“Vortex” Update 5b.19 — On a mission from God?

Infinite diversity in infinite combinations

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5b.19 of the “Vortex” space opera campaign. Team 2 met on Monday, 29 August 2011, and is using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, Bulldogs, Diaspora, and Limitless Horizons.

In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but ecological degradation and internecine conflicts persist. Open and official First Contact with Galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Will heroes rise to the challenges?

After encountering robotic probes, regional warlords, and other horrors in an old battlefield and the Ghanki undersea station, a band of grifters and near-humans escaped to the Shepard 2 orbital city. It conducted a successful heist in the Lunar Free State and was involved in medical disasters in the Venusian colonies before returning to Earth to steal a faster-than-light drive…..

>>FATE 3e “Vortex” Team 2 (5b), crew of the “Appomattox:”

-“ARTHERR” [Greg D.C.]-Advanced Resonance Theoretical Heuristic Exploration and Research Robot created by megacorp Vimeco

-“Jasmine” [Sara F.] female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter

-“Mr. Richmond Garrett” [Dave S.C.]-male Southern American Terran human, space snake-oil salesman and social climber

-“Gabriel Adams” [Paul J./absent]-male North American Terran near-human with telepathy, courier and pilot

-“Hector Chavez” [Beruk A./absent]-male Latin American Terran human, “burned” operative and communications expert

-“Dr. Dieter Klein” [Rich L./absent]-male European Terran human, semi-retired physician, altruist and thrill seeker

-“Nero Bartholomew” [Non-Player Character]-male Terran human, former owner of the “Fortune’s Fool,” ship’s cook

-“Averki ‘Deep Dish’ Dyashenko” [N.P.C.]-male reptilian Synth (genetically engineered humanoid), onetime Venusian miner

>>”8 to 10 October 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” Sometime after delivering the Dawn’s Retreat to the United Earth Authority, the crew of the Appomattox arrived at Saturn’s moon Titan. At the Eclipse Station infirmary, Mr. Richmond Garrett had posed as a faith healer with help from ARTHERR, who had tapped a medical database. They and Jasmine then conducted an impromptu rally at the local chapel.

Still in beta, ARTHERR scans the crowd for marks, such as people with mild or terminal illnesses not treatable by the infirmary. Jasmine, who had asked Delphine (“Uplifted” dolphin) astrogator Erta Garza to join her crew, tries to suppress her disapproval of Richmond’s latest scam.

Despite his ignorance of theology, Mr. Garrett eagerly lays hands on Marcus Schlager, a hunched miner unable to receive lung transplants. The space snake-oil salesman also convinces Camille Dubois, a well-preserved madam from the orbital casino, that her bad luck in needing organ replacements can be reversed if she gets boyfriend Howard to commit to holy matrimony.

Meanwhile, Capt. Gabriel Adams talks with gynoids Tanya and Galia in an attempt to get them to join the Appomattox crew and plan a heist of the Lucky Garden Casino. Hector Chavez monitors communications from the yacht and reminds his companions of their appointment at the United Ecumenical Movement (U.E.M.) offices in New Quebec.

Gabriel and Hector still don’t trust the cargo that Richmond accepted from fixer Ramon Sanchez [Josh H./Greg/Non-Player Character]. The Appomattox is supposed to take items from the Vatican Museums to an unknown recipient in the Epsilon Eridani system. (Several parsecs from there, the Blackbird escapes an ambush at Cetus Eridani.)

Mr. Garrett — not to be confused any longer with Dr. Garrett — uses the placebo effect to “cure” hypochondriac Halil Torralua, who promptly disrobes before the crowd in a new bid for attention. The spiritual revival meeting begins to break up as the sheriff and people in dark suits arrive.

One of the newcomers angrily quotes scripture and says that the false prophets will be punished. A canine Synth (genetically engineered humanoid) readily agrees, even as Jasmine tries to engage the angry man in conversation. Richmond slips into the crowd to get away from the constabulary and protesters.

ARTHERR finds some construction debris and shoots out a light fixture, but mighty Jasmine saves the zealot by shoving him out of the way. Capt. Garzan Cisneros and Lt. Yasmin Al-Ghuj order the crowd to disperse, as Rev. Winston Jones arrives from the casino and closes the chapel doors.

Hugh Doyle thanks Jasmine for saving him from possible electrocution, and he invites her to join a Brotherhood of Illumination protest against the U.E.M. presence in New Quebec. Richmond and company later regroup at their ship.

Hector pilots the Appomattox from Eclipse Station to Titan‘s methane-shrouded surface. ARTHERR does some research on Archbishop Javier Fuentes and learns that the Roman Catholic chaplain served alongside U.E.A. troops during the Second Interplanetary War. The robot explains to Jasmine that it occurred about 30 (Terran) years ago between megacorporations and Martian colonists, including Synths.

Richmond dons the captain’s coat with brass buttons, gold braid, and epaulets that he took from the Dawn’s Retreat and orders crewmen Nero Bartholomew and Averki “Deep Dish” Dyashenko to clean his cabin.

Still unsure why the U.E.M. has reassigned so many personnel to the Sol system’s outer colonies, ARTHERR, Jasmine, and Richmond find its outpost in domed New Quebec. Acolytes explain that monks will conduct a thorough brain probe, and Mr. Garrett balks.

As an alternative, Sister Indrani Bhai introduces the visitors to Mother Superior Magdelena de la Cruz. The matronly cleric offers Richmond a rare mint julep, which he later realizes was poisoned with some relaxant. ARTHERR, sensing that something is amiss, vacuums and emits a high-pitched sound as distractions.

The Southern gentleman parries most of the nun’s questions about his stint as surgeon general of the Venusian colonies during a plague and the disaster at Kardikea Stadium. With help from his droid and Tiger-woman friends, Richmond manages to convince Mother Superior de la Cruz of his improving morals with circumstantial evidence.

The trio then goes to the wood-paneled office of Archbishop Fuentes. The Jesuit-trained eminence remains skeptical of Richmond’s newfound piety, but he asks the Appomattox crew to volunteer to aid the outer colonies anyway.

Jasmine asks about the U.E.M.’s stance on Synths, and the priest replies that after the Second Interplanetary War and First Contact with aliens, the church has accepted that nonhumans may have souls and are free to worship as they see fit. He also apologizes for Shifu Nurdin Subaja’s previous insensitivity.

ARTHERR notices items in the room, such as silver crucifixes, a marble baptismal font full of holy water, worn space armor, a jar of salt from the Sea of Galilee, linen shrouds, and a leather-bound copy of the Malleus Maleficarum. He compares them against the ship’s manifest but finds no matches.

Richmond expresses interest in the artifacts, and Archbishop Fuentes explains that some people find foci of worship helpful, while others meditate in different ways. The soldier of God explains that, after the destruction of holy sites on Earth, religious leaders agreed to focus on their commonalities (and humanity’s nascent psionic abilities, notes Gabriel remotely). However, as Rev. Jones and Mr. Doyle demonstrate, not everyone wants to be under “the big tent,” he says.

ARTHERR is confused because his theory that the U.E.M. wants the cargo planted far from Earth to convert more Terrans and aliens isn’t supported by the archbishop’s statements. Jasmine records images for Hector, and Richmond recalls some of the horrors encountered near Karachi.

Sister Indrani interrupts with news from Eclipse Station: Hugh Doyle has been found murdered, his intestines splayed out in a pentagram. The archbishop expresses regret, because even though the preacher was no friend to the U.E.M., anyone who would harm him or try to create a martyr doesn’t serve the divine will. Fuentes asks the Appomattox away team to return to the station to investigate…

Paul and Beruk, we missed you at this week’s game! Please let me know when either of you will be available for upcoming sessions of “Vortex” or the Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy group. In the meantime, “Vortex” Team 1 is scheduled to meet next on Monday, 12 September 2011, followed by Team 2 on Sept. 19. Have a good Labor Day weekend! -Gene

“Vortex” Update 5a.20 — It’s a trap!

Scene from Return of the Jedi — Adm. Ackbar

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5a.20 of the “Vortex” space opera campaign. Team 1 met on Monday, 22 August 2011, and is using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, Bulldogs, Diaspora, and Limitless Horizons.

Two aliens and their human allies encountered xenophobes and megacorporate intrigues on and around Earth. After visiting factionalized Mars and acquiring a starship in the Asteroid Belt from the Olvar Star League, they continued their mission of diplomacy and exploration to Titan, Tyche, and Alpha Centauri….

>>FATE 3e “Vortex” Team 1 (5a), crew of the Blackbird:

-“Syzygy” [Brian W./absent]-Trinoid (trilateral amphibious alien) xenologist with an organic laboratory and a pet cat named “Mr. Sniffles”

-“Tela” [Sara F.]-female Tharian (winged reptilian humanoid alien) escapee from the Encegulans, engineer

-“Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male Terran cyborg human sniper working for eugenicists at Black Box Security Co.

-“Aughest-vor…” [Jason E.R.]-male human from the Lemuria orbital city, onetime dilettante, solar-sail racer, pilot

-“Lt. Kevin Reese” [Bruce K.]-male Terran human, burned-out officer and explorer in the Interplanetary Patrol

-“Gombo Shisel” [Rich L./absent]-male Mongolian/Martian human, former horse rancher and wilderness survival expert

-“Dr. Bucket” [Non-Player Character]-United Earth Authority astromech robot assigned to the Blackbird

>>”4 to 7 October 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” The crew of the Blackbird had successfully negotiated a truce between the technocratic city-state of Albahaven and the Corvell Unity, a religious monarchy. The Salvorain were descendants of Aquarian miners beneath the oceans of “Dorian Gray,” a moon of gas giant “Methuselah” orbiting Van Maanen’s Star.

Syzygy realizes that although he has sent reports to the Kharvamid Alliance, the Aquarian homeworld probably won’t send anyone to Van Maanen’s Star anytime soon because it is threatened by the Zarkonian Armada. Tela readies the scout ship’s REM faster-than-light (FTL) drive with help from Dr. Bucket and spider drones.

Chris McKee stashes the crystal-tipped trident he obtained from the Salvorain, and impatient Lt. Kevin Reese asks Aughest-vor… to set a course for Oasis Station, about 40 parsecs from Earth. Aughest notes that because of the REM drive’s side effect of fatigue on the crew, the Blackbird should stop every few (Terran) days and explore.

The humans lay in a course for LP 771-095, or Cetus Eridani, a trinary star system about 7 parsecs from Sol. They don’t expect to find life because one of the stars emits hazardous flares. The Olvar (mammal-like arboreal alien) database lists three barren planets and numerous asteroids.

The Blackbird receives a distress call from the “Dezorici,” a vessel of unknown origin that says it was disabled by a flare. Syzygy translates using a galactic standard code, and Tela prepares rescue and salvage tools. Chris and Kevin hastily rearrange the cargo bay to accommodate up to 20 short-term passengers.

Aughest-vor taps his astrogation training to approach Cetus Eridani, cruising between complex gravitational pulls and asteroids. Syzygy detects life signs on the derelict ship, but Tela notices an energy surge as the Blackbird passes through a force field, disabling its FTL capabilities! Agent Prometheus suspects a trap and goes to his turret.

As Aughest-vor veers away from the Dezorici, six smaller craft begin pursuit. Lt. Reese scans the ships, which he and Aughest dub “squltures” because of their squid-like tentacles and vulture-like necks and metallic beaks. Chris shoots asteroids to clear an exit route.

Tela scrambles to restore the REM drive and asks for more information about the source of the disruption. Syzygy scans the local star and finds that it has been dormant and couldn’t have disabled any ship, confirming suspicions of a trap.

The squltures fire particle beams at the Blackbird, so engineer Tela sends robot Dr. Bucket and the drones to handle damage control while she focuses on the FTL. Hotshot pilot Aughest-vor flies perpendicular to the ecliptic and heads for open space, and Kevin reroutes systems to help Tela.

Gunner Chris provides cover fire with the particle cannon, and xenologist Syzygy identifies the attackers as Kutalrin, artificial intelligences and scavengers. Interplanetary Patrol officer Lt. Reese finds the FTL disruptor field emitters, which were hidden along a likely approach route through the asteroid field.

One of the pursuers is nearly destroyed by Agent Prometheus’ ion beam, as Syzygy verifies that the life signs on the Dezorici were too regular and therefore fake. Chris asks for a delay to finish off more of the enemies, but Lt. Reese overrules him, concerned about getting rammed.

Rather than swing back around toward the field emitters, Aughest-vor activates the afterburner (aftermarket Yoyodne Oscillation Overthruster) to outrun the squltures. The former solar-sail racer buys Tela the time she needs to finish repairs on the REM drive.

Trinoid Syzygy scans for intraship transmissions and observes that the Kutalrin, still in pursuit, may have a hive mind and might be working with or for someone else lurking in the system. Kevin sends warnings to the United Earth Authority and the Olvar Star League.

In a fraction of the time starship engine repairs should take, by the book, Tela restores the Blackbird‘s FTL. Aughest-vor lays in a course toward Mu Aquilae and punches it, leaving Cetus Eridani and the squltures light-years behind.

For once, pilot Aughest-vor and Lt. Reese aren’t affected by the REM drive in Transit space. They are disturbed to find Syzygy in his quarters, partly enveloped by his biomechanical laboratory, which is plugged into the ship.

Chris stumbles giddily through the corridors, offering brownies to everyone, including Dr. Bucket (whom he normally distrusts). Meanwhile, Tela falls into a deep sleep in her hammock in engineering. Aughest takes the Blackbird out of FTL, and Kevin successfully reprograms the ship’s computers after getting Syzygy to sheepishly disengage.

After a few pots of coffee, Tela is again fit for duty, and the Blackbird heads to Beta Canum Venaticorum, a binary system about 8 parsecs from Sol. According to a 1,000-year-old (Terran time) record in the Olvar database, stars Chara and Asterion are orbited by two gas giants, at least one rockball, and one “Goldilocks” world with two moons.

Leaving the Blackbird in orbit with Dr. Bucket keeping watch, the crew takes the Dragonfly drop ship down to the planet, which has water oceans, lush vegetation, and no signs of modern civilization. As he pilots over herds of feathered beasts and alongside pterodactyl-like avians, Aughest-vor nicknames the planet “Henson” for its exotic life.

Chris notices that some of the flying creatures have humanoid riders! They direct the Dragonfly toward a mountain, where the intrepid offworlders land and take the Tiger Hawk Sandstorm ground-effect vehicle up to some caves.

The Terrans, Trinoid, and Tharian shed their vacuum suits and walk toward the alien warriors, who have linked hands in some form of greeting or approach. Syzygy begins recording their speech to automate translation. Tela is greeted warmly because her glider wings are recognized by the beast handlers.

Aughest-vor and Lt. Reese declare that they have landed on “Boobulon” because the greenish female aliens each have three breasts. Three-armed Syzygy doesn’t think that is unusual, but he commences scanning the indigenous life forms as diplomatic overtures are begun….

It was great to see everybody after last month’s hiatus, and I look forward to continuing both “Vortex” teams’ adventures! Team 2, the crew of the Appomattox, is scheduled to meet on Monday, Aug. 29 (weather permitting), and Team 1 is set for Sept. 12. I also hope to resume with the Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy game. Take it easy, -Gene

“Vanished Lands” Update T3.32 — Redcap and vines

Fellow role-players, here is my update for Session T3.32 of the latest adventuring party in my “Vanished Lands” heroic fantasy campaign setting. The teleconferencing team met on Sunday, 21 August 2011, and has been using Pathfinder, Skype, and an online dice roller.

In one ancient world, there was a region where strange majicks and demihuman races thrived. After “Holy Steel‘s” journey to the distant empire of Khemet, another motley group gathered in the northwestern “Vanished Lands” to explore a world full of perils and wonders….

After meeting in the Wisalef Forest, an unlikely band of adventurers encountered the hostile Centaur followers of Vappu Lahja on the Plains of Sathendo….

>>Telecom party Player Character roster, as of late summer 2011:

-“Kovar” [Beruk A.]-male Half-Orc/Saganim human Paladin of Mithras, god of contracts and brotherhood; LGn, Lvl. 3

-“Asish Chen Ti” [Byron V.O.]-male Tsucharim human archer (Mongol-style Ranger), escaped from the kingdom of Gokuri; owner of Akita dog Genghis and horse Onimusha; NGl, Age 20, Lvl. 3

-“Jovinda Halflight” [Sammy H.]-female Half-Elf (Grugach/Hifalendorin) Cleric of Mekkil, goddess of nature; owner of horse Wyth-Amoi, or “Wind Spirit”; NGl, Age 23, Lvl. 3

-“Kazuo Takenaga” [Taum D’A.]-male Nezumi (Rat-kin) Monk from the Zedu kingdom in the Therud Forest; LNg, Age 20, Lvl. 3

-“Davven ‘Digger’ Hollysharp” [Robert A.S./absent]-male Faldine Halfling archaeologist (Tallfellow Rogue) from a pipeweed farm in Tarken; CGn, Age 45, Lvl. 3

-“Gawain Keary” [Paul J./absent]-male Saganim human Illusionist (proto-Celtic Wizard); NGc, Age 20, Lvl. 2

-“Favelhorn Riftbringer” [Dexter V.H./absent]-male Mountain Dwarf Summoner; CGn, Age 51, Lvl. 1

“3 to 4 September 1229 B.C.E.:” After finding Paladins of Otih and Urda slain near Alarn, the adventuring party regrouped at a barn on the outskirts of the Hifalendorin (proto-Western European) human hamlet. The holy warriors had been sent ahead from the city of Nadwi.

Rather than disturb the scarecrow-like corpse constructs, Kovar, Jovinda, and Kazuo boldly decide to explore the abandoned community for clues to the whereabouts of the missing knights and peasants.

Scouts Digger and Asish ride out to check the perimeter and outlying farms for the spellcaster who recently summoned a tornado against them. Favelhorn and Gawain quietly study their arcane tomes and watch the steeds.

Armored Kovar notices relatively recent tracks in Alarn’s muddy streets, and Nezumi Kazuo keeps a wary eye (and nose) out for trouble. Jovinda spots a small demihuman running toward the ruined chapel, and the Grugach and her companions give chase.

As sunset lengthens shadows on the northern Plains of Sathendo, Jovinda casts Light on an acorn and tosses it into the temple. A wizened, bearded man about two and a half feet tall with a long, pointed cap growls in response. “Go away!” he says. “This is mine now.”

Undeterred, the Cleric of Mekkil, goddess of nature, enters the defiled shrine as Kovar dismounts and enters from the rear. Jovinda recognizes the creature as a Redcap, a murderous Unseelie Fae. He doesn’t give his name, but he sees Half-Orc Kovar and assumes that he’s in charge of the Half-Elf. Kovar wonders whether the fellow is something between a Gnome and a Goblin.

“Are you part of reinforcements?” the unnamed Redcap asks. Monk Kazuo notices that the Gnome-like man wears metal-tipped boots and has joined two sickles with a chain, like a kusari-gama. Wily Kovar plays along with the Redcap, trying to get more information, while priestess Jovinda notices smashed holy symbols on the dusty floor.

The trio manages to depart the desecrated chapel without a fight and continues walking through the village. The “Mellow Mule” inn is among the buildings left untouched by the tornado, but Jovinda resists the temptation to confront whoever she sees moving inside.

Kovar, a Paladin of Otih, lord of the sun and justice, believes that the inn may be the headquarters of an invading force. Kazuo notes, however, that no links have yet been found to secretive mage Octavius Karstus, the nefarious kingdoms of Zuromm and Gokuri, or the mysterious Vappu Lahja.

At the edge of nearby woods, Kazuo spots movement. A rodent of unusual size (no relation to the Nezumi) lopes away from abandoned Alarn. In an attempt to reconstruct where farmers or knights would have fled from the haunted inn, the Paladin, Cleric, and Monk enter the darkling woods.

Jovinda finds broken branches, and a little farther north, Kazuo sniffs human sweat of fear on shreds of clothing. The trees loom over the winding path, blocking out the emerging stars, and roots and rocks jut out from the damp earth.

Digger goes to check on those at the barn, while Asish follows his friends’ footprints into the edge of the Wisalef Forest. The Tsucharim Ranger whistles to his dog Genghis as he cautiously guides horse Onimusha through the scratchy branches.

Asish rejoins Kovar, Jovinda, and Kazuo just as they find another sign of refugees from Alarn — a shiny sliver of silver that turns out to be a bracelet around a wrist bone wrapped in roots. Jovinda is unable to explain how thick plants could have grown around a corpse in only a few weeks.

Her question is soon answered when grasping branches and vicious vines reach out in attack! Asish hops back into the saddle, recognizing the Assassin Vines from his servitude to the Nannuattan (eastern Dark Elves). Jovinda casts Shield of Faith on Kazuo and is given a hand up to Onimusha.

Kazuo launches a Flurry of Blows, and Kovar draws his masterwork longsword and also backs up from the writhing roots. Leafy tendrils and clod-covered roots whip at the group. One woody tentacle grabs Jovinda’s ankle and pulls her from Onimusha!

Asish turns his horse around to grab Jovinda, but Onimusha is slowed by the entanglement. Kazuo leaps in to help his fallen ally before she is strangled, and Kovar slices the vine with his sword but is smacked in return.

Jovinda clears a path with Wood Shape, and Kazuo and Kovar follow. The Paladin lays on hands, but the fleeing foursome is unable to escape injury from the carnivorous plants. As they bind their wounds by torchlight, Asish recommends returning to the barn rather than spend the night in wilderness full of feral monsters…

After last month’s hiatus because of summer travel, it was great to see most of you! Dexter, Paul, and Rob, we still missed you, and note that Paul and Sammy & Taum won’t be able to attend some upcoming sessions. How does Sunday, 28 August 2011, look for each of you? Byron, I’m glad that you were eventually able to join us, but please try to let us know in advance of any future delays.

We still need to discuss alternate times and games, but in the meantime, to keep the current campaign going, I’ll be lowering the bar to three players for quorum, exploring Google+, and working on backup scenarios. Like the FATE 3e “Vortex” space opera, we should be able to overcome future scheduling disruptions with a little forethought and communication. Take it easy, -Gene

“Vortex” Update 5b.18 — Miracles on Titan

Interior of Starwind-class pleasure yacht — The "Appomattox"

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5b.18 of the “Vortex” space opera campaign. Team 2 met on Monday, 15 August 2011, and is using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, Bulldogs, Diaspora, and Limitless Horizons.

>>FATE 3e “Vortex” Team 2 (5b), crew of the “Appomattox:”

-“Gabriel Adams” [Paul J.]-male North American Terran near-human with telepathy, courier and pilot

-“ARTHERR” [Greg D.C.]-Advanced Resonance Theoretical Heuristic Exploration and Research Robot created by megacorp Vimeco

-“Jasmine” [Sara F.] female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter

-“Dr. Richmond Garrett” [Dave S.C.]-male Southern American Terran human, space snake-oil salesman and social climber

-“Hector Chavez” [Beruk A./absent]-male Latin American Terran human, “burned” operative and communications expert

-“Dr. Dieter Klein” [Rich L./absent]-male European Terran human, semi-retired physician, altruist and thrill seeker

-“Nero Bartholomew” [Non-Player Character]-male Terran human, former owner of the “Fortune’s Fool,” ship’s cook

-“Averki ‘Deep Dish’ Dyashenko” [N.P.C.]-male reptilian Synth (genetically engineered humanoid), onetime Venusian miner

>>”4 to 7 October 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” After delivering the Dawn’s Retreat, a vessel believed to be from an alternate universe, to the United Earth Authority, the crew of the Appomattox discusses its next moves while in Earth orbit.

Capt. Gabriel Adams says he wants to learn more about why “fixer” Ramon Sanchez [Josh H./Greg/N.P.C.] arranged for art from the Vatican Museum to be smuggled to Epsilon Eridani. ARTHERR estimates that it will take a few weeks for other Terrans to use the plans for faster-than-light drives stolen from the Ru’ulok (reptilian heavy-gravity aliens), about the same amount of time it would take for the Appomattox to go to Epsilon Eridani.

The robot adds that a proper home should be found for the artifacts, “for the good of all mankind!” Hector Chavez is also suspicious of Sanchez and notes that SRE (Systemes de Recuperation Executif) repossession agents are still looking for the ship in near-Earth space.

Jasmine tells Averki “Deep Dish” Dyashenko that she’s tired of sneaking around and stealing things, but Dr. Richmond Garrett is determined to fulfill his mission for Sanchez, or at least find a higher bid for the relics. ARTHERR notes that Gordon Wong, a rogue artificial intelligence with the Xox Memes, had observed that the United Ecumenical Movement recently reassigned numerous chaplains to the outer Sol system. Perhaps one of them could help, he suggests.

Gabriel has heard that the U.E.M. is looking for humans with psychic abilities. The underworld courier sets a course for Titan, a colonized moon of Saturn. ARTHERR and Hector examine grenades and install missiles stolen from the Star Shark. Jasmine looks forward to finding fellow “Synths” (genetically engineered beings) in the outer colonies.

With ARTHERR’s help, Richmond orders a ministry to become “the revered Dr. Garrett,” despite his complete ignorance of religion. He orders chef Nero Bartholomew to burn an image of the Virgin Mary on some bread, so that he can “find Cheebus” on “miracle toast.” The grifters vacuum-seal the sandwich and put it on a silver platter.

Capt. Adams passes Europa near Jupiter and docks the Appomattox at Eclipse Station in orbit around Titan, which is itself in orbit around Saturn. (The Blackbird visited the orbital habitat just a few weeks earlier.) ARTHERR contacts the U.E.M., which sends two people to inspect the supposed miracle.

At the Ringtown Diner, Jasmine and Dr. Garrett are happy to order real meat with their meals. ARTHERR flirts with the robotic waitress, and Gabriel leaves for the Lucky Garden Casino. Yellow-robed Shifu Nurdin Subaja and space armored Sister Indrani Bhai soon join them.

Shifu Nurdin interrogates Richmond and yarmulke-wearing ARTHERR. Sister Indrani takes an interest in Jasmine, who resembles a Rakshasa. When Nurdin makes an offhandedly disparaging remark about Synths to Richmond, Jasmine angrily douses the cleric with her milkshake and storms out. Indrani follows her into the crowded corridors and invites her and all sentient beings to join her faith.

Meanwhile, at the Lucky Garden Casino, Gabriel is accosted by the attractive Tanya and Galia. He wins a few hands at poker and inquires about local high rollers such as Rev. Winston Jones. Once the telepath realizes that the women are in fact free-willed androids, Gabriel is initially put off but invites them to join the Appomattox‘s crew.

Humbled, Shifu Nurdin listens to Dr. Garrett confess how the toast helped him turn from his sinful ways. In return for the platter, he reluctantly agrees to help the onetime snake-oil salesman obtain an audience with Archbishop Javier Fuentes in New Quebec on Titan‘s surface.

To build his reputation as a holy man, Richmond goes with ARTHERR to the infirmary, where they talk to the beings waiting for appointments. They conduct triage, identifying elderly patients with more money than hope of successful treatment. However, Dr. Martha Curtis soon asks for Dr. Garrett’s help with an urgent head injury!

Jasmine goes to the casino, where she chats with “Uplifted” Chim Faisal and Delphine astrogator Erta Garza. The bioengineered bonobo flirts unsuccessfully with the Tiger Woman wrestler, and Gabriel tells Jasmine to invite Erta to join the crew as backup to Richmond and Deep Dish.

At the infirmary, Dr. Garrett scrubs in and enters the operating theater, with ARTHERR posing as his remote-controlled medical assistant. The droid downloads medical data and conducts surgery, relaying instructions for Richmond to “order” him and Dr. Curtis to execute. After several tense moments, the physicians and fakes manage to save the patient, even as the real Dr. Garrett arrives!

Richmond pretends to faint and later explains that he was “moved by the divine” to assist Dr. Curtis, even without any true expertise. ARTHERR broadcasts the successful surgery through local news media, turning the colonists in the waiting room and student observers into witnesses to Richmond’s “miracle.” The actual Dr. Garrett, who is aware of the former Venusian surgeon general, begrudgingly escorts Richmond from the infirmary to the disused station chapel.

At an impromptu faith-healing rally, Sr. Indrani tells ARTHERR that the performance in the infirmary has moved Richmond up in the queue of appointments with the archbishop. He will receive them at the U.E.M.’s offices in New Quebec. The crew of the Appomattox resolves not to reveal that it has the Vatican art but to inquire discreetly about the church’s shift in personnel to the outer colonies, security breaches, and possible destinations for the precious cargo (such as Epsilon Eridani).

Gabriel begins planning a casino heist, hoping to use Jasmine and her fellow Synths, while Hector monitors communications surrounding Richmond’s revived reputation. The team prepares for its audience with the archbishop…

After our July hiatus because of travel, it was good to see everyone in Team 2! We’ll have a few more scheduling interruptions in the next few months, but I’m also looking forward to continuing the adventures in the Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom game and “Vortex” Team 1! Be seeing you, -Gene

Science fiction games at GenCon 2011

To boldly go... — From the recent Trek MMO

Rounding out my look at some of the news around this year’s GenCon in Indianapolis, here are some observations on science fiction role-playing games. As previously noted, one recent trend is the shift of well-known licenses among game publishers, such as The One Ring for fantasy and Marvel Heroes among comic book games. The Dresden Files RPG (for which a third book may be coming) is another example of a successful tie-in across entertainment media.

Fantasy Flight Games’ announcement that it had won the Star Wars license is in keeping with this trend. There had been some speculation about which company would make the next Star Wars tabletop game, joining West End Games’ popular D6 adaptation and Wizards of the Coast’s polished D20/Saga Edition versions. FFG may look first to the youth market with miniatures, board games, and wargames, since Star Wars: Saga Edition was pretty complete and will be difficult to immediately surpass in quality or sales.

Margaret Weis Productions, whose Cortex system underlies Dragon Brigade, Leverage, and Marvel Heroes, apparently lost the Firefly/Serenity license. Mongoose, which made middling D20 splatbooks and been successful with the latest edition of Traveller, has dropped the Conan and Babylon 5 licenses, even as fans hope to revive those franchises. I’ve enjoyed the sourcebooks for all these fictional universes and look forward to seeing who gets them next.

On the other hand, Mongoose did get Star Fleet Battles and Prime Directive, which are based on the original Star Trek television series (and not its many sequels or J.J. Abrams’ parallel-universe reboot). I already have the GURPS and D20 versions of Prime Directive. I’ve been reading up on Traveller, the granddaddy of space opera RPGs, as part of preparing for my homebrew/sandbox scenarios, so a Traveller/Trek combo could be interesting. Trekkers can also look forward to a board game from WizKids, which used to make Star Wars minis for WotC.

Speaking of my FATE 3e “Vortex” campaign, I recently got Bulldogs. The pulpy SF game (previously in D20) is a good fit for my game — so much so, that I’ll probably refer to it ahead of the hard science fiction Diaspora and the thin Limitless Adventures, if not Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, which we used to create characters. The stunts may need tweaking, but Bulldogs‘ rules for alien creation, equipment, combat, and starships are all clearly presented.

In other speculative fiction role-playing, the excellent Stars Without Number will be published in an expanded edition by Mongoose, but the PDF of this retro-clone, sandbox game is still free. I’d compare SwoN favorably with StarCluster 3. I’ve got my hardcopy of the comprehensive Stellar Horizons, and I’m looking forward to the science fiction/horror Ashen Stars and Cthonian Stars/Void (the latter will use its own system).

One reason I’ve enjoyed running “Vortex” is that there’s little danger of either of my face-to-face adventuring parties overlapping in storylines with the many fantasy, horror, or other games that the current Boston-area players are participating in. I’ll blog more about their sessions soon!