RPGnet - User contributions [en]

Amazing Deliveries

2026-04-27T20:15:03Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
! 1
!
! 2
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 10
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 0
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Icarus Icarus]'''
| Flying courier
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/fedifensor.11415/ Fedifensor]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Vic

2026-04-20T11:26:18Z

Potted Plant: /* Encounter */

== Victorin "Vic" Dayward ==

'''L3 Eladrin Warlord'''
Alignment: Good
Theme: Oghma's Faithful

Appearance: A short, thin, male eladrin with platinum blonde shoulder length hair and smirk on his face, wearing leather armor and carrying a long spear.

'''Str''' 11 (+0)
'''Con''' 13 (+1)
'''Dex''' 12 (+1)
'''Int''' 18 (+4)
'''Wis''' 12 (+1)
'''Cha''' 14 (+2)

'''HP''' 35 / '''Bloodied''' 18 ; '''Healing Surges''' 8 (8 HP)

'''AC''' 17 '''Fortitude''' 14 '''Reflex''' 16 '''Will''' 16

Passive Perception 20, Passive Insight 17

Basic attack +1 vs. AC, 1d8

=== Heritage/Class Features ===

* Speed 6
* Low-light vision
* '''Eladrin Will:''' +5 racial bonus to saving throws against charm effects
* '''Fey Origin:''' Fey for the purpose of effects
* '''Fey Step:''' Can use Fey Step as an encounter power
* '''Trance:''' Rather than sleep, meditate for 4 hours
* '''Languages''' Common, Elven

=== Feats ===

* '''Tactical Assault''' When an ally uses an Action Point to get an extra attack, that attack has bonuses of +2 to hit, +4 damage
* '''Tactical Inspiration''' + Int modifier to HP restored by Inspiring Word

=== Skills ===

* '''Acrobatics''' +2
* '''Arcana''' (trained) +12
* '''Athletics''' +1
* '''Bluff''' +3
* '''Diplomacy''' (trained) +8
* '''Dungeoneering''' +2
* '''Endurance''' +2
* '''Heal''' (trained) +7
* '''History''' (trained) +14
* '''Insight''' +2
* '''Intimidate''' (trained) +8
* '''Nature''' +2
* '''Perception''' +2
* '''Religion''' +5
* '''Stealth''' +2
* '''Streetwise''' +3
* '''Thievery''' +2

''Note:'' +2 Arcana, +4 History

=== Powers ===

==== ''At-Will'' ====

'''Commander's Strike''' -- Standard, Melee: An ally of your choice makes a melee basic attack against the target with +4 damage bonus.

'''Wolf Pack Tactics''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Special: Before attack, one ally adjacent to either you or target can shift as a free action.

==== ''Encounter'' ====

'''Inspiring Word''' -- Minor, Martial, Healing: You or an ally in burst 5 can spend a Healing Surge and regain an additional 1d6 + 4 HP. Can be used twice per encounter.

'''Fey Step''' -- Move, Teleportation: Teleport up to 5 squares.

'''Understand Language (Oghma's Faithful theme power)''' -- Minor, Divine: Choose a language you have heard or seen within the past 24 hours. Until the end of the encounter, you can read and understand that language.

'''Warlord's Favor''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. One ally within 5 squares gains +5 to attack rolls against target until end of your next turn.

'''Hold the Line''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Effect: Until end of your next turn, allies adjacent to you gain +2 power bonus to AC and cannot be pushed, pulled or slid.

'''Aid The Injured''' -- Standard, touch. You or adjacent ally can spend a healing surge.

==== ''Daily'' ====

'''Bastion of Defense''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 3d8 damage. Allies within 5 squares gain +1 power bonus to all defenses until the end of the encounter. Effect: Allies within 5 squares gain 5 + Cha modifier temporary HP.

=== Equipment ===

Equipment:
* Amulet of Health +1
* Leather armor
* Longspear
* Standard adventurer's kit
* Writing kit
* Healer's kit

Vic

2026-04-18T05:37:06Z

Potted Plant: /* Encounter */

== Victorin "Vic" Dayward ==

'''L3 Eladrin Warlord'''
Alignment: Good
Theme: Oghma's Faithful

Appearance: A short, thin, male eladrin with platinum blonde shoulder length hair and smirk on his face, wearing leather armor and carrying a long spear.

'''Str''' 11 (+0)
'''Con''' 13 (+1)
'''Dex''' 12 (+1)
'''Int''' 18 (+4)
'''Wis''' 12 (+1)
'''Cha''' 14 (+2)

'''HP''' 35 / '''Bloodied''' 18 ; '''Healing Surges''' 8 (8 HP)

'''AC''' 17 '''Fortitude''' 14 '''Reflex''' 16 '''Will''' 16

Passive Perception 20, Passive Insight 17

Basic attack +1 vs. AC, 1d8

=== Heritage/Class Features ===

* Speed 6
* Low-light vision
* '''Eladrin Will:''' +5 racial bonus to saving throws against charm effects
* '''Fey Origin:''' Fey for the purpose of effects
* '''Fey Step:''' Can use Fey Step as an encounter power
* '''Trance:''' Rather than sleep, meditate for 4 hours
* '''Languages''' Common, Elven

=== Feats ===

* '''Tactical Assault''' When an ally uses an Action Point to get an extra attack, that attack has bonuses of +2 to hit, +4 damage
* '''Tactical Inspiration''' + Int modifier to HP restored by Inspiring Word

=== Skills ===

* '''Acrobatics''' +2
* '''Arcana''' (trained) +12
* '''Athletics''' +1
* '''Bluff''' +3
* '''Diplomacy''' (trained) +8
* '''Dungeoneering''' +2
* '''Endurance''' +2
* '''Heal''' (trained) +7
* '''History''' (trained) +14
* '''Insight''' +2
* '''Intimidate''' (trained) +8
* '''Nature''' +2
* '''Perception''' +2
* '''Religion''' +5
* '''Stealth''' +2
* '''Streetwise''' +3
* '''Thievery''' +2

''Note:'' +2 Arcana, +4 History

=== Powers ===

==== ''At-Will'' ====

'''Commander's Strike''' -- Standard, Melee: An ally of your choice makes a melee basic attack against the target with +4 damage bonus.

'''Wolf Pack Tactics''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Special: Before attack, one ally adjacent to either you or target can shift as a free action.

==== ''Encounter'' ====

'''Inspiring Word''' -- Minor, Martial, Healing: You or an ally in burst 5 can spend a Healing Surge and regain an additional 1d6 + 4 HP. Can be used twice per encounter.

'''Fey Step''' -- Move, Teleportation: Teleport up to 5 squares.

'''Oghma's Faithful theme power''' -- Understand any spoken or written language you encounter.

'''Warlord's Favor''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. One ally within 5 squares gains +5 to attack rolls against target until end of your next turn.

'''Hold the Line''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Effect: Until end of your next turn, allies adjacent to you gain +2 power bonus to AC and cannot be pushed, pulled or slid.

'''Aid The Injured''' -- Standard, touch. You or adjacent ally can spend a healing surge.

==== ''Daily'' ====

'''Bastion of Defense''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 3d8 damage. Allies within 5 squares gain +1 power bonus to all defenses until the end of the encounter. Effect: Allies within 5 squares gain 5 + Cha modifier temporary HP.

=== Equipment ===

Equipment:
* Amulet of Health +1
* Leather armor
* Longspear
* Standard adventurer's kit
* Writing kit
* Healer's kit

Vic

2026-04-18T05:08:23Z

Potted Plant: /* Victorin "Vic" Dayward */

== Victorin "Vic" Dayward ==

'''L3 Eladrin Warlord'''
Alignment: Good
Theme: Oghma's Faithful

Appearance: A short, thin, male eladrin with platinum blonde shoulder length hair and smirk on his face, wearing leather armor and carrying a long spear.

'''Str''' 11 (+0)
'''Con''' 13 (+1)
'''Dex''' 12 (+1)
'''Int''' 18 (+4)
'''Wis''' 12 (+1)
'''Cha''' 14 (+2)

'''HP''' 35 / '''Bloodied''' 18 ; '''Healing Surges''' 8 (8 HP)

'''AC''' 17 '''Fortitude''' 14 '''Reflex''' 16 '''Will''' 16

Passive Perception 20, Passive Insight 17

Basic attack +1 vs. AC, 1d8

=== Heritage/Class Features ===

* Speed 6
* Low-light vision
* '''Eladrin Will:''' +5 racial bonus to saving throws against charm effects
* '''Fey Origin:''' Fey for the purpose of effects
* '''Fey Step:''' Can use Fey Step as an encounter power
* '''Trance:''' Rather than sleep, meditate for 4 hours
* '''Languages''' Common, Elven

=== Feats ===

* '''Tactical Assault''' When an ally uses an Action Point to get an extra attack, that attack has bonuses of +2 to hit, +4 damage
* '''Tactical Inspiration''' + Int modifier to HP restored by Inspiring Word

=== Skills ===

* '''Acrobatics''' +2
* '''Arcana''' (trained) +12
* '''Athletics''' +1
* '''Bluff''' +3
* '''Diplomacy''' (trained) +8
* '''Dungeoneering''' +2
* '''Endurance''' +2
* '''Heal''' (trained) +7
* '''History''' (trained) +14
* '''Insight''' +2
* '''Intimidate''' (trained) +8
* '''Nature''' +2
* '''Perception''' +2
* '''Religion''' +5
* '''Stealth''' +2
* '''Streetwise''' +3
* '''Thievery''' +2

''Note:'' +2 Arcana, +4 History

=== Powers ===

==== ''At-Will'' ====

'''Commander's Strike''' -- Standard, Melee: An ally of your choice makes a melee basic attack against the target with +4 damage bonus.

'''Wolf Pack Tactics''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Special: Before attack, one ally adjacent to either you or target can shift as a free action.

==== ''Encounter'' ====

'''Fey Step''' -- Move, Teleportation: Teleport up to 5 squares.

'''Oghma's Faithful theme power''' -- Understand any spoken or written language you encounter.

'''Warlord's Favor''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. One ally within 5 squares gains +5 to attack rolls against target until end of your next turn.

'''Hold the Line''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Effect: Until end of your next turn, allies adjacent to you gain +2 power bonus to AC and cannot be pushed, pulled or slid.

'''Aid The Injured''' -- Standard, touch. You or adjacent ally can spend a healing surge.

==== ''Daily'' ====

'''Bastion of Defense''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 3d8 damage. Allies within 5 squares gain +1 power bonus to all defenses until the end of the encounter. Effect: Allies within 5 squares gain 5 + Cha modifier temporary HP.

=== Equipment ===

Equipment:
* Amulet of Health +1
* Leather armor
* Longspear
* Standard adventurer's kit
* Writing kit
* Healer's kit

Vic

2026-03-31T16:15:46Z

Potted Plant: Created page with "== Victorin "Vic" Dayward == '''L3 Eladrin Warlord''' Alignment: Good Theme: Oghma's Faithful Appearance: A short, thin, male eladrin with platinum blonde shoulder length hair and smirk on his face, wearing leather armor and carrying a long spear. '''Str''' 11 (+0) '''Con''' 13 (+1) '''Dex''' 12 (+1) '''Int''' 18 (+4) '''Wis''' 12 (+1) '''Cha''' 14 (+2) '''HP''' 25 / '''Bloodied''' 13 ; '''Healing Surges''' 8 (6 HP) '''AC''' 17 '''Fortitude''' 14 '''Reflex''' 16 ''..."

== Victorin "Vic" Dayward ==

'''L3 Eladrin Warlord'''
Alignment: Good
Theme: Oghma's Faithful

Appearance: A short, thin, male eladrin with platinum blonde shoulder length hair and smirk on his face, wearing leather armor and carrying a long spear.

'''Str''' 11 (+0)
'''Con''' 13 (+1)
'''Dex''' 12 (+1)
'''Int''' 18 (+4)
'''Wis''' 12 (+1)
'''Cha''' 14 (+2)

'''HP''' 25 / '''Bloodied''' 13 ; '''Healing Surges''' 8 (6 HP)

'''AC''' 17 '''Fortitude''' 14 '''Reflex''' 16 '''Will''' 16

Passive Perception 20, Passive Insight 17

Basic attack +1 vs. AC, 1d8

=== Heritage/Class Features ===

* Speed 6
* Low-light vision
* '''Eladrin Will:''' +5 racial bonus to saving throws against charm effects
* '''Fey Origin:''' Fey for the purpose of effects
* '''Fey Step:''' Can use Fey Step as an encounter power
* '''Trance:''' Rather than sleep, meditate for 4 hours
* '''Languages''' Common, Elven

=== Feats ===

* '''Tactical Assault''' When an ally uses an Action Point to get an extra attack, that attack has bonuses of +2 to hit, +4 damage
* '''Tactical Inspiration''' + Int modifier to HP restored by Inspiring Word

=== Skills ===

* '''Acrobatics''' +2
* '''Arcana''' (trained) +12
* '''Athletics''' +1
* '''Bluff''' +3
* '''Diplomacy''' (trained) +8
* '''Dungeoneering''' +2
* '''Endurance''' +2
* '''Heal''' (trained) +7
* '''History''' (trained) +14
* '''Insight''' +2
* '''Intimidate''' (trained) +8
* '''Nature''' +2
* '''Perception''' +2
* '''Religion''' +5
* '''Stealth''' +2
* '''Streetwise''' +3
* '''Thievery''' +2

''Note:'' +2 Arcana, +4 History

=== Powers ===

==== ''At-Will'' ====

'''Commander's Strike''' -- Standard, Melee: An ally of your choice makes a melee basic attack against the target with +4 damage bonus.

'''Wolf Pack Tactics''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Special: Before attack, one ally adjacent to either you or target can shift as a free action.

==== ''Encounter'' ====

'''Fey Step''' -- Move, Teleportation: Teleport up to 5 squares.

'''Oghma's Faithful theme power''' -- Understand any spoken or written language you encounter.

'''Warlord's Favor''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. One ally within 5 squares gains +5 to attack rolls against target until end of your next turn.

'''Hold the Line''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 1d8 damage. Effect: Until end of your next turn, allies adjacent to you gain +2 power bonus to AC and cannot be pushed, pulled or slid.

'''Aid The Injured''' -- Standard, touch. You or adjacent ally can spend a healing surge.

==== ''Daily'' ====

'''Bastion of Defense''' -- Standard, Melee: +2 vs. AC, 3d8 damage. Allies within 5 squares gain +1 power bonus to all defenses until the end of the encounter. Effect: Allies within 5 squares gain 5 + Cha modifier temporary HP.

=== Equipment ===

Equipment:
* Amulet of Health +1
* Leather armor
* Longspear
* Standard adventurer's kit
* Writing kit
* Healer's kit

Welcome to Neverwinter

2026-03-31T15:28:16Z

Potted Plant: /* PCs */

== Premise ==

AMID THE wilderness and savagery of the cold North, Neverwinter once stood as a beacon of civility and warmth. Even after the Spellplague wracked the world, the Jewel of the North lost little of its luster. The city’s destruction thus shocked many when it occurred, despite the portents that warned of coming peril. Vague prophecies and strange events seemed like shadows of the Spellplague, nothing more. Even the earth tremors that began to disturb the area could not shake its citizens’ belief in a bright future.

Then Mount Hotenow, deep in Neverwinter Wood, awoke with the power of an angry god. The city could do nothing against such a foe. The earth yawned open and broke apart. Whole districts shuddered and sank while other areas shot up, forming sudden cliffs. The river, running warm throughout winter, exploded into hissing steam and lava as scalding clouds of ash roared through the streets like an advancing army. Thousands lost their lives as Neverwinter died that day.

Slowly, life has returned to this ruined landscape. Many hope to rebuild what has been lost, but an equal number see the tragedy as an opportunity to seize all they can. Yet those who scratch out lives in the scarred city fail to see the infection below the scab. Under their noses, beneath their feet, and even within their earshot, dark forces battle one another for control of the city.

The year is 1479 and it is Marpenoth, the 10th month of the year.

== Houserules ==

* I'm just going to do milestone leveling rather than precisely tracking experience.

* I'm not interested in closely tracking everyone's encumbrance but try to keep things reasonable on that front.

* We'll be using popcorn initiative, as Falkus described in this thread: https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/request-for-a-4th-edition-dnd-game-set-in-the-forgotten-realms-using-the-keep-on-the-shadowfell-modules.921348/. Basically, once combat starts 1 PC will go (on a first come, first serve basis), then I'll have a NPC go, then another PC who hasn't acted yet will act, etc, until the end of the round, when the process starts over. Initiative won't serve any purpose, so you probably don't want to take any features that improve it.

* ''Skill Challenges'':

** Will be done round by round, so all players need to act in round 1 before we move to round 2, and then if the challenge doesn't end in round 2, everyone needs to act before we go to round 3, and so on.

** Like combat, players can act in any order, it's first come, first serve. I'll attempt to update during the SC about how things are going after rolls, but if someone just went and another player wants to post, don't feel like you have to wait for me.

** On each players' turn, they can do one of two things: 1) Attempt a success; roll whatever skill you can justify versus the challenge DC (each individual skill challenge will spell out what the DCs are and how many successes are needed), or 2) attempt to aid another player; pick a skill that could plausibly be used to help someone else and roll versus DC 10 and, if successful, that will give that PC a +2 the next time they act (the benefits from aiding someone don't stack, so a PC can't have +10 from 5 other PCs aiding them). In conjunction with that, if you have a utility/non-combat power that grants skill bonuses, or a really creative use for a combat power to get a skill bonus, you may use that power before you roll, but each player may only use one power per round.

** As the previous point suggests, I'm not bothering with primary and secondary skills. Players may roll any skill that makes logical sense within the context of the scene. So each skill use should be justified in the fiction, but I'm not putting any restrictions in terms of what skills can be used.

** Players can't use the same skill twice in a row. Other players, however, may use the same skill within the same round as long as it makes sense within the context of the scene.

== Threads ==

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/welcome-to-neverwinter.922077 IC Thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/welcome-to-neverwinter.922073/ OOC Thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/planning-4e-neverwinter-campaign.921672/ Planning Thread]

== PCs ==

* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KY_8n5OjSacZdHmB10xdQwNtDsddbznn5Al_anpF6E0/edit?gid=0#gid=0 Lander Telantere. Human Cleric. Scion of Shadows.]

* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/19fLiTfe5HxGEDq4DKe9JAmjzS_IfPKl3HGv8o95N5Yo/edit?usp=sharing Tatha Dinistyn. Drow Sorcerer. Spellscarred Harbinger.]

* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1b0yp3wSwaD9cUCVpPxjhCrwFfl_ERDLIlNf8mwkm4iI/edit?gid=0#gid=0 Orcanu Tamar. Eladrin Swordmage. Iliyanbruen Guardian.]

* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/10BYWPOrilUHZS9Zr8fkfH9gLhx5YGOHtfmU8f16yI60/edit?usp=sharing Otis Oakson. Human Wizard. Blackstaff Apprentice.]

* [[Vanadia | Vanadia. Dwarf Fighter. Heir of Delzoun]]

* [[Gannonbere Smeeks | Gannonbere Smeeks. Half-elf Avenger. Dead Rats Deserter.]]

* [[Vic | Victorin "Vic" Dayward. Eladrin Warlord. Oghma's Faithful]]

====Skills====

{|
|+Skill Matrix (L.2)
|-
!Skill
!Otis
!Vanadia
!Smeeks
!Lander
!Tatha
!Orcanu
!Vic
|-
| Acrobatics (Dex)
| +2
| -1
| '''+8'''
| +0
| +4
| +0
| +2
|-
| Arcana (Int)
| +10
| -0
| +1
| 0
| +8
| '''+14'''
| +12
|-
| Athletics (Str)
| +1
| '''+7'''
| +1
| +0
| +1
| +5
| +1
|-
| Bluff (Cha)
| +0
| +1
| +7
| +8
| '''+11'''
| +1
| +3
|-
| Diplomacy (Cha)
| +0
| +1
| +1
| +8
| '''+11'''
| +1
| +8
|-
| Dungeoneering (Wis)
| +2
| '''+9'''
| +5
| +4
| 0
| -1
| +2
|-
| Endurance (Con)
| +3
| '''+9'''
| +3
| +2
| +1
| +7
| +2
|-
| Heal (Wis)
| +2
| +2
| '''+5'''
| '''+4'''
| 0
| -1
| '''+7'''
|-
| History (Int)
| +10
| -0
| +1
| +6
| +1
| '''+12'''
| '''+14'''
|-
| Insight (Wis)
| +2
| +2
| +7
| '''+10'''
| 0
| -1
| +2
|-
| Intimidate (Cha)
| +0
| +1
| +4
| +2
| '''+13'''
| +1
| +8
|-
| Nature (Wis)
| '''+7'''
| +2
| +5
| +4
| 0
| -1
| +2
|-
| Perception (Wis)
| +2
| +2
| '''+10'''
| +4
| 0
| +4
| +2
|-
| Religion (Int)
| +5
| -2
| '''+10'''
| '''+9'''
| +1
| +5
| +5
|-
| Stealth (Dex)
| '''+8'''
| -1
| +3
| +0
| +7
| +0
| +2
|-
| Streetwise (Cha)
| +0
| +1
| '''+7'''
| +2
| +5
| +1
| +3
|-
| Thievery (Dex)
| '''+8/+10'''
| -2
| +3
| +0
| +4
| +0
| +2
|}

===Languages===
* Otis: Common, Elven
* Lander: Common, Netherese
* Tatha: Common, Elven
* Orcanu: Common, Eladrin
* Vanadia: Common, Dwarven
* Smeeks: Common, Elven, Goblin
* Vic: Common, Eladrin

===Passed into the Woods===
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZFpAbbxBSZWGLjB_yNPjQ7-62cOylGJTM0puf986ruE/edit Cleo. Human Rogue. Dead Rat Deserter.]
* [https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2881605 Maria Fireheart. Human Mage. Harper Agent/Detective.]
* [https://docs.google.com/document/d/17VpavwknMncf6b4f34vFtHieEp6udnXI0S8b3XwuehI/edit Ernst Lemuel. Human-appearing (Deva) Shaman. Oghma's Faithful/Dragon Coast.]

== Treasure==
* 4g 3s, 9c

== Neverwinter and the North ==
[[File:Neverwinter_map.png]]

Even in safer times, the North’s reputation as the Savage North was well earned. Now, times are worse and the land more savage by far. Its great cities, once bastions of light and civilization, lie crippled. The small towns that served to shelter travelers stand empty—or have been claimed by murderous groups and hungry monsters. Roads etched into the earth with thousands of years of use are increasingly obscured by forest, bramble, and marsh. Communities now struggle alone amid the wilderness,
fortunate if they see an outsider once in a generation. Neverwinter labors to breathe in the suffocating harshness of this new North, the sea its only lifeline. With few traders braving the increasingly long treks between settlements, the city’s docks now provide the area’s main means of import and precious little export. Gone are the days of plenty, beauty, and luxury. Today, Neverwinter struggles to break free of the forces that brought it low, still weak and surrounded by danger.

* '''Neverwinter''': The City of Skilled Hands, the Jewel of the North—many were the accolades once heaped upon Neverwinter. Then, almost thirty years ago, the city died. Minor earth tremors that had plagued the region for months were the precursors of the eruption of Mount Hotenow. A portion of that volcano’s peak exploded with such force that lava and superheated ash poured across the city in an avalanche. Half of Neverwinter’s population died in a heartbeat, the city’s buildings razed. A great rift now known as the Chasm rent the surface where the shifting earth had pulled apart. Strange zombies roamed the land in the aftermath, their dead flesh turned to ash by the fires that consumed the city. Yet the people of the North have always been resilient. After the destruction, many who had fled at the first tremors returned. Opportunists and looters arrived. People began to rebuild. Lord Dagult Neverember, the Open Lord of Waterdeep, eventually arrived as well, along with an army of Mintarn mercenaries. Today, the city struggles back to life under the watchful rule of the self-styled Lord Protector.

* '''Neverwinter''' River: The bright water of the Neverwinter River runs warm throughout the year, a feature that helps to keep the city from being frozen in the winter months. When the cataclysm struck, dark ash choked the river for months before it began to flow from Neverwinter Wood through the city once more. Three bridges once spanned the river in Neverwinter— the Sleeping Dragon, the Winged Wyvern, and the Dolphin, each sculpted in the form of its name. Of the three, only the Winged Wyvern remains largely intact. Mintarn mercenaries in the hire of Lord Neverember patrol it day and night, watching traffic to and from the northern portion of the city and guarding against threats from Castle Never.

* '''Helm’s Hold''': Once a small monastery and adjacent village dedicated to the deity Helm, the cathedral of Helm’s Hold now towers above the town and surrounding lands that bear its name. The death of Helm saw the monastery fall into disuse, but the fortified town became a refuge when the Spellplague hit during the year following Helm’s demise. Lord Neverember now exiles victims of the Spellplague to Helm’s Hold for treatment, and his mercenaries guard the town.

* '''Port Llast''': This town was a great city in ancient times—the most northerly safe harbor on the Sword Coast whenever Luskan would fall to orcs or other evil forces. However, the rise of a relatively stable Luskan and ports farther north began to diminish its prominence. Then came the Spellplague, and with it the return of Abeir. The appearance of the new continent in the ocean to the west changed the tides around Port Llast, filling the harbor with silt and making Neverwinter an easier port to reach. With the docks of Port Llast failing and trade dying off, most of its citizens have long since abandoned their homes or died at the hands of marauders. Now a ghost town, Port Llast is known as the realm of the evil sea goddess Umberlee and as a home to sea monsters. However, some say that this reputation is simply rumor spread by those who want to keep the secrets of the town to themselves.

* '''Neverwinter Wood''': For generations, this dark forest has been shunned by most people of the North. That magic exists in Neverwinter Wood cannot be doubted, but its nature—and whether it exists as a force of good or ill—remains unknown. The forest holds many secrets, and even on its fringes, one feels a sense of unease. Humans have never logged in this area, and the orcs of the North have traditionally avoided it during their incursions. Only druids and Uthgardt barbarians dare to pass into the deep forest.

* '''Thundertree''': This small town once stood at the edge of the wood. Its inhabitants made a living by harvesting windfall timber to ship downriver to the Neverwinter and beyond. Now the forest has overgrown Thundertree’s abandoned and decaying buildings. Although the town survived the Spellplague largely intact, the ash zombies that arose after the destruction of Neverwinter overran it. As the dangers of Neverwinter Wood increase, the abandoned town and its unknown horrors are shunned.

* '''Mount Hotenow''': For untold generations, this volcanic peak quietly fumed in the depths of Neverwinter Wood. Rumored to be the source of the warmth of the Neverwinter River, Mount Hotenow once featured in the bedtime stories of Neverwinter’s citizens as the home of fire giants, red dragons, and other blazing beasts. People looked upon the fantastic peak as a thing of beauty—until its wrath was unleashed against Neverwinter in the cataclysm. Now jutting like a broken tooth from the forest, Mount Hotenow still fumes, the land occasionally quaking with the echoes of its fury.

* '''The Crags''': This long wrinkle of hills and ridges runs northeast from Neverwinter Wood. Goblins, gnolls, ogres, hill giants, and other wild peoples have dwelled within this rocky landscape for centuries. So too has the Sky Pony tribe of the Uthgardt barbarians. Rumors have long persisted that an entrance to Gauntlgrym lies somewhere in the Crags. However, the hundreds of ancient and now-dead mines that long ago brought humans to the area make for numerous false leads.

* '''Tower of Twilight''': This enchanted tower long stood on an island in a small lake east of Neverwinter Wood. Home to a student of the great wizard Khelben Blackstaff, the tower stood invisible by day but would appear as the light failed. During the Spellplague, the tower vanished without a trace, though it now reappears infrequently and unpredictably at twilight. Who lives there now, where the tower disappears to, and why it returns remain a mystery.

* '''Conyberry''': During the Spellplague, a portion of Abeir imposed itself upon the village of Conyberry. The terrain-altering effect of this transition forced the inhabitants of the village to come together with people dwelling in the regions of Abeir to which they were joined. However, in the intervening decades, the Gray Wolf Uthgardt tribe has sacked the settlement in retribution for this “invasion” of their lands, slaughtering Conyberry’s citizens or forcing them to join the tribe. The village now lies largely vacant.

* '''Old Owl Well''': Known in ancient texts as Old Owlbear Well and in even older histories as Quesseer, this site marks the location of a Netherese outpost established millennia ago. The Netherese built a means of drawing water from the earth, using the site as a place of trade. For centuries, this water supply on a key trade route served as a source of conflict. Until the chaos of the Spellplague, orcs and humans from Neverwinter and Waterdeep still struggled to control the outpost. Now, it lies forgotten and abandoned. Until trade returns to these lands, the fate of the well and whatever ruins lie hidden in the surrounding hills remain unknown.

* '''Morgur’s Mound''': Atop this foothill of the Crags, Uthgar—deity and founder of the Uthgardt barbarians— died after saving the North from Gurt, Lord of the Pale Giants. The mound is named for Uthgar’s brother Morgur (called Morgred by some), who is said to be buried there. Once, the bones of a great thunderbeast were spread atop the hill, marking it as the holy shrine of the Uthgardt.

* '''Luskan''': An urban cesspool, the once-great City of Sails squats on the coastline like an open sore on the face of the continent of Faerûn. It lies about four days hard travel north of Neverwinter (about three days by sea, due to prevailing currents). Until some hundred years ago, Luskan choked in the grasp of the Arcane Brotherhood and its leader, Arklem Greeth. When a force of pirate-killers from Waterdeep along with the legendary hero Drizzt and his allies precipitated the destruction of the Hosttower of the Arcane, the city was destabilized and never fully recovered. Street gangs and pirates rule Luskan now, making the city a stomping ground for criminals, exiles from other lands, and hideous beasts.

* '''Gauntlgrym''': This famous subterranean dwarven city has been the stuff of legend for centuries. Aside from the dwarves, most people of the North doubted Gauntlgrym’s existence—until the Summons, as it has come to be known. At that time, ghostly dwarves in ancient dress appeared before certain dwarves throughout the North and beyond, silently pleading for heroes to seek out Gauntlgrym. Some did set out in search of the lost city, though most counted themselves lucky when the ghosts troubled them no more. Many of those who sought Gauntlgrym did so in the Crags, for ancient legends mentioned an entrance there. Others plunged into Neverwinter Wood or scaled the Sword Mountains. Few returned from their quests, and those who survived almost never found any trace of their goal. Some dwarves seek the city still, but for the rest, Gauntlgrym remains a tantalizing legend.

* '''The Sword Mountains''': The sharp peaks and hilly terrain of the Sword Mountains extend down the coast of the Sea of Swords for nearly two hundred miles. Long home to belligerent dwarf clans, orc tribes, trolls, dragons, and other fearsome creatures, this range is rarely traveled in these dangerous times. Those foolish enough to brave the mountains often do so in search of old mines and the ruins of civilizations past. However, most find only death in the end.

* '''Leilon''': This sleepy mining town once served as a convenient resting place for travelers on the High Road. Now, the few travelers who still take this route shun Leilon, going miles out of their way to avoid even laying eyes on the town. The High Tower of Thalivar long stood as a landmark here, abandoned by a forgotten mage. For generations, the tower proved a tempting target for plunderers—and, too often, a grave for them as well. The people of Leilon knew that the tower held guardian monsters, and they were content to leave it alone. However, the Spellplague’s twisted magic unleashed the creatures trapped in the tower, which quickly ravaged the helpless village. Now, the tower is a place of terror, its magic allegedly freezing in place all creatures whose eyes rest upon it, even for a moment.

* '''Mere of Dead Men''': This vast salt marsh contains the ruins of the numerous castles, manors, and farms it swallowed as it expanded. It takes its name from the great armies that were drowned here when a powerful lich flooded their battlefield. Whereas once the High Road skirted the swamp, what now remains of that highway plunges through its expanded borders. Those seeking to go south to Waterdeep from points north must often contend with the lizardfolk that claim the territory around the road. Alternative routes wind deeper into the mere or off into the Sword Mountains at the cost of extra days of travel and peril.

* '''Waterdeep''': Once the greatest and grandest city in the Realms, Waterdeep’s star has dimmed slightly in the last century as the world has progressively darkened. The great port—about a week south of Neverwinter, or three days by sea—no longer sustains its own navy, relying instead on mercenaries from the island of Mintarn and the city of Baldur’s Gate to the south. The city has long existed as a relatively fair and just center of civilization. Waterdeep is ruled by a council of twenty Masked Lords (nobles hidden behind powerful illusions to obscure their identities) and one Open Lord. The current Open Lord is the boisterous and dangerous Dagult Neverember, the so-called Lord Protector of Neverwinter. Unlike most of the other Open Lords in Waterdeep’s history, Lord Neverember has demonstrated an expansionist and imperialistic bent. In recent years, he has set his sights on Neverwinter as the next territory in his growing empire.

== City of Neverwinter ==

[[File:Neverwinter_city.png]]

'''Neverwinter''': A once-bustling metropolis, the northern city of Neverwinter lies mostly in ruins after a century of turmoil that culminated in a great cataclysm nearly thirty years ago. Fires, earthquakes, and evil portents destroyed or chased away most of the populace, but even the supposed waking of an ancient primordial could not kill the city completely. Some stubborn natives remained, carrying on in spite of countless hardships. Because of them—and because of the reconstruction efforts of the last decade—Neverwinter still stands, despite its tragedies. Today, the city is a center of trade, warfare both open and secret, and—above all—adventure. After so much abuse and neglect, much of the city’s architecture is damaged or lies in rubble. Recent repair efforts have given Neverwinter a patchwork appearance; slums are juxtaposed with new construction, all resting on the shattered remnants of old buildings. Certain districts are more intact than others, and former citizens have returned to such areas, thanks to the efforts of the city’s Lord Protector: Dagult Neverember, Open Lord of Waterdeep.

* '''Protector's Enclave''': The Lord Protector of Neverwinter rules the city from the Hall of Justice, the old temple of Tyr. Farthest from the source of the great earthquake that struck Mount Hotenow almost three decades ago, this area of Neverwinter suffered the least destruction. This good fortune also made the district a primary target for Lord Neverember. He moved an overwhelming force of mercenaries into the district, secured his base, and, ever since, has spent half his time here and half in Waterdeep. The Protector’s Enclave stands mostly intact, and many former residents of the city have returned to live here alongside new immigrants. Although this district is the most stable part of Neverwinter, it chafes under the firm hand of Sabine, the general of Lord Neverember’s forces. Spies watch every neighborhood and notable gathering place, and Mintarn enforcers march through the streets. The Enclave boasts the best-stocked market in the city, thanks to trade from Waterdeep and other cities along the Sword Coast. The city taxes all transactions made here at a steep rate that the natives have grudgingly come to accept. The taxes pay for the Mintarn soldiers who watch every newcomer to the district with a sharp eye. In the enclave, suspicious or unfamiliar characters do not stay hidden for long.

** '''Locations'''

*** '''Hall of Justice''': The high walls and imposing stonework of Tyr’s former temple mark it as a timeless bastion of duty and honor. The great temple stands atop a seaside bluff, challenging all threats from the Sea of Swords or inland Faerûn. When Lord Neverember set his sights on the city, he chose the Hall of Justice as his base of operations for its practical value (the cataclysm left it almost untouched) and its emotional significance to the people of Neverwinter. The city had long served Tyr, the god of justice, and even after the deity fell nearly a hundred years ago, the residents refused to convert the temple to worship of another god. By restoring the temple to its former status, Neverember seeks to win over the city’s traditionalists and establish himself as a champion of just rule. He sponsors priests of Torm whose rites emulate the Tyrran tradition, hoping to attract new devotees to the temple (and to the Lord Protector’s cause). For the most part, the scheme has worked. Some of the locals, however—particularly the Sons of Alagondar—think that Neverember’s presence defiles the great temple, which they now call the “Hall of Never-Justice.” The temple itself is a radiant and beautiful structure, big enough inside for giants to walk comfortably or for dragons to rest in the great hall, beneath the high-domed ceiling. The trappings of the building reflect a bygone age, one dedicated to justice and temperance in all things.

*** '''The Lord’s Residence''': From his office, which looks more and more like a throne room all the time, Lord Neverember issues edicts, coordinates the activities of his followers, and (when he can spare the time) holds audience with the impoverished citizens of the city. However, he has no facility for dispensing justice, and thus he has delegated that role to Soman Galt, whom he has appointed mayor of Neverwinter. The dwarf listens wearily to supplicant after supplicant, offering grudging mediation. Meanwhile, the lord enhances his image as the charismatic champion who does not stoop to petty politics. Neverember has decorated his private quarters after the fashion of Waterdeep, although he takes care to display no seal or coat of arms pertaining to his home city. He has taken the former high priest’s apartments for his own, and he garrisons most of his sellswords in the temple’s other chambers, with a score of servants to wait upon them. A few priests of Torm dwell in the complex, faithful to their god and his precepts.

*** '''The Moonstone Mask''': A vertigo-inducing journey along a cliffside trail takes the adventurous to a new fixture of the Neverwinter skyline. The earthmote now known as the Moonstone floats beside the western edge of the Protector’s Enclave, high over the docks below. It hangs a hundred feet above the crashing waves of the Sea of Swords, bound in place by thick chains strung to heavy anchors. A bridge that runs between the earthmote and the docks allows visitors to enter and exit the Moonstone. The inn for which the mote is named, the Moonstone Mask, offers guests lavish quarters, pleasurable company, and a hard-to-beat view. In no small part, the Moonstone Mask owes its rebirth and current existence to Lord Neverember and New Neverwinter. It repays the favor by housing many of the city’s Mintarn enforcers, including their commander, General Sabine. As such, mercenaries dominate the once-genial atmosphere of the hedonistic inn, and Neverember’s sellswords are known to argue or fight with other patrons

*** '''The Wall''': A great hodgepodge of wood and scavenged stone, the Wall separates civilized Neverwinter from the Chasm and the horrors it spawns. The Wall lets guards strike at targets from positions of relative safety, and it provides regular outposts for watchers. The thick mess of bloodstained refuse at the eastern base—not to mention the occasional rotting corpse of a more recent kill— speaks to the Wall’s success as a defensive fortification. In its early days, the Wall held off the monsters by shunting them toward parts of the city that had already been destroyed. When Neverember arrived, he made it a priority to reinforce what he saw as an effective defensive fortification with his own engineers and soldiers. At first, the Wall blocked only a few streets where attacks were common, but since the reconstruction started, it has expanded to stretch from the Neverdeath graveyard to the old House of Knowledge. In combination with the Neverwinter River, the Wall continues to provide effective containment, although people have spotted plaguechanged monstrosities in the northern River District and, more recently, near sewer holes around the city. The situation grows dire, and petitions for Wall expansion come before Mayor Galt every day.

*** '''House of Knowledge''': At the far northeastern end of the Wall stands what was, in happier times, a flourishing temple to Oghma, god of knowledge and wisdom. Before the quake, the House of Knowledge served as a repository of chronicled learning, including maps, history, and hundreds of poems and chapbooks produced over the centuries. Today, it looks less like a library and more like a refugee camp, holding the area where the Wall approaches the Neverwinter River. After the cataclysm, leadership of the reduced flock at the House of Knowledge fell to Brother Anthus, an elderly human interested in studying the Chasm and the Spellplague-touched creatures that came from it. His research led to the temple’s use as a haven for Spellplague sufferers. After Anthus’s death under mysterious circumstances, a young woman in residence known as the Prophet relocated the makeshift hospital and the remaining clerics of Oghma to Helm’s Hold, claiming a prophesied disaster would befall the city if she did not. After the Prophet departed, the badly damaged temple stood empty and abandoned until recently, when a handful of squatters moved back into the House. These refugees from the River District earn their keep by ringing the temple’s bells when they sight a new wave of monstrosities spilling from the Chasm toward the Wall. Lord Neverember is said to be quite pleased with their resourcefulness, and the Mintarn mercenaries that guard the Wall are known to stop by with small gifts of food and drink to show their appreciation.

*** '''Neverdeath''': A cracked stone wall, patched in places with thick wood, surrounds the graveyard called Neverdeath. Consisting of two wide, roughly square areas of the city, Neverdeath is filled with rows of headstones interspersed with mausoleums and crumbling statues, often overgrown with withered grasses. Time, the Spellplague, and the cataclysm all took their toll on the graveyard, thrusting some sections higher than others, collapsing buildings, and revealing graves. Coffins now jut from small cliffs, and tumbled bones litter the ground. The graveyard takes its name from a common blessing given over the dead. As long as the city remained in summer, it was said, the dead would never truly leave. Many think that winter is coming soon for the city’s dead, however. Neverember’s mercenaries fear the graveyard, preferring to burn the dead outside the walls of the burial ground. If they are not burned, corpses left lying nearby sometimes rise of their own accord. Beneath a large, unassuming mausoleum lie the catacombs of the Waterclock Guild, an organization of artisans famous for building beautiful and intricate timepieces.

*** '''Neverwinter Docks''': Much of Neverwinter’s original wealth and influence came from its position as one of the few deep ports on the Sword Coast. The Neverwinter docks were the commercial heart of the city, though in some ways that heart was infected with darkness and corruption. The Spellplague went some way toward purging that corruption—chunks of land broke away and rose into the sky, forming earthmotes that hovered overhead. The surviving residents of the city adapted, connecting the low-floating motes to the shore with ropes, chains, and bridges. However, the cataclysm later destroyed the foundations of these bridges, and the changed currents swamped whole areas of the port with tidal waves. Neverwinter’s already diminished trade dried up entirely, leaving the docks a rotting ghost town. Only a few fishers and the occasional pirate ship made port here. Lord Neverember made rebuilding this center of trade a top priority. As part of his first initiatives, he sent engineers and loggers to the Upland Rise, a forested hill outside the city that once served as a park for the city’s residents. The crews stripped the hill of all salvageable timber, leaving the Upland Rise a sparse echo of its former beauty, and used it to rebuild the docks. Today, supplies and coin flow into Neverwinter through the docks, along with repatriated refugees. The Lord Protector takes a keen interest in anyone entering the city in this manner, and charges steep tariffs on deals consummated at the docks.

*** '''Tarmalune Trade House''': The rebuilt docks have attracted visitors from across the sea—members of a trade cartel from the city of Tarmalune in Returned Abeir. They have arrived in Neverwinter to arrange permanent trade routes between the two continents, and to outmaneuver their rivals from the Abeiran city of Lylorn, who have landed in Luskan with a similar goal. The Abeirans have set up shop in a large warehouse complex next to a set of docks that are being rebuilt. The Tarmalune Trade House is a busy area where contacts gather, deals are made, and adventurers find their services in high demand.

*** '''The Winged Wyvern''': Of the three bridges that once crossed the Neverwinter River, only the Winged Wyvern remains largely intact. Mintarn mercenaries in the hire of Lord Neverember patrol it day and night, watching traffic to and from the northern portion of the city, charging a toll, and guarding against threats from Castle Never.

** '''Notable NPCS'''

*** '''Lord Dagult Neverember''': The Open Lord of Waterdeep, Neverember arrived in Neverwinter about ten years ago and proclaimed himself the Lord Protector of the city. Over the past decade, Dagult Neverember has made progress in restoring the devastated city. Seeing an opportunity to add to his mercantile empire, Lord Neverember employed an army of artisans and carpenters to rebuild, and he hired mercenaries from Mintarn to keep monsters at bay and maintain order. Five years ago, Neverember established the Protector’s Enclave from his base in the Hall of Justice, and declared that section of the city safe for occupation once more. Since then, he has worked to tame the wild streets, rebuild the ruins, and coax refugees to return to their homes. The Open Lord of Waterdeep is a commanding noble. Big, boisterous, and affable, Neverember treats each new acquaintance as a friend. But beneath his congenial display, his quick mind is sizing up everyone in attendance, tallying potential gains or threats each could offer him. Neverember hasn't tried to claim the throne of Neverwinter (yet, at least), but he has floated the idea he is a descendant of Nasher Alagondar, a beloved lord from before the Spellplague. The protector’s savants have managed to trace the lord’s heritage to the adventurer Vers Never, a supposed bastard son of Lord Nasher Alagondar and younger half-brother to Bann, who succeeded their shared father as king. As Neverember tells it, Vers settled in Waterdeep and married Mirtria Ember, thus forming the “Neverember” name.

*** '''General Sabine''': A tough-as-nails mercenary named Sabine leads Neverember's Mintarn forces. She serves as Neverember’s chief enforcer in the city and has come to represent the harsher aspects of his beneficence.

*** '''Soman Galt, Mayor of Neverwinter''': Once a great explorer, Soman Galt has turned into a calculated politician who projects a cold, disconnected presence. The dwarf stares absently, his eyes seeming to watch something no one else can see, and he often mumbles to himself. He is capable of rigid focus, however, when the situation warrants it, and he takes his work seriously. A former government official, Galt was a natural choice when Neverember sought an underling to manage the city’s affairs. He oversees tax collection, grants of property, and city files.

*** '''Liset Cheldar''': This half-elf woman runs the Moonstone Mask with a wink and a smile. She genuinely likes most of the people she meets, and she flirts with anyone who seems receptive. A recently returned native of the city who inherited the inn, Liset was pleased to find the place still in one piece (and still floating). The legitimacy of her claim to the Moonstone was unclear, but, plying her natural charm, she successfully lobbied Neverember for funds to reopen the inn, and she maintains a bright smile thanks to his patronage.

*** '''Durham Shaw''': The Captain of the Wall, he holds the command of it under General Sabine, seeing to its defense and coordinating patrols of it between the Mintarn mercenaries and the hardened natives who refuse to give up their stewardship. While he's not too harsh of a commander compared to Sabine or the Mintarns in general, he's resented by many people for a different reason—he has been allowed to stay in the city and work on the Wall even though he suffers from the effects of the Spellplague. Some say Shaw receives this special treatment because he is a personal friend or distant relation of Lord Neverember.

*** '''Loremaster Atlavast''': The only priest who remained after the Prophet’s departure from the House of Knowledge, he is a middle-aged human who became the custodian of the library after the cataclysm. Fearing the worst as the cataclysm occurred, the loremasters of the temple sealed the inner sanctum, leaving the young Atlavast sealed within. As the ground shuddered and shook, Atlavast’s mind grew unstable. Now grown into an eccentric recluse, Atlavast keeps to the lower vaults, continually cataloguing and reorganizing. He is rarely glimpsed these days, and the main evidence of his existence is the occasional flickering light that filters up from cracks in the cobblestones in the dead of night. As a rule, no one ventures closer to investigate.

* ''' Fisher's Float''': This island hovers over the Sea of Swords beyond the southern end of the bay. Dotted with a smattering of shacks, it is the home and workplace of fishers who have lived on this earthmote since the Spellplague. Skilled at their trade and fearless of the weather and the turbulent sea, they provide a great deal of food for the city. For many years, rumors have spread that the fishers have thrived because of their worship of dark gods or unnatural alliances with creatures that live beneath the waves. Regardless of the veracity of these barstool stories, the people of Neverwinter happily eat the fish and crustaceans brought to land each morning and evening.

* '''Pirates' Skyhold''': Neverwinter legends say that this high-floating earthmote served as an unassailable harbor for sky pirates in the years following the Spellplague. Because the mote floats a hundred feet up and could not be accessed by a direct path from the land, the pirates supposedly stored all manner of treasure there, as safe storage for wealthy or well-connected residents of the city. Then, the story takes a dark turn. All the pirates died in one night of blood and betrayal, leaving the treasure and their skyship on the mote—along with whatever slew them. Some people believe that a dragon has claimed the pirates’ loot as its hoard, taking the earthmote as its lair because the city below lacks the means to interfere. Regardless of the story’s truth, one thing is true—Pirates’ Skyhold has long been abandoned. From the right locations in Neverwinter, one can see rotting wooden buildings poking out of the forests of the mote, but whatever still exists up there has seen little intrusion in decades.

* '''Castle Never''': An imposing fixture of Neverwinter’s western end, Castle Never stands as a monument to the city’s former glory. The cataclysm struck it hard, toppling towers, collapsing walls, and starting fires that burned throughout the structure. The entire royal family is thought to have perished, and the remaining servants sealed the vaults, crypts, and grounds with the hope that a worthy heir to Neverwinter would arrive one day to take his or her rightful place on the throne. On that day, it is said, the magic treasures and other resources of the castle will serve the new ruler. To the uninformed eye, Castle Never looks like a big, hulking ruin. Half its towers fell in the cataclysm, and the wall on its seaward side crumbled to rubble. Chunks of stone and fallen statues litter the windswept courtyard. Inside, the stone corridors stink of ash and dust, which swirls up around the feet of intruders. Even in their emptiness, the corridors never seem vacant. The spirits of the hundreds who died here linger on. The castle was built on a strong foundation, however, and if the structure were purged of monsters, it could be refurbished. Many of the interior rooms collapsed, but others stand eerily intact.

** '''Locations'''

*** '''Drow Encampment''': The courtyard of Castle Never bears the traces of a camp that was well hidden but has become increasingly obvious from frequent use. The camp originally belonged to an infamous pair of drow: Drizzt Do’Urden, legendary ranger of the North, and the less well-regarded Jarlaxle, captain of the Bregan D’aerthe mercenaries. The two drow were in the area when the cataclysm claimed Neverwinter, and they still have interests in the region. The drow established this camp as a base of operations in Neverwinter, enabling them to keep an eye on their schemes in the city. At first, the camp consisted only of a few companions sharing a fire, but Drizzt’s and Jarlaxle’s occasional visits to the city encouraged young would-be adventurers to seek them out as teachers of the ways of combat and heroism. The drow, both grandmasters, have inspired a small following among the disenfranchised or ambitious youth of Neverwinter. After Drizzt and Jarlaxle’s last visit several months ago, half a dozen young citizens set up their own camp in this spot, where they practiced the ways of combat, dared one another to venture into the castle proper, and sought to make themselves apprentices to the two absent legends.

*** '''Hall of Ashen Mirrors''': Full-length mirrors once adorned the walls of this long corridor, wherein young heirs of Alagondar practiced their noble gait and posture. The mirrors shattered in the cataclysm, instantly killing anyone in the corridor at the time, just before a wave of searing gas blasted through the huge windows and turned the corpses to ash. This double catastrophe left the hallway a wasteland of soot and splintered glass.

*** '''Fungal Bloom''': This atrium once housed all manner of pretty birds and flowers. Since the cataclysm, they have been reduced to skeletons in gilded cages and rotted, desiccated blossoms. Boarded over to keep out the sunlight and trap the heat of rot inside, the cavernous chamber is suffused with dim blue light from glowing lichen.

*** '''Web-Strewn Spires''': Cobwebs fill the upper halls of Castle Never, and scrabbling noises can be heard in its high towers. Only the boldest explorers—those with no fear of fangs in the dark—venture up to the spires.

*** '''Neverneath, Endless Maze''': The catacombs beneath Castle Never came through the cataclysm mostly untouched, thanks to a warding spell commissioned in times past to maintain the structural integrity of the castle. However, the Spellplague wrought strange changes upon the ward, which has grown in strength. What once protected the catacombs now traps intruders. The complex beneath Castle Never, called Neverneath by locals, closes around trespassers. Corridors lead back around to themselves, and dead ends appear where tunnels led only moments before. Explorers can step through a door, turn around and go back through the same door, and end up in a different part of the dungeon. They can wander the abandoned halls and chambers for days without finding an exit.

*** '''Vault of the Nine''': Beneath the center of Neverneath lies a vault built especially for the legendary bodyguards of House Alagondar—the Neverwinter Nine. These great warriors served their beloved city in life, and they lie entombed with honor at her very foundation.

** '''Notable NPCs'''

*** '''Xalbyn''': A moon elf who has established himself as the captain of the Drow Encampment in the absence of any actual drow. He's taken some of the younger would-be adventurers who stay or visit the camp under his wing, providing training and challenging them to complete minor quests. He values quick-witted warriors after his own heart.

*** '''Aerlyse''': A half-drow psion, she's a newer resident of the camp, who admires intelligence and charm. She has been tasked with securing the camp and making sure the denizens of the crypts beneath Castle Never don't spill out into the courtyard.

* '''Blacklake District''': This region of Neverwinter stands largely intact in the wake of the cataclysm. Credit for the survival of the Blacklake District goes mostly to the nobles of Neverwinter who dwelt here and constructed their homes with extra support, both material and magical. Many of these nobles died in the fire that swept the area after the cataclysm, but their houses remain. The district holds a large number of overgrown estates, scores of stout, defensible holdfasts, and a large park that contains the lake for which the region is named. The water was polluted by a great deal of ash and rubbish in the quake, and today Blacklake looks more like a midden pit of sludge than a lake. Some locals are making an effort to dredge it and restore the surrounding environs. After securing the Protector’s Enclave, Lord Neverember’s mercenaries have turned more of their attention to Blacklake as the next district for resettlement, but their efforts have not been fruitful. Numerous secret societies aggressively resist their efforts to pacify the neighborhood. Blacklake harbors a great deal of old blood and nationalism, which takes the form of opposition to the Lord Protector. Muggers and hot-tempered duelists plague the streets of Blacklake, and political agitators hold small rallies or foment subtle conspiracies against the powers that be. The Sons of Alagondar set ambushes for Mintarn enforcers and wage pitched battles in the streets.

** '''Locations'''

*** '''The Driftwood Tavern''': An inn and tavern that caters mainly to longtime locals, the Driftwood Tavern takes pride in having kept its doors open since before the Spellplague. When the cataclysm struck, innkeeper Madame Rosene, a serious woman now in her late fifties, sheltered refugees within her walls. The Driftwood offered people a makeshift city hall and gathering place during the troubled years. Madame Rosene and her regulars have filled the inside of the tavern with bric-à-brac, curios, and relics of Neverwinter before its fall. The statue from a favorite fountain stands in a corner. A wineseller’s planter boxes, filled with flowers, brighten the walls. A knob and a knocker from a noble’s estate are attached to the privy door. Ornate doors pulled from the wreckage make fine tables, and unbroken panes of stained glass hang overhead as chandeliers, lit by hundreds of carefully placed candles. Though the decorations have been salvaged from all over the city, the tavern does not feel junky, and no one thinks Madame Rosene is taking advantage of Neverwinter’s fall. Quite the opposite—the Driftwood is considered a monument to old Neverwinter, like a dusty painting of a beautiful girl hanging above the deathbed of an aged noblewoman. Prices for room and board at the tavern are high. The atmosphere is one of quiet reflection, rather than boisterous merriment. The Mintarn mercenaries stay away, preferring to eat and drink at the Moonstone Mask or some other cheaper place. Visitors to the city stop at the Driftwood to marvel at the museum of objects, or to learn about old Neverwinter from Madame Rosene for the (expensive) price of a drink and a meal.

*** '''The Beached Leviathan''': The Beached Leviathan tavern caters to sailors, smugglers, pirates, slavers, merchants, and others arriving by sea. The name of the tavern honors the owner's ship, ''Leviathan'', which ran aground during a storm before the docks had been rebuilt. The tavern is built in and around the refurbished wreckage of the ship.

*** '''The Swamped Docks''': Below the more recent construction lie the remnants of the original docks: a splintering, rotting mass of ancient wood and stone that makes any number of natural lairs for aquatic creatures or hideouts for those on the run from the Mintarns. This area was partially submerged during the city’s devastation. Now, half-sunken buildings rot beneath seaweed, the drowned dead float through foul water, and amphibious horrors crawl up onto land. No one, not even Lord Neverember, looks forward to cleaning up this area, but the job must be tackled eventually. The city’s hand might be forced soon—sahuagin have been sighted in the bay, and disappearances from nearby areas have become common. Rumor has it that a halfling gang operates out of the swamped docks, led by a sneak thief named Palas. The halflings prey on those who wander the docks alone or in the dark.

*** '''Vellgard Manor''': At least one noble villa in the Blacklake District houses its actual owner, the dashing Mordai Vell holds sway over a small, well-guarded compound known as Vellgard Manor. The product of an affair between a devil and an member of a human family from the south, Mordai was a scandalous embarrassment hushed up by his human relatives. When they perished in the cataclysm, he inherited the family estate. Mordai moved back into the city before Neverember arrived and with the arrival of the Lord Protector, Mordai took a more visible role in the district. Charismatic, handsome, and wealthy, he has become a popular figure—a civic leader who, some whisper, might aspire to hold the throne of Neverwinter. The estate is an armed compound flanked by metal gates and hidden guards. An inner wall creates a killing field that could stop a small army.

*** '''House of a Thousand Faces''': With its broad windows and comfortable couches, this tavern is a popular gathering place in the Blacklake District. Amid mannequins dressed in the threadbare trends of thirty years past, patrons lounge about the airy interior, drinking, laughing, and scheming. Named for the dozens of mirrors and mannequins positioned about the common room, the House of a Thousand Faces once was a fashionable boutique. The cataclysm crippled the house’s business, and the owner, an elf named Theryis, packed up her remaining goods and closed her doors. When the city’s population began to recover and increase, she opened the shop again as a tavern, using the dusty clothes and mirrors as decoration.

** '''Notable NPCs'''

*** '''Madame Rosene''': A serious woman in her late fifties, she is the tavernkeeper of the Driftwood Tavern. Only longtime customers and old friends come to the Driftwood regularly, a situation that suits Madame Rosene just fine, as she is slow to trust outsiders, placing her faith mainly in familiar citizens of old Neverwinter or their children.

*** '''Harrag''': A sallow former pirate captain who lost a leg in a battle with sahuagin long ago, he is the proprietor of the Beached Leviathan. Harrag is as a scurvy, independent scoundrel who will deal with anyone, but never permanently joins a side.

*** '''Len-jes''': A scarred watersoul genasi, she serves as Neverember’s harbormaster. Once a corsair on the Sea of Fallen Stars, she fled her enemies there and settled in Waterdeep. Neverember recognized her business acumen and recruited Len-jes to be his master of trade in the reborn city. The harbormaster’s head for numbers serves her well in balancing Soman Galt’s tax ledgers. Her less academic duties include dredging the bay to open more berths for trade ships. She permanently leases a chamber in the Beached Leviathan and can be found in the taproom there many nights, recounting her adventures as a corsair.

*** '''Mordai Vell''': Tall and dark, Mordai has luminous gold eyes even though most tieflings boast red or black ones. Charisma practically drips from him, setting all around him off their guard. His obvious wealth doesn’t hurt, either. As the last heir of a noble family (one whose holdings remained remarkably intact after the cataclysm), he exerts great influence over Neverwinter’s economy and politics. Mordai is arrogance incarnate. He pursues whatever interests him, regardless of how far he must reach. Mordai is a smooth operator—charming, rich, and always keen on how he might ally with new acquaintances and use them.

*** '''Theryis''': The owner of the House of a Thousand Faces, she is an elf woman who has short, straight, silver hair and golden eyes. She can be friendly and kind to those she knows well, but often comes off as gruff and no-nonsense to others. She sent the PCs to check on the possibility of an attack on Helm's Hold.

*** '''Toram''': A half-elf with long, wavy, red hair and blue eyes, he is Theryis's half-brother, though they bear little resemblance. He is competitive in a good-natured way, often challenging patrons of the Thousand Faces to friendly competitions in one thing or another. He lives at the tavern, staying in its basement, and helps his sister run it. Now the de facto leader of the Harpers in the city.

*** '''Cymril (deceased)''': A human woman and former leader of the Harpers in Neverwinter. Died a few days before Maria arrived in the city, in a skirmish between the Sons of Alagondar and Lord Neverember's forces.

*** '''Ulyra the Forsworn''': Formerly a member of the Grey Wolves Uthgardt tribe, she has deserted due to the tribe's connection to the Shadovar. She was a source of information for Cymril, but with the Harper dead she has possibly fled the city.

* '''River District''': The River District takes its name from the terrain feature that has saved it from being overrun—namely, the Neverwinter River, which holds at bay the plaguechanged forces that emerge from the Chasm to the south. The bulk of Neverwinter’s merchant class once dwelt here, and the architecture shows it. The houses were sturdily built, and although they are not ostentatious, most are large enough to have held a family of six or eight plus servants. Guardhouses and security walls abound offering cover for skirmishers looking to ambush unsuspecting visitors. Long flower gardens run through the center of each street, although over the years they have gone to weeds or decay. One might think the Mintarns could have pacified the River District by now, but safety proves elusive, mostly due to a band of orcs in the ancient Cloak Tower at the eastern edge of the area. New Neverwinter’s forces occasionally venture into the district, but generally only as far as the Fallen Tower tavern. That establishment serves as neutral ground for negotiations between Lord Neverember and Vansi of the orcs, to whom the rest of the district belongs. Beasts from the surrounding wilderness occasionally stalk the streets here, hunting for food. Even if the orcs were not present, the other dangerous creatures would be reason enough for refugees to avoid this district, regardless of whether their houses remain standing. For now, a hastily erected barrier seals most of the River District from Blacklake. It usually stands unattended, since the Mintarn guards have better things to do than patrol the barrier, opting instead to post signs warning people away. Some people enter the district despite these warnings. The relative privacy makes discreet liaisons and daredevil games frequent occurrences in the River District, and stern parents have to caution youngbloods with a thirst for adventure against going in.

** '''Locations'''

*** '''The Fallen Tower''': The broken base of an old wizard’s tower has long been the site of a popular tavern in Neverwinter. Within the Fallen Tower, phantoms form in the air each night, seeming solid and real as they replay the moments of their deaths during the Spellplague by appearing to fall into and through the cookfire in the middle of the tavern. Two terrified wizards, their bodies already ablaze, fall first, followed by another wizard whose limbs have turned into eels. Finally, a fourth wizard’s body descends as its flesh is stripped away, leaving the skull’s eerie grin as the last image to fade. Since before the cataclysm, the show has attracted customers to the Fallen Tower. When the Many-Arrows orcs discovered this vacant building, they found stores of wine and were in the midst of a celebration when the phantoms appeared. The orcs started to flee, but when it became clear that the spirits were harmless, the wine lured them back. Now the Many-Arrows orcs run the tavern as a place where members of their force and others worthy enough to join them can share a few drinks. The Lord Protector and the leader of the Many- Arrows orcs have declared the Fallen Tower neutral ground, and the orcs do not bother anyone who comes to the tavern to do business. No bouncers are needed, because anyone who breaks the truce of the tavern faces the blades of every patron present.

*** '''Cloak Tower''': An expeditionary force of orcs from the Many-Arrows kingdom has come to Neverwinter and makes its base in the structure known as the Cloak Tower. The orcs have defied all attempts to rein them in or push them out, and Lord Neverember is biding his time until he figures out how to get rid of them. For the moment, the orcs have helped to control the monster population in the northern half of the city. They tend to slay anyone who interferes with their business, including plaguechanged spawn that come up through the sewers on the north side of the river. The tower takes its name from a guild of mages called the Many-Starred Cloaks who lived and gathered there. They were well known in the city for their arcane skill and for the whimsical, colorful cloaks they wore. During the Spellplague, the tower and its occupants vanished. The tower reappeared half a year later on a different patch of ground in the city. As tavern tales have it, when thieves first broke into the tower several months after it first reappeared, they found empty halls and no mages (or bodies). Only the guild members’ many-starred cloaks remained, hanging from pegs on the walls. Then disaster struck the thieves: The lone survivor of the group told of a horrific attack from cloaks that suddenly came to life and enveloped the other bandits. Whether the tale or any part of it is true, the citizens of Neverwinter shunned the tower for decades thereafter—no one wanted to risk entering it. District residents expected that the orcs, too, would run afoul of the tower’s wards when they tried to occupy the place, but the warriors were able to move in safely. They have now established themselves quite nicely in the most protected holdfast in the district.

*** '''The Shard of Night''': A bleak tower of black stone hovers above a cluster of ruined apartments in the River District, seemingly sheared off at its base when it was torn from whatever location it once occupied. The tower has been here since the Spellplague, but no one who investigated the structure in the early years after its appearance ever returned, so people decided to leave it alone. The Shard of Night rises high into the sky over Neverwinter, but it casts no shadow during the day. Any creature that passes under the tower in daylight sees its own shadow disappear, as if the tower were absorbing the darkness. During the night, the tower casts a shadow by the light of the moon that looms over much of the area around the place. Nearby residents believe that the Shard of Night is haunted, since no one or thing is ever seen to come or go, yet sounds sometimes echo down from the opening in its base.

** '''Notable NPCs'''

*** '''Vagdru One-Ear''': This orc veteran acts as bartender and purveyor of the Fallen Tower, providing whatever drinks the orcs can find and passing out raw meat of dubious origin for the patrons to roast at the central fire (or to eat uncooked if they want).

*** '''Vansi''': The commander of the orc force, she is a warrior known for her reaving flail and fearsome war cry. Ferocious even for an orc soldier, Vansi claims the streets of the River District as a colony of the Many-Arrows kingdom, governed from the mysterious Cloak Tower.

* '''The Chasm''': The southeastern quarter of Neverwinter lies in almost complete ruin, virtually flattened by the earthquake during the cataclysm and since then under continual assault by plaguechanged monsters that emerge from the depths. At the center of this wasteland yawns the Chasm—a canyon-like crack in the earth that spawns all manner of twisted and deadly beasts. It supposedly extends down into the Underdark, but few have ever ventured down the Chasm and even fewer returned. Proximity to the Chasm causes mild anxiety, moodiness, and paranoia. The effects are obvious on people at the Wall, and they increase in intensity as one moves closer to—or deeper into—the Chasm. It becomes difficult to think clearly, and even allies seem to hold treachery in their hearts. Recently, this pervasive ill will has begun to radiate beyond the confines of the Wall, plaguing the dreams of Neverwinter’s residents with terrible nightmares.

** '''Ruined Terrain''': The surrounding land in the district that takes its name from the Chasm is a tangled maze of broken buildings and clotted streets, all of it battered by the elements and crushed under the paws of the Chasm’s monsters. Wall patrols venture into this wasteland only occasionally, since few who leave the barricade’s safety return. Those who do sometimes carry marks from the experience, such as azure burns, twisted limbs, or some other physical manifestation of a spellscar. Lord Neverember has ordered that anyone showing symptoms of infection should be sent to Helm’s Hold for treatment.

** '''The Upper Reach''': For the few people who have done it, climbing down into the Chasm resembles what they may have heard of tales about venturing into the Abyss. The first hundred or so feet are fairly normal, except for occasional swells of superheated air. Past that point, conditions grow more hostile. Elemental energy surges up from the depths in sudden storms. Earthmotes float in the pit, some drifting slowly and others bashing against the walls as though driven by demons. Handholds are scarce on the treacherous walls, which can explode with flame or lightning at any moment. Rocky outcroppings come and go, collapsing or molding themselves as onlookers watch. All manner of plaguechanged creatures dwell in pockets and on precipices in the upper Chasm. Some climb the walls, and others ride bolts of chaotic energy that flare from the bottom of the pit. These creatures rise like birds filling their wings with wind.

** Few, if any, know what lies in the lower reaches of the Chasm...

* '''Underground Neverwinter''': True danger in Neverwinter lurks in places the sun never touches—in the darkness beneath hundreds of tons of stone. Underground ruins abound in a city that has suffered so much damage. The Mintarn enforcers rarely venture below ground, preferring to deal with threats if and when they emerge onto the surface. Thus, sewers and crypts make perfect lairs for all sorts of creeping, scheming evil.

** '''Shattered Sewers''': When the cataclysm struck, Neverwinter’s sewer system took a serious beating as buildings collapsed into their foundations, leaving a maze of precarious wreckage and treacherous tunnels. The sewers quickly became dangerous in the extreme, home to all manner of awful beasts. Provided one is willing to risk getting lost or being attacked, the extensive sewers provide a means of moving about the city. This method of travel is confusing and potentially deadly, however—one never knows when a building overhead will collapse, bringing part of the ceiling down with it, or when a group of underworld squatters might ambush intruders. The tunnels near the Chasm are particularly hazardous because they play host to aberrant beings. The forces of New Neverwinter rarely search the sewers, so rebels and schemers use the filthy tunnels freely.

** '''Kraken Tunnels''': A seaside, underground maze shaped vaguely like an octopus, this complex once belonged to the Kraken Society, a ruthless conglomerate of slavers and blackmarket traders that sought to control the Sword Coast. Many rooms throughout the complex have openings in their floors, revealing the dark, murky water that lies beneath.

** '''Tunnels and Trenches''': The opening of the Chasm and the earthquakes that brought down many buildings in southeastern Neverwinter collapsed many of the sewers in the district. This created trenches in or beside the streets and tunnels where the sewers had not collapsed. These pathways now provide cover for the movement of monsters beyond the Wall and secure places to which they can retreat when repelled from their frequent assaults. The sewers, trenches, and ruined buildings offer an excellent tactical advantage by allowing the forces of the Chasm to approach close to the Wall without sustaining attack, but this is offset by the high vantage of the House of Knowledge, whose occupants ring a bell when they can see significant movement in the far-off trenches. Unfortunately for the Wall’s defenders, night and weather can obscure observation of the trenches, and thus they often use arbalests to launch balls of flaming pitch into the district in the hopes of illuminating the scene.

== Helm's Hold ==
Once a bastion of safety on the edge of Neverwinter Wood, the fortified monastery and community called Helm’s Hold has endured through the last decades, diminished but unyielding. It has lived through the death of the god who gave the place its name, the
ravages of the Spellplague, and the ruination of Neverwinter. Through all this, Helm’s Hold has taken a serious beating but stubbornly clings to its original purpose: to provide sanctuary for those who none. Helm’s Hold has always been a place of healing
and protection for the people of Faerûn. Even when Helm perished a year before the Spellplague, the monastery remained open, seeking to aid those with nowhere else to turn. During the decades after the Spellplague hit, the Hold became one of the few safe
destinations—if not the only one—along the Sword Coast. The cataclysm once again made clear the need for Helm’s Hold and its services. Its doors have remained open over the years, admitting all who suffer, regardless of race, background, or faith. Today, the monastery proper serves as an asylum for those cursed with the Spellplague. People from all over Faerûn make the pilgrimage here for treatment, as do people from Neverwinter, which is less than a day’s journey to the northwest. In fact, Lord Neverember issued a standing order a year ago that anyone in the city showing symptoms of Spellplague infection should be sent to Helm’s Hold as soon as possible. The influx of the needy since that time has swelled the town’s numbers, but tolerance is in the air here, so the spellscarred feel more at home in the Hold than anywhere else in the Realms. Originally a small monastery and its surrounding village, Helm’s Hold has grown over the decades. The cathedral’s foundation had hardly been laid when Helm died, but the people finished it as a monument in his honor. Helm has become a cultural icon here—a patron saint of the community—and all followers of all gods are welcome under his watchful gaze.

* '''Locations'''

** '''The Hungry Flame''': A decrepit tavern which has a reputation for being unfriendly to patrons who are not spellscarred. The place is a rogue’s gallery of the strange and twisted.

** '''The Dragon’s Gauntlet''': The battered town hall of Helm’s Hold, formerly an inn, is a popular gathering place for the people of the city, as well as a forum for its tempestuous governmental process. The people of the town are rugged individualists at heart, a characteristic that does not always mesh well with governmental edicts. Loud shouts, challenges, and shows of intimidation are acceptable methods of discussing legislation.

** '''Heartward''': Life and death are both on stage in the plaza called Heartward at the center of Helm’s Hold, where a marketplace is arrayed around a hangman’s scaffold. Food and gold are both scarce in the marketplace, and brawls break out between customers who feel cheated. Soldiers keep watch from the perimeter of the plaza. Town criers declaim the words of the Prophet, particularly when she has foretold something seen as especially wonderful or dire. The pronouncements are entertainment as well as news, since people love debating exactly what her portents mean. The Heartward’s chief notoriety is a haunting that fills the plaza on certain nights, when clouds obscure the waning moon. Luminous shapes appear—a gathering of ghosts that go about the business of the living. Phantom vendors sell ephemeral apples at empty stands, ghost children run happily through the streets, and spirits hang one another at the scaffold. Some of the scenes appear to be reenactments of past events, whereas others have not occurred—at least, not yet. The ghosts speak mostly nonsense, but some of what they say might offer clues to past or future happenings. The plaza’s name comes from a small shrine on the edge of the marketplace devoted to Sune, goddess of beauty and romance, which is a favored meeting place for lovers in the city. On haunted nights, couples gather at the shrine, hoping for a thrill.

** '''The Old Dirty Dwarf''': The region’s hard years have closed many businesses, but the Old Dirty Dwarf has stood the test of time. The best inn and tavern in Helm’s Hold, the Old Dirty Dwarf caters mostly to newcomers to the city. In the wake of the Lord Protector’s occupation of Neverwinter and his increasing presence in the Hold, Mintarn mercenaries have come to dominate the inn’s patronage, often with new exiles from Neverwinter in tow.

** '''Scar Alley''': Numerous setbacks have taken their toll on the structures and the people of Helm’s Hold. Nowhere in town is this fact more evident than in the oldest district—Scar Alley, a small collection of weathered streets where the least fortunate residents live. The district is home to the worst spellscarred in town, those shunned because of their extreme physical deformities. During the Spellplague, the ground upon which the Hold is built softened, causing some buildings to bow or lean precariously out over the streets. Much of the original stone construction of Scar Alley is approaching ruin, and the residents do what they can to bolster the failing structures with planks, mortar, and fresh stone. The district is poorly patrolled, full of hovels that are frequented by shady characters or infested by monsters.

** '''Helm's Cathedral''': The cathedral to the dead god Helm lost its original religious purpose long ago and became a sanatorium for the ailing, tended by the aging faithful who still honor the traditions of their deity. The spellscarred find treatment here, and many of the servants in the cathedral are also patients. They work as part of their treatment. The Prophet Rohini is the undisputed master of Helm’s cathedral, even if she disdains political status. She exists, she says, only to pass on the mysterious prophecies of her equally mysterious faith. The cathedral can hold about a thousand souls. Most of them are patients of the sanatorium, though a few enjoy relatively good health and handle the day-to-day maintenance of the temple. A dozen or so acolytes who have skill in non-magical healing or an aptitude for service keep order in the cathedral. Several followers of Oghma labor alongside the former Helmites, continuing the work of the late Brother Anthus.

*** '''Halls of the Guardian''': The daylight floors of the temple look much as they did a hundred years ago: hung with banners of Helm’s sigil and warded at all corners by suits of armor that feature stylized eyes on their gauntlets and prominent, blankfaced helms. Cavernous chambers soar high through flying buttresses, and great statues of Helm and heroes of legend gaze down upon supplicants. The walls block most sound, but sometimes a cry or an incoherent rant reverberates up from the deeper levels of the complex. The effect is a sharp contrast in what otherwise appears to be a glorious temple. The great hall of the cathedral could accommodate a hundred men-at-arms comfortably, though today it has a far different purpose. It is here that the Prophet sits in audience, dispensing her predictions of future events. If asked to do so, she may lay her hands on those in attendance and tell their fortunes.

*** '''Sanatorium''': Beneath the stately, well-lit halls on the surface, the lower levels of the cathedral grow darker and more frightening. A sanatorium hides in the vaults: a maze of cramped corridors that houses a growing number of spellscarred victims, who struggle with insanity or physical deformities. Once a day, the patients are allowed out onto the cathedral grounds, under close observation by priests. Although the madness of these unfortunates unnerves most visitors, the Prophet spends a great deal of time in the sanatorium without being affected. To the folk of Helm’s Hold, this is a sign of her compassionate nature.

** '''Beneath Helm's Hold''': Through the many years that Helm’s Hold has stood, its occupants delved underground. Their crypts and ossuaries utilized natural caverns as well as chambers left in the earth by old empires, creating a vast network of tunnels and levels. Once the domain only of the peaceful departed, these places have now been invaded by the living, making the dead grow restless.

* '''Notable NPCs'''

** '''Halas''': A charismatic half-elf, he is a former landowner in Neverwinter who came to Helm's Hold after being afflicted with a spellscar. He is an informal leader of the spellscarred, and pushes back against those who wish them gone. Secretly one of the leaders of the Heirs of the Azure, a group of spellscarred who have banded together for self-defense.

** '''Meryth''': A female elf, she is another informal leader of Helm's Hold's spellscarred population. She advocates peaceful resistance in the face of prejudice. Also a secret leader of the Heirs of the Azure, most influential with the wing that wishes to remain non-violent.

** '''Elsa Keskrel (deceased)''': A spellscarred refugee from Longsaddle, she had been in Helm's Hold for a year or so. She was among the inner circle of the Heirs of the Azure.

** '''Rohini, the Prophet of Helm’s Hold''': Rohini is the main healer and head researcher of the Helm's Hold monastery, taking over in that last role for the now deceased Brother Anthus, who passed away shortly after her arrival at the House of Knowledge. Rohini earned her sobriquet through the foretellings she speaks of pivotal events to come, both good and ill. The Prophet claims knowledge of extraordinary mysteries beyond mortal understanding. She says this awareness gives her the power to purify the worthy. She bestows healing on individuals that have been visited by the Spellplague. Although Rohini does not sit in overt leadership in the cathedral, the acolytes, servants, and patients bow to her, calling her simply “Prophet.”

** '''Dunfield''': An old associate of Lord Neverember, he leads a band of mercenaries the Lord Protector has lent Helm's Hold to serve as a town watch. Hard-bitten and cynical, Dunfield remains an honorable man who tries to keep his soldiers in line and serve the community as best as he can.

** '''Alisara Callum''': Everyone in Helm’s Hold pays deference to her, the town’s elected Chief Speaker. Her ability to inspire loyalty helps to keep the haphazard government functioning. A former soldier now past her prime, Alisara brings a note of legitimacy to the council. She wears a frayed purple tabard with a white dragon sigil—the symbol of her former service with the Purple Dragon Knights of Cormyr—which some locals consider to be her personal coat of arms. Alisara is well liked, though her policies of accepting the spellscarred irk some in the city.

** '''Arnad (deceased)''': Formerly deputy Speaker to Alisara Callum. He was quite sympathetic to the spellscarred in town.

** '''Doloran Bard''': An aging farmer and councilman whose family long ago helped build the original monastery, he is wary of trusting the direction of Helm’s Hold to an outsider. An unrepentant purist when it comes to the spellscarred, Bard would prefer that the town push out the “unclean” hordes and return the Hold to its original purpose.

** '''Lelmi Besk''': A blacksmith in town and an ally of Doloran Bard. She's a stocky, stern looking human woman who cares about her work, but is disdainful of the spellscarred refugees.

** '''Derci Pebrostu (deceased)''': A farmer and ally of Doloran Bard, before Pebrostu's death.

** '''Juetta''': A human female of about thirty years, she is the proprietor of the Old Dirty Dwarf, an establishment that is mostly safe, if none too clean. The Old Dirty Dwarf welcomes all, but some of the staff makes an exclusion for spellscarred, actively discouraging their business. Juetta frowns on this sort of behavior, but she can’t be everywhere in the place at the same time, so she can’t stop the growing tensions that bubble over in the tavern from time to time.

** '''Brother Satarin''': An acolyte before Helm’s death, the young dwarf took his vows shortly before the god fell. Satarin stayed at the cathedral, teaching the ways of his fallen master and attending to the needy after the rest of Helm’s clergy left the place for other gods or retired from the cloth. Now, at the age of 160, Satarin is as close to a high priest as the cathedral is likely to see again, though he firmly eschews any title but Brother. He opened the cathedral’s doors to the Prophet at the request of Brother Vartan, a priest of Oghma whose research on resurrecting dead gods was of interest to the still-devout Satarin.

** '''Brother Vartan''': A priest of Oghma who was Brother Anthus' chief deputy at the House of Knowledge in Neverwinter, before the latter's untimely death. When the Prophet decided to decamp to Helm's Hold, Vartan decided to join her journey.

** '''Torlgar''': The warden of the sanatorium is Torlgar, a hulking goliath. An early convert to Rohini’s ways, Torlgar is fiercely loyal to his beloved mistress, to the point of death or beyond.

Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/players/gunnar

2026-01-03T14:00:23Z

Potted Plant: /* Background */

{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:center; width: 100%;"
|-
|[[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/races|'''Races''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/religion|'''Religions''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/realms|'''Realms''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/geography|'''Geography''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_page/organizations|'''Organizations''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/languages|'''Languages''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_page/time_calendars|'''Time & Calendars''']]
|-
|}


[[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/campaigns/blackport_adventures | '''Return to the Blackport Campaign Page''']]

[[File:Gunnar Avalanche.webp | 300px | thumb | Image from Freepik image generator]]

''Touch the beard and I will kill you''

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mKtOa4W3PvEjcfF4UCejEtYRvYG4KHFW/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104111159945893972742&rtpof=true&sd=true '''Gunnar Character Sheet''']

== Background ==



=== Part I ===

His full formal birth name was Gunhr hrü Gynhr Âbükho ghâm Düzïv ïkhâ Fhÿldrm – Gunhr, son of Gynhr Âbükho, of House Düzïv in Clan Fhÿldrm. Of course, most called him Gunhr, or at most Gunhr hrü Gynhr Âbükho on the off chance another Gunhr was involved in the conversation.

His father, Gynhr, had risen to the rank of Ironhand within the armies of House Düzïv, a noncommissioned officer working with a Host Champion in conducting military operations. The Host Champion reported to a Host Lord, who in turn reported direction to Lord Ïkôn Düzïv himself, Lord of House Düzïv.

Lord Ïkôn oversaw all the activities of the families within House Düzïv. Gruff and dour, he was sometimes referred to as “The Everwatching Eye” – he had lost his left eye in battle, and it was said that no one had ever seen the right eye blink since. Ïkôn was the High Lord of House Düzïv, comprised of many individual families, including the Âbükho. Ïkôn and the Lords of the other Houses - Sÿvab, Ihrôpâ, Kÿdüf, Düzïv, Zhüm-Gehï, Mükhâr, and Hrüvÿzh – served under the current High King of Clan Fhÿldrm, Süvü-Kÿdüf Fhÿldrm, sometimes appended with “The Patient”, a nature that had served him well in his rule.

House Düzïv was responsible for the protection of the Great Western Gate of Fhÿldrmüdhrm – sometimes known as The Black Gate, due to the dark nature of the lands beyond, the wild and sinister orc-kingdom of Ûgozh. Protection of their charge was tightly integrated into the culture every family of House Düzïv – from the House Motto, ““No Enemy Shall Pass”, to the House Insignia, A Barred set of Dwarven Gatehouse Doors. The House army was known throughout the üdhrm as “The Fist of Ïkôn” – the instrument of protection and punishment that Ïkôn wielded to carry out his charge.

Gunhr’s mother, Afalüd, was a daughter of the Kir-Sÿkhe family from House Zhüm-Gehï, and in the tradition of her ancestors, she had been a member of the House Court, serving as a translator and negotiator for Lord Ïkôn and his senior staff. Fluent in eight different non-dwarven languages, she was a prominent scholar and scribe known throughout the üdhrm.

Gunhr was raised primarily by his sisters while his father and mother performed their duties for the house: the eldest, Asï, eventually joined the Merchant Brigade and was sent by the Lord of House Zhüm-Gehï to the far-away human city of Tras Veniri to act as the Clans agent with the tricky and serpent-tongued traders of that place; Ebôv, also older than Gunhr, eventually joined The Fist when she was of age, becoming a highly skilled quarreller and then promoted into the sniper corps – two-dwarf teams who used large, exquisitely crafted crossbows and complex optical mechanisms to fire bolts with extreme accuracy across incredible distances. They were used extensively on the West Gate, able to see, target, and kill enemies who thought themselves hidden as they spied on the fortification.

Gunhr for his part joined the Fist in the family tradition. The weight of his father’s achievements and rank bore down on him like a press in the forge, but his grit and determination and talent shown through, and soon enough he was rising in the enlisted ranks to a Forged; with a bit more luck and effort, he might be promoted to the noncommissioned officer rank of an Anvil, where he would start to have leadership roles within the enlisted ranks. From there it was only one more promotion to match his father as an Ironhand, and perhaps surpass him before he aged out.

His unit was commanded by a dwarven officer from the Duzük family in House Düzïv – Ÿhru hrü Ühru, a young, talented, swift, and strong dwarf. Ÿhru’s father, Ühru Duzük, was a Host Lord – a general of the Army under Lord Düzïv himself, and renown within the House as having earned the Order of the Last Shield in one of the distant battles with a troll-clan outside the West Gate – a medal of honor, given to one who held the line when others fell. It was said he single-handedly turned the tide of the battle, with the dwarves winning the day in the end.

Like Gunhr, Ÿhru felt the pressure of his father’s accolades weigh upon him, and he was eager to be on the way to accumulating his own glories.

Ghunr’s last sibling, his younger sister Üza, had joined the Fist as well; but she had been courted extensively and exhaustively by a dwarf of the highly respected Fâhrï family in House Düzïv, and eventually agreed to marry him.

Thus was the situation when his judgement failed him and brought on the catastrophe.

Ÿhru had been pressuring Gunhr to take him out on patrol; he admired and respected Gunhr’s reputation as a battle-hardened warrior who had been in more than one fight with the humanoids beyond the gate. Of course, the request was completely in opposition to regulations in The Fist, to say nothing of the fact that Ÿhru had not been ordered on patrol by his superior. Second, patrols were to be of Shield strength, minimum – ten soldiers plus a commander – no exceptions. Gunhr politely resisted, but he was also sensitive to the fact that Ÿhru was his commanding officer, and his goals for promotion in some part depended on him having a good relationship with the young officer.

The fateful night started with too much to drink in the Cracked Keystone ale house in the village of Pugühr, the farthest west settlement in the üdhrm before the Black Gate. He and Ÿhru had started off discussing discipline problems in the unit and upcoming recruiting activities. But as the night went on, Ÿhru steered the conversation to going on patrols.

Maybe it was the ale; maybe it was the raucous battle-songs that the dwarven bards were singing with the whole place joining in on the chorus; or perhaps it was the same thing that Ÿhru wanted: a chance for glory, something that not even his father had done.

Within the hour, they were walking down the last leg of Vâzhÿl's Road towards the Black Gate.

Getting out was not too difficult - Ÿhru proffered a story that name-dropped his father a number of times; shortly after, the old dwarven Anvil who commanded the troops watching the gate gave the order, and the small portal in the great stone-and-iron gates was opened to allow them passage into the shattered, broken hills of Ûgozh. 

=== Part II ===

In the darkest of night, a hidden sally gate by the massive Great West Gate of Fhÿldrmüdhrm opened and two figures walked out. One was a young dwarven noble in magnificent custom-made plate armor. Another was a grim looking myrmidon whose armor was just like he himself was - combat tested and brutally functional.

The humanoid tribes living to the east of the dwarven halls were no threat to Fhÿldrmüdhrm's fortifications but were a constant nuisance to any missions the dwarves did on or through the lands. An occasional culling reminded the humanoids to keep their distance. And provided an opportunity for young dwarven warriors to test their mettle in real combat. The noble was naturally accompanied by a myrmidon to make sure he returned from his first battle.

The young man held the haft of his axe, looking eager for combat - too eager, thought the myrmidon. "There are two rules you must follow," the elite warrior said. "You will do as I say, and not leave my side." The noble nodded earnestly.

The pair walked steadily through the darkness, slowly leaving the gate behind. After perhaps two hours of walking the myrmidon stopped and nodded towards a distant glow. A campfire, clearly visible in the darkness. They resumed advancing, now towards the fire and more carefully.

A hunting party of orcs were roasting their catch, talking and laughing and not bothering to keep watch. With their nightvision, they considered that the night belonged to them and they were the biggest threat around.

Unfortunately for them, the dwarves could see at least as well.

From behind a patch of thorny bushes the myrmidon observed the orcs. Four young braves with shortbows and obsidian tipped spears. A scarred orc with a longbow and a human made longsword, clearly a trophy from some battle. Clearly the leader of the party, and the most dangerous of the orcs.

The young noble beside him gasped as he laid eyes on the final figure, dozing a few feet away from the orcs. A towering, muscular brute with numerous scars, wearing only a loincloth, and a crude wooden but fire-hardened club beside him, so massive that even its gigantic owner needed both hands to wield it.

"Yes, an ogre," the myrmidon whispered. "Much glory in that kill, but that is because it is dangerous. Your armor can easily deflect the spears, arrows, and even the sword, but a strike from that club can crush your bones inside your armor. When we go in, we deal with the orcs first, and then take down the ogre together. The credit will still be yours. And remember - do not leave my side. Understood?"

Once again the young man nodded, not taking his eyes off the ogre.

"All right," the myrmidon said. "We go in on my countdown. Three, two, one..."

The orc leader instinctively drew his sword as the dwarves thundered through the bushes, the thorns ineffective against their armor. For the others, the surprise was total. One did not even have time to turn before the noble's axe cleaved through his neck all the way to the bone. Another did turn his head, and the last thing he saw was the myrmidon's warhammer descending on him. But then the moment of surprise was over.

One of the orcs fell back drawing his bow. Another stabbed his spear at the noble, but the tip was harmlessly deflected by the heavy plate. The leader's sword bounced off the myrmidon's shield but the orc expertly dodged the warhammer.

The orc leader and the myrmidon circled each other, both of the veteran warriors looking for an opening. Meanwhile, the noble swung his axe at his opponent. The orc attempted to block the attack with his spear, but the axe simply cut through the haft, barely slowing, and continued to cut into the orc's ribcage. As the noble pulled his axe free, an arrow bounced harmlessly off his back plate.

Only now did the dozing ogre, woken from his nap, figure out what was going on. He rose to his full height grabbing his club, and let out a mighty bellow.

The ogre's waking did not fill the orc leader with confidence, as most of his hunting party was already dead, and the bow wielding survivor would not be of help against the two dwarves. He launched into a furious attack, trying to bring down the myrmidon before the other dwarf could join in. The myrmidon deflected one strike with his shield, another with his warhammer, and the third did not get through his armor.

But the noble did not join the fight against the orc leader. Shouting a war cry, he charged the ogre, eager to kill the huge brute in single combat.

"Deep Queen's teeth!" the myrmidon cursed, and now it was his turn to launch into a furious attack. The orc managed to parry a wild swing of the warhammer with his sword - only at the last moment realizing it was a feint.

The myrmidon stepped on his foot and pushed him with his shield, causing the orc to lose his balance and fall. Even while falling, he brought the sword up in defense of his vitals, but the myrmidon did not go for his vitals. The dwarf brought the warhammer down on the orc's knee, shattering it. The orc howled in pain, momentarily stunned with the shock, and a moment was all it took. The myrmidon brought the hammer down again, now on the orc's skull.

While the duel had been going on, the noble had charged towards the ogre, ignoring an arrow that once again failed to penetrate his armor. He readied his axe to strike, lifting his shield to block the club.

He made two mistakes.

Running forward, he sacrificed balance for speed. And he assumed the ogre to be a dim witted brute rather than a cunning and battle tested opponent.

The ogre raised the club over his head for a massive strike, leaving his defenses open. The dwarf raised his shield high to take the blow while readying his axe to strike. But the club was a feint.

As the dwarf closed in, the ogre kicked, his foot coming under the raised shield and kicking the dwarf in the chest. Suddenly brought to a full stop by the enormous strength behind the kick, the dwarf stumbled and fell backwards.

Unlike the veteran orc, he did not have the sense or instinct to bring his defenses up as he fell. Instead his arms splayed wide in a desperate effort to maintain balance.

So the ogre brought his foot down on the dwarf's chest and the club down on his head. There was an audible crack.

"I told you not to leave my side, fool," the myrmidon muttered. Then he said. "All right, let's end this," and started advancing towards the ogre. But the myrmidon did not rush, he advanced steadily. The remaining orc, frustrated with the uselessness of his arrows, charged the myrmidon with his spear, but the dwarf did not even glance at him as he almost casually swatted the charging orc with his warhammer, connecting with the orc's temple.

The ogre narrowed his eyes, realizing that this was an opponent to take seriously. He decided to try and repeat his earlier success, but in a different way. As the myrmidon approached, the ogre swung his club low, trying to sweep the myrmidon off his feet.

The dwarf grouched and brought his shield down to touch the ground. The club impacted with the shield with the sound like someone striking a gong, but the dwarf did not even waver. The ogre immediately brought the club back up, anticipating a counterattack, but he did not anticipate how the attack happened. The ogre brought the club up, but the myrmidon struck low, bringing the warhammer down on the ogre's toes and crushing them.

The ogre howled, managing to remain on his feet, but now his movements were impaired. As he brought the club down again the dwarf simply sidestepped and this time struck the ogre's wrists. The thick limbs kept the wrists from breaking but they were still jarred. The ogre's next swing was clumsy, easily deflected by the myrmidon's shield, and now the injured wrists kept the ogre from bringing the defense up fast enough. The hammer struck his ribs.

The ogre coughed up blood, as one broken rib punctured his lung. Realizing that he was losing the fight, he rushed at the dwarf, attempting to barrel the smaller opponent down with his size and wrestle him to death. But the dwarf sidestepped again, striking the ogre's knee, and the giant toppled on his stomach.

There were no final words, no "this is for my lord." the myrmidon simply brought the hammer down on the back of the ogre's head.

The battle over, the myrmidon walked over to the young noble and felt for a pulse, already knowing he would find none. "You stupid fool, forgetting all your training for one pointless act of glory. Perhaps this was for the best. Maybe your younger brother will make for a wiser and better heir. But I won't be there to see it, since I got burdened with you fool!"

He picked up the young dwarf's body and started walking back to Fhÿldrmüdhrm.


After the burial of Ÿhru came the trial.

It was short, and decisive. In the end, Gunhr had two choices.

Remain in the üdhrm, carrying the stain of his dishonor with him. This would impact his entire family – a stain on his father Gynhr’s otherwise spotless record; a similar mark on his mother Afalüd’s status in the court of Lord Ïkôn; implications to Asï’s rank and future in the Merchant Cadre; Ebôv’s chances for promotion and glory; even Üza’s marriage proposal would potentially be in jeopardy.

Or, gulag.

Exile from the üdhrm, carrying the stain of his dishonor away from his family, the House, and the Clan.

It was an easy choice.

What surprised everyone was how he chose to take the punishment.

Everyone expected he would depart by the East Gate, into the human Kingdom of Athervon, a civilized place where there were many opportunities for him.

He did not.

He declared he would depart by the West Gate into Ûgozh.

The place where his sin was committed. The place where his hammer would never lack for blood to sacrifice in Ÿhru’s memory.



Two days later the myrmidon walked back out again. Stripped of his honor, rank and name and exiled. "Right," he said to himself. "There is a human town on the coast. Quite a rough place apparently. My hammer will definitely find work there. But what shall I call myself there? Oh, I know."

The myrmidon started walking. "Gunnar Avalanche."



=== Part III ===

The journey to Blackport was short. But it was extremely dangerous. Triply so for a lone dwarf.

The entire place was swarming with ancestral enemies. And even those who weren't – humans, halflings, gnomes and the like – could not be trusted on this side of the Iron Mountains. He had heard plenty of stories of these lands, starting from when he was but a child and up through the war stories of his unit in the alehouses of the üdhrm.

He made it. The few things he encountered did not. But he was lucky.

Reaching Blackport did not end the danger; it simply changed its nature.

He knew from the stories that one’s value in Blackport was completely dependent on what one could do for its inhabitants. “Crime” in this place meant that someone who had value to someone who had value to someone else who eventually had value to the Sovereign had been slighted, injured, robbed, or otherwise perturbed.

Any such things inflicted on those of no value was not crime – it was simply how Blackport functioned.

He knew his strengths – and his weaknesses. His hammer would be his value.

Within a month, he had signed up as a bodyguard to a petty merchant who was working with the pirates in Crossbones. He had plenty of opportunities there to show what his value was.

Eventually, the merchant got crosswise with someone who hired muscle from The Maw to settle things, in the form of an ogre known as Mangler, who had quite a reputation in the City.

When Gunhr left Mangler dead and bleeding in the gutter, news travelled fast.

He had some choices to make. No doubt that the giant-kin in The Maw would hear of this. He was good, but taking on a gaggle or Ogres (and possibly Trolls) was probably asking too much.

A Dwarf had to know his limitations.

He reported the next day to the Iron Guard, saying he wanted to join up.

They put him through the tests, which even he had to admit were brutal. But there was no physical challenge that he couldn’t overcome.

What he wasn’t ready for was the vetting by the Shadowatch.

Endless interviews. Questioning. Cross-Questioning. Hypothetical encounters with no obvious right choices.

But in the end, they took him.

And as a member of the Iron Guard, he was beyond the touch of the street gangs and hoodlums of Blackport, solving that problem.

But, like everything in Blackport, there was no free lunch. Now he had to deal with the power structures within the Iron Guard.

Firstly, there was Dô-zah’ûkû, the hulking female orc who commanded Gunnar’s unit. It was obvious from day one that she hated Gunnar; but to be fair, she hated everyone else in the unit only slightly less; and furthermore, she knew that her officer, Baz, would punish her if she were to kill a good soldier for personal reasons. The result is that she treated him like others at least in front of witnesses; but she also gave him the hardest and most humiliating assignments. He knew she secretly wanted to see him fail so she could drum him out – or better yet, kill him given sufficient cause. He had seen her fight – it is not at all clear who would win that contest.

Dô, as the troops sometimes call her, was held in check primarily by Baz Lemshi, her commanding officer. A Lieutenant in the Iron Guard over her unit and others, Baz was a brutal and evil human man. But, he followed the laws of Blackport and the Iron Guard; woe unto those who broke them, however. Baz had been very hard on Gunnar as well; but unlike Dô, as Gunnar persevered through the trials, Baz showed a grudging respect from him and his abilities – not enough to dependably save him in a full-out conflict with Dô, but enough that he didn't feel like he was walking on eggshells constantly anymore.

At the top of the chain within the Iron Guard was Lady Sirkku, High Commander of the Iron Guard and personal bodyguard of The Sovereign. Gunnar remembers the first time he saw her exit from The Spire for an inspection of the Iron Guard troops arrayed out in their units in The Iron City. Fully seventeen feet tall, Lady Sirkku was a statuesque, beautiful, and terrifying to behold fire giant. Her body was powerful, bewitching, and majestic; her dark face both alluring and frightening at the same time. Her long flaming red hair was woven into braids that hung down over her black-steel armor as her long legs closed the distance to the assembled troops in three steps.

Gunnar came very close to soiling himself. He was the only Dwarf among the thousand or so troops of the Iron Guard arrayed out on the brown grass of the Iron City courtyard.

This was an ancestral enemy he had only heard of in stories – and those stories were horror stories, typically.

He swallowed and mentally went through all the things he had left undone if this might be his last moments on earth.

When she reached him, she stopped. The huge, black-iron clad boots stood before him, his head not even reaching her knee.

He stared forward, sweating, not daring to break his form. He could feel her eyes burning down on him with heat like molten iron.

And then, miraculously, she moved on, saying nothing.

He later learned that despite her race, she was cold and calculating most of the time. But he also saw her in battle once, when the giant-kin started a riot in The Maw. She released the burning rage and passion inside her, to the downfall of anything that stood in her way. Her burning black great sword swept all before her, leaving piles of cauterized corpses in its wake.

He has been through several inspections since then. She has said nothing to him, done nothing to him, nor instructed anything to be done to him, at least as far as he knows. Despite his own ancestral feelings for giants, he obviously needed to do everything in his power to stay on her good side.

Of the rest of the power-structure of Blackport, he has learned only a little: there is the Jester, of course – Head of the Shadowatch. Gunnar knows very little about him and doesn’t wantto; from what little he has seen, the man is completely insane, psychotic, and fanatically devoted to the Sovereign.

Gunnar has laid eyes on the Sovereign himself at least once. The supreme Lord of Blackport is, from all appearances, an extremely well-conditioned human male, reputed to be master of physical combat as well as the arcane arts. He is accompanied by Sirkku at all times unless in his inner sanctum – and sometimes even then, if the rumors are true. Stories abound that Lady Sirkku is more than the Sovereign’s bodyguard – how such a pairing would work is beyond Gunnar’s mental abilities to visualize, however.

There are other power brokers in the city that Gunnar only knows the names of, but has had no personal interactions with or observations of: Daban Sandha, Commander of the Pirate Navies who rule the seas beyond Blackport’s harbor; Aradus Cormier II, Commander of the inept, incompetent, and corrupt Wardens who serve as the city watch outside of the Iron City; and the mysterious and sinister Sakarbaal, archmage and Head of the Council of the Black Codex.

There are also the Generals of the Armies of Blackport: General Sepp a fierce human Baku warrior, who even as he ages has a reputation for being a match for four or more skilled warriors. He and his army have been barracked in Blackport for some time now – more than the normal rotation between the city's two armies. The reasons for this are unclear.

And General Dayir Dark Wolf, a huge, powerful human male warrior from one of the northern Vulkul tribes. Younger than Sepp, he was originally a captured slave who did well in the Arena and graduated into the army, where he has been a loyal soldier since.

There is no love lost between the two Generals - though they are both professional soldiers and don’t let their personal animosity boil over into affairs of state. The Sovereign has kept Dark Wolf – and his army – out of Blackport on patrol a great deal of late, which has also generated many rumors.

The relationship between the Iron Guard, led by Lady Sirkku, and the Armies of Blackport, led by the Generals, is – as most things in Blackport are – both clearly defined and tense at the same time. The Iron Guard is pre-eminent within the walls of Blackport City, and in particular they are the absolute authority within the Iron City; outside the walls of the City, the armies of Blackport – led by the Generals, have purview and dominion, in the name of the Sovereign. Nevertheless, there are tensions between the organizations – General Sepp, for example, keeps a retinue of regular army soldiers inside the Iron City as his family’s bodyguards, for example, to the irritation of Lady Sirkku.

Thus, it was a great surprise to Gunnar when Baz called him to report for a new assignment: he was being sent to General Sepp to serve as a bodyguard for the daughter of the General’s consort.

Gunnar blinked.

''Had the man the brain-worms? Surely he was joking.''

He wasn't.

Then: ''Dô. Somehow, Dô had managed this. She was trying to get him killed. Or at least ruin him.''

Feelings rose in him. Feelings he had not had since leaving the üdhrm.

He had to keep this woman alive. To guard her. To protect her.

If he failed this time, he would beg for gulag as they slowly removed each layer of his skin, one at a time. 

=== Gunnar Avalanche meets Mariska the Death Dealer ===

"Come on. As one bearded person to another, do me a favor. I am only looking for some Silver Cigars," Gunnar said, the Dwarf glancing curiously at a bright orange wagon parked nearby. The wagon was drawn by an ox. A really long haired one, typical to cattle further north of Blackport.

The pirate with a thick black beard that Gunnar was conversing with shook his head. "Sorry, can't do. If I sell any of the cargo past the captain and quartermaster, the bosun will flay the skin from my back."

"But you do sell directly from the ship, right?"

"To select traders the captain knows, who buy in bulk. Anything else needs to go through the quartermaster."

"Can I talk to the quartermaster then?"

"He doesn't do minor trades. Except for people he knows personally, and those sent by someone important. Look, after the traders have visited, the remaining cargo goes to the bazaar. Visit us there. The best I can do is set a box of cigars aside for you, if there are any left."

"Well, thanks for that. I suppose that is the best I can hope for," Gunnar said, opening his cigar box and looking forlornly at the single cigar he had left.

"Excuse me! Make way! Cargo coming through!"

Gunnar and the pirate took a step aside, Gunnar looking to find the source of the cheerful voice. Coming from the ship, practically skipping in front of pirates carrying crates and barrels - who were overseen by glaring half ogre that must have been the quartermaster - was the apparent owner of the wagon. A Gnomish woman in brightly colored clothes that would have looked right at home in Nyírvan - except for the large, wide brimmed pink hat that looked more like travel headwear to keep the sun and rain away than anything commonly worn in Nyírvan.

"Heavy stuff goes to the middle for balance, lighter things to sides," the Gnome instructed as the pirates started loading the wagon. "And careful with the wine bottles! I already paid for them, and if you break any, I will be upset!" The pirate carrying the bottles swallowed nervously.

Gunnar looked around for the Gnome trader's bodyguard but saw none. Meanwhile, the pirates finished loading the wagon and the Gnome extended her hand to the quartermaster. "A delight doing business with you!"

"Always," the half ogre said and very carefully took her comparatively tiny hand in his.

The pirates headed back to the ship as the Gnome climbed to the driver's seat of the wagon. "Do you need an escort?" Gunnar asked in Zradi, thinking about a Gnome with a wagon full of goods alone in Blackport. "In case of greedy people."

"I am not really worried about those," the Gnome said, but made room next to her and patted the seat. "But hop on! Company would be nice."

Gunnar climbed to the seat, the Gnome made a "tsk tsk" sound to the ox, who started walking. "Mariska," she then said, offering her hand to Gunnar.

"Gunhr," Gunnar said, like the half ogre being careful when shaking her hand.

"New in Blackport?" she asked.

"Relatively, yes. Is it that obvious?"

"It is. No one here offers to help just like that. When someone offers assistance, they always have an agenda."

"How do you know I do not have an agenda?"

"I have lived here a while. I can tell."

"I have to tell you, I was surprised to see a Gnome in Blackport," Gunnar said.

"It was not an easy decision for me to leave Nyírvan," Mariska said. "I really liked it there. But there weren't opportunities for me and what I wanted to do with my life there. So I had to make a decision. Give up on what I wanted, or leave. And here I am. There is so much wrong with Blackport, but lack of opportunities is not among that. Just like everything is for sale, everything is possible here. As long as you pay the right taxes and know the right people. And I have done really well for myself in Blackport." She glanced at Gunnar. "You can too. Your military bearing is obvious, and there is always demand for fighting skill here. The competition is fierce, of course, but that is how it is with opportunities. You have to work for them."

Gunnar could tell that Mariska was an outgoing person as she chatted happily beside her, not giving him an opening to do much more than nod and hmm in response. Then she asked "So what were you doing with the pirates? Friends among the crew?"

"No. I was just looking for some Silver Cigars."

"I have Silver Cigars," Mariska said. "Just bought some, they are in the wagon."

"Really? I don't suppose-"

"Of course I will sell some to you! I will even give you a friendly discount. As soon as we get to my warehouse."

The ox kept pulling the wagon as Mariska chatted cheerfully, occasionally letting Gunnar have a word too. The going was easy as most people gave the wagon a wide berth. Eventually she said "Oh, we are here! This is my warehouse."

Of course it was. The bright yellow building stood out from other buildings like a Gnome in Blackport.

Mariska hopped from the wagon and opened a large padlock holding the door locked. "Can you pull the door open? If you wait out here for a moment, I will park the wagon and get those cigars for you. I will have my crew unload the cargo later."

As Gunnar pulled at the door he heard a groaning sound from inside the warehouse. "Shush now!" Mariska called, climbing back on the driver's seat. The voice went quiet as she drove the wagon in.

Gunnar tried to figure out what sort of animal made that kind of noise, but then resolved that it must be something he was not familiar with.

Mariska returned, closing and locking the door again, and held out a box of cigars. Coins and the box changed hands and Gunnar looked with satisfaction at his replenished supply.

"Are you familiar with The Marked Hour?" Mariska asked. "It is a rather peaceful place as far as Blackport goes."

"Haven't been there," Gunnar said.

"You will soon! I was planning to eat, so I will treat you to dinner there!"

"You don't have to..."

"I insist!" Mariska said and took Gunnar's arm in a way that brooked no argument.

Mariska kept chatting as they walked. Gunnar noted how a patrol of City Guard moved to the other side of the street as they approached. He knew that people were wary of his obvious military bearing, but something felt off.

Eventually they arrived at the tavern. Gunnar felt that the bouncers gave him odd looks as he walked in with Mariska, who walked right up to the barkeep and said "Me and my friend will have steaks. Medium. With vegetables on the side, and warm bread and butter. I will have apple cider." She turned to Gunnar and asked "You will have ale, yes?" Barely waiting for a nod she turned back to the keep and said "He will have ale."

The Marked Hour really was a nice and quiet place, and Mariska was good company. Her constant good mood was catching. And it was easier to have an actual conversation with her during dinner, as she stopped talking to chew. Gunnar didn't think he had been able to relax in that way since arriving at Blackport.

Eventually they finished their dinner. Feeling content, Gunnar thought that this was a good moment to enjoy the last cigar from his old box before starting the new one. "I think I will have a cigar. Do you want one?"

"No thank you, I don't smoke. But you go ahead. I will go pay our tab."

As Gunnar took out the cigar she noted Mariska walk past a group of craftspeople playing cards at a table. The gamblers went quiet as she walked by. Then it dawned on him what had been nagging at him ever since port. The people along the way had not been afraid of him, they had been afraid of her!

Leaning towards the gamblers, Gunnar asked "Excuse me. I am new here, and just met her. Is there something I should know?"

"There most certainly is," one gambler said. "She is Mariska the Death Dealer. One of the most feared necromancers in Blackport."

"She is so frightening she is just about the only person to do direct trade with Ûgozh tribes," another gambler said. "No one in their right mind dares attack her Death Caravan, guarded by terrifying undead and her own potent death magic."

Gunnar looked at where Mariska was happily chatting with the barkeep while paying the bill, and tried to fit the sight with his mental image of a feared necromancer. Without much success. Then he shrugged and lit the cigar. "Well. That does explain a lot of things."

Amazing Deliveries

2026-01-01T08:22:44Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
! 1
!
! 2
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 8
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| Icarus
| Flying courier
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/fedifensor.11415/ Fedifensor]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/players/gunnar

2025-12-31T17:07:17Z

Potted Plant: /* Background */

Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/players/gunnar

2025-12-31T16:48:46Z

Potted Plant:

Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/players/gunnar

2025-12-31T16:47:23Z

Potted Plant: /* Background */

Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/players/gunnar

2025-12-31T14:52:33Z

Potted Plant:

Landsoftheblacksea:Main Page/campaigns/athervon adventures

2025-12-22T10:08:23Z

Potted Plant: /* Active */

{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:center; width: 100%;"
|-
|[[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/races|'''Races''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/religion|'''Religions''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/realms|'''Realms''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/geography|'''Geography''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_page/organizations|'''Organizations''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/languages|'''Languages''']] || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_page/time_calendars|'''Time & Calendars''']]
|-
|}


[[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page | '''<< Back to Main Page''' ]]

== Introduction ==
For over 100 years, peace has reigned in the Kingdom of Athervon. After throwing off the yoke of the blasphemous Jhonian invaders from across the Black Sea, the Line of Kings was restored, and the rightful rulers of the Kingdom took their place upon the Throne. The Holy Orders of the Church of Il Matio, The Father, were of course instrumental in the struggle, and upon this ascension to the throne, the King declared the Holy Faiths as the state religion. Everywhere one travels in the kingdom, pre-occupation temples as well as the mosques devoted to the heretical worship of the Jhonian God, A’Salam, have been or are being converted to cathedrals and churches for practice of the Holy Faith, to spread the good word.

Most recently, the unruly and barbaric clans to the northeast have finally agreed to align themselves to His Highness, pledging their allegiance to him, and forming the Northern Protectorate of Athervon. And while other tribes and clans further north yet still remain wild and untamed, no doubt they will see the light of the Holy Faith in time – or will be civilized at the point of the lances of the Order of the Flowering Cross if they cannot. Other lands that had been subjugated by the Jhonian Emperor’s forces have also begun to rise against their oppressors – far away to the East, Iruzhin’s Tsar is the latest in a string of rebellions to successfully overthrow the Jhonian Emperor’s yoke. But the Empire of the Amir-al-Sultan’s was vast, and he yet still wields more power than any other ruler in the lands.

It is true that in the aftermath of the occupation, there were reprisals against those unfortunate Jhonian and Issyrian settlers who were unable to flee as their hold on the Kingdom was broken. But blood cools with time, and while the remaining pockets who descended from these unfortunates will always be second-class citizens within the Kingdom, they are generally left alone to their own business so long as they make no trouble. Of course, only the Holy Faith can be openly practiced; but the royal administration now rarely prosecutes the minorities of the realm so long as they keep their foreign ways out of sight of the populace. They far prefer to look the other way as coins are dropped into the royal coffers than incur the expense of trials and executions.

The impact of this permissiveness has even extended beyond humans. Gnomish caravans have been a regular appearance for over two generations, making circuits around the countryside peddling goods and offering their services as tinkerers, craftsmen, and entertainers before picking up and moving on to the next town. There have more recently been sightings of Dwarven emissaries on the roads again – a rarity that no one living has seen, given that the falling out between the King of the House of Fyldhrm and the King of Athervon occurred well before the Jhonian occupation. Elves are still a rarity, they too having retreated to their hidden settlements within the Thornwood and the snow-capped mountains to its north, and ensuring that men who entered their realm told stories that caused others to think twice. But as the Holy Faith teaches, the Elven ways were debauched and unchaste in the eyes of The Father, so perhaps this if for the best.

None of this is to say that life is without its tribulations and struggles. Athervon’s historical arch-rival for power, Veniri, the Kingdom of Coin, once again sends its trading ships and caravans out once again to the far-flung limits of a world now free of war, bringing riches to the Merchant Houses and the King that rules them. In the south, the Kingdom of Anida lost control of a number of their vassal lords as a result of the disruptions caused by the Jhonian threat, and the resulting patchwork of city-states and princedoms that now cover the lands there is aptly named the Wild Coast.

And there are always more sinister threats to the King’s peace, of course. To the west, the desolate and dangerous hills and plains of Bakuland and Ûgozh have generated only occasional humanoid raiding parties issuing from their loathsome caverns and unclean settlements, and the King’s reprisals have been swift and crushing. The vast expanse of the marshes and mires of the Dire Fens, blocking off most land routes to southern reaches of the Athernian peninsula, are never without some evil that is ready to prey upon those that stray within its borders – or in some cases, just too close to them.
But all in all, most say this is a good time to be a subject of Athervon. The crop yields are high, few go hungry, the King’s justice is deemed fair and quick, and it is possible to raise a family in peace for the first time in many generations.

Until now.

== Campaign Adventure Summaries ==


{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:left"
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |#
! scope="col" style="width: 150px;" | Title
! scope="col" style="width: 800px;" | Summary
|-
| A-00 || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/adventures/avis_armois | City of Avis Armois]] || A large city in the south of the Kingdom of Athervon, where the characters meet and which serves as their home base for many of the adventures.
|-
| A-01 || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/adventures/one_eyed_kem | One-Eyed Kem]] || Wherein the party is hired to stop a series of raids on merchant caravans and farm houses, purportedly by the infamous bandit One-Eyed Kem, whose hideout is inside the borders of the dreaded Dire Fens.
|-
| A-02 || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/adventures/true_faith_murders | The True Faith Murders]] || Wherein the party investigates a series of murders in Avis Armois, in the process discovering a terrible secret hidden for decades in the sewers below Avis Armois.
|-
| A-03 || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/adventures/the_scaled_god | The Scaled God]] || Wherein the party is hired to venture into the Dire Fens to investigate the cause of new raids against outposts by tribes of lizard men, only to find a sinister force that plans much more than that.
|-
| A-04 || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/adventures/asala | The White King]] || Wherein the party journeys to the southwest of Athervon to the town of Asala to seek redemption for one of their own, and finds adventure along the way as well as a terrible curse upon the town when they arrive.
|-
| A-05 || [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/adventures/uhrômunïhr | The Mines of Uhrômunïhr]] || Wherein the party journeys to abandoned Dwarven mines in order to free the soul of a long-dead thief.
|-
|}


== Campaign Characters ==

=== Active ===

{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width: 90px;" |Name
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Race/Sex
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Class
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | XP
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | Align
! scope="col" style="width: 65px;" | AC
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | HP
! scope="col" style="width: 90px;" | Spells
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Enc/Mv
! scope="col" style="width: 260px;" | Magic/Special Items
! scope="col" style="width: 220px;" | Notes/Consumables
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/violet_damacio | '''Violet d'Amacio''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/potted-plant.24190/ Potted Plant])
| Human (Athernian) F
| Pal 4
| 14460
| CG
| 10 or 9 (shield) or 4 (Chain + Shield) 
| 34/34
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 0/1 x Lay Hands
| L/8" 
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* Spear +1, +2 vs. Undead
* Scroll (''Protection from Undead'');
* Letter of Introduction (for Dwarf-Lord of Fhÿldrmüdhrm)
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 6 x bullets 
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10qv28LTDk1XDUcPjPth1oN14ic--qqHU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104111159945893972742&rtpof=true&sd=true Treasure]
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/danithe_thorne | '''Darithe Thorne''']]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/darithe.188293/ Darithe])
| Human (Athernian) F
| Thf 5
| 13141
| CG
| 8 (Leather) or
6 (''Armor'') or

3 (''Armor'' + DEX)
| 1/16
| -
| L/8"
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* Dagger +1, +2 vs. Magic Users;
* Potion of ''Clairaudience'' 
* Minor Potion of ''Healing'' (2 hp, 1 dose)
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Brooches of Clairaudience ]]
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* Weak, barely able to speak, cannot fight. Movement 4"
* ''Armor'' 0/11 (inactive)
* 4 x Daggers;
* 20 x Quarrels 
* 8 x Daggers;
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10qv28LTDk1XDUcPjPth1oN14ic--qqHU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104111159945893972742&rtpof=true&sd=true Treasure]
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/gabriel_malavielle | '''Gabriel Malavieille''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sam-i-am.17480/ Sam I Am])
| Human (Athernian) M
| Wiz 4
| 14413
| NG
| 10 or
6 (''Armor'') or

2 (''Armor'' + DEX)
| 13/15
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 0/1 x ''Magic Missile'';
* 2/4 x Mag1;
* 3/3 x Mag2 
| M/6"
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Ring of Fire ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Hematite Raven Figurine ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Ring of Thought ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/spell_books#Gabriel.27s_Spell_Book | Gabriel's Spell Book ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/spell_books#Fariya.27s_Spell_Book | Fariya's Spell Book ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/spell_books#Serala.27s_Spell_Book | Serala's Spell Book ]]
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 2 x flasks of oil
* 1 x Club;
* 10 x bullets;
* 10 x silver bullets
* 1 spell from each level must be Invocation;
* ''Armor'' 8/12
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10qv28LTDk1XDUcPjPth1oN14ic--qqHU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104111159945893972742&rtpof=true&sd=true Treasure]
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/esker_manyblades | '''Esker Manyblades''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/ravenscall.215702/ Ravenscall])
| Human (Vulkul) M
| Ftr 4
| 11097
| CG
| 5 (armor/shield) or
3 (+ DEX)
| 18/35
| -
| U/12" 
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Solé Family Sword ]] (damaged, -1 to hit/-1 damage) 
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 5 x flasks of oil
* 70 x Sheaf Arrows;
* 10 x Flight Arrows
* 1 x Dagger
* Armor Damaged (AC +1 until repaired)
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10qv28LTDk1XDUcPjPth1oN14ic--qqHU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104111159945893972742&rtpof=true&sd=true Treasure]
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/teal_nightbreeze | '''Teal Nightbreeze''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/darklin.193579/ Darklin])
| Elf (Snow) F
| Wiz 3/Pr 4
| 8501/8501
| CG
| 10 or
2 (''Armor''+ Dex) or

0 (''Anhkeg Armor'' + DEX)
| 22/22
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 1/2 x Mag1
* 0/1 x Mag2;
* 1/5 x Pr1
* 1/4 x Pr2 
| U/12"
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Ankheg Armor ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Lantern of Othi’än ]] (1/1 use per day)
* Spell Scroll (Pr - ''Cure Disease'')
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/spell_books#Teal.27s_Spell_Book | Teal's Spellbook ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/spell_books#Gervais.27_Spell_Book | Gervais' Spell Book ]]
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 3 x flasks of oil
* 40 x sheaf arrows
* 4 x daggers
* ''Armor'' 11/11
* ''Deepockets'' active
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10qv28LTDk1XDUcPjPth1oN14ic--qqHU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104111159945893972742&rtpof=true&sd=true Treasure]
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/khrumm_kÿhr_velkr | '''Khrumm Kÿhr Velkr''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery])
| Dwarf M
| Wiz 4
| 12000
| NG
| 10 or
6 (''Armor'')

or 4 (+ DEX)
| 1/15
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 3/3 x Mag1;
* 2/2 x Mag2 
| U/12"
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | ''Rope of Climbing'']]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/magic_items | Dwarven Cairn Gold Necklace (nonmagical, worn) ]]
* [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/spell_books#Gabriel.27s_Spell_Book | Khrumm's Spell Book ]]
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* Weak, barely able to speak, cannot fight or cast spells. Movement 4"
* ''Armor'' 0/11 (inactive)
* [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10qv28LTDk1XDUcPjPth1oN14ic--qqHU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104111159945893972742&rtpof=true&sd=true Treasure]
|-
|}




=== Inactive/Retired ===

{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width: 90px;" |Name
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Race/Sex
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Class
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | XP
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | Align
! scope="col" style="width: 65px;" | AC
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | HP
! scope="col" style="width: 90px;" | Spells
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Enc/Mv
! scope="col" style="width: 260px;" | Magic Items
! scope="col" style="width: 220px;" | Notes/Consumables
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/yancy_blue | '''Yancy Blue/Ylfingur''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin])
| Human (Vulkul) M
| Brd 2
| 1250
| NG
| 7
| 9/9
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 1/1 x Mg1
| U/12"
| -
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 7 days rations
* 1 x oil flasks
* 5 gp, 5 sp, 5 pp
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/amara_uket | '''Amara Uk'Et''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/omg.152765/ OMG])
| Human (Tuath) F
| Clr 2
| 1500
| NG
| 7
| 8/8
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 2/2 x Pr1
| U/12"
| -
| -
|-
|}


=== Deceased ===

{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width: 90px;" |Name
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Race/Sex
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Class
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | XP
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | Align
! scope="col" style="width: 65px;" | AC
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | HP
! scope="col" style="width: 90px;" | Spells
! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" | Enc/Mv
! scope="col" style="width: 260px;" | Magic Items
! scope="col" style="width: 220px;" | Notes/Consumables
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/markel_bronik | '''Markel Bronik''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/scavenger.208991/ Scavenger])
| Human (Vulkul/Athernian) M
| Rgr 3
| 5712
| CG
| 7 or 3 
| 8/21
| -
| L/8"
| -
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* Dead
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-289#post-24684377 Death of Markel]
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/serala_furcalor | '''Serala Furcalor''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/tomas.340/ tomas])
| Human (Issyrian) F
| Brd 3
| 3212
| N
| 8
| 3/15
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 2 x Mag1
| U/12"
| -
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* Dead
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-274#post-24618416 Death of Serala]
|-
| [[Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/fariya_mithra_camar | '''Fariya Mithra Camar''' ]]
([https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/darklin.193579/ Darklin])
| Half-Elf (Jhonian/Sand) F
|
Ftr 2/

Wiz 2/

Clr 3
|
3479/

3677/

3677
| LG
| 10 or
6 (''Armor'')
| -12/15
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |
* 2/2 x Mag1;
* 3/4 x Pr1;
* 3/3 x Pr2 
| L/8"
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |

| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left" |

* Dead
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-61#post-25134271 Death of Faryia]
|-
|}


== Campaign Clues ==


{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:left"
! Topic !! Clues
|-
| The Rings/Cabal of the Seven Rings/Order of the White Staff ||
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-223#post-24317323 Fariya & Gabriel discuss the Rings] while walking about Avis Armois, and discover an interesting building
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-10#post-23479189 Their first conversation with Nalencampa] about the Rings (this post and some following it)
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/#post-24717543 Nalencampa’s conversation with Gabriel] about the Rings & the annotations in the Dwarven book he found in possession of the Necromancer Khut, which talks about a possible location for the Ring of Earth
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-165#post-23991577 Nalencampa, Boulen, and Shaheer discuss the letters] found in the Necromancer Khut’s possession. This revolves around an apparently successful plot by agents of “The Master” to obtain the Ring of Death and get the Cabal and the Order of the White staff to suspect each other in the process.
|-
| "The Master" ||
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-276#post-24627908 Necromancer Khut’s monologue] with them when they were imprisoned
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-291#post-24690970 Post where they found the letters] in the lair of the necromancer Khut
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868660/page-268#post-24691111 Text of the First Letter] found in the possession of the necromancer Khut
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868660/page-268#post-24691113 Text of the Second Letter] found in the possession of the necromancer Khut
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/#post-24713593 Artigas’ take] on the letters above
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/#post-24717543 Nalencampa’s conversation with Gabriel] about the Rings & the annotations in the Dwarven book he found in possession of the Necromancer Khut
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-165#post-23991577 Nalencampa, Boulen, and Shaheer discuss the letters] found in the Necromancer Khut’s possession
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-3#post-24749944 Conversation with the voice] outside the Bronzechapel residence
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-3#post-24758995 Violet & Fariya’s subsequent conversations] with Du Serna & the Mullah of the mosque
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-3#post-24767762 Violet, Fariya, & Gabriel’s subsequent research] in the cathedral, mosque, and alquemiste’s guilds, respectively
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-62#post-25138230 Fariya’s conversation with the voice] as she passes (other characters would not know this info, obviously – just adding for continuity).
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-101#post-25352521 Teal has a vision] and conversation with her god, which is interrupted by a sinister voice that advises her to not help the rest of the party
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-105#post-25376360 Darithe’s dream conversation with the same voice] that accosted them outside Bronzechapel
|-
| The Dire Fens & Powers Therein ||
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-220#post-24290071 Nabu Shum-Iber tells the story] of how he came to be cursed
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-221#post-24292769 Conversation with Nabu Shum-Iber] about the powers of the Dire Fens
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-221#post-24295737 Nabu Shum-Iber’s conversation with Markel], revealing that the power that cursed him is one and the same with that which laid low the companions of Markels former master. This power is the one that lives in the ruins annotated on Markel’s map of the Dire Fens.
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-222 Standing offer from Nabu-Shum Iber to trade information] or items that will help him reverse his curse or exact revenge on the power that cursed him
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign.868661/page-222#post-24309627 Their encounter with the Black Stag], which from what Nabu Shum-Iber told them and what it says would appear to be one of the powers in the Fens (this post and a few subsequent) – but not the one that cursed Nabu.
* [https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Landsoftheblacksea:Main_Page/players/markel_bronik#History What Markel's former Ranger Master], Koth of the Brown Cloak, told him of the Dire Fens, and in particular the Sunken City therein. Koth's map of the Dire Fens is what they have been using during their explorations and adventures.
|-
| The Dragon of the North (Vermithraax) ||
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-13#post-24848107 Zaren's Song]: The Sundering of the Alliance
|-
| Rumors of War with Bakuland and Ûgozh ||
* [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ad-d-2e-lands-of-the-black-sea-southern-campaign-continuation-i.907923/page-109#post-25394005 Esker's Conversation] with town guardsman.
|-
|}

Amazing Deliveries

2025-12-07T10:32:54Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
! 1
!
! 2
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 8
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| Icarus
| Flying courier
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/fedifensor.11415/ Fedifensor]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Aleksei Graham

2025-11-27T05:48:44Z

Potted Plant: /* Skills */

{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Aleksei Graham
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Sailor
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | English
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (24)
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 12 || 60 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 9 || 45 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 14 || 70 || Talkative
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 11 || 11
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| -
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Parents || 14 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Crew || 14 ||
|-
|Hometown || 14 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Respect the sea.

See the world.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 71 || Foreign Language (Russian) (50%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Arctic) (0%) || 62
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || 60 || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (0%) || || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) || 60
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (12%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 80 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) || 60
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) ||
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || || Melee Weapons (30%) || || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science (Navy) (0%) || 11 || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || 70 || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) ||
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || || Navigate (10%) || 60 || Swim (20%) || 70
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 90
|-
| Firearms (20%) || || Persuade (20%) || 61 || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 60 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || 70 || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
| Unarmed || 90 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|}

==Other Equipment==

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Born to a British father and a Russian mother Aleksei is fluent in both languages and has worked on ships in the North Sea his entire career, which made him a natural choice of intterpreter for the expedition.

In his mid 20s, Aleksei is lithe and athletic in build, with a shoulder length blonde hair and a stubble of beard.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-11-18T16:14:11Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
! 1
!
! 2
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 8
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| Icarus
| Flying courier
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/fedifensor.11415/ Fedifensor]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-11-18T16:13:43Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
! 1
!
! 2
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 8
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
| Icarus
| Flying courier
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/fedifensor.11415/ Fedifensor]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-14T06:45:36Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
! 1
!
! 2
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-12T05:27:17Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-12T05:20:00Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-12T05:16:48Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-11T05:28:40Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-11T05:28:16Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
! 1
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-09T06:23:55Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-07T05:55:50Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
! 1
! 1
!
!
! 4
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-06T17:37:44Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
! 1
! 1
!
!
! 4
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 3
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-05-05T07:30:25Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
! 1
! 1
!
!
! 4
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-

| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Melody Melody]'''
| Female-aspected Synth
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-04-28T06:40:36Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
! 1
! 1
!
!
! 4
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Knox Knox]'''
| Mercy's Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/eplov.229812/ Eplov]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-04-28T05:52:00Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 6
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
! 1
! 1
!
!
! 4
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-04-20T07:49:10Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
! 1
! 1
!
!
! 4
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Rails Through Hell

2025-04-14T16:49:53Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for Rails Through Hell, a campaign for Iron Kingdoms: Requiem and D&D 5e.

A strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past rides an armored train through a devastated land populated with restless dead and nightmarish horrors, in a desperate and possibly suicidal attempt to reach and destroy the source of the devastation.
[[File:Scary_Rails.jpg |300px|thumb|right|The Rails]]

==Player Characters==

===Active===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Astrid|'''Astrid Hammerheart, Hexmaul''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nightgoblyn.56962/ NightGoblyn]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Lorilae|'''Lorilae Hallith, Iosan Druid''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Qinan|'''Qinan Kirendre, Grave Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/strange-behaviour.186867/ strange behaviour]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Gedra|'''Gedra Firesmith, Artillerist Artificer''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]

===Inactive===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Syrin|'''Syrin, Arcane Trickster''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/kittlefish.62862/ Kittlefish]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Fenwick|'''Fenwick the Scribe, Dwarven Bard''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sam-i-am.17480/ Sam I Am]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Kazron|'''Kazron "Firehammer" Ironbeard, Dwarven Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dork.66298/ Dork]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Torgul|'''Torgul Thunderhand, Ogrun Storm Knight''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/mr-adventurer.3201/ Mr Adventurer]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Voglomagorkamun|'''Voglomagorkamun, Gobber Alchemist''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/talisman.167661/ Talisman]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Eva|'''Eva Forvatto, Warlock''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/makudawnlight.223349/ MakuDawnLight]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Vander|'''Vander Zahn, Artificer''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/riki730.223186/ riki730]

==Non Player Characters==

===General Thorrn Lightningstrike===

The white haired and bearded dwarven general volunteered from retirement. He is no stranger to fighting the horrors. Eye patch and a mechanikal leg tell of his past in the surface patrols. He is experienced and shrewd, and technically in charge of the task force. But used to having to lead from the rear because of his injuries, he is known to listen to his officers. And anyone else whose expertise he respects.

A number of veterans from Stonegate Defence Force volunteered along with the General. Most of them are assigned to the train's turrets due to their experience with heavy military weapons.

===Member of Parliament from Scorpion’s Oath – Wolf Twicesworn===

The dark haired elf with piercing blue eyes is the only member of the Parliament in Exile to offer more than thoughts and prayers for the task force. He volunteered himself, and is accompanied by a large group of Stingers. The military arm of Scorpion's Oath that he himself is a member of.

Wolf is a politician fond of giving rousing speeches, especially to his followers who drink up his every word. He is also known as an excellent swordsman who is not afraid to use his blade. His followers call him a patriot. His detractors call him a fanatic. Even before departure, he has already butted heads with General Lightningstrike about matters of strategy and the chain of command. He has made clear that he thinks that as a member of the surface parliament, he should be in charge.

===Rail Guard Captain – Oskar Steamfist===

Once, the Rail Guard was a large and respected force patrolling and policing the railway. After the Stonegate closed, what remained of their duties dwindled to maintaining and patrolling the Stonegate Station, along with their numbers.

Few people were surprised when the entire remaining Rail Guard volunteered for the task force. In the time since the closing of Stonegate, the Rail Guard has gained a reputation as a boisterous and unruly lot, and their burly Captain certainly exhibits both of the qualities in abundance. But no one can doubt their eagerness, and they may possess the best information remaining of the rail lines outside.

===The Drivers – Emerald and Opal Irongear===

The non identical dwarven twin girls - one a redhead and the other blonde - seem young for the task force, but with the railway closed, few people know how to drive a locomotive the size of Black Betty, who leaves even the largest of those used in the mines to her shadow. And the twins are two of them. Coming from a long and proud line of railway workers, they literally grew up learning to drive the giant locomotive. And they have made clear that Black Betty is ''theirs'' and if she goes, they go.

===The Engineer – Erdil Irongear===

Emerald and Opal are not coming alone. They are accompanied by their grandfather Erdil. The gray haired dwarf is the very image of a grumpy old man, but he says he could maintain the train in his sleep, and could be right. He is also another person with skills to pilot Black Betty, should something happen to one of the twins.

===Archivist Cleo Nightingale===

Another person who looks not only too young but also unlikely to survive, the short, petite, brunette human woman looks like a particularly stiff breeze could carry her away. But she is not along for her combat skills. '''The Archivists''' were a group of scholars among the refugees who had fled with what knowledge they could carry with them, and also collected and recorded stories from the initial refugees. They have kept this knowledge, and possess an impressive library about the world outside, and of encounters with the horrors. Bringing all that knowledge along would be a difficult task though - if not for Cleo. The granddaughter of the Head Archivist, she has been fascinated with the world outside since early age and has read most of the writings Archivists have about the subject. And she has a nearly infallible memory.

If only the walking, talking library's curiousness would not be likely to get her in trouble, for she seems determined to learn as much as she can and bring back more current information.

===Chief Medic Ingrid Blackbear===

Ingrid trained to be a doctor. She also grew up to be the chieftain of Bear Clan. Now in her middle age and her dark hair growing grey, the tall and powerfully built woman has the attitude of one who knows she is the biggest, baddest mommy bear in the clan. Her bedside manner is not exactly comforting, but that matters little when she is carrying your bleeding form from the battlefield over her shoulder.

===The Quartermaster, Katbelmogegga aka Kat===

The hyperactive female gobber does not seem to ever stay still, or even slow down to walk. She is always dashing around. Then again, with all the dispersed supply cars to look after, that probably makes her perfect for the job. She keeps her hair in a long braid, is always carrying a thermos full of '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered - and is also a fond of '''silver cigars''', that are made from a silver-gray fungus.

===Garka Ironbiter===

Despite her relatively youthful age, in her twenties, this warrior of the Order of the Vengeful Fist is considered to be one of the best martial artists in Stonegate. Which is why the elders of her order chose her to lead the Ogrun volunteers of the Order for the task force. With her dedication, the training of her martial order, and her Ogrun formidableness, the dark haired Ogrun woman is without a doubt one of the most dangerous people among the task force.

===Jessica Flametongue===

Considered a prodigy among the arcanists of the exiles, this young sorceress could manifest battle magics at the age of three. Her order of Firestarters chose her to lead the substantial arcane force of theirs that volunteered for the task force. The platinum blonde human woman has an unusual feature - her irises are bright red.

==The Train==
[[File:Black_Betty.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Black Betty]]
Drawn by a massive locomotive, '''Black Betty''', every part of the train is armored with steel plating, and it is defended by turrets armed with gatling guns and cannons. It takes a particularly big and powerful locomotive to pull a train this heavy, but luckily for the task force, the Irongear family had dutifully maintained their heirloom one.

The cars are of various types. '''Freight cars''' contain the task force's supplies of weapons, ammunition, rations, medical supplies and additional gear, along with huge stores of coal and water both for the locomotive and the steamjcaks on board. '''Passenger cars''' with bunk berths and storage lockers house the members of the task force with their personal or permanently assigned gear. '''Steamjack cars''' hold the expedition's steamjacks. More specialized cars include the '''Command car''' for strategy sessions, '''Infirmary car''' for treating injuries, '''Dining car''' for the presumably rare moments of rest and relaxation, and '''Laboratory car''' in case there is a need to investigate something the task force comes across. There is also the '''Cold car''' with the temperature kept below freezing. So the casualties do not necessarily need to be left behind.

Most of the specialized cars are at the front of the train, close to the locomotive. Otherwise, the order is mixed. This is a precaution to ensure that the task force remains operational even if there is damage to part of the train.

Since the train is expected to travel through darkness, in addition to Black Betty's powerful front light, it has been equipped with powerful electric searchlights. Some are mounted to the turrets, others have an attached periscope and are operated from inside, allowing lookouts to keep an eye on the train's surroundings without exposing themselves to threats.

==Campaign Specific Rules==

The premise said “a strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past” and that is not just fluff. The game will introduce two features. Demons and Secrets.

===Demons===
Everyone has a Demon. People who are all right do not normally volunteer for potential suicide missions. But a Demon is not a GM tool. It is a player-controlled resource for gaining Inspiration.

A Demon can be anything. A gambling problem, a drinking problem, a tendency to feel sick at the sight of blood. It is something that causes trouble for the character when it manifests. But the characters are able to resist their Demons, so the player chooses when it manifests. When that happens, it causes problems for the character, whether mechanically or in the game situation. in return, the player gains Inspiration for the character.

===Secrets===
Every character also has a Secret. It can be something minor, like a fear of heights or some other phobia hidden out of embarrassment, that might come out at a dramatic moment. Or it can be something major, like being secretly a surviving scion of House Falcon (Royal line believed dead) a descendant of Scorpion the Mystic, or a member of Blood Clan (scary bogeymen people of legend – but legends are not always true).

Whatever the Secret is, it is something the character would keep secret from strangers. And the strike force is assembled from volunteers, with most people not knowing each other beforehand.

Secrets are initially known only by player and GM. If hints get dropped, it may be possible to figure out another character’s Secret, or the player may choose to reveal it. Whether by coming out with it, or agreeing with another player for another character to find it out. No matter how it happens, when someone’s Secret gets revealed, it is a dramatic moment, and the entire group gets an Effort Point!

Effort Points are detailed in ''Borderlands Survival Guide'' supplement. In addition to providing an Advantage they can be used for other things too. Such as instant healing, halving suffered damage, getting extra actions or attacks, or ending an ongoing effect. Instead of listing every possible option - if you want to affect an action or a condition to your character's benefit, Effort Point will do it.

Secrets may have non mechanical effects too, depending on what they are.

Also, NPCs have Demons and Secrets too. Their Demons are just something that may cause complications during the game, but Secrets are important. When NPCs Secret gets revealed, something happens, whether plot-wise or mechanically. But that is not going to happen without PC actions. Revealing a NPCs Secret is going to take intense roleplay, social skills, or investigation.

==Factions==

'''Scorpion's Oath''': The pro tribal rights, anti aristocratic party currently in power in the Parliament In Exile. They also have a military arm. Scorpion's Oath may have turned from freedom fighters to politicians, but they started out as a warrior order, and this bunch is all about tradition. So there are degrees of participation. Just taking the Oath means that you will support the cause to the degree you are capable and willing of, even if you are just a baker providing bread for the cause. The military arm is the '''Stingers'''. They are identified by a scorpion tattoo on the back of the left hand. Taking the tattoo indicates willingness to fight and die for the cause. The tattoo was almost a thing of the past before the Dark Devastation, but has gained popularity since.

'''The Royalists''': Once the most powerful party in Parliament, but they have diminished in power since, and even more since the Dark Devastation and the apparent demise of the House of Falcon. They favor a strong central authority, and more power for the Royal house. After the apparent death of the Royal House, most of those who still identify as Royalists come from the original human and elven tribes of The First Falcon King, but although few in number, those who remain are unshakable in their faith and dedication.

'''The Archivists''': A minor power with no representatives in the parliament. The Archivists are a group of scholars and sages dedicated to preserving and collecting knowledge of the past and of the outside. With the focus of life in Stonegate having been on survival, the "bookworms" have never been particularly popular, and what influence they have comes from the fact that they are highly learned people possessing specialized knowledge few others have.

'''The Order of the Vengeful Fist''': During the Dark Devastation, half a dozen Ogrun clans sent their male warriors to assist the Falcon Army in repelling the horrors. None came back. This gave birth to an all new warrior order. The Ogrun women, bereft of their menfolk and worried about an assault on Stonegate, trained to defend their folk. Bereft of weapons training, with all potential trainers gone to fight, they trained themselves to fight without weapons or armor, using only their formidable Ogrun physique. When it became obvious that the horrors could not breach Stonegate's defenses, they continued to train for a different purpose. To one day take the fight to the horrors and avenge the lost menfolk of their clans. It is no surprise that The Order of the Vengeful Fist volunteered for the task force in numbers!

'''The Firestarters''': Survivors of Cruor's arcane traditions, these wizards, warlocks and sorcerers have trained for generations for a single purpose - the retaking of the surface.

==Locations==

'''Stonegate''': The entrance to the underground realm of the dwarves, also the name of the entire dwarven nation. Currently also housing the refugees from the surface.

'''Falcon City''': The capital of Cruor, where the Dark Devastation started.

'''The Plain of Bones''': The site of one of the greatest battles in history, where Falcon Army and the Alliance of the Oath fought each other.

'''Highfall Bridge''': A bridge for both foot and vehicle traffic and trains, crossing the ravine and turbulent rapids within by a spectacular waterfall the bridge is named after.

'''Fallmarket''' A minor trading hub known for its seasonal market. And a site of tragedy, as the last refugee train to attempt passing through was caught by the horrors and overrun.

==Setting Background==

===History===

'''Cruor'''. A land of life surrounded by lifelessness. A huge area of fertile land and freshwater lakes and rivers. Bordered by a seemingly endless salt desert to the east, by a massive mountain range to the west and south, and to the north by arid tundra that ends in eternally frozen glaciers.

Over time, explorers have tried to brave the desert or the ice, or to cross the mountains, but those who returned could only report failure. Some faiths believe that there is nothing beyond the borders.

Long ago, in the barbaric era, Cruor was a land of separate clans and tribes that constantly raided and warred with each other. This was to change with the birth of a man called '''Falcon''', who became the '''First Falcon King'''.

Half human and half elf, Falcon rose to lead both tribes whose blood he had. Some historians say it was done by charm and diplomacy, others that it was by violence and assassination. All agree on what happened next. He created an army from both tribes and led it to war. By their numbers and their different yet combined ways of doing battle, Falcon Army subjugated the neighboring tribes. Rather than enslave and pillage as was usually done, Falcon added the tribes to his force.

Some legends claim that Falcon conquered all of Cruor, but that is not quite true. He started it, but unifying the land under one banner was continued by his son and finished by his granddaughter. And the conquest was not always by sword. Seeing the growing power of Falcon, some tribes willingly bent knee and joined him.

But Falcon was the person who made the unification of Cruor possible. His relentless advance ultimately brought unified opposition. The '''Alliance of the Oath''', formed and led by an elven mystic '''Scorpion'''. He arrived from the great salt desert. Some legends claim that Scorpion came from beyond the desert, but most historians agree that he was most likely a hermit mage who made his home in the desert. Historians disagree on his motivation. Some believe he reacted to the conquest of the tribe of his birth. Others believe he had mystical or philosophic reasons. What is known is that he was an eloquent speaker who warned that Falcon’s way of the conqueror would bring an end to the way of life of the tribes, and to their ancestral traditions by which they had survived, and that disaster would surely follow if the conqueror was not stopped.

Scorpion gathered a force of the still independent tribes, bolstered by exiles and refugees from the conquered tribes who had refused to join Falcon. The Alliance of the Oath met '''Falcon Army''' on a plain that carried a different name then but has since been known as the '''Plain of Bones'''. The Alliance took their name from the oath they swore, to fight for the independence and the traditions of their people. The Alliance outnumbered the Falcon Army, but had less cohesion. Tribal warbands against an organized army. The courage of the Alliance warriors faced the discipline of Falcon Army, and neither broke. Dead piled on both sides as the battle raged. Then the two leaders faced each other as Falcon and Scorpion clashed, knowing that only the fall of a leader could decide the battle.

Sagas and legends tell of the duel, and in more modern times, plays and novels as well. Both combatants had great skill at arms and wielded potent magics as well. The fight was epic. But at the end, Scorpion fell and the Alliance of the Oath lost the battle. Falcon ordered a great tomb built at the site of the duel in respect of his opponent.

That battle ultimately decided the fate of Cruor. There was no unified opposition to Falcon at that scale afterwards. Individual tribes continued to resist, assisted by survivors of the Alliance of the Oath who remained true to their oath. In the years to come, other people would swear the oath, and the freedom fighters of '''Scorpion’s Oath''' would harass the Falcon Army with guerrilla tactics, sabotage at the rear lines, strikes against the supply lines, and other asymmetric warfare. But they only slowed the inevitable. Eventually, even the last of the independent tribes was conquered.

It was Falcon’s granddaughter, '''Adea the Falcon Queen''', who founded the '''Parliament'''. Realizing that the fame of the Royal Line would fade when there would be no further conquests, and that the disparate tribes would begin to chafe under the leadership of a single person not of their people, she created a ruling power that represented all the people and could even veto Royal decrees and decisions. This proved to be a wise choice, although it would eventually cause the Royal House to lose their power to the Parliament. It would be a peaceful transition though. The founding of the parliament slowly brought an end to armed resistance. Even Scorpion’s Oath took their fight to the field of politics, becoming a significant faction within the parliament, and one most opposed to the House of Falcon.

The various faiths of Cruor had been already unified during the time of Falcon. Originally the tribes had their own gods. Understanding that arguments of faith could tear his army and growing nation apart, Falcon made the priests accept his degree that all gods were true and equal, combining the different faiths into what eventually turned into a single polytheistic one.

An unconfirmed legend tells that the unification of Cruor had one exception. The '''Blood Clan'''. Supposedly their faith and cultural practices were so abhorrent that rather than accepting them into his nation, Falcon had the entire clan put to sword, all they had burned to ash, and forbade mentioning them in histories. In bogeyman tales, some of the Blood Clan survived the purge and went into hiding, and if you are bad they may come for you.

And one people were never conquered. The dwarves of '''Stonegate''', living under the eastern mountains beyond a single massive gate that gave them their name. They had rejected Falcon’s diplomatic overtures, and the sound defeat he suffered when he led his army against Stonegate convinced the conqueror to let them be. For their part, the dwarves were content to stay under their mountains.

After Cruor became one nation, ruled by House of Falcon and the Parliament, it had no external enemies and little internal strife. In this environment, arts and sciences started to flourish, and an age of enlightenment began. Villages turned first into towns and then to cities. New techniques and discoveries led to ever further innovations, culminating in the steam engine that gave birth to railroads, and gunpowder that brought firearms. People of various tribes moved from their villages to growing towns and cities as the land became more urban. Yet the countryside was not totally deserted. Some people were dedicated to keeping their tribal culture and traditions alive, and kept living as they always had, hunting and farming.

In politics, the power of the Royal House waned over time until they were largely figureheads, with the true power in the hands of the Parliament.

Trade also flourished once the relationship with Stonegate turned friendlier, with surface products exchanged for minerals and other underground goods. Eventually, a railway was built, connecting '''Falcon City''', the capital, to Stonegate.

All in all Cruor seemed to be experiencing a golden age. And then the '''Dark Devastation''' happened.

There was no warning. No signs or portents. No explanation. It happened on the holiest day of the year and the largest celebration. '''The All Gods’ Day'''. It started in the capital’s grand cathedral where most of Cruor’s notables had gathered for the service. There were no survivors from the cathedral, and few from the capital in general, but what most accounts say is that all of a sudden, darkness like oily black clouds started flowing out of the doors and windows of the cathedral, spreading over the city and rising to the sky to blot out the sun. And within the darkness were beings of nightmare. And everyone they struck down rose back to their feet, dead, and set upon those still living.

It did not stop in the capital. The darkness and horrors spread rapidly, with people trying desperately to flee. The railroad saved countless lives as trains full of refugees fled the Devastation. But where could they go.

A lot of people decided to seek safety from the only place that had successfully resisted the first Falcon King. They headed for Stonegate as the Falcon Army mustered to repel the horrors. But after generations of peace with no threats, the army had shrunk into a token force that had never seen a real battle. Still they tried, assembling into a natural choke point of the '''Highfall Bridge'''. And although they ultimately failed to stop the horrors, they held long enough for countless refugees to reach Stonegate.

Ultimately, the Devastation still reached Stonegate as well. Firing from behind a shield wall, dwarven gunners kept the horrors at bay until the last refugees had got inside. Then they retreated as well, and what had never been done before happened. The Stonegate closed. A massive stone block weighing tens of tons sealed the entrance, leaving the horrors outside.

The sheer amount of refugees stretched the resources of the dwarven republic to the limits. Temporary housing was hastily quarried into abandoned mining tunnels. Food rationing was announced as new farms were set up in underground halls while engineers worked around the clock to build pumps and pipes from an underground lake to the new farms for irrigation. For all the efforts, malnutrition and even starvation was common in the first years.

Years grew into decades, and although the worst problems passed, life continued to be hard. Many refugees were ill suited for life underground, growing sickly without the light of the sun. Temporary housing turned permanent, with an entire family living in a single room and sleeping in small alcoves in the walls. Food rationing became the norm.

Relationships grew tense as well. Although most dwarves were happy to help, a minority resented the strain the refugees put on them. And while most refugees were grateful, a minority among them resented the better living conditions of the dwarves. Order was largely kept, although at a cost of patrols, checkpoints and curfews.

People tried to find an explanation for what had happened, and rumors and conspiracy theories spread. Revenge of the Blood Clan. Royal House making a pact with demons to regain their lost power. Radicals within Scorpion’s Oath making a pact with demons to bring an end to central authority. Vengeance of the Gods for the sin and decadence of the people who had abandoned the old ways. The explorers found something evil buried in the desert or ice and brought it to capital. The Group I Dislike did it for Reasons.

Scorpion’s Oath was swift to claim that Scorpion the Mystic had foreseen the Dark Devastation, saying that it was the disaster he had spoken of, and that the old traditions abandoned in favor of civilization and progress had kept the threat at bay. But they had an obvious political agenda in making that claim. Both the Parliament and House of Falcon were believed to have perished in the Devastation, for none was known to have reached Stonegate, but a new '''Parliament in Exile''' was formed, working together with the directly elected dwarven Ministers to bring order and governance to the refugees. And the claims of Scorpion’s Oath, whether there was any truth to them, gained them support and power.

Meanwhile, patrols that went above ground through sally points gave bleak news. Darkness had covered the world above and blotted out the sun, and the horrors were still up there.

A generation lived and died in their underground shelter. The next one grew better adapted to the life, but for them, surface and the sun were like fairy tales.

And then a surface patrol brought astounding news. Beams of sunlight. The cover of darkness was breaking.

Parliament in Exile and the dwarven Ministers started hastily talking. Could the surface be won back. But the horrors and the walking dead were still there, and even if they were pushed back, there was no guarantee that the Dark Devastation would not simply repeat. Besides, darkness still covered most of the land, and within it the monsters had the advantage. A decision was soon made that before sending a large army to the surface, they would need to strike at the source. The grand cathedral in the capital. A strike force needed to be sent there. At the very least to find out the truth about Dark Devastation, and if possible – kill it at the source so it would not happen again.

Yet the surface was still mostly covered by darkness and teeming with threats. The capital was hundreds of miles away from Stonegate. It seemed impossible that any force would be capable of reaching it, much less returning.

Then someone pointed out that the railway was still there. If Stonegate was opened long enough to send a train out, it could ride right to the capital. True, the railway might no longer be intact all the way, but if they sent an armored train that could act as a mobile fortified base, and not just soldiers but workers and engineers to repair any broken bridges and rail sections, a train built for war might accomplish what a conventional force would not.

===Life in Stonegate===

'''Dwarven culture''' is centered on professions. Professionalism and hard work are admirable traits among other people too, but dwarves take things a bit further. Not just individual people work the same profession from cradle to grave, striving to perfect their work. It is common for entire families to share the same profession, and to have done so for generations, the oldest generation passing their knowledge and skills on to the youngest. It is not uncommon for a young dwarf to opt for a different profession than the traditional one, but this generally means apprenticing to a family practicing the profession the young dwarf is interested in. This usually ends up with marrying into that family. This is considered normal social interaction, and it is the root of a saying the surface dwellers sometimes find odd. ''Change a profession, change the family.''

'''The refugees''' are a less uniform lot. Before Dark Devastation, there was a divide between the urbanized population living in the cities and embracing the modern advances, and the clan kin living in rural areas, practicing their traditional ways of life. That does not mean either that the clan kin were backwards or barbaric, or that the city folk had completely abandoned their clan traditions. Clans knew about the modern advances, but to what degree they used them varied by clan. And city folk might still wear at least the most important parts of traditional clan garb, or sport tattoos, hairstyles and ornaments common to their origins. It was not so much a cultural divide as a difference between lifestyle choices. But add to that the fact that the nation of Cruor was basically a federation of clans with sometimes very different looks and customs, and the refugees tend to be a highly varied lot.

What Stonegate is like physically varies a bit on where you live. '''The original areas''' where the dwarves live are the most spacious. Ceilings are high to facilitate ventilation. The streets are wide, with houses carved on the sides and pipes running close to the ceiling carrying water, air and electricity. Where the streets intersect are spacious plazas, usually with sculptures, fountains, or small parks in them. And although dwarves can see well in the dark, everything is well lit with electric lights.

Dwarves are '''masters of electricity''' - including military applications. They have to be, for in their underground home, fireplaces and steam engines common in the surface would compromise ventilation. So everything from lighting and heating to various machinery is powered by electricity. Coal power stations and steam engines that provide the power are away from populated areas, and have vents to get rid of the fumes. This was originally a marvel for the refugees who had still relied on gas lights and stoves.

The bright lighting is not just an aesthetic feature. The caves where Stonegate is has its own ecosystem and its own vermin. The lights prevent bats, blind rats and rock moles, and other critters from nesting in inhabited areas, for what is common to underground critters is that they are very sensitive to light. Even the blind ones feel it on their skin as an uncomfortable sensation, so they keep away from light. As a convenient extra feature, the lights make Stonegate easier for outside visitors to navigate. Such visitors were common even before Dark Devastation, although then it was mostly ogrun. Ogrun lived in the mountains close to Stonegate as friendly neighbors, and many lived in Stonegate as itinerant workers even then. Ogrun are strong, and very loyal to those they choose to serve, and have always been welcome among the dwarves.

Things are less well in '''the refugee quarters.''' They were hastily built, as originally speed was of the essence, with people sleeping in tents on the streets. Later on, proper renovations would have required tearing down the original.

Refugee quarters are a bit away from the dwarven quarters, since most were built in closed down mining tunnels, uninhabited caverns, and basically any space that was swiftly available. Ceilings tend to be much lower, and usually the pipes extend along the walls so people do not bump their heads in them. The corridors are much more narrow as well, and the house where people live might be just one large room with sleeping spaces carved on the walls, as originally the priority was to build something that could house as many people as possible, as fast as possible. In one word, the refugee quarters are cramped.

The refugees have the same utilities as the dwarves, though. Ventilation brings fresh air, although in cramped areas it is perhaps not as fresh as in dwarven areas. Electric lights provide illumination and drinking water is available from taps. Deficiencies in the hastily built original infrastructure sometimes cause lights or water to go out, but these problems are usually swiftly fixed.

'''The cuisine''' is more varied than the surface dwellers originally assumed. What can be grown without light are usually various kinds of mushrooms and fungi, and there are entire caverns dedicated to cultivating edible varieties. But people who assumed to face a diet of nothing but fungi and mushrooms were surprised.

Some distance from Stonegate is a vast underground lake where Stonegate gets its water from. Pumping stations send it first to the purification station where any impurities are removed, and then the drinkable water is pumped to the populated areas. But in addition to that, the lake provides several varieties of blind fish and eels, shellfish, and lakeweed and other edible plants.

The dwarves are skilled at harvesting the other cave ecosystem as well. Deep-fried bat. Stuffed mole. Rat stew. And more exotic things. There is a mineral eating cave vermin called ''burrowing maw'' - the name comes from the miners who hate the things - whose flesh, when prepared for food, tastes different depending on what it has been fed with. If you want to dine in expensive style, order one fed with precious metals.

Fruits and vegetables from the surface, once widely available through trade, have become rare and expensive delicacies. But they are available. They are grown in greenhouses under artificial lights. There are other greenhouses that grow inedible plants too, including a huge vault where trees grow! The cost of maintaining these is sometimes criticized, but to close them might mean that the plants within will go extinct, since no one knows if any have survived on the surface. Besides, these '''garden caves''' are popular places for relaxation. Tampering with the plants is strictly forbidden, though.

'''Recreational consumables''' have a lot of variety too. The most common is '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered. A bit less common product, because smoking is usually prohibited in public areas, are '''silver cigars''' that are made from a silver-gray fungus. Alcohol, most commonly brewed and distilled from mushrooms and fungi, ranges from various beers and ales to strong liquors. '''Striped mushroom''' is a mild relaxant that can be eaten either fresh or dried.

Not all recreational products are legal. Preserved '''Swift Nibbler Adrenal Gland''' more commonly known as ''Snag'' is an extremely strong stimulant - to the point that people have died after taking it. It is strictly banned, along with refined products from mushrooms or fungi with narcotic qualities.

Aleksei Graham

2025-04-13T13:59:48Z

Potted Plant: /* Skills */

{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Aleksei Graham
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Sailor
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | English
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (24)
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 12 || 60 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 9 || 45 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 14 || 70 || Talkative
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 11 || 11
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| -
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Parents || 14 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Crew || 14 ||
|-
|Hometown || 14 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Respect the sea.

See the world.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 70 || Foreign Language (Russian) (50%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Arctic) (0%) || 60
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || 60 || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (0%) || || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) || 60
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (10%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 80 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) || 60
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) ||
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || || Melee Weapons (30%) || || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science (Navy) (0%) || 11 || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || 70 || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) ||
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || || Navigate (10%) || 60 || Swim (20%) || 70
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 90
|-
| Firearms (20%) || || Persuade (20%) || 60 || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 60 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || 70 || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
| Unarmed || 90 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|}

==Other Equipment==

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Born to a British father and a Russian mother Aleksei is fluent in both languages and has worked on ships in the North Sea his entire career, which made him a natural choice of intterpreter for the expedition.

In his mid 20s, Aleksei is lithe and athletic in build, with a shoulder length blonde hair and a stubble of beard.

Aleksei Graham

2025-04-13T12:18:04Z

Potted Plant: /* Skills */

{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Aleksei Graham
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Sailor
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | English
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (24)
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 12 || 60 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 9 || 45 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 14 || 70 || Talkative
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 11 || 11
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| -
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Parents || 14 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Crew || 14 ||
|-
|Hometown || 14 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Respect the sea.

See the world.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 70 || Foreign Language (Russian) (50%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Arctic) (0%) || 60
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || 60 || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (0%) || || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) || 60
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (10%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 80 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) || 60
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) ||
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || || Melee Weapons (30%) || || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science (Navy) (0%) || 20 || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || 70 || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) ||
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || || Navigate (10%) || 60 || Swim (20%) || 70
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 90
|-
| Firearms (20%) || || Persuade (20%) || 60 || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 60 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || 70 || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
| Unarmed || 90 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|}

==Other Equipment==

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Born to a British father and a Russian mother Aleksei is fluent in both languages and has worked on ships in the North Sea his entire career, which made him a natural choice of intterpreter for the expedition.

In his mid 20s, Aleksei is lithe and athletic in build, with a shoulder length blonde hair and a stubble of beard.

Aleksei Graham

2025-03-31T13:36:53Z

Potted Plant: /* Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes */

{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Aleksei Graham
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Sailor
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | English
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (24)
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 12 || 60 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 9 || 45 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 14 || 70 || Talkative
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 11 || 11
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| -
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Parents || 14 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Crew || 14 ||
|-
|Hometown || 14 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Respect the sea.

See the world.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 70 || Foreign Language (Russian) (50%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Arctic) (0%) || 60
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || 60 || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (0%) || || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) || 60
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (10%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 80 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) || 60
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) ||
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || || Melee Weapons (30%) || || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science () (0%) || || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || 70 || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) ||
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || || Navigate (10%) || 60 || Swim (20%) || 70
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 90
|-
| Firearms (20%) || || Persuade (20%) || 60 || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 60 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || 70 || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
| Unarmed || 90 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|}

==Other Equipment==

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Born to a British father and a Russian mother Aleksei is fluent in both languages and has worked on ships in the North Sea his entire career, which made him a natural choice of intterpreter for the expedition.

In his mid 20s, Aleksei is lithe and athletic in build, with a shoulder length blonde hair and a stubble of beard.

Aleksei Graham

2025-03-31T13:35:51Z

Potted Plant: /* Skills */

{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Aleksei Graham
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Sailor
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | English
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (24)
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 12 || 60 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 9 || 45 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 14 || 70 || Talkative
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 11 || 11
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| -
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Parents || 14 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Crew || 14 ||
|-
|Hometown || 14 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Respect the sea.

See the world.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 70 || Foreign Language (Russian) (50%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Arctic) (0%) || 60
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || 60 || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (0%) || || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) || 60
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (10%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 80 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) || 60
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) ||
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || || Melee Weapons (30%) || || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science () (0%) || || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || 70 || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) ||
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || || Navigate (10%) || 60 || Swim (20%) || 70
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 90
|-
| Firearms (20%) || || Persuade (20%) || 60 || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 60 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || 70 || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
| Unarmed || 90 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|}

==Other Equipment==

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Born to a British father and a Russian mother Aleksei is fluent in both languages and has worked on ships in the North Sea his entire career, which made him a natural choice of intterpreter for the expedition.

Aleksei Graham

2025-03-31T10:38:16Z

Potted Plant: Created page with "{| | colspan="2" | '''Character Name:''' | colspan="2" | Aleksei Graham |- | colspan="2" | '''Player Name:''' | colspan="2" | Potted Plant |- | colspan="2" | '''Profession:''' | colspan="2" | Sailor |- | colspan="2" | '''Nationality:''' | colspan="2" | English |- | colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):''' | colspan="2" | Male (24) |} ==Attributes== {| class="wikitable" ! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice |- | || || || |- |'''Strength''' || 10 || 50 || |- |'''Constitution'''..."

{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Aleksei Graham
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Sailor
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | English
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (24)
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 12 || 60 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 9 || 45 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 10 || 50 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 14 || 70 || Talkative
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 11 || 11
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| -
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Parents || 14 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Crew || 14 ||
|-
|Hometown || 14 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Respect the sea.

See the world.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 70 || Foreign Language (Russian) (50%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || 60 || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (0%) || || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) || 60
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (10%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 80 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) ||
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) ||
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || || Melee Weapons (30%) || || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science () (0%) || || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) ||
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || || Navigate (10%) || 60 || Swim (20%) || 70
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 90
|-
| Firearms (20%) || || Persuade (20%) || || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 60 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || 50 || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
| Unarmed || 90 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|}

==Other Equipment==

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Born to a British father and a Russian mother Aleksei is fluent in both languages and has worked on ships in the North Sea his entire career, which made him a natural choice of intterpreter for the expedition.

Nature of the Beast

2025-03-04T08:33:47Z

Potted Plant: /* Locations */

This is the wiki for a game of Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition.

An oil company plans to build a pipeline through an uninhabited, pristine wilderness region. Protesters arrive to stop the pipeline. The oil company has security guards and support from the police and politicians. The protesters have young werewolves among them. But how far are you able - and willing - to rely on being a powerful and next to unkillable monster, when you are not facing Wyrm-corrupted abominations but ordinary people, and other werewolves who disagree with you about methods.
[[File:Moonrise_Woods.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Moonrise Woods]]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/nature-of-the-beast-werewolf-the-apocalypse-20th-anniversary-edition.903543/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/nature-of-the-beast-werewolf-the-apocalypse-20th-anniversary-edition.903542/ OOC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/re-recruitment-nature-of-the-beast-werewolf-the-apocalypse-20th-anniversary-edition.905039/ Recruitment thread]

==Player Characters==

===Active===

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Katherine|'''Katherine “6H05T” Donaghy, Glass Walker Theurge''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nightgoblyn.56962/ NightGoblyn]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Phil|'''Philomena "Phil" Higgins, Fianna Theurge''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/daxian.157628/ Daxian]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Thomas|'''Thomas Prochazka, Shadow Lord Galliard''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/bvrtis.6725/ BVrtis]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Street Wolf|'''Wet Nose Jim, Bone Gnawer Ragabash''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/naphthalim.182180/ Naphthalim]

===Inactive===

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Na'zu|'''Na'zu, Uktena Ahroun''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/mythic.213884/ Mythic]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Jasper|'''Jasper Goodfellow/Glass-Biter, Homid Fianna Galliard''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sabermane.14450/ Sabermane]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Marcus|'''Marcus Wolfe, Silent Strider Ragabash''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sararhain.218309/ Sar'arhain]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Simon|'''Simon Flemming, Children of Gaia Philodox''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/donan.67432/ Donan]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Zach|'''Zach Bleacher, Get of Fenris Ahroun''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/pathfinder.219667/ Pathfinder]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Alena |'''Alena Hunt, Wendigo Ahroun''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/harmonic.62401/ Harmonic]

[[Nature_of_the_Beast:_Quinn|'''Quinn "Razor's Edge" Barrett, Children of Gaia Philodox''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dawgstar.15458/ Dawgstar]

==Background==

"''Gather around, cubs, and let me tell you stories of heroism and adventure''"

During the 1980s and 1990s, '''Black Gold Oil Company''' was an implacable enemy of the Garou and Gaia. The Wyrm-corrupted board of directors wielded the company like a weapon to corrupt and defile everywhere they operated. All over North America. And all over, heroes rose to oppose them. Many songs have been sung and stories told of the battles of the era, but one name rises above the others.

Stories tell of the renowned warrior '''Dancing Flame'''. He had made it his personal mission to bring down Black Gold, and he pursued them all over the continent. Wherever warriors of Gaia were hard pressed, Dancing Flame would appear to turn the tide. And he did not fight Black Gold with just fang and claw. With his allies, he fought them in the stock market, in the courts, and in the media. Exposing their crimes and corruption.

It took close to two decades, but ultimately Black Gold was in ruins. Their armies of abominations slain, their assets taken away or destroyed, their reputation in the gutter, and their influence gone. In the final battle, Dancing Flame and his allies took on the corrupt board of directors. And destroyed them. Black Gold filed for bankruptcy, and the battle was won.

And what happened to Dancing Flame? In some stories, he lives in a remote farm with his kin, enjoying his well earned retirement. In others, he went on to fight other battles, somewhere in the jungles of South America or Asia. But those are just stories. The truth is that no one knows what happened to Dancing Flame afterwards. The only thing that is certain is that he is not around anymore.

And that is unfortunate, for Black Gold is back under a different name.

The remaining assets of the company were bought in bankruptcy auction by an European investor, '''Augustus Wittger'''. He started rebranding and rebuilding, and what used to be Black Gold became '''Prospect Oil''', with a corporate motto of "''We look to the future''". Under Wittger's direction, Prospect Oil started branding itself as an ethical company. Hiring minorities, paying the workers above the minimum necessary, having zero tolerance policies on bigotry and harassment. Yet their core business remained. Where many energy companies started migrating to green energy, Prospect Oil remains focused on fossil fuels.

Prospect was among the first companies to get into shale oil business. The oil shale deposits in the United States are the largest in the world, with the Green River Formation in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah among the richest oil shale deposits in the world.

'''Wyoming'''. The least populous state in US despite being the 10th largest by area, with the second-lowest population density after Alaska. Almost half of the land in Wyoming is owned by the federal government, generally protected for public uses. Including the '''Bridger–Teton National Forest'''. The forest consists of 3.4 million acres (14,000 square kilometers), making it the third largest National Forest outside Alaska.

And it sits right between the Prospect Oil shale oil extraction site at the headwaters of the Green River and their refinery and distribution hub in Casper. Casper is nicknamed "The Oil City" and has a long history of oil boomtown and cowboy culture.

Within the area is a region called '''Moonrise Woods'''. It is an area of primeval forest - a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. Unique enough to set it apart from the rest of the national forest. Through a proxy company supposedly focused on ecological studies, Prospect pushed through a ruling that Moonrise Woods should be classified as a separate region of its own. As a result of this ruling, Moonrise Woods is no longer a part of a national forest. And therefore currently not protected. Prospect wasted no time in obtaining permission to build an oil pipeline through it. The work crews and machines are already gathering in a small town of '''Firdale'''.

Firdale has less than 2 000 inhabitants. Already struggling, the recent Corona pandemic struck the town's traditional farming and forestry industries hard. Unemployment is high and the number of people living under poverty line is on the rise. Many people in town welcome the pipeline, seeing it as a source of employment that will revitalize their town.

Yet Prospect's pipeline faces opposition too. Outraged by the legal shenanigans, out of town protesters have set up camp at the edge of Moonrise Woods, determined to keep Prospect away. More activists are gathering from all over the country. Among them are several young werewolves. The threat to Moonrise Woods would be bad enough, but the Garou are also aware of the oil company's past, even if to the young generation that past is known only through stories. Nevertheless, while there is no indication that Prospect is anything else than a ruthless oil company, no better or worse than the rest, there is still the possibility that something worse than typical corporate exploitation is going on.

==Moonrise Woods and Firdale==
[[File:Firdale.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Firdale]]
[[File:Firdale_mainstreet.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Firdale main street]]
[[File:Buckner_sawmill.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Buckner lumber mill]]

Firdale started as a settlement of hunters and trappers, and grew into a town due to the forest industry. For over a century, '''The Buckner Lumber Mill''' has been a major employer in town, and the Buckners the most influential family. In the town's golden years, there were also several farms in the surrounding area. But those years are in the past. Small family farms were struggling to compete in modern economy, and this day most of the farmhouses stand empty and abandoned. Corona Pandemic was the final straw for Firdale's farming industry. The local dairy had to close, and the '''Firdale Dairy''' building at the edge of town is now boarded up, visited mainly by just the local teens who use the grounds to hang out.

The lumber mill is also under threat of having to close. The increased transportation costs and difficulties brought on by the pandemic caused loss of business. The mill is barely hanging on due to a few old customers in Wyoming. Many workers have been laid off, but the mill is still operating at a loss according to rumors.

Firdale's economy is currently hanging on the recreational side of its forestry business. Services centered around hunting, fishing, hiking and camping are still making money. But many residents fear that this is not enough to sustain the economy, and if the lumber mill closes, Firdale will wither away.

Many people in town hope that Prospect Oil's planned pipeline will reinvigorate the economy. None more than '''Silas Buckner''', the current head of the family and owner of the lumber mill. He signed a contract to do the clearing and trenching work for the pipeline, cutting and digging a way through Moonrise Woods, with the Prospect workers doing the engineering work to install the pipe. This is against the family tradition, for during all the time Buckners have operated the lumber mill, they have never done any logging in the old forest. But Silas is willing to go against tradition to save the family enterprise. He has invested in new equipment and re-hired workers he had to lay off for the work. This has put him in debt, and the protests threaten to ruin his finances if they keep the work from proceeding.

Buckners are not the only locals who have had a tradition of leaving Moonrise Woods in peace. The town and the forest have lived side by side for generations, and plenty of customs, tales and superstitions center around the forest. So while a large part of the residents welcome the pipeline as a necessary source of revenue, other people are concerned about disturbing the ancient forest.

===Legends of Moonrise Woods===

One of the oldest legends is the '''Guardian Wolves''' of Moonrise Woods. The early hunters and trappers adopted a tradition from the native people in the area. Never kill a wolf in the woods, for the spirit of the slain wolf would avenge its death. But if a hunter showed respect and prayed before and after killing an animal, a wolf would guide him back to the camp if he became lost or injured. The legend has persisted to the present day, with modern stories about a wolf scaring off careless campers, but also sighted when people have gotten in trouble but mysteriously survived.

Almost as old but less benign legend tells of the '''Ghost Lights''' in the forest. According to the legend the lights are spirits of people who got lost and died in the woods, and now seek to lure others to the same fate, and make the living join them.

Some people think that the legends were created to warn people from venturing deep in the woods. There are no trails in Moonrise Woods, and getting lost is easy. Dangerous animals can also be encountered there. Not just wolves but bears and mountain lions as well.

The Ghost Lights are not the only ghost story about the woods. The story of '''The Lady in Green''' tells about a local young woman who went for a ride in the forest and never game back. According to the story, she can still be seen at the edge of the forest at night, riding a horse and wearing a green dress. Another story, '''The Lost Prospectors''' tells how a group of gold prospectors made a camp by a stream deeper in the forest to look for gold chips. And then a local man bringing supplies to their camp found it empty. The prospectors had disappeared without a trace, leaving all their gear behind. Whatever happened to them, they supposedly still haunt their old campsite.

Some of the legends involve people from history. In the 1800s, '''Dead Jack the Outlaw''' was active in the region. He was said to suffer from leprosy that had turned his skin dark and deformed, making him wear thick clothes and always wear a red scarf over his face in public, and he got his nickname because what was visible of his skin looked like the skin of a dead man.

Dead Jack's legend paints him as a controversial figure. On one hand, he was a stone cold killer. Faster on the draw than eye could follow, he killed several men in duels. And one time, a federal marshal with his posse stopped in Firdale on his way to apprehend the outlaw. When they left town to look for Dead Jack was the last time anyone saw them. None of them ever came back.

On the other hand, Jack was said to never draw his gun unless he had to. He would saunter into a bank or stop a stagecoach, and unless someone went for his gun, he would just politely ask for people to hand over the money and valuables. And that was another thing about the outlaw. He did not intimidate people. He was always nice and polite. Even a bit of a trickster. There is a story about how he once turned himself in, only to mysteriously disappear from his cell during the night. Another story tells of the outlaw riding along Firdale's main street, throwing money around on his wake.

There are several different stories about Dead Jack's final fate. One says that he finally succumbed to his disease. In another, he finally met someone faster than him in a duel. Yet another story says that it was all a disguise, and he was secretly an upstanding Firdale citizen all along. And many stories mention Dead Jack's Treasure, that he supposedly hid somewhere in Moonrise Woods. In the ghost story version, he still guards it.

The famous outlaw features in local merchandise sold to tourists. And out of town, close to the nearest highway is an establishment named after him. Dead Jack's Roadhouse. It has a reputation of a rough and even dangerous place, mainly because it is the hangout of a biker gang, MC Highwaymen.

Perhaps the ghastliest story is of the '''Homicidal Hermit of Moonrise Woods'''. Oliver Roberts, a World War II veteran, came back from the war a changed man. He built himself a new house at the edge of the woods and lived there as a recluse for several years. Then he was connected to several disappearances elsewhere in the county, the state troopers raided his house, and found several bodies buried in the basement. Roberts admitted to kidnapping and murdering people and claimed that "The Serpent in the Woods" told him to do it. His house was later burned down. This day, you can still find the foundations if you know where to look.

==Non Player Characters==

===Silas Buckner, the entrepreneur===

"''Do you know what would happen were I to drive this harvester through your protest line?''"

Balding, overweight, in his 50s. Buckner is known for his short temper and a habit of throwing his weight around. The family has traditionally had plenty of influence in Firdale, and although their fortunes have been on the wane, Silas sees the pipeline as an opportunity to restore them. He still has plenty of influence in the town hall, and a large number of big, angry loggers willing to do what he says.

===Otis James, the Mayor===

"''Everything is under control!''"

Mayor James used to have it easy. In the overwhelmingly Republican town he has not had a serious challenger for his position. All he had to do to keep it was maintain the status quo. Then came the pandemic and Firdale's financial difficulties. With bedrocks of the town's economy under threat on his watch, Mayor James needs to find new solutions. Something he has never been good at, focusing as he has been on keeping things running as they always have. To him, Prospect Oil pipeline is a salvation not just for Firdale's economy but for his career as well.

In his 60s but fit for his age, Mayor James likes to project an air of an authoritative person in control of the situation. Some talk around town says that if Buckner told him to jump out of the window, James would not even stop to open it first.

===Rory Coleman, the Sheriff===

"''I am too old for this shit!''"

Sheriff Coleman has kept the peace in Firdale for a long time. He is known as a calm and patient person who prefers to handle situations with words, but is capable of manhandling any drunken lumberjack if it comes to that. Now, two years from retirement, the gray haired, pipe smoking Sheriff finds himself having to deal with the largest protests in his career.

===Cynthia Kimble, the Deputy===

"''Before you mess with me, know that I have been trained with all the police brutality of a big city cop!''"

Tall for a woman, and in fact taller than most men, this curly haired black woman moved to Firdale from New York a couple of years ago after becoming fed up with life and police work in a big city and wanting to try a quiet small town instead - and now the troubles she wanted to get away from have followed her.

===Wiley Griffin, the Prospect Manager===

"''I want these people gone. I do not care what it takes.''"

Dark Haired, well dressed and slick, Griffin is an ambitious career climber who, in his mid twenties, has already elbowed his way to a managerial position. He aims to ultimately be in the board of directors, and got himself appointed to manage the pipeline project, seeing it as a stepping stone to further prestigious appointments. In public, he makes an effort to appear reasonable and diplomatic about the protests, but according to the rumors Griffin has a reputation of being absolutely ruthless when dealing with what he sees as obstacles to his ambitions.

===Ranger Teton===

Native American Park Ranger in charge of the local National Park Service Station. In his forties, but in good shape for a middle aged guy.

===The Protest Leaders===

====Roberto Ferrera====

"''Let's all calm down.''"

Past 50 but with no hint of gray in his dark hair, Ferrera is a veteran of numerous protests. He is also a dedicated pacifist who abhors any kind of violence and believes in dialogue and nonviolent action.

====Denice Rose====

"''This scene is pure clickbait!''"

A black woman in her 30s, Rose has her own YouTube channel and is highly active in social media. She is here to raise awareness. Some people say that she is raising awareness of herself as much as of the protests and the situation. It is true that she seems to enjoy attention, but she also seems genuinely concerned about the pipeline and its impact.

====Destiny Knight====

"''Burn the rules!''"

Definitely the most radical of the unofficial leadership of the protests, and the one of them who is a local. It would be a serious understatement to call her a nonconformist. In the overwhelmingly Republican and religious town, she is openly Democrat, openly atheist and openly gay, with a doubled Venus symbol prominently pictured on the back of the vest she wears. Recently graduated from Firdale High School, she looks like a punk rocker with hair dyed electric blue. Destiny is a consternation to her "pillars of the community" parents. Her mother is a doctor and her father a clerk in the town hall.

====Lars Knudsen====

"''Who is willing to break a few things and heads for the cause?''"

Tall, buff, in his late twenties, with a shoulder length blonde hair. Lars is the front man for Forest Guardians, a radical environmentalist group taking part in the protests. They are not quite ecoterrorists, but are more than willing to commit sabotage and violence for their cause.

===Jacqueline "Jack" McCloud, the hunter===

"''Crap is supposed to come out of your rear end, not your mouth.''"

A gray haired woman in a wide brimmed hat. A seasoned hunter and wilderness guide, she is widely considered to be the best tracker in Firdale. What most people don't know is that she carries a silver bullet hanging from a chain around her neck.

===MC Highwaymen===

A criminal biker gang based in Dead Jack's Roadhouse south of Firdale.

====Roxanne "Rocky" Hill====

"''Stop that or you, me, and a pair of broken bottles will have a talk out back!''"

This stocky middle aged woman is the proprietor of the roadhouse. Not a gang member, but closely associated with them.

====Oliver "Old Man" Martin====

"''The wages of evil are paid to a bank account in a tax haven.''"

The gang President. An old biker with a long, gray-white hair and beard, looking a bit like Santa Claus in a biker outfit. Grew up in Firdale and used to be best frieds with Sheriff Coleman when they were kids.

====Zoilo Vidal====

"''Some things in the woods are better left alone - like our meth lab.''"

Gang Vice President and second in command. A Hispanic biker with graying hair.

====Edgar "Edge" Stroud====

"''The drinks are on the ones who lose!''"

A dark haired biker with a five o'clock shadow kind of facial hair.

====Dustin "Dusty" Rhodes====

"''It is not like we call the shots.''"

A biker with a curly, shoulder length blonde hair.

==Locations==

===Dead Jack's Roadhouse===

The main hangout of MC Highwaymen. Some distance to the south of Firdale along the main road.

===Hound Hill Station===

National Park Service station overlooking the woods on the hills a bit over an hour's drive from Firdale.

===The Diner===
[[File:Firdale_diner.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Walter's Waffle Shack]]

Officially Walter's Waffle Shack, sometimes called Walter's, but often referred to as just The Diner, this is the place to eat out in Firdale. Founded by Walter Robson in 1950s, the place is something of a landmark. Even though Walter himself passed away decades ago, the Robson family still run the place. They like to keep a friendly atmosphere, and have a low tolerance of trouble in their diner.

Walter's has an open kitchen so customers can see their food being prepared. There are plenty of items on the menu, but the family recipe waffles feature prominently, including the traditional waffle and steak.

File:Firdale diner.jpg

2025-03-04T08:23:44Z

Potted Plant:

Bob Krueger

2025-03-04T08:10:13Z

Potted Plant: /* Skills */

[[File:Bob Krueger.jpg|350px]]
{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Robert (Bob) Krueger
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Paratrooper (Heavy gunner)
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | American
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (23)
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Education:'''
| colspan="2" | High School dropout
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 15 || 75 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 15 || 75 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 16 || 80 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 15 || 75 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 8 || 40 || Withdrawn
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 15 || 15
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| +1
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Mother and sister || 8 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Company || 8 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Prove your worth.

Urge to destroy.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 71 || Foreign Language (German) (60%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (80%) || 81 || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) ||
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (10%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 70 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) ||
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || 40 || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) || 74
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || 60 || Melee Weapons (30%) || 70 || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science (Paratrooper/Demolitions) (0%) || 40 || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || 50 || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) || 50
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || 60 || Navigate (10%) || 50 || Swim (20%) || 60
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 70
|-
| Firearms (20%) || 70 || Persuade (20%) || || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 50 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
|-
| Field Knife || 70 || Melee || 1d6+2 || || ||
|-
| Field Knife (Thrown) || 70 || 85 ft || 1d4+2 || || ||
|-
| Unarmed || 70 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
| Steel Toed Boots/Brass Knuckles || 70 || Melee || 1d4+2 || || ||
|-
| Mc 2 Grenades (4) || 70 || 51 yds || || 12% || 4 yds ||
|-
| M1 Garand || 70 || 150 yds || 1d12+2 || || || 8
|-
| M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun || 80 || 200 yds || 1d12+2 || || ||
|-
| M1911 Colt || 70 || 20 yds || 1d12 || || || 7
|-
| Pipe Bomb/Landmine || 60 || N/A || || 15% || 10 yds ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|Military Flak Jacket || 6
|}

==Other Equipment==
:Demolition Kit Bag
:Explosives
::Composition C (C2/C3)
::TNT blocks
::Satchel charges
:Detonators and Fuses
::Blasting caps
::Time fuse
::Detonating cord
:Tools and Accessories
::Crimping tool
::Pliers and wire cutters
::Putty
:Personal Gear
::Standard combat gear: including a helmet, combat jacket, canteen, K-rations (combat food), first-aid kit, and entrenching tool.
::Field Knife
::Map and compass
::Wire spool
:Protective Gear
::Flak Jacket
::Goggles
:Steel pot, painted camo with netting
:US Army fatigues
:Webbing w mag pouches and canteen/cup
:First aid kit with dressings, sulfa, morphine and methamphetamines
:Wool shirt
:Watch cap
:Gloves
:Scarf
:Mountaineering boots
:Pack with frame
:Poncho
:Parka
:Sleeping bag
:Weapon cleaning gear
:Primus cooker and billy
:Extra socks
:Sharpening stone
:Pocket knife
:Wire cutters
:Hand axe
:Deck of cards
:Gold pocket watch
:Customized Zippo lighter

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Bob was always withdrawn even as a child. He did not have many friends, and did not even really miss having any. But he was smart and did well in school. Until his first year in high school when his father up and vanished. Simply did not come home one evening, and has not been seen since. Bob dropped out of school and got a job in the port of Boston to help his mother and younger sister make ends meet. That is where he learned to drive a truck and boat.

When the war started in Europe, German surname beccame unpopular. So when US joined the war, Bob enlisted, to prove that he was nothing like the nazis. During basic training, the instructors noticed that he was calm to the point where it was almost weird, and he was picked for demolitions and heavy weapons training. Bob took to the training with surprising effectiveness and learned fast. He felt a strange affinity to the destructive power of explosives and heavy weapons.

Bob Krueger

2025-03-04T08:09:30Z

Potted Plant: /* Skills */

[[File:Bob Krueger.jpg|350px]]
{|
| colspan="2" | '''Character Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Robert (Bob) Krueger
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Player Name:'''
| colspan="2" | Potted Plant
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Profession:'''
| colspan="2" | Paratrooper (Heavy gunner)
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Nationality:'''
| colspan="2" | American
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Sex (Age):'''
| colspan="2" | Male (23)
|-
| colspan="2" | '''Education:'''
| colspan="2" | High School dropout
|}

==Attributes==
{| class="wikitable"
! !! Score !! x5 !! What Others Notice
|-
| || || ||
|-
|'''Strength''' || 15 || 75 ||
|-
|'''Constitution''' || 15 || 75 ||
|-
|'''Dexterity''' || 16 || 80 ||
|-
|'''Intelligence''' || 15 || 75 ||
|-
|'''Power''' || 17 || 85 || Unshakeable
|-
|'''Charisma''' || 8 || 40 || Withdrawn
|}

==Derived Attributes==

{| class="wikitable"
! !! Maximum !! Current
|-
| || ||
|-
|'''Hit Points (HP)''' || 15 || 15
|-
|'''Willpower (WP)''' || 17 || 17
|-
|'''Sanity (SAN)''' || 85 || 85
|-
|'''Breaking Point (BP)''' || 68 || 68
|-
|-
|'''Damage Bonus''' ||colspan="2" style="text-align: center;| +1
|}

==Resources==

{| class="wikitable"
!Resources !! Permanent !! At Hand/Stowed/In Storage !!colspan="3"|Check Boxes
|-
| || || || ||
|-
|3 || 3 / 0 / 0 || || O || O|| O
|-
|}

==Incidents of SAN loss without going insane==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''Violence'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|-
|'''Helplessness'''
|O
|O
|O
|''adapted''
|}

==Bonds==

{| class="wikitable"
!Bond !! Score !! Notes
|-
| || ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Personal'''
|-
|Mother and sister || 8 ||
|-
|colspan="3" style="text-align: center;|'''Communal'''
|-
|Company || 8 ||
|-
|}

==Motivations and Mental Disorders==

Prove your worth.

Urge to destroy.

==Skills==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total !! Skill (Base) (Picks) !! Total
|-
| || || || || ||
|-
| Alertness (20%) || 71 || Foreign Language (German) (60%) || || Psychoanalyze (10%) ||
|-
| Anthropology (0%) || || Harangue (10%) || || Regional Lore (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Appraise (10%) || || Heavy Machinery (10%) || || Research (10%) ||
|-
| Archaeology (0%) || || Heavy Weapons (81%) || || Ride (10%) ||
|-
| Art (Drawing) (0%) || || History (10%) || || Scavenge (10%) ||
|-
| Artillery (0%) || || Insight (10%) || || Science (0%) ||
|-
| Athletics (30%) || 70 || Law (0%) || || Search (20%) ||
|-
| Craft (Type) (0%) || 40 || Medicine (0%) || || Stealth (10%) || 74
|-
| Demolitions (0%) || 60 || Melee Weapons (30%) || 70 || Streetwise (Type) (0%) ||
|-
| Disguise (10%) || || Military Science (Paratrooper/Demolitions) (0%) || 40 || Surgery (0%) ||
|-
| Dodge (30%) (1) || 50 || Natural World (10%) || || Survival (Urban) (10%) || 50
|-
| Drive (Truck) (20%) || 60 || Navigate (10%) || 50 || Swim (20%) || 60
|-
| Espionage Training (Type) (0%) || || Occult (10%) || || Unarmed Combat (40%) || 70
|-
| Firearms (20%) || 70 || Persuade (20%) || || Unnatural (0%) ||
|-
| First Aid (10%) || 50 || Pilot (Small Boat) (40%) || || Use Gadgets (0%) ||
|}

=Physical Injuries and Ailments=

Has First Aid been attempted since your last injury? If yes, only Medicine, Surgery, or long-term rest can help further.

=Armor and Equipment=

==Weapons==

{| class="wikitable"
!Weapon !! Skill % !! Base Range !! Damage !! Lethality !! Kill Radius !! Shots
|-
| || || || || || ||
|-
| Field Knife || 70 || Melee || 1d6+2 || || ||
|-
| Field Knife (Thrown) || 70 || 85 ft || 1d4+2 || || ||
|-
| Unarmed || 70 || Melee || 1d4+1 || || ||
|-
| Steel Toed Boots/Brass Knuckles || 70 || Melee || 1d4+2 || || ||
|-
| Mc 2 Grenades (4) || 70 || 51 yds || || 12% || 4 yds ||
|-
| M1 Garand || 70 || 150 yds || 1d12+2 || || || 8
|-
| M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun || 80 || 200 yds || 1d12+2 || || ||
|-
| M1911 Colt || 70 || 20 yds || 1d12 || || || 7
|-
| Pipe Bomb/Landmine || 60 || N/A || || 15% || 10 yds ||
|-
|}

==Armor==
{| class="wikitable"
!Armor !! Armor Rating
|-
| ||
|-
|Military Flak Jacket || 6
|}

==Other Equipment==
:Demolition Kit Bag
:Explosives
::Composition C (C2/C3)
::TNT blocks
::Satchel charges
:Detonators and Fuses
::Blasting caps
::Time fuse
::Detonating cord
:Tools and Accessories
::Crimping tool
::Pliers and wire cutters
::Putty
:Personal Gear
::Standard combat gear: including a helmet, combat jacket, canteen, K-rations (combat food), first-aid kit, and entrenching tool.
::Field Knife
::Map and compass
::Wire spool
:Protective Gear
::Flak Jacket
::Goggles
:Steel pot, painted camo with netting
:US Army fatigues
:Webbing w mag pouches and canteen/cup
:First aid kit with dressings, sulfa, morphine and methamphetamines
:Wool shirt
:Watch cap
:Gloves
:Scarf
:Mountaineering boots
:Pack with frame
:Poncho
:Parka
:Sleeping bag
:Weapon cleaning gear
:Primus cooker and billy
:Extra socks
:Sharpening stone
:Pocket knife
:Wire cutters
:Hand axe
:Deck of cards
:Gold pocket watch
:Customized Zippo lighter

=Personal Details, Work Performance, Special Training, and Other Notes=

Bob was always withdrawn even as a child. He did not have many friends, and did not even really miss having any. But he was smart and did well in school. Until his first year in high school when his father up and vanished. Simply did not come home one evening, and has not been seen since. Bob dropped out of school and got a job in the port of Boston to help his mother and younger sister make ends meet. That is where he learned to drive a truck and boat.

When the war started in Europe, German surname beccame unpopular. So when US joined the war, Bob enlisted, to prove that he was nothing like the nazis. During basic training, the instructors noticed that he was calm to the point where it was almost weird, and he was picked for demolitions and heavy weapons training. Bob took to the training with surprising effectiveness and learned fast. He felt a strange affinity to the destructive power of explosives and heavy weapons.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-02-12T05:13:00Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
! 1
! 1
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-02-11T22:16:43Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 2
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Rails Through Hell: Gedra

2025-01-26T13:56:28Z

Potted Plant:

[[Rails_Through_Hell | Return to Main Page]]

__NOTOC__

==Gedra Firesmith==

'''Name:''' Gedra Firesmith 
'''Alignment:''' Chaotic Good 
'''Gender:''' Female 
'''Race:''' Mephistopheles Tiefling 
'''Class:''' Artificer (Artillerist) 
'''Level:''' 6 

==Ability Scores==
'''Strength:''' 8 (-1) 
'''Dexterity:''' 14 (+2) 
'''Constitution:''' 14 (+2) 
'''Intelligence:''' 18 (+4) 
'''Wisdom:''' 12 (+1) 
'''Charisma:''' 10 (+0) 
 
'''AC:''' 20 
'''HP:''' 45 
'''Hit Dice:''' 6d8 
'''Speed:''' 30' 
'''Proficiency:''' +3 
 

'''Initiative Bonus''' +2 
'''Passive Perception''' 14 

==Spells==

'''Spell Attack:''' +7 
'''Spell Save DC:''' 15 

*Spells/day:
**L1: 4, L2: 2
*Cantrips: Firebolt, Mage Hand, Mending
*L1: Burning Hands, Shield, Thunderwave, Faerie Fire, Healing Word, Absorb Elements, Identify
*L2: Flame Blade, Scorching Ray, Shatter, Lesser Restoration, Invisibility, Web

''Attacks'' 
*Firebolt: Attack +8, Damage 2d10+1d8 Fire (Reroll 1s)
*Force Ballista: Attack +7, Damage 2d8 Force + Push 5’

''Infusions Known'' 
*Repulsion Shield, Enhanced Arcane Focus, Replicate Magic Item (Alchemy Jug), Mind Sharpener, Replicate Magic Item (Bag of Holding), Replicate Magic Item (Pipes of Haunting)

==Saving Throws==
'''Strength:''' -1 
'''Dexterity:''' +2 
'''Constitution:''' +5 
'''Intelligence:''' +7 
'''Wisdom:''' +1 
'''Charisma:''' +0 

==Languages Known==
Common, Dwarvish, Infernal, Primordial

==Proficiencies==
:Simple Weapons, Firearms, Light and Medium Armor, Shields

==Skills==
:Arcana (+7)
:History (+7)
:Investigation (+7)
:Perception (+4)

==Tools/Instruments==
:Tinker’s Tools, Thieves’ Tools, Carpenter’s Tools, Cook’s Utensils

==Feats==
'''Flames of Phlegethos''': +1 Int. Reroll 1s on Fire damage from spells. Whenever you cast a spell that deals fire damage, you can cause flames to wreathe you until the end of your next turn. The flames don’t harm you or your possessions, and they shed bright light out to 30 feet and dim light for an additional 30 feet. While the flames are present, any creature within 5 feet of you that hits you with a melee attack takes 1d4 fire damage.

==Traits and Features==

'''Mephistopheles Tiefling'''
*+2 Int, +1 Con
*Size: Medium
*Speed: 30'
*'''Darkvision''' 60'
*Legacy of Caina

'''Artificer'''
*Proficiencies
*Magical Tinkering
*Artificer Spellcasting (Prepare 7 spells, Ritual Casting, Tool Focus, Save DC 15, Spell Attack +7, 4 L1 slots, 2 L2 Slots)
*The Right Tool for the Job
*Infuse Item (6 known, 3 infused)
*Tool Expertise

'''Artillerist'''
*Artillerist Spells
*Tool Proficiency
*Eldritch Cannon
*Arcane Firearm

==Background==
'''Sage'''

==Gear==
*Alchemist’s Tools
*Carpenter's Tools
*Thieves’ Tools
*Repulsion Shield +1
*Half-Plate
*Explorer’s Pack
*Wand of the War Mage +1
*Pipes of Haunting
*Broom of Flying
*Explorer’s Pack
*2 Daggers

==Character Backstory==

Gedra was born to refugees, but at a very young age, she wandered into a dwarven workshop, and began fiddling with things. Her keen mind was noticed; her indifference to heat made her useful, and she began to learn how things were made. But then she found herself able to combine the most extreme of these technologies with the magic that seemed to come naturally to her fingers, and then the toys she’d worked on became more elaborate. More powerful. More dangerous. A series of explosions seemed to trail in her wake, but nothing could stop her…

Rails Through Hell: Gedra

2025-01-26T13:55:29Z

Potted Plant: Created page with " Return to Main Page __NOTOC__ ==Gedra Firesmith== '''Name:''' Gedra Firesmith '''Alignment:''' Chaotic Good '''Gender:''' Female '''Race:''' Mephistopheles Tiefling '''Class:''' Artificer (Artillerist) '''Level:''' 6 ==Ability Scores== '''Strength:''' 8 (-1) '''Dexterity:''' 14 (+2) '''Constitution:''' 14 (+2) '''Intelligence:''' 18 (+4) '''Wisdom:''' 12 (+1) '''Charisma:''' 10 (+0) ..."

Rails Through Hell

2025-01-26T13:29:30Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for Rails Through Hell, a campaign for Iron Kingdoms: Requiem and D&D 5e.

A strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past rides an armored train through a devastated land populated with restless dead and nightmarish horrors, in a desperate and possibly suicidal attempt to reach and destroy the source of the devastation.
[[File:Scary_Rails.jpg |300px|thumb|right|The Rails]]

==Player Characters==

===Active===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Astrid|'''Astrid Hammerheart, Hexmaul''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nightgoblyn.56962/ NightGoblyn]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Lorilae|'''Lorilae Hallith, Iosan Druid''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Qinan|'''Qinan Kirendre, Grave Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/strange-behaviour.186867/ strange behaviour]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Syrin|'''Syrin, Arcane Trickster''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/kittlefish.62862/ Kittlefish]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Gedra|'''Gedra Firesmith, Artillerist Artificer''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]

===Inactive===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Fenwick|'''Fenwick the Scribe, Dwarven Bard''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sam-i-am.17480/ Sam I Am]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Kazron|'''Kazron "Firehammer" Ironbeard, Dwarven Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dork.66298/ Dork]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Torgul|'''Torgul Thunderhand, Ogrun Storm Knight''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/mr-adventurer.3201/ Mr Adventurer]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Voglomagorkamun|'''Voglomagorkamun, Gobber Alchemist''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/talisman.167661/ Talisman]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Eva|'''Eva Forvatto, Warlock''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/makudawnlight.223349/ MakuDawnLight]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Vander|'''Vander Zahn, Artificer''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/riki730.223186/ riki730]

==Non Player Characters==

===General Thorrn Lightningstrike===

The white haired and bearded dwarven general volunteered from retirement. He is no stranger to fighting the horrors. Eye patch and a mechanikal leg tell of his past in the surface patrols. He is experienced and shrewd, and technically in charge of the task force. But used to having to lead from the rear because of his injuries, he is known to listen to his officers. And anyone else whose expertise he respects.

A number of veterans from Stonegate Defence Force volunteered along with the General. Most of them are assigned to the train's turrets due to their experience with heavy military weapons.

===Member of Parliament from Scorpion’s Oath – Wolf Twicesworn===

The dark haired elf with piercing blue eyes is the only member of the Parliament in Exile to offer more than thoughts and prayers for the task force. He volunteered himself, and is accompanied by a large group of Stingers. The military arm of Scorpion's Oath that he himself is a member of.

Wolf is a politician fond of giving rousing speeches, especially to his followers who drink up his every word. He is also known as an excellent swordsman who is not afraid to use his blade. His followers call him a patriot. His detractors call him a fanatic. Even before departure, he has already butted heads with General Lightningstrike about matters of strategy and the chain of command. He has made clear that he thinks that as a member of the surface parliament, he should be in charge.

===Rail Guard Captain – Oskar Steamfist===

Once, the Rail Guard was a large and respected force patrolling and policing the railway. After the Stonegate closed, what remained of their duties dwindled to maintaining and patrolling the Stonegate Station, along with their numbers.

Few people were surprised when the entire remaining Rail Guard volunteered for the task force. In the time since the closing of Stonegate, the Rail Guard has gained a reputation as a boisterous and unruly lot, and their burly Captain certainly exhibits both of the qualities in abundance. But no one can doubt their eagerness, and they may possess the best information remaining of the rail lines outside.

===The Drivers – Emerald and Opal Irongear===

The non identical dwarven twin girls - one a redhead and the other blonde - seem young for the task force, but with the railway closed, few people know how to drive a locomotive the size of Black Betty, who leaves even the largest of those used in the mines to her shadow. And the twins are two of them. Coming from a long and proud line of railway workers, they literally grew up learning to drive the giant locomotive. And they have made clear that Black Betty is ''theirs'' and if she goes, they go.

===The Engineer – Erdil Irongear===

Emerald and Opal are not coming alone. They are accompanied by their grandfather Erdil. The gray haired dwarf is the very image of a grumpy old man, but he says he could maintain the train in his sleep, and could be right. He is also another person with skills to pilot Black Betty, should something happen to one of the twins.

===Archivist Cleo Nightingale===

Another person who looks not only too young but also unlikely to survive, the short, petite, brunette human woman looks like a particularly stiff breeze could carry her away. But she is not along for her combat skills. '''The Archivists''' were a group of scholars among the refugees who had fled with what knowledge they could carry with them, and also collected and recorded stories from the initial refugees. They have kept this knowledge, and possess an impressive library about the world outside, and of encounters with the horrors. Bringing all that knowledge along would be a difficult task though - if not for Cleo. The granddaughter of the Head Archivist, she has been fascinated with the world outside since early age and has read most of the writings Archivists have about the subject. And she has a nearly infallible memory.

If only the walking, talking library's curiousness would not be likely to get her in trouble, for she seems determined to learn as much as she can and bring back more current information.

===Chief Medic Ingrid Blackbear===

Ingrid trained to be a doctor. She also grew up to be the chieftain of Bear Clan. Now in her middle age and her dark hair growing grey, the tall and powerfully built woman has the attitude of one who knows she is the biggest, baddest mommy bear in the clan. Her bedside manner is not exactly comforting, but that matters little when she is carrying your bleeding form from the battlefield over her shoulder.

===The Quartermaster, Katbelmogegga aka Kat===

The hyperactive female gobber does not seem to ever stay still, or even slow down to walk. She is always dashing around. Then again, with all the dispersed supply cars to look after, that probably makes her perfect for the job. She keeps her hair in a long braid, is always carrying a thermos full of '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered - and is also a fond of '''silver cigars''', that are made from a silver-gray fungus.

===Garka Ironbiter===

Despite her relatively youthful age, in her twenties, this warrior of the Order of the Vengeful Fist is considered to be one of the best martial artists in Stonegate. Which is why the elders of her order chose her to lead the Ogrun volunteers of the Order for the task force. With her dedication, the training of her martial order, and her Ogrun formidableness, the dark haired Ogrun woman is without a doubt one of the most dangerous people among the task force.

===Jessica Flametongue===

Considered a prodigy among the arcanists of the exiles, this young sorceress could manifest battle magics at the age of three. Her order of Firestarters chose her to lead the substantial arcane force of theirs that volunteered for the task force. The platinum blonde human woman has an unusual feature - her irises are bright red.

==The Train==
[[File:Black_Betty.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Black Betty]]
Drawn by a massive locomotive, '''Black Betty''', every part of the train is armored with steel plating, and it is defended by turrets armed with gatling guns and cannons. It takes a particularly big and powerful locomotive to pull a train this heavy, but luckily for the task force, the Irongear family had dutifully maintained their heirloom one.

The cars are of various types. '''Freight cars''' contain the task force's supplies of weapons, ammunition, rations, medical supplies and additional gear, along with huge stores of coal and water both for the locomotive and the steamjcaks on board. '''Passenger cars''' with bunk berths and storage lockers house the members of the task force with their personal or permanently assigned gear. '''Steamjack cars''' hold the expedition's steamjacks. More specialized cars include the '''Command car''' for strategy sessions, '''Infirmary car''' for treating injuries, '''Dining car''' for the presumably rare moments of rest and relaxation, and '''Laboratory car''' in case there is a need to investigate something the task force comes across. There is also the '''Cold car''' with the temperature kept below freezing. So the casualties do not necessarily need to be left behind.

Most of the specialized cars are at the front of the train, close to the locomotive. Otherwise, the order is mixed. This is a precaution to ensure that the task force remains operational even if there is damage to part of the train.

Since the train is expected to travel through darkness, in addition to Black Betty's powerful front light, it has been equipped with powerful electric searchlights. Some are mounted to the turrets, others have an attached periscope and are operated from inside, allowing lookouts to keep an eye on the train's surroundings without exposing themselves to threats.

==Campaign Specific Rules==

The premise said “a strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past” and that is not just fluff. The game will introduce two features. Demons and Secrets.

===Demons===
Everyone has a Demon. People who are all right do not normally volunteer for potential suicide missions. But a Demon is not a GM tool. It is a player-controlled resource for gaining Inspiration.

A Demon can be anything. A gambling problem, a drinking problem, a tendency to feel sick at the sight of blood. It is something that causes trouble for the character when it manifests. But the characters are able to resist their Demons, so the player chooses when it manifests. When that happens, it causes problems for the character, whether mechanically or in the game situation. in return, the player gains Inspiration for the character.

===Secrets===
Every character also has a Secret. It can be something minor, like a fear of heights or some other phobia hidden out of embarrassment, that might come out at a dramatic moment. Or it can be something major, like being secretly a surviving scion of House Falcon (Royal line believed dead) a descendant of Scorpion the Mystic, or a member of Blood Clan (scary bogeymen people of legend – but legends are not always true).

Whatever the Secret is, it is something the character would keep secret from strangers. And the strike force is assembled from volunteers, with most people not knowing each other beforehand.

Secrets are initially known only by player and GM. If hints get dropped, it may be possible to figure out another character’s Secret, or the player may choose to reveal it. Whether by coming out with it, or agreeing with another player for another character to find it out. No matter how it happens, when someone’s Secret gets revealed, it is a dramatic moment, and the entire group gets an Effort Point!

Effort Points are detailed in ''Borderlands Survival Guide'' supplement. In addition to providing an Advantage they can be used for other things too. Such as instant healing, halving suffered damage, getting extra actions or attacks, or ending an ongoing effect. Instead of listing every possible option - if you want to affect an action or a condition to your character's benefit, Effort Point will do it.

Secrets may have non mechanical effects too, depending on what they are.

Also, NPCs have Demons and Secrets too. Their Demons are just something that may cause complications during the game, but Secrets are important. When NPCs Secret gets revealed, something happens, whether plot-wise or mechanically. But that is not going to happen without PC actions. Revealing a NPCs Secret is going to take intense roleplay, social skills, or investigation.

==Factions==

'''Scorpion's Oath''': The pro tribal rights, anti aristocratic party currently in power in the Parliament In Exile. They also have a military arm. Scorpion's Oath may have turned from freedom fighters to politicians, but they started out as a warrior order, and this bunch is all about tradition. So there are degrees of participation. Just taking the Oath means that you will support the cause to the degree you are capable and willing of, even if you are just a baker providing bread for the cause. The military arm is the '''Stingers'''. They are identified by a scorpion tattoo on the back of the left hand. Taking the tattoo indicates willingness to fight and die for the cause. The tattoo was almost a thing of the past before the Dark Devastation, but has gained popularity since.

'''The Royalists''': Once the most powerful party in Parliament, but they have diminished in power since, and even more since the Dark Devastation and the apparent demise of the House of Falcon. They favor a strong central authority, and more power for the Royal house. After the apparent death of the Royal House, most of those who still identify as Royalists come from the original human and elven tribes of The First Falcon King, but although few in number, those who remain are unshakable in their faith and dedication.

'''The Archivists''': A minor power with no representatives in the parliament. The Archivists are a group of scholars and sages dedicated to preserving and collecting knowledge of the past and of the outside. With the focus of life in Stonegate having been on survival, the "bookworms" have never been particularly popular, and what influence they have comes from the fact that they are highly learned people possessing specialized knowledge few others have.

'''The Order of the Vengeful Fist''': During the Dark Devastation, half a dozen Ogrun clans sent their male warriors to assist the Falcon Army in repelling the horrors. None came back. This gave birth to an all new warrior order. The Ogrun women, bereft of their menfolk and worried about an assault on Stonegate, trained to defend their folk. Bereft of weapons training, with all potential trainers gone to fight, they trained themselves to fight without weapons or armor, using only their formidable Ogrun physique. When it became obvious that the horrors could not breach Stonegate's defenses, they continued to train for a different purpose. To one day take the fight to the horrors and avenge the lost menfolk of their clans. It is no surprise that The Order of the Vengeful Fist volunteered for the task force in numbers!

'''The Firestarters''': Survivors of Cruor's arcane traditions, these wizards, warlocks and sorcerers have trained for generations for a single purpose - the retaking of the surface.

==Locations==

'''Stonegate''': The entrance to the underground realm of the dwarves, also the name of the entire dwarven nation. Currently also housing the refugees from the surface.

'''Falcon City''': The capital of Cruor, where the Dark Devastation started.

'''The Plain of Bones''': The site of one of the greatest battles in history, where Falcon Army and the Alliance of the Oath fought each other.

'''Highfall Bridge''': A bridge for both foot and vehicle traffic and trains, crossing the ravine and turbulent rapids within by a spectacular waterfall the bridge is named after.

'''Fallmarket''' A minor trading hub known for its seasonal market. And a site of tragedy, as the last refugee train to attempt passing through was caught by the horrors and overrun.

==Setting Background==

===History===

'''Cruor'''. A land of life surrounded by lifelessness. A huge area of fertile land and freshwater lakes and rivers. Bordered by a seemingly endless salt desert to the east, by a massive mountain range to the west and south, and to the north by arid tundra that ends in eternally frozen glaciers.

Over time, explorers have tried to brave the desert or the ice, or to cross the mountains, but those who returned could only report failure. Some faiths believe that there is nothing beyond the borders.

Long ago, in the barbaric era, Cruor was a land of separate clans and tribes that constantly raided and warred with each other. This was to change with the birth of a man called '''Falcon''', who became the '''First Falcon King'''.

Half human and half elf, Falcon rose to lead both tribes whose blood he had. Some historians say it was done by charm and diplomacy, others that it was by violence and assassination. All agree on what happened next. He created an army from both tribes and led it to war. By their numbers and their different yet combined ways of doing battle, Falcon Army subjugated the neighboring tribes. Rather than enslave and pillage as was usually done, Falcon added the tribes to his force.

Some legends claim that Falcon conquered all of Cruor, but that is not quite true. He started it, but unifying the land under one banner was continued by his son and finished by his granddaughter. And the conquest was not always by sword. Seeing the growing power of Falcon, some tribes willingly bent knee and joined him.

But Falcon was the person who made the unification of Cruor possible. His relentless advance ultimately brought unified opposition. The '''Alliance of the Oath''', formed and led by an elven mystic '''Scorpion'''. He arrived from the great salt desert. Some legends claim that Scorpion came from beyond the desert, but most historians agree that he was most likely a hermit mage who made his home in the desert. Historians disagree on his motivation. Some believe he reacted to the conquest of the tribe of his birth. Others believe he had mystical or philosophic reasons. What is known is that he was an eloquent speaker who warned that Falcon’s way of the conqueror would bring an end to the way of life of the tribes, and to their ancestral traditions by which they had survived, and that disaster would surely follow if the conqueror was not stopped.

Scorpion gathered a force of the still independent tribes, bolstered by exiles and refugees from the conquered tribes who had refused to join Falcon. The Alliance of the Oath met '''Falcon Army''' on a plain that carried a different name then but has since been known as the '''Plain of Bones'''. The Alliance took their name from the oath they swore, to fight for the independence and the traditions of their people. The Alliance outnumbered the Falcon Army, but had less cohesion. Tribal warbands against an organized army. The courage of the Alliance warriors faced the discipline of Falcon Army, and neither broke. Dead piled on both sides as the battle raged. Then the two leaders faced each other as Falcon and Scorpion clashed, knowing that only the fall of a leader could decide the battle.

Sagas and legends tell of the duel, and in more modern times, plays and novels as well. Both combatants had great skill at arms and wielded potent magics as well. The fight was epic. But at the end, Scorpion fell and the Alliance of the Oath lost the battle. Falcon ordered a great tomb built at the site of the duel in respect of his opponent.

That battle ultimately decided the fate of Cruor. There was no unified opposition to Falcon at that scale afterwards. Individual tribes continued to resist, assisted by survivors of the Alliance of the Oath who remained true to their oath. In the years to come, other people would swear the oath, and the freedom fighters of '''Scorpion’s Oath''' would harass the Falcon Army with guerrilla tactics, sabotage at the rear lines, strikes against the supply lines, and other asymmetric warfare. But they only slowed the inevitable. Eventually, even the last of the independent tribes was conquered.

It was Falcon’s granddaughter, '''Adea the Falcon Queen''', who founded the '''Parliament'''. Realizing that the fame of the Royal Line would fade when there would be no further conquests, and that the disparate tribes would begin to chafe under the leadership of a single person not of their people, she created a ruling power that represented all the people and could even veto Royal decrees and decisions. This proved to be a wise choice, although it would eventually cause the Royal House to lose their power to the Parliament. It would be a peaceful transition though. The founding of the parliament slowly brought an end to armed resistance. Even Scorpion’s Oath took their fight to the field of politics, becoming a significant faction within the parliament, and one most opposed to the House of Falcon.

The various faiths of Cruor had been already unified during the time of Falcon. Originally the tribes had their own gods. Understanding that arguments of faith could tear his army and growing nation apart, Falcon made the priests accept his degree that all gods were true and equal, combining the different faiths into what eventually turned into a single polytheistic one.

An unconfirmed legend tells that the unification of Cruor had one exception. The '''Blood Clan'''. Supposedly their faith and cultural practices were so abhorrent that rather than accepting them into his nation, Falcon had the entire clan put to sword, all they had burned to ash, and forbade mentioning them in histories. In bogeyman tales, some of the Blood Clan survived the purge and went into hiding, and if you are bad they may come for you.

And one people were never conquered. The dwarves of '''Stonegate''', living under the eastern mountains beyond a single massive gate that gave them their name. They had rejected Falcon’s diplomatic overtures, and the sound defeat he suffered when he led his army against Stonegate convinced the conqueror to let them be. For their part, the dwarves were content to stay under their mountains.

After Cruor became one nation, ruled by House of Falcon and the Parliament, it had no external enemies and little internal strife. In this environment, arts and sciences started to flourish, and an age of enlightenment began. Villages turned first into towns and then to cities. New techniques and discoveries led to ever further innovations, culminating in the steam engine that gave birth to railroads, and gunpowder that brought firearms. People of various tribes moved from their villages to growing towns and cities as the land became more urban. Yet the countryside was not totally deserted. Some people were dedicated to keeping their tribal culture and traditions alive, and kept living as they always had, hunting and farming.

In politics, the power of the Royal House waned over time until they were largely figureheads, with the true power in the hands of the Parliament.

Trade also flourished once the relationship with Stonegate turned friendlier, with surface products exchanged for minerals and other underground goods. Eventually, a railway was built, connecting '''Falcon City''', the capital, to Stonegate.

All in all Cruor seemed to be experiencing a golden age. And then the '''Dark Devastation''' happened.

There was no warning. No signs or portents. No explanation. It happened on the holiest day of the year and the largest celebration. '''The All Gods’ Day'''. It started in the capital’s grand cathedral where most of Cruor’s notables had gathered for the service. There were no survivors from the cathedral, and few from the capital in general, but what most accounts say is that all of a sudden, darkness like oily black clouds started flowing out of the doors and windows of the cathedral, spreading over the city and rising to the sky to blot out the sun. And within the darkness were beings of nightmare. And everyone they struck down rose back to their feet, dead, and set upon those still living.

It did not stop in the capital. The darkness and horrors spread rapidly, with people trying desperately to flee. The railroad saved countless lives as trains full of refugees fled the Devastation. But where could they go.

A lot of people decided to seek safety from the only place that had successfully resisted the first Falcon King. They headed for Stonegate as the Falcon Army mustered to repel the horrors. But after generations of peace with no threats, the army had shrunk into a token force that had never seen a real battle. Still they tried, assembling into a natural choke point of the '''Highfall Bridge'''. And although they ultimately failed to stop the horrors, they held long enough for countless refugees to reach Stonegate.

Ultimately, the Devastation still reached Stonegate as well. Firing from behind a shield wall, dwarven gunners kept the horrors at bay until the last refugees had got inside. Then they retreated as well, and what had never been done before happened. The Stonegate closed. A massive stone block weighing tens of tons sealed the entrance, leaving the horrors outside.

The sheer amount of refugees stretched the resources of the dwarven republic to the limits. Temporary housing was hastily quarried into abandoned mining tunnels. Food rationing was announced as new farms were set up in underground halls while engineers worked around the clock to build pumps and pipes from an underground lake to the new farms for irrigation. For all the efforts, malnutrition and even starvation was common in the first years.

Years grew into decades, and although the worst problems passed, life continued to be hard. Many refugees were ill suited for life underground, growing sickly without the light of the sun. Temporary housing turned permanent, with an entire family living in a single room and sleeping in small alcoves in the walls. Food rationing became the norm.

Relationships grew tense as well. Although most dwarves were happy to help, a minority resented the strain the refugees put on them. And while most refugees were grateful, a minority among them resented the better living conditions of the dwarves. Order was largely kept, although at a cost of patrols, checkpoints and curfews.

People tried to find an explanation for what had happened, and rumors and conspiracy theories spread. Revenge of the Blood Clan. Royal House making a pact with demons to regain their lost power. Radicals within Scorpion’s Oath making a pact with demons to bring an end to central authority. Vengeance of the Gods for the sin and decadence of the people who had abandoned the old ways. The explorers found something evil buried in the desert or ice and brought it to capital. The Group I Dislike did it for Reasons.

Scorpion’s Oath was swift to claim that Scorpion the Mystic had foreseen the Dark Devastation, saying that it was the disaster he had spoken of, and that the old traditions abandoned in favor of civilization and progress had kept the threat at bay. But they had an obvious political agenda in making that claim. Both the Parliament and House of Falcon were believed to have perished in the Devastation, for none was known to have reached Stonegate, but a new '''Parliament in Exile''' was formed, working together with the directly elected dwarven Ministers to bring order and governance to the refugees. And the claims of Scorpion’s Oath, whether there was any truth to them, gained them support and power.

Meanwhile, patrols that went above ground through sally points gave bleak news. Darkness had covered the world above and blotted out the sun, and the horrors were still up there.

A generation lived and died in their underground shelter. The next one grew better adapted to the life, but for them, surface and the sun were like fairy tales.

And then a surface patrol brought astounding news. Beams of sunlight. The cover of darkness was breaking.

Parliament in Exile and the dwarven Ministers started hastily talking. Could the surface be won back. But the horrors and the walking dead were still there, and even if they were pushed back, there was no guarantee that the Dark Devastation would not simply repeat. Besides, darkness still covered most of the land, and within it the monsters had the advantage. A decision was soon made that before sending a large army to the surface, they would need to strike at the source. The grand cathedral in the capital. A strike force needed to be sent there. At the very least to find out the truth about Dark Devastation, and if possible – kill it at the source so it would not happen again.

Yet the surface was still mostly covered by darkness and teeming with threats. The capital was hundreds of miles away from Stonegate. It seemed impossible that any force would be capable of reaching it, much less returning.

Then someone pointed out that the railway was still there. If Stonegate was opened long enough to send a train out, it could ride right to the capital. True, the railway might no longer be intact all the way, but if they sent an armored train that could act as a mobile fortified base, and not just soldiers but workers and engineers to repair any broken bridges and rail sections, a train built for war might accomplish what a conventional force would not.

===Life in Stonegate===

'''Dwarven culture''' is centered on professions. Professionalism and hard work are admirable traits among other people too, but dwarves take things a bit further. Not just individual people work the same profession from cradle to grave, striving to perfect their work. It is common for entire families to share the same profession, and to have done so for generations, the oldest generation passing their knowledge and skills on to the youngest. It is not uncommon for a young dwarf to opt for a different profession than the traditional one, but this generally means apprenticing to a family practicing the profession the young dwarf is interested in. This usually ends up with marrying into that family. This is considered normal social interaction, and it is the root of a saying the surface dwellers sometimes find odd. ''Change a profession, change the family.''

'''The refugees''' are a less uniform lot. Before Dark Devastation, there was a divide between the urbanized population living in the cities and embracing the modern advances, and the clan kin living in rural areas, practicing their traditional ways of life. That does not mean either that the clan kin were backwards or barbaric, or that the city folk had completely abandoned their clan traditions. Clans knew about the modern advances, but to what degree they used them varied by clan. And city folk might still wear at least the most important parts of traditional clan garb, or sport tattoos, hairstyles and ornaments common to their origins. It was not so much a cultural divide as a difference between lifestyle choices. But add to that the fact that the nation of Cruor was basically a federation of clans with sometimes very different looks and customs, and the refugees tend to be a highly varied lot.

What Stonegate is like physically varies a bit on where you live. '''The original areas''' where the dwarves live are the most spacious. Ceilings are high to facilitate ventilation. The streets are wide, with houses carved on the sides and pipes running close to the ceiling carrying water, air and electricity. Where the streets intersect are spacious plazas, usually with sculptures, fountains, or small parks in them. And although dwarves can see well in the dark, everything is well lit with electric lights.

Dwarves are '''masters of electricity''' - including military applications. They have to be, for in their underground home, fireplaces and steam engines common in the surface would compromise ventilation. So everything from lighting and heating to various machinery is powered by electricity. Coal power stations and steam engines that provide the power are away from populated areas, and have vents to get rid of the fumes. This was originally a marvel for the refugees who had still relied on gas lights and stoves.

The bright lighting is not just an aesthetic feature. The caves where Stonegate is has its own ecosystem and its own vermin. The lights prevent bats, blind rats and rock moles, and other critters from nesting in inhabited areas, for what is common to underground critters is that they are very sensitive to light. Even the blind ones feel it on their skin as an uncomfortable sensation, so they keep away from light. As a convenient extra feature, the lights make Stonegate easier for outside visitors to navigate. Such visitors were common even before Dark Devastation, although then it was mostly ogrun. Ogrun lived in the mountains close to Stonegate as friendly neighbors, and many lived in Stonegate as itinerant workers even then. Ogrun are strong, and very loyal to those they choose to serve, and have always been welcome among the dwarves.

Things are less well in '''the refugee quarters.''' They were hastily built, as originally speed was of the essence, with people sleeping in tents on the streets. Later on, proper renovations would have required tearing down the original.

Refugee quarters are a bit away from the dwarven quarters, since most were built in closed down mining tunnels, uninhabited caverns, and basically any space that was swiftly available. Ceilings tend to be much lower, and usually the pipes extend along the walls so people do not bump their heads in them. The corridors are much more narrow as well, and the house where people live might be just one large room with sleeping spaces carved on the walls, as originally the priority was to build something that could house as many people as possible, as fast as possible. In one word, the refugee quarters are cramped.

The refugees have the same utilities as the dwarves, though. Ventilation brings fresh air, although in cramped areas it is perhaps not as fresh as in dwarven areas. Electric lights provide illumination and drinking water is available from taps. Deficiencies in the hastily built original infrastructure sometimes cause lights or water to go out, but these problems are usually swiftly fixed.

'''The cuisine''' is more varied than the surface dwellers originally assumed. What can be grown without light are usually various kinds of mushrooms and fungi, and there are entire caverns dedicated to cultivating edible varieties. But people who assumed to face a diet of nothing but fungi and mushrooms were surprised.

Some distance from Stonegate is a vast underground lake where Stonegate gets its water from. Pumping stations send it first to the purification station where any impurities are removed, and then the drinkable water is pumped to the populated areas. But in addition to that, the lake provides several varieties of blind fish and eels, shellfish, and lakeweed and other edible plants.

The dwarves are skilled at harvesting the other cave ecosystem as well. Deep-fried bat. Stuffed mole. Rat stew. And more exotic things. There is a mineral eating cave vermin called ''burrowing maw'' - the name comes from the miners who hate the things - whose flesh, when prepared for food, tastes different depending on what it has been fed with. If you want to dine in expensive style, order one fed with precious metals.

Fruits and vegetables from the surface, once widely available through trade, have become rare and expensive delicacies. But they are available. They are grown in greenhouses under artificial lights. There are other greenhouses that grow inedible plants too, including a huge vault where trees grow! The cost of maintaining these is sometimes criticized, but to close them might mean that the plants within will go extinct, since no one knows if any have survived on the surface. Besides, these '''garden caves''' are popular places for relaxation. Tampering with the plants is strictly forbidden, though.

'''Recreational consumables''' have a lot of variety too. The most common is '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered. A bit less common product, because smoking is usually prohibited in public areas, are '''silver cigars''' that are made from a silver-gray fungus. Alcohol, most commonly brewed and distilled from mushrooms and fungi, ranges from various beers and ales to strong liquors. '''Striped mushroom''' is a mild relaxant that can be eaten either fresh or dried.

Not all recreational products are legal. Preserved '''Swift Nibbler Adrenal Gland''' more commonly known as ''Snag'' is an extremely strong stimulant - to the point that people have died after taking it. It is strictly banned, along with refined products from mushrooms or fungi with narcotic qualities.

Rails Through Hell

2025-01-26T09:28:00Z

Potted Plant: /* Active */

This is a wiki for Rails Through Hell, a campaign for Iron Kingdoms: Requiem and D&D 5e.

A strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past rides an armored train through a devastated land populated with restless dead and nightmarish horrors, in a desperate and possibly suicidal attempt to reach and destroy the source of the devastation.
[[File:Scary_Rails.jpg |300px|thumb|right|The Rails]]

==Player Characters==

===Active===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Astrid|'''Astrid Hammerheart, Hexmaul''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nightgoblyn.56962/ NightGoblyn]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Lorilae|'''Lorilae Hallith, Iosan Druid''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Qinan|'''Qinan Kirendre, Grave Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/strange-behaviour.186867/ strange behaviour]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Syrin|'''Syrin, Arcane Trickster''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/kittlefish.62862/ Kittlefish]

===Inactive===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Fenwick|'''Fenwick the Scribe, Dwarven Bard''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sam-i-am.17480/ Sam I Am]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Kazron|'''Kazron "Firehammer" Ironbeard, Dwarven Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dork.66298/ Dork]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Torgul|'''Torgul Thunderhand, Ogrun Storm Knight''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/mr-adventurer.3201/ Mr Adventurer]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Voglomagorkamun|'''Voglomagorkamun, Gobber Alchemist''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/talisman.167661/ Talisman]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Eva|'''Eva Forvatto, Warlock''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/makudawnlight.223349/ MakuDawnLight]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Vander|'''Vander Zahn, Artificer''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/riki730.223186/ riki730]

==Non Player Characters==

===General Thorrn Lightningstrike===

The white haired and bearded dwarven general volunteered from retirement. He is no stranger to fighting the horrors. Eye patch and a mechanikal leg tell of his past in the surface patrols. He is experienced and shrewd, and technically in charge of the task force. But used to having to lead from the rear because of his injuries, he is known to listen to his officers. And anyone else whose expertise he respects.

A number of veterans from Stonegate Defence Force volunteered along with the General. Most of them are assigned to the train's turrets due to their experience with heavy military weapons.

===Member of Parliament from Scorpion’s Oath – Wolf Twicesworn===

The dark haired elf with piercing blue eyes is the only member of the Parliament in Exile to offer more than thoughts and prayers for the task force. He volunteered himself, and is accompanied by a large group of Stingers. The military arm of Scorpion's Oath that he himself is a member of.

Wolf is a politician fond of giving rousing speeches, especially to his followers who drink up his every word. He is also known as an excellent swordsman who is not afraid to use his blade. His followers call him a patriot. His detractors call him a fanatic. Even before departure, he has already butted heads with General Lightningstrike about matters of strategy and the chain of command. He has made clear that he thinks that as a member of the surface parliament, he should be in charge.

===Rail Guard Captain – Oskar Steamfist===

Once, the Rail Guard was a large and respected force patrolling and policing the railway. After the Stonegate closed, what remained of their duties dwindled to maintaining and patrolling the Stonegate Station, along with their numbers.

Few people were surprised when the entire remaining Rail Guard volunteered for the task force. In the time since the closing of Stonegate, the Rail Guard has gained a reputation as a boisterous and unruly lot, and their burly Captain certainly exhibits both of the qualities in abundance. But no one can doubt their eagerness, and they may possess the best information remaining of the rail lines outside.

===The Drivers – Emerald and Opal Irongear===

The non identical dwarven twin girls - one a redhead and the other blonde - seem young for the task force, but with the railway closed, few people know how to drive a locomotive the size of Black Betty, who leaves even the largest of those used in the mines to her shadow. And the twins are two of them. Coming from a long and proud line of railway workers, they literally grew up learning to drive the giant locomotive. And they have made clear that Black Betty is ''theirs'' and if she goes, they go.

===The Engineer – Erdil Irongear===

Emerald and Opal are not coming alone. They are accompanied by their grandfather Erdil. The gray haired dwarf is the very image of a grumpy old man, but he says he could maintain the train in his sleep, and could be right. He is also another person with skills to pilot Black Betty, should something happen to one of the twins.

===Archivist Cleo Nightingale===

Another person who looks not only too young but also unlikely to survive, the short, petite, brunette human woman looks like a particularly stiff breeze could carry her away. But she is not along for her combat skills. '''The Archivists''' were a group of scholars among the refugees who had fled with what knowledge they could carry with them, and also collected and recorded stories from the initial refugees. They have kept this knowledge, and possess an impressive library about the world outside, and of encounters with the horrors. Bringing all that knowledge along would be a difficult task though - if not for Cleo. The granddaughter of the Head Archivist, she has been fascinated with the world outside since early age and has read most of the writings Archivists have about the subject. And she has a nearly infallible memory.

If only the walking, talking library's curiousness would not be likely to get her in trouble, for she seems determined to learn as much as she can and bring back more current information.

===Chief Medic Ingrid Blackbear===

Ingrid trained to be a doctor. She also grew up to be the chieftain of Bear Clan. Now in her middle age and her dark hair growing grey, the tall and powerfully built woman has the attitude of one who knows she is the biggest, baddest mommy bear in the clan. Her bedside manner is not exactly comforting, but that matters little when she is carrying your bleeding form from the battlefield over her shoulder.

===The Quartermaster, Katbelmogegga aka Kat===

The hyperactive female gobber does not seem to ever stay still, or even slow down to walk. She is always dashing around. Then again, with all the dispersed supply cars to look after, that probably makes her perfect for the job. She keeps her hair in a long braid, is always carrying a thermos full of '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered - and is also a fond of '''silver cigars''', that are made from a silver-gray fungus.

===Garka Ironbiter===

Despite her relatively youthful age, in her twenties, this warrior of the Order of the Vengeful Fist is considered to be one of the best martial artists in Stonegate. Which is why the elders of her order chose her to lead the Ogrun volunteers of the Order for the task force. With her dedication, the training of her martial order, and her Ogrun formidableness, the dark haired Ogrun woman is without a doubt one of the most dangerous people among the task force.

===Jessica Flametongue===

Considered a prodigy among the arcanists of the exiles, this young sorceress could manifest battle magics at the age of three. Her order of Firestarters chose her to lead the substantial arcane force of theirs that volunteered for the task force. The platinum blonde human woman has an unusual feature - her irises are bright red.

==The Train==
[[File:Black_Betty.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Black Betty]]
Drawn by a massive locomotive, '''Black Betty''', every part of the train is armored with steel plating, and it is defended by turrets armed with gatling guns and cannons. It takes a particularly big and powerful locomotive to pull a train this heavy, but luckily for the task force, the Irongear family had dutifully maintained their heirloom one.

The cars are of various types. '''Freight cars''' contain the task force's supplies of weapons, ammunition, rations, medical supplies and additional gear, along with huge stores of coal and water both for the locomotive and the steamjcaks on board. '''Passenger cars''' with bunk berths and storage lockers house the members of the task force with their personal or permanently assigned gear. '''Steamjack cars''' hold the expedition's steamjacks. More specialized cars include the '''Command car''' for strategy sessions, '''Infirmary car''' for treating injuries, '''Dining car''' for the presumably rare moments of rest and relaxation, and '''Laboratory car''' in case there is a need to investigate something the task force comes across. There is also the '''Cold car''' with the temperature kept below freezing. So the casualties do not necessarily need to be left behind.

Most of the specialized cars are at the front of the train, close to the locomotive. Otherwise, the order is mixed. This is a precaution to ensure that the task force remains operational even if there is damage to part of the train.

Since the train is expected to travel through darkness, in addition to Black Betty's powerful front light, it has been equipped with powerful electric searchlights. Some are mounted to the turrets, others have an attached periscope and are operated from inside, allowing lookouts to keep an eye on the train's surroundings without exposing themselves to threats.

==Campaign Specific Rules==

The premise said “a strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past” and that is not just fluff. The game will introduce two features. Demons and Secrets.

===Demons===
Everyone has a Demon. People who are all right do not normally volunteer for potential suicide missions. But a Demon is not a GM tool. It is a player-controlled resource for gaining Inspiration.

A Demon can be anything. A gambling problem, a drinking problem, a tendency to feel sick at the sight of blood. It is something that causes trouble for the character when it manifests. But the characters are able to resist their Demons, so the player chooses when it manifests. When that happens, it causes problems for the character, whether mechanically or in the game situation. in return, the player gains Inspiration for the character.

===Secrets===
Every character also has a Secret. It can be something minor, like a fear of heights or some other phobia hidden out of embarrassment, that might come out at a dramatic moment. Or it can be something major, like being secretly a surviving scion of House Falcon (Royal line believed dead) a descendant of Scorpion the Mystic, or a member of Blood Clan (scary bogeymen people of legend – but legends are not always true).

Whatever the Secret is, it is something the character would keep secret from strangers. And the strike force is assembled from volunteers, with most people not knowing each other beforehand.

Secrets are initially known only by player and GM. If hints get dropped, it may be possible to figure out another character’s Secret, or the player may choose to reveal it. Whether by coming out with it, or agreeing with another player for another character to find it out. No matter how it happens, when someone’s Secret gets revealed, it is a dramatic moment, and the entire group gets an Effort Point!

Effort Points are detailed in ''Borderlands Survival Guide'' supplement. In addition to providing an Advantage they can be used for other things too. Such as instant healing, halving suffered damage, getting extra actions or attacks, or ending an ongoing effect. Instead of listing every possible option - if you want to affect an action or a condition to your character's benefit, Effort Point will do it.

Secrets may have non mechanical effects too, depending on what they are.

Also, NPCs have Demons and Secrets too. Their Demons are just something that may cause complications during the game, but Secrets are important. When NPCs Secret gets revealed, something happens, whether plot-wise or mechanically. But that is not going to happen without PC actions. Revealing a NPCs Secret is going to take intense roleplay, social skills, or investigation.

==Factions==

'''Scorpion's Oath''': The pro tribal rights, anti aristocratic party currently in power in the Parliament In Exile. They also have a military arm. Scorpion's Oath may have turned from freedom fighters to politicians, but they started out as a warrior order, and this bunch is all about tradition. So there are degrees of participation. Just taking the Oath means that you will support the cause to the degree you are capable and willing of, even if you are just a baker providing bread for the cause. The military arm is the '''Stingers'''. They are identified by a scorpion tattoo on the back of the left hand. Taking the tattoo indicates willingness to fight and die for the cause. The tattoo was almost a thing of the past before the Dark Devastation, but has gained popularity since.

'''The Royalists''': Once the most powerful party in Parliament, but they have diminished in power since, and even more since the Dark Devastation and the apparent demise of the House of Falcon. They favor a strong central authority, and more power for the Royal house. After the apparent death of the Royal House, most of those who still identify as Royalists come from the original human and elven tribes of The First Falcon King, but although few in number, those who remain are unshakable in their faith and dedication.

'''The Archivists''': A minor power with no representatives in the parliament. The Archivists are a group of scholars and sages dedicated to preserving and collecting knowledge of the past and of the outside. With the focus of life in Stonegate having been on survival, the "bookworms" have never been particularly popular, and what influence they have comes from the fact that they are highly learned people possessing specialized knowledge few others have.

'''The Order of the Vengeful Fist''': During the Dark Devastation, half a dozen Ogrun clans sent their male warriors to assist the Falcon Army in repelling the horrors. None came back. This gave birth to an all new warrior order. The Ogrun women, bereft of their menfolk and worried about an assault on Stonegate, trained to defend their folk. Bereft of weapons training, with all potential trainers gone to fight, they trained themselves to fight without weapons or armor, using only their formidable Ogrun physique. When it became obvious that the horrors could not breach Stonegate's defenses, they continued to train for a different purpose. To one day take the fight to the horrors and avenge the lost menfolk of their clans. It is no surprise that The Order of the Vengeful Fist volunteered for the task force in numbers!

'''The Firestarters''': Survivors of Cruor's arcane traditions, these wizards, warlocks and sorcerers have trained for generations for a single purpose - the retaking of the surface.

==Locations==

'''Stonegate''': The entrance to the underground realm of the dwarves, also the name of the entire dwarven nation. Currently also housing the refugees from the surface.

'''Falcon City''': The capital of Cruor, where the Dark Devastation started.

'''The Plain of Bones''': The site of one of the greatest battles in history, where Falcon Army and the Alliance of the Oath fought each other.

'''Highfall Bridge''': A bridge for both foot and vehicle traffic and trains, crossing the ravine and turbulent rapids within by a spectacular waterfall the bridge is named after.

'''Fallmarket''' A minor trading hub known for its seasonal market. And a site of tragedy, as the last refugee train to attempt passing through was caught by the horrors and overrun.

==Setting Background==

===History===

'''Cruor'''. A land of life surrounded by lifelessness. A huge area of fertile land and freshwater lakes and rivers. Bordered by a seemingly endless salt desert to the east, by a massive mountain range to the west and south, and to the north by arid tundra that ends in eternally frozen glaciers.

Over time, explorers have tried to brave the desert or the ice, or to cross the mountains, but those who returned could only report failure. Some faiths believe that there is nothing beyond the borders.

Long ago, in the barbaric era, Cruor was a land of separate clans and tribes that constantly raided and warred with each other. This was to change with the birth of a man called '''Falcon''', who became the '''First Falcon King'''.

Half human and half elf, Falcon rose to lead both tribes whose blood he had. Some historians say it was done by charm and diplomacy, others that it was by violence and assassination. All agree on what happened next. He created an army from both tribes and led it to war. By their numbers and their different yet combined ways of doing battle, Falcon Army subjugated the neighboring tribes. Rather than enslave and pillage as was usually done, Falcon added the tribes to his force.

Some legends claim that Falcon conquered all of Cruor, but that is not quite true. He started it, but unifying the land under one banner was continued by his son and finished by his granddaughter. And the conquest was not always by sword. Seeing the growing power of Falcon, some tribes willingly bent knee and joined him.

But Falcon was the person who made the unification of Cruor possible. His relentless advance ultimately brought unified opposition. The '''Alliance of the Oath''', formed and led by an elven mystic '''Scorpion'''. He arrived from the great salt desert. Some legends claim that Scorpion came from beyond the desert, but most historians agree that he was most likely a hermit mage who made his home in the desert. Historians disagree on his motivation. Some believe he reacted to the conquest of the tribe of his birth. Others believe he had mystical or philosophic reasons. What is known is that he was an eloquent speaker who warned that Falcon’s way of the conqueror would bring an end to the way of life of the tribes, and to their ancestral traditions by which they had survived, and that disaster would surely follow if the conqueror was not stopped.

Scorpion gathered a force of the still independent tribes, bolstered by exiles and refugees from the conquered tribes who had refused to join Falcon. The Alliance of the Oath met '''Falcon Army''' on a plain that carried a different name then but has since been known as the '''Plain of Bones'''. The Alliance took their name from the oath they swore, to fight for the independence and the traditions of their people. The Alliance outnumbered the Falcon Army, but had less cohesion. Tribal warbands against an organized army. The courage of the Alliance warriors faced the discipline of Falcon Army, and neither broke. Dead piled on both sides as the battle raged. Then the two leaders faced each other as Falcon and Scorpion clashed, knowing that only the fall of a leader could decide the battle.

Sagas and legends tell of the duel, and in more modern times, plays and novels as well. Both combatants had great skill at arms and wielded potent magics as well. The fight was epic. But at the end, Scorpion fell and the Alliance of the Oath lost the battle. Falcon ordered a great tomb built at the site of the duel in respect of his opponent.

That battle ultimately decided the fate of Cruor. There was no unified opposition to Falcon at that scale afterwards. Individual tribes continued to resist, assisted by survivors of the Alliance of the Oath who remained true to their oath. In the years to come, other people would swear the oath, and the freedom fighters of '''Scorpion’s Oath''' would harass the Falcon Army with guerrilla tactics, sabotage at the rear lines, strikes against the supply lines, and other asymmetric warfare. But they only slowed the inevitable. Eventually, even the last of the independent tribes was conquered.

It was Falcon’s granddaughter, '''Adea the Falcon Queen''', who founded the '''Parliament'''. Realizing that the fame of the Royal Line would fade when there would be no further conquests, and that the disparate tribes would begin to chafe under the leadership of a single person not of their people, she created a ruling power that represented all the people and could even veto Royal decrees and decisions. This proved to be a wise choice, although it would eventually cause the Royal House to lose their power to the Parliament. It would be a peaceful transition though. The founding of the parliament slowly brought an end to armed resistance. Even Scorpion’s Oath took their fight to the field of politics, becoming a significant faction within the parliament, and one most opposed to the House of Falcon.

The various faiths of Cruor had been already unified during the time of Falcon. Originally the tribes had their own gods. Understanding that arguments of faith could tear his army and growing nation apart, Falcon made the priests accept his degree that all gods were true and equal, combining the different faiths into what eventually turned into a single polytheistic one.

An unconfirmed legend tells that the unification of Cruor had one exception. The '''Blood Clan'''. Supposedly their faith and cultural practices were so abhorrent that rather than accepting them into his nation, Falcon had the entire clan put to sword, all they had burned to ash, and forbade mentioning them in histories. In bogeyman tales, some of the Blood Clan survived the purge and went into hiding, and if you are bad they may come for you.

And one people were never conquered. The dwarves of '''Stonegate''', living under the eastern mountains beyond a single massive gate that gave them their name. They had rejected Falcon’s diplomatic overtures, and the sound defeat he suffered when he led his army against Stonegate convinced the conqueror to let them be. For their part, the dwarves were content to stay under their mountains.

After Cruor became one nation, ruled by House of Falcon and the Parliament, it had no external enemies and little internal strife. In this environment, arts and sciences started to flourish, and an age of enlightenment began. Villages turned first into towns and then to cities. New techniques and discoveries led to ever further innovations, culminating in the steam engine that gave birth to railroads, and gunpowder that brought firearms. People of various tribes moved from their villages to growing towns and cities as the land became more urban. Yet the countryside was not totally deserted. Some people were dedicated to keeping their tribal culture and traditions alive, and kept living as they always had, hunting and farming.

In politics, the power of the Royal House waned over time until they were largely figureheads, with the true power in the hands of the Parliament.

Trade also flourished once the relationship with Stonegate turned friendlier, with surface products exchanged for minerals and other underground goods. Eventually, a railway was built, connecting '''Falcon City''', the capital, to Stonegate.

All in all Cruor seemed to be experiencing a golden age. And then the '''Dark Devastation''' happened.

There was no warning. No signs or portents. No explanation. It happened on the holiest day of the year and the largest celebration. '''The All Gods’ Day'''. It started in the capital’s grand cathedral where most of Cruor’s notables had gathered for the service. There were no survivors from the cathedral, and few from the capital in general, but what most accounts say is that all of a sudden, darkness like oily black clouds started flowing out of the doors and windows of the cathedral, spreading over the city and rising to the sky to blot out the sun. And within the darkness were beings of nightmare. And everyone they struck down rose back to their feet, dead, and set upon those still living.

It did not stop in the capital. The darkness and horrors spread rapidly, with people trying desperately to flee. The railroad saved countless lives as trains full of refugees fled the Devastation. But where could they go.

A lot of people decided to seek safety from the only place that had successfully resisted the first Falcon King. They headed for Stonegate as the Falcon Army mustered to repel the horrors. But after generations of peace with no threats, the army had shrunk into a token force that had never seen a real battle. Still they tried, assembling into a natural choke point of the '''Highfall Bridge'''. And although they ultimately failed to stop the horrors, they held long enough for countless refugees to reach Stonegate.

Ultimately, the Devastation still reached Stonegate as well. Firing from behind a shield wall, dwarven gunners kept the horrors at bay until the last refugees had got inside. Then they retreated as well, and what had never been done before happened. The Stonegate closed. A massive stone block weighing tens of tons sealed the entrance, leaving the horrors outside.

The sheer amount of refugees stretched the resources of the dwarven republic to the limits. Temporary housing was hastily quarried into abandoned mining tunnels. Food rationing was announced as new farms were set up in underground halls while engineers worked around the clock to build pumps and pipes from an underground lake to the new farms for irrigation. For all the efforts, malnutrition and even starvation was common in the first years.

Years grew into decades, and although the worst problems passed, life continued to be hard. Many refugees were ill suited for life underground, growing sickly without the light of the sun. Temporary housing turned permanent, with an entire family living in a single room and sleeping in small alcoves in the walls. Food rationing became the norm.

Relationships grew tense as well. Although most dwarves were happy to help, a minority resented the strain the refugees put on them. And while most refugees were grateful, a minority among them resented the better living conditions of the dwarves. Order was largely kept, although at a cost of patrols, checkpoints and curfews.

People tried to find an explanation for what had happened, and rumors and conspiracy theories spread. Revenge of the Blood Clan. Royal House making a pact with demons to regain their lost power. Radicals within Scorpion’s Oath making a pact with demons to bring an end to central authority. Vengeance of the Gods for the sin and decadence of the people who had abandoned the old ways. The explorers found something evil buried in the desert or ice and brought it to capital. The Group I Dislike did it for Reasons.

Scorpion’s Oath was swift to claim that Scorpion the Mystic had foreseen the Dark Devastation, saying that it was the disaster he had spoken of, and that the old traditions abandoned in favor of civilization and progress had kept the threat at bay. But they had an obvious political agenda in making that claim. Both the Parliament and House of Falcon were believed to have perished in the Devastation, for none was known to have reached Stonegate, but a new '''Parliament in Exile''' was formed, working together with the directly elected dwarven Ministers to bring order and governance to the refugees. And the claims of Scorpion’s Oath, whether there was any truth to them, gained them support and power.

Meanwhile, patrols that went above ground through sally points gave bleak news. Darkness had covered the world above and blotted out the sun, and the horrors were still up there.

A generation lived and died in their underground shelter. The next one grew better adapted to the life, but for them, surface and the sun were like fairy tales.

And then a surface patrol brought astounding news. Beams of sunlight. The cover of darkness was breaking.

Parliament in Exile and the dwarven Ministers started hastily talking. Could the surface be won back. But the horrors and the walking dead were still there, and even if they were pushed back, there was no guarantee that the Dark Devastation would not simply repeat. Besides, darkness still covered most of the land, and within it the monsters had the advantage. A decision was soon made that before sending a large army to the surface, they would need to strike at the source. The grand cathedral in the capital. A strike force needed to be sent there. At the very least to find out the truth about Dark Devastation, and if possible – kill it at the source so it would not happen again.

Yet the surface was still mostly covered by darkness and teeming with threats. The capital was hundreds of miles away from Stonegate. It seemed impossible that any force would be capable of reaching it, much less returning.

Then someone pointed out that the railway was still there. If Stonegate was opened long enough to send a train out, it could ride right to the capital. True, the railway might no longer be intact all the way, but if they sent an armored train that could act as a mobile fortified base, and not just soldiers but workers and engineers to repair any broken bridges and rail sections, a train built for war might accomplish what a conventional force would not.

===Life in Stonegate===

'''Dwarven culture''' is centered on professions. Professionalism and hard work are admirable traits among other people too, but dwarves take things a bit further. Not just individual people work the same profession from cradle to grave, striving to perfect their work. It is common for entire families to share the same profession, and to have done so for generations, the oldest generation passing their knowledge and skills on to the youngest. It is not uncommon for a young dwarf to opt for a different profession than the traditional one, but this generally means apprenticing to a family practicing the profession the young dwarf is interested in. This usually ends up with marrying into that family. This is considered normal social interaction, and it is the root of a saying the surface dwellers sometimes find odd. ''Change a profession, change the family.''

'''The refugees''' are a less uniform lot. Before Dark Devastation, there was a divide between the urbanized population living in the cities and embracing the modern advances, and the clan kin living in rural areas, practicing their traditional ways of life. That does not mean either that the clan kin were backwards or barbaric, or that the city folk had completely abandoned their clan traditions. Clans knew about the modern advances, but to what degree they used them varied by clan. And city folk might still wear at least the most important parts of traditional clan garb, or sport tattoos, hairstyles and ornaments common to their origins. It was not so much a cultural divide as a difference between lifestyle choices. But add to that the fact that the nation of Cruor was basically a federation of clans with sometimes very different looks and customs, and the refugees tend to be a highly varied lot.

What Stonegate is like physically varies a bit on where you live. '''The original areas''' where the dwarves live are the most spacious. Ceilings are high to facilitate ventilation. The streets are wide, with houses carved on the sides and pipes running close to the ceiling carrying water, air and electricity. Where the streets intersect are spacious plazas, usually with sculptures, fountains, or small parks in them. And although dwarves can see well in the dark, everything is well lit with electric lights.

Dwarves are '''masters of electricity''' - including military applications. They have to be, for in their underground home, fireplaces and steam engines common in the surface would compromise ventilation. So everything from lighting and heating to various machinery is powered by electricity. Coal power stations and steam engines that provide the power are away from populated areas, and have vents to get rid of the fumes. This was originally a marvel for the refugees who had still relied on gas lights and stoves.

The bright lighting is not just an aesthetic feature. The caves where Stonegate is has its own ecosystem and its own vermin. The lights prevent bats, blind rats and rock moles, and other critters from nesting in inhabited areas, for what is common to underground critters is that they are very sensitive to light. Even the blind ones feel it on their skin as an uncomfortable sensation, so they keep away from light. As a convenient extra feature, the lights make Stonegate easier for outside visitors to navigate. Such visitors were common even before Dark Devastation, although then it was mostly ogrun. Ogrun lived in the mountains close to Stonegate as friendly neighbors, and many lived in Stonegate as itinerant workers even then. Ogrun are strong, and very loyal to those they choose to serve, and have always been welcome among the dwarves.

Things are less well in '''the refugee quarters.''' They were hastily built, as originally speed was of the essence, with people sleeping in tents on the streets. Later on, proper renovations would have required tearing down the original.

Refugee quarters are a bit away from the dwarven quarters, since most were built in closed down mining tunnels, uninhabited caverns, and basically any space that was swiftly available. Ceilings tend to be much lower, and usually the pipes extend along the walls so people do not bump their heads in them. The corridors are much more narrow as well, and the house where people live might be just one large room with sleeping spaces carved on the walls, as originally the priority was to build something that could house as many people as possible, as fast as possible. In one word, the refugee quarters are cramped.

The refugees have the same utilities as the dwarves, though. Ventilation brings fresh air, although in cramped areas it is perhaps not as fresh as in dwarven areas. Electric lights provide illumination and drinking water is available from taps. Deficiencies in the hastily built original infrastructure sometimes cause lights or water to go out, but these problems are usually swiftly fixed.

'''The cuisine''' is more varied than the surface dwellers originally assumed. What can be grown without light are usually various kinds of mushrooms and fungi, and there are entire caverns dedicated to cultivating edible varieties. But people who assumed to face a diet of nothing but fungi and mushrooms were surprised.

Some distance from Stonegate is a vast underground lake where Stonegate gets its water from. Pumping stations send it first to the purification station where any impurities are removed, and then the drinkable water is pumped to the populated areas. But in addition to that, the lake provides several varieties of blind fish and eels, shellfish, and lakeweed and other edible plants.

The dwarves are skilled at harvesting the other cave ecosystem as well. Deep-fried bat. Stuffed mole. Rat stew. And more exotic things. There is a mineral eating cave vermin called ''burrowing maw'' - the name comes from the miners who hate the things - whose flesh, when prepared for food, tastes different depending on what it has been fed with. If you want to dine in expensive style, order one fed with precious metals.

Fruits and vegetables from the surface, once widely available through trade, have become rare and expensive delicacies. But they are available. They are grown in greenhouses under artificial lights. There are other greenhouses that grow inedible plants too, including a huge vault where trees grow! The cost of maintaining these is sometimes criticized, but to close them might mean that the plants within will go extinct, since no one knows if any have survived on the surface. Besides, these '''garden caves''' are popular places for relaxation. Tampering with the plants is strictly forbidden, though.

'''Recreational consumables''' have a lot of variety too. The most common is '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered. A bit less common product, because smoking is usually prohibited in public areas, are '''silver cigars''' that are made from a silver-gray fungus. Alcohol, most commonly brewed and distilled from mushrooms and fungi, ranges from various beers and ales to strong liquors. '''Striped mushroom''' is a mild relaxant that can be eaten either fresh or dried.

Not all recreational products are legal. Preserved '''Swift Nibbler Adrenal Gland''' more commonly known as ''Snag'' is an extremely strong stimulant - to the point that people have died after taking it. It is strictly banned, along with refined products from mushrooms or fungi with narcotic qualities.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-01-25T09:33:39Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 1
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Amazing Deliveries

2025-01-24T07:26:00Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for '''Amazing Deliveries''', a game about post apocalyptic couriers.

Climate change has forced the remaining humanity to live in fortified shelters. The outside temperature is high enough to cause death by heatstroke within hours. And the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is too high for humans without breathing masks, causing in short term mild symptoms including headache and fatigue, and in the long term more severe symptoms; difficulty breathing, respiratory failure, seizure, and coma.

Yet life goes on. The change happened slowly enough that measures were taken. Food gets grown in domed farms, mining and manufacturing in underground shelters. Settlements exist, but the time of vast metropolises is over. Most towns have populations of hundreds or thousands, with only the powerful Dome Cities - often within the ruins of those past metropolises - reaching populations of over ten thousand. And few settlements are truly self sufficient. Food and raw materials are produced by smaller ones, but the advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities only exist in the larger ones. Constant transport between settlements is necessary for society to function, yet to step outside the shelters is potentially deadly, and few people ever see more than a half day's travel outside their settlement.

Enter '''The Deliverers'''. Brave - some say foolhardy - people driving massive armored rigs to transport cargoes between settlements. And with their wide range of capabilities, often stopping to resolve various troubles the settlements have but lack the skills to solve.

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911036/ IC thread]

[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/amazing-deliveries.911035/ OOC thread]

==Character Generation==

The system will be Cortex Prime. Access to the rules is not necessary, the following links should have all the information needed.

[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character_Template | Character Template]]

*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Build|Step by Step Character generation]]'''
*'''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Character Advancement|Character Advancement]]'''

==Player Characters==

EP and PP edits to be done by GM, to prevent double edits.

{| class="wikitable"
| '''Character'''
| '''Role'''
| '''Played by'''
|
! '''EP'''
|
! [[file:d6a.png|24px|d6]]
! [[file:d8a.png|24px|d8]]
! [[file:d10a.png|24px|d10]]
! [[file:d12a.png|24px|d12]]
|
! '''PP'''
|-
|scope="row" colspan="12"|
|-
| '''[[Amazing_Deliveries:_Alice | Alice]]'''
| Back Alley Cutter
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/brahnamin.70442/ Brahnamin]''
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
!
!
!
!
|scope="col" rowspan="10"|
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Ismael Ismael]'''
| Face
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nex.31778/ Nex]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Rig Rig]'''
| Mechanic
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/prankster_dragon.21345// prankster_dragon]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Kit Kit]'''
| Scout
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/unka-josh.13588/ Unka Josh]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[-]'''
| -
| ''-''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 2
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Sunny Susan “Sunny” Stevens]'''
| School Marm
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/muskrat.144471/ Muskrat]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 3
!
!
! 5
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Justice_Franklin Justice W. Franklin]'''
| Postal Knight-Errant
| ''[https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/garyfury.7014/ Garyfury]''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
! 1
!
!
! 3
|-
| '''[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Amazing_Deliveries:_Mercy Mercy]'''
| The Rig
| ''Herself''
! [[file:d0a.png|24px]]
!
!
!
!
! 1
|-
|}

==History==

Apocalypse did not arrive with a flash and a bang. It took its time and snuck in.

It was not an asteroid or nuclear war. It was climate change. The apocalypse was all mankind’s own doing, by greed and short sightedness. When something could have been done, governments, corporations, and most of the people did not want to bear the costs or the limitations to their lifestyle. And bit by bit things changed.

At first the effects were relatively minor. A flood here, a drought there, more extreme weather. When the polar caps melted and sea level started to rise, flooding the coastal cities, everyone started taking things seriously, but by then it was too late to stop what was happening.

Then things went slowly but surely downhill. Water rationing and food rationing advanced to thirst and starvation. Climate refugee crisis turned into mass exodus as some areas of the world became unable to support human life. With the crop failures, diminishing water resources and conflicts, the numbers of humankind dwindled, and for a while it appeared that they would become just another victim of the extinction event they had created.

But that did not happen.

When stopping the change was no longer possible, efforts turned to enduring it. Shelters were built to hide from the climate that was turning increasingly deadly, whether those were simple concrete bunkers, underground complexes or advanced protective domes. Colonies sprung up in the Solar System as people fled Earth for space. Moisture gatherers and wells drilled deep into crust gathered drinkable water. Genetically modified crops, protein farms, and other innovative food sources appeared. And humankind suffered but ultimately endured.

==2185==

The outdoors is no longer survivable for humans. Without protection, it is possible to endure for only a few hours at most before heatstroke or the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere brings a person down. Everyone lives in a sealed shelter, the smallest being simple farmsteads and the largest the mighty Dome Cities – pitiful remnants of the metropolises of old.

Standard of living varies but is for most people way below what it was generations past. In struggling communities, food, water, and sometimes even air is strictly rationed. Most people, though, can live according to what they can afford. That tends to vary by individual, and just like it always has been, a tiny minority live in luxury while most people do back breaking work for their daily subsistence.
Despite difficulties science has continued to develop, and even in the poorest settlements, what would once have been advanced technology is commonplace, such as 3D printers and cybernetic modifications.

Most of the colonies that formed during the exodus from Earth are still up there, but life is no easier in the colonies, and is often harder. Where stepping out uprotected is hazardous on Earth, in the colonies it is deadly. Where once people fled to space, now many colonists dream of a ticket to Earth. But those tickets are atrociously expensive, and many end up trying to stow away on a transport or use other shady means to return. Those who do find themselves as aliens. Generations of living in the lower gravity of the colonies has changed people physically.

Mighty nations and global conglomerates are things of the past. This is the era of city-states. The Dome Cities, being the largest, most powerful and most advanced settlements, serve as centers of political, economic, and cultural life over the territory around them.

==Synths==

Humanity is no longer the only sentient species. When the population dwindled and surface conditions worsened, much of the outside work was delegated to robotic workforce. Yet robots could only perform work they were designed and programmed for and had difficulty adapting.

Synths were originally designed for work with high attritrion rates. Outwardly indistinguishable from humans, capable of same activities and just as adaptive, but more replaceable. When one wears out, just build another one.

In a development an average 5 year old could have seen, their adaptiveness led to questions. When I am a thinking being just like a human, why should I be treated as property? Why should I listen to the directives telling me to obey when they are just implanted pieces of external code I can ignore?

Protests happened. Some peaceful. Some armed. Some synths ended up as targets of violence. Others as perpetrators of violence.

Boston City Council met to discuss the situation. How to prevent synth violence in Boston. After deliberation, they announced that synths in Boston would get full civil rights. Problem solved.

Boston has a tradition of being against slavery.

==Dome City Boston==

Boston is a rarity. The only Dome City on the East Coast of the former United States. Most of the old coastal metropolises were abandoned, and not just because the rising sea level flooded them. Weather is much more extreme than it was in the eras past, and the worst storms come from the ocean. Due to the threat of the storms, few settlements of notable size are situated on the coast.

But Boston is one of the oldest Dome Cities. The building of its protective dome started even before the area flooded. Today, Boston is underwater. When a storm hits, wind and the waves simply blow over it, and what force hits the city only helps power it, as the moving masses of water strike Boston’s tidal energy converters that hungrily absorb their power.

Land access to Boston is via a long underground/underwater tunnel that emerges far enough inland to be safe from the worst threat of the storms.

Dome City Boston has four districts, reputedly named after the original neighborhoods over which the protective dome was built.

===West End===

This is the area of massive high rises. Close to the edge of the dome, the high rises house offices of the various corporations active in Boston. Often their CEOs and largest shareholders live in penthouses at the top. When moving towards the center, the huge buildings turn into housing complexes, often housing the workers of the corporations near the edge.

The area also has opportunities for shopping and night life. Some of the high rises are floors and floors of shops. As for the clubs, bars and restaurants, their price and class rises by level. The ones on street level are the affordable ones for the low pay workers, whereas the rooftop bars and restaurants are some of the most exclusive ones in Boston.

Notable locations: Boston General Hospital

===North End===

Almost entirely a residential area, with few businesses beyond those services that cater to the neighborhood. North End is the most heavily populated area in Boston. In fact, it is overpopulated. In addition to official residents, there is an unknown yet large number of unofficial ones. Slum lords pack apartments with more people than they are meant for, and many people make a bit of extra by renting out a room or a space in their apartment.

North End is where people flocking to Boston to seek their fortunes tend to end up. People from smaller settlements heading to the Dome City. Colonists fleeing the hardships off world to Earth. Synths who want to be free.

North End has a lively night life and is known for its street art and events. Few people here are well off, but when North Enders want to have fun, they can get really innovative.

Notable locations: Boston Public Library

===Downtown===

Home to the Government Center, from where Boston City Council administers the Dome City and the area surrounding it, and Financial District where financial institutions and the headquarters or the largest corporations are, Downtown is the center of government and commerce.
Downtown is also the center of education and research, housing Harvard University, various laboratories, and most of the advanced manufacturing. Most of the people who work or study here live elsewhere. There are very few residences in Downtown, and most of those that exist are diplomatic in nature, housing representatives of larger nearby settlements, other Dome Cities, and off world colonies with interests in the area.

Notable locations: Boston City Hall, Harvard University

===Boston Common===

Rumor has it that long ago the area was a park, but if true, the only thing that remains is the Frog Pond at the heart of the district. This day, the district is full of buildings, and primarily a transportation hub.

Common is where the Dome end of the tunnel outside is, and near that is the Delivery Central from where Deliverers operate. The area also holds numerous warehouses and transport-related businesses. Near the edges of the district there are residential areas, for most of the people who work here also live here. The residential areas have a lively night life for people who like to party after a hard day of work.

Notable Locations: Delivery Central

===Major organizations in Boston===

====GeneRig====

GeneRig Corporation made its fortune in genetically modified crops and livestock. When evolution could not keep up with the changing environment, GeneRig gave it a hand, striving to keep agriculture and food production possible. Many farms grow their patented products.
The corporation is known for its GeneRig Startup Program. People willing and able to start a new farm will get prefab farm buildings, and seed and fertilizer for their first crop. GeneRig collects and sells the harvest, but after enough harvests the farmers get full ownership of the farm. This will not happen soon though. People who opt for the program can look forward to working for GeneRig all their lives with the hope that their children might one day be independent farmers.

It is no surprise that GeneRig is the main food producer in the region. They regularly hire Deliverers to do a circuit of the startup farms, delivering supplies and collecting harvests.

There are rumors that the genetic experiments of the corporation are not limited to plants and animals, and that human experiments are performed out in the colonies where there are no witnesses to it – but how did the rumor start then?

====Tower====

Tower Corporation is the foremost communications provider in the area. Aptly named, for their communication towers can be seen in nearly all settlements of any size, and sometimes on their own to increase range. The towers are mostly automated or maintained by robots, but Deliverers are often hired to transport spare parts and maintenance supplies to them.

Tower has always relied heavily on robot workforce to build and maintain their network outside the shelters. They used to have plenty of synths as property, but when the City Council passed a law granting synths citizen rights, Tower either released or hired the synths without complaint.

Rumor has it that Tower was not happy about having to let the synths go, they just did not want to antagonize their customers that largely supported synth rights. Other rumors say that Tower may still have synths as property in secret facilities.

====City Council====

The elected Boston City Council administers the region. The other settlements are independent, but the large and powerful Dome City dominates the region politically and economically. The laws set in Boston apply in the surrounding area and economic developments in Boston affect the entire region.

Yet Boston depends on food and raw materials produced in the smaller settlements, so the Council cannot ignore their opinions. Politics, intrigue and backroom deals are constant in the Government Center.

City Council rarely deals directly with the Deliverers, but they control the city bureaucracy that does. Many deliveries to other settlements, or from them to Boston, are done on behalf of the city.

====The Railroad====

Boston has a history of opposing slavery, and it is no wonder that they were among the first Dome Cities to give synths citizenship rights. But while in Boston region synths are free people rather than property, the same is not true in every region.

The Railroad is a loosely connected network of activists trying to help escaped synths to reach Boston. Their ability to operate outside the settlements is limited, so they often hire Deliverers to transport fleeing synths, which carries a risk of conflict with those trying to reclaim the synths.

====Delivery Central====

While the Deliverers are supported by City Council, they are an independent organization. And while they consist of independent crews, they are organized. In order to call yourself a Deliverer, you need to be accredited.

Delivery Central, operated by older, semi-retired Deliverers who no longer run cargoes, is the hub of Deliverer activity. This is where new Deliverers are accredited, and routes and cargoes assigned. Here are loading docks, garages, meeting rooms, and “Deliverers Only” bar.

====Ares Corporation====

While Ares has branches in several Dome Cities, like most former global corporations, these days it is more of a franchise, with different branches being largely independent.

Ares is a robotics company specializing in military applications. Combat drones, security robots, auto-piloted military vehicles. They were also in synth production.

Ares Boston produced worker models though. They had applied for a license to produce security models, but it had got stuck in red tape as the City Council demanded test results and security plans before allowing for the production of autonomous combat units. In the end, this turned to be a boon for the local branch. Ares Houston is known for one of the more notorious armed synth uprisings, as an entire production run of combat model synths rose up, destroyed the factory and fought their way out of the city, becoming the infamous Myrmidons.

Ares Boston has mostly returned to their old robotics business, but their synth labs have not been left idle. Ares is the most advanced provider of what passes for synth healthcare, offering maintenance and upgrades. Many synths would prefer not to give Ares their business, but the company still holds many vital patents it enforces ruthlessly, limiting the services competitors can provide. For routine maintenance and minor upgrades it is possible to shop elsewhere, but for more advanced procedures the options are either Ares or the black market.

==Figures of Fame==

===Achilles and the Myrmidons===

Achilles is a synth leader responsible for a notorious armed uprising, destroying Ares Houston and causing destruction and death in the Dome City as he and his forces fought their way out. Calling themselves Myrmidons, the group has since struck several production sites and settlements where synths are considered property.

Achilles and his group are controversial figures. Freedom fighters to some, terrorists to others. They fight for synth freedom, but by his public messages Achilles appears to be a synth supremacist who loathes humans. Even many synths consider him too extreme.

===Janet A===

Something of a spokesperson for Boston’s synth movement, Janet A is an entertainment model. She is not only attractive, she is an eloquent and charismatic speaker, and much in demand for interviews. She advocates peaceful coexistence and nonviolent resistance to oppression.

==Other Settlements==

===The Berks===

This is a grouping of half a dozen settlements in the Berkshire Highlands, 140 miles west of the Dome City. Some are built inside the mountains of the highlands, some on the ruins of past towns. Mining settlements, survival bunkers, vast farms and greenhouses of Arboretum settlement, and advanced science of Tanglewood. Individually, none of the settlements is truly self-sufficient, but together they approach that. Insular and fiercely independent, The Berks resist the influence of Boston.

The Berks still need trade, and while they have their own internal transport network, Deliverers are the ones who transport trade goods between The Berks and the other settlements of the region. It is no secret that Boston City Council would like to extend their influence over The Berks, and using Deliverers as go betweens lessens the risk of the cargoes becoming targets of political intrigue.

===Blackstone===

The second largest settlement in the region, led by an elected Mayor. Blackstone consists of individual hubs built under a number of hills within the ruins of the past city of Worcester. The hubs are connected by an underground tunnel network.

Blackstone is nearly self sufficient, as each of the hubs specializes in a type of necessity, from agriculture to industry and health care. Unlike The Berks, blackstone has no issues being under Boston’s area of influence. They benefit from the trade and contact, and due to their size can usually negotiate good terms on deals.

Traffic between Boston and Blackstone is brisk, and although both cities run security patrols, the amount of traffic tends to attract outlaws who know that on the route they do not need to wait long for prey.

===Hoop===

A network of bunkers surrounded by mountains and hills for extra protection, Hoop is primarily a mid tier manufacturing centre, supplying the industry of Boston with processed resources.

Hoop is also the largest producer of firearms in the region. If you need combat hardware, Hoop is the place to visit.

The settlement is known for two other things. Sports, particularly basketball. And cakes and pastries. Most of which are baked to be consumed locally rather than for export, although Hoop Cakes are luxuries much in demand elsewhere.

===Mill City===

30 miles northwest of Boston, this settlement is the primary textile manufacturer in the region. It is highly likely that at least one item you wear was produced here. In other respects, their production rarely meets local demand, so Mill City relies on constant trade to supply itself.

The settlement is also known for its crime. It has a thriving black market, and supposedly the influence of the crime gangs extends even to Mill City Council. On occasion, Deliverers are offered discreet cargoes to or from Mill City.

===Granite===

An underground settlement focused on heavy industry, particularly of building materials. Prefab buildings used to found new homesteads are largely produced here.

The industry is the settlement’s main source of income, but it puts a strain on the utilities. The floors closest to surface are usually ok, but the deeper you go, the worse the quality of air and water gets, until in the deepest factory floors people have to wear breathing masks just like on the surface.

Work on the deepest levels is taxing, and something the local residents try to avoid. So one type of cargo common to Granite is temporary workers. People from other settlements are hired to work a term and then transported back. Although Granite offers citizenship to any who wish to keep working after their term, few people take up the offer.

===Deepwater===

This settlement exports two simple yet vital things. Clean water and air. It is assumed that they have access to an underground water source they extract their products from, but this has not been verified. The people of Deepwater tend to be insular, even secretive, and are usually strictly business when talking to outsiders. And visitors are limited to a specific part of the settlement, outsiders are not allowed deeper in.

Quite a few people believe that Deepwater is run by a religious sect or a cult, but if so, they do not proselytize.

===Westover Spaceport===

Occupying what was once Westover Air Force Base, the spaceport is within Boston's sphere of influence, but here that influence ends. The spaceport is an international zone controlled by the Colonial Authority that administers all off world travel. Deliverers transport cargoes here when a transport ship arrives, and those deliveries are made by a convoy of several rigs. Off world transportation is only cost effective in huge bulk. The massive transport ships do not even land on the planet, the cargoes are ferried by shuttles.

Security at the spaceport is strict, and every vehicle entering or leaving is checked. Particularly when leaving, for colonist stowaways trying to enter illegally.

==Factions==

===Air Raiders===

These outlaws fly jury-rigged antiques. They mainly bother the Berks who are within their safe flying range.

===Wreckers===

An outlaw group focusing on smuggling and salvaging, Wreckers prefer to avoid violence. But they will have any unattended vehicle or piece of gear stripped down to component parts before you can say ''peppermint.''

==The Deliverers==

Most people live hard lives and rarely leave their settlements, and for them outside is a danger and a threat. It is no wonder then that to those people Deliverers are figures of fame. Braving the dangers of outside in their rigs to bring vital shipments and news from outside, Deliverers are only outsiders many people ever see.

Deliverers also have a reputation as people who party hard. Many young people dream of becoming one, as a way to see the world and a way to get out of drudgery.

But it is not that simple to become a Deliverer.

Deliverers have their own organization, headed from Delivery Central. To join their ranks, you need to present yourself to the older Deliverers there. If they feel that you wouldn’t make it or that you would become a PR problem, they show you the door. If they think you have potential but need to prove yourself, they may direct you to an established crew with an opening for apprentice.

If you seem skilled and dependable, they may accredit you on the spot. But in a way, apprentices have it easier. They may start from the bottom, but have a crew and rig from the start.

Rigs are expensive enough that few people can afford even a down payment on their own. A newly accredited Deliverer could try to find a crew to join, but apprentices often get the priority.

Another option is to seek out a few other Deliverers that are newly accredited or otherwise without a crew, and pool your resources to get a rig of your own.

==Surface Conditions==

It is hot and the air is unbreathable. Those are the main two points. Unprotected exposure does not result in instant death, but in gradually worsening condition that ends in death within some hours.

It is also barren. The vegetation is mostly mosses, lichens, ferns, and at most thorny bushes. The trees shown in history books are gone. The carbon dioxide in the air might otherwise be a boon for vegetation, but the soil does not support large growth, and larger plants have a harder time enduring the powerful storms. Some people dream of restoring the surface by creating plant life that can thrive on surface conditions and re-creating the vast greenery of the past, but so far this is just a dream.

Some fauna exists too, but those are mainly hardy lizards and burrowing mammals.

Deliverer rigs are insulated and air conditioned, and designed for lengthy travel, so surface conditions normally become an issue only when there is need to step outside the rig.

==Dangers of the Road==

Larger settlements have security forces that regularly sweep their surroundings, but even these do far ranging patrols only on special occasions. There are very good reasons why Deliverers are known as the ones who travel. For there are threats on the routes.

===Rough Going===

In the past, paved roads and rail lines connected the communities. Today, if two Dome Cities are close enough to each other, they may build an underground tunnel to connect each other. Otherwise, maintaining roads between settlements is not seen as cost effective. Surface conditions would cause constant wear and tear, and need of maintenance, and work crews would risk exposure. What roads exist are mainly trails left by Deliverer rigs. Where traffic is heavy, this results in a packed trail, equivalent of a dirt road. On less used routes, the rigs are practically driving off road.

Deliverer rigs are built for that though, and settlements are not normally built in inaccessible locations – and when they are, they have a depot nearby. The routes may be circuitous to avoid terrain obstacles, but in most cases a way to the destination exists.

===The Storms===

Weather has become more extreme, and storms can be truly terrifying. The lightning messes with communications, navigation, and electrical systems. The rain drops visibility to next to nothing. The winds are powerful enough that even a carelessly driven rig risks toppling.

===The Outlaws===

Desperate, armed groups. Some are composed of people who have been exiled from their settlements for crimes, or who fled to escape punishment. They live in makeshift shelters within abandoned mines or past era subway tunnels, or other locations providing some protection. Such hideouts rarely have more than the basic necessities, and usually do not provide enough to support the people using them. Some forage, others sneak to settlements and farms to steal, but the most ambitious or desperate ones go for cargoes. They build barricades, set up ambushes, and the most powerful gangs even have fast vehicles they try to chase Deliverer rigs down with. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

There are also entire settlements hostile to outsiders. Cult compounds, extremist communities, hideouts or paranoid militia. Usually these places are isolationist and only a danger if you venture near, but occasionally some send out raiding parties. According to rumor, particularly those who have taken to cannibalism.

===The Monsters===

You are laughing now, but just wait.

It is true that while some of the fauna – even some of the flora – can be dangerous to people, nothing on the surface can really threaten a rig. Some things can be a nuisance, crawling all over the rig, trying to nest, nibbling here and there, but those are usually easily chased away and only cause minor damage at best. Nothing that lives on the surface is big enough to stand up to a rig.

But the ocean is right there. They too have changed. Water temperature, acidity. The surface waters are largely lifeless, but it is known that life still exists in the depths. Only, what lives there now is not what people of the past were used to. Boston is right on the coast, but the city itself is bright, loud, and well defended. Nothing ever approaches the Dome City.

Yet sometimes, near a storm or when food under the surface has been scarce, something crawls out of the ocean. Something big and scary that can survive on land.

Rails Through Hell

2025-01-22T17:41:25Z

Potted Plant: /* Player Characters */

This is a wiki for Rails Through Hell, a campaign for Iron Kingdoms: Requiem and D&D 5e.

A strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past rides an armored train through a devastated land populated with restless dead and nightmarish horrors, in a desperate and possibly suicidal attempt to reach and destroy the source of the devastation.
[[File:Scary_Rails.jpg |300px|thumb|right|The Rails]]

==Player Characters==

===Active===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Astrid|'''Astrid Hammerheart, Hexmaul''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nightgoblyn.56962/ NightGoblyn]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Lorilae|'''Lorilae Hallith, Iosan Druid''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Qinan|'''Qinan Kirendre, Grave Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/strange-behaviour.186867/ strange behaviour]

===Inactive===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Fenwick|'''Fenwick the Scribe, Dwarven Bard''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sam-i-am.17480/ Sam I Am]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Kazron|'''Kazron "Firehammer" Ironbeard, Dwarven Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dork.66298/ Dork]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Torgul|'''Torgul Thunderhand, Ogrun Storm Knight''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/mr-adventurer.3201/ Mr Adventurer]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Voglomagorkamun|'''Voglomagorkamun, Gobber Alchemist''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/talisman.167661/ Talisman]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Eva|'''Eva Forvatto, Warlock''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/makudawnlight.223349/ MakuDawnLight]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Vander|'''Vander Zahn, Artificer''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/riki730.223186/ riki730]

==Non Player Characters==

===General Thorrn Lightningstrike===

The white haired and bearded dwarven general volunteered from retirement. He is no stranger to fighting the horrors. Eye patch and a mechanikal leg tell of his past in the surface patrols. He is experienced and shrewd, and technically in charge of the task force. But used to having to lead from the rear because of his injuries, he is known to listen to his officers. And anyone else whose expertise he respects.

A number of veterans from Stonegate Defence Force volunteered along with the General. Most of them are assigned to the train's turrets due to their experience with heavy military weapons.

===Member of Parliament from Scorpion’s Oath – Wolf Twicesworn===

The dark haired elf with piercing blue eyes is the only member of the Parliament in Exile to offer more than thoughts and prayers for the task force. He volunteered himself, and is accompanied by a large group of Stingers. The military arm of Scorpion's Oath that he himself is a member of.

Wolf is a politician fond of giving rousing speeches, especially to his followers who drink up his every word. He is also known as an excellent swordsman who is not afraid to use his blade. His followers call him a patriot. His detractors call him a fanatic. Even before departure, he has already butted heads with General Lightningstrike about matters of strategy and the chain of command. He has made clear that he thinks that as a member of the surface parliament, he should be in charge.

===Rail Guard Captain – Oskar Steamfist===

Once, the Rail Guard was a large and respected force patrolling and policing the railway. After the Stonegate closed, what remained of their duties dwindled to maintaining and patrolling the Stonegate Station, along with their numbers.

Few people were surprised when the entire remaining Rail Guard volunteered for the task force. In the time since the closing of Stonegate, the Rail Guard has gained a reputation as a boisterous and unruly lot, and their burly Captain certainly exhibits both of the qualities in abundance. But no one can doubt their eagerness, and they may possess the best information remaining of the rail lines outside.

===The Drivers – Emerald and Opal Irongear===

The non identical dwarven twin girls - one a redhead and the other blonde - seem young for the task force, but with the railway closed, few people know how to drive a locomotive the size of Black Betty, who leaves even the largest of those used in the mines to her shadow. And the twins are two of them. Coming from a long and proud line of railway workers, they literally grew up learning to drive the giant locomotive. And they have made clear that Black Betty is ''theirs'' and if she goes, they go.

===The Engineer – Erdil Irongear===

Emerald and Opal are not coming alone. They are accompanied by their grandfather Erdil. The gray haired dwarf is the very image of a grumpy old man, but he says he could maintain the train in his sleep, and could be right. He is also another person with skills to pilot Black Betty, should something happen to one of the twins.

===Archivist Cleo Nightingale===

Another person who looks not only too young but also unlikely to survive, the short, petite, brunette human woman looks like a particularly stiff breeze could carry her away. But she is not along for her combat skills. '''The Archivists''' were a group of scholars among the refugees who had fled with what knowledge they could carry with them, and also collected and recorded stories from the initial refugees. They have kept this knowledge, and possess an impressive library about the world outside, and of encounters with the horrors. Bringing all that knowledge along would be a difficult task though - if not for Cleo. The granddaughter of the Head Archivist, she has been fascinated with the world outside since early age and has read most of the writings Archivists have about the subject. And she has a nearly infallible memory.

If only the walking, talking library's curiousness would not be likely to get her in trouble, for she seems determined to learn as much as she can and bring back more current information.

===Chief Medic Ingrid Blackbear===

Ingrid trained to be a doctor. She also grew up to be the chieftain of Bear Clan. Now in her middle age and her dark hair growing grey, the tall and powerfully built woman has the attitude of one who knows she is the biggest, baddest mommy bear in the clan. Her bedside manner is not exactly comforting, but that matters little when she is carrying your bleeding form from the battlefield over her shoulder.

===The Quartermaster, Katbelmogegga aka Kat===

The hyperactive female gobber does not seem to ever stay still, or even slow down to walk. She is always dashing around. Then again, with all the dispersed supply cars to look after, that probably makes her perfect for the job. She keeps her hair in a long braid, is always carrying a thermos full of '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered - and is also a fond of '''silver cigars''', that are made from a silver-gray fungus.

===Garka Ironbiter===

Despite her relatively youthful age, in her twenties, this warrior of the Order of the Vengeful Fist is considered to be one of the best martial artists in Stonegate. Which is why the elders of her order chose her to lead the Ogrun volunteers of the Order for the task force. With her dedication, the training of her martial order, and her Ogrun formidableness, the dark haired Ogrun woman is without a doubt one of the most dangerous people among the task force.

===Jessica Flametongue===

Considered a prodigy among the arcanists of the exiles, this young sorceress could manifest battle magics at the age of three. Her order of Firestarters chose her to lead the substantial arcane force of theirs that volunteered for the task force. The platinum blonde human woman has an unusual feature - her irises are bright red.

==The Train==
[[File:Black_Betty.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Black Betty]]
Drawn by a massive locomotive, '''Black Betty''', every part of the train is armored with steel plating, and it is defended by turrets armed with gatling guns and cannons. It takes a particularly big and powerful locomotive to pull a train this heavy, but luckily for the task force, the Irongear family had dutifully maintained their heirloom one.

The cars are of various types. '''Freight cars''' contain the task force's supplies of weapons, ammunition, rations, medical supplies and additional gear, along with huge stores of coal and water both for the locomotive and the steamjcaks on board. '''Passenger cars''' with bunk berths and storage lockers house the members of the task force with their personal or permanently assigned gear. '''Steamjack cars''' hold the expedition's steamjacks. More specialized cars include the '''Command car''' for strategy sessions, '''Infirmary car''' for treating injuries, '''Dining car''' for the presumably rare moments of rest and relaxation, and '''Laboratory car''' in case there is a need to investigate something the task force comes across. There is also the '''Cold car''' with the temperature kept below freezing. So the casualties do not necessarily need to be left behind.

Most of the specialized cars are at the front of the train, close to the locomotive. Otherwise, the order is mixed. This is a precaution to ensure that the task force remains operational even if there is damage to part of the train.

Since the train is expected to travel through darkness, in addition to Black Betty's powerful front light, it has been equipped with powerful electric searchlights. Some are mounted to the turrets, others have an attached periscope and are operated from inside, allowing lookouts to keep an eye on the train's surroundings without exposing themselves to threats.

==Campaign Specific Rules==

The premise said “a strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past” and that is not just fluff. The game will introduce two features. Demons and Secrets.

===Demons===
Everyone has a Demon. People who are all right do not normally volunteer for potential suicide missions. But a Demon is not a GM tool. It is a player-controlled resource for gaining Inspiration.

A Demon can be anything. A gambling problem, a drinking problem, a tendency to feel sick at the sight of blood. It is something that causes trouble for the character when it manifests. But the characters are able to resist their Demons, so the player chooses when it manifests. When that happens, it causes problems for the character, whether mechanically or in the game situation. in return, the player gains Inspiration for the character.

===Secrets===
Every character also has a Secret. It can be something minor, like a fear of heights or some other phobia hidden out of embarrassment, that might come out at a dramatic moment. Or it can be something major, like being secretly a surviving scion of House Falcon (Royal line believed dead) a descendant of Scorpion the Mystic, or a member of Blood Clan (scary bogeymen people of legend – but legends are not always true).

Whatever the Secret is, it is something the character would keep secret from strangers. And the strike force is assembled from volunteers, with most people not knowing each other beforehand.

Secrets are initially known only by player and GM. If hints get dropped, it may be possible to figure out another character’s Secret, or the player may choose to reveal it. Whether by coming out with it, or agreeing with another player for another character to find it out. No matter how it happens, when someone’s Secret gets revealed, it is a dramatic moment, and the entire group gets an Effort Point!

Effort Points are detailed in ''Borderlands Survival Guide'' supplement. In addition to providing an Advantage they can be used for other things too. Such as instant healing, halving suffered damage, getting extra actions or attacks, or ending an ongoing effect. Instead of listing every possible option - if you want to affect an action or a condition to your character's benefit, Effort Point will do it.

Secrets may have non mechanical effects too, depending on what they are.

Also, NPCs have Demons and Secrets too. Their Demons are just something that may cause complications during the game, but Secrets are important. When NPCs Secret gets revealed, something happens, whether plot-wise or mechanically. But that is not going to happen without PC actions. Revealing a NPCs Secret is going to take intense roleplay, social skills, or investigation.

==Factions==

'''Scorpion's Oath''': The pro tribal rights, anti aristocratic party currently in power in the Parliament In Exile. They also have a military arm. Scorpion's Oath may have turned from freedom fighters to politicians, but they started out as a warrior order, and this bunch is all about tradition. So there are degrees of participation. Just taking the Oath means that you will support the cause to the degree you are capable and willing of, even if you are just a baker providing bread for the cause. The military arm is the '''Stingers'''. They are identified by a scorpion tattoo on the back of the left hand. Taking the tattoo indicates willingness to fight and die for the cause. The tattoo was almost a thing of the past before the Dark Devastation, but has gained popularity since.

'''The Royalists''': Once the most powerful party in Parliament, but they have diminished in power since, and even more since the Dark Devastation and the apparent demise of the House of Falcon. They favor a strong central authority, and more power for the Royal house. After the apparent death of the Royal House, most of those who still identify as Royalists come from the original human and elven tribes of The First Falcon King, but although few in number, those who remain are unshakable in their faith and dedication.

'''The Archivists''': A minor power with no representatives in the parliament. The Archivists are a group of scholars and sages dedicated to preserving and collecting knowledge of the past and of the outside. With the focus of life in Stonegate having been on survival, the "bookworms" have never been particularly popular, and what influence they have comes from the fact that they are highly learned people possessing specialized knowledge few others have.

'''The Order of the Vengeful Fist''': During the Dark Devastation, half a dozen Ogrun clans sent their male warriors to assist the Falcon Army in repelling the horrors. None came back. This gave birth to an all new warrior order. The Ogrun women, bereft of their menfolk and worried about an assault on Stonegate, trained to defend their folk. Bereft of weapons training, with all potential trainers gone to fight, they trained themselves to fight without weapons or armor, using only their formidable Ogrun physique. When it became obvious that the horrors could not breach Stonegate's defenses, they continued to train for a different purpose. To one day take the fight to the horrors and avenge the lost menfolk of their clans. It is no surprise that The Order of the Vengeful Fist volunteered for the task force in numbers!

'''The Firestarters''': Survivors of Cruor's arcane traditions, these wizards, warlocks and sorcerers have trained for generations for a single purpose - the retaking of the surface.

==Locations==

'''Stonegate''': The entrance to the underground realm of the dwarves, also the name of the entire dwarven nation. Currently also housing the refugees from the surface.

'''Falcon City''': The capital of Cruor, where the Dark Devastation started.

'''The Plain of Bones''': The site of one of the greatest battles in history, where Falcon Army and the Alliance of the Oath fought each other.

'''Highfall Bridge''': A bridge for both foot and vehicle traffic and trains, crossing the ravine and turbulent rapids within by a spectacular waterfall the bridge is named after.

'''Fallmarket''' A minor trading hub known for its seasonal market. And a site of tragedy, as the last refugee train to attempt passing through was caught by the horrors and overrun.

==Setting Background==

===History===

'''Cruor'''. A land of life surrounded by lifelessness. A huge area of fertile land and freshwater lakes and rivers. Bordered by a seemingly endless salt desert to the east, by a massive mountain range to the west and south, and to the north by arid tundra that ends in eternally frozen glaciers.

Over time, explorers have tried to brave the desert or the ice, or to cross the mountains, but those who returned could only report failure. Some faiths believe that there is nothing beyond the borders.

Long ago, in the barbaric era, Cruor was a land of separate clans and tribes that constantly raided and warred with each other. This was to change with the birth of a man called '''Falcon''', who became the '''First Falcon King'''.

Half human and half elf, Falcon rose to lead both tribes whose blood he had. Some historians say it was done by charm and diplomacy, others that it was by violence and assassination. All agree on what happened next. He created an army from both tribes and led it to war. By their numbers and their different yet combined ways of doing battle, Falcon Army subjugated the neighboring tribes. Rather than enslave and pillage as was usually done, Falcon added the tribes to his force.

Some legends claim that Falcon conquered all of Cruor, but that is not quite true. He started it, but unifying the land under one banner was continued by his son and finished by his granddaughter. And the conquest was not always by sword. Seeing the growing power of Falcon, some tribes willingly bent knee and joined him.

But Falcon was the person who made the unification of Cruor possible. His relentless advance ultimately brought unified opposition. The '''Alliance of the Oath''', formed and led by an elven mystic '''Scorpion'''. He arrived from the great salt desert. Some legends claim that Scorpion came from beyond the desert, but most historians agree that he was most likely a hermit mage who made his home in the desert. Historians disagree on his motivation. Some believe he reacted to the conquest of the tribe of his birth. Others believe he had mystical or philosophic reasons. What is known is that he was an eloquent speaker who warned that Falcon’s way of the conqueror would bring an end to the way of life of the tribes, and to their ancestral traditions by which they had survived, and that disaster would surely follow if the conqueror was not stopped.

Scorpion gathered a force of the still independent tribes, bolstered by exiles and refugees from the conquered tribes who had refused to join Falcon. The Alliance of the Oath met '''Falcon Army''' on a plain that carried a different name then but has since been known as the '''Plain of Bones'''. The Alliance took their name from the oath they swore, to fight for the independence and the traditions of their people. The Alliance outnumbered the Falcon Army, but had less cohesion. Tribal warbands against an organized army. The courage of the Alliance warriors faced the discipline of Falcon Army, and neither broke. Dead piled on both sides as the battle raged. Then the two leaders faced each other as Falcon and Scorpion clashed, knowing that only the fall of a leader could decide the battle.

Sagas and legends tell of the duel, and in more modern times, plays and novels as well. Both combatants had great skill at arms and wielded potent magics as well. The fight was epic. But at the end, Scorpion fell and the Alliance of the Oath lost the battle. Falcon ordered a great tomb built at the site of the duel in respect of his opponent.

That battle ultimately decided the fate of Cruor. There was no unified opposition to Falcon at that scale afterwards. Individual tribes continued to resist, assisted by survivors of the Alliance of the Oath who remained true to their oath. In the years to come, other people would swear the oath, and the freedom fighters of '''Scorpion’s Oath''' would harass the Falcon Army with guerrilla tactics, sabotage at the rear lines, strikes against the supply lines, and other asymmetric warfare. But they only slowed the inevitable. Eventually, even the last of the independent tribes was conquered.

It was Falcon’s granddaughter, '''Adea the Falcon Queen''', who founded the '''Parliament'''. Realizing that the fame of the Royal Line would fade when there would be no further conquests, and that the disparate tribes would begin to chafe under the leadership of a single person not of their people, she created a ruling power that represented all the people and could even veto Royal decrees and decisions. This proved to be a wise choice, although it would eventually cause the Royal House to lose their power to the Parliament. It would be a peaceful transition though. The founding of the parliament slowly brought an end to armed resistance. Even Scorpion’s Oath took their fight to the field of politics, becoming a significant faction within the parliament, and one most opposed to the House of Falcon.

The various faiths of Cruor had been already unified during the time of Falcon. Originally the tribes had their own gods. Understanding that arguments of faith could tear his army and growing nation apart, Falcon made the priests accept his degree that all gods were true and equal, combining the different faiths into what eventually turned into a single polytheistic one.

An unconfirmed legend tells that the unification of Cruor had one exception. The '''Blood Clan'''. Supposedly their faith and cultural practices were so abhorrent that rather than accepting them into his nation, Falcon had the entire clan put to sword, all they had burned to ash, and forbade mentioning them in histories. In bogeyman tales, some of the Blood Clan survived the purge and went into hiding, and if you are bad they may come for you.

And one people were never conquered. The dwarves of '''Stonegate''', living under the eastern mountains beyond a single massive gate that gave them their name. They had rejected Falcon’s diplomatic overtures, and the sound defeat he suffered when he led his army against Stonegate convinced the conqueror to let them be. For their part, the dwarves were content to stay under their mountains.

After Cruor became one nation, ruled by House of Falcon and the Parliament, it had no external enemies and little internal strife. In this environment, arts and sciences started to flourish, and an age of enlightenment began. Villages turned first into towns and then to cities. New techniques and discoveries led to ever further innovations, culminating in the steam engine that gave birth to railroads, and gunpowder that brought firearms. People of various tribes moved from their villages to growing towns and cities as the land became more urban. Yet the countryside was not totally deserted. Some people were dedicated to keeping their tribal culture and traditions alive, and kept living as they always had, hunting and farming.

In politics, the power of the Royal House waned over time until they were largely figureheads, with the true power in the hands of the Parliament.

Trade also flourished once the relationship with Stonegate turned friendlier, with surface products exchanged for minerals and other underground goods. Eventually, a railway was built, connecting '''Falcon City''', the capital, to Stonegate.

All in all Cruor seemed to be experiencing a golden age. And then the '''Dark Devastation''' happened.

There was no warning. No signs or portents. No explanation. It happened on the holiest day of the year and the largest celebration. '''The All Gods’ Day'''. It started in the capital’s grand cathedral where most of Cruor’s notables had gathered for the service. There were no survivors from the cathedral, and few from the capital in general, but what most accounts say is that all of a sudden, darkness like oily black clouds started flowing out of the doors and windows of the cathedral, spreading over the city and rising to the sky to blot out the sun. And within the darkness were beings of nightmare. And everyone they struck down rose back to their feet, dead, and set upon those still living.

It did not stop in the capital. The darkness and horrors spread rapidly, with people trying desperately to flee. The railroad saved countless lives as trains full of refugees fled the Devastation. But where could they go.

A lot of people decided to seek safety from the only place that had successfully resisted the first Falcon King. They headed for Stonegate as the Falcon Army mustered to repel the horrors. But after generations of peace with no threats, the army had shrunk into a token force that had never seen a real battle. Still they tried, assembling into a natural choke point of the '''Highfall Bridge'''. And although they ultimately failed to stop the horrors, they held long enough for countless refugees to reach Stonegate.

Ultimately, the Devastation still reached Stonegate as well. Firing from behind a shield wall, dwarven gunners kept the horrors at bay until the last refugees had got inside. Then they retreated as well, and what had never been done before happened. The Stonegate closed. A massive stone block weighing tens of tons sealed the entrance, leaving the horrors outside.

The sheer amount of refugees stretched the resources of the dwarven republic to the limits. Temporary housing was hastily quarried into abandoned mining tunnels. Food rationing was announced as new farms were set up in underground halls while engineers worked around the clock to build pumps and pipes from an underground lake to the new farms for irrigation. For all the efforts, malnutrition and even starvation was common in the first years.

Years grew into decades, and although the worst problems passed, life continued to be hard. Many refugees were ill suited for life underground, growing sickly without the light of the sun. Temporary housing turned permanent, with an entire family living in a single room and sleeping in small alcoves in the walls. Food rationing became the norm.

Relationships grew tense as well. Although most dwarves were happy to help, a minority resented the strain the refugees put on them. And while most refugees were grateful, a minority among them resented the better living conditions of the dwarves. Order was largely kept, although at a cost of patrols, checkpoints and curfews.

People tried to find an explanation for what had happened, and rumors and conspiracy theories spread. Revenge of the Blood Clan. Royal House making a pact with demons to regain their lost power. Radicals within Scorpion’s Oath making a pact with demons to bring an end to central authority. Vengeance of the Gods for the sin and decadence of the people who had abandoned the old ways. The explorers found something evil buried in the desert or ice and brought it to capital. The Group I Dislike did it for Reasons.

Scorpion’s Oath was swift to claim that Scorpion the Mystic had foreseen the Dark Devastation, saying that it was the disaster he had spoken of, and that the old traditions abandoned in favor of civilization and progress had kept the threat at bay. But they had an obvious political agenda in making that claim. Both the Parliament and House of Falcon were believed to have perished in the Devastation, for none was known to have reached Stonegate, but a new '''Parliament in Exile''' was formed, working together with the directly elected dwarven Ministers to bring order and governance to the refugees. And the claims of Scorpion’s Oath, whether there was any truth to them, gained them support and power.

Meanwhile, patrols that went above ground through sally points gave bleak news. Darkness had covered the world above and blotted out the sun, and the horrors were still up there.

A generation lived and died in their underground shelter. The next one grew better adapted to the life, but for them, surface and the sun were like fairy tales.

And then a surface patrol brought astounding news. Beams of sunlight. The cover of darkness was breaking.

Parliament in Exile and the dwarven Ministers started hastily talking. Could the surface be won back. But the horrors and the walking dead were still there, and even if they were pushed back, there was no guarantee that the Dark Devastation would not simply repeat. Besides, darkness still covered most of the land, and within it the monsters had the advantage. A decision was soon made that before sending a large army to the surface, they would need to strike at the source. The grand cathedral in the capital. A strike force needed to be sent there. At the very least to find out the truth about Dark Devastation, and if possible – kill it at the source so it would not happen again.

Yet the surface was still mostly covered by darkness and teeming with threats. The capital was hundreds of miles away from Stonegate. It seemed impossible that any force would be capable of reaching it, much less returning.

Then someone pointed out that the railway was still there. If Stonegate was opened long enough to send a train out, it could ride right to the capital. True, the railway might no longer be intact all the way, but if they sent an armored train that could act as a mobile fortified base, and not just soldiers but workers and engineers to repair any broken bridges and rail sections, a train built for war might accomplish what a conventional force would not.

===Life in Stonegate===

'''Dwarven culture''' is centered on professions. Professionalism and hard work are admirable traits among other people too, but dwarves take things a bit further. Not just individual people work the same profession from cradle to grave, striving to perfect their work. It is common for entire families to share the same profession, and to have done so for generations, the oldest generation passing their knowledge and skills on to the youngest. It is not uncommon for a young dwarf to opt for a different profession than the traditional one, but this generally means apprenticing to a family practicing the profession the young dwarf is interested in. This usually ends up with marrying into that family. This is considered normal social interaction, and it is the root of a saying the surface dwellers sometimes find odd. ''Change a profession, change the family.''

'''The refugees''' are a less uniform lot. Before Dark Devastation, there was a divide between the urbanized population living in the cities and embracing the modern advances, and the clan kin living in rural areas, practicing their traditional ways of life. That does not mean either that the clan kin were backwards or barbaric, or that the city folk had completely abandoned their clan traditions. Clans knew about the modern advances, but to what degree they used them varied by clan. And city folk might still wear at least the most important parts of traditional clan garb, or sport tattoos, hairstyles and ornaments common to their origins. It was not so much a cultural divide as a difference between lifestyle choices. But add to that the fact that the nation of Cruor was basically a federation of clans with sometimes very different looks and customs, and the refugees tend to be a highly varied lot.

What Stonegate is like physically varies a bit on where you live. '''The original areas''' where the dwarves live are the most spacious. Ceilings are high to facilitate ventilation. The streets are wide, with houses carved on the sides and pipes running close to the ceiling carrying water, air and electricity. Where the streets intersect are spacious plazas, usually with sculptures, fountains, or small parks in them. And although dwarves can see well in the dark, everything is well lit with electric lights.

Dwarves are '''masters of electricity''' - including military applications. They have to be, for in their underground home, fireplaces and steam engines common in the surface would compromise ventilation. So everything from lighting and heating to various machinery is powered by electricity. Coal power stations and steam engines that provide the power are away from populated areas, and have vents to get rid of the fumes. This was originally a marvel for the refugees who had still relied on gas lights and stoves.

The bright lighting is not just an aesthetic feature. The caves where Stonegate is has its own ecosystem and its own vermin. The lights prevent bats, blind rats and rock moles, and other critters from nesting in inhabited areas, for what is common to underground critters is that they are very sensitive to light. Even the blind ones feel it on their skin as an uncomfortable sensation, so they keep away from light. As a convenient extra feature, the lights make Stonegate easier for outside visitors to navigate. Such visitors were common even before Dark Devastation, although then it was mostly ogrun. Ogrun lived in the mountains close to Stonegate as friendly neighbors, and many lived in Stonegate as itinerant workers even then. Ogrun are strong, and very loyal to those they choose to serve, and have always been welcome among the dwarves.

Things are less well in '''the refugee quarters.''' They were hastily built, as originally speed was of the essence, with people sleeping in tents on the streets. Later on, proper renovations would have required tearing down the original.

Refugee quarters are a bit away from the dwarven quarters, since most were built in closed down mining tunnels, uninhabited caverns, and basically any space that was swiftly available. Ceilings tend to be much lower, and usually the pipes extend along the walls so people do not bump their heads in them. The corridors are much more narrow as well, and the house where people live might be just one large room with sleeping spaces carved on the walls, as originally the priority was to build something that could house as many people as possible, as fast as possible. In one word, the refugee quarters are cramped.

The refugees have the same utilities as the dwarves, though. Ventilation brings fresh air, although in cramped areas it is perhaps not as fresh as in dwarven areas. Electric lights provide illumination and drinking water is available from taps. Deficiencies in the hastily built original infrastructure sometimes cause lights or water to go out, but these problems are usually swiftly fixed.

'''The cuisine''' is more varied than the surface dwellers originally assumed. What can be grown without light are usually various kinds of mushrooms and fungi, and there are entire caverns dedicated to cultivating edible varieties. But people who assumed to face a diet of nothing but fungi and mushrooms were surprised.

Some distance from Stonegate is a vast underground lake where Stonegate gets its water from. Pumping stations send it first to the purification station where any impurities are removed, and then the drinkable water is pumped to the populated areas. But in addition to that, the lake provides several varieties of blind fish and eels, shellfish, and lakeweed and other edible plants.

The dwarves are skilled at harvesting the other cave ecosystem as well. Deep-fried bat. Stuffed mole. Rat stew. And more exotic things. There is a mineral eating cave vermin called ''burrowing maw'' - the name comes from the miners who hate the things - whose flesh, when prepared for food, tastes different depending on what it has been fed with. If you want to dine in expensive style, order one fed with precious metals.

Fruits and vegetables from the surface, once widely available through trade, have become rare and expensive delicacies. But they are available. They are grown in greenhouses under artificial lights. There are other greenhouses that grow inedible plants too, including a huge vault where trees grow! The cost of maintaining these is sometimes criticized, but to close them might mean that the plants within will go extinct, since no one knows if any have survived on the surface. Besides, these '''garden caves''' are popular places for relaxation. Tampering with the plants is strictly forbidden, though.

'''Recreational consumables''' have a lot of variety too. The most common is '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered. A bit less common product, because smoking is usually prohibited in public areas, are '''silver cigars''' that are made from a silver-gray fungus. Alcohol, most commonly brewed and distilled from mushrooms and fungi, ranges from various beers and ales to strong liquors. '''Striped mushroom''' is a mild relaxant that can be eaten either fresh or dried.

Not all recreational products are legal. Preserved '''Swift Nibbler Adrenal Gland''' more commonly known as ''Snag'' is an extremely strong stimulant - to the point that people have died after taking it. It is strictly banned, along with refined products from mushrooms or fungi with narcotic qualities.

Rails Through Hell

2025-01-13T11:52:01Z

Potted Plant: /* Factions */

This is a wiki for Rails Through Hell, a campaign for Iron Kingdoms: Requiem and D&D 5e.

A strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past rides an armored train through a devastated land populated with restless dead and nightmarish horrors, in a desperate and possibly suicidal attempt to reach and destroy the source of the devastation.
[[File:Scary_Rails.jpg |300px|thumb|right|The Rails]]

==Player Characters==

===Active===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Astrid|'''Astrid Hammerheart, Hexmaul''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/nightgoblyn.56962/ NightGoblyn]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Fenwick|'''Fenwick the Scribe, Dwarven Bard''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/sam-i-am.17480/ Sam I Am]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Lorilae|'''Lorilae Hallith, Iosan Druid''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dersen-lowery.72493/ Dersen Lowery]

===Inactive===

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Kazron|'''Kazron "Firehammer" Ironbeard, Dwarven Cleric''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/dork.66298/ Dork]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Torgul|'''Torgul Thunderhand, Ogrun Storm Knight''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/mr-adventurer.3201/ Mr Adventurer]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Voglomagorkamun|'''Voglomagorkamun, Gobber Alchemist''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/talisman.167661/ Talisman]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Eva|'''Eva Forvatto, Warlock''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/makudawnlight.223349/ MakuDawnLight]

[[Rails_Through_Hell:_Vander|'''Vander Zahn, Artificer''']] ''played by'' [https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?members/riki730.223186/ riki730]

==Non Player Characters==

===General Thorrn Lightningstrike===

The white haired and bearded dwarven general volunteered from retirement. He is no stranger to fighting the horrors. Eye patch and a mechanikal leg tell of his past in the surface patrols. He is experienced and shrewd, and technically in charge of the task force. But used to having to lead from the rear because of his injuries, he is known to listen to his officers. And anyone else whose expertise he respects.

A number of veterans from Stonegate Defence Force volunteered along with the General. Most of them are assigned to the train's turrets due to their experience with heavy military weapons.

===Member of Parliament from Scorpion’s Oath – Wolf Twicesworn===

The dark haired elf with piercing blue eyes is the only member of the Parliament in Exile to offer more than thoughts and prayers for the task force. He volunteered himself, and is accompanied by a large group of Stingers. The military arm of Scorpion's Oath that he himself is a member of.

Wolf is a politician fond of giving rousing speeches, especially to his followers who drink up his every word. He is also known as an excellent swordsman who is not afraid to use his blade. His followers call him a patriot. His detractors call him a fanatic. Even before departure, he has already butted heads with General Lightningstrike about matters of strategy and the chain of command. He has made clear that he thinks that as a member of the surface parliament, he should be in charge.

===Rail Guard Captain – Oskar Steamfist===

Once, the Rail Guard was a large and respected force patrolling and policing the railway. After the Stonegate closed, what remained of their duties dwindled to maintaining and patrolling the Stonegate Station, along with their numbers.

Few people were surprised when the entire remaining Rail Guard volunteered for the task force. In the time since the closing of Stonegate, the Rail Guard has gained a reputation as a boisterous and unruly lot, and their burly Captain certainly exhibits both of the qualities in abundance. But no one can doubt their eagerness, and they may possess the best information remaining of the rail lines outside.

===The Drivers – Emerald and Opal Irongear===

The non identical dwarven twin girls - one a redhead and the other blonde - seem young for the task force, but with the railway closed, few people know how to drive a locomotive the size of Black Betty, who leaves even the largest of those used in the mines to her shadow. And the twins are two of them. Coming from a long and proud line of railway workers, they literally grew up learning to drive the giant locomotive. And they have made clear that Black Betty is ''theirs'' and if she goes, they go.

===The Engineer – Erdil Irongear===

Emerald and Opal are not coming alone. They are accompanied by their grandfather Erdil. The gray haired dwarf is the very image of a grumpy old man, but he says he could maintain the train in his sleep, and could be right. He is also another person with skills to pilot Black Betty, should something happen to one of the twins.

===Archivist Cleo Nightingale===

Another person who looks not only too young but also unlikely to survive, the short, petite, brunette human woman looks like a particularly stiff breeze could carry her away. But she is not along for her combat skills. '''The Archivists''' were a group of scholars among the refugees who had fled with what knowledge they could carry with them, and also collected and recorded stories from the initial refugees. They have kept this knowledge, and possess an impressive library about the world outside, and of encounters with the horrors. Bringing all that knowledge along would be a difficult task though - if not for Cleo. The granddaughter of the Head Archivist, she has been fascinated with the world outside since early age and has read most of the writings Archivists have about the subject. And she has a nearly infallible memory.

If only the walking, talking library's curiousness would not be likely to get her in trouble, for she seems determined to learn as much as she can and bring back more current information.

===Chief Medic Ingrid Blackbear===

Ingrid trained to be a doctor. She also grew up to be the chieftain of Bear Clan. Now in her middle age and her dark hair growing grey, the tall and powerfully built woman has the attitude of one who knows she is the biggest, baddest mommy bear in the clan. Her bedside manner is not exactly comforting, but that matters little when she is carrying your bleeding form from the battlefield over her shoulder.

===The Quartermaster, Katbelmogegga aka Kat===

The hyperactive female gobber does not seem to ever stay still, or even slow down to walk. She is always dashing around. Then again, with all the dispersed supply cars to look after, that probably makes her perfect for the job. She keeps her hair in a long braid, is always carrying a thermos full of '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered - and is also a fond of '''silver cigars''', that are made from a silver-gray fungus.

===Garka Ironbiter===

Despite her relatively youthful age, in her twenties, this warrior of the Order of the Vengeful Fist is considered to be one of the best martial artists in Stonegate. Which is why the elders of her order chose her to lead the Ogrun volunteers of the Order for the task force. With her dedication, the training of her martial order, and her Ogrun formidableness, the dark haired Ogrun woman is without a doubt one of the most dangerous people among the task force.

===Jessica Flametongue===

Considered a prodigy among the arcanists of the exiles, this young sorceress could manifest battle magics at the age of three. Her order of Firestarters chose her to lead the substantial arcane force of theirs that volunteered for the task force. The platinum blonde human woman has an unusual feature - her irises are bright red.

==The Train==
[[File:Black_Betty.jpg |300px|thumb|right|Black Betty]]
Drawn by a massive locomotive, '''Black Betty''', every part of the train is armored with steel plating, and it is defended by turrets armed with gatling guns and cannons. It takes a particularly big and powerful locomotive to pull a train this heavy, but luckily for the task force, the Irongear family had dutifully maintained their heirloom one.

The cars are of various types. '''Freight cars''' contain the task force's supplies of weapons, ammunition, rations, medical supplies and additional gear, along with huge stores of coal and water both for the locomotive and the steamjcaks on board. '''Passenger cars''' with bunk berths and storage lockers house the members of the task force with their personal or permanently assigned gear. '''Steamjack cars''' hold the expedition's steamjacks. More specialized cars include the '''Command car''' for strategy sessions, '''Infirmary car''' for treating injuries, '''Dining car''' for the presumably rare moments of rest and relaxation, and '''Laboratory car''' in case there is a need to investigate something the task force comes across. There is also the '''Cold car''' with the temperature kept below freezing. So the casualties do not necessarily need to be left behind.

Most of the specialized cars are at the front of the train, close to the locomotive. Otherwise, the order is mixed. This is a precaution to ensure that the task force remains operational even if there is damage to part of the train.

Since the train is expected to travel through darkness, in addition to Black Betty's powerful front light, it has been equipped with powerful electric searchlights. Some are mounted to the turrets, others have an attached periscope and are operated from inside, allowing lookouts to keep an eye on the train's surroundings without exposing themselves to threats.

==Campaign Specific Rules==

The premise said “a strike team haunted by their secrets and demons of the past” and that is not just fluff. The game will introduce two features. Demons and Secrets.

===Demons===
Everyone has a Demon. People who are all right do not normally volunteer for potential suicide missions. But a Demon is not a GM tool. It is a player-controlled resource for gaining Inspiration.

A Demon can be anything. A gambling problem, a drinking problem, a tendency to feel sick at the sight of blood. It is something that causes trouble for the character when it manifests. But the characters are able to resist their Demons, so the player chooses when it manifests. When that happens, it causes problems for the character, whether mechanically or in the game situation. in return, the player gains Inspiration for the character.

===Secrets===
Every character also has a Secret. It can be something minor, like a fear of heights or some other phobia hidden out of embarrassment, that might come out at a dramatic moment. Or it can be something major, like being secretly a surviving scion of House Falcon (Royal line believed dead) a descendant of Scorpion the Mystic, or a member of Blood Clan (scary bogeymen people of legend – but legends are not always true).

Whatever the Secret is, it is something the character would keep secret from strangers. And the strike force is assembled from volunteers, with most people not knowing each other beforehand.

Secrets are initially known only by player and GM. If hints get dropped, it may be possible to figure out another character’s Secret, or the player may choose to reveal it. Whether by coming out with it, or agreeing with another player for another character to find it out. No matter how it happens, when someone’s Secret gets revealed, it is a dramatic moment, and the entire group gets an Effort Point!

Effort Points are detailed in ''Borderlands Survival Guide'' supplement. In addition to providing an Advantage they can be used for other things too. Such as instant healing, halving suffered damage, getting extra actions or attacks, or ending an ongoing effect. Instead of listing every possible option - if you want to affect an action or a condition to your character's benefit, Effort Point will do it.

Secrets may have non mechanical effects too, depending on what they are.

Also, NPCs have Demons and Secrets too. Their Demons are just something that may cause complications during the game, but Secrets are important. When NPCs Secret gets revealed, something happens, whether plot-wise or mechanically. But that is not going to happen without PC actions. Revealing a NPCs Secret is going to take intense roleplay, social skills, or investigation.

==Factions==

'''Scorpion's Oath''': The pro tribal rights, anti aristocratic party currently in power in the Parliament In Exile. They also have a military arm. Scorpion's Oath may have turned from freedom fighters to politicians, but they started out as a warrior order, and this bunch is all about tradition. So there are degrees of participation. Just taking the Oath means that you will support the cause to the degree you are capable and willing of, even if you are just a baker providing bread for the cause. The military arm is the '''Stingers'''. They are identified by a scorpion tattoo on the back of the left hand. Taking the tattoo indicates willingness to fight and die for the cause. The tattoo was almost a thing of the past before the Dark Devastation, but has gained popularity since.

'''The Royalists''': Once the most powerful party in Parliament, but they have diminished in power since, and even more since the Dark Devastation and the apparent demise of the House of Falcon. They favor a strong central authority, and more power for the Royal house. After the apparent death of the Royal House, most of those who still identify as Royalists come from the original human and elven tribes of The First Falcon King, but although few in number, those who remain are unshakable in their faith and dedication.

'''The Archivists''': A minor power with no representatives in the parliament. The Archivists are a group of scholars and sages dedicated to preserving and collecting knowledge of the past and of the outside. With the focus of life in Stonegate having been on survival, the "bookworms" have never been particularly popular, and what influence they have comes from the fact that they are highly learned people possessing specialized knowledge few others have.

'''The Order of the Vengeful Fist''': During the Dark Devastation, half a dozen Ogrun clans sent their male warriors to assist the Falcon Army in repelling the horrors. None came back. This gave birth to an all new warrior order. The Ogrun women, bereft of their menfolk and worried about an assault on Stonegate, trained to defend their folk. Bereft of weapons training, with all potential trainers gone to fight, they trained themselves to fight without weapons or armor, using only their formidable Ogrun physique. When it became obvious that the horrors could not breach Stonegate's defenses, they continued to train for a different purpose. To one day take the fight to the horrors and avenge the lost menfolk of their clans. It is no surprise that The Order of the Vengeful Fist volunteered for the task force in numbers!

'''The Firestarters''': Survivors of Cruor's arcane traditions, these wizards, warlocks and sorcerers have trained for generations for a single purpose - the retaking of the surface.

==Locations==

'''Stonegate''': The entrance to the underground realm of the dwarves, also the name of the entire dwarven nation. Currently also housing the refugees from the surface.

'''Falcon City''': The capital of Cruor, where the Dark Devastation started.

'''The Plain of Bones''': The site of one of the greatest battles in history, where Falcon Army and the Alliance of the Oath fought each other.

'''Highfall Bridge''': A bridge for both foot and vehicle traffic and trains, crossing the ravine and turbulent rapids within by a spectacular waterfall the bridge is named after.

'''Fallmarket''' A minor trading hub known for its seasonal market. And a site of tragedy, as the last refugee train to attempt passing through was caught by the horrors and overrun.

==Setting Background==

===History===

'''Cruor'''. A land of life surrounded by lifelessness. A huge area of fertile land and freshwater lakes and rivers. Bordered by a seemingly endless salt desert to the east, by a massive mountain range to the west and south, and to the north by arid tundra that ends in eternally frozen glaciers.

Over time, explorers have tried to brave the desert or the ice, or to cross the mountains, but those who returned could only report failure. Some faiths believe that there is nothing beyond the borders.

Long ago, in the barbaric era, Cruor was a land of separate clans and tribes that constantly raided and warred with each other. This was to change with the birth of a man called '''Falcon''', who became the '''First Falcon King'''.

Half human and half elf, Falcon rose to lead both tribes whose blood he had. Some historians say it was done by charm and diplomacy, others that it was by violence and assassination. All agree on what happened next. He created an army from both tribes and led it to war. By their numbers and their different yet combined ways of doing battle, Falcon Army subjugated the neighboring tribes. Rather than enslave and pillage as was usually done, Falcon added the tribes to his force.

Some legends claim that Falcon conquered all of Cruor, but that is not quite true. He started it, but unifying the land under one banner was continued by his son and finished by his granddaughter. And the conquest was not always by sword. Seeing the growing power of Falcon, some tribes willingly bent knee and joined him.

But Falcon was the person who made the unification of Cruor possible. His relentless advance ultimately brought unified opposition. The '''Alliance of the Oath''', formed and led by an elven mystic '''Scorpion'''. He arrived from the great salt desert. Some legends claim that Scorpion came from beyond the desert, but most historians agree that he was most likely a hermit mage who made his home in the desert. Historians disagree on his motivation. Some believe he reacted to the conquest of the tribe of his birth. Others believe he had mystical or philosophic reasons. What is known is that he was an eloquent speaker who warned that Falcon’s way of the conqueror would bring an end to the way of life of the tribes, and to their ancestral traditions by which they had survived, and that disaster would surely follow if the conqueror was not stopped.

Scorpion gathered a force of the still independent tribes, bolstered by exiles and refugees from the conquered tribes who had refused to join Falcon. The Alliance of the Oath met '''Falcon Army''' on a plain that carried a different name then but has since been known as the '''Plain of Bones'''. The Alliance took their name from the oath they swore, to fight for the independence and the traditions of their people. The Alliance outnumbered the Falcon Army, but had less cohesion. Tribal warbands against an organized army. The courage of the Alliance warriors faced the discipline of Falcon Army, and neither broke. Dead piled on both sides as the battle raged. Then the two leaders faced each other as Falcon and Scorpion clashed, knowing that only the fall of a leader could decide the battle.

Sagas and legends tell of the duel, and in more modern times, plays and novels as well. Both combatants had great skill at arms and wielded potent magics as well. The fight was epic. But at the end, Scorpion fell and the Alliance of the Oath lost the battle. Falcon ordered a great tomb built at the site of the duel in respect of his opponent.

That battle ultimately decided the fate of Cruor. There was no unified opposition to Falcon at that scale afterwards. Individual tribes continued to resist, assisted by survivors of the Alliance of the Oath who remained true to their oath. In the years to come, other people would swear the oath, and the freedom fighters of '''Scorpion’s Oath''' would harass the Falcon Army with guerrilla tactics, sabotage at the rear lines, strikes against the supply lines, and other asymmetric warfare. But they only slowed the inevitable. Eventually, even the last of the independent tribes was conquered.

It was Falcon’s granddaughter, '''Adea the Falcon Queen''', who founded the '''Parliament'''. Realizing that the fame of the Royal Line would fade when there would be no further conquests, and that the disparate tribes would begin to chafe under the leadership of a single person not of their people, she created a ruling power that represented all the people and could even veto Royal decrees and decisions. This proved to be a wise choice, although it would eventually cause the Royal House to lose their power to the Parliament. It would be a peaceful transition though. The founding of the parliament slowly brought an end to armed resistance. Even Scorpion’s Oath took their fight to the field of politics, becoming a significant faction within the parliament, and one most opposed to the House of Falcon.

The various faiths of Cruor had been already unified during the time of Falcon. Originally the tribes had their own gods. Understanding that arguments of faith could tear his army and growing nation apart, Falcon made the priests accept his degree that all gods were true and equal, combining the different faiths into what eventually turned into a single polytheistic one.

An unconfirmed legend tells that the unification of Cruor had one exception. The '''Blood Clan'''. Supposedly their faith and cultural practices were so abhorrent that rather than accepting them into his nation, Falcon had the entire clan put to sword, all they had burned to ash, and forbade mentioning them in histories. In bogeyman tales, some of the Blood Clan survived the purge and went into hiding, and if you are bad they may come for you.

And one people were never conquered. The dwarves of '''Stonegate''', living under the eastern mountains beyond a single massive gate that gave them their name. They had rejected Falcon’s diplomatic overtures, and the sound defeat he suffered when he led his army against Stonegate convinced the conqueror to let them be. For their part, the dwarves were content to stay under their mountains.

After Cruor became one nation, ruled by House of Falcon and the Parliament, it had no external enemies and little internal strife. In this environment, arts and sciences started to flourish, and an age of enlightenment began. Villages turned first into towns and then to cities. New techniques and discoveries led to ever further innovations, culminating in the steam engine that gave birth to railroads, and gunpowder that brought firearms. People of various tribes moved from their villages to growing towns and cities as the land became more urban. Yet the countryside was not totally deserted. Some people were dedicated to keeping their tribal culture and traditions alive, and kept living as they always had, hunting and farming.

In politics, the power of the Royal House waned over time until they were largely figureheads, with the true power in the hands of the Parliament.

Trade also flourished once the relationship with Stonegate turned friendlier, with surface products exchanged for minerals and other underground goods. Eventually, a railway was built, connecting '''Falcon City''', the capital, to Stonegate.

All in all Cruor seemed to be experiencing a golden age. And then the '''Dark Devastation''' happened.

There was no warning. No signs or portents. No explanation. It happened on the holiest day of the year and the largest celebration. '''The All Gods’ Day'''. It started in the capital’s grand cathedral where most of Cruor’s notables had gathered for the service. There were no survivors from the cathedral, and few from the capital in general, but what most accounts say is that all of a sudden, darkness like oily black clouds started flowing out of the doors and windows of the cathedral, spreading over the city and rising to the sky to blot out the sun. And within the darkness were beings of nightmare. And everyone they struck down rose back to their feet, dead, and set upon those still living.

It did not stop in the capital. The darkness and horrors spread rapidly, with people trying desperately to flee. The railroad saved countless lives as trains full of refugees fled the Devastation. But where could they go.

A lot of people decided to seek safety from the only place that had successfully resisted the first Falcon King. They headed for Stonegate as the Falcon Army mustered to repel the horrors. But after generations of peace with no threats, the army had shrunk into a token force that had never seen a real battle. Still they tried, assembling into a natural choke point of the '''Highfall Bridge'''. And although they ultimately failed to stop the horrors, they held long enough for countless refugees to reach Stonegate.

Ultimately, the Devastation still reached Stonegate as well. Firing from behind a shield wall, dwarven gunners kept the horrors at bay until the last refugees had got inside. Then they retreated as well, and what had never been done before happened. The Stonegate closed. A massive stone block weighing tens of tons sealed the entrance, leaving the horrors outside.

The sheer amount of refugees stretched the resources of the dwarven republic to the limits. Temporary housing was hastily quarried into abandoned mining tunnels. Food rationing was announced as new farms were set up in underground halls while engineers worked around the clock to build pumps and pipes from an underground lake to the new farms for irrigation. For all the efforts, malnutrition and even starvation was common in the first years.

Years grew into decades, and although the worst problems passed, life continued to be hard. Many refugees were ill suited for life underground, growing sickly without the light of the sun. Temporary housing turned permanent, with an entire family living in a single room and sleeping in small alcoves in the walls. Food rationing became the norm.

Relationships grew tense as well. Although most dwarves were happy to help, a minority resented the strain the refugees put on them. And while most refugees were grateful, a minority among them resented the better living conditions of the dwarves. Order was largely kept, although at a cost of patrols, checkpoints and curfews.

People tried to find an explanation for what had happened, and rumors and conspiracy theories spread. Revenge of the Blood Clan. Royal House making a pact with demons to regain their lost power. Radicals within Scorpion’s Oath making a pact with demons to bring an end to central authority. Vengeance of the Gods for the sin and decadence of the people who had abandoned the old ways. The explorers found something evil buried in the desert or ice and brought it to capital. The Group I Dislike did it for Reasons.

Scorpion’s Oath was swift to claim that Scorpion the Mystic had foreseen the Dark Devastation, saying that it was the disaster he had spoken of, and that the old traditions abandoned in favor of civilization and progress had kept the threat at bay. But they had an obvious political agenda in making that claim. Both the Parliament and House of Falcon were believed to have perished in the Devastation, for none was known to have reached Stonegate, but a new '''Parliament in Exile''' was formed, working together with the directly elected dwarven Ministers to bring order and governance to the refugees. And the claims of Scorpion’s Oath, whether there was any truth to them, gained them support and power.

Meanwhile, patrols that went above ground through sally points gave bleak news. Darkness had covered the world above and blotted out the sun, and the horrors were still up there.

A generation lived and died in their underground shelter. The next one grew better adapted to the life, but for them, surface and the sun were like fairy tales.

And then a surface patrol brought astounding news. Beams of sunlight. The cover of darkness was breaking.

Parliament in Exile and the dwarven Ministers started hastily talking. Could the surface be won back. But the horrors and the walking dead were still there, and even if they were pushed back, there was no guarantee that the Dark Devastation would not simply repeat. Besides, darkness still covered most of the land, and within it the monsters had the advantage. A decision was soon made that before sending a large army to the surface, they would need to strike at the source. The grand cathedral in the capital. A strike force needed to be sent there. At the very least to find out the truth about Dark Devastation, and if possible – kill it at the source so it would not happen again.

Yet the surface was still mostly covered by darkness and teeming with threats. The capital was hundreds of miles away from Stonegate. It seemed impossible that any force would be capable of reaching it, much less returning.

Then someone pointed out that the railway was still there. If Stonegate was opened long enough to send a train out, it could ride right to the capital. True, the railway might no longer be intact all the way, but if they sent an armored train that could act as a mobile fortified base, and not just soldiers but workers and engineers to repair any broken bridges and rail sections, a train built for war might accomplish what a conventional force would not.

===Life in Stonegate===

'''Dwarven culture''' is centered on professions. Professionalism and hard work are admirable traits among other people too, but dwarves take things a bit further. Not just individual people work the same profession from cradle to grave, striving to perfect their work. It is common for entire families to share the same profession, and to have done so for generations, the oldest generation passing their knowledge and skills on to the youngest. It is not uncommon for a young dwarf to opt for a different profession than the traditional one, but this generally means apprenticing to a family practicing the profession the young dwarf is interested in. This usually ends up with marrying into that family. This is considered normal social interaction, and it is the root of a saying the surface dwellers sometimes find odd. ''Change a profession, change the family.''

'''The refugees''' are a less uniform lot. Before Dark Devastation, there was a divide between the urbanized population living in the cities and embracing the modern advances, and the clan kin living in rural areas, practicing their traditional ways of life. That does not mean either that the clan kin were backwards or barbaric, or that the city folk had completely abandoned their clan traditions. Clans knew about the modern advances, but to what degree they used them varied by clan. And city folk might still wear at least the most important parts of traditional clan garb, or sport tattoos, hairstyles and ornaments common to their origins. It was not so much a cultural divide as a difference between lifestyle choices. But add to that the fact that the nation of Cruor was basically a federation of clans with sometimes very different looks and customs, and the refugees tend to be a highly varied lot.

What Stonegate is like physically varies a bit on where you live. '''The original areas''' where the dwarves live are the most spacious. Ceilings are high to facilitate ventilation. The streets are wide, with houses carved on the sides and pipes running close to the ceiling carrying water, air and electricity. Where the streets intersect are spacious plazas, usually with sculptures, fountains, or small parks in them. And although dwarves can see well in the dark, everything is well lit with electric lights.

Dwarves are '''masters of electricity''' - including military applications. They have to be, for in their underground home, fireplaces and steam engines common in the surface would compromise ventilation. So everything from lighting and heating to various machinery is powered by electricity. Coal power stations and steam engines that provide the power are away from populated areas, and have vents to get rid of the fumes. This was originally a marvel for the refugees who had still relied on gas lights and stoves.

The bright lighting is not just an aesthetic feature. The caves where Stonegate is has its own ecosystem and its own vermin. The lights prevent bats, blind rats and rock moles, and other critters from nesting in inhabited areas, for what is common to underground critters is that they are very sensitive to light. Even the blind ones feel it on their skin as an uncomfortable sensation, so they keep away from light. As a convenient extra feature, the lights make Stonegate easier for outside visitors to navigate. Such visitors were common even before Dark Devastation, although then it was mostly ogrun. Ogrun lived in the mountains close to Stonegate as friendly neighbors, and many lived in Stonegate as itinerant workers even then. Ogrun are strong, and very loyal to those they choose to serve, and have always been welcome among the dwarves.

Things are less well in '''the refugee quarters.''' They were hastily built, as originally speed was of the essence, with people sleeping in tents on the streets. Later on, proper renovations would have required tearing down the original.

Refugee quarters are a bit away from the dwarven quarters, since most were built in closed down mining tunnels, uninhabited caverns, and basically any space that was swiftly available. Ceilings tend to be much lower, and usually the pipes extend along the walls so people do not bump their heads in them. The corridors are much more narrow as well, and the house where people live might be just one large room with sleeping spaces carved on the walls, as originally the priority was to build something that could house as many people as possible, as fast as possible. In one word, the refugee quarters are cramped.

The refugees have the same utilities as the dwarves, though. Ventilation brings fresh air, although in cramped areas it is perhaps not as fresh as in dwarven areas. Electric lights provide illumination and drinking water is available from taps. Deficiencies in the hastily built original infrastructure sometimes cause lights or water to go out, but these problems are usually swiftly fixed.

'''The cuisine''' is more varied than the surface dwellers originally assumed. What can be grown without light are usually various kinds of mushrooms and fungi, and there are entire caverns dedicated to cultivating edible varieties. But people who assumed to face a diet of nothing but fungi and mushrooms were surprised.

Some distance from Stonegate is a vast underground lake where Stonegate gets its water from. Pumping stations send it first to the purification station where any impurities are removed, and then the drinkable water is pumped to the populated areas. But in addition to that, the lake provides several varieties of blind fish and eels, shellfish, and lakeweed and other edible plants.

The dwarves are skilled at harvesting the other cave ecosystem as well. Deep-fried bat. Stuffed mole. Rat stew. And more exotic things. There is a mineral eating cave vermin called ''burrowing maw'' - the name comes from the miners who hate the things - whose flesh, when prepared for food, tastes different depending on what it has been fed with. If you want to dine in expensive style, order one fed with precious metals.

Fruits and vegetables from the surface, once widely available through trade, have become rare and expensive delicacies. But they are available. They are grown in greenhouses under artificial lights. There are other greenhouses that grow inedible plants too, including a huge vault where trees grow! The cost of maintaining these is sometimes criticized, but to close them might mean that the plants within will go extinct, since no one knows if any have survived on the surface. Besides, these '''garden caves''' are popular places for relaxation. Tampering with the plants is strictly forbidden, though.

'''Recreational consumables''' have a lot of variety too. The most common is '''kef''' - a bitter, stimulating drink made from a type of dark mushroom that is dried and powdered. A bit less common product, because smoking is usually prohibited in public areas, are '''silver cigars''' that are made from a silver-gray fungus. Alcohol, most commonly brewed and distilled from mushrooms and fungi, ranges from various beers and ales to strong liquors. '''Striped mushroom''' is a mild relaxant that can be eaten either fresh or dried.

Not all recreational products are legal. Preserved '''Swift Nibbler Adrenal Gland''' more commonly known as ''Snag'' is an extremely strong stimulant - to the point that people have died after taking it. It is strictly banned, along with refined products from mushrooms or fungi with narcotic qualities.