Present:
- "Liz" Holmes. Sword-Worlder Soldier from Winston – Shane
- MARMALADING: Emerse Gee. Daryen Scientist from Torment – Darryl
- "Riley" O'Reilly. Sword-Worlder Pilot from Winston - Richard
- Anton Tositova. Solomani Gunner from Entrope - Ian
- MARMALADING: Itzy Ende. Sword-Worlder Soldier from Winston - Chris
- MARMALADING: Sang "Spanner" Hoang. Sword-Worlder Mechanic from Winston – Jeff
- Hoff Ende. Sword-Worlder Scientist from Winston - Kevin
- Gnostic Hands. Solomani Scientist from Entrope – Jamie
- 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
We leave the three guards and the unconscious Montrose bitch, Suzanne Prentis, at the cave entrance. Itzy had made sure she was well tied before he collapsed, marmalade dripping from his mouth.
Making our way down the tunnel and into the circular room, Split opens the far door using the four-finger hand-print before Riley and she lead the way down a sloping tunnel that we feel is spiraling down in a wide circle.
Split wears the crown and carries the staff. Gnostic wears the belt and the ring is back with the marmalading Spanner.
Ahead is more steam with another hand print. Gnostic tries to open it but fails; Split is successful and the steam dissipates revealing a large circular room.
In the centre of the room there is a large metal structure that the scientists Gnostic and Hoff think looks like a radio telescope receiver. Gnostic guessed, from dead-reckoning, that we were about under the centre of the crater.
There is a hand-print opener next to it and above high in the ceiling is a closed circular door like structure.
"Better not open that," says Gnostic. "From my calculations we are directly below the crater".
There appear to be five other exists, all with steam blocking them and with a hand print and a symbol next to them.
On the far wall is a large wall-size screen with stylized diagram of the room with symbols and glowing lights. There are several of the hand-prints next to the symbols.
The door we have just come through has a green light above it. The others have red lights.
After much debate and confusion, Riley places his hand on the hand print near the DNA symbol.
Nothing happens. Gnostic touches the same hand-print by the DNA symbol and it lights up.
Hoff then puts his hand on the opening mechanism at the door (by the DNA symbol) and the steam disappears revealing a tunnel behind. Footsteps coming toward us can be heard.
Hoff backs away, Liz and Riley draw weapons and everyone else carefully watches the door. The sound of footsteps gets nearer but nothing is seen.
Split puts her crown on and sees (and only she sees) a lizard creature standing near her. Before her very eyes it morphs itself into a muscled man with a large appendage and very small thong.
 |
| The servitor |
Split eventually takes the crown off and explains to us what is going on. It appears that Split has found herself a servitor that will respond to questions if it knows the information.
Knowing this we all suggest many questions, as only you can imagine, and Split puts back on the crown and resumes the one-sided discussion (from our perspective)
"What is your purpose" ("to serve you")
"What's behind the door with the tunnel?" ("that’s for The Shamed")
"Is that safe?" ("no")
"What's behind the door with the face?" ("main power")
"Behind the solar system" ("device activation")
"Behind the mushroom?" ("victuals supply")
"Behind the DNA?" ("servitor lair")
Split removes the crown and updates us. Armed with this information we start opening the doors one at a time except the one deemed "The Shamed" and dangerous.
The solar system symbol which we were advised is device activation – after a few attempts Anton opens the door and a low humming is heard. Split, Anton and Gnostic with the servitor go down the revealed tunnel. After a short distance they enter a circular room with a stylized carved picture of the solar system on the far wall - it matches the number of planets and major moons of the Winston system.
Winston is the closest planet to the big star, and the circle matches where the gas giant Lophomyrtus orbits. We suspect the little symbols are indications of Ancients: Winston, Formaline, the third moon of Lophomyrtus, and the outer planet Dollar.
We take an etching and retreat. (No electronics works in any part of this place.)
The face symbol – is actually an energy symbol which we were told is main power – we touch the symbol on the main screen and it goes green. Liz then touches the hand symbol and the steam disappears revealing a passage which we go down. As we approach it gets warmer and warmer until we can bare it no more and retreat. Split sends the servitor down and after some 15 or so minutes it returns. Split then puts the crown on and enters into deep discussion. "Malfunction… needs repair… identify power source …."
By this time Gnostic has touched the screen and the energy symbol has gone red.
"Maybe I've turned it off," he says.
In the meantime, we have opened the DNA door again which we were told is the servitor lair. We go down a short passage to another circular room with three alcoves. After some questioning by Split it is clear there is only one active servitor.
Finally, the "mushroom" door which we are advised is sustenance. We open it and go down another short tunnel to a circular room with a large table in the middle. There are many symbols on the far wall representing different food types. Anton pushes the one for bread and a grey sludge appears on the table. Anton takes some in his hand and takes a bite. His eyes light up.
"that is the most delicious bread I have ever had" he proclaims.
Riley tries some: "yeah not to bad" he says.
Hoff takes a bite and immediately starts vomiting [having failed his poison defence roll].
"It's disgusting "he moans.
We try various other symbols which all result in a grey gelatinous goop appearing that has various tastes largely dependent on whether you make your poison save or not.
We leave the room and concentrate on the energy source.
"It seems to have cooled down," declares Gnostic. "I will go down".
Gnostic goes down the passage and we hear a scream from him as he rushes out his face white and fearful. "It's awful!" he whimpers.
"It can't be that bad," proclaims Split and goes down the tunnel. Another scream and she recoils in horror losing a Psyche point.
"Leave it to me" says Liz and goes down the tunnel. She comes back a minute or so later. "It's pretty ugly alright" she says. "It’s a large tentacled creature attached to wires. It seems petty agitated".
"Draw it" says Riley
"I can" volunteers Gnostic. A three-year-old could do a better sketch as it turns out
 |
| Energy source |
Split puts back on the crown and starts engaging with her servitor.
Eventually she removes the crown and updates us. "The tentacled creature is the energy source but is in need of repair" she explains. "It requires the generative apthera of a volatile canker and the margrave of an avian spinosa."
"Well, where do we get those?" asks Gnostic
"All I can do is say what the servitor says" responds Split, "it makes no sense to me. I am not sure what those words mean. The servitor could help no more."
With that she puts the crown on and then starts uttering some numbers and letters. "1561271BC1098718, 0741027E0108760, "
"Coordinates?" says Gnostic.
"Write them down" says Anton
"It's too quick"
"It's ok" chimes in Riley "I remember them."
"Yeah yeah" says Gnostic
Riley then repeats them verbatim "I have a eidetic memory" he smiles contentedly.
With all of this information and everything else seeming a dead end, we decide its best to return to the Ende mansion and report our findings.
"Wait, we haven’t opened the roof door," says Riley
"Don’t do that!" reminds Gnostic
But too late. Riley had placed his hand on the symbol. Fortunately, nothing happened [failed door roll].
"The crater above is a lake of water. You will flood us all!" yelled Gnostic.
We decide to leave but realise the light on the tunnel trap (the rightmost hand on the board) door is now solid red; it was flashing red earlier.
"How long since that soldier was zapped?" asks Hoff.
"About 50 hours ago " responds Gnostic looking at his watch.
"Disable it at the screen again" suggests Belle.
"But how do we get back?" asks Riley "It will only be off for 50 hours"
"That’s what servants are for" responds Gnostic.
We all stare at him in disbelief seeing his humanity draining before our eyes.
"We need to go. Let's solve that later" says Split. "I think we have what we need with the map and the coordinates"
And with that we leave up the passages we came from until we get back to the cave mouth and the guards.
"Who tied up the Montrose bitch?" asks Belle leaning over her.
"That was Itzy," says Riley. "Why?"
"She's dead."
"Ooops" we say in unison.
We put her body with all the other Montrose bodies next to the Montrose truck. "This truck would be useful for us" says Riley.
"But it has a flat tyre" reminds Hoff. (The spare was also flat, being shot out last time)
"Why don’t a few of us go back to town, get a spare tyre and come back?" volunteers Riley.
With that Riley, Anton and Liz head back to town in the pick-up truck and to the Ende mansion.
We return the next day well-watered, fed and rested and with a spare truck tyre plus an additional five Ende guards and a mounted heavy machine gun. Contessa Ende had seemed well-pleased with our progress.
Meanwhile, it was an uneventful night for those who waited at the cave. While they waited, they buried the Montrose bodies (and Suzanne) but took her Montrose ID.
Upon the return of the spare tyre, it is fitted and Riley drives the Montrose truck with everyone on board back to the mansion. Split drives the pick-up and the tractor is left in the cave with eight Ende guards and a heavy machine gun.
The night ends with us having the following items for divvy up and action:
One 53 Bedford S truck stolen from the Montrose's. Riley's plan is to have this painted and with a new number plate and different colour tarp.Montrose truck - ID of Suzanne Prentis of Montrose employment. Plan is to have Liz forge another's identity onto this. Maybe useful later.
- Ring of Reflect - currently worn by Spanner and identified as a ring that absorbs 5 points of laser damage per shot (like armour).
- Crown of the Ancients – currently in the possession of Split and identified that it allows communication with Ancients servitors.
- Staff of the Enema – currently carried by Split and identified that when it hits someone they immediately void their bowl and lose next round's attack.
- Jolly Jumper belt currently worn by Gnostic. Enables the wearer to jump 2D4 + 2 storeys (16m – 40m) but need a DEX roll when you land or take D6 hp per two storeys jumped.
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