Worlds Collide After Action Report (MiracleCon 2024)

Recently, I was asked by a former co-worker -- also a popular gamer and GM in the local area -- if I would be interested in being a GM for the World's Collide mega adventure produced by Renegade Games Studios for the Essence20 rpg. This adventure crosses over the GIJoe, Power Rangers, and Transformers sessions, all of which use the same game system, so they work relatively seamless with each other.

This article WILL contain SPOILERS for the Worlds Collide Adventure, so if you want to play and be surprised by this game, do not read any further. You can purchase the adventure from the Renegade Games Studios store here.

For background set up... Lord Zedd, Doctor Mindbender, and Shockwave were all working on teleportation technology at the same time, creating an interdimensional incident that merge them into one being: Lord MindwaveZ. This also started drawing all of the multiverses together into one amalgamated chaos region. While this happens, Joe, Rangers, and Autobots are drawn into the region and gathered by by Scarlet, Optimus Prime and the Red Ranger Jason  to help fight against Lord MindwaveZ.

In order to GET to Lord MindwaveZ, the heroes must assault three towers protecting the bridge leading to his impregnable fortress. With their task set before them, the three task forces of MiracleCon set out into the chaotic wasteland of this multidimensional nexus. 

The team placed under my supervision included a lunar-themed Silver Ranger, her Blue Ranger teammate, the Autobot scout Bumblebee, and a rather unconventional ally... SHOCKWAVE! This Shockwave hailed from a dimension where his logic made him take the side of science over war. He sided with neither Autobots nor Decepticons, keeping his own council in life and politics.

As the heroes received their debriefing, they scoured the region for additional equipment they could use to aid their efforts. And because this was a charity event, they spent some money to acquire a couple of Loot Crates with advanced weapons! The Blue Ranger "found" a casche of weapons, including a powerful gatling minigun with a GIJoe logo on its side and the Stormfall Sword of the Autobot hero Windblade. He quickly integrated these weapons into his ability to summon from the Power Grid. Meanwhile Bumblebee scouted about and found a store of weapons and energon cubes, which included the powerful Demolecularization Cannon of the infamous Deathsaurus! Recognizing this powerful blaster, Bee adapted it into his integrated weaponry. Well armed for the task ahead, the strike team decided to make their way to the looming observatory of Shockwave.

Hitching a ride on the patrolling Aerialbots (Paying money to ignore the 10 minute time between traveling between zones... charity!), the strike team scours the outside of the base for a means to hack the communications system of the massive tower. The Blue Ranger and Shockwave quickly access data ports within the sides of the facility, while the Silver Ranger keeps a lookout for patrolling enemy forces. Unfortunately, Bumblebee, has a bit of trouble handling the massive cannon he acquired and trips over some loose paneling. Luckily, his accident does not attract any undue attention, and the team is able to disrupt the base's comms units.

Looking up the observatory, they see a lamp scouring the battlefield around it, search for enemies like the Eye of Sauron. Eager to remove the all-seeing eye so the other forces can advance, the strike team start to make their way up to the tower. Bumblebee accesses a nearby air dust and John McClane's his way up the observatory. Meanwhile, Shockwave converts into his tank alt-mode and offers to launch the two Power Rangers to the top of the base... big-top carnival style! BOOM! YEET! Two Rangers fly through the air, aided by the tank cannon blast, landing at the observatory eye heralded by the scream of an electric guitar riff. Returning to his robot form, Shockwave just enters the facility and tells the two Seekers on duty to "Get Out of My Way!" An order they quickly follow, rather than draw the ire of Shockwave and become his newest test subjects. Shockwave proceeds to the elevator and makes his way to the top of the observatory, just in to meet with the rest of the team. Bumblbee uses the D-Cannon on the Eye, weakening it enough for the Silver Ranger to come in with her father's Crescent Blade Sword and slice the Eye to pieces.

Accessing the base's comm systems, the strike team discover that Lord MindwaveZ has captured the Zord of all the Power Rangers, experimenting on them in his laboratory below. Taking the elevator down, the strike team are greeted by an army of Decepticon Seekers!

Taking the initiative, Shockwave quickly strides forward, stating: "I have new test subjects to experiment on, and I do not wish to be disturbed. Everyone leave the lab and leave me to my work!" His efforts are aided by the Silver and Blue Rangers slowly chanting "All Hail Shockwave!" as though they are mind controlled. Falling for the rouse, the Seekers file out of the lab, circumventing what would have been a lengthy combat encounter!

Seeing the Zords trapped in stasis locks, the Rangers work to free the machines from Lord MindwaveZ's prison. Finding her own Silver Wolf Zord, the Silver Ranger screams "MY BABY!!!!" and rushes to free it. The Zords are quickly released and sent back to the Morphing Grid to be summoned by the Ranger allies.

Just as the strike team leaves the laboratory, the voice of Optimus Prime crackles through their comms, stating that they need to put on a massive display of violence  to help distract enemy forces away from the positions of the other two strike teams. The Blue Ranger summons the minigun he acquired earlier and starts blasting consoles, causing huge explosions; shooting into the air, producing a visible stream of tracer rounds. Bumblebee follows suit with his D-Cannon. The Silver Range takes a different approach and uses her power to summon objects to create an industrial sized glitter cannon and starts blasting silver craft-herpes over anything and everything she can see. Glitter is soon pouring our of every vent in the Observatory and shooting into the sky. Shockwave meanwhile, uses the hacked comms to redirect all enemy forces with misdirection and confusing orders.

Just as the final roll of this skill test happened, the MC of the event announced that the Red Zone had gone from Damaged to Destroyed, so the strike team all high-fived each other, obviously citing their distractions had succeeded!

Excited to finish off the Observatory, the strike team made their way to a massive energon moat surrounding the base, hoping to remove the natural source of energy from the facility. However, they find a swarm of Insecticon Drones feeding on the river of energon. Blasting the drones, the strike team quickly clears the threat. 

Only a moment after removing the Drones, the MC calls upon the heroes to make their way back to base, as the three towers have been defeated and destroyed. 

The teams are tasked to cross the bridge and assault Lord MindwaveZ's fortress and shut down his multidimensional machine. Quickly summoning Zords and converting into their alt-modes, the strike teams charge across the bridge and make short work of the enemy forces there.

Entering the fortress, the heroes encounter the masterminds of these events: Lord MindwaneZ!

The heroes battle the tri-formed villain, who -- despite possessing ALL of the powers and abilities of his three composite forms -- is quickly brought low by the skill and power of the heroes array against him.

The Blue Ranger and Shockwave make their way to the Dimensional machine and work to reverse its process and restore the dimensions to their rightful places. Meanwhile Bumblebee and the Silver Ranger clean up remaining enemies coming to avenge their fallen master. Soon enough, the machine is reset and a swirl of dimensional energy tears everyone back to the worlds from which they came.

Meanwhile, a few heroes find themselves in a strange, otherworldly realm full of bright colors and... ponies?!

Thanks to Joshua Trope for being the MC of this game, and inviting me on as a GM. Thank you to my players who were a quartet of magnificent roleplayers! There were many laughs and jokes that will be remembered for some time! ("Well, Shockwave is useless!"). 

See y'all for Part 2! ... someday!