Flowers of Algorab - Episode 21 - The Ashen Gorge

We skipped two weeks, partly due to availability; I couldn't make the second week as I was away with work and had an evening event. This week we were just quorate, with Simon still unwell, and Dr Mitch having to do some last minute work through the evening, leaving Graham, Andy and Hattie available to play. I was in the Days Inn again, and the internet connection was mostly decent. I had a bit of a faff getting the AV right, but got there in the end before we started. Of course, the middle of the fortnight break was Furnace, so in some ways I was glad that work commitments stopped me from running the second Tuesday, as I was pretty tired after the convention. 

We had a good catch up before we started, and much excitement was heard about the recent low key announcements from Fria Ligan on the new books for Coriolis: The Great Dark and more. One of them - Into the Abyss - looks like it may well be the sequel to Flowers of Algorab. We were joking that we could be facing a second season for the campaign!

The session was shorter than normal; we covered the journey through the Gahand cloud, and the arrival on the surface of the cloud-enshrouded planet Anshubur. The crew got as far as a deep scan, and proceeded to plan their next steps. It seemed to be a good reason to call time then as there was every chance that we'd have more players next session. It felt like a real expedition; they were facing into how much supply they needed, and whether increasing the team number to six was worth it with the doubling of supply consumption that it would bring when compared to the flexibility and expertise that they gained. The team concluded it would, but then deliberately over encumbered themselves with the plan to create supply caches on the way in.

I made one mistake; I forgot to cover the blight scores when I created the VTT map. I need to resolve that before the 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 New Seekers (Corvus, Arda, Meristo, Fassour, Rashid and Lieto)

The Session (Spoilers for The Flowers of Algorab).

Our intrepid adventurers find themselves steering the slipstream cruiser Akhander through the tumultuous stretches of the Gahand Cloud towards Anshubur. The Akhander is towing the ore hauler, Shimzabla’s Golden Smile, toward Habanatum, a curious destination as the system is dominated by a neutron star. Additionally, a bard-like prophet-poet named Charcout has joined the journey, promising to enhance the crew’s morale.

As the Akhander ventures into the upper decks of the Gahant Cloud, a vast dust and gas cloud stretching nearly fifteen astronomical distances, navigational challenges mount. Rashid and Lieto leverage their skills and ship’s technology to discern an oddity in their path—an echo in the cloud that suggests another presence. This echo, peculiar in its nature, seemingly sways with an organic rhythm, hinting at the mysterious Umbravores known to inhabit these nebulous regions. It remains at the thermocline between the upper and lower cloud decks, pacing the ship.

Real-time strategy discussions ensue amongst the crew, navigating through the technical details of spacecraft operations and the cloud’s environmental data. Arda, suggests using the starship’s deep scanners further, supported by Lieto referencing background radiation readings to differentiate the echo from cosmic interference. This reveals not only the massive size of this entity but also its potential as a formidable Umbravore that trails the Akhander feeding off its particulate wake.

Tension escalates as the slipstream cruiser halts to refine the scan, discerning the massive shape of the Umbravore hovering near. Quick decisions are required to prevent a collision—opt for misdirection or initiate evasive manoeuvres? Despite adventurous suggestions, the crew opts for the latter, managing to cautiously accelerate and steer clear of the imminent threat. This decision stirs up an ether storm, enveloping the Umbravore in a spectacle of plasma that mesmerises and terrifies in equal measure. 

As the ship left the Gahand Cloud, the whole crew reflecting on their close encounter, inspired by Charcout’s poetic ode to the majestic creature they narrowly eluded. The journey, filled with both danger and beauty, continues to promise more as the Akhander finally emerges from the roiling mists of the Gahand Cloud, the crew sets their sights on the enigmatic planet Anshubur. The air is filled with a mix of relief and anticipation; the crew is grateful for the lack of confrontations with the Leviathan, yet they remain cautious, aware of the mysterious and possibly treacherous nature of their next destination.

Lieto Miesma, delves into the legends surrounding Anshubur, somewhat distracted by the stories of the the mythic lost planet  in the Cloud called Umbra Major—rumoured to be a treasure trove of ancient builders' ruins and possibly holding the secret to eternal life, guarded by a mystical priestess. The crew muses over these tales, which add both allure and ominous undertones to their expedition.

Approaching Anshubur, its surroundings grow increasingly foreboding as nightmarish details become apparent; it is shrouded in dark clouds, with storms of acid rain and fierce winds whipping across its surface. This hostile atmosphere prompts concerns about the crew's safety and the capabilities of their equipment. Their destination appears less like a haven and more like a hellish vista ripped from a twisted dream.

They quickly locate the area that the potential Singularity Sphere transmission is coming from and face a crucial decision about navigating the peril surrounding Anshubur's atmosphere in their shuttle. Rashid uses this tense moment to assert his leadership, pondering whether to brave the tempest to reach their target directly or to find a safer, albeit possibly longer, path to their destination.

The crew opts for caution, deciding to land the Grasshopper away from the worst of the storms and make their way towards the source of an intriguing signal by foot and rover, leaving the Akhander safely in orbit above. Their discussion is tactical, measured, and underscored by the awareness that every choice in this alien terrain could mean the difference between discovery and disaster.

They prepare for their descent. Eager yet unsure of what awaits them, they equip themselves with their delve suits designed to withstand the harsh environmental conditions, and their ship bristles with the tension of explorers on the brink of a possibly monumental discovery. Everyone is on edge, poised for whatever mysteries are veiled in the stormy, uninviting embrace of the hellscape in front of them.

Lieto Miesma, expressed concerns about making a quick exit, leading Arda Qamar to suggest using their seldom-employed rover for expedited movement. Rashid Al Masri queried about driving responsibilities, with Alda agreeing to taking the lead.

The group discussed logistical concerns about leaving certain team members with the rover or the shuttle, weighing up the usefulness of each crew member in their upcoming expedition deep into Anshubur's treacherous landscapes. Insights into each character's capabilities emerged, emphasising a collective reliance on each other's strengths and expertise. They decided to leave Kamalia and the doctor on the Akhander, but take the extremely experienced Gina Zee with them.

Rashid flies the Grasshopper shuttle into the storm, cooly controlling the craft through lightning, ash, particulates and plasma flares, landing about a kilometre from the target site. The crew brave the weather outside to anchor the Grasshopper down lest it is blown away, and then prepare to offload their Rhino class Rover, a huge wheeled and armoured ATV.

A daring plan materialised as the team prepared to embark in the rover, facing the precarious weather and turbulent landscape of Anshubur. The sky was choked with a roiling black cloud, contributing to a suffocating sense of claustrophobia among the crew. Tremors in the ground added to their unease, signalling potential seismic activities beneath the surface. As the rover journeyed through this hostile terrain, Arda skilfully brought the rover forward towards the maze-like gorge they could see ahead. Rashid had taken preventive measures to inspect and maintain the rover, ensuring its functionality against the harrowing conditions.

A tension-filled descent towards an ominous gorge required precise handling from Arda, who handled the rover with agility — albeit with palpable anxiety. The gorge revealed a labyrinthine maze, prompting a strategic review using their deep scanner to map out a feasible path forward through the maze-like terrain.

They progressed with practical discussions, from allocating and managing resources like supplies to implementing tactical maneuvers through the gorge. Calculations concerning supply usage were meticulously made, discussing the carrying capacities and potential to cache supplies en route to manage their heavy burdens.

Intrigue around their destination mounted as they approached the signal's source, implicating further complexities due to the gorge’s dangerous layout and apparent blight presence. The group strategised paths, contemplating less blighted routes while preparing for unexpected challenges, embodying a blend of caution and adventurous spirit. The discussion was a tapestry of critical decision-making, resource management, and cooperative strategy, setting the scene for a high-stakes exploration into the heart of Anshubur. The crew deliberated over potential drop-off points for their equipment to avoid encumbrance as they approach their target. The conversation, driven by earnest collaboration and tactical forethought, centres on various locales, with E9 and F9 serving as prospective cache sites due to their geographical features, such as caves which Lieto and Rashid consider with strategic intent. 

The session concludes with Dom guiding the group to a graceful pause, agreeing to continue their meticulous planning in the next chapter of their journey. The crew's camaraderie and shared resolve shine through, leaving listeners in eager anticipation of what lies ahead in the depths of Anshubur's foreboding landscapes and the Ashen Gorge.

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

Furnace XXI (2026) After Action Report

This last weekend was the twenty-first Furnace roleplaying convention, held as usual at the Garrison Hotel in Sheffield. It was our biggest yet, topping out at just over a hundred registrations and in the low/mid nineties for attendees. That's usual, because you tend to see 5-10% drop out rates thanks to real life (illness, things that come up, changes of plans and the folks that register but never respond to any emails or posts on the various channels we have for the convention). We saw more new folks, some attending for their first convention, and some old friends returning. As usual, All Rolled Up and Patriot Games were our splendid traders for the weekend. We had a very informal bring and buy stand too.

Once again, it was our triumvirate of Graham, Elaine and myself who were organising it, and once again it pretty much ran on rails. We did have some bumps along the way (changes of events coordinator at the Garrison for example) but nothing insurmountable.

I usually take the Friday off before the convention to leisurely complete preparation, but I ended up travelling for three days with work and then having a meeting I couldn't get out of moved to Friday morning. As a result, I had a pretty hectic Friday, arriving at the convention just after 22:30 but before last orders. I managed to park in the dedicated car park for the first time ever, which was a shock. There was Karaoke on as an event, but I managed to arrive too late to avoid the attempts from the ladies at the event to drag folks in to dance with them. I had a quick catch up with folks but went to my room before midnight. Of course, I then managed not to get to sleep until 2am!

Breakfast was early - the hotel had brought it half an hour earlier because we were using the restaurant again - but service was quick and friendly as ever. I found the food was better than the previous year and it was lovely to see the staff who come to know over the years.

I had time to quickly read through my scenario before heading up to the rooms to do final set up. This was mainly getting the badges out, making sure the extra Taylor's Coffee Bags were out to compliment the instant coffee, and getting the table signs in place. We've also been adding a box of tissues and - this year - some antibacterial wipes (as the little hand sanitizer's are harder to find) on each table at the convention in an attempt to minimise cases of 'con crud' afterwards. Graham tried to cleverly avoid me recording the opening speech by sending me upstairs but I managed to get back in time.

The Opening Speech

This year, I'd decided to simplify what I was doing and run the same game multiple times, albeit with different scenarios. These meant all the pressure to forget one game engine and adopt another was gone. I'd chosen The Hooded Man RPG (which I reviewed previously) and decided to run the three example scenarios in the book back-to-back with the same characters as if it was the Robin of Sherwood TV series. By making it episodic, it meant that people who signed up for three games got a mini-campaign, but other folks could sign up for a single episode. I had two players who played all three episodes, and three that played two of the episodes, the balance being folks who played a single session.

In preparing for the convention, I went down a bit of an expensive rabbit hole. I decided I wanted some maps on the table to make it feel more grounded, and ended up picking up several of the Tom Cartos 'Into the Wild' battle map books for the game. I'd previously purchased some modern day sets from him via a Kickstarter (TC Modern) and had a variety of Cyberpunk and SF battle map books from Loke, but nothing suitable for a fantasy game. I planned to use these with tokens, but I really struggled to find some nice ones that were either sensibly priced or looked right. I asked The Hooded Man Discord forum on Osprey Games' server, and some folks suggested some miniatures ranges that may work. Now, I rarely use miniatures for gaming; my games are usually over a VTT, but I have painted miniatures for games before (most notably for a Savage Worlds Hack of 2300AD's Mission Arcturus at a very early Furnace). 

The forum folks pointed me at North Star Figures and Wargames Atlantic, and ended up picking up a set of Oathmark British Light Infantry for the Outlaws (from North Star) and some Baron's War Foot Serjeants for the Sheriff's men. I also picked up a box of Villagers, mainly to raid for female heads and bodies. Finally, I ordered some STL printed Men at Arms to use for the Norman leaders from OttsWorkshop on Etsy.  I was wincing at this point as I had spent far more than I intended on the game bling. That was the point that I found out that my paints had all mainly dried up, so I needed to get some quickly. I found a set of NicPro Modeling Acrylic Paints for a decent price with 30 colours, and picked up some matt varnish. 

I spent several hours assembling the models (14 Normans and 12 Outlaws) wondering when the STL characters would arrive (I'd ordered about 5 weeks before the convention from a UK printer, and chased after three weeks but they hadn't arrived), and then a chunk of a Saturday painting them. Overall I was pleased with the outcome and, so long as you didn't look too closely, they looked great. I'd made sure that the outlaw characters had the right gender and equipment, which worked well.  

There's a really simple random character generation system in The Hooded Man, so I produced six characters and their companions. I'd offered spaces for five players in my game, but ended up running two of the sessions for six, which wasn't a problem. If I ran the same again, I'll probably loose the companions because it does make the game quite busy; then again, it does give the feel of an outlaw company.

One worry I did have was that the scenarios as written did have less in than I would normally have done if I wrote them myself, and I'd prepared some injects/beats to add if it seemed like they're run very short. However, as two of the slots were shorter than the ones that I usually pick (I often pick the four hour slots) this probably worked in may favour. Two of the sessions finished a bit early, but the players cleverly steered their characters to resolve the issues very effectively.

Your life has been turned upside down since the Sheriff of Nottingham declared you outlaws. Hunted, you fled into Sherwood Forest, hiding amongst the ancient, verdant and shady trees from the Sheriff’s men. You have fallen in with others who have suffered the same fate, a small community of lost souls, but life is hard and lean, and every day a struggle. You have heard rumours of the Hooded Man, an outlaw who protects the poor and weak, but is it just a myth?

The first scenario had Neil, Jon, John, Tamar and Dr Mitch playing, and instantly got the vibe of the setting. Fortunately most of them had seen Robin of Sherwood, so understood the influences that the game carried on its sleeve. I used the sting from the main title music a couple of times to emphasise this, but it was sparing as we were in a room full of other games being played. They met Robin and his band, and undertook a mission to deal with Norman tax collectors. What I loved is that having ambushed the advance scouting party, they grabbed their outfits and carried out a ruse where they managed to head off with all the taxation and two prisoners ('witches'), while misdirecting the heavily armed guards into a wild goose chase for Robin Hood. It was Tamar's first convention game and she gelled with the group really well so we had a lot of fun.

Over lunch I went to Morrisons and caught up with some folks.

At the village of Oston, your allies, news comes of a young woman from nearby Wellbury who has been seized by the Sheriff’s men after she rebuffed their advances. They accuse her of witchcraft, a crime which will likely lead to her torture and death. Her father pleads that you save her…

The second scenario sees the outlaws called to rescue a young woman, Jenny, who has been kidnapped by the Sheriff's men. They soon found out that she didn't really need saving, and at least one of the characters became enamoured with her. They used the tabards stolen in the first episode once more. This session saw Neil, John, Jon and Dr Mitch returning, joined by Simon and Tom. This was also the session when Neil realised that his character was the only one that hadn't really committed a crime, and that his character's traits pushed him to be a leader for the group. All of a sudden we had an Outlaw Band forming from a group of individuals. We also learned that Dr Mitch's character was a genius for cunning plans. Simon really brought his character's hunting dog into the fore, which was fun. Towards the end of the session, Tom's character suddenly realised that she'd never be a potter again, and the anger that brought out led to a very nasty end for the Norman leader. Following that, she ended up seeing a vision and meeting what could be Herne the Hunter (I described a very mist laden, back lit situation) with Jenny, and realising that even if Jenny wasn't a witch then she was well on the way to becoming one. They recruited her to their band along with her father to avoid reprisals on the village of Wellbury.

Dinner was at KFC, as is now traditional. The Garricon Bookclub continues, with a widening group joining each convention. We sit around and talk books, films and other media while enjoying fried chicken.

It’s All Hallows Eve, and Nottingham is bustling from the people who have come to celebrate Hallowmas and All Souls Day at the Church of St Mary the Virgin. Your company have taken the risk of visiting an Inn in Nottingham to meet an informant who has passed word that they have news from a prisoner of the Sheriff. Can you evade recognition and find out more?

The final scenario sees the characters entering Nottingham. As presented, this was totally underwritten, as the author had mentioned the possibility of rescuing the prisoner of the Sheriff, but there was absolutely no information on how to do this. Naturally, this became a big thing during the game session.  This session saw Jon and Dr Mitch reprising their roles as the cutpurse and slightly menacing but cunning bowyer along with Simon returning as the huntress with her loyal dog. Dr Bob, Jenny and Elina joined us. Elina took over Thomas from Neil, and the change in approach led to jokes that the character's hair had changed colour (like the change in actor for Robin Hood in the TV series). The character became known as Modest Tom. They met an informant in an Inn, then spent All Souls Day recovering a talisman taken by a veteran forester in a foreign war, and ambushing a band of the Sheriff's men who had tortured the forester to get details of the treasure. This led to a spectacular fight when they ambushed the soldiers as they crossed a bridge. It caused a mild bought of panic when they realised that the leader of the soldiers was far stronger than any opponent that they'd faced with armour and a villain trait that made them very dangerous. The outlaws prevailed, but not without some injuries.

That was the point when the scenario went completely off the track in the book and they staged a very apt Robin Hood style rescue of the forester before he was hanged. This included impersonating a priest and using the tabards again! A crowd was gathered for the hangings; they ended up rescuing five people  but leaving a nasty murderer to die. It was very dramatic, and they just escaped Nottingham. My only regret (in hindsight) was that I didn't offer some kind of archery contest for them to become involved with, but we had fun and escaped.

I had a quick drink in the bar with some of the folks, then headed to bed.

Sunday brought an early breakfast, and then a very relaxed day.

Slot 4 saw me playing Coriolis: The Third Horizon run by Hattie (who plays Arda in my Coriolis: The Great Dark Campaign). The scenario, Eye of the Beast, had vibes of Avatar, and we had great fun with the factional interplay; if anything, too much fun as we became pressed for time to follow all the threads in the three hour session. That's always the challenge for a GM, if the players are really getting into the roleplaying, then it's hard to move them along. Hattie did brilliantly, and helped us to come to a satisfying conclusion. This reminded me why I love playing in the Third Horizon; I was grateful for the opportunity to return.

Lunch was Morrisons again.

Before the final session, we had the raffle which was done by friend of the convention and Most Worshipful Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Andy Sanger. Andy's been a Garricon regular from the start and his year as the leading citizen of Sheffield means he can't join us properly. He gave a short speech, and then we were off for our final session.

This time I was playing in Graham's game of Aegean, The Curse of the Golden Bull. This was a game that was new to me, where you can play mortals and demi-gods in Ancient Greece. Being honest, I was fading a bit at this point as I'd not slept brilliantly on Saturday night, but the story was compelling and interesting. The route we chose through favoured our brave warriors (and I was a talky character) but it was great fun. The conclusion was appropriately epic, with potential future repercussions for our Polis as we may have offended at least on of the gods. I really liked the system, which was a d10 dice pool based, and I ended up ordering a copy from Patriot Games.

And then it was all over; Graham and Elaine headed off and I finished off tidying up. We certainly enjoyed ourselves. 

As ever, we'd welcome feedback from attendees and always love seeing after-action reports of how it was for you. We always want to make Furnace better; that's why we brought the new space into play last year and have changed things like the slot lengths. 

Hoping to see some of you at Furnace XXII next year, or at North Star, Revelation or LongCon before that.

It's a wrap.

17 October 2026 

Books in September 2026

I read 11 books in September (87 in total this year) and these added another 3,697 pages (for 23,037 in total). A big part of the month was spent completing John Marsden's Tomorrow When the War Began series in a fictional future when Australia is invaded by another power and a group of teenagers effectively find themselves acting as a resistance unit whilst trying to survive in a familiar but now occupied landscape. The books gripped me and I tore through them very quickly, finishing the remaining five books in the series early in the month. I enjoyed them, as they didn't pull punches. Characters died, struggled and relationships developed in a complicated landscape. The consequences of actions were shown, and characters developed. The brutality of an occupational regime is shown. I recommend this series; don't be put off that it's nominally in the young adult category.

I was looking at what to read next, when I realised that Marsden had written a sequel to the series, so I dived straight back in. The sequel is a short trilogy, collectively referred to as The Ellie Chronicles, set six months after the end of the war when an uncomfortable peace has been agreed, with part of Australia remaining occupied. The protagonist, Ellie, is dealing with a return to normality with her parents, combined with a degree of fame as the group's exploits in the war have been celebrated. However, this isn't just a return to mundanity; Ellie's parents are struggling to keep their farm going and she is struggling to readjust to normality. Tensions are high in the border region, with informal action & reprisals taking place on both sides of the border. I enjoyed this again; it serves the same kind of purpose as Dune Messiah, showing the aftermath and impact of the actions taken previously and how the protagonists deal with it. There's a downward spiral from pressures, but it does end on a realistic high note that needed hard choices to meet.

I then read The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. This tells the tale of a pilot who has survived a viral apocalypse in the USA. He lives at an airfield with his dog and a survivalist, using his Cessna to fly and get supplies. The book has recently been filmed by Ridley Scott, and has been criticised quite heavily. However, when I saw it with my eldest, we both enjoyed it. The cinematography was lush, and it was very much a 'show not tell' story. We both felt connected to the characters when we watched it. Bizarrely, most of the criticism I saw was saying that 'The Walking Dead' had already done this. However, we felt it was good, and I immediately downloaded my copy of the book from the virtual 'to read' pile on my Kindle and set to it. The story in the novel is less cinematic, but the bones of it remain quite clearly in the film version. The only thing that irked me about the book was that the author has opted not to use speech marks, which took a couple of chapters to adapt to. Overall, I recommend both the book and the film version; they're both subtly different so it has its own feel.

The final novel I read was Cixin Liu's The Three Body Problem, which was a return to Elle Cordova's Book Club for me. I'd skipped several months because I'd read the books that were the picks reasonably recently or because that re-reading the novel was likely to trigger a re-read of a series that I didn't want to read again right now. The Three Body Problem is another of the books that's been in my too-read pile for a while; I think that my friend Tom recommended it to me. I found it had an interestingly different style (I suspect from the translation and differences in language structure) and I welcomed that the translator had added footnotes that explained context. I didn't love it, but I liked it enough that I have the next book queued up to read in October. 

I only read one non-fiction book this month, The Nazi Mind by Laurence Rees. This is an analysis of how the Nazi's thought and developed their philosophy of control, using techniques of othering people though creating and 'them vs us' situation and more. It was chilling, especially when you can see elements of it being used by the current US administration and the UK right wing. But know your enemy, yes?

Overall, a busy month for reading, and I'm pretty confident that I will get into three figures for books read this year again.

3 October 2026