[Playtest Campaign] Rebel Yell-

AFTER Their crushing defeat at the hands of the Sneers, the Party decided not to cross any of the other bridges in the complex's first level. [Referee scores 1 point]

Instead, after [k]icking around a bit in the NW sector and discovering a tapestry in that Troll room, they concoct an Oxi-Clean type batch and clean the mould and crusted Troll-faeces from it to reveal a scene of the stark white Emperor Avrdyn of the Star Throne Empire (Summer era) in shiny metal full plate handing a sceptre or scroll tube to an Abbekqorru leader. Wojo, the former slave/altar boy of the Hierophantic Church, uses his ecclesiastical history knowledge to date the scene to roughly 1100 years prior, although the tapestry is clearly no older than 200 or so years, like the rest of the evidence they have found, including a mandala created by an Abbekqorru prisoner (a starship pilot) in one of the dungeon cells.

They debate going back into the worm-ridden undead barracks of the south eastern sector, but the collective remembrances of the group suggested against that plan of action, as they have no proof versus the Terror effect.

"Let's take the Lift Shaft to a lower level." Sez Tybalt.

Dumbfounded looks of incredulity meet that statement.

"We can't carry out our mapping mission without doing so, eventually."

...[the sound of acquiescence]
--Only freaky see-through-skin mutant-boy and the Warden with Kitty the bear remain behind, as the player bailed, not feeling well.

• Second Level: Protected by closed Blast Door.
• Third Level: Protected by glowing blue force-field.
• Fourth Level: Using the bizarre two-page map from the old JG City-State of the Invincible Overlord, the Shaft has a short corridor running NE, and a longer one running SSE.

Delver (WI Vrun Warrior-Noble) proceeds down he corridor, and at the half-way point, triggers the automated defences of the ship (they've puzzled that much out of their explorations, and interrogations), as he is no-longer human-enough to escape scrutiny (as witnessed when a different laz cannon shot at him and Wojo earlier). A deafening klaxon sounds and the door shuts, and the Shaft is sealed at each level by iris valves.
Tybalt uses Jaunt to see if he can pass through the defences, and is rewarded with success. Sadly, even carrying one person at a time will cause such strain upon his system that he'd have to take all their remaining healing potions just to get back up to the First Level. They debate the logistics of this plan, but, being Tybalt, he decides instead to probe further into the ship's darkness.

The door panel recognises him as Human, and due to his Engineering Genetic Memory background, the door opens for him. He proceeds and reaches a second door, followed initially by Delver. The AI seems to permit the transit of the Alien with the Human, and they move on to a third door. Delver hangs back before returning to the others.

Tybalt enters a trapezoidal chamber filled with alcoves of 'devices'. An amber light activates and moves toward him. He falls back in case it is an attack, but is pleased to see that it is some sort of utility light that hovers near him (similar to those in Lynch's DUNE film). The chamber is littered with bone shards and scraps of Ancients clothing. He gets to another door, opens it, and steps in.

"Roll Initiative."

"Uh. I got an 11."

"You see a hideous chalk-white woman with dessicated breasts and a wild mane of stark white hair. She is dressed in tattered clothing of the Ancients. There is an indigo light rising in her throat you can see through her open maw."

"I step back through the door."

"Please roll Initiative for the door-closing speed versus the woman."

"8."

"Tied."

"That means she's crushed by the door, right?" [hopeful]

"No. I means she steps through and the door loses right behind her, tearing off a slice of her. She seems unconcerned. That was your Action.
"What's your Lifeforce score?"

"+11"

[I roll to attack his Lifeforce and score a hit]

"I'll get back to you in a bit.
"You all hear, even over the klaxon, a hiss that begins to shred your auditory nerves. Just then, the klaxon stops, and you all can hear this terrible sound. Lifeforce, please."

[All but CiCi make it. She cowers, grabbing her knees, sobbing. The others lose that Round.]

"When next you are able to act, you distantly hear a sound like a sack of potatoes hitting the floor."

[Darius, Tybalt's mace-wielding Man-at-Arms and Delver rush down the hallway.]

"Darius. Are you Human?"

"He's Vrun."

"I know that, does he have his Knacks and stuff determined?"

"Yeah [blah-blah-blah]."

"Nothing about his true nature?"

"No."

"Okay. Please roll percentile. 51+ is Human."

"02. So, do those mutations kick in now?" [hopeful]

"Sadly, not yet. We'll have to determine that at some other point."
"Roll half of your Defence on d12, please."

"d12? Um. Can I Focus?"

"No. You know you need to declare it at the start of the Round."

"[$#!+]"
"13."

[I roll a 9 --darned thing is rusty from lack of use, dontchaknow?]

"You see a scorch mark just about where your head was going to be, before you twitch-dodged. Your go."

"I turn to see what shot at me and attack it if I can."

"The same sort of laser cannon you guys saw earler. What do you do?"

"I hit it with my mace."

[Hits. Does 2 points beyond its d12 v. blunt Armour roll.]

"It doesn't look damaged. Its go."
"It'll hit. Give me your Defence at full."

"Great. 01."

"You take it in the mouth. [Roll 5d8] [x]. Critical Damage."

"Critical Damage?"

"It comes directly off your Terminal Threshold."

[Blink-blink]

"I'm at -10 out of -14."

"Okay. Anyone else?"

[Delver rushes in, and we roll Initiative. He attacks it with his lightning ring for decent effect again. It fires, strikes, but his Reflection: LASER beams it back at full effect. The thing's AI retracts it back into the ceiling to render repairs and consider its course of action: 3 Rounds before it re-deploys.]

"Darius, you are now at -11. Anyone else?"

"CiCi can act? [yes] Okay she runs in and gives him a Cure Light at 1d6+1."

--"He has two potions!" sez Darius' player.

"Okay I give him the potions, too."

"Just roll 'em all together. 3d6+7"

"15."

"I'm back at 4."

"03. There is 0 to consider."

[-nods-]
[01 Round down to reactivation]

"I stand right under it and fire again."

"Roll."

[Hits. 15 points of elec.]

"Take that. No Armour."

"Huh? It bounced?"

"Yup."

[2 Rounds]

[CiCi empowers her mace by +2 by pumping in 10 of her DPs. It is now +3 to Hit/+5 to damage. Delver gets an acid flask ready. They 'ready an action' to strike ]
[It deploys again.]
[I question Delver/CiCi player as to their placement and smile as they are on opposite sides of the housing hatch. I imagine CiCi getting struck by the flask, but that doesn't happen. The Strike does some damage, but the acid virtually none.]
[It fires at CiCi, but she 'dodges'.]

"Let's hold it here. Tybalt, let me speak to you outside."

---
Tybalt hears the woman and a velvety-voiced man (like Berry White, but deeper and smoother) discussing who gets Tyb's spirit. The deep voice explains that the woman is undead and won't be filled with it, and 'He' is Tyb's sanguine lord. Lord Shadow banishes the bainsidhe and then Tyb feels himself flung into Deep Shadow. Other weird stuff from my previous 3.5/Pathfinder game which featured the Shadow Plane is referenced, but he doesn't catch them, and I explain. He laughs and is pleased he is given a 'tiny chance' to avoid being a Shade for the rest of history.
--He can still see the amber light hovering over his body. lol.