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GODLIKE The Invasion of Jericho Bay
GODLIKE The Invasion of Jericho Bay
Introduction
In 1942, the Japanese launched an ineffective attack against the Aleutian Islands off
Alaska in the hopes of drawing American forces from the conflict in the Pacific. This
poorly planned and executed invasion did not last. Time, weather, lack of supplies and
an American counter-invasion all spelled doom for the operation.
Many believe this was the only physical invasion of the United States by the Imperial
forces of the Japanese Empire. They are wrong. In 1945, during the hectic battle for
supremacy on Okinawa, a portion of forces from both sides of the conflict were ripped
7,420 miles by the power of a dying American Talent and dropped on an isolated
island off the coast of Maine. There another, secret battle was waged in the small
fishing town of Jericho Bay between a small force of Japanese irregulars, the remnants
of a squad of the 6th Marines and the townsfolk.
In this scenario, the players take the role of Talents (Army, Navy or Marine) pulled
from the cauldron of battle in Okinawa and sent through the mysterious Bubble which
has engulfed a portion of the island, halting the progress of the invasion forces.
On the other side they find that war, especially war on your own home soil, is always
less easily fought than one might imagine.
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
The immense Allied fleet of more than 1,500 vessels anchored off the west coast of
the island and landed their troops at 8:30 A.M. on April 1, after five days of
bombardment and suffering more than two weeks of kamikaze attacks. U.S. Marine
and Army groups rapidly moved inland, seizing Kadena and Yontan airfields with
minimal resistance. The next day the Americans cut Okinawa in two by pushing to
Heanna on the east coast of the island. After a few days of consolidation, American
forces turned north and south.
The Japanese retreated to the heavily fortified Shuri line, and on April 4 the
American forces came face to face with the defenses the enemy had prepared. For
nine days, Army and Marine troops battled to capture cave complexes riddled with
Japanese command posts and machine gun nests. Artillery was brought up to
pound the Shuri line, and hundreds of mortars and even naval cannons picked at
the Japanese defenders.
On April 14th, the mysterious Yae-Take Bubble appeared, cutting off some of the
main landing ports for men and materiel and, more worryingly, possibly becoming
some sort of Talent-powered beachhead for a Japanese counter-attack. The tide of
battle on Okinawa is far from certain.
On the Arcus
One by one the player’s Talents are gathered on deck of the Arcus, an old, war-beaten
frigate. The seas are calm and the island of Okinawa is perfectly visible, marred only
by blots of black smoke pouring from several points on the island. Standing off to one
side, half a dozen personnel—some Navy, some Army, some Marines—are clutching
paperwork, maps and more. They look at the Talents with the interest of people
confronted with some kind of exotic animal. It is clear they have been ejected from
Buckner’s ready-room for the briefing.
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First Lt. Aaron Grimaldi walks the line as the last Talent arrives (an NPC, Cpl. Mike
“Slider” Sikowski), calling for attention and ripping a new orifice in anyone who even
glances at him strangely. He shouts at the players that they are about to meet
Lieutenant General Simon Buckner, the man who kicked the Japanese’s asses out of
Alaska. Buckner is in command of the invasion of Okinawa. The Talents should come
in, sit down, shut up and listen. He has a job for them.
Grimaldi does not enter, but a small man stands at the back. Lieutenant General
Buckner is a rather normal-looking man with grey hair. He’s short and stocky. He steps
forward, accepts salutes, shakes hands, places the Talents at ease, and then walks to
the table.
On the sand table, in the peninsula which juts from the center of the island of
Okinawa, a very clear line has been created, a circle of pins and twine. A Land
Navigation roll success indicates the circle is approximately three miles in diameter. It
takes up most of the Motobu Peninsula.
The circle surrounds an area marked with two pins, green and red. The red pin reads
“Jpn. 3rd Inf.” The green reads “Mar. 6th Engineer Btn.”
“This, boys,” Buckner says and points at the twine circle, “we don’t know what the fuck
this is.”
Buckner is very plain and, despite his Kentucky accent, completely clipped in his
speech. The problem is obvious to anyone in the military: Huge amounts of men and
equipment need to move through that area to cut the Japanese off and staunch their
chances of counter-attack. Every moment that Bubble exists, the Japanese on the other
side of the line are gathering men, ammunition and Talents to throw at the American
lines. The Bubble is caused by a Talent power, everyone is certain, but no normal man
can enter the Bubble, and all attempts to blast a way through have failed, including
rocket attack by close air support Marine aircraft.
Buckner entertains questions. No, there are no known Japanese Talents that can cause
such an effect. No, there are no known Americans in the 6th Engineer Battalion who
have Talent powers. The entire invasion of Okinawa depends on the players making
their way into the Bubble and stopping the Talent responsible for the effect.
Up until 14 Apr 1945 at 0103, everything was proceeding as planned. Following a huge
firefight, elements of the 6th Marine Engineer Battalion had moved up to remove anti-
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personnel mines, wire and concrete tank-traps. At 0130 a bright flash lit the area for
several minutes, followed by an earth-shattering boom which was heard for ten miles in
all directions (the player characters themselves recall hearing it, but thought little of it
at the time; during the invasion of Okinawa many believed it was a naval volley).
Since then, the Bubble has persisted. It appears to be composed of a smooth, black
glass-like substance. It seems to form a sphere; above ground it is almost 1.5 miles high,
and attempts to dig under it have revealed only more sphere beneath the ground.
The Navy briefly considered a full barrage from several ships, but that plan has been
put on hold until the Talents get their crack at it. Buckner wants that Bubble down. He
wants it down soon, and he wants the players to do it.
Orders
The players are to use their abilities to enter the Yae-Take Bubble, locate the Talent
responsible for it, and take the Bubble out so the invasion of Okinawa can continue. In
two days the choice will be out of Buckner's hands and the Navy will attempt to blow
the Bubble to Kingdom Come.
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Precogs have a love/hate relationship with the future. The more they explain it to
others, the less likely the outcome of the events they have foreseen—and, sometimes,
the more likely the outcome by other, similar means. Simply telling Buckner that he
will be killed on the beach at that date will not be enough to save him; he will find his
fate near that date in almost the same way. The only certain way is to set Buckner on
another path, one that side-steps the eventuality of death by Japanese action.
Misdirection of some other sort will be necessary to save the man. Players need to be
clever—if they even want to save Buckner—or the man will certainly die (just as he did
in the real world) at 1321 on June 18.
Those known to have precognition abilities by military authorities often have an aura
of import around their every action and word. Pulling Buckner aside should be enough
to get his absolute attention. Still, what is said is vital. Be clear with the precog’s player
that stating Buckner will die by enemy action is a certain way to kill the man.
If the precog is vague enough to imply something which would take Buckner from the
Pacific and back to the States, that might be enough to save him. Clever precogs will be
vague and gypsy-like; the best solution may be something like, “A close loved one will
become deathly ill in June.” Buckner is a hard man, but he is not made of stone, and
will make no qualms about getting back to the States in June. The player must
successfully beat Buckner’s 4d Command roll (no skill, just Command) with a Brains
+Lie roll. Success indicates he buys “it,” whatever it is.
Of course, when nothing comes of the incident (Buckner’s wife and children are fine in
June), the player may have a very angry lieutenant general to answer to. Buckner will
return to the theater of combat in July 1945, furious. The best option here is to simply
tell the truth: Buckner would have died if not for the misdirection. Buckner, a man who
has made a career of detecting quality in people, will understand.
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Sikowski joined up in 1917 at the age of 28, and even then he was considered old. He
gave up his dreams of the Brooklyn Dodgers and went off to war. He endured three
months of awful fighting before he found himself home again in the midst of a flu
epidemic which seemed to cut down everyone around him. In that time he lost his little
brother, had a falling out with his parents and lost his job as a security guard at a bank.
For ten years he drifted, playing on several baseball farm teams. When the Depression
hit and the money dried up, he went back to what he knew, shooting people. He found
his way back into the Marines in time to fight some banana wars in Central America for
United Fruit, and finally found himself behind a requisitions desk at Camp Davis. After
the attack on Pearl Harbor, Sikowski pulled some strings and found himself island
hopping. “Someone as iron-headed as you needs to be out there shooting at Japs,” his
superior had said as he signed the form. "You’ll bypass their tactics with the sheer force
of your dumb luck."
The last few years have been a mixture of the miraculous and the bizarre. His hit list
has been the worst of the worst: Guadalcanal, Saipan, Tinian and finally Okinawa. He
has killed many men, has saved a few others and has generally done what was asked of
him at any moment. He was promoted twice and given some responsibility. And he was
granted a Talent by fate. However, that has led to some internal conflict.
In 1942, while diving for a fumbled grenade on Guadalcanal, Sikowski first activated his
Talent, sliding forward like super-man diving into home plate. Instead of stopping,
Sikowski sent the grenade and a few Japanese flying in all directions, and continued
forward at a 30 MPH clip, ripping a machine gun nest to pieces before coming to a halt
in a four-foot mound of dirt he had swept before him. Afterward, Sikowski felt
something new and uncomfortable. People admired him. It was an unusual feeling. For
once he was not just a regular Marine.
Once through the Bubble and on American soil, Sikowski will snap,
encouraging others to go AWOL and finally deserting himself. He
will resist forcefully, with all of this powers and fighting acumen,
any attempts to capture him, and will do his best to kill those who
attempt to arrest him.
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As the players arrive at the line to the east of the Bubble, they find a huge force of
Marines dug in. (Buckner is taking no chances—this could be a Japanese Talent trying
to turn the line.) As the players’ jeeps roll up, all the Talents feel it, a looping sickness
at the pit of their stomach, a humming and flashing glow at the edge of their vision.
The power of the Bubble is immense. Whoever has activated it is the most powerful
Talent anyone in the group has ever sensed.
Though it is difficult to explain to regulars, Talents can sense other Talents through
sight alone. The power of the Bubble is unlike anything any of the Talents has seen.
Other powers are contained; sensing their extent in vague terms is plain and simple.
The Bubble has no beginning, middle or end. It has no shape in Talent-Sight. It seems
to go on and on like an infinite wall of will. Attempting to “cancel” the power through a
Battle of Wills is simply out of the question. A Talent wouldn’t even know where to
begin to do this. It is beyond any “standard” Talent any of those present has ever seen.
Stranger still, any Talent looking at the Bubble knows he can step through it.
The regular Marines at the Bubble are in a less than jovial mood, spoiling to get the
fight over with. Cat-cries and shouts arise as the Talents arrive by jeep: “Get this thing
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
back into the funny-books, would ya? What the hell you guys doing besides eating my
food on ship—aren’t you good for anything? Get in there and use your damn spook
powers to take it out!”
Those who are confrontational with the regulars rapidly find themselves surrounded by
a huge number of pissed off, exhausted Marines who will gladly knock a Talent flat
(they won’t shoot, but will happily get into a scuffle). Joking about the situation is the
best bet. Accepting the jibes and trying to play up esprit de corps rapidly brings the
men about—especially when they realize the Talents are actually planning on entering
the Bubble. That is something none of the Marines would wish on their worst enemy.
Every one of them is imagining a division of insane Japanese Talents on the other side,
preparing to spill Marine blood.
Alternatively, making a Command skill roll at any time on those of a lower rank
immediately snaps them to attention.
The forces moving up the center of the island have slowed and nearly stopped while
large amounts of men and materiel are piling up at the ports. Securing the Motobu
peninsula featured heavily in Buckner’s plan—it was to be a hopper which could inject
huge amounts of men and armor into the fight for the northern portion of the island.
Now it is too late to change tactics. The Bubble must be opened or the line will stall.
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• Width 2, Low: We didn’t see nothing ’cept some damn Japs right in the center
before the Bubble popped in.
• Width 3+, Low: Some Marines went up, some Japs charged, there was a
skirmish, and then the Bubble.
• Width 2, Middling: Some engineers from the 6th crawled up right before it
happened, then these Japs popped out and charged. Some shots were fired. Then
the Bubble appeared.
• Width 2, High: Those engineers, I’m pretty sure two of them were hit by a burst
of Jap machine gun fire. One went down, the other screamed and grabbed his
stomach. There were about ten Japanese.
• Width 3+, High: The engineer who got it in the chops was Pvt. Plum. They call
him Lobster Plum, ’cause he’s a redheaded bastard from Maine. He screamed
when he was hit. We went to move up, but then blammo—the Bubble. I think there
were six in the engineer squad, about 12 Japanese?
Preparations
The players have access to nearly any equipment they can imagine. Once they know the
Talents are going in, the Marines from the 6th gladly scrounge up whatever they can,
from a .45 all the way up to a flamethrower. No questions asked and no paperwork
required. The players can even commandeer a vehicle and drive it through, though
whether this will work or not will initially be a mystery to the players. Cigarettes and
what little liquor is available is given up to any Marines in the Talent group, along with
quiet chants as they walk by: Luck. Good luck, buddy. Keep your head down. Keep
safe.
Still, the 6th Marines barreled into the area, knocking the Japanese forces for a loop.
Fighting here began on 13th of April, but with the appearance of the Bubble on the
14th fighting effectively ground to a halt.
Both of the southern peaks of the Yae-Take have vanished inside the Bubble, along
with an unknown number of Japanese defenders. The area is now eerily quiet. Only
the distant hammering of guns and the small pops of small arms fire can be heard.
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
Talents placing their fingers on the Bubble can spend 1 Will point and put their fingers
through it. There is an incessant tug on the extremity placed within the Bubble, which
grows the deeper the limb moves. Anyone who slips an arm in below the elbow is
slowly, unceremoniously dragged in, as if the Bubble were quicksand. Attempts to
secure the Talent being dragged in—even by superhuman strength—fail, unless they are
willing to rip the Talent’s arm out of his socket.
Talents dragged in eventually vanish into the Bubble, leaving weapons behind them in a
neat pile (but not clothing or items linked to Talent powers; those go through). There
are no such other piles around the Bubble. Driving a vehicle through drops the
passengers inside in a heap and an empty vehicle on the far side, three miles away.
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Getting Bearings
Players making a Land Navigation roll of 7 or higher conclude that they have ended up
in a temperate coastal area somewhere in North America or Northern Europe.
Beyond that, anyone who makes a Sense+Sight roll notices the rusted ruins of a car in
the high brush off the road. Climbing down into a small ravine to look closely at the
car, the players discover it is a 1922 Buick Coupe, once blue but now rusted red. The
steering wheel is on the left side, in the American fashion. Digging around near the car,
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
players eventually unearth a tin license plate, XG-636. Beneath it is the legend “MAINE
1924”.
If this car is discovered, “Slider” Sikowski begins to paint the picture of escape to others
in the group, quietly at first. The Talents can lay low and then hightail it anywhere with
their powers. Why fight in a war halfway across the world when they’re already home?
This dissent will grow in time.
Anyone exposed to the misery of an early spring night out in the rain must make a
Brains skill roll or suffer one point of shock to all extremities and lose 1 point of Will.
The bodies have no identification but are white and young. The girl was perhaps 14, the
boy eight or ten. Anyone viewing this must make a Cool+Mental Stability roll or lose 1
Will point.
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He is not stupid. He figured this out, and at his first opportunity fled from the
Japanese forces. When they fired on the American girl and boy Oshiro ran into the
woods and hid in a shallow stream bed while men from the regiment searched for him.
Since the Japanese soldiers left, he has carefully watched the road.
At the first appearance of American troops Oshiro comes from the trees, saying, very
clearly in a terrified voice, “NO GUN, NO GUN.”
Anyone stupid enough to fire on him (with powers or scrounged weapons) should be
allowed to do so. All rolls count normally. If Oshiro is killed, a vital source of
information is lost. If the shot misses, Oshiro takes off at a run into the forest. Players
must beat his Brains+Hide of 4d with their own Sense+Sight roll to find him.
Oshiro is simply a child. Any fervor for war his mind once held has long since vanished
witnessing the relentless fighting on Okinawa. He is completely honest with the players
in the hopes of them being lenient on him. Since witnessing the vast American
invasion fleet on the first day of the invasion, Oshiro is certain that continuing to serve
the Imperial Forces is a death warrant. He will take his chances with the Americans.
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When “it” happened, his group suddenly found themselves on a nighttime road in a
strange, cold place. That group consisted of elements of the Japanese 3rd Infantry
Regiment, 14 men, plus Oshiro. Those men had a light machine gun, a mortar and
various other small arms. They were attempting to move up and install a fortified
position in the Yae-Take when the event occurred.
Screaming immediately drew the group’s attention. About 100 yards off the road, six
American Marines were struggling to drag one of their own to cover. That man was
gutshot and was screaming. A short firefight erupted and the Japanese forces moved
back to the tree line. The sound of screaming receded, and no further contact with
the Marines was made.
The Japanese regrouped and marched north on the road. Lights drew their
attention, and the group rapidly set up an ambush. Two white children came along
the road and were startled by the group. They were surrounded, forced to surrender,
and then searched. They had an umbrella, an all-weather lamp and a basket of food.
When the white boy made a break for the forest, he was shot. The girl was shot
shortly after, when she became hysterical and difficult to control. At this moment,
Oshiro took to the woods while the group was distracted.
The soldiers looked for him for nearly an hour before quitting and heading north on
the road. That was perhaps a day ago. Since then, Oshiro has tried to survive as best
as he could. He has also heard exchanges of gunfire and one big explosion from the
north.
Sikowski sniffs when the group is done talking with Oshiro: “Let him go, shoot him,
who cares. We’re home. Let’s get the hell out of here before they throw us back on
the line.”
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General Store
Japanese (Japanese
Mortar Team CP)
Machine Gun
Radius of
Effect
Escaped
Townsfolk
Okinawan
Conscript
Jericho Bay
N
and Environs
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Maruyama sees the transposition of his troops to American soil as a divine miracle, one
he will exploit for all it’s worth. His men have violently seized the town of Jericho Bay,
killing more than a dozen residents, and continue to exchange fire with locals. They
have control of the town and the heights overlooking it, and have sighted the town for
mortar fire.
Attempts to contact Imperial command by radio have failed; indeed, all radio is nothing
but static—the Bubble blocks all signals. Nevertheless, Maruyama has secured a dozen
hostages from the townsfolk, gathered all weapons, ammunition and dynamite to be
found in the town, and has prepared a strong point in the town, defended by machine
gun and mortar, to repulse the inevitable counter-attack. He will fight to the last to hold
the town.
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Pvt. Michael Plum, a native of Jericho Bay, was struck in the stomach by a light
machine gun round. In that moment, Plum wished above all else to see his home once
more before he died. When his Talent power manifested it ripped the Marines and
their Japanese counterparts across the globe. Until Plum dies, this Bubble will remain
on both Okinawa and Jericho Bay.
This group, lead by Sergeant Peter Tiput from Minnesota, have retreated to Plum’s
childhood home (Plum directed them there). While Plum’s family attempt to comfort
the dying youth, the group has holed up, fighting over whether or not to go to Jericho
Bay, which they have learned is under Japanese occupation. If the American Talents
show up, it may be enough to bolster the morale of the men to take the fight to the
Japanese. Without this influence, however, the group remains wracked by infighting
and confusion and stays put until Plum dies.
Private Plum is dying. There is no way to save him, and he is dying in the worst way
imaginable, gutshot and slowly bleeding out. Plum spends his time split between a
delirium brought on by the immense pain and short periods of lucidity. Occasionally
he lapses into an exhausted state like sleep, but no real rest is possible. During his
periods of lucidity, Plum can supply information about the town and its surroundings
on a successful Cool+Mental Stability roll on his part; otherwise he is confused and
stammers out random anecdotes of his life on the island (some of which, in the right
hands, might be useful). See page 22 for more on Plum and his home.
Any Talent looking at Plum is overwhelmed by the waves of power rising from him. It
is clear instantly that Plum is responsible for the Bubble and all its effects.
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Japanese Emplacements
There are two main areas of Japanese emplacement at Jericho Bay—the general store
and a small, raised portion of ground to the northeast cleared for boat storage (it’s on a
hill so water can drain away). Ten men, including Maruyama, occupy the immediate
surroundings of the general store as a command post, and a four-man mortar team
occupies a raised area northeast of town with a clear view sighted of “downtown.”
Maruyama has strung all the town except for his command post with dynamite
(previously used by locals to remove unwanted boulders and stumps), all linked by
detonation cord to his command post at the general store. At the first sight of a large
force of American troops (anything like an invasion fleet, or overwhelming waves of
Allied soldiers—more than just a squad of Talents), Maruyama is willing to destroy the
town, leaving only a flaming ruin and his fortified position at the general store.
Alternatively, several “zones” of the town can be leveled at will, removing it by sections
to take out advancing threats.
Bags of flour, grain and dry quick-cement have been moved from the cellar to fortify the
machine gun nest, window firing positions and other strongpoints. The rear of the
building (which has no windows) has been laid with trip-wire mines, and signal flares
have been rigged with trip-wires at every major town entry (Sense+Sight at a height of 5
or more to detect).
Each of these locations has been sighted by the mortar team at the boat storage, who
are under orders to hurl three shells down on any disturbance kicked up by one of the
flares firing. They have a single box of mortar shells (24), meaning they can afford only
to do this eight times. Remember, due to the mortar’s Slow rating it takes them two
rounds to set up each shell.
“This place is one step from becoming hell. All one of the damn Japs has to do is lean a
little bit and we’ll be picking our teeth out of the moon. Let’s get the hell out of here.
This isn’t our fight.”
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
This group of eight men of Jericho Bay (along with a few women and children,
including Timothy Gladwell), armed with shotguns and hunting rifles, retreated south
into the trees as the Japanese set up a machine gun nest at the general store and then
lobbed two mortar shells downrange at them. The captured townsfolk were herded into
the general store and into the stone cellar, overlooked by a single Japanese trooper
holding a single Japanese hand grenade. In case of a frontal assault, the trooper has
orders to grenade the dozen men and women huddled in the cellar.
The local armed men attempted to move up on the town, and four were killed
(including Frank Gladwell, Timothy’s father) in a withering blast of machine gun fire.
The others in that group were scattered by a Japanese patrol of the area.
Now the fourteen Japanese soldiers have set up a solid defense, securing the center of
town at the general store (with a wide range of fire) and the boat storage field to the
northeast, where a four-man mortar team has boxed themselves in with booby-traps
and will rain hell down on each signal flare they see.
Those who take their time can quickly determine the Japanese have wired every major
structure in the town for detonation. Getting closer (requiring a Coordination+Stealth
contest against the Japanese sentry’s Sense+Sight of 3d) reveals that the structures are
wired with eight sticks of dynamite each, more than enough to level them to dust.
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
If the Japanese choose to demolish the town in one go, the explosion would be bigger
than anything the troops have seen to date in one place, barring a naval barrage.
Disarming the dynamite is relatively easy, as long as the person attempting it is not
discovered. The detonation cord can simply be clipped with any knife, with little risk of
accidental detonation, rendering it inert unless manually detonated by explosives or
careful gun fire.
Every time the Talents find themselves confronted by townsfolk, make the townsfolk
roll against their 2d Sense+Sight pool. Failure indicates they shoot; success means they
head for cover. Getting them to stay still for more than a few seconds (after what
happened when they tried to move back into town) will be difficult, if not impossible.
Only a Cool+Command roll of 7 or higher will cause them to hold their ground.
He is a blubbering mess since his father was shot crossing the road near the town in the
short-lived “counterattack” by the armed men of the town. Despite all these horrors,
though, Timothy is of sound enough mind to understand the situation and what is
required of him.
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
If the Talents properly present themselves, Timothy runs to them in relief. He tells
them what he knows—the chronology of the attack, the heartbreaking counterattack,
the Japanese brutality, the hostages and the demolitions.
Timothy is difficult to control. If the Talents tell him he is to stay behind or that he
can’t fight, Timothy attempts to sneak off (Coordination+Stealth at 5d). Then he does
his best to get close to the general store in the hopes of shooting the Japanese
commander. (He knows him from sight, and from his markings as a sergeant major;
what 11-year-old American boy in WWII doesn’t know the uniforms of the enemy?)
Finding Plum
All in town know the Plum family. They are located about a quarter mile southwest of
Jericho Bay on Old Bash Road. All also know that their son Michael is a Marine in the
Pacific. Even the most terrified civilians in Jericho Bay will go out of their way to help
those looking after a local. They have no idea, however, that it was Plum who brought
the Japanese to Jericho Bay, or that Plum is back.
Weapons, Weapons
Talents who have won over townsfolk can be led from point to point collecting what
weapons are available in the area near the town, places too far for the Japanese to
search and booby-trap. Unfortunately, the pickings are slim. If a few hours are put into
the search with townsfolk help, the Talents can locate a double-barrel shotgun with 25
slug and 15 shot ammo, a single .22 rifle with 75 rounds, and four sticks of dynamite.
• (1) double barrel shotgun (Capacity: 2, Weight: 11 lbs., Damage: [Slug] W+2 K +
S, [Shot] Width + 1 in Shock and Killing; when fired with shot, it adds +1d to the
attack roll and at close range each rolled set counts as a hit on the target).
• (1) .22 rifle (Capacity:5, Weight: 9 lbs., Damage: W + 1 in Shock and Killing).
• (4) sticks of dynamite (Damage: W+2 in Shock and Killing, Penetration/Area:
2/2/Burn).
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The remnants of the 6th are no fools; they have set up two sentries watching the main
points of advance to the house. Those who simply blunder into the yard are highly
likely to be shot (roll a 4d Rifle skill, Width+2 in Killing in Shock). If the Talents shout
the password “BROOKLYN!” they are met with the hoarse countersign, “DODGERS!” A
Marine pops up from behind a pile of wood and waves them over. (Any active soldier
from Okinawa will know this password.)
Inside, the house stinks of urine, feces and blood. On the hastily cleared kitchen table a
red-headed, lanky Marine—Pvt. Plum—lies in his death-throes, attended by his mother
Imogen and his father Claude. Another three of the six Marines argue with each other
in the front rooms. Two more are on sentry duty. It is instantly obvious to Talents that
Plum is the source of the Bubble and all its effects.
For the last couple of hours, the group has hemmed, hawed and flat-out argued about
whether or not to move into the town of Jericho Bay. They are aware they are stuck in a
“Bubble” and that travel and radio contact to the mainland is impossible. That silenced
their most obvious choices of what to do.
It is unsurprising that Tiput has failed to take the initiative; the Talent teleportation has
thrown him and his whole team for a loop. When American Talents arrive, Tiput
immediately forks over command to them, following their orders (unless it’s to hurt one
of his own) to the letter. Each man of the 6th is filled with a terror they’ve never known
before. It was one thing to fight and die on some nameless atoll in the vastness of the
Pacific, but another thing altogether to die on American soil. Three men in the 5th have
the following weaponry (since they were the source of the Bubble, neither they nor the
Japanese had their weapons stripped).
22
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
More disturbingly, Plum’s powers seem to operate even when he is unconscious, and
the level of power seen in them dwarfs any the Talents have seen before. This effect has
been documented elsewhere on all sides of the conflict—by 1945, it is well known
among the rank and file of the Allied troops. Called “Mad Talent” syndrome, it has
transformed people into monstrous man-eating houses immune to any attack, into the
embodiment of a Hindu god, and even into Super-Man from the funny books. Mad
Talents are extremely dangerous. Their powers don’t operate in predictable ways, and
sometimes their powers seem to persist after they die—one Mad Talent is literally the
ghost of a dead soldier. Meaning the Bubble might remain permanently.
And murdering an unarmed ally, no matter how dire the situation, is the most severe
test any psyche can undergo. Any character attempting it must make a Cool+Mental
Stability roll at height 10 or at Width 3 or greater to even attempt it, and then others
will attempt to intervene. Those who somehow manage to kill Plum even with a
successful Cool+Mental Stability roll suffer a loss of all but 1 point of Will.
Finally, Plum’s teammates, battle-hardened Marines from the fight on Okinawa, will
not under any circumstances allow anyone to murder their injured teammate. Not with
a gun, not with an overdose of morphine. Anyone even intimating that notion will find
himself at gunpoint very quickly, no matter the argument, order or command.
Sikowski is strangely silent when looking at Plum. To Sikowski, Plum’s death is his
ticket to the mainland. He understands the implications and is willing to take his
chances trying to kill Plum suddenly. He’s far enough gone that he can murder the
wounded Marine without having to roll. He’ll lose half his Willpower, but he can accept
that. Those who make a successful Brains roll (no skill, just Brains) notice Sikowski’s
odd behavior and see a shiftiness in his manner which suggests an ulterior motive.
This success grants a boost of +1 Width to that Talent when attempting to stop
Sikowski from making his move on Plum.
23
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
There are also wild cards available for clever GMs to use at any time. Sidowski is a
dangerous man on any side of the Bubble, and his motivation to escape the Bubble is
overwhelming; he will lie, cheat, steal and even kill to escape combat. He could slink
off at any time and muck up the players’ plans, which might set up a prolonged fight.
Timothy Gladwell is also a bit of a wild card. The boy might become obsessed with
sneaking off to kill the Japanese commander, drawing the American Talents behind
him.
Resolution
The situation will be resolved when Pvt. Plum dies, but not all at once. At the
moment of his death, Plum’s Bubble begins to slowly fade in efficacy and power. But
initially it’s not enough to be noticed; if Plum was murdered they may think their
action was in vain.
Seven hours after Plum is dead, the Bubble vanishes altogether, leaving all
transported elements where they lay. The Talents remain in Maine, along with the
Japanese. The radio channels open up.
24
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
If the Talents wait for reinforcements from the mainland, they find themselves backed
up by green soldiers in training from Fort Derris in Bangor and a few unskilled officers,
all armed to the teeth. Combat veterans who push the point will be able to assume
command of the operation and the men from Fort Derris easily, or just their weapons,
especially after the story of their transport and ordeal is known.
However, if they leave the taking of Jericho Bay to these men, they will have the blood
of the captured townsfolk on their hands. All the townsfolk will die in such an assault,
and the Japanese forces will take four American soldiers with them for each Japanese
soldier killed. The entire town will be leveled. Each Talent involved will lose 1 point of
Base Will.
Using a small force of well-armed Talents to take the town is the best option, attacking
swiftly and without alerting the Japanese to a large American presence on the island.
Once the town is retaken, and the Talents report to higher headquarters, they find
themselves in custody of Section 2, the American Talent research department, and
moved south by train under military guard. They are escorted from place to place by
armed MPs, and are not permitted to communicate with family members or anyone
outside the bubble of secrecy. They are presented with properly sized dress uniforms
appropriate for their rank and service arm.
Finally, the group arrives in Washington D.C. and is driven by truck to a large building
downtown. Escorted inside, the Talents find themselves in an antechamber flanked by
the flag of the Department of the Army and the American flag.
A five-star general enters, and it takes the Talents a moment or two to recognize
General George Marshall along with an honor guard. Photos are taken.
Marshall explains that he has been recalled to Washington to organize things under
the new President (Roosevelt, the group knows, died just days ago), and he has heard
of what the Talents have done. If the Talents successfully saved the townsfolk (or at
least some of them), Marshall is ebullient in his praise and pins a medal appropriate to
their service arm on their chest—the Distinguished Service Cross for the Army, the
Navy Cross for the Navy or Marine Corps.
Once this is done and salutes are traded, and individual photos are taken with
Marshall, the bureaucrats enter, the medals are removed and the photographers
vanish.
The documents come out. The group is sworn to secrecy by the Official War Secrecy
act. They may not speak of the action in Jericho Bay or the Japanese presence there to
anyone for a period of 50 years, or face a 100,000 fine and up to 25 years in Federal
prison. Their signatures are more than required—they are ordered to comply.
25
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
Pregenerated Talents
U.S. Army Captain James Pullen, “The Future Man,” Infantry Commander
BODY 2, COORDINATION 2, SENSE 2,
BRAINS 2, COMMAND 3, COOL 2, BASE WILL 12
Skills
Brawling 1 (3d), Climb 1 (3d), Cryptography 2 (4d), Endurance 1 (3d), Explosives 2 (4d),
Grenade 2 (4d), Knife Fighting 2 (4d), Language [English] 2 (4d), Leadership 3 (6d), Machine
Gun 1 (3d), Map Reading 2 (4d), Mortar 1 (3d), Navigation [Land] 2 (4d), Pistol 2 (4d), Radio
Operation 1 (3d), Rifle 2 (4d), Stealth 2 (4d), Submachine Gun 2 (4d), Survival 2 (4d), Tactics 2
(4d).
Talent
Snapshot Precognition 5d+1wd
(Defends, Useful Outside of Combat, Robust.) Cost 2/4/8. (Extras: Fleetness of Vision, +2/4/8
[the precognitive flash is very brief, but the Will point cost to use it is reduced to 1 per die
thrown, regardless of die type]; Mothering, +1/2/4. Flaws: Mental Strain, –2/4/8; Static
Images, –2/4/8.)
Powers
Pullen’s power presents mental “snapshots” (like the instant cameras of a later day) of threats
to the him and his teammates. It only works defensively; there is no “trance” method for this
one. Pullen appears to project his consciousness into the near future to bring back relevant
information for his survival. During these moments of fugue, Pullen seems to launch a ghostly
immaterial version of himself into the immediate area in the immediate future, where he can
“walk” slowly about the scene inspecting it as it is frozen in space. No matter how hectic, the
scene is fixed, and Pullen can move around it with no problem, inspecting anything from all
angles for a brief period.
S2 is not certain that Pullen can travel through time; instead, they believe Pullen can construct
an illusion of what he subconsciously expects to happen. Pullen uses his power to make
exacting counts of enemies, their fortifications, their equipment and ammo, as well as names,
enemy intelligence and more. As can be imagined, this makes planning assaults on fortified
positions much easier.
Weapons
None. All weapons are lost crossing the Bubble.
Personality
Pullen is a West Point graduate and is an accomplished officer who feels terrible he is not with
his company. His mission is to finish this “shit sandwich” as quickly as possible to get back to
his men. He projects an air of hostility to those in the squad, and clashes with anyone who
questions his power, motives or command. It is quite clear Pullen comes from America’s
“upper crust” and his clipped accent places him from somewhere in the northeast (Boston).
26
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
U.S. Navy Lieutenant (Junior Grade) John “Chucker” Dun, Supply Corps
BODY 1 [2d+6wd when Chucking], COORDINATION 2, SENSE 3,
BRAINS 2, COMMAND 2, COOL 2, BASE WILL 5
Skills
Chemistry 1 (3d), Drive [Car] 2 (4d), Dodge 2 (4d), Electronics 1 (3d), Language [English] 3d,
Mechanics [Aircraft/Ship/Vehicle] 2 (4d), Mental Stability 1 (3d), Navigation [Sea/Air] 1 (3d),
Pistol 2 (4d), Rifle 1 (3d), Sight 2 (5d), Swim 1 (2d).
Talent
Chucking 1d+6wd [Based on Hyperbody, Max Lift: 2 to 4 tons]
Defends, Robust, Useful Outside of Combat. Cost 1/2/4. (Extras: Tear Down [Reduce Anything
Inanimate to Component Parts], +1/2/4. Flaws: Not On or Against Anything Living, -3/6/12;
No Hit Bonus, -1/2/4.)
Powers
Dun is a projecting telekinetic whose power only works when he is “chucking” objects. He can
pick up and throw huge items which then land exactly where and how he wants them to. For
example, he could throw a Jeep fifty feet and have it land perfectly balanced on top of another
Jeep without damaging either one. He doesn’t even have to look.
He can also “tear down” objects to their components super-fast. He can’t make something
smaller than it is in individual parts, but only pull apart its components. (For example, he
could pull a Jeep to its component pieces in a few seconds, but couldn’t rip a tire in two, or
snap an axel into pieces.)
For some reason, his power doesn’t work offensively. Instead it helps him only move, stack
and otherwise manipulate great quantities of material. Testing by the Navy has revealed that
for some reason he can’t throw the objects at living things. In a pinch, though, he might be able
to disassemble an enemy’s weapon before he’s shot, if he’s close enough.
Dun has served onboard the USN Dauntless, a supply ship assisting in the landings at Tinian
and Okinawa. Dun is one of two men serving as a ordinance chief on the ship (usually a dozen
or more would be needed). Dun is very defensive about the limitations of his power.
Weapons
None. All weapons are lost crossing the Bubble.
Personality
Dun is a happy, quiet man from Oceanside, California, with no combat experience. He has
never once set foot on shore on any of the battlefields he has supplied. He’s both excited and
scared to see combat for the first time. He is wholly inexperienced in all things related to
combat. He’s most useful in setting up barriers or ripping down objects. His rank in the Navy is
one grade below Capt. Pullen’s rank in the Army, making Pullen his superior.
27
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Maurice “King Snake” Zola, Mortar Chief
BODY 2, COORDINATION 3, SENSE 3,
BRAINS 2, COMMAND 2, COOL 3, BASE WILL 10
Skills
Brawling 2 (4d), Cryptography 1 (3d), Endurance 2 (4d), Explosives 1 (3d), Grenade 2 (5d),
Language [English] 2 (4d), Language [Japanese] 1 (3d), Machine Gun 2 (5d), Mental Stability 2
(5d), Mortar 2 (5d), Pistol 2 (5d), Radio Operation 1 (3d), Rifle 2 (5d), Running 2 (4d), Stealth
1 (4d), Submachine Gun 2 (5d), Tactics 2 (4d).
Talent
SNAKE! [Projected Hallucination 2hd; see GODLIKE page 87]
Attacks, Defends, Robust, Useful Outside of Combat. Cost 5/10/20.
Powers
Zola is a south Florida native who has the ability to project the illusion of a viper, ready to
strike, at the edges of a single enemy’s field of vision. More often than not, this causes the
target to leap from their current position and madly circle looking for the snake.
No matter how many times this is done to a single target, it always seems to work. S2
command believes his power might actually bypass human consciousness on some level by
projecting a picture of a primal fear, built into the human mind. Zola needs only to see the
target for this power to work. He uses it to great effect in making soldiers quit fortifications,
jump up from fox holes or otherwise expose themselves to fire.
Weapons
None. All weapons are lost crossing the Bubble.
Personality
Zola is a quiet, withdrawn man with little in the way of social graces. He takes orders from
those in command, but due to the harmless nature of his power he is not above unleashing it
on another enlisted man. Zola has seen serious combat on Tinian, and looks down on those
who have not (especially those in the Navy). He gladly follows any combat veteran, no matter
the circumstances, into the fight.
An attack on mainland America draws a hatred from Zola that is beyond reason. Given the
slightest provocation he will torture Japanese prisoners or even murder them in cold blood.
There will be no controlling his bloodlust once the combat begins for Jericho Bay.
28
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
Skills
Brawling 1 (10d), Bluff 2 (6d), Drive [Car] 2 (4d), Dodge 2 (4d), Endurance 1 (10d), Grenade 2
(4d), Language [English] 2d (4d), Mental Stability 2 (6d), Intimidation 5 (7d), Pistol 2 (4d),
Rifle 3 (5d), Sight 2 (4d), Sport [Boxing] 1 (10d).
Talent
Hyperbody 7d
Cost 2/5/10. (Extras: No Upward Limit, +2/4/8. Flaws: Dependent on Eating Meat—when he
hasn’t eaten it in a while, it’s as if he has 0 Will, -2/4/8).
Powers
Randazzo is a Hyperbody, capable of lifting a tank and throwing it a measurable distance with
little or no effort—but only when he is well fed. Every hour he goes without eating meat, his
power fades by 1d until he is just another regular jarhead. These powers are instantly restored
the moment he eats any meat.
Weapons
None. All weapons are lost crossing the Bubble.
Personality
Randazzo is a loud, brash, outspoken Italian-American from Providence, Rhode Island. He
defers to authority but always has a smirk on his face. He will not reveal what his nickname
means, but gleefully shows off his strength, fairly confident none will be able to match him. He
is consistently loaded up with beef jerky and tins of beef stew, just in case his powers begin to
fail. His greatest shame is the truth of his power—how naturally limited it is—and he lives in
fear of a day when he might run out of food and become just another Joe.
29
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
Skills
Brawling 2 (4d), Climb 2 (4d), Endurance 3 (5d), Explosives 3 (5d), Grenade 2 (4d), Knife
Fighting 3 (5d), Language [English] 2(4d), Machine Gun 2 (4d), Navigation [Land] 2 (4d),
Pistol 2 (4d), Radio Operation 1 (3d), Rifle 3 (5d), Stealth 2 (4d), Submachine Gun 2 (4d),
Survival 2 (4d).
Talent
Sliding 8d
(Attacks, Defends, Useful Outside of Combat, Robust.) Cost 4/8/16. (Extras: Digs up a
shockwave in front, +1/2/4. Flaws: Only works on rock and soil, –2/4/8.)
Powers
This Talent operates like Flight, but Sikowski skirts just above the ground like he was sliding
into home base. He does this at about 100 MPH, inflicting damage to everyone in his path with
a shockwave of earth and rock ahead of him.
Weapons
None. All weapons are lost crossing the Bubble.
30
GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
Japanese Forces
Average Imperial Soldier
BODY 2, COORDINATION 2, SENSE 2,
BRAINS 2, COMMAND 1, COOL 2, BASE WILL 3
Skills
Brawling 2 (4d), Endurance 3 (5d), Explosives 1 (3d), Grenade 2 (4d), Knife Fighting 2 (4d),
Language [Japanese] 2 (4d), Machine Gun 2 (4d), Mental Stability 2 (4d), Mortar 2 (4d), Pistol
2 (4d), Radio Operation 1 (3d), Rifle 2 (4d), Running 1 (3d), Stealth 2 (4d).
Weapons
Rifle Type 38 (Slow 1, Width+2 in Killing and Shock).
Type 96 machine gun (Width+2 in Killing and Shock, 3d Spray).
Model 91 grenade (Width+1 Killing and Shock, Area 2d, Penetration 3).
70 mm Mortar Model 11 (Width+2 in Killing and Shock, Area 2d, Slow 2, Penetration 2).
Skills
Brawling 2 (4d), Cryptography 2 (4d), Endurance 2 (4d), Explosives 2 (4d), Grenade 2 (4d),
Language [Japanese] 3 (5d), Language [English] 1 (3d), Leadership 3 (6d), Machine Gun 2
(4d), Mental Stability 3 (6d), Mortar 2 (4d), Pistol 2 (4d), Radio Operation 2 (4d), Rifle 3 (5d),
Running 2 (4d), Sword 2 (4d), Stealth 1 (3d), Submachine Gun 2 (4d), Tactics 2 (4d).
Weapons
Nambu pistol (Width in Killing and Shock).
Katana (Width+2 in Killing).
Skills
Climbing 2 (4d), Farming 1 (4d), Language [Japanese] 3 (6d), Running 3 (4d), Stealth 3 (5d).
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GODLIKE: The Invasion of Jericho Bay
Skills
Boating 2 (4d), Drive [Car] 2 (4d), Fishing 2 (4d), Language [English] 2 (4d), Rifle 1 (3d),
Radio 1 (3d), Seamanship 1 (3d).
Weapons
Rifle (Slow 1, Width+2 in Killing and Shock).
Shotgun (Damage: [Slug] W+2 in Killing and Shock, [Shot] Width+1 Killing and Shock; when
fired with shot, it adds +1d to the attack roll and at close range each rolled set counts as a hit on
the target).
Skills
Climbing 1 (4d), Fishing 1 (3d), Language [English] 2 (4d), Running 1 (2d), Rifle 1 (4d), Stealth
2 (5d).
Weapon
Double-barrel shotgun (Width+1 Killing and Shock).
32