These short, brusque notes are related our mini-campaign of N.E.W. set in the most infamous prison in the Empire! I held a movie marathon to get the players in the mood, which included Chronicles of Riddick, Alien 3 and Cube.
System notes are here.
In the first session, the players made up characters and settled into the prison. We had:
It started with the prisoners in lock-up. An android priest of the United Abrahamic Faiths asked for the group to confess their crimes, but none were forth coming. The prisoners were then put into stasis as the ship journeyed through a rift gate another star system. Then, the prisoners found themselves at Tartarus!
They woke up in the prison and were checked in by another prisoner. During processing, they prisoners were ordered to strip, sprayed with a disinfectant and then told put on their bright orange prison uniforms. Collars were snapped around their necks; a heavy reminder that they were now prisoners.
Calico decided to resist arrest and attacked the prisoner during the processing. The guards were called in and easily subdued the prisoners. They were then assigned to Cell Block 3.
They learned that the prison was largely controlled by the prisoners as part of a tight social system. Guards were on staff, but intervened rarely. The three cell blocks were dominated by three gangs: the Black Angels, Hellcats and Blood Dogs. Cell Block 3 was ruled by the Blood Dogs. Inside, they found another prisoner's body hanging from a cell, and a woman who was dying and vomiting from radiation poisoning, due to work in the 'Danger Zone', the high-radiation area of the mine.
They met Omar, an old prisoner with only three days to parole, who advised them that compliance was the best method of surviving the Blood Dogs. The PCs were forced into their cells and slops were thrown at them, but refused to grovel before the Blood Dogs, despite their leader, Keira, throwing slop all over them.
The PCs went to their meal break, where they met some of the other prisoners. Freddie worked on establishing an 'in' with the Black Angels, the gang that focused on gambling and 'good times'. The PCs were invited to a gambling game before 'lights out'.
Trying to get an edge in with the Blood Dogs, Calico accepted a contract to kill Kulthorn, a man protected by the Hellcats in 24 hours. Calico then went to the Hellcats and tipped them off. In return, she was asked to assassinate Keira.
This session was just to test out character generation and a bit of skill checks. More combat next time, as the PCs attempt to take over the prison. I probably need some tougher NPCs, as they were walking over everyone. PCs also had no starting equipment, but will start to scrounge things up in Tartarus.
System notes are here.
In the first session, the players made up characters and settled into the prison. We had:
- Freddie Beaumont, a psychic con-man
- Jake Rossiter, a former prison guard
- 57821/C1nD1 "Mayweather", a former-navy android combat medic
- Ugbug, an Ogron priest/bartender, arrested for 'crimes against the Empire' (attacking indentured service companies, or 'slavers')
- Kit 'Calico' Black, a Felan jewel thief.
It started with the prisoners in lock-up. An android priest of the United Abrahamic Faiths asked for the group to confess their crimes, but none were forth coming. The prisoners were then put into stasis as the ship journeyed through a rift gate another star system. Then, the prisoners found themselves at Tartarus!
They woke up in the prison and were checked in by another prisoner. During processing, they prisoners were ordered to strip, sprayed with a disinfectant and then told put on their bright orange prison uniforms. Collars were snapped around their necks; a heavy reminder that they were now prisoners.
Calico decided to resist arrest and attacked the prisoner during the processing. The guards were called in and easily subdued the prisoners. They were then assigned to Cell Block 3.
They learned that the prison was largely controlled by the prisoners as part of a tight social system. Guards were on staff, but intervened rarely. The three cell blocks were dominated by three gangs: the Black Angels, Hellcats and Blood Dogs. Cell Block 3 was ruled by the Blood Dogs. Inside, they found another prisoner's body hanging from a cell, and a woman who was dying and vomiting from radiation poisoning, due to work in the 'Danger Zone', the high-radiation area of the mine.
They met Omar, an old prisoner with only three days to parole, who advised them that compliance was the best method of surviving the Blood Dogs. The PCs were forced into their cells and slops were thrown at them, but refused to grovel before the Blood Dogs, despite their leader, Keira, throwing slop all over them.
The PCs went to their meal break, where they met some of the other prisoners. Freddie worked on establishing an 'in' with the Black Angels, the gang that focused on gambling and 'good times'. The PCs were invited to a gambling game before 'lights out'.
Trying to get an edge in with the Blood Dogs, Calico accepted a contract to kill Kulthorn, a man protected by the Hellcats in 24 hours. Calico then went to the Hellcats and tipped them off. In return, she was asked to assassinate Keira.
This session was just to test out character generation and a bit of skill checks. More combat next time, as the PCs attempt to take over the prison. I probably need some tougher NPCs, as they were walking over everyone. PCs also had no starting equipment, but will start to scrounge things up in Tartarus.
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