Scene 1 - The Ruk Disaster

Ruk, you can't believe that you're in Ruk. What a craphole. And that weasley methhead Culkin... sure, he got you here, leading the translation since none of your team had been here before, but then he stays back at camp "Protecting the way home!" What a duchebag.

You made your way out of the translation spot, an abandoned bodega-analog named "Exotic Fine Meats" that has been taken over by Fischer Astrotech. The building's windows are papered over, purportedly 'under renovation' and you snag a set of keys for the door. "Dr." Culkin showed you a map of Harmonious City (population about a 100k), and then drew a copy of it quickly, indicating how to get to the Shadowed City. Apparently, Harmonious City floats by some kind of anti-gravity power, and the Shadowed City is the crappy part underneath. Of course you have to go to the crappiest part.



Culkin tells you that a deepcover agent for the Quiet Cabal (an Ruk-ish organization seeking to preserve Earth) has reached out to Fischer Astrotech that Karum (an Ruk-ish organization seeking to destroy Earth) has a new weapon. They are excited about this new weapon. They think that it will make a difference. That is bad. The agent has requested that you grab this weapon and take it to Earth, because if the Quiet Cabal comes in needlers blazing, his cover will probably be blown. Now normally translating back to Earth would just mean that the weapon would be stored in Abeyance until you return to Ruk (no bad thing there), but the rumour is that the weapon will translate intact. In short: A terrible high-tech weapon that can get to Earth intact and the nihilist cult is giddy about doing just that.

Your mission: Travel to the Karum safe-house in Shadowed City, meet up with your contact, codename Agent Sly, and obtain the weapon (this part is suspiciously vague - best wear your brown pants); then, return to Exotic Fine Meats and translate back to Casablanca where Fischer Astrotech will take possession of the weapon.

You took a public elevator down to the ground. You see people, all human but some with weird alterations, like facial implants or biologic wings grafted on. It's really creepy, and as the elevator drops out of the light into the Shadowed City, your hackles rise. There is a fair bit of traffic up and down, as the Shadowed City is home to a bunch of manufacturing and what not.

You've made your way through the rough streets - you might complain about the roughness of the streets, but after exploring the seedier sides of Casablanca, you're not all out of your element. The locals eye you suspiciously, but they eye each other the same way. You fit right in, your clothing and gear that appeared on translation (the gear you had when you left Earth is in something called Abeyance, which is like some kind of cosmic coat check) is typical for Ruk; sturdy polymer fabrics in greens, greys, blues, browns, blacks.

Only a few blocks from the Karum safe-house, you've been trapped in a garage for the past few minutes, as a horrific glial storm moved through the area. Bioelectricity rockets through the area, so you took cover to avoid the deadly electricity as well as the random thoughts and images that seem to accompany it. Even on the edge, alien horrors flicker at the edge of your consciousness.

THREAD IS NOW UNLOCKED. Let's start off with descriptions and banter between your characters as you wait for the glial abate. Your gear and weapons are the same (stat-wise) in Ruk, although their appearance and function may now be more high tech.

Vinny shudders as the electrical discharges wash over his hand. Stunned momentarily, he jerks rigid stumbling away. His eyes tease blue but his vision is clearly inward. After a few seconds, he recovers.

You leave Agent Sly behind, and pick ypur way along the rough street. At the end of the block, you see the promised blue building with a prominent doorway - it's under a metal eave on the corner, with two steps up and a double style mechanical door hinged on the outer sides.

The five of you (Duke, Vinny, Seth, Micah, and even Katyushka who has been scrambling to catch up after you were separated by the glial storm) cross the street to avoid sightlines and find yourself on the doorstep.

Who is opening the door and rushing inside recklessly? Or describe an alternate tactic if you wish.

Vinny opens the doors, pulling them outwards and then rushes inside. A hail of gunfire erupts around him from two snipers across the large empty space on a walkway four meters above the floor. Ladders, including one three meters from Vinny, lead up to the catwalk. From there, it's a 10 meter run to the first sniper, and 5 meters past him/her to the other one. They have partial cover from their height and the metal railing.

Two Speed Defense rolls from Vinny, and Initiative rolls from everybody, please.

Vinny is peppered with tiny high velocity fletchette rounds, and takes 3 Might damage.

Anyone who beats 9 Initiative (6 if you're Trained, 3 if you're Specialized in Initiative) can act after their rolls, in any order.

Movement: you can attack within an immediate distance (3 meters) without moving. If you use your action to move, you can move a short distance of 15m, or a long distance of 30m with a roll.

I get that. I posted the normal rules cor everyone, and so you can see how FoF modifies that.

@Zatatmando: It takes an action to change. Next round, youll need to move to them, as theyre out of immediate range. So we'll ignore your attack roll.

Vinny runs up the ladder and returns fire. Damage 6 plus a 17 genrates 1 extra damage, totalling 7, reduced by their armor.

Micah and LonstaR are both after the snipers. Katyushka hasn't rolled yet.

Katyushka is up!

Katyushka's katana attack on sniper #2 hits, doing 4 points of damage (before armor).

The snipers return fire. Sniper #1 shudders from the impact, and turns firing a burst on Vinny, the whine of the belt fed needler drwoned out by the ammunition showeringnthe area he is standing in. ((Vinny: Speed Defense vs 9 or take 4 damage less armor)

Sniper #2 gasps (female-ish voice) and spins with the blow bouncing odf the back wall. He/she luhges forward and hammers Katyushka with the butt of her heavy needler-club. ((Katya: Speed Defense vs 9 or take 4 damage less armor)

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(Once theyve made their defense checks and described their dodge/wound, feel free to retaliate/act in any order).

LonstaR takes out the first sniper handily. Katyu dodges the rifle butt, but Vinny is peppered with more needles.

Micah's gun jams and he backs up for cover while clearing it. As the gun returns to normal function, a shadowy form races out of the nearby stairwell, swinging a wicked glowing axe. (Speed Defense roll vs 12, or take 6 Might damage before armor).

Vinny and Seth still have actions this round.

Seth will be aware of the third person right beside Micah. They are in Immediate range.

Vinny's shot missed sniper 2 and Katyushka.

The axe bypasses Micah's armor, so he takes the full 6.

Seth's attack scratches at the Karum agent, but missed.

Top of the round, LonStR, Micah and Katyu are up.

Duke's attack flashes and fades as his target slips away from the strange energy.

Katyu's overzealous spin maneuver results in being slightly off balance. As the katana slices through the air past the Karum-ite, an elbow helps K gracefully exit the catwalk. Katyu is now dangling from one hand, katana occupying the free hand. It's only a meter to the ground, but it will require some acrobatics to regain the catwalk.

Vinny sprints across the catwalk and smashes the second Karum sniper.

The sniper takes the blow hard, but armor reduces the effect some. She retaliates cracking Vinny in the face with her rifle butt...(Speed defense vs 9, Vinny, or take 4)

The third Karum on the mainfloor is taken aback by the crysallid Seth. He turns, dodgjng the frenzy and slams back hard. (Speed defense vs 12, Seth, or take 6)

Vinny parries the attack successfully and doesn't step on Katyu's fingers.

Micah's weapon strikes true, but armor keeps the real damage from hitting the good stuff. (2 damage less 2 armor).

Seth handily avoids the brutal attack.

Anybody not named Micah can act.

Vinny's attack rocks her on her heels, even after her armor protects her from some of it. You sense that she is nearly done, as she wobbles on her feet and her eyes look for an escape route.

Duke's attack strikes the second sniper despite the cover she has (+one step) and she drops.

The is only the third Karum and the additional problem of a rampaging Seth-based monster.

Katyushka has no problem grabbing the dead snipers leg, and can pull herself up to the catwalk. She and Vinny now share the catwalk with two dead snipers while an intense battle rages below.

Seth is all fury but isnt landing any hurtful blows.

The Karum, too preoccupied to tell things are going sideways, continues to focus his attention on Chrysalid Seth. He backs toward the stairs, breathing heavily and then lunges forward, swinging hard ...

(Another Speed Defense from Seth vs 12 or take 6 Might damage).

Then everyone can act.

Seth gets hit hard by the Karum agent, and finds himself (itself?) bell-rung. He (it?) stumbles backwards uncertain what is happening around him.

GM Intrusion from a rolled 1 on Speed Defense: Seth is off balance, and his next roll will be one step harder.

Duke's energy attack strikes the creature, drawing a baleful glance.

No problem there, the Chrysalid form only hinders your ability to spend Intellect Pool, and FtF doesn't require that.

Vinny executes a flawless... ... and whacks the big guy with his mace.

(4 damage before armor, but with a natural 19, you can either add 3 damage, or impose a minor effect on the Karum agent - a knock back, a distraction, or something similar.)

Vinny attacked, Micah hides, Katyu moved off the catwalk, Duke attacked, Seth missed.

The Karum agent, but as he is, stumbles, punch drunk, and swings wildly at the blindside attack from Vinny... (Speed Defense roll Vinny vs 9 or take 6 Might damage then everyone can act.)

Vinny can generate a minor effect from his epic dodge - perhaps continuing the distraction and one step adjustment for another turn?

Right, you're on the floor above the map.

Katyushka runs acrooss the hall and ... ...spray of blood.

Vinny has acted. Katyu and Micah heroically ran away, leaving Seth and Duke to act before the big guy.

Duke looks at the split of the party and growls behind his mask. He attempts to alter reality again before moving to back up the others who went ahead.

Duke's reality bending attack strikes true, causing 4 points of damage, less armor.

The larger agent grapples with Vinny before swinging his weapon absently, trying to keep an eye on the frenzying Chrysallid.(Vinny, another Speed Defense vs 9 or take 6 Might damage.

Each of you may act now, but if you're attacking the Karum agent, the daze wears off and he is back to a TN of 12).

Vinny zigs instead of zags and catches the weapon square in the head. He flips over backwards landing face down, blood running down his face.

(6 Might damage plus you're partially blinded until you take a action to clear the blood. +1 (not step) to all difficulties. )

Katyushka examines the door and realizes that it's not an electronic panel type door, so much as a shady door with no obvious signs of access.

Katyu, running past Micah, will see three of them in a tight battle with the large Karum agent. Blood runs freely down Vinny's face, and the Karum seems to have taken only minor damage. It should be easily apparent that they are otherwise occupied.

(Vinny, Micah, Duke, and Katyu have acted, leaving Seth then the agent.)

Seth lands a blow, claws tearing through armor and slashing flesh beneath. (4 damage, less 2 armor)

Hoping to finish Vinny off, Karum #3 fires his weapon at point blank range, while backing slowly toward the nearby stairwell. (Vinny, speed defense vs 12, and remember the -1 to your rolls for blood-obstructed vision. Then each of you may act.)

Micah is likely a long distance; light ranged weapons are usually short. You can certainly take a shot, but there may be a penalty to hit.

Edit: The Strange RPG pg. 111, shooting a short range weapon at long range would be a one step increase in difficulty.

Vinny rolls away from the shot, which disappears into the floor.

Katyuska runs into combat and flashes a blade about, but it is from behind her that Micah levels his pistol, and Bam! Head shot! The Karum agent collapses to the ground. (4/12 remaining before: 6 damage = 2 damage, plus 3 damage for the effort, plus 3 for the 19 ends his glory, less 2 armor.)

Combat is over. May I suggest some Recovery rolls might be in order?

Searching the bodies, Duke finds 4 cyphers:

Concussive Detonation. (Placed Item, Level 5.) A large, light, self-propelled mechanism with spider-like legs. When aimed and fired, causes a blast at medium range on a small area, causing stun for one hour.

Heat Slugthrower. (Attachment Item, level 5.) A small, shiny ring which speaks in an unknown language. When attached to a ranged weapon and activated, shoots a slug at medium range on a single target, causing 5 points of fire damage.

Friction-Reducing Gel. (Worn Item, Level 6.) A tiny, heavy, pulsating necklace. When worn and activated, makes a small area extremely slippery, augmenting the difficulty of movement tasks by 1 step for five days.

Cold Field Emitted. (Placed Item, Level 4.) A large, light metal pyramid with legs. When aimed and fired, covers a zone at long range on a large area, causing 4 points of cold damage. The effect lasts for ten minutes and affects anything passing through it.

There are two exits from the room; one that Katyu explored that on a cursory inspection seemed sealed off or otherwise locked. There is also the stairwell by the front door that the third Karum came out of, though maybe he was just hiding in those shadows. There doesnt seem to be any alarmy noises.

"Range is medium, single target, should spit out a firebooger like a roman candle in a drunk uncle's hand." Duke explains before he moves after Vinny.

Which stairwell does Vinny head to: the close one the Karum was hiding in, or the far one that Katyushka claims is locked?

Lower Level

Vinny comes down the stairs (see bottom left corner in the map above) and finds that this side is not blocked. To the left is a wall, across from the stairs a closed door, with a hallway leading right past another closed door.

Perception and Stealth rolls for Vinny, please.

They are skills, so straight d20s unless you are Trained or Specialized.

Vinny senses something is amiss, and carefully listens. He hears multiple footsteps sneaking along the hallway (headed map-downwards). There are three of them, and they seem to be on the prowl, concerned about a "missed check-in" and "odd noises".

He's also aware of some machinery noises farther on, possibly from the around and about the opposite corner of the map.

Due to Vinny's extraordinary Perception check, you have a round or so to set up before the prowlers turn the corner into view. Map squares are 2m x 2m, so the corner is 10m from the bottom of the stairs, a Short distance.

I'm going to use a GM intrusion here. Vinny gets 1 xp and can award another to a second PC.

The door is locked and Vinny runs down the hall, past where three Karum are sneaking assault team style, and into the water pump room. They shout, run into the intersection, and fire their needler weapons, but it's just for dramatic effect.

Everybody roll initiative. If you roll 9 or higher (less if you're trained) you go first. For positioning, let's say the non-Vinny's are at the bottom of the stairs.

Still waiting for initiative from Seth, but Vinny and Duke can go.

The three Karum have come to the intersection, guns up, having fallen for Vinny's ruse and have their backs to the main group. They are moving, looking to follow Vinny into the pump room.

To use a Cypher, you generally need to make an Intellect test, unless it is obvious that it should be something else (such as a Speed test to throw a grenade). In this case, make an Intellect test to direct the robot and have it go off where you want it to.

Seth, Vinny, and Duke are all acting before the Karum.

Duke's attack hits dealing 3 damage (after applying light armor). Lets call that guy K4. The other 2 will be K5 and K6.

The concussion device goes off, stunning all three. They're not fully down-and-out but they're incapable of attacking.

Yes. In fact, you would have missed without it, as you needed 9s (6s with effort).

Micah's shot barely misses.

K6 takes 9 damage, less 1 point of armor. He is gravely wounded, hanging on by a thread.

Seth concentrates on one, let's say K5. The world swims before his eyes, as he drifts into the Karum agent's mind...

Seth bolts down the hallway.

Seth gets one move down the hallway, say to the end. There is no Seth shaped spray of blood. Yet.

Micah and Katyu have gone, and Seth has gone twice.

Vinny's axe slips out of his hand and flies back down the hallway on the backswing, clanging along the hard floor a Short distance away.