Operation Silent Eclipse (4e Quest)

Operation Contra Genesis

This is a "dungeon delve" for Future (4e Sourcebook) for 1st level characters.

Player Introduction

Welcome, agents. You've been handpicked to serve under the Earth Defense Corps (EDC), an elite organization dedicated to protecting our world from extraterrestrial and extradimensional threats. The mission you're about to embark on is critical to the security of our planet.

Your briefing officer is Major Lance Bean, a veteran of countless off-world campaigns and known for his decisive actions during the Red Falcon conflict. Major Bean's experience with the enemy's tactics makes him the perfect candidate to guide your team through the upcoming challenges.

"Agents, listen up," Major Bean begins, his voice steady and commanding. "Intel has uncovered a hidden stronghold believed to be the nexus of a new alien incursion. Dubbed 'The Core,' this facility is a hotbed of enemy activity and advanced technologies that we can't allow to remain operational."

"You'll be deploying into the outskirts of the jungle where our recon drones have spotted guerrilla robot patrols. It's imperative that you neutralize these threats silently and swiftly. We've arranged for a stealth dropship to insert you just outside their detection range. From there, you'll proceed on foot to avoid drawing attention."

"To assist you in your mission, the EDC is providing you with a prototype piece of equipment codenamed 'Phantom Veil.' This advanced cloaking device will render you invisible for a short duration, giving you the element of surprise or allowing for a tactical retreat. Use it wisely – it is a single-use item."

"Your objectives are clear: infiltrate The Core, dismantle their operations, and gather any intelligence on their future plans. Expect heavy resistance, especially as you near the reactor room. This is where they'll be most fortified, but it's also where we expect to find the most valuable intel.”

“Stay sharp, agents. The fate of our world may well rest on the success of Operation Contra Genesis. Dismissed.”

Agents, prepare to commence the mission. Your dropship leaves at 0600 hours. Gear up, synchronize your watches, and get ready to make history.

Equipment

The players are given:

• a Phanton Veil
• 2 smoke grenades
• 2 frag grenades

Encounter 1: Jungle Outskirts Ambush

The stealth dropship, engineered for quiet operation and radar evasion, descends through the night sky. Its engines make minimal noise, and its dark exterior blends into the dark surroundings. The team is quickly and efficiently lowered from the open bay into the jungle terrain below. Once the team is clear, the dropship closes its bay and leaves the area without drawing attention.

The jungle outskirts are a tangle of dense undergrowth and towering trees, their canopies casting deep shadows over the uneven ground. Rubble and broken ground make the terrain hazardous to navigate, while thick mud patches can slow your progress. Large trees and overgrown foliage provide ample hiding spots but also obstruct lines of sight. The air is filled with the sounds of distant wildlife, and the dim light filtering through the leaves creates a sense of both concealment and uncertainty.

Environment

• The PCs can choose what time of day they arrive at the jungle; day (bright light), dusk or dawn (dim light) or night (darkness).
• Choose a battlemap with trees, a river and rocks (I recommed "Jungle Stream" by 2 Minute Tabletop for its clearly defined tree trunks).
• Tree trunks provide cover or superior cover depending on their thickness.
• The riverbed is difficult terrain.
• Ascending the rocks is challenging terrain, requiring a DC 10 Athletics check.

Enemies

• 1 × Auto-Gun, built into the side of the rock face by the river. If it detects the players, it will emerge from its blast plates.
• For more than one PC, 4 × Guerilla Robot (4e Future Creature) for every PC after the first.

Rewards

• Intel worth 100 credits.

Encounter 2: Sentry Overlook Assault

As the team maneuvers closer to the objective, the environment transitions from untamed jungle to a blend of nature and remnants of a derelict research facility. The facility’s Sentry Overlook stands as a strategic point, and two distinct paths lead to this critical location.

Environment

The PCs find themselves at the edge of a research facility reclaimed by the jungle. The map should depict ruins intermingled with dense vegetation, and scattered with remnants of the outpost’s technology. An old emergency defense console occupies one square.

There are two routes to the Sentry Overlook.

Climbing the Vines

One route involves scaling the side of a building using thick vines. This requires a DC 15 Athletics check due to the vines being slippery and treacherous. Failure results in 1d10 physical damage and alerting the sentry robot. The advantage of this route is that it provides a higher vantage point, allowing the PCs to bypass ground-based defenses and achieve surprise against the sentry robot.

Navigating the Rubble

Another path leads through a collapsed section of the facility, filled with rubble and broken machinery. This requires several checks:

• a DC 12 Acrobatics or Athletics check to navigate the rubble
• and a DC 12 Stealth check to avoid causing a noise that would alert the sentry robot.

Although the rubble provides cover it is also difficult terrain and the sentry drone has a clear line of attack into the collapsed section.

Enemies

• 2 × Sentry Robots, utilizing darkvision to scan for intruders. They are stationed at the Overlook to intercept any unauthorized access.
• 2 technicians. When combat stars, one technician will stay close to the sentry robots, while the other will make a run for the emergency defense console.

Patrolling 100 feet away or so are 3 fly-bots which will join the fight if an alarm is triggered.

Traps and Hazards

Emergency Defense Console

A technician adjacent to this can use an action to activate it. This will deploy holographc decoys around one sentry robot, granting it +6 to its AC. Each time an attack misses it, this bonus is reduced by 2. On a second activation, the console raises barrier walls to seal the entrance to the research facility.

The console has AC 18 and 20 hit points. A PC can access it with DC 18 Conspiracy (guessing the password) or DC 18 Science (hacking the panel). The hologram system can be co-opted but it only functions in courtyard of the ruined faciity.

Rewards

• Intel worth 100 credits (strategic data from the Overlook’s monitoring systems, valuable for planning future incursions.)
• Ammo cache.