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View Full Version : Secure. Contain. Protect. in Shadowrun



SilverClawShift
2009-10-27, 05:54 PM
So, as I mentioned in another thread somewhere around here, in a few weeks, my DM will be taking one of his vacations to the no doubt exhausting job of being the Batman to my game groups Joker. Or the Joker to our Batman. However that works.
As is customary when he's on hiatus, I'll be acting DM in his place. I DM a way better game of Shadowrun than I do D&D (group concensus), so I'm going to be throwing my three PCs into the shadows as soon as I get ahold of them.

The catch (and purpose of this here thread) is that they'll be working for the SCP foundation (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-series), which is a secret organization dedicated to finding, locking down, and archiving 'extra-normal' objects, people, and locations. A few good reads, and good examples of the kind of out-of-control nightmares the SCP Foundation spends their time dealing with, are The Sculpture (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-173), The Possessive Mask (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-035), and The Witch Child (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-239).

It can get a lot worse, too.

And it certainly WILL get MUCH worse for the players, as they're starting the game as Class-D personnel. Class-D, tohe the SCP foundation, literally means "Expendable cannon fodder". In fact, Class-D personnel are SO disposable, that any one of them that somehow manages to survive for a 30 day cycle is unceremoniously executed and their body incinerated. Class-D personnel come from the ranks of 'people who won't be missed' (condemned criminals, people who sufficiently ticked off the wrong person, and sometimes even clones with no legal rights).
So that's wht the players will start out as. Normally, Class-D's are never kept around long for any reason. Because this is a game, the players are going to have a variety of chances to prove themselves valuable enough to the foundation that they receive delays of execution for their performance. If they're real good, I'll even let them get promoted to field agents. But I'm approaching this Tomb of Horrors style, and allready warned the players against getting emotionally attached to their characters...

So, to the point of the thread. I have the start, and the end of this campaign in my mind, it's the middle I'm fuzzy on.
To start off, the players will be very very normal humans (or meta-humans) with very mundane equipment. They'll be part of a squad dropped into the area infected by The Flesh that Hates (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-610) as a recovery team. (A helicopter containing several high-ranking SCP doctors malfunctioned and stranded them in an area where the infection broke free and took over a larger swath of landscape).
Because high ranking Doctors are not expendable (except for Dr. Bright (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-963)), and D-Class personnel ARE expendable, they're being dropped in with the single goal of getting any ranking SCP members to a safe location for airlift. Their own survival is going to be an afterthought (in fact, the helicopter that airlifts out the doctors won't have room for any Class-D's, so even if they succeed, they're still going to have to fight their way out of of the infected area).

At the END of the campaign, they'll either be highly elite foundation personnel with all the best military hardware and cybergear that can be provided, ooooor... they'll be a fresh batch of new Class-D's because they tore through their character sheets like kleenex. That much is in their hands.
Either way, they're getting shoved into Alternate Earth, E-093 (http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-093) at the tail end of the campaign to deal with what's on the other side and trying to push its way into our world.

So, anyone who took the time to slog through all of that, and is still interested, I pose a question: What kind of shennanigans should I throw at my players between those two nightmare-fuel bookends? :smallamused: If you were going to DM or play something like this, what would you want to see?

Crafty Cultist
2009-10-27, 06:32 PM
How 'bout a rival organization investigating these phenomenon. perhaps they seek to use them in some way. the players might try to thwart their efforts, or they might change sides.

I'm not to familiar with shadow run or SCP but those are my two cents:smallsmile:

SurlySeraph
2009-10-27, 06:44 PM
There *are* a couple rival organizations to the SCP foundation canonically, though I'm blanking on their names. The Iranian government, some guys who want to destroy all SCPs, and some guys who worship SCPs, if I remember correctly. They'd be good enemies.

I would recommend NOT getting Able involved, at least not unless you really need them to survive a particular segment. Having him wander by and shred whatever's about to kill them would be a great deus ex machina, but it's one you shouldn't overuse. Having them occasionally see him killing things some distance away on large-scale assault missions would be fine, and having them need to flee Able while he's in a berserker rage would work great.

They must fight SCP-682 at least once. An escape attempt is a great excuse for this. A supervisor who's pissed off at them is an even better one.

Escape attempts! Use them sparingly (normal combat should be routine maintenance work, collection attempts, and raids against rival organizations), but when they happen all hell should break loose.

After they've proven themselves a bit, give them access to some minor SCPs as tools. As they increase in level, let them borrow increasingly nice stuff until they're running around with assault rifles from the future that have been run through that machine with the "Improve things" setting.

Raum
2009-10-27, 07:27 PM
So, anyone who took the time to slog through all of that, and is still interested, I pose a question: What kind of shennanigans should I throw at my players between those two nightmare-fuel bookends? :smallamused: If you were going to DM or play something like this, what would you want to see?Interesting...sounds like a hybrid of Conspiracy X, Warehouse 13, and Witchhunter. Could be fun!

As for ideas to toss their way, check out the basement of Warehouse 23 (http://www.warehouse23.com/basement/). :)

Rhiannon87
2009-10-27, 07:42 PM
Escorting SCPs between Sites could provide opportunities for combat, either from rival organizations or just from whatever they're transporting having, you know, issues. Retrieval missions could work too; if you're okay with bending the SCP canon, you could have them going out to find recently-acquired items or ones that have escaped.

And yes, they should totally have to go a round with 682. :smallbiggrin:

SilverClawShift
2009-10-27, 08:15 PM
There *are* a couple rival organizations to the SCP foundation canonically, though I'm blanking on their names.

The Serpents Hand is one, I beleive. Also, there's another... "Something Something & Dark Ltd." Can't remember the full name. But I also thing they're considered a friendly organization now.
I was debating wether or not I'd get something like them involved. I was leaning towards playing up the "Secret" part of the "Secret" organization, having most of their sites being a face company. But I'm still undecided.


I would recommend NOT getting Able involved

That too, was something I was undecided on. I was considering having them get to join the Pandoras Box task force if they prove themselves worthy. If Able DID show up, it'd mostly be them trying not to set him off the entire time he's around, but I like the idea that at some point, the three of them will be good enough to 'put Able back in his box" so to speak.


They must fight SCP-682 at least once.

See, now THAT'S why I came here for help :smallbiggrin:. I hadn't even THOUGHT of 682. Heck yes they're gonna have to fight it. I've got visions of it dancing in my head allready. Maybe it's been pointed out that these three Class-D's haven't croaked yet despite the fact that they really should have by now, and some bemused supervisor gives them a dangerous SPC to test on 682.


As for ideas to toss their way, check out the basement of Warehouse 23 (http://www.warehouse23.com/basement/). :)

Good call, thanks :)


if you're okay with bending the SCP canon

For my purposes, canon is meaningless. I don't know if any of them read the SCP series, and if it seems like they do, or know what I'm throwing at them, I'm gonna have to shift everything to the left and throw them a curveball.
Even if they have no clue what's up, I'm gonna tweak things so it all flows together smoothly, regardless.

Fayd
2009-10-27, 08:48 PM
Oooh! Nice to see you back! Unfortunately, I have NO experience with Shadowrun at all, so I won't be helpful with "canon" ideas, but I can try to come up with wacky sci-fantasy ideas if you'd like...for example:

Giant Candy Golems. I'd heard about them from one of my friends and the concept struck me as both terrifying and hilarious at the same time.

You could also go for some good old fashioned myth perversion. Some nice old lady is getting harassed by two small goulish monsters that resemble small children...down to trying to devour her home.

Good old stuff like that. Sorry I'm not much actual help.

SilverClawShift
2009-10-27, 09:08 PM
Shadowrun and the SCP foundation aren't actually connected at all. I just thought throwing both in a beldner would be a good idea. Like mixing crunchy peanut butter and smooth peanut butter, the worst case scenario is still pretty good.

And thanks, but I'll pass on the candy golems :smallwink:

kjones
2009-10-27, 09:20 PM
All I can say is, be ready for when they touch SCP-447 with a dead body. :smalltongue:

I'd actually recommend keeping Abel, 682, and the rest of the "big guns" out of it. (I suppose if you're set on bringing in 682...) Since those SCPs, and others like them, are so overwhelmingly powerful, you run the risk of apparent Deus Ex Machina. If you were to bring them in, make sure you foreshadow their appearances in your campaign amply, to build up suspense. 682 is much scarier when you know why you should be afraid of it.

Just out of curiosity, why did you pick Shadowrun for the system? What kind of characters are you going to let them play? (It seems that mages would be a little out of place among D-class personal, for example...)

And good call starting with 610, that one has a lot of potential.

comicshorse
2009-10-27, 09:21 PM
Well Shadowrun has loads of weird conspiracies who can be a lethal enemies for the P.C.s
There's the Atlantean Founadtion that hunts down ancient magical items for its mysterious masters ( current betting is one of the great dragons). The Ordo Maximus an oder of Initiate mages which just might be a front for the vampire council. Fenrisnacht, an order of toxic shamans who want to bring about Ragnorak.
And assorted dragons, feathered serpent, insect spirits and immortal elves all looking to grab any advantge

SilverClawShift
2009-10-27, 09:45 PM
All I can say is, be ready for when they touch SCP-447 with a dead body. :smalltongue:

Some things just CANNOT be allowed :smalltongue:


If you were to bring them in, make sure you foreshadow their appearances in your campaign amply

Oh yes. The lockdown protocol for those SCPs alone is enough to make anyone stop and second guess if they really want to approach them in any way.
Actually thinking about it though, I think there should be no Omega Task Force 7 (headed by Able) in this setting. That's just overkill in a setting where one bullet can actually put a character down realistically.
682 is still definately in though. It's not unstoppable, it's un-END-able....big difference. It'll adapt to whatever you throw at it, just give it time. Surviving a fight against it and/or successfully containing it would be exactly what a trio of Class-D's would need to make the overseers note that they might be more valuable on staff than as a pile of ashes.


Just out of curiosity, why did you pick Shadowrun for the system? What kind of characters are you going to let them play? (It seems that mages would be a little out of place among D-class personal, for example...)

Well, I'm comfortable letting them be whatever they want to be, honestly. Their status as Class-D personnel isn't because they're untalented, it's because they're CONDEMNED, or otherwise not legally considered people anymore.
If they're a mage, it's assumed that the foundation knows what they're capable of, and has contingency to keep them obediant in some capacity (or just put a .45 slug in their cortex).

And I picked shadowrun cause, for one, it's all cybery and shrouded in conspiracies and perfect for an organization like the SCP foundation (and the resurgance of magic in the world gives a perfect explanation as to what the SCPs are doing there in the first place).
Secondly, I know shadowrun really well. I know how the numbers all lock together and how the fluff fits the mechanics about half as well as my normal DM knows how D&D fluff and mechanics fit (which....let's face it, is probably frightening, he's a D&D encyclopedia)

And good call starting with 610, that one has a lot of potential.

SilverClawShift
2009-10-27, 09:46 PM
And assorted dragons, feathered serpent, insect spirits and immortal elves all looking to grab any advantge

Dragons make me all gooey isnide, but I'm probably gonna leave them out of this entirely. There's enough dragons in D&D.

they even have half the name.

kjones
2009-10-27, 09:50 PM
Well, I'm comfortable letting them be whatever they want to be, honestly. Their status as Class-D personnel isn't because they're untalented, it's because they're CONDEMNED, or otherwise not legally considered people anymore.
If they're a mage, it's assumed that the foundation knows what they're capable of, and has contingency to keep them obediant in some capacity (or just put a .45 slug in their cortex).

Your use of the word "cortex" reminded me of cortex bombs. Whether or not your players would put up with something like that is your call, but it's totally within the realm of possibility.

Using Shadowrun magic for this sort of game just strikes me as... strange. In Shadowrun, nobody really understands magic, but people study it, corps research it, etc. In SCP, anything magical is much more mysterious. It just seems to me that the nature of what constitutes an SCP changes when your world has magic in it... either that, or all mages should be SCPs. Now there's an idea...

And good call ditching Abel's Krew of Badassery (TM) - they always struck me as one of the most Mary-Sue-ish aspects of the SCP foundation. As the "how to write an SCP" page points out, if the description of your SCP involves "Fightan real gud" you're probably doing it wrong. :smalltongue:

SilverClawShift
2009-10-27, 09:58 PM
Yeah, but they were among the earliest, and do it the best. Able is interesting because of the biblical ramifications, not because he be real good at hurtin them folk over there.
His crew is interesting, not because they can take him in a fight, but because they outwitted him in areas they knew they could. Like the girl who used the whole 'photo manipulation' thing to beat him in a footrace. Of course he could lop her head off, but she's clearly clever enough that she deserves having a head.

And let's face it. The Foundation is a shadowrun company in a world with no competing companies. They readily make use of any SPC that they feel they have a firm enough grasp on.
Not knowing how magic works doesn't make you can't play with it. In fact, it's specifically not understanding it that makes it magic instead of science. Mages are in, the SPC foundation fits so snuggly in the shadowrun world that it's almost planned. :smallamused:

kjones
2009-10-27, 10:23 PM
Yeah, but they were among the earliest, and do it the best. Able is interesting because of the biblical ramifications, not because he be real good at hurtin them folk over there.
His crew is interesting, not because they can take him in a fight, but because they outwitted him in areas they knew they could. Like the girl who used the whole 'photo manipulation' thing to beat him in a footrace. Of course he could lop her head off, but she's clearly clever enough that she deserves having a head.

And let's face it. The Foundation is a shadowrun company in a world with no competing companies. They readily make use of any SPC that they feel they have a firm enough grasp on.
Not knowing how magic works doesn't make you can't play with it. In fact, it's specifically not understanding it that makes it magic instead of science. Mages are in, the SPC foundation fits so snuggly in the shadowrun world that it's almost planned. :smallamused:

Oh, I agree, it fits almost too well. :smallbiggrin: It's a really clever idea.

I guess it's not so much Abel and his Krew that annoy me as much as it is the hordes of knockoffs that he seems to have inspired. But I suppose this is what I get when I read the decommissioned pages for fun... It's kind of like disliking Drizzt for all the other CG drow, even though that's not his fault, really.

Obviously you don't care about the "canon" of SCP (and that's A-OK) but I take it this isn't taking place in the "standard" Shadowrun world? Is the SCP foundation really the only megacorp? What about big players in the world of Shadowrun like Dunkelzahn (sp), Deus/Morgan/Mageara, Lowfyr?

*gasp* Are they all SCPs too?

(Deus would be a pretty fragging awesome SCP. Hell, he could be behind 610!)

(Don't mind me, I'm way too into Deus... *goes to sleep curled up around copy of Renraku Arcology: Shutdown)

Kaun
2009-10-28, 03:29 AM
i am surprised i have never stumbled across this site before its awesome.

I just read through the termination of SCP-083.

It involved a fair bit of cross referencing but it was bloody funny.

sonofzeal
2009-10-28, 03:35 AM
SCP Foundation is win.

That is all.

Crowbar
2009-10-28, 03:46 AM
I've got to say, that sounds really fun. Except for that bit about SCP-093, but that's more because I find that SCP particularly terrifying, even to hear other people going through.

Hey, have the players ever been on the SCP Foundation before? If not, then I think a really fun little mission would be them assisting in stopping Dr. Clef from killing SCP-239. It would be as good as having 682 escape. You have several powerful SCPs on the loose, and the player have to race to contain all of them.

Well, maybe I'm wrong. I just really like that story.

SilverClawShift
2009-10-28, 04:04 PM
The fact that 093 is particularily terrifying is why I'm making that the campaigns climax. End on a high note, and all of that :smallsmile:

TheLogman
2009-10-28, 04:12 PM
Yes yes yes a thousand times yes.

Survive being the test subjects and they become the testers? Give them a handful of Euclid or Keter or just really easy to screw up with Safe SCP's and then let them test a little.

Then force them to choose what to bring to go accomplish their mission or get some other SCP.

Then let them experience a class XK disaster.

SilverClawShift
2009-10-28, 04:17 PM
If they screw up the SCP-093 job, it'll turn into an XK class scenario, and they'll know it :smallamused: