d20 Modern Game Notes - Find the Cure

We got a game in Sunday (Yeah!)



We last we left our Intrepid Heroes they were lost on a mysterious apparently abandoned space station.  They were transported there when Christian activated a relic recovered from an ancient undead infested ruin.



Showing remarkable stamina, the troup slogged through every last room of the outer level facing murderous aliens.  Slowly the team is ground down.  In one climatic battle Ryan is struck down by a mighty blow.  Fortunately the group had recovered a number of plasma pistols that seems most effective on the creatures.  Russ (full vampire now) finds 3 dodecahedrons that all seem to vibrate at a nearly undetectable frequency.



Eventually the group stumbles on to a protected room.  In this more function portion of the ship the team works their way to an observation chamber.  Great windows display a view of the earth with a single robed figure keeping watch.  He stand motionless apparently carved of crystal.  It holds a glowing vial--the Cure.  Ryan takes the cure but decides not to drink immediately.  The crystal statue appears to move, but only when no one observes it.  It seems to be made of animated glass.



When Russ presents the dodecahedrons it touches them on each facet simultaneously and they morph in to more crystal aliens.  Once all are animated they open a passage to the center of the station where there is a fully operational starship.  The ship appears to be constructed by humans for humans.  But how it could remain here undetected in near orbit is a mystery.



The 3 vampires, with no food source on the ship must leave for Earth via one of the 6 shuttles on the Starship.  They land on a night side forest somewhere in euro-asia.  Christian, Atanaska and Jeff remain on the starship which also appears to be well stocked with provisions.

Dawning Star - d20 Future game

I started a little game for the tiny weasels (they are 6, 7 and 8 years old).  So I wanted something easy and flexible and ready made (for the most part).  I water down the rules significantly (or keep track of them in my head) and just let the kiddos roll dice and listen to what happens.



1st Lesson learned: Small kids require something to look at.  They don't understand the game unless they can move their figure somewhere.  I have a big tear away grid map that works to draw out homes, buildings, caves, etc.



2nd Lesson learned: Kids like to be silly.  This is hard for me to keep up with as the Ref.  I like silly, but I can't stay at the  6 year old silly level for long.  But they didn't seem to mind when I moved them along.



The setup:



Dawning Star is a futuristic campaign based on the notion that Earth sent out 40 million colonistes in 20 giant vessels just a few years before the Earth was to be wiped out by a massive (moon sized) plantoid.  On the way the fleet encountered an alien "jump gate".  The gate was ancient, abandoned and malfunctioning.  The primary terra forming vessel, the Dawning Star, was winked away to an alien system with several inhabitable planets.  The jump gate would not function to return the Dawning Star and they were forced to make landing on a new home--the planet Eos.  The new system was dubbed "Helios." The game timeline takes place 60 years after the Dawning Star lands on Eos.  It is a roughly Earth equivalent world, with compatible life and atmosphere.  The planet held other humanoid life at some time, but appears to be nearly vacant now.  Their is a race of humanoids that live as nomadic tribes across the planet known as the Velin.  They have a roughly Native American culture.



The game I've set up is on this world with 3 players (the kids).  Logan and Rose are siblings living outside the smalltown of New Haven.  The primary economy is ranching and farming.  Both are 16 and free to roam most of the time.  Their family owns a dragon farm (dragons are oversized lizards that act as horses for ranchers).  Logan prefers his hover bike to the dragons and wears the latest pilot gear.  His sister has made friends with the Velin.  She rides a dragon very well and has a fine set of Velin leathers.  Logan is a crack shot with a rifle, his sister prefers the bow.



The last character is my youngest boy.  He wanted to play "a monster" so I had him look through the Star Wars Alien Anthology and pick one.  He, of course, picked the biggest one possible.  A Craigmodon (or something like that).  Basically a huge elephantine humanoid.  He doesn't have many skills, but he smashes things really well.  He named him "Hiyah" (like the karate chop).  Hiyah is a alien that crashed on this planet some time ago.  He's lived alone in his cave for several years, he can't really remember how he got here.  Logan and Rose found him a couple of years ago and they've all become friends.  No one in the town knows about Hiyah and the kids' parents think he's made up.



Their very first adventure was exploring the new passage in Hiyah's cave.  A recent earthquake exposed a new fissure in the back of his home.  The passage leads back to a few natural chambers filled with giant spiders.  But one chamber held robots of a strange design that activated when they walked in.  Further exploration revealed a constructed mechanical doorway.  Eos is known to have many abandoned ruins of the lost civilization that it once held.  The 3 set to expore the new discovery.  In the first room they encounter 5 more robots that are very tough.  Hiyah has been doing great smashing things to bits so far, but even the giant can't stand in front of all the weapons fire and he goes down.  Logan and Rose barely knock off the rest and then spend the next 3 days nursing their friend back to health while avoiding mom and dad (sneaking out).



That's was the first part... I'm sure they'll do more...

d20 Modern Game Notes

Another record game session with all 5 players...

Project: Last Hope

 

With no mafia to harass (at the moment), the group turns to internal projects.  A while back Ryan, Amelia and Atanaska took a South American jungle excursion to find a cure for initial vampire infection.  For several levels an infected host isn't lost to the night and can still travel in the day time.  During this brief window, there is hope. 



While no cure was discovered in the ancient temple, a message was discovered.  It wasn't clear, but modern interpretation seemed to indicate an alien space station in orbit around Earth were the cure was kept.  But of course, there is no ancient alien space station floating around at last check... or at least the public doesn't know about it.  Other parts of the temple talk about a cure called “the Hope.”  It depicted the gods coming down with the Hope to cure the people, but there wasn’t enough and the people fell and then the gods fell.  A single artifact was recovered at the temple--a smooth steel rod with a sphere at one end.  In the murals of the temple it is depicted as an icon of power wielded by the high priest.  It summoned the "gods".



Christian went to work trying to decipher the strange device.  After a few weeks he's tapped into it's power channels and found a way to power the device.  Theorizing that it must be some type of communicator he funnels all the power he can must off the power grid in to it.  He predicts the signal radius will be something like 100 light-years.  While this would be pointless with any known transmitter (taking a 100 years to reach it's maximum range), he hopes the technology has some means to overcome the speed of light.



Christian summons the team and powers up the device.  At full power he triggers what he hopes is the "transmit" function.  There is a loud snap with sparks then the room goes black.  Russell was ready with a digital camera and snaps a picture in the darkness blinding about everyone.  The room has changed.  In fact, it's not the same room at all.



A quick search reveals this room to be part of a series of chambers it what appears to be a space ship of some kind.  The entire team has be transported somewhere in space.  Worse, the team discovers the ship is abandoned, but not empty.  Large insectoid creatures with devastating speed and attacks lurk in the barely functioning ship.  Some rooms have lost air integrity... some passages are prone to collapse or gas leaks.  And know no one knows how to get back.  The "transmitter" did not arrive with the team.  All they have is the gear they were holding and each other... will they make it back?  Is the cure here? How long can they survive on the dying station?

d20 Modern Game Notes

A record game group this week—5 players!  The “Night Security” team of TSI is…

 

Ryan Anderson, founder, ex-CIA spook.

Amelia Logan, co-founder, popular theater actress and vampire.

Atanaska Andropovich, ex-CIA spook with KGB connections.

Russell Barnett, ex-military gone rogue and now a full-blood vampire.

JJ Nethersoul, a man with a passion for cars and handy with vehicles.

Christian Logan, co-founder, gadget wizard. (NPC)

 

Ryan finally had the strike team capable of taking on the mob-run casino that housed the child prostitution ring.  After last week’s hit on Reverend Carlos both Russ and JJ end up infected with the vampire virus.  Russ decides to dive in to it and emerges a full vampire.  JJ avoids fate for now, but is infected none the less.

 

The new team scouts the casino.  The security is appreciable, but not military.  With a little luck and planning a relatively bloodless hit can be planned.  Ryan uses the ring to ghost in and find the girls in a second scout session.  JJ lifts a key card off a pit boss and has Christian make a copy. Atanaska and Amelia help with general distractions.  Russ plays cat and mouse with a pit boss in the parking lot before getting bored (spotted) and walking off.

 

Ryan calls Sergeant O’Neil of the KCPD to “be ready” to collect evidence when Ryan signals.

 

The team is assembled.  Ryan will go in and film a solicitation (sans actual participation).  Team A (Russ, JJ and Amelia) will break in to the Casino facilities and make their way to the service elevator that goes to where the girls are kept.  Team B (Atanaska) will take out the 3^rd shift NOC staff.

 

Ryan goes in and gets the film.  He successfully talks the girl in to a rescue.  At 4:00 AM he neutralizes the guards in the VIP lounge.  He then rescues the one other girl working the VIP floor and forces her john to march naked to the service elevator.  Ryan hooks up with A Team.  Russ beats the john unconscious in the elevator.  The 2 girls are escorted out of the casino to Nevel’s waiting limo. On the “dorm” level (where the girls are kept), Ryan ghosts in behind the 4 guards.  Once in position, the A Team advances in to the hallway with weapons drawn to intimidate the guard in to submission.  Amelia catches their attention and Ryan steps out to catch the table of guards in crossfire.  It’s a tense scene of drawn weapons, but the guards choose poorly figuring this is a mob hit and they’re dead anyway.  A wild gun battle ensues.  In the first round Ryan sprays the table with auto fire, Amelia drops a guard in one shot and misc other wounds are dealt.  In round two Amelia shoots wild ricocheting shot in to Ryan—the first TSI wound in the operation.  In another 3 rounds it’s all over and the guards are dead.  The 3 vampires take the opportunity to tank up.  The remaining 3 girls are terrified, but are eventually herded up to the waiting limo.

 

B Team whacks the lone operator of the NOC with 2 cleans shots to the chest.  Popcorn in hand she watches the entire combat on the monitors with much amusement.

 

With the girls safe, JJ goes up to the NOC to destroy the security recording devices.  The team exits except for Ryan who waits for O’Neil.

 

O’Neils is all business when he arrives on scene.  Ryan is immediately arrested and detained for 2 days.  However, few charges are actually applied.  In the end Ryan is charged with “reckless discharge of a weapon” and serves 2 days in jail.  TSI picks up the tab on his legal fees.  The front money is recovered.  The girls are transported out of the country by Nevel for safe homes he has abroad.

Dodge City circa 1877

I'm starting a Sidewinder campaign to alternate in with my d20 Modern game.  The setting will be Dodge City, KS in 1877.  Here's some interesting things I've discovered about this amazing city while researching for the game.  I selected 1877 because it is the year that Colt introduced the double-action revolver.  However, as luck would have it, it's a great year for Dodge City.



Dodge City was established in 1872, the same year that the Santa Fe, Atchison & Topeka railway was connected to the city.  Originally founded to support the Buffalo hide trade Dodge City saw millions of Buffalo slaughtered.  In just 5 years the Buffalo were extinct and the town shifted to cattle driving.



While the Golden Spike was driven in Promitory City, UT in 1869 by the Central and Union Pacific railways  other railroads had yet to make their east coast/west coast connections.  This  created fierce competition between railways to complete east/west routes.  In 1877 the Santa Fe, Atchison & Topeka line would be driving for Santa Fe, NM.



Also notable was the local law enforcement.  In this year the chief deputy marshall of Dodge City was none other than Wyatt Earp himself.  Appointed only the year before, Wyatt would only be Marshall for another year before moving on to Tombstone where his legend would be made.  He would leave behind another legend to be marshall, Bat Masterson.



Kansas was a "dry" state in 1877, but the laws didn't seem to affect Dodge City.  It had a reported population of only about 1200, but still maintained 16 registered saloons and many more unreported dance halls and brothels.  A cattle driving Cowboy could make as much as $90 on a drive from Texas to Kansas and there was nothing to spend it on until they arrived in town 3 months later.  Needless to say, they were ready for the splenders the city offered.  Times were wild and cash flowed.  The legal system of the town funded itself by "fining" the saloons and dance halls for alcohol and other violations.  However, none were ever shut down... as long as they paid the "fines".



The players will start in the employ of the Santa Fe, Atchison & Topeka railway.  This allows a wide variety of character types since anyone could work a track gang and even the gunslinger types would be necessary for protection out in the field.  What happens after the initial start is up to the players.  I need to come up with some ideas that will play in to a campaign.



So far I have...

• Players find a map to a gold mine deep in Indian territory.
• Players have a bad encounter with a killer who ends up wronged or dead whereupon his 6 brothers declare vendetta on the PC's.
• Players get entangled with the law somehow and have to continually avoid legal pursuit.
• Players are hired to help a wagon train in to Utah.
• Players told by the railroad to scout the next run of track through Indian territory.

Other ideas?

The Pirates of Numos

Like a jagged hole in space lies the entrance to otherspace.  Nearby drifts the Landry Space Station; a Telos military base and the last bastion of that empires civil authority before entering the Fringe.  Three star systems are within striking distance of the station.  The most remote is the Numos system.



Numos has seven planets and a medium-sized red star.  There are two gas giants (Saresad and Oassen) that are both centers of gas mining.  There is only one habitable planet in the system, Caliban.  Caliban is mostly desert with few resources.  Numos contains a large asteroid belt that is currently owned by Lightwave Industries.  They have a mining operation active in the belt called Faltz #4047, run by Felix Redback; a Lightwave Executive.  The operation is infested with pirates, but is the only fueling station on the way to the inner planets.  Besides Caliban, the other inner planets are hellish worlds of searing heat and fracturing cold.



Naturally occuring holes to otherspace are known as "ainniq" an old word for "hole in the ice."  The ainniq are the primary means of travel between the vast distances of space.  However, the skills necessary to navigate the ainniq are a closely guarded guild secret.  Ships that do manage to run the blockades around the gates never arrive at another gate.  The Telos empire claims it has the ability to construct "man-made" gates, but to date has not does so--although they claim they have "secret" gates for military purposes.



Over the last few decades the Telos empire appears to be decaying.  There hasn't been a new starship design seen in over 20 years.  While the existing designs are still quite functional and modern, it is the longest break in development any can remember.  The Telos navy patrols the space around the Landry Station and will occassionally escort a Lightwave transport to Faltz and other facilities in the area, but no farther.  These large ships would make quick work of anything other than a coordinated attack effort from the pirates in Numos.



Still folks are beginning to ask why Telos has been so inactive for so long.  Rumors abound about political infighting, a repressed civil war, war with xeno's, plagues and even the destruction of Telos itself.  But rumors in the Fringe are common and rarely accurate.  Besides, what happens core-ward has little to do with life on the Fringe.  Why worry?



The leading crime family in the Numos system is the Demosid clan.  Based out of Oassen, the Demosid militia is the dominant force beyond the range of the Telos Navy.  The Demosid's take by force any resource that seems to have value in the Numos system.  The only areas where they have no control are Saresad and the Faltz mining op.  Saresad has it's own militia, but chooses to only defend its immediate area and trade routes.  Faltz is a Lightwave Industries resource and while only lightly defended, if it ever were attacked, the resulting corporate response would be bad for business.  On Caliban the Demosids run drug manufacturing, gambling, slavery, smuggling and about every other criminal racket possible.  On Oassen they control dozens of mining colonies (floating spheres inside the upper reaches of the gas giant).  The family has enough influence to get it's goods through the Landry star gate.  They pay large bribes to the local Telos authority for the priviledge.

d20 Modern Game Notes

Played a short little game last night.



Ryan received a package from the vampires good for 3 free months of food.  It seems a member one of the lesser racket operators was taking a little too much off the top and was now beyond his useful existance.  The package contains the details of the mark including home address, vehicle, base of operations, and a photo.  Ryan packs up his Barret light-50...  Russel Barret is the hit his is also a vampire.



The layout of buildings around Russ' condo is pretty sparse, but there is one hotel facing the windows of his 8th floor living room window.  Ryan spends the day watching Russ.  He follows the hit to his bar/brothel downtown.  Ryan spends the night in the bar casing the joint and ultimately a couple hours talking to a hooker.  He decides the condo is a better spot.  During the day he acquires some special Incindary rounds.



Ryan catches some sleep.  At about 1 PM he calls Christian for some help setting a C4 charge on the target's vehicle.  Christian motors up in his Ford and brings his "bag".  The underground parking garage is relatively secure, but there is a fire exit.  Christian examines the smooth featureless metal exterior of the fire door.  In a smooth moment with a thin strip of metal he pops the door in a couple of seconds (rolled a 20 Disable Device). 



Moving inside the stair well is easy.  The garage itself has several stationary cameras.  By crawling around the edges the pair make it around to Russ' black caddy.  Christian has 4 lbs of C4 with him.  Ryan says "Use it all."  Christian shrugs and sets a shaped charge under the drivers side that will be triggered by radio.  Christian's opinion is, "This will turn anyone inside the car into chunky salsa, but won't destroy the vehicle."  On the way out Christian inadvertantly stands up in front of a camera.  Ryan gripes and works his way up to the automated security tapes and removes the offending tape.  Christian heads home after giving Ryan the radio control.



Ryan sets up watch again.



About 30 minutes after sunset, Russ pops out of his bedroom and sits with his body guard in the living room.  Ryan is locked and loaded.  The rifle will make a heck of a noise, but it's the best chance of a single shot kill.  At this distance making a head shot is too iffy.  Ryan targets center mass.  If Russ is a full vampire a single shot (Massive Damage Threshold save) will be unlikely.  But if he's just on the edge, it might still work.  He pulls the trigger.



Ryan deals a cool 29 hp damage.  Russ fails his massive damage save and promptly explodes in virus laden mist.  Much hiliarity ensues.



Russ's bodyguards loot his apartment and bolt in the caddy.  Ryan resists the urge to blow them up.  The rifle shot was heard for blocks, but a single shot doesn't cause much comotion.  Ryan "ghosts" in to the apartment and loots the wall safe the 2 mooks couldn't open.



Back at the ranch, Ryan cuts open the save to gain a +2 wealth bonus in cash.



Interesting NPC I need to flesh out... Anita.



"Anita" is the vampire soup kitchen manager.  She is an old woman dressed in young goth.  She is also an old vampire.  The soup kitchen imports human cargo and chains them to poles in small stalls.  Vampires on the meal plan can show up from 2 AM to 4 AM to feed.  The organization takes care of the bodies. 

Timeline to WorldNet

I've started to seriously look ahead at technology and how it might change society.  This is a rough timeline...

2020 – The first “wearable computer” devices hit the market in the US and Japan.  Comprised of a small wireless PDA, Display Glasses and a pair of wrist bands that detect muscle movements while typing (allowing the user to mimic typing in the air without a keyboard) subscribers are able to use low-powered computers in any area with cell phone coverage.  Battery life is still an issue only lasting for a few hours before requiring recharge.

 

2030 – The typing wrist bands can be replaced with implanted chips, becoming one of the first Bio-Terminals available.  Typing now only requires slight movements.  With training even those paralyzed can be trained to use other nerve pulses to type.  However, wrist-bands are still common.  Small footprint computers weighing less than a pound are now powerful enough to run most entertainment software (games) as well as function as full featured computers.  Battery life doubles.

 

2035 – Ocular chip implants are widely used for the blind.  Vision is only 60’ and only a grainy black & white (-4 Spot), but can be used effectively in low-light.  These chips have an external interface connected to a pair of glasses that mount pin-hole cameras.  The external interface also allows other inputs directly to the optic nerves.  This becomes the 2^nd big leap in Bio-Terminals.  Suddenly the modified blind become invaluable in “Specialty Vision” careers.  Their optic nerves can be directly connected to security systems, 3D virtual worlds, electron microscopes, and another other device that outputs visual media.  These individuals use enhanced versions of the wearable computer that attach directly to their optical Bio-Terminals.

 

2065 – Ocular chip technology advances to full color and 120’.  Inside this range, “Chip Vision” is as good as 20/20 normal vision with enhancements for low-light and night vision (60’).  Display Glasses remain, but the chips can be placed inside the retina allowing for a normal appearance.  Real-time language translators are created.  Individuals of different nations can see subtitles to any single spoken language selected by the user.

 

2080 – The military begins to use ocular implants in soldiers.  Wearable computers are now completely devoid of wires (each element is powered separately) and the devices communicate with each other wirelessly.  Display Glasses have replaced monitors in most business applications.  Wireless coverage is global.  Implanted Bio-Typist chips become the norm at universities and in tech shops.

 

2090 – The first private ocular implants are used electively.  Primarily used by individuals with poor (but adequate) vision or for vanity (larger, prettier eyes) voluntary ocular implants are approved for use by the FDA.  Integration with communication devices is immediate.  Language translators now automatically translate text as well as spoken languages.

 

2120 – Ocular implants are common.  The Data Hood is developed.  This stylish piece of wearable technology acts a cell phone, video player, computer terminal, wireless network, day planner, advertising medium, radio/music player and fashion accessory.  The fabric of electronics drapes over the user’s head and shoulders like a coif or snood.  It can be used with Display Glasses or can be connected to Ocular Implants.  The “Internet” has evolved in to a complete 3D information network.  Virtual travel is a blooming industry.  Taste and scent implants are developed.  Some art galleries specialize in digital media where images are broadcast to viewers.  The physical picture frames are blank and the Display Glasses or visual implants of the observer fill in the artist’s work.  Conventions like TV sets, radios and voice-only phones completely disappear from modern society.

 

2125 – Virtual Reality applications advance to such a degree that individual real objects can be completely “wallpapered” with user selected visual textures and designs. A common fold-out table can be made to look like a rich oak antique of the same size and dimensions. Home décor industries are vastly affected switching from real techniques to digital. Tactile senses are not affected, however. A cold metal table still feels like metal even if it looks padded. Still the effects are powerful and popular. Keying information into your own personal computer (Data Hood) is now accomplished with a combination of eye movement and thought. However Bio-Typist chips remain common. Language software becomes perfected with real-time audio translation. Some common medications are automatically delivered to the blood stream through an individual personal computer via refillable cartridges. The military has been using this technique to boost the effectiveness of soldier secretly for years.



2127 – The first murder by VR is documented and prosecuted. Alan Kitchner is condemned to life in prison for the murder of his wife. A VR programmer/designer himself, Alan alters the programming of his wife’s data hood to conceal a broken balcony rail. Mrs. Kitchner falls to her death. Alan forgets to also disable his wife’s “Emergency Heart-Rate Trigger” that immediately summons medical and law enforcement when detecting a panic in the user. A standard process of the feature is an immediate diagnostic snapshot of the caller’s data set. The programming hack is detected and Alan is imprisoned. New VR safeties are demanded by the market. While partially effective, the only truly safe VR is no VR. Communication companies downplay the risks and profits continue to rise.



2150 – Wal-Mart Corp buys Taiwan. Immediately after the purchase Wal-Mart declares itself a sovereign nation. Employees are offered citizenship which ultimately removes them from the tax base of the countries in which they reside. This will start a trend for the next several decades. The advances in communication, virtual travel, video conferencing and tele-commuting now allow people to work for anyone in any country. Most new construction is generic and featureless allowing VR to fill in all the artistic details of a physical environment. The elite are cyber enhanced at young ages—while the poor fill in the few remaining service and manufacturing industries that still exist. Physical warfare is only useful in its ability to disrupt the digital economies of the Sovereign Corps or other nations. Digital warfare rages in the background. Cyber-terrorism takes new meaning as real deaths result from manipulations of VR and malicious alteration of medical treatments. These terrorist attacks are known as “wet hacking.” The WorldNet, now essential to world economy also contains many dark e-zones that deal in illegal software known as “ciphers.” Cipher is a generic term for any program that removes normal safeties on VR software to cause harm or mis-direction.

d20 Modern Session - "Find the Cure"

In our last episode... Ryan and Atanaska successfully installed a tap to steal encryption keys from Lightwave.  In so doing they exposed the seedy underbelly of the mob.



However, Ryan is becoming more ill by the day.  After becoming infected months ago with vampirism, the disease is finally taking it's toll.  The thirst has started and daily taste for murder wears at Ryan's already withered soul.



A benefactor provides Ryan with a simple message.  "A cure has been found at 68W 20S."  A simple note that launches the group in to South America.  Flying to Brasilia they find Dr. Juan Cortez, an archeologist familiar with the ruins located at those coordinates.  Cortez organizes an expedition and within a week Ryan, Atanaska and Amelia journey to the site.  Being a full vampire, Amelia is carried as baggage by porters in to the wilds.



The sight contains a pyramid and a sacrifical pit.  The pit descends to catacomb of ancient rooms.  The rooms contain the tortured remnants of the "gods" the temple once served.  The gods prove vulnerable to bullets and frag grenades.  Eventually the puzzle to unlocking "the Hope" is solved.  However "the Hope" has been lost in the centuries since being placed here.  The room containing the hope is advanced and depicts a holographic image of a spot in orbit that can be used to find more of "the Hope" (thought to be the cure).  A device is found that seems to relate to the message.  Ryan pushes the button...

The slippery slope of Play by Post

The time constrained d20 player finds himself (or herself) struggling to get in a good game.  Few child rearing adults have the spare time they once had for 48 hour stretches of power gaming on a regular basis.  So a viable lessor alternative is the concept of "play by post."  I'm sure most of you know how this works, but for the occassional family member that might be browsing my blog... Play by post is simply playing D&D by posting your character's actions to a message board on the internet.  This slows game play down to a single or perhaps a few "actions" per day as each player might only post something once a day or every other day.



The advantage to the busy player is that you can spend just a few minutes a day "playing" instead of an entire weekend.  Unfortunately, it's a very short fix.  It's like giving methadone to a heroin addict...  It might stave off the worst of withdrawl symptoms, but it doesn't cure the addiction.



Soon the small fix of one play by post game isn't enough.  The player seeks out more play by post games.  While each game involves a small time commitment, they do add up.  Since posting is erradically paced sometimes days will go by with no post.  Somedays will see a flood of posts.  The posting lag times are agonizing and may drive the player to dig an even deeper hole and decide to host a play by post of their own.



I would like to warn you all of the dangers of play by post.  It is a slippery slope that leads to procrastination and eating at your desk.  Soon you'll be hiding your web browser behind your other work documents.  You might even begin to sneak player guides in to work in your bags--carefully hiding them under papers or in drawers.  If not books, then you'll seek electronic files for better concealment.  This in itself can lead to the addiction of PDF purchasing.  Soon you'll be selling yourself on the street--pandoring your own PDF's in an attempt to justify the addiction as a legitimate hobby or even side business.  But deep down you'll know... you'll hear the whispers "click refresh just one more time--maybe someone posted..." you will purposely not think about what the 55 downloaded PDF's cost in total...



Then comes the day when a work aquaintance wonders unexpected in to your cube while you frantically try to simultaneously hide the open d20 Star Wars Revised Core Rules hardback book and close the multiple damning windows open on your PC.  As you try to stammer out your non-challant excuses in defense, the mental shout of "GEEK" will ring in your un-pointed ears.



Whoa unto you if you play by post.  It is the devils tool.  Be warned!

Game Day canceled

Well the game day thing isn't going to work out.  The guys back home were either scheduled to work or otherwise couldn't quite make the drive.  My attempts to make it up there instead have been equally quashed.



I must say I miss having a regular game group immensely.  Seems odd that in a huge city like KC that I can't find a good group.  No one bothered to tell me in High School that I'd only end up with 5-6 hours a week for any free time activities! LOL



Kansas (and probably the whole mid-west) is just a little to repressed to have scads of RPG fans.  There's plenty around, but I think I must require a pretty narrow sub-set of game buddies.  Or maybe I just keep comparing all new game groups to my old one (which is of course the best).  But mostly I think I just don't have the time.  One weekend a month is about the best I can hope for and I never know exactly what weekend that's going to be.  Ah well, seems like a silly thing to be disappointed about.



There's a million more things I should be making time for--like better exercise, fixing the house, general house work, better financial planning, better organization, more time with wife, more time with kids, probably even more time on just keeping up at work.  All way more important than a few more hours of dinking around.



I've been fighting this tide for about 5 years now--just less and less time for gaming.  Maybe it's time to hang up the dice bag for a while.  I bet if I knocked out some of these other things, that free time might magically re-appear.  Dunno for sure... I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Sid Dantalis - Character Concept

I thought I'd post something geekish that I've been working on.  Feel free to steal Sid as an NPC.

Sid Dantalis, Human Jedi Consular

A young follower of the faith with ability and intelligence. Sid is a capable negotiator and a reliable agent of the Council. Occassionally Sid wishes for less responsibility. Trained in the usual way from a young age, all he's ever known is the Jedi way. The doctrine can't be argued with, but still... sometimes "a damned fool crusade" seems attractive. He worships the old Jedi Masters (as much as is allowed anyway)--wishing he could have been there to help. Young Sid is forever hiding his youthful yearning and often tells himself to grow up. His parents are alive and very proud. He has lived on Courisant his whole life (really could have lived anywhere it is appropriate).

Right now he's seriously reconsidering his career choice. The people that respected him are now turning against the order. Sid won't admit it, but he's scared. Even the Masters seems on edge. Everyone senses the tide, but no one seems to doing something about it.

Sid Dantalis Human male Jedi Consular(1)

Str 14, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 18

VP: 10, WP: 15, Defense 17 (base 10 + 3 class +2 DMA +2 Dex) Flat 10 Touch 17

Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4

Melee: Punch Attack +2 (base 0 +2 Str) 1d4+4 dam, Stun Baton Attack +2 (base 0 +2 Str) Stun DC 15, Lightsaber Attack +2 (base 0 +2 Str) 2d8+2 dam

Ranged: Thrown Weapon Attack +2 (base 0 +2 Dex)

Feats & Class Abilities:

Force Training (Conrol), Deflect (+1), Exotic Weapon (lightsaber), Force-Sensitive, Weapon Group (Blasters), Weapon Group (Simple), Martial Arts, Defensive Martial Arts

Skills:

Bluff (Cha) +8, Diplomacy (Cha) +8, Gather Info (Cha) +6, Knowledge (Jedi Lore) +4, Sense Motive (Wis) +6, Battlemind (Con) +6, Force Defense (Cha) +8, Force Stealth (Cha) +8, Heal Self (Cha) +8, Treat Injury (Wis) +6

Kit:

Stun Baton, Combat Gloves, Fusion Lantern, All-Temp Cloak, Medpac, 150 credits



An intro story hook for Sid and his former Master...

Saris Nostic, Human Female Jedi Consular

 “Sid, get down!” She hissed.  Both cloaked figures dropped behind the unloaded cargo.  Each was tall and lean, one was obviously a woman the other was a teen boy, but could have been mistaken for either gender in the deep cloak.

 After a few tense moments the sound of the Port Authority guards trailed off.

 “I don’t think I should leave your side, Master.” Said the boy.

 She looked at him and gave a rare small smile.  “We can’t fight the whole imperial navy even back to back.  Our first priority is to preserve the Order.  To do that we must survive.”  Her senses could see his fear tilting like a scale in his heart.  “There is no fear, my young one.  We must do.”

 He hated it when she called him that.  Sid had been training with Saris for almost 10 years—ever since he had come to the academy.  He could clearly remember all the years she was his teacher and how his heart nearly burst when she selected him of all the padwan to be her student.  But today was nothing he would have imagined back then.  He took a moment to calm himself again.

 “Yes, I know.  I will do as you command.  I will meet you in Nar Shadda.  I’ll find you at the Carbonite lounge in the Rodian district.  I will stay out of trouble.  If anyone asks, I’m Sid Dorn from Escalis and I’m looking for trade work until I can buy passage.  I have the identity papers and my cred chip.”  The youth recites the instructions faithfully and pat checks his pockets to ensure the security of the gift from his Master.

 Saris maintains her smile despite the whirls of Force she sees around the boy.  His fate isn’t decided yet, but it won’t be easy for him.  Internally she chides herself, I’m not the boy’s mother after all and I should know better than to pull stunt like this.  But something deep inside tells her this is the right thing—to protect at least one.  Maybe there is hope.  Or maybe you still haven’t resolved yourself to being childless.  A nagging thought, she chose to ignore it.

 “Stick to that story.  Don’t try to be a hero.  You’re only priority is to survive.”  She touched his shoulder.  There was a brief awkward moment and then the teen surprised her with an embrace. She wanted to chastise him for such an emotional display, but she couldn’t.  Gently she pulled way.

 “Now go.  Use your skills to hide and become just ordinary Sid Dorn for your passage.  I… I will do my part as your Master.”  It wasn’t a promise to see him again, but it was the best she could do.

 The boy darted aboard the cargo vessel as she carefully distracted the single loader.

Sid found the expected maintenance niche that Saris had told him would be there.  As he ducked down inside he heard a commotion outside.

“STOP! You there!  After her!” came the shouts.  Sid struggled inside, ready to run out and delay the guards.  But he remembered his Master’s commands.  She would be alright, she was a Master.  He hoped.

The Illuminated

Logistics:  Weekend of May 21^st either at my house in Overland Park or in Lincoln (as is possible for you guys).  We can always shoot for another weekend.  But I’m pretty much booked in June.

When: The near future.  Roughly 2010, things are more or less the same, but progress might have brought in a surprise or two.

Where: Starting location will be Miami (no reason, I just like Miami).  Modern travel being what it is, the target will likely not be someplace so nice.

Who:  You are an operative/consultant to a security organization known as Centurion Gordian International.  You can either be a full-time employee or an independent.  But for whatever reason when you receive the call for this mission you respond.  In general what makes a Modern Hero stand out from the crowd is the desire to act and not standby.  Imagine the sort of folks who will not be hostages, always walk in to the dark room and never leave well-enough alone.

Why: You decide what has motivated your character to be here.  You can choose to know any member of the team, all of them or none of them. It might work out better if you all knew of each other, but really it doesn’t matter.

What:  As a “magic trick” of gaming, I’m going to give you the briefing text (below) in advance.  You can therefore craft a character with appropriate skills for the mission.  This is obviously why you were contacted in the first place.

“Greetings, thank you for coming on such short notice.  I had some free doughnuts, bagels and coffee delivered.  Feel free to help yourself.  Hold off questions until the end of the presentation, if you please.

We have been contracted to retrieve an object know as the Sun Stone.  The object is currently in the possession of a secretive rival security group—Longinus Enterprises.  LE has several mundane branches and a collection of assets ‘off the books.’  We believe the Sun Stone to be in possession of one of LE subsidiaries in Cairo.  Travel has been arranged for you.

CG has only found a few ancient references to the Sun Stone.  Little is known other than its physical dimensions—a roughly 4’ tall obelisk, 20 inches square at the base and… weighing 1000 pounds.  The last bit is only a guess as the measurement system used in the reference is extinct.  But we know the object is supposed to be difficult to move.  We have the excerpts if you’d like to review them yourself.  We have dubbed this object ‘the flashlight’ and this project is code named ‘Illuminate’.

By tracking some of the accounting and personnel used by LE, we have targeted El Ezz Flat Steel, a foundry on the banks of the Nile, to be the most likely location of the flashlight.  LE often uses legitimate businesses has physical covers for literally underground operations.  We believe there is an extensive underground facility beneath the foundry.

Our sole field contact in the city has been driven in to hiding.  You will have to find Ahmez Akim, in order to gain current information about the plant and possible routes in to the underground.  Ahmez also has control of all our “clean” monetary assets in the region.

Once you find Ahmez, gain access to the secret base, find the flashlight and deliver it to the cargo ship ‘Sophmore’ docked at this location on the Nile.  It is 2 miles up river from the steel mill.

We can provide virtually any gear you require, but we can not license you for legitimate possession of most weapons in Egypt.  Keep a low profile, at least until you’re ready to enter the foundry.  The Sophmore will leave dock as soon as you arrive with the flashlight.  We will transport you and the cargo to Rome for delivery to the client.”

Skills characters in your party should have…

• Disable Device (in the biggest way possible)
  
• Read/Write Arabic (national language of Egypt)
  
• Computer Use
  
• Research
  
• Gather Information
  
• All characters should have at least one of these: Personal Firearms, Combat Martial Arts, Archaic Weapons
  
• Armor proficiency of some kind
  
• Bluff
  
• Spot
  
• First Aid and/or Surgery
  
• Drive (maybe even Pilot)
  
• At least one character should be specialized at combat
  
• Knowledge: Streetwise
  
• Suggested Knowledge skills: Arcane, Theology, Tactics, Human Behavior

 

Characters Generation:  I will create a handful of characters appropriate for the mission.  You can pick one of these or create your own 10^th level PC.  You can use about anything in the MSRD / d20 Modern rules except the spell casting classes.  I have special rules for the magically bent where by unusual effects can be generated, but it is a different system than traditional spell use.  I will have a couple of “arcane/divine” oriented characters to pick.  I will try to get them up before hand so we can discuss changes or who’s playing who.

All races are allowed, but 99.999% of the population is Human.  Elves (including Drow) and Dwarves pass as adult human with odd (or unnoticed) characteristics.  Gnomes and Hobbits are almost universally mistaken for children.  Half-Orcs would be on par with the Elephant man in freakishness.  Goblins, while possible, would be quite exotic and probably perceived as rainforest pygmies or individuals with extreme deformities.  Aasimar and Tiefling are both possible (with level modifiers), the other exotic races are not appropriate for PC’s at this time.

Material I am comfortable with comes from the d20 Modern Core rules, Urban Arcana (minus the spell casters), Blood & Fists, Blood & Relics, Blood & Circuits, Modern Players Companion 1&2 (minus magic), Weapons Locker, Blood & Guts (mostly for equipment).  I don’t expect any of you to actually have or buy these for this one-shot.  But I listed them just in case.

Purchasing personal gear is something of a challenge.  I will suggest “kit packages” for your character.  In addition, you will be given an opportunity to requisition equipment from Centurion Gordian.  This will limit you to items roughly DC 36 and below.  Military and Restricted gear will be obtainable at a +3 and +2 Purchase DC penalty.  This also means that being caught with it will land you in an Egyptian prison.  You will be delivered to Cairo with all your gear in a relatively (or at least “assumed”) safe location.  That condition may change.

I will be posting character concepts/information to this forum...

http://www.intrepidheroes.com/forum/cutecast/cutecast.pl?session=iiLSaYdJpreDdM...

 

d20 Modern Resources

FREE d20 Modern Resources



LATEST ISSUE OF MODERNIZED

http://www.intrepidheroes.com/modernized.htm



Intrepid Heros d20 Modern site (from the author of Modern Backdrops)

http://www.intrepidheroes.com/games_modern.htm



Free modern stuff including Psi rules!

http://www.freewebs.com/merlinsworkshop/news.htm



Nova Wars Campaign Setting (INCREDIBLE work in progress Future setting)

http://www.menefees.net/emiricol/d20f/



Great Excel Spreadsheet Character Too

http://soldarin.tripod.com/id7.html



Free d20 Modern Superhero rules!

http://aleshandre.tripod.com/downloads/poweroverwhelming.pdf



Wizards of the Coast link to the d20 Modern System Reference Document

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/msrd



Great modern equipment list - FREE (prices are in dollars, however)

http://www.dddl21455.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index2.htm



Defacto "Official" errata for d20 Modern core rules

http://www.otherniceman.net/download/



Exceptionally complete d20 Modern Character generator (a bit large, but complete)

http://www.pathguy.com/d20modern.htm#top_of_form



Vehicle Stats for d20 Modern (Fan site)

http://users.pandora.be/mundug/25%20Vehicles%20for%20d20%20Modern.htm



Michael Tresca Homepage (Blood and Brains, Aliens, Predator)

http://michael.tresca.net/



Vulcan's Cove: A City on the Edge of Shadows (campaign setting/info)

http://www.nichar.homedns.org/modern/index.html



d20 Modern Publishers



Adamant Entertainment (Pulp, Pirates and more - Thrilling Tales line)

http://www.adamantentertainment.com/



Alternate Reality Publishers (Creator of Big Bang and Space Opera)

http://www.bakabanashi.com/ARP/



E.N. Publishing

http://www.enworld.org/enpublishing



Sword's Edge (Fantasy/Modern source and modules)

http://www.swordsedge.net/



Guardians of Order (BESM, Ex Machina, including their own SRD!) FREEBIES

http://www.guardiansorder.com/



12 to Midnight (Great supernatural materials and FREE downloads) FREEBIES

http://www.12tomidnight.com



Doghouse Rules (creators of Sidewinder: Recoiled) FREEBIES

http://www.doghouserules.net/



Hogshead Press (Great low FX police source books and supernatural books)

http://www.hogshead.demon.co.uk/index.htm



Wizards of the Coast d20 Modern Site FREEBIES

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern



Green Ronin (Many 3rd party print products and Superheros line)

http://www.greenronin.com



The Game Mechanics (Modern Players Companion, Modern Magic) FREEBIES

http://www.thegamemechanics.com



RPG Objects (Blood & Everything line, Character generator) FREEBIES

http://www.rpgobjects.com



RPG Now (Buy all your favorites on line and on the cheap!)

http://www.rpgnow.com



Charles Rice Homepage (Blood and Guts, many others)

http://vigilance.mortality.net/



Brood d20 Games (Quickshots and others)

http://www.brood-d20.com/modern_d20.html



Links to d20 Future Resources



Great Starship Deck Plans

http://deckplans.00sf.com/



Space 1999 deckplans

http://www.space1999.net/eagle/



Wolf's Shipyard - drawings of ships, but no deckplans:

http://www.wolfsshipyard.mystarship.com/



Here's a traveller deckplans webring...not sure of the quality:

http://x.webring.com/hub?ring=deckring



Here's a cruise ship deckplan...not a big leap to a star cruiser:

http://www.cruise4.com/DeckPlans/ST...emini-menu.html



Star Trek-centric site, but freakin' amazing deck plans:

http://chem.csustan.edu/JTB/PLANS/plans-index.htm



Questionable quality bmp deck and site plans

http://www.pastpers.co.uk/universe/...acad/deckplans/



Another Traveller site:

http://users.hartwick.edu/smithw/tr...r.htm#Starships



Oooo! Great one! Has a TON of drawings, but not too many deck plans. Battleship (space) Yamato from Battle of the Planets!

http://www.shipschematics.net/



Star Frontiers space stations...Cool computer system plans as well.

http://www.geocities.com/starfronti...sfstations.html



and ships!

http://www.geocities.com/starfronti...ps/sfships.html[/color]



Techno Terra (Canadian gaming group, house rules, scenario ideas)

http://www.technoterra.org/index.php



d20Space! (d20 future campaign setting/forum)

http://www.d20space.com/



Resources for great ideas that are not necessarily d20 Modern



Wargames Foundry Mini's (some great d20 Modern figures)

http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/SV/6/index.asp



Hellhounds Cyberpunk 2020 site

http://www.ambient.ca/cpunk/



Comic Art (sometimes handy for a visual)

http://www.comicbookart.com/artists.htm



Star Frontiers (The old classic online)

http://www.starfrontiers.com



Sci-Fi computer renders (backgrounds/visuals)

http://www.digitalblasphemy.com



Other d20 Modern Forums



EN World

http://www.enworld.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9



EN World product reviews site (huge list of d20 product reviews)

http://www.enworld.org/reviews/



d20 Modern NPC thread of EN World by Turanil

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99700



Realms of Evil

http://greyhawkonline.com/pitsofevil/viewforum.php?f=16&sid=ca84e69c8d3dadb3c5959c03ea40f5a7



Feel free to notify me with any new links you think are worth posting

d20 Modern Game Notes

Atanaska recovers from the "Weekend Warriors" induced coma.  She remembers nothing of the incident.  The official story is that there was some sort of massive chemical leak that induced mass hysteria in some and death in others.  Ata was lucky.

Ata and Ryan team up to work on stealing the encryption keys from Lightwave.  Confronted with the problem of getting into a relatively high-tech data center without detection (as opposed to a smash and grab) they are stymied.

Eventually they decide to approach Lightwave as a vendor to make a "network scan" of the weak points in their data center.  The ploy is slow (it takes a month to negoatiate and seal the deal) but ultimately is successful and the keys are obtained.

Christian only gets one chance to penetrate the Valentino network however.  Even so he pulls enough data to single out the Mini-Mirage casino on the Missouri side of KC.

With all the time lost, Ryan needs to feed his blood addiction several times.  While it would seem there is an endless supply of low-lifes to attack and/or kill, Ryan's technique still needs work.  Several victims nearly escape and Ryan's style is too "Dirty Harry" to go unnoticed for long.  He decides to seek help from the vampires themselves.

Ryan hooks up with a former client (now a vampire herself), Laura.  Laura has acquired a new, exceptionally healthy door man.  It turns out this is Anton, her walking food source provided by the organization.  Ryan, Laura and Laura's entourage (Anton and her body guard, Smith) go to the Blot, an exclusive night club and lounge north of the Plaza.  The clientel is exclusively vampire.

They meet with Laura's "handler" in the organization, Ben "the Giant" (sometimes only referred to as "G", but only by friends).  Ben laughs at Ryan's silly attempt at humanity by preying on the street and feeling guilty about feeding on the innocent.  Ben offers to take care of Ryan's feeding problem with the standard vampire meal plan (a soup kitchen in the downtown area) where Ryan can go every three days.  This puts Ryan in the organization and implies certain obligations, but does make it much more likely that Ryan won't end up in prison.

Along with this new situation comes news from an old ally about a possible cure deep in the amazon...  so next game will be "Save the Children" or "Search for the Cure".

d20 Modern Revival

After being declared missing for 3 weeks, Ryan Anderson (co-founder of Tactical Security, Inc) was found unconscious and taken to a local hospital for care. After two weeks of intensive care, Mr. Anderson awoke to resume his duties at TSI.

Upon returning from his extended absence, Ryan comes back so some changes at TSI. Nevel Ruseau has been named CEO. Christian Logan is the new CTO and Ryan fills the last senior executive slot as CSO (Chief of Special Operations). TSI now has 30 employees and continue to operate from its Kansas City location.

One of Nevel’s long-time associates has contracted TSI to aid her wayward daughter. Lilliandre Venerai would like to insure that her daughter, Celebrian (aka: Brie), does not fall victim to the known criminal she is currently associating with--a "family" man named Angelo Roth. Angelo is suspected or running several high-profile escort services and Lilliandre is concerned that her daughter is the next "product" Angelo will try to sell. TSI is to deliver an item of "protection" crafted by Lilliandre and/or insure Brie doesn’t not fall into inappropriate hands. Celebrian is only 100 years old after all (elven equivalent to a teen).

Ryan delivers on both accounts—first by brutally killing Angelo (ripping his throat out) in an alley behind his favorite club and then by dazzling Celebrian into taking the charm made by her worried mother.

In a tangent adventure, Ryan has stumbled across the fringes of a white slavery ring… Ryan is not amused.

I’m hoping to get fired up again for semi-regular d20 Modern gaming on Tuesday nights. Let me know if wanna try it or know someone who does…

Email to Ryan

Ryan,

Angelo Roth was a member of the Ciceretti family. His death was not a surprise nor will he be particularly missed. However, the manor in which he was killed was rather an insult to the family. Apparently the mob has some rules about such things. No one knows who is responsible, but it is widely assumed to be someone inside the family looking to move up. Angelo was known to dabble in his own trade which is a no-no in the family.

The Ciceretti family is thought to be involved in common vices, bootlegging, drugs and guns. However, human trafficking (under age slavery) isn’t thought to be one of their businesses.

Ironically, we believe that Tiffany was working for the Valentino family (don’t snicker). The "white slave" trade is a profitable and seriously underground operation. Organizations doing this type of business work through many fronts internationally. They general idea is that women (usually) are recruited for "jobs overseas" for which the organization is going to provide all the paperwork. The gals are then secreted off to holding facilities where they are brainwashed and/or trained in their new duties. They are then sold to the international market of rich and powerful. Some even make it to the US although few American victims are exported to other countries (although it does happen). The Valentino family seems to be the local front organization to the mid-west market. Tiffany was probably slated to be sent overseas. We deflated only one "cell" of their organization. I can’t seem to find info on other cells.

What I have discovered is that the Valentino uses a single telephone provider for "corporate communications." The password scheme for this is standardized and agreed upon between the customer and the telco… If we had the encryption keys used by the telco to allow the Valentino corp on to their system, we could gain access to their internal data systems. With that access it’s possible I could find other cells or even track "shipments".

Gaining the keys is going to require physical access to Lightwave, Inc’s customer network. Once physical access is gained, grabbing the keys will be an easy task (I’ll have you run a program from disk), but getting in will, of course, be a challenge.

~Christian