Pirates of the Darkest Future

Rules System Used: d20 Modern

Books and Materials Needed: d20 Modern Roleplaying Game (book), d20 Apocalypse (book), d20 Future (book), dice set (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20), pencil, paper, a game master’s screen

Suggested Extras: d20 Future Tech (book), miniatures

Timeline: Future Sci-Fi

Location: Surrounding the Great Lakes

Number of Players Suggested: 4 - 8 (You want at least 4 people for this campaign and it can handle more.)

Rules Modifications: No modifications on the rules. Radiation and mutation rules from the d20 Apocalypse book are in full effect though.

Limitations on Characters: All player characters start in whatever class they see fit. Use all rules for character creation that are appropriate in the d20 Apocalypse book. Characters cannot select any high tech items from d20 Future or d20 Future Tech in character creation. The characters are free to select from the d20 Modern rule book or the d20 Apocalypse book though. High tech and advanced sci-fi weapons, armour and gear are treated as a form of "magic items" in this campaign. The characters are playing members of a pirate gang that are trying to survive and get one up on the competition. The players should be urged to take survival type skills and abilities where possible as it would be hard to get by without these. The players could either play good pirates with a Robin Hood style, neutral pirates like Jack Sparrow, or evil pirates who love to rape and pillage to excess.

Monsters and Magic: There aren't many monsters in this campaign, and there's no magic; well, technology is almost looked at as a form of magic because of it's rarity, thus making a prestige class like "Techie" looked at like a wizard of sorts. The only monsters should be things like mutants, plague ridden people (or plague zombies), and creatures created from radiation.

Style of Campaign: This campaign is all about the struggle to survive. There will also most likely be a large element of close combat just due to the fact that ranged weapons can either be hard to find, hard to maintain, or hard to get ammo for. The entire known world has been subject to a multitude of nuclear and biological attacks; resulting in radiation over most of the world, gigantic craters, biological hazards, toxic waste lakes, mutation running rampant, and whole new ecosystems being discovered or created. The bartering rules from the d20 Apocalypse book should be used. The world that the PCs are in (future Earth) previously had an extremely high tech rating. But thanks to massive International war, almost all of the advanced technology is in a derelict state or completely destroyed. To make matters worse, almost everyone that could repair or manufacture said technologies were either assassinated, or killed from the blasts or disease. This has resulted in high tech (like laser rifles, power armour, high frequency swords, etc.) being rewarded to the PCs much like magic items in D&D. There are even cults in the world that have been created recently that worship advanced technology much like a deity. These cults are extremely fanatical. I would run this campaign as the PCs playing the crew serving under a more powerful Captain (which explains why they have a water borne vessel); however, one of the PCs could be Captain if you wish, or they could run some sort of equal pirate commune if desired. In case of the latter; the PCs should be gifted a ship or boat, but it'll be much harder for them to get by as they will have to repair it and what not (all of that could be handled out of game by the Captain doing that as the PCs are out away from him searching for booty or fighting with rival gangs).



Introduction: You are on Earth. A world that is struggling with the aftermath of nuclear bombs, biological warfare, mutation, spreading disease, and starvation. This is a situation of International magnitude. New ecosystems are constantly being discovered; either a result of toxic waste, biological mutation, or discovered from the gigantic craters now pocking the surface from the multitude of nuclear warheads that assaulted the known world. Earth once had a vast supply of advanced technology. Mankind was even going to colonize other planets that were in entirely different galaxies. That is what started the war. The war known as the WWPD. World Wide Planetary Destruction. Now not much remains of our advanced technology. Nor the people who can maintain, never mind create such marvels. Earth is in a sort of dark age. This dark age has many threats. There are hostile mutants, starvation, radiation sickness, toxic sludge pools the size of lakes, bandits, disease-ridden people spreading plagues, and fanatical cults that have risen around the rarity of advanced technology. These cults revere the various technologies as deities. They hoard advanced technologies and are very aggressive in acquiring said technologies.

What do you think is the best way to survive? Try to help the diseased multitude? Find a far off land and barricade yourself in? Join a tech-cult?

Arrrr!!! It's a pirate's life for all you scurvy dogs! Sail the Great Lakes, pillage what you need, and fight off your competition!

Wild West Outlaws

Rules System Used: d20 Modern

Books and Materials Needed: d20 Modern Roleplaying Game (book), d20 Past (book), dice set (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20), pencil, paper, a game master’s screen

Suggested Extras: Wild West movies, miniatures

Timeline: Late 19th Century

Location: Western United States

Number of Players Suggested: 2 - 6 (This campaign can work well with very few players.)

Limitations on Characters: The player characters are starting as outlaw cowboys (cowgirls). Obviously the d20 Past rules for the appropriate time period are going to be used. The status of "outlaw" imposes some limitations on the characters. Player characters will not be welcome in any of the towns (or most anyways) as there will be wanted posters of them hung up, and they are constantly hunted by the law. The characters should have Chaos and Evil as two of their allegiances (it doesn't have to be Evil if you don't want to, but Chaos should stay). The PCs should be outlaws not because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but because they're all 'round bad people. An optional rule to consider that I strongly suggest is to start all the PCs up at level 3 and make them take a feat that increases their reputation bonus as one of their feats. This would depict their outlaw status as well as make it easier for people to recognize them (not always good for the PCS, but it suits the background story). If possible, make everyone start with a horse. This will aid in their survival.

Monsters and Magic: There are no monsters and no magic.

Style of Campaign: This campaign is full of all the cliches of old and modern Wild West movies. The key to the PCs surviving in this campaign is careful travel and ranged combat. Diplomacy with other outlaws is also important as no law abiding folk would entertain your PCs' company. Sneaking around and trying to leave no trace of your movement is important. The PCs should be battling to avoid detection and to find enough food and gear to survive. Should they be detected they should be skilled enough in ranged combat to defend themselves.



Introduction: Waking up under the hot sun next to your horse you look at the rest of your gang as they're still sleeping. What will your weathered and tattered group do today? Maybe you'll go help a rancher build fences or rope cattle. Maybe you'll travel to an outskirts settlement and defend them from no good villainous folk.

Suddenly you hear horses approaching your camp... fast! Slowly turning your head you see the Sheriff from the last town you were in and a posse of men on the horizon. Your horse sees them as well and you can tell by the look in her eyes that she's thinking the same thing. Now you know what you're going to do today...

The same thing you do every day. Kill people, steal, and fight for survival: all in the name of fame, fortune and freedom!

Side Note:  Alternatively, the Serenity / Firefly RPG rules could be used for this campaign and the timeline and location could be changed appropriately.

Survival of the Clan

Rules System Used: d20 Modern

Books and Materials Needed: d20 Modern Roleplaying Game (book), d20 Apocalypse (book), dice set (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20), pencil, paper, a game master’s screen

Suggested Extras: d20 Weapons Locker (book), miniatures

Timeline: Very Near Future

Location: Northern Ontario

Number of Players Suggested: 4 - 6 (You want at least 4 people for this campaign.)

Rules Modifications: Werewolves do not automatically gain the evil allegiance.

Limitations on Characters: All player characters start as true-blood Werewolves.  Start them as their class, and then apply the werewolf template.  The Werewolf PCs also have to take the Adventurer occupation (or something similar).  All Werewolf PCs only get to purchase basic equipment to start, such as knives, food, clothing, backpacks, etc.  No guns, no radios, nothing that would give them a technological advantage.  All Werewolves have a starting wealth bonus of only +1.  This cannot be increased by any means; windfall, etc.  As an option, up to one of the PCs could start as a regular human.  This human would be someone that has gained the trust of the Werewolves and is their friend.  He/she is their contact to the outside world.  This human character gets to start off with their full wealth bonus with an additional +2 and can purchase anything like normal from the equipment list.  They also start off at level 2.

Monsters and Magic: The main “super natural creatures” or “monsters” in this campaign are the PCs' Werewolves. There is a low amount of magic available for this campaign, and there is also a small amount of other "monsters".  Other Werewolves could be encountered, or vampires, or demons, etc.  But these should be rare as the focus should be on the uniqueness of the PCs' Werewolves.

Style of Campaign: This campaign is close combat focused as this is where the Werewolves will shine.  There is of course ranged combat as well as a lot of the enemies will have guns, and some of the Werewolves might even acquire them.  Everyone will have to hunt for food and scrounge up gear and supplies.  There is no more "stores" to go to; at least, not as we know them.  Money has no value any more.  The bartering rules from the d20 Apocalypse book should be used.  The nuclear blasts were not near Northern Ontario, so radiation poisoning should not be an issue (unless you want to include it).  This campaign also stresses stealth as the Werewolves do not want to be discovered; well, not until they are very powerful at least!  As an interesting twist; if someone is the optional regular human, you could have this character turn on the Werewolves at some point for whatever reason you see fit (to gain protection and payment from a large gang for example).

Introduction: Society has collapsed on itself, wracked by nuclear war.  There is conflict over almost everything, but most visibly, over fresh drinking water.  There is very little government control anywhere.  It has been a major worldwide collapse of modern society as we know it.  The world is anarchy in the cities and people are trying to survive any way they can.

You are all part of a small clan of Werewolves that have existed peacefully within the vast wilderness of Northern Ontario for years; preferring the wilder, more feral side of life.  Now you find your territory being encroached on more and more as people are trying to escape the anarchy of the big cities.  These people are trying to create a new life within the isolation of the forests.  Unfortunately not all of these people are people that would let your clan be at peace.  Not all of these people are harmless.  And you don't know which ones to trust.

What these people have done to their society has now infected yours as well.  Will this be the death of your clan?

Zombie Pandemic

Rules System Used: d20 Modern

Books and Materials Needed: d20 Modern Roleplaying Game (book), d20 Apocalypse (book), dice set (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20), pencil, paper, a game master’s screen

Suggested Extras: d20 Weapons Locker (book), miniatures (Using LEGO City sets would be amazing for this campaign! The green Troll heads could be used to represent zombies.)

Timeline: Current Day

Location: Any Modern Industrialised Nation’s City

Number of Players Suggested: 6 – 10 (You can play it with less but it works best with more people.)

Rules Modifications: For the zombies; use the diseased zombie in the d20 Apocalypse book but give them the Running Feat and increase their Challenge Rating to 1 ½. (Think 28 Days Later style of zombies.)

Limitations on Characters: Player Characters are limited to purchasing whatever could be reasonably on their person given their occupation. The first adventure of this campaign takes place when all of the Player Characters are out of their homes.

Monsters and Magic: The only “super natural creatures” or “monsters” in this campaign are rage zombies. There is absolutely no magic in this campaign.

Style of Campaign: The Player Characters will have to work together to survive as their lives are very easy for zombies to take. This is very much a diplomatic and flight before fight campaign stressing ranged interaction with zombies as opposed to melee. Diplomacy will come in to play greatly as the PCs interact with NPCs that are also trying to survive the horrible events. As a suggestion, have the characters deicide what kind of building or place in the city they want to run to and roleplay the trip there. The characters shouldn’t be deciding to turn left or right, you should tell them when they should as their characters would be familiar with the city and know the way to get to wherever it is they want to go. If they are smart, they will decide to go somewhere where they could acquire much needed supplies; like food, water, medical supplies, guns, etc. If they are even smarter they might try to steal a car if one is available or take the bus as opposed to just running there!

Introduction: You are all sitting in a busy café, eating lunch while you are either on your lunch break from work or because you have nothing better to do today. Reflecting on the day’s events, people watching, enjoying your overly priced coffee; whatever it may be, you are suddenly interrupted…

SMASH!!! A beaten and bloodied body falls through one of the large windows at the front of the café. Startled, you look at the body of a young man on the floor that appears to be so badly injured he must be dead… when he suddenly jumps up. Frothing blood at the mouth and gnashing his teeth, the man looks around with angry bloodshot eyes. Your stomachs are in your throats as you notice that there is a mob of similar people outside the café attacking people viciously and randomly, tearing at their victims’ flesh with their teeth! As the man that fell through the window attacks a young family that was sitting near the window a group of about a dozen other people pour in to the café and start massacring other patrons!

Running and dodging flailing attacks, you all manage to escape out the back employee door to the café to a dimly lit alley due to the tall buildings on all sides of it. No one else made it out. Thinking quickly you all realise you must act swiftly to find a spot to hide to avoid these people that seem to be rage incarnate. Just then a group of five bloodied rage monsters round the corner, staring right at you…