Savage SLA Industries: Mort's Grim Future Gets Fast & Furious

The news is out: Savage SLA Industries Worlds is on the horizon, bringing the darkly comedic, deeply unsettling corporate dystopia of Mort to Pinnacle Entertainment Group’s highly adaptable Savage Worlds system. This isn't just another setting conversion; it's a collision of sensibilities that promises a fresh, brutal take on a beloved, if often overlooked, grimdark future.

For those unfamiliar, SLA Industries, originally from Nightfall Games, casts players as operatives (SLA Agents, or 'SLAAGs') in a universe where a monolithic corporation, run by the enigmatic Mr. Slayer, controls everything. It’s a world of propaganda, corporate warfare, grotesque biogenetics, and the horrifying secrets lurking in the Cannibal Sectors and beyond. The original system, a d100 affair, was meticulous and often punishing, a perfect mirror for its bleak setting. The question now is: how will Savage Worlds’ “Fast! Furious! Fun!” mantra reconcile with SLA’s inherently slow-burn dread and lethality?

This is where the crunchy bits get interesting. Savage Worlds, at its core, excels at pulp action and dramatic tension. Its exploding dice (the 'Ace' mechanic) mean even a lowly grunt can land a critical blow, while a seasoned Shiver or Stormer can chain together devastating attacks. This translates beautifully to the often-sudden, brutal violence of Mort. Character creation, using Attributes, Skills, Edges, and Hindrances, will allow for incredible customization: a cybernetically enhanced Biogenetic with the Berserk Hindrance, a cunning Shiver adept at investigation and close-quarters combat, or a detached, cynical Ebon operative. Setting Rules will be key here. I anticipate mechanics for tracking corporate loyalty, psychological trauma from encounters with horrors like the Carrien or Slaver Demons, and perhaps even a streamlined system for acquiring new gear from the ubiquitous SLA Industries catalogue.

The real genius of this pairing lies in how Savage Worlds handles narrative flow. Combat is quick, allowing the GM to focus on the political intrigue, the horror elements, and the moral compromises inherent in being a SLA Agent. The system’s chase rules, dramatic tasks, and interlude mechanics can elevate the often-mundane aspects of an agent’s life – patrolling the streets of Mort, infiltrating a rival corporation, or simply surviving a shift – into engaging narrative beats. Imagine a desperate chase through the labyrinthine streets of Downtown, or a tense infiltration of a D-Grade facility, with every roll pushing the story forward rather than bogging it down. The inherent lethality of Savage Worlds also aligns well with SLA; there’s no room for heroic posturing when a single lucky shot from a Scav or a brutal charge from a Stalker can end an Agent’s career, or life, in an instant. For new GMs, the relative simplicity of the core rules means less time poring over tables and more time crafting the oppressive atmosphere of Mort.

Does this mean a softer SLA Industries? Not necessarily. The core of Savage Worlds is about providing the tools; the GM sets the tone. A good GM can leverage the system's flexibility to amplify the dread, the corporate nihilism, and the existential horror that defines Mort. This isn't about making SLA Industries a light-hearted romp; it's about making its grim realities more accessible and dynamic at the table. For players who found the original system’s granularity daunting, or those new to the setting, this Savage Worlds conversion could be the perfect entry point into one of TTRPG’s most distinctive and compelling dark futures. It provides the mechanical foundation for high-stakes, cinematic experiences without sacrificing the unique flavor of the World of Progress.

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition