[Notorious] Space Bounty: Rendezvous on Storix

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Click here for the title scroll

The Sorcerer left hyperspace just as suddenly as it entered it, slamming into reality above a rocky world with patches of glowing red on the night side of the globe.

Facula Albedo grunted, his ruined eye socket aching the way it always did during these transitions, even though everything was fine.

The Sorcerer wasn't one of the sleek Peregrine-class fighters he'd dreamed of flying as a kid. The Old Empire's navy had thrown him out and he knew he was was lucky to have only lost one eye in the process.

The rumor was that this bucket of bolts he'd found in a backwater shipyard had once belonged to an imperial intelligence officer who had tricked it out in all sorts of ways. Maybe that was true. Albedo knew the ship flew better and was able to put up more of a fight than a surplus hauler normally would -- someone had upgraded the Sorcerer in a dozen ways that wouldn't be obvious through casual inspection. But if there were hidden secret weapons or spy gadgets aboard, he'd never found them.

Down on the surface of Storix, one of the volcanos brightened with an enormous lava plume, illuminating the cabin of Albedo's ship.

"No time like the present," Albedo sighed.

He thumbed his data pad, and the read-out lit up:

CONTRACT
Name: Itsuki Itch
Species: Human
Client: Mystic Order
Last known location: Gur the Targ's Spice Mines, Storix

"Well, all right."

The Sorcerer skimmed through dark clouds thick with a mix of volcanic and industrial ash. Storix was a good place to go to ground, home to two rival criminal gangs and the wizards of the Mystic Order. Neither the empire nor the uprising had any interest in imposing law and order here, so long as the factories and mines kept running. Both sides knew holding it could be a strategic military asset, but that taking it would mean pouring valuable resources into a situation that, for now, ran well enough on its own.

The ship's sensors identified a dormant volcano crater near the mines and Albedo guided his ship in for a landing, away from prying eyes.

 

[gban007]

Click here for the title scroll

The Sorcerer left hyperspace just as suddenly as it entered it, slamming into reality above a rocky world with patches of glowing red on the night side of the globe.

Facula Albedo grunted, his ruined eye socket aching the way it always did during these transitions, even though everything was fine.

The Sorcerer wasn't one of the sleek Peregrine-class fighters he'd dreamed of flying as a kid. The Old Empire's navy had thrown him out and he knew he was was lucky to have only lost one eye in the process. The rumor was that this bucket of bolts he'd found in a backwater shipyard had once belonged to an imperial intelligence officer who had tricked it out in all sorts of ways.

Maybe that was true. Albedo knew the ship flew better and was able to put up more of a fight than a surplus hauler normally would -- someone had upgraded the Sorcerer in a dozen ways that wouldn't be obvious through casual inspection. But if there were hidden secret weapons or spy gadgets aboard, he'd never found them.

Down on the surface of Storix, one of the volcanos brightened with an enormous lava plume, illuminating the cabin of Albedo's ship.

"No time like the present," Albedo sighed.

He thumbed his data pad, and the read-out lit up:

CONTRACT
Name: Itsuki Itch
Species: Human
Client: Mystic Order
Last known location: Gur the Targ's Spice Mines, Storix

"Well, all right."

The Sorcerer skimmed through dark clouds thick with a mix of volcanic and industrial ash. Storix was a good place to go to ground, home to two rival criminal gangs and the wizards of the Mystic Order. Neither the empire nor the uprising had any interest in imposing law and order here, so long as the factories and mines kept running. Both sides knew holding it could be a strategic military asset, but that taking it would mean pouring valuable resources into a situation that, for now, ran well enough on its own.

The ship's sensors identified a dormant volcano crater near the mines and Albedo guided his ship in for a landing, away from prying eyes.

I like the title scroll

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I like the title scroll

Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be a way to embed it, since it's not really a video, just created on the fly each time. (There was another site that would create videos -- for $20 each.)

 

[Joshua Randall]

The title scroll doesn't mention interstellar trade and taxation, so I'm not sure how excited I can get about this story.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The title scroll doesn't mention interstellar trade and taxation, so I'm not sure how excited I can get about this story.

I randomly rolled the details of the target up, including why he's wanted. Even in a slim book, this is remixing Star Wars in some interesting ways. (So much so that I went to look and see if Outsiders is still in print, but it doesn't appear to be and it's not clear whether it'll ever get restocked, alas.)

It's no trade negotiations, but the client wants Itsuki dead for some interesting reasons.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I am sure you @Whizbang Dustyboots could make trade negotiations and taxation interesting, but I could not resist the urge to mock the Star Wars prequels.

IRL there are all sorts of reasons people would hire a bounty hunter / bail bondsman / private detective / etc. so I look forward to seeing how this plays out. Really!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

OK, now onto the actual gameplay loop ...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The Sorcerer isn't big enough for a ground vehicle, so Albedo set out on foot toward the mines, twitching his woven poncho to cover his stun baton and pistols, while still leaving them accessible if he needed them.

He picked his way up the loose rocks on the inside of the caldera, until he reached the rim. Vents of hot toxic gas opened under his feet as he climbed, forcing Albedo to step quickly to avoid the fumes or from quick-frying his leg.

He stayed low out of habit -- it was unlikely that his target would be monitoring every volcanic crater on Storix -- and pulled out his electrobinoculars and scanned the outer portions of the mining camp.

The view telescoped dramatically, letting him pick out details of the figures moving around the camp, even in the dim light available. Typical mining workers, a mix of the insectoid Lek'tok, rat-like Murian, and horned Ghol who made up most of the population of Storix.

No robes. It wouldn't make sense that Itsuki Itch would be wearing them, but the Mystic Order didn't behave like normal people. Maybe it was a religious vow or maybe they were all insane. Either way, no sign of them.

But looking closely, there were plenty of signs of armed men and vehicles, typical toughs. Storix was a gang-controlled planet, mostly held by the Red Moon Syndicate with the Targ Cartel always looking for an opening to take over. The last thing Albedo needed was to be mistaken for either side of that conflict.

Albedo didn't speak Targ -- it was tough for vertebrates to speak it -- but they understood Galactic Standard just fine.

With a sigh -- there was always the chance that this sort of thing might go wrong, he descended the far side of the crater, descending to an outlying set of huts and vehicle maintenance buildings on the edge of the Gur the Targ's Spice Mines.

"I'm looking for this man," Albedo said, showing an image on the small battered data pad that he carried with him outside his ship.

"You're lost," the Murian said, spitting a brown stream of whatever well-chewed leaves he had stored in his lower lip. "Jantus Temple is that way."

Albedo moved his boot out of the way of the spittle before it reached him. His first instinct was to twitch his poncho aside, show this officious little man he wasn't to be insulted like this. But there were spherical cameras in every corner of the room and presumably armed guards who would come crashing in if there was even the threat of violence. So: Be nice, for now.

"What's your name, friend?"

The Murian looks up, tense, expecting a fight, but not getting one.

"Rolan. Niff Rolan."

His pink eyes flick to my hips and then back to Albedo's one good eye.

"Nasty scar you have there ..."

"Albedo. Facula Albedo."

There's a flicker in his expression. Subtle, but it's there. He knows the name.

Albedo didn't let his hands drift to to his hips. He had a feeling he'd be facing armed Targ enforcers if Rolan got any more nervous than he already is. Instead, Albedo's thumb moves across the data pad, calling up a credits transfer.

"Master Itsuki has gone missing. I've been asked to find him, before he gets hurt."

Both Albedo and Rolan could hear the lie in that, but neither showed any change in expression.

"There's a finder's fee for anyone who helps me. And for spreading the word, let's say ..."

His thumb clicked the screen several times. Rolan's wiry eyebrows shot up and he held out his data pad. There was a beep and a transfer of credits.

"I'll spread the word, Mr. Albedo."

"I appreciate that. I'll be around until I find him."

Without making any sudden movements, Albedo turned and walked back toward the crater, ears straining for the sound of weapons being brought to bear on him. He didn't relax until he was back over the ridge line and safe.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Notorious is pretty structured in its game play:

1. Roll on the Exploration table, which may then lead to an Exploration Event.
2. Roll on the Destination table, which offers either simple choices of how to proceed or a Destination Event table to roll on.
3. If you find a Lead, move to the Showdown table to determine where the encounter takes place.
4. Your third Lead is actually finding the Target at last, which has its own table.
5. After that, proceed to the Epilogue section and the end of this adventure.

In this case, I rolled a 6 on the Exploration table, which gave me +1 Motivation (all of these stats will modify future rolls on either a main or sub-table), where nothing eventful happened while Albedo was scouting out the edge of the mining camp, although he did have to navigate some dangerous terrain (the volcanic vents).

Then, on the destination table, I rolled a 2, meaning that Albedo arrived at a small outpost held by the lesser faction on the planet (the Targ Cartel). I had a choice to either search for someone who knew the target and gain a point of Favour or speak with a local and rest here, gaining 1 Motivation. I chose to Search.

On the Search table, I rolled a 5, meaning that Niff Rolan (his species and name randomly determined on the relevant charts) had been paid to keep an eye out for Nomads. He told me a blatant lie and I pick up 1 Notoriety.

Next turn, it's back to the Exploration table. Now with 1 point each in Favour (which I decided was due to Albedo spreading a little money around for word of Itsuki Itch), Notoriety ("there's a Nomad around, asking questions" on a planet full of criminals) and Motivation (the sooner Albedo is off of Storix, the better), future rolls should push him into more danger and closer to his eventual showdown with Itsuki Itch.

Pretty straightforward, but it definitely creates an episode one might easily recognize from the Mandalorian, as it was supposed to.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Can cut the tension with a knife!