09-14-2024, 10:18 PM
Session 5:
Luck Points remain at 3/3
Expected Scene - They find an opening into the interior of the crashed line ship, Michel taking the lead, sweeping the halls with his rifle. Vincent close behind, a pistol out, a happy grin on his face.
Testing the scene with Chaos Factor of 1.
1 = 1[d10]
So, it’s an altered scene
I’m going to use the Tweak idea and change one simple detail about the scene and also interject a bit more tension.
It is as above, except they now hear the familiar churn of engines as an airship passes overheard.
Now, we’ve already established that this ship is largely hidden from aerial view and fog from low clouds is obscuring the peak, but we know there’s a ship out there--friend or foe we don’t know that yet and neither do they.
Is it flying above the clouds?
(Very Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
They froze for a moment, just inside the rent wall they had climbed through on the part side. The dark gloom was illuminated largely from the large gash on the portside that ran from prow to stern and the pale gray daylight filtered through. They realized from the distant motor that the airship is actually flying quite high above the peaks in order to avoid running into the mountains in all this cloud cover.
Is it circling overhead like it's looking for something?
(50/50 | 5[d10]) No, but..
But instead of hearing the same one circling, they hear a group of them one at a time, proceeding north overhead.
A large group?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Far above them, they heard the faint sound of airship after airship heading north over the peak.
“A lot of ships,” Michel said, peering outside up at the sky, his head cocked. He slowly counted thirty of them. “Quite the squadron.”
“Yes,” Vincent said, distracted as he peered into the gloom further.
“Do you know anything about that?” Michel asked him, coming back inside and pressing past Vincent, down the corridor, his rifle raised. Because the ship lay off kilter by about 30 degrees the floor they used was a mixture of the port-side wall and the actual floor. To proceed toward the starboard side of the ship, they’d have to climb up the incline.
That’s what they’re doing now, proceeding star board to find the stairs that proceed upwards to the quarter deck.
He might know about it. He’s been out here a few days, but if it was house Anaconda, he may have been privy to some of their plans. Was he?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
He grunted a negative response, studying the inside of the ship as they proceeded running a hand along a beam. “They don’t tell me much of anything. I just fix up their ships.”
“Well, this one will need a bit of work when you get back,” Michel said as they stepped over a dead body.
As they progressed through the dark corridor, moving up the portside incline, the smell of lamp oil was thick in the air, and the wood and floor were slick with it. During the crash, the oil from dozens of lamps on every deck must have broken open, soaking the interior floor and wall plans.
“Best not light any matches...” Vincent suggested. “Wouldn’t want this to become a conflagration?”
Do they make it past this obstacle without incident and arrive at the stairs that move up and down the decks in the large ship? I’ll just use Michel’s roll for the group.
It’s slick with oil in places -1. It’s also darkness another -1. But Michel has 1 REF and 2 Athletics and he has Vincent’s help 1 who is familiar with most ships. So he’s at Likely.
(Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
They made it to the stairs and began climbing up higher towards where the captain’s quarters would be in the aft section of the quarter deck.
Do they find any wounded on board? So far, this appears to have been a pretty tumultuous crash with many dead bodies outside. While that may have been partly due to the impact and partly due to exposure to the elements, I’ll say that at this point, finding survivors on board seems Unlikely.
(Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
“Do you think there were any survivors?” Michel asked Vincent as they proceeded up the stairs towards the main deck.
“If there were, why wouldn’t they have stayed with the ship?” Vincent responded. “Until help arrived?”
“Maybe they couldn’t be found... maybe water and food stores were running out?”
I guess I need to find out if this engagement with the Desert Raiders in the original battle was a long way away from House Lyon territories?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 5[d10]) No
But Anaconda, as an ally, could have joined them from a greater distance from Anaconda’s lands?
(Somewhat Likely | 2[d10]) No
Okay so both House Anaconda and House Lyons were relatively close to each other geographically on the same continent then. We haven’t really established a map or anything for the world, and we may need to do that at some point. In any case, the terrain they’re in right now certainly isn’t a desert. But of course aerial combat with fast moving ships thousands of feet above the ground can cover vast distances, and also the combat likely was fought for several hours across a range of hundreds of miles. Are these mountains typically part of House Anaconda? If no, then they’ll be Lyons territory.
(50/50 | 2[d10]) No
Okay, so these lands belong (or belonged) to House Lyons
“Maybe, but I don’t know. A typical loadout for this kind of ship should have been fitted out with food and water stores for multiple days,” Vincent said.
They kept moving and climbed up the stairs to the main deck. Bodies littered the deck, crushed under debris, limbs, rocks, and even deck guns wrenched from their moorings. They pulled themselves in a slanted climb, holding onto mast and rope and railing until they stood outside the captain's room.
Is it locked?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Is the captain in all the carnage on the deck?
(Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
Vincent tried the door but it was locked. They looked about the carnage on the deck for the captain’s body.
“Likely there!” Michel said, pointing to where upon impact, most of the soldiers, deck hands, and others had been yanked down toward the port side and now lay a moldering heap against the railing.
“Agreed. We didn’t see him outside. So unless a tree limb swept him off the deck five hundred feet back at the impact point...” Vincent said.
Together, they made their way to the pile and there found the captain, his uniform wet with his own blood and rain. They pulled the body free from the pile, gagging from the stench until a stiff mountain breeze came and swept it away from them. His face now somewhat bloated appeared to be in its late forties, dark hair, well-manicured goatee.
Is there a door key on him?
(Likely | 4[d10]) No, but...
They checked the captain’s body, but could not find a door key. Instead, they found a smaller key about his neck. Michel pulled it off. It was a silver key with a single emerald in the center. He pocketed it.
Anything else of interest on the captain’s body?
(50/50 | 4[d10]) No
Aside from his pistol and saber, and a belt with additional rounds tucked in loops, there was nothing of interest.
“We can force the door,” Michel said, after he had strapped the belt with pistol rounds about his own waist and stood up. “Come on.”
Vincent nodded and together they returned to the captain’s office.
They attempt to force it open. It’s a sturdy, heavy door and frame, made of strong oak but it’s only locked not barred.
I think they’ll be able to get it open without problem...eventually. But can they force it open without incident without it taking too much time?
Strong door -2, Michel as Str at 1. He’s getting help from Vincent so add another 1. I think there’s enough things around on deck to be able to make a lever, like with a rifle barrel, giving this a SL.
(Somewhat Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
Fashioning a level with a rifle and bayonet jammed into the door frame where the lock was, they manage to twist the rifle together, twisting the bayonet, snapping both the lock and the bayonet.
They pushed the door open.
Is there anyone inside?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
Ah, interesting. The door then was locked from the inside which is why the captain didn’t have the key on him. This sounds like a woman...a lover of the captain perhaps...is in here.
(Very Likely | 8[d10]) Yes
Is she dead?
(Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
Inside, a female corpse lay against one wall, dressed in alluring attire. Her once pretty head now crushed from the impact of the crash, her pale blond hair, covered in dried blood, now in disarray. Eyes open wide, a mottled bloated face that no longer had the beauty of life in it.
“Let’s find what we came for and get out,” Michel said, anxious now to be away.
“But we are going to come back...” Vincent promised. “Once we get to my ship. I’m not letting this find go to waste! If I can pull off even a tenth of the wealth lying here, I’ll be a rich...well...richer man,” he gave a sheepish grin.
“As long as it adds to our main goal of dealing with Kroll,” Michel said.
“Of course it shall. Now... did you find what you wanted?”
I assume that the key goes to a safe in these quarters?
(Very Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
“Ah, here we are,” Michel said and found a metal safe built into the wall behind the captain’s desk. He inserted the key and heard a satisfying click and pulled the handle.
Inside, he found a stack of scented letters. He sniffed and waved the stack. Perfumed love letters from a Lady Delia Carter to the “Handsome Captain Munnason”.
Are all the letters from Delia Carter? If no, then he was a captain who, shall we say, got around and keeps a woman in every port of call.
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
He quickly rifled the stack. “All from Delia,” Michel told Vincent. “Perhaps that’s her there,” he said, nodding to the body.
“Who would bring a woman into a war zone like this?” Vincent said.
Michel shrugged and studied the remaining items in the chest. More of what he needed: orders from House Anaconda Navy headquarters; maps and battle plans; ship dispositions.
Were the battle plans just for this knife in the back against House Anaconda?
(50/50 | 5[d10]) No, but...
Most of it is, but not much more. One line hinted at a larger campaign with “more orders to come in the coming days and weeks.”
What else of aid and interest does he find? I’ll use Action 2 and Descriptor 2 tables in Mythic.
86 = 86[d100]
Suffering
39 = 39[d100]
Glorious
He sees atop the orders is a printed letter from Viscount Kroll, meant to be an inspirational missive and the stated justification for turn coating on House Lyons. He sounded like the ravings of a madman to Michel and the points largely agreed with the things Vincent already told him. Abused from House Lyons. The killing of his family and how they suffered gloriously and how House Lyons would suffer even more so.
Both the letter and the orders bear the seal of House Anaconda, but the former bore the signature of Kroll and the latter the signature of one Admiral Kanes.
He tucked them both into his jacket pocket. He studied the battle maps one last time.
“We should get some uniforms before we leave. There’s likely some in chests in the crew quarters. All soldiers--at least in House Lyons-- were required to have one extra uniform cleaned and pressed and ready for use at a moment’s notice.
They decide to go find some uniforms. I’ll ask if there are any clean ones?
(Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
They find a pair in one of the first crew quarters and after holding them up to their frames it seemed they might fit reasonably well. They stuffed them into their packs and then left the ship the way they came and walked back to the trail, Vincent still talking all the while excitedly about the Red Specter.
As they approach the trail, I wonder if the woman who followed them. Who is she and what are her motivations? And does she do anything hostile, like open fire at them as they leave the ship? Before we ask that, we need to know who this woman is. It’s not Penny of course. I think it has to be a scout/spy from House Anaconda. They have won the air battle and conquered the skies, but the territory still needs boots on the ground to capture and hold critical sites. I think she was sent ahead with other “pathfinders” if you will. But it could also be a spy of House Lyons sent to watch enemy movements from lookouts in the mountains.
Is it a spy or scout?
(Likely | 6[d10]) Yes
House Anaconda?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Does she attack them?
-1 Her role is to be a spy/scout not to get engaged. Just watch and report.
-1 She’s outnumbered.
Is she a true believer in the Anaconda cause? If no, then she might be motivated by other reasons (ie a ship full of wealth to claim) to attack them.
(50/50 | 4[d10]) No
In that case, she certainly is interested in claiming that ship for herself, so +1. SU to attack them, but we’ll see.
(Somewhat Unlikely | 5[d10]) No
She’s watching them, has her rifle trained on them. But do they see her?
-1 She’s trained as a spy/scout.
-1 She’s in an area with plenty of obstructions.
-1 She’s had time to choose her hiding place and observe them
-2 Cloudy and muted with obscuring low clouds
That’s off the chart on the left side.
But Vincent. He gets 2 from MND (he’s naturally smart and observant), and he’s been trained Awareness of 1. That moves it back to the right to Unlikely.
Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
We see a scope center on each of their bodies as they hike away from the wreck and they pass within a hundred feet of the woman, moving along the rocky trail before continuing to the north.
This scene/scenes was/were largely in their control. The Chaos Factor cannot go below 1. So, it remains there. We resolved the “Look for intelligence inside the crashed line ship” thread. I added a new thread “Collect a larger haul from the Red Specter crash site.” Being able to find some intelligence of this nature also increased the milestone on both the “Find and rescue Penny Walker” (now 2/10) thread and the “Bring Viscount Kroll to justice” thread (now 1/15).
Luck Points remain at 3/3
Expected Scene - They find an opening into the interior of the crashed line ship, Michel taking the lead, sweeping the halls with his rifle. Vincent close behind, a pistol out, a happy grin on his face.
Testing the scene with Chaos Factor of 1.
1 = 1[d10]
So, it’s an altered scene
I’m going to use the Tweak idea and change one simple detail about the scene and also interject a bit more tension.
It is as above, except they now hear the familiar churn of engines as an airship passes overheard.
Now, we’ve already established that this ship is largely hidden from aerial view and fog from low clouds is obscuring the peak, but we know there’s a ship out there--friend or foe we don’t know that yet and neither do they.
Is it flying above the clouds?
(Very Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
They froze for a moment, just inside the rent wall they had climbed through on the part side. The dark gloom was illuminated largely from the large gash on the portside that ran from prow to stern and the pale gray daylight filtered through. They realized from the distant motor that the airship is actually flying quite high above the peaks in order to avoid running into the mountains in all this cloud cover.
Is it circling overhead like it's looking for something?
(50/50 | 5[d10]) No, but..
But instead of hearing the same one circling, they hear a group of them one at a time, proceeding north overhead.
A large group?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Far above them, they heard the faint sound of airship after airship heading north over the peak.
“A lot of ships,” Michel said, peering outside up at the sky, his head cocked. He slowly counted thirty of them. “Quite the squadron.”
“Yes,” Vincent said, distracted as he peered into the gloom further.
“Do you know anything about that?” Michel asked him, coming back inside and pressing past Vincent, down the corridor, his rifle raised. Because the ship lay off kilter by about 30 degrees the floor they used was a mixture of the port-side wall and the actual floor. To proceed toward the starboard side of the ship, they’d have to climb up the incline.
That’s what they’re doing now, proceeding star board to find the stairs that proceed upwards to the quarter deck.
He might know about it. He’s been out here a few days, but if it was house Anaconda, he may have been privy to some of their plans. Was he?
(50/50 | 1[d10]) No, and...
He grunted a negative response, studying the inside of the ship as they proceeded running a hand along a beam. “They don’t tell me much of anything. I just fix up their ships.”
“Well, this one will need a bit of work when you get back,” Michel said as they stepped over a dead body.
As they progressed through the dark corridor, moving up the portside incline, the smell of lamp oil was thick in the air, and the wood and floor were slick with it. During the crash, the oil from dozens of lamps on every deck must have broken open, soaking the interior floor and wall plans.
“Best not light any matches...” Vincent suggested. “Wouldn’t want this to become a conflagration?”
Do they make it past this obstacle without incident and arrive at the stairs that move up and down the decks in the large ship? I’ll just use Michel’s roll for the group.
It’s slick with oil in places -1. It’s also darkness another -1. But Michel has 1 REF and 2 Athletics and he has Vincent’s help 1 who is familiar with most ships. So he’s at Likely.
(Likely | 9[d10]) Yes
They made it to the stairs and began climbing up higher towards where the captain’s quarters would be in the aft section of the quarter deck.
Do they find any wounded on board? So far, this appears to have been a pretty tumultuous crash with many dead bodies outside. While that may have been partly due to the impact and partly due to exposure to the elements, I’ll say that at this point, finding survivors on board seems Unlikely.
(Unlikely | 2[d10]) No
“Do you think there were any survivors?” Michel asked Vincent as they proceeded up the stairs towards the main deck.
“If there were, why wouldn’t they have stayed with the ship?” Vincent responded. “Until help arrived?”
“Maybe they couldn’t be found... maybe water and food stores were running out?”
I guess I need to find out if this engagement with the Desert Raiders in the original battle was a long way away from House Lyon territories?
(Somewhat Unlikely | 5[d10]) No
But Anaconda, as an ally, could have joined them from a greater distance from Anaconda’s lands?
(Somewhat Likely | 2[d10]) No
Okay so both House Anaconda and House Lyons were relatively close to each other geographically on the same continent then. We haven’t really established a map or anything for the world, and we may need to do that at some point. In any case, the terrain they’re in right now certainly isn’t a desert. But of course aerial combat with fast moving ships thousands of feet above the ground can cover vast distances, and also the combat likely was fought for several hours across a range of hundreds of miles. Are these mountains typically part of House Anaconda? If no, then they’ll be Lyons territory.
(50/50 | 2[d10]) No
Okay, so these lands belong (or belonged) to House Lyons
“Maybe, but I don’t know. A typical loadout for this kind of ship should have been fitted out with food and water stores for multiple days,” Vincent said.
They kept moving and climbed up the stairs to the main deck. Bodies littered the deck, crushed under debris, limbs, rocks, and even deck guns wrenched from their moorings. They pulled themselves in a slanted climb, holding onto mast and rope and railing until they stood outside the captain's room.
Is it locked?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Is the captain in all the carnage on the deck?
(Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
Vincent tried the door but it was locked. They looked about the carnage on the deck for the captain’s body.
“Likely there!” Michel said, pointing to where upon impact, most of the soldiers, deck hands, and others had been yanked down toward the port side and now lay a moldering heap against the railing.
“Agreed. We didn’t see him outside. So unless a tree limb swept him off the deck five hundred feet back at the impact point...” Vincent said.
Together, they made their way to the pile and there found the captain, his uniform wet with his own blood and rain. They pulled the body free from the pile, gagging from the stench until a stiff mountain breeze came and swept it away from them. His face now somewhat bloated appeared to be in its late forties, dark hair, well-manicured goatee.
Is there a door key on him?
(Likely | 4[d10]) No, but...
They checked the captain’s body, but could not find a door key. Instead, they found a smaller key about his neck. Michel pulled it off. It was a silver key with a single emerald in the center. He pocketed it.
Anything else of interest on the captain’s body?
(50/50 | 4[d10]) No
Aside from his pistol and saber, and a belt with additional rounds tucked in loops, there was nothing of interest.
“We can force the door,” Michel said, after he had strapped the belt with pistol rounds about his own waist and stood up. “Come on.”
Vincent nodded and together they returned to the captain’s office.
They attempt to force it open. It’s a sturdy, heavy door and frame, made of strong oak but it’s only locked not barred.
I think they’ll be able to get it open without problem...eventually. But can they force it open without incident without it taking too much time?
Strong door -2, Michel as Str at 1. He’s getting help from Vincent so add another 1. I think there’s enough things around on deck to be able to make a lever, like with a rifle barrel, giving this a SL.
(Somewhat Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
Fashioning a level with a rifle and bayonet jammed into the door frame where the lock was, they manage to twist the rifle together, twisting the bayonet, snapping both the lock and the bayonet.
They pushed the door open.
Is there anyone inside?
(50/50 | 8[d10]) Yes
Ah, interesting. The door then was locked from the inside which is why the captain didn’t have the key on him. This sounds like a woman...a lover of the captain perhaps...is in here.
(Very Likely | 8[d10]) Yes
Is she dead?
(Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
Inside, a female corpse lay against one wall, dressed in alluring attire. Her once pretty head now crushed from the impact of the crash, her pale blond hair, covered in dried blood, now in disarray. Eyes open wide, a mottled bloated face that no longer had the beauty of life in it.
“Let’s find what we came for and get out,” Michel said, anxious now to be away.
“But we are going to come back...” Vincent promised. “Once we get to my ship. I’m not letting this find go to waste! If I can pull off even a tenth of the wealth lying here, I’ll be a rich...well...richer man,” he gave a sheepish grin.
“As long as it adds to our main goal of dealing with Kroll,” Michel said.
“Of course it shall. Now... did you find what you wanted?”
I assume that the key goes to a safe in these quarters?
(Very Likely | 7[d10]) Yes
“Ah, here we are,” Michel said and found a metal safe built into the wall behind the captain’s desk. He inserted the key and heard a satisfying click and pulled the handle.
Inside, he found a stack of scented letters. He sniffed and waved the stack. Perfumed love letters from a Lady Delia Carter to the “Handsome Captain Munnason”.
Are all the letters from Delia Carter? If no, then he was a captain who, shall we say, got around and keeps a woman in every port of call.
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
He quickly rifled the stack. “All from Delia,” Michel told Vincent. “Perhaps that’s her there,” he said, nodding to the body.
“Who would bring a woman into a war zone like this?” Vincent said.
Michel shrugged and studied the remaining items in the chest. More of what he needed: orders from House Anaconda Navy headquarters; maps and battle plans; ship dispositions.
Were the battle plans just for this knife in the back against House Anaconda?
(50/50 | 5[d10]) No, but...
Most of it is, but not much more. One line hinted at a larger campaign with “more orders to come in the coming days and weeks.”
What else of aid and interest does he find? I’ll use Action 2 and Descriptor 2 tables in Mythic.
86 = 86[d100]
Suffering
39 = 39[d100]
Glorious
He sees atop the orders is a printed letter from Viscount Kroll, meant to be an inspirational missive and the stated justification for turn coating on House Lyons. He sounded like the ravings of a madman to Michel and the points largely agreed with the things Vincent already told him. Abused from House Lyons. The killing of his family and how they suffered gloriously and how House Lyons would suffer even more so.
Both the letter and the orders bear the seal of House Anaconda, but the former bore the signature of Kroll and the latter the signature of one Admiral Kanes.
He tucked them both into his jacket pocket. He studied the battle maps one last time.
“We should get some uniforms before we leave. There’s likely some in chests in the crew quarters. All soldiers--at least in House Lyons-- were required to have one extra uniform cleaned and pressed and ready for use at a moment’s notice.
They decide to go find some uniforms. I’ll ask if there are any clean ones?
(Likely | 10[d10]) Yes, and...
They find a pair in one of the first crew quarters and after holding them up to their frames it seemed they might fit reasonably well. They stuffed them into their packs and then left the ship the way they came and walked back to the trail, Vincent still talking all the while excitedly about the Red Specter.
As they approach the trail, I wonder if the woman who followed them. Who is she and what are her motivations? And does she do anything hostile, like open fire at them as they leave the ship? Before we ask that, we need to know who this woman is. It’s not Penny of course. I think it has to be a scout/spy from House Anaconda. They have won the air battle and conquered the skies, but the territory still needs boots on the ground to capture and hold critical sites. I think she was sent ahead with other “pathfinders” if you will. But it could also be a spy of House Lyons sent to watch enemy movements from lookouts in the mountains.
Is it a spy or scout?
(Likely | 6[d10]) Yes
House Anaconda?
(50/50 | 9[d10]) Yes
Does she attack them?
-1 Her role is to be a spy/scout not to get engaged. Just watch and report.
-1 She’s outnumbered.
Is she a true believer in the Anaconda cause? If no, then she might be motivated by other reasons (ie a ship full of wealth to claim) to attack them.
(50/50 | 4[d10]) No
In that case, she certainly is interested in claiming that ship for herself, so +1. SU to attack them, but we’ll see.
(Somewhat Unlikely | 5[d10]) No
She’s watching them, has her rifle trained on them. But do they see her?
-1 She’s trained as a spy/scout.
-1 She’s in an area with plenty of obstructions.
-1 She’s had time to choose her hiding place and observe them
-2 Cloudy and muted with obscuring low clouds
That’s off the chart on the left side.
But Vincent. He gets 2 from MND (he’s naturally smart and observant), and he’s been trained Awareness of 1. That moves it back to the right to Unlikely.
Unlikely | 1[d10]) No, and...
We see a scope center on each of their bodies as they hike away from the wreck and they pass within a hundred feet of the woman, moving along the rocky trail before continuing to the north.
This scene/scenes was/were largely in their control. The Chaos Factor cannot go below 1. So, it remains there. We resolved the “Look for intelligence inside the crashed line ship” thread. I added a new thread “Collect a larger haul from the Red Specter crash site.” Being able to find some intelligence of this nature also increased the milestone on both the “Find and rescue Penny Walker” (now 2/10) thread and the “Bring Viscount Kroll to justice” thread (now 1/15).
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