7: Welcome to the 31st Century and the Menace of the Monster
1. Welcome to the31st century
This is the introductory game, so let’s get to it!
1.1. The Exposition of Emo Girl:
Our initial 21st C PCs appear in the lab of Demon
Boy, where he and Emo Girl are patiently waiting the arrival of the greatest
heroes of the 21st century. They are more than a little surprised by
the arrival of our PCs but Emo girl confirms their confusion and honesty. The
Pcs do something unexpected, like fly, and Demon Boy spouts his reduced entropy
theory and postulates enormous power
The two Centurions explain to the team that Ganymede is
under attack by a space pirate named Jether Tel. The Centurions have been
trying to capture him but lack the raw power or speed. Miss Chrysalis,
Blackbird and Kid Chanticleer went to handle three different points of defense,
not believing Demon Boy’s plan would work. If the PCs can help at these three
points then Emo Girl is sure it would reunite the team, and Demon Boy
speculates it would draw Tel into a decisive conflict. Are the PCs willing?
1.2 The Crisis of Kid Chanticleer
The most powerful of the Centurions had taken off to the
naval air yards, certain that Tel’s next move would be to destroy the Jovain
Space Force. And he’s right – Tel has launched dozens of drones at the site.
Kid Chanticleer is stymied early on when the first few he explodes are filled
with Tel’s sleeping gas, which covers the area. Each time Kid Chanticleer inhales
to launch his sonic blasts he gets more and even his superhuman endurance can
be overcome!
This is when PC group 1 arrives, advised by Demon Boy’s
floating assistant, ADA. ADA is able to answer any of the 21st
century PC’s questions about the era and the threats. There are 24 drone bombs
on the way down to the airfield. Eight of those are sleep gas bombs that will
incapacitate the pilots and crews, while the remainder are high explosives that
will destroy the ships (and the incapacitated crews). Eight will reach the
ground each round. An intelligence Feat (reduced to a I d20 with an appropriate
power) will let the PC identify which are the gas bombs – 6 in the first, two
in the second. The PCs have three initiative rolls to figure out how to stop
the bombs. Kid Chanticleer can take out 3 more before collapsing from the gas,
or 8 more if the PCs find a way to clear the gas. Each done has 8 HP and counts
as a 1st level character for targeting.
1.3 The Menacing of Miss Chrysalis
Miss Chrysalis is at the Grand Museum, sure that Tel is going
steal Ganymede’s treasures. And she’s right – one of Tel’s pirate clippers dove
through the atmosphere, spraying the confusion-gas. His goons are leaping down
in jumpbelts to collect the artwork. Miss Chrysalis’ cocoon protects her from
the gas and she engages the raiders until the clipper starts firing a particle
beam towards panicked innocents. Chrysalis interposes herself but that pins her
down and as she struggles to keep her armor intact and she l;oses track of
who’s who in the throng of people
This is when PC group 2 arrives with Emo Girl. Using Demon
Boy’s new flight bracelet she starts pointing out the guilty parties to be
pummeled. The ship has 25 HP to disable and a Power Blast device currently
trained on Miss Chrysalis in beam mode; if it flees it flies at Mach 1 away
from the scene. There are a dozen space pirates here who require an
Intelligence feat to ID unless Emo Girl points them out. As the PCs are
cleaning them up Emo Girl is careful to let one get away (even getting in a PCs
way if they move after him) as she placed a tracer on that one to lead back to
Tel’s base.
1.4 The Burning of Blackbird
Blackbird is guarding the Fusion PowerStation, sure that Tel
will disable it to expand his reign of terror – and he’s right! Unfortunately
for Blackbird the pirate’s plan was a clipper dropping a score of small flying
bombs that announce that they’re bombs. This creates a dozen small crises that
Blackbird has to confront, rescuing trapped scientists, calming tourists,
disabling bombs and so on. During all this he can see, but not stop, the
Clipper’s audacious use of a tractor beam to steal the entire central fusion
generator! As fires break out everywhere Blackbird does his best but has to
watch helplessly as the clipper prepares its escape.
This is when PC group 3 arrives with Demon Boy in a flight
bracelet. Demon Boy directs at least one of the PCs to remove the fusion units
before they erupt while he contains the damage. Those parts weight enough to
force a Strength feat for the 21st century PC to fly them into space
in time. The clipper has 25 HP to disable and a Gravity Control device that can
increase or decrease target gravity by x10 for 2 rounds. There are 10 flying
bombs; Blackbird can handle 5 of those.
1.5 The Declaration of Demon Boy
With one, possibly two of Tel’s clippers out of commission Emo
Girl figures Tel is either going to run or fight. With a sample of the sleep
gas and confusion gasses Tel has been using Demon Boy develops an antidote and
doses the other centurions. Using the tracer Emo Girl planted they are able to
locate the escaped pirate, at Tel’s ship, behind its cloaking device. The
heroes can get in the area but not pinpoint it– the uses of either PC powers of
a Demon Boy device to locate stolen fusion core are needed.
Tel has another two clippers (one power blaster, one gravity
weapon) as well as his own major vessel, so the PCs will have to split up to
capture all of them at once. Once they do so (and it shouldn’t be too hard)
Demon Boy urges all of the centurions to stay together as a team, to recruit
more members and become a force for good across the whole system. Are any other
willing to sign on to this declaration?
As with the first rhetorical, the answer better be Yes.
2 The Mystery of “the Monster”
The Centurions face an almost unbeatable threat from beyond…
Who is, what is…The Monster!
If any players have pre-made 31stC PC they can
select one of those instead of their 21stC PCs
2.1 Lab Accident or Ill Omen?
Shortly after any 21stC heroes arrive in the lab,
where Demon Boy shows off his new experiment with hyperspace teleportation. At the meeting Emo Girl runs through the
minutes from last meeting (recent activity included saving a luxury space ship,
uncovered a smuggling conspiracy and rescued people from an earthquake on
Titan). With members of the 21stC team present Demon Boy brings up
some old business of requests for the Centurions to push together 100 small
asteroids to form a viable planetoid.
Suddenly there is an explosion from the lab. Much of demon
boy’s equipment, including the new Hyperspace teleporter, is destroyed and a
hole has been blown in the wall to the outside. Investigation (I% unless
relevant background or power) reveals that this wasn’t an explosion – something
appeared here, wrecked the lab and then knocked a hole in the wall! It’s
clearly something powerful, and the 21stC heroes, plus any other PCs,
and Kid Chanticleer are sent to find it.
2.2 Search for the Mystery Monster
The PCs are able to find an impact crater from where the
mystery monster fell to the street, and with backgrounds or powers to trail it
some distance; in any event their attention will be drawn to a collapsing
building. The hunt for the Monster will have to be postponed to rescue people
and/or repair the building. Kid Chanticleer will use is powers to yell to
everyone in the building to stay calm, 21stC PCs must stabilize the
building and the GM will have to make up tasks for any new PCs. Inside the
building they will see that the monster tore a hole through the foundations
into the subway system. It could be anywhere now.
Questioning the witnesses reveals that the Monster was
floppily humanoid and grey (actually wearing a padded cloth used in Demon Boy’s
experiments); no one got a good look. Barring extraordinary powers there isn’t
a good way to track it from here. News reports state there was a tube accident
where a super-sonic subway train slammed into a shape on the tracks. The train
was damaged but the shape was unharmed. Shortly after that thing tunneled into
a clothing store and stole clothes.
2.3 The Monster Takes Shape
A day later the Monster – now a human in regular clothes – starts
raging in Capital City. Police state that no one can understand it, but it is
causing enormous damage. The same PCs are sent. Once there any of the 21stC
heroes can understand the figure– he’s yelling in 20thC American
English! They understand 31stC language due to hypno-tapes but
whoever this is doesn’t have that advantage.
The PCs will still have to calm him down (assume he will
fight at least one full round of combat) but he will identify himself as Jimmy
Lawrence, from Wisconsin, circa 1934. Able to talk to someone he quickly
explains his confusion and apologizes for the outburst. (Without Emo Girl there
the PCs can’t definitively tell he’s lying). One note: he is lower Entropy than
the 21stC PCs; his presence reduces their powers.
2.4 The Monster Strikes!
Presumably the PCs take Jimmy back to their HQ – no prison
could possibly hold him – and question him. It would be easier if they expose
him to the language hypno-tapes and Jimmy will readily agree. Demon Boy will
realize that this must be from the trailing end of the time generator. There
will likely be some conversation with Jimmy about how he’s just a fellow down
on his luck in the depression and now he’s Buck Rogers, but in Short order Emo
Girl tags him as lying.
She tries to be subtle but “Jimmy” is quick on the uptake
and – realizing that he’s stronger than anyone there and that the lab is the only thing that can send
him back – picks a fight. With another 80 years of entropy he’s even tougher
than the 21stC heroes, plus meander and higher level. After tossing
them around (and being tossed around in return) he trashes the rest of the lab
and flies off – but not before taunting them with his real name: he’s not Jimmy
Lawrence…he’s JOHN DILLENGER!
2.5 Who Can Face…The Monster
Once outside Dillinger flies over the city and with a
booming voice declares himself the new ruler of ‘the world’. Anyone who doesn’t
immediately do what he asks will suffer grievous consequences. Unless the
Centurions warn them off the Ganymede defense force attacks and is easily
rebuffed with super-breath – indeed, he is now using all the powers of the 21stC
heroes 9whereas they only have one each).
The Centurions know if they can just wait the time effect will wear off
but Dillinger can cause incalculable damage before then. Engaging him in
Central City, Ganymede would result in devastation. Can they lure him away?
Contain him? What’s the plan?
Demon Boy managed to save the time ray device with a
repulsion screen. He could jury rig some extremely low entropy material that would
weaken Dillenger, but someone would have to get close enough to him to slap it
on him. Only a 21stC hero is likely to get that close, but they’re
holding the entropy version of uranium. If they do this they may never be able
to return to the 31stC. Sacrifice!
Barring another solution, after the week is up Dillenger
returns back through time, minutes after our 21stC PCs – which might
make him think he was about to win.
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