Star Trek: Perdition's Flames (Inactive)

Game Master tumbler

The minister's wide eyes widen even further at Kestra's question, "Of course, forgive our militaristic response to your arrival. Before the arrival of these scientists, we were unaware of the existence of other life outside of Orgun II. Of course, our scientists had hypothesized... but our storytellers like to tell stories of dangerous space predators, and I thought it better safe than sorry. Of course, you are free to go at any time. Well, no, we haven't had any contact with the denizens of Orgun II. They are quite primitive, still bashing each other with knives and swords."

Just then, the ground shakes and the lights and display panels flicker as a violent tremor ripples through the conference area.

"As for the disturbances, they began weeks ago and have alarmingly increased in frequency and strength. Our top scientists predict the planet will become uninhabitable within two weeks."

Forrest interjects, "We haven't been able to determine the cause of the gravimetric disturbance that caused the damage to the Tesla. It is conceivable that whatever you detected somehow created the disturbance."

All of the survivors are here in what is clearly some sort of central monitoring station. There are displays along the walls with workstations underneath. The other scientists and Diasla stop what they are doing and move to join the conversation.

MacLeod is able to determine that they are all well enough. There is evidence that they have had some bone breaks and lacerations healed by some fairly advanced (for a less developed civilization) genetic manipulation to quickly regrow tissue. It would appear that the Lormeans are more advanced in biotech than in space travel, but still far behind the Federation.

If so, telepathically to Diasla, Honey, what has happened are you alright? Dr. MacLeod can help you if you are still in pain. I am sorry it has been awhile.

"Kestra, I'm fine. I'm not the one who needs saving. Well, I guess technically I need saving because I'm here on this dying planet, but what matters is that these people are all going to die. I'm fine. I broke my leg in the crash, but the Lormeans used some sort of genetech to grow it back together. It is good as new."

Back to he daughter, Delightful, we are going to need some help to save this planet.

She says, "Do you have any drilling equipment? Two weeks, huh. Well, I am to ascertain by your response that you have visited their planet but have not made contact. So they are not yet aware of your existence or am I mistaken in my ascertation? I imagine your population would prefer to stay on its own planet than to migrate somewhere else. Can you take us to the location 5km from here so if we with our advanced scientific knowledge can see what is really affecting your planet?"

Kestra is of the opinion that to move a space age civilization in with an iron age civilization is a bad idea. And saving this planet is the preferred outcome. Plus I am interested in the advanced tech.

MacLeod finishes his scans, giving a smile to each of the survivors. When he's done, he returned to the minister, and says, "My compliments to your doctors. Healing those with alien physiologies is no easy task, but they did very well."

To the first officer, he reports, "The survivors are all fit, Commander."

He nods in acknowledgment. T hank you, Doctor

Benjamin gives a low whistle after he listens to Captain Forrest and the minister give their reports on the gravitational disturbances. "Whatever is creating this is powerful enough to interfere with the sensors aboard both the Tesla and the Bastion, which is highly impressive. I concur with the Commander - we need to get eyes on whatever's causing the disturbance."

Forrest nods enthusiastically, "Now we are talking. We can use the sensors on your shuttle to zero in on the energy source. I would like to accompany you. My crew will remain here and continue to assist the Lormeans. I would also request that we bring my daughter. She is only an intern, we should get her safely onto a ship."

The Chief Minister flutters his fingers together nervously. "I would also request that one of my scientists accompany you."

Diasla turns to her mother, "No, Mother. I am doing important work here. Don't let him ship me off..."

Kestra turns to her daughter and says, "Well, if you are doing important work here, you can stay. Are you sure you do not want to help us discover what this energy source is and try to save this planet?"

She then turns to the minister, "Tell him to get his gear and be ready in an hour. Oh and return our weapons."

She then turns to Andy and says, "What are you waiting for?!?"

If you would like your weapons back, someone can make a Presence+Command Task with a Difficulty of 2. Success returns one weapon to you, with one additional weapon for each Momentum spent.

Presence + Command = DC 12 2d20 ⇒ (6, 7) = 13 2 successes.

She adds, "We do not know what is down there and we will need to be able to defend ourselves."

Momentum 4, Threat 10. So you could get back 4 more phasers if you wanted.

I figure my colleagues can throw some assists on there. I do not want to waste the momentum.

T'Karra continues to stand in the back and remain quiet until the site with the technology is discussed openly with the inhabitants at which point she says Minister, the situation is highly unstable and dangerous from the destructive forces being observed. Risking your scientists when we are volunteering to ascertain the situation is not logical.

Kestra walks over to Commander Tkarra and says, "Ma'am, may I have a word?"

Assuming agreement, she whispers to Tkarra "The logic here, Commander, is that it is their planet and they wish to understand what is going on with it. According to their science, which may or may not be accurate (considering the tech level of this place) the planet is allegedly going to explode in two weeks time."

Assist Presence+Command 12: 1d20 ⇒ 6

"Minister our people have some rather strict rules for how we engage with other civilizations, particularly those who are not active outside their homeworlds. We might be able to focus on the problem more fully without having to be continuously be mindful of every word we choose."

"It may sound strange to you but it's a lesson we've learned the hard way and for the benefit of all involved. Consider this, it would be hard for your people to engage with the inhabitants of Orgun II without making a considerable impression on their development."

The scanning capabilities on our shuttle would be much more powerful than those of a tribe-corder readings. However, I do not think that an observer from the native population would be inapprpriate, provided that they understand that they are an observer the XO states.

Point of order - any Momentum over 6 is lost if not immediately spent. That's the hard cap. So, really, not using the Momentum is wasteful. :)

Benjamin nods at Gareb's approach - the Lormeans might better understand the necessary limitations of the Prime Directive if couched with them being the superior technological culture. "Indeed, Minister - imagine what could happen if the inhabitants of Orgun II got their hands on one of your flyers. There are thousands of ways that could play out, with many of them ending in the extinction of their culture at their own hands. There are just too many variables for anyone to calculate to know what costs such knowledge might entail."

We only have 4 :)

Gareb's assist generated another success, so now 5 Momentum.

The Chief Minister nods slowly, taking in your arguments. "I see, so you do not wish for us to observe your use of technology...Very well. Please do what you can to investigate whatever you might find. We will continue our preparations here."

Kestra says, "Alright, let's get a move on. Minister bring us to our ship."

She winks at her daughter and says to her telepathically, You know if my crew and your father are successful, we will be making all of your efforts moot. My Vulcan colleagues would probably say, having a plan B is illogical. Anyway, take care of yourself,honey.

She stays long enough to receive a telepathic message from her daughter, and then makes her way to the flyer bringing her to the ship.

Lets use as many momentum as needed to get all the phasers back... seems like a bad idea to lose track of it and have a phaser still left behind on the planet.

Oh, whoops! I misread the momentum count or something. Never mind! :)

"You're right, Commander, we need to get to that site before Orgun III shakes itself apart."

Getting your phasers back drops you to 1 Momentum. Let's move on to a new scene.

Scene 3: The Caverns. I'm spending 2 Threat to have Kestra's conversation with Diasla convince the intern to accompany you.

The Lormean security forces return you to your runabout. Using the sensors on the ship, you 0 in on the energy source. It appears to be located in a series of natural caverns near the capital.

First Officer's Log, Supplemental: (you can copy this and add your own spin if you like, or just roll with it) The away team has located the alien energy source not far from the Lormean capital. It appears to be located within a series of natural caverns. Captain Forrest and his daughter, also the daughter of our helmsman, are accompanying us. The highly energized atmosphere makes using the transporter unsafe, so we will have to explore these caverns the old fashioned way.

Momentum 1, Threat 8

Scene 3 begins with you moving into the caverns. Please give me a marching order. The caverns are often narrow with sharp drop offs and bends and turns. Give me a sense of how you are proceeding. Who is first? Who is scanning with tricorders? Who is using their eyes and ears? I'll wait for everyone to post before we continue. This would be filmed on Planet Hell, of course.

Kestra will be marching either second or third keeping her family near her. Looking out with her eyes, ears and nose.

Tierra draws her tricorder and moves along at left point unless the caves are too tight and then she goes second as she has no weapon drawn in order to attempt detection

For this post I am assuming only players are in the away team, and we don't have an NPC Galyn or another security officer to take point. If there is one, ignore the first paragraph and MacLeod will probably take the rear.

MacLeod takes the lead unless ordered otherwise, pulling his phaser. "My tricorder's not much use for scanning anomalies, but if we run into Jem'Hadar I'm an excellent shot."

Once they are inside the tunnels, he quietly keeps his eyes focused path ahead so he doesn't step off a ledge, but also listening for any sounds that aren't coming from them.

T'Karra, make a Reason + Science or Insight + Security Task Difficulty 2. There is 1 Momentum available.

Kestra whips out her Tricorder to help Insight Security DC13 1d20 ⇒ 12

reason+science 14: 1d20 ⇒ 20

gah darn dice hate me

Should be 2 dice: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Your tricorder displays light up too late to help you out as another tremor rips through the tunnels. The ground beneath your feel heaves and rubble and dust fall from the ceiling.

Everyone needs to make a Difficulty 2 Task with Daring or Control +Security. If you fail, you take 3 CD (Challenge Dice) damage. What that means is that you roll 3d6. A result of 1 does one Stress, a 2 does 2 Stress, 3 and 4 do nothing, 5 and 6 do one stress and one effect. I'll handle the effects if any show up. You can also describe your movement through the dangerous tunnel and what sort of damage/injury/jostling you experience.

The ceiling falling in cost me 2 Threat, so I'll just take T'Karra's Complication to restore that.

Momentum 1 Threat 8

DC 14 Control + Security 2d20 ⇒ (5, 9) = 14 Pass In spite of the crit fail, we passed the check or no?... just so I better understand the rules.

In this case, the Reason+Science Task was to notice that the tunnel was unstable and notice that the tremor was coming. Had you succeeded, you would have been able to move quickly through the area and avoid the other checks/potential damage. The 20 creates a Complication. I can use that Complication to create more problems or make the problem worse. In this case, I could have used it to make the Difficulty for your Control+Security Tasks 3. But that felt like it would be too severe, so I banked it into Threat. A Complication turns into 2 Threat.

Daring + Security 15: 2d20 ⇒ (4, 15) = 19

As he feels the quake start, Daniel brings an arm over his head, and pulls against the wall, bracing himself.

Looking back afterwards, he says, "Is everybody okay?"

Control +10 daring 2d10 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (6, 2) + 10 + 1 = 19 [ooc] Did I do that right?

He will take point

[ooc] Sorry, I was back in the Urgent Care on Sat/Sunday morning. The Infection came back with a vengeance.

Daring+Security, TN 13: 2d20 ⇒ (10, 1) = 11 3 successes! I'll bank that for anyone who needs it.

Benjamin also is scanning for anomalies, much like T'karra - however, he notices the warning just a split second before it hits. "Brace, everyone!", he gets out, just as the cavern shakes, with small rocks and dirt rattling the area.

Control +10 daring 2d10+10+1 Did I do that right?

Not quite, sorry. The check is vs either your Daring+Security or Control+Security. For you, Control is better. You roll 2d20, not 2d10. The goal is to roll lower than your combined Control+Security, so 10. You have two Momentum, so you could use one of those Momentum to roll an extra die to make your chances better.

T'Karra?

Control 3d20 + 10 ⇒ (12, 14, 18) + 10 = 54.

I will use the momentum

Face half the time in his tricorder Gareb is caught off guard as the tremor rips through the tunnel.

Control+Security 12: 2d20 ⇒ (11, 14) = 25
Command Dice: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6) = 15 Two stress and two effect

Why are you putting a +10 on your rolls?

No idea. Do I just use the flat rolls?

Yeah, the DC is your Attribute + Discipline numbers together and if you roll that number or lower you succeed.

So the rolls from the last time I rolled are 12, 14 and 15/ They are still higher than the 10 so I fail correct?

They do fail. Your Control is 10 and your Security is 1 so for you the DC is 11. Now, you need to roll 3d6

3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 5) = 10

Watch me knock myself out, lol

Going to go with rules explanations here, and then you guys can run with the scene. Gareb takes an Injury, as described on page 176 of the Core Book. If he takes the Injury, he is incapacitated and can take no minor actions or attempt Tasks for the rest of the scene. This doesn't have to mean that he is unconscious. He could have his leg stuck under a rock, be suffering a severe concussion, or really anything that makes sense. He can spend 2 Momentum (you only have 1, but you can add to Threat instead) to Avoid the Injury. Avoiding the Injury means you still take the Stress but are not incapacitated.

Healing an Injury is a different matter, and cannot be done during combat. An Injured character requires treatment to remove their Injury. This requires a Control + Medicine Task, with a Difficulty of 2, though factors such as the tools available, the place where the treatment is being performed, and the number of injury-related Complications the patient is suffering from can all adjust this. It is, naturally, much easier to treat serious Injuries in a well-stocked sickbay than it is
to provide that same treatment in a damp cave with a basic medkit. Success on this Task removes the Injury completely, as well as all related Complications.

Healing for injury-related Complications is straightforward —it takes a Control + Medicine Task with a Difficulty of 2 to remove one such Complication, and additional Complications can be removed for two Momentum each (Repeatable).

Jok'kem takes 2 Stress and sprains his ankle. This is effectively a Complication to physical Tasks until it is dealt with.

You make your way past the collapse and instability into a broader portion of the caverns. This seems like a safe place to regroup.

Is there a doctor in the house?

After ferrying herself and her family from danger she turns back towards the rest of the Away Team and says, "Is everyone ok?"

I think this is also the first time we've used Challenge Dice, so a quick overview on that couldn't hurt.

Damage (as well as a few other subsystems) uses a special d6, known as Challenge Dice. While there are special dice that can be used in the real world that make reading them slightly easier, the system's easy enough that regular d6s can be used without any real adjustment. The chart for reading the dice is below:

What's an effect? Basically, something special over and above success. For example, if you punch someone in combat, Unarmed Strike has the Knockdown effect. If you roll any effects, you can elect to knock someone prone, and they must spend either Momentum or Threat (depending upon whether they're a PC or an NPC) to avoid going prone. Vicious is the other common one, and it's nasty - each effect can be counted as an additional point of damage.

"I'm fine," Benjamin says, having helped carry Garib after the rockfall. His dark hair is going gray from the rock dust, and he brushes as much as he can out now that there's room to maneuver, causing a small cloud of dust to arise from him. "Nothing that hitting the sonic showers back aboard the Bastion won't fix. Doctor, can you see to our injured?"