You Are The Messiah: A Command and Conquer Nod Plan Quest

The update should be up soonish, but a little bookkeeping before then:

I've removed field tags. They seemed like a good idea when I initially formulated the quest but ultimately I found them clunky to implement. They've been removed and so have their related bonuses. They weren't that integral to the prototype system so this will ultimately have a null effect.

I've replaced ABDUCT (a very niche tag; just STEAL people instead) with HACK to represent the extremely 90s aesthetic of the setting. Kane's media bonus has been shifted from CAST/LIE to HACK/LIE. Enjoy running through the vast expanse of cyberspace.

Also, starting resources may have been shifted around a bit, but everything should be proportional.

Finally, @MrRageQuit has been an incredible help in polishing the mechanical side of things. Many kudos and thanks to him.

Temple of Nod
Cairo, Egypt
1995

You settle back into your plush chair with no small amount of satisfaction. The Institute buildings above the Temple have been completed and classes are underway, providing a steady buzz of people and goings-on to camouflage what occurs below their feet. The Temple itself is less perfect; the first sub-level has been fully excavated, providing ample space, but amenities and furnishings are at a premium. Only this, your command center, has been entirely completed.

Even so, it is enough. Multiple screens line the far wall, depicting Nod operations in Egypt, Italy, and the Horn of Africa, while a half-dozen of your most loyal subordinates sit at their own consoles, keeping an eye on communications traffic and incoming reports. The hum of activity is quite satisfactory. Finally, you feel as though something is being done. You've been treading water for too many centuries now. Action, decisive action, is at last upon you.

You select a flashing icon on your command console, and begin allocating resources...


Resources: 400

Exposure: 30/100



Each "die" is 2d50 with the results added together.

Ongoing projects continue until the difficulty total has been met. Instant projects complete immediately, and succeed or fail based on the result achieved; if the project fails, the resources expended are lost.

Due to the difficulty of transoceanic logistics and increased likelihood of interception, all projects in the Americas and Oceania incur an additional +2E per die. This can be reduced.

Conflict Projects (1 die)
[] Attack Local Institutions in... [FIGHT]
-[] Region Name

A direct military-style attack on local governments and institutions, using the assets the Brotherhood has in the region. This can range from storming a government building to launching a full-scale assault on a military base, and everything in between. Odds of success improved with Base level and by technology, among other things.

Location: Any region
Prerequisite: Level 1 Base in the region
Difficulty: 75/125/175; instant. If Influence exceeds effective Authority, difficulty is instead 50/100/150/200/250
Cost: 5R per die per local Authority level, +1d4E per effective Authority level
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: -1 to local Authority per threshold reached, +1d6E per Authority lost

[] Cyber-Attack Local Institutions in... [HACK]
-[] Region Name

A dedicated cyber-attack on regional information systems, utilities, and other networked assets. May also take the form of leaked documents or spreading compromising information to undermine trust in government institutions. Odds of success improved by technology.

Location: Any region
Requirement: Level 1 Intelligence in the region
Difficulty: 75/150; instant. If Intelligence exceeds effective Authority, difficulty is instead 50/100/150.
Cost: 2R per die per local Authority level, +1d2E per effective Authority level
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: -1 to local Authority per threshold reached, +1d4E per Authority lost, cannot reduce base Authority below 3

[] Sabotage Local Institutions in... [BOMB]
-[] Region Name

An indirect attack against local institutions, usually involving remote-detonated explosives or physical sabotage of important infrastructure.

Location: Any region
Requirement: Level 1 Security in the region
Difficulty: 75/150; instant. If Security exceeds effective Authority, difficulty is instead 50/100/150.
Cost: 2R per die per local Authority level, +1d2E per effective Authority level
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: -1 to local Authority per threshold reached, +1d4E per Authority lost, cannot reduce base Authority below 3

[] Establish Base in... [BUILD]
-[] Region Name

Establish physical infrastructure in a region, necessary for most conflict operations. Includes military support, operative safehouses, and other useful assets.

Location: Any region
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 50; ongoing
Cost: 10R per die, +1E per effective Authority level
Upkeep: 15R
Effect: Establish a Level 1 Base with Level 1 Defenses and Stealth in the region


Subversion Projects (2 dice)
[] Establish Front in... [EVADE] [SPY]
-[] Region Name

Set up a front operation in the region, serving as a cover for Brotherhood intelligence and counter-intelligence projects.

Location: Any region
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 2R per die
Upkeep: 4R
Effect: Gain Level 1 Intelligence and Level 1 Security in the chosen region

[] Infiltrate Local Institutions in... [SPY]
-[] Region Name

Expand coverage of Nod's information-gathering network in the region, using a mixture of paid informants and suborned officials, as well as data taps and dead drops.

Location: Any region
Requirement: Level 1 Intelligence in the region
Difficulty: 50/100/150; ongoing
Cost: 2R per die
Upkeep: 2R per level established
Effect: +1 to Intelligence level in the region per threshold reached

[] Subvert Local Institutions in... [EVADE]
-[] Region Name

Improve Nod's official and unofficial counter-intelligence capabilities by erecting additional shell companies and front organizations, creatively misfiling critical documents, and putting bureaucrats on the payroll.

Location: Any region
Requirement: Level 1 Security in the region
Difficulty: 50/100/150; ongoing
Cost: 2R per die
Upkeep: 2R per level established
Effect: +1 to Security level in the region per threshold reached

[] Acquire Prototype Mobile Construction Vehicle [STEAL]

A Spanish construction company has partnered with a French heavy-vehicle manufacturer to produce a next-generation construction machine, which brings with it both an expandable warehouse and automated machinery as well as ample onboard supplies. Once we secure one of the demonstration prototypes, replicating it shouldn't be a problem for our engineers.

Location: Southern Europe
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; instant
Cost: 5R per die, 1d6E
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Unlocks the "Reverse-Engineer Mobile Construction Vehicle" Research Project, which allows further base improvements and cheaper construction.

Research Projects (2 dice)
[] Analyze Tiberium Structure [ADAPT]

While our knowledge of Tiberium far outstrips that of the world's governments and scientists, we are still as children in the presence of a great masterwork. A detailed chemical and structural analysis of Tiberium's fundamental makeup will give us greater insight into how best to break it down into useful materials, and maybe also how to stop losing so many gloves to its crystal spores.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 100; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Increase Tiberium income to 10 x (Harvesting + Tiberium levels). Unlocks additional projects.

[] Automated Defenses [FIGHT]

Our current precautions for defending our bases are little more than manned watchtowers with spotlights and sandbag walls to impede attackers. Our computer experts have developed sophisticated IFF tracking systems and highly reliable automated motion sensors which, when paired with turreted machine guns and light cannons, should allow for a much more robust defensive effort if we're attacked by hostiles. Combine those with reinforced concrete, and we may even stand a chance against a military incursion.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Unlocks Level 2 Defenses

[] Man-Machine Interface [HACK]

Brotherhood cyberneticists believe they are on the verge of achieving a key breakthrough in the field of mind-directed machinery. This direct interface system, when installed into a healthy recipient, will allow the user to swiftly and efficiently direct computers and remote-controlled machines alike. While of enormous scientific import in and of itself, the implications on future developments far exceed even that.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 100; ongoing
Cost: 10R per die
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: +5 per die to CAST and HACK projects. Unlocks additional projects.

[] Mechanized Harvesting [ADAPT]

Currently, crews of environment-suited workers manually harvest Tiberium with powered hand tools, leading to substantial loss of life to pressure leaks, radiation exposure, and simple accidents. The process is also slow and produces inadequate yields. By adapting a heavy agricultural combine using our unique knowledge of the Tiberium crystal matrix, we can produce a self-contained harvesting machine capable of swallowing up vast swathes of Tiberium in a fraction of the time, while endangering far fewer personnel.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Unlocks Level 2 Harvesting.

[] Sensor-Dampening Materials [EVADE]

Camouflage nets and low-emissions protocols only go so far when attempting to hide from world governments. Material scientists believe the incorporation of next-generation dampening materials into our stealth precautions will help deflect all but the most determined satellite surveillance or direct physical inspection.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Unlocks Level 2 Stealth

[] Tiberium Refinement [BUILD]

Currently, the process of breaking Tiberium down into valuable materials is an ad-hoc one, performed in modified chemical laboratories and industrial warehouses. By designing a purpose-built structure for receiving and breaking down Tiberium, as well as streamlining the process for doing so, we can vastly improve the efficiency of harvesting operations.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Increase Tiberium income to 5 x (Harvesting + Base + Tiberium levels)

Outreach Projects (2 dice)
[] Recruit a Division Head [HIRE]

Though you would prefer to oversee everything directly yourself, the simple truth is that if Nod is to grow to its full potential, it must have empowered subordinate leaders overseeing its various divisions. These subordinates will in turn be able to manage the day-to-day affairs and offer expert advice, freeing you up for the big picture work.

Location: N/A
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 50; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: 5R
Effect: Promote one of your underlings to a position as the head of one of the six project divisions (Conflict, Subversion, etc). Will trigger a subvote to choose between three candidates, each with bonuses and penalties.

[] Recruit a Field Commander [HIRE]

Project leaders and deputies are all well and good, but sometimes you need someone who can take charge of things on the ground in a crisis. This field commander will answer only to you and your second-in-command, and will be empowered to assume control of a given region to provide it with guidance and support. It might also be wise to assign them some dedicated assets, so as to bolster local efforts.

Location: N/A
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: 10R
Effect: Promote one of your underlings to a position as the head of a mobile task force, who can be assigned to a region to oversee operations directly. Will trigger a subvote to choose between three candidates, each with bonuses and penalties. Unlocks task force projects.

[] Recruit a Second-in-Command [HIRE]

While you know that the notion that you will ever need to be succeeded within the lifespan of the human species is a laughable one, this is not a fact you want to become common knowledge. With that in mind, a second-in-command who can serve as designated successor and official buffer might be useful, if only to project stability and continuity. They may even have some useful advice to offer.

Location: N/A
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die
Upkeep: 10R
Effect: Promote one of your underlings to a position directly beneath you, so that they can serve as a buffer and accomplish delegated tasks. Will trigger a subvote to choose between three candidates, each with bonuses and penalties.

[] Destabilize Local Government in... [INCITE]
-[] Region Name

Every region on the planet has its disaffected individuals and groups, its anti-state actors and would-be revolutionaries. Through a mixture of agitprop and covertly supplied materiel, you can induce these freedom fighters to strike a blow for their chosen cause, thereby weakening the foundations on which the local institutions rest.

Location: Any region
Requirement: Level 1 Influence
Difficulty: 75/150/225; instant
Cost: 5R per die, +1d6E
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: -1 to local Authority per threshold reached, +1d4E per Authority lost, cannot reduce base Authority below 3

[] Spread Disinformation in... [LIE]
-[] Region Name

The simple truth is that the Brotherhood must sometimes undertake operations which it does not wish to directly assume credit for. Whether because the means were distasteful or because it drew undue scrutiny, some projects are simply better denied. By introducing a carefully curated blend of falsehoods and half-truths into the media and the local rumor mill, blame can be diverted and the narrative muddled beyond recovery.

Location: Any region
Requirement: Level 1 Security
Difficulty: 75; instant
Cost: 5R per die, no overseas penalty
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Nod will lose (10 - effective regional Authority) Exposure gained in the chosen region during the prior turn

[] Spread Propaganda in... [CAST]
-[] Region Name

While it is not presently in our interests to reveal ourselves on the world stage, it is crucial to lay the groundwork for our future operations and shore up our support among our supporters in the shadows. Whether in back rooms or on the dark web, our advocates can put our message out to the right recipients, bolstering our reputation among the people.

Location: Any region
Requirement: Level 1 Intelligence in the region
Difficulty: 75/125/175; instant
Cost: 5R per die, +1d2E, no overseas penalty
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: +1 to Nod Influence in the region per threshold reached

Economics Projects (1 die)
[] Begin Harvesting in... [BUILD]
-[] Region Name

Once Tiberium is present in a region, we may begin harvesting and refining it into usable materials. This process is at the very heart of our financial strategy, and will soon lead to a global revolution. Obviously, we must be at the forefront.

Location: Any region with Tiberium
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 50; ongoing
Cost: 5R per die, +1d4E
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Establish Level 1 Harvesting in the region

[] Purchase Military-Grade Weapons (Rank 1) [BUY]

At present, Nod security forces are equipped solely with small arms and civilian-grade body armor. While sufficient to deter common thieves, this is insufficient for the coming conflict. Surplus military equipment from the former Soviet Union will greatly augment our forces' capabilities, and rather cheaply at that.

Location: Eastern Europe
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; instant
Cost: 10R per die, +2E
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: +5 to BOMB and FIGHT projects in regions with Nod bases. Unlocks additional projects.

[] Spread Tiberium in...
-[] Region Name

The spread of Tiberium is both a necessary and a sacred task for the disciples of Nod. The more it grows, the more we can harvest. The wider it spreads, the more it will change all that it comes into contact with.

Location: Any region
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 50; ongoing
Cost: 2R per die, +1E
Upkeep: N/A
Effect: Increases Tiberium level in that region by one.

Development Projects (3 dice)
[] Establish Institute City [BUILD]

Presently, the Institute for Higher Learning is an isolated campus amidst a largely undeveloped area. While additional settlement will occur naturally over time, we can stimulate this growth through a dedicated construction campaign. By building subsidized housing and other amenities for our students, faculty, and campus workers, we can encourage the growth of a new city around the Institute, thereby concealing our activities further from view.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 100; ongoing
Cost: 20R per die, +4E
Upkeep: 10R
Effect: -2E incurred by Development and Economics projects located in the Middle East and North Africa. Prerequisite for expansion of the Cairo Temple.

[] Found the College of Emergent Technologies [HIRE]

Nod scientists are hard at work cracking the sacred mystery of Tiberium and the higher technologies it promises, but the subterranean labs in the Temple are fundamentally limited by space and security concerns. By establishing an emergent technologies facility at the Institute of Higher Learning, we can outsource some of the less secure elements of this necessary work without drawing additional attention.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 10R per die, +2E
Upkeep: 5R
Effect: -2E incurred by Research and Outreach projects located in the Middle East and North Africa. Prerequisite for expansion of the Cairo Temple.

[] Lease a Dockyard at Port Suez [BUY]

While chartered cargo ships are certainly useful, they lack the kind of security necessary for high-value shipments, like military-grade explosives and armed soldiers. By leasing dock space in Port Suez and then buying a small, beleaguered shipping company under the table, we'll be able to move large quantities of goods and personnel with a minimum of interference.

Location: Middle East and North Africa
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 75; ongoing
Cost: 10R per die, +2E
Upkeep: 5R
Effect: Halve additional Exposure incurred for projects in the Americas and Oceania. Unlocks additional projects.

[] Purchase Cargo Aircraft [BUY]

Currently, Nod has to lease or contract civilian shipping firms to move its small- and medium-sized assets around, leading to inordinate delays and risks. If we were to purchase a fleet of refurbished cargo helicopters and heavy-duty planes, we could bypass all the red tape, and move sensitive shipments much more securely.

Location: Eastern Europe
Requirement: N/A
Difficulty: 50; ongoing
Cost: 10R per die + 5R for each region Nod has a base in, +2E
Upkeep: 5R per base
Effect: -2E for all projects in Europe, Africa, and Asia; can be expanded overseas with cargo ship acquisition. +5R to all future Establish Base project costs. Unlocks additional projects.

Global Values
Resources: Derived from Tiberium or conventional income. Each Resources unit is an abstract measurement of value without a specific parallel in currency or finance. Denoted with "R".

Exposure: The international community's awareness of your existence. Denoted with "E". Operates on a 101-point scale, with thresholds every 20 points. Once a threshold has been passed, it becomes the new minimum Exposure value and new effects come into play. Once Exposure 100 is reached, Nod's existence becomes public and the mechanic will be replaced.

Exposure costs can be reduced in a variety of ways, but as long as an action begins with an Exposure cost, that cost cannot be reduced below 1.

Exposure Scale
0-19: Nod is virtually unknown except by the most determined cranks and fringe thinkers, and a small cadre of esoteric archaeologists and historians. World intelligence agencies regard the Brotherhood as an entity roughly equivalent to Bigfoot in terms of viability and threat level. -2E to all actions with Exposure costs.

20-39: Several mid-level analysts have begun compiling reports on the possible existence of a fringe religious sect with anti-state leanings, generally with a garbled form of the Brotherhood's true name. There is a persistent but largely ignored conspiracy theory doing the rounds on the Internet about yet another secret cabal manipulating world events from behind the scenes. -1E to all actions with Exposure costs.

40-59: Someone with decision-making power in at least one major intelligence agency has begun actually reading the reports and connecting the dots on your activities. The Brotherhood is a growing rumor in the independent press and on conspiracy websites, whose involvement is ascribed to everything from the JFK assassination to the fall of the Soviet Union.

60-79: Your existence has been confirmed by multiple intelligence agencies and they have begun briefing world leaders on a new terror threat with a worrying amount of reach and capability. Your fringe notoriety has begun breaking out into the mainstream, and scorpion-tail graffiti has become increasingly prominent in subculture spaces. +1E to all actions with Exposure costs.

80-99: You are on the verge of being outed. There are rumors of a UN task force being assembled to counter the "Nod terror group" and the G7 nations have all pledged their support and funding. Scorpion-tail symbols have begun showing up at anti-globalization protests and are being left at the sites of unconnected attacks, either to deflect attention or to pay homage. It's only a matter of time until a major news outlet or a world leader reveals your existence to the general public. +2E to all actions with Exposure costs.

100: The time is now. For better or worse, the public knows of Kane and the Brotherhood of Nod, and the global elite have begun actively mobilizing for your destruction. No matter what happens next, the world will never be the same again.

Regional Values
Authority: A measure of the control and legitimacy exercised by state actors within a region. Operates on a scale from 1 to 10; high Authority denotes a stable local environment with strong institutions, while low Authority denotes a weak or illegitimate state and likely attendant strife or civil unrest. Nod generally benefits from low Authority in a region.

Tiberium: The presence of Tiberium in the region, on a scale from 1 to 10. More Tiberium generally means more and larger harvests, which benefits Nod's economic activities. By crowding out other economic activity and human habitation, it also directly contributes to the unraveling of the local social fabric, and therefore serves as a cap on local Authority. The base Authority level of a region cannot exceed (10 - Tiberium rating). Will automatically increase over time, but growth can be manually sped up.

Influence: Nod's sway in the region, encompassing both its popularity and its control of the local socio-economic system, on a scale from 1 to 3. Nod's Influence in a region is subtracted from the base Authority level to produce the effective Authority level. Some projects are gated behind a specific Influence level. Each level provides a +5 bonus to BUILD, CAST, and HIRE projects in that region.

Intelligence: Nod's information-gathering capability in the region, which includes both infiltration of local state organs, its own agents, and paid and unpaid informants, on a scale from 1 to 3. Each level of Intelligence provides additional details about a region, as well as a +5 bonus to EVADE, HACK, and SPY projects in that region. Unlocks intelligence operations.

Investments: Nod's financial stake in the region, carried out through a mixture of shell companies and proxy investors, on a scale from 1 to 3. Each level provides additional income per turn scaled to the Authority, Intelligence, and Security in a region. The starting Investment formula is base Authority x (Intelligence + Security). Each level of Investments produces 1 Exposure per turn.

Security: Nod's counter-intelligence capability in the region, including front companies, legal obfuscation, counter-surveillance efforts, and other means of foiling official curiosity, on a scale from 1 to 3. Each level of Security reduces Exposure gained per project by 1, as well as providing a +5 bonus to BRIBE, LIE, and STEAL projects in that region. Unlocks counter-intelligence operations.

Base: The extent of Nod's physical presence in a region, ranging from a single isolated base of operations to a complex network of facilities and factories. Each level provides a +5 bonus to BOMB, FIGHT, and KILL projects in that region. Unlocks offensive operations.

Defenses: Active defensive precautions taken to defend Nod assets in the region. Each level provides a +5 bonus to FIGHT checks made in response to hostile attacks.

Harvesting: Nod's Tiberium-harvesting operations in the region. Each level provides additional income per turn scaled to the Tiberium presence in the region. The starting Tiberium income formula is 5 x (Harvesting + Tiberium level). Each level of Harvesting produces 2 Exposure per turn.

Stealth: Passive defensive precautions taken to conceal Nod assets in the region. Each level provides a +5 bonus to EVADE checks to avoid notice by hostile actors.

Minimum ratings for regional values besides Authority and Tiberium can be increased by researching technology or completing projects.