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#1 arsulon Aug 20, 2006 21:16:24

Here's a little something I originally posted on alternityrpg.net: I owe this idea entirely to an episode of The Outer Limits in which humans are interred in prison camp run by androids. In the show, the humans are made to process fuel for The New Masters: a race of aliens no one has seen (it's been generations since humanity was subjugated.) Their endeavors are spurred on by seemingly perfect specimens of humanity descended from collaborators: the Commandant and his Overseers. The viewer gradually comes to realize the guards are actually androids, and what's more, they're deteriorating: their alien masters have long since moved on to new conquests and left their machines to run down. It might be fun to kick-start a GW campaign with similar scenario in mind. We already know from ALT GW that androids feel the need to protect (to the point of imprisoning them at an old sports arena in Settle) any PSHs they come across. Why not start a PSH campaign in which the heroes play labour camp slaves? If you adhere to the premise that PSHs are the descendants of the actual Invaders, you could say sometime in the remote past a crisis pushed the androids into greater and greater custodial roles, to the point where they forgot who their masters were. Maybe the Invaders established an enclave but the adults were killed, leaving only the children and their android caretakers: over time, the androids might forget why they're taking care of the humans and the society would evolve into a labour camp (it keeps their charges safe and busy.) Naturally the objective in the first adventure would be to plan and execute an escape. Once the heroes get away, their whole world is turned upside down: where are alien masters the androids alluded to? What are all these strange creatures? Are they being followed and will any community take them in? Their background allows for some knowledge of Shadow Age tech from 1rst level, and might make a welcome change for players too seasoned to enjoy the typical go-find/deliver-the-thingy rite of manhood introduction.