The Scroll of the Dragon is a Shadowrun product that is both a work of art and contains secrets hidden within. A researcher by the alias Patricia Goodheart helps tell the story across multiple Shadowrun books as she investigates the scroll. You’ll find some of these as adventures in books such as Risk and Rewards, Margin Calls, and Deus ex Arcana. Patricia also goes by the runner alias Dag Rage.
Accessing the Content
SixthWorldSecrets.com is the portal for content related to the Scroll of the Dragon. Relevant products will be listed alongside QR codes on the front page, and provide additional context for groups following the Scroll storyline. New research posts will appear on the website as Dr. Goodheart and other characters share additional content.
Draconic spells and annotated content are accessible by discovering secret passcodes hidden in AR on the Scroll, then entering them into the form at SixthWorldSecrets.com. AR content is viewable through the Halo AR mobile application, which can be downloaded to compatible Android or iPhone devices.
If the gamemaster wants to control access to the information, they can manage code entry and show the results to the players as desired, allowing them to run adventures at the pace of their story.
The compatible product list will expand over time. Some already-released products, like Lethal Harvest, will be updated with AR content near the end of the release schedule. Each leg of the Scroll storyline will unlock portions of the Scroll contents, including new spells and draconic rituals, with story elements contained in the research notes, books, and other products. Scroll AR updates will be associated with the release of select Shadowrun books, but it’s not necessary to purchase the books to access the Scroll spells.
For other compatible Shadowrun books, AR content is designed to be usable whether or not the book’s campaign has already been run. Once the Scroll story is complete, we plan to compile most of the online content into an eBook format.
Using in Your Game
To begin the Scroll of the Dragon storyline, players must first acquire a copy of the Scroll and learn how to access its secret AR content. Tips come from researchers like Dr. Patricia Goodheart (DrPattyGood<3).
Kicking Off the Investigation: Method 1
- The runners hear about a valuable scroll that was stolen by some audacious runners. The current whereabouts of the scroll are unknown. This information can be found on a few data havens or via contacts in the shadows. The information is too valuable for the open market, but if the team spends 5,000 nuyen, they’ll learn that a scroll that was stolen from Lung’s hoard and that someone going by the handle DrPattyGood<3 is wanted for distributing copies of it.
- Another avenue of discovery is that the Grid Overwatch Division is currently seeking information on Dr. Patricia Goodheart. Any amount of digging will reveal that the charges of Matrix malfeasance are flimsy, and with exceptionally thorough digging, they’ll uncover a money trail that points back to deeper pockets pushing GOD around.
- From here, the players find various posts by DrPattyGood<3, who writes from a different location each time. These posts are being obscured through a VPN and cryptically reference shipments via “SWS.” Players may attempt to contact the user and confirm that she’s the one distributing copies of the stolen scroll, arranging a shipment for 10,000 nuyen. After the transaction is complete, the runners are instructed to go to the local junkyard and search for a crate with the symbol of a five-pointed star, which contains a copy of the Scroll of the Dragon already placed near their location. Alternatively, players may pay an additional delivery fee and wait for the Scroll to show up in an airdrop. It comes with a note from DrPattyGood<3 urging the runners not to disclose that they possess the copy or where it came from.
- The Scroll copy is initially unreadable. The glyphs are in a language understood only by dragons and normally only viewable with astral sight, but the copy the players received lacks the magical aspect of the language. Additional contact with DrPattyGood<3 may reveal that the original Scroll’s contents are under an enchantment that makes it impossible to read the spells accurately, but she has begun to break through. She’s posting research as she develops it, all under tight security. One of her contacts can provide a way to view this research. She directs the team to an unlisted Matrix site called Sixth World Secrets, where they must search for a post by the user Apophany, titled “Secrets Unleashed!” The site appears to be a bulletin board of conspiracy theories, and Apophany’s post will be the oldest entry available to read. This post yields a secret passcode, APOPHANY, that can be entered into the form on the homepage to reach a page of optional information about the character. More importantly, the secret page offers “Apophany AR,” an in-game modification that allows players to access the hidden content within the Halo AR app. This is key for viewing and deciphering the Scroll spells and other AR products.
- Alternatively, the team receives the message without the passcode and can attempt to hack the Matrix node (Rating 5, A/S/D/F 6/5/7/8) to gain access to the material.
- Once players have Apophany AR, they may scan the Scroll for spell glyphs and find more access codes to enter on Sixth World Secrets, unveiling Dr. Goodheart’s spell research piece by piece.
Method 2
- If you’re running the adventures from Risk & Rewards, the team will be contacted by Dr. Goodheart as she’s investigating in Cairo (Missions 28-33). These missions may be used as an alternative way for the team to obtain a copy of the Scroll and use the AR. Illustrations from R&R and other compatible products can be scanned for additional access codes and articles containing story content and symbolic research, including a few pieces of equipment for Decker characters.
- Follow-up releases, such as Deus ex Arcana, will continue this storyline and further explore the spells and rituals revealed on the Scroll. Book AR may also provide additional side stories and site Access Codes that may be viewed independently from the Scroll story.
Using the Halo AR App
To explore a Shadowrun product’s Augmented Reality features, first download the Halo AR app to your phone or tablet. Once installed, you’ll need to scan the QR code associated with the product you wish to explore in AR, which is visible on the SixthWorldSecrets.com home page. This code will add the product to your collections in Halo AR.
With the app loaded, hit the Scan button at the bottom of your screen, followed by the dropdown menu above it to select a collection to explore. Allow the collection 5-10 seconds to fully load into memory.
The Scan feature will engage your phone or other device’s camera. The AR should automatically display when the camera app recognizes an image from the active collection. Begin by framing the entire image on the camera’s screen at an angle that avoids excessive glare on the page. Once the overlay opens, you may move the camera closer for better clarity or readability.
Not every image in a book may have an AR overlay. If you’ve framed the artwork fully in your display and nothing appears, it may simply not have AR encoding.
If Halo AR fails to scan an active image, this may be due to a temporary server problem or an app malfunction. Simply restart the app and try again.
Scanning physical products:
Place the book on a steady surface to ensure the pages are generally flat. The book can be propped at an angle or held vertically while being scanned.
Scanning digital products on-screen:
If you keep your device aimed at the screen while quickly switching between PDF pages, you may experience visual glitches. We recommend refreshing your Halo AR view by turning your phone away from the screen when switching pages.
Using SixthWorldSecrets.com
The AR content provided serves as a roleplaying tool for Gamemasters to enhance the Scroll of the Dragon storyline. The Access Code feature only gives the appearance of security, and no personal information is collected when entering codes. Once you’ve accessed the content you wish to include in your game, you can bookmark the URL and return to it without having to enter the code again. Pages can also be saved to your local storage to be viewed offline.
Reporting Bugs
Given the interactive and experimental nature of this project, please send any feedback and bug reports to ian@catalystgamelabs.com. This may include difficulty using the AR, access codes not working, accessibility issues such as text readability, etc. Your feedback helps make the experience better for everyone!
Site Credits
RPG Creative Director: Jason Hardy
Shadowrun Line Developer: RJ Thomas
Illustrations and Iconography: Paul Bonner, Echo Chernik, Tyler Clark, Ben Giletti, David Hueso, Jack Hoyle, Ian King, Victor Manuel Leza Moreno, Marco Pennacchietti, Derek Poole, Júlio Rocha, Seth Rutledge, April Solomon, Anselm Zielonka
Additional Graphics: Matt “Surgical Strike” Heerdt
Scroll of the Dragon Glyph Design: Lazarus Chernik
Art Direction, Web & AR: Ian King
Writing: Aaron Dykstra, Brad Kelley, Ian King, RJ Thomas