Subway Goons

A Tunnel Goons Hack by Sam Roberts

Game Structure complex action with a DS of 12. The player rolls
A referee controls and describes the world to 2d6 and adds 2 from their Commuter Score, 1
players who then describe how their characters from their sturdy boots, and 1 from their sketch-
act in the world. book. The total is 14. The difference between 14
and 12 is 2, so the next roll they make to navigate
Action Roll the tunnels will be DS 10. If the roll had been 10,
When an action’s success is uncertain, a player then the Player Character would have lost 2 Grip.
rolls 2d6 and adds points from the relevant class
and a point for any relevant items. If the total Inventory
is equal or greater than the action’s Difficulty Your Inventory Score is how many items
Score (DS) it is successful. you can carry comfortably. For each item that
exceeds your Inventory Score subtract 1 from any
Difficulty Scores Guidelines: Commuter or Showtime Rolls.
Easy: 8  Moderate: 10  Hard: 12
Meltdown
If an action has a risk of putting mental or physical When your Grip reaches zero, you can no longer
stress on the character, the difference between the handle the stress of riding the subway. You may
roll and Difficulty Score is the amount of stress the take one outrageous action—like an unhinged
character takes. Subtract it from their Grip. speech—and then are lost. Make a new char-
acter.
Particularly complex tasks—or fights — may
take multiple successes to overcome them. In Advancement
this case, subtract the difference between the Level up at the end of each trip. When you do,
successful roll and the DS to get the new DS for raise a class score by 1 and raise either Grip or
the next roll. The referee should add a wrinkle Inventory Score by 1.
to the situation or an interlude before allowing
another roll. Getting a Grip
When you share a human moment of solidarity
Example: A Player Character attempts to navi- with a stranger, regain d6 Grip.
gate the maze of abandoned subway tunnels, a

Character Creation
Name your character. You have a smart phone, metrocard, and normal clothes.
Choose 4 additional Starting Items:
Decide why your character is
on (or waiting for) the subway. »» A bag (backpack, purse, »» A musical instrument
briefcase, etc.) »» An amp
Grip is 10. Inventory Score is 8. »» A hardcover book »» Several slightly crumpled
»» A worn religious text issues of the New Yorker
Distribute 3 points between »» Headphones »» A bag of groceries
these classes: »» Sunglasses »» A warm coat
»» Snacks (3) »» 15 CDs of your own
Commuter: Good at job-type »» A water bottle (full) terrible music
things, knowing your way »» A packed lunch (perish- »» A cart
around, being unflustered able) »» A young child
»» Dress clothes* »» A Notebook with writing
Tourist: Good at sowing »» Workout clothes* materials
confusion, knowing weird »» Trendy clothes* »» A bike
facts, dumb luck »» Durable working clothes* »» A house plant
»» A DSLR camera
Showtime: Good at feats of
strength and agility, entertaining
others, fighting the man
* May replace your normal clothes, unless you want two outfits.

Tunnel Goons was created by Nate Treme. This hack is an entry of #GoonJam.
 Unplanned Service Changes
Referee: Whenever things get a little too normal, roll on this table — one die for the category and one for the specific item.

1 STRANGERS
ON A TRAIN 2 THE TRAIN PULLS UP
AND... 3 THE TRAIN SCREECHES
TO A HALT AND...
A couple engaged in a screaming It’s an 8 train (which hasn’t run After 30 minutes of waiting, a
match. since 1973). conductor enters and instructs
you to exit into the tunnels.
A group of people who look exactly When the doors open, you’re hit
like you, down to your clothing. with a noxious smell. Water begins to drip from the
ceiling. Then, it turns to hail.
A well-dressed elderly passenger A SWAT team descends on one
who offers $10,000 to anyone of the doors, guns readied. “The train is delayed due to a
who will ride with them to the end sick passenger.”
of the line. The interior has been turned into
a full birthday party, complete The loudspeaker starts playing
A woman in a black dress holding with lights, hats, and streamers. Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony.
what looks suspiciously like a
Picasso painting. It’s completely empty save for Rumors quickly begin circulating
one small, confused child. in panicked whispers that there’s
A man in a speedo, his face a bomb on the train.
covered with elaborate war paint. The exterior has been covered
with the tag of the mysterious The conductor reports that
A cheery tour group, wearing graffiti artist Polybius. The paint the train will be moving again
matching t-shirts with the logo of is fresh. momentarily, but will be
a strange religious organization. continuing on a different line,
making completely different
stops.

4 ENCOUNTERS
ON A PLATFORM 5 YOU PULL INTO THE
STATION AND... 6 BETWEEN STATIONS

Big Pharma, the large, friendly When the doors open, water You notice disturbing messages
drug dealer you see everywhere. rushes in. The station is flooded. on the “Next Stop” display, but
they change if you try to show
A guy who takes a hammer to the You’re at Worth Street (which anyone else.
walls muttering that “someone’s closed in 1962). Graffiti covers
gotta fix the damn things.” the walls, and glittering eyes peer Two people launch into acrobatic
from the shadows. dance routines at the same time.
Garrett and Barrett, two bumbling Startled, they have a dance-off.
NYPD officers apprehending When the doors open, a flock of
turnstile jumpers and others pigeons walk on to the train. When the train hits a bump, the
they believe committed any car’s lights flicker. They come
of a variety of bizarre minor It’s the station where you got back on as black lights, revealing
infractions. onto the train. strange graffiti on every surface.

A saxophone busker named You’re at the long-demolished People in the car begin
Desmond. Every song sounds World’s Fair station. Everyone is disappearing.
familiar but you can’t quite place dressed in 1930s attire.
any of them. Someone bursts into the car,
Two police offices point at you, covered in blood, screaming about
Three large dogs with no owner shout, “There! Get ‘em!” and rush zombies, and bee-lining for the
in sight, sitting patiently. at you. next car.

An old friend who’s having the Everyone is watching you.

worst day of their life.

Dice Icons by Jesse Ross