Fragile:Main Page

== Fragile ==

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

Newt: It won't make any difference.

-Aliens (1986)

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

TBA

Equipment

Mission Bundle: TBA

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 either 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 SWAT 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 desert 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.

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 - Luck is hard to come by in horror stories

Bloodbath (+0) Threats are automatically activated as critical hits by PCs and special NPCs - Expect a high body count

Fast Growth (+0 XP) XP required to gain a level is 1/2 normal - In the Darwinian universe of survival horror, survival breeds success

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) - This is sort of where the name comes from

Gritty (+100 XP) Critical injuries are more common - Expect some gory and crippling wounds to occur

Hybrid (+0 XP) PCs can be Faction or Freelance - The heroes can be cops, emergency responders, or simply civilians

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 - Getting equipment and holding onto it will become difficult as the situation develops

Tense (+75 XP) Stress damage is doubled and no character can take 10 with any skill check - Freaking out is part of the fun

Violent (+50 XP) Threat ranges of any attack check increase by 2 - Don't expect the monsters to hold back anything

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

Background

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 expected 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.

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

Sources of Inspiration

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

28 Days Later

28 Weeks Later

Aliens

Alone in the Dark

Black Hawk Down

Condemned: Bloodshot

Dawn of the Dead

The Descent

Dog Soldiers

Eternal Darkness

F.E.A.R.

House of the Dead

I Am Legend

The Kingdom

Night of the Living Dead

Rainbow Six Vegas

Resident Evil

[REC]

Silent Hill

SWAT 4

The Thing