To Death and Beyond

Highly advanced killbots murder anyone in a particular area.

Structure

Rising Action

The kill bots do not negotiate. They kill. That's all they do. They will not venture far from the center of their formation, but they will fire at anyone who comes within weapons range. The only way to stop them is to destroy them.

Climax

At the center of the kill bot formation is a deceased alien. The alien had set up camp off the path and apparently got bitten by a small venomous creature and died from it. Evidence also appears as if the kill bots activated a contingency program and murdered the rest of the alien's group.

Falling Action

The kill bots did not collect any spoils, but did strip some scrap in order to repair themselves. All the murdered travellers and their gear remains where it lay.

Components

Hooks

The party may run accross this plot several ways:

1. Random generated unique malevalent encounter with the bots themselves
2. Party hears about the murders from Savage Sarah of Savage Sarah's Robot Riot fame. Her convoy was ambushed and badly damaged and two vehicles had to be left behind with their combat robots inside. As her entire business is basically suspended, Sarah can offer no monetary reward, but might be willing to offer networking deals or maybe some future favor.
3. Party answers a request for investigation from one of the affected villages.
4. The party hears about a massive treasure of discarded weapons, gear and food ripe for the taking, if only someone caould defeat the kill bots
5. Party answers a request for investigation from Northern Gun, the patron of Savage Sarah's Robot Riot

Stakes

Located next to a well-travelled route, the kill bots will stop any and all commerce and travel along it. If not resolved, the bots will continue to murder any unsuspecting travellers and the villages downstream will be left without the high technology items upon which they depend for their survival.

Relations

Allies

Savage Sarah - A consumate showman, she knows how to entertain. It has been a long time since she's gotten behind the controls of a robot fighting machine, and even longer since she's put herself in harm's way. Nevertheless, she will grab a blaster and will want to go retrieve as much of her lost convoy as possible.

Neutrals/Bystanders

One of the alien's family members who survived and is playing dead the whole time. Will be able to fill in the details of what happened.

Adversaries

The kill-bots. Their advanced technology should make them a VERY difficult encounter. Do not make too many of them, but rather increase their numbers in waves to increase the challenge level as necessary. They should have medium and short range weapons and there should be one kill-bot dedicated to melee combat and that will guard the corpse of the alien.

Plot type

Short Quest