In the world of Atomic Highway, money is only worth the paper it’s printed on … and there’s not much use for paper in the aftermath of the apocalypse. However, oil and gasoline have become almost as precious as life itself, with some willing to kill for a few drops of this precious resource. When it comes to controlling a functioning pipeline, they’ll do worse than kill: they’ll prosper on the blood of those they enslave to keep it working.
Some time ago, a remnant enclave discovered a labyrinth of tunnels under a quarry, with a previously untapped oil reserve located deep within its inky dark veins. They also discovered a peaceful group of mutants who had taken up refuge within the tunnels, creating a trog warren. The enclave members brokered a deal with the mutants: in exchange for maintaining the pipeline the enclave built to funnel the oil from the quarry to a refining station several miles away, the warren receives a portion of the trade goods acquired from a nearby bartertown in exchange for the refined gasoline. The arrangement has worked well for all involved, until recently…
A group of raiders invaded the quarry, brutally taking control of it and the pipeline. Dozens of mutants, not killed in the attack but unable to escape, were enslaved. The enclave wants to restore the flow of oil, the bartertown is desperate for the gas, and the mutants that did escape want to free their brethren and home … and perhaps revenge. In order to keep the oil flowing, the raiders have left behind six mutants to run the pipeline, which has been diverted by the raiders to a nearby location they control: the Oasis.
The Oasis was once a massive gas station,
convenience store, and truck stop that the raiders have turned into a den of villainy, the key attractions being gasoline and gambling, with a brisk side trade in slavery. The raiders have kludged together a small refinery that they run day and night, and they’re looking to expand the operation. They’ve recently acquired a still-functioning locomotive and some tanker cars, and are planning to ship the gas to trade along the railroads still in working order.
There are several ways the Player Characters might enter the scenario:
They can stumble blindly into it. The PCs discover the quarry and the tunnels, either looking for shelter or to scavenge whatever they can.
They may have been paid or “encouraged” by the bartertown to look into the gas stoppage, or by the remnant enclave to find out what is going on with the operation.
They may have heard from a traveler about the Oasis, and have decided to check it out or score themselves some gasoline.
Or, of course, some other way the GM might devise. Scenario Summary
Few RPG adventure plans ever survive contact with the PCs intact -– which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Atomic Highway is certainly no exception, emphasizing
as it does over-the-top, cinematic action, encouraging the Players to take it “off-road.” To help the GM keep the adventure moving down the highway reasonably intact, here’s a basic outline of the major events (but feel free to take any exits to uncharted territories
Chapter
you and the Players discover along the way!):
1. The PCs discover and/or investigate the trog warren located in the tunnels beneath the quarry.
2. They are attacked by the mutants who survived the raider assault, mistaking the PCs for raiders as they desperately try to save their brethren and themselves. 3. The raiders arrive at the quarry during the mutant attack, making it clear that both the mutants and PCs now have a common enemy.
4. The PCs sneak or retreat out of the quarry, and decide to escape with their lives (quite likely ending the adventure or taking it “off the rails,” or finish the job by serving up vengeance on the raiders one gallon at a time.
5. The PCs raid the Oasis, possibly redirecting the pipeline.
6. They storm the train as it pulls away from the Oasis, filled with raiders, their slaves (including the captive mutants), the raider leader and, of course, hundreds of gallons of gasoline.
Quarry Quarrel
The quarry sinks several hundred feet into the earth, a massive rock-lined pit of dust and dirt. Man-made mountains of rock and slag piled high around the rim hide the single gravel-packed road that spirals down the quarry walls to the belly-bottom of the blasted- rock beast. Looking from the top of quarry, a few 55-gallon drums can be seen, the distance making them appear the size of thimbles. A small shack and a single unmanned roadblock sit near the top of the quarry road, nestled in a small break in the wall of loose rock.
Lookout Shack
The single-room shack contains a toppled-over chair, a broken flashlight (with good batteries still in it), some rubber bands, a few bent paperclips, and some small crude paper targets. Red-brown stains and splashes on the walls suggest that the last sentry may not have enjoyed a peaceful demise.
A dented, lightly rusted pipe, its diameter just wider than a man’s shoulders, runs past the shack. Emanating from somewhere deep in the quarry, the pipe runs up the quarry walls and out of the pit into the overgrown grass at the top, snaking toward the horizon farther than the eye can see. It vibrates slightly as something gurgles through it at a steady rate. Any serious investigation will reveal that it is carrying crude oil.
If the PCs investigate the shack and its surround- ings further, roll the following skill checks:
Using the Understanding/Survive skill, rolling two
(2) successes or more [hereafter condensed in format as Understanding/Survive (2)], the PC determines that the blood was spilled within the past few days. Understanding/Tech (2), the PC is able to repair the flashlight.
Notice/Senses (1), the PC notices that a newer piece of pipe has been grafted onto the old pipe, traveling in a different direction than the older pipe. Every ten paces or so along the edge of the crude road leading into the depths of the quarry stands a 55-gallon drum that reeks of oil mixed with lard, with a hint of refined gasoline. This napalm-inspired deterrent is quite capable of killing any invader, the row of barrels standing as a silent mystery that should worry the PCs — become useful weapons to those resourceful enough to consider the possibilities. Understanding/Tech (2), the PC deduces the contents of the barrels and understands their potential for devastation (20L damage for anyone caught in the blast of an exploding barrel).
Disrupting the pipeline will bring the raiders down on the quarry in about 20 minutes.
Rock Bottom
The bottom of the quarry shows clear signs of a recent raid that ended in violence. Tracks clearly show signs of fast motorized vehicles crisscrossing the area. Understanding/Survive (2), the PC can make out that five four-wheeled vehicles were engaged in the raid.
Tunnel Of Terror
In a shady corner of the quarry pit, a few loose boards cover the entrance of a tunnel that has been crudely dug into the quarry wall. From the entrance, well-worn tracks and railroad ties run down the center of the tunnel, disappearing into the depths. An old, broken ore cart straddles the rails near the entrance, nearly blocking it, a skeleton of broken wood and pitted metal axles bereft of wheels.
Low-powered bulbs, strung unevenly along the ceiling, give off just enough of a glow to make out the general shape and size of the tunnel. It’s barely wide enough for two individuals to walk side-by-side, and is just low enough that many will have to duck slightly as they walk.
Upon entering, the PCs will note signs of habitation as the discarded bones of recent meals crack underfoot. The constant thumping and slushing sounds of liquid moving through the pipeline echo off
the rugged cavern walls.
The poor lighting creates long shadows, eerie pools of inky darkness that play tricks on the eyes, and dust constantly hangs in the hair, making the murky light even hazier — all sight-based rolls should have their Difficulty increased by 1, unless the PCs have a light source, or a mutation such as Night Vision.
The mutants left behind to man the pipeline are desperate, and have set up several traps to help them slay the raiders during their next check on the operation.
Loose rock and rubble in the walkways of the tunnel. The mutants have dumped loose rock and debris, scattering it over the major walkways of the tunnel system. This slows movement considerably; any PC attempting to move faster than a walking pace over it must roll Nimbleness/Athletics (1), or stumble and fall to the ground (embarrassing, but not damaging).
The light bulbs lining the tunnel have been rigged with a sticky liquid explosive which can be set off from a distance. As a PC nears a booby-trapped bulb, it begins to burn dimmer than the other lights, then flickers off and on rapidly, and finally, with a bright spark and pop, the entire bulb explodes downward, splattering its sticky, milky gray liquid onto the PCs. A PC hit by the exploding bulb takes 6L fire damage, with 2L ongoing fire damage each round until it’s extinguished. A successful Nimbleness/Athletics roll halves the damage of the trap, two successes will avoid any damage.
Oil-soaked areas of the cavern that are ready to be set aflame if a PC stumbles over or falls. If ignited, these traps cuase 2L fire damage each round until extinguished. A successful Nimbleness/Athletics halves the damage of the trap, two successes will avoid any damage.
Murderous Mutant Ambush!
As the PCs make their way through the tunnel, or if they attempt to stop the flow of oil through the pipeline, they will be set upon by four of the six remaining mutants, mistakenly identifying the PCs as raiders. They are scared and desperate, grimly determined to slay the intruding “raiders.” The mutants will wait until the PCs, hopefully softened up by the traps, move deeper into the bowels of the tunnel complex so they won’t be able to escape to the surface.
The four mutants have worked themselves into a murderous frenzy that won’t be easily halted; trying to reason with these four is nearly impossible, assuming the PCs try, and they won’t back down until every “raider” is dead, screaming battle cries such as “Death to the RAIDERS! Life for our LOVED ONES!”
Appeal/Persuade (4), the PC convinces the mutants that the PCs are not raiders.
For the mutants’ attributes, skills, and other details use the typical trog GMC entry, but with cosmetic mutations such as fleshy wattles or deformed hands, and the mutation Natural Weapon (Claws). Two older mutants have stayed their hands (and weapons) to maintain the operation of the pipeline; these; these two may be reasoned with much more easily.
Appeal/Persuade (2), the PC gets the two older mutants to listen. It takes a full round to fully convince the older mutants that they are telling the truth, but once convinced, they’ll be able to immediately call off any remaining attacking mutants.
The PCs may end up killing all of the attacking mutants, or they might be able to get through the combat without killing them all. Regardless of the outcome, the two older mutants that have been holding back will start screaming “Everyone, stop, this is a mistake! They’re not the raiders!”, as a rumble from the head of the tunnel echoes down to where the action is taking place.
The PCs earn one Fortune each for each surviving mutant, letting the Players know that not everything that hinders a character necessarily needs killing. Raider Request
At the passage’s entrance, those few beams of light spindling into the opening are dimmed as a massive metal grill is placed over the opening, drilled and bolted into place by the raiders. If the PCs rush forward they’ll see half a dozen raiders working on the grill covering the entrance leaving only a small opening for the pipeline to go through. Behind the raiders are a pair of armed buggies (see page 103). If the PCs left anything outside, including a vehicle, they’ll see the raiders stealing it. If a vehicle has been disabled (spark plugs or some other piece taken off by a wise PC to prevent theft — give that Player a Fortune for their foresight), the raiders will simply tow the vehicle away. Only two of the raiders are actually putting the grill into place; the other four are training nasty looking weapons (including an improvised flamethrower) on the tunnel entrance. The raider lieutenant, a short toad of a man, the entire right side of his face appearing to have been melted by fire, yells, “Boss wants production increased by twenny percent in the next two days! We’re gonna start distributin’ to all the bartertowns on the tracks! If’n you ever wants to see yer dirty heathen brethern agin, you might wanna git busy makin’ the oil flow! Otherwise... wells, let’s just say yer kin ain’t gonna getta ‘otherwise.’”