Sunday, May 16, 2021

Exploiting B1 In Search of the Unknown As Fodder For Cepheus Engine rpg Campaign Adventure Location

 



So today was one of those one shot games that's been in the back of my mind for quite some time & today was the day when I finally got to run it. The idea is a fairly straight forward one take a classic D&D module & turn it inside out to run with Zozer Games Hostile mixed with Exterminators . The ruined castle was a tourist trap location before the Fall of Man.  Since then the Exterminators have been using it as base from which to harrass any space travelers who happen by. The PC's have been called in to deal with the problem. 



The idea is relatively simple the planetoid was used as a former military base by previous human tenants. The exterminators have replaced the stanard D&D monsters. Why?! Well according to the Drivethrurpg entry; "The adventure features one other element of historical note: The rooms don't actually list what monsters and treasures they contain. Instead, GMs were expected to fill in those details themselves from lists at the end of the book. This design decision may have been intended to keep players on their toes (as there was concern in those early days that players might read modules they were going to play), or it may have been another lesson in how to create a dungeon. Regardless, the decision wouldn't be repeated again, with the exception of the recalled adventure "B3: Palace of the Silver Princess" (1981)." 
For some inexpliciable reason my mind kept thinking of the classic  Battle For The Planet of the Apes film's Forbidden Zone as being the location for B1's the Caverns of Quasqueton constructed by the Roghan the Fearless and Zelligar the Unknown, intergalatic  adventurers. A rogue A.I. has set up a data node there to monitor human activity in this area. 


For tonight's design & brain storm Sword of Cepheus & Cepheus Atom was also worked in for several special monster encounters. The human tribes men & warriors on this world come straight out of Barbaric! These are humanoid warlords who have survived by wits & laser rapiers! The  Caverns of Quasqueton are the home of some incredibly dangerous cybernetic organisms. The human tribes barely etch out a living on this planetoid, But the 
Caverns of Quasqueton contains some incredibly valuable artifacts & possible treasure. 


A resistence  outpost on the barren rock of a planetoid has been monitoring recent revived activity on the planetoid. Military Exterminator assets have been moved into position there. A huge number of space craft have been put into play above planet side. And the local populace has been caught right in the middle. 

This means that the PC's have their work cut out for them! They'll have to make contact with the local resistence. And then the PC's will have to deal with entropic fallout, mutants, & all kinds of waste problems left over from the Fall. 
Ancient artifact rich battle fields are perfect cover for exterminators & mutated lifeforms to take out PC's with little effort. The whole planetoid has the potential. 
The opportunities here are paramount for using these locations to lead straight into a double blind of B1. There's all kinds of weirdness that can be laced into a background here.This also includes using Joseph Mohr's Sleeping Giant module to weave together the whole cloth of a mini campaign. 



Is this campaign thread for Cepheus Engine something that could used as a potential Eighties horror or sci fi cinematic action option?! Its very possible in the near future for now this remains a thought excercise. 

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