Brainwashed

[Prest0]

In Brainwashed, the characters are contacted by a father concerned for his son’s welfare. He explains that his son has joined a cult called the Harmonists and severed all ties to his friends, family, and college career. He asks the heroes to intervene on his behalf—find his son and make sure he is well. If his son is in trouble, then he is to be removed from the cult’s clutches—either willingly or unwillingly!

Brainwashed is a modern horror adventure for four 4th-level heroes. It combines the classic style of H.P. Lovecraft with a little Hellboy thrown in for good measure. This module was written to demonstrate the use of 12 to Midnight’s Fear Effects rules, however, those rules are not required to play and enjoy the game.

 

[Man-thing]

Review of Brainwashed

Review of Brainwashed (Part of Crothian’s PDF Review Project)
by Preston P. Dubose

Edited by: Gerald Blakemore, Trey Gorden, & Ed Wetterman
Cover by: Nicole Cardiff
Maps by: Craig Largent
Interior Artwork: Steve Bentley
Playtested by: Cory Bluhm and Jason Chapman
Tinfoil Hat (Used in Photo) Designed by: Kimberley DuBose
Published by: 12 to Midnight

Disclaimer: This is my first review of an adventure. It will contain spoilers so if you are planning on playing this adventure then skip this review.

Brainwashed is a 36 page pdf plus cover, title page, and OGL that comes in both a screen and a print friendly version. It retails for $6.50 at Rpgnow. However, if you’ve picked up the September Coupon book from Ronin Arts there is a coupon in it for $1.00 off.

Overview: This is a d20 modern horror adventure for 4 characters of forth level. It was conceived originally as a few examples to demonstrate how the horror rules in Fear Effects by 12 to Midnight work in practice. It has grown to a complete module involving cult activities, alien invaders and tin foil hats at a hippie commune near the town of Pinebox, Texas.

Section 0: GM Preparation (5 pages)

This section provides a brief introduction, information of what levels and numbers of characters should be used, a comment on Fear Effects, information of setting the mode for this adventure, several pages of background information and a plot synopsis. The GM background is quite extensive for a product of this size, it should make the “Harmony Farm” or the Npcs much more real to the GM and thus the players.

Section 1: Intervention (3 pages)

The section of the module includes the adventure hook and the preliminary investigation. The player characters are contacted by Jim Simpson to track down his son who is a student at East Texas University and who has fallen in with a cult at Harmony Farm.

The mission: find the boy and extract the boy for deprogramming. The advice in the module suggests that the heroes could be approached because:
- reputation for dealing with the unusual
- law enforcement or security backgrounds
- ties or familiarity with the adventure location (Pinebox)
- players need information of help from Jim Simpson as part of another module or campaign.
- they are related to Jim or Russell (the missing son)

From here the heroes have to travel to Pinebox, Texas and can continue their investigation by researching information on Harmony Farm, talking to Russell’s dormmate or talking to local (which would be called ‘coffee row’ around.

Wait! Is there any information on this town of Pinebox?
Yes, extensive information exists on the company website www.12toMidnight.com since Pinebox has been the setting for at least one other 12toMidnight module and is the default campaign setting for 12toMidnight products.

But, Does it have to be in Texas?
No, I didn’t read anything in the module itself that indicated that this had to be in Texas. If you are planning on moving the module to a new setting, you will need a place that can have cattle ranching and farms nearby (though those elements could be adjusted as well)

Section 2: Harmony Farm (6 pages)

When the heroes decide to investigate Harmony Farm we enter this portion of the module. Heroes will not find the farm open to visitors and will need to sneak in or break in. The farmyard is very deserted, though they will encounter the body of Tom Warden (a former Harmonist), a field of mutilated cattle, a schizophrenic and a flesh harvester (new alien). There are a number of areas that inspire fear as detailed in the product Fear Effects (minor spooks, medium shocks, and great frights). Inside the farmhouse, the players may find the cocoons of gestating flesh harvesters, a retarded child (Nick), a jug of fruit punch (reminiscent of other cults) and a good supply of tin foil (I’m hoping this is actually aluminum foil and the author, like everyone else still calls it tin foil.)

Fear Effects (mini-review for context) – Is another pdf product by 12 to Midnight that retails for $3.50. This product is 12 to Midnight’s own Horror save rules for d20. In general Horror is divided into four levels of increasing horror (minor spook, medium shock, greater fright and horrific terror). Each of these levels have a Will save DC 10 and the DC of the Horror check is always the same (though later it says, the GM has ultimate authority in assigning DCs to Horror check). If you fail you’re save then you roll d100 and check the charts that make up the last 5 pages of the book. There are some variant rules and modifiers that can be applied. A number of the effects are permanent. Some of the effects are quite devastating, but in a horror themed game that is wholy appropriate. To speed game play using these rules I would roll up a number of failures in each category and record the results in my planning book so I wouldn’t need to refer to the pdf in game or waste time die rolling then.

Since I haven’t mentioned it before I should mention it now. They is quite a bit of art in this product form the slightly pixelated guide avatars, a painted from cover and three or four detailed black and white drawing that accompany sections 2, 3 of this adventure. The drawings are used to provide a clear picture of the aliens and their cocoons, to the GM. Wait, there is one other drawing of aliens done by the Nick in crayon on the a piece of diary *(this is one of my favourite goodies in the module). The maps in the module are functional and complete, though I would have liked an tent interior map.

Wait! What if I don’t have Fear Effects?
To me a horror module needs a fear and madness mechanic, though I’ve read too much Lovecraft and played too much Call of Cthulhu in my time. I guess it would be ‘okay’ to not use horror rules but I just seems odd to me. It would be possible to port in another systems rules if you had them and not Fear Effects (CoC, OGL Horror, Modern:Madness) using the name of the Fear Effect as a guide to severity.

Section 3: Tent of Horrors

In this chapter the players continue their search for Russell Simpson and potentially with Nick’s help find the missing cultists, an alien ship and the alien responsible for the cultists behavior. There are some really interesting visuals and game effects in this section especially the use of the cultists as the mouthpiece for the main alien (Mue-lok) and the flesh-engine. The chapter ends with a wrap-up section that includes information on how to deal with the four most common outcomes in the module.

Appendix 1: Cast of Characters

Each major character receives a full page write-up, that does not use the same crap ugly statistic block from in the d20 modern book. This write-up is more spread out, neatly organized and easy to read. Each also has a Character profile to provide the GM with more background and a list of phrases the character is known to use.

Appendix 2: Cast of Creatures and Machines

This section provides some information on the Flesh Engine, the Flesh Harvesters, Mue-Lok and Universal Dominator. Each is written up in the spread out, neatly organized and easy to read style of the important NPCs. Most of the special abilities are included in the product so you will not need to flip to you d20 Modern book much during game time, unless you have forgotten how basic abilities like blindsight or darkvision.

I think there are a lot of errors in the statistic blocks of the Flesh Harvesters and Mue-Lok. Here are a few:

1) Both the Flesh Harvester and Mue-Lok have more than average hit points.
2) Flesh Harvester’s attack and full attack should be Leg Stab +7 (1d4+3) it is currently listed as + (1d4+4) [[[+7 from +3 (3/4 x 4 HD), +3 Str, +1 Weapon Focus; Sole attack is 1.5 times Strength]]]
3) Strike that it should have only Simple Weapon Proficiency because Aberration receive (1 feat per Int bonus) + (1 Feat/4 HD beyond 1st ). [0 feats because Int is -2 modifier, and as 4 HD does not gain another feat (would at 5th); Simple weapons is a feat for Weapons and Armour line] So the attacks should by +6.
4) Grapple Bonus should be +6 not +0.
5) The Mue-Lok’s Full Attack is given as +4/+2/+0 except it’s 3 slam attacks not separate attacks so it really should be 3 Slams +4 (1d4+3); then again 6 HD with +3 Str modifier, -1 size should be +6.
6) The Mue-Lok has a Fear Aura (DC 14), does this become the DC for the Fear Effects check or does it still act like the d20 Modern rules?
7) Mue-Lok - Grapple Bonus +11
8) Mue-Lok should have (5 feats from Int, Simple Weapons Profieciency, +1 Feat from HD).

There may be more issues but that’s all I’m willing to dwell on right now.

Appendix 3: Experience and Mechanics

This section provides information on how to scale this module to suit different levels of play. I think the suggestions of easily modifying the module are interesting and simple too use but they do not actual work in calculation.

From the Product:
[Begin Quote]
Scaling Down: The Basics
Before scaling down, consider adding the GM characters Alex Briggs and his friends to raise the average party level to four. Otherwise, proceed.
First, subtract 2 from the player’s average party level to calculate the Module Modifier (MM) and do the following:
1. Decrease all DCs -2 × MM
2. Decrease damage rolls by 1 × MM per hit.
3. Decrease hit points of villains and creatures by 5 hp per MM.
4. Use logic to decrease the danger of certain encounters. Example: Use fewer special attacks, or make attacks less strategic.
[End Quote]

Let’s say for the sake of argument that my parties average level is 2 (MM = 2 -2 = 0)
So if, I’m two levels below recommended level 1:
1) Decrease all DCs -2 x 0 = by 0
2) Decrease all damage rolls by 1 x 0 = by 0
3) Decrease hit points of villains and creatures by 5 hp per MM = decrease by 0 then
4) Varies

I think it means to be, for each level below the recommended level -2 DC from special abilities, -1 damage per attack, -5 hp from villains and monster, use your judgement to reduce the number and strength of special attacks and tactics.

What is different about this Module?

1) Guiding Avatars – throughout the text there are little avatar’s of the 12 to Midnight guides providing background information (Jackson Green), mechanics advice (Professor Glen McClanahan) and advice for when players “go off the map” (Lance Carson) [called “turning left” at my table]. I really enjoyed this aspect as it sort of provides insight into what the author has considered may happen and what other information you may need. Some it also read like it was things that came up in playtesting.
2) ‘Did you remember to’ section - provides a concise list of thing that you as a DM need to remember to do in each section so that key details aren’t missed. This was a nice feature as it speed up play and makes it easier for the DM “on the go” who needs to have something prepped 2 hours ago.
3) Fear Effects mechanics – This product was meant highlight the madness rules designed in Fear Effects. The time when these come into play is detailed in the text. However, what this means is not. This felt kind of awkward to me and I contacted the author to talk to him about this and whether Fear Effects is required. He said that it wasn’t required but provided me with a copy of those rules.

What about FX?

Hmm… It doesn’t really say, both psionic powers and mage are at times part of the Horror genre. The game doesn’t mention if they intend for FX to be used or not. In my game I would probably allow FX, but I may increase the number of harvesters in the field.

How was the Editing/Mechanics?

The editing of text and presentation of this module was superb. I spotted none of the standard grammatical errors that seem to plague roleplaying game releases. Mechanics, well the monster statistics do not look good. I will check each thoroughly before I run the module with my gaming group.

What system is this product designed for?

This is designed for the d20 Modern ruleset. There is also a Savage Worlds version. I also think it probably could be ported to Call of Cthulhu d20 and OGL Horror with little difficulty or modification (essentially adding the Horror mechanic).

What is Open Game Content?

All other text excluding sidebars and author introduction. Please remember that Open Game Content is still copyrighted material and any use of such content must be accompanied by the following: “Brainwashed, Copyright 2005, 12 to Midnight, Inc.; Author: Preston P. DuBose”.

Where do I stand?

I like the product. I can’t love it because of the mechanical errors and it feels a little to linear and familiar to me. It doesn't create that sense of ‘Wow, I got to run this right away’. It is clear to me that the author of this product loves the horror genre and does a great job of establishing the mood with strong visuals, adoption of horror movie conventions and careful word choice in the box text. It is a great product to look at and the module is nicely developed with lots of background and advice to make play easy. I really like the child’s drawing as it would make a great player handout. I will use this module (after going over the statistics carefully) and maybe expand it a bit because my group usually games for 6-8 hours at a time. I’m also going to pick up a few of 12 to Midnight’s other releases in the future.

I’m rating this as an average product.

If you have found this review helpful and wish to pick up Brainwashed, it can be found at the following location: http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=5189&EnWorld
For Savage Worlds Version: http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=5364&EnWorld
For $1.00 off the d20 version:
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=3313&Enworld

 

[danzig138]

Brainwashed
12 to Midnight, Inc.
Author: Preston P. DuBose
Page count: 39 pages including maps, handouts, OGL; (printer-friendly) 31 pages including OGL
Price: $6.50

Brainwashed is an adventure designed for four 4th level d20 Modern characters. The adventure is a horror-style setup, with a nostalgic, Call of Cthulhu/Lovecraft feel. It is an adventure in which the PCs are hired/recruited/asked to investigate one thing, but may find out that things aren't as they seem, and regardless, they must resolve the situation.

Brainwashed begins with a page from the author, detailing how Brainwashed was intended to be bundled with another product (Fear Effects), but things didn't work out that way. As a consumer, I've never been interested in author's notes – I'm not terribly interested in what they went through to get the product to me. As a beginning author, however, author's notes can be interesting. Sometimes, though, they still just add a page to the count.

Following the author's notes are play notes and the GM's Background. This is where we learn of hippies, a commune, strange objects, and even stranger behavior. It even contains a little snippet of in-character fiction.

I admit my bias here – I generally don't care for the short pieces of fiction found in many gaming products. I understand why they are included, but in my opinion, they take up space I'd rather see used for more game information. Besides, my games never end up like the sample fiction.

Following this is a plot synopsis. To the author's credit, it states that what follows is only one way the events may play out, and it is not even necessarily the optimal way the events should play out. I hope that this will relieve some GM's of the worry that things are proceeding the way the module says they should.

The synopsis is interesting – I read it, and thought "Ha! These people are so much more subtle than my groups." I do believe that there are groups out there that could do this adventure in a covert manner – mine isn't one of them.

After the plot synopsis, we get to the adventure proper, beginning with the involvement of the Player Characters. There are several recommended reasons and relationships described for involving the PCs. These are classic, straight out of Call of Cthulhu methods, including a relationship, reputation for dealing with oddness, or familiarity with the area. One possibility it lacks, and I can see why it was excluded, it ideas on how to have the characters simply stumble into things.

Each section has a subsection at the end entitled "Did you remember to:" It then lists a few elements that are important to the adventure. For example, in Section 1, the characters are tasked with retrieving someone from the commune/compound (see comments on the GM's Background). At the end of this section, Did You Remember To lists the following:

• "Provide the heroes with a photo of Russell and hire the heroes to bring him back for “deprogramming'?"

• "Establish Russell’s connection to Harmony Farm [the commune/compound]?"

• "Arrange for the heroes to meet Russell’s roommate?"

This is excellent. I can't count the number of times, particularly in Shadowrun games, where I've forgotten little snippets and then had to work them back into an adventure at a later point. All adventure writers should learn from this example, and include such reminders in their works.

The adventure proceeds form here. I am going to avoid talk of the adventure itself; I would hate to inadvertently spoil it for potential players. Suffice it to say, the PCs investigate, find unusually happenings, and (hopefully) deal with it.

The adventure takes place near Pinebox, Texas. The author includes a small sidebar with brief, but useful information concerning Pinebox. Brainwashed has numerous sidebars. Some provide information about the setting, while other provides tips on what character might do, and other possibilities. Overall, Brainwashed makes excellent use of these sidebars. I wish more adventures made use of these snatches of information.

The printer-friendly version removes the sidebars from the main text and consolidates them at the end of the adventure. I would rather have the printer-friendly version include the sidebars in the same locations as the graphics-heavy version. By moving them to the end of the text, their section-based utility is removed.

Next is the Cast of Characters – you know, the stat blocks for important NPCs and such. Brainwashed is designed for d20 Modern, but does not use standard d20 Modern stat blocks. Perhaps this is because the author dislikes the standard d20 Modern stat block design. If so, I understand this. I can't stand the stat blocks for d20 Modern. I find them very difficult to read, especially during combat scenes. However, the stat block design for Brainwashed isn't much better. These stat blocks condense some of the information into tables, with oddly ordered entries, and other information in paragraphs. A simple line-by-line stat block would be more effective.

After the Cast of Characters is Appendix 3: Experience and Mechanics. This section provides good advice on scaling the module for parties that may be more or less powerful than the recommended 4th level group. This is a useful section – I rarely get to run adventures for groups of the appropriate levels, and tips for scaling are always appreciated.

The last part of Brainwashed contains handouts and maps. When I looked at this section, I had another Call of Cthulhu flashback. The handouts are clean, clear, and easy to use, and certainly bring fond memories of CoC adventuring. Especially interesting is one handout of handwritten text scribbled over with crayon.

Layout and Style
The layout for the graphics-heavy version is simple – standard two-column text. The font size is large enough to allow for quick and easy reading (and scanning). Brainwashed has several sidebars and tables, all of which are useful, except the primary color is purple-ish, and the font used in the tables is quite a bit smaller than the main text. The font size and purple-colored rows can cause some difficulty when trying to read the contents of the tables.

Each section is numbered like X:Y:Z. Subsections are X:Yy:Z. This is not problematic, and may actually be helpful, but it does remind me of some war games I've played.

The printer-friendly version does away with the purple color, and as a result, is much easier to read.

Art
Brainwashed does not have much art, if you discount the handouts. The art that is available is fair quality (barring the cover, which is unattractive), and serves its function well enough.

Open Gaming
The OGC of Brainwashed is generous – nearly everything is open, except for a few small elements.

File Utility
The documents are unlocked, allowing you to freely copy and paste as desired. In addition, the Table of Contents in the graphics-heavy version is linked, allowing for quick access to each section.

Conclusion
Brainwashed isn't the greatest adventure of all time, but it's pretty good. Especially if you're interested in a horror adventure in the vein of Call of Cthulhu, from which Brainwashed draws much inspiration. The sidebars are useful, and the handouts are very good. Brainwashed should provide an evening or two of fun, involving gaming.