Posted on by Cliff

Chasing the Sunset & finding allies

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 learned of a terrible threat: Vampires from Port Fennrick plan to capture the Hidden Library!

The Fellowship considers what allies they can recruit. Buckle remembers Perry Ogre-Bane, the big game hunter, but Stella sent him into a trap. Even if he’s OK, he won’t be happy. They will accompany Linus back to Templeton and ask for their help. Maybe Samantha and Ferdinand in the swamp? What about the Dung Beetles near the Oolite Mines, or the Sky Serpent in the Singing Hills. Aku?

GM note: A coup? You want to overthrow the Dung Beetle government? Oh, Aku.

The Fellowship set out overland. They leave Ugg and Hamfast behind with the boat. Ugg is near Swallet, his home town.

Long journey. Each player sets a scene. Find the Dwarven Waterways

Buckle notices Dwarven Waterways on his copy of the old Atlas. Are those the same underground tubes they found inside the Treacherous Mountain? The atlas indicates an entrance near the Mighty River. Stella remembers emerging from the underground tunnels from under a false stone. Perhaps one of the stones near the Mighty River also hides an entrance. Stella pushes on nearby boulders, hoping one slides easily.

Stella Look Closely 7-9 ask 3 questions, 1 answer the hard way

  • Is something hidden or out of place?
    • Stella does find a stone that’s light enough to push aside. Underneath is a spiral stone staircase leading down.
  • What do my senses tell me?
    • It smells damp and dusty and she hears water running.
  • Tell me about the staircase? How could it hurt or help me?
    • Help: It gives access to the old Dwarven transport network.
    • Linus: I saw the Dwarven Waterways on the atlas I copied and was surprised. It says there’s a route to Templeton, but we don’t have any underground waterways.
    • Hurt: Stella peers down the dark stairwell, leans in, and falls down the stairs! She lands in a small chamber, not directly in the water. The far wall of the chamber is open to the tunnel, and the water level is just below the floor of the chamber. It’s quite dark down here.

Stella damages Courage

Stella calls the rest of the Fellowship down. Usually Buckle would light up the room, but his fireproof suit blocks the light from his inner fire. Linus is well-prepared for trekking through the wilderness, so he has a lantern. He turns a crank on the side which makes sparks and lights the fuel. Now they can see clearly that the chamber is at a T-intersection of the waterways. Tunnels lead north, west, and east. Water flows from the east to the west and to the north. LInus is fascinated by the bricks lining the tunnel.

Long journey. Each player sets a scene.  How can they go upstream through the Dwarven Waterways to Templeton?

Buckle: Y’all can’t really swim, and only some of you can walk on the ceiling. I guess we need a boat.

GM note: Stella can’t swim, but with her Hunter Destiny she has learned Wall Walking from her Giant Spider mount. Buckle is a great swimmer, but he’s so hot that he usually vaporizes water when he touches it. The fire-proof suit should prevent that. Linus can’t swim with his big pack. Two of Buckle’s companions are birds. It’s complicated!

Buckle goes back to the boat and gets Ugg.

Buckle: Ugg, we need to make a boat.

Ugg: We have a boat.

Buckle: More like a canoe. A stable one. These people aren’t used to the water.

Ugg damages Bigger ‘n’ You

Ugg’s robot arms facilitate felling trees and carving the trunks into a dugout canoe. Only when the canoe is finished does Buckle realize that he needs to bring the boat down a spiral staircase to get it into the Dwarven Waterways. Ugg and Buckle try to carry the canoe down the staircase, but it gets wedged! Ugg and Stella are stuck downstairs, apart from the rest of the Fellowship on the surface! Stella and Ugg push from below and Buckle pulls, trying to get the canoe out the way it came in.

Stella Overcome (+hope, Buckle’s assistance) 10+

The canoe pops free. Ugg and Stella are no longer trapped, but they are no closer to getting the canoe into the Dwarven Waterways where it is needed.

Linus: Dwarves aren’t strong swimmers, so there must have been some kind of craft down there, back when the system was in use.

Buckle considers making a series of smaller canoes, but decides to cut the canoe into pieces, then lashing them together into a raft. He explains his plan to the Fellowship.

Buckle Talk Sense (+Sense, explain plan) 7-9 owe a favor

GM note: We’re kinda stretching the rules here, so we decided that there should be success at a cost.

Pay a price: spend Big Rope

The plan works! They are almost ready to set off through the Dwarven Waterways on their canoe/raft. Buckle tells Ichabod and Elektra to fly east and meet them at Templeton. Birds aren’t good underwater.

The Fellowship travels upstream, following the map. They take the turn to Templeton, which is downstream. They float along for a while, but near Templeton, Buzzsaws mounted in the walls block the tunnel!

  • Buzz Saws: Deadly metal blades rotate at high speeds, slicing through anyone who touches them.
    • Obvious Trap: The buzz saws are not subtle. The area they move through is Dangerous, and anyone pushed into it takes damage. The saw  blades are Necrotic. Any lesser enemies who come into contact with them are killed.

Buckle: Silk, web us!

Silk spends Wall Crawler

Silk anchors its web to the raft, then climbs onto the wall, trying to pull the raft to a stop.

Stella Beast Trait: Wall Crawler

Stella also walks onto the wall and pulls.

Stella Overcome (+hope, Silk’s assistance) 7-9 temporary solution

The raft stops just short of the buzzsaws, but the current is strong. Silk and Stella can only hold the raft for a short time. Buckle uses the time to find a solution.

Buckle Look Closely 10+ ask 3 questions

  • What’s going on here? What do my senses tell me?
    • Beyond the saws, the tunnel ends in a stone wall, not brick like the rest of the walls, and no little chamber or staircase.
  • What happens if I electrocute the saws?
    • The saws will stop. Getting past the stopped saws presents only the risks usually associated with climbing on sharp objects, not guaranteed damage.
  • What is hidden or out of place?
    • Past the saws, there’s a thin wire stretched across the tunnel just above the water’s surface.

Buckle: It looks like a dead end, but the water must be going somewhere. I see a trap. Hold on to everyone and let the raft go on my signal.

Everyone on the raft holds onto Silk’s web-line. Buckle zaps the buzzsaws!

Buckle spends 1 use of Medallion of Cleft Sky

The buzzsaws spin to a halt. Rose cuts the webline away from the raft. Buckle and the rest of the Fellowship dangle from Silk’s web-line like the poster for The Goonies. The raft drifts towards the saws, bumps against them, finds a way through, and breaks the wire. There’s no immediate change.

Buckle: Well that was anti-climactic. So guys, what do you want to do now?

Buckle drops off the rope and swims carefully past the saw blades.

Buckle Aquatic: When you Get Away through water, choose one additional option.

Buckle Get Away 10+ avoid harm

GM note: Buckle can pick “avoid notice” and “bring someone along” but he doesn’t need them.

Once past the saw blades, Buckle sees a drain at the bottom of the stone wall that allows the water to flow out of the tunnel. Stout metal bars prevent intruders from swimming through. Stella wants to explore with Buckle, but she’s holding the web-line that’s keeping Linus, Gus, and Rose from falling in the water. Fortunately, Buckle is coming back, bringing the raft through the saw blades.

Buckle Aquatic: When you Get Away through water, choose one additional option.

Buckle Get Away 10+ avoid harm, bring raft along.

Now everyone can jump down to the raft, but they have to paddle against the current so it doesn’t float back through the saw blades. Stella wants to shrink to the size of an apple and sneak through the grate, but she can’t swim, so she must be secured to a rope of she won’t go. The Fellowship used their rope to lash the raft together, so it’s unavailable.

The Fellowship goes back upstream to the nearest chamber. Linus, Silk, Gus, and Rose stay there on dry ground. They pull the raft out of the water and untie the rope from it. Stella walks on the wall and Buckle swims back to the end of the tunnel.

Stella Beast Trait: Wall Crawler

An opening in the tunnel’s ceiling, behind the saw blades has appeared while they were away. Was this caused by tripping the tripwire? Stella sneaks through the saw blades.

Stella Get Away 10+ avoid harm, bring Buckle along

She lowers the rope to Buckle and pulls him through.  Throwing Knives whiz through the opening in the ceiling! Buckle is being attacked! Buckle drops into the water.

Buckle Get Away 6-

Buckle damages Courage

Buckle Medallion of Cleft Sky; holding metal will shock you

Buckle damages Electrolocation

Despite his evasive maneuver, one throwing knife still hits Buckle. Electricity arcs through the metal blade! Buckle is terrified and pulls the knife out to stop the electrocution.  Looking up, Buckle sees four black-clad figures looking down at him. They are looking through a hole in the floor they are standing on. Stella’s on the ceiling, invisible from their location.

Black-clad figure 1: That was unexpected. Be cautious.

Black-clad figure 2: There’s no time for caution when the city is at risk!

The second figure draws a sword and jumps down into the water to pursue Buckle. She’s an Orc, and she’s tall enough that the five feet of water in the tunnel only reaches her chest. If she keeps her arms up, she can use her sword at full speed.

  • Beth, she/her, Orc Assassin
    • Brutal Warrior: Beth hits you where it hurts. When she deals damage to someone who is already damaged, she can make one of their existing damage Necrotic instead of damaging a new stat.
    • Hard To Kill: When someone rolls a 10+ to Finish Them against Beth, unless they rolled with Wisdom, damage this stat and negate their Finish Them attempt. It fails, and Beth survives.
  • Group of Warriors she/her Human Assassins
    • Overpowering: Anyone trying to act alone against the warriors must pay a price. If they are a Gang or Army, the warriors are Piercing and Giant.
    • Group: This enemy can act against two people at once. When this enemy is destroyed, this stat is damaged, or this is their only stat left, replace the Group with two normal enemies.

Buckle flees Beth, swimming through the saw blades and hiding behind one.

Buckle Aquatic: When you Get Away through water, choose one additional option.

Buckle Get Away 7-9 avoid harm, avoid notice

GM note: Buckle’s fire-proof clothes block the effects of his Heart of Earth. He doesn’t shine like a campfire, so he can try to hide.

Beth shouts after Buckle, then notices Stella on the ceiling! Stella and Buckle have the fellowship of Templeton because they saved the Mayor, but Buckle looked very different back then, so as far as the Assassins know, they are being invaded by unknown attackers. Stella flees Beth by going through the hole in the ceiling, right towards the Group of Assassins!

Stella Lived in a Shoe: You can change size at will,  shrinking down to the size of an apple or growing as tall as good chair

Stella Get Away 7-9 avoid notice

Stella damages Wisdom

The Assassins slash at the figure that suddenly appears through the hole, but but it shrinks and seems to vanish. The hole in the ceiling was hastily dug out, so there’s plenty of masonry for Stella to find behind.  She’s in another dead-end tunnel, and a group of armed Dwarves stands at the opening, which presumably leads into Templeton itself.

  • Group of Troopers, various, Dwarf
  • The standard soldier/guard of Templeton. Rarely encountered alone, you almost always find them in Groups or Gangs.
    • Following Orders: If the Trooper is in a Group, Gang, or Army, then this stat must be damaged twice.
    • Group: This enemy can act against two people at once. When this enemy is destroyed, this stat is damaged, or this is their only stat left, replace the Group with two normal enemies.

Assassin: Something came through! Get us a rope. We need to get Beth.

GM note: Careful examination of notes reveals that Beth did meet Stella and should recognize her.

Beth: Wait, that upside-down person. Was that Stella?

Stella: Yes, yes, it’s me! Tell them not to hurt us!

Beth: Stand down. This Halfling has done Templeton a great service.

The Assassins look around confused. Stella slowly grows to full-size, revealing herself. Buckle also reveals himself to Beth.

Beth: You look strange.

Buckle: A lot has happened.

Everyone relaxes. A rope is lowered so people can climb out of the tunnel. A mechanic retracts the buzzsaws so the companions can safely come downstream and climb the rope. People are happy to see Linus again, but confused that he arrived through this route. Invaders broke into the city by this route a while ago, a fellow Dwarf! So the entrance had to be fortified.

Linus: The library is real! The librarian is a ghost, but it’s real! We should set up interlibrary protocols immediately.

Buckle: Also, the library is going to be attacked, so we’d like some help with that.

Because they have fellowship with Templeton because of their previous exploits, the Mayor gives them an audience and is willing to offer assistance. Buckle wears a plush cap shaped like a mining helmet. It’s merch from the local college that he picked up last time he was here.

GM note: Without the fellowship of the location, I won’t let the Fellowship roll Talk Sense for help on a political scale.

Stella tells the Mayor about the Vampire threat to the Hidden Library and what a pity it would be to have it taken away by O’Later just after finding it. The Mayor is shocked to learn that O’Later is a Vampire. They’ve met at offical events, but she didn’t know. Vampires are especially dangerous to Dwarves because the sun never reaches into their underground cities. Stella asks for as many fighters as possible from Templeton’s forces.

Stella remembers that she’s good at lying, so she adds that O’Later’s next target will be Templeton, strengthened by the secret knowledge in the Hidden Library!

Stella Talk Nonsense (+Courage) 7-9 owe a favor

The Mayor wants to help, but Templeton is already operating with a skeleton crew. All the miners in the city went on strike, and then left the city entirely. That’s 30% of the city’s population, so the Mayor can’t spare anyone for the Hidden Library until they are back. Stella says the invasion is time-senstive and she’d rather do the Mayor’s favor after saving the library. That won’t work because Templeton needs its people back before it can send out a large force.

The Mayor wants the Fellowship to end the strike. Buckle is confused by the union’s tactic of leaving the city.  The Mayor explains that they did have a picket line disrupting trade into the city, but then they all went south. Buckle thinks they might have gone to the Oolite Mine. The Mayor isn’t familiar with that mine, but sends a scribe to look it up.  The scribe finds records of the Oolite Mine 120 years ago, but just last month they came into town with some high-quality ore. It seems like the mine is running again.

Buckle wonders what incentives they can offer to lure the miners back. Maybe they’re working elsewhere now. The Mayor tells the scribe to explain the union’s demands, because she didn’t pay attention to them.

  • Miners’ complaints:
    • Fortinbras School of Mines are abusing the work-study program. The mines are using students who don’t get paid.
    • The mines test the students’ experimental devices in active mines, violating safety regulations.
  • Concessions the mayor is willing to allow:
    • No experimental devices in active mines
    • Lower the limit on work-study, but not as low as the union wants.

Stella: Hey Mayor, how about an incentive for them to come back to Templeton.

Buckle: How do you share profits? Are they employees, or do you give them a cut of what they mine.

GM note: This economic simluation is getting more and more complicated.

Currently, the miners are paid X% of the value of the ore they mine. They can use that money to buy back any ore they want. The Mayor suggests a change. Allow the miners to keep up to X% of their ore. Any ore they keep counts against their cash payout. Maybe they find & keep a gem, and get no cash, or all the ore is mediocre and they trade it all for cash. It gives the miners more control over what they mine and how they are paid.

Buckle: Fair enough. I’ve seen worse. You’re no Sea Viper.

Mayor: Don’t tell me he’s a Vampire too!

Buckle complains that the Sea Viper tried to take his stuff, just like O’Later did! The Mayor has the scribe make a note that no one should take Buckle’s stuff.

The Mayor gives the Fellowship a messenger hawk, so they can report their success at the Oolite Mines without coming all the way back. They can also choose whether the Mayor sends a Gang of Troopers or a Group of Mages.

The Fellowship is ready to leave, but Buckle needs to find his birds. They’re causing some trouble.  A tower on the rim of the volcano focuses a beam of sunlight onto an arc of stone at the base, forming a sundail. Ichabod is blocking the beam, enjoying the warmth that would fry most creatures.

Ichabod Fireproof: take no damage from fire and heat.

Buckle collects his birds and the Fellowship heads south to the Oolite Mine. They pass through Dung Beetle territory.

Fellowship of the Dung Beetles

Stella Queen of the Wild: All Beasts are your Companions when you are in their territory.

Buckle Wildspeaker: You speak the language of monsters and beasts.

The Dung Beetles are very pleased to see the Fellowship. One warns Buckle that there’s trouble at the Dwarf pit. Lots of angry people. The Dung Beetle doesn’t understand Dwarvish, so it doesn’t know what the trouble is about.

Buckle: Have you tried rolling dung on them?

Dung Beetle: Dwarf problem. Not Dung Beetle problem.

Buckle: Fair enough. How are the babies? Did you find any more Seige Tanks?

Dung Beetle: Mortality rate as expected. We only found the one tank.

The Fellowship approaches the Oolite Mine, which is under seige by the Miners’ Union! The miners and Metal Dwarves have erected opposing earthworks all around the mine. Metal Dwarves stand guard on each of the three ramps to keep the miners out. Just then, the ground on one ramp collapses under the Metal Dwarves. Dwarven sappers have literally undermined the defenses and allowed their comrades on the surface an opportunity to enter the mine.

Stella: How do we get their attention?

Buckle takes off his fire-proof suit, allowing his inner fire to flare brightly. Ichabod follows him. The flaming creatures attract a lot of attenion.

Buckle Keep Them Busy 7-9 face retaliation later

The miners stop running down the ramp and burying the Metal Dwarves to gawk at Buckle.

Stella: You’re working harder not smarter. You’re clearly not wanted here. If you go back you’ll get everything you requested.

Stella Finish Them (+Wisdom, explain error of their ways) 6-

Union Miners: How can you say everything will be fine? They’re going to replace us with these!

  • Group of Union Miners, various, Dwarves
    • Dwarven Berserker: Their conflict with the Mayor and the Oolites makes these miners very angry!
      • Blind Rage: The attacks of a Dwarven  Berserker on the rampage are very difficult to defend against. If your Grace is damaged, you  cannot defend against the attacks of a Dwarven Berserker.
      • Reckless Valor: A Dwarven Berserker can  damage this stat to damage an enemy they are fighting.
      • Group: This enemy can act against two people at once. When this enemy is destroyed, this stat is damaged, or this is their only stat left, replace the Group with two normal enemies.

The Miners turn on the Fellowship and attack them with shovels and picks.

GM note: Does Buckle take double damage from all metal weapons? Most weapons are metal. He’s not allowed to have metal equipment, so if someone else is still holding the metal weapon, it doesn’t count. Both times he’s been shocked, the metal weapons have been throwing knifes.

Buckle damages Webbed Hands

Stella damages Beast Trair 360 vision.

GM note: She should have seen that coming.

Buckle tries to grab the handle of the shovel that the closest Dwarf is hitting him with. He’ll avoid being shocked by the head and set the wooden handle on fire.

Buckle Overcome 6-

The Dwarves overwhelm the Fellowship with numbers and push them away from the mine. Some miners are racing the Metal Dwarves, trying to bury the Metal Dwarves faster than they can dig themselves out. A few miners ran past to the interior of the mine and are shouting, presumably at someone who can understand them. Perhaps the Oolites themselves.

Buckle makes a break past the angry miners towards the Metal Dwarves. Buckle is powered by the Heart of Earth, the same Artifact of Power that empowered the Robot King that took control of the Metal Dwarves and drove the Oolites away from their mine many years ago. However, Heart of Earth itself doesn’t grant control of Metal Dwarves.

Buckle Get Away 7-9 avoid harm

Buckle dashes into the churning dirt and reaches for the switch that he remembers is on the back of every Metal Dwarf. The Metal Dwarf he approaches tries to stop him from tampering with it.

Buckle Overcome 10+

The Metal Dwarf freezes in place when Buckle turns it off. The nearby miners are amazed.

Buckle: I have the power! To me my Dwarves!

Buckle Keep Them Busy 6-

Miners: This is the guy who controls the Metal Dwarves! We should get him, not those Dwarves in the mine!

The miners want to grab Buckle and bring him to their leaders, but he’s on fire. They prod him with their tools to move him in the proper direction.  This has escalated, so Stella escalates by riding Silk.

Stella pack leader: When a companion works alongside you, you become a Threat To The World.

Stella Finish Them (+Courage, force retreat) 10+

Stella: You have one more chance to go back to Templeton, or I’m going to call my friends!

Miners: What friends?

Stella Queen of the Wild: You Command Lore about the wild beasts in any area you go to. All Beasts are you Companions.

Stella call upon the Giant Earthworms! The miners that were herding Buckle towards their leaders are now being herded towards Templeton by Giant Earthworms bursting from the ground!

Group of Dwarven Berserkers TAKEN OUT

One of the three entrances to the Oolite Mine is clear of miners. The Fellowship goes down that ramp towards some arguing Dwarves at the bottom of the pit.

Bogan Oolite: We just want to be left alone! Why are you even here?

Union rep: You’ve completely automated mining! Five Dwarves to run this huge mine? This is an existential threat to our profession.

Buckle: Hello, I see the mine’s back up and running.

They stop arguing to look at the strange group approaching them.

Buckle: Last time we were here, one of the Metal Dwarves was completely berserk and was running everything. What brings you back?

Bogan Oolite: They’re not berserk anymore, so we were able to reclaim the mine. I was only a small boy when we had to flee.

Buckle: You must be Oolite. Did you make these?

Bogan Oolite: We designed and built them at great expense. When theytook over the mine, the family fortune was lost, and we had to wander.

Buckle: What makes you think they are safe now?

Union rep: You’re telling me that these things will attack miners as well as replace them? They’re dangerous!

Buckle: What brings you down here?

Union rep: We were striking because of the work-study program that meant miners were not getting paid. This Ogre told us that there was a completely automated mine down here with Metal Dwarves that don’t get paid and never stop. That’s much worse than the students! Students will eventually graduate and join the union, but this is a threat to our profession . . . and Dwarven lives!

Buckle: But they’re not mining your ore. Your mines are in Templeton.

Union rep: Do I have to explain simple economics? Ore is fungible. If there’s cheap ore coming from anywhere, that will drive prices down. He can sell his ore a lot cheaper because he has no labor costs.

Bogan Oolite: Oh, that’s a good idea. I was just selling at regular price.

Buckle: Seems like we need a little bit of industry best practices here. What do you think about expoert union members staying here to ensure the safety of you Metal Dwarves and the mines in general?

Buckle Talk Sense (+Sense, explain plan) 10+

Bogan Oolite agrees. He doesn’t like outsiders, but losing the mines to another uprising would be much worse.

Stella: What would you say to free maintenance on your robots?

Union reps: Unpaid labor? I don’t like this!

Stella: You have a work-study problem, and Oolite has a lot of Metal Dwarves to maintain. Y’all would oversee it anyways, so why not have the students work here. They could even bring their experimental devices.

The Union Reps like that idea. If the students wacky inventions explode, it’s best that they explode near indestructible Metal Dwarves, not mortal Dwarves with families. Oolite isn’t thrilled about even more outsiders coming to his mine.

Stella Talk Sense (+Sense, explain plan) 10+

Stella is very convincing, so the Union lifts the strike. The union reps give hand signals, and the miners fighting at the entrances stand down.

Stella: Union members, to Templeton!

The miners exchange their tool for their picket signs. On the way back, Stella explains the concessions the Mayor authorized:

  • no experimental devices in active mines
  • fewer work-study students in the mines-but we just moved all the work-study students to this mine
  • A not-small adjustment to the compensation package.
    • Keep some percentage of what you mine to start with. So you can keep that gem, instead of buying it back.

Those are the terms that the miners were striking for, plus better payment, so they accept the deal! In exchange for resolving the strike, the Mayor promises a Gang of 100 Dwarves to defend the Hidden Library.

GM note: We’ll decide what type of Dwarven soldier will accompany the Fellowship next time.

  • Oolite Mine Message Board
    • Buckle: Make sure the Oolites are keeping up their end of the trade deal with Templeton’s miners!
    • Stella: The Oolite trade deal is some Templeton union will oversee mine & not lower prices.

NO END OF SESSION MOVE