PWM: Sanguine Dust, Chapter 1
A Long Expedition
The ground rolled and heaved beneath Shen’s feet, hurling him to the floor. Looking up through the glass skydome, he could see explosions in space. People screamed and ran. The whole structure shook. A miscalculation? Computer error? Faulty equipment? Nobody knew, but the orbital platform was destabilized due to an impact of something. Asteroid? Starship? Now the whole thing was shaking itself apart as it fell towards the planet. He started to get up, not knowing where to go. Where can a street urchin flee? How can the homeless escape?
A hand stretched out from under a pile of debris, grabbing his wrist, holding it as strong as iron.
He woke with a start, sitting up on his cot, fists gripping the thin blanket. His sheets were soaked in sweat. He forced himself to take a breath and loosen his hands.
A beeping noise played through the speakers present in every room on the Nomad Drifter. Every beep, blip or boop indicated something different. This particular beep meant there was a message waiting for him.
That’s what woke me.
He shook his head, getting out of bed and throwing on clothes. “Drifter, play message.”
As he dressed, the message played. It was a recorded message, from somewhere else in the sector.
“Coyote, this is Crash. Location, Lotan. Hunting leviathans. There’s some kind of disease or infection. Can’t get out of here without help. Requesting assistance with evac. Crash out-”
“Shit,” Shen swore to himself, jogging to the bridge. “Drifter,” he called out. “Set a course to Lotan immediately.” An affirmative beep came over the speakers as he dropped into the captain’s chair.
On the viewscreen popped up a translucent map of the current sector, “Sanguis Limits”.
Beyond the map, outside the ship, Shen could see Vigrid, or what was left of it. Once a planet, long ago shattered into pieces.
Shen touched his iron arm ring, looking past the map, the planet, at the stars. "I vow to get you out of there, Crash,” he murmured.
Welcome to Sanguine Dust! In these blocks, I’ll put Moves, mechanics, die rolls, and GM thoughts/notes as needed. You can skip them if you just want the pure narrative and story.
When you begin Starforged, you need an inciting incident to get your character into the action right away. I figured using Shen’s only connection, Crash would be a good way to start. Since Crash is a hunter, I thought it would be cool for him to be on an ocean world hunting leviathans. The Sector Trouble I rolled randomly was “Parasitic lifeforms spreading like a plague,” so I used that too.
Note: Things like vows, expeditions and combat all get Progress Tracks (1-10) to show how much progress you’ve made towards completing them. When you want to finish off a Progress track, you make the appropriate move, and roll. Instead of rolling your action die, you use the amount of progress you’ve made. So if you’ve marked 7 progress boxes, your action result is a 7. The rank of difficulty ranges from Troublesome to Epic, which basically adjusts how easy or difficult a task is, as well as how rewarding it is. For a troublesome vow, one milestone is worth three progress boxes, where as for an Epic vow, one milestone is 1/4th of one progress box.
Now, I get to make my first move. Here’s the format that I’ll use for moves for now.
Name
Mechanics
Roll: Action die (d6) + Ability + Any other bonuses = Result vs (1d10,1d10)
Result:
Notes if needed
Swear an Iron Vow
When you swear an iron vow, give it a name (“Rescue Crash”) and rank (dangerous). Then, roll heart. If you swear this vow to a Connection, add +1.
1d6 + 1(heart)+1(connection) = 6 vs (5,4)
Strong Hit - You know what you need to do. Gain +2 momentum.
Notes: Momentum = +4
A nervous beep shook Shen out of his thoughts, and he focused on the map. It looked like traveling to Lotan wasn’t going to be easy. There wasn’t a pre-defined passage, so he’d have to go blind, using the E-drive to catch drifts and make FTL jumps, dropping into unknown anchorages until he reached Lotan.
The Drifter indicated it’d found the coordinates of the first anchorage and was ready to jump.
(The Nomad Drifter. source )
“Make the jump,” Shen said.
The Nomad Drifter shuddered for a moment, e-drive spinning up, before shooting through space, stars becoming lines of light across the viewscreen.
Shen’s gut dropped, as it always did, as if about to fall from a great height. He closed his eyes for a moment, waiting for it to settle, before getting up and leaving the bridge. It would take a couple hours to reach the anchorage. He checked his supplies, and ate a freeze-dried meal, wondering what he’d find at Lotan.
Undertake an Expedition
When you trailblaze a route through perilous space, journey over hazardous terrain, or survey a mysterious site, give the expedition a name and rank.
Name: “Vigrid to Lotan”, Rank: Dangerous
If you move…at speed, roll edge
1d6 + 3(edge) = 4 vs (7,3)
Weak Hit - Reach a waypoint, mark progress, but choose 1:
Make a Suffer(-2) move or two Suffer(-1) moves
Face a peril at the Waypoint
Notes: Reaching a waypoint and marking progress means I've been successful in making way towards my destination. Progress = 2/10 Suffer Moves affect your stats such as Health, Spirit, etc. Since this is very early on in my game, I decide to Lose Momentum which is a pretty minor consequence.
Lose Momentum
When you are delayed or disadvantaged, suffer -1, -2, or -3 momentum depending on severity.
-2 momentum
Notes: Current momentum = 2
Drifter dropped out of FTL with a snap, floating, a flurry of bleeps indicating the e-drive was depleted.
Shen headed to the bridge. “Scan surroundings,” he called out.
On the viewscreen, Drifter showed the results of its scans. Nearby was a debris field full of mineral asteroids but nothing else of much interest.
Looking through the route data, Shen found the jump had taken them slightly off-course and would delay their journey.
Hold on, Crash, I’m coming.
He had Drifter calculate a new jump point, and once the e-drive was ready, he jumped.
Undertake an Expedition
…If you move at speed, roll edge
1d6 + 3(edge) = 6 vs (5,7)
Weak Hit - Reach a waypoint, mark progress, but choose 1:
Make a Suffer(-2) move or two Suffer(-1) moves
Face a peril at the Waypoint
Notes: I choose to Lose Momentum again, not very interesting, I know. Current Progress = 4/10
Lose Momentum
When you are delayed or disadvantaged, suffer -1, -2, or -3 momentum depending on the severity.
-2 momentum
Notes: Current momentum = 0
The ship shook as it dropped out of FTL, an alarm blaring. Drifter had suffered some minor damage in the jump.
Shen could repair it, it would just take time. He scanned the surroundings and found a ship not far. He brought it up on the viewscreen.
It was Foundry Class, enormous. Used as Mobile Construction Platforms.
Drifter blooped, indicating an incoming distress call from the ship.
Shen accepted.
The captain of the other ship appeared on the viewscreen. She looked serious, with a military uniform.
“This is Coyote, of the Nomad Drifter,” Shen said. “What can I do for you?”
“Captain Tahir, of the Stardust,” the captain identified themselves. “Many of my crew are sick and we are low on medical supplies. Anything you could spare could save lives.”
“I’ll see what I have, captain and get back to you.” Shen ended the call and went to the med bay.
It was rarely used, disorganized, and basic, but he managed to scrounge up some first-aid kits, drugs, and bandages.
I rolled randomly for the ship’s Initial Contact and got “Asking for help.” I decided they were coming from Lotan and had contracted the sickness. I then checked to see if I had any medical supplies.
Check Your Gear
When you check to see if you have a specific item or resource, roll supply.
1d6 + 5(supply) = 9 vs (2,9)
Weak Hit - You have it, but must choose one:
Your supply is diminished: Sacrifice Resources (-1)
It’s not quite right and causes a delay or complication: Lose Momentum (-2)
Notes: It makes sense that giving away my medical supplies would use up my resources.
Sacrifice Resources
When you lose or consume your resources, suffer -1, -2, or -3 to supply depending on the severity.
-1 Supply
Notes: Current Supply = +4
“Drifter, send a docking request to Stardust,” Shen called out, heading back to the bridge.
His request was immediately accepted and Stardust opened up their massive docking bay doors to allow him to land inside. He set Drifter on autopilot.
While waiting, he boxed what he had into an empty crate and brought it to the cargo bay. He could feel the ship settle down and the large bay doors grind together as they shut.
He stepped to the wall and hit a button to open the cargo bay, keeping a hand near the pistol holstered at his hip.
Never know what can happen.
Half a dozen uniformed crewmembers, as well as Tahir herself, stood in the landing bay below, looking up at the cargo hold.
Shen waved them on and indicated the crate of supplies.
Tahir stood by as her crew took the crate, checking the contents within. “We appreciate this,” she said.
Shen gave a nod. “Hope it does you well.”
“Perhaps we’ll meet again. I owe you one.”
“Did you come from Lotan? Tranquility? Any news from there?” Shen asked.
Tahir grimaced. “The infection is rampant. They don’t know what they’re doing. If you’re heading that way…I’d advise you change your course.”
Shen gritted his teeth, looking away. “I’ve got a friend there.”
Tahir looked at his arm. “That armband. You’re Ironsworn? You swore a vow?”
Shen nodded.
Tahir sighed. “Be wary, then, Coyote. The infection is not the only thing that plagues Tranquility.” She left with her crew.
Shen thought about what she said as he banged the button to close the cargo bay.
Was that a warning?
He continued to think about it as he disembarked from Stardust and watched it jump, suddenly gone, emptiness in its place. He made the repairs needed and got ready to make another leap towards Lotan.
Undertake an Expedition
…If you move at speed, roll edge
1d6 + 3(edge) = 4 vs (9,6)
Miss - On a Miss, you are waylaid by a crisis or arrive at a waypoint to confront an immediate hardship or threat. Do not mark progress and Pay the Price.
Notes: My first Miss! I must now Pay the Price.
Pay the Price
When you suffer the outcome of an action, choose one:
Make the most obvious negative outcome happen
Ask the Oracle for inspiration and interpret the result as a hardship or complication
Roll on the Pay the Price table
Notes: Pay the Price is Starforged’s ‘bad shit happens’ move and happens almost every time you Miss. Sometimes, the Move will tell you how severe it is (-1 or -2 or -3). Other times, it’s up to you. It’s also up to you what stat you hit, whether it’s health, spirit, supplies or momentum. If you’re in a gunfight, you might Suffer Harm(-3), but if it’s a knife fight, maybe it’s Suffer Harm(-2), and if it’s a fistfight, maybe it’s Suffer Harm(-1). You decide what negative thing occurs and how severe it is based on the fiction and also, what do you want to see happen, what would be interesting and make sense? In this way, you can go easy or hard on yourself. Or, if you’d like to take the choice out of your hands, you can roll on the table every time and let fate/randomness decide. In this case, I’ve decided I’ve been pushing the ship to its limits trying to get to Lotan as fast as I can, so I make the Withstand Damage move.
Withstand Damage
When your vehicle suffers a damaging situation or environment, suffer -1, -2, or -3 to integrity based on severity. If your integrity is 0, Lose Momentum equal to any remaining damage. Then, if your integrity is 0 or you choose to resist, roll integrity.
-1 integrity. Resist: 1d6 + 4(integrity) = 9 vs (4,7)
Strong Hit - On a Strong Hit, choose one:
Bypass the damage, if your ship isn’t battered, take +1 integrity
Ride it out: Take +1 momentum
Notes: I choose to take the momentum. Current momentum = +1
Before he could make the jump, an alarm went off.
What now?
Bringing up emergency systems on screen, he could see Drifter was being pushed to its limit, and systems power was low as a result. More strain could cause severe damage.
It’s fine, I can repair it at Tranquility. I just need to get there.
He turned off the alarm and checked that the e-drive was functional and ready.
Undertake an Expedition
…If you move at speed, roll edge
1d6 + 3(edge) = 5 vs (8,7)
Miss - On a Miss, you are waylaid by a crisis or arrive at a waypoint to confront an immediate hardship or threat. Do not mark progress and Pay the Price.
Notes: Another Miss!
Pay the Price
When you suffer the outcome of an action, choose one:
Make the most obvious negative outcome happen
Ask the Oracle for inspiration and interpret the result as a hardship or complication
Roll on the Pay the Price table
Notes: I decide to make things interesting and roll on the Spaceborne Peril table to see what terrible thing befalls me.
Oracle: Spaceborne Perils
Result: Contagion or illness threatens to take hold
Notes: Well, shit.
Endure Harm
When you face physical injury, fatigue or illness, suffer -1, -2, or -3 health based on severity. If you’re at 0 health or you choose to resist, roll health or iron, whichever is higher.
-1 health. I don’t resist.
Notes: Current health = +4
Before Shen could have Drifter jump, a wave of nausea swept through him. He coughed so hard, he fell to the ground. His stomach tightened and he vomited on the floor. He shook and curled into a fetal position.
After a minute or two, the feeling passed, and he managed to get up. He staggered to the med bay and took a basic scan of his body to see if he could figure out what the hell just happened.
Gather Information
When you search for clues, ask questions, analyze evidence or de research, roll wits.
1d6 + 2(wits) = 7 vs (3,9)
Weak Hit - The information provides new insight but also complicates your quest. Envision what you discover, then take +1 momentum.
Notes: Current momentum = +2
The scans indicated Shen had some kind of infection. Tiny parasites in his body. Members on the Stardust must have had it and didn’t even know because they had no symptoms. They’d caught it from Lotan and would spread it everywhere they went.
“Drifter, send the following message to Stardust: Infection spreading. Scan everyone and quarantine the infected at the next settlement. End message.”
Drifter responded with an appropriate bleep.
Shen took a few, deep breaths with his eyes closed. He felt the iron arm ring and nodded to himself. “I vow to find a cure for this parasitic plague.”
Swear an Iron Vow
When you swear an iron vow, give it a name (“Cure the parasitic plague”) and rank (dangerous). Then, roll heart. If you swear this vow to a Connection, add +1.
1d6 + 1(heart) = 5 vs (4,6)
Weak Hit - You are determined but begin with more questions than answers. Take +1 momentum.
Notes: Momentum = +3
He needed to find Crash as well as answers. Supposedly, this all started on Lotan. “Drifter, make the jump.”
Undertake an Expedition
…If you move at speed, roll edge
1d6 + 3(edge) = 5 vs (3,8)
Weak Hit - Reach a waypoint, mark progress, but choose 1:
Make a Suffer(-2) move or two Suffer(-1) moves
Face a peril at the Waypoint
Notes: Mark progress (6/10). I decide to make two Suffer(-1) moves.
Endure Stress
When you face mental strain, shock or despair, suffer -1, -2, or -3 spirit depending on severity. If your spirit is 0, Lose Momentum equal to any remaining stress. If your spirit is 0 or you choose to resist, roll spirit or heart, whichever is higher.
-1 spirit. Resist: 1d6 + 4(spirit) = 9 vs (10,7)
Weak Hit - I could Lose Momentum to gain spirit, 1 for 1, but choose not to.
Sacrifice Resources
When you lose or consume your resources, suffer -1, -2, or -3 to supply depending on the severity.
-1 Supply
Notes: Current Supply = +3
The Nomad Drifter jumped, reaching FTL speed, hurtling through space.
Shen sat in the med bay, looking at his shaking hands and imagining little parasites in his body. He thought he could feel them, though he knew that was impossible. Unable to sit still any longer, he took off, walking through the ship, checking the systems, his gear, equipment and supplies, anything he could do to keep his mind occupied. While doing so, he found a crate of foodstuffs had spoiled, and punched the wall in frustration.
Finally, Drifter dropped out of FTL, arriving at another anchorage.
Shen briefly checked the scans of the surroundings on the bridge, identifying a red-hot volcanic planet, the nearest object of interest. No sign of a settlement or life. He ignored it, took a shower, ate a meal, and slept, waiting for the e-drive to charge up again.
He finally started feeling like himself again, getting behind the controls of the Nomad Drifter and identifying the coordinates of the next jump. He was close, maybe only one jump from Lotan.
He hoped so. Who knew how Crash was doing since he’d sent that message.
“Drifter, jump.”
Finish an Expedition
When the expedition comes to an end, roll the challenge dice and compare to your progress.
Progress = 6 vs (1,9)
Weak Hit - You reach your destination or complete your survey. Mark a reward in your discoveries legacy track per expedition rank. If it’s a Weak Hit, you face an unforeseen complication at the end of your expedition. Make the legacy reward one rank lower and envision what you encounter.
Notes: This dangerous expedition is downgraded to a troublesome reward, so I get 1 tick on my discoveries legacy track. I also need to deal with a complication.
The final hours of FTL travel were tense. A miscalculation could send you multiple jumps away from your destination, and you had no way of knowing until you dropped out. It was never a sure thing, space travel, even with the computer’s calculations, the e-drive. Even when you thought you were close to the end.
He needed a settlement and Tranquility orbited Lotan. There he could rest, recharge and resupply. He could warn them about the infection and how contagious it was. They could get messages to other settlements and ships, warn the sector. Tranquility was likely already working on a cure. He would find Crash.
The Drifter rumbled for a moment, before popping out into space.
Shen hurried to the bridge. The settlement of Tranquility awaited him, seen through the viewscreen. A space station, huge spinning rings connected to a central cylinder.
Beyond it, a vast sphere of blues and greens, Lotan, an ocean world.
Shen let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He’d made it. He set the Nomad to approach Tranquility and request to dock.
The station responded quickly. “Request denied.”
Shen tried again. “This is Coyote of the Nomad Drifter. I’m Ironsworn and here to help. I’ve come from Reverie. I need supplies and fuel. I carry important information. I request to dock and speak with whoever is in charge here.”
“Request denied, Coyote. Tranquility is under lock down." The call terminated and they would receive no more requests.
Shit.
End of Session Notes
This was my very first foray with Starforged so I was definitely getting used to the moves, the system and everything. Pay the Price in particular is so open that it can be challenging to decide on what consequence to have happen and how severe to make it. The more experience you get with it, though, the more comfortable you become and the ‘flow’ becomes easier.
I realize there’s quite a bit of mechanics throughout. Showing the moves, rolls, results and notes can take up quite a bit of space. Since it is the beginning, I do think writing everything out is helpful for the reader to understand the mechanics, but I may try to summarize moves and results in a quicker manner in the future.
Let me know how it reads for you or if you have any ideas about how to make it better in the comments.
Thanks for reading! Subscribe if you want.
Next Chapter: Chapter 2: Attempted Rescue
Just reading the intro I got goosebumps! Great start!