Solo GURPS: Moises Ramirez, Session #2
Let's continue the adventures of Moises Ramirez, an archeologist/geologist/carpenter on an alien world. In other news, a new version of Mythic GME is going to be released this month!
Session #1 - link
SESSION #2
Scene 4
Setup: Moises returns to his office to report to his boss.
CF: 5 (the previous scene was not in character's control).
Character List: Moises Ramirez, Hoss Baraus (boss), Mbita Omehia (human expedition leader).
Thread List: Find out what exactly the human expedition is planning to do here.
Chaos Roll: Normal Scene.
Well, Moises does return to his office and reports his findings to his boss, Hoss Baraus.
Detail Check Question: How does the boss react to this?
Detail Check Result: Focus Thread
Detail Check Meaning (Action): Mistrust Riches
Detail Check Meaning (Description): Triumph Ambush
The boss was not content at all. He believed those ruins to be his property (even though they technically are on unclaimed ground), and he did not trust these wealthy humans who just want to barge in and do whatever they want. Irritated, he tells Moises to find out where exactly do these ruins are, and then go there before the human expedition goes there. Spying on them and/or dissuading them from going there without Moises' supervision is the goal.
Fate Check Question: Will Hoss assign somebody to accompany Moises?
Fate Check Modifier: Likely (+2).
Fate Check Result: Yes.
Detail Check Question: Who?
Detail Check Result: Fear
Detail Check Meaning (Action): Deceive Burden
Detail Check Meaning (Description): Politely Reassuring
Hoss Baraus assigns Moises an ofrian driver. This is a low-gravity world with a thin atmosphere, making hovercrafts unfeasible, so the vehicle is a half-track. This should make transportation easier and allow transporting some equipment. However, upon meeting up with the driver (let's name this ofrian Alos Woss), Moises notices that he's armed. Alos politely reassures Moises that it is just for protection, but Moises became very worried - what if Alos was also assigned to kill him if he learns too much or something like that? Such worries are baseless, but Moises does not know everything.
Moises remembers his old plan - to go to the spaceport and talk to the maintenance stuff, traffic control, and/or the pilot of the Sarapoint Association expedition. Maybe they will be more likely to give information about their destination?
Scene 5
Setup: Moises and Alos go to the spaceport.
CF: 4 (the previous scene was in character's control (was it really though?))
Character List: Moises Ramirez, Hoss Baraus (boss), Mbita Omehia (human expedition leader), Alos Woss (driver/guard)
Thread List: Find out what exactly the human expedition is planning to do here.
Chaos Roll: Normal Scene.
First, Moises decides to find the Sarapoint Association spaceship/shuttle.
Fate Check Question: Is it a shuttle? That would imply that there's a ship in orbit.
Fate Check Modifier: Very Likely (+4).
Fate Check Result: Exceptional Yes.
I have no idea how to interpret the "exceptional" part, so I'll just assume that this is a shuttle. Moises and Alos try finding the pilot.
Fate Check Question: Do they find the pilot?
Fate Check Modifier: Very Likely (+4).
Fate Check Result: Exceptional Yes.
They do not find the pilot, but the pilot finds them! He walks up to Moises, excited to see him. Being a light worlder, he towers over Moises.
Detail Check Question: What is he so excited about? Why did he approach Moises?
Detail Check Result: Favors NPC (Mbita Omehia)
Detail Check Meaning (Action): Block Enemies
"Oh, you're that weirdo who paid my boss a visit!" He grins. "I'm glad to see another human face here, but I was told to keep you away from our shuttle. So, do not come any closer."
Moises takes this personally. He'll probably hold a grudge. Without even giving a responds, he turns around and starts looking for the traffic control.
Fate Check Question: Does he find the traffic controller?
Fate Check Modifier: Very Likely (+4).
Fate Check Result: Yes.
After finding the traffic controller, Moises tries to persuade him to tell him the coordinates he is looking for. If the traffic controller knows them, of course. He tries to explain the situation politely, saying that he was sent to supervise the expedition by the local company and even tells Alos to confirm. [Let's resolve this as an Influence roll using the Diplomacy skill. First, we have to determine the traffic controller's Will. As usual, let's roll 9+1d. I got 10. Now, we roll a Quick Contest of Diplomacy vs. Will. Moises wins with a margin of victory of 3.That gives us the Good reacion.]
Fate Check Question: Does the traffic controller even know the coordinates?
Fate Check Modifier: Likely (+2).
Fate Check Result: Exceptional No.
Not only does he not know the coordinates, but he also adds that whatever the humans do on the unclaimed territory is none of his business. That leaves Moises and Alos with only one other option - try following the expedition as soon as they leave for the surface. Since the traffic controller has reacted at the character and his companions positively, he agrees to notify them when the expedition leaves. Better than nothing!
Scene 6
Setup: Moises and Alos prepare to set out on their half-track to follow the Sarapoint expedition.
CF: 5 (the previous scene was not in character's control)
Character List: Moises Ramirez, Hoss Baraus (boss), Mbita Omehia (human expedition leader), Alos Woss (driver/guard)
Thread List: Find out what exactly the human expedition is planning to do here.
Chaos Roll: Interrupted Scene.
Event Check Result: Favors Thread
Event Check Meaning (Description): Offensively Military
Event Check Meaning (Action): Communicate Danger
Moises receives a message from the traffic controller - the human expedition has left the underground colony, but he also warns Moises - the humans were armed! That makes things more difficult and dangerous. Moises himself does not know how to drive half-tracks, so he lets Alos do the driving. The sealed half-track leaves through the vehicle airlock. It's been a while since the last time Moises has been on the planet's surface. A rocky, barren landscape was very uneven. The dim sun in the sky did not provide enough heat, but the half-track had climate control systems. Should they fail, Moises has his expedition suit on. The half-track leaves the underground colony and the surface solar collectors behind. [Let's make a Per check to see if Moises notices the human expedition vehicle. I roll 8 against Per 12.] Moises sees the tracked vehicle of the humans quite far ahead and tells Alos to follow it. Alos probably could have guessed that even without Moises' help. Now that at least the direction of travel is known, Moises can try to guess where they are going, basing the guess on his area knowledge and archaeological expertise. [That will be an Area Knowledge roll and a complementary Archaeology roll. First, I roll against Archaeology-12 and get an 11. Thus, we will be rolling against Area Knowledge-14, not 12. I got an 8.] Let's say that the destination is 6dx6 miles away [114 miles]. This is going to take a while. Now, do the Sarapoint Association people notice our heroes following them? [Let's determine their Per by rolling 9+1d. Per 12. Now, let's roll against Per 12. I got a 7.] There's only two ways this can go now. Either they stop and confront the followers, or they ignore and keep driving.
Fate Check Question: Do they stop?
Fate Check Modifier: None.
Fate Check Result: No.
All right. But that also means that Moises and Alos probably do not know that they have been noticed.
Scene 7
Setup: Moises and Alos arrive to the ruins not long after the Sarapoint Association expedition.
CF: 4 (the previous scene was in character's control)
Character List: Moises Ramirez, Hoss Baraus (boss), Mbita Omehia (human expedition leader), Alos Woss (driver/guard)
Thread List: Find out what exactly the human expedition is planning to do here.
Chaos Roll: Normal Scene.
Detail Check Question: What do the ruins look like?
Detail Check Result: Disfavors NPC (Hoss Baraus)
Detail Check Meaning (Description): Busily Full
Detail Check Meaning (Action): Spy Ambush
Huh? This is not what Moises expected to see. There's already people there waiting for the Sarapoint expedition, and some machinery doing some excavations. The unknown people ambush the human expedition, approaching their vehicle with weapons! Moises' boss wouldn't be content knowing that this place already has been occupied.
Detail Check Question: Who are the ambushers?
Detail Check Result: Focus PC
Detail Check Meaning (Description): Deliberately Strong
Detail Check Meaning (Action): Gratify Disruption
Judging by their body morphology, they are humanoids. And their space suits look like some human models, so they probably are humans. Pirates? No, they look very familiar - the insignias belong to the advocates of the Cyber-Spirit, a religious movement whose activists have overthrown the government on Moises' homeworld! What are they doing here? [Roll against Overconfidence-12. I get 13.]
Moises disembarks. It is windy outside, sand is blown everywhere. Obviously, Moises is noticed.
Fate Check Question: Do the ambushers divert their attention to Moises?
Fate Check Modifier: Very Unlikely (-4). (The Sarapoint Association expedition is larger and poses a bigger threat).
Fate Check Result: Exceptional Yes + Random Event.
Event Check Result: PC Negative
Event Check Meaning (Description): Enormously Valuable
Event Check Meaning (Action): Ambush Adversities (the Ambush word sure occurs often)
Not only the Cyber-Spirit advocates divert their attention to Moises, but Moises also finds out that there are ambushers behind his back, who have just disabled their invisibility surfaces. Those are very expensive! Moises is unarmed, and Alos alone cannot do anything in this situation. Moises raises his arms, surrendering.
Detail Check Question: What will the Cyber-Spirit advocates do to them?
Detail Check Result: Anger
Detail Check Meaning (Description): Mockingly Ancient
Detail Check Meaning (Action): Attract Portals
Moises and Alos are roughly pushed against their half-track and searched for weapons. Of course, Alos' gun is taken away. They search the half-track too. Moises is told in Spanish to not resist and follow the captors. Moises is angered by this situation - things are not under his control anymore. He is led to the entrance of what is assumed to be an ancient prison facility. The entrance is made of chiseled rock, as if it is a prehistorical temple, not an ultra-tech complex. Moises is pushed against the wall and threatened with a gun.
"Now go inside, report over the radio about everything you see, and do what we say." He is ordered. "You are a canary in the mine now."
Moises and Alos have no choice but to go inside, unarmed. What awaits them? Find out next time.
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