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