Renegades - Mission 2: Space Ruin Researchers
A How to be a Hero oneshot for the world of Renegades.
Synopsis
Far out in space, on an unknown planet, a camp of Mykor‚s researchers has been attacked by a giant alien. The members of the camp are extracting materials from the ground to replant vegetation that will serve as food for the native species, but they can‚t work if they‚re in danger. As such, the players are tasked with entering the ancient ruins where the alien is said to live and killing it so that it no longer threatens the camp.
The Planet
| Theme & Focus | Lost civilization of alien species |
|---|---|
| Defining Events | - vibrant alien culture living on the planet - something external wiped out most of the alien culture and vegation - Mykor's reserachers arrive and start replanting |
| Conflicts | Researchers want to help, but alien keeps attacking them |
| Topos | - planet has an atmosphere with very strong winds - sun hits the surface but temperature is cold from wind - tundra - lots of rivers and stones, but trees are still dry > biology knowledge: something is wrong with the water - windswept vegetation everywhere > flat growth, thin foliage or broken branches - lots of colourful herbs and moss in violet, yellow or orange patches |
| Places | - the camp - the alien ruin |
| Mythos | Researchers say life on the planet is cold, but livable. Most species are insects or small rodents that don't bother them too much, but the alien is incredibly aggressive and keeps invading the camp. |
| Ethos | A planet in need of help, rebuilding life is the highest priority, mining resources only as long as it doesn't hurt the ecosystem |
| Athmosphere | Desolate but hopeful, small plants trying to grow, mood of "life against all odds", looming threat of alien, but otherwise harmless planet |
The Ruin
You reach a huge opening in the ground. Remnants of what must have been a dome of wood and glass still stick out of the edges like spikes. The diameter of the pit is too large to look all the way to the bottom, even though the sun is shining directly into it. Herbs and flowers sprout wildly around the pit, almost covering a single staircase leading down. It is the only part of the area that has been repaired at some point.
Interactions:
- if a player decides to throw in a rock, they hear nothing for several seconds until they hear a splash
- players may gain a wooden pole by taking one from the edge
- if someone investigates the plants they realize the plants were placed systematically like a farm
> option to find an old gardening tool made from metal
Level 1
The first level is lit by sunlight streaming in from above and by shards of broken glass with small blue glowing dots on the surface. A passage in the dirt leads around the sides of the pit to two oval caves. Across the passage in the middle of the pit hover remnants of a platform. It crumbles at the edges, some parts have already broken off, but it holds its position in mid air.
GM Note: In some rooms you have to go up before you can go down. The alien has the ability to alter gravity and has deliberately destroyed these accesses.
Puzzle 1: Storage Room
You enter a room filled with wooden beams and dried fruit in stone jars. A pile of stones lies in the corner and there are baskets of seeds bolted to the walls. Everything is tied down. Just below the ceiling you can see a round door, too high to climb. There‚s a lever below, but it‚s broken.
Task: Find the missing piece for the lever
Solution: Use a wooden pole from the entrance or reshape one of the toys from the nursery
Consequence: If players repair and pull the leaver, gravity in the room reverses and they can use the door under the ceiling to get down to the next floor.
Discoverable Items:
– a partially destroyed map of the place
– stone jar
Puzzle 2: Nursery
Carved wooden figures litter the floor of this room. Tiny paw prints linger in the dirt beneath them.
Directly below the ceiling gape two tunnels. In the middle of the room hangs a switch. It must once have looked like an hourglass, with water on one side, framed by two metal plates, and air on the other. However, the water side is leaking and contains barely a drop.
Task: Repair the hourglass and use the switch.
Solution:Fill a stone jar from the storage room with water. Use the metal gardening tool found at the entrance to bridge electricity through the water.
Consequence: If players repair and activate the switch, gravity in the room reverses and they can use the door under the ceiling and get down to the next floor.
Discoverable Items:
– Wooden toys
Puzzle 3: Floating Stairs
On the other side of the corridor floats a platform. In the middle is a metal object, shaped like an hourglass.
Task: If players want to use athletics, they can try to reach the platform that way, but they will get a minus modifier and only get one try, as the platform will fall down otherwise.
Solution: Perform an athletics check.
Consequence: If the players get on the platform and reverse the switch, the stairs will lead them down to the next floor.
For the GM: Make it very clear that the consequence of failing this option is a steep drop to the next level.
Level 2
The openings of three caves are dug into the earth. They are supported by wooden beams carved with rough patterns. Despite the depth you are in now, there is enough light to encourage moss to grow on the walls. The he air smells like algae. Instead of glass shards, a spray of blue glowing dots line the ceiling.
Puzzle 1: The Workshop
The room is filled with low tables, benches and tools not made for human hands. Broken stones and sawdust cover almost every horizontal surface.
Task: Find a map table in the chaos and clean the surface.
Solution: Fine lines are etched into the table. Use wood or a brush to clean them.
Consequence: The map reveals that there is a hidden door, where the wall has caved in near the Sleeping Pools.
Discoverable Items:
– Table with dirty map
– wooden tables and tools
Puzzle 2: Boiler Room
Three pools for water are separated by height. One of them lies in the middle on the lowest level and is empty. On the left is a higher pool filled with water, but it floats up the hill towards the third pool. There is no lever in the room.
In the middle of the empty pool is a door, but it’s closed.
Task: Get water from one of the other two pools to fill the third, even thought it floats upwards (changed gravity)
Solution: Brute force or construction roll with supplies from the workshop.
Consequence: The door will open as soon as the pool is filled with enough water.
Room 3: Sleeping Pools
The air in here is warmer and more humid . The entire room is filled with pools of water in different sizes and heights. On one side of the room, a wall has collapsed. You have to swim to get there.
Task: A simple swim roll to get to collapsed part
Solution: Door hidden under collapsed part of the room and accessible either through brute force or figuring out puzzle 1.
Level 3
Puzzle 1: Sleeping Pools 2
On this level there is another room full of pools. However, all the pools are empty. On one side of the room stands a gate in the same position where the wall collapsed in the pool room on the level above.One of the empty pools has a dgiant decorated stone in the middle with a design on it. The same design decorates the closed gate. The stone belongs into a designated slot, but does not sit properly. There are four ridges on it.
Task: Players have to position the plate correctly and turn it like a drain for the door to open
Solution: Strength checks for the correct position (3/4 successes needed) and the rotation (2/4 successes needed)
Puzzle 2:
Whatever was stored here is long gone. Stoneware, tables and scratches ruin the room to the point where its purpose is no longer clear. Moss hides in the corners. On one side of the room lies a chute, but it‚s blocked by stones.
Task: Remove the blockage from the tunnel, but pull your arm back before the stones come down.
Solution: Reflex roll, if the player is too slow there will be damage to their arm.
Room 3: The Slide
A giant slide is still connected to this level. The edge is sharp, as are the broken rocks below, but there is a spot where you can jump down and land in the water.
Task: Spot, climb and jump succesffully to get down.
Solution: Insight check and two atheltics checks needed to get down without injury.
Consequence: Players take damage if they miss.
The Alien - Long
Finally, you make your way down to the bottom of the ruins. A huge pool of water glistens in the few sunrays that filter all the way down. In the dim corners, turquoise spots glow in the dark as a long, slender body rises from the water.
The Alien resembles a scaled–up Hermine, with white fur and turquoise glowing ridges on its back. Even the tips of its tail glow. Its whiskers grow like a beard around its mouth. When it bares its teeth, its gums are unusually pink.
The players can either talk or fight with the alien.
| Role | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Used to work with Mykor |
| Goal | Wants the intruders gone as it waits for death |
| Behaviour |
- gets irritated if woken too often - sleeps a lot - can't use words, but understands human speech - grumpy old person type - sleeps in warm water most of the day - somehow doesn't seem to die |
| Relationships | Used to be Mykor's best friend |
| Ressources | - Powerful Renegade -> is skilled in influencing gravity - owns the same bronze gear with green glass like the players |
| Looks | White fur, oversized Hermine, glowing ridges on back and down to its tail, very pink ears and gums |
| Action: 17 | Knowledge: 11 | Social: 12 |
|---|---|---|
| GBP: 2 | GBP: 1 | GBP:1 |
| Biting: 67 |
Mechanics: 71 | Insight: 72 |
| Dodging: 77 | Volitis: 61 | Communicating: 72 |
| Manipulating Gravity: 77 |
Whether players are fighting or simply communicating with Long, just before they are finished, shots ring out from above and an explosion shakes the ruins. Masked soldiers enter the building. The players and Long stare up at them as they rappel to the ground, guns drawn.
To be continued…