The Secret of NIMH

I have to admit that I don't think I've ever watched The Secret of NIMH before. I know several friends have tried to get me to watch it in the past, but for what ever reason I've never taken the time to sit down and watch the movie.

Last night I fixed that mistake.

While the movie shows it's age, it is still a wonderful work of art. I do frown on the inclusion of the mysticism in the film - an element that was not present in the original novel it was based on - but it also adds an interesting element to this interpretation of the story. The Nicodemus character is a classic seer or wise man of the NIMH rats, and the similarity between him and the Great Owl really makes you wonder if he might also be a shaman shape shifter.

Unfortunately, due to the movies short runtime (82 minutes), it seems like much of the story was rushed and missing much of the exposition needed to explore the characters of Jenner and Justin in any depth. It would be nice if Dreamworks would remake the movie as a full length (100+ minutes) feature.

AtB Adventure: The Garden of Evil

last updated: June 16th
This adventure was designed for a solo or small group of characters using Second Edition rules. No special powers or backgrounds are required. Individual GMs may want to change some aspects of this adventure to better suit their group size and level.

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
In a secluded river valley, there is a garden of mutant fruits and vegetables. Among them is a tree that bears a fruit that possess an interesting trait - the fruit that it bears bestows upon those who eat it an amount of mutagen (BIO-E). Over time the levels of these mutagens will built up and begin to (further) mutate anyone who eats a steady diet of them. Some time ago a mutant snake stumbled upon the garden and discovered its secret.

Unfortunately, the snake's extended exposure to the mutagens has also caused it to grow addicted to the plants and fruit that grow here and is very paranoid of anyone caught in his garden. This has put a local tribe of feral mutant animals at odds with the snake since they use the food from the garden in their ceremonies. Lately they have taken to sneaking into the garden to gather their ceremonial needs. This has not gone unnoticed by the snake.

The snake has since hired other mutant animals as guards to protect his garden from trespassers. Anyone caught in the garden will be brought to the snake for sentencing. If those who are caught can persuade the snake that they are innocent, the snake will insist that they find who has been stealing from the garden. If not, the snake will have the offender(s) chained in the tunnels below the garden where "the Beast" awaits it's next meal. Members of the local tribe will free characters if they cannot escape or kill the Beast, and then beg them to rid the garden of the snake.

LOCATIONS
The Mansion
Most of the mansion and its grounds are in ruins have overgrown with thickets. All that is left of the main building is the kitchen, dining room, a grand hall with staircase that leads upstairs to snakes extravagantly decorated bedroom. The snake spends much of it's time in the hall which has been set up as a throne room. In the kitchen, there is a pit which drops into the tunnels below the mansion. The pit is one meter in diameter and covered with a locked iron door.

The Tunnels
Beneath the ruins of the mansion are a series of tunnels that lead from the mansion to the garden. It is unclear as to the original purpose of these tunnels, but there are about a dozen small rooms (now empty) that are built into the tunnels. The walls of the tunnels are damp and covered in moss in most places. There are three entrances into the tunnels: the locked pit in the mansions kitchen, a small gated portal in the eastern portion of the garden, and gated stairway that leads into an old shed in the overgrown southwester portion of the garden.

The Garden
This well maintained garden covers just over four acres of land outside of the mansion. At the heart of the garden is a most unusual tree that bears an even more unusual fruit. Once every three months, irregardless of season, the tree bears approximately a dozen (1D12) fruit that contain a mutagenic nectar. The garden is protected by a very ancient, but operable, security system that is connected to the mansion which will alert the snake and the guards to any intruders. The security system includes hundreds of camouflaged motion sensors, and video cameras.

Mutant Plants
SLEEPING WILLOW
Description: These small willow trees, planted around the gardens only pond, have been engineered to emit specially engineered pollen to act as a mild sedative. The gardens designer used these threes to stun and capture interloping who might stop at the pond for a drink. Anyone coming within 100 feet of the trees or pond must save against non-lethal poison or be rendered unconscious.

BLACK CAPPED TOMATO
Description: This bio-engineered plant was designed to produce a natural toxin for medical research. After decades of exposure to the gardens mutagens it now produces a lethal toxin. Anyone who eats one of these fruits must save against its lethal poison. NOTE: Mice, Rats, Rabbits and Squirrels never pass Stage 2 symptoms.
Symptoms:
Stage 1: No Symptoms for 1D6 hours
Stage 2: Fever, dizziness, nausea for 1D4x10 hours
Stage 3: Remission for 2D12 hours
Stage 4: Coma for 1D4+3 days; usually followed by death (save vs. death)

COBRA DOLL'S EYE
Description: This plant’s berries, like a normal doll’s eye, bear a strong resemblance to an eye – white body with a black spot at the end. The difference being that the berries on this plant will actually follow any movement within 60 feet, and that it has a special bred psioinc power (Hypnotic Suggestion) which it uses to get any creature – sentient or wild – that examines it to eat the berries. The plants creator found this to be an amusing way for the plant to spread its seeds. Any character that examines the plant must save against the psionic attack. Reptiles are somehow immune to the plant’s psionic power.

PSILOCATA GRASS (False Cat Nip)
Description: This weed looks, smells & tastes better than regular catnip and is usually found growing in patches as large as thirty square feet. Anyone with Catnip Addiction will be drawn irresistibly toward it from as far as 300 feet (100 meters). Other felines must save against an 8 or better to resist its lure. All felines who come into contact with the psilocata grass must save against harmful drug (-6 if addicted to Catnip).
Symptoms: In addition to the normal affects of catnip, victims will experience anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations within minutes and can last up to 2D4 hours from when they leave, or are removed – which can be considerably difficult – from the patch.

The Village (Population ~150)
The goat village is located about five miles away from the garden and is very primitive in appearance, and has only iron age technology. The people here follow their spiritual leader, a mute elder goat they call Ol' Grady. The villagers fear the snake and believe that it must possess great powers ever since none that have gone to the garden have ever returned.

Money and credits are of no use to the people of the village. They are also not interested in any modern weapons. They will be interested in trading for food, farming supplied, work, or knowledge in building and farming techniques.

GAME MASTER INFORMATION
Encountering the Guards:When the goats first encounter the player characters, their first objective will be to disarm and ensnare them. If possible, they will try to split up any group of four or more into smaller, more manageable numbers. If your group is well armed with modern weapons, you might want to drop in a few pit traps or snares to help the guards capture the characters. You could also equip the guards with stun guns salvaged from the mansions ruins.

The Mansion Ruins & Tunnels: What mysteries does the mansion yet hold? While much of the mansion is in ruins, the players may wish to explore the ruins in search of any salvage that may have survived the decades. I would suggest rolling on the Random Scavenger Table (AtB 2nd Edition, pg 191). You could also add your own choice of items for the characters to find. Could the mansion and garden have been the property of a certain mad scientist from BIO-Spawn?

The Gardens Origin: I will leave it up to the GM to decide if they want to explore what brought the garden and the mutagen tree into being. It is unlikely that such a thing could come into this world on its own, could it?

The Mad Snake: If the characters choose to drive the snake out of the garden, or it is able to escape, might the snake try to get it's revenge against the characters? Will the snake loose some of the powers it gained while it controlled the garden? Will it try to return to the garden and regain control?

NPCs
The Mad Snake
Alignment: Anarchist
Attributes: IQ 11, ME 16, MA 12, PS 12, PE 14, PP 13, PB 6, Spd. 13
Age: Unknown Gender: Unknown
Species: Snake
Size Level: 9
Hit Points: 20 SDC: 30
Disposition: Agitated & Paranoid
Human Features
Hands -- Full
Biped -- None
Speech -- Partial
Looks -- None
Powers: Brute Strength; Infravision; Extra ME
Psionics: Mind Speak; Danger Sense; Invisible Haze; Bio-Manipulation: Paralysis, Mute, & Pain
Background: Feral
Occupation: Lord of the Garden
Skills of Note: Farming & Gardening 70%; Identify Fruits & Plants 70%; Tracking 55%; Wilderness Survival 55%; Climbing 75%; Hand to Hand: Basic; Swimming, Advanced 90%; Wrestling; Detect Ambush 45%; Use & Recognize Poison 44%/36%; Botany 60%
Weapon Proficiencies: Rapier, Dagger
Attacks per Melee: 5
Bonuses: pending
Personal Profile: The snake first stumbled into the garden seven years ago and took up residence in a nearby mansion. It found out about the special tree by spying on the older goat who made frequent visits to the garden. A few years later, driven mad by it's addiction to the diet of mutagen fruit, the snake decided that it did not want to share the garden with anyone and used a creature which had been deformed by the plants mutagens as a guardian against the goats.
Years later the beast had become unruly, so the snake locket it in the tunnels that ran between the mansion and the garden and replaced it with three goats that had tried to sneak into the garden to steal the fruit for their tribes elder.

The Beast
Species: Rat Abomination (New)
Size Level: 10 (Medium)
Height: 4ft at the shoulder
Length: 5ft snout to tail
Weight: 800 pounds
Attributes: IQ Animal, PS 20, PE 25, PP 13, Spd. 12
Hit Points: 30 SDC: 50
Horror Factor: 13
Psionics: None
Attacks Per Melee: 3
Damage: Bite does 2D6, Claws do 2D4
Bonuses: +5 Damage, +6 to save vs. horror factor, +2 to save vs. poison or disease.
Natural Abilities: Heavy Claws, Tunneling, Beastly Strength, Rodent Leaping, Color Blind, Advanced Smell, Advanced Hearing, Hibernation
Skills of Pote: Prowl 60%, Tracking 80%
Profile: Driven by hunger and a desire to be free, the beast attacks anything the snake tosses into the tunnels that run between the mansion and the garden.

Guards: Gli, Rex, Hugh
Alignment: Scrupulous
Attributes: IQ 12, ME 9, MA 12, PS 20, PE 18, PP 13, PB 7, Spd. 14
Age: 18 Gender: Male
Species: Goat
Size Level: 12
Hit Points: 20 SDC: 60
Disposition: Agitated, Paranoid
Human Features
Hands -- Full
Biped -- Partial
Speech -- Full
Looks -- None
Powers: Advanced Vision, Horns (2D4 Damage)
Psionics: None
Background: Feral
Occupation: Garden Guard
Skills of Note: Climbing, Escape Artist, Prowl, Tracking
Weapon Proficiencies: Spear, Net
Armor: Plastic Plated Armor (A.R. 13, S.D.C. 80)
Attacks per Melee: 4
Bonuses: +1 Initiative, +6 Damage, +2 Roll with Punch/Impact
Personal Profile: These three goats were once members of the local tribe, but were captured by the snake while trying to steal the fruit several years ago. Using threats against their tribe, the goats have remained subservient to the snake and begrudgingly guard him and his garden against any trespassers. To improve their capability as guards, the snake has used some of the juice of the mutagen fruit to strengthen the goats.
While the goats will not fight the snake, they will not come to his aid if they feel the characters have a chance of defeating it. Once freed, the goats will return to their tribe.
New Weapons:
Energy Net (WP Net): Causes no SDC or Hit Point damage, but character must save against pain (14+ with PE bonus) if they become entangled or loose one attack/action per melee in addition to the normal net effects. Power cell must be activated by wielder and has enough charge to last for five minutes (20 melee rounds).
Stun Guns (WP Energy Pistol): Causes no SDC or Hit Point damage, but character must save against pain (14+ with PE bonus) or be knocked out for 1D4x15 minutes, 1D4 hours, or 1D6 hours. These weapons look like over-sized pistols. Each weapon is powered by an energy cell that can deliver up to 12 shots and can only fire once per melee round.

Tribe Elder: Ol' Grady
Alignment: Principled
Attributes: IQ 13, ME 15, MA 12, PS 8, PE 13, PP 10, PB 12, Spd. 8
Age: 80+ Gender: Female
Species: Goat
Size Level: 7
Hit Points: 21 SDC: 60
Disposition: Agitated, Paranoid
Human Features
Hands -- Partial
Biped -- Partial
Speech -- None
Looks -- None
Powers: Advanced Vision
Psionics: Advanced Cell Reader, Animal Speech, Mind Block, Psychic Diagnosis, Sense Nemesis, Sense Weather
Background: Feral
Occupation: Tribe Elder / Shaman
Skills of Note: Farming & Gardening, Identify Fruit & Plants, Musical Instrument: Flute & Rattle, Sign Language, Wilderness Survival, Herbal Medicine, Camouflage, Prowl
Weapon Proficiencies: None
Attacks per Melee: 2
Bonuses: +1 Dodge, +4 Roll with Punch/Impact
Personal Profile: Ol' Grady is the spiritual leader of this tribe of goats. She was born and mutated in a farming plant before The Death. In the chaos that followed, she freed as many of her kind from the pens of the facility and took them into the wilderness. There she cared for those who became ill from the plague and nurtured them the best she could - being a mute animal. In the decades since, the tribe has become a peaceful agricultural society.
O' Grady found the garden and it's secret about two generations ago. She uses the mutagen fruit to in her healing medicines and in potions she uses in her shamanic ceremonies. She did not discover that the garden had been invaded by the snake for three years, and by that time it had already discovered one of the creatures that had been affected by the fruit and used the beast to guard the garden against the tribes attacks.

Typical Tribe Member
Alignment: Scrupulous
Attributes: IQ 12, ME 10, MA 9, PS 14, PE 14, PP 11, PB 9, Spd. 13
Species: Goat
Size Level: 10
Hit Points: 21 SDC: 60
Disposition: Agitated, Paranoid
Human Features
Hands -- 70% Full, 30% Partial
Biped -- 75% Full, 25% Partial
Speech -- 90% Full, 10% Partial
Looks -- 90% None, 10% Partial
Powers: Advanced Vision, 65% Horns (2D4 Damage)
Psionics: 3% have Mind Speak, 5% Animal Speech
Background: Feral
Occupation: Mostly Farmers, some artisans (blacksmith, potter, carpenter, etc.)
Skills of Note: Farming & Gardening, Identify Fruit & Plants, Sign Language, Wilderness Survival, Herbal Medicine, Camouflage, Prowl
Weapon Proficiencies: Club or Spear, Net
Attacks per Melee: 1

[In The News] Mutant Black Squirrels Take Over

Okay, this isn't exactly AtB relevant, but in a way you could look at it in the perspective of how mutations among some of the mutant animals could affect their populations.

I found this story in the UK's Daily Mail:

"Mutant 'testosterone-fuelled' Russian black squirrels in Cambridgeshire are giving their grey cousins a taste of their own medicine and driving them from their homes.

A Cambridge academic believes the unusual black squirrel now makes up half of the total squirrel population in the area from which they have originated.

The upstarts are the genetic mutations of grey squirrels. And although nuts may be their food of choice there have been reports of their hungry Russian counterparts savaging stray dogs.

<snip>

"Three years ago, a pack of Russian black squirrels bit to death a stray dog in a Russian park. They were said to have scampered off at the sight of humans, some carrying pieces of flesh."

This article brings to mind several things. Mostly it kind of reminds me of how the Neanderthals or Cro-Magnon diverged.