Work in progress!
ORC License
Slightly NSFW!
Introduction
About this adventure: it is meant to be played as a one-shot session on one evening with three to five players. It is system-agnostic and brings its own simple rules for encounters. No character sheets or rules required, all you need is a d6 (except you roll online) and a pen to write down the current hit points (and maybe some more dice to display the state of certain things like stuns). Every player character is a gnome with 10 hitpoints and no special skills. The fun part are the fights while using weird items (see sidebar) with their possible malfunction effects and the gadgets present on the battle maps (and maybe the mini games, but they are not part of this one-shot, there are many to find elsewhere, go get them and add them in).Background
To save money on wages, Whacker Tomsen started an automation project at Gnomerado: replacing staff with constructs. To keep maintenance low, he built them in a way that allows them to improve and repair each other. This worked out well... until gnomes started dying, removed and replaced by constructs.Summary
Whacker's project was a failure. The constructs improved themselves quickly into a direction he had not planned. To do their job best, they made themselves look and behave like the gnomes they should replace. Soon constructs and gnomes were indistinguishable. Then also Ford Prescript (secretly) reappeared, a former partner of Whacker and chief technician at Gnomerado, who had been ousted because he did his own little side projects using Gnomerado funds and resources. He gave the constructs what they needed to complete their evolution: a power core based on Aeum. He secretly built those with a control unit and a kill switch, giving him full control over the constructs.Timeline: "Once upon a Time in the Wild West"
| Time | Description | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 10 am | Group arrives and explore Gnomerado | This should be just fun exploring and doing some mini-games. The players can find out that something is wrong in the entertainment park by watching gnomes do weird things or finding Whacker or by trying to visit the closed down rollercoaster. This should take about a third of the time. |
| 6 pm | Airship leaves, park closes, constructs start attacking. | Fights versus some of the smaller and medium-sized constructs that are attacking wherever the group goes. |
| 9 pm | Fight versus the wrong BBEG. | A rather short fight versus Whacker in his spider bot. |
| 11 pm | Fight versus the right BBEG. | The Man in Black should be a real threat. Maybe add a few hitpoints to make him survive a little bit longer or add additional sentient constructs helping him. The PCs should run out of options and have used up all their special attack items before/when the boss falls. |
Factions: "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"
There are four independently acting groups in the park:
The remaining Gnomerado employees - They try to keep the park running while their boss seems to be missing. They are the first contact for the PCs. During the night they hide in the Museum of Famous Failed Gnome Inventions 1 , using those inventions to defend the building if required.
Whacker Tomsen and his two confidants - They are hiding in the Manor of Impossible Architecture 2 . Whacker is not interacting with the other employees because he doesn't know anymore who is still a gnome and who is already a construct. The evolved constructs cannot enter this building, because their internal logic is not capable of processing the weird architecture to navigate in there, so the three are secure in there - for now. Whacker still has control over the original constructs. Whackers confidants have the "mini-boss" stats but do not succumb to effects that specifically target constructs (as they are gnomes).
The evolved constructs - The constructs had built their own laboratory and assembly line inside the Poopy Pants Underground Rollercoaster 3 and its attached maintenance rooms. There they disassemble everything, optimize and improve it and then reassemble an advanced version.
Ford Prescript - Ford is currently hiding in the House of Horrors 4 , believing that he is in full control of the constructs. They execute his commands, but he has no clue of their underground operations, as he is not aware of the fact that they operate on their own outside their given commands.
Act I: "Testworld"
No matter where you go: there you are.
For helping her in the past, Margo Weedlebeam offers tickets to the PCs that allow them to visit the entertainment park Gnomerado and try out the latest and greatest additions that are not available to the public yet. Each PC who is not a gnome also gets a 24 hours lasting transmutate-to-gnome flask, as only gnomes are allowed to enter the park. The PCs arrive by using the newly established airship line that connects Bridgeport and Gnomerado, they have to come here in leisure time clothes, which means: no weapons, magical things, companions, pets ...
The tickets were sent out before the sentient constructs took over most of the entertainment park, the gnomes would not have invited people into a park that's under siege at night, the park just stays open to avoid a mob of angry gnomes, who have waited for months to finally visit the entertainment park.
The mentioned attractions are still closed for the public and simple constructs let everyone use them who can show a matching ticket. They will ask everyone a couple of simple yes/no questions and let them rate the attraction.
QUESTIONAIRE
* On a scale of one to ten, how did you enjoy the ride?
* Would you use the ride again?
* If so, why? If not, why?
* Would you recommend the ride to your friends?
* If so, why? If not, why?
* On a scale of one to ten, how did you enjoy the ride?
* Would you use the ride again?
* If so, why? If not, why?
* Would you recommend the ride to your friends?
* If so, why? If not, why?
Attractions: "Prospect"
Never drink unless you are alone or with somebody.
The first part of the adventure should be the PC exploring the Gnomerado entertainment park and them trying out things. The GM can add any mini-games they like and which somehow fit into the carnival and wild west theme. The Gnomerado map contains many labelled points of interest that can get explored: there are a side-car racing track and mud catching ponds, the Spin-da-wheel house with all kind of card games and a gnomish version of roulette, in the Gnowling Hall they can throw giant bowling balls into a group of gnomes, or a female gnome in the Fortune Teller hut may do wild prophecies.
Some of the new attractions are:
Beer Barrel - drink as much as you can, and then some. This attraction has been opened already due to popular demand. When the park closes in the evening, the drunk or sleeping gnomes are just dumped outside its gates using a wheelbarrow. Any drinking games are possible here, it should be noted though that it is unwise to have drunk PCs fighting. The gnomish employees can help out with some instant-sober potion in that case.
Gnomifuge - a circular ride with small cages all around. Gnomes get into the cages and then the Gnomifuge spins quickly around its centre axis. Riding it can and most likely will cause dizziness, discomposure and disorientation for a few minutes.
Very Whirligig - this ride is very similar to the Gnomifuge, with the exception that the cages are held by arms which also move up and down while the ride is turning.
Wild Boar Carts - wooden carts pulled by two boars each. There is no race track or something, as soon as they get slapped on the back the boars just run off along the roads, the cart more or less flying behind them. They will only return when getting hungry, until then everyone in the cart has to hang on for their life and wait until it's over.
Poopy Pants Underground Rollercoaster (aka the "Hive") - this ride is completely locked down and not available for testing. When asking, the PC get those replies: "Maintenance", "Closed due to an incident", "It is not finished yet" or "I do not know". The real cause for the ride being closed is that the constructs have erected their "hive" in the attached underground maintenance area where they produce new and update old constructs. They use the carts of the rollercoaster to move incomplete constructs from one construction station to the next.
Connecting the bits
It don’t take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
- The employees are all pretty nervous, making silly mistakes, dropping things, or just standing there, staring at nothing. At first, they don't tell what's happening, but if the group doesn't give up on them they will tell that their boss Whacker is missing and that constructs are attacking and gnomes have been dying. There can be a little bit of confusion about who is attacking whom, as there are gnomes, constructs, and constructs looking like gnomes.
- If the group finds the gnomes defending the Museum of Famous Failed Gnome Inventions, the employees immediately talk about the attacks. They can actually recognize if someone entering the museum is a gnome or a construct via a big metal frame around the door that blares if the entering person is a construct.
- If the group visits the "Manor of Impossible Architecture", there is a chance they find Whacker hiding there. He first assumes that they are sentient constructs that finally have found a way to navigate the building, but if there is any reason for him to believe the PCs are no constructs (due to actions/roleplay), he will tell them what's happening in Gnomerado and team up with them. As this eliminates one big fight from the timeline, there should be some additional waves of attacking regular or mini-boss sized constructs instead.
- If the sentient constructs notice the group sneaking into the Poopy Pants Underground Rollercoaster, they immediately attack. The constructs will not follow anyone fleeing into the open. Whacker (notified by a spy) will now know of the presence of the PCs and try to contact them as soon as they are outside the rollercoaster area.
Act II: "The Quick and the Dead"
That'll be the day.
As the PCs prepare to leave the park at the end of the day, the airship is already gone and there is no other way to leave. Depending on what the group has found out so far, different opponents start to attack.
- If they are still unaware of what is going on and Whacker didn't recognize them as gnomes yet, they get attacked by Whacker's simple constructs.
- If they already tried to enter the Rollercoaster or somehow revealed themselves to Whacker or the sentient constructs, they will most likely have teamed up with Whacker and get attacked by those gnome-like constructs instead. This should become a scary moment: it just got dark and a gnome with red glowing eyes attacks. When the PCs defeated the construct or flee, they will suddenly see those red glowing eyes everywhere in Gnomerado. Every time they come close to a pair of those eyes, one or more constructs attack.
Combat: "Gunsmoke"
The PCs (remember, they start with 10 hitpoints each) have a movement rate of 3 squares per round (movement is possible in all six directions). Everyone rolls 3d6 initiative at the beginning of the combat (the boss has his own roll, all other constructs act on the same rolled number). Then each round, the GM counts down from the highest value to the lowest and each participant attacks on their number (except when the initiative has been altered by an item's effect). When a PC drops to zero or fewer HP by a hit, they are unconscious. Do they take damage again, they are dead. A construct with zero hitpoints is broken and out of combat.Inventions: "The Salvation"
It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
The group is probably unarmed but can use the items found in the Museum of Famous Failed Gnome Inventions, see the item list in the right sidebar. As they are museum exhibitions, all items come with a small descriptive card. Either Whacker (it befriended already) or a gnomish employee will give a hint to the museum or pull them there and help them get the things to work. There are other possibilities to damage the opponents:
- Fall damage: Two PCs teaming up can easily push a construct to the ground, a single PC needs to roll a 6 on 1d6 to do that. A fallen construct has no further attacks in this round and needs to stand up again first. Damage done: 2 HP.
- Fire damage: There is always a chance (5-6 on 1d6 ) to find a bucket with inflammable liquid. A PC can ignite the bucket's content and throw it in one round if there is an open fire at hand. Roll 1d6 . On 4-6, the target is soaked in burning liquid and taking 2 HP damage for three rounds, on 1-3, the liquid covers 3 squares for one round, causing 1 HP damage to everyone crossing them.
Opponents: "The Wild Bunch"
If they believe the regular maintenance constructs are going wild, they will probably attack anything that looks like a construct. At this point, Whacker does not know that the PCs are no constructs and will send his simple construct army to attack them.
Regular
The regular constructs will attack blindly with anything they can use, which is usually tools like screwdrivers, saws, hammers, blowtorches or bricks. Attack: attacks with one of two random tools, it has. Roll 1d6 . On 1, it misses, on 2-5, it does 1 HP damage, on 6, it does 2 HP damage. Hit Points: 2Mini-Boss
At least two of them. These constructs usually operate heavier gear in Gnomerado, so they can attach with larger things. Attack: attacks with one or both of two random tools. Roll 1d6 . On 1, it misses, on 2-5, it does 2 HP damage, on 6, it does 3 HP damage. Hit Points: 5
If the group has found out that all gnomes are in fact constructs, or if they have talked to Whacker and he explained everything, then the enemies are:
Sentient Regular
These constructs look like any random gnome. If they get attacked while being alone, they try to retreat and get support. In combat, they attack blindly with anything they can use, which is usually tools like screwdrivers, saws, hammers, blowtorches or bricks. Attack: attacks with one of two random tools, it has. Roll 1d6 . On 1, it misses, on 2-5, it does 1 HP damage, on 6, it does 2 HP damage. Optionally they can choose to defend themselves in a round, blocking 2 HP from every attack (does not block damage from area effects of the special items). Hit Points: 2Sentient Mini-Boss
At least two of them. The advanced constructs mimic those gnomes who apparently had the say in Gnomerado: the lawyers. They wear a dark suit and a tie. They have built-in flame throwers and small rocket launchers. Attack: attacks with one of the two weapons.- Flame thrower: 9ft long and 90° wide cone. Roll 1d6 . On 1, it misses, on 2-5, it does 2 HP damage, on 6, it does 3 HP damage.
- Rocket launcher: circle of 3ft radius within 15ft range. Roll 1d6 . On 1, it misses, on 2-5, it does 2 HP damage, on 6, it does 3 HP damage.
Act III: "High Noon"
It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's living.
Fight with the boss, two mini-bosses and 2 minions. Take the stats from the blocks above, but the gnomes accompanying Whacker are actually real gnomes, no constructs.
This fight should be described as a dramatic high noon scene. The PCs on one side, Whacker in his spider-bot on the other side, a partially failing (flickering on/off) light hanging on a string across the street, like the sun during noon, flies buzzing around it and dying with a loud "BRZZZ!" when coming too close. At the 'Draw!' moment (when one of the sides starts to move) a silly melee fight should start, with the additional gnomes coming in from behind, and the spider-bot trying to stomp the PCs into the ground with the whole machine rattling and screeching all the time like it is short before exploding or falling apart.
Fighting Whacker
If the group somehow got around this because they already found Whacker and teamed up with him, add a fight against 5 "Mini Bosses" instead.
by Artbreeder
Boss
Whacker rides a giant spider-like robot that covers 4 squares and can attack 3 times. Only the spider is attackable, Whacker is well hidden under a lid. Attacks:- Leg Stomp: Roll 1d6 . On 1-3, the attack misses, on 4-5, it does 1 HP damage, on 6, it does 2 HP damage. Can do 2 leg attacks each round. Range: 6 feet or 2 squares.
- Bite: 1d6 . On 1-3, the attack misses, on 4-5, it does 2 HP damage, on 6, it does 3 HP damage. Can do 1 bite attacks each round. Range: 3 feet or 1 square.
- Special Attack: The spider can do some kind of laser attack: a glowing green laser beam with a range of 15 feet that does 5 HP damage per round. Looks cool, is pretty deadly, but it is just useless because of its slow movement speed. When activated it starts in the square right in front of the spider, and then moves 6 feet or 2 squares per round to anywhere in the 180° in front of the spider. Any targetted person can easily evade.
Fighting the Man in Black
Don’t just lay there and bleed.
The last fight will be the group + Whacker (except he got killed accidentally) versus The Man in Black + two stronger constructs (see "mini-boss") + a few regular constructs, which can appear from inside the tubes they lie in (see map below).
For this combat the same rules apply as for the previous one: The PCs have a movement rate of 3 squares per round (movement is possible in all six directions). Everyone rolls 3d6 initiative at the beginning of the combat (the boss has his own roll, all other constructs act on the same rolled number). Then each round, the GM counts down from the highest value to the lowest and each participant attacks on their number (except when the initiative has been altered by an item's effect). When a PC drops to zero or fewer HP by a hit, they are unconscious. Do they take damage again, they are dead. A construct with zero hitpoints is broken and out of combat.
Whacker will do attacks here and there, but it should be the players who defeat the constructs or the Man in Black. If the fight seems too hard or too easy, let Whacker do damage more often or less... he is using a giant spanner to hit constructs over the head (hits on 5-6 on 1d6 and does 3 damage). You can also add or substract some constructs as needed, to make it an interesting fight.
Boss
The Man in Black is wearing black clothes and a brown cape. He is carrying a large rifle and a lightning whip that buzzes with sparks and discharges when it hits something. He can attack with rifle and whip every round.- Rifle: Range 60ft. Roll 1d6 . On 1-3, the attack misses, on 4-5, it does 3 HP damage, on 6, it does 6 HP damage. Reload: not required.
- Whip: Range 9ft. 1d6 . On 1-3, the attack misses, on 4-5, it does 2 HP damage, on 6, it does 3 HP damage and the target falls to the ground, losing 1 action for the current round.
Resolution: "Tombstone"
We'll give you a fair trial, followed by a first-class hanging!
If Ford is not dead, Whacker will hand him over to the authorities the next morning. He will also declare a stop to the automation project. The employees will start cleaning up the park, removing the disabled constructs. The next airship arrives and leaves in the evening with the PCs on board.
"A red glowing sun diving into the ocean, calling the darkness.
An airship, silently cutting the space towards home.
Gnomes, sitting on the deck, humming a slow tune.
Their faces lit by red glowing coals inside a crackling brazier.
One gnome staring back at Gnomerado, motionless.
With red glowing eyes, and an evil grin."
And so it started ...
An airship, silently cutting the space towards home.
Gnomes, sitting on the deck, humming a slow tune.
Their faces lit by red glowing coals inside a crackling brazier.
One gnome staring back at Gnomerado, motionless.
With red glowing eyes, and an evil grin."