Nicolas Cage is a bit of an obsession of mine. I once started (and didn't finish) a quest to review every Nic Cage movie ever. Players from my previous National Treasure campaign got me a transforming sequined pillow with a picture of Cage as Cameron Poe. I honestly think the man is a talented actor, but his choices as a performer are wild. So why not do a one-shot based on one of Cage's wildest movies? Dig into the one-shot instructions below and grace your party with some high shenanigans a la 1997's biggest, craziest movie.
If you're interested in creating your own one-shots from a movie, read this guide for how to create an adventure like this yourself.
Introduction
Character Creation: Players must design their characters with 5 details in mind. (1) They'll need a character name. (2) They must have committed a crime to be included on the flight; even if they are innocent of the charge, they must have been found guilty. (3) They must select two traits from the below list of character bonuses. (4) Players can get access to an extra trait if they have a sufficiently tragic backstory. (5) Players can get access to another extra trait if they commit to using a bad character accent for the duration of the one-shot.
The bonus traits:
- Firearm Proficiency - Without this trait, a character has a 25% chance of hitting an enemy with a firearm. With this trait, a character has a 50% chance of hitting an enemy. (Roll a d100--50 or below means a success)
- Melee Proficiency - Without this trait, a melee weapon deals 25% damage to its victim. With this trait, a melee weapon deals 50% damage to its victim.
- Military Training - Without this trait, a character can deal 10% damage per turn without a weapon. With this trait, a character can deal 50% damage per turn without a weapon.
- Explosives Expert - Without this trait, explosives cannot be interacted with. With this trait, a character has a 75% chance of safely arming or disarming explosives.
- Criminal Reputation - Without this trait, a character can intimidate someone with a 25% success rate. With this trait, a character can intimidate someone with a 50% success rate.
- Dramatic Dashing - Without this trait, a character can leave the range of an attacker in two turns. With this trait, a character can leave the range of an attacker in one turn.
- Too Much Time in Isolation - With this trait, a character becomes volatile and can make two attacks in one turn once per combat.
- Death Wish - With this trait, a character may absorb an otherwise lethal blow as though they were never struck at all. Works once per one-shot.
- Pilot Training - Without this trait, a character can safely land or take off in a plane with a 25% success rate. With this trait, a character may safely land or take off in a plane with a 75% success rate.
- Inside Job - With this trait, a character can convince a law enforcer that they are siding against the convicts on the plane.
Once players have designed their characters and chosen their bonus traits, you're almost ready to run the adventure. All you need to do now is ask the party to agree on a particular stuffed animal to protect for the duration of the adventure--go classic with a bunny or mix it up.
The One-Shot
All of the characters, together with a group of convicts, are herded onto a military plane in chains. (Narration in italics)
The prison guards have been shifting nervously about for hours. There's talk that the most dangerous convicts are headed for a brand new supermax facility in Tennessee, but neither the guards nor the standard police will be accompanying. Rather, a squad of SWAT officers arrives just after the plane begins to fuel up. These officers look mean and tired, and they scowl menacingly at the convicts, who scowl menacingly back. They spend special attention on Cyrus the Virus, a bald goateed man with no morals whatsoever. Cyrus seems to like the attention and stands confidently, looking around at the other convicts.
As the convicts are pushed up the ramp onto the plane, a nondescript black sedan pulls up alongside the parked plane. Out steps a middle-aged man with black hair; he flashes a badge at the guards, but they won't let him pass. He begins to get agitated. "I'm Vince Larkin, with the FBI, for God's sake! You've gotta let me talk to Cyrus!" But the guards stand stock still, and you are pushed further onto the plane and chained to your seats.
(I played with changing Larkin's name to Con Jusack, but I decided to stay true to the movie. Feel free to switch it up if you choose.)
Aboard the plane, the SWAT officers secure every passenger and the plane begins to taxi. You pick up speed and lift roughly into the air. Cyrus is grinning widely, but most every other convict is stewing angrily in their seats. As you gain altitude, the convicts start to simmer down, and as the plane levels off, it is almost silent except for the murmuring of officers amongst themselves.
Suddenly, Cyrus struggles to stand, straining against the chains that hold him to his chair. "Now's the time, boys!" he shouts. He reaches into his waistband and pulls out a shiv, which he uses to attack the nearest officer. On cue, convicts across the plane assault the other officers, pulling away weapons and either killing or capturing the whole team in a matter of seconds. Cyrus grabs a set of keys from a nearby dead officer and throws it to a thin man who is chattering anxiously. "Pinball, catch!" he cries. Pinball grabs the keys out of the air, undoes his restraints, and begins to free to other convicts. Within moments, you are freed.
The players should now be allowed to move freely about the cabin. Now that the convicts are freed, people are milling around and asking Cyrus for details about the plan they have just discovered he has. The players may wish to speak to a few of the convicts; here are some notes on how they respond:
Pinball: Pinball is busy attending to basic tasks like freeing convicts and moving the bodies of the downed officers. He is also collecting weapons from the officers--handguns, batons, knives, and even one assault rifle. The more violent convicts distribute these weapons, asking the players if they want anything, although most items will be picked over by the convicts on the plane. Pinball is willing to talk only sparingly as he is busy, and he directs the players to speak with Cyrus if they have questions about the plan.
Diamond Dog: Diamond Dog is a muscular and intimidating man with a du-rag. He is overseeing the convicts and seems eager to keep everyone from getting into conflict; he wants everyone to work together. If the party speaks to him, he explains that we need to keep the peace if everyone wants their freedom.
Garland Greene: Greene is a quiet and frail man, chained in a special compartment of the plane behind a locked cage door. His speech is restricted by the leather harness on his face, but he will speak in short sentences if the players speak with him. He remains still in his seat and seems to be quite serene despite the chaos of the situation. He does not respond much to the idea of his cage being opened, but will nonetheless come out if freed. He takes special pride in being called "The Marietta Mangler."
Cyrus the Virus: Cyrus is speaking quietly to a big man with a heavy moustache who he calls Swamp Thing. The players can just overhear that he is saying something about the pilot. Cyrus is distracted by this conversation, but he does keep an eye on the players and the other convicts. If the players speak to Cyrus, he tells them to wait patiently and freedom is on the way.
After the players have gotten acclimated to the situation, Cyrus speaks to the whole plane:
"Okay, everybody," Cyrus says. "Our pilot doesn't yet know what's going on back here. Let's give him a little surprise." Cyrus turns and walks to the cabin door, swinging it wide open. From the body of the plane, you can hear the sounds of the pilot's surprised yelp, a dull thud, and then a heavy thud as the pilot's unconscious body hits the floor. After a moment of shifting around, Cyrus returns to the body of the plane and shouts, "And we're bound for New Mexico!" As if on cue, the plane banks sharply to the left, and some convicts fall to the floor, screaming and shouting the whole way. "Welcome aboard . . . Con Air!" Cyrus says, and a cheer comes from the crowd of convicts.
(Cyrus won't say what's in New Mexico if the players ask him--he just says it's the next part of the plan.)
"Now we need someone to check on the transponder," Cyrus adds. "Its service light was blinking in the cockpit, and if it's busted, we'll never make it to New Mexico. Any volunteers?"
Ideally, your players will volunteer to take care of the transponder. If they don't, have no other convicts volunteer and Cyrus arbitrarily point to the party and select them. If your players resist even this, have Cyrus send Pinball to deal with the transponder for now and have the convicts menace the party. This may result in a small combat, or it may be resolved with diplomacy. Whatever happens, the next scene will cut in midway though the action (especially before the party can be seriously hurt, or even while the party is headed to the transponder, which is in a small electronics room at the rear of the plane).
The plane lurches in the air, sending convicts flying and leaving no one on their feet. "Damn, the transponder is in worse shape that I thought!" yells Cyrus. "Get there now before we fall out of the sky!"
The plane continues to pitch and swing in the air, but you manage to make your way back to the electronics room. Inside this small room are perhaps a hundred blinking lights and nearly a dozen small boxes which seem to control various parts of the plane. There is a whiny beeping noise coming from one of the boxes, but it is difficult to tell which in this tiny room.
The players may inspect the boxes, and after the plane has dipped a few more times, they manage to isolate which one is beeping. It has three buttons on the top of the box, all unlabeled. No matter which the players press first, the plane begins to drop from the sky. The second button they press will allow the plane to fly safely again and will turn off the beeping.
The plane returns to flying normally. When you return to the main cabin, the convicts whoop and applaud your efforts. Diamond Dog nods approvingly before heading into the cockpit.
"I'm not a college man myself," says Cyrus, "so I don't know what a transponder really is. But whatever you did worked." He beams at you and looks out the window nearest him. "We'll be in New Mexico in no time."
Cyrus, content that his plan is on track, walks to the door to the cockpit. He reaches into a box and pulls out the stuffed [whatever your players selected]. He flops it around in his hands and makes [appropriate to the species] noises in a derisive fashion. He wipes his nose with the stuffed animal and laughs hysterically.
If your players haven't already interrupted you to defend the stuffed animal, pause for a moment and invite them to. If their stuffed animal is destroyed, there will be no point to their freedom. When the players confront Cyrus, the other convicts stand by, curious about the standoff. Cyrus is armed with a large knife, which he is willing to brandish, but he is hesitant to fight rather than tend to his plan. If the players insist on fighting him, make Cyrus escape to the cockpit and lock the door before they can kill him. Whether your players fight Cyrus or just disagree with him, have Cyrus shout through the cockpit door that they need to refuel before heading to New Mexico--it's a longer trip than they had prepared for.
After Cyrus's shouting stops, the plane begins to slowly descend. Looking out the window, you can see that the surrounding countryside is lush in farmland, and the convicts seem to be getting more anxious with a longer plane ride ahead of them.
Suddenly, the sound of a moan comes from the back of the plane. A guard who was beaten but not killed is struggling to her feet. A few convicts, Pinball included, are closing in on her. She looks at you and says, "Please, my name is Sally Bishop. I'm a mom. Please help me."
The players now must decide whether and how to help Bishop. Pinball has a baton and will strike her if unopposed; two other convicts are approaching unarmed with intent to harm. Diamond Dog returns from the cockpit and demands that Bishop be locked up as collateral, but Pinball does not seem interested in that option. The players must act to save her from Pinball, and can either place her in the electronics room and lock the door or fight to let her remain unharmed in the cabin.
If Bishop ends this encounter safely either in the electronics room or with the party, she is grateful for the help and says this:
"Thank you for saving me. I owe you one. It feels like we're descending. What's going on?"
The party can explain things however they like, but Bishop will remain concerned about her safety no matter what. She plans to escape when the plane lands and go to the appropriate authorities.
If Bishop is allowed to die, the convicts tease the party for being attached to her and will throw her body from the rear of the plane.
The plane lowers nearly to the ground and touches down roughly. The plane taxis until it is next to a refueling station. Through the windows, it looks like whatever station you have arrived at hasn't been inhabited in years. Rust covers everything in sight, and abandoned vehicles surround the lot. Diamond Dog addresses the convicts: "We need a few of you to go outside and hook the plane up to the fuel." He points at Pinball and the party. "You all go search for the hook-up hose and don't come back til we're getting more gas."
When the party emerges from the plane with Pinball, he splits off and looks alone, saying:
"I'll look over here. You all look by that hangar."
Near the hangar are abandoned cars and trucks. The hangar is empty except for carts of tools. Between the hangar and a work truck lies a large tank with a pressurized hose. It stretches just far enough to attach to the plane. A large lever on the side of the tank pushes the fuel into the plane. When the fuel runs out, there is a loud clicking sound and the humming of the fuel tank stops. The players may return to the plane or continue to investigate; there are tire irons and oversized wrenches lying around if the players want melee weapons, and a small .38 snub revolver with 3 bullets left inside tucked inside an abandoned truck.
Before the party can board the plane again, a plain black sedan speeds into the area. Out steps the FBI agent from before. He holds a gun on the party and introduces himself.
"I'm agent Vince Larkin! Identify yourselves!"
Larkin is slow to trust the party, but eventually buys that they have the same interests in mind. When he is still coming around to the party, he says things like "But why are you working with Cyrus? Why are you fueling up the plane?" When he finally comes around, he might say something like, "If you really are trying to help, then help me. Where is Cyrus going?" When the party answers that he is heading for New Mexico, he turns toward his car and says, "Then I'll meet you there. Stay in there and keep safe. See you on the way." He jumps in his car and speeds off the west.
Back on board the plane, Swamp Thing taxis and prepares to take off. There is a slight thudding as the plane takes up its landing gear. The plane jerkily takes off and the ground begins to shrink away from the plane. Cyrus emerges from the cockpit with a pistol in hand. "The plan is coming together nicely. Thanks to the crew who got us our fuel. It won't be long now. Our next stop will be Denver, where we'll refuel again and make the last bit of the trip." He smiles eerily and heads back into the cockpit, only to return a moment later. "Where's Pinball, anyway?" Faint moaning comes from the back of the plane. "Check that out."
When you enter the rear of the plane, you see Pinball's bent body stuck between the landing gear. He is clutching a permanent marker. You extricate his body from the plane and think of Agent Larkin. Pinball's body may be a way to let him know what's going on.
The party may now write a note to Larkin on Pinball's shirt. If they indicate Denver as their destination, Larkin will appear in Denver. If they give other information, Larkin will use it, but can only do what he is well-informed enough to do. In general, honor the spirit of what your party wants to communicate--they only get one shot, and it doesn't really work to penalize them for forgetting a small detail.
Chaotic sounds come from the cabin of the plane. You can hear the clink of batons striking one another; there are the thuds of bodies being struck; there are two gunshots in rapid succession; shouts and screams fill the air.
If the party emerges into the cabin, they see a full-scale riot. Convicts are attacking each other, and three new dead bodies lie on the floor of the cabin, one with gunshot wounds in his chest. Convicts will draw the party into combat if they do not act stealthily. Weapons slide around the floor as the plane pitches to and fro. If the party kills any of the convicts, the other convicts will hesitate before attacking them, especially if the party is working as a team. If the party remains in the rear of the plane to avoid the riot, two convicts locked in combat stumble in, and both turn on the party. Once all threats have been dealt with:
Cyrus returns from the cockpit. "What the hell is going on here?" he cries. "We're on our way to freedom. Stop this madness!" To punctuate his shouting, he fires a bullet into the air, which rips through the roof of the plane, and air goes rushing out into the sky. Angry with himself, Cyrus fires another shot into a nearby convict, who crumples to the floor gasping.
The fracas comes to a halt. "I think you all could use a babysitter," Cyrus says disapprovingly. "Perhaps the Marietta Mangler will do." He walks across the cabin to the cage and unlocks the door before freeing Greene of his restraints and mask. Greene rubs his wrists where the restraints had bound him and smiles. "I don't have a great record as a babysitter, but I'll try," he says. He approaches a nearby convict and feints as though he is going to strike them; the convict flinches away, and the rest of the convicts laugh uproariously.
(If the players have already freed Greene, he should go from lurking in the corner to center stage.) Give the players a minute to interact with Greene now that he is free. Greene is more able and willing to communicate, and he seems much keener and more threatening now that he is free, even frail as he is. "Can't wait to stretch my legs at the next stop," he says. Greene is non-violent toward the party unless they provoke him seriously. He seems indifferent to Cyrus and his plan except as far as it benefits him, and even still, freedom does not seem like a huge boon to him.
The plane begins to descend again. Farmland has given way to rocky mountains. Cyrus comes from the cockpit and says, "We're nearly there, gentlemen. One last stop and we'll be in New Mexico." A cheer goes up from the plane, and after another rough landing, the plane taxis toward a pump at a small airport outside Denver. There are uniformed employees milling around, and most of them seem alarmed at the unscheduled appearance of the plane. Nevertheless, no one approaches.
"You!" Cyrus shouts. "You did such a good job fueling us up last time, why don't you do it again? Get out there and don't let the workers get in your way!" A cheer goes up from the convicts.
The party can once again leave the plane. They manage to find the refueling station without issue, as this one is clearly labeled. A few workers begin to approach the party, but back away when they recognize the prison uniforms they're wearing. The party should be able to refuel without any serious issue.
A plain black sedan once again tears onto the tarmac and approaches the party. Out steps Larkin once more. His gun is not raised this time.
"I was just over at Denver International. Glad I caught you here. Thanks for the note, even if it was a little barbaric. I'm just going to assume you didn't kill him for now." Larkin shifts a bit and lowers his sunglasses. "You're almost to New Mexico. Any clue what you're going there for?"
The party can hazard guesses as to what is going on, but Larkin remains unsure.
Behind you, the fueling device clicks loudly and the lever snaps back to the "off" position. Larkin looks dutifully at you. "Get back on that plane and keep everyone safe. I'll see you in New Mexico. I'll be chasing you as best I can. Here, take this!" Larking throws a walkie-talkie to the party and shouts, "Use this in case of an emergency. Let me know where you're landing when you find out!" Larkin lowers himself into the sedan and spins backwards before speeding out of the lot. The plane begins to taxi back towards the runway, allowing you only a moment to charge back toward its open rear doors.
The party must run back to the plane. They are able to just barely make in back into the hold if they rush. If the party decides for some reason to stay off the plane and join Larkin, he insists that they keep an eye on the plane and refuses to leave with them.
When you emerge back into the cabin of the plane, it is eerily quiet. Every convict on the plane is standing or sitting silently, watching Greene play pattycakes with a young girl of about 7 years old. She seems oblivious to the danger presented by the group of convicts around her. She begins to softly sing, "He's got the whole world in his hands," low and slow, while Greene watches her intently.
The party is free to act as they wish. If they try to take the girl away from Greene, he does not protest, but the rest of the convicts do. If the players let Greene continue to play with the girl, she remains oblivious and Greene becomes increasingly focused. The players can convince the girl to come play with them if they can come up with a makeshift toy or use their stuffed animal, and Greene will resign himself to letting them take her away. If the players do anything to help the girl, a large convict who goes by Joey Two-Legs will step to the party and challenge them to combat--he wants to see what Greene will do with the girl. After the party defeats Two-Legs, the rest of the convicts will reluctantly allow the party to protect the girl--for now.
The plane buzzes through the air for a while, the rocky mountains and forests below giving way to desert scrub and dunes. It is not long at all before the plane begins to descend once more. Cyrus steps to the front of the plane and clears his throat. "Well, we're almost there, boys. We're gonna be free and more powerful than ever. We're just ten minutes from the most remarkable place in New Mexico: Area 51." A hush from the convicts allows you to hear Swamp Thing in the cockpit cursing.
"I ain't fuckin' around with any aliens, Cyrus!" he calls. "You didn't tell me we were going to mess around in space." Cyrus laughs condescendingly. "You absolute fool. Area 51 is the only way we can prepare ourselves to stand against the government goons they're going to send at us. We need the future weapons there or else we won't stand a chance. Now shut up and take us there." But Swamp Thing resists further, cursing Cyrus's name. When he calls Cyrus an idiot, Cyrus snaps, raising his pistol to Swamp Thing's head and firing. Swamp Thing slumps forward in the pilot's seat, and the plane pitches violently.
"Anybody know how to land this thing?" Cyrus yells gleefully. Convicts begin to panic and shift around the cabin. In the midst of it all, Cyrus remains still and unworried. He looks to you with a questioning eye. "You want to bring us down safe and sound?"
If someone from the party volunteers to land the plane, Cyrus leads them to the cockpit and helps remove Swamp Thing's body, pointing them to an airfield in the distance. If no one from the party volunteers, Cyrus eventually calls Diamond Dog in to land the plane.
The party now knows that Cyrus is bound for Area 51 and may relay this information to Larkin. If they do so, Larkin will be waiting there. He will be short on words but agree to rush to Area 51. If not, he will arrive midway into the action. If the party chooses to communicate with Larkin, they will have to do so stealthily or risk being found out by the other convicts.
When the plane touches down, the player piloting the aircraft must make a roll: use a d100; if the player doesn't have Pilot Training as a bonus trait, a 25 or below will mean a successful landing--otherwise, the plane will be broken in the landing, the shell of the plane scraping along the tarmac and wings rupturing from the plane. If they do have Pilot Training, a 75 or below will mean a successful landing. Even if it is a bad landing, no one dies, but the plane does come violently apart.
The plane is now stationary on the ground. Convicts stream from the plane and start running towards a concrete bunker at the edge of the runway. Green lights appear at the top of the bunker, first blinking and then pulsing brighter light. The pulsing forms a pattern, moving from one side to the other until a burst a green energy fires from the lights and strikes a handful of convicts, who scream in pain and fall to the ground.
"Defensive positions!" yells Cyrus, pulling metal crates from a nearby storage shed and building makeshift cover. The convicts fall back to defensible areas as heavily-armored soldiers begin to march toward the convicts' positions. Cyrus laughs and yells "Jackpot!" When you look to him, he is handing out a collection of assault rifles to the convicts.
The players can get weaponry from Cyrus if they wish. As the last weapons are handed out, the sound of tires screeching to a halt sound from behind the party.
Behind you is a plain black sedan, and out steps Agent Larkin. He holds up his radio triumphantly as though to [thank the party for using it/remind the party he had the radio all along]. He sees the armed convicts and the supersoldiers beyond you and takes cover behind the door of his sedan. "Area 51, huh? Couldn't have just landed on the Vegas Strip?" The little girl runs off the plane and into Larkin's arms--he places her in the front seat of the sedan and focuses back on the action.
Cyrus sees the party interacting with Larkin and gives up his defensive position to come yell at them.
Cyrus picks his way carefully through the battlefield, firing shots at the supersoliders beyond. He comes up next to you and points his rifle warily at you. "You working with that fed?" he asks, his eyes ablaze. "Maybe you'd like a little lead medal for your bravery!" He aims and fires at [a random member of the party].
The bullet goes just slightly over the shoulder of the player he aimed at. The party must now defeat Cyrus the Virus. Cyrus can take 50% more damage than the average convict and fights mostly with the rifle as a melee weapon because the last shot he fired was the final bullet in the magazine. When the players defeat Cyrus, Cyrus lies bleeding on the ground and looks up at them angrily.
"Is this all because of the [stuffed animal] thing? Damn, you hold a grudge." His eyes go blank, and Cyrus slips away.
Meanwhile, the action is fierce. Only three convicts remain standing, with four supersoldiers pressing in. In successive bursts of gunfire, two convicts and two supersoldiers are killed. The battlefield is spread out: the party is gathered behind a defensive structure, the other convict is behind an old pickup truck, and the two supersoldiers are approaching, their weapons drawn on the other convict.
The players may now act as they wish. If they want to help the convict, the convict will help them but die in fighting the remaining supersoldiers. If the party wants to get Larkin involved, he will provide suppressive fire so the party can relocate. If the party attacks the supersoldiers (who have 25% additional health compared to a standard enemy), they manage to do away with them in dramatic fashion (try to have a few players hurt before the supersoldiers get killed). When only Larkin and the party remain:
Larkin checks in with the little girl and looks back to you. "You did it. Cyrus's plan is foiled. I wonder what he was trying to do, anyway. You know, I bet for all your cooperation, you'll be paroled tomorrow. Not to mention, you'll be a hero." He smiles pleasantly and then the smile disappears from his face. He is looking at something behind and above you. Worried that the violent green lights are returning, you spin around.
Before you is a column of white light that goes hundreds of feet into the sky. It sweeps towards you quickly and soon surrounds you. Something powerful lifts you up off the ground. Soon you are rising, rising high above Larkin and his plain black sedan. You can hear him shouting, but you can't hear what he says; the closer you get to the top of the column of light, the louder the sound of a pulsating hum. The light disappears, and after you have blinked your eyes to adjust to the relative darkness, you see that you are in a round room surrounded by cloaked figures. Your stuffed animal is on the floor in the round room.
"You are not Cyrus, but you are of Cyrus," one of the figures says. It has large black eyes and pale grey skin with a tall, oblong head. "Cyrus made a deal with us that we intend to honor if you wish. He said that the ones in the orange suits would help us free our brethren from the prison that is Area 51 if we would make a new home for the orange suits in our galaxy. But first, we must free our kind from the first 50 Areas. Will you join us in this quest and be our crew aboard the Con Space?"
Notes on My Playthrough
I asked my players to come up with characters for the one-shot, and they responded with mostly silly creations. One player portrayed Cameron Sanders, heir to the KFC throne who had been imprisoned for eating fried chicken with a fork in a certain county in Georgia, where that is an actual crime. (The player was inspired by those insane laws that are still on the books in towns across the United States.) Meanwhile, another player created Aden Coolteen, who had been imprisoned for shoplifting and who had a background in explosives. We were joined mid-session by a third player whose character was named Bugsy, who was in prison for a variety of reasons and who was incredibly quick. Together, they completed the adventure aboard the Con Air.
During the adventure, the players chose a stuffed zebra as their symbol of freedom, which they defended from Cyrus successfully by offering Cyrus a fortune in fried chicken; Cyrus agreed on the condition that Sanders stop talking about chicken (it was pretty constant). Later, when Bishop asked for help staying safe, the players questioned her on her ethics as an officer of the law. When they ascertained that Bishop would protect colleagues who broke the law, they allowed the other convicts to kill her. This was unexpected for me, at least initially, but it created a real sense that the convicts had an agenda and agency in the one-shot, which is pretty ideal.
When the opportunity arose for the players to leave a note about the plane's destination for Larkin using Pinball's body, the party did indicate that Denver was the location--they also transcribed a chicken recipe on Pinball's shirt. While refueling in Denver, Aden used a makeshift explosive charge to damage the landing gear on the plane, which hampered but did not prevent the plane from taking off again.
When the riot struck on-board, the party carefully used the collection of guns aboard the plane to take control of the riot and effectively overthrow the prisoner control of the plane. With control of the plane in hand, Cyrus announced they were bound for Area 51. When the plane touched down, the party remained cautious about engaging in combat and eventually handled all of the enemies. When the UFO swept in and took the party, the players were on the edges of their seats, and at the mention of the Con Space, they literally cheered. This was a highly satisfying moment--players cheering is essentially always a good sign.
In fact, the players wanted more. We agreed that I would write a sequel to this one shot about the alien's mission to free their comrades from Area 51. I'll post that one-shot soon, but in the meantime, why not check out some of my other TRPG works: an analysis of the classic Queen of the Spiders supermodule, my old D&D podcast, or an analysis of audience dynamics in that podcast. Until next time, happy gaming!
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