ATOMIC HIGHWAY DARK FUTURE

The Apocalpse then Campaign The Legand of Lone Star (Part I)

Version 1.1 The Legend of Lone Star Part I is an Apocalypse Then campaign scenario set in Arkansas, for PCs that have already played through the Scenario Heros Maid. It provides a critical Plot Point for the Atomic Highway: Dark Future Apocalypse Then campaign. It assumes that the PCs are Sanctioned Operatives, and have some mode of transport. The Cherokee named Lone Star first came to national attention in 1993, when he was a popular insurrectionist in the The Casino Conflicts, where the Cherokee nation clashed with the National Guard over government attempts to shut down illegal Cherokee gambling dens. He and his brother led a campaign of terror on Government forces, clashing with the US Cavalry and even the Feds. This campaign ended a year later, following the death of Lone Stars brother by the Plague Rider Gangcult of Illinois. Lone Star then earned himself an amnesty by joining the Sanctioned Operative agency the St Louis Blues, who were recruiting outlaws to take the fight to the Plague Riders. This was not popular with many citizens of St Louis, as Lone Star had a reputation for savagery in his campaign of vengeance against the Plague Riders, and many felt he would not conform to agencys rules of engagement. Nevertheless, Lone Star proved one of the St Louis blues most successful operatives, until his disappearance a few weeks ago. His last known location was an encounter with the Plague Riders on the Interstate 44, just outside of Springfield. Some say he was killed, but as his Interceptor was never found, his fellow operative Jules Mason has been looking for the missing Cherokee ever since. This scenario starts with the PCs talking to Jules Mason, a Sanctioned Operative who is part of the St Louis Blues agency based in Missouri. This can either be introduced because Jules Mason directly contacts the PCs, or because the PCs decide to ask around about the Plague Riders (see Heros Maid) and are told that Mason has also been asking a lot of questions about the gang recently. Either way, Mason arranges to meet them in the Bartertown of Springfield, or alternatively the Filter of Chicago or St Louis if the PCs prefer somewhere more secure. He Mason will explain that he has been ordered Originally, a Private detective hailing from the Policed Zone of Miami, Jules Mason was always a loner, who had difficulties with corporate authority. Forced out of the city due to Mafia corruption, he found a new home in St. Louis, where he is instrumental in preventing Mafia influence spreading. Unlike most of the Blues, he can normally be found operating solo, engaged in investigation rather than combat. Rearing: Remnant (Miami PolicedZone) Pursuit: Sentinel Muscle 2 Understanding 3 Tenacity 3 Appeal 2 Nimbleness 2 Toughness 3 Senses 3 Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Drive 2, Heal 1, Intimidate 2, Lore 3, Melee 2, Notice 3, Persuade 3, Shoot 2, Shoot 3, Stealth 2, Tech 2 Attacks: As Weapon / Armour: 2 / Health: 16 Armour: Light (Ballistic Kevleather Jacket) Weapons: Heavy Handgun, Nightstick (Medium Bludgeon), Knife Gear: St. Louis Police Uniform, Binoculars, Gas mask, Geiger counter Muscle 3 Nimbleness 3 Toughness 2 Speed 4 Passengers: Driver Armour: 8 Weapons: Heavy Machine Gun (fixed, forward), twin Light Grenade Launcher (linked, fixed, forward), twin Light Machine Gun (linked, fixed, rear) Customisations: Onboard Computer, Oil Slick Dispenser Health: 75

Jules Mason

A Little History

Customised G-Mec Interceptor

Setup

Page 1

Atomic Highway - Legand of Lone Star

to drop his investigation into what happened to Lone Star by his superiors, due to other needs on his agencies time. However, he has one last lead that he has not followed, and wants to hire the PCs agency to chase it up on his behalf. He offers $12,000 for the location of Lone Star or evidence to what happened to him. If the PCs agree, he will reveal that his lead is that he has been informed that a man named Milton Durgher was asking around about Lone Star in a place called Fayetteville, located somewhere in the west of Arkansas. Fayetteville, Arkansas is a so-called Safetown, the closest thing many states have to a PolicedZone. While there is no Corporation presence here, the towns council have spent a small fortune on protection, and the whole town has many modern resources, such as running water and Datanet access. Fayetteville is reachable by road, following the Interstate 540. However, this road is badly marinated and north of Fayetteville, it is little more than a dirt track in places. A large motel and gas station stands at the heart of the town, the converted remains of a University. In common with most of the businesses in Arkansas, the motel is segregated and has separate foyers for Whites and Non-Whites. It is technically against the states rules for the two groups to visit or stay in the others rooms, although no one at the motel enforces this. A nonsegregated branch of MacDee stands between the two foyers, which sponsors the motels security staff. Asking around town about Lone Star will just draw blank looks, although asking about Milton Durgher will have more success. Indeed, almost everyone in town seems to know of Weird Milton, and will mention he can be found at Maxine's Tap Room. Maxine's Tap Room is an ancient building, with only one tiny window and a 50foot long bar that stretches nearly the entire length of the building. The bar caters for the rougher element of the towns populace, most of who wear Fayetteville Militia badges on their jackets. Milton Durgher drinks here most nights, between around 5pm until 11pm. He is not popular among the other townsfolk, who know him as a liar, coward and general snivelling cur. If pressed, Milton will confess that Leo Forrest has paid him to spy on the citizens of Fayetteville - in particular, Milton is to look out for a Native American named Lone Star and tell Forrest immediately should he show up in town. None of the regulars in the bar will aid Milton against the PCs, regardless of what threats they make, although they will intervene to stop actual torture. If Milton is made to confess in front of witnesses, the locals will administer a beating to him as soon as the PCs are out of sight. Asking around Fayetteville about Leo Forrest will reveal that he is the local leader of the America Alone Alliance Army, who have a camp at place called Ponca to east of Fayetteville, deep in the Ozark Mountains. Most folk have a low opinion of the America Alone Alliance Army, generally regarding them as dangerous out-of-towners.

Act Two

Act One

The PCs arrival in Fayetteville and questioning about Milton Durgher has not gone unnoticed and when they return to the Motel (or wherever else they parked their vehicles), they will find a message from a man named Aloysius Hym, who requests to meet them in his motel room. If they decide to meet him, Aloysius Hym is a small tidy man, who looks to be in his 30s, but styles himself much older. He is dressed in an out of fashion suit and speaks with a precise educated New York accent. Hym will ask if they are looking for a Native American. If they reply in the affirmative, he will say that he saw a group of A4 thugs kill a Native American while driving here from Little Rock two days ago, and that the Native American had an expensive blue car, which he thought had a sign on it saying it was from St Louis. He will offer his commiserations, and say he hopes he did not witness the execution of their friend. Aloysius Hym saw no such thing, and his entire tale is a pack of lies from start to finish. Hym is actually from Philadelphia not New York, and is a member of Illuminated Brethren of the Silver Twilight, a rival Gangcult to A4. His objective here is to close down the investigation into Lone Star, by convincing the PCs that Lone Star is dead. If the PCs decide to investigate Aloysius Hym further, they will quickly find he seldom leaves his room. A Datanet search will turn up that a Doctor Aloysius Hym is a Reader in cultural history at the University of Pennsylvania. If the characters decide to break in or confront Hym (Apocalypse Cultist, page 100), all the interesting information is contained within his Briefcase (see the Conclusion).

Secrets and Lies

Optional Encounter
The Hyksos (Raiders, page 103) are among the largest cykegangs in North Arkansas, centred on the renegade Bartertown of Jonesboro, northwest of Memphis. The PCs could run into a group of five to ten Hyksos almost anywhere while travelling in Arkansas. While this cykegang has no love of Sanctioned Operatives or A4, this group is actually scouting the area following rumours that a Missouri Gangcult has recently crossed the Arkansas border in large numbers, and will not attack the PCs unless provoked. The leader of each scouting party will have a $4,000 bounty.

Hyksos

Page 2

Atomic Highway - Legand of Lone Star

A group called the America Alone Alliance Army or A4 controls most of this region of Arkansas, and Fayetteville is one of the few Bartertowns that the organisation has not yet taken over. They have several bases scattered around the barren Ozark Mountains, which that cover northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. The United States Government officially categorises A4 as a Terrorist organisation, although their ideology of freeing America from the JapCorps and PanIslamic Congress is very popular with many American citizens. A4 have established a base at Ponca in an abandoned Park Ranger compound, with ferrocrete offices, barracks and medi-centre forming its heart, along with a two wooden dormitories, for male and female Indentured Servants, either side of a brick built toilet and shower block. Barbed wire fences surround the compound, with wooden towers at each corner. A corrugated iron barn lies at one end of an airstrip, which lies under sand covered tarpaulins, to conceal its presence from satellite photography. However, when the PCs arrive the camp is far from in perfect condition, as some force has clearly already stormed it. A4 security forces and guard dogs lie dead on the ground, and bullet holes riddle the scorched buildings. Alongside them are dead Gangcultists from the Plague Riders, who appear to have been the attackers. If the PCs wish to investigate further, they may search the following locations: Offices: In the foyer of the office block is a dead man, hung by a noose as if he had been lynched. His A4 uniform proclaims him as General Leo Forrest, the highest-ranking body the PCs will encounter. The raiders have smashed the buildings computer equipment before setting it on fire. One of the downstairs doors is reinforced and has an eye and star symbol embossed into it. The raiders have covered the door in the most obscene graffiti, although have been careful not to scrawl upon the embossed sign. PCs can open this door with brute force [an Arduous (3) Muscle roll], equipment [a Muscle/Tech roll], Lockpicking [a Nimbleness/ Criminal roll] or using the key, which rests in General Leo Forrests pocket. Behind it runs a set of stairs descending to a cellar. Office Cellar: The cellar leads down into a small room carved out of the bedrock, which seems to be some form of primitive temple. Red drapes emblazoned with Swastikas and Imperial Eagles line the wall. At the far end, a three-headed totem pole stands carved from stone, with the heads of an eagle, a human skull and a cyclopean bat, running from top to bottom. A

Act Three

Barn: The barn is really a hanger, but the raiders have already extensively stripped it of tools and fuel. The wreckage of a small executive jet rests here, now bereft of fuel tanks, seats and equipment. PCs Scavenging from the base can roll on any table apart from Medical.

Kris knife and bronze bowl full of dried blood rest on a small table, alongside a carefully placed Sim-Chip (see the Conclusion). If the PCs took any of the ritual paraphernalia, such as the Totem Pole, they may be able to find a buyer who will pay $500 to get hold of it (for example, Papa Wedo from the Samadhi Night Fever Scenario). Barracks: All the members of A4 seem to have slept in these barracks, which has individual small rooms. The raiders have clearly been here, and have taken the majority of effects. Several corpses rest here, many are dismembered. Medi-centre: The raiders have forced open every cupboard and case in the medi-centre with brutal force. What has not been looted has been smashed, while purple and green graffiti has been sprayed over the walls. This takes the form of crude images of the biohazard sign, skulls and phrase Plague Riders. Additionally, one of the cupboards has a small trap rigged up inside it, and if opened a spring loaded device will fire a syringe at the forehead of who ever opened it (i.e. the first person to search the room). This requires an Arduous (3) Dodge reaction to avoid, and does 4L Damage if it hits. If injured the PC must seek medical attention or, after a number of days equal to his Toughness have passed, will suffer from violent sickness. Dormitories: The squalor of the dormitories predates the fore raiding the compound and of all the buildings, the dormitories seem to have taken the least damage. Shackled lie discarded here, cut through by bolt cutters. Showers: The showers here are clearly only for use by the Indentured Servants, although they are far cleaner than the dormitories. Anyone thoroughly searching the equipment in the shower block can make a Senses/Tech roll. Success allows them to realise that the Showers have a somewhat unusual feature at a flick of a switch, the showers will dispense Poison Gas rather than water. The gas is stored as a green liquid in three large plastic containers. Each of these is worth around $3,000 on the Black Market, but transporting them could prove problematic (Unless properly secured, there is a one in six chance of a container rupturing during any vehicle combat or other particularly bumpy ride).

Page 3

Atomic Highway - Legand of Lone Star

Optional Encounter
Attracted by the smell of carrion, an Ozark Gowrow has made its way to the Ponca base. Sensing the PCs, it decides they are rival scavengers, who must be forced from its territory. The Gowrow will fight until it is reduced to half health or until the PCs flee the area. If confronted with Firearmes, it will use its burrow ability to strike at the PCs from underground. Gowrow were discovered in the Ozarks in the early 1980s, when it is speculated that the climate change drive them to become increasingly desperate for food. Twenty foot long marsupial lizards with prominent curving tusks, Gowrow burrow through the earth emerging only to attack cattle or similar large animals, although attacks on humans are uncommon. Soft-shelled Gowrow eggs are as large as beer-barrels and are an Ozark delicacy. Muscle 6 Understanding 0 Tenacity 3 Appeal 0 Nimbleness 3 Toughness 5 Senses 2/6 Skills: Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Intimidate 5, Notice 3, Stealth 1 Attacks: Bite (8L) / Armour: 2 / Health: 42 Mutations/Abilities: Armoured, Burrow*, Enduring, Enhanced Sense (Smell), Natural Weapon (Bite), Night Vision Flaws: Selective Diet (Carnivore) *Denotes an Ability or Flaw from Irradiated Freaks

Gowrow

The gowrow

Understanding/Criminal roll, a PC will recognise this as the calling card of a Mob Hitman called Siccario, who works out of Chicago. PCs can also obtain this information from the Datanet. Aloysius Hym did not leave many possessions behind, but there is a briefcase in the Motels vault. As Hym did not leave the address of any relatives, and as the PCs are the only people he seemed to make contact with, the Sheriff is prepared to let them have the briefcase (see the Conclusion) for a small administration fee of $100.

Conclusion

At the end of this scenario, the PCs should have obtained at least one of the two key pieces of information, either the Sim-Chip from the hidden temple at the A4 base or the Suitcase carried by Aloysius Hym. This chip contains General Leo Forrests diary and assorted notes, along with recordings of various speeches he has made. Most of these are on the theme of how the common America can break the chains imposed by international forces of oppression. Interesting comments in the diary include: That a week ago, a strange Cherokee ambushed an A4 lieutenant and obtained from him information that the tablets are still in Philadelphia (Forrest had the lieutenant flogged). That President Norths sale of Utah to the Brethren of Joseph has led to A4 lawyers looking at the possibility of purchasing the Ozarks. That a Sanctioned Operative from the Shogun agency named Madam Butterfly has been covertly taking out A4 forces in California and reinforcements are required. Aloysius Hym seemed to dislike computers and everything in this briefcase is good old-fashioned pen and paper. Interesting notes include: A carbon copy of a letter addressed to a man named Heinz, stating that Lone Star has departed to Pennsylvania, presumably to seek the tablets. That Hym has made contact has been made with an independent Sanctioned Operative named Jansen E Davis, to offer funding into his personal vendetta against Calimero Mauro [an Understanding/Criminal roll will allow a PC to identify Mauro as a prominent boss of the Chicago Mob]. The most recent note refers to the PCs themselves, stating that they have arrived in Fayetteville looking for Lone Star and that Hym should check to see if they were from the Agency involved in the problem with the Horatio Grant issue.

The Sim-Chip

The Briefcase

This encounter occurs if the PCs met with Aloysius Hym and return to Fayetteville after their expedition to Ponca. To encourage this, you may wish to point out that Fayetteville is the closest safe place to buy supplies, and is on the closest decent road to the A4 base. If the PCs do choose to return to Fayetteville, they will be quickly be told that the town Sheriff T. Helder wants to see them in his offices. If the PCs do see him, he will tell them that someone has murdered Aloysius Hym in his room. An unknown assailant shot Hym through the head, although Sheriff Helder found a custom-made black calling card with the image of two entwined red roses on the corpse. With an

Act Four

Page 4

Atomic Highway - Legand of Lone Star

Armed with this information, the PCs will probably either wish to report in to Mason with what they have found, or continue to follow Lone Star by heading to Philadelphia, possibly to seek whatever the tablets are that Lone Star is trying to find. Assuming the hand over the information, Mason will be happy to pay them $12,000 for their work so far, and offer them the same again if they pursue their lead to Philadelphia, and will throw in paid for Ram-Track tickets to Philadelphia as an encouragement. If asked about the other items, he can confirm that Mauro is a Mob Boss, has heard of the Shogun Agency but not Madam Butterfly and believes that Jansen E Davis has some issue with the Chicago Police. The key piece of information the PCs need to come out of this scenario is that Lone Star is hunting down a set of tablets in Philadelphia. This information can be inferred from Leo Forrests Sim-Chip or the information in Aloysius Hyms briefcase. While the PCs may wish to immediately follow this information up by proceeding to Philadelphia (see Part II), it is also entirely possible that the PCs will intend to pause or end their investigation at this point, to pursue other matters. If the PCs decide to go public with information about the shrine they found in the A4 compound basement, the media will have a field day about the Nazi connection and the PCs will be offered a TV Appearance or a Magazine Interview to discuss it. The cult element will be ignored, and A4 representatives with argue that the whole thing as a smear campaign, calling Leo Forrest as an unrepresentative madman who was funded by anti-American forces. After a week of pressure, President North will announce that an investigation has been set up to look into the matter at which point the media will lose interest. This earns any PC interviewed a point of Kudos, along with the enmity of the whole A4 organisation. If the players have contacts with the Chicago Mob, they may wish to find out why Siccario killed Aloysius Hym or get more information upon Jansen E Davis and his feud with Calimero Mauro. These two matters are related, as Mauro dispatched Siccario precisely because Hym was funding Davis activities. Davis was once a member of the Chicago Operations Policecorp, before he was kicked out for exposing a dozen members of the force who were in Mauros pocket. Written by Alexander J Bateman Atomic Highway by Colin Chapman Dark Future by Richard Halliwell and Mark Gascoigne Scenario based on Ideas by Dean Bass, Graeme Davis and James Swallow Playtested by James Day, Sarah McClennan, Dave Perry and Ian Wilson Atomic Highway Copyright Radioactive Ape Designs. Dark Future Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2011, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. Atomic Highway and Dark Future used without permission. No challenge to their status intended. All Rights Reserved to their respective owners.

Credits

Epilogue

Media Attention

Meeting the Mob

Page 5