Secret Wars Campaign Log

[Casper]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

It is one of three things you would have likely done, yes.

 

No big. Makes the writeups shorter!

 

 

Ugh, the more you mention what we would have done, the more it irks me that he cancled...

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Update: I've added another section to my previous cut scene, so be sure to go back up and read the last section, as it's brand spanking new.

 

 

Ugh' date=' the more you mention what we would have done, the more it irks me that he cancled...[/quote']

 

Look, don't stress about it. Priorities are important. Hell, I shouldn't be working on this as much as I am. I'm definitely not ready for this quiz that is... later today, technically.

 

It would have been 2-3 combats (almost definitely) that would have given you a look at what's going on elsewhere and served to help you get more practice using various rules, especially in a situation where there was no risk/downside.

 

No big.

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Update: I've added another section to my previous cut scene' date=' so be sure to go back up and read the last section, as it's brand spanking new.[/b'].

 

"leant" is not a word. You probably mean "lent" or "loaned".

 

Otherwise, continuing to be good stuff.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

"leant" is not a word. You probably mean "lent" or "loaned".

 

Otherwise, continuing to be good stuff.

 

 

Jeez. That's what I get for typing this up at 11:30 at night while watching "The Guardian" at my girlfriend's apartment.

 

Thanks for the catch! Fixed it.

[Ragnarok]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Loa....bokor....

 

My zombie-dar is beeping...

[Terenac]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Ooooh, voodoo priest. Always so many interesting things going on.

[Ragnarok]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Jack's beautiful, brand new electric blue BMW Z4M has been destroyed by a hail of gunfire and various explosions.

 

Heads will roll...

 

[Terenac]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Easy come, easy go I suppose. I await the tales of your brutal vengeance.

[The Suave]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Words cannot describe how great a GM Manic is. His cinematic posts are just a taste of how beautiful his game sessions can be, each and every description is there in the game. Never have I been in a game that was so much...FUN! Everything works together that no matter how dark, silly, realistic, campy, violent, or speculative the game gets, it never ceases to be FUN!

 

This is said as Manic's friend, and former (and hopefully again) player.

 

I'm sure his current players know this, I'm sure they do. If not, open your eyes.

 

I only say all of this to congratulate Manic on yet another game that seems to be nothing short of big, bold, and daring.

 

LOA I need to come up there and cameo.

[torchwolf]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

I don't usually wear hats, but I'll just put one on now so I can say "My hat off to Manic Typist".

 

Reading the installments in this campaign is extremely enjoyable, and you get a good sense, especially from the cut scenes and the GM comments, of what aspects of storytelling should be focused upon when GMing. Keeping in mind what goes on behind the scenes, and especially visualizing it, is what breathes life into a campaign world, and when described like this, reading it is more like watching a good movie unfold than many novels I've read.

 

In an ideal world, it is an excellent idea to include cut scenes between sessions, but in-game it can be hard to pull off, and describing such cut scenes directly before or after a session can be pretty difficult to pace exactly so it doesn't detract from the players point of view. Writing it down like this in between sessions is a very good solution - which is applicable to most other genres as well.

 

It also reminds me of Alan Moore's style of writing: describing what happens offstage (from the main characters' point of view) can definitely enhance the mood in a special way. The last installment also gives a really good sense of how the tension escalates, and a whole new level of danger is ominously descending upon the unsuspecting city...

 

All in all, excellent work, and it keeps getting better.

[Casper]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Jack's beautiful, brand new electric blue BMW Z4M has been destroyed by a hail of gunfire and various explosions.

 

Heads will roll...

 

 

Heads did roll...

[Manic Typist]

Episode 5: Beware Lowered Booms

 

Note: I haven't really proofread this, as I'm trying to get everything done between work, sleep, and preparing for the next session.

 

 

Jack drives Darius and Chan back towards Chinatown. The ride starts out uneventfully, but turns tense when Chan asks about Louie in the backseat, and reminds the pair (after Jack explains that he’s a prize that could offer them potentially valuable information) that their orders were for “no witnesses.” Jack makes several cognizant and reasonable arguments explaining the potential benefits of having a mafia prisoner, but eventually it becomes clear that Chan is not in the habit of INTERPRETING orders but rather FOLLOWING them (especially considering that the characters have now said Chan’s name and the Choy Sing where Louie could potentially hear them). Jack tells Chan to make sure Louie is actually unconscious, but sees Chan reaching into his jacket as he leans over the back seat. Jack interrupts, “Chan, are we going to have a problem?” Chan pauses, settles back into his seat and reholsters his pistol. “If he does not die, I have to report back that you did not adhere to that specific requirement.”

 

Jack is understandably frustrated, which is not helped by Darius’s undermining of his efforts (Darius wants Louie to die for shooting WRAS), and eventually Chan offers to call the higher ups and get a ruling. A brief conversation in Mandarin occurs, and Chan makes them an offer: kill Louie, or hand him over to the Choy Sing. Jack agrees with a small measure of reluctance (GM’s note: He was Jack’s prize after all, and I think the player really wanted an “in” with the mafia. See notes below).

 

Jack pulls up in front of the Choy Sing Tong hall, and Louie and Chan quickly disappear inside. Chan tells the players before he departs that they will receive a call tomorrow with information.

 

***

Jack pulls his BMW Z4 into the darkened interior of the warehouse, a place of shifting shadows as his headlights sweep across the area nearest the door as he turns in and eases forward to the sole patch of light: a twenty or thirty foot circle of brilliant light cast by several portable lights set up in a circle, facing inward. They had received a phone call a few hours ago, telling them a time and an address. Cypher has tucked himself into the back since Darius called shotgun.

 

Jack parks the car, and says “Let’s make this as business like and polite as possible. We’ll get more money that way.” He turns off the engine, and the group climbs out of the car to meet with the Choy Sing Tong. They’re here to talk business: they made their bones with the successful hit on the international drug smugglers and even landed a bonus by capturing a member of the Mafia. Now they should be able to talk prices for taking care of Saltpeter Mary.

 

Seconds tick by as they stand expectantly in the sole splash of light in the cavernous darkness. Jack knows there are people there. His preternatural vision showed him seven people surrounding the light: two on each side ducked behind some debris and three up high in an office with a large, slanted window overlooking the floor. Time seems to stretch as they wait.

 

Suddenly the hidden figures stand up and reveal themselves... as Jack recognizes the sound of multiple assault rifles chambering rounds. Everyone’s face shows a mixture of shock and consternation, and they barely have time to dive flat to the ground before seven men open up on them full auto with M4 assault rifles.

 

A storm of flashing light and thunder erupts in the warehouse as the assault rifles spew incessantly, tearing into the expensive sports car. Glass shatters and explodes from the vehicle while sparks ripple from along its body like firecrackers. One of the tires blows out, the grill disintegrates, and the car is more or less gutted by bullets. Something dies inside of Jack as his beautiful car is demolished.

 

One by one the assault rifles fall silent, and in through the deafening echo and ringing noise leftover, the group can hear new clips being fed into the weapons as the gunmen make ready to finish the job.

 

Jack quickly analyzes their situation and doesn’t like the results, and so he yells “Let’s get the f**k out of here!” and bolts upright to dive into the car. Darius and Cypher stumble in their side as well. Blessedly, the car starts…but over the cough of its engine they hear a deafening crashing noise behind them. Glancing through what’s left of the rear window, they can see that the sliding door has been slammed shut… and than a large payload of cement blocks and metal pipes has also been dropped across the front of the door to make it a proper barricade.

 

Jack slams on the gas and veers the car to the right, doding around the central office and through a small gap in the surrounding cover as he escapes into the unlit confines of the warehouse. As he’s leaving the circle, however, a flaming object tumbles into his view and smashes into his fractured windshield, releasing a sheet of fire to sweep over most of his windshield and roof. Burning liquid seeps into the cracks in the windshield, darting through it like neon lights and occasionally dripping down to burn Darius’s lap as the temperature in the car rapidly climbs.

 

Jack swerves around the central office tower that provides a dominating view of the floor below, and narrowly dodges around various pieces of debris and heavy machinery as he swerves the car left and right, flinging burning liquid in graceful arcs from the car until he finally hits a portion where he can go straight.

 

Cypher glances through the back window. “Oh s**t, down!” he yells as he ducks. Bullets stitch a line up the center of the car, racing past the trunk and through the glass and between the driver and passenger’s seats. One round buries itself in the radio with a spray of plastic and sparks.

 

Jack slides the car around a large obstruction and the car screeches to a halt. A doorway set in the building’s wall beckons. He glances at the large, cylindrical tank screening the car from fire. The signs covering it indicate that it would not respond well to bullets. He sighs as everyone piles out of the car. Jack takes position at the corner of the storage tank closest to the door, and fires off a rapid series of shots in an attempt to provide covering fire, yelling “Go!” The smell of gasoline is evident.

 

Darius sprints for the door which is only about fifteen feet away. He throws his hands out to push the metal access bar on the door…and slams bodily into the door and staggers back from it. It has been very solidly locked. Bullets bounce of the concrete as he races back into cover.

 

Cypher has already disappeared, so Darius turns and rushes to the background offices and machine shops to see if he can discover another way out as Jack continues to fire his pistol as fast as he can pull the trigger (fortunately, that is very fast. Unfortunately, it is not nearly as fast as the multiple assault rifles pinning him down). As Darius is about to enter the first set of offices, he notices a nearby grate with a simple padlock denying access to a ladder that leads downwards into… well, somewhere else. Making a decision, he shoots of the lock and yells “Here!”

 

Jack quickly falls back to spot Darius disappear down some sort of hidden ladder that leads below the building, and quickly joins him as a small explosion rips out from the undercarriage of the car. Cypher, who had begun to try to take cover and circle around their enemies, evaluates the distance between him and the grate, factoring in the burning car. It will be close. Deciding (GM’s note: after a subtle GM nudge), he runs forward and bodily slides into the open grate as a deafening explosion fills the building with fiery light. Jack looks up to see Cypher falling down the shaft towards him, and manages to brace himself between the wall and the ladder rungs to catch the man… just in time to see his own car barrel rolling through the air, slowly falling towards the opening just above their heads. He covers himself as the car slams into the floor above them, and manages to keep his grip as the rungs buck in his hands and a concussive wave slams through the tunnel they are in. Darius, however, loses his grip and falls into the darkness.

 

A sudden impact sends him sprawling into an unforgiving floor, sending up a massive cloud of grey dust. His ankle registers a sharp spike of protesting pain, but he can’t really do anything about it as he is encased in almost total darkness. Jack climbs down the rungs and sets Cypher down and sets off in search of a light switch, using his enhanced eyes to guide the way. He finds a circuit breaker, and dim, flickering light begins to fill the area, peeling back the worst of the gloom to reveal… an abandoned subway maintenance station, complete with a derelict subway track geometry car (GM’s note: the players had been wanting a base…).

 

***

The next night:

 

Cypher soars through the air and rolls as his shoulder hits the rooftop. He glances back to see Jack perform a sort of hopping motion that sends him easily over the gap between the two buildings. The rooftop lock is easily circumvented, and he slips quietly into the interior of the Tong hall as Jack sets up his overwatch from the building’s roof, a duffle back filled with an emergency and untested contingency plan resting quietly at his feet.

 

Cypher drifts through the third and second floors of the building, pausing at corners to listen, his booted feet silently rolling across the carpeted and wood covered floors. The building seems to take no notice of his passing.

 

He easily slips through the main foyer where two guards watch, and into the main reception hall of the building. It is intricately decorated with a red cherry wood and gilded statues depicting Chinese lions. He surveys the area silently, taking in the motifs and lore depicted in the murals. He walks cautiously over to one section and begins to slide his gloved hands along it, until with a faint clicking sound the wall vacillates…just like that op he pulled in Xi’an. He proceeds down the functional, concrete stairwell that is revealed behind the lavish façade.

 

A long hallway awaits him, with doorways hinting at multiple rooms and a significant underground complex. He creeps up the edge of the hall, silenced P90 leading the way in the brightly lit tunnel. There is no cover or hiding places to be found here, so he makes himself as small as possible as he scurries to the first doorway and peaks around the corner. Four Asian men sit at a card table playing mahjong, chattering quietly with each other over the sound of the tiles being slapped on the table. Weapons peek out from holsters or rest on the table, and cigarette smoke wafts up from them as they kill time, obviously guarding the single door that is in the room with them.

 

Bracing himself on the other side of the open doorway, Cypher evaluates his options and then comes to a decision. Popping around the corner on one knee, he opens fire with his silenced P90. Two quick bursts rip across the unsuspecting men, darting across their bodies in a series of red sprays and muffled impacts as they let out last gasps or twitches and slump in their chairs or fall to the ground. One managed to stand partway up before the second burst came back for him, and he crashes into the table and sends the game pieces scattering across the floor like ivory rain (GM’s note: one guy took two rounds to the Vitals! Poor baby). Quickly searching the bodies Cypher finds an antique key which might match the door. Almost as an afterthought, he cuts the throat of one of the men who had been fortunate to simply take a bullet in each arm rather than center mass. Unlocking the door, he steps inside… only to suddenly have someone try to tackle him! Cypher’s intensive training, combining with the lackluster amount of force, allows him to easily beat the effort aside and discover that his assailant is none other than the man he is here to “rescue:” Louie. Louie slumps up against a crate, obviously exhausted and weary and showing signs of extensive beating. A single chair with some broken ropes lay nearby. Cypher grabs Louie and begins to help the man from the room, stating simply that he’s here to get him out and that there’s no time for questions. Louie staggers over to the bodies and takes two pistols (Cypher does as well) and then they make their way out (Louie moves slowly but can definitely walk on his own). Returning to the main reception area, Cypher and Louie suddenly hear the sound of approaching men and they dive into cover underneath some nearby tables. Four men walk by, blessedly unconcerned about the possibility of an intruder as they make their way through the false door and into the basement. Realizing that those men were the replacements for the cooling bodies below, Cypher hurries Louie towards the main entrance. The two men guarding here are now both sharing a drink at the bar, one behind it and one sitting on a stool in front. The sitting man is raising his glass to his lips as a bullet slams into his arm and then another punches through his chest, tumbling him and the stool to the ground. The other man doesn’t have time to react as the bullets take him in the gut and eye, causing him to first slump on the bar in front of him and then slide to the ground below, out of sight. Cypher and Louie rush through the front door and call Darius to pick them up, where Jack meets them with the tote bag in tow.

 

They quickly leave the scene, and update a confused Louie on what happened: they approached the Choy Sing about taking care of the bomber who hit their hall, the Choy Sing sent them to take out the international smugglers, and then the Choy Sing sold them out. The PCs are rescuing Louie to clear their name and make it clear that the Choy Sing had been using them, rather than the PCs trying to harm the Marcelli family. Louie takes this all in, and then tells them to take him to a certain pizza parlor in Little Italy and in the meanwhile clues them in to a few things that they weren’t aware of: popular theory is that the bombing was a power play by Han Fei to take over the Tong… which means the PCs approached Han Fei and offered to kill the man’s retainer assassin, which causes Louie to chuckle and grimace as bruised ribs protest the sudden movement of his body. Turns out the smugglers where the main suppliers of H to the Marcelli (Louie’s) family, which is the only family that previously wasn’t buying heroin from the Tongs. With them gone now the Tongs (specifically the Choy Sing) have been able to step in and take over fulfilling the family’s demand… which fits in with the sudden increased push of H movement by the Tongs into Hudson City. The Choy Sing used the group to remove their competition and then tried to have them eliminated by the Marcellis who were eager for blood in return of the loss of their own men.

 

They pull up outside, and Louie thanks them and asks them to wait a second while he goes inside. Louie walks into the establishment obviously the worse for wear, and the PCs are left to idle in the car in silence. A few seconds go by, and then gunshots break out inside the restaurant. Louie comes scrambling out and rushes back towards the car (GM’s note: the look on Jack’s player’s face was rather amusing). He pulls the door open, and tells Darius to floor it as he dives inside. Darius says something to the effect of “Why should I?” to which Louie replies that they are all dead if he doesn’t…and he presses a gun to the back of Darius’s head. The car quickly races away from the pizza joint as a couple of Mafia thugs run outside and take a few desultory potshots at the fleeing vehicle.

 

Needless to say, everyone in the car (Louie included!) is having a rather large “What the HELL just happened??!?” moment. Louie suggests they go to a diner so he can use a payphone to make some calls, and they agree. A tense hour later, Louie rejoins them at the booth and dives into his food as he explains: apparently people have seen Louie knocking over several family businesses in the past day or so…even though he was definitively in the hands of the Choy Sing. His interrogators had threatened him and said he “could never go back” but he’d thought they just meant he’d be dead before that could ever happen… apparently, he’s been set up. His only chance of clearing his name is with the PCs, and he’s willing to do a lot to help him get back in the good graces of his family… and he knows a decent amount of the operations of various families throughout the city (GM’s note: The players had wanted an “in” or contact with the Mafia….).

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

As always, be careful what you ask for.

 

Continuing to be good stuff, MT.

[Manic Typist]

GM's Thoughts

 

The Good

1) Cypher getting some spotlight time. ‘nuff said.

2) Cooperation of the players: Cypher took the GM Clue to dive for the grate and stick with the group, Jack driving the car into the warehouse/circle of light. It demonstrates that they are actively aware of the dramatic nature of the game and can pick up on the hints/opportunities to play it up and otherwise make it feel like a movie. I just hope that because this time it was a trap that it doesn’t make them think all future “scene suggestors” are the same.

3) PCs talking with Chan- were making extensive plans about Louie, but I knew what Chan would say and how the Tong would feel about that, and that it just made too much sense for them to kill him for me to make it not happen. Fortunately the PCs managed to prevent it, and even came to an interesting arrangement that offers future plot potential. I’m very glad, as I would have been forced to explain to the PCs that Chan executing Louie without warning was NOT some sort of punishment but rather the rather logical, necessary action based on what was going on.

4) The PC’s got hit back, which makes their enemies seem more credible (I think, at least) and hopefully means that when the PCs dust themselves off and bring the fight back to the other guy they’ll be very enthusiastic.

5) Jack’s accent continues to delight.

6) Me keeping a straight face when before the 4th session Jack’s player (Ragnarok) said something to the effect of “Well, I was going to try to arrange a meeting with the second in charge of the Choy Sing Tong, who’s now first in charge…*pause* Huh. He might have killed the first in charge. I’ll see if I can talk to someone else then.”

 

The Bad

 

1) Not as smooth an introduction to the base as I would have liked.

2) My in game, face to face descriptions, need a lot of work.

 

The In-Between

 

1) My GM nudges. I always worry about my affect upon the players’ direction. I do believe is entirely appropriate and often ideal for the GM to provide nudges or some guidance (always with a soft touch) towards the PCs: making it clear when something would be a BAD idea, reminding them of something they’ve forgotten, pointing out something they’ve overlooked if they’ve jumped hard and fast to one conclusion without necessarily taking a step back (especially if their characters might have additional ideas). At the same time, I want to make sure that I keep my touch as light as possible. I don’t want to DIRECT the PCs, get in the way of them coming up with their own ideas/solutions, make them even THINK that there are rails in the plot, etc. Example 1: Cypher dove for the access hatch because I told him he could make it and that it would be “close” in terms of the car exploding. He did, and it seemed to be a bit of a dramatic moment… but he could have just hidden up above and watched the hit squad leave. In retrospect I wish I hadn’t given him this nudge, since it wasn’t really THAT important (I thought it was but now I realize it wasn’t) for him to stick with the group, and it would have given him time to positively identify the would-be assassins. Example 2: The idea to rescue Louie was directly my suggestion to the group. This one was probably ok, since it required a bit more “in-character” thinking/knowledge than is immediately obvious to players: the man has only been held for 24 hours, he’d obviously be a source of information to the Choy Sing so he’s probably being interrogated, plus he’s the only person who can verify to ANYONE what’s going on. Again, this one was PROBABLY ok. I think it led to a more dramatic turn of events (rather than just retreating and hiding for a bit, they instead got to be proactive) AND gave them the Mafia connection they’d been talking about. Still, I want to be careful of accidentally overstepping myself in this area.

2) Probably need to be more careful about the hints/passing statements I make. Sometimes I achieve just the right effect, and sometimes I give away more than I intend… which just lessens the drama/pleasant surprise later.

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

An occasional nudge from the GM is absolutely necessary.

 

There can be nuances in a complex situation that Players do not pick up on, but their Characters probably would have. The decision-making is still up to Players, but games can totally stall or even self-destruct because the GM would NOT provide any guidance.

 

Don't worry about the details. If you provided an extra nudge or hint, but it resulted in more fun / action for the PCs, then it is all good.

[Manic Typist]

Cut Scene #4

 

A sun covered bench stoically supports the plain suited man sitting on it, eating a hotdog. His face is a bit weathered by ears, and grey hair shows in his trim cut, but a predatory sharpness surrounds him. Still, he seems to be enjoying the beautiful weather, rich food, and the sound of children playing nearby.

 

As he finishes off his hotdog, another man in cargo pants and a heavy jacket joins him on the bench. His relative youth and buzzed hair make him a sharp contrast to the other man.

 

The first man wipes a bit of mustard from the corner of his lips, and then stands up and walks off as he throws the napkin away. The second man picks up the newspaper he left behind and begins to leaf through it… and a single photo falls out. He picks it up and examines it. It’s a close up of three figures leaving a large, damaged building.

 

He tucks it into the interior pocket of his jacket and walks in the opposite direction, disposing of the newspaper as he goes. “Got you, you sonofab*tch” he mutters as he strides off.

 

***

 

A man walks into the office and tosses a folder onto the desk.

 

“Just got the analysis back. We’ve confirmed it: it’s him.”

 

The man behind the desk looks up, and smiles. “Excellent. We’ll just need to step up our operation, make things more…kinetic.”

 

***

 

A small group of men wait patiently in a large, opulently decorated boardroom. Brief cases and legal pads add a touch of gravity to the otherwise very rich setting. After a few minutes of muted conversation and sipping of water bottles, a well dressed man and a pretty young woman step into the board room through a set of double doors. The man steps around the long table and shakes each man’s hand, greeting them.

 

“Hello, my name is Patrick Spineli, and I’m a junior partner here at Sheffield & Associates. I’m told that you’re looking to take action, and that’s just what I’m here to do. Let’s discuss the details, shall we?”

 

He smiles as he sits in one of the leather chairs at the table, and leans back to listen while the woman waits with pen poised.

[Kristopher]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Bump?

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Jaja, thank you.

 

We've only had one session since the last campaign update, and I will type that up once finals are over... Mostly some developments of side things.

[薔薇語]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Good work, Manic. Keep up the good work! I'm looking forward to the next installment.

 

La Rose.

[Gnaskar]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Bump?

 

And bump.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Good stuff. That Detective Shrike seems like a good guy.

[Casper]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Just to let everyone know, the campaign has gotten up and running again. We have had 2 sessions, highlights include:

 

An intense gun battle that leaves Jack and Cypher severely wounded.

A black zephyr racing through freetown looking for some cat named James Reyes.

And a clear glass vial becomes Cypher's new target.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

tell us more

[Casper]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

tell us more

 

Jack, Cypher and Darius had the mob (the Morelli family) as a hunted disadvantage. I really don't want to add GM as another. Besides, Manic's write ups are far better than what I can do.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Wars Campaign Log

 

Huh, I didn't know you referred to yourself as "the" Cypher. Noted.