GM Tarondor's Secrets of the Ancients - Traveller

Game Master Tarondor

Ben will painfully move towards someone who can check on his obvious life threatening wound.

Erryll's pointed ears twitch and grow just a touch redder ... "It would seem that your sense of humour isn't injured, follow me!

He motions to the man to follow him towards Ben.

Ben should probably wait for Erryll to get there with his medkit versus killing himself ...

"You: sit next to him. I will have your distemper shot ready shortly."
"Ben, stay still, let me get you patched up."

Erryll - if you want your character to move, you must move the token on the map. Otherwise I don't know where you think your character is, so I have to assume he is where the map shows him to be.

You hear a FWEEE! and ORANGE steps out of the back room holding a laser carbine mounted with a targeting scope. He takes careful aim at Zirelle...

Everyone, go!

Spotting Orange and the threat to Zirelle, Linc pulls an Aerosol grenade and yeets it out to the position marked.
There it burst 9 a fine aerosol that greatly disrupts laserfire through it. I marked the approximate edges of the aerosol cloud. People can see through it fine.
Then he moves six station south while ducking low.

Zirelle shoots Orange, making sure to line up the shot so that it wouldn't hit any outside walls.

Gun Combat+Intellect: 2d6 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (6, 2) + 0 + 1 = 9
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 2) = 9

After shooting, she drops down below the lip of the lower area again and moves to a different position, expecting him to try to hit her last position, and planning to pop up and shoot him again after he tried.

Erryll begins First Aid on Ben ...
MED+EDU

FIRST AID: 2d6 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5, 2) + 3 + 1 + 2 = 13 First Aid w/TL12 Medikit

Seeing Linc and Zirelle running off, Mal supposes they have things in hand. He helps Eryll by keeping the stunner pointed on Pink and taking care that he doesn't get funny ideas, while Eryll is busy saving Ben.

Zirelle, Gun Combat + Int might be used to answer a question about firearms, but actually firing a weapon is Gun Combat+Dex. Zirelle still hit, but has an Effect of 0.

Erryll, as I previously said to Malaxius, First Aid takes 1D (1-6 minutes) (p. 60). So you get started, but it won't happen within the time frame of this battle. For future reference, you can state before you roll that you want to hurry things up and reduce the time frame spent by one increment (also p. 60) in exchange for a -2 to the dice. That would quicken First Aid from 1D Minutes to 1Dx10 seconds (or 6-60 seconds).

Nicely done, Linc!

As Lincoln pops smoke that billows across the cargo container, Zirelle fires her Accelerator Rifle and strikes the last combatant. The shot hits, but his armor absorbs much of the blow.

He fires back and the aerosol cloud scatters his laser's shot. He scuttles backwards into the back room again, muttering.

STATUS, ROUND 4
Ben - -4 END
Erryll -
Linc -
Malaxius -
Nicholas - Stunned (10 stun)
Zirrelle -
Red - Stunned (12 stun), bound
Orange - 4 END
Purple - Serious Injury (-7 END, -4 STR), surrendered
Pink - Serious Injury (-7 END, -4 STR), surrendered

Everyone, go!

Linc double moves around the south edge of the room, approaching the room Mister Orange retreated into.

The roll with Dex would be exactly the same as with int... I have a +1 in both, so not sure why the effect would be different. (Thanks for the correction though. I thought it was more flaxible and went with Int because of the complex aiming I was doing trying not to blow a hole in the ship.)

Zirelle shoots Orange again.

Gun Combat+Dex: 2d6 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6) + 0 + 1 = 12
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 3) = 11

Erryll will remain engaged in Ben's First Aid

Ben stays still and hopes to not see his own blood.

Stun: These weapons are designed to deal non-lethal damage, incapacitating a living target rather than killingit. Damage is only deducted from END, taking into account any armour. If the target’s END is reduced to 0, the target will be incapacitated and unable to perform any actions for a number of rounds by which the damage exceeded his END. Damage received from Stun weapons is completely healed by one hour of rest.

Combat Round 4

If I interpreted the above rule correctly, Nic with an END of 7 and a stun of 10 should be out of the stunned state this round. I'll put a spoiler with my actions in it.

With a well-aimed shot, Zirelle kills ORANGE.

Nic wakes up.

Erryll patches up Ben. Ben regains all his END.

COMBAT OVER

Zirelle looks around for other threats, but when she sees none, and assures herself that Erryl was doing what he could for their injured comrade, she goes over to examine and loot Orange's corpse and retrieve his weapon. Then she checks out the room where he presumably got it.

Hey Nic, good to see you standing again!
Mal grins with relief
I think we have the situation somewhat under control. Ben got hurt bad...
He steals a worried look at what Erryll is doing in the elevator ... but Erryll is confident, he can save him. I'm trying to keep this one to his word. He points at pink with his stunner. He surrendered in exchange for medical attention. Do you have something to tie him up with?...Or if you can keep him under control, I can try to keep Errylls promise and stop him from bleeding to death. Would you be up to that or are you still seeing stars?

Linc will duct tape the prisoners and any hull punctures.

Malaxius shruggs and takes out his "stoneage"(TL8) Medkit.

Or we do it this way. Thanks, Linc. Alright...how was this supposed to work again. Please hold still...if my friend here has to stun you in that condition that might just be too much for your poor heart. I just take a look if I can help you somehow or if we have to wait for the real doctor...

medic+EDU-sickness: 2d6 + 1 + 0 - 1 ⇒ (1, 6) + 1 + 0 - 1 = 7

I seem to have a standing order for a 7 on med-check

Nic response slowly to Mal, "Yeah, I'm mostly okay. Feel like a shuttle hit me but not too bad. Sure, I'll cover him."

After Linc trusses the man up, he will try to help Mal with basic medical treatment.

No medkit on hand not sure if in assisting that I have to have one. So standard roll but I'll roll after an extra die and the GM can sort it out.

Medic 0, EDU +1: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 1) + 1 = 6 Base medic roll.

If Bane applies, take the lowest two dice of all three: 1d6 ⇒ 1 Bane die if needed.

Okay maybe I help kill the guy :(

the guy that has been watching all this on surveilance to his comrades: "whatever happens, when they come up here - don't let them tend to your wounds. It's far worse than anything they can do to you in combat"

Ben nods looking shook from the experience and then says to Erryl, "Thank you...getting shot is a strange and dire thing..."

"OK Captain," Linc said, addressing Zirelle. "Now that that's done, was that the guy we're here to pop?" He asked gesturing vaguely at Mr. Orange.

Zirelle doesn't know if that is the guy, but doesn't want to say it out loud, because that was exactly the information they needed to get from the prisoners, and hopefully from the computer system here as well, if they could gain access. If their mission was already accomplished, great, but she wasn't sure, and she was anxious to find out.

We need to make sure the entire base is cleared out and access their systems. See if one of them will talk in return for his life.

Note: still waiting on the DM for looting results, etc., and he is sick and finishing tax stuff, so my character actions are on hold until he has time to come back and give us more information. Assuming part of that will be clues to our next steps. Main priority is to make sure no one escapes from here that we don't specifically allow to leave... can't let the shadowy evil organization continue. I think there is another area in this place, so need to check that as well before we know that we solved the problem.

Linc will duct tape the prisoners and any hull punctures.

Linc, a gifted mechanic, can see that the temporary repairs to this rather crude space station are indeed very temporary. The numerous holes are going to be a problem and it's lucky they didn't result in decompression.

The whole station is made of scavenged industrial parts and prefabricated components; chains and cables hang from the ceilings, the lights flicker in time with the stutter of the power plant and the air smells of oil and burnt wiring.

In the various side chambers, Zirelle finds personal effects of small value and no additional weapons (though there are laser power packs and low-impact ammunition for the body pistols). At one end of the middle container (the space station is made of three containers) is a ladder up to a second floor. At the other end of the container is an airlock, presumably leading to the third, starboard container.

None of these men fit the physical description you have of Harlen.

Not the guy. Get everyone secured. We can come back and clean the place out after we accomplish our objective.

So where do you go? Up or down?

Up. Don't want to leave bad guys behind us.

Zirelle climbs up the ladder as quietly as possible...

Stealth + Dex: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4, 2) + 1 + 1 = 8

...but when she nears the top she is careful to poke her head up to get a glimpse and then duck back down, just in case someone is waiting to shoot her.

Ben will hold his gun like he knows how to use it and waits for someone else to bind the prisoners.

"Let's get this done. I taped up what I could, but this place is gonna fly apart sooner rather than later." Linc warned his companions.

before we are moving again: what was the result of our first-aid attenpts?

You didn't kill anyone, but nobody got better, either.

Is Zirelle the only one going up?

Linc will follow Zirelle up the ladderway.

At Linc's comment Nic looks around, shudders a bit, saying, "Yeah, I wish this place was jury-rigged, it's worse in some ways."

Nic follows Linc to the ladder but, remembering how maintenance ladders in tubes can be jammed up, stops at the bottom not wanting to block any backing by those above. He waits, ready to hurry up top when the path is clear.

Malaxius checks the stunner, he has taken from the goon and keeps it ready. I think they have been better than my TL8 one?, am I right? While he waits behind Nic for free space on the ladder, he says to Ben: "I think they will not present a problem, but if they do, use a stunner - I think they all carried them. So plenty to choose from. We don't want to turn this into a suicide mission by decompressing this part of the station."

I think they have been better than my TL8 one?, am I right?

No. They were carrying TL 8 stunners. Only Zirelle is carrying a high-tech TL 10 stunner.

Arriving at the top of the ladder you find a short hallway with one door leading onto a bedroom and another leading to an office. The door is open and inside stands the man who must be Harlen. He meets the description perfectly.

Harlen’s office resembles a scientist’s workroom more than the lair of a murderous criminal. He peers at you from behind a desktop terminal; around him are smaller screens displaying some sort of technical readouts and communications logs. There is a curious piece of statuary on the desk, resembling a winged pillar, alongside data tapes. Harlen himself is small and slight, with reddish hair that flops over his pale eyes. The lethal-looking gauss pistol holstered at his side is an odd contrast to his demeanor.

He regards you with no more expression than if you were bringing him lunch.

"Oh. Hmm." he says.

Harlen blinks twice. "This is... suboptimal." He closes his eyes and concentrates for a second. All the screens around him go black. Somewhere far below, a synthesized voice announces "Destruct sequence activated. Detonation imminent. All hands to re-entry capsules."

Ben blinks and says, "That is suboptimal. Your men are tied up but alive. Are you sure you want to go nuclear?"

My stunner is TL 12.

Zirelle is annoyed and worried and wishes that they could have snuck up on this guy and knocked him out before he set off some auto destruct command, but also knows there is no point in negotiation. She shoots Harlen.

Gun Combat + Dex: 2d6 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (2, 5) + 0 + 1 = 8
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 4) = 9

I promise, Harlen's the last guy who dies because the adventure says he does!

Harlen jerks with the electricity of the stunner, but still doesn't reach for his pistol. "This is not the end," he mutters and slumps forward onto his desk.

Okay, the place is going to blow up soon! I'm timing this round by round. What's everyone else doing?

Erryll is making sure that his actual comrades won't die escaping, when he's sure of that, he may help the criminals.

Linc wastes no time getting out of there, grabbing a couple prisoners along the way.
Are we taking life pods out of here, or heading down to the cargo bay?

Remembering what Zirelle said about this mans interest in the ancients, Malaxius takes a quick look at the winged statue and around the room, if he spots anything else, that could be worthy of saving (from an archaeological perspective):
Science Archaeology+Endu-sickness: 2d6 + 3 + 0 - 1 ⇒ (2, 4) + 3 + 0 - 1 = 8
If he is not 100% sure that the statue has no importance, he takes it with him as carefully as possible in the circumstances as well as the data tapes and other portable things that seem worth saving and then follows the others again, hoping they know how to get out of here.

Nic, sighs, saying, "Creepy." He helps Mal grab whatever he indicates and follows the leader to wherever they think they are going. If possible he'll drag others along. "Where to boss?", he addresses Zirelle, dumping the responsibility on her.

Ben is racing to the elevator and getting ready to get it moving as soon as everyone is ready. As he runs he yells back, in a most helpful manner, "Grab Harlan and run!"

I am not sure how far I can move if I just head for the elevator. Can I get there in one round? On the map I think I am still in the elevator so that is not correct.

Zirelle takes Harlan's gun, in case he comes to before the place explodes, then says

We can't get out the way we came in... go untie those guys we left behind and see if there are lifepods or ships enough for all. I am going to take a moment and see if there is a way to turn off the self-destruct from here. Anyone that is great with computers, could use your help.

Zirelle hooks her intelligent interface up to Harlan's set up and has it start running through access options to try to stop the auto destruct... if there are biometric locks to the interface, she has the guy right there.

She's glad that he's down, but this is not a win... she wants the time to loot this place down to the bare walls and solve the mystery of what this guy has been doing, not to barely escape with their lives.

Gambler + Int: 2d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2, 5) + 1 + 1 = 9

She isn't going to stop anyone from running though. She sees Nic waiting for her and says

Nic. You are in charge of extraction. Save as many as you can. And don't wait for me. If you find a way out, and the countdown is still active, get everyone safe.

If Malaxius considers helping with the computers or prioritizes bringing to safety what he and Nic can carry, hinges on the result of his Science-check

[dice=Gambler + Int]2d6+1+1

Jacking into the computers is an excellent plan, but it's going to require an Electronics (Computers) roll. You succeed.

ROUND ONE

The alarm starts to sound.

Ben, Erryll and Linc head back to the stairs.

Malaxius and Linc grab what's on Harlen's desk. Malaxius recognizes that the statuette is of Ancients origin. If it is genuine, that makes it hundreds of thousands of years old! Those of you who interrogated the assassin Kinson will recognize them as objects stolen from Vlen Backett's hostel room. Whatever's on those data tapes might have something to do with why Vlen Backett is dead.

Zirelle grabs Harlen's gauss pistol.

__________________________________________________________________
ROUND TWO

Ben, Erryll and Linc get to the lower floor of the central container and move to the prisoners.

Zirelle uses her Neural comms to jack into to the computer. Time: 1d6 ⇒ 5. It will take 5 rounds to locate what you're looking for.

Linc and Malaxius, what do you do now?

Ben will help the shot prisoner to his feet and say, "We need to get out now!"

If he cannot stand I will just have to drag him. I doubt I could left him with my scrawny arms.