N
ng76
Guest
I recently ran a one-shot of 24XX: Predators, a hack of 2400 by Jason Tocci. Like many 24XX settings, the adventure is mostly improvised. Here’s the notes I used for running it, in case anyone finds them useful.
24XX is a quick, ultra-light RPG system. Most versions have the rules and setting in a one-page document.
The system is designed to be hackable. You can look at the SRD online here. You can get templates to make your own version here.
There are dozens of hacked versions available. Here’s an incomplete list that Jason Tocci provides. Here’s an old game jam with more examples. Here’s a 24XX game I made.
For most actions, the player rolls a D6. A 1 or 2 is a Disaster. A 3 or 4 is a Setback. A 5 or higher is a Success.
If a character has a a particular skill in something they can roll a D8 instead, or even a D10 if they’re an expert.
Character creation is skill based. For every 24XX setting there are a list of classes, each with skills and equipment. You pick a class, one extra skill, and perhaps some gear, and you’re ready to play.
Though there are some basic advancement rules, 24XX games are probably best suited for one-shots or very short campaigns,
The version of 24XX I ran was called Predators. The basic idea is as follows:
The game provides basic classes, and some tables to roll on for threats, encounters, and plot twists.
Here’s my scenario notes:
One week ago, a massive earthquake devastated the coastal city of San Lorenzo. Vast cracks opened in the earth’s crust, releasing black smoke and terrible extinct creatures. First responders arriving in the city were horrified to find swarms of prehistoric creatures bursting forth from the depths, and attacking anyone in their path. The city’s police and military were soon overwhelmed, and the government was forced to evacuate San Lorenzo.
The army now surrounds the ruined city, assisting the occasional straggler who makes it out of the beast-infested city, and driving back any attempt of the ancient creatures to escape the city. There’s no government in the city, but it is assumed there are still survivors hiding in the smoldering ruins.
The government believes that a scientist, Professor Esmeralda Strong, is still trapped somewhere in San Lorenzo, most likely in or near Pacifica University. It is believed she may have information about the nature of the catastrophe. She had a radio, but stopped making transmissions three days ago.
A team has been assigned to enter San Lorenzo, locate Professor Strong, and escort her safely out of the city. The players are that team.
Aircraft cannot safely land in San Lorenzo, due to the clouds of smoke, and flocks of flying dinosaurs. The players will be assigned a Humvee, a two-way radio, and a map to go in by ground.
Once the player’s Humvee clears the military checkpoint, they’re on their own. According to the map, there are two routes to Pacifica University through the ruined city: Fontaine Street – the main shopping and dining thoroughfare, or I-876, the elevated highway.
I-876 is technically faster, but exposed. Make 3 bad luck rolls, but have an encounter on a 1-3. Assume a lot of the encounters on I-876 will be with flying dinosaurs.
On Fontaine street, make 5 bad luck rolls, but have an encounter on a 1-2.
In addition to random tables of encounters in the 24XX: Predators book, here’s some custom ones you could use.
A military tank, rolling backwards, firing it’s weapons wildly, nearly collides with the players. The tank is being pursued by a stampede of a dozen Stegosaurus.
The tank is crewed by Randy Lutz, formerly a worker at BestTech, an electronics retail chain. He’s still wearing his company vest and name tag. After the army retreated, he managed to get an abandoned tank working to try and flee the city. He could only drive it backwards, and accidently disturbed the Stegosaurus, triggering a stampede.
Randy has just used the last of the tank’s ammo, but the tank is still operational. Operating the tank is a D6 roll for the first action, and will be reduced to D4 for all following actions. If a 1-2 is rolled, the tank is out of fuel.
Blocking the way forward is desperate, bloody battle between a Sparcosuchus Imperator (a big crocodile) and a Smilodon (a saber-toothed tiger). The battle will rage for at least an hour. Roll a D6. On evens, the croc wins. On odds, the cat wins.
The players could try to race past them in a vehicle using a Driving roll. On a 1-2 the vehicle is wrecked. On a 3-4 it is damaged.
The players could also try to Stealth by on foot.
Attacking either creature will cause them both to attack the players, as humans make an excellent mid-fight snack.
A office-supply warehouse has clearly been fortified, with bits of metal and sharpened sticks. The doors have been reinforced.
This is the “court” of Archimus Rex, self-declared king of his domain. He is actually Archie “Rex” Birmingham, a worker at this warehouse who lost his mind when the dinosaurs showed up, and has retreated into fantasy. He believes himself to be a knight and just ruler, and the dinosaurs outside are dragons, or other fantastic beasts. He’ll generally speak in a mock-medieval Tolkienesque manner.
Being chivalrous, he’ll answer the door to any who knock and ask for aid.
Rex sits on a dais of pallets, on an office chair decorated as a throne. He wears armor made from the skin of a dinosaur, and carries weapons cobbled together from office supplies. An elaborate crown woven from paperclips sits on his head.
If the players convince Rex they are on a noble quest, he will assist them and grant them three boons:
Boons of Archimus Rex
He will only part with these if the players agree to be knighted.
A precinct house of the San Lorenzo PD.
Hank is a former UPS driver whose decided to carve his own empire out of the fallen city. He’s holed up in the police station, collecting a small arsenal of weapons.
He’s a little jumpy, and will open fire on anyone approaching or passing by, but if he can be calmed down, he’d be willing to trade weapons for supplies.
Most of the buildings on campus are either in ruins or on fire. The clock tower in the center of campus is still intact. From a distance, a figure can be seen peeping out of the windows at the top of the tower.
A nest of recently-hatched Giganotosaurus is inside the tower at the base of the spiral staircase. The mother Giganotosaurus stalks the campus seeking food for her young. Any loud disturbance at the tower will bring her back to protect her young.
Professor Strong has barricaded herself in a room at the summit of the Pacifica University clock tower. She’ll brandish a shotgun at anyone who approaches. If she can be convinced that they’re here to help her, she’ll explain that she fled here with her girls when the dinosaur attacks first started.
Professor Strong will agree to open the barricade and leave with the players, but insists her girls must escape with her.
Professor Strong’s “girls” are revealed to be two well-fed house cats: Buffy & Willow
The shotgun is unloaded, and Professor Strong has no ammunition.
Continue reading...
What’s 24XX?
24XX is a quick, ultra-light RPG system. Most versions have the rules and setting in a one-page document.
The system is designed to be hackable. You can look at the SRD online here. You can get templates to make your own version here.
There are dozens of hacked versions available. Here’s an incomplete list that Jason Tocci provides. Here’s an old game jam with more examples. Here’s a 24XX game I made.
The System
For most actions, the player rolls a D6. A 1 or 2 is a Disaster. A 3 or 4 is a Setback. A 5 or higher is a Success.
If a character has a a particular skill in something they can roll a D8 instead, or even a D10 if they’re an expert.
Character creation is skill based. For every 24XX setting there are a list of classes, each with skills and equipment. You pick a class, one extra skill, and perhaps some gear, and you’re ready to play.
Though there are some basic advancement rules, 24XX games are probably best suited for one-shots or very short campaigns,
Predators
The version of 24XX I ran was called Predators. The basic idea is as follows:
The game provides basic classes, and some tables to roll on for threats, encounters, and plot twists.
Here’s my scenario notes:
The City
One week ago, a massive earthquake devastated the coastal city of San Lorenzo. Vast cracks opened in the earth’s crust, releasing black smoke and terrible extinct creatures. First responders arriving in the city were horrified to find swarms of prehistoric creatures bursting forth from the depths, and attacking anyone in their path. The city’s police and military were soon overwhelmed, and the government was forced to evacuate San Lorenzo.
The army now surrounds the ruined city, assisting the occasional straggler who makes it out of the beast-infested city, and driving back any attempt of the ancient creatures to escape the city. There’s no government in the city, but it is assumed there are still survivors hiding in the smoldering ruins.
The Mission
The government believes that a scientist, Professor Esmeralda Strong, is still trapped somewhere in San Lorenzo, most likely in or near Pacifica University. It is believed she may have information about the nature of the catastrophe. She had a radio, but stopped making transmissions three days ago.
A team has been assigned to enter San Lorenzo, locate Professor Strong, and escort her safely out of the city. The players are that team.
Aircraft cannot safely land in San Lorenzo, due to the clouds of smoke, and flocks of flying dinosaurs. The players will be assigned a Humvee, a two-way radio, and a map to go in by ground.
Two Roads Diverged
Once the player’s Humvee clears the military checkpoint, they’re on their own. According to the map, there are two routes to Pacifica University through the ruined city: Fontaine Street – the main shopping and dining thoroughfare, or I-876, the elevated highway.
I-876 is technically faster, but exposed. Make 3 bad luck rolls, but have an encounter on a 1-3. Assume a lot of the encounters on I-876 will be with flying dinosaurs.
On Fontaine street, make 5 bad luck rolls, but have an encounter on a 1-2.
Encounters
In addition to random tables of encounters in the 24XX: Predators book, here’s some custom ones you could use.
Randy and the Tank
A military tank, rolling backwards, firing it’s weapons wildly, nearly collides with the players. The tank is being pursued by a stampede of a dozen Stegosaurus.
The tank is crewed by Randy Lutz, formerly a worker at BestTech, an electronics retail chain. He’s still wearing his company vest and name tag. After the army retreated, he managed to get an abandoned tank working to try and flee the city. He could only drive it backwards, and accidently disturbed the Stegosaurus, triggering a stampede.
Randy has just used the last of the tank’s ammo, but the tank is still operational. Operating the tank is a D6 roll for the first action, and will be reduced to D4 for all following actions. If a 1-2 is rolled, the tank is out of fuel.
Kitty and the Croc
Blocking the way forward is desperate, bloody battle between a Sparcosuchus Imperator (a big crocodile) and a Smilodon (a saber-toothed tiger). The battle will rage for at least an hour. Roll a D6. On evens, the croc wins. On odds, the cat wins.
The players could try to race past them in a vehicle using a Driving roll. On a 1-2 the vehicle is wrecked. On a 3-4 it is damaged.
The players could also try to Stealth by on foot.
Attacking either creature will cause them both to attack the players, as humans make an excellent mid-fight snack.
The Palace of Archimus Rex
A office-supply warehouse has clearly been fortified, with bits of metal and sharpened sticks. The doors have been reinforced.
This is the “court” of Archimus Rex, self-declared king of his domain. He is actually Archie “Rex” Birmingham, a worker at this warehouse who lost his mind when the dinosaurs showed up, and has retreated into fantasy. He believes himself to be a knight and just ruler, and the dinosaurs outside are dragons, or other fantastic beasts. He’ll generally speak in a mock-medieval Tolkienesque manner.
Being chivalrous, he’ll answer the door to any who knock and ask for aid.
Rex sits on a dais of pallets, on an office chair decorated as a throne. He wears armor made from the skin of a dinosaur, and carries weapons cobbled together from office supplies. An elaborate crown woven from paperclips sits on his head.
If the players convince Rex they are on a noble quest, he will assist them and grant them three boons:
Boons of Archimus Rex
- One piece of non-weapon equipment of the player’s choice.
- Lembas bread – actually Twinkies from the break room vending machine.
- Dust of Invisibility – Copier toner. It will block the smell of humans from the dinosaurs. +D6 to any Stealth rolls.
He will only part with these if the players agree to be knighted.
Hank’s Law
A precinct house of the San Lorenzo PD.
Hank is a former UPS driver whose decided to carve his own empire out of the fallen city. He’s holed up in the police station, collecting a small arsenal of weapons.
He’s a little jumpy, and will open fire on anyone approaching or passing by, but if he can be calmed down, he’d be willing to trade weapons for supplies.
Pacifica University
Most of the buildings on campus are either in ruins or on fire. The clock tower in the center of campus is still intact. From a distance, a figure can be seen peeping out of the windows at the top of the tower.
A nest of recently-hatched Giganotosaurus is inside the tower at the base of the spiral staircase. The mother Giganotosaurus stalks the campus seeking food for her young. Any loud disturbance at the tower will bring her back to protect her young.
Lady in the Tower
Professor Strong has barricaded herself in a room at the summit of the Pacifica University clock tower. She’ll brandish a shotgun at anyone who approaches. If she can be convinced that they’re here to help her, she’ll explain that she fled here with her girls when the dinosaur attacks first started.
Professor Strong will agree to open the barricade and leave with the players, but insists her girls must escape with her.
Professor Strong’s “girls” are revealed to be two well-fed house cats: Buffy & Willow
The shotgun is unloaded, and Professor Strong has no ammunition.
Continue reading...