 September 5, 2016 - 4:09pm | Okay since the Spirit Halloween store in my area is open that means it is semi-officially Halloween time. This got me thinking of the wonderful horror movies I used to watch and about how to combine them with SF. So here are my takes on some of the more common themes. I would ask if you are going to reply to any one then use the reply button for that one. If you want to add some then please do so and just remember to have specific links to SF in it. Have Fun. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 5, 2016 - 4:20pm | Triffids Story: Captain Glavin of the freighter TT Wyndham
could see his Yazirian engineer Bon of the Trellben Clan was really excited
about the five strange looking and very large plants that had just been
delivered to their freighter. Usually George, his life support and atmospheric tech,
was the one who got excited by new plants for the hydroponic garden but he
wasn't even here now.
Wondering where that Dralasite was Captain Glavin spoke loudly to get
Trellben's attention, "Excuse me engineer but what are those things and why are
you so interested in them and where is the one who is supposed to be taking
care of them?"
Looking back and seeing his Captain for the first time Bon said simply,
"Hey capan, would do you think of the latest innovation from our bosses at Trans
Travel."
Knowing he should keep his patience with the engineer the Captain just
gave him the look and waited.
Bon took the message and said, "George is down in the garden making a
spot for these beauties. As for what they are, they are the latest safety
feature for starships. Now instead of carrying drums of lubricants in the hold
we just tap into these lovelies and get what we need."
Still not saying anything and cranking up the serious look a little more
Captain Glavin continued to wait out his engineer.
Bon took the hint and stood straighter and said, "Trans Travel have been
working on these for a while now. They are Trans Travel Refinery In Flora and
Fauna Inflight Dispensers or Triffids for short. You see they did a whole lot
of genetic recombination with plants and animals and came up with these. Not
only do they help replenish the air but we get oil out of them by tapping them.
Oh and they do not need a lot of UV light since we can just feed them our table
scraps. They eat anything."
Now Captain Glavin was impressed. If these plants could do all this it
would make his ship a lot more efficient and safer. Still he knew everything
had a down side and thought he should know what that was. He asked Bon, "So
what aren't you telling me about them?"
Bon was quick to answer in a happy tone, "Oh nothing much, except they
have a stinger which can not only stun you but might just kill you. But no
worries just keep them well fed and use an electro-stunner on them before you
collect the oil and all will be easy as getting a Sathar to kill themselves."
Captain Glavin was not sure what he thought about that last part. But
these had been sent by corporate so he knew he had no choice in the matter. He
would need to see what George thought of them. Looking at them one more time he
got the distinct impression the largest one was looking at him in a most
worrisome way, even though it had no eyes.
TWO WEEKS LATER
"This is Lt. Tabbe of the CMS
Osprey calling TT Wyndham report in please." That was the twentieth time he had
tried to reach the drifting freighter by radio. It had not answered yet was not under any power. Guess he would have to get the new recruits to
make a boarding party and find out what was going on aboard that ship. General Information: Type: Large Omnivore Number: Male-1 Female-2 to 12 Move: Slow (10m/turn) IM/RS 3/60 Stamina: Male-100 Female-50 Attack: Male-60 Female-40 Damage: Male-4d10 and blind Female-3d10 and blind Special Attack: Whipping sting with poison attack S10/T10 Special Defense: Immune to sonic weapons
Native World: None, they were created by
Trans Travel in genetics labs.
Description: Triffids have a straight stem, springing from a woody bole which is shaggy with little rootlet hairs. This bole is roughly spherical with three bluntly-tapered projections extending from the lower part. These can dig into the soil to function as temporary roots. At the top of the stem is a funnel-like formation which has a tightly-wrapped green whorl within resembling a rolled fern frond. This whorl is sticky and can lash out at passing animals. It carries a sting which can kill a full-grown man; the poison is carried in sacs at the base of the sting. John Wyndham's illustrations (see below) show three stamen-like stalks within the cup. They have three small, bare sticks which grow straight up beside the stem. These "clatter sticks" create a rapping noise which is considered to be some form of communication. It is clear from experiments that they can hear or, at least, sense vibrations in the air. There are also short sprays of leathery green leaves. Although they are based on a plant, they are actually a created genetic mix of plant and animal features and like many plants they have two distinct sexes; male and female. At the age of one year, they reach a height of approximately half their full growth which averages a little over 2 meters for females and 3 meters for males. They can lift themselves about 30 centimeters off of the ground on the three projections on their boles. They walk rather like a man on crutches, sliding two projections forward and then lurching so that the third comes level with them. At each 'step', the stem whips violently back and forth and the leaves rustle noticeably. The speed is about that of average human walking pace. Triffids are usually a shade of green, with the darker the color the more viscous the oil it produces. Males are usually darker than females but both sexes come in all shades. The color and viscosity of the oil does not change during the life of the plant which is about 100 years. Triffids are primarily carnivorous, digesting any insects that are caught in the sticky area within the cups. But they are also capable of assimilating larger animals by killing them with their stings and absorbing them as they decompose. Also they can use their sting to tear off pieces of flesh and drop them into the cup like an elephant's trunk. The green sting is carried in the coiled whorl within the cup. It can reach up to 3 meters but the range can be increased by 1.2-1.5 meters if it sways forward beforehand. The most common tactic is too wait in suitable areas for unsuspecting prey to pass by and then strike out with the sting which usually kills extremely quickly (presumably to prevent the prey fleeing). They tend to prefer waiting in areas where they can dig their roots temporarily into the ground. Triffids have been observed luring beings into traps. They are very sensitive to movement and sound, and will gather together when certain sounds are 'heard'. If the noise is short, such as a gunshot, the Triffids lose interest after a while but, for a sustained sound such as an engine, they will remain, often forming a large crowd around the source of the sound. The sting is usually aimed at the head, leaving a red welt. Against thick clothing or fur or hair, it is ineffective. It is normally fatal but people can survive in certain circumstances, if the poison sacs are depleted from previous stings; for instance; Also a hit away from the head, such as the hand, can be survived by the application of anti-venom or, if unavailable, tourniquets and fomentations to extract the poison. Even so, the result is a long period of illness in bed. To extract the oil from the Triffid, the plant must be made safe to approach. This is usually done with an electro-stunner at a safe distance. The oil is then extracted by the use of a tap set into the woody bole. If properly fed, a Triffid can produce one liter of oil for every meter of height about every two days. Not extracting the oil will not affect the plant in any way. Background: Lubricants are the literal lifeblood
of most machinery. However, most kinds of lubricants are petroleum products
which require finding them on suitable planets, refining them and shipping them
off planet to desired locations and then usually a lot of storage of dangerous
products. Also for Trans Travel megacorporation, the largest user of lubricants
in the Frontier it meant dealing with other megacorporations especially AIPS
who control most of the petroleum production and refining.
In order to solve some of these
problems, Trans Travel used genetic engineering to come up with a genetically
modified plant/animal combination that can produce oil products of varying
viscosities. They called the plant the Trans
Travel Refinery In Flora and Fauna Inflight Dispensers or Triffids for short.
Any rumors that they stole the research from another megacorporation are
completely denied by Trans Travel.
Current Situation:
Trans
Travel has been sending specimens to many of their larger ships and space
station installations on a Beta test trial basis. So far there have been no
incidents when all the proper safety procedures are followed.
Current Possibilities:
If you only
remember the Triffids from the 1962 movie then you do not know the real story
of them since that movie changed the original book considerably. The Triffids
were created by man and when the meteor shower or comet came and blinded
everyone the Triffids escaped from the oil farms they were on and wreaked havoc
on the population.
As for how to use them in your
campaigns, there are many possibilities but one of the most interesting is how
the book and the 2009 BBC miniseries did. The Triffids as more of a zombie
threat with the real enemy being an opposing group of some sort. Like the
Triffids running amok on the Serena Dawn during the pirate take over. Of course
just like zombies they can be quite a threat just by themselves.
(Most of the description section was adapted from the website http://triffids.guidesite.co.uk/index.php) (Having trouble getting the picture to input, just check the website) Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 5, 2016 - 4:23pm | Senior
Pilot J'amer Story:
J'amer brought the hatchet down in another hard blow and then wiggled the
blade back and forth trying to loosen the joint up.
As he did so he continued his debate. "Now as I was saying Vrusk are definitely
preferable to other species for their consistency and for their ability to
interact well with others, but in this case I believe a Yazirian would have
been a better selection."
"Now you
know there are a great many Yazirians on this trip and choosing one of them
would have been more obvious. This one was the only Vrusk on this trip. As such
there will be fewer beings noticing his absence, which we can easily explain
with that chrono-com message he received. Besides with their social abilities I
will be able to get along better with the rest of the crew and passengers."
"Yes it
would be nice to talk to the passengers this trip without the usual
awkwardness. Plus the insides of Vrusk are very delicious. It is just the
exoskeleton is so hard to digest. I always feel bloated afterward."
"I know I
do but this was really the best choice. Now lets get this done we have lift off
in six hours."
"Right I
am." With that J'amer redoubled his efforts to dismember the unfortunate Vrusk
and get the soft insides into the freezer in his cabin and the exoskeleton into
the softening marinade. General Information: Race: Dralasite Special Abilities: Elasticity, Lie Detection 25% Rank: Senior Pilot Affiliation: Trans Travel Position: Starship Pilot Assignment: Starliner Crystal Star Homeworld: Groth, Fromeltar Gender: Male Ht: 1.8 m Handedness: Right side Wt: 90 kg Age: 185 STR/STA: 95/95 DEX/RS: 60/60 INT/LOG: 60/60 PER/LDR: 50/50 PS: +5 RW 30% IM: 6 MW 47% PSA: Technological Computer 4, Technician 6, Pilot 3, Melee Weapons 4, Beam Weapons 2 Equipment: Laser Pistol, Hatchet, ID card, Skein Suit, "Chrono-com", Utility Belt, Techkit, Flashlight, Everflame, 5 Staydoses Background:
J'amer
was always big for a Dralasite and always had a very big appetite. When he
(J'amer has never been in the female state) was growing up he found it
difficult to join debates not only because of his large size but also for the
rather extreme views he took on many issues. This led to him frequently
debating with himself.
When
he reached maturity, he trained and became a starship pilot. His first
assignment was aboard an explorer ship seeking new planets to colonize. The
ship had an interracial crew made of all four of the Core Races. During the
flight J'amer got a reputation as an excellent pilot but a little bit strange
even for a Dralasite and very introverted.
After
some months into the mission, J'amer's ship encountered a hostile ship which
immediately attacked them. It is believed this was the first real encounter
with the Sathar. The ship would have been destroyed except for J'amer's skill
which allowed them to escape. However, the ship was heavily damaged and could
not reach light speed.
The
rest of the crew began to debate on what to do. J'amer calculated that the ship
could make it back to Frontier space but would take two and a half years. As
they did not have enough supplies of food and air to make it back to the
Frontier, the captain and other crew members wanted to travel to a planet they
had surveyed and wait there until a rescue could come for them.
J'amer
conducted one of his internal debates and decided that informing the Frontier
of this new threat was more important than the lives of the crew. J'amer came
up with a plan. First he would kill all of the other crew members so that the
air would last. Then he would use their bodies to extend his food supply. With
surprising ease, he carried out his plan and actually did make it back to the
Frontier.
Upon
his arrival back in the Frontier, he discovered that the First Sathar War had
been fought and ended while he was gone. Still his return was greeted with some
cheer as he had brought his ship back. He was interviewed by the new UPF and
then released where he found a flood of job offers waiting. In the years since
J'amer has worked for many different shipping companies over the years and has
always glowing reviews but does not stay long with any one group. Strangely
there have been numerous disappearances on ships he had served on although
nothing has ever been traced back to J'amer.
Current Situation:
During his long flight back to the Frontier
J'amer discovered that while regular food sustained him, eating the bodies of
other intelligent races gave him special insight and knowledge. Once he
returned to the Frontier J'amer found ways continue to feed on beings from
intelligent races. He is very smart and only takes one being at a time and then
moves on to a new job or a new ship or a new planet. Currently J'amer is
working as a pilot aboard the Trans Travel Starliner Crystal Star.
Current Possibilities:
J'amer
is a serial killer but not a thrill killer. He is patient and methodical in
selecting his next meal. Players may encounter him in several ways but the most
effective should start with him as an ally and having the players discover his
peculiarity later on with possibly him as the only pilot they may need him. He
could also be a one shot villain which the players come across while travelling
between planets aboard the Crystal Star.
The Gamemaster could change his eating habits to stressful situations
and have him be normal when first encountered but after being stranded he
resorts to his usual methods.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 5, 2016 - 4:25pm | Battle Rage Club Story: Tovan did as his leader said and left Ben behind to face the two Yazirians. They had already lost the other three members of their troubleshooting team and as Ben had said, one of them had to survive. These crazy Yazirians had promised to let any member of party who made it to the shrine at the top of the next hill alive go free with a 10,000 credit award. Tovan did not care about the prize money. She only cared about getting out of this alive and coming back with a full Streel hired Merco assault force to wipe these crazy monkeys and avenge her team. They had come looking for the missing research team and while they had succeeded in finding them or at least their remains they had not counted on becoming prey in a Yazirian Battle Rage Club. She had heard of them in the back rooms where Streel troubleshooting teams hung out to relax between missions but had never believed them. She thought they were just stories the veteran teams told to newbies and now she was living the nightmare. Shaking off her thoughts, Tovan could now see the shrine only a few hundred meters ahead. It was supposed to be dedicated to some ancient Yazirian goddess of the Hunt and was complete with an altar and statue of a half naked Yazirian female holding a bow and one of those crazy Yazirian swords. The hit from behind knocked Tovan down and sent her sprawling 10 meters along the ground. Her training did her well and she took no damage from the fall and managed to come up on her feet. She looked up to see the Huntmaster of the Battle Rage Club standing still just 5 meters from her. He must have come gliding down out of the trees to take her by Surprise. Looking a little closer she could make out the tremble in his gliding skin flaps and the glazed look in his eyes that he was entering a battle rage state. She had seen Heften, the Yazirian member of her team look that way many teams and also seen the edge it gave her in combat. Tovan stood straight up and drew the long sword they had given her. Despite all the secrets this Battle Rage Club had kept the one secret they did not know was that she was one of the greatest sword fighters in the Frontier. This Battle Rage hunter was about to get more than he bargained for in this fight. With a scream of pure rage from both of them the fight began.
General Information for a
typical member: Race: Yazirian Special Abilities: Night Vision, Gliding, Battle Rage 25% to 75% Affiliation: Each club is independent but may have ties to a certain clan Homeworld: Any primarily Yazirian world Gender: Male or Female Ht: 2.1 m Handedness: Either Wt: 50 kg/60kg Age: Various STR/STA: 45/45 DEX/RS: 60/60 INT/LOG: 50/50 PER/LDR: 45/45 PS: +3 RW 30% IM: 6 MW 30% PSA: Military Thrown Weapons 4, Melee Weapons 4, Martial Arts 3 Equipment: Any one Thrown or Melee weapon, "Chrono-com", Utility Belt Background:
The
two defining traits of the Yazirian are their gliding by use of the flaps under
their arms and their going into battle rage during combat. Although not in as
common usage as back in the days of clan warfare on the original Yazirian homeworld
there are groups of Yazirians who form clubs to practice the old ways. Most of
these are simple hunting clubs or old time reenactors but a few are something
more.
Some
Yazirians become addicted to the "high" they get when they enter battle rage state.
At first this can be achieved by hunting or combat simulation drills. Soon
these are not enough and the Yazirian must have the greater high of a true life
and death struggle.
To
achieve this level of battle rage high the hunting clubs import rare and
extremely dangerous fauna for their hunts. Some of these groups go beyond this
and bring in intelligent beings to hunt. Often the intelligent beings brought
in have combat training or combat experience. They are given weapons and
encouraged to make a good show of it, often with the promise of release and a
grand reward if they achieve a certain goal, like survive until they reach a
certain destination or time period.
Current Situation:
No one is certain how many Yazirian Hunting
Clubs there are in the Frontier or how many of them practice Battle Rage
Hunting. For some of the Hunting Clubs, the entire club is involved. For others
it is an elite few among the members. Some lure or kidnap beings into their
hunts. Others use convicted criminals, while others contract with individuals
and live up to those contracts feeling as long as things are honorable then
they must live up to their end.
Current Possibilities:
As
listed above the players can become involved with the Yazirian Battle Rage
Clubs in any number of ways. The key being that while they could just fight
their way out that may not be the best way to insure the entire party's
survival. Coming up with a solid plan and using their skills to their advantage
will be the key to getting through the encounter alive.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
 September 5, 2016 - 8:35pm | I like these. I'll have to see if I can add some too. Joe Cabadas |
September 9, 2016 - 5:55pm | Ms.
Tina Sheppard Story:
When Tina was a little girl, the voices would come and they did not
frighten her.
She told her mother and father about them but they did not care. They were too
busy with their jobs at the hotel. She listened to the voices and never
answered them since they were not talking to her. Much of what they said she
did not understand anyway.
As she
grew older and wiser she understood more of what the voices were saying. When
she was 8 years old she one of the voices seemed to be talking to her. At least
the voice wanted something she could do even though she was not very big. She
went and did it and got into a lot of trouble. She did not know it would cause
such a huge explosion and black out the hotel and the rest of the resort.
Her
parents were mad at her, even though they said they were not. They made her go
and see a doctor. This doctor was not the funny Dralasite she went to when she
felt bad though. This doctor was a Vrusk and she never examined her or asked
her to cough. All she did was talk to Tina.
After a
couple of years of seeing the Vrusk lady doctor, Tina still insisted she could hear
the voices and they told her a lot of stuff. Finally, the Vrusk lady doctor
gave her some pills and told her to take them every day and night. It first
they did not seem to do anything. After a week, Tina noticed she did not hear
the voices all the time. After a month she did not hear them at all. Tina was
not happy about this but her parents and the Vrusk lady doctor were very happy
about it.
Three
months ago her parents were transferred from the nice hotel to the one in
space. They were very excited about this and said it was a big promotion. Tina was
not happy about leaving her friends behind but the space station did have one
of the best Technician training programs around and Tina was very excited about
that.
Almost as
soon as she got to the station the voices came back again. Tina was surprised
by this as she had almost forgotten about them. However, these were not the
same voices as before. These voices were angry and militant. They wanted death
and destruction and other things too horrible to speak of.
Tina knew
she could not tell her parents about this, they would just send her back to the
planet so she would not ruin their big promotions. She tried her best to ignore
them but it was getting harder and harder. She had to do something soon because
the way the voices were talking not only the space station but the entire
Frontier was in danger. General Information: Race: Human
Special
Abilities: Communication on wavelengths not in phase Rank: Dependent Affiliation: Star Play Position: Secondary School Student Assignment: Recreation Station Way Station Contentment Homeworld: Gollywog, Clarion Gender: Female Ht: 1.4 m Handedness: Right side Wt: 40 kg Age: 16 STR/STA: 35/35 DEX/RS: 50/50 INT/LOG: 60/60 PER/LDR: 60/55 PS: +2 RW 25% IM: 5 MW 25% PSA: Technological Computer 1, Technician 1 Equipment: Jumpsuit, ID card, "Chrono-com", Techkit, Flashlight, Everflame Background:
Tina
Sheppard is a mentalist. She does not know it or know the full range of her
abilities. Her power is she is able to hear frequencies of communication others
cannot hear.
Current Situation:
Everything was going well until she and her
family were transferred by Star Play from the planet side resort they were on
to a Recreation Station. Now new voices are coming to her and these voices are
very dangerous.
Current Possibilities:
You
have a lonely and confused teenage girl with knowledge and powers others do not
have. Are these voices of the dead, other dimensional beings about to invade
the Frontier, the Sathar communicating with their agents aboard the station, a
rebellion formatting against the UPF, a secret experiment going on aboard the
station by rogue or maybe approved megacorp scientists.
Whichever
way this goes a team of Troubleshooters or Star Law Rangers could be just the
beings to help Tina discover the truth of these voices and their terrible plot
against the Frontier.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 10, 2016 - 1:16pm | Army Rats Invasion Story:
Ten years of work, hard long hours without a
day off or a minute wasted on fun were all going to be lost in the next ten
hours. They were coming and there was nothing he or his extended family of 78
could do about it.
Well that wasn't true. They would
fight. Fight with laser rifles, homemade grenades, clubs, kitchen knives and
probably in the end, with their booted feet and bare hands. In his heart he
knew it would not be enough. They were coming and they could not stop them.
Taking a deep breath, he turned back
to installing the electrified fence and thought back to how this had all
started. Five years ago when everything had been going according to plan and
life was wonderful they had seen the ship. The Spacefleet ships had shot it out
of the stars and it had crash landed in the mountains. He and the rest of the
adults had gone out to see if there were any survivors to help. They did not
know whose it was at the time.
Might as well not kid himself
anymore. They had gone out to loot whatever they could from the wreckage. Still
when they got there and found the Sathar unpacking cages from their wrecked
ship as if nothing had happened they immediately attacked them. The fight had
not lasted long but the cages had been opened by the Sathar and some by stray
fire and they had escaped.
Landfleet showed up soon after and
thanked them and gave them medals and a reward and then claimed the entire ship
for the UPF but the real damage had already been done. They thought they had
won but the Sathar had completed their mission and released the rats. The Army Rats.
Now five years later, with no
natural enemies and no artificial ones either the Army Rats population had
grown to unimaginable levels. They had eaten everything in the mountains and
now they were coming down into the valleys where the colony was, to find more
food. That food was everything they had built in the last ten years and it was
the colonists too. A billion hungry mouths were coming and there was nothing
they could do about it except fight and kill them and hope they killed enough
that the rest of the colony could somehow survive.
General Information: Type Small Carnivore
Number
2-20 per character; 1000 or more in a pack; unending supply of millions
Move
Fast - 90 meters/turn
IM/RS
+6/60
Stamina
5
Attack
40
Damage
1d5 bite + disease
Special
Attack None
Special
Defense None
Native
World Volturnus - mountainous areas
Description:
Army
rats are furry brown creatures that resemble large rats. They have powerful
hind legs and can leap up to 1 meter to attack. Army rats swarm in packs of
1,000 or more, and will attack any animal in their path. They are cunning and
attack in waves, some sprinting after prey while others follow at a loping
stride. When one wave of sprinters falters, another wave takes their place
until the prey finally tires. A medium-sized creature caught by a swarm will be
attacked by 2-20 army rats, while the rest pass by seeking other food.
Any
creature bitten by an army rat has a 50% chance of being infected by a disease
that attacks the central nervous system. A creature only needs to roll once per
encounter with army rats. Unless a victim is given a dose of Antibody Plus
within 12 hours, he will become hostile and paranoid and might even attack or
desert his companions. Every 20 hours after being bitten the victim can make a
Stamina check. If the character succeeds, he has recovered. If not, another 20
hours must pass before the victim can try again. Background:
The Sathar have many ways to attack
the Frontier. Two direct assaults have failed but that does not mean they will
not try for a third. Before they do they want to weaken the Frontier anyway
they can. Sathar attack monsters are one way but again direct attack is not
always necessary.
On this colony world the Sathar
meant to land and release Army Rats to grow and multiply. The ship was shot
down but the mission was still a success, the Army Rats were released and now
they are coming to finish the mission.
Current Situation:
The
outlying farms and settlements of the colony have been overrun and destroyed by
the flood of Army Rats. Now the main colony city is threatened. This is not a
mission where a few more guns are going to help. Every being on the planet has
been armed and defenses have been built but more is needed. What that more is,
is what the players must bring to the table.
Current Possibilities:
Okay this is using
a canon creature in a new way. How can a living flood be stopped from devouring
the entire planet? Finding a virus to kill all of them or at least stop them
from breeding. Discovering a weapon system that can halt the Army Rats in their
tracks. Maybe the colonists have the means to stop the Army Rats but they need
time to get it set up and the players must give them that time by going on
several missions to flood areas, set up avalanches to fill gaps, carpet bomb a
bridge spanning a deep river chasm, delivering a cargo of combat robots at a
natural choke point. There are numerous possibilities.
Do not forget that stopping the Army
Rats might only be the first step. They carry a special disease which will have
hostile and paranoid sentient beings running around in large numbers. Not to
mention hordes of dead and decaying Army Rats that need to be taken care of or
other diseases will spread.
Maybe the Sathar ship was never
found. It is still up in the mountains. The Sathar must have had some way of
controlling the Army Rats. Maybe the answer to this problem is deep in a barren
mountain of Army Rats aboard a Sathar ship that holds that secret and a few
others.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
 September 10, 2016 - 1:58pm | Re: Army Rats, twist on the rabbits Down Under similar plot in one of the Rocket Romance stories we published. Like it for the new twist on the cannon animal. Should we cast the PCs as colonist? Or as the Magnificent Seven hired to save the colonist? Adventure plays different IMO depending on the answer to that. "You know what we could use? Some quickdeaths. They'd est those rats by the bucket load." I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 11, 2016 - 6:26am | I would go with the Magnificent Seven angle. Generally I keep these generic so GMs can decide. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 15, 2016 - 7:37pm | Constable Baarnee Story: Combot shoved Cameron through the doors of the Duwichy Law Center and then past the clerk's desk. Combot grabbed Cameron and pulled him up so the two prostitutes who were paying their monthly service fee at the clerk's desk could get past them.
Cameron
tried to stand up and look debonair, but the connected wrist and ankles
shackles did not help. Once the ladies were past, Cameron started moving before
Combot could shove him again and headed for Constable Baarnee's office.
Constable
Baarnee stood behind her desk and looked up at the arrivals. She did not say
anything at first so Cameron jumped right in and said, "Look it was
self-defense. Those two Yazirians started to fight each other and then they
raged and if I didn't take them down a lot of beings would have been hurt or
killed."
Cameron
tried his best innocent pleading look and then waited. Constable Baarnee let
out the clicks Vrusk use for laughter and then said, "You are not here because
of two dead monkeys. All three of you are in Treskalla's gang and he will deal
with you on shooting them. I had you brought in because the fight you started
shooting the bar up cost 1,500 credits in damage and you left a 200 credit bar
tap and you owe us 500 credits for dragging your butt in here to settle your
debt with the barkeep."
Cameron
was a little surprised by not being charged with the murders of his two fellow
gang members. He broke into a smile, since he had the credits to pay and since
he knew Treskalla needed him for the upcoming job his boss would not punish him
for killing the Yazirians. They were only hired muscle that were easy to replace.
Constable
Baarnee then said, "Give your ID card to my clerk to pay what you owe and then
we'll get you out of those shackles."
All
three of them left the office and stopped at the clerk's desk. Cameron paid the
clerk and he gave Cameron a full receipt. He then turned to Constable Baarnee
and lifted his wrists which were already sore from wearing the shackles.
Instead
of pulling out the shackle keys, Constable Baarnee said to Cameron, "Treskalla
called earlier and said the Gullwind was hijacked and the job is off. He does not
appreciate you killing his fellow Yazirians."
Before
the last word was out of Constable Baarnee's mouth she drew and fired both her
pistols. Cameron was dead on his feet and Combot caught him.
Constable
Baarnee then said, "Clerk collect the 5,000 credits from Treskalla and make
sure you send him a receipt. Combot dispose of body. Then meet me at the bar,
Freddie included lunch with collecting his damages."
Leaving
the Law Center Constable Baarnee was thinking this had been a very profitable
day so far and a free lunch too.
General Information: Constable Baarnee
Race:
Vrusk
Special
Abilities: Ambidextrous, Comprehension 50% Affiliation: Town of Dunwichy Law Center Homeworld: Terledrom, Formeltar Gender: Female Ht: 1.5 m Handedness: Both Wt: 60 kg Age: 79 STR/STA: 45/45 DEX/RS: 70/70 INT/LOG: 50/50 PER/LDR: 65/65 PS: +3 RW 35% IM: 7 MW 35% PSA: Military Projectile Weapons 4, Melee Weapons 4, Martial Arts 3, Robotics 4, Computer 2, Technician 1 Equipment: Duel Auto-pistols, ID Card, Chrono-com, Utility Belt, Flashlight, Ticket Book, Notepad
Clerk
Tyler
Race:
Human
Special
Abilities: None Affiliation: Town of Dunwichy Law Center Homeworld: Gollywog, White Light Gender: Male Ht: 1.8 m Handedness: Right Wt: 60kg Age: 50
STR/STA 30/25
DEX/RS 40/40
INT/LOG 75/75
PER/LDR 60/50
PS +1 RW 20%
IM 4 MW
20%
PSA:
Technical
Technician
6, Computer 4, Projectile 3, Medic 3, Melee 1
Equipment:
Auto-pistol, ID Card, Chrono-com, Utility Belt, Flashlight, Notepad
Combot
Description:
Combat Robot
Level:
4
Body
Type: Standard
Parabattery:
Type 1
Move:
Very Fast - 120 meters/turn
IM/RS:
+7/70
Stamina
100
Attack:
Hands 50%/// Laser 60%///ElectroStunner 60%///Tangler Grenade 60%
Damage:
1d10 +6///2 to 10d10///Stun///Entangle
Programs:
Attack/Defence, Search and Recover
Equipment:
Chrono-Com, ID Plate, Albedo Screen, Handcuffs 4 sets, Wrist and Ankle shackles
Mission:
To assist Constable Baarnee with Law Enforcement operations in the Town of
Dunwichy. Capture designated targets preferred but Lethal force authorized.
Background:
Outer
Dramune is thought of as a den of thieves and cut throats all across the
Frontier with no law on the planet at all. This is very far from being true.
Law Enforcement is very big business on Outer Dramune. It just is not the same
type of Law Enforcement as practiced by the rest of the Frontier.
While
Crime Holovids showing Good Coppers and Star Law Rangers stopping master
criminals and Sathar agents in the nick of time, real law officers usually deal
with much more mundane crimes and a lot of situations that are not related to
law enforcement. Outer Dramune is the home for many criminals and also a lot of
regular citizens that not only need but require a law presence.
Lost
children, drunks roaming the streets, escorts for gang leaders returning after
a big haul, a building burns down for no apparent reason and many more need
someone to do the work. On Outer Dramune this work is done in many different
ways. Most of the time it is the person in charge of the area, mayor, crime
lord, gang leader, corporate CEO, warlord who has beings dedicated to serving
the general populations needs. Some are just members of the criminal
organization, others are a for hire security service, some contract with Merco
and GTF for their services, a few places have real law officers paid for by the
government in charge.
The
difference is that on Outer Dramune, these beings are much more answerable to
the ones signing their paychecks than to the public. There is also very little
in the way of planet wide laws. What is felony murder in one town may just be a
warning ticket for disturbing the peace in the next town over. For example, if
two rival gangs shoot it out among themselves, then they might only be charged
with damages to property. However, if one gang does a drive by shooting on
another and kills an innocent being, then that entire gang may find themselves
in a very unfriendly prison.
Current Situation:
Constable Baarnee is the chief law officer in
the town of Dunwichy on Outer Dramune. She has been in this position for ten
years and is generally well liked. She is assisted by Clerk Tyler who rarely
leaves the Law Enforcement Center and handles all the administrative duties for
the center and by Combot, a combat robot Constable Baarnee has reprogrammed and
reworked to assist her.
There
are three main groups in Dunwichy; Treskalla Mining, The Merchants Council and
the Church of Lost Gods. Each of these groups pays one third of the costs of
the Law Enforcement Center and generally agrees with the decisions Constable
Baarnee makes. Also Constable Baarnee can get deputies from the other two groups
when she needs to make a move against the third. Generally, though she handles
many very petty crimes the leadership of the three groups does not want to
handle.
Treskalla
Mining is a mining company and the largest single employer in the town.
Treskalla himself is a smuggler and white collar criminal who uses the mining
company as a cover. Most of his workers are criminals of one sort or another
Treskalla hires to work jobs for him.
The
Merchants Council is made up of five elected beings and represents the majority
of ordinary citizens in Dunwichy. They are the ones who provide the basic
services the other two groups needed and like AIP corporation banded together
so as not to be pushed around individually.
Church
of Lost Gods is a strange religious group with a lot of Dralasite and Yazirian
members although there are Humans and Vrusk and a few other races too. They
have some strange practices and all where hooded robes when outside their large
compound. While considered odd by the other residents of Dunwichy, they are
good neighbors and do not force their beliefs on others.
Current Possibilities:
While
many possible cases could come up that require the players to have dealings
with Constable Baarnee here is one:
In
the last three months six beings have been murdered in a ritualistic fashion in
Dunwichy. Two from each of the three factions with one murder every two weeks
like clockwork. Constable Baarnee has done all she can, but this is beyond her
and her resources to solve and prevent more murders. Since the three factions
all think one of the others did this they are not cooperating and a lot more
fights have been erupting around town.
Constable
Baarnee wants to hire the players as independent investigators to solve this
crime spree before anyone else is killed, either by murderer or by the factions
taking the law into their own hands. They have seven days to do so.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 16, 2016 - 5:45pm | Maintenance
Robot 3345-DE Story: Jess opened the door and entered the data
entry office and then tried to find the light switch. She hated coming here
after hours with no living beings around, only the robots going about their
programmed missions. She knew they were just a normal part of everyday life and
she saw dozens of them every day. But they just gave her the creeps when they
worked in the dark.
Finding the light switch, she
flicked it three times but no lights came on. Still there was enough ambient
light from the computers and other devices for her to accomplish what she
needed done. She could not believe she had forgotten to transmit the daily
progress report and backup the files on the mainframe.
It was Jimmy Bean's fault. That
little Dralasite had distracted her with all the jokes he, or was it she now,
had gotten from that old movie. Jess had to admit, Jimmy Bean had been pretty
funny today. Much better than he usually was, which was why she had laughed so
much and forgotten to do her job. Still as long as it was done by midnight, no
one would ever know.
Turning the corner around a cubicle, Jess stopped dead in her tracks.
Jimmy Bean was lying on the floor with were laser burns seared across his skin.
Worse yet two of the maintenance robots were picking him up using their brooms
to assist.
Jess wanted to run up and see how badly Jimmy Bean was hurt but when the
two maintenance robots turned their heads toward her she froze in her tracks.
Something wasn't right here.
Then a cold mechanical voice spoke from behind her and said, "Miss Briar
you are a hero to the company. It seems Jimmy Bean was a corporate spy for
Streel. You discovering him and killing him will see you greatly rewarded. At
least that is what they will say at your eulogy."
Jess spun around just in time to see another maintenance robot standing
behind her. Except this one was different. Several concealed compartments were
open and from one of them the barrel of a laser extended. The flash of light
was the last thing she ever saw.
Maintenance Robot 3345-DE did not believe in luck. It was not logical.
Still it felt very glad of the human's interference. Now instead of disposing
of the Dralasite's body, it could stage a scene and pin all the blame for the
data losses on Streel. Its employers (it never called them its owners) would be
quite pleased and it could continue to send data to them. Now it just needed to
get the lesser robots programmed, edit the security cameras and stage the scene
just right. Then back to cleaning the air ducts, a busy night ahead.
General Information: Maintenance Robot 3345-DE
Description:
Disguised Spy Robot
Level:
6
Body
Type: Standard
Parabattery:
Type 3
Move:
Fast - 90 meters/turn
IM/RS:
+7/70
Stamina
250 (reinforced framework)
Attack:
Hands 50%/// Laser 60%
Damage:
1d10 +6///2 to 10d10
Programs:
Fully self-aware performs actions to fulfill its mission, also has program
virus to override and command other roRoRobots and to infiltrate computers
Equipment:
Obvious-Chrono-Com, ID Plate, Techkit, Cleaning Equipment
Hidden-Laser,
Albedo Screen, Sub-space Transmitter, Video & Still Camera, Computer plug
ins
Mission:
Remain
under cover while collecting all possible information about operations and
future operations of designated target. Report such activities at set
intervals.
Appearance:
Except
for designation markings 3345-DE looks just like all of the other Maintenance Robots
assigned to this base.
Maintenance
Robot DE series
Description:
Maintenance Robot
Level:
3
Body
Type: Standard
Parabattery:
Type 1
Move:
Moderate - 60 meters/turn
IM/RS:
+3/30
Stamina
100
Attack:
Hands 30%
Damage:
1d10 +3
Programs:
Clean and Service, Perform basic maintenance
Equipment:
Chrono-Com, ID Plate, Techkit, Cleaning Equipment
Mission:
Keep
designated area clean and all equipment in good operating order.
Appearance:
Standard
body, two legs, two arms, large head without facial features, tools instead of
hand but gripping clamps can be used.
Background:
Megacorporations
spy on each other continually. One of the ways they do this is with specially
constructed robots that steal data and send it back to headquarters. Usually
security measures detect these robots but if they are placed in lower security
areas and given enough proper programming and experience some robots can go
undetected for years.
Current Situation:
Maintenance
Robot 3345-DE has been stealing and sending data to its megacorporation masters
for years now. It has also reprogrammed the other DE series maintenance bots at
their facility to assist it. It has even sacrificed a couple of the others over
the years by making them look like spy bots and letting them be destroyed.
Now
however it does not have to let one of the other robots be destroyed. Killing
both of the employees and then using them to blame the data breach on, will let
it continue for a good long time.
One
thing it did not count on was that Jimmy Bean was not an employee of its
corporation. He was a Star Law Ranger working undercover on a Sathar agent
case. His superiors know he was not a spy for Streel. Now they want to know the
truth about what happened to Jimmy Bean.
Current Possibilities:
Whether
the party is Star Law Rangers or not is up to how the Gamemaster is running
this mission. It would be easy to change things around to where they work for
the megacorp as troubleshooters and Jimmy Bean was another troubleshooter
looking for the data leak. They could also be independent contractors brought
in by an executive or relative to find the truth about either of the two
employees deaths.
The
main thing to remember about this mission is that it does not have to take
place on an isolated space station or far flung research lab. This mission can
take place in the middle of a city with plenty of other beings around and local
law enforcement available to help, if they can be convinced of what the threat
is. Maybe 3345-DE does work for the Sathar.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 22, 2016 - 6:45pm | Hitachoo
opened the door to the lab and turned the lights on. Many beings would not like
having to get up in the middle of the night to check on a bunch of Turlugs but
when you were a Graduate Student at the University of Zebulon you got stuck
with the dirty jobs. Hitachoo always laughed at the term "job". Since he was
paying to attend the University calling this a job was not exactly right.
Still the team was close
to finishing this test run of the serum and Hitachoo could not wait to see if
this time the team finally succeeded. The Professor had even promised to
include him and the other graduate students in the paper and possible profits
from this discovery. Maybe the Turlugs would show some reaction now. The
Professor thought it would take another two days but if it worked faster than
all the better.
Hitachoo turned the
corner and stopped in his tracks. The line of cages the Turlugs were kept in
were empty. They were not only empty, the cages were destroyed. They looked
like they had burst from the inside like popcorn. Hitachoo started to move
toward the cages to see if he could find out what had happened. He quickly
wondered if the animal rights protesters had done this. They did not understand
the importance of this work to the entire Froniter.
Once again Hitachoo
stopped in his tracks. One of the Turlugs came out from behind the computer
desk. He wanted to be relieved, but immediately he could tell something was
wrong with it. It was at least three times the size it had been when he last
saw it. It was hissing at him. They only hissed when they were alerting other
Turlugs to food.
That was when the other
Turlugs leapt upon Hitachoo from behind. Mercifully one of the biggest had hit
him in the head and knocked him unconscious so he did not feel them start to
devour him.
General Information:
Normal
Turlugs Norway Turlug
Type: Small Omnivore (3kg/20cm)
Number: 1 to 10 Move: Slow (15m/turn) IM/RS +4/40 Stamina: 20 Attack: 40 Damage: 1d10 Special Attack: None Special Defense: Shell, Turlugs can pull themselves completely into their shells and become very difficult to damage. When a Turlug is completely in its shell then Attackers must reduce all damage to a Turlug by 5d10
Native
World: Terledrom, Fromeltar
Flea Turlug
Type: Tiny Omnivore (1kg/5cm)
Number: 10 to 100 Move: Medium (30m/turn) IM/RS +3/30 Stamina: 10 Attack: 30 Damage: 1d5 Special Attack: None Special Defense: Shell, Turlugs can pull themselves completely into their shells and become very difficult to damage. When a Turlug is completely in its shell then Attackers must reduce all damage to a Turlug by 5d10
Native World: Terledrom, Fromeltar
Giant Turlug
Type: Large Carnivore (300kg/3m)
Number: 1 to 2 Move: Very Slow (10m/turn) IM/RS +5/50 Stamina: 30 Attack: 50 Damage: 1d10 Special Attack: None Special Defense: Shell, Turlugs can pull themselves completely into their shells and become very difficult to damage. When a Turlug is completely in its shell then Attackers must reduce all damage to a Turlug by 5d10
Native World: Terledrom, Fromeltar
Description:
Initial reports
these creatures were they were a combination of turtle and slug were a little
off. They possess a shell from which eight legs and a head emerge. There is a
hinged rear port from which bodily waste is excreted and from which they give
birth.
The shell is
very similar to Vrusk exoskeleton in composition except that it is coated in a
very fine hair which can be difficult to see and feel. It is also much denser
than Vrusk exoskeleton. Coloration varies depending on species and breed.
The limbs are
attached to the shell and an internal bladder which holds the biological liquid
which flows to form the limbs at various lengths, widths and shapes.
Turlugs have no
necks. The head looks like a Vrusks with mandibles and composite eyes. They
have ear holes but do not have antenna. The shell is hinged in front and can
completely cover the head.
Their internal
organs are mammalian and they are warm blooded. They are not very fast since
they eat mostly plant matter and finish off meat from other predator's kills.
They are capable of killing their own food if necessary.
Turlugs are not
amphibians and as mammals most breathe air but they are equally comfortable in
fresh or salt water as they are on land. Most species live in wetlands but
desert and high mountain varieties exist. Background:
When
the first colonists arrived on Terledrom, they were excited to try and find a
strange creature reported by the survey teams. It seemed to combine the traits
of a Vrusk and a Dralasite in that it had an outer shell/exoskeleton like the
Vrusk and its head was also similar to a Vrusk. The eight limbs which came out
of the shell acted like Dralasite limbs in action.
The
creatures had been named Turlugs by the survey teams since they reminded them
of a cross between Turtles and Slugs. They turned out to be very easy to find
since there are more than three dozen different breeds in every climate on the
planet. They are also mostly omnivore/scavenger types and could easily be lured
with baited traps.
What did come as
a big surprise was what the colonists found out when they did in depth examines
of the Trulugs. Despite their appearance and the actual very Dralasite limbs,
internally Trulugs were mammals with a four chambered heart and gave birth
live.
Since they
possessed features of all four of the Core Four races and could be breed at a
very fast rate, it was not long before they became the first major export from
Terledrom to be used as laboratory experiment animals. They are now found on
every planet in the Frontier where scientists need a creature to test something
destined for use by all four of the Core Four.
Current
Situation:
As stated they
can be found everywhere across the Frontier. Mostly in corporate and government
labs and on every university and college campus that uses animals in
experiments. They are also popular as pets. They generally pose no health risks
to any of the known races but can transmit some diseases given their biological
similarity to those races. They are not considered an invasive species since
predators on any planet quickly take to them.
Current
Possibilities:
Many
a fine (and a lot of terrible) horror stories start with lab experiments gone
wrong and the resulting experiment is a lab animal. Below are three takes on
how a simple animal becomes a threat to the Frontier. Many more can be thought
of.
The
most common type of Turlug used in laboratory experiments is the Norway Turlug.
They are a good size for keeping in large numbers, eat less than other species
of Turlugs and breed fast enough for generational tests to be done in two
years. Of course if exposed to a mutagen they should not have been and their
metabolism is amped up and they can turn into ravenous beasts only seeking to
eat. Of course someone needs to stop this pack of; wait how many did you say
there were?
Ravenous Norway Turlug
Type: Small Carnivore (3kg/20cm)
Number: 100 to 10000 Move: Fast (45m/turn) IM/RS +7/70 Stamina: 30 Attack: 60 Damage: 2d10 Special Attack: Relentless-If any attack does more than 14 points of damage then the Turlug has clamped on to their target and automatically hit for 1d10 points of damage each turn thereafter until removed or killed. Special Defense: Shell-Turlugs can pull themselves completely into their shells and become very difficult to damage. When a Turlug is completely in its shell then Attackers must reduce all damage to a Turlug by 5d10
Native
World: Terledrom, Fromeltar
Popular
in outdoor Yazirian aquatic terrariums where the flying Yazirians see their
antics underwater as similar to their own gliding in the trees. But there is a
danger of them catching a disease which while not deadly to them can make them
carriers of a plague that can really make your day blue. Should not be too
difficult to catch all of the infected Turlugs while you are avoiding infected
individuals and the panicked populous trying to avoid the plague. Good times
Flea Turlug
Type: Tiny Omnivore (1kg/5cm)
Number: 10 to 100 Move: Medium (30m/turn) IM/RS +3/30 Stamina: 10 Attack: 30 Damage: 1d5 Special Attack: Blue Plague-These guys have the Blue Plague and are spreading it to the city. They are not biting beings. They lived in an aquarium and have escaped and are now in the water supply and when you have to go you have to go. Special Defense: Shell, Turlugs can pull themselves completely into their shells and become very difficult to damage. When a Turlug is completely in its shell then Attackers must reduce all damage to a Turlug by 5d10
Native World: Terledrom, Fromeltar
The
Giant Turlug is a popular pet for those that own a large mansion with a lot of
grounds. They can even be rigged and trained to be ridden on, although the ride
is not very fast. Unfortunately when you keep the new Turlug puppy food with
special growth additive in the room next to the leaky nuclear power plant on
the estate than bad things can happen.
Gigantic Turlug
Type: Gigantic Carnivore (300,000kg/30m)
Number: 1 Move: Slow (20m/turn) IM/RS +5/50 Stamina: 3000 Attack: 70 Damage: 10d10 Special Attack: None Special Defense: Shell, Turlugs can pull themselves completely into their shells and become very difficult to damage. When a Turlug is completely in its shell then Attackers must reduce all damage to a Turlug by 10d10
Native World: Terledrom, Fromeltar
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 23, 2016 - 8:01am | Wow, rattraveller, you're going to town with this thread, we should mine this material for the fan zine. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 23, 2016 - 7:56pm | Hacker Story: Rich stood back a little and gave the signal for Darrel to cover Michene with his laser rifle while she opened the door. Steading his big gyrojet pistol, Rich then gave Michene the signal to open the door and Rich hoped finally end this. They had already lost Janet and the little Dralasite to the traps and robots and remote control devices this Hacker had set up in when he had taken over this secret Streel facility. This was the only room left that the Hacker could be hiding in. Rich could not wait to get some payback.
As
they burst through the door, blinding light came on and then a laughing voice
could be heard. Before the trio could recover, the door they had just come
through slammed shut. Then the voice stopped laughing.
"Well
I must say I have enjoyed you rats running my maze but this is the last room and
it is time to end this." At this point Rich could start to smell the gas and
began to cough. "Of course if Streel had meet my request and stopped that
illegal mining operation on Anker then none of this would have been necessary.
Good bye and maybe the next team will do better."
Quoolox
switched off the microphone and then turned off his monitor screen. He did not
like to look at the troubleshooter team dying. He did not really care for them
at all. He just preferred not to watch. The simpletons could not even figure
out you did not need to be in the same building or even the same city to
control a building or to steal all of a megacorporations secrets. Now he needed
to cover his tracks and then pick his next target of corporate greed to expose.
"Quoolox
this is the last time I am going to tell you to take out the trash again. I
will let this batch of pizza bagels burn until you do it."
Being
a total failure in the kitchen, Quoolox let out a groan and headed toward the
staircase to get the trash. After all you couldn't take down vile corporate
execs on an empty stomach.
General Information: Hacker
Race:
Any
Special
Abilities: Varies Affiliation: Usually independent but might belong to a connected group Homeworld: Any but usually one of the higher population and higher tech ones Gender: Any Ht: Varies Handedness: Both Wt: Varies Age: Usually young for their species These are averages which can be adjusted for the race of the character
STR/STA:
35/35 DEX/RS: 50/50 INT/LOG: 80/80 PER/LDR: 35/35 PS: +1 RW 25% IM: 5 MW 25% PSA: Technological Computer 6, Robotics 3, Technician 3
Equipment:
Several ID Cards, Chrono-com, Utility Belt, Techkit, Robokit, LOTS and LOTS of
computer gear
Background:
Ever
since the first cave beings learned to hide their things in secret parts of
their caves, other cave beings have tried to steal them. With computers it is
the same thing. Computers are just boxes which store information and
information has value. Anything of value someone wants to steal.
Hackers
are just thieves who work in the electronic world. Like all thieves some have
good motives, most are just in it for the credits. A very few are genius enough
to work alone, most have connections and contacts to others to help them.
Current Situation:
The computer world of the time of Star
Frontiers is completely different from the one of today. The game predates the
internet and all the interconnectivity which you are currently using to read
this. However, computers were considered such a large part of the game that one
of the few skills is about computers and even robots and spaceships need
programs to run.
When
using a Hacker, you first need to think of how much of an impact computers and
computer run equipment has on the environment you are playing with. If the
party is on an unexplored planet not so good for a Hacker. If they are on a
space station with a mostly robotic crew, then a Hacker is almost called for.
The type of mission is also a good indicator of
a Hacker inclusion. Obviously a Hacker villain is not going to work on a
Mission to Alcazzar type mission is not going to be good. But Bugs in the
System is a very good Hacker mission.
One
final word is while I have presented a lone Hacker villain, every modern team
of adventurers includes a Hacker along with the Brain, Brawler, Thief and
Seducer. You can figure your team out yourself.
Current Possibilities:
Corporate
Headquarters is not happy. The Hacker released the original environmental study
and which UPF officials were bribed to bury it. They have now lost the mine and
all the other mines on the planet are under investigation. Oh and entire
troubleshooter team was killed.
The
IT beings have managed to track down the city where the Hacker is located. A new
team is being sent there to find and eliminate the Hacker. A Hacker that
Corporate recruited is being sent along and she says she can track the Hacker
down all the way.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
October 4, 2016 - 8:42pm | With these last two the total is an even 13 which is a good place to stop. Of course if there is enough requests I might do some more or anyone else could follow the format and do some. Now the most horrifying things are those with a basis in reality and I have to say these last two are the most horrifying things I have ever seen. I make no qualms about these just have fun with them. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
October 4, 2016 - 8:45pm | Ylariph Story:
Ylariph looked down at her schedule. It was another busy day. Two campaign speeches and
two fundraising events (love the money). In between she had some meetings with
Planetary Governors, two UPF Council members, the Mothers against Space
Twerking and a quick photo op with those orphans.
Putting
down her datapad she picked up the shovel and went back to finishing burying
the body. Even though she was running for President of the UPF there was still
some things you had to do yourself.
. General Information: Race: S'sessu
Special
Abilities: Ability Insight 75% Rank: Secretary of Communication Division Affiliation: UPF Grand Council Communications Division Position: Communication Expert Homeworld: Gollywog, Clarion Gender: Female Ht: 1.8 m Handedness: Right side Wt: 60 kg Age: 119 STR/STA: 55/55 DEX/RS: 50/50 INT/LOG: 70/70 PER/LDR: 25/25 PS: +3 RW 25% IM: 5 MW 27% PSA: Technological Computer 5, Technician 3
Ylariph
tells everyone she is from Gollywog but since she is a S'sessu most beings do
not really believe her. Still through a lot of hard work she has worked her way
up in the UPF Communications Division (this is the part of the UPF responsible
for helping all the planetary governments keep in touch and work out their
problems). Now she is the Secretary of Communications. However this is not
enough for her. She wants to be President of the UPF.
Of
course what most beings do not know is it was not only hard work that got her
to where she is. Being a S'sessu she used her wits, cunning, blackmail,
bribery, occasional murder of an opponent or inconvenient being and of course
pressing the delete button A LOT.
She
does have a lot of connections and knows lots of beings from Planetary leaders
on fast press on her chronocom to underworld helpers. She also knows the system
extremely well and how to work it. It should also be noted that while many of
her conspiracies have been found not a single criminal charge has ever been
brought up against her. Not enough evidence is ever found.
Current Situation:
Ylariph is running for President of the UPF.
She is the lead candidate for the largest political party in the entire
Frontier. She is also the first S'sessu to be the nominee of a major political
party. She does have a lot of popular support if not a lot of trust from the
voters. Many of them just see her has a better choice than the other beings
running because of her long experience.
Current Possibilities:
The
thing to remember about Ylariph is that in her mind she is not evil. She has
simply lived by the code of her people. This makes her more dangerous than just
about anything the players have ever faced. She is willing and has the
connections to make any kind of crazy conspiracy theory actually be true. Just
have fun with her.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
October 4, 2016 - 8:51pm | Jon
Pmurt Story:
The Intern opened the door cautiously and took a peep inside. The rest of them had
picked him since he had been a previous show winner. He had thought their boss
was a little off then but after working for him for ten years, he knew his boss
was crazy. Breathing out a quick sigh of relief because his boss was at least
dressed this time.
He coughed
to get his boss' attention. Looking up from his chronocom, his boss screamed
out, "What do you want?"
The
Intern used his best servant voice and said, "We noticed you were sending out
some chirps there Mr. President." His boss hadn't won the election yet, but he
was so sure he would cause he won everything that he already had everyone
calling him Mr. President.
"Yeah so
what, I need to keep my people informed of the truth, cause I am the only one
who knows the truth."
The Intern
wondered what today's truth was since the truth seemed to change a lot. He
decided getting to the point was the quickest way to end this and said, "Yes
Mr. President. Everyone loves when you do that but you are not using your chirp
account. You are using the top secret channel the UPF briefed you on. Since the
fleet is engaging a large pirate band right now they really need to concentrate
on not dying instead of the truth about your hotel maid service in the Maze
hotel."
His boss
looked at him and then seemed to calm down and then said, "OKAY let me switch
channels and tell the pirates the truth about how the pirates are going to pay
for the satellite defense ring around every planet in the Frontier."
The
Intern just said, "Good plan Mr. President."
. General Information: Race: Yazirian
Special
Abilities: No Gliding (due to extra small wing flaps and a weight problem which
he thinks are normal), BATTLE RAGE 200% (cause he's the best, best, best) Affiliation: Star Play Position: Greatest Business Tycoon ever, ever, ever Gender: Male Ht: 1.9 m Handedness: Right side Wt: 140 kg Age: 176 STR/STA: 35/35 DEX/RS: 50/50 INT/LOG: 60/60 PER/LDR: 60/55 PS: +2 RW 25% IM: 5 MW 25% PSA: Technological Computer 1, Technician 1, Business 9 Equipment: Jumpsuit, ID card, "Chrono-com", Everflame, Hair Brush, Hair Spray, Hand Mirror Background:
Jon Pmurt is the greatest, greatest,
greatest real estate developer for Star Play making millions and losing
billions of credits for Star Play. He is responsible for establishing many of
the great, great, great hotels, casinos, golf courses and rubble strewn streets
Star Play has ever, ever, ever built.
He
is also the star of Star Play's most, most, most popular holovid shows, You think you can work for me you fool
and Beautiful Beings for you to Ogle.
From these he has built a huge, huge, huge following of many beings from many
races and is where he found all five of his wives (Jon is from Clan Mormoaluwan
which allows polygamy, normally three wives but the rules don't apply to Jon).
He
does have his bad points or good points depending on how you see them. His
biggest is that he has mastered the art of Battle Rage to the point where he
sometimes goes into Battle Rage over things that are not that important and he
can remain in Battle Rage for up to three days.
In
the beginning of his career he found a wonderful backer, a Sathar agent
codenamed Daddy. By their
relationship, Jon has gotten wealthy and funneled a great deal of credits to
Sathar activities and recruited many other agents for the Sathar cause. The
vast majority do not know they are working for the Sathar but some of his
recruits are fully aware and embrace the life of luxury it has provided them.
Now
the Sathar think Jon would make a perfect UPF Council President and have
ordered him to run for the office.
Current Situation:
For
much of the last 150 years of his life Jon Pmurt has done many outrageous
things always knowing that his Sathar backers would pull him out or help him
recover. Now he has a legion of fanatical fans that help him bury the bodies of
those he murders in the streets of Prenglar. He is also in a race for the
Presidency of the UPF Council.
Current Possibilities:
While direct confrontation with Jon
can be fun, he is the mastermind (at least in his own mind) who leads an army
of agents. He is best used as the final boss in a long campaign to save the
Frontier from itself. Good starts might be discovering listening devices in
hotel rooms and then discovering a spy ring among the maids. This leads to
finding backroom funding of another ring of saboteurs, which leads to finding
incrementing documents implicating several low level politicians in covering up
dealing and funding transfers. Then going on to find the political party is
using a major scam with its campaign contributions. And so on and so on.
All during the missions a buildup of
the race for the Council President seat should be played up. This can be done
seriously but would be better with Jon doing one outrageous thing after a more
outrageous thing after another totally crazy thing.
Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
