The Real Premise
After recalling Overwatch agents to active duty, Winston began researching exceptional individuals throughout the world, creating a list of potential recruits. He prioritized those who had a high likelihood of joining a new incarnation of Overwatch. Near the top of the list are the player characters. They will be guided through their mission by the voice of Athena.
But it was not Winston who recruited them.
In the incident that led Winston to trigger the recall, Reaper attacked Watchpoint: Gibraltar and hacked Winston's computer, stealing a large amount of information about former Overwatch agents.
Unbeknownst to Winston, Reaper’s virus also stole his recruitment files — and, perhaps worse, Athena’s voice synthesis files.
The voice of Athena speaking to the player characters is controlled by Sombra.
Secret Character Backgrounds
Feel free to reveal Cleena's background to her player to help the pacing of the story, or if the player asks. Reveal Black Fox's background to her player before the game begins.
Who is Cleena?
Cleena's real name is Loreena Devitt. She was part of the team that requisitioned supplies for Blackwatch missions. Devitt had no illusions about the nature of Blackwatch’s work — in fact, she appreciated it. Her enthusiasm caught the attention of Gabriel Reyes, and the two became friends.
Shortly before the fall of Overwatch, Reyes warned Devitt that Blackwatch may soon come to light, and even its support staff may face legal and political trouble. He advised her to leave quickly and quietly, and recommended her for a new job at a laboratory owned by a fellow Blackwatch team member — Dr. Moira O'Deorain.
Devitt took Reyes' advice, returning to her native Ireland and joining the staff of the Advanced Solutions Institute. Soon after, she volunteered to participate in their Induced Evolution Protocols. She was implanted with brain-stimulating devices designed to activate latent psychic abilities.
The devices worked. Unfortunately for Devitt, they also induced crippling psychosis and amnesia. Cleena tore the facility apart from the inside and escaped.
Already a clandestine laboratory, the Advanced Solutions Institute quietly disappeared from the records, and the remaining staff's silence was secured by bribery — or other means, as necessary.
Depending on how much Cleena knows from the start, hand her player notes throughout the session to give them clues. For example:
You catch the scent of old cigar smoke, and it triggers a memory. You've been on one of these before.
…actually, you've been on this one before.
You remember asking your boss, "Do you really need all these bullets?"
You two share a laugh.
Who is Black Fox?
Codename Black Fox has successfully infiltrated five different organizations to gather intelligence for Overwatch by way of the United Nations Special Intelligence Division (UNSID). Alhough technically a junior operative, her talent for disguise and social engineering has proven valuable to her handlers. Her rapid advancement through the intelligence ranks has given her access to highly privileged information, including the identities of both Soldier: 76 and the Reaper.
Codename Black Fox is a woman named Vittoria Gallo, born in Italy. Her work for UNSID put her in regular contact with Overwatch, giving her insight into its inner workings and personnel. She has heard whispers of a high-level conspiracy that may have led to the fall of Overwatch, but she is unsure what to believe.
Running the Op
Introducing the Game
Ask the players not if they agree to be part of the team, but why they agree. Depending on the tone of the game, you could encourage some or all of the characters to have hidden agendas.
Before starting the game in earnest, have each player discuss who is their favorite Overwatch hero. This may give you ideas for the big finish.
Start the game with the party already aboard an old Overwatch transport ship, en route to the first objective. “Athena” is controlling the ship remotely, so the only people on the ship are the party members.
Finding the Truth
The party may discern that they are not working for the real Athena. If they do, Black Fox and Cleena both may know an old Overwatch communication channel, which the real Athena will intercept and route them to Winston. Athena and Winston confirm that Talon has recruited the team.
Winston is unable to come help the team in person. He encourages them to see the mission through, then deliver the firing pin to a safe location.
Cypher
- Discover that Athena is Sombra: Level 7 Knowledge: Overwatch (give an asset for each accurate suspicion the players have voiced)
- Find an old Overwatch communication channel: Level 4 Knowledge: Overwatch
Sentinel Comics
- ☐☐☐ Discover that Athena is Sombra
- ☐ Find an old Overwatch communication channel
Objective 1: Retrieve the Scanner
Near the end of the First Omnic Crisis, the Old Madras Omnium took a missile strike, and something went wrong. It was dedicated to producing humanoid Omnics, and it continues to even now. They just aren't… alive.
They call the Old Madras Omnium the Corpse Factory because it keeps producing mindless Omnics, which shamble around the factory floor and outside into the yard. There are hundreds of them. Occasionally, a recycler unit attached will magnetically suck in crowds of nearby Zomnics, adding to the Omnium's raw materials and perpetuating the cycle.
Destroying the Omnium has proven incredibly difficult, and since the Zomnics are not an immediate threat and their number remains relatively stable, the authorities in Chennai have instead fortified the area around the Omnium and monitor it from afar.
From the outside, the Corpse Factory is a huge metallic dome, cracked from the missile impact that broke it years ago. Now, it sits like a burst blister among the other factories of the manufacturing district, emitting bursts of light and noise, along with the constant clanking of metal bodies aimlessly bumping against each other.
The party first needs to retrieve a particle detector from the Old Madras Omnium in Chennai, India.
This is technically theft, which may tip off the party that something is amiss.
The most obvious points of entry are the loading dock, which opens to the yard by the main driveway, and the hole from the missile impact, which exposes a catwalk above the factory floor. No safe means of moving from the catwalk to the floor remains.
The Zomnics become aggressive when the particle detector is removed, when they are attacked, or as part of an intervention/twist. Even in combat mode, have only animal-level intelligence.
The particle detector is 300 pounds and is attached to the Omnium's power plant. It needs to be attached to the party's ship in order to work. A hovercart capable of moving it is nearby.
Cypher
- Move a short distance through the Zomnic throng: Level 3
- Detach scanner: Level 4 technology/mechanical
- Push cart a short distance through the Zomnic throng: Level 5
- Hack Zomnics: Level 5 Might
The cart will need to move at least three short moves to reach one of the exits.
Zomnic
Level: 3
Armor: 1
Attacks:
- 4 damage unarmed
- 2 damage shock attack (ignores armor)
A group of three or more Omnics can attack as one enemy: Level 5, 2 armor, 6 damage, 4 damage shock attack ignores armor
There is a central control system that can send a command that will cause the Omnics to stand down, at least temporarily (level 6 hacking check). Grind can also communicate electronically to the Zomnics if somehow connected to them; another character can use him as an interface for the hacking check.
Sentinel Comics
- ☐ Detach scanner
- ☐☐☐ Push cart to dropship
Old Madras Omnium, "The Corpse Factory"
- Hungry Recycler Unit: d8
- Rust and Rot: d6
- Zomnic Throng: d6
Minor twist: Add two Zomic Packs
Major twist: Attack all characters on the factory floor with Hungry Recycler Unit with Max
Zomnic Pack
d4
Reduce physical damage taken by 1
Objective 2: Retrieve the Firing Pin
Once attached to the ship, the particle detector reveals that the firing pin of Doomfist's gauntlet is locked away in Watchpoint: Havana.
As Athena briefs the party, she appears not to care about hurting the guards. This may tip off the party that something is amiss.
Havana Guard
Level: 3
Armor: 1
Attacks:
- 5 damage assault rifle
- 2 damage unarmed
Notice at level 4
An advanced ID scanner can be bypassed by creating a fake ID badge (level 5 forgery check) or stealing one from a guard.
The firing pin is in a locked room with two guards at the only door. The door's lock can be bypassed (level 4 hacking or lockpicking check) or a keycard can be stolen from one of the two guards.
Removing the firing pin from its case sets off an alarm. The alarm can be disabled (level 5 hacking check). If the alarm is not disabled, groups of three guards attack the party every third round until they escape.
Objective 3: Make the Drop
The party is instructed to make the drop in Geneva, Switzerland, in a park that overlooks the ruins of Overwatch headquarters. It is there that Reaper has set his ambush.
Reaper
Level: 6
Armor: 2
Attacks:
- Hellfire Shotguns: 8 damage at immediate range, 4 damage at short range, 2 damage at long range
- Death Blossom: 6 damage to all in immediate range, 3 damage to all in short range
If the party attempts to take over the ship and make a run for it, Sombra reveals that she is the fake Athena and crashes the ship. The ship plummets for three rounds before smashing to the ground, causing 10 damage to all still aboard. Reward the players for any clever ideas they come up with to survive the crash. The party wakes up to the sound of Winston's voice warning them that Reaper is on his way to their location.
Aftermath
The game could end in any number of ways. Here are some suggestions:
- If the party unites to defeat Reaper, Winston congratulates them and invites them to Watchpoint: Gibraltar to join his new team and meet their new trainer (who you reveal to be the group's favorite Overwatch hero).
- If the party goes rogue and sides with Talon, Reaper welcomes them — as soon as they complete an assassination to prove their loyalty (the target of which is revealed to be the group's favorite Overwatch hero).