Session 6 – Fish, Plankton, Sea Greens, and Protein from the Sea

Dramatis Personae

Loot: 

  • Robot Parts (1500 credits)

Worldbuilding:

  • Pretty much everyone was raised “Beneath the Black.” It’s the most common religion in the dome. Their dogma refers to “The Black” as a warm blanket over our heads, which protects us from the demons that live just on the other side of it.

Rulings:

  • When looting a robot for parts, a successful tech roll will increase the amount of valuable material you can extract by 50%.
  • Gaseous form cannot protect a character from poison spores or gas.
  • Transitioning to and from Gaseous form requires 1 combat round.
  • Ronnina’s Blowtorch arm requires a move-equivalent action to light.
  • Ronnina’s spell “Hold Fire” lasts for 1 turn per level.
  • Critical hits exist in the game. They automatically maximize the damage dice.

Character Modifications

  • Ronnina got a an 8 y/o boys nose from Bric Shilic. This restored 1 of her 2 lost Charisma.

Mutations

  • Umquat:
    • Umquat rolled Mutation 658, which allows the mutant to implant suggestions into other people’s minds. At a base level, this will be handled with a simple save versus magic.If the suggestion is meant to take place at some point in the future (at least 1 day), after a triggering event, and it is reasonably something that the person would not be opposed to, then the save is made unmodified.
      If the suggestion is something that the target would probably be happy to do anyway, they receive a -2 to their save.
      If the suggestion is to take place immediately, they receive a +5 on their save.
      If the suggestion is against their best interests, they receive a +2 on their save.
      If the suggestion is completely contrary to their nature, or would harm themselves or their friends, they receive a +4 to the save.
  • Galens Brook:
    • When stressed, Galens produces a pheromone that inspires fear. The first time Galens reaches 0 hit points during a combat, all non player characters immediately make Morale/Loyalty checks at a -1 penalty.
    • Galens has a huge beard. The beard regrows immediately when it is cut, but the thick strands of hair contain nerve endings, so any cutting of the beard is extremely painful.
    • Galens can heal others by spending his own hit points. With a touch, Galens suffers 1d6 damage, and the other character is healed an equivalent amount. Galens may do this as often as he likes.
    • Galens Gaseous Form is both addictive and carcinogenic if inhaled by a living creature. It has roughly the same properties as tobacco smoke.
    • Galens may, at will, exude pheromones that inspire feelings of lust in everyone around him capable of feeling that emotion. The lust is nonspecific, so everyone will likely just feel aroused towards whatever they would typically be aroused by. However, any seduction role made at this time receives a +1 bonus.
    • Galens may never lie, or deceive anyone in any way. This does not mean he has to be outspoken about whatever is on his mind. But if he deliberately omits information that would normally be given, or keeps silent while others are lying on his behalf, he will suffer damage equal to a maximum roll of his hit die. (The referee will be very clear about when this is about to happen in play, so that Galens may correct himself if he wants to avoid damage.)
    • Galens may change his gender at will. The process takes about 24 hours to complete, and is similar in painfulness to childbirth.
    • Galens must live by a strict code of Honor. This code has three primary tenants, each of which will be spelled out by one of Galens’ party members:
      Umquat: (Not yet specified)
      Virgil: (Not yet specified)
      Ronnina: (Not yet specified)

NPC Developments

  • Muta Bro felt just a tad insecure that the party might replace him, but Virgil reassured him. It’s cool. 
  • Bric Shelic the bodypart vendor was only too happy to do business with Ronnie. But after being punched in the face twice by Galens Brook and taking 6 damage, he really really doesn’t like Galens much. 
  • The Hangman was hit on three times by Virgil this session. The first two were relatively successful thanks in part to Galens’ Pheremones of Lust. The first was an 11 (10 + 1), and the second was a 13 (12 + 1). The third attempt, made via text message much later in the game, was only a 3. The Hangman sent an exasperated response, telling Virgil to keep to his work and not pester her with constant updates.The Hangman also failed a save against Umquat, who implanted a suggestion in her mind which will cause her to view Virgil as decisive and in-control the next time she sees him.

Highlights Recap

March 2516 C.E.

In the leadup to today’s adventure, Galens Brook spent days in the mutation hut, pumping his body full of ever-increasing amounts of mutagen, transforming himself into something wholely different than human. His mutations were numerous, and are detailed above. Little Umquat, perhaps feeling some peer pressure, assented to get a mutation herself, though only a single one for her.

Curious to learn the information recorded on the Write-Protected floppy discovered last session, Virgil asked The Hangman if she would mind allowing him to use one of her computers, which she agreed to.

nfortunately the floppy contained nothing of any great value, just a ton of poorly written erotica with many awkward metaphores. Giant sausages and wet curtains indeed.

As the party was in the general vicinity of The Hangman, and Virgil is intent on seducing her, Galens used his new mutations to create a pheromone scent that inspires lust. Virgil spent some time hitting on The Hangman, and she excused herself for awhile, returning in a disheveled state.

When she returned she informed the party that she’d discovered a flight simulator complex while perusing various archives of data. She’d gathered enough intelligence that she believed it remained unoccupied, and she needed the party to secure the location. She stressed that since the simulator is impossible to move, the party would actually need to secure the site for future use by other Internet agents.

This, in particular, would be difficult due to the simulator complex’ location. Not only is it a few blocks away from the main cathedral of the Rulers Beneath the Black (located in one of the Dome’s four 116 level starscrapers), but the building itself is used as an enforcer’s HQ, and a jail. On the bright side: the simulator complex was originally a secret installation, and to The Hangman’s knowledge, nobody has yet discovered its presence.

The party determined that the optimal way to reach the complex would be to dig up through the sewers. They asked The Hangman for a large drill and a generator, which she provided. Virgil then tinkered with these to ensure they were in good condition, adding some sound dampening to the drill. The party then hired a contractor Barry the Redrock Craftsman, to build a small hut of redstone for them, as well as an extra wall for no stated reason. They paid him an exorbitent fee of 500 credits and a set of new tools for his work, which inspired a loyalty score of 12. They plan to use this wall to obscure their sewer-entrance to the simulator complex.

While moving through the streets, the party encountered the limb vendor Bric Shilic, who offered Ronnina a replacement nose and arm. Ronnina accepted & paid for the nose. Galens Brook, meanwhile, took umbrage to Bric’s grizley trade, and punched him in the face. Bric attempted to cast hold person, which failed. Galens punched him again, so Bric cast a Sleep spell on the party, allowing no save, and sending Virgil and Galens to sleep while Bric concluded his business with Ronnina before disappearing into the endless alleyways of the dome.

The party also encountered an alley filled with yellow mold. which they chose to walk around.

After dropping into the sewers as close to their destination as seemed appropriate, the party had a fairly uneventful journey. Aside from noticing some Niskrk slime on the ceiling, which was easy enough to avoid.

Once they reached their location it was determined that the best way to proceed would be for Galens and Umquat to use their home-entering and Shadow-jumping abilities to pop directly into the structure. They chose the director’s office as their pop-in-point, while virgil set up the drill and waited for their signal to get started.

The two scouts noticed the the place was largely deserted, save for an 8′ tall chrome robot with mannequin hands that had knives duct-taped to them. It rolled quietly around, so Galens turned into his gaseous form and went to investigate. As he surrounded the robot, it activated a vacuum in its mouth, sucking Galens into a dustbag and trapping him there. Over face-time, Virgil confirmed to Umquat that this was a concierge/janitorial robot, though he warned that long eons may have made it crayyyyzaayyyyyyy.

Umquat lured the robot into an ambush, stabbing through its torso and freeing Galens. It began repeating “Fish, Plankton, Sea Greens, and Protein from the Sea,” as well as occasionally asking “Am I not magnificent?” After a prolonged combat (which seemed to reveal that the creature lacked object permanence), it was finally decapitated by a decisive blow from muscular little Umquat. Its decapitated head uttered one final “Am I not…magnificent?” before its face went slack.

About 20 minutes later, Virgil and Ronnina were able to drill through the floor into the director’s office. Virgil harvested what he could from the robot.

The session ended In Media Res