Re: [HOE] Shan Fan (SPOILERS)

["Scott Pedersen" <spederse@hotmail.com>]

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> When they eventually get to the biotech facility, what type of
> nastiness should they have waiting for them?  I'm thinking that this
> biotech company has been supplying material for bioweapons for
> all of the C.S.A., so I'm thinking of having a fairly nasty servitor
> of Pestilence here.  Anybody have some good ideas for a storyline
> around this?

One entertaining idea comes to mind.  In addition to, or instead of, a big
combative confrontation with an obvious physical threat like a servitor, you
could also do something more long-term and much more evil.  Silently infect
the posse with something entertaining that has a fairly long incubation
period and has a subtle effect.  In other words, turn the pose into
unwitting carriers for a horrible disease, and watch the fun as they try to
find a solution to the problem they are causing simply by walking around.

Consider, for example, the Metus bacteria developed as a bio-weapon for the
C.S.A.  It doesn't kill like most weapons, instead it was designed to
demoralize the northern civilian population.  The bacteria takes up
residence in the brain and interferes with normal serotonin function leading
to feelings of depression, anxiety, and fear in those infected.  Widespread
infection would have completely eliminated the North's ability to wage war,
and surrender would have been forthcoming.  However, in the post-bomb world
where fear is a tangible force that gives birth to walking nightmares, the
threat posed by such a disease is much greater.  It would be both difficult
to detect and devastating in effect.  Everywhere the disease spread would
rapidly become monster filled deadlands on par with the worst spots in the
west.

This leaves your posse with an interesting moral dilemma.  They could decide
to simply stay away from people, commit suicide even, but by the time they
find out what's happened it's really too late, the bacteria is already
spreading.  They need to do something to solve this problem fast, but
whatever they do, wherever they go for help only makes the problem worse.
And, if that wasn't bad enough, the heart of the problem is in the center of
newly forming deadlands, and the posse is just starting to feel the
bacteria's fear effects.

-Scott Pedersen

p.s. this is ten times more entertaining if you can infect the posse through
some foolish action performed by a posse member.  "Hmm... I wonder what's in
this sealed canister?  feh... just some white powder..."