Present:
- Anastasia "Stasi" Tepes. Zhodani Soldier from Querion – Shane
- Emerse Gee. Daryen Scientist from Torment – Darryl
- "Riley" O'Reilly. Sword-Worlder Pilot from Winston - Richard
- Anton Tositova. Solomani Gunner from Entrope - Ian
- Sang "Spanner" Hoang. Sword-Worlder Mechanic from Winston – Jeff
- MARMALADING: Hoff Ende. Sword-Worlder Scientist from Winston - Kevin
- Gnostic Hands. Solomani Scientist from Entrope – Jamie
- MARMALADING: Belle Ende. Sword-Worlder Medic from Winston - Steven
- MARMALADING: Split "Penny" Ende. Sword-Worlder Minstrel from Winston - Jason
- NPC: Scurry. Drone Gunner from Winston
- NPC: Finn Cyborg from Querion
by Jeff
Prestart activities:
In the weekly run up to actual gaming, our "experience" rolls were undertaken. Darryl managed to increase his Computer skill up to 18 with a successful D20 roll of 18, 1 point higher than the 17 it was previously on. Taking advantage of the system Requisite rules, Darryl utilized 8 points of his 18 Computer skill, dropping it back to 10, and increased his MND Requisite by 1 point to 18. This gives some significant positive advantages to Emerse as a character, including a 1-point increase to all his MIND-based proficiencies.
Other notable occurrences during the prestart - Richard succeeded in all his 6 rolls, Jeff failed in all his first 6!
On with the story:
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| Smell the beautiful aroma |
Sydney Walsh wasn't at the x-boat office. Apparently, he was down at the local film studio being filmed drinking his own urine, as a good and trusted senior x-boat planetary official must do if their cargo is lost!
When he finally arrived, he immediately joined Riley for a large whiskey and hurriedly chugged it down.
"Uggg" he complained, "Cold urine is just yuk."
The rules require it be chilled.
Then he passed over the information on the source addresses for each of the eight cantinas from the lost x-boat.
- Mr R Herring, Main St, Ansel City TO Tonsil family - 5/14 Dalgety St, Phantasm, Jilarky protectorate
- Guilty as Charged Law Firm, Main St, Ansel City TO H.G.Tomaine - Delta Gamma Phi Ltd, 11 Beach Rd, Cape Verde on Verde Island
- Harrington Bio Genetics, 1/11 Park Lane, Tover Town TO Dr Harrington - 110 Duke St, Anselport, United States of Rodriguez
- Wenches R Us, 14 Duntroon St, Ansel City TO Olga Shpak* - 261 Main St, Port Royale, Hoganton
- Sakharnaya Sliva Ltd., 4 Doboy Lane, Ansel City TO Maria Dubiensk* - Rogue Is. lighthouse
- Sugar Plum Ice Cream Ltd., Main St, Ansel City TO Anya Monoslava* - Olha Penitentiary, Olha Island chain
- J.P.Sopwith, 3 LaMancha Tce, Ansel City TO Smith family - Apartment 17/12 Rupy lane, Kingston
- Taksidermiya Morozhenogo Ltd, 112 Main St, Ansel City TO Jorgensen family - Twilight Lane, Fullers Earth
"Look" stated Stasi, "This Zhodani phrase 'Sakharnaya Sliva' translates as 'Sugar Plum', suspiciously like Sugar Plum Ice Cream! And that other Zhodani 'Taksidermiya Morozhengo' means 'ice cream taxidermy'."
"And this one, Rogue Is. Lighthouse" commented Gnostic, "It's about as remote as you can find here on Entrope!"
While Anton picked up each of the six-remaining cantinas, gave them a shake and a tap, Emerse sat down at his computer and ran a series of information searches on each of the cantina destinations.
"Can't find anything on 1, 2, and 5" Emerse eventually reported, "But number 3 seems quite legitimate, number 4 has a lot of rumours about human trafficking, and that Anya Monoslava at number 6 is a Zhodani corporal in the Penitentiary guard with a "spotless" record"
"Nothing more suspicious than a "spotless" record" stated Riley.
"All this research has given me a headache" complained Emerse, "I'm off for a lie-down"
"Rumours of human trafficking will be enough to get a court order to open and investigate their cantina" declared Sydney, and he went off to his office to get that process underway.
"As official x-boat employees" pondered Gnostic, "We will be able to visit all these places and deliver their cantinas"
"And they will have to open them in front of us!" declared Anton excitedly.
"Let's start with the remote Lighthouse" decided Gnostic.
It was decided that first thing the following morning, the crew would take the x-boat company air-raft and make the eight-hour flight out to the Rogue Is. Lighthouse to "deliver" the cantina.
Emerse managed to find a nice compact handgun on the black market in the seedy part of Kingston, [A successful Survival-Urban roll on his proficiency of 6, the best in the party] and it is handed over to Stasi to carry. Of course, weapons are totally illegal on Entrope, but Stasi was our best shooter and was unlikely to be questioned, being a burley six-foot Zhodani vampire woman with a permanent scowl!
With an hour left before our arrival at Rogue Island, the radio blared to life, startling everybody.
"zzz Unknown craft, please identify yourself. click"
"Um, hello" responded Gnostic, "This is x-boat raft 24601"
"zzz Raft 24601, please state your purpose. click"
"Well, um, we are from the X-boat Corporation and have your cantina."
"zzz Raft 24601, please proceed. click"
"Strewth mate" commented Riley, "That seemed ... officious"
"And totally suspicious" mumbled Emerse.
Sometime later a small island appeared in the front port. A tower structure jutted up out of a larger building at one end of the island, with a few smaller outbuildings dotted around the landside. The island was low lying, no contour to speak of, and generally covered with a wind-blown bushy brown scrub. A short jetty jutted off the south end of the island, adjacent to the lighthouse. The wind had got up during our trip and was gusting across the island. White caps were rolling against the low rocky shoreline, flattened down by the wind, and a fine sea-spray shrouded the island with a grey haze.
"zzz Raft 24601" stuttered the radio, "Please proceed to south-side landing pad. click"
Sure enough, a flat and cleared zone could be seen at the south side of the lighthouse structure, and Riley sweetly brough the air-raft to a perfect halt exactly over the centre of the clearing and gently lowered the air-raft to land.
As the engines quietened, a door in the nearby lighthouse building opened up and two figures stepped out. The first was a Zhodani woman, tall like most of the Zhodani we had seen, with the characteristic pale skin and long albino blond hair falling down past her shoulders. Dressed in a sturdy white overcoat, she strode confidently down the concrete path towards us. A smaller human male shuffled along behind her; his head bowed towards the ground.
Anton grabbed the cantina from storage, and he, Gnostic, and Riley exited the air-raft to meet with the Zhodani.
"Velcome" the woman said, "I am Maria Dubiensk"
"Thanks" responded Anton, "I am Anton, and here is your cantina, which I shall open for you"
"Thanks" responded Anton, "I am Anton, and here is your cantina, which I shall open for you"
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| Anton brandishes the key |
Anton fished the key, which was hanging from a chain around his neck, up from below his thick yellow x-boat jacket, and ceremonially slipped it into the cantina lock, gave it a half turn, and lifted the lid.
Anton, Gnostic, Riley, and Maria all leaned over and peered into the open cantina. There were two glass jars, a large grey metal box, and a fat ring binder packed into the cabinet.
The two glass jars were full of a thick white viscous material and secured with metal screw lids, like a preserving jar full of white phlegm. The ring binder was full of pages of paper and bulging against the side of the cantina.
"Nothing alive in there" thought Anton.
"That white stuff looks like compacted spider web" thought Gnostic.
"Nothing to drink" noted Riley
"Hmmm" stated Maria, "Vhy is the delivery so late?"
She grabbed the contents of the cantina and handed them off to her male subordinate.
Gnostic explained the circumstances off the x-boat mis-jump, the successful recovery of their cantina, and thus the small delay in delivery. Documentation of receipt was presented and signed, and Maria turned to head back to the lighthouse building.
"Excuse me" prompted Anton, "Is you man OK? He looks quite unwell"
Anton had made a successful Perception role and recognised the man's haggard and drooling appearance as that of a Zhodani food source, a "blood bag" in the local parlance, who has been feed on too regularly.
"Would you like some fresh blood" Anton offered, barring his own neck towards Maria.
Maria's eyes lit up immediately, and she suggested Anton "come on inside for a bit"
At this point the rest of the crew on board the air-raft, who had been listening in on all the conversation through the Emerse-designed and constructed personal communication network, manufactured a ship malfunction and sent Stasi out to request some repair components and delay our leaving. The thought was to perhaps get inside the buildings for a decent period of time, conduct some searches of whatever facilities they had in there, and see if there was actually some xeno-biological research being undertaken.
As soon as Maria saw Stasi, she crouched slightly with her back arching and hissed like a cat.
Stasi responded in kind, and then they slowly paced in a circle facing each other, hissing.
After a full revolution, they both stood up and introduced themselves.
Apparently a traditional Zhodani greeting ritual!
Stasi, Anton, Gnostic, and Riley followed Maria and her pet male into the Lighthouse building. As the door closed behind them, all communications died with with a "zzzt". Emerse looked across at Spanner.
"The building is shielded" he declared, "They're on their own"
The Lighthouse
Stasi followed Maria into the building, Anton and Gnostic following close behind, with Riley at the rear. The door swung closed behind him with a thud, and comms with the ship immediately dropped out. They were in an entry lobby, plushly appointed with a bunch of comfortable couches and a well-stocked bar along one wall. Staircases led up and down from the centre of the room, and two human males were present, one behind the bar and the other standing near the staircase leading up into the Lighthouse tower.
"This way" gestured Maria to Anton, taking him by the hand and leading towards the staircase down.
"These men will look after you" Maria called as she and Anton disappeared down the staircase.
Anton gave a big thumbs-up to Riley as he passed out of sight, grinning from ear to ear.
"Would you like drink?" offered the man behind the bar.
"Whiskey thanks" replied Riley.
"Sorry, we only have Gin or Campari here" he apologised.
"Oh" added Stasi, "We need a spool of copper wire for ship repairs"
"Yes mistress" responded the other man and immediately rushed off up the stairs.
As he darted through the door at the top of the stairs, a third human male come down to take his place.
As drinks were provided and everyone relaxed somewhat, information was gleaned.
Three Zhodani were present in the facility, who "undertook astronomical observations" from the top of the lighthouse each night. Five human males were also present, four of whom we had now met. There were a number of levels above us up the height of the lighthouse, but we were not allowed up. The bedrooms were down below.
The Bedroom
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| Maria gestures for Anton |
"Feed before or after?" she asked Anton.
"How about both?" suggested Anton.
"MMMM" Maria purred, "Kinky", and dragged him down onto the bed before plunging her fangs into his neck.
Anton briefly noticed that the staircase continued down to at least another level below, before he was overcome with pleasure and lost track of time, and his surroundings. Sometime later and feeling tired but well sated [A Zhodani blood feed drains at least one hit-point, Anton was down two after his lustful activities] Anton and Maria returned upstairs to the lobby room.
In The Lobby
A spool of copper wire had been provided, and taken out to the ship, and over the next few hours as the "repairs" were undertaken there was no opportunity to explore upstairs. The men kept a close watch on everyone, and the other two Zhodani put in appearances.
Stepharina (better looking than Maria) came down from upstairs first, and then Iryna (even better looking than Stepharina) appeared for a chat. They both did their hissing/circling greeting with Stasi.
Anton hovered around Irina and offered to share his blood again, but Irina refused as she stated that Anton had been "claimed" by Maria and it was apparently bad manners to feed off someone else's male. At least, in the same day!
We were told that it would be impossible for us to stay overnight in the facility, "totally not allowed" and that if the repairs to the ship were difficult, one of the males could come out to assist. Riley, after a few gins and Campari, and quite strategically, began to tell of our recent exploits with Ancient sites, artifact discoveries, and battles with spiders. The lovely Irina (who was dressed in a white lab coat and apparently their main scientist type) reacted with some surprise at Riley's stories but quickly covered up her shock and displayed only mild interest. Maria and Stepharina clustered around Riley and listened intently to his stories. We spotted then exchanging meaningful glances on a number of occasions as Riley talked!
Maria provided Riley with a contact card which noted a specific frequency that would bypass the Lighthouse facilities electronic security measures and make direct contact.
Kingston
Eventually we couldn't legitimately delay our departure any longer and took our leave of the island and headed back to Kingston to report to Sydney. We gave Sydney a detailed summary of everything we saw, and didn't see, and a similar detailed report was sent back to Contessa via encrypted burst transmission.
There would be a two week wait for a reply on that though.
Sydney told us that this delivery to the Lighthouse had been the third one over the last few weeks from the same source. But that the penitentiary delivery would be its first one.
Cantina 6 was destined for the Olha Island Penitentiary, and we planned that trip for tomorrow. But in the meantime, the court order allowing inspection of the cantina 4, from Wenches R Us, has come through, so in the presence of Sydney, Anton used his master key and opened up cantina 6 "in error".
"Wait" yelled Sydney, "That's not number four"
"Sorry" mumbled Anton, quickly relocking the box and turning to the real number 4.
"Click"
Anton picked out one of four ring binders of A4 sized laminated glossy photos of girls and women.
Flicking through the pages with a delighted grin, Anton reported "Nothing that suspicious here"
But Sydney felt otherwise and referred the cabinet and its contents back to the courts.
Riley invited us all for a drink and the evening passed uneventfully.
"We'll need a sample of that white material" decided Gnostic and produced a small sample container.
Carefully opening one of the two full jars, Gnostic was quite surprised when the material attempted to explode out of the jar like a geyser but was able to reseal the lid with only a small quantity of white material escaping out into the room and splattering over the adjacent wall.
"Crap" he yelled, "What is this stuff?"
The white gloop had expanded significantly as it had ejected from the original jar and now looked much more web-like. It was splattered over the wall and wasn't at all still. There were strange ripples pulsing across the surface of the spill, and maybe even small shapes writhing below the surface.
"Look" cried Emerse in a panic, "Things"
"How many?" asked Stasi.
Gnostic grabbed a small sample into his specimen jar.
Riley let rip with a flare, burning the stuff off the face of the wall.
Still one hour before we arrived at the Olha Island Penitentiary.
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