The Drowned War #8: Flotilla City Pacifica

Our second installment in the major Flotilla City States: Pacifica

General rules
1. The Flotilla City States have a central section that the governing body inhabits
2. The City States all have a unique culture and are often influenced by preexisting corporations or their involvement with the Science and Research divisions of the World Navy (7 Helix)
3. Each City state will be made up of segments (miniature city blocks or townships) and all segments will contain a mess hall, engineering room, Security station, and Med station.
4. Some Segments will contain special properties like recycling or heavy guns and defense.
5. All Flotilla States have a Military base of operations and several depots along the perimeter.

Pacifica
Player knowledge: In the wake of the terrorist attack and the subsequent spill of genetic soup, Pacifica found a large portion of its population mutated. Civil unrest grew and it seemed as if Pacifica would implode. The city council quickly requisitioned several segments and quarantined the mutated population. Labeled Green Town the area, by comparison, is a slum. Dirt and rat are common as is a thriving black market of smuggled goods. Pacifica declared war on Oceania but found there their forces were outclassed. That is until the Pacifica military saw the merit in recruited mutated citizens. Mutated soldiers might be treated poorly within the city, but they've earned the respect of their squads.
Too bad that doesn't translate to respect within the city borders. 

Unique Features:
1. Population of mutated citizens, genetic apartheid
2. Black Market and smuggling operations
3. Mutated soldiers
4. Active science and genetic research facility
5. Non-invasive police force. Dress code relaxed.

The City council are as follows:
1. Dagmar Sears - Mayor
2. Julius Dean- City Manager
3. Robert Garrett – City Commissioner
4. Sherri Roberson -City Attorney
5. Patrick Wilkerson -Head of Mutant Affairs

GM Notes: (Players Beware)Pacifica hides a dark secret. The science and research division of the World Navy (7-Helix) moved the bulk of its staff to Pacifica during the Anthropocene. Decades of genetic research and manipulation affected the scientific staff and they were driven insane. Suffering a shared auditory hallucination the staff formed the Cult of the Green Blood (after genetic soup). The secret cult spliced and twisted their genes in an attempt to become hosts for their ancient Gods.

1. The City council are members of the Cult of the Green Blood, they're responsible for genetic experiments on the population and want to push human forward in evolution. The cult of the Green Blood is known to separate segments from the city proper and experiment on the population.

2. Green Town is a slum, mutated citizens are forced to live there and pure gene humans must be scanned for defects upon entering and leaving the area.


3. Poly-form mutations can occur, as can mental instability. Pacifica has a series of unsolved murders; the Police department isn't forthcoming with details. Those that know of the case believe they are looking for a poly-form labeled “The Taffy Man”.

The Drowned War #7: Flotilla City Oceania

If your game is going to take place on a Flotilla City it's important to know the ins and outs.
First off there are four known and the proper Flotilla City States: Oceania, Pacifica, Daedalus, and Arboretum.

The Gamemaster is free (and encouraged) to devise their own flotilla city states.

General rules
1. The Flotilla City States have a central section that the governing body inhabits
2. The City States all have a unique culture and are often influenced by preexisting corporations or their involvement with the Science and Research divisions of the World Navy (7 Helix)
3. Each City state will be made up of segments (miniature city blocks or townships) and all segments will contain a mess hall, engineering room, Security station, and Med station.
4. Some Segments will contain special properties like recycling or heavy guns and defense.

Oceania

Player knowledge: For the average citizen Oceania is plain, sterile white walls are washed frequently and anyone caught in the act of graffiti is arrested on sight. Citizens are required to wear white jumpers and have their ID badges present at all times. Anyone caught on the street without their badge or after curfew is arrested on sight. Aside from those strict rules, Oceania is fairly open, it has several bars and even a robust public library. The Oceania data net allows for inter-segment communication, social media, and message boards. Unfortunately since the war with Pacifica began Oceania citizens have seen their freedoms erode. The City council enacted a state wide curfew and began monitoring the data net more heavily. Rumors of Warrant Officer investigations are whispered among the population and citizens are encouraged to turn in any suspected terrorist.

Unique Features:

1. Social events and gatherings
2. Well stocked prewar Library
3. Library staff in the hundreds
4. Active Data-Net that allows inter-segment communication
5. Proactive police force dedicated to preventing terrorism, and protecting its people from Pacifica spies.


The City council are as follows:
1. Admiral George MacArthur - Commander
2. Janice Meyers - City Manager
3. Edwin Brummel – City Commissioner
4. Helen Dealer -City Attorney

GM Notes: (Players Beware)

While Oceania appears monotonous with its bleached decorum bland summer that's all just part of the program. No other Flotilla city excels in propaganda the way Oceania does.

1. Admiral MacArthur has been dead for some time, but rather than admit this Meyers has had him replaced with a duplicate and crafted a larger than life public figure, only the other members of the council know this and work diligently to keep the general population from finding out.

2. The City council employs an army of public relations and media specialist to monitor and control the flow of information found on the data-net. Hackers and data miners are commissioned with removing, editing, and alerting warrant offers to information deemed coercive to the state. While many follow an order to the letter a small group known only as the “Depository” has set up a makeshift dark web and flooded it with seized information. Finding the dark web is nearly impossible, and if you do you must be vigilant that warrant officers don't find out; if they do you can be sure you'll be labeled a terrorist and arrested on sight.

3. The Public Library is mostly unoccupied. The city council hasn't gone to the trouble of removing the information from the actual books; allowing members of the library staff to aid the Depository by feeding them unedited information. 

Arcane Background: Totem Lords

Hey folks,

It’s been a while and I apologize for that. With the new year and nature of my job, I’ve been busy.

Still, those who follow my blog deserve some content and as such I’m going to show my notes related to an arcane background I’ve been kicking around.

This one isn’t for the Drowned War, but rather a different project I’ll be taking on after DW is complete.

So with that, I give you Totem Lords.

Totem Lords are techno idolaters, by patching into the ambient quantum fields a Totem Lord can perform Miracles.

There is a catch, this quantum manipulation has a draining effect on nearby life. Thus us of this power is exhausting and if a Totem Lord pushes too far into the probability field he’ll drain away his very soul.

Mechanically speaking

• The Totem Lord crafts a techno idol. This idol grants the Arcane Background Miracles and allows the players to take 1 starting power (ignoring rank)  related to the AB: Miracles background. They begin play with 15 power points.
• The Totem Lord can take any edge related to AB:Miracles, and can also select the Wizard edge.
• The totem is required to cast; If lost or stolen the Totem Lord builds another in 2d6 days.
• On a roll of 1 of the trait die (regardless of the wild die) the caster takes a level of fatigue. On a critical failure, the caster takes 2 levels. Fatigue can only be recovered by an hour of rest per level of fatigue.

There’s more, the Totem Lord can burn the energy from their own soul to cast.

The Soul rating is half the character’s Spirit die plus 2.

For example, if the player has a d6 in Spirit he would have a soul rating of 5.

A soul point can be spent to add an extra  d6 die to any roll, and the only limit is how many points the player has to spend.

The player with 5 soul points could spend all 5 and gain +5d6 if he chose too.

However, once all the characters soul points are spent, they die.

The points do not refresh and cannot normally be regained.

So, Totem Lords have the to potential to be very powerful, but must be careful with their how much of that power they use.

The Drowned War #6: sample of Poly Forms

It's been a while, I've been working on collecting and developing the Beastiary for the Drowned War.
This month I'll be selecting a few samplings of creatures: Poly Forms.

A Ploy Form is a mutant that has been exposed to copious amounts of the genetic soup, because of this their mutation has become unstable. Most Poly Forms are androgynous and have a light pink skin tone.

Poly Forms

These mutants appear humanoid with pink taffy-like skin. Driven by hunger they seek to consume the biomass of dead creatures and add it to their own.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4

Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7

Special Abilities* Androgynous: Poly Forms appear humanoid, but with no discernible gender

* Biomass: when a Poly Form makes a successful grapple attack they can consume the mass of their target. Each round thereafter the hold is maintained inflicts Str+6 damage. Once incapacitated the PolyForm consumes the target and adds +1 Size and pace along with one die in strength and vigor. Poly Forms can consume 6 targets and have a maximum strength and vigor d12+2, Size +6, Toughness 13, pace 10
* Claws: Str+d4.
* Creature parts: Poly Forms may ingest body parts from other creatures gain one of their special abilities as the GM sees fit.
* Fear: Poly Morphs induce a fear check at -2.

* Fearless (sort of): Poly Morphs are only afraid of fire. When harmed by a fire-based attack Polyforms must make a spirit check to resist retreating.
*Feral: Animal intelligence survives on instinct
* Gelantious Form: Normal weapons do half damage except weakness

* Mutant: same as Undead monstrous ability Savage Worlds Deluxe, except can be affected by poison disease and drowning
*Sluggish: in a deprived state Poly Forms are slow, but gain quickness as they consume more biomass
* Weakness (Fire): Fire based attacks cause normal damage.

Poly Swarm

Sometimes a Poly Form manages to ingest a rat or insect farm, in these cases the PolyForm is already at its max state. Ingesting these creatures changes the mindset of the polyform and makes them hyper-aggressive. They look humanoid with pink skin, but where the head should be is a mass of several rats faces all with sharp teeth

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d4, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12+2

Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4

Pace: 10; Parry: 5; Toughness: 14

Special Abilities* Androgynous: Poly Swarms appear humanoid, but with no discernible gender

* Bite / Claws: Str+d6.
* Fear: Poly Swarms induce a fear check at -4.

* Fearless (sort of): Poly Swarms are only afraid of fire. When harmed by a fire-based attack Poly Swarm must make a spirit check to resist retreating.
*Feral: Animal intelligence survives on instinct
*Rat Heads: Poly Swarms have both the improved First strike and Improved Frenzy edges.

* Mutant: same as Undead monstrous ability Savage Worlds Deluxe, except can be affected by poison disease and drowning
* Gelantious Form: Normal weapons do half damage except weakness
*Size: +6

* Weakness (Fire): Fire based attacks cause normal damage.

The Taffy Man (WC)

A living nightmare, the Taffy man has a pliable body that allows him to hide in very tight spaces. He stalks his prey, hides under their bed, in the closet, or even on the ceiling. Because he has a taste for inducing fear he has been known to whisper or snicker while in the room with his prey. The Taffy man is a humanoid with pink skin stretched taut over his body, a disjointed jaw that hangs loose creating an oversized mouth and an eye melted shut while the other is stretched and nearly popping from his skull.

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10

Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d10, Theivery d6, Notice d8, Stealth d10, Taunt d6

Cha: -4; Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7

Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Quirk (whispers or laughs from his hiding place)

Edges: Assassin, Fleet-footed, Improved Sweep, Thief, Woodsman

Special Abilities

* Bite: Str+d6.
*Hyper-Flexibility: The Rubber man gets his name due to his ability to contort his body in unusual ways. He is able to deflate, twist, and stretch himself at will. This allows him to slide through pipes, under doors, and through large enough cracks when the need presents itself.
*Semi-Feral: -2 Charisma, retains only the smallest amount humanity and survive on instinct
*Stretch and Leap: The Rubber man can elongate his arms and legs allowing him to make Melee attacks at +1 reach, and leap 1” up (works with wall walker)
*Wall Walker: See Savage Worlds Deluxe

The Drowned War #5: History of the Anthropocene, World Navy, and Flotillas

Before the Disaster

The world of the Drowned War takes place in a wet, oil covered future.
Desperate men and women scavenge for parts, search for dry land, and avoid genetic mutations while attempting to survive a planet regressed into primordial savagery.

History of the Anthropocene

Post 20th century the Corporate powers (mega corporations with incredible power) were able to utilize their economic influence and overthrow several governments.
A period know as the "Corporate Wars" saw the Corporate Powers gradually sweep independent states under the rug and make way for a Unified Nation.

The Corporate Powers erased borders, established global trade, diluted organized religions, and instituted a one world government.

Society progressed as new technology became available, but an increase in population and environmental changes were taking their toll on the world. A slow, methodical flooding of the Earth dubbed 'The Anthropocene' was occurring. The Unified Nation initially denied the existence of the Anthropocene, but as more and land was claimed by the seas the Corporate Powers were forced to acknowledge the inevitable loss of all dry land.
Massive Earthquakes shifted coastlines, sank mountains and washed away islands in Tsunamis. The Unified Nation began work to ensure humanity -or at least it's masters- would survive The Anthropocene.

The World Navy

As land became scarce The Unified Nation consolidated Earth's military forces and re-purposed them for aquatic research and Naval operations. 

It took decades, but the World Navy was born.

While an intimidating military force, the World Naval was also dedicated to research and exploration as much as conflict. 

Scientist with the World Navy's Project 7 Helix were responsible for creating the genetic modification serums or genetic soup as it had been come known. This substance is capable of altering the genetic codes of those exposed to it. Slightly radioactive the soup was responsible for mutations and "adaptive" projects that would allow humans to survive in varied ecological conditions. 

While Project 7 Helix unlocked the human genetic code and devised organic experiments another organization tackled the daunting task of sheltering the human population.

Flotillas

As land became more scarce the Corporate Powers reorganized several different contractors and development companies. The newly formed Atlas Applications was given an unlimited expense account by the Unified Nation. Tasked with developing sustainable synthetic islands Atlas developed modular flotillas. 

Coming in a wide varieties of sizes from personal pods to floating city blocks the advanced flotillas were designed to be self sustaining ecosystems. 

Unfortunately, while gigantic in size, flotilla cities were not large enough to accommodate the worlds population. 

Wealthy and middle classed citizens were welcomed, but the poor and unskilled were banned from most flotilla cities. 

Forced to make due outside of these floating jewels survivors began constructing their own environments from whatever they could scrap together, these junk flotillas litter the seascape like bobbing junkyards.

As water levels rose and resources became harder to locate disputes between flotilla cities became aggressive, the Corporate Powers split and dissolved into respective city councils.

The two largest cites, Oceania and Pacifica, were able to maintain relative peace during this time, until a terror attack by a doomsday cult damaged Pacifica's genetic soup reserves.

The mutagen leaked into the surrounding area and caused flora and fauna to wrap into horrific creatures. Pacifica's leaders refused to believe the attack was the result of religious zealot's and used the attack as a justification for war with Oceania. 

With the many dangers now present on the Earth, the remnants of the human race are drowning in war.

Video: AetherCon V - Hammers & Nails: What Goes into a Good Town

Some of you may know we have an ongoing relationship with the Aethercon online convention.
Attached is a video with our very own Craig Goad as he interviews John Bennett, James Gantry, and Richard Green.

The Drowned War #4: Bone Fishers

In any setting, especially war settings, there has to be a flavor of human savagery. Boogie men that raid and ravage settlements before dragging regular people off to horrible fates. In the Drowned War, that role is filled by The Bone Fishers.

Bone Fishers

The Bone Fishers is a tribe of cannibalistic hunters and wild men. When the Anthropocene occurred society fell apart. Food, shelter, and basic amenities were impossible to come by, and with several people shoved into whatever dry space they could find; it was only a matter of time before the ruthless began to consume the weak.

Bone Fishers gain their name from the weapons and armor they employ, made from the bones of their victims, either as fragments or ground down and made into a cement. Known as skilled hunters and trackers, Bone Fisher's raid settlements and stalk squads of soldiers. Once they've subdued their victims they drag them to their camps to be used as food and materials.

Bone Fisher Tracker

These hunters stalk their prey and pick them off from the treetops and shadows. Their leather armor with bone fragments is often covered in mud and grass to form a natural camouflage.

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8

Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Notice d8, Riding d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d10, Survival d8, Tracking d10, Throwing d6

Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8(2)

Hindrances: Outsider (cannibals)

Edges: Assassin, Marksman, Woodsman

Gear: Bone bow, bone knife, Leather armor with hood.

Bone Fisher Brute

These brutal madmen like to get up close and personal with their prey. Brutes have been known to charge riflemen and even machine gun nest with the intention of bashing their targets skull in. Brutes that act as wild cards cover their bone armor in red smears.

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10

Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d12, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d10

Charisma: -4; Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9(2)

Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Outsider (cannibals)

Edges: Combat Reflexes, First Strike, Fleet Footed, Improved Dodge, Improved Nerves of Steel (when a wild card), Sweep.

Gear: Bone armor, skull helmet, bone club

Bone Fisher Wrangler (WC)
Masters of animal husbandry and mild psychics these tribesmen can somehow calm the wild animals around them and use their talents in battle.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Healing d10, Knowledge (biology) d6, Notice d8, Psionics d10, Riding d8, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Swimming d8, Throwing d6, Tracking d8

Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Outsider (cannibals)

Edges: Arcane Background Psionics (Beast friend only), Beast Bond, Beast Master, Healer

Gear: Bone Knife, Whip, Animal companions such as a dog or mount

PP: 10

Bone Fisher Chief (WC)
These war chiefs are the brains of open combat. Not the strongest or the fastest, but usually the smartest.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d10, Knowledge Battle d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d10, Shooting d8, Taunt d8

Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7

Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Vengeful (Major when the tribe is threatened)

Edges: Charismatic, Command, Command Presence, Hold the Line, Strong Willed, Tactician
Gear: Robes, staff, antler crown.