Session 29: A New Avon Start Report
General Summary
Introduction
*Southern Slow Drawl*: "Alright kids, let's get going."The brown-haired man called out towards the middle of the dusty street as he placed the last crate in the back of his truck. He turned and raised a dirty, weathered hand with wrinkled skin that was nigh indistinguishable from leather to cover his squinting eyes as he peered back into the market. He glanced up through worn fingers up at the sky, clocking the position of the red-tinted sun between the red and blue crossing rings. The sun was almost through the intersection of the rings, they really needed to be getting back soon. He opened his mouth to call out again but stopped abruptly as a girl in corncob yellow pigtails bounced happily out of one of the shops towards where the erected wooden booths ended and the permanent structures began in Market Street. She appeared no more than 12 or 13 and beamed a bright smile that outshone the red-tinted sun shining down above them at her father as she ran forward holding a datapad now covered in a neon-green case. *Young, Eager, Bright* "Dad! They had it in stock! Ms. Lockland also gave me a free copy of the latest 'Terran Girl' book!" The man shook his head once and grinned down at his excited daughter.
*Southern Slow Drawl*: "Well isn't that nice. We'll have to get Ma to whip Ms. Lockland up some of her Crumble to say thank you. Where's Bo?" The girl looked down and gave a slight shrug that he well-knew as 'Of course I know but I don't want to say': "He...he said he'd be right behind me. He was almost done..." She was interrupted by the patter of feet in the distance as a boy of 14 to 15 wearing a ball-cap and overalls came trotting towards the two.
Bo *Boyish, Light Drawl*: "Sorry pa. I just...um, are we ready to go?" The man looked down at the crumbled slip of paper sticking out of the boy's front overall pocket. All that was legible while sticking out was "Join the -" with a few streaks of black and red across the top. Bo seemed to catch his father's recognition and mumbled: "They are just trying to protect us all." The older man sighed and turned toward the truck: "We'll talk about this later. With Ma. Again. We need to get going." The three piled into the cab of the old truck as the red-tinted sun started its slow descent past the intersection of the rings crossing the sky. If not for the light hum of the single balancing hover-repulsor centered below the frame of the dirt-covered vehicle, the jalopy could have passed for any farmhand's truck on old-Earth. The truck rattled along wide dirt roads as the crates of unsold produce and goods for town rumbled in the bed behind them. The roads wound through the arid, dusty plans and hills as the big city became a blimp in the distance. The occasional vehicle passed by, whether black and red hover-trucks or old wheeled farm-haulers like his own. The cluster of side-roads leading to nearby houses, villages, and towns became sparser as they rumbled towards the distant fields with the village they called home; only the rumble of the truck and the faint tunes from the old-radio keeping them company. The bottom edge of the sun touched the horizon after hours of driving along. As Pa felt the familiar warmth and weariness of an open road, honest days work, his kids in the passenger seat, and no other dang people but the lights of a vehicle at least a mile or two in the distance, he felt his eyes growing heavy from the day's journey. He may have drifted a little until Bo suddenly shouted out "Pa! Look out!". The older man jolted awake, slammed the brakes, and swerved the wheel in a desperate attempt to avoid the mountain of a man lying face-up in the middle of his lane. The truck rumbled and screamed as the crates shifted and a wave of dirt cascaded from the screeching tires. As the truck, crates, and occupants shifted back to a heavy stop, the weathered man jumped out of the truck and ran towards the stranger. The massive man lay covered in battle-scarred clothing, dark marks covering part of his back with a blackened soot, a large blade strapped to his back, and what may well be blood stains covering portions of his clothing. The older man recognized the look of a violent man. This was a man that knew combat, whether soldier or mercenary, and one he'd much prefer to keep his family away from. He turned his head slightly from the prone form and saw the wide eyes of his children looking up at him...watching him. Learning in a moment what kind of man their pa was to a stranger in need. Learning lessons of the kind of folks they out to be. With a torn heart and mind screaming example and caution alike, the stranger reached down and shook the form's shoulder. Jason, you felt the moment your hand and intention released the edge of that portal. While your hands white-knuckled the edge of that well, you felt the pressure of forcing ancient alien technology to submit to your will rising and pressing within you. It threatened to shatter your consciousness and leave you floating in the darkness that you now find yourself in. Unbidden, the thoughts came to you soon after while drifting in the darkness with what can only be described as the worst migraine you can imagine anyone has had. The whispers, your own voice, called out to you: "You saved them. You saved almost every single one of them from that hellscape. You can rest. You have earned the rest. Just give into the pressure, let it overwhelm you. Stop resisting and rest." However, in equal measure, you have felt the other faint presence in your mind. Alexa, your family, the girl you refused to leave behind against all odds...you could swear you could almost feel a small hand holding you through this; offering the respite and comfort needed to weather this. The hand, not that she's ever had one, clamped onto yours and refused to let go as the overwhelming pressure slowed lessened, faded, almost felt...manageable. As the pressure lessens and you feel the darkness pulling away, the hand lets go. "Jason...you have to get up. It is time to wake up from this. They aren't safe...yet." You feel the pains and aches of your battered body flood back over you as your eyelids blink open to see a weathered, bearded man crouched over you with an obvious look of concern and fear.
Game Start
As the Session starts, almost everyone is scattered across New Avon and separated from each other due to the Portal's location being the planet of New Avon instead of a city, room, or more direct location.Jason
Choices
Jason was lightly questioned by the farmer and cautiously dodged his questions regarding who he was, who he was with, what he was doing out there, and where he was going. He was able to figure out from there where he was in relation to Colby's Church and accepted the family's offer to ride in the back of the truck towards Hearthome. He took the offer to have the cover pulled up over him to hide him as they drove along. They rode along for a few minutes before the truck approached and they were forced to stop. The guards questioned the older man while the rest of his Blackshirts surrounded and searched the vehicle. They quickly found Jason due to his massive size. He jumped out with a swing, then he talked them down and presented his ID to the Guardian commander of the Patrol. After several tense minutes, the Guardian claimed the ID checked out and they were able to pass unmolested. He rode with the family back to Hearthome, received food and a room, and allowed Alexa to take over his body to hack into the Krasian controlled global network to reach out for his allies.Kyra & Dash
Introduction
Kyra, you feel the weight of Dash on your shoulders. You fight to stay oriented, to hold him tight, and you believe that you succeed. You feel yourself planted, feet down, on the ground with his weight still firmly and exhaustingly pressing down on your shoulders. You blink and clear your vision to see…wheat. Long stalks, taller than your head, swaying in the breeze. You’ve seen things like this before…on New Avon. Your mind flashes back to the party in the small village of Colby’s Church. The long table, the bonfire, the utter joy at the returning of the mayors daughter and her new boyfriend. You remember peace. The memory is damped by the weight of the heavy, unconscious man on your shoulders grunting and shifting slightly. You look up and see his eyes twitching behind his eyelids like he is having a dream. Well, more likely a nightmare after what you have just survived. You look around and see your surroundings. You seem to be firmly in the middle of a wheat field. You faintly see the setting Sun touching the horizon. You see a silo behind you, a dull-red barn to your right, and the top of two buildings, seemingly farmhouses, in the distance in front of you. Your Tsarin squirms uncomfortably in your bag/sling and seems to be trying to wiggle out. What would you like to do?Choices
Kyra hid in the wheat field with Dash. She focused her attention on trying to help Dash and assess their situation. She tried to remain hidden from the noise coming from the Farmhouse, but it startled their Tsarin and he ran. Soon after, Dash awoke and startled Kyra into making noise. This attracted the attention of the local farmer, Huga Norminger. The old man approached the wheat field cautiously with his rickety old shotgun presented. She called out for him from him and they talked briefly as he went to get the medical bag from his wife, Greta. They explained that Krasia had taken over New Avon, prompting a "Fuck Krasia" from the injured Dash. The old man and his wife helped them back inside, though Kyra and Dash weren't able to read the expression on their faces as they helped the armored, injured man. Once inside, they settled Dash in a back room and bandaged him up somewhat. They brought Kyra to the dinner table and began serving stew for them (after explaining that they'd made far more than needed as their daughter and her friends were coming by). Dash and Kyra took a moment to check the global network and sign in using their false credentials. Dash sent out a message to all friends saying "Status" as "Zane Williams" before realizing that ID was compromised. Kyra reached out to them to rendezvous and discuss where they each were from there. Several minutes later, the door opened to reveal their daughter, Thekla, and the other 4 members of her Blackshirt Patrol team. The Normingers pointed and excitedly explained that they had captured some of the violent terrorists and that Thekla should arrest them and gain her promotion immediately. Kyra made to move and the old man pulled the shotgun from beneath the table and leveled it at her chest. The daughter and her friend leveled pistols at Kyra on either side as the other 3 approached the door to Dash's room with prompting from the Normingers. Dash, fortunately, had heard the commotion. He moved himself behind the door to prepare for their entry. When the gun rounded the corner from the first person, he grabbed it, splintered the man's arm, and threw him into the room. He darted around the corner, struck and maneuvered the 2nd Blackshirt into the door, and slammed the door against the 3rd coming for him. He seemed to have things going well, both blackshirts firing and narrowly missing him, as Kyra dissuaded Thekla from firing by planting doubt in her mind. Hugo took that opportunity to fire his shotgun into Kyra chest. Kyra barely saw it coming and narrowly threw herself backwards in her chair against the floor. If not for the rickety nature of the shotgun, it likely would have caught her. Greta, still holding the huge pot of soup, overturned it over where Kyra pushed her chair backwards to avoid the shotgun blast. Kyra saw the pot coming, grabbed both table legs, and slide herself under the table as the hot soup splashed over where her head was moments before. Seeing Kyra assaulted, while still being heavily injured, Dash shouted out military credentials and named himself Admiral Damian McKay. He spun around, put on a military air, and commanded them to stand down. He, aided by a barely saved Kyra, convinced the Blackshirts that not only where they both Krasian officers on a secret mission, they also demanded the Normingers be arrested immediately. After more prodding, they convinced the Blackshirts to hand over the keys to their patrol APC as well as begin cuffing Thekla's own parents. Kyra and Dash exited the building calmly then ran to the vehicle, hopped in, and tore off. Kyra set to ripping out the GPS transponder as they drove along to retrieve their scattered friends.Tumerian Li Shen
Introduction
Tumerian Li Shen, your feet hit the edge of the Portal you helped to unseal as your ally seems to be barely holding the portal together. You feel yourself slipping and shifting through bright lights with spinning and swirling around you. It is both bright and disorienting enough to force you to instinctively slam your eyes shut.A moment later, you feel a sharp pain against your beaten and bruised back. You feel the weight of your body pressing down on something. Your gear? No, no, you threw that out in the throne room. The orb, the cracked edge of the orb that you almost killed yourself to use against Fate, the orb that you used to save Lelial. As you begin to shift, you realize you are flat on your back with the the warm, moist, atmospheric heat that could only be a planet. You feel dust on your arms resting in the dirt.
You hear what sounds like vehicles, people talking far off in the distance, the bustle of human life. You also feel a presence standing over you.
Yuka: “Ye alive? Life’s not likely to end up borin with you around, eh pretty boy? Suppose ye should be glad ye didn’t show up 3 feet to the left, almost ended up with the rest of the trash.”
Choices
Tumerian, hearing Yuka's voice, immediately choice to succumb to unconsciousness. He was awoken several hours later as Yuka desperately told him to move or she was going to leave him. He examined the area before being directed to the people running into their houses on the street in advance of the incoming patrol. They ascertained that there was a curfew in effect and that the patrol was Krasian. They moved to the other end of the alley and saw that there was a similar patrol there on that road. Li felt emboldened and stepped forward wearing his Krasian Demon armor. Yuka saw he planned on waiting for the patrol and bolted into the dumpster to hide. He greeted the patrol when they stopped and saw the numbers he was against. He offered out his ID when they demanded it. One of the patrol scanned the ID. When he went to hand it back, Li barely noticed the sneaky stun-gun approaching in the other hand. Li bolted and led the faster members of patrol on a chase through the city. He saw the high-flying drones and Scouts wearing JumpJets above the city as he ran. He wound up back at Kennio Jenkins Repair Services, snuck in through the back, found the place ransacked and boarded up, then hunkered down. He took time to rest and bandage himself up. He tried to contact the others but found the global network required at a minimum a Krasian Residential ID. The next morning, he hid his Demon armor and disguised himself as he moved through the city. He found some clothing, then he worked his way to a Tavern. He met an old man outside that he befriended in order to sneakily steal his ID to access the global network. He tricked the old man into letting him use his datapad for "work", then when the old man went to pick up drinks that Li paid for, Li failed to access his ID from the machine but found it carelessly labeled on the inside of the datapad's case. He copied it and barely managed to trick the old man in time as the old man sat back down. Li discovered the latest situation on Krasia from the old man. He finished up the conversation after finding the name of a nearby Inn, Hotel Superbia, and the owner Jessa. He tapped into the global network and responded to Dash's question of "status" with his location. He set off in disguise to roam the city awaiting his allies.Rose and Chiara
Introduction
Rose, you feel yourself plunging down into the swirling portal. In the last 10 minutes you have seen the death of at least 2 people, a vision of your mother, and 3 of your shipmates almost die while facing an entity who may well be a god that you rejected. It is fair to say that you feel yourself tossed about by events, so it feels less than fair when the swirling portal seems to evolve into swirling water around you.You feel yourself soaked, sinking, and suffocating as the current your head seems to be caught in drags you under while the waves crest across your legs. You realize, even in the utter panic that you are in, that you are in water, likely an ocean, and that you are fully upside down. Finally, you realize that the weight from your satchel with the orb you saw your mom in is slipping open and the orb is moments from slipping out.
Choices
Rose took a moment to calm her nerves then grab out for her mom's orb. She grabbed it but failed to right herself in the water. She started to get caught in the current with her head being pulled under before she felt a hand grab her wrist.You feel a hand grab for your hand and shout out “grab onto me”! You feel the hand, covered in soaking, scorched fur, right you and come face to face with Chiara’s bright yellow eyes as she struggles to stay upright. She immediately shifts her eyes to avoid direct eye contact with you. You glance past her and see that you are a short swim to the edge of what looks like a section of black sand surrounded by jagged black rocks with a jagged volcanic rock cliff overhead.
Chiara: “We’ve got to get to that beach. Swim carefully, though, these rocks hurt like a bitch.”
You feel the fine, black sand immediately invade your shoes, pants legs, and shirt as you crawl up the beach to safety. You feel the salty water lapping away behind you as you pull yourself up into it.
Chiara crawls beside you, panting from exhaustion, and falls back into the sand. Her hoodie seems to be drenched and you immediately clock the growing bloodstain on her right knee from the painful rocks.
“*panting* Last time…I take…a freaky alien portal. You got lucky, at least, and landed closer to the beach than I did. Did you see anyone else out there?” The air feels warm and seems to be drying you off relatively quickly. It is incredibly pleasant compared to the stale air of the ship or the odd, senseless air of Ein Sof. You look up and see a large blue and red ring crossing over you from the planet you’re on. The sun is directly between them and casting a beautiful purple tint down onto the world, though it seems to be quickly fading as it passes the intersection of the rings. You see the jagged black (volcanic rock) cliffs towering above you. You realize that it is spaced so you could likely climb it, but it would be painful. You look around and see what looks like a handful of volcanic tubes set into the rocks as well as 2 on the beach themselves, both on the right side while facing the cliffs. There is also a small cave over towards the left that looks like it’s be just big enough for one person to comfortably crawl into, two people would be a tight fit. You hear a very faint rhythmic echoing sound from inside of one of the volcanic tubes. Rose bandaged up Chiara's injured knee. They shared an awkward moment together. Afterwards, Chiara watched the coastline for a while to see anyone else might arrive. Eventually they both saw what they immediately recognized as a patrol boat trolling down the coastline scanning the cliffs and beaches with a massive spotlight. Chiara recognized the Krasian colors immediately. They heard the buzz of a scout drone approaching from above. They both ran to the volcanic tubes and jumped inside just as the drone and spotlight passed over. They decided to follow the musical sounds deeper in the volcanic tubes. They walked for some time in the light of their datapads before Chiara confronted Rose about her kneeling down in front of William Blake at the Throne Room. Rose swore she was just doing it to trick him but Chiara seemed wholly unconvinced. Chiara tried to look Rose directly in the eye, but Rose kept avoiding her gaze. Chiara insisted that Rose walk in front for now. Rose walked on, half-convinced that Chiara was about to stab her in the back. They walked for a while in the awkward tension before they saw light up ahead. They entered into a large cave. At the other end, near another entrance to an adjoining cave, were a group of tents. A man was sitting next to a guitar while an older man and a young woman with pixie-cut blue hair discussed something. The girls tried to approach cautiously, but they were seen quickly. The people approached cautiously but openly. They saw the girls and the blue-haired girl said firmly "I'm Aris. Welcome to the New Avon Underground." A few minutes later, in the light, she seemed to recognize (or admit to recognizing) Chiara. They led the girls into the adjoining caves to look at the underground tent city hidden in the mountains.
Alicia, John, Mark, and Botley
Introduction
Alicia, you feel the rush of air and disorienting spin of the portal cease suddenly and immediately taste something odd. Is that ash? Soot? Dirt? A very faintly acrid smell tinges your nostrils. You realize that you seem to be face-down in the dirt, your hand still clutched desperately around your case. You feel a tiny tap-tap-tap on your shoulder and hear faint shouting in the distance.Botley will hop off of your shoulder and half run, half hop away from you down a hill while glancing back and seemingly trying to lead you onward.
You look around and immediately see the twin rings of New Avon, the setting sun, and what looks like the shape of a massive battlecruiser hanging in the atmosphere far above. You look around you and find that you are near the peak of a very large hill with what seems to be a series of massive mountains looming above you. You recall seeing them far off in the distance as mere shapes on the horizon on your last visit here. You look the opposite direction and see expansive plains with roads crossing them far in the distance. You see lights on the horizon in that direction from what likely is a village.
You look over at Botley who is pointing straight down the hill at something. You also register the faint shouting from over towards the volcanic range. It sounds echoey and below you, likely from one of the nearby crevasses, cliffs, or what you are now realizing are volcanic tubes. Faintly the voice echoes up and seems to amplify from the walls “Help me! Someone…please, someone help me!"
Choices
Alicia, once again Anna, awoke on the hilltop and looked around. She looked down at the voice and recognized it as John Roffman after a minute. Unfortunately, the noise of her feet moving alerted him as well and he began screaming out for her help. She moved away and left him, believing there was nothing she could do to help him out. She went over to Botley and saw Mark's torso lying down below. She went down, salvaged his arm, data core (holding his memories/personality), and components, and left the rest of him there. She headed down the hill towards the lights. She tried to access the global network and discovered the Krasian ID requirement. She accessed it under her Anna ID created by Aris. She walked on for hours before arriving at the Volcanic Reseach Facility, not village as she'd hoped, far after dark. She found it surrounded by a chain-link fence but approached the intercom. She convinced the guard after talking to him for some time to let her come inside to wait for her friends. Unfortunately, she couldn't convince him that her device wasn't a danger to the facility like a bomb and she refused to leave it outside. He wouldn't budge on the subject, so she sat outside and responded to her friends with a ping of her location. She waited through the night in the cold.Farewell for Now
Savannah Cruise, the woman wearing the face of the officially deceased Anna Cross, looks up as the red-tinted sun crests over the mountain range behind her. It has been a long, cold night sitting outside of the fenced facility waiting for her shipmates stranded half-way across the planet. As the crossed rings above her seem to come to life as they light up with the brilliance of the morning sun, she realizes that despite the cold of the night...this has been the first truly uneventful night she can recall. No one is hunting her. No fleeing from monsters, whether aliens, robots, angels, demons, or humans, that want her dead. No life or death mechanical failures...it was just, at last, a peaceful night. Savannah looks down at her battered and bruised body, her scars, her damaged clothing, her beaten box, her scraps of metal from a warrior robot who shot her in the back. Unwanted gifts from her time on the Intrepid Explorer. Savannah, Anna, and Alicia look back down at their datapad. Messages from false names to hide from governments and gods...the subtext of those messages from her allies promise even more stress, pain, and general discomfort. All of the women that she is, at least the ones she has become so far, look down at the device at her side still contained within a now battered shell. She created something truly wondrous and, with the help of the crew of misfits she fell in with, everyone who wants her dead to steal it from her believes she is long gone. She could go anywhere in the galaxy as anyone she wants to be. She has no love for war, for politics, or for mystical mumbo-jumbo. She could have peace at long last. No arrows in the back, no snipers on the roof...just a true vacation. A chance to think, to invent, maybe even to make the world better without having to resort to bullets. Her eyes turn back up towards the brightening sky with eyes renewed with hope and resolve. Botley sits beside her in the grass resting his back against the datacore taken from Mark 37-091's head. He stops poking at a rock with his tiny umbrella and turns his oversized little head up towards her with his blue eyes blinking slowly. Tiny robotic eyes that feel like they see her, true her, despite whatever face she may wear. She could bring him and disappear, she wouldn't have to be alone. Her fingers slowly hover over her datapad which still sits pinging and transmitting her location. Could it all be so simple? Would it be right? Savannah hears a vehicle come rattling down the nearby dirt road as she sits deep in thought. She looks up quickly to see a group of young adults smiling and laughing as they sit in the back of a truck. A few of them are wearing towels and she sees surfboards and what looks like some folded up chairs sticking out the back. The people seem to be filled with life, laughter, and joy. It feels both unfamiliar and intoxicating to see such unbridled love of life. The vehicle slows as it approaches her, still sitting on the grass outside the facility, and one of the occupants leans out the passenger window. "What are you doing out here all alone? Your vehicle break down? Need a ride?" Savannah looks them over and sees no hostility in their eyes, no weapons, nothing but joy, peace, and a group of people heading for some safe, innocent, non-violent fun. "Where are you going?" The person in the vehicle smiles brightly. "We're going where we go every day! There are several beaches on New Avon, but there's one near the cliffs that is the prettiest I've ever seen. It's pretty secluded so no one ever messes with us there. It's just about the best place in the universe! We've got music, food, even mimosas, everything for a fun day. Wanna come?" Savannah looks down at her sore body. She remembers the pain of the scars buried beneath. Each contains memories...but they no longer have to be her future. She looks up at the group and smiles back. Her finger presses down on the location transmitter, severing the connection sending out her location to her allies. Who knows what adventures may come next? But for now, as she pushes herself off the grass, she is at long last going to the beach.Alicia accepts the ride to the beach with the kids. On the way, she will remove the "sim" card from the data pad so she can retain all its information. Then, somewhere near the beach she will conceal the memory core from Mark along with the datapad which will continue to ping its location. She will also leave a note--maybe on the screen of the data pad? "Dear friends. I hope you all can forgive me for saying goodbye this way but you know I am not good at the sentimental stuff. It has been a wild ride knowing all of you but I think my adventuring days are over. I wish all of you good luck and many mimosas in your future travels. Sincerely, Alicia and Bottley."
Rewards Granted
[Minor Milestone]
Character(s) interacted with
Brier Bellock
Guru Kevin
Tumerian Li Shen
Kyralin Straussedorph
Jason Black - Player Copy-
Savannah Cruise
Dash Reynard
Report Date
15 Feb 2022
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Characters
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