Iron Stars - thia

Thia Nightbreeze awakens from her sleep in her home in the upper portion of Dremlas, until recently, the only safe place on Saliv. The years have advanced and family fortunes have dwindled, and outside the brave inhabitants of this city have continued spreading across the planet. Breach stabilizers have been rebuilt, new settlements have formed, and once again the Inheritor Alliance has made its first steps into space. Much has changed, but the family fortunes have not, and it is on this morning when breakfast does not come on a tray- because household staff has been laid off for non-payment, that Thia realizes that if things are going to change, she is going to need to get out there and do it herself. The Alliance maintains a job board that can be accessed through any compad , and any citizen wishing to step forward for more responsibility can take. There is also the matter of the gift, a strange puzzle box left behind for Thia.

Dropping back onto her pillows Thia groans loudly, and debates pulling the covers over her head. This is not how things were supposed to go. Her father was supposed to run the city and send his tidy monthly sum to her mother, for the care and keeping of his youngest child, and Thia was supposed to do as she pleased until she decided what she wanted to be when she grew up. Getting a job was not on the agenda. Muttering to herself she gets out of bed and swipes a brush through her hair, the blue locks a bit frizzier than she'd like but she didn't have the energy to deal with it. It takes her a few minutes to don a fairly simple outfit of pants and a black shirt, topped with a jacket made to look like prosthetics with a clever printing method. The last thing she dons is a thigh wallet, sliding the puzzle box she had been given a few months ago inside, as well as her compad. Heading downstairs the house is eerily quiet, nearly silent as she goes into the kitchen and finds her mother, Zue. "Hey mam, have we got any breakfast?" she asks, sighing when her mother points to a basket of sad fruits and a couple nutrition bars, busy talking to someone over comms. "Be back later, 'kay?" She tucks a bar into her pocket and bites into a fruit that's just barely this side of edible as she heads out of the house, wandering her safe neighborhood as she peruses the job board away from her mother's prying eyes.

Accessing the board it seems the Alliance has quite a number of issues happening right now-big and small, and all of them need attention in some way or another. Currently the first handful that catch your eye show

Tracking down a missing mining team, who wandered too close to the edge of the arcane resonator's breach protection field.
Defusing tensions between a workers movement and city admin in Dremlas East
Coastkeep needs some help exploring a bit around their borders- no one has seen the north coast since the time of The Scream
Hilltop's new leader is working to improve his standing with those under his protection

Tossing away the core of the fruit she snorts at the first entry. "Fecking idiots to go anywhere near the edge. They're gone forever now." Scrolling on she passively sidesteps the few other pedestrians that are out and about before settling on a small bench, sitting sideways with her feet up on the seat and reading further details. "Talking people down is more Father's thing, that's a no... Exploring? That might be exciting... Being someone's toadie, blegh." Giving an unconcerned 'why not' shrug of her shoulders Thia taps the third job listing, checking for further details of how or where to apply.

Coastkeep is a city named for its location to the water, on the southeastern side of the continent. They have a sprawling rocket junkyard where the alliance first pieced together a shuttle capable of making it to space and aside from the occasional trade and diplomatic exchange, relations with the large settlement have been quiet. The city is poised for growth, and exploring more of its countryside will help the planners do so intelligently- as they do not know if there is farmland, minerals, termie backs, or great beasts hiding out beyond the walls of civilization. Acceptance of the offer includes air travel via polity helicopter to Coastkeep, where the exploration team is gathering. It seems three people with military experience have already volunteered for the job and are there waiting.

They've got somebody to shoot beasties and maybe they'll let me pilot a bit. Been a few years but experience is experience, right? Either that or they'll expect me to have Father's political ease and I'll be booted back home before sundown, she thinks to herself with a bitter chuckle as she presses her fingerprint to confirm her application. "Whatever, it's something to do and they'll probably feed me," she says to the air as she gets off the bench, stretching before walking back home. She doesn't bother calling out as she enters the door, knowing full well her mother wouldn't hear a thing even if she was still home. Zue lives on the comms, talking nonstop to people everywhere except those right in front of her. Once in her room Thia packs a small satchel with some basic clothes and toiletries and leaves behind all her high society wear, since she hates it anyway. She types out a quick message to Zue simply stating she's gone to the coast for a few days and reception may be spotty then sees the notification informing her where to meet the helicopter. Grabbing a drink from the cooler she sets off with only one hopeful glance backward, wishing somebody was there to see her off. (edited)

The helicopter is a rugged military model with an open crewbay allowing surveyors and soldiers to get a clear view of the surroundings while airborne. The flight as the crow flies is short, only an hour or so, and you'll be dropped off outside Coastkeep to meet with a local official . He will explain what areas they want surveyed and any special requests the city leadership has. The three you are with are a mix, one human, one taros, and what looks to be a merlon but you cannot be entirely sure as they have not removed their sealed combat helmet. Each are armed with a mix of whatever military surplus or survival gear could be found on hand.

Strapping herself in she remains quiet for the flight beyond offering her name to the others, eyeing them wherever she thinks they're not looking. When they land she's quick to exit and stride over to the official, moving with a confidence that's only partly real, as evidenced by her one hand tightly gripping the strap of the bag on her shoulder. "I'm Thia, here for the scouting job. What's the word?"

"Good morning!" he says as the noise of the helicopter dies away- its rotors slowly stilling in the morning air. You smell the salt spray of the nearby water, though the coast is still 200km from here. A strong breeze seems to be pulling it in , and you see dark clouds on the horizon signaling some kind of storm might be coming in bringing seawater as rain. There is a grav explorer waiting here, another Alliance tech offering for the locals, studded with all manner of antenna and sensors. "Well for starters I am hoping one of you can drive. We know the storm is coming but this vehicle should be able to ride out some rain and wind quite easily" (an explorer, ATV or Grav, is about the size of a modern day Recreational Vehicle)

Glancing at the three standing quietly to the side with all their gear Thia smothers a snort. "I'm the closest to a pilot, I'd guess by the looks of that lot. I raced some before the Scream, nothing official if you get me, but I can get a machine moving." With her special eyes she glances around, reading any additional input that may give her. (OOC - What's the attitude towards Precogs here?) (edited)

(They’re fine. IA has a good amount of psychics and mages )

6:20 PM

“well then your chariot awaits. Keep an open channel with the city. Report what you see and investigate what you find. This is a scouting missions so the more complete the information you bring us the better we can plan for the future. “

"Dandy," Thia replies with sass, giving a sort of half-assed salute with a snap of her fingers from her brow as she turns away. Beside the grav explorer she takes a moment to secure her bag then maneuvers into the driver seat, visually familiarizing herself with the controls. Fluttering her right eye she activates the panspectral optic within, leaving regular vision in her left to have the widest array of visual information she can. Glancing over her shoulder, an orange-red glow wafting from her eye, she gestures impatiently with her chin for the others to load up, hands welcoming the vibration from the controls as she's eager to go before the storm hits them hard. Once they're in and secure she glances around for clearance then takes off, working her way through the speeds as a grin of pure delight grows on her face. (edited)

(I'll post you the stat block so you know what fittings you have, and I'll add the expanded view so it explains what they do)

8:03 AM

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 3/30/2022 8:03 AM

The dignitary and his helpers move out of the way ,and you all climb aboard taking only the time to stow gear before getting seated and strapping in. The vehicle handles more like a box car than a train car, and you quickly find going very fast triggers rollover warnings as the grav plates struggle to quickly compensate for the uneven ground. After just a few minutes of driving the explored section of the computer aided map goes dark, and you're now in no man's land.

8:05 AM

!roll d10

Nekosmash Roll: [3] Result: 3

Heading toward the coast, you see there is a long stretch of abandoned costal road. Plants and small animals have made homes amid the abandoned cars and you're forced to slow down to weave around them, with tall mountains beginning to loom on one side, and a cliff leading down to the sea on the other.

8:06 AM

(think overgrown pacific coast highway)

"Keep a lookout, you lot, and tag or call out anything worthy of exploration," she says to her small crew, not taking her eyes off the road. She slows down with no small amount of regret as she maneuvers around the old signs of civilization, absently wondering if there's bodies in any of the vehicles. Best to let the dead lie, probably couldn't identify them anyway she thinks to herself as she steers delicately between a vehicle and the cliff edge. As she continues to navigate she keeps watch for any high-end or special vehicles or any structures larger than an average house while also listening for any tags from the team.

(notice/wis. I think this might be our first skill check so if you have questions let me know)

(all the questions, actually. Do I just click "notice" in Roll20?)

(yes, it will ask you what attribute you are rolling with, you would select wisdom. There is going to be another box that appears called " modifier" and that is where you add anything extra you get within a scene, like if I give out some bonus or penalty. Normally that is left blank as the sheet will automatically collect your skill and attribute modifiers)

(that's a 3 )

Nothing stands out as hyper advanced but you do see some sort of shopping center ahead off what remains of the interstate. It is battered and partially overgrown- and looks to have been given attention at some point since its abandonment. You're not sure what might be inside, if there is still fuel here, or what the structure looks like inside. If the generators work, this might be an important roadhouse or way station for Coastkeep pioneers on their way to future settlements on the coast.

This slows to a stop, bringing the engine to a quiet idle as she looks at the place and looks at her team. "We've got a couple options here. We can make a long run, tagging every point of interest and come back to them, or we can explore as we go. Starting with that overgrown lump." She tilts her head and adds, "I'm not a fighter or a leader, I'm just driving today, so whatcha think?"

"We don't want to over-extend" one cautions. "If we run into trouble support is close. If we're not alone out here, we're also tipping off anyone who might be here and when we come back they'll be ready. This might also all be paranoia for nothing, but I've been a scout before, and I've been on both sides of that particular situation"

Chewing on her lip Thia finally says, "Okay, let's check it out. Going out too far has risks, especially if anyone hears the explorer. We'll take it one stop at a time." Keeping the engine low and quiet as she can she drives to a somewhat more covered spot, closer to the building, then parks. Using the panspectral sight in her one eye she scans around for thermals or radio frequencies that might indicate a presence within.

The walls here look to be made of a thick stone, or stone with pipework inside of it and the eye is unable to dig through that much intervening material. There are no radio signals in the area, but there is a signal coming from a disused security camera on the corner of the power generation building that powers the hookups where in better days cars would be able to charge their onboard batteries.

"Let's head in," she mutters, zipping up her jacket before stepping out. Having no weaponry she stays slightly behind the others, keeping watch for anything they may have missed. Keeping her voice low she taps one on the shoulder and points to the camera. "There's a signal there, might be somebody watching or maybe it's just a passive leftover. We gotta look at the power generators anyway." Together they cautiously make their way in that direction.

4:15 PM

(so we're going for the building on the right)

Nekosmash pinned a message to this channel. 3/31/2022 4:15 PM

The door faces the street, with a simple drive-thru for the car wash, and the rest of the building looks to be occupied by the generation machinery. The car wash doors have been wrenched open and smashed apart. They look to be the easiest way inside.

Silently she points over the shoulder of the person in front of her towards the wide open car wash doors, receiving a short nod back as the group walks carefully to the right hand side of the building. The two in the lead step through first, pivoting around to make sure the area is clear before gesturing Thia and her companion forward if it is safe.

(sneak/dex!)

(6)

Moving toward the building you take your time and quietly navigate around trash, loose stones that could be carelessly kicked and so on. Moving into the car wash and generator you pass into the door you find. A small office and detail shop is inside. It is dark and looks like it has been partially looted

"I say we be quick but thorough. Get a feel for the place, check for anything relevant or valuable, but not spend hours checking every box and drawer." Gesturing to the tallest of the group and to the skinniest person she says, "Legs, Stick, you two go together and check out what's through there. Blockhead, you're with me and please don't let anything kill me." She stays close to her new partner, so named for the blocky shape of their helmet, and turns to the office as the other two proceed into the building further. Just as she said Thia quickly riffles through any loose paperwork, peeks into any open boxes, and looks for any sort of technology she could easily take with them to be examined fully back at the base.

The office looks to be largely normal. You see invoices and production reports for a business operation that hardly matters anymore. The generator room door has a key code and someone has written it down on a faxed paper note by the register.

9:13 AM

Otherwise it seems the place has been throughly looted by others who have passed by during times closer to The Scream

"Brilliant," she whispers, snagging the paper as she walks to the door. Hoping there's some low level power running the keypad since there was a camera signal she tells Blockhead that's she planning to open the door, unless there's some dangerous reason to leave it closed. "We need to know if this is operational, or could be easily fixed." If Blockhead doesn't stop her Thia will enter the code and open the door.

Blockhead moves only to brace his rifle, preparing to respond if there is anything on the other side that might have plans on ruining your day. He nods once, ready for you to proceed. "You don't have a weapon?" he mutters, reaching behind him and taking a laser pistol from his holster. "When we're back on the ATV, you can give it back to me then"

Nekosmash

Thia holds the weapon awkwardly but at least knows enough to point it away from them and pull the trigger if there's a bad guy. Her fingers fly over the keypad and she tenses as the door swings open, then peeks her head quickly around the corner to scan the interior with regular and panspectral vision.

The room is dark but the generators look intact. Someone has been sleeping back here but they look to not have been home for a few days, and the slime left behind on the blankets indicates they were more than likely not human, but instead a Termie. There may be more of them in the area- just like the humans they once were they are social creatures and very rarely travel alone.

(being entirely city raised would Thia be able to recognize that, or did Blockhead tell her?)

(any information I'm giving you is information you'd know)

Pulling a disgusted face she prods the blankets with her boot, looking over to Blockhead to say, "There's definitely a Termie here, and probably more than one in the vicinity. Generators look okay so I call this place checked out. Let's find Legs and Stick and move on." Exiting the room she walks softly in the direction those two went, laser pistol loose in her hand but pointed safely at the floor. Finding them she asks, "You guys find anything? Generators look okay but there's Termies around."

'We should clear them out then. They're just going to be waiting for us to come back" Sticks says, thinking for a moment about likely places they might be hiding. "We still haven't checked any of the cars, tried to get the generators running again, or looked into the general store"

"I'll be waiting in the explorer if that's your plan. I've never even fired a weapon before though Blockhead kindly loaned me this," she says, slightly lifting the hand holding the pistol. "I thought other looters would've went through the store and the cars since they're obvious targets so I didn't think about checking them, and I have no idea how to get generators running." Chewing her lip a bit nervously she looks around, the orangey haze from her one eye drifting around her head. "If you clear them out will more come before the Alliance can settle in here?"

"not if we call it in and the Coastkeep militia occupies the place. We have a job to make it safe for them ,and we're all going to have to try to learn to do things we don't know how to do. We are a team. If you go back and sit in the explorer while we risk our necks out here, you can just drive us back to Coastkeep when we're done, because that's not how this is going to work"

She groans and very nearly stomps her foot but nods begrudgingly instead, realizing she can't afford to be sent back home. "Yea, fine, okay," she mutters. "Show me how to use this thing and hopefully I don't blast any of you."

You're given a quick overview of how to fire it, how to turn on and off the safety, and how to change the power cell when it is empty. You'd need a lot of practice with it to become anything close to proficient, but you seem to know enough where you won't hurt yourself.

At least you're not entirely defenseless she thinks to herself, still awkwardly holding the pistol. It doesn't feel comfortable in her hand but nothing about this situation is comfortable for her, so she shrugs it off. "If we get the generators going, would that draw the Termites in rather than hunting them ourselves?" she asks, voice trembling very slightly.

"The generators will do that, but we'll also have lights, the door locks will work properly, and it will make things easier for the follow on team to get settled. The explorer also has a heavy machine gun that should be more than enough to handle any major groups of them we come across if we can lure them outside.

"Okay, okay, I think this will work. Give me a second." Closing her eyes Thia fidgets with a ring on her left thumb, running her fingers along it almost like the universal gesture for money. She exhales slowly and reaches for her talent, looking to see what happens when the generators come on and the Termies are drawn in.

(you can only see one minute into the future from when you would commit the action with precog zero, so just keep this in mind) The generator turns on and the service station begins playing music, as well as is now bathed in light. With the minute glimpse into the future it doesn't seem like anything happens as far as Termies coming once the generator is turned on.

(was mostly looking for a reason to use it, and was hoping it's not an immediate swarm)

"There's music," she says as she opens her eyes. "And lights, a fuckton of lights. This place is going to be a beacon for the Termies and anything else around when the generators come on. Can we do anything about that, cut the speaker wires, take out some lights? Or is it better to leave them for the others?"

"We could just turn them off at the breaker box before the power comes on, so we don't need to physically destroy anything. Then we can turn things on at our convenience"

"Y-yea, that's probably a better idea," Thia mutters, looking down in embarrassment at getting so caught up she forgot a simple solution. "I think I saw the box in the generator room, I'll go look." Walking quickly away she backtracks to check for the box. If it's there she'll hopefully find labeled circuits and be able to turn off lights and speakers.

(We did see that, and doing this is a trivial matter that doesn't need a check, even with no points in fix)

Click. Click. With those circuits off Thia is feeling like she's actually contributing to the mission now she pokes her head out the door and calls to the others. "Hey does anyone know how to turn these on? Is there a button to press, a switch, verbal command?" (that's mostly me not knowing, haha) (edited)

(we can get a fix/int check for your best attempt at following their instructions)

(8)

(this will work, anything you wanted to have in place before it flips on?)

(just the music and lights off, with the group at the door/windows to the room)

The generator turns on and the music and lights are now off. You hear some of the facilities coming online and it looks like things here can be repaired easily by follow on forces. From the convenience store, you hear something clatter and stir.

"Noise, there!" Thia points in the direction she heard the sound, feet seemingly glued to the spot as she struggles to breathe. The anticipation, the fear, the uncertainty are all racing through her mind as she looks wildly around as a sort of skittering noise comes from the office outside the generator room. The others appear calm and steady, weapons raised as she shakes and tries to raise the laser pistol as well, ready to fire.

A tense moment goes by and it seems whatever is here, you're going to have to go in and dig them out yourselves- they have not been reckless enough to come into the open to face a gunline. Blockhead grumbles to himself, before holstering his weapon and drawing what looks to be a long machete.

"Gods blood!" Thia exclaims, tossing in a few more choice words when she sees Blockhead drawing a machete. "You've got to be kidding. I've never even seen a Termie and now we've got to go hacking them down? This is fecking insanity." Though clearly unhappy and ill-prepared for this entire situation she moves with the group as they head out, sulking but watchful.

(You can't use rifles in hand to hand combat, which is why he's doing it) (edited)

8:24 AM

Moving to the door of the convenience store, you see the half mutated termie within, looking like a combination between a man and a slug. His back is turned as it prowls the aisles, trying in its own way to find the source of the noise outside.

"After you," she says to Blockhead, jerking her head toward the Termie. She has every intention of keeping her distance and watching for any others that come up, terrified of getting anywhere close to the Termie and having minimal confidence in her ability to hit the right target with the pistol. (she has no weapon other than the loaned pistol and as a rich city kid she's feeling very anxious as things are getting "real" out here)

(initiative)

(am I set up to use the Google sheet somewhere here, or do I need to use Roll20?)

(Roll20 says it's a 3)

(Initiative is a d8, so 3 is right. the Google sheet I sent you is the one you’d use , along with dice maiden here. I can pm you if you need help)

!roll d8

Nekosmash Roll: [5] Result: 5

The termie turns and responds first, surging forwards to come to grips with Blockhead and his drawn blade, while the others move into a more secure firing position.

9:29 AM

!roll d20+3

Nekosmash Roll: [10] Result: 13

The sharp claws bite into Blockhead, but spark off his armor without harming him. (your turn)

Thia holds in a gasp and takes a few stumbling steps to the side, mimicking what Legs and Stick have done. It takes her two tries to get a secure stance with the pistol but she manages to hold it steady. (If there's a good, clear space to shoot she'll do so and if there's not she'll PreCog Oracle again.)

(I need to know the question you're asking , I'm not sure what to put here with you using oracle without one. You can shoot into melee, instead of the chance of hitting a friend, the enemy just gets an AC bonus, so we have a couple alternatives here)

(Right, sorry. I keep forgetting there has to be a question. Scratch the PreCog then, she'll try to shoot the Termie.)

(Alrighty, just post your attack roll/damage here when you're able to roll it. Let me know if you need help!)

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [2] Result: 2 Reason: attack

(tagged that wrong, that's damage. What's attack roll for laser pistol?) (edited)

(I think it's a d20 plus Shoot?)

(To make an attack roll, the assailant rolls 1d20 and adds their attack bonus, their applicable skill level, and the attribute modifier most relevant to the weapon. I’m your case I believe it would be +1 due to using a laser weapon and your AB is 0. Then you’d roll a d6 like you did. Then most people format like this (12/7) being hit and damage. Hope this could help) (edited)

!roll 1d20+1

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [13] Result: 14

(14 hits)

(damage got rolled first, and tagged wrong. ‍♀️ It's a 2 unless there's any bonus I'm not aware of)

(Oh I didn’t see that )

8:32 AM

The shot strikes the terminal and you see a black scar across its chest from the heat energy of the shot Blockhead delivers a punishing downward sweep with his long blade, held firmly in both hands. Headless , the creature falls onto its side.

Unprepared for the decapitation Thia retches, leaning over a short counter as her breakfast makes an appearance. She lays there for a moment to get herself under control and takes slow deep breaths until the heaving of her body stops. Stiffly she stands back up, determinedly not looking at the body, and asks, "Where are the others likely to be? Outside?"

“They’d have to be if they heard that and are coming. Good shot though. That gave me the opening I needed, and you didn’t hit me when doing it. I think you’re going to be okay. “ Blockhead looks around. “Okay. Let’s mark the place , do a quick sweep around and then be off. We will let the army know about this and they’ll have to do a bit of their own heavy lifting “

"Yea, you're welcome for not killing you on accident," she mutters quietly, going for snark and probably missing. "Let's get a move on, we still have that storm to contend with." She falls into place next to but slightly behind Blockhead as they make the sweep and go outside. There's movement in the trees but he doesn't stop so she continues along until they've made it to the explorer. She lets out a sigh of relief as she climbs in and gets it running before offering the laser pistol back to the owner.

"Hold on to it for now, until we're back. You might need it. "

8:17 AM

(d10 for our next area)

!roll d10

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [4] Result: 4

Moving down the highway with the service center in your rear view you're forced to boost over a gap where rocks have smashed part of the highway down into the sea. One of your companions makes a note of it so the Coastkeep officials know not to send ground vehicles this way- as only something with grav plates could hop over the gap. The highway rounds a bend and seems to descend down the mountain toward the coast, where the highway leads down to what looked to once be some kind of hotel, with an open laneway to get to the beach and gas-sea coast.

"This would've been quite pretty back then," she muses, letting off the acceleration to coast down the mountain. "That hotel the next goal?" Receiving an affirmative from the team she directs the explorer that way and says back, "This is going to be a bitch to search," as she looks it over with her panspectral vision.

The building is dark in every sense of the word as you come to a halt in its parking lot. Three other burned out cars are here, and the main hotel doors are either broken i nto fragments, or missing entirely- but there is nothing stopping entry or exit into the darkened building.

"Not seeing anything on my scan," she says, blinking one eye back to normal vision. "This place might actually be empty but I don't trust it. I suggest two teams, one goes right and one goes left, meet up in the back and go from there." She shuts down the explorer and exits the vehicle, prepared to move with Blockhead again if the team agrees.

If anything happens inside the plan is to escape, and link up with the other group back at the explorer, as its heavy machine gun should dissuade any horde from coming in too close.

7:08 AM

Blockhead agrees, and looks to be ready to head in on the left with you

Pulling the pistol from the pocket she'd stuck it in for a makeshift holster Thia heads left, stepping carefully in her knee-high boots. Learning from their last encounter she stays close to Blockhead but gives him enough room to move and react if anything comes at them. "I've never been out of the city before," she tells him as they go, keeping watchful eyes. "Not on the ground anyway. Obviously there's some Termies out here but are there actual people too?"

"THere might be an isolated community here and there that managed to keep their resonator running, or existed in some natural pocket outside the areas the metaspace breach covered, but we think by now those communities have largely died out"

Thia's mood hadn't exactly been riding high and it drops significantly as Blockhead speaks. "That's... That's really sad. I know there was chaos everywhere and probably nobody was looking for them, and they couldn't spare the manpower to come find us in the cities but fuck. Lives lost, possibilities ended..." She lets the sentence trail away, looking off to the side in silence as they round the back of the hotel.

"We had the manpower and it was too dangerous to find them, too. We all had to make difficult choices to survive. That's just the way of things"

12:14 PM

He stacks up on the door and looks to kick it open, ocne you signal you are ready

Caught up in thoughts of her privileged life in the city it takes Thia a moment to notice what he's doing, then she gives a sharp toss of her head to clear her mind and gives him a go-ahead gesture. Once, twice, then the door gives way and Thia darts inside, staying low and looking around like she's seen in action movies.

Cutting ahead of Blockhead you stumble into the hallway and see many of the doors of the rooms have been broken open and otherwise breached. Luggage is everywhere and a half eaten body lies between you and the hotel lobby beyond

"Excuse me but what the fuck?" Thia yelps, turning her gaze away. "Termies don't do that... do they?"

"They might if they're hungry enough, people might too"

The disgust is easily read in her mutters, even if the words are unintelligible. Steeling herself against the horror she kneels down and looks for an ID tag, a wallet, maybe even a company logo -- something to identify this lost, forgotten person.

Whatever they had on them, looters have been efficient at getting through the pockets and other nearby items of clothing. There is nothing here anymore to identify this poor person.

"People should be remembered," she says softly, her voice somber as she gets to her feet. "It's not like their ID would've been useful to a looter." She kicks a piece of busted wood down the hallway to vent her frustrations then freezes, listening to see if the noise is attracting attention.

(notice/wis)

!roll 1d20-1 !notice/wis

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [19] Result: 18 Reason: notice/wis

(did I roll that right??)

11:38 AM

(I don't think I did. 5e brain)

11:38 AM

!roll 2d6-1

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [3, 2] Result: 4

(You caught it already. , 2d6 and not d20)

7:47 PM

You sense yours alone here aside from the other team. They haven’t made contact yet and you haven’t heard any gunfire.

"Sorry," she mutters to Blockhead. "Just a lot to process out here." She walks grumpily around the perimeter of the area they're in then arbitrarily chooses the area to check through next. "It doesn't seem like anyone is here, I don't think. None of this seems fresh," and she indicates the body that's now behind them. (edited)

"Down here maybe. We've got 14 floors above us, and we're not alone .Therer's no way we are"

"If I were living here I'd clean up a little but what do I know of living out in the wilds? Everything is different here." They walk through two more rooms, seemingly public spaces for the hotel, then she sees the sign for the kitchen off the hallway. "Let's check that out, see if it's functional. Could be useful if the facilities in there still work."

Something is inside, quietly making some kind of rattle sound ,like things are being picked through on the other side of the swinging door.

Thia cocks her head and motions Blockhead to hold up. She gets down on her knees and looks under the crack of the door, using both types of vision. Could be one of ours, but let's be safe she thinks.

The crack is too slight for you to see through, and your attempt at peeking does not give any useful information.

Sighing she stands back up and dusts off her knees, letting out a hiss when she gets a splinter in the process. "That was worth a try. You go through first, you look scarier than I do. Maybe they'll freeze up and start babbling secrets." She tries to keep her voice light-hearted, even a little sarcastic as he approaches the door.

He opens the door, and inside you can see the vague outline of a human looking scavenger woman quickly duck behind the counter, emerging with a knife she holds shakily out in front of her

Feck, I don't know if there's rules about how we're supposed to engage with scavenger-types. Don't wanna kill her, got to keep this chill. Thia holds her usual slouched posture, projecting all the "hooligan" energy she can to counteract the martial aspect of Blockhead as she looks around with the thermal aspect of her vision to keep track of the woman and scan for others. "Yo, no need for that. I'm just having a look around, and most everything of use is gone anyway," she says, trying to keep her voice casual. (edited)

"Get away from me, I don't want to do this, but I will"

11:09 AM

She is frantic, her eyes are wild and racing around the room

Giving a last try at conversation Thia says, "Look, just stay on that side of the counter. I want to look at the stoves and the freezers, got no interest in whatever you're after. And here..." She pulls the nutrition bar from her breakfast from her pocket and tosses it, letting it slide down the counter towards the woman. "You can have that if you want. I'm going to walk to the freezers now." Keeping a cautious eye on the woman Thia walks lightly past, keeping as much distance as she can as she heads towards the freezers.

Taking the bar like it is the last one that will ever be made in the entire universe she quickly stuffs it into her pack, and makes a dart for the door before you change your mind and try to take it from her.

Thia watches her go, then squarely turns her back on Blockhead and continues walking in a very transparent attempt to hide her face and feelings. Once at the freezers she spends a few minutes looking at the state of the metal panels, peeking inside, testing the door mechanism and forming an opinion on if they'd run with power restored. She does the same thing to the stoves in the kitchen as well.

With power restored, deep cleaning, and some simple repairs the machinery here could be brought back to life.

"This looks like it would still function if we got a cleaning team in here and got the power going," Thia says happily. "That bodes well, right? Like this would be a good base with all the rooms and everything?" Before Blockhead can reply she continues on, "But I don't know how to handle the people. She was scared and hungry, obviously, but not violent. What stops people like her from coming to the city? It's a trip, sure, especially on foot but wouldn't their lives be easier there?"

"Terminals on the road, null breaches in the areas resonators aren't protecting, not packing enough food and water for the trip, bad weather.. the list goes on. Do you think, all things considered that if she wandered up the road with what she had on her person, survived the couple days it is going to take to cross that distance on foot- to arrive at the service station we passed, that she would have been able to handle the terminal in there? What if there was more than one? or what if somehow she came out on top, but was hurt, or there was not enough supply left there for her to make the rest of the trip? We're all very luck to have these orion pattern belts that warn us and keep us safe if there is a breach in the area, but it's random out here in the countryside. She could survive everything to get swallowed up or changed into a monster by some random breach - before getting close to a city

"I... I didn't know it's so dangerous out here. Termies and null breaches and mutations, I've only seen in films and VR games. I'm city born and raised, I didn't think they were really something to be worried about until we dealt with that Termie."

"Life outside the walls is a dangerous place. What made you want to try out for all this anyway? Seems like you had a nice thing going for yourself back home"

"Boredom," she says with a wry laugh as she pops herself onto the counter, legs swinging. "I used to race, pre Scream, and thought this mission might stir some of that same adrenaline and focus, plus put some credits in my account. I wasn't expecting to deal with Termies or scared, hungry people."

"The old world is gone now. Thrill seeking is much more personal now- and you're going to be dealing with a lot of this if you plan to keep staying out beyond the walls"

"I don't know what I want. Never had a plan before, you know? Barely have a plan now, even." She's quiet for a moment then visibly squares her shoulders and hops off the counter. "Can't sit here waiting. Let's find the others and make a plan for the rest of the building." She heads back out of the kitchen and tries to find her way to where the others should be.

Meeting in the lobby in the middle of the ground floor, they also encountered a scavenger picking through the rooms. They were also scared off by your presence here, and no one is sure where exactly they've fled.

"I have a thought," Thia begins, fully expecting to hear at least Blockhead groan. "The people don't seem to want to fight. They're hungry, they're scared, they're tired. What if we announced that we're here as a forward team, with military/Alliance support, to bring safety out here? Telling them there are others who will come and make this a functional community again? We don't want to fight but just get an accurate survey of the area and anyone with useful information will get ... I don't know, food rations maybe? A bath? Med kit?" She sighs and continues, "Maybe I'm just too helpful and optimistic but I'm not a fighter at all. I'm just not."

"We don't have much in the explorer. We don't want to start a food riot, but maybe we hole up here and contact Coastkeep with what we found so far. Let them handle the logistics of it all"

"Sure, that works for me. Storm is going to come in anyway and driving would be tricky. What's the best way to do that safely since we know people are here?"

(I think the others can handle that since they're more plugged in)

2:00 PM

(3xp 5000 credits)

(yay she did a thing!)

(this should level you. Feel free to shoot me a Pm if you need help )

(so from here does she spend the night at this hotel, drive back to Coastkeep, go home to Dremlas I think it is? How does it work when a goal/mission is complete?)

(what do you mean? )

(the last thing Thia said was asking how to safely stay there in regards to the "hole up" statement. The next reply was about her getting XP. I wasn't sure if that was like "end scene" and we'd pick up somewhere else or what)

(oh, lets get the mechanics of your level up done first and we'll continue)

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [6, 3] Result: 11 Reason: level 2 health

(incorrect, she gets 1hp)

(okay, level up is all set. I didn't have any encounters planned for the night, nor the route back, so really a post coming next would include what we decide to get into next)

Back at her house the food may be mediocre and the house nearly empty but at least the utilities are still on. Thia runs the water hot as she can bear and steps into the spray, letting the heat penetrate the chill. The explorer was supposed to have climate control but something had been acting up on the drive back early this morning. Between that and the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements every single part of Thia's body was making its unhappiness known. She washes herself briskly then rinses the tub before plugging it, sinking happily into the water as it fills. Her blissful expression turns into a frown only seconds after she closes her eyes, the image of the woman's frightened, desperate face flashing into her vision. Stop thinking about that she scolds herself, the water sloshing as she shakes her head. The moment is ruined however and she exits the tub shortly thereafter. Swiping a hand over the foggy mirror she rubs a towel over her hair then combs it out before using a tiny shaver to touch up the designs on the side. It doesn't take her long to apply some cosmetics, swiping a layer of blue over her lips to match her hair before she leaves the bathroom and walks downstairs. She tracks Zue to the office and signals her that they need to talk and it's urgent. Coming off the comms for a moment Zue takes the opportunity to sip some water then raises an eyebrow at Thia in curiosity. "I'm not going to dance around it, I know Father stopped paying. The house is ours free and clear so we don't need to worry about that. I'm picking up a little work here and there with the Alliance so as long as you've got some credits coming in we'll be okay with food and bills, Mam. Just don't be extravagant." "Yes, of course" Zue replies absently, her attention already turning back to the messages flying through her brain. As an agoraphobic she's perfectly suited to a job that doesn't ever have her leaving the house but good luck keeping her attention for more than 30 seconds.

2:48 PM

Thia watches as her mother's focus shifts back to work and sighs. As well as can be expected she thinks to herself before walking out the front door. Leaving her safe, exclusive neighborhood Thia walks through the other parts of town that aren't for the elite, paying more attention than she ever has as she finally sees the signs of deprivation throughout the city. The buildings and the people look worse for wear and she listens to the murmurs of the people as she passes, trying to understand the cause and how these people feel. (edited)

Things are not as bad here as they used to be. You remember the up-city reports during the riots and the buildings that were once run down and ruined seem to be rebuilt now and given a fresh coat of paint. There are more food suppliers here now, and public utilities are working again. The cities and towns are islands of comfort and civilization on a savage planet, and you realize after some time the people who need help the most are not here inside the walls where there is food and shelter, but those outside, like the scavenger woman in the hotel who has played the odds and won for five years, going on six.

Things aren't as bad as I thought they were. I guess seeing how things are out there makes this seem a whole lot better she thinks to herself, smiling back at a passerby. Maybe that's how I could help. I could get transport going, bringing people from the wilds into the cities... Nah, that's dumb. I'm an idiot. I don't have the brains to organize that, much less the funds. Feck. Still thinking she keeps walking, finding herself circling into the commerce area. With an understanding somewhere deep in her brain that she will be back out in the wilds one way or another she looks for a business that may sell necessary, useful supplies and walks in. (Did Blockhead let her keep the pistol or was that given back?)

(Given back, since its his gun/serial number, but you've got plenty of credits to get one)

12:45 PM

(Shoot me over a shopping list and ill let you know if something is not available- just as a general reminder most TL5 items and any book pharmacy is not available -but frontier medicine from the Iron Stars book is)

Coming out of the shop Thia sports a new backpack filled with gear and supplies casually slung over one shoulder. Still turning it over in her mind as to how she can help she heads to a nearby park area, pausing to grab a simple meal on her way. Sitting at a table in the sunlight she nibbles slowly, thoughtfully, and debates between checking the job board again for something casual or trying to directly contact the Alliance for something more permanent. Deciding it hurts nothing to look she brings up the job board in one tab and opens another to look for a way to join the Alliance so she can compare and contrast.

A further trip down the coast highway is being organized with the same team from the looks of things, there is also an outreache trip planned offworld to assist a rebel movement, and another sent to a planet where the Inheritor Alliance has recently expanded, working with remains of the pre-scream Perimeter Agency

"Off world," Thia whispers, the temptation clear in her voice. Somewhere that Nightbreeze means nothing, somewhere I can figure out Thia. She finishes her drink and gathers the garbage into a bag she casually tosses in the can before pacing around the table she was sat at. PreCog is useless here, Mam won't have an opinion, I have to decide what I want. Fecking hell. She continues her restless movements, eventually expanding to following the walking path through the park instead of circling her table. Do I risk getting into battles or do I risk slow, boring investigations and potentially maltech shite? I mean, a clever pilot would be able to avoid the battles and I was a good one. To maybe get my hands on a proper ship... And help people... Maybe not the people here but it's still helping those affected by the Scream. Decision made she straightens her shoulders, ignoring the low ache from the weight of the pack, and presses her finger to the compad to record her agreement to the rebel assistance mission. As the screen flashes in acknowledgment then fades out she swallows hard, suddenly relieved but nauseous at the same time. She's going offworld.

https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iron-stars-nekosmash/a/psala-location

Psalairon

12:05 PM

(We have made contact with the rebels before, and supplies are supposed to be sent to them later on, but we don't know much of what's going on here. Report is attached, and we have one day of downtime on the shuttle flight there) The shuttle is waiting for you that evening after accepting the job- along with new weapons and gear in hand. The crew is a different one, rotated among the very few ships the Alliance has in its name right now.

"Good morning!" one of them calls out, seeing you emerge from around the corner down the street. "We are ready to take off whenever you are"

Lifting the disposable cup of coffee she holds Thia acknowledges the greeting before chugging down her coffee, crumpling the cup and tossing it into a bin. "I'm Thia, and coffee may have been a terrible idea before this flight because I've never gone offworld before. Always seem to find things out the hard way." Catching herself bouncing on her toes she purposely lowers back down and looks to the shuttle, projecting an air of calm she doesn't at all feel. "Yea, sure, let's load up and head off," she replies, nodding as she steps toward the shuttle to board.

You find your cabin quickly, and the pilots begin getting the ship ready for liftoff, expecting to spend about a day in spike space before reaching the destination.

8:24 AM

(one day of downtime)

(what would that feel like for a passenger? Are there "things to do" on the shuttle or is it very basic?)

(I can post the rule snippet, standby, gonna get it off my phone I know i took a screenshot)

10:16 AM

(she's going to work on Fix, so probably go find a mechanic person and pester them for a day)

Entering Psalarion space, the location of the rebel encampment and how to approach it is already known, and the empire ruling the land may see the ship come in, but have thus far been reluctant to enter the woods and swamps where the rebels have based themselves given recent setbacks. From the air, it looks like an ambitious siege project is beginning, where resources are being stockpiled for some kind of massive fortification to be built, that will eventually encircle the entire forest where the rebels are hiding- finishing their movement off by containing them. The rebels have no aircraft, and are likely unaware the scale of the project nor the danger it represents. landing in a small field east of the woods, you see two rebel pathfinders are already waiting.

Giving a cheeky grin to the mechanic she's spent most of the day with Thia disembarks, keeping her face relaxed though she wants to squeal as her boots touch a new planet for the first time. She inhales deeply and takes in her surroundings as she waits for the team to assemble before heading in the direction of the rebels. It suddenly occurs to her she never asked what language was spoken here and she doesn't recall it being mentioned as worries about communications cloud her mind.

(Everyone speaks mandate common in addition to whatever else they might speak)

12:22 PM

The rebel scouts are waiting, and of the group of five keeping watch near the woods- two of them sling their rifles and begin walking over to meet you- eager to see fresh Alliance attention being sent their way. The woods and streams around you are very loud with birds, and the distant sounds of hammering.

"It's good to keep wary. The Empire is preparing to move against you, in case you weren't aware," Thia says, accidentally forgoing a typical greeting due to her nerves.

"Move against us? You have information?" the lead scout says, looking upon the woods with the wide eyes of a soldier realizing they've just sprung some kind of ambush. "You should come talk to the leadership right away. Get your things and come with us, and send your ship away "

Thia looks to the others, her expression showing her confusion and hesitancy. Softly to the team she says, "Should we send the ship away? Is there a way to hide it instead? And really, if somebody else wants to lead I am not trained for this at all. I don't want to screw up negotiations or do something foolish that gets people hurt."

"We can't guarantee its safety here. it can loiter in orbit, but you need to come with us, now"

"Go with strangers, my mam would be thrilled," Thia whispers, cracking a grin as she looks to the others. "Send the ship up and we'll do our best to keep comms, I guess. Not like there's any other good options." Already wearing her bag she touches the grip of her pistol for reassurance then steps out after the rebels, trying her best to move at their pace. "Who's the leader we need to meet with? My local knowledge is slim." (edited)

“You’ll meet with all the rebel leadership. But we can talk on the way” The shuttle engines begin powering up and you get clear along with your companions - heading into the woods beyond where even from this distance you can see evidence of sniper blinds and observation posts worked into the trees

"Alright, yea, that's fine." Peering at the formations it takes a moment for her to even vaguely recognize them, her eyes growing a bit wide when she figures out what they are. This place is no joke she thinks, a nervous smile playing around her mouth as reality begins to set in a little. This may be a "fun" adventure for her but for these people it's literally life or death.

You are taken through the woods and down winding trails by your expert guides to the heart of the swamp. Wooden bridges have been build through the most waterlogged parts of the terrain and after crossing several of them you come to a large wood and earthen camp where about 1,000 or so rebels and their families look to be taking refuge against the empire outside. Children play games , the adults cook on low fires , mend items , and handle their camp duties. Ahead you see a large wooden building reinforced with sandbags that two men are coming out of, having been contacted by runner that you were coming

As they pass over the bridges Thia looks for weak spots, areas engineered to make the bridge an easy takedown if the Empire comes in. She'd used some of her time between accepting the mission and getting to the shuttle to read bits of information off the Net so she wasn't entirely clueless. As they come into the camp she smiles at the kids who stare at her blue hair and lips, blinking one eye over to panspectral to give a quick scan as they approach the main building. Straightening her shoulders she emulates her father's presence, trying to put an aura of calm and self-assured energy as she waits for introductions.

"This is the representative from the Alliance?" the first of them asks the scout with you, who nods. "Very well, well met, and thank you for coming. I am the base Commandant and this is my aide, thank you for visiting, we 've been hoping for news or support from the alliance since we saw your other friends off last month"

"I'm Thia. The briefing I was given was very minimal. Perhaps we could go over the current situation and the most pressing concerns? I have some news as well, of what we saw from the air."

"What did you see?" the Commandant asks with a concerned look on his face.

"Let's sit somewhere, Commandant," she says, following as he leads them to a simple table and chairs. Once seated she gathers random objects from the table and creates a rough map of what she saw. "Here and here the Empire is stockpiling materials, and possibly here as well," she says, placing a few items to mark the spots. "The camp is approximately here. It is not an urgent threat at this time but given how these locations correlate it seems the Empire intends to corral you lot." "I mean that literally," she adds, looking around. "The most likely thing is a sort of massive fortification around this area. It would contain you and then the Empire can ignore you, pick you off at leisure, introduce a disease ... Who knows."

"None of those options are good for us, and all of them are a reason for us to stop them from finishing it. How are things within the Alliance? Your friends helped us a great deal last time they were here "

"I haven't much of an opinion, as I've no head for politics. Forever a disappointment to my father in that aspect," she laughs, her tone a touch derisive. "I'm grateful the Alliance has managed some offworld travel and started reconnecting communities on Saliv too as tensions were high in Dremlas, with very little outlet until pretty recently. I just came back from a trip up the coast there, looking to clear a safe path into the city and remind ourselves of what's out there. Much was lost in the Scream but helping rebuild is important. In a way that's why I'm here. I volunteered with the intention of helping and it seems you all could use it."

"It could, and community building is something we're about as well. There are those who are sympathetic to our movement out there, and it is up to us to try to break out of this forest and link up with them again"

8:49 AM

"To that end, you've brought news that we're being corralled in. We need to do something abou that and it seems your community building approach might need to be turned to the prospect of raiding, at least for the moment"

"I've not raided in a long time. I could get into it again," Thia says, grinning. "It's not acquiring special vehicle parts but I bet it works the same." A thought occurs to her and her mood drops slightly as she gestures to the encampment around them. "If we're caught what stops the Empire from retaliating here? Surely they know where you operate from if they're corralling you. I'm surprised they haven't moved more directly against you."

"The woods are dangerous for them. We know the land, they don't. They've sent scouts and skirmishers in to try to find us, and occasionally a patrol makes it close, but in the end we always find them, and we always send the heads back the way they came"

Thia visibly shudders, the glow from her panspectral eye dimming as she closes them for a moment. Taking a deep breath she looks back up and says, "Yes, well, that's one way of doing it I suppose. Brutal but effective, and I'm sure they're not any gentler with you." She swallows hard and takes a deep breath, settling herself emotionally. "What's your goal in the raids, specifically? Are there resources that could be beneficial to bring here or is it more of a "make them entirely unusable" thing?"

"We need to disrupt the building of their fortifications first. Anything we can carry away back to the woods for our own use is a benefit of course but the important thing is we need to ensure they don't corral us first. We have credits, probably of more worth to you than us. We'll pay for anything you can steal and bring back to us" (edited)

She shrugs at the mention of credits and looks around for a clock. "We've got some time before dark. A series of small scale raids usually works better than one full-out theft. If we have a way to do some sneaky recon that would help decide which area to start with and what the most valuable target is... And I don't mean financially, moreso what's going to disrupt their plan the most." Sort of thinking out loud she continues, "Having the ship flyover would probably be too obvious. Sending scouts has a high chance of being discovered. Maybe a drone? I don't recall if there were any on ship but it's possible."

(There is a primitive drone on the ship, but nothing else, normally those are just personal equipment players with a 0 in program or better are using, since you need at least a 0 to fly one)

(are there IA NPCs with her? Just don't want her talking to people if nobody's there lol)

(No, they;re all with the ship)

10:26 AM

(their job is to keep it safe, since IA only has five ships right now)

Shaking her head after pondering a moment she looks to the commandant. "I don't love the idea but I think scouts are the best option. Your people know the area and can give the best recommendations as to what can be disabled, brought back to camp, etc. I follow your guidance here."

"Scouts are indeed the best, and we would be honored if you would assist with one of the pushes out of the woods. We don't need you to take unnecessary risks, but some of the greenhorns would be well served by someone like you giving them some direction"

Thia turns a snort of disbelief into a cough, politely covering her mouth as she gets herself under control. "Ahem, yes, certainly I could do that. Other than the Empire what sort of threats should I be aware of? Carnivorous plants, aggressive animals, stinging insects?"

"Nothing like that, we've more or less had to eliminate those things to make living here long term something we can handle. We know the land, and where the traps are. I'll assign a sapper to go with your unit so he knows where to steer you"

Touching the bag slung over her shoulder then the pistol strapped to her thigh she nods in agreement. "We can head out whenever your people are ready. I have what I need with me." (Does she have comms back to the ship?)

(yes, it will be in orbit so you'll be able to use it as a relay whenever you want)

Excusing herself for a moment Thia calls back to the ship, letting them know the plan and an approximate heading they'll be taking, just in case things go very badly. Her hand shakes as she ends the relay and rolls her shoulders, waiting for the rebel team to prepare.

As you find yourself agreeing to the endeavor, the small trinket, left by your father and now carried into your pocket, begins to hum faintly. Your scouting team consists of four others, all of them looking to be the scout/soldiery type though one of them has a wax coated back with a medical symbol on it. You're unsure how deep or expansive their medical knowledge actually is.

Thia's assessment of the team ends abruptly as a low hum comes from her pocket, causing her to stumble mid-step. "Feck!" she hisses, digging out the small box. I've carried it around for months now and it's not done shite, and now it finally does something when I'm supposed to be some amazing leader?! Makes a damn fool out of me is what it does. Carefully shaking out the leg she stumbled on she lifts the box to eye level and gives it the same look she has a hundred times, one pass in regular vision and one pass in the panspectral, to see if anything has changed.

There is a very faint charge level inside. It is not enough to power anything, and seems to be holding level for now at this small amount of charge.

"The feck?" she whispers incredulously as the tiny charge becomes apparent. She holds it for a moment and when it does nothing she shoves it back into her pocket with annoyance. Deal with that later. FOCUS Thia. Stepping into the huddle she introduces herself, giving only her first name and her planet of origin.

With tensions rising high, and the sound of power tools steadily getting closer in incremental noise, the raiding party is eager to be off. Other cells plan to hit other locations along the line of containment, with targeting data provided by your vessel. These are hard fighting, determined men and women- who are willing to do anything to prevent their way of life from being destroyed once and for all. You're reminded of the newscasts from Dremlas when social stability began breaking down, shortly after The Scream. The news from your section of the city showed sections of barricades where people who looked a lot like this were fighting against the Dremlas Peacekeepers in small, isolated skirmishes that saw property destruction and injuries, but few deaths.

3:15 PM

It feels a curious thing fighting for the other side now, but with the sound of readying weapons, and soft groans as heavy packs are shouldered, everyone seems ready to be off.

Taking a moment to adjust her backpack she secures it into a relatively comfortable position, grateful the weight is light. She pulls a hairclip from her pocket and does her best to twist her short hair up and out of her face in preparation for the walk as they begin to head out. She moves into a position near the front of the line and walks as softly as she can. As they move towards the wilder areas she keeps one eye in normal vision and blinks the other to panspectral, scanning for radio waves that might show an Empire presence as they go. "How long will it take to get there?" she asks, tapping the arm of a rebel near her.

"About an hour if we're quiet, follow me" He says, hefting his rifle, signaling for everyone else to fall in, and stepping off toward the dark forest beyond. (survive/wis)

!roll 2d6-1

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [2, 2] Result: 3

Moving into the woods you are unable to remain as quiet as you'd like, not used to this type of work. The lead scout warns you of possible Empire forages and skirmishers also in the woods, and a large stick you step on cracks underfoot. Four frightened Empire forages appear on the path in front of you, 15m away, from the thicket they were harvesting berries in. They are only lightly armed, carrying antique looking projectile sidearms, their other hands full of baskets of berries, roots, and edible tubers.

(would Thia know how the Empire recruits? Are people conscripted, do they volunteer, is it the best "job" available to most of the populace? Etc.)

(Citizens are allowed to be regular soldiers and are given the better gear/priority over the good food. Being a citizen and serving is seen as an honorable profession and a gateway into better jobs once your service is over. Those who are not citizens can serve as auxiliaries, doing jobs like this and they become citizens when their service periods are over, but they're less equipped, and less trained)

1:13 PM

(You'd end up as an auxiliary for a variety of reasons, volunteering, being drafted as a non-citizen, ect)

Taking in their fear and frozen stature Thia freezes as well, the stalemate lasting a few seconds as she weighs her options. She looks at the rough and ready appearance of her crew and contrasts it to the borderline soft aspect of the Empire soldiers and makes a snap decision to play into that. "You're worthless as hostages and I'd hate to grieve your families unnecessarily. Keep your silence and you'll keep your lives," she says, taking cues from her father's public speaking and keeping her voice neutral but authoritative.

Taking your meaning, they keep their weapons holstered, and slowly back off from the group, keeping their eyes on you waiting to see if you shoot them in the back for it.

Thia looks sternly at the group she's leading, ensuring nobody's hand strays towards a weapon as the others cautiously leave. Holding up a hand to stop any questions she says firmly, "They're people just as you are, and possibly just as under the heel of the Empire. Kill only when you must. Everybody loses in a battle."

To their credit, no one disobeys orders and the foragers begin running back toward their camp, leaving a trail of spilled roots and berries behind them as they flee the area.

"Let's move on," Thia says shortly, falling into step behind the guide once again. As they walk she ponders a different outcome, a fight between the two groups leaving dead on both sides, and feels her stomach lurch and clench. Violence is not the answer for her.

The sounds of hammering, sawing, and men shouting to one another become more prevalent as the scouts lead you to the edge of the wood, and smoke begins to sting at your eyes and nose as the cooking fires, and brush clearing fires set in the wet wood at the edge fo the forest begin to set in. You see no evidence of the foragers, though you do hear the rustling an d cracking sound of a tree being felled nearby. The scouts get low, moving through the brush to the site where it looks like a team of four military loggers have tried to cut into the swamplands. Pegs and stakes have been hammered into the grass of the plains beyond, making the site where the walls will be constructed, and you can see piles of timber and stone 400m from your position across the field.

Thia follows suit, moving low and quiet with the scouts as they survey the area. Retreating to a safer distance she crouches close to the ground and sketches a rough map in the soil. "There's materials piled here, here and here. I think I saw some equipment over here and the marked building site is here. Did I miss anything important to our goal?"

"Doesn't seem like it. Now we move into the how do we trash it as much as we possibly can before anyone shows up to stop us. "

"Disabling the equipment is probably the easiest part, just slice every line and wire you can find. It's also easy to pull up those outline stakes. I think the building supplies are going to be the most time consuming part. Fire is always effective, and if they're burning the treeline it should be easy to use their own methods against them. Not too much we can do about the stone though." She takes a quick headcount and asks, "Anyone with extra skills or supplies I should take into account?"

(anyone in your group, or anyone you might run into during the actual raid? )

(both, now that you mention that. But she mostly was asking about skills/supplies within her group)

(EVeryone is pretty lightly armed and armored, no special tools really, they came here to destroy but needed to move light)

(and how many are in her group, total?)

(5 plus you)

8:02 AM

(for a total of six, large parties are difficult to move quietly)

Pointing out two people Thia blows her bangs from her face and says, "You guys go for the equipment and pull the stakes. The rest of us are on the supplies. I think the best bet is going to be waiting for night and using whatever they have on hand - flamethrowers, explosives, even simple things like Molotovs. They've been burning back the forest and I don't think they're using matches and cigarette lighters. Once night comes in, you lot get a 15 minute lead time to do the machines and the stakes before we light up the supplies. There will be no stealth at that point so I think we set as much ablaze as we can then vamoose, try not to get into a fight since we're outnumbered."

(we're at close to dark already, unless you had any last minute prep to do, I think we're ready to just get down into it)

(once it's close to properly dark she'll send off the pair to handle the equipment and pull stakes, then 15 min later she's going to lead the others to find whatever the Empire was using for fires, and burn the wood piles)

Leaving the wood line you hear nothing from the initial scouts. You can only assume they’re working on severing the various connections within the vehicles here. Moving toward the stockpile you are still shrouded in darkness but see a lamp come into vision as a patrolling pair of soldiers approach

Gesturing quickly at her group Thia urges them to get low and take whatever cover they can find. She holds her breath and watches the path of the patrolling pair while making a mental note of what gear they are wearing/carrying. If they come near and seem to be a threat to the operation she holds ready to hit one with the butt of her pistol, hopefully making them unconscious while leaving the other soldier for someone in the group.

These look to be traditional legionaries, wearing flexible leader and scale armor, with crested helmets, short carbine rifles, and each has a gladius belted at their hip. One carries a lantern in place of having his rifle out, though you do see it catch the glittering blade he is carrying in his other hand as the flamelight dances over it.

Seriously second guessing her plan and her presence on the planet in general, Thia wiggles closer to her chosen cover and flattens herself as best she can, praying they walk by without incident. Her flimsy idea to whack one in the head would never work against their armor so hiding is the only option.

(sneak/dex)

!roll 2d6

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [6, 1] Result: 7

(her mods cancel out so I didn't bother including them)

!roll 2d6-1

Nekosmash Roll: [6, 3] Result: 8

Noticing you crouching 20m from them, the centurion turns and shines his light on you, about to call for alarm. (initiative)

!roll 1d8+1 !initiative

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [7] Result: 8 Reason: initiative

(if she goes first she'd want to use Oracle to see what happens if she tries to bluff that she's an Empire person hiding out here to meet a boy)

!roll d8

Nekosmash Roll: [8] Result: 8

)tied. You go first. That’s your main action to use a power so if the results aren’t what you want they’ll just take their turn as normal)

9:06 AM

(You wouldn’t be able to attack them)

(She doesn't want to fight if she can avoid it, so yea she's going to try her Oracle)

Not being in uniform and failing to name a village close to here that you’d belong to when questioned , the empire soldiers know almost instantly that you did not belong here

(damn. Okay.)

The two rush forward, swords drawn, latern all but forgotten on the ground

12:31 PM

!roll 2d20+2

Nekosmash Roll: [16, 11] Result: 29

(if the 16 hits you , I'll roll damage)

(AC 14 )

!roll d6

Nekosmash Roll: [5] Result: 5

The Gladius lashes out, the tip coming away a bit crimson as something punches through your clothing and skin underneath. He looks furious at the intrusion into their camp.

10:08 PM

The scouts begin clubbing up their weapons, preparing to lend their weight to the fight

10:08 PM

(your move)

Seeing the blow coming Thia tries to dodge, even knowing it's ineffective, and empties her lungs of air so she doesn't cry out as the pain lashes through her. She doesn't need to touch the wound to know it's bad and she fights down panic as she looks around. (how far from the wood pile is the lantern?)

(Within a couple meters. Very close )

Finish this and run, Thia thinks as she calculates her options, breathing shallowly to not aggravate her wound. The middle of a fight is not a time for patching up. Moving to the lantern she kicks it hard, hoping it shatters against the dried lumber and lights it ablaze, letting her and the team escape in the commotion. (Not sure if that would count as her main action, let me know if I've got more I can do)

(Youd have to use your main action to get out of melee so you can move to it and kick it unless you want to risk an opportunity attack)

(no, no, no risking. Avoid melee, kick lantern, move away if she's got movement left. End turn.)

The flames begin to spread and you are 8m from your opponents as the scouts suddenly level their weapons and fire , no longer needing to surge into the melee. The legionaries are each peppered by several shots and their armored bodies clatter onto the ground. A runaway skid loader, a collapsing crane and two other visible fires on the horizon show you other raid elements are also having success. There is a roar from the woods as a concealed army of rebels begins pouring out into the breach you’ve made, adding to the chaos of the raids and taking advantage of the legion not having the opportunity to fight in formation.

"Glorious," Thia says, only a tiny amount of snark in the comment as she looks at the chaos happening everywhere. Her expression turns sad at the two dead soldiers near her, feeling a tightness in her heart at lives cut short, but she doesn't allow any tears to fall. Moving as quickly as she can she gets to the woodline and judges it safe enough to look at her wound. She has a med kit but would rather save it for very dire circumstances if this is something she can handle with pressure to stop the bleeding and time to heal naturally.

(if you;re above 0 health, the wound won;t do anything further to trouble you right now, aside from your health just being reduced by 6. With the main assault here now, you've completed what you specifically were tasked to do and no one would think less of you for not joining it)

Thia removes her ruined shirt and ties it around her waist, applying pressure to stop the bleeding, and zips her jacket closed for coverage. Unsure if she can find a way back herself and absolutely unwilling to go back into the wild activity in the enemy camp she hesitates near the woods to look for any of the rebels who might be able to guide her back to their encampment.

The other pathfinders are also hanging back from the assault, their skills more useful in finding ways through the wood, not to be squandered here in an engagement where a single shot or unseen blade can ruin a lifetime of cultivated talent. You hear gunfire, shouts, screams, and see more points of light on the horizon beginning to bloom as the attack continues, the empire caught reeling and complacent in their position of perceived security.

Sending out a wish that and a hope for minimal deaths Thia turns comes near one of the rebels, standing out with her blue hair clearly marking her as neither Empire nor rebel. "Can you take me back to the encampment? I need to let the Commandant know our accomplishments and discuss any next steps, and I don't trust comms for that." (edited)

"No, I wouldn't either. " The scouts form in around you, noting the spreading blood on your side leaking through the rudimentary bandage work you've done. It should hold until you get to a proper medbay back on the shuttle. Returning to camp, the leadership and the guard unit that remained behind to keep the non combatants safe are all here, waiting to hear something of the results. Your group looks like the first of the runners to come back.

Thia walks sluggishly into the camp, waving away one rebel who was hovering near her in case she went down from exhaustion or her wound. Moving to the front of the group she pulls herself together and addresses the leader. "Commandant, I think we've accomplished the mission. Supplies were burned, equipment disabled, the fighters have engaged with the Empire soldiers and appear to have the upper hand." (edited)

"It is room. Enough for now. You've done what you promised, though we're hoping the alliance can still support us with materials soon "

"That decision rests on someone else's shoulders but I'll do what I can to get you materials," she replies, acting as if she even knows anything about the IA let alone has clout. "If there's no further need I'll contact the ship and make my exit."

(We haven;t heard from Kror in a couple weeks, if you're interesting in picking up his work as your next mission)

(I read back in his thread just a bit and it looks like exploration? Not something she'd jump to do after her little jaunt on Saliv)

(He's finding some land for the Mosks to grow food on, and found a good spot, just needed to organize mosks to clear it and plant)

(she'll take it if it's borderline promised to be low/no fighting and she gets to pilot something)

(You’d be piloting a farming combine tractor and organizing workers )

7:25 PM

(3xp and 10,000 credits for the raid )

(sure, she'll give it a go)

(1 day back to Saliv! , then we'll get into it!)

(could she work on Fix for that day?)

(sure can! )

Returning to Saliv, your wounds have healed a bit (your c haracter level worth of HP) , and you'll be able to at least sit comfortably in an air conditioned tractor for a while. The Mosk colony, thanks to the work of Kror, has found exactly enough space to set up a farm, and the land needs to be cleared of the invasive vine growths that have strangled out all the local plant life.

(what would Thia know about Mosks? She's rarely ever left the city except on vacations when she was younger, pre-Scream)

(Jsut whatever is on the homebrewery writeup)

11:06 AM

(nothing extra)

This may be her home planet but it feels like a different world as Thia walks through it, tossing wisps of hair out of her face and wishing it was long enough to pull back. She looks around with a barely covered eagerness and wonder as this is new terrain for her as she heads towards where the Mosks can be found, nerves kicking in her belly.

There are a few of the densely shellbacked creatures just finishing pulling the loading chains from a tractor. it looks as though it is fresh out of the factory and has never been used before. Its front has a large rotating blade, while the back consists of discs meant to till the soil and help mash the plant matter you have found.

Thia glances for any Mosk appearing to be in a leadership position and heads their way. "The Inheritor Alliance sent me. I'm to drive the tractor and help eradicate that weird vine. Call me Thia." She keeps her tone light even as she's fairly dwarfed by the size of the Mosks, being rather short and slender herself.

It gurgles something back at you in its own language, but the gesture is one you can understand regardless of the barrier between your communication. It gestures to the ladder leading up into the crew cab of the tractor, and you can see a truck arriving with farm supplies on its bed. Apparently they have been waiting for this for some time.

Making a mental note to inquire about translator mods (and ignoring the fact she'll forget by end of day) she gives a nod and climbs into the tractor, stowing her backpack behind the seat. She takes a moment to familiarize herself with the controls and adjust the seat to her liking before poking her head out. As the Mosks clearly understand even if they can't reply she calls, "Are we starting now?"

He nods and the machine turns over , the machine hums comfortably as it’s he’s engine revs. The machinery begins powering up , showing you the status of the disc trailer you’re dragging. A screen also shows the boundaries of the field.

"Seems simple enough. If I can race I can drive a stupid tractor," she says to herself as she begins to maneuver the tractor to a good starting position. Lowering the disc-er behind her she sets off down the length of the field, driving slowly. Finding no semblance of a radio in the tractor she wiggles her compad out from her pocket and begins streaming some music, singing along softly.

(pilot/dex)

!roll 2d6+1

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [4, 2] Result: 7

The tiller begins sifting through the dirt and the first two passes go smoothly. The vines are churned up into compost and in the third pass there is a metallic thump as smoke begins to rise from the now damaged trailer.

Just settling into the task Thia yelps, "Fecking hell!" as the vibrations of the impact ring through the tractor. "Don't tell me they didn't bother to check the field beforehand." Shutting the engine down she clambers out, careful to retrieve her bag as she goes, and hops into the soft tilled soil. She kicks a clod of dirt in frustration and heads back to the discs to inspect them and see what she hit. Couldn't have been more than a foot down, what the hell is it?

Indeed, the locals have entirely failed to check the field before having you till, though you can see the three slices you've done so far have created some beautiful black dirt that the locals will be able to use to begin planting their food after one or two more discings. It looks like a small metallic object was run into.

Thia only recognizes bombs from movies but she's pretty sure this isn't one. Cautiously she gives it a nudge with her boot then crouches beside it, holding her hand out for size comparison, then scanning it with her panspectral optics. With that information in her mind she takes a deep breath, her fingers rubbing absently against the ring on her thumb, then uses her Oracle ability to see if anything happens when it's picked up and cleaned off.

The box is made of some kind of galvanized metal, it is not entirely steel but steel seems to be the main ingredient of its construction. It is about the width and length of some kind of storage footlocker like the type you would see on a ship or ground vehicle.

Feeling safer when her vision didn't reveal any immediate danger Thia waves to one of the Mosks that is looking her direction, probably wondering why the tractor had stopped. Once the creature lumbers over she answers its inquisitive sound, saying "Please take this over to the side and I'll inspect it more closely after I check the equipment," inwardly wincing as she hears echoes of her father's rolling tones in her own words. She steps to the side to give the Mosk access to the item, then crouches back down after they're away. "Let's see how fecked up you are," she murmurs to the discer as she does a visual examination, then uses her fingertips to carefully feel in the areas she can't see. "I'm a bleeping pilot, not a mechanic. If this is trashed not even Chent could fix it out here," she grumbles, referring to a friend from town that helped her in the racing league. (edited)

Chet isn’t here but you are and it looks like you can fix this with some help from the locals. Replacement parts are available and the third row of discs will be an easy thing to replace with the amount of help you have on hand.

Nothing out here is fecking easy. You don't see any of Father's other spawn out working. Shoulda been a society darling, living it up. Rubbing a hand over her face Thia doesn't realize she smeared dirt on her pale skin as she pushes to her feet and swipes her palms on her jeans. Having already shut down the tractor she walks across the small tilled area to where the Mosk had placed the item, gesturing with her thumb back over her shoulder. "Gonna need a fix. New discs to replace the ones this thing mangled," she says, lightly kicking the locker.

The mosk understands, even if it does not speak and waves several of its fellows over. They come hefting the parts, preparing to make the fixes as you contemplate the stainless steel locker that has been left aside for you now that your explorations have churned it up.

Running her fingers along it she checks for damage or stamped ID marks, before looking around for a water source to rinse the dirt away.

There is a Tenebrian empire military seal on it , the stamped glove flanked by trialing Ivy is hard to miss. There was a serial number but half of it is gone and whatever database it once belonged to is likely as dead as the people who would have kept track of it

(would she have an estimate on how old it is? Decades, centuries?)

(Decades)

Never the most attentive student when her tutors droned on and on, Thia nevertheless knows this has to be older than her and frowns at it. "What are you doing here on Saliv?" she wonders, brushing away dirt to find the opening mechanism.

There is a simple mechanical lock on the front. The owner would have had the small key for it, but that does not seem to be included with the locker.

"Bet I could get this with a screwdriver," she says, squinting around in hopes of spotting a toolbox. "Or a drill, that'd work too."

There is a small toolbox in the cabin of the tractor, which currently is not going anywhere due to the repair work underway.

Remembering the toolbox she'd seen when putting her bag in the tractor she hoofs it back across the tilled soil and clambers up to snag it. Thankfully it's not too heavy and she climbs down with it, pausing to see how the repair is going before going back to her objective. Kneeling beside the locker she makes a mental note to get some more clothes, jumpsuits or something easily washed, then flips the top on the toolbox and grabs a hefty screwdriver. With no subtlety whatsoever she jams the flat end into the lock and leans into it, hoping to break the mechanism.

(fix/int)

!roll 2d6-1

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [3, 1] Result: 3

The screwdriver bends within the thick lock, and then there is a mechanical pop as the cheap tool breaks.

"Fecking hell," she curses, tossing the busted handle to the side and pulling the rest from the lock. Riffling through the box she looks for a drill then sets it to the lock with fresh determination.

Opening the box, there is a sigh almost as if the locker is taking its first breath in a very long time. Inside, there is a small data drive, a colonial arms revolver, and some scattered machinery that looks like it can be salvaged (1 pretech componnet)

Thia scoops the tech looking stuff into her pack and examines the revolver. Blockhead had mentioned other firearms when training her and with his knowledge she makes sure the cylinder is empty and adds that to her pack for later too. Still kneeling in the dirt she picks up the data drive, turning it in her hands to see what sort of connection options it has, wondering if she can plug it into her compad. It might need an adapter or something. I don't want to poke around in somebody's diary but this is interesting.

It looks as though it will plug into a compad once you’re in a place where you can properly clean it.

8:40 PM

(Colonial arms is in the artifact section of the swn revised core rulebook , you get some small bonuses when using it , and it has a few other cool properties )

Nekosmash

(3xp and 10,000 credits for the raid )

My dumb ass just realized that xp bumped her to the next level

‍♀️

(no worries! We can handle that now if you wish/)(

(probably should. Also, does the revolver run off typical stats or does it have special stats? Trying to add to her sheet. I think it works to have her take Sneak from -1 to a 1, using 3 skill points and leaving one banked for Precog stuff. Can you confirm?) (edited)

(In 5e terms, it is a +1/+1 Revolver

1:28 PM

Colonial Arms: An armaments company dating from the First Wave of human colonization, Colonial Arms was famous for the incredible durability and versatility of their firearms. Their guns were largely self-repairing from anything short of having pieces torn off, and their projectile weapons automatically self-adjusted to fire whatever ammunition was available, in any environment from hard vacuum to underwater operations. A Colonial Arms projectile or energy weapon also gains a +1 bonus to hit and damage rolls.

Witch

(Yep! That is correct, and when leveling up we ask you to please post your changes to your thread in a format similar to this: https://discord.com/channels/345912178072879106/833682194752471040/938255033819074561)

Discord - A New Way to Chat with Friends & Communities

Discord is the easiest way to communicate over voice, video, and text. Chat, hang out, and stay close with your friends and communities.

Level Up Level: 3 Focus: N/A Old HP: 8 HP Roll: 9 New HP: 9 New Skills: Sneak-1 Note: Banked 1 skill point for later psi usage

Thia drops the data drive into the thigh pouch where her compad and puzzle box reside, taking extra care to fasten it closed. Getting to her feet she again swipes her hair from her face, this time grumbling under her breath, then heads over to check the Mosk repair. (Would there be access to ground penetrating radar, or at least metal detectors?)

(Metal detectors I think would be rolled into part of the survey scanner. There’s nothing like GPR at the moment )

Standing next to them she pops a hip out sassily, and rests her fist on it. "So, will she be back in the field today? We'll need to do a damn good search to be sure it's clear though, maybe with metal detectors or something, don't want to smash into anything else and where there's one bit of detritus there may be more." (edited)

The vehicle will be repaired today, and a few survey scanners from the nearby colony can be brought out to the field to continue combing it. It is late afternoon by time both the repairs and the scanning conclude, and it looks like this locker is not part of something bigger, possibly just stashed here for safekeeping in a different galactic era.

In the time the repair and scanning take Thia settles herself under a tree and pulls out the puzzle box. Taking her time she scans it with the panspectral, runs her fingers over it looking for any new grooves or latches, and otherwise checks it over thoroughly to see if coming back to Saliv has done anything else, after the change when she was with the rebels.

So far, it has not changed much. Whatever triggered it, you have thus far not been able to recreate the effect or hone in on what specifically will bring the box to open.

2:17 PM

(otherwise, the machine will be fixed)

With what can only be described as a grumpy sigh Thia drops the box back into her pouch and stands up, spine popping as she stretches. The Mosks seem to have finished the repair and she squints at the time, judging if she needs to find accommodations or if she can work the field more.

It is mid afternoon now, and with lights on the cab, it looks as though you;ll be able to power through this into the evening.

After a quick check with the Mosks she climbs back into the cab, stowing her bag and rolling her head on her neck. So much has happened in the past week and her body is beginning to protest the unusual amount of activity. Wiggling in the seat she fires up the engine and gives it a moment as she turns on her music before beginning her task again.

You find no more metal obstructions in the field and you see a horde of workers collecting roots, plant cuttings too big to be mulched, and so on. As evening sets in you find a tilled field has been left behind, ripe for food production,

2:05 PM

(3xp, 5000 credits)

Turning off her music the silence is momentary before the sounds of night creatures trickle in. She lifts the discs free of the soil and drives out of the field to park the tractor where it was before, turning it off before shutting down the exterior lights and clambering out. Her boots clunk into the soil and she sways unsteadily for a moment, legs nearly asleep after a few hours of monotonous driving, then steadies herself. Reaching into her pouch she pulls out her compad and brings up a map to see if she's anywhere near Dremlas.

(you're on the moon right now, but a shuttle can bring you home if you want to be back planetside)

Nekosmash

(you're on the moon right now, but a shuttle can bring you home if you want to be back planetside)

(legit missed that this whole time yes she wants to go home for a bit)

(sounds good!) Shuttle service is a six hour flight, culminating in atmospheric re-entry and landing outside Dremlas near its south gate where a proper spaceport is being constructed. A line of vehicles for hire heading into the city begin queueing up, soon to be doing this business on a proper actual paved surface.

Given the hour she arrives, which could very late or very early depending on your viewpoint, Thia stares for a moment at the line of vehicles. Even though she had slept a little on the shuttle her brain is still scrambled and exhausted, and she finds herself looking for the family car and driver for a few moments before she remembers their new financial status. With her head lowered she goes to the nearest vehicle with a well-known company logo on the side and gives her address as she climbs in. The ride is uneventful and she pays the driver quickly before letting herself into the house. Scribbling a note she pops it on the door to her mother's office and goes to her room, stripping down and falling into bed and into sleep.

(We did xp for the mission , Not sure if you had any thoughts about what we might want to do next)

(can we put a pause on it until after the holiday weekend?)

(For sure! Just didnt want to leave you hanging)

(I'm thinking she's going to go talk to her dad after she wakes up, about the box and about options to help the people outside the city. She still has a kid's view sometimes that her father can fix anything.)

(To refresh my memory, he is not part of the household currently, correct?)

(correct, he lives in his own place with his wife and possibly the children from their marriage.)

(Did you have thought out what its supposed to look like? Do I have any parameters for this scene? )

It's hours later when Thia finally wakes up, her mouth dried out and smears of the mud and dirt from the field all over her bedding. She rolls to her back and stretches, wincing at the residual ache in muscles not accustomed to use then heads for the shower. As is her habit she runs the water hot as she scrubs the dirt away then attends to her look, trimming up the designs in her haircut and applying her cosmetics before tossing on a baggy shirt and shorts. Just as she's leaving the room she remembers they no longer have staff and bites her lip nervously as she looks at her bedding and her clothes. They absolutely must be washed but she hasn't the faintest idea how. Resigned, she searches for laundry instructions on her compad then hauls the lot down to the main floor and bundles it into the machine before precisely measuring detergent and starting it with a half-assed prayer. She goes to the kitchen and pours some cereal and milk, booting the coldbox closed and taking a seat. As she munches absently she types a message to her father requesting to see him later that day and sighs.

A message from his answering service comes back, letting you know that he has an appointment for you later this afternoon and he should have about an hour for you.

"Oh, hooray, a whole freaking hour scheduled in advance to talk to your daughter," she whispers bitterly, flicking the notification off her screen. She drops her chin into her hand and swirls the spoon through the leftover milk, absolutely sulking. Finally she gets up and puts the dish in the sink before walking back to her room, hearing Zue talking in her office as she passes. The sticky note is gone from the door but her mother hasn't bothered to seek her out. "Oh, no, I'm fine. Fine I tell you. It's not like I joined the IA, went off world for the first time, got stabbed, helped a rebellion and met some Mosks on the moon. Totally normal, no need to check on me," she says to the air as she climbs the stairs, the sarcasm in her words dripping like venom as she returns to her room. Settling in at her desk she calculates her clothes will be clean in time to meet her father, even accounting for the additional time needed to walk to his home. That reminds me... Quickly she placed an order online to be delivered for two simple jumpsuits, one navy and one black, before grabbing her satchel and removing the data drive. Sacrificing her makeup brushes and remover wipes for the cause she begins to gently clean the device.

(Fix/int)

!roll 2d6-1 !fix/int

Thia Nightbreeze Roll: [5, 3] Result: 7 Reason: fix/int

The device looks clean now. as clean as you're going to get something that has been in the ground for this long. The screen is going to need some work, there are many dead areas on the screen when you go to touch it.

Looking around the device for any ports Thia wonders if it could be connected to her compad, bypassing the dead screen entirely.

It looks like with some simple mechanical work you could make an adapter to clone the device onto your own.

Might as well try, maybe save a few bucks Thia thinks, then hears the soft chime that says her wash is done. She goes downstairs and switches the laundry to the dryer, choosing a low heat cycle that's probably safe for her stuff, then hustles back to her room to try her idea. (not sure if she would need computer parts or anything? Willing to cannibalize old electronics she has lying around if needed) (edited)

(I don’t think we would need a check since you probably do have that stuff laying around

With a lot of muttered comments to herself, some aggressive dismantling of a couple old screens and the discovery that nail glue works on electronics in a pinch, Thia finally leans back and stretches. "Think I've got it now, let me just put this here and that there and ... " she trails off, hoping the connection is made.

The old pre-scream logo of the Tenebrian Empire spins on the screen for a moment before opening to a normal looking screen showing messages, electronic mail, what looks to be a local copy of some kind of idle game, and a half completed note including a ship manifest all pinned to the welcome screen

Beaming with delight Thia starts by poking through the message and emails, looking first for the name of the owner of the device and second... Well, just being a bit ~~nosy~~ curious.

Captain Cadine is who the device was issued to, their actual first name is not listed as part of the registration.

Popping over to her regular search option she types their name and Tenebrian Empire to see if there's any thing of note on this Captain, or if they're just a faceless name on the payroll.

Any pre-scream databases that might have had this information have been wiped out, or have not been recovered by the Alliance. There are no results for your search.

Thia lets out an annoyed hum but continues to look through the device, hoping for something scandalous or at least useful, maybe detailing how the locker got into the field. My money is on a mid-air explosion, debris everywhere. Like a movie. she thinks.

It seems that your theory is right. The final log talks about an ambush by pirates who had been hiding on the opposite side of the planet. A lucky disabling shot had punched through both life support, and the ship's reactor core. The crew were planning to abandon ship as gravity was going to win the inevitable battle between listing, powerless ship and the ground.

(I'll be away for the weekend, expect a reply Monday)

(Sounds great!)

As she scans the logs a sadness passes through her heart and she hopes the crew survived, though it's probably a futile thought since they were dealing with pirates. She skims through the remaining files then sees a new notification from the All Sector News, and flips over to that screen. When she reads her own name she lets out a small squeak of surprise, her eyes going wide when she discovers how much money her work will save the Alliance. Feeling distinctly weird about all of it she leaves to retrieve her clothes, snagging the two jumpsuits from the steps where they were delivered, and repacking her bag. Clean and presentable she sets out for her father's house, her mind a jumbled a whirl of thoughts.

You are greeted at the garden gate by the housekeeper, who lets you in and congratulates you on being mentioned in the news. You half hear a comment about following in your father's political footsteps.

Thia nods half-heartedly, bypassing her usual response to audibly gag at the idea of being political in any way. "Yes, thank you," she responds politely, wiping her boots at the door. They still bear some traces of the fields of the moon she was on yesterday but not too filthy, thankfully, and she discreetly checks the time as she enters the house. Two minutes early, not bad she thinks to herself as she follows the housekeeper.

You are led upstairs to the offiice, where you are permitted to enter. Your father sits behind a large desk, computer with six monitors showing stocks, news, communications, a view of the cameras from the rest of the house, and a few screens that have been blacked out for security purposes if you're not sitting on his side of the desk. He says nothing but bids you to enter, trying to get off a call with whoever he is speaking with. After another moment he hangs up, and takes a deep breath. "Thia. Saw you on the news, congrats. Another proud step for the family. What can I do for you?"

"Good afternoon, father," she says, settling herself on the edge of the chair facing him. Her bag she sets by her feet and she folds her hands in her lap, moving on 'proper manners' autopilot. After another moment she shifts herself further into the chair, propping her foot on her knee and leaning forward in a deliberate disregard of the etiquette she was raised with. "I don't do it for the family, but for the credits. And for the people. Do you know what I've done in this past week? I've explored outside the walls here and helped a desperate woman, I've assisted a group of rebels off-world -- getting stabbed in the process -- and worked with Mosks on our moon. That's more than I've done my entire life and there's much more that needs done with the Inheritors Alliance as well. I intend to keep helping them, especially as it relates to our people here. There are so many across Saliv that are in need." She takes a deep breath and focuses on relaxing her shoulders, brushing her blue hair from her eyes as she composes herself. "I requested this audience to ask if there are movements happening that can assist the people of Saliv in finding food, shelter, safety, and how I may be a benefit to those actions. I also have a personal reason for speaking with you. When I was on {planet I can't remember} the puzzle box changed. It's done nothing for months now but the first time I go off-world it reacted. Can you give any insight?" (edited)

"I could, but it would ruin the point. Think about what you were doing and what you were feeling when the box began to open. That's the best advice I can give you. As to your other request. Dremlas is just one part of a bigger network across this planet. Just like the polities south of us are bringing other worlds into their network for outreach and resources, we're doing the same but with cities instead of worlds. There are many new places brought into our network, and many across the surface of the planet that might have survived, needing only to be recontacted, have their resonators restored, and have people live productive lives there again"

Thia groans softly but files the information away for further review when she's got some downtime. "Perhaps I can focus on helping them. I'm a fairly good pilot and I'm learning to defend myself, as not everyone is peaceful out there. But every man, woman and especially child who got left, got stranded, deserves a chance at a good life." Falling silent she looks at her hands, thinking Maybe a week out, a week home could be an okay thing? I wonder who I could talk to at IA about this. Don't have the resources to do it myself...

“The Alliance is handling outreach itself but there’s a lack of pilots brave enough to fly scout ultralights out beyond the resonator zones.

"Foolish enough, you mean," Thia corrects with cutting humor in her voice. "Or maybe driven enough. I know some people have family out there that's been lost to them without contact since the Scream. That would be a hell of a motivator." She drums her fingers on her leg, finding herself wondering if she's one of those foolish, brave, driven pilots and unsure of the answer. It's one thing to make an offer to help and quite another to go through with it. Changing the subject abruptly she says, "I know at one point we had extensive genealogical records for the family. I'd like a copy, if possible, to make a list of various locations to visit to try and figure out the puzzle box. I'll have to see what kind of personal travel I can fit in around IA missions, here and off-world too, but it gives me something to go on."

(Did you have these people figured out already? I don't want to throw you a red herring, but I also don't want to deny you a backstory thing if this is what you're setting up)

(not at all, just testing out an idea about the box and giving her places to go. Quite possible the records were lost in the Scream)

'You're not going to find much in the way of genealogy. Nothing expansive. So many records lost" your father says, " but I can tell you, it's not related to being of the family"

"Well I guess that makes things easier, in a way. Interplanetary travel isn't cheap and if I don't have to spend my credits that way I won't." She makes no mention of what she does want to do with her credits, a small idea just barely taking root in a deep corner of her mind. "While we have this time, is there anything you wish to discuss? I have the answers I needed so if there's nothing else I'll be on my way."

"It was good to see you Thia" he says, gesturing that he has nothing else to say. He doesn't get up from his chair to see you out, either.

It takes an act of will to not say something snarky as she exits the office but she can't stop herself from closing the door a bit harder than necessary. Waving off the staff she mutters, "I know my way out," finishing with I've been shown it enough times only in her mind. Outside the house she stares for a moment then spins on her heel and starts walking in a vaguely town-ward direction with an intense mental argument going as she berates herself for not telling Father all the terrible ways he makes her feel, and how the lack of concern once she reached legal adulthood hurt her. I probably have more siblings than anyone on Saliv and half the time I can't even remember their names. So much for 'family'. Not sure what she wants to do with herself just yet Thia heads for a small park to walk around and have a think for a bit.

(I'm good for whatever you want to do next, I was teeing up the getitng into one of the aid groups to fly around and spot some settlements but theres plenty of other things going on too)

(did you want to partner with our new archeologist player to find some settlements? )

(open to either option, just buying myself some time to look at the ship/vehicle options. I got behind on work while I was off for Covid so it's keeping me busy)

(sounds good, I'll toss them in with you, and we can just take it at your pace!)

As she walks Thia begins to daydream a little about a fast, fancy vehicle at her disposal. Maybe even two, one for flight and one for ground she thinks with a wistful smile as she mentally builds and rebuilds the vehicles. She reaches for her compad, just to see prices she tells herself, then sees a message from the IA about a new mission instead. "An archaeologist? Aren't they more about old dead stuff?" she muses, her eyebrows creeping up as she reads the full description. Interest shines in her eyes as she biometrically agrees to the mission and tucks the compad away again. Pulling her pack around to her front she empties it out and quickly takes stock of what she has... (I'll add to this reply shortly, I need to check her inventory.)

(She'd like to purchase a navcomp, costs 500 credits per core book, and she's gonna consider procedures for Dermal Armor and Immunofiltration, but she's not ready for that yet.)

(sounds good, nav comp is available)

With a simple search Thia finds a local shop with the nav comp in stock and heads that way, completing the purchase quickly. She checks the time and opts to head home for some semblance of dinner and a night of good sleep before the mission start in the morning.

(we can pop over into Ezra's next)

Eisheru, et al. pinned a message to this channel. 7/27/2022 12:01 PM

But with human ears, and her eyes only glow when using her optics

Level Up Level: 4 Focus: N/A Old HP: 8 HP Roll: 16 New HP: 16 --- New Skills: Pilot-1 Note: Used banked skill point and new skill points toward Precog 2 (edited)

2:03 PM

And idk if she gets a focus, but I'll edit that if necessary

(not until level 5)

Thia touches down back at Dremlas airfield and checks the glider back in to the IA, waving goodbye to Enver and Ezra. Snagging a passing somebody she asks, "I have parts for the Alliance. Do I leave them here or transport them elsewhere?"

The parts can be left here. The academy will want to look them over before deciding where to send them, but your efforts are appreciated and commended. Thousands of people will live in safety thanks to what your team has accomplished. The strange box you were given seems to be unlocking more upon your return, entering what looks to be the second stage of release.

2:14 PM

(so we had its base state, and on the mission before this on the moon where you took charge, it started to open a bit and one of the panels now says Leadership)

2:15 PM

Another of the panels has come clear, and it says WISDOM

Handing off the parts Thia pages for a transport home, leaning her head back with a soft groan and closing her eyes as the driver makes their way. Even the short, staid drive has her wishing the controls were in her hands and she could zip through traffic, and she shakes her head as she exits the vehicle. Passing her mother's office she pounds her fist on the door and yells, "Mam I'm home!" before continuing up the stairs. Moving sluggishly she begins to strip off the dirty jumpsuit and her gear, piling it all in the corner as she verbally tells the bath to begin to fill. She clicks on some music and goes to the tub, hissing as she eases herself into the water and feels the heat penetrate all the sore muscles. Maybe someday I'll get used to actually working she thinks with a snort and a toss of her head. Ordering the lights to dim she relaxes and takes her time in the bath, inspecting the bruises and scrapes she picked up over the adventure. It's a good hour later that she finally exits the tub and wraps herself in a fluffy towel, yawning as she rubs her hair dry as she walks. "Feck!" she yelps, bouncing on one foot as she holds the other in pain. Her toes had made contact with the pile of gear, smacking into something hard in her jumpsuit pocket. Rummaging through she pulls out the trinket her father had given her and stares at it. "This is ... different," she mutters as she sinks into her bed and clicks on the bedside lamp. "It's changed." She sees the new word Leadership on one side and Wisdom on another, and her eyebrows shoot up nearly to her hairline in surprise. She doesn't say anything as she crawls into bed, but she turns the trinket over and over thoughtfully before finally turning out the lights and sleeping.

(I'm up for whatever you had in mind for a new mission. I've got a few things in mind too if you didn't have any firm plans right now)

(I'll let you know, my household has the flu so it might be a bit)

(no rush, speedy recovery!)

(I know you got back and jumped into finishing your mission with ember and then the forge. I’m good for whatever you wanna do next , and if you’re not sure I can pick a few things out)

(let me get back to you Tuesday or Wednesday)

(No rush. Still digging here myself just didn’t want to not communicate)

(not sure what I want to do with Thia right now, and we move in 9 days so I'm super preoccupied)

(exploring an IA adjacent planet? )

(She'd be open to that. She's very much a young adult with minimal goals, lol. I'll be very intermittent for most of Jan, btw, while we move and get settled.)

(that is fine! I'll get you some options and we can just take it as the time permits)

(this is our immediate surroundings. We know virtually nothing about almost all of these worlds, so it really might be as simple as throw a dart at something and see what happens)

(Alcippe because it's a pretty name.)

(okay! Two days of downtime and I'll get a report together. AIya Tech gifted the Inheritor Alliance some shuttles last month, so that's our ride)

https://www.worldanvil.com/w/iron-stars-nekosmash/a/alcippe-location (I'll doodle something soon but this is enough to get going when your free time allows)

Alcippe

(snow Piggen, interesting.) Yawning at the early hour Thia grabs her bag and tosses her usual things in, wrestling with the navcomp for a moment before she can zip it closed. She doesn't bother with a handwritten note to her mother this time and instead just sends a quick message that she'll be gone. With the door locked behind her she heads to the landing pad and finds the correct shuttle for her trip. With two days of travel she's hoping there's someone she can tag along with and learn a little more Fix skills.

The ship's engineer is more than happy to instruct and have a companion for the few days of your trip and you settle into something approximating a routine as the days continue on. As the third day of your journey begins there is a warning alert which signals the ship has exited spike space at the edge of the destination system. Your presence on the bridge is requested as information about the system begins filtering in from the first scanner passes through the area. Determining the best approach for making contact and landing is usually the next course of business and the crew is looking to make a decision together as a group. (I'll get a surface map together for you)

(done!

11:51 AM

"Here as requested," Thia says, adding a muttered "ordered, more like" under her breath as she enters the bridge. She glances over the map that's displayed, full of data and listens with partial interest as various landmarks are pointed out and discussed. Looking up she cuts off the person speaking and says, "What about here?" as she gestures to the almost island. "If we come in by the ruins we're near-ish to what looks like two settlements, and we can check the ruins too."

"Could work. It's quiet enough. What do you think Nightbreeze, should we give it a try?"

4:47 PM

The comms officer isn't able to figure out any more specific readings about conditions on the ground, but continues trying to filter out the background readings into something workable.

"Quiet is good," Thia answers, her hand reaching for the space where her holster normally lies before she consciously puts it back to her side. "I've dealt with enough Termies and angry people and I'm ready for something more chill. Let's give it a go."

(program/int on our way down for Thia to roll, whenever you're ready)

(Five.)

The scanners are unable to make out anymore detail as you come in for a landing. The ruins were a Piggen settlement once. The locals have either left or succumbed to the conditions in the harsh extreme reaches of this frozen planet. Ice and snow cover the low rounded buildings here and the settlement has been constructed without walls. There is a long pine like tree in the distance which provides the only vegetation or landmark around. Nothing stirs in the ruins themselves aside from the whispering of the wind through broken windows and cast open doors

"No walls, no threats, right?" Thia says out loud as they reach the planet with a slight bump. Fecking eerie she thinks to herself as she touches the revolver at her thigh, shaking her head at how used to its presence she's gotten in such a short time. She slings her bag over her shoulder and waits for her exit, snagging some winter gear before she steps out and winces at the temperature. Her boots leave crisp prints as she heads for the settlement, blinking one eye into the panspectral for added input. (Idk if the ship would provide appropriate outerwear or if that's something she would've needed to buy before leaving Saliv.)

(the ship's locker would have something, would be considered street in terms of a tag so we don't need to worry about encumbrance or anything )

12:46 PM

(and lets get a notice/wis, with our optics now that we're on the ground)

(a whopping 4 unless optics add a bonus?)

(They do not, they just let us see radiation, heat, and radio transmissions , so it's more information ,not necessarily more observant information) There is residual heat at the core of the settlement, It is not much and would not be enough to sustain light, but it is above freezing where the rest of the settlement is not. There is no activity on the ground around it. There are no radio waves and you detect no radiation. You also do not make out any bodies outside the settlement or evidence of violence. This is a ghost town from what you can observe, but there are few clues as to what happened to the Piggen here. (edited)

(has anyone left the ship with her or is she exploring solo with comms to the ship?)

(Solo. Henchkeeper is the only foci that lets you bring NPCs with generally. )

I see a heat signature out here, using that as my starting point Thia relays to the ship before heading out that way. As she walks she tucks her gloves hands under her arms for more warmth as she scans ahead of her, continuing her path while watching for any signs of disaster or attack that could've emptied the settlement.

Arriving at the southern gatehouse there is evidence of sickness or a mass succumbing to the elements. Cold has frozen two guards in the guardhouse to their posts- where once they would have watched over the road and dealt with people wanting to come into the city , the cold and ice has darkened their skin by destroying capillaries and eating at the soft flesh. Their dead glassy eyes look out at nothing and their spears are forgotten in a corner of the building. They look peaceful, almost half asleep.

Thia shudders as she comes to the bodies, looking them over from a few feet away and noting the lack of injury. A sickness, maybe? Weather usually doesn't change fast enough to kill someone in the tracks. she thinks to herself. Death always makes her uneasy and she swallows hard as she moves on toward the heat signature, hoping the extreme cold and the passage of time has killed off whatever illness may have taken their lives. As she walks she looks for any signage among the ruins that may bear a name for the place.

(If Thia does not speak Piggen I don't think there will be mcuh information to be gleaned from the signs, but we can try a know/int if you want to see if you can get something rudimentary)

(Oops didn't think about that. Rolled a five.)

The Piggen letters are blocky and thick and you cannot make sense of them. The signs point to different destinations but the streets are winding and you're not sure where they ultimately end up. There are a few landmarks in the skyline- the town hall, something that reminds you of a temple, and the square sided building where you have been picking up the faint heat source.

With a shrug and a grumble Thia reorients herself and makes for the square building to deal with the more pressing situation first. The heat signature could vanish at any time but the other buildings will stay, since they've already been here awhile. She loosens the strap holding her revolver just in case, remembering the last time she explored a city and nearly met a crazed Termie.

The large building in the center of the city is the source of the heat and it looks like this was once either a town hall or workshop . The two main doors have been broken open and it does not look like it is weather related. Something either wanted to get in, or get out. Cold and ice has spread up the door and to the threshold but not beyond, kept at bay by the heat inside the building. There is an orange glow coming from the broken dragons tooth looking remains of wood and heat ripples out from whatever is causing it inside.

"What the feck?" Thia whispers as she scans over the destruction of the doors, the built up ice, and the heat emanating from within. Square building at the center of town, busted doors but heat inside. Fecking sketch she relays to the ship. Carefully she makes a circuit around the building, checking for any new signatures in the panspectral now that she's closer and looking for any other damages.

There were windows on the second and third floor of the building. They've been patched with dense wood panels reinforced with metal bars to keep them together , though this could have been as much to block out the cold as to secure the building,.

Now thoroughly concerned about exactly what might've been in this building Thia pulls her revolver from the holster and returns to the door. She peeks in and listens for a moment before stepping cautiously inside, weapon in hand but not yet raised.

The box in your pocket from your father begins to open and make a clicking sound as you enter the building. This is the most it has ever interacted with anything, and now begins making a small musical chime.

With a strangled yelp Thia's feet leave the floor as she jumps from the scare. She starts frantically scrambling with her free hand to tug the box out and shut it up while her gun hand swings wildly side to side in case of enemies.

The box will not shut, and as you take a step closer to the massive standing arcane battery at the heart of the building, you feel something like a magnetism between it and the source of power beyond.

She shoves her revolver back into the holster and messes with the box for a few more seconds. "Shut up, shut up, shut up," she hisses, before becoming aware of the odd tugging sensation between the box and the large device. Giving in to the stress for a moment she rubs a hand over her face and ruffles her hair as she groans. Fairly certain there's no enemies nearby she takes a few breaths to calm herself then murmurs, "Guess I'd better figure out what this thing is," as she approaches the standing device.

(Mental save at +4)

(no idea how to roll that)

(Roll a d20 and add 4 to the result)

(11)

(okay, your save stat is a 12 for mental, so in order to pass we need to meet or exceed that 12. I took a look at your sheet to see if you had anything that might help with this and noticed you didn't pick a level 2 technique for getting precog to level 2 ,so make sure you pick something when you get time to circle back to your sheet) You feel as though the strength is being pulled from your body. There is a connection here between this object, your body, and the battery, and charge is moving to where ti is needed. Heat and light begin to power the building as you feel yourself becoming drained by the device. After a moment you are able to raise your mental walls and find yourself on the floor after a blue aftershock wipes your vision. It returns, and you feel exhausted. The building around you is running, and the box has been unlocked.

Thia stays on the floor, panting lightly as she shifts her eyes around and tries to pull herself together. Her arms shake as she pushes herself up to a seated position and takes a few deep breaths to calm her fears. I never want to experience that again she thinks to herself, her mental voice only a weak murmur. It takes another few minutes before she stands up with hardly any wobble to her knees and walks slowly around the room, as much to reassure herself she's okay as to inspect the changes to the building. Her hand still holds the box though for the moment it's forgotten.

The building is awash in arcane energy that you could not see before. Inside the box it looks like there is a small data disc that can be inserted into a compad. The box is open now, and it has none of the majesty and allure that it did previously. Something about you has changed. You can see magic and possibility in the air where you never used to be able before. You have become charged with the raw stuff of metaspace , the family legacy, revealed at last and somehow captured for release when the time was right by your father. (edited)

Lifting a hand Thia swipes at the arcane energy she sees, watching her movement shift the swirls through the air. Her mind is surprisingly, almost worryingly, calm as she finds a piece of equipment with a relatively flat top to use as a seat. Taking the disc out she tucks the box back into her pocket and retrieves the compad, sliding the disc into place. Maybe I smacked my head and this is a hallucination she thinks, tipping her head to one side and squinting at the visible energy as the compad does its thing.

The disc has a password on it, and your birthday is the numerical combination to unlock it. An audio track starts to play. It is your father's voice, but you can hear the then-more youthfulness in his voice then, unburdened by much of the responsibility it has now. The voice is wavering but it talks about how proud they are of your birth, and about the promise they see in you. The Nightbreeze family has a legacy of working with the arcane, of pushing just beyond the boundaries of the physical universe. This box is the arcane battery which will power your transformation into the next stage of your life as a member of the nightbreeze family. Your father requests you find him, wherever you are, and wherever he is once the box is opened, so he can discuss with you what comes next.

Thia's heart stutters in her chest as her knees buckle and she goes to the floor. Clutching the compad in fingers that have gone numb she feels a shift in her as she views her childhood through a new lens. Her father wasn't ignoring her but instead giving her the freedom to become whoever she wanted to be, away from the pressures he was under. The realization hits her hard and a tightness she'd never noticed before eases in her soul as a tear streaks down her cheek. Sitting near to the door a whisper of a breeze sneaks in from outside, freezing the tear against her cheek and knocking her from her thoughts. She runs a hand over her face and tucks a loose strand of hair back under her hat before standing up. Her hands shake as she puts the compad away and checks the gun in its holster, muttering "I'll call him later," as she sends him a quick message instead. The puzzle box opened but I can't spare the time to talk now, not in a safe area. I'll call soon.

(The age of sail style comms of SWN mean several days are going to pass between the message being sent and a reply coming in , so we'll consider that message to be on the way but he won't be able to reply to you for a while. I know you've been busy IRL lately, when you've got time lemme know and I'll PM you about some cool directions we might be able to take Thia in now)

(That's fine, she's going to finish this mission first anyway. I'm finally around more again so let's see what the options are!)

The settlement outside remains still and frozen despite the psionic release event. The crew of the shuttle that brought you here also did not notice anything as none of them are sensitive to MES. Temperature readings from outside show that with night approaching and the sun beginning to set ,the conditions are getting darker and colder. You will not survive outside of a structure for long even with the proper cold weather gear.

(so either she stays in that building or she returns to the ship?)

(Yep, and if we return to the ship there's no time for wandering, its go go go)

Glancing through the still open door Thia sees the sky growing grayer as night approaches. A small alarm blips from her compad as well and she blows out an annoyed breath. She doesn't want to leave this area with the swirling something in the air so she checks to see if it's possible to close the doors and secure the space a little more against weather and possible intruders.

The doors can be sealed for the night, keeping the warmth in, and anything possibly lurking out there out. There are enough broken spars of wood and metal around where you can brace the doors shut, and enough soft material to press into the gaps to keep the wind from whispering through the building and draining the precious heat is inside.

Stuffing the remains of a blanket into the final holes she nods in satisfaction then returns to the little nook where she's set up a makeshift bed. Settling down she looks at the patterns she sees, trying to make sense of them and what they might be. (Assuming she's still seeing the arcane energy.)

(Yep! still seeing it, and lets get a know magic/int for that)

(10!)

The symbols are written in the language of the Piggen so you do not know what exactly they're saying, but with what you know about magic, you see that this is some kind of arcane battery and you are seeing residual energy, almost like the background radiation that lingers around a fusion reactor. Unlike the example in your mind, this energy does not seem to be dangerous. This was a place where Piggen mages and shamans were working on metaspace harnessing objects and creations, and it looks like this is the only spark of anything resembling life in the entire settlement. The energy battery is in a dormant state, and you get the vague notion that a spark or some kind of motive arcane push is going to be needed to restart the reaction.

Thia chews her lower lip as she thinks, wishing not for the first time that her Talent had shown itself in a flashier, more external way. She sighs and begins to fidget with her ring as she stretches her mind towards the future and asks, What will happen if this battery/machine starts up? (She's using her Precog ability, and does the setup here at all remind her of the Psionic Forge?)

If the machine starts up infrastructure across the city will begin coming online and the worst of the ice will melt. The forge has some similarities to the psionic forge on Saliv, but this looks like an attempt at a Piggen equivalent. You can see several problems with their setup, but some of the parts from it might enhance the one back home.

She weighs the options as her Precog fades away. Starting it up now might give the ice time to melt away before morning, but it could also release things better dealt with in daylight. If I wait until morning, I might draw the attention of those other Piggen towns/camps across the water and they could be hostile. Making her decision to wait she wiggles into her sleeping bag and prays the night is uneventful before closing her eyes.

Nekosmash

used /roll

Nekosmash Request: [d10] Roll: [1] Result: 1

The night is indeed quiet and you awaken the next morning to frost that had quietly spread across the floor and ended just a few meters from you. With the rising of the sun you think that the snow will fade and the building will look closer to how it did when you got here

Thia's eyes go wide as she curses softly. "That was fecking stupid," she scolds herself as she carefully leaves the sleeping bag and packs up her makeshift camp. "Could've frozen to death in your sleep you idiot city slicker." Still blinking the sleep from her eyes she goes back to weighing her options, this time deciding between trying to activate it versus dismantling and taking the useful bits back home. The idea of slogging it all back to the ship is what decides her and she timidly extends a hand to rest on the machinery in an attempt to start it.

(fix.int)

(10 again?! )

There is little of whatever this arcane battery uses as fuel left but you're able to repair what is needed with what you have on hand. There is a large bang, and then a hum not much different from the deck of a starship when the spike drive is in use. The arcane engine beings turning on, spinning up to whatever its low power setting is.

1:11 PM

Lights and heat around the settlement likewise begin clicking on with it, though it likely will take hours to see the full range of changes.

Doing a quick happy shimmy Thia punches a fist in the air. "Feck yes!" she cheers, very pleased with her accomplishment. She leaves the machine as it was, not fussing with any controls, and heads outside with all her cold weather gear on to see what might be worth exploring.

The city has three focial points from what you can tell , the first is a large library, the second is what must be the town hall, and the third is the barracks for the citizen militia that once kept this settlement safe before the big freeze

Rubbing her hands together, more out of habit than a need for warmth, Thia debates between the library and the barracks. No clear choice presents itself so she rummages through her pockets quickly and draws out her mascara tube. "Wand, I got to the library and tube - it's the barracks." Flipping it into the air she steps back to see how it lands. It sticks into the snowy path with the wand facing up and she grins as she pockets it. "Library it is."

Entering the library you are greeted by both light and warmth. The books look to be well preserved. There is a reflective metal sphere on the floor, and it looks as though there is another floor of books above this one. The metal ball in the room comes up to your waist and upon looking at it you can see small writing in Piggen script, and almost no milimeter of the mirror polished surface has been left without an inscription on it. (edited)

Thia pulls her hood back, revealing her blue hair as she takes in the library. "I didn't expect something like this," she murmurs to herself as she moves toward the ball. "I thought their society was pretty basic." She reaches out to touch then stops herself just before making contact, shaking her head at herself. With her hands in her pockets she starts to make a slow path around the main floor, looking for anything that stands out -- a book not fully shelved, something halfway written, etc. -- hampered by the fact she doesn't know Piggen. (edited)

There is a large volume in black leather with gold accents on the second shelf of books, and out of the rest of this orderly library, this is the only thing that could be considered out of place.

Not normally much of a book person Thia notes the difference of this particular volume and heads that way. It may not be something she can read but if it looks useful/important she'll return for it before going back to the ship. Same goes for the other places she reminds herself firmly.

As Thia goes to pull the book there is a clinking sound and the bookcase begins to slide open, revealing a massive laboratory space, complete with every scientific instrument once considered the height of piggen technology. (returning all of this to the IA would bring in a big yield of research points,but we'd need a big ship to take everything, so its worth brinigng up in the server)

Gawking at the revealed equipment Thia wanders in, hands firmly in her pockets as she moves around the space. Most everything is beyond her knowledge but it looks important, and she resolves to let the IA know about what she found. Finishing her wander she exits the lab, looking for a way to close the door behind her.

Replacing the book on the shelf after several minutes of looking for a switch or other mechanism seems to do the trick, and the door seals up tight behind you, keeping the lab safe from the cold outside.

Resisting the urge to smack her forehead over the simple solution Thia drags her hood up again and steps outside, squinting her eyes nearly closed as she heads for the barracks.

The Piggen barracks is one of the largest buildings in this city though it is just as abandoned as everything else. The building is rectangular with crenelations on its roof , along with rifle rests, and you can see the entire building has been heavily reinforced. It reminds you of a miniature castle, with broad steps leading up to a broken front door. There is evidence of fighting here, as it looks like there was some kind of demonstration outside the building. Piggen skeletons and more well preserved Piggen bodies litter the ground and steps outside of this large structure, as it looks like the protest was fired upon ,and then reacted violently. "Equality for Non-Mage!" one of the fallen signs still reads in both Piggen and in Mandate common.

Thia curses and walks carefully around the fallen bodies, glancing at the signs with curiosity as she moves up to the door and maneuvers inside. Mages were supreme here? she wonders to herself as she looks around inside, one eye in panspectral and the other in regular vision.

The citizens won the fight outside once things became violent. There is evidence of hastily made barricades of furnishings in the hallways, all smashed with skeletons around them now. Following the trail of destruction you can see the destination of the locals was the armory, which was forced open and was picked clean. There are no weapons on any of the dead here, indicating survivors must have picked them up and taken them to wherever the violence spilled after. Several more signs and icons show the locals were upset with the mages and their seemingly oppressive upper class ways here.

Wiping away tears from her eyes quickly she gives a small sniffle and tries to pull herself together as she sees all the bodies. "This is just awful," she whispers as she leaves the barracks and heads to the last building. "So many lives wasted."

(thia would probably have access to this since its been a few month since the south expeditions began, but there were widepsread revolutions across many of the Piggen worlds as the magic classes were being oppressive, treating the non magic users like a slave caste)

9:33 AM

(so on this world, there are Piggen survivors far from here in smaller settlements, but it looks like this place experienced something of a violent revolution before the surviving population scattered)

(So probably best to not show mage skills if she encounters any Piggen... Good thing hers are subtle!) Walking toward the town hall she hunches deeper into her warm clothes and grumbles about the cold.

The town hall is a three layered building that gets smaller as it gets taller. The ground floor is a sweeping left and right wing, with offices, a gym, a waiting room for those coming in for appointments, and there are stairs leading up to more rooms. You cannot see the details of them from the ground floor. Additionally, whatever wave of violence hit the city, it did not come to the town hall.

Moving with caution and curiosity Thia moves through the ground floor of the building quickly with only cursory glances into the offices then works her way up with the same procedure. If anything catches her interest she'll investigate further but she's not expecting to see much. (Sorry I've been gone for so long, been dealing with stuff.)

(I figured, all is well)

8:58 AM

(here is some information Thia would have access to now that was uncovered while you were doing irl things)

8:58 AM

Downfall of the Piggen Empire, A Synopsis: Circa 2650 - The idea of a trans-Piggen existence starts to bear fruit within the higher echelons of Piggen mages and scholars. Circa 2655 - Work begins on the Rubicon. A device that will allow Piggen with strong MES abilities to transcend their physical existence for one within Metaspace and the leylines (the Metaspace highway for lack of a better way to describe it). The Rubicon will require the sacrifice of non-MES Piggen to energize the device and maintain the stability of the leylines through this process 2656 - The horrible truth of the Rubicon begins to be leaked to the public. Piggen Mages and Shamans create the rumor of the virus affecting the core worlds. A brutal campaign to suppress information is undertaken. Travel to and from the core worlds are heavily restricted. Early 2664 - Unrest in Piggen settlements begin to get to a fever pitch. There are active displays of civil disobedience against the ruling mageocracy Late 2664 - The mages at the Rubicon housing fear an armed uprising. Even though the Rubicon is not completely finished or ready, the mages ignite the Rubicon anyway. An untold number of Piggen are transported to the Leyline and Metaspace. Most Piggen do not survive as only the strongest psychics and practitioners of magic are able to survive the process. June, 2670 - Reza and Truffles finally arrive at the Piggen homeworld. After investigating the Rubicon housing there was a terrible accident that caused the collapse of the entire structure. Dr Truffles and the rest of the expedition team are lost in the collapse

(That's... wow. She isn't at the home world, is she?)

(No she’s not. Very far from it. This is just context to what you’ve seen here so far h

Growing somber as the implications of everything set in, Thia wanders out of the building and takes a deep breath of the bitingly cold air to clear her thoughts. It may be time to go towards the settlements she thinks, trying to recall how distant the southern one was from the ruins.

(the shuttle would have to take you there ,which it can do .Each hex is about 200km so crossing even one would be about five days on foot)

(Definitely not trying that on foot, let's go the shuttle route)

(okay! d10 for the conditions in our landing zone and we'll be off!)

(8)

The landing zone is a quiet ice plains just outside the city. There is a piggen village on a small hill a kilometer from here overlooking the plains and on the lookout for foes, hazards and grazing animals. The settlement has simple walls around it made from hewn logs and ice blocks (edited)

Rubbing her hands together to warm them Thia steps off the ship in winter gear, her handgun holstered on her thigh as usual. She leaves the strap in place, hoping it comes across as friendly-ish as she begins to trek towards the village, wisps of blue hair blowing in the chill wind.

As you approach the village two Piggen sentries with long spears begin to emerge from the settlement, slowly approaching you. Their spears are held high, and are not approaching with what looks to be hostile intent

Nerves dancing across her mind Thia stops a respectful distance away and offers a nod of acknowledgement. "My name is Thia, I travel peacefully on behalf of the Inheritor Alliance," she begins, looking to see if there's any comprehension of the faces of the Piggen.

(If you don't speak Piggen we can assume Thia took a translator torc from the ship's locker, ) The Piggen do not know anything about the Inheritor Alliance .There is no recognition there, and there is none for your name either. You have approached in a friendly manner and their weapons remain steadied for the moment, not ready for use. "You come here. Why you come here. What do you need?"

Stymied for a moment Thia furrows her brow then chooses her words carefully, speaking as simply and truthfully as her knowledge of the situation allows. "I don't come to you with a need. There are many peoples among the stars and I offer connection." Feeling woefully inadequate for this job she catches her shoulder slumping and pushes them back, telling herself firmly 'You're a Nightbreeze, get it together'.

"People..." he says as though chewing the word and deciding how it tastes. "Piggen too?"

"Yes, the Piggen homeworld is known to us and there are Piggen on many other planets," she confirms, wracking her brain to try to recall any further information about her mission here or the Piggen presence on other worlds.

(know/int)

11:01 AM

(I'll link you a few WA articles if successful)

(7)

You were sent here to make contact with the locals and explore the planet. The Alliance is looking to expand and does not want to do so to worlds where the population resents or might even rebel against their presence. The Piggen especially have had several poor relationships with governing bodies both of their own species, and others, and are a species known to be slow to trust though you have a friend for life once you prove yourself worthy. The Piggen here on the frontier, so far from their indenture to the mages and shamans of their homeworld Urate have a special distrust for magic, and those seeking to use it as a means of authority over others. These Piggen live in the practical.

"I know the Piggen have had many issues with government, and with mages using their powers wrongly. We offer a chance to be part of something new, an Alliance where members help each other. The Scream fractured our worlds and our systems so we're rebuilding... together."

"We would like to see..this empire" one of them says, thinking and speaking slowly so the translator torc has time to work. The Piggen you are speaking with seems to have intuited its purpose without being told what it is for. "Would you take a delegation to your home?"

"I believe our ship could take your delegation," she replies, gesturing into the distance where the shuttle that brought her sits. "If you decide against joining us we will return you here without harm, as rapidly as we can. We wish only to provide opportunity, and not to exercise control."

The Piggen are interested in this, and have chosen three of their own to accompany you. One is elderly, one would be considered an adult , and the third is the Piggen equivalent of a teenager. They have a few days of traveling supplies on them, unsure of what they will need for a journey across the stars.

Thia is equally unsure but trusts that there's others aboard who are much more prepared than her. This entire trip has been so different from anticipated but she's deeply glad that there was no battle to be fought. Tucking her hair into her hood she gestures the Piggens to come along with her and begins the trek back to the ship, her thoughts a million miles away. She's so much not the woman she was before joining the Inheritors Alliance, and then add in the unlocking of her puzzle box and what that kicked off? This new Thia has much to think about and decide in regards to her future.

(3xp, 5000 credits. We have three days of downtime back to Saliv where the Piggen can be shown around. This doesn't need to be done by you if you had interest in missions elsewhere doing other things)

(I'm gonna PM you.)