Mutants of Marnharnna: Pt. 13 ('you took it too seriously...')-

Raylyss, potential Lizard King and Sire of a resurgent Reptilmalian Empire, after finding wonderful magic items, decided to once again torment a drinks girl on the paddlewheel craft, and was spotted by at least two of the crew, one of whom was able to hit Raylyss (with a poisoned blade). Raylyss dove overboard and resurfaced to the rear of the craft, whereupon I rolled to see if security were on the ball, and rolled my 2d12+1d4 for the nearest guard, and scored a double-12 (essentially a critical success) +2 on the d4. This beat Raylyss' (Cloak + Covert) roll, and he was caught by surprise. As in, no action, but I'll let you say something --surprise. Instead, the player indicated Raylyss was moving, and he was fired upon at Point-Blank Range with a pump-action slug-gun. The shot struck Raylyss' abdomen for 45 points, taking him to -20+ instantly. Raylyss' last words (previously spoken as he got away from the mob) were, 'You took it too seriously.'
--Raylyss saw his probability lines toward becoming the messianic sire collapse into silt, while the two spires of his 'children' achieving some lasting importance toward that (or his son achieving it in full with the aid of his sisters) increase. As he expired, Lord Worm, his Elemental Patron, reach out his hand and Raylyss accepted and found himself in the muddy grave of the Silt Court, filled with half-rotted zombies and writhing worm-monsters.
--- The group took his stuff and carted his body to their room, where the the eldest of the girls heard the bad news and sought revenge. She later informed the party that Raylyss' things were their inheritance, and she looked very serious about defending that claim.

The area the party was now travelling through is a series of mangrove stands and islets, cut with channels and coves (much like the area they had just departed), and the soundings were too shallow to proceed after dark, and they anchored as a storm rolled in. In the morning, Kitsune spotted the shredded sails of another craft draped across the mangrove canopy some ways off, and the ship frothed on through the shallows. This wrecked ship was apparently attacked in the early part of the storm by Humanoid sea-raiders (including serpent people), and their floating bodies clogged the way for ship. Gaff-hooking the corpses aboard for scientific study by the Sleeper Scientists resulted in the discovery of strange alchemical gear (explosive-filled distraction weapons like shuriken) and wrist dispensers of an alchemical fuze. Eventually the survivors of the shipwreck (astronomers, botanists, chemists, etc.) were glad to board the pleasure ship and immediately began to drink up and game.

It was upon this ship that the new character was unveiled. He is a heavy spacer-framed Imperial Manifestation with Radiant blood, and lots of it. He was shipwrecked after fleeing the Vrun Continent as a wanted criminal, accused of gross negligence resulting in the loss of 35 lives. He advances as an Aberrant, but is exceptionally robust in his capabilities, and should be a lot of fun in the game.

The next encounter was that of a large boat/small-ship-sized cephalomalian in his river-bisected lagoon, and the living, human contents of three or four lifeboats entwined in his primary tentacles. "Pay tribute or they die." His bellowing, bubbling voice erupted from the frothing water. Everyone was ready to attack it, but the captain, for the sake of those in the boats, capitulated, sending over (as the new character suggested) 300+ pounds of salt-water taffy (most of it conjured fabrications) to the Monstrous Being (along with champagne and other goods) on the backs of rays sent to receive the tribute.
--Devouring the rays and the tribute, the Being was well pleased and released the boats and the humans unharmed. It was later realised that ink from the creature seemed to act as the water-life control agent, as schools of different fish moved in stunning and colourful displays as the ship reversed engines and headed out for deeper waters in the bid to still make it the tidal lake by high tide, full moon in two days.

I believe that we held it there.

Mutants of Marnharnna: Pt. 12 ('If 8 Were 3')-

Osyl and Raylyss each received a summons by their Elemental Patron, to investigate the house along the shore by which the steam-paddle was passing. An infiltration of the ship by two never before seen Reptilmalians (and the genetic-memory of Osyl's Shuttlecraft Pilot ancestor being played over the Aetherphonic which sucked her into the past with such clarity that she briefly traded consciousness with him) convinced the group as a whole (after reptilmalian bull territorial behaviour was resolved) to explore the ruin haloed in a watery yellow light visible even in the morning sun.

Initial investigation showed a model home with nothing but advertising materials for a failed commercially-developed community. Out back was a shed and a sump. Raylyss, under cloak, popped the lock and the group (including a Cook, an Engineer, and a Security Officer from the ship) entered.

Raylyss skipped levels one and two and began exploring solo while the party was plodding along being careful (as they ought). Eventually Raylyss, after finding a nice new set of electronics of the Ancients, rejoined the group as they descended to level four of what they determined was a marine warfare research facility, and one that had housed an alien and engineered lifeform most similar to a squid or cuttlefish, suspended in vast tank that led to a ship launch channel and out to sea.

Along the way, a zombie or two were popped, and more evidence as to what had happened to the base personnel in light of the Shorrannin invasion/system-war recorded as happening in the year 1137 (campaign date is 691). An ancient terrarium, partially fed off of the sucided remains of an Ancient gardener, was also found, and the Survival Instructor-Caste Ship's Security officer was so moved by that that he and the cook took seed packets and fertiliser to continue the work on the surface.

Level five appeared to be suspended directly over the gargantuan tank, and it was learned that the creature had been aware of them the entire time and had also masked its mind signature, preventing Zalder from reading it on his Mind Field. Tentacles shot up out of the blind shark-filled waters, and grabbed at anyone they could. Level four, the same, and Osyl of Frost was ensnared, squeezing off the leg above the knee (more than half her DP total in one attack), but her wound frosted over, preventing her bleeding to death.

Hoisted out of harm's way, Osyl and the party pressed on, but counted the older cook and engineer as losses to the Monstrous Being, before hearing the lower levels pulled down into the tank. This included the terrarium, which angered the Survivalist immensely. The surface was reached, the party better off for loot, and finding that the ship's crew were about to give up on them, but helped them back on board as the thing roared and shook the foundations of the Aurora Bend facility.

Both Osyl and Raylyss learnt that their Patron had not contacted them, and that meant that the squid had mentally manipulated them successfully enough that they had never questioned the strange orders in the peculiar communication (which had included a complex illusion in Raylyss' case). Osyl swore an oath of vengeance against the thing for claiming her leg, while Raylyss was left to ponder the significance of his son being the possible Sire (rather than Raylyss) as had been suggested by three different reptilmalian groups.

Raylyss has now outed himself to the Security Officer, but his son and the younger girls have yet to make their début to the private-hire gambling ship.

Mutants of Marnharnna Pt. 10-

Raylyss' player was out due to a cold.

Phlavius asked for and received Osyl's revolver and ammo. and then imbibed the shamanic potion, and was rendered a shadow. He saw a hatchet made of shadowstuff, and grabbed it, sneaking about attempting to surprise Qajwl.
--I described nightmarish shadow creatures as they stood in the near shallows of the Shadow plane, and the ebb and flow of the dimensional barrier looking like high-tide was rolling in.

Instead, one of the minions moved in his direction, and they entered melee. Phlavius landed the first blow, and would go on to win the fight. This allowed him to dip a round in Shadowblood. The minion's howling face was added to the totem pole, and looked near to the last one.
--Phlavius then fired at Qajwl, striking the Monster in the head, blowing out one of his eyes. Qajwl responded by striking Phlavius with a shadowbeam.

Having been instructed by P prior to the shadow-shift to dowse his shadowy form with conjured alcohol and ignite it, if P looked unwell, Zalder obliged his compatriot. This Fire brought P back from the brink, and he dumped all but a few DP into his second attack, which was enough to slay the Monstrous Being.
--Sadly, this also caused the pillar to explode, taking Phlavius to -09.

Phlavius had previously dedicated his entire DP to Prince Wick, escaping dissolution, and was welcomed into the illustrious court of Fire. The Elemental Lord, 'fire-sylphs', salamanders, etc., in attendance, all hailed their brother, and the scene closed for him.
--The player then set to work creating his next PC.

Not the sentimental types, the party simply retrieved the gear that re-entered the Mundane Realm, and moved on.

Osyl and Zalder, under Lady Arctise's urgings, flew up to the snowy and storm-wracked peak, seeing evidence that their Humanoid fellows had also suffered from the supernatural mega-storm O and P jad created. Cresting the peak, they observed a steady and ice-filled cyclone. Both heard a voice that sounded similar to their respective Lady/Ladies, but was different. They entered the cone, and found themselves in a bright blue sky without land, filled with cloud-sized iceterroids with significant enough gravity to exert a sense of direction upon their inner ears, as well as slowly pulling the two toward the nearest one.
--It was here that the two saw a wooden-framed ice-lodge occupied by Humanoids. These were met and they were shown hospitality (steak tartar in a bowl of ice, and a spoon of ice to eat it with). Osyl's frostblade pulled her towards a distant room. She asked after it and was informed that 'She' lived therein.

In a solid ice cube, a woman who looked like an amalgam of the Moonfaery Sisters, and Lady Arctise, sat knitting/crocheting a fine circular net of airy-frost. She explained that she was a higher order entity from whence the other Ladies were derived, and blessed O and Z. The net negates the weight of what is placed in it when fully cinched closed. Osyl's blade was further enhanced to a total of +2 to Strike/+2 to Damage. Zalder received a +01 to both his Psionic Index, and his Scope Ability Scores, and received a Rank in Communication (this would allow him to broadcast his speech, accompanying his Mind Field power). Osyl also received a few extra DP, and perhaps a Rank in Arcane. In return, The Cold Mother asked for something of Phlavius', and chose an awl of his as her trophy, telerelocating it via ice that ate away at the object, then reformed it within her cube, and stuck it like an icepick into her medium. The Cold Mother provided hints at the possible future involvement of the Aberrants in the main Tybalt & Ashta game, before waving them away.
--The two then received a further (and different) prognostication from a blind female Humanoid soothsayer regarding their possible nearer future. They were then sent away with the blessing of the Beast Father, 'Go with Garrakh.'

Returning to the Mundane and their compatriots, the group then took a fast forward trek, now accompanied by two Marnharnnan troopers, and one WICE officer spared sacrifice at Qajwl's hands, and the Sleepers.
--The mighty subterranean River Xom was their method of rapid transportation to the deep south, and we glossed over a 'Land of the Lost' adventure that would have been more important if Raylyss had been present.

The party emerged at the Xom's destination, in Valourbarrow territory, and outside of Kryssaul Province and City, where, lo and behold, the new PC was already enjoying the strange surroundings of the lawless delta.
--Kitsume (which I allowed as a name, but which translates roughly into 'Wandering Flying Spirit') is a 7'1" tall Negative Lightning blooded, Aberrant lass of 17 years with a nice suite of Powers, including Maze-minded, Precog, Technologian, and Quickness.

A cardsharp by the name of Justyn Qaes immediately took a shine to the towering woman and pestered her and the other PCs until we had to end the session at 10pm.


[The Cloudfrost bag was used by Raylyss to carry the unearthed stone calendar]

Mutants of Marharnna Pt. 03-

This was the first session played at my new home, and marks the beginning of the sessions being played there.

The girls were allowed to go back to their home, where they retrieved pre-packed rucks with things their parents wanted them to have in case of emergency travel (a 'bug-out bag' in paramilitary parlance), and successfully prevented the Ghoul from stealing their mother's good jewellery (has he no shame?). It was also discovered that the dog is at least receptive to mental communication with the girls.
--The group press on with the girls in a cart, pulled by the humanoids (hmm... Can take the mutant out of the Vrun, but can't take the Vrun out of the mutant, it seems), with plans to make for the tree-fort.

Before they were able to make it into that hex, the group found more ruins, now covered by the grasslands, but opt not to explore.
--That night, they set up watch:

Ten strange looking dogs or wolves or whatever attack, and quickly are met in combat by the group, and while the creatures inflict one bad wound on one of the PCs, a few are fairly handily slain (39 DP, with 1d4 Armour).
--As each creature is slain, a black form leaves them, and the body then withers into a husk that comes apart like ashes. Raylyss comes to realise that Qaj'wl is directing them out in the darkness beyond the campfire, and the Shadow-essence is possibly a Conjuration, and one of the characters tests the theory by Dismissing the Conjured Fabrication (hefty DP cost to do so). Raylyss uses his TK Grip on Qaj'wl's Jezail to wrest it from the beast. He tries to use it but opts instead to take up and fire his bow, missing. If memory serves, Raylyss does strike once (perhaps twice) in the next Round, and this initiates Qaj'wl's descent into the ground.
---[Zalder] performs a flying tackle and is being dragged into what feels like quicksand, but is rescued while still strangling the beast, which finally gives up his ghost, and the body is dragged out of the reconstituted grass-covered earth.

The human body is like a skin which covers the jackal-like body beneath it (NSFW), but Zalder's Mind Field suggests that it is devoid of the Monstrous Being's spirit. The body is bound and brought along.
--It is then confirmed that the girls' dog is both intelligent and possessed of powers, as it says to Zalder that it believes that Qaj'wl is now on the Shadow Plane, and is apparently aware of them.

Raylyss and the Ghoul's players then left while I continued with Zalder's player, and the newly introduced Osyl (passes for Vrun, except for her prehensile tail), who is a merchant who aids and abets the Aberrant/Dokirin/Humanoid populations by procuring needed items, and selling their goods in towns. Her mission was to secure ranged weapons for the Garrison, and she attempts to purchase twelve revolvers, but runs afoul of Marnharnnan Defence Agency Marshals (one definitely had psychic powers [Broadcast Empath]), who were originally willing to leave her six of the fine weapons, before she knocked a serious gunslinger 'upside da head' with her TK Blast. She only manages to go free by Conjuring a Fabricated gem and tossing it onto the prone bloke she had secured; a spear to his throat.
--Oddly enough, the merchant ran after her and handed over a box with one revolver, a belt, and a banolier, released to her by the Marshals. This, understandably, puzzled her, and she and her armadillo/turtle cart-puller ('snappy') headed out into the wilds.
---Fae night transports her, snappy, and cart (laden with 100 short bows from another merchant, earlier), to a fungal circle nearly 100 XsM distant, near the tree-fort, where she meets Zalder.

Session.