Giant Runes in plain sight--about to be removed

YankeeGamer · 05-19-2020, 09:20 AM

I had a unique idea for an adventure.
Some time ago, ye classic ancient evil was contained--temporarily. While it was being contained, more powerful runes were needed to seal the cavern/rock/whatever.
Some brilliant person with a bit of a lack of foresight used the railroad being laid to make the runes--part of the track itself composes the runes.

Trackwork doesn't hurt the containment, the roadbed holds it together until the rails are relaid.
The constant presence of humanity rolling over them keeps the runes charged.

But now, train travel is less common, the runes are weaker. Worse, the railroad wants to remove that particular interchange--and when it does, the containment will collapse.

So, the line needs to be saved, or other measures taken to repair the containment...

jason taylor · 05-19-2020, 01:38 PM

If rails and trains carrying people arae what is needed the rails can be supplied with rails and a "do not disturb sign". The people can be supplied by selling tour tickets (unless they have to walk directly over, still that can be arranged).

The main problem is if the line doesn't know and it lets a Sealed Evil In A Can escape.

Irish Wolf · 05-19-2020, 01:44 PM

I think this works best if most folks don't know the Sealed Evil is in the can, or that the tracks form a containment rune - otherwise, you'd just need a quick PR campaign to save that particular set of tracks.

And for Reasons, of course, Our Heroes can't let anyone know about the can - maybe nobody would believe them (hey, if someone told you the mess of unfinished freeway interchange bridges in Seattle was holding back an Ancient Evil, would you just swallow that whole?), or maybe there's a group looking to release the Evil that's quietly working against them...

Anaraxes · 05-19-2020, 02:51 PM

Sounds like a great intro for a Deadlands campaign, as the characters that aren't really hip to all the weirdness of that West find out the hard way when their train is the one that derails as the Sealed Evil in a Can breaks loose.

Kale · 05-19-2020, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason taylor

The people can be supplied by selling tour tickets (unless they have to walk directly over, still that can be arranged).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Wolf

(...)or maybe there's a group looking to release the Evil that's quietly working against them...

Why are all these wacky cultists trying to sabotage this dinky tourist trap steam railroad tour? Sounds like an Illuminati adventure!

RyanW · 05-22-2020, 05:14 PM

A lot of old railways are converted into walking/bicycle trails. That could be one way of preserving the effect.

WingedKagouti · 05-22-2020, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanW

A lot of old railways are converted into walking/bicycle trails. That could be one way of preserving the effect.

The issue here would be maintaining the seal while the conversion takes place.

And if the seal is in an otherwise remote area, it is possible that local authorites won't even want to convert the old railroad into a track. "We don't have room for that in our budget" would be a very probable reason/excuse.

YankeeGamer · 05-23-2020, 07:45 PM

In my case, I ran a Call of Cthulhu game where the rails of the Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway formed the vital rune. http://wwfry.org/
The two footers were becoming seriously threatened by the depression, trucks, and a myriad of other concerns. The PC's managed to defeat one plot to replace a key section with buses and trucks--but unless more is done, bankruptcy was all but assured--and with it, chaos. (That's when life brought the campaign to a premature close.)

At the same time, another group was inadvertently empowering the rune, as they had laid the tracks through a gate into...somewhere else...and were using that energy for various nefarious purposes.

05-19-2020, 09:20 AM	#1
YankeeGamer Join Date: Dec 2017	Giant Runes in plain sight--about to be removed I had a unique idea for an adventure. Some time ago, ye classic ancient evil was contained--temporarily. While it was being contained, more powerful runes were needed to seal the cavern/rock/whatever. Some brilliant person with a bit of a lack of foresight used the railroad being laid to make the runes--part of the track itself composes the runes. Trackwork doesn't hurt the containment, the roadbed holds it together until the rails are relaid. The constant presence of humanity rolling over them keeps the runes charged. But now, train travel is less common, the runes are weaker. Worse, the railroad wants to remove that particular interchange--and when it does, the containment will collapse. So, the line needs to be saved, or other measures taken to repair the containment...

05-19-2020, 01:38 PM	#2
jason taylor Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon	Re: Giant Runes in plain sight--about to be removed If rails and trains carrying people arae what is needed the rails can be supplied with rails and a "do not disturb sign". The people can be supplied by selling tour tickets (unless they have to walk directly over, still that can be arranged). The main problem is if the line doesn't know and it lets a Sealed Evil In A Can escape. __________________ "The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison

05-19-2020, 01:44 PM	#3
Irish Wolf Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Earth, mostly	Re: Giant Runes in plain sight--about to be removed I think this works best if most folks don't know the Sealed Evil is in the can, or that the tracks form a containment rune - otherwise, you'd just need a quick PR campaign to save that particular set of tracks. And for Reasons, of course, Our Heroes can't let anyone know about the can - maybe nobody would believe them (hey, if someone told you the mess of unfinished freeway interchange bridges in Seattle was holding back an Ancient Evil, would you just swallow that whole?), or maybe there's a group looking to release the Evil that's quietly working against them... __________________ If you break the laws of Man, you go to prison. If you break the laws of God, you go to Hell. If you break the laws of Physics, you go to Sweden and receive a Nobel Prize.

05-19-2020, 02:51 PM	#4
Anaraxes Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: Giant Runes in plain sight--about to be removed Sounds like a great intro for a Deadlands campaign, as the characters that aren't really hip to all the weirdness of that West find out the hard way when their train is the one that derails as the Sealed Evil in a Can breaks loose.

05-22-2020, 05:14 PM	#6
RyanW ☣ Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Southeast NC	Re: Giant Runes in plain sight--about to be removed A lot of old railways are converted into walking/bicycle trails. That could be one way of preserving the effect. __________________ RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.

05-23-2020, 07:45 PM	#8
YankeeGamer Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: Giant Runes in plain sight--about to be removed In my case, I ran a Call of Cthulhu game where the rails of the Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway formed the vital rune. http://wwfry.org/ The two footers were becoming seriously threatened by the depression, trucks, and a myriad of other concerns. The PC's managed to defeat one plot to replace a key section with buses and trucks--but unless more is done, bankruptcy was all but assured--and with it, chaos. (That's when life brought the campaign to a premature close.) At the same time, another group was inadvertently empowering the rune, as they had laid the tracks through a gate into...somewhere else...and were using that energy for various nefarious purposes.