KeyStone

[Tags]

Well it's been a while since I've posted anything or written anything but I found this in my documents folder... Not sure what to do with it, but see what ya think at least.
Anyway, very little has been done in PA, so it's gotta change. So far I have several locations of interest found throughout PA. I'll add some hook, like and sinkers as well for each location. I'm thinking about leaving the settlement out for now and just detailing it in it's own article.

Rifts needs some more attention on the east coast, so thats why I'm writing this, to give players and GM's some possibilities for adventures in PA. I've lived in pittsburgh my whole life sooo, I'd like to see something more done here. Last post has everything thus far.

[Lord Z]

I've saved this to read later. I'll comment after I've read it. Here is a hint -- if you want feedback from a long post, you should post a summary at the beginning. Otherwise, most forum readers may assume it is something that doesn't interest them and ignore it.

[Tags]

This is what I have so far, need to work out the deck guns for the Requin and stat out the capt. Other then that, not sure if there is anything else to add.

[Tags]

Well this is about it, I'm sure there is much room for improvement. Soooo questions/comments... see the latest post.

[Lord Z]

Okay, I read the first version which was posted and am reacting to that. These comments, therefore, cover everything up to the nuclear power plant but nothing beyond that.

The point of view of a historian dragon is an interesting twist. I would like to see this played out a little more – what are the important historical points from a dragon's point of view? Are the ruins of human towns more relevant than the first dragon to settle the area or the first church of Dragonwright to be established in PA?

Is Iron Mountain a real company name? It seems that way to me (or maybe you are just a masterful storyteller). If it is real, trademark issues could be a problem.

In the second paragraph of the Iron Mountain section, you wrote “earths past” instead of “earth's past.” I see some other minor punctuation errors like this.

You wrote, “Explorers are unlikely to recognize most of the names.” What names?

At the very end of this section, you seem to switch from an omniscient third person narrator to the voice of the dragon. If the dragon was there, why does he describe the location of the facility as unknown? How do he gain access to it if the blast doors are still covered by tons of volcanic ash? You really need to decide how you want this information to be expressed and be consistent about that.

The A.N.N. Facility is an interesting idea, and I'm a fan of artificial intelligences in fiction. This facility, however, doesn't have any particular hook would which lead players-characters to it. They would walk right over it with no reason given for them to linger. Gamemasters don't always think to provide these hooks. Perhaps the basements are being used as a lair for some monster, or a map in the Iron Mountain facility leads there, or some robots sent by A.R.C.H.I.E. are digging out the site.

The Whispering Bench is interesting, but again it has the same problem as the A.N.N. Facility.

The Gates of Hell seems like fun, but to be usable, we need much more specific details. We would need to know the types of spirits there, the motives of the spirits, and what people do if they are possessed.

The Byberry Hell section needs a lot of work. What information is given here is inconsistent. You go from describing how the rooms have no roofs to stating that the buildings are intact with medical records on paper.

At the end you wrote, “Just remember to watch your backs out there and always keep plasma cannon handy.” A dragon would not say that.

All and all, this Keystone article looks like it might be something useful, but it's only half-done. A lot of work is needed to put this article into fighting shape.

[Tags]

two Hook, line, sinker quests... Plan to have at least one Hook, line, sinker for each locale.

Data Miner
The Hook: Prospectors have been digging up the hills searching from everything from gold to
pre-Rifts artifacts. Some prospectors have even uncovered abandoned mines or whole towns, sealed away under layers of ash. Most of these prospectors are either crazy or desperate, and usually best to avoid.
The Line: An old prospector made an incredible find in the hills, and has been living high on the hog, a bit too high in fact. With his funds finally running out, the old prospector wants to head back into the hills and pick up more artifacts, and has offered the characters a share of profits in return for an escort.
The Sinker: The old prospector had indeed found a valuable cache of artifacts, and is quite unwilling to share what he has found, once the artifacts are secured and the old prospector believes he is safe, he will turn on the characters and attempt to arrange an accident so he doesn't have to pay them.

Lost Frontiers
Hook: Strange robots have been seen with increasing regularity in the area around Philadelphia, any adventurers wandering to close are chased off at best or killed outright. Evidence of large scale excavations in other areas would suggest that a well organized group is searching for something of value in the ruins of Philadelphia.
Line: A wounded explorer staggers into the characters camp and collapses, he fades in and out of consciousness throughout the night. When he is awake of aware of the characters presence he mutters about robots, excavations and something called Unlimited Frontiers, eventually the dyeing explorer points the characters in a general direction.
Sinker: Once they begin exploring the Philadelphia ruins is becomes evident that someone or something has taken a keen interest something buried in the ruins. Evidence of numerous excavation sites can be found everywhere. Further exploration may result in encounters with A.R.C.H.I.E.S robots.

[Tags]

May as well throw up a more recent update...

The following are excerpts taken from a journal found with the remains of what appears to have been a Fingurtooth Carpetbagger. The author of the journal claims to be a great horned dragon, a claim I can neither prove nor disprove.

Introduction:

"Once you’re around humans long enough you start to pick up their habits, which is why I guess I’m writing this down. Humans are amusing creatures, and they have left some interesting things behind. Along the eastern coast of the old United States, covered in miles of forest, is the former state of Pennsylvania. I used to spend a lot of time here when I was young so I guess that's why I’m still interested in this place. While the forests have reclaimed the land, as is the way of nature, there are many secrets of the past waiting to be uncovered by anyone willing to risk the dangers. Anyone searching for artifacts in the area better be prepared to do a lot of digging. Searching along the western edge of the mountains is a bit easier. No major fault lines are located in this region and mountains offered some protection from the tidal waves, so the western end of the state was spared some of the destruction that ravaged the rest of the east coast. Major cities were still wiped from the map by massive storms and tons of volcanic ash though. Pennsylvania is a dangerous land, roaming Shemarrian warriors, bands of wild psi-stalkers and many dangerous beasts now call the forests of Pennsylvania home. Including me…"

Chrystcl’chl’cl’cl Great Horned Dragon
Author & Historian

Iron Mountain

I remember this company well; I guess humans have a need to hold onto their past, and these guys were all about saving the past. During the golden age, and even before then, a corporation called “Iron Mountain” existed; they owned and maintained over one thousand facilities throughout the world, specializing in the storage of information. Facilities were provided for paper records, and digital information comprising everything from CD’s to computer files in temperature regulated and high security vaults. One of their best known locations was in Pennsylvania near a town once known as Boyers. Before the coming of the rifts, Boyers was a small town, primarily known as a mining town. During the Dark ages, the town towns’ folk did what they could to survive and maintained the knowledge of Iron Mountain, which had become sort of a local legend. Unfortunately the town of Boyers was wiped out early in the Dark ages by an unknown force. Eventually the town would be repopulated; however the location of Iron Mountain was lost. Access routes to the facility were buried under tons of volcanic ash. No hints to the possible location of the facility remain, the land now covered by forest.
If some explorer were lucky enough to find the facility, they would have access to vast amounts of knowledge from earth's past. Assuming such a find could be held onto; the finder would be wealthy beyond imagination. If the Iron Mountain facility were uncovered it is guaranteed, the Coalition would take a keen interest in any information stored there. Perhaps even the mysterious group known as the Republicans would be interested in the information as well. To date no one has located any trace of the facility. Most people blow the rumors off as a mere fantasy.
Iron Mountain did in fact maintain a storage facility located in a tapped out lime stone mine, in Boyers. All traces of the facility, on the surface, have been wiped out of existence. Facilities within the complex survived however, during the golden age, the facility maintained several on site nuclear reactors in case power from the outside was ever lost. With the coming of the Rifts, employees sealed the mountain off and started the reactors up, in the hopes that someone would eventually come and rescue them. Help never came however and the very existence of the facility was eventually forgotten.
If someone were to gain access to the facility they would first have to get past the blast doors sealing the facility off from the outside world. Beyond the doors, lie about one thousand acres of storage, plumbing and security cables snake across the ceiling of the mine. The passages are large enough to allow moderate sized vehicles access. Exploration will reveal a fire department, numerous humidification, refrigeration, and air filtration systems.
Even after all these years the temperature in the facility is maintained at fifty five degrees. Along the tunnels marked and unmarked doors allow access to the various storage vaults. Explorers are unlikely to recognize most of the names. Beyond these doors are small offices and the main storage centers. Thousands of companies stored their records here, including the old United States government. Further exploration will reveal several high tech bathrooms, after all the toilets have to flush up, cafeterias, make shift barracks, generators, that were used before the nuclear reactors were put in place, and several caverns with massive paper shredders. Bodies in tattered uniforms, with various S.D.C. weapons are strewn throughout the facility, along with many bodies that may have been civilian employees. It is possible that other “things” have gained access to the facility since I was last there, I do recall something of an undead infestation. At the time the encounter was rather amusing, however that didn’t last long, so a warning to anyone seeking the Iron Mountain complex, be prepared.

ENIAC
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer was a secret World War II project intended to speed up the tedious mathematical calculations needed to produce artillery firing tables for the Army. While the computer was not completed until the war, it was a major breakthrough for the time. When it was constructed ENIAC filled a 50-foot long basement room and weighed 30 tons. 17,500 vacuum tubes, linked by 500,000 soldered connections filled the massive computer. ENIAC was initially constructed in the Aberdeen, Md.; the computer was then moved to the Aberdeen proving grounds where served continuously from 1947 to about 1955. ENIAC suffered numerous problems, especially during the warm up and cool down phases, when the vacuum tubes were most prone to burning out. It was decided to simply leave the computer running continuously in an effort to preserved vacuum tubes. This was partially successful, in that the engineers reduced ENIAC's tube failures to the more acceptable rate of one tube every two days. Once the computer outlived its usefulness it was shut down and moved to a university in Philadelphia.
ENIAC was set up in a basement room on the university and left in storage. On the computers “birthday” it was powered up once more as part of the celebration, afterwards the computer was shut down again, however the connections were left in place. ENIAC remained largely undisturbed, until a team of five scientists were given permission to study the machine. Their primary goal was to revitalize ENIAC, and perhaps find a way to bring the machine up to date with modern components while maintaining the original formation of the system. Access to extremely sophisticated components would not be a problem nor would the customization required to incorporate them into the ENIAC. No, the greatest obstacle would be acquiring funding. In a sense the team, now calling themselves “Unlimited Frontiers” or UF for short, in an effort to gain funding and notoriety, would be competing with the A.R.C.H.I.E. series of computers, while this was simply the way major funders perceived the situation with no actual grounding in reality, it would still pose an obstacle to Unlimited Frontiers. In truth the members of Unlimited Frontiers, were convinced that learning what they could from the past would allow them to make important contributions to the future.
ENIAC was a direct link to that past, and Unlimited Frontiers was unwilling to let that go. As the team fought for funding, more and more scientists joined them and soon Unlimited Frontiers was a fledgling corporation in its own right and thus funding became available. ENIAC was moved to the corporations’ new headquarters and set up in the basement. First on the agenda was to update ENIAC and access the memory core for any information of the past. World War II was of particular interest, while it was an extremely bloody event in mankind’s past, it was also a time of scientific discoveries in leaps and bounds.
Through hard work and a lot of effort ENIAC was upgraded to the point where each panel of the machine was on par with a 20th century desk top. While this was positively archaic by the day’s standards, it gave the corporation access to the memory banks and proved many of their theories correct. With the progress they made on the ENIAC, Unlimited Frontiers went on to produce many unique means of storing information. While not very popular, the crystal matrix storage system was very effective. Unlimited Frontiers used the system to back up all of their records and any information they could collect on earths past. In all, it seemed Unlimited Frontiers was destined to become a vast repository of the earth's past. All the information they collected was stored within the ENIAC for easy access. Unlimited Frontiers offices became a popular destination for tourists and history buffs. In fact all of the corporations’ computers were wired into the ENIAC. No one within the corporation had considered the possibility; however the end result was an artificial neural network. Unlimited Frontiers’ A.N.N. was archaic when compared to the work performed on the A.R.C.H.I. computers; however the A.N.N. was created simply by accident.
Unlimited Frontiers began to look for ways to capitalize on their recent discovery however before they could make much progress the world came to an end. Unlimited Frontiers headquarters in Philadelphia was completely destroyed, as well as two of the basement levels, the remaining four basement levels survived however, now hermetically sealed under several hundred feet silt and rubble. Today the location of the Unlimited Frontiers head quarters is no different than any other pile of rubble located in the ruins of Philadelphia. Many of the offices maintained by Unlimited Frontiers were also buried. It is possible their connections to the ENIAC are still in place, which would mean the artificial neural network would also function as long as the system could be powered.

Anyone discovering the ENIAC would have a wealth of pre-rifts knowledge at their disposal. Such information would be more valuable than a vault full of gold bullion to any scholar; however there are also people who would prefer that such information not be found. Any knowledge of the pre-rifts world could be particularly dangerous to the Prosek regime, and the unity of the Coalition states at large.
The Whispering Bench
Philadelphia was located in eastern Pennsylvania, all that remains of this once bustling city is a mass of rubble and ruins. A memorial honoring Pennsylvania's Civil War military and naval heroes once stood here. At one time several statues and busts were set around the monument. These statues did not survive the rifts, nor the chaos that followed, however the arch itself is still there, somewhere. Before the coming of the rifts, someone could whisper into the arch and another person at the opposite end could clearly hear what was being said. With the reshaping of the world the monument has taken on some new and bizarre properties. Anyone sitting at an end of the arch will hear whispers of the past. There is no way of knowing just what time period these whispers are from however. Certainly, the monument is an interesting find, but nothing of any value to anyone other than scholars. A small expenditure of energy, I.S.P. or P.P.E. seems to enable one to communicate with the spirits in the area. In some cases the spirits may be willing to communicate and perhaps even answer questions or offer information. There is also the possibility that the spirits contacted will not be in the mood to talk and will instead lash out in a rage.
Cave of Kelpius
During Pennsylvania’s early years some sort of cult, came to this cave to await the end of the world, ironically they had the right idea, but they were a bit too early. Many people actually came to seek out the cultists for aid and advice, as the cult was rather skilled in medicine, instrumental music, and Kelpius was a respected scholar. It would seem, that the cult broke up when their predictions failed to come to fruition, however when I returned to the site I found a new group had taken up where the first cult left off. All in all they seem a friendly sort, their leader called himself Kelpius, coincidence? I learned that the cultists referred to themselves as the "Mystic Brotherhood." Many of them are skilled in the use of Psionics and magic. And the group is made up of humans and psi-stalkers. Their cave has been enlarged substantially, in order to provide shelter and housing for the cult. I cannot say what the cult’s intentions are however they seem friendly and willing to help travelers, human or D-bee, and they are quite capable of taking care of themselves.
The Gates of Hell
The name is a bit melodramatic, however what can one expect of humans. As the story goes, a wealthy man picked up a hunting rifle and a shotgun one day and systematically murdered his family. Their bodies were said to be buried in a private graveyard near the house. I have also heard that the mansion was supposed have been left exactly as it was after the murders, complete with bullet holes. For some reason however, anyone exploring the area would fail to locate the mansion. To approach the site, explorers passed through a set of blood red gates and walked down a mile long path that lead to the location where the house once stood. Anyone with even a hint of psychic ability can sense that the area is simply wrong, tainted by some unknowable evil.
In my own explorations I have felt the evil that permeates the land, and I suspect, is responsible for the original incident all those years ago. A nexus can be found at the spot the house was supposed to have been built on. Something about this nexus is wrong however; it does not act like any other nexus I have ever encountered. Energy levels always seem to be unusually low unless, you approach the site at the proper time. Every new moon the nexus point flares to life and the “lost” mansion appears for the night. Once the sun begins to rise the house slowly fades out of existence, returning to where ever it came from. Anyone still in the house when it fades will be trapped until the next new moon that is if they survive. I happened to find myself trapped in the house; the experience was rather interesting to say the least. I only managed to escape with my dimension teleport. I am not eager to repeat the experience.
To say the house is haunted, would be an understatement. A great evil has infested the house, and the surrounding land, keeping the spirits of the slain trapped there. Perhaps the spirits of the slain are simply absorbed into a mass of energy, forming a sort gestalt intelligence. Possession is an ever present possibility and anyone entering the house better be prepared to defend themselves. Anyone slain within the house will end up joining the spirits there. I cannot say where the house goes once it leaves earth, the dimension the house is transported is not one I have ever been to. I can say without a doubt that this is not one of planes of Hades however.
The Train Station

Long before the coming of the rifts this structure was used as a train station, and a home at one point. The station was abandoned after a fire raged through it, and people began to dump junk and other refuse inside. Furniture was piled up in the corners, and garbage was strewn about the floor. Before the coming of the rifts an eccentric old man bought the place and planned to renovate it. Of course he, never got a chance, and during the cataclysm half the structure collapsed in on itself. Over the years the forest moved in and began to reclaim the land around the train station. Most of the structure survived, probably due to the many squatters who to advantage of the shelter it would provide.

While the tracks have long since vanished, the path they followed has been kept relatively clear; perhaps travelers and other creatures have been using it as a path through the forests. If a traveler is on the path at the right time they catch a glimpse of something from an age long forgotten. First the ground begins to rumble, only people on the trail will notice it however, and in the distance the sound of a lonely whistle echoes through the forest, next the hissing sound of an old steam engine and the hint of a light can be seen approaching at a rapid pace. Suddenly the light vanishes; leavening just the echo of a whistle and the hint of burning coal in the air. An interesting experience if nothing else, there may be more to the story, but as of yet I have found nothing.

Byberry Hell

Byberry was a state hospital opened in the early 1900’s, built to house the mentally ill, and suffered the typical laundry list of atrocities that seemed to be all too common among the various state run hospitals during that time. Thirty buildings made up the Byberry hospital, tunnels in the basement allowed the patients to be transported throughout the facility without ever seeing the sunlight. There are the cells where they slept, the cafeterias where they ate, and of course, there is the morgue, which was their final exit from the pitiful lives they lived. Down the tunnels from the patient wards is the Mortician's building. Further down the Catacombs, a nickname the tunnels have earned is a place called the “Echo Hallway,” named as such for obvious reasons. After you pass this hallway, you reach the Refrigeration building, to the right and down a dark hall is the Morgue. The “Black Hallway” connects the Refrigeration and the Morgue Buildings. In the Morgue, there are ten freezers that once held the bodies of dead patients.
In the patients’ rooms, there are scraps of wallpaper glued to pieces of wood, which provide a bizarre and depressing ambience. The ceilings are mostly gone and the lights are lying on the floors. What once was a cot where a patient slept is now just a rusted frame, strange equipment and rotting straight-jackets are strewn about. It is disturbing, knowing you are in what was once a functioning insane asylum, where people were so sick that they had to be locked up away from family and friends.
For years, after the state closed Byberry, the asylum was left to rot, that is until problems with M.O.M. experiments began to surface. With a flood of subjects suffering from constantly degrading mental capacity, asylums were needed to deal with the needs of these patients and so Byberry was re-opened, and renovated to provide doctors with a means of treating patients with M.O.M. Implants. Of course, the past would not be forgotten and the atrocities of Byberry would once again return to haunt the patients. While the hospital still stands, the last M.O.M. patient expired around the time of the Cataclysm. Over the intervening dark ages, scavengers looted all of the valuable equipment, however boxes of patient charts are strewn about with sadistic notes scrawled on them like, "Patient’s eyelids were sewn shut; Patient was administered electric shocks; etc". Even worse are the brain wave charts that can be found, some of which end in a flat line. In some areas, blood splatters can still be seen on the walls even after all these years.
Rumors say that patients were let loose within the tunnels under the buildings, subsequently leading to them wandering around aimlessly until they starved to death or killed themselves from sheer panic and fright. All of the Byberry buildings have remained standing, at best, through the ravages of time, due in large part to the renovations using mega damage materials. Still the hospital sits abandoned; no one it would seem, is desperate enough to use this place even for shelter. I have seen packs of Psi-stalkers go out of their way to avoid the facility. Byberry is an utterly evil place, nothing of value remains, and so there is no reason to risk entering the place.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary, located in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was built in 1829 and designed to hold 250 prisoners, but was estimated to have held up to 1,700 at its height in 1913. Built on the pentagon prison model, Eastern State has five wings which all extend outwards from a central point, similar to a wagon wheel. Believing that criminal activity was a product of one's environment, the building's structure sought to rehabilitate inmates through "confinement in solitude with labor." During the 1940's employees and prisoners alike began reporting unusual activity within the prison's walls. In 1951, the prison began to house more violent criminals such as murderers and rapists.
After the prison closed in 1970, Eastern State was virtually abandoned for 21 years, until it was selected for historic preservation and reconstruction began in 1991. The prison's history of using physical torture as a form of punishment, has contributed to it's being haunted. Voices, laughter and cackling have also been heard in Cellblock 12. Other active areas include Cellblock 6, where shadowy figures have been seen against the walls, and Cellblock 4, where ghostly faces have been spotted.
During the cataclysm I recall some paramilitary force taking the prison over for use as a fortress of sorts, once they moved on bands of mercenaries moved in and used the old prison for the same purpose. Occupants never seem too stay long and when they leave there always seem to less people then when they went in. Rumors of an old N.E.M.A. weapons catch keeps explorers and excavators returning on a regular basis. So far I believe nothing has been found.

Fricks Lock

While some of the villages buildings date from the American Revolutionary War era, the village name was a result of the "Schuylkill Navigation" canal. The canal was constructed, in the early 1820s, and required a set of lock. Lock #54 and #55 were built on farm land acquired from John Frick and village became known as Frick's Locks. The village thrived due to the economic stimulus of the canal. Eventually the commercial canal traffic declined toward the turn of the century and gave way to the railroad. Frick's Locks had become the singular Frick's Lock before the Pennsylvania Rail Road arrived and built a station with the latter name. The canal was filled in starting in 1947. While the railroad eventually declined, the village remained inhabited until near the end of the 20th century.
In the 1960s, the then Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) began the process of building the Limerick Nuclear Power Station immediately across the river from Frick's Lock. The station went on line in 1986. During the project, PECO acquired all the land around the station site, which included Frick's Lock. There are possible conflicting stories about the residents being bought out and relocated nearby and one account that described a 48 hour notice of forced eviction. In any event the buildings were vacated and simply boarded up. There is evidence that some of the buildings were later occupied by an environmental study company retained by PECO. This small hamlet found in eastern Pennsylvania, is a modern day ghost town in all meanings of the word. Once a thriving community on the Schukyill River, Frick's lock is now inhabited only by ghosts, making it a spiritual Mecca and a truly eerie place.

Limerick Nuclear power plant

The site was chosen and plans to build the station were announced in 1969, by the Philadelphia Electric Company. Community protests and other delays pushed the start of construction by the Bechtel Power Corporation to June, 1974. Limerick Unit 1 first attained criticality (began producing nuclear power, at limited capacity) on December 22, 1984 and was certified for commercial operation on February 1, 1986. Limerick Unit 2 attained criticality on August 1, 1989, and commercial operation began January 8, 1990. U.S. President, at the time, visited the Limerick Generating Station to discuss Nuclear Power and its role in the Advanced Energy Initiative. He toured the facility, including a trip to the control room of the plant.
Naturally the Limerick power plant did not last through the golden age, and the reactor units were removed. The land is slowly reclaiming the area, but the old buildings and the empty town still provide shelter for anyone passing through the area.

B-25 Ghost Bomber

I don't know how this rumor has survived for so long, but somehow treasure hunters always seem to learn the story of the "Ghost Bomber". Every few years the legend of the "Ghost Bomber" surfaces, always saying something new. Rumors say an outdated bomber bound for an old American empire military base ditched in the Monongahela river, subsequent searches never turned up anything. Rumors always speculated what the bomber may have been carrying. Glory hounds and treasure hunters conveniently forget the fact that it's been hundreds of years since the plane went down, and likely nothing remains.
I guess the possibilities of what could be recovered fuel the imaginations of those treasure hunters. There are many rumors concerning what the bomber may have been carrying, everything from a nuclear warhead to a load of gold.

USS Requin

Back in the day, an organization acquired a retired world war two sub to display at one of their facilities along the Ohio river. During her time berthed in the Ohio river the Requin served as a memorial and attraction. I know very little of her pre-rifts life, her post-rifts life however is rather interesting. Over the years the Requin was upgraded and repaired with stronger, long lasting materials to prolong her life and viability as an exhibit. During the cataclysm survivors fled the city in droves, some forward thinking survivors fled to the Requin.
Her old diesel engines had long ago been gutted and replaced with a compact high efficiency nuclear reactor. When the engine was put in place the idea was to provide an easier way of moving the sub, rather than towing her. For the survivors the modifications were a god send. Requin would provide protection and shelter for eighty survivors. Two hundred years later descendants of those original survivors still call the sub home. Requin and her "crew" have traveled the rivers in search of prey ever since.
Among river pirates these guys are at the top of the food chain, their greatest advantage is the Requin herself. A few shots are usually enough to "convince" a target to surrender, especially when the attacker seems to come out of nowhere. Most crews don't expect to encounter a submarine in a river. The Mon River Pirates, as the crew call themselves have even been known to take down Coalition cargo ships along the Mississippi. A fact that has earned them the ire and a bounty from the Coalition.
I've encountered these guys a few times, their captain is a human female named Alisa. She told me the Requin berths at a small settlement founded on an island along Ohio river, named Burnt Steel. Loot claimed by the crew eventually finds its way into the pockets of the residents, so in the long run everyone benefits. In return the Requin and her crew have a safe port of call and a benefactor to keep the Requin repaired and armed. In fact funding from the settlement allowed Alisa too re-arm the sub with modern weapons.

Alisa
Capt. of the Requin

Not much is known about Alisa, she grew up in burnt steel, the daughter of a crewman aboard the Requin. Alisa spent most of her time on the Requin, learning the ropes. As expected when she came of age Alisa took her place among the crew and rose quickly through the ranks. Now at the age of 35 Alisa is in command of the Requin, with a string of victories under her belt, she has the full support of her crew and a sizeable bounty on her head, from the Coalition.
Alisa is an attractive young woman, who often uses her beauty to get what she wants. Many young men have fallen under her spell, many merchant marines have unwittingly betrayed their own ships in an attempt to impress an attractive young woman.

Quick Stats:
Alignment: Unprincipled
Attributes: I.Q. 15, M.E. 14, M.A. 12, P.S. 13, P.P. 12, P.E. 14, P.B. 18, Spd. 18
Hit Points: 31 S.D.C.: 52 Age: 35
Experience: 9th level Pirate

USS Requin
Class: Tench
Crew: 10 officers 70 sailors
M.D.C. by Location:
* Mini Torpedo Tubes forward (6) 50 each
* Mini Torpedo Tubes aft (4) 50 each
*Deck Guns (2) 50 each
*** Main Body 600

* Indicates a small target. Attackers must make a called shot at -2 to
Hit.
*** Depleting the MDC of the main body will cause the sub to sink. At
depths greater than 400 feet, the damaged hull will rupture and fill
with water; no water seals will hold.

Speed:
Driving on ground: Not possible
Flying: Not possible
Water surface: 21 mph (39 kmph)
Underwater: 18 mph (33 kmph)
Maximum depth: 400 feet (122 m)

Statistical Data:
Height: 20 feet (6 m)
Width: 28 feet (9 m)
Length: 312 feet (95 m)
Weight: 2415 tons
Cargo: 10 tons
Power System: Nuclear; average energy life 20 years.

Weapon Systems
Medium torpedo tubes (6): Forward
Primary Purpose: Anti-ship, anti-armor
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D.
Rate of Fire: One at a time, or in volleys of 2,3, or 4.
Maximum effective range: 20 miles (32 km) underwater.
Payload: A total of 30 torpedoes.

Medium torpedo tubes (2): Aft
Primary Purpose: Anti-ship, anti-armor
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D.
Rate of Fire: One at a time, or in volleys of 2,3, or 4.
Maximum effective range: 20 miles (32 km) underwater.
Payload: A total of 30 torpedoes.

Deck Guns (2) IH-10RJ 30mm Ramjet Auto Cannon: Foreword & Aft
Two deck guns place forward and aft can be used only when the sub is running on the surface.
Primary Purpose: Anti-ship, anti-armor
Secondary Purpose: Defense
Mega-Damage: A burst is 20 rounds and inflicts 2D6x 10 M.D. A single round does 3D6 M.D.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the gunners hand to hand attacks; each burst counts as one melee action.
Maximum effective range: 2000 feet (914 m)
Payload: 2000 disintegrating belt; that's 100 bursts.

Other features: Diving equipment, wet suits, life rafts, sick bay, wide range sonar, (50 miles/80 km range) and radar (300 mile/460 km range), echo-location system, long-range communications, a full sensor array, life support, and similar systems similar to most military vessels.

"Well that’s about all I have to talk about for now; granted there are many more locations throughout the area that should be interesting for explorers. Just remember to watch your backs out there and always keep a plasma cannon handy."

Data Miner
The Hook: Prospectors have been digging up the hills searching from everything from gold to
pre-Rifts artifacts. Some prospectors have even uncovered abandoned mines or whole towns, sealed away under layers of ash. Most of these prospectors are either crazy or desperate, and usually best to avoid.
The Line: An old prospector made an incredible find in the hills, and has been living high on the hog, a bit too high in fact. With his funds finally running out, the old prospector wants to head back into the hills and pick up more artifacts, and has offered the characters a share of profits in return for an escort.
The Sinker: The old prospector had indeed found a valuable cache of artifacts, and is quite unwilling to share what he has found, once the artifacts are secured and the old prospector believes he is safe, he will turn on the characters and attempt to arrange an accident so he doesn't have to pay them.

Lost Frontiers
Hook: Strange robots have been seen with increasing regularity in the area around Philadelphia, any adventurers wandering to close are chased off at best or killed outright. Evidence of large scale excavations in other areas would suggest that a well organized group is searching for something of value in the ruins of Philadelphia.
Line: A wounded explorer staggers into the characters camp and collapses, he fades in and out of consciousness throughout the night. When he is awake of aware of the characters presence he mutters about robots, excavations and something called Unlimited Frontiers, eventually the dyeing explorer points the characters in a general direction.
Sinker: Once they begin exploring the Philadelphia ruins is becomes evident that someone or something has taken a keen interest something buried in the ruins. Evidence of numerous excavation sites can be found everywhere. Further exploration may result in encounters with A.R.C.H.I.E.S robots.