Hi,

I'm going to run Tattered Fates next week and would like to have some more encounters for the Red Cages before they enter Vault XIII.

I would love to have some more curious/lethal and dangerous encounters, my group of Acolytes has 3.200 - 4.000xp so they should be able to handle alot.

GrtZ,

Santiago...

if you have DotDG then id suggest looking through that for chaos beasts or CA for some xeno

GENERAL ADVISE:
Instead of simply inserting one "event" after the other ("you walk through this nighmarish labyrinth as you...") offer them "intersections" from time to, possibly with some hints where there next decision might take them. After some Perception roles, perhabs!

Hopefully, this creates a "feel" of a labyrinth, even if without "a map". Tried the "event after event" approach in a different down-hive-mission (of my own) and the feeling failed miserably

[ENCOUNTER]: The Chasm of broken ways (Vault-Level)
The tunnel/way the pc are following ends in a large, cylindric chamber criss-crossed by gangways and pipes (similiar to what is described in the Encounter given in TF). The bottom lies in darkness an can not be seen. If the pc drop something to "gauge" the dept...it turns out to be really deap and ending on soldi ground. The gangway leading from the side of pc has collapsed, leaving only a downward bend "stumpf" of the forma bridge on both the opposing sides.
If the pc want to cross the chasm, they have to cross the distance (about 10meters or more) "layway" along the pipes criss-crossing the the room. Ask for extended outine checks for strenght to get across or for check on acrobatic for balancing along a pipe... or brachiating among them like a monkey!

Anyway... after the first made it safe to the other side and the second, voices and the sound of approaching men can be heared. A slaver patrol!
The pc have to hurry (worsen the checks or put a limit to the number of roles allowed). If the pc are fast enough, they can disappear without being seen. If not, they might have to fight the patrol while being on different sides of the chamber (or even in the middle of crossing it!). Take a number of three to five slavers, as you see fit. Raise an alarm if the pc do not get out of the way or can´t deal with them quickly.

[ENCOUNTER]: Flood Pipe (Vault-Level)
The pc opened a heavy door in a wall or the ground which leads into a large and damp pipe (3m in diameter) filled by half with a dirty-brown water. Due to the smell obivously part of some sewage system. The pipe obivously goes upward in a steady angle, the sewage flows down slowly. Smaller opening along the sides lead in more sewage

As the pc walk the pipe, after a view hours can first make them run across some rat-size leach-like creatures trying to attach to them. INT to notice that removing this suckers while inside the sewage is a sure way of getting a nasty wound infection, properbly resulting in the loss of limbs if not treated with the next day!

Anyway, as they walk upwards, mention the water begins to rise notible and that the current gets stronger. Ask every checks for strenght and later swimming to go a long, one worse then the other. If the pc want to leave, there are opening hatches, but they are hard to open while "rusted shut / seized up". At the end, the water does not rise farer the "need-to-swim", but the current is strong enough for challenging swim tests. (Contest between the "strenght" of the pipe flow and the swimming pc) if they do not get out at one point, they will be flushed down in THE DEEP SINKS.

[ENCOUNTER]: The fungid devil and THE DEEP SINKS (Deep Level)
A large room (30m x 60 m) filled with sewage (do not even THINK to dive to the ground), the walls covered with some green shroom-like goo glowing in a sick and pale yellow-green that as floating in patches ontop the sewage as well. Advances are going round the walls every ten meters, with "Sewage Level X m" written next to it. Each one of them rarely broad enough for a man to stand on, but solid rokcrete. The next ("Sewage Level 60meters"). is 2 meter above the sewage actual sewage level. There are iron steps in the center of two of the walls leading up. Large pipe opening in the ceiling can be visible for every pc

The stench is overwhelming! Have every pc make ordinary checks for Toughness. If they do not succeed, they are quiet nauseated and dizzy (-10). Three level of failure, and they pass out! (Hopefully, the other pc notice and dive for them!)

As the pc move along the walls (or swim, if they fell in!) they might register something moving in the water... and see a fate yellow-green-glow growing stronger! After a while, a huge semi-plant-like massive blobb emerges, obviously made up of the same material then this goo all over the place. The blobb will start to ooze up the the vertical walls (!) after the pc, extending many small tendrils as it does so.
Make a point about that it does not leave the water completely, seemingly just "stretching" itself ..and the glow beneath the sewage growing stronger!

Make this a "flee!" encounter with a massive opponent. Perhaps you want the pc to be ablte to spot something like "nerve clusters" in the blobb, allowing to "stun" it with pain for a round of time if hit. Decide how much success the pc need in "climbing" to reach the next door out of this (and what it takes to open it!).

If one pc dies and burns a fate point, "pull the plug". Literally. Make a sound of MASSIVE machinery below be heared... and the sound of a flush... the sewage and the thing go down gurgling...and the glow with it, leaving the pc in utter darkness till the get to a door next to the stair (glowing EXIT sign?)

(No stats given for the "fungid devil in the DEEP SINKS"...but are they needed at all?)

Good ideas, but a practical, nit-picking question:

If you're walking uphill inside a closed pipe, how can the water-level and rate of flow INCREASE as you get higher up? That makes no sense, unless there is a general increase in the amounts of water, not related to elevation or position. In which case one would imagine it being temporary (someone flushing a tank, or whatever)

Darth Smeg said:

Dart, I THANK YOU! I am excellent in ruining my own ideas with some EVIDENT BUGS !

BugFIX:
The increase isn´t slow but a rush of water building up quickly. The can either hurry to the next hatch & open it OR (failing checks for running in the smudge) swim against it to the next hatch to get out in an level a little bit higher OR (failing this as well) they will get swooped down into the "Deep Sinks".

http://rapidshare.com/files/256212470/Microsoft_Word_-_TA_RedCageEncounters.doc.pdf

Another two Encounters (One Stealth/Combat and One Social/Dilemma; both "Vault Level).

I hope, Rapidshare is fine with you!

http://rapidshare.com/files/256235062/TA_RedCageEncounters02.doc.pdf

And another two of them. Somehow, I can´t keep myself from adding "combat" and "stealth" as options, but the second is actually about "Tech".

I am REALLY Missing the "Edit"-Function now...

http://rapidshare.com/files/256343746/TF_RedCageEncountersV03.doc.pdf

Rolled them up into one and cleaned some of my grammatical errors. Some very minor "mechanics" changes, but only very-very minor (one or two about Awareness)

I will delete the other files now. Thx.

Good stuff, Gregorius. I'll probably swipe these when I get around to running Tattered Fates myself.

I am not familiar with the adventure myself, having only briefly looked over it, but would slaver barracks and "medic-stations" be scattered around the unverworks like that?

Hi Darth,

the adventures makes you believe exactly that, as far as I understand it. It seems that the whole area is a mess of tunnels, gateways, corridors and the like with only some rooms here and there. The adventures itselfs "sports" a structure like this, mentinoning some obivous "beast house operated areas" which do not seem to have any provided link besides "it is assumed that something else is around".

But since there is nothing like a map for this, one can conveniently make these rooms/encounter as close as 5m of tunnel without further rooms inbetween.

The only "orientation" is that "Vault Level" is anything near the "centrel operation area" why "deep level" is everything "further down" (or perhaps further away !) and even "Up Level" (surface) is given in the adventure itself..

But I share your feeling. While thinking of it, I was considering something "rather close to one another" and also wanted to add an "Arena Encounter" I am still working.

"Unfortunately" , my own group is due tomorrow, so "have" to spent the time on them.

Additional "Reason":

it seems that the "Red Cages" are not a support "road network" for ONE arena, but dozens of smaller ones. Therefore some "logistic central points" seem to be somewhat "scattered" in between (i.e. imagine the "fodder pen" to be one "pen" placed "half way" between two or three arenas why might lay "50meters and two leves" in different directions.

Methinks Gregorius you are a tad excited about this adventure... nice work though!

I must admit there's a delicious amount of fun a GM can have with this section of the adventure. I've started scribling ideas of extra encounters too. One encounter I really want to add is the PCs walking along and finding a headless corpse. They proceed further on then whoever's at the back gets attacked by a Gloomhaunt (the nasty headmunching bat-thing from CA). From it's description I could imagine these wee critters inhabiting the Red Cages, plus it wouldn't be too hard for them to kill.

Darkshroud said:

@Excitement
Not really. I do not even know if I want to run it at all! The "Red Cages" are fun, but the "beginning"...and the rest of it! Oh dear... perhaps I will take the "Red Cages" and turn it into the "end game" of a "purification" agains the beast house on Quaddis!

@"A headless corpse"
A good idea! Anyway, I do not think that the GH is easly killed. Especially if your "throw" him at your pc at the beginnen...while they are not armed that much But an excellent idea!

I always wanted to weave the following "scene" into my ongoing campaign. Perhaps Tattered Fates can be altered to accomodate it?

It was inspired by Hostel (the horrible gore-movie), and i pictured the acolytes (or at least some of them) waking up on a cart covered with corpses. Right next to the cart is a huge and rather simple looking butcher chopping up the corpses and throwing the parts into a furncae or incinerator. This butcher fella obviously thinks the acolytes dead, and will get around to "processing" them in a few minutes (one or two corpses lying on top of the acolyte(s)).

The acolytes are naked, perhaps wounded, and have to somehow surprise this butcher fella, and kill him (forcing him into the furnace is an obvious choice).

Now, naked and armed only with his cleaver and whatever improvised weapons they can find, they must escape whatever "facility" they are in.

@Darth
Possible to re-work TF like this. Everything to need do is...re-write the whole beginning!

You will therefore "lose" the introduction of one certain npc, whatsoever. You own the modul, so you will know who I am talking about.

Anyway, this should not be that much of the problem. The only difference is that the pc will not know who the Inquisitor is talking about! Introduce said npc later. perhaps during the revel. On the streets. While a lot of (drugged) revellers are lead into a dancing on a square where a strange clockface was drawn on the surface of the pavement with bright chalk by a skilled artist.

The revellers dance to music, dancing in circles around the clock and pirouette around themselves. The music (played with fiddles, flutes and bells) gets more and more frantic, the song goes

"Dance! Dance!
Around it goes!
Dance! Dance on top of your toes!
Dance! Dance! Dance my friends!
Till the light / it shines and
The Clock Strikes (Number)"
Chours repeat 3x: The Clock strikes (Number)

The number goes up every verse and it gets more frentic every verse. Introcude the players to the scene on "ELEVEN! The Clock strikes ELEVEN! The Clock Strikes ELEVEN!"

The pc might notice some native around, looking to be shocked at the sight and leaving the area. If the players ask and get no answer, stranger in a heron mask will approach them kindly, explaining "and old custome... and an old superstition. The natives believes it brings bad luck if the clock strickes thirteen. That something bad will happen. Strange custom, isn´t it?"

When the verse comes to "THIRTEEN!".,.. it will appear....carnage will ensue among the dancing reavellers and panik will break out as the musicians and leaders of the dance reveal themselves as pilgrims. The pc can watch for a while, but the longer they stay the more endanger they will become

[My thougt about the "alternative". to be honest, I was thinking about HOSTEL as well as I was reading the "red cages". Inciddent? Or clever working of the authors?]

EDIT. by "introducing at the revel" I meant "the carnival" (the second part of the adventure)

Thank you, keep m coming...

So here we are

http://rapidshare.com/files/257661075/TF_RedCageEncounters_MaidenDeath.pdf

An encounter actually including an arena.

Please take note that this one was designed to be "somewhat sick", so do not tell me I should have warned you.
Anyway, everyone familiar with horror movies might yawn about this, anyhow.

Gregorius, any chance you could jsut cut and paste the text to show us? downloading from rapidshare is a complete pain in the rear. Some good ideas, all round, though I'm surprised you dislike the adventure so much. I hate running prepublished material (I refuse to run anything I haven't written), but, after reading tattered fates, I'm rethinking that policy altogether.

Edit:

Encounter ideas include:

A terrified slave runs through the corridors, crashing headfirst into the acolytes if they don't take cover at the sound of bare feet running. Upon sighting the acolytes he or she will beg for mercy, offering all kinds of fortune from his wealthy family should his life be spared. There won't be more than a few seconds to get information from him though, before a Beast House slaver (see DotDG) appears, tracking the escaped slave, fully intent on perforating him. The acolytes can fight the slaver or try to hide from him, but bear in mind the slaver's bionics allow him to see in the dark, so shadows are ineffective. They may also attempt to pass themselves off as legitimate Beast house operatives if dressed apropriately. (a challenging+0 Bluff or Deceive test)Should the acolytes rescue the escaped slave, either killing, evading, or bluffing his pursuer, they will be rewarded upon reaching the surface with a valuable mercantile contact. While far from wealthy, this contact can procure almost anything, and will do their damnedest to get the acolytes a discount if they can. Should the acolytes leave the victim to their fate, either by handing him over to the slaver or by running off and leaving them to die, they'll be forced to listen to the shrill screams of someone being peeled with a skinning knife, knowing that the suffering is their responsibility. This knowledge gains them 1-2 insanity points.

The talk of TF in other threads recently reminded me of this one and of Gregorius' excellent Red Cage Encounters. Unfortunately, I didn't keep the pdf he had written up and it's no longer up for download. So, besides resurrecting a thread here to watch it wander about munching on brains, I'd also like to politely ask our resident encounter genius if he could possibly put his pdf with Red cage Encounters back up for download. I remember there was some good stuff in there suitable for more then just Tatter Fates...

So, pretty please and thanks in advance :-)

Graver said:

To recite Jay-Z "Thank you, thank you! Far to kind".

http://rapidshare.com/files/361606390/TF_RedCageEncountersV03.doc.pdf

http://rapidshare.com/files/361606522/TF_RedCageEncounters_MaidenDeath.pdf

But, the "Maiden of Death" should be after Xenos. Thereby, one should rewrite it to introduce one female dark eldar as "main attaction".

Do you want more? I am not sure if I am able to deliver, but I could give it a try.

More? Only if you have the free time :-D What you've already done is more then sufficient for my needs, but then again, I'm greedy. ;-)

Thank you very much!

"Free time"? I gues not...but I have a mind that seldomly comes to rest...

http://rapidshare.com/files/361682396/RedCagesEncountersII.pdf

One new encounter ["Hounded!"] and a "write up" of the already provided "The fungid devil in THE DEEP SINK" (with some new options).

Found of mutant canniblas hunting humans in an ancient boiler room? Well, I am...sorta

http://rapidshare.com/files/361812519/RedCagesEncounter_ScavCan.pdf

Up next: Some mutant gladiators waiting to be released and a weapons locker of the pc´s dream.

After this, I am out of inspiration for the RedCages, so, and will turn on working on the Treasurehunt of "Brutal Lament" and some more Options for "Damned Cities" (which I like much much more then TF).

Eaten the way up [Deep Level Encounter]

While stumbling around and looking for a way up, the pc come across a huge hall which once must have been a basin for sewage water. Half of the ceiling has collapsed, so, and half of the room is filled with a heap of hunks of rockcrete and other debris piling up to the hole that was once a ceiling. The pile is covered in dry moss. Through a crack high up and out of site, a little beam of sunlight falls into the room. From a crack in the floor, an unbelievable stench crawls up.
The pc do not know it, but they are now under the area known as “the collapsed palaces”. The whole area suffered from the break down, but is now more or less stable. But it is far from safe. While the heap allows to climb up the next [Vault] Level, the heap also has become the nest of a colony of Torturcrawlers. As the pc approach the pile ask for difficult (-10) test on Perception/Awareness to spot the palm sized pale shelled “nest guards” guarding and patrolling at the center of the pile “halfway up”. Emphasize the comparable huge nipper-like mandibles.

The pc need 15 successes on an extended routine (+20) climb test. After achieving 10+ success, the heap grows ore steep (ordinary climb tests). As missed role means that a part of the pile gives way and the pc slides 2 (+level of failure) “success” down again.
The Torturcrawlers will start to attack them after five “rounds” (seven if they spotted the “Nest Guards” and tried to climb the heap at as much a distant to them as possible).
Use the “Crawler” Stats from the core rules. Add the “Tiny” Size Trait, change the damage to 1d5, give them the “Fearless” and “Improved Natural Weapons” talent. The first point of damage will kill one of them.

At round 5 (or 7) one will be attacking each pc, other are pouring from diverse openings in the heap
Two rounds later, two further will attack. Three rounds later, it will be three more and so on. Please take not that this tiny buggers cannot “outnumber” the pc. The “Nest Guards” will leave them alone as soon as they accumulated 12 success….but will attack if the slide down due to a mistake.

Options A: The Torturecrawlers bite could deliver a venom that makes the skin burn and itches like hell. The pc are -3 to all Perception based tests due to lack of concentration.

Option B: The crack is home to a child sized “Crackspider” which normally preys on the bugs but will attack anything to “scare it off” that strays to close to the crack (challenging awareness test to notice the spider before it attacks. A pc “checking the crack in the floor” will get to close). The Spider will attack only one time before falling back into the crack (see “Assasine Strike” Talent) but the venom is paralyzing and necrotic. Use the “Crawler” stats from the core rules. If damage is done, the victim must make a routine +20 toughness check. If failed, the area of the bite starts to numb and the pc will start to feel weak. [Temporary loss of 1d5 points of strength and a further one for every level of failure).