Starlight:Let's Conspire To Ignite

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December 16, 2016 – Episode 13: Let's Conspire To Ignite

Game Outline

1. Start of Game
   1. Briefing Room
      1. Alright gentlemen. I’m sure you’re happy to get back to something a bit more regular after the series of distractions we’ve encountered recently.
         1. The screen behind him shows the planet which you are currently orbiting over.
         2. They are in a binary star system, where the primary star is a main sequence star with a neutron star orbiting it.
         3. A mostly desert planet. The base is located in a rocky region, though the Macedonians don’t have any information on the exact location. Not to mention years of erosion
      2. As you’re aware, we are currently working with the Macedonians to help us find a way home. To that end, they have identified what they refer to as an ‘old research complex’ that the Macedonians built centuries ago.
      3. Seeing as part of this requires finding this Chronos, and this complex is where they say the Lance was forged, there may be clues there as to how they were able to find this being in the first place.
      4. Of course, the complex was overrun by Watchers long ago so we’ll have to stay alert .
      5. Now, for this mission, one of you will be taking a passenger module. Jenbo Barcoa and Professor Sikarna will be coming down. Another one of you will be taking a XB-22 Bunker Buster missile. The Macedonians say they collapsed the entrance on the way out, and we may have to use to blast our way in once we’re able to locate the entrance. (4 pts)
      6. Any questions?
   2. Sortie
      1. PC’s assemble load-out
      2. The MS assemble outside of the ship and load up onto a re-entry bell.
      3. Barnabas guides the re-entry bell into the atmosphere
      4. After landing, Barcoa and Sikrana leave the passenger module. Captain Stobulous steps out as well
         1. I do say, what a pleasant day!
         2. Barnabas wasn’t aware the captain was coming along
         3. If asked why the captain responds “Well, it’s a fine day to go for a walk. Thought I’d stretch my legs and see the sights! Just pretend like I’m not even here!”
      5. Barnabas: Well, either way, we’ve a job to do. Men, take a look around and let’s see what we can find.
2. Finding the entrance
   1. Skill challenge
      1. The area they in is rocky and has been visited by various landslides, mudslides, etc in the intervening years finding the entrance will require some skills
      2. Survival – hard, lay of the land, etc
      3. Computers – average – scanning
      4. Perception – hard – lay of the land, also, etc.
      5. Anything else they can think of – you know, stuff they can think of
   2. Clearing the entrance – skill challenge – 20 successful checks to clear the entrance, as it’s covered in years of rockslides and such
      1. Missile damage will count as a success per point of damage. Can aim, etc, though can’t be aided. A miss should be fun. The captain should make fun of the person. Also be appropriately impressed with a big success. Since the “target” is immobile, the attack roll is upgraded automatically
      2. Piloting checks to clear debris. Difficulty easy, but with two setbacks from difficult terrain.
      3. Other interesting/amusing ideas encouraged
3. Entering the base
   1. There isn’t enough room to enter the base in an MS, so the PCs have to hoof it. Barnabas stays with the landing bell.
      1. They are provided headsets to help them detect nanomachine infestation and Ion Emitters
   2. While the facility was built for the Macedonians and their shorter statures, it was designed with Macedonians height in mind. As such the ceilings are generally 6.5 feet tall. They feel cramped, but not overly so unless anyone is particularly tall.
   3. The opening you’ve created leads into mostly smooth carved walls that are not glowing. The entrance is featureless carved rock for the first few hundred yards. at the end of the corridor is a doorway that needs some muscle to open (average)
   4. The door opens to what appears to be a room filled with seating along the walls.
      1. “I think this is part of the transportation system. We need to go deeper into the complex… there may still be power in these old systems…” jenbo goes to a control panel and starts fidgeting with it.
         1. See if the PCs think of any way of helping out. Maybe wiring into the system to provide power from an MS, something like that.
      2. “there we go…” jenbo finishes splicing wires together and the lights in the tram spark to life. “well… deeper in I guess… we’ll have to take it slowly in case… you know.. the track has problems.” If someone else wants to pilot, that’s fine. It’s a bit of a trip. Maybe the PCs want to talk for the hour it takes? I don’t know.
      3. The tram runs flush to the walls, more or less
   5. The tram leads to the middle a large room. The PCs stand along the rim of the room, and a dark empty pit is below them. Twisted and wrecked metal are strewn about. It appears this room has seen better days
      1. “this” says Jenbo, “is where the lance was forged” he points up to an opening far above where you can barely see sunlight shining through. Up there ... when the neutron star of this system passed along the opening above, the great mechanism that used to be here would draw neutrons into it and that’s what created the lance. “Forged in the a neutron star” they say in the legends.
      2. Anyway, we need to find the data banks. Let’s look around.
         1. He begins fidgeting with a computer system trying to get it to start. Profressor sikarna joins him
      3. “young men, let’s look around and see if we can find anything to help, eehh?” the captain says, gesturing to the PCs
         1. There are various entrances and such along the sides of the room,which is about 100 yards diameter
         2. As the PCs start to investigate, lights flare on in the room
            1. “Oh goodness, that was unexpected!” says barcoa
               1. Does anyone say anything?
               2. Barcoa is looking at the computer quizzically. Hopefully someone picks up on the fact that he didn’t do that, or questions him
            2. Anyway, rustling sound from below, the sound of metal scraping and jostling
               1. Does anyone care? I don’t know
            3. If not, and they don’t react, barcoa says “uhh.. guys, if feel it’s important I mention that I wasn’t the one that turned the lights on. And I’m not making that noise either.
      4. Fight with a watcher. A multi-tentacled beast
      5. Well.. you young men performed admirably, as expected. Perhaps now is a good time to take a rest. Snacks anyway? CAPTAIN’S WAFERS
4. Finding the data banks
   1. Barcoa locates a map and sees the computer bank is on the other side of the room.
   2. PCs have to make their way across – and help the others across. Everything is a mess.
   3. This will be a physical skill challenge
   4. As always, any ingenious ideas appreciated.
5. The Data
   1. Ahh yes, I see… well, gentlemen, here’s what I’ve found…
   2. As you all may know, Chronos is a being from another dimension, or multi-dimensional, something like that. This is why the arrival of Watchers is preceeded by tachyon particles.
   3. Well, this pan-dimensional travel is something the watchers do…. Yes yes.. I see… We didn’t find chronos. We went to chronos…
   4. Allow me to explain… along with the lance, we Macedonians constructed the TriGate. The TriGate helped us to replicate the method of travel the watchers use. See, they are coming from one central location. That is where Chronos can be found. That location. Only going there normally would be impossible within our lifetimes, as it’s far far across the galaxy… close to the supermassive blackhole at the galaxy’s core… or maybe it’s not quite in the galaxy. Maybe chronos causes.. a zone.. of… oh, this makes my head hurt. Anyway, here’s what we have to do. We must find the pieces of the TriGate. Our Home Ship barely made it back through, and the Cydonians in anger broke it apart and scattered the pieces… but… well, look here. This ancient system has been tracking the pieces of the TriGate. That is what we need next. Once we have the pieces of the TriGate, we can open the way to Chronos and... sniff help you find your way home.
   5. The TriGate are three long metal pylons, with similar construction to the lance. The pylons, when aligned properly, allow travel to Chronos using the same travel method as the Watchers

Musical Inspiration
Song:	Starlight
Artist:	Muse
Album:	Black Holes and Revelations
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