Untold Adventure - War Zone (Revised From Ben)

I asked for permission from Ben to rewrite this bloody ages ago, and I apologize for not posting up what edits I've made to it sooner. Other projects and committments got in the way. I have the time now, however, so enjoy!

War Zone
Starting Player UP: 40-60
Location: Small island settlement, some distance off the eastern coast of The Dreaming
Decks Needed:

• Starter Set
• Powers (Core): Basic Skills
• Powers (Core): Core Combat
• Powers: Apoc Amplifications
• Powers: Clockwork Components
• Powers: Gifts of Oaze
• Powers: Heavy Metal
• Adventure: Bad Beginnings - Alpha
• Adventure: Bad Beginnings - Beta
• Environment: Mountains

Lead-in:
The Dreaming, on the eastern half of the Australian continent, is a place unlike any other on Apoc Earth - a nation where every race of the splintering triune worlds of Untold live and work together. Klik, L'na, High-bred and Churl alike all have equal place and equal say within its boundaries, as every citizen of The Dreaming has the shared goal of discovering (and, perhaps, reversing) the collision taking place between their separate existences.

That's how it's supposed to be, at least. A small island off the eastern coast, nominally home to a tiny Dreaming settlement, is threatening to unravel the fledgling nation's fragile peace and breach the "Canberra Protocol" - the founding document that keeps every race cooperating - by setting off an open war between Klik and L'na. The "colony" has fractured along racial lines over the question of resources; the Klik need to harvest from the native jungles to fuel the boilers and furnaces that keep their people running, while the L'na have centuries of culture and ritual that demand the wilderness be left in its pristine state. Now the Klik and their allies are all that remain within the northern settlement's boundaries, while the L'na and their ideological adherents have retreated to the pristine southern wilderness and set up a "resistance" within the mountains there - from which they've been frustrating and even outright sabotaging Klik harvesting efforts. Recently overt violence has broken out, and if the conflict is not brought to a peaceful conclusion there is a risk of it spreading to the mainland and fracturing The Dreaming.

The Party is a set of diplomats - L'na and Klik - that have been sent with High-bred and/or Churl "mediators" to forge (or, if need be, force) a peace. They have been given the difficult task of getting both sides to meet and creating an acceptable resolution to the problem WITHOUT favoring either side against the other; to do so would inevitably leak the problem back to the newborn nation's shores. To underline this point, the Characters will not be dropped off in *either* settlement - they are to meet on neutral ground in a day's time with representatives of both aggrieved parties. Unfortunately, this means traveling through the only "neutral" ground there is... the "No Man's Land" war zone between the hostile forces.

A High-bred military hovercraft drops the Party off at the mouth of a river on the southeast portion of the island. The "negotiations" are to take place at a freshwater lake further upstream... near the center of the island and on the edge of the mountain foothills that mark the beginning of "L'na territory."

Set-Up:
The assigned "diplomats" out of the Characters should be given access to the "Diplomatic" or "Silver Tongued" Powers if they do not already possess some variant of them, to reflect their stated positions. The other, non-ambassadorial member of the race can easily serve as a "bodyguard" or "escort" to justify its presence in the group (as, after all, there is a severe lack of inter-racial trust at the moment).

Opening Encounter - ATMOSPHERE, NEGOTIATION, and possible COMBAT:
1-3 Gear Guards (if you need to represent more Minions than you have cards, feel free to use a notecard simply noting how much damage each Minion has taken and read all other relevant information off the cards you do possess)
1 Harvester
1-2 Living Lightnings
1 Stormdancer

Use the journey between the delta and the lake destination to stress to the Players exactly how severely relations have deteriorated between the Klik and L'na. On the "Klik side" of No Man's Land, the landscape is a barren field of torn earth and shorn tree stumps; barely a blade of grass stands to mark the island as a former tropical paradise. In stark contrast, the "L'na side" of the war zone is a lush green jungle - and horribly-mangled "warnings" created from the bodies of former Klik strung up on trees clearly state an intent to keep it that way. Allow your Party to draw their own moral judgments from the experience. The Klik are destructive and the L'na are brutal... but is either side "better" than the other?

Interrupt any prolonged debate with the entry of a set of skirmishers the Characters have inadvertently stumbled upon. A Harvester and his Gear Guard subordinates are in a deadlocked standoff with a Stormdancer and the Living Lightning elementals it's commanding. Neither has officially "trespassed" across the muddy river banks (and indeed it seems both sides are hesitant about actually committing to a fight), but yelling and threats are being exchanged and violence seems only a matter of time.

If the Party converses with the skirmishers, they'll quickly realize that in fact *neither* side wishes to actually fight the other. They are instead actively scared of the force across the river from them, and will talk of incursions and slaughters perpetrated by "those monsters." Both sides want peace! Indeed, if the Party explains their purpose as negotiators and diplomats it's possible to obtain a Gear Guard and/or Living Lightning "honor guard" from the encounter as they're sent along to make sure the ambassadors make it to the negotiations unharmed.

Unfortunately, it appears the negotiation site itself is not safe...

Second Encounter - COMBAT:
1 Mindlash
2 Wardens of Ai
2 Nervous Tics (if you need to represent more Minions than you have cards, feel free to use a notecard simply noting how much damage each Minion has taken and read all other relevant information off the cards you do possess)
Displacement Field
Null Pulse

The moment your Characters reach the lake around which the peace talks are to take place, let them hear the sounds of combat. The screech of metal on metal blends with explosions and screams of pain as the Party approaches. Once they crest a small hill and witness the scene of battle itself, they should instantly be made aware that the two diplomatic bands are locked in mortal combat. Two Klik Rollers are silently blasting away with crackling bursts of orange energy while two Wardens of Ai are leaping about, screaming bloody murder, and attempting to rend them to pieces.

There's something odd about the entire event, however... if your Characters can succeed at a basic Awareness (or similar) check feel free to tell them what makes the scenario seem so strange - the Klik are being COMPLETELY silent. They aren't speaking, or calling for help from the newcomers on the field, or even reacting to injury. It's like they're puppets on strings... and indeed they are. Party members who succeed to a high extent on the prior check should also notice a Mindlash sitting off by itself on the far edge of the lake and passively watching the battle. He is a Warden of Aotearoa, the nearby radical splinter-sect of the Wardens of Ai located off the coast of The Dreaming on what was once New Zealand, and he is engineering the fight with his mental powers to try and cause a rift in The Dreaming that could bring more L'na to the Aotearoa cause.

The Mindlash is a zealot, angry about L'na working with the other "lesser" races and filled with hatred for all humanoid creatures - it views Apoc, Klik, and indeed all other civilizations as "engines of destruction" that need to be destroyed themselves. He will direct its controlled Klik to defend himself if need be and will otherwise try as hard as he can to feed misinformation and propaganda to any L'na in the Party to turn them against the others. It should be pretty obvious what he's doing, however, as his hatred and lack of concern for the L'na being attacked (as "they've earned this" by attempting to parley with the Klik) will make clear. Once he's been hurt enough to force him to drop control of his puppets, they'll collapse to the ground and awaken; perhaps then the two diplomatic envoys can attempt some resolution, though it should now be clear that a third party is involved and attempting to manipulate the conflict.

It is up to the Players now to decide where to go... should they head north, and see if more Klik are being controlled by the Wardens of Aotearoa? Should they head south, to present the evidence of meddling from afar and convince the L'na to cease fighting? It is their decision. Regardless, while they are at The Dreaming's designated mediation site they should be able to scavenge some useful equipment (or learn some useful concepts from the Klik and/or L'na diplomats) before departing. See the section on "REWARDS" for what they might find.

Northern Transit Encounter - COMBAT:
4 Iron Mites (if you need to represent more Minions than you have cards, feel free to use a notecard simply noting how much damage each Minion has taken and read all other relevant information off the cards you do possess)
2 Iron Gnawers
Grapple
Strike

The trip north should be short but shocking - the Klik have absolutely stripped the upper half of the island. Barren plains of mud, rock, and stumps are all that remain, scattered randomly with vast mounds of resources culled from the nearby areas. Toppled trees are heaped in piles, gravel and stone are similarly collected, and these massive "hills" of harvest are the only landmarks remaining on the journey. Well, those and the bodies. Small skirmish sites are evident, littered with the fallen forms of destroyed Klik, and their corpses have attracted scavengers. If the Party investigates too closely, several Iron Mites and a pair of Iron Gnawers emerge from the wreckage to defend their claim... and, perhaps, add to it.

Second Northern Encounter - SOCIAL (possible INFILTRATION or COMBAT):
Any number of Klik may be potentially encountered in this portion of the adventure. If combat breaks out, pull the Gear Guards, Nervous Tics, and Harvester from the prior encounters for use as opponents.

The "Klik settlement" has been significantly transformed ever since the L'na and their more naturalistic allies abandoned it. Every now and again some remnant of the original design remains, a single wall or structure from its time as a city for all the races, but even those are slowly being subsumed in an outward expansion of Klik designs. The mechanical race has created a network of linked geodesic domes in which to operate, and these are in turn honeycombed with pipes and smokestacks to facilitate the Klik's mechanized functioning. A haze of smog settles in the low-lying areas around the developing city, covering its base and highlighting its otherworldliness as it rises up from the smoke.

Getting in is easy... if the Party has help from the native Klik. The "honor guard" of a Gear Guard will be a simple way to gain entry, as will the ambassadorial Nervous Tics from the failed attempt at diplomatic negotiations. If none of these survived the journey, admittance is much tougher to obtain. The Klik are understandably paranoid about allowing unknown "outsiders" into their stronghold, especially when L'na are a part of the group, so some fast talking will be necessary to get the doors open. If that fails, it's also possible to *sneak* in using alternative modes of entry; there are various water and air "inlet ports" into the factory sections of the settlement that have not been fully secured (because the Klik honestly have a tough time imagining them being used for anything but their intended purpose).

Once inside, the Party should quickly be able to find their way to the "Central Operations" area and directly deal with the "Operating Directive" - a council of Klik that collectively runs the settlement. Their directive, as they consider it, is to lead their fellow Klik in the manner the Great Machine would most likely choose to operate if it were able to make its desires known here on the island. They are, to put it bluntly, puzzled and terrified in equal measure by the actions of the L'na: their mandate is to harvest, they need to harvest to run the furnaces they need to repair and run their kind, and in their minds the "organics" are attempting to wipe them out. Evidence that there are L'na actively controlling their people to further the conflict will only scare them more, leading them to contemplate activation of their "terminal defense initiative." It will take some major diplomacy to defuse the situation.

Unfortunately, even if the Party manages to keep things under control the Operating Directive has tipped its hand and revealed the existence of their final line of defense to a hidden infiltrator...

Final Northern Encounter - COMBAT:
1 Starrunner
Body of Air
1 "Terminal Defense Drone," built off 75 UP

Character Deck

1 Harvester Minion (pull the Harvester from the opening encounter for use as this opponents' base card)

Advanced Combat Program

Huge

Claw Shears

Two-Weapon Fighting

As the discussion proceeds (or the Klik council readies to activate their “terminal defense initiative,” if discussions have broken down into violence), a rumble interrupts the proceedings as one of the geodesic walls of the Central Operations chamber crumbles beneath overwhelming force. A giant mechanical monstrosity, larger than even the largest ordinary Klik models, bursts through – with a winged L’na sitting on its shoulder.

=+=

“No!” One of the Rollers of the Directive shouts upwards at the sudden appearance of this beast. “Are you malfunctioning, you rust-brained organic?! The Terminal Defense Drone hasn’t yet been programmed for a target! It’ll end us all!”

“Oh, *you* haven’t programmed it…” the L’na sneers in reply, “…but *I* am controlling it, and once it marches into the south to cause its chaos my fellow children of Ai will come rushing to the Wardens’ banner! There will be no truce, no peace, no rest until we wipe your kind off the face of this poor beleaguered world! First, though… we need to get rid of you who know too much.”

=+=

The Terminal Defense Drone is the core enemy of this encounter, as the Klik of the Operating Directive are quite right – if it does not receive direct mental direction, as from a “Charm” type Power, it will run completely and catastrophically rampant in a quest to destroy everything around it. The L’na Starrunner is merely guiding it, and defeating him does not in any sense mean the TDD ceases to function. Once it stops receiving direct commands, it’ll revert to its untargeted state and seek to simply annihilate whoever is closest to it at any point in time. Of course, it *is* possible to take the Warden of Aotearoa out and then assert a new mental control over the drone to get it back into its storage bay and deactivated. It is also possible to just blast the thing to oblivion.

Southern Transit Encounter - COMBAT:
2 Apoc Mountain Goats
The southern mountains are a lush, beautiful jungle - tinged with brutal hostility. Klik (and indeed all non-L'na) in the Party find themselves constantly assaulted by everything the primeval wilderness can throw; small birds peck at any exposed surface, insects swarm, vines seem to shift to block their path. None of it deals any damage, but the short trip up to the treeline is rough going... especially since there are no trails or roadways to follow. Once the greenery clears and rocks begin to predominate, however, things ease up and the Party can find what appears to be a heavily-traveled walking path leading up towards one of the taller peaks. Of course, unfortunately, the trail is GUARDED.

With a cry of "Interlopers! You will find no easy victory here - your surprise assault is in vain!" a Deepdigger L'na surfaces. He has been observing the Party's trek up the mountain from beneath it, and summons two Apoc Mountain Goats to serve as backup They are sent forth to delay the Characters as he goes to warn the L'na Elder Council.

Second Southern Encounter - SOCIAL (possible COMBAT):
Any number of L'na may be potentially encountered in this portion of the adventure. If combat breaks out, pull the Deepdigger and Stormdancer from the prior encounters for use as opponents. Other L'na from the decks such as the Shell Shepherd may also be included if desired.

When the Party reaches the mountaintop, it is instantly realized that this isn't just a mere mountain - it's a dormant volcano! Around the caldera are carved sigils and signs, which L'na Characters can realize are a summoning spell... not a good sign. Indeed, the L'na Elder Council is busy debating whether it's "in the spirit of Ai" to activate the summoning circle and draw forth the powers of the volcano to destroy those who they believe are trying to destroy them. They do not understand why the Klik wish to undercut all the island's life, and it scares them to no end because their core cultural values - indeed, their very way of existence - requires wilderness. Given the recent overt *attacks* by Klik forces, they are convinced they may soon be exterminated.

The Characters must convince the terrified L'na that the Klik mean no harm and both parties are being manipulated into war. Even if they manage the task, however, they are not fully in the clear...

Final Southern Encounter - COMBAT:
1 Deepdigger

Swap Buffer

Telekinesis

Improvised Weapon Master 2

1 Mag'grin Elder Elemental, built off 75 UP

Character Deck

1 Mag'grin Minion

Increased Core Temp

Swap Buffer

Flamethrower

=+=

"You spineless slug-souls! You BELIEVE these horrible beings' sweet words of peace?! Fine - I'll cleanse this island of your taint myself! FOR AOTEAROA!"

=+=

The Deepdigger, an Aotearoa Warden, waves a paw and shifts the black sands of the caldera to complete the summoning ritual. Instantly the runes and sigils light with fiery fury and the hard shell over the dormant volcano splits - a surge of lava and heat erupts forth, taking humanoid form as an angry Mag'grin Elder Elemental is born.

The ancient magma creature will attack all entities around it except its summoner, but is otherwise free-willed. The Deepdigger, of course, is not happy either - and will aid its creation with hurled stones and immobilizing fists of earth. The Party must destroy this duo before they destroy the island!

Epilogue:
After the "super-weapon" of either side is conclusively destroyed, eliminating the prospect of self-defense against the opposition, its former owners will be far more amenable to discussion. The fact that both factions were being manipulated and goaded into war by the forces of Aotearoa should make negotiations much easier. A peace is established, and the Party can return successfully back home to a freshly-restabilized Dreaming.

Shortening the Adventure:
As written, "War Zone" can take many hours of gaming to run through - anywhere up to a full day's time. To shorten the amount of play when a smaller timespan is desired, you can simply eliminate the first encounters. Have the hovercraft go directly up the river to the negotiation site, describing the island along the way, and then dump the Players straight into the "hostile negotiation" combat at the lake. You can also eliminate the transit combats, jumping to the social interaction with the heads of the two sides, if the intent is to run this adventure as a con game and thus further time needs to be cut off it.

REWARDS:
Anything from the decks used in this adventure can be parceled out to your Players, as every major race is present on the island and can contribute something to the advancement of their people. Regardless, the following cards are suggested:
Alchemical Still
Acid Stream
Micro Assembler
Destruct Drones
Bullseye
Immediate Regeneration
Wall of Earth
Webs of Force