From: [N C CUT 132] at [TWNMOE10.Edu.TW] (Brian Phillips) Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime,rec.games.frp.misc Subject: GURPS R Dream Date: Sun, 10 Jul 94 17:10:22 GMT The following is Carol Chen's GURPS R-Dream Campaign write up based upon the Japanese manga Dark Green. Carol wrote this as part of her final project for the RPG course I teach at National Chengchi University (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC). Comments and suggestions will be forwarded to the author. Please, don't slam her English - she's a student. Suggestions welcome, flames will be ignored. BTW, the format problems with the example characters at the end are my fault from when I tried to convert the Winword file to ascii. GURPS (Genric Universal RolePlaying System) is a tabletop RPG rules system published by Steve Jackson Games (sorry, I forget the Japanese publisher for you animaniacs). Peace, Brian David Phillips [n c cut 132] at [twnmoe10.edu.tw] Meiguo Langren Zai Taibei (An American Werewolf in Taipei) =================================================================> GURPS R-Dream Campaign Carol Chen Version 1.0, June 7, 1994 Dec. 20, 198x All the people on the world have the same dream Some find themselves in the desert Some sea Some volcano Some city Some even space They all perceive the coming of certain catastrophe Less than half remember the dream "How about this?" "Just stamp it out!" "Simulation of cockroach...." "I like this one, the one we made last time was too big." "Fail again! Sweep them out." The story is based upon Sasaki Zhingko's comic book "Dark Green." I do not have too much experience to design a paper like this, so most of the headings here are inspired by Bingo Pajama's GURPS Dune Campaign. Psionic powers are suitable for the game, and super powers are allowed here. This is done in such a hurry and there will be more to be continued. I am sorry for Hokuto and Ryuon, there should be more details of them. * * * SETTING R Dream People dream about a specific dimension called "R Dream". It is in the open field with few buildings in certain spots. In Spite of the omen of the future, the other common experience of people is that they are all involve fighting-Civil War, W.W.I or II and so on. Most of the time they are fighting with Yale-the enemy of people in this setting. One can enter the dream consciously and, if his will is strong enough, he may go to the world he adore much subconsciously. But things like this would happen probably once in million times, besides the man must be tough as Hokuto. There is no borderline in the R Dream. People can talk freely despite the fact they come from different countries. People do not have many choices in the R Dream, actually only two: to kill or to be killed. One "could" die because of the hurt or injury he or she gets in the R Dream. To survive in the battle field, one can either to fight or to wake up from the nightmare. R Dream has been thought to be a new mental obstacle resulted from highly civilized society. The encephalon wave of people entering R Dream show in a stable situation. It looks like brain dead, yet these people can still have surprisingly splendid mental actions in their dreams. The "R Vegetables" are people who have sleep for a long time since they enter R Dream. Some infants sleep into R Dream even when they were born. This is quite dangerous for the babies because the brain cells should be developed in three months from their birthdays. Campaign Style Characters are suggested to be members of the Salvation Army which is the only well-organized group in the R and live the Base. Starting point as set to be 300-400 for PCs who are supposed to be above average people yet lower than the heroes. In R, People who remember their identities in the reality own the same personalities and appearances; those have no memory of the reality will have different personalities and appearances, sometimes even genders. And, the latter will not know what happened in the R after they wake up. Special Suggestion for the GM You can go on in both sides of the setting: in reality and in R as you wish and the situation permits. Going on this way, ask your PCs to roll against his Will to see if he can switch into to other side. When he fails, he can keep on trying if he wants to get into R. If he wants to come back from the R, he must wait for another day in R Dream's time. If the PC tries to wake up in order to avoid the fighting with powerful Yale, the GM could punish him to roll a -5 for cowardice. The other PCs will react to him at -2 here after because they know he is a coward no matter he succeeds or not. If he makes it, he can do nothing except waiting in two rounds; he just waste two rounds for dishonor and damage caused by Yale when he fails. Special Suggestion for the Player You can have two totally different PCs if the GM permits. But any of your PC will not any memory of or about the other. Campaign TL For PCs and most people in the R, TL is supposed to be 7 since the time is set in 198x, but it can be deducted in this way when we talk about those heroes in the R. For example, Hokuto usually carries a modern rifle (TL7) which always be used as a laser rifle and does more damage than a laser rifle. Ryuon can "call out" his sword and makes a much stronger explosion than a bazooka does. Different individuals, even with the same weapon, make different damage decided by the user's mentality/brain power/psionic power. HYPOTHESIS The evolution of animals has been controlled by the conscience of plants. Life is not created by them, but plants have known the to change the equation of animals. They have changed the animal genetic elements to improve the revolution. Plants created eyes, ears, noses for the animals because they want to know and to research the material world through animals. And that is why animals have smell, hearing or vision. Human being is one of the simulation they have made. Everything actually was done under the suggestion imparted into human subconscious at the very beginning Yale Far different from other games, Yale is not the intruder coming from other places or from the opposite side. It is produced by human beings. Yale is the concrete of sin: nuclear war, environmental pollution, the destruction of nature. Developed countries threaten the planet by scientific and economic power; Under-developed counties smother nature with skyrocketing population. "R Dream" Plan The human brings the world including the plants which create the simulation of human on the road toward doom. So the plants decide to warn from the spiritual aspect. They give men R Dream so that men can destroy those elements (Yale is the concrete.)causing the doom. PLACES Atlas Space A space above the sky of R Dream. It looks like a little universe made of glass with map on its ground. " Map" contains much more information than one might expect for it has what did, does will happen in the very spot at certain time. Base The stronghold of the Salvation Army. One of the most amazing things in the R Dream happens here. There are steel factories, weapon manufactories in the R Dream. Constructions in the Base and the power of the weapons produced here actually are formed by the mental power of men. When the mental power reaches certain level, human desires will be concrete. These are the sources of Yale, too. Green Hill The paramount spiritual forms of plants live here , and astonishingly, they live in the shape of giants. (That means these are so called gods. Imagine that Zeus is just a pine.) The Lake People can see their identities in reality through the lake. Jump into the lake, then one can go back to the reality immediately. But it is moving all the time. People who are lost in the R Dream are "R vegetables" in reality. They might want to see the Lake. MONSTERS Yale can transform into any objects: food, weapons and so on. When it is not in disguise, it is a cloud/black shade with hideous appearance. You know what monsters always look like. Here are two example transformations of Yale: Fogyale Fogyale causes all the feelings odd to confuse people. Once the warriors go crazy and mad, they will attack their companions. Yet Fogyale has rotten and decay odor, PCs with Acute Taste and Smell have +2 in attack roll for the odor will tell them where to hit and they do not have to roll against their IQ to see whether they hit the Fogyale or their companions. PCs with Intuition do not roll, either. Those with the disadvantage No Sense of Smell have -2 in their dodge and, if they fail to roll against IQ-3, they hit their companions. A critical failure in the roll-the PCs enjoy committing suicide. Trashyale Trashyale is very hard to find for it could only exist under the ground while men seldom go beneath. It can hurt only after it touch and tangle the victims, so the Trashyale can do damage at least in the second turn. But it's so erosive that the victims have permanent wounds , sometimes even crippled, once they are hit. Special Suggestion for the GM Create your own Yale as long as your players think it is fair. (This is from the master of game masters, Mr. Phillips) Everything around people might become Yale in the next second. But you should tell PCs own sense of danger before your Yale acts. Give them 2 seconds. EQUIPMENT Talking pebbles A talking pebble is extremely rare. To get one, the PC has to go beneath and risks for never coming back because there are few exits. All of the pebbles are placed together under the ground. Each of them represent one person. The one gets the pebble could talk with the one the pebble represents if both of the two are in the R Dream. When the receiver is in the reality out of R, the holder of the pebble can only "tell" the receiver what he wants the later to know and can get the response from the receiver. So as far as I know, only Ryuon has such a pebble representing Hokuto. DAMAGE Weaponry and Shields PCs can pick their favorites in TL7. Calculating for Damage As I have mentioned before, in the R Dream, a certain weapon will cause different damages when it is used by different people. Weapons in R Dream are symbols. The power is determined by the user's Will. PCs do damage according to the weapons they use, but 1d more damage per level if they have Strong Will advantage. NEW ADVANTAGES Penetrating Vision 25 points Yale usually appears as the dark shape or fog. Even in reality where it can not attack, it permeates all around people. It might cover the area completely as it is fighting. PCs with Penetrating Vision can see through Yale and hit it easily. +2 in attack roll and 1d more damage. Night Vision will not work when fighting with crafty Yale. Identify 10 points One can help people wandering between R Dream and reality and people forgetting whom they are in reality to identify themselves. Hokuto Hishiogi The Top Warrior ST: 14 Speed: 8.75 Thrust: 1+0 DX: 18 Move: 8 Swing: 2+0 IQ: 18 Dodge: 10 Punch: 1-2 HT: 17 Kick: 1+0 Fatigue: 14 Will: 19 Vision: 18 Hearing: 18 Smell: 18 ADVANTAGES: SKILLS: 3D Spatial Sense Free Fall 17 Absolute Direction Jumping 17 Appearance: Very Handsome Japanese 18 +1 Charisma Fast draw: Magazine 18 Combat Reflexes Fast Draw: Rifle 18 Danger Sense Guns: Pistols 19 Drone Range: Galaxy-Wide Guns: Submachine 17 Enhanced Dodge Speed Load: Auto Rifle 17 G-Tolerance: .3G Increment Computer Operation 14 +1 High Pain Threshold Emotion Sense 15 Strong Will Beam Weapons 16 Toughness DISADVANTAGES: Honesty Impulsiveness One Eye Sense of Duty ( All Life ) Truthfulness Hokuto in reality is a student who failed twice in the Joint College Entrance Exam. His goal is the Art College and he does extremely good in painting. At the very beginning, there was no Base in R Dream, and R- Hokuto was the one leads people fighting against Yale. R- Hokuto was older, taller and less compassionate than Hokuto. He was a tough guy with determined fortitude. R Dream was stronger and more confusing then. It was appallingly difficult for men to deal with the anguish of nature. Under the guide from Green Hill, people tried to call out someone sleep in the cradle of nature-only the man born in the R Dream could peer Yale. Hokuto and Rutu the Northern were the only two passing the trail. They went into the non-consciousness and Lead Ryuon out of it. In some aspects, Hokuto and Rutu are the parents of Ryuon. But in the journey, Hokuto lost his right eye and Rutu her left ear. Before this event happened, Hokuto never remembered what he did in the R Dream. He did not believe R Dream which was a fashion topic at that time. And there was a long time he had not entered R Dream. By accident he came into R Dream again when he tried to sleep consciously, and he made. Yet he has no memory about what the former Rhokuto did before. He forgets everything including Rutu-the one he loved. It seems like the former Rhokuto was sealed into the deepest of his subconscious. Ryuon is much dependent upon this amiable Hokuto, though sometimes he complains about that Hokuto is too genial and thoughtful to everyone. Hokuto loses his memory and they do not meet Rutu soon. It takes much time and striving for them to find out that they are father and son. Ryuon R Dream-born Hero ST: 13 Speed: 9.75 Thrust: 1+0 DX: 20 Move: 9 Swing: 2-1 IQ: 18 Dodge: 10 Punch: 1-2 HT: 17 Kick: 1+0 Fatigue: 13 Will: 18 Vision: 18 Hearing: 18 Smell: 18 ADVANTAGES: SKILLS: 3D Spatial Sense Acrobatics 14 Absolute Direction Free Fall 15 +1 Animal Empathy Jumping 19 +1 Cat's nine lives Fast draw: Sword 19 Danger Sense Fast Draw: Pistols 19 Enhanced Bare Hand Parry Speed Load 19 Enhanced Block Shortsword Duel 14 Enhanced Dodge Speed Load: Auto Rifle 17 +1 High Pain Threshold Guns: Pistol 18 Intuition Detect Lies 12 +2 Weapon Master Disguise 17 DISADVANTAGES: SUPER POWERS: Code of Honor: Elegance Disintegrate 14(10) +1 Compulsive Behavior Morph 16(5) Curiosity Impulsiveness ADVANTAGES: Sense of Duty ( All Life ) Truthfulness Costume Ryuon could not speak at the first time he appears in R Dream. No one knows whom he is till the day he met Hokuto who gave him the name. Before he met Rutu, Ryuon and Hokuto tried as possible as they could to search for Ryuon's identity but they never succeed. He has no past.