Adventures in post-apocalyptic worlds can be a lot like adventures in a medieval fantasy- you can wander the earth, run into monsters and bandits, and towns in need of help. However, your seting is generally quite different, and societies are changed in the way that they react to things. Here are some quick adventure hooks which you can use for a post-apocalyptic setting, with a nod to the Fallout universe, which a friend of mine is using for running a game at the moment.
1. The Way- A couple has gone missing from their home where their adult children lived with them- their things are gone, and they seem to have just packed and left before dawn. They might have headed off to a local market some miles away, but no-one there has seen them, and some of their things are found at the side of the road, days later and leagues away. Have they fallen prey to bandits? Why would they have gone so far? 2. Crossroad Blues- A traveller urgently needs to reach another town to save the life of their friend, and time is running short. They have stopped at a crossroad, begging any passers-by for help. What is it that is so urgent about their journey? What is threatening their friend? 3. Stormy Weather- The weather conditions locally have worsened, and the moods of people locally are growing worse. People are growing short-tempered with one another, and even friends are grating on one another. Is it just the weather, or has something awful from Before been stirred up by the storms, mutating minds and bodies alike? 4. Red Sails In The Sunset- Raiders are travelling using some form of wind-powered land vessels, and spying their red sails on the horizon stirs fear in the heart of people. How is it that they're travelling so swiftly, and can anyone else use these devices? 5. In A Shanty In An Old Shanty Town- A young person is desperate to escape their family to reach their distant lover, who dwells in a very scrappy area of town. Their family wants them to stay safe and healthy, and is willing to pay money to strangers to shepherd them home, or at least keep them protected. 6. Summertime- The stinking heat of summer has brought wild beasts out of the wastes, looking for plentiful food sources. The living has been easy for a little while, and people's defenses have been lowered, and urgent action will be needed to protect a town, including a newborn which can't be quieted. 7. Thanks For The Memory- A memory-harvesting machine has been built, able to record and relive memories from people willing to undergo the procedure. The owner asks for help to find interesting individuals with memories that could be entertaining for others to relive- adventurers, rulers, entertainers. 8. Tumbling Tumbleweeds- A desolate area seems to be inhabited only by dust and tumbleweeds blowing in the wind. However, local rumour says that the vast fenced-off area contains a few old military robots, and some curious warehouses at its centre, but with miles of wasteland to cross, it may be too much danger to risk for the little possibility of reward. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 15 June 2021. Last week, my Apocalypse World players ventured into the horrid black tunnels beneath the city, searching for a medical imager. Setting tone and making things difficult in a system that doesn't require a lot of rolls can be tricky, and skipping over some intervening exploration can be key (exactly like watching a TV series).
In my game, I had a cannibal group chasing after people, and one member of the party got separated while trying to keep pursuit off of the others. I talked to that player quietly off to one side, and then they stayed at the table while the other players had some harrowing and nailbiting encounters, concerned that the other PC had just died. I'd done some research, and someone on Reddit had suggested a custom move, that let the PCs roll to explore once they were out of danger. One rolled well, and found some kind of artifact, while the other rolled a miss, which called down extra trouble. this let me introduce some familiar elements they'd been hearing up on the surface for a few weeks- the high-pitched sound of a mechanical saw, and an unven number of glowing red eyes in the dark. They absolutely fled, all thoughts of trying to fight one of the Things completely gone from their minds. They did manage to find what seems to be a clone of their old friend, who definitely remembers them, but is missing all of their scars, and has some different mannerisms. At this point, this was the first time one of them has even seen one of the Things, and they have not got any clue what the statistics for this creature are. Having them run in utter terror was an absolute success for me as a Game Master, and I look forward to the next time they have to venture into the tunnels, and actually have to deal with one of the Things. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 23 July 2020. One of the games I'm GMing at the moment is Apocalypse World, a very atmospheric game of life after the end of the world. As it's very different to the standard D&D-style game, I thought it might be useful to document some of my learnings, because a lot of it can be applicable to GMing any kind of game.
We started by discussing how we wanted the setting to be, establishing some guidelines ("no zombies", for instance) and spitballing some character ideas from the established playbooks - which are similar to 'classes', but function a little differently. We decided to set the game in the ruins of the near-ish future, so most technology and architecture would be familiar, but there would still be some whiz-bang proper science fiction stuff in it. We didn't want to just rip off Fallout, so we also decided that everything wasn't just tin shacks in the ruins- things were starting to recover. So we decided there were some thriving communities, starting to reclaim the world and make things better again. We've also set our game in what's left of Sydney, Australia. As a gaming group of former Sydneysiders, it's a place we're familiar enough with to make it familiar, but not so much that we'll be arguing about what's down a particular street or not. Once we'd worked out our setting, characters were the next step. Since each playbook gives you some options as to what kind of possessions or contacts you have, it was important to work out what kind of assets players would have access to, and what kind of threats would endanger them. We ended up with a mobile trader who owns a great big beast of a vehicle, hardy and able to cross the wastes. and with contacts in lots of locations; a medic who has established a clinic with some NPC staff helping them out; and a weird youngster making their home in the crater that used to be a mad-science university and scavenging for high-value tech. This meant I didn't have any characters who were tough fighter-types, and were mostly linked to specific locations, so although I can certainly have some beefy boys try to beat up my PCs, it's not what they're interested in, and I probably want to have some challenges which do line up with what they do, and where they're based. I'll be trying to keep things updated as the weeks pass, so keep an eye out next Thursday for the next update! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 16 July 2020. 'One-Eye' is a fierce and protective warlord in the post-apocalypse. Her warriors have conquered vast swathes of territory, and crushed their enemies mercilessly. And yet the jackals keep picking at the fringers of her domains, testing for weakness...
'One-Eye' or 'Debbie' to her friends, is a reluctant warlord who never wanted any of this. She started out as just a regular person, someone who got sick of the toughs running her town and just had enough. An armed uprising led her to leadership of her own town, and then the bullies just kept getting bigger. From there, it's been sixteen years of non-stop fighting, and protection of an ever-expanding definition of "her" people. 'One-Eye' is tough, fair, and just about 4,010% done with everything. What she needs is weapons, food, and supplies for her people, as well as a respite from constant attacks and threats. What she *really* damn needs is some good news, because that would be a nice change. And if you can bring her a nice teacup in good condition, well, that just might be enough to buy you a few minutes of her attention. How you can use 'One-Eye' in your game: - 'One-Eye' might be someone at first introduced as a threat, a warlord expanding her territory to include the players' region. Her demands are harsh, and require people to serve in her army and supply food and resources to her troops. They might not realize at first that the other threats to their region could be even worse. - 'One-Eye' might have information that the players need, but getting it out of her will require some kind of service. She might need a favour, she might need a trade. Who knows? - If the players have proven themselves useful, they might even get to know 'One-Eye' personally, and start to understand her constant struggle. Offering some kind of assistanc, or a way to stabilize her region, would be sorely appreciated. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 11 April 2020. The Last Drinks is a post-apocalyptic drinking establishment, built on an old water filtration plant which once graced the shore of a sea. It borders the Glowing Sea, and is often used as a point to meet other adventurers for missions off into the wastes. There is a tradition that those who are about to head off on an expedition, take a Polaroid together and tack it to the wall. If they do, their last drink is free (no doubles). Any who return and can prove their identity, are promised their first drink free. The wall bears many, many, photos, and rarely have the faces featured in the photos returned.
The Last Drinks is also used by locals, contemptuous of the swaggering adventurers. It's run by Bullet, a hard-as-nails redhead who wouldn't blink in the face of a mushroom cloud, and takes absolute care of her employees. The services offered include drinks, food, and companionship, but woe to anyone who disrespects her staff. People who offend get a range of punishments, from cleaning out the Brahmin sheds for a day, to being carried out the back and catching a slug in the back of the head. Bullet offers an open bounty on any power cells that get brought back, which includes entertainment, food, and drinks on the house for a full day. How you can use The Last Drinks in your game: - Low-level adventurers might be asked to escort supplies out to The Last Drinks, where they might have an opportunity to meet other adventurers, trade their junk, find some work, and step out into the far wastes themselves, if they'd like. - For a post-apocalyptic West Marches style game, The Last Drinks is an ideal base to use. Adventurers can meet up, compare maps, share knowledge, and set out together, in the hopes of scoring free drinks when they get back. Whether they survive the gang of bandits who prey on fresh explorers relies entirely on their own luck. - Adventurers who discover Bullet's deal with the gang of bandits are likely to stomp in looking for trouble. She's happy to explain the arrangement that means they don't target her bar, and where exactly all the useful equipment they just bought here came from. If they want to start a fight, most of her loyal customers will side with her, and the PCs will lose a safe point. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 3 January 2019. This idea is something I've touched on before, but is usable for fantasy and modern games as well- using the ruins of what we know and love to set a story. Maps of modern cities are quite easy to get, and a Lonely Planet guide will tell you what points of interest to look out for. With a working knowledge of a city, you can turn it into a post-apocalypse paradise for your own use.
Key points to play up here are the ruined beauty of something that used to be grand- whether you're living in the cyclopean ruins of some abandoned Dwarven city towering overhead, or the tatters of elegant Elven architecture swinging lightly in the breeze, sparkles of frustrated magic buzzing back and forth, or the glass and concrete edificies that held thousands, now multi-level gang hideouts and half-collapsed deathtraps. It's an idea you can use to quickly build districts, and people know what kind of things they might find in a mall, an office building, or a hardware store. You can let your players do some work for you, without even knowing it. "Hey, we need some construction stuff- that hardware store back on 17th will have some, won't they?" "Sure it would!" The post-apocalypse is so often dusty wastelands that we forget to look skyward.
This isn't my original idea, but one I actually played in a Play-by-post Apocalypse World game (still near and dear to my heart, even if I don't get a chance to play it locally). The concept is that the world has gone beyond its usual nuclear poisoning, and the air itself is poison (or acid, or dangerous somehow). The last bastions of humanity live in rickety ruins of skyscrapers, or stacks of hastily-welded shipping containers, way in the air, linked by swaying rope bridges or scrap pieces of steel turned into something sturdy. Venturing below into the clouds is taking your life into your hands, and you might return with fabulous wealth (food, clothing, equipment, fresh water), or vanish forever. I found this to be a particularly evocative setting idea, because it has all the scarcity of a post-apocalypse setting, combined with a heady amount of vertigo, and the usual fear of the unseen that usually accompanies the sea. Communities above the clouds might be desperate and dangerous, but they've got nothing on whatever it is that dwells below the clouds, whether they are cannibal mutants, monsters from below the earth, or something even more alien. How you can use Castles in the Sky in your game: - If you want to adapt this to a fantasy concept, happening across a village living in some ancient Elven spire and concerned about the creatures that dwell on the earth might be a good analogue. Whether what they're terrified of actually exists or not, the sheer weirdness of such a community could make for a great spot to visit. - Overland travel to other communities might be possible via waystationed bridges, and controlling these bridges would be vital to defending your own community. Some kind of warlord who wants the resources of another community might chance a raid across the ground. - All sorts of danger can be used in this setting, from a child wandering down past the cloud level while no-one was watching, the cloud levels rising and falling like tides, or introducing air travel (whether mechanised with planes, or even something like hang gliders) to your communities. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 31 March 2019. Since time immemorial, since people had sticks and mud probably, we have designed stuff. And a big part of that is thinking about where we want to spend our time, and how to lay that out better, or more efficiently, or with a bigger gaming room.
Today's post is about player strongholds. If it hasn't already been obvious, I'm a big believer in player agency and player investment (or buy-in, if you prefer that term)- letting players tell you, the Game Master, what is it they want to do, how they want to do it, and then you 'refereeing' the results. You might throw them a few curveballs, but letting them have agency in what their characters do in the made-up little world you're designing means they care about the world you're designing together, and about their characters' positions within that world. Whether they want to draw up a map of their party's favourite bar, and mark out which booth they always have booked, or their shared spaceship, or have a map of the town they live in so that they know where they can go to defend it when Orcs attack, or if they go to the trouble of sketching out a full-blown castle or bunker with defenses, they're doing stuff that means they're interested in what you're doing together. So encourage them! When they design a stronghold, threaten it! Let the defences they design get used, let the enemies they trusted betray them, let the secret chambers be useful when they're attacked. Enemies that just sweep past everything they're doing takes them out of the game, and tells them that it's not worth being invested, because you can just ignore the rules. How you can use player strongholds in your game: - When the players meet in their bar, ask them where it is. Ask them what it's like and what's on the menu, and what kind of terrible minstrel is playing in the corner. Get them to invest early in the game world, and make sure to keep it up! If you can, get someone to sketch a quick map (maybe while you look up stats for whatever they're about to get in a fist-fight with). - Encourage them to nest! When they want to renovate that old wizard's tower ruin, cool! You've got a base that stuff can happen to, instead of keeping them roaming across the countryside like cursed wanderers from Kung Fu. It'll mean a lot more when Old Mayor Perkins asks them to help with the Manticore in the mountains because it's been carrying off Farmer Joe's sheep, if they know Farmer Joe owes them some cash and he won't be able to deliver, or someone is chatting up his son. When Bugbears start raiding your town, that's a lot different to just "some random town 1d6+2 days away". - You're training your players to design maps and stock them with traps and guards. When you need a holiday from GMing, they're already halfway there! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 22 March 2019. We’ve all seen your standard post-apocalypse fare: yellows, browns, red dust, rusty machinery, faded-out greys. But it’s more likely to be vibrant green.
Without continuing industrial pollution, and human-driven upkeep on plants, they’re going to be thriving. Unless you’re setting your game a loooooong time after some kind of devastating destruction, or the destruction has been global and static (like a nuclear winter), plants will be around, and will be infesting whatever corners they used to be cleared from- cracks in concrete, roots underneath sidewalks and sewage pipes, ivy on walls. Your standard post-apocalypse is likely to actually be really good for the earth (eventually-ish), because all those plants are going to be eating up the carbon dioxide and monoxide in the air, and letting it just be oxygen again. A ‘vault dweller’ or someone who has been on a spaceship their entire life is going to notice the air quality immediately- it’s a taste thing. It may even give them a bit of a high, as increased O2 levels tend to do to people in high climates. So think about your ruined buildings and car-strewn highways, and compare to your lawn, which grows berserk every time it rains. Now multiply that by years of no maintenance or check on their growth, and think about what a nightmare it would be to be a groundskeeper in the post-apocalypse world. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 12 February 2019) This pair can be found huddled pitifully around a small cooking fire, trying to keep warm and prepare food. On sight, these two pose no threat- a small grubby child of indeterminate gender, perhaps eight years old, wearing an old Army jacket and clutching a scruffy teddy bear, and a battered red Home Assistance robot wrapped in a child’s blanket. They barely react to anyone approaching, spotting them at a distance and warily huddling tighter. The two have little ability in combat, and resort to running away from foes, but if treated kindly, they will happily converse with strangers. The child’s name is Snails, after their favorite animal. They have a small collection in an old Chinese take-out box which they will enthusiastically show to anyone who doesn’t escape fast enough. Nomilly is the child’s old house robot, which looks after the child. It has several logic errors and serious chassis damage, but is adapting well to being well out of its comfort zone. If strangers are friendly enough, they can pry information out of the pair that they’ve been fleeing “Roiders” who beat them up and tried to take their blankets a few days ago. During this, Snails dropped the journal they’ve been keeping, a little instruction book for other kids in the Wastes. Snails really wants it back, as they’ve got lots of useful information in there. If the PCs are willing to help them, Snails excitedly reads the book to them, which is written in mismatched crayon, but definitely has useful information on avoiding a few particular environmental hazards nearby (this could include Fire Flowers, Green Slime Water, or The Pit Where That Cow Fell In And Died). Snails and Nomilly would make adorable NPCs to have if the PCs can guide them to a settlement where they’ll be safe, and Snails may grow into a useful chronicler of the Wastes. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 30 January 2019) Categories All “Everyone knows ol’ Sandy. Great guy, loves kids, good in a scrap. Always gets about with that ridiculous hat on, and in red, though.” Sandy remembers the World That Was, before fire licked the sky and the cold came. He remembers green plastic trees and brightly blinking lights, he remembers what hot cocoa tasted like, he remembers when gifts were given just because you were friends. He sheds a tear for all these things, and tries to bring just a glimmer of brightness into the World That Is. He’s a Ruin-Runner by trade, able to get into old buildings and find ways out again, his sack full of goodies. If he were anyone else, he’d be rich by now. But Sandy, when he’s a-jingle with loot, spends it on old toys and batteries, kids’ stuff. And then he leaves it in peoples’ houses, where the kids will find it. He’s never to be found in the morning, and no-one can ever prove it was him, but savvy parents occasionally leave a beer and some biscuits out if they know he’s been in town. They’re not there in the morning. So spare a thought this Apocalypsmas for Sandy Klaaz. He deserves a better world than the one he’s leaving us, but he’s doing his best. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 25 December 2018) Categories All Fix is a traveling merchant, who journeys the wastes with his trusty mechanical steed. He is a mysterious fellow who always has interesting and unique artifacts to sell, and who will never tell the secrets of where he found them. His steed, “Beady” is a four-legged robot capable of carrying enormous loads, and Fix riding on top of them. If encountered in the wilds, Fix will be more than happy to offer some food or water to travelers in exchange for protection. If he’s pursuing something really interesting, he may even want someone to come with him. (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 4 July 2018) Categories All |
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