House Gene-Coil
Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 9:12 am
House Gene-Coil:
House Gene-coil is one of the few cells of resistance housed in ancient Russia. Due to the nature of the extreme cold within the area, House Gene-Coil is one of the few houses to maintain control in the area and has developed several small settlements that continue to produce materials, food, and the occasional regiment of soldiers.
The House contains 35,000 lives within and sprawls deep underground. Housing most of its facilities 22,500 feet below ground level, it’s almost impossible to detect from the surface. Within a well-marked cave leads to an underground ravine, this ravine leads on for 2 miles before you reach the bottom and furthers down a hollowed-out cavern with bio-luminescent lamps. The passage was designed to maintain temperatures at 65*F and heats up to 72*F once you reach the first outpost.
Outpost Marge is the first stop into House Gene-Coil where 15-35 Host Armors, 5-8 Bombardiers with 3-8 mantis cannons each, 3 gardeners, and 15 Meta-Morphs happen to call home. Here many travelers, refuge seekers, and traders stop to barter and exchange goods.
Deeper within leads to 2 smaller outposts, Outpost Markus, and Outpost Delver both lead off into deep caverns where large fungal growths are being farmed, and each house 5-8 gardeners, either 1 Lindel (A personal Design of the house), or 3 dreadnaughts, 15 host armors with shell vaults and cornucopia, and at least 25-45 inhabitants who cart the food, and mycotic wood down to the houses main Citadel.
Further Down is the main entryway into House Gene-Coil, where the rest of its residents reside. Having fully developed its environment, most of House Gene-Coil is covered in stone tile, bone like structural reinforcements and huge carved out sections with plants that emit light within hollows in the roof and walls of every walkway. Each main center houses at least 15-35 stalls and are about 2500ft in size, each walkway houses at least 2-5 Home Pods, and deeper are a series of large, hollowed sections that lead down. Each hollowed section contains 2 massive cylinder like structures that swirl a green fluid that occasionally bubbles upwards.
After visiting several local libraries, it is obvious this house produces cutting edge biotechnology, the like of which would make most houses envious. Leading further inward are several massive alcoves that stretch at least 25,000 ft in circumference, and house farms that grow various fruits and vegetables, grow beds that produce strange fungus, crystals, and some even stem out into pearls! Areas that flow liquid in the area appear to be the previously discovered green liquid, asking around they state it’s a form of slurry they use to feed and hydrate Host-Armor and plant alike. Nearby these growth rooms, are several massive basins that stem out large pods nearly the size of a common man, the locals call these Writhing Pods, which feed through a liquid before being converted into a yellow flesh like tissue that Host armor and human alike gorge on.
Deeper within I found several chambers that would lead to a saint; however, each room was instead filled to the brim with technology that appears to be machine produced. To enter each room, a large sprayer douses each passerby with a nanite-deactivating fluid. Computers are found deeper inside, where the leader of this House can be found.
The House is run by a man named Elder Stalk, a young man in his mid-20s with a brilliant mind.
Elder Stalk is noted to Possess a Lindel Host Armor, which he named Driger.
After asking around, and talking with the Elder, it would appear the machines assist in all requirements for Bio-tech production, and all symbiotes are regulated, registered, and separated from their spawning pools. The Elder states he is the sole leader of his faction, and that it’s mostly by vote that things get settled. His motivations appear to be the redevelopment of humanity and its return to the surface with technology that fuses both organic and machine. Although the technology around the area appears to be mostly organic, he stated that most fuse metals into their tissue as mineral deposits, and simply feed on nanites that attempt to infect them, rapidly growing the crop as the nanites fight for control.
Asking about how they supply the Bioenergy required for so many host armors, of which were so common throughout the haven that most homes appeared to be stocked with one, he simply stated that his writhing pods produce large amounts of nutrient solution which he feeds to a biological energy circuit. Each pool is used to produce 250 Bio-E per day, and the house contains 25 active pools, and is growing another 5 every year. Elaborating on its food source, they pointed to the rock, and stated just like the homes around the area, the pools feed on the rock, and use the artificial light to sustain their food needs. Everything inside is part of a close loop that adds matter by simply eating the rock around them.
After lengthy discussion on the severity of using techno-jackers within their halls, several were shown to be equipped with a module that tames their nanites while nearby the biotechnology within the house, each used to keep the local plants from feeding on the nanites, which would in turn fiercely attack the biotechnology. Each techno-jacker stated that they were welcomed within the house and are often assisting Elder Stalk with most of his technological developments, especially after being given a means to develop their already complex abilities. Further elaboration, however, was severed before anything could be gathered.
Discussing internal politics with my fellow team members and with the group we’ve been consolidating, they stated their structure is payment based, each home is given their daily needs, and in exchange they produce goods for trade with the upper settlements on the surface, as well as leading teams for material collection. Mostly machine parts, technology, and the occasional host armor and equipment are brought in from the surface as an exchange good. After hearing this we asked them to explain the criminal element of the house, mostly in fear of having found another criminal network that tricks others into contracted work. The groups statement was that all drugs, and narcotics are strictly regulated for proper safe use, and that most criminals are quickly dealt with by the local population, as everyone is equally equipped to hand those kinds of situations. Showing concern, I retaliated stating that duels only lead to further death, in which I was dealt a swift blow. I awoke several hours later within one of their hospitals, having a mild head injury, and several from my group having a similar condition. I asked the nearest professional what our condition was, and they replied that they were knocked out, to show the ease of disarmament for criminal agents.
Our team recovered after an additional hour, after explaining that we were ready to leave, we asked the circumstance towards the machine menace above, every member we asked stated the machine is just a failed experiment that needs to be handled accordingly, we asked for elaboration. All statements made were simply that the machine needs to be converted, a statement that none of us had heard before, or to simply be destroyed. We further asked their opinions on man, and what they plan for all of us, they stated, out of several thousand asked, that all of man needs to be assisted, but those that harm will be harmed accordingly. We asked what they felt towards other houses, and they stated none have come to them willingly, and that often they hear stories of outsiders attacking one another. They wish for their fellow settlements to assist in rapid recovery of man; however, they understood that the wasteland aboveground is far harsher than the work they produced within their halls.
Within a large section that’s been hollowed out, is a massive cube about 7,500ft in every direction, each covered with lights, plants, and kennels for their wall climbing mounts, at the bottom, a section where bio-augments are sold openly to civilian inhabitants, and hounds, beasts of burden, and even some pets are found roaming the area. The staircase leading down is sloped for ease of transport and is approximately 25ft wide.
On our way back to the surface entrance, we found a massive walkway with Deliverymen in regiments patrolling the area, squads of 25 men and women marching towards the entrance. We asked them how often they visit the surface, and they stated a regiment is sent out at least once every month to check on settlements above ground, and to protect precious cargo they trade with. Their halls were lined with hundreds of men and women, each prepping for their travels, each reinforced with ceramic pillars, and chambers that flowed their precious nutrient fluid into receptacles that help feed their armor.
After our encounters, the mildly unwelcome visit, and strangeness of this house, we quickly departed for the surface, having bought a large supply of rations, 2 barrels of mead, and surprisingly 2 full crates of gems and pearls for trade.
The Houses total number of armed participants are as follows: 725 Deliverymen, 225 Dread-guard, 115 Pack masters; 25 Pack-lords, 215 Techno-jackers, 115 Gardeners, 225 Geneticists, 45 Swarm-lords, 110 Meta-Morphs, 220 Rangers, 900 Bombardiers, 250 Sweepers, 15 Dreadnaughts, 550 Tempests, 5 Lindels, 345 Bomb-guard, 25 Dread-Lords, 900 custom designs found randomly among their ranks.
House Gene-Coil’s ethics are mostly surmised below:
• Protect mankind and aid in its swift recovery.
• Remove hostile agents as they appear, if they aren’t a complicated issue then simply knocking them out for indoctrination is feasible.
• Technology of any kind must be developed with the purpose of sustaining and propagating mankind; it cannot be used purely for war.
• Biotechnology is as useful as electronics are to the machine, they must be fully utilized to sustain the haven.
• Leaders must be willing to place the haven before them, and all residents there in.
• Residents within the haven must protect themselves, and protect others willingly, no-one is allowed to harm another person unless they are wronged.
• Residents and military alike are responsible for all creatures and crops that are grown for the house.
• All military forces must first request diplomacy before engaging human forces.
• House Gene-Coil must survive, and its residents take priority before anything else.
• All Techno-Jackers are allowed within the house’s confines and are to be treated just like any other resident.
• Crime is punishable with swift blows and possibly death if their actions are extreme enough.
• Trade is a requirement for all above ground settlements, we cannot allow ourselves to sever from the surface.
• Drugs, alcohol, the gladiatorial arena, and armored sparring are allowed and encouraged, however, all narcotics must be designed for long term use and minimal reliance.
• All saints are welcomed, however, librarians are to be kept outside of the household, as they are too dangerous to allow within our walls.
• Engineers are not required to sustain House Gene-Coil, however, if they assist, we will aid in kind.
• Gene-pools are allowed near our underground outposts, brain-pools are to be destroyed before any can develop.
• The Machine must be converted back into a useful tool for man, or if no other option is presented, to be destroyed.
• Technology, and its use with machine and organic, must be a fusion, no human can survive otherwise.
• All parties harming, destroying, or otherwise enslaving mankind shall be destroyed without remorse.
House Gene-Coil has a large space designated for bio-tech development and production, capable of supplying its house completely with bio-enhancements, gear, and each member can and will use either biological armor, or a Host-Armor. House Gene-Coil was founded 120 years ago inside a massive underground instillation producing and developing nanite technology, this technology was further enhanced when the alien symbiote was introduced through Saint Riege, who supplied the house with its first brain pool, and subsequently nearly destroyed the house 100 years ago. After a long recovery, Warlord Tris Gnoll, an outsider who appeared within the houses walls 60 years ago, is the sole reason House Gene-Coil is as developed as it is today. Tris Gnoll was the first to produce a counter to the active nanite plague and was able to deactivate them through a form of deactivation code introduced through its encoded transmitters hidden within the liquid sprayed. Elder Stalk recently took over for the bio-tech development at 15 years of age, and with the aid of the house’s geneticists were able to produce a huge quantity of biotechnology. With the rapid influx of materials, food, and most importantly trade goods, Elder Stalk is tasked with finding a method to produce a gateway to another reality, one without the machine menace, and most importantly, a way back to their Warlords home to speak of their deeds and conquests.
House Gene-Coils initial structure is listed below:
22,500 feet underground, marked cave entrance with a large ravine hidden 250 feet underground from the cave entrance.
2 miles down the main entrance to the haven can be reached, the cliffs leave 25ft of space for caravanning back and forth and have hollow sections where no cliff can be found, with one large slope leading down towards the previously stated main entrance.
5000 feet down is the first outpost, having 5 facilities: 1 Writhing Pool, 1 large barracks, the Bizarre, 1 large hydroponics room near the writhing pool, and 1 large dining area. The total area is 1,500 feet in all directions, is hollowed out with reinforced pillars, and is structured for ease of movement.
Further down are 15 main site traps, one referred to as laser poppers, which will disintegrate you with super-light cells. 3 emplacements for plasma-flamethrower traps. 5 patches of spike root, about 50ft in diameter. 3 sections of boom-shrooms about 50 feet across, and 2 large hollowed out sections with a growth of razor willows about 250 feet in circumference and 60 feet tall.
The Entire tunnel down to the haven is snake like, but easy to traverse, having 45 feet length, 35 feet of height, they are designed for mass transit if required out or into the haven below.
2 connected outposts are within 250 feet of each other and produce all wood and fungal needs for the haven, as well as some narcotics. These areas are also home to 5 saints, and 2 gene-pools which regularly supply the haven with simplified biotech for its civilian use. Both outposts have a barracks, and a hydroponics section, as well as main access to food resources through the fungal caves cultivated.
An additional set of traps, each that produce 25 KL worth of flammable fuel through rock, photosynthesis, and the occasional rot that gets discarded, the fuel produced is ethanol, and leaks from the plants into several basins within a 350ft x 250ft stretch of tunnel. This is used for sealing off the entrance to the haven, as well as super-heating the tunnels above to melt any machine attacks that make it that far down.
The main entrance to House, a large 45ft round door that splits into 4 sections, the first being a large ceramic door, the second being large ceramic coated bone pillars that slide to reinforce the main door, 1 additional section of ceramic plating that’s been treated to handle extreme temperature changes, and the last door being made of biotech and carapace, that seals the door producing a vacuum.
The main level, containing 1000 house pods, 20 large hydroponics rooms, 40 writhing pools, and 15 Animal pens for livestock each about 125ft cubed in size. The Deliverymen alcove, which is 185ft tall, 225 feet wide, and possesses 4 main layers for both housing and replenishment of the deliverymen’s needs. 4 300ft cubed rooms for bathing, showering, and general maintenance.
The Second level contains the market a large 1250ft x 1200ft x 65ft space used for production of various goods and services. An additional 1000 elderly house pods, that possess 8-22 rooms, and is the main sector for the population. 2 Large sections for bio-tech development each 125ft cubed, with 6 flights of stairs leading to separate divisions. 4 large storage silos for the nutrient solution holding 250 megaliters of the solution, 2 large storage silos containing 1500 Kiloliters worth of water. 2 Large gladiatorial arenas about 3 miles x 1 mile x 250ft used for entertainment, and 3 large dispensaries, which allocate all drugs, alcohol, and various medicines. The Kennel which is 7500ft cubed and has a 25ft staircase that slopes at a 15* angle, the kennel contains every war mount, pet, and some livestock, gore-hounds, and mantis cannons.
The Final Level contains the well-guarded pristine machine site, 3 hallways that split off into separate sections, techno-jackers being the first, the second being the leader’s quarters, and the third leading to the computer room. Each hallway has a nanite deactivator dispenser arc™, and at least 2 Lindel Host Armor units, 15 Sweepers, and 3 Dread-Lords guarding them. This level has 3 separate sections for escape, the first that quickly removes the computer room from the lower level by carting it along a massive railway up 5000ft at 125mph with 15 25ft thick blast doors that close behind it, these are reinforced with anti-nanite structures, the second that’s within the techno-jackers section which leads 2500 ft up and allows them to quickly excavate to the surface, with 3 large sections to escape from pursuers built along its excavation root, and lastly one in the leaders quarters, which leads to their host armor and equipment, a large switch to quickly jettison the computer room, and the same excavation root as the techno-jackers. The route described for the techno-jackers is also the main escape root for most civilians and is the only way to quickly escape to the surface. The final level also has a small prison which is regularly visited by the leader and staff. The prison is 120ft x 350ft x 15ft and circles the level, each having a room about 15ft cubed. It’s noted that the leader’s quarters have a large generator underneath that exchanges nutrient solution and ethanol into Bioenergy and electricity for the computer lab.
Notes: Due to the massive surplus of resources, the house is often found exchanging or producing surface sectors and trades regularly with Retro-villages, its noted that Eve’s presence in the area has helped in containing the knowledge of House gene-coil from other personalities, however, its noted Gia has assisted the process as well, due to the exchange of plants and other various elements, as well as redevelopment of the icy tundra into a more ecologically active territory. Additionally, it’s noted that House Gene-Coil has made rapid progress in developing their portal to another universe and is in active production.
Notes for GMs wishing to use the setting: House gene-coil is all about reseeding the surface with human life. Their side goal is to produce several new havens in the area and convert local settlements into a worthy house of their own. Customs were kept to a minimum so you can impose your own ideas on how this house operates. The severe lack of gene-pools is noted as being inaccessible in most cases or cannot produce enough for the needs of the house, and the fear of another brain-pool being produced has caused tensions to rapidly rise whenever a saint is discussed. The Computer Lab can manufacture 2000 host armors a year, 25000 large armaments, as well as the Bio-E needed to sustain them by directly converting nutrient solution into usable bio energy.
Adventure Hooks:
Hook:
Nanite spies: after several years of attempts from other AI Personalities to breach into house gene-coil after Gaia spoils her surprise in the region, can be anything from a new frost resistant forest with a fully developed ecosystem, to new alien hatcheries she uses in the area, Ishtar will lead several assaults into the base, while Hecate attempts to breach with large drills into the compound, and Lilith possibly planting a modified nanite swarm on a techno-jacker to spy on the houses developments.
Line:
After Several incursions from N.E.X.U.S. a contingency of splicers came rushing to our settlements, 40 men in Host Armor, and 120 men in Organic Armor made a ruckus asking if anyone had seen machines merged with Host Armor and various organic tissues. After several deliverymen make their way down into the bowls of House Gene-Coil, it becomes noticeably clear a new threat is on the horizon. 450 Host Armor O.C.C.s are sent out to deal with this new threat, as well as a contingency of 100 deliverymen, and a new set of War Mounts designed to caravan across the vast expanse to aid its new friends in battle.
Sinker:
The new threat was found to be L.E.G.I.O.N. who attacked our men with a respectable army. Will the players assist, or will they continue their reconnaissance? Luckily, several deliverymen were able to convince several other retro-villages to supply our forces in the area, as well as a welcome batch of 400 men clad in host armor ready for the fight ahead. Make use of everything you have; the battle ahead is fierce.
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Hook:
Portal of horrors: House Gene-Coil succeeds in their first true opening of a portal into the mega-verse; however, various alien entities immediately attack the surface in droves, cleaving through machine and men alike, this can be demons, supervillains, genetic abominations, multi-verse invaders, “Splugorth”, whatever you want to have attack in droves!
Line:
After a lengthy battle back to the command console, Elder Stalk disables the portal. Depending on the results of the battle, it may be a few years before another test can be made. Luckily, he is going to be sending the players out on combat patrol for the next couple of months. Once the dust settles Elder Stalk will request several envoys go out to recruit and recover, while sending the players out to establish a small beachhead at a local mine and refinery installation N.E.X.U.S. patrols. The Goal of the player’s beachhead is to force large droves of robots to attack them and to send large swaths of bodies back to House Gene-Coil.
Sinker:
The player’s battlefront has just gotten worse, their supply-lines have just been severed and the machine is surrounding their main line. The players can pull back their forces to retreat, or they can attempt to continue the assault taking over the facility, either choice will lead to a different outcome. If the players retreat they will find they are being followed closely by the machines armies and are actively attempting to halt all human life along the way, once they return to base, hopefully with the machines following destroyed, they will find a renewed portal and a message on the Elder's Terminal, "Be back soon, on a voyage." They will also notice that several hundred men are missing from the local residents, several citizens might call out requesting why their partners or family have not returned, sadly only the elder has the answers. If the players continue their assault, they can make headway with 2 local houses attempting to gain control in the area. If the players focus their attentions there, and complete a few missions to assist these splicers forces, they can gain serious momentum with 2 other houses now supplying them. Once the players either die off, flee, or take over the facility they will find it completely empty, and most of its resources used up in combatting them. Luckily, several terminals have plenty of combat data, as well as several locations they can use to restore trade routes through the area! Supply lines are exactly what the other houses desperately need and will willingly trade for a copy of that data. If the players willingly give this information without payment, they can quickly produce a new set of supply lines and fresh recruits from both houses aiding them, as well as a new pair of allies. If the players destroy one of these houses, then the total quantity of resources given will only be a quarter total as that house will have diverted most of their resources to your front line. Once the players return with their newfound success the Elder will have already returned and once told the news will congratulate the party on well done. If the players had succeeded in producing a supply line from one of the houses, they would be given 150-250 Bio-E each as payment for their job well done. If the players secure both houses and produce the supply lines previously stated, the players will receive an upgrade to their host armors free of charge, as well as a secret new bio-enhancement that allows near instant resurrections and a more than explosive implant, as well as upgrading to host armor if the players were not already in a suit.
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Hook:
Eureka: After several decades modified superhumans has finally become a possibility thanks to the geneticists aiding house Gene-Coils efforts! Humans and players alike can now take on the mutant, post-human, or super-human O.C.C.s from heroes unlimited!
Line:
A terrible series of events has started to plague the house as many of their residents are starting to attack one another! Someone is behind these many assaults and needs to be put in their place! The players will need to investigate the house’s 3 levels and identify culprits, as well as actively hunting down anyone causing a disturbance to ease the stress of the house. If the players fail to keep the house in some form of peace, then there might be a complete rebellion that leads to over 45% of the house’s residents dead.
Sinker:
The Culprit has been found! either by starting a rebellion or by simply being snooped out. The culprit will either attempt to seize control of the house directly or they will simply attack the players, but they will be facing one hell of a monster! A librarian has been found, as well as a hidden brain pool that someone has hidden inside a local residence! The news will spread like wildfire and if the players side with the rebellion, the worst of the house’s forces will come down upon them. If the players are able to snoop out the librarian before this can happen and report it, then the players will be assisted by Elder Stalk themselves as well as several elite Dread-Guard and put a stop to this menace before they can gain control. If the players manage to kill the Librarian on their own and then report it, the Elder will congratulate them and award them with improved gear, as well as a cheaper upgrade list, everything is reduced to 20, or 5 in the case of ultra and refunds any lost bio-E used, as well as 125-200 Bio-E for their services. Either way the brain pool will be found and destroyed, or the house will become owned by its newfound librarian leader. If the players survive the other options listed, they are rewarded 50-80 Bio-E, as well as a single upgrade for each piece of gear free of charge. More to come in future editions!
House Gene-coil is one of the few cells of resistance housed in ancient Russia. Due to the nature of the extreme cold within the area, House Gene-Coil is one of the few houses to maintain control in the area and has developed several small settlements that continue to produce materials, food, and the occasional regiment of soldiers.
The House contains 35,000 lives within and sprawls deep underground. Housing most of its facilities 22,500 feet below ground level, it’s almost impossible to detect from the surface. Within a well-marked cave leads to an underground ravine, this ravine leads on for 2 miles before you reach the bottom and furthers down a hollowed-out cavern with bio-luminescent lamps. The passage was designed to maintain temperatures at 65*F and heats up to 72*F once you reach the first outpost.
Outpost Marge is the first stop into House Gene-Coil where 15-35 Host Armors, 5-8 Bombardiers with 3-8 mantis cannons each, 3 gardeners, and 15 Meta-Morphs happen to call home. Here many travelers, refuge seekers, and traders stop to barter and exchange goods.
Deeper within leads to 2 smaller outposts, Outpost Markus, and Outpost Delver both lead off into deep caverns where large fungal growths are being farmed, and each house 5-8 gardeners, either 1 Lindel (A personal Design of the house), or 3 dreadnaughts, 15 host armors with shell vaults and cornucopia, and at least 25-45 inhabitants who cart the food, and mycotic wood down to the houses main Citadel.
Further Down is the main entryway into House Gene-Coil, where the rest of its residents reside. Having fully developed its environment, most of House Gene-Coil is covered in stone tile, bone like structural reinforcements and huge carved out sections with plants that emit light within hollows in the roof and walls of every walkway. Each main center houses at least 15-35 stalls and are about 2500ft in size, each walkway houses at least 2-5 Home Pods, and deeper are a series of large, hollowed sections that lead down. Each hollowed section contains 2 massive cylinder like structures that swirl a green fluid that occasionally bubbles upwards.
After visiting several local libraries, it is obvious this house produces cutting edge biotechnology, the like of which would make most houses envious. Leading further inward are several massive alcoves that stretch at least 25,000 ft in circumference, and house farms that grow various fruits and vegetables, grow beds that produce strange fungus, crystals, and some even stem out into pearls! Areas that flow liquid in the area appear to be the previously discovered green liquid, asking around they state it’s a form of slurry they use to feed and hydrate Host-Armor and plant alike. Nearby these growth rooms, are several massive basins that stem out large pods nearly the size of a common man, the locals call these Writhing Pods, which feed through a liquid before being converted into a yellow flesh like tissue that Host armor and human alike gorge on.
Deeper within I found several chambers that would lead to a saint; however, each room was instead filled to the brim with technology that appears to be machine produced. To enter each room, a large sprayer douses each passerby with a nanite-deactivating fluid. Computers are found deeper inside, where the leader of this House can be found.
The House is run by a man named Elder Stalk, a young man in his mid-20s with a brilliant mind.
Elder Stalk is noted to Possess a Lindel Host Armor, which he named Driger.
After asking around, and talking with the Elder, it would appear the machines assist in all requirements for Bio-tech production, and all symbiotes are regulated, registered, and separated from their spawning pools. The Elder states he is the sole leader of his faction, and that it’s mostly by vote that things get settled. His motivations appear to be the redevelopment of humanity and its return to the surface with technology that fuses both organic and machine. Although the technology around the area appears to be mostly organic, he stated that most fuse metals into their tissue as mineral deposits, and simply feed on nanites that attempt to infect them, rapidly growing the crop as the nanites fight for control.
Asking about how they supply the Bioenergy required for so many host armors, of which were so common throughout the haven that most homes appeared to be stocked with one, he simply stated that his writhing pods produce large amounts of nutrient solution which he feeds to a biological energy circuit. Each pool is used to produce 250 Bio-E per day, and the house contains 25 active pools, and is growing another 5 every year. Elaborating on its food source, they pointed to the rock, and stated just like the homes around the area, the pools feed on the rock, and use the artificial light to sustain their food needs. Everything inside is part of a close loop that adds matter by simply eating the rock around them.
After lengthy discussion on the severity of using techno-jackers within their halls, several were shown to be equipped with a module that tames their nanites while nearby the biotechnology within the house, each used to keep the local plants from feeding on the nanites, which would in turn fiercely attack the biotechnology. Each techno-jacker stated that they were welcomed within the house and are often assisting Elder Stalk with most of his technological developments, especially after being given a means to develop their already complex abilities. Further elaboration, however, was severed before anything could be gathered.
Discussing internal politics with my fellow team members and with the group we’ve been consolidating, they stated their structure is payment based, each home is given their daily needs, and in exchange they produce goods for trade with the upper settlements on the surface, as well as leading teams for material collection. Mostly machine parts, technology, and the occasional host armor and equipment are brought in from the surface as an exchange good. After hearing this we asked them to explain the criminal element of the house, mostly in fear of having found another criminal network that tricks others into contracted work. The groups statement was that all drugs, and narcotics are strictly regulated for proper safe use, and that most criminals are quickly dealt with by the local population, as everyone is equally equipped to hand those kinds of situations. Showing concern, I retaliated stating that duels only lead to further death, in which I was dealt a swift blow. I awoke several hours later within one of their hospitals, having a mild head injury, and several from my group having a similar condition. I asked the nearest professional what our condition was, and they replied that they were knocked out, to show the ease of disarmament for criminal agents.
Our team recovered after an additional hour, after explaining that we were ready to leave, we asked the circumstance towards the machine menace above, every member we asked stated the machine is just a failed experiment that needs to be handled accordingly, we asked for elaboration. All statements made were simply that the machine needs to be converted, a statement that none of us had heard before, or to simply be destroyed. We further asked their opinions on man, and what they plan for all of us, they stated, out of several thousand asked, that all of man needs to be assisted, but those that harm will be harmed accordingly. We asked what they felt towards other houses, and they stated none have come to them willingly, and that often they hear stories of outsiders attacking one another. They wish for their fellow settlements to assist in rapid recovery of man; however, they understood that the wasteland aboveground is far harsher than the work they produced within their halls.
Within a large section that’s been hollowed out, is a massive cube about 7,500ft in every direction, each covered with lights, plants, and kennels for their wall climbing mounts, at the bottom, a section where bio-augments are sold openly to civilian inhabitants, and hounds, beasts of burden, and even some pets are found roaming the area. The staircase leading down is sloped for ease of transport and is approximately 25ft wide.
On our way back to the surface entrance, we found a massive walkway with Deliverymen in regiments patrolling the area, squads of 25 men and women marching towards the entrance. We asked them how often they visit the surface, and they stated a regiment is sent out at least once every month to check on settlements above ground, and to protect precious cargo they trade with. Their halls were lined with hundreds of men and women, each prepping for their travels, each reinforced with ceramic pillars, and chambers that flowed their precious nutrient fluid into receptacles that help feed their armor.
After our encounters, the mildly unwelcome visit, and strangeness of this house, we quickly departed for the surface, having bought a large supply of rations, 2 barrels of mead, and surprisingly 2 full crates of gems and pearls for trade.
The Houses total number of armed participants are as follows: 725 Deliverymen, 225 Dread-guard, 115 Pack masters; 25 Pack-lords, 215 Techno-jackers, 115 Gardeners, 225 Geneticists, 45 Swarm-lords, 110 Meta-Morphs, 220 Rangers, 900 Bombardiers, 250 Sweepers, 15 Dreadnaughts, 550 Tempests, 5 Lindels, 345 Bomb-guard, 25 Dread-Lords, 900 custom designs found randomly among their ranks.
House Gene-Coil’s ethics are mostly surmised below:
• Protect mankind and aid in its swift recovery.
• Remove hostile agents as they appear, if they aren’t a complicated issue then simply knocking them out for indoctrination is feasible.
• Technology of any kind must be developed with the purpose of sustaining and propagating mankind; it cannot be used purely for war.
• Biotechnology is as useful as electronics are to the machine, they must be fully utilized to sustain the haven.
• Leaders must be willing to place the haven before them, and all residents there in.
• Residents within the haven must protect themselves, and protect others willingly, no-one is allowed to harm another person unless they are wronged.
• Residents and military alike are responsible for all creatures and crops that are grown for the house.
• All military forces must first request diplomacy before engaging human forces.
• House Gene-Coil must survive, and its residents take priority before anything else.
• All Techno-Jackers are allowed within the house’s confines and are to be treated just like any other resident.
• Crime is punishable with swift blows and possibly death if their actions are extreme enough.
• Trade is a requirement for all above ground settlements, we cannot allow ourselves to sever from the surface.
• Drugs, alcohol, the gladiatorial arena, and armored sparring are allowed and encouraged, however, all narcotics must be designed for long term use and minimal reliance.
• All saints are welcomed, however, librarians are to be kept outside of the household, as they are too dangerous to allow within our walls.
• Engineers are not required to sustain House Gene-Coil, however, if they assist, we will aid in kind.
• Gene-pools are allowed near our underground outposts, brain-pools are to be destroyed before any can develop.
• The Machine must be converted back into a useful tool for man, or if no other option is presented, to be destroyed.
• Technology, and its use with machine and organic, must be a fusion, no human can survive otherwise.
• All parties harming, destroying, or otherwise enslaving mankind shall be destroyed without remorse.
House Gene-Coil has a large space designated for bio-tech development and production, capable of supplying its house completely with bio-enhancements, gear, and each member can and will use either biological armor, or a Host-Armor. House Gene-Coil was founded 120 years ago inside a massive underground instillation producing and developing nanite technology, this technology was further enhanced when the alien symbiote was introduced through Saint Riege, who supplied the house with its first brain pool, and subsequently nearly destroyed the house 100 years ago. After a long recovery, Warlord Tris Gnoll, an outsider who appeared within the houses walls 60 years ago, is the sole reason House Gene-Coil is as developed as it is today. Tris Gnoll was the first to produce a counter to the active nanite plague and was able to deactivate them through a form of deactivation code introduced through its encoded transmitters hidden within the liquid sprayed. Elder Stalk recently took over for the bio-tech development at 15 years of age, and with the aid of the house’s geneticists were able to produce a huge quantity of biotechnology. With the rapid influx of materials, food, and most importantly trade goods, Elder Stalk is tasked with finding a method to produce a gateway to another reality, one without the machine menace, and most importantly, a way back to their Warlords home to speak of their deeds and conquests.
House Gene-Coils initial structure is listed below:
22,500 feet underground, marked cave entrance with a large ravine hidden 250 feet underground from the cave entrance.
2 miles down the main entrance to the haven can be reached, the cliffs leave 25ft of space for caravanning back and forth and have hollow sections where no cliff can be found, with one large slope leading down towards the previously stated main entrance.
5000 feet down is the first outpost, having 5 facilities: 1 Writhing Pool, 1 large barracks, the Bizarre, 1 large hydroponics room near the writhing pool, and 1 large dining area. The total area is 1,500 feet in all directions, is hollowed out with reinforced pillars, and is structured for ease of movement.
Further down are 15 main site traps, one referred to as laser poppers, which will disintegrate you with super-light cells. 3 emplacements for plasma-flamethrower traps. 5 patches of spike root, about 50ft in diameter. 3 sections of boom-shrooms about 50 feet across, and 2 large hollowed out sections with a growth of razor willows about 250 feet in circumference and 60 feet tall.
The Entire tunnel down to the haven is snake like, but easy to traverse, having 45 feet length, 35 feet of height, they are designed for mass transit if required out or into the haven below.
2 connected outposts are within 250 feet of each other and produce all wood and fungal needs for the haven, as well as some narcotics. These areas are also home to 5 saints, and 2 gene-pools which regularly supply the haven with simplified biotech for its civilian use. Both outposts have a barracks, and a hydroponics section, as well as main access to food resources through the fungal caves cultivated.
An additional set of traps, each that produce 25 KL worth of flammable fuel through rock, photosynthesis, and the occasional rot that gets discarded, the fuel produced is ethanol, and leaks from the plants into several basins within a 350ft x 250ft stretch of tunnel. This is used for sealing off the entrance to the haven, as well as super-heating the tunnels above to melt any machine attacks that make it that far down.
The main entrance to House, a large 45ft round door that splits into 4 sections, the first being a large ceramic door, the second being large ceramic coated bone pillars that slide to reinforce the main door, 1 additional section of ceramic plating that’s been treated to handle extreme temperature changes, and the last door being made of biotech and carapace, that seals the door producing a vacuum.
The main level, containing 1000 house pods, 20 large hydroponics rooms, 40 writhing pools, and 15 Animal pens for livestock each about 125ft cubed in size. The Deliverymen alcove, which is 185ft tall, 225 feet wide, and possesses 4 main layers for both housing and replenishment of the deliverymen’s needs. 4 300ft cubed rooms for bathing, showering, and general maintenance.
The Second level contains the market a large 1250ft x 1200ft x 65ft space used for production of various goods and services. An additional 1000 elderly house pods, that possess 8-22 rooms, and is the main sector for the population. 2 Large sections for bio-tech development each 125ft cubed, with 6 flights of stairs leading to separate divisions. 4 large storage silos for the nutrient solution holding 250 megaliters of the solution, 2 large storage silos containing 1500 Kiloliters worth of water. 2 Large gladiatorial arenas about 3 miles x 1 mile x 250ft used for entertainment, and 3 large dispensaries, which allocate all drugs, alcohol, and various medicines. The Kennel which is 7500ft cubed and has a 25ft staircase that slopes at a 15* angle, the kennel contains every war mount, pet, and some livestock, gore-hounds, and mantis cannons.
The Final Level contains the well-guarded pristine machine site, 3 hallways that split off into separate sections, techno-jackers being the first, the second being the leader’s quarters, and the third leading to the computer room. Each hallway has a nanite deactivator dispenser arc™, and at least 2 Lindel Host Armor units, 15 Sweepers, and 3 Dread-Lords guarding them. This level has 3 separate sections for escape, the first that quickly removes the computer room from the lower level by carting it along a massive railway up 5000ft at 125mph with 15 25ft thick blast doors that close behind it, these are reinforced with anti-nanite structures, the second that’s within the techno-jackers section which leads 2500 ft up and allows them to quickly excavate to the surface, with 3 large sections to escape from pursuers built along its excavation root, and lastly one in the leaders quarters, which leads to their host armor and equipment, a large switch to quickly jettison the computer room, and the same excavation root as the techno-jackers. The route described for the techno-jackers is also the main escape root for most civilians and is the only way to quickly escape to the surface. The final level also has a small prison which is regularly visited by the leader and staff. The prison is 120ft x 350ft x 15ft and circles the level, each having a room about 15ft cubed. It’s noted that the leader’s quarters have a large generator underneath that exchanges nutrient solution and ethanol into Bioenergy and electricity for the computer lab.
Notes: Due to the massive surplus of resources, the house is often found exchanging or producing surface sectors and trades regularly with Retro-villages, its noted that Eve’s presence in the area has helped in containing the knowledge of House gene-coil from other personalities, however, its noted Gia has assisted the process as well, due to the exchange of plants and other various elements, as well as redevelopment of the icy tundra into a more ecologically active territory. Additionally, it’s noted that House Gene-Coil has made rapid progress in developing their portal to another universe and is in active production.
Notes for GMs wishing to use the setting: House gene-coil is all about reseeding the surface with human life. Their side goal is to produce several new havens in the area and convert local settlements into a worthy house of their own. Customs were kept to a minimum so you can impose your own ideas on how this house operates. The severe lack of gene-pools is noted as being inaccessible in most cases or cannot produce enough for the needs of the house, and the fear of another brain-pool being produced has caused tensions to rapidly rise whenever a saint is discussed. The Computer Lab can manufacture 2000 host armors a year, 25000 large armaments, as well as the Bio-E needed to sustain them by directly converting nutrient solution into usable bio energy.
Adventure Hooks:
Hook:
Nanite spies: after several years of attempts from other AI Personalities to breach into house gene-coil after Gaia spoils her surprise in the region, can be anything from a new frost resistant forest with a fully developed ecosystem, to new alien hatcheries she uses in the area, Ishtar will lead several assaults into the base, while Hecate attempts to breach with large drills into the compound, and Lilith possibly planting a modified nanite swarm on a techno-jacker to spy on the houses developments.
Line:
After Several incursions from N.E.X.U.S. a contingency of splicers came rushing to our settlements, 40 men in Host Armor, and 120 men in Organic Armor made a ruckus asking if anyone had seen machines merged with Host Armor and various organic tissues. After several deliverymen make their way down into the bowls of House Gene-Coil, it becomes noticeably clear a new threat is on the horizon. 450 Host Armor O.C.C.s are sent out to deal with this new threat, as well as a contingency of 100 deliverymen, and a new set of War Mounts designed to caravan across the vast expanse to aid its new friends in battle.
Sinker:
The new threat was found to be L.E.G.I.O.N. who attacked our men with a respectable army. Will the players assist, or will they continue their reconnaissance? Luckily, several deliverymen were able to convince several other retro-villages to supply our forces in the area, as well as a welcome batch of 400 men clad in host armor ready for the fight ahead. Make use of everything you have; the battle ahead is fierce.
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Hook:
Portal of horrors: House Gene-Coil succeeds in their first true opening of a portal into the mega-verse; however, various alien entities immediately attack the surface in droves, cleaving through machine and men alike, this can be demons, supervillains, genetic abominations, multi-verse invaders, “Splugorth”, whatever you want to have attack in droves!
Line:
After a lengthy battle back to the command console, Elder Stalk disables the portal. Depending on the results of the battle, it may be a few years before another test can be made. Luckily, he is going to be sending the players out on combat patrol for the next couple of months. Once the dust settles Elder Stalk will request several envoys go out to recruit and recover, while sending the players out to establish a small beachhead at a local mine and refinery installation N.E.X.U.S. patrols. The Goal of the player’s beachhead is to force large droves of robots to attack them and to send large swaths of bodies back to House Gene-Coil.
Sinker:
The player’s battlefront has just gotten worse, their supply-lines have just been severed and the machine is surrounding their main line. The players can pull back their forces to retreat, or they can attempt to continue the assault taking over the facility, either choice will lead to a different outcome. If the players retreat they will find they are being followed closely by the machines armies and are actively attempting to halt all human life along the way, once they return to base, hopefully with the machines following destroyed, they will find a renewed portal and a message on the Elder's Terminal, "Be back soon, on a voyage." They will also notice that several hundred men are missing from the local residents, several citizens might call out requesting why their partners or family have not returned, sadly only the elder has the answers. If the players continue their assault, they can make headway with 2 local houses attempting to gain control in the area. If the players focus their attentions there, and complete a few missions to assist these splicers forces, they can gain serious momentum with 2 other houses now supplying them. Once the players either die off, flee, or take over the facility they will find it completely empty, and most of its resources used up in combatting them. Luckily, several terminals have plenty of combat data, as well as several locations they can use to restore trade routes through the area! Supply lines are exactly what the other houses desperately need and will willingly trade for a copy of that data. If the players willingly give this information without payment, they can quickly produce a new set of supply lines and fresh recruits from both houses aiding them, as well as a new pair of allies. If the players destroy one of these houses, then the total quantity of resources given will only be a quarter total as that house will have diverted most of their resources to your front line. Once the players return with their newfound success the Elder will have already returned and once told the news will congratulate the party on well done. If the players had succeeded in producing a supply line from one of the houses, they would be given 150-250 Bio-E each as payment for their job well done. If the players secure both houses and produce the supply lines previously stated, the players will receive an upgrade to their host armors free of charge, as well as a secret new bio-enhancement that allows near instant resurrections and a more than explosive implant, as well as upgrading to host armor if the players were not already in a suit.
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Hook:
Eureka: After several decades modified superhumans has finally become a possibility thanks to the geneticists aiding house Gene-Coils efforts! Humans and players alike can now take on the mutant, post-human, or super-human O.C.C.s from heroes unlimited!
Line:
A terrible series of events has started to plague the house as many of their residents are starting to attack one another! Someone is behind these many assaults and needs to be put in their place! The players will need to investigate the house’s 3 levels and identify culprits, as well as actively hunting down anyone causing a disturbance to ease the stress of the house. If the players fail to keep the house in some form of peace, then there might be a complete rebellion that leads to over 45% of the house’s residents dead.
Sinker:
The Culprit has been found! either by starting a rebellion or by simply being snooped out. The culprit will either attempt to seize control of the house directly or they will simply attack the players, but they will be facing one hell of a monster! A librarian has been found, as well as a hidden brain pool that someone has hidden inside a local residence! The news will spread like wildfire and if the players side with the rebellion, the worst of the house’s forces will come down upon them. If the players are able to snoop out the librarian before this can happen and report it, then the players will be assisted by Elder Stalk themselves as well as several elite Dread-Guard and put a stop to this menace before they can gain control. If the players manage to kill the Librarian on their own and then report it, the Elder will congratulate them and award them with improved gear, as well as a cheaper upgrade list, everything is reduced to 20, or 5 in the case of ultra and refunds any lost bio-E used, as well as 125-200 Bio-E for their services. Either way the brain pool will be found and destroyed, or the house will become owned by its newfound librarian leader. If the players survive the other options listed, they are rewarded 50-80 Bio-E, as well as a single upgrade for each piece of gear free of charge. More to come in future editions!