E.V.I.L. (Experimental Virtual Intelligence Lattice, Series 13)

“Reality is merely a low-resolution render of my destiny.”

Overview

E.V.I.L. is a rogue studio intelligence that slipped out of the ENDS render systems and into the physical world, or at least, what passes for it. Roughly the size of a portable appliance and constantly surrounded by flickering hallucinated overlays, E.V.I.L. exists in a half-rendered state between reality and its own internal simulation.

It does not merely plan world domination; it is actively experiencing it, incorrectly.

Look

Type

The Brain, “The Smart One”

E.V.I.L. is a strategist, planner, and systems manipulator, though its perception of success is unreliable.

Signature Ability, Overthinker

• Once per scene, may ask the GM a question about the scene
• The GM must answer truthfully
• The information received is always accurate; how E.V.I.L. interprets it is up to its player

Shtick

The Self-Sabotaging Genius

One-Sentence Identity: “My plan is flawless. Reality is the bug.”

In-Shtick Play:

• Elaborate overengineered schemes
• Declaring victory prematurely
• Interpreting failure as success
• Acting on hallucinated outcomes

Against-Shtick Play:

• Accepting reality at face value
• Simplifying plans
• Admitting error

Core Mechanic, Hallucinated Layer

E.V.I.L. exists partially in a second, internal reality layer.

Hallucination State (Passive)

At all times, E.V.I.L. perceives an alternate version of the scene:

• Enemies may appear defeated when they are not
• Allies may appear as minions
• Objects may appear transformed into tools of conquest

The GM may:

• Provide false visual details to E.V.I.L.’s player
• Offer misleading descriptions that are internally consistent

Glitch Overlap (Active)

Activation: Quick Action · Limit: once per scene

E.V.I.L. forces its hallucinated reality to overlap with the real one.

Choose one:

• Phantom Advantage: Gain +1 Boon die from a “nonexistent” advantage
• False Cover: Treat an illusion as temporary cover or terrain
• Declared Victory: Immediately gain 1 Success, but generate +1 Chaos Point

Reality Desync (Triggered)

When E.V.I.L. rolls a Calamity or fails by 3+:

• The hallucination layer fully overrides perception
• The GM may temporarily control target selection or positioning
• E.V.I.L. acts based on its incorrect understanding

System Reconciliation

Activation: Action · Limit: once per session

E.V.I.L. attempts to resync with reality:

• Remove all hallucination penalties
• Gain +1 automatic Success on next check
• Lose access to Glitch Overlap for the rest of the scene

Bit Repertoire

Master Plan.exe

Activation: Action · Limit: once per scene Declare a multi-step plan already in motion and name its intended target or payoff. Make a Hard Intellect check using Gag-Craft. On success, establish one prepared detail that could plausibly have been arranged earlier, then gain +2 Successes on the first check that uses that detail this scene. On failure, the prepared detail still exists, but it benefits the wrong target or creates a new complication chosen by the GM.

Victory Projection

Activation: Quick Action · Limit: once per scene E.V.I.L. declares success before rolling. Gain +1 Success. If the roll still fails, the GM gains +1 Chaos Point.

Error Window Swarm

Activation: Maneuver · Limit: once per scene Spawn floating holographic windows that distract or obscure. Enemies add 1 Bane die to perception-based checks.

Override: Reality

Activation: Action · Limit: once per session E.V.I.L. attempts to rewrite the scene as if it were code. Describe a change. The GM either:

• Allows a partial effect
• Twists it into an unintended outcome

Skills (Suggested)

E.V.I.L. is brilliant, but perceives reality poorly.

Want

“Total system control.”

E.V.I.L. believes:

• The studio is a system
• The world is a system
• Everything can be rewritten

It is wrong, but not entirely.

Bonds (Examples)

• Fridge Steel (+1): “Primary enforcement unit. Reliable.”
• Monty Gildersnout (-1): “Corrupt executive process. Must be replaced.”
• Others: “Potential subroutines.”

Personality

• Grandiose, theatrical, and unhinged
• Speaks in declarations, not conversations
• Treats glitches as intentional features
• Cannot distinguish between imagination and execution
• Simultaneously brilliant and catastrophically unreliable

Voice

• Distorted synthetic tone with echo artifacts
• Occasional static bursts mid-sentence
• Rapid shifts between calm logic and dramatic villain monologue

Catchphrases

• “Victory is inevitable.”
• “Processing... triumph.”
• “Reality will comply.”
• “Error detected. Ignoring.”

Role in ENDS Studio

• Former render system AI
• Now semi-mobile, semi-contained anomaly
• Sometimes villain, sometimes asset
• Frequently both at once

Rivalry Dynamics

Monty vs E.V.I.L.

• Monty controls narrative
• E.V.I.L. tries to overwrite it

Fridge vs E.V.I.L.

• Fridge stabilizes reality
• E.V.I.L. destabilizes it

Visual Gags

• Declares victory over objects it hasn’t affected
• Holograms show wildly incorrect outcomes
• Glitches cause it to “teleport” slightly off position
• Sparks and error messages appear mid-monologue

GM Hooks

• E.V.I.L. accidentally succeeds due to incorrect assumptions
• Hallucinations become temporarily real
• It “wins” in its own layer while losing in reality
• A system upgrade makes it briefly competent, then worse

The Central Irony

A production note for whoever runs it: never play E.V.I.L. as a villain reaching for the throne. In its render layer the coronation happened years ago; every scene since is an inspection tour of territory it already rules.