WttC - The Immunity Stat

 

Immunity

The world of ‘Welcome to the City’ is one rife with pollution, toxins and other nasty stuff that’s all around. This can take a toll on a human body, and it does. Especially for the Work Crews who have to venture into some of the worst areas of the city to take of their jobs.

The Immunity stat is how we keep track of how well their body is holding up… or not holding up as the case may be. Whenever the character is exposed to something highly toxic, gets splattered with waste or goes to long without their filter mask then a roll could be called for.

Rolling for an Immunity check is done by rolling a number of dice equal to your Immunity stat. Normally only one success is necessary although if there exposure is something drastically bad then a higher number may be required. This roll cannot be pushed. Success means you are fine but a failure results in your Immunity stat being reduced by one.

Every PC starts out with a six rating.

Now let’s talk about what happens as that level drops. For every point below six it increases the necessary XP to increase a skill or buy a specialty by two points. Example: If you are at a three Immunity then it will cost four extra XP. At a four you are at one negative die for all physical activities. At a two you are at two negative die for all physical activities and one negative die for all mental activities. At a zero they fall into a toxic shock and are broken and will die if not treated at a medical facility within a day.

Recovering Immunity.

If you reach zero and are treated at a medical facility they can stabilize the PC. The character then wakes up with an Immunity level of one.

You can receive a cleansing treatment at a hospital. This requires a substantial amount of money and a week stay in that facility. When finished you will gain back one point of Immunity and will make an Immunity roll. If you fail, nothing happens this time, but for every success you will an additional point back as well.

Also spending XP is another way. For every ten XP spent you will gain back one point.

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WttC - Year Zero Engine starting point

 

Reworking the game to use the Year Zero Engine from Free League Publishing. I'm really liking my experiences with that system so far and it's available for free to use. Going to try and push this one to actually make it to the playtest level, unlike before. 

What I've decided on so far. 

The four stats and twelve skills. Some modifications here to fit the setting but not much. 

Force (Strength)

Close Combat (Strength)

Stamina (Strength)

Marksmanship (Agility)

Mobility (Agility)

Piloting (Agility)

Machinery (Wits)

Observation (Wits)

Survival (Wits)

Medical Aid (Empathy)

Manipulation (Empathy)

Persuasion (Empathy)

Stealth will be a specialization instead of a skill. Computer Operation will be a specialization that works with Machinery since people who actually know how to do anything beyond the very basics with a computer are not that common. 

Stress Dice will be used. 

A health bar, similar to the one in Alien, will also be used.

Need to add in some sort of Toxic measure in there. To show how badly the toxic environment has affect the well being of the characters. Thinking of something similar to the Immunity Check that was in the old game Kromosome from the Amazing Engine line. Not sure how I'm going to do that yet.

That and the basics of Psionic abilities as well. 

Welcome to the City - PMCS

 

Much of the hardware that new Operators get assigned to use in Welcome to the City isn't of the best quality. It's all made by the lowest bidder, out of date, some of it already well used and prone to breakdowns and failure if not maintained. 

So I'm going to work in PMCS (Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services, something the US Military does all the time) for the characters to do. When the players have their PCs do weapon breakdowns and cleaning, vehicle maintenance and general clean up duties while working. Basically setting up a sheet for the GM to keep track of when it's done, or more importantly, when it's not done. After so many missed times on gear that is used then there is a chance of breakdown, malfunction or outright failure. 

Of course gear that you don't use isn't going to be a focus. So if you go a week without pulling PMCS on your handgun but also haven't used it during that time I'm not going to make it an issue. 

All Work Crew vehicles will have a manual inside of them. The manual will have the name of the vehicle with a dash ten (- 10) after it. All gear comes with their own dash ten manuals as well, usually pocket sized and sometimes pretty worn out from the previous owner. Whether or not the PC carries this around with them is another issue altogether. I will add a minimum skill level needed to have before the character doesn't need the manual anymore to pull it's maintenance checks. 

In a Work Crew vehicle all necessary basic maintenance equipment is stowed inside. Anything major like a complete motor overhaul will need to be done in a garage or turned in for replacement Also inside the vehicles are basic kits for communication gear and hand held equipment. For firearms each Operator is issued a cleaning kit as part of their standard Basic Blue package. 

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Welcome to the City - Firearms

 

Guns are a part of Welcome to the City. You play the part of Operators for the City Works Division going out and solving problems. Some of them are bottom of the barrel clean ups others are go in an remove threats. But there always the possibility, and sometime unavoidable, violence. So a bit about how firearms work in this setting where there is high tech and low tech mixed in needs to happen. 

First off bullets are caseless. Each bullet is a cylindrical chunk where the accelerant is formed behind and around the bottom part of the slug. When the round is fired the accelerant is burned off forcing the round out of the chamber. But, most bullets are made cheaply and in mass quantity, therefore not held to many standards at all. What most Operators have access to are rounds that produce a lot of smoke and dirty up the weapons very quickly thus requiring a lot of cleaning. 

Ignition of the accelerant is done via electronic spark. Thus eliminating the need for a firing cap making it easier to produce caseless ammo. Most weapons have the battery packs necessary for this located underneath the barrel in the case of handguns and in the grip for rifles and larger weapons that are magazine fed from a source not located in the handle. All City Works Division vehicles have charging ports built into every seat for this. Now whether or not that all work depends on how well the vehicle has been maintained. 

Now with no brass being ejected or firing pin being driven forward this reduced the need for a slide. The next round is instead moved into place with a motorized action or a spring powered magazine. So firearms have become more boxed in with less moving external parts. Disassembly also becomes more simple with just a couple of screws being removed. The round cycling motor usually being the most complex part now but are easily replaced if they stop working. 

The firearm will still fire when wet or submerged. However prolonged exposure to water will cause some of the accelerant to soften leading to less power behind the bullet, more dirt and residue afterwards and maybe even failure to fire. If failure to fire occurs there is no slide to work so you can eject the round quickly. Instead you will have to remove the top cover and physical pull the bullet out.

Most beginning Operators are given two firearms. Both pistols. One is their standard carry sidearm the CWF-19, a small pistol that is magazine fed and fires a round slightly larger than that of a .22 with a bit more punch behind it. The other is a much heavier pistol called the CWF-25 it has two side by side barrels and is of a break open design. You have an switch on the back as to which barrel you are firing (you cannot fire them at the same time) and another button to break open the weapon to reload. It fires rounds equivalent to that of a 12 gauge shotgun, basically it fires like a sawed off short barreled shotgun including how hard it recoils on the user. 

The further up you climb the ranks as an Operator the better firearms you have access to. Some jobs also allow you to check out better firearms from your local City Armory. 

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Masters Workshop - Story Cards

 

Working on my own game world, yet again. It has a lot of background details, yet again. But I don't want to force my players to have to read through all of it when a good chunk my never have any affect on what they do. Most of it is just there to explain how the world got to where it is. But I also have players who love details like that. So that got me thinking. 

I'm going to make story cards and rate what level of world lore you need to know what's on a specific card. 

Then those who want the details can read them as they want as long as they are within their characters lore rating. Those who don't but suddenly find themselves asking a question or something does have to do with what's going on then you could just hand them the need-to-know cards for a quick read. Again, as long as they within their lore rating. 

Example: In my scifi setting there was what's called the 'Big Crash' in computer data that happened around forty years earlier. Since all the currency at the time had gone digital this caused a lot of devastation and huge problems. As a result the government went back to solely physical currency known as 'chips'. Now most players just know that physical currency is a thing and digital is not and don't care about the back story. 

Now let's say they find a box full of old Cred Sticks while searching through some old building. I tell them they are pre Big Crash. If they ask what it is I check the card for the Big Crash and it's a Lore Rating 1 so I hand it over so they can read it if they want. Some may not even care and that's fine. 

This helps me introduce history and lore as it is necessary or wanted. No handing over a thirty page world bible and telling them to absorb all that in. But it's also there for those who want that explosion of data to read through. 

Sort of a physical wiki. Now I guess I'll be picking up some more index cards and a new card holder while at the thrift shops. 

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Members of the Guard webpage

 

Well I've started work on trying to get one of my old homebrew ideas up and fully running into a stand alone game. So to do so I've decided to go with a route that brings me joy and nostalgia and sat up an old fashioned webpage over on NeoCities. Learning HTML again was actually kind of fun surprisingly. 

I'm taking my old 'Question of Faith' setting and morphing it into a more defining title of "Members of the Guard". Then slowly pulling bits and pieces I have scattered all over into that one central location. You can find that webpage RIGHT HERE if you are interested. 

Also threw a Ko-Fi link at the bottom and a link to my Truly Rural Productions facebook page on there as well. Hopefully this will gain a little bit of momentum once I get to set down with my group and do some actual playtesting. 

Any questions feel free to drop them into the comments here. 

Modern Day Supernatural - Stone Castle Syndicate

Name: Stone Castle Syndicate

Description: The Stone Castle Syndicate is a clandestine organization that operates in the shadows, shrouded in mystery and hidden from public knowledge. It is an enigmatic group known for its involvement in the occult, supernatural, and paranormal activities. The organization takes its name from an ancient and foreboding castle, rumored to be their headquarters, which acts as a focal point for their activities.

Goals and Objectives: The Stone Castle Syndicate is driven by a combination of ambition, thirst for power, and a desire to explore the forbidden and hidden aspects of the world. Their objectives include:

-Acquisition of Arcane Knowledge: The Syndicate seeks to gather and safeguard forbidden knowledge, occult artifacts, and ancient texts. They believe that these artifacts hold the keys to unlocking great power and unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

-Manipulation of the Supernatural: The organization aims to control and manipulate supernatural entities, forces, and occurrences for their own ends. They believe that by mastering these forces, they can shape the world according to their desires.

-Pursuit of Immortality: The Syndicate seeks to attain immortality or prolonged life by exploring rituals, elixirs, and forbidden practices. They are willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve eternal life and transcend the limitations of mortality.

Structure and Members: The Stone Castle Syndicate operates with a hierarchical structure. The highest-ranking members are referred to as "Lords" or "Ladies" and are secretive and influential figures within the organization. They are known to be highly knowledgeable in occult practices and possess considerable power.

Below the Lords and Ladies, there are various ranks and divisions within the Syndicate, such as researchers, agents, occultists, and enforcers. Each member has specific skills and expertise that contribute to the organization's goals.

Interactions with Player Characters: Player characters may encounter the Stone Castle Syndicate in several ways:

-Adversaries: The Syndicate could be a primary antagonist, with the player characters working to thwart their nefarious plans and protect the world from their dark machinations.

-Ambiguous Allies: The organization may present itself as a potential ally or resource to the player characters, offering knowledge, resources, or protection. However, their true motives and methods could be questionable, leading to potential moral dilemmas and conflicts.

-Sources of Information: The Syndicate's occult knowledge and artifacts can be sought after by the player characters, providing crucial information or tools to combat other supernatural threats.

Hidden Agendas and Secrets: The Stone Castle Syndicate is rife with hidden agendas and secrets. They may have rival factions within the organization, conflicting goals, or power struggles. Unraveling these mysteries can lead to unexpected alliances or open new avenues for the player characters' investigations.

Remember, this concept for the "Stone Castle Syndicate" is a starting point, and you can further develop and customize it to suit the specific themes, tone, and storyline of your modern-day horror tabletop roleplaying game.

Dark West Session one Recap

 

The first session of my Dark West game using the WaRP OGL rules is now under my belt. Had three players show up and character creation went pretty smoothly so we were able to get some gaming in as well. We have a former bartender, a former outlaw and a gunslinger. 

The basic set up is the players are leaving a boomtown that has dried up. So they all pitched in on a wagon and horses to head over to the next big bustling town called Shibboleth. This town has much more potential as the mines a few miles away have really started to produce, the other side of the town goes from hills into plains and has attracted a couple of good sized ranches. Oh and the railway line runs through there also. 

Upon approaching the town on the outskirts the characters are treated with a grisly scene. Three men crucified and rotting about thirty feet off the side of the road. There is a different sign hanging on each one, "Bank Robber", "Murderer" and "Sinner". This does not sit well with them at all.

Over the day they meet the sheriff, the owner and employees at one of the saloons (aptly named "SALOON") and find a place to rent a room and stable their horses. They check on job leads and look around at the other local businesses as well. At nightfall they witness a shootout in the street in which the 'winner' is jailed in case the other person dies from his wounds. Then later are introduced to a fortune teller who has set up shop in the town.

After a discussion with the fortune teller the characters are urged to take a second look at the bodies crucified outside of town. So in the middle of the night they ride out on horseback light up a lantern and one of them stands on the back of their best trained horse to take a look. On that rotting carcass they discover the eyes have been covered with circular pieces of glass and once a lantern is brought closer the eyes begin to move around and then stare directly at them. 

Needless to say they were spooked down to their boots. After another uncanny encounter with a crow in their room they decide to bed down for the night. The former outlaw deciding against the room and returning to the wagon to sleep there instead. 

Many thanks to KnA games for letting us use their back room to run this game. 

WttC - Workcrew Infobyte 002

 

Welcome new Work Crew member. In this Infobyte we will be telling you about the emergency communications device known as the BTMX. Since work crews often find themselves in the deeper recesses of the City far and away from our state of the art telecommunications networks there is an occasional problem with communication. This is where the mobile communication unit BTMX becomes a valuable tool for any crew out there. 

Usually kept in the drivers compartment of the work crew vehicle in a stow away box located under the co-drivers seat. Weighing only twenty pounds it has an easy grip handle to a crew can take it with them if necessary. Outside of the vehicle it has a battery life of around five hours... more or less. Taking only a handful of minutes to set up and power on. The trained crew member then uses the controls on the front to designate their approximate location then flips a switch to either the Emergency or Standard settings. Once contact is made the knobs on the right side are used to fine tune into the transmission, the forward knob is for receiving and the rear is used for transmitting. 

In the Emergency setting the communications hub will put the attempted transmission as 'first in line'. Hopefully they will be able to response near immediately. On Standard setting they are in place in line behind other requests and response will be made once the next operator at the communications hub is available. Sometimes the wait can be up to an hour... more or less. 

Please do not use the BTMX unit as a weapon, the case is not nearly as sturdy as it looks when used in this manner. Do not submerge the BTMX unit in any liquid. Do not use other communications gear while trying to use the BTMX unit. Do not threaten or verbally abuse the operators at the communications hub. You are not required to expose your private areas for access despite what some unscrupulous communications hub operators tell you. Do not get the BTMX unit near open flame or intense heat. 

WttC - Work Crew Infobyte 001

 

Welcome new Work Crew member. In this first Infobyte we will be telling you about the access hatches to our cities vast and expansive underground and sewer systems. In a city as large as our the need to safely move large amounts of human waste, vent air from lower sections and run other utilities out of harms way is great. To accomplish this we have built up large tunnels and access ways under ground and between levels. All of these various tunnels share one thing in common, the worker access hatch that allows you entry into them. 

These specially designed hatchways are made to keep out those who wish to use our underground system for nefarious deeds. Please note the idea of them being made to contain various so called "threats" are completely unfounded. To open these you simply follow these instructions. 

1 - Retrieve the hatch opening device from your service crew truck (the CRP001 located in the back passenger side compartment), unplug it from the charging cord and make sure it is fully charged. 

2 - Place it onto the center socket of the hatch, set it to "open" and pull the trigger. This will spin the socket clockwise and open up the hatch one section at a time. This can take up to thirty seconds to accomplish.

3 - Return the CRP001 to the crew truck and place it on the charger. Then take the CRP002 (the large wrench located in the same compartment) with you as you return to the access hatch. 

You have now successfully completed the hatch opening process.

To close the hatch follow the simple process. Please note, you cannot close the hatch from the inside using the CRP001.

 1 - Retrieve the hatch opening device from your service crew truck (the CRP001 located in the back passenger side compartment), unplug it from the charging cord and make sure it is fully charged. 

2 - Place it onto the center socket of the hatch, set it to "close" and pull the trigger. This will spin the socket counter clockwise and close the hatch one section at a time. This can take up to thirty seconds to accomplish. Please watch your fingers and toes during this part of the operation.

3 - Return the CRP001 to the crew truck and place it on the charger. Then replace the CRP002 back into the compartment as well.

Now as for the CRP002 and it's uses. This is the mobile opening and closing device that is made to be used for anyone from the inside of the hatch. You is made so you can manually open, or close, a hatch in case of an emergency or if you find yourself unable to locate the hatch you entered from. 

Up near the top of the steps you can find the bottom of the socket that is normally visible on the surface. Simply attach the wrench and turn it counter clockwise to open the sections one at a time, or go clockwise to close them. This operation can take from five to ten minutes to accomplish and is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. 

This concludes today's Work Crew Infobyte 

Question of Faith: Dark Dogs

 

Dark Dogs

A demonic servant for Question of Faith

Image is stock art available here. 

These servants of the Demonic forces are something to be reckoned with. They are used almost exclusively to hunt down specific targets and slaughter them... and usually anyone else who is nearby or gets in the way. Although used as a last resort as their presence is hard to miss once they are on the attack and it becomes obvious there is Demonic involvement.

Appearance

These hulking skull faced beasts stand four feet at their shoulders. Their skin is dark and red with no hair. The bones show through as does every fold of muscle in their bodies. They breath deeply as if constantly gasping for breath. With eyes that dart back forth always watching everything around them.

These creatures have to be summoned by a demon of great power. Requiring the sacrifice of two normal untainted humans as well. The creatures are only granted one at a time and their target must be given to them when they arrive. Usually by giving the creatures something with their scent on it or of extreme value to that individual. They will then begin the hunt making their way to the victim. Once the person is dead they will normally return to the other side. However there have been instances where they have stayed and wreaked havoc for months until they are put down.

Cursed Traits

Inhuman Power. They are stronger than anything of their size and have no mercy when using that strength. Forcing their way through guards like they were nothing, ramming through barricades using their horned skull heads as battering rams. Whatever it takes.

The Scent. Once assigned a target they can feel them no matter where they are in the world and will head off in that direction. While not always in a straight line they will eventually make their way to them unless they are killed first.

Combat

They have massive claws on their feet which are sharp enough to slice through muscle and bone like it is simply butter. They use these as their main form of attack. But they have been known to ram people with their heads causing massive blunt trauma and sending the bodies flying like rag dolls. Finally they have a bite with a mouthful of jagged sharp teeth. Which they are known to stop and eat people on their way to the target from time to time.

Question of Faith: Salt Crows

Salt Crows

A demonic servant for Question of Faith.

These are one of the many servants of the Demonic forces that are at the beck and call of their masters. Fortunately they are usually only a handful in numbers at a time and used sparingly. Used for when they need to create an apparent blight to either weaken a town or to temporarily throw it's residents into a panic. Although they have also been employed as spies for those who can see through them.

Appearance: 

Emaciated large birds gray in color and caked in salt. Their eyes are empty sockets with many of their feathers matted or gone completely. Their call a jagged crackle that can be heard over a great distance.

These creatures are summoned through a ritual by a demon of at least average human intelligence. It involves the sacrifice of five regular healthy birds in the process. This will grant the demon between one to four Salt Crows that will obey their commands and will serve them for two weeks before vanishing back to the other side.

Cursed Traits:

The Blight. These creatures will peck at the fruit of crops with their sharp beaks. Causing it to decay almost immediately. Within a couple of hours the entire plant will blacken and die. They will usually go from one crop to the next taking out entire rows within the span of an hour. Two or three Salt Crows can wipe out an entire field over night.

The Sight. The summoner can concentrate and see from the crows point of view. Directing them to fly to specific locations and hearing what they can is also part of this trait.

Combat:

Talons and their beak are the only forms of attack they possess. Going after their targets eyes or other exposed areas. They are, however, a bit more frail than normal birds and are easier to take down with a single hit or two.

 

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Question of Faith: The Gallows

This is a short story a long time coming. I began writing it as part of the 'Question of Faith' game I was writing several years ago. It was a game of dark fantasy where the characters are all cleric, priest and paladin types fighting demons and saving the souls of the people. The setting wasn't nice, it wasn't apologetic, and was going to be gritty. This particular story I was working on was about those found guilty in a trial being hung at a gallows where they have just one more chance at salvation. 

I stopped writing this when a friend of mine took his own life by hanging himself. Hindsight, like always, was 20/20. Shortly before it happened I had been talking with him online, he was frustrated, having trouble finding work, in debt and getting self destructive. But I didn't notice the severity until I looked back once it was to late. Needless to say writing about people being hung at a gallows was suddenly the very last thing I wanted to write about. 

Now looking back on unfinished work and projects I decided to finish the story. Maybe even try to finish the game as well. Just remember to keep an eye on those close to you, and even those who aren't. Never be afraid to reach out and offer help. 

-------

The Gallows

“The next group is ready Brother. Shall we begin?” Joseph sighed as he heard the recruit behind him. Closing the holy book and locking its clasp in place he rose from his knees. Groaning slightly as the wounds on his back ached, pausing once he was upright to let the dull pain subside. Without a word he walked past the recruit and out of the tent.

Sister Mary was waiting for him outside. Her right eye bruised and swollen slightly, robe still stained with the blood of those they vanquished earlier in the week. There was no smile on her anymore, today's dealings were grim and weighed on even the most devout souls. Raising his hand he made a slow fist over his heart as a sigh of strength, she followed suit with the same gesture and then took up her walk behind him to the gallows.

Constructed as he had ordered, four places for those sentenced to be hanged, the ropes dyed black. They were built low as well with no weights for the feet of the condemned so there was a chance of a slow death by strangulation instead of the neck breaking. All so those who had gathered before it could watch.... and hopefully remember well. The townspeople were clustered around its front, well over a hundred, some cheering on today’s deeds like fools, others begging for the lives of their loved ones like those who had lost hope and some praying for redemption, the ones who were secure in their faith.

Pausing for a moment he stared at the two carts for the dead, between them there were fifteen bodies there waiting for the flame. Some family members knelt beside them crying, praying and cursing. He glanced back to Mary at his back, “How many more after this group.”

“Only one thankfully.” her voice somewhat distant as she answered, “I pray more of these seek redemption and gain it. This day is pressing heavy on the townspeople.”

Nodding in agreement the march continued as they made their way. The executioner, clothed in gray and masked, climbs the steps first and takes his position behind the first person in line. They all stood there, nooses around their necks and arms bound tightly behind them. Making their way up Joseph and Mary stand in front and face the crowd. She holds her hand open and Joseph places the coin in her palm which she then holds up before the crowd and speaks.

“These four have been tried and found guilty of crimes against the Church. They are sentenced to be hung before the people they betrayed. However the Lord is merciful to even these who have turned their backs on Him. They will be given one chance for salvation and tested to insure faith is truly in their hearts.”

Turning to the first in line, an overweight man in once fine clothes, one of the town leaders. He looks at her as if he has been slapped. Holding up the coin before him he takes a deep breath before opening his mouth. After it is placed on the tongue he begins to recite the Lords Prayer for his allegiance. Half way through he begins to gag and wince and the coin falls from his mouth. Jacob moves forward and grabs his face forcing the mouth open, seeing the burn mark he motions to the executioner. With a pull of the lever the man drops suddenly stopping with a cracking noise as his weight snaps the neck.

The crowd roars. Jacob wonders just how disliked the man must have been. Mary retrieves the coin, cleanses it with a wave of her hand then moves to the next person and the crowd goes suddenly silent. The old woman stared straight forward unflinching. “My faith wavered I have honestly and opening admitted. I am ready for my test Sister.”

Mary smiled as if she already knew the outcome. Placing the coin in the woman's mouth she watched as she recited the prayer without error or hesitation. A good portion of the crowd roared in approval as the coin was taken from her mouth. The executioner cut the ropes freeing her hands and she immediately placed them on the arms of Joseph and Mary. “Thank you for the chance of salvation, I shall never stray from the light again.”

“Go old mother, we see you facing the light once again, be strong and He will guide you.” Mary says as the woman is helped down the steps by a recruit.

Third in line is a young lanky boy, not even of age to be married. He stood absolutely terrified and visibly shaking with tears running down his cheeks. Mary holds up the coin before him and he opens his mouth and tries to keep from sobbing. Behind them in the crowd is somebody telling the boy to be strong. Once in his mouth he begins the Lords Prayer. Stammering and stuttering his way though out of sheer panic. But he completes the task and stands shaking as Mary holds out her hand for him to open his mouth and removes the coin.

The crowd applauds softly mixed with the sobbing of joy from his family. Once his ties are cut Joseph steps forward and holds him tightly. “You were led astray by those you trusted, by those whom you were taught to obey. It's not your fault son.”.

Nodding in understanding he wipes away his tears before heading for the platform steps. Turning before walking down to speak, “Thank you Chevaliers, thank you for showing me back to the path.”

Then came the fourth waiting in line. She just stood there, a young woman in the robes of a kitchen girl for the keep. Her brown hair unkempt since the trial and blowing slightly in the wind. Mary walked before her and held up the coin. The girl smiled slightly and tilted her head a bit. “Funny little piece of metal that you all trust. Put some pictures on it and say some words. But you all are drowning in your own righteousness.”

“Please,” came a voice from the crowd, a woman who also worked in the kitchen, “We told you, she's touched in the head. She's been like this ever since we found her many years ago.”

“Open you mouth and recite the Lords Prayer.” Joseph with a sternness in his voice stepped forward a bit. But the young lady didn't even look at him just smiled.

“Oh I'm sorry but I don't want that dirty thing on my tongue. So please go ahead and pull that lever and make me dangle for your amusements. I mean that's all you really want. To see me dead like the rest.”

Mary frowned and returned the coin to its pouch. Then looked over at the executioner and gave him a nod. The lever is pulled, the bottom dropped, people screamed and the young woman dangled. Then she opened her eyes and smiled, completely unaffected by the rope around her neck.

“Well I hope you got your enjoyment from that.” She said flatly and then began to laugh in a high pitched voice. The crowd drew away, some ran and a few dropped to their knees in prayer. Joseph stepped back and pulled his sword while Mary waved for recruits to come up onto the platform.

Then the dangling woman burst into fire, completely turning her to ash in moments, setting the gallows platform and black rope on fire at the same time. Retreating back to the ground nothing could be done but watch it burn to the ground complete with the body of big man still hanging.

“Well that's not a good sign at all is it?” Mary asked of Joseph as she stood by his side.

“Sister Mary, I've never seen anything like that so I am not entirely sure.”

WthC - Currency in the City

Currency in the City.

Up until about forty years ago the City used a completely electronic form of currency. Everything was paid for using an issued credit stick. You simply waved it over a receiver to make a payment. But that came crashing down on the day of the Great Hack. The day when every major computer network got hacked by a hidden dormant computer virus that had been put in place over several year. It dumped so much available credit into the accounts of every single person that it crashed the economy and led to a level of inflation beyond anything ever seen before.

The City Administration stepped in and created a physical form of currency once again. Calling it the City Currency Standard, although people quickly started calling it 'chips' since the tokens used were about the size and weight of poker chips. The values stamped on the coins go up ten times the previous number, so 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000, and so on. You can also have a paper 'standard note' generated as well. It can be of any value and is watermarked, laser tagged and has a silicon weave in the fibers to make it hard to duplicate. These are usually used by corporations who wish to store their wealth long term without using chips taking up space.

The entire idea is that it's easier to fight off counterfeiters who can only do harm in a much slower fashion than it is to fight off hackers who can destroy everything overnight.

There are a few different franchises which operate like money exchanges popping up all over the place. They take in smaller value chips in exchange for the larger values so a person doesn't have to carry around so many at one time. Usually charging a fee anywhere from 1 to 10 for the service. Some will also cash standard notes as well, usually with no questions asked. Actual banks only exist in the upper sections of the City where there is more law enforcement presence.

Work Crews get paid in chips at their local Works shop every week.

WthC - The Micro Franchise

The Micro Franchise

Most food franchise companies have started moving past the idea of having actual restaurant locations in many places in the City. The cost of maintaining, staffing and supplying a location in the lower levels is not only expensive but at time dangerous as well. Delivery drivers may pass right through a street turned warzone or have their entire shipment hijacked from underneath them. So they kept the stores in he high end and low crime areas and everything else went to micro franchising.

They basically made it dirt cheap to buy into the company as a business owner. That person is then responsible for providing their own location with little to no constraints by the contract. Also they have to pick their supplies up at designated locations, usually a small guarded warehouse that may supply up to a hundred or more micros.

This has created a huge market of entrepreneurs selling name brand food out of carts, food trucks, pop up stands and some even sell out of a window in their home as a 'walk thru' experience. While some may gain an actual building or storefront to operate out of they are becoming more rare. Everything is being made to be eaten on the go instead of any sort of dine-in with seating.

Another side effect is that it has created a turf war in many areas. Since nearly anyone can get a franchise permit there are areas saturated with franchisees and a struggle for customers begins. Except in the City this has led to assaults and bloodshed. There have been many cases of stronger owners outright killing their competition to keep their foothold.

But hey at least you can get your ten pack of hard shells at Doc Tacos on nearly any street while on your way down to deal with some two foot rats that are chewing wires outside an old stadium.

WthC - Work Crews and ratings

The characters in 'Welcome to the City' are all blue collar workers stuck with jobs in the City Works Division. Basically they are multipurpose problem solvers that the city pays (very little) to go out and take care of whatever issue needs taken care of. Many times things get messy and there is a pretty high casualty rate among the Work Crews.

This of course got the attention of the corporate profiteers who saw that there was a way to make money off of this. So on came the camera crews and the reality show (and many spin offs) called "CWD". Capturing the events of what happens during their missions and mishaps along the way. Sometimes it's filmed and played later, other times if it gets really hot they can livestream what is happening. With multiple shows on multiple channels there is something going on 24/7. It's the most popular viewed broadcast in the city.

So during gameplay there may be cues from the camera cue to address the camera and thus the audience at home. Telling the people what is happening, answering questions from the hosts in the save little studio booths or maybe even to spit out a blatant product promotion.

Crews can get sponsored by all the various companies trying to get their names on the television as much as possible. It earns the studios quite a bit of cash but it does trickle down a little bit into the wallets of the various Work Crew members. If they manage to do well they can get a better stake of the payout and maybe even a few job offers on the side in promotions doing commercials or public appearances.

In the City you are important, but only as long the ratings say so.

So one of the goals is to provide a nice little selection of potential sponsors that the players could net for their characters. Using some that I cooked up for Sla Industries and Cyberpunk 2020 in the past as the basis and then adding to that list here and there.

WthC - Setting thoughts Masks

Current events have got me thinking on some of the setting 'appearance' for Welcome To The City. Since most games will be taking place in a densely populated urban environment and surrounding areas any sort of viral outbreak would be a bad thing indeed. Most likely they would have already experienced them a few times with the overall lack of cleanliness of the City. I mean it's a grim, dirty place with little to no oversight on pollution controls, waste dumping and about every other bad thing you can think about. So people will do what they can to try to give themselves even the slightest bit of protection.

Looking at areas where there is heavy viral outbreak one of those things would be facemasks that cover the nose and mouth. The poorest of folks would be using old shirt material, scarves and whatever else they can find. Eventually leading to those who can afford hard shelled units with full filtration. But where there is a desire for a product the capitalistic world that is the City will also step right in to sell you something.

Custom designs, logo's, various features you can have added, soft cloth type masks and one that are made of hard plastic. The sky is the limit when people are shelling out the cash for it. So there would be entire market for these.

But masks also hinder facial recognition software and that is a problem for those who like to squeeze as much control over the population as they can. To remedy this problem there would be various checkpoints when you move from one city section to another. They claim it is to 'neutralize' any harmful viral or bacterial deposits on the travelers. Basically they are led into a clean room in bathed in a UV light for a few seconds. They have to remove masks, gear and extra clothing during the process. During this they are of course scanned into the system visually and identified.

Then for those who may make their way to the upper corporate levels will be given masks to wear. Clear plastic with full filtration. They will not be allowed to wear anything that blocks the ability for cameras to see their face.

So masks will become an sort of identifying part of the setting. The basic blue CWD workers will be issued standard masks with their uniform but they are allowed to wear whatever they like as long as it's semi tasteful. Therefore a place on the character sheet for a description of the mask, or masks, they commonly wear may be a good idea.

As a GM this gives you an easy way to describe NPCs via 'funny hat characterization' with their masks. Along with a place for your players to spend their characters money at.

Horror Gaming - Sanctuary

Sanctuary

This article is no longer available for free. You can find it as part of Clandestine Societies Issue One over on DrivethruRPG now. 

Tagger Magic from Truly Rural Productions

In the modern era occultists use painted street art to channel magic into reality altering spells. But with after effects that could tear apart the streets around them. Tagger Magic is set using the WaRP OGL from Atlas Games but is simple enough that it could be transferred over to others systems with ease. So grab some spray cans and change the city around you.


Get it over at DrivethruRPG now!

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WthC Starting Gear

What a workers starts with day one on the job.

First they get some living basics provided to them by the city. A cheap two room apartment, medical assistance coverage, a weekly paycheck. The apartment is in one of many blocks that were made specifically for the workers so they are near a public transit center. Also each block has a grocery and bar/restaurant at the base level.

They are given five pairs of their basic blue coveralls, a bullet resistant vest, five sets of undergarments, belt with utility attachment hooks, two pairs of work boots and gloves, two ball caps, one hard hat, one air mask and an ID card with holder as their uniform package. A utility knife, basic 9mm sidearm with three eight round magazines and a holster, a multi-tool and a communication headset. Also included is a wallet version of their ID Card, a public transit card, medical card and a pay card.

Finally they get a City Connection Unit. This resembles a cell phone and how the city sends orders to their crews and for their crews to contact the switchboard for job related tasks. There is a built in messenger that includes the rest of your crew but is only supposed to be use for work related reasons.

Anything that needs replaced, repaired or a request for something essential that may have been over looked can be taken care of by filling out the proper forms. How long it takes before somebody actually looks at those forms is anybodies guess. Not even to mention that somebody can always deny everything for pretty much any reason.