Monday, January 6, 2014

Mag-Lev Train

Following up on my previous post, here's one that details a mag-lev train.

-Nate



Mag-Lev Train
When the time comes for the PCs or other characters to ride on a mag-lev train, refer to the following layout and descriptions.



The Train
There are various different types of cars that can be used in a mag-lev train; they are detailed below.

Control Cabin
The bullet-shaped front car of the mag-lev train features a small control room with a console and chairs for the pilots. There's also a small refresher unit and a storage area for personal items and emergency equipment. Note that one of these cars is usually situated at each end of the train, to provide a backup in the case of a breakdown or extra push when traveling in the mountains.

Baggage Car
Shelving units fill this car, providing space for stowing the luggage that passengers don't carry on with themselves, along with any cargo that the mag-lev train might be carrying. In addition to the doors at each end of the car, there is a set of double-doors on each side to facilitate loading and unloading.

Dining Car
Tables and chairs line the walls of this car, each situated beneath its own window. Uniformed beings provide table service.

Kitchen Car
In addition to cooking surfaces and food preparation areas, this car has a cold storage room for keeping foodstuffs fresh.

Observation/Lounge Car
Those passengers who pay for the upgrade can take their ease in this car, which has comfortably upholstered chairs and sofa along with small tables. The same beings who work in the dining car also serve beverages and appetizers here.

Passenger Car
While this car provides the most cost-efficient means of travel, there are few frills involved. Pairs of seats line both sides of the aisle, and a pair of refreshers are located in the rear of the compartment.

Sleeping Car
Those beings who are traveling a great distance have the option of reserving a room in one of these cars. There are two varieties, with either a single or a double bed. Each type has its own refresher.


Passengers and Crew
Detailed here are some of the characters who might be found aboard a mag-lev train.


Kerwen Chee, the Conductor (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning 2 Presence 2
Agility 2 Intellect 3 Willpower 2

Soak: 2
Wound Threshold: 12
Strain Threshold: 12
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Computers 2, Cool 1, Core Worlds 1, Discipline 1, Education 2, Leadership 1, Mechanics 2, Medicine 1, Perception 1, Piloting--Planetary 2, Ranged--Light 1, Vigilance 1

Talents: Skilled Jockey

Abilities: One free rank in each of two skills

Equipment: Uniform, datapad, comlink

While many Corellians grow up dreaming of becoming space pilots, all his life Kerwen Chee has wanted to become a mag-lev conductor. He takes his job very seriously and enjoys it quite a bit. For those reasons, while he is friendly with passengers and other crew members, he makes sure to carry himself in a professional manner. He is calm and collected in emergencies, but his favorite phrase is "Let's make sure everything runs smoothly today, right?"


Jeru Vreen (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning 2 Presence 3
Agility 2 Intellect 2 Willpower 1

Soak: 2
Wound Threshold: 12
Strain Threshold: 11
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Brawl 1, Charm 3, Cool 1, Coordination 1, Core Worlds 2, Deception 2, Lore 1, Melee 1, Negotiation 2, Perception 1, Ranged--Light 1, Skulduggery 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Vigilance 1

Talents: Grit, Kill with Kindness, Plausible Deniability

Abilities: Begin the game with one free rank in Charm. They still may not train Charm above Rank 2 during character creation; Empathy: Add a setback die to all incoming Charm or Deception rolls that target the Zeltron; Pheromones: Zeltrons add advantage to all Charm, Deception, and Negotiation rolls.

Equipment: Tasteful clothing that shows off her assets, holdout blaster (concealed), comlink, three doses of anaesthetic, set of binders, diszuise kit, 500 credits

There's a certain romantic sense of adventure that is part of traveling by mag-lev train. It is that feeling that Jeru Vreen seeks to exploit with her current scheme. The alluring Zeltron spends her time traveling the mag-lev rail, meeting interesting beings and gaining their confidence. Once she has done so, she drugs them, steals their valuables, and then removes herself from the situation. To that end, Jeru always books a sleeping car so as to have the necessary privacy. Needless to say, living this kind of life forces her to remain aloof where feelings of attachment are concerned. Even so, however, beings who can match wits with her can earn her respect, and perhaps even her romantic attention.


Using the Mag-Lev Train in an Edge of the Empire Campaign
Many of the ways in which mag-lev train can be used in a campaign are detailed below.
  • First and foremost, characters might use it to move from one place to another. Given the opportunities for adventure that this situation presents, it's unlikely that such a journey will be without incident.
  • The description of Jeru Vreen, above, presents one of the many complications that might ensue during a journey.
  • There's also the chance that a murder or a train robbery occurs.
  • The PCs could be (relatively) innocent bystanders when a situation involving an Imperial spy and a Rebel operative takes a dramatic turn.
  • In the event that a mag-lev train should be caused to derail, the PCs could find themselves pressed into service rescuing and aiding the victims, not to mention dealing with whatever it was that caused the problem in the first place.
  • Another possibility is that a train becomes trapped in the Corellian mountains during a blizzard, forcing all aboard to figure out how to survive the situation.


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