Re: [BNW] Re: General questions..

[Tim Craft <deadtim@thefaxcompany.com>]

>Welcome to the list!  Have you run BNW much yet?  I think we'd all like
>to hear any problems or cool things you've encountered so far, because
>most of us (I think) are not yet running it...

Ah, I'm running it Mr. Encaffeinated One!  I guess perhaps I should speak
out more about what's going on, hmmm?  I will, but you'all let me know if
I'm boring you guys....

We have four Delta's: 

Pinball - (Bouncer) A teen more comfortable on the streets than anywhere
else, Pinball is the typical Bouncer.  High strung, quick to act, and shows
little fear.  He and his partner (Calico) have known each other for a few
years, and their combined skills and 'talents' make their life a little
easier.  That is, until Delta Prime (tm) finds out about them...

Calico - (Sneak) Where Pinball still has some measure of ethics, Calico
dumped them out the window long ago.  As a Sneak, he's used to people not
noticing him, and thus he's found it easy to get things he needs.  Not much
for combat, Sneak prefers to let his partner be the front line guy while he
slowly slips in from behind....

Isis One - (Tough) A large and tough woman who most likely would have
belonged to a Wrestling Federation in another life.  Anti-DP through and
through, Isis has found and trained young Delta's around the country in how
to fight against the tyranny of President Kennedy.  She uses her body's
natural resistance to injury and a huge hammer when words fail her.

Cowboy - (Gunner) Cowboy spent most of his life in New Mexico, but when
things got hot (he's Hunted), he decided to come to Crescent City to try
and make some money.  Bodyguard work is where he does the best, and he
still has yet to kill anyone despite his love for the six guns at his side.
 He's that good.  Now, if he could *just* get over his love for cowboy hats
and country music...

These four lead normal, everyday Unregistered Delta lives.  Then one day,
they were contacted by Truth (everyone's favorite Deus Ex Machina).  Seems
Truth stumbled on a communique from DP itself, and it seems that DP knows
about them, and in fact is probably on their way now!  With some hasty
instructions on where to meet a few others with their current problem, the
players met at a public place - there is safety in numbers when it comes to
Delta Prime.  Once the typical initial distrust is gone, the players leave
the mall to find that Delta Prime is everywhere - and looking for them,
most likely!  So they ambush two Delta Primers that they find in the bad
side of town.  The fight goes relatively quickly (Ahem - this is where I
forgot to add in their defensive value to the target number that the PC's
use to hit.  "Wow! I go for ANOTHER head shot!").  The two DP'ers, 'Grudge'
and 'Bolt', give in after a bit of interrogation, and reveal that they
(Delta Prime, that is) are actually searching for 10 unregistered Delta's.
They've captured 5 already, and they've got a lead on one more.  How they
came into this information is unknown (Bwahahaah).  So the players, after
finding a computer and consulting with Truth, decide to try and save the
last Delta from DP.

Here's where it goes from Good So Far to D'oh, How Could They Do That:

The players find out that the Delta, Holly, hasn't been captured yet
because she simply hasn't been home (camping trip, they hear).  Supposedly
she should be home tonight!  The PC's steal a car (correction, the morally
handicapped Calico steals the car, everyone else looks on and says nothing)
and drive to the house of the girl.  That's right, they DRIVE RIGHT TO THE
HOUSE.  Ahem.  The house that Delta Prime has covertly surrounded.  As they
pull up a mere block away, they are startled by the sudden appearance of a
teleporter, wearing the uniform of Delta Prime.  Landing next to their car
is another DP'er in an Armorgeddon suit.  The suit guy knocks on the driver
side glass.  (I'm thinking "Ok, they screwed up.  How do I salvage this?
Ok, cars must come through here, right? DP wouldn't tie up the entire
block, they don't want to scare the girl before they grab her... So DP
would just normally stop all traffic, and tell them the area is off limits.
 The PC's look normal, too.  Almost a family, even! A mother, father, and
two boys.  It'll be perfect! Then they'll ditch the car and become smart
players and SNEAK into the girls house! Yes! Good Idea!) That's when the PC
driver panicked and punched the gas, almost hitting the teleporter!
(Nooooooooooooooooo!)  Let's just say that the next couple of hours was
getting away from a pursuing Delta Prime in force.  The driver, recognizing
her mistake, drops off everyone else when she gets a brief lead on the
pursuers.  They scatter (and not stick together, mind you).  She (Isis)
drives on, hoping to get away.  After all, she's a skilled driver! Well,
when it comes time to make a vital turn at 100 mph, she BOTCHES her driving
roll (remember my post about 'How much damage do you take in a car accident
again?').  The car flips a dozen times, and ends up wrapping itself around
a tree.  Being a Tough, she's not too worried.  It ended up being 2 wounds,
Massive Damage.  She's hurt, but not too bad.  She takes off on foot,
hoping to get away.

Cowboy runs off (this is near the girl's house, remember? LOTS of DP'ers
and CCPD around).  He goes from back yard to back yard, the sounds of
sirens all around him.  Finally, a Delta catches up with him.  His name's
Feral - and his sole power is to communicate with.. ahem... dogs. Now
before you judge me, picture this scene: A deserted residential street,
late at night, and a feral-looking Delta Primer bearing down on you,
howling.  Surrounding him are all manner of dogs - dogs with a reddish and
rabid gleam in their eye. Dogs that have jumped fences, bitten through
leashes, whatever - all in order to follow the Call of their new master.
In retrospect, it sounds humorous, but believe me - the player felt fear,
and the scene worked.  He eventually escaped (barely) and found an odd ally
(more on that later).

Ah yes.  The boys.  They decided that Pinball would hide in a sewer
opening, while Calico (the Sneak) decided to Sneak right up to the house,
and find out what was going on.  Good idea, except Calico is a bit... cocky
(thus my post the other day about him searching every CCPD car for weapons
and the exact 'power' of stealth).  He actually had the #$%* to jump on the
PD radio.  Needless to say, there were a few tense moments as they searched
for him, but they did not find him.  He *did* find out that the
unregistered Delta was 'taken' by another, unknown Delta.

It is obvious at this point that my players have totally split up.  It
happens in the comics, but it stinks when it happens in a game.  When that
happened, we switched to Moves By Email (we play every other week, so this
is an easy way for us to get our fix).  Made it easy to deal with them
split up, and I could do my best to have them come back together in time
for the game (which is tomorrow).

Not so easy, say the players. Ahem.

My plan was to introduce the Underground.  I've written up a bit on it -
It's called 'Dark Side' (dark side of the moon, Crescent City, get it??).
Dark Side is filled with unregistered Deltas and such, and it's actually
become quite the rebel city.  It's built within some remnants of old
Chicago, of course (you may be wondering why Delta Prime doesn't just go
down into the sewers and take 'em out, eh? Good question.  I decided they
wouldn't do that for two reasons: 1) there would be a great loss of life as
the Unregs would fight to the death and 2) Delta Prime has their own
reasons for wanting Dark Side to continue on.  As long as they don't get
too uppity, that is).  Well, as I said, my plan was to have all the players
meet up in Dark Side.  You see, Truth contacted someone in Dark Side and
told them about the PC's. ("If Delta Prime wants these folk, *I* don't want
them to have 'em!")  So the 'ally' that Cowboy ran into is actually a
friendly neighborhood Unregistered Delta from Dark Side.

Sure, Isis (the fleeing tough with bad driving skills) will have difficulty
getting down here.  But I'll manage, right?  Cowboy will be down there
soon, and the two teens as well! Right? *Wrong*.  The two teen PC's decide
they don't like the Dark Siders, and become aggressive.  The Dark Siders,
Only Trying To Help, sneer and leave.

So now I'm left with a fragmented group of Delta's, and I have to think
fast on how to get them back together.

Oy vey.

So that's my campaign so far, I hope you enjoyed this small novel! Let me
know if you have any ideas or suggestions! =)



DeadTim
"The only good Tim, is a DeadTim."