Fragile:Main Page

FRAGILE

Ripley: These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers.

Newt: It won't make any difference.

- Aliens (1986)

This wiki page is for a Spycraft 2.0 Play-By-Post game being played on the RPG.net play-by-post forums. Mathey is the Game Control for the game and is primarily responsible for creating and updating this wiki page.

Cast

Bearclaw as Jared Mendoza, Homicide Detective

ChalkLine as Jeff Davies, SWAT Officer

Illegible Smudge as Brad Rivers, SWAT Officer

Jason Panella as Ben Hartcourt, Martial Arts Instructor

Silent Wayfarer as Tony Tanaka, SWAT Officer

Tapeworm as Jim Russell, SWAT Officer

The Story So Far

The date is May 22, 2008. The time is 10:30 P.M. PST. The place is the outskirts of Boulder City, approximately 20 miles from downtown Las Vegas. Members of the LVMPD are on their way to serve a high risk warrant at the isolated compound of a minor religious cult known as The Hallowed Believers. The warrant is for the cult leader, Dr. George Carpenter, on suspicion of his involvement in a string of ritualistic murders in the region. The suspect is presumed to be armed and dangerous, and it is expected that he and his followers may offer resistance. They are suspected of having a stockpile of firearms ranging from handguns to assault rifles. Trailers in the form of LVMPD detectives, LVMPD and Boulder City patrol officers, Vegas and Boulder City paramedics, and the Boulder City Fire Department will respond to assist as needed.

Inside of the compound, a blinded man screams a warning nobody hears...

Action Dice

Ben: 0

Brad: 2

Jared: 2

Jeff: 2

Jim: 2

Tony: 2

GC: 5

Equipment

Mission Bundle for Part One

• [1] H&K UMP .45 ACP III (3 Upgrades, 5.9 lbs., 30 XP)

• [1] FN P90 5.7 x 28mm II (6.6 lbs., 20 XP)

• [1] Colt M4A1 5.56x45mm NATO III (3 Upgrades, 7.5 lbs., 30 XP)

• [1] Remington Model 870P 12g III (7.3 lbs., 30 XP)

• [1] Remington Model 870P 12g III (7.3 lbs., 30 XP, frangible ammo)

• [5] S&W Model 5906 9mm P II (Use stats for H&K USP 9mm P, 2 Upgrades, 1.7 lbs each., 100 XP)

• [2] Flash/bang Grenades x3 II (1 lbs. per set, 40 XP)

• [1] Stinger Grenades x2 III (1 lbs., 30 XP)

• [1] Pepper Spray I (0.2 lbs., 10 XP)

• [1] Melee Stun Gun I (2 lbs., 10 XP)

• [1] Sledge hammer II (16 lbs., 20 XP)

• [1] Breaching Charge II (3 lbs., 20 XP)

• [4] Modular Tactical Armor III (8 lbs. each, 120 XP)

• [1] Raid Jacket II (1 Upgrade, 7 lbs., 20 XP)

• [1] Fiberscope I (4 lbs., 10 XP)

• [4] Nightvision Goggles I (1.5 lbs. each, 40 XP)

• [6] Tactical Radio I (1 lbs. each, 10 XP)

• [1] First Aid Kit I (5 lbs., 10 XP)

• [1] Forensics Kit I (10 lbs., 10 XP)

• [1] Demolitions Kit I (5 lbs., 10 XP)

• [4] flashlight, safety goggles, earplugs, handcuffs, 20 zip ties, load-bearing gear, go-bar, Leatherman, glass punch (3.5 lbs. per set, 36 XP)

• [1] handcuffs, 20 zip ties (1 lbs., 2 XP)

• [1] battering ram (35 lbs., 1 XP)

• [1] retractable mirror (1 lbs., 1 XP)

Total XP Penalty: 690 XP

Graveyard

Now Accepting Applications

Premise

Fragile is a Spycraft 2.0 survival horror game in which members of the select Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's SWAT unit are sent out on a high risk warrant call and come face-to-face with something they could never have expected. The emphasis will be on tactical action, physical horror, and psychological dread. The PCs will be members of the SWAT unit, other emergency responders, or even civilians caught up in the event. Survival will be the ultimate goal, but it may come at a terrible price.

Setting

The game will be set in and around Nevada in the Summer of 2008. Aside from the specific threat that the PCs will encounter, the world will be a close approximation of our real one, and be fairly realistic in tone up to a point. As the LVMPD's SWAT unit has jurisdiction out to 150 miles from Las Vegas, you can expect to see action in places other than just Sin City.

Characters

The majority (3/4) of the PCs should be members of the SWAT unit that goes in the initial call. The LVMPD SWAT is a relatively small but elite tactical response unit that is full-time and performs any numbers of roles on behalf of the police department. SWAT members are required to have some prior police experience and are regularly, intensively trained. In addition to being a member of the SWAT team, PCs may optionally come from other branches of the emergency response units on the scene. These can include firemen, paramedics, and other LVMPD officers. Alternatively, and on a limited basis, PCs may be civilians who happen to be in the vicinity when the action goes down. They should have a background that explains their survivability, even if its just the fact that they are a strong-willed and quick thinking everyman.

In terms of Level and Classes, PCs will begin at 7th Level. This is for two reasons; one, the premise implies some pretty unique and exceptional protagonists, and two, I just want to see what gameplay at this higher level is like. Origins can be taken from the core rulebook and the World on Fire sourcebook, with some possible exceptions if I feel the Talent or Specialty is inappropriate. PCs can take levels in the following basic classes, from the core book and World on Fire:

Explorer, Intruder, Martial Artist, Pointman, Scout, Sleuth, Soldier

As 7th level characters, PCs may also take levels in the following expert classes, from the core book and World on Fire:

Brawler, Counter-Terrorist, Edgemaster, Grunt, Guide, Medic, Sniper, Tactician

I can make exceptions for the basic and expert classes if I feel the concept merits it, but this should give you some idea of what I'm looking for in terms of team roles.

I should note here that, given the themes of the game, PC mortality rates may be a bit higher than you're used to. Its recommended that everybody have a concept in mind for a backup character who can be introduced if your own PC succumbs to the horror. This is the kind of story where luck can be as much of a factor as skill, and there is no clear candidate for survival at the outset. It is also entirely possible that NOBODY will survive, though I'd try to make it a satisfying if not happy ending.

As per usual in my Play-By-Post games, I really prefer to have players post fleshed-out concepts before we even begin to talk about statistics or sheets. It doesn't need to be a novella, but do try to give some sense of who your PC is as a person in addition to whatever tactical role they might have to play. The psychological aspect of these people will receive particular emphasis given their situation.

About the LVMPD SWAT

(paraphrased from GURPS SWAT)

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department SWAT unit is relatively small (about 20 officers) but highly trained and well equipped. It deals with urban call outs, but also has jurisdiction out to 150 miles from the city, into the mountains, towns, and deserts of Nevada. Getting into the unit is tough and there's a long waiting list of applicants. Requirements are three years of patrol experience, excellent service record, and passing a series of physical and mental exams. Then you receive 80 hours of training, a high priority for this team, which is full-time. Training is in entry, assault, vehicle takedown, climbing, rappelling, helicopter deployment, live-fire exercises, physical workouts, and weapons. They also receive desert survival training. Each of the two 10-man teams have a team sergeant (probably an NPC), an element leader, two snipers, a grenade specialist, and five assaulters.

For more information on real world SWAT tactics, check this page: Fragile:SWAT

Campaign Qualities

As this is a horror game with a lot of action and mayhem, I've decided to go with the following Campaign Qualities:

Bleak (+75 XP) PCs begin with 2 fewer action dice per session and their action dice never explode

Ash: I admire its purity. A survivor, unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality.

Parker: Look, I am-I've heard enough of this, and I'm asking you to pull the plug.

Ash: Last word.

Ripley: What?

Ash: I can't lie to you about your chances, but...you have my sympathies.

- Alien (1979)

Bloodbath (+0) Threats are automatically activated as critical hits by PCs and special NPCs

Hicks: Remember: short, controlled bursts.

- Aliens (1986)

Fast Growth (+0 XP) XP required to gain a level is 1/2 normal

Chris Redfield: There are only three S.T.A.R.S. members left now. Captain Wesker, Jill and myself. We don't know where Barry is.

- Biohazard, AKA Resident Evil (1996)

Fragile (+0 XP) After Level 1, PCs gain only 2 vp per career level (d8 vitality die), 3 vp per career level (d10 vitality die), or 4 vp per career level (d12 vitality die)

Sheriff McClelland: Good shot! OK, he's dead; let's go get 'im. That's another one for the fire.

- Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Gritty (+100 XP) The cost to activate a critical injury inflicted on a player or special character decreases by 1 action die (minimum 0). Further, the range of damage at which a Fortitude save must be made to avoid a critical injury becomes 16-25, and the threshold at which a Fortitude save must be made to avoid dropping to -9 wound points become 26+. Finally, the DCs of all Medicine checks increase by 5, and the error ranges of all such checks increase by 2.

Beth: I'm an English teacher, not fucking Tomb Raider.

- The Descent (2005)

Hybrid (+0 XP) PCs can be Faction or Freelance

Dr. Millard Rausch: This isn't the Republicans versus the Democrats, where we're in a hole economically or... or we're in another war. This is more crucial than that. This is down to the line, folks, this is down to the line. There can be no more divisions among the living!

- Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Shoe String Budget (+0 XP) The Caliber of available gear selections is reduced by 1; if this reduces the Caliber to 0, the PC or NPC loses that pick

Spence: Please, I wouldn't wanna shoot you. I might need the bullets. Back off!

- Resident Evil (2002)

Tense (+75 XP) Stress damage is doubled and no character can take 10 with any skill check

Garry: I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!

- The Thing (1982)

Violent (+50 XP) Threat ranges of any attack check increase by 2

Sergeant Harry Wells: We are now up against live, hostile targets. So, if Little Red Riding Hood should show up with a bazooka and a bad attitude, I expect you to chin the bitch.

- Dog Soldiers (2002)

I have also chosen to adopt the Stockpile System, introduced in The Big Score PDF supplement. The revised Possessions chart, already adjusted for Shoe String Budget, is presented here:

Possessions 1: 1/I

Possessions 2: 1/I

Possessions 3: 2/I

Possessions 4: 2/I

Possessions 5: 2/I, 1/II

Possessions 6: 3/I, 1/II

Possessions 7: 3/I, 2/II

Possessions 8: 4/I, 2/II

Possessions 9: 4/I, 3/II

Possessions 10: 5/I, 3/II

Possessions 11: 5/I, 3/II, 1/III

Possessions 12: 5/I, 4/II, 1/III

Possessions 13: 6/I, 4/II, 1/III

Possessions 14: 6/I, 4/II, 2/III

Possessions 15: 6/I, 5/II, 2/III

Possessions 16: 6/I, 5/II, 3/III

Possessions 17: 6/I, 6/II, 3/III

Possessions 18: 6/I, 6/II, 3III, 1/IV

Fragile Playlist

Here's the iTunes playlist I made for when I need inspiration for this game. Think of it as the official non-existent movie soundtrack:

Part One

1. Opening - The Descent (Original Movie Soundtrack) - David Julyan

2. Main Title (From "Assault On Precinct 13") - The Essential John Carpenter Film Music Collection - John Carpenter

3. Shape - The Thing (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Ennio Morricone

4. Entrada & Shootout - Heat (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Elliot Goldenthal

5. Asylum - Sling Blade (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Daniel Lanois

6. Dark Discovery - Aliens (Original Movie Soundtrack) - James Horner

7. The Bone Dam - The Descent (Original Movie Soundtrack) - David Julyan

8. Scuds - Jarhead (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Thomas Newman

9. Cardinal Sin - Sin City (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Graeme Revell & Robert Rodriguez

10. Contamination - The Thing (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Ennio Morricone

11. The Crawlers Attack - The Descent (Original Movie Soundtrack) - David Julyan

12. Clean's Death - Apocalypse Now (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Carmine Coppola

Part Two

13. F.B.I. - Smokin' Aces (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Clint Mansell

14. Cannibal Song - The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste - Ministry

15. Ensurance Trap - Donnie Darko (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Michael Andrews

16. Nash - I Like to Score - Moby

17. Hickey's Back - Last Man Standing (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Ry Cooder

18. Diner - Mulholland Drive (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Angelo Badalamenti

19. Humanity (Part II) - The Thing (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Ennio Morricone

Part Three

20. Chef's Head - Apocalypse Now (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Carmine Coppola

21. Ace of Spades - Smokin' Aces (Original Movie Soundtrack) - Motorhead

22. Going After Newt - Aliens (Original Movie Soundtrack) - James Horner

23. The Descent - The Descent (Original Movie Soundtrack) - David Julyan

24. You And Whose Army? - Amnesiac - Radiohead

Sources of Inspiration

Fragile pays homage to a number of books, films, and video games:

28 Days Later (Movie): Danny Boyle's re-invention of the zombie movie is a great addition to the genre while also being its own, peculiar creature. I know some people don't like the way it shifts gears in the last half, but I think its good to break from the formula and take that side trip. I also like the fact that the Rage-infected "zombies" are that much scarier due to their speed and viciousness.

28 Weeks Later (Movie): A very different kind of sequel to 28 Days Later which takes the premise and refocuses it. Its more overtly geared for action-horror than the first film, and its particularly brutal in depicting the effects of the virus. I'm not sure that the coda adds anything to what had come before, but its certainly something that invites speculation for a sequel.

Aliens (Movie): I think Alien might be a superior film artistically, but for pure entertainment value, you can't do much better than this roller coaster ride of a sequel. It takes the universe presented in the first film and expands on it in ways that seem natural and only add rather than detract from the premise. The characters are great, the pacing is terrific, and it has an emotional core that's particularly evident in the Special Edition. Probably the ideal model of a survival horror movie.

Alone in the Dark (Video Game): The original PC game was the prototype for most of the survival horror genre games that followed (spooky haunted house, roaming monsters, deathtraps...sound like anything you know, Capcom?), and I suspect that the newer console-based game will be quite good, too. While most video games feature protagonists who can easily slay his numerous opponents, this game gave us fewer but more dangerous opponents, less weapons, and a protagonist who had to think as much as shoot. Whatever you do, though, don't rent the apparently horrible Uwe Boll movie, which has little if anything to do with the games.

Black Hawk Down (Book, Film): The real world incident in Somalia, 1993, features a very survival horror-esque premise; a group of well-trained and determined men surrounded by a horde of people who are trying their best to kill them. The book is much, much more balanced in its portrayal of the Somalis and their rationale for their actions, but the movie does a good job of conveying the mayhem of modern urban warfare. You also see examples of how people and organizations can either rise to the challenge or completely collapse under the strain.

Condemned: Bloodshot (Video Game): A first person video game that blends the serial killer thriller with close combat violence and even a bit of the supernatural. Its got an aesthetic of "destroyed beauty" borrowed from David Fincher, director of Alien 3 and Se7en, and the tone is pretty damn bleak. The violence is particularly notable for its creative use of improvised weapons and its sheer ugliness.

Dawn of the Dead (Films): I like the George Romero one better than the semi-remake, but both of these entries in the zombie horror genre are great examples of survival horror. Once more, you have a band of survivors struggling to stay alive as the walking dead threaten their only refuge. The first film also adds in quite a bit of social commentary and satire of consumer culture, but it also works purely as a scary and exciting movie. Particularly relevant to Fragile is its use of SWAT police officers.

The Descent (Film): Not to be confused with The Cave, this horror film follows a group of adventurous women as they go on a spelunking expedition that goes terribly, terribly wrong. The monsters of the film don't really show up until late in the film, and a considerable amount of the tension is created by the claustrophobia of the heroes' situation and personal, psychological subtext. Its also a lovely looking movie, having obvious inspiration from John Carpenter's scary movies, particularly The Thing. The CGI could've been better, and its ultimately a pretty formulaic film - but it does what it sets out to do very well. Make sure to see the UK version; the ending is much more effective, I think.

Dog Soldiers (Film): Another Neil Marshall movie, this time a relatively light hearted action-horror story about a band of soldiers on a training mission who encounter a band of werewolves. Think of it as a cross between An American Werewolf In London and Aliens and you wouldn't be far off. There's some great and funny bits of banter between the soldiers, and it also manages to be pretty spooky at times.

Eternal Darkness (Video Game): An interesting console based game that was obviously influenced by H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos, but has its own monstrous conspiracy lurking in the background. It criss-crosses time and features different periods and cultures as the backdrop for its overall story of Things Man Was Not Meant To Know. There's a nice mix of action and investigation, and the bath tub scene is particularly memorable.

F.E.A.R. (Video Game): The premise of this first person shooter game is pretty familiar; a special forces soldier with exceptional (even supernatural) reflexes joins a mission to contain a strange outbreak in a fictional American town and comes across some truly creepy antagonists. The execution is what makes the game special, having more to do with Japanese horror films like The Ring or Kairo (Pulse) than Doom or Quake. There's a nice mix of high-octane, slow motion bullet ballets and periodic freaky scare tactics. I'm not a big fan of the sequels, but I hold out hope that Project Origin (a sequel made by the original creators) will be worthy of the first one.

House of the Dead (Video Games): A light gun arcade shooter that features hordes of zombies, weird mutant monsters, and some truly laughable voice acting. It has a lot of sequels, and another atrocious Uwe Boll film version. The original was a lot of fun, though, and is on the over-the-top scale in its depiction of survival horror.

I Am Legend (Book): I haven't seen the movie, to be honest, but what I know about it suggests that its a decent survival horror flick. Anyways, I'm more inspired by the book, by Richard Matheson, which is about the last man in a world overrun by classical-style vampires. There's a great sense of isolation and loneliness throughout, and the conclusion is both chilling and heroic in a strange way. Its probably one of the oldest examples of survival horror, and its very grounded in the real world.

The Kingdom (Movie): Its not a great movie, really, but the depiction of people isolated in an alien culture who end up in a life struggle with implacable foes means it has at least one toe in the survival horror genre. Replace "terrorist" with "monster" and you have some idea of how this could parallel the action in Fragile; investigation, terrible consequences, and lots of shooting.

Night of the Living Dead (Movie): The original black and white movie George Romero made in 1968 (40 years ago!) is probably the single biggest influence on the survival horror genre at large. Cheaply produced but still very effective - perhaps because of its low budget rather than despite it - it was the first film to really posit a scenario with walking dead and a small group of survivors holding out against the unexplained (a theory is raised, but never confirmed) outbreak. The ending is brutal and particularly pointed in its social overtones. You owe it to yourself to see it, even if you're normally the kind of person who doesn't like "old" movies.

Rainbow Six Vegas (Video Games): Take the first person tactical shooter genre, then crank up the action to over-the-top levels, and you have some idea of what this game is like. Featuring a ridiculously expansive terrorist attack on Sin City (where do these guys get all their reinforcements?), its mainly an excuse to rappel, sneak, or crash into flashy urban hot zones and shoot a whole lot of bad guys while your cover gets shot to Hell. Aside from being a cross between tactical and purely action shooters, its setting is particularly relevant to that of Fragile.

Resident Evil (Video Games): Capcom coined the term "survival horror" with this famous series. While the translation and voice acting got better as the series progressed, but the stories also got more and more outrageous. In any case, the gameplay set a much imitated prototype, with a lonely hero surrounded by monsters and zombies, having to navigate puzzles and deathtraps while also collecting the occasional ammo, weapon, or health boost between sparse save points. I haven't see the movies, but I assume they have at least some resemblance to this premise, albeit on a more cinematic scale.

[REC] (Movie): A Spanish horror movie, the premise is that its found footage of a newscaster and her camera man as they follow some firemen responding to a seemingly routine call-out. What they find in a quarantined apartment building leads to a lot of screaming and running around as a saliva-based infection rapidly spreads. Its much more effective than it sounds, particularly because of the shift in the last twenty or so minutes. Inevitably, they've made what sounds like a shot-for-shot American remake called "Quarantine", but see the original if you can manage it.

Silent Hill (Video Games): A survival horror game series about the titular American town where the barriers between our world and a nightmare universe overlap. The protagonists are always relatively Average Joes and Janes, and the emphasis is mostly on subtly disturbing you with psychological horror rather than simple monster bashing. There's a movie that I've not seen (I'm suspicious in general of video game-to-movie translations), but I doubt its quite as effective as the games. The first one really creeped me out.

SWAT 4 (PC Game): Sierra had tried to do a SWAT game a few times before they hit a good one, SWAT 3, a tactical shooter that focused on police rather than military action. SWAT 4 was even better, and featured more options based on real world SWAT methods and scenarios. There's a particular mission involving a doomsday cult that is probably the main inspiration for Fragile, and which you'll see clear parallels to if you've played the game. If you want to learn more about SWAT tactics and like slower-paced, more deliberate shooters, you should consider tracking down a copy.

The Thing (Movie, Video Game): A semi-remake of a 50's science fiction film (The Thing from Another World), but based more on the short story that was that film's original inspiration, John Carpenter's 1982 horror film was originally panned by the critics as too gory. Nowadays, it seems relatively tame, though most of the special effects are still pretty grotesque and jaw-dropping. The Arctic setting is about as isolated as you can get, but while there is some action here and there, its mostly about the paranoia the outpost personnel feel as a shape shifting and personality absorbing alien infiltrates their camp. Its great visually, and its really quite bleak. The console game that came out some years back is a pretty fun game on its own right and improves a great deal if you're a fan of Carpenter's movie. Its got much more shooting and a variety of incarnations of the monster of the title to wrangle with.