The Currents of Space GM 1

Before the Game starts, I did a little more work on backgrounds and relationships. I like to keep things tidy and it was obvious that three of the characters shared something in common – the incident on LX504. But where did Achernar fit in? He was related to Capella; he knew this but Capella didn’t.

 

• I created Bellatrix’s and Achernar’s family trees. I designed a system years ago to do this; it uses a deck of cards to create relationships and families. It seems like a lot of work; in reality it is quite quick and simple and throws up a lot of unexpected connections. It’s surprising how useful the information can be.

 

Bellatrix’s uncle is an executive VP of Makita Genetics, overseeing Resources.

 

Achernar is the illegitimate son of Capella’s aunt; born in violation of the Chinese Birth Control Laws, he was smuggled off-planet to LX504. He left the planet in 2208 to become a Drifter; returned briefly in 2216 where he met Capella.

• I set up a matrix of character ages vs. terms served to determine when significant events happened. Tables don’t post very well on here (at least; I haven’t found how to do it). The blow-out incident on LX504 happened in 2222 (current year is 2225).

Achernar (as a Drifter) returned to LX504 in 2216 which is where he met Capella. He left in 2218 to join the Survey Scouts. He never told Capella that they were related (he knew this through his mother).

• With the other PC’s (and a slight bit of tweaking!), the blow-out incident on LX504 happened in 2222. I created a matrix of PC age and date and looked to see where they coincided. Again; usually it falls into place easily.

 

Three years have passed and it is 2225.

The Stars Like Dust 1.7

Previously …

‘That’s one of the mysteries the Archive is working to solve. Before you ask, it can’t be damaged either.’

‘I am acting for the Archive. Jason Decker is acting in his own interests.’

‘Sylveste is a respected member of the Archive and a government official. It’s going to be hard to make anything stick.’

 The second passenger was Pascale Sylveste.

They all started as Sylveste approached them and smiled. She wore grey coveralls with the Archive insignia on the left breast.

‘Amberley, Brookes,  and Church. Let’s put the unfortunate incident at Halter’s behind us shall we? I am a qualified diver and I have the correct papers to join Decker’s expedition. Perhaps we can all work together?’

Church narrowed her eyes – her Sigma training had kicked in.

“She’s nervous about something. But what? This isn’t how she was at the Homestead and in the restaurant.”

2323- 318 On the road to Kaldahar.

Brookes, Church, Talbot, and Jackson were sharing the driving of the Lo-lo and the SUV. Brookes, driving the Lo-lo,  looked in the rear-view mirror and swore; a police patrol was flashing him to stop.

‘This is a dangerous load, and it is not secured correctly.’

‘It was checked out of Medray starport!’

‘You cannot proceed until a full inspection has been made. You will wait here.’

2323-318 Night – in the caravan

‘I’ve spoken to Jason and told him there’s been a delay.’ Talbot sat down in a seat and cracked a beer. ‘He wasn’t happy. It seems like his licences for the site were pulled and inspected – all in order but …’

‘I can help.’ Sylveste spoke up. ‘ The government is very … touchy about investigations of the Ghod. The Archive is, after all, the basis of all of our tech knowledge. I carry papers from the Archive to authorise Decker’s deep dive expedition, in return for a sharing of information. I can pull some strings to get us released.’

2323-320

‘We have the all-clear to proceed. We need to expedite this.’ Sylveste seemed different, a lot brighter.

Amberley engaged her in conversation several times but didn’t gain any indication that she was up to something. She did confirm that she was a trained diver, qualified to use a deep- diving suit. As Amberley had no idea what this meant he just murmured “wow” and nodded.*

2323-325

Arrive at Kaldahar. Decker had taken over the penthouse suite of the Kaldahar Hilton as his land base of operations. Sylveste went to see him, Amberley and Church went with her, leaving Talbot, Brookes, and Jackson to supervise the unloading of the submersible.

Later

A stunned Amberley and Church found Brookes and headed for the nearest bar.

‘The whole thing is off. That bitch Sylveste pulled some kind of injunction on Decker’s operation and the whole site is now under Archive protection. Decker has not taken it lying down and is going to fight it through the courts. That will take time. Unfortunately, he no longer needs us.’ **

‘What about our pay? We were promised 500 Cr a day and we’ve been with him for … twenty days. That’s ten thousand credits.

Later

Amberley terminated the call and swore.

‘The dive didn’t go ahead. He’s offered two thousand creds for each of us. He also reminded me that he paid for the hospital treatment and the use of Slow Drug, plus some other expenses. He has offered free transport back to Medray by air/raft and to pay the bill at the Palomino for the next four weeks.’

2323 – 328          Palomino hotel, Medray

Decker was true to his word and the payments had been made. Amberley stared at his account and grinned.

‘My money’s here at last.’

… to be continued

———————–

GM notes

* Central Supply Catalogue #112

** Wait, what? Mythic threw up a random event of Close a Thread and it was the Dive on the Ruin. As the dive hadn’t even started, and based on Pascale Sylveste’s previous actions and character, it was obvious what she had done. The delay on the journey and change in attitude was retconned to account that she was waiting for the legal papers to come through before she confronted Decker with the injunction.

Okay, that was a somewhat shorter session than I’d envisaged (I was quite looking forward to finding out what was in the ruins.) Fortunately, using The PLAN from SOLO (now called the Mission Machine,) means you don’t have to do a lot of preparation.

I’ve gone back to keeping NPC lists and Threads for each system (bloody hell – can’t he make up his mind?) It is still possible for NPCs to turn up unexpectedly and they will then appear on the new list (and still possibly on the original list.)

Issue 6 – the Aubergine that ate Rangoon

The Journal of Jake Montana – Thrilling Pulp Tales of Action and Adventure

Episode One – The Burma House *

Rangoon, 193xx

Jake, Carderas and Clarke were playing billiards following dinner. Thiha the houseboy was always in attendance to bring drinks.

‘Doctor Stoolie is due to arrive tomorrow on the Prome train. He is bringing me something he has been developing in his laboratory up-country. It will revolutionize food production.’

Jake and Sarah glanced at each other.

‘Any idea what this development is?’ asked Jake.

‘Thiha. Bring me a tomato from the cold store.’

It was a tomato, Clarke cut it open to prove it. But it was the size of a large melon.

Later that night

‘You’re worried.’ Sarah rolled over in bed to face Jake.

‘So should you be. If this is Theramine, then you saw what it did to Thornfield in the laboratory.’ **

 Next day

Jake, Sarah, and Clarke headed for the railway station to meet Doctor Stoolie. The streets of Rangoon were busy, with many street hawkers and vendors of all descriptions. There was a festival of some kind happening.

At the station, owned by the Burmese Railway Company, the train had just arrived, and passengers were disembarking. Clarke pointed and waved at a tall man wearing a khaki safari jacket and trousers; he carried a cardboard valise.

Then it happened.

There was a burst of loud explosions as festival firecrackers were set off; simultaneously the train engine let off a loud blast on its whistle. It was too much for one of the pack elephants; it broke free and stampeded. Stoolie was right in its path!

Jake reacted immediately – he dived forward and took Stoolie in a rugby tackle; they both crashed backwards into a fruit-sellers stall as the elephant thundered past, chased by its mahout. The fruit-seller was shouting in Burmese; Jake just grinned and shook his head. Clarke came forward and offered some money as compensation.

At the house

Dr Stoolie was shaken up, but very grateful towards Jake. Introductions were made and they had lunch in the dining room; Thiha as ever was in attendance. After cheese and port, cigars were offered round (Jake and Sarah declined and lit Lucky Strikes,) then they went to the study.

Stoolie produced the valise; it had got a bit battered in the fall. He opened it; inside were two glass vials of an oily brown liquid. The third was broken; a wet stain showed where it had leaked through the case.

‘Theramine 2. It’s out there, somewhere.’

To be continued …

==============================

GM notes

* For such a house I have always used the map of the house from the boardgame Cluedo. None of my players have ever recognized it. Professor Pessler’s house in Episode 3 was this map with the hive and laboratory tacked on to the edge.

** Episode 1 – Terror on the River

 The rescue of Stoolie from the charging elephant was a Dramatic Test 3 but Jake rolled 4 Raises on his Agility (which he’ll probably never do again.) So, he succeeded. But the vial was always going to break – that’s the link to the next part of the plot.

Issue 1 – The Valley of Fear

Featuring Operator M10

Episode 4 – The Curse of B’alam

Sarah looked around in amazement. Gold and silver coins were heaped in piles, there was a large disc depicting the sun obviously made of gold and another, made of silver, depicting the moon. There were also some square objects made of a curious red metal that she didn’t recognise. She picked one up – it had a curious curled design etched onto it.

Suddenly, she was overcome with unreasoning fear – she felt that something was watching her. The fear grew stronger, then she heard Major Schliske’s voice: –

‘Don’t waste time. Get the good stuff and we’re out of here. Set more charges; bring this place down and bury it. We can always come back.’

Major Schliske and Sergeant Vernon, along with several soldiers, had entered through a hole in the wall that led to the outside.

The soldiers started heaping treasure into some crates; Sarah slipped out through the hole and outside. Two Army trucks were there with engines running. She climbed onto the front one and hid behind the crate already in the truck.

Suddenly, there was a burst of gunfire and loud screams. There were more gunshots; Sarah peered out of the truck to see one of the soldiers emerge from the pyramid streaked in blood. Something dragged him back inside.

Major Schliske and Sergeant Vernon dived into the front of the truck and gunned it – Sarah saw Dr Vernon running after it. He almost made it, she reached down and grabbed his hand, pulling him in.

‘Bastards. They would have left me.’

The truck was being driven at breakneck speed through the jungle – Dr Vernon looked back, he pointed, his face ashen. Behind them, something invisible and huge was following them, the trees and undergrowth were being bent and brushed aside. A burst of gunfire came from the cab; Sergeant Vernon was firing a sub-machine gun.

‘It’s the treasure in this crate!’ yelled Sarah. ‘Get rid of it – push it out the back.’

‘No way!’ yelled Sgt Vernon; he dropped the machine gun and pulled his pistol.

Something big and heavy struck the back of the truck and it skidded; Huge rents were torn in the canvas sides. Vernon fired several times, then screamed as he was plucked from the roof of the cab and flung; torn like a rag doll to one side.

Richard Vernon cried out and pulled a pistol.

‘Don’t be stupid,’ yelled Sarah. ‘Bullets can’t hurt whatever it is. It’s following the treasure – we have to ditch it!’

She opened the tailgate and started to push the crate; after a while Vernon helped her.

Later …. In Flores

Sarah had expected trouble but as it turned out Professor Armitage had used his and Sarah’s connections; Major Schliske was met by US Military Police and arrested.

Dr Vernon arranged to meet with Sarah at a restaurant before taking the flying boat back to Port Douglas. She waited an hour, but he didn’t show. She and Armitage flew back to Port Douglas.

‘So, my dear, do you now believe that there are far stranger things in this world?’

Sarah didn’t answer; just smiled, but later during the flight, when the Professor was asleep; she pulled out the object of the curious red metal that she had taken from the pyramid. She looked at it for a long time; something about it made her eyes and head hurt.

End of Adventure

==============================

GM Notes

It was difficult to see how to play out an encounter between humans and a “curse” but Savage Worlds actually handles it nicely with Dramatic Tasks. I set it up for Driving rolls, but each Failure was an attack by B’alam. There were a few more failed Driving rolls that resulted in damage to the PCs/ NPCs

Does Sarah believe in the Supernatural? I think that has to be a “Yes, But Maybe” at the moment (Dana Scully strikes again.)

Is the mysterious object of red metal significant? – of course it is: –

STAY TUNED FOR OUR NEXT EXCITING EPISODE: –

Featuring Operator M10

Issue 2: DANGER FROM THE DEPTHS

The Valley of Fear

Featuring Operator M10

Episode 3 – Rumble in the Jungle

Sarah rolled off the bed, grabbing for her boot, The snake lunged and missed, its coils whipping through the air above her head.

“An anaconda,” thought Sarah, rolling away and pulling the heel knife from her boot.  She tried to stand but the snake was too fast, and she was grappled, more by luck * she managed to keep her knife arm free. The snake started to constrict, and Sarah screamed for help even whilst stabbing at the snake. She was struggling to breathe when a lucky hit stabbed the snake in the eye, and it dropped dead.

‘Is everything alright?’ the voice from outside the tent was Major Schllske. ‘I thought I heard a scream.’

‘No, everything is fine. Just a bad dream.’

Sarah bundled the snake up in a blanket and hid it under the bed.

Tikal, Guatemala, 193xx

Sarah awoke to the sound of rain drumming on the canvas of the tent; she dressed and dived out to look for tracks outside the tent. There were two sets of boot prints, one had a split in the sole. She used the Land camera to take a photograph.

‘Coming to breakfast?’ It was Dr Vernon. ‘Chow tent’s open.’

The smell of frying eggs, bacon, beans, and coffee greeted them as they entered the tent. A soldier looked at Sarah and hurriedly got up and left, Sarah broke away and followed him; he had vanished, but his boot print was distinctive – it was the same one from outside her tent.

Ahead she heard shouting and hurried forward to see Sergeant Vernon and two soldiers standing over something on the ground. The sergeant waved her away, but she ignored him. On the ground was the torn body of a US soldier, ripped open by huge claws. She picked up his rifle, it had not been fired.

‘Sergeant Vernon. I work for Colonel Kleeman at Fort Fitzgerald. This isn’t the first time this has happened, is it?’ **

‘Several of the men have reported hearing a sound, like a large cat prowling, but no-one has seen anything. Then, two nights ago, a man went missing. We never found the body, but the jungle is a dangerous place.’

‘There was a fog last night,’ said Armitage, who had joined them. ‘Was it foggy two nights ago?’ Vernon nodded and Armitage turned to Sarah. ‘B’alam is the God of Storms. He could cause a fog. I think we are in great danger.’

Later

There was a flurry of activity around the camp; Major Schliske ordered Sarah and Armitage to leave on one of the trucks.

‘Natives have killed two of my men. We are pulling out, you will go now and I will organise the strike of the camp.’

Armitage climbed onto the truck; Sarah joined him but jumped off just as it was pulling away. She ran to the small pyramid and hid in a pile of stores. The Major, Sergeant Vernon and Doctor Vernon were talking at the foot of the pyramid. Sarah did a double-take, the Vernon’s were brothers!

‘We need to move the stuff out today. Blow a hole in the damn thing, we don’t have time to go the long way.’

‘We took out some inside walls – the whole thing could come down on us.’

‘The gold is worth it. Get it done.’ The Major walked away.

‘You really believe that there’s a giant cat out there?’ Dr Vernon looked thoughtful. ‘Those claw marks were BIG.’ His brother laughed and pulled his pistol. ‘Bullet between the eyes will stop any cat.’

Sarah climbed the steps to the top of the small pyramid; a hole had been blown in the top and a rope ladder led down. Over the hole stood a sheerlegs hoist, cables ran down to the generator truck. Sarah swung down the ladder into the shaft.

The ladder exited into a chamber – a bored-looking soldier was there. He readied his rifle as Sarah dropped to the floor.

‘I’m here to take some photographs – the Major wanted a record made before the pull-out.’

The inside of the pyramid was made up of passages and chambers, ever leading down. Sarah got the impression that is was a spiral descent down. She reached a chamber; a hole had been blown in the wall; under some rubble was a body of a US soldier. Sarah took a photograph and climbed through the hole into a chamber. It was empty but scuff marks showed somethings had been dragged through there from a passage opposite. She heard a noise and hid in a corner, a group of soldiers entered, one armed with a rifle and two carrying a heavy crate. ***

‘Who are you?’

‘Major Schliske instructed me to make a record of the inside.’ Sarah lifted the Land camera.

The soldier looked doubtful but nodded.

‘Stay in here. It’s not safe in the lower levels.’

Sarah waited until they had left, then entered the passage – it sloped down. Suddenly the ground heaved and there was the sound of a muffled explosion. She was thrown to one side and stunned. Dust filled the passage and there was an ominous cracking sound and the wall collapsed. She fell into a chamber filled with treasure!

To be continued …

———————————

GM notes

* And a benny!

** Persuasion with 3 raises! Vernon is badly worried.

*** I know gold is very heavy and not easy to carry, but this is the pulps

SICA’s JOURNAL V – Auspar to Rarmon

————————————

Auspar to Boreg               130 miles            1 week  (travelling across Thaemor)

Boreg to Yenth                  150 miles             2 weeks (Malevich)

Yenth to Rarmon              300 miles             3 weeks

In Auspar – 36^th Witching to 4^th Sorrow’s End

2] Upkeep – 8 shins (now 34). [5] Sell equipment

5) Nothing to sell. [8] Options – buy supplies for journey to Boreg. Sica bought 6 rations, and Valarn carried 6. +1 xp. 22 shins left. [11] Hear Rumour.

11) Hear Rumour – is it connected to their journey? Likely – 81: No

[Aggressively Bizarre/ Fail Innocent]: A strange person is demanding that travellers on the road through the Garl Nave confess to a crime they didn’t commit – if they refuse then they become aggressive, if they comply then they are rewarded with a bag of shins. [8] Options

8) Is there a merchant or other travellers going to Boreg? 37: Yes. Can the Seekers travel with them?

Commercial Merchant – Female. Level 2 (6) Name:  Vakenen. Single wagon, Event: PC positive. Officially -Extraordinary – the first person who doesn’t appear to wish Sica harm. Cargo is a rare creature – an Overlord Automaton (6 918)) BB2. No-one knows what it is or does – it is not doing anything right now. Vakenen is happy to let Sica and Valarn travel with her to Boreg.

Leave Auspar 5^th Sorrow’s End.

Week 1

Encounter? No

Interlude: Sica – Driven to activate the Marker Stones but does not know why. Knows that there are people out there who do not want him to succeed

Food: Use 1 Ration (Vakenen uses her carried supplies as payment to them.)

Arrive at Boreg 11^th Sorrow’s End

Boreg

               Boreg is in the kingdom of Malevich and sits on the southern bank of the River Wyr. The city is notorious because in Castle Dval, high up on the Red Bluffs, lives Lady Vount, known as the Queen of the River Pirates, or sometimes the Robber Baroness. The Dval Bridge is a toll / waystation; all river traffic is charged an exorbitant toll. Lady Vount commands an army of amphibious abhumans to police the river and the bridge; those who refuse to pay are taken to Castle Dval; most of them are never seen again. There are many horrible whispers about what happens to them.

               They found some rooms to stay in at a hostel down by the quay, not too bad quality and decent food, for 2 shins per day. Sica handed over 28 shins for the week and asked if there were any especial places of interest to look at. The manager mentioned that they might like to go see the Wall of Erenyn, some miles south of the town. He also advised them not to mess with the River Wardens.

12^th Sorrow’s End

               They headed south to look at the Wall of Erenyn. It was a huge curving structure, 15’ high, about 3’ thick and 100’ long. The concave face was smooth and glassy, shimmering with an ever-changing cascade of colours and shapes. As Sica looked at it, images began to form in the swirl; he saw a burning Red Star, a baleful staring eye of red, hurtling through space towards the Earth. He saw his own face and a Marker Stone. Finally, he saw a group of figures, masked and wearing tall headdresses. They all wore the symbol of the Shattered Earth. They pointed at him.

‘YOU MUST FAIL’

               Sica awoke; he was lying on the ground with Valarn bending over him.

‘Are you alright? You were staring at the Wall, then you just collapsed.’ Sica nodded. ‘Let’s get back to Boreg. I need to lie down.’

13^th Sorrow’s End

               Sica and Valarn went out for a look round the town; as they thought, the bulk of the city’s industry was around the river. The Dval Bridge, an enormous ‘Y’ shaped structure blocked the both the Wyr and the Septim and all boats passing under it in either direction were charged a toll by the River Wardens. These were humanoid with a head like a catfish. They appeared to have no eyes, but nothing seemed to escape their attention. Valarn nudged Sica, a man in a small boat was trying to sneak through the bridge arch on the opposite bank. Two River Wardens appeared out of the water and pulled the man and the boat underwater. Shortly afterwards, they appeared through a door in the central tower of the bridge, the dripping man held between them.

‘Shiul-face!’ yelled the man. ‘I’ll not pay ten shins for a boat my size. I’ll offer five.’

The River Wardens said nothing but started to drag the man away towards the Wardens barracks to the east. Suddenly he saw Valarn, and his eyes widened.

‘You! You! I saw you in a dream. Beware the 19^th day. Do you hear me? Beware the 19^th day!’

One of the River Wardens did something with their mouth and the man sagged, unconscious. He was dragged out of sight.

Suddenly an earth tremor shook the city and there was some panic, however most people seemed to ignore it, even though some slates and tiles were lost from roofs.

‘What was all that about?’ Valarn pulled something from his pack, glanced at it and put it away. ‘I have no idea. Come, let’s eat. I’m starving’

               In the River Market, Sica was offered a rare item; a pendant that allowed the wearer to float in the air for a short time. The seller wanted 30 shins for it. Sica tried bargaining but the seller would not budge on the price. Sica walked away.

‘We are low on funds. Much as I hate to interrupt my journey, we need to get some shins. Let’s go and talk to people, someone must want a job doing.’

To be continued ….

———————————–

GM notes

The Journey System seems to work ok, it was originally more complicated, but I’ve trimmed it down.

I’m always undecided about treasure/ loot/ finances. Accounting for every shin/ credit/ GP is a chore; but the Conan/ B & B approach where “You found thousands of gold, but you’ve spent most of it, “ always feels like short-changing the characters. I’ve tried Wealth dice/ Wealth stats (etc.) and none of them seem to work.

LIMINAL – Case HAD 01 – Shadows of Lye

Episode 1

Nightingale and Ashley reported to DCI Amanda Stephens, head of SCD9 (Mercia) at Halesowen police station. The DCI looked at Ashley and sighed – it was hard to believe that the child standing before her was at least nineteen years old.

‘There’s been a body found in a back street in Lye. Something odd about it so the local Inspector called it in, and it was flagged up to us.’ She pointed at Ashley. ‘Collect a car from the pool but I don’t care how old you really are, you’re not to drive.’

Lye, Stourbridge

The body was in a back street, cordoned off. It was a middle-aged woman, badly burned by chemical burns. Chalked on the wall next to the body was “SUFFER THE WYCH TO BURN.” On a nearby patch of grass were tyre tracks.

A check with CCTV showed a Toyota van driving out of the alley and heading off towards Stourbridge.

A witness came forward, he had called the police. His name was Marcus Thompson and he lived in a one-room flat over the High Street. He saw a shadowy figure drawing the message and called the police. This really didn’t stand up and, after further questioning and the threat of arrest for growing weed in his window box, he came clean. The murder site was not visible from his flat, he had been out looking for her. They knew each other, her name was Emily and she had called him yesterday to say she needed a place to stay. She sounded frightened. He rounded the corner, and the van nearly knocked him down. He didn’t clock the driver.

Dr Reynolds, forensic pathologist at Russells Hall Hospital (and a consultant to SCD9) confirmed that the woman had died from severe chemical burns. It was ironic really; the stuff was sodium hydroxide also known as caustic soda. The old name for it was lye.

More questioning of Thompson (Ashley can be quite intimidating for a nine-year old, she’s actually a nineteen-year old necromancer who was trapped in a Ghost Realm for ten years,) revealed that Emily’s name was Emily Mitchell. Armed with this knowledge, Ashley summoned up Emily’s spirit. They learnt that the killer might have been Robert or Charles Astley (who?) and that she had a sister called Lydia.

Lydia Mitchell lives in Selly Oak, near to the hospital. She hadn’t spoken to Emily for over twenty years – they were estranged. Their mother always said that Emily was “off with the fairies”, Lydia was the more practical and down-to-earth, she was the one who had to take care of mother and sort out the finances. They asked if Lydia had a boyfriend, she did, he works at Selly Oak Jobcentre. Nightingale found a picture of Lydia, Emily and their mother standing by a house with a river and waterfall in the background.  Further inquiries showed their alibis checked out; they were nowhere near Lye that night. *

A call into HQ revealed that CCTV showed the van, a Toyota, heading round Stourbridge ring road and heading towards Wordsley. The number plate showed the van was registered to Emily Mitchell, The Stour House, Wordsley. They spoke to someone who was leaving the Crystal leisure centre that night – he remembered the van because it ran the crossing lights on red. He didn’t see the driver.

The next day they drove out to the Stour House. It was the same as they had seen in the photo, set back from the lane and surrounded by trees. The River Stour ran behind it, with a natural waterfall. ** All very pleasant.

To be continued …

—————————

GM notes

This is a Game of Liminal that I am running for Evie and Imi, the two older grandchildren. Imi is a young child who was trapped in a Ghost Realm for ten years, she learnt Necromancy but when she returned to the normal world she appeared ten years younger.

Evie is a Fae, a Changeling who is searching for a magical object that was stolen from court of the Fae Queen Selene Thornwood. Her name changes depending on the day of the week (or, in reality, if Evie says it does.)

The girls are loving it and getting into it. I did warn them that were horror elements, they thought this was great and they have far more gruesome imaginations than I have. I blame My Little Pony.

* Evie and Imi seem to work on the premise “guilty until proved innocent and then they probably did it anyway.”

** I say natural waterfall because, along its length through the Black Country, the Stour has had many sluices, weirs and waterwheels constructed along it, to power different industries. All of them long gone, but the traces can still be seen (several of them within easy walk from my house.) Actually, it is a weir, but I can’t find out why it was built there.

RL: Imi is 11, Evie is 10. Both in their final year at Primary school and love RPG’s.

Evie is Nightingale, Imi is Ashley

———————————————————————————————–

Case HAD 01 – Shadows of Lye

Episode 2

Nightingale and Ashley searched the Stour House, upstairs they found a laptop and an antique duelling pistol. It wasn’t loaded but Nightingale sensed there was something magical about it. The laptop showed that Emily had ordered a large quantity of sodium hydroxide from Global Chemicals in Langley. It was for four cases, each one containing 20 x 2kg bottles of caustic soda. Far too much for simple domestic use. The order was placed two weeks ago.

There was an email from an antiques dealer stating that the pistol described was probably part of a matched pair made in Mecklenburg around 1896

Several references to Brandon Hall and the Astley family. Brandon Hall is near Hagley, in Worcestershire.

Downstairs there was a book – “History of Clent and Harvington” There were several marked passages –

“Many secret passage and priest holes exist from the time of the Persecution, many of them built by Nicholas Owen”

“There is said to be a tunnel from the crypt of Hagley Church to Brandon Hall”

A scribbled note in the margin read “not all were used to hide Catholic priests.”

Out in the garage they found three full cases of sodium hydroxide from Global Chemicals. They were looking around for the fourth case when they heard a car approaching. It was Emily’s Toyota. Three men got out and went into the house; the girls ran over to the car and looked in the boot – they found two empty bottles of sodium hydroxide. Just then a shout rand out – one of the men had come out of the house and seen them. They played the innocent, and he told them to clear off and go and get some sweets. They ran off and hid. The men came out of the house looking worried; the gist was that whatever they were looking for wasn’t there, even though they had been assured that it was. They were nervous about reporting back to the Lord. They drove off; Ashley and Nightingale ran back to their car and followed; Nightingale was driving. *

Ashley looked at the duelling pistol – it was German and made in Mecklenburg in 1896. It looked to be unused, so she gave it back to Nightingale.

A message came in from DCI Stephens – Marcus Thompson had been abducted last night. He was leaving the pub when the Toyota pulled up beside him and “something” apparently pulled him inside. CCTV saw the car heading towards Hagley.

Suddenly Nightingale pulled over and braked hard. The pistol was growing warm and vibrating slightly. She used her powers to determine that it was a Divination spell of some kind; the pistol was being tracked by magic.

At Hagley, they drove past the Hall, set in a walled estate, and drove on to the church. Nightingale spied several spirits drifting around; they approached one sitting on a gravestone. The name of the stone was Michael Phelps, Ashley took a gamble and used her necromancy to speak to the spirit. Three men entered the church, none came out.

The vicar was in the church – Reverend Osborne confirmed that three workmen had come to fix the boiler in the basement. He had been waiting for some time for them to come; he had been busy and didn’t see them leave. ** A door at the rear of the church led to a basement with an ancient heap of rust that was a massive boiler; originally coal-fired, now converted to oil. Behind it, a section of stonework stood slightly ajar, leading to the tunnel. It sloped down for a time, splashed through some wate and then sloped up, ending in a flight of steps up.

They emerged in a cellar; along one wall were ranged several wine racks, against the other wall were three iron cages. Marcus Thompson lay in one of them; he looked very pale. When he saw them, his eyes opened wide and he shook his head frantically.

‘You have what was stolen? Return it to me.’ The speaker was a man in his mid-fifties with grey hair and an aristocratic bearing. He was flanked by the three men from the Stour House.

Nightingale denied having anything, the man just bared his very sharp teeth and stepped forward. Ashley ran and punched one of the thugs, she hit and he fell backwards. Nightingale pulled the gun and fired; nothing seemed to happen, but Lord Astley’s eyes widened at the sight of the gun. She fired again and hit Lord Astley, who stared at the massive bloodstain spreading on his chest. He fell to his knees and then crumpled. *** The thugs broke and ran; Nightingale shot one but realised that the gun didn’t hurt non-vampires.

They retreated down the tunnel to the church, taking Thompson with them and reported back to Halesowen Police Station.

Epilogue

They hadn’t found out the reason for Emily Mitchell’s death but it must have been linked to the Mecklenburg pistol, now locked in SCD09 vaults.

There is also a nest of vampires operating in and around Brandon Hall

To be continued ….

——————————————–

GM notes

* There was a rather silly interlude here where they saw a man dressed like Vyvian (from ‘The Young Ones’) sitting in the middle of the waterfall. It turned out that he was the spirit of the Laconstoone stream (that runs underground through Halesowen) and he had tagged along for curiosity. They left him and the Stour having a chat. He did confirm that there was a tunnel linking the church and Brandon Hall.

** Second interlude where Imi and Evie re-enact the Haribo advert with the two policemen and the theft of the Crown Jewels.

*** Artefact vampire-killing weapon. Evie scored a Critical Success AND rolled just short of the maximum damage the pistol did against vampires. Lord Astley didn’t stand a chance against dice like that! The thugs were just ordinary goons and ran when the boss went down.

The girls really enjoyed the Game – they were the ones who had asked for it to be continued. I think a lot of it was because it was local – places they could relate to.

Imi used to live in Lye and knows the High Street; Evie’s other grandparents live in Stourbridge, so she knows the area. We all live near to Hagley Woods and Hagley and drive past and through them on a regular basis. BTW: There is no Brandon Hall at the foot of Clent Hill, however there is a real Clent Hall, Hagley Hall and Harvington Hall. Harvington Hall has seven priest holes, created so masterfully that n

SICA’S JOURNAL IV – Qi to Auspar

The snows were still heavy, so they waited out some time in Qi for the roads to clear.

7^th Witching Season 423 AF

They hitched a lift with a merchant caravan heading to Auspar. On 23^rd Witching Season the wagons were attacked by starving Margr. Sica faced off against two, he despatched them using his blade-staff, although he did take a minor wound. There was some concern that it might be infected but it turned out to be alright. They arrived at Auspar on 29^th Witching Season.

29^th Witching Season 423 AF

Sica, Lorn and Dorn entered the city and looked for somewhere to stay.  They found a hotel called “Thaemon’s Eyrie”, a vertical building 10 stories high, shaped like a triangle. A central shaft carried them up to the reception area (non – gravity?); the rooms were a reasonable rate. The rooms were on the 7th floor and were triangular.

In the room was a synth panel set in the wall. As they unpacked; a musical note sounded, and the panel lit up. A triumphant fanfare sounded and a voice announced,

“His Excellency, Holiva the First, Chief Architect of Auspar,  Ruler of Thaemor and Voivode of the Shadow Herd; speaks to his people.”

On the panel appeared a figure, lit by several glowglobes; a middle-aged man, with short brown hair and a cropped beard, wearing a brown tunic.

“People of Auspar and Thaemor; my people! Today I can announce a major breakthrough in our efforts to resurrect the Shadow Herd and restore our kingdom to its former glory. Under instruction from our vizier, the Hand of Melch; we have discovered a clue to where the last resting place of the Shadow Herd is.”

End of Scene

Threads:

* Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP:

Notes:

Auspar – capital city of Thaemor. Ruler – Holiva the First (who is mad as a box of frogs.)

I’m only listing the NPC’s current to the situation and location, all the others are held on a master list

Stats: 16/14/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

—————————————————————-

Date: 30^th Witching Season. Weather is cold, with frost and ice on many surfaces

The Seekers go out looking for the Marker Stone.

‘Seriously?’ said Lorn (or Dorn). ‘I thought you knew where these Stones were.’

‘Yes I do, although how I know this I can’t explain. It should be right here.’ Sica was agitated.

They are standing on a street corner in the centre of Auspar, looking across a triangular plaza.

‘It can’t be moved. That’s not possible. We need to find a library to do some research.’

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in: City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP: 0

Notes:

Q: Can Sica locate it easily? (Likely): 94: It’s not here.

Stats: 16/14/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

—————————————————

Scene 3

30^th Witching Season 423 AF

Sica, Lorn and Dorn are looking for information about the Marker Stone in Auspar. They find that the current city is built on the ruins of a far older one. The Marker Stone is somewhere beneath the city. The entrance to the underground is off a sewer passage, an ornate carved door. It opened at Sica’s touch as if he was expected. Beyond the door was a series of stone tunnels; one led to a chamber with a spiral stair going down and the other led to an ornate stone carving. Sica looked at this for a long time.

‘The Marker Stone is buried two levels beneath where we stand.’

They retraced their steps and went down the stairs. Sica led the way as he reached the foot of the stairs two Broken Hounds leaped out of the darkness at him. Caught by surprise, he was badly bitten and yet managed to pull his blade-staff and take out the Hound attacking him. Meanwhile, the brothers took down the other Hound.

After a short rest they looked around. There was a statuette of an alien – an Ursoid creature; plus two cyphers – a Time Dilation Nodule (Offensive) and a Remote Viewer. Sica fixed the Time Dilation nodule on to his blade-staff.

Exploring further, they encountered two hostile Margr. The Margr attacked and to Sica’s horror, from out of the shadows stepped two more. Unlike the ones they had met on the road, these were well-fed and stronger. After a furious melee that left Dorn badly injured, the Margr were defeated. They were carrying a total of 19 Shins.

After a short distance they found more stairs leading up, into a circular chamber. It was occupied by a space-black humanoid swathed in a skin of luminous plasma. An initial attempt at communication was met by a searing bolt of plasma; Sica tried again and was granted passage through the chamber for one day only.

Going up (by their reckoning, this put them back on the entrance level), entering  a hallway with an exit West and steps down resulted in three Broken Hounds attacking them. Sica activated his Time Dilation Nodule on his blade-staff and took out a Broken Hound, Lorn and Dorn were not so lucky, and both were injured before the Hounds were killed.

Going down the steps (remember; the carving indicated that the Marker Stone was on the third level below ground); Sica found an illustrated book about ancient battles. Hearing sounds coming from the next chamber; they encountered Itoll, a Varjellen Glaive seeking items to sell for profit. They got talking; Itoll did not know where the Marker Stone was. He agreed to accompany them until they left the tunnels.

Passing through an archway there was a chamber with a dais at one side. On it was a piece of numenera, a triangular device with a pistol grip underneath. Sica picked it up and the lurking Trawl grabbed him, pulling him out of phase.

Sica hit the Trawl with his blade-staff (the Time Dilation Nodule was still active.) The Trawl reeled back and Sica followed up the attack, doing significant damage. To his surprise, the Trawl went berserk; Sica ducked when he should have dodged and took a major wound. Sica desperately dodged the next attack and ran; managing to escape back into the real world. He was amazed to find that his companions had not even noticed that he had gone.

Neither Lorn nor Dorn have healing skills and Itoll doesn’t really understand human physiology (he offered to ‘reforge’ Sica, but no-one understood what he meant.)

Even Sica realised that it was time to turn back, to recover and re-arm and make plans. They headed back through the labyrinth of tunnels and chambers; at one point they thought they were being followed, it turned out to be a false alarm. Wearingly climbing the steps towards the exit, they were ambushed by two Margr. They were totally taken by surprise; in the initial rush both Lorn and Itoll went down. Sica is Driven, his overriding goal is to complete his appointed task. He turned and ran for the exit, leaving the others to their fate.

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP: 1 (current = 4)

Notes:

Sica abandoned his companions – he is Driven and the goal to activate the Marker Stones is the be all and end all.

Stats: 16/14/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

—————————————————————-

31^st Witching Season 423 AF

Back at the  “Thaemon’s Eyrie”, Sica took stock of what had happened. He felt no real remorse about leaving the others, as far as he is concerned the Goal is everything. Out in the city he was the target of an attempted robbery, he intimidated the robbers into running off and then sold the Remote Viewer to a buyer for 30 Shins. He used some of the money to settle the hotel bill and upkeep to date (10 Shins). The hotel receptionist informed him that someone called Scylla was looking for him (Scylla the Nano in Green?)

Sica was still looking for a different way into the underground tunnels, he followed up on a lead that led him to a ruined house. The entrance hallway looked like someone had been there before, there were two old backpacks in the room. Sica went over to them; they transformed into the leathery forms of Drebil. Sica really isn’t very good at spotting this sort of stuff and he was caught unawares and badly bitten and clawed. He managed to convince the Drebil that he wasn’t a threat.

‘Sorry’, they said and reverted to looking like old backpacks.

Moving into the next room, Sica found a set of stairs leading up to the roof. On the west wall was fixed a bell-shaped device; suddenly this emitted a massive thunderous ‘boom’ of  sound and Sica was sent flying against the opposite wall. His head hit the floor hard, striking a crystal nodule with a fastening on it. It was a Density Nodule. Not wanting to trigger the sound-cannon again; Sica crawled out of the NE exit into the next room. This was empty and the only exit led back to the entrance hall. Sica did a quick search, to his surprise he tripped a hidden panel that revealed a pair of goggles. He tied them on; everything he looked at was tinted in various shades of green. He shrugged and stored them in his pack.

Crawling back into the ‘thunder’ room, he made for the stairs up to the roof. On the roof there was nothing as he turned to leave suddenly the Density Nodule in his pack activated and fell out onto the roof. There was nothing else here; the Drebils let him leave and he returned to the hotel.

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP: 1 (current =5)

Notes:

The exploration is being done using the Location Crafter, with a few modifiers from Mythic Magazine.

Stats: 16/14/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Scylla the Nano in Green (currently in Auspar)

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

—————————————————————-

32^nd Witching Season

Sica is looking to recruit more companions to go back to finding the Marker Stone. He is heading for the Hiring Hall. He knows that the Stone is somewhere in the tunnels below the city; Lorn, Dorn and Itoll the Varjellen died in those tunnels. There were many warriors and hotbloods seeking work; there was a strong rumour that Holiva was looking to add more height to The Precipice and that the labour gangs would be out impressing people into service. Sica was able to hire seven hotbloods (all 1(3)) for 1 Shin/day each. He arranged to meet at dawn the following day.

Unknown to Sica, from across the hall he was being watched.

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP: 0 (current =5)

Notes:

Stats: 16/14/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

Seven L1(3) Hotbloods

—————————————————————

33^rd Witching Season 423 AF

Sica and the hotbloods are heading back down into the tunnels to find the Marker Stone.

‘Sica. You need someone to lead these men.’ A man blocked their way into the tunnels. The voice was very familiar.

‘Dorn! You’re alive. Where’s Lorn?’

“Didn’t make it; he’s somewhere down there. Maybe we’ll find his bones, along with those of Itoll. He didn’t make it either.’

Sica was puzzled by Dorn’s reaction; he seemed to be genuine and to exhibit no ill-will towards him. Still, there was ‘something’ about his manner.

‘You must reach the Stone and activate it.’

They entered the catacomb of tunnels that led in all directions, including up and down. Eventually they came to a new area; a circular chamber held a rotating metal sphere. Without warning it spewed out gouts of metal fire, engulfing the party. Four of the hotbloods died instantly; Dorn brushed off burning fragments from his armour.

‘Looks like you’ve lost half of your army.’

Exploring further, they found a chamber with two Syzgany Ghouls. Initially unfriendly; Sica negotiated with them, the Ghouls agreed to guide the party; in return Sica told them where to find the bodies of the fallen hotbloods. Dorn was outraged.

‘You would sell the bodies of your comrades to these … things?’

The ghouls gave Sica details of a safer route through the tunnels. In a small chamber was a stone pedestal with a small, jewelled dragonfly on it. Sica touched it; it whirred into life, flew in a circle around the room and then disappeared into a small crevice. A panel opened; Sica peered inside. A sixth sense warned him, and he turned to see Dorn standing with a drawn sword.

‘Sica, because of you my brother is dead. These men are loyal to me. Now it is your time to die.’

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

XP: 0 (current =5)

Notes:

Scene modified? Roll 3 = Yes: Altered.

Dorn re-appears

Stats: 16/14/16

NPC’s:

Dorn 2(6)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

Three L1(3) Hotbloods

—————————————————————-

33^rd Witching Season 423 AF       The tunnels under Auspar

Sica is facing Dorn in a sword fight over the death of Lorn. Sica tried reasoning with Dorn.

‘Dorn, I did not kill your brother. But I have a purpose that must succeed. I have to activate the Stones. Surely you must see that.’

Dorn shook his head. ‘Scylla is right. Your quest cannot be allowed to succeed.’

Green light blazed and Scylla stepped from the shadows. ‘We meet again, Sica.’ A blaze of green fire leapt from his hand. Sica dodged and rolled; also trying to avoid Dorn’s attack.

Sica pulled his bow and shot off an arrow at Scylla; the arrow missed but Sica was able to tangle Dorn’s sword and pluck it out of his hand. Emerald fire lanced into his shoulder, and he nearly dropped the bow. Sica swiftly returned the shot; Scylla fell back, wounded. The Nano fingered a device at his belt and vanished. Dorn stared in horror at this and ran, not even pausing to recover his sword. The hotbloods just stood still, confused.

‘Are you with me?’ panted Sica, catching his breath and examining his scorched arm.

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

XP: 0 (current =5)

Notes:

Stats: 10/14/16

Healing: 1A (+3 pts)

NPC’s:

Dorn (L2)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

Three L1(3) Hotbloods

—————————————————————-

33^rd Witching Season 423 AF The tunnels under Auspar  

Sica and three hotbloods are seeking the Marker Stone that is somewhere in these tunnels.

They found a room full of old boxes and debris; Sica picked up a child’s toy; noting that it seemed remarkably heavy. Well, dear reader, you might have thought he’d learnt his lesson; having been caught this way once. But no, in his hands the toy transformed into the leathery rat-like form of a Drebil! The vile creature bit Sica; with blood streaming down his face, he grabbed the Drebil in both hands and smashed it against the wall; killing it.

A chamber with a staircase down. In the chamber was a floating device; like a three-lobed eye. As they entered, a slab of synth slid over the entrance and an iris opened in the ceiling, a spiral stair unfolded from this. The eye spat forth an invisible force that struck one of the hotbloods; he was instantly shredded into fragments. Sica needed no further prompting; he ducked and ran for the spiral stair. He emerged in the steamy basement of a bath house in Auspar; he made his way back to ‘Thaemon’s Eyrie’ and rested.

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

XP: 0 (current =5)

Notes:

Stats: 12/9/12

NPC’s:

(A diversion from Mythic; I’m only listing the most relevant NPC’s. All the others are kept on a master list, which may be called into play depending on events and where Sica is at the time.)

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

Scylla the Nano in Green (Auspar)

Dorn (L2)

—————————————————————-

34^th Witching Season 423 AF, in Auspar

Sica took some time to rest (fully healed overnight) and consider his next moves. He paid over some upkeep (41 shins left) then decided to go seeking a guide, someone who knew their way through the tunnels. After some thought, he decided to go looking for a street brat; the urchins of towns and cities often know the hidden passages well. He found one, a teenage boy with a shaved head and a curious scar on his left forehead. His name was Flinx, and he offered his help if Sica did something for him first. When Sica hesitated, a flash of anger crossed the boy’s face, and he made a curious whistling sound; tilting his head as if expecting something to happen.

‘I want you to find my pet; it is a flying snake. It is called Pip. A girl I knew stole him from me a few days ago. Harmless? Yes, he’s harmless; he doesn’t even have any teeth, so he won’t bite you. He does like thisk-cakes, so take a couple with you.’ *

‘Do you know where she is?’

‘No. I just hope she hasn’t sold Pip to get money.’

Sica went out onto the streets and made some enquiries; he struck gold almost immediately. The girl is called Alice IV; she is hiding in “Smade’s Tavern” on the edge of the city and her former owners are looking for her.

“Was this just a little too easy?” thought Sica

Smade’s Tavern was a run-down establishment on the edge of the city, as Sica pushed the door open a conflicting host of smells overwhelmed him. He headed for the bar; but a large man sitting by the door rose and intercepted him.

‘Valarn of Glamis. You must be the man I’m waiting for.’

Sica looked at the speaker. He saw a rugged, tough man wearing heavy chainmail armour. A large axe was slung over his shoulder. Most strikingly, his eyes were silver; he had myriads of tiny blue crystals covering his head and his skin – ‘flowed’ is probably the best description. A plate of food stood on the table; Valarn held a half-eaten gallen-steak sandwich, and his clothing was spattered with food stains.

‘Waiting for? Waiting for me? Why, and who told you?’ Sica looked round the room, it seemed that everywhere he went, people knew who he was.

Valarn shrugged. ‘I was half-asleep last night when a voice whispered in my ear that I would be needed to perform a rescue today and that a man wearing orange robes would tell me more.’

‘Well, I am puzzled. Let’s see where this goes. I am Sica.’ Sica watched Valarn for any reaction to his name; there was none. ‘The girl we are here to rescue is called Alice IV; let’s go get her.’

On being asked, the barkeeper pointed to a door to the cellar; they went through and down some steps. A couple of glowglobes lit the cellar; there were piles of boxes and barrels. In the centre, on a box, was a small cage with a hinged lid; made of a very fine mesh. Inside could be glimpsed a snake-like creature. Sitting by it was Alice IV. She was a female human, as he drew closer Sica was horrified to see that every inch of her exposed skin was covered in tiny pucker marks.

‘Alice IV? We are here to rescue you. But what, by the Faith, has happened to you?’

Alice IV turned sad eyes towards him. ‘I cannot and will not say what I have endured. However, I will take it no longer. If they come for me again, then I will release the snake.’

‘Yess. They and uss will all pplay the Game’

The dry, multiple whispering voices came from the shadows and two Slidikin came forwards into the light.

‘Exxcellent, my dear. You hass brought uss            two more for the Game.’

‘Jaekals take you!’ yelled Valarn, pulling his axe and attacking the nearest Slidikin. His wild blow missed; in return the vile creature plunged a needle injector from its index finger into his upper arm. Sica’s attack missed; Alice IV pulled the bolt on the cage and Pip flew into the air. Whatever was in the injector seemed to have no effect on Valarn; he swung his axe and dealt a massive blow to the Slidikin. Sica failed to dodge and was injected in his left side; he felt a burning sensation that soon faded. Alice IV screamed something at Pip; in return the snake spat a black, smoking glob of spit that her that hit her full in the face. She fell backwards, screaming; after a short time, the screaming stopped.

‘Sscore one ffor the Game. Perhapss we sshould watch morr.’

‘Flinx, you frixxin Sarrak. This thing’s not harmless at all. Also, it appears to be out of control’

Sica looked up; there was a net suspended from the ceiling.

‘Valarn! Distract the creature and I’ll drop the net on it’

‘Better idea,’ grunted Valarn. ‘You distract it and I’ll  drop the net on it.’

Valarn shouted and waved at the creature; Sica threw a thisk-cake right under the net. As the snake swooped for the cake; Valarn timed it right and cut the net, which fell and trapped the snake. They got it back into the cage; it apparently went to sleep.

‘Excsellent. You are playerss in the Hideous Game. You will know when it iss your turn’

Alice IV was dead; the caustic venom from the snake had destroyed her face and killed her. They took Pip back to Flinx, who professed to know nothing about any acid-spitting abilities. Sica suspected that he was lying; but Flinx took him down into the tunnels and Sica found the Marker Stone. He activated it and Flinx took him back out.

—————————————————————-

35^TH Witching Season 423 AF

In the ‘Thaemon’s Eyrie’, Sica and Valarn ate a good meal (Valarn took a double portion). Sica pulled out his map. His finger stopped at Rarmon, capital of the Pytharon Empire.

—————————————————————-

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Thriest/Mulen/Rarmon/ Glavis/ Orrila

XP: 0

Notes:

Sica has gone up to Tier 2 – updated stats to follow

Stats: 16/14/16

NPC’s:

Holiva the First, ruler of Thaemor (Auspar)

Scylla the Nano in Green (Auspar)

Dorn (L2)

Valarn (PC#2) – Tier 2 Tough Glaive who Howls at the Moon

Flinx – street brat in Auspar (and Pip – lethal poison spitting flying lizard.) Kudos if you spotted the Alan Dean Foster connection

Comments

This was the longest session yet, but things just kept happening (Mythic was really throwing up some curveballs) and I’m not really sure where the Hideous Game side plot came from – it just seemed to happen.

I’ve streamlined the exploration system – just testing it out

The Hideous Game is a published scenario for Numenera, it’s interesting, but not for the faint-hearted.

Sica Sendrilla is a Driven Jack Who Fuses Mind and Machine

Tier: 2                             Effort: 2

Might:     16/ 1

Speed:     14/ 1

Intellect: 16/ 1

Investigation/ S

Intellect Defence/ T

Persuasion/ T

Stored Memories (Geography)/ T

[F] Understanding Numenera/ T

[F] Find Marker Stones/ T

Face Morph (2+ IP)

Augment Cypher (2+ IP)

Light Leather Jacket (1 AF)

Blade Staff (4 damage)

Bow (Long, 4 damage)

THE CIPHERED SCROLL QUEST

‘Wake up my pretties, it’s time for you to die!’

The voice was harsh and accompanied by a hammering on the metal bars of the cage.

‘Wake up, wake up. Remember to put on a good show – the crowd have paid good shinies to watch you die.’

‘Cage?’ thought Thecla, struggling awake through a fog of swirling thoughts. ‘Last thing I remember is being in a tavern on the edge of the City of Bridges.’

Her companions were stirring awake as well, Edgar the (somewhat dim-witted) Glaive, Fluke, a Nano like Thecla herself was, Coronilis and El Greco, both Jacks. They all had their weapons, but their other equipment was missing.

The goaler hammered again on the bars. He was a bald, bearded man wearing a studded leather harness; he carried a short spear, orange sparks dripped from the glowing tip.

‘The pit, go for the pit.’ A weak voice came from the next cage. A prisoner, emaciated and covered in horrible rope-like burns lay there. ‘The pit leads to freedom. I tried but I was not fast enough and thrice-accursed Ptolus let loose the Bellowheart. Soon I shall die.’

The rear wall next to the cage slid open into the arena. Ribbed metal walls surrounded an area of close-packed drit, a low wall in the centre concealed the pit. Banked tiers of spectators were howling and cheering for blood. Running towards them was a large group of Margr – goat-headed abhumans.

Edgar and Coronolis ran out and Edgar executed a flawless side flip over his companion, hoping to awe the Margr. El Greco shot an arrow at the nearest, she missed and found that an invisible wall protected the spectators. Fluke magnetically pushed a Margr over the central wall, then hovered over the floor, attempting to propel herself to the pit. Suddenly Edgar grabbed Coronolis and threw him into the pit! *

The Margr fought back with bone spears and the company took minor damage. Meanwhile, Coronolis fell through a succession of curving tubes to land in a chamber half-filled with seawater. He had to fight the Margr that was already in there.

The arena started to flood with water from vents round the walls and a huge shout went up from the crowd.

‘Rippy Fish!

The Company ran for the pit, fighting off Margr as they did so. Edgar was the last to leave, adopting a heroic stance with an exaggerated bow as he did so.

The Tunnels

Several passages led off from the flooded chamber, they picked one and found themselves in a chamber filled with half-melted machinery. Coronolis examined the machinery whilst Fluke examined the six spheres set in the ceiling. One activated and began sweeping a ruby-red beam round that burned when it touched. Edgar grabbed it and they threy a cloak over it. The cloak began to smoulder and burn so they exited the chamber,

An impossibly large chamber, totally black with a slender bridge leading to a central platform suspended over the void. On it stood a figure, surrounded by a swirl of orange and yellow. Thecla approached across the bridge.

‘Iadace,’ said the figure in a sing-song voice, ‘Come closer. I am Margolis of Lenth and I would offer a bargain. Knowledge in the Truth in return for the total life force from one of you.’

‘Err – no. I don’t think so,’ demurred Thecla.

‘I cannot persuade you? It is a good bargain.’ Margolis watched as Thecla returned across the bridge.

A circular chamber with a hovering disc of synth surrounded by a low handrail. Some examination and they determined it was a transport device. The climbed aboard and the disc shot up through the ceiling, went through some bewildering changes of direction and emerged through the floor of an oval chamber. A faceless humanoid automaton stood there, inscribed with the quatrefoil symbol of the Order of the Truth.

‘I speak in the Truth of the Truth. Your are in the Arechive of Ghan. I speak in the Truth.’

The Arechive

In a large central chamber with a raised dais, they found a series of low tables set with different foodstuffs, a selection of cyphers and their missing packs and equipment. Fluke especially enjoyed tasting the fermented squirrel and froment rolls. They chose various cyphers and talked about what had happened.

They had all met in a tavern at the end of one of the bridges leading to the City of Bridges, capital of the Sea Kingdom of Ghan. It was the 8th Sojourn, the Night of the Burning Moon, and a national holiday in Ghan. Across the many piers and tiers of the City were many parties and merrymaking; drinks were free and plentiful.

‘Iadace and welcome to the Arechive of Ghan.’ The speaker stood on the central dais and wore the orange and black robes of the Order of the Truth. ‘I am Frater Bellias; you have all passed the tests and we now require you to carry out a mission for the Order.’

‘Tests?’

‘The arena and the tunnels were tests of your abilities.’

Thecla looked hard at Frater Bellias. ‘Wait – you were the prisoner in the next cage. So, this was all a set-up? You could have just asked.’

‘How else were you to be tested? Twice has this message been sent, on both occasions it has failed to be delivered.’

They agreed to deliver the message; it was held in a sealed synth tube entrusted to El Greco. The message had to be taken to Fallside, a factorium three days journey away and delivered to Frater Neymich, the Aeon Priest. They stopped overnight at the Arechive, each one had an individual room catered for their needs.

The Journey

They left the City on the 9^th Sojourn; the weather was hot; the sky clear blue and cloudless. Leading their pack aneen across one of the bridges to the mainland and then followed a trail up into the hills and along the coast.

Mid-morning, they came across a collapsed bridge spanning a small river; Edgar tried to jump across and landed in the water. He crawled up on to the opposite bank as Fluke floated across to join him.

‘Friend, you may be in need of a rejuvenating fungus.’ The speaker was a humanoid standing next to a pack aneen loaded with bags and boxes. He wore an open robe and a loincloth, two long tendrils sprouted from his forehead, and he had a large nose with four nostrils. As he spoke, a bifurcated tongue flickered out. ‘I am Liem the Fungus Seller.’

‘What can you offer?’ asked Edgar. Liem sneezed out something into his hand.

‘Ah. Skonk. Popular in Navarene but this has gone off. Something else perhaps?’ He pointed to an orange growth on his lower body. ‘Flame of the Klang. Let it grow on you and break of a piece each day to heal any hurt. No? Then this (he held up an ivory pellet,) a poison purge; projectile vomiting purges any ingested poison.’

‘I think your sales pitch lacks something. You might have better luck in the City of Bridges.’

‘We can recommend the free drinks at the tavern near to the entrance.’

After midday, faintly on the wind came the sound of melodies. Edgar suddenly warned against continuing – something warned him about going on. ***

‘Run!’ he yelled. ‘Don’t go near them.’ ****

El Greco’s tracking skills found them a way round and as dusk was falling they came across a red stone tower set back from the trail. The tower was built of Redstone; red stone striated with irregular black lines – no matter how the stone was cut the lines always joined at right-angles.

The tower had two floors, over the entrance was inscribed (in an archaic version of the Truth) [WELOME TRAVELLER].

The ground floor could stable the aneen, the upper floor contained a central meeting room with an octagonal table, several sleeping rooms and hoppers of foodstuffs – all good, wholesome food.

‘I’ve come across these towers before,’ said El Greco. ‘Built by a Travellers Aid Society, free for all to use but you are expected to contribute something.’ She pulled out a Water Breathing cypher and left it on the central table.

10^th Sojourn

Outside of the tower was a large group of Wolf/ Ursoid aliens. They wore tattered grey jumpsuits and looked desperate. Thecla went outside to try and talk to them. They spoke limited Truth, but Thecla finally got the gist.

* They were very hungry

* They had come here by accident and were looking for a way back

* They were looking for a tower that went from the Earth to the Sky

* They really were very hungry. They would like to buy one of the Company to eat them.

* The are offering a large bag of shins and cyphers

* The person would not suffer – they would be torn apart in a feeding frenzy. The others can watch if they want to.

They refused the offer of food and rations (“nei cultural”), so the entire Company beat a hasty retreat (although there was some confusion when the leader thought that Edgar was offering himself up.) They were wary of pursuit and Coronolis used his mechabird to spy on them, but the hungry aliens just wandered off.

Mid- morning, they came across an ambush site. Three wrecked wagons, the aneen pulling them killed by crossbow bolts. The wagons had been looted. Three bodies, two men and a woman, lay on the ground: a huge cloud of bloodflies buzzing around them. The woman’s throat had been cut and the ring finger on her left hand was missing. One of the men, a mutant because of the long fleshy tendrils sprouting from his forehead, had been stabbed. The third man wore the orange and black of the Order of the Truth, his cloak was torn open, and his bare chest was covered in a tracery of thin white scars, like thread-like burns. His ribcage had been crushed. They searched to see if he carried a scroll tube like El Greco but found nothing.

They camped overnight off the trail; it was Sojourn, and the night was warm. The night sky was filled with remnants of stars, dimming novas and the huge swirling expanse of the Spiral Maiden. ***** Edgar’s attention was taken with a bright blue-green star.

‘That’s the planet Mars,’ said Thecla, who knew this sort of thing.

‘Why is it blue?’

Thecla shrugged. ‘It just is. What other colour would it be?’

11^th Sojourn

The weather was cooler with scattered clouds to the north. They cam across a stone hut on the cliff edge, the door was stove in and a foul, fish-smelling residue covered the door frame. There was no-one in the hut, indications were that two people had lived there. Buried beneath the fireplace were 80 shins and two cyphers.

‘They must have left in a hurry then, not to have taken these.’

At Midday, cresting a rise, they saw Fallside ahead of them. A huge factory dominated a village of green and red huts, green to the north and red to the south. Two huge pipes jutted out over a slipway down the cliff to the sea, one dripped green sludge, the other dripped red sludge. Steam, smoke and fumes belched from the building and a faint cacophony of alarms could be heard.

Coronolis sent his mechabird to scout out the factory and the village, inside the factory there was no-one tending the green, red and black machines and it was obvious something was going to blow. There were many signs – “Greens are better than Reds”, “Careless Talk Costs Production”, “Reds are better than Greens”, “Speak only to your Faction”. He sent the mechabird outside and saw a larger grey house with three people outside it. They looked up and pointed at the bird.

The Company approached the grey house; they saw a woman and two men. One of the men was gnawing on a hunk of gallen meat. The woman stepped forward; she wore leather armour but carried no weapons. Her eyes were yellow and vertically slit.

‘Nothing to see here, we were here first.’

‘We just came to deliver a message to the Priest.’

‘A message?’ The woman smiled and glanced at the two men. ‘He’s busy right now, but if you hand it over, we’ll see that he gets it.’

Suddenly an agonized scream rang out from inside the hut, followed by another and another.

The bearded man tossed the gallen meat and looked at the other man. ‘Pay up Ysin – I said the old fool wouldn’t keep his mouth shut.’

‘Calaval’s Teeth Besc! With what that thing is doing to him! Hold! Watch him Pytha!’

Edgar pulled his axe and, using it as a counterweight, somersaulted over Besc and Ysin, then ran into the hut.

‘Toorkman! We’ve got company,’ called Pytha, ‘nothing we can’t handle.’ She flexed her arms out to an impossible length, like coiled serpents; Besc readied a mace and Ysin pulled a verred.

Inside the hut, Edgar saw the Aeon Priest tied naked to a table; a spider-like device was slowly crawling over him, leaving white thread-like burns in its wake. Controlling the spider from a wrist device was a woman, she wore a jet-black tunic, had straggly dark red hair, green eyes, and the entire left side of her face and scalp was a blistered mass of raw flesh. Standing next to her was a regal man with ornate armour; the armour had an armorial crest. He looked up as Edgar crashed in and pulled a curved weapon from his belt; a purple ray lanced out and blistered the wall behind Edgar. Edgar struck at Toorkman – a superb blow that put him down unconscious. The woman glanced down at him and put up her hands; the Agony Scarab whirring back to its wrist mounting.

Outside the fight had not gone well for Toorkman’s band. All three were down and bleeding out without being able to land a return blow. ******

Neymich was hurt but Thecla was able to heal him.

Now, what to do with Toorkman and the woman?

‘He should die. In fact, they both should.’

‘Wait!’ said the woman. ‘I an SinyS, a licensed member of the Guild of Torturers in Rarmon. I am working under contract and there are severe repercussions for killing a member of the Guild.’ *******

‘How would they know?’

‘As I said, I am working under contract and there are severe repercussions. If you kill him, then the Guild and I don’t get paid. The Guild will not like that.’

Toorkman struggled awake. ‘Do you know who I am? I am a member of the ruling family of Ancuan.’

El Greco found that she could open the scroll tube (‘it had “attuned” to her), inside was a message –

Iadace Neymich in the Truth

It appears that our worst fears are to come to pass. As you know from your studies, four hundred Turns ago, in the time of our Founder Blessed Calaval, the Red Star appeared in our skies. That time disaster was averted. Now an augury has predicted the return of the Red Star.

Loarn was right and we were wrong to dismiss him.

You are charged to assemble a band of adventurers (start with the message bearers) and travel to the Observatory in Bodrov. Learn what you can from the Observers and seek to avert the coming threat of the Red Star.

In the Truth of the Truth

Aliser, Venerence of the Ghan Arechive

They opened the vault in the Priest’s house and found two artefacts, lots of shins and some cyphers. They took Toorkman prisoner, carried Neymich but let SinyS walk with them. They made some distance from Fallside before the factory exploded, from the cliff they watched the entire cliff crumble, carrying the factory and the village into the ocean.

They started back towards the City of Bridges when the air was filled with a heavy vibration. They looked up to see a gargantuan flying city descending towards them.

‘It’s Volanitin.’

… to be continued

——————————

GM notes

               A FTF Numenera Game I ran on Saturday 25/11/23 for Ben, Lisa, Jenny and my niece Sarah and her son Toby. Ben, Lisa and Jenny had played before (back in lockdown) and retained their characters, Sarah and Toby had never played so I gave them a choice of 6 pre-gens.

Edgar is a Foolish Glaive Who Charges Right In (Ben)

Fluke is a Graceful Nano Who Controls Gravity (Lisa)

Thecla is a Charming Nano Who Works Miracles (Sarah)

Coronilis is a Mechanical Jack Who Fuses Flesh With Steel (Toby)

El Greco is a Swift Jack Who Hunts (Jenny)

* This was nothing to do with me! – Edgar did it off his own bat.

** I made my own set of cards for these, with name, description, level, use, duration, and effect. I didn’t record what they’d picked – it’s a surprise for me.

*** Okay, this is where it gets complex. Fluke, Edgar, and El Greco had a series of adventures run during lockdown in 2020; they advanced to Tier 3. For this Game they wanted to keep their characters; but jumping Toby and Sarah in Tier 3 would be too much. So, we decided that this was set in the past for Fluke, Edgar and El Greco, but what they “knew” from the earlier Games were Glimmers of “Echoes from the Future.”

As the Doctor put it “It’s a kind of timey-wimey thing.’ Maybe they spent some time in Shallamass, where this sort of thing happens all the time.

**** There is a rather nasty plant creature called an Orgulous which they have encountered before. It is only Level 4 but its combination of abilities makes it far more nasty. As written, the Singing Bubbles were not Orgulous, but it is great that players remember this sort of thing.

***** The Andromeda galaxy, now very much closer.

****** Really! This should have been a matched fight but the dice were with the players and Pytha, Besc and Ysin went down in short order, with the characters barely scratched.

******* SinyS appeared in an on-line Game I ran and proved to be so popular that I brought her back and she got involved with one of the Player-characters. She is my homage to Severian, from the Book of the New Sun, an inspiration for Numenera.

Sica’s Journal III – Volanitin and Qi

Journey

Charmonde to Qi = 800 miles. 40 days on foot. Negotiated passage on the Volanitin, a huge flying trade city.

Volanitin

The city consists of a series of interconnected tiered platforms linked by bridges, walkways, and elevators. The whole city is held aloft on floatstone and directed by huge airscrews. . Each tier is a marvel of architecture, adorned with colourful banners and illuminated by luminescent crystals.

The city moves slowly but steadily along a route planned by the Council of Trade Lords. Often it halts and descends to ground level in order to trade.

The Seekers were engaged as guards (a working passage) to Qi; they received full board and lodging in  return for service to the city. Sica chafed at this (his Drive is to locate the Marker Stones,) but he was being taken to Qi and they would be paid a good wage for their service.

The city averaged 30 miles a day, the journey took 27 days.

Journey: 22^nd Harvest – 3^rd Storm Season (Embarking)

Week 1: General carousing and talking, there is a festival going on in Qi and the city is hoping to be there in time to trade and sell party goods.

Week 2: The Seekers had to resolve a dispute about the value of some silster sold to a wealthy noble. They were successful.

Week 3: Enjoying the journey, floating three thousand feet above the ground, however Sica remarked on the swirling and forming storm clouds – they were entering Storm Season (Embarking.)

‘Have no fear friend,’ said a smiling aneen seller.          ‘Volanitin is more than capable of weathering any storms this Earth can throw at her.’

3^rd Storm Season

A massive Living Storm engulfed the city; grey-green lightning bolts sought out living targets with unerring accuracy. Sica watched from cover as the aneen-seller ran; he survived but his stall and stock were blasted to pieces.

Arrive at Qi. The city landed for repairs; Sica, Lorn and Dorn were paid 30 shins each for their services.

               in Qi on 4^th  Storm Season (Embarking) 423 AF. There Arrive was a major celebration going on; the Lennite Festival of Life. Sica, Lorn and Dorn were greeted by Lennites wearing white robes, wearing white masks with painted-on eyes that moved of their own accord. They speak for all of humanity and just want peace. Without even realising it, the Seekers surrendered their weapons to the Lennites and were taken to see Arias Folon, leader of the Lennites.

End of Scene

Threads:

Activate the Marker Stones in: Qi/City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

XP: 1

Notes:

Sica advanced – Moving towards Perfection (+1 Intellect Edge)

Lorn & Dorn are now L2 (6)

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars

Zulkha (student)

Volanitin – flying city

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lennite Sect

———————————————-

4^th Storm Season (Embarking)

               The Seekers have been taken to a splendid garden in the centre of Qi, to meet with Arias Folon. The garden is multi-tiered; lit by hundreds of glowglobes of all colours at night. Many shrubs and plants of all kinds; many obviously not native to Earth.

Arias Folon – male, human, Very old.

A prophecy foretold that he will die within the next four days after the full moon (The Storm Moon, 13^th SSE). He wants guarding full-time for this period (14 -17^th SSE.) His opponents: the Jagged Dream Cult, would love to see him dead.

Sica agrees to help; in return Folon will take him to the Marker Stone. They agreed and shook hands; on 18^th SSE Sica will be escorted to the Marker Stone.

Threads:

1) Activate the Marker Stones in: Qi/City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

2) Guard Arias Folon for four days

XP: 1

Notes:

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars

Zulkha (student)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Volanitin – flying city

Lennite Sect

Arias Folon – Lennite leader

—————————————————————————–

Date 15^th Storm Season (Embarking)

               The Seekers are guarding Arias Folon. They are outside the entrance to his private garden. When they entered to check on him, Folon was face-down on the grass, dead. Scattered remnants of food lay around him. Obviously he had died from over-eating. Sica did not accept this explanation and investigated further. Folon had been poisoned from a sting from a mechanical insect. The insect was still there; not active any more. Sica tried to identify it and who might have used it but was unable to.

End of Scene

Threads:

Activate the Marker Stones in: Qi/City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

XP: 1

Notes:

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars

Zulkha (student)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Volanitin – flying city

Lennite Sect

Arias Folon – Lennite leader (Dead)

—————————————————————————–

Date: 16^th Storm Season (Embarking)

               The Seekers are back on the streets of Qi, looking for the Marker Stone. A severe storm had blown up from the west, small whirling vortices could form and easily throw a person off their feet, often causing injury.

‘Doesn’t your ability to know where it is narrow it down?’

‘No. I don’t know how my ability works; I just … I just know where the next Stone in the sequence is.’

‘What if somebody moves it?’

‘They can’t. Each Stone is rooted deep in the planet. It is here somewhere.’

               There was tension brewing on the streets; city militia backed up by Zhev were deployed to key road junctions and key buildings. Word was spreading rapidly that the head of the Jagged Dream cult; Arias Folon, was dead.

‘Arias Folon said he was leader of the Lennites. Now, others are saying Arias Folon was the leader of the Jagged Dream’

               From up ahead came a commotion. ‘Folon was murdered’, screamed a voice, heard even over the howling of the wind, and there was the sound of a detonation exploding; shortly followed by two others. Fighting broke out across the square and spilled into the adjoining streets. The Seekers were moving through the backstreets when they ran into a small mob of people, citizens with an assortment of weapons.

‘Hey, here we have more of the runners from the front line. There’s a 20 shin bounty on all of you runners.’

               Sica, Lorn and Dorn pulled their weapons and took up a fighting stance. The mob hesitated; not expecting resistance; but then pressed forward anyway. A confused melee broke out; the mob were not true fighters and relied in strength in numbers.  Sica, Lorn and Dorn held out, but they were all injured.

               An electronic noise overhead announced the arrival of a Zhev to break up the fighting. The Seekers ran and hid; Sica dodged from door to door and used every available piece of cover; the Zhev easily captured Lorn and Dorn; Sica was getting tired. Eventually he dived down a chute to an underground cellar; the Zhev scouted but finally moved on. Exhausted from running from the Zhev; Sica rested.

End of Scene

Threads:

Activate the Marker Stones in:

Qi/City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

XP: 1

Notes:

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars

Zulkha (student)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Volanitin – flying city

Lennite Sect (Qi)

Zhev Law Enforcer (Qi)

—————————————————————————–

               Sica awoke in an underground cellar In Qi; bound tightly in an organic plastic membrane. A humanoid-shaped mass of tendrils and tentacles is smothering him. An anal orifice is exuding more of the plastic membrane over him. *

A random stray thought stole over Sica’s mind; ‘so who was the Arias Folon we met with?’

               Sica used Effort to get Initiative; then struggled to reach his blade-staff. He managed to reach it just as the creature (a ‘Feeder’) bit him. His armour took some of the damage. Sica put Effort into trying to break free, but the membrane was too tough. The Feeder bit him again; Sica is getting hurt and is becoming worried. He went all-out to break free and run; all he wanted to do was escape. He failed to escape and his last waking memory was being smothered under a mass of ropy tentacles. Something was forced down his throat. **

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

Qi/City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

* Gross? No, this is just a re-wording of what a spider does.

** Implanted larvae from the Feeder

XP: 1

Notes

Sica rolled a string of ‘1’s and just failed on every task.

Stats: 4/9/16 [Hale]

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars

Zulkha (student)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Volanitin – flying city

Lennite Sect (Qi)

Zhev Law Enforcer (Qi)

Date: 17^th Storm Season              

               Sica awoke from a nightmare, having been implanted with the larvae of a creature. He was in the cellar and daylight was coming from somewhere. It was here that Lorn and Dorn found him.

(Sica has regained 8 pts, stats now 9/12/16 [Hale])

               Lorn and Dorn were held briefly by the Zhev but were released as there was no charge against them. They decide to go to the University to find out how to get rid of the larvae.

               They find out that they need to speak to Lady Lissia, a powerful socialite with connections. Her help always comes at a price (not uncommon for the Ninth World).

               Lady Lissia was at a social function at the University, a middle-aged beautiful woman with long dark hair and black eyes. She appeared to be expecting Sica and knew who he was. She knows a way to remove the larvae; although she warns that it is an unpleasant experience. However, she wants payment, in advance. Her price is a night of passion with Lorn and Dorn.

               Lorn and Dorn see no reason to refuse this payment; Sica returns to the tavern and rests. Recovers 17 pts (14/12/16)

               Q: Does he move down the damage track? (50/50): No.

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

Qi/City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

* Implanted larvae (Sica)

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP: 1

Notes:

Is Lissia a Nibovian Wife? – Yes! ( for the long-term setting, this is a problem. Nibovians are not human (despite what they look like.)

Stats: 14/12/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars

Zulkha (student)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Volanitin – flying city

Lennite Sect (Qi)

Zhev Law Enforcer (Qi)

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

—————————————————————————–

Date: 18^th Storm Season (Embarking)

               Lorn and Dorn return to the tavern in the morning carrying a small vial, inside was a small oval yellow pellet. As Sica looked, the pellet unfolded myriads of thread-like hooked legs. It scuttled round the vial, leaving a thin trail of yellow liquid; then folded up again. Sica looked at it.

‘What do I do with it?’

‘You swallow it, with a strong drink. It does the rest.’

               Sica ordered a flagon of Dagathir’s Breath*; gulped down half of it; swallowed the yellow pellet and washed it down with the remains of the drink. He went to order another, but an intense stabbing pain in his gut doubled him up. The pain grew worse and he dimly aware of being carried up to his room.

               The whole process took two days; Sica thrashed in bed in a raging fever. On the second day he had appalling diarrhoea for several hours but then began to feel better. On the third day (1^st Winter’s Night) he was fully recovered. Then Lorn came in with some news.

‘Sica, I got this off a merchant just in from Navarene. Lord Sollars has been arrested and is in jail in Charmonde.’

End of Scene

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

Qi/City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

* Implanted larvae (Sica)

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP: 2

Notes:

* Invented by my players back in 2016

Close Thread ‘Implanted Larvae’. 1 XP

Stats: 14/12/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars (in prison in Charmonde)

Zulkha (student)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Volanitin – flying city

Lennite Sect (Qi)

Zhev Law Enforcer (Qi)

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

—————————————————————————–

Scene 8               

Date: 2^nd Winter’s Night 423 AF

               Sica is fully recovered, and the Seekers are back on the streets, looking for the Marker Stone. It is very cold, with heavy snow and there are few people around.

7^th Winter’s Night

Finally, they track it down to a carnival on the NW edge of the city. A charlatan had a tent around the Stone and was charging people 2 shins to try and activate it.

NPC: The Fool in Grey (a Mystical Jack who Entertains)

               Tag: Jester’s motley, but all in shades of grey. Intricate tattoos across his face and body.

‘Has anyone ever succeeded in activating the stone?’

‘No. Would you care to try? All of you? Just 2 shins each.’

‘What will you do if someone succeeds? You will no longer have a source of income.’

‘True. But I have many talents. Come, pay your money, and try.’

Sica paid 6 shins and they entered into the tent.

               As happened in Charmonde, Sica realised that he just had to concentrate, and the top cylinder slid down into the base. The Stone began pulsing with a kaleidoscope of flashing colours and it sank into the ground.

The Fool in Grey stared in amazement at the Stone, and then turned to Sica.

‘You slying seskii! If I’d known you could do that; I’d have charged you a lot more. Now, do you feel the healing power of the lights?’

‘What?’ Sica was puzzled. ‘What healing power? What lights?’

‘Never mind. I need to think of a catchphrase and redecorate in here. How about ‘Rest and Recuperate in the Glow of the Vitalizer Rays – only 5 shins per quarter session?’

‘What rays?’

‘Leave that to me,’ smiled the Fool

He shook Sica’s hand. ‘Thank you, my friend’.

               Back at the tavern, Sica pulled out a map of the Steadfast. Closing his eyes; he let his left middle finger wander across the map until it stopped. He looked at where his finger rested; it was Auspar, capital of the kingdom of Thaemor.

End of Adventure

Threads:

*Activate the Marker Stones in:

City of Bridges/Auspar/Thriest/Mulen/

Rarmon/Glavis/Orrila

* Implanted larvae (Sica)

*Legacy of Nibovia

XP: +2

Total = 4

Spend 4 on Advance

Total = 0

Notes:

Q: Is it the real Marker Stone? (50/50): 39; Yes.

Close Thread ‘Activate Marker Stone in Qi’ 2 XP

CQ: What is the charlatan’s reaction to this?

Dominate – Status Quo

Stats: 14/12/16

NPC’s:

Lorn & Dorn 2(6)

Lord Sollars (in prison in Charmonde)

Zulkha (student)

Scylla the Nano in Green

Lennite Sect (Qi)

Zhev Law Enforcer (Qi)

Lady Lissia (Secret: Nibovian Wife)

The Fool in Grey (Charlatan in Qi)

Sica advanced Increasing Capabilities, +2M, +2S

Stats: 16/14/16

Q: Do Lorn and Dorn advance? (50/50): 90: No

Starforged – Caradhras Session 3

11/11/2023

Caradhras – Session 3

Attempting to escape from the Kren debris field, “Nebula” took more damage that seemingly has caused the AI Overseer to exhibit erratic behaviour. Rayven disarmed the robot warcraft but on returning to the ship found Nashida dead, killed by explosive decompression.

Rayven sat, in shock, on the darkened bridge of “Nebula.” She had shut down the Overseer interface. She did not hear the proximity alerts, nor see the huge shadow moving through the debris field towards her ship.

Later

Rayven woke and struggled to sit upright. She was in a long room that stank of sweat and hot metal. There were several other men and women in the room.

‘Where am I? Where’s my ship?’

‘You are in the transit hold, for that read slave hold, of a Trilarxis Scavenger ship. Your ship? If you’re lucky, it’s only part dismantled.’

The speaker was a man with a curious face, it was riddled and criss-crossed by many fine scars. ‘The name’s Salvi; from Dykuma.’

‘Rayven, Ironsworn to Land Lahani.’ Rayven quickly checked – all her gear was gone, including her sigil. Her eyes blazed green fury. ‘Someone is going to pay for taking that. Right, I’m getting out of here – are you with me? What about these others?’

Salvi shook his head. ‘No use. The young one there (he nodded towards a youth sat in the centre) has appointed himself leader and they are all listening to him. He’s advising we stay put.’

‘A spy or a traitor?’

‘No idea.’

[Gather Information +wits = 6 (5,8) = Weak. Door is sealed, air vent too small. Access panel needs special key. +1 M (+4)

Secure an advantage – jimmy the panel lock +wits = 7 (4,4) = Strong with match. +2 M, +1 next move – Maintenance Tube.]

‘The door is sealed. There’s an air vent but it’s too small to crawl through. However, …’ Rayven knelt by a section of wall. ‘This is a maintenance access panel. It needs a key to open but … there!’ The panel popped open. She grinned at Salvi. ‘Standard panels and often the engineer with the key wasn’t around. Most spacers know how to open them.’

Behind the panel was a maintenance tube; lined with piping, circuitry, and junction boxes, it was easily large enough to crawl through. Once inside, Rayven closed the hatch, then turned to face Salvi.

[Does she know of the Trilarxis? 50/50: roll 33 = Yes and match (Forgotten). Said to be the Lost Family of the Nine – they never settled and now survive by scavenging and recycling throughout Known Space.

Gather information about Salvi +wits = 8 (6,6) = Strong with a match.

Salvi Takara! – Brother of Kei Takara. Pirate, raiding ships of the Shadow Consortium. Captured same way. Had two companions – taken somewhere else on the ship.]

‘Who are you? You look familiar. Have we ever met?’

‘You are wasting time. You want to get to your ship; I need to get to mine. My name is Salvi Takara, and I am a …. commerce raider. Now, let’s go.’

‘Wait! Takara is your family name. Do you know Kei Takara? He is the one who trained me after the raid on Moser’s Landing.’ *

Salvi Takara took a long look at Rayven, then shook his head. ‘I really don’t know you. After Moser’s Landing I took my ship and went raiding ships of the Shadow Consortium – the organisation that undertakes all of the jobs that the Nine would rather not advertise take place but are necessary to keep things running. Malagate is one of the Shadow Consortium.’ **

He rolled into a crouch and headed off down the tunnel.

[Undertake an Exploration – Move through the Scavenger ship – Dangerous (0/10). Stay vigilant +wits (+2) =  3 (4,5) = Miss. Corrosive gas leak.

Face Danger +edge = 8 (2,9) = Weak. Take 1 Health (3/5).

Is Salvi hurt? Yes – breathed the gas as well.

* Stay vigilant +wits (+2) = 4 (4,5) = Miss. Waypoint – Empty area. Threat – Trilarxi crewman

The tunnel exited into a larger maintenance tunnel lined with pipes and conduits. A woman, wearing engineer’s overalls was checking some readouts. She had her back turned – Rayven jumped out of the access tube and hit the engineer on the back of the neck, they staggered but didn’t go down. Rayven hit her again.

‘Drop, curse you! I just need information.’

The engineer responded by pulling a laser torch, Rayven narrowly avoided being blinded. She hit the woman again, pulling no punches.

‘Caris? Is there a problem?’ Another engineer entered the tunnel. Rayven cut loose and ran – the alarm will certainly be raised. There was no sight of Salvi – no doubt he was out to rescue his ship.

               Rayven woke in a puddle of foul-smelling oil; her head was splitting, and she had a lump the size of a egg on her temple. She sat up, doubled over, and vomited as the pain in her head shrieked to a crescendo. She groped at her left leg and undid the synthplast cover. Under it was a compact medical kit; she managed to inject two stims and a memose dose.

[Check Gear +Supply (+4): 10 (5,9) Yes, +1 M (M 7). Heal +3 (4/3/4/7)]

Rayven remembered moving down the tunnel, without warning a figure approached from the left and hit her across the head with a club-like weapon. ***

To be continued …          

===========================

GM notes

* True! I really did roll this as a random surname!! Then I had to do a whole lot more to figure it in. That’s why I love solo gaming – you can create detailed stories.

** Big Reveal! This has created the Shadow Consortium.

*** Originally this was an encounter with one of Salvi’s crew, but it went FUBAR from the word go. However, in light of subsequent events, now there is a doubt as to who the attacker was.

Rayven

Edge 3   Heart 2   Iron 1   Shadow 1   Wits 2

H4/S3/SY4/M7

Gunslinger [*] [ ] [ ]

Bannersworn to Land Lahani [*] [ ] [ ]

Epic Vow: Utterly destroy the criminal Attel Malagate (0/4, 0/10)

Quests (1/4, 0/10)

Bonds (1/4, 0/10)

Discoveries (2/4, 0/10)

Gear

Spacer kit

MPM pistol

Connections

Kei Takara (Dangerous) (0/10)

Nashida Rook – Dead

Current Vows

Starship

Nebula (Integrity 2/5)

Module – Overseer

Threads

* Who is the Shrouded Figure?

* What trouble is Nashida’s grandfather in? * What is wrong with Nebula?