Action set pieces?

[Grow-Arm-Hair Lad]

Indiana Jones always has a cool opening scene. Can you think of a cool 1935-era opening for a pulp game?

 

There are some criteria:

-Imagine it is for a group of low-powered PC's, meaning there have to be obstacles, rolls, and a feeling that they are doing something and making decisions rather than passively experiencing something

-It should have some element of spectacle, like, I think every Indiana Jones opening has that element

-It should have a pulp feeling if possible

 

Thoughts? Ideas?

[Duke Bushido]

An airplane flies into view, then two others.  The second two are overtaking the first when it executes a perfect immelman and races for the lead pursuer head on, upside down, machine gun blazing as it rolls to right itself.  Bullets rip through the canvas of the plane and it droops out of control and begins an undirected drive toward the ground.  It's path will bring it to a spectacular crash within yards of the PCs, but before they notice that, they have time to see the third airplane veer toward the first and open fire, and sharp-eyed characters may see the pilo9f pull back on the stick even as machine gun fire  tears through his plane.  He is not hit, but a miraculous bullet has snapped the stick in half.  The first plane smashes into the third, the planes burst into a shower of flaming (and not flaming) parts.

 

As the smoke billows upward, the PCs see the pilot from the first craft falling to earth when a parachute billows out from his pack, flutters, and fails in a tangle of cords.  He falls to earth just moments before the first plane dives into the earth in front of the PCs.

 

I have no idea if that is pulp-appropriate, as I have no idea when the parachute was invented, but it seemed kind of right to me.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Duke Bushido

[Grow-Arm-Hair Lad]

Digging it, Duke!

I'm trying to come up with an opening for my players, and this is definitely in the right vein.

The PC's have been together for a few adventures but there has been a short break and this seems like a good time for an Indy opening scene to get everyone in the right mood. I have been thinking about Bond openings too, or set pieces from modules, but I still have some time before the session.

[Duke Bushido]

Here is one I did a few years ago--  keeping in mind the era; we are not talking today's Mega-liners.

 

Late foggy night; PCs are on a steamer heading from one port to another.  They are rammed amidships by a second completely unlit ship of slightly smaller size, but not by much.

 

Miraculously, neither ship is sunk.  The seas are remarkably calm for the season.  The damage is extensive, but entirely (just barely) above the waterline.  The collision is sealing the hole in the PC's ship, at least enough that the water leaks aren't ahead of the blige pumps, but the front of the other ship (now in the PC ship's cargo hold) is ripped open in a number of places.

 

But the winds are getting harder, the seas are getting rougher, and there is a soft rumble of thunder off in the distance.

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Duke Bushido

[Ninja-Bear]

I figure chasing wild animals down main street. Or better yet a dinosaur! To get the heroes moving!

[Grow-Arm-Hair Lad]

5 hours ago, Ninja-Bear said:

I figure chasing wild animals down main street. Or better yet a dinosaur! To get the heroes moving!

 

...which somehow made my mind jump to a safari. Which I dislike but perhaps it could be a cryptozoological safari.....with tranquilizer darts...?

[Ninja-Bear]

8 hours ago, Grow-Arm-Hair Lad said:

 

...which somehow made my mind jump to a safari. Which I dislike but perhaps it could be a cryptozoological safari.....with tranquilizer darts...?

How about a trek to the Himalayas? To the mysterious temple and there are Yetis! 

[Duke Bushido]

The PCs are riding on on the new ultra-modern underground train-  perhaps they are persons of note locally and were asked to attend a ceremony and inaugural run; perhaps one of them is filthy with lucre and has funded it; perhaps it is the fastest way to get to where they think they need to be; you decide.

 

As the elevated section of track plays out and the track slopes downward to make its decent under the city,  it seems to be picking up too much speed (roll to notice).

 

Sabotage is afoot, and the operator has been killed; as he slumped over the controls, he pushed the throttle a bit.  Within moments, the train is hurtling through the darkness of the tunnel, the gas lights passing by like fireflies blinking in the distance.

 

Inspection of the engineer's area reveals blood, a hand-carved stone that resembles a tiny charm or totem, a bizare symbol painted in red on the wall, and an ornate gold-handled dagger- too fancy for utility use- sticking from the engineer's back.

 

The train turtles through a cave, leans sickeningly and rolls off the track, metal screeching and rending as the train slides on its side next to the track before crashing into the wall of the new tunnel and then through it, where the engine and the first two cars dangle precariously into a natural cavern.  The only light seems to be a fire, but the blackness makes it impossible to tell how far away it is or how large.

 

Twenty feet beneath the dangling engine, brave explorers will find a cold body of water- aquifer?  Underground river?  Who can say?

 

In the distance, with a row of burning torches before it, even more courageous souls will find a temple of gold, lapis, and onyx.  It is almost Incan; almost Aztek; almost Myan.

 

Almost.

 

What's going on?  Is it an ancient cult?  A forgotten or unknown native civilization?  A Bass Pro shop?

 

That's up to you.

 

To be honest, this one isn't my favorite, but with the temperature on the sun-baked asphalt today, you can understand why a swim in an  underground river came to mind today, I think....

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Duke Bushido

[Khymeria]

On 7/20/2023 at 4:09 PM, Duke Bushido said:

I have no idea if that is pulp-appropriate, as I have no idea when the parachute was invented, but it seemed kind of right to me.

 

 

The parachute was invented in the late 18th century and was used to jump out of a hot air balloon not long after if I recall correctly. Totally pulp feel. The airplane stuff was cool by the way, you seem to have a good grasp on the subject. 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Khymeria

[Ninja-Bear]

How about chasing Nazis through town because they stole an ancient artifact? Of course this was during the grand opening display at the museum.

[Duke Bushido]

I am not the guy shopping for suggestions, but I do like that one!  Nazis, right here on our turf, in our town, and they are doing somethinf awful, and succeeding!

 

 

[Ninja-Bear]

I was thinking that a good twist can be that the artifact in question is a Eed Herring of sorts. Yes the Nazis would like it but they really wanted to kidnap the good professor who discovered it. Naturally the Professor knows where Atlantis is! Or at least a colony.

[DeleteThisAccount]

Our intrepid heroes are being shot at. (This works better if they don't have plenty of guns of their own, yet.) Luckily, they're on a riverside pier, surrounded by a maze of box walls, made of wooden crates full of dried corn. (Whether its true or not, we're going to say that these would stop bullets.) All they need to do is sneak round to clock the mobsters in the head without the mobsters getting a clear shot at them. 

 

Throw in a falling crate or two as a crane got hit by a stray bullet, and a few screaming animals running away from the sound of guns, and even maybe a small boat pulling up at the pier right at the end for a get-away, just as the mob's reinforcements arrive by car.

Edited August 25, 2023 by KingAdipose

[GDShore]

Duke the parachute is actually quite old in concept, dating to Da Vinci. The first chute as we would recognize it was developed between  1790 and 1800,  the parachute as we see it today was created by Katchen Paulus in the 1890's. The harness, backpack (although if I remember rightly it was a seat pack) and drogue chute in the 1890's. Interesting fact, in WWI the Limey's and Frog's did not issue parachutes to their pilots - reason that if they had an escape route when the plane got in trouble the leave the plane instead of trying to save it, the Hun's however did issue them, believing that a trained pilot was worth more than a stringbag. (many Germans refused to use them because they were bulky and uncomfortable, but they did have them)

       My entry,, "It was a dark and stormy night" (yes that hoary old line) a Duesenberg crashes thru the pouring rain along a switch back road climbing towards a castle on top of a hill lit up like a christmas tree, (2 in the front 3 in the back) summoned there by a friend in dire trouble.

[Rich McGee]

Somewhat belatedly, Ferris wheels are fun for action scenes.  They're good for splitting the group, with PCs dived between gondolas at different altitudes and waiting at ground level to catch a ride (or not, if they dislike heights or think it's all too childish to bother with), the nearly constant (until someone messes with the controls) motion complicates tactics no end, and climbing the thing (up or down) is both risky and exciting.  Either side can in a conflict can wind up getting "treed" and have to find another way to escape - perhaps by daring acrobatics and a final dive into a dunking tank or through the tent of a "mermaid" attraction, a timely hot-air balloon ride or even a pre-arranged airship if you want to be OTT about things.  Small gondolas are great for private meeting places to exchange info, secret plans, illegal goods, blackmail payments, etc.  And don't forget the crowds (panicking or otherwise) and other nearby entertainments.  A little research will reveal that even in 1935 they were commonplace and came in a wide variety of sizes and styles, from the tiny "mobile" wheels you'd find in a traveling carnival to huge, more-or-less permanent civic structures (often near piers, for some reason).

 

Add you choice of foreign agents, mobsters, madmen, and minions of mad science and spin the wheel. 

[Duke Bushido]

On 10/3/2023 at 12:07 PM, GDShore said:

Duke the parachute is actually quite old in concept,

 

Thanks; intersting information!

 

 

On 10/3/2023 at 12:07 PM, GDShore said:

   My entry,, "It was a dark and stormy night" (yes that hoary old line) a Duesenberg crashes thru the pouring rain along a switch back road climbing towards a castle on top of a hill lit up like a christmas tree, (2 in the front 3 in the back) summoned there by a friend in dire trouble.

 

 

Make it a Cord and I am _sold_!  Man, those things we're _gorgeous_!

 

Still, the Doozie _was_ a fast machine, kitted out properly.

 

One of the best things about the Deusenberg was the surprising amount of ground clearance, even under the roadsters.  Plenty of room to the a couple of suitcases _under_ the car...  Or maybe an unconscious woman, strapped to a plank to keep her from dragging the road....

 

You know how it is:  _start_ with excitement, then just go nuts!

 

 

 

[GDShore]

Yeah, I love the cord too. It was the first car model I ever made, it won't comfortably seat 5 if they are big boys. Besides the Duse just screams money.