Day 1: A makeshift shelter is constructed in the burned out escape pod and supplies are cataloged. During the night N'nami is bitten by a burrowing serpent but is saved from any lasting harm by Marcus and a dose of antitox.
Day 2: The bleak landscape surrounds them on all sides and the party feels that heading north towards the mountains would be their best alternative. Suddenly a low trilling noise catches the attention of both yazirians. N'nami and Gorruck set out cautiously to investigate and discover a large lizard creature that had been killed by debris from the crash. The creature has two small babies with it that seem lost without the parent.
Returning to camp Brock takes charge of the two little creatures and feeds them some of the local lily-pad like fauna that had been discovered. While Gorruck harvests some meat and prepares a meal for the group.
From a higher elevation Gorruck surveys the area with a pair of binoculars that Marcus had brought along. A low adobe like structure is seen off to the east about a half-days journey. The group decides to spend one more night at the crash sight before setting out to investigate the sight.
Day 3: The party treks across the dry landscape to investigate the adobe. Brock has fashioned a sling from his coveralls and carries both the little lizards with him. Gorruck went over how much gear to carry without causing undue stress. Izen asked if "scotty" the maintenance robot that belonged to Marcus could carry his Robcomkit, and Marcus agreed. About noon the group was taken by surprise as the high pitched whine of an engine came screaming past them from the northeast. Though the craft was about half a kilometer away it banked and began to come around back towards the group. It was quickly decided that the majority of the party would attempt to hide as best they could while Brock, N'nami and the robot stayed in the open and pretended to hail the craft with weapons ready if needed.
Gorruck is able to blend in to the surrounding landscape and draws his auto pistol, Marcus and Lynx lay low in a dusty hollow by some desert shrub while Izen does his best blend in next to some alien plants. As the skimmer comes in closer Brock waves his arms in mock desperation, "Over here! Over Here!" he cries. N'nami begins concentrating on her telekinetic ability.
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| Izen hides. |
The skimmer still a good 10m above the ground slows to a halt and swings so the occupant tethered in the side-door can get a good view with his auto rifle. He fires a burst and peppers the ground near Brock and N'nami. The party are all able to see the symbol painted on the side of the stripped down skimmer, the mark of the Star Devils! Brock curses under his breath as he shoos his little wards to safety among some rocks. N'nami uses her mental ability to wrench the rifle from their assailants grasp, "Brock, incoming!" she yells.
Having seen this trick before on the Serena Dawn, Brock is ready catch the weapon which he then uses to fire three shots back at the skimmer concentrated on the Pilot!!
From cover the rest of the party attack as well. Using the shooting as cover Lynx boosts his physical abilities and leaps from the ground into the skimmer itself taking the now unarmed crew-man by surprise. The pilot now wounded from all the ground fire begins to peel away to get out of range. Lynx is able to sever the safety tether of the unarmed pirate sending him plummeting to the desert below, and a quick martial arts blow to the back of the pilots head knocks him out! Unfortunately the skimmer begins spin out of control, as Lynx grapples with a second pirate tethered to the opposite door.
The rest of the group gather themselves and give chase on foot as they watch the skimmer go down hard just a few kliks away. When they arrive at the downed craft, Lynx awaits them with a captive pirate and a few minor bumps and bruises. Marcus sets "scotty" to work on repairing the smoking engine. A quick search reveals the craft is an older model and stripped down to the barest necessities for flight. A holo-map is discovered and Brock looks it over.
After it is determined the repairs on the skimmer will take at least 4-5 hours, the group decides to complete the original task of investigating the adobe structure.
Late afternoon the party finally reaches their goal and discover a covered well. The water is tested and found to contain high levels of arsenic. It is also discovered the lizards drink the well water with no adverse effects.
Just then the skimmer limps into view and "scotty" lands it near the well. Though not in great shape the craft should be able to get them to the mountains in the north in much less time than had they gone on foot.
There is some talk as to whether it is worth the time to try to get any info out of the pirate. Lynx wants to try threat of cannibalism or disfigurement, but Gorruck puts a stop to it quickly. Marcus discovers a radio transponder on the skimmer and removes it and buries it near the well. Just then the radio crackles to life.
"Z-1, Z-1 come in over, you find anything yet?"
Gorruck grabs the mike and responds in a low growl, "Nothing here, over."
"Roger that, keep in touch." the transmission ends.
Brock brings up the holo-map on the skimmer console and points out two locations marked in red labeled 1 & 2. "I'm pretty sure these are locations of the pirates. What is there I can only guess, but number one is marked as an 'Outpost' and number two as 'Town'. Niether of which seem appealing at this time."
Suddenly the baby lizards now called Codo & Podo begin a high pitched trilling which is responded to by a much deeper and similar sound. The party then sees a group of six large lizards emerge from the desert, each has an alien octopoid type rider clinging to it and wielding an array of primitive weaponry. Poly-voxes are scrounged from packs and the group begins to parley with the new arrivals.
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| The Ul-Mor |
Communications last well into the early evening until finally it is discovered that the aliens can link telepathically through a physical link. An aborted try by both Marcus and Gorruck is then completed with N'nami as her mental prowess exceeds the rest of the party. The Ul-Mor as they are called are thankful for the care of the baby lopers by Brock, and they were witness to the battle with the metal flyer so they know the party are not with the Bad-ones. Mutual cooperation and aid is offered but the party must become members of the tribe for this to happen. The party agrees to what the Ul-Mor call the "Test of true Warriors". They must travel with the Ul-Mor to the testing place in the north. As dusk begins to set the party moves out away from the well but not before making a quick trip a few kliks south and dumping the captive in the desert tied to the body of the dead skimmer pilot. They then regroup with the Ul-Mor and spend the night in peace before heading northwards.
Day 6: Upon arrival at the edge of the "Burning Lands", as the mountainous area is called. Athru, leader of the Ul-Mor explains that to reach the testing ground the party must follow the Ul-Mor through a tunnel complex. The group hides the skimmer as best they can and removes the parabattery from it as well. Then they begin the long dark trek underground.
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| Tunnels under the Burning Lands |
Day 8: The party is awakened by rumblings as a massive tremor rattles the cavern in which they had camped, gravel and rock rain down upon them! After things settle the realization that they have been cut off from Athru and his warriors becomes all too real. Unable to go back the party has no choice but to navigate the alien underworld as best they can. An encounter with a cave full of alien bats leads to a round of Antibody plus for everyone.
Day 9: An encounter with a Volturnian Cave bear is avoided thanks to Gorrucks skills.
Day 10: The tunnel with explosive gas fissures is avoided, but the danger of the Salt Cave almost spells doom for some. Not long afterwards the underground lake is discovered and Brock suggests that a raft be constructed from the giant cave fungi to cross it. As they begin the journey it is noted that something large lives in the water and trails the group for some time before it decides to come at them. Marcus tosses a tangler grenade directly into the path of the oncoming terror and encases it's toothy maw sending the beast off in a panic. Sometime later the party comes upon a small islet covered in tall white mushrooms. Upon closer inspection they realize the entire isle is covered in a white living amoeba-like fungus that tries to latch onto the raft! They are able to paddle away before anything bad happens and they see a lone Ul-Mor on the isle watching them and beckoning with his tentacles..... they paddle away, quickly.
Eventually they begin to find an ascending tunnel and soon hear a strange ruckus ahead. Approaching carefully they find a malfunctioning decade old Janitor-bot. Marcus is able to reprogram it and get it to join the party. Soon afterward the insane singing of a human is heard echoing in the caves. The party finds an old pirate that has succumbed to the strange white fungus and before he can do anything Marcus stuns him. After a short debate, they leave him alone and move on. A branch in the tunnel reveals a lower cave with a fresh water supply where the group replenishes themselves, then they find a way back out into the daylight soon afterward.
The Ul-Mor are located nearby at another exit where they had been awaiting the party in hopes they had survived the cave-in. At last they have reached the Place of True Warriors.
Taken to a sort of natural arena the party is each given a spear and straw-like dummy fashioned in their likness. They are allowed to bring anything of their own they want to make up for the lack of limbs. Athru bids them well against the Quickdeath, as he rides back to his fellows watching from above.
"Wait the what!?" says Brock.
The battle with the Quickdeath is fierce and fast, Lynx is mauled and Marcus suffers a poisonous spine in his leg. Izen discovers the beast suffers nearly no effects from lasers much to his surprise! In the end Izen encourages Marcus to use tangler grenades to disable the beast and the party is able to win through!
Now officially members of the Ul-Mor tribe they are told of others like themselves that live with the foolish Kurabanda in the forests to the North-east. Athru says he will provide a guide to take the party in search of their lost friends.
So Ends SF0: Crash on Volturnus. Next up is the continuation SF1:Volturnus; Planet of Mystery!!!
