WttSS session 20: 'Into the Desert'
General Summary
OK, so we didn't actually make it into the desert...
Kerman and Khalil join the city's celebration of the day of The Founding
...Into the party city instead maybe. Not wanting to reveal everything to Murad's contact Dana right away, before she comes over, Kerman takes Khalil - and his Portal Builder orb - out into Juldizin Demalisi to enjoy the festival celebrations. Though the day might seem more meaningful to the Zenithians, the Colonial Agency and Legion folk hide away to lick their wounds and plan their next moves, leaving the local First-come to make the most of the planet's long evening and longer night. The Founding is still widely celebrated by the First-come but with Khamzi's reawakening, and the repealing of the strange laws issued in her name, the festival takes on new meaning. Perhaps now there returns hope the colony can pursue it's original dream: freedom from Faction influence. Determined to make the most of it therefore, the city's inhabitants settle in for a really good night; and are joined by Kerman and Khalil. Kerman responsibly mixes a desire to have some fun with the presence of mind to keep an eye on Khalil, who eagerly joins in the Gambler's celebrations by accepting a random cigarette to smoke of four different ones presented. He probably would have been fine but for the Dark having sense of humour enough to make sure it's the kambra that's chosen. Maybe even that wouldn't have been so bad but over the long evening Khalil's tastes turn through arrash on into dream wine and Khalil is overwhelmed by the joy of life and discovery of the magic of the Portal Builders. Fortunately Kerman is on hand to counter the worst of the Dark's humour and Khalil's attempts at flight are steered safely into stage diving, whilst his revelations of the power of the Portal Builders are steered neatly away from artifacts he owns by the sudden need to move onto the next party. As the evening turns from dance and song into storytelling, Khalil safely engages in scientific discourse on dangerous science - safe, as despite a clear enthusiasm for the subject, not a single person in the crowd understands a word of his treatise. Kerman himself makes sure to enjoy as much dancing, storytelling and poetry as he can whilst still keeping an eye on Khalil. It's an extra challenge but Keman has long been a father and remains unfazed; and he also manages to get a second use of the time in general conversation with the locals. When asked for his side of the Valley of Madness story he reveals that the crew of the Caliban Crow were nowhere near the event and the crowd infers that in fact it must have been the Legion and Colonial Agency that relased the Darkness that consumed them. He also hears the locals mention the presence of Seekers on the planet, to whom they go for spiritual guidance. When the two are finally called home it isn't yet that long into the night. Kerman remains no worse for wear and though Khalil will suffer in the morning, it could have been much worse. Before he can sleep he is subject to an interrogation from Dana in his science but respectfully acknowledges her friendship with Murad by not trying to break into the party's knowledge where it's locked safely away. GM note: Khalil will suffer a 3-day hangover, reducing from 3 stress by 1 point at the end of each day. Further side note: we're assuming that Murad and Kerman will share knowledge about the Seekers enough for the party to be able to track one down if they want; Kerman has knowledge that Seekers are somewhere nearby and the Watcher villagers gave Murad the location of the mountain home of someone they refer to as a khawaja.Dana gets to know the crew of the Caliban Crow
Released from prison, Dana gathers herself and then answers an invitation to come to the Caliban Crow. On hearing Murad's tales of the crew's exploits she is impressed. However, this does not assuage her fears of both herself and the party being pawns in someone else's game: surely it is too much of a coincidence that both she and Murad find themselves on a mission to the same part of border space at the same time, and that both received their jobs through their patrons from an unknown employer. Dana and the crew exchange information. She speaks of being hired to find a Portal Builder location and of having spent time trying to find out who is the real power on Ghodar. She has yet to discover their identity but is confident it will be the same person leaving monuments and dedications in the form of the desert rose flower across the city. Showing a map of their locations, she reveals that the person has created a fractal-like image of a desert rose out of the desert rose installation locations. Though not having any spiritual significance - good or ill - it shows a mind that believes itself to have some control or influence over the city. The party does not reveal they know whose symbol the desert rose is but does share their awareness of the heavy, and partially hidden, presence of the Legion on the planet. Though they know it is connected themselves, Dana is left without that final connection - as yet - that Murad knows would lead her to try and sneak into the secret Legion facility on the other side of the planet. The party is also happy to give details of some of their local adventures but are sure to leave out key facts: that they dropped the Abouelkassem energy fields in the Nekatra Mountains and everything about their visit to Yesheriti Diri and the Abouelkassem facility therein. So far, Dana remains the colleague that Murad remembers - an ally. As is her wont however, she does make a virtual trip around the computers systems and databanks. Zarzur keeps all the private doors locked though, and, at least for now, Dana respects their privacy. Partially this may be because she wishes to work with them. She would like to leave the Portal Builder seeker compass in Murad's hands and have him complete her mission whilst she investigates who is really behind their contracts. She plans to stay with the party long enough to make outsiders believe she has joined the crew of the Caliban Crow and then sneak away to look for answers. As her first contribution to the crew, she helps Zarzur break into the spyware the party found last session - Zarzur 5 successes. Spying back down the digital channel, Zarzur formally links up the spyware command unit to the one used to operate the drones that came for the Caliban Crow over the Watcher village those many days before. She also establishes the spy's operation: they will reveal their location for short bursts of a few minutes to check in on the party and then shut down, changing their location for the next look-see. The spy seems to have the full run of the city, from tech station to cantinas to the palace itself. This spy is also clearly the one providing images of the party to both the city holo-vids and the Bulletin reporter Samala Hafi-Joahn. They are even recording Kerman and Khalil's exploits right now through their drones. Such vids have become popular with the city, that now runs a montage of the party's previous successes:- Masruq: stands above the adoring locals in The Cantina, ordering his crew in battle and wins the crowd with story and verse
- Zarzur: brings down the pirate Gamila with a deft leg sweep
- Khalil: "The Chef" - a deft hand with a plate of minced mushrooms in tomato sauce, shorts the pirate Sultan's power gloves
- Murad: the giants Murad and Sultan fight, head and shoulders above all others, but Murad shows the essence of The Dancer herself, avoiding blows and dancing among the lightning of Sultan's power gloves - also turning Gamila's sandstorm grenade back on herself with Khalil's sauce pot
- Kerman Strong-Shoulder, Walker with Demons: in The Cantina downs the captain of Dance of the Red Veils in single punch and at The Oasis saves the servant boy from a collapsing wall.
