Free Content Friday - December 2018

DR. C. OLSEN
Written By: Graphic Design & Layout:
David Zuckman Michal Cross, Christopher J. De La Rosa, Alex Huilman

Background

A former contractor with the Department of Defense and a

consummate scientist, Olsen provided solutions ranging
from nanotechnology, to deep-sea drone drilling, to mobile
protective barriers, to hyper-effective foodstuffs, to DNA alteration.
All of which were rapidly appropriated and applied by the Joint
at any cost, as quickly as possible.” Safety for others is no longer a
concern if it interferes with his research and inventions.

This brilliant engineer is currently working toward a solution to the

Chiefs.
Olsen is quick to anger, especially when things do not go his way. He
was always irritable and a bit of a lone wolf, but the patience he once
showed prior to the outbreak is gone. His new philosophy is “Progress
outbreak problem. A panacea, a method of eradication, or some form of
prolonged protection would all be acceptable, if only he could figure
out how to apply them. Something in his past spurs him on toward
this goal, but what is it?

[00:00:00.00] Prior to the outbreak, I was the sharpest mind at the Department of Defense.

[00:00:03.25] I WAS the cutting edge of military tech.

[00:00:05.50] And that isn’t just some self-serving bullshit to prop up my flagging

[00:00:09.00] self-confidence or to sufficiently stroke my ego to forget about the things

[00:00:12.50] I’ve done.

[00:00:13.02] [Loud Muffled Whimpering]

[00:00:15.53] You don’t believe me, though, do you?

[00:00:17.00] [Soft Muffled Whimpering]

[00:00:19.36] I’d tell you to go to my lab, and see for yourself,

[00:00:21.75] but let’s not kid ourselves, you’ll not be walking anywhere on …those.

[00:00:24.00] [Soft Weeping]

[00:00:27.15] That’s… alright. You can let the tears out.

[00:00:29.33] It’s an awful situation that you’re in, after all. 

[00:00:32.17] I want you to know that I take absolutely no joy from this, but perhaps you

[00:00:35.00] can find solace in knowing that you’re playing an essential role in helping

[00:00:38.12] humanity dig itself out from the burial mound.

[00:00:41.41] Sometimes I wish morality was a little more black and white,

[00:00:44.52] but I can’t stop to think about that, not when there’s work to be done 

[00:00:47.29] [Muffled Terrified Shrieks] 

[00:00:57.11] Let’s get started.

034 – FCF DEC 2018

 Dr. Olsen was heavily invested in his latest vision, the “Encepha-
LOOKING BACK lo-Somnolence Strobe Gun”, when the incident happened. It was
normal for him to live in his lab when he was feverishly inspired. It
It’s not that Dr. C. Olsen lacks empathy, he just chooses to suppress
was well stocked with his foodstuffs and a cot for him to sleep on.
and ignore that aspect of himself when necessary. Throughout his
Weeks had passed, in fact, before he realized anything was wrong.
adult life, he found himself making more and more excuses for it
And only then because his power died and water sputtered to a
to be necessary. His past superiors turned a blind eye at such times;
trickle from his sink. There was no dial tone when he called the
they could not deny the results he produced.
maintenance office to complain.
Peace. War. It made little difference to Olsen how his brilliance was
Impatiently, he ventured outside to spin up his standby generator.
applied. He was the consummate scientist; the physical realization
Even in a secluded, gated-off, and secured location such as this it
of his myriad ideas was enough to sate his appetite for creation
was unnaturally quiet. No guards and no vehicles moving about.
and experimentation. From mobile protective barriers to limited
He searched the compound to find signs of life but found only
nanotechnology, there was always another project to throw himself
the opposite. In the general mess hall was the aftermath of a brief
into. Foodstuffs that provided a days’ worth of nutrition while
firefight. Blood, viscera, and shell-casings littered the floor. Bodies
simultaneously suppressing hunger. Deep-sea drone drills that can
of his “colleagues” (though they’d never been his equal) stared life-
dig deeper, faster. DNA altering pathogens. That last one had been
lessly toward the ceiling…until they started moving.
appropriated by the Joint Chiefs and silenced quickly.
Though he was not an athletic man by any means, he bolted from
Social interaction was a bothersome distraction. Rather than waste
the mess hall with speed he didn’t realize he could summon, and
time on pointless interpersonal relationships, he preferred to pour
barricaded the door with whatever he could find outside. He was
himself into his work. The only thing he really needed was 6 hours
only momentarily startled by what he had seen, however, and
of sleep and 3 square meals, eventually replacing the meals with
quickly shook it off. The possibility of the undead never seemed
his aforementioned foodstuffs.
all that far-fetched to him, though their bodily mechanics required
He’d been given relative autonomy to do his work, and he would some pondering.
contact his handler whenever he was done. At first, his superiors
Dr. Olsen returned to his lab feeling determined. Resolved. The
would give him assignments with a particular end goal, however,
prototype for his Encephalo-Somnolence Strobe Gun remained on
eventually they found they got better results from letting him
his workbench. It was functional, but not finished. Not perfected.
decide his own projects and timelines. It made no difference to him
For the first time he could remember, he set aside an unfinished
overall. Every project he worked on was his favorite project while
project and began working on something new. He was unsure how
he labored toward its completion, and all of his previous creations
far this new development had spread, but it required research
were insignificant. He was possessed of a unique skill – he cleared
and experimentation. Perhaps the affected subjects could be con-
his mind of all specifics of his past inventions in order to make
trolled, and if not, there must be a practical way of dealing with
room for whatever he was currently toiling away on. Unfortunately,
them en masse.
this left him without the knowledge of how to recreate his works
without sufficiently studying his notes and blueprints. He means to find out.

FCF DEC 2018 – 035

 Dr. C. Olsen Hostility Level
Experimental Engineer Olsen can be a powerful ally, or a fearsome enemy depending
on how he is introduced to the survivors, or based on how they
Strength: 25
interact with him.
Perception: 35
Empathy: 15 Pragmatic (Orange) Default
Willpower: 45
Conditional alliance. The NPC will likely only ally with the char-
Vitality: acters for a mutual benefit. They may be friendly, but will only see
the player characters purely in terms of utility, such as mercenar-
Health Points: (5)
ies, trading partners, or useful purveyors of information. Upon
reaching J0, these characters will abandon the player characters.
Damage Threshold: +4

{Skill Check%}: {Composure 53%, Spot/Listen 50%,
Diplomacy (Command) 35%, Diplomacy (Determine
Motives) 40%, Construction/Engineering35%, Science
30%}
Recommended Traits:
nn Mechanical Engineering: Support {Construction/Engineer-
ing%}. Reduce Objectives in “Garage, Factory, or Machine
Shop” by 62 (to minimum 61)
nn Research (Virology): Support {Science (Virology)%}
Players may spend l for Upgrades or GM may spend Won them.
Dangerous (Red) W5
Never willingly ally. This NPC has a high amount of mistrust
towards the characters. They will only under very desperate cir-
cumstances ally themselves with the player characters, in fact they
will be outright hostile towards characters that fail their “Assess
Person”. Upon reaching J0, the NPC will turn on the charac-
ters and either attack or steal from them. Upgrades may only be
purchased with Wby the GM.

nn Aggression Special

nn Irascible Encephalo-Somnolence Strobe Gun: The crown-jewel of Dr.

C. Olsen’s arsenal is not a weapon in the traditional sense. Where
TrainingValues: most guns pierce their enemies’ bodies, the Encephalo-Somnolence
Strobe Gun pierces their minds.

Research
2 Dr. C. Olsen will be unwilling to part with this weapon, as it still
requires further development and testing. The only way to part him
with the weapon will be to kill him or find some way of stealing it.
BARTER RESOURCE CATALOG - DR. C. OLSEN
ITEM COST CAPACITY
Medical Supplies
G100 8
Sustenance
G50 5
Tools (Research)
G30 15

036 – FCF DEC 2018

 Encephalo-Somnolence Strobe Gun will immediately cause it to explode causing [n n n ] Blast (2).

The ESS Gun resembles an old flashbulb camera mixed with an over-sized
click-pen. It was not built for subtlety, so any living target that sees it
being prepared for use, especially those that know what it does, will have
ample time to turn away or otherwise avoid the effect. Its bulky size makes
it difficult to carry for long periods of time without rest, but also makes
it an effective bludgeoning weapon if all other options are exhausted.
0x / - / -
0x / - / - 1x
3 2
Triggered Effect(s)
Bash: + – [n Bludgeoning] Accuracy
Disorientating Lure: + , Undead Target – [n n n n ] After the stun
wears off, all affected undead will be drawn to the weapon’s user,
usually with great haste. Treat the weapon as the “most viable
target” for all Undead affected for the following3 Rounds.

CU: .. (Loot: l100/Barter: G300) TP: 2 Suggestion: + + , Living Target – Through applying his genius-level
intellect, Olsen was able to invent an item that flashes brightly
Base Dice Pool and briefly, leaving its living targets susceptible to minor sugges-
tions from the user. This will grant the user a bonus + + on
uu n n n + n per DP {Firearms (Long Gun)%} any {Diplomacy-Perduade%, Diplomacy-Command%}
uu n n n {Melee Attack (Bludgeoning)%} against the target in the next Round. The suggestion cannot be
more complicated than what can be conveyed in a single Round.
Special

Specialized Battery: A large, specialized battery is attached STORY HOOKS

to the gun and it is unlikely that many other batteries would
work as a replacement. Each usage of the ESS Gun requires a
tremendous amount of power, draining a fully charged battery
after only a couple uses. The gun must be charged up for 61
per DP removed with a viable power source to restore function.
Timer: In dire situations, the ESS Gun can be primed to fire
on a timer, which will briefly stun all nearby undead, then draw
them toward it. This will undoubtedly result in the ESS Gun’s
destruction at the hands of the raging undead, but provide a
suitable distraction for an expeditious escape.
Upgrades
Dr. C. Olsen has a number of ideas on how to potentially further
develop the weapon, and given enough time and supplies will be
able to add on these functions. The l cost is if the upgrade is
done with the character using the EES Gun is friendly, and W
cost is if the user is an opponent.
1. Research Assistants Wanted
The survivors come across Olsen in a makeshift lab, working
tirelessly on a project of some sort. He believes he has found
a panacea for the outbreak. He needs their help to sneak into
his old laboratory for a piece of equipment and his journal
of notes. Unfortunately, his lab is overrun with the dead.
2. Test Subject
One of the survivors is captured by Olsen to be used as a
test subject for one of his experiments. The survivors must
figure out a way to get them back before Olsen concludes
his experiments and disposes of the them.

Optimized Power Consumption L10 / W5 n

TP: 1 y y o u r o wial
This will remove the requirement for the specialized battery and
a n t t o t r i n g m a t e r y?
allow the device to be powered by more conventional variants W
n d a t m a k tent Frida
and increases the Capacity of the device to 10. h a ree Con er to:
for F an email ov om
Optimized Charging L20 / W10 Send sbooks.
c
u n t e r
TP: 1 alex@
h
e c t “FCF
j
This will allow for more effective combat application of the
e t h e S u best” to find
weapon by allowing the recharge to take only 1 Round in Combat U s ls Requ
using solar cells.
Detai w!
Security Self Destruct L30 / W15 out ho
TP: 2
This will allow for a specialized use of the weapon in order to
not trigger a secure self destruct system. Detecting this system
will require a {Science%} with n , otherwise use of the weapon

FCF DEC 2018 – 037