Full Throttle Nightmare (module)

 

Full Throttle Nightmare

Wardens! Are your Prospero's Dream train journeys too boring? Fear not! Inject this mini-module!

Adapted from “A_BEAUTIFUL_DAY_FOR_A_METRO_HEIST” by JKW for CY_BORG--https://www.patreon.com/JKWRPG/posts/beautiful-day-cy-78951049 

Brief scenario for Mothership 1E; on Prospero’s Dream station

Edited to add more Prospero’s Dream linkage, and strengthen humorous similarity to a certain 1980s action film (and sequel) about a velocitous vehicle.

I made this more about Caliban, introducing my campaign to his influences more. But anyone could remove that and make it about Hunglungs or renegade teamsters or mad Novos or whatever!

 

Caliban openly exerts its influence on The Dream at an inconvenient time, ideally when PCs are blissfully travelling across the Dream for a mundane reason. It’s only fair though if they are armed, as this is a dangerous event.

 

For players:

The Dreamscape Metro blows past your stop. There is an unpleasant alarm buzz, and then loud clicks as the door locks engage. And next, the train starts accelerating. A radio message is broadcast, all-channels locally and accessible on the tram (not the train intercoms, which are blocked out; but audible to PCs with comms or else heard through a passenger’s radio):

“To residents of The Dream and all aboard, a Dreamscape Metro train has been hijacked and its network connections fried so it is out of control. Stop the train safely, save its passengers, capture or kill the hijackers, and get the reward of a 200kcr bounty. The Dream is on your side. You have about 20 minutes before that train is going so fast it derails.” (Fear save or +1 Stress)

 

Every car a kingdom:

PCs are 6 cars away from the control car. No one knows what’s happening.

The PCs enter each car on the bottom right (see MAP Handout) and leave to the next car at the upper left. When they enter a new car including where they begin, roll 1d6 (sorry, not 1d5 or 1d10) twice for what’s happening. The sixth car is the control car.

 

Inside the car: 1d6

1: A rave in full swing. A mutant Sycorax drug mixture is in the air; 60ish people are hallucinating an unholy and maddening vision of two-headed demons [for humour, I'm showing pics of Demogorgon from D&D]. Body Save or join in, and Sanity Save or +1 Stress from visions; failures continue to reroll both Saves when entering each car (succeed = visions fade).

2: A corporate office party! 40ish people are celebrating Cheryl's special day with cake and ice cream and cake and ice cream schnapps. They insist the PCs sign Cheryl's card to fulfill Superlative Universal Networks corporate camaraderie metrics. Cheryl is wasted. They’re all oblivious to the threat.

3: An anarchist's art gallery. 40ish people are frantically trying to sell their work before the train derails and they're condemned to obscurity forever (because they'll be dead). 1d100x10 credits to easily cross the car.

4: A (nameless) cyberprophet of Caliban (C55 I70 Myriad mechatentacles x1d5 (Blunt) W3 H20) proselytizing to 40ish people. He is offering to upload everyone's consciousness into his personal dataslab, as only Caliban can save them now. Some have already agreed; they're dead on the floor, eyes white and empty. He knows that the train has been hijacked by mad Caliban cultists but his mind is focused on what’s happening in this car. Volunteering to him means death (but mental projection to Caliban); he may be ignored or challenged.

5: A shipment of 80ish sentient animatronic toys have been set free in the train’s cargo car by their weeping, incoherent handler Alex Henson (they/them; Union teamster); it is their first taste of life. They cling and claw to the PCs, begging for help. Sanity save or +1 Stress, keep rolling until succeed and then can make it through the car.

6: A prominent political and corporate figure, Mr. Samuel Rodrigueson from Nakatomi Solutions Inc., with their entourage of 1d5+1 Novo thugs (C30 I25 Unarmed 2 DMG or Combat knife 1d5+1 (Blunt) W2) who have had enough of his shit. The entourage is beating their boss up, but their heart isn’t in it and they could be talked down. The 3d10 other passengers are staying clear. The thugs ignore anyone else unless interrupted; soon is beaten unconscious and the droogs have a good laugh.

 

Random events: 1d6

1: The surfaces of the car sprout many semi-organic tendrils that ineffectually grope at occupants—Sanity save or +1 Stress from the sight, and Body Save or +1 Stress from being groped.

2: Something malfunctions horribly, blowing a hole in the car compartment. Occupants test Body Save or get sucked toward the hole out of the train car. They have 1 round to be saved before they are flung out to their demise. Someone else could roll a Strength or Speed [-] check to save them, and/or they could roll at normal chance.

3: Sparks fly as the lights go out on the entire train (continues into control car). Immediately, 1-in-5 chance a PC is shocked for 2d10 damage (ignoring metal armour); only once.

4: 1d5+1 Street punks (C25 I20 Unarmed 2 DMG or Improvised Club 1d5+1 (Blunt) W2) are currently ripping and robbing everybody in the train car (or fighting the cultists, if present), but resistance will cow them.

5: A swarm of 1d5+2 Oracle news drones enters the car and starts broadcasting the chaos on the news.

6: The train's speed causes its magnetic field to expand, creating an anti-gravity field; everything in this car floats in Zero-G [-].

 

Ajax and 1d5 cultists are in the control car, having killed the teamster driver. If challenged, Ajax tries to break the speed panel entirely. At first it is just stuck on accelerate.

Once it's fixed (Mechanical Repair; Jury-rigging; etc.), the train can be stopped.

Stopping the train: heroes of the day! Personally presented reward by Brunhildh. Get bounty and lifetime Dreamscape Metro card with unlimited rides (limit of 10 per day). (Possible additional rewards/penalties; or enmity; from train occupants)

 

Otherwise, the train CRASHES!

Derailing: Body Save: 1d5 Wounds on fail (5 Wounds on Critical Fail); 3d10 DMG on success (no armour); 1d10 DMG (no armour) if Critical Success.

 

Ajax, Preacher of Caliban’s Nightmare 

Ex-stockbroker. Current Caliban cult leader.

C 65 I 45

2x Flailing cybernetic appendages (Blunt) 3d10 or

all Adjacent: Caustic cyberfluid vomit (Fire/Explosives/chemical) AA 2d10

AP 4 W4 H 20

Mutated cyberware: all 5 from below!

 

Caliban cultist

C 35 I 25 Swords (Bleed) 2d10 W2 H 20

Mutated cyberware (1d5):

1. Flowing flesh, regenerates 1d5 Health/round

2. Its attacks sing eerie static; Sanity save or +1 Stress/round

3. Can marshal energy from surrounding machines and direct it (through weaponry) as electrical burst 2d10 DMG once/minute; in addition to other attack(s)

4. Constantly emits energy field that harmlessly absorbs threats from lasers, electricity and fire

5. Can activate and control obvious cyberware within sight for 1 round every minute