16. The Calm

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Pursuit
Game Master
Posts: 1211
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:21 am

16. The Calm

Post by Pursuit »

Conditions: Stop me if you've heard this before, but it's hot. The swamp is always hot and muggy and full of bugs and insects. In the aftermath of the battle with the Haunting Children, however, there is pleasant breeze, and the playground offers you some dry, level ground on which to rest.

Waiting Game: Norona has made the right signals, but there is no instantaneous communication with the local Psi-Stalkers, not even for him. There's nothing much to do now except be patient until the local stalkers arrive.

The children, for their part, are exhausted. Having fed, they found themselves somewhere that felt safe (curled up in the APC) and are fast asleep. Short of another pitched battle to disturb them, they will likely be unconscious for hours.

Name Your Prize: The party now has at least several hours to kill until Norona's signal is answered. This is your opportunity to write an interlude sharing a story about your character while you wait. Roll 1d4 and write a post following the guidelines below:
  • 1. Spades: A great victory or personal triumph.
  • 2. Hearts: A tale of the hero's greatest love— lost, found, present, or waiting on her back home.
  • 3. Diamonds: Something your hero wants or already has. It might be a material possession, recognition, a political goal, or even a trip he wishes to take to some amazing destination.
  • 4. Clubs: A tale of misfortune from your hero's past, perhaps revealing something of his Hindrances or a dark secret.
You can write your interlude as a story told at the campfire, or as your character thinking on something, or whatever seems best to you.

At the end of your interlude, name your own reward for doing the interlude. I want you each to come up with something you feel would be cool and appropriate for your individual character. I am purposefully not giving you examples; I want to see what you come up with on your own. If you pick something I feel is too outlandish, I'll dial you back if need be, but otherwise your imagination is the limit. Feel free to ask me questions beforehand if you'd like to "pre-approve" something, but this is your chance to come up with your own GM reward. :D
Curse of the Crimson Throne GM Bennies: 3/6

Lost Colony GM Bennies: 7/6

Dark Frontier GM Bennies: 6/6
User avatar
Sierra Mackenzie
Posts: 185
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:15 pm

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Sierra Mackenzie »

Dinosaur Swamp/Jungle Castle
Late afternoon
Hot, humid, buggy, everything difficult terrain (knee deep water)
Round 0
OOC Comments
Rolled a Diamond. Not sure about the reward yet. Hmmm...
Reward
How about a PPE battery of 5 PPE so I don't have to have those points locked out from my personal PPE to keep my armor running?
Sierra stumbled into the APC, still holding her stomach. She glared at the sleeping kids. The bite marks on her arms hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“I can’t believe you let those vampires feed on me,” Sierra muttered as she fell down into her seat with a groan. She started undoing her armor and peeled off her shirt, sitting there in only her bra. A massive bruise extended across her stomach, despite Norona’s healing attempts. She winced and downed more moonshine in an effort to dull the pain, her eyes going a bit glassy from pain and moonshine. Moving just caused more pain.

“I jus...I jus’ wanted a normal life…” she murmured, the bottle hanging limply in her hands, her head back on the seat. “Jus’ a normal life, an’ no’ bein’ a spice whore like my mum…” Her head lolled a bit in her drunken delirium. “A nice guy -- or girl. Mebbe a house, not a roach an’ rat tenement. Maybe flippin’ burgers and Burger Hut. Do you want fries with’at?” She giggled. “Maybe somethin’ my dad would be proud of…” She giggled. “My dad’s hot.” She grew more somber. “Why didn’t he stick ‘round. I bet it was me. Ima bad girl…” Sierra started to snore a little.
Everything Burns
[dice:qyqcl83g]56534:0[/dice:qyqcl83g]
3-10: Anything highly flammable burns.
6-10: Anything flammable burns.
8-9: Water boils away over [dice:qyqcl83g]56534:1[/dice:qyqcl83g] rounds.
10: Anything not flammable burns or melts (metal, stone, ceramic, etc) and water superheats and evaporates immediately.
***

(1 Wound, no penalties)
Liquid Courage: Vigor d10, Toughness: 14 (6), ignore 1 point of Wounds (1 hour)
Injury: Guts, Broken: Agility reduced to d4 (goes away when healed)
Character Tracker
Sierra Character Sheet
Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(6)
Encumbrance: 25/28
Battle Hardened (armor): +2 to Soak
Combat Reflexes (armor): +2 to Unshake
Danger Sense: Notice to avoid surprise
Improved Nerves of Steel (armor): Ignore 2 points of Wound penalties
Liquid Courage: Vigor d10, Toughness: 14 (6), ignore 1 point of Wounds (1 hour)
Read the Flames
Respect: +2 Charisma bonus when dealing with residents of Avanzada Seca
SLOOT Suit: Armor can become transparent.
ISP: 21/40 (5 locked for armor)
Bennies: 4/3
Adventure Card
  • Turncoat: Your hero somehow convinces or bribes a minor foe to perform a small favor—such as helping the hero escape, revealing the location of the “boss,” etc."
  • Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
  • Rally: Play to cause all allies in sight and/or hearing to immediately lose their Shaken status.
Last edited by Sierra Mackenzie on Sat Aug 03, 2019 3:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Character Tracker
Sierra Character Sheet
Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(6)
Encumbrance: 25/28
Battle Hardened (armor): +2 to Soak
Combat Reflexes (armor): +2 to Unshake
Danger Sense: Notice to avoid surprise
Improved Nerves of Steel (armor): Ignore 2 points of Wound penalties
Liquid Courage: Vigor d10, Toughness: 8, ignore 1 point of Wounds (1 hour)
Read the Flames
Respect: +2 Charisma bonus when dealing with residents of Avanzada Seca
SLOOT Suit: Armor can become transparent.
ISP: 35/40 (5 locked for armor)
Bennies: 3/3
Adventure Card
  • Tale Teller: Your hero must tell a story of his group’s deeds to an audience of some sort (roleplay this) and make a Persuasion roll. If successful, the listeners become friendly and helpful to the entire party.
  • Parley: All characters cease fighting and listen to the hero speak for at least 30 seconds. Others may only take defensive actions during this time. This has no effect on beasts and other creatures that cannot understand the speaker.
Norona

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Norona »

[dice:352kdsaq]56536:0[/dice:352kdsaq]

"The children did you no harm, it is the nature of things," Norona informs Sierra without much emotion. "I was ready to feed them myself but intervened too late."

Live and let live. It is a philosophy Norona strives to live by. To allow light and life to flourish. Even killing your enemies is a source of sadness. Unless, of course, those enemies were of darkness and flame. Which happens all too often on this savage world.

As Sierra mourns lost dreams Norona nods, more than polite agreement, but something more sombre. "It seems this world takes much of our dreams from us. I have only just recently admitted to myself that I have given up on my dream of returning home. This swamp is as close as I have come in a long time and I imagine I will be it's warden until the ascended call me to the celestial halls. If they can even find me here."

"And, to emulate your frankness Sierra, I don't deserve to return home. The Raptor King was a test. By killing him, and failing to revive him, I killed a part of myself...perhaps the last part connected to my homeland. I have become part of this world, in all its brutality and beauty, and am anchored here forever."

Going silent for a moment the elf ponders his fate, then sits down next to the bruised Burster, 'I do not eat meat, nor know what fries are, but your dream of Burger Hut is worth holding onto."
User avatar
Toshiro 'Cybermonk'
Posts: 104
Joined: Fri May 04, 2018 9:19 am

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Toshiro 'Cybermonk' »

OOC Comments
Roll [dice:3njxiaky]56572:0[/dice:3njxiaky]
Seeing the two children, a young girl and a slightly older boy, dozing peacefully in the vehicle brings a smile to Toshiro's face. While the party recoups from their recent battle, Toshiro takes a moment to replay some old recording from his childhood. His family had traveled far and wide in the early years of Toshiro's father's caravan, back when his father, and therefore the entire family, accompanied every expedition. Toshiro peruses through video, everything from frolicking through the flower meadows of Colorado and splashing in the crystal clear lakes of Michigan.

His father didn't appear in many of the video-memories. He had always been busy with the details of business, but Toshiro smiles sadly when the loving countenance of his mother appears on the screen inside his eye. The image of her smiling face brings up another memory, one not recorded, but all too easy to relive...

Toshiro was 14, just old enough for his father to assigning meaningful responsibilities to. He had been underneath one of the large trucks, working to replace the exhaust system when the alarm from the sentry suddenly sounded, and then just as suddenly stopped.

"What the..." Toshiro heard from a nearby mechanic, who happened to be working on a vehicle close to the edge of the clearing in which they had camped. The man's horrified screams drowned out he rapid clicking sound Toshiro had faintly heard. With all haste, and without second thought for the poor mechanic, Toshiro started running for the center of camp, where his family usually stayed.

Gunshots and shotgun blasts echoed throughout the camp as Toshiro sprinted toward his families RV. He swerved to the east to stop by and grab his terrified sister from the RV of a family with a girl about Kaiko's age. As he approached the RV, he saw one of the monsters that was attacking the camp.

A giant spider, about the size of a greyhound perched on the hood of the car, thrashing at the windshield, the only thing between it and the two huddled forms in the front seats of the car. With each strike Toshiro could hear the faint sound of splintering glass, and he could see the cracks spreading across the windshield. Without hesitation Toshiro reached down and grabbed the largest stone he thought he could throw. "Leave my sister alone!" he shouted, and hurled the rock at the beast. Miraculously, the stone connected, sending the spider tumbling over the side of the vehicle.

It wasn't a second before the creature had recovered and hopped back on the hood of the RV. This time though, it's attention wasn't on the windshield, but on the scrawny teenage boy who had assaulted it. Fangs bared, it raised it's fore legs and made an odd hissing sound. Then, with agility unbecoming something so large, it leapt off the hood directly at Toshiro. Frozen in terror, all Toshiro was able to do was gets his arms up between his body and the massive arachnid, preventing the creature from sinking it's fangs into Toshiro's flesh when it landed. Both fell to the ground, Toshiro under the hulking spider as it thrashed with its four front most legs at Toshrio, all while trying to sink its venomous fangs into the boy's side. Toshiro resisted for what felt like eternity, but was really only a few seconds. Then, just as Toshiro's strength was slackening, a honed blade sliced through the air, and the spiders abdomen, spraying gooey green ichor across Toshiro's face.

Before he could even recover from the assault, Toshiro's father had him by the shoulders and was shaking him lightly. "Where is she?" he said, a desperate gleam in his eye. Confusion must have crossed Toshiro's face as he looked toward the RV that hid Kaiko and her friend. Toshiro's father grabbed his face and turned it so he was looking the older man directly in they eye. "Your Mother. Where is she? She was going to check on you.."

It was a day and a half later that they found Toshiro's mother, wrapped up in a webbed cocoon, face pale and gaunt, and two small holes poking through the cocoon into her chest.
OOC Comments
Toshiro's Character Sheet
Wounds: 0/4; Fatigue: 0/3; [/size]

Parry: 5 (+4 from chip and sword)[/size]
Toughness: 23(12 MDC)[/size]
Active Effects
Chips: +3DT Fighting +1DT Electronics
Sword: +2 DT Fighting, Absorption (Metal and Kinetic), +2 DT Strength [/size]

Notable Edges: Woodsman, Quick, Brawny, I know a Guy, Nerves of Steel, Danger Sense, Improved Arcane Resistance, Ace, Combat Ace, Elan[/size]


Bennies: 1/3 [/size]
-1 for shooting reroll
+1 for commiting near suicide (being outside the vehicle)
-2 for agility rerolls


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Kuikku
Posts: 236
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 10:20 am

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Kuikku »

[dice:14254eoo]56573:0[/dice:14254eoo]

As the group waits for Norona's Psi-Stalker contacts Kuikku takes the time to check on everyone. He spends a moment with each person talking to them and asking how they are doing in an attempt to determine their mood and focus. Everyone appears to be well enough off so he checks on the kids they rescued. Seeing them sleeping there stirs memories of him and his brother, Albert.
The were never real close but kept in regular contact. That is until Casandra came into their lives. Most non-Quindorrans consider all Quick Flex to be agile but she was much more than that. She moved with a grace that often made even the most coordinated feel like the were stumbling along barely staying upright. Flowing black hair and a build that turned many heads.

Kuikku and Albert were at the market when they first saw her. They were arguing over which fruit was best when she walked by. Their eyes followed her, their disagreement forgotten. As she turned a corner they both blinked regaining the ability to think. Looking at each other they simultaneously said 'dibs'. Laughing they returned to picking stuff for dinner.

Two days later she knocked on their door. Kuikku answered and she introduced herself. While she was explaining what she was doing there, something about helping a family in the next block, all he could do was soak in her beauty. It was when she repeated her question, “Can you help?”, that Albert pushed Kuikku aside and stated that he would be glad to help. They walked away talking details while Kuikku just stood there and glowered.

Over the next few weeks Albert and Casandra grew closer and Kuikku grew more bitter. Every time he tried to spend time with Casandra something would happen where Albert would show up and her attention would shift to him. One day Kuikku and Albert got into an argument over something, something stupid, and Kuikku screamed “I wish I had no brother!” and stormed out taking his few belongings with him. Three days later Casandra moved in with Albert.

Over the next few years Kuikku told himself that it was his training to become a Knight that prevented him from trying to mend things with his brother. Eventually 'it has been too long' became the excuse. One day, shortly after graduating, he saw them waking down the street together. They looked happy and the two kids with them must have been theirs. The next day Kuikku asked for an assignment away from The Castle as soon as possible.
When this is over, providing I survive, I need to get back in touch with them. They are happy and my life is too dangerous to have a partner at home worrying about me all the time. Sighing he turns and walks away. I wonder what kind of uncle I will be?

OOC Comments
Love lost of both Casandra and my brother.

Taking Rapid Recharge.
Last edited by Kuikku on Tue Aug 06, 2019 2:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Character
Kuikku
Parry: 8
Toughness: 14(6)
Toughness with Cyber-Armor active: 20(8) MDC
Norona

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Norona »

While the group sits somewhat somberly, waiting for the arrival of the psi-stalkers Norona spots a small stand of slender trees with nearly pur white bark. Absently, he drifts over and examines it. It appears like everwood. Carefully he bends a thick branch feeling its tensile strength. Perhaps it is. How strange to see it so far from home. Like a flash, Norona receives a picture in his mind of a bow crafted from the white wood and feels the spirit of the swamps offering to honor him with a gift. Reaching up Norona tugs on the branch again this time it curves effortlessly in his hands. He pulls a thin silver strand of of fibrous material from the bark of the tree and fastens it off tautly to either end of the curve.

Smiling broadly Norona feels suddenly warmed. A small piece of home here in the darkest parts of this strange, new, world. The gift from the genius loci that settles his restless soul but also completes a pact. This is his new home, and this bow part of his new calling to protect it. Starting with whatever darkness plagues the jungle castle.
User avatar
Deezy Klatta
Silver Patron
Silver Patron
Posts: 337
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 12:40 pm

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Deezy Klatta »

DEEZ

[dice:2bu4m604]56621:0[/dice:2bu4m604]
OOC Comments
Player Name: Salmon Max
Google Handle: samminmax@gmail.com

Character Name: [urk=http://savagerifts.com/sr/viewtopic.php ... =167#p1803]Dorothy Zane “DZ” Klatta[/url]
Rank:Novice Experience: 10 (7/30/17) Advances Left: 0
Race: Human
Iconic Framework: Techno-Wizard
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Charisma: -1; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 12 (6); PPE: 20
Skills:
Knowledge: Arcana d10
Knowledge: Engineering d10 (+1)
Knowledge: Science d6
Knowledge: Electronics d10 (+1)
Repair d10 (+2 Edge, +4 armor (inc TW bonus))
Investigate d6 (+2)
Techno-Wizardry d10
Fighting
Notice
Shooting d6 (+3 w/revolver)

Hindrances
Overconfident (Major): Never give up...NEVER SURRENDER!
Greedy (Minor): Building something like this is going to take a load of bread to capitalize...where’m I gonna get the money?!
Habit (Minor): Too hyperactive!

Edges
Edge: Master of Magic (mega-magic ENGAGE)
Edge: Extra PPE (+5 PPE)
Edge: Mr Fixit (+2 Repair, halve time required on raise)
Edge: Investigator (+2 to Investigate, Streetwise, and Notice to sort through evidence)
Edge: Improved Recharge (recover 1 PPE/.5 hour)

Gizmos (spells):
AEGIS (Active ElectroGravitational Interception System)
Armor (2PPE, +2 armor/+4 on raise, duration 3 (+1/rnd), touch)
Greater Armor (5PPE, +5 MDC armor/+10 on raise, duration 3 (+1/rnd) touch)

Omniblaster
Bolt (1PPE/2d6 missile (up to 3), 2PPE/3d6 missile, 12/24/48)
Onslaught (2PPE/3d6MD missile (up to 4), 4PPE/6d6MD missile, 18/36/72)

TIAMAT (Thaumic Imaging And Magical Ambiance Testing)
Detect/Conceal Arcana (2PPE, sense supernatural creatures, objects or effects)
Exalted Detect/Conceal Arcana (4PPE, gain more info, 2PPE to analyze creature)

ROCKET BOOTS (No acronym; just rockets in boots)
Flight (3PPE, fly at Pace; 6PPE, 2x Pace, duration 3 (+1/rnd), touch)
Swift Flight (8PPE, 4x Pace and -1 to be hit; 10PPE 8x Pace and -2 to be hit, duration 3 (+1/rnd) touch)

Gear
Triax T-13 Field Mechanic
Armor 6, +1 Toughness, Full environment, 18lbs
Laser Torch, 3d6MD, RoF 1, AP 3, 4/8/16
Extensible Manipulator: Reach 1, Str 1d6, 1d6+1d4 dmg in melee w/laser finger
Optical Enhancements; 10x mag, thermal vision, spectrographic scanner, +2 Repair
10 mile communication, nightvision, loudspeaker, laser rangefinder


TW Revolver
2d6+2 dmg, RoF 1, AP 4, 6 shots, 12/24/48
+1 Shooting skill (Minor TW Augmentation)
2PPE to charge, 2PPE to make Mega-damage


TechnoWizard Specialized Toolkit
I use it for techno things that also involve wizardry.

NG-S2 Survival Pack
2 person tent, +20% water supplies
Sleeping bag
Flashlight w/knife; solar
Inertial compass (+2 to Survival to navigate)
Short range (5 mile) radio
First aid kit (+1 to healing; 3 uses)
Hunting/Fishing kit (+1 to Survival to forage)
Three ‘saw wires’
Fire starter
Survival Knife, hatchet, wooden cross
4 signal flares
Climbing kit w/30 rope
Soap and washcloth
Canteen
2 weeks rations


Credits: 2000
User avatar
Sierra Mackenzie
Posts: 185
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:15 pm

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Sierra Mackenzie »

Dinosaur Swamp/Jungle Castle
Late afternoon
Hot, humid, buggy, everything difficult terrain (knee deep water)
Round 0

Sierra roused herself from her drunken slumber and stumbled out of the RV. “Need a piss,” she said, drifting off around the corner of the building where she could have some privacy. It hurt like hell, and there was definitely blood. God damn, she’d had a number done to her.

One the way back, Sierra stepped on something in the grass. She knelt down and pulled it out. It was some kind of cylinder with two crystals on the end and that weird greenish-purple-yellow color wiring that Deezy used.

Getting back to camp, Sierra consulted the techno-wizard, who got her usual excited self. Apparently is was a small PPE battery. Deezy took a moment to fit it to Sierra’s armor, saying she wouldn’t have to power it with her own energy anymore.

“Cool,” Sierra said. “Like, how long are we sitting here waiting? Because I’m starving.”
Everything Burns
[dice:2246f8k1]56752:0[/dice:2246f8k1]
3-10: Anything highly flammable burns.
6-10: Anything flammable burns.
8-9: Water boils away over [dice:2246f8k1]56752:1[/dice:2246f8k1] rounds.
10: Anything not flammable burns or melts (metal, stone, ceramic, etc) and water superheats and evaporates immediately.
***

(1 Wound, no penalties)
Liquid Courage: Vigor d10, Toughness: 14 (6), ignore 1 point of Wounds (1 hour)
Injury: Guts, Broken: Agility reduced to d4 (goes away when healed)
Character Tracker
Sierra Character Sheet
Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(6)
Encumbrance: 25/28
Battle Hardened (armor): +2 to Soak
Combat Reflexes (armor): +2 to Unshake
Danger Sense: Notice to avoid surprise
Improved Nerves of Steel (armor): Ignore 2 points of Wound penalties
Liquid Courage: Vigor d10, Toughness: 14 (6), ignore 1 point of Wounds (1 hour)
Read the Flames
Respect: +2 Charisma bonus when dealing with residents of Avanzada Seca
SLOOT Suit: Armor can become transparent.
ISP: 26/40
Bennies: 4/3
Adventure Card
  • Turncoat: Your hero somehow convinces or bribes a minor foe to perform a small favor—such as helping the hero escape, revealing the location of the “boss,” etc."
  • Enemy: Play at the beginning of the game session. A villain of the GM’s choice becomes your character’s sworn enemy and you may not soak wounds caused directly by him. Starting now, you draw an extra Adventure Card each game session until the enemy is “retired.”
  • Rally: Play to cause all allies in sight and/or hearing to immediately lose their Shaken status.
Character Tracker
Sierra Character Sheet
Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(6)
Encumbrance: 25/28
Battle Hardened (armor): +2 to Soak
Combat Reflexes (armor): +2 to Unshake
Danger Sense: Notice to avoid surprise
Improved Nerves of Steel (armor): Ignore 2 points of Wound penalties
Liquid Courage: Vigor d10, Toughness: 8, ignore 1 point of Wounds (1 hour)
Read the Flames
Respect: +2 Charisma bonus when dealing with residents of Avanzada Seca
SLOOT Suit: Armor can become transparent.
ISP: 35/40 (5 locked for armor)
Bennies: 3/3
Adventure Card
  • Tale Teller: Your hero must tell a story of his group’s deeds to an audience of some sort (roleplay this) and make a Persuasion roll. If successful, the listeners become friendly and helpful to the entire party.
  • Parley: All characters cease fighting and listen to the hero speak for at least 30 seconds. Others may only take defensive actions during this time. This has no effect on beasts and other creatures that cannot understand the speaker.
User avatar
Conrad
Posts: 388
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 12:01 am

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by Conrad »

Conrad

The giant Grackletooth sat off to one side; he wasn't sure what was bothering him, only that he increasingly felt more isolated from the team. He kept an eye on the kids to make sure they were alright but that they didn't try feasting on any of the others. He wasn't even a snack to them.

[dice:a0f888l0]56833:0[/dice:a0f888l0]

His desire to meet Erin Tarn
User avatar
White Castle
Posts: 147
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2019 10:13 am

Re: 16. The Calm

Post by White Castle »

Interlude _
Interlude (1d4) [dice:2wec4nhx]56920:0[/dice:2wec4nhx]
3. Diamonds: Something your hero wants or already has. It might be a material possession, recognition, a political goal, or even a trip he wishes to take to some amazing destination.
Castle had come to the swamps following a lead. If the pamphlet he held had not been sealed in the plastic and well maintained after all these years, it surely would have been less interesting. All the pamphlet said was that this magical place was in the state of Florida in the United States, both of which no longer existed under those names.

Disney-World-resort-map-768x444-600x347.png

Quite a land of fantasy for sure. Something purely magical. Something that was strong enough to endure the Great Cataclysm and the insuing Apocalypse. Surely a place that was rumored to hold so much happiness and good memories, had weathered the last several hundred years better than any other place that he had visited in his travels.

Castle looked at the pamphlet once more as he headed into the school. Rolling it back up and stowing it in his pack. Those hauntlings could really use a place of joy and happiness like Disney World.
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