A monster’s bounty – A weird cyberpunk fantasy adventure – S1E00

Prologue

Athen hang up the corded phone. For a moment she looked at the fixed line telephone as if it was something that didn’t fit. In the same way that suddenly you recite a word again and again because it feels unknown. She paused for a moment and considered the past. She still remembered vague images of cellphones. Satellites were a thing long gone since the warp gates opened and spawned hell upon earth. She knew that lingering too much on the past wasn’t good for her mental health. She had seen more than a few veterans perish away, not from some disease, but from depression.

After all, she had just gotten a tip about a possible job. A missing person. Few cared nowadays. Maybe a private investigator would be hired to find them, if the family was rich enough to hire them. But no, she didn’t care about the individual. Her job was quite different. Missing persons were often taken by monsters. Fallout from the war.

She dressed up, cargo pants, army boots and camo jacket. As she picked up her gear from the derelict shelf, her Lt. insignia fell down on the floor. She picked it up, and for a moment, once more images from the war flashed in her memories. She saw the orcs and trolls charge at their position, as she emptied clip after clip on them. She saw wyverns swoop down and shred her companions to pieces. She saw … she stopped and let out a cry without tears. She was dry of tears now. ‘Get a grip girl’ she thought. They had won the war and destroyed the warp gates, but at what cost?

The nations were in ruins. Corporations who had profited from the war effort were the rulers now, with governments being mere puppets. The technological advances they had gained from the war with this unnatural enemy had opened up new fields of science, while shutting down old ones as the warp energy had corrupted everything. Mutations were abundant, resulting in suicide or abandonment of children. The social web was in ruins. To top it off, the beasts that had entered from the warp gates had fled to every single hole they could find. Sometimes they were hunted down and killed, but many times they were thriving.

That’s what she hunted. If she finds the missing person alive, well, that’s an added bonus.

Introduction

I want to change gears from low fantasy. I love low fantasy, but I want to challenge my creativity a bit. I aim to run a solo campaign in a world that will be fleshed out as I go. It’s going to be a weird cyberpunk fantasy setting. Inspired by the Witcher meeting Shadowrun in Spellcross. Prologue pretty much explained the basics.

Game System: Savage Worlds

Sourcebooks: Fantasy Companion, Sci-Fi Companion

Oracle: Recluse with MUNE

Solo Tools: UNE, BOLD, GMA

I’m slowly switching to Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE) from Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer’s Edition (SWEX). I’ll be using concepts and rules from both.

For starters I will be using the Wealth, Skills categorization and Core Skills concept from SWADE.

Character



My protagonist is Lt. Athen Smarte. She’s a veteran of the warp gates war, who now makes a living as a monster hunter. Since I’m going to be focusing on her, I’ll use UNE and BOLD to flesh her out a bit more before proceeding to Savage Worlds character creation.

I did a few rolls on UNE, but nothing made sense, in how I want Athen to be, so I won’t be using that for her.

I’m switching to Demeanors, Motivations, Boons and Banes from Septimus.

Demeanor: Solitary

Motivation: Contentment

Boons: Patron

Banes: Disfigured

BOLD: steady army overcome by the authority, steady trap overcome by faction intervention, haunting invader overcome by close friend

Wow, all this fits in so perfectly. Time to write it up.

steady army overcome by the authority

Athen was still young when the warp gates opened in Europe. At first communications went down. Only cable lines worked. By the time the network was back on line, reports were coming about losing contact with entire settlements. Rumors started spreading about an unknown invader. Whole military bases were said to have been decimated. Then she saw them.

She was in school in her hometown Nica, when a ruckus broke out. Everyone was gathering by the windows at her classroom. She managed to squeeze through and get a view from the 3rd floor. An army of ugly despicable creatures was marching at full speed towards their small town. Her heart began to pound. They were closing in so fast, but everyone was frozen with fear, awe and disbelief.

That’s when she heard the sound of tracks on asphalt, followed by the loud thunder of cannons. Her classmates started screaming and running away, but she stood amazed by what she saw. The armored cavalry was locked in combat against the humanoids. Crazed they reached the tanks, despite their losses. A few of them that were taller and stronger managed to rip apart the tank hatches and kill the crew, but in the end, the humans prevailed.

After the battle they were gathered and evacuated. A long refugee march had started then. For the next years they relocated again and again as the battle front changed depending on the flow of the war against the invaders – orcs they called them.

steady trap overcome by faction intervention

Soon they learned that those orcs were not mindless killers. They were brilliant strategists setting up ambushes and careful battle plans. She had spent the last few years living in the back of an army truck. As the orcs pushed on a new battle front from the south, command ordered all civilians to head back to the abandoned city of Tovce, only the enemy lay there in wait, silently within the buildings. It was a slaughter. She would have died too if it weren’t for elite merc troops of TeraTek Corporation jumping in with their power armor with rocket packs. They were testing their new weapons, and made short work of the humanoids.

haunting invader overcome by close friend

It wasn’t long before Athen finally joined the Rangers. War was all she had known, since she was a child, and as soon as she was of age, she enlisted. Battle after battle she spit blood and sweat. She fought in Rezova, Pava and Laveza. But the worst fight she was in, was the siege of Vraltury, a small village on the top of the hill. The fighting was fierce, and they were breaching house by house to repel the invaders, giving lives for every inch they liberated. She was on top of a two story building, whose roof was torn apart, setting up overwatch for the squad down in the alleyway. She had the orc commander in her sights on the building across, when suddenly she hear a loud roar, and the loud flap of wings. In an instant a huge scaled dragon like beast swooped down on her, it’s claws slashing at her face. It swung it’s tail, featuring a huge scorpion-like stinger thrusting towards her, when her best friend, Hank Burcham set his rifle to full auto and emptied his entire clip on the beast. Most of the bullets ricocheted off, but it was enough to turn its attention away from Athen. It stung Hank, the poison blackening his body, killing him in moments. Athen screamed, she lobbed a grenade and ducked to cover. The monster was dead, but her friend was no longer there, giving his life for her.

Solitary, Contentment

Having seen the horrors of unnatural war, friends and family perishing, Athen no longer wishes for the company of others. She merely wants some calamity for her and for others. Although not a social member of the community, she is there helping them and being helped in return. More than once, locals have turned to her for assistance with some creature haunting them.

Patron, Disfigured

Her commander from the war, Col. Leif Faulknen, seems to have taken her under his wing. They both go way back, and he may provide intel or resources to Athen.

The wyvern attack left her with a big gash which turned into a scar to her face. It may be uncomfortable to look at, but it’s not unusual in these dark times.

Character Stats

Race Human

Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d6, Healing d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Survival d6

Hindrances Heroic

Edges Quick

Pace 6″

Parry 5

Toughness 5

Wealth d6

Equipment: .45 Semi automatic pistol, 3 clips of ammo, Kevlar vest. Survival knife, Flashlight.

Teaser

I’ll start with setting up the initial information I have.

I need to know about the missing person.

Q: Does Athen have a missing person’s name?

A: Yes

Donjon: Svita Dotinska: Female Mechanic. Svita is tall, with white dreadlocks and large silver eyes. She wears a grey jumpsuit and has battered cybernetic legs.

So I will be using donjon info as if its a possibility depending on how the story progresses.

Q: Does Athen know her Last Whereabouts/Home Address/Workplace

A: 1d3: 2. She knows 2 out 3 of the above.

A: Last Whereabouts & Home Address.

Time of day: 20:00

Date: April 11th

I’ll roll 3d6 for the distance of each location in kilometers: Last whereabouts 12 km away, Home: 15 km away.

I’ll roll 3d6, the higher, the wealthier the neighborhood. I get a 10. It’s a common apartment in a big city block.

I decide I’ll go first at the Home Address. Gather as much information as possible.

Athen holsters her sidearm before heading out. Nightfall is dangerous. It’s not only the monsters she hunts, but thugs and petty criminals roam the streets at night, looking for an easy score. She’s not going to give them one.

She gets to the street, and heads to the nearest subway station.

Q: Is there an encounter?

A: Yes, and, she can’t avoid it.

I’ll use UNE: Optimistic craftsman, suggest the law, review wrath, produce opulence.

Mood: Sociable

Bearing: Whispers

Focus: Current Story

Donjon: Merlin “Moonlight” Byrn: Male Smuggler. Merlin is short and heavyset, with violet hair and amber eyes. He wears a black biker suit and an armored jacket, and carries a flechette pistol. Merlin suffers an acute fear of cyberspace.

“Hey Ms Smarte!, Ms Smarte!” she hears a familiar voice.

“Shit”, she thinks. It’s that persistent smuggler she once bought weapons from. He keeps trying to get her to work with him. She doesn’t stop, hoping he’ll lag behind.

“You’re going to look for Svita right?” Athen looks to him surprised. “How did you…” she starts asking.

He cuts her off. “Don’t look so surprised darling! I have my sources. Now, you and I both know that the police should be handling this matter, but they don’t care do they?”

“What do you want Merlin?” Athen asks, having recovered from the sudden reveal of information.

He puts his hand on her shoulder. “Look, those creatures you hunt, their… raw materials can catch quite a hefty price. You bring them to me and I can provide you with top-grade equipment.” He suddenly lowers his voice to a whisper. “Guns, I’ll let you even take them out for a trial if you find the mark. A special just for you.”

“I’ll think about it Merlin.” She answers. “Oh, and don’t touch me again.” She responds, removing his hand.

She turns and leaves, entering the subway. Eerie yellow incandescent lamps barely light up the corridors. Graffiti, cracks and mold decorate the walls, while the smell of urine here and there fills her nostrils. She feels her pistol, wondering if she needs to upgrade her trusty sidearm. Merlin’s proposal wasn’t half bad.

Intervention Count: 1