Champions on an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

[BoloOfEarth]

Looking for some suggestions or feedback. Apologies in advance for being long-winded.

 

I want to run a "dungeon crawl" type of adventure as a tribute to Gygax after his death. The problem is, my campaign is Champions (set in Chicago), not Fantasy Hero or D&D, and I didn't want to run something completely disconnected from my game world. So I decided to use the Invaders From Below (IFB) 4th edition module's Subterrans and Darlkings to help draw the heroes underground, and dusted off the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (EBP) D&D module for the actual dungeon crawl.

 

If you don't know about IFB,

it deals with a race of Subterrans, led by King Earthwyrm and his enforcers (the Darklings), intent on taking over the surface world. The Subterrans were an alien race coming to colonize Earth as their homeworld became unliveable. Due to a meteor collision enroute, their ship crashed into the ocean and (using laser cannons) bored underground, coming to rest a few miles under Kansas City.

 

 

For those not familiar with EBP,

it involves the fantasy heroes exploring what turns out to be part of an alien spaceship, a colony-type transport six levels deep and 540 feet in diameter. Inside, the heroes encounter high-tech equipment and weapons, robots, and numerous alien creatures, as well as the typical D&D lurkers, displacer beasts, dopplegangers, etc. One entire level is like a huge indoor forest, with plenty of dangerous plant life and beasties running about.

 

 

Given the EBP's colony-ship aspect, it could easily have been part of the Subterrans' original ship, broken off or jettisoned as the rest of the ship continued digging to its final resting place. Sure, it would effectively be laying on its side, but artificial gravity could keep things oriented "right way up" inside (except those sections where power isn't functioning ).

 

The problems I'm having is (1) getting the heroes into there, and (2) deciding how to populate the EBP portion.

 

Problem #1

I figured I could have some NPCs who had been captured by the Subterrans but escaped. On the run from Subterrans and trying to get back to the surface, they find a natural chamber that leads them into the EBP part (previously undiscovered by the Subterrans).

 

I could have the superheroes just get a distress call from these NPCs, who made their way to the central computer/command section and figured out how to use some kind of subspace radio before the transmission is cut off. I'll call this "NPCs in the Background."

 

Or I could have the players actually play those NPCs (as 125-point experienced normals) finding and exploring the EBP portion, making the distress call, and the players then bring their superhero characters underground to rescue them. I'll call this "NPCs Being Played." This is actually the direction I'd prefer, as it keeps the players from just blasting through walls (at least initially) to bypass threats.

 

Problem #2

The EBP module is designed for mid-level fantasy characters with magic at their disposal, and IMO some of the creatures in there would chew up and spit out even well-armed modern normals. This isn't a problem if I go with "NPCs in the Background" but is if I go with "NPCs Being Played."

 

I don't want to tone the beasties down too much, or they're just speedbumps when the superheroes arrive. I could just use the Darklings, sent to collect the escapees, as the primary foes for the superheroes, but somehow this feels like I'd be defeating the "dungeon crawl" aspect I'm shooting for.

 

I have two weeks before I start running this, and it will probably go more than one session. Since my game alternates with another GM's game, that means after it starts, I'll have at least another two weeks to write up more creatures, revamp the EBP module, or whatever. So prep time isn't a major factor here.

 

Any thoughts, suggestions, or words of encouragement/discouragement?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Champions on an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

 

Interesting concept.

 

For problem #1, as I recall IFB the Subterrans sometimes made their way to the surface, to spy on us, steal supplies and weapons, or to snack on tasty humans. Incidents of that sort could prompt the PC heroes to investigate and follow the Subterrans back underground, ultimately ending up at this ship fragment. If the investigators are superhuman, that would of course deal with your problem #2.

 

Now, while your concept is certainly intriguing, I would like to propose a simpler alternative: what I consider to be the best "dungeon crawl" published for Champions, What Rough Beast. Originally appearing in Adventurers Club #3, it was updated to the Fourth Edition of HERO System here. Since it's already HERO statted and fully mapped it would be easy to run.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Champions on an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

 

Interesting concept.

 

For problem #1, as I recall IFB the Subterrans sometimes made their way to the surface, to spy on us, steal supplies and weapons, or to snack on tasty humans. Incidents of that sort could prompt the PC heroes to investigate and follow the Subterrans back underground, ultimately ending up at this ship fragment. If the investigators are superhuman, that would of course deal with your problem #2.

 

You recall correctly, and in fact I was starting the whole thing off with Subterrans stealing a munitions convoy after it leaves the Rock Island Arsenal, along with kidnapping a few of the soldiers to interrogate.

 

Yeah, I keep coming back to the thought that keeping it all on the superheroes is the easiest, most straightforward way to do it. As supers they can use the "frontal assault" method of dealing with many problems and threats once inside the ship fragment, but I guess that might be better than having them temporarily run normal-level NPCs that they don't really care about.

 

Now, while your concept is certainly intriguing, I would like to propose a simpler alternative: what I consider to be the best "dungeon crawl" published for Champions, What Rough Beast. Originally appearing in Adventurers Club #3, it was updated to the Fourth Edition of HERO System here. Since it's already HERO statted and fully mapped it would be easy to run.

 

That's a good adventure (and repped for pointing it out, BTW), but I'd like something with multiple encounters and a bit more exploration involved.

[bubba smith]

Re: Champions on an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

 

nd you mightwant to use lower powered supers or gadget types since d&d characters only had one magic weapon apice,or am i thinking of the D&Dtv show?

[teh bunneh]

I'm a huge fan of "Barrier Peaks"

 

I don't really have any advice, but I really love this concept.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Champions on an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

 

I'm with the bunneh on this one. I approve.

[Legatus]

Re: Champions on an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

 

You had some great ideas, Bolo.

 

Reminds me of a journey I sent my players on when they entered a lair beneath an ancient temple in Belize, where Professor Muerte was experimenting with some alien substance and created lots of creepy superhumans with odd powers. The deeper the Pcs ventured the creepier their opponents got. We had a blast of an adventure.

 

Well, of course now, as almost all of them escaped, they all populate Central America and continue to work for the Professor.

[Legatus]

Re: Champions on an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks

 

Maybe I should tell the whole story:

 

1500 years ago the Mayas in the area of what should once be known as Belize found a system of caves in the jungle. In the deepest of these caves they found a strange object. The shattered remains of a meteorite. Soon they worshipped the site and built a temple.

 

Some years ago an archaelogist dicovered the temple and ventured deep into the lair that lay beneath. Never again was he been seen. One of his students was a paid informant to the secret organization of Professor Muerte. He told them of his teacher's mysterious disappearing. As the henchmen of Muerte investigated they found the vast lair beneath the temple and discovered the alien substance. Only a few months later an American organization held the license to conduct scientific studies at the ancient site. But what appeared to be an archaeological enterprise was really a cover-up for Professor Muerte's research team.

 

The alien substance was initially named BME (black matter energy) and is a highly mutagenic substance in a state somewhere between matter and energy (in a comic book science style).

 

These characters can be found in The Lair:

 

Dr. Stain: mad scientist; he invented weaponry powered by BME and conducted experiments by infusing BME into human bodies.

Jack Jones: scientist; former assistant of Dr. Stain; runaway from The Lair; wields a BME gun

Officer Grey: soldier with hi-tech weaponry; henchman of Professor Muerte; superb tactician; leader of the security forces of The Lair

Hunchback: towering giant from Nicaragua; henchman of Professor Muerte

Shadow Stalker: darkness wielding villain; henchman of Professor Muerte

Major Damage: energy projecting villain emitting kinetic energy; henchman of Professor Muerte

Storyteller: projector of illusions from Guatemala; henchman of Professor Muerte

Iron Will: mentalist from the US; of Huron heritage; henchman of Professor Muerte

Blind Guardian: BME mutant; blind old man with a killing touch; former janitor in Muerte's cover-up facility; Belize citizen

Anthrax: BME mutant with the ability to exhale a lethal dust; fat man with a large chest; former truck driver; Belize citizen

Furious Fist: small US citizen of Thai heritage; wearing BME gloves; practioner of Muay Thai Boxing; former security guard

Black Matter: energy projector infused with BME; his energy bombs and death rays only work against living beings; US citizen; former security guard

Maniac: diabolical BME mutant with mimic powers; loner who lives in the darkest corners of The Lair; US citizen; former lab assistant

Masquerade: shapeshifting BME mutant and superspy from Mexico; henchman of Professor Muerte

Bad Medicine: BME mutant with the ability to heal wounds, diseases and injuries; however his powers also distort the features of his victims (-20 COM); performs ugly experiments; fomer medical doctor; US citizen

Red Frog: superleaping BME mutant; runaway from The Lair; Belize citizen

Spit: acid-spitting BME mutant; covered in slimy substance; runaway from The Lair; Belize citizen

Black Drum: obese BME mutant with the ability to use his enormous belly as a drum, inflicting nausea, dizziness, panic etc; runaway from The Lair; US citizen; former security guard

Spear: tall and strong BME mutant with the ability to fly;henchman of Professor Muerte; US citizen; former worker

Clonicle: BME mutant with duplicating powers; able to create up to 30 duplicates made of BME; henchman of Professor Muerte; Mexican citizen

Panic: BME mutant with massive mind manipulating powers; no control; fully visible power effects; henchman of Professor Muerte; Belize citizen

Guy Grant: superstrong BME mutant; henchman of Professor Muerte; US citizen

Tree Bone: plant man; an escaped BME experiment, this amn has been fused with a jungle tree; believed to be dead by the crew of The Lair

Gunnerfly: BME mutated butterfly; huge and intelligent; armed with weapons it stole from the security personnel

Mahagoni: a tree infused with BME; is now sentient and mobile (thin Ent here); 10 metres tall

 

How do the heroes get involved?

Rumors about strange happenings in Belize can be found each day in the newspapers. And every once in a while a new superhuman emerges from Belize (some of the mutants managed to escape and ran away). Suddenly a DNPC is missing. He started to work for a company that was operating a facility in Belize. And...bang here they are!