We returned to the The Jägermeister Adventure this week on our third attempt (as the holidays intervened) and the session ran without technical issues. We did choose to run audio via Discord, but keep video on Roll20. I used tabletoprecorder.com as usual. Andy wasn't available so we covered his character between us.
Characters.
Saul Emzer (Graham) - the only professional bounty hunter in the group, a guild member well aware of his own shortcomings. Saul knows his aptitude is the down and dirty part of the missions. He isn't the brains, and he certainly can't fly a ship, but when the trouble goes down, he's a man of action, and of stealth when needed. Saul has brought the rest of the team together to support him and fill out the skill gaps. He doesn't like to think of himself as the leader, but he's the one with the official guild membership. He's made some big scores in the past.
Gibert Chang (Andy) - hailing from the Meriden system's Harmony habitat, the home of an obscure religious sect, Gilbert sought freedom by joining the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service. He grew up with good understanding of space construction and has supplemented this with a wide range of technical skills, becoming a professional spacer. He describes himself as the potential getaway driver, but is officially the ship's engineer, and he comes with a broad (but not deep) range of experience and a well-used but cared for vacuum suit called Nadia.
Arturo "Lucky" Javed (Paul) - Lucky's life has been a lot of ups and downs, probably more of the latter than the former. He aspired to be an intelligent agent but was kicked out of that career early on following a serious injury. He then took to a life of petty crime, struggling to make do and stay out of trouble. Eventually, a role came up on a Merchant vessel, but he kept his hand in with the underworld to try and make some money on the side. He knows Gil of old following a job that went sideways. Lucky is the one who is likely to make contact with any criminal elements that the group may need to deal with.
Pen Gata (Neil) - has spent his life in space, with a broad range of spacer skills that means he's the pilot and astrogator. Once again, he's a broad specialist rather than a deep expert. (The character was built with package generation so has a less developed life path).
The Jägermeister - a 100dT Jump-2 streamlined courier capable of 6G thrust, the ship is also their home and Assured Courier's GmbH's main asset. The crew mostly live aboard, as it's a lot more pleasant than the desert world of Ikeran where they're officially based (and have a rented office). The ship is usually located in one of the downport's long-term parkways. She's armed with a single triple turret with beam lasers and a missile rack.
Session notes.
This was the aftermath; the crew had captured Edric Voss but didn't have the data package. His crew were fleeing on the Hirondelle and decisions were needed on what to do next!
It's worth noting that players did spot a route to exit the campaign (taking lesser bounties on Voss' actions in local systems where he'd murdered people) but, thankfully, they decided to carry on!
I'll drop the summary below. As usual, the tone and summaries from tabletop Recorder don't really hit what I want, but they're useful. I'll do a nutshell summary at the end.
Summary of the Session (lightly edited AI synthesis of the transcript).
In the bustling starport of Bulari, the adventure began with the crew aboard the Jägermeister facing a critical decision. The narrator described the scenario, revealing that their current mission revolved around capturing the elusive Voss and potentially retrieving a valuable data packet to fulfil their contract fully. Pen questioned the location of the data packet, suspecting it might be on another ship that could be escaping their grasp. Saul and Arturo, wary of missing any detail that could lead to Voss's secrets, contemplated whether the bounty was hidden within Voss himself, hinting at the need for a more invasive search. Their musings on using medical scanners or more crude methods set a tone of urgency among the crew. As the conversation furthered, the idea of interrogating Voss came up, but no definitive plan was set as doubts about the data packet's location lingered.
Under the harsh realisation that returning incomplete results to their employers at the Great Library of Kahn could forfeit their entire reward, they pondered their next move. Saul detailed the contract's strict terms: Voss, the data, and all materials must be recovered to receive payment. Pen noted another opportunity involving the Imperial authorities at Bulari who offered a reward for Voss due to an unrelated crime, considering it a lesser, yet viable option.
The crew discussed their need for thorough planning, as escaping the starport without alerting authorities could prove challenging due to their recent involvement in a hangar incident. As they deliberated, the urgency to chase down the ship containing the data packet intensified. Chang and Saul were keen on ensuring they could refuel and take off while evading the defence mechanisms actively thwarting flights due to an ongoing incident in orbit.
Pen skilfully negotiated with the port authorities, emphasising their role as licensed bounty hunters crucial to resolving the orbital conflict. This exchange led to a strategic, if reluctant, approval for their departure, contingent on signing a waiver that absolved the starport of any responsibility for their safety. Once cleared, the crew skillfully navigated their ship, avoiding space debris and laser defenses, exiting the atmosphere while maneuvering towards the site of the ongoing conflict. The chatter over the comms revealed another ship, their rival Headhunter, in distress, tumbling due to a manoeuvre drive failure after it had taken a lucky hit from the fleeing Hirondelle.
The crew swiftly shifted their focus to a rescue operation, showcasing their skills and solidarity amidst the unpredictable perils of space bounty hunting. As they stabilised the distressed ship, they prepared to confront the escaped ship, all while dealing with the interpersonal tensions and histories that colored their daring exploits among the stars, especially those between Saul and Aoife Scarlock, the captain of the Headhunter.
Amidst the thick tension and buzzing of control panels within the Jägermeister, the crew found themselves grappling with the nuances of their equipment deficiencies. With Gil designated as the most suitable, though admittedly not skilled, at manning the sensors, the team attempted to make sense of their situation. The vessel Hirondelle had kept their attention, suspected of escaping with the important data and Voss's team securely onboard.
Pen, negotiating channels of communication and information, coordinated with Port Warden De la Cruz from Bulari to explain Jägermeister’s activities involving the Hirondelle. The interaction was tense, as they also discussed the unauthorised use of beam laser weapons by Hirondelle within the starport vicinity—a further complication adding to the vessel's trail of crimes.
Meanwhile, Saul, without the specific skills of a professional bounty hunter but with determination, geared up for an impromptu interrogation boosted by guidance from Arturo, who sagely offered legal pointers. Though slightly unskilled, the duo managed to navigate the interrogation intricately, aiming to extract useful insights from Voss without resorting to overt coercion. The crew learned of Hirondelle's likely trajectory towards the Red-zoned world of Valkos, and tactical discussions ensued.
They pondered Voss’s potential connections and upcoming manoeuvres whilst considering their own strategic moves which involved a decision between pursuing Hirondelle directly or setting a cautious wait in orbit around Minerva to possibly intercept. As plans solidified about their travel and the potential perils that lay ahead on Valkos—a planet suffering from a nuclear winter with a small, clinging population who had refused to be evacuated —the crew also conjectured about the implications of the journey, the risks of planetary defence systems, and the continuing enigma of the elusive data their quarry might still hold. This speculation knit tightly with their ongoing tactical deliberations, all haunted by the presence of space’s unpredictable void and the ever-persistent pursuit of bounties within it. In the throes of strategic planning aboard the Jägermeister, the crew meticulously mulled over their options concerning the pursuit of their elusive prey, Hirondelle.
As the external scenario developed, with ships darting through space, trying to outmaneuver one another, Saul requested an astrogation check from Gil, aiming to deduce their adversary's probable destination. The analysis, albeit time-consuming, indicated that Hirondelle might have just jumped towards Valkos, a prospect that hung heavy with both opportunity and peril. With the prospects of a confrontation in space looming, the crew deliberated the strengths and weaknesses of their vessel compared to the stolen merchant vessel, which, despite its formidable armament, appeared to lack sufficient defenses. A speculative strategy emerged from Saul and Pen, considering disabling the enemy ship to facilitate a boarding operation, thereby avoiding a direct firefight—a notion supported reluctantly by Pen, who feared they might be outmatched.
As they spun their strategies against the canvas of space, a somber news broadcast reached their ears, reporting a grim incident back at the starport—the steward from Hirondelle had been gruesomely murdered by Voss's crew. This revelation cast a dark shadow, reinforcing the urgency to capture the fleeing ship, which not only carried criminals but also sailed with relentless ruthlessness. Despite the tactical quandaries and the morally murky waters of space bounty hunting, the crew's spirits were buoyed by the challenge. They embraced the complexity of their mission with a mix of trepidation and thrill. As they plotted their next move, choices ranged from safe tactical waits to risky direct assaults, each option weighed with the potential consequences and their preparedness—or lack thereof. Pen and Saul debated the merits and risks of landing on Valkos while considering alternative strategies like waiting in orbit or intercepting at another juncture. The conversation veered into logistical concerns about refuelling and the critical need to account for Minerva and Valkos' whereabouts, reflecting the constant calculation required to navigate not just space, but the intricate dance of decision-making.
Ultimately, despite uncertainties, the crew set their sights on the interdicted system of Valkos, driven by a mix of strategic consideration and the allure of the unknown. The decision, fraught with peril yet laden with potential, underscored the relentless pursuit inherent to their line of work. As they prepared for the next phase of their journey, the crew remained a dynamic ensemble of sharp minds and ready spirits, their eyes fixed on the stars, their thoughts tethered to the mission at hand.
In summary: The crew had Voss captured and had managed to blag Aoife Scarlock into pursuing the Hirondelle in the Headhunter. They were hoping to avoid being linked to the fight in the docking bay. The biggest issue was that the ship had just finished taking in the water for fuel, and had another twelve hours or so before they'd have processed enough to jump.
Arturo used his legal training to get the ship out into pursuit, avoiding the planetary lockdown due to the engagement in orbit. Reaching orbit, they found the Headhunter tumbling out of orbit having taken an unlucky his it the M-Drive. The Jägermeister stabilised the ship in orbit, but declined to send the team over to help, which resulted in a spiky conversation between Scarlock and Saul, with threats of legal action and getting even.
The Jägermeister set off in pursuit, managing to get sensor lock just to find the Hirondelle jumping out of the system, still under thrust. The sensor data was processed to try and establish where the ship was likely to be going.
Meanwhile, Arturo led the interrogation of Voss, who gave away very little. They got a hint that Valkos or Minerva were the most likely destinations, which matched with the jump vector calculations to indicate that Valkos was the target. They planned to freeze Voss in the low berth once they'd got as much out of him as possible.
Meanwhile, there were questions from the Port Authorities on the firefight in the bay. They provided statements, which were accepted. False flight plan filed, they jumped to the interdicted Red Zone Valkos system after lots of discussions on how to do this safely and effectively. Radiation, nuclear winter and desperate survivors, not to mention live munitions and defence systems awaited.
3 September 2025
