TEXT: FREEDOM SQUADRON
  By Ross Watson
  El Guapo has become disgruntled with Gorgon’s arrogance. The luchador-turned-arms dealer recently 
  came into possession of a potent occult artifact, and he’s chosen to offer the item to both Freedom 
  Squadron AND VENOM—the highest bidder gets the prize. The team needs to find out more about the 
  prize up for offer and determine the location of the auction itself. VENOM is very interested in acquiring 
  the artifact for themselves—namely, Hex has a very personal reason to claim the item for her own 
  research.
  A video message showing El Guapo at an abandoned amusement park is picked up by Uplink. Expressing 
  annoyance with Gorgon’s self-importance, he makes an offer to both sides for a very rare weapon he’s 
  acquired—a silver stiletto said to be once owned by Vlad Tepes himself. According to rumors, the weapon 
  bears certain enchantments and could be used to power a very potent dark ritual. Hex is interested, but 
  El Guapo has encoded the location of the meeting and will only release the location a few hours before 
  the deal is to be made.
  The team’s mission is to find out what the item is, what it can do, and what it has to do with VENOM’s 
  plans for a spell to create vampires of their own.
  Researching the Prize
  Mirage describes the situation and suggests that the item must have some connection to Hex. This is due 
  to Hex’s unusual interest in racing to find out more about just what El Guapo is offering. There are some 
  indications that the occult artifact could be used for a powerful ritual of some kind.
  Mission Parameters: 
  • Mission Complexity: Medium Complexity (2/3/4)
  •	 Mission	Difficulty: Medium Difficulty (18 Successes)
  • Mission Risk: Medium Risk (GM gains Bonus Bennies for every two players)
  • Enemy Leadership: Highly Competent (d10, Wild Die)
  A failure means that the team is ambushed by Hex and a large group of VENOM Shadow Fangs. The 
  heroes are at a disadvantage without knowing exactly what El Guapo has for sale—this is represented by 
  all team members suffering a -2 penalty to all trait rolls for the first round of combat.
  A success means that the team learns what the prize actually is: El Guapo has located a silver stiletto 
  that, according to legends, belonged to Vlad Tepes himself. “Dracula’s dagger” in Hex’s hands might be 
  just what she needs for a dark magic ritual that could create some vampires under VENOM’s control.
  Highest Bidder
  Recruit Mission:
  1
  
  FREEDOM SQUADRON
  el guapo
  Showdown at the Amusement Park
  El Guapo chose a closed amusement park for the auction site, having stationed four WASPS hidden 
  within numerous tents, rides, and concession stands as backup. The heroes have just a few moments to 
  talk to El Guapo before Hex and a handful of Shadow Fangs attack, intending to steal the artifact rather 
  than bargain for it. El Guapo and the WASPS fight in self-defence only for the first two rounds. After that, 
  El Guapo decides that helping Hex is better than the alternative and joins her in trying to destroy the 
  Freedom Squadron team. The amusement park counts as an Urban zone.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, 
  Strength d12, Vigor d10
  Skills: Athletics d8, Driving d6, Fighting d12, 
  Intimidation d8, Investigation d6, Notice 
  d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Streetwise 
  d8, Taunt d8, Thievery d8, Throwing d6
  Cha: +2; Pace: 8; Parry: 9; Toughness: 15 (5)
  Hindrances: Greedy (Minor), Loyal, Vengeful 
  (Major)
  Edges: Block, Brawler, Bruiser, Charismatic, 
  Combat Reflexes, (Improved) Combat 
  Sense, Command, Command Presence, 
  Connections (Black Market), Dirty Fighter, 
  Dodge, (Improved) Extraction, (Improved) 
  First Strike, Fleet-Footed, (Improved) 
  Frenzy, Hard to Kill, Killer Instinct, Level 
  Headed, (Improved) Martial Artist, Natural Leader, Nerves of Steel, Steady Hands, Strong Willed
  Gear: Enhanced Kinemesh Armor (+5, +3 Toughness), Enhanced Shotgun (Range 12/24/48, Damage 
  1-3d6+2, AP 3; on Shaken, target must make a Vigor check at -2 or be Incapacitated).
  Special	Abilities: 
  • Personal & Professional Pursuits: El Guapo has the Focuses of Business (Mastery), Gambling, 
  Politics, and Professional Sports.
  2
  
  FREEDOM SQUADRON
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, 
  Strength d6, Vigor d8
  Skills: Academics d8, Athletics d6, Fighting 
  d10, Investigation d8, Notice d10, Occult 
  d10, Persuasion d6, Spellcasting d12, 
  Stealth d8, Streetwise d6
  Cha: +2;	Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 13 (5)
  Hindrances:	Curious, Vengeful (Major)
  Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Attractive, 
  Dirty Fighter, Elan, (Improved) Level Headed, 
  Occultist, Wizard
  Gear: Enchanted Armor (+5 Armor, 
  +2 Toughness, +4 Vigor checks vs 
  hex
  environmental conditions), Enchanted Black Magic Staff (+2 Fighting, Damage Str+d6+2, +2 
  Parry, Reach 1), Amulet of Dark Power (+2 Spellcasting, Danger Sense)
  Powers: armor, blast, bolt, boost/lower Trait, damage field, deflection, detect/conceal arcana, dispel, 
  invisibility, obscure, zombie. Power Points: 40
  Special	Abilities:
  •	 Arcane	Multitasking:	Hex ignores the first –2 penalty when casting two spells on the same round.
  •	 Occult	Expertise	&	Scholastic	Pursuits:	Hex has the Focuses of Anthropology, Arcana (Mastery), 
  Archaeology, History, Legends, Necromancy, Religion, Rituals, and Vampires.
  • Power Casting: Hex does +2 damage with the blast and bolt power.
  •	 Practiced	Invocation:	Hex automatically gains the raise effect for a simple success when casting 
  armor and deflection.
  3
  
  FREEDOM SQUADRON
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d8, Vigor d8
  Skills: Athletics d8, Computers d6, Fighting d10, 
  Investigation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, 
  Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Streetwise d8, Survival d6, 
  Thievery d8, Tracking d8, Tradecraft d8
  Cha: 0;	Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 10 (3)
  Hindrances: Loyal, Obligations (Major—VENOM), Vow 
  (Major—Serve Toxin)
  Edges: Acrobat, Alertness, Assassin, Counterattack, 
  Dodge, Fighting Style (Evasive), First Strike, Fleet-
  Footed, (Improved Frenzy), Improvisational Fighter, 
  (Improved) Martial Artist, Quick, Quick Draw, Thief, 
  Tricky Fighter
  venom shadow fangs
  Gear: Shadow Fang Armor (+3, +1 Toughness), Shadow Fang Sword (Str+d6+2, AP 2), VENOM Pistol 
  (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6, AP 2), infiltration tools.
  4
  
  FREEDOM SQUADRON
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
  Strength d12+2, Vigor d10
  Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d8, Notice d6, 
  Shooting d8
  Cha: −2;	Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 13 (6)
  Hindrances:	Ugly, Vow (Major—Obey programming 
  and VENOM commands)
  Edges: Ambidextrous, Fleet-Footed, Level Headed, 
  Two-Fisted
  Gear: None (see below)
  Special	Abilities:
  • Armor +6: Advanced alloy structure.
  venom wasps
  • Claws: Str+d6, AP 2.
  •	 Construct:	+2 to recover from Shaken; does not breathe; immune to poison and disease; ignores 
  one level of wound penalties.
  • Fearless: All WASPs are immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  • Hardy: WASPs will not be damaged by a second Shaken result.
  • Sensor Suite: +4 to Notice checks; can detect chemicals, radiation, and heat sources.
  • Weapon Mount: Plasma Arm (Cone, Damage 2d10, HW).
  • Weapon Mount: Laser (Range 15/30/60, Damage 2d8, RoF 3, AP 4). Because it’s a laser, the 
  WASP suffers no Autofire Penalty.
  5
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/Freedom Squadron/Digital Extras Bundle/Savage Worlds - Freedom Squadron - Adv - Recruit Mission - Highest Bidder.pdf