A settlement generator for my Mutant Future campaign. For your convenience, get the table as a PDF.
Roll 1d6 for each column. Further details are up to the referee.
Tag: Postapocalyptic
Colonialist D&D is post-apocalyptic
I’ve been reading Cal Flyn’s Islands of Abandonment and I found this fragment:
One type of D&D campaign revolves around exploring lost cities, taming the wilderness and bringing civilization to poor savages and barbarians who don’t know better. For many people, this racist trope is problematic. I have written before about my position, as a Mexican, on racism. But that’s not what I wanted to share here.
I mean, you see? D&D is a post-apocalyptic setting!
I don’t find vanilla D&D very appealing. I dislike halflings and elves and dwarfs as playable classes. But sometimes I find something that makes me think again about it. Like this here. The wilderness is only wilderness because your parents and grandparents perpetrated a genocide 50 years ago, destroying a civilization, causing their culture to be abandoned, which lead to nature to return and take the land back.
Sometimes, I find something that makes me want to play the game (as a referee, of course) as written, only because as written it’s stranger, darker and less safe than we usually think. This vanilla has some chocolate within. So the party think they’re heroes and saving civilization, only to find out there used to be a civilization here, in the past, that was murdered by their daddies and grampas. Will they ignore that legacy? Will they search forgiveness or offer repair? Will they side with the few and scattered survivors?
Because, let me tell you, these survivors, they are elves, they are halflings, they are dwarfs. And now players can use them as playable classes. Ok, ok. Maybe only one class.
10 Elements for a Realistic Postapocalypse
1. Humans work together
There are a lot of assholes in the world, but there are more normal people, which means that when a disaster or accident happens, more people try to help and collaborate than try to take advantage of the situation. We see this in hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, car accidents and any other catastrophe. In a post-apocalyptic world, people would band together and collaborate; bandits and profiteers would be few, and established groups would not conflict with other groups, they would seek to collaborate as well.
2. Fights are lethal
Professional fighters are trained to punch people in the face with their fists, yet they often get injured and require specialized treatment and time to recover. You’re not a professional fighter and don’t have a team of doctors to treat you, you need to avoid getting hit as much as possible; without your hands, you’d die.
3. Feral dogs
Have you thought about what happened to Max and Bella? They most likely joined up with other dogs, forming a pack to scavenge for food from the wreckage. Over time, the dogs have reverted to a previous state, no longer man’s best friend, now they want to eat man. This has happened after events such as Hurricane Katrina and the earthquakes in Haiti. Before bandits and mutants, these packs would be an immediate danger to survivors.
4. Diseases and infections
Medicines last only a few months on the shelf before they spoil and lose their effects. The collapse of civilization means that there’s almost no one to produce new drugs, and any untreated injury could lead to death. Even during the first few months, when the drugs are still in good condition, who would know what substance and in what quantity you need to soothe those bruises that just won’t go away?
5. Rabies
Rabies would be one of the most common diseases and one of the most constant and lethal dangers. Not only dogs transmit rabies, other animals that can transmit it to humans very easily are cats, cows, ferrets, goats and horses, as well as wild animals: bats, beavers, coyotes, foxes, monkeys, raccoons, skunks or groundhogs. Although it is not common, poultry can also be infected, but since they do not present symptoms, transmission from bird to human can be very easy.
6. Malnutrition
Without an organized society, who produces food? Are you going to resort to hunting, fishing and gathering? Are you going to start a small vegetable garden? Do you know how to do it? Even if you manage to grow some potatoes and lettuce, will you be able to get enough iron? Vitamin B? Calcium? Chances are you’ll be weak and sleepy most of the time, that is if you haven’t gotten scurvy or leukemia. Engaging in a fist fight is not a realistic option.
7. Automobiles
Gasoline dissolves in a matter of days. After three months, and without a petrochemical industry to produce more, in three months the reserves will be depleted. Electric cars are not a more advantageous option either, without hydroelectric plants, who will produce the energy to power them? Solar cars might be a better option, but when damaged, will you be able to repair it, or even get the materials to try.
8. Cities would be flooded
In the absence of infrastructure and institutions in charge of urban maintenance, wastewater would no longer be pumped or directed to the sea and drainage systems would collapse. In addition, cities are not very porous to rainwater, as there are few areas of land compared to concrete or paved areas, so water would accumulate more quickly, covering some parts of the city.
9. Fires
Fires are common but usually do not become a big problem because there is always someone capable of controlling them. But even with government and infrastructure in place it is not uncommon for a fire to get out of control, without a competent authority, forests and cities would be reduced in a few years. Forests can grow back, but not cities.
10. Nuclear meltdown
More than 30 countries have nuclear power plants, and the number of these plants is more than 400. It is enough for just one nuclear plant to fail to produce an explosion so large that it would raise a cloud of radioactive dust that would cover the entire Earth. This would prevent sunlight from entering and consequently all plants would die. There would be lethal radiation all over the world, and only people living in underground shelters, where they could protect themselves from the excess radiation, would survive.
Shelter 15 – Dungeon Poem Challenge
Better late than never. Here’s my entry for the Dungeon Poem Challenge. Map by Dyson Logos, of course.
Shelter 15
An adventure for Death is the New Pink (now on sale) or Into the Odd. BADassery = Strength; Dodge Some Shit (DSS) = Dexterity; MOXY = Willpower.
Why are you here?
- The air-purifying device in your shelter has broken and no one knows how to repair it, but it is possible to find a replacement, and the logical thing to do is to look for one in another shelter.
- Communications with Shelter 15 were lost a little over a year ago; it’s time to send someone to investigate.
- Due to bad behavior, Shelter 13 held a vote. It was democratically decided that you could no longer stay at the shelter, so they gave you some weapons and equipment and “let you go”. The Overseer, in an act of good faith, revealed to you that perhaps in Shelter 15, a few days’ walk away, you might find asylum.
1. Living Quarters
The access door is made of one meter thick steel, and displays the ‘Shel-Tech’ logo. It’s slightly open, allowing passage.
4 abandoned tents.
- Rotting blankets.
- One shoe. 3 gold bits inside.
- Two skeletons hugging each other. On closer inspection, it’s a single skeleton with extra limbs.
- The booklet “The March of the Pigs”. It takes 1 day to read. Once per adventure, you can create 1d4+1 Molotov bombs using improvised materials (1d6 damage per round to all inside the area; one extra point of damage to cops, sheriffs, soldiers, politicians and other enemies of freedom).
a) High above the doorframe to the west corridor, a plasma shotgun is pointed towards the floor. A motion sensor detects anyone passing under the rifle, emitting an energy discharge (1d8 damage). If the victim suffers critical damage, they are turned into a green sludge.
2. Cleaning Room
The lock has been melted as if by intense heat.
A shovel (1d8 damage).
A clutter of metal sheets with the ‘Shel-Tech’ logo engraved.
The observer notes that they are made of lead and can protect from some forms of harmful radiance (yes, like laser and plasma weapons).
3. Flowerpot
A pot filled with soil and a healthy-looking flowering plant. Above it, on the wall, a small painting depicting something you have never seen in real life: an autumn landscape. Looking at it for a moment fills you with vitality (either your hp or MOXY are replenished, only once).
Hidden in the pot’s soil, a sophisticated green bronze key.
The key opens the safe box in area 6.
Eat a mouthful of soil and in your next fight your attacks will be Enhanced. Only works once.
Eating the plant has no effect.
4. Latrines
Six holes in the floor reveal the original use of this room; a foul odor escapes from the holes.
Graffiti on the wall reads, “The Overseer is a son of a bitch.”
Roll 1d6
1. 1d4 lurking mole rats, mutated mammals with no fur and a bad temper due to their constant pain. There is a 2 in 6 chance of being hostile and trying to eat one of the PCs (they all attack at once). BAD 10, DSS 14, MOXY 6, 4hp, Bite (1d6).
2-5. Nothing.
6. The huge tail of a scorpion pokes out of one of the holes. A DSS roll allows cutting it without suffering damage (1d6 BAD poison damage). The poison gland allows creating 1d2 doses of antivenom in one day, not while adventuring.
5. Workshop
The room is full of old sawdust and rusty carpentry machinery.
A saw in good condition can be a nice weapon if someone manages to adapt it (1d8 damage).
A ditch was partially plugged with sand and sawdust. Someone buried a body there, only the bones remain but the blue uniform of an Overseer with a white 15 on the back remains intact.
6. The Safe Box
A safe with the ‘Shel-Tech’ logo; to open it, a key is required (area 3). Explosives destroy the box with all its contents and due to its construction, there is no way to pick the lock or use a crowbar.
Inside the box are 2 scrap pistols (they fire nails, nuts and bolts, and all sorts of similar-sized junk, 1d6 damage), a hammer and a sickle with red hilts (when used in each hand, they deal 2d4 damage; separately, 1d6), and 500 gold bits.
1 in 8 chance of encountering 1 aquatic marauder just chilling out here; mutated human with pisciform characteristics and radioactive psyche. BAD 12 DSS 10, MOXY 14, 6hp, 2 claws (2d4), Horrific gaze (1d6 MOXY damage). In water, it always wins initiative.
7. The Underground Stream
Its limpid waters flow towards the south-east.
Drinking the water heals replenishes but causes 2d4 BAD radiation damage; dipping into it, causes 1d6 dame, and other 1d6 each hour you spend there.
2 in 6 chance of encountering 1d4 aquatic marauders, mutated humans with pisciform characteristics and radioactive psyche. BAD 12 DSS 10, MOXY 14, 6hp, 2 claws (2d4), Horrific gaze (1d6 MOXY damage). In water, they always win initiative.
8. The Boat
The remains of a stranded boat.
Among the debris is a human skull apparently made of gold but it’s bone. Its possessor can automatically succeed on a MOXY check, once per day, but also suffer 1d4 BAD damage (it’s radiation!)
1 in 8 chance of encountering 1 aquatic marauder just chilling out here; mutated human with pisciform characteristics and radioactive psyche. BAD 12 DSS 10, MOXY 14, 6hp, 2 claws (2d4), Horrific gaze (1d6 MOXY damage). In water, it always wins initiative.
9. Common Area
A wall is full of notes and messages corroded by time, only three are legible:
- Sergei, I left your box key in the geraniums. -Cass (includes a flower doodle)
- Sergei, the water filter needs maintenance. -Foner
- Everyone, emergency meeting today at 23:00 to discuss the Overseer’s disappearance. -Gyllenhaal
10. The Mushroom Garden
Inedible mushrooms and mildew flourish in this area.
When entering it, make a BAD check to avoid inhaling the spores floating in the environment (1d4 BAD radiation damage each round of exposure).
There are 3 pedestals holding urns.
- The ashes of the first Overseer of Shelter 15.
- The ashes of the second Overseer. Actually, a formless black sludge. Attacks on “sight”, so DSS check for initiative. BAD 14, DSS 7, MOXY 1, 4hp, Lashing tendril (1d6), Black spit (1d6 BAD damage). Fire deals 1d12 BAD damage to it.
- The ashes of the third Supervisor. Among the ashes, two gold teeth and a glass eye.
11. The Overseer’s Office
The door can be opened with either a BAD check, with a crowbar, or with explosives.
- A successful BAD check reduces BAD by 1, a failed check reduces it by 1d4.
- If explosives are used, there’s a 1 in 6 chance that the stagnant air in the shelter will react, causing rooms 5, 9 and 10 to explode (1d20 damage, and 1d6 each subsequent round for 1d4 rounds).
In an open locker there’s an anti-radiation suit, an air purifying filter and a rusty key (for room 13).
3 booths with working computers. The only relevant thing is a document reporting that the entrance door of Shelter 15 was designed to not close properly, as part of an experiment that allowed Shelter Technologies to investigate the effects of radiation over time on the population.
In another corner there’s a coffee table turned upside down. The table hides a trap door leading down to room 12.
12. The basement
A human (human?) skeleton holding a revolver, a hole in the skull. It appears to have died defending itself from something.
The revolver is functional but has no bullets.
Dark goo stains cover most of the floor.
13. Cemetery
From the padlocked door, a smell of decay escapes.
The remains of dozens of people lie here, unburied.
9 ghouls wearing common Shelter 15 uniforms, orange and a white 15 on the back, roam here, and will attack immediately. BAD 12, DSS 8, MOXY 6, 5hp, Sharp fingernails (1d6 BAD damage). When killed, they melt into a black goo.
AI Weirdness’ Quarantine Houses | A small town for Mutant Future
Janelle Shane is the best friend of the Mutant Lord (the name of the referee in Mutant Future). In her latetst blog entry, she trained some robots to build quarantine houses, among which, intergallactic and future houses shine!
Let’s say your party is travelling the post-apocalyptic wasteland and suddenly arrive into Stardust Valley, idyllic little ghost town lost in the world of ruin. Only four houses remain, the rest have been devastated by some unknown force. I might or might not revisit this and further develop as a mini-setting or something.
Page numbers are given for Mutant Future, and in one case, for Advanced Labyrinth Lord, to find the information necessary for some concepts. Quick stats are given but it’s better to read the full entries in the books for special rules and full explanations.
Mutant Future uses the next abbreviations:
AC = Armor Class
MV = Base movement in feet per turn (combat movement in feet per round of combat)
HD = Hit Dice
SV = Saving Throw as a player character of a certain level, usually Fighter)
ML = Morale
House 1
Superhuman Intelligence: AC 7, MV 120’/150′ (40’/50′), HD 10, SV level 10, ML 9, see Mutant Future (p. 66) for full stats and damage. A Cephalopoid with Intelligence 22 (+35 to tech rolls, p. 11). Her name is Bibi and her passion are wargames, which she plays with Bernard. Usually, Cephalopoids have a saving throw value of 5 (or 3, but that’s a typo in the book), but in this case, it’s 10, because Bibi is not a stupid monster.
Android: AC 5, MV 120′ (40′), HD 10, see Mutant Future (p. 130) for complete stats and rules. Bernard, the interpreter bot, knows what happened in Stardust Valley and its people, but won’t say unless he thinks whoever asked is willing to help.
Cybernetic Limb: In a wooden chest. It can be attached to a forearm or leg and it can be used as both a melee weapon and a firearm. As melee, it functions like an energy baton (p. 111), and as a firearm, like a machingun (p. 110). It’s a functional limb, but it needs a Power Beltpack or Backpack (p. 117) to operate as weapon as well as limb. Bibi will give it as a reward if someone helps somehow.
Battle Tank: Parked behind the house, a rusty Citroën 15 G Saloon (80 mph) with a Robo-Turret (p. 132) mounted on top. Weapons: 2 machineguns and a grenade launcher (p. 110).
House 2
Hot Tub: It’s actually a natural warm pond. Similar to a regeneration tank, if someone submerges in this tub, will heal as follows. If they have more than 50% of their total hit points, they recover the total; if they have 50% or less, they only recover half of their actual hit points. It can only be used once a day per person.
Sasquatch: AC 6, MV 150′ (50′), HD 4+4, 2 Claws (1d6/1d6), SV Level 8, ML 8. See “Yeti” in Advanced Labyrinth Lord (p. 196) for his complete stats. This monster lives happily here, taking warm showers and playing with his bike. He might be interested in joining the party as a link-boy, but the referee needs to roll low on reaction (p. 45). If you want to, you can use a monster from Mutant Future instead, perhaps a morlock.
Penny Farthing: A simple bike, rusty but resistant (it has been used by the yeti for a while without breaking).
Eggos: AC 9, MV 90′ (30′), HD 1, 1 Bite (1 hp), SV Level 1, ML 7. Eggos are little creatures that resemble eggs with a face, two feet and two arms. Eleven of them live in the attic, where the yeti can’t reach (there’s no ladder or stairs). They eat bugs and fungi and attack when feel threatened.
House 3
Advanced AI: When entering this house, a metallic, synthetic voice greets you, then asks you to leave. It won’t answer any questions, it’s a simple recording. The actual AI, called Zari, can be talked to though a cerebral connection (cerebral jack). It will tell explain that his is the lab of Dr. Frederik Yung and that access is restricted. It can’t defend though, so it’s a simple relic of the past.
Cerebral Jack: On a desk, there is a strange machine with a helmet attached to a cord. If someone puts the helmet, they are “transported” to the cyberspace, where they can chat with the AI.
Cloned Organs: Inside vats and containers, there are dozens organs floating in a yellowish liquid. They are all dead and in descomposition, except one cybernetic eye, which can be attached to one’s empy socket (Bibi can do it), to get a +1 to all rolls that would benefit from a better sight, such as ranged attacks, surprise and trap detection.
Extraterrestrial: AC 5, MV 120′ (40′), HD 9, SV level 9, ML 9. See Mutant Future (p. 63) for full stats and damage explained). In a separate container, there is an alien (Brain Lasher) chained and in stasis. It will awake if the characters mess with the control of the container. It will be hostile but only because it wants to escape, who knows how long it has been there.
House 4
Hoverboard: Basically a floating skateboard wich can move at 240′ per turn (double the speed of a human) but it has only 6 hit points. See Mutant Future (p. 132) for more about vehicles.
Extendable Arm: It’s a mechanical 10-foot-pole with a left hand on one end and a left gauntlet-like mechanism one the other that allows the hand end to move just like the hand operating the gauntlet.
Avocado: Mutant Plant, shaped as avocado. Dead. Someone (or something) really strong seems to have smashed it.
Plasma Rifles: 2 plasma rifles (p. 114) hidden in the cupboard, behind broken cups and glasses.
***
Well, that’s for the Mutant Future houses, but, how about Stars Without Number or Traveller houses? That, my friend, it up to you.
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