Last night, during one of several passing storms here in So Cal, I got the chance to run the second Mutant Future/Metamorphosis Alpha session. We had a 4th player this time, and Ben rolled up a mutant human. His mutations mixed in nicely to add to the fun. Besides weather control powers, he also had increased caloric intake, so he was always munching.
In the forest level mutant colony, the party arrived to drink, eat, and shop at the public house/trading post. After the requisite bar fight, a tall middle-aged man in robe and cloak approached the party. In reality, his is Walter Garth, a ship engineer who got trapped on this level a year or two ago and wants to get out to return to other awakened crew members who are working on saving the ship, which is in a steady decline of malfunction. With his robe and broadsword, Garth struck a sort of Gandalf figure. He said he is known as “Don Juan Garth” (I decided that Garth was a fan of the 19th century writer Carlos Castenada) in the valley, and that he is a wandering historian who is seeking to study “places of the ancients.” First stop, a hidden airtight agriculture shed. Garth has an agriculture color band to get in there (but unknown to him he will actually need a command or security band to exit the level, which will be the basis of a quest in the next couple of games).
After dealing with a flock of carnivorous sheep, the party entered the cave and in the back found a strong metal door (duralloy). Garth bypassed it, and inside was well preserved agriculture equipment. In addition to several duralloy shovels and hoes, there was a power tree saw (3D6 damage) and a stone drill (2D6+2), each with an extra power cell. There was also an agriculture robot, which Garth tapped into but didn’t fully activate.
So the players knew they were now in the presence of technology, but their characters were baffled and perplexed. So, these are weapons of the ancients?
Paul’s young mutated tree, “Will O’ Wisp,” claimed the power saw as a weapon, which just seemed like more icing on the cake. “Will” has acid sap which sprays out on whatever damages him, and also has a 2D6 shriek upon being hit. Now toting a heavy damage chainsaw, this is one tree you better not mess with.
Even though they have not realized they are on a spaceship yet, the players have now seen that The Valley indeed has technology in it. In the next game at the west ramp level exit, Garth will verbally communicate with the ships computer, which is a situation likely to give them more clues as to the true nature of their world. I’m looking at game 5 or 6 being when they will leave the level (when Garth gets his hands on a command band) to explore other parts of the ship, so until that reveal it would be cool if the players stay a bit confused until then. I’m not actually counting on hoodwinking the players for several games, but it would just be a nice touch if they didn’t think about it too much.
So far, the only complaint I would have about the game is it’s easy to get silly and start joking around. I’m not sure me or my players are taking it seriously enough. But with all the weird mutations (especially that scary tree) and all the things that can happen in combat, it’s hard not to laugh. I mean, when an enemy takes 13 points of damage from acid tree sap hitting him in the face, while simultaneously taking another 12 points from the tree’s sonic shriek, how can you not bust up laughing?
So the players knew they were now in the presence of technology, but their characters were baffled and perplexed. So, these are weapons of the ancients?
Paul’s young mutated tree, “Will O’ Wisp,” claimed the power saw as a weapon, which just seemed like more icing on the cake. “Will” has acid sap which sprays out on whatever damages him, and also has a 2D6 shriek upon being hit. Now toting a heavy damage chainsaw, this is one tree you better not mess with.
Even though they have not realized they are on a spaceship yet, the players have now seen that The Valley indeed has technology in it. In the next game at the west ramp level exit, Garth will verbally communicate with the ships computer, which is a situation likely to give them more clues as to the true nature of their world. I’m looking at game 5 or 6 being when they will leave the level (when Garth gets his hands on a command band) to explore other parts of the ship, so until that reveal it would be cool if the players stay a bit confused until then. I’m not actually counting on hoodwinking the players for several games, but it would just be a nice touch if they didn’t think about it too much.
So far, the only complaint I would have about the game is it’s easy to get silly and start joking around. I’m not sure me or my players are taking it seriously enough. But with all the weird mutations (especially that scary tree) and all the things that can happen in combat, it’s hard not to laugh. I mean, when an enemy takes 13 points of damage from acid tree sap hitting him in the face, while simultaneously taking another 12 points from the tree’s sonic shriek, how can you not bust up laughing?
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