We'll go ahead and start the "Begin Your Adventure" section.
Step 1: Envision an Inciting Incident. I'm thinking that Buhari is tasked with finding Badger's family and transporting them to Solitude.
Step 2: Set the Scene
Alexis lands at Solitude for some repairs, and Badger approaches him, frantic with worry, asking him to collect his family and transport them back to Solitude.
The Reaper sets down on the docking pad a little unsteadily; the right stabilizers aren't locking into position quite right. Alexis descends the gangplank and is quickly approached by Badger, the swarthy-skinned mechanic who runs this facility.
He immediately begins babbling and is even more unintelligible than usual- he's speaking faster, stumbling over his words, and interspersing more words than usual from his native tongue. Eventually he wordlessly holds out a message disk, which Alexis slots into his communicator. The mechanic waits impatiently, trembling, as the automatic translator spits out a message. It is slightly garbled, but the meaning is clear enough:
Aparna, I have terrible news. We have just received word that combine harvesters [?] are coming to attack our village. I know this is God's will, but some temptations [?] cannot be endured [?]! We are already cut off from the main settlement - I was visiting a [?] mother with our children. Please you have to save us. I don't know what I'll do if you don't know [?]. If not out of love for me, please, you must save our children.
Badger explains that attempts to reach his family have gone unanswered, and rumors are filtering in about a pirate attack on the settlements of Portent. The mention of "combine harvesters" must be a mistranslation of the name of the Breakers. He begs Alexis to save them. He doesn't have much money- just what he'd saved to try to bring them to Solitude and start a new life- but it's Alexis' if he will do this, and repairs as well.
Step 3: Make the Move
Swear an Iron Vow: write the vow and give it a rank, then roll +heart. Since I'm swearing this to a connection, I add +1.
I'm going to count this as a bounty contract (albeit an unusual one), so I'll take the Bounty Hunter benefit for an additional +1.
Alexis draws his sword and kneels before Badger; his sword is point-down and his hands are clasped atop the pommel. He rests his forehead on his hands for a moment and his lips move in prayer, then he looks up at Badger. "Upon my sword, I will find your family and return them to you. This I swear to you."
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him.
Rank: Dangerous
Swear an Iron Vow: +heart +2: (4,3,8). Weak hit. +1 momentum. You are hesitant or anxious. Your next steps are unclear.
Alexis sighs as he resheathes his sword. Despite his bold words, he has no clear idea where to start- the Breakers' hideout is unknown, and even if he knew it a frontal assault would be suicide.
Last edited by Enoch on Mon Jun 14, 2021 12:50 pm, edited 9 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
As he boards his now-repaired ship, Alexis considers the situation. The place to start, he imagines, is in Portent itself. But that's problematic: there are no marked routes to Portent. It's little-visited, and void storms and pirate attacks dissuade casual visitors.
In the cockpit of the Reaper, Alexis pulls up the sector starchart and begins to plot a route.
Per the sector map I made, there's not a passage to Portent, so this is going to be a full-on Expedition instead of the Set a Course move.
Undertake an Expedition: I have to choose whether to move at speed, keep under the radar, or stay vigilant. This determines which stat I use. Mechanically, "move at speed" is best for him, as it uses +edge, and this is time-sensitive, but he knows there are pirates about preying on starships. He's going to stay vigilant, which means he rolls +wits: (7,8,0). Despite a perfect roll on the Action Die, it still comes up a miss!
On a miss, you are waylaid by crisis, or arrive at a waypoint to confront an immediate hardship or threat. Do not mark progress, and Pay the Price.
Pay the Price: I don't know what the "most obvious" negative outcome is- waylaid by pirates? Let's go with that. I rolled on the Starships oracle and came up with Courier, which I'm going to assume is actually a scout ship for the pirate fleet.
As the Reaper drops back out of FTL a few hours later, it is almost immediately hailed by a small, sleek-looking craft. Alexis would almost assume it was a courier if it weren't so heavily armored.
"You're a long way from anywhere, friend. Cut your engines and prepare for inspection."
"Heavily armored" came from the Starships oracle, and I also rolled up a mission of "conduct research", which I'm assuming is scouting out a passage between Portent and Solitude.
Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:30 am, edited 5 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
The ship carries no markings of any authority, and Alexis is not inclined to allow pirates or others to board his ship in the middle of nowhere. He keys his comm mic and replies.
"I don't think that will be happening any time soon. But I'll tell you what: tell me where your fleet is, and we can both go on our merry little way." As he speaks, he flips several switches and the cyclic processors in his cannons whir to life.
I'm going to try to Compel the pirate. With luck, I can turn this to my advantage (otherwise, this is likely to devolve into combat). When you "threaten or incite", roll +iron (8, 1, 7), strong hit. They do what I want or agree to my conditions.
"Hey hey hey, let's not do anything hasty. There's a massive cluster of dead creatures about two days galactic north-east of Portent. We call it the Jellyfish Graveyard, 'cause they look like massive jellyfish. Size of cruisers, I've never seen anything like it. Anyway, they mess with sensors. We cool?"
Alexis clicks his mic again. "Don't be following me." He throttles his cannons to standby as he slides past the scout ship.
Well, that was interesting: I haven't made any progress on the Expedition, but I think that getting the approximate location of the pirate fleet counts as progress on the Iron Quest (p. 34 lists "gaining a meaningful insight" as completing Reach a Milestone, which lets you mark progress per the rank of the vow).
Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:31 am, edited 4 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
*
*
Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
Since I'm at an anchorage, I decided to Ask the Oracle what the anchorage was. Turns out it's a Furnace World with a toxic atmosphere and no visible settlements. I can see towering mountain ranges from space. After I finish the Expedition I'll add that to the sector map.
Alexis stares out the viewport at the burning world below him as he ponders his next move. He has a decent idea where the pirate fleet is, or at least where it was a week or so ago. With any luck, the citizens of Portent can tell him more about what happened to Badger's family.
A gentle beeping alerts him that the e-drive has finished charging, and with a flip of a few switches he re-energizes it and slips back into the FTL current...
This is a continuation of the Undertake an Expedition move from before. He will continue remaining vigilant, because although he knows where the fleet is, they clearly have scouts and sentries spread throughout the sector. Portent is not the only settlement to have been hit.
Roll +wits (2,4,5): Miss. Waylaid by crisis, or arrive at a waypoint to confront an immediate hardship or threat. Do not mark progress, and Pay the Price.
Last time I took the "make the most obvious negative outcome happen" (pirate encounter). Looking at the table in Pay the Price, the results don't thrill me right now. I'll Ask the Oracle- specifically, I'll use the "Spaceborne Peril" Oracle. 03: Artificial gravity generator malfunctions.
...and almost immediately drops back out as the artificial gravity fails. A red warning indicator starts flashing menacingly as Alexis puts up a warding hand to prevent momentum from smashing him into the roof of the cockpit.
"Damn machine always breaking. Badger should have caught that. Must be really torn up about his family to overlook a failing component like that." He pulls himself along the rungs to a storage locker, from which he pulls a standard toolkit. "Now where is that grav generator..."
Clearly the move here is Repair. Like almost everything else he's had to roll so far, this is +wits. He really needs at least a weak hit to keep things from getting worse, and it will take either a strong hit or 2 weak hits to get this thing back up and running. He could actually be in trouble if he fails.
Roll +wits (2,3,8). Miss, and my momentum is not high enough to even turn that into a weak hit. Now I have to Pay the Price. I rolled on the chart and got "you are delayed or put at a disadvantage". Makes sense: he's losing valuable time, and the opportunity to find Badger's family while they're easy to rescue is slipping away.
Alexis bangs on the bulkhead in frustration and scrubs his forehead dry with his forearm.
Repair, again. +wits (7,9,9). Geez- perfect roll and still failed...with a twist.
Suddenly a warning klaxon blares- the proximity sensor! Another ship has come into range. Fearing the worst, Alexis zips the spanner he was using into his bag and pulls himself hand-over-hand toward the cockpit. He's still strapping in as the first bolts rattle the Reaper, and his fears are confirmed- the pirate has followed him.
Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:31 am, edited 2 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
*
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
Without the r-grav and attendant dampers, the sudden movements of space combat will likely nauseate Alexis, but he doesn't care. This is a problem he can solve. He spins up the cannons and lights the thrusters as another burst scorches the ship.
A courier-class vessel, heavily armored and piloted by a pirate. That sounds Dangerous to me. (Just a wild guess- I'm new to this system and don't really know.)
This looks like an Enter the Fray move ("or are forced into a fight"). Definitely not "on the move". Honestly, "caught in a trap" is probably the best descriptor, which is again +wits (7,4,6): strong hit! That gives him +2 momentum and he is in control. Also, his reset goes up 1 because of his VETERAN ability.
Momentum
Conditions
Momentum: +5, Max +10, Reset 3
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 5
Alexis pulls hard on the yoke and twists it as he gooses the throttle, bringing his nose about even as the sublight engines roar. The sudden maneuver puts him nose-to-nose with the smaller craft, and they close precipitously.
Gain Ground, "gaining leverage with force, powering through, or making a threat", roll +iron (5,3,3): strong hit. I can choose 2 results, and I'll mark progress and take +2 momentum.
Momentum
Conditions
Momentum: +7, Max +10, Reset 3
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 5
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
*
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The pirate veers off as the larger ship barrels down at it, and Alexis swings his nose about in pursuit. He lines up the cannon reticles and squeezes the trigger, energy lancing from the weapons.
Strike at close-quarters, roll +iron (9,7,4): strong hit. Mark progress twice and stay in control.
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Bright sparks rebound from the smaller craft's fuselage as Alexis increases throttle further and the cannons speak again.
Strike at close-quarters, roll +iron (7,9,7): miss! I am in a bad spot and must Pay the Price. I'll roll on the "Spaceborne Peril" table. 61: Phantom signals suggest a lurking foe!
The reticle flashes red for a moment before shifting back to green. Alexis wrenches the stick around, trying to get a kill shot on the scout...just as his partner emerges from the shadow of the furnace world!
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
Realizing he's unlikely to outrun them, Alexis chooses to stay on his target. If he can eliminate this ship, the odds will once again shift in his favor. Laser fire sprays over both his ship and the crippled pirate ahead of him, which is turning toward the region his ally has just left.
Clash at close-quarters, roll +iron (6,7,8): miss. My foe dominates the exchange. I stay in a bad spot and must Pay the Price. 06: Automated defenses or mines protect the area! That must be what the second ship was doing: mining the area so the pirates could swoop in and capture the damaged vessels.
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
A dogfight in the middle of a minefield. That's just great.
My next move will be Face Danger to avoid hitting the mines. He's doing it "with speed, mobility, or agility", so it's +edge (6,6,7). I definitely don't want a miss, which pretty much means I've hit a mine. I'll burn momentum and make a suffer move (-1). The obvious move is Withstand Damage. The Reaper takes -1 integrity as I veer away from a mine that rushes toward my ship and explodes. Unfortunately, I don't think the VETERAN ability to gain +1 on the next move on a momentum reset counts if it wasn't a combat move.
Momentum
Conditions
Momentum: +3, Max +10, Reset 3
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 5
Alexis swerves away as one of the mines fires its ion thruster and launches itself at the Reaper. The frame of the starship shakes as the mine explodes, but the bounty hunter finds the edge of the minefield and quickly flings his ship out of it.
Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:32 am, edited 2 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
I'm still in a bad spot. I can try to flee with React Under Fire. Instead, I'll Clash again. I have the superior starship and the will to go with it.
However, I'm not sure I'm still in close-quarters. I'll Ask the Oracle (Unlikely, as they're both probably going to take the opportunity to try to gain ground on me), 89. I am in close range with one of the starships. Is it the one I was pursuing? I'll call that Likely: 35. It is.
Alexis shoots out of the minefield, shrapnel pinging off the hull of the Reaper, and snaps his head back and forth, trying to require his target. There! Still close, and getting closer quickly.
Clash again because I'm still in a bad spot. Roll +iron (7,2,0): weak hit.
Mark progress but stay in a bad spot and Pay the Price. The most obvious outcome is that I Withstand Damage. I'll go ahead and choose to resist the damage by rolling +integrity (4,0,8): miss. I still take -1 integrity and Lose Momentum (-2).
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +1, Max +10, Reset 3
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 5
Integrity: 3
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
In a head-on pass, both ships rattle each other with gunfire and limp away trailing smoke. Meanwhile, the other pirate is trying to gain the advantage on the Reaper!
Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:33 am, edited 3 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
One more pass. Hang on for one more pass and I can at least even the odds. He drags the controls around, wincing slightly as he notices their increasing sluggishness.
I really need to get the advantage back. Clash, again. +iron (8,8,7): weak hit. Enough to fill the first pirate's track, but I remain in a bad spot and once again Pay the Price. I'll take the -1 integrity.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +1, Max +10, Reset 3
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 5
Integrity: 2
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
As the first pirate spins away, trailing smoke, Alexis cranks the shaft around, trying to turn on the one harrying him.
Clash, again. After some early dominance, a second pirate showed up and I've been in a bad place ever since. I really need a strong hit. +iron (4,2,7). Mark progress and Pay the Price.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +1, Max +10, Reset 3
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 5
Integrity: 1
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Again and again the ships circle each other, the Reaper like a larger, stronger predator harrassed by a smaller foe it can't quite reach.
Clash (5,7,2). Weak hit. I have to Withstand Damage, and since this drops the Reaper's integrity to 0, I have to roll +integrity (3, 4, 0). I'll burn momentum, which will at least reset my momentum to 3 (though I also take -2 momentum, so that will stay at 1), and the Reaperis battered.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +1, Max +9, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 5
Integrity: 0
Battered
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:34 am, edited 4 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Combat: Pirate Scout (Dangerous)
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Alexis looks around wildly as integrity alarms blare and lights flash on a diagram of the ship on the console. I need to get out of here if I'm going to survive.
He waits for the right moment to reverse thrusters, letting his pursuer fly by. It's only a momentary advantage, but it may be enough to get away. He has the more powerful engines- or did, at the start of the fight. Now, he's not so sure.
I'm going to try the React Under Fire move to flee. I really need the Challenge Dice to not keep rolling 9's and 10's. +edge (6,1,4): strong hit.
Though the engine monitor is pulsing a steady and dangerous red and automated warnings sound throughout the cabin, Alexis slowly outpaces his pursuer, and before long he changes course. In an hour or so he will be unfindable. He sets the autopilot and unstraps.
If I can't do at least some field repairs, I'm doomed.
Repair +wits (6,7,2). That's worth a single repair point. I can spend supply to boost that up to 4 points, enough to clear battered and get back up to integrity 2.
Though his spare parts are all but depleted, the hull warnings have gone from "imminent destruction" to "trouble light", enough to limp into port if he's lucky.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +1, Max +9, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 5, Supply: 2
Integrity: 2
Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
*
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
These pirates infest this sector like grul-bugs. I'd best take my chances and push for Portent as quick as I can. He spins up the e-drive again and limps deeper into space.
Undertake an Expedition, this time using +edge (7,3,9). Weak hit. I reach a waypoint and mark progress, but either make a suffer move (-2), two suffer moves (-1), or face a peril at the waypoint. I don't know that the Reaper can take much more, so I'll face a peril. For a "troublesome" obstacle, just getting to Portent may kill my character!
Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
*
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The battered ship drops out of e-space over an ocean-covered world. The sensors pick up virtually no atmosphere, but a large moon (and undoubtedly devastating tidal forces). Yet a beacon pings a distress call: an undersea settlement under siege from a neighbor. For several hours as the drive recharges, Alexis frantically hails them, but the satellite either cannot receive messages, or it can't deliver them to the habitat, or the habitat is no longer able to respond. Finally he gives up, powers up his drive, and continues on.
I really struggled with what peril to face, so I rolled on some planet charts and came up with this interesting place. I rolled on settlement trouble and got "changing environment". There's little that Alexis can do about an undersea colony, though. I will take -1 Spirit instead.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +1, Max +9, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 4, Supply: 2
Integrity: 2
Last edited by Enoch on Sun Jun 13, 2021 2:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
*
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
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I'll begin by Undertaking an Expedition again with +edge (8,2,8). Again a weak hit. I get another 3 progress and another peril. I'll roll on the table. 61: Your equipment or vehicle malfunctions. Well, that figures. It's breaking down anyway.
...and then the e-drive quits. Just quits. Weirdly, it's almost as if coasting against an atmosphere; the ship seems to gradually slow, dropping out of e-space like taffy being slowly stretched. The impulse drives work, but he'll starve long before that gets him anywhere.
He peers out the viewscreen to see what, exactly, his drive chose as a waypoint.
Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
*
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Ask the Oracle: 01, Stellar Object. Two stars in close orbit connected by fiery tendrils of energy.
Alexis stares down in dismay. It's up to him to bang on the e-drive until it decides to start working.
Repair +wits (2,7,4). I'll burn momentum and at least reset it to 2.
I'll be honest; I don't know what to do with this. At this rate he'll never even finish the first leg of his quest and will die in the cold darkness between stars. Technically I'm really not supposed to even try another Repair move unless circumstances change. What do you do in a situation like this?
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
*
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
*
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Alexis sets down his tools and sighs. He stares out at the twin suns casting red light over the interior of the cockpit as they dance. Maybe he can get the e-drive up and running again, but he'll be blasted if he can see how at this point. Maybe if he can build up a large enough charge to restart the priming circuits. The solar sails could build up a charge, and once they had I could divert the power into the e-drive starter conduit. Problem is the sail isn't designed to be deployed in-flight, and that trick Badger showed me with the conduit definitely is gonna void the warranty...
He drags himself to the storage locker he keeps his suit in and struggles into the environment suit, his limbs awkward and clumsy in zero-gee. Eventually he settles the helmet on, and punches out of the airlock, with only his tether between himself and floating off into the void. Let's see if we can't get that sail deployed...
The sail wasn't so much heavy as it was bulky. The weightlessness of space helped; back on planet a lift or crane would be required, or a full crew. The problem now was momentum: once he got it swinging into place, he needed to get it stopped again before it damaged the mechanism. And this wasn't a quick process, or one that could be interrupted.
Alexis has had a string of bad luck, from getting into a bad position in combat and never getting out of it to failing a string of rolls ever since. I chose to narrate this the way I did so that I could feasibly choose to Secure an Advantage "with strength, endurance, aggression".
Secure an Advantage +iron (7,4,2): strong hit! Finally. He gets +2 momentum (sorely needed) and a +1 on the next move.
Hours later, Alexis punches back into the airlock. His muscles ached and he maybe pulled a muscle in his back; he would find out for sure when he got the argrav running again. But maybe this was enough to get the e-drive going again. The display was showing a full charge, anyway. Now for the moment of truth: will it spin up?
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +4, Max +10, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 2
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Repair with a +1 from Secure an Advantage (5,0,3): weak hit. I'll sacrifice a supply to get that up to 2 points, enough to repair a device with a complication or malfunction.
Alexis punches the button to power the e-drive. The ship's monitor begins warning him: "Eidolon drive alpha absorption critical. Please replace as soon as possible. Warning: long-term use of eidolon drive under these conditions is not advisable. Alpha emission above safe threshold in 12 systems. Warning:"
Alexis hits the button to mute the warnings and throws the sector chart on the viewscreen again. I've got to be almost there...right?
I've been following 'best practices' out here, but the safety margins on this thing are high enough I can push past a waypoint. At this rate Badger will have grown old and died before I return. I'll program a longer jump into the nav computer. What's the worst that could happen...?
I'm going to try to Secure an Advantage "with resolve" (I'd love to claim it's "endurance", but in this case it would be the Reaper's endurance, not mine). +heart (5,6,2): weak hit. I can either take +2 momentum or +1 to the next move. I'll take the +2 momentum.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +6, Max +10, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 2
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Now it's time to Undertake an Expedition again! I'm hoping that if I roll badly, I can use that momentum of 6 to at least squeak out a weak hit.
+edge (5,3,5): weak hit. If I burn momentum now, I'll get a strong hit. It's worth it.
So what do I see? Ask the Oracle for Space Sightings (43): a starship! I need to learn more about this. There's another entry on the table for "derelict", so I can assume this is not an abandoned vessel, but one in-service. A roll on the Starships oracle (32) comes up with a hauler- a heavy transport.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +2, Max +10, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 2
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
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The Reaper drops back into realspace apparently none the worse for wear (though a trouble light indicates that the now-muted warning about the status of the e-drive is still looping). Directly ahead, the vast bulk of an obsolete Pelican-class heavy transport ship looms.
Alexis clicks on the ship-to-ship communicator. "Reaper hailing Pelican-class, do you read me?"
Almost immediately, the massive ship responds. Their crew is either well-trained and professional, or they just happened to be listening at the right time. "Reaper, this is the Good Fortune. We read you five-by-five. Look pretty beat up there; need any help?"
Alexis sighs in relief. "Sure could, actually. Got jumped by pirates.
Could use some repairs if you've got a little time."
The bounty hunter can almost hear them nod on the other end. "My captain will have to make that call, but I'll get him up here." Several minutes later Alexis has laid out his case for emergency repairs.
I'm thinking a Compel with heart ("charm, pacify, encourage, or barter") is called for here. Success will allow me to roll Repair using +supply instead of +wits ("obtain repairs from someone (not an ally)"). Even a weak hit lets me get +1 integrity.
Compel +heart (4,1,7): weak hit. I gain +1 momentum, but their agreement comes with a demand or complication.
Is this ship out of Portent? I'll say that's "Almost Certain"; they're a long way away from any other marked spot. 92: they definitely are. I'll roll on the "Story Complication" oracle (88): "Urgent message distracts you from your quest".
Action + Theme: (94) "Swear" + (27) "Disease". Well, that's weird.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +3, Max +10, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 2
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
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Finally the captain sighs. "Maybe we can help you. I have a mechanic here, and your ship could definitely use some work. Come aboard, and we'll discuss it further."
A connection with a freighter captain could be really useful. I'm going to try to Make a Connection with him. +heart (7,7,9): miss. You don't make the connection, and the situation worsens. He's going to force Alexis to Swear an Iron Vow.
An hour later, the captain shakes his head. "Sorry, but I've known too many so-called 'bounty hunters' to agree to whatever was asked and then walk away. Got word from an outbound Herald ship that one of my ship's mates is needed back on Portent to testify in a trial about his father's illness. Don't know all the details, but I need someone to take him back planetside and see him to a mining town a few klicks outside the main settlement.
"Like I said, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't know you, and I don't trust you. If you want my man to work on your hull, I want you to swear on that blade of yours that you'll get him there safe and sound." He nods to the sword hanging at Alexis' side.
Last edited by Enoch on Mon Jun 14, 2021 12:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
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Next up: have the mate brought to me. Discuss. Try to Make a Connection. Then Swear an Iron Vow.
Some questions about the mate: are they male (likely)? 42: they are male. Are they relatively young (50/50) 87: yes. First Look table (99): Youthful. I'm going to assume that this is a kid, not just a young adult. First Look (72): Sickly. Disposition (17): Cooperative. I'll worry about a Goal if they become a Connection. Aspect (42): Grief-stricken. I take it their father died of this illness. Name: (49) Karthik (44) Shin.
Alexis nods. "Bring the mate to me. I'll speak to him, and if I'm satisfied I'll swear the vow to him." The captain agrees and motions to a crew member nearby. He departs and returns a few minutes later with a young man- a boy, really. He swallows as he looks up at the bounty hunter, and Alexis takes a moment to look him over. His skin is sallow and his eyes sunken; his dark hair seems to be thinning even though the boy is barely past puberty.
The child sticks his hand out gamely, however, and his voice only trembles slightly as he introduces himself. "Karthik Shin, sir; cabin boy on the ship here."
The bounty hunter runs a hand through his stubbled hair. "Well, boy, I understand you need to get home."
The boy nods, his eyes downcast. "Yes, sir. My da died of the mining sickness, you see, an' now his company is trying to take the house. It's not a big house, but it's all my family has. They're claiming he didn't get sick at all, least not from the mines. I gotta get back and show them how he passed it on to me, too."
Not an uncommon refrain, unfortunately. Law is as sparse as settlements out from the core, and even in the Terminus it's rare to see an outcome that doesn't include the strong and rich getting what they want at the expense of others. Alexis privately had his doubts about whether the boy's testimony would make a difference.
"Come, boy; sit down. Let's talk a bit. Where's home exactly? When did your father die?"
The two discuss the outline of the mission to come for some time, left in relative privacy by the rest of the crew.
Make a Connection: Alexis likes this kid (or at least feels sorry for him) and would like to help him. +heart (6,5,1): strong hit. Role: cabin boy on the Good Fortune; rank: Troublesome.
Now to Swear an Iron Vow to a connection (+1) +heart (7,1,9), weak hit. I have more questions than answers. +1 Momentum and envision what to do to make progress.
Well, the obvious answer is that I continue on to the main settlement at Portent and ask around (I'm assuming the main problem is that this boy has no idea how to get back to his home).
Meanwhile, the ship's crew should be repairing the hull. Repair +supply (7,7,3): weak hit. 1 point of repair is at least enough to get +1 integrity.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +4, Max +10, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 3
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Alexis once again kneels and swears an Iron Vow before this boy to get him home in time to testify. They sit again and talk for some time before the captain reappears in the lounge.
"Well, my mechanic has fixed some of the hull breaches. She should hold together long enough for you to make Portent, at least."
Alexis nods his thanks. "Grateful for that." They shake hands, and Alexis and Karthik depart for the Reaper.
"Strap in, boy. Argrav's shot and the e-drive is hanging on by a wire.
I'll help you get home, but you'll earn your keep. Do you actually know anything about shipboard duties, or were you just shipped along to get you off-planet?" He explains the controls to the boy and quizzes him on the finer points of astronavigation as they chart the final leg together.
Undertake an Expedition definitely counts as "a move closely associated with their role" for a ship crew member, at least when the expedition is among the stars, so I'll take a +1 from Karthik (and get +1 momentum if I get a hit).
Undertake an Expedition "move at speed" (doubly important now) is now +edge +1 (9,0,4), weak hit. On a weak hit, I reach a waypoint (mark progress, which will complete the journey), but I "Face a peril at the waypoint".
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Expedition: Reach Portent (Troublesome)
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Iron Vow: I will get Karthik home in time to testify. (Troublesome)
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We finally reach Portent! I will mark progress on the Expedition, obviously (I honestly should have run theFinish an Expedition move last time!), but also in both Iron Vows. Getting to Portent is a big deal.
But we're not done yet- there's a peril here, and I haven't made the Progress Move yet. Let's figure out what the peril is. I rolled on the Planetside Peril oracle even though I had an idea (the mining company has someone watching for Karthik to return; I may add that anyway), and got a 21. We know that Portent is "overrun" with irradiated lifeforms, and we got "Lifeforms spooked or stampeding". I think this will take place shortly after we land, with dangerous beasts stampeding right through the docking bay.
First, though, we need to make the Finish an Expedition move (10,5,8).
Strong hit. Karthik helped, so I'll take that +1 momentum as well. I also mark a reward on my discoveries legacy track (1 tick for Troublesome).
Alexis hails the control tower for the main settlement at Portent and gets a routine landing code. He offers Karthik a rare smile as the ship settles down on the pad with an audible and ominous groan.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +6, Max +10, Reset +2
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 3
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Iron Vow: I will get Karthik home in time to testify. (Troublesome)
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Time to determine what sort of creepy-crawlies await us here! I'll roll on the Creatures oracle. I already know it's a land creature, so I'll start with Scale (25): Small (dog-sized). Basic form (61): plant/fungus. First look (21): Corrupted, (52): Graceful. Encountered behavior (09): Apex predator (these are weird creatures!)
We've got a stampede of dog-sized fungoid apex predators rampaging across the station. I'm going to use the Random Esoteric Creature Generator to flesh them out a little bit. Basic Body Shape (12): Quadruped, with a bonus to movement speed. Number appearing: 1d8 (6). Movement (12): standard. Attack method (4): bash. (I imagine that simply coming into contact with this creature allows it to prey on you and/or reproduce). Distinctive features (49) Prehensile tongue (I'll treat this as the ability to extrude a pseudopod). I'm going to roll a couple of times on the Special Ability table until I get something that I think adequately represents it. "Barrier, Trapping" sounds interesting. This thing is sticky, and it preys on creatures by latching on to them and then maybe infecting them to reproduce?
I think I have enough to start with: this is an apex predator, a dog-sized irradiated fungus of some sort that exudes limbs for locomotion and to snare prey. If it can hold them long enough, it will infect them with a skin disease that will eventually dissolve their flesh and allow them to reproduce. They're fast and remorseless.
Karthik and Alexis have nearly finished running through the post-flight checklist and are examining the sunlight engines when the first of the creatures comes boiling over the rim of the docking bay.
They are strange, glossy beings, almost oily with their shimmering carapaces, about the size of dogs but with spider-like appendages. Half a dozen of them, Alexis notes, as he reflexively draws his blaster, but they don't all seem to have the same number of appendages or even form...and none of them have heads. And they're leaving strange, gooey-looking patches behind with each step.
Alexis' blade is in his other hand almost as instinctively, and he shoves Karthik behind him with his forearm.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +6, Max +10, Reset +3
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 3
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Combat: Radlings (Dangerous)
Red bolts lance out as Alexis leaps toward one of the scuttling creatures, bringing his blade down even as a sticky pseudopod lashes out. "Karthik, get back inside and shut the ramp!"
I am going to Enter the Fray "in the tick of it at close-quarters" +iron (8,3,3): strong hit! I get +2 momentum and am in control.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +8, Max +10, Reset +3
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 3
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Combat: Radlings (Dangerous)
Alexis slashes at the questing limb, severing the tip. It falls into a sticky pile of flakes, and the limb withdraws and the creature rears up. Behind him, he hears the portal thud shut. He raises a boot and smashes it into the body of the creature before him, trying to pin it to the ground.
Gain Ground "with force, powering through, or making a threat", +iron (5,8,4): weak hit. I can choose 1, and I'll mark progress.
Are there crates and such stacked around? Likely (92): yes.
Combat: Radlings (Dangerous)
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With the creature pinned and wriggling beneath him, Alexis thrusts the sword into its body again and again, firing his pistol at another leaping creature before finishing the pinned monster. He looks around wildly as the creatures skitter about- they appear to be able to sense him, but not visually- and spots a stack of crates. He leaps up on top of them, hoping they will support his weight.
Gain Ground "in pursuit, fleeing, or maneuvering" +edge (8,3,3): strong hit! I will mark progress and take +2 momentum.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +10, Max +10, Reset +3
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 3
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Combat: Radlings (Dangerous)
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Alexis stabs down at one scuttling creature scaling the plasteel crates and wings another crawling on the hull with the blaster. He leaps off the crates, meeting one of the creatures in midair and slashing at its body. The creature falls dead to the permacrete floor of the bay, nearly severed.
I will try a Strike now. +iron (9,9,3). Bad luck- a weak hit on a Strike lets me mark progress twice, but puts me in a bad spot. I'm going to burn momentum (resetting to 3, thanks to my VETERAN ability) and take the strong hit.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +3, Max +10, Reset +3
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 3
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Combat: Radlings (Dangerous)
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With several quick steps, Alexis closes on the remaining creatures, firing his blaster to force them to shy away as he readies his blade again, but one of them lashes out and he feels a burning lash against his ribs just below his right arm.
Gain Ground "making a threat" +iron (4,5,7). Miss! I am now in a bad spot, and must Pay the Price. I think the obvious price is to Endure Harm. I'll roll a 1d3 to see how much Harm I'm facing (1). I've got a very good chance of a weak hit if I roll +health, so I'll do that (11,6,2). I'll "embrace the pain" and take +1 momentum.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +4, Max +10, Reset +3
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 3
e-drive damaged
argrav damaged
Combat: Radlings (Dangerous)
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And now to Clash "in close-quarters", +iron (5,5,2): weak hit.
Mark progress, but Pay the Price. I rolled on the table and got 32: "Your action causes collateral damage or has an unintended effect".
Combat: Radlings (Dangerous)
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Alexis throws himself backwards to avoid another swiping limb, pressing his elbow hard against the burning and feeling it spread to his arm as well. Dimly he hears the crates behind him tip over and crash to the hard tarmac. Breathing hard, he takes a staggering step forward and looks around: several of the creatures are still moving, but none form an immediate threat.
He takes a moment to lift his arm and look at his wound. An oily-looking crust writhes against his suit, and flakes of it have transferred to his elbow. "Great." He strides toward the nearest of the creatures and thrusts down, finishing it off.
I'm going to Take Decisive Action to finish this fight. (10, 1, 2).
Strong hit, but since I'm not in control, that counts as a weak hit. 77: "Others won't forget: You are marked for vengeance".
I also will need to know what the administrator is like: First Look (99): Youthful, (17): Armored. I'm going to go ahead and say his Disposition is "Demanding"
Alexis finishes off the last of the wriggling creatures as the administrator bustles over, waving one arm frantically while he holds a fire shield before him and babbling about the fragile equipment in the crates. "Hey! There's valuable equipment in there! If you broke it, you'll have to pay for it!"
The bounty hunter holsters his pistol and turns to face the administrator. He deliberately locks eyes with the boy- he appears no older than Karthik, in fact- and leans forward to wipe his blade off on the boy's tunic. This planet must be populated by children.
"Way I see it, you're the one at fault here. You're responsible for the security of the ships here, right? I was nearly killed by your native wildlife, and you're whinging about the fact that I was knocked into a crate?
"Maybe you should be paying me for preventing them from doing any more damage than they did." He looks about; small flecks of fungus sizzle in hundreds of places, and the walls and tarmac are already becoming pockmarked.
I'm going to Compel here: I want him to chalk up the loss of whatever was in that crate to bad luck and not push me further. (A starport administrator would be a nice connection, but it doesn't feel right to try that right now.) Compel "threaten or encite", +iron (6,1,3). He agrees to drop it and I get +1 momentum.
The boy takes an alarmed step back as his tunic sizzles slightly and interposes the plastisteel shield between them. "Okay, don't get upset. It's not my fault those things attacked. There are migrations all over Portent right now. Not my fault."
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Iron Vow: I will get Karthik home in time to testify. (Troublesome)
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Alexis motions for his current ward to walk with him, and they make their way out of the docking bay. As they pass other bays in the starport, they see evidence of more damage, and in a few cases, medical crews rushing to aid (and in some cases, contain) other victims.
"We've got some work ahead of us, kid. You said you don't know the way back to--what was the name of your town again?"
"Enigma."
"Enigma. Well, if you don't know the way back, we're going to need directions, and hopefully a ride. But first I need to arrange for repairs to the Reaper, or I'm not going anywhere at all."
"Enigma" was rolled on the Settlement Name oracle. They will now try to Sojourn +heart (3,1,9). Still managed a weak hit despite a 1 on my Action Die.
I can only choose 1: I'll take Repair. It counts as a strong hit. A strong hit at a facility gives me 5 points, which I'll use to:
Repair any other device, 3 pts (e-drive)
+2 integrity, 2 pts
Alexis makes arrangements to have a mechanic take a look at the e-drive and patch up the hull while the pair looks for someone who can provide assistance on how to get to Enigma. Unfortunately, the mechanic does not have the necessary parts to repair the artificial gravity generator.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +5, Max +10, Reset +3
Health: 5, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 5
argrav damaged
Later, after a quick meal of nasi lemak, Alexis hunts down the dispatch office of a ground freight company. An adult, at least, Alexis thinks, as he eyes the strange, tiny man suspiciously. He bangs on the plasteel window until the man looks up.
"Hey. I need to get this kid to Enigma. Got any shipments going that way?"
I'll generate a couple of quick things about whomever is working the desk when they arrive. First look (31): Eccentric. First look (74): Slight.
Disposition (41): Suspicious. Role (59): Outcast. Decided to roll on Revealed Character Aspect for Karthik as well at this point (10): Boastful.
Compel +heart (4,2,9): weak hit. They do what I want, but the agreement comes with a demand or counteroffer. This could be fun with an eccentric outcast.
What does he want? Let's roll on the Character Goal oracle (36): Gain knowledge. Interesting. Let's try Descriptor + Focus (87, 45): Sealed Lifeform.
The little man pushes up the monocle he wears and eyes Alexis suspiciously. "Enigma? Why're you going out there? Not much out there beyond the mines and the settlements that work them."
Alexis starts to respond, but Karthik puffs out his chest and cuts him off. "I'm the reason. I'm the key witness in a...a murder trial!" Alexis casts a disbelieving side-eye at the child.
The gnome-like man considers this a moment, then snorts. "Just so happens we do, and I can let you ride in back with the cargo for a few credits if you'll do me a favor first. This tin of pickled mackerel- I'm not sure how old it is.
Try it and tell me if it's any good."
Alexis recoils as the man twists off the lid and the pungent aroma of pickled fish fills the air between him; it's potent enough to set his eyes to watering. "Are you mad? Just buy a new tin!"
The spritely man shakes his head. "That's wasteful, and the Lord despises one who wastes His gifts." Alexis recognizes the slightly singsong intonation of one reciting scripture. "A big strong man like you, what can it hurt? Trust in the Lord and try the fish!"
Alexis shakes his head in disgust, but scoops out a bit of fish with his first two fingers and gingerly places it on his tongue.
I'm going to make Alexis Face Danger here. Luckily, I think "strength, endurance, or aggression" makes the most sense, so +iron (5,5,9). Miss.
You fail, or a momentary success is undermined by a dire turn of events. Pay the Price. I'm going to call this a -1 Endure Harm, as the badly-expired fish causes him to "face physical injury, fatigue, or illness". +Health (11,1,6): strong hit. He can shake it off to keep his health full, or embrace the pain and take +1 momentum. He'll take the momentum.
He tries to spit the rotting fish out, but it seems to cling to his tongue and wriggle its way down his gullet. He drops to his knees and bends over, wrenching. After a long moment he wipes his mouth with his sleeve and shakes his head. "No," he says in a faint voice. "Not good anymore."
The clerk shrugs. "Not surprising. They expired several years ago. Still, doesn't do to be wasteful."
Alexis holds up a restraining finger, then bends over and vomits again.
Momentum
Conditions
Reaper
Momentum: +6
Max +10, Reset +3
Health: 4, Spirit: 3, Supply: 2
Integrity: 5
argrav damaged
Iron Vow: I will get Karthik home in time to testify. (Troublesome)
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Next Steps:
Sojourn (and/or Repair)
Compel: find transport or path to town
Drop off Karthik
Find Badger's family
Check in on Karthik; Compel him to join me on trip back if possible (could really use boost to Undertake an Expedition)
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous)
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Iron Vow: I will get Karthik home in time to testify. (Troublesome)
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I'm close to finishing the "get Karthik home" vow, so I will go ahead and make the progress move (I always want to call them "threshold moves") for that. If I succeed, the rest of the trip back to Enigma goes smoothly and I can just narrate success.
Fulfill Your Vow (9,6,7): strong hit. The vow is fulfilled; mark a reward on the quests legacy track (1 tick, as this is "troublesome").
I will also advance the relationship with Karthik.
I'd say that this side quest also counts as "overcoming a critical obstacle" to finding Badger's family. I'll mark progress there as well.
A few days later, the truck rumbles into Enigma. A marshal is summoned from the depot, and comes to collect Karthik. Alexis spends the rest of the day wandering the settlement, talking to anyone he can find and gathering information about the pirate raid. Finally he finds an older, garrulous man struggling to repair his roof. Sensing an opportunity, Alexis asks him if he needs help.
Iron Vow: I will return Badger's wife and children to him. (Dangerous; resolves as Formidable)
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What I really want to find is clues as to where they might have gone and what opposition I'm likely to face. However, he sucks at Gather Information, so he is going to help a townsman repair a roof damaged in a recent storm in order to build goodwill. Secure an Advantage "with strength, endurance, aggression" +iron (4,1,0): weak hit. I will take the +1 on the next move, which will be Gather Information +wits (6,0,6). Even burning momentum won't help. This is a miss. My investigation unearths a dire threat or reveals an unwelcome truth that undermines your quest. Pay the Price.
I have a thought that maybe they're being sold into slavery or being made to work in dangerous, well-guarded mines. But I think I'll roll on "Story Complication" as well. First, are they being made to work in a mine? I'll call that "likely" (62): yes.
The pirates have discovered a lode of valuable minerals, and they're raiding settlements to gain workers for it. Of course, they can't just let them go after, or the secret would get out. Being kidnapped to work in this mine is a death sentence. Story Complication (43): Someone important betrays your trust.
The sun is beginning to set as Alexis and an older man affix the last of the shingles to the tar paper on the man's dilapidated shack. He tosses the bounty hunter to wipe his brow with and they step onto the shaded porch. The man's wife brings out glasses of some tart, refreshing drink- a dilute of a local fruit juice, Alexis is given to understand- and Alexis presses him for details.
The man nods with familiarity as Alexis lays out what he knows. "Not much to tell. Pirates have been hitting the settlements and carrying people off. You that bounty hunter that's looking for the family of the offworlder?"
Alexis is silent for a moment, contemplating the question. "How do you know that?"
"Oh, everybody knows that. The Shin boy is testifyin' up at the courthouse, an' he explained that he convinced a bounty hunter to fly him out here. It's all anybody's talkin' about." He takes another lazy sip of his drink.
Wonderful. If he's talking about it, it's a lock the pirates have heard as well. Why can't things ever be easy?
With a shake of his head, Alexis bids the old man farewell and goes in search of another townsperson who might have more information.
The obvious complication to any failed roll in this thread is that the pirates interfere somehow- either they come looking for him or lay a trap or false trail.
He's going to make another Gather Information roll to try and find the pirates' hideout. +Wits: 3, 8, 6. That's a miss even if I were to use Momentum. "Your investigation unearths a dire threat or an unwelcome truth that undermines your quest."
I decided to roll on "Pay the Price" and got 35: "Something of value is lost or destroyed." I think I can work with this.
Well, even a backwater like this will have a tracking station. I can get records there of where they went planetside. Even if they left the system it should give me a good idea what direction they were headed.
A few hours later, Alexis finds himself staring at the burned-out wreckage of the tracking station. Scorch marks decorate the rock face in the distinctive pattern of an impulse engine- whoever destroyed this facility used a ship's engines to do it. A dangerous thing to do in atmo. They really wanted this place obliterated. But why?
Well, shit. They clearly didn't want to be tracked.
For the next several hours, Alexis picks through the charred wreckage of the station, but what wasn't burned to ash was fused into a single molten piece of slag. Nothing useful remains except to the mineral scavengers. The bounty hunter kicked the remains of something, melted to obsidian, down the slope of the hill and turned back toward the town.
