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.
- 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).
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.
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