(Game Setting Idea, Work in Progress)
In the beginning there was life, until humanity tore the heavens and earth asunder.
On the first day, fire rained from the sky as humanities folly was cast from the heavens.
On the second day, the waters turned to acid and burned all it touched.
On the third day, the earth opened and swallowed the cities that held up the sky.
On the fourth day, nuclear fire and thunder rolled across the globe.
On the fifth day, silence fell across the lands.
On the sixth day, the Gods of the Apocalypse were born.
The idea of this setting is a darker and grittier blend of After the Bomb and Heroes Unlimited. In the aftermath of numerous apocalyptic events, which have taken place over the span of decades, humans and 'beasts' with super-powers have risen to command those who survived. These 'gods' are opposed by heroic survivors who have salvaged the remnants of humanities folly, the only things that can stand against these Gods of the Apocalypse.
Who are the Gods of the Apocalypse?
A few people, creatures, and tech(?) were touched by something that was unleashed in the calamitous events of the last days, giving them remarkable preternatural abilities. All of these new gods fight among themselves to claim dominion over humanity, either to subjugate or to protect. Most fight alone, while a few have allied to form new pantheons.
Who stands against the gods?
In the ruins of the old world can be found the folly of humanity; great weapons and technology that can be as powerful as the new gods that seek to claim rule of humanity.
Who are the Players?
The players may choose to play as gods of the apocalypse, or as humans who stand against the gods; to subjugate the survivors or to protect them.
Friday, May 10, 2019
Gods of the Apocalypse (Heroes Unlimited in After the Bomb)
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
The Things They Left Behind
While poking at an AtB scenario I've been working on-and-off on for a few years (The Things We Leave Behind), I had the idea of turning the underlying theme into a game setting. The following is the skeleton I've come up with.
Fantasy like post-human world where lifted species and AI creations (Player Characters) struggle to survive against the monsters (sentient machines and genetically engineered organisms) that “those who left” (humanity) left behind. Some of these monsters are discarded tools, while others were meant to heal the world of the damage their forebears had wrought upon the Earth by tearing down the cities and buried infrastructures humanity had now abandoned, as well as repair the damage to the ecosystem. Unfortunately, the lifted species and AI have started to move into the old cities and to reclaim the infrastructures as they try to claim the Earth as theirs, and so now have to fight the things “they” left behind.
The characters will need to defend against the beasts that want to destroy the areas they are trying to rebuild, as well as old tools that had been discarded and just want a place to rest peacefully. They will be sent to areas to scavenge and salvage the means to protect and grow the new civilizations populated by them, “the things ‘they’ left behind”. They will occasionally stumble upon some who worship "those who left" as gods and the things they left behind as their angels and demons doing their gods work.
Who will survive the things they left behind?
Who will dominate the things they left behind?
Who will defeat the things they left behind?
Who will control the things they left behind?
Who will be consumed by the things they left behind?
Will they return... for the things they left behind?
Friday, May 22, 2015
The Things We Leave Behind
-- Under Construction -- This article has been a work in progress for several years. I will keep it as an active post to encourage discussion, and to keep it somewhere a bit more visible to encourage me to work some more on fleshing it out... Comments and questions are encouraged.
NOTE: This adventure is intended to be played by any level of experience, letting the players and the GM decide on the level of difficulty. While this game was written to take place in and around Cardania, it was originally intended to take place anywhere in the world of After the Bomb, so feel free to relocate it to wherever your campaign is taking place.
Player Background
“We will be outfitting you with a transport and communications gear, as well as cameras and video equipment to gather as much intelligence as possible. Do not engage whoever is behind this, we do not want to be seen as an aggressor on this mission; especially if they have the technology to rebuild a city. It’s a well known fact that it’s much easier to destroy a city than it is to build one…”
Reactivated, and sensing the state of the city, Gaius has replicated new automatons to repair and rebuild the city, and hopes that once it is restored to its former glory, it will attract a new populace to serve and manage as it did before. Already it has sent out a small number of drones carrying the message that “Prosperity and Security await in Gaius, the city of tomorrow!”
Previous Notes: Reports of new buildings being seen in the ruins of an distant city have officials wondering who is building them and why.
A colony of constructor bots have reactivated and are hard at work rebuilding an pre-crash city. In addition they have rebuilt and reactivated the cities civil defence network which are ready to defend the city against any aggressive actions.
Reference:
http://www.gizmag.com/maintenance-drones-repair-cities-leeds/40008/
http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2014/12/why-eel-drones-are-future-naval-warfare/100500
https://www.festo.com/group/en/cms/10216.htm
https://www.festo.com/group/en/cms/10157.htm
More:
http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/10-animal-like-robots-that-slither-hop-run-and-fly-150403.htm
Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Beholders
About a month ago, a Palladium forum member (Dolcet) who was looking for ideas for 'a race calling itself the Beholders. These Beholders consider themselves to be the Paragons of existence; for only they can truly know what beauty is and all other living things must die for the crime of not being a Beholder.' [link]
I thought about this for a while, but initially dismissed it because I thought it too two-dimensional of an enemy. Like the Daleks, Cybermen, and Borg, there really isn't much to them beyond kill anything that isn't you. This would make sense if you were working with a hivemind species, but I felt that's been done to death (Aliens, Borg, Mimic, etc). I then thought about the Beholders being more of a group or society of zealots instead of an elitist race. Then I realized how this could reflect that elitist hate that humanity is famous for (be it race, religion, nationality, or gender). This, I started to think, was starting to sound more and more interesting.
The question then became, how are these "Beholders" conducting their genocidal campaign? I was stuck on this. Why would The Beholders, a group that epitomized beauty, have access to weapons of war? What weapons would they use? As I mulled this, I started thinking back to a scene from the old 1950's War of the Worlds movies, three large war machines protected by impenetrable shields, slowly advancing across the countryside, killing all in their path. It was a start. Then came memories of old horror movies like the House of Wax and the Medusa Transducer from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
That was it! I'd change the heat rays to Medusa Rays! Everyone struck by these beams would be turned into calcified (stone) statues. The Beholder's madness would see this as poetic justice, turning these pitiful creatures that cannot possibly understand or appreciate "true" beauty into works of art, and then leaving these statues scattered across the landscape for posterity. Death by Art.
Then, today, I finally brought it all together:
The Beholders are a group of bioengineered humans (artists, curators, aficionados and the like) from before the Big Death. They had engineered themselves with better senses and other talents so that they could create and/or appreciate art and beauty to the ultimate extent. After the Big Death, these Beholders cloistered themselves away from the ravaged world for decades in an old art museum. After all the decades secluded away from the outside world and surrounded by the beauty of the artwork they adored and protected, they fell into madness. They never once considered leaving their museum, as nothing outside its walls could compare to the beauty that they guarded within.
As time passed, a few of these Beholders wanted to join the museums collection, and in a bid to preserve their own perfection, developed a method of rapid calcification of the body, figuratively turning them to stone. Over the years, a handful of the older or more vain Beholders submitted themselves to this procedure, helping perfect it.
Then one day the museum was discovered by a band of scavengers looking for valuables from the old world to sell. The scavengers were quickly caught by the museums Guargoyles, and when the scavengers were interrogated the Beholders were horrified that these scavengers saw their artwork only as items to sell for profit, not appreciated and fawned over. This revelation angered them to the point where they began their genocidal campaign against anyone that couldn't be identified as a Beholder.
The few mechanically minded among them built a number of majestic war machines, works of art that they would march out and across the land and do away with those who could not appreciate beauty like the Beholders could. These war machines stood a hundred feet tall so that they could be seen and appreciated by all around it. They were armed with calcification rays so that these blind ignoramuses could be turned into works of art to beautify the world. And finally, they were protected by force fields that the museum had used to protect some of the larger displays.
On their first battle, if you could call it that, three of the Beholders machines came silently upon an encampment of Free Cattle late on the night of a new moon. When dawn broke, the Beholders watched as the people came out to gaze upon these tall wonders that had appeared around them. At first they Beholders thought that these people may be redeemable, but that one of them picked up a rock and threw it at one of the machines. Immediately, the Beholders opened fire upon the Free Cattle and turned them all to stone before marching on in search of others.
The hook for the adventure would be that one of the scavengers was able to elude capture and then escaped the museum after the Beholders "killed" the rest of the scavengers and left on their genocidal rampage. The group could be brought into the story in a number of ways, here are some examples:
- After finding a village populated only by these odd statues, they encounter the escaped scavenger who relates his mad tale.
- Cardanian scouts capture and interrogated the escaped scavenger, and the group is assigned to validate his mad claims.
- A wealthy individual hires the group to discover what happened to the scavengers he hired to loot an old museum hidden in the ruins of a distant city. They then encounter the surviving scavenger and a few Beholders who have stayed behind to guard the museum.
I will work on and post some stats for the Beholders, their War Machines, and the Museum soon.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Pre-AtB Adventure: Ashes to Ashes
Here is a pitch I am making for a group for a Heroes Unlimited/pre-After the Bomb campaign. I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Campaign Title: Ashes to Ashes
Game System: Heroes Unlimited 2nd Edition
Setting & Synopsis: The year is 2082 and the world is once again seeing the light following nearly half a century of a dark economic turmoil. Technology and the Bio-Sciences are seen as the catalysts that helped raise society from the ashes and usher in a new golden age of prosperity. With these advanced tools life spans have increased, the human condition has improved, diseases are nearly a thing of the past, we have created footholds in orbit, on the moon and on Mars, and we have finally been able to bring new forms of life into the world.
But all is not peaceful in the world: there are warlords, corporations, PMCs and rouge states in the world that did not fair as well or rejected the assistance of others during the rough road to recovery, and now strike out at the rest of the world.
You would take on the role as members of a small unaligned PMC that you have built for yourselves. Who's side you take is up to you.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
AtB Adventure: The Whispering Woods
-- Under Construction -- PLAYER BACKGROUND
It's a warm summer afternoon in a small southern Cardania boarder town, when the PC's, members of the local militia, are called together for a mission briefing.
The militia members sit waiting in a warm and stuffy motor pool garage housing three large all-terrain militia haulers, when Major Erick Woodchuck enters the building.
"Sorry to cut into your afternoon fun, but I've just received orders from Smoketown to send you on a mission.
"An expedition to the south came across the ruins of a pre-Crash agriculture research station a few days ago and have requested equipment and provisions to set up a long-term research site. Smoketown agreed and assigned you to make the delivery and help the expedition set up the site. There are no roads where you're heading, so it should take you approximately four days along the rough trails through the wilderness to get to their base camp.
"You will be transporting the equipment and provisions in those three haulers behind you. Unless any of you have questions or equipment requests, fall out and get ready to move out."
Major Woodchuck will answer any questions he can and fill any equipment requests that he finds necessary to complete the mission. The characters will also be given a If there are fewer than three PC's who can drive, the Major will assign militia members to drive the remaining trucks.
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Six days ago, a small Cardanian expedition came across the ruins of a pre-Crash agriculture research center in southern North Carolina, outside the borders of Gatorland. Their initial inspection of the site found that it was still in decent condition despite its age, and that several of its mainframes were still operational. They immediately sent a request to Smoketown for permission to set up a long-term research site.
Later that evening, during a return trip to the ruins, one of the expeditions teams came into contact with a mutagenic plant that propagates by infecting a host with a vegetable symbiot. That night, the first of the team was driven mad as the changes started to manifest themselves (twigs and buds sprouting from the skin) and went on a rampage through the camp destroying their radio gear. The expedition leader had no choice but to have the team member shot and the other members of its team restrained as they too starting to show the same physical manifestations and mental instability.
The next day, shortly after sunrise, the symbiots in the other infected team members accelerated. They broke free and went on a murderous rampage through the camp killing all but three of the expeditions remaining members before running off screaming into the wilderness. The surviving members returned to the ruins looking for answers as to what caused the teams mutations and a cure. However, as they searched the ruins, the mutated team members attacked them and they locked themselves in an old lab room.
Since the incident, the mutated team members have been wandering around the area attacking and infecting some of the local wildlife.
GAME MASTER INFORMATION
The first leg of the trip to the expeditions last base camp will take the characters around Gatorland through scattered woodlands and grasslands in the Plains of Free Cattle where homesteads are uncommon and villages are rare. If the GM wishes to throw a couple encounters at the caravan during the trip, chose one from the following list or roll on the Wilderness Encounter Table in the main book.
1. Pack of Non-Sentient Feral Wolves. Sometime during the night, while the group is camping, a pack of six feral wolves begin stalking the campsite. They will attempt to take an inattentive guard by surprise and drag them into the woods. If any of the wolves are killed, or severely wounded, the pack will retreat into the woods in search for easier prey.
2. Swarm of Mosquitoes. A cloud of 60 mutant mosquitoes is spooked by the passing caravan and will attack anyone not protected within the vehicles. See main rulebook (pg. 190) for details on these creatures' tactics.
3. Cardanian Scouts. A group five Cardanian scouts are heading back for Smoketown after a yearlong scouting mission to the south. They will gladly share a meal with the group and welcome any news from back home. If entertained, the scouts will share tales of the wilderness and ruins they explored along the Gulf of Mexico.
4. Free Cattle Scouts. Once the caravan enters the Plains of Free Cattle, they will be shadowed by a group of five Free Cattle Scout. They will track the group until they make camp before confronting the group. The scouts will want to know what their business is and where they are headed. When the scouts realize where the group is headed, they will impart a warning that the woods there are haunted by the uneasy spirits of those who died during the Big Death, and that the woods will eat anyone who would dare enter them.
Base Camp
The Blue Ridge Mountains grow larger as the caravan approaches the location of the expeditions last base camp on the edge of a large forested area. The caravan is met by one of the expedition scouts, a mutant horse named Jehosh Marcus, who offers the group a meal before they continue on through the woodlands towards the ruins.
During the meal, one of the two scientists will insist on contacting the expedition to let them know they are nearly there. The radio calls will go unanswered. The scout knows nothing of what has transpired at the main camp and will assume that they are merely experiencing radio troubles, "again."
A mile or so from the site, the caravan is suddenly rushed and attacked by a very large and odd looking boar. It is nearly twice as large as a boar of its type should be and is covered with leaves, branches and vines. The boar will continue to attack until it is dead or otherwise subdued.
Infected Boar
Size: 6' long
Weight: ~500 pounds
Hit Points: 23
SDC: 18
Armor Rating: 6
Horror Factor: 12
Speed: 22 (15mph), Can charge at 50 (35mph) for 3D6 melee
Attacks Per Melee: 2
Damage: Tusks do 2D6+3, Head-butt does 1D6+3, Trample does 2D6+4
Bonuses: +3 on initiative, -3 to Strike, -3 do Dodge
Natural Abilities: Prowl 60%, Track by Smell 65%
Behavior: This infected boar has been driven insane by a plant symbiot. It will fight anything that gets in its way to the death.
GM Notes: The boar was infected by one of the infected expedition members last night. It is unable to infect anyone else at this early stage, and is only motivated to kill itself so it can act as a food bed for the plant to grow in. See later notes for the life cycle of the symbiotic plant.
When the fight is over anyone who examines the boar will find that the boar is not just covered with branches, leaves and vines, but instead they are growing out if its body. The two scientists are excited by this new discovery and start taking notes and pictures of this exciting new mutation. The scientists will insist on bringing the remains with them to the expedition camp so they can examine it more thoroughly.
Expedition Camp Ruins
When the caravan arrives at the expeditions campsite, they find it in ruins. Several dead bodies lie around the camp, victims of a brutal attack.
Searching the area, the group will find the dead bodies of seven of the eighteen expeditions team, the rest are missing. In the expedition leaders tent, they find the expedition's logbook. The last few entries note the discovery of the ruins along with a crude map of its layout; receiving approval from Smoketown to set up a long-term encampment; and then a note that one of the expedition members went mad, "Aristaeus is dead. He came down with the shakes shortly after his team returned from the ruins, but the doctor said it was most likely allergies. During dinner he became quite agitated and started a fight with the scouts. Before we could restrain him he ran into the radio shack, destroyed the communications gear, and killed Zaria! I had to shoot him before he could harm any of the other expedition members. The doctor doesn't have any answers, but noted some odd changes to his appearance."
The leader later notes that the other members of the team had been restrained, "The rest of Aristaeus' team have started to change, so we must protect ourselves should they too go mad. We have tied them to their cots and the doctor has heavily sedated them. The doctor has informed me that Aristaeus' body is still changing!"
The last entry is from three days ago. A quickly scribbled note that the members of the team had gone mad, "Madness and mutation has taken those poor souls. They have broken free of their restraints and fled into the woods, but not before killing the doctor and Timon. I intend to take those that are left to the ruins to find out what caused the mutations and search for a cure."
Jehosh will identify the expedition members noted in the log: Aristaeus was one of three team leaders, Zaria was the radio operator, Timon was a scout, and the doctor's name was Paul. Aristaeus team members were Hoc, and Adalia.
If the characters search the area, (Perception check vs. 14) they will find the remains of Aristaeus. It would almost have mistaken for an odd looking thorn bush if it weren't for the clothes stuck to its thorny branches and the horrifically distorted face hidden beneath it's leaves. The character finding the bush must save vs. HF 15; failure results in a temporary (1D3 days) loss of 1D4 ME and a phobia of plants.
Anyone examining the thorn bush without a natural armor rating of 6 or better (or wearing protective gear) must save against non-lethal poison or become infected with the plant symbiot. See later notes on the symbiotic plant for details.
AgPax Botanical and Agricultural Research Biosphere Ruins
Jehosh, though a bit skittish, will lead the group to the ruins, which is only a fifteen minute hike south of the campsite.
A path through the forest opens up onto a field of huge corn stalks; each plant stands fifteen feet tall with several eighteen inch ears of corn growing on them. In the center of the field, if anyone is able to see over the top of the corn, rises the AgPax Botanical and Agricultural Research Ruins.
The ruins consist of a number of geodesic conservatory domes surrounding a complex. The domes and central complex have all succumb to the decades of weather and unchecked growth of plant-life.
NPCs
The Expedition Survivors
Michael Dean, Expedition Leader
Casey Hatch, Scout
Theodore Cook, Expedition Member
Ent Hunters
Symbiotic Plant
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Chinchilli Day
I saw this promo for Las Vegas, and thought, "Hey, that sounds like a great idea for an Road Hogs game." Decide for yourself.
Friday, April 25, 2008
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
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Mountain of the Dead
I found an article today, while checking out Reddit, about the Dyatlov Pass Accident that happened in the USSR back in 1959. This got me to thinking that it would make an interesting adventure for a Palladium game.
For some time I've been trying to come up with a story for a mystery genre adventure for AtB, and I think this might just be the one. Actually, it would work for just about any Palladium setting.
For setting this in AtB the group of ski hikers could be either Cardanian scouts looking for a pass, or a Philly Trade Caravan moving west, through the Appalachian Mountains. Reports come back a week later that the bodies of the scouts or caravan have been found dead in a remote portion of their route.
The player characters are then sent to investigate the scene and find out what happened.
Several skills would be required by members of the group (medical, tracking, survival, wilderness survival, chemistry, etc. ) to examine the scene and/or discover evidence. People skills would be required to interrogate/question locals of the last town visited.
Several red herrings would be tossed in to prevent the mystery from being too easy to solve. Of course the adventure could be designed so that there would be multiple endings for the GM to choose from like in the movie Clue.
I'll try to create something from this story and post it in a future article.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Rifter #41: The City of Philly
After the Bomb received some attention in The Rifter #41 thanks to Erin (OmegaGirl) Lindsey.
This 24 page article brings the city of Philly to life with descriptions of the city, it's wards, history, and the Rodent Cartel and it's Families. Also included are NPC's, new mutant animals, apprenticeships, and beasts. Including the fearsome Jersey Devil!!!
And if that weren't enough, the article contains great illustrations and a full page map of the area!
If you love AtB, you've got to get this issue!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Transdimesional Mutants Adventure: Sky High
-- Under Construction -- GAME MASTER INFORMATION
When the escaping Daleth scientists popped out of this end of the Gateway, they popped right in the middle of a herd of Glesse (a type of wild cow) that were being hunted by a tribe of Anwot. Their sudden appearance frightened off the animals which did not put the scientists in the natives good graces. The Anwot took these new arrivals back to their village as prisoners for their crime against the of village by scaring off the Glesse.
While the scientists were being tried, they were visited by a woman from the village who was sent to feed and water the prisoners. However, the woman was very curious about the strangers and listened to their story. While she would not agree to setting them free she did agree to keep an eye out for anyone who would come looking for them and tell them what has happened.
When the village elders passed sentence on the strangers, they decided that they would offer up the strangers as sacrifices to the Onwi (winged creatures revered by the Anwot as divine servants of their gods) in hopes that the gods would look favorably upon them in the coming hunts.
Fortunately, adult Onwi are not carnivores. However, their young are when they hatch.
LAND OF THE LOST
Read the following when the characters finally fix the Gateway and are ready to head off after the scientists who escaped:
Blah, blah, fill-in-later, blah... The three large pillars on the platform in front of you start to emit a vibrating hum that soon seems to penetrate your whole body. The lites dim and a pool of radiant water appears on the floor between the pillars which grows and starts to form in the shape of a glimmering dome. At first you feel hypnotized by the surface of the gateway, and after a while you could swear that you see things moving beyond its surface. "The gateway is stable!" The voice of Professor Hawkes, brings you back to your senses. "I can only keep it open for a few minutes. Go, and send me a signal when you are ready to come back. Just in case the transponders don't work, I will open the gateway at the point you arrive for a few minutes every two days at noon. Good Luck!"
When the characters step (or jump) into the gateway it will feel as though they are jumping into ice water as they are turned into a stream of particles and catapulted through the dimensional rifts. There is a slight ((30-PP)%) chance that the character will be spit out of the gateway and end up face first in the dirt on the opposite end.
You find yourself standing beneath the noon sun in a grassy field on some unknown world in another dimension. In front of you the field is bordered by tall woodlands beyond which, far away on the horizon, lies a mountain range that dwarfs the Appalachians in elevation and stretches as far as the eye can see. It's ice capped peaks pierce the clouds and are nearly lost in the heavens.
Behind you the field continues into a hilly landscape. Hundreds of strange cow-like creatures can be seen grazing on a nearby hillside, oblivious that their world has just received visitors from another world.
If anyone checks the area for signs of the scientists have them roll a perception check:
8+: A trail is found leading into the woods.
13+: A pen is found lying on the ground. It is engraved with the word, "Phoenix Institute".
If the group should decide to follow the trail, they will find the Anwot village located about 14 miles away.
THE ANWOT
The Anwot are a race of anthropomorphic rabbits living in a small and primitive settlement. They do not take kindly to strangers invading their lands and will imprison any they catch. This will be a problem for the group unless they have a mutant rabbit in their group with Looks of none or partial. Anyone else will quickly find themselves facing the villages guards and hunters as they try to capture the characters. In this case, read the following:
Suddenly, a dozen or more young rabbit warriors surround you brandishing primitive spears, pitchforks, and nets. An older man dressed in robes and strange ornamentations steps up from behind the younger warriors and addresses the player characters, "So there were more of you strangers than those who came before you led us to believe. Well, you will soon come to the same fate as your friends. The Onwi will surely bless us for providing yet another sacrifice." He then instructs the warriors you are to be disarmed and taken to the stockade.
The warriors will flee if the group offers resistance with modern weapons, but if the group is only armed with ancient weapons they will do their best to disarm the characters and entangle them in the nets. Those captured in the nets will be dragged to a stockade in the center of town. The warriors will not pursue any characters that flee the village.
The woman who talked to the scientists will find those characters who escape and tell them what happened and what will happen to any characters who may have been captured. She will also tell them where the Onwi live and that there is a chance that the scientists are still alive.
If any of the characters are not rescued from the Anwot or choose to allow themselves to be taken by the Onwi, read the following:
It's late at night and the sky is set aglow by two full alien moons, a crowd of people has gathered around the stockade. In the distance, the sound of drumming can be heard echoing through the night and the crowd starts to chant. Three villagers dressed in odd costumes and carrying torches walk through crown and stand in front of the stockade.
"You strangers stain our lands by your presence," cry out the three, "and by the law of our forefathers shall be offered to the Onwi in trade for their continued protection and favor of the gods! May your spirits find their way back to whence you came and find peace."
The three villages turn and toss their torches into a large bonfire. As the fire grows, the villages pass around it and toss in herbs and incense which floods the area causing you to feel slightly lightheaded before rising into the night sky. As you watch the smoke rise, you notice a flock of large winged creatures silhouetted in the moons flying towards the village. This does not go unnoticed by the crowd which starts chanting again and throwing more herbs and incense into the air.
Several of the Onwi quickly land in the stockade and grab the nearest person while the others flutter above the villagers catching as much of the herbs and incense that are into the air. When they are done, the Onwi take the prisoners and the offerings back into the night sky.
NOTE: The Onwi will not take excessively large or heavy characters (Size Level 14+, or 350lbs.+) from the stockade - the villagers will threaten to burn these characters at the stake for being unworthy as sacrifices to the gods. It will take the Onwi an hour to fly their catch back to their lair.
THE ONWI
Traveling to find the Onwi is dangerous, and will take at least two days by foot from the Anwot village.
Possible encounters with some of this worlds wildlife?
The Onwi live in caves high up on the mountainsides.
Cave map?
Dr. Abram's secret (an alien threat?).
ESCAPE
If the characters try to use their TD Transponders while in the caves they will find that there is something in the rocks that prevents the gateway from forming. They will need to make it out onto the face of the mountain before they can get to safety back to Earth.
RESOLUTION
Back home the group will find that the Elite Cardanian Militia, under command of General Volgren, has taken control of the project by order of President Thana.
General Volgren will insist on debriefing the group about what has happened. Once he is done he will notify everyone that he is now in charge and will be keeping an eye on any and all future activities of the site.
WHAT NEXT?
Now that the stage is set and the gateway is operational, you can use it to take your players on adventures to worlds and dimensions far beyond what they might expect. However, there are a few things that will be looming over them.
- Who are the created the gateway?
- Will they be back to claim it?
- What will the Empire of Humanity do if they find out about the gateway?
NPC's & EQUIPMENT
Typical Anwot
Typical Onwi
Glesse (cattle)
Dr. Abram
General Volgren
Friday, August 24, 2007
Transdimesional Mutants Adventure: Daleth
-- Under Construction -- This adventure is built in two parts:
Part 1: Daleth
Part 2: Sky High
PLAYER INTRODUCTION
After weeks of strange weather and reports of strange creatures roaming around the borders of Cardania, the characters have been summoned to a briefing in Smoketown. Once everyone has arrived, read the following:
"You are escorted to a large conference room, empty except for several empty chairs and an long antique looking table at which are seated two official looking persons: a mutant otter wearing the pressed suit of a politician; and a frail looking mutant fox that, with his lab coat and worried look on his face, could only be one of the Academic Underground.
Once you are seated, the otter stands and addresses the characters,
"I am Oregon Young, Scientific Adviser to President Thana. I am sure you are all aware of the odd weather that has been affecting our region and the rumors of strange creatures sighted near our borders. Until recently, we had no reason to believe that these reports were anything to be worried about. However, a few days ago, information was brought to our attention that has changed that opinion..."
The fox squirms uncomfortably in his seat as Young turns his gaze upon the academic.
"This is Professor Hawkes; he is the director of a group of academics known as the Phoenix Institute -- a think tank of rouge scientists, mathematicians, researchers, and others of the academic underground. Early this week, he brought us information that one of the projects his group was working on had gone out of control... I'll let Prof. Hawkes explain."
Young sits back down as the nervous looking fox rises from his chair.
"Two years ago, one of our scouting expeditions came across the ruins of a pre-Death research facility. It had been pretty well picked over, but our scouts found a well-concealed entrance to a lab hidden deep below the ruins. What we found we believed to be some sort of experiment in energy-matter transmission – teleportation. Well, our scientists quickly set up on the site and began their work to see if they could get the equipment working again. It took a lot of time and great effort, but last month I received word that they were ready to bring the equipment online."
The fox stops his oration to dab the sweat from his brow and take a drink of water.
"A week before we lost contact with the site, I received a report from the scientist in charge of the project, Dr. Parfit, had sent me a report that indicated that he found evidence in the old records that the experiment had failed in its attempts at teleportation, but had succeeded in opening a portal - or gateway – to...another dimension!
"His report also stated that they were going to attempt to make an attempt to open the portal once they had completed calibrating the equipment. But that was the last I had heard from him, or anyone at the site. Then the weather started acting strangely and the reports of strange creatures... When none of our scouts in the area reported back I figured that these events were somehow related and shared my information with the President."
"And that's where you come in," says the otter, looking sternly at the group from his chair. "The President has put me in charge of assessing and resolving the situation, and I have chosen you to head to the site with Prof. Hawkes and report back with what you find. Once on the scene, you are to assist and protect the professor as he shuts down the portal, or gateway, or whatever it is that is behind what's going on.
"Keep in mind that this mission is classified and the discussion of it with anyone not associated with this mission is forbidden unless approved by myself or the President. Due to the secrecy of this mission, I cannot authorize any official assistance, but I'm sure that the good Doctor is not without his own resources..."
Mr. Young stands and collects his things and looks at each of you, "If I don't hear back from you in six days, I will assume that your mission is a failure and will have no choice but to move to our back up plan. Good luck."
Oregon Young will not answer any questions as to what the "backup plan" is, but judging by the look on Prof. Hawkes's face, it can’t be anything pleasant. Prof. Hawkes is also reluctant to reveal what this backup plan is, but a cleaver player will be able to break through and get him to reveal that President Thana has authorized the use of a salvaged nuclear device to neutralize the site.
STORY BACKGROUND
The scientists at Project Daleth momentarily opened a transdimetional gate into a dimension of chaos and let loose a horde or alien creatures into the project. As many as half of the projects scientists and technicians were killed by the aliens as they rampaged through the underground facility, the rest escaped. Six escaped by opening another gateway, the rest tried to flee the project aboveground, but were hunted down by several of the creatures that also escaped.
Prof. Hawes will be able to provide the group with technical equipment that the Phoenix Institute has salvaged and repaired, as well as a vehicle or two for the journey (pre-Death combustion engine vehicles only), he even has access to an aircraft (fixed wing) if one of the characters can pilot it. As for weapons, Hawkes will only be able to offer pistols, revolvers, and a couple bolt-action rifles each with 20 to 30 rounds of ammunition.
Prof. Hawkes will want to get started right away, so any characters that are straggling will put him in a foul mood for the beginning part of the trip.
The project site is located at a facility that is hidden in the Appalachian mountains around 220 miles north of Smoketown, and approximately 110 miles west of the Empire of Humanity. This will require nearly a weeks travel overland (considerably less if the group travels by air*), which opens the possibility of the group encountering one of the "strange creatures" that have been reported wandering, or any number of other random encounters.
* Enterprising characters can find and hire a pontoon plane for 60 Bucks a day. However, his plane can only carry up to 5 passengers and none over a size level of 15. A good rule of thumb is to add the groups size levels together and if the total is under 75, the plane will hold them.
TRAVEL ENCOUNTERS
The following is a list of suggested encounters the Game Master may consider tossing at the group as they make their way beyond the protection of Cardainas borders. I would recommend that the GM not overwhelm the group with more than they can handle before they reach the site. I would also suggest that the GM tailor each encounter to best suit the group.
1. Weather turns ugly. The sky goes from cloudless and calm to hazardously stormy. The clouds seem to materialize from nowhere and seem to be of an unusual color. Soon rain is coming down in sheets that make it hard to see more than a few feet, and the wind threatens to down trees. Anyone who insists to continue traveling mush make navigation and control checks (-20%) every 15 minutes. Failure will mean that the group/character has become lost or stuck in the mud. The storm passes in 1D12 x 5 minutes.
2. Shadows in the trees. Have the group make a simple perception check. Those who succeed will see shadowy figures moving amongst the trees. These are just some transdimensional echoes that have been caused by the damaged gateway. Anyone who chooses to chase after the shadows must make a Land Navigation check or become lost in the woods.
3. Bridge washed out. The trail the characters have been following leads to a washed out bridge. The group will have to detour search for a place to ford the river to continue. Luckily, there is an old hermit (mutant rabbit) that lives in the area who knows where one is (3 hours east(downstream)). Unfortunately, the old hermit is mad as a hatter and loves to chat with strangers and his imaginary friends.
4. Free Cattle Patrol. 1D4+2 mutant animals are checking into reports of the strange happenings in the area. They will ask the group if they have encountered anything odd, but not detain them unless they are riding animals, or using any as pack mules. They do not know about the Gateway project, and will most likely try to apprehend the group if they find out that Cardania is behind the strange happenings.
5. Alien Creatures. The group is attacked by 1D4 simian creatures that escaped the transdimensional gateway. [stats pending]
RUINS
Those arriving by land will approach on an old dirt trail winding through the woodlands from the west. Those arriving by pontoon plane will land at the camps dock that extends into the lake to the east. If the group has access to a normal aircraft, they will find a clearing large enough to land it in about a mile off to the west. However, the ground there is pretty rough so the pilot must make a skill check while landing (-15%) or damage the landing gear, requiring 3 hours to repair (Aircraft Mechanics or Mechanics: Basic (-10%)). Trying to take off with damaged gear will cause a -25% piloting check - crashing the plane on a failure.
The site's ruins have been reclaimed by the forest except for a few sturdy buildings that have resisted natures advances. It is in the basement of one of these buildings that the entrance into Project Daleth (Hebrew for doorway) is concealed. Prof. Hawkes knows which building the entrance is and the key code to open it, but not exactly where in the building.
A dozen of the aliens that came through the transdimensional gateway were able to exit the project while workers were escaping and before the main door was closed. They have since taken up residence in several of the building ruins and will attack anyone they see wandering outside (see map for occupied buildings and Daleth entrance).
PROJECT DALETH
In the basement of the building is a large reinforced security door. On the floor beneath the doors security keypad is the dead body of a project worker who stayed behind to lock the door and seal the project. Apparently he was attacked and killed by the TD aliens that escaped.
MAP KEY:
1) Lower Landing: Access to elevators and Stairwell.2) Dr. Parfit's Quarters
3) Staff Dorms: Each designed to house two workers.
4) Rec Room
5) Laundry Room
6) Cafeteria
7) Kitchen: Three TD Aliens are scavenging for food.
8) Cooler
9) Various Labs & Offices
10) Communications Room
11) Medical Bay
12) Dr. Parfit's Office
13) Gateway Control
14) Gateway Operations Center
15) Gateway Room
16) Storage Vaults
T) Toilets
KEY ROOM DESCRIPTIONS
1) Lower Landing
The area is a mess. A couple mutilated bodies litter the floor along with scattered equipment, clothing and a mattress. Access to the stairs and elevators requires key codes known to all staff and Dr. Hawkes. The elevator doors look as though something rather strong has tried to beat it's way through (AR 8; SDC 200(currently at 120)).
2) Dr. Parfit's Quarters
Like the rest of the rest of the quarters, this room has been ransacked by the alien creatures. However, hidden amongst the debris is a floor safe containing Parfit's diary. However, it is written in code that will take quite some time to decipher.
3) Staff Dorms
Each room was set up to house two scientists. All these rooms have been ransacked. There is a 20% chance of encountering one or two of the alien creatures in these rooms.
4) Rec Room
The room is equipped with several old pre-death arcade machines, big screen video wall, media center, and fitness equipment. It's in a bit of a mess, but everything is still operational.
7) Kitchen
Four of the alien creatures have made their nest in the kitchen. Once all of the scientists that were trapped inside had been killed and eaten, this was the only place they could find food. They are currently trying to open the large door into the meat cooler (room #8).
8) Meat Cooler
Door: AR 14; SDC 500 (currently at 320)
10) Communication Room
Most of the equipment has been damaged and will require at least 8 hours to repair (-20% Basic Radio, -10% Basic Electronics. Failed roll adds 4 hours to repair time). However, oddly, this room is found locked from the inside. One of the alien creatures accidentally locked itself in the room and damaged some of the equipment in it's frustration. It is now sleeping behind one of the equipment racks.
12) Dr. Parfit's Office
The office is a mess. Most of the furniture and computers are broken, and it looks like something may have died in one of the corners. Hawkes immediately runs to the computer terminal at the desk and starts working to repair it.
NOTE: This will take at least an hour due to the damage done to everything in the room. If the characters have nothing to do, this may be a good time for the characters to rest, explore, help repair the computers, or Hawkes may ask them to scavenge for parts for the computer.
Once the repairs are completed, read the following to the players:
Hawkes presses a few key on the restored terminal causing a large panel on the far wall to slides away and reveal a large video screen.
The screen comes to life with the words, 'Phoenix Institute Research Project: Daleth. Gateway Operations Test, August 7 0428hrs.' The screen then changes to an image of some sort of laboratory filled with computers and other pre-death technology. A mutant goat in a lab coat stands in the foreground while several technicians work behind him. The speakers fill the room with the sound of loud machinery, which the goat has to shout over.
"This is the log of Dr. Parfit, in charge of Project Daleth. The time is nearly 4:30 am on the morning of August 7th, and we are now finalizing preparations for our latest attempt at opening the gateway. The last few attempts have been showing great promise, and we are very confident that we now have the equipment properly calibrated."
"Thirty seconds," shouts a mutant mouse in the background.
"Once the gateway is opened, we will send through a probe to see what's on the other side."
The goat turns around and looks on as the mouse continues to count down. When he reaches zero, the sound of all the machinery nearly vanishes as a bright light washes out the screen. When the image returns you see a glowing ball of glimmering light, like a ball of water, illuminated from the inside, freestanding in the center of the room. All the technicians stare in awe, but Dr. Parfit snaps them out of it by ordering them to send the probe into the gateway.
Several tense moments pass as the technicians move the probe into position. However, as soon as the probe breeches the surface of the gateway, dozens of dark figures silhouetted by the light come streaming through the gateway and into the room.
The quiet is replaced by screams of terror and carnage. The screen turns to the snow of static. When it returns the scene is at an angle as the camera had apparently been knocked on its side while the picture had been lost. In the background you see that the glowing gateway has vanished, and off screen you hear the voice of the mouse from earlier shouting to others to make sure the door was secured.
The mouse then steps in front of the camera and sets it upright again.
"We have been overrun by those things from the gateway. Dr. Parfit is dead, those things..." The mouse takes a moment to recompose himself. "A few of us have been able to barricade ourselves in the main lab, but the door will not hold for long. We have decided to recalibrate and re-open the gateway in hopes that it will take us someplace safe. If you don't hear from us again, please find us.
"Professor Hawkes - if you are viewing this - there is much Parfit has not sent in his reports that I..."
A sudden crash from off screen followed by a scream suggests that the barricade is failing, and the mouse and several others turn and rush to re-open the gateway. Shortly after the last one is through the re-opened gateway, several hairy creatures enter the screen and start bashing at the equipment. Sparks fly and the gateway flickers and vanishes.
The last thing the video shows is the hairy face of some feral looking simian creature as it swings a club at the camera and sends the screen back to snow.
13) Gateway Control
This is the main control room where the transdimentional gateway is controlled. There is a large glass window (AR 18; SDC 1000) that looks over the Operations Center. The only door (AR 18; SDC 800) into the room was deadbolt locked when the gateway was opened to the chaos dimension, luckily no one was in the room at the time as the gateway was being controlled from a secondary system in the Gateway Room. The series of key codes that will unlock the door are known only to the surviving scientists who escaped through the gateway.
14) Gateway Operations Center
The doors to this room have been forced open, the remnants of a barricade made of several heavy desks lay just inside the doorway. Computer terminals, once set up on the tables used for the barricade, lay on the floor in front of a large video screen set into the far wall. All of the computers can be put back into service with a with a Computer Repair skill check, however they are only there to monitor the transdimensional gateway and offer no actual control over it's operation.
Two large sliding vault doors (AR 18; SDC 2500) connect this room to the Gateway Room. The doors are unlocked and open.
Three large curved metal beams stand prominently in the center of this room. These beams form the arch which is supposed to contain the transdimensional gateway. Over the past two years the group of scientists at Daleth have been piecing together the records of the pre-Death project in an attempt to discover the secrets of the gateway. Earlier this year they finally made the breakthrough when they got an odd piece of hardware working again and attached to the system. What Doctor Parfit didn't share with the other scientists, or with the Phoenix Institute, was that he had discovered that the odd hardware - and the arches themselves - were not of not made on this planet, and were alien in origin.
A bank of computers along the southwest wall are the gateways secondary control point. These computers suffered quite a bit of damage after the project scientists made their escape through the gateway. Fortunately, the transdimensional coordinates the scientists used are still in the system and the players should be able to retrieve them once the system has been repaired.
Repairing the system will require Computer Repair and either Electronics: Basic or Electrical Engineer at -30% on all checks. The time the repairs will take is 12 hours +1D6 hours per failed roll.
TO BE CONTINUED IN: SKY HIGH
NPCs & Notes
Unless otherwise mentioned, doors in the facility have the following stats:
Main Entrance Vault Door: AR 20; SDC 10,000
Dorm & Utility Doors: SDC 80
Office Doors: AR 14; SDC 600
Prof. Howard Hawkes
Alignment: Anarchist
Attributes: IQ 26, ME 10, MA 8, PS 11, PE 10, PP 13, PB 15, Spd. 14
Age: 27 Gender: Male
Species: Fox
Size Level: 10
Hit Points: 20 SDC: 30
Disposition: Agitated
Human Features
Hands -- Full
Biped -- Full
Speech -- Full
Looks -- None
Powers: None
Psionics: None
Background: Academic Underground
Occupation: Scientist / Director of Phoenix Institute (Smoketown)
Skills of Note: All Science and Computer Skills
Weapon Proficiencies: None
Attacks per Melee: 2
Bonuses: None
Personal Profile: pending
Transdimensional Chaos Alien
Species: Unknown (Alien Simian)
Size Level: 9 (average)
Looks: Alien; Speech: Alien; Hands: Partial; Biped: Partial
Avg. Stats: IQ 15, ME 12, MA 3, PS 20, PE 19, PB 3, PP 16, Spd: 25
Hit Points: 25 SDC: 48
Disposition: Chaotic. These creatures will attack anything that does not look or smell like them.
Attacks per Melee: 3
Psionics/Powers: 15% chance of having one Psionic power (usually Mind Trap or a Bio-Manipulation power)
Skills of Note: Wilderness Survival
Weapon Proficiencies: Blunt, Chain, Net, Spear, Targeting
Damage: Bite does 1D8, Claws do 1D6+PS
Bonuses: +2 to Strike, +2 to Parry
Natural Abilities: Color Blind, Night Vision 60', Advanced Smell, Rodent Leaping, Prowl 40%
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