A monster’s bounty – A weird cyberpunk fantasy adventure – S1E01 Lion, Goat and Dragon

Q: How many stops until destination?

A: 3d6: 11

So it will take Athen ~1 hour to reach the destination.

Q: Is there any encounter on the train?

A: False Presupposition

The train never arrives there must be a problem.

Athen waits patiently in the subway platform. Five minutes pass. Then ten, then fifteen. She starts cursing. If it goes too late there won’t be any point getting to Svita’s home. No one will be willing to talk to a stranger in the dark of the night.

She listens to an automated announcement. “Due to technical issues the S2 track to New Gorky will be inoperational.”

‘Just my luck.’ She thinks and goes outside. She has wasted a good 20 minutes. Time to hail a cab.

Q: Does she find a cab?

A: False Presupposition. She has no money for a cab.

As she steps outside she takes a pause under a street light and takes a good look in her wallet. There’s no way the cash will be enough to get a taxi to New Gorky.

Considering her options, Athen decides to go back in the subway and take the next train to Old Pictorial, where Svita was last seen.

Q: Is it in the same subway line (Likely)

A: Yes

She needs to get S2 to get there as well, so she’ll bide her time and wait until everything is back on line.

Q: Does it take long for the line to become operational?

A: Yes, but not too long. 1d6 x 10 minutes: 30 minutes.

Q: Does anything happen in the mean time?

A: Yes

GMA: Travel Mental Civilization

NOTE: I decide that I will be using an independent secret clock on clubs regarding Svita’s death, and on spades regarding her health condition. Time tick is 4 hours.

Travel Mental Civilization: First thing that comes to mind is some psychotropic substance or a virtual region in cyberspace, or maybe both? I roll 1d3: It’s a psychotropic substance that the user trips into believing they’re in another world, missing all contact with real life.

So, how does this play into our story?

Q: Does Athen see a drug exchange?

A: Yes, and she has been noticed as well.

Since it’s an exchange, there’s at least two parties involved. I will roll on UNE twice.

UNE: Reputable servant, Destitute witch

Also I need to define when during her wait does it happen? I roll 1d30: 14 minutes.

Athen is waiting patiently, minding her own business, when something happens, that catches her attention snapping her out of boredom.

A destitute woman in a sorry state, hair unkempt, teeth missing, is crying, begging actually a man in a fine suit.

Athen: Common Knowledge: Critical Failure

Athen doesn’t recognize the man in the suit, but she can’t shake the feeling that he seems familiar. Unfortunately she spends too much time gazing and he took wind of her.

Athen: Notice: Success

The beggar woman mumbles to him something like “give me some of yours, you have so many”, but the man seems fixated on Athen.

With his attention elsewhere, the woman pulls at his arm, revealing a bag of green pills from inside his coat.

He pushes the woman away. “Begone you stupid witch!” He shouts.

But it’s too late now for Athen to play it stupid. She has seen the drugs and he knows it. Considering the quantity, there’s good chance he’s involved or his dealer is nearby.

Getting caught in others’ business is not how Athen wanted to start the night.

With Athen’s successful notice roll, I will ask a few obvious things.

Q: Is there security/law enforcement nearby?

A: No and there are no security cameras either

Q: Are there any goons nearby?

A: Yes and they have noticed Athen. There are 1d3+1: 4 goons.

Q: Is it crowded?

A: False Presupposition. I can’t decide on a proper FP, so I ask again and get a: No and, it’s completely empty.

Also an intervention triggered.

Intervention: Regress plot.

The whole event is a regress plot on its own. Athen has no other choice. Run away or risk and stay.

Athen looks around the empty platform, as she increases her pace away from the event, trying to hide among the subway support columns.

She notices four unsavory figures moving towards her.

She curses as she realizes that she saw something she shouldn’t have. She’s on her own. No security cameras, no officers either. Was it on purpose? She pulls her firearm and ducks behind a pillar, her heart pounding.

Round 1

Initiative: Athen: 10♦️, Suit: A♠️, Beggar: 5♣️, Goons: 4♣️

Q: Does the Suit Flee? (Likely)

A: False Presupposition. He’s nowhere to be seen. Maybe he’s fled already.

Athen shoots at Goon1: Double Tap: Hit: Wounded. He’s down.

The beggar woman flees.

Since the Goons aren’t exactly fanatics, I will be rolling a Spirit roll at -1 for every casualty after the first, to see if they stay or leave.

Goons: Spirit: Success

Goon2: Shoots at Athen: Miss

Goon3: Shoots at Athen: Miss

Goon4: Shoots at Athen: Miss

Round 2

Initiative: Athen: A♥️, Goons: Joker

Goon2: Shoots at Athen: Miss

Goon3: Shoots at Athen: Miss

Goon4: Shoots at Athen: Miss

Athen shoots at Goon4: Double Tap: Wounded: He’s down.

Round 3

Initiative: Athen 10♦️, Goons K♥️

Goons: Spirit (-1): They flee.

Fearing for her life, Athen ducks out of cover and double taps her .45 semi to the man coming at her from the outer side of the platform. Both shots hit, the bang echoing through the platform, and he falls down next to a bench, clutching his chest.

The man in the suit is nowhere to be seen, while the beggar woman flees. She knows all too well when to disappear.

Two of the men take cover behind the columns and shoot back at Athen, missing, while the last one moves on trying to flank her, shooting at her but missing wildly.

They shoot another round as Athen stays behind cover safely.

Athen’s military training kicks in. She knows the danger of being flanked and shoots at the man in semi-auto wounding him as well. As he falls, the rest of his friends run away, not expecting such opposition.

Athen will try to find her shell casings.

Athen: Notice: Success++++

Athen picks up her shell casings one by one, and sprints out of the subway station. She’s not afraid of persecution. The police don’t care about low lifes who turned to crime, but she just wants to be sure.

No matter, she’ll have to find another way to get to her destination.

She decides that her best option right now would be to walk to the next S2 line subway station and take the next train from there.

Athen: Stealth: Success

With some vague math, I calculate that the station is about 30 minutes walking distance from her current location.

She keeps her head hooded, low profile, avoiding eye contact and walks quietly, sticking to the shadows whenever possible, without drawing to much attention to herself. Eventually, she reaches South Ckena station, and takes the train to Old Pictorial. It’s 22.00 h when she finally arrives.

I will draw 3 GMA cards to get some insight as to what where Svita’s last whereabouts.

GMA: Regenerate Fair Container.

This fits in nicely with Svita’s mechanic profession (which was pending verification from my part), so I’ll go along with it.

Athen heads to the power scrapyard.

The old power units where converted to use warp energy during the war, but this took a heavy toll on the huge capacitors. They were oxidized rapidly, discarded and sent to scrap yards. Bold -or stupid one might say- engineers, mechanics and technicians in need of fast cash, often tried to salvage them and get them back to operational status, subjecting themselves to warp radiation in the process. Mutation, cancer and death was not uncommon, and they more than often had to spend their savings in cybernetic replacements for the afflicted body parts.

Athen heads up to the gate and takes a good look to see if there’s anyone human guarding the fenced premises. She has better luck with living beings rather than automatons.

Athen: Notice: Success+

Q: Is there anyone inside? (Likely)

A: Yes

UNE: Plebeian Cleric. GMA: Temperance/Fear

Inside the gatehouse is a tired middle aged man with medium brown hair, eyeing Athen carefully. In the wall behind him all sorts of religious symbols are hanging. Only one of his hands is visible, playing with a poker chip of abstinence. His other hand is behind the counter, probably holding on to a gun aiming at Athen, or an alarm button at the ready. He seems nervous and Athen doesn’t want to startle him any further.

“What do you want?” He demands.

Athen decides to play the Hunter card. She slowly removes her hood, revealing her face along with her battle scars. She looks him in the eye.

“I think you may need pest control. Someone went missing around here.” She answers.

Athen: Persuasion: Failure: Benny: Success.

Hesitant at first, the man pushes the button to open the fenced gate.

“You do what you have to, Hunter” he says and closes the window before Athen has a chance to reply.

She would have wanted to ask a few questions, but she decides not to press her luck any further.

She turns on her flashlight, and with her other hand ready at her pistol, she begins to investigate the yard.

I will draw a GMA card and choose a sensory input and take it from there.

GMA: Petrichor–Rain on dry earth

Q: Has it rained? (Unlikely – Had no such input)

A: No

Athen walks around, using her flashlight. The petrichor smell fills her nostrils, but there is not a single trace of evidence that it has rained before. She didn’t catch wind of any clouds in the sky or thunder. Something was clearly off.

Athen: Notice: Failure: Benny: Success.

I will draw three GMA cards to generate an event.

GMA: Defeat material deity

I interpret the material deity as a supernatural creature. It’s a monster. I will take the abstract route regarding defeat and ask the Oracle.

Q: Is there a dead (defeated) monster here?

A: No

So it’s a live one, and Athen needs to defeat it.

I will roll on Sharp Swords and Sinister Spells monster generator for it.

I get Beast: Body of an animal, tail of another and wings of a third.

I won’t bother to roll any further. I decide it’s a Chimera.

Since Athen is walking around with a flashlight it’s unlikely she’s undetected.

Her senses alert, unnatural weather events means warp energy has manifested in this place, but that’s to be expected in this scrap yard. It’s the perfect hiding place for beasts.

As she turns around the corner, between the gaps of a huge capacitor, her flashlight lights up a lions head with eyes closed. As she spreads the light around she sees that’s it’s located on a goats body and sports wings as well. The light awakens the beast and it opens its jaws letting off a loud roar.

Initiative: Athen: J♠️, Chimaera: 9♦️

Athen: Double-tap & move behind cover.

Athen: Shooting: Hit+: Shaken

Chimaera: Spirit: Success: Won’t be shaken next round

Initiative: Athen: 10♣️, Chimaera: 5♠️

Athen will shoot & reload.

Athen: Shooting: Hit: No damage

Chimaera will breathe fire.

Athen: Agility: Critical Failure: Benny: Success

Initiative: Athen: 7♣️, Chimaera: Joker

Chimaera will close in melee, attacking twice.

Chimaera: Fighting: Miss, Miss

Athen will double tap.

Athen: Shooting: Miss

Initiative: Athen: Q♣️, Chimaera: Joker

Chimaera will continue fighting.

Chimaera: Fighting: Hit, Hit: Shaken, No damage.

Athen: Spirit: Failure: Still Shaken

Initiative: Athen: J♣️, Chimaera: 7♠️

Athen: Spirit: Success+: Can act this round!

Athen will double tap.

Athen: Shooting: Hit+: 2 Wounds!

Chimaera: Spirit: Failure: Still Shaken

Initiative: Athen: 9♠️, Chimaera: 7♦️

Athen will disengage & double tap.

Athen: Shooting: Hit+: Wounded

Chimaera: Spirit: Success: Won’t be shaken next round

Initiative: Athen: A♥️, Chimaera: 3♦️

Athen will move further & shoot & reload

Athen: Shooting: Miss

Chimaera: Flies away

Initiative: Athen: 9♦️, Chimaera: K♠️

Chimaera: Flies away

Athen will run closer and double tap

Athen: Shooting: Miss

Initiative: Athen: 6♥️, Chimaera: Joker

Chimaera: Flies away

Athen will walk closer and double tap

Athen: Shooting: Hit: Dead!

The lieutenant fires at the monster with her trusty .45, hitting its wing. It roars in pain, shaken. She shoots, hitting once more and with her clip empty, she makes a quick reload. This time the beast’s thick hide didn’t get penetrated.

The monster opens its mouth and where Athen expected another roar, she sees a jet of fire forming. Quickly she ducks behind the tough capacitor cover, letting the flames die behind her.

The beast finds the opportunity to close in the distance and with a quick flip of its wings, it’s on top of Athen, clawing at her vainly as she evades using the cover as an obstacle. She shoots back twice, but she’s at a disadvantage now and misses both shots.

The chimaera claws at her once more and lashes at her with its dragon head tail, bitting her ribs to her left side. Her Kevlar vest saves her life as dragon teeth get embedded in it. Shaken from the attack it takes her but a moment to snap out of it. She’s faced monsters before!

She aims closely to the torso and blasts off twice. Both shots penetrate the thorax and the chimaera cries out in pain. It’s bellowing roar echoing in the yard.

As the beast is immobile due to the suffering, she opens up some distance between them, moving among the capacitors, while shooting twice more, hurting it further.

Athen reaches a safe distance, and empties her clip, her last shot missing before she reloads once more.

Grievously wounded, the flying tetrapod takes to the sky, Athen barely realizing that she’s the hunter again. She has opened too much distance between them, and she runs after the flying monster, shooting twice and missing.

The beast is even further away, as Athen slows down to take better aim. Her double tap finds its target, and with a loud cry the beast crashes down to the ground.

Athen will try to remove valuable parts from the chimaera.

Athen: Survival: Success.

She removes the most obvious parts without getting hurt in the process.

Athen catches her breath. She looks at her torn jacket, the kevlar vest showing underneath. She counts her bullets, only 3 remaining. She knows she’s had it close.

She runs to the corpse and cuts off the tail and the head before going to the gatehouse. “You got a bag? Preferably a big plastic one?” She asks the guard who is locked behind his counter. He nods and throws one at her without saying a word. The sight of the chimera’s head has got his tongue.

“Call the cleanup crew tomorrow. It’s a 500 pound carcass in there. Don’t leave it to rot, it will attract more of them.” She says with an air of authority. She doesn’t feel the underdog anymore. If Svita was last seen here, odds are, she’s dead. Athen won’t be looking for her. She killed the monster. For her, it’s mission accomplished. Now she’ll have to call that Merlin guy. See what he has to offer for the monster body parts.

Session Summary

Another rough start for one of my protagonists!

And all those False Presuppositions!

In a discord discussion I had with Thessius regarding Recluse, he pointed how one could change the odds of how often FPS occur, by choosing a different die size. I’m considering making this variable based on how the story progresses, maybe in combination with interventions. Changing the die size also is in line with the Savage Worlds trope.

In another discussion with him, he also referred to Chekhov’s Gun. I’ve read about it and found it really interesting. So essentially I intend to try and connect the events that occurred in the station to my main thread of the missing person, by asking the relative questions when they appear in the narrative, essentially biasing the story. By asking the Oracle, I will still keep a random factor in play, retaining the possibility for it being a random event/side quest.

One thing that bugged me, is how easily I switched Athen to murder hobbo in the station. She shot first! I was wondering if all the low fantasy adventures I run in the previous weeks had switched my mindset. In retrospect, I think I played her well in character. She’s alone, in an abandoned subway station with four no-good-doers approaching. She knows she saw something she shouldn’t and they most probably want to silence her. The lack of security means there’s an open ground for a fight. With all her background, I think I chose correctly.

In the end I thought this was going to be a slow investigation session, building up to the final confrontation in one of the next ones, but I was proven wrong. The fight with the chimaera was so close! I’ll definitely be giving Athen an advancement after that, and she definitely deserves some downtime and new gear.

As to the game system, Savage Worlds is once more a nice breath of fast, furious, fun. Combat resolved fast, cinematic and with several ups and downs. I’m still at a mix between editions and I will have to define further the rules I’m allowed to use.

Developing the world setting alongside with the story and playing the protagonist is both difficult and exciting at the same time! I take things slow and I intend to keep it this way. If she survives I may use this as a main quest and run other one-shots and develop tools on the side in-between sessions.