Interlinked: Blade Runner RPG Solo Campaign - Session 0: Character and Case Creation
I remember watching Blade Runner on VHS back in the 90s. Of course, I didn’t understand all the philosophical nuances of the movie at the time, (I was probably 10 or 11 years old), but I definitely loved the movie. The aesthetic, the replicants, the mystery, the action. I loved it all.
Since I’ve gotten older I’ve only fallen more in love with the franchise. It’s hard to believe that there are only two Blade Runner movies and that they’ve still had a huge impact on modern culture.
So when the Blade Runner kickstarter opened, of course I jumped in. I’m playing in a traditional game of the starter adventure, Electric Dreams, soon but I can’t get enough so I’m also playing it as a solo campaign.
So welcome to Interlinked: a Blade Runner RPG Solo Campaign. This campaign will follow a similar structure to Seclusion, my Alien RPG campaign. I’m aiming for about 7 posts including this one but we will see.
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| Credit to Free League. It's a great-looking book! |
This campaign will have no spoilers from the starter set adventure. I haven’t read it myself so it's completely impossible.
Tools and Books I’m Using
Blade Runner Role Playing Game Core Rules - So far I’m loving this book. The art is fantastic and there is just enough setting material to give you a feel for LA in this world, how replicant lives, and what a Blade Runner has to do for their job.
Plot Unfolding Machine - By Jeansen Vaars - An oracle with a slightly different twist. The Plot Unfolding Machine works based on scenes that will be perfect for Blade Runner. This is my GM emulator.
Content Warning
Blade Runner can get dark and I expect Interlinked to get dark also. I’m unsure where this campaign will go but there will be swearing, violence, and romance.
Character Creation
Character creation will be done in universe, in the style of an Internal Affairs file. Whatever can be randomly rolled for will be. Let’s play!
LAPD Internal Affairs Service File on Blade Runner J55647
Biographic Information
Street Name: Detective Jay
Designation: Nexus 9 Replicant
Archetype: Doxie - (A Doxie is someone who is intuned with the body language and signals of regular people. Key Attribute is Agility. Key Skills are Hand-to-hand combat, Mobility, and Manipulation).
Specialty: Interrogator - Detective Jay has a distinct knack for getting witnesses and perpetrators to talk to her. (Advantage to all Manipulation rolls for extracting information from a prisoner or witness in court.)
Years on the Force: 1
Detective Jay is a recent addition to the Rep-Detect Unit, being issued to the RDU shortly after the prohibition on Replicants was lifted. (Rookie Attributes +5, Skills +8, Starting promotion points 3, Starting Chinyen 4)
Attribute Ratings:
Detective Jay has standard advantages to Strength and Agility enjoyed by all replicants. She also has advanced Empathy that far outpaces what a normal human has. (I get five points to increase attributes, the baseline is C and it costs one to raise it one level)
Strength: B - Above average strength compared to a normal human.
Agility: A - Superhuman agility that would outpace Olympic athletes.
Intelligence: C - Average intelligence
Empathy: A - Social intelligence and charisma only a famous actor could match
Health and Resolve
Detective Jay has the typical robust nature of NX9s, but her mental fortitude has not yet been tested in many real-world settings. Several people consider NX9s to be unpredictable and susceptible to mental breakdowns. Baseline Tests will be required often.
Health Rating: 8
Resolve: 3
Skills
Detective Jay is well-skilled in Manipulating suspects, detaining suspects by hand, and moving quickly through the city. (Same as with attribute but I have 8 to increase now and they start at D)
Force (Strength): D
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Strength): B
Stamina (Strength): D
Firearms (Strength): D
Mobility (Agility): B
Stealth (Agility): C
Medical Aid (Intelligence): D
Observation (Intelligence): D
Tech (Intelligence): D
Connections (Empathy): D
Manipulations (Empathy): B
Insight (Empathy): C
Driving (Manoeuvrability): D
Psychological Profile:
Key Memory - Memories are implanted into replicants to give them more emotional stability. (Jay can use her key memory to help a skill roll once per session).
Table 1: It was just a few weeks ago…
Table 2: Off the grid in the Kipple wastelands…
Table 3: No one was there but you…
Table 4: You witnessed a miracle
Table 5: I felt, hopeful
Transcript from Psychological Evaluation of Detective Jay
Interviewer: So Detective Jay, tell me about these dreams you have been having.
Detective Jay: They always seem like they are just a few weeks ago, which I know isn’t possible. Still, it just feels like it, I can’t explain it more than that.
I: And where are you in these dreams?
J: The Kipple wastelands, beyond the city. I’ve… never been there, at least outside of these dreams. I know of Blade Runners who go there to hunt down old Nexus-8s but I haven’t gotten those missions. I don’t know why I have just a vivid picture of the wastelands there.
I: Are you alone? With another detective or a civilian?
J: I’m with… Someone. I care deeply about this person. I’d almost say I love them but I’m not human and don’t feel love. But I want them to be safe and happy and I want to care for them.
I: And what happens with this person?
J: They have another with them. A child, a small girl about six years old. It is their child, I know that, but I don’t know how I know that.
I: And how does that make you feel?
J: Hopeful. Like this person and their child will make the world a better place for all people.
Transcript Complete
Assessment: Retirement for Detective Jay is not recommended. Recommend additional Baseline tests to ensure Detective Jay is within standard operating procedures. If dreams continue, reassess the retirement of this replicant.
Relationship History: (Every character has an outside relationship with someone, even the replicants).
Table 1: A DiJi (holo-projected person) named Astrid
Table 2: Our relationship is protective
Table 3: They want you to quit your job.
Detective Jay has been assigned a DiJi for home use named Astrid. By all accounts, the DiJi is working well and they have developed a protective relationship. The DiJi will assist in keeping Detective Jay on Baseline.
Equipment and Physical Profile
Detective Jay is equipt with the standard Blade Runner gear.
Badge, PK-D Blaster, Knowledge Integration Assistant - KIA (like a PDA or a mobile phone)
Detective Special Spinner - (the iconic Blade Runner flying car)
Appearance
Detective Jay doesn’t mind that people don’t look her in the eyes, because it prevents people from knowing Jay is studying them.
LAPD Assigned Home
Detective Jay has been assigned a condo filled with old mementos and a balcony overlooking the neon-lit streets of Little Tokyo.
Signature Item:
Detective Jay has been noted practicing with a harmonica. Apparently, there have been several complaints from her condo association.
LAPD Internal Affairs Service File on Blade Runner J55647 Complete
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| File photo of Detective Jay |
Tuesday, 14 September 2037, 2nd Shift
Deputy Chief Holden brings me in into his office, he already has a grim look on his face. It didn’t take me long to realise this was going to be a bad one.
“Detective Jay. Please take a seat. I got a case for you and I need you to not fuck this one up. You have a good record Detective, so you're getting the shit burger here. A rich guy out in the Fashion District lost a replicant. A Mr. Nombeko Wyman, quite an elegant man from what I’ve read, connected to Wallace Corp somehow so we have to look into it.”
“Of course Deputy Chief,” I say.
Holden looks up at me, he already looks tired, “Good, well this Mr. Wyman lost a replicant. A new Nexus 9, so we don’t think it ran away of its own volition. Now normally we wouldn’t be too concerned but this Mr Wyman called the Mayor, the Mayor called the Chief and the Chief called me. So here you are. Now, this is a top priority, get back to your desk and start reviewing the case file. And Detective, don’t come back without answers you understand? Dismissed.”
I stand up and walk back to my desk. The case files are there on my computer already. I start reviewing the circumstances of the disappearance of the case and who may be involved.
Rep-Dec United Case File 3458
Transcript of interview with Mr. Nombeko Wyman.
Deputy Chief Holden: Mr. Wyman thank you for coming in and talking to us about this. I apologize for not speaking to you earlier. Please tell me what happened to your replicant.
Mr. Wyman: Her name is Flora. Yes, she was kidnapped two weeks ago. She must have been taken. She wouldn’t run, she just wouldn’t. I treated her so kindly. I have a lot of enemies you know, people who wish me harm. They would take her. I want her found Deputy Chief Holden, I want her back and those who took her punished to the full extent of the law.
H: Of course Mr. Wyman. We will make this our top priority. What can you tell us about your repli… *sounds of ruffling notes* Flora? Who had access to her and if you have any known enemies who wish you harm?
Mr. W: Flora is the sweetest person ever. We had a connection. Something people didn’t understand. Certainly not my wife and son. We would talk for hours and hours, late into the night. She would never leave me, you understand? But yes, I do have enemies. That is why I had her protected day and night. My Chief of Security Prei Layoun will know all those details.
As for enemies? I have several, it’s hard to make it in this town without a few, you know? There is Dimitry Koslovski, he’s always been jealous of my political connections. I would expect something like this from that damn snake. And Eve Linton, she was a former employee of mine, we had a falling out and I had to terminate her contract. She took it badly.
H: Thank you, Mr. Wyman. You mentioned your wife and son didn’t appreciate the.. ummm… relationship you had with Flora. Can you tell me a bit about why?
Mr. W: They aren’t involved in this. You shouldn’t be concerned about them.
H: Yes I understand that Mr. Wyman but for completeness can you explain their issues with Flora?
Mr. W: Fine. They felt I spent too much time with Flora. Like I was replacing them with her. But they didn’t understand our connection, our love, I mean our feelings for each other. Please delete that last sentence.
H: Of course, we will. Can you tell us a bit about your Wife and Son?
Mr. W: My wife is Clara Wyman, we’ve been married for 25 years and my son is Luca Wyman, 22 years old and a student at LA University. You won’t need to speak to them. Deputy Chief, you need to find Flora. I promise you, I reward success and punish failure.
H: Of course Mr. Wyman, we will be in touch shortly for more questions or further information.
I study the list of subjects and the information on Flora. Clearly, there is more to this story than Mr. Wyman is letting on. No Nexus 9 could possibly run away unless they were under extreme stress and it wasn’t noticed in a Baseline test. But who would abduct her?
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Victim: Mr. Nobeko Wyman, Sector 9: Fashion District
Subject: Flora, (Replicant F5335 Nexus 9), Unknown
People of Interest: Chief of Security Prei Layoun, Sector 9: Fashion District
Dimitry Koslovski, Political Rival, Sector 5: City Hall
Eve Linton, Former employee (scientist) Sector 4, DNA Row
Clara Wyman, Wife Sector 9, Grand Central Market
Luca Wyman, Son Sector 2, University of LA
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Thanks, everyone so much for reading along. I hope it was as fun to read as it was to write out. I'm pumped for where this case ends up going, I'm sure we will all be surprised by its direction! Be sure to check in next week for more Interlinked.
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