Present:
- "Liz" Holmes. Sword-Worlder Soldier from Winston – Shane
- Emerse Gee. Daryen Scientist from Torment – Darryl
- "Riley" O'Reilly. Sword-Worlder Pilot from Winston - Richard
- Anton Tositova. Solomani Gunner from Entrope - Ian
- Itzy Ende. Sword-Worlder Soldier from Winston - Chris
- "Spanner" Hoang. Sword-Worlder Mechanic from Winston – Jeff
- Hoff Ende. Sword-Worlder Scientist from Winston - Kevin
- MARMALADING: Gnostic Hands. Solomani Scientist from Entrope – Jamie
- MARMALADING: Belle Ende. Sword-Worlder Medic from Winston - Steven
- Split "Penny" Ende. Sword-Worlder Minstrel from Winston - Jason
- NPC: Scurry. Drone Gunner from Winston
by Richard
As requested by Contessa Ende (mother of Itzy, Hoff, Split, and Belle Ende), we have landed with Ye Faerie Queene at the Ende mansion on the outskirts of the town of Bitter End, population 10,000 (4,000km from Ravens End.)
The town is on the coast and on fertile plains and savannah. The main industry is agriculture however with 1950's technology (TL6).
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| "Alpine" |
Spanner and Itzy also stay on board the ship whilst the rest of us take residence in the mansion.
After removing the ship's starting mechanism, Riley takes stock of the whisky whilst bemoaning the fact that there is only 1,000 kms of hydrogen fuel left in the tanks.
"No use to us now," he muses.
A few hours later, Contessa arrives.
"Hi Mum, when and how did you get here?" – the Ende children all ask.
"I flew in just now - jet. We are going to build a hydrogen refueller here, seeing the Faerie Queene is here" she advised. "But that will take a couple of weeks".
"Over that time, I have some work for you" she continued. "We will discuss it over breakfast tomorrow"
"Well, in the meantime let's go to the pub," suggests Riley.
"Yes" agree Itzy, Liz, Hoff and Split.
Liz decided to see if she could get free drinks and got herself drugged for her sins. We managed to avert trouble from that although Liz remained unconscious the rest of the night. We acquired the glass that contained the drugged liquid to test later.
Upon leaving, Split suggested she drive.
"I am pufffectlly alwight" stated Riley.
"You are intoxicated," replied Split.
"I am always intoxitated" mumbled Riley "but the last person who said that lost their teeth, and you are too pwitty to be toothless".
"Could have other uses though," chipped in Itzy grinning lecherously
"Hops in thin" commanded Riley who then sped off.
"Oops, that’s a tight corner" mutters Riley as he loses control of the vehicle some ten minutes later sending the van rolling across the road and landing upside in a ditch, dripping petrol. [ Riley fumbled his drive roll ]
Riley and Hoff are sent through the windscreen [taking 8 points of damage each after applying luck to reduce it] while the others receive minor scrapes and lacerations.
"Betta get out of dare" yells Riley "it's going to go bang". Moments later the van explodes.
We walk back to the mansion (an hour), Split playing the piano-accordion and us all singing a bawdy tune.
We finally find our beds and sleep the rest of the night but are a sorry sight at breakfast as Contessa walks in.
"What happened?" she demands.
"We got drunk and had a wee accident" volunteers Riley.
"Were you drink driving again Riley?" she asks
"Nope" is the reply as he drinks his coffee.
"Anyway, I have work for you" says Contessa.
She sat us down and gave some exposition:
The planet Winston to was discovered to have Ancients sites on it, early on. After the Imperium had terraformed Winston hundreds of years ago, they sent in their archeologists who worked for many years but the final reports were 'nothing significant'. This was, in fact, a lie. After the planet was ceded to the Sword-Worlders, your Ende ancestors started working on the ruins themselves and they made a few discoveries. Occasionally something interesting pops up.
"So, I want you to go to "the quarry", some three hours' drive away and talk to Mike Reich, the "quarry" manager.
"First, can you call a doctor Mummy?" asks Hoff, still bleeding after last night. "Me and Riley aren’t feeling too good."
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| The pick-up truck |
We drive the three hours along the coast and through the savannah until we reach a canyon going into the hills. We turn off and head into it as instructed. The road is a bit rougher here and there are several side roads into other smaller canyons, but we continue straight until we get to the end.
Here, we enter a large 500m diameter crater - a perfect half-sphere - with its sides and floor unnaturally made of smooth granite. There are a number of corrugated iron buildings constructed in the middle, with a number of rifle-wielding men near them.
Suddenly, there is a cry out from Emerse.
"My instruments aren’t working, and Alpine my Tamagotchi is limp"
"As is Scurry" observes Spanner.
Emerse jumps off the tray of the truck and takes out a small pick and starts to chip away at the rock floor of the crater.
Shortly thereafter, a bullet narrowly misses Emerse and ricochets about the canyon.
Three men with rifles approach. "Don’t damage the granite!" they warn.
"But your bullet will have done more damage " Emerse starts to argue before wisely shutting up.
We tell them we are here on orders of Contessa Ende and that we need to speak with Mike. We are taken to the shacks and poured a coffee and introduced to Mike Reich.
Mike explains that they have been here about eight years but it was "picked over" before they found it. They have been investigating he formation ever since. Of course, the Imperium must not know of any secrets they find.
He warns not to damage the rock as it will damage you back. A few years ago, a worker took a pick axe to it. He made very little impact however was found a few nights later dead with the very same pick axe buried in his head.
Emerse shuffled uncomfortably at the relaying of this story.
Mike said that they think they have found something of significance down a side canyon.
"You need to go and investigate it" he says.
"Why us?" asks Anton
"Because Mrs. Ende said you are the "EXPERTS" responds Mike.
Mike describes to Riley where the entrance to the possible Ancients site is and we head on our way.
"Make sure its kept secret" he warns us as we leave.
We head back. About 1 km away from the crater, Emerse's instruments start working and then in another 500m or so both Scurry and Alpine come back to life.
We drive back up the main canyon until Riley points out the turnoff but before we turn Anton and Hoff spot several men at the top of the canyon watching us.
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| Scurry |
"Montrose bastards" says Itzy.
"Let's kill them" says Liz
"We'd better go back and check with Mike" a sensible Spanner recommends.
We head back and see Mike who is surprised we have spotted his hidden guards.
"We have some more in the other canyon" says Mike
"Why didn't you tell us this?" asked Split
"You weren't meant to see them" responded Mike
"Ahhh, how do they know not to shoot us?" asked Emerse
"Because you are the EXPERTS" said Mike "and they know EXPERTS are coming today"
We head off shaking our heads at the obvious stupidly of Mike and his men. We get to the turning, and turn into a narrower and far more rock-bound canyon. The going is pretty rough in the pick-up truck and we are having second thoughts, when we come across a large cave to our left. The road of sorts continues.
"Let's investigate the cave" said Spanner
"No let's keep going" said Riley "we are running out of daylight and I don’t want to be here after dark."
We carry on for a time with the road narrowing and rocks more frequently blocking it. We decided to go no further by vehicle although Spanner, Liz, Split and Anton went by foot for another 15 minutes – finding nothing.
"Let's go back, get more equipment and that old tractor, rest up the night and come back tomorrow" suggested Riley and with that we head back, without incident to the Ende mansion.
We gather supplies including the old 1955 Harry Fergusson TE20 tractor and trailer, get the doctor to attend to our injuries again (now on full) and the next day head back to the second "quarry".
Emerse continues to be worried about the functionality of our technology and in particular his Tamagotchi. In an attempt to overcome this, he has created a faraday cage. We shall see…..
We head up the second canyon, past the cave, until the pick-up can go no further. We continue on the tractor until it also proves to be too challenging.
"What now?" asks Riley
"We go foot" says Spanner "but we can't leave the pick-up here unguarded"
"Let's put it in the cave" suggests Liz.
We head back to the cave and quickly investigate it to Spanner's satisfaction. The pick-up will fit in the entrance but the cave goes deeper. Booted footprints could be seen.
"Those will be Mike's guys" says Spanner in a huge leap of logic
We all seem to accept that without question, park the pick-up in the cave and head off back up the track.
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| Emerse's faraday cage |
The path continues to narrow and we get to an area blocked by rocks. After much effort we clear a narrow tunnel that we squeeze through and come to another half-sphere crater, also 500m in size, but this one is half full of water, up to the level of the fissure.
Initial observations are that the water seems to flow out this fissure from time to time at some volume. We assume this is during heavy rainfall.
Inside the crater, the sky appears black, with stars, like you're in space - but you can breathe fine. But back down the tunnel in the valley the sky is normal blue with clouds.
"The Ancients" says Hoff in some awe.
"Let's use our two canoes (that we fortuitously brought along [ super luck roll ]) and go out on the water" volunteers Spanner.
"Ahh do you think that’s wise?" questions Emerse.
"Sure, it is – who's coming?" responds Spanner
And sure enough Liz and Spanner head out on the water – briefly. The sun is far more intense with this black sky and they feel the warmth of radiation permeating their skin. They wisely choose to only stay a few minutes on the water.
They come to shore and as its nearing nightfall we head back to the cave where in another leap of logic we have decided its safe to spend the night.
As we approach we notice the bonnet of the pick-up truck is up. Drawing sidearms we slowly approach the cave and see nothing but do notice fresh booted footprints.
We go into the cave and can hear footsteps going away from us in the distance. Riley, Liz, Spanner, Anton and Split pursue. After a short time, we hear a KAR-THUMP deep down the tunnel. We edge forward and see three stunned men crouched facing away from us.
"Coo wee" calls Spanner for the 10th time.
"For Christ's sake shut up" growls Riley as they turn and we approach.
"Who are you?" asks Spanner
"We work for Mike" one replies
"Why did you run away from us?" questions Riley
"Because we got told to watch you and not engage with you"
"Why did you leave the bonnet open?" asked Riley
"Oops that was a mistake"
"What was that Karthump earlier?"
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| Poor Fritz |
"Ahh – Fritz Hahnrei was going up the tunnel and... just exploded"
We look around the tunnel ahead (not too close!) and can see what looks like a pasty jam like substance all over the walls and dripping from the roof – no bone – no limbs just a pasty bloody mess.
"I'm not going down here" says Split.
"But it heads toward the Ancients site" says Spanner checking his compass.
Will the party go down?
Will Emerse stop stroking his Tamagotchi?
Will Hoff ever date a girl?
Will Spanner stop yelling out coo wee?
Will Split stop playing polkas on her piano-accordion?
To be seen next week.
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