Sunday, October 25, 2015

Campaign Report, Session 1 - FIRE FROM THE SKY!

Our gaming group opened a new campaign on October 5th, officially called "Fire From The Sky!"

The campaign is set in the greater Twin Cities (Minnesota) metro area, with players being from 'all walks of life'.

The rules in use are the new 6D6 System - a very interesting, easy, roleplay-based system, based more on roleplay and group consensus than strict rules structure. The goal is to tell a good story and have fun!

CHARACTERS AND PLAYERS
Dwayne (yours truly) - Referee/GM/Grand Poo-Bah/Cat Herder/whatever title you think fits.

"Kelda" (Chad) - an electronics wizard and artist, making a name for herself in the local art scene.
"Chris Burkhardt" (Mark) - Ex-Army sniper, mechanic, and shop owner - currently on the run from Russian mafia assassins.
"Anders" (Tim) - U of MN Graduate Student, Teacher's Assistant (electrical engineering), and hobbyist pilot.
"Abel" (Jeff) - U of MN dropout, petty criminal, and hacker.

"Steven Mann" (Jason) - Travelling construction worker.


Note: for this first session, two players (Mark and Jason) were not present due to real life commitments.
This session occured on Oct 5th, 2015.

INTRODUCTION
The year is 2012, during the summer. The situation is much as in our 'real' timeline. However, about six months previous to the start of this campaign, a random stellar EMP event caused a significant amount of damage to the world's infrastructure - mainly in the form of damage to cell phone towers, power distribution systems, satallites, and so forth.

Fortunately for us here in the Western Hemisphere, we were largely 'unaffected'; the pulse was relatively weak, and we were on the 'dark side' of the planet in relation to the pulse's origin.

Unfortunately for us, several of those who were affected blamed us. North Korea, China, et al, have laid blame for the event squarely on our shoulders, claiming we're developing a new weapon system, planning on world conquest, etc. The usual crowd of disgruntled conspiracy folks on social media forums (Facebook, YouTube, et al) have taken up that banner. Various terrorist and 'freedom fighting' groups have declared jihad, revenge, etc, against the US as well. In other words, no change on that front.

BACKGROUND
[Note: Mark's character, Chris Burkhardt, has been ported to the new game system, having been in a solo campaing for some time using the Gurps rules.]

Several months ago, a visiting Russian industrialist narrowly avoided an assassination attempt by local thugs (led by a Russian mafia assassin). Only the timely intervention of Chris Burkhardt saved the day (he had stopped to assist the visitors with a vehicle breakdown). Chris became the 'star witness' in the upcoming murder trial (one bodyguard was killed, along with seven attackers).

In the week following this action, Chris' business (an auto repair shop) was torched, and his home was burglarized, with a warning left, telling Chris he better not testify - the 'or else' was implied.

In response to this, Chris went 'camping' - aka, moving from location to location randomly, attempting to ensure he was difficult to locate...

THE SESSION
Abel has been hired (via an email account) to locate a 'person of interest' - Chris Berkhardt. The emailer states that Chris needs to be located, as he is the star witness in an upcoming trial, and he (the emailer) needs to locate Chris in order to protect him from assassination attempts. Sensing potential danger - and an opportunity - Abel states a lofty price ($50,000) for his services. The emailer doesn't blink, wiring the payment within the hour.
After verifying the transfer, Abel receives instructions to head downtown to the HCGC, in order to receive a packet of information - everything the client has on the 'target'.

Kelda and Anders are both at the HCGC [Hennepin County Government Center, MN], giving presentations to members of the Hennepin County Board for potential artistic improvements to the center. Kelda is an up-and-coming local artist, specializing in combining electronics, water, and motion (aquanautics). Anders is assisting with first- and second-year engineering students, who are assisting U of MN artists with their presentation. Anders spends a significant amount of time 'assisting' his students - repairing damage, putting out fires (literally), and trying to ensure the under age students don't get into the free champaigne (a task at which he fails, understandably).
Kelda's presentation goes beautifully, and it is soon obvious her ideas for the project are the front runner. She spends a good portion of the event answering questions from media, posing for pictures, and avoiding the alcohol-fueled attentions of one of the board members.


Chris Burkhardt is downtown currently, only two blocks away. He has been called downtown yet again to answer questions for a court disposition, go over strategy with the District Attorney's team, and so forth.

Abel, per instructions from his client, has arrived at the art presentation even at the HCGC. He hangs around the buffet table, then heads to a specific pillar, keeping an eye on the scene. He is watching for someone who may be out of place.

Anders [Tim] is at the art presentation event. Anders is a graduate student at the U of M, and is supervising/assisting a group of first- and second-year engineering students, who are assisting U of M artists (in essence, keeping them on track, under control, out of trouble, out of the free champaigne, etc.) He knows of the artist, Kelda, who has a growing reputation in the local art scene, and is also a former U of M student.
Anders has noticed an individual 'hanging around' the buffet table. He thinks he recognizes the individual, but can't remember exactly where from. However, Anders is soon distracted, having to put out another fire (literally) caused by his charges...

Kelda, an up-and-coming artist, has earlier given a presentation to a Hennepin County board, giving her ideas for new art sculptures to be placed in the HCGC's public atrium. She is now answering questions from the press, posing for photos, and resisting the advances of one member of the artistic board...

While watching his students recover from their near-disaster, Anders recalls that he has met the artist, Kelda, earlier. Two years ago, in fact. Anders, who is a part-time pilot, did a favor for a college friend, flying her and a group of friends to Grand Rapids, MN. For what purpose was never stated. Anders does recall, however, that Kelda, the artist, was one of those other passengers.

Meanwhile, following instructions from his client, Abel has drifted from one pillar across the atrium to another. Moments after he does, a door behind him opens and he is 'bumped'. A moment later, an old, grizzled Asian-descent janitor stammers broken apologies to him, as he is passed by a number of other janitors, heading out to begin clean-up. Moments later, Abel notices something in his pocket. He pulls out a smallish envelop. He scans the janitors and crowd, trying to identify who may have given him the envelop. However, all he sees is the janitor, talking animatedly to another janitor, as they head off to do their jobs...


END
At this point, the session ends due to time constraints.