Synopsis "Metamorphosis Alpha"
A vast starship, a virtual world in itself, carrying colonists, livestock, and the flora and fauna of Terra is struck by a cloud of unknown radiation while en route to a distant star. Chaos reigns when the radiation kills most of the crew, and in the ensuing madness, the knowledge of what the ship is and where its destination lies is lost to the survivors - and there are many survivors. Intelligent mutated animals and plants now populate the vessel, and these compete or perhaps cooperate with the humans aboard. In METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA, you are aboard the stricken starship and struggling to survive, trying to gain knowledge of the strange devices and mechanical apparatus of the vessel, attempting to learn the secrets of the strange "world" you inhabit... Eight authors come together to help bring the world of METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA alive. Led by James M. Ward, the game's original creator, enter the starship Warden, and through the eyes of the authors, enjoy the adventures of the bold as they struggle to complete their quests to understand what their "world" is all about. To Visit the Stars by James M. Ward The Starship Warden was the most ambitious project ever undertaken by humanity. How did the ship get its name? Probably the same way it got its duralloy armor... Tolerance by Craig Martelle Different day, different adventurers, same result. What happens when parties keep showing up at the same village? The natives get fed up. A Small Chance of Success by Craig J. Brain The Marines are sent on a perilous mission. Wolfoids are running rampant. Could saving the lives of intelligent toys help the Marines to eliminate the Wolfoid threat or will they find something even more important? Ties that Bind, Ties That Break by Michael Curtis Sana is tasked by her mother, the village shaman to go on a quest to find a rare plant. Armed only with the staff of the shamans, she heads into the unknown, alone and afraid. Malleable Minds by Stephen A. Lee When an artificial intelligence uploads personalities into regenerated bodies, will they blindly do the AI's bidding? The first two assignments in support of the global effort to repair and regain control of the starship are an indicator of things to come. Fear in a Handful of Stardust by Valerie Emerson When disaster struck the Warden, a cadre of Engineers found shelter in the Gravity Chamber. They survived, but at a price, and as the years passed that price became ever steeper. Demon in the Midst by Christopher Clark One of the best aspects of adventuring aboard the Warden, especially with the Metamorphosis Alpha rules, was that mystery was not an occasional challenge to be faced, researched, probed, and understood. Mystery, the vast quantity of things that are 'unknown' to the heroes that ply the Warden, is a constant and ever-present threat. Add to that confusion the ability to be wrong; to have gained an understanding that does not reflect the true nature of an item, a creature or perhaps an entire situation or story line... and you'll understand why I love the Warden. Aboard the Starship Warden by Steve Peek Who built the Starship Warden and what were they like? Mechanics and construction people, your average Joes, driven to build something that had never been built before, showing the indomitable human spirit, like those who built the pyramids, the Panama Canal, or the Empire State Building. Mission: Recovery by Craig Martelle When a command band is found by Wolfoids on Deck 11, it is business as usual for the maintenance technicians to be tasked with taking it back and securing it. What's not usual is what they find on the recovery mission.
