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.
- 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.
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| 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.
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