Fate of the Sky Raiders session #3: To the bridge!

I’m running FASA’s 1982 Traveller adventure Fate of the Sky Raiders, and this is my report of our third session (which is also session #14 of our overall Sky Raiders campaign).

Last time was session #2.

I have deviated drastically from the text, so this isn’t very spoilery now.

The Travellers

Our players and their characters are Terry (playing ex-space pirate Sir Sidderon Dubois), Thomas (playing drifter Felix "Dusty" Pygrin) and Tom (playing Zhodani prole Mustafa Lama Doka).

The players are also playing some of the NPCs: Technologies expert Dr Heinrich Chandragora (Terry), Vargr geologist Dr Goezghae (Tom), and linguistic archaeology specialist Dr Viedistart Mirost (Thomas).

Exposition dumps

This episode was full of exposition dumps. At the end of the last episode, the Travellers had helped the Gardeners of Continuance by fixing their nutrient problem. But this took time, so I asked the players for a scene involving their characters. This turned into a protracted discussion session as they and the Gardeners shared knowledge.

Here’s what we discussed. (Or at least, this is what I remember based on my memory and my notes. I expect I missed things.)

• The PCs continued to learn the language, and we left that in the background. (Nobody had an appetite for roleplaying that.)
• The PCs are still interested in getting to the bridge, which they learn is controlled by a faction called the Synod. They control signals to the processing equipment the Gardeners need, and in return for use of the machines, the Gardeners trade food with them.
• This is one part of the ship – other factions control other areas of the ship. The Gardeners are conservative and haven’t explored the ship much. They are happy where they are.
• There are designs in the 3D printer software that the Gardeners no longer have access to. (These include weapons and components that haven’t been needed for thousands of years.)
• The Gardeners do have some antique Sky Raiders artefacts and items – including masks made of precious metals and jewels. These are sacred objects.
• The PCs explain that bad people (Kalamanaru) will be coming, and they will want to steal the sacred artefacts.

At this point, the players are wondering if this has turned into the Magnificent Seven…

The main bridge

After a failed attempt to hack into the printer software for more useful components (eg better weapons), the PCs realise that they need to speak to the Synod (who occupy the main bridge), and they are escorted to the main bridge and the Synod. (Lorain and all the NPCs are left behind as captives to ensure our three heroes don’t do anything foolish. This also means I can concentrate on the PCs without having to worry about the scientist NPCs.)

We are in danger of repeating everything again, so we cut it short and jump straight to a skill roll, with Sir Sidderon’s social standing and Mustafa’s stewardship supporting Felix’s persuade roll. If the roll failed, we agreed it would mean the PCs were locked up, and we would put the NPC scientists in the spotlight. Fortunately, it succeeded!

(We’ve been talking about printing advanced weapons and armour using the 3D printers, and it’s at this point that I realise that, as I’ve been assuming that the ship has been repeatedly patched and components replaced, the Sky Raiders ought to have been able to completely rebuild their jump and manoeuvre drives. Ah, well, too late to worry about that now. I don’t mention this to the players.)

An amazing TL 9/10 control room

The plan that didn’t quite come together

The players then spent a while creating a plan to deal with Kalamanaru. Their eventual plan involved creating a Sky Raiders-y signal to lure Kalamanaru to a particular location where he could be ambushed.

Tom suggested this could be a montage, and because each player had two PCs, I suggest it had six steps. If they succeeded in four, then the plan would work!

Prepare the signal: Dr Mirost prepared a Sky Raiders signal that would draw Kalamanaru to the right place. (We didn’t actually specify exactly where. If it all works, we won’t need to know where.) 

Printing better weapons: Dr Goezghae used his computer skills to print better quality weapons. Guards aboard the ship had been using cheap-to-print assault rifles (AK-47 type things), but they started replacing them with advanced combat rifles and grenades. And they printed armour.

Refurbish the laser turrets: Dr Chandragora printed new components for the laser turrets and refurbished them, focusing on where Kalamanaru’s forces were expected to be lured.

Training the locals: Sir Sidderon trained the locals in the more modern weaponry.

Sensors: Mustafa used his drones to monitor Kalamanaru’s progress once Kalamanaru arrived.

Ambush tactics: Felix planned the ambush using the local forces.

And how did they do? Well, it wasn’t great.

The first three rolls were really good – with results of 12, 12 and 11 (a total effect of 11). And then it all went wrong, and the next three rolls failed badly (results of 4, 4 and 6), almost wiping out the overall effect. We ended up on an effect of 1, which I ruled was a stalemate with a slight advantage to the PCs.

So Kalamanaru created a beachhead aboard the massive asteroid ship, and we would resolve the situation next week.

Next time

It's time for the campaign finale! But first, I need to figure out what the current situation is. My instinct is that Kalamanaru is trapped on board, and the players have crippled (but not completely defeated) Kalamanaru’s flotilla. We’ll see.

Next: Confrontation with Kalamanaru

Previously: Session #2,  or start right back at the beginning with my review of Legend of the Sky Raiders.