RPG Campaign Tour: Day 1 - Campaign Introduction and Overview of Gamma World "This is Not a Test"

Don't adjust your monitor or screen, I'm backdating my version of the #RPGCampaignTour, so it starts on the 1st, working double time to catch up.

Day 1 literally sets the tone for the month:  Campaign Introduction and Overview.  

My Monday night online group has been playing in some form for close to a decade.  After three years of 5e, and over three years of Star Wars d6, I decided for a full palette cleanser with a foray into Gamma World 4th Edition.  Initially labelled as "This is Not a Test", we haven't been able to pull away from it's  gravity since, with 103 actual play blog entries already posted, and we'll be tying up some loose ends on episode 129.  

I decided to run Gamma World based on the skewed nostalgia of post-high school.  We played GW back when it came out, playing some of the published modules before we headed out to college. 

Now I've done a "Twenty Questions About the Campaign" a few times, but let's do cover the basics. 

Most of the modules are set along the Great Lakes Midwest region.  I've set mine Midwest adjacent, with the "Big River" not the gigantic river you would expect.   The stretch of the river the PCs are all familiar with is relatively remote and peaceful, although even early on, they knew that peace was slowly getting encroached upon by more violent factions.  

The "Core Four" of the characters who represent the De Facto Explorers of Riverbend (from Session #0...  They've changed a bit 100+ sessions later.)

Sonny Helianthus is a sentient sunflower artifact examiner with Restorationist ties.  An educated plant, Sonny would much prefer to avoid violence, as it does tend to damage artifacts, and damaged artifacts have a tendency to explode.   Sonny's abilities of teleportation and reflection protect him against most mental attackers, but it that fails, his sunflower seeds can be fired with exploding and deadly accuracy.

Sonny

Sonny has a casual symbiotic relationship with Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles), a mutated earthworm scout.  Squiggles has advanced skills in Telekinesis, as well as a hardened carapace which makes him quite a formidable worm.   (Edit:  They both live on the farmstead of one "Farmer Yulius")

"Squiggles"

Squiggle's scout buddy is Sneaky Pete, a mutated weasel.  Pete's telepathy and night vision are quite impressive for a scout, his dual flintlocks intimidate most common folk, but people tend to run when he drops them and and electricity arcs from his paws.  (Edit: He resides inside and below an ancient tree far enough from the Big River to be safe from flooding)

Pete

Joining this trio is a pure-strain human, Lathar Bracken.   His melee ability is beyond reproach, and his long-standing relationship to the Restorationists and smooth talking manner make him a trusted asset.  (Edit: He does live in town... with his mother.  The location of his father was never established early on.)

Lathar

Next: Day 2: About Our Tour Guide