Posted on by Cliff

Chasing the Sunset & the new Luna Penumbra

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, Markus the Squire, Pierre Jardiner the Harbinger

Last time, the Luna Penumbra entered the Empire with a diplomatic badge. The Empire rolled out the red carpet for a visiting noble. This time, actions completely out of ther control disrupt all their plans.

The Luna Penumbra rests on the seven robotic legs re-purposed from the Giant Spider Robot, just outside an Imperial mining camp.  Atlas tells the crew that the Moon is almost full, so it will rise slightly before sunset in the east. But instead of a bright gibbous Moon, very bright star rises instead. Cirrus flies into the air to investigate.

  • Cirrus she/her Human Sky Commander:
    • Uplifting Command: All nearby Horde threats, including this one, can fly. Any threats that are flying when this stat becomes damaged or when the sky commander is Taken Out come crashing to the ground, taking damage.

Cirrus: It’s like a big spotlight! There’s a big circle of light that’s getting smaller!

GM note: I told my players that we each had one move before something very exciting happened.

Averiela doesn’t have time to exanime that strange star with her supernatural Elfsight.

Markus, the pilot, quickly side-steps the ship to port, which is north.

GM note: That’s a very reasonable thing to do! I had to reveal that another party rolled 10+ to Finish the Luna Penumbra, so at best they could affect how the ship was hit by what’s coming.

Markus Get Away 10+

The center of the shrinking circle of light now rests of the right side of the Luna Penumbra, instead of dead center.

Averiela: Why do they want to destroy us? What did we ever do to them?

Dryden: Scalawags! Treason!

Pierre opens Infinite Windows the dangerous way. There’s no time to use the safe ritual.  He grabs the gem he took from Von Till’s throne and holds it up to Infinite Windows.

Pierre Open Infinite Windows 10+ the window opens to a safe place in the correct Location & you keep the object

Pierre and Markus are acting too fast to co-ordinate. A huge window briefly opens off the ship’s starboard bow as the ship leaps to port.

Averiela: Watson, How do we avoid that attack from the Moon?

Watson: It’s from the sky. If they’re targeting us visually, clouds would protect us, but clouds won’t stop what I assume is focused sunlight.

Dryden runs below deck to check on the Phoenixes.

The circle of light shrinks and gets brighter and brighter until it’s focused on the starboard side of the Luna Penumbra. The Spider Legs on that side melt and break. A big section of the starboard hull is vaporized. The two baby Phoenixes explode into full-size Phoenixes as they are hit by the beam and burst out through the hole in the hull.  Dryden was wearing his Phoenix-wrangling gear: fire-proof gloves, helmet, and apron, so their fiery explosion only hurt him a little.

Dryden damages a stat

  • Exotherasa she/her Phoenix (pronounce “ther” like “Other” but the O belongs to “exo” Exo-ther-asa, not Ex-other-asa)
    • Firebird: The Phoenix is Burning, Giant, and immune to damage from heat or fire. She can spit fireballs (Ranged, Burning, Reload)
    • Get Carried Away: The Phoenix can fly away with anyone she deals damage to. If she is not stopped quickly, she will escape to the skies. she will never willingly drop someone she carries until she reaches her destination.
    • Unnatural Toughness: The Phoenix’s other stats cannot be damaged while she still has this stat.
  • Ignition it/its Reborn Phoenix. Formerly the  moldering Phoenix of the Smoldering Forest.
    • Firebird: The Phoenix is Burning, Giant, and immune to damage from heat or fire. It can spit fireballs (Ranged, Burning, Reload)
    • Wildfire: The Phoenix does not know how to control its fire. Any action it takes is Dangerous.
    • Wide-eyed: The Phoenix is mostly concerned with its new power and pays little attention to smaller creatures.

Far away in Rowdy’s Ramparts, a window suddenly opens across the entire throne room.  Rowdy and his courtiers see the Luna Penumbra explode, which they think already happened. Flames and debris rain through the portal, then it’s gone as suddenly as it appeared.  Huge orange flight feathers, cut by the window’s collapse, float to the floor.

Ignition happened to fly out near Infinite Windows as it closed, and lost a significant section of its wing.

Ignition damages Wide-Eyed

The Luna Penumbra teeters. It can’t stand on its remaining legs, and the hull won’t keep its shape with a huge burning hole in it. Worse still, the temporary fix for the booby-trapped reactor has been dislodged, and the crew only has a short time to fix it.

New clock: Reactor explodes & ship collapses. Every move fills one segment. Players are also all in danger from the initial blast & can spend moves to avoid it.

Markus runs through the flames to the engine room.

Markus Run For It: Run For It! When you Get Away by running right through the danger, roll +Courage. 6-

As Markus vaults and slides around debris, a beam falls and pins him to the deck!

Pierre damages a stat

Pierre starts his breathing exercises and calmly, but slowly, starts walking towards the engine room.

Pierre Serenity: If you walk without intending harm, nothing will harm you.

Dryden checks on the two Phoenixes. Ignition is panicking from the loss of its flight feathers. It flaps wildly, spitting gouts of flame across the starboard bow. Dryden decides that the big bomb in the engine room is more pressing and starts free-running, keeping his footing as the ship tilts under his feet.

Dryden On A Mirror’s Edge: gain 2 Speed

Dryden spends 1 Speed to get somewhere out of reach of the debris

  • Group of 6 Horde Knights: The armored backbone of the Horde. Knights are tougher than the rank and file, and are well equipped to deal with many foes, but their more expensive gear and tougher training mean the Horde has less of them. Knights are never found in Gangs or Armies.
    • Big Sword: The Knight’s attacks are Giant.
    • Cool Armor: 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.

The Imperial Knights run to extract Marcus from the debris. There’s a pink flare hangin in the sky. The ship’s diplomatic badge fired it when the ship was damaged.  Averiela is concerned for everyone’s safety, especially her animals: Knows-Too-Much and White Sands.

Averiela Get Away 7-9 avoid harm

Averiela Poetry In Motion: pick an extra option, bring White Sands along

Averiela guides White Sands away from the ship. There’s a crowd at the entrance to the engine room. Markus is pinned by debris. The Imperial Knights use their Big Swords as levers to raise the debris. Dryden is already in the engine room. Pierre calmly walks past the Imperial Knights.  He and Dryden co-operate to repair the damaged reactor. Dryden takes the lead because he’s wearing fire-proof gear.

Dryden Technical Solution (+Hope, Pierre’s aid) 10+

Pierre uses Wizardry to keep the two trigger pieces apart while Dryden carefully slides the fail-safe back into place with tongs. The ship shakes as an escape pod fires.  The escape pod lands about 100 meters away and a whole crowd exits.

  1. Watson
  2. Knows-Too-Much
  3. Tomay & Soday
  4. Atlas
  5. Doodle
  6. Will
  7. Oloris
  8. Halindor

Sadly, Penny, from the Rainbow Village, was evaporated in the attack. Pippen, a fan of Averiela’s dancing, also didn’t make it to the escape pod.

Luna Penumbra Escape Pods: hold up to 8 people. Get Away from the ship with a 10+

Only Dryden, Markus, Pierre, and the Imperial Knights are on the Luna Penumbra when it falls onto its starboard side. It doesn’t explode, which is great, but the ship is still on fire.

Pierre spends 1 use of Leylines of Magic to seal off an accessible location

Pierre puts the reactor in a pocket dimension so the crew has more time to put out the fire. Cirrus flies down to the stricken ship and commands the Imperial Knights to evacuate the VIP.

Cirrus: Your Majesty, come with me!

Markus: I’m not leaving my ship! We’ve got to put this fire out!

Cirrus is stuck between two priorities: Keep the VIP safe, and keep the VIP happy. Markus wants the fire to go away, but Cirrus commands Knights, not rescue workers. One thing she can do with Knights: attack the Phoenixes! That’s how she can get rid of the fire for Markus and defend Markus from threats.

Cirrus and the Imperial Knights fly towards Exotheresa and Ignition. Dryden jumps on his Flying Device and interposes himself.

Dryden Overcharged Flying Device: fly for a whole scene.

The last thing he wants is for the Phoenixes to be his enemies. He hopes they see the Luna Penumbra as friends, since they have been cared for. From the midst of the flames comes a monster of fire and shadow that looks even scarier than a Phoenix! The Imperial Knights move to attack it instead of the Phoenixes.  Markus also wants to interpose himself, since the Imperial Honor Guard won’t attack him, but they’re all flying.

The local garrison arrives from the mining camp, summoned by the Luna Penumbra’s flare.

  • Martel he/him Halfling Champion, leader of the town’s garrison
    • Street Tough: Martel deals damage to anyone who Keeps Them Busy.
    • Hard As Nails: The first time Martel would be damaged or destroyed, damage this stat instead.
  • 2x Lantern Peacekeepers Nauru they/them & Garrett they/them: A lantern dedicated to protecting the weak.
    • Little Light: Gauntlet Form: When the peacekeeper hits you with their gauntlet, you
      become immobilized in a cage of light.
    • Civic Duty: The peacekeeper has proper protocol to follow. They will not act without reason, and will act to disable all aggressors when possible.
  • Group of 40 Imperial Militia: farmers and artisans re-purpose their tools to defend their town. They stick close and use their pointy sticks to prevent enemies from passing by.
    • The militia can only ever appear in Groups, Gangs, or Armies. If a Group of them is defeated, no single militia threats appear.
    • Spear Wall: The militia protects an area. No one can move through a Group, Gang, or
      Army of them, and anyone trying to Keep Them Busy fails.

Martel: Where’s the VIP? I guess that’s you!

The local garrison is not equipped to deal with the aerial battle unfolding above them. Markus wants to get Cirrus’ attention, but she’s very focused on the battle. He talks to Martel instead.

Markus: If you want to protect me, we need to get the fire out. We need water!

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

Martel and the Militia run back to get water. Meanwhile, Pierre calmly walks out of the burning engine room. He sees Pippen, overcome by the smoke, and pulls him out too.

Pierre Serenity:  When you walk without intending harm, nothing will harm you.

Pierre Get Away 10+ avoid harm, bring Pippen along

How much does a Phoenix remember of its past lives? Exotheresa remembers her pride.

Exotheresa: How dare you raise swords against me?

She blasts the Imperial Knights with a fireball!

Exotheresa Firebird: can spit fireballs (Ranged, Burning, Reload)

Imperial Knights damage Cool Armor once.

Ignition flails and also sprays the Imperial Knights with flame.

Igniton Wildfire: The Phoenix does not know how to control its fire. Any action it takes is Dangerous.

Imperial Knights damage Cool Armor twice.

The Imperial Knights realize the Phoenixes are hurting them, not the illusion.

Dryden: Exotheresa, I’ve cared for you since you were an egg! You sprung from the red infant to the golden flame instantaneously. You need time. Fly with me!

Dryden Talk Sense (+Wisdom, appeal to emotion) 6-

Exotherasa: You’re the guy who locked me in the stove! How humiliating!

She realizes that she’s remembering this with more clarity than when she experienced it, because her brain now is more advanced than her brain then.  She didn’t know to be offended back then.  Immortality can be confusing! She is lost in thought for a moment.

A Level Two Rapid Response Team arrives! Cirrus sent a thought bubble to her superiors when the Luna Penumbra was attacked. Where-ever they came from, they got here fast.  Dorothea and Lanner just stand up from behind some low bushes. How did they hide behind that?

  • Dorothea she/her Imperial Shadow Weaver: A harbinger who draws upon the inner darkness of their people, using it for great and terrible power.
    • Shadowcaster: The weaver can manipulate shadows at will, creating illusions or darkness as she sees fit. These illusions can cause no harm, but are otherwise extremely convincing.
    • Doomed Soul: When this stat becomes damaged, the shadow weaver suffers an ironic and terrible circumstance that takes her out of the scene. If this is her last stat to be damaged, she is Taken Out instead of leaving the scene.
      Dark and Terrible: The shadow weaver can leave curses upon those unfortunate souls who cross them. When the Shadow Weaver deals damage, they can also leave a curse, limiting or hindering the cursed person in a way they describe. The curse is lifted by dawn’s light the next day.
  • Lanner she/her Imperial Falconer
    • On My Signal: As long as her falcons can see her, she can command them with hand signals, even to attack groups of enemies.
  • Group of 12 trained Falcons: A deadly bird of prey, cunning and hungry.
    • Raptor Claws: Falcons are Melee, Piercing weapons. They specialize in dive bombs, flying
      away from their target as soon as their attack lands.
    • Eagle Eye: Falcons can see you coming a mile away, and never attack a whole group at once. They go after stragglers, or those cut off from the group.
    • 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.

While Exotheresa is distracted, the Imperial Knights strike her.

Exotheresa damages Unnatural Toughness

Dorothea creates darkness around the Phoenixes so deep that they can’t even see their own flames.

Dorothea Shadowcaster: The weaver can manipulate shadows at will, creating illusions or darkness
as they see fit.

Ignition has no idea how to deal with that. It doesn’t know how to deal with being on fire. It’s not having a good time. The Knights can’t see to attack, so Dorothea has forced a stalemate. Cirrus descends and tries to explain the situation.

Cirrus: It’s crazy. There was a beam of light. That weird star where the Moon used to be. Then these two Phoenixes burst out of the ship and attacked. It was awful!

Markus: Excuse me. The Phoenixes attacked no-one. You started attacking them. Dryden tried to stop you and you would not stop attacking our honored guests on our ship.

Dorothea gives Cirrus a dis-approving look.

Dorothea: We have bigger problems. If I let you out, will you behave?

Dryden: You guys should all run. If you can help them calm down–but, I don’t think they’re going to be happy. The were juvenile red flame and now they’re golden flame, they just

Markus: –grew up too fast.

Dorothea: OK, if you think they won’t behave.

Dorothea gestures towards the Phoenixes and dispells her shadows.  Lanner gives a hand signal and Falcons dive onto Ignition and Exotheresa

Falcon Raptor Claws: Falcons are Melee, Piercing weapons

Group of Falcons: This enemy can act against two people at once.

Exotheresa damages Get Carried Away

Ignition damages Wildfire

Prase, the Spider Commander, reveals her Gang of Imperial Archers, who pepper the Phoenixes with arrows.

  • Prase she/her Spider Commander: This sneaky trickster grants stealth to the Horde.
    • Ambush Command: All nearby Horde threats, including this one, can walk on walls, move silently, and hide quickly. Until one Horde threat makes itself known or is found, all nearby Horde threats are Secret.
  • Gang of 50 Imperial Archers: These archers provide fire support for Imperial forces.
    • Covering Fire: Anyone being targeted by the Archers must pay a price to take any action. The archers can use this covering fire against a number of opponents equal to their group size: a Group can cover two targets.
    • 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.

Exotheresa damages Firebird. TAKEN OUT

Ignition damages Firebird. TAKEN OUT

This is the second time they die. Markus catches the two new eggs.

Dryden: Of all the things that could have gone horrifically wrong, this is more of a diplomatic problem.

Averiela: At least they are re-born.

Dorothea makes a grand gesture and spreads a dome of darkness of the ship.

Markus: But the ship is still on fire and the garrison is coming with water!

Dorothea: I’ll make a little gap here, but I think we were struck from space, and I don’t know if they can hit us again.

Averiela finally has time to study the Moon.

Averiela Elfsight:You can see fine detail even through
the darkest night or densest fog. You may study any
location you can see, no matter how distant, as if you were standing right there.

Averiela Look Closely 10+

  • What is going on here?
    • Averiela looks through Dorothea’s illusory shadows. She focuses on the Moon, closer and closer. She sees the hexagonal mirrors that she walked on not too long ago. The mirrors are tilted, not lying flat like she remembers.
  • Tell me about the beam of light.
    • The beam of light is formed by focusing the light from multiple mirrors at one place. A very small proportion of the mirrors were used in this attack.  There’s a telescope at the command center pointed at the planet below, which must be how the beam weapon was aimed.
  • What are they doing? What will they do next?
    • A Halfling and a Platyperson wearing a cozy sweater go into the teleporter terminal and they don’t come out.

GM note: The players cackled when they realized putting the legs from Petra’s Giant Robot Spider onto the Luna Penumbra caused it to be mis-identified and attacked from afar by other players.

The fight is over, so Cirrus takes command of Prase’s Archers and flies them to the mining camp to fetch water. She flies back with both the Militia and the Archers. Ninety people are able to extinguish the fire quickly.

Dorothea: I strongly encourage Your Majesty to move to a safer location. We are near a mining camp. You could get underground.

Markus: We have a lot of work to repair the ship. We may as well camp there while we fix it.

Dorothea stays to keep the shadow over the ship. Cirrus quickly carries Markus from the shadow to the intricate tunnels of the mining camp. Dryden puts the eggs back in the oven.  Everyone gathers at the mining camp.

The Fellowship Fills Their Bellies, healing multiple stats

Cirrus can’t believe that Markus wants to keep the Phoenix eggs, after what the Phoenixes did to her Knights.

Markus: You attacked first. I don’t even feel bad.

Cirrus: We were not going to wait for you to be assassinated!  Look, I was only able to protect you from one, um, two out of three super-weapons last night. I’m not sure I still have a job.

Dorothea: That’s not really the problem. Either he’s at war, or we’re at war. Maybe we’re all at war.

Dryden: We’re going to figure out a way to get that Moon weapon taken care of.  It could be a giant mis-understanding.

Markus: I don’t think that weapon should be in the sky anymore.

Watson: spend 1 use to get a reliable clue

Dryden: How do we permanently lock the mirrors so they are a Moon shape, and not a weapon?

Watson: The Moon is entirely populated by engineeers who spend their entire lives understanding the Moon. There’s nothing you can do that they can’t undo that isn’t lethal. I will remind you: those are my friends and relatives.

Averiela: Did the Kobolds help the people who attacked us?

Watson: You said a bunch of mirrors had been re-aligned. That’s a big job that would be hard to do without the Kobolds.

Dryden: If you saw a poor telescope, and we infer that they thought they were destroying the people who destroyed a mountain–

Dorothea: You think this was an attack on the wrong target?

Dryden: That would be my hope: that there are other adventurers trying to go good in the world.

Dorothea: They attacked the Empire, and someone under Imperial protection. We don’t take that lightly.

Dryden: What is the Empire’s response to this situation?

Dryden Talk Sense 6-

Dorothea: Your diplomatic badge gets you a lot, but not our strategic plans. No more questions.

Markus is being watched very closely by about a hundred people. He’s used to having more independence. He asks Averiela to go ask Cirrus’ brother, Morgan, questions about the Empire, but Averiela thinks they should let things cool off first. Dryden subtlely points out to the Fellowship that they are surrounded by an army with no quick means of escape.

The Fellowship rests at the mining camp until the Moon sets, shortly before sunrise.

Pierre Principled Academia: When you consult your magical book on how to perform a magical ritual properly, tell us what you want the ritual to accomplish. It takes several minutes to perform a ritual. It takes effect immediately, but there’s a catch or side effect.

Pierre performs a magic ritual so that fine mist flows from his body to a distance of about 30 feet, revealing any invisible creatures nearby.  As the mist spreads out, the outline of a Spider appears next to him. It’s Prase, the Ambush Commander! She raises four of her six hands in a “hands off” gesture and backs away, out of the mist. Pierre scowls and points at her, even though she probably moved after leaving the mist.  He can’t calm down after this exerience, even with his breathing exercises.

Avereiela Master of the Old Ways:  When you have time and safety, you can make appropriate tools for the job at hand (1 Use, Elf-Made, Useful).

Averiela doesn’t like diplomacy. She goes back to the ship and she coaxes the land (it’s not as magical as she’s used to) for a few hours. Trees spring up and support the Luna Penumbra, holding it upright so it will be easier to repair.

Publius, an Imperial diplomat arrives. Markus switches from his happy-go-lucky adventurer personality to his Prince of the Forgotten Lands personality.  Publius and Markus exchange formal greetings, regrets for the incident and any injuries or damage, and confirm their nations’ goodwill for each other.

Publius: Your safety is paramount. If you wish, we could provide and your entourage transport back to your home country as quickly as possible. Your vehicle is sadly inoperable and lingering here may expose you to futher danger.

Markus: I cannot leave without this vehicle. This vehicle has seen me and my companions through so many dangers. We’ve already started on repairs. We’re thinking of ways to make it less recognizable from the Moon.

Publius: These attackers are bold and dangerous people indeed. The impudence of attacking someone under Imperial protection!

Averiela whispers to Markus, suggesting that he ask for resources.

Markus: We could get our ship repaired so much quicker if we had help, and some materials to repair the gaping hole in the side.

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

Publius: Yes, that is the quickest way to get you moving.

Publius excuses himself, moves a respectful distance away, and pulls out a giant break-action pistol. He puts four different things in it and fires in the air. Flares in four different colors shoot skyward.  More flares pop up further and further away, relaying his message.

Publius: Let me keep the Rapid Response Team around for at least one more moon-rise so we can keep the Luna Penumbra in a full umbra.

Dorothea nods in appreciation.

GM note: Now all the players collaborated as writers to figure out what “rebuilding our ship with help from a foreign government” would look like, from a story perspective and a mechanical perspective.

Four of the Spider legs were destroyed. The remaining four legs can a repositioned as landing gear. The Luna Penumbra won’t be able to walk around (except on hard, flat surfaces) but it can land without using the Afterburners.

Underfoot’s shell was cracked, so the armor it provides is reduced from 2 to 1.

The Empire is eager to provide components to impress the Forgotten Lands with Imperial Technology.

With Imperial engineers crawling all over the ship, the Smuggling Compartments can’t stay hidden, but the engineers do build a Repair Bay to fabricate tools and components on-site.

GM note: We picked six upgrades that we were willing to lose and rolled dice to see which were destroyed in the attack.

  1. Special Munitions
  2. Sensors
  3. Intercoms
  4. Afterburners
  5. Escape Pods
  6. Harpoons

Everything but Afterburners are destroyed. Publius suggests some replacement upgrades:

  1. Living Quarters and an Imperial Officer
  2. Cargo Hold
  3. Kitchen, with bland Imperial food
  4. Show Floor for entertaining diplomats
  5. Escape Pods. Markus royal chair on the show floor would be one of the Escape Pods

The Fellowship Recovers as the Luna Penumbra is repaired.

Averiela talks with White Sands about how to show appreciation for people from the mining camp putting out the fire. She’s disappointed with the lack of magic in the area. She feels magic deep below the surface, but it’s not like the living magic of the forest that she’s used to.  She takes hairs from White Sand’s mane and bury them in the dirt around the area.  The Imperials look worried when she starts digging, but when they see she only cares about dirt and plants, they stop caring. As long as she doesn’t interfere with the rocks, the land itself.

Markus checks on the Pheonix Eggs.  They’re in the oven to stay warm. He’s seen Averiela sing to plants and animals, but he’s not a good singer, so he talks to the eggs. He tells the eggs all the stories he knows about heroic Phoenixes, and wonderful deeds they have done, so that they can be good Phoenixes. The Imperial Knights, who still follow him everywhere, ask for more stories.

Pierre looks through some astrological trinkets among his magical baubles and picks out one inscribed with the Moon. He crushes it as he invokes a curse!

Pierre: Junior of the Kobolds, head engineer of the Moon, for a century you maintained a useless weapon, and now, mere months after we showed you how to use it, you have turned it against us! We, who have only brought you knowledge and purpose. Thus I curse you: until they return the Moon to the configuration we left it in, you will not be able to read. The symbols in your percious manuals will be as meaningess as your decades of service to dead masters!

Pierre blows a thought bubble through the dust of the Moon symbol.  It flies out to the Moon to deliver his curse.

Pierre: Wow, that was harsh. I haven’t been able to calm and center myself after this terrible event.

Dryden recently realized a drawback in his plan for the Phoenixes: The lower half of his body is fully-exposed. He wants a fire-proof suit and fire-proof saddle.

Markus: So you can ride them? I don’t think they will like that.

Dryden: I read somewhere a great creature that was misunderstood. Everyone thought it was going to cause havoc. It became friends with a regular guy who just wanted to fly. I feel like these Phoenixes would go for the good if they know they can be noble and join us in our adventures. I’ll start with the suit and work on the saddle later.

  • Quarta she/her Human leatherworker

Quarta volunteered to work at the mining camp because she’s patriotic and wanted a chance to work with the land. She’s not carving the stone herself, but her job is important and she’s making a difference. Dryden approaches her to order a fire-proof suit.

Dryden: So, as you probably saw, we had a pretty big issue with fire. I’ve got most of the components for a fire-proof suit, but I’m missing the bottom half. Are your skills such that you could prepare us to be safe in the future.

Quarta: I’m pretty busy here, helping with the repair work. I’m repairing gloves and boots every day.

Dryden:  Is this technology that the Empire even does? This is Dwarf quality. I don’t know what Empire quality is like.

Quarta: Just you wait! I’ll make something better than that apron!

Quarta makes a fire-proof suit and puts a huge Imperial seal scross the chest. Anyone who sees Dryden in the fire-proof suit will think he’s from the Empire. It’s a magical symbol, so even if he tries to cover it, the Imperial seal shows through.

Publius: We have the damaged parts out of the way. We can add new modules to replace what you’ve lost. First–this is very concerning–my engineers were repairing that surprisingly powerful reactor. It’s booby-trapped. You’re lucky to be alive. It could have gone off at any moment.  That’s three attempts on your life. The booby trap, the beam weapon, and the Phoenixes. We are assigning a Level Two Rapid Response Team to you as long as you are in the Empire. You should probably go back to your own country and tell them that you’re at war. With someone.

Markus: I think I need to go home and find out what’s happening. This is very concerning. Once these repairs are finished, we will head right out!

Special Munitions replaced by no booby-trap

Averiela: We’d like to have better sensors to make sure the Prince is safe and detect dangers earlier.

Sensor replaced by Imperial Sensors. 3 Uses, ask “What here is loyal to the Empire?” and 1 question from the Look Closely list.

Markus: We have a perfectly good Escape Pod. Just make another one.

Markus Talk Sense (+Sense, explain plan) 7-9

Publius: OK, we’ll install Escape Pods, and Living Quarters. As a token of the Empire’s good will and commitment to your safety, Cirrus will accompany you on your journey.

Escape Pods repaired

Intercoms replaced by Living Quarters

New Notable Crew: Cirrus the Officer

Publius accomplishes two goals at once. He banishes Cirrus, who embarrassed the Empire by failing to prevent the attack on Markus. But she’s on board the Luna Penumbra and can report on its action to the Empire.  This is basically Cirrus’ worst fear. She tries to be a model citizen, lest her brother’s dishonor tarnish her family’s reputation, but now she’s messed up so badly that she can’t stay in the Empire.

Pierre:  It may seem obvious to keep enemies as far away as possible, but as one of my ancestors said, “The closer to danger, the further from harm.” and “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” So actually, the Harpoon is a defensive safety measure for us

Pierre Talk Sense (+Grace, dazzle or trick) 10+

Harpoons repaired

The Fellowship recovers while the Luna Penumbra is repaired.

The Fellowship restores all stats and gear and Companions.

Pippen was disillusioned with Averiela after his near-death experience and left the Fellowship. He found love with a nurse at the hospital where he recovered. They both like dancing. He became a loyal Imperial subject, obsessed by the Imperial style of dancing, which is similar to krumping.

Penny was evaporated by the beam weapon. Averiela wants to perform some ceremony for her. Pierre takes all that’s left of Penny: the trinkets that she kept within her fluid body.

Pierre: I have seen a few Rain ceremonies. I’ll do my best.

Pierre uses Changeling: take the form of anyone you meet.

Pierre takes the form of an acid Rain. The rest of the Fellowship did not know he could do that. He realizes that he’s not actually fluid and can’t move the trinkets through his body like he saw the Rain do. He imitates the dance as best he can remember and tosses the trinkets from hand to hand.

Pierre: I hope this is respectful!

Dryden assembles the Fellowship for a secret meeting.  Pierre has his mist spell active to repel any spies.

Dryden: I think we should finagle Cirrus’ brother out with us.

Markus: If we get her brother out with us, I think Cirrus would just be on our side.

Dryden: We could pull the classic “fake his death”.

Pierre: Check this out, Averiela. We go in. Find Morgan. You camouflage him. I am Morgan. I become seen, then y’all leave, then I become Pierre. I was left behind!

Averiela: How do we get you back?

Pierre: Infinite Windows. I’ll grab something from Morgan’s bedroom and give it to you. Half an hour after you leave, Open Infinite WIndows and I’ll come through.

Averiela: Why not just grab something from Morgan’s room and use Infinite WIndows to grab Morgan later.

Pierre: That’s a lot simpler. Sneak into his room and convince him to give up his life and go somewhere else!

Averiela: I’m just going to steal something from his room.

Averiela sneaks into the Mining Camp to Morgan’s bedroom.

Averiela Get Away 10+ avoid notice, avoid harm

Morgan is not in his room. She looks around to something to take. Perhaps she could chip a bit of stone from the floor. No, the Geologist would notice. There’s the plant he hides in a pot. Maybe a thread from his bed, but what if that sheet goes through the laundry and ends up with another person? She takes a splinter from his door and sneaks back to the Luna Penumbra.

Averiela Get Away 10+ avoid notice, avoid harm

The Luna Penumbra and the Fellowship are in good shape and ready to leave.  Averiela checks on the forest she started. There are some saplings peeking through the dirt. The Imperials don’t pay any attention to them. The Luna Penumbra takes flight and heads out of the Empire the same way it came in.

NO END-OF-SESSION MOVE