London Underground

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Introduction

The year is 1877, a great time to be alive in England. Queen Victoria has just celebrated her 40th anniversary of taking the throne, and her rule has been defined by peace, prosperity, and the rise in multiple technologies which both compete and cooperate. Charles Babbage passed on about a decade ago, but his mechanical, steam-based technology has continued to grow with his disciples. Similarly, the followers of Michael Faraday, after mourning their leader, have continued to advanced Electrical and Etheric science. Although Isaac Newton and Franz Mesmer are both long gone, their acolytes have made great strides with the near mystical magnetic and gravitational fields. The successors to the alchemists of old have dropped the prefix but continue to make potions and bombs of all sorts. Finally, the Church of England and the Catholic Church both claim Holy powers and accuse the other of Unholy powers, but both know that the truly Infernal continues to stalk the Earth.

Beneath the streets of London an evil has emerged. Is it a mad scientist? … one of the battle automatons gone awry? … a new Vampire Lord attempting to take Dracula's place? Only a mixed group of heroes can possibly defeat this threat to humankind, a group with skills from all the disciplines. Are you brave enough to venture into the darkness, to confront this horror?

Co-operative game
Players act as heroes
1-6 players.

1. Build a system where the monsters get tougher as the heroes do, leading to a great boss challenge.
2. The players' decisions have to matter. Whether they go left or right should be a choice that makes a difference on the risk/reward spectrum.
3. The rooms should matter, affecting encounters and providing and concluding quests.

Darkness scale

So the system is that there is a "Darkness" scale which goes from 1 to 20. You start at 1 in the entrance, in the first hexagonal room. Most rooms have multiple exits, where each exit says how much darker the next room is. That is, the three exits from one particular room might be marked -1, +1, and +2. As the heroes move through the dungeon, they have to decide how dark of a path they want to take. Then they draw the next hexagonal room tile to place it touching the exit they chose. Generally, the higher the darkness, the tougher the encounters and the better the treasures. Some rooms might also change the darkness level as you enter them, either up or down. However, they tend to get darker, sometimes quickly, and many rooms prevent you from going backwards (door locks behind you, cave-in, whatever).

Because players are drawing tiles for each room, the dungeon is different each time. However, because of the darkness scale, it actually mattered which exit they took from the previous room. That is, even though the next room on the top of the rooms pile was the same tile no matter which path the players took, because of the darkness level, they might end up with a different encounter in the room than if they had chosen differently.

Encounter and Treasure cards would always have a Darkness range. For each new encounter area that the heroes enter, first you establish what the current Darkness level is, then you draw from the encounter deck until you reach one whose range contains the current level. Each room has one or more traits which might affect the Darkness range of encounter cards with a matching trait. For example, in an electrified room with a Darkness level of 7, any electrical encounters with a range that includes 6, 7, or 8 should be accepted.

Quests (perhaps a type of encounter, perhaps a type of treasure) would direct you to other rooms, but could also have a Darkness requirement. For instance, "You find the decaying body of the famous explorer Lord Kharti Demonbane. His journal reads, 'The Stein of Healing is in a very dark room [Darkness 15+) with a standing electric charge.'" The first Electric room with the required Darkness level that the heroes find will have the treasure.

Each game starts with a selection of the final boss, and it will include a time limit (number of rounds) after which the boss starts getting tougher quickly. The game starts as a particular mission, such as "Into the Mad Scientist's Lair" or "Defeat the Gnome Lord." Each game turn the boss gets tougher, more likely to appear, or both (depending on which boss you're questing after). Therefore, the players can not afford to farm the less-dark areas for easy encounters as you bulk up on equipment. They have to push themselves to the darkness realms they can handle, to pick up good enough gear to handle the final boss before he becomes unbeatable.

The Mission Instructions will be a full page (at least) in the documentation. It tells about the boss, the rules by which he appears (obviously, it becomes more likely the higher the darkness level, but there may be other factors), and the deadline plus the rules by which he starts to get tougher after it. Mission Instructions also should have likely play time, starting conditions, and possibly some small rules modifications that will be in play. One goal is that the different bosses/missions will provide for noticeably different game styles, with some creating a game of about an hour, where others might be two or even a bit more. Since the players start the game by choosing the mission, they can control the game they are playing this way.

The Mission Instructions should also include some suggested characters or character sets that the players should consider. For example, taking on the Vampire boss without either a Vampire Hunter or a Knight Templar in the party is probably suicide.

The Boss selected defines two disciplines or traits, from {Steam, Electricity, Fields, Chemistry, Holy/Unholy}, which will predominate in the game. While some rooms have a particular trait, some have, as their trait, "Boss Primary" or "Boss Secondary." This means that there will be more Demonic and Electric locations when the boss is the Vampire, and those same location tiles will be Steam or Magnetic when the boss is the Clockwork Hypnotist. Since the side quests will direct you to specific traited rooms, fulfilling a particular quest might be easy or hard, depending on the boss.

Disciplines / Traits

There are five disciplines which define the abilities of both the heroes, the villains, and the rooms.

Mechanical/Steam/Clockwork

The fundamental technology that enables hundreds of gadgets from self-loading muskets to fully functional automatons! Rooms with this trait will tend to be very hot, and will damage anyone not resistant to heat.

Electricity / Etheric

The power of lightning is at the fingertips of those practitioners daring enough to harness this energy. Rooms with this trait might have enough static electric charge in the air as to cause small lightning bolts. Etheric crystals power this energy, and can provide dangerous, unpredictable bursts of energy on their own.

Magnetic/Gravitational Fields

The mind-affecting power of Mesmerism, the attractive and repulsive power of gravity, and the influence of magnetic fields on metal objects, all come into play in the rooms with these odd fields.

Holy/Unholy

Rooms with these traits usually pick up the darker side of the coin, and cause weakness and suffering in heroes. But if you find the rare room with a holy influence, it might brighten your spirits enough to heal your wounds.

Chemical

Acid, sleep gas, monsters that undergo horrible transformations — these are only three of the bizarre and unpredictable results one might find in a room devoted to chemical experimentation.

Heroes:

Specialists

Big Game Hunter: Can use any manner of gunpowder-based weapon. Starts with a rifle and two pistols.
Gadgeteer: Has a clockwork soldier that fights for him (metal, heavy, 1 unit armor vs. physical and heat attacks, moderate melee damage), plus a choice of two gadgets
Potion Master: Has a choice of twelve from potions and non-gunpowder bombs. Potions are: Healing, Holy Water, Adrenaline, … NGP Bombs: Acid, Nitroglycerin, Holy Water, …
Freemason (quasi-secretly a Knight Templar): Holy aura that protects anyone within 5 places. Starts with breastplate (heavy, metal armor for 2 units), long sword (large damage metal melee weapon), a mace (moderate damage non-metal melee weapon), and two Holy Water.
Grenadier: Bombs. Lots of bombs.
Master of Fields: Has a personal aura that acts as armor against most attacks and a mesmerizing attack that can incapacitate some enemies. (Gravity and Magnetic stuff???)
Master of Electricity: Personal "charge" which enhances all electrical weapons by one die. Starts with an electric gun that normally does Moderate damage on primary target and Light damage on secondary, but in his hands is Heavy / Moderate. 1 unit natural armor against all electrical damage (including room effects).
Mesmerist:

Non-specialists

Musketeer: Can use any manner of gunpowder-based weapon. Starts with light armor (heavy wool redcoat for 1 unit of armor), a pistol (moderate damage, slow to reload, metal and gunpowder-based), a flintlock musket (large damage, very slow to reload, metal and gunpowder-based), a bayonet (moderate damage metal melee weapon), and a blackjack (light damage non-metal melee weapon).
Aetherographer: Like a Gadgeteer, but with better fighting ability.
Cowboy: An American (This should be said with a bit of distaste, and, of course, a British accent.) Some use of guns, plus a lariat (short range non-metal weapon that incapacitates rather than kills), one gadget, and is "tough" which counts as 1 unit of armor against any attack (but not room effects).
Scientist: Gadgets, potions, bombs, electric
Vampire hunter: Personal holy aura, plus weapons, maybe a gadget
Rogue:

Combat and Weapons

All weapons (and armor) have a base and then can add parts. The weapons have a base number of dice of damage, but the additional parts might increase or alter the dice used. Also, the creatures will use different dice depending on the type of damage that they do.

Typically you (and the monsters) will roll some number of dice for an attack. Every non-blank side counts as one point of damage, and the monsters and heroes might have bonuses that give extra damage (or some other effect) for special symbols.

Example: Lightning Bug rolls 2 white and 2 blue dice per attack, and gets +1 damage for every bolt. He rolls {Star, Blank, Blank, Bolt} with his four dice. The star and the bolt each count as a point of damage, plus the bolt counts as an extra point of damage. He hits Professor B. for 3 points. However, Professor B has 2 point resistance to lightning, so he takes only a single point of damage.

Dice:
White: 2 dots, 1 star, 3 blank
Black: 4 dots, 1 star, 1 blank
Blue (lightning): 2 dots, 1 star, 1 lightning bolt, 2 blank
Red (fire): 2 dots, 1 star, 1 flame, 2 blank

Some sample attachments:

Lightning tip: Replace two white dice with blue dice.
Chainsaw blade: Add a black die (3 dots, 3 blanks)
Holy hilt: All stars count as two hits.

Weapon	MeleeRanged	HandsNeeded	AttachmentPoints	BaseDice
Handgun	Ranged	1	Grip, Trigger, Bullets	3
Long gun	Ranged	2	Grip, Trigger, Barrel, Bullets	4
Weapon Thing	Ranged	1	Counterweight or Grip or Hilt, Shaft or Blade or Barrel, Point or Bullets	3
Short Blade	Melee	1	Hilt, Blade, Point	4
Greatsword	Melee	2	Counterweight, Hilt, Blade, Point	5
Crossbow	Ranged	1	Grip, Trigger, Shaft or Barrel, Point (w/ Shaft) or Bullets (w/ Barrel)	4
Knife	Melee	1	Hilt, Point	3
Polearm	Melee + 1	2	Counterweight, Hilt, Shaft, Point	4
Robot	Special	2	Counterweight or Hilt, Blade or Shaft, Point	4
Bayonet	Melee	0	Barrel, Blade, Point	4
Baton	Melee	1	Hilt, Shaft, Point	3

Armor

Breast Plate: -2 physical attacks, -1 gravity attacks. Metal, heavy
Redcoat: -1 physical attacks, -1 electric attacks.
Leather Jacket: -1 physical attacks, -1 fire/heat attacks.
Leather Duster and chaps: -1 physical attacks, -1 electric attacks, -1 fire/heat attacks. Heavy.

Gadgets

Available for selection at start

Holy aura generator (range 2 from wearer)
Projectile Defense generator (-2 damage from all projectile weapons, self only)
Magnetic Defense generator (-1 damage from all metal weapons and projectiles, self only)
Organic Mass repulsor (-1 damage from all wood or flesh weapons and projectiles, self only)
Thermal Equilibrium Generator (-1 damage from heat or cold, including room effects)
Welding Goggles and Gloves (-2 damage from directed heat sources, but not room effects)
Repulsor Ray (Upon activation, pushes opponent back)

Discovered While Adventuring Only (except specific exceptions)

All Hilt Attachments
Active Field Detector (Tells the type and the encounter of the next room. Roll d6, breaks on a 1 or 2.)
Perfectly Calibrated Active Field Detector (Tells the type, encounter, and treasure in the next room. Roll d4, breaks on a 1.)
Remote Environment Detector (Tells the type of the next room.)
Superior Projectile Defense generator (-3 damage from all projectile weapons, self only)
Superior Magnetic Defense generator (-2 damage from all metal weapons and projectiles, self only)
Superior Organic Mass repulsor (-2 damage from all wood or flesh weapons and projectiles, self only)
Superior Thermal Equilibrium Generator (-2 damage from heat or cold, including room effects)
Chronoplasm Distortion Device (Single use. Move the Turn Number marker backwards by 2.)

Hilt Attachments

(These can be added to Dagger, Blackjack, Mace, Sabre, Longsword, or Clockwork soldier. Any weapon can have only one; they can not be exchanged during an encounter.)
Gravity focus: On a damage-causing hit, drives opponent backwards.
Shock generating: +1 electrical damage
Magnetic wave: Slows opponent, causing -1 attack and move for 1 round.
Unholy: +1 demonic damage
Holy: +1 holy damage (only affects demonic creatures)

Bombs and Potions

Each has three uses available.
Sonic Bomb (Grenadier only): d4 to target, breaks all mind control in the room.
Grenade: d6 to target, d4 to all within 2 hexes of target
Acid Bomb: d8 to target this round and d4 next round (no additional action needed).
Holy Water: d8 to infernal target, d6 to infernal targets within 1 hex.
Nitroglycerin: d8 to target, d4 to within 1 hex of target
Restorative tonic: Recipient heals 2d6
Adrenaline draft: Recipient moves double speed, Melee attacks increase by 1 level, 1 point resistance to physical attacks.
Elixir of Metamorphosis (Potion Master only): Convert self to a raging beast: immune to mind attacks, two separate d6 attacks per round, 2 point armor to all attacks but not room effects.

Bosses

Note that most intelligent bosses tend to include Turn number in their "Appears When." This indicates that the boss gets wind of the heroes and hunts them down. Less intelligent (or simply less concerned about a bunch of dumb heroes) just sit in their lairs waiting for the heroes to arrive.

Primary Trait	Secondary Trait	Boss Name	Appears When	Time Modifier
Steam	Electric	Lightning Robot	d6 + Darkness (+2 if electrical room) > 18	Minions: (Turn Number -10) /2
Steam	Mag/Grav	Clockwork Hypnotist	d6 + Darkness > 16	Resistance Generator gives Health = Turn Number + 10
Steam	Unholy	Satanic Automaton	d6 + Turn Number (+2 if Demonic room) > 20	None
Steam	Chemical	Golem	d6 + Darkness (+2 if steam or gravitational room) > 19	Damage Resistance = (Turn Number / 5) + 1
Electric	Mag/Grav	Gnome Lord	d6 + Turn Number > 15
Electric	Unholy	Vampire	d6 + Darkness + Turn Number (+2 if Demonic room) > 36	Hypnotic Gaze Power = (Turn Number - 5) / 3
Electric	Chemical	Mad Scientist	d6 + Darkness + Turn Number > 36
Mag/Grav	Unholy	Succubus	d6 + Turn Number (+4 if Demonic room) > 19
Mag/Grav	Chemical	Juggernaut	d6 + Darkness (+2 if Mag/Grav room) > 18	Damage = 2d6 + (Turn Number / 3)
Unholy	Chemical	Acid Demon	d6 + Darkness (+2 if Chemical or Demonic room) > 17	Acid Spray Range = (Turn Number / 3) + 3

Creatures / Encounters

Steam

Steam Trap
Battle bot Level I, II, III, IV, V

Electric

Lightning bug
Glow worm
Eel Monster
Electric Trap
Ogre of Static
Charge Mites

Gravity and Magnetism

Mental Replicator (Creates 3 additional images of himself. Each attack might just eliminate an image.)
Blink Beast
Displaced Dog
Magneto Monster (is covered in "armor" which is just bits of metal that are attacked to him. Metal weapons will stick to him and can't be pulled away while he is alive.)
Hypnotic Toad
Magnetic Field Trap
Living stones
Gravity Trap
Repulsor Beast (drives opponents away from him, giving falling damage)
False Stalactites

Demonic

Imp
Kobold
Abomination
Furies
Temptors

Chemistry

Acid Trap
Giant Spitting Cobra
Giant Frog with Sleeping Gas Attack
Gelatinous Blob

Variable Traits

Minion (Lesser version of the boss)
Chameleon (Gets traits from the room)

Sample

Ok, we only have an hour to play, so let's choose the Mad Scientist quest, which says 45-60 minutes. His traits are Electric and Magnetic, so we expect to see more of those types of encounters. His appearance criteria is (d6 + Turn Number) > 16 so we're safe until turn 10, but we'd better be into the deeper sections of the underground by turn 7 or we'll never get the gear we need to beat him.

With Magnetic ability, he probably has some serious mind control. The sheet on this boss suggests that you have either the Grenadier or the Master of Electricity in the party — that's because the Grenadier has a sonic bomb that doesn't do much damage but does snap people out of mind control, and the Master of Electricity has a shock ability that has the same effect, but better controlled. Bob wants to play a Mesmerist, he'll be using his own mind control effects, so the sonic bombs will hurt us as much as help us. I'll take the Master of Electricity and I'll be in charge of breaking any mind control on us.

I also have a lightning rod ability that will help protect us all from electric damage. However, most of my offense is lightning-based, which won't affect electrical creatures at all. So, Anne, do you want to take something that can just flat out deal damage? How about a Big Game Hunter or a Musketeer?

For a basic strategy, we should try to stay around 8 Darkness until we gear up enough to handle the tougher encounters. We'll need, at the least, some better electric protection and some more damage output. Around turn 7 or 8 we need to head as dark as we can, and hope to get lucky. We'll need to pick up some top tier gear before he shows up on turn 12 or so.

Resource: https://www.wordnik.com/lists/steampunk

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