Wife wants to play a Rifts campaign

[EltonRobb]

So, my wife contacted me yesterday and said she wanted to play in a Rifts campaign. As far as I know, this is her introduction to roleplaying games. So, I'm going to run a game for her using Savage Worlds Rifts (yeah, go me). She read my Rifts library and didn't like the Palladium system, so we are doing Savage Rifts. She wants to play in the New West with my other regular players of Shadowrun (my Shadowrun games are coming to a close).

I have Rifts New West (hard copy and pdf), so I was thinking of starting the PCs on a ranch near Manti. She wants to play an elf cowgirl. I don't know about the others yet. So, I wanted to ask if you have any further ideas.

[Grazzik]

Lots of opportunities for adventure here. Some ideas to get things started.

Spoiler:

It's peak of the summer heat and the local creek has dried up. Folks around the region are getting desperate to water their herds. Many ranchers have come into town looking for help. The local merchant has arranged for water shipments to come from a nearby CS colony and the water is only sold to human ranchers, but for a high premium. Dbee ranchers (perhaps the PCs) are instead pressured to sell up to the merchant at a deep discount and move on westward. Human ranchers who share the water with dbee neighbors often find their ranch experience an unfortunate event. When a water warlock shows up, their ability to provide water is in high demand among the dbee ranchers. However, a team of four brooding strangers have also rolled into town, giving the warlock their full attention. They spend a lot of time speaking with a known peddler of Bandito Arms products, but otherwise keep to themselves. One night it comes to a head - a local rancher rides into town to tell everyone that the creek hadn't dried up... it had been dammed! The blockage was too big for the rancher to handle themselves. The PCs hear the news and are begged to join a crew leaving at first light. However, in the night:
a) the warlock had taken off with all the money the ranchers had paid
b) the four strangers had packed up and disappeared, tracks indicating that they are trailing the warlock
c) the merchant was found dead, drowned in a bathtub full of sand

Do the PCs help clear the dam? Investigate whether the warlock was behind the dam? Follow up on the murder of the merchant? Find out who the four strangers were and whether they were involved with any of this? Time is of the essence as suspects are on the move and locals may inadvertently ruin any evidence around the dam in their desperation to clear it.

Spoiler:

Two young Simvan were accused of trying to steal a few heads of cattle the PCs' ranch and were killed by a few inexperienced cowhands, who claim self defense despite being quite drunk at the time. The cowhands have stripped the dead Simvan of a number of personal items and refuse to give them up, even if threatened with dismissal, as some of the items appear to be valuable. If followed, the Simvans' tracks will lead back to a tribe of over a thousand desperate Simvan that have been on the move due to an outbreak of demonic activity in their home territory. The two Simvan had been lead scouts and saw an opportunity to feed their people, but may or may not have attempted theft, instead carrying the valuable trade goods to buy cattle. Also, one of the scouts had been the daughter of the tribe's shaman. How the news is broken to the Simvan will impact their reaction. Any declaration of retribution could lead to several large ranches being ravaged for miles around. Meanwhile, the cowhands have taken off and may need to be tracked down if justice is to be served or the valuables recovered.

Spoiler:

In a narrow pass through some nearby badlands, a random rift has opened to an extremely radioactive dimension which has silently irradiated the surrounding loose rock and dirt, substantially more than fallout from a nuclear weapon. At least two tectonic entities have been known to inhabit the badlands harassing travelers that use the pass, who seek to avoid other greater dangers lurking in the badlands. The entities like to cause loose rocks and dirt to engulf travelers so they come to harm or get lost. The PCs are looking for a lost calf near where the pass opens out to ranch lands when they come across a lone rider. The rider is suffering from extreme radiation sickness from exposure to the dust stirred up by the tectonic entities that they barely escaped. The rider makes it clear to the PCs that there is a settler wagon train moving through the pass and have no idea what they are heading into. The rider begs the PCs to rescue the settlers, particularly the children, before passing into a coma. Do the PCs mount a rescue? What is done with the entities? What to do longer term with the irradiated rocks and dirt? What if the settlers are planning to settle in the ranch lands and are human supremist or are looking to ruin the environment to pursue their own industry?

[EltonRobb]

Lots of opportunities for adventure here. Some ideas to get things started.

Spoiler:

It's peak of the summer heat and the local creek has dried up. Folks around the region are getting desperate to water their herds. Many ranchers have come into town looking for help. The local merchant has arranged for water shipments to come from a nearby CS colony and the water is only sold to human ranchers, but for a high premium. Dbee ranchers (perhaps the PCs) are instead pressured to sell up to the merchant at a deep discount and move on westward. Human ranchers who share the water with dbee neighbors often find their ranch experience an unfortunate event. When a water warlock shows up, their ability to provide water is in high demand among the dbee ranchers. However, a team of four brooding strangers have also rolled into town, giving the warlock their full attention. They spend a lot of time speaking with a known peddler of Bandito Arms products, but otherwise keep to themselves. One night it comes to a head - a local rancher rides into town to tell everyone that the creek hadn't dried up... it had been dammed! The blockage was too big for the rancher to handle themselves. The PCs hear the news and are begged to join a crew leaving at first light. However, in the night:
a) the warlock had taken off with all the money the ranchers had paid
b) the four strangers had packed up and disappeared, tracks indicating that they are trailing the warlock
c) the merchant was found dead, drowned in a bathtub full of sand

Do the PCs help clear the dam? Investigate whether the warlock was behind the dam? Follow up on the murder of the merchant? Find out who the four strangers were and whether they were involved with any of this? Time is of the essence as suspects are on the move and locals may inadvertently ruin any evidence around the dam in their desperation to clear it.

Spoiler:

Two young Simvan were accused of trying to steal a few heads of cattle the PCs' ranch and were killed by a few inexperienced cowhands, who claim self defense despite being quite drunk at the time. The cowhands have stripped the dead Simvan of a number of personal items and refuse to give them up, even if threatened with dismissal, as some of the items appear to be valuable. If followed, the Simvans' tracks will lead back to a tribe of over a thousand desperate Simvan that have been on the move due to an outbreak of demonic activity in their home territory. The two Simvan had been lead scouts and saw an opportunity to feed their people, but may or may not have attempted theft, instead carrying the valuable trade goods to buy cattle. Also, one of the scouts had been the daughter of the tribe's shaman. How the news is broken to the Simvan will impact their reaction. Any declaration of retribution could lead to several large ranches being ravaged for miles around. Meanwhile, the cowhands have taken off and may need to be tracked down if justice is to be served or the valuables recovered.

Spoiler:

In a narrow pass through some nearby badlands, a random rift has opened to an extremely radioactive dimension which has silently irradiated the surrounding loose rock and dirt, substantially more than fallout from a nuclear weapon. At least two tectonic entities have been known to inhabit the badlands harassing travelers that use the pass, who seek to avoid other greater dangers lurking in the badlands. The entities like to cause loose rocks and dirt to engulf travelers so they come to harm or get lost. The PCs are looking for a lost calf near where the pass opens out to ranch lands when they come across a lone rider. The rider is suffering from extreme radiation sickness from exposure to the dust stirred up by the tectonic entities that they barely escaped. The rider makes it clear to the PCs that there is a settler wagon train moving through the pass and have no idea what they are heading into. The rider begs the PCs to rescue the settlers, particularly the children, before passing into a coma. Do the PCs mount a rescue? What is done with the entities? What to do longer term with the irradiated rocks and dirt? What if the settlers are planning to settle in the ranch lands and are human supremist or are looking to ruin the environment to pursue their own industry?

These three are good adventure ideas. I might use one. Thanks. Oh, uhm, yeah a Warlock (Elementalist), how would you do one in Savage Worlds?

[Grazzik]

I don't play SW but love the New West setting. Hopefully someone can give guidance. If not,...

Spoiler:

... perhaps treat the warlock as a NPC, someone who was honestly peddling their services and had absolutely nothing to do with all the other goings on, despite their departure's bad timing. Maybe they wanted to get out of town quick as rain was on the way and folks might want their money back... or worse, blame the warlock for flooding. That way you focus on the roleplaying rather than the rollplaying wrt to the warlock. Maybe they were a witness that points the finger elsewhere (perhaps validated by a psychic or skilled interrogator amongst the PCs). A great distraction that could lead to PCs having to backtrack quickly and find other leads. Otherwise, liberal use of handwavium.

[EltonRobb]

I don't play SW but love the New West setting. Hopefully someone can give guidance. If not,...

Spoiler:

... perhaps treat the warlock as a NPC, someone who was honestly peddling their services and had absolutely nothing to do with all the other goings on, despite their departure's bad timing. Maybe they wanted to get out of town quick as rain was on the way and folks might want their money back... or worse, blame the warlock for flooding. That way you focus on the roleplaying rather than the rollplaying wrt to the warlock. Maybe they were a witness that points the finger elsewhere (perhaps validated by a psychic or skilled interrogator amongst the PCs). A great distraction that could lead to PCs having to backtrack quickly and find other leads. Otherwise, liberal use of handwavium.

hmm. I forgot elemental fusionist was a thing in Savage Rifts. Looks like I'll have to read up on that again. My wife wants to play in an Atlantis styled Rifts game too.

[Curbludgeon]

I like this take on the Fusionist. To make one single element seems mostly a matter of getting flexible with Trappings. I could see a common variant dropping Fusion Synergy, Primal Vigor and All Thumbs, and gaining the ability to use TW items. If trying to do more I'd start with the Super Power book and the conversion frameworks free on the site, followed by lifting stuff from Savage Pathfinder or 50 Fathoms.

[EltonRobb]

I like this take on the Fusionist. To make one single element seems mostly a matter of getting flexible with Trappings. I could see a common variant dropping Fusion Synergy, Primal Vigor and All Thumbs, and gaining the ability to use TW items. If trying to do more I'd start with the Super Power book and the conversion frameworks free on the site, followed by lifting stuff from Savage Pathfinder or 50 Fathoms.

Yeah, I checked it out. Apparently, I have to learn more about Savage Worlds before I begin to tweak things. But the site is good and I'll think I'll visit it more in the future.