Generation Ship to Proxima B, Scene 1

Scene 1: Ryo Kasumi approaches D-Sec officer Calyra Okoro to help find information on the missing DEX cook.

Plot Beat: Modify your proposal. Learn someone's dark secret. Advance plot - the Disappearance of the Dex cook - Exposition 1. Node: Pending questions: Why is Destiny Sec kidnapping people?

Meet reaction: Act with motivation, high energy and engagement
Honesty check: They are obviously lying and trying to deceive

Calyra beckons the open chair in front of her, as Ryo sits down to discuss his request. After a brief bit of talk, he brings up that he's looking for some information on a certain DEX cook that has gone missing. The D-Sec officer's demeanor changes at the drop of a pin. She goes from all smiles to reciting a line, a bottled phrase she's clearly been paid to recite. 

There was more to this. This proved it. Ryo places his knuckle dusters on the table, and tells her it would be good for her to spill the beans, going to intimidate her.

Yes/No - Intimidation? No, I think not

She gives him a look, and stands up. "No, I think not." She leaves the credit chip on the table and goes to leave the bar, the raucous music playing as she shoves through the crowd. As she does, Ryo spots something, a small anatomical defect that could otherwise be ignored - bilateral polydactyly.  A marker of those who had special abilities. The type that D-Sec had been reputed to be kidnapping. Was this a possible victim, trained into becoming a D-Sec soldier?

Ryo gets up to follow her. He wasn't about to let this lead go to waste.

Generation Ship to Proxima b, Setup

I'll be starting a playthrough of the Plot Unfolding Machine (PUM) community event Generation Ship to Proxima b, that will be running from now to approximately July 2025. Anyone who stumbles upon this post, feel free to hop into the community Discord server and play along.

Generation Ship to Proxima b

I'll be using the PUM oracle using the Simple module, and the custom random tables provided by the PUM community for the solo side of things. For system, it will largely be based of ItO style rules, with modifications to account for the hard sci-fi setting.

Ryo Kasumi, Medic. L.O.S.T. Str 9, Dex 12, Wil 6. HP 3. Constant Body Vibrations: Calms user, creates unease in others. Equipment: Stun resistant arm guards (Armor 1), Carbon Weave gloves that enhance grip (Climb sheer surfaces), Carbon knuckle gloves with shock pads (d6+d6).

Backstory: A back alley, self taught medic working in the outer hull in Gabriel Gonzales's illegal hospital, to patch up other L.O.S.T. compatriots who don't get help elsewhere. But the recent loss of the community's primary DEX cook has crippled the community. As the situation heads to shit, Ryo feels compelled to act and find out what happened.

Inciting Incident:  [Play a triggering plot catalyst: Learn someone's dark secret] - Rogue Destiny Security officer Calyra Okoro is selling classified operations data to highest bidder. Perhaps meeting with her at her "information auction" could yield some results, in a shady outer hull gathering spot.

Starting Scene: In a distant pocket of the outer hull, along refuse littered pathways between sputtering wires and chugging exhaust, is a dingy little outfit where a couple of non descript metal doors lead into a smoke choked, raucous bar. As patrons guzzle drinks that swim with floating mold, a lady in glinting black metal of Destiny Sec uniform sits in a corner booth, sipping quietly at her drink. Ryo comes over, and drops a small cred chip onto the counter, sliding it towards her, as her eyes dart up to meet his...

And that's where I'll leave it to start out, seeing how this interaction goes.

Lonesome Wanderings, Session 72

 In which Badger...

• Travels to the village of Haver's Cliff and learns of the vanishing of one sorcerer Arlo, with a reward attached to his finding.
• Investigates Arlo's residence to find evidence the sorcerer was dragged to a nearby cave.
• Travels to the cave and finds torn clothing suggesting someone was dragged into there for some reason.
• Runs into some slimes, which manage to dissolve his everburning torch before he manages to slay them.
• Discovers some boots of levitation that he stores for selling back in town.
• Runs into some strange electric lizards who guide him through the caves to a caved in entrance, not attacking.
• He explores around and finds a strange laser trap and a dead end passage, before going back to clear out the cave in.
• Enters a large cavern where an injured Arlo's magic essence is being feasted on by an electric lizard with a strange glowing gem lodged in its translucent throat, as the others lizards hiss at it - and a fight begins.
• Manages to free Arlo before learning from the sorcerer that the strange gem had corrupted the lizard and that it needed to be removed for the creature to be saved.
• Manages to dislodge the gem from the lizard's throat - but not before it saps the rest of Arlo's life force and he passes for one last attack.
• Fends off the lizard and flees, leaving it to die gasping for air with its magic stone gone, as the other lizards close in to feast on it.
• Gets back to town with no fanfare or reward given he was unable to save the sorcerer, but manages to sell off the boots of levitation and gem for serious profit before skipping town and heading back out on the road.

Current Level: Badger 13

Lonesome Wanderings, Session 71

In which Badger...

• Finds himself teleported onto the Misty Mermaid, a sailing ship at sea.
• Is quickly bound and interrogated - when the Hades Hound, a large vessel arrives and quickly sinks the ship as its ghastly captain Grimscar takes the life of all the sailors using the dread Infernal Tideblade.
• Just as he approaches Badger, and stabs him just as an explosion from below decks tosses Badger off board to sea.
• Awakens on black sandy shore as a gnome Seebo tells him he is in limbo, and that he must face off against captain Grimscar and defeat the Y'gathul dark god's lair before he can escape.
• Explores the Deep Grotto dungeon and discovers rooms with strange runic tattoos of eyes that unlock a central passage.
• Triggers a trap that cages him into a cell and triggers a massive stone to drop blocking him from entry out of the room.
• Manages to brute force his way out of the trap and make it into the main hall, where he faces off against Grimscar himself, supported by a massive statue of Y'gathul giving him dread powers.
• Fights with Grimscar, starting by using Knutsvar to cut the head off the Y'gathul statue, nullifying its dread magic and falling to crush Grimscar - but the dread pirate survives.
• Fights Grimscar to the death one on one, Knutvsar versus the Infernal Tideblade clanging in the ancient ruined temple.
• Slays Grimscar, cutting his head off as the ruined temple starts to shake and crumble with its warlock and statue of its patron destroyed.
• Flees the temple out of the Grotto and meets up with Seebo, who thanks him for the help as the gnome too is freed from limbo and his soul passes on.
• Badger his soul return to the land of the living and awakens on a tropical beach, the sun beating down on his back.
• Finds a portal that takes him back to Kebi village, where he rests up and heals for a one and a half months.
• Celebrates his 37th birthday in Kebi village as he plans for his next adventure.

Current Level: Badger 13

Lonesome Wanderings, Session 70

 In which Badger...

• Is led into a trap by Parmenion where a Lamia attacks him and Melissa in a cave, only for them to manage to chase her away.
• Leaves Parmenion and his companions to travel alone with Melissa after the betrayal.
• Is ambushed by harpies and wolf men before being saved by a tribe of centaurs who are greatful for the slaying of the corrupted magical bull.
• Meets Aquio, the leader of the centaurs, who helps heal them all and leads them to the entrance of the Tomb of the Bull King.
• Enters the tomb of the Bull King and follows a group of strange shade women through the halls, avoiding weeping demons and observing strange tapestries of the underworld.
• Follows the woman to a set of stairs in a fissure that travels deep into the earth, which the party dares not enter given green lights and strange sounds emanating from it.
• Hides behind pillars when a group of lizard folk and wolf men emerge and start fighting each other.
• Watches as the lizard folk manage to kill the wolves and drag their corpses home.
• Leaves the tomb and leaving Melissa with the centaurs and leaves the island of Coristea via portal to return to Kebi.
• Rests and heals up in Kebi village as he continues to plan his next steps.

Current Level: Badger 13

Lonesome Wanderings, Session 69

In which Badger...

• Explores the wilderness around Kebi village.
• Arrives at one thorp Chut, near a large lake, and discovers the villagers are being used as shock troops by one bandit troupe at threat to their loved ones.
• Learns that a bandit troupe turf war is ongoing, with one troupe having tunneled their way into the village, and the other coming anyday now with scouts.
• Learning of their troubles, he helps redirect bandit scouts of one troop elsewhere, then poses as a scout himself.
• Arms the villagers with slings, and comes to challenge the troop hidden out in the village underground.
• Puts up a set dressing of villager clothes, scarecrows (face down), and berry juice to seem as if he had slain all the villagers.
• Fights the bandits who emerge with villagers hidden pelleting them with slings and slays all the bandits.
• When the other troupe arrives to the village after delay due to poor scouting directions from earlier, proceeds to do the same.
• Is thanked by the villagers given the end of the turf war, and moves on.
• Travels further west to a cave, and is hunted down by multiple rust monsters.
• Runs to a lava chasm at the entrance of the dungeon and uses the Rope of Climb to rise up as the monsters plunge to their deaths - but not before one snags his magic sword Knutsvar!
• Manages to climb down the rope and escape the dungeon - only to be grabbed and whisked into a portal by the Greek god Hermes!
• Arrives onto the city of Coristea, where Hermes reveals that one King Belepharon, the favored of Zeus, needs a hero to go and find the great Minotaur - and in return, Hermes promises one boon to aid Badger in the quest.
• Wishes for a magic sword, and is gifted on Deathwish, a blade of magic wishes that consumes the wielder's soul for each wish granted.
• Meets on Queen Pasiphae who tells him to travel to the town of Tomis and meet with her brother Parmenion, giving him a red jewel to prove his connection to her, and to have him as a guide to the Minotaur's tomb.
• Travels to Tomis, and on his way sees one priestess Melissa hiding from a corrupted Magical Bull.
• Uses his broom to whisk Melissa away, who thanks him for saving her, but requests him to kill the bull as he desecrates the shrine to Artemis.
• Flies over to try and fight the bull, but starts getting mauled as his cursed blades turns out to be quite useless.
• Requests Hermes to remove the blade from him, which Hermes does with noted mischief, noting some lesson on hubris and wishing beyond his means.
• Requests Hermes to restore his former lost blade Knutsvar, which Hermes is able to do - but Knutsvar is deformed and in the state of disrepair, with one bad hit potentially ruining it forever.
• Manages to still use Knutsvar to kill the Magical Bull, and is greeted by Artemis herself, who offers him some magic items.
• Refuses the magic items, and requests her to help him fix the blade  - which she does by taking it to the forge of Hephaestus himself and having him reforge Knutsvar for Badger.
• While waiting learns Melissa is a priestess of Artemis, and is willing to join him on the quest to the tomb.
• Receives a now fixed Knutsvar, thanking Artemis, and travels with Melissa to Tomis.
• Meets Parmenion, and gives him the jewel - and he agrees to travel with Badger and Melissa to the tomb as well.
• With retainers Melissa, Parmenion, Pylos and Melanos, Parmenion's friends, the contingent sets out from Tomis to travel to the Tomb of the Bull King.

Current Level: Badger 13

Lonesome Wanderings, Session 68

 In which Badger...

• Continues to explore wreckage and finds lair of the rust monsters, filled with gems and jewels.
• Discovers a group of rust monsters and group of werewolves deeper in the wreckage.
• Recovers Eyesore, a magic sword with a detachable pommel that works as Wizard's Eye spell, and a Broom of Flying that allows him to soar in the air.
• Flies over the rust monsters and uses a two handed sword he bought as bait to lure them deeper into the dungeon to face off against a set of werewolves, as they attack each other while he loots the wreckage and flees.
• Receives word from Ameiko Kaijitsu that she has found Xin Shalast, and directions there.
• Flies off on his new broom, only to see a flood wipe out the town of Turtleback's Ferry from the sky.
• Follows the water upriver to discover a dam destroyed by some stone giants, and then follows the giants via an aerial route to their home in Fort Rannick.
• Travels to the north of the Fort to find the lost city of Xin Shalast - and discovers a group of skulks waiting to ambush him there.
• Avoids the skulks thanks to a purple worm that bursts from the ground scattering all.
• Manages to flee into the skies as the worm follows Badger.
• Uses himself as bait for the worm to lead it to Fort Rannick, where a fierce battle in which the lamias Lucretia and Xanesha, and leader of the stone giants Mokmurian fall to the purple worm before it is slain by some ogres.
• Lets the ogres flee back to Xin Shalast, and watches as they enter the city through a secret underground entrance.
• Plants his wizard's eye pommel on one of the ogres, and completes reconnaissance of the city remotely, discovering:
• Skulks are subservient to one Hated Pretender, a demon like creature, but also seem to hate him.
• One warrior Vitoria stands guard of Khalib, an archmage who seeks to open a demon portal; the warrior is mind controlled by her blade, the Blade of Greed.
• Behind both of these obstacles lies the entrance to the Eye of Avarice, a chamber even the wizard's eye cannot breach. 
• Breeches the stronghold which is guarded and overrun by skulks, and first flies down to their lair.
• Is immediately captured by some and taken before the Hated Pretender for judgement.
• Manages to convince some of the skulks to rebel, and in the chaos beheads the Hated Pretender - causing the leaderless skulks to flee into the dark depths, leaving the remainder of the city unguarded.
• Waits until nightfall, and heads to Khalib's portal, where Vitoria is keeping watch.
• Manages to sneak above her and use his rope to take the sword out of her possession - as she succeeds in a save and is broken free from her mind control.
• Slits the ogres throats with Vitoria's help - but unfortunately awakens the archmage, who vanishes.
• Fights alongside Vitoria against the archmage, barely defeating him, but not before he casts a permanent Feeblemind spell on her, virtually lobotomizing the warrior.
• Is forced to put Vitoria out of her misery, given her helpless state.
• Finally heads to the Eye of Avarice - only to discover one high lamia priestess sacrificing Ameiko's heart in a ritual to raise Karzoug the runelord!
• Fails to stop the ritual, as Ameiko dies and the priestess's form turns into the growing host of the wraithlike Karzoug, who continuously gains power slowly arriving at immortal form.
• Manages to fight head to head with wraithlike Karzoug, stopping the spell from continuing and slaying the wraith of the runelord before it gains full power - while having the wraith take much lifeforce, the equivalent of 3 levels, from him in the process.
• Much weakened, flies back to Magnimar, where he pays tens of thousands of gold to restore his vitality (and levels) back to him, having stopped the rise of the runelord!
• Returns back to Kebi village to rest before his next adventure.

Current Level: Badger 13