Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 doomsought Apr 22, 2008 19:41:15	"In the fusion age Humanity has colonized almost every conformable planet in the milky way. Now as we enter the gravity age, all of our colonies are being reunited. as there are so many worlds, it is now very likely that a world will undergo some form of apocalypses. those worlds which are on the primary trade ways, and thus linked to others by warp gates, are able to be evacuated and will be investigated by other agencies. We however will investigate any out of the way world that fall; we will find out what went wrong, and make sure it doesn't happen again." ~the human briefing for Hell Chaser squads. "Humanity is far from the true path, this new agency of theirs may be their last hope. let us make sure that it does not fail." ~the sharkling supplemental group. the players will be sent to apocalyptic worlds and investigate what went wrong. Humans control the milky way galaxy. the sharklings are an alien race that inhabits one of the Milky Way's satellite galaxies. Errant robots populate the players' third and final choice in race. Table of significant contents Races: Humanity Government: Humanity Races: Sharklings Government: Sharklings New tech & restrictions Ships of the sharklings The Hell Worlds ONE More to come...
#2 doomsought Apr 22, 2008 19:58:28	HUMANITY In the past century humanity has populated the cosmos, or at least the Galaxy. As they left the twentieth century into the fusion age, they embraced liberal philosophy to the good and the bad. On some worlds this has come to the point where tradition is taboo, on others its simply a richer, more advanced version of our good old information age. the primary trade routs exist as warp gates and any thing less important is covered by a ships FTL. most worlds are off the trade ways because they don't have anything important to trade, or don't want to be sneaked up on. One has to go far down the paths of perversion to be banished for the trade ways. In this age cybernetics are as common as our piercings and Genetic treatment is cosmetic surgery. Human players have access to PL 6 tech but it will advance as the campaign progresses. Humans may not peruse the path of divine spell casting and Knowledge(theology and philosophy) is always cross class.
#3 doomsought Apr 22, 2008 20:36:45	Sharklings Sharklings are the opposite and inverse of humanity. While humans see the church and science as opposing forces, they don't. The sharklings are at base chaotic predators who have overcome their natural aggression with a near utopian society. Sharklings society began on a ocean world totally covered by an ice age. The Church of Sra'la served as the only thing close to a government during this age, as it increased in wealth, and as a symbol of natural law, it sponsored advancement sciences and education. As advancements in science bring a higher standard of living, sharkling society slowly settled around the Church of Sra'la. The ice age of their world completely obscured the sky and even into their Fusion age they knew nothing of space and little of gravity. then their industrial output of heat broke the ice age and brought clear skies. they were fascinated. Technology exploded and they soon entered the gravity age. Their fleets quickly colonized their own (satellite) Galaxy. then they became aware of us, they constructed three massive embassy ships, massive two mile long ships. Each embassy ship had enough fish and greenery to support its own population and a small warp gate at its rear (big enough to let through a medium weight ship). Sharkling architecture is unlike humans in its basis. Almost are structures are spheres and cylinders as necessitated by Electron field hulls(see new tech). They prefer large, mostly open water filled spaces. to furnish their ships (outside of a controls and systems) they fill this space with coral and small living ecosystems. for the most part this serves as their food supply and nooks in the corral are used for sleeping. Sharkling Type: monstrous humanoid Size: medium +2 Dex, +2 wis, -2 cha Sharklings have cartilage skeletons and strong senses but little in the way of manners. Speed: 30', swim 40' Blind sense 30'(ex) only when in water. Keen scent(ex): A sharkling can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detect blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile. Arable gills(ex): Sparkling natively breath water, but may breath air with some pain. every hour they spend out of water they take one point of subdual damage, if the subdual damage from this source is equal to their HP they lapse into a coma until emersed in water (after an hour in water all subdual damage from this source is healed). Agile swimmer(ex): Sharklings use Dex instead of STR as a bonus to swim checks. Bite: 1d6 slashing Skills +8 to swim checks La +2 Sharlings almost always have good or sra'la as their first allegiance. They may not use any form of genetic enhancements of use of cybernetics. They may take the acolyte advanced class.
#4 doomsought Apr 22, 2008 20:57:30	New Tech Electron field hull PL(7) An electron field hull uses a special field to gather electrons in a spherical or cylindrical shape, the electrons come into such concentration that the field may be "touched", however it may also be pierced with sufficient force, this force may be altered by adjusting the field. Also when two fields meet they combine. these to traits make an effective and efficient spaceship hull with no need for airlocks. Hardness: 20 in combat, but as low as 2 will hold in atmosphere and water in space. Weight: near zero Purchase DC: 17 + 1/2 base Restriction: only the sharkling race has access to this technology. Humans"I want one of those!" Sharklings"After reviewing your track record, NO!" Electron field Shard cannon(requires exotic firearm proficiency) Damage: 6D4* Crit: 19-20 Damage type: 1/2 slashing, 1/2 electrical Range increment: 40' ROF: s Size: large DC: 25 Restriction: +3 (mil) *Because the shard decays, damage is reduced by one die for each range increment. Electron field Shard cannon (starship weapon) Damage: 12D8* Crit: 19-20 Damage type: 1/2 slashing, 1/2 electrical Range increment: 4,000' ROF: s Min. ship Size: Gargantuan DC: 44 Restriction: +3 (mil) *Because the shard decays, damage is reduced by one die for each range increment. Restriction: only the sharkling race has access to this technology.
#5 doomsought Apr 23, 2008 18:20:37	Ships of the Sharklings Launch pod Type: ultralight Size: large -1 Subtype: launch Tacspeed: 1000 Defense: 15 Length: 10' Flat: 12 Weight: 26000 Auto: 10 Target sys: - Hardness: 2-20 Crew: 1 (trained +4) Hit dice: 3d20 Passengers: 3 Init: +2 Cargo: personal Pilot class: +3 Grapple mod: +4 Pilot dex: +3 Base DC: 30 Gunner:-- Restriction: +1(lic) The sharkling launch pod is nothing more than a 10' diameter Electron shield with some induction engines and small fusion reactors. They are used as launches, surface vehicles, escape pods, and to form docking umbilicals between larger ships. Manta-fighter Type: Ultralight Size: Gargantuan (-4) Subtype: Fighter Tackspeed: 4500 Defense: 20 Length: 27' Flat: 13 Weight: Auto: 8 Target Sys: +3 Hardness: 2-20 Crew: 1 (ace +12) Hit Dice: 8D20 Passengers: 2 Init: +9 Cargo: 1200 Pilot class bonus:+7 Graplermod: +8 Dex:+7 Base DC: 49 Gunner ATT: +9/+4 Res: +3(mil) Attacks: 2 fire linked Electron field Shard cannons Standard compliment: Thusters, induction engines Electron field hull Improved damage control light fortification Class V sensors sys. Improved targeting sys. Mass transceiver The Manta-fighter has one attached Launch pod. Explorer type escort ship. Type: Ultralight Size: Colossal (-8) Subtype: escort Tac speed: 3500 Defense: 8 length: 170' Flat: 5 Weight: 1008 tons Auto: 5 Target sys: +5 Hardness: 3-20 Crew: 8 (trained +4) Hit dice: 20d20 Passengers: 24 Initiative: +5 Cargo: 30 tons class bonus: +3 Grapple modifier: +16 Dex: +3 Purchase DC: 54 Gunner Attack: +3 Restriction: +3 (mil) Attacks: 3 X Fire linked Electron field Shard cannons(2) Sensors: Class V, Improved target sys Com sys: mass transceiver Defense sys: (cloaking screen*), Repair drones, Improved damage control 2d10, light fortification, Point defense, radiation shielding *only spec ops. models have this expensive tech, purchase DC becomes 55. usually supports 3-5 manta-fighters, and 60 Launch pods. More to come...
#6 atanakar May 08, 2008 18:15:40	We want to see more meat around the bones ! Much like Lonewolf the Hunter and Dementedwombat your ideas are embrionary. This does not mean in anyway that they are not good. There just underdevelopped. You have the basics in place but what does it lead to? Do forge ahead ! I for one would like to see more Campaign treads on this forum.
#7 doomsought May 08, 2008 21:03:29	I'd got no input and assumed it dead for good. Encounter one: Joining of forces. Sparkling and robot players are on a spec ops explorer class escort. human players are on corvet en rout to the first hell world, Pluto 27, that has dropped off the trade routs for 5 years. Its a beurocracy... Between hyper drive jumps, in a star system called BLauf 15632, the human corvet is docked to an automated refueling station. All the sudden the spec ops explorer class escort appears 100km away. The players must calm down the corvet's surprised captain and introduce themselves. No exp unless you feel like being evil and making the captain an insanely strong racist.
#8 dementedwombat May 08, 2008 21:18:26	I like the premise; apocalypse research and protection squad. I can just see a character flashing that badge. Seriously, the setting's got promise, and it's the kind of campaign where you can leave some loose ends to be tied up as the characters play. I give it my official stamp of approval and look forward to seeing it develop.
#9 doomsought May 09, 2008 20:51:18	Hell world one: Pluto 27: Rot World. You see a small planet under you. so small it is that you think it was teraformed only to prove that doing so is possible. It has a few communications satellites, bun no orbital docks. Checking the com-satellites only finds error messages from the local inter-net breaking down. Scans of the atmosphere only find slightly increased fungal spore activity. Records show that there is only one city on the planet and the rest is let to automated farms. It is decided that the investigation team may make landfall without NBC suits. Landfall: as your shuttles land you notice everything has become decrepit. there are giant mushrooms growing from any soil, lichens tear away at the buildings, many have collapsed do to destructive growth. you see a few robots stopped in their tracks, lichen and strange fungi growing out of them. Every thing is rotting, but you see no people, no bodies, have they already decomposed completely? Encounters: 2-3: Taunt the players with spot and listen checks, they should be herded into a situation that provokes a fort or reflex save. toxic mushroom spores, a collapsing building, ect. 3-5: first roll initiative. then for the first 2 rounds move the zombies around while hiding. the players make spot and listen checks each turn (and if smart launch AOE). after the grace/spooky period is up, the zombies attack. they are mostly rotten and covered in fungi. Story encounter: A zombie in a tattered NBC suit is spotted (it can be in one of the above encounters), it is fresher and has no fungus growing on it. searching it finds a map to a secure reasearch facility, underground. On the way to the facility, the characters should have at least one more zombie attack. Story encounter: the facility has an automated defense system, and the incoming communication lines are cut. this should be weopons with the automated gadget and 2 or 3 robots. Story encounter: once in the facility they find mostly spooked researchers and a few depressed security guards. The researchers are afraid and glad for the company. they have been researching a virus that revives dead tissue and genuinely do not know how the virus escaped. When questioned they express concerns for the head researcher. He has become very sick lately since he brought in his new girl friend. The virus escaped only a few days after she appeared. The scientist that brings this up will express a concern that she is the one that let it loose. He will be dead the next day. Story encounter: if the characters try to leave, She stops them and brings them to the head researcher's office, they spot no other people on their way there. Any sharklings have a "bad feeling" about her. Boss fight: She is a succubus, she seduced the head researcher in order to release the virus. She gloats about this before the PCs and orders the 4 charmed security personnel in the office to attack the PCs. Give them extra EXP if they manage not to kill the guards, they come to their senses after She is dead. Epilogue: Once She is dead, the characters have no trouble getting the security staff, researchers and research notes to the surface and their shuttle. The notes explain that the resurrection virus had the effect of greatly increasing the metabolism of fungi. Medical scans find infected fungal spores in the player characters' lungs, however the spores are dormant if not dead.
#10 doomsought May 13, 2008 19:37:41	The Government of Humanity When historians are asked why all of humanity is under one government the most honest answer is "it doesn't govern." It is called the federation, but it is more accurately a bureaucracy. Each world has its own government and may even conquer other worlds within the federation. The planetary governments range from democracies and republics to communisms, anarchies, oligarchies and dictatorships. Really the only form of government not represented is theocracy. The federation has a universal senate, formed under the rule one planet one vote.The senators are politicians with regard only to their next election, with one notable exception. that exception is the representative of a anarchy, who is always the youngest four year old named Joe at the beginning of election year. The senate has not passed a law that didn't create a new bureau in the last century, that said the last census collected by the bureau of bureau censusing gave a total of 3141.5 bureaus. No one knows where the point 5 came in. Politicians of this age promise "Rights" that are not necessarily right and fixing every problem in every bureau. So far no one has found one that wasn't giving out a load of bull... except the four year old. One can get away with almost any crime by turning oneself into the right bureau of justice (there are 13.4 last count) and claiming to the right "Right" that has just entered the recent political correctness or if you are feeling thematic wait five days for the right you want to use to come up again. One man got away with 560 felonies in one year with this technique, that new years eve a group of vigil-antes killed him and escaped punishment by the same means. Felony: Knowledge: civics DC 20, 4 successes before 2 failures; Knowledge: current events DC 17, 2 successes no failures; Diplomacy DC 20, 3 successes before 2 failures; and a bribe DC 20 Lesser crime: Bribe DC 18 or Knowledge: civics DC 15, 2 successes before 2 failures; Knowledge: current events DC 17, 1 success no failures The spell Charm Person may be used to buy one success, or remove one failure, and may only be used once per case. Note, this works just as well for the players as Re-occurring villains, if you decide to add any.
#11 doomsought May 14, 2008 21:05:53	Sharkling Government the Sharkling's government is more of a theocracy than humanity has ever managed. They do not see any individual as their leader, but rather their deity. For their policy and decision making they rely on the counsel of Elders, mostly scholars and priests, whose authority is only less than that of the holy scriptures. Their Holy book itself is seen as the word of their god and is the final word, it is enchanted so anyone reading it reads it as if under the effect of comprehend languages, with the addition that they can understand it even if they are not literate. (purchase DC 10, every sharkling ship will have one) Below the them are the local governments, never any larger than a few thousand members to a group, each has a lesser counsel of elders made of local grandfathers, priests and ships captains. Larger ships will form an internal community such as this within its own population. Education is taken care of by priests as it has been from ancient times, and thus a physicist will often be translated "priest of physics" to inquisitive humans. Their religion itself, the Church of Sra'la, is most similar to Judaism and has not recorded any occurance of a savior, but has prophecies of such. Miraculously, every copy of their holy book, the Sra're'la, has been updated with a recording of the first contact with humanity and its meaning. To Humanity, what makes the Sharklings Alien, what makes them incomprehensibly different, is not only that for them Religion is important, but it is REAL. Sra'la is alive.