“Vortex” Update 5b.17 — the “Dawn’s Retreat”

Steampunk space vessel — Steampunk battleship

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5b.17 of the “Vortex” space opera campaign. Team 2 met on Monday, 27 June 2011, and is using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, 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:”

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

-“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

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

-“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

>>”1 to 3 October 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” After stealing a Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian alien) Transit drive from the Star Shark, the crew of the Appomattox went to the edge of the Sol system, where it found a derelict warship. The Dawn’s Retreat was apparently of Terran design, but it contained strange controls and a telepathic entity in its reactor.

Gabriel translates for his companions before the being, who thinks she’s human, establishes psionic contact directly with the away team. She identifies herself as “Dawn,” a soldier and the ship’s “prime motivator.” Dawn again asks the interlopers if they can help her get home to Earth, which they confirm is relatively close.

Hector and ARTHERR eventually find power couplings and open them, restoring power. Although it takes her a while to understand that she’s disembodied, Dawn is then able to accompany individual crew members as they explore her vessel.

The derelict’s gauges, levers, and hatches resemble those of a Terran submarine from the 19th or early 20th century, but it has artificial gravity and life support at least the equal of the Appomattox, which has alien components.

Jasmine goes to the crew quarters, which are empty, except for unused space suits. The Dawn’s Retreat also still has all of its escape pods, so the boarders and Dawn are unsure of where the crew went. She recalls a scouting mission into space held by “the Alliance,” supposedly the enemy of her empire.

Dr. Garrett finds ornate uniforms and a large bed with wrought-iron posts in the captain’s cabin. He tries on a wool greatcoat and admires himself in the mirror until Hector comes to find the ship’s log, a nautical-style paper book.

Gabriel returns to the Appomattox to maneuver and look out for other salvage crews. ARTHERR goes to engineering and drills a hole in the floor for a core sample. Beneath a steel veneer is a spongy semi-organic material containing carbon nanofibers. Later testing reveals that it can act as an insulator or conduct energy, alter its gravitic profile, and regenerate!

In addition, Dawn expresses surprise and pain while chatting with Jasmine. She is unable to communicate with the robot, even though the Synth wrestler explains that she, too, is an artificial sentience.

Richmond claims a blunderbuss and an exotic-looking sword from the “prime stargazer’s” cabin, and the snake-oil salesman orders Nero Bartholomew and Averki “Deep Dish” Dyashenko to help bring the four-poster bed to the Appomattox. Dawn objects but is ignored.

Hector makes recordings with his handheld device, relaying images to ARTHERR and Capt. Adams for translation from Esperanto. Apparently, each handwritten entry of the ship’s log begins routinely before reverting to placeholder text. The “chirurgeon’s” bay has a similar medical log.

On the bridge, Hector asks Dawn about the dates of her travel. She says that she left Earth on “5724” and that the current year is reckoned as “5955,” leading ARTHERR to conclude that the living ship somehow traveled through time or from a parallel dimension!

ARTHERR studies an orrery on the bridge and finds that Sol is not at its center. After correcting his calculations, the probe droid learns that Dawn’s destination was LP 656-38 (also known as LHS 1723 or Gliese J3323), a variable red dwarf star about 17 light-years from Earth, beyond Epsilon Eridani.

Dawn explains that her ship picked up some scouts to return to the “world city,” established by Sulla many centuries ago (in her time). In the galley, Jasmine and company find tins of potted meat, but she declines tasting them. ARTHERR tests the food and ambient dust and finds that they are made of similar semi-organic secretions. He theorizes that the ship generates a crew that it then disposes of.

Former spy Hector checks the scouts’ bunks and armory and finds more antique-style clothing, firearms, and journals. By waiting for a log entry, the group sees ink appear on a page, probably generated by the crewless ship. Gabriel notes that while the Dawn’s Retreat has been near the Sol system for months (of Terran time), it hasn’t been disturbed until now.

ARTHERR’s radiocarbon dating from the core samples and reactor indicates that the derelict is subjectively 300 years old, but even with time dilation, for it to have returned from LP 636-38, it would have had to have left Earth long before humans had developed space flight.

Jasmine examines the cannons of the Dawn’s Retreat, which are simple chemically propelled projectiles. ARTHERR is surprised when Dawn recognizes the name of the “Harbinger of the Order of Submission,” a dangerous alien probe encountered in an old battlefield north of Karachi. She says that in addition to avoiding hostile “Martians,” her orders were to not engage the Harbinger in combat.

Dr. Garrett looks for more items of potential value, and Hector and ARTHERR learn that the Dawn’s Retreat was aided in interstellar travel by “jump gates,” which propelled it like a blown bubble. This is also different from conventional faster-than-light Transit that Terrans have only recently acquired.

Pilot Gabriel takes the Appomattox to the location where the ship would have returned to normal space but finds no gravitational anomalies. Jasmine assures Dawn that no harm will come to her and that she should help the United Earth Authority (U.E.A.).

The crew reconvenes aboard the Appomattox to debate what to do next. Gabriel and Hector don’t trust “Ramon Sanchez” [Josh H./Greg/Non-Player Character], a Lisbon-based fixer who arranged for Richmond to smuggle Vatican relics to Epsilon Eridani, about 11 light-years from Earth.

ARTHERR and Jasmine first want to bring Dawn and her displaced derelict to the proper authorities. If the ship is of alien origin, its creators are unknown. Richmond would prefer to auction them off to the highest bidder, but he is outvoted.

Gabriel extends the Appomattox‘s grapple to the Dawn’s Retreat, and ARTHERR asks that the ship’s effective mass be negated once they’ve disembarked. Hector monitors communications, and Jasmine tries to explain to Dawn that even though she’s not returning to her own world, she’ll be home. The two ships return to near-Earth space.

Dr. Garret covertly contacts Gorvek Beezo, a Ru’ulok trader, who gives the grifter the name of guild member Talak Avex in return for the coordinates of the Dawn’s Retreat. Meanwhile, Hector recounts his adventures to onetime handler Max, while ARTHERR calls Adm. Wei Sihong, to whom he had given several dangerous samples in the past.

The Vimeco robot tells the space navy officer about Dawn and says that she could help the U.E.A. counter the Harbinger, which it is still trying to study. Adm. Wei agrees, and he dispatches the U.E.V. Ajax to rendezvous with the Appomattox.

Tiger-woman Jasmine sends messages to her lover, Darsil, and the Synth United Front on Mars. Dawn bids farewell to her new acquaintances. The Dawn’s Retreat follows the Ajax toward Earth. Hector later learns that Ru’ulok pirates aboard the Star Shark attacked but were defeated by the U.E.A. cruiser. Capt. Droata escaped, swearing vengeance for her second humiliation at the hands of humans.

ARTHERR and Hector keep their samples for later analysis. While its crew still debates, the Appomattox sets a course for Epsilon Eridani….

Paul and Rich, we missed you at the last regular FATE 3e “Vortex” session before our summer hiatus! The Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy group is also taking a break. In the meantime, stay in touch on the Yahoo message board, and I hope to see some of you at movies or other gatherings before our next game! -Gene

Free RPG Day and space opera support

Just over a week ago, Janice and I drove to the Compleat Strategist in Boston and Pandemonium Books & Games in Cambridge, Mass., for Free RPG Day. The proprietors of the shops were happy to see us, although they were probably disappointed that we didn’t stay for any of their game demonstrations.

The Strat has a good selection of tabletop role-playing games and board games, while Pandemonium has used books and wargames. I wish that they and comic book shops would carry and run more of my kind of games rather than host so many collectible card tournaments, but that’s what brings younger folks in.

Of the free products I picked up, I liked the nicely retro Dungeon Crawl Classics preview, the “We Be Goblins” fantasy scenario for Pathfinder, and the Stellar Horizons space opera sample the best. Since I’ve been running my “Vortex” campaign again, I’ve been looking for science fiction support for Game Masters.

As much as I like Traveller, I’ve often found that science fiction classic a bit dry for my tastes, which veer from pulpy planetary romance to transhumanist speculation. (See recent updates for examples.) At least numerous supplements are available for Traveller.

What do I look for in a science fiction game? Simple character generation with varied development options; streamlined and cinematic combat; and rules for gadgets, vehicles, planets, and aliens. A single rulebook is nice, although it doesn’t have to be thick enough to stop a bullet, like Star Hero or Starblazer Adventures.

An implied setting is helpful, especially if a game is based on a book or movie series, but it’s not as important because I tend to run homebrew campaigns such as “Vortex.” (I have been hunting for good 2-D, hex-based maps of all the real stars within 50 to 100 parsecs of Earth that are likely to have inhabitable planets, however.)

As readers may recall, before my current Boston-area groups chose Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (FATE) Third Edition for “Vortex‘s” latest iteration, we also considered rule sets including Basic Action Super Heroes! (BASH) Sci Fi Edition, D20 Star Wars: Saga Edition, and Generic Universal Role-Playing System (GURPS) 4th Ed.: Space. Any one of these systems was a fair contender.

Even after coming to a consensus for FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures, I’ve incorporated other FATE sourcebooks, including Mindjammer for psionics, Diaspora for some skills, Limitless Horizons for occupations, Strands of Fate for some gear, and soon, Bulldogs (formerly D20) for aliens. I also routinely consult my GURPS, D20, Serenity, and other references when trying to stay ahead of two Player Character parties.

Following my recent interest in retro-clone games, I’ve picked up several for space opera, including X-Plorers, Forgotten Futures (more retro than clone), and Humanspace Empires. Although neither is a true retro-clone, I’m a big fan of Star Frontiers Remastered, and Galaxy Command is based on D20 Future. Stars Without Number is one of my go-to references, partly because it’s so helpful for sandbox campaigns.

The rise of Internet self-publishing, open game licensing, and niche games has been a boon to role-players. I confess to having “gamer attention deficit disorder” — looking at lots of systems for ideas. While I wish that more systems were as polished as Star Wars or Traveller, I still appreciate the effort that went into Ad Astra, Astral Empires, Dead Stars, Frontier Zone, Fspace, Galactic, Space Rage, Star Mogul, and Terminal Space.

In addition to FATE, I’ve been favorably impressed by rules-light (and often pulpy) science fiction games such as Danger Patrol, Lady Blackbird, Rogue Space, and Vanguard. By contrast, noteworthy longer and more polished indie games include Icar, Imperium Chronicles, Star Quest, Stellar Winds, Terran Trade Authority, and Valence. I’d put StarCluster 3 in this category, and its random-generation tables are as useful as those in Stars Without Number.

I’m looking forward to still more space opera games, such as Thousand Suns Revised, Ashen Stars, Cthonian Stars/Void, and Infinite Futures (for Pathfinder). Beyond nostalgia and wanting cheaper and easier games to run and play, I have a wealth of options for speculative fiction!

“Vortex” Update 5a.19 — Aquarian summit

Hellboy's Abe Sapien — Steampunk amphibian

Fellow role-players, here are Josh C.’s and my notes for Session 5a.19 of the “Vortex” space opera campaign. Team 1 met on Monday, 20 June 2011, and is using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, 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.]-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

>>”1 to 3 October 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” The intrepid crew of the Blackbird explored the system around Van Maanen’s Star, finding ancient technology on one moon and civilization under the ice of another. After meeting with Gen. Qualish in Albahaven, the diplomats head to the Corvell Unity on “Dorian Gray,” a satellite of gas giant Methuselah.

Syzygy is surprised that the Salvorain, as the descendants of Aquarian colonists call themselves, have reacted so negatively to his appearance. Apparently, their folktales view three-armed Trinoids as demons, perhaps based on encounters (Terran) millennia ago. Tela is busy maintaining the Blackbird against the pressure of being submerged.

Aughest-vor… pilots the experimental scout vessel just beneath the glacial sheets and then down toward the Corvell Unity. In comparison with the city-state of Albahaven, the crystalline structures here are more angular and less ornamented. While Gen. Qualish had sent squid-like submarines, a “school” of armored escorts now swims closely around the ship.

Aided by Syzygy and Dr. Bucket’s translations, Lt. Kevin Reese hails the sentries. They have difficulty believing that the visitors come from beyond the ice, but they bring the Blackbird into their city. Chris McKee recalls the general’s recommendations for a show of strength, but he is overruled on taking target practice on civilians.

At a plaza, the Terrans, Trinoid, and Tharian come to a full stop, and several Salvorain draw a strange bubble over the starship. Syzygy’s scans indicate that it’s made of a unique polymer, and Tela is the first to step outside. She is suspended in a low-gravity field and is happy to stretch her glider wings.

Civilian Aughest is less graceful, and Lt. Reese finds that the air in the biological bubble surrounding the ship is cold but breathable. They take off their helmets to prove that they’re not Albahavenite spies. The gathering Salvorain gasp when Syzygy appears at the airlock, muttering that his arrival was not prophesied.

The amphibious guards are joined by members of the religious caste. Kevin observes that the Corvell Unity appears to be closer to nature than the residents of Albahaven. Priest Valkon replies that it is Albahaven that has polluted the ocean, devoured scarce resources, and perpetuated war. He also asserts that there is no room for compromise with the “nonbelievers,” just as Gen. Qualish had complained about the “superstitious” Covell Unity.

Aughest-vor, “friend to all,” suggests that as their world cools, the technocrats of Albahaven and the faithful of the Corvell Unity will need to find a balance to survive. Syzygy offers to help reconnect the colonists with their long-lost Aquarian brethren, but royal adviser Selora is skeptical.

Wary Agent Prometheus and Dr. Bucket stay inside the Blackbird for communications and security. Kevin and Aughest sense a telepathic scan or probe but manage to resist it. Tela receives an alert of an energy anomaly near the sensors. The engineer finds a crab-like automaton attached to the hull. With help from Syzygy, she temporarily deactivates the ship’s sensors and removes the clockwork surveillance device.

Queen Shulis descends into the plaza in a nimbus of light and elaborate robes. She greets the aliens and acknowledges the heresy of beings not being under her rule. Lt. Reese and Aughest-vor describe themselves as explorers and invite the queen to negotiations aboard the Blackbird. Valkon and Selora reluctantly join her.

Syzygy entertains the three Salvorain in his humid quarters by showing them images of Hydronicus 2 and their more advanced Aquarian kin, former clients of the Polarians. Some of the Kharvamid Alliance files, however, are sealed. Tela puts the crab droid in a container with one of the Blackbird‘s spider drones. The bug from Albahaven is quickly destroyed by the superior spider.

Aughest stays behind to reassure the citizens of the Corvell Unity of his team’s goodwill toward their queen. He regales them with tales of his many relationships, his family’s business pursuits, and his travels. The Salvorain are especially interested in the onetime dilettante’s emotional connections.

Kevin pilots the Blackbird back to Albahaven, where he invites Gen. Qualish and Col. Bijar of the Ministry of Observation aboard. Syzygy prepares to stay behind with his laboratory, but the Albahavenites are more interested in satisfying their curiosity than some code of honor. They are put into Gombo Shisel’s flooded cabin for takeoff.

Chris blasts a hole in the ice with the particle cannon, and Kevin flies the scout ship into orbit. Tela confronts Col. Bijar with the remains of his surveillance automaton, impressing Gen. Qualish with her assertiveness. They and Queen Shulis’ retinue are amazed (separately at first) to see “Dorian Gray,” Methuselah, and Van Maanen’s Star for the first time.

Lt. Reese and Syzygy arrange for Gen. Qualish and Queen Shulis to meet in the Blackbird‘s lounge. The rival leaders exchange pleasantries, and the determined Interplanetary Patrol officer tries to keep them focused on their common interests rather than their differences.

Syzygy requests samples of the bubble material as he studies the local biosphere. Tela catches Col. Bijar trying to access the ship’s systems, but Kevin has better luck talking reasonably with Selora in the cockpit about loyalties and their people’s interests.

After a few hours, Syzygy and Tela allow Col. Bijar, Valkon, and Selora to join the discussion. Kevin takes turns monitoring the summit with his crewmates to get some sleep, and Chris looks out for any other vessels in the area but finds none.

In the Corvell Unity, Aughest-vor finds that the Salvorain are losing interest, so he introduces them to the concept of peaceful competition through sports such as solar-sail racing. He is relieved when the Blackbird returns safely to retrieve him from the undersea city and drop off its guests.

Queen Shulis and Gen. Qualish announce to their peoples that they will try to work together for all Salvorain. Syzygy and Tela offer technical advice on reducing pollution, and Lt. Reese and Aughest pledge friendship on behalf of humanity and note that the Sol system will be interested in trade.

Chris obtains one of the crystal-tipped tridents from Col. Bijar in Albahaven, and Aughest presents Selora with a sports trophy that Tela made from the destroyed crab robot!

Syzygy later unlocks the Olvar Star League records on the Aquarians and finds that they are threatened by something called the Zarkonian Armada. The scientist wisely refrains from sharing that information with the miners’ descendants on “Dorian Gray.”

Aughest-vor takes the Blackbird back into space, and Syzygy sends a report on the humans’ diplomatic efforts to his Trinoid superiors. He also asks for word to be sent to the Aquarians, even though they likely have more pressing concerns.

Tela drains Gombo’s quarters and tinkers with the drone spiders. Chris settles back into his turret as Lt. Reese helps set a course out of the Van Maanen system….

Please note that the next Blackbird session won’t be until August. Jason will be running his Darkpages one-shot on Monday, July 25. In the meantime, the Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy team meets this coming Sunday, and the last “Vortex” Team 2 (Appomattox) session before our summer hiatus is on June 27! -Gene

“Vortex” Update 5a.18 — Mining mystery and undersea intrigue

From Disney's "Atlantis: the Lost Empire" — Mining vehicle

Fellow role-players, here are Josh C.’s and my notes for Session 5a.18 of the “Vortex” space opera campaign. Team 1 met on Monday, 6 June 2011, and is using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, Diaspora, and Limitless Horizons.

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

-“Syzygy” [Brian W.]-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

Scene 1: Now I lay me down to sleep…

>>”Agent Prometheus'” report, “23 to 30 September 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” After retrieving a space marine from gas-giant dwellers near Alpha Centauri, the Blackbird continues its journey toward Oasis Station, about 40 parsecs from Earth. Although the crew members don’t experience visions as they did during the first activation of their REM faster-than-light (FTL) drive, their sleep is far from restful.

The exploration vessel briefly drops out of Transit space near Sol to send and receive data packets. Syzygy reports to Trinoid “sharer” Solipsy near Titan about his human companions’ successful first contacts, but Tela is less happy about news of expanding Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian alien) influence.

Chris McKee receives covert instructions from Black Box Security Co., and Lt. Kevin Reese checks in with his superiors at Interplanetary Patrol. Mr. Gray inquires about Lt. Reese’s state of mind and health and is interested in data from new worlds.

Aughest-vor… learns that his cousin Raine has been busy, as megacorporation Vimeco obtains contracts from the United Earth Authority. The onetime solar-sail racer also finds that the Xox Memes, an anarchist group of artificial intelligences, has distributed Ru’ulok FTL plans. In addition, Aughest sends a polite note to Tu Han, a woman he met on Mars.

The Blackbird resumes its journey to Van Maanen’s Star, 14 light-years from Sol. Pilot Aughest-vor programs “hotkeys” for the starhip’s controls and suffers flashbacks to his days as a wealthy playboy. Kevin joins him in the cockpit, despite increasing fatigue.

Scientist Syzygy and robot Dr. Bucket take advantage of the situation to study the effects of the REM drive on their companions. Skittish Tela stays in engineering, working on a secret project. Agent Prometheus is even more paranoid, cleaning his guns in his cabin and eyeing Dr. Bucket.

Scene 2: Heavy metal moons

The crew recovers somewhat before arriving at Van Maanen’s Star, a white dwarf with an asteroid belt and two surviving planets. The Olvar Star League, a longtime observer of human culture, has named the frigid gas giants “Absolom” and “Methuselah.” Each planet has large, dense moons.

A scan of Ruhema, the innermost satellite of Absolom, reveals orderly piles of slag and abandoned mining equipment. Chris and Kevin are eager to explore extraterrestrial artifacts so close to Terran space, so they fire up the Dragonfly drop ship to the metallic moon.

Aughest again expertly avoids strong magnetic fields and lands the Dragonfly about 100 meters from a large alien vehicle. He claims the moon in the name of holding company “OPM-Pharsmor.” Syzygy awkwardly maneuvers around the piles of once-molten iron, and Tela must use her vacuum suit’s jets rather than her natural wings to glide.

Watchful Chris takes his rifle and secures the perimeter, as Lt. Reese and Tela bravely enter the mining vessel, despite warnings. The nimble Tharian figures out how to work the hatches, and she and the lieutenant climb a strange shaft to an observation deck near the top of the tracked vehicle.

Syzygy maintains radio contact with his friends, who also record what they’re seeing. Tela and Kevin find rungs on all surfaces, but no obvious labels. Their companions theorize that it was used by a climbing species similar to Tela’s and not previously known to the Kharvamid Alliance.

On the next deck down, they enter probable crew quarters, but there are no furnishings behind the round doors. Occasional valves spew dust, which Tela samples for Syzygy.

When Tela and Kevin get to a large common area, Syzygy suggests that they adjust their helmet visors. In the ultraviolet, they suddenly perceive numerous characters, which Dr. Bucket eventually translates as Aquarian, the language of an amphibious starfaring species. This explains the strange corridors and rungs — the ancient vehicle was once filled with water!

On the command and control deck, curious Tela starts manipulating levers, activating the long-dormant digger! It begins drilling into Ruhema’s hard crust, spewing metal in all directions. After a few scary moments, Tela is able to deactivate the Aquarian miner, but she and Kevin have to force open the hatches to exit.

As old as the equipment is, Syzygy and Aughest suspect that the metal mounds covering the moon are older still. Some of the fragments dug up by the archaic device are mechanical. Chris follows the now-tilted vehicle’s tracks back and finds some tunnels that it had dug.

Amplifying helmet lights, the away team descends, past meters of melted metal until it finds itself surrounded by machinery of unknown origin. Syzygy and Aughest suspect that the entire moon was once covered by an exotic generator or factory damaged when the star went nova.

Chris recalls reading about Precursor races in the Blackbird‘s computers. However, Tela and Kevin soon report a more alarming phenomenon — their suits are being drained of power! The group rushes to the surface and checks the Dragonfly, which is experiencing a lesser power drop.

Syzygy believes that he has found the reason why the Aquarians abandoned a potentially lucrative operation on Ruhema. Back on the Blackbird, the team continues its system survey after Chris requests a polar sweep.

The glum moon of Elric is a pale, cold world, with ruined spires and a thin, windy atmosphere [apologies to Michael Moorcock]. Ezekiel is a barren rock, so the travelers turn their attention to Methuselah and its moons. The outer one, Whistler’s Mother, is an iceball.

Scene 3: Voyage to the bottom of the sea

The next body, dubbed “Dorian Gray,” also appears to be a ball of ice at first, but closer scans indicate oceans and life signs beneath the 100-foot-thick glaciers. Lt. Reese looks for a thinner point in the ice, and Aughest plots a diving course.

Agent Prometheus happily climbs into the gun turret and burns a path with the Blackbird‘s particle cannon. Tela makes quick modifications to ensure that the experimental scout ship can withstand the pressure, and Syzygy verifies that the water will be tolerable.

The Blackbird enters and is soon accosted by two squid-like submarines. Using Dr. Bucket’s Aquarian translations and subsonic speakers, Syzygy greets the escorts. They are suspicious that the outlanders are from something called the Corvell Unity and order them to closely follow back to Albahaven.

In the dim seas, the explorers see ornate cities made from grown crystals. Exotic lifeforms swim past a submerged continental shelf, and Syzygy infers from contaminants and transmissions that the native Aquarians are at a level of technology similar to that of 18th or 19th century Earth.

After donning suits and leaving the Blackbird, the crew meets the humanoid Gen. Qualish in a special chamber that can contain air rather than water. (It also has an examination table with restraints.) He explains that the descendants of the Aquarians have different beliefs about life beyond “Dorian Gray’s” ice. Recognizing Syzygy as a Trinoid, the general says that he doesn’t believe tales of demons, but he adds that his scientists have proposed that their origins lay elsewhere.

Gen. Qualish also agrees that his world is dying, as falling temperatures and rising pollution are aggravated by war with Queen Shulis of the Corvell Unity. He argues that Albahaven’s enemies are superstitious and belligerent. Lt. Reese and Aughest-vor manage to get Gen. Qualish (whom they trust about as much as Black Box) to let the Terrans, Trinoid, and Tharian attempt to contact the rival undersea nation‘s queen….

I hope that all of you have had a good fortnight. Please note that after David I.S., Thomas K.Y.’s, and my fun visit to New York City, the Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy game resumed on June 19, and “Vortex” Team 1 (the Blackbird) meets again on June 20. Team 2 (the Appomattox) is scheduled to play on June 27. Be seeing you, -Gene

“Vortex” Update 5b.16 — “Jolly Roger’s Chicken”

"Empress Marava"-class far trader — The "Star Shark"

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 5b.16 of the “Vortex” space opera campaign. Team 2 met on Monday, 30 May 2011, and is using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer, 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

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

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

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

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

-“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

>>”26 to 30 September 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” The grifters prepare for a heist of starship engines from the Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian alien) trader “Star Shark,” as tipped off by Gorvek Beezo and Rabak Porset during a card game. Gabriel Adams contacts Lillian Morrissey, but the “fixer” is initially unable to find him a chop shop near Blackrock Station. The courier buys pirate disguises for the raiding party.

Hector Chavez has more luck with his onetime handler, Max. The former spy obtains electronic burglary gear, as well as access codes for an orbital dock occasionally used by smugglers. Hector also monitors the Appomattox‘s internal sensors and local traffic control on the far side of the Moon.

As MERLIN (for “Masters of Earthly Lubricated Information Network”), ARTHERR communicates with fellow A.I. (artificial intelligence) Gordon Wong to verify that the anarchist Xox Memes will distribute plans for faster-than-light (FTL) drives. The robot also asks for information on the shipment of Vatican artifacts that the Appomattox took on for fixer “Ramon Sanchez” [Josh H./Non-Player Character].

Dr. Richmond Garrett readies his latest scam as a deliveryman for “Jolly Roger’s Chicken,” aided by Gabriel’s pirate costumes. The snake-oil salesman directs Nero Bartholomew and Averki “Deep Dish” Dyashenko to cook enough chicken to satisfy a hungry skeleton crew of Ru’ulok.

Jasmine is reluctant to participate in another theft (the maneuver drive was stolen from the U.E.V. Parsifal) but conceals her identity beneath a full pirate’s coat. Dr. Dieter Klein leaves supplies of sedatives before departing to visit some friends on another space yacht.

ARTHERR ensures that the rented orbital transfer vehicles, or “CDVs” (for chicken delivery vehicles), can not only deliver the drugged food to the Star Shark but are also able to transfer its Transit engines back to the Appomattox. In addition, ARTHERR applies decals to the CDVs.

Capt. Adams studies escape routes in Earth orbit, and Hector sets up masking of emissions at the space dock. Dr. Garrett pays for the CDVs with funds from shell company “MarSoupAiL” (Mars Soup Aid Lenders Ltd.). ARTHERR brings antitoxins in case his crewmates need to partake in the feast.

Hector and Jasmine take one CDV, and Gabriel, ARTHERR, and Richmond take the other to the Star Shark (as translated from Ru’ulok), most of whose crew is on shore leave. Capt. Droata is initially reluctant to accept an order she didn’t make, but the buckets of crispy chicken help the persuasive pirates talk their way aboard the “Marava“-class trader.

The Terrans see two additional reptilian aliens aboard the Ru’ulok ship: a glider-winged Tharian servant and a dog-like Calot. They already know that Droata’s metabolism is similar to that of humans, but ARTHERR checks databases for records of the other species. The Calot is apparently a Ru’ulok pet, and another Tharian (“Tela”) has been seen eating and drinking at locations around the Sol system.

Overconfident Droata leads the infiltrators past the Star Shark‘s cargo bay to a 2-G dining room, where they take their time setting up the drugged food and beverages. Gabriel and Richmond make small talk to distract Droata and Tegar, while Hector plants a bug among the dishes and utensils. He also jams any communications from leaving the vessel.

Jasmine pets the Calot, and Droata is impressed with her replica cutlass. The delivery staff shows itself out to wait for the sedatives to take effect. As soon as Hector detects that the Ru’ulok captain has passed out, the thieves return. However, the Tharian finds Hector’s device and grabs the cutlass!

ARTHERR tazes Tegar, who strikes him with the sword. Gabriel jumps and knocks the Tharian down, and Hector incapacitates her with the butt of his pistol. They quickly break into the captain’s quarters to retrieve security and engineering data.

Pilot Gabriel brings the CDVs around, and engineers Hector and ARTHERR uninstall the Star Shark‘s FTL drive. Jasmine and Dr. Garrett watch over the unconscious aliens and look out for reinforcements from the Red Manta.

As a shuttle approaches from Blackrock Station, Gabriel leads Hector in hiding the CDVs behind orbital garbage, where they later ditch them. ARTHERR aids with scans and, as MERLIN, contacts Wong. The anarchist A.I. asks that the Appomattox test the FTL before Xox Memes will distribute the plans.

While the drives are installed, Hector and ARTHERR monitor the news media. They notice no mention of the Star Shark, as Gorvek had predicted, and reports of ongoing colonial strife. Jasmine and Deep Dish look forward to leaving Earth.

Hector’s handler Max had mentioned a derelict ship at the edge of the Sol system, so Gabriel sets a course for it. Hector activates the Ru’ulok Transit engines, which can go 1 light-year per Terran day. The Appomattox finds the Dawn’s Retreat drifting with no apparent crew or passengers.

MERLIN contacts Gordon Wong, who says that the removal of art from the Vatican museums must have been an inside job, since law enforcement authorities have not been notified. The A.I. also observes that the United Ecumenical Movement has reassigned numerous chaplains to the outer colonies. Telepath Gabriel is aware of U.E.M. efforts to recruit psions.

Gabriel, Hector, and ARTHERR board the Dawn’s Retreat and find empty cabins, odd dials and levers, and Esperanto signage. The ship is obviously military in design, but there are no signs of combat. Hector’s scans reveal that the airlocks have cycled at least twice.

On the engineering deck, Gabriel makes psychic contact with a presence. It asks whether they have gotten away safely, and Gabriel confirms that the ship is near Earth. ARTHERR traces the entity to the main generator, but it seems to be unaware of the passage of time and its own lack of a corporeal form….

Sara and Dave, we missed you at the Memorial Day game. Characters in both adventuring parties should now have 7 aspects and 20 skill points, so remember to update your and my records.

Please note that “Vortex” Team 2 won’t be meeting again until 27 June 2011, because I’ll be visiting friends in New York City. Team 1 (the crew of the Blackbird) is scheduled for next Monday and June 20. Paul and Beruk, I look forward to seeing you virtually at this coming Sunday’s Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy session. Later, -Gene

>>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