[The Hire] Season 1, Episode 5: Powder Keg

The final episode of Season 1 of The Hire starts with Stellan Skarsgard as a photo-journalist in a South American dictatorship taking pictures of a massacre. Chased by the gunmen and wounded, he manages to get to a U.N. vehicle tasked with taking him out of the country. The Driver is there in the U.N. vehicle.

The dictatorship is supported by the U.S. Government and the photo-journalist complains bitterly about it. He talks of the 15 wars he's covered and how he's focused on taking the picture, never saving a life. He tells The Driver that his mother taught him to see and that is why he's a photographer.

The Driver notices a truck filled with soldiers in his rear-view mirror and then it pulls up beside him, signaling him to move over. But The Driver eludes them as the road becomes more congested and the photo-journalist is gets weaker. His life's-blood is pouring out. He passes his vital film to The Driver as they get to a border check-point.

The Driver has a gun pointed at his head as the photo-journalist takes the border guards pictures in a bid to antagonize them and they make a break for the border through a hail of bullets. The Driver proclaims their success at making it but realizes too late that his passenger has passed on.

The final scene has The Driver arriving at the photo-journalist's mother's home to tell her of his death in a poignant scene.

Microlite20 Modern:

The Photo-Journalist
STR 10 (-), DEX 12 (+1), MIND 16 (+3)
Smart Hero, Level 2, HP 16 [5], AC 11
Investigative background
Melee: +3, Missile: +4
Physical +3*, Subterfuge +3*, Knowledge +4*, Communication +4*
* includes human bonus (+1 to all skill rolls)

Equipment: comfortable clothes, camera and camera equipment, Pulitzer Prize-winning roll of film


Border guards
(Soldiers) HP 10 AC 13
Melee: +2, Missile: +2
Physical +2, Subterfuge +2, Knowledge +1, Communication +1

Equipment: Army fatigues, M16 (2d8, ROF S/A, shots: 30 box)

[The Hire] Season 1, Episode 4: Star

Episode four of The Hire was directed by Guy Richie and stars Madonna (his wife at the time). This is also the first time that The Driver talks and looks directly at the audience, as opposed to a voice-over.

The episode starts with Madonna chewing out an underling, Glenn, who turns out to be her manager. The Driver was originally hired by someone else but The Star climbs in his car and demands him to drive. Her bodyguards quickly follow in an SUV but her mobs of fans stop the SUV.

The Driver and The Star  get into an argument right out the gate. Then he receives a call from Glenn, agreeing to drive and "take care of her." He proceeds to drive through the city at high speed, taking breakneck turns and toss his passenger around violently.

Leaving the bodyguards in the dust, there's even a Ferris Bueller jump in the ride and a "look, Ma, no hands!" The ride ends with her ejected from the car right in front of paparazzi, ready to take her picture in an unflattering way.

Microlite20 Modern:

I don't believe an NPC is necessary to stat up here.

[The Hire] Season 1, Episode 3: The Follow

The third episode of The Hire has Mickey Rourke guest starring as a husband, interested in knowing what his wife is doing, and Forest Whitaker as his agent. This also has the first voice over for The Driver, instructing the audience how to follow another car.

The Driver follows the wife around town, losing her at an intersection and then finding her again at a bank. Then thorough a flashback of how he got the job. He takes the money and the job.

He follows the wife through the airport and the voice over continues, instructing the audience that the same rules with a car apply to following on foot. During the follow, he notices something about the wife.

Later when he meets up with the agent, he returns the money and explains he lost her and "don't ever call me again."


Microlite20 Modern:

Violent rich and famous husband
(Terrorist) HP 12 AC 12Melee: +2, Missile: +2
Physical +3, Subterfuge +2, Knowledge +2, Communication +2

Equipment: whatever he wants, he's got more money than God.

[The Hire] Season 1, Episode 2: Chosen

 

The second episode of The Hire was directed by Ang Lee and had a Tibetan theme. The Driver picks up a passenger on the New York docks, a young Tibetan monk and a small silver case "for later."

As he's driving away, a pair of cars, filled with armed men, drive up. A chase soon starts, with three pursuit cars on the docks. Gunfire erupts and a ballet of sorts occurs between The Driver and the following cars.

When one of the gunmen shoots through his car's window, The Driver gets really upset and rams the enemy car. The Driver delivers the child to a suburban house and they are greeted by a monk, who the child doesn't trust. After saving the child, The Driver opens the small silver case and realizes the gift only after the fact.


Microlite20 Modern:

A variety of gunmen
(Terrorist) HP 12 AC 14
Melee: +3, Missile: +3
Physical +4, Subterfuge +4, Knowledge +3, Communication +2

Equipment: Glock 17 (2d6, ROF S, shots: 17 box)


The Sniper
(Terrorist) HP 12 AC 14
Melee: +3, Missile: +3
Physical +4, Subterfuge +4, Knowledge +3, Communication +2

Equipment: M16A2 (2d8, ROF S/A, shots: 30 box)


The Monk at the House
(Bounty Hunter) HP 20 AC 16
Melee: +6, Missile: +6
Physical +5, Subterfuge +6, Knowledge +2, Communication +2

Equipment: Syringe, Monks robes, Cowboy Boots

[The Hire] Season 1, Episode 1: Ambush

The first episode of The Hire has The Driver (Clive Owen) taking a nebbish-little man to an unknown destination at night. A van filled with balaclava-wearing black-garbed gunmen pulls up alongside.

The lead gunman signals The Driver to tune his radio to a specific station, then gives information (the passenger has $2 million in stolen diamonds) and instructions (you are going to pull over or we will kill you).

The passenger panics because he swallowed the diamonds and The Driver might as well kill him now rather than turn him over, because the gunmen will gut him.

What results is a series of excellent car maneuvers and specific tactical choices on the part of The Driver to gain the advantage over the pursuing van. Watch for the part where The Driver takes out the van's lights.

The ending is equally satisfying, with The Driver asking the question on everyone's mind as his passenger pays him and walks away.

Microlite20 Modern:

The Driver
STR 14 (+2), DEX 19 (+4), MIND 14 (+2)
Cunning Hero, Level 6, HP 41, AC 14, Action Points 39
Criminal background
Melee: +8, Missile: +9
Physical +7*, Subterfuge +10*, Knowledge +7*, Communication +7*
* includes human bonus (+1 to all skill rolls)

Equipment: comfortable yet stylish clothes, BMW


Balaclava-wearing black-clad gunmen
(Terrorist) HP 12 AC 14
Melee: +3, Missile: +3
Physical +4, Subterfuge +4, Knowledge +3, Communication +2

Equipment: Black clothes and balaclava, black combat boots, HK MP5K (2d6, ROF S/A, shots: 30 box)

[The Hire] Subplot Films

The Hire was a series of 8 short films divided into two seasons (2001 to 2002), starring Clive Owen as "The Driver," a mysterious and (hinted at) former criminal who took jobs driving people around in BMWs. Driving fast and furious.

Each of the films was directed by a different luminary in the Hollywood set and several had big names as guest stars. Each of the films is unique, short in length but long in action (and car action) and quite enjoyable to watch.

If none of them are a good set-up for a modern adventure (or the background of a viable PC), then I don't know what is. So I'm going to give a synopsis for each episode and stat out the major characters. I've decided to use my Call of Duty commercial label since each one of these films is really a commercial for BMW.

[D20] Traveling Equipment, Simplified

My final plan to avoid lists and lists of equipment is to create another category, Traveling Equipment. PCs specifically have to buy these boxes from the get-go, they don't automatically start with any, mainly due to the expense of traveling, which includes but is not limited to mounts, feed, hirelings or henchmen, food, water, and a myriad of supplies and equipment.

Each box costs a minimum of 50 gp and the GM can change that price as they see fit. The number of boxes available to each PC is only limited by their purses and how far they are going. Assume one Traveling Equipment box will supply the party for one day, so a party of four PCs and a few hirelings and henchmen, traveling for 14 days to a destination and back (28 travel days total), will need 28 boxes. That's 7 boxes for each PC at a cost of 350 gp, which is 1400 gp for the whole trip!

If the PCs choose to go lean, then they can stretch each box for two or three days but risk losing mounts, men, food and equipment along the way, or simply running out at inopportune times. I leave it to most GMs to determine those situations as appropriate.

Gaining Traveling Equipment along the way is easy, provided the GM allows that the little hamlet the PCs stopped in has the necessary supplies. This would require a successful search roll, with penalties for anything smaller than a town (village, hamlet, thorpe, etc) and bonuses for anything bigger (city, port, capital, etc). Trade caravans that are encountered should be treated as towns (for rich caravans) or smaller (for poor). Prices, of course, will depend on a variety of factors.

Gaining Traveling Equipment from defeated enemies is also possible, but are constrained as earlier presented: 1) supplies can only be gained from a mobile group's camp, not a permanent lair unless allowed by the GM, 2) the enemy camp must be specifically (and successfully) searched to find supplies, 3) there is no penalty for searching humans or demihumans camps, but a -2 penalty is levied for searching humanoid camps, and -4 penalty or more for other creatures and monsters, 4) the search takes at least 30 minutes, and 5) only one box can be recharged for that search area unless specified by the GM.

For example, Jim, Giles and Orin are traveling to a nearby dungeon and search an wandering orc camp for supplies after slaying the orcs. They get a -2 penalty for the search and successfully make the roll, finding enough equipment to fill one of Jim's Traveling Equipment boxes.

Later on the return trip, they've completely exhausted their Traveling Equipment. After killing a mendicant otyugh, they search with a -6 penalty and find nothing worth salvaging. The scene fades on a desperate situation as they have another week to go in the wilderness and no known safe havens ....

[D20] Ammunition, Simplified

 To continue avoiding extensive lists and lists of equipment, I thought up another area that could use a broad category: Ammunition. I'm not at all interested in tracking each single arrow, crossbow bolt or sling bullet in the game. And that's not all the possible ammunition choices, which can be expanded to include oil flasks, acid, alchemical fire, holy water and smokesticks.

My modest proposal creates a broad Ammunition category, again with 5 starting boxes [_] [_] [_] [_] [_]. If your PC has a bow, his arrows are contained within, as well as his oil flasks, throwing daggers and etc. Again,  if you've been in the dungeon for a while, the GM will ask you to strike off one of the boxes [X] as used and that would be considered using arrows, crossbow bolts, flasks of oil, and sling bullets.

At any point, if you want some acid, smoke sticks, holy water or alchemical fire, it'll cost you a box [X] and you get only one for that box, due to the expense of each item.

Recharging an Ammunition box follows the previous standard - just spend 15 gp while in civilized lands and it's opened up again. Adding more boxes to the original 5 is also possible at the same cost except that is limited by your Dexterity modifier (i.e., a Dexterity modifier of +2 allows a maximum of 7 boxes).

It is also possible to recharge a box while in the dungeon using the previously presented constraints: 1) an inhabited area must be specifically (and successfully) searched to find supplies, 2) there is no penalty for searching areas inhabited by humans or demihumans, but a -2 penalty is levied for searching areas inhabited by humanoids, and -4 penalty or more for other creatures and monsters, 3) the search takes at least 10 minutes, and 4) only one box can be recharged for that search area unless specified by the GM.

For example, Jim, Giles and Orin are searching an orc nest for ammunition after slaying the orcs. They get a -2 penalty for the search and successfully make the roll, finding a barrow of arrows and recharging one of Giles' Ammunition boxes.

Later on, they're low on ammunition again and, after killing a otyugh, search with a -6 penalty and find nothing worth salvaging. The scene fades on a desperate situation ....

Here's how it'll look in a PC write-up:

Phillip of Tradetown, Halfling; Level 1, Alignment: Neutral, Abilities: Strength 9, Dexterity 13, Constitution 10, Intelligence 13, Wisdom 11, Charisma 12. Armor Class: 6 (leather armor, -1 Dex); Hit Dice: 1d6, Hit Points: 6. Attacks: short sword (1d6), short bow (+2 to hit, 1d6). Languages: Common, Elvish; Special Abilities: +1 initiative, halfling abilities. Equipment: dungeoneering equipment [_] [_] [_] [_] [_], ammunition [_] [_] [_] [_] [_].

[D20] Dungeoneering Equipment, Simplified

How many times have you had (or, as a GM, seen) equipment lists like this:

Backpack containing bedroll and winter blanket, large sacks (2), candles (4), full waterskin (2), grappling hook, 50' silk rope, hammer, iron spikes (5), block and tackle, bell, caltrops (3), crowbar, flint and steel, hooded lantern, flask of oil (3), line and fishhooks (3), manacles, iron rations (1 week), small steel mirror, soap, whetstone and greasy rag, bucket, iron pot, 10' pole, keelboat (with full crew), pouch of belladona, horse plate barding, and bandages and healing salve.

Belt pounch containing flint and steel, map case with parchment (4), pen & 1 oz. bottle of ink,chalk sticks (4), candles (2), large stone head, signal whistle, iron rations (2 days), water flask (full), wooden holy symbol, and masterwork thieves tools.

Never mind the encumbrance issues, these lists, while fun to assemble, are completely out of control.

So I propose the following: a broad category called Dungeoneering Equipment. Anything that doesn't include weapons, armor or shields, magic items or specialty items would be covered by this category.

Starting values of Dungeoneering Equipment has five boxes like so [_] [_] [_] [_] [_]. If you've been in the dungeon for a while, the GM will ask you to strike off one of the boxes [X] as used and that would be considered eating, drinking, using bandages, torches and other consumables. At any point, if you want a specific piece of equipment, like a grappling hook and a whole bunch of silk rope, it'll cost you a box [X] but you then get to write down that specific piece of equipment on your sheet. As a rule of thumb for the GM, assume the value of the item(s) are around 10 gp, so each box would be equivalent to a grappling hook and 50' silk rope or a hooded lantern and 7 flasks of oil.

Recharging a Dungeoneering Equipment box is easy - just spend 10 gp while you are in town or at an inn and it's opened up again. Adding more boxes to the original 5 is also possible at the same cost except that is limited by your Strength modifier (i.e., a Strength modifier of +2 allows a maximum of 7 boxes).

It is also possible to recharge a box while in the dungeon but there are constraints: 1) an inhabited area must be specifically (and successfully) searched to find supplies, 2) there is no penalty for searching areas inhabited by humans or demihumans, but a -2 penalty is levied for searching areas inhabited by humanoids, and -4 penalty or more for other creatures and monsters, 3) the search takes at least 10 minutes, and 4) only one box can be recharged for that search area unless specified by the GM.

For example, Jim, Giles and Orin are searching an orc nest for supplies after slaying the orcs. They get a -2 penalty for the search and successfully make the roll, avoiding the rat jerky and other questionable meat to find some supplies, recharging one of Orin's Dungeoneering Equipment boxes.

Later on, they're low on supplies again and, after killing a otyugh, search with a -6 penalty and find nothing worth salvaging. The scene fades on a desperate situation ....

Here's how it'll look in a PC write-up:

Phillip of Tradetown, Halfling; Level 1, Alignment: Neutral, Abilities: Strength 9, Dexterity 13, Constitution 10, Intelligence 13, Wisdom 11, Charisma 12. Armor Class: 6 (leather armor, -1 Dex); Hit Dice: 1d6, Hit Points: 6. Attacks: short sword (1d6), short bow (+2 to hit, 1d6). Languages: Common, Elvish; Special Abilities: +1 initiative, halfling abilities. Equipment: dungeoneering equipment [_] [_] [_] [_] [_].

[D20] MicrOSR20

MicrOSR20_Rev1 As a fan of Microlite20 and Microlite74, a few years ago I tried writing my own version and here it is.

Enjoy!