02 Prospective Rescue
Plot Hook
Objective: 6 Save an ally in peril
Adversaries: 1 A powerful organization
Rewards: 6 A unique item of power
A small prospecting craft has gone radio silent after sending a distress beacon. The USCMC is interested in getting the data back ... and the ship... oh and the prospector if it's convenient. The reward is an old galaxy artifact from the archives. An oddly high reward for a moderate risk salvage and rescue mission even one with this many unknowns.
Vela accepts and a non transferable requisition value is forwarded to her account ...
How Much
how large is the requisition budget?
1 Surprisingly lacking
10Kp... Vela knows these tactics. They are sending out multiple crews to ensure success and minimize the cost of failure. Whatever data this prospector has collected must be extremely valuable and there will certainly be competition.
How Much
What is the threat level of the system?
2 Less than expected
How Much
How many major bodies in the system?
1 Surprisingly lacking
Topic Focus
Major body theme?
6S Future Plans (mystical)
The body has significant pressure and deep oceans that promote crystal formations for Avian power crystals, a poorly understood low tech power source that can be used to craft nearly magical gadgets. Technically Pixel Printers can just fabricate them but they are so dense and complex that the cost is immense.
with the initial funding Vela leans mostly to Tatu gearing up since they didn't have much of their own. Tatu has a Heavy self sealing diving suit custom printed for them as well as a dive knife and a rebreather mouthpiece. Vela mostly restocks food supplies Tatu, preserved meats, and ammunition for her various firearms with the rest of the money.
Hex Terrain
Terrain: 2 Same as current hex
Contents: 5 Nothing notable
The Blue Margin lands and searches the depths near the last known location of the prospector. Using the ships advanced scanner they comb through the area in a day instead of a week. this will give them an advantage over the competition, who they have yet to confirm exist or not.
Hex Event
3 None
Hex Terrain
Terrain: 6 Rare terrain
Contents: 3 Nothing notable
Searching the next area the next day find a field of power crystals. either they are very lucky or this planet is even more rich than expected. which might be why the Company wants this information so badly
Hex Event
5 Random Event then Set the Scene
Random Event:
What happens: 9D Command (technical)
Involving: 4C Community (physical)
They come across another USCMC ship in the depths and are told to leave the area since the crew searching this sector has been here 3 days now. Vela puts up a mock fight and eventually leaves peacefully since they have already finished scanning on the first day anyway. at least they know they are not fully alone here now.
Hex Terrain
Terrain: 1 Same as current hex
Contents: 2 Nothing notable
They attend the next day scanning to the north in the same crystal field, surprised it takes up multiple sectors at all, but not finding anything remarkable yet.
Hex Event
6 Random Event then Set the Scene
Random Event:
What happens: 5C Move (physical)
Involving: QD Equipment (technical)
Near the end of the day of scanning they get a hit on an electrical signal that indicates machinery. Thinking it's another USCMC search ship or maybe the prospector they hail out over the radio but get no return communication.
Yes/No (Even)
Tracking the signal down with the scanner to direct visual range, is it the prospector vehicle (or parts of it)?
5,1 Yes but...
it is the prospector vehicle but it's not whole and it's being dragged by...
Topic Focus
what sort of thing is dragging it?
5H History (social)
... a salvager band of penguin pirates! Ship to ship combat is rare but these pirates pretty much are always the exception. usually going unchallenged as few ships support external weaponry. Vela makes the call to engage.
Yes/No (Even)
Does the pirate craft have enough DR to survive the hit from the Stasis Cannon?
1,4 No
Vela attempts to disable the pirate craft but instead it collapses, far below its crush depth after the hull is ruptured even a little.
Yes/No (Even)
Any useful salvage from the pirate ship?
4,4 Yes
There is a mind control device from the pirate ship, it's a good thing the cannon took the thing out in one shot (especially since that is all the shots the cannon has)
The device is too big to take aboard since the blue margin is packed full of equipment already. Vela runs it through the pixel printer converting it into 1Kp
Yes/No (Even)
Does the partial prospector craft have the black box?
3,1 No but...
The black box should be in this part of the craft but it is not. it's also not with the pirate craft wreckage... it's unlikely the USCMC crews found it first and didn't call off the search. There must be more pirates. potentially already off world or maybe still around this area somewhere?
Hex Terrain
Terrain: 1 Same as current hex
Contents: 5 Nothing notable
Another sector full of crystals covering the sea floor. eerily absent of most life, maybe the disturbances scared everything away?
Hex Event
5 Random Event then Set the Scene
Random Event:
What happens: TD Take (technical)
Involving: 7S Enemies (mystical)
Pirates have set up an outpost here already. A Large clear dome platform, still filled with water but pressure controlled for easier habitation with a few smaller structures inside.
Dungeon Entrance
Dungeon Theme:
How it looks: 4D Old (technical)
How it is used: AH Deceive (social)
Location: 4 Working or utility area
Encounter: 3 Hostile enemies
Objects: 6 Rare or special item
Exits: 2 additional exits
Vela and Tatu swim in, attaching the platform would endanger prisoners. If there are any. Vela makes sure to log the reason as not to damage the black box so the record aligns with mission parameters.
The first structure they breach is a mechanical repair station with a few pirate guards and some pretty decent looking gear.
The mechanics rush in and swarm Tatu expect for one crafty looking older penguin that chucks a creature capsule full of some kind of off world burrowing parasites. The parasites and the party both quickly eliminate the mechanics. Tatu is badly wounded from both but thanks to her heavy armor, still quite alive.
The workshop is full of broken gear but one item, obviously the invention of a mad penguin genius, sticks out. A Heal Bat. A long wooden baseball bat with little green medical crosses on it with full regenerative capabilities better than most hospitals and also, you know, bonking things like a bat.
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 1 Typical area
Encounter: 1 None
Objects: 1 Nothing, or mundane objects
Exits: 1 Dead end
the next structure looks like a build site, all potential, no purpose. this area hasn't had a chance to be given a purpose yet. the outpost must be very new.
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 4 Working or utility area
Encounter: 1 None
Objects: 6 Rare or special item
Exits: 6 2 additional exits
This is the pixel printer room with a freshly minted aquatic package for a ship that is even more space efficient than the already upgraded package on the blue margin. they will swap it out later.
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 4 Working or utility area
Encounter: 5 An obstacle blocks the way
Objects: 2 Nothing, or mundane objects
Exits: 4 1 additional exit
Another workshop that has been locked up. they can still see inside through the window though and nothing at the moment screams 'stop and try and loot this place'. it's mostly junk and storage. But seriously, how many workshops do these penguin pirates need? Do they know how to build anything else?
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 3 Living area or meeting place
Encounter: 4 Hostile enemies
Objects: 3 An interesting item or clue
Exits: 2 Dead end
Yes! This area is not in fact a workshop! It's a barracks with lots of cute little penguin beds and a small mess table. On which is the black box... surrounded by decidedly less cute little penguin pirates.
The pirates without their weapons and armor ready are easy to dispatch, but not with Vela getting injured from sheer numbers alone as there were over a dozen pirates!
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 5 Area with a special feature
Encounter: 6 Unique NPC or adversary
Objects: 1 Nothing, or mundane objects
Exits: 2 Dead end
This area is a make shift holding cell with the prospector locked in. the area now clear the pirates dealt with and and the prospector rescued Vela can't imagine what else they could get bonus pay for here in this planet so they pause to install the better aquatic package and then signal the others the search is over
The USCMC is extremely pleased that the data has been recovered! Impressed that the pirates were dealt with. And, make note of the prospector being rescued. As promised Vela and Tatu raid the archive looking for a particular useful thing to share or expensive things to split. They end up splitting the pixel value of the item instead. there is a reason all this stuff is in storage still... Realtime Holo projector ai that highlights combat suggestions for repelling boarders? Interesting, yes, useful, not really anymore.