Episode 7 found the crew swiftly approaching the end game of the investigation phase of the adventure, and we ended with them preparing for a delve to discover a lost vault.
The tech all worked smoothly, again, except for a short period when one of the players lost audio from another and we had some over talking. However, that was swiftly fixed once we realised what was happening.
The session featured a significant spotlight for Hattie's character, Arda, who rushed into a risky scouting mission with quite some success. The subsequent work by the whole crew in preparing for the delve less so, and that may present some problems next session.
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 Session (Spoilers for The Flowers of Algorab).
Returning from the Razad, the crew team decided to approach Master Moskva directly, despite the early hours. They are admitted to her quarters, where, amidst tea and considerations of what constitutes a suitable celebratory beverage, Arda eagerly shares the groundbreaking news of the builder's vault with the still groggy but increasingly intrigued Master Moska.
Meristo Koulas diligently divulged his encounter with a menacing figure, clad in a Coriolite mask, accompanied by mechanically engineered spiders—ominous agents of blight and heirloom technology. He recounted an assassination attempt, believing the masked figure might have connections to the Navigator's Guild but possessing no solid proof.
Master Moska, deep in thought, recognised the implications of the glyphs inscribed on the ancient tablet, recalling that Levon Najjar had researched these symbols heavily. Speculations arose about the prudence of announcing their interest in the Ramda Obelisk openly or proceeding with stealth. The explorers weighed the options while reflecting on their previous findings; the unsettling presence of blight-infected mechanical spiders at Levon's crime scene cast a sinister shadow.
Arda, fuelled by a blend of caution and excitement, proposed an unsanctioned infiltration to prevent potential informants from alerting their adversaries, however, Fassour Faradi expressed reservations, emphasising the absence of evidence implicating the Navigator Guild in clandestine schemes.
Seeking a balanced approach, Master Moska decided to request official access to the obelisk, hoping to avoid unnecessary conflict while unearthing truths buried deep within the histories of their fractured cosmos. Rashid al-Masri, threading lines of loyalty and suspicion, aimed to deploy his Gardener's Guild contacts to glean further insights, hinting at layers of alliances and enmities that entangled their fates more tightly with the shadowy facets of Ship City and beyond.
Thus, amid theories and tensions, they concluded to proceed with both caution and courage. The explorers, guided by their diverse expertise, prepared to tread a path fraught with peril, their spirits tethered to the enigmatic promise of the obelisk. All the while, Master Moska looked on, mirroring the blend of excitement and apprehension that danced in their eyes, knowing well the weight of the discoveries that might soon unfold before them.
In the latest twist of their intrepid journey, our explorers reconvened at the mess area in their quarters after being briefed about their mission. Rashid, joining his comrades amidst the aroma of freshly made waffles, decided against sharing his secretive contact, opting instead to reveal only the information obtained from his Gardeners' Guild contacts. Despite the team's relaxed camaraderie, an underlying tension hinted at the strategic intricacies of their alliances.
Meristo and Arda discussed their affiliations and mistrust with other factions, particularly touching upon existing frictions with the mining faction, which were more personal for Arda than had been publicly admitted. The Explorer's Guild had confirmed it would equip those without an exosuit, preparing them for their next move towards the mysterious Obelisk.
Upon their visit to this ancient site, the team encountered the Navigator's Guild's Purple Guards, already wary of their purpose. The Ramda Obelisk stood majestically inscribed with enigmatic glyphs, and after some well-coordinated effort and use of Arda’s artefact scanner, they managed to discover multiple slots for the mysterious tablet they had been carrying. Aligning the tablet correctly, the obelisk awakened, projecting a holographic map pinpointing a secret vault’s location beneath the city's haunting Well of Souls.
Their findings spurred debates on methods of descent into the well, considered sacred and fiercely guarded by the Coriolite Wardens of the Well. While they contemplated whether it was possible to discover alternate entrances, the possibility of navigating such a sensitive location without offending local customs or arousing suspicion presented a formidable challenge. The group debates the logistics of accessing this sensitive site, intertwined with concerns about sacrilege and intricate plans to access a buried vault without desecration.
The tactical discourse shifts towards finding alternative entries. Meristo shares insights into potential equipment stashing spots, while Lieto Miesma is encouraged to deploy his scholarly prowess to aid their mission, potentially employing archaeology skills to discern more about the hidden pathways and entrances. A lucky find in old records pinpoints an accessible tunnel, raising hopes of a covert approach to their somber destination.
Arda Kamal, ever eager, is nominated to execute a solitary reconnaissance of the mausoleums surrounding the Well of Souls. Cloaked in the guise of a mourner among funeral-goers, she ventures towards the target. Her movements, aided by Meristo’s crash course on Coriolite customs, maintain the deception allowing her to survey the site with a practiced eye.
Finding a suitable mausoleum with an unlatched door, Arda contemplates the rash audacity of entering alone but proceeds—her actions marked by a loud creak of the ancient door, a nerve-wracking sound that starkly contrasts the silent respect of the site. Inside, she wrestles with reverence and duty, apologizing to the resting ashes as she activates her deep scanner, a bright beacon of modernity amidst the solemn dust.
This amalgamation of stealth, historical respect, and high-tech investigation underlines their night’s effort. Yet, as always, the path to ancient secrets is fraught with ethical quandaries and the shadows of potential blight. As our explorers tread carefully through the thicket of their moral and tactical decisions, the depths of the Well of Souls await, silent and inscrutable, holding within its dark embrace the keys to a past long submerged in the echoes of time and myth.
In the shadowed silence of the City of the Dead, Arda secured the mausoleum door, and managed to quietly close it, ensuring it appeared undisturbed and locked.
As Arda explored further, she approached a noticeably clean and well-kept mausoleum, which stood out with its newly painted gates. This structure was confirmed by referencing the deep scan as the entrance to the tunnel they had discovered. Knowing the entrance was unguarded but not wanting to take chances, Arda decided to take photographs and gather information rather than venture below just yet.
Electing discretion over immediate disclosure, Arda chose not to communicate with the rest of the crew over comms, risking potential eavesdropping, wanting to safeguard the details of their mission.
Subsequently, Arda merged with the mourners at another funeral as a cover to exit the area without arousing suspicion. Engaging in a delicate conversation, she adeptly navigated an interaction with an inquisitive mourner, employing her cultural savviness (with a bit of luck) to convincingly portray her role. This interaction underscored her blend of empathy and strategic deceit, which eased her departure from the site without any complications.
Returning to the group, Arda relayed her findings and experiences amidst commendations from her teammates. The discussion turned strategic as they contemplated meticulous tactics to move supplies into the City of the Dead under the guise of routine mourning visits, suggesting a covert operation reminiscent of classic escape plots but fraught with the danger of detection.
As the team planned their deceptive maneuvers, they acknowledged the complexity of smuggling necessary gear without drawing attention, leading to a group stealth roll. Despite an uneasy success, with some hope spent and failed rolls, the atmosphere remained tense, filled with the undercurrents of potential peril.
The session ended as they successfully positioned their equipment in the mausoleum, setting the stage for their descent into the depths in the next meeting, with an anticipation of restored hope and the looming threat of the unknowns that awaited them beneath the eerily silent graves.
Source - Tabletoprecorder.com, edited for names, clarity and brevity with some parts injected to explain or catch elements missed in the summarising.
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