Fjur’s Environment Archive!

Games Sentinel Comics RPG
#61

Indeed, although the exact difficulty will depend upon whom the laboratory is aligned with. If it’s a friendly lab that knows the heroes, the Lab Guards and Auto-Turrets will only attack villains (and escaped aliens, rogue robots, and Giant Lab Specimens). Inversely, if it’s a villainous installation, they’ll fight the heroes. And if it’s a neutral civilian laboratory, they’ll likely simply engage any unfamiliar intruders.

Also, I suppose that the escaped aliens could actually be friendly towards the heroes, especially if they were treated poorly by the lab and/or are Mentally-Empowered Humanoids, who seem the most-peace-inclined of the Corebook’s aliens.

Oh, absolutely. It should be fairly easy to simply ask everyone at the table right before introducing the lieutenant, as the creature type really has no effect besides cosmetics.

I try to keep such things in mind when designing things, but they do unfortunately slip my mind at times. When/if I start posting villains (or adventures) on here, I want to try to remember to put content warnings before each post, which is something I’ve seen GTG themselves do with products.

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#62

Today is Independence Day in the U.S., so here’s an environment thematically inspired by that! It can also be used for other occasions, of course, although the number of possible scenarios in which it could prove useful is admittedly rather small.

Pyrotechnics Factory
Explosive Materials :d8:
Factory Workers :d6:
Fireworks Show :d10:

GREEN
Minor Twists

  • Dazzling Display: An incredibly bright sparkler explodes right in someone’s face, temporarily dazing and/or blinding them! Roll the environment dice. Hinder one target with the Mid die.
  • The Show Begins: A number of fireworks are lit and explode in a shower of brilliant light! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets with the Min die.

Major Twist

  • Endangered Workers: One group of factory workers is still present in the building, and they are likely to get hurt! Add 1 :d10: minion to the scene. That minion never takes actions. A successful Overcome action safely evacuates the workers and removes the minion from the scene. If the minion is destroyed, roll the environment dice and Hinder all heroes with the Min die. Then each Hindered target takes damage equal to the value of their penalty.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

  • Continued Pyrotechnics: Dozens of fireworks continue to be set off by the combat! Roll the environment dice. Attack one target with the Mid die, and the rest with the Min die.
  • Weaponised Fireworks: One combatant gets the idea to wield some of the fireworks to attack! Although they will likely get singed in the process. Roll the environment dice. Boost one target using the Max die. When that target uses the resulting bonus, also deal them damage equal to its value.

Major Twist

  • Choking Smoke: The myriads of fireworks that have gone off have clouded the factory with a heavy layer of smoke. Roll the environment dice. Hinder all targets with the Min die. Those penalties are persistent and exclusive, and remain in play until a successful Overcome action clears the air.

RED
Minor Twists

  • Explosive Finale: An excessive amount of fireworks explode once again. Roll the environment dice. Attack one target with the Max die, and the rest with the Mid die.
  • Support Beam Collapse: The barrage of fireworks has weakened the structural integrity of the building! Roll the environment dice. Attack two targets near one another with the Mid die, and Hinder them both with the Min die.

Major Twist

  • Imminent Conflagration: All of the fighting has set off a truly gigantic store of fireworks. If they’re not dealt with soon, the entire factory will be blown sky-high!
    [ ] [ ] Either neutralise the fireworks, or flee the factory
    [ ] Challenge timer
    Triggered: Check off all the remaining spaces on the scene tracker.

Editor’s Notes

Curiously, I think that this may be my first environment that doesn’t add any minions (save for the Endangered Workers twist, but that doesn’t really count). Instead, it’s almost exclusively simply basic actions, with some challenges thrown in too.

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#63

I’m reminded of an old Feng Shui adventure that included a scene in a Hong Kong fireworks factory. To put it mildly, it was not a safe space for gunplay to break out, much less for eunuch sorcerers to start hucking fireblasts.

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#64

It’s been awhile, but here’s one more environment!

The Psychic Plane

Beyond the realm of physical reality, there exists a space inhabited only by thoughts. It is a domain of pure psionic energy, where one can encounter one’s greatest fears, hopes, and dreams.

When one of their own is possessed by a maniacal telepath, or knocked into an inescapable coma, or experiencing severe psychological distress, groups of heroes have been known to venture into this strange, psychedelic realm.

The Psychic Plane
Malleable Surroundings :d10:
Mental Energies :d10:
Realm of Thoughts :d10:

GREEN
Minor Twists

  • Manifestation of Id: A manifestation of one of the heroes’ Id has materialised. Add 1 Id Manifestation to the scene.
  • Manifestation of Superego: A manifestation of one of the heroes’ Superego has materialised. Add 1 Superego Manifestation to the scene.

Major Twist

  • Vast Mindscape: The psychic plane is a truly vast domain. Divide all the characters present in the scene into a number of different locations, as you see fit. Characters must spend a Boost or Defend action to move to a different location and unite with the others, as usual, unless a character has a Intellectual or Psychic power, in which case they may move to another location for free on their turn.

YELLOW
Minor Twists

  • Villains from the Past: A villain or villains who the heroes have faced before materialise in front of them! Add either 1 Bad Memory lieutenant, or roll the environment dice and add a number of Bad Memory minions equal to the Mid die.
  • Visions of Fear: One character experiences horrific visions of one of their worst fears!
    [ ] [ ] Overcome the fear
    Until the above challenge is completed, that character cannot affect anything else in the scene save this challenge. Other characters can also attempt the challenge, as normal, but they must suffer a -1 penalty whilst doing so.

Major Twist

  • Visions of Paradise: One character is trapped within a false illusion in which they’ve achieved all of their greatest wants.
    [ ] [ ] [ ] Escape the illusion
    Until the above challenge is completed, that character cannot affect anything else in the scene save this challenge. Other characters can also attempt the challenge, as normal, but they must suffer a -1 penalty whilst doing so.

RED
Minor Twists

  • Friends of the Past: Psychic constructs of the heroes’ allies materialise to add them in their time of need! Add either 1 Ally Memory lieutenant, or roll the environment dice and add a number of Ally Memory minions equal to the Max die.
  • Manifestation of Ego: A manifestation of one of the heroes’ Ego has materialised. Add 1 Ego Manifestation to the scene.

Major Twist

  • Planar Control: One character has seized control of the very fabric of the Psychic Plane! Now and on each environment turn hereafter, the character with control can choose one basic action. Roll the environment, and the environment takes that basic action using the Max die against any number of targets of the character’s choice. A different character can wrest control of the Psychic Plane at any time by succeeding on an Overcome action.

Psychic Plane Threats

Ally Memory
:d10: Minion or Lieutenant

Description
The Psychic Plane can call up the memories of past friends and allies from within heroes’ minds.

Ability
Super-Schtick: The Ally Memory has +2 to Overcome actions and to one other type of basic action.

Tactics
Ally Memories emulate the tactics and fighting styles of the staunch friends that they represent.

Bad Memory
:d8: Minion or Lieutenant

Description
The Psychic Plane can call up the memories of past foes from within heroes’ minds.

Abilities
Nefarious Nemesis: The Bad Memory has +1 to actions against one specific hero.
Super-Schtick: The Bad Memory has +1 to one type of basic action.

Tactics
Bad Memories emulate the tactics and fighting styles of the ne’er-do-wells that they represent.

Ego Manifestation
:d8: Lieutenant

Description
This entity is an external reflexion of one hero’s Ego—their organised, conscious mind.

Ability
Moderation: Whenever the Ego Manifestation rolls a 1 or the maximum number on its die, reroll its die.

Tactics
The Ego Manifestation seeks to moderate any behaviour that it identifies as particularly influenced by id or superego.

Id Manifestation
:d10: Minion

Description
This entity is an external reflexion of one hero’s Id—their most primal, instinctual wants and desires.

Ability
Instinctive Retaliation: After the Id Manifestation is Attacked or Hindered by an opponent, it rolls its die and deals that much damage to its adversary.

Tactics
The Id Manifestation seeks out the primal wants of the hero who it is an aspect of.

Superego Manifestation
:d10: Minion

Description
This entity is an external reflexion of one hero’s Superego—the part of them that seeks to fit in with society.

Ability
Societal Order: The Superego Manifestation has +2 to Defend actions, and whenever it Hinders, the resulting penalty is at least -2.

Tactics
The Superego Manifestation will seek to quell any particularly disruptive behaviour.

Editor’s Notes

This is basically just an environment made to facilitate Journey to the Centre of the Mind or Battle in the Centre of the Mind-type stories.

All the information that I used when designing the Id, Ego, and Superego twists just came from this TV Tropes page. Also, I want to state that, as the linked page says, Freud’s conceptualisations of these psychological concepts are “largely discredited today.” Nonetheless, they’re a fairly recognisable motif, and so are useful when designing fictional dreamlands.

Regarding the Vast Mindscape twist, I was originally going to say that only characters with Mobility powers could move around for free (as that’s how the rules normally treat it), but then I though better and changed it to the Intellectual and Psychic powers that you see now.

Also, just to be clear, the bonuses from the two abilities of Bad Memories are cumulative—if one of them uses their special type of action against their nemesis hero, they get +2.

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#65

Looks really good. The relatively friendly Red twists are a particularly nice touch.

I’m amused by the fact that the Ego is noticeably weaker than the Id and Superego. So much for moderation. :slight_smile:

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#66

Well, it is a lieutenant, whilst the other two are only minions.

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#67

This environment is a perilous place designed to be used in conjunction in the Domain villain known as the Architect, who’s posted over in my villains thread.

Lair of the Architect

The Architect is a renowned designer of deathtraps and secret lairs in the supervillain underworld. His creations are famous throughout supervillainy; there is simply no-one better to turn to if you want a quality headquarters, or want to dispose of your nemesis in a fashionable manner.

The Architect’s varied creations usually have similar dastardly hazards planted within them, including swinging blades, gouts of flame, poisoned darts, crushing walls, electrified floors, poisonous gas, and menacing robotic automatons.

This environment can be used to represent any of the deadly structures that the Architect has designed, though if it’s been commissioned for use by another villain with their own gimmicks, it’s recommended to flavour things to reflect that.

Lair of the Architect
Lethal Layout :d8:
Mechanised Automatons :d10:
Tricks & Traps :d10:

Green

Minor Twists

  • Guardian Automatons: Robotic defenders of this place are deployed to face the heroes. Roll the environment dice. Add a number of Guardian Automaton minions (see below) to the scene equal to the Min die.
  • Scything Blade: A concealed weighted blade swings down at a hero! Roll the environment dice. Attack 1 target with the Mid die.

Major Twist

  • Separated!: Through the use of cunning trapdoors, revolving walls, or other artifice, all the heroes become separated from one another! Move each hero to a different location in the scene. They can regroup using the normal movement rules.

Yellow

Minor Twists

  • Flame Burst: A gout of fire erupts from a wall or floor! Roll the environment dice. Attack 2 targets with the Mid die.
  • Poisoned Darts: A volley of poison-tipped darts is launched towards the heroes. Roll the environment dice. Hinder 2 targets with the Mid die.

Major Twist

  • Crushing Walls: The walls of the room begin to slowly slide together!
    [ ] Escape the room or stop the walls
    [ ] [ ] Timer
    Triggered: Everyone in the room is squashed flat, and restrained by the walls! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets in the room with the Mid die now and on each subsequent environment turn that they remain squashed. In addition, while restrained, targets can’t take any physical actions other than making an Overcome to free themselves, and possibly others.

Red

Minor Twists

  • Electrified Flooring: The floor of the chamber becomes charged with electricity! Roll the environment dice. Attack all targets with the Mid die, and each target damaged this way gains a -1 penalty.
  • Slayer Automaton: A mecha-machine designed for effecting the efficient elimination of enemies is deployed. Add 1 Slayer Automaton lieutenant (see below) to the scene.

Major Twist

  • Poisonous Gas: As hermetically-sealed doors slam over all the apertures to the room, poisonous gas begins to be pumped in! Roll the environment dice. Attack and Hinder all breathing targets in the room with the Mid die. Repeat this action on all subsequent environment turns until the below challenge is complete.
    [ ] [ ] [ ] Plug the gas or escape the room

Threats

Guardian Automatons
:d8: Minions

Description
When the Architect is in the employ of another villain, he’ll usually dress up these robots to comply with his client’s gimmick. Otherwise, their default forms are simple, blocky humanoid robots crafted from shining silver metal.

Ability
Sturdily-Built: Guardian Automatons have +1 to damage saves.

Tactics
These bots are plenty strong, but usually lack any other weaponry besides their mechanical limbs, unless they’ve been given such by the Architect’s client. They usually engage heroes toe-to-toe in fisticuffs, Attacking and Hindering them. If a villainous VIP is around, though, they may also Defend them.

Slayer Automaton
:d8: Lieutenant

Description
Similarly to the Guardian Automatons, unless decked out in themed attire, this robot will possess a silvery metallic humanoid form, although it’s quite sleeker and lither than it’s robotic brethren, as well as about a foot taller.

Abilities
Deadly Weaponry: A Slayer Automaton has +2 to Attacks.
Stalker: When the Slayer Automaton Boosts itself, it also Defends itself using the value of the resulting bonus.

Tactics
Usually, this bot will stalk its prey for a round by Boosting and Defending itself using its Stalker ability, before closing in to Attack. Unless given thematic weaponry, it possesses sharp razor-claws with which to fight, making it rather deadlier than the less sophisticated robots utilised by the Architect.

Editor’s Notes

Depending on how difficult you want to be to your players, you could add a rule to the scene that moving betwixt any locations within this environment requires a successful Overcome, instead of using the normal movement rules.

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#68

That’s some serious alliteration going on there. :slight_smile:

Lovely array of classic “trapped lair” elements there.

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#69

Yeah, it started out accidentally, but when I noticed it, I decided to go all in!

That is precisely the idea! Thanks.

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