Leaving Our Mark (D20 Modern Adventure)
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[edit] Introduction
This adventure is a time hopping trip through the past present and possible futures. It takes place in an alternate present day wherever the players are either in an apartment or house that they own or rent. This is a Modern setting campaign for two to four beginning level characters. For the most part this campaign follows the rules of D20 Modern. The money system is all but nonexistent in this module as the players are never in a time period long enough to buy anything, but may be used to purchase starting equipment. The main drive for the story is that these players have stumbled across an ancient piece of technology with the ability to time travel. A man bent on controlling the world has found a similar object and is attempting to collect other ancient relics and weapons from different time periods.
[edit] Character Creation
All players are friends to each other and have lived several months together but possibly known each other for years. I intended this game to be a real life adventure so all characters should try to represent their players.
[edit] Preparation
As Dungeon Master, you need the following books to run this adventure: D20 Modern Core, D20 Modern Apocalypse, D20 Modern Weapons Locker, D20 Modern Critical Locations. To get started, print out the adventure, including the maps. Read through the scenario at least once to familiarize yourself with the situation, threats, and major nonplayer characters (NPCs). Some text is designated as player information that you can read aloud or paraphrase for the players at the proper times. Use your own discretion when selecting your dialog.
[edit] Adventure Hook
Foreign countries have been plotting world domination. News stations have reported on rumors of countries preparing for war but there have been no fact to support them.
[edit] The Marker
The Marker is a baton looking device cylindrical in shape and about a foot in length and about an inch in diameter. The Marker appears to almost be liquid but to the touch it is solid and is cold. When the Marker is touched runes appear and they begin to spin slowly around the cylinder. The marker is a machine in all aspects, but it can polymorph into simple objects with little or no moving parts. It does not necessarily change on command unless the user makes a conscious effort of will exceeding the Marker’s will save. When the user of the Marker wants something subconsciously the marker may take form at the DM’s discretion such as a player attempting to throw it may turn into a spear. It is up to your discretion when deciding what triggers the Marker to teleport the party to their next time period. When the Marker does activate its runes begin to move faster around the cylinder and it begins to glow white and heat up.
[edit] Sebastian Straßer(Strasser)
Strasser is an average sized man, about 5’11” with brown hair he has a goatee and walks with a cane that houses a sword-cane. Though he walks with this cane he does not have a limp.
Strasser’s Monologue: Imagine for amount it’s your thirteenth birthday and your grandfather presents you with a stone, he says this stone will bring you great luck, like it’s brought me he says. Imagine your anger when what you really wanted was that shiny new bike your friends all have. But imagine your surprise when this ‘lucky’ stone opens a doorway in front of you when you’re running away from the school bullies and you find yourself rolling instead down the side of the Alps. (Holding up a black trapezoidal stone) They call it the Chintamani Stone and like your little stick it can open all sorts of doorways in time the only difference is yours can’t get you out of that cage.
Strasser’s goal: To collect artifacts with magical properties that will help him control the world. He searches for a sword (Vorpal or Excalibur) and a stone (Chintamani) in the middle ages, The Shield Aegis from the Pharaoh’s tomb, The Tezcatlipoca from an Aztec temple (The Smoking Mirror), The helm of Tarnhelm from the hidden city of Atlantis, After these are all collected he will return to the time he deems fit and rule the world as he sees fit.
[edit] The Adventure
[edit] Present day
A normal day at home for the heroes as they lounge around the dwelling some may be watching television or playing games, napping or surfing the web. If a player is watching television, a news channel is reporting on an activist named Sebastian Strasser, he is leading a revolution against all the nations calling the displaced people to join his new regime. An explosion causes them all to go unconscious one way or another. All players must make a Reflex Save dc16 or be trapped under debris from the roof, a Strength Check dc17 to move the debris when fully conscious. Three hours of being unconscious players make a Constitution Check dc18 to wake up, if none wake up continue on until two hours later dc16, one hour dc14, every 30 min after is dc10. The House/Apartment/Room is a mess, the roof is visibly buckled, the front door is blocked but there is a window with a few boards from the ceiling in front of it. If no one was trapped and little time is spent going out the window they can make it ok. As soon as they get out of the window the building collapses Reflex Save dc15 to not get hit with anything 1d4 damage if failed. Outside the landscape is a mess, trees are knocked over buildings are on fire cars over turned (Spot to see the smoke from the impact)(Survival or equivalent dc17 to be able to tell it is not nuclear).
It should be noted that I have run this several times and each time the beginning is a little different. Once I opened with the players surviving a plan crash and spending the first week in a "Jericho" style Kansas town. So anything can work.
[edit] Apocalypse
Spot Check dc14 see Humvee go by in the distance. Dc15 Intelligence Check and a player can know about a rumored military base in the steam tunnels, but it is in the direction of the blast. (dc16)Pretty sure it’s more than rumors but no actually proof. Looking around the apartment complex for a working car is hard business some cars are ruined others are locked. If the party takes too long looking around Spot Check dc16 to see a Humvee speed past on the main road away from the blast zone. (It is important to get the party to the Steam Tunnel Base by all means) Going to the base by car takes about ten minutes, walking takes an hour, it is about 3.3 miles; they can search for a car that works. Disable Device or Craft Mechanical (dc15), check the visor in one car to find the keys 2d10 (h/l). Spot Check dc14 down the road the players see a Humvee pull off a gravel road that leads to the steam tunnels and head towards the Blast Zone. Decision Point One At this point there is a distinctive break in what the party can do, the party can go down the gravel road to the steam tunnels or follow the Humvee. A – Go after the Humvee. Destruction gets worse and worse, cars flipped bodies strewn. Humvee stops and the Marines get out, the party is then captured see the section for Captured α. B – Go down the gravel road. The road ends at a set of three tunnels that go ten feet before sloping into the ground. Upon inspection of the left smaller tunnel a small panel can be found with a Computer dc16 will activate the large tunnel and right tunnel to reveal that they are not tunnels but false walls.
[edit] Bunker Buster
The tunnel slopes downward into a large bunker. If the party drives the car into it the bunker once they get out Spot Check dc10 to see marines rushing out and standing guns pointed at them see the section on if the party is captured. However if the party walks down the tunnel they reach an area where it opens up into the garage containing several Humvees and a hallway. If they take too long Listen Check dc15boots pounding down the hallway. As the Heroes search the bunker they have one last chance to be captured or there is an optional side quest.
- 1 Garage – Four Humvees
- 2 Prison
- 3 Office – Chron is working at his desk running over countless notes.
- 4 Marker Room - Big heavy door labeled “Restricted” Disable Device dc16. Inside are lots of Computer terminals, Flashing *:lights flood the room, and a holographic image of the Earth rotates in the middle showing damage reports. There is a *:terminal in front of a large glass case, behind the terminal is a pedestal with a large leather book on it. (The book calls *:to the Smart Hero, seems to glow. Spot Check dc13 to see if anyone else notices, passing the hero sees that no one else sees *:the glowing). If the Smart Hero reads the cover it translates to “Book of Argonn” and there is a flash of bright light see *:the next section ‘Dinosaur Island’
- a Computer(dc16)
- i) Basic Information on the bunker
- ii) Information about other bunkers(no specifics just similar research labs set up for safety)
- iii) Mention about an artifact called the Marker
- iv) Security Lockdown(dc18)
- v) Open the Marker case.
- a Computer(dc16)
- 5 Rec Room/ Café
- 6 Showers
- 7 Barracks – 5 Marines The group is captured skip ahead (Captured α).
- 8 Armory
- 9 Storage
- 10 Surface Elevator
[edit] Armory
[edit] Storage
[edit] Capture and Dinosaurs[edit] Capture αThe Heroes are stuck in separate cells, if there are two players or they are split into groups of two. In walks three men, the two in back carry rifles and have helmets. The leading one (Captain Kriff) is just in his fatigues and he speaks to the players. Decision Point 2 – If the Players are very resistant you may want to play Kriff as a very strict character or he may be willing to give information and be a nice guy if the players cooperate. A – Alright look we wouldn’t normally do this but these are extraneous circumstances. And we’re limited to what we can find. And since this damn scientist we’ve been guarding hasn’t helped anything. We want to know what you know about these markings. B – Orders are orders kids. We’ll just have to see what the ‘Professor’ has to say. He unlocks your cage and two guards escort you out alone and into the Marker room Spot Check dc16 to see the holograph in detail. There is a lone man in a lab coat (Chron) standing over a terminal. Chron – So these are the ones? [edit] Capture βBack in the bunker in the Marker room, there are four marines three have their weapons pointed at the players, the one (Kriff) not holding a weapon steps between the other three and grabs a player by the shirt. The scientist, Chron, stands in the doorway beyond Captain Kriff. The Captain berates the players for being civilians and being a breech in security. In mid rant Chron cuts him off and begins asking questions about what the players did. Asking how they got the Marker to work and what they felt when they jumped. If they ask what the marker is he explains that it is basically a Tipler Cylinder. Chron – “What is a Tipler cylinder? The tipler cylinder is an object theorized to be a potential mode of time travel. And you have proved its effects are real. The cylinder basically to put it in layman’s terms spins so fast it can rewind time or fast forward through it while keeping things close to it in a relative time.” The scientist wants to study its effects and pleads with the captain to allow the players to help. After some time the captain agrees and they prepare for a trip. [edit] Dinosaur IslandThe Heroes wake up face down in the grass, looking around they can see that they are in a clearing roughly 30 feet in diameter. The foliage looks tropical and lush. The Marker still in the player’s hand(s). Two Velociraptors burst from the tree line. Begin combat. Velociraptors Int+2| Spd 45ft| Hp 2d8+2| Def 9+1d6| Atk Bn +2| 1d4+2Bite 1d4Claw at about half health or if the circumstances call for it the raptors pause and sniff the air before running away. End Combat. As the earth vibrates beneath the heroes, Reflex Save dc18 to not fall down as a T-Rex breaks through the tree line running straight at the heroes. The Marker transports the heroes out just in time (Captured β). [edit] Arthurian LegendFlash of light, when the player’s eyes adjust they might see a Bugbear run off with the Marker. They are standing in what looks like an open temple, on the edge of a small lake. There are five archways circling a pedestal, on inspection the pedestal appears to be for reading from. Kriff, the players and one of the marines are all lying on the stone floor. When they stand up and talk, but before they leave the ruins a Spot Check dc14 the one Marine has an arrow through his left breast and he is looking at it chin on his chest. Begin Combat. Saxon Warriors Dex:1d4+9| Str:1d6+9| Hp:1d8| Atk Bn 4| Two are unarmed (Slam 1d3) (1d4 Bite) | One has a bow (1d8)| Two have long swords (1d8) When all are dead end Combat. The one marine has a glock 17 that the captain takes, a Light undercover shirt ((Eq+2 NonProf (+1) MaxDexB (+7) (2lbs)). Saxons have a Compound Bow((1D8) Crit(20) Lrg(3lbs)), Long Sword((1D8) Crit(19-20) Md(4lbs)) Spot(dc17) – For men on Horseback stare on Two stand out because of their colored armor. They are conversing amongst each other. Bu they are close enough to hear them. Dialog Gareth – Brother look there Gawain – You what are you doing over there? Gareth – Surely they are Mordred’s knaves. Gawain – I think not brother look at their strange dress. And I saw that one(Haas) shoot fire from his hands. Gawain – (Pointing at you all) Be you friend or Foe? Well then we must congratulate you on your victory over these Saxon devils. Come with us our king will be happy to meet you for your victory. If the players mention the maker the bugbear or some way relate magic – Mention that Morgana and Mordred use bugbears in their armies interest and tell them (the players) they know someone who may help you. Camelot. A large castle wall stretches before the players, Gareth rides ahead and yells something to the drawbridge men. The bridge lowers and they knights continue inside. People everywhere go about their day most are dressed in what looks like dirty rags but none of them seem to mind, there are a few other people about all dressed the same with tunics showing the same crest as the flags around the castle. A few passers-by stop and stare at the knights. Approaching a set of stables the knights and players dismount. You are lead into the castle. Servants run around minding their own never pausing to look at the knights or you. Eventually you reach a set of large double doors. Two guards open them at a gesture from Gawain. The large chamber is lined with pillars on either side, groups of fancy dressed people mingle about and in the middle of the room a small band is playing. At the far end of the room are two thrones one larger than the other atop one sits a man with a full beard clad in red robes and gold armor. Next to him sits a lady in green. Standing just out of eyesight next to and slightly behind the man is and old man with a long pointy beard clad in a blue robe. The two knights walk you up to the king and present you. He greets the party and asks about their plight. Tells them about a man in strange clothes seen searching for the same book. Merlin tells the party that if it was indeed a bugbear, a fay by the name Morgana might now be in possession of the Marker but she is not to be “trifled” with and is an enemy of the kingdom. After a little pause the King offers to help them find more information that may help infiltrate Morgana’s tower and retrieve the marker, if the team helps him with a ‘small’ matter. If they accept tell them of the druids and their rituals at the lakeside temple (where the heroes were found) and the ‘stone hall’. “King – Greeting and welcome to Camelot. Gawain what is it that these travelers have done? Merlin - That man is no sorcerer, he does not have the power within him. This man here however he has the touch. Please show us your skill. King – Please tell me why you are here? Merlin – Mogana has been searching for just such a thing Any power she can gain to attempt to overthrow the king. He offers you clothes since yours look odd and un-protective.”
The Heroes need to run into Strasser at a few points once as an accident and they don’t necessarily need to bump into him or see his face but from a distance such as when he runs off and they possibly chase him. But a second encounter needs to be confrontational such as if they return to the castle after chasing him and getting the vorpal blade, they enter the castle to find him stealing Excalibur or a stone shard from Merlin (the second Chintamani Stone) and disappearing into a rift which the party can follow into and come out in the next section. Another idea is on the map between 6 and 7 is a small building which can be used as a monastery in which a group of monks have kept sacred the second Chintamani Stone and Strasser steals [edit] Land of Sand.The Heroes appear tumbling down a sand dune. When they get to the bottom and look around a spot check dc15 reveals Strasser (a figure) disappear over the next dune. As they crest the same dune they see the man disappear into a valley. The Valley of the Kings is a narrow valley of twisting cul-de-sacs and sheer cliff walls as the group chases him through the valley they catch his cloak just as he rounds every corner before coming to a group of three tombs. One of the tombs is completely sealed off because of large boulders. The other two have openings large enough for a person to fit through. [edit] Home Again, Home AgainBack in the Marker room the party reappears. Chron who was sitting at one of the consoles is now on the floor when he jumped out of it from the Heroes’ reappearance. Apparently it has been several months since the parties trip and in their absence a few changes to the world have been made. Chron is still unsure who launched the missiles, but he is sure that one man in particular is using it to his advantage. A man Sebastian Strasser has been slowly gaining countries under his control, since the attack of “terrorists”. The party notices that he is the same man they chased through the worm hole. And he has a dark stone pendant around his neck. If they don’t come up with the idea to try and stop him Chron must convince the party to try and follow him through time and stop him. [edit] World War II1936 – The party finds themselves in a barracks, around the room there are uniforms (specifically sized for the heroes) and each hero notices they are in the nude. From outside the room – “Mission Briefing in 5 Shakes, up and atom boys.” Opening the door a man with a W-1 patch on his arm steps in, “Jenkins, Lafayette, Pyle, etc…”
The players are lead through the hallways of an old building. The walls look like they used to be a bright white color but have dulled and a single red stripe runs at shoulder height. The man explains to you that this used to be a hospital but due to the war it has been converted for military use. The players are ushered into a room. A man stands with his back to the door hands clasped behind his back he is studying a large map of the world on the wall.
Armory There are:
Jungle Fervor
They can try to find a guide or information about the location of this supposed temple.
1. Captain Gerhard Brandt ELC 4| Dex:1d6+12| Str:1d6+11| Hp:3d8| Atk Bn 2| Knife (1d4+2/19–20) | Lugar 2d6| Possessions: Leather jacket, Luger P08 pistol, 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, combat knife. 2. Nazi Mentalist ELC 4| Dex:1d4+12| Str:1d4+10| Hp:3d8| Atk Bn 2| Whip (1d4/20) | Possessions: Whip, 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 3. Nazi Soldier ELC 3| Dex:1d4+12| Str:1d6+11| Hp:2d8| Atk Bn 2| Knife (1d4+2/19–20) | Lugar 2d6| Possessions: Luger P08 pistol, 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, combat knife.(1d6 soldiers) [edit] The TempleA Knowledge (history) dc15 reveals the architecture to be Aztec, which is not native to the area. Various pictograms illustrate the pyramid. No entrance is immediately evident. It takes about an hour to clear away vines and loose debris before a search can begin. Two large stone doors are set in the wall of the temple and after a Search dc17 of the surrounding area a panel in the ground is found that activates the doors and causes them to swing open slowly. Inside the temple it is dark, before the party stretches a large entranceway that gradually lowers to a small diagram in the floor of the stars and the sun. On either side from the center of the room are two doors, both are stone and have no noticeable means to open them. The walls around the doors are covered in pictograms a Decipher Script dc20 discloses that the pictograms tell the story an object brought from the stars that allowed people to move long distances very quickly. Most of the writing is faded but you can make out information about a lot of deaths and something about “the eternal guards”. A Search dc25 discovers an oddly shaped stone set in the wall by the door on the left. When pressed, a panel in the temple wall slides back. Opening the door alerts and releases the spring’s two guardians: Temple Guardians LC 4| Dex:1d6+10| Str:1d6+14| Hp:4d8| Atk Bn 2| Slam 1d6 Fort Save dc16 Stun(one round. When stunned character gets no Dex bonus and attackers get +2)| Magic Missile 1d4+1 +1 for every two lvls over 1st (3 Uses)| -2 DamRed. You find the book but nothing happens.
[edit] Journey to the Center of the Earth[edit] Atlantis[edit] Fallout |

