Full party again, and I'd decided to go with Discord from the start. However, we had a fair bit of trouble getting Andy's feed to a level that the rest of us could hear it (which involved lots of fiddling within Discord's settings). However we got there!
Rest of the tech was as previous sessions (Roll20 on Chrome, Discord, Audio Hijack to intercept the feeds, and tabletoprecorder.com to process into a transcript and summarise. What was intriguing this time was that tabletoprecorder.com went meta and started to do a lot of commentary on what I was doing and how the players were working together. It also accurately called out when we had asides and side discussions. All very good, but not really what I wanted in the final summaries!
We did do introductions at the start of the recording (who you are and what character) which seems to help in the accuracy of the material that followed.
Characters.
Saul Emzer (Graham) - the only professional bounty hunter in the group, a guild member well aware of his own shortcomings. Saul knows his aptitude is the down and dirty part of the missions. He isn't the brains, and he certainly can't fly a ship, but when the trouble goes down, he's a man of action, and of stealth when needed. Saul has brought the rest of the team together to support him and fill out the skill gaps. He doesn't like to think of himself as the leader, but he's the one with the official guild membership. He's made some big scores in the past.
Gibert Chang (Andy) - hailing from the Meriden system's Harmony habitat, the home of an obscure religious sect, Gilbert sought freedom by joining the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service. He grew up with good understanding of space construction and has supplemented this with a wide range of technical skills, becoming a professional spacer. He describes himself as the potential getaway driver, but is officially the ship's engineer, and he comes with a broad (but not deep) range of experience and a well-used but cared for vacuum suit called Nadia.
Arturo "Lucky" Javed (Paul) - Lucky's life has been a lot of ups and downs, probably more of the latter than the former. He aspired to be an intelligent agent but was kicked out of that career early on following a serious injury. He then took to a life of petty crime, struggling to make do and stay out of trouble. Eventually, a role came up on a Merchant vessel, but he kept his hand in with the underworld to try and make some money on the side. He knows Gil of old following a job that went sideways. Lucky is the one who is likely to make contact with any criminal elements that the group may need to deal with.
Pen Gata (Neil) - has spent his life in space, with a broad range of spacer skills that means he's the pilot and astrogator. Once again, he's a broad specialist rather than a deep expert. (The character was built with package generation so has a less developed life path).
The Jägermeister - a 100dT Jump-2 streamlined courier capable of 6G thrust, the ship is also their home and Assured Courier's GmbH's main asset. The crew mostly live aboard, as it's a lot more pleasant than the desert world of Ikeran where they're officially based (and have a rented office). The ship is usually located in one of the downport's long-term parkways. She's armed with a single triple turret with beam lasers and a missile rack.
Session notes.
This was another session where we lost track of the time and went beyond the usual cut off point. Oops.
It was also a session where the players decided that their characters would take a chance to get ahead of the curve, and completely threw the timeline in the campaign off kilter. However, I do have the overall plot timeline, and I can fill in around that, so I wasn't unduly worried except they jumped far ahead of the material I'd uploaded into the VTT. There was a quiet mad scramble in the background as I added Minerva's system world maps into Roll20 during the mid-game tea break.
The plot assumes Valkos > Another location > Minerva, but they're now probably two to three weeks ahead of where they're meant to be with some key information missing.
Summary of the Session (lightly edited LLM synthesis of the transcript).
In a spirited session of their tabletop RPG campaign, our valiant players, convened by the keen Dom, delved deep into their spacefaring adventure. Dom began by swiftly summarizing the thrilling escapades from their last encounter, allowing for the group to sink back into the perilous universe they had left behind weeks ago. Their journey had taken them to the Valkos system, a war-tattered red zone that bristled with danger at every turn. After a challenging and evasive voyage, our adventurers, led by the crafty Graham playing Saul Emser, Paul embodying the sharp-minded Arturo 'Lucky' Javed, Neil controlling the nimble Pen Gata, and Andy as Gilbert Chang, the fugitive ex-scout, managed to land their damaged vessel on a discreet beach on Valkost.
As Dom wove the tale of their intricate interactions and techno-savvy maneuvers round the Valkos system, he revealed the interactive exchanges and role-playing nuances that filled the game with vitality. The adventurers, having reconsidered their initial plan to refuel at the outer gas giant Tulip, decided to instead gather supplies from Valkos itself. The stakes were high as they navigated around interdiction satellites and missile threats, finally making their cautious descent to the surface and proceeding to a hidden bunker within a military underground monorail system.
Inside, unexpected camaraderie was formed with locals, through trade and tactical restraint, involving Gilbert leveraging his hydroponic skills to garner goodwill. Dom detailed how the crew's ground operations involved digging into the lore of this bunker, gradually understanding its pivotal role as a makeshift harbor and its importance to the survivors—a sanctuary amidst the devastation, their new-found allies trusting them with secrets of navigating safely past automated defenses and hidden perils like minefields and stalker bots.
Collectively, as the scenario unfolded, each player had their moment, unraveling the mysteries, sharing technological expertise, security tactics, and diplomatic gestures to gain trust and gather intelligence. External technicalities like audio issues and character discrepancies popped up, momentarily pulling them out of their immersive trance, only to dive back with vigour, clarifying role specifics, and ensuring each character’s actions and strategies were aligned, comprehensively impacting their shared narrative. Thus, this session carved yet another chapter in their ongoing cosmic saga, combining strategic planning with spontaneous decision-making, ensuring that every step forward was a measured one, amidst the ethereal backdrop of beleaguered Valkos.
As Gilbert and Arturo settled to spend the night, contributing to the local defences and infrastructure, Saul, through social engagements, dug deeper into the collective psyche of the bunker's inhabitants, distilling courage and communal bravado in the face of adversity—a narrative thread rich with potential for future exploits. As the twilight descended on Valkos, Dom updated the group on the latest developments concerning the intelligent, moderately fearsome bots that Saul and his comrades might encounter. These bots, originally acquired from the Solomani Confederation, were a testament to the ongoing arms race, possessing formidable weaponry and defences akin to combat armour. Saul, portrayed by Graham, weighed the potential threat these bots represented, considering his impressive arsenal should conflict arise.
Continuing their strategy session, the party faced an unexpected complication when Pen, controlled by Neil, failed to make an effective electronic sensors roll, leading to an unnoticed spacecraft flying overhead during the night.
The next morning, with a blinking sensor alert about the past presence of a spacecraft, the crew speculated on the possibilities, considering whether it was a mere pass-through or a more serious engagement, such as a clandestine meeting. The conversation shifted toward preparing for potential confrontations and re-evaluating their goals on Valkos.
As the crew checked their gear and contemplated future moves, they explored the idea of leaving the planet to pursue the newly-detected spacecraft. Saul, after equipping himself with an advanced combat rifle and debating between his vacc suit and a lightweight polycarapace armour, decided to stick with the vacc suit for radiation protection. Meanwhile, discussions about their ship's capacity and the strategic implications of chasing the suspicious spacecraft into orbit unfolded, reflecting a mix of caution and the need for decisive action. As the group prepared for a possible confrontation in space, the narrative revealed tensions and uncertainties about the best course of action. They debated the merits of chasing the spacecraft against staying and further investigating on Valkos.
Dom, leading the story, reminded the players of potential threats from defence systems and the challenging decisions they faced in this unpredictable, war-torn environment. Together, Gilbert, Saul, Arturo, and Pen strategised their next moves, reflecting on their combat readiness, the intelligence gathered, and the broader implications of their decisions. The destiny of their mission on Valkos and the mysteries of the stealthy spacecraft loomed large, setting the stage for their next actions in this interstellar adventure.
In the intricate universe of the RPG campaign overseen by Dom, the crew aboard their ship had a tactical discussion about their next move following an unexpected encounter with another spacecraft. Saul, portrayed by Graham, decided that disguising their ship as space debris was a clever way to move unnoticed. This idea quickly escalated into a plan to jump to the Minerva system, a suggestion welcomed by Gilbert and Archero.
As the crew fine-tuned their jump strategy, emphasizing the unpredictability of jump durations, discussions ranged from technical calculations to ensure their precise arrival at Minerva to handling ship functions such as checking the ship's low berths for any issues. These checks were vital, considering one of the low berths housed the body of Edric Voss and hadn't been examined for days.
While technical details and gear checks continued, Dom, ever attentive, guided them through the process. Pen Gata highlighted the engineers' and navigators' critical roles in initiating the jump, underscoring the collaborative efforts required, which didn't necessarily spotlight the pilot's skills in this particular operation. The crew's dialogue also veered into the logistics of publishing and technical standards, discussing upcoming electronic editions of their campaign materials, revealing the entwining of their game world with real-world publishing intricacies.
Once decisions were finalized, and the ship prepped, they successfully made the jump to the Minerva system. Upon arrival, they swiftly checked their ship systems and strategised their next steps, considering potential confrontations and the strategic importance of arriving earlier or on time compared to their unidentified adversaries.
This narrative stretch captures a blend of tactical decision-making, technical challenges, and light-hearted camaraderie, reflecting the depth and enjoyment of their ongoing spacefaring adventure. In this lively session, the characters and Dom, the referee, navigated a complex web of strategies as they grappled with the political and social intricacies of the Valkosi government in exile, and the repercussions of their actions on Valkos. Saul and Gilbert, having contacted Minerva Highport, managed to obtain crucial intelligence through monitoring channels and uncovered that the Valkosi government, while in exile, was not only seeking sympathy but also manipulating citizenship rights tied to sovereign wealth. This dynamic was further complicated by the division between the southern and northern Valkosi citizens, creating a subtle yet significant political divide discussed by Gilbert.
As they debated their next steps, the adventurers contemplated whether to inform anyone about the interdiction zone where their quarry fled. They realized that their position was delicate, lacking concrete evidence and complicated by their presence in the restricted zone. They deliberated the nuances of imperial law, seeking flexibility within their license to pursue their quarry into interdicted areas, a risky but potentially necessary move.
The group also wrestled with legal and moral consequences of their choices, weighing whether to fabricate evidence or to substantiate their claims with whatever little they had. Saul suggested they might have leeway due to following an Imperial Bounty Warrant, but the lack of hard evidence troubled them. Discussions also veered into potential responses from authorities; would they be thanked or arrested—or perhaps both?
As they prepared to communicate with system defense authorities, the nuances of dueling cultures on different planets offered a curious diversion, revealing a society where your social standing could dictate your right to wear a sword, and disputes were settled with duels to first blood. Amid legal concerns and elaborate strategizing, the adventurers planned how to present their findings to the system defense, carefully navigating the risky waters of their recent actions and their implications.
They decided to potentially withhold certain pieces of incriminating information to maintain their standing and avoid direct blame for the chaos left in their wake. Saul's ability to persuade was deemed crucial in their upcoming communications, intending to piece together a narrative that could pass scrutiny without exposing them to retaliation or disbelief.
The session wrapped up with a cliffhanger, leaving the characters at a critical juncture in their mission, needing to refuel their ship and decide their next moves amidst the looming threat of aggressive space encounters and the heavy cost of their ship repairs. T
he RPG session was rich with tactical decision-making, legal quandaries, and interpersonal dynamics, crafted masterfully by Dom and enacted with keen engagement by the players. As the adventurers weighed their options amidst the complex backdrop of interstellar politics and looming financial burdens, the conversation took a practical turn, emphasising the harsh realities of space travel and conflict. Gilbert expressed relief and acknowledgment, capping off the strategic discourse. Saul firmly opposed any further engagement in starship combat, reflecting on the unanimous sentiment within the group about avoiding such high-risk entanglements. Neil, embodying Pen Gata, humorously remarked on their possibly ill-advised venture into an interdicted system, something they had already entangled themselves with and thus could only acknowledge wryly.
Dom reiterated the substantial risks associated, including a staggering repair cost for their ship that escalated to Cr900,000, merely for parts, not counting the skilled labor in dockyards. He also laid bare the strategic calculations about Edric Voss, the need to maximize financial gain from the situation, and the complexities of their journey possibly being compounded by the Hirondelle's uncertain jump to the Minerva system, suggesting a misjump as a plausible scenario, which he whimsically dubbed "a known possible."
This mix of financial prudence, strategic retreat, and the constant gamble with unknown variables in space navigation led to a consensus to avoid further risks at Valkos, consider scrapping the ship, and perhaps seeking employment elsewhere—an echo of realism in the unforgiving vastness of space they navigate.
Summary: The party was landed on Valkos at the start of the session and in negotiations with a local survivor enclave. They traded skills and equipment for equipment and guidance, and spent the evening enjoying a meal and making new friends, especially with Nils and his daughter Hilaria, who would be guiding them. All of them managed to gather useful information that would definitely help them when crossing the ruined city of Naggeth to the facility they needed to access.
All of them except Pen stayed at the settlement overnight, but Pen preferred to get back to the ship and start the refuelling processes. Tired, after the food and then getting the hoses out and the fuelling underway, Pen missed the alarm when a ship was detected going overhead. The next morning brought the details that it was definitely a vessel in the same size range as the Hirondelle and that it seemed to have been hit by the system defences as it was heading into orbit. Intial investigations suggested that it was going for jump, but the only way to be certain would be to head to orbit.
A quick decision was taken to take the Jägermeister into orbit and see what had happened with the ship, as this was a chance to get the rest of the money promised for their bounty with the missing information that was almost certainly on the vessel. They told the settlers that they may be back, in which case they would want support crossing the city, but may have to pursue their target. Between the team, they managed a safe orbital insertion and tracked the path of the missing ship. It had run for the 100 diameter limit and the evidence suggested that it had jumped. Some complicated maths later, and the astrogation suggested that the vessel had jumped to Meriden or Minerva. As they knew that Minerva was the likely the target for an attack with weapons of mass destruction likely recovered from the base in Valkos (they suspected nukes), they jumped for the capital of the cluster.
Arriving at Minerva, it soon became clear that the Hirondelle hadn't arrived. They opened comms with the highport and loitered in orbit watching their sensor traces for another thirty hours, pretty much the latest likely jump emergence for their target from when it departed. Hirondelle didn't show, so they had come to a likely dead end.
They did spend their time constructively, gaining understanding that the Valkosi government-in-exile was established here, funding new lives for its people with its sovereign wealth fund. It was a government dominated by the Northers, who had won a pyrrhic victory in the war. The Souther refugees were mostly on other planets, unsupported and unwanted by the Northers. They identified where the refugees where located and discovered many were now Minervan citizens, and probably happy with the status quo. There was talk of terraforming and recovering Valkos, but nothing concrete.
Having docked at the high port to refuel, they also got an estimate for repairs - the spare parts along would cost close to a million credits, and using the starport labour would raise that even higher. They could probably recover enough spare parts from the Valkos orbital debris belt for free, but that would put them at risk of being attacked again. They were facing a significant loss, even if they managed to get the information and additional bounties for Voss.
They declined to hand Voss over initially, and although they tried to warn the authorities of the plot, it wasn't treated credibly because they had to remove so much from their information (like, for example, entering an interdicted system) and because they had no details of what Voss' team was planning.
We broke then, with the team working out what to do next.
25 October 2025
