Convergence, Session 7

General Summary

Following the Tracks

For a while, the Convergence Player Characters discuss which of the tracks to follow. They agree to track down the source of the orcs and goblins first. While following the tracks, Atreyu spots something glimmering off to the side. Iolo heads straight for it, but is caught in a snare. With that, some goblins leap out of nearby hiding spaces, on the attack. The group quickly and easily eliminate the attacking goblins, before they can even really act. Atreyu intimidates the last two surviving goblins - one flees and one surrenders.
The group investigate the trap's bait. It's a small pile of three items - an axe, an umbrella and a book. Trace takes the Umbra Staff, Dvorak-46 takes the Extreme Teen Bible and Atreyu takes Railsplitter.
Iolo captures the surrendering goblin, ties it up and carries it on his back. Cyprian Kernow resurrects a goblin corpse as a temporary companion and communicates with the spirit of another. He asks who they are working for - they claim that they act on behalf of their community or home.

At the Cave of the Orcs and Goblins

After following the tracks a while longer, the group arrive near a cave entrance that seems to be the source of the orcs and goblins. Two orcs guard the opening. The group discuss plans for a while. Dvorak hooks their camera up to their servo-skull and stealthily uses it to scout a small area just inside the cave. They see signs of (abandoned?) mine shafts and a living area / barracks.
While the group discuss further, Cyprian sends his undead goblin to sound a warning to the cave - this causes chaos and confusion. One of the guard orcs runs inside to clear other residents. The group mostly find hiding places of varying quality, expecting a horde of orcs and goblins to come charging out shortly. Roughly ten-twenty flee the cave. Atreyu taunts them, to act as a decoy while the group clear the cave. Ten-fifteen orcs and goblins chase Atreyu as he leads them away atop Artax.
Five orcs and goblins remain outside the cave, with an unknown number still inside. Iolo happens to be carrying the components to make a deadly gas bomb (via spending one XP), so he builds one. Dvorak convinces Cyprian to have his undead goblin carry the bomb into the cave - he does so. As the bomb goes off, the group hear orcs and goblins inside dying from the poisonous fumes. Some of those remaining outside run in and are also poisoned, the others flee the scene.
Using their rebreather mask to protect themself, Dvorak explores the cave in the aftermath of the bomb. They find about ten bodies of orcs and goblins. The living area implies that about fifty lived here, at most. There is a kitchen, with evidence that the residents were eating human parts, as well as a mushroom farm. At the back of the cave is a set of cells, containing the bodies of roughly twenty human prisoners of various ages, who were also killed by the gas bomb. Their clothing implies that they were from low tech-level, possibly fantasy, villages. Dvorak finds three Cyphers (two Manifest, one Fantastic) among the loot.
Cyprian resurrects a poisoned orc corpse as another companion. He also summons the spirit of a one-armed old man who had been kept in a separate cell from the other human prisoners. The spirit reveals that the humans in the cells were captured by raiding orcs and goblins - they lived in nearby villages. He asks that the other humans be rescued (not know that they are also dead).
Atreyu returns from leading the orcs and goblins on a chase, having lost them. The group agree that they have effectively eliminated the threat to Perpetual Bernville from the orcs and goblins, so they resume their expedition.

Resuming the Expedition

While following the tracks of the black-stone-people, Atreyu spots a strange track off to the side. Humanoid footprints seem to transform into tire tracks. Following this strange trail leads to a red sports car, in good condition, alone in the woods. Cyprian has his orc try to enter the car, but it reacts of its own accord and drives a little further away. The group wonder about what to do with it - some are worried it's AI-driven.

Rewards Granted

• 1 GM Intrusion XP for Iolo (I'm not sure who got the other, if anyone)
• 4 post-session XP for all

Missions/Quests Completed

• Dealing with the orc and goblin threat to Perpetual Bernville

Notes

Tired

I've had a problem with tiredness and low energy for the last few sessions in particular - I feel like it's really affecting concentration and essentially all the other aspects of the "job" of GMing. Playing these games is entertainment / a hobby, etc., but they also require work. When my capacity is diminished, the experience of the game suffers. I am less consistent with putting effort into the storytelling and creativity, I miss player input that I would otherwise react to, I get sidetracked or confused more easily, etc.

Tangents

I feel like we went off on more tangents and unrelated jokes / discussions than normal. These can be fun - they're often the result of people just freely talking about stuff they find entertaining, but they can distract from the game. I suppose it's about balance, like most other elements of the game. Whatever leads to the greatest enjoyment for the most players is the right outcome. They can be fine, sometimes.

Related Adventure

Campaign: Convergence, Chapter: On The Way To The Broken Door

Report Date

27 Apr 2021

Primary Location

Convergent Woods