CYBER-PULP FANTASY CORE-Sample Adventure-The Setup

CYBER-PULP FANTASY CORE

© Jerry Harris 2013

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Overview Index 

Adventure Index

Sample Adventure: Ghost in the Machine

The Setup

The Crew receives a job offer and is told to show up that night a suite at their favorite Salon, The Black Hole.  A degenerating holo-image greets them there.  It is of a striking, but rather sad-looking, woman, who introduces herself as Lila Magonel.  She quickly announces herself as a computer scientist, who has developed a possible method for a total consciousness upload into the Net.  While testing, her physical body was murdered.  The police quickly ruled it a neural feedback incident, an accidental suicide.

She’s certain that she was murdered, because the Drow Soul Crystal she was working with (a glowing, blue cube) and her main computer were gone.  She still has access to a hidden bank account, but her consciousness is degenerating.  She can’t properly form or access memories much longer.  Lila estimates 24 to 48 hours to a complete personality crash.  She transfers a retainer to the characters upon acceptance of the job (1 XP).  She’ll pay the rest (3 XP), if they can find out who did it.  The murderer is probably whoever has the Soul Crystal.  The Crew is also given the address to her apartment/lab and a door entry code.  They’re also given a Com code to reach her at when they’ve found the Soul Crystal.  She’ll make the transfer and take care of the murderer herself. 

Optional

Outside of the salon, the crew is attacked by 2 thugs.  If the group came by car, then they are attacked on the road.  Otherwise, they are attacked on a deserted subway platform.  They are trying to take captives.  Hopefully, these primitive screwheads won’t be any challenge for the characters.  

Pick one of the suspects (who are discussed next).  The thugs were sent after the group by this person because Virtual Lila was detected with them.  The suspect wants to know what she told the characters.  Any captured thug will immediately cough up that they were just given the group’s description and told to capture them (and had no idea that they were a bunch of bad-asses).  They don’t know why they’re wanted or who exactly hired them.  All they know is where they met their contact (one of the Encounter sites presented later). 

This is just a warm up encounter for a longer adventure.  For a shorter adventure, definitely skip this encounter.

Thugs

HD 3 (d8), Hp 12, AC 10 (none)

Fort +2 Ref +0 Will +0

Melee: Shock Wand +4 to hit, DC 12 Fort Sv or KO 1 turn, 10 charges

Ranged: .38 Revolver +3 to hit, 2d4, 6 shot, S

Optional

For a longer adventure, this may be a good place to introduce the group to a couple of NPC’s to get outfitted.  A trip to local Syndicate store could allow the group to get some gear.  They can also go to Jim the Butcher for a Regen Patch or Stim packs.

For a shorter adventure, just give each character a Laz patch and 1 Stim Pack per planned encounter, and allow them a quick look at the equipment list.