I am worried, I have just come into this world not more than a month ago and already I am far more durable than my uncles, even when completely encased in his metal suit Uncle Ed was wounded by a lesser demon. This gap that exists between us will only grow as time passes. I have near limitless potential in my time here on this planet, it is likely that my decisions will effect the world on a far grater scale than any of the small ones. I have already sworn to make the world a better place, at least in the long term, but for know I need to protect those around me, especially my uncles who looked after me when I was most vulnerable. Now I must make another promise to my self, I must make sure no great harm falls onto my uncles, I need to be like a shield to them during there short time on this planet, it is the least I can do.
Note: The following information is available to anyone who gets a successful check on the Knowledge (Demonology) skill. Brodkil are a race of savage sub-demons who came to Earth sometime during the Great Cataclysm or Dark Age. They are incredibly aggressive and warlike supernatural creatures, but do not possess significant powers other than Supernatural Strength, durable bodies, and the ability to tum invisible at will. Brodkil live the nomadic lives of raiders who take what they need from other people. Much like a wolf pack, they have a very basic, tribal society where strength and cunning rule and the strong dominate the weak. Although they have no technology of their own, Brodkil love high-tech weaponry and bionics, which they steal in raids leveled against military outposts, towns, and bands of mercenaries and adventurers as well as from those they slay in combat. This makes all Brodkil natural Cyber-Snatchers all too eager to butcher or kill someone to take their bionics for themselves or to trade for the bionic systems they'd like to have. As sub-demons with limited healing capabilities, Brodkil can receive bionic implants and attachments while most other supernatural beings cannot. This makes Brodkil all the more scary looking. Brodkil are nine feet (2.7 m) of bristling muscles to begin with. They have no hair on their bronze colored bodies except a small patch at the back of their rippled skulls. The ears are small and ringed by tiny, thorn-like spikes, their small, snout-like noses locked in a perpetual snarl, and their oversized mouths are filled with large, pointed teeth; the mouth can open large enough to bite a human skull in half! Now add to this image of a monstrous wrestler a bionic eye and a bionic arm with mechanical claws and a retractable sword or a bionic arm with built-in energy weapons and you have a Brodkil. Although Brodkil love bionics and cybernetics, they seldom get more than one or two limbs converted to bionic ones. That having been said, a Brodkil will always seek bionics rather than be a cripple, and whatever bionic limb(s) the Brodkil has will have as many weapon features as he can acquire. These bionic limbs will always look mechanical, never disguised cosmetically, as the Brodkil find the naked machinery of bionics to be attractive (to them) and intimidating (to others). Claws, spikes and Vibro·Blade weapons are favorites. The Brodkil's lust for high-tech M.D. weapons and bionics means they are happy to trade their services as warriors, raiders and even pirates in exchange for the gear they want. Thus, Brodkil often swear allegiance to other powers from humans or D-Bee kingdoms to mercenary armies, bandits, sorcerers and bands of other monsters. In short, they are demonic mercs willing to fight, steal and kill for fun and profit. Tolkeen amassed the largest army of Brodkil ever known to exist in North America, an estimated 8,000-10,000. They were deployed as members of the Monster Squads, in mixed-race platoons and as shock-troops. Furthermore, Brodkil warriors enjoyed fighting along side other warriors, human and inhuman, particularly Juicers, Crazies, Headhunters, Cyborgs, Grackle Tooth, Kremin Cyborgs, and Daemonix. Warmongers quick to leap into battle, Brodkil would even accept suicide missions. Since the fall of Tolkeen, around one third (roughly 3,000) are estimated to have joined the Pecos Empire, where they continue to raid Coalition forces and outposts in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas. A quarter (roughly 2,500) have gone to the Magic Zone where they are considering joining forces with Lord Dunscon and his Federation of Magic, as well as factions within the region. The rest have been destroyed by Coalition troops (an estimated 3,600) or scattered into the New West and Alberta, Canada. As a rule, the nomadic warriors travel the wilderness attacking travelers, villages, and towns to plunder what they need. They are fair hunters, but would rather steal livestock or waylay and eat some unsuspecting travelers than spend time stalking wild animals. The Brodkil are meat-eating predators who feast on the flesh of humanoids as well as animals. The typical tribe will range from 20-100, while raiding bands can be as few as three, but are more often in the 6-24 range. It is important to note that while the Brodkil tend to view all other people as potential victims, they do not seek the destruction or enslavement of non-Brodkil. In fact, their freewheeling, anarchist, warrior's outlook on life makes them hate slavers and dislike city life. Brodkil are natural born warriors who live to fight. Their appreciation of strength, cunning and combat skills means they will accept anybody, human, D·Bee or monster, who can handle himself in combat. Consequently, a Brodkil tribe or raiding party may include members of other races. When not stimulated by war, the sub-demons are lazy and hate to learn complicated skills or do things that do not directly impact their lives as warriors and thieving raiders. Instead, they'd rather drink, sit around talking about their exploits in battle, wrestle, upgrade their bionics, trade weapons, engage each other in games of combat skill and strength, dance, make love, eat, rustle cattle, hunt monsters, or cause trouble (i.e., start a brawl, fight, feud, competition, etc.) with some other group of people. This is true even in Europe, where it is said that millions of Brodkil claim they want to establish their own "Empire." However, any Brodkil Empire will be, at best, a collective of rival tribes who behave more like barbarians and happen to dominate a particular region through brute strength and terror. I don't know a great many things... well I suppose I do... but I am not entirely sure why I know those things. My instincts say maybe I was born with it, but they also say maybe it is Maybelline (my mother). I feel a lot of her memories and knowledge imprinted on me... but it is blurry like looking through glasses that are too strong... or not strong enough...I am not entirely sure on the concept of glasses, I will ask Uncle Alphonse, he knows that kind of thing. But, what I can say is that I have this feeling of "want" I just wish I knew what it was. Uncle Al says it is a want to make the world a better place, Uncle Ed says that he is not sure but then go usually rambles on about money, respect, and not eating people (even though I tell him all the time I don't want to eat people) I recently joined a group that my uncles are apart of, The Tomorrow Legion, and I have to say I do like the kind of stuff they talk about,especially the stuff about stopping the Coalition, I know a lot about them and none of it is good, the less of them there are the better. I am told that I get to go on a mission soon and that I am going to be briefed tomorrow, I hope it is fun and that I get to do some good in the world!
The Mountaineer is expensive, but most consider it a bargain in the long run. It’s tough, roomy, and well-equipped, and its special six-wheeled design gives it remarkable handling. The electric engine version has a range of 600 miles. The Mark 2 is double the cost but larger (152,000 credits for the Mk2 electric model). Affectionately known as "Bessie," this souped-up ATV has been provided to your unit to meet transportation and combat needs. It comfortably seats two drivers and eight passengers; additional passengers may be able to fit but will make things cramped. The Tomorrow Legion has outfitted the vehicle with extra armor plating and a light rail gun (mounted on the roof). Bessie is the property of the Legion and has been issued to our unit so we can achieve our mission objective. The vehicle isn't ours, so treat her as such. The Mountaineer ATV, Mk2 Size 6 (22 feet tall, 20 feet wide (with tires), 29 feet long, 7 tons/14,000 lbs.) Acc/TS 10/50 (Maximum speed 120 mph) Toughness 31 (16) Crew 2+8 (comfortably) Remaining Mods 2 Weapons: Light Rail Gun (Range 100/200/400, 2d10+4 M.D., RoF 3, AP 10, Shots 135, Mods 4, Drum Feed) Features:
"Good evening. I'll keep this brief, since we all have things to do. I know that you've each been surprised to receive a summons from two of the Legion's higher-ups: Rickus Redspear of Clan Hammerheart and Lady Charisma Stalton of the Cyber-Knight Fellowship. And not just general summons; you have each been asked for, specifically. The reason is because of me. "My name is Moses Stafford. I'm a Captain in the 2nd Battalion of the Tomorrow Legion, under the command of Colonel Roland Durge. I have been ordered to put together and lead a new "Special Exploratory Team." For those of you who are unaware, a Special Exploratory Team (SET) is a special unit within the armed forces of the Tomorrow Legion. These teams are the most eclectic and adventurous of the special units and are charged with long range patrols, investigating troubling rumors, exploring new areas, and extending the Legion's influence to places beyond the direct reach of Castle Refuge. SETs tend to be combat oriented, but all have members trained in additional disciplines. Given that these units are troubleshooters intended to operate far from home base, and sometimes deep within hostile territory, they're provided fairly wide operational parameters. Still, they're expected to hold to the honorable rules and foundations of the Legion. "In order to set up my new team, I was provided access to the personnel profiles of all available Legionnaires. It was from these profiles that I selected each of you, but drawing mostly from our new recruits. Each of you has been chosen to fill a role on the Special Exploratory Team because of your skills, unique abilities, and/or training. While SETs are occasionally criticized as being a way of keeping the Legion's more unruly and "off-center" members close together and away from the rest of the Legionnaires, I personally do not believe this to be true. "Generally, I prefer to lead teams that have worked together before in the past, since putting together individuals who've never worked with each other can have unpredictable results. Personalities can clash, and some groups simply can't seem to reach a cooperative equilibrium. Still, the strengths that you each possess, whether supernatural or mundane, have been enough to overcome any of my reservations. Most of you are new and untested, so consider your time on this team as a means of cutting your teeth and earning your place in the Legion. It will be as much a learning experience for me as it will be for you, I'm sure." The Assignment "For several months now, the Tomorrow Legion has been receiving classified intelligence from a sympathizer imbedded in Lonestar City, capital of the Coalition State of Lonestar. The source of the intelligence is a CS National named William McKenneth. The reports have been brief messages concerning Coalition troop movements, supply schedules, anti-Pecos defense strategies, and some scientific data about Psi-Hounds and other mutant animals. The information is not extremely sensitive or terribly damaging to the Coalition, but it's still enough to provide us with a better understanding of their goals and operations in Texas. Certainly, the info is enough to secure McKenneth a death sentence for the crime of treason, were his activities to become known. "We can't tell you much about McKenneth himself. He asserts that he is a scientist, and that his work is related to the production of mutant animals at Lonestar. The scientific nature of some of the intel that he has provided us seems to support this. He claims to be a CS citizen who has grown disillusioned with his homeland and its philosophies. In fact, his dissatisfaction motivated him to one day locate and contact the closest Cyber-Knight in the region. At first, McKenneth operated as an anonymous informant, providing semi-regular intelligence in return for payment in untraceable Black Market credits. The Cyber-Knight to whom he's been reporting, in turn, has been passing the information to Lord Coake and the Legion. However, recent events have forced Dr. McKenneth to reveal his identity, and to request protection from the Cyber-Knight Fellowship. Dr. McKenneth was too panicked to explain his situation, but it's assumed that his betrayal may have been discovered by CS authorities. As such, he may now be on the run. "In his last dispatch, Dr. McKenneth stated that he had tremendously valuable intel to share. He didn't detail the exact nature of this intel, other than stating it was plans or schematics of some sort, and that they were highly classified. Consequently, our unit's mission is to meet up with the doctor, verify the validity and value of his intel, and bring him (and the intel) back safely to Castle Refuge. If McKenneth's information is as good as he says it is, then the Tomorrow Legion may be in a position to offer him asylum. "We were originally supposed to meet with our mission target at a rat hole of a town called "Laredo." Unfortunately, circumstances have forced the meet location to change; apparently Laredo had too much of a Pecos presence and McKenneth claims not to feel safe there. As such, we will now be picking him up in another small, isolated community known as "Waco-By-The-Wastes," or just "Waco" for short. This new location is farther east, which puts it a longer distance from both the Coalition and the Pecos Empire. It means we won't have to travel quite as far, but it also means McKenneth will need to cross more distance to get to us. Since his request for aid from the Cyber-Knight Fellowship, McKenneth's contact with the Legion has been brief and erratic. The doctor sounds frightened, exhausted, and is on the move. "McKenneth does NOT know about the Tomorrow Legion or its existence. At the moment, he believes he is solely in contact with the Cyber-Knight Fellowship and that his intelligence leaks are going to them. For security reasons, we see no reason to correct this misconception. "There is a very obvious possibility that McKenneth and his intel are a ploy; that Dr. McKenneth is working for CS Intelligence and passing faulty information in order to deceive the Coalition's enemies, or to set a trap. Perhaps William McKenneth doesn't even exist. Alternately, it's possible that McKenneth has no valuable information, and that he's only saying this in order to secure our help and protection from the CS. The Legion's mages and psychics have augured over the matter and foresee no deception on the doctor's part. Still, spells and psi-powers have been known to be wrong. "Regardless of the dangers, Dhara Hammerheart and General MacGruder have determined that the risks are worth it. Depending on what he has, Dr. McKenneth's information might be extremely helpful to the Legion, giving us an advantage over the CS once we eventually expand into Texas. Even if he doesn't actually possess earth-shattering intel, he has worked as a CS scientists for many years. His inside knowledge of Lonestar's inner workings alone would likely prove quite valuable to the Legion. The Coalition may well be in pursuit of McKenneth, which means that a violent confrontation between our forces and theirs is still a strong possibility. Let's make something clear, however: the Tomorrow Legion wishes to avoid violence. Combat is authorized only if absolutely necessary. For those of you that might have a bone to pick with the Coalition due to past grievances, this is NOT an opportunity to waylay Dead Boys. Don't forget that you'll be on their turf, and their reinforcements are much closer than yours." The Sulfur Gulch Guns "Once we arrive in Texas, but before reaching Waco-By-The-Wastes, our unit will be meeting with another group waiting in the region. This five-man unit of freelancers is not officially a part of the Tomorrow Legion, but they are on the Legion's payroll, and they've been hired to assist us in seeing Dr. McKenneth safely out of Texas. Popularly, the group is known as the "Sulfur Gulch Guns." "Maybe you've heard of them. Maybe you haven't. They are a small mercenary unit that operates in the Lower Midwest and New West territories, and they have a reputation for ONLY taking contracts against one target: The Coalition States. Though small, the outfit is highly skilled, ruthless, and unafraid of the Coalition. For this reason, the CS has the merc group "blacklisted," meaning that any CS squad has the authority to arrest the group's members or kill them on sight. The Guns regard their blacklisted status as a badge of honor, and proudly proclaim it while flipping the bird at the local Dead Boys. "Some soldiers-of-fortune view the group as amateurish, but the Guns are actually very capable warriors who've survived dozens of small skirmishes with CS forces. This is thanks to the clever strategies they employ, more than anything. The Guns are smart enough to avoid engaging the Dead Boys head-on, using hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and other classic tricks of warfare. They know the Coalition has the advantage in numbers and better equipment, so they take care to only fight the CS on "their terms." "For the last few months, the Sulfur Gulch Guns have been repeatedly hiring themselves out to the Tomorrow Legion. Our contacts in Texas meet with them, provide the assignment, and pay them when it's done. So far, all of the Guns' jobs for the Legion have involved smuggling refugees or contraband, and spying on (and sabotaging) CS activities in Texas and Arkansas. Our current assignment, however, will represent the first time that they've engaged in a joint operation with one of our teams. Their purpose on this mission is purely to act as support. The Guns will serve as backup in case things don't go as planned. As I stated before, the CS may be pursuing Dr. McKenneth, which means he might have a lot of heat on his tail by the time we find him. Also, because they are native to the region, the Guns know Texas and the surrounding areas quite well, and they can be local guides during our visit. "Although the Guns are operating independently and are not under my authority, they know that they are expected to follow our lead and do things our way. Otherwise, they don't get paid. If all goes well, we won't need the help of the Sulfur Gulch Guns. Unless there's trouble, the group's members will simply shadow us for most of our time in Texas. "All that said, make sure that you keep your wits about you. These mercenaries may be our allies for the time being, but they've only worked for the Legion for a few months. That's hardly a long time, which means we don't ultimately know much about them. We do know that they were bandits at one point and rode with the Pecos Empire a few years ago, but we've also heard stories portraying the Sulfur Gulch Guns as Robin Hood types and outlaws with "hearts of gold." It's likely that such tales are exaggerations. Nonetheless, they are reputed to only attack and rob Coalition military targets, and they seem to sympathize with the plight of the Tolkeenite refugees, D-Bees, and other victims of the CS. So for now, they get the benefit of the doubt, but we Legionnaires aren't naive or stupid. "Keep one eye on the Coalition, and the other eye on them..." Tucked away in the hills that run between Arkansas and Missouri, the Tomorrow Legion steadily builds, plans, and prepares
to face the challenges of the Coalition, the Federation of Magic, and all others who seek dominance or plunder. The Legion’s leadership has no love of or desire for war, yet they know full well that there are battles ahead to achieve the goal of a better tomorrow. Inside the walls of a fortress that speaks of ancient days, a movement based on looking to the future was born. No longer content to hold on to the best of the past, Erin Tarn encouraged the people of Refuge to take the brightest parts of what she and others had learned and apply it to building a new world, based on the truth of the now and the possibilities of what may come next. Lord Coake, too, made clear his desire to build something out of the diversity of those who’d helped him through the many crises in Tolkeen’s aftermath. Coake and Erin Tarn have worked with the Dwarven leader Dhara Hammerheart and others to build a new force from the defenders of Refuge. They envisioned a legion of warriors, mages, mystics, adventurers, scientists, technicians, psionics, and masters of all manner of skills and talents, all destined to save this new world from those who would harm or plunder it, while building a better future. This is the Tomorrow Legion. An army, yes, but also a force dedicated to exploration, bringing aid to those in need, and expanding the positive influence of those who oppose both the Coalition and Lord Alistair Dunscon’s True Federation of Magic. The Tomorrow Legion isn’t about conquest, and armed conflict is reserved to defense of innocents or selves, when no other option is available. The mandate of any team sent into the field is to find ways to help those in need, and encourage other communities to ally with Castle Refuge for mutual benefit, defense, and growth. |
Legionnaire BlogA blog for the players of Savage Worlds Rifts. Each post is worth 1 experience point. Maximum of one post per player per week. Archives
March 2017
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