Friday, May 31, 2019

The Warden, The War, & The Hit Squad, Using Dragon Issue #6 For Campaign Expansion or Our Next Session Report

Some of the older issues of 'The Dragon' has been crossing my radar & nightstand of late. There were lots of articles that would go on to form the foundation of the backbone of Metamorphosis Alpha 1st edition by James Ward & later on to form the basis of Gamma World 1st edition. Wayback in February  I wrote about the gods of Greyhawk taking an interest in events on Gamma Terra. 
A lots happened since February including some players having conflicting schedules & several missed opportunities with games & such because of my job.


One of the things that happened is various players non interest in fifth edition driven games. So I've been really thinking about a more BECMI D&D
 & Mutant Future rpg driven post apocalyptic & post fantasy  fueled campaign direction for my games. Blackmoor, Mystara, the original Gygax Greyhawk, & several other old school campaign settings are behind this.  There's also a certain amount of OSR & Dungeon Crawl Classics  compatibility within this ball of gaming wax.  I've been going back to Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea & some of the OSR adventures of that game which I've used to great effect over the years. There's something very compelling about an alien world scarred after the effects of Ragnarok have come & gone. The old gods are dead & the future of mankind is stark at best. The two things I want to continue to do is to pit Saint Stephen of the Rock against the the bio mechanical goodness of the Egg of Coot. 

Over the last couple of months I've written extensively about my post apocalyptic California using many of the Mutant Future monster conversions of Chris Van Deleen. I'm going to continue to do so with some tweaks. But last night I was thinking about my notes from the seas of California using the Metamorphosis  Alpha rpg  article from The Dragon issue #6 AN ALTERNATE BEGINNING SEQUENCE FOR METAMORPHOSIS: ALPHA by Guy W. McLimore, Jr.



"In a special hidden section of the lost starship Warden, an engineering robot discovers a minor cable break. Drawing a small torch from its built-in tool kit, the necessary repair is soon made. This circuitry interruption which has remained undiscovered and untended for many, many years is now closed, and a special computer signal sent long ago finally reaches its destination. Relays close, and a special computer unit is activated, setting into motion a special genetic laboratory. Immediately, micro-miniature manipulators withdraw samples of human tissue from a freezer storage compartment. Unnoticed by the electronic controlling device is a cracked and damaged radioactive power capsule nearby which contaminates some of the withdrawn tissue cultures. The quick-frozen cells are moved to tanks of a special growth medium and are electrically stimulated. The cells begin to multiply, rapidly . . . Weeks later, the tanks hold full-grown adult human bodies. Some appear normal; others have strange deformities and mutations induced by the unexpected dose of radiation. All are limp, unmoving, devoid of intelligence and identity. Once again, micro manipulators move in, this time to attach wires and sensor strips to the foreheads of the newly-grown clones. In a matter of days, computer tapes full of general human knowledge and specific ship-related skills are played directly into the clones’ brain synapses. But again old computer malfunctions and worn-out circuitry combine to leave large gaps in the intended programming of the new potential crew members. There will be unfortunate perhaps eventually tragic lapses in their memories of the ship and its functions."

The idea is that the Egg of Coot activates the clone banks on board another generation vessel from 'The Warden' fleet on the ocean's floor of the island & wastelands of California. Things are about to get very interesting for our PC's as a group of mutants begins to hunt them across the planes.
So where does that leave the PC's of the year 2100? They'll be having to watch their backs this upcoming session. How did the Egg gain control of this ship & what sort of equipment has it armed its minions with? Where the Hell are the PC's & what roll does Zothique play in this madness? 

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