Terracide Campaing: Death don't lurk in shadows, it lurks in the alien minds (Session report)

[Theros]

This is part 1 from first gaming session.

 

We started our first Terracide campaign. Brave adventurers were travelling from Complex to Marathon Free Station. Earlier PCs did lose their own ship, Sarah's Tears in mystery attack which destroyed their ship totally. Attacker was unseen and un recognized. That is why PCs have to use public transportation at this point.

 

They used passenger cargo spaceship, which was capable of FTL 3.0. Galaxyfarer, is fine ship. It is 46 meters long, in three floors. Two floors are for passengers and one floor is cargo bay.

 

Heroes, like they sarcastically call themselves, were bit bored during their trip. Two weeks in spaceships is rather boring, even they used Augmented Reality Interface to play games, read books and chat with each other. Three days before arriving to station, two of them heard some people speakign outside of their sleeping boxes.

Those person did speak about pilot change (there is always atleast one pilot monitoring ship, even it uses autopilot during the longer journeys).

What heroes heard?

 

A: "- Do you know that, did the pilots change monitoring shift already?"

B: "- I am not sure, we should go to check it. Lets do that now, before other passengers will wake up."

A: "- Ask Dargo, to join us. You and Dargo will stay watching outside the cockpit. Don't let anyone come inside, use the necessare force."

B: "- Lets meet outside of the cockpit, after three minutes."

A: "-Ok"

 

Then those persons left. Heroes did hear how those persons used elevator to get from third floor (where passengers sleep and spend time) to second floor. Heroes knew that they did not have weapons, only two of them did have Stiletto. Weapons were down in the cargo bay, where they don't have access. Only Security personnels on this flight did have key to there. Heroes thought that those persons are passengers. Most of the passengers were familiar to heroes, as they did travel with others for two weeks now. Heroes did check all sleeping boxes, but all the passengers were there. Only place where heroes did not have access was staff sleeping boxes and relaxing area. Heroes used elevator to get to downstairs. They started to walk towards cockpit. They noticed that two security personnels were standing at both sides of the door that went to cockpit.

 

Heroes approached security personnels and asked why suddenly those were guarding the cockpit door. That was not usual procedure, as there were only one security personnel awake at one time. They were working in three shifts.

Heroes asked few questions, but answers were not that polite. Suddenly one of the heroes, who is trained Spec Ops soldier, grabbed from security personnels throat and did hit his head to wall behind. Small crack did hear from neck, but security personnel still managed to stay in conscious. That was surprise for all. Luckily all other heroes realized what was happening and one of the heroes did grab the other security personnel to his bear hug...Ursa genome have it good points. Big guy with 150 kilograms and 220 cm, can easily grab arms of 170cm security personnel. Third person, Agent of TGO, grabbed the stun gun from security personnel.

 

When Heroes were struggling with the security personnels, they heard someone speaking in central speakers. Person demanded Heroes to release his fellows and then return back to the third floor. Heroes decided stop that madness. They Threatened one security personnel to open cockpit door, which could be opened using five digit code. They strenghtened their demand with stun gun and couple of punches. Other security personnel tried to brake free from grab, he almost succeed but TGO agent did hit him pretty hard using martial arts strike. That personnel died.

 

Heroes managed to get into cockpit and they used stun gun to shoot the last security personnel. They noticed that pilot was unconcious and they need to wake him up. One Hero with paramedical training started to help pilot and others questioned last security personnel which was still concious. They searched him through to find possible bombs. They found only some small circle metal from his chest. It was pulsing at the same time with persons heartbeat. They questioned person more and he started only to laugh madly.

 

At that point heroes realized...that one security personnel, who accidentally was killed two minutes ago, is dead like a rock. They run to that person, tried to revive him, but no success. Then they asked from shuttle staff that is there any medical deck or something to keep person alive. There was one movable coffin like emergency treatment module. They moved dead security personnel there, and with all the equipment they were lucky enough to revive guy. They sealed coffin and asked pilot to slow down speed of the shuttle. They dressed up terrorists with space suits, opened air lock and sent two terrorists to float into the space with spacesuits.

 

They left one person, in coffin to be transported into the TGO office in Marathon Free Station. Rest of the journey went in nervous atmosphere. Other passengers were kind of hysteric because of terrorist strike attempt...heroes just suspected everybody in the plane.

 

They got to station on time. At that station their target was to take contact to Rhylla Vellis, special agent of TGO. He did have job to do for heroes...he needed their help into the undercover mission.

 

[Xavier Onassiss]

Thanks for posting this; it was highly entertaining. Sounds a little bit like my campaign: the PCs always had the same back-up plan. When in doubt, take over the ship!

[Theros]

I will post the second part from first gaming night tomorrow...that was only first 3 hours.

[Theros]

Part 2 from first session...

 

When Heroes arrived to Marathon Free Station they rented transportation to take Emergency Medical Care unit to TGO office. Rhylla Vellis was expecting Heroes to arrive. At first he wondered why PCs brought that person to his office, but after explanation from trip, he understood and ordered his men to take EMC unit to backroom...they should investigate all possible clues about missing and destroyed ships.

 

He told for PCs that they should go to hotel (where they have room) and then start to look for person called Jason Donovan. Jason was suspected from piracy and he might have some clues about missing ships. Heroes got the picture of Jason, but Vellis asked to keep possible searching in secret. They should also bring Jason to TGO office as soon as possible. Jason should be able to speak and in relatively good condition. PCs started to look for person, they asked around the station. Results were not that good.

 

They also find out that there is a bar called "Blind Spot", but location of that bar was kept in secret. PCs went around in different restaurants asking questions, suddenly one of the got an idea. If they ask to buy drugs bigger amounts, maybe someone will take them to Blind Spot or in the best case they will meet Jason.

 

At this point they thought that Jason is drug dealer and me as GM, I did not have any clue why they thought so.

 

They met couple of young guys in bar, asked about the drugs. One of the PCs bought drug called The Ape's Rage. Drug was high addicting, gives "good trip", but it also brings up users tendency to aggressive behaviour. After testing drug (which did cost 15 credits to try), they decided to ask much bigger amount. 100 metric tons to be delivered for their "army". Those younger guys told for PCs to come to restaurant at tomorrow, 07:00 pm and meet the right person for dealing bigger amounts of drugs. PCs agreed.

 

At next day PCs went to bar to meet guy, there were same younger guys and also one additional person. Person did wear sunglasses, he was wearing long reinforced coat. He asked about PCs intentions, do they have money and also about deliveries. Price was 1.6B credits. Heroes agreed with that price. They also lied extremely well that they owned private army and one of the heroes was son of Istar General who was buying drugs for their soldiers.

 

As GM I still wonder how PCs came to this situation.

 

Man asked PCs to come to at tomorrow here, show 500.000.000 credit for him. He did have chip reader to check that they really did have that amount of money. PCs agreed, but at this point they did not have any clue where to get that amount of money. Those guys left from the bar and PCs few minutes after them. Heroes decided to ask from Vellis to loan them money. Vellis said that he did not have that much, but he adviced PCs to find uncoded chip. One of his fellows could code chip so that is shows around 500 000 000 credits, but it is not real money. They don't link it to bank account, it is just chip which shows right amount of money. PCs agree and they went to look for chip from black market. After several hours of searching they found the chip and got it coded in TGO office.

 

Then they went to meet Drug dealer (which was not Jason). Drug dealer did check the chip and agreed with PCs. He asked PCs to join him that he can show his drugs for them. They went to Warrens...far from mapped areas of asteroid and heroes eyes was covered to prevent them seeing where the exact location was. Drug dealer did have two body guards with him.

 

When heroes arrived to right cave, they saw ten big coffin like storage holders. Those holders were radiation, weather and vacuum protected. Drug dealer said that there are exactly 100 metric tons of drugs. That drug in the coffins is 5 times stronger than normal, so PCs should cut it before giving it for their soldiers. At this point drug dealer asked also that why PC, who was supposed to be body guard, asked all the questions and the person who was paying the drugs did not ask anything.

 

PCs forgot their roles during playing and I decided to use it against them

 

At this point one of the PCs, who handled the speaking most of the time, rised his sub machine gun and shooted drug dealer + his bodyguards. With amazing luck, he did hit all of them by one burts and also did hit so hard that those died.

 

After this Heroes cleaned the cave and decided to get away from there. One of the PCs did use navigational skills to get rough idea from their location when dealer covered their eyes and brought here. After few hours of wondering PCs did find out from the cave. They were so excited that did have 100 metric tons of drugs. They even took two kilograms of drugs to be tested. They already planned how they will use 1.6 billion credits...

 

They took sample to TGO office and reported that they did not find Jason yet and they will continue their searching. After two days they find out the place of Blind Spot and decided to go to there to look for Jason.

When they were walking to Blind Spot, they were ambushed. Three street thugs with knives stepped from the shadows and told for PCs to go back and never return. People in here don't like that PCs ask questions and they have messed up with wrong people. PCs were overconfident at this point, as they thought that three street thugs are not going to take them down. After few insult, one of the PCs did hear sound which comes when two shotguns have been reloaded. He looked to direction where did came. He noticed that there were two more street thugs with shotguns, and those were aiming PCs.

 

After short arguing heroes decided to attack. After 12 seconds, street thugs were down and PCs did get only few scratches. They noticed from their Augmented Reality Network that local law reinforcement was coming and they decided to go to Blind Spot to hide. They got Blind Spot, after evading law enforcement personnel.

 

Almost immediately they noticed that Jason was sitting in Blind Spot. PCs made The Plan...usually this is the point where things will go terrible wrong. They looked at Jason and noted what he was drinking. Jason was drinking Fluorescent drink, which was blue. Drink was made form moss, which was brought from distant planet. Drink was sweet in taste. PCs bought few ecstacy like pills from bartender (after several negotiation rolls). They bought similar drink that Jason was drinking, they put five pills to drink. After that their idea was to charm one of the ladies that were handling Jason's drink orders and change glasses. Actually Field Agent, who is very charming guy seduced one of the ladies and with good dexterity he did change those glasses.

 

After that heroes waited that Jason wants to go to toilet, as he will get sick from overdose. That happened after 20 minutes and Jason decided to go to toilet. Two of his three body guards came with him. PCs went to toilet little bit before Jason and they were expecting him. One of the guards went to help Jason to toilet and one was standing near the door. PCs grabbed guard from behind and choke him to unconscious. Other guard noticeed that and went to toilet to cover Jason. After short fight PCs got the other guard unconscious too. PCs did shoot few times and at that point doorman of Blind Spot started to take customers out of the bar. PCs were stuck in toilet as third guard alarmed backups. There total of four bodyguards aiming to door with their Laser rifles.

 

At this point I decided to give players to roll luck roll if they use all their HAPs. Players did succeed in roll.

 

Suddenly they heard some shouts outside of the toilet and heard familiar voice. Vellis did come to help them. Vellis brought few agents to place to clean up the mess and clear all the security records...that was the end of the first gaming sessions.

 

Next time PCs will need to investigate Jason's apartment and decide what to do with information that they find out.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Awesome recap.

 

I especially enjoyed your comments in italics; they sound similar to thoughts I have when running a game, only with less profanity.

 

One thing I should make note of: this is the first group of PCs I have seen to give up the location of the Blind Spot. Most groups consider the location of an off-grid bar unknown to the authorities to be an asset they can use in the future. And they've used it very well, in my experience. Your PCs, on the other hand, have lead the head of Special Projects directly to the place.

 

That's likely to have some... interesting reprecussions.