Terrorists, Aliens, Megacorps, Politicians - A New Campaign Of An Old Classic

[dulux-oz]

Part 2 of the previous Post

Due to the evolving nature of RPGs the group has decided to shift our game time forward by 5 hours. We will now be gaming every 2nd Sunday from 04:00-09:00 UTC (approx).

So if you think you'd like to join us in our new time-slot than drop me a line ([email protected]).

And now, over to Lord Entrails for his Session Round-Up...

[LordEntrails]

Yeah, err, frickin GTF...

Do you know what a desert is like? Hot! Damn hot! That's what this planet is, one big frickin desert! You ever been to one of them human BBQ joints? Pay the chef a handful a credits and see if he will let you climb into his industrial smoker! Or one of those dralasite steam baths? Even the best wax will turn to liquid and run off your shell. That's what it's like, except it's dry!

Do you know how dry? You know that paper you can buy that if you rub your fingers together on both sides of it it will ignite and burn up in a fraction of a second? You know, the magic trick stuff? That's how dry! Got two sticks? Don't bother to rub them together, they'll just start burning on their own if you set them out in the high sun!

And sand, everywhere. and I MEAN EVERYWHERE!

But hey, it's not so bad, I mean we're getting paid for each day we survive. Maybe our next of kin will get paid for the days when we are dead too? I didn't read the contract that well, I don't know how may days of "dead pay" our next of kin will get. Guess it didn't matter too much to me at the time. Didn't seem like a real possibility...

The Doc didn't make it. Appears he died from internal injuries from our crash landing. I mean I get it, but instead of landing on the relatively nice smooth sand that stretches in every direction for gigameters, the damn escape pod crashed into the only rock outcropping in the hemisphere!

We did see some sort of feature to our east, so that's where we headed the first night. I did tell you it was hot right? It's too hot to do anything during the day except lay in the shade and sweat. So we travel at night. It was about 8km or so from our crash site.

And it's proof that someone lives here. Some sort of artificial stone dome. A big one, and it had a well inside. The outside was scoured smooth by centuries or more of the desert winds and sand. But inside was cool, enough that sticks don't spontaneously ignite! The well even had water in it, but our scientists said it had arsenic. So since we pretty much were full up on water, we didn't try and distill it and fill up. You do know water is heavy right?

Just for fun, tomorrow, pack up all the water you are going to drink for the day and carry it everywhere you go. I mean, there are no waitbots to bring you a nice ice cold glass whenever you sit at some street side cafe. No S'bucks to get an iced cup'o joe or D'Bros for a sweet rebel when you want one. Yeah, we had to leave a bunch of stuff at the crash site. If it wasn't water, then it probably got left behind. Had more days of survival rations than water, so even left a bunch of that behind. Out here, water is life. No water, no point in having a months worth of rations to feed a dead vrusk!

Since we know we are in the northern hemisphere, and we came from the west, we went northeast. No crap except sand in any direction, so one way was as good as the next right?

The pirates are here. And they found us, not hard to do given the our tracks in the sand. Fortunately, maybe? We played dead possums and tried to lure the jet copter down to investigate. What's a possum anyway? And why do they play dead? Might go look that up when, or if! I get back on the gal-net someday.

Oh, yeah, well, my thoughts wonder. When it's this frickin hot and you are always thirsty, the mind wanders.

So, the pirates took so pot shots at our "dead" bodies and dropped us a note, but they didn't land. Oh well, none of us know how to fly a copter anyway.

We met the locals. Land octopi that ride some lizard-like horse things. They are friendly, and will give us food and water if we join their tribe. No, no we did not have a choice. Down to just a couple of days of water, it was sign up or die. They don't pay as poorly as the GTF, they don't pay at all. But room and board is more valuable than credit in the middle of a frickin desert!

So this war party of Ul-mor (that they call their race) is taking us to be tested to join their tribe. It's called the Quick Death or some such thing. I guess that means the desert is Slow Death? I'm all for the pirates having a slow death.

Anyway, the Ul-More have mentioned two other races on the planet. I forget the first one, sounds like they are the butt of the jokes around here and either look like trees or yazarian's, not sure. But they like to call Jazz one of them. Then their is some sort of old ones, that are more at One with the One than any others. But not sure what that means.

We finally got out of the desert. Actually they took us into lava tubes under the burning lands, or some such. But since we're not allowed to camp with them, since we are not yet tribe members, some earthquake separated us from them.

Now we are lost, underground, in a collapsing maze system. But hey, we're wracking up the pay on the GTF ledgers! Lucky us. Sheet, at least we aren't likely to die a slow death in the middle of a frickin pile of sand!

[LordEntrails]

Did you know that just because you're underground does not mean it might not be hot? Okay, I'll give you that most of the time it's pretty nice down here in the dark. That is, unless you want to know where you are going or actually see farther than your light shines.

So I think we only went in a circle once before we started marking our path. Generally we've been trying to head east, given that was the direction the Ul-Mor were generally leading us. But it seemed every time we reached an intersection and took the more easterly route, the path seemed to head north, or loop back to the west, or just merrily lead us about.

We came across a natural cistern. Noticed one of the walls of a cavern we were passing through was cold and damp. Well, anyway we didn't flood anything, but found a thin wall and on the other side water! It was quite a comfort to fill up our water. And to get clean. Someone whined about not getting a steam bath, but that's its problem!

Weird stuff down here, let me tell you. We found a mop and empty bucket. Yep, some fool was mopping the stone floor. And almost succumbed to natural gas from some fissure. Not friendly down here. Nope, the Ul-Mor were right, this is a dangerous place. Can't see what might be coming to kill you.

We also came across some sort of cave quadraped. They travel in packs and like to stampede, but other than raising your antenna a bit, proved easy enough to survive.

I did mention hot right? Found a nice little chasm to cross. Of course it was filled with magma! It had some really cool crystals growing in it. Don't know why we didn't take a sample. For that matter, why didn't we hunt the quadrapeds and stock up on roasted or smoked alien? I bet these mushrooms that seem to be everywhere would burn if we let them dry.

So we used the mushroom stalks to build a couple of portable bridges. Cause I don't know about you, but I didn't want to jump from crystal to crystal and end up swimming in magma. I don't like to swim. Don't like to bath in magma I'm sure. Wonder if someone might consider such close enough to a steam bath? It didn't speak up about it then!

Good thing we were smart enough to rope us together, don't think a single one of us would have made it otherwise. I sure as grok would not have! I will admit (not out loud) that I owe my life to the steam bath whiner. Maybe if we live to collect all this GTF pay I'll buy it one.

So yea, it can be hot when you are underground. Wonder why we didn't just go around the chasm? Surely there must have been another way right? Yea, I wonder the same thing. Would have cost us a day or so backtracking. Don't know. Maybe we're stubborn or maybe we are persistent. Then again, maybe we are just dumb?

We did find something interesting. Sentient boulders. Yep, that's right, living rocks that actually exhibited intelligence. Make all the excuses and justifications you want. But the damn thing was smart enough to spit magma at us when it felt we threatened the little rocks rolling around. Some sort of nursery. We tried, but had no way to communicate with it. So in the end we just ran through the nursery taking a few burns along the way.

We found an Ul-mor down here. Named Thorn, or something like it. Had been banished from his tribe. Was delusional and loosing his memory. Seemed to be due to some white fungus growing on him. He claimed to be communing with the One, and that we should go to the island to find the One.

That's right, island. That means water, lots of it. A massive underground lake, kilometers across. The whole place lit by phosphorescent. We were pretty skeptical, but could see the island. Figured we are explorers right? And maybe the island would hold something useful, just maybe right?

Nope, at least probably not. The whole thing, almost, was covered in the white fungus which registered as a low level toxin. There were more of the mushrooms growing here, and they were not covered with the fungus. Everything else, including perhaps a quadraped or two were. Seemed like the fungus had completely subsumed it though. But they also were not completely dead. They moved, just a bit and very slowly. More strange drak for the scientists to investigate. Also might be some sort of connection between the mushrooms and fungus. Not for me to worry about though.

Used a bunch of sporekill and tried to get rid of the fungus when we left. Didn't completely work though. Jazz hasn't been able to get rid of the infestation from everyone yet. Time will tell.

Found a crazy little maintenance bot trying to clean the floor of one cavern. Shut the thing down and went through it's program. Strange thing had no mission. Some cheap UniHo model. Guessing somehow got away from the pirates. Strange though, and why didn't it have a mission right? Reprogrammed it and named it Marvin. If nothing else, would really help to carry drak.

You know by now I think we were all on pretty short fuses. I know I was ready to get some revenge. Daniel really was. But I got the kill. Some dumbass pirate got himself lost down here and thought he would sing to himself. Gave us plenty of warning.

Sent Marvin in first to distract him. Worked, except instead of shooting the pirate, Kat fried Marvin's core module. Marvin, my new best friend, just became a pile of scrap. Myself, I had cranked up my pistol's power setting. Took a couple of shot to get the range, but then I drilled that fracking pirate. Burned two big holes in his chest and left him dead. Never though that killing someone would feel good. Hmm.

We found our way out then. Wasn't too far from the lake, but the Ul-Mor said they didn't know about it. That's right, our "tribe" was camped outside and was joyous to see us. Yeah us. Now we get to face the challenge of the Quick Death. Yeah us.

You do know sarcasm right? Starvation and thirst are no longer a danger. Neither is magma spit from rocks or flowing free. Whatever the Quick Death is, that's all we have to worry about now.

And pirates.

And getting home.

[LordEntrails]

Only a few more hours and then we get to find out what the Quick Death is. Aren't we lucky?

[LordEntrails]

Quick death, yea. Thing was fast, damn fast! Hit pretty hard too. I can see why the primitive Ul-Mor has such a name for the beast. But when we have to, we can hit pretty hard too. We let it come to us across a nearly open plain, and took only seconds. Just enough time for us to brace for it's attack and take aim.

It gave us a bloody mandible, a couple of them in fact. It got me once too. But our little blob is a tough thing and for the most part we all stood behind Baboo and let him take most of the hits. It got me once too, a single blow threw me off my perch and left me bleeding. But, just like the space hydra, a natural beast just can't stand up for long against the technology of four space fairing races. Even if we are a sad representation of those races and are poorly armed and equipped by such a standard.

I'm no xeno-biologist, but I don't think these Quick Death creatures evolved on this planet. They just don't seem to fit. Octopods with legs, tentacles and an albedo skin? Might not sound too different than the Ul-Mor, but something's just not right. From what I could tell after talking to the Ul-Mor, I think they have been here for generations though.

Now we're are members of the tribe, and can live with them if we want. But we have things to do. Maybe we'll be back one day, but it's time for us to find a way off planet, and the probable way to do that will be to go right through the pirates.

Just the thought of the pirates, and the desire to rip them apart with my mandibles, gives me a small insight into the rage that yazarians are known for. Jazz hasn't submitted to his rage yet. I don't know much about it, maybe he is just holding it back for the pirate captain? I'd joyfully help him with that. Whoever that may be.

So, we're off with an ul-mor guide to find the tree dwellers. They are on the way to the pirates, at least where we think the pirates are. And, blessedly, we are out of the sand and into a savannah, thankful to be leaving the lands of slow death.

[dulux-oz]

Nice

[LordEntrails]

You know the Ul-Mor talked about the tree dwellers. I figured they meant some dried sticks two meters tall. I figured this whole planet was a big pile of sand sitting on top of volcanic rock. I mean, if there were trees and open water, and anything but sand, why would you choose to live in the desert?


But nope, fifty and sixty meters, some even taller, and half as wide, easily. That's what these trees are. Friggin big arse trees that take generations to grow. You've seen the dream vids of the Yazirian homeworld right? I have. Maybe even bigger, but certainly grown together and so dense that you don't walk on the dirt underneath, you move from branch to branch thirty or forty meters up. Other than bugs, I don't know what might live down at the dirt level, that's where we found the Kurabanda, in the branches.


Makes me wonder, why did the Ul-Mor evolve in the desert? They don't seem to fight with the Kurabanda, though maybe if they all tried to live in one area they would. But no strife between the races. And evolving in such a harsh environment? The Kurabanda make sense to me, not the Ul-mor.


Back to the Kurabanda, they turned out to be a cautious people. We found them pretty much as we reached the trees. To digress, we're going to have to find a way through the shard grass, and maybe tell you about the rollephants and the acid spitters, but hey, the Kurabanda led us to the pirates.


Or more accurately, like I said, we found them when we got to the trees. the sounds of weapon fire were unmistakable. Seems like a patrol of pirates was mixing it up with a patrol of K-monks. Wasn't tough to decide who's side we were going to fight on. Actually, we chose to fight on our own side, just happened that the K-monks had nothing to fear from us.


Maybe that sounds like we are more cold-hearted than we are. Or that we are completely mercenary. But the friggin devil pirates will get no quarter from us. They are the reason we are here after all. And not just here, but marooned, in the desert, Doc Archie dead, and fighting for our lives.


So, we killed the pirates. At least most of them, at least two ran off, but we were too beaten up to pursue them. Their vehicle, maybe an explorer, would have been nice. Really nice. By killing and chasing off the pirates, we saved the K-monk hunting party. So now we're friends. At least cautious allies. As I said, they are a cautious lot.


That's fine though. They told us about a pirate outpost where we believe the two surviving expedition members are being held. They were hanging with the K-monks when they were captured. So, they led us part of the way there, days away by foot. That vehicle would have been nice huh?


More strange drak on this planet. Some canyon sized canal all dried up now. And I mentioned the rollephants and spitters before right? They were in the plains of shard grass. Grass that grows it's own sheath of silica, cuts you up pretty bad just moving through it day after day. Then the elephants with rollers for mowing down the grass rather than tusks. And the rodents that spit acid to dissolve the silica sheaths. Will leave those to the xeno's when they come. Though Daniel was pretty interested in studying them and we gave him some time before moving on. I mean we're not really here to study flora and fauna.


Strange stuff going down on this planet. Maybe that's why the pirates are here? Anyway now we've reached the outpost, or at least can see lights from it. We're going to figure out how to take the place. Dead pirates are the best type of pirate. And taking their gear will be just a little bit of the payback they are due.

[dulux-oz]

Again, nice.

Although for the record, you ARE supposed to be "discovering" the fauna, flora and geography

[LordEntrails]

Again, nice.

Although for the record, you ARE supposed to be "discovering" the fauna, flora and geography

Thanks! But don't tell me what my job is!

My job was NOT to be disarmed by my allies, and then to have those allies prove incompetent and allow pirates to take the ship. And then to have those same allies set the ship they are supposed to transport us on to self-destruct!!

Besides, we are discovering the flora and fauna. We may not be studying it as if we were some scientific expedition with a full logistics supply chain on vacation on a some pacified and peaceful planet.

Nope, we have no supply chain. Our logistics are what we can scrounge from a strange planet and carry on our backs. We're being hunted by pirates, who have a fully supported supply chain. They have jet copters, land vehicles, and probably a space ship or two.

And then if we don't get off planet, or at least get a report back to the holy GTF, they will never know about any of the flora or fauna that we have discovered. Or that the group we are supposed to be rescuing discovered.

SO DON'T TELL ME MY JOB!

(Ah, almighty and benevolent GM, you do know that is in character right? Really,its all about role playing, no disrespect or challenge to your merciful and omnipotence intended! Oh please please please don't punish my poor character!)

[dulux-oz]

(Ah, almighty and benevolent GM, you do know that is in character right? Really,its all about role playing, no disrespect or challenge to your merciful and omnipotence intended! Oh please please please don't punish my poor character!)