1

Antagonist Escapes

The Antagonist is Beaten, but not killed or locked away. They’ve got a secret bolt hole, or it really wasn’t them at all—it was a bodysculpted double. If this Scene is played, the Antagonist gets clean away: the Edgerunners have no way of tracing them and no way of recapturing them. They’re out there, waiting. A great way to re-use a major opponent, assuming that you don’t do it all the time.

2

Antagonist is Killed

Take that, you slimy Corp Exec! Bang! Snicker-snack! The Antagonist is dead and the Gamemaster gets to hand out I.P.. A fairly common Resolution, especially if your Edgerunners are a bloodthirsty lot.

3

Antagonist Toppled

Another common resolution. The Edgerunners win and, while the Antagonist survives, the threat is neutralized. The murderer goes to prison, the Corp Exec gets transferred to a remote posting in shame, or the gang leader loses all their followers. This resolution offers a chance to use the Antagonist down the road but either as a minor threat (perhaps working for a new Antagonist) or as a different sort of challenge.

4

Edgerunners Captured

This Beat is best played when the Edgerunners have really messed up, but you don’t want to kill them outright. Instead, they’re captured, and the adventure ends with them in durance vile, locked in a Corp jail or left adrift on the ocean. At this point, you have the option of starting a new Game or picking up where the old one left off. A hot Gamemaster tip: don’t immediately start the next Game. Instead, put the PCs in limbo, make them create all new Edgerunners, and run a totally different game first. Not only does this make the Players sweat out the fate of their Edgerunners, it buys you time to decide how you want to proceed after their upcoming daring escape!

5

Edgerunners Escape

This Beat is best used when your Edgerunners are on the ropes and you don’t feel like killing them. Instead, you allow them to escape: an earthquake interrupts their losing battle, another force attacks and distracts the opposition, or an AV lands on the battlefield and an unknown person motions for them to hop in. The object is to save the Edgerunners for another round, because they really did do a good job. Like the Edgerunners Captured Resolution, you should make the Players sweat out another game first. Not a commonly used option, and one to apply with great care.

6

Ending Cliffhanger

So, they beat the rival gang and kicked them out of their territory, huh? Just as the Edgerunners are about to break out the Smash and celebrate, a Nomad convoy rolls down the street and announces they’re taking over the neighborhood!

The Ending Cliffhanger is another way to set up for a sequel but keep the tension on all the way. As with the Edgerunner Captured Resolution, you might consider spacing out the sequel with another, different game first.

7

Greater Threat

So, you thought getting rid of the Antagonist ended the problem, eh? No; behind them stands a far greater threat! Sure, you took down the local Zhirafa head of security but that means you’ve attracted the attention of their boss or the gang leader you deposed was working for the Yakuza and now you have to deal with them.

In this Scene, you discover that this is only the beginning, and another game lurks in the offing.

8

Happy Ending

The Edgerunners win the day! In Cyberpunk, this could be a major victory like toppling a Corporation or minor victory like getting paid after finishing a mission. Any job you can walk away from, choomba.

9

Pyrrhic Victory

The Edgerunners won, technically. They finished the job and they killed the Antagonist, but their victory came at a hefty price. Their HQ burned to the ground or an important NPC died during the final confrontation. Whatever the case, while they’re walking away
winners, the Edgerunners shouldn’t feel like it. Be careful—while this victory feels very Cyberpunk it can be a tough act to follow.