Hammer 03 - Documenting

Last updated 17-Nov-23

  Begin a Session: flashback reveals an aspect of your background; continues from the last flashback

KO Alpha 3-3

Special Agent Hammedin slammed the folder down on the table. "Damn you, Krestedin, admit your guilt!"
"I didn't do it sir!" the diminutive clerk wailed in response.

Hammedin was as certain as he could be that he had his killer. Four days of investigation had revealed multiple pieces of evidence that Corporal Krestedin was guilty of poisoning the whistle-blower. But as it was all circumstantial, Hammedin needed a confession to get a conviction. If he couldn't get one, then Krestedin would likely walk free.

With an air of resigned weariness, Hammedin sat at the table opposite Krestedin and began to leaf through the folder, ignoring him. It was a technique designed to unsettle the interviewee and it seemed to be working on Krestedin, but then a siren began to blare through the outpost. Closing the folder, Hammedin quickly rose and left the interrogation room locking the door behind him and headed to the control centre.

Pandemonium reigned in the control centre. People were talking over each other, shouting across the room as information was passed between the staff. Eventually Hammedin was able to discern that an interstellar cargo shuttle had arrived with the news that the Kenduri homeworld had been overrun in a sneak attack by Clan Arata. Devastatingly, nearly all the Kenduri family had been caught on the planet - at most only a handful had escaped the attack and they were scattered, unable to co-ordinate a response.

His entire life had been with the Kenduri - his parents had both been their Bannersworn. The defeat and destruction of the Clan was inconceivable to him ... what would he do now? It took only a moment for him to decide - he span on his heel and ran  to the nearest hangar.

  Begin a Session: end of flashback
    * +1 momentum : now 9

* * * * * * *

Doyce and the team came up and into the control room.

"I think we're going to be documenting this for a while," the Professor said as he entered.
"OK," replied Hammer, "I'll keep lookout at the T-junction; take as long as you need."

Going back to the junction, Hammer readied his assault rifle as he went and taking post, kept watch as the team did their work.

After about an hour, the initial assessment was complete and they came back to Hammer at the junction. Re-assembled, they started along the other branch of the junction.

Hammer followed the outer side of the corridor - there was no debris in the corridor so it seemed that the attackers had not penetrated this far. The mapping software on his HUD showed that the curve in the corridor had gone through 90 degrees before anything changed.

The corridor opened into an enormous room filled with machinery. To their right a ramp rose up to a room fixed to the ceiling and lined with glass all around. From where they were at the room's entrance, it seemed like another control room - this time for the room's machinery.

The machinery, in fact the entire room, was still and silent, so with Barlow videoing, they went up the ramp to the glass room. The vault's lights had continued to activate as the team moved through it, as they did in the glass room ahead of them. The entry into the room was a gap in the glass wall at the top of the ramp - it had no door at all.

The room was obviously empty of any bots, but Hammer still entered and swept it before he allowed the researchers in. As soon as they were, though, they could barely contain their excitement and Hammer was quickly shooed out to give them more room

  Reach a Milestone: vow "I will escort Professor Doyce and his team into, and out of, the vault on Fanum"
    * mark progress, now 6 /10

Hammer knew they would be a long time in the treasure trove they had discovered so he switched to his sniper rifle to better examine the machinery in the room. To his uneducated eye, the machinery seemed to be arranged in production lines. From the partially finished machines on them, it looked like they had been assembling maintenance robots.

It was all very fascinating, but not to Hammer. He turned up the proximity alarm's sound setting and then set it to cover the entire ramp and the space above it, locked the leg joints of his armour, readied his tribarrel and relaxed in his armour, quickly slipping into a semi-alert doze ...

* * * * * * *

The chronometer on Hammer's HUD showed him that just over 2 hours had passed and the team were still busy measuring and sampling in the room behind him. While dozing, he had realised that he hadn't cleared the area under the ramp - a small but potentially fatal mistake. He unlocked the armour's legs and walked down the ramp.

"Team, I'm checking under the ramp," he called to them over the intercom. There was no reply, so he sent the message again, this time with the override setting enabled.
"Yes, yes, we heard," came Doyce's testy reply.

Mentally shrugging and ignoring the Prof's display of temper, Hammer reached the end of the ramp and followed it at floor level. Finding nothing under the ramp, he returned to his previous vigil at the top of the ramp.

Eventually Hammer called a halt to the team's activities. They had been out long enough and had to return to the Viktor to replenish their oxygen and water. Reluctantly, Doyce agreed and the team began to pack up.

With everything packed, they began their trip back through the vault, Hammer again taking the lead. As they went, they discussed the next steps the team would take.

  Undertake an Expedition: troublesome, "Explore Fanum's Vault" : vigilantly, roll +wits : 6 +3 vs 6 & 7 : strong hit
    * reach a waypoint; envision the location
    * mark progress per the rank of the expedition, now 9 / 10

"We have so much data that it will take us a couple of weeks to process," announced Doyce. "The robot assembly line itself is fascinating. Anyway, when we get back to Sita, your vow will be fulfilled, Hammer. We'll stay there until a security team from the University reaches us and then we'll return here."
"That's good with me - thank-you Professor," replied Hammer.
"Thank-you Hammer," said Doyce, "You did an excellent job."
"It's not quite over Professor," Hammer said, "Let's wait until we get to Sita hey?"

No answer came and they continued in silence to the vault's entrance.

  Finish an Expedition: troublesome, "Explore Fanum's Vault" : progress 9 vs 4 & 6 : strong hit
    * You reach your destination
    * mark 1 tick on Discoveries Legacy track

 

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Hammer 02 - Entering

Last updated 18-Nov-23

  Begin a Session: I decided to write a flashback for Hammer - back to the beginning of his last mission for the Kenduri

The pilot turned towards Special Agent Hammedin; "Reaching comms range, sir," she said quietly.

"Thank-you, Leftenant," he replied toggling the external comms. "Kenduri Outpost Alpha 3-3, this is Kenduri Cargo Starship Populi Maru, respond."
"KCS Populi Maru, KO Alpha 3-3 responding," came the reply. "You are expected. Transmit your clearance code to confirm."

A moment passed as the computer aboard the ship completed its electronic 'handshake' with the outpost's Overseer AI module.

Cavalo-337

"That's all done, KCS Populi Maru, proceed to dock 5," the outpost reported.
"Thank you KO Alpha 3-3," said Hammedin before closing the comms and leaving the bridge.

The pilot sighed audibly after the door closed behind the special agent. "I'll be glad when he's gone," said the co-pilot; more cautious than her colleague, the pilot said nothing, concentrating on their approach so the Outpost's Overseer would have nothing to report when it took over.

The Cavalo-337 interstellar cargo shuttle Populi Maru span simultaneously through both horizontal and vertical axes as the AI took control and glided it gently into dock 5 where the holding clamps secured it firmly.

The 337 container (named for its dimensions - 3m x 3m x 7m) disengaged from the ship and transferred onto the outpost. Then a different container was placed in the ship and it was released from the dock. The Populi Maru's relief crew powered the ship away from the outpost and towards minimum distance for an e-jump.

As his custody pattern container transited along the conveyor belts to the security station, Hammedin did his best to contain his impatience to begin the investigation on the outpost. Black marketeering in itself was below his paygrade, but the death of his informant merited intervention - whistle-blowers had to be protected or they'd stop coming forward ...

  Begin a Session: end of flashback
    * +1 momentum : now 4

* * * * * * *

Detaching from the rope, Hammer approached the door as the others followed him down.

  Undertake an Expedition: troublesome, "Explore Fanum's Vault" : vigilantly, roll +wits : 3 +3 vs 3 & 5 : strong hit
    * reach a waypoint; envision the location
    * mark progress per the rank of the expedition, now 3 / 10

The doorway itself had two doors that met in the middle; in the seam, two metres up from floor level, was what appeared to be a button. His tribarrel at the ready, Hammer approached the button and examined it carefully seeing that it bore the 'open' icon that he had seen in previous vaults. Cautious as always, he waited until the entire team was down and ready before pushing it.

The doors ground slowly open, and as they did so, lights came on in the corridor that led away from them into the vault. The lights revealed piles of debris and detritus littering the floor, but not enough to impede them. Not until the doors had fully opened and a full minute had passed did Hammer move slowly forward across the threshold and into the vault.

  As this vault is Hammer's first foray, I made choices on the Oracles instead of rolling and here are the choices that I made that have been revealed so far:
    * location : planetside
    * scale : minor, confined site
    * form : woven into environment
    * shape : practical
    * material : metallic industrial
    * outer first look : cavernous opening
    * inner first look : damage and debris

Slowly advancing, Hammer entered the vault, skirting the debris as his HUD identified the components of the litter as pieces of remnant robots.

"Looks like the vault's last visitors were attacking remnant robots from another faction," said Hammer on the team's intercom. "You can see the differing styles of manufacture."
"Indeed," replied the Professor. "Asha, vid them all please." His assistant transferred her carbine to her off-hand, pulled out her camera and began recording.

 Around thirty metres in, there were arches in each side of the corridor. Looking into each of them, the team could see that they were now empty hangars. It seemed that they had held the robots that now lay destroyed in the main corridor, although some had not managed to leave their hangars, destroyed before they could move.

The destroyed aerial robots in one of the hangars were of particular interest to Professor Doyce and the team stopped to take detailed measurements and samples. Positioning and manufacture style indicated that they had been attackers.

Thirty metres on, the corridor terminated at a T-junction.

  Undertake an Expedition: troublesome, "Explore Fanum's Vault" : vigilantly, roll +wits : 5 +3 vs 5 & 8 : weak hit
    * reach a waypoint; envision the location
    * mark progress per the rank of the expedition, now 6 / 10
    * face a peril at the waypoint

To the right, the corridor decreased in size to three by three metres terminating at a door after five metres, while to the left it continued at the same ten by ten metre size curving to the right from Hammer's perspective. Electing to check the smaller area first, Hammer left the team at the junction and advanced to the door.

The one piece door had the open icon button in its centre, so Hammer pushed it with the muzzle of his tribarrel. The door slid smoothly downwards to reveal a control room with multiple consoles and three of the remnant hexapod robots powering up!

  Enter the Fray: objective "Defeat the remnant robots" - troublesome : sizing up the situation, roll +wits, +1 from Weapon Master asset : 2 +3 +1 vs 4 & 8 : weak hit
    * You are in control
    * +1 momentum from Weapon Master asset, now 5
  Strike: attack at a distance : roll +edge : 5 +2 vs 5 & 6 : strong hit
    * mark progress twice, now 6 / 10
    * you stay in control

"BLAM! BLAM!" Hammer's tribarrel barked twice and the control centres of the closest two robots disintegrated as the slugs impacted. As he fired Hammer had entered the room and crashed against the nearest console using it as cover. Given the range, Hammer switched to his SMG, stuck it over the top of the console and sprayed the entire magazine into the area of the last bot.

  Gain Ground: charging boldly into action : roll +heart : Weapon Master asset - once per fight, when Gain Ground by switching weapons, take an automatic strong hit : strong hit
    * stay in control
    * +2 momentum, now 7
    * mark progress, now 9 / 10
  Take Decisive Action: roll progress : 9 vs 2 & 6 : strong hit
    * +1 momentum, now 8

Hammer could see the last bot falling to the floor through the SMG's sight display on his HUD, so he reloaded the SMG then stepped out scanning the room to ensure all foes were down. As they were, he called the research team forward.

  Reach a Milestone: vow "I will escort Professor Doyce and his team into, and out of, the vault on Fanum"
    * mark progress, now 4 /10

 

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Hammer 01 - Arriving

Last updated 23-Nov-23

As Retribution returned to normal space from its last eidolon jump, Hammer considered his latest commission; Professor Doyce was paying well for him and his team to be escorted in and out of the pre-cursor vault on Fanum, a desert world in the Emerald Crucible sector.

  An introduction of Hammer's first Path Asset - Courier. For Hammer rather than transporting data, I'm using the 'safety' factor of the asset as a representation of the 'health' of the party that he is escorting
  And the first roll: Swear an Iron Vow, Dangerous - "I will escort Professor Doyce and his team into, and out of, the vault on Fanum"
    Roll +heart : 5 +2 vs 6 & 8 : weak hit
    * begin your quest with more questions than answers
    * +1 momentum : now 3
    * envision what you do to find a path forward
    * set Courier asset Safety to 5

Hammer hadn't visited the Fanum vault before so was unaware of its Remnant activity (vaults always have some remnant activity), but Doyce had accepted that caveat very reasonably - unlike most of his clients.

Hammer had been through the Fanum system before though, so getting to the system was easier than it might otherwise have been.

  Set A Course: Roll +supply : 3 +5 vs 6 & 7 : strong hit
    * reach destination and situation is favourable
    * +1 momentum : now 4

Finishing the return to normal space KOM 3-3, the Overseer AI, began the run in-system to Fanum and with nothing to do for the run, Hammer went to the armoury and began his preparations for the vault exploration.

In Doyce's research team, as well as Prof Doyce was his assistant - Asha Barlow - and 2 interns  - Kessler and Sesson. Doyce's employers, the University of Nemus (a terminus hiveworld) had equipped their team well giving each of them armoured enviro-suits and sidearms, as well as a couple of grav pallets to carry their research equipment.

Having briefly inspected the researchers' kit, Hammer moved onto his own equipment. His tribarrel was - as always - in perfect condition, as were his other weapons - sniper rifle, assault rifle, grenades, SMG, pistol, knife. More than once, Hammer had been described as a walking armoury - something he considered a compliment.

  OK, a bit 'cheesy', but it is an intro for Hammer's second Path asset: Weapon Master; I envision the weapons as collapsible as in the Mass Effect games

All his weapons ready, Hammer moved onto his power armour, activating a complete diagnostic program that would hopefully confirm what he already knew - that the armour was in perfect working order.

  And finally, his third and last asset: Exosuit

Leaving the diagnostic to run, Hammer made his way through Retribution to where Doyce and his team were relaxing in the lounge at the ship's aft. As he entered, Hammer called out to the Overseer AI:

"KOMie, how long to our arrival at Fanum?"
"2 hours, 3 minutes," replied the Overseer's artificial female voice.
"Time for you and your team to gear up," Hammer told the professor, "You can access the armoury now."
"Thank-you," responded Doyce as he and his team stood and walked past Hammer through the doorway.

Ten minutes later, the team were each assembling their kit onto tables in the main hall from the armoury and their cargo container in the hold. As the piles on the tables grew, Hammer leant against the wall, answering questions and helping out as needed.

When all was ready, they began to load the 'Viktor' APC that Hammer used for ground transport. Capable of seating 8, there was plenty of room for the 5 of them and their grav pallets. Knowing that Sita - the settlement on Fanum - was building a spaceport, Hammer had no choice but to land there. Clan Ninses' planetary defences would destroy any ship they detected trying to land anywhere else. So, after landing, they would have to drive 5 or 6 hours to reach the location that Professor Doyce had for the vault.

By the time Retribution had made planetfall at the under construction spaceport, the party was ready. The Viktor was fully loaded, out of its 337 garage pattern container and waiting in front of the cargo hold door,  ready to go ...

* * * * * * *

  Set A Course: Roll +supply : 4 +5 vs 3 & 10 : weak hit
    * arrive, but face a cost or complication
    * -1 momentum : now 3
    * -1 supply : now 4

Getting out of the spaceport had been a pain, taking longer than they'd hoped. Clan Ninses' policy was obviously to restrict access to the planet's surface, but, as it seemed to be with functionaries everywhere, bribery had enabled them to leave on their 'survey' mission.

  Reach A Milestone: dangerous vow : "I will escort Professor Doyce and his team into, and out of, the vault on Fanum"
    * progress, now 2/10

Life on Fanum was scarce with no known organisms bigger than a domestic cat, but the titanic skeletons that they drove through and past were impressively spectacular, with the researchers taking many vids and pictures of them, even insisting on stopping several times to take measurements.

Six hours' journey got them to the sinkhole where the entrance to the vault lay, though Professor Doyce was uncharacteristically reticent about how he'd discovered its location. Disembarking from the Viktor, the first order of business was to confirm the enviro-suits were properly sealed. Although Fanum's atmosphere could sustain life, it could only marginally do so and prolonged exposure was definitely not recommended. 

The seals on the suits and Hammer's armour were all good and as the team unloaded their equipment, Hammer set about connecting their safety rope to the Viktor's winch. Although they planned to use grav compensators for their vertical travel, Hammer had insisted on the rope as an added precaution. The rope fixed and research kit assembled, the team jumped into the sinkhole, Hammer first followed in turn by the researchers.

Illuminated by their lights, the rocky surface of the sinkhole passed slowly by as they descended. One hundred metres down they saw the bottom of the sinkhole and, hidden from above, a 10m by 10m door - their destination.

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An Ironsworn experiment

I wrote this well over a year ago, but left it as a draft. I intended to run this game as an experiment with two PCs ... perhaps I'll continue it at some point.

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In the third and final allowed year of Consul Maralane's rule, her death in the terrible Battle of the Lakes saw disaster befall the people of the Confederation. But in the first year of her rule, as the Slayer Hedrin tracked his quarry through a dawn mist, that was the secret of the future.  The doom that awaited civilisation was as unknown to him as was the mind of the beast that he tracked.

Hedrin's first asset is Path : Slayer

That the beast was a Blighthound was beyond doubt though. The description given by the survivors of its first attack on the farms of Lowstone made that abundantly clear - "red eyes, curved horns, skin like charcoal and it stank like a week old corpse". It had first appeared six nights ago, attacking Unvi's Steading - one of the three farms that helped to feed the miners of Lowstone. Unvi and his men had fought the beast to allow their families to escape, at the cost of their lives. Since then it had attacked both of the other farms, but thick walls, strong shutters and heavily barred doors had spared those farms the fate of Unvi's Steading.

Nevertheless, the overseer and her people had been relieved when Hedrin, the known Slayer, and his companions - Sendra & Beltan - had arrived at Lowstone and he was soon contracted to slay the beast.

  Hedrin's inciting incident and his second* Iron Vow - "I will slay the Blighthound that stalks Lowstone and receive fair payment" (Dangerous)
* - the first vow will be revealed as it becomes appropriate in the fiction.

  I'm using the Wealth asset from Ironsworn Delve as a group asset as Sendra will be a full Ironsworn character in this story (Beltan is her Companion : Kindred asset)

Triffain

Hedrin whistled softly and Triffain, his faithful Hunting Terrier, came to his side.

  Hedrin's second asset is Companion : Hound with the first ability, 'Sharp', selected

"Find it for me Triff," Hedrin said as he rubbed the dog's head and as always obedient, Triffain snuffled around in the leaf litter seeking out the beast's trail.

  At last, the first move! Gather Information to follow the trail. This is a +wits roll to which Hedrin gets +1 from Slayer and +1 from Triffain being a Sharp hound.
  2 wits +1 Slayer +1 Sharp Hound +2 Action Die = 6 vs 1,4 -> strong hit
  Momentum 2 starting, +2 strong hit, +1 Hound, +1 Slayer -> 6 total

It took Triffain mere moments to find the pungent trail of the Blighthound and he was soon waiting for his master. After a soft whistle from Hedrin, Triffain set off along the scent trail with Hedrin following at his loping jog, spear and shield held loosely, but ready.

  The last of Hedrin's assets - Combat Talent : Skirmisher and a foreshadowing that he might get Combat Talent : Shield-Bearer in the future, but I'm undecided on that at the moment

As Hedrin had expected, Triffain led him from the last of Lowstones farms to be attacked directly into the Ravaged Tanglewood that lay to the east.

  The Ravaged Tanglewood is a troublesome site as per the Ironsworn Delve rules. To make progress, Hedrin must make the move Delve the Depths for which he is using caution and experience to do, making it a +wits roll.
  2 wits + 6 AD = 8 vs 2,5 -> strong hit; mark 3 progress (3/10) & Find an Opportunity
  Each time Delve the Depths is done, I'll roll on the site's features to see where we are
  Feature: 06 'Abandoned or ruined dwelling'
  Find an Opportunity: 48 'You locate a secure area'

In no time at all, Triffain led Hedrin to a small clearing around a ruined cottage and after a quick snuffle around the ruin, the dog moved to the other side of the clearing, waiting. Hedrin had, however, decided to investigate the ruin. Its roof had completely collapsed blocking the door at its front and the two window spaces. At the rear, Hedrin found the doorway unblocked. As the thick dry-stone walls were still standing, Hedrin judged the ruin would make a passable redoubt should he need one. Fixing its location firmly in his mind, Hedrin whistled for Triffain to continue and followed him once more.

  Another Delve the Depths, again with wits as Hedrin's approach has not changed
  2 wits + 6 AD = 8 vs 1,7 -> strong hit mark 3 prog' (6/10) & Find an Opportunity
  Feature: 01 'Path of destruction'
  Find an Opportunity: 76 'You get the drop on a denizen'
  I hadn't decide on the denizens for this site, but the Delve rule-book has a Ravaged Tanglewood in its sample sites (16 Smoldering [sic] Wood) so I used that site's list and rolled 33 Bear.
 
  So Hedrin has the drop on a bear. I know how he intends to deal with it. First he'll Secure an Advantage using his experience of bears, so +wits again
  2 wits + 4 AD = 6 vs 1,5; strong hit; Take Control, +1 on next move

Triffain 'pointing'

As Hedrin approached a bend in the trail, he found Triffain pointing along the trail. Crouching, Hedrin slowly moved to Triffain's side. Ahead of them, just next to the trail a bear was pawing at a pile of leaves. Weighing his options, Hedrin considered carefully, before deciding upon one that had worked for him before. "Speak Triff," he said and the dog began to bark as Hedrin started to bang his spear on his shield, shouting as he did so.

  Hedrin is trying to make the bear move away from the trail. I thought that this would be a Compel, but looking at that move and then Face Danger, the latter is more appropriate; also, this seems like a 'forceful defense [sic]' so it'll be +iron
  3 iron + 1 SaA + 2 AD = 6 vs 4,8 -> weak hit; succeed, but at cost
  Looking at the options, delayed seems the most appropriate, giving -1 momentum making it 5.

As Hedrin and Triffain made their racket, the bear turned to face them with a baleful glare. Then, releasing what could only be called a 'half-hearted' roar, it shuffled away into the dead trees that lined this part of the trail, nonchalantly snapping branches the size of Hedrin's arm as it went.

"Quiet now Triff," said Hedrin, then kneeling and making a fuss of him, saying "Good boy," as he did.

  Over half-way through the site and the bear 'overcome', I'm going to mark progress on the Dangerous Iron Vow "I will slay the Blighthound that stalks Lowstone and receive fair payment", making it 2/10
  Delve the Depths again, still with wits
  2 wits + 2 AD = 4 vs 1,4; weak hit; roll on Delve the Depths table
  78 'Choose one: Mark progress or Find an Opportunity. Choose progress, now 9/10
  Feature: 74 Brambles

This is long enough for the first post, so I'll continue another time. I've decided to put the character sheet at the end of each post as a way to track progress. So far we've only met Hedrin, so it's only his for this post.

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Hedrin
Edge 1 : Heart 2 : Iron 3 : Shadow 1 : Wits 2
Health 5 : Spirit 5 : Supply 5 : Momentum 5 (max 10)

Iron Vows:

1. To be revealed
2. "I will slay the Blighthound that stalks Lowstone and receive fair payment"*
   Dangerous - progress 2/10

  * - marked for Fortune Hunter

Assets:

• Path: Slayer
• Companion : Hound (Sharp)
• Combat Talent : Skirmisher
• Fortune Hunter (group)

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Cerberon 07 - The End

  I have decided to abandon the Cerberon game. Besides a couple of mistakes I made - specifically I should have taken two paths as assets, but only took one and treating Hayla as a connection rather than an a Sidekick - I've not really been able to connect with the character. As a result I've not been able to get back into the flow and take up the story after this latest hiatus.

  However, I do have a new character idea which I hope will enable me to start a new game. Stay tuned ...

 

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Brunvoldt 20 - Hunt's End

  I've come back to Brunvoldt after a 6 month hiatus and re-read all his existing entries ... So, now to pick up the story and continue ...

Brunvoldt awoke at dawn - something had roused him, what was it? A sound ... someone crying. Getting up, Brunvoldt quickly dressed and sought out the source. It was, as he had expected, Eindride the temple's acolyte. He had found her in the kitchen sitting at the table with her head in her hands, crying with the desperation of the hopeless. Wordlessly, Brunvoldt sat next to the young woman and put his arm around her shoulders. After a moment, Eindride moved her head to rest upon Brunvoldt's shoulder and her weeping gradually subsided. Eventually she stopped and pulled away from Brunvoldt who let her go without comment.

  "Thank you Sentinel," she said simply and began to prepare the breakfast. Feeling no need for words, Brunvoldt left her to it, returned to the guestroom and put on his armour.

When he returned to the kitchen, the food was obviously ready as Knud was sat at the table eating porridge. Bidding him good morning, Brunvoldt sat opposite, recieving with thanks his own porridge from Eindride as he did so.

  "I intend to go back to where we left the trail yester-eve," began Brunvoldt to Knud, "What will you do Knud?"
  "My men and I will do a short sweep of the woods closest to the village as we wait for definite instructions from Templemount," replied Knud between mouthfuls of porridge. "This is very good Eindride," he exclaimed to the acolyte, who smiled shyly.
  "Good luck my friend," said Knud as he rose from the table and left.

Brunvoldt finished his own food and left the Temple in search of Dag. He found the tracker by the gate waiting for Brunvoldt. They went to the stables to get Scar ready.

  I've reskinned the Starforged asset 'Support Vehicle: Rover' as Scar the riding bison, but I'm concerned that it's ovepowered. The asset ability is: "Your unarmed rover provides protected planetside transport. When you Undertake an Expedition or Set a Course, add +1. When you Finish an Expedition in your rover, you may reroll one challenge die"
  My concern comes from the fact that in a 'normal' Starforged game, the PC would make most journeys in their startship not their rover, so the asset would not have that big an impact. However, as Brunvoldt has no starship, this asset potentially effects all his journeys - thus making it too useful. So I'm going to change it to the Ironsworn asset 'Companion Mammoth', still reskinned as Scar, with the 1st ability: "Lumbering: When your mammoth travels with you as you Undertake a Journey an Expedition, you may add +2 but suffer -1 momentum (decide before rolling)"

When Scar was loaded, Dag and Brunvoldt exited the village heading back westwards to where they had left the trail last night. As they crossed the fields, Knud and his men could be seen to the south-west, just reaching the treeline beyond the fields. They soon reached the point where they'd left the trail Dag had been following the day before. He easily picked it up again and they continued after the Varou who had Gunnhildr.

  Undertake an Expedition: 'Find Gunnhildr' troublesome; vigilantly +Wits +1 connection (Dag) +2 Companion Mammoth; 5 +3 +1 +2 vs. 1 & 3 => strong hit => progress now 3/10, +1 momentum from Connection, -1 mom' (Mammoth) still +7
  All this travelling together seems like a good reason for Bunvoldt to Develop Your Relationship with Dag; progress now 3/10

Threading their way through the hills, the trio made good, uneventful, progress, but frustratingly, they found no evidence of Gunnhildr.

  Undertake an Expedition: 'Find Gunnhildr' troublesome; vigilantly +Wits +1 connection (Dag) +2 Companion Mammoth; 3 +3 +1 +2 vs. 3 & 7 => strong hit => progress now 6/10, +1 momentum from Connection, -1 mom' (Mammoth) still +7

As the day waxed and the sun rose high in the sky, the hunt gave nothing to the hunters. Their quarry, the small band of Varou and their hyenas that held Gunnhildr and Tarben (the other Warden) remained at least a day ahead of them.

  Undertake an Expedition: 'Find Gunnhildr' troublesome; vigilantly +Wits +1 connection (Dag) +2 Companion Mammoth; 6 +3 +1 +2 vs. 7 & 1 => strong hit => progress now 9/10, +1 momentum from Connection, -1 mom' (Mammoth) still +7
  Finish an Expedition: 'Find Gunnhildr' troublesome; progress 9 vs. 8 & 2 => strong hit, 1 tick on Discoveries
  But what do they find?
  Ask the Oracle: Are Gunnhildr & Tarben dead? (Almost certain) 75 => Yes
  Ask the Oracle: Are the Varou present? (50/50) 61 => No

Before much more time had passed though, the hunters found the dreadful evidence that they had been seeking, but hoped not to find ... The Varou had stopped in a small copse of trees and 'disposed' of their prisoners. Once more Brunvoldt, Magnus and Dag found the evidence of a Varou meal. The scraps of clothing were all that remained of Brunvoldt's friend ...

  Finish an Expedition: 'Find Gunnhildr' troublesome; progress 9 vs. 5 & 1 & 7 => strong hit => 1 tick Discoveries legacy
  Reach a Milestone: 'I will determine the fate of Priestess Gunnhildr and her escort', dangerous, progress now 8/10
  Sharing this horrible moment with Dag allows Brunvoldt to Develop Your Relationship with Dag, mark progress per rank => troublesome, prog. now 6/10

There were not even any bones to lay Gunnhildr and Tarben to rest - the Hyenas had seen to that...

Thoroughly depressed, Brunvoldt asked Dag to determine what way the Varou had departed while he prayed that Gunnhidlr and Tarben would begin their Final Journey with the guidance and blessing of Holy Vanth ...

  Firebrand: Gather fire +Spirit; 5 +5 vs. 8 & 6 => strong hit => +3 Fire, now +5 (max)

 

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Cerberon 06 - A Dead Ship 2

  I've realised that I have been playing Hayla as a connection - +1 on rolls associated with her expertise - rather than as a sidekick - reroll action die if value is less than sidekick’s health. Oops.

The shaft finished at the deck above,where there were three doorways; one opened into a smaller room with another doorway in the opposite wall and the other two opened into larger rooms. One had a raised circular dais and the other opened onto an area with tables, chairs and a smaller shaft.

Popping her head through the doorway, Janya saw that the smaller room was some kind of medical area as it held half-a-dozen beds with blank screens above them.

  "Shall we go up again?" asked Janya. "Assuming, of course that, that shaft over there is another elevator tube,"
  "Let's have a look shall we?" asked Hayla, and the drone drifted over to the smaller shaft.

Janya again brought up the drone's visual feed and confirmed it was another elevator shaft - at least it had an exit to another deck above. As she drifted over to the other shaft, Janya noticed that the tables and chairs were all fixed to the floor - explaining why they were still here. Actually, they weren't fixed to the floor - they were completely flush with it, as if they had been 'grown' out of it somehow ... not something that she had seen before ...

  "Hey Hayla," she said. "Look at this," and she pointed at the foot of a table.
  The drone came back from the shaft and pivoted to look at the bases of the tables and chairs. "Wow," said Hayla, "It's like they've grown out of the floor. You know what else?" she continued. "Whoever crewed this ship must've been about the same size as us - the tables, chairs and beds show that."
  "You're not wrong, not wrong at all," replied Janya, "But I've never even heard of a ship constructed like this - have you?"
  "No, I've not," answered Hayla.

Janya headed for the smaller shaft, entered it and, using her jets, drifted upwards accompanied by Hayla's drone.

At the top of the shaft, Janya came out into what could only be a combat information centre. There were what seemed to be crew terminals, although all the surfaces showed only the dulled mirror finish matching every other surface inside the ship. Two chairs in opposite corners surrounded by 'consoles' and a round table in a third corner were the room's furniture. Three doors led from the room - one to the assumed 'front' and two toward the stern.

  Undertake an Expedition: "Explore the Dead Ship" 'dangerous'; +Wits; 5 +3 vs 2 | 4 => strong hit => waypoint, progress now 8/10

  "Let's find the cockpit," said Janya.
  "Why not?" answered Hayla, so human and drone headed toward the front end of the ship, through the door in that direction.

Passing through the doorway, Janya entered a corridor with a doorway at the end and two doors on each side. The first door on the left seemed to be an office, and the other a surprisingly human-style bathroom. The second pair held cylinders of some kind. What their purpose was neither sister knew - nor did they particularly want to find out. The strangeness of the ship's interior had unsettled them ...

Reaching the end of the short corridor, Hayla's drone floated through the door and found what could only be the ship's cockpit. As with the rest of the ship that they had seen, there was no evidence of crew or any of the detritus that you would expect on a ship - confirmation of their, joint, unspoken conclusion that the ship had sufferered an explosive decompression.

  Finish an Expedition: "Explore the Dead Ship"; progress 8 vs 6 | 5 => strong hit => mark two ticks (Dangerous expedition) on Discoveries legacy track

  "So what we have here," began Hayla, "is a ship of design and style that neither of us have ever heard of before, never mind seen. Apparently, it had an explosive decompression, leaving no evidence of the crew or their possessions."
  "I agree," agreed Janya, starting to retrace her 'steps' back to their ship. "What do we do about it?"
  "We don't have the resources - physical or financial - to exploit it," replied Hayla.
  "Unfortunate, but nevertheless true," agreed Janya again.
  "So, I guess, we sell it? Or, rather, the location that is ..." suggested Hayla, sounding uncertain.
  "Absolutely," said Janya, "Which only leaves the question - who to?"

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