Qstor's Modern d20 Horror (Inactive)

Game Master Qstor

In exchange for eternal drunk shotgun (which is where you always get to ride shotgun while drunk) Wraith could come up with some helpful luminaries. We'd have to drive by her crash pad, first, tho.

There are a couple themes that I try to go with whenever I play Wraith. Where the line falls on how much cyberware one can take and still be considered "human" is always one. Another is a moving alchemy of 'wealth' and 'responsibility'. That is, does wealth make one responsible? She always has two forces pulling at her, her intrinsic irresponsibility, along with having useful stuff in a world where stuff makes one useful to other people.

@Qstor: re: "have you seen any freaks slip into sewers?" Is that something that's common around here? I saw you had Pearl see something going into the sewer, but have Stringer or Wraith seen anything like that?

FWIW, Qstor said they weren't going to nickel and dime us on Wealth so it would probably be alright if you just put a flashlight and some glowsticks on your sheet, Mick. Especially since we haven't even really started the mission yet.

@Qstor: re: "have you seen any freaks slip into sewers?" Is that something that's common around here? I saw you had Pearl see something going into the sewer,

but have Stringer or Wraith seen anything like that?

If you have a background of seeing something "paranormal" then yes. :) But locate bar partons speak of something strange going on too.

FWIW, Qstor said they weren't going to nickel and dime us on Wealth so it would probably be alright if you just put a flashlight and some glowsticks on your sheet, Mick. Especially since we haven't even really started the mission yet.

Thats fine!

They're both well under my original starting Wealth, so yeah I'm adding a standard flashlight and a few packs of glow sticks.

Qstor, are you saying we should start asking around for plot hooks?

Because we seem to have some to a standstill.

I thought we were just taking it slow to do intros, lol. We could hit the sewers or we could try Lou's. Just letting folks catch up.

I had assumed the clawed hand in the sewer drain was establishing the horror setting and not a plot hook. Pearl would need a really compelling reason to set foot in a sewer.

Lol, I also thought this was just character intro time, didn't know we were looking for plot hooks! :)

Yeah, I kinda feel like we've done all the intro we can on the fly and without context.

GM? Do you mind just kicking the adventure off, and your friend can just join in whenever their character is ready?

Starcomet won't be joining us. I'm ready.

Lou's address was not on the letter that arrived?

Lou's address was not on the letter that arrived?

Sorry yeah, it was. You just had a hard time finding it at first. "Google Maps" hasn't been updated in a while. The setting is dystopian.

Gotcha... That will change done things. Post this afternoon.

Whoa! That was unexpected.

How do you guys want to play this? I kinda don't want to leave a threat so crazy they'd shatter their own window to our backs. I think taking them out is the safest play here.

Mind you, I've got both lethal and non-lethal options, so what's yer preference? (I also have explosive options. Can we do the explosive option? Please tell me I can do the explosive option. =))

Whoa! That was unexpected.

How do you guys want to play this? I kinda don't want to leave a threat so crazy they'd shatter their own window to our backs. I think taking them out is the safest play here.

Note: There weren't shots. I EDITED that out cause of the 20+ Diplomacy check :) Just a threat and the gun pointing outside.

Mind you, I've got both lethal and non-lethal options, so what's yer preference? (I also have explosive options. Can we do the explosive option? Please tell me I can do the explosive option. =))

Police response here probably won't be fast but it'll be something. And that's if there aren't gangs whose territory this is who we'd piss off shooting up the place. Let's play nice til we actually get shot at.

Whoa! That was unexpected.

How do you guys want to play this? I kinda don't want to leave a threat so crazy they'd shatter their own window to our backs. I think taking them out is the safest play here.

Mind you, I've got both lethal and non-lethal options, so what's yer preference? (I also have explosive options. Can we do the explosive option? Please tell me I can do the explosive option. =))

Really?

I'm not worried about a paranoid neighbor. I'm paranoid, you're paranoid, we are all paranoid, lol. Also, unlikely they'll call the cops or local gang-bangers if that's the response.

Alright, we'll play nice now. But it sounds like Pearl really wants to see something blow up, so we'll have to keep that in mind next time. ;)

@Stringer, it seems like Disable Device is a Int skill, so yours is better than mine.

@GM, I didn't realize that Disable Device is not a Fast skill. Can I swap out my +1 Stealth I got from my Occupation to keep it as a class skill? (Yes it's on the skill list for the occupation.)

@GM, I didn't realize that Disable Device is not a Fast skill. Can I swap out my +1 Stealth I got from my Occupation to keep it as a class skill? (Yes it's on the skill list for the occupation.)

Sure!

@Stringer, it seems like Disable Device is a Int skill, so yours is better than mine.

Oh damn I had that wrong too. Thanks, Wraith!

Still here and watching. Julian is not likely to approach after seeing a few people wander into the address that was Lou's house. He'll likely recognize Wraith, but that will be for when they are done.

Aw man, now I feel bad that I didn't intro you properly.

If you're anywhere within eyesight, Wraith would probably wave to you and invite you in. The more the merrier, and all that.

That's fine. It's taking me that long to wrap my head around the dystopia that is this setting.

Meh. The book doesn't even have a section on the setting. I was surprised by that. Most books have some good fiction on the world.

I'm just thinking, kinda like those articles in the Recruitment thread. "So, modern day Detroit is everywhere" and then I'm just immersing myself in the game as things get played out and made clearer.

Which book? With third edition the company that held the license (3Hombres) planned on doing a whole book on the setting but it was a mom and pop operation formed from longtime fans with day jobs so it never got wrapped up. The first edition (and 2nd which was mostly a reprint) included a lot of setting material in broad strokes. No city was ever really fleshed out in detail until Tampete a few years back.

There were three novels also, Qstor mentioned them, IIRC. Written by Stackpole. It has been a while since I read them but the first one does describe Pheonix pretty well, and focuses a lot of attention on the use of massive solar panels to both power the city and cast literal shade on the poor.

Hey GM, so Mutations are allowed?

I had thought that they weren't. But now that I check the recruitment thread it looks like weren't mentioned.

I had a robust set of mutations in my original character draft but then no one else was using them.

Yeah I thought because it said Modern and not Future there weren't mutations, and cyber was just allowed because it was mentioned specifically.

Okay so I just perused mutations and, whoa, this changes everything. Might could be that we share some of that hot action.

I usually try to play this character as addicted to something, and it seems like there are a few options there.

Which book? With third edition the company that held the license (3Hombres) planned on doing a whole book on the setting but it was a mom and pop operation formed from longtime fans with day jobs so it never got wrapped up. The first edition (and 2nd which was mostly a reprint) included a lot of setting material in broad strokes. No city was ever really fleshed out in detail until Tampete a few years back.

Ummmm, I have the WOTC 2002 edition of d20 modern Core. I can see exactly nothing in it that sets the table for worldbuilding.

Which is too bad. Some of the best fiction comes from stuff they put in just to build the mood. I may have referenced my favorite tidbit, Plus Ca Change which is from SR2, and does a wonderful job of informing the reader about what kind of world they are looking at, what the PCs will be doing, and even gives several different perspectives.

If you can point out something I can easily find in online, I'd be happy to read it.

Oh, lol, I thought you meant the Dark Conspiracy rulebook, my mistake. For D20 Modern they had separate settings depending on the game you wanted to have. The big ones were Dark Matter (which is very close to Dark Conspiracy/CoC/Delta Green) and Urban Arcana (modern fantasy). There were some setting seeds in in the Future and Past books.

Hey GM, so Mutations are allowed?

I'm going to say NO. There ARE mutations but they're presented as "being with" the "bad guys" who have been effected by nuclear waste like the Toxic Avenger LOL.

Still here and watching. Julian is not likely to approach after seeing a few people wander into the address that was Lou's house. He'll likely recognize Wraith, but that will be for when they are done.

Jump in anytime!

I've never worn a haz mat suit or gas mask but I'm guessing you can't smell something through the gas mask

Meh. We used to put on our gas masks when we had to use a latrine that was particularly ripe. It didn't work entirely. They don't really "scrub" the air so much as "force the air to come in through a primitive if effective filter".

I'd say don't let it spoil the narrative. We could still be able to smell, if muchly more subdued.

Did we lose anyone?

I've been wondering if Julian was still around.

Still here, things got hectic. I'll be posting tonight.

Being in the sewers is very much a "stay small, stay quiet" situation, especially for Julian.

Requisition a flame thrower? How would we do that?

My wife and I are going out of town tomorrow morning. I'll have wi-fi but let's pick up on Monday!

GM? Is there nothing of value in the pile?

The initial description was spoons coins and watches, plural.

GM? Is there nothing of value in the pile?

The initial description was spoons coins and watches, plural.

Nothing of great value. The items might fetch a few dollars in a pawn shop.

Thanks for getting back to me.

This might sound like a weird question but...can we just fast forward to a place in this module where something interesting happens?

I can see how, at table, the party can go through this maze, getting description, realizing there's nothing there but drama and tension, and then quickly moving on.

On PbP you can't just keep stopping at every place where it says "it's cold" or "there are body parts". Okay, yes, it's cold and creepy. Very nice. We get that.

I think we've lost some people because of this. You keep people's attention by having things happen, that doesn't always have to be combat and loot, but it helps.

Thanks for getting back to me.

This might sound like a weird question but...can we just fast forward to a place in this module where something interesting happens?

I can see how, at table, the party can go through this maze, getting description, realizing there's nothing there but drama and tension, and then quickly moving on.

On PbP you can't just keep stopping at every place where it says "it's cold" or "there are body parts". Okay, yes, it's cold and creepy. Very nice. We get that.

I think we've lost some people because of this. You keep people's attention by having things happen, that doesn't always have to be combat and loot, but it helps.

I totally understand. My dad was sick and my wife and I were away. I think we're down to 2 or 3 players? That's why I was asking for a head count.

I'm still here, also waiting for the action to progress. Pearl's part so far is to just do a lot of screaming and swearing. I figure that doesn't add a lot.

I'm here, but I figure you were counting me already.

Here, just been super busy with work (schedule change + OT). Getting caught up today on a bunch of stuff!

Here, just been super busy with work (schedule change + OT). Getting caught up today on a bunch of stuff!

OK great! Seems like we have 5.

GPU died on me, replacement in progress, but I'll be dialed-back for a week or so.