Chasing the Sunset is a West Marches-style exploration game using Fellowship 2nd Edition‘s Horizon rules.
The party: Buckle the Beast/Heart of Earth, Stella the Halfling/Hunter
Last time, the Fellowship found the inventor they need to build a device to reach the Moon. It’s Professor Gummidge, the mad scientist Lantern who pilots a scarecrow made from a wrought-iron lamp-post. He previously trapped Stella in a pocket dimension. Now they need parts, and a place to build it.
Buckle and Stella explain that they wnat to reach the Moon, and Gummidge has ideas on how to do that. Most Lanterns can build hard light bridges, and Gummidge specializes in trans-dimensional travel, so he intends to super-charge a hard light bridge and send it partly through another dimension so the length of the bridge will be much shorter than the distance from the ground to the Moon. He will use his power suit (Gallybagger, the 10-foot-tall scarecrow) as a focus. He needs to generate a lot of power, then direct it.
Gummidge: There are several options to focus the energy. Using one of the mirrors that fell from the Moon to reach the Moon would be appropriate. Another celestial object with refractive properties is the ice comet that fell far to the west. A shard of that would be sufficient.
Buckle: Wait a second, does this comet look like a big ol’ turtle egg?
Buckle remembers riding Bertha, the giant flying turtle, to the Rain Comet, and thought the comet was one of her eggs.
Gummidge: For power we could use a volcano, a waterfall–if we go to Vieport, we have everything. We take the mirror from the beam weapon in the palace, then we use the electric fence to power it. Have you encountered any sources of vast power that we might be able to use?
Buckle: Well, I have this thing.
Buckle pulls out the Medallion of Cleft Sky, which has the power of lightning.
Gummidge: Yeah, I could definitely incorporate that into Gallybagger.
Buckle: Wait, what do you mean “incorporate”?
Gummidge: We do need a LOT of power. We’ll consume whatever energy source we use. I’m not sure Gallybagger is going to survive this.
Buckle: Sounds dangerous.
Gummidge: The leading edge of science always is. If you’re not pushing yourself, you’re not learning.
Buckle: What if it kills you? Are you still learning?
Gummidge: That’s why you need an apprentice, and good notes, so the chain of knowledge continues.
Buckle glances at Baffle, who looks horrified.
Baffle: We do something like that for a different purpose.
GM note: The players wondered how to reach the Rain Comet from the southern coast, and that part of the map is blank. We would have to invent several Locations if they choose that route. The other obvious route is going to Vieport and then upriver through Vampire territory.
Buckle: Stella, what do you think? Should we go back to Vieport?
Stella: Maybe they’ve forgotten about us. We look a little different now.
GM note: Almost killing the Sea Viper isn’t something that he will forgive or forget. The Miranda made quite a commotion the next time it came through as well. Stella is right that they look different. Buckle wears a fire-proof suit and the Miranda has added a crane, ballista, and Dwarven Tunneler.
There are other mirrors. Gummidge heard of a mirror falling in a big forest. Buckle and Stella encountered another on the way to Vieport and destroyed it.
Buckle: Shall we raise an army and take over Vieport?
Stella: Wow, that seems like an escalation.
Buckle: They shot at us first! Maybe we should sneak into Vieport. First we go underwater and then….
Stella: I. Can’t. SWIM!
Gummidge: Ok, the way we infiltrate the Sea Viper’s stronghold, is by sea?
Stella: We did it by land last time. It didn’t work out. There was a lot of fire.
Gummidge: Definitely less fire underwater.
Buckle: We did set his palace on fire, which might be why he hates us. He did try to kidnap me, so, you know, it was self-defense.
Gummidge: Unless you get the right materials. If your substance releases its own oxygen, you can get a self-sustaining fire underwater.
Buckle: What about Dragonfire?
Gummidge: I haven’t seem that, but I assume that would work.
Stella: By water it is. I’ll call on some sea creatures to help. They might not recognize us. You’re not on fire constantly.
The Fellowship has almost decided to go to Vieport, then Buckle floats the idea of going overland. No, they will take the water route. They sail the Miranda down the Mighty River to Port Fennrick. It’s looking much better since the Anti-Moon Weapon unintentionally targeted it during the Library Invasion. There’s a permanent City Hall under construction, replacing the one destroyed by the Anti-Moon Weapon and the temporary structure made from the wrecked hulls of troop transports.
The docks are busy again, with many ships coming in and out. Bork the Ogre still runs the docks. She’s wearing the tailored suit that Buckle & Stella had made for her.
Buckle: Hey, Bork, looking sharp!
Bork isn’t the only Ogre in town. The new mayor is Edna Crusher-Harcourt, who also fought to save the Hidden Library. The Fellowship stays in town for a week to Recover and to look for people to recruit to their mission. They visit the local adventuring water hole, which is literally a water hole because the town is half underwater. That’s the Amphibious Arms, a fancy hotel with wet and dry floors.
GM note: I looked through my notes for wandering adventurers who might be in town and realized that a lot of them died in the Library Invasion: Samantha, Cassandra, Triple E, Baess, and Sparky.
- Bork is a mighty warrior and likes the Fellowship, but she has an important job in Port Fennrick, so it’s hard for her to get away.
- The roller derby team from Swallet, the Gobblin’ Goblins, is in Port Fennrick for a match.
- There’s a reclusive guest who doesn’t come out. They order room service, and wait for the hall to be empty before taking it into their room.
- Perry Ogre-Bane is here. He’s back from Castellum, where Stella sent him into a trap. He has a new scar and is not happy to see the Fellowship again. He pays his tab and returns to his room.
- Brainiac is there too. His two previous meetings with the Fellowship also didn’t go well.
Stella: I don’t this I like this company.
Stella talks to the concierge.
- Francois, he/him, Merfolk Beta: A colorful tropical fish person, friendly but skittish.
- Cowardice: After they take damage, the merfolk beta will attempt to run away from the scene.
- Friendly: The first person in the fellowship to Forge a Bond with the Merfolk Beta may write up to three Bonds with them, instead of just one.
Stella: Francois, it’s very important to us that we are well-rested. We heard there’s someone staying here that’s quiet. May we have a room next to them?
Francois knows who she’s talking about. They’re at the top corner of the hotel, overlooking the sea. Francois will put the Fellowship in the next room, if they put in a good word for him with Bork. Bork looks like a bouncer in her tailored suit, and she acts as one whenever there’s trouble at the Amphibious Arms. There’s no fighting allowed here, but adventurers do get rowdy sometimes. Stella pays for the room with purse full of foreign coins. People from all over come to stay at this hotel, so Francois accepts all kinds of currency.
Buckle: Is there a waterbed in this suite?
Francois: The water is in the lower half of the hotel.
Buckle: Does it at least have mud?
Francois: Certainly not!
The Fellowship moves into their room. There’s a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the next door where the recluse stays. Gummidge talked his way into being counted as luggage. Gallybagger folds up for easy storage. Buckle also brought his Little Lights. Everyone else stays with the Miranda.
Stella: It says “Do Not Disturb” on the door, but what about the window?
Buckle: You’re going to get us in trouble again.
Stella opens the window in the Fellowship’s hotel room. She walks back and covers herself with a bedsheet so she looks like a ghost.
Stella: They’ll never know it’s me!
She shrinks to the size of an apple and is swamped by the sheet. She discards and and looks for something smaller. She settles on a hand towel. She returns to full size, goes out the window, and walks on the outside wall of the hotel towards the recluse’s room. Right before she gets in view of that window, she shrinks down. She walks on the top edge of the window and bends down to look into the room. She has to hold onto the towel to keep it on and somewhat resemble a sheet ghost. She looks down and sees the muzzle of gun rising up towards her!
- Roddie, he/him, Human Sharpshooter: No one can shoot more true than this sniper.
- Eagle Eye: The Sharpshooter can see you coming from a mile away, and attack from great distances. The Sharpshooter’s first attack against the group is always a Hard Cut.
- Trick Shot: The Sharpshooter can damage this stat to make a player fail a Finish Them attempt.
- Social Anxiety: The Sharpshooter is no good at social situations and runs from people trying to talk to them.
Roddie shoots Stella with his new gun, which makes a loud noise because he hasn’t built a silencer for it yet. In hindsight, Stella realizes this was an incredibly stupid plan. The window she was standing on shatters and she falls toward the sea below. She pulls out wing feathers from a Giant Pelican and flaps desperately. The feathers shrank with her, but they come from a giant bird, so they are still large enough, relative to her, to soften her landing. Too bad she can’t swim.
Buckle hears the gunshot and sends his Little Lights to blind Roddie with their brilliance. Buckle swings around the edge of the window to tail-slam whoever shot his friend. Roddy’s new gun is magazine-fed instead of breech-loaded, so he can fire again quickly. He shoots the window frame that Buckle is swinging on. Buckle hurtles into Roddie’s room, but misses Roddie. Roddie isn’t wearing the ghillie suit that usually camouflages him. In the privacy of his hotel room, he was wearing boxer shorts and socks. He grabs a cloak and runs out the door. Buckle and the Little Lights pursue him down the hallway.
Buckle: Francois! Francois, this man just tried to murder Stella!
Francois heard the gunshot and lit the pre-arranged signal for Bork. Bork sees that there’s another fight and moves towards the hotel from the docks.
Perry Ogre-Bane has been preparing to fight the Fellowship, and uses this chance to attack!
- Perry Ogre-Bane, he/him, Platyperson Careful Hunter: A cautious and highly skilled bounty hunter. They never move in unprepared.
- Weakness Exploit: The hunter knows the weaknesses of their prey, and brings appropriate weapons and armor. Their weapons can damage anyone in the fellowship through any defenses they have, ignoring them entirely.
- Tailored Resistance: The hunter has Protection. For each player in the fellowship, they choose one Move or Gear option to be immune to. That Move always fails against them, and that Gear doesn’t do anything to them. The hunter chooses their resistances at the start of each scene they appear in.
- Equipment Reliant: The hunter is nothing without their tools. Their strength and speed are unremarkable, and they rely and gear to keep up. The hunter is in Despair if they are ever without their equipment.
Perry carries metal knives dipped in liquid nitrogen. The cold will counter-act Buckle’s internal heat, and the metal will make the Medallion of Cleft Sky shock him. He wears a rubber suit, making him immune to the Medallion of Cleft Sky. He covers his face with an Ogre mask to terrify Stella with the visage of her enemy from the Giant War.
The elevator opens. Roddie tries to run in. Perry runs out to stab Buckle. Buckle doesn’t recognize this strange shiny black creature with a horrible face and flashing knives. He panics and blasts him with Dragonfire! All that preparation instanly useless!
Outside the hotel, Stella is trying to float on pelican feathers and a hand towel. She tosses the hand towel aside. It absorbs water and sinks. She grows to maximum size, drops a cattail from her pocket, then shrinks to the size of an apple and grabs the cattail as a floatation device! She loses the pelican feathers, but she can paddle to shore with the cattail.
Back inside, Roddie has gotten into the elevator. There are two elevators, the old-fashioned cage kind, and stairs that spiral around them. The hotel has two air storeys above two water storeys. Buckle runs down the stairs after Roddie and reaches into the elevator with Wizardry and flips the lever to send the elevator back up. The timing doesn’t work and Roddie gets out on the ground floor while Buckle is on the floor above.
Other hotel guests are coming out to look at the commotion. Reasonable people would probably hide if they hear shots and explosions, but many of the guests are adventurers and like excitement and danger.
Buckle: Stop him! Murderer!
Stella reaches the shore and sees Bork running up the hotel. The Ogre bouncer is going to start punishing violent people. Stella hasn’t done anything violent. Violence happened to her. Stella hides next to the doorway ot intercept Roddie, holding a sword in one hand and a cattail in another. When Roddie runs out the door, she steps out in front of him. She cuts the cattail and blows the surprising volume of fluff in his face! He has his cloak pulled over his face and runs through unaffected, but Bork is caught in the cloud.
- Bork, she/her, Ogre Bouncer: This massive creature is smarter than she looks and eager to prove her worth.
- Big And Scary: Anyone trying to act against Bork is in Despair.
- Caught One!: When Bork deals damage, she also picks up and grabs the person she damaged. If she is not stopped, she’ll walk off with them.
- Eager To Please: Bork is trying her best and just wants to be loved. Anyone who is nice to Bork immediately forms a Bond with her. When Bork is harmed, erase all Bonds the fellowship has with her. Bork will not join the fellowship as a Companion unless someone can form three Bonds with her.
Bork flails blindly, endangering everyone at the entrance of the hotel. Stella uses the Wireport to appear on top of the entryway. She hides behind the hotel sign. Bork clears her eyes. Francois runs up to her.
Francois: It was the man in the cloak and that flaming Platyperson! He said he was your friend, but don’t let that stop you from doing your duty!
Behind Bork, there’s an explosion. Roddie tosses away his flaming cloak and disappears around a corner. Bork is mad at Buckle. Edna spoke so highly of him, and here he is starting fights. Buckle is still focused on catching Roddie and goes downstairs into the water storeys of the hotel. His super-heated body boils the water into steam which burns everyone he passes. Bork knows she’s too big for most of the spaces in the hotel, and assumes that Buckle will leave the hotel by water, so she stays outside and watches for him to appear. She blows her whistle to summon the town guard.
Stella surveys the situation from the roof. She sees Bork and the town gaurd. She knows Buckle went into the water from all the steam. She’s sure she would have noticed a ten-foot scarecrow, and she hasn’t seen it. She finds an open window on the upper floor and goes inside. It’s dark and there’s someone hiding in the bathtub. Stella turns on the light. It’s Ossorim, the rich and cowardly hiker she met on the Raging Rapids. He cowers. Stella tells him to stay put and runs back to her room.
Buckle ducks aside inside the hotel and puts his fireproof suit on. He follows the clearly-marked exit signs and leaves the hotel. He swims sneakily towards the Miranda, avoiding the paths most likely taken by Bork and the town guard. They are looking for a fireball, so he’s able to slip by undetected.
Stella reaches the hotel room and finds Gummidge asleep. Gallybagger is folded up in a corner. Gummidge himself is a small glowing ball of light, usually shimmering in complicated patterns. Now he’s floating in the top corner of the room, slowly pulsing.
Stella: Gummidge! Gummidge, let’s go! Wake up!
Gummidge is mostly in another dimension and doesn’t hear her. Stella stands on a chair and carefully puts a hand on him. She thought he might be burning hot, but he’s actually cool to the touch. She pulls him down and tries to push him inside the lantern that forms Gallybagger’s head. He has a surprising amount of inertia. Nothing that an adventurer can’t handle, but no one expects a ball of light to feel like a rock sliding on ice.
Stella: Gummidge! Gummidge, I just made a miraculous discovery of new science! Come quick!
She goes to maximum size and throws her remaining cattails out the window, then pushes Gallybagger out the window and jumps after it. Gummidge wakes up on the way down.
Gummidge: My position and velocity are both unexpected. This violates the uncertainty principle!
Gallybagger unfolds, grabs Stella with one arm, and fires its other hand towards the hotel wall on the end of a chain. The hook shot goes through a window, Gummidge and Stella hit the water, then the hook comes back holding a chandelier. The noise and light draw the attention of the town guard.
Meanwhile, Buckle climbs aboard the Miranda and orders it towards the Amphibious Arms.
Buckle: We gotta go!
Back in the water, Stella flails and calls for dolphins for help her. Gallybagger stands up in the shallow water and displays all its weapons to terrify the town guard. Clearly, this is the greatest danger to the town. One guard summons all his courage to run up and hit Gummidge before running away. The Miranda approaches the hotel.
Bork: Stop and prepare to be boarded!
Buckle: Sorry, chaps, we’re a bit busy and we’re leaving so good bye!
As the Miranda passes, the crane swings over and picks up Gallybagger. Gummidge uses his hook shot to pull Stella out of the water and the whole Fellowship sails away from Port Fennrick
Bork: And stay out unless you’re willing to face your punishment!
Buckle: We were attacked! It wasn’t my fault! But it was relly nice to see you, byeeeeee!
NO END-OF-SESSION MOVE