Sep 21, 2023 9:55 am
I have tried in the past to run this story, almost always it has failed due to lack of player engagement. I used to stick away from the GMPC but learning from the past, 0 out of 26 total players have tried to touch the alien monolith for fear of the consequences.
So I have decided, in my near infinite wisdom(insanity) to take the Mass Effect approach. You, a team of experts and specialists will form the elite cohort of Not-Commander Shepherd. Not Commander Shepherd, who moments ago, in a trancelike state fought off anyone who tried to stop him and touched the monolith. The resulting light show seemed to focus on Not Commander Shepherd's head, surrounding him in a nauseatingly intense aura of light. A clear channel of energy coursed into the Commander's head. Physically lifting the unfortunate commander off the surface of Mars, the lightshow emitted bursts of solfeggio frequencies - as of trying to communicate. And, after nearly a minute of him, the commander, screaming in agony the monolith exploded.
The Martian surface, where Not Commander Shepherd fell into a comatose state, has been recently terraformed following the breakthrough development of a bio engineered beetle that can survive on the Martian surface. These beetles are swarming the monolith ever since it was activated through unknown means. The evacuation order has been sounded. Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to return the commander to the ship's doctor.
This story should include everything you might expect. Though for originalities sake I will avoid Cthulutec Machine Gods. Think of this as HARD Sci soft Fi with elements of psychological horror.
We will begin in medias res, because I absolutely detest the trope of "it began in a bar/cantina/mess hall" because lets be real, with the exception of the foundation of the US Marine Corps, nothing noteworthy ever started in a bar. Plus, stress and the corresponding cohesion of a unit are what make these stories interesting. Comfort is a luxury you simply cannot afford when the fate of the Universe is at stake.
For mechanics, four stats, with 22 pts spread between them. Those being, Brawn, Wits, Guile, and Command. Using a D12 for the randomizer. Combat will be in theater of the mind. There will be a mission timer. Resources will be handled by dice resolution, no need to add logistics.
I will take 2 to 7 highly motivated players.
Reminder, this is not mass effect, there is not yet faster than light travel. As the course of the game continues and falling in line with the psychedelic theme, there will be technological leaps - it will usually be violent. If you get lucky to survive you will become something more than human.
Tropes: This is very much a dystopian universe. Corporations are indistinct from states. First Contact has not happened, yet.
So I have decided, in my near infinite wisdom(insanity) to take the Mass Effect approach. You, a team of experts and specialists will form the elite cohort of Not-Commander Shepherd. Not Commander Shepherd, who moments ago, in a trancelike state fought off anyone who tried to stop him and touched the monolith. The resulting light show seemed to focus on Not Commander Shepherd's head, surrounding him in a nauseatingly intense aura of light. A clear channel of energy coursed into the Commander's head. Physically lifting the unfortunate commander off the surface of Mars, the lightshow emitted bursts of solfeggio frequencies - as of trying to communicate. And, after nearly a minute of him, the commander, screaming in agony the monolith exploded.
The Martian surface, where Not Commander Shepherd fell into a comatose state, has been recently terraformed following the breakthrough development of a bio engineered beetle that can survive on the Martian surface. These beetles are swarming the monolith ever since it was activated through unknown means. The evacuation order has been sounded. Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to return the commander to the ship's doctor.
This story should include everything you might expect. Though for originalities sake I will avoid Cthulutec Machine Gods. Think of this as HARD Sci soft Fi with elements of psychological horror.
We will begin in medias res, because I absolutely detest the trope of "it began in a bar/cantina/mess hall" because lets be real, with the exception of the foundation of the US Marine Corps, nothing noteworthy ever started in a bar. Plus, stress and the corresponding cohesion of a unit are what make these stories interesting. Comfort is a luxury you simply cannot afford when the fate of the Universe is at stake.
For mechanics, four stats, with 22 pts spread between them. Those being, Brawn, Wits, Guile, and Command. Using a D12 for the randomizer. Combat will be in theater of the mind. There will be a mission timer. Resources will be handled by dice resolution, no need to add logistics.
I will take 2 to 7 highly motivated players.
Reminder, this is not mass effect, there is not yet faster than light travel. As the course of the game continues and falling in line with the psychedelic theme, there will be technological leaps - it will usually be violent. If you get lucky to survive you will become something more than human.
Tropes: This is very much a dystopian universe. Corporations are indistinct from states. First Contact has not happened, yet.
