The cast:
- Manfred (Faceless): A massive man who wears a mask fashioned from a stop sign. He used be a cook on a cattle ship and now cooks for the Carnival. He has shown himself to be brutally deadly.
- Switchblade (Maestro D'): acrobatic woman in a fool's motley who lead a traveling show called the Carnival. She is handy with a knife. She is unnerved by her visions and the new passenger with a claim to her adoptive sister Hiccup: Max.
- Max (Gunlugger): a brutal woman who crash landed on the planet Everette. She is haunted by her past and thinks of herself as a reaver. She has joined the Carnival to be close to her little sister Hiccup.
- Ekaterina "Katya" Mikhailova Petrova (Tribal): for generations Ekaterina's people have lived on Everette, adapting themselves to its strange psychic jungles. But the environment grew too hostile. Ekaterina led her people to a place of safety, following the visions her father sees in the maelstrom. That place is the Carnival.
This session also saw the introduction of some of my final threats in the campaign: the Beast With Two Heads and Mother.
Mother
Kind: Grotesques: Perversions of Birth
Impulse: craves overthrow, chaos, the ruination of all
Description: Mother resembles Switch's mother. She seems to be a ghost in the Psychic Maelstrom but twisted by rage. But that's not the truth. Mother is a Wolf of the Maelstrom in disguise, using Switch's memories of her mother to convince her to become one of them. These psychic projections were twisted when the Apocalypse happened. Before then the Wolves might have been natives or exiles from Everette or a place like it. Now lost and angry they seek to destroy everything.
Custom Moves:
- Listen to Mommy: when Mother advises Switch about a course of action and she acts on it, choose 1. If she doesn't follow up on her advice she suffers -1 ongoing on that subject for a session.
- Gain +1 ongoing on that course of action.
- Mark experience.
The Beast With Two Heads
Kind: Brutes: Cult
Impulse: to victimize & incorporate people
Description: A freak has been born in the Den, a two headed hairless goat grotesquely deformed but still somehow alive. The freaks have begun to worship it, seeing it as a vessel of the void. Maybe it speaks to them or maybe the void does.
Cast: Algor (interpretor), Chainsaw (enforcer), Chic, Lotsa-Teeth (spy), Night, Shatterglass, Skins, Gigori, Wayward
Custom Moves:
- Words from the Beast: those of the Cult know the dark secrets of others. Anything the Maelstrom has asked, they can know. PC cult members can roll Weird to ask the Maelstrom about a person. It will tell them a dark secret.
- Seduction of the Faith: Taking part in a ceremony with the freaks is disturbing. Earn an experience for taking part.
- Treat as a small gang (2-harm 0-armor)
The Fate of the Dent
Everette shrank quickly away through the porthole. Switch leaned back. She made her way to the hanger bay pondering the changes on board.The Carnival remained full, trading Midnight Storm fans for the strange natives of the planet they left. Katya's people occupied the rafters of the hangar bay, building makeshift tree houses above the trapeze. Switch makes a note to talk to them.
In the feakshow area, Shatterglass, Night, Algor and the other freaks ate lunch.
"Can I join you?' she asked.
Chainsaw, a tall figure with a huge black beard shot through with white, pulled out a chair.
Switch sat down and served herself some of the simple stew. "So what's going on?"
"What do you mean?" Shatterglass said.
"You've been sticking pretty close to the Den for the past couple of weeks. Are the animals okay?"
Shatterglass glanced at Algor. The deformed performer nodded. "Yes. It's hard to explain. You'd have to see it."
"It?"
"Come by this evening and we'll show it to you."
"Alright."
After breakfast, Switch climbed up to the flying trapeze and the Baikal tribe's new home. Despite their primitive attire, they had reworked metal scraps and bits of cloth into elaborate structures.
Max was there too, Switch noted sourly. The menace glowered at her in her tank top, her scars and damaged exposed.
"You can get a shirt from down below," Switch said.
Max met her gaze with one pale blue eye. "I know."
Some read a person rolls here.
Switch looked away. Perhaps she shouldn't have taken Max's armor.
Katya clambered down from even further above. "We have only seen this field of the ship. Grigori and I would like to see what else lies within the Carnival."
"Sure," Switch said noticing that Max was still watching her. "I'll give you a tour."
A green glow filled the Carnival's engine room. Large tubes and conduits fed from a central glass chamber. Inside lay a crystal the size and shape of an axe blade.
"And this is the power source of our ship," Switch said.
As she talked about the Carnival's drive system, Katya placed her hand on the old steel surface beneath the crystal's housing. She felt the psychic residue in the worn surface. The careful labor of its crafters, the decades of care since the ship's launch, and the fear of its crew as they slipped through the void avoiding the reaver scourge.
Katya uses Things Speak.
She sensed the thrum of the engine and the faint, hairline fracture through the focal crystal. "The ship is unwell. There is a crack in the crystal."
Switch stopped her monologue. "A what? A crack? Pipeline!"
A tall golden-haired amazon stormed in. "What is it?"
"Pipeline, the crystal is cracked."
The woman leaned over and examined the focal crystal.
"Why didn't you notice before we left?" Switch demanded.
Pipeline shrugged. "Switch, I don't know what to tell you. I see the damage. It might have happened during take off."
"Can we fix it?"
"I'm sorry, we don't have a spare. We'll have to make do until Megaton." Pipeline walked over to the control panel. "I'm setting the engines to half power until we can fix this. It's no guarantee but it should reduce the risk of a break."
Max chewed on some jerky on her way back to the tribe's treehouse encampment. Her hands itched for a weapon, a real weapon, unlike the knives she'd squirreled away in her cabin.
Four men emerged from the booths around her. She recognized the burly bouncer Belter, the sad clown Daily, the dwarf Wayward and the pale freak Shatterglass.
Belter spoke first. "We are watching you. Don't cause any trouble."
"With what?" she laughed.
"Death follows you," Shatterglass said as Wayward glared at her.
"Yeah but it knows better than to get in my way."
"You'd better not start any fights," Belter said.
"We just don't want to see anyone hurt," Daily explained.
"Sure," she replied. "Except perhaps the outsider. I'll be good, guys. Just don't expect me to help out when things go south."
Max pushed past them, knocking over Wayward in the process. She grabbed the rungs on the central support and climbed up.
She found Irina working on rack for drying skins. The hunter had been one of the few who talked to Max in their trip through the jungle.
"Irina, I need some help."
"What is it Max?"
"I need a weapon. Those people down there don't like me. I think they will probably take a shot at me soon. Do you think you could lend me a club?"
"I don't know. These people are our hosts. If they forbid you a weapon it is not our place to challenge that."
"Come on. It is for defense."
I believe Max failed to Manipulate a Person.
"I'll think about it."
Max heard a peep behind her. A child with his arm in a sling backed away from them.
"Kid, forget you heard anything," Max said advancing.
"But Switch," Kittens stammered.
"Or else I'll break your other arm," Max concluded.
Kittens swallowed and nodded.
On the other hand Go aggro worked.
"This is the galley," Switch said to her companions. Pipeline trailed behind them. "Which I guess you already saw at lunch."
Manfred stepped into the room. Pipeline glance away. The powerful woman suddenly seemed obsessed with her feet. As Katya puzzled at this behavior, Switch stepped over to the masked cook.
"Manfred, how are things? Are we well supplied?"
"Good. There is plenty of meat."
"Cool, well I have a tour to complete so I'll get out of your hair." She looked over at Pipeline. "Oh yeah, I think Pipeline has a crush on you."
Switch led the natives out of the sudden silence. Pipeline turned a shade of red that almost matched Manfred's mask and the hot skin beneath it.
After a long awkward moment, she walked off. Manfred remained standing there as Chainsaw arrived.
"Hey, Manfred, we'd like to join us this evening in the Den. I think you'll be interested in what's developed there."
"I'm busy. I need to start the marinade for tomorrow's dinner."
Chainsaw leaned in, his foul beard almost touching Manfred. "You can do that later. Meet the herald. It shows us things. Like the time you first put that mask on."
Manfred put a hand on his machete. "Go. Now."
Manfred goes aggro.
Chainsaw raised his hands and backed off. "Hey no harm meant. No judgement either. You come if you want."
After the tour, Switch slipped into the fortune-telling booth. Dark violet cloth drapped over the walls, enhancing effect of the dim lighting. The glow emerged from a crystal ball on a small table in the center of the room. Thankfully Shatterglass was elsewhere.
She settled into one of the soft velvet covered chairs and closed her eyes. Reaching out she called to her mother for guidance. What threatened her home?
Switch opens her brain to threats.
Cool hands touched her shoulders. Images floated into her mind's eye: Manfred, Max and the elderly man who traveled with Katya's tribe. Mikhail, she recalled, Katya's father. A shaman.
She gets bad advice.
Mother whispered to her. Go to the gathering. Get your allies. Go. Beeboo. Beeboo.
Katya shook her shoulders bringing Switch to her senses. The proximity alarm sounded throughout the ship.
"Switch, what is that noise?"
"I don't know. Trouble."
Switchblade raced to the bridge. Nestor and Daily were already there looking out the viewport.
A large ship hung there, slowly rotating. Only the light of a distant star and the Carnival's own floodlights illuminated its gray exterior. Some faded letters remained on the port side: D -- N --.
Switch pressed the intercom. "Manfred, I need you up front. Daily turn off the alarm."
As the clown flicked a switch, Katya entered. She gazed at the derelict. She allowed her mind to touch the void. A memory came to her, gray and flavorless: a teenage boy donning a mask.
Katya opens her brain.
"Okay we need to investigate this wreck," Switch said to the assembled crew of the Carnival. "There might be survivors and if not we might be able to scavenge something. Maybe even a new focal crystal. Pipeline and Belter you are on the team. Any volunteers to help?"
"I'll come," Manfred said.
Grigori and Katya stepped forward.
"We will also help," Katya said.
Switch looked past the center ring. Max leaned up against one of the support beams.
"You want to prove your usefulness Max?" the acrobat asked.
"Sure," Max said with a smile. "Do I get my gear back?"
"You can have your armor and the light weaponry."
Max's smile vanished. "Fine."
I'm not sure she ever really got to unload with her grenade launcher.
"Hmm, we need some more muscle power. Daff and Red Shirt you follow us in."
"Fuck," Red Shirt said.
I'd forgotten we actually named someone Red Shirt.
"You know my name is actually Richard," Red Shirt explained as they passed through the airlock. "They just call me that because of my lucky shirt. Ugh what is that smell."
"Death," Max said, switching on the oxygen on her armored space suit.
The airlock opened into a cargo bay. Dozens of cattle carcasses filled the room, mixed with mutilated human corpses. All appeared to have been savaged and gnawed upon.
Katya looked the wounds. "This was not done by an animal. These are human bites."
"Reavers," Switch said with a shiver.
"What now?" Daff asked. "Should we go back?"
"No we need that crystal."
"There should be one in the engine room," Manfred said. "Down that way."
"Okay, Manfred, Katya, Grigori and Pipeline go that way. Max and Daff go the other direction. Belter and Red Shirt head down that tramway. I'll stay here and guard the exit."
Which is to say Switch's player ran this particular threat.
This included some custom moves:
This ship is weird. moving around is nauseating and confusing. When you navigate the halls of the derelict, roll+sharp. On a 10+, keep your wits and your way and find something useful or interesting. On a 7-9, choose 1:
- You stumble into a gory mess (into is literal here)
- Someone with you stumbles into a gory mess.
- You or someone with you gets lost or separated.
- You have to move through a zero-g area.
When you come in contact with putrid meat, roll+hard. On a 10+, it's fucking disgusting and you smell like maggots and rancid death, but that's it. On a 7-9, it gets in somewhere, your mouth/eyes/lungs, whatever. It feels like sick and that's probably going to come up at some point. On a miss, the same but you feel sick, like now. Throw up or whatever and take -1forward.
And Max, if you try to use that first aid kit on someone exposed to meat-rot, that's fine, but don't get your hopes up. Roll+stock spent. On a hit, you sterilize the point of contact and give them some antibiotics or something to give them a leg up. Still you're not pharmacy so if they're really contaminated your kit's probably a stop-gap at best. On a 10+, you also mark experience. On a miss, sucks for them (and you, I guess, if you give a shit).
Personally I think these are fine except I am dubious about the experience award for a 10+. But as a player I wouldn't complain.
We also had some player specific custom moves.
For Manfred:
When you come across the corpse of someone you know, roll+weird. On a 10+, it's someone you know, but fuck you maelstrom, it's none of your business. On a 7-9, someone from the group will ask you one question about them. answer honestly and fully (no leaving things mysterious and shit). On a miss, we'll ask you two questions under the same conditions.
Also whatever you're feeling about being home, you're not an idiot. Violence happened here and may happen again soon. You can use the following move while on this ship and take it as an improvement later if you want.
My domain: When you open your brain towards something in which violence has been, is, or will occur shortly, roll+hard instead of roll+weird.
And for Max:
Hmm...more murder and blood. It just doesn't phase you anymore, does it? It looks like Reavers attacked this ship. Shame, I guess...
Either way, you don't survive this long on dumb luck and charity. Being on this ship reminds you of one thing - only the strong survive. You can use the following move while on this ship and take it as an improvement later if you want.
Predatory Instinct: when you read a situation in which violence has been, is, or will occur shortly, roll+hard instead of roll+sharp.
Manfred led the way down the darkened corridor lit only by the lights held by Pipeline and Katya. A knot of bodies clogged an intersection.
Manfred slowly stepped over the rotten remains. Katya followed and her foot sank deep into the chest cavity of a moldering woman. She held back some vomit but only barely.
Katya mostly made the hard roll. I think Manfred was leading so it was his sharp roll that brought on the gory mess.
"This way," Manfred said, heading down a side passage. "I need to make a pit stop."
He stepped into a deserted bunk room. Manfred grabbed a large armored apron from a hanger. Then he carefully unlocked the locker in the back and swept a dusty pile of old photos into an apron pocket.
He turned to the others in the hall. "Okay let's go."
As he stepped out they heard a click. An axe swung down from the ceiling and slammed into his chest.
The blow knocked Manfred back a step but failed to penetrate his apron.
Luckily the armor upgrade saved him.
As he caught his breath, Katya hurried over the check the damage. As she poked him, she noticed a photo taped to the wall over the bunk. Manfred, leaner and shorter but still wearing his mask, stood beside a white-haired old man.
Katya chose not bring it up. "We must be careful. This place is trapped."
"I don't care," Manfred said. He stomped forward.
Twenty yards on, he struck another tripwire as they passed a pile of boxes. The crates came crashing down on him and Katya. Still angry, Manfred knocked them aside while the others pulled Katya free.
Katya took some harm but rolled well enough to avoid serious damage.
The passageway ended at the bridge. The captain and his crew were still there, their bodies bound to their posts with barbed wire.
Manfred looked down on the mutilated figure in the captain's chair. "Sorry, Quill."
"I've found an infirmary," Max shouted back to Daff.
"Any dead bodies?" he said, holding his nose.
Max shone a light into the white room. "Doesn't look like it."
She stepped forward and the floor sank a tiny bit. Daff bumped into her trying to enter but she thurst him back. As he bounced against the wall, barbed spikes burst out of the floor. One punched through her boot and into her foot.
"Ow," Daff said. "Why did you do that? Oh that's a lot of blood."
"Hold this," Max said through her teeth, handing him her flashlight. She reached down with both hands. Closing her eyes she wrench her boot and snapped the spike off the floor. Hissing in pain, Max pulled the spike forward out of her foot. "Okay keep a look out while I bandage this up."
Apparently even 2-armor isn't enough sometimes.
A few minutes later, Max hobbled into the infirmary with Daff. "Okay grab anything that looks valuable. I'll take these cabinets."
"What if they are trapped?" Daff asked.
"Then be careful."
Daff hauled a heavy bag of bottles and medical tools behind Max. Up ahead the corridor opened up into a large space.
Max stopped. She shifted the light, shining the beam on worse and worse images of torture and mutilation. A disemboweled man hung from a hook. A woman hung from a wall upside down from staples with her head shattered by hammer blows. Two people faced each other, their bodies reduced to bloated torsos with chunks of each other still stuffed in their mouths.
In the center lay a man pale and cold in chair. His eyes were taped open, a ball stuffed in his mouth. She pressed a hand to his neck. Long dead.
"It's okay Daff, no one alive here."
Daff's footfalls echoed down the corridor.
"Dammit Daff, get back here!" Max chased after him, leaving bloody boot prints behind her.
Sounds of Daff's flight faded away. Alone, Max took her bearings. A sign hung on wall. She traced a path to the bridge and headed off.
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