1d ago

Commons Side Effexts

I’m watching Common Side Effects, personally I don’t find that good but anyway it makes me think

I’m in Eclipse Phase phase and I was wondering how I could use the premise of the show into the setting of EP

For those that don’t know EP is a d100 roll under, hard sci-fi techno horror rpg. There’s a intelligent nano-virus (exurgent virus) that create psycher like character in one of it’s less malignant form.

I was thinking that a scum (communal partying drug loving faction, live life at her fullest, living in cycler spaceship) DrugDJ found old strain of magic mushroom and try to grow it like a pet project. Ultimately the shroom got infected with a brand of the exurgent nanoviri, maybe the DrugDj got infected and choose to use the mushroom to infect other and it’s back fire.

After that the blank page appears and it’s here that I ask for your help

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4 comments

What, exactly are you trying to replicate from the show? The miraculous super drug the powers-that-be despise? The plot premise of running from the authorities with a secret? The main character himself? All of it? Something else? Depending on what aspects you like, you can do different things for your game (fyi I know little about EP specifically, but translating plot into games can be universal).
- I was thinking the miracle drug, not necessarily the heal all power.
  The exurgent virus was made by evil omnipotent-ish AI. I was thinking that the shroom rewired it in some way. Or since in it’s less evil form it gives some powers (but a second personality that try to control you) this new strand could be a new variant of this
  What evil mushrooms would do in Call of Chtuluth ?
  
  So my immediate thought given this context would be to make the new strain/miracle drug/whatever be something that combats the existing evil virus as a counteragent. So it would provide some amount of resistance/immunity to it, but i like the idea of a (probably unknown) drawback. Something like cordyceps maybe that slowly takes over and/or controls the person like you mentioned.
  This could easily be told to the players through the NPC you mentioned who has control of the new strain/drug; he can slowly become more erratic/out of control, and his actions can start to get more suspect (along with any potential physical signs).
  So basic idea for a campaign would be:
  Players run into NPC that has new miracle drug that provides resistance/immunity to super evil virus
  NPC is being hunted by the AI because of it
  Players try to protect and help NPC get to somewhere safe to begin process of creating/manufacturing/growing new drug at scale (current supply must be protected because it's so low, so player's can't have any, but they know the NPC has tried it on himself)
  Over their time with the NPC, his motivation and actions begin to turn more sinister as the effects of the drug set in
  Player's need to eventually make a choice as to if the current situation with the virus or the new threat from the miracle drug is the lesser evil.
  
  Great Idea. I’ll put it into my notes.
  Thanks for the help !