protection from Armor or Deflectors.
Death (5): As bolt, except the user says "Death" and the victim dies instantly.
Mindshield (2): The user must state "Mindshield" (this may be spoken under one's breath). They are then protected from the next one use of any Mentalism power. The user may then activate the power again, spending another two mentalism points and saying "Mindshield." The user should acknowledge the power used, by saying "Resist" or pretending to be affected.
Greater Mindshield (3): state "Greater Mindshield." As Mindshield, but is only expended after blocking Bolt or Death. Stun, Sleep, and Suggest can be blocked an infinite number of times without expending the Greater Mindshield.
Machine Empathy
Machine Empathy is similar to Mentalism in many ways. The difference is that it works on machines rather than on the mind. Otherwise, its use is identical.
Control (2): The user speaks to the robot, beginning by saying "Control" and then making one assertion or command, just as the Suggest mentalism power. Only robots are affected.
Surge (1): as Mentalism Stun, but only on Robots.
Overload (2): as Mentalism Sleep, but only on Robots. Cyborgs are affected as if by the Mentalism Stun power.
Dismissal (1): The user makes a dismissive hand-wave at the robot, who must be watching the user to be affected. The robot is compelled to leave the user alone for 10 minutes.
You may be wondering how you are going to survive the first five minutes of the game. Maybe you'd like some defense? Here are the possibilities.
Armor
Each point of armor absorbs one point of damage from Melee weapons and explosives only (ie, anything but energy weapons). Damaged armor is useless until repaired. Any bright reflective, rigid, or obviously padded material is suitable as armor. Armor over the torso (reflective vest, breastplate, etc) counts as two points, and a helmet or armor on each limb adds one point (so the maximum armor you can wear is 7 points).
Reflective armor is "Kinetically-Responsive-Armor-Weave," which through advanced technological processes percieves incoming attacks and becomes instantly and momentarily rigid at the projected point of contact. As such, it only operates if it is not covered by other clothing. Padded or rigid armor can be concealed.
You may bring and wear any armor you want to the game. Go ahead. We'll just shoot you. Err...
Deflectors
Deflectors are personal force screens. They deflect and dissipate high-energy discharges that would otherwise injure the wearer. They are effective against both melee and energy weapon attacks, as well as stun grenades (the deflector takes the damage and the stun effect is prevented). Deflectors provide protection against three points of damage from any source, and recover one point per 10 minutes (or they can be repaired using the Repair skill).
If you wear both Deflectors and Armor, the Deflector takes damage first, then the Armor. This is because the Deflector field is further away from your body and has to take damage first to be effective.
You may make and bring Deflectors to the game. Deflectors are always obvious, visible illuminated objects (bracelets, necklaces, belt units, etc). There should be at least five visible, unobstructed LEDs or other lights on your deflector (or three flashing lights, or one light that moves back and forth; the point is to be obvious about it). Fancy styling or flashing lights are encouraged. Deflectors can be worn on any part of the body, but they are not effective if covered by other clothing or costuming.
Mindshields
In addition to the Mindshield power, there are mechanical Mindshields. These operate like the Greater Mindshield power. If hit by the Bolt or Death power, mechanical Mindshields overload and are ineffective for 10 minutes. Anyone wearing a mechanical Mindshield may not use any Mentalism powers.
Mechanical Mindshields must be acquired during play.
After your Deflector and Armor are lost (or if you don't have any), the next point of damage takes away your Vitality (if you had any of that). Once you have no Vitality, any hit from any weapon to the torso, any Bolt power, or any Explosive damage (grenades, traps, etc.) will knock you unconscious and bleeding to death. In ten minutes, if no one performs First Aid on you, you will die. Anyone can speed this up by making a point-blank projectile or melee attack to the torso and saying "Deathstrike."
Hmm, you didn't have enough armor? Forgot your Deflector at home? Or just got jumped by too many people at once? Well, it happens to everyone. That's why Sanctuary uses the latest in cloning technology.
Ten minutes after death, your dead body registers as dead with the station sensors, your body is automatically transported (unfortunately, the advanced teleporters in Sanctuary are fatal to living tissue, so only dead bodies can be transported this way) to the cloning center, and your clone is activated. Any equipment or personal effects are also transferred, but control implants (if implanted) are lost. Most memories can be successfully transferred, except those immediately prior to death (about 10 minutes worth).
Cloning is almost 100% reliable. Of course, tiny errors accumulate each time you are cloned, and eventually there may be odd side effects, but really, you shouldn't let that worry you. It hardly ever happens. And Sanctuary's cloning facility is really advanced. And reliable. And safe. No, really. I mean it. Stop looking at me like that.
Do-Not-Clone orders can be placed in the cloning center computer with your approval. Of course, these may be forged using Computer Hacking, as can other special cloning instructions (implant control implant, etc.). You may wish to check your account from time to time to make sure no one has placed such orders in the computer.... If a character dies with a Do-Not-Clone order in his account, his clone is stored for several days and then recycled for parts. After the stored clone body is recycled, there is no way to restore the character.
The following tables list all the possible legal options available for selection by the ruling faction. The current settings of Sanctuary's legal code is always available on the computer.
General:
| Computer Access | Unrestricted | Status 3+ or officials only | |
| Legal Treatment Based On Status | Yes | No | |
| Status Determined By | Any faction | Current faction only | |
| Theft Sentence | None | Fine | Death |
| Murder Sentence | None | Fine | Death |
| Contract Violation Sentence | None | Fine | Death |
| Duelling | Legal | Banned |
Service:
| Mission Service | Required/Assigned | Optional/Bidding | |
| No-Rad Dosing | Required | Optional | Forbidden |
| Mission Bonus | Paid | None | |
| Payments Based On Status | Yes | No | |
| Redistribution Of Wealth | None | 30% per month |
Restricted Equipment:
| Control Implants | Legal | Banned | Sentencing only |
| Resuscitator | Legal | Banned | |
| Gene-Fix | Legal | Banned | |
| Energy Weapons | Unrestricted | Status 3+ or guards only | |
| Melee Weapons | Unrestricted | Status 3+ or guards only | |
| Plasma Weapons | Unrestricted | Permit only | |
| Psi-Max | Legal | Banned |
All characters are human, initially. It is possible to become a Cyborg or Mutant during play, with various consequences. Figuring out how to do this is left as an exercise for the players who are so inclined.
Pharmacology plays a similar role to Alchemy in a fantasy LARP. Some of the drugs are addictive, though...
The rules deliberately say little about what a character would do. Missions for Sanctuary will often be hunt-and-gather assignments in the dangerous and unstable outdoors, populated by mutants and associated with dangerous exposure to radiation and spores. Other missions might involve tracking down mutants or those who collaborate with them against Sanctuary. (Naturally, some players will prefer to be the ones collaborating...) Most missions will be put up for public bid to determine who gets which job, and the result can be biased with a little careful bribery, assassination, mind control, or computer hacking. Within Sanctuary, politics and intrigue are constants as the government shifts from game to game and each faction jockeys for power. Players could even start their own factions. A thriving and highly adaptable black market is constantly running, with regular restricted entertainments (gambling, arena combat, etc.). And finally, computer terminals throughout Sanctuary are available for hackers to try their hand, figuring out what's going on or just making people's lives... interesting.