Author Topic: Red Markets Inspiration  (Read 309615 times)

CADmonkey

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #225 on: July 16, 2016, 10:51:14 AM »
Being smart players they thought "That's totally a trap" and threw a rock at it.

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Jace911

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #226 on: July 16, 2016, 12:11:29 PM »
In my defense who the fuck leaves an actual baby in its carriage, in the middle of the road, in the middle of the zombie infested countryside?

CADmonkey

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #227 on: July 16, 2016, 05:06:34 PM »
In my defense who the fuck leaves an actual baby in its carriage, in the middle of the road, in the middle of the zombie infested countryside?

Someone who's been suffering from untreated PTSD for years?
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Jace911

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #228 on: July 16, 2016, 05:26:37 PM »
In my defense who the fuck leaves an actual baby in its carriage, in the middle of the road, in the middle of the zombie infested countryside?

Someone who's been suffering from untreated PTSD for years?

I'm not saying it's unreasonably impossible, but Occam's Razor was telling me that the far more likely answer was "Samaritan bait".

I mean, if I'd metagamed it then yeah it would've been pretty obvious to me that it was an actual baby because I knew Tom would gleefully pull that shit on us and make us carry a screaming infant through a zombie wasteland. But I wasn't operating as someone who's known Tom since high school, I was operating as a person who didn't survive five years and two bites in the Loss by being a sucker.

I just happened to be wrong this time. :V

Bystander

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #229 on: July 27, 2016, 07:13:28 PM »
Hello! I have been posting these around other places, like the reddit, but I have yet to receive any feedback or suggestions yet. I was hoping that someone might help me out and sharpen up these ideas somewhat. Or at least tell me if they seem fun for the game.

Though I admit, the first draft I had got deleted and this was rewritten from memory, so that is why job two is more detailed.

Contract: Surprising Thematic?


Goods/Service: Relationships between Enclaves, whether rivals, enemies, neutral, or allies are much like those of old nations. Gifts and deals, envoys and diplomats. One such mission has gone wrong, a rookie Taker crew known as The Pedal Express has disappeared while working for the Taker’s enclave. They were new, but exciting, reliable. High speed, low drag couriers on bikes. Comprised of members of a pre-Crash cyclist club and experienced Fencemen, by all accounts they were one the crews that would succeed. Smart, capable, knew their limits. Their mission was to deliver a gift to a neighboring enclave, but they did not arrive. The diplomatic intent was hammered out later, but the client wishes to recover the gift to be reused later. Given the disappearance, and the fact the GPS tagged gift has been in place since contact has been lost, the Pedal Express is no doubt dead...and if they are not dead, they need rescue.


Economy: Based on local Markets.


Equilibrium: Roll for local conditions.


Client: Local VIP, based on local Markets.


Competition: Based on local Markets.


Travel Time: 3 Legs to Job Site, 4 Legs if Crew wishes to rest at neighboring Enclave.


The Site: Success or use of a reference to find the location of the GPS location will lead the Takers straight to the site. On failures, they may need to spend an extra leg to triangulate the location. The job site is a former used car dealership and lot.

Injun Joe’s Used Autos was a scuzzy and shady and slightly racist car dealership. Pre-Crash it was where local hoods and gangs got rid of some stolen cars and parts, or obtained cars for use in drive bys. In any case, it was a bad business in a bad neighborhood. Pre-Crash saw its lot emptied by looters and post Crash saw it just forgotten. It has a full service garage that appears unlooted and still sealed. It is this kitchy stereotypical car lot with Old West style facades. The Neighborhood itself is full of sinkholes and seems structurally unstable.

Relevant skills, examples Foresight or Networking or Research, will show that Injun Joe’s garage has been unlooted due to the fact that no one wants to risk a collapse or a vehicle to haul out its equipment. While worth something, it is deemed not worth enough by most with the ability to drive out there.

Awareness will reveal bike tracks leading up to the sales office, while the center of the street is collapsed and the area cluttered with rubble, the lot itself is cleared, if trash filled. Further Awareness tests will reveal a barricaded and trapped door leading into the back offices, one point of stun if caught unaware.

Self Control test 2/0, the entire rear offices is gone. After opening the door, it will reveal the building’s decorative facade is basically hiding the fact the inside of the building has been gutted by a massive sinkhole(filled with rubble, bodies, and water)...that caught the Pedal Express unaware. Self control test for the sheer randomness of the Loss and how it can kill you without warning. Evidence shows that the Pedal Express crew made camp, and were presumably the straw that broke the camel’s back.


Complications:
Minor: One of the Pedal Crew was a Latent and in the brackish water there is a Casualty ready to grab and bite.

Major: The entire block is on the edge of turning into a major sinkhole, Pre-Crash the lowest bidder did not do due diligence, and now the untreated water has eroded the entire block. It will collapse any day now, and if they draw Casualties, it will definitely start a chain reaction.

Bust Mode: There is a gas pocket, that due to the Pedal Crew, is now leaking. One shot, the building explodes.



Contract: Nostalgia Therapy


Goods/Service: There are many people locked up in mental institutions, away from National Service and Obligation, as well as the free parking ghettos and general population. Full of people suffering from serious mental disorders as well as disabilities, but mostly for people with Post Crash Stress Disorder. From these places come the false IDs that Takers covet and work hard for. Excuses to why they have not been seen for 5 years. Now one of these places needs Takers to obtain “therapy props and tools”. Lakeview Rehabilitation is a mental institute specializing in Post Crash Juvenile Stress Disorder and its offshoots, and its procurement officer has placed a add to the Taker’s enclave Lifeline page looking for help raiding a nearby mall, which contains both a Toys R Us and Disney Store. Can the Takers stomach risking their life for toys?


Economy: Based on local Markets.


Equilibrium: Roll for local conditions.
-Will pay for them to go, and minimum 1 Haul per Taker of small items.
-Will pay 1d6+Takers Number for each Haul worth of small items(bag of small toys, collection of blurays)
-Will pay 10+Takers Number for each 3 Haul worth of large items(bedroom sets, room decor)

Client: Susan Lang, MSW, mousy woman on a video call.

Weak Spot: Overworked with Pain
-Susan is in a tough spot, she is overworked in a highly emotionally draining job, getting these materials fast and impressing upon her that looking past the Crew will take more time then necessary can sway her.

Soft Spot: Safety Nets
-Susan believes in minimum income and that nobody should go hungry, if the Takers can convince her what she is offering is not enough to live on, they can get extra sway.

Tough Spot: First Time Client
-Is obviously a first time client, worried about being cheated and stressed by her “illegal” actions. If the takers can reassure her, she will stick with them from then on, and they will gain extra sway.

Gift Spot: All the Soma
-Ten charges of fully upgraded Soma. If it is one thing she has a lot of, it's that.


Competition: Based on local Markets.


Travel Time: 2 Legs


The Site: Lone Oak Mall was a hybrid open strip enclosed mall close to your home Enclave. It is a uninteresting place that has long been looted by survivors Pre and Post Crash. Though with research, foresight, and networking checks will reveal that looters and scavengers had prioritized useful items, food, and tools and the relevant stores should only be dirty and neglected and the site has long been considered “picked clean”. Still chock full of salvage that no one wants, save for those few outliers that took time to take this or that trinket and raid the registers. The back store rooms should still be full of books, toys, blurays, bedroom sets, posters, and other things.
Further research might reveal that it is a potential enclave site, though perhaps a bit too expensive and too tough to make it worth it.


Complications: LALA Land

Even hard and challenging enclave sites can be made into enclaves, sometimes all it takes is one family, the first person to stake a claim and start work on the walls. Once arriving on the site, the Takers will soon find that there are signs of life, barricades have been set up, parts of the mall have been sealed off past the areas too insecure. Such as the broken front windows, or the front parking lot. A inner area comprising of the target stores has been blocked off. The person owning all this is a young teen named Princess. A girl who when she is not playing dress up is in a ghille suit and toting a rifle. A keen survivalist and sniper, who could not have been more than 10 when the Crash happened...if that. She has a set of Ubiq specs, and will contact the Takers to leave her Kingdom alone. She will first verbal warning and threaten, before taking warning shots, if the Takers offend her or set her off, she may aim to kill right off the bat. She seems obviously delusional, as she says things like.“Please leave my kingdom alone!” “Begone bandits!” “I will protect my sick King!” “I am the Princess of this Kingdom, are you friend or foe?”

Though perhaps she is off on a trading run when the Takers get there, and will find themselves trapped by a disturbed teenager who is angry at their tresspass, but is obviously not so fargone as to kill out of hand. Humanity damage if they kill her without engaging with some talks.

She lives primarily in the underground service and storage areas that have been sectioned off and secured from casualties, and evidence will show that she is slowly clearing the complex out by herself. It is trapped, barricaded, and professionally set. Self Control Check 1/0 to think that a kid is so competent, she can’t have more than a third grade formal education. If they breach her inner sanctum into her living area, prompt a Self Control Check 2/0, there is power as well as disturbing decorations. The tunnels are decorated in Disney Princesses and Imagery, it as if this place is a playground rather than a survival compound. Prompt a Self Control Check 3/1 if they reach the innermost areas, where they will find a mummified body on a makeshift throne, shrouded in a sheet and crowned with a toy crown. Her king. Or rather her father.

Research/Networking/References will reveal that this person was a Lone Wolf merc, former Spec Ops sniper who had a daughter. Materials will reveal that he had set the groundwork, and trained his daughter thoroughly. She might not have been formally schooled, but she has the equivalent of Special Forces training for the last five years. Maybe in another year, she might actually have a place where a Enclave can start?

Market discretion where this plot goes. She can be made into a dependant, reference, or enemy depending on Taker actions

Contract: Flavor Country


Goods/Service: If there is one thing in demand, one thing that can reassure a man, woman, or child, it is familiar flavors. And now there is a threat to the Taker’s local flavor baron. Or rather Coke Baron, and yes that is Coka Cola. There is a new cola provider in the area, and he might flood the market with cheap generic cola sugar water, as he is providing actual Coke. Syrup is still being made in the Recession and even some places in the Loss, and there are high profit margins. One container of syrup becomes many gallons of soda, and if you can carbonize water even better. He is looking for Takers to represent his business at a third party mediated neutral ground based sitdown, he is not looking for war, death, or killing. He is looking to protect his monopoly through deals and agreements.


Economy:
Based on local Markets.


Equilibrium:
Roll for local conditions.


Client: Simpson, The Coke Baron, and yes he knows it is a Simpsons reference. He is a serious dour man in a suit.

Weak Spot: Speak softly and carry a big stick.
-He needs people that can talk, deal, and wheel. Not assassins, not killers, those will be useful, but while right now he needs people that can do the former, if they can also do the later all the better. Takers can play up their ability to do so, or their competitions inability to do so.

Soft Spot: Memories
-There is a reason he is in his business, while he is as dour as he seems, and is a serious numbers minded business man, he is also nostalgic and melancholic. He trusts his inner circle because they understand each other, if the Takers can “share” and be empathetic, they can gain sway.

Tough Spot: Knives looking for his back.
-While he is a peaceful man, looking first for a peaceful solution, he is worried for an actual war. He is worried that someone is out to get him. And that he needs to maintain MAD. If the Takers can impress him, that they are the only ones that can do this, that can save him, that can be that strike back if needs be, he will be swayed.

Gift Spot: Weekend Getaway
-He will give them a weekend getaway package. He also owns a simulationalist hosbilitablity business, where wealth Loss residents can “play house” and pretend they are not living in a zombie infested hell hole. If the Takers accept this gift, they will heal N+2 columns of Humanity instead of N, where N is the number of Dependents and will not need to spend bounty for it.

Competition: Based on local Markets.


Travel Time:
4 Legs


The Site: It is in a clearing, temporary camp full of takers and armed men and women. Where it exactly is, is up to the market, but it is in a place where people are kept honest in so far there is no way to easily sneak up on people, or gain advantage in a fight. There are five other parties here. The first is the Taker group who organized the sit down and is providing third party mediation and security. They will release a video recording of the proceedings to prove the efficacy of their service. The second and third are like the party, Takers with no stake in the negotiations beyond their participation and their attempts to make a profitable deal. They represent a salt provider and a fruit preserves provider. The fourth and fifth are groups representing themselves, a band of Mexican traders who speak English semi-fluently who are offering chocolate and sugar, and the Client’s competition who sells generic Loss made Cola.

Negotiations will be based around territory, access to common markets, competition clauses, as well as who is allowed to sell what where. No one wants a fight, and if there is war, the first shots won’t be here.


Complications:

The Meek seek to infiltrate and replace the Cola guy, and infect the Loss with Vector producing Cola. They might try and kill everyone and replace everyone. They might try and sneak their way in. Either way, they are crazed cultists looking to kill the human race...and they might not very well be able to pull it off due to their insanities. Up to Market how they proceed.
 
« Last Edit: July 27, 2016, 07:22:47 PM by Bystander »
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trinite

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #230 on: August 01, 2016, 04:54:14 PM »
Those are awesome jobs, Bystander! I especially like the first one. I'd like to see a lot more jobs and legs about the physical dangers of living in the Loss.
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Bystander

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #231 on: August 05, 2016, 12:18:43 AM »
Those are awesome jobs, Bystander! I especially like the first one. I'd like to see a lot more jobs and legs about the physical dangers of living in the Loss.

Been told the gift spots are a bit too much. Any suggestions?

I would like feedback on them. What do you think of LaLa land?
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CADmonkey

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #232 on: August 15, 2016, 10:27:00 AM »
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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #233 on: August 19, 2016, 08:13:53 AM »
A job I made using the format Bystander posted earlier:

And Now, The Weather

Goods/Service: They say that in the Loss, Casualties are like the weather. It'll kill you, but only if you let it take you by surprise. You need to be ready, you need to keep one eye on the horizon - and you need a forecast. Dr. Hamilton needs a group of Takers to help her "catch and release" the undead, allowing her to track the local herds and stampedes. The job is simple-ish. Tag a group of Casualties (at least three), dead-drive them into a stampede - and then make sure it doesn't follow you home.

Economy: Based on local Markets.

Equilibrium: Roll for local conditions. Add 1 Bounty for every Casualty successfully tagged past the third.

Client: Dr. Hamilton, a zoologist holed up in a wildlife observation facility. She has access to a lot of radio equipment and trackers. She has thick, milk-bottle spectacles and frazzled ginger hair.

Weak Spot: Accidentally Useful - Hamilton doesn't fully understand the value of her work - or rather, she understands the wrong type of value. A pure scientist, she understands data is useful but she's a zoologist - she's interested in studying Casualties as animals, specifically herd animals. The thought of the "weather forecast" aspect of her work simply has not occurred to her, causing her to significantly undervalue her job. She might be exploitable by those who appeal to her pure scientific side, or a more charitable soul might seek a pay boost by explaining plainly why local enclaves would very much like early warnings for zombie stampedes.

Soft Spot: Loves a War Story - Hamilton survived the Crash by sheer isolation, sticking herself in the middle of nowhere and not coming out until the bombs stopped falling. She has a strong Lifelines presence, looking through stories and records of how the world fell apart. She might rationalise it ("Just gathering data!") but her appeal is more emotional; Takers who detail their experiences (perhaps embellish, a little) will gain traction with her.

Tough Spot: Please, No Headshotting The Specimens - Hamilton is somewhere between a Shepherd and Crusader, fascinated by studying the undead and not wanting anyone to break her toys. And, of course, the job only makes any sense if Casualties are left alive (well, mobile) at the end of it. She doesn't want people who boast about how many heads they've popped, she despises Black Math, but she values skill and a measured approach to the apocalypse.

Gift Spot: The Reedus Package - Hamilton will provide the Takers with a fully-charged crossbow with RIF arrows, Tactical and Composite. It is to be used in the job but she will let them keep it after the job is complete. The arrows contain the tracker she intends to use to map the herd movements.

Competition: Based on local Markets.

Travel Time: 3 Legs

The Site: Hamilton has identified a small group of Casualties (~10) loitering around an abandoned strip mall. The strip mall is in a small ghost town, exactly where being up to the Market. The stores include a diner, a clothes store and a pawn shop (as well as whatever the Market considers appropriate). Most of the storefront windows have had the glass broken and some form of barricade or boarding set up; some of it still stands, a lot of it doesn't. Local Takers have been talking about a stampede heading in this general area and by the time the Takers arrive it can be seen, just cresting the horizon. (Markets may want the sight of hundreds of Casualties to prompt a Self-Control check, even from so far away)

The street flanked by the stores, in which the Casualties stand, is standard post-apocalyptia, lined with abandoned, smashed and burned out cars. The Takers can use these cars to take cover in, but their engines are long ruined and their cargo picked clean. An additional wrinkle (Awareness check to spot) is that a number of bear traps line the street; in fact several of the Casualties in the street seem to have been caught in traps themselves.
The looming stampede is a time limit on the mission; it moves slowly, but certainly. Markets should keep an eye on the clock to make sure it hits at a dramatically appropriate time. Once the stampede hits, the Takers can get to safety by spending rations; either they try to outpace it, or find somewhere secure in the strip mall (a meat locker in the local butchers, perhaps?) and just waiting it out.

Complications: The zombies outside the strip mall aren't just random undead; they're guard dogs. A small group of survivors are holed up in the strip mall (having knocked down the walls dividing the diner, pawn shop and clothes store) and set the traps to scare off lone scavengers and wild animals. They're skinny, half-mad and have a small assortment of knives, cudgels and one shotgun amongst them. If the Takers make too much noise in the street, the survivors will realise someone's out there and come out to defend their home turf. Leaving them to the stampede (or, worse, only realising they're even in the mall when the stampede hits and their walls collapse) is a major Detachment stressor.

Job Line: The Information Game - Once the dead are providing data, it's time to interpret those findings! And, of course, sometimes you need to do a little further investigation to really understand what your data means. Successfully completing this job can open up a job line with Hamilton. When her data spits out something weird, the Takers are the first people she'll turn to with a contract to research it. ("Why do the Casualties seem to avoid this particular stretch of highway?", or "What's directing them all towards that megachurch?" and so on.) These jobs should be used to accentuate the weird, seemingly logic-less nature of the Blight - and it's an excellent opportunity to throw Aberrants at the group.

Teapot

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #234 on: September 07, 2016, 01:44:47 AM »
For inspiration I was thinking about an old comic, The Legend of Mother Sara, which is a woman wandering a post apocalypse Earth looking for her children. The tone was grim and futile and it'd work pretty well in with Red Markets.

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #235 on: October 06, 2016, 01:41:34 AM »
Would like to hear some thoughts on some fluff I am working on.  :)

NPCs:

Description: Nat Geo, Freelance Bait Photographer out for "nature" shots of the Loss. Used to be a freelancer couldn't make a buck with everything sharing their photos and giving all the social media platforms the rights and shit, but now? Well, picking up a camera is one of the biggest death wishes of them all.
Purpose: Job Giver, Leg Encounter, potential noncombatant/client for rival Takers will to fight it out in the Loss.
Quote: If it bleeds it leads...heh, fuck if that's true anymore, everything is bleeding. So you know what's left? Playing on people's nostalgia, their hearts, it ain't going to be some meathead shooting a Ab, it's going to be something else. Something beautiful.

Description: Mother Mayflower, local apiarist and crazy survivalist lady. Bees, who the fuck collects bee hives like they're cats?! Fucking crazy ladies who fucking aren't to be messed with, that's who. Mother Mayflower is a local power among the Enclave farmers. They need her bees to pollinate their crops, and her expertise in "green" pesticides helps when the trade routes run tight. Though she is a fucking crazy lady, and not in that hippy way, she's got plans for a bunker and a wall of crazy that she won't shut up about, and you fucking don't want to know what she did to Stoli and his crew when they tried to shake her down.
Purpose: Job Giver, Enclave Flavor, Investment Sink
Quote: You think this is over? That this is the new world?! That the Apocalypse came and went? Fucking open you eyes man! We're still in the middle of it, it's still happening! Let me get my power point! The Blight is too clean, too out of context, too sudden. Maybe it was God's wrath, or Gaia's wrath, or any number of religious bullshit, but you know what I think? I think it's a plan. Kill off people for some reason, biodegradable genocide, leave the resources intact, and most of the biome, fucking make us ready for colonization. Something did this to us, and when it figures out step two, you better find yourself the deepest darkest hole you can and pray.

Slang:

Open Source Trash, someone who tries to follow online guides and blogs to become a Taker or the guides and blogs that prey and trick such people.

Roach Motels, usually refers to Taker groups made up of Roaches, but can also refer to unscrupulous groups that burn through recruits and are left with "survivors".

Latent Proofing, the procedures and protocols unique to each enclave when it comes to latents interacting with their populations. Some just quarantine them outside the last fence line, others make them wear biohazard suits and reflectors, but there is always a idea in place on how latents need to act.

Items:

Bike Chains. Cost: 1B. Qualities: Clunky, Charged, Reusable. Upgrades, Wireless Unlocking, Lightweight Alloys. Bike chains can be surprisingly useful, whether it be to as impromptu restraints, locking a gate or double door closed, or actually securing your bikes, creative takers will find some use for lengths of chain that can be easily secured to things.

Breadcrumbs.
Cost: Depending on GM. Qualities: Static, Reusable, Charged. Upgrades, Infrared Marking, RFID Signal. You can download all the ancient fire escape maps you want, you can try and picture it in your head before you get there, but you ain't ever going to be prepared for what you find in there. Breadcrumbs are small placement markers(usually made of reflective eye catching materials), used when anywhere you are afraid of getting lost. Whether it be a national park, or the sub-basement of a Casualty filled building, you might want to bring something better than a old marker and duct tape. Upgrades make them more stealthy, with Infrared Marking needing night vision equipment, and RFID making them totally undetectable unless you have the right Ubiq Specs app.

MISC:

Idea: A Black Math Narco Cult. Basically your crazed Saint Death worshiping sicarios and drug runners keeping up the business to fund casualty culls. They rather barter for guns and ammo, but if you have to pay cash fine. I sort of see a reliquary made out of their founders bones that is brought along to meets and deals.

Imagine, sitting in the Lost, with overwatch and your boys, and just waiting for your contact, and they appear. Not in some normal thing, no, it's a Narco Tank painted like a reliquary and there are technical gun trucks painted the same. Men and women with skull face paint, gangland tattoos, and the will to hurt you for nothing, and the religious extremism to go any distance.

The deal is on, and you need what they have. Opium, Cocaine, hell, sugar and peppers if you've got change...Hard to keep a clinic stocked, or men and women alive, when all you got is a hack saw and some moonshine. They want what you have, so they're coming in. Talking about their saints and their purpose, and all too willing to throw their weight around, but they're still businessmen to a point.

And to seal the deal, they want you to pray, and give offering to their blessed leader, their founder, who watches over them. Or perhaps it is one of their new exalted martyrs? But it's still a skeleton, dressed in silk and gold, with a diamond grill just smiling at you over a collection plate of bullets and knives. So you do, and you did, and they laugh and smile and the Casualties will come soon, and they want them to come...it is time for some blessed work, don't think about the gagged man begging for you to look at him, to save him, it doesn't matter. No, it doesn't matter, not even when they bring out the gas and the tires.

It doesn't matter. Go home, and hope the doctor can use what you bring.
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DannoMontyXIII

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #236 on: October 18, 2016, 11:09:02 AM »
So the idea of our Enclave is set basically where we all grew up. Granted we had to move the Recession back a ways, but we all wanted to play in our back yard. The enclave itself is going to be set in the trees of a state park, right on the Ohio. It is split into three areas(basically the neighborhoods), The Citadel, a three story Fort, where the Militia is based, as well as housing the small Latent community. The Town, where the majority of the populous is, includes marketplace and all that good stuff. And, The Wharf, basically the Slums and fishermen. Has the smallest population density. All of these areas individually surrounded by a wooden palisade(think early american fort) with a spiked Ditch on the outside. The dirt from the ditch was transplanted to the inside of the wall, to help reinforce it from being pushed on, if anything makes it past the ditch. There is a draw bridge in the Town and the Citadel to allow outside access. Finally, all of the areas are connected via tree top walkways and guard stations(think Ewok territory) with no easy way to get to it from the ground. Im kinda excited to play. lol

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #237 on: October 19, 2016, 10:54:39 AM »
I just ran this for a one-shot and I think it worked quite well as a job.

Golden Parachute

Goods/Service: Only a small minority wants to spent the rest of their days in the desperate danger of the Loss. Most takers are risking their lives because they want to make a big payday and escape to the Recession. The Recession may be an autocratic, fascist semi-refugee camp, but at least there aren’t casualties on the other side of the wall, raiders around the corner and cults preparing for the end of the world. Tick-Tock is a legendary taker in the community and after a big score she is ready to smuggle herself over the Mississippi to the Recession. A pilot has been hired to fly her east, but they need somewhere to take off from. Tick-Tock wants to hire some takers to clear out a nearby municipal/hobbyist airfield. After the crew clears out the airport they will contact Tick-Tock who will drive out with her own team, liaison with the pilot and fly off to the east to her retirement.

Equilibrium: Roll for local conditions (add red and black).

Economy: Based on local Markets.

Client: Tick-Tock is a legendary taker in the enclave and region. She has been a taker since before there was a name for it. For the last few years she headed the crew The Black Sheep. A couple months ago they pulled off a Mr. JOLS. Now Tick-Tock has enough to smuggle herself back to the Recession and set herself up in style. Tick-Tock is nobody’s fool and she hasn’t survived the Loss for years without cunning and instinct. T-T is a tough woman. Her hair is always kept in a tight bun. She possesses an easy charm on the exterior, but doesn’t mess around in the field.

Weak Spot: Three Days from Retirement - The end is incredibly close. The struggle is nearly over. By this time next week she hopes to be sitting on a balcony, sipping a beer and enjoying the fruits of her labour… but anything could go wrong. The enclave could fall, she could get exposed to the blight, the DHQS could kick in the door or the plane could crash as she flies east. This fear causes her to wake up some nights in a cold sweat.

Soft Spot: Veteran Taker - Tick-Tock has seen it all. She has been working the Loss for years and has worked with dozens of different takers and taker crews. In most circumstances she is the most experienced person in the room. She has taken a lot of men and women under her wing and seen a lot of people broken by the job that she loves. She wants to see all the takers do well and come home in one piece. She has an affection for the fellows in her profession not unlike to the way police feel about their ‘brothers in blue’.

Tough Spot: Blood on Her Hands - A person who has worked the Loss and has had as many jobs as Tick-Tock has done some things she isn’t proud of and has made enemies. Locally Tick-Tock is somewhat of a folk hero, but elsewhere groups have cursed her name, like the Meek or DHQS.

Gift Spot: A fully upgraded, silenced rifle.

Competition: Depends on local Market.

Travel Time: 3 Legs 

The Site: Located not far from the enclave is a small municipal airfield. Airports were attractive targets for takers. Located on the edge of nearby city the municipal airport is relatively intact. The aircraft fuel is long gone, but there might be valuable equipment left behind. The real prize is the runway for Tick-Tock’s pilot can land and take off. There are casualties in the area of unknown number.

This is a municipal airport, not a regional hub or international airport. It catered to small charter flights and hobbyist pilots. There’s only one runway. It is surrounded by a simple chainlink fence and barbed wire, which is hardly secure from takers and infected. There are four main buildings on the site: the small airport terminal, the office and hanger for Cloud-Skimmer Charters (logo is a smiling cartoon cloud), and two hangers for private owners.

A Foresight check will tell the takers that it’s likely the obvious and easy scavenging will likely be gone, but there might be some valuable materials left behind. An Awareness check will tell the takers that someone has been in the buildings recently. An extremely diligent/paranoid crew can spot a camera rigged to monitor the airport setup off the road to watch the airport.

Complication: Tick-Tock’s plan to escape must not have been kept tight enough. Someone talked and now a group of raiders want to set up at the airfield to ambush her and make their own Mr. JOLS. The Market can determine whether the raiders strike before the buildings and airfield are cleared of casualties or after.

The raiders consists of somewhere between 6 part-time enemies and a full-time enemy for on-going story. If the takers manage to push the raiders back the full-time leader should flee and provide the basis for a job line. Tick-Tock and her escort can be called in for back-up before her flight arrives. The crew can just try to hold out for the cavalry. If the crew flees it’s a broken contract and they don’t get paid.

Job Line: In the Tall Grass. The leader of the raiders is none too pleased that you killed his/her men. He dedicates himself to revenge and can provide rivalry, competition and complication to jobs and legs going forward.

Tick-Tock can act as a valuable reference in the Recession with extensive knowledge of taking in your region.

Please let me know if you run this and how it goes!

trinite

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #238 on: October 19, 2016, 06:05:45 PM »
Golden Parachute is a cool job! It could be used as a "tutorial" to help convey the whole concept of Retirement to a group, too. Thanks, SJLee.
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SJLee

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Re: Red Markets Inspiration
« Reply #239 on: October 23, 2016, 11:39:20 AM »
Golden Parachute is a cool job! It could be used as a "tutorial" to help convey the whole concept of Retirement to a group, too. Thanks, SJLee.

It played out really well too, in my opinion. The complication wasn't obvious so the players got sunk deeper and deeper into paranoia until it revealed itself. I stole the idea to have the job teach something about the game from a helpful fellow who is sharing sample jobs, it seemed a smart approach.