Last Wednesday, I joined a playtest for +Adrian Thoen's new, PbtA, sci-fi game, Impulse Drive, and it was a cluster of fun! The game is still in the works, but it has tons of great stuff going for it already. This post isn't a review of the game but rather an AP for the first session. I may add commentary later, or I'll just write a separate post for it (perhaps after a few more sessions).
Impulse Drive
The Vandern Derelict
The Space Master
+Adrian Thoen was our intrepid Space Master (SM) - the equivalent of an MC or DM.
The PCs
Session 01
Last login: Wed Jan 28 17:05:29 on console
Computer-Log:~ narrator$
RAR Session-01 archive
Extracting from ./ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.session01.rar
Creating ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.playbooks OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.name OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.home OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.description OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.approaches OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.foibles OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.calamity OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.moves OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.gear OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.bonds 60%
Extracting from ./ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.partA.rar
... ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.session01/ID-TVD.txt 80%
Extracting from ./ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.partB.rar
... ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.session01/ID-TVD.txt OK
All OK
Willem and Vex were on board a desolate, shipwrecked, derelict ship in an asteroid field which was once the planet Vandern III before it blew up roughly a century ago. They sought out a computer terminal to download an encrypted data file for their employer, Varenia Drake, director of the Taxila Mining Co. on Vandern IV.
No one seemed to know what happened to the derelict ship or the people on board. All Willem and Vex knew was the location of the terminal and the fact that they were being paid 13,000 guilders to carry out the job. It sounded easy enough, but the distant echoes of skittering and clattering of metal made them think twice about how safe the job would actually be. Willem entirely too calm and curious, but Vex's hairs were standing on end.
Listening to the sounds, they realized they belonged to a race of space-born parasites called the Durak. Physically, they were biomechanical, crab-like aliens the size of cats who consumed metal/electronics and could survive in a vacuum. Behaviorally, they were extremely territorial and were considered annoying, dangerous vermin.
Vex heard them approaching from three places: the corridor they had come through and two, ventilation shafts - one on the ceiling and one on the ground, near the terminal console. Vex readied his laser pistol and began moving equipment to cover up the lower vent.
Meanwhile, Willem turned on the console and discovered a video depicting two women of different species with some sort of relationship before starting the download.
It was about a quarter finished when two Durak broke through the ceiling vent and jumped down. Vex shot one dead with his pistol, but the other one quickly jumped on Willem. Vex charged forward to rip it off him, but the Durak's pincer claws punctured a hole in Willem's vac suit. Three more Durak suddenly jumped down and began closing in. One reeled back and launched a spit wad of corrosive acid onto Vex's suit. Needless to say, Vex quickly developed a hatred for the Durak, while the inquisitive Willem was the complete opposite. He hatched an experimental plan, which he wanted to put to the test.
The download was over halfway complete, and Willem grabbed one of the advancing Durak to use as a shield against one of the spitters. He was extremely curious to see if their acid had any effect on their own kind, but Vex grew even more frustrated. Willem's plan backfired, and the Durak he grabbed lashed out at him. Vex sacrificed his own hide to help Willem out and quickly regretted it!
Wounded and infuriated, Vex's eyes turned an icy color as electric blue sparks surged through his body. He let out a destructive, deafening roar that forced all the Durak to recoil and cower in hesitation and fear.
With the download finally complete, Vex roared to Willem that they needed to leave stat. Willem, ever so calmly, thought of another plan. By tinkering with the computer systems, he managed to reverse the polarity of the gravity in the room. "You might want to hold on to something," he said, but Vex was caught off-guard and didn't take well to the gravity shift. As a result, he developed a slight phobia of zero G but still managed to offer a second solution to help them escape. "Hold on tight," he growled, as his eyes glowed azure blue, and he threw his gloved paws up facing the wall. Willem knew what was coming, and his eyes grew wide with interest, for he'd never seen Vex's telekinetic abilities until now.
A psychic blast erupted from Vex's paws, and they went flying backwards, through the corridor and into the next room, taking some dead, Durak with them. Since the gravity was normal there, they fell hard on their bums, and Vex felt uneasy again. They heard sounds of more Durak approaching - a swarm - and Vex grew frightened. Willem thought they were fascinating and wondered if he could use the dead Durak to make him and Vex blend in with the swarm, so-to-speak. He asked Vex to punch a hole through the wall and grab him some wires in an effort to polarize the Durak's organs and attach them to the wires. Vex was mildly impressed, but it seemed to work. Willem was having a blast! He even mimicked a crab walk which annoyed Vex. Together, they pressed on toward their ship.
Willem and Vex eventually reached a gap and could either risk getting across, thus saving them time, or take the longer, safer route which would take them twice as long. Under normal circumstances, they probably would have chosen the safer route. However, Willem's punctured vac suit was almost out of air, and Vex really wanted to get off the derelict ship ASAP. Vex told Willem to hold on to him again, as he turned his back to the gap and projected his paws toward the floor before releasing another psychic blast.
The good news is they got across and boarded their ship, the Nothung, without a problem. The bad news is that Vex felt his space sickness kick in, and he did more than cough up a hairball inside his suit.
Stats
+1 Helm (controls and systems for flight, navigation, and maneuvering)
0 Tactical (control sensors, communications, weapons aside from basic, short-range weapons that deal 1 damage)
+1 Engineering (monitoring ship's vital signs, controlling onboard systems i.e. life support, shipboard communications, rerouting power from one system to another, fuel reserves, and faster than light travel via an Interstellar Drive)
-1 Drive (all basic Drives start at -1 and can be upgraded at a later time)
0 Rep (starts at 0; represents how well known you are and what you're known for)
Interstellar Drive
Simple, sub-space drive
Secondary Systems
• Medbay
• Ram scoop
• Flak mines (proximity mines used for setting traps or behind a fleeing ship to provide cover and avoid pursuit)
Extracting from ./ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.session01.rar
Creating ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.playbooks OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.name OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.home OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.description OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.approaches OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.foibles OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.calamity OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.moves OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.gear OK
Extracting ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.crew/The.Vandern.Derelict - ID.bonds 60%
Extracting from ./ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.partA.rar
... ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.session01/ID-TVD.txt 80%
Extracting from ./ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.partB.rar
... ID.The.Vandern.Derelict.session01/ID-TVD.txt OK
All OK
 |
| The Vandern Derelict by Adrian Thoen |
Part A
The Download and the Durak
Willem and Vex were on board a desolate, shipwrecked, derelict ship in an asteroid field which was once the planet Vandern III before it blew up roughly a century ago. They sought out a computer terminal to download an encrypted data file for their employer, Varenia Drake, director of the Taxila Mining Co. on Vandern IV.
No one seemed to know what happened to the derelict ship or the people on board. All Willem and Vex knew was the location of the terminal and the fact that they were being paid 13,000 guilders to carry out the job. It sounded easy enough, but the distant echoes of skittering and clattering of metal made them think twice about how safe the job would actually be. Willem entirely too calm and curious, but Vex's hairs were standing on end.
Listening to the sounds, they realized they belonged to a race of space-born parasites called the Durak. Physically, they were biomechanical, crab-like aliens the size of cats who consumed metal/electronics and could survive in a vacuum. Behaviorally, they were extremely territorial and were considered annoying, dangerous vermin.
Vex heard them approaching from three places: the corridor they had come through and two, ventilation shafts - one on the ceiling and one on the ground, near the terminal console. Vex readied his laser pistol and began moving equipment to cover up the lower vent.
Meanwhile, Willem turned on the console and discovered a video depicting two women of different species with some sort of relationship before starting the download.
It was about a quarter finished when two Durak broke through the ceiling vent and jumped down. Vex shot one dead with his pistol, but the other one quickly jumped on Willem. Vex charged forward to rip it off him, but the Durak's pincer claws punctured a hole in Willem's vac suit. Three more Durak suddenly jumped down and began closing in. One reeled back and launched a spit wad of corrosive acid onto Vex's suit. Needless to say, Vex quickly developed a hatred for the Durak, while the inquisitive Willem was the complete opposite. He hatched an experimental plan, which he wanted to put to the test.
The download was over halfway complete, and Willem grabbed one of the advancing Durak to use as a shield against one of the spitters. He was extremely curious to see if their acid had any effect on their own kind, but Vex grew even more frustrated. Willem's plan backfired, and the Durak he grabbed lashed out at him. Vex sacrificed his own hide to help Willem out and quickly regretted it!
Wounded and infuriated, Vex's eyes turned an icy color as electric blue sparks surged through his body. He let out a destructive, deafening roar that forced all the Durak to recoil and cower in hesitation and fear.
With the download finally complete, Vex roared to Willem that they needed to leave stat. Willem, ever so calmly, thought of another plan. By tinkering with the computer systems, he managed to reverse the polarity of the gravity in the room. "You might want to hold on to something," he said, but Vex was caught off-guard and didn't take well to the gravity shift. As a result, he developed a slight phobia of zero G but still managed to offer a second solution to help them escape. "Hold on tight," he growled, as his eyes glowed azure blue, and he threw his gloved paws up facing the wall. Willem knew what was coming, and his eyes grew wide with interest, for he'd never seen Vex's telekinetic abilities until now.
A psychic blast erupted from Vex's paws, and they went flying backwards, through the corridor and into the next room, taking some dead, Durak with them. Since the gravity was normal there, they fell hard on their bums, and Vex felt uneasy again. They heard sounds of more Durak approaching - a swarm - and Vex grew frightened. Willem thought they were fascinating and wondered if he could use the dead Durak to make him and Vex blend in with the swarm, so-to-speak. He asked Vex to punch a hole through the wall and grab him some wires in an effort to polarize the Durak's organs and attach them to the wires. Vex was mildly impressed, but it seemed to work. Willem was having a blast! He even mimicked a crab walk which annoyed Vex. Together, they pressed on toward their ship.
Willem and Vex eventually reached a gap and could either risk getting across, thus saving them time, or take the longer, safer route which would take them twice as long. Under normal circumstances, they probably would have chosen the safer route. However, Willem's punctured vac suit was almost out of air, and Vex really wanted to get off the derelict ship ASAP. Vex told Willem to hold on to him again, as he turned his back to the gap and projected his paws toward the floor before releasing another psychic blast.
The good news is they got across and boarded their ship, the Nothung, without a problem. The bad news is that Vex felt his space sickness kick in, and he did more than cough up a hairball inside his suit.
The Nothung
Stats
+1 Helm (controls and systems for flight, navigation, and maneuvering)
0 Tactical (control sensors, communications, weapons aside from basic, short-range weapons that deal 1 damage)
+1 Engineering (monitoring ship's vital signs, controlling onboard systems i.e. life support, shipboard communications, rerouting power from one system to another, fuel reserves, and faster than light travel via an Interstellar Drive)
-1 Drive (all basic Drives start at -1 and can be upgraded at a later time)
0 Rep (starts at 0; represents how well known you are and what you're known for)
Interstellar Drive
Simple, sub-space drive
Secondary Systems
• Medbay
• Ram scoop
• Flak mines (proximity mines used for setting traps or behind a fleeing ship to provide cover and avoid pursuit)
Part B
Recuperation, Running, and Renegotiating
Willem and Vex spent a day recuperating in the Nothung whilst staying by the derelict ship. The Sage couldn't stand being cooped up in the medbay but did so to keep Vex company.
The next day, they finally took off. Vex steered them through the asteroid belt toward Vandern IV, but along the way, they were hailed by a mysterious ship and a strange woman with light, purple skin named Maria Valez. Coincidentally, she resembled one of the women in the strange video Willem and Vex found with the file they downloaded. She told them she was boarding their ship, but Vex stubbornly refused. She threatened them with a warning shot and said they couldn't outrun her, but Vex was determined to prove her otherwise. When she asked them what they were doing on the derelict ship, Vex told her they had something she might want - for a price. Vex told Willem to upload the video they found. Upon seeing it, the woman looked shocked and fired several more warning shots, unwilling to negotiate. Vex knew that was their cue to run, and he took off as fast as he could, weaving and dodging through the asteroid field with relative ease.
It took Willem and Vex another day to reach Vandern IV, and in the meantime, they discussed what had happened and how their predicament could be much bigger than they anticipated. Vex asked Willem to make a copy of the encrypted data file and decrypt so that they could learn what information they were dealing with. Willem had to be careful not to leave a trace, but he successfully duplicated the file and opened it. Quite a bit of information about Varenia Drake was revealed.
A group of exiles and criminals called the Black Mandible took refuge in the asteroid belt and had fallen to piracy. The data confirmed that Varenia was a Black Mandible pirate in the past, when they were squatting in the derelict ship, and that she had some sort of relationship with Maria Velez. Varenia had plans to infiltrate the Taxila Mining Co., either to work as an insider or to go legit.
Following the revelation, Willem and Vex weighed their options carefully. They initially thought about selling the information to Varenia, the Black Mandible pirates, and the Taxila Mining Co. to get paid three times. Ultimately, they didn't want to sully their reputation but figured they could squeeze more money out of Varenia plus a favor, redeemable at any time of their choosing, no questions asked. Willem also went ahead and deleted the copy to ensure their reputation stays intact.
After they arrived on Vandern IV and went to see Varenia Drake, Willem took the lead on the negotiation, while Vex stared at her with a cold fury. It was a classic good cop, bad cop routine. Once they spilled the beans about knowing what was on the file, Varenia reached for something, and Vex pulled his laser pistol on her. She was simply turning off all security cameras and recording devices, ready to renegotiate.
In the end, Willem and Vex managed to broker an additional 22,000 guilders from her along with that favor, but in return, they had to fly back to the derelict ship and destroy the computer console whilst providing evidence in the form of a video recording. Willem and Vex agreed but also requested additional equipment to borrow such as a tactical pack for Willem and an assault rifle for Vex.
End of Session 01
Will Willem and Vex make it back to the derelict ship in one piece?
Will they encounter Maria Valez and the Black Mandible pirates again?
Will Vex's phobias of zero G and the Durak get the best of him?
Will Willem come up with a genius scheme to destroy the console without risking their lives?
We'll play to find out later today, when +Adrian Thoen runs Session 02. We may even have three more players, making it a full crew!
Image Credits: 1) Willem by +Adrian Thoen; 2) Vex by Misha Polonsky (myself); 3) The Vandern Derelict by +Adrian Thoen
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