Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 4 of Josh C.’s Spelljammer: “the Show Must Go On” space fantasy miniseries. We met on Sunday, 29 April 2012, and have been using Skype, Google+, an online dice roller, and Cubicle 7’s Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (FATE) 3rd Ed. Starblazer Adventures—Legends of Anglerre.

>>From the “Grand Show,” a port shaped like a top hat floating in the Hysgeu sphere, the performers of “Le battant elephant” and the “Dragon Fly” workers joined the crew of the Drowned Swan in preparing to depart for Prince Andru’s birthday celebration at the Rock of Bral. However, our heroes soon discovered that not all is as it seems….

-“Oner Walek” [Gene D.]-male Wolfen sky pirate, romantic swashbuckler, prestidigitator and deck hand hailing from the “Vanished Lands” now aboard the Drowned Swan

-“Scylla” [Sara F.]-young female Amethyst Dragon fortuneteller, raised by Gypsies and devoted to protecting the weak

-“Samael Muckblood” [Geoffrey C.]-male Hill Dwarf hunter, sniper, and “bad cop” serving in ship’s security; has a steam-powered crossbow “Guinevere”

-“Zanzibar” [Robin H.]-female Lizard Wizard, pyromaniac mistress of time and space (Spelljammer)

-“The Amazing Lorenzo Le May” [Byron V.O.]-male human Thief-Acrobat, juggler, and sometime cat burglar in “Le battant éléphant” circus troupe

>>While crossing the plogiston and Wildspace, the ethernauts and circus performers had encountered Undead pirates. About halfway in a week’s journey to the Rock of Bral, the crew and passengers of the Drowned Swan find themselves entangled with magically animated rigging, mops, and buckets.

Vangar, the Wild Elf head of security, dresses down the group that defied orders and explored the massive ship’s inner decks. Oner tries to explain that he felt there was an imminent danger requiring investigation, while Scylla and Sam try to avoid eye contact. Vangar puts the wayward team on report, and he orders it to help the regular crew.

Zanzibar takes a journal she found to Nonius Vatinius at the Spelljamming section. The Elf Summoner grudgingly grants the Lizard Wizard permission to examine it in his cabin/library. Zanzibar soon confirms that the log belonged to a previous captain and a Necromancer, who had decided to use ghosts rather than living sailors.

Wily Oner tells Lorenzo that he still believes that answers to stopping the spirits and preventing potential mutinies lies below decks. Scylla tries to divine the future, which at first appears hazy. The dragon seer then has a vision of an onion with a purple light at its heart, bound by chains and a lock, no doubt a reference to the strange energies at the Drowned Swan‘s core.

Back on the top decks, doughty Sam struggles with a bucket as he tries to help the scared sailors. The Amazing Lorenzo Le May tries to pin down the moving mops and buckets. Oner then realizes that the ghosts are just trying to carry out regular shipboard duties.

The Wolfen on deck quickly checks with Lidia Kameneve, the Halfling first mate, and they agree to tell the regular crew to stand aside. Capt. Andraimon Ianthe, a tall human, orders his people to do other things for the time being while the spirits handle their tasks. Lorenzo juggles knives to entertain.

Scylla goes to Nonius’ cabin to compare notes with Zanzibar. The women agree that the only way to stop the ghostly crew is to find out more about the trapped energy at the center of the old vessel. They are soon joined by Lorenzo, Sam, and Oner, who recommends checking with the strange entity known as the “Ship Mother.”

The spelunkers visit the lush garden level, where food, air, and water are recycled. Instead of the talking tree, an attractive female humanoid emerges from the vegetation and introduces herself as the “Emissary.”

Speaking on behalf of the Ship Mother, the Emissary demands to know why the Druids who should be stationed in this deck are absent. Lorenzo observes that he hasn’t seen any divine or nature-based spellcasters aboard, but he and his companions promise to pass along her question to the captain.

The adventuring party goes to Winston Reisel III, who is in charge of the carnival. Zanzibar and Lorenzo tell the haggard man and Nonius about their findings thus far. Sam, Lorenzo, and Oner recall that some of the senior crew tried to hide deck plans when they first asked for permission to go below.

Zanzibar then boldly asks Capt. Ianthe for permission to go back to the previously sealed-off portions of the Drowned Swan. She notes the presence of “negative energy” and asks about the missing Druids. The imposing captain sends Sam to get Lidia.

Capt. Ianthe considers the reports and asks the Lizard Wizard and company to wait on further inquiries until they make port at the Rock of Bral in a few days. After Lidia relieves him at the helm, the captain angrily goes to the officers’ quarters to ask about the missing Druids. Oner suggests that Zanzibar, as an officer herself, follow to find out what happens….

Fellow role-players, here are Josh C.’s and my notes for Session 3 of his Spelljammer: “the Show Must Go On” space fantasy miniseries, which met on Sunday, 22 April 2012. We’ve been using Cubicle 7’s Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (FATE) 3rd Ed.: Starblazer Adventures—Legends of Anglerre, Skype, and an online dice roller.

>>From the “Grand Show,” a port shaped like a top hat floating in the Hysgeu sphere, the performers of “Le battant elephant” and the “Dragon Fly” workers joined the crew of the Drowned Swan in preparing to depart for Prince Andru’s birthday celebration at the Rock of Bral. However, our heroes soon discovered that not all is as it seems….

-“Oner Walek” [Gene D.]-male Wolfen sky pirate, romantic swashbuckler, prestidigitator and deck hand hailing from the “Vanished Lands” now aboard the Drowned Swan

-“Scylla” [Sara F.]-young female Amethyst Dragon fortuneteller, raised by Gypsies and devoted to protecting the weak 

-“Samael Muckblood” [Geoffrey C.]-male Hill Dwarf hunter, sniper, and “bad cop” serving in ship’s security; has a steam-powered crossbow “Guinevere” 

-“Zanzibar” [Robin H.]-female Lizard Wizard, pyromaniac mistress of time and space (Spelljammer) 

-“The Amazing Lorenzo Le May” [Byron V.O.]-male human Thief-Acrobat, juggler, and sometime cat burglar in “Le battant éléphant” circus troupe 

>>As the Drowned Swan made its way between crystal spheres to the Rock of Bral, a party of rogue crew members continues its exploration of the massive ship. Wolfen Oner notices musty odors of wood and oil.

The first time the group reached the hatch to the ship’s bowels, The Black Heart of the Woods — a pirate ship hewn from darkened oak crewed by the damned — attacked. The eyes of the lost souls burned with hellfire. The crew fought valiantly, and the invaders were handily defeated, just as the damned approached Vermelle Rognoni, lead actress in the play “The Harrowing of Princess Crispina.”

Fortunately, the damage is light and can be repaired over the next three days. The Drowned Swan sails to the sphere of Zeal and the port town of Halelbaovo. Zanzibar studies in the library of fellow Spelljammer Nonius Vatinius and considers Oner and Lorenzo’s request to study the problem of space for the crew and passengers.

Sometime after the battle, Scylla and Sam lead the way back to the hatch to discover that the boards and wards against the restless dead have been carefully moved. As the covert party progresses, it finds another hull. The Drowned Swan apparently consists of multiple ships, each built around the one before, like layers of an onion. Zanzibar is disappointed not to find more Spelljamming helms.

The explorers find storerooms that were abandoned in a hurry, with rotten supplies as well as a trunk of some nice clothing. Zanzibar stashes some nice clothing, and Oner claims an officer’s greatcoat. Lorenzo catches up and says that someone is following them.

After more stealthy climbing down ladders, the ship seems to attack: Rope rigging, cutlasses and sabers, and mops and buckets fly at the crew!

Sam snipes with “Guinevere,” and Zanzibar warns against engaging. Scylla bumps into a mop, and her dragon’s breath slows down the animated rigging. Oner draws his sword and happily parries the mops and swords. Lorenzo dodges attacks and heads for the wide mast.

Scylla nimbly avoids entanglement by the writhing rigging, while Wolfen Oner is slashed protecting her. Dwarf Sam punches a bucket and pins it to the deck with a quarrel. Juggler Lorenzo destroys another bucket with a well-thrown dagger, but a hovering blunderbuss blasts everyone!

Sam is singed, as are Zanzibar and Lorenzo, but scaled Scylla and furry Oner escape harm. The team beats a hasty retreat and descends to the innermost ship, an old galleon.

Oner is impressed at the ebony and silver staterooms, and Scylla notices a painting of a human mage shaking hands with an Elf admiral. Sam reloads his crossbow, which is powered by pressurized water rather than explosive steam.

In a desk in the captain’s quarters, Lorenzo finds a journal, which he gives to Zanzibar. The Lizard Wizard looks at the leather-bound tome, whose last entry is dated five years ago and mentions the use of ghosts as crew.

The group’s inquiries are halted when Vangar, the Wild Elf head of security for the Drowned Swan, drops down and angrily orders it topside. There, they find the regular crew fighting more animated rigging.

Oner slashes at flying sacks with his trusty cutlass, and Lorenzo jumps out of the way. Scylla replies defiantly to Vangar, who had ordered her to stay in her “elephant cage.” Zanzibar goes to take the journal to her superior, Nonius. Sam finds himself staring down an approaching bucket….