Chasing the Sunset is a West Marches-style exploration game using Fellowship 2nd Edition‘s Horizon rules.
The fellowship: Dryden of Conwall the Collector/Hunter, Averiela the Elf/Elven Elite, Edna Crusher-Harcourt the Ogre/Knight, Markus the Squire
Last time, the Fellowship recovered after a hard battle, met a few interesting people. This time they will explore Templeton.
On the way in, they saw a small group of Dwarven Gunners limping back to town, definitely not a truimphal procession. When Infinite Windows opens, Edna is in a warehouse, talking to Ssikila. Edna releases Ssikila from her service so she can return to her squad in Sugar’s Crossing and eventually back to Vieport. Edna gives Ssikila packages to take to each city. Ssikila gives a salute with the tip of her tail and slithers off. Edna looks at a list and picks a package before coming through with Ol’ Jardiner, Viktor, and Bork.
Dryden: What’s in the box? What’s in the boxes going to other places?
Edna: OK, so I’m trying to help Port Fennrick. It’s a mess. City Hall is destroyed, ships are avoiding the place. If I get the ships to come back, then people will have stuff. They feel better when they have stuff. O’Later has warehouses full of stuff that he confiscated as contraband. To jumpstart people coming to Port Fennrick, we’re giving back their stolen stuff, and explaining our new up-front fee structure.
Averiela: Which is?
Edna: Five percent of the value of your cargo. You get to declare the value of your cargo, but we do check a few ships a day. We’d like to operate mostly on trust.
Averiela: What’s the penalty if you undervalue your cargo?
Edna: You have to pay the proper value. Oh, maybe there should be a penalty. I’m still figuring out this commerce thing. If this works, it will take up a lot of my time. I’m not sure I’ll be able to go adventuring with y’all if I become the Mayor.
The package that Edna brought through belongs to Glorum, the nephew of the head of the smith’s guild. On his first voyage as a merchant, he took perhaps more valuable items than he should have, hoping to impress his uncle. He took one of the guild’s showpeices, a chandelier that demonstrates many different metalworking techniques. Surely when he sold it for a high price, the guild would forgive him. Alas, O’Later confiscated it.
The Luna Penumbra lands on the ground. Usually ships don’t do that, but our pilot is talented.
Dryden goes to city hall to turn in a winning lottery ticket he found long ago. Edna hopes that she can find Glorum’s address there as well.
Jasper greets them as they enter City Hall.
Dryden: We are adventurers who have gone many ways about the world and in one adventure in a subetrranean cavern, there was a chest that contained this Dwarven lottery ticket. We are here to see if we can claim any sort of prize.
Dryden reaches behind his cloak and produces the lottery ticket. Jasper examines it wit hlittle glasses on a chain around her neck.
Jasper: Congratulations on your win, but this is not a Templeton lottery ticket. It’s from the City of Clay. You’d have to go there.
Dryden: Do you know where the City of Clay is?
Jasper summons a cartographer to answer that question. He looks through an atlas.
Cartographer: That’s odd. The City of Clay was inside the Treacherous Mountains. We haven’t heard from them in several decades.
Markus & Dryden: This could be a quest!
Cartographer: Most people are not that excited when I give such news. You seem like go-getters, always digging for that next vein.
Edna asks where to find Glorum so she can return some property. Cyberstalking and doxxing aren’t problems in Templeton, so Jasper gives her the address.
Dryden: As we were coming in, I saw a group of Dwarven Gunners. Have their been wars?
Jasper: Oh, they’re back! There was excitement in town. Adventurers warned of an invasion across the world and the mayor graciously allowed them to command a detachment of 50 Gunners to protect good people.
The Fellowship saw about a dozen Dwarven Gunners coming back, not 50. Dryden wonders if the Gunners he fought during the invasion were from Templeton. The Fellowship didn’t leave a dozen of them alive, so this must be a different group.
Edna: Oh, the library. You’ll be happy to now that the library is safe and the invaders were driven away. I didn’t personally see the Templeton Gunners
The Fellowship leaves City Hall and goes to Glorum’s house. Glorum lost favor for his mistake and was sent away to the family’s holding out of town. A butler answers the door.
Edna: Hello, I’m looking for a Mr. Glorum. I hear he trades in fine metalwork.
Butler: I’m afraid that young master Glorum’s mercantile adventures have taken him away from here. He is at the family holdings in the Cracktooth Wastes. One may not wish to make such a journey.
Edna: Perhaps there is someone here with whom I can discuss young master Glorum’s mercantile adventures.
The butler fetches Mr. Glorum, young Glorum’s father and the brother of the head of the smith’s guild. He looks grim, because Glorum’s loss of the guild’s showpiece is a shame to the family. How does a stranger know about it?
Glorum: What has he done this time?
Edna: I haven’t met him personally, but I want him to know that his bad experience in Port Fennrick is a thing of the past. Port Fennrick is under new management. No longer will ships be searched and their best goods stolen. In fact, we are returning goods that the previous manager unfairly took.
Edna opens the package and reveals the masterwork. Glorum is speechless. Edna is worried that she’s offended him.
Edna: This is from the third warehouse. There are other warehouses. Maybe your other items are in them. If you go to Port Fennrick, give your name to Bork and she’ll…
Glorum: No, no, I am just astounded that this has been returned. Glorum will be in your debt.
A very old Dwarf hobbles in, using an axe as a crutch.
Old Dwarf: That Glorum! He’ll find you to return a favor if it’s the last thing I command him to do. He’ll restore his Dwarven honor. I built this when I was but a young Dwarf, and I have passed on the techniques, and here it is again.
The old Dwarf turns and hobbles out without waiting for a reply.
Edna: Fine craftsmanship is sure to be appreciated by people all over, so you could sell something like this for a high price at Port Fennrick.
The Fellowship takes their leave.
Edna: That went great! I hope Ssikila is having as good a time as I am. Alas, I should have taken a stack of coins from Port Fennrick. Each time we go to a new location, I could use Infinite Windows to go back to the warehouses and get people’s packages.
Dryden scoops up a handful of good Dwarven soil. The Fellowship wonders what else to do in Templeton. Dryden tells Markus that he should see the sights while they are here. He points out the sundial. A large crystal atop a tower on the rim of the mountain focuses sunlight down to plain below, which is marked to form a clock.
People in Templeton are happy that the labor strike is over, but they get less happy as news of the Dwarven Gunners’ return spreads.
Dryden: This seems like a peaceful society that we should not disturb too much.
Dryden chats with a college student by the sundail. She’s shaved her beard and is growing out her hair very long and not braiding it. People call her Tourmaline. That’s not what her parents call her, but she doesn’t care.
- What can you tell us about the labor strikes?
- Tourmaline: The grown-up miners are being completely unreasonable. Most of the work experience programs were cancelled, including ours. My team made a experimental device to sort ore. Like a centrifuge, but better. We can’t use it now. A year’s work! Even if we get one of the work experience slots, we have to go to some mine way in the south. The Oolite mine. The adults says something about the percentage of ore the miners get. Boring.
- What should I be wary of when dealing with punk college students?
- Like many young people and engineers, she overestimates herself and her skills. The machines she invents are very dangerous!
- What would you have us do?
- Tourmaline: I gotta go meet my team right now, but I’ve forgotten some materials. Go to the Metamorphic Building, fourth level down, and get me some extrusive igneous limestone. I only need 4kg.
- She writes a note. “Tourmaline needs this stuff. Please give these people all the support their mission requires.”
GM note: The Oolite Mine has been very important to many characters, but none of them are here.
Dryden: I don’t know if we’re qualified, I don’t have a university card to get here.
Tourmaline: No, it’s easy. Ask anyone for directions. Nice people around here.
Averiela: It’s been lovely chatting with you. We’ve gotta go.
The Fellowship and Tourmaline part ways. Students nearby say to Tourmaline.
Students: Trying that trick again? They look kind of gullible, but not that foolish.
Limestone isn’t igneous, and the Metamorphic building only has three floors. Averiela shakes her head at Dryden, who puts Tourmaline’s note behind his cape.
Averiela: Why were you engaging still?
Markus goes up the sundial tower and looks over the city for something interesting.
- What is going on here?
- Templeton is built on a cinder cone volcano one a flat place, which was built in one big eruption. Important city buildings are in the caldera. The western slope is the Fortinbras School of Mines, which attacts young Dwarves from all over. A highway moves past the city from east to west.
- Tell me about the Gunners? What are they doing and what will they do next?
- The Gunners are trudging along, not marching proudly. People come out to meet them and assist them because every single one is injured.
- Is something hidden or out of place?
-
- Markus looks too closely. He’s even nosier than a tourist. A Dwarf takes offense.
-
Dwarf: What do you think you’re doing?
Markus: I’ve never been here before. I’m so excited to see all the things in the world. I just love learning and seeing new places!
Dwarf: You’ve never been here before because this is my propery and you’re trespassing. There are many things to see across the world and you should go see them. Go!
Markus: OK, sorry!
Edna doesn’t like people who are rude to her friends, but the Dwarf does have a point, so she doesn’t press the issue. Averiela wants to check Templeton’s records to learn about the City Of Clay.
- Tell me about the City Of Clay. How could it hurt or help me?
- The Clay Dwarves are unsual because they build with bricks instead of stone. You could cash the lottery ticket, but it’s under the Treacherous Mountains, which are dangerous.
- Tell me about when the City of Clay went silent. What were they doing? What would they do next?
- The Clay Dwarves built the underground waterways, which are lined with bricks. The City of Clay was abandoned because the earth shifted, a lava vent cut through part of the city, and Fire Elementals came out of it.
- What will happen if I go to the City Of Clay?
- You will have to deal with lava and Fire Elementals. The city is probably abandoned, so cashing the lottery ticket would be difficult. The Clay Dwarves could have gone anywhere quickly via the Underground Waterways.
Averiela summarizes her research for the Fellowship.
Edna: Oh, is that what that was? I’ve been there. There’s a Goblin town just south of the Hidden Library and there’s a waterfall coming down into a park.
Dryden: I’ve seen that waterfall.
Edna: We jumped up into that pipe. We found some spikes that were probably a warning, but we didn’t pay attention. We fought a Fire Elemental and had to get out of the City of Clay. If we got to the north of the Treacherous Mountains, I could find the entrance again. The city was empty. I’m pretty sure that lottery ticket is no good.
Once again, the Fellowship must decide where to go.
Markus: We could help Edna return goods.
Edna: It’s not a good time to visit. The town is in ruins.
Averiela: Looking at the map, I’ve never been to Lazy-I Ranch.
Edna: That’s where we came out of the City of Clay. There’s Elves. Maybe you know them.
Averiela: Maybe they are long-lost relatives. We did send some out centuries ago.
Before leaving town, the Fellowship writes on the message board.
Averiela: I came. I saw. I left.
Dryden of Cornwall: The underwater passageways were made by Clay Dwarves. The passageways are hidden and Dwarves are missing. Post whereabouts of Clay Dwarves if found, please.
Edna: There’s no such thing as igneous limestone.
Markus: Beware of accidentally trespassing. Some of these dwarves are quite particular. Apparently, there isn’t anything interesting hidden here. Alas.
GM note: there’s a blank space on the official map between these two major cities. No one ever went this way before. I used my Fellowship Horizon Location Generator
The Luna Penumbra sets off due north from Templeton for Port Fennrick and soon finds itself over the lake surrounding Sola’s Island Mansion. Markus leans over the edge precariously to see as much as possible. Dryden nudges him so he falls off, then jumps out himself. They both dive into the water. Dryden hopes that Markus can swim. He is very naive about adventuring, but he did grow up on an island, so of course he can swim. He lazily backstrokes towards the island, looking at all the fish swimming through the air above him. Markus turns over and doesn’t see any fish in the water. Dryden calls Sky Fish to carry himself and Markus to the island.
Edna: Do you want to come to the island with me?
Edna extends her hand to Averiela. Edna would scoop up any other friend without hesitation, but Averiela is like a cat. She needs her space and needs to be respected in the right way. She’s also very quiet and sometimes disappears and shows up in inconvenient places. Averiela accept’s Edna’s offer, and they leaps to the island’s shore. The companions left to operate the Luna Penumbra wonder why their commanders didn’t just land the flying ship in the lake.
A Robot Butler nearby is trimming a topiary bush in the shape of a turtle into the shape of a sphere. There’s no consistent theme to the topiaries: animals, geometric shapes, people and so on. When it notices visitors, it stops trimming and approaches. It’s mostly human-shaped and human-sized, but instead of legs its body tapers down to a single wheel. This Robot Butler has a chunky off-road tire because it works in the garden.
Robot Butler: Gentlemen, may I see your invitations?
Averiela: We came to see if we could have an invitation.
Robot Butler: Yes, of course. Follow me.
The Robot Butler leads them to a side entrance of the main building in the compound. It goes inside, goes to the kitchen, fetches some vegetables and starts chopping them. Averiela shrugs. Edna leaves the kitchen through the double doors to the dining room. The ceiling is higher here, but she still must avoid the chandelier.
Edna: Glorum’s is way better than this.
There are two long tables in the dining room, with twnety places at each table. The tables are stacked high with food, but some of it is cold, and some is going bad. Edna samples a few dishes, hoping ot find something both tasty and unspoiled.
Something bright flows into and fills the dining room. It’s hard to see what it looks like because it’s so bright, but it seems to have several overlapping shapes, and those shapes are changing all the time. This is the Data Swarm! Edna and Averiela retreat from the dining room to the entryway, where a group of Robot Butlers, defended by Phalanx Drones, accost them.
Boss angered. Response level increases to 3. Enemies can appear in Groups.
New Response Move: Guardian, activate a Machine Threat.
Robot Butlers: I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave.
Markus and Dryden see the roof of an out-building open up, and a huge machine rises out of it.
- Sky Spear: The Sky Spear hovers over a region, working with its cameras to provide long range security and threat removal. That is to say, its a big gun.
- Snipe: The sky spear can shoot at incredible distances, farther than it is capable of seeing by itself. Its shots are Ranged and Piercing and never miss. If the Targeting Reliant stat is damaged, the spear gains the Dangerous tag and its attacks always miss their intended target.
- Targeting Reliant: The sky spear cannot aim at anything on its own, and requires a Support Unit to aim for it. Usually, the sky spear relies on Flying Cameras or a Tracking Chip, but it also makes an excellent defense for Machine Cities like Regulus or Forge. If the sky spear’s targeting system is jammed, or if the Support Unit it is relying on is taken out, damage this stat.
The top is a ring of thrusters, pointing down and outwards, looking a bit like the head of a jellyfish. The Sky Spear’s weapon hangs below by a giant gimbal.
- Group of Flying Camera: A staple of Machine armies of every kind, these eyeball-shaped drones are not themselves dangerous, but you don’t want them watching what you’re up to.
- Communications Network: Anything the Flying Camera sees or hears, every Machine in the area also sees and hears.
- Keep Away: The Flying Camera will never willingly get close to someone it is watching, and will use its flight to try and stay out of range. This is because it is very frail: if the Flying Camera is damaged, they are destroyed.
- 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.
A Group of Flying Cameras fly out, tiny against the massive Sky Spear. They immediately acquire the Luna Penumbra, floating above the lake without any officers to command it!
Markus: I’ve read about these things. We need to take out the cameras!
Markus draws his Elf-Made bow and aims it while floating on his back. It’s not a stable firing position, but he hits one! The others have locked on to Luna Penumbra. Dryden calls Sky Fish to fly in formation with him on his Flying Device. This formation prevents Markus from taking another shot, but the Flying Cameras dodge away to avoid them. Ol’ Jardiner fires the ship’s cannons, but can’t hit such small fast targets. He can hit the cluster of Sky Fish! The survivors disperse.
The Flying Cameras are once again able to relay targeting data to the Sky Spear and it fires! It’s a huge gun that fires missiles with kinetic heads. The missile comes out fast, accelerates even faster, and damages the target with the force of impact. A missile streaks across the sky and smashes through the Luna Penumbra’s cannon!
Back inside, Averiela and Edna face much less threatening adversaries. Edna keeps the robots at arms-length by pushing them away. Each time Edna puts out her giant hand, the Phalanx Drone on the Robot Butler she threatens climbs in front and protects and energy shield, so Edna’s hand pushes on the shield, not the Robot Butler itself. Edna grabs the shields and pushes them at different angles and the Phalanx Drones lose their grip on the Robot Butlers. Averiela needed a moment to recover from the blinding light of the Data Swarm .her Elven eyes are more sensitive than most.
Averiela: These robots are so loud and obnoxious! I am done with this place. We are going now!
Averiela is poetry in motion. With perfect grace, she leaps on top of a Robot Butler, grabs a glass of water from its serving tray and throws it in front of her, making a trail of water droplets that she can run along. She kicks off the wall, and lands behind a potted plant. She scoots it a short distance towards the front door, and the Robot Butlers don’t seem to react, so she drags it with her as a disguise until she reaches the door and runs out. The plant moves enought to distract some Robot Butlers, who start cleaning and stop threatening Edna. Their line is broken and Edna can rush through and leave the mansion.
They’re just in time to see Sky Spear fire on the Luna Penumbra! Edna won’t stand for that. She leaps up onto the Sky Spear. As it adjusts its aim to fire again, Edna jumps out and swings from the end of the barrel to disrupt its aim. Her weight drags the barrel down so the missile smashes through the Dining Room’s skylight, damaging the Data Swarm. This is like punching every robot on the island in the brain simultaneously! A Flying Camera targets Edna, but Sky Spear can’t target itself.
Meanwhile, Markus is diving in the lake to find the arrow she fired at the Flying Camera.
Dryden reaches behind his cape and pulls out a prank weapon that looks like a rubber chicken. He throws it down into the water. The feathers fall off and grows to look like warships in the water. The Flying Camera switches to the new targets. Averiela shoots it down with an Elven arrow. Edna’s ready to fight Sky Spear, but it goes into standby because there are no cameras feeding it targeting data. Dryden really wants to capture Sky Spear, but the gun barrel as long as Luna Penumbra itself.
Averiela is already walking across the water towards the ship, so upset. The blinding light gave her a migraine! Edna leaps to the ship and orders it to land and pick up the others. They fly away before more Flying Cameras arrive.
What should they meet on the way but Unrivalled’s flying peddler cart!
Edna: You do commerce too, right? I’m trying to get Port Fennrick back on the map. O’Later would have stolen all your nice items, but we won’t do that. There’s a simple fee structure laid out in this chart.
Unrivalled overhears the crew talking about their close call with the Sky Spear. He’s much more interested in that.
Dryden: This seems like just the sort of thing for your collection. I happened to collect these pebbles. If you hone in on their origin, it will take you to Sky Spear.
Unrivalled takes the pebbles and starts working minor magic to determine where they come from. The Luna Penumbra flies away and Dryden tells the crew that those pebbles were from the City Junkyard, halfway across the world.
As the Luna Penumbra approaches Port Fennrick, they see burglars moving in on a contraband warehouse! Edna didn’t post any new guards after driving the Vampires away.
GM note: We ran out of time in this session, so we’ll do the end of Session move at the beginning of the next session.