The Ghost of Hong Kong by Steve Miller Pulp Hero and the Trail to San Moros, CA (1996) - Ascendant Rpg Session

Last Ascendant rpg adventure on the 31 of March saw our party saving Lightwave from the machinations of Green Lizard. The PC's agreed to escort Lightwave back to San Maco out in California. The party broke off from the the Ghost of Hong Kong. We brought Lightwave to the local hospital and got her checked out after the Green Lizard had taken multiple genetic sample. 

 

San Moros is straight outta of the Nineties and has that energy to it. The Valley as it's called is down range from San Mancos Missile & Weapons Range. This is one of the locations on Mae Ling's list of targets captured from the Green Lizard. 

Gemini said

To capture that specific 90s RPG energy—think World of Darkness, X-Files, and neon-drenched rainy streets—we need a setting that feels like it’s teetering on the edge of a new millennium.

Here is a campaign framework for Neon Horizon, a city built on 90s tropes, high-stakes Ascendant play, and a healthy dose of "The Truth is Out There."

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Setting: San Moros, CA (1996)

San Moros is a sprawling coastal metropolis where the grunge of the underground meets the cold, sterile ambition of Silicon Valley's infancy.

• The Vibe: Over-sized flannel shirts over tactical gear, brick-sized cell phones, dial-up internet that sounds like screaming ghosts, and the constant hum of a city that feels like it’s about to wake up from a dream.

• The Conflict: Old-world Ascendant lineages (The "High Society") are being threatened by a new breed of "Techno-Ascendants" who are trying to digitize the source of their power.

Key Districts

District	The Aesthetic	Ascendant Presence
The Grid	Brutalist skyscrapers, flickering neon, rain-slicked asphalt.	The corporate elite and high-tier power brokers.
Lowertown	Abandoned warehouses, underground raves, graffiti.	Rogue Ascendants and those hiding from the "Law."
The Drift	Coastal mansions and fog-heavy cliffs.	Ancient families and old-money power.
Silicon Row	Beige computers, humming server rooms, "New Tech."	Research facilities trying to weaponize Ascendant energy.

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Potential Factions

• The Analog Collective: Traditionalists who believe power should remain organic. They communicate via coded messages in newspapers and meet in jazz clubs.

• Network Zero: A group of hackers who discovered that the early internet is actually a medium for Ascendant energy. They want to "open source" divinity.

• The Aegis Group: A shadowy government agency (think Men in Black but grittier) tasked with keeping the "Average Joe" from noticing the supernatural.

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Campaign Hooks (Pick Your Flavor)

1. The Y2K Harbinger

The "Millennium Bug" isn't a coding error—it’s a countdown. A powerful entity is using the global synchronization of computers to manifest in reality on January 1st, 2000. The players are tasked with finding the "Source Code" hidden in the city's physical architecture.

2. The VHS Rituals

A string of "cursed" bootleg VHS tapes is circulating in the underground scene. Those who watch them gain temporary Ascendant powers, but at the cost of their physical stability. The players must find the "Director" before the city dissolves into static.

3. Corporate Ascension

A tech giant called Omni-Link is building a city-wide fiber-optic network. The players discover the cables aren't carrying data—they’re draining the city’s spiritual ley lines to power a "Digital God" in the company’s basement.

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90s Flavor Mechanics

• The Payphone Network: To contact their patrons without being tracked by Network Zero, players must use specific payphones at specific times.

• The Soundtrack: Every session should have a "Theme Track." (Think Massive Attack, Portishead, or Rage Against the Machine).

• Limited Tech: No GPS. If the players want to find a location, they need a physical Thomas Guide map and a steady hand.

Note: In this setting, $Energy\times Intent=Manifestation$. The 90s provides the perfect "low-frequency" background for Ascendants to operate without immediate satellite detection.