ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts!

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shadowdad
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ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts!

Post by shadowdad »

Hello!

ShadowDad here. If you know me, it is because of my previous campaign, The Red Dawn Chronicles.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2267
One of my players wrote up amazing session recaps that I then added my own GM thoughts and behind the screen insights to.

This time around, the group is almost entirely new, save one player. These session recaps will all be me writing them up, so I apologize in advance.
The format will be the same with the session recaps in black and the behind the screens info in Dark Red.

This time around, the game will open up in September, 110 PA and the Tomorrow legion is now a little over a year and a half old.

The players this time around are a mix of old friends of mine, a family member and their friend and two people who answered my call from the internet. Most of us are in the Central Time Zone of the U.S. One is on Eastern Time and one is on Pacific.
We meet every other Sunday, with this coming Sunday, June 27th, being our 3rd session.

All my players are listed by first initial only, as some wish to remain anonymous. Two of the players are very familiar with the SWADE updates to SW Rifts, which is good, ‘cause I’m still stuck in Deluxe!!

The players are:

D. is playing Kodey, a MARS Wilderness Scout. He is an ex-CS special forces operative who specialized in silencing opposition. Coming from a wealthy and influential family from CS Chitown, he was assigned to one of the more prestigious special ops teams, lead by a nephew of the Emperor himself. When he decided to leave, he was confronted by the commander and was forced to kill him, putting a very large bounty on his head. The things he saw and had to do has left him with PTSD and a cautious outlook. Unknown to the others, Kodey and speak Draconic. So far, he has not revealed this to anyone.
The player hasn’t played a tabletop RPG in over a decade and is new to Savage Worlds, though they is very familiar with the Rifts setting from their time at my table in the 1990s.

F. Is playing JM-47 “Seeker”, an advanced prototype Triax Dyna-Bot designed for long range search and destroy missions. He developed full sentience and decided he did not want to do that. He is determined to help people rather than harm them and is very curious about a great many things. Triax and the NGR are eager to reclaim him for study to see how he became self aware.
This player is an experienced Savage worlds Rifts player and comfortable with the SWADE updates.

J. is playing Brem, an Elf MARS Combat Mage from the Federation of Magic. He left the FoM as he did not agree with the oppressive and violent manner in which Lord Dunscon chooses to rule. Being an elf, he is naturally self superior to most other species, though he does try to now show it too much. He has also developed PTSD from all the atrocities he has witnessed as part of the FoM’s combat mage military. His magic manifests in the form of Frost and Ice predominantly. He speaks several languages, including draconic.
This player is also an experienced Savage Rifts player very familiar with the SWADE updates.

M. is playing Marco, a Cactus Person MARS Psi Slinger who grew up in the New West. He is an old curmudgeon with a continually cranky attitude. A few years ago, he was captured by the CS when they raided the town he was living in. The town was razed to the ground and all the D-Bee’s were loaded into a slave caravan to be delivered to a CS science and research facility near Lonestar. Determined not to become a test subject, he orchestrated a breakout that resulted in the destruction of a Death’s Head Transport. In the years since, he managed to acquire a robotic beetle riding mount. He is able to use his telepathic ability to speak through the mount. He tends to wear his armor, including the full face covering helmet, to help hide his true origins.
The player has a little experience with RPGs, including Savage worlds.

S. is playing Kithroz, an Altaran Mind Melter who was born out of the captivity of the Splugorth, so has never had any first hand knowledge of their cruelty. She has her mother’s memories, as all Altarans do, and is an accomplished fighter. AShe is very curious and a bit of a kleptomaniac. Though she also loves to give gifts (usually of things she’s stolen). She does not take items that she was specifically told not too, or that she knows is special to someone. It is as if she is still coming to grasps with the concept of personal property.
This player has some experience with RPGs but is new to both Savage worlds and Rifts. That said, they have a natural talent for getting into character!

Last but not least!!
E. is playing Leori, our Flamewind Dragon Hatchling. She is introduced in the second session, and saved from being eaten by a large six limbed wolverine like beast. In the heroic saving, she bonded to Brem, who spoke to her in draconic. Now she sees him as her adoptive “mother”. The first hindrance taken for Leori was Quirk, she strongly prefers to speak in draconic, which is obviously superior to this region's common tongue.
This player has a little experience playing RPGs, but is new to Savage worlds and Rifts.

There you have it!
The party is complete!

I’ll try getting my session one recap out later this evening or tomorrow. And the second session recap out before Friday. Since our third session is this Sunday, I should have that recap out by Monday afternoon.

I hope you all enjoy my second campaign dive into Savage Rifts!!

ShadowDad~
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session One

Post by shadowdad »

Session One
Just before this session started, we spent a good thirty minutes finalizing characters. Just an FYI: We did have a session 0 that started the character creation and get everyone on the same page for the mood and feel of the game.
<Edited as one of my players pointed out a missed detail!>

We started with character introductions, what brought them to Castle Refuge as well as how long they were each with the Tomorrow Legion. Pretty much everyone has been a part of the TL for 3-6 months at this point.

It was determined that while the players may have seen one another around the castle grounds, they had not yet worked together.
This was a typical character introduction for all the characters. Giving the players a chance to get to know one another.

The game opens in Castle Refuge, each of the players being summoned to the office of Lt. Major Jax Armitage. He is one of the senior officers in charge of the various SET teams. He is a human of middle age with the signs of a hard life written on his face and hands. His voice is gruff but clear.
After the players all settle into his office he explains to them the need to better explore the southeast regions of the North American continent, particularly, to explore what has come to be called Dinosaur Swamp. They are going to form the newest SET group. They are to update what information the TL has on the region and see if there are any communities that may be an asset to the TL.
<GM: The Savage Rifts version of "You all meet in a tavern.......>

But first they will need to escort one Samuel Gleary to an archeological dig site near the town of Markham, two days northeast from the castle. They are given a Mountaineer Mk II with the nuclear power plant option for the journey.

Mr. Gleary was not quite what they expected. While he did look a bit like a bookworm, he did not seem afraid to get involved and help with any heavy lifting. He also had a terrible stutter that only seemed to lessen when he talked about the archeological dig. After getting the five large crates of his equipment loaded onto the rear of the mountaineer, they headed off towards Markham.
<GM: I love accents and I pride myself in doing a believable stutter if I do say so myself!>

The first day was uneventful and that night as they sat in camp, Kithroz opened up about her past and desire to help people. Then Kodey opened up a bit about some of his past misfortunes.
<GM: This was a simple interlude to get the players more familiar with one another. >

The group passed a TL checkpoint a couple of times a day. Around noon on the second day, as they approached one of these checkpoints, Kithroz suddenly got a bad feeling about it. Tipped off, JM-47, who was driving, started to slow down as both Brem and Kodey tried to get a better look outside.

The two guards on the road looked legitimate enough, but Kodey noticed two brodkil trying to conceal themselves on the roof. Kithroz used her shadowstep ability to teleport to the far side of the building as the mountaineer came to a stop. At the same time, Kodey opened the top hatch while Brem opened the side door on the far side of the ATV so as to not be noticed.

It quickly turned into a shooting match as Kodey took shots at the brodkil, Brem cast ice bolts at the bandits and Marco used his Psi Slinger enhanced firearms to keep the two bandits looking for cover.
Kithroz used her persuasion ability to take control of one of the brodkil who then started to fire on his companion. As the shooting got heated up, Marco noticed another figure through an open door to the checkpoint and managed a near impossible shot to the figures head, dropping them outright. JM-47 joined in the fight, killing one of the bandits on the road while Brem killed the other one. Kodey managed to injure the brodkil that was not under Kithroz’s charm, allowing it to be killed by the charmed one.
Two more Brodkil come charging out of the building, running into where Brem and JM-47 were standing. JM-47 takes a swing at the first one, sending his fist through one of their skulls. Kodey takes aim at the other, shooting it in the left eye.
<GM:I originally forgot about these two as they were taken out far faster than I would have thought possible!!>

Kithroz herself finished off her charmed one with a coup-de-gras.
<GM: This first combat went faster than I thought it would. Brem took only a single wound and Marco was shaken. Other than that, it was pretty one sided. Though I did forget to use the brodkil’s invisibility effect. Kithroz’s persuasion is the puppet power. >
The group clears the checkpoint and makes a call to the TL to get a back up team to this checkpoint before moving on.
They arrive in Markham near dusk, checking in with the TL outpost in the town. Markham is fairly small, only about a hundred permanent residents. The town hosts a few supply stores, a couple taverns and several boarding houses.
Once in the TL outpost, they are greeted by a techno-wizard who is the head of this station. She advises that they have rooms available here for SET teams passing through. The players get their stuff settled in and decide to head to the local tavern.
Inside they are greeted by a jolly, yet slightly frazzled woman clearing a table. She invites them in and offers to get them drinks. She tells them about a powerful drink called “Dragon’s Ale”. While most take more modest drinks, Brem & Marco tried the Ale. Brem decided to stop at just one, but Marco ordered a second one, and passed out before finishing it.
<GM: The players had to make a vigor roll at -2 to avoid a level of fatigue. A second fail causes the player to pass out drunk. Brem made his roll but decided to stop there. Marco failed the first roll, then failed the second!>
JM-47 carries Marco to his room back at the TL station. Everyone settles in for a night’s rest.

End of session one!

See you next time for session Two!

ShadowDad~
Last edited by shadowdad on Tue Jun 29, 2021 12:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
Devil's Theatre
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2021 4:46 pm

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts!

Post by Devil's Theatre »

I am JM-47 and you forgot the other two Brodkil that came out of the building opposite of where Kithroz charmed one. One of which I dispatched by punching through it's skull. I think Kodey headshot the other one.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
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Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session Two

Post by shadowdad »

Session Two:

The session opens the morning after the visit to the tavern. Marco is nursing a rather bad hangover.
<GM: -1 to all rolls for the first two hours of the day>

Mr Gleary is getting his many crates of gear loaded onto a small hauler to take it all out to the dig site. Kithroz takes a rifle she looted off of one of the bandits they killed the day before, wrapped up in a towel she took from her room and gave it to Mr. Gleary as a gift. He accepts it with some hesitation and visible discomfort.
<GM: Kithroz’s player is seriously getting into the role of naïve klepto!>

Mr. Gleary then starts to talk excitedly about the dig site and asks the group to stop by before continuing on with their assignment. The party loads up their Mountaineer with some additional supplies, now that Mr’ Gleary’s gear is no longer taking up space, and heads on out to the dig site.

At the site, they are met by Mr. Gleary and the site foreman, Mr. Sanchez. He is a human in his late fifties and an accomplished field scientist. He shows the group around, pointing out the living quarters and processing areas that have been constructed for the site.

The dig site itself is accessed by a small bunker hatch that leads down to a very large, multi-room underground shelter. They believe they have only uncovered about half of the total structure. They have found a larger entrance but are being cautious about excavating it for fear of a collapse.

One of the site supervisors leads them into the bunker and one of the large rooms where initial examination of the found tech devices are sorted and cleaned. Kithroz asks if she can see some of the devices as she walks over to pick one up, but several of the technicians interpose themselves between her and the table. They make it very clear it is not okay for them to handle the artifacts.

Brem and JM-47, who remained outside, hear a sudden scream off towards where a weak nexus point lies. They call the others to come up and head over to investigate.
<GM: They were told that the site is near a couple of very weak ley lines that cross about a hundred yards from the dig site and that the nexus was extremely weak. They were not expecting any rift to open.>


When the group reaches the nexus, there is a small rift, no more than eight feet tall open revealing a verdant mountain forest beyond. The screams are coming from within the portal. A few dozen yards inside the other dimension, a small dragon is being attacked by a large, six limbed badger/wolverine looking creature. The dragon is running/stumbling towards the rift, trying to escape it’s attacker.
Kodey takes aim at the thing and fires, hitting it in the shoulder, apparently not affecting it. The dragon manages to slap it with its tail, causing the beast to trip and stumble. Brem calls to the dragon in draconic before firing a frost bolt at it.
None of the group dares cross the portal for fear of being caught on the wrong side when it closes. Instead, they keep firing at the beast attacking the newborn dragon. Brem switches his Juicer rifle to it’s Mega Damage setting and takes aim, shooting the thing in it’s eye, killing it immediately.
The dragon crosses the portal and heads right to Brem, where it coils around his feet. At this time, the dragon is only six feet long, but you can watch it grow by the minute.
Brem suggests they get the beasts carcass for the dragon to eat, so they don’t have to use up their own food supplies. JM-47 & Kodey fire a grapple into the creature and drag it through the portal. Just as the middle set of legs crosses the portal it plinks out of existence, cutting the rear third off in the other dimension.
“That’s why we don’t cross portals” Brem tells the rest of the group as the dragon munches away on the carcass.
<GM: The creature was based off the D&D Arumvorox, but not a direct translation. I’ve always liked them!>

The entire dig site is drawn to the scene, watching the dragon and asking questions. The player’s decide it would be best to just move on before someone accidentally gets hurt by Brem’s new “pet”. It quickly becomes apparent that Brem has been adopted by the dragon as it’s surrogate mother and they make room for the now twelve foot long creature on the flatbed of the Mountaineer.

As they begin heading southeast, they have time to talk with the dragon. Or, Brem talks to the dragon, as she (they finally find out it is a girl) really only likes talking in draconic.
<GM: The first hindrance the dragon player took was Quirk: only likes talking in draconic>

As dusk approaches, they stop at a small abandoned town. It is a small downtown area with a large square park and some businesses lining the square. Beyond these few buildings, not much is left. A church is at one end of the square, still in fairly good shape considering. Kithroz uses her ability to pick up magic auras to see if there was anything worth checking out. To her surprise, the church and a few of the storefronts do have a very faint glow to them.
They park the mountaineer in between two buildings and begin to set up a camp for the night.

Kodey heads out to see if he can’t find some wild game to hunt for that night's dinner.
While out, he comes across what looks like a shirtless human attack a bear. THe “human” basically tears the bear apart .
He starts to back away and head back to the group. Unfortunately he notices that the creature, who he now assumes is a vampire, is following him.

Kodey calls to the rest of the group to be ready for a fight. He manages to make it to the back of the building their Mountaineer is parked next to as the creature attacks, tearing a large gash out of his left shoulder.
<GM: The vamp got a really good roll!>

The rest of the group quickly jumps into action, shooting, magically blasting and clawing at the vampire. In short order, the vampire is destroyed.
Immediate medical care is given to Kodey, but his wounds may still take a while to fully recover.
<GM: The group basically piled on the vampire and took it out fairly fast. Also, the group realized that no one has any kind of healing magic.>

End of Session 2!!

<GM: At the end of session, I gave everyone their first Advance. Both Brem and Kithroz takes the New Powers Edge and both take Healing as one of their powers.>

Cheers!

Next session will be posted soon!
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! GM's Interlude

Post by shadowdad »

Side Note: I will wait a bit longer between some updates and will hold back some information that I would have shared like in my last home game recaps.
The reason is some of my players are reading this one and the last thing I want to do is ruin the story with spoilers that they will likely read. I will provide updates as the players uncover some of the secrets, I pinky promise!

That said, as in my last one, I do plan on having a few hooks out there at any given time and what the players decide to get hooked on is where we will go.
So I can honestly say I do not know where the game is going!!
We might get deep into plot "A" only to have them jump onto plot "C" and seriously tackle that one completely then head off to plot "E" onlyu to spin around and tackle plot "A" again.
This might sound confusing, but that is kinda what happened in my last game!!

I write up possibilities as outlines, but I wait for the players to let me know where they want to go.

Till next time,
Explore More Rifts!
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session Three

Post by shadowdad »

Session Three:

With Kodey (mostly) patched up, the group decides it would be best to explore the church to make sure there are no other vampires in the area.

JM-47 goes up a few steps to the front door of the church. He opens one of the doors, setting off an old security trap that detonates, destroying the doors, but not really harming him. The church inside is in disarray with pews destroyed or overturned. Most of the stained glass windows to either side are mostly destroyed. THe main window behind the pulpit and crucifix has only minor damage.
<GM: Both entrances were magically trapped with a Mega Blast spell, dealing 4D6 MD. I rolled low…>

Leori pokes her head into the room and uses her detect arcana to see that the small back room to the left seems to be where the magic glow is coming from and moves toward it, only to have the floor collapse under her weight. She falls into the basement. Marco & Kodey both realize there are feral (wild) vampires down there and open fire. Brem quickly casts smite on the main weapons of Kodey, Marco & JM-47, turning them into magical mega damage weapons. Leori, in a panic, jumps out of the basement and through one of the side windows, taking a chunk of wall to either side of the window out as she jumps through. She then runs back around to the front and hides behind Brem, her “mother”.
<GM: The old floor was weak, when the dragon stepped on it, she had to make an agility check to avoid falling in. She failed.>

JM-47 jumps down and, brandishing his stake, attacks one of the vampires injured by Kodey.
Two more wild vampires gang up on JM-47 moments before a secondary vampire attacks from behind, ganging up on the robot.

Kodey takes a shot at the 2ndry vamp but misses (vamp soaked the damage). Vamp then manages to puppet Kodey. At the same time, Kithroz puppets one of the wild vamps. Brem casts exalted speed, giving everyone the ability to take 3 actions a turn with no multi action penalty. JM-47 and Marco take full advantage of this. Marco injures one to near incapacitation while JM-47 begins using the stake to tear through the necks of the vampires, severing the heads. Before the snry vamp can give Kodey any command to attack, he is taken down by multiple attacks, including a stake to the heart by Brem followed by a fire bolt from Leori, destroying it entirely.
<GM: All this happened in one round. It was an insanely busy round! I was a bit miffed that right as I managed to puppet one of the PC’s, they kill the 2ndry vampire before I could make Kodey do anything extra mean, like shooting Brem.>

The other vamps are quickly dispatched with Kithroz having her puppeted one stab itself in the heart.
After battle, they examine the left side room that was glowing with magic. Inside is an amulet upon an altar. Around the walls of the room are glyphs in human and demon blood that help to dampen the aura of everything inside. Brem recognizes the atler and symbols as belonging to an alliance between a rogue vampire intelligence and the hordes of Hades and Dyvall.
<GM: This was GM fiat. I wanted the amulet to be hidden and undetectable until they open the room. Yes, this is me setting up the Dominion Wars for my game. Will it be followed and/or developed? That all depends on the players.>

JM-47 heads back down to the basement and discovers 6 coffins and a book with a cover made of human skin and written in an old elven dialect. With the help of Leori, Brem figures out the dialect and learns that this was written only a few decades ago by a demon reputed to be over 20 thousand years old.

Kithroz removes the amulet from the room so she can get a full read on it with detect arcana. She senses it is a defensive amulet that is neither good or evil that can also be used as some form of communication device. She puts it on and immediately feels calm and alert.
<GM: The amulet grants: +1 die to vigor, immune to puppet power. Gains a +2 bonus to all resit related rolls including any soak rolls. >

End of Session 3!
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts!

Post by shadowdad »

Again, sorry for those who liked to hear more behind the scenes info from my last game recap series. But I have players who know of, and follow this post.
I can't give away any of the juicy secrets!!

As things get revealed, I will provide more history and my original thoughts.

Until next time,

CHEERS!!
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session 4

Post by shadowdad »

Session 4

The session opens with the group reporting the vampire activity to the TL through a radio call to a friendly town about a hundred miles to the west. They get a relay response advising that a specialized vampire hunting squad should be in the area in 112 days.
Leori and Brem work on translating the tome they found in the church’s basement and get this:

I have led the armies into a hundred different prime realities and watched each one burn.
I have ripped the hearts out of many pathetic defenders and their kingdoms.
Now I wish to rest. I no longer crave domination and war.
All I seek is peace. A chance to be still. A chance to be calm, to know what calm is..
My heart's amulet will hopefully help me win that one last dream.


It is clear it could take some time to fully decipher the book, but this was the basics of what they have managed to translate so far.
<GM: I’m kinda hoping this leads to some interest in the demon incursion or vampire activity. But it is just one of a few hooks out there… I’m cool with whatever hook they take!>

With the knowledge that a more qualified team was on their way, the team decides to continue on their original mission of gathering updated intel of the region known as the Dinosaur Swamp.
They head southeast, planning on cutting through a small portion of the Federation of Magic, to Kodey’s concern.

Their on-board navigation computer alerts them as they cross into the FoM, which was the only indication that they had crossed into the region. About half an hour into the FoM, they come into a pre-cataclysm town in ruins. This town seemed to have a lot of buildings and homes that had been built near the end of the golden age, with stronger materials than what is more commonly seen.
They also notice that several things, a statue, some trees, even a building or two looked warped as if reality had twisted around them. Brem recognized this as the residual effects of powerful demon summonings. Because such powerful beings are so hard to control, Lord Dunscan rarely uses them, thus this must have been some important stronghold at some point in the past.

JM-47 slowly drives through town, navigating around crumbled buildings and debris too large for the Mountaineer to easily roll over. As he does, Kody is in the co-pilot seat scanning for any dangers.
Both JM-47 and Kodey notice movement to the right of them, near a fairly intact building. JM-47’s enhanced sensor array actually captures the moment a twisted tree changed shape and scurried off behind the building.
<GM: I came up with the idea that there would be buildings made closer to the time of the apocalypse that would have existed side by side with buildings made earlier. Much like cities of today having newer, stronger skyscrapers alongside older buildings. The newer buildings would better survive the ravages of time. Just some background story fluff…>

JM-47 stops the Mountaineer and heads to the side exit to investigate. To no one’s surprise, Kithroz happily joins him. Brem also follows the two out, though with a bit more caution and reserve.
Cursing and mumbling under his breath, Kodey heads to the top hatch and scans the area behind the building’s remains. He spots what looks like some old sewer access and reports to the others that he thinks whatever it was may have gone down into the tunnels.
<GM: again, both JM-47 and Kithroz are curious. It keeps things interesting!>

JM-47 hops down into the hole with barely a pause, Kithroz joining him soon after. Brem hesitated a bit before joining them down the hole.
Meanwhile, back in the truck, Leori is fast asleep in the truck bed, Marco grudgingly decides to follow the others going around the right side of the building. Kodey starts mumbling to himself about how he must be paying for something he did in a past life to be stuck with these crazy folk who just go down random, dark tunnels, heads around the left side to make sure it is clear, since no one else did.
Both Kodey and Marco decide to stay outside, near the service entrance of this ancient drain system. Kodey commented, if they ain’t screaming, they don’t need us.
<GM: Kodey’s player totally played up the cautious hindrance, and I completely forgot to benny that>

Back in the tunnel, JM-47 and Kithroz head further into the tunnel system towards some sounds, seemingly without any concerns. Brem follows after them, though with a bit more concern and caution than JM or Kith seem to be showing.
Now, the tunnel they are in is about 5’6” in diameter or 1.75 meters. This means that JM-47 must crouch to get through while the others have to at least duck a bit. The tunnel they are going down has cross tunnels every 50 yards. The first two of these are smaller feeder tunnels only about three feet in diameter. The third cross tunnel is as large as the one they are in.
So, JM-47 reaches the first cross tunnel and immediately his sensors pick up half a dozen large, demonic rats coming from either side of the smaller cross tunnel. Brem, quick thinking, takes his shotgun and takes one of the rats out as JM-47 steps forward and shoots a rat down the opposite tunnel. This leaves Kitrozs in between JM-47 and Brem. And in the direct path of the rats who swarm out and mob her. Several manage to rip into her, wounding her severely.
<GM: These were on-the-fly demon rats. Kinda throw-away, but for the fact not everyone had MDC protection. They all got the gang up bonus, so 10 attacks on Kithroz, five landed, two with raises. A total of 6 wounds worth of injury, though she soaked 3, but still! >

Hearing Kithroz’s screams, Kodey jumps in to try and assess the situation. Brem casts a protective spell around himself and Kithroz that effectively makes them both immune to the rats. The rats are then quickly dealt with.
While Brem and Kithroz use their newfound healing powers to fully heal Kithroz, they realize these same powers could heal Kodey of his days-old shoulder wound.
<GM: This was the first session both Brem & Kithroz had the heal power and we all just realized you can heal old wounds with it. It’s expensive, but it can be done.>


JM-47 does not wait for the others to recover and continues down the tunnel. He makes it to the second small cross tunnel before the others ask him to hold up. JM-47 does slow up, a bit. But he keeps about 50 yards between himself and the team of Brem & Kithroz.Kodey remains near the service entrance and Marco is still outside.
Leori is still sleeping, a slight smokey snore coming from her.
<GM: Leori’s player was absent, so I had her in a deep sleep, not noticing what was going on>

The second cross tunnel is uneventful and JM-47 continues to the third cross tunnel. The one that is just as large as the one they are in.
Brem & Kithroz are continuing trying to catch up, but still 50 yards back.
As JM-47 gets into the intersection, he notices the tunnel walls seem to be moving. From the walls, a purple glowing sphere forms in the middle of the side tunnel then shoots out at JM-47, hitting him hard enough to knock him back a few feet. His Auto-repair system kicks in as his system monitor.
He strains his active sensors and manages to see through what turned out to be an illusion of the walls moving. Now he can see a large saurian mage getting ready to cast another spell.
starts alerting him to moderate damage.
<GM: This was a bit GM fiat. There is a Saurian Ley Line Walker here that was using an illusion effect. I had JM-47 make a notice roll at -2 to see through the illusion since he had advanced sensors.>


JM-47 attempts to diffuse the situation, telling the strange mage that he means no harm and was only looking to talk. The saurian replies that he does not want to talk to his food and two hellhounds that were down the other side tunnel attack JM-47.
<GM: I liked that the JM-47 player tried to do a non-combat resolution here. It was interesting seeing a robot try to be a peacemaker.>

Seeing the attack, Brem uses his speed to create some ice that he skates quickly down while Kithroz uses her shadowstep down the tunnel. Even Kodey and Marco start to head down the tunnel now, trying to close the now 150 yard gap between them and the rest of the group.
JM-47 takes a shot at the saurian while trying to fight off the hellhounds. He lands the shot but doesn’t seem to have much effect. The saurian fires another purple bolt of energy, hitting JM-47 and undoing the repairs his system just made. Brem throws up a crystalline wall between the saurian and the rest of the group, effectively taking him out of the equation. Kithroz uses her psi-blade of darkness to cut one hound in half, lengthwise.
Kodey, using his sniper rifle’s scope, nails the other hound in the head, blowing it off entirely. Brem lowers the barrier but the saurian mage is gone.
<GM: Once everyone was engaged, this combat ended pretty quickly>

The team regroups back at the service entrance and returns to the Mountaineer. To their surprise, they see Leori munching on a saurian arm, all that seems to be left of the mage. Apparently, Leori likes the taste of lizards.
<GM: I did a quick combat with Leori and the Saurian. I rolled his spellcasting vs her attack, her dice exploded twice and she beat his roll by 9 points. Basically, she got the drop on him and well…>

JM-47 leads the group back into the tunnels to find the saurian’s dwelling. They find a hidden den of sorts with all manner of wizardly trinkets, Brem finds a Techno-Wizard staff.
They decide to continue on a couple hours more before making camp for the evening.

End Session 4.
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
JaySk
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 7:29 pm

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts!

Post by JaySk »

I play Brem. The Game is great fun!
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session 5

Post by shadowdad »

After a bit of a delay, I give you:
Session 5

The session opens with Kithroz having a dream. She sees a tall man, dressed in an old Victorian stage outfit. He has messy long black hair and a stringy beard.
He says, “You have been chosen by C-Flat! Not good, not good at all!! The bauble is your best hope. Ah, yes, yes!! But it is also your weakest link! Yes!! Look out for the Man, with a Pan. But beware the C-Flat note and his minions!”. She awakens from the dream, it is still night. JM-47 asks her if everything is okay, she says yes and falls back to sleep. The next morning she tells the group of her dream.
<GM:Just dropping one of those plot hooks I keep mentioning!>

They continue on their journey towards Dinosaur Swamp passing through a few other small towns for two uneventful days before entering the dark wood region where they get a radio signal from another SET group who is asking for aid.

The two SET teams meet up and the other SET team introduces themselves. They are a Ley Line Walker named Erikson, a Psi-Stalker named Frick and a Combat Cyborg named Oni. Erikson is wounded, so Kithroz uses her healing power to mend his wounds. Frick explains that they used to have two others, a Juicer and a Mystic. They were setting up an ambush to take down a Splugorth slaver barge when they were counter-ambushed. As they attacked their target, another slaver barge came from behind them. The mystic was killed early in the battle. The Juicer leapt onto their original Splugorth target and detonated two bandoliers of plasma grenades, destroying the barge and killing the splugorth and himself. The other barge, damaged and with two warrior women injured, fled. The SET team explained that there has been an increase of Atlantis activity in recent months and that the Shemerian nation was pushing back against these incursions. Erikson also mentions that there is a friendly city called Alexander Town about a day or two’s journey from here. They provide the geo-coordinates for the team.

The two teams camp for the night, before the other team heads back west for supplies and new order. Our team continues south east, towards Alexander Town. As evening falls, they come across another ruined city. Most of the buildings in this old city are complete rubble, with few walls higher than two or three stories. They decide to make camp here, finding a decent ruined building that they can park the mountaineer in to better conceal the large vehicle.
<GM:This was mainly just to give me a chance to provide some exposition. I wanted to give the players some information about the Splugorth activities in the area. It also provided a little role playing.>

Kodey decides to scout the nearby area to make sure the area is secure. Kithroz decides to do a little exploring of her own. Not to secure the area, but to see what she might find interesting. The others set about getting their camp ready for the night. He comes across some sort of dinosaur/raptor creatures and alerts the others of this while climbing up the wall of a nearby building. He manages to reach what is left of the second floor and starts watching the raptors watching him.
<GM:Kodey has the cautious hindrance. If you've been reading, you can see why he would have it!!>

Upon hearing that Kodey needs help, JM-47 starts the mountaineer up and barrels out of the hiding spot toward Kodey’s position. The sound of the large vehicle scares the raptors off, but as they retreat, Kodey takes aim and kills one.

Meanwhile, Kithroz comes across a strange ape-like creature with a canine head and spines running along its forearms. She calls out to it, letting it know she means no harm. The creature, however, does not seem to understand her and looks as if it considers her its next meal. Kithroz summons her psi-blade as it charges at her with a pouncing attack that tears into her exposed flesh. She lashes out in retaliation before shadow stepping away to safety. The creature, wounded and angry, starts searching for her, scanning the area and sniffing the air.
<GM:Total random encounter off the top of my head! Turned out to be a pretty cool encounter.>

Back at the Mountaineer, Kodey and JM-47 begin to head over to the raptor corpse when they hear Kithroz’s scream of pain when the creature clawed at her. They jump into the mountaineer and JM-47 speeds down the block and around the corner to get to Kithroz.
<GM:JM-47 spent a great deal of this part of the game driving around from one member in need to another. He's getting really good at driving this behemoth!>

Kithroz, safe in an alley far enough away that the creature cannot find her, decides to shadowstep behind it and press her attack, hoping to kill it before it can retaliate. She succeeds in the shadow step and manages to get the drop on it, lashing out with a wild attack that kills the thing.
The mountaineer barrels around the corner just in time to see the creature, which Brem recognizes as a Chupacabra, slumps over.
<GM:Me including a cryptid like the chupoacabra had nothing to do with my blog..... Honestly!>


Brem and Marco get out to tend to Kithroz’s wounds. After making sure she would be all right, Kodey and JM-47 take the mountaineer back to the raptor carcas to properly clean and carve it to add to their stores. During this time, they learn that Leori has managed to learn how to shapechange into animal forms and chooses the form of a big red dog. Left to her own devices in the truck, she explores the inside and finds the team's food crates. Each crate holds enough food for the five humanoid members a week. She manages to get into, and devour all the food in two of them before Kodey & JM-47 return. Kodey gets Leori back onto the bed of the truck with a hunk of raptor meat , then closes and locks the door behind her. They return to the rest of the group and inform Brem to please explain the importance of not taking other people’s stuff.
<GM:Leori's player is new to Savage Worlds and Rifts and did not realize that the ability to stay in their shapechanged form indeffinitely was a power limited to veteran level. I let them keep it though as it was the ability they chose once they had all their hindrances, so it was techincally part of character creation. And it was a fun shape they took!! Brem explaining to a dog shaped dragon not to eat their food was pretty funny.>

The group makes camp back at their original spot and have an uneventful night. The next day they head back off, towards Alexander town. They reach it that day. The city is very cosmopolitan with a large and varied d-bee population, yet for the most part, everyone seems to get along just fine. They find a parking garage for the mountaineer and head off to explore the city. Brem, Kithroz and Leori head out to find some supplies. JM-47 goes to do a little exploring on his own, while Kodey and Marco stay behind to maintain their weapons.

JM-47 manages to find himself in an area of the city controlled by a seedy black market group. He is confronted by a heavily cyberd up ogre and two of his soldiers. They ask for him to turn around. When he refuses, weapons are drawn and JM-47 notices armed men on several rooftops taking aim at him. He decides it may be best to go back and does so, heading off to where some supply shopping can be done.
<GM:This was another random encounter that has turned into a nice subplot>

Brem, Kithroz and Leori head down the main street towards several different shops selling all manner of items. An arcane book shop gets their attention and they head in. The shopkeeper is an elven woman who appears to be early middle age to Kithroz and Leori, but Brem recognizes as an elvish elder. Kithroz shows the shopkeep the spines she took off the Chupacabra and is given 450 black market credits for them. Then Brem shows her the books and components they found in the Saurian mages den. After reviewing them, she offers 15 thousand black market credits for all of them. He attempts to bargain with her to get a better price, she does go up to 17 thousand, but only if he sells them to her then and there. He decides not to. They leave to continue looking for supplies.
<GM:Brem's persuasion roll failed hard, but the lizard man mage's book and supplies are pretty valuable, so I had the shop keeper give him what she felt was an honest price.>

They come across a food supply shop and head in to replace the food eaten by Leori a few days earlier. This shopkeeper is an old lyn-srial. He explains that a food supply crate with a week's supply of food for five people is $700 credits each. They decide to replace the two eaten by Leori. They also get some information about the town and the region. Learning that there is a good used bookstore owned by someone who knows the region well and that there are several treasure hunters that hang out at a tavern half a block down the street. While Brem and Kithroz talk with the shopkeeper, Leori, in dog form, sees some MRE like packages on pegs and starts to munch on one. The shopkeeper calmly asks if they are adding the devoured MRE to their tab and Brem quickly pays for the eaten ration and they leave the store with Brem explaining to Leori again that she needs to not take other people's things.
<GM:Again, the dragon in dog form continues to be pretty funny!!>

End Session 5
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session 6

Post by shadowdad »

Session 6

We pick up right where we left off. Brem, Kithroz and Leori (in dog form) head over to the book shop, JM-47 wanders over to the adventurer’s tavern, while Marco and Kodey remain in the mountaineer. Marco cleans his weapons while Kodey naps.

At the bookshop, Brem, and Kithroz talk to the owner, an old-ish looking mutant cat who knows the region around the city and Dinosaur Swamp well. She directs them to some adventurer journals and hyperlinked maps available in electronic format.
<GM: This group splits up quite a bit more than most Rifts groups I’ve run or played in….>
[/color]
Over at the tavern, JM-47 speaks with the bartender, a jovial grackle tooth named Ned. From Ned, he learns of a good weapons merchant known as Tony’s Weapon Emporium. The bot then radio’s Brem, Kithroz and Leori and asks them to head over to the tavern to meet up. They take a table at the tavern and are served by a dwarven barmaid, to Brem’s barely masked disgust. They discuss the information they have all found, JM-47 rather eager to check out this “Tony’s Weapon Emporium”. Shortly before they leave to check out the weapons dealer, JM-47 realizes that he had seen someone leave who may have matched one of the people in the alley where he was confronted by the black market. This puts him on edge.
<GM: Brem’s character really plates up the elvish disdain for dwarves. JM-47 spotted one of the black market goons he ran into earlier and decided to follow them.>

They arrive at Tony’s Weapon Emporium and are greeted by Tony. a short, pot bellied and balding elf with a Danny DeVito voice. Upon seeing Tony, Brem just turned and left the establishment, shocked into disbelief that any elf would let themselves turn into that. Kithroz and Brem look around and settle on some shields for JM-47 and other gear for Kithroz and the rest. They find that they could sell their salvaged weapons from previous bandit attacks for a decent amount of money and head back to the Mountaineer to gather said gear. JM-47 decides to take a slightly different way, just in case he has a tail from the black market.
<GM: We find out that the one thing Brem hates more than dwarves is an elf that has let himself go as badly as Tony. When I introduced him and spoke with the Danny DeVito voice, Brem’s player rolled their eyes and facepalmed in one clean motion. It was funny.>

However, the black market seemed to have the main group in mind, and they ambushed the group in an alleyway. The first sign of trouble was when Kithroz and Brem noticed some people on the rooftops throwing something small down at them. These turn out to be grenades!
Brem & Kithroz duck behind cover in time, but Leori, fully caught unaware, takes the brunt of the explosions. This was one of the few times she felt pain and it both scared and angered her. She quickly changes into her dragon form and flies up to the rooftop level, breathing a cone of fire that engulfs and kills two of the attackers.
About the same time Leori is taking to the skies, three other attackers begin to move into position at the end of the alley. Brem steps forward and casts a frost spell that instantly freezes two of them to death but does surprisingly little to the third, a large cybernetically enhanced ogre.
<GM: Yeah, everyone thought the black market was looking for JM-47. But they were more interested in Kithroz...>

Meanwhile, a block over, JM-47 hears the explosions and the screams and starts toward the sound at an all out run.
<GM: This was starting to be a bit of a theme for JM-47, being somewhere else when the action hits the group>

Back in the alley, as Kithroz gains her bearings, the ogre fires a nasty plasma cannon of a gun at Brem, hitting him in the left hip, blasting through the armor and flesh, burning into the bone. He drops almost immediately from the shock. Leori continues her attack on the rooftop attackers as Kithroz uses her puppet ability to take control of the ogre before running over to Brem and start using her shadow powers to stabilize Brem.

Right as the ogre’s mind was taken control of by Kithroz, JM-47 shows up, see’s the smoking barrel of the ogres plasma gun and Kithroz kneeling before the immobile form of Brem and goes into maximum combat mode, firing at the ogre multiple times in a flurry of energy blasts that cut the ogre down.

After a few minutes, Kithroz revives Brem and even gets him back to near full health! JM-47 removes the cyberarm and eye from the ogre forcefully, resulting in large bits of flesh still hanging onto the cyberware when done. The group also looted the body of the ogre, taking his weapons, credstick and a letter he had showing a high bounty for the capture of any antaran and return to the Atlantean Splugorth.
<GM: Kithroz had to spend a benny on the first healing check, the reroll wound up exploding for a raise. Then her second use of the heal power also got a raise. She was on fire!>

The group does not waste too much time in the alley, not wanting to be there when any lawmen finally show up, so they get back to the mountaineer and see Kodey making himself a sandwich while Macro is cleaning his weapons.
They explain everything that has happened, gather the salvaged gear they want to sell and go get themselves some new gear from Tony. After which, they call it a night at the mountaineer, ready to head out the next day.

End Session 6


I should have the next session up in a few days. I swear!!
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session 7

Post by shadowdad »

Session 7

The session opens in the evening, two days after leaving town. Dusk is approaching and camp is getting set up. Kodey goes to scout around the immediate area as Marco sets his robo-beetle scanners up for the overnight watch. Brem continues studying the materials they purchased last session. Kithroz and JM-47 finish setting up the camp and start preparing dinner. Leori, meanwhile, continues to act like a dog in her new favorite form.

Both JM-47 and robo-beetle’s sensors start picking up movement of something large about a hundred yards outside of camp. Kodey also notices the unknown intruder around the same time. Actually, he saw the large shadowy outline of “something” as it’s head turned toward him, two targeting lasers on either side of the head. Kodey takes cover behind a tree before it notices him.

JM-47 starts toward the intruder and calls out to it. Kodey hears JM-47’s call, followed by the sound of a voice saying “Get ‘em boy!” from the direction of the intruder. A moment later, a deafening, ear shattering roar is heard and the beast charges toward JM-47. As he approaches, Kodey can make out the form of a cybernetically enhanced T-Rex with some humanoid cyborg rider on its back.
The T-Rex fires a blast from two large plasma pulse cannons mounted on either shoulder they strike JM-47 but fail to do much harm.

Once the shooting started, Kodey started to move into position and started to take aim at the rider; Kithroz shadow steps to get closer while summoning her psi-blade; and Brem gets into position to cast a protective spell.

Kodey strikes the rider who then returns fire. Kithroz again shadow steps to appear directly behind the rider and lashes out, injuring the cyborg. JM-47 returns fire against the cyber-rex, trying to hit the eyes and Kodey continues to fire at the rider. All the while, Leori, still in dog mode, seems mesmerized by the large cyber-dino attacking the group.

The rider critically injures Kithroz with an extendable vibro-sword, as JM-47 and Marco both take aim at the cyber-rex’s robo-eyes. Kitrhoz lashes out with her psi-blade before shadow stepping away. Kodey is injured by the rider with a lucky shot, but not severely. Brem starts to head to Kodey to provide healing support as Kodey critically hits the cyborg in the head, blowing it to pieces.

The cyber-rex bites JM-47, its insanely strong jaws crushing through armoire, servos and circuitry. JM-47 goes limp as the rex thrashes its head side to side. Kithroz attempts to puppet the cyber-rex but is unable to overcome its will.

Kodey takes aim at the cyber-rex’s cyber-eyes and manages to destroy them as Kithroz again tries to puppet the rex, this time overcoming its will and bringing it under her control.
Brem heads to Kithroz to administer some much needed healing; JM-47’s auto-repair systems kick in, and Leori is invited to kill and eat the cyber-rex.
With the sounds of a dragon cheerily chomping, crunching and slurping her way through the bone and robotics of the t-rex, Kodey and JM-47 work at getting JM-47 fully repaired.

End Session 7

GM Notes: This was a quick encounter I threw together because I did not do my proper planning for this week's session. As they fought this, it turned into the first time since I started running Savage worlds where a combat took just about the entire session! I shudder at the memories of D&D 3.5 sessions for a group of players in there high teens.
This then turned into an idea that I decided to run with... Next time.
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:50 am
Location: SouthWestern Chicago Suburbs
Contact:

Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session 8

Post by shadowdad »

Session 8

The next morning the group examines the cybernetic remains of the cyber t-rex and its rider. The cyberware is extremely advanced (possibly more advanced than pre-cataclysm tech) and seems to radiate a low level of magic. They decide to follow the tracks of the T-Rex back a few hundred yards to a large cave entrance. Parking the mountaineer just outside the cave, the group heads into the cave.
The cave itself goes about a hundred yards into the ground, curving to the right about halfway through. It eventually dead ends at a small cave stream. As the group starts heading back out, they all get a slight sense of vertigo. The dino tracks, which were heading out of the cave, now look like they are heading into the cave.

Upon exiting the cave, they first notice that the mountaineer is missing, almost immediately followed by the fact that the forest has changed. And the sky, which is now a hazy orange color.
<GM Note: Yep, they done jumped through a portal.>

Brem uses his powers to detect any kind of rifts and senses some kind of veil that they must have passed through. Now they are definitely not on the earth they have come to know. They try to go back into the cave but no vertigo sensation happens and when they come back out, they are still in the new world. Brem finds that casting magic seems a bit more difficult here.
<GM Note: All spells are cast at -2. Furthermore, cyberware from here helps to enhance spellcasting.>

JM-47 starts to head off one direction to explore while Kodey heads off another with Marco following on his robo beetle. Kodey, wanting to be alone, quickly loses Marco before scouting out and foraging for anything edible. He manages to find a few questionable mushrooms and berries when he is ambushed by 3 little raptor-like lizards each about half a meter long. None of them managed to get through his armor and Kodey quickly managed to kill one, spearing it with his bayonet. The remaining two scamper off upon hearing the death screech of their companion.

Marco realizes that he is no longer following Kodey when he spots a cloaked figure a short way off, peering around a sizable tree. To Marco’s surprise, the figure speaks to him in an understandable language saying, “Hello stranger, I take it you are new to these lands”

Completely taken by surprise, Marco responds with “Who are you, and how do you know my language?!?”

The cloaked figure steps out into the open, pulling back his hood to reveal the head of an elderly saurian. He explains that many travellers have come through what he called the “Cave of Travels”. He continues to tell Marco that he can help get him and his group back home. Marco offers to give the stranger a ride on Marco’s beetle back to their camp.

He says his name is Nef’ron. He tells the group how he knows how they got here and that he can help them return home. Nef’ron demonstrates his ability to cast magic by summoning a campfire complete with cooking grate despite him having multiple visible cybernetics. Nef’ron is just as confused about JM--47 as the group is about him. Apparently, automatons are not a thing in this world.

Brem uses detect arcana and sees that the cybernetics all seem to radiate magic, but nothing like technowizardry or any other thing he is familiar with. Nef’ron explains that in order to get them back to their home dimension, he needs that heart of the warlord that has recently taken the nearby town by force. No one is comfortable about this prospect and Brem knows of no magic that requires such a specific ingredient. They tell Nef’ron they want to think about it, he advises them that they have just 6 days before the next lunar cycle makes it impossible to get them back.

Brem, Marco & Kithroz head out to explore the outer areas of the town, where a lot of farms are located while Leori uses her shapeshifting ability to head into town disguised as one of the small raptor-like creatures that attacked Kodey. Kodey and JM-47 stay behind.

Brem, Marco & Kithroz (under an illusion spell from Kithroz to look like natives) meet a local farmer who seems quite surprised to see them. He looks very concerned and tells them that this town is warlord land and travelers should be very wary! He urges them to turn around and leave. He states that the town is not friendly to outsiders.
As the farmer is talking, Kitroz notices some cyborg patrol guards riding large raptor-like mounts. They hide in the crops of the field as the guards pass by. The three decide to head back to camp.

Meanwhile, Leori makes it into town, looking like this world’s version of a rodent. In this form, she is able to find out that the Warlord Koz is a horrible ruler with strict rules but as long as you follow those rules and work, it’s not too bad. They also compare him to the old council that used to rule. They were not so severe in their punishments, but were pretty corrupt. While listening in, a teen spots her and throws a rock at her, narrowly missing. She skitters off to find out more information only to have a guard shoot at her and hit her. She takes the hint and heads back out of town and to the cave.

As everyone gets back to camp, it is getting late in the day. Leori arrives and takes the shape of one of the native saurians and fills the group in on what she overheard. Kodey decides to go in search of another hermit, Kithroz decides to head into town using her illusion power to learn more from the people of the town while the others stay near camp gathering the berries that they know are safe to eat.


Sunset comes shortly after Kodey and Kithroz leave. Even before the large, orange sun sets, a moon begins to rise. This moon looks a bit larger than what the group is used to. Then, as the sun disappears behind the horizon, two more moons are seen rising. As these moons become visible thousands upon thousands of flying lizards leap out of the trees and take flight, filling the night sky. While the sight is disturbing to witness, they do not appear to be dangerous. The three moons provide for a very bright night, if a bit disorienting as everything has three shadows.

Those at camp see that from within the cave, they can see a faint yellow glow that started the instant the sun disappeared behind the horizon. When they check it out, they see that the portal is now a visible veil.

Kithroz meanwhile makes it into town and finds a local bar, just prior, she took the form of a local shopkeeper she had passed earlier. She enters and quickly picks the pocket of one of the people at the bar before sitting down herself. She essentially learns the same information about the town and the warlord. To keep up the ruse, she orders some local food and drink. The “porridge” is a bowl full of short worms and small fat grubs that are still alive. When eating they have a spicy and rather unpleasant taste. The drink is a thick liquid with the consistency of motor oil and tasting of pureed grass that is extremely sour and again rather unpleasant. She excuses herself to the bathroom and changes her illusion to that of the farmer they spoke to earlier in the day before leaving.

As she leaves, Kithroz runs into the shopkeeper whose form she took when entering the bar. She tells them to avoid the bar as the food was off. The shopkeeper demands to know why a farmer was in this district, farmers are not allowed. Kith excuses herself and runs for it. Once around a corner, she uses her shadowstep ability to quickly get out of town and to the treeline.

Kodey continues to keep to the treeline as he skirts around the town. The three moons makes tracking at night harder, but the experienced tracker is not slowed down by the effect.

End Session 8

<GM Note: I know, not a lot of GM notes in this. This realm was created on the fly, Magic and cyberware are symbiotic here, each helps the other. Most of the details of this world were created as they came across the stuff. I seriously flew by the seat of my pants on this one!>
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
shadowdad
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Re: ShadowDad's Sunday Savage Rifts! Session 9

Post by shadowdad »

Session 9

We open the session with Kodey finding the camp of another hermit. He remains in the shadows observing the hermit for about an hour before approaching him. The hermit recognizes him as someone from the Traveller’s Cave. The hermit continues to explain that Nef’ron is known as the caretaker of the cave. The hermit also confirms what others have said about the warlord and the old council. This hermit is not a magic user, he chose to live out here for the simple freedom from the overbearing, authoritarian rule of the warlord. He tells Kodey of another portal mage that runs a shop selling travelling and mage supplies.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group at the camp site notice a glowing coming from the cave. When they go and investigate, they see the portal is open. Brem has a sense that if they enter it, it will take them to some random other reality. As nightfall comes over the second night, the same flying lizards come out. None really bother anyone except for the occasional “bird poop” incident.
The next dawn, Nef’ron returns to camp and asks if they have considered his offer to return them home. Brem confronts him with the knowledge that their own blood can be used to return them and calls Nef’ron a liar. Nef’ron insists it must be the blood of an adversary. After some back and forth, Nef’ron turns and leaves the group.
Brem decides to study the portal more closely. Marco and JM-47 remain in camp to keep guard while Kithroz and Leori head into town to find this other Portal Mage.

In town, the duo find Korath’s shop, a curious combination of adventuring gear and rations mixed with a traditional magical components shop. Korath invites them in and when he realizes they were strangers who came through the traveller’s cave, he takes them up to the top floor of his shop to talk with them. He is able to confirm that portal mages can have different requirements to return people home. Nef’ron does need the blood of an adversary. Korath can use the blood of the ones wanting to travel through the portal.
Korath would like to help, but Nef’ron is the steward of the traveller’s cave and the only one allowed to access it. Kithroz and Leori head back to camp to get Brem and bring him back to town to visit Korath.
Korath offers to help Brem learn some of the basics of Portal Magic. Kithroz and Leori are allowed to stay in the 2nd floor of his shop, which he uses as his home while Brem and him work in the 3rd floor.
Overnight, Kithroz opens up a bag of trailmix from the shop. Inside are some berries, nuts and grubs. She decides to toss the grub at Leori to snack on, this amuses them both for quite some time.
Brem finds several arcane books that are written in something that looks very similar to elven, Korath offers to sell them for 3 gold coins, he gives the shopkeeper 4.

Back at the camp, about an hour before dawn, JM-47’s advanced sensors make out Nef’ron, masked by some kind of invisibility, sneaking up on Kodey who was fast asleep. Without hesitation, Kodey fires on the unsuspecting Nef’ron, hitting him square in the chest. JM-47 then shouts “Intruder!”.
JM-47 fires a second shot, severely injuring the mage. Nef’ron teleports away.
Marco, using his robo-beetle’s sensors, finds the mage about 25 yards away, no longer invisible. He calls out the mage's location to the others.
Kodey contacts Brem using their radios and asks if we need Nef’ron alive? Brem advises that we may need him alive.
Kodey takes aim at the mage’s lower back, aiming to immobilize him. The shot, a triple burst from his rifle, tears the mage in half, killing him.
JM-47 heads towards the mage corpse to examine his cybernetics.

Back at Korath’s shop, Korath asks Brem if everything was all right. Brem lets him know that the hermit is dead. Korath explains that he may be able to help them directly now, since there is no steward of the traveller’s cave at the moment. Korath gathers what he will need and as they are leaving the shop, Kithroz purchases a hunting knife made of some strange, and very strong material.

Back at camp, Kodey and JM-47 search for Nef’ron’s hut and upon finding it, they proceed to loot it of anything remotely valuable. Including a couple jars filled it coins and some trinkets and foci for his magic craft. JM-47 grabs these trinkets to give to Korath, hoping it might help in getting them home.
As the two return to camp, they see that Kithroz and Brem have returned with Korath. Korath is surprised and a bit dismayed that Nef’ron has been killed, but understands why he was killed.
He quickly gets to work, stating the portal needs to be opened just after dusk before the first moon rises. JM-47 gives Korath the magic trinkets from the hut. Korath accepts them gratefully though they are not needed for this task.
He only needs blood from one person who’s dimension they are wanting to return to, Kithroz steps up and cuts her hand to provide the blood.
Korath casts the spell as the portal opens in the cave. This time, the group can clearly see their home cave on the other side.
Kodey hands Korath all the food collected while the group was there before passing through. Each in turn thanks Korath before passing through and returning to Rifts Earth.

The sky, the woods, the sky, it is all a welcome familiar sight. The Mountaineer is… In disrepair. The back door from the flatbed into the cabin area has been forced open, the tires have been slashed, the bunks have been ransacked with all the blankets, pillows, and rations gone. As were their backpacks, Marco’s rifle and JM-47’s plasma cannon he was modifying.
There are humanoid tracks leading up to the Mountaineer and back away again. Kodey immediately starts tracking them.

End Session 9

<GM Note: This session I left a few openings to see what the PCs would do. There was opportunity for the group to learn some new spells and get some new gear. There was also an opening for Brem to acquire cyberware, but Brem's player seriously knows his character's motives annd did not even entertain the possibility. Good roleplaying if you ask me!!>
Visit my Savage Worlds Blog: https://roleplayersimaginarium.blog/

Previously Ran: Savage Rifts: The Red Dawn Chronicles
Previously Played in: Interface Zero 2.0, Star Wars using Scum & Villainy system, The Lady of the Bayou, a supernatural mystery/horror game set in the 1820s Louisiana, using the World of Darkness (Hunter) rules.
Currently Running: Savage Sunday Rifts Game! It is every other Sunday with a whole new group of players. Follow along here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6035
Looking to run next: Savage Fantasy using the Fantasy Companion or SWPF (not sure which yet) and running it in the Ptolus City by the Spire setting.
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