AD5524-358, Campinas Highport “Titanic”
Perdix, Freydis and Syar head to an out-of-the-way bar to discuss their next move. The WorldNet screen on the table of their booth shows scrolling text of the latest news: the Chief Science Officer of the nearby naval base has stepped down (Oracle = “overwhelm burden of knowledge”)
“Alright, we need cash - let’s have your ideas then”, opens Freydis.
“We could see if our mobster friend - Ulfrun - needs any help?” offers Syar.
“Let’s … keep that in our pocket for now” suggests Perdix. “I could probably pick up a piloting job, and you can hire on as a water-taxi driver, Freyd”
Freydis shudders, and it’s not clear if it’s from the thought of taking on a regular job again, or from the cheap “prawn cocktail” drink made from fermented crustaceans. “We can check the bars here, or the DarkNet?” He looks at Syar, who nods - she knows how to access it. Freydis continues. “People are always looking to hire guys for hits or protection.”
“Or … robbery? Stow away?” says Syar tentatively. Perdix pats her on the hand by way of reply. “Let’s check around for jobs we can do while laying low from that mob after you, Syar - if nothing then we’ll have to see if Ulfrun has any ‘offers we can’t refuse’ …”
No rolls to see if they can find the jobs, we’ll hand them a couple free to get started.
(1d3+1=) 2 random jobs available from seedy street contacts and DarkNet links:
Encounter Type / Skill / Focus / Twist or Complication
Rolls: Robot/Drone, Artist/Performer, Secrets, Someone hates another in the same group.
Plot: A band member secretly wants to get rid of their vocaloid (robot/AI) singer.
Job: “Looking for discrete multi talented individuals to help ‘fix’ a robot”
Rolls: Patron (more jobs in future), Groundcraft, Debt, Someone would rather not fight
Plot: Offworld wheel-racer foolishly accepted a race challenge (duel) on an ocean world.
Job: “Need help with a water-race, winning or avoiding. Peaceful solution required.”
Freydis and Syar come up with 2 leads. Syar leans towards the Robot job, while Freydis fancies his chances in a submarine race. Perdix has no strong feeling either way, so she has the casting vote and chooses (d2=) the Robot job.
“Who is this?” says a synthesized voice.
“My name’s Perdix. There’s 3 of us. We’re the robot fixers”
“Meet me in 2 hours at the Nautilus Downport, ping this contact again when you get here”
2 hours later, a rattling air/raft drops off the PCs planet-side at Nautilus downport, which is little more than a combination of jetties, docks, submarine pens, and landing berths. Perdix pings the contact and receives a “Find Me” signal, leading the trio to the Arrivals area, where they see a tall figure wearing hooded overalls pinging them in return. (d2=) He nods and moves to an unoccupied row of benches. Perdix introduces her group, and the man nods again and removes his hood revealing a good looking man with long black hair and green eyes. “Name’s Faraz”, he begins “I play dub-guitar and e-banjo in our band, the ‘Camptown Racers’. We play simple songs and folks around here seem to like the cut of our jib. Recently it’s been a real shipwreck, our manager Laudius brought in a Vocaloid singer, and sure it hits the notes but it’s got no soul! And I’m totally an artist and not in it for the money, but now he’s claiming manager and member shares, which cuts into my percentage. I’ll pay 5000 to get rid of that vocaloid somehow that doesn’t sail back to me. Meet back here in a week”. He leans closer, whispering “And if you find a way to get Laudius out of the band, I’ll pay double”.
Before Faraz leaves, he hands over a null-ID plugin with details of the studio, the vocaloid, Laudius and the band etc, plus a cred-card worth 500 as a “retainer”.
…..
AD5524-359, Campinas Downport, “Iceburg”.
The next day, as the day-cycle begins, the PCs leave their simple shared hostel room in the Highport and take a grav-taxi to the surface. Is 10k enough of an incentive to simply kill Laudius and dump his body? It’s a lawless world, but the reward is not really enough for murder when split 3 ways. Base 1-3 on d6 per PC, but Perdix is compassionate and Syar thinks she’s smart enough to think of another way, so 1-2 for them. (3d6=P4, F4, S1) - so in fact Syar thinks she’s smart enough to get away with murder, but the others talk her down.
Instead they decide to break into wherever the Vocaloid is stored, vandalise it, and leave a threatening note for Laudius in the guise of a “disgruntled fan”. The Vocaloid is stored in: Laudius’ apartment, Secure storage, Recording studio (d3=Studio)
Expected Scenes in short adventure = 1d6+1 = 2.
These are rolled using my Encounters and Events tables inspired by Traveller and SWN.
Scene 1: Trade/Cargo + Infiltration.
Scene 2: Robot/Drone + Investigation.
(I honestly rolled these - looks like the plan will go as expected)
The Recording Studio is in the downport of “Iceburg” - a simple and mostly flat structure at sea-level but with multiple underground levels and facilities. The studio is on Level -2, about the size of a football field with a yard for vehicles in front, all surrounded by a chain-link fence that reaches to the ceiling above. It is (50-50 buying/selling) currently receiving a container load of electronics. A (d3=) hover forklift is transferring it from the street into the studio grounds, and a crew of staff stand nearby with various hardhats, clipboards, toolkits, carts and so on. Pistols are the only weapons in evidence, so Perdix and Syar relieve themselves of their larger armaments and stash them behind a nearby dumpster - although Freydis will not give up his hammer and rifle! They approach the studio.
Their plan is to cause as many distractions as possible to allow Syar to sneak in. “Assistance” gives +1 to the dice roll, but usually only 1 assistance is applicable.
“Hey buddy!” Perdix calls to the forklift operator, “I hear a rattling from your starboard intake, it might be a blocked injector - you may want to power down for a second to look at it”.
Perdix uses Groundcraft(0)+CHA(+1) at full effect to try and distract the driver. (Using Jack-of-the-trade, a replacement skill, or no useful skill would give her an increasing penalty). 2d6+1 = 8, Success but “Mysticism”.
“Rip tide!” Curses the forklift operator, a middle aged man covered in tattoos. “My horoscope said this was going to happen! ‘A lady in gold will save you!’ It means your jewellery! Come here, I need to shake your hand for luck. What’s your name? Mine’s Wayan. What’s your sign? I’m Aquapricorn! Let me buy you a drink after we get this sorted?”. Perdix thinks she perhaps succeeded a little too well …
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