Renegades - Mission 1: Apprentice Head Hunters
A How to be a Hero oneshot for the world of Renegades.
Prologue - Volitis World Introduction
Goals: shorten time for future oneshots, give context to why the players do their jobs
The dark side of the world is familiar to you, as you have all worked as headhunters at some point.
Sometimes the clients are more dangerous than the people they‚re looking for, and sometimes it‚s the other way around. The important thing is to be able to distinguish between the two, as this will keep your head on your shoulders for a few months longer.
When one of your informants asks each of you to meet them under a bridge early in the morning, you take note of the unusual location, but don‚t think too much of it. The scene you work in has many hidden locations, so when you arrive and see a door nestled into a column of the bridge, you take note of the creativity and follow your informant.
Whatever establishment you expected to find behind the door, you instead find yourself in a long corridor, much longer than should be possible, and are asked to wait. The strangest thing is that one side is lined with windows.
Behind the glass lies a city of towers. You look down and see no visible ground, just bridges stretching from one tower to the next. From up here, the people look tiny as they hurry across the countless platforms that sprout from the walls of the city. There are only four towers near the same height as you are now. This city looks nothing like the place you currently live at, or even dare to call home.
After a few minutes, your contact returns and tells you to follow them. Your client wants to see you.
Roleplay - First Talk with Mykor
Talking Points
- there are other worlds
- there are Renegades, people with the ability to manipulate the fabric of reality
- all of them are Renegades, even if they haven’t ever used that power
- Renegades are at risk of being hunted, so Mykor wants them to become Champions, so they’re safe
- other factions of this world are brutal in their way of aquiring Renegades and Mykor is in competition with them
- his old Champions have died/went missing
- wants them to do a first mission and if they succeed they can wish for whatever material goods they want
- each character receives a small bronze gear wheel with neon green glass in the middle
The Mission
| Place | Paris, France - Exposition Universelle, Palais des Machines |
|---|---|
| Time | 1889 |
| Goal | Search for a Renegade in the Palais des Machines and bring them back alive. |
| Conflict | Ligatan & Endo, two opposing factions, are also searching for the Renegade |
| Player Motivation |
Material goods, the threat of being hunted themselves |
| NPCs |
- Thomas Edison - Wilhelm Maybach - Aldèric Fortier - Mykor's Contact - Gottlieb Daimler - Gilbert (Renegade) |
Mission 1: World Introduction - Palais des Machines
After a servant leads you through a door, you find yourself in a building of metal and glass. Light pours through the ceiling windows and reflects on thousands of machines, turning and clicking without pause.
A massive banner above the entrance announces that this is the „Palais des Machines„, part of the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris.
Two other banners, on either side of the space, advertise two of the most important inventions of this exhibition: the phonograph developed by Thomas Edison and the motor quadricycle developed by Daimler. These two exhibits dominate the ground floor, where visitors are encouraged to try out these new inventions for themselves.
You‚re standing between smaller showcases near the entrance. The crowd around you murmurs and stares in awe, smoke wafts through the air, but before you have a chance to look around you are greeted by an Englishman selling apple dumplings.
Roleplay - First Talk with Aldéric
Character: Aldéric Fortier - Contact - Mykor
| Role | Ally |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Apple Dumpling Vendor |
| Goal | Go back home to Volitis |
| Need | Empathy |
| Weakness |
Apathetic towards Renegades and their fate |
| Behaviour |
Done with everything, as little efford as possible, "I'm not getting paid enough for this" |
| Ressources |
Money, Food, everything aquired through exchange |
| Relationships |
There are other Apple Dumpling vendors affiliated with Mykor |
| Looks |
Dark brown, short hair, moustache, freckles and sunburned skin, gray eyes |
Talking Points
- he is the main contact person for Mykor, but so is every other Apple Dumpling vendor around
- either the other parties try to sabotage or the Renegade is very aggressive
> A vendor nearly got burns on their face from a previously working machine, which suddenly released hot air
> A different vendor was nearly robbed of her money, but the attempt failed - Renegade is presumably male with blond locks
- he gives the players a bottle of Morphine to tranquilize the Renegade
From here on out players can venture through the halls. There are two levels full of machines and booths they can visit. The following descriptions serve as enemies for the players, but additional events can also be incorporated. It is up to the GM to control where the Renegade is and who might catch them, according to the actions of the players.
Exhibit 1: The Phonograph
The phonograph stand is easy to find. Music and voices echo in every direction from the machines‚ brass–coloured cylinders. Despite being one of the fair‚s greatest inventions, there are remarkably few people around the exhibit. Perhaps it is the volume. Behind the counter stands a young man with chestnut hair. He presents the workings of the machine with a flourish. Next to him, under a table, are two Doberman dogs who don‚t look happy about the noise.
Character: Montague Cornell - Ligatan
| Role | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Ligatan contact, Phonograph presenter |
| Goal | kill Champions of either Endo or Mykor to gain a better standing in Volitis |
| Weakness | Haughty, flashy |
| Need | modesty, humility |
| Behaviour | cold, professional, flashy & elegant to an overbearing degree |
| Ressources | secret agents around the hall dressed in plain clothes, tracker dogs |
| Relationships | - Percival and Minerva (the two Dobermann dogs (tracker dogs)) - secret agents |
| Looks | chestnut hair, slightly curly, between 20-30, thin moustache |
| Skills | socially skilled, manipulative, intelligent |
| Action: 12 | Knowledge: 9 | Social: 9 |
|---|---|---|
| GBP: 2 | GBP: 1 | GBP:2 |
| Animal Handling: 72 | Technology: 80 | Manipulation: 79 |
| Acting: 72 | Safety Procedures: 28 | Lying: 79 |
| Insight: 89 |
Events & Information
Event 1: In the past: Two cases of wax rolls for the Phonograph have gone missing. They were transported in additional briefcases.
Events 2: If Daimler became an Enemy to the players:
Some test drivers nearly crash into the booth. Phonographs are raining down on the players.
Information – easy: The dogs are there for protections after the way rolls were stolen (Event1)
Information – middle: Montague wears a clasp with Ligatan’s symbol on his shirt under his coat
Information – hard: The Renegade searches for his sister, after Ligatan took her
Exhibit 2: The Motor-Quadricycle
Gottfried Daimler himself is standing in the middle of a crowd too large to get through, explaining in a booming voice how his Motor–Quadricycles work. At his side is a man who checks the returning cars before people can go for another test drive.There are five Motor–Quadricycles for people to test on a special ring that goes around a circle with seats in the middle. A large number of Daimler workers hurry around, dressed in simple dark blue trousers and coats. There are miniature models of other inventions and engines on the main stand.
Character: Gottlieb Daimler
| Role | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Endo contact |
| Goals | - Find the Renegade regardless of cost - in search for production sites in France for his "Steel-wheeled car" |
| Weakness | brash, thick headed |
| Need | Focus, empathy, slow down |
| Behaviour | charming, energetic, social |
| Ressources | Daimler emplyee network, 5 Motor-Quadricycle-Prototypes, Money |
| Relationships | Wilhelm Maybach, Daimler workers |
| Past Events | trained in gunsmithing and mechanical engineering |
| Looks | Bald, white hair, full beard, well tailored suit |
| Skills | highly skilled with guns |
| Action: 9 | Knowledge: 15 | Social: 16 |
|---|---|---|
| GBP: 1 | GBP: 2 | GBP:2 |
| Shooting: 99 | Gunsmithing: 95 |
Persuasion: 96 |
| Mechanical Engineering: 85 | Insight: 96 |
Events & Information
Event 1: One of the workers was found intoxicated in the toilets, uniform gone
Event 2, if Monatgue became an Enemy to the players: Brakes on Motor-Quadricycle malfunction, Car crashes
Players may also steal uniforms or bargain for them.
Information – easy: Staff is only on the first floor, never the second
Information – middle: Event 1
Information – hard (only of Daimler is positive towards players): Daimler cooperates with them, Players may now command the employee network
The Renegade
A young man, not boy anymore, but not an adult either. Dirty blond locks hidden under a blue cap. Wide, blue trousers in the same colour, and panicked green eyes. Looks around constantly, jumpy. Faces the floor most of the time.
He lurks around the second floor, dressed in a Daimler workers uniform.
Character: Gilbert
| Role | Target |
|---|---|
| Goals | searches for his sister, who has gone missing |
| Past Events | - worked as a servant once, got fired and has to steal now, but is not good at it - only got to steal the briefcase from Ligatan, because he is good with animals - can unreliably use his Renegade abilities and nearly got caught once - sister went missing after job interview with Phonograph company |
| Behaviour | Paranoid, hides on the second floor, observes Montague |
| Ressources | False Uniform from Daimler, Briefcase from Monatgue, switchblade |
| Relationships | Missing sister |
| Looks | Blond locks, Blue Uniform, medium height, very thin |
| Skills | proficient in switchblade use |
| Action: 24 | Knowledge: 9 | Social: 7 |
|---|---|---|
| GBP: 3 | GBP: 2 | GBP:2 |
| Switchblade: 54 | Investigate: 59 | Persuasion: 37 |
| Hiding: 94 | Gang knowledge: 49 |
Charm: 47 |
| Theft: 64 | ||
| Fighting: 64 | ||
| Athletics: 84 |
Once the Rengade is caught, players can hand him either over to Mykor, Ligatan, Endo or set him free. Consequences for the world will be set based on playstyle and alliances made during the oneshot.