THE DARK - An Illustrated Fading Suns Story Hour [UPDATED 18/02]

[LamarFaz]

I don't know when I'll get the first snippets from Lamar on session 2 but he told me yesterday his PC had crashed so it may take a little more time than expected...

I will post mucho piccies in the meantime

Be patient, Master Sammael
I hope to provide you some lines this sunday... hum...
My PC is back to life with a brand new mother board

Be patient, dear Readers ! The next to come is interesting... and I can't wait for the next session. Who is this... aaaarg, sorry I can't tell you

 

[The Grey Dwarf]

Re: Re: OT ... welcome

Salut Amis francophones
Tiens j'étais à Namur la semaine dernière

Préviens la prochaine fois !
Je trouve ce thread génial, bien que je n'aie pas eû le temps de tout lire. Mais ça viendra.

Sommes-nous si rares??

Et bien, à part nous deux, je vois pas ...
Mais je ne suis là que depuis 3 mois.

 

[linnorm]

Bump!

 

[Broccli_Head]

sigh... I don't do this often, but BUMP!


...and S99, what do you think of Faded Suns d20?

 

[Sammael99]

Your bumps have been heard !

So here's a little piccie to get started :

 

[Sammael99]

L'Etranger (Part 3) - In French

Entendant le cri, Lilwenn et Lamar commencèrent à rebrousser chemin et ce dernier, comprenant que Buenaventura était attaqué, eut la présence d’esprit de lancer sa torche à fusion vers le croisement afin qu’au moins l’assaillant soit visible.

Buenaventura avait maintenant armé son arbalète. Il se découvrit quelques instants et tira vers la silhouette qui s’approchait rapidement de lui. Le carreau se ficha dans la poitrine de l’être sans qu’il ne bronche le moins du monde. Ce que Buenaventura venait de voir l’avait en un replongé sur les horreurs du front de Stigmata. La créature n’avait plus d’humanoïde que la silhouette. Sa peau était squameuse et couverte de purulences. Sur son visage s’étaient ouvert des dizaines d’yeux de toutes tailles. Ses vêtements achevaient de se consumer sous l’effet d’un liquide acide qui dégoulinait sur son corps. Enfin, ses bras s’étaient transformé, l’un prenant la forme d’une sorte de canon de fusil d’où émergeait l’extrémité d’une tige de métal, l’autre finissant en une immense patte griffue. Le symbiote avait décidé de s’occuper d’eux...

Lilwenn sortit de sa poche le laser miniature qu’elle avait camouflé sous son bracelet lors des fouilles inquisitrices et se rapprocha pour tirer. Dans sa précipitation, elle manqua et une mince brûlure vint marquer la façade d’une des immeubles décrépits. Faz trifouillait au niveau de sa jambe gauche, tâtonnant dans la semi-obscurité. Quant à Buenaventura, il avait maintenant la créature en face de lui, et son arbalète ne lui servait plus à rien. Il la lâcha et, d’un geste aguerri, il dégaina sa rapière et frappa la créature dans la même mouvement. Elle émit un petit couinement mais le noble Hazat fut horrifié de voir que le morceau de chair qu’il venait de trancher sur l’épaule de la bête non seulement ne se détachait pas, mais semblait même se recoller au corps de la créature.

- Aidez-moi bordel ! hurla-t’il à ses compagnons.

A ce moment là, accompagnant son geste d’un râle humide, la créature frappa violemment Buenaventura au torse. A l’endroit de l’impact, il y eut un flash de lumière bleutée. L’ex-lieutenant avait pensé à enclencher son bouclier énergétique. Il n’en fut pas moins projeté à plusieurs mètres et glissa sur le sol jusqu’à heurter la façade de l’immeuble en face.

Lamar pointa alors son revolver lourd vers le dos du symbiote et tira par trois fois. Les balles traversèrent son corps et un liquide jaunâtre aspergea la rue. A la stupéfaction de l’aurige, les impacts de balle qui auraient du laisser des cratères de chair broyée se refermèrent aussitôt, laissant tout au plus apparaître de vagues traces brunâtres. A ce moment là, Lilwenn qui s’était approchée visa également le monstre et une ligne d’un bleu dense vint déchirer les chairs de son torse. La bête poussa un grognement de douleur et pointa son bras en forme de canon de fusil vers la jeune femme. Un bruit mou retentit et Lilwenn sentit une douleur intense lui saisir le ventre. Elle mit instinctivement la main sur son abdomen et sentit une tige métallique qui avait pénétré profondément. Elle tomba au sol sous le choc.

Buenaventura venait de se relever. Pendant un bref moment, il songea à aller chercher du renfort auprès des inquisiteurs. Mais il écarta bien vite cette idée, se disant que ses amis ne survivraient pas, mais aussi parce qu’un Hazat ne fuit jamais. Il se remémora son héroïque survie, la fameuse nuit dans la jungle infestée de symbiotes, et se décida à agir. Jaugeant la situation en un instant, il parvint à se glisser entre la créature et la jeune fouinarde blessée.

- Lilwenn, le laser, ordonna-t’il, tendant la main vers la jeune femme.

Lilwenn n’avait pas particulièrement envie de se séparer de la seule arme qui semblait pouvoir faire échec au symbiote, mais la douleur combinée à deux années de réflexes conditionnés fit qu’elle obéit presque instantanément à celui qui avait été son supérieur. Se sentant désarmée, elle glissa la main dans son sac et en sortit une longue boîte en métal cabossée.

Cherchant à distraire la bête, Lamar tira de nouveau à trois reprises. Malgré les multiples impacts, le Symbiote broncha à peine. Son barillet était vide. Il en sortit un autre d’une des poches de son manteau.

Buenaventura visa le Symbiote qui fonçait vers lui. Son tir fit mouche, et la créature émit de nouveau un ululement de douleur. Malheureusement, s’il était plus efficace que les balles, le laser n’avait pas assez de puissance pour faire reculer la bête. Elle vint percuter Buenaventura, toutes griffes en avant, d’un coup qui lui eut certainement arraché la gorge si son bouclier ne s’était de nouveau activé.

Faz avait changé de barillet. Il tira presque à bout portant, mais seule la première balle partit. Le barillet s’était bloqué. Pestant, l’aurige entreprit de nouveau d’ouvrir son revolver sans se brûler les doigts. Pendant ce temps, Lilwenn, les mains en sang, était en train de monter un fusil à pompe qu’elle avait sorti de sa boîte métallique.

Le symbiote frappa de nouveau le noble Hazat mais celui-ci parvint à esquiver le coup. Cependant, déstabilisé, il ne parvint pas à viser correctement avec son minuscule laser, et son tir se perdit dans les hauteurs.

Lamar avait rechargé son barillet mais, comprenant que son ancien supérieur n’y voyait pas assez bien pour ajuster sa cible, il courut récupérer sa lampe à fusion pour éclairer la scène au mieux. Le symbiote lui tournait une nouvelle fois le dos. Il devinait le visage du lieutenant, les traits tirés par le danger et la concentration.

Buenaventura tira quasiment à bout pourtant déchirant une section de l’abdomen du monstre. Un coup de griffe brutal vint presque immédiatement en riposte. Encore une fois, le bouclier énergétique sauva la mise en un éclair électrique.

Lilwenn avait fini de monter son fusil. On entendit le bruit sec de la pompe qui s’amorçait puis une déflagration puissante. Un large cratère apparut dans le mur d’en face. La douleur intense qui lui tordait l’abdomen rendait difficile l’ajustement du canon, et les mains de la jeune femme ne cessaient de trembler.

- Ce serait bien que tu m’éclates pas la tête ! hurla Buenaventura à sa jeune acolyte.

Le symbiote sembla soudain changer de comportement. Il bondit sur le mur et ses mains et ses jambes s’y agrippèrent comme par magie. Il commença à ramper vers le haut pour fuir le combat. Lilwenn visa de nouveau dans sa direction et cette fois elle parvint à le toucher ou, en tous cas, à le gêner suffisamment pour qu’il ne retombe.

A ce moment là, Faz qui était plus près du croisement entendit du bruit et vit des torches balayant l’obscurité en direction de la grille interdisant l’accès à ce quartier. C’était peut-être cela qui avait incité le symbiote à tenter de fuir. En tous cas, ce dernier venait de retomber au sol, et un rayon de laser bien ajusté par Buenventura lui sectionna net un des poignets. De rage, il bondit sur l’ex-lieutenant. Encore une fois, le bouclier énergétique sauva la mise au jeune homme, mais il se retrouva plaqué au sol, les bras de la créature lui enserrant les jambes et sa gueule béante menaçant de labourer son ventre.

Faz hésitait à appeler les nouveaux arrivants pour qu’ils accélèrent leur venue, mais il reconnût soudain dans la pénombre une robe noire à capuchon.

- L’Inquisition arrive, il faut se barrer, cria-t’il à ses compagnons sans toutefois hausser trop le ton pour ne pas que les inquisiteurs l’entendent.

Pendant quelques instants, Buenaventura et l’horrible créature se regardèrent, la haine presque tangible dans ce regard. La créature tenta d’arracher le ventre du Hazat, mais son bouclier encore une fois l’en empêcha. Buenaventura fit mouche avec le laser une fois, deux fois. Le symbiote était visiblement affaibli, mais pas encore mort.

Lilwenn, titubant, se releva et, profitant que l’attention du monstre était toute à Buenaventura, elle vint placer le canon de son fusil à pompe à quelques centimètres de ce qui servait de tête au symbiote.

- Crève, saloperie ! hurla-t’elle en appuyant sur la gâchette.

Sous l’impact, la tête du monstre explosa en centaines de fragments squameux et jaunâtres. Buenaventura fut aspergé de ce liquide immonde et le corps décapité de la bête retomba lourdement sur ses jambes. Elle eut encore quelques soubresauts puis s’immobilisa enfin.

Lilwenn s’affaissa non loin de là contre un mur, gémissant de douleur. Faz, quant à lui, tenta de dégager Buenaventura de l’étreinte mortelle du symbiote.

- Qu’est-ce que vous foutez là ! hurla une voix dure venant du croisement proche.

Cinq hommes venaient de faire irruption. Deux d’entre eux étaient vêtus des uniformes de la police de Cumulus. Les trois autres étaient des inquisiteurs...

- Je peux tout vous expliquer, commença Faz d’une voix mal assurée.

 

[Sammael99]

The Stranger (Part 3) - In English

As soon as they heard the cry, Lilwenn and Lamar started running back towards the intersection. The Charioteer, realising that something bad was going on had the presence of mind to throw his fusion torch back towards the intersection, to at least illuminate the assailant.

Buenaventura had managed to load his crossbow. He leaned forward and fired at the figure that was quickly approaching him. His bolt entered the creature’s breast but it didn’t even seem to make it flinch. However, what he had seen had instantly plunged him back to the horrors of the Stigmata front. The only humanoid left thing about the creature was its silhouette. Its skin was had turned squamous and was covered with oozing warts. On its face, dozens of misshaped eyes had opened. Its clothes had burnt upon contact with an acid that was dripping off its body, and only a few shreds of fabric were left. Finally, its arms had transformed, one in the shape of a gun canon from which a metallic bar emerged, and one in an ugly looking claw. The symbiot had decided it was time to get busy...

Lilwenn grabbed her pocket laser, the one she’d so cleverly hidden from the Inquisition. She got closer and shot at the walking horror. In haste, she missed and a thin burn line appeared on the side of one of the derelict buildings. Faz was fumbling in the low light, trying to find something hidden next to his left leg. Buenaventura now faced the creature and, realising his crossbow was useless, he dropped it. In one swift, practised motion, he unsheathed his rapier and hit the creature deeply on the shoulder. It made a small squeak and, to the Hazat’s horror, the chunk of flesh he had just cut off not only wouldn’t drop, but seemed to reunite itself with the creature’s body.

- Help me, for Zeb’s sake ! he shouted at his companions.

The creature brutally hit Buenaventura on the chest. Where its claw connected, there was a flash of blue light. The ex-lieutenant had switched his energy shield on. He was pushed back several yards by the force of the blow and ended sprawled on the other side of the street.

Lamar pointed his heavy revolver at the back of the symbiot and fired three rounds in quick succession. The bullets traversed the creature’s body and a yellowish fluid sprayed the pavement. The bullets should have left craters of mangled flesh at the point of impact, but the wounds were closing already, and soon there was just a faint brown spot where he had fired. At the same moment Lilwenn, who had taken her time to adjust her second shot fired, and a dense blue light shred the creature’s torso. That seemed to finally attract its’ attention, and it pointed its gun-shaped arm towards the young woman. She heard a soft, wet sound and immediately felt an intense pain in her belly. She instinctively clutched it with her hands and felt a long piece of metal that had penetrated deep. In shock, she fell back against a wall.

Buenaventura stood back up. For a second he toyed with the idea of running for help, but he didn’t hesitate long. He couldn’t leave his friends to be butchered here, and in any case, a Hazat never runs. He remembered that night of horror, when he had survived the symbiot infected jungle, and acted. He jumped between the creature and the injured Scraver.

- Lilwenn, give me the laser, he ordered.

The young woman didn’t particularly like the idea of parting with the only weapon that seemed to be able to hurt the monster, but the pain, combined with years of conditioning made her obey near instantly to her ex-lieutenant’s injunction. Feeling naked without a weapon, she slid her hand in her backpack and took out a long beaten metal box.

Trying to distract the beast, Lamar fired another three shots. Despite the multiple impacts, the Symbiote barely flinched. The Charioteer’s barrel was now empty, and he grabbed another one in his coat pocket.

Buenaventura aimed with the laser at the Symbiot who was lunging at him. His shot connected and the creature mewled in pain. Unfortunately, although undoubtedly more efficient than bullets, the laser didn’t have enough kick to keep it at bay. It slammed into Buenaventura, claws on the ready, and the blow would have ripped his throat out if his shield hadn’t activated again.

Faz had reloaded. He shot point blank, but only the first bullet fired. The barrel was jammed ! He swore and carefully opened the gun again to readjust the barrel without burning his fingers. Meanwhile, Lilwenn was busy adjusting the parts of a shotgun she’d extracted from the metallic box, her hands slippery with blood.

The symbiot struck the Hazat once more, but he managed to dodge. He was unbalanced, however, and his retaliatory shot ended up shattering a concrete decoration two stories above the street.

Lamar had finally reloaded properly, but he realised that Buenaventura needed to see his opponent better. He grabbed his fusion torch back and held it high. Behind the symbiot’s back he could see the tense face of the ex-lieutenant.

Buenaventura shot the laser point blank and this time, it burnt through the creature’s belly. A vicious raking of its claw responded to his attack but once again, the Hazat’s energy shield absorbed the impact, leaving him unharmed.

Lilwenn’s shotgun was finally operational. She loaded it with a sharp click and a huge conflagration followed. A wide crater now decorated the wall opposite her. The unforgiving pain that irradiated her belly made aiming difficult and her hands wouldn’t stop trembling either...

- I’d appreciate it if you didn’t blow my head off ! Buenaventura yelled.

Suddenly, the symbiot’s behaviour seemed to change. He jumped high on a wall and his arms and legs clung to the surface as if by magic. He crawled higher and higher, trying to escape the fight. Lilwenn adjusted her gun and fired. This time she hit, or at least disturbed the creature enough that it fell back on the ground.

At that moment, Faz, who was closer to the intersection, heard some noise and saw torchlights cutting through the darkness back where the gate barred access to the area. Maybe that was what had decided the beast to try and run...

It had fallen back on the ground, and a well-adjusted shot by Buenaventura cleanly sectioned one of its wrists. Enraged, the creature jumped on the nobleman, only to be foiled again by his energy shield. However, the manoeuvre ended with him pinned to the ground, the creature’s arms grappling his legs. It opened its maw to rip through his belly...

Faz didn’t know whether he should call out to the newcomers for help until he spotted some black hoods in the half-light.

- The Inquisition is here, we gotta split ! he hissed to his companions, trying not to be heard by the black robed men.

For half a second, Buenaventura and the monster looked at each other, hatred apparent on both sides. The creature tried to bite its way through the Hazat’s belly, but the energy shield once again saved his life. He fired the laser twice. The symbiot was visibly shaken, but not quite dead yet.

Lilwenn stumbled back on her feet and, taking advantage of the fact that the beasts’ attention was all on Buenaventura, she stuck the business end of her shotgun a few inches from the symbiot’s head.

- Die, scum ! she screamed while pressing the trigger.

The monster’s head exploded in thousands of yellow wet fragments. Buenaventura was showered in the repulsive mixture, and the creature’s decapitated body fell back heavily on his legs. It twitched a couple of times and finally lied still.

Lilwenn fell down a few yards from there, moaning in pain. Faz, as quickly as he could, tried to pull Buenaventura out of the symbiot’s deathly embrace.

- What on Urth are you doing here ! a voice coming from the nearby intersection yelled.

Five men had just appeared on the corner of the street. Two of them were wearing the uniform of the Cumulus Internal Police. The other three were inquisitors...

“I can explain everything”, Faz started in an uncertain voice.

 

[Sammael99]

The combat as seen by Ulric

 

[Sammael99]

Does anyone know which word other than c-o-c-k I can use to explain the arming of a crossbow, Eric's Granma has trouble with that word apparently ;-)

Submitted by Broccli_Head
...and S99, what do you think of Faded Suns d20?

I don't exactly have an informed opinion on the subject, to be honest. I'm of the school of thought that if it ain't broke, it don't need fixing and even though I have heard some people criticise the VP system, it's always worked fine for me.

That being said, I don't believe d20 is an ideal emulation of the Fading Suns flavor. I think classless games as a whole don't bridge too well to what is essentially a class system. But that is pure opinion based on having not read the FS d20 book.

One thing I will say though : I didn't buy Lord Erbian's Bestiary because the d20 stats took so much space... A bit silly, I guess, but it doubles the page count of the book. Ouch !

At the end of the day, if it allows you to get players into FS who wouldn't want to touch it otherwise, then it's worth it. If it's changing the system for the sake of changing it, I suspect the fit isn't as good than with the original system... Just as with CoC, really...

 

[Broccli_Head]

Re: The Stranger (Part 3) - In English

Lilwenn stumbled back on her feet and, taking advantage of the fact that the beasts’ attention was all on Buenaventura, she stuck the business end of her shotgun a few inches from the symbiot’s head.

- Die, scum ! she screamed while pressing the trigger.

The monster’s head exploded in thousands of yellow wet fragments. Buenaventura was showered in the repulsive mixture, and the creature’s decapitated body fell back heavily on his legs. It twitched a couple of times and finally lied still.

That was a very cool fight!

I quoted my favorite line and scene....Great job Lil'

Very Sigourney-Weaver-esque.

S99, I can see what you mean with a class-levelling system not being a true reflection of the game/genre. I am currently playing a Traveller T20 campaign after long years of playing skill-based systems v. class-based. It is very different. Fortunately, you can tweek the system to get the desired lethality....i.e. Lifeblood and Wounds ala Traveller and Star Wars instead of the traditional hit point system.

OK....when do we face the Inquisition!