Category: Vortex

“Vortex: the Gryphon” Update 5c.4 — the malls of Mars

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5c.4 of my “Vortex” space opera campaign, which we played via Skype and an online dice roller on Sunday, 22 July 2012. We’re using Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (FATE) 3rd Ed.: Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer and Bulldogs.

In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but environmental degradation, population pressures, and internecine conflict persist. The rediscovery of mystical abilities and open and official First Contact with galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Can heroes rise to the challenges?

>>FATE 3e “Vortex” Team 3 (5c) telecom Player Characters, crew of the Gryphon (as of summer 2012)

  • “Hector Chavez” [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, former spy and communications expert/engineer of the Appomattox
  • “Jasmine” [Sara F.]-female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter and onetime crewmember of the Appomattox, now apart from the grifters in “MarSoupAiL” and with boyfriend Darcy
  • “Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male Terran human cyborg, former sniper for the North American Aerospace Marine Corps. and eugenicists at Black Box Security Co.; onetime crewmember of the scout ship Blackbird
  • “Jax” [Robin H.]-male human from the Asteroid Belt, vain space pirate and pilot of the Slipstream and Gryphon
  • “Orion Starchaser” [Geoff C.]-male [blue humanoid alien] outcast, irrepressible mystic and adrenaline junkie
  • “Dr. Srinu Pahul” [Byron V.O.]-male Indian Terran “near-human” (bioengineered) xenobiologist, shadowed by scandal and confident in survival skills
  • “Jim Delaney” [Robert A.S.]-male Terran “near-human” gambler and psi
Domed habitats on Mars
New Shanghai

>>”16 to 28 February to 2195 A.D./C.E. or 1 Terran Galactic Era:” After its arrival at the Mars Confederacy, the crew of the Gryphon explored the area around the Hadriaca Paterna terraforming station while waiting to deliver machine parts.

Jax, still nursing a hangover, brings coffee to Hector Chavez in the Gryphon‘s cockpit. Security scanners detect someone at the airlock. Jim Delaney asks to come aboard and offers his services as a professional gambler.

Swashbuckler Jax is more interested in piracy than in grifting, and burned op Hector is unhappy that news of the yacht‘s arrival has spread through nearby settlements. They let the well-dressed young man talk to the rest of the crew.

Jasmine is wary of con artists because of her experiences on the Appomattox, but Orion Starchaser senses no ill intent. The friendly blue alien carries a feather from a bioengineered Martian species. Chris McKee asks Jim who or what he’s running from, and Dr. Srinu Pahul asks to examine the newcomer.

Hector relents and says that Jim can join the crew if he successfully acts as “face man” for the cargo drop. Orion happily accompanies Jim as he returns to subterranean cities, and Hector and Srinu tail them.

Jax and Chris initially stay behind on the Gryphon, and Jasmine and Darcy prepare to meet with Olun Gor, a Garth (“Uplifted” gorilla) in the Synth Liberation Front. Irdana, an Olvar (mammal-like arboreal alien) passenger, heads to the capital of Hellas Park.

Jim and Orion go to a town of dusty domesteads deep in the Martian outback. At the Lucky Badger Saloon, they look for fellow gamblers and hitchhikers. Hector and Srinu watch their backs, and the doctor learns that both he and Jim are looking for servant robots.

Impatient pilot Jax takes the Slipstream to New Shanghai, where he sees holograms of Shocho, the omnipresent mascot of the ruling Tenryu Party. Jax goes to a disreputable neighborhood, where he meets smuggler Harry Chu.

Back at the Lucky Badger, Hector tries to find out if anybody on Mars besides the Tarsis Terraforming Directorate would value the machine parts. The supporters of Green Gongen are opposed by the preservationists of the Rust Coalition.

Chu tells Jax about politician Han Wubing, but the “best pirate in the Sol system” is more interested in potential mark Maria Chan, who is having a luxury vessel built in the Utopia Planitia shipyards.

Orion chats with Slazim, a Trinoid (three-armed amphibian) xenologist. The extraterrestrials have difficulty understanding why humans would voluntarily poison themselves with alcohol. Slazim offers to put in a recommendation with the science bureaus on Orion’s behalf as an independent contributor if he’ll continue traveling with Terrans.

The rest of the Gryphon‘s crew eventually makes its way to New Shanghai, one of the largest colonies on Mars. Hector remotely monitors locations and communications, and Jasmine and Darcy watch out for bounty hunters.

Chris is more worried about his former employers at Black Box Security Co., but Dr. Pahul makes inquiries about unusual biotech research possibly related to the Zarkonian threat. Srinu also orders supplies for the science lab/sickbay — and robots Medical Emergency and Group Assistance Synthetic Nurse (M.E.G.A.N.), as well as Personal Executive Prototype-Version E (“Pepe”).

Jax asks Chu if any advanced equipment is being installed on Chan’s ship. Jim schmoozes and learns of remote landing sites used by smugglers, as Orion observes to Slazim that Terrans’ diversity and factionalism is part of their charm….

I hope that all of you had a good weekend while I was out of town visiting family. Josh and Sara, I hope that your latest move and unpacking have gone smoothly. Beruk, Rob, and Byron, let us know your availability in the coming weeks.

Geoff, can you resend me the document where you wrote up Orion’s species and background? Robin and company, remember to look over the “Gryphon’s” specs for future modification. Note that I’ve updated the calendar and contact database in the “Vanished Lands” Yahoo/eGroups site. I look forward to resuming “Vortex” this coming Sunday, 5 August 2012. Take it easy, -Gene

“Vortex” Update 5c.3 — “The best worst thing to happen on Mars”

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5c.3 of my “Vortex” space opera campaign, which we played via Skype and an online dice roller on Sunday, 15 July 2012. We’re using “Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment” (FATE) 3rd Ed.: “Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer” and “Bulldogs.”

In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but environmental degradation, population pressures, and internecine conflict persist. The rediscovery of mystical abilities and open and official First Contact with galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Can heroes rise to the challenges?

>>FATE 3e “Vortex” Team 3 (5c) telecom Player Characters, crew of the Gryphon (as of summer 2012)

  • “Hector Chavez” [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, former spy and communications expert/engineer of the Appomattox
  • “Jasmine” [Sara F.]-female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter and onetime crewmember of the Appomattox, now apart from the grifters in “MarSoupAiL” and with boyfriend Darcy
  • “Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male Terran human cyborg, former sniper for the North American Aerospace Marine Corps. and eugenicists at Black Box Security Co.; onetime crewmember of the scout ship Blackbird
  • “Jax” [Robin H.]-male human from the Asteroid Belt, vain space pirate and pilot of the Slipstream and Gryphon
  • “Orion Starchaser” [Geoff C.]-male [blue humanoid alien] outcast, irrepressible mystic and adrenaline junkie
  • “Dr. Srinu Pahul” [Byron V.O./absent]-male Indian Terran “near-human” (bioengineered) xenobiologist, shadowed by scandal and confident in survival skills
  • “Jim” [Robert A.S./absent]-male Terran “near-human” gambler and psi
  • [Jim J.D’B.]-?
Beanstalk to Mars
Deimos-Pavonis space elevator

>>”15 to 21 February 2195 A.D./C.E. or 1 Terran Galactic Era:” After meeting in Earth orbit, the crew of the Gryphon makes its shakedown cruise to the Mars Confederacy. The yacht also takes on a cargo of machine parts and a passenger fleeing from arms smugglers.

Hector Chavez scans for any illicit communications and sets up a jamming frequency for the cargo containers’ transponders. Jax “flies casual” to evade notice from the Interplanetary Patrol. The pirate pilot notes that his smaller vessel, the Slipstream, doesn’t have crew accommodations and thus can’t be used as a drop ship.

Orion Starchaser is fascinated by views of Mars and its moons Phobos and Deimos. Chris McKee tries to remember the location of a domestead he raided with the crew of the Blackbird as a place to avoid.

Darcy reminds Jasmine that they have friends in the Synth Liberation Front. They have heard rumors that the United Ecumenical Movement is holding S.L.F. members in its temples on Phobos. The bioengineered tigers make plans to meet Olun Gor, a Garth (“Uplifted” gorilla) on the surface.

Dr. Srinu Pahul talks with Irdana, an Olvar (mammal-like arboreal alien) tourist. The doctor also reviews supplies needed for the medical bay and galley. In one the Gryphon‘s lounges, the crew debates where to go next on Mars.

Hector recommends New Shanghai as one of the larger settlements, but Jax is wary of cities. Orion wants to see everything, and Chris and Srinu just want to avoid former employer Black Box Security Co. in the capital of Hellas Park.

Chris recommends that Jasmine meet Olun at the terraforming station at Hadriaca Paterna, which should be far enough from other colonies and the Union of Solar Nations base at Fort Olympus Mons. Instead of docking at the Deimos-Pavonis orbital elevator as originally planned, Jax takes the Gryphon down to the red world.

The landing party is greeted by scientist Taka Shimuza, megacorp delegate Herb Cort, and Asdann Fre’vel, a Gustrall (antlered, orange-furred, raptor-like alien) guard. Shimuza gives a tour of the massive plant of the Tharsis Terraforming Directorate, and Cort represents Uruk Services.

Even interstellar wanderer Orion is impressed by the scale of the machinery, some of which Hector recognizes as being similar to their cargo. Shimuza explains to Jax that efforts to make Mars more earthlike are expected to take many years, even with extraterrestrial assistance.

Cort mentions that the station has had little to worry about from local insurgents, especially after hiring a fierce Gustrall. Chris is happy to be reunited with Asdann, who invites him and Jasmine on a hunting expedition. Dr. Pahul and Darcy stay aboard the Gryphon to monitor communications and protect Irdana.

After their tour, the travelers return to their ship on the windswept landing pad for the night. Jasmine sends Olun a note, and he replies that he’ll come to Hadriaca Paterna the next day.

Orion is eager to explore, and Chris takes up a pool betting on how long it will take the blue alien to get into trouble. Jasmine says 15 minutes, Hector says 29, and Jax wagers 45. Chris predicts that it will take an hour, and Srinu bets on two hours.

The next morning, Asdann and Chris prepare a hoversled, and Jasmine and Darcy take her hoverbike from the hold. Orion is in his space suit and out the airlock before the others are even aware.

Even though Orion has no experience with ornithopters, Asdann trains him on the fundamentals. Jax reluctantly agrees to accompany him, but when he takes the controls, she jumps off. Orion sets off north as the hunters go south.

Asdann, Chris, Jasmine, and Darcy eventually land near a gulch in the cold, arid Martian outback. Asdann spots tracks of a six-legged Martian alligator (modified from Terran stock). Chris unslings his rifle and peers at various caves, while Jasmine is frustrated that the air is too thin for her to use her sense of smell.

Meanwhile, Orion sets down and hikes west. He sees a local domestead but decides instead to head north, toward snow-capped mountains. Back at the Gryphon, Jax and Hector split a bottle of brandy that Srinu brought along and discuss looking for more paying gigs.

In a gully with a little ice and algae, the hunters corner two gators gnawing on the remains of a dune strider. Jasmine draws her blaster and shoots, and Chris maneuvers to a higher position. Asdann misses, and the first gator bites at Jasmine’s gun, but she wrests it away.

The second beast leaps toward Asdann, who nimbly steps away. Jasmine strikes her foe with the butt of her gun, and Chris wings the second gator. One Martian menace tries to bite the tiger-woman’s foot, but she dodges, and Agent Prometheus finishes off both gators.

Asdann helps them haul the carcasses back to the Gryphon. Chris declares the hunting expedition a success, or “the best worst thing to happen on Mars.” They butcher the beasts for their hides and meat.

Accustomed to 1G, Orion makes great leaps across the rugged Martian landscape. The interstellar hitchhiker follows a flock of birds south. Curious Orion uses empathy to sense their mood as he climbs a cliff face to get closer to their perch.

The bioengineered birds have bright plumage, broad wingspans, and relatively small beaks. Orion takes a few photographs and hikes back to the terraforming station, where he gets lectured for leaving his ornithopter.

The next morning, Jax wakes up in the Gryphon‘s cockpit. The hung-over pilot nudges Hector and stumbles to the galley for some coffee. Chris and Dr. Pahul are chipper, and Jax is not thrilled to find an alligator head in the refrigerator.

Orion didn’t get into any serious trouble, so nobody wins the bet. Jasmine and Darcy mount one Martian gator skeleton in their cabin and the other at the swimming pool. They then get ready to deliver their cargo and meet fellow “Synth” Olun Gor….

I hope that you enjoyed this session and have had a good week. Byron, I hope you had a Happy Birthday! Rob, I look forward to your character eventually joining this crew, and Beruk, I’ll see you at The Dark Knight Rises on Sunday morning.

Good luck to Josh & Sara with your latest move — we’ll miss you this weekend and at Jason’s penultimate “Glassworks” superhero game on Monday. I’ll be out of town for the latter part of next week, and I’ll let everyone know if it will affect “Vortex.” Take it easy, -Gene

Ennies and recent favorite RPGs

Fellow role-players, as we continue to discuss our current games and what we might play next, don’t forget to vote for this year’s Ennies! Here’s how I voted:

While I haven’t played many of these, I own several, and I’ve looked at many more products and Web sites. I explain why I chose what I did below.

RPG dice
A pile of polyhedral dice — most tabletop role-players’ fancy

Fantasy

Standouts include Paizo and others’ continuing strong support for the Pathfinder system (a.k.a. “D&D3.75”) and Obsidian Portal, whose wikis our current face-to-face and telecom groups have been using.

I haven’t yet played The One Ring, but it has impressive production value, as do supplements such as DungeonMorph’s cards and the “Mass Transit” series of maps. Many of you have received the news and Game Mastering advice I’ve forwarded from Gnome Stew and EnWorld.org. I enjoyed Rich’s “Way of the Wicked” one-shot.

Modern and superheroes

I voted for DC Adventures: Heroes & Villains Vol. 1 (using D20/OGL Mutants & Masterminds 3rd Ed.) over the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game even though we’re using the latter in Jason‘s “Glassworks” superhero miniseries. I thought Green Ronin’s relatively timeless approach to DC’s iconic characters was better than Margaret Weiss Production’s dice-intensive take on recent Marvel continuity. I’ll leave the various Cthulhu supplements to the horror authorities among us.

Science fiction

I’ve used various SFRPG supplements in developing the “Vortex” space opera, including Ashen Stars: Dead Rock Seven, Eclipse Phase: Panopticon, and Star Hero. Even though FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer has been our baseline, Bulldogs! is a much clearer presentation of similar rules.

Publishers

I’m not sure that Wizards of the Coast’s polls are the best way to get feedback for “Dungeons & Dragons Next” (5e), and Mongoose still has too many errors in its rulebooks, even if I like that it’s keeping Traveller going. Cubicle 7 has let support for Starblazer Adventures and Legends of Anglerre slip, so I voted for the publishers of my other favorite supplements of the past year.

What were your favorites? In addition, don’t forget to vote for which of my campaigns you’d like to see for the face-to-face groups in the coming year! Happy gaming, -Gene

“Vortex” Update 5c.2: Shakedown to Mars

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5c.2 of my “Vortex” space opera campaign, which we played via Skype and an online dice roller on Sunday, 8 July 2012. We’re using “Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment” (FATE) 3rd Ed.: “Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer” and “Bulldogs.”

In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but environmental degradation, population pressures, and internecine conflict persist. The rediscovery of mystical abilities and open and official First Contact with galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Who will rise to the challenges?

>>FATE 3e “Vortex” Team 3 (5c) telecom Player Characters, crew of the “Gryphon” (as of summer 2012)

  • “Hector Chavez” [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, former spy and communications expert/engineer of the Appomattox
  • “Jasmine” [Sara F.]-female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter and onetime crewmember of the Appomattox with boyfriend Darcy, now apart from the grifters in “MarSoupAiL”
  • “Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male Terran human cyborg, former sniper for the North American Aerospace Marine Corps and eugenicists at Black Box Security Co.; onetime crewmember of the scout ship Blackbird
  • “Jax” [Robin H.]-male human from the Asteroid Belt, vain space pirate and pilot of the Slipstream and Gryphon
  • “Orion Starchaser” [Geoff C.]-male [blue humanoid alien] outcast, irrepressible mystic and adrenaline junkie
  • “Dr. Srinu Pahul” [Byron V.O.]-male Indian Terran “near-human” (bioengineered) xenobiologist, shadowed by scandal and confident in survival skills
  • [Robert A.S./absent]-male Terran “near-human” gambler and psi
Starship getting under way
Loading cargo

>>”8 to 14 February 2195 A.D./C.E. or 1 Terran Galactic Era:” After meeting at the shipyards of New Gdansk in Earth orbit, the new crew of the Gryphon prepares for its shakedown cruise. Hector Chavez secures the cargo of machine parts obtained from smuggler Desmond Hogarth.

The engineer also collects a wish list of enhancements to install on the yacht once the delivery to the Mars Confederation is completed. Mighty Jasmine and her boyfriend, fellow “Synth” (“Uplifted” tiger) Darcy, assist with the loading and cabin redecorations.

Orion Starchaser returns to the ship, excited as usual. The interstellar hitchhiker says that he has met a gunner, whom he managed to steer away from a confrontation with Dr. Srinu Pahul. Orion then leaves to get Chris McKee, leaving confused people in his wake.

Burned op Hector shows Jax some of his security precautions in the Gryphon‘s cockpit and keeps tabs on the crew’s comm links. Jax wants to depart without Orion and the sketchy sniper, but Jasmine talks the hotshot pilot into waiting.

Cautious Hector asks Srinu what he knows about Chris. The doctor reassures him that despite their shared pasts with the eugenicists at Black Box Security Co., they should be able to work together without killing each other.

At the “Drowning Swan” bar, Orion happily tells Chris that he’s welcome aboard the Gryphon. They are joined by Irdana, a tourist whom Orion had met earlier. The nervous Olvar (arboreal, mammal-like alien) asks the blue wanderer if she can buy passage with them.

Sensing that Irdana is in trouble, Orion and Chris readily agree. Hector and Jax aren’t thrilled, however, when Irdana explains that she witnessed a deal for heavy ordinance — Orion’s arm span plus her tail in size — and was then noticed by the illicit arms dealers.

Jax and Chris ask Irdana how she plans to pay, and she opens a rucksack of antique Terran toys. Jasmine and Orion happily play with the plastic figurines, but Srinu and Jax aren’t impressed. Chris is won over when he finds some old military action figures.

Rather than risk being probed by more remote-control robots, captured by smugglers, or waylaid by fans, the crew of the Gryphon casts off. Jax easily maneuvers the ship, which is much larger than his personal vessel, the Slipstream, past traffic between Earth, the L-5 orbital stations, and the Lunar Free State.

Hector goes to engineering to check on the maneuver (sublight) and Transit (faster-than-light) drives. He notes that since the Gryphon is swifter than Hogarth knows, the group will have time to check out the drop zone rather than be ambushed.

Jasmine and Darcy show new crewmate Chris and passenger Irdana around, taking them through lounges and to their cabins. Originally from a world with large oceans and many islands, Orion takes advantage of the new saltwater swimming pool.

In his spare time, Srinu translates the Mahabharata, which describes possible ancient contact between humans and extraterrestrials. The doctor also asks each of his shipmates to come to the medical bay for a complete checkup.

Jax pointedly ignores most visitors to the bridge, executing several barrel rolls and other maneuvers that test the ship’s advanced inertial dampeners and artificial-gravity deck plates. The “best damn space pirate in the solar system” sets a course for a quick jump through Transit.

Jasmine goes to check on the foods that Srinu brought, while Darcy chats with Irdana. Srinu tells ruminant Orion that he’d like to introduce fish and a variety of Terran and alien plants to the pool to supplement their diet. Hector and Jax are reluctant to submit to medical examination.

At dinner one night, Chris asks his new companions about their plans beyond bringing the mechanical cargo to Mars. “Agent Prometheus” describes the Blackbird‘s fight on Oasis Station against the Zurmiz Krott, a biomechanical probe of the dreaded Zarkonian Armada. The inhuman invaders are approaching Earth, he says.

Hector and Jasmine observe that Chris’ description strongly resembles that of the “Harbinger of the Righteous Order of Submission” they encountered with the rest of Mars Soup Aid Lenders Ltd. (“MarSoupAiL”) back in Ghanki Station under the Indian Ocean. Both the Zurmiz Krott and the Harbinger induced cannibalistic madness and were difficult to contain or defeat.

Chris proposes scouting the space threatened by the Zarkonians, but calm Orion notes that according to his sensei, the crustaceans have attacked numerous worlds over many centuries of Terran time. Chris promises to share archaeological data with Dr. Pahul about possible Precursor artifacts at Van Maanen’s Star.

Jax isn’t convinced of the urgency of the Zarkonian threat, but Jasmine vows to help protect humanity, despite its often poor treatment of her and other “Synths” (bioengineered humanoids). In the meantime, Chris warns, Mars is bad news, because of his experiences with various factions.

Jax takes the Gryphon out of the plane of the ecliptic, and Hector spins up the Transit drive. In a matter of hours rather than weeks, the yacht travels from Earth orbit to Mars….

Thanks again for your patience as I dealt with audio problems; I’ll try to log onto Skype earlier this coming weekend to deal with them. Since we have a good-sized group, we should also remember Google+/Tabletop Forge as backups. I look forward to the new crew of the “Gryphon” settling in, visiting the Mars colonies, and looking ahead to future missions!

We should eventually upload character records and images to the Obsidian Portal site for “Vortex.” See also the discussion on the Yahoo/eGroups message board regarding Jason’s “Glassworks” superhero scenario and upcoming games for the Boston-area, face-to-face groups. -Gene

“Vortex” Update 5c.1: New Gdansk

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5c.1 of my “Vortex” space opera campaign, which we played via Skype and an online dice roller on Sunday, 1 July 2012. We’re using Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (FATE) 3rd Ed.: Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer and Bulldogs.

In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but environmental degradation, population pressures, and internecine conflict persist. The rediscovery of mystical abilities and open and official First Contact with galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Can heroes rise to the challenges?

>>FATE 3e “Vortex” Team 3 (5c) telecom Player Characters, crew of the “Gryphon” (as of summer 2012)

-“Hector Chavez” [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, former spy and communications expert/engineer of the Appomattox

-“Jasmine” [Sara F.]-female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter and onetime crewmember of the Appomattox, now apart from the grifters in “MarSoupAiL”

-“Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male Terran human cyborg, former sniper for the North American Aerospace Marine Corps. and eugenicists at Black Box Security Co.; onetime crewmember of the scout ship Blackbird

-“Jax” [Robin H.]-male human from the Asteroid Belt, vain space pirate and pilot of the Slipstream and Gryphon

-“Orion Starchaser” [Geoff C.]-male [humanoid alien] outcast, irrepressible mystic and adrenaline junkie

-“Dr. Srinu Pahul” [Byron V.O.]-male Indian Terran “near-human” (bioengineered) xenobiologist, shadowed by scandal and confident in survival skills

-[Robert A.S.]-?

-[Jim J.D’B.]-?

Orbital_city_by_StaticVG
Orbital habitat in a torus station

>>”1 to 7 February 2195 A.D./C.E. or 1 Terran Galactic Era:” Sometime after the Appomattox repelled boarders near Atlanta and the explorers aboard the Blackbird returned to Earth from distant Oasis Station, a new band of travelers gathers at the orbital station of New Gdansk.

Hector Chavez and Jasmine arrive at the Lagrange-point torus habitat aboard another Starwind-class pleasure yacht in need of refitting and more crew. Hector calls his onetime “fixer” Max (short for Maxine) to find out about discreet shipyards and potential gigs. She sends the former spy to one Desmond Hogarth.

Jasmine and her boyfriend, fellow “Synth” Darcy, hope to find a safe homeworld for their people. But first, they want to stretch their legs (and tails) and get something to eat at the orbital city.

Meanwhile, Orion Starchaser continues hitchhiking across the galaxy. The blue extraterrestrial catches a lift with a Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian alien) trade vessel and is curious about Terrans. Orion disembarks at New Gdansk and is distracted by a shiny ship in space dock.

The yacht has also attracted the attention of Jax, a dashing space pirate whose single-person transport, the Slipstream, is berthed nearby. Jax’s interest is only heightened when Orion notices that the ship has Transit-capable (faster-than-light) engines. Humanity has only recently obtained this technology.

Hector and Jasmine emerge from the airlock and are surprised to meet self-important Jax and chatty Orion rather than a security squad. Hector is wary of their questions, but Jasmine is interested in talking with fellow nonhuman Orion.

Disgraced for some of his genetic research, Dr. Srinu Pahul takes a family shuttle into Earth orbit. He notices furry Jasmine and Orion talking and respectfully accosts the “Rakshasa.” The tiger-woman is flattered by the attention, and the group agrees to go with Dr. Pahul to a fancy restaurant.

Hector pointedly asks each of his new companions about their pasts and potential roles aboard the Gryphon. Srinu orders real steaks for everyone (and double for the “Uplifted” tigers). Jax and Orion ask for a tour of the ship, but Jasmine warns that Darcy is keeping watch, so they’ll have to wait.

Cautious Hector recounts some of his misadventures aboard the Appomattox, while Jasmine is happy to make new friends. Srinu says that he’d like to get away from Earth politics, and Jax is confident that he can pilot anything. Orion just wants new challenges.

After dinner, Hector and Jasmine introduce Srinu, Jax, and Orion to Darcy and take them aboard the Gryphon. Paranoid Hector doesn’t show them sensitive areas such as the armory, main engineering, or his quarters.

Jasmine and Darcy redecorate a large cabin with a jungle theme, while Jax demands the captain’s room. Dr. Pahul inspects the medical bay, and seeker Orion puts a disco ball in his cabin. They also discuss adding a swimming pool.

The refitting of the Gryphon is interrupted when proximity alarms go off. Hector scans and finds a robotic drone near the ship. Jax runs back to the Slipstream, and Srinu goes to his family’s shuttle.

Orion looks out a porthole and sees the unmanned probe. Jasmine offers to don a space suit and go outside, but Hector and Darcy recommend that she stay aboard. Possible enemies include law enforcement authorities, other smugglers, past marks, or racial supremacist or religious groups.

Hector wishes he had a proper electronics warfare suite, and Srinu begins maneuvering out of port. Jax is quicker, however, expertly maneuvering the Slipstream between the probe and the Gryphon. He bumps the drone, destroying it. Hector reminds his crew mates to be careful aboard the station.

The would-be adventurers go to meet Desmond Hogarth in a seedy section of New Gdansk. Hogarth is accompanied by an Ursoid Synth named “War Paw.” The man is somewhat surprised to encounter a full crew, but he agrees to acquire Hector’s requested parts, in return for one of two missions.

The first is a so-called milk run to the Mars Confederation. The second is to spring a “friend of the family” out of a Union of Solar Nations prison. In response to pressure from Hector, Hogarth says that the convict is Orion Stefanov, former chairman of the Venusian Finance Collective.

Orion Starchaser doesn’t detect any dishonesty with his telepathy, even though Hogarth is no doubt holding back information. Hector and Jasmine, shuddering at their memories of the disaster at Hephaestus Stadium, decline the prison break in favor of going to Mars.

Hogarth notes that he doesn’t want any Interplanetary Patrol scrutiny of the cargo, and Jax assures him that it shouldn’t be difficult to avoid the attention of Fort Olympus Mons.

Since Hogarth doesn’t know about the Gryphon‘s T-drive, Hector doesn’t tell him that the journey from Earth to Mars would take about four days rather than the weeks or months it would take with conventional (pre-First Contact) Terran rockets.

The new crew returns to the ship to spend some of its advance. Hector and Darcy receive deliveries from War Paw, and Dr. Pahul brings some of his laboratory equipment aboard. Hector scans Hogarth’s cargo and finds only machine parts.

Jax requests a quick-launch enhancement to the Gryphon‘s landing bay for the Slipstream, which he parks next to Jasmine’s hovercycle. Orion hopes to expand the holo-library.

Jax goes to the “Drowning Swan” bar and soon entertains a bevy of attractive women with his tales of derring-do in deep space. However, a wealthy woman who has been pursuing the pilot learns of his presence in New Gdansk through C-space (cyberspace).

Cassandra shamelessly flirts with Jax, who resists her advances because he doesn’t want to be tied down or go legit just yet. Amused, Srinu sends the couple drinks, and Jax gives his contact information to Cassandra in return.

Orion wanders through the corridors of the orbital city, cheerfully talking with strangers, most of whom don’t seem disturbed to see a blue alien. Orion finds some fellow hitchhikers, including human student Chan McKenzie, Olvar (arboreal, mammal-like alien) otaku Irdana, and a former soldier who is disturbed.

Chris McKee mutters that he has “seen things no one should,” including something called the “Harbingers of the Righteous Order of Submission.” Orion invites him to join the crew and is about to consult his paper guidebook when Dr. Pahul walks by. He recognizes “Agent Prometheus” from past super-soldier experiments.

Detached from his Black Box Security handlers, Chris warns Dr. Pahul to stay away or risk violence. Orion diverts the sniper’s attention by introducing him to Ms. McKenzie, allowing Srinu to return to the ship unharmed. Orion later tells Hector and company that he has found a gunner for the Gryphon.

Jax talks with a bartender at the “Drowning Swan,” about Chris. Jose says has been serving the man for a few weeks and that he has a good reputation among the aliens, despite any apparent mental instability. Orion also warns Dr. Pahul that he and Chris will have to work out their differences on their way to Mars….

We’re off to a good start! I look forward to the Gryphon getting under way this coming Sunday, July 8. Let me know if any of you have questions about your characters, the ship, or the setting of “Vortex.” Note that Robert A.S. and Jim J.D’B. have also expressed interest in joining us.

In the meantime, I hope that all of you had a good Independence Day, and I’ll see some of you at The Amazing Spider-Man earlier on Sunday or Jason E.R.‘s Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: “Glassworks” game next Monday. I’ll also try to post some notes for Rich C.G.’s School Daze one-shot soon. Take it easy, -Gene