Decorating the VIPER's Nest

[BoloOfEarth]

I should also preface this by saying that even though I'm running my game in 6th edition, I'm using the VIPER 4th edition sourcebook (heavily updated) for my world's general version of VIPER. 

 

If time permits, I tend to put a bunch of details (sometimes too many) onto my gaming hexmaps.  Things like mailboxes, light poles, street signs, trash cans and dumpsters, fire extinguishers, etc.  The hope is that the heroes or villains might make use of some of them during a fight. ("Ogre chucks a mailbox at you."  "I yell at him, 'Now you're in trouble!  It's a federal offense to mess with the mail!'")  Also, I think they add some flavor to the encounter. 

 

My next adventure involves the heroes attacking a VIPER Nest - specifically, one in Boston run by the Professor, who is into robots.  My writeup of him has 128 robot followers, along with 128 robot brains, and Mind Link to up to 16 of them, or Mech-Vipers, at once.  The two primary bots are flyer bots (basically wing-shaped drones) and roller bots (which look like Johnny Five from the Short Circuit movies).  Since there's no official writeup of the Professor, I'm making him a bit of the stereotypical genius who doesn't relate to (or sometimes really even think about) actual people very well.  So my hexmap of his base has the people areas kinda shoehorned in, whereas the labs / tech areas are larger.  A good example is the locations of bathrooms -- other than those directly attached to the barracks or VIP / scientist quarters, the general use bathrooms were obviously added as an afterthought - two are crammed into storage closets, and two others rather noticeably replace charging closets for Mech-Vipers.

 

Since our game has been pushed back a week due to one of our players being hospitalized (and we game at his house), this has given me time to throw all sorts of details into the map and really flesh the place out.  I'm attaching the map of the base as it currently stands (in spoiler tags since it's a largish picture).

 

From upper left and going clockwise, there is

• Agent briefing room
• Hangar for a Cockatrice Flying APC
• Closet / bathroom
• Hangar for three Chimera Battle-Pods
• Access bay to a waterway leading to the Charles River;
• Two VIP / Scientist quarters
• Agent lounge
• Two barracks rooms with a common bathroom / shower between them
• VIP quarters
• Mess hall and kitchen
• Elevator with four Mech-Viper charging closets
• Mech-Viper construction / repair facility
• Closet / bathroom
• Machine shop
• Special purpose lab
• Bathroom (former Mech-Viper charging closet)
• Mech-Viper charging closet
• High-security cells
• Another Mech-Viper charging closet
• Another bathroom (former Mech-Viper charging closet)

 

Starting to the right of the high-security cells and going across the middle of the map are:

• Nest control room (with two more Mech-Viper charging closets to either side of the high-speed computer cluster and Serpentine Network link)
• Automated robot assembly lines
• Store room for roller bot and flyer bot plug-and-play modules, surrounded by storage cabinets for roller bots and flyer bots

 

You may notice that the intersections are unusually large.  That is so the Chimera Battle-Pods can fly around inside and really make life fun for the heroes.  As a distraction from this purpose, I'm putting stuff into the corners that the players (and their characters) might find interesting / amusing.  And that's one of the places where I'd like some suggestions.

 

[BoloOfEarth]

So, what am I looking for?  Well, let’s start with robots.  As mentioned, the Professor is strongly into robots, so I’ve decided to put some reproductions of famous TV and movie robots in some of the corners.  My current list (only two of which I’m insistent on having) is:

• Dalek (of Doctor Who fame; by the upper left blast doors)
• Class B-9 M-3 (from Lost In Space; by the lower left blast doors – this is the first keeper, for sentimental reasons)
• Robbie the Robot (from Forbidden Planet; by the doors to the waterway access bay)
• Twiki (from Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century; across from the elevator)
• K-9 (also from Doctor Who; in the upper right intersection – this is the second keeper)
• R2D2 and C3PO (gotta have Star Wars represented; by the mess hall)

 

Are there any others people might suggest?  I can remove some of the potted plants and replace them with robots if there are any glaring omissions in my list.

 

The reason for keeping K-9 is that he’s the unofficial mascot of the human VIPER agents.  As they pass by him (especially when heading out on a mission) they touch his head for luck.  You may notice that he’s not all the way in the corner; the agents keep pulling him out to make it easier to touch him for luck.  And the Professor keeps having it pushed back into the corner so it doesn’t get in the way of the Chimeras if they’re needed inside. 

[BoloOfEarth]

I'm also looking for other flavor things.  I've put potted plants around, as well as fire extinguishers, fire hoses, one of those standing water walls, a swordfish mounted on the wall by the waterway access bay, and several information kiosks.  What might be on the info kiosks?  Maybe updates on VIPER benefits ("Be aware that the dental plan for 2018 has changed to only cover 50% of the cost for reconstructive oral surgery..." etc.).  I'm also thinking they'll display "motivational messages" from the Professor, which given his poor people skills might not be as motivational as he might think.  Some suggestions here would be greatly appreciated.
 

Anything else you think might be interesting to add, either in a corner or on a wall or in a room?  Feel free to make suggestions. 

 

Also, I'm having two Halls of Fame, with pictures of various agents (typically by nickname / call sign, though some may be by actual name) as well as what they're famous for.  (Those are the green things on the walls outside the robot assembly room.)  Anybody making suggestions in this thread will also be noted on the Hall of Fame -- feel free to let me know what made Agent [Board Name] famous.  (For example, "Agent HeroPoster landed a flying APC on SIlver Avenger Flannagan, keeping her out of the fight long enough for his team to kidnap the mayor.")

[steriaca]

Technically Dalicks are not robots, but tanks to slug-like Dalick aliens. If this Professor was a real sci-fi nerd, he would know this fact. But chances are, he dies know they are not robots, but don't care.

 

Any Whovian worth his salt is going to include a Cyberman in the display, even if it is a cyborg alien and not a true robot.

 

Cylon from Battlestar Galactica (your choice with the original or the newer copy).

 

Mecha Kong and Mecha Godzilla., Scaled down.

[steriaca]

Also, a model if Mechanon's original shell.

[BoloOfEarth]

Oh, I can't believe I forgot to include a Cylon!  Gotta go with the original, again for sentimental value. 

 

And I'll turn in my nerd card now for including a Dalek despite them not being robots.  Heck, I'll put the Cylon in place of the Dalek!  (Though the Daleks do look distinctive, and I'd bet my players would have figured out what that was even with the tiny picture of it.

 

Would you prefer your Hall of Fame mention being a citation for Professor Steriaca helping the Professor develop something? 

[steriaca]

18 minutes ago, BoloOfEarth said:

Oh, I can't believe I forgot to include a Cylon!  Gotta go with the original, again for sentimental value. 

 

And I'll turn in my nerd card now for including a Dalek despite them not being robots.  Heck, I'll put the Cylon in place of the Dalek!  (Though the Daleks do look distinctive, and I'd bet my players would have figured out what that was even with the tiny picture of it.

 

Would you prefer your Hall of Fame mention being a citation for Professor Steriaca helping the Professor develop something? 

No. Instead, he snucked into the base with Foxbat, messed with some if the displays, and left some tech/geek graffiti in the base.

 

Some more robots.

1) A scaled down copy of Giant Robo, also known as the Flying Robot of Johnny Socko And His Flying Robot.

 

2) A scaled down copy of Gigantor, aka Iron Man 28.

 

3) A scaled down copy of The Big O.

 

4) Astro Boy.

 

5) Rockman, also known as Mega Man.

 

6) The robot gunslinger from Westworld. Normally, when anyone draws there gun, it draws and if it doesn't recognize a VIPER agent, shoots them. Now, it sings songs from The King And I when drawned upon. Thanks Foxbat.

[steriaca]

A replica of Presence, from Robot Carnival. So 80's.

[steriaca]

The T-800 from The Terminator.

 

A Bubblegum Crisis Boomer.

[steriaca]

A replica of Chi from Chobits.

[Amorkca]

The original computer voice from Star Trek stating the Star Date as agents return from their missions.

[Sketchpad]

How about Ultron? Or one of the Iron Man drones from AoU? Maybe an android from Westworld? Or Hector from Saturn 7? Iron Giant? Baymax? Chopper or KS20? Skeets? One of the bots from Metalhead (Black Mirror)? ABC Warrior? Spider-Slayers? Zenyatta, Orisa or Bastion from Overwatch? Gort?

[BoloOfEarth]

I thought about Baymax, but as he's from Big Hero 6, I thought maybe the Professor might not think him the best choice.  I also thought about Iron Giant, but "I am not a gun" is not a message the Professor would want his robotic forces to emulate. 

 

Sketchpad's and Steriaca's idea of an android from Westworld is a good idea.  And I like the idea of him having been hacked by Foxbat Force during a break-in.  In fact, Freddy owes the PCs for letting him go in the past -- he might point them in the Professor's direction as a way of clearing the slate.

 

I think I'm going to keep the Dalek, and add a Cyberman to the same intersection.  A plaque by the Dalek will have a note identifying them as gifts for the Professor stolen from the BBC by Viperia - and would you want to tell her the Daleks aren't really robots? 

 

I don't want to have too many robots - no more than 2 per intersection.  So I think adding the Cylon, a Cyberman, and a Westworld android should just about do it.  Maybe a Mark I Mechanon shell, done up as a cigar store Indian in a nod to the old Champions book.

 

Amorkca's idea about the computer voice from Star Trek is great.  Gotta incorporate that. 

 

I think aboveground, the heroes may find a black Pontiac Trans Am, license plate KNI 667, parked nearby.

[steriaca]

Enjoy your robots Bolo. I'm sure Professor Steriaca will.

[steriaca]

How to incorporate Presence and Chi. Simple. Posters of them can be in the lockers of some agents (yes, some VIPER agents are otaku). Professor Steriaca will know about them and may hide help for the heros in those lockers.

 

Professor Steriaca is an otaku. He is also an Whovian, Trecker, Warsie, and knows bits and pieces of various sci-fi and fantasy shows.

[steriaca]

Oh, and Bender should be there somewhere. Even if Foxbat has to place him there.

[Cassandra]

Furniture that looks like snakes.  Make sure that the Snake heads shoot poison gas in case of unexpected Supehero visitors.

[Steve]

Well, if you want to go real Old School, there is the robot from the classic version of The Day The Earth Stood Still and the one from Metropolis.

 

Since he’s a Trek fan, how about Nomad from the Original Series? Or what about androids like the ones that Harry Mudd found?

[steriaca]

6 minutes ago, Steve said:

Well, if you want to go real Old School, there is the robot from the classic version of The Day The Earth Stood Still and the one from Metropolis.

Gort is the one from The Day The Earth Stood Still. Maria was the name of the Metropolis robot, but only cause that was the name of the woman it was disguised as.

[Tom Cowan]

so, have you added some ED-209s? (from Robocop)

[dsatow]

You might want to add a meeting room/teleconference room beyond just the briefing room. 

 

As for robots, I'll second Bender.

 

You might also have some of these machines for company morale.  >:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkgQFOOr7ug

 

[Steve]

Since he is a high-tech sort, perhaps he could have a team of computer hackers working as mission control.

[steriaca]

29 minutes ago, Steve said:

Since he is a high-tech sort, perhaps he could have a team of computer hackers working as mission control.

Yet Foxbat and Professor Steriaca have really hacked into the Professor VIPER Nest, making the mess of the Nest.

[BoloOfEarth]

15 hours ago, Tom Cowan said:

so, have you added some ED-209s? (from Robocop)

 

Ooo!  That's one I should have remembered!  Hmmm... I should put him by the waterway access bay doors, since that's where the heroes are likely to arrive.  I'll bet they blast him to smithereens as soon as the doors open. 

 

Looks like I'm going to have to remove some info kiosks from the corners to make room for robots.  I'll mount the info touchscreens on the walls at various places instead. 

 

15 hours ago, dsatow said:

You might want to add a meeting room/teleconference room beyond just the briefing room. 

 

As for robots, I'll second Bender.

 

You might also have some of these machines for company morale.  >:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkgQFOOr7ug

 

I made a change to the map, turning one of the VIP quarters in the upper right quadrant into a physical plant (circuit breakers, air systems, and water heaters).  I could get rid of the other VIP quarters there and turn it into a meeting / teleconference room.

 

Love the idea of a roving drink robot, though I'll have to add snack service as well.  That should help distract Honey Badger. 

 

14 hours ago, Steve said:

Since he is a high-tech sort, perhaps he could have a team of computer hackers working as mission control.

 

Great idea.  I'll name the lead hacker Big Steve in appreciation for you mentioning it. 

 

13 hours ago, steriaca said:

Yet Foxbat and Professor Steriaca have really hacked into the Professor VIPER Nest, making the mess of the Nest.

Well, I wouldn't go that far. 

 

I figure they broke in to steal some parts to repair the Foxbots late one night, and had a little fun while they were there -- reprogramming the Westworld android after it drew faster than Foxbat, plus hacking into the Hall of Fame frames to add selfies of Professor Steriaca and Foxbat.  (Exoskeleton Man was there too, but Leroy wasn't keen on pissing off the Professor too much.) 

 

I'm mainly using Foxbat's recent break-in at the Nest to lead into him helping the heroes find the Nest.  He might even mention that the Professor apparently has sensors that detect dimensional intrusions, since alarms started going off as soon as Dot opened a teleportation gate for Freddy, Leroy, and Steriaca to exit the Nest.  This gives the players fair warning that Shadowboxer might not want to use his shadow-sight to nose around before they're ready to head in.

[BoloOfEarth]

21 hours ago, Cassandra said:

Furniture that looks like snakes.  Make sure that the Snake heads shoot poison gas in case of unexpected Supehero visitors.

 

I missed this post the first time through. 

 

I could have the ouroboros snake-biting-its-tail (figure-8 style) incorporated into the backs / seats of chairs.  That might actually look kinda cool. 

 

I'm not too big on poison gas, though knockout or strength-sapping gasses might be good.