Asklepion, Adventures in Medical Mission Work

campaign-premise
#1

I’m looking to flesh out an idea I have for a campaign. I imagine the PCs are medical missionaries who travel from place to place. Instead of killing and plundering, the PCs heal the sick, run search and rescue, hunt for rare pharmacological ingredients, influence local politics toward greater health and safety, teach the locals medicine and public health, help grieving or misguided souls, run tests to find a cure for a plague, etc.

They must act in spite of warmongers, profiteers, language and cultural barriers, scarce resources, megalomaniacal politicians, and good old Mother Nature.

And they’ve all taken a vow of pacifism. According to their Order, force can be used, but it must be non-lethal force, and it must be only when other methods have failed. The use of force is entrusted to a few specialists who are held to high standards, not unlike medical practitioners.

My hope for this game is for it to be filled with action, ethical dilemmas, philosophy, tough choices, and problem-solving, while being appropriate for kids of parents who have concerns about running violent games for them.

What do you think?

#2

Sounds like it’s full of moral imperative, the stuff of adventure. I dig it, man!

#3

I’ve been working on this this weekend. Here’s a new class as a teaser:

Paramedic - Get in. Rescue. Get out. Fast. Sometimes quietly. Of course, these skills have many uses….

Recommended Gear: Common Armor, Stun Gun, Hypnoscythe, Spyglass, Medical Tools, Rope and Hook

Starter Reward: Biobivvy (hovering life support gurney that holds one and tethers to the user; folds for storage)

Milestone Rewards:

  • Smoke Armor (item, +2 ARMOR, be detected by others only with a HARD scouting check)
  • Blip Pack (move up to FAR distances in zero time)
  • Shield Projector: Item. Drop to emit a NEAR-length energy wall with 14 ARMOR and 2 HEARTS.
  • Plasteel Helmet (Armor, +2 ARMOR. Ignore any effect that would blind or deafen you)
  • Akeso Grenades: (5 count, heal all NEAR for 1d12 HP)

And in case you’re wondering what a Hypnoscythe is…
Hypnoscythe (the spectral cousin of the energy blade; concealed, high-tech, merciful. Does no damage, but roll Effort. On 4+, target falls asleep)

Feedback appreciated! :slight_smile:

#4

Hell yes, dude! Love the Biobivvy! :herocoin:

#5

I’m struggling a little with my concept for a doctor class. I had imagined an education/intelligence-based spellcaster. Someone who has spent a decade or more studying biology and medicine, and able to use both magic and science to heal.

But I’m looking at the Priest or the Zurin and asking myself, why would someone do all that scientific study when there’s instantaneous healing magic that doesn’t care about biology?

So one solution might be to not reinvent the wheel and just use an existing class. Perhaps add some spells to flesh out medical utility.

But it seems to be that scientific knowledge must be worth having… I’m just having a hard time seeing it implemented in play.

Thoughts?

#6

I think Science based healing/ medicine is totally usable. Say the players are in an are that’s flooded with an anti-magic field, or find themselves in a place where magic doesn’t exist, or they’re cut off from their Gods and their divine magic doesn’t work.

There’s definitely relevance in having healing through technology.

#7

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” - Arthur C. Clarke

Why can’t the two be one and the same? :thinking:

#8

Alright, folks. Here’s my rough draft for the doctor class. I decided to build on the RECOVERY action as the primary mode of healing. What do you think?

Therapeutes - A physician dedicated to the Order receives the title Therapeutes. Through rigorous study, you have learned to diagnose and treat all manner of ailments. You blend science and magic to give your patients the very best in health care.

Recommended Gear: Medical Tools, Stun Gun, Medi Foam, Amulet of Secrets

Starter Rewards:

Full Assessment (INT SPELL, quickly know a NEAR target’s strengths, weaknesses, and ailments; EASY if touching)

Serpent’s Caress (touch an ally and make a RECOVERY roll for them. Use your INT instead of CON)

Milestone Rewards:

  • Bedside Manual (add your CHA to allied RECOVERY checks)
  • Anesthesia (INT SPELL, touch target and they fall asleep OR HARD roll to affect all NEAR enemies)
  • Stasis (INT SPELL, pause all NEAR DYING timers for 1d6 ROUNDS)
  • Serpent Skin (INT SPELL, touch and ATTEMPT to regenerate a lost body part)
  • Serpent Rod (CLOSE allies add your INT to total HP recovered with RECOVERY)
#9

EDIT:
Have you made more progress or done more with this Pacifist idea since the original post? I’m thinking about a modern take on this idea to try and get my wife into playing. She is a nurse and doesn’t find much interest in gaming so my goal is to draw her in with a game focused on other aspects rather than fighting.

Do you know the story of The Division? I made a conversion for it a long time ago so my idea was to use its story and events, but the players will play as First Responders whose main goal is to search/rescue/heal civilians and maybe find a cure for the outbreak. I may tweak the story so guns are almost non-existent in the deserted city, boiling combat down to simple melee and thrown only, with an emphasis on Sneaking and Critical Thinking.

But if you fleshed out anymore ideas since this post was made, I’d love to read them!

#10

Hey @Kindred. Kind of, yes. In many games, the PCs’ objective in an encounter is to kill the enemies. I wanted a list of non-lethal encounter objectives. After writing out some ideas and trying them in encounter design, I realized I had a fifth T on my hands (Timers, Threats, Treats, and Target being the first four): Tasks. A Task is what the PCs must accomplish despite the Threats. I made up a 1d12 roll table:

  1. Capture
  2. Rescue
  3. Escape
  4. Repair
  5. Labor
  6. Sabotage
  7. Hide
  8. Deliver
  9. Persuade
  10. Research
  11. Enter
  12. Activate

What do you think? Is this helpful?

#11

Yes that’s a great idea! I’ll have to incorporate that to keep the encounters fresh. Thanks!

#12

You’re welcome! Let me know how it goes.