PWM: Sanguine Dust, Chapter 2

Attempted Rescue

Aug 08, 2022

Sanguine Dust: Table of Contents
Note: I think completing the expedition to Tranquility counts as a milestone.
Reach a Milestone
When you make headway in your quest by doing any of the following…
overcoming a critical obstacle
gaining meaningful insight
completing a perilous expedition
acquiring a crucial item or information
earning vital support
defeating a notable foe
…you may mark progress per the rank of the vow
The vow rank is dangerous, so I can tick off 2 progress boxes for each milestone. Current progress = 2/10

A few more attempts at communication with Tranquility were denied.

Shen swore, thinking for a moment.

If I can’t dock through legal channels…

Smugglers tended to have their own encrypted comms.

Shen scanned and found a couple. He pinged them all until somebody finally responded.

“Who is this?” The voice came over the speakers. "This is a secure channel. Identify yourself.”

“This is Coyote, of the Nomad Drifter. I need to get on the station.”

“And I need a million credits, buddy. We’re under lockdown. Nobody in or out. Get it?”

"Lockdown’s probably bad for business. You let me on, I can end it.”

Compel
When you try to persuade someone or make them an offer. Envision your approach. If you…lie or swindle, roll shadow.
1d6 + 2(shadow) = 8 vs (3,4)
Strong Hit - They’ll do what you want or agree to your conditions. Take +1 momentum.
Notes: Current momentum = +4

“Fine, sending coordinates. You won’t be detected. You better end this thing.”

Shen received the coordinates, set the Drifter to dock and suited up as the ship approached one end of the station. A bay door opened, the Drifter pulled in, landing in the bay, as the door closed behind.

The bay was dingy and dim, a few other pilots or mechanics spoke or stood around, smoking.

Shen spoke with the folks around briefly, offering smokes, asking questions about the settlement and getting a handle on the place. He thanked them, pulled up his duster as he left the bay and headed into the settlement.

Tranquility was much different than the settlement Shen had grown up on. That had been a rough-and-tumble, barely held-together rust bucket.

Tranquility was high-tech, tall, gleaming structures, modern, with glass walls and dazzling geometric angles. Screens on every corner played advertisements and government messages.

Shen headed towards the seedier parts of town, the red-light district, asking around. Crash would’ve come through Tranquility and Shen knew the places he liked to hang out, dive bars and back-alley card games. Someone had to know something.

Gather Information
When you search for clues, ask questions, analyze evidence or do research, roll wits.
1d6 + 2(wits) = 5 vs (8,9)
Miss - Your investigation unearths a dire threat or reveals an unwelcome truth that undermines your quest.
Notes: Oh, that’s not bad news. Crash must be in a tough spot

Shen found himself in the backroom of a butcher, chatting with a tall woman, Vesta, bald, wearing grubby clothes and a bloody white apron. She was chopping up the remains of some large mammalian creature.

Blood dripped off the table onto the floor.

“Yeah, Crash was here,” she said, putting her cleaver off to the side and turning to face Shen. “He was looking for buyers of Leviathan parts. Crazy bastard wanted to hunt them down on Lotan. I told him if he lived, I’d sell what he had.”

“Where is he now?”

Vesta shook her head. “Not down on Lotan anymore. He was flagged and taken away. Pretty much everyone who came off-planet was.” She wiped her hands with a hand towel.

Shen’s gut lurched. “You mean…”

“He’s infected and quarantined with the rest of them.”

Shen swore.

“Better to leave him. Leave this whole place, if you can. Things are bad, and they don’t look to be getting better anytime soon.”

“He’s a friend.”

She shrugged. “When I say quarantine…it’s like a prison. I’ll tell you where he is but, don’t come back here, understand?”

Shen nodded.

She told him where the quarantined area was and he left.

Crash...infected and imprisoned. What now?

He stopped in the street, leaned against a wall and looked up.

Above the towering buildings, he could see a baby blue sky, fake, projected with a few pixelated clouds.

Before he would go after Crash, he needed to know more about this infection. Someone had to know something.

Gather Information
When you search for clues, ask questions, analyze evidence or do research, roll wits.
1d6 + 2(wits) =6 vs (2,9)
Weak Hit - Information provides new insight but complicates the quest. Take +1 momentum
Notes: Current Momentum = +5

People were hesitant to speak about it, but after a few hours, Shen began to put a picture together. Through all the baseless accusations, wild imaginings and crackpot theories, he managed to get something out of it. The first people sick were scientists down on a research outpost on Lotan. Whatever it was had spread quickly, before anyone realized it. Once the symptoms started, everyone who came off-planet was scanned and if found infected, quarantined.

So, it’d started on a research outpost on Lotan. Maybe more information could be found down there.

Crash would be helpful planet-side, if Shen could get him out of quarantine.

Through his many hours of talking to citizens, he’d learned Tranquility was run by an Overseer named Tern, who had become quite authoritative since the infection had started.

Shen headed towards the Overseer’s headquarters, a severe-looking building, black and metallic, foreboding.

Guards stood out front of the closed double-doors.

“I need to see the Overseer,” Shen said.

“Overseer Tern is busy. He is not seeing civilians at this time.”

Tranquility seemed overridden with these guards, heavily armed and armored, black helmets hiding their faces. They patrolled often and the citizens shied away or hid from them.

“Inform the Overseer that I have information that the infection has already spread beyond Tranquility, despite your quarantine. Warning must be sent to other settlements and ships in the sector. I can help. He will want to speak with me.

The guards looked at each other for a moment, before one turned his back, put a finger to the right side of his helmet and had a conversation with somebody else.

After a moment, the guard turned back around, as the double doors opened behind him. “Follow me,” the guard said.

Shen was led inside, past a security room, offices and into the Overseer’s office.

The office was more a laboratory than office, complete with tables of bubbling beakers, gadgets on shelves or hanging on the wall, and computer screens covering one wall, showing tickers, lab results and other data.

Tern stood behind his desk, hands behind him, looking as severe as the building headquarters, all straight lines, his mouth grim. He wore a lab coat and a high-tech mask covering the lower half of his face in chrome.

Two guards stood within the room, as the other one left to go back to the front door.

Shen gave a small bow. “Overseer Tern, I am glad you received me.”

Compel
When you try to persuade someone or make them an offer. Envision your approach. If you…charm, pacify, encourage or barter, roll heart.
1d6 + 1(heart) = 7 vs (7,7)
Miss + Match - They refuse or make a demand which costs you greatly.
Notes: Unfortunately, I lose ties so that means a miss and a match! Not only did I fail but something terrible is about to happen!

Shen went on. “Sir, I-”

“Enough!” Tern said. “I had to hear your lies from your own mouth. You claim the infection has spread beyond Tranquility?”

Shen nodded. “Yes sir, I met the crew of Stardust on my way here. I provided them medical supplies as many of their crew were sick. Your quarantine has failed-”

“Liar!” Tern shouted. “You just arrive and claim you know better than we, about this disease that plagues us?” Tern’s hands came from behind him and slammed down on his desk. “You! You, who broke quarantine and docked despite our denial? You, who come to us now, looking to infect us all? You’ve been scanned, Coyote of the Nomad Drifter. You have brought danger to us all.” Tern gestured. “Take him away and put him with the others. Confiscate his things and his ship.”

“Wai-” Shen felt a sudden jolt in his side and his body spasmed, collapsing. He shook on the floor and everything went black.

The hand gripped Shen’s wrist like iron, as the station around him shook to pieces. “Let me go!” he screamed, pulling. A woman came with the hand, emerging from the debris, crawling forward. She had a metal pipe sticked through her torso, blood pulsing out of her. She struggled to breath and talk. “Not…before…I…give you this,” she said, pulling an iron arm band off her left arm and holding it forward. “What are you doing?” Shen asked, tears in his eyes. “Take it. My ship is…Nomad Drifter. Take my ship. Take my Iron. Live.”

Shen woke with a start, feeling the cold hard floor beneath him. Blinking, he could barely see in the dim light.

The windows were boarded up.

He made out a few people close to him, some sitting, some walking, others talking or whispering. He heard coughing, lots of it.

The air felt thick and stuffy, like a tomb.

Sitting up, his eyes adjusting, he could make out the tall cathedral ceilings and the stained-glass art on the walls.

Note: For an idea of where they were keeping the infected, I rolled on the Theme oracle table and got ‘Sanctuary’, so I figured it’d once been a church.

He stood, groaning from soreness and a headache. He could make out the fake-wood pews, pushed against the walls to make room for cots.

Where are the doctors and nurses? Wasn’t anyone treating these people?

Shen made his way through, asking around.

Is Crash here?

Gather Information
When you search for clues, ask questions, analyze evidence or do research, roll wits.
1d6 + 2(wits) =6 vs (5,4)
Strong Hit - You discover something helpful and specific. The path you must follow or action you must take is clear. Take +2 momentum.
Notes: Current Momentum = +7. I decide this is a Milestone and mark progress on my vow to rescue Crash. Progress = 4/10

Crash sat in the corner, some light filtering through a broken window showing his black skin. He was a large man, broad shoulders and built like a brick shithouse. He’d broken a pew, taken a sizable piece of fake-wood and seemed to be attempting to whittle it into some kind of tool with a piece of sharp metal he also must’ve scrounged up from somewhere in here. He was nothing if not resourceful.

“Hey Crash,” Shen said, sitting next to him.

Crash didn’t look up. The hunter seemed unimpressed to see his friend. “Coyote…you managed to get caught, infected and thrown in here. Is this what you call a rescue mission?”

Shen sighed. “It hasn’t gone quite the way I planned it.” Shen leaned back against the wall. “But we will get out of here.”

Crash grunted. “Even if we get out, we’re still infected.”

“It started down on Lotan. That’s where we can find some answers.” Shen nudged the large man with his shoulder. “Or have you given up already?”

“Shit,” Crash replied, dropping the wood and sticking the metal makeshift knife into his boot. “Better than sticking around here waiting to die.”

They talked swapped stories until they could tell it was late. Most everyone else was asleep.

“Time to go,” Shen said.

Face Danger
When you attempt something risky or react to an imminent threat, envision your approach. If you…act with deception, stealth or trickery, roll shadow.
1d6 + 2(shadow) +1(connection) = 9 vs (6,6)
Strong Hit + Match - You are successful, take +1 momentum.
Notes: Current momentum = 8. I figure Crash’s role as a hunter would help in being sneaky, which is why I got that extra +1.

They found a window with loose boards. With slow, methodical and quiet work, they push the boards off enough to make an opening to slip through.

Outside was a courtyard with a tall fence surrounding it. There was temporary guard post set up at the gate of the fence.

“That’s where our stuff will be, too,” Crash said, motioning to the guard post.

They snuck up to the outpost, only a single guard inside keeping watch.

Note: With the Match, I decide to give myself some good luck and say we can get a jump on the guard

Crash knocked on the ground outside the post.

The guard stepped out to look.

Shen rushed him from behind.

Note: Our first combat! When you begin combat, you set a rank for your objective, just like with expeditions and vows. As you make successful rolls, you mark progress on a progress track. Eventually, you decide to make a progress roll to see if you are successful. I set the objective here to “Knock this guard out” and set it at rank “troublesome” since there’s two of us and we got the jump on him
Enter the Fray
When you initiate combat or are forced into a fight, envision your objective and give it a rank. Then, roll to see if you are in control. If you are…preparing to act against an unaware foe, roll shadow
1d6 + 2(shadow) = 8 vs (7,10)
Weak Hit - Choose one:
Stay in control
Take +2 momentum
Note: I decide to stay in control, as it is an advantageous position.

Shen nailed the guard from behind, tackling him to the ground. He tried to take the helmet off and hit him in the head.

Strike
When you are in control and assault a foe in close quarters, roll iron
1d6 + 1(iron) = 4 vs (5,10)
Miss
Note: Instead of taking the miss, I decide to Burn Momentum. This allows me to set my action die to my current momentum score (8). This resets my momentum to +2
Action score = 8 vs (5,10)
Weak Hit - Mark progress twice but you explose yourself to danger, you’re in a bad spot.
Note: Marking progress twice against a troublesome foe = 6/10.

Shen ripped the helmet off and slammed the guards head against the ground.

The guard retaliated, hurling Shen off, and rolling to his feet, pulling out his gun.

“Shoot him now,” Shen called out.

React Under Fire
When you are in a bad spot and you make a move to avoid danger…by creating a distraction, roll shadow
1d6 + 2(shadow) = 7 vs (5,3)
Strong Hit - You succeed and are in control. +1 momentum
Note: Current momentum = +3

The guard hesitated, looking around.

Crash rushed forward, kicking the gun out of the guard’s hand.

Shen moved in to finish the fight.

Take Decisive Action
When you seize the objective in a fight, roll the challenge dice and compare against your progress. If you are in a bad spot, count a strong hit as a weak hit, and a weak hit as a miss
Progress = 6 vs (1,10)
Weak Hit - You achieve your objective but not without cost. Choose or roll on the table.
Note: I choose to make a Suffer(-2) move
Endure Harm
When you face physical injury, fatigue, or illness, suffer -1, -2 or -3 depending on severity. If your health is 0, Lose Momentum equal to any remaining harm. Then, if your health is 0 or you choose to resist the harm, roll health or iron, whichever is higher.
-2 health
Note: I choose not to resist. Current health = +3

Shen slid his arm underneath the guard’s neck and clamped it with his other hand, putting the guard in a chokehold.

The guard struggled, pulling out a knife from his belt and slashing at Shen, putting a gash in his leg.

Shen held strong until the guard stopped struggling.

Shen dropped the body to the ground.

“Let me see,” Crash said, pulling off his grubby shirt and tying it around Shen’s leg as tight as he could. “You’ll live.”

They grabbed their things from the outpost and started heading away before a guard patrol came around and found them.

Crash looked back at the church.

“We can come back for them,” Shen said. “But without a cure, it won’t matter.”

Crash grunted in reply and they left.

Reach a Milestone
Vow: “Rescue Crash”
Progress = 6/10

Shen looked around the corner at the docking bay, waiting for an opening.

It was a huge building, had to be, the main docking bay of the settlement. Half a dozen entrances and exits, cargo doors, workers and guards pacing. The workers had little to do, considering the lockdown. Normally a place abuzz with activity, people and supplies, it now felt empty and quiet.

“Maybe we should wait, lie low,” Crash said, watching back the way they’d come.

“They’ll find the guard or he’ll wake up soon. Either way, they’ll find out we’re gone. And I want my ship back.”

Face Danger
When you attempt something risky or react to an imminent threat, envision your approach. If you…act with deception, stealth or trickery, roll shadow.
1d6 + 2(shadow) = 8 vs (3,4)
Strong Hit - You are successful, take +1 momentum.
Notes: Current momentum = +4

Shen led the way, using storage crates, boxes and anything else he could find as cover as they moved, from one hiding spot to another.

They made their way through the structure, found the Drifter’s bay, and slipped inside without alerting anyone.

“How do we get out? They’re not going to open the doors for you,” Crash said, standing behind the captain’s chair.

“Strap in,” Shen said.

Crash sat back in a seat and pulled the straps tight, clicking them into place.

Each ship had its own pod bay, with airlocks to ensure should something happen in one pod, it didn’t affect the others or the rest of the settlement.

Shen set the ship to full speed, and went straight at the closed pod doors, firing everything the Drifter had as he did so.

Face Danger
When you attempt something risky or react to an imminent threat, envision your approach. If you…act with strength, endurance or aggression, roll iron
1d6 + 1(iron) = 2 vs (3,1)
Weak Hit - You succeed but at a troublesome cost. Make a Suffer(-1) move.
Notes: Lucky roll with the challenge dice there. I decide the ship is going to suffer this time since it makes the most sense.
Withstand Damage
When your vehicle faces a damaging situation, suffer -1, -2 or -3 based on severity. If you have 0 integrity, or choose to resist, roll integrity
1d6 + 3 = 5 vs (2,7)
Weak Hit - If your vehicle is not battered, you may Lose Momentum (-1) in exchange for +1 integrity. Otherwise, press on.
Note: I choose to lose momentum for integrity. Current momentum = +3. Integrity = +4
Reach a Milestone
Vow: “Rescue Crash”
Progress = 8/10

The Nomad Drifter slammed through the bay doors, wrenching them open in an explosion of debris.

Alarms went off, the viewscreen showing damage taken from the violent maneuver but the Drifter was still in decent shape.

Immediately, frightening beeps came over the speakers, indicating they were being targeted by weapons systems.

Shen ignored it all and turned the ship towards Lotan.

Fulfill Your Vow
When you reach the end of your quest, roll the challenge dice and compare to your progress.
Progress = 8 vs (1,6)
Strong Hit - Your vow is fulfilled. Mark a reward on your quests legacy track per the vow’s rank.
Note: The vow was rank: dangerous, so I get 2 ticks on my quests legacy track.

“Now that’s what I would call a rescue mission,” Shen said, rocket boosters firing and sending the Nomad Drifter hurtling towards the blue planet below.

End of Session Notes

Looking back on this playthrough and turning it into a story, I do cringe at some parts. I notice how moving too quickly through the story can leave narrative gaps and holes. Hopefully, I've managed to cover them up, connect loose threads and weave a more interesting narrative. Look, when you’re playing a solo role-playing game, there are times you are just going to hand-wave some details in order to keep the game going and move onto the next cool scene, and that’s okay. It is something I do think I get better at as the story goes on.

In Chapter 2, I arrived at my destination and was able to use a variety of moves to infiltrate and maneuver through the settlement. I gathered information and attempted to use the social move "compel" a few times to varying levels of success.

I also attempted my first combat. It was fairly simple, good rolls leading to a fairly quick and simple fight, but it was nice to see how the different moves (Strike vs Clash, Gain Ground vs React Under Fire) worked and flowed with each other. I realized combat can have a very cinematic flow to it.

I also began using the base move Face Danger which is very flexible and is the go-to move if nothing else fits. It's also useful for zooming out of the action. If you'd rather make one roll to escape instead of going room by room, just make a face danger(stealth) roll and see how it goes. In this way, you can abstract or focus in on scenes as much as you would like to.

I would also like to thank everyone who’s subscribed. The idea that anybody is actually reading this and taking something from it is incredibly exciting for me. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts or questions in the comments section.

Playing With Myself

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