Flowers of Algorab - Episode 18 - Final Preparations

Back on the road for this session, this time at a Travelodge. The WiFi was okay, but too slow for uploading the audio file at the end of the session so this is a little later than I planned. I also had weird technical issue with Audio Hijack, which is usually rock solid. 

Audio Hijack is the application that allows you to do clever things for audio recording; whenever I've had issues before, it's been caused by me rather than the application (for example, when I missed that the Role VTT had a different set of of audio settings which were meaning that the audio on the recording was going somewhere different to the way the system was set up). This time was a bit different. Although I could see a list of the various sessions that I have created (sessions are a combination of audio blocks like those shown below), I couldn't actually open the session window. I just got the macOS beachball of doom. I ended up reinstalling the application, but that didn't resolve it. Ultimately, it was possible to run the recorder from the session list. Now I'm home, it seems to be working fine (although there was a spinning beachball delay initially until the session window opened). Hopefully, it will be fine next session. 

I found prep for this session really hard, as it was pulling together across the Gahand system descriptions in both the Campaign (GM) and Expedition (Player) books. I had to be ready for supporting the preparation phase, running a slipstream journey, encounters in Gahand and then potentially reaching the adventure. It was a lot to get into my head, and I ended up generating a set of summaries. Hopefully, I will get the time to re-read them all again this weekend.

I think it wasn't helped by the fact that we'd had a restructuring announcement at work earlier in the day, and although I was fortunate enough not to be directly affected, I was supporting others who were.

The session itself ended up dedicated to planning again. This was probably the best thing that could happen; the preparation for the expedition is critical and once the characters are committed, they will be spending nearly a year travelling, much of that far away from any replenishment. We'd only had three players for the previous planning session, and Graham admitted that he was losing sight of the big picture. We solved this to some degree by taking these blog entries (now some 28,000 words) and summarising them in Gemini Notebook. Hopefully, a more regular player-led log will avoid losing this focus again. I need to check in with Simon as he's the only team member who hasn't been part of the planning work.

Graham recently made a post where he observed this campaign could be a long one. Having reflected, I do think he is right. I'd originally thought we'd get it done in perhaps 25 evening sessions (based on two four hour sessions for each scenario, and an extra four hours for the taster Sky Machine adventure). Now, each of our sessions runs for about 2 hours, maybe two and a half hours maximum. We also have a bunch of great role-players who enjoy character interaction, so we aren't meeting the rate that I originally estimated. I'm not certain how much longer this will take, but we will run long. I guess this is a conversation that I need to have with everyone. I'm comfortable if it does, but will need to work out what I do about Singularity for Traveller, which I was planning to run next.

As an aside, I have left in some of the 'at table' commentary that Tabletop Recorder generates this session as it shows a side of the tool I don't usually show.

Hattie and the Hats?

 

Our Crew

• Arda Qamar, a Guild Surveyor and Traveller who came from the Far Colonies from a Mining Combine operation. She’s the bird handler and Scout for the team. (Played by Hattie).
• Meristo Koulas, an Esoteric Coriolite Seer who grew up in the Fog of the Haze, and has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Paul).
• Lieto Miesma, a Scholar specialised in Builder Archeology who came from deep inside the Factory City of the Turbine Halls, with a background in the Machinist's Guild. (Played by Graham)
• Fassour Faradi, a roughneck deep miner who also came from somewhere the eternal fog of the Haze, and - like Merits - has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Simon)
• Rashid al-Masri, a scoundrel Hull Cutter who came from among the hulks and wrecks of Hull Town, and has connections to the Gardener's Guild. (Played by Andy).
• Corvus the Bird, a specter; cobalt blue, with a long beak, always observing. Usually handled by Arda.

The New Seekers (Corvus, Arda, Meristo, Fassour, Rashid and Lieto)

The Session (Spoilers for The Flowers of Algorab).

The crew assembled within the confines of Vermilion House amidst a scatter of charts and documents to plot their course and fine tune their expedition's logistics. The adept GM, Dom, and the party - comprising Lieto Miesma, the artefact specialist; Arda Qamar, the astute scout and bird handler; Rashid Al Masri, the vigilant security guard; and Meristo Koulas, the diligent team medic - deliberated over maps and potential routes for their imminent journey through the expansive and mysterious systems of Jumuah, Gahand, Ninhulam, Habanatum, and Auriga.

Their discussions were steeped in strategy, focusing on the necessity of specific equipment and supplies required due to the unpredictable conditions of the varied locales they intended to explore. The crux of their mission, as shared by Arda, was to trace an elusive signal linked to the mysterious orbs. The Singularity Sphere had triggered a signal that disrupted all electronics in Ship City and now possibly pointed toward technology of ancient, perhaps builder origin, hinting at a truth far beyond their current understanding.

As they sorted through the details—like the choice of gear prompted by circuits that demanded special considerations—Lieto attempted to probe deeper into the signal's origin using his expertise in artefacts. Despite his analytical attempts, the uniqueness and complexity of the signal eluded definitive explanation, though speculations about its warp space or trans-spatial nature emerged. The group collectively pondered the advanced technology it implied, potentially surpassing even the known horizons.

In the backdrop of their technical preparations, personal and logistical concerns also surfaced. They contemplated the long duration of their quest, joking about domestic trivialities like finding someone to water the plants at home but their jests soon gave way to broader existential discussions about the implications of their discoveries and the fame or scrutiny that might follow. Intellectual property rights and media exposure post-mission were discussed with a light-hearted perspective on how they would manage or endure the inevitable storm of public and academic interest.

As they concluded their session, the crew reaffirmed the details of their ship, the Akhander, with Meristo insuring the addition of comforting amenities like harpoon cannons, ostensibly for protection against space monstrosities but also adding an air of adventure to their equipped vessel. They reflected on the Akhander's storied past, marked by anomalies and odd occurrences that hinted at its travels and tribulations through the great unknown.

Finally, solidifying their resolve and their route, they ensured every detailed necessity was documented, leaving no stone unturned, preparing to delve into the cryptic cosmos with their eyes wide open to the marvels and dangers that awaited. Thus, ready and resolute, our explorers set forth, their spirits intertwined with the spectral echoes of those who had ventured forth before them, each step forward a stitch in the vast tapestry of cosmic destiny.

Their voyage plan was to travel from Ship City, leaving the Jumuah system and heading to Gahand, the gateway to the Hammurabi Arm. From there, they would travel to Ninhulam - the Golden Star - and on to Auriga, before finally reaching Habanatum. Allowing for at least a week in each system, the journey out would take at least half a year. They agreed that the safe route home would be to reverse their passage, but the potentially faster route via the Kerfeter Stream was an option, but Hiram's Delta and the Kerfeter Shoals would need to be navigated carefully as they presented significant hazards. 

Boarding the Akhander, a gathering unfolded that brought together our intrepid explorers with Indria Kander, the ship's First Officer. Our medley of specialists, dubbed the New Seekers, found themselves in the company of this First Officer, whose demeanour resonated with unassuming authority cloaked beneath her great coat.

Meristo Koulas introduced himself as a competent Delver and Doctor, hinting humorously at his culinary adventures, which elicited a scant smile from Indria. Lieto Miesma then described his expertise in artefacts and ancient technologies, linking their mission's purpose to their past findings that had enticed such universal curiosity.

Arda Qamar, the scout and bird handler, introduced her feathered companion Corvus, who, showing a rare affection, allowed Indria a cherished scratch under the chin, a gesture normally reserved for very few. Rashid Al Masri, dedicated to the crew's safety, highlighted his qualifications in exosuit handling and mechanics, assuring Indria of their collective capability.

Amid lighter moments and the explorers' shared histories, they broached the subject of how they would operate as a unified entity under the dual command structures of the mission and the ship. A consensus-led approach was suggested, fitting their informal and collaborative style, but with a nod towards having Rashid as a potential point of decision-making contact, steering clear of overlap and contradiction.

The dialogue flowed into the mission's confidentiality, with Indria clarifying that the crew was fully aware of their goal to seek out mysterious Singularity Spheres, contradicting the explorers' prior expectations of secrecy. This revelation steered the conversation towards practical preparations and the dynamics of ship command.

As suspicions of a ship haunted by adventurous spirits emerged, the conversation took a whimsical turn, with theories and playful banter about the nature of their upcoming voyage through the slipstreams of space. Indria, stalwart in her role yet displaying a shadow of exasperation with her new charges, navigated their personalities and the logistical intricacies of space travel with a firm yet fair hand.

In the end, though not without some humorous reluctance, Rashid was nominated to act as the liaison with the First Officer, ensuring that when they faced the unknowns of their journey, their actions would be as coordinated as the stars they sailed amongst. Thus, with roles assigned and spirits high, they looked to the stars, ready for the mysteries that awaited in the cosmos's dark and wondrous depths.

During their strategic meeting aboard the Akhander, the crew debated their upcoming voyage through the unpredictable cosmos. Arda Qamar shared intrigue about the captain's mysterious circumstance, whispering her intent to uncover the story, while under the watchful eye of a security camera.

The conversation transitioned to the logistic complexities of their route which included the Gahand System, among others. Rashid Al Masri voiced concerns about certain perilous stretches, emphasizing the need for careful planning and frequent reassessments at each stopover. Indria, while explaining the logistics, highlighted the importance of crew morale, likening their journey to a long military deployment with potential strains similar to those experienced on long naval missions. The longer the slipstream journey, the more pressure on the crew and the vessel's integrity. The Kerfeter Stream was especially perilous from this perspective and may require an exit from the Slipstream to flat space to allow for rest and repairs.

As they fine-tuned their plan, a lighthearted banter unfolded about the mechanical prowess of the crew members. Meristo jokingly mentioned his potential role in fixing toilets should the need arise, reinforcing the camaraderie amongst the crew.

The discussions delved deeper into logistics, focusing on the supplies needed for multi-system delves. Rashid proposed investing heavily in supply to ensure ample resources throughout their expedition, showcasing his commitment to the mission’s success. The crew decided to procure additional supplies, with suggestions of investing rukh (currency) to secure what was necessary for extended travel and potential emergencies.

The meeting veered into procurement specifics, with debates on how much to spend on supplies and the balance of investment among the crew. Decisions were made on the allocation of funds from mission payouts and salary advances, highlighting the crew’s strategic financial planning to bolster their expedition's success.

As they wrapped up their planning, the crew remained mindful of the challenges ahead, ensuring they were equipped not just with physical supplies, but with a robust plan responsive to the unpredictable nature of space exploration. With spirits high and roles clearly defined, they were ready to traverse the cosmos, each member pivotal to the collective adventure that lay before them.

As their session neared its end, Dom, the GM, checked the time and suggested postponing the launch of the expedition to the next session, noting that Simon was absent and that Graham would be unavailable the following week. He inquired if there were any final preparations or requirements they wanted to handle before embarking. Confirming that the vessel, the Akhander, was fully prepared and ready to depart, Dom expressed his concern about the duration that initiating their journey might entail, hinting at his weary state after an early start and a tiring day.

Paul then weighed in, suggesting they conclude the session since significant progress had been made in their preparations and they had enjoyed some enriching role-playing, particularly their interactions with the First Officer, Indria Kander.

Accepting the group's sentiment, Dom agreed to wrap up, noting that although they might not gain substantial experience points from this session, the role-playing and team dynamics had been rewarding. Thus, with the decision made, the group decided to adjourn, leaving the grand cosmic adventure to commence at their next gathering.

Source - initially Tabletoprecorder.com, heavily edited for names, clarity and brevity with some parts injected to explain or catch elements missed in the summarising. 

Flowers of Algorab - Episode 17 - Expedition in Search of the Spheres

As a novelty, this session was at home and not on the road. Andy (Rashid) was back, but Graham (Lieto) and Simon (Fassour) were missing. The session was very much a planning session for the next part of the campaign. The conceit was that the crew were gathered at the Guild House in Ship City in a meeting room, planning how they would approach the Search for the Spheres in the Hammurabi Arm.

It was a mixture of in character and out of character conversations and discussions. In the write up below, I'm going to let it reflect the way that the fourth wall was broken during the session due to the nature of the blend.

During the session, I was leveraging Gemini Notebook quite heavily to answer questions. This is what was previously known as NotebookLM; it has a sandboxed document store and is really useful at pulling rules summaries and answering specific questions. It shows its working and links back to the original sources so you can check its comments. Recently, it was updated and can generate useful PDFs and improve documents. However, it cannot reach outside the sandbox so - for example - it will generate a Word docx file  (it looks like LibreOffice is sitting in the background somewhere according to some the progress messages), but you need to download it rather than directly creating in Google Docs.

I ended pulling together two sets of handouts for upgrading Rovers and Shuttles on the fly, which were useful and accurate.

I really enjoyed the session and it was fun to see everything getting pulled together. Of course, matters of how much supply to take with them and what upgrades to plan for are important as once they depart, there are limited options for repairs and upgrades until the crew return to Ship City. On initial looks, the mission would likely take most of a year, unless they took the more risky slipstream route home.

Our Crew

• Arda Qamar, a Guild Surveyor and Traveller who came from the Far Colonies from a Mining Combine operation. She’s the bird handler and Scout for the team. (Played by Hattie).
• Meristo Koulas, an Esoteric Coriolite Seer who grew up in the Fog of the Haze, and has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Paul).
• Lieto Miesma, a Scholar specialised in Builder Archeology who came from deep inside the Factory City of the Turbine Halls, with a background in the Machinist's Guild. (Played by Graham)
• Fassour Faradi, a roughneck deep miner who also came from somewhere the eternal fog of the Haze, and - like Merits - has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Simon)
• Rashid al-Masri, a scoundrel Hull Cutter who came from among the hulks and wrecks of Hull Town, and has connections to the Gardener's Guild. (Played by Andy).
• Corvus the Bird, a specter; cobalt blue, with a long beak, always observing. Usually handled by Arda.

The New Seekers (Corvus, Arda, Meristo, Fassour, Rashid and Lieto)

The Session (Spoilers for The Flowers of Algorab).

As the motley crew of the New Seekers congregated within the quiet confines of Vermilion House, they cast their gazes over the sprawling maps of the Charted Sphere and the Hammurabi Arm to plot a daring voyage aboard the slipstream cruiser Akhander.

The Guild-mates, including Rashid Al Masri (the team's security operator), Arda Qamar (the scout and bird handler), and Meristo Koulas (the Delver, medic, and drug dealer), gathered without their colleagues Lieto Miesma and Fassour Faradi, who were notably absent. Their mission was clear: to prepare for the expedition to discover further Singularity Spheres, starting at the Gahand System, a necessary pitstop on their journey into the Arm due to its strategic position as the gateway to the stars  of the Arm.

As Dom, their guide, attempted to share detailed maps for better planning, technical difficulties with the transmission ensued. Despite minor frustrations, subsequent attempts proved successful, displaying the intricate web of destinations and pathways that lay ahead. The crew discussed and deliberated over the most prudent route, considering factors such as safety, hostility, and strategic importance of each location in the Hammurabi Arm.

The conversation thickened as Arda unveiled a worn map, scribbled with notes and possibilities. Debates arose around the safest and most logical paths to take, taking into account the hostile environments and the relics of the ancient Builders that might still be lurking undiscovered. Various dangers were considered, from plasma bursts in Auriga to blight-infested jungles in Ninhulum, as well as the mystic allure of a lost planet rumored to reside within a gas cloud in Gahand.

As their strategies took form, Rashid reached out to his contacts within the Gardeners Guild, particularly seeking guidance from Petume Sibgoli, the First Arborist and assistant to the High Gardener. Their conversation was a delicate dance around sensitive issues such as unauthorised colonies and the non-colonisation clause, hinting at covert operations and lost heroesr.

This mingling of agendas, personal connections, and the quest for knowledge about the mysterious conditions in Ninhulum wrapped around the promises of a drink and further camaraderie. Throughout, Arda pursued her personal contacts as well, engaging with Radha Johuna, a cantina owner with ties to the Mining Combine, exchanging tales of recent adventures and discussing prospects of navigating the Hammurabi Arm safely.

Thus, amidst shared stories, strained technological interactions, and strategical deliberations, the New Seekers were drawn ever deeper into the complexity of their upcoming journey. Each member carried their own weight, their own past, and their own hopes into the plotting of a path that would likely change their destinies and perhaps unveil secrets long shrouded in the cosmic shadows of space.

As they convened to chart their forthcoming voyages into the enigmatic realms of the Hammurabi Arm and beyond, Arda Qamar broached the topic of local Mining Combine presence in the Ninhulam system, particularly concerning a mining outpost, shared with the Coriolites. Dom provided insights, mentioning a joint venture involving the Coriolites excavating high-grade ore.

Arda expressed the need to connect with Ermina Nester-Cour Mir-Kua, who was managing the operations, intrigued by the prospect of gleaning more from someone with an adventurous spirit. As the conversation meandered to other locations like Mourir's Landing amidst the Gahand Cloud, queries about the fabled, mythic planet surfaced. Dom, after referencing notes, informed Arda of the lack of new information, though she cautioned about the less-than-hospitable Shahzad Collective and a notorious group of Wreckers, led by Captain Massov.

Post-discussion, Meristo Koulas sought to cement plans for their route, advocating for a start at Gahand, and following the trail to Ninhulam, Auriga, then Habanatum. The course seemed set, but not without contingencies dependent on the findings within each system. They contemplated the necessary ship enhancements for safely traversing these perilous paths, aware that the unpredictable nature of their journey might require every bit of available technology and foresight.

Their navigational strategies were meticulously woven with personal tales and aspirations, and although the vast unknown loomed dauntingly, the camaraderie and shared resolve within the group lent courage to their collective heart. As the session concluded, the New Seekers were left to ponder the implications of their decisions, the perils awaiting in the cosmos, and the mysteries that beckoned from the poorly charted territories marked on their course.

There was a detailed and enthralling discussion on the ship and shuttle enhancements necessary for their perilous expedition across the Hammurabi Arm. Each character contributed astutely to the discourse, threading together a tapestry of technical needs and strategic desires.

Rashid Al Masri, ever the security-conscious, emphasised the critical requirement for a plasma shroud to safely navigate through the volatile Auriga system. Arda Qamar highlighted the shuttle’s potential modifications, suggesting blight and hazard protection for multiple environments. Meristo Koulas, with a keen eye on the ship's defences, prioritised establishing a list of essential upgrades, starting notably with the plasma shroud for the ship.

As they sifted through the myriad of possibilities—spanning from hull scrubbing stations for Gahand to scoop systems and enhanced sensors—their technical deliberations deepened. The Seekers mulled over optional upgrades such as reinforced plating and specialised scopes, carefully considering their utility against their expedition's routes.

In the thick of this strategic muddle, Dom interjected with sobering statistics on the limited availability of slipstream cruisers and the formidable great ships, framing the conversation within the limits of reality. The logistical interplay unfolded with Arda advocating for a gas intake scoop for Gahand, while Meristo argued for weapon mounts to fend off notorious Wreckers.

They pragmatically distinguished between obligatory and desirable upgrades, categorically marking hull scrubbing stations and a plasma shroud as indispensable for their survival. The realpolitik of their planning exposed the tantalizing dance between desire and necessity, capturing a glimpse into the vast and ominous cosmos that awaited them.

Arda and Meristo debated the merits of various systems and enhancements, weaving a complex mesh of technical labyrinths as they ventured deeper into the specifications of shuttles and shuttles’ possible adjustments. The mention of harpoon weapons and caustic-resistant coatings spun tales of combative anticipation and pragmatic foresight, juxtaposing their adventurous zeal against the harsh realities they might face.

As the session drew to a close, Dom promised to relay their compiled list of essential and desired modifications to the guild, whose technicians would breathe life into their mechanical aspirations. Amid friendly jests and a shared determination, the New Seekers stood on the precipice of the unknown, their fellowship fortified not just by bold dreams but by the meticulous groundwork laid down in Vermilion House.

In the Vermilion House, the Seekers engaged in a lively discussion about their upcoming expedition. Dom outlined the potential for committing crew points to facilitate improvements and resources for the next two missions. The conversation turned to the embellishments of their vessels, a new coat of paint suggested by Maristo Kulas for the Rhino vehicle, aiming to impress others despite the potential damage from acidic environments.

Arda brought to light the intriguing possibility of exploring underwater caves in one of the planned destinations, probing the necessity for amphibian capabilities. Rashid Al Masri chimed in about a possible flashy paint job for another vehicle, the Grasshopper, but concerns about the durability of such improvements were voiced given the harsh conditions they would face.

Talk shifted towards augmenting their crew; Dom reminded the team about new freelance additions, including Elena who pondered on hiring due to their impressive prior work. Meristo expressed intention to re-engage these freelancers, including a medic from the Gardeners Guild and a mysterious algebraist who, although helpful, aroused suspicions due to potential hidden agendas.

The discussion then navigated towards specifics about their vehicles’ capabilities, with Dom confirming the inclusion of comfortable bunks already installed in the Rhino, amidst various suggestions for other technological enhancements such as a laboratory and a harpoon cannon for defensive purposes.

In the midst of strategising, Meristo and Arda advanced ideas on making the most of their resources, contemplating the purchase of inexpensive goods in Ship City to trade during their journey. They deliberated over the potential rewards and logistics of carrying and trading such resources, mindful of the need for agreements from higher authorities within their crew structure.

As the session drew to a close, Dom encouraged the Seekers to finalize their preferences and plans in the Discord chat, ensuring a comprehensive preparation for the imminent challenges and opportunities that lay across the Hammurabi Arm, reflecting a mix of enthusiastic planning and cautious strategising by the seasoned adventurers.

Source - initially Tabletoprecorder.com, heavily edited for names, clarity and brevity with some parts injected to explain or catch elements missed in the summarising. 

Books in August 2026

August is always a month when I read a lot, as it usually has a block of holidays in and I'm often not preparing for running at a roleplaying convention, and this year was no exception. I read 17 books and 4,375 pages bringing the year-to-date totals to 76 books and 19,340 pages.

In the mix were one SF short stories magazine, two non-fiction, three graphic novels, four roleplaying, and seven fiction books.

The magazine was Clarkesworld, as I read another of the back catalogue I have (#203). It was using my little Xteink e-Reader as part of the ongoing attempt to avoid doom scrolling social media. Glad I have this subscription as the stories are always thought provoking and it's nice to have a library to dip into.

The non-fiction books were both excellent. Eve MacDonald's Carthage: A New History of an Ancient Empire was mostly read in July, with me finishing it the first week of the month. It tells the history of Carthage (no surprise there!), which I was only vaguely remembered from the perspective of the Roman Empire. This was fascinating and interesting and reminded me just how nasty and expansionist Rome was.  

I followed this up with Rob Cowen's The North Road which focuses around the A1 north south road in the UK, a place that I am very familiar with as I live in a town it connects to and I travel a good distance on it most weeks for work. I really don't know how to describe it's genre; part history, part autobiography, and part fiction, the author sets out with an objective to travel the length of the road and discover its history. However, it's also a way for him to find peace in himself from the way that his parent's divorce impacted him as a teenager. There are only a few fiction sections the book, and one of them about the Harrying of the North by William the Bastard (the Conqueror) has left me wanting to know more about that period. It's a part of the Norman Conquest of England that gets glossed over in history classes, but the systematic genocide of around a hundred-thousand people through murder and starvation in the north of England is brutally shown through a short story of two survivors. I really liked this book; it was always going to resonate with me as all the place names are familiar, but I won't be surprised if this is a strong contender for my best non-fiction book this year.

The graphic novels started with Brian Talbot's The Adventures of Luther Arkwright and Heart of Empire in a single volume. I've actually tried to read these several times; the first was thwarted by it revealing I needed to change to varifocal glasses, and I forget the reason I didn't conclude it the second time. However, the holiday we had on the Isle of Man gave me time and space to enjoy the stories. I do think that some of the text in the first book is challenging to read due to its size, but I don't regret getting back to this. The stories are told in very different styles (beyond the variations of black and white vs colour) and tell the tale of Luther Arkwright, an agent who can shift across multiverses protecting them against 'The Disruptors'. I followed this up with The Legacy of Luther Arkwright, a later follow up set quite some time after the original stories where Arkwright is called into action again. I'd originally intended to pass the books on once I'd finished them, but I think I'll probably read these again.

I followed this up with the latest compilation from Titan Books in their Blade Runner series, Black Lotus: Las Vegas, which continues the story of the protagonist from the Black Lotus anime series as she ends up in the remains of the city of vice after the dirty bomb, a story we first glimpsed in Blade Runner 2049. Enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Roleplaying next; I started with Outgunned: Superheroes which is a tailored version of the system built around the superhero genre. Having played the game engine back at North Star, I definitely want to get one of the Outgunned games to the table. I reviewed the first version here, and I think it's a game that will replace Savage Worlds for me as a go to action led system. I was mentally trying to build Marvel Defenders characters with this in my head, and then pondering doing a take of the fall of Carthage using superheroes rules (maybe a little like Eternals in principle).

After that, I read Midnight of the Century, a really interesting story game that is designed to a GM and one or two players. If you've seen the X-Files adjacent series Millennium, then you will immediately understand this game. The players are investigators in the Pacific Northwest of North America employed by a somewhat mysterious consultancy group to support the authorities investigating serial killers and occult adjacent deaths. Failure to solve the case will lead to some form of apocalyptic event, either local or more broadly. I found this intriguing and would like to run it at some point. I may do a more in-depth look at this later.

I then read Through the Hedgerow, one of the Osprey Games roleplaying games. This hooks into the British Fantasy vibe. I did find the typeface in the book a bit challenging to read at first but adapted to it. The characters are Briar Knights, fey and humans drawn from across different ages in Britain who cross through time representing the Light facing off against the Dark. I love the game idea but I found the rules poorly presented. I think that they are simple at heart, but the presentation uses lots of unnecessary acronyms and long winded terms that complicate the presentation. If I have a moment, I may well dive back into this and try and restate them in a clear and simple way on a cribsheet. As it stands, I liked this but it doesn't give me an urge to run. That may change if do the summary.

The final roleplaying game I read was Neon City Overdrive, which is a slick and fast cyberpunk game which feels a bit like an evolution of the dice mechanic in Blades in the Dark. Again, I was mentally trying to build characters I know from the genre like Molly, Case and Armitage from Neuromancer and it looked pretty simple to do (although they'd need to have more experience than a starting character to be realised). I'd originally planned to use this with the new Mothership book, Wages of Sin, for a scenario at Furnace, but have subsequently dropped that idea for reasons of simplicity (I'm running the same system three times).

On to fiction.

The first novel this month was Charles Cummings The Spanish Game, which is a sequel to A Spy by Nature and is set some years later when Alex Milius is living in exile in Spain, but ends up being drawn back into the world of espionage. A good book and I'm still not certain I like the protagonist. I'd happily read another if Cumming writes it.

After that I read Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, best described as a Mexican Noir, where a young woman finds that looking after a neighbour's cat draws her into a world of protest and politics in 1970s Mexico. I enjoyed this; it was pretty dark, but so was the time it describes where the government was carrying out political repression with the support of the USA.

After that, I indulged with a thriller from Nicci French, in which a woman who has suffered a mental breakdown is convinced her neighbour has been murdered, but no-one believes her. It has the same police detective - Maud O'Conner - as Has anyone seen Charlotte Salter? which I also enjoyed a lot. The Last Days of Kira Mullen is definitely worth a read and it was a page turner for me.

Next up was Derek B. Miller's The Girl in Green, which was set in the Middle East. It follows a journalist and a young soldier in Iraq who witness a brutal repression by the Iraqi state after the first Gulf War where they fail to save a girl dressed in green. Thirty years on, a video clip goes viral with another girl in green, a Syrian refugee, who is attacked at a checkpoint, and both protagonists are drawn back to find out what happened. This wonderfully written, with a sadness to it, but ultimately a story of hope.

Lives of Bitter Rain is a novella by Adrian Tchaikovsky set in The Tyrant Philospher's universe. It is a prequel to Days of Shattered Faith and tells the backstory of one of the protagonists, Angilly, in that story, leading me to like her even more. Handiwork Games are planning to release a roleplaying game in this setting, which could be quite interesting. I enjoyed this.

The next two books were both by John Marsden, and are a young adult fiction series - The Tomorrow Series - set in Australia where a group of young people have been camping in the bush over a holiday weekend only to find that the country has been invaded (it's never said by whom but everything points at China) and all their families have been taken prisoner. The stories, Tomorrow, When the War Began and The Dead of Night are done as journals by one of the protagonists, a late teens girl from a farming family called Ellie. They're quite gripping and fast to read (page counts in the high 200s) and as I write this I'm on the fifth of the seven books in the series. The story doesn't pull its punches, people get hurt and can die in this, and characters are confused teenagers who make mistakes that are all too human.

If I had to pull favourites from this list, it would be Derek B Miller's The Girl in Green for fiction and Rob Cowen's The North Road for non-fiction, with an honourable mention for Marsden's The Tomorrow Series. However, lots of books I enjoyed this month.

5 September 2026

Flowers of Algorab - Episode 16 - Slipstream Inversion

Once again travelling with work (and back after a fortnight away for holiday), the technology worked fine from the Premier Inn. As usual, I'd upgraded the internet to the faster option to try and minimise any risks.

Originally, we'd though that this would be a session with everyone for the first time since the start of the summer, but circumstances conspired and we were without Andy (Rashid) again. Before we started, there was a discussion on how vulnerable everyone that played last session was, and the realisation that healing and recover was minimal from when we ended. This directly led to the crew buying the Phoenix Engine upgrade for the bird - it allows it to regenerate in extreme circumstances - at the end of the session, spending their crew points.

We opened the session with the characters continuing to explore the crystallised professor's office, hoping to find more clues on how to stop the slipstream experiment from continuing to expand and destroy the station.

My reflection is that this session felt dangerous again; the critical system in the game means that characters are always at risk of dying, and some the signature attack table elements are quite vicious. The positive is that it means that the game always has a tension in combat, the negative is that realistically, it's likely that at least one character will die at some point and we will have to deal with that as a player group. The campaign is built to allow substitutions, but I'm sure that it will take an emotional toll when it happens.

The end of the session left us about to return into the main sandbox, which means that the next session will likely be consumed with planning the approach for the forthcoming sessions. Where will they want to take the Slipstream Cruiser Akhander? The summer homework that has long been put off is coming due...

Our Crew

• Arda Qamar, a Guild Surveyor and Traveller who came from the Far Colonies from a Mining Combine operation. She’s the bird handler and Scout for the team. (Played by Hattie).
• Meristo Koulas, an Esoteric Coriolite Seer who grew up in the Fog of the Haze, and has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Paul).
• Lieto Miesma, a Scholar specialised in Builder Archeology who came from deep inside the Factory City of the Turbine Halls, with a background in the Machinist's Guild. (Played by Graham)
• Fassour Faradi, a roughneck deep miner who also came from somewhere the eternal fog of the Haze, and - like Merits - has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Simon)
• Rashid al-Masri, a scoundrel Hull Cutter who came from among the hulks and wrecks of Hull Town, and has connections to the Gardener's Guild. (Played by Andy).
• Corvus the Bird, a specter; cobalt blue, with a long beak, always observing. Usually handled by Arda.

The New Seekers (Corvus, Arda, Meristo, Fassour, Rashid and Lieto)

The Session (Spoilers for The Flowers of Algorab).

At the opening of the episode, our crew found themselves recuperating from a fierce encounter with a peculiar crystal creature. The GM recounted the brutal clash for the benefit of those that weren't present, highlighting that our heroes narrowly avoided grave injuries, though Meristo Koulas did suffer some knocks. The creature, showcasing a signature attack mode unlike any they had previously encountered, ultimately fled after a relentless assault from the party. This was an encounter that nearly saw the end of one of our heroes, a tense moment for all involved.

Our group was left in the remnants of the battle, amidst broken machinery and the frigid atmosphere of disarray. They found themselves in the office of Professor Melitreides, faced with a researcher encased in crystal, a ghastly sight bearing testament to experiments turned awry. The office was rich with clues, peppered with log notes pointing to the dangerous science of the Argumoda Experiment that had consumed its creators.

Amidst their exploration, the group heard subtle but eerie chittering coming from a vent adorned with scratch marks. This called for quick thinking; they devised a plan to seal the vent to prevent any unseen, possibly crystalline creatures from emerging. The tension in the room was palpable, as they quietly argued the best approach, ultimately deciding to use a canister of cryogenic material to freeze whatever lay behind the vent's shadows. They sealed it with stack of books, hoping their impromptu barricade would hold whatever they faced at bay, at least for a while.

The threat sealed away, there was a whispered debate about the nature of the mysterious chitterings. In jest, Fassour remarked on the density of algebraic texts as being hopefully sleep-inducing for whatever critters lay beyond should they break through.

The cluttered desk revealed intriguing items including a crumpled love letter, hinting at a heartfelt connection between Adina and an unknown 'B.' The intrigue deepened as they speculated on hidden codes within the letter, questioning its ties to the station's researchers and possibly deeper secrets sewn into the station's quivering narrative. Was it a love letter or a secret coded message? Checking records, they believed that Adina was an algebraist who had recently returned to Ship City.

The discovery of more documents about the Argumoda Experiment amongst the scattered papers spurred a scientific discussion led by Demar, a knowledgeable presence, about the experimental tests being conducted on the station. The concept of inversion and scaled tests became focal points. Fassour Faradi, with a mix of humour and skepticism, engaged with the theories, pondering the pragmatic approach to invert a growing crystal phenomenon threatening the station.

As the group prepared for action, strategic considerations around resource management, path choices, and potential threats from unseen creatures were voiced, with Fassour maintaining a deadpan humorous take on their perilous situation. They reinforced their resolve to tackle the Argumoda Experiment, understanding that the balance of chaos and order hung by a precarious thread, woven with the crystal strands of time itself. However, they decided that it was time for some self care, and withdrew from the section of fractured space, back to the rest of the station, to allow for rest and recuperation.

Resting overnight, they prepared to return to the fracture. They shared details of what had happened, managing to gain agreement from both Station Chief Azade Jaspel and Professor Nisma Kabakoutal-Doussa. The latter's dislike of the Continuum Modeller's approaches was overcome by her desire in understand the phenomenon that they had created, her interest peaked by the video footage, information and technical summary from Demar Doui. The urgency to close down the experiment was emphasised by another more violent light quake, shaking the station to its core.

Thus primed and ready, or at least partially recovered, the New Seekers plunged deeper into the labyrinthine corridors of Professor Melitreides's haunted legacy, each step a stride toward either salvation or ruin. They pressed resolutely through the corridors and rooms that they had previously travelled through, haunted by moments when they felt the crystalline jackal-like creature was shadowing them in the depths of the translucent crystalline walls, just at the limit of what they could make out through the fractures.

Reaching. the heart of experiment, our intrepid adventurers encounter an unstable sphere of slipstream energy, tethered dangerously and stabilised by the reactor's force-fed power. Amidst their strategic inspections, they glean that the sphere, though unstable, holds together by a precarious force. The group—Meristo Kulas, Fassour Faradi, Arda Qamar, and Lieto Miesma—realises the necessity to cautiously invert the values controlling it to ensure a safe collapse rather than just cut off the power.

As they orchestrate their plan, a pressing challenge emerges in the form of the Professor, now transformed into crystalline form by the chaotic energy release of the experiment. The need to shift him away to safely input the crucial inversion becomes apparent. Fassour, leveraging a unique talent that allows him to harness his strength in persuasive ways—akin to an intimidating 'thug'—steps up to handle the situation physically, ensuring they maintain control over the potentially volatile setup.

In their efforts, they are suddenly besieged by bat-like crystal fluttering creatures emerging from previously traversed vents, adding layers of danger to their already dire situation. Arda Qamar, quick to react, calls for tactical vigilance, even attempting to manage an observational role amidst the chaos. Lieto Miesma provides analytical support, piecing together the delicate scientific sequences needed to stabilize the energy sphere lest it wreak further havoc.

As they fend off their aerial assailants with varied success, using everything from flamethrowers to improvised cryogenic devices, the reactor linked to the unstable sphere sparks dangerously, culminating in a blast of energy that ripples throughout the vicinity. Though they manage to avoid immediate harm from the blast (thanks to the dice favouring them), the structure of the station itself does not fare as well. The severe jolting of the facility makes it difficult for the crew to retain their footing, their suits affecting their ability to manoeuvre swiftly.

In this climax of elemental and physical onslaughts, the crew find themselves navigating their subsequent actions amid blasts of energy, swarms of crystalline creatures, and the desperate need to input the critical inversion codes. Amidst the defensive chaos, they utilise their respective abilities—some in combat prowess with Meristo's guidance, others through technical means with Arda's and Lieto’s insights to Demar Doui, to try and resolve the situation.

The session crescendos with the successful inversion and the subsequent stabilisation of the chaotic slipstream energies permeating the station. As the sphere collapsed, it released a hazardous burst of blight, which the crew's suits' protective armour provided some resistance to, albeit with varying degrees of success.

With the slipstream sphere now collapsed and the immediate threats momentarily abated, the adventurers, though wearied and battered by the ordeal, gather their energies. They attend to the fallen Professor Melitreides, whose form, freed from the crystalline encasement, collapses in exhaustion—a mirror to the adventurers' own drained but determined spirits, ready to face the next chapter in their thrilling voyage through the realms of science, mysticism, and the unknown.

The discussion turned to the extraction from the dangerous area while ensuring the safety of Professor Melitrades and any other survivors. The heroes debated the next steps in their escape, checking on other researchers, only to find that the other trapped researchers were less fortunate, succumbing to the harsh conditions of their entrapment. The body of one researcher was never found.

They navigated through damaged and hazardous corridors, with the structural integrity of the station compromised and environmental conditions a persistent threat.

Before they left the fracture, they checked out the power system for the experiment. In the reactor room, they encountered a powered-down neutronic continuum reactor, a marvel of technology they only recognised due to their prior briefing. Despite the challenges, they managed to access crucial data from a terminal, which proved vital but complex, surpassing their technical comprehension but hinting at further mysteries tied to the slipstream experiments and potentially sabotaged expansions.

They left the Library Station with the two Professors warily discussing the outcome of the experiment and the data that it had made available for future research. The fracture and crystallisation of the station slowly receded, although the damage remained, needing repair. Once recovered from the ordeal, Melitriedes was committed to analysing the precious cargo of the Nadir Mummy and Slipstream Sphere to discover any secrets that may make their mission to find the origin of the signal easier.

The voyage back to Ship City on the Kumaranti was uneventful. 

Upon their return, debriefings and discussions about future potentials opened up new avenues for inquiry and reflection. As they interacted with other characters, including Master Moska, they navigated discussions about leverage and the relational dynamics aboard the ship, hinting at deeper layers of social intrigue and potential future conflicts.

Source - initially Tabletoprecorder.com, heavily edited for names, clarity and brevity with some parts injected to explain or catch elements missed in the summarising. 

Assumptions in Traveller, revisited (4 new items)

 

Having shared the original post, there were a few suggestions of additional points that were worth including from the folks on the Traveller Mailing List and various Traveller Facebook groups. As a result, I've made some slight amendments to the initial post but there were some completely new assumptions to capture as well.

10) Gravity can be manipulated

Spacecraft and starships have artificial gravity, and contra-gravity systems exist that allow flight, so cities, speeders and unstreamlined vessels can fly and float.

11) Reactionless drives exist (sometimes)

Since the early days, reactionless drives have existed in Traveller (or at least drives that allow a ship to accelerate for half its journey, then turn around and decelerate for the second half until it reaches it’s destination whilst only using fuel for a power plant). The canon developed into these being Star Wars like thruster plates in MegaTraveller, but originally it was suggested that these were fusion or plasma torches. Traveller: The New Era removed thruster plates, and used reaction drives, but the subsequent editions have had both technologies. However, reactionless drives are more limited now; their efficiency drops as you move further from a gravity well, and they become incredibly inefficient in deep space.

12) Technology is not evenly distributed

The technology found in different star systems can be wildly different, ranging from no technology to extremely high. The Imperium equips most of its forces at a sustainable level that can be logistically supported by across the empire, although leading edge equipment is used. However, you could have stone-age technology in one system and cities floating in the air or in space in another.

13) Actions have consequences

The rule of law exists, and actions have consequences. In many systems, use of violence will lead to escalation from the authorities and it is possible for that to follow you off world, especially if a bounty is placed on you. There rules that apply to star systems too, including the Imperial Rules of War, which amongst other things forbid the use of weapons of mass destruction. The rules are not formally codified and the Imperium may flex its response dependent upon the situation, but nuclear weapons (and other weapons of mass destruction) are treated very, very seriously.

Thanks to everyone who shared ideas and their thoughts on assumptions.

22 August 2026

Assumptions in Traveller (edited)

I originally wrote this as an introduction for some players who had never played in Charted Space before. Sharing in case it’s useful.

Traveller’s default setting - Charted Space - is based upon the kind of SF pioneered by Isaac Azimov in the Foundation trilogy, Andre Norton in the Solar Queen books, EC Tubb and the Dumarest saga with lashings of Star Wars (which was released the same year), Herbert, Heinlein, and many more. The setting has subtly developed as new and different waves of science fiction have washed over it.

It is space opera with a veneer of hard SF.

It is not the only setting that you can use; the tools in the game are quite flexible, as has been shown with 2300AD, Judge Dredd, and the forthcoming games of Pioneer and Dark Conspiracy. However, it is the default.

Edit: items in purple have been updated since I wrote this originally.

The key features of the setting are:

1) FTL - Faster than Light - travel

This uses the 'Jump Drive'. Fueled with liquid hydrogen, the jumpdrive sends a ship into jumpspace, where it cannot be contacted. The ship stays in jump until it reaches the exit point plotted or it intersects with a large mass. A jump always takes a similar time; 168h +/- 10% (a week).

Jump drives are rated with a number. This represents the maximum number of parsecs a ship can travel in a single jump. A parsec is 3.27 light years.

Jumping near gravitational masses can cause a catastrophic mis-jump. Ships fail to emerge from jumpspace, or emerge many parsecs away from their destination, and sometimes in the future. The ship is surrounded by a jump-bubble when in jump space. The effect of the jump bubble is potentially harmful to humans exposed to it. Cases of madness have been reported.

2) Communication is limited to the speed of jump

Like the age of sail, messages are carried by ships. There is no FTL communication like subspace radio in Star Trek. Ships and agents operate independently as a result; you can’t call Starfleet for backup. 

The official, public, communication networks are slower than the maximum speed of jump, and the Imperial Navy and others maintain courier networks that are much faster.

3) Power is cheap and high efficiency

Fusion power is common and can be quite small. It is certainly seen as safe. 

4) There is no conscious AI

Computer technology is less well developed and AI pretty much unknown unlike settings like Iain M Banks' Culture or Neal Asher's Polity. The Imperium actively suppresses such technological innovation, but maintains research into the technology and has deployed it (for example when experimenting on creating much more heavily automated starships). Conscious AI eventually escapes into the wild, having been weaponised, and brings about the final destruction of the Imperium as ‘Virus’.

5) There are multiple Polities, many of them Human

By default, the game is set in the Third Imperium, a feudal empire that controls the space between stars but allows each world to govern as it chooses, so long as Imperial laws are not broken. The Imperium is surrounded by multiple other polities, several of which are human, but there are also alien polities.

The Imperium does not allow multi-world polities to join it, unless they dissolve those arrangements. However, in practice this can be flexible with multi-system autonomous regions (such as the Vegan Autonomous Region). The case against such polities can be made with the secession of the Solomani Autonomous Region (much of which became the Solomani Confederation).

6) The Ancients dominated the region previously and had technology far in advance of that used in current times

Several hundred thousand years ago, an extremely advanced culture developed and tampered with the future of the species in the region. They destroyed themselves in a cataclysmic war and are the subject of speculation and exploration.

7) Psionics exist

Psionic powers (mind powers like telepathy) exist and different polities take different approaches to them. The Imperium suppresses psionics officially, but it is at the heart of the Zhodani Consulate’s culture and a cause of distrust between the two polities. Of course, the Imperium also maintains research in this space despite its ban on the techniques.

8) Feudalism dominates

The Third Imperium is a feudal state, with nobles responsible to the Emperor for the systems they are granted as fiefs. The systems themselves can be representative democracies, theocracies and more, so long as they acknowledge the dominion of the Imperium and its control of the space between stars. It could (and has) been argued in the past that the Solomani Confederation (despite its one party state) is a more democratic society than the Third Imperium. Social standing is important if you want to influence and change how things are done.

9) Trade is key

The Third Imperium’s expansion was built as much upon trade & stability as it was with force. Trade demands stability, and stability requires peace. The writers for the Milieu Zero Traveller setting explicitly modelled the expansion upon the way that the East India Company operated; exploitation and violence. This upset quite a few people when it was released (as ‘not being realistic’ and 'not very heroic') but it was officially signed off as canon. Although there are mega-corporations that span the Imperium and beyond, there is also the space for small free traders making a living in the gaps the mega-corporations leave. The Imperial family has significant shareholdings in the mega-corporations in Imperial space.

In conclusion

These are the key features of Charted Space, specifically around the default Third Imperium setting. If you explored further around other polities and deeper into space (for example, the Zhodani Core Expeditions, the Solomani Rim Expeditions or the epic Deepnight Revelation mission) then you will find differences and exceptions to this, which is one of the reasons that I love the setting as much as the simple mechanics.

If you’re a Traveller fan, what other bits have I missed?

15 August 2026

LongCon 2026 - After Action Report - Running A|State 2nd edition.

 

The end of June brought LongCon, the very differently formatted gaming convention that I organise with my friend Graham. When I say organise, it's all pretty loose, because what I mainly do is create three different sets of Google Forms that allow us to manage the weekend. Normally, I also do some cute button badges for the attendees, but this year it wasn’t possible as the wrong size arrived and they would have been been illegible, so I skipped creating them with an apology on the Discord channels. In honesty, I had thought I had enough spares from the previous year, which led to me ordering them too late. 

The format differs from the usual Garricons because you play a single game all weekend with the same players; in effect, a mini-campaign equivalent to five or six normal sessions of play. That's quite a commitment for both the GMs and the players, and as a result we give much more leeway for the GMs to control at least part of the table that they're playing at. Typically a GM can pre-book around half the places at the table for players they want to get into the game, which helps because it gives them people that they know to play with. The preparation uses all the usual safety tags and descriptions that we use for Furnace and the other conventions, but we also ask the GMs to make a more extended pitch and also to describe the style that they use to run a game. I actually found that the hardest part of writing my pitch, because it does drive a bit of self reflection.

After some thought, I described my GM style like this: 

“Collaborative, Fan of the Characters - Player focussed, narrative-led, open”. 

I hope that’s an accurate description of how I approach games. For safety tools I went with Lines & Veils, X-Card and Open Table. That’s pretty much the norm for the Garricons and I think it gives a practical way to deal with anything that could become uncomfortable for the folks around the table.

This was my fourth LongCon, and the second time that I've run a game. Two years ago, I ran a hack of two classic Stormbringer modules into the Tripod system, which was pretty epic. It also required me to have a plan to hit the various beats within the two modules, and to have a set of off ramps or sections to skip if the players got delayed in any section. Fortunately I didn't need to use any of these when I ran it, but all the way through the weekend I was mentally checking the timing to try and bring the game to its conclusion at the right point.

In honesty, it was much the same pressure that you face when running a three or four hour scenario, but you have to think bigger and manage your time across the whole weekend. You see, there's absolutely no set timing for when you play over the weekend: the space becomes available at 9:30 in the morning, and in practice you can probably run until midnight should you want to on the Saturday. On Sunday, we loose the space around 6 pm. When you take meals, when you take breaks, and when you finish is all at the whim of the table. We're providing a space for a format and not juggling running 80 games across the weekend. I think we had six games in the end, most with five players. Ideally, would've liked a few more games to make the finances stronger (and reduce the need to subsidise where necessary from the other conventions) but hopefully that'll lift up next year.

This time, I didn't go with an epic plot. Rather I was using a Forged in the Dark game which is very much driven by the players around the table. It's a sandbox and has real opportunities to steer the game in the directions that each of the players wants. I picked A|State second edition to run for the weekend as I've been a longtime fan of the City, but never really got to explore it in any depth. I was never taken by the original edition’s rules, but did manage to run a couple of play tests for the publisher when the current version was being created. The books have sat on my shelves after being read since they landed when the Kickstarter completed, and this was a chance to really explore a setting in a game I wanted to know better. Like the original Blades in the Dark, A|State uses a formal mission and downtime sequence, connected to something called the Trouble Engine which generates new dangers and threats for the characters to deal with. It does have flex in the design, and impromptu missions can break out, along with intrusions when the GM throws something relevant to the plots that have developed in.

I was going into a weekend where we were going to create the characters, define information about the corner of the City that they lived in, and then play to see what happens. It was a proper sandbox. The game itself allows you to set your corner anywhere in the City, but for my own sanity, I opted for a destitute part of the City called Mire End, partly because it allowed the players the opportunity to be real heroes for their community, and partly because I have material from the first edition of the game that I could draw upon for inspiration. Fortunately, I had an absolutely fantastic group of players who really embraced the freedom that they were given to make creative decisions, and rolled with the results that came out, for good and for bad. All my players were people I've previously played with at Garricons and other conventions, and all of them are great role players. 

PREPARATION 

The initial step of my preparation was to re-read the A|State rules thoroughly and then go back through them and put sticky tabs in so I could find the relevant bits in play. I knew from the players that I had that they would have no problem with me referencing the rules during the game, so I didn't have to have it all installed in my head. However, I didn't want to spend huge amount of times hunting for things. On reflection, I could've used less tabs, especially as I very quickly realised during the actual play session that the index was very good and comprehensive.

Rulebook prepared, I moved onto the setting. For preparation, I reread the first edition material – especially ‘The Lostfinder’s Guide to Mire End’ – and systematically took notes on plot ideas and NPCs that I could throw in if necessary. I also dug into the QuickStart (‘Nicely, Done’) and the other PDF adventure releases for the game line. In honesty, the first edition material was more than enough, once I cut through the name changes for some organisations and characters. I created spiral-bound copies from the PDFs to reference at the table, using my handwritten notes as pointers for where to go. And this worked really well in play. If I'd had more time, I would've extracted some of the images of locations and people from the PDFs and printed them separately, but that wasn't to be.

 

I also wanted a map as a centrepiece for the table. I wanted it to feel real, and have the location grounded for the players. A|State first edition has a lovely hand-drawn map of the area I was setting the game in, but I also knew that Paul Baldowski had started to work on a redraw of that map in the style used for Blades in the Dark. I reached out to him, and he kindly let me use the file. He'd never finished the project, so I rapidly added in the missing canals and flooded areas, and some names for locations, over two evenings. The sections I completed weren't at the same standard as Paul's superb work, but they were enough for the weekend. I had the map printed by Pixel2Print at A0, whilst making another print of the first edition map at A2. They both looked superb. In one of our breaks, we had quite a discussion about the maps, and came to the conclusion that Paul's was more useful for the game as it had loads of locations detailed, but the first edition map was great for quick reference and style.

During the last week before the convention, we discussed the characters on the LongCon Discord, but I quickly realised that busy diaries meant that we were going to finish this at the table. As a result, I printed off copies of all the different character playbooks. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the fact that I'd accidentally overwritten the master copies of the playbooks when I re-created the playtest characters with the final version rules last time I ran the game. This was only discovered as we started to finalise, so two of the characters became people referenced in the flavour text within the rulebook. That was kind of fun.

The other preparation I did was to make sure I brought a power extension lead and several fans with me because the week before the convention the first heatwave of the summer arrived. I was sceptical how much we would need them, but very rapidly realised that they were a necessity in the afternoon when the sun started to shine directly onto the part of the building we were in. It may be an old stone building, but it doesn't deal with heat well; like most of the UK’s structures, it’s designed to keep heat in.

The only preparation that didn't pay off was a set of lovely etched reusable clocks for the game that I ordered off Etsy, but they didn't arrive until the Monday after the convention. However, I'm sure I'll have plenty of other opportunities to use them.

SATURDAY 

We don't usually do an opening speech at LongCon or any kind of formal kickoff. Normally Graham goes around doing the networking thing he does so well, talking to players and GMs while I'm making sure they've got everything they need. I do wonder if we miss a trick with that, because you don't get much cross-fertilisation between the different groups like you do at the other Garricons. However, I suspect the format will work against that anyway, but it's something to consider for next time.

I told the players that I'd arrive at the Garrison Hotel around 9:30 and we got ourselves started once we’d all arrived. It was a slow start, but an opportunity to catch up with people and to say hello. We went straight into building characters, then developing the corner – part of which was already there because of the existing background I had drawn upon – and then finalising off the Alliance sheet, which describes the ‘Troublemakers’ (characters) and the impact upon the community of their activities. 

A|State is really a game about building community, creating hope and hopefully making a change for the better. The players were a disparate group, a Ghostfighter (knife-wielding warrior), an activist Street-healer, a Sneak Thief, a Mapmaker (fixer) and a Dinginsmith (hacker). Very rapidly, I had quite a complicated relationship web drawn of who trusted whom, and the key contacts and friends in the community. They all hung out on an old canal barge owned by the Ghostfighter which served as a home and community Health Centre.

It was interesting how some random elements developed and shaped the characters beyond the playbooks; Dr. Bob had brought a character photo for use, and their choice - a Bollywood star - captured Debbie’s attention. Out of that, an unrequited love between the Ghostfighter and the Street Healer was born. This drove plenty of interactions over the weekend between the characters and the plot. I love it when things like this become important for the shape of the game.

I started the game gently with two clocks (countdown timers) running for dangers – one involved action that one of the gangs was going to take, and the other was an unseen danger that would be revealed. The latter was a longer clock with eight segments, so unlikely to hit in the first three or four missions. The former, a 4 segment clock, was much faster and likely to rapidly become an issue.

Dr. Bob: Cool moments included the contrast between the Ghostfighter interacting with the orphans (from the Third Church Orphanage they supported) to keep them safe, but also using them as a spy network. 

The game started with some gentle community interaction but soon escalated when one of the local street traders was beaten up by a gang of the youths who were increasingly becoming an issue. An initial attempt to talk the gang down didn't go well, and ultimately the crew decided that they had to do something about this. We then saw the Troublemakers setting up missions to build community support to take action, a key part of which was to draw upon the resources of the Forest Green area in the Burgh, as they had a militia. We saw diplomacy, deals and connections being made along the way the street healer got shot, but was fortunately only lightly wounded. However, threats had been made and the Ghostfighter and mapmaker led the Forest Green Regulars into battle against the gang when they wouldn't stand down.

It was brutal, and when the fighting stopped, the gang had been wiped out but at a severe cost. The leader of the Forest Green Regulars had been killed, as had half of his men, leaving their part of the Burgh vulnerable to the actions of the Watermark crew. During the mission, the crew had discovered evidence that the street gang was aligned with the Watermark crew, who were the strongest criminal faction in Mire End and part of the infamous Hohler Gang running gambling, prostitution fights and extortion across the whole district.

The situation escalated, as the Watermark crew attempted to fire bomb the canal barge used by the crew that also served as the community health centre. The Troublemakers relocated the barge, having put the fire out, but were now set on a path of confrontation with the Hohler gang’s allies.

Dr. Bob: Definitely the only RPG I've ever played with my feet in a dishwashing bowl of water! 

Sometime around this happening the heat in the hotel reached ridiculous levels so we were forced to stop playing for a bit and carry out a brave real life expedition to find ice cream. It was so hot that the local Morrisons supermarket had shut down much of its freezer section as the display freezers could not hold temperature adequately. They had no ice cream, no ice, and we ended up buying some dishwashing bowls and flannels to use with cold water. 

Some of the players returned to the hotel but four of us took advantage of an air-conditioned car to go to a nearby Sainsbury's where we located ice cream and brought them back. I think we lost nearly three hours due to the heat and people not feeling in a good enough condition to play. Had this been a more traditional plotted campaign that I was running, I'd been very concerned about timing as a result. However, the open-ended sandbox meant that this was much less of a concern.

Once we resumed playing, things rapidly escalated as the crew hatched a plan to steal the money that the Watermark crew was collecting to pay onto the Hohler Gang as their cut. They planned to use this to discredit the the Watermark Crew’s leader, Garsey Hatchett, to gain funds for the community, and hopefully cause conflict between the criminals. Through some clever scouting, followed by sneaking, they managed to drug the beer at the pub - The Locomotive - that was used as a headquarters for the gang. They then snuck in, dealt with the two individuals who hadn't fallen asleep, and then appropriated the money and the gang leader.

They stashed the money in the canal barge, and dumped Garsey Hatchett into the canal while he was still drugged unconscious after a debate about what the best way to get rid of him was. As a GM, it was interesting to listen to the short moral argument about whether they should kill Hatchett (to make sure) but in the end, they decided that death by drowning was more credible if the body was ever found because it may look like he’d tried to run off with the funds and things had gone wrong. Meanwhile, across from the Mire End ferry stage in Folly Hills, the Hohler Gang was waiting for their payment to arrive on the last ferry of the night. It never did, and at dawn, when the first ferry of the next day crossed without the tribute, the gang members headed back to report the trouble to Mr Hohler himself.

Around then we broke for the evening, agreeing to restart at 10:00 the next morning.

I slept moderately well – it was warm but not too bad.

SUNDAY

I had breakfast with Graham, Keary and Dr Bob, and then a good natter with Dr Bob before going back to empty my room and set up for the Sunday session.

The second day of the game seemed to pass much more quickly for me, and things were starting to build up a momentum of their own. The players started to try to build a consensus and establish a Burgh council to keep the Watermark and Hohler Gang out. They handled the increasingly desperate actions of the remains of the Watermark crew to extort money from the people of Mire End because they were afraid of the retribution of the Hohler Gang for the failed payment.

During this part, I was deliberately drawing on the various contacts that we’d established in character generation and play and showing them at the risk of harm. A power vacuum was forming and the Troublemakers needed to act to fill it and establish control over the Burgh or the Hohler Gang would just establish a new proxy with the remains of the Watermark crew.

We also completed the clock for the hidden danger which I started to plan to reveal. This was the Fulgurator’s Guild (who run the railways) surveying the abandoned line through Mire End with the intention of reestablishing it. This was a long term threat to the Burgh which was unlikely to have any direct impact in the time we had to play, but I wanted to make it feel like Mire End and the City were living, breathing places. The real threat to the corner was that the old viaducts and causeways had become the sites of shanty towns, raised as they were from the flooded streets below. I’d decided that the main viaduct near the former Mire End Terminus had a group who were growing a lot of the vegetables for the Burgh on it in a tight knit community so threatening that would be really significant for the community.

With the ongoing tension with the remnants of the Watermark Crew, the Troublemakers decided to destroy the Locomotive Pub, hoping to kill or drive out most of their opposition. They managed to plant explosives at the back of the pub.

Meanwhile, the Sneak Thief went to Folly Hills to visit the Dog Track and have a little flutter. She was accosted by members of the Hohler Gang and ended up in a meeting with Mr Hohler where she was offered a job working for him, replacing Garsey Hatchett. Mr Hohler made it clear that he wasn’t actually bothered who controlled Mire End, but rather about the revenue lost. Ultimately, with the Mapmaker, the Sneak Thief, a deal would be cut that saw the Burgh paying a cut to the Hohlers for their non-involvement in Mire End. The benefit for the corner was that all the rest of the money that the Watermark Crew extorted, from which the Hohler Gang took their cut, wasn’t being taken. 

Dr. Bob: Graham did a sterling job of being the reasonable negotiator in the face of all us firebrands and nutters.

The challenge was to get the neighbourhood to unite enough to agree to this and to also effectively keep some of the money they saved to start to improve Mire End. In effect, the Troublemakers were working on reestablish a Burgh Council. That was always going to be challenging; why would the relatively prosperous people of Forest Green want to deal with with the poor folks that live in the shanty towns around Redberry Park? The characters managed to influence key non-player characters to help them.

They were dealing with the folks on top of the Mire End Terminus viaduct when the Locomotive Pub exploded, breaking the Watermark Crew. Messier and more bloody than they had originally intended, but perhaps the only way to deal with a gang that only knew how to wield violence. As the smoke rose from burning pub in the streets below, they secured the commitment of the people on the viaduct to come to the Burgh meeting.

They followed that up with an interaction with the two Fulgurators who were surveying the viaduct, discovering the potential threat and trying to intimidate them into going away, only to be faced with bureaucracy and a formal notice of survey from the Guild. A problem that would most likely only grow.

The movers and shakers of the Burgh were brought together, and the final act of the game was to bring them together in a consensus, and to secure agreement to pay the Hohler Gang off. The Troublemakers swayed those present, and the tentative first steps to the recover of Mire End were set in place. 

Graham: I'm glad we went to a negotiated settlement at the end. I would have expected you to TPK or punish our corner/burgh if we had tried to directly fight one of the largest crime syndicates around.

REFLECTIONS 

I really enjoyed running this game; I had a great group of players and they took ownership of driving the plots forward. I had beats that I dropped in, along with non-player characters and groups, but really the story was driven from their choices. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous before I ran the game, because I knew that it was going to be two days of effectively reacting and building story together. I didn’t have the crutch of a preplanned plot line like I’d had running Stormbringer two years before. It was both terrifying and liberating.

The thing is, I knew all the players who had signed up for my game, so I shouldn’t have been worried. They’re all good at owning the story and supporting each other, and riffing to build a narrative. Intellectually, I knew this, but I couldn’t avoid being nervous. I suspect that if I ever stop being a little nervous before a game then I’m doing something wrong.

There was only one character choice that worried me - the Dinginsmith. My concern was that the hacker style character was always a challenge in Mire End as the infrastructure is so shattered. However, I think we managed to make it work, and I found a way to link the character to the owner of the Mire End Cogworks (computer tech in the city is mechanical and can be at the nanoscale) in a way that was meaningful.

The mechanics of A|State worked well. It has a mission/downtime sequence like Blades in the Dark. Possibly the only challenge with managing that was when the Troublemakers decided to split and carry out missions in parallel. Initially, it felt very mechanical working through the resolution, but it very quickly just became part of how we were playing and faded into the background. We did see some good character development over the session, which did make a difference to what they could achieve.

I do like the way that A|State handles the Blades in the Dark ‘position and effect’ challenge by turning it into a visual matrix of risk & reward that’s very easy for everyone to interact with. I always found the original hard to hold in my head and use on the fly.

 

 I don’t think I could have delivered the game quite so well without the first edition material that I pillaged for plot ideas and non-player characters. If you’re a GM with limited time, having that kind of crutch is really useful as you can take it and make it your own. I do think that Handiwork Games could use some of that past material and produce a short set of guides for different Burghs in the City as inspiration for the players and GM. The core book does have some nice tasters for the Burghs, but I’m thinking a more expanded gazetteer with people, places and plots to draw on.

There’s quite a lot that I didn’t write about above; the relationships the characters had with NPCs (for example the Street Healer had a former lover who was directly threatened by the action that they took and the Watermark Crew’s response), elements of their backstories that were significant (the Ghostfighter’s local fame and links to the Third Church of the Mortal God) and the quite open discussions about what the right things were to do. Sometimes they found themselves taking actions they preferred not so that they could tie the neighbourhood together (for example, the Ghostfighter, always a bit of a loner, ends up training the Forest Green Regulars after their leader was killed). We also saw the characters connecting people together in the community.

As we left the game, there were multiple threads that could have been pulled to follow up. I’d have happily considered running an ongoing game online if the players had wanted me to. It felt like a living breathing place, and they’d made a difference.

The Troublemakers made a difference to people’s lives, but will it sustain? Will they be remembered, or just fade away? As the game's tag line says...

“You will never forget the City, but the City will forget you.”

12 August 2026