PWM: Sanguine Dust, Ch. 10
The End of The Journey
Sanguine Dust: Table of Contents
Sanguine Dust, Ch. 10
The End of the Journey
Shen found himself at the temple, in the center of the barren city, staring up.
He wasted no time in trying to find a way inside.
Finish an Expedition
When the expedition comes to an end, roll the challenge dice and compare to your progress.
Progress = 5 vs (6,8)
Miss - Your destination is lost to you or you come to understand the true nature or cost of the expedition. Choose to abandon or return to the expedition. If you return to the expedition, raise the rank by 1, roll the challenge dice and reduce your progress by the lowest number.
Notes: I know trying to finish an expedition with only 5 progress was a risk but each Undertake an Expedition move was getting me very little progress. Unfortunately, it was a miss, so the rank is increased (Extreme → Epic) and I roll to see how much progress is erased (1,9 = Erase 1 box of progress).
The pyramid seemed inaccessible. No doors, no windows, just smooth metal. No consoles, no handles, no switches, no levers, no controls that Shen could see.
Is this Precursor?
No way to get inside.
He shook his head.
There must be a way. Tern got in, didn’t he?
He kept searching, running his hands over the metal, scanning, looking for evidence someone else had been this way.
Finish an Expedition
When the expedition comes to an end, roll the challenge dice and compare to your progress.
Progress = 4 vs (2,3)
Strong hit - You reach your destination or complete your survey. Mark a reward on your discoveries legacy track per expeditions track. (Epic = 3 progress boxes).
Notes: Phew! I took a risk since I had only lost 1 progress box and rolled the dice. I'm not sure what I would've done had this failed again. Given up the expedition? Perhaps return to Tranquility and prepare for Tern's eventual attack? Luckily, it passed. This was great because it allowed me the XP to take another ability on my Revenant Asset, as you will see.
There!
Scuff marks in the shadow of the temple, along the wall. Someone had been here, doing…something.
Shen felt with his hands around the marks, slowly, carefully, until…he found a catch, impossible to see. Pulling, a hatch opened up to the side, revealing stairs ascending up into the pyramid. He let out a sigh of relief and climbed up.
Within, he found a maze of tunnels, lined with metal and exposed pipes, wires and panels of electronics.
He moved with purpose and caution, not wanting to give away his position, should Tern be nearby.
Face Danger
When you attempt something risky...with stealth, deception or trickery, roll shadow
1d6 + 2 (shadow) = 6 vs (7,10)
Miss - You fail or a momentary success is undermined by a dire turn of events. Pay the Price
Pay the Price
1d100 = “You are stressed.”
Endure Stress
When you face mental strain, shock or despair, suffer -1.-2 or -3 based on severity….Then, if your spirit is 0…roll +spirit or +heart, whichever is higher. (-1 spirit takes me to 0, so I have to roll)
1d6 + 1 (heart) = 3 vs (3,7)
Miss - It’s worse than you thought, suffer an additional -1 spirit, or Lose Momentum(-2). If your spirit is zero, you must also mark Shaken (can’t regain spirit until shaken is healed), or Traumatized (permanent effect) or roll on the table below.
Notes: Current momentum = +0. I take Shaken.
Shen was on edge.
Gas hissed in the pipes, vents clinked and clanked, water dripped somewhere.
Each new noise made him jump. His nerves were shot and his hands were shaking. He gripped them into tight fists and kept moving.
He found himself in an open room with dusty consoles and computers. Maybe he could find something out about this place that could help him.
Gather Information
When search for clues, ask questions, analyze evidence or do research, roll wits. (+1 for Scavenger as this is an abandoned settlement)
1d6 + 2 (wits) +1 (scavenger) = 9 vs (3,6)
Strong hit - You discover something helpful and specific. The path you must follow or action you must take to move forward is clear. Take +2 momentum
Notes: I also get a bonus +1 momentum from Scavenger. Current momentum = +3
The computers still worked, humming to life, screens switching on and controls working under Shen’s fingers.
He found a layout of the temple, as well as live security camera footage. Most of the cameras were broken, showing black screens or static, but a few still worked.
One showed the entrance to a huge vault, giant metal door, in front of which, stood Tern, attempting to get in.
Shen took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment.
Hearten
When you socialize, share intimacy or find a moment of peace, roll heart.
1d6 + 1 (heart) = 4 vs (5,7)
Miss - You take no comfort and the situation worsens. Pay the Price
Notes: I was just trying to get some spirit back but sometimes it do be like that. I decide for Pay the Price, the most obvious negative outcome happens.
He opened his eyes to see the huge metal door on the screen begin to move.
Tern had gotten inside.
There was no time for peace or planning.
He checked the map for the fastest route to the vault and took off running.
Set a Course
When you follow a known route…within a mysterious settlement, roll supply
1d6 + 4 (supply) = 10 vs (5,9)
Strong Hit - You reach your destination and the situation favors you. Take +1 momentum.
Notes: Current momentum = +4
He ran through the corridors, ignoring other rooms he passed. He arrived outside the vault, panting, slowing up to creep to the corner and peer around it, so as not to be noticed.
Tern stood at a computer console within the enormous vault.
From his view outside the vault, Shen could see trinkets, gadgets and artifacts of varying sizes and complexities. One in particular stood out, in the center of the far wall of the vault, in a locked glass case. It was a simple black box, maybe a foot long, wide and tall, made of a material Shen couldn't identify, but it reminded him of the hole in the warehouse.
He felt a shiver run down his spine.
Tern seemed to be attempting to use the computer to get access to the locked cases within the vault.
Shen pulled his sidearm out of his holster and felt its weight in his hand. He crept out from the corner, moving up on the Ex-Overseer.
Enter the Fray
When you initiate combat, envision your objective (“Kill Tern”) and give it a rank (“Formidable”). Then, roll to see if you are in control. If you are…preparing to act against an unaware foe, roll Shadow. (Gunslinger gives me a +1 to this)
1d6 + 2 (shadow) + 1 (gunslinger) = 5 vs (8,1)
Weak hit - Choose one:
Take +2 momentum
You are In Control
Notes: I choose to be In Control.
“Freeze,” Shen said, approaching from behind, gun pointed at the back of Tern’s head.
Tern’s arms slowly went up.
“Step back from the computer.”
Gain Ground
When you are in control and take action to reinforce your position or move towards an objective, envision your approach. if you are…gaining leverage with force, powering through or making a threat, roll iron. (I get +1 from Gunslinger)
1d6 + 1 (iron) + 1 (gunslinger) = 8 vs (5,7)
Strong hit - On a hit, you stay in control. On a Strong hit, choose 2:
Mark progress
Take +2 momentum
+1 on next move (not a progress move)
Notes: I mark progress and take +2 momentum. Current combat progress = 1/10. Current momentum = +6.
“Drop your gun,” Shen said.
Tern pulled his side arm slowly and dropped it. “It doesn’t have to be like this,” he said. “You could join me. You’ve no doubt seen the power within this planet.”
“I’ve seen what you do with power and I want nothing to do with it.”
Tern scowled. “You think you can stop me?” His voice deepened, flames emerged from his finger tips as he began to levitate.
"Yes,” Shen said and fired.
Take Decisive Action
When you seize an objective in a fight, envision how you take decisive action. Then, roll the challenge dice and compare to your progress.
Progress = 1 vs (1,10)
Miss
Notes: I knew I couldn’t win, but I didn’t need the challenge dice to be less than my progress, because of my new Revenant ability.
When you Take Decisive Action by bringing death to a foe, you may Burn Momentum to zero out one of the challenge dice if your momentum is greater than the value of that die. If you do, Endure Stress(-2).
I am able to zero out the 1 on the challenge dice because it is less than my 6 momentum. My momentum resets to +1 (not +2 because I am still shaken). I also need to Endure Stress(-2), but I got a weak hit!
Weak Hit - You achieve your objective but not without cost. Roll on the table below or choose one.
I choose “It’s Worse than you thought: Make a Suffer(-2) move.
Notes: First, the stress.
Endure Stress
When you face mental strain, shock or despair, suffer -1.-2 or -3 based on severity. If your spirit is +0, then Lose Momentum equal to remaining stress. Then, if your spirit is 0…roll +spirit or +heart, whichever is higher.
1d6 + 1 (heart) = 7 vs (5,4)
Strong hit - Choose one
Shake it off: +1 spirit
Embrace the darkness: +1 momentum
Notes: I can’t regain spirit right now due to being shaken so I choose to embrace the darkness. After losing momentum and now gaining one, I am at +0 momentum.
Tern’s head jerked back and he collapsed onto the ground.
Shen stood for a moment, gun still raised.
It’s over.
He holstered the gun and approached the body, crouching down close to ensure the deed was done.
Tern lay on his back, hole in his head, arms and legs splayed out, fingers blackened.
Shen felt nothing.
Still alive.
He noticed something etched onto Tern’s skin, tattoos of a sort, with strange runes.
They glowed, burning brightly.
Fire exploded from the body, hitting Shen and sending him hurling back into the wall.
Endure Harm
When you face physical injury….suffer -1,-2 or -3 based on severity…
Notes: This is from getting a weak hit on the Take Decisive Action move. I suffer -2 health. Current health = +1. I choose not to resist.
Shen groaned, smoke coming off of him, struggling to stand.
Goddamn death trap, literally…
He coughed and walked over.
Tern’s corpse was scorched and blackened, whatever magic it held when he was alive, now gone.
He gave it a kick, just to be sure.
It didn’t move.
Fulfill Your Vow
When you reach the end of your quest, roll the challenge dice and compare to your progress.
Progress = 6 vs (3,5)
Strong Hit - Your vow if fulfilled. Mark a reward on your quests legacy track per the vow’s rank.
“It’s over,” Shen said, out loud. He looked at the vault, unharmed from the blast. His eyes found the black box and lingered.
Tern’s words echoed in his mind.
You’ve no doubt seen the power within this planet…
Next Chapter → Chapter 11: The Return