Necromo Nightmare
Sarna News
| |
| Necromo Nightmare | |
|---|---|
| Product information | |
| Type | Scenario / RPG Adventure |
| Primary writing | Herbert A. Beas II, with plotting assistance by Paul Sjardijn |
| Pages | 37 |
| Cover Artwork | Ray Arrastia |
| Interior Artwork | Ray Arrastia Jason Vargas |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Product code | E-CAT35HLW13 |
| First published | 31 October 2013 |
| MSRP | (free) |
| Content | |
| Era | Jihad era |
| Timeline | 30 October 3071 (prelude) 5 January 3072-unspecified |
| Series | BattleTech Adventures |
Released in 2013 on the eve of Halloween as a free download, Necromo Nightmare is an adventure module published specifically for the latest edition of the BattleTech role-playing game, A Time of War. It is fully canonical despite the Halloween background and zombie theme.
Contents
| “ | A World Gone Black… The year is 3072. The fires of the Word of Blake’s Jihad threaten to consume the Inner Sphere. On the borders of Capellan space, the vital world of Necromo has suddenly gone silent, perhaps the victim of a Blakist strike. But what could hit such a busy and well-defended planet so hard that even the Chancellor’s best would fail to call for help? Time to find out… BattleTech Adventures: Necromo Nightmare takes players to the dark world of Necromo, on the Confederation’s border with the Federated Suns—a world mysteriously silenced by a lightning attack by unknown forces. Can your team discover the cause of this shipyard planet’s unexplained blackout, and live to tell the tale? Necromo Nightmare includes a guide to this important world, personal biographies on several key players, and adventure Tracks designed for use with A Time of War: The BattleTech Role-Playing Game and the A Time of War Companion, as well as special rules, terrain guides, maps, and Record Sheets for key non-player characters and equipment unique to this story. |
” |
From the back cover
| “ | BattleTech Adventures: Necromo Nightmare is a special game aid for use with A Time of War: The BattleTech Role-Playing Game and the A Time of War Companion. Designed for experienced players familiar with the setting, the rules and descriptions in this book presume the players are familiar with the terms and core role-playing rules presented in A Time of War, as well as the war game rules found in Total Warfare, Tactical Operations, and Strategic Operations. This adventure may run several sessions, based on the players’ available time and resources. Game masters should note that only some of the information in this book should be made available to the players, while the rest is designed for both the players and the game master. Throughout this book, the information available to the players will be clearly identified, but should be made available only as the players’ characters actively pursue it. For example, while the bulk of what is covered in the World Guide section is common knowledge, characters who have not taken the time to bone up on their basic research should not be aware of much beyond what they directly experience on the world of Necromo, where this adventure takes place. The general information contained here should provide the tools needed for an adventure group to play out any number of sessions set on the dark world of Necromo in the wake of a devastating Word of Blake attack there during the Jihad. But as this particular adventure is a special, Halloween holiday-themed edition The World Guide section presents a global view followed by some quick facts about the world where this adventure is set. Included in this section is a general description of the history and key features of the world, and local news pertaining to events current with the setting of the adventure. Additional rules at the back of this product cover the planetary information in greater detail, including terrain types, environment, and other rules that can be used to enhance the game experience. The Persons of Interest section gives details on the factions and key players that will (or may) play a role in this adventure and can be used by GMs who do not wish to create their own NPCs from scratch. Gameplay data on these characters will be found in the Character Dossiers at the back of the book. Much of this information is GM only, and may contain spoilers, so players should not read this section. The Tracks section presents a means to interact with several pivotal events that occur in this adventure, though they are not the only ones. Please do not allow the players read the GM ONLY section, cover it with a sheet of paper while the players read their mission brief section. The Gamemaster’s Sourcebook contains official character sheets for key personalities from the Persons of Interest section, as well as record sheets and rules useful for running the more unique aspects of this adventure. Remember that it is not the function of this product to micromanage your adventure, however: If a situation arises where the rules are in question, it’s up to the gamemaster and players to work out a resolution suitable for their game table. The goal is to have fun, so don’t let the rules bog you down. |
” |
Plot Summary
The players are assumed to be a small mercenary, Canopian or Capellan outfit with a reputation for handling sensitive top-secret missions. In early 3072 they are sent to to Necromo, the Confederation's shipyard system, with orders to find out why the world has gone completely silent. In particular, they are to investigate a site called "Outpost Aberdeen". They learn of the exact objective only in transit though, and are not told at all that at least one similar unit—the Charmed Life mercenary unit under Captain Duncan Stepanov—had been sent here before.
Necromo, as it turns out, was wiped out by a Word of Blake attack including meteor impacts. The sparsely habitable world is now in an eerie twilight from all the dust and debris in the thin atmosphere, and the orbital shipyards were reduced to a debris field. Worse, a bioweapon was released that was tailored for Necromo, but turns out differently than anticipated—it destroys the higher brain functions and turns its victims into zombie-like creatures that attack others with animalistic frenzy. Even part of the attacking forces (including some ProtoMech pilots) succumbed to this plague.
The DropShip bringing in the players' unit lands thirty kilometers from Outpost Aberdeen. On the way there they encouter the first "survivors" on Necromo, unarmed workers who were turned into mindless, zombie-like creatures by the bioweapon and attack the players. The DropShip comes under attack as well. Later, they encouter ProtoMechs whose pilots are obviously similarly afflicted.
They are then approached by a small group of Manei Domini under one Poltergeist Tau Adept Elika Laban who are stranded on Necromo and suggest a truce and even cooperation to escape from the world.
Shortly after meeting the enemy troopers, a weird radio message from one Captain Stepanov is received, apparently consisting of clipped-together snippets of recorded messages. This is actually the work of "The Broken", a poorly functional AI designed to control drone BattleMechs—the secret project researched at Outpost Aberdeen. The prototype Capellan construct resembling a AI equivalent is mounted in a computer aboard a K-1 DropShuttle and has decided to enact an emergency protocol by which it will leave the planet, but needs help to launch the shuttle. To this end, the somewhat schizophrenic AI tries to lure the players and/or the Manei Domini into helping. If the players' DropShip was previously stormed by "zombified" people, the K-1 may be their only hope to escape the planet at this point. However, the AI only wants to save itself and will ruthlessly sacrifice humans to the point of not even activating the life support on the K-1. Also, Adept Laban will turn on the players as soon as they have no tactical value to him anymore.
Featured BattleTech
BattleMechs (Drones)
ProtoMechs
Other
- K-1 DropShuttle