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driftfleet_ooc2015-09-13 10:53 pm
spaceshipit) wrote in driftfleet_ooc2015-09-13 10:53 pm
Entry tags:
Mid-September Star System
The Drift Fleet left that little fleet of racer-ships behind a long time ago... But you won't be alone for long! This new Star System will be a little more involved than the last, but is also built to leave plenty of room for players and characters to work on personal projects, meet new people, or just catch up after the last month or so.
Since we got this out late, this September event will actually run into part of October. The Drift Fleet's first birthday is on October 5th (yay, us!) so we will also be giving you guys some details about the setting we have planned to follow this event, starting later that month! Since it will be a very focused event, we want to give everyone plenty of time to start planning for it now.
In the meantime, let us see what awaits our passengers on...
The Drift Fleet Season Finale: Part I
The Fleet is still traveling through dark and quiet space, far from the busy "highway" traffic they once saw around the casino stations and tourist-trap planets. This month, the passengers will get to stop at a dusty little outpost, and start putting their Iskaulit-related project plans into action. This would be an easy task and a routine stop, if it weren't for a jarring attack and plague of little problems that are going to hit them before they even get there. Atroma promises that the hiccups are temporary and harmless, but they say that every time, don't they?
It has been many months since this "cycle" of the Drift Fleet began, but the program's passengers still have next to no answers about the nature of the show or their mysterious captors. Many have already said that something must be out there, beyond the feeble range that Atroma allows them to reach, behind the lights and elaborate puppet show. The next few months will bring them their first real tastes of the truth...
And the audience is riveted.
NEW KID ON THE FLEET.
► Iskaulit projects
With permission granted by the Nunnilis, the Fleet now has a big empty ship with plenty of space at its disposal--and dozens of restless and creative passengers ready to fill it up. The audience eagerly awaits to see what the Fleet will do with this ship, and how they will all manage with their tangled collection of opinions and values.
Currently, it seems like there is nothing preventing any passenger from starting to build on the Iskaulit, and there seems to be more than enough room. Resources are a little tricky, as there are only the Iskaulit remains and whatever happens to be on your ships to build with--but the empty complex has plenty of electricity, water, and other utilities to get you started. Even passengers who have no interest in starting something new may find plenty of opportunities to work in the new establishments, or simply work to repair and tune the ship itself. For the foreseeable future, the Iskaulit will be a permanent feature of the Drift Fleet, for your characters to utilize, ignore, or shun as they see fit.
The official page for the Iskaulit, including all of its information and instructions on how to let us know that your character is definitively building something on it, will go up as soon as we can manage. We will make another announcement once this page is up and running, but players are welcome to continue playing with the IC preliminary stuff for these projects in the meantime.
ANOTHER ATTACK!
► The antagonistic fleet returns
For several days, the Fleet travels uneventfully through this vacant region of space. Scanners pick up numerous distortion fields and radiation clouds in the area, but they seem largely avoidable as long as you're paying attention to where you're going. The problems don't start until another fleet of mean-looking ships suddenly appears from between two of those clouds, and comes barreling in with weapons live!
Newer passengers will notice that these ships are of about the same caliber and size as those within the Drift Fleet, and there are just about as many in number. Seasoned passengers, however, will also recognize this enemy fleet as the very same one that has shadowed the Drift Fleet on several occasions, and has even attacked once before. They did a lot of damage to your ships last time, but many passengers have learned valuable lessons since then--so this fight will be more of an even match.
Passengers will have to deal with some light damage to their ships during the skirmish, but can also fire back and cause a little damage of their own, this time. The fleet can knock their enemies around a bit before they are finally outgunned--but when that does happen, they will find themselves in a tough spot. There were nearby way stations to flee to during the last attack, but there is no such luck out here. The only feature that could possibly offer any sort of cover is the nearest nebula--and this, strangely, is exactly what the enemy ships are eager to usher you into. It soon becomes clear that the enemy ships' goal is not to destroy, but to trick and herd everyone into a curtain of disruption.
Once a ship touches the field, passengers are suddenly engulfed in a swirling mess of energy; things spark and pop a little in the bridge, and the surge overloads every system into a sudden shutdown. The enemy ships are quick to gang up on and push any rogue evaders into the cloud, and then tractor-beam those stuck on auto-pilot into the field by hand. Once everyone is a sitting duck, the ships... leave, as quickly and as without warning as when they showed up. It seems like dipping into the nebula doesn't bother them at all.
And for a few tense minutes, the Fleet sits there, their computers unresponsive, and their ships drifting.
The event post is located--> HERE.
This post is a lot like the last one, put up mostly to serve as a good opportunity to build CR with your crew! Play through being attacked, running around, trying to fight back, following orders (or not), or getting shoved into the distortion field. As long as no one (on either side!) gets too seriously hurt or damaged in the attack, you guys can play it however you want. All ships ultimately come into contact with the nebula, but participation in the post is entirely optional--so no pressure, tag at your own speed, or completely ignore it if this isn't your thing.
► After the attack
Just when you start wondering how long the emergency power on your ships will last--the computers suddenly start booting up again. The systems seem fine, at least in the beginning. You can at least put your ships back on course to head out of the cloud again, and no one is too damaged to fly.
A few ships will need some repairs from the attack, but nothing major. The real problems don't come until the effects that contact with the nebula itself begin to come to light, as both the ships and passenger augments start to act strangely. Throughout September (and some of October), the entire fleet will be experiencing sporadic glitches of varying intensity, both with their augments and the ships themselves. Even Atroma will seem to have trouble getting through to the Fleet.
You can pick and play with this however you want. Not all passengers need to experience glitches themselves (EDIT: either just because that seems to be the way it works in their case, or because they happened to be on the Iskaulit during the attack), if you'd rather focus on other things this month. And all ships will have at least a couple of problems, but you can each decide how much of it you're actually going to play with or imply. You can talk among your crew to decide if there is anything specific you'd like to play through, or you can just choose some isolated incidents to experience individually. Most of these glitches can last anywhere from several minutes to several weeks, and can either be lingering or come and go at random, so play them out however would be the most fun for you!
At this point, a few things can be safely assumed. This little enemy fleet has been appearing along the Marsiva's path for months, meaning they've either been following it, or have a way to track where it goes. They've stayed carefully out of the Marsiva's range when not attacking or hiding in patches of interference. They must know something about the fleet that they're following... With this latest attack, purposefully driving the fleet into a nebula that causes lingering effects on both the ships and their passengers, but fleeing rather than doing more damage... You were all sitting ducks; if they wanted to take you out, they probably could have. They must have been following some other agenda, and they knew exactly what they were doing.
With this development, we're introducing the What We Know So Far page. This page will be there to help players that are interested in the world plot keep track of what's going on, or catch up on what has been established so far. Anything on this page can be easily found and learned by characters new to the setting, if they're interested enough to do a little digging. There isn't much there right now, but we will be updating as we can, and will give periodic updates whenever new information is added. And as always-- following all this world plot stuff is entirely optional.
THE STAR SYSTEM.
► Occasional way-stations
Finally, the Fleet comes in range of a way-station or two... But there is not much interesting about them, aside from them being intact and that the automated vending machines are stocked and functioning as usual. They are your standard disk shaped affair, so they're a good place to stop if you want somewhere safe and predictable to meet up with someone. It's also a great place to pick up fuel or standard supplies, or to park and try to fix your dinged-up and malfunctioning ships.
► A dusty moon
The only other sign of civilization in this part of space is not very big (and maybe not all that civilized, to be honest). But, like a trading post out in the middle of the wilderness, the moon known only as "Waypoint EA009" stands as a vital, albeit rustic, point of settlement.
This moon has the only signs of life on an otherwise long and lonely trek between two distant points of travel. This stretch is not traversed often, but those who are making the trip will tend to stop in at Waypoint. The towns are small and the few humanoid natives have been there for generations upon generations. Everyone else is just passing through, mostly there for a quick drink and a place to refuel before they fly on to greener pastures.
Literally. The moon itself is dusty and brown, alternating between flat desert and patches of dry prairie. The plants are tough, the animals are fast, and the average temperature is just a little too warm for the average person's comfort. Passengers can visit several different towns here, but they end up about the same--quaint settlements cobbled together out of scrap metal and lumber. In fact, they could easily be the setting of one of those "Earth westerns" you may or may not have heard about.
Many of the people here are a simple folk who don't want any trouble. They are polite to visitors, but may also look the other way in regards to more underhanded behavior. There are plenty of shady characters around too, between gruff, desert-dwelling natives and illegal-goods-hauling travelers. The police here attempt to manage violence and can often be seen breaking up bar fights, but they're too short-staffed to keep tabs on trade, smuggling, or even petty theft. If you do get in trouble with the local law enforcement, they are well-armed... But only about as strong as any other humanoid that hauls away drunken brawlers for a living.
Passengers will find plenty of scrap to buy, if they need it for their ships or other projects, but they would be hard-pressed to find many comfort goods. The things produced on this moon tend to be simple, quaint, and functional. Cloth wares are tough, but stiff or scratchy. There's a rather charming terra-cotta pottery shop; each of their wares have a little chicken(?) painted on it. The available weapons are few, as those tend to be hoarded rather than sold to outsiders. Books, cosmetics, and other such novelties are both extremely rare and not actually for sale. Though, every once in a while, items from the Blue Planet can be found for sale in shops and around the moon--having been traded for by the natives.
There is one town on the moon almost large enough to be considered a proper city. Here, passengers can find a few establishments that are better off than most--as they are where the rich of the city go to mingle. These places are a little more technologically and socially advanced compared to the rest of the moon... but they're still pretty tacky and outdated compared to most other places in the universe.
In general, it's very easy to stand out and impress people. Folks tend to keep their heads down around here, try not to make a scene, and the more colorful visitors usually pass through quickly. A word of warning--it might be tempting to dazzle the locals or show off around gruff travelers, but standing out also makes you a big target. And, because of this fact, you never know who around you might be making an effort to quietly blend in on purpose for that very same reason. Watch your step.
► What is there to do?
This moon isn't exactly the height of hustle and bustle, but here are some points of interest to keep characters entertained between whatever strangeness their augment and ship glitches put them through. As always, these are just suggestions--you're welcome to run with your own scenarios, or explore other details of the world not listed here.
SALOONS. These are the high point of any town you visit. Walk through the low swinging doors and into a room filled with rustic music, people gambling in card games with cryptic rules, and a well-stocked bar. Here's where you will find work entertaining or serving, locate contacts for other shadier jobs, or get into a fight for looking at someone the wrong way.
LODGING. Above every saloon are a couple of floors with rooms for rent. The cheaper ones are furnished with little more than a hard cot and basic plumbing, as they don't expect anyone to stay there long. If you can afford to splurge a little, you can pay for a room that has a proper bed, a vanity, a small bathtub all to yourself, a trunk for storing your things, and heavy locks on the inside of your door.
COMPANIONS. There are no proper brothels here, but there are several dressy "workers" (both men and women) who hang around the saloons and bat their eyelashes at people who seem interested. They are treated surprisingly well by the saloon staff, who will not tolerate customers being rude towards or mistreating their biggest source of income.
THE GOOD. The police here are well-armed, but always understaffed. They're looking for help keeping their little towns safe, and may even be able to pay you something for it. Help them break up fights, take down illegal operations, bust smugglers, arrest thieves, or track down the scary-looking guys on their wanted posters. They are also sorely in need of doctors, caretakers, and other volunteers willing to help the sick and impoverished part of their population.
THE BAD. Between the "gangs" that ghost around the towns, and the shady travelers just making a pit-stop, there's a lot of opportunity for trouble. Passengers who look young, rich, or clueless are going to attract the most attention, but anyone runs the risk of being pick-pocketed, swindled, or stolen from. And there are a couple of wandering crews who aren't above kidnapping a smaller character on their way out--so watch your back!
THE UGLY. It may not be the moral thing to do, but smuggling, thievery, and beating people up in back alleys is the only way to make some substantial credits around here. The local gangs are always looking for hired muscle, and anyone with a little wit or charm can weasel in on the many less-savory operations being discussed around saloon tables and behind the town's general store.
EXPLORING. If people or towns aren't really your thing, the dusty fields between settlements are open to be explored! The natives keep "horses" (though they look like they may be part zebra, stripes and all) that you can rent and ride out into the desert. Some of the shrubby plants and cactus can be gathered as food or medicine, and you'll get a wonderful view of the stars at night. Most of the animals you'll see out there are small, fast, and rodent-like; you may see a vulpine scavenger or circling birds from a distance, but they stay far away from humans whenever they can help it.
STAYING HOME.
You won't find anything here to fix the problems that the ship computers are having, but any engineer can get loose parts and lingering scratches fixed up in a jiffy with the scrap from this planet. And anyone looking to build on the Iskaulit could start bringing materials up to the ship to build their storefront, work-space, or whatever else they're interested in.
And, some information about the upcoming October event
Without giving too much away right now, we will be celebrating the Drift Fleet's first birthday with a month-long event we are calling "Calibration"--wherein Atroma will step in to fix a few of the persistent problems they've been experiencing on-and-off all year.
Part of the calibration process will manifest in passengers being able to glimpse and interact with elements of each others' minds, as 'rooms' filled with things that represent their minds/personalities. Players will have a lot of freedom about what they want to show, as well as how the parts of the room act, change, lead to other things, or remain static. Other characters will get the chance to look through their fellow passengers' memories, hopes, dreams, fears, opinions, brain clutter, soul baggage, or whatever else you decide to show them!
We want to give players plenty of time to decide if they would like to run a calibration room for other characters to come see, and to start thinking up what it might look/act like for a wandering brain-tourist. And characters will be free to visit other calibrations, even if they have a room set up themselves.
Also, we are planning other fun things as well, for people and characters who aren't so interested in the calibrations. So, if that's not your jam, we'll have other things for you to do.
That's all we're going to say about it for now, to avoid making this post any longer than it already is, but we will be following up a little later with a post containing more information and details about the Calibration event!
So, to sum up...
As always, feel free to ask any questions you may have about the attack, glitches, moon setting, and so on under the "Questions" comment! Players are also welcome to use this post to plot with each other for the attack, figure out any crew-wide or individual glitching, see who wants to hang out on the dust moon, or to work through/gather interest for any projects or ideas your characters have had lately.
For any questions, comments, or plotting pertaining to the upcoming Calibration event, please hang onto them--a much more detailed explanation will go up in about a week with more information, which is where you can ask whatever questions that still have not been answered. There will be plenty of time to figure it out over there! :)
Since we got this out late, this September event will actually run into part of October. The Drift Fleet's first birthday is on October 5th (yay, us!) so we will also be giving you guys some details about the setting we have planned to follow this event, starting later that month! Since it will be a very focused event, we want to give everyone plenty of time to start planning for it now.
In the meantime, let us see what awaits our passengers on...
The Fleet is still traveling through dark and quiet space, far from the busy "highway" traffic they once saw around the casino stations and tourist-trap planets. This month, the passengers will get to stop at a dusty little outpost, and start putting their Iskaulit-related project plans into action. This would be an easy task and a routine stop, if it weren't for a jarring attack and plague of little problems that are going to hit them before they even get there. Atroma promises that the hiccups are temporary and harmless, but they say that every time, don't they?
It has been many months since this "cycle" of the Drift Fleet began, but the program's passengers still have next to no answers about the nature of the show or their mysterious captors. Many have already said that something must be out there, beyond the feeble range that Atroma allows them to reach, behind the lights and elaborate puppet show. The next few months will bring them their first real tastes of the truth...
And the audience is riveted.
NEW KID ON THE FLEET.
► Iskaulit projects
With permission granted by the Nunnilis, the Fleet now has a big empty ship with plenty of space at its disposal--and dozens of restless and creative passengers ready to fill it up. The audience eagerly awaits to see what the Fleet will do with this ship, and how they will all manage with their tangled collection of opinions and values.
Currently, it seems like there is nothing preventing any passenger from starting to build on the Iskaulit, and there seems to be more than enough room. Resources are a little tricky, as there are only the Iskaulit remains and whatever happens to be on your ships to build with--but the empty complex has plenty of electricity, water, and other utilities to get you started. Even passengers who have no interest in starting something new may find plenty of opportunities to work in the new establishments, or simply work to repair and tune the ship itself. For the foreseeable future, the Iskaulit will be a permanent feature of the Drift Fleet, for your characters to utilize, ignore, or shun as they see fit.
The official page for the Iskaulit, including all of its information and instructions on how to let us know that your character is definitively building something on it, will go up as soon as we can manage. We will make another announcement once this page is up and running, but players are welcome to continue playing with the IC preliminary stuff for these projects in the meantime.
ANOTHER ATTACK!
► The antagonistic fleet returns
For several days, the Fleet travels uneventfully through this vacant region of space. Scanners pick up numerous distortion fields and radiation clouds in the area, but they seem largely avoidable as long as you're paying attention to where you're going. The problems don't start until another fleet of mean-looking ships suddenly appears from between two of those clouds, and comes barreling in with weapons live!
Newer passengers will notice that these ships are of about the same caliber and size as those within the Drift Fleet, and there are just about as many in number. Seasoned passengers, however, will also recognize this enemy fleet as the very same one that has shadowed the Drift Fleet on several occasions, and has even attacked once before. They did a lot of damage to your ships last time, but many passengers have learned valuable lessons since then--so this fight will be more of an even match.
Passengers will have to deal with some light damage to their ships during the skirmish, but can also fire back and cause a little damage of their own, this time. The fleet can knock their enemies around a bit before they are finally outgunned--but when that does happen, they will find themselves in a tough spot. There were nearby way stations to flee to during the last attack, but there is no such luck out here. The only feature that could possibly offer any sort of cover is the nearest nebula--and this, strangely, is exactly what the enemy ships are eager to usher you into. It soon becomes clear that the enemy ships' goal is not to destroy, but to trick and herd everyone into a curtain of disruption.
Once a ship touches the field, passengers are suddenly engulfed in a swirling mess of energy; things spark and pop a little in the bridge, and the surge overloads every system into a sudden shutdown. The enemy ships are quick to gang up on and push any rogue evaders into the cloud, and then tractor-beam those stuck on auto-pilot into the field by hand. Once everyone is a sitting duck, the ships... leave, as quickly and as without warning as when they showed up. It seems like dipping into the nebula doesn't bother them at all.
And for a few tense minutes, the Fleet sits there, their computers unresponsive, and their ships drifting.
The event post is located--> HERE.
This post is a lot like the last one, put up mostly to serve as a good opportunity to build CR with your crew! Play through being attacked, running around, trying to fight back, following orders (or not), or getting shoved into the distortion field. As long as no one (on either side!) gets too seriously hurt or damaged in the attack, you guys can play it however you want. All ships ultimately come into contact with the nebula, but participation in the post is entirely optional--so no pressure, tag at your own speed, or completely ignore it if this isn't your thing.
► After the attack
Just when you start wondering how long the emergency power on your ships will last--the computers suddenly start booting up again. The systems seem fine, at least in the beginning. You can at least put your ships back on course to head out of the cloud again, and no one is too damaged to fly.
A few ships will need some repairs from the attack, but nothing major. The real problems don't come until the effects that contact with the nebula itself begin to come to light, as both the ships and passenger augments start to act strangely. Throughout September (and some of October), the entire fleet will be experiencing sporadic glitches of varying intensity, both with their augments and the ships themselves. Even Atroma will seem to have trouble getting through to the Fleet.
You can pick and play with this however you want. Not all passengers need to experience glitches themselves (EDIT: either just because that seems to be the way it works in their case, or because they happened to be on the Iskaulit during the attack), if you'd rather focus on other things this month. And all ships will have at least a couple of problems, but you can each decide how much of it you're actually going to play with or imply. You can talk among your crew to decide if there is anything specific you'd like to play through, or you can just choose some isolated incidents to experience individually. Most of these glitches can last anywhere from several minutes to several weeks, and can either be lingering or come and go at random, so play them out however would be the most fun for you!
SHIP GLITCH OPTIONS:► So, what does this mean?Electrical problems, such as lights turning on/off, doors opening/closing or locking randomly, power surging or shutting off in sections of the ship, and so on. Computer errors, such as digital displays being unreadable or flat-out incorrect, warning alarms when there is no actual danger, appliances and machines randomly turning on or off, dispensers not giving the correct supply or amount, fluctuations in room temperature, and so on. Weapons jamming or locking for no reason. Problems with the gravity generator, ranging from less gravity to no gravity. Disobedient navigation systems, or ridiculous autopilot courses. Network glitches and delays between messages. Incorrect readings from scanning arrays, radar, and all other diagnostic displays. And more!
SHIP GLITCH NOTES: While you are welcome to make this as silly or as scary as you like, we would like to avoid actually endangering ships or crews. So, no messing with oxygen levels, completely stalling the ship's engine, misfiring weapons, that kind of thing. The warning alarms can still all announce that an airlock is about to open and vent everyone into space, but it doesn't actually end up happening.
AUGMENT GLITCH OPTIONS:Subtle changes in the passenger's mood, such as increased optimism, happiness, calm, rage, sadness, paranoia, competitiveness, etc. Dramatic energy fluctuations between periods of hyperactivity (characters also seem to generate an unusual amount of static electricity), followed by sudden lethargy or overpowering sleepiness. Sleep disturbances like insomnia, hypersomnia, unusually deep sleepwalking, vivid nightmares, lucid dreaming, etc. Mild-to-miserable headaches, or mild neck pain around the base of the skull. And so on!
AUGMENT GLITCH NOTES: Again, you can make this as silly or serious as you want--but please steer clear of writing glitches involving hallucinations, changes to core personality, physical alterations, or anything that would get anyone seriously hurt.
At this point, a few things can be safely assumed. This little enemy fleet has been appearing along the Marsiva's path for months, meaning they've either been following it, or have a way to track where it goes. They've stayed carefully out of the Marsiva's range when not attacking or hiding in patches of interference. They must know something about the fleet that they're following... With this latest attack, purposefully driving the fleet into a nebula that causes lingering effects on both the ships and their passengers, but fleeing rather than doing more damage... You were all sitting ducks; if they wanted to take you out, they probably could have. They must have been following some other agenda, and they knew exactly what they were doing.
With this development, we're introducing the What We Know So Far page. This page will be there to help players that are interested in the world plot keep track of what's going on, or catch up on what has been established so far. Anything on this page can be easily found and learned by characters new to the setting, if they're interested enough to do a little digging. There isn't much there right now, but we will be updating as we can, and will give periodic updates whenever new information is added. And as always-- following all this world plot stuff is entirely optional.
THE STAR SYSTEM.
► Occasional way-stations
Finally, the Fleet comes in range of a way-station or two... But there is not much interesting about them, aside from them being intact and that the automated vending machines are stocked and functioning as usual. They are your standard disk shaped affair, so they're a good place to stop if you want somewhere safe and predictable to meet up with someone. It's also a great place to pick up fuel or standard supplies, or to park and try to fix your dinged-up and malfunctioning ships.
► A dusty moon
The only other sign of civilization in this part of space is not very big (and maybe not all that civilized, to be honest). But, like a trading post out in the middle of the wilderness, the moon known only as "Waypoint EA009" stands as a vital, albeit rustic, point of settlement.
This moon has the only signs of life on an otherwise long and lonely trek between two distant points of travel. This stretch is not traversed often, but those who are making the trip will tend to stop in at Waypoint. The towns are small and the few humanoid natives have been there for generations upon generations. Everyone else is just passing through, mostly there for a quick drink and a place to refuel before they fly on to greener pastures.
Literally. The moon itself is dusty and brown, alternating between flat desert and patches of dry prairie. The plants are tough, the animals are fast, and the average temperature is just a little too warm for the average person's comfort. Passengers can visit several different towns here, but they end up about the same--quaint settlements cobbled together out of scrap metal and lumber. In fact, they could easily be the setting of one of those "Earth westerns" you may or may not have heard about.
Many of the people here are a simple folk who don't want any trouble. They are polite to visitors, but may also look the other way in regards to more underhanded behavior. There are plenty of shady characters around too, between gruff, desert-dwelling natives and illegal-goods-hauling travelers. The police here attempt to manage violence and can often be seen breaking up bar fights, but they're too short-staffed to keep tabs on trade, smuggling, or even petty theft. If you do get in trouble with the local law enforcement, they are well-armed... But only about as strong as any other humanoid that hauls away drunken brawlers for a living.
Passengers will find plenty of scrap to buy, if they need it for their ships or other projects, but they would be hard-pressed to find many comfort goods. The things produced on this moon tend to be simple, quaint, and functional. Cloth wares are tough, but stiff or scratchy. There's a rather charming terra-cotta pottery shop; each of their wares have a little chicken(?) painted on it. The available weapons are few, as those tend to be hoarded rather than sold to outsiders. Books, cosmetics, and other such novelties are both extremely rare and not actually for sale. Though, every once in a while, items from the Blue Planet can be found for sale in shops and around the moon--having been traded for by the natives.
There is one town on the moon almost large enough to be considered a proper city. Here, passengers can find a few establishments that are better off than most--as they are where the rich of the city go to mingle. These places are a little more technologically and socially advanced compared to the rest of the moon... but they're still pretty tacky and outdated compared to most other places in the universe.
In general, it's very easy to stand out and impress people. Folks tend to keep their heads down around here, try not to make a scene, and the more colorful visitors usually pass through quickly. A word of warning--it might be tempting to dazzle the locals or show off around gruff travelers, but standing out also makes you a big target. And, because of this fact, you never know who around you might be making an effort to quietly blend in on purpose for that very same reason. Watch your step.
► What is there to do?
This moon isn't exactly the height of hustle and bustle, but here are some points of interest to keep characters entertained between whatever strangeness their augment and ship glitches put them through. As always, these are just suggestions--you're welcome to run with your own scenarios, or explore other details of the world not listed here.
SALOONS. These are the high point of any town you visit. Walk through the low swinging doors and into a room filled with rustic music, people gambling in card games with cryptic rules, and a well-stocked bar. Here's where you will find work entertaining or serving, locate contacts for other shadier jobs, or get into a fight for looking at someone the wrong way.
LODGING. Above every saloon are a couple of floors with rooms for rent. The cheaper ones are furnished with little more than a hard cot and basic plumbing, as they don't expect anyone to stay there long. If you can afford to splurge a little, you can pay for a room that has a proper bed, a vanity, a small bathtub all to yourself, a trunk for storing your things, and heavy locks on the inside of your door.
COMPANIONS. There are no proper brothels here, but there are several dressy "workers" (both men and women) who hang around the saloons and bat their eyelashes at people who seem interested. They are treated surprisingly well by the saloon staff, who will not tolerate customers being rude towards or mistreating their biggest source of income.
THE GOOD. The police here are well-armed, but always understaffed. They're looking for help keeping their little towns safe, and may even be able to pay you something for it. Help them break up fights, take down illegal operations, bust smugglers, arrest thieves, or track down the scary-looking guys on their wanted posters. They are also sorely in need of doctors, caretakers, and other volunteers willing to help the sick and impoverished part of their population.
THE BAD. Between the "gangs" that ghost around the towns, and the shady travelers just making a pit-stop, there's a lot of opportunity for trouble. Passengers who look young, rich, or clueless are going to attract the most attention, but anyone runs the risk of being pick-pocketed, swindled, or stolen from. And there are a couple of wandering crews who aren't above kidnapping a smaller character on their way out--so watch your back!
THE UGLY. It may not be the moral thing to do, but smuggling, thievery, and beating people up in back alleys is the only way to make some substantial credits around here. The local gangs are always looking for hired muscle, and anyone with a little wit or charm can weasel in on the many less-savory operations being discussed around saloon tables and behind the town's general store.
EXPLORING. If people or towns aren't really your thing, the dusty fields between settlements are open to be explored! The natives keep "horses" (though they look like they may be part zebra, stripes and all) that you can rent and ride out into the desert. Some of the shrubby plants and cactus can be gathered as food or medicine, and you'll get a wonderful view of the stars at night. Most of the animals you'll see out there are small, fast, and rodent-like; you may see a vulpine scavenger or circling birds from a distance, but they stay far away from humans whenever they can help it.
STAYING HOME.
You won't find anything here to fix the problems that the ship computers are having, but any engineer can get loose parts and lingering scratches fixed up in a jiffy with the scrap from this planet. And anyone looking to build on the Iskaulit could start bringing materials up to the ship to build their storefront, work-space, or whatever else they're interested in.
And, some information about the upcoming October event
Without giving too much away right now, we will be celebrating the Drift Fleet's first birthday with a month-long event we are calling "Calibration"--wherein Atroma will step in to fix a few of the persistent problems they've been experiencing on-and-off all year.
Part of the calibration process will manifest in passengers being able to glimpse and interact with elements of each others' minds, as 'rooms' filled with things that represent their minds/personalities. Players will have a lot of freedom about what they want to show, as well as how the parts of the room act, change, lead to other things, or remain static. Other characters will get the chance to look through their fellow passengers' memories, hopes, dreams, fears, opinions, brain clutter, soul baggage, or whatever else you decide to show them!
We want to give players plenty of time to decide if they would like to run a calibration room for other characters to come see, and to start thinking up what it might look/act like for a wandering brain-tourist. And characters will be free to visit other calibrations, even if they have a room set up themselves.
Also, we are planning other fun things as well, for people and characters who aren't so interested in the calibrations. So, if that's not your jam, we'll have other things for you to do.
That's all we're going to say about it for now, to avoid making this post any longer than it already is, but we will be following up a little later with a post containing more information and details about the Calibration event!
So, to sum up...
The fleet is attacked again and knocked into a nebula. The IC event post for this attack is linked HERE. Augments and ships will be glitchy. Atroma isn't having fun with this. There's a dusty little moon to go play around on. We're introducing the new What We Know So Far page! The page for officially opening establishments and other projects on the Iskaulit will be opened soon. The Calibration event following this one will involve brain-rooms. More info to follow?
As always, feel free to ask any questions you may have about the attack, glitches, moon setting, and so on under the "Questions" comment! Players are also welcome to use this post to plot with each other for the attack, figure out any crew-wide or individual glitching, see who wants to hang out on the dust moon, or to work through/gather interest for any projects or ideas your characters have had lately.
For any questions, comments, or plotting pertaining to the upcoming Calibration event, please hang onto them--a much more detailed explanation will go up in about a week with more information, which is where you can ask whatever questions that still have not been answered. There will be plenty of time to figure it out over there! :)
QUESTIONS
Re: QUESTIONS
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And if there aren't proper fish, or if the fish are too small (think guppies and minnows for the most part) there are at least weird little amphibians to catch!
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The fish gets away...
Re: QUESTIONS
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Ships can maintain a safe orbit around it if they want to get close, but anything nearer than that is dangerous.
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EDIT: Also, how susceptible are the natives in general to musical numbers?
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The police are going to be very skeptical about a kid wanting to join, with how much of a liability that seems. But, if you can actually prove yourself (conveniently jumping into and helping out during some sort of incident, for instance), they can be swayed.
As far as musical numbers go...
I'd say the average townsfolk are extremely susceptible. They seem the type. But the police, thugs, and other rugged types would totally play the straight-man in something like that. They are not so easily swayed.
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Is it reasonable to say that a guy could buy or barter himself a sourdough starter and finally get some bread-producing live cultures out in the blackness of space?
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Knock yourself out!
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2. Could Felix locate something like a large piece of worked stone on this planet? If so, what?
3. Are the companions, er, managed by anyone in particular or are they independent?
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ALSO ALSO will there be any dogs on this moon
Like stray dogs
That someone could take with them
Are dogs allowed in the fleet
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QUESTIONS
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Re: QUESTIONS
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Re: QUESTIONS
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(Also actual legitimate question, how long will we be on the moon for, if that's not a secret?)
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And also, this event is running for roughly a month, and they will be in range of the moon the whole time!
Dusty Planet Plotting
He may also try to find more innocent work later on at the saloon.
With Cory Matthews, he may try to lay low, but he can probably get involved in gambling hijinks, especially if someone convinces him to do it because he will always cave to bad influences. Most likely he'll need to be saved from a mugging at some point, too.
Beyond that, I'm open to any suggestions! (And any suggestions/plotting for any of the other above-mentioned events!)
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Coil-- I want to do more stuff with him this month! He's actively trying to make and maintiain contacts and get involved in stuff, and he won't be having the panic attacks that he was on the Blue planet, so that's nice. He'll be busy on the Iskaulit with stuff (library? training? his own project?), and also totally getting into trouble on the moon itself. He'll be helping out whatever side has interesting work, so could either team up with or end up opposing anyone working with the cops or the badguys. He doesn't like kidnapping, though... so he'll be swooping in out of the shadows if he sees any of that stuff. Also, I'm open to giving him a glitch if anyone has any ideas?
Nel-- He is having kind of an upsetting time right now. The ship malfunctions freak him out (especially with the electricity making it randomly dark and sometimes locking doors), and he's going through some of his own problems... so he'll very easily be getting into trouble on the moon. He hangs around with shady characters, likes to get wasted wherever he can, and is also very kidnappable. If anyone wants to either join in or yank him out of any of these situations, I'd love it. Also he has a lot of CR that he hasn't checked in on in a while. Also also, he could end up glitched at some point, but I don't know what.
Tek-- This guy is really not a huge fan of big open deserts--especially while going through that agitated state he gets into when he doesn't take on his true form in too long. SO THERE WILL BE A GIANT DRAGON IN THE DESERT at some point, if anyone wants to glimpse or bother him. Otherwise, he'll be kind of quiet and looking for trouble in more subtle places. He's the only one that I know will not be glitched at all this month.
SO YES PLEASE I have so much CR I want to get in touch with again, as well as SO MANY new folks that I have yet to meet! Come at me.
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