Risen Legend (CthulhuTech)
This is another of the 2012 Convention Series of games, and likely the last of my CthulhuTech material (unless I can spark interest in my players). As usual, the game is designed for a team of elite mech/engel pilots with skills beyond piloting. This mission is similarly constructed to the mission in the Quick Start book.
The squad has been recalled back to the Capital of the NEG in Chicago, for a protection detail for a recently recovered artifact that the Occult Scholars in Europe have deemed a potential Class 4 Relic (very dangerous in the wrong hands). Their commanding officer, unwilling to broadcast the information over potentially intercepted transmissions, explains the mission in their London office.
A recent expedition was begun when diviners in the employ of the NEG saw a site beneath the English Channel. With an armed escort to fend off possible Dagonites, they dredged the southern channel and found the remains of an island, destroyed by some unknown means hundreds of years before. On it were signs of an old English-style castle and a sizable tomb. Excavation and carbon dating shows the buildings to have been from around the supposed age of Camelot and the heraldry in the tomb gave indications that might indicate the man buried within was none other than King Arthur of legend. The island was dubbed Avalon, the fabled burial place of the Great King of Briton.
What furthered this suggestion, though unknown to the public masses, is that a forged blade was unearthed in the tomb as well. Immediately named Excalibur, the sword is inscribed with a language that is a blend of Celtic Gaelic and Tsath-Yo and those who can read the inscription have the ability to control the minds of those he speaks to while carrying it. The scholars now fear that Arthur, rather than being an actual king, may have used this blade as a tool for conquest, smoothing his way forward by sorcerous means and making himself into a bloody tyrant, rather than anything noble. The squad is charged with acquiring Excalibur from its keeper in Chicago and delivering it safely to NEG headquarters, where it will be studied and quarantined.
Act I – Artifact in the Wind
The location provided to the squad by their CO is the Chicago dockyard. The men charged with the artifact’s safety, rather than travelling in comfort or in plain sight, came across in a sealed cargo container, with food and water to sustain them for the journey across the Atlantic by sea. When they arrive, all they have is the container number. Contacting the harbormaster, he walks them over to where the container is being stored.
Right away, there is evidence of trouble. As they get to the container, they can see that the door has been forcefully pried open, blood and bullet holes riddle the area and even claw marks for something much larger. The men that made up the security detail all show signs of overkill and the artifact is gone. Several of the harbour’s defence force fell prey to Excalibur’s influence and quickly turn against the team, opening fire from various locations. A couple guards in power armour attack, as well as two Falcata mechs submerged in the harbour (for additional challenge, the GM can add in a Khopesh, if the team is well equipped).
Dockyard Soldiers
Attributes: Agility 6, Intellect 6, Perception 6, Presence 5, Strength 6, Tenacity 7
Secondary Attributes: Actions 1, Orgone 11, Reflex 6
General Skills: Athletics – Novice (2), Communications – Novice (2), Law Enforcement – Adept (3), Literacy – Novice (2), Observation – Adept (3), Pilot – Novice (2), Security – Adept (3), Surveillance – Novice (2)
Combat Skills: Dodge – Novice (2), Marksman – Novice (2)
Weapons: AR-25 Assault Rifle, 30/75/200, +1 DMG, 60 round clip
CS-44 Enforcer, 12/25/45, +2 DMG, 15 round clip
Vitality: 11
Armor: SentryTech Mk-V Hvy Personal Armored Vest – +1/+1
Fear Factor: 0
Movement and Speed: 11 mph (27/6 ypt)
Stats for the Falcata and Khopesh mechs can be found in Vade Mecum. The stats for the Gale Nazzadi mech (I chose this mech for the power armoured guards) are in the Core Rules.
Upon settling the dispute in the dockyard, NEG Special Forces arrive and whisk away the players before the public catches wind of what’s going on in the capital. Upon hearing the players’ issues at the meet location, their CO believes that one of those few people who worked on the mission has betrayed key information to the enemy. While the NEG will apply pressure to artifact brokers in the area to see if anyone has seen anything resembling Excalibur, the players are tasked with investigating the three people in Chicago who knew anything about the sword coming to the Capitol.
Act II – Unwilling Traitor
There were only three people who knew the particular details of Excalibur’s transit: Jessica Matheson, Gunya and Peter Harper. The squad can choose to meet whomever they want first, but Jessica is under a tight time constraint…
Jessica Matheson is a consummate businesswoman. She is married to her job as the head of the shipping company (United Haulage) that the NEG uses to move around sensitive merchandise. They can find her in her office, rapidly packing as many personal effects as she could. When she becomes aware of the PCs, she spins and levels a shaky handgun at them. “What do you want?”
If the players explain that they are NEG Special Forces, she breathes a heavy sigh of relief and stashes the weapon. “Thank goodness… is it true? The team is dead and Excalibur’s been taken?” When her fears are confirmed, she resumes packing. “There so few of us left that know about the sword… the government has told me to go into hiding and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Lord knows I have enough vacation days saved up…”
If the characters pass a Challenging Observation test, they may notice Jessica’s head being marked by a laser sight. Any who notice the red dot can make an Initiative roll. If they exceed 12, they can tackle Jessica and shove her aside before the shooter makes his shot. Otherwise, her head explodes in a spray of blood and gore.
If Jessica survives the assassination attempt, the shooter flees. She knows nothing about the other two people, but she urges them to hurry before fleeing the building to leave the city.
Gunya is a Nazzadi male. He is a historian, focused on English/Celtic culture and an Occult Scholar. It was him that was going to receive the sword and study it to unlock its secrets. His research is missing from his office and when they visit his home, they find him nailed to his fridge by a kitchen knife slammed through his eye socket. The blood is still dripping and fluid, saying that this kill was recent.
Searching his residence finds a diary where he detailed his suspicions about the sword and he references the ritual his planned on using to access the sword’s “memory”. There is no sign of the records at his office.
Peter Harper was the man who found Avalon and Excalibur. He was to be present as his discovery was unravelled and understood. If the artifact was safe, he could present it to a museum and credited with its discovery. If the weapon was found to be dangerous, he was to be generously compensated. He also carried extensive visuals from the bottom of the English Channel and those images are the only reason he is still alive.
If the squad visit him early, they find him at work. He is evasive and uncomfortable under questioning and swears he knows nothing about what happened. Even under duress, he refuses to talk. If the PCs physically harm him, he will finally break down and confess that he had no choice but to tell them about the project, as men took his wife and kids hostage. He breaks into sobs, as he adds on that they promised that if he spoke, they’d kill them. The players will find his family dead if they tail him later.
If the PCs don’t strong arm him into submission, or if they come to see Peter last, when they arrive at his house, they see him being escorted out by a group of men. Peter doesn’t seem very pleased to be going along and he tightly hugs a briefcase to his chest. If the players intervene, they will try to fend off the players while shoving Peter into the car and fleeing.
Chrysalis Fire Team (as per Ancient Enemies)
Attributes: Agility 6, Intellect 5, Perception 7, Presence 5, Strength 6, Tenacity 7
Secondary Attributes: Actions 1, Orgone 11, Reflex 6
General Skills: Athletics – Novice (2), Criminal – Student (1), Hobby – Student (1), Literacy – Novice (2), Observation – Novice (2), Regional Knowledge – Novice (2), Stealth – Novice (2), Trivia – Student (1)
Combat Skills: Armed Fighting – Novice (2), Dodge – Adept (3), Fighting – Novice (2), Marksman – Adept (3)
Weapons: SM-14 Submachinegun, 10/20/40, +2 DMG, 30 round clip
CS-44 Enforcer, 12/25/45, +2 DMG, 15 round clip
Composite Combat Knife, +1 DMG
Survival Kit
Vitality: 11
Armor: SentryTech Mk-V Hvy Personal Armored Vest – +1/+1
Fear Factor: 0
Movement and Speed: 11 mph (27/6 ypt)
Interrogating one of the soldiers, or shadowing the fleeing car will lead them to where the men are holding Peter’s family. Any survivors in the building (or if there are none, Peter’s wife) tell the PCs about a planned ritual in the sewers beneath the capitol buildings.
Act III – United We Fall
The sewers in Chicago are extensive and the tunnels closest to the capital are sealed by military personnel, but the power of Excalibur allowed a small army of the Children of Chaos to slip inside the perimeter and find a service room large enough to accommodate the ritual.
The squad can use Survival or Engineering to try and navigate the labyrinth of tunnels to try and track down the enemy. When they finally find the chamber, combat breaks out almost the moment they burst in (they’ve barred the door on the inside, so it will take brute force to open the door). Soldiers, cultists and a couple Dhohanoids stand guard on the inside. The ritual circle has a barrier erected around it to prevent it from being disrupted.
See Fire Team above for soldiers. Cultists stats can be found in the Core Book. Elib and Gelgore Dhohanoid Stats can be found in the Core book or the CthulhuTech Quick Start book.
If the leader of the ritual notices his team is losing, he will unleash Excalibur on the PCs. If they’re targeted by the sword, they will need to resist with a Challenging Tenacity Feat check or join the enemy until they can pass the test (or the ritual is stopped).
Studying the ritual circle that had been erected, they are attempting to unleash Excalibur’s power on the entire city, so they can take over the government. With the NEG under control, they would quickly escalate the return of the Old Ones.
The Data Haven 