"We've been out of hyperspace for, what, a good hour now?" says Cloelia. "Why haven't we docked?"
"Shall we go and find out?" asks Theophania.
"Let's do."
Despite the uncertainty, Theophania is somewhat elated at the delay. She still hasn't decided what she is going to tell Cloelia about having to deliver a package to some scientist on the research station. Or been back to her cabin to make sure it's still there...
Scene 3
Chaos: Average (d10)
Setup: arrival
d10=Altered
NPC List: {Friend}, {Enemy}, ship's captain, crew, passengers, enemy agents
Threads: long term-goal, short-term goal, deliver the item, Cloelia
[Alteration: problem with arrival -- Quietly / Lacking : no response when hailing station
Q: Does the captain/crew try to stall? likely (3+): O2 C6 - no.
N.B. Being in possession of a full character sheet, Cloelia will count as a PC from a Mythic event standpoint, even though I'm still sort of running her as an NPC -- at least where Theophania is concerned. I'm adding a Thread about her for this reason.
Also, Cloelia is an independent (probably) and was interested in (or after) the package for her own reasons (again, probably), so there is a chance that one of the other passengers currently onboard was the enemy agent that Olafemi was worried about. To this end, I gave both Theophania and Cloelia Perception rolls to notice anything suspicious on the ship... at a difficulty of Formidable (-40%) as they were a bit preoccupied. Needless to say, they both failed their rolls.]
Most of the passengers have collected in the dining area, and are harassing the stewards for news. Captain Nikolaidis himself makes an appearance to defuse the situation.
"I'm sure it's nothing, just a communications problem. But we are unable to dock without clearance. I'll provide further updates when we have them. Until then, please enjoy our hospitality."
[Q: Is there another update before the passengers get antsy? 50/50 (4+): O1 C2 - no, and...
Q: How many kick off? 1d%=74% of them =17]
His words trigger a spate of shouting, and loud arguments with the crew. Most of the passengers seem intent on pillorying the captain, so Theophania and Cloelia go back to their cabin and listen through the open door.
[Q: Does anything transpire nearby? 50/50: O6 C10 - yes : Imprison / News
Q: Everything kept under control? likely (3+): O4 C3 - yes, but...]
One of the passengers is demanding to know what's really going on, screaming that the Captain is lying to them. Two crew members try to calm him down, and they wind up in a scuffle. One of the crew gets a bloody nose, but fortunately the veteran spacers are able to restrain the man and forcibly confine him to quarters.
Theophania and Cloelia just giggle amongst themselves. The crew look over peevishly, and Theophania stabs the door close button with her finger. More laughter ensues.
[Q: Do the captain & crew eventually get things under control? likely (3+): O3 C5 - yes -- but chaos increases.]
Scene 4
Chaos: Out of control (d8)
Setup: d8=Interrupt (was: passenger meeting)
Interrupt: NPC action - captain - Excitement / Illusions
[The captain thinks he sees someone signalling from the base by flashing lights in a window -- but it is actually just reflections on the exterior hull.]
Scene 5
Chaos: Out of control (d8)
Setup: passenger meeting
NPC List: {Friend}, {Enemy}, ship's captain, crew, passengers, enemy agents
Threads: long term-goal, short-term goal, deliver the item, Cloelia, station
At the beginning of the third hour, Captain Nikolaidis announces over the PA that everyone should assemble in the dining area. Before leaving the cabin, Cloelia tucks a tiny blaster pistol into the top of her boot, well hidden under her long skirt. "Just in case," she says.
[She needs a formidable Insight roll to gauge T's reaction: 55-40=15%: 35, no idea]
She's a bit worried what Theophania might think at the sight of the pretty little gun, but all she gets in reply is a non-committal, "good idea."
Theophania is inwardly cross for not knowing the blaster was in the cabin this whole time, but feels better knowing it's there now. Maybe she should be cross with herself for trusting Cloelia too easily...
All the passengers (save one) are present, and they have calmed down considerably. [mood is Generously / Good]
"The comms may still be down," Captain Nikolaidis informs them, "but we saw someone signalling, so we will dock. It could be a delicate manoeuvre, so all passengers should remain in quarters, preferably belted in, until further notice. There are instructions above each bed on how to deploy them as acceleration couches."
The passengers all file back to their cabins, most too worried to speak.
"I don't wanna get in a crash alone," says Theophania. "Think the belts will work if we both crawl in?"
"Well, we know it fits you," smirks Cloelia.
Scene 6
Chaos: Out of control (d8)
Setup: docking at the station
NPC List: {Friend}, {Enemy}, ship's captain, crew, passengers, enemy agents, station personnel, mystery antagonists
Threads: long term-goal, short-term goal, deliver the item, Cloelia, station
Cloelia and Theophania are lying side-by-side, strapped into Cloelia's bed-cum-acceleration-couch, still giggling over the absurdity of it all.
"Ya think this will really protect us in an emergency?" asks Cloelia.
"As long as we don't lose atmosphere in the cabin..."
"Shouldn't they have passed out emergency vac suits to the passengers?"
"On a licensed passenger liner, they would have..."
The ship docks with a suspiciously heavy jolt. Seconds stretch into aeons as they lay together in silence, the Captain's voice finally comes over the intercom.
[Q: Any problems docking? Doubtful (6): O6 C5 - yes
Negligence / Technology : the pilot is careless and damages the docking ring
It will hold for (1d10) 1 seconds, 2-3 minutes, 4-8 hours, 9-10 days: d10=hours
Q: Are there obvious problems inside the station? unknown d6=2: O6 C2 - yes, and...
Adventurously / Creepy : emergency power & lighting only, signs of combat -- think Aliens or Death Station
Q: Is the entry corridor blocked? 50/50: O3 C4 - no, but... it was at some point
The Captain must make an Oratory (at base+10%) to convince crew to venture in: 69, no]
"Will disembarking passengers please convene in the dining area? Without your baggage."
Besides Theophania (and Cloelia, who tags along out of curiosity), [1d00=44%] 9 other passengers assemble to hear out Captain Nikolaidis.
"I'm afraid we don't know what is going on on the station, but there seems to be an incident. There is only emergency lighting beyond the airlock, and... rather a lot of clutter. We can't go anywhere until we refuel, so I need to send some of my crew inside to ascertain the situation. If anyone knows the station, and would be willing to help..."
[Q: Does anyone? unlikely (5+): O2 C6 - no]
After a moment of silence, Theophania speaks up. "I don't know it, but I volunteer to go. I need to find someone."
"No one special, I hope," murmurs Cloelia.
"No, pet, I just need to make a delivery."
[Q: Other volunteers? 50/50 O6 C7 - yes]
Theophania goes back to her cabin to retrieve her blaster. She finds everything as she left it.
[Q: Has the package been disturbed? unknown 1d6=5; O3 C2 - no, and...]
There are twelve volunteers in total: Theophania, Cloelia, [1d6=] 3 passengers and [2d6=] 7 of the crew. Captain Nikolaidis makes thirteen. He divides them into three groups. All the crew wear holstered blaster pistols, and the captain issues a single blaster carbine to each group. Everyone is handed a torch and a wrist commo.
[C&T in group 1d3=2. Captain in group 1d3=3
group 1: 3 crew 1 pssgr
group 2: C,T, 2 crew
group 3: Captain, 2 psg, 2 crew]
Theophania and Cloelia are put in a group with two of the crew, a no-nonsense mechanic named Miho, and a sullen cargo handler named Joerg. The Captain hands [d2=] Joerg the carbine, but it's clear that [d2=] Miho is in charge.
Miho Okonkwo (f)
Background: Common labourers or cube workers
Desire: They want a promotion in their job
Trait: Pessimism
Joerg Shvedov (m)
Background: Aspiring bourgeoisie or upper class
Desire: They want answers about a past trauma
Trait: Filiality
[Both of them have stats as a Technician (The Triton Incident, p.30).
Exploration was handled with the Random Location Crafting rules in Mythic Magazine #2, which continues to be my go-to tool for area generation.
It's a big, empty, creepy station, so Expected encounters will be treated as None until the party start running into... whoever. Due to its size, I'm using the Large column for Locations.
Rather than rolling Regional Descriptors, I used the SWN results from the system generation tables:
Galle 9 (Research Base)
Occupation: Scientists from a major local corp (Sunbeam Co-operative)
Situation: Perilous research underway]
The three groups advance as one through the docking ring and into the station. The corridor beyond the airlock is dim. Pools of near-darkness are broken up only by distantly-spaced emergency lights. Theophania notes the "clutter" mentioned earlier by the Captain is either a half-completed or half-destroyed barricade made of mess room furniture. Or did he mean the dislodged ceiling or hanging wires? Or blaster burns on the walls.
"Shall we go and find out?" asks Theophania.
"Let's do."
Despite the uncertainty, Theophania is somewhat elated at the delay. She still hasn't decided what she is going to tell Cloelia about having to deliver a package to some scientist on the research station. Or been back to her cabin to make sure it's still there...
Scene 3
Chaos: Average (d10)
Setup: arrival
d10=Altered
NPC List: {Friend}, {Enemy}, ship's captain, crew, passengers, enemy agents
Threads: long term-goal, short-term goal, deliver the item, Cloelia
[Alteration: problem with arrival -- Quietly / Lacking : no response when hailing station
Q: Does the captain/crew try to stall? likely (3+): O2 C6 - no.
N.B. Being in possession of a full character sheet, Cloelia will count as a PC from a Mythic event standpoint, even though I'm still sort of running her as an NPC -- at least where Theophania is concerned. I'm adding a Thread about her for this reason.
Also, Cloelia is an independent (probably) and was interested in (or after) the package for her own reasons (again, probably), so there is a chance that one of the other passengers currently onboard was the enemy agent that Olafemi was worried about. To this end, I gave both Theophania and Cloelia Perception rolls to notice anything suspicious on the ship... at a difficulty of Formidable (-40%) as they were a bit preoccupied. Needless to say, they both failed their rolls.]
Most of the passengers have collected in the dining area, and are harassing the stewards for news. Captain Nikolaidis himself makes an appearance to defuse the situation.
"I'm sure it's nothing, just a communications problem. But we are unable to dock without clearance. I'll provide further updates when we have them. Until then, please enjoy our hospitality."
[Q: Is there another update before the passengers get antsy? 50/50 (4+): O1 C2 - no, and...
Q: How many kick off? 1d%=74% of them =17]
His words trigger a spate of shouting, and loud arguments with the crew. Most of the passengers seem intent on pillorying the captain, so Theophania and Cloelia go back to their cabin and listen through the open door.
[Q: Does anything transpire nearby? 50/50: O6 C10 - yes : Imprison / News
Q: Everything kept under control? likely (3+): O4 C3 - yes, but...]
One of the passengers is demanding to know what's really going on, screaming that the Captain is lying to them. Two crew members try to calm him down, and they wind up in a scuffle. One of the crew gets a bloody nose, but fortunately the veteran spacers are able to restrain the man and forcibly confine him to quarters.
Theophania and Cloelia just giggle amongst themselves. The crew look over peevishly, and Theophania stabs the door close button with her finger. More laughter ensues.
[Q: Do the captain & crew eventually get things under control? likely (3+): O3 C5 - yes -- but chaos increases.]
Scene 4
Chaos: Out of control (d8)
Setup: d8=Interrupt (was: passenger meeting)
Interrupt: NPC action - captain - Excitement / Illusions
[The captain thinks he sees someone signalling from the base by flashing lights in a window -- but it is actually just reflections on the exterior hull.]
Scene 5
Chaos: Out of control (d8)
Setup: passenger meeting
NPC List: {Friend}, {Enemy}, ship's captain, crew, passengers, enemy agents
Threads: long term-goal, short-term goal, deliver the item, Cloelia, station
At the beginning of the third hour, Captain Nikolaidis announces over the PA that everyone should assemble in the dining area. Before leaving the cabin, Cloelia tucks a tiny blaster pistol into the top of her boot, well hidden under her long skirt. "Just in case," she says.
[She needs a formidable Insight roll to gauge T's reaction: 55-40=15%: 35, no idea]
She's a bit worried what Theophania might think at the sight of the pretty little gun, but all she gets in reply is a non-committal, "good idea."
Theophania is inwardly cross for not knowing the blaster was in the cabin this whole time, but feels better knowing it's there now. Maybe she should be cross with herself for trusting Cloelia too easily...
All the passengers (save one) are present, and they have calmed down considerably. [mood is Generously / Good]
"The comms may still be down," Captain Nikolaidis informs them, "but we saw someone signalling, so we will dock. It could be a delicate manoeuvre, so all passengers should remain in quarters, preferably belted in, until further notice. There are instructions above each bed on how to deploy them as acceleration couches."
The passengers all file back to their cabins, most too worried to speak.
"I don't wanna get in a crash alone," says Theophania. "Think the belts will work if we both crawl in?"
"Well, we know it fits you," smirks Cloelia.
Scene 6
Chaos: Out of control (d8)
Setup: docking at the station
NPC List: {Friend}, {Enemy}, ship's captain, crew, passengers, enemy agents, station personnel, mystery antagonists
Threads: long term-goal, short-term goal, deliver the item, Cloelia, station
Cloelia and Theophania are lying side-by-side, strapped into Cloelia's bed-cum-acceleration-couch, still giggling over the absurdity of it all.
"Ya think this will really protect us in an emergency?" asks Cloelia.
"As long as we don't lose atmosphere in the cabin..."
"Shouldn't they have passed out emergency vac suits to the passengers?"
"On a licensed passenger liner, they would have..."
The ship docks with a suspiciously heavy jolt. Seconds stretch into aeons as they lay together in silence, the Captain's voice finally comes over the intercom.
[Q: Any problems docking? Doubtful (6): O6 C5 - yes
Negligence / Technology : the pilot is careless and damages the docking ring
It will hold for (1d10) 1 seconds, 2-3 minutes, 4-8 hours, 9-10 days: d10=hours
Q: Are there obvious problems inside the station? unknown d6=2: O6 C2 - yes, and...
Adventurously / Creepy : emergency power & lighting only, signs of combat -- think Aliens or Death Station
Q: Is the entry corridor blocked? 50/50: O3 C4 - no, but... it was at some point
The Captain must make an Oratory (at base+10%) to convince crew to venture in: 69, no]
"Will disembarking passengers please convene in the dining area? Without your baggage."
Besides Theophania (and Cloelia, who tags along out of curiosity), [1d00=44%] 9 other passengers assemble to hear out Captain Nikolaidis.
"I'm afraid we don't know what is going on on the station, but there seems to be an incident. There is only emergency lighting beyond the airlock, and... rather a lot of clutter. We can't go anywhere until we refuel, so I need to send some of my crew inside to ascertain the situation. If anyone knows the station, and would be willing to help..."
[Q: Does anyone? unlikely (5+): O2 C6 - no]
After a moment of silence, Theophania speaks up. "I don't know it, but I volunteer to go. I need to find someone."
"No one special, I hope," murmurs Cloelia.
"No, pet, I just need to make a delivery."
[Q: Other volunteers? 50/50 O6 C7 - yes]
Theophania goes back to her cabin to retrieve her blaster. She finds everything as she left it.
[Q: Has the package been disturbed? unknown 1d6=5; O3 C2 - no, and...]
There are twelve volunteers in total: Theophania, Cloelia, [1d6=] 3 passengers and [2d6=] 7 of the crew. Captain Nikolaidis makes thirteen. He divides them into three groups. All the crew wear holstered blaster pistols, and the captain issues a single blaster carbine to each group. Everyone is handed a torch and a wrist commo.
[C&T in group 1d3=2. Captain in group 1d3=3
group 1: 3 crew 1 pssgr
group 2: C,T, 2 crew
group 3: Captain, 2 psg, 2 crew]
Theophania and Cloelia are put in a group with two of the crew, a no-nonsense mechanic named Miho, and a sullen cargo handler named Joerg. The Captain hands [d2=] Joerg the carbine, but it's clear that [d2=] Miho is in charge.
Background: Common labourers or cube workers
Desire: They want a promotion in their job
Trait: Pessimism
Joerg Shvedov (m)
Background: Aspiring bourgeoisie or upper class
Desire: They want answers about a past trauma
Trait: Filiality
[Both of them have stats as a Technician (The Triton Incident, p.30).
Exploration was handled with the Random Location Crafting rules in Mythic Magazine #2, which continues to be my go-to tool for area generation.
It's a big, empty, creepy station, so Expected encounters will be treated as None until the party start running into... whoever. Due to its size, I'm using the Large column for Locations.
Rather than rolling Regional Descriptors, I used the SWN results from the system generation tables:
Galle 9 (Research Base)
Occupation: Scientists from a major local corp (Sunbeam Co-operative)
Situation: Perilous research underway]
The three groups advance as one through the docking ring and into the station. The corridor beyond the airlock is dim. Pools of near-darkness are broken up only by distantly-spaced emergency lights. Theophania notes the "clutter" mentioned earlier by the Captain is either a half-completed or half-destroyed barricade made of mess room furniture. Or did he mean the dislodged ceiling or hanging wires? Or blaster burns on the walls.
T0 : expected - random - none
Encounter: Hidden, Negative
After 20m they come to a junction. Theophania's group is sent down the side corridor.
[Formidable (-40%) Perception checks are needed to spot the hidden encounter; I interpret Negative to mean it won't make itself known if they miss it. Unsurprisingly, no one makes the roll, though Theophania only misses it by 1 percentile.]
The side corridor is the same gloomy affair as the main one. Miho leads the group very slowly forward, unnerved by the amount of blast marks in some sections. At one point Theophania thinks she sees something in the ceiling behind a grate, but then Cloelia treads on a cable and yelps in surprise, distracting her.
T1 : expected - none - none
T2 : expected - expected - expected
The dark corridor curves onward interminably. There are occasional piles of ruined furniture, but no signs of life. Miho tests her wrist commo, and gets nothing but static. "I guess we're on our own," she says.
T3 : special - expected - random
Location: Roll twice -- expected, random (Empty, Meaningful)
Object: Single, Loud
They reach another junction. A smaller side-passage leads off to the right, and an infirmary is situated to the left. The door is open, with the door mostly recessed into the wall-housing. There are no patients inside, nor any signs of occupation, but a blinking computer panel casts red light onto the wall behind it, accompanied by an annoying tinny sound.
[Q: Signs of recent occupation? 50/50: O1 C7 - no
Q: Medicines left? 50/50: O4 C7 - yes]
Miho motions for Joerg to go in first with the carbine, but the infirmary proves to be deserted.
"Let's see if this will tell us anything," says Theophania as she sits down at the computer terminal. Meanwhile Cloelia and Miho look through the cabinets and into the closet as Joerg guards the door.
"Doesn't look like anyone was here for a while," says Miho. "It's all still neat and tidy. How're you coming with the computer?"
[Theophania needs an Easy (+20%) computer roll to take stock: 46+20=66%: 16, ok.
Using the hacking rules in the M-Space Companion, the computer seems likely to have an effective INT of either 10 or 15; 1d2=10.
Trying to hack it pits its system (INTx5=50%) vs her skill (46%): 60 vs 75, both fail, but she can't easily get in.
Q: What does the alert say? UNE:mysterious - obscurity - enemy]
"Well," says Theophania, "I acknowledged the alert to turn off the noise, but that's about it."
"What'd it say?"
"Uh, 'quarantine breach'..."
"Shit. Can you unlock it? Find out what's going on?"
"Not easily."
T4 : Random - none - expected
Location: Reassuring, Natural
They go back to the corridor, following the main passage. They soon pass a door that's been blasted open. Humid air and the heavy smell of damp soil wafts out into the corridor from the enormous open space beyond, the station's plant garden (both recreation and oxygen-reclamation facility). Miho motions for them to check it out.
[Q: Door open? O6 C2 - yes, and...
Hard (-20%) Perception rolls for clues: Theophania makes her roll, Cloelia and Miho fail, Joerg fumbles
Q: What does T discover? Efficiently / Ancient]
"Any idea why they blew the door off?" asks Miho quietly.
"Not really," says Theophania, "but look here, stamped into the dirt. Bullet shell casings -- a lot of them."
[Joerg manages to stand in the way of a second clue.
Q: Any bodies or blood? unknown d6=4: O6 C6 - yes
+Event: PC positive - T - Attach / A plot -- something about the situation on the station will result in another decent job/mission/adventure
Q: State of the bodies? Mechanically / Delicate
Q: Destroyed by bullets? 50/50 (4+): O1 C8 - no]
"Oh-- oh, god," gasps Cloelia. "What's that over there?"
"It looks like bodies..." says Miho.
No one makes a move towards it, so Theophania decides she'll take a look at the forms lying in the dirt beneath a flowering bush.
"It's just a couple of station robots," she says to collective sighs of relief. "Looks like they were shot up with blaster fire."
T5 : expected - expected - expected
T6 : expected - expected - special
Special: COMMON GROUND: Treat this as an Expected Element. Eliminate three Progress
They exit through the rear of the garden, moving deeper into the station. The corridors are almost completely dark, with several of the emergency lights having been shot out.
Location: Roll twice -- expected, random (Empty, Meaningful)
Object: Single, Loud
They reach another junction. A smaller side-passage leads off to the right, and an infirmary is situated to the left. The door is open, with the door mostly recessed into the wall-housing. There are no patients inside, nor any signs of occupation, but a blinking computer panel casts red light onto the wall behind it, accompanied by an annoying tinny sound.
[Q: Signs of recent occupation? 50/50: O1 C7 - no
Q: Medicines left? 50/50: O4 C7 - yes]
Miho motions for Joerg to go in first with the carbine, but the infirmary proves to be deserted.
"Let's see if this will tell us anything," says Theophania as she sits down at the computer terminal. Meanwhile Cloelia and Miho look through the cabinets and into the closet as Joerg guards the door.
"Doesn't look like anyone was here for a while," says Miho. "It's all still neat and tidy. How're you coming with the computer?"
[Theophania needs an Easy (+20%) computer roll to take stock: 46+20=66%: 16, ok.
Using the hacking rules in the M-Space Companion, the computer seems likely to have an effective INT of either 10 or 15; 1d2=10.
Trying to hack it pits its system (INTx5=50%) vs her skill (46%): 60 vs 75, both fail, but she can't easily get in.
Q: What does the alert say? UNE:mysterious - obscurity - enemy]
"Well," says Theophania, "I acknowledged the alert to turn off the noise, but that's about it."
"What'd it say?"
"Uh, 'quarantine breach'..."
"Shit. Can you unlock it? Find out what's going on?"
"Not easily."
T4 : Random - none - expected
Location: Reassuring, Natural
They go back to the corridor, following the main passage. They soon pass a door that's been blasted open. Humid air and the heavy smell of damp soil wafts out into the corridor from the enormous open space beyond, the station's plant garden (both recreation and oxygen-reclamation facility). Miho motions for them to check it out.
[Q: Door open? O6 C2 - yes, and...
Hard (-20%) Perception rolls for clues: Theophania makes her roll, Cloelia and Miho fail, Joerg fumbles
Q: What does T discover? Efficiently / Ancient]
"Any idea why they blew the door off?" asks Miho quietly.
"Not really," says Theophania, "but look here, stamped into the dirt. Bullet shell casings -- a lot of them."
[Joerg manages to stand in the way of a second clue.
Q: Any bodies or blood? unknown d6=4: O6 C6 - yes
+Event: PC positive - T - Attach / A plot -- something about the situation on the station will result in another decent job/mission/adventure
Q: State of the bodies? Mechanically / Delicate
Q: Destroyed by bullets? 50/50 (4+): O1 C8 - no]
"Oh-- oh, god," gasps Cloelia. "What's that over there?"
"It looks like bodies..." says Miho.
No one makes a move towards it, so Theophania decides she'll take a look at the forms lying in the dirt beneath a flowering bush.
"It's just a couple of station robots," she says to collective sighs of relief. "Looks like they were shot up with blaster fire."
T5 : expected - expected - expected
T6 : expected - expected - special
Special: COMMON GROUND: Treat this as an Expected Element. Eliminate three Progress
They exit through the rear of the garden, moving deeper into the station. The corridors are almost completely dark, with several of the emergency lights having been shot out.
T7 : Expected, PP-6 - random - expected
Encounter: Delightful, Frightening
They turn a corner to find a figure silhouetted against the pool of light shining over a furniture barricade. It raises a hand and stomps towards them, waving a pistol...
next post: some secrets revealed
No comments:
Post a Comment