(Competition note: The ‘hook’ for this one is that it seems to be a straightforward White BPN with a good rate of pay. It becomes reclassified as Black after the event when the Stigmartyr agents make their report)
WHITE BPN
SCL: <as required>
Consolidated Bonus Scheme: 400c per Op
Package requirements: Any, Investigation preferred.
Contact Department of: Health and Safety
Sponsored by: Station Analysis
A number of corpses from the Necropolis have been discovered in the streets. Investigate possible malpractice at the site.
Background
Corpses in the World of Progress suffer a variety of fates, ranging from simple dumping into the Cannibal Sectors to being recycled for valuable chemicals. If you are sufficiently wealth or highly placed, however, you can get into the Necropolis. The Necropolis is the gigantic structure where the remains of people who want to avoid the usual fate of bodies are laid to rest, either in commemorative urns (cremated ashes), simple sarcophagi, or – the deluxe service – embalmed and preserved.
An enterprising Tek Trex scientist, Nils Bergen, has set up shop in one of the deserted levels (where embalmed bodies from the fall of Salvation Tower are stored) to pursue research into cybernetic reanimation techniques. Not all of his ‘operations’ are an unqualified success, and some of them have randomly wandered out into Mort before their systems shut down and self destructed (a failsafe programmed into them by Bergen).
But there is another, darker mystery under the Necropolis; the concentrated energies of all those deaths have caused a breach into the White, and Flux energies have begun to permeate some of the bodies – and animate them…
Act I
Scene I – I Died Many Years Ago
By applying their Communique skills, the Ops may come across further information:
(Automatic on contact) The Department of Health and Safety (which has responsibility for the disposal of corpses) can tell the Ops that about half a dozen corpses have been found within a one mile radius of the Necropolis, but that no further information has come to light.
(Communique DC 15) If the Ops contact the Necropolis before going there in person, they can learn that all the corpses came from Section 32B.
(Communique DC 20) A shiver unit in a Lower Downtown crematorium was recently shut down by op squad Scarlet for dumping bodies they were being paid to burn into the sewers (thus saving money which they skimmed for their own personal use). The squad’s ebon, Grey, discovered trace elements of Flux in some of the bodies (GM: these were older corpses being quietly cleared out of the Necropolis to make more room, which could be the source of another BPN). Belladonna, a highly schizophrenic Brain Waster, is said to have rambled about "all in rows, alone in the dark, angry and waiting…" Squad members will comment that Belladonna’s little monologues have often previously turned out to have some bearing on reality (GM: Belladonna’s Schizophrenia lets her "see" truths, and occasionally tap into Real Time; she is under assessment by Stigmartyr to determine whether she should be executed or recruited).
(Communique DC25) There was a forensic examination of the corpses, but that the results were D-noticed; this was, of course, because the forensic report found trace remains of the cybernetics.
Scene II – Why You Keep On Coming Round
Play the trip to the Necropolis for maximum atmosphere. The huge, Gothic building looms in Uptown like an oversized cathedral (it also extends several stories straight down), an area which many Ops may not regularly see. Certainly sky is a relative rarity, even with the ever-present pouring rain.
However they get there, just before they arrive let the Ops catch a weather report en route (on the taxi’s radio, or a Third Eye News billboard). A severe storm warning has been issued in relation to an incoming razorstorm (like a sandstorm, but formed from fragments of rust and metal swept up by a global wind current from the industrial areas of Mort); all citizens are advised to stay indoors until further notice. Going out into a razorstorm is like slashing your wrists and dropping into a tank of piranhas; the Ops are stuck at the Necropolis until the storm dies down.
Scene III – Since I’m Only Dead To You
The interior of the Necropolis is gloomy and quiet, reinforcing the church-like atmosphere (in JestWoP, the Church exists and runs the Necropolis in place of the Department of Health and Safety). The Ops are welcome to interrogate the staff, but will learn little if anything new. Suitable interaction may reveal that many staff members have been experiencing nightmares of late (GM: this is the fault of the Flux bleed from the White), and that one of the staff was taken in for psych evaluation, claiming to have seen ghosts (GM: apparitions from the White). This should crank the paranoia up a notch or two…
Scene IV – You Know You’ve Got A Willing Slave
There’s nothing else for it – the Ops need to go into Section 32B. Nobody has been down there for some years, since the section is full. Nevertheless, the Ops can (Track 10/ Detect 15) notice that someone has been moving around in here from marks in the dust.
Section 32B comprises an underground network of passages lined with niches that contain embalmed corpses, each marked with a little plaque giving the name and dates of the deceased. Most of the bodies here are from the fall of Salvation Tower, which means they all have the same date of death marked on their niches. This is a neat little trap for over-inquisitive Ops who press investigations into what could have killed so many people on the same day, as nearly all information on the incident is D-noticed.
Play up the spookiness of the setting; there are no lights down here (no need for them), so the only illumination comes from the Ops’ flashlights (if they didn’t bring any, the staff will provide standard hand-held lights for them before they go down); lights which continually play over dried out corpses, casting bizarre flickering shadows.
Then one of the corpses comes to life, attacking the rearmost member of the squad by looping an arm around their neck to strangle them. Although they don’t realise it yet, they squad have met their first Type 1 Cyberzombie (stats at the end of the BPN). At this point, a Fear (15) check is appropriate for the victim; Fear (10) checks may be appropriate for the rest of the squad.
As the squad gears up for combat, more cyberzombies (a good average is between two and three cyberzombies per squad member) loom out of the darkness (Depending on you personal tastes they could be completely silent or have an implanted vocal unit programmed to let them moan and mutter dire things, designed to terrify victims).
Scene V – Whisper In A Dead Man’s Ear
If the squad think to examine the corpses, they will quickly discover the cybernetic enhancements. Pressing deeper into the maze, they will eventually come across Dr. Bergen’s laboratory, set up in an old family crypt that he cleared out for the purpose. Although the squad’s first temptation will probably be to just blow Bergen away, there are a few complications to make them pause for a moment. Firstly, Bergen is working on the other side of the complex machine used to implant the cybernetics (GM: A good visual comparison is the New You operating table from Logan’s Run, but with more gadgets) which makes getting a shot at him problematical. Secondly, there are a number of Type 2 Cyberzombies present guarding the entrances, and even to the casual observer it is clear that these are a cut above the last bunch. And lastly, Bergen detected the squad’s imminent arrival through a Tek Trex version of the spotter bee and addresses them directly as they approach.
Bergen doesn’t actually want to kill the Ops unless he has to – he abhors waste. He is a highly intelligent and educated man who left SLA after discovering aspects of SLA’s hidden past (ie, the "real" data referred to in the World of Progress chapter in the main rulebook as opposed to the sanitised version taught by SLA themselves). He would prefer to recruit the Ops to TT, and will try and shake their confidence in SLA. For example, he might draw a Shaktar out on how his race serve Slayer because he was wise and powerful enough to defeat them in the Conflict Wars, then tell the Shaktar that Slayer cheated by sabotaging the weapons he sold to everyone. Cheating is dishonourable; therefore the honourable Shaktar are serving a dishonourable master.
Keep this scene running until the Ops’ itchy trigger fingers look to be about to get the best of them. They will have to go through the Type 2’s to get to Bergen, but even if they do, before they can arrest/shoot him a Flux Zombie (qv) Reality Folds in behind the scientist and breaks his neck. Bergen just has time to say "that isn’t one of mine…" before he dies.
Act II
Scene I – I Know I Should Go…
The Ops have a quandary now. They have apparently solved the mystery, but now a new avenue has opened up, and a very strange one at that. Any EBW in the squad can easily confirm the use of Flux with a simple Ebb Detect check. Whereas they would normally contact Station Analysis for instructions, the razorstorm is busy making a hash of communications at the moment and will be doing so for some hours. Besides, the appearance of the Flux Zombie has cast doubt on whether they have in fact solved the problem. At this point there are two options they can take.
…But I Follow You Like A Man Possessed
Ideally, they should move deeper still into the labyrinth, seeking out the source of these strange new creatures. They should get quite close to the breach in the White before being assaulted by Flux Zombies if they exhibit this bravery.
…You Just Like To Play The Part That You Might Misbehave
They may decide to pull back above ground and sit out the razorstorm, intending to contact Station Analysis for instructions when possible. Unfortunately, Legion (qv) is now aware of their presence, and knows that it must silence them if it is to continue. It sends Flux Zombies to assault the upper floors of the Necropolis; pitched battle ensues (along with many gruesome casualties), and the squad will be forced to seek out the source of the zombies out of sheer self-preservation.
Scene II - If My Heart Could Beat It Would Break My Chest
Eventually the Ops will find Legion in a large chamber in the heart of the section. It is important to understand that it is at this point that the squad can technically be said to have completed the BPN from the GM point of view (see the next scene). Fighting Legion is a dangerous, even deadly proposition, but if they should somehow manage to kill the horror then extra awards are quite definitely in order.
Scene III – Let Me Rest In Piece
More likely is that the Ops (already weakened from previous encounters) will gradually start to get kicked around by Legion and its minions. At a suitable moment, however, two men in plain black suits (GM: JestWoP Stigmartyr agents look like the Men In Black) will enter the chamber. Stigmartyr have to observe some kind of rules in their dealings, and they were unable to act against Legion and the breach until somebody "discovered" them. Seemingly ignored by the Flux Zombies or Legion, they flash their ID cards (their SCL is far, far above the Ops’) and order the squad to retreat. The last the Ops see of them is them closing on Legion before a blinding white light flares out. When the light clears, the chamber is littered with unmoving corpses but there is no sign of the men in the suites (GM: The Stig agents closed the breach in the White, removing all the motive power from Legion and the Zombies).
If the Ops managed to kill Legion, the agents will congratulate them and then order them to withdraw as before. Note that Stigmartyr will now be observing the squad closely; if they can take down something like Legion even without reality-altering powers, Stig will be interested in recruiting them.
Scene IV – Let Me Get Some Sleep
The Ops will eventually be able to report the success of their mission. They will be told that in light of the nature of their mission, the BPN has been upgraded to a Black, with commensurate increases in cash and SCL payments. They are also informed that a D-notice has been issued in regards to this mission, and reminded of the consequences of not keeping silent about it.
Although the awarding of experience is a highly individual issue, the recommended overall award is 4 experience per Op; 1 bonus experience point should be awarded if the Ops move directly to confront Legion instead of trying to save their own skins, and another 1 if by some miracle they defeat Legion.
Statistics
CYBERZOMBIES
The cyberzombies are animated by electrical stimulation of the muscles and governed by limited expert systems.
Type 1 Cyberzombies
STR 10
DEX 4
HITS 26*
Skills: Unarmed Combat 3
Walk: 1
Run: 2
Sprint: n/a
Equipment: Cybernetic senses (awareness penalties do not apply)
Type 2 Cyberzombies.
These have better quality systems implanted as Bergen’s technology advanced. He has used implanted myomer to boost the corpse’s muscular capability, and lower resistance transmitters to improve reaction speed.
STR: 15
DEX: 7
HITS: 44*
Skills: Unarmed Combat 5
Walk: 2
Run: 4
Sprint: n/a
Equipment: Cybernetic senses (awareness penalties do not apply). Subdermal armour (PV 5). 1 in 3 Type 2’s have implanted taser systems in their hands equivalent to a Jolt Glove.
*Because the zombies are cybernetically animated, they have no pain reflex and have to be practically blown apart to be stopped, hence the double hit points. They are immune to all drugs, poisons and mental effects, but taser technology has a damage rating of 10 against them as it shorts out their circuitry.
FLUX ZOMBIES
Not everyone who goes into the White to become a Necanthrope makes it. In JestWoP, those who don’t are trapped in the White as disembodied minds/souls. With the breach in the White, these – now irrevocably insane from their time in sensory deprivation – souls have possessed the bodies of the dead.
STR: 10**
DEX: 10**
DIA: 3
CONC:5
PHYS: 10**
KNOW:4
HITS: 20**
**These may be affected by ebb powers.
Walk: 2
Run: 4
Sprint: 6
Average skills: Unarmed Combat 4, Detect 3
Flux Zombies are immune to drugs, poisons and mental effects.
Ebb Skills: Although all these souls were once Ebb users, they are limited by their new bodies and their insanity. Each Flux Zombie typically exhibits one or two skill chains from: Blast 5, Blue Thermal 5, Enhancement 5, Enhancement: Ebb Beast (in this case, that is the only power possessed), Reality Fold 3, Red Thermal 5 or Telekinesis 8 (again, in this case that is the only power possessed from that chain, and is used in a poltergeist-style manner). Because of their proximity to and connection with the bleed zone, they do not expend Flux to power these abilities.
LEGION
A bizarre gestalt entity empowered by several of the more powerful and coherent minds trapped in the White, Legion is an amalgamation of many bodies in one mass. The good news is that unless reality folding, it moves very slowly. That’s it for the good news…
STR: 30
DEX: 20
DIA: 15
CONC:15
COOL:20
PHYS:25
KNOW:18
HITS: 50
Skills: Unarmed Combat 10, Detect 10
Walk: 1
Run: n/a
Sprint: n/a
Multi-action: Legion is a gestalt entity, and can therefore make several actions in one phase. Each round, Legion rolls 1d10 to determine how many bonus actions it gets for that round; these may be divided amongst the phases as required.
Ebb skills: Legion has ALL the ebb skill chains (except Protect – find a Deathsuit to fit that!) at a minimum of 10. This includes Gore Cannon. Skill chains above 10 are: Detect 20, Blast 16, Enhancement 18 and Telekinesis 14.