09 Cinders
Plot Hook
Objective: 6 Save an ally in peril
Adversaries: 2 Outlaws
Rewards: 6 A unique item of power
Plot Hook
Objective: 5 Restore something broken
Adversaries: 1 A powerful organization
Rewards: 4 Support of an ally
Topic Focus
4S Community (mystical)
NPC Generator
Identity: JD Leader (technical)
Goal: 5D Restore (technical)
Features: 3 Obvious physical trait
- 4C Old (physical)
Attitude to PCs: 3 About average
Conversation: 5H History (social)
Koko finds an interesting job, specifically it is planetside Stillfield and that place is a dead rock full of sharp discussed fossil grass and not much else. Apparently a salvage team found an outpost ruins under a crash site by accident and hired a researcher to investigate. Currently said researcher is hiding in the ruins from bandits salvaging a claimed spot. Primary is to extract the researcher, secondarily clear the site, and where possible minimize collateral damage to the site itself.
PoI - plus 1 common, Threat Level 5
Set the Scene
Koko lands the Hunter Platform a few clicks out over a ridge and sets out on foot to survey the site from grass.
Complication: 6 Things actually go as planned
Altered Scene: 4 Normal
Stealth 0 - Sneaking through the grass? the stone grass that is razor sharp? Yeah that doesn't go well...
Failure Move
3 Offer a Choice
Koko can press on through the grass or go over in plain sight. she treks through, remaining undiscovered and healing up with some survival kibble before poking her out too far. at least that's the plan.
Dungeon Entrance
Dungeon Theme:
How it looks: 2H Small (social)
How it is used: 7D Create (technical)
Location: 1 Typical area
Encounter: 2 None
Objects: 2 Nothing, or mundane objects
Exits: 2 additional exits
The crashed cruiser has been stripped bare but yellow glows can be seen from below within the wreck and beside it. possibly 2 separate entry options. No one is visible topside at the moment, whatever bandits are here must have a remote ship on standby, wouldn't want to land on top of underground ruins, that might have been what happened to the cruiser ...
With no one topside Koko takes her planned snack break before approaching the glowing hole inside the wreck. Mostly just to get a hard visual the wreck is fully clear.
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 3 Living area or meeting place
Encounter: 1 None
Objects: 5 Something valuable
Exits: 1 Dead end
Underground in the ruins there are somehow still functioning yellow guide light strips along ancient stone masonry. This particular room looks to be some kind of living quarter, but it's been picked clean of its original contents and the door and hall have been collapsed by the cruiser above. There is however some bandit tech left behind to salvage...
She can immediately see why it's here and why it's discarded. It's a plated flight suit with telepathic bonding capabilities. Super handy if there are any sentient creatures down here, there must not be.
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 3 Living area or meeting place
Encounter: 2 None
Objects: 1 Nothing, or mundane objects
Exits: 3 1 additional exit
The hole in the outside of the ship heads into the hall, there are various living quarters like since kind of dormitories but all are either crushed or looted already
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 5 Area with a special feature
Encounter: 4 Hostile enemies
Objects: 5 Something valuable
Exits: 6 2 additional exits
The next room is a large open space with what looks like a functional teleportation beacon but also somehow made of glowing yellow stone? It's ancient and also surrounded by assholes with guns at the moment.
Combat - Koko rushes in, there is nowhere to hide and so time is her only advantage. She drops who she assumes is the leader first and then slowly mows through the 3 others taking heavy fire into her Cryo Shield. Beaten up badly from the hail of bullets she stops to snack, both on the bandits and the actually restorative survival kibble. The bandit leader had an uplink to an AI SDA with a specialty in athletics, she uploads it into her ship. The beacon... it's worth a fortune a teleportation beacon with a sub minute cycle time is basically impossible, yet here it is, and it's made of rocks.
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 3 Living area or meeting place
Encounter: 2 None
Objects: 2 Nothing, or mundane objects
Exits: 2 Dead end
Another collapsed living area is off to the side of the room opposite the other living area, built out like wings around this central teleportation hub.
Dungeon Crawler
Location: 3 Living area or meeting place
Encounter: 4 Hostile enemies
Objects: 5 Something valuable
Exits: 3 1 additional exit
A third branch goes into a slightly more intact living area where bandits are mining out one of the rooms. Not oblivious to the gunfire hear prior they are ready for Koko and open fire immediately
Yes/No (Even)
With 2 injured bandits left can researcher rescue themself?
3,2 No
Combat - Koko absorbs the fire and rushes in to let the cryo shield work it's magic. she goes down in the process but so do all but 2 of 7 bandit miners.
Yes/No (Likely)
can the researcher rescue Koko?
2,5 No
Failure Move
4 Advance a Threat
Topic Focus
7S Enemies (mystical)
Set the Scene
Koko wakes up in living quarters made from stone with yellow glow out strips built into the stone... but this one has a window... into space... Nothing separating space from the room but it's still pressurized and comfortable. From what she can see of the stars she is nowhere near where they once were.
Complication: 1 Hostile forces oppose you
Altered Scene: 2 Normal
The researcher and the bandits are all here too!
Yes/No (Likely)
Is there an outside intervention?
4,3 Yes
A humanoid alien creature appears in the room out of nowhere and brandishes the beam of radiant plasma in front of the bandits as they attack before striking them down.
Topic Focus
3C Allies (physical)
The obsidian humanoid deactivates the weapon and turns to the researcher and asks if this one is his ally. Looking at Koko the researcher nods. Confirming she was there to save him, though they never have met before.
Topic Focus
3D Allies (technical)
The alien guard confirms that Koko is not specifically a researcher or assistant or close friend.
Topic Focus
KS A Faction (mystical)
The alien guard asks the researcher to explain the alien presence. The researcher explains they are currently in a dead arm of the galaxy and that these are what remain of their ancestors Exodus from the Milky Way in this branch of the galaxy. The alien emits a soundless laugh, like the researchers explanation was woefully incomplete. Then instructs Koko to leave the site on their return. Confused Koko tries to press for more information but they find themselves back in the original ruins at the beacon, surrounded by alien guards repairing the site in silence.
Yes/No (Even)
Is the researcher present here?
4,3 Yes
Not to look the advanced alien species in the mouth, Koko collects the researcher and returns them safely. News about the encounter spreads with fascination but with no way to reach the dead arm it might as well be legend. With the spoils Koko did manage to keep for herself and the reward, she invests a great deal of time into modifying her firearm load out with special and heavy rounds to assist with crowds and hunts. She has to up her game if she is going to survive long enough to purchase a Cloning Pod, so the financial setback is an investment.