The Seattle Sprawl

About the adventure

Neo-Seattle is a different place in 2045, the megacorps have built their buildings taller while neglecting the tunnels and people below. It's a dark, dirty, and dangerous city regardless of what level you call home. The megacorps have their hands in all kinds of dirty little businesses, and in the shadows, they hire Runners, elite operatives, to do their dirty work. For these corps, espionage, theft, kidnapping, and murder are just file folders lost in the architecture of success. For Runners, these are rungs on a slippery ladder out of the caustic industrial air that the rest of Seattle breathes. What kind of Runner are you, a semi-retired soldier turned street samurai, a virtuoso hacker with a penchant for breaking barrier mazes, or maybe an infiltrator who specializes in finding a way past those pesky security measures? You ready to crew-up? Then grab your gear, rides up in a few, and the driver won't wait. What's the job? Does it matter? Deep pockets, and no questions asked. Get it done, by any means necessary. Then it's time to get paid.

Additional Details

How to prepare

Download a copy of the MC sheets from the designer's site found here: http://www.ardens.org/downloads/ (see Playsheets) Go over these and get acquainted with the basic moves to get a better idea as to the meat of the game. Please feel free to reach out to me as needed. You'll also need a Roll20 and Discord user account. If you like, you can install Discord as an app, as well.

What I provide

Experience running Powered by the Apocalypse Games, including The Sprawl. A Roll20 environment complete with maps and The Sprawl dedicated character sheets. Plus, involved notes and world-building dedicated to the Seattle Sprawl in particular.

Gameplay details

The Game System is The Sprawl by Hamish Cameron. Take a look here: http://www.ardens.org/games/the-sprawl/ What makes The Sprawl unique is its focus on character building and action-packed story-telling. The Sprawl is played as if we're writing an episode of a show together, or for the campaign minded, it's like writing a series. We talk about what's happening in the game--this is called the "fiction". When the characters want to do something, typically it triggers a "move". The dice involved in performing a "move" are 2d6 plus modifiers. Normally, on a 10 or above the goal is accomplished with no consequences. On a 7-9, however, the goal is accomplished but at a cost. Finally, on a 6 or below there are significant repercussions (i.e., the GM gets to do something dastardly). There are quite a variety of moves, and specific moves are available to certain characters (via their Playbooks), while most everyone relies on the basic moves. These basic moves serve as the crux of the game. There are some great Move Cheat Sheets here: http://www.ardens.org/downloads/ Nearly every session of The Sprawl is focused around preparing for a Mission, executing the Mission, or the aftermath, hopefully getting paid for your troubles. As the Master of Ceremonies, my primary goal of this game is to work the game's agendas: 1) Make The Sprawl dirty, high-tech, and excessive. 2) Fill the characters’ lives with action, intrigue, and complications. 3) Entangle the characters in The Sprawl. 4) Play to find out what happens. These are guiding principles that push me to fill the players' lives with unique characters, dangerous missions, and to complicate their lives with difficult decisions and secretive megacorp motivations. However, I am first-and-foremost a fan of my players, and always looking for an opportunity to let them shine!

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

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How will character creation work

For beginners, I recommend using one of the pregenerated Playbooks found here: http://www.ardens.org/downloads/ (see Pregen Playbooks) For everyone else, I recommend downloading one of the Playbooks and taking a look at the moves and making your choices to chrome up your own character as you so desire. For the dedicated Runners, I highly recommend purchasing a PDF of The Sprawl and reading through the Character Creation chapter.

Players can expect

• Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
• Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
• If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.