Tales from the Whitebox, Session 12

 In which the party...

• Enter into the black dragon's lair caves, with the entrance hall created as a sort of mess hall for the Malisha thieves guild, with the whole cave giving a damp feeling.
• Enter a southern door and come into a crumbling former barracks of sorts, where 4 orcs crouch among rusted armor and weapons guarding a chest. They turn and shout for the intruders to "be gone" brandishing their weapons.
• Manage to kill 3 of the orcs, and take the survivor Grubz as a prisoner, learning from him that the orcs were lackeys of the Black dragon and kept an eye on his place while he was out hunting, and in return, they used his presence to lord over other monsters in the nearby mountains.
• Learns that Grubz knows the layout of the caverns and where the dragon's lair is - and promises to show the party there if his life is spared. 
• Thumb searches the room and discovers a secret door leading to a set of stairs leading down to a second level of the dungeon. 
• Retreat back and discover another door which leads to a dead end with a musky odor. 
• Return to the mess hall, and search there for any secrets without any luck as well.
• Torches running low, retreat for now with the rest of the guild, with Grubz being taken for further interrogation and information about the dungeon and its layout.

Current levels: Thumb 4, Lap 1, Murder F1/M1

Tales from the Whitebox, Session 11

 In which the party...

• Learns of the Sister Springs in the mountains which may heal all ailments and also provide powers to those who bathe there.
• Asks around in Goalshine for rumors on the location, and while doing so learn of a giant snake to the north east harassing the Goalshine militia.
• Meet with one Ophelia Therundlin, the ex-con converted gnoll captain of the Goalshine militia, who offers them a possible reward if the "heroes" can put down the giant snake terrorizing the militia.
• Travel northeast through the mountains, crossing a river, finding a road to Malisha town, foraging for rations with Thorfinn killing a rabbit while hunting, and searching for the snake with no luck.
• Discover a strange set of stairs and walkways crisscrossing between some mountains, with Thumb deciding to stop and plan to delve into the walkways and stairs. Lap is disappointed that Thumb would shirk the quest at hand, but Lap and Thorfinn are happy with the chance to make some profit.
• However, at night in the camp outside, 2 giant spiders attack the party, poisoning Thumb and Thorfinn as the party is forced to flee, throwing some of their rations including the rabbit to distract the monsters.
• Thumb and Thorfinn become more and more sick in the mountains as the party continues to travel, forcing a march to return to Goalshine for healing.
• Thorfinn dies to the poison, and they bury him at the base of the mountains and continue moving. Thumb continues to become more sick and goes unconscious on the night of the 8th day. 
• Become lost in the mountains, with Thumb at the brink of death and rations running low for Lap and Murder - when they stumble upon, of all factions, the thieves guild of Malisha set up camp outside a cave entrance in the mountains.
• Receive help from the guild who recognize Thumb, being given healing potions and allowed to heal up over the next month, with Thumb coming too - and learning that he had been saved by the Malisha thieves guild much to his chagrin.
• Learn that the guild had arrived to the cave after the Black Dragon's attack on Malisha, where the creature continued to terrorize the townfolk, as they had learned through rumors that this cave held the Black Dragon's Hoard - and the guild was planning to take it for themselves! 
• Get offered a share if the party helps them explore the cave and get to the hoard.

Current Levels: Thumb 4, Lap 1, Murder F1/M1

Tales from the Whitebox, Session 10

 In which the party...

• Head to the "Not Hostel" Inn in their debauchery following their "victory" over the black dragon.
• Thumb goes to learn rumors about the black dragon, which yields no information
• Lap tries to ask out Millie Hnuk, the dwarven inn owner - who soundly rejects his advances.
• Party learns from Millie that there are 8 rats causing problems for her customers, and she requests to put an end to the trouble, for free room and board.
• The party heads into the packed common room, which is filled to the brim with vagabonds and travelers in double sided bunks.
• Are led to a hole in the wall to the side of the room from within which chittering sounds emerge.
• Thumb lays out a plan - placing a pile of rations in front of the hole to attract the rats as the party climbs some bunks to shoot them down. 
• As they wait, Thorfinn polishes his bow as Murder proclaims he is the best bowman in the group, much to Thorfinn's annoyance.
• The rats emerge and the party battles them from a distance, the rats unable to reach them - until some of the rats knock down the bunks with Thorfinn and Murder, laying them prone.
• Thumb stays up, motioning for Lap to stay up as well, but Lap shakes his head with disgust and jumps down to defend his prone comrades while they ready themselves.
• The rest of the rats are cleaned up, Thumb staying up and missing all his shots, while the party on the ground manages to kill the rest with blades.
• At the end of the battle, Lap is disappointed in Thumb, telling him he shouldn't have stayed up as his opinion of him drops. 
• Thorfinn also has his opinion drop of Thumb, not due to his actions but since he wasn't even able to hit one of the rats, with Thorfinn having contempt for the thief.
• Murder, however, has more respect as his opinion on Thumb rises, noting Thumb did the right thing by protecting himself, as every man - or elf - must think themselves the most valuable person on the team.
• The party rests up in the Not Hostel Inn for the next few days with paid room and board - even despite Lap's mild protests given the heartbreak from Millie - as they plan their next steps.

Current Levels: Thumb 4, Lap 1, Thorfinn 3, Murder F1/M1

Tales from the Whitebox, Session 9

 In which the party...

• Travels through forests and swamps, braving a night long storm in the swamp lands.
• Spends time foraging for food in the swamplands and continuing to travel - when on their 4th night, the black dragon itself is encountered.
• The party immediately bows to the black dragon. They prostrate before it, and amused it engages them in dialogue (using reaction rolls):
• "Oh great dragon, we come with a bargain."
• "Mortal, what do propose, what petty trinkets do you have that I could not simply strip from you with my flames?"
• "We can provide you a city full of men folk, on a plain, clear and easy pickings. The men have no experience of hiding their sheep from dragons like the town of Goalshine. The town is called Malisha."
• "And why do I not simply take both. All these lands are under my dominion. You simply offer what is already mine!"
• "But of course that is true - yet they do not claim that! They say they are their own masters!"
• The dragon's eyes flare with fury, "They dare! Let their children, and their children's children feel my wrath!"
• With this, the great dragon takes off and flies at full wrath towards Malisha city.
• The party, having directed the dragon's sight away from Goalshine, travel back to town, resting to forage once more - but this time, a pack of 6 kobolds attacks them at night.
• They manage to slay the kobolds and return to town, claiming they chased the dragon off out of Goalshine!
• The town, over the next few nights, seeing no dragon attacks celebrates them as heroes and pays them the promised 1000 gold.
• The party, flush in wealth, continues on seeking further reward with a burgeoning reputation as heroes. Little do they know that the rumors of their "dragon vanquishing" exploits start traveling to the ears of the black dragon itself!

Current Levels: Thumb 4, Lap 1, Thorfinn 3, Murder 1/1

Tales from the Whitebox, Session 8

In which the party...

• Heads back out to Goalshire in the mountains to deal with the black dragon harming the sheep economy for old man slathery. 
• Travels for 5 days through the mountains, given the rough terrain and need to ration food.
• On day 1, encounters an obelisk overlooking a cliff, with jagged runes scrawled over it. Another obelisk rests at the base of the floor, in similar runes.
• Avoid the obelisks given they are unsure of the exact function of these structures.
• Hide from a lumbering fire giant during the first night.
• Get lost on day 2, and climb up a mountain adding a day to their trip, allowing a better view for navigation. 
• Continue to travel before getting attacked by a hell hound on day 3, which corners the party in a dead end canyon.
• Fights off the hellhound, which eventually loses morale and flees not used to such stern competition.
• Manages to find their way by day 4 - only to be attacked by a starving Wyvern in the mountains.
• Kill the starving wyvern and manage to harvest its flesh, which has a fishy taste to it.
• Discover four magma mephits, which they circumvent and leave alone as the burble and melt back into the floor. 
• Finally arrive at Goalshire at 5 days, and learn from Old Man Slatherly that the dragon has in fact been kept at bay, or at least distracted, by a wyvern...which the party realizes was the one they killed.
• Learns that 1000g will be paid - a sum gathered from the whole town - to any that can stay the black dragon. 
• Learn the Lap, Thorfinn, and Murder has improved their opinion of Thumb following his direct and smart decisions.
• Sees the hatching of the drake egg, revealing a small red dragon which is named Flametongue and beings a companion to Thumb on the continuing journey.
• Will plan to head to the black dragons lair, despite some of the party's misgivings, to fulfil Old Man Slatherly's request.

Current levels: Thumb 4, Thorfinn 3, Murder 1/1, Lap 1

Tales from the Whitebox, Session 7

 In which Thumb...

• Heads to the Dark Tower of Calibar, after learning that one mage Calibar had ousted a prince of Stoutwall castle named Bran and was hired as part of a job notice set out by Bran's godmother Brunhilde.
• Joins Prince Bran, alongside Kragkor the cleric, Houn the cleric, and Bol of the seven hills to venture into the large cavern housing the tower of Calibar, the party led by the namesake "Prince Bran the Brave". 
• Arrives at the castle, where Thumb, as the thief, scales the walls and comes to the top of the tower, where the only openings - a set of windows - are present.
• Climbs onto the roof to set a grappling hook and rope down, which the party starts climbing - only to realize too late that the roof is in fact a drake nest with 4 drake eggs!
• 4 drakes fly from deeper within the cavern and attack the climbers, as the climbers all are either burnt to crisp by the drakes or plummet to the floor to their deaths.
• Thumb, the only survivor, grabs two drake eggs and dives into the window - only to be accosted by 2 baby faced, muscled monsters that leap at him.
• Thumb holds the drake egg out the window, barely avoiding the baby faced monsters blow - as the drakes come and attack the monsters!
• In the chaos, Thumb climbs out the window and scales down the tower, sprinting for the exit of the cavern as the drakes and muscled baby faced monsters battle. 
• He manages to hide out in some rocky outcroppings until he is sure the coast is clear, and returns to Malisha - and sells one egg for 20g, and keeps the other to raise for a drake for the future (learning from an expert the egg would hatch in 4 weeks).
• Thumb again decides to recruit some party members - in this case, Lap of the Dun Cloak, a militant stubborn dwarf fighter who is immediately fond of the thief; and Murder the Marked, a selfish, money hungry elf fighter/magic user who has contempt for his new employer being a mere thief.
• As the new adventurers meet outside of a tavern, a screech reveals a hawk flying up and over to the shoulder of a bounty hunter - the same bounty hunter who had carted in Wexley.
• The bounty hunter faces off with them, stating that Thumb had ruined his pay out for the mage capture job, and that he wants his revenge.
• The new party fights off and manages to knock out the bounty hunter and take out his hawk, despite getting some bruises themselves.
• The party ties up the bounty hunter, and Thumb offers him a deal - become part of the new party, or die.
• The bounty hunter, without much choice, reluctantly accepts and becomes a member of the new party, with the others initially keeping a close eye on him. He introduces himself as Thorfinn, and the hawk as Blood Hawk, and the party learns he is a reckless, extroverted individual who (obviously) starts with much contempt towards them.
• The party takes two weeks to rest up and heal up following the bout and plans their next job.

Current Levels: Thumb 4, Thorfinn 3, Lap 1, Murder 1

Tales from the White Box, Session 6

 In which the party...

• Has Thumb looking through the Malisha classifieds and finding Old Man Slathery's quest to kill a black dragon that is disrupting the sheep based economy. 
• Packs rations and with Wexley plans to head over to the Goalshine township Blacksmithy 4 days northwest through the mountains. 
• Has no encounters on day 1 of travel, however on day 2 gets lost in the mountains.
• Comes across a set of dogfolk - dog creatures with human like bodies - who look hungry and start attacking the duo, with 4 dogfolk in the pack.
• Who tear Wexley to shreds at Thumb flees blindly, getting gored by 2 of the dog men but managing to survive as he escapes - if totally lost.
• Camps to rest and heal for the night - only to catch the sight of a 10 headed hydra which stalks the mountains.
• Offers the hydra a Cider jug, kow towing to it saying "oh great one" - and as the creature's heads fight over the cider he manages to sneak away as they are distracted.
• Finally rests up before realizing he is now out of food and must return to Malisha town - if he can figure out where he is first.
• Wanders blindly on the third day of travel before stumbling onto the coast - and seeing the coastal city of Malisha rising up in the distance.
• Manages to travel along the coast without encounter until by the end of the third day, reaches Malisha once more.
• Spends some gold to rest up for the period of a week and heal back up to fighting strength before planning out his next move.

Current level: Thumb 3

Tales from the White Box, Session 5

In which the party...

• Travels north along Cidery Road with Wexley into Cider country of the Dolmenwood Tithelands.
• Arrives at the Tithelands Cidery, which numerous rotting apples being burned by the cider workers. 
• Learns that the apples having been causing nightmares, or sweet dreams with death. Offer 1000g to investigate - the party leaps on the offer.
• Notice the pigs getting riled up by evening, and plan to stake out the camp at night.
• Discover two ladies in waiting to the Lady of Spring Unending - Demozel Hazel and Demozel Olive - have taken residence there.
• Lady Hazel holds court for the pigs, wearing their teeth to ease them in, and talks of revolts against the Church and nobility by the peasantry in the cities. 
• Thumb introduces himself  humbly, and Hazel is curious and lets him know she has placed Nightmares - but is shocked to hear that people have died. She offers to show them to Olive who may know more.
• Thumb meets Olive, a human enthusiast (with human teeth necklace) who immediately peppers the duo with questions on anatomy.
• Learns from Olive that she has been removing the Nightmares and placing poisons "because they are so popular with you lot, right?" - which has been causing the deaths.
• Olive is shocked to learn poisons ARE NOT popular, and promises to stop and keep removing Nightmares where she can.
• Both Olive and Hazel refuse the leave the Tithelands, and Hazel refuses to stop placing Nightmares as it is great fun. However, Olive secretly slips a spellbook for Detect Magic to Wexley that can help identify all the apples in a bunch which are nightmares.
• Saying goodbye courteously to the elven sisters, the duo meet up with the cider masters and explain the situation - and propose a system where, since the apples are no longer to be poisoned, that they can use the detect magic spellbook on bushels of apples to remove the Nightmare ones, and have Olive help out with removal at nights in exchange for "human lessons".
• The cider masters are intrigued, and allow themselves to be introduced to Olive the next night - and a plan is in place, as apple cider production, much to the relief of the cider workers, seems back in full swing despite their nocturnal elven intruders.
• Having solved the cider crisis, the cider workers give the party the promised 1000g.
• Thumb and Wexley start heading north once more, as a weathered sign points them in the direction of the King's Road to the north.

Current level: Thumb 2, Wexley 1

Tales from the White Box, Session 4

In which the party...

• Is made of a small town thief in Malisha named Thumb, with a poor track record in the local Thieves Guild (being "all thumbs") - but with ambitions to start his own guild where he won't be mocked and ridiculed.
• Hears about the death of 2 adventurers to the southwest with a fire elemental from a bounty hunter who had carted over a mage who had caused the debacle for a reward.
• Decides dealing with the fire elemental itself might net a hefty profit, and hatches a plan to break the mage who created the elemental itself out of prison.
• Learns that a Mob of Peasants has taken the mage to the local lake- if the mage floats, he's a user of black magic and deserves to die; but if he sinks, he is innocent, and still dies but by drowning instead of stabbing of pitchforks.
• Joins into the crowd and tries to stealthily dive into the lake before the mage is tossed in - but utterly fails and creates a massive splash as onlookers notice him diving in...
• Gets lucky as the Mob is riled up enough that many peasants join into the fun and dive into the lake after him - making the task of retrieving the mage infinitely harder. 
• Manages to dive in and pull down the mage long enough that the Mob thinks he had drowned and disperses.
• Swims downstream before pulling himself and the still bound mage out from the lake muck. 
• Learns the mage's name is Wexley, and he is a strange fellow who is quite spiritual about fire magics, to the point of eccentricity.
• Learns the mage wanted to bring down the fire god Lavos to the earth, and to do this was trying to create a fire elemental with his "ball of fire" spell - which unfortunately went haywire.
• He is initially reluctant but agrees to help Thumb clean up his mess for a reward, as this could help his further his research on fire god summoning.
• Wexley notes that he was using a set of runes with read magic and he could likely reverse the summoning and send the elemental back to a plane of fire - but he would require it to be distracted so he could read it uninterrupted.
• The duo make it to the camp without incident, and start their plan by first sending a flare to lure the elemental away as Wexley read the runes and Thumb kept watch.
• The plan immediately goes awry as the elemental is wise to their trap and attacks Wexley, who luckily is only singed.
• Wexley creates a night sphere to momentarily trap the elemental, as well as blind it - and Thumb, taking advantage of the blinded monster jumps into the sphere with his daggers to distract it.
• With Thumb's distractions - despite getting burned - and Wexley's reading of the runes, the elemental is banished back to the fire plane as both adventures collapse, exhausted but triumphant. 
• The duo return to town - only to receive a paltry sum of 10 gold as a reward - just enough to relieve their rations - and a pardon as both had gone against the leadership of the town with Wexley's escape from capture. 
• Frustrated with the minimal reward, the duo decide to travel north to explore the lands there further.

Current level: Thumb 1, Wexley 1

Tales from the White Box, Session 3

 In which the party...

• Travels from Malisha to the forests southeast, and run into a bounty hunter carting off a mage captive. 
• Learn that the mage has created a fire elemental that is burning up a lodge to the southwest - and which the bounty hunter warns the party not to engage.
• Maran and Chent decide to try and find it anyways, and run into it within the forests. 
• Try to attack it - only for it to near immediately burn the duo to a crisp as they die sequentially to the creature.

Current level: None.

Tales from the White Box, Session 2

 In which the party...

• Chent the cleric, Maran the Thief, Tarbold the fighter, Eliara the Elven fighter, and Jason the mage all enter the basement of the Anvil to deal with the rats and strange monsters down there.
• They discover the bodies of Jeff and Alia, and the skull with amethyst eyes on the floor - as the teddy mimic attacks them.
• The party fends off and slays the teddy mimic intact, and manage to take the skull with the eyes to sell.
• The party explores the rest of the basement, discovering four doors to new rooms. 
• Find out 2 of the rooms are just empty basement rooms. 
• Finds poison gas trap in one room, and Jason the mage and Tarbold the fire fail their saves and die to the poison gas that is released before the party escapes.
• Finally finds the rats in the fourth room - right behind a pit trap Maran falls into - and thankfully survives the fall.
• Eliara the elven fighter and Chent the cleric fight the rats, one of which is disease, as Maran attempts unsuccessfully the scale the wall up out of the pit.
• Eliara dies to one of the rats just before Chent slays the last one.
• Maran finally scales out of the pit - only for all of the rats to be slain.
• The basement is looted for treasure, and the treasure and bodies are dragged out of the basement as the Anvil's basement rat problem is cleared!

Current level: Chent 1, Maran 1

Guardians RPG, Session 1

 In which I play the Guardians superhero RPG, which is based on the original White Box. I'm using Mythic GME and the City of Crime supplement to simulate a patrol based superhero crawl.

In which...

• Steel Hornet and Superstar enter a burning building and catch one Tarranis the Thunderer, saving “The Crab”, an “innocent” owner of the Mermaid’s Tail Bar, and claim the prize reward money for catching him.
• SH and Superstar rescue some innocent workers from the fire in the building.
• Once they leave, The Crab’s associate Damascus Steel, a radicalized terrorist and underworld boss emerges. Crab tells him to keep an eye on the duo, they may be trouble.
• Elsewhere, Senator Jeramiah Relm also watches the superheroes remotely, who may cause trouble for him as well. He is intrigued as last night he was rescued from the goons of the meta powered rival Invictus’s goons unintentionally by Steel Hornet.
• Invinctus is known to be on the campaign trail for the position of President of the United States, running directly against Senator Relm on a pro meta platform – publicly for meta equality, but privately planning an authoritarian takeover.
• Flower the super activist faces off against Invictus publicly heading into his office – and refuses to use her powers as she faces off against his security and is dragged into a cell.
• SH and Superstar watch from nearby in their civvie disguises, and plan to break her out – and have her join the team.
• Superstar rushes the building and learns that Flower has been shipped off to Invictus’s new super slave penitentiary in central America!
• Superstar gathers the location data – just as Invinctus walks into the room.
• Superstar sprints away but Invictus locks down his base Superstar fails to leave – leaving SH on the outside and Superstar and Invictus and his goons within the complex!

Current Level: Steel Hornet 1, Superstar 1

Tales from the White Box, Session 1

 In which I play White Box FMAG. I will start by playing as Jeff Abernathy the Fighter and Alia Telear the Magic User. With TPKs I will plan on creating new characters to complete exploration as the world is built. 

In which the party...

• In the city of Malisha heads down to the Anvil, a tavern for blacksmiths exclusively following a job ad to clear some rats from a basement.
• Arrive at the job and head down into the basement. 
• Discover a hole in the wall of the basement leading to a catacomb.
• Enter the catacomb and discover strange dead end, with 4 doors leading out of it, with intricate dwarven carvings they are unable to interpret in an alcove, and a strange teddy bear sitting on a dusty shelf built into the wall to the side of the room.
• Jeff searches the alcove and discovers a skull with amethyst eyes, valued at 100 gp.
• Alia investigates the strange stuffed animal - which turns out to be a Mimic!
• Jeff and Alia (mostly Alia, as Jeff consistently swings and misses) fight the Mimic bringing it to the end of its life, but it holds on and takes both of them out - and feasts on their corpses!
• Following the TPK, the strange teddy bear mimic goes back up on the shelf, grinning with a glint in its eye waiting for its next victims as the blacksmiths continue to search for adventurers to clear their basement.

Current Levels: None.

Lonesome Wanderings, Session 74

 In which Badger...

• Decides to return to the ruined town of the former elven maiden Rahasia.
• Learns the evil Rahib has gained much power and is driving a large slave enterprise based from the temple he had briefly explored before.
• Feeling guilty, decides to continue to explore the temple.
• Heads to a roadside shrine he has visited many years ago with Rahasia, and discovers a portal behind it.
• Enters the portal, only to be transported in to a cell within the slave lord's lair, as a gong rings out and guards rush in.
• Is knocked out and stripped of his belongings, and locked in a cell in the Rahib's dungeons.
• Learns from a fellow prisoner Hasan that the Rahib has locked their belongings in a room at the end of the hall.
• Tries to raise a ruckus without success as no guards show up to answer.
• Learns from Hasan the guards only arrive to feed the prisoners gruel once a day.
• Waits until a guard arrives and grabs him, pummeling him to unconsciousness - but not before he alerts 3 other guards.
• Fights 3 guards who let themselves into his cell, locking the door behind them, to beat him up.
• Grapples the chief guard, and steals his keys letting himself out of his cell and rushing to the location his weapons are stored.
• Manages to grab the Staff of the Watchful Shepherd, but only paralyzes one guard.
• Manages to switch out his staff for Knutsvar, and unarmored continues to fight the other 2 guards.
• Luck is not on his side as the other two guards manage to defeat and strike him down - as Badger dies in the dungeon, bleeding out from his wounds!
• Watches as his items are locked away in the Rahib's dungeon as he loses consciousness - and dies!

Current (and final) level: Badger 13

Post Mortem: 

And that's where Badger's story ends. He traveled a long way, made friends, made more enemies, led numerous retainers to their deaths, destroyed civilizations, ruled kingdoms, fought demigods, traveled into different planes, shirked responsibilities, and had countless adventures.

But he ended just as he started. Stripped of his magical artifacts and powers, escaping a prison cell, and getting beaten to death by a handful of guards while trying to escape. Perhaps future adventurers will travel to the Rahib's dungeon and discover the artifacts, and perhaps even find the corpse of the fallen Badger. But for now, he has become part of history.

I don't think there could be a more fitting end for our adventurer. So all I have left to say is this. 

Farewell Badger. So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Lonesome Wanderings, Session 73

 In which Badger...

• Meets on LXXI, the prophet Tarataro, a cyclops like being who offers a deal - protect her sheep from jealous shepherds while she travels, or be eaten.
• Opts to protect the sheep, and keeps watch over them as shepherds scheme.
• Hears the scheming shepherds and uses his rope to climb into the rafter, and drop on them to surprise attack the unsuspecting farmers.
• Manages to fight of multiple attacking shepherds until they are all defeated.
• Puts the heads of 4 shepherds on stakes outside the Tarataro's hut and barn, and manages to keep the remainder of wily shepherds looking to steal the cyclops's sheep at bay.
• A little over a month passes when LXXI returns, and pleased, keeps up her end of the bargain and gifts Badger with the Staff of the Watchful Shepherd, a staff which stretches out and paralysis those attacked by it.
• With thanks, a new ally made and weapon gained, Badger heads back onto the road once more to keep traveling.

Current Level: Badger 13

Generation Ship to Proxima B, Scene 2

 Scene 2: Ryo Kasumi follows D-Sec officer Calyra Okoro to get answers - one way or another.

Plot Beat: Modify your proposal. Cause frustration, stress, or worry. Advance plot - the Disappearance of the Dex cook - Exposition 2. Node: Pending questions: Why is Destiny Sec kidnapping people?

Ryo continues to tail the woman as she walks down wire laden pathways, her pace seemingly varied, her movements erratic. She eventually ducks into an gap in the wiring, and he turns - to suddenly be blinding by light!

Will save: 20, fail. 

Ryo stumbles backwards, tripping and sprawling down onto the metal sheeting, rubbing his eyes. He opens them, and the lady is gone. He staggers up...looking around - when he feels the hard metal of a gun at the back of his scalp.

"Who are you? Who do you work for?" It was Calyra Okoro, pistol to his head. "Any false move and I'll blow your brains out. Now talk."

Ryo raises his arms, "Look lady. I'm sorry. I'm nobody, alright, a LOST. Just someone who wants to help his community. I heard you might have information, and I have credits."

Mood - Reaction: Of curiosity, interest, wisdom. 

He hears her let her let out a breath, but she keeps the gun to his scalp, "If - and that's a big if - I was willing to believe you, why should I?" She scoffs, "All you snakes are the same, try to get us to spill our guts. Never."

"I got no idea what you're on about lady. I swear, I'm just trying to find our cook."

Is she worried that he is a spy? Weak yes.

How is this all related to the DEX cook? Explain (how): An accident, a side effect.

She keeps the barrel of her gun pressed against him, "Well here's your answer. Your precious DEX cook was in with the wrong people. Just like you, snooping around a little too deep, asking a few too many questions. So he had to be...dealt with."

"He's dead?!"

"That's on a need to know." And he felt a hard blow to the back of his skull.

Attack with barrel of gun - d6, 6 damage. HP 3 -> 0, Armor 1. Str 9 -> 7. Str save -> 5, manages to stay up!

With that, he felt a cold pain - and blood trickle down the back of his skull, but even woozy, he was still up! He turned around and used his knuckle puncher to slam back!

Calyra Okoro, HP 5, Armor 2, Str 16. 

Attack with knuckle punchers! 4 dmg! Calyra HP 3.

He manages to strike back with his shockwaves, with the punches going to ricochet off her D-Sec armor as she's bounced back! He takes off sprinting away from her.

Does she pursue (unlikely)? No

He runs down wire filled corridors, feet slamming on metal sheets until finally, he seems to have lost her. He stops, hands on his knees, taking a deep breath...once more at a dead end. Except now he knew - Destiny Security had something to do with the cook's disappearance. He'd been investigating something that had pushed D-Sec far enough to do something about it...

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