The Ninth World Turns Recap #019 - Arrive at Zhong Complex

Campaign Day 001

XP: Everyone has 3 xp from discovering the Glow Machine & Miasma Box & Mintz’ Pin

Turn 18

Fannar Bryn spoke to Heemsoth group for a bit as you all spoke amongst yourselves. After a few minutes, Bryn returned and showed you the map of the Zhong Tower Complex. He indicated that the original group was meant to be led up to the 4th floor, where Zhong conducts his business. That is where they were supposed to be when the Glow went off. The other two teams would then enter through the front door and work their way up to support the first team. The four warehouse vaults were secondary targets. What each contained, Bryn isn’t sure. He thinks that each has its own guards and protection. The team was meant to place a beacon in one of the windows up top when they succeeded. If the first team needed support, they were meant to put the beacon on strobe. Bryn isn’t sure why they failed even at that. You mission is to scout the tower, and if possible secure the tower and eliminate Zhong. Bryn is sure that the vaults contain useful items but warns you to be prepared for a challenge.

<Action 1 - Ask Questions>

As you set off, Bryn walked both your group and Heemsoth’s group to the gate of Mintz’ Compound. The report at the gate indicated that there hasn’t been any commotion for the past 20 minutes or so. Bryn asks if you all are ready for him to open the gate and for you to set forth. He has given you a map to get you from Mintz’ to Zhong’s. Heemsoth’s group will be departing for Kesinger’s to scout and possibly get involved.

<Action 2 - Ask Questions, Open Gate & Go Forth>

Action 1 

Jay Zin

Looking at the plans of the building it looks like the only windows are on the front of it... I wonder if there are any defenses on other parts of the building... Will it even make a difference if we try to approach from the back side of the building... unless anyone has some better ideas I guess we just show up and take a look at the place from down the street. Chances are there are plenty of looters out there so we shouldn't look too conspicuous…

Basai didn't like that there was little to no information regarding the Tower's status... Nothing that they had expected to happen had happened, it seemed, which certainly meant trouble. They had taken equipment with them... which boded the question, ”Do the Glow people have devices that could hurt us?” If something had gone wrong, their equipment was likely in the hands of their opponents, and knowing what they had would be useful in determining their fate.

Breona's face fell when she realized that her way would part from Heemsoth's so soon again. "Be careful at Kesinger's, you hear me? We should speak about everything that's happened over dinner, or something." She felt a sudden pang, for she had seen how lives were easily lost in this rebellion.

She did not have any further questions, leaving those to the others, as she counted the amount of crossbow bolts in her quiver. Best to be prepared.

Action 2 

Basai

As they walked out to the courtyard to be released, Basai walked alongside Breona. Shi had not spoken much with the explorer and the others were being strange – the concept of gender was alien to hir and shi didn't want to put much thought into it right now. As they approached the gate, Basai slowed down and hung back, hesitating when it swung open completely.

Shi hadn't been outside the compound since hir arrival... shi'd been subdued and caged when they'd brought hir into the complex at first and had not allowed hir outside since. The city was a new thing for hir, completely new, and while shi'd seen the buildings from the courtyard and heard the bustle, actually stepping outside of hir own will hadn't occurred to hir yet. There the human Rebels were, lined up to either side as Fannar sent them forth, hir companions walking as if this were the most normal thing in the world... and yet, for Basai, it represented much more.

The Diruk rumbled, suddenly shy – the streets beyond were alien, with people looking their way, somewhat empty as the common folk had scattered when the fighting broke out but some were there now, lingering with morbid curiosity. It had been strangers that had caught hir... Nervously, shi vented, hir crystals shifting through colours dominated by concern but shot through with joy, conflicted. Shi took one step forward, hesitated again. What if someone took hir again?

Shi stood at the threshold of the compound, back straight and standing tall, awkwardly. They had a mission. And shi would help the Rebels as they had helped hir... it was just that... shi was uncertain, a bit afraid.

Breona

It felt good to walk by the diruk's side. Even though they had not really exchanged any real conversation, Breona felt protected by Basai. She was confident that shi would always throw herself in the way to protect her newfound companions. She wasn't really so sure about the others in that respect. Would Jay Zin do the same for Mechanus, or vice versa?

However, once across the threshold of the compound gate, she felt the diruk's presence fall behind. Breona turned around and looked at Basai questioningly. "Are you okay? Did you forget something?" She tilted her head, her eyes full of curiosity.

Basai stood there, hesitating at the threshold, when Breona turned back and asked her question. Shi had been lost in thought and the query snapped hir out of hir reverie... the Diruk shifted hir weight from one leg to the other, the crystal of one thigh shining in the light before shi responded, surprisingly quiet, "I have never left here..."

Shi vented, stepped forward once, almost bashfully, "Humans caught me to the south, brought me in a cage. I do not know the city. There are many humans." It was hard, trying to summarize hir thoughts in a way Breona might understand. Their method of verbal communication could be so unwieldy... There was the safety of familiarity here, the courtyard, the warehouse... even Mintz' chambers now, but out there... out there was utterly alien to the Visitant.

Breona

"Oh." Breona wasn't exactly the most eloquent person in the world, and Basai's revelation of having been brought to Mintz' compound in a cage was shocking to her. "I am really sorry this happened to you."

Knowing it for a likely futile gesture, she gently touched Basai's side. "Then by all means you should step out here and take your freedom. You have more reason than I do to stand against those merchant lords who had you captured." She hesitated, then added "We're not all bad, you know." She smiled briefly, then looked away, slightly embarrassed.

Basai rumbled appreciatively, stepping up to Breona and raising a hand to offer a high-five as Daks had taught hir. Hir crystals glimmered pink with affection before shi straightened and, venting loudly, stepped forth into the city and hir newfound freedom.

Shi placed a hand gently on Breona's shoulder and rumbled, "That is why I walk with you. I will do for you what you do for me."

Turn 19

You make your way through the streets. They are mostly deserted. Shopkeepers throughout the city have dropped protective barriers or otherwise boarded up their shops as best they could. Smoke is becoming more and more present in the sky, seemingly coming from multiple points around the city. You don’t see any city guards, which is both good news but also worries you all, hoping they aren’t all holed up at Kesinger’s Estate. The streets were abandoned with some degree of haste. There are a few food carts and some clothing & knick-knack stalls left untended. Some goods are sprawled on the ground, making the carts look to have been already ransacked by some bold or desperate people. You can see curious and angry glances from high windows and through protective slats. The silence of the streets is eerie, broken only by the occasional blast in the distance, or pained shout carrying through the wind. The air still feels static from the Glow.

<Difficulty 2 Search> to find 2d4 Shins in the carts (may only succeed once for entire group)

<You may each Search for one item from ‘Other Equipment’ P81 - Search Difficulty is 3x Price> Example: Torch - Price 1 Shin - Search difficulty 3, Rope - Price 2 Shin - Search difficulty 6, etc.

You arrive around the corner of an alleyway, having a good view of the Zhong Tower from an angle. The front door appears to be swinging in the wind, left open. From here you can see that the tower windows have been sealed. Even if the team had wanted to place a beacon there, they would have needed to first find a way to open the protective barrier.

<Action 1 - Discuss & Approach>

You approach the front door and look in to see a room mostly empty. It looks like fighting took place here recently. The desk is no longer where it was in the plans, having been turned on its side and pushed away. The bodies of two guards and one rebel lay on the ground, the rebel by the door and the guards near where the desk had stood. These rebels were equipped differently than the guards at Mintz’ Compound, they had thicker brigandine style armor and were armed with broadsword and shields.

The door to your right is not how you had imagined it. It looks to have been long sealed and rusted shut. The warehouse building appears ancient from the inside, you can see now that the tower appears to be the new addition. Built from more crude materials it grows up through a hole in the ceiling of the older warehouse building. The foyer you stand in has a high ceiling, the tower appears to be accessed from wooden walkways extending from either side of the tower into the older warehouse building’s second floor. It appears that the rebels went down the hallway to the left, you can just barely see that there is an open door down the hallway that way.

<Action 2 - Discuss, Look Around & Proceed>

Group Loot: 11 Shins - I will track looted Shins and distribute when appropriate

Cyphers: (Most pages #’s refer to Technology Compendium - let me know if you don’t have book and I will add more detail. If page number begins with “c.” - the cypher is in the Corebook)