OMG THERES ALIENS IN YOUR ALIEN CAMPAIGN??? I WOULD NEVER PUT ALIENS IN MY ALIEN CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THAT WOULD RUIN THE SUSPENSE OF ALIENS MAYBE APPEARING IN A GAME SESSION IN THE FAR FUTURE. BUT SINCE ILL NEVER ACTUALLY PUT ALIENS IN MY ALIEN CAMPAIGN THEY CAN NEVER BE RUINED AND I CAN KEEP THE SUSPENSE GOING FOREVERRRR. BESIDES THE WORD ALIEN DOESNT REFER TO LITERAL ALIENS IT HAS SEVERAL MEANINGS SUCH AS BEING SYMBOLIC OF THE EVIL MEGACORPORATION THAT RESIDES INSIDE ALL OF US.
Disclaimer: This alien campaign has aliens in it. Apparently the concept of putting aliens in the alien RPG greatly offends some people? (yeah I dont get it either but it doesnt surprise me in todays environment). So be warned ahead of time, if youre one of those people that gets triggered by the inclusion of aliens, im deliberately adding more aliens because of you.
Archangel Station
Archangel Station was built by Lorenz Systech in the early 2100s. Shortly before construction was completed, it was acquired by Seegson as part of their ill-fated ploy to monopolize all deep space habitation. But people simply didnt want to live in space when they could live on planets instead and the entire gambit turned into a financial blackhole for Seegson. In the late 2100s, Seegson was forced to sell Archangel at a huge loss to Weyland Yutani who remain the current owners. However, as a non-negotiable term of the sale, Seegson was granted a 25 year free lease of one of the corporate spires. A last ditch effort for Seegson to recoup some of its losses. That 25 year free lease expires soon.
Archangel, like its destroyed sister station, Sevastopol, also siphons exotic gases from the jovian-type planet it orbits. This requires the station to be in a lower orbit and resistance from the station colliding with gases slows the station down, rapidly decaying its orbit. Once per orbital period, about every 4 days, the station makes a prograde burn at its apoapsis (the highest point of its orbit) which raises the periapsis (the lowest point of the stations orbit) back to a safe altitude. These prograde burns are well known to the station's inhabitants because they happen like clockwork. The exotic gases siphoned by the station are processed and packaged in the industrial sector of the station and then shipped to wherever theyre needed. The sale of these exotic gases provides the station with a steady and reliable source of income to supplement the much greater, but also more volatile, income it earns from providing commercial services.
Archangel Station remains a major stopover point for ships heading to the outer colonies. Its a very large multinational station with multiple corporate enclaves operating out of its three spires. However despite the station's thriving commercial hub, the cost of running Archangel is tremendous, and the station is just barely turning a profit. Some think its only a matter of time before Archangel is decommissioned like many of its sister stations. Others think once Seegson's free lease ends, and the spire can be leased out for profit again, things might start to turn around for the struggling station. But for now Archangel Station is still operating and it maintains a permanent military presence on the edge of the frontier. The players are currently stationed at Archangel as one of its Colonial Marine rapid response teams.
Some other corporations that have enclaves on Archangel: Relovan Pharmaceuticals, GenSys Biotech, Dokosensha Dreamsense, Britannia Stratosphere, ExoCom Universal, TransWorld Galactic, Isotech Industries, Nanodyne Systems, Dynamic Solutions, Razor Engineering, LoGis Astrogation, Rakan Cybernetics, and the Zaibatsus: Chigusa, Arasaka, Hasaku, Taikun, Yasuban
Corporation Subplots
Every time the players come back from a mission one of these minor subplots fires off. This is just to provide some atmosphere on the station. The players can also go shopping and requisition new equipment during the downtime between missions.
Yellow pills make you happy. White pills make you feel no pain. Green pills make you nappy. Blue pills keep you sane. But what do the Red pills do?
Relovan Pharmaceuticals wants their new combat stims tested in the field. When this event is selected, each player is given x1 combat stim and the squad medic gets x3 combat stims. The experimental drug might have some hilarious side effects...
because genetically enhanced everything is just plain better
Weyland-Yutani biotech subsidary that specializes in everything from GMOs to designer pets to invitro babies. all genetically enhanced of course.
theres no dyin with nanodyne
Subsidiary of Weyland Yutani. Part of the Hyperdyne consortium (Aerodyne, Cyberdyne, Nanodyne, Dynadyne, etc...). Nanodyne has a cybermedical contract with the USCMC Department of Veterans Affairs. Any fallen soldier can get cybernetic replacements for free (but they only get the economy model). This covers the players in case they suffer a debilitating injury. Nanodyne operates their own nanosurgery suite on Archangel Station.
Nanodyne also supplies the medical corps with monomolecular scalpels and medical nanites. When this event is selected, the players' field medic receives one of each of those items. Additionally each player recieves an advanced medkit compliments of nanodyne.
our dreams become your nightmares
Dokusensha is a professional dream recording studio. They recently hired a new professional dreamer. His dreamer compatibility numbers were absolutely off the chart. The problem is all his dreams are super messed up beyond belief. Some of the more disturbing dreams were leaked out by the employees (former employees now) and are circulating around the station as the newest meme. Many of the people who have watched the dreams are experiencing sleep disorders ranging from insomnia to recurring nightmares. And some people are even getting waking mental disorders such as hallucinations or delusions. If any of the players watched the dreams let them describe what they were about and give them the appropriate mental trauma.
Archangel Modular Scenario #1: Seegson Synthetics
Download Link: Archangel Scenario #1: Seegson Synthetics (PDF)
You can print this PDF as a 5.5" booklet. Open it up in adobe reader and select booklet when printing. Select both sides and do what your printer tells you to print on both sides. Then just fold it together, open it back up, and staple it down the middle along the crease with the sharp part of the staple facing the inside of the booklet.
Archangel Modular Scenario #2: Crashed Colony Ship
The crashed colony ship is another modular scenario im working on. The colony ship is bombarded by debris ejected from the trail of a uncharted comet. The ship's engineering section sustains heavy damage. The damaged displacement drive is at 10% output and the jumpdrive and main reactor are crippled beyond repair. Life support is failing. The crew reroutes power from the auxiliary reactor to the displacement drive and with difficulty they manage to steer the ship towards a potentially habitable planet. The crew then diverts all remaining power to the cryopods but it wont sustain them for long. After debating what to do next, the crew finally decides to depart the colony ship using the shuttle to scout out the planet for potential habitability and a landing site. They leave the ship's android on board as custodian for the colonists. Several hours pass and when its apparent the crew isnt coming back, the ship's android and MU/TH/ER try to land the ship as best they can, but the heavy rear section of the ship disintegrates on impact leaving only the front one-third of the ship intact. The players start out as colonists and wake up from cryosleep after the crash. They find all of the other colonists dead (the players are the only survivors). Theyre left alone to fend for themselves on a hostile planet. And the ship's crew might still be out there somewhere. Part II of this scenario turns into a rescue/salvage operation with the players' colonial marine squad being at the forefront.
This scenario is the comedic version of Pitch Black. It replaces genuinely terrifying bioraptors with goofy exploding kites.
Scenario #2, Act I
The GM needs to create some colonists as well as the ship's android for this scenario . The players start out playing as colonists that wake up out of cryosleep to find their colony ship has crashlanded on LV-XXX. A good way to do this is have one colonist wake up and explore the colony bays to find the other players still asleep in their cryopods spread across the different colony bays. Have that player bring the other players out of cryosleep. As the players come out of cryosleep they should experience the usual sickness of waking up from cryosleep. They are the only survivors.
Cryosickness
The characters suffer Cryosickness for one shift after they revive from Cryosleep. Cryosickness gives the players -1 to all rolls for one shift. Anti-nausea medication removes this penalty.
The colony ship was ripped apart during the crash however the front one third of the of the ship is still intact. Parts of the ship are still running on emergency battery power. The auxiliary reactor's containment vessel is breached and is expelling radioactive coolant and steam throughout the lower decks. Most of the colonists are dead, theres bodies everywhere both inside and outside of the cryopods, and theres broken glass and debris all over. If the players search the colony bays they find a working water fountain, 1 days worth of emergency rations, and some basic equipment (they find a maintenance jack, x1 medkit, a flashlight, some anti-nausea pills (enough for everyone) which removes cryosickness, etc...)
Once the players get assembled theyll probably want to leave the colony bays and make their way towards the bridge. The doors out of the colony bays are sealed shut and MU/TH/ER will refuse the players access saying the doors were sealed shut by the crew. If the players request to speak to a member of the crew MU/TH/ER will reply that no member of the crew is available. The players can force open the colony bay doors with a -2 heavy machinery check or they can look around and discover that Colony Bay 2A has a breached bulkhead they can crawl through to get into the crew quarters. MU/TH/ER will periodically remind the players that the crew module is a restricted area and the players should return to the colony bays.
Scenario #2, Act II
The ship's radiation alarm goes off and MU/TH/ER alerts the crew that there is a reactor leak and the radiation levels are quickly approaching lethal. The auxiliary reactor's containment vessel is breached and leaking out radioactive coolant and steam. The ship is quickly being irradiated from the lower decks up. Players dont have much time to grab as many supplies in the ship before they suffer lethal doses of radiation. The players should only be given enough time to visit about half the rooms on the ship before the radiation levels get lethal and they have to leave the ship. The reactor's temperature is also steadily climbing and soon the nuclear fuel will melt through the bottom of the containment vessel which will trigger a massive explosion and destroy the ship. So the players need to get clear of the area before the ship explodes.
Mid Level - Mild Radiation (suffer 1 radiation for every 2 turns spent here)
Bridge: The bridge requires a keycard to access.The ship's android can be found on the bridge. It was disabled in the crash but can be repaired with a successful heavy machinery check to cannibalize spare parts followed by a successful comtech check to repair and restart the android.
Comms: The ship's comms are operational. The ship's passive distress beacon has automatically activated. But the players can send an active distress message (which the colonial marines will eventually receive)
Mu/th/er: In order to access MU/TH/ER the android must be reactivated. The Android has access to MU/TH/ER and can get MU/TH/ER to open the hatches to the upper and lower decks.
Crew Quarters:
Officer Quarters: there is a keycard in the officers quarters that will access the bridge and security.
Showers/Lockers:
Mess Hall: there is a cutting knife and 3 days worth of food and water for each player in the mess hall.
Med Lab: in the med lab the players can find medkits x2, surgical kit x1, naproleve x1
Security: Security requires a keycard to access. There are a x2 pistols and x1 shotgun in the security room. along with x2 reloads for each gun.
Upper Level - Mild Radiation (suffer 1 radiation for every 2 turns spent here)
The ladder hatches to the upper and lower levels are sealed shut Only MU/TH/ER can release them.
Observatory:
Seed Bank: 1 days worth of food and water for everyone can be found here along with several hand tools that can be used as blunt instruments
Embryo Storage: some scientific equipment can be found here.
Lower Level - High Radiation (suffer 1 radiation for every 1 turn spent here)
The ladder hatches to the upper and lower levels are sealed shut Only MU/TH/ER can release them.
Shuttle Bay: The shuttle bay is empty and the doors are stuck shut from the crash. They cannot be opened. The external airlock is also blocked off from the crash.
Cargo Area: Various items can be found here. 1 days worth of food and water, survival gear, and random tools (a bolt gun with 4 reloads)
Life Support:
Auxiliary Reactor:
If the players found the keycard they can access the bridge. Or they can force open the door to the bridge with a -2 heavy machinery check.
The ladder hatches to the upper and lower levels are locked but can be forced open with a -2 heavy machinery check. A successful heavy machinery check removes the service panel and engages the manual handle to pump the hydraulics for the hatches open.
Scenario #2, Act III
Scenario #2, Act IV
Scenario #2, Act V
Kites
Has super baby finally met his match?
Kites are insectoid creatures with glassy obsidian black carapaces. They have four eyes, crushing mandibles, kite-shaped razor wings, and six leglike appendages that resemble knives. Their abdomens are filled with a highly flammable lighter-than-air gas and they explode violently when killed. Its possible to set off chain reactions where multiple kites explode. The gas produced by Kites is a crucial stabilizing compound for a revolutionary new FTL fuel Weyland Yutani is experimenting with.
Kites have 4 health. Armor 3. And they explode when they die (blast 9). Theyre speed 1 but they also get a free sprint move at the end of each turn. And yeah they can fly if that wasnt obvious. They swarm in large numbers and especially love to fly in close formation with eachother so they chain explode.
Kite Signature Attacks
1 - Do a Barrel Roll: kite does a barrel roll. until the kite's next turn, characters making ranged attacks against the kite suffer -4 to their rolls. characters that make ranged attacks against it also suffer +1 stress from sheer frustration.
2 - Break Wind: kite flies around the target farting out an orangey-pink flammable gas. this gas cloud envelopes the target and everyone within short range. blast 6 if gas cloud is detonated. gas cloud dissipates at the start of the kite's next turn. All characters inside the flammable gas cloud also have to roll for panic (because theyre inside a flammable gas cloud!).
3 - Stabby Appendages: kite lands on target, knocks them prone and they drop their handheld items, then jabs them repeatedly with its stabby appendages. Roll 8 dice, 2 damage.
4 - Insectile Projectile: kite divebombs into the target, grapples onto them, and explodes. Flaming bug parts fly everywhere. Blast 9. grappled target also suffers fire 8.
5 - Flyby Slashening: kite flies by the target at high speed and slashes them into bloody ribbons with its razor wings. Roll 9 dice, 2 damage, armor piercing.
6 - Mandibular Decapimitation: roll 8 dice, 1 damage. if you do any damage kite decapitates the target with its mandibles. They suffer critical hit #awesome and their head launches into the air and, if possible, boops another character within short range. That character takes 1 boop damage, suffers +1 stress, and rolls for panic. The player that got decapitated then gets to describe their character's last facial expression.
Archangel Modular Scenario #3: Corporate Takeover/UPP Border Dispute
This is the last of the modular scenarios im planning and will revolve around Weyland Yutani's hostile takeover of a smaller corporation and the border colony it owns and operates. In retaliation for the hostile takeover, the smaller corporation and the colonists join forces in open rebellion and even go so far as to request assistance from the UPP who are more than happy to take advantage of the situation by sending UPP commandos to guarantee the colony's independence. The players' squad is sent in with the new colony administrator and an ambassador to try and defuse the situation. In the midst of all this there will be a Xenomorph infestation spreading amongst war refugees and the Colonial Marines and UPP Commandos will begrudgingly have to put aside their differences and join forces to combat the alien menace.
This scenario might also get changed to tie in with destroyer of worlds.
Archangel Final Scenario: The Bio-Arms Race
This will be the final scenario based out of Archangel Station before the players are transferred to LV-1201. This scenario will explore the bio-arms race between Bionational and Weyland Yutani. It will also expose the players to Xenomorphs if they havent encountered them before.
Lasalle Bionational operates a secret lab on New Encelades. New Encelades is an icy moon with a highly reflective surface and an average temperature of -160C. It orbits a jovian-type gas giant. The gas giant's magnetosphere collides with the icy surface of the moon resulting in radiolysis of the surface ice into its constituent elements of hydrogen and oxygen. The lighter hydrogen floats off into space while the heavier oxygen settles out on the moon's surface. However, despite having a primarily oxygen atmosphere, the atmosphere is still unbreathable due to the excessively cold temperatures. Prolonged exposure to radiation from the gas giant's magnetosphere is also lethal and makes long-term habitation near the surface impossible.
Bionationals Super Happy Fun Lab™ is located 10KM under the ice just above the moon's subsurface ocean. The lab is accessed by a 10km long elevator shaft (and they make you listen to elevator music the whole way down). There are two elevators: one for personnel, and one for cargo. The personnel elevator goes 20kph and takes a half hour to reach the colony. The cargo elevator goes half that speed and takes twice as long. The thick ice shell provides insulation as well as protection from the surface radiation. The subsurface ocean provides limitless deuterium which is converted to tritium in fission breeder reactors. The deuterium and tritium provide all the fusion fuel the lab needs. Bionational operates several submarines out of this base for exploring the subsurface oceans.
Archangel Modular Encounter: The Debriefing
This modular encounter occurs immediately upon the players return to base from a mission after encountering Xenomorphs for the first time. Its necessary for both Weyland Yutani and the Colonial Marines to keep information about the Xenomorphs compartmentalized and classified at the highest level. During their debriefing, the players are ruthlessly interrogated by a high ranking officer theyve never met before (probably a major or colonel). This is as much a psychological test of loyalty as it is to extract any information about Xenomorphs the players have. After the debriefing, the players are kept in a locked room for a long while, after which a Weyland Yutani company agent enters the room and gives the players a full briefing on Xenomorphs. Unfortunately for colonial marines, receiving this briefing tends to shorten their lifespans considerably as theyre far more likely to get assigned to duty stations in Xenomorph hotzones such as LV-1201. Which is exactly where the players end up.
<<< TOP SECRET. DO NOT COPY. EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY. This report contains privileged information that is the property of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Top secret clearance and above only. Any employee or contractor without top secret clearance found in possession of this report is subject to immediate termination and legal prosecution. If you are viewing this report without the proper authorization immediately discontinue and contact corporate security. >>>
The lifecycle of a Xenomorph is entirely dependent on someone being stupid enough to stick their face in an egg that just opened up.
Xenomorphs can transform into more advanced stages by consuming enough biomass (higher stages require more biomass) to molt or metamorphosize into their new form. This process typically takes anywhere from 18-24 hours for lower stages and can take hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years for higher stages.
For a facehugger to become a royal facehugger or for a praetorian or palatine to become a queen it must consume royal jelly. All stage IV or higher Xenomorphs can produce small quantities of royal jelly with Queens producing significantly higher amounts. Royal jelly can be consumed by humans and acts as a highly addictive X-drug with the following effects: super strength, enhanced reflexes, feel no pain, increased hostility and rage, psychotic break, and mental instability.
Depending on what host organism is impregnating by a facehugger determines whether you get a scout or a drone. Typically scouts are born from quadripedal mammals. While drones are born from bipedal mammals. A larger variant of the facehugger exists called a royal facehugger that can implant two embryonic xenomorphs, a queenburster and a chestburster, in two different hosts before dying.
Xenomorphs have a highly corrosive molecular acid for blood. This molecular acid carries electrical currents much like a battery and its believed this is where Xenomorphs get their metabolic energy from. This could also explain why Xenomorphs are often attracted to large machines such as atmospheric processors.
Xenomorphs also possess an elongated head filled with dense neurons encased in a crystalline structure which is theorized to work like an antenna. This "psychic receiver" is how Xenomorphs are able to communicate telepathically with the hive mind.
New subcastes
Spitter
Lurker
[Boss Fight] Deathspitter (Spitter) - Aberrant Xenomorph
Speed 1, Health 5/5, Armor 8, Acid 8
Mobility 8, Observation 8
Deathspitter’s attacks do acid damage and follow all the normal rules for acid. The strength of the acid is equal to the damage rolled by the attack (including any damage modifiers). Acid damage from multiple sources stacks but the entire stack gets halved every turn. Deathstalkers acid attacks also destroy armor and cover by reducing their armor values, as you would expect from acid.
Free Move: Deathspitter makes a free move before or after it takes its slow action.
Expert Climber: Deathspitter gets +2 to mobility checks involving jumping and climbing. Its a much better climber and jumper than other Xenomorphs.
Advanced Physics Calcumalations: Deathspitter does advanced physics calcumalations in its head. Its ranged attacks never suffer range penalties. Deathspitter can also spend a fast action or forfeit its free move to gain a +2 aim bonus on its next ranged attack.
Acid Bomb: Deathspitter has more acid and higher internal pressure than typical Xenomorphs. When deathspitter takes damage all enemies within short range suffer acid damage instead of engaged range.
Multistage Xenomorph: Excess damage done to stage 1’s health pool is wasted and does not spill over to stage 2’s health pool, etc...When the final stage reaches 0 health the xenomorph dies.
Stage 1 - 5 health
Deathspitter will engage the players as they approach one of the hive's acid reclamation pools (falling in the acid reclamation pool means certain death). Surrounding the reclamation pool should be several plateaus of varying height and ample cover. Assume its medium cover and provides +4 armor. Deathstalker will try to attack from an elevated plateau and from cover whenever possible but will leave its position if it needs to in order to get into range for its attack. If Deathspitter is not in cover and still hasnt used its free move it will use its free move to get behind cover.
Stage 2 - 5 health (triggers on stage 1 reaching 0 health)
Deathspitter gains +2 on its signature attack rolls.
Signature Attacks:
1 - Acid Splurge: Deathspitter splurges one enemy in medium range for 10d6, 1 damage, acid. Target automatically panics.
2 - Vitriolic Rain: Spitter sprays all enemies in short range for 10d6, 1 damage, acid. All characters hit by this gain +1 stress.
3 - Reposition: Spitter repositions itself behind cover and goes into overwatch. It gains +4 armor from cover vs ranged attacks until the end of the round. It can make a signature attack #1 as an overwatch attack.
4 - Mark Target: Spitter marks its target and puffs up its venom sacs in sadistic anticipation. Marked target suffers +1 stress and the spitter's next successful ranged attack against the marked target does +1 acid damage.
5 - Corrosion Explosion: Medium Range, Blast 6, Acid. The blast damage is acid damage. The initial target and all targets within engaged range of the initial target suffer blast 6 (acid) and an additional +1 acid damage. All targets within short range of the initial target suffer blast 6 (acid).
6 - Caustic Barrage: Spitter spews a glob of acid at one enemy within medium range for 12d6, 2 damage, acid. Players hit by this suffer permanent scarring and/or disfigurement.
7 - Dissolve from Within: Spitter uses its inner jaws or tail to punch a hole through the target then pukes acid in the open wound. Target takes 12d6, 2 damage, armor piercing, acid. If the attack does 1 or more damage to the target they suffer two random critical injuries.
8 - Facemelter: Spitter regurgitates acid in the face of an enemy at engaged range. 10d6, 1 damage, acid. If the target suffers damage their face is melted off and they die horrifically while screaming. Anyone who hears this immediately panics.
[Boss Fight] Nightstalker (Lurker) - Aberrant Xenomorph
speed 2, health 5/5, armor 10, acid 8
Mobility 10, Observation 8
Nightstalker is a rare drone subcaste known as a Lurker. it is an expert at stealth, hit and run attacks, and psychological terror. This aberrant xenomorph specimen took out an entire marine squad by itself.
Nightstalker's Lair: Nightstalker's lair is pitch black and permeated with a thick fog that fills the cave and severely limits visibility. players cannot see beyond short range even with a light source. the walls of the lair are completely covered in resin and there are numerous alcoves for Nightstalker to hide in.
Dark: -2 to observation and ranged attack rolls
Heavy Fog: LoS is limited to short range. No medium or extreme range.
Ambush: Nightstalker will remain completely motionless and wait for the perfect moment to strike. When the players reach Ambush Point A or B (whichever they go to first), Nightstalker will perform an observation check to determine the weakest enemy. If successful, Nightstalker will immediately ambush the character with the least health first. If not successful, it will ambush a random character instead.
Silent assassin: when Nightstalker is ambushing the target gets -2 on observation checks
Hit and Run: Nightstalker gets a free sprint move at the end of each round.
Multistage Xenomorph: Excess damage done to stage 1’s health pool is wasted and does not spill over to stage 2’s health pool, etc...When the final stage reaches 0 health the xenomorph dies.
Feign Death The first time Nightstalker dies it instead goes to 1 health and pretends to be dead. If it takes 1 damage while faking its death it will die for real. If the players do a medical aid check on Nightstalker while its faking its death they can tell its still alive but Nightstalker will immediately get back up with 1 health and attack them. Otherwise it will wait for the players to leave the current room, reset to 5 health, and attempt to ambush the players at Ambush Point C. If the players reach Ambush Point C before Nightstalker does then Nightstalker will all-out attack the players instead.
Stage 1 - 5 health
Nightstalker will attack its initial ambush target until its dead. After which it will either attack the player with the lowest health or attack a player at random (depending on if it made its pre-ambush observation roll). After it attacks it will attempt to use it’s free sprint move to retreat out of line of sight and hide at the end of each round.
Stage 2 - 5 health (stage 2 triggers on stage 1 dropping to 0 health)
When Stage 2 triggers, Nightstalker will retreat to either Ambush Point A or B (whichever ambush point it hasnt used yet) and attempt to ambush the players again.
Gains +2 on its signature attack rolls. Nightstalker gets slower from its injuries and loses its hit and run ability.
Signature attacks:
1 - fear is the mind killer: Nightstalker run through the fog and dashes between the players, all they see is a dark blur and its tail whipping around. All attacks made against Nightstalker suffer -2 to hit until the end of the round. everyone within medium range gains +1 stress.
2 - they mostly come out at night, mostly: the players see moving shadows and quick glimpses of a xenomorph running around them. everyone in medium range suffers +1 stress and makes a stamina check. if they fail they suffer the peed your pants condition. peed your pants = -2 on empathy checks for one shift or until you change your pants because no one takes you seriously anymore.
3 - stalk from shadows: Nightstalker will leap one zone out of the shadows and pounce on its target (12d6, 1 damage, prone, drop items). target automatically panics.
4 - drag into darkness: Nightstalker grabs its target. target can do an opposed roll to break free. otherwise target takes 12d6, 1 damage, and target gets dragged into the darkness by deathstalker. everyone within medium range who sees the target get dragged automatically panics.
5 - penumbral pounce
6 - It came from behind: target rolls observation with a -2 penalty. if they fail Nightstalker sneaks up behind them and all out attacks (12d6, 2 damage, armor piercing). If they succeed Nightstalker performs signature attack #1 instead.
7 - tenebrous tailstrike: barbed tail strikes from the shadows, hits a target within medium range. roll 12d6, 1 damage, if it does any damage the target is paralyzed. roll stamina the number of successes is the number of rounds the target stays conscious for.
8- headbite:
LV-1201
The location of LV-1201 was extrapolated as the final destination of the crashed engineer ship on LV-426. LV-1201 is a rocky desert planet with sparse jungles in its equatorial regions. Its primordial oceans are saturated with toxic salts but also contain the basic building blocks of protolife. However fresh water can be found in lakes and rivers across the planet. LV-1201 was in the process of being terraformed by the engineers before the planet became infested by Xenomorphs. As such, the atmosphere is breathable for short periods of time without a respirator mask. LV-1201 experiences frequent storm events including hurricanes. Which is the main reason the canyon site was selected for the Pods to provide natural protection from violent storms.
Weyland Yutani lost multiple colonies on LV-1201 to Xenomorphs prior to contructing the pods in 2185. Except for the cable lifts, the pods are entirely inaccessible from the ground. The supercables are electrified with high voltage to prevent Xenomorphs from climbing down them. The combination of high voltage, an 80 foot drop, and sentry guns on the roof kills 99% of Xenomorphs. Disposal crews routinely have to clean dead Xenomorphs off the roof of the pods.
LV-1201 is an inactive Predator hunting ground. Archaeological evidence suggests predators hunted on LV-1201 as long as 500 years ago. The Yuatja found and activated an ancient engineer artifact that repels Xenomorphs and used that to set up a safe staging area to hunt Xenomorphs. For reasons which remain a mystery, the artifact was disabled (or possibly destroyed) at some point, which led to predators no longer coming to the planet to hunt. However the arrival of humans as potential hosts and the subsequent reactivation of inert Xenomorph hives has given predators a newfound interest in LV-1201. Xenomorphs are not the only notable prey on LV-1201 there are a variety of aggressive mammals which many Yuatja consider to be more dangerous than humans, although Xenomorphs are still regarded as the ultimate prey.
Forward Observation Pods
The pods are suspended by electrified super-cables attached to massive trusses that run across the top of the canyon. There are six pods connected by a network of skybridges. Each pod has a hanger at the top that can accommodate a single UD4 dropship and a cable elevator at the bottom that can lift M577 APCs off the ground.
The central elevator (red square) goes from deck 3 to deck 10. There is ladder access (small red squares) from deck 1 to deck 10.The cargo elevators (magenta squares) go from decks 1-3 and decks 10-12. The pods are built around a hollow central core (the magenta octagon) which the ventilation and utilities run through and also has ladder access for all decks with a hollow core. Additionally the central core houses a mechanical oscillation damper to help stabilize the pods in strong winds.
Red Doors = High Security (red doors can only be opened with a red-level keycard AND a retina or fingerprint scan)
Orange Doors = Special Access (every orange door requires its own unique key to open OR a retina or fingerprint scan can also suffice)
Green Doors = General Access (green doors can be opened with any valid keycard)
All keycards issued are either red-level or green-level and can have any number of orange keys coded on them.
Primary Operations Complex
The Primary Operations Complex is the main point of access to the outside world on LV-1201. The POC is a fortified shake-and-bake colony built to supply the pods as well as several observation posts. The POC is crucial for non-visual flight during inclement weather (and weather is almost always inclement on LV-1201) since it houses the control tower, main transmitter, landing beacons, and wind sheer radar. Since freighters cant land in the canyon they have to land at the POC's commercial freighter landing pad and then supplies are shipped by transit system through the tunnel to the pods. The POC is connected to the pods by a mile long transit system that runs through the canyon wall to where the pods are located. The POC also maintains supply lines to Observation Posts 1-4 via supply trucks. Although recently Observation Posts 1-3 have been evacuated due to Observation Post 4 being overrun.
POC Landing Pad and Orbital Traffic Control
Observation Post 4 (Overrun)
Observation Post 4 is a small outpost built for ecological study of LV1201s native species. While exploring the jungle the scientists discovered a crashed engineer ship and immediately began to excavate the newly dubbed Omicron site. Deeper inside the caves surrounding the crashed ship the scientists found an empty chamber full of large eggs. The dormant hive immediately woke up and four scientists got facehugged. For some reason the scientists were unable to send a distress call and none of their vehicles started. 48 hours later, four juvenile drones attacked Observation Post 4 and dragged the remaining scientists back to the hive. And the predator watched...
Xenomorph Hive Clusters
There are three Xenomorph hive clusters on LV-1201. The Zeta hive cluster is the largest and its queen is a stage IX empress. The Omicron hive cluster is the smallest of the hive clusters and its queen is a stage VI juvenile queen. The last hive cluster is the Omega hive cluster which has a stage VII queen.
Predator Scenarios
LV-1201 Predator Scenario #1:
Takes place at the end of Act 1
This will be a flashback scenario where the players play as Predators that have recently arrived on LV-1201. The predators have different agendas. There are three youngblood predators seeking to become blooded by killing Xenomorph scouts/drones/warriors. Additionally theres an elite predator thats serving as the witness for the blooding ritual who also wants to prove himself worthy by defeating a praetorian, charger, or queen. The predators' first goal is to revive the dormant Omicron hive on LV-1201 with human sacrifices.The Omicron hive is the smallest of the three hives so its the logical choice for the youngbloods' proving ground. This scenario will explain what happened to the previous colonial marine squad that was stationed on LV-1201 as well as exactly what happened to observation post #4.
The four predators are from the jungle hunter clan. the three youngbloods all have different fighting specializations. one is a melee specialist, one is a ranged specialist, and one is a tech predator that relies on advanced technology. The elite predator is skilled at everything and is the only one that has earned a plasmacaster. The youngbloods are using more primitive weapons like wristblades, spearguns, netguns, flechette launchers, etc...
LV-1201 Predator Scenario #2:
Takes place at the end of Act 2
Another predator scenario. The predators attack the Primary Operations Complex and take down its power grid. The Empress of the Zeta hive, who up until this point has been continuously probing the defenses of the Primary Operations Complex, now unleashes the full force of the hive on the unsuspecting humans.
LV-1201 Campaign, Arc 1:
Arc 1, Act I: Arrival on LV-1201
The players receive orders to report to POD3 to replace the previous marine squad that went MIA and if possible to determine their fate. One month later their ship arrives at LV-1201 and lands at the Primary Operations Complex. They are asked to escort a supply truck to the pods in their APC. Both vehicles enter the transit line to the Pods. While unloading in the cargo bay, the players have a brief encounter with Weyland Yutani's PMCs, who try to start a fight with the players (the PMCs had problems getting along with the previous marine squad that went missing). The PMCs should be established early on as being hostile rivals towards the PCs.
(ignore this if the players have already encountered a Xenomorph) Shortly after the players get settled in their barracks, a chestburster escapes from a secure lab in POD3 (a scientist failed to follow the proper containment protocols). POD3 enters lockdown but the players are not told why. All the doors are sealed shut and flashing red lights and alarm klaxons start going off. If the players hack the lockdown protocols and leave their barracks they have an encounter with the chestburster. The chestburster will attempt to flee and will only attack if cornered. However before the chestburster can escape it gets killed by PMCs who strongly advise the players to forget what they saw and return to their barracks under threat of being detained.
Shortly after the players get settled in they get their first assignment. The players' CO has a twisted sense of humor and sticks them on janitorial duty. They have to go up on the roof and help clear off Xenomorph corpses and provide cover for the disposal crews. The real purpose of this is to help familiarize the players with the layout of the pods since they will have to visit multiple levels of the Pods to complete this assignment.
Arc 1, Act II: Observation Post 4
Observation Post 4 has gone dark and the players are sent to investigate. Their objective is to drive to the outpost (it takes about two hours to get there) and provide any assistance the scientists might require. Observation Post 4 was attacked by Xenomorphs but theyve already dragged the scientists back to the hive. When the players get there they find no survivors. All they find is a dead body with its sternum ripped open from the inside in the Med Lab and a dead facehugger in the Science Lab. If the players attempt to access the mainframe from the command center they get a read error. If the players enter the data core they find that someone has removed the mainframe's harddrives. Once the players are outside the Observation Post, the player with the highest observation makes a roll. On a success they see what looks like a laser pointer and three red dots. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail they get the feeling theyre being watched. Several moments later the players hear what sounds like a plasma rifle firing several times and their APC explodes in a flaming wreck (if their APC is in the garage its destroyed along with a section of the garage). The predator has just alerted the Xenomorphs in the area and cut off the players from escaping.
Arc 1, Act III: Dude wheres my APC
Four drones immediately come racing towards the sound of the explosion. The players will hear the drones screech as they dash past the perimeter of the observation post. They will see large jet black humanoid shapes race past the exterior windows with long barbed tails whipping around. The aliens will enter the observation post anyway they can. The drones are in capture for the hive mode and will first attempt to knock prone or grapple enemies so they can use their tails to paralyze them (they will not use headbites).
The elite predator is cloaked and watching observantly from the trees using a vision mode that lets him see inside the observation post. He will not interfere in the fight. He wants to guage the players' squad and see how effective humans have become at fighting Xenomorphs. And if they get dragged off as hosts well thats fine too. But if they defeat the Xenomorphs it makes them worthy prey.
Arc 1, Act IV
The players' squad is stranded at Observation Post 4. Their APC is destroyed. Their comms arn't working. The observation post's antenna and dish are fried. Its a 3 day walk out of the jungle (~50 miles). And the predator is stalking them...
Arc 1, Act V
LV-1201 Campaign, Arc 2:
Arc 2, Act I:
The players take part in a major offensive operation to pacify the Omicron Hive Cluster and conduct a large mass specimen extraction of its queen. The hive is partially mapped out using PUPs and ground penetrating radar. Combat Synthetics are sent in to distract the hive on the surface while the marines and PMCs are sent into the tunnels to sweep different sections of the Hive while converging on a central room located directly underneath the engineer ship that's believed to be the royal chamber. The players encounter several drones/runners and a praetorian.
[Boss Fight] Xenosaurus Rex (Praetorian) - Aberrant Xenomorph
Speed 1, health 6/6, armor 12, acid 8
Mobility 5, observation 8
Free Move: Praetorian can make a free run move either before or after it takes its slow action.
Counterattack: Once per round, after the Praetorian is attacked in melee, as a reaction, It can make an immediate signature attack #3.
Take the hit: Once per round, after the praetorian is hit by a ranged attack, a drone within short range can suffer the attack instead.
Multistage Xenomorph: Excess damage done to stage 1’s health pool is wasted and does not spill over to stage 2’s health pool, etc...When the final stage reaches 0 health the xenomorph dies.
Stage 1 - 6 health
- summons 2 drones at start of combat. These drones do not act until the following round.
Stage 2 - 6 health (stage 2 triggers on stage 1 dropping to 0 health)
- Summons 2 drones upon stage 2 triggering. These drones do not act until the following round.
- Praetorian gains +2 on its signature attack rolls.
- Death Throes: when Praetorian dies it can make one final move and attack using signature attack #3
Signature attacks:
1 - Sweep the Leg Johnny: Praetorian uses its massive tail to sweep the legs of all enemies within short range. All characters must make a mobility check at -2 or theyre knocked prone, drop their handheld items, and automatically suffer critical injury. #14 sprained ankle
2 - Drone Strike: the praetorian chooses a drone within short range and eviscerates it to death spraying acid everywhere, acid splashes on every enemy within short range. 12d6, 1 damage, acid. If there is no drone within short range then reroll this attack.
3 - All Out Attack: 12d6, 2 damage, armor piercing
4 - Power Slam: 12d6, 2 damage, target gets slammed backwards one zone, gets knocked down, and drops any handheld items.
5 - Neck chomp:
6 - Sit on You:
7 - Tail Impale:
8 - Headbite:
Arc 2, Act II: Large Specimen Extraction
The players' squad (and at least one other squad) enter the queen's chamber. They are swarmed by drones/warriors. There are dozens of eggs scattered around the chamber. If any eggs are destroyed the soldiers will immediately stop attacking and back off a good distance (they will still attack individually in response to being attacked though). Facehuggers will randomly hatch from the eggs closest to the players and attack (the queen has no control over the facehuggers they arnt part of the hive mind). Attacking the queen herself or destroying too many of the eggs/facehuggers will piss off the queen and she will seperate from her ovipositer and attack the players along with any surviving soldiers. Taking the queen to 0 health will allow the Weyland Yutani containment team to capture her. She's transported to a secure containment facility located at the Primary Operations Complex.
[Boss Fight] Adolescent Queen
Speed 2, health 0/8/8, armor 14, acid 8
Mobility 8, observation 12
Queen’s prerogative: at the end of each round the queen can select any stage 3 or higher Xenomorph other than itself and have it immediately perform 1 slow action.
For the Queen:
Egg Chamber: 1 egg hatches at the beginning of each round. a facehugger emerges and attacks the players. The Queen has no control over facehuggers.
Multistage Xenomorph: Excess damage done to stage 1’s health pool is wasted and does not spill over to stage 2’s health pool, etc...When the final stage reaches 0 health the xenomorph dies.
Stage 1 ovipositor - 0 health
Summons 2 soldiers at the start of combat.
Queen is Immobile
Queen and soldiers will not attack until stage 2 triggers
Stage 2 separated - 8 health (stage 2 triggers if queen is attacked or 3+ facehuggers are killed)
Queen Gains +1 on signature attack rolls
Stage 3 enraged - 8 health (stage 3 triggers on stage 2 reaching 0 health)
Stage 3 triggers on stage 2 health reaching 0
Queen summons 2 more soldiers
Queen is enraged. gains +2 on signature attack rolls
Signature attacks:
1 - Lay an egg
2 - egg toss
3 - NotTtt mah babbbyyy
4 - My baby is a monster but I still love him
5 - hush little facehugger don’t you cry
6 - neck chomp
7 - sit on you
8 - tail impale
9 - heAdbite
Arc 2, Act III:
Behavorial control experiments begin on the queen. She's forced to watch as her eggs/facehuggers are incinerated (the eggs were cryogenically frozen and transported to the POC). Human subjects are then placed in rooms with drones. The queen quickly learns if the drones attack the humans than more of her eggs will be destroyed. The drones become passive. This experiment is repeated in adjacent rooms outside of her visual range and in remote locations at varying distances. They are testing the range of her telepathic link to the hive mind.
The Scientists also start injecting the Xenomorphs with different drugs to test their effects. But Xenomorph physiology is so alien that most of the drugs have little or no effect. Royal Jelly is also one of the substances theyre experimenting on, including testing it on humans. When the substance is ingested by humans they become stronger, faster, more aggressive, and prone to episodes of psychotic rage.
Espers
Espers are exceedingly rare but its conceivable that one of the players is an Esper. Espers are psychically sensitive to the Xenomorph hive mind. It causes them immense discomfort in a way that cant be described to someone who isnt an Esper. If one of the players is suspected of being an Esper they will be evaluated by a psychologist that specializes in ESP.
Arc 2, Act IV: The Maze
Construction begins on an artificial hive for the captured queen.
Experiments continue on the Xenomorphs. The newest experiment is to put the Xenomorphs into a maze with each door presenting them with a different option. For example one door might lead to an unarmed colonist while another door leads to an armed guard. The Xenomorphs seem to prioritize attacking perceived threats over acquiring new biomass.
Arc 2, Act V: The Artificial Hive
The artificial hive is completed. The queen is inserted into the artificial hive.
The artificial hive is essentially a giant antfarm thats isolated from the rest of the primary operations complex by several feet of steel and concrete on all sides. Theres observation ports made out of thick plexiglass which the scientists can use observe the hive. The artificial hive is also rigged with napalm bombs as a safeguard.
The queen cant actually be tamed. shes just biding her time and trying to preserve as much of her hive as she can. but the military officers and scientists running the experiment are still convinced Xenomorphs can be trained as weapons.
LV-1201 Campaign, Arc 3:
[Boss Fight] Xenoceratops (Charger) - Aberrant Xenomorph
Speed 1, health 6/6/6, armor 14, acid 8
Mobility 4, observation 5
Counter Charge: Once per round, after the Charger is attacked, it can make an immediate signature attack #4 against the enemy that attacked it.
Hardened Crest: Charger gains +4 armor against frontal attacks (always faces the last enemy it attacked)
Whiplash: Charger can spend its fast action to make an whiplash attack with its tail against a target in short range. 10D6, 1 damage, target is knocked prone and drops any handheld items.
Multistage Xenomorph: Excess damage done to stage 1’s health pool is wasted and does not spill over to stage 2’s health pool, etc...When the final stage reaches 0 health the xenomorph dies.
Stage 1 - 6 health
- Charger will prioritize attacking whichever enemy has done the most damage to it, otherwise it will attack a random enemy. The charger will also try to save its fast action to make a whiplash attack whenever it doesnt need to spend its fast action for movement.
Stage 2 - 6 health (stage 2 triggers on stage 1 dropping to 0 health)
- Charger gains +1 on its signature attack rolls.
Stage 3 - 6 health (stage 3 triggers on stage 2 dropping to 0 health)
- Charger gains +2 on its signature attack rolls.
Signature attacks:
1 - Seeing Red: Charger lowers its head and prepares to charge. Its next attack is signature attack #4 and its next attack gains +1 damage.
2 - Bulldozer: Charger pushes its target one zone (and anyone behind them) with its hardened crest. It tries to pin them against a wall. (or through the wall if the wall is fragile enough)
3 - Trample: Charger moves one zone and tramples over all enemies in a straight line, fracturing/breaking their arms and legs and hobbling them.
4 - Go Go Xenoceratops!: Charger blitzes its target. It moves one zone and slams the target with its armored crest shattering their rib cage and/or spine. They go flying like a broken ragdoll.
5 - Neck chomp:
6 - Sit on You:
7 - Tail Impale:
8 - Headbite:
Arc 3, Act I
Arc 3 is when all hell breaks loose...
Arc 3, Act II
Arc 3, Act III
Arc 3, Act IV
Arc 3, Act V
Character Arcs
I like to weave character side arcs into the Archangel portion of the campaign (when the casualty rates are still low). Usually I plan out at least one character side arc per character for each campaign. Each character side arc focuses on developing one particular character. Theres a couple ways you can do this. You can have the player pulled out of the squad and assigned to a special mission, you can do a flashback, you can have the squad assigned to a mission that has personal history for the character, you can have a character show up who has past baggage with a character, etc... But the point of the character side arcs is to let players expand on the background of their characters and develop their characters in ways that might not be possible in the main campaign.
XP Rewards
I recommend awarding the players with 5XP per session just for playing and an additional 5XP each time the players complete a milestone such as finishing a scenario/campaign arc/character arc/defeating a boss, etc...
Other Random Stuff
Xenopiercer
I was thinking about doing a train scenario at one point. A Xenomorph bursts out of one of the passengers. And the Trainmuther? gets orders to stop the train in the middle of nowhere until Weyland Yutani can arrive (could take several days) to contain the Xenomorph (after which they plan to derail the train and make it look like an accident). The train is traveling across a mars-like planet with no atmosphere so the passengers are 100% trapped on the train. It's a huge double decker train with a ventilation crawlspace between the wheels for the life support system to pump oxygen into each of the cars.
This scenario concept is so terrible its actually good lmao. I might still do it...
UPP Space Station/Stealth Destroyer
Maps for a UPP Deep Space Listening Post as well as a UPP Stealth Destroyer with an experimental nevidimyy-chelovek displacement drive which has a nearly undetectable drive signature. I had plans for a space combat scenario inspired by the Hunt for Red October with the crew of the UPP ship trying to defect. Might still write it up at some point but its low on the priority list. Space combat is kindve meh in this game.
Event Horizon/Pandorum/Black Hole
Another planned scenario that never really materialized...
Uses a map of the intact version of the colony ship from my crashed colony ship scenario. Originally it was for a scenario based off movies like event horizon/pandorum/black hole (yeah the weird disney movie thats awesome right up until the end where they obviously had no plan for an ending and just turned it into an LSD trip).
Ship gets lost. Crew goes insane. Rescue operation fails. People get eviscerated. Some weird cosmic phenomenon looming in the background. That kindve scenario.
