Dead Presidents 3: Preside Harder
Sept 12, 2012 21:01:35 GMT -8
Post by tyler on Sept 12, 2012 21:01:35 GMT -8
Many people have asked for more info on the Dead Presidents games I've run at cons for the last year. Many other people have convinced me to actually write it up as a setting book, get it published, and deliver it to the unwashed masses.
So here is the run down for my last game. This will be the last stuff I post before I tear the system down to the foundation and rebuild it, better and stronger. Just a note: This write up may "ruin the magic" for some of you. A LOT of what happens in the Dead Presidents games is not planned, so I don't do a ton of prep for them. DP3:PH had the least planning of any game I've ever run at a con, and was one of the best games yet.
Opening: The Dead Presidents are called into action by their handler, Spiro Agnew. The American Economy is in dire straits, and something MUST be done. He gives the Dead Presidents a choice: Balance the American budget, OR Track down El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold.
When the Presidents choose the latter option, they are informed that the greatest remote viewer in known history (George W. Bush) has discovered the entrance to the city, in the middle of the New Mexico desert. The only problem is that the city itself appears to be outside the country, in Mexico.
The Dead Presidents travel to New Mexico on their bus, (hey, times are tough, they can't be wasting money on jet fuel!) giving them time to discuss any pressing matters. I personally use this time to make sure I have all my GM requirements at hand; water bottle, cooler full of adult beverages, flask, etc. Once they reach the New Mexico desert, they find the entrance in a cliff wall. The entrance is a 3' thick wall, with only the faintest outline of a door in it. Sit back and watch as the players think of creative ways to use their powers to get through the door. Most likely, the player controlling James Garfield will phase through the wall and discover the mechanism inside for opening the door. Otherwise, Grover Cleveland may just punch his way through.
Inside, they discover a large, temple like room. The ceiling of this room is at least 30' high, giving flying characters plenty of space to move around. Lining the walls of this room are alcoves, each containing a skeleton warrior. The skeletons are held together with gold pins and plates at each joint, and bear hand weapons (axes, sickles, short swords) made of gold. When two characters (or Taft) pass through the doorway, a trap triggers, which awakens all the skeletons (2 per PC). These skeletons use the Skeleton stats on page 162 of the Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition. Upon defeating the skeletons and exploring the room, the Presidents will find an altar, clearly used for sacrifice in the past, and a hallway just beyond it.
The hallway leads the Dead Presidents through a HUGE complex of tunnels, that occasionally open into small, underground villages. If you've ever been to or seen pictures of Montezuma Castle in Arizona, that's what these villages look like. Homes carved directly out of cave walls, ladders leading up 30-40', etc. Feel free to throw more skeletons at them during this portion of the adventure.
Eventually, the tunnels will lead the Dead Presidents to a large arena, containing two dogs, approximately the size of Volkswagen buses. (These dogs use the Great White Shark stats, also found on p. 162 of the SWD:EE, with the extra bite damage removed. Just use straight STR.) The dogs are chained to the walls of either side of the room, so that characters may not pass between them without being in biting range of at least one of the dogs. The far side of the arena has a wooden catwalk leading up to another, smaller door. The catwalk is currently raised, though an observant President can find the mechanism to lower it near the door, about 15' from the arena floor.
Once past the dogs and through the doors, the Presidents discover a short tunnel, leading to a massive set of solid gold double doors. Behind these doors lies the collected wealth of El Dorado. If the Presidents ask, they can quickly calculate the value of the room being 20-30 times what is necessary to repair the American economy to its former glory. In fact, there is so much gold, that releasing too much at a time could actually destroy the value of gold itself.
As the Dead Presidents explore the room, they notice a group of masked men now occupies the doorway. These men, dressed in various red, white and green outfits, are El Presidentes Muerte, the Mexican counterpart of the Dead Presidents. They are here for the gold as well, and will either fight for it, or work out a deal to share the gold with the U.S. (The character sheets for them will be posted at a later date, as the flash drive containing them was left at work.)
As you can see, it's a simple adventure, with only three planned encounters. Much of the game, with the proper players, is ad-lib in character conversation. My favorite part of GMing this setting is watching players with ACTUAL knowledge of the presidents they are playing argue with each other over various policies and actions.
So here is the run down for my last game. This will be the last stuff I post before I tear the system down to the foundation and rebuild it, better and stronger. Just a note: This write up may "ruin the magic" for some of you. A LOT of what happens in the Dead Presidents games is not planned, so I don't do a ton of prep for them. DP3:PH had the least planning of any game I've ever run at a con, and was one of the best games yet.
Opening: The Dead Presidents are called into action by their handler, Spiro Agnew. The American Economy is in dire straits, and something MUST be done. He gives the Dead Presidents a choice: Balance the American budget, OR Track down El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold.
When the Presidents choose the latter option, they are informed that the greatest remote viewer in known history (George W. Bush) has discovered the entrance to the city, in the middle of the New Mexico desert. The only problem is that the city itself appears to be outside the country, in Mexico.
The Dead Presidents travel to New Mexico on their bus, (hey, times are tough, they can't be wasting money on jet fuel!) giving them time to discuss any pressing matters. I personally use this time to make sure I have all my GM requirements at hand; water bottle, cooler full of adult beverages, flask, etc. Once they reach the New Mexico desert, they find the entrance in a cliff wall. The entrance is a 3' thick wall, with only the faintest outline of a door in it. Sit back and watch as the players think of creative ways to use their powers to get through the door. Most likely, the player controlling James Garfield will phase through the wall and discover the mechanism inside for opening the door. Otherwise, Grover Cleveland may just punch his way through.
Inside, they discover a large, temple like room. The ceiling of this room is at least 30' high, giving flying characters plenty of space to move around. Lining the walls of this room are alcoves, each containing a skeleton warrior. The skeletons are held together with gold pins and plates at each joint, and bear hand weapons (axes, sickles, short swords) made of gold. When two characters (or Taft) pass through the doorway, a trap triggers, which awakens all the skeletons (2 per PC). These skeletons use the Skeleton stats on page 162 of the Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition. Upon defeating the skeletons and exploring the room, the Presidents will find an altar, clearly used for sacrifice in the past, and a hallway just beyond it.
The hallway leads the Dead Presidents through a HUGE complex of tunnels, that occasionally open into small, underground villages. If you've ever been to or seen pictures of Montezuma Castle in Arizona, that's what these villages look like. Homes carved directly out of cave walls, ladders leading up 30-40', etc. Feel free to throw more skeletons at them during this portion of the adventure.
Eventually, the tunnels will lead the Dead Presidents to a large arena, containing two dogs, approximately the size of Volkswagen buses. (These dogs use the Great White Shark stats, also found on p. 162 of the SWD:EE, with the extra bite damage removed. Just use straight STR.) The dogs are chained to the walls of either side of the room, so that characters may not pass between them without being in biting range of at least one of the dogs. The far side of the arena has a wooden catwalk leading up to another, smaller door. The catwalk is currently raised, though an observant President can find the mechanism to lower it near the door, about 15' from the arena floor.
Once past the dogs and through the doors, the Presidents discover a short tunnel, leading to a massive set of solid gold double doors. Behind these doors lies the collected wealth of El Dorado. If the Presidents ask, they can quickly calculate the value of the room being 20-30 times what is necessary to repair the American economy to its former glory. In fact, there is so much gold, that releasing too much at a time could actually destroy the value of gold itself.
As the Dead Presidents explore the room, they notice a group of masked men now occupies the doorway. These men, dressed in various red, white and green outfits, are El Presidentes Muerte, the Mexican counterpart of the Dead Presidents. They are here for the gold as well, and will either fight for it, or work out a deal to share the gold with the U.S. (The character sheets for them will be posted at a later date, as the flash drive containing them was left at work.)
As you can see, it's a simple adventure, with only three planned encounters. Much of the game, with the proper players, is ad-lib in character conversation. My favorite part of GMing this setting is watching players with ACTUAL knowledge of the presidents they are playing argue with each other over various policies and actions.