Introduction - Preview.pdf

(3860 KB) Pobierz
Face of Oblivion,
by C Pegg
PREVIEW
Face of Oblivion,
by C Pegg
A science fiction game of hard choices
by Catherine Pegg
© 2015
PREVIEW
Published by the Flying Monkeys Collective.
It is... intimidating, listening to the
comm-chatter of the space habitats… all
very civil and calm and routine, until
they tell you that you need to evacuate
Norway all of a sudden. Oops?
Contents
Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Casting Notes ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Face of Oblivion,
Running the Game .................................................................................................................................. 7
by C Pegg
Before the Game ................................................................................................................................. 7
PREVIEW
Costuming Requirements .................................................................................................................... 5
Set Dressing and Props: ...................................................................................................................... 5
On the Day .......................................................................................................................................... 7
During the Game ................................................................................................................................. 8
After the Game .................................................................................................................................... 8
Physical Conflict ................................................................................................................................... 10
What’s Going On .................................................................................................................................. 10
Cultural Notes ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Game Documents .................................................................................................................................. 12
Documents to Assist in Play ............................................................................................................. 12
Handout Documents.......................................................................................................................... 12
Credits ................................................................................................................................................... 13
Acknowledgements
This game was inspired by David Brin’s short story “The Crystal Spheres” (1984), the movie
Armageddon
(1998), and a comment by the author’s sister Stephanie Pegg about what makes
sacrifice debates
interesting.
Thank you all.
You are one of the few that has walked
on the surface of the system newcomer
Oblivion. It's creepy. Even you, who
grew to adulthood in the Up-and-Out, in
the darkness between the stars, even
you find it frightening...
Introduction
This is a science fiction game of hard choices.
Disaster is coming. You can choose to save a massive amount of people whom you are
formally responsible for, or a smaller group which includes everyone you ever loved and
everything you ever cared about. There are no outs, no ‘third options’, only a few bare
chances to mitigate (very slightly) the blow. You have two hours. Go.
The Face of Oblivion
is a live-action roleplaying scenario. It’s a ‘pick-up’ game able to be
easily run at a convention – set-dressing is minimal and players choose their characters just
before the game starts. That said, I would not recommend this for beginner players: it packs
an emotional whammy. A debrief, unwind, and group hug session is absolutely necessary
afterwards.
Face of Oblivion,
by C Pegg
PREVIEW
***
Humanity has been in space for several centuries, with many self-sustaining space habitats, of
which Aoraki Mountain is one. Perhaps a century ago, the first attempt at interstellar travel
happened when the ship
Seeker
attempted to leave the Solar System. This was... disastrous.
Seeker
was destroyed in some kind of accident on the outer bounds of the system and, since
that time, massive amounts of space junk have been flooding towards the sun and the inner
planets.
Aoraki Mountain and the other habitats have been using their resources in what some call the
Rock War, or the Long War - defending Earth from imminent peril of destruction and disaster
with every rock heading towards its orbit. Even the few that get through cause massive
damage to the population, ecosystem, and economy. However, the space habitats are
winning.
Until now, that is. A massive system newcomer, code-named "Oblivion" has so far defeated
any attempts to divert it from its lethal course. It will in the next few hours intersect with the
orbit of Aoraki Mountain, almost close enough to see. There’s one last option available –
set
course to ram.
***
Aoraki Mountain, like most habitats, has a highly modular structure, with currently seven
'pods' linked into a central hub. All the pods have inhabitants and are reasonably self-
supporting, but most specialise - for example, manufacturing and technical schools; life
support, botanical gardens, and zoo; hangars and dockyards for smaller ships; child-raising
facilities... The last pod is more temporary than most - the Lucky Legba is hauled by tug
around the system shifting
materiel
and cohorts of people between habitats. Lucky Legba's
most recent delivery included an Earth Ambassador, who has just come aboard, and five
hundred Finns from Haukkavuori, part of the latest genetic diversity population draft. Current
population of Aoraki Mountain is approximately ten thousand.
The players will have options to ram Oblivion with their habitat to divert it from Earth, let it
slide past so that Aoraki survives, and/or use the Lucky Legba to haul 1-2 pods to safety. If
they choose to ram, they will have to confirm three times.
Casting Notes
The characters are the senior officers of the habitat, plus an ambassador from Earth, who has
stumbled into the main event and is foreign to the group. Two of the officers are refugees
from a doomed attempt to colonise Alpha Centauri space, and are themselves a little foreign.
Face of Oblivion,
Character sheets are deliberately short. This helps people walk into the game without
by C Pegg
preparation. Also, giving players a brief-but-flavoursome starter and forcing them to make up
some of their background and personality increases their engagement: less
thinking
about
their character, more
feeling
it.
If there are fewer than eight players, make sure that either the Captain or the Astrogation
Officer are present (they have essential information). Missing characters are ‘trapped in an
elevator’, or victims of recent, tragic accidents.
PREVIEW
Costuming Requirements
Plain, rugged garb for preference, and avoid contemporary logos if you can. There are
printable Crew Patches to give the players.
Set Dressing and Props:
Necessary:
- A smallish room;
- A whiteboard or blackboard and something to draw on it;
- A bell or chime – some means of signalling announcements;
- Table and chairs for eight people;
- Cups and other fixings for the worst coffee you can find and water;

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika:

Zgłoś jeśli naruszono regulamin