Tag: Kiln

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Story 92

A gift for the man with everything

You arrive at the Kiln and find that the bald man is in his office in the rear of the Loan Shark’s business front. While waiting for admittance to his office, the crew that you know flies the Rep Omen are dragging a man with a disheveled and forlorn look. 

The door you’ve been standing outside of buzzes and softly clicks open. The bald man calls to your crew, “Enter.”

You walk in and see an impeccably dressed, broad shouldered, bald man sitting behind a beautiful carved wooden desk while scanning something on his tablet. As everyone from your crew finishes entering the office along with a small grav-sled holding a medium sized tree. The bald man sets down his tablet, “What can I help such renowned spacers as yourselves with?”

You nervously clear your throat, “Actually we came to make a tribute. We were on Aeon Station and saw something that you might appreciate and occasionally find useful.” You motion to the tree. “This is a carnivorous tree from a neighboring solar system.”

“Carnivorous?”, is his one word question.

“From what we understand, it is capable of eating a human sized creature but we’ve kept an electrostatic barrier around it to ensure that we didn’t test its ability.”

“That is a thoughtful gift”

You earn 2 fame points. Continue the rest of your turn.

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Story 90

Union Negotiations

As your ship approaches the Kiln, you receive a hale. Your comm officer opens the channel and on your screen appears the notorious thick necked bald man.

“Welcome to the Kiln, I’ve been expecting your arrival. Meet me in my private office on the lower deck as soon as you dock.”

—

As you enter his office, you notice a nice topiary in the corner. You turn to greet your host, but he looks right past you and your crew.

“Welcome, Dr Truman. It’s good to see that your experiment was a success.”

The robotic version of Dr Truman enters the room and shakes his hand, “We’ve spoken before, or at least my biological counterpart and you have, but it’s nice to finally meet in person, or maybe that’s person to robot.”

“Agreed, but I would like to get down to brass tacks and start our negotiations for manufacturing and labor.”

As they start negotiating in earnest, you realize your part is done. Place the union game token on your Goal card for the Trans-Human Project. Earn the fame points from your card and draw three mission cards to see what you get paid for completing this goal.

0 blue mission cards, you earn 5,000 credits

1 blue mission card, you earn 6,000 credits

2 blue mission cards, you earn 7,000 credits

3 blue mission cards, you earn 9,000 credits

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Story 32

Trans-Human Project, part II

“Now, on Xia Galactic News, our top story focuses on Azure,” announces the news anchor. The scene switches to a crowded hospital ward with numerous patients restrained by medical equipment. “With a population of over 6 billion, Azure was on the brink of disaster until a cure for SARS-39 was discovered. However, the planet now faces a new challenge as nearly five percent of its citizens have developed a condition being referred to as lock-in after exposure to the virus. This new ailment causes irreversible paralysis of all voluntary muscles, though brain scans show that these individuals are still mentally active. Researchers are desperately searching for a solution to this issue.”

The scene then shifts to a researcher in a white lab coat, who explains, “Those affected by lock-in remain fully conscious but unable to move or react to external stimuli.”

As the newsroom segment returns, the anchor mentions, “We’ll be taking a brief pause for our sponsors, but stay tuned to hear the Super Class Glocken scores when we come back from break.”

Before the commercial rolls, you turn off the holo projector. As you ponder why this problem seems specific to Azure, Charles Truman from the Trans-Human Project contacts you through a tight beam communication.

“Based on my current line of work, I may have a potential solution to assist the countless individuals struggling with Lock-in. My research aims to transfer human consciousness into a crystalline matrix and create a mechanical body for it. While my progress in transferring thoughts and memories to the matrix has been promising, I still have years of development left before the matrix can fully integrate with a chassis. In my original timeline, this was not an urgent issue, but circumstances have changed and I must accept that there are others with more experience in high-end robotics. I have reached out to Dr. Merv Arken, who has successfully created various robotic minions, but we both agree that something crucial is missing – an interface that allows the matrix to control the physical actions of the chassis. This task is far more complicated than our animal trials thus far. We need an advanced AI to bridge the gap between the brain’s desires when contained in a crystal matrix and the actions of the chassis being developed by Dr. Arken based on my research. There used to be a company called HAL, which focused on advanced AI for robotics and starships. Unfortunately, they went defunct years ago and their owners and researchers seem to have disappeared. However, we suspect that much of their valuable research is buried in archives on Lunari. We need you to retrieve this data while I work on etching a consciousness onto a crystal matrix. Once you have both the crystal matrix and the AI data, take them to either Merv’s Missiles or Arken’s Arsenal for integration into the chassis. Then, we will need to quickly increase production capacity beyond what Dr. Arken and I are capable of handling alone. This will involve negotiating with a manufacturing union, so we would like you to go to the Kiln and help us facilitate these discussions with a union boss.”

If the active player accepts this task (and yes, they could be any species) hand them a new [Goal] card titled Trans-Human Project for them to track their progress. The first location they need to travel to in order to accomplish this goal is the Mission Point on Lunari.

Upon arriving at the mission Point on Lunari, read/ listen to Story 87.

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Story 28

Brobdingnagian

The emergency function on every ship’s communication system activates with three quick beeps, followed by three long beeps, and another three quick beeps. This sequence repeats itself three times as an urgent message is broadcasted to all vessels in space.

“I am Captain Gormley of the Cruise Ship Brobdingnagian. Our ship has collided with an ice asteroid in the Blench and we are experiencing multiple system failures. The most critical being our emergency displacement system. If our situation continues to deteriorate, not only will we lose the ship, but all passengers on board as well. Our impulse engines are also non-functional. We plead for help from the spacers of the Drift System to rescue us. Our estimated time before complete failure is three strands. Captain Gormley out.”

As you try to process this distressing information, a system-wide message from the Kiln interrupts.

“I regret to hear about the on-going tragedy of the Brobdingnagian cruise ship. I had expressed concerns to the owners about their decision to use non-union workers during construction. I would like to showcase the superiority of union workers by bringing the Brobdingnagian to the Kiln, where I can personally oversee repairs and provide a safe haven for its passengers. In return, I will reward all ships that assist with an additional 2,000 credits. Thank you for your aid.”

Place the Brobdingnagian game piece on the Mission Point located on the Blench [ice asteroid] sector. All ships that help with towing the Brobdingnagian to a living planet or the Aether Processing Station will receive 1,000 credits and a fame point, or if it is towed to the Kiln, all parties that help will receive 3,000 credits but no fame points. There are three rounds till the Brobdingnagian has catastrophic failure and is destroyed. When towing another ship, cut movement in half rounded down, and the ship being towed is in an adjacent space to your ship.

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Story 27

Bring me a dragon

Several spacers receive a video transmission from the Kiln, showing a large bald man with no neck, dressed in a tailored white suit.

“A new and hostile inhabitant of the Drift System has appeared in the Rivening. Scientists have tried to give it some foolish name calling it an astral volucrum reptilium, but what I see is the fuel of nightmares and mythology. I see a dragon. For the safety of the Drift System, I am offering 10,000 credits for someone to kill and haul the carcass of this creature to the Kiln where I may employ others to study this creature. If you choose to work in groups, I will leave it to you to determine how to share this haul.”

The Dragon’s spawn point is on Rivening between the Quarry and the Excavation spaces. The dragon can take 50 damage, fly 12 spaces, has a resilient hide that can absorb [d12] damage from an attack, and and use a plasma breath that can attack twice each round causing [d12] damage at a range of 1-8 spaces provided it has line of sight. If the dragon is attacked it will retaliate on its turn provided you are within range, otherwise it will return to its position on Rivening. If it finishes its turn on Rivening it will heal [d12] per round. Once it is killed, you may haul it to the Kiln. When towing the carcass, cut movement in half rounded down, and the carcass is in an adjacent space to your ship.

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Story 54

Exotic Exhibits, part Three

As you walk into the old man’s office you find him holding a bottle of what looks like infant formula in one hand and cradled in his opposite arm is something that looks almost like a child’s stuffed play thing with black and white white fur. It probably weighs about 250 grams and is approximately 20 centimeters long.

“It is thanks to your efforts that we have this wonderful little guy here, but don’t let his tiny size fool you. When he’s fully grown this Panda of Old Strayos will probably be over 1.8 meters long and weigh a good 150 kilograms. Upon docking I wired the credits to you for your latest effort as the canisters pinged me with data about what they contained. Truly this is going to be marvelous. I am sure your notoriety will continue to grow as word of these new displays attract attention.  

However, the next task I would request of you, involves sending you someplace a little more difficult and potentially hostile, Ularos IX. They have kept genetic samples of fauna from all the worlds they have conquered. Eight of those planets are from outside our very drift system and have the potential to be incredibly diverse. Depending on how many samples you can bring me, I will pay you between 6,000 and 11,000 credits.” He sets down the formula bottle and pulls another shaving cream canister out of a drawer and sets it on his desk. “So are you up for one last mission?”

No, then walk away and gain a fame point for all that you’ve done to this point.

Yes, then travel to the mission point on Ularos IX and listen/read Story 51. Also, the plan that you and your crew come up with will require that your ship be capable of launching missiles and that you pay 1,000 credits to the chop shop on the Kiln to move your transponder ID over to one of your missiles.

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Story 17

Space Dad

While docked at the Kiln, a text only comm comes through letting you know that your father is also visiting the station and would like you to join him in the Casino during dinner. You figure that you haven’t seen him for awhile, and that it would be good to catch up.

– – – –

Upon arriving at the Casino, you let them know whom you are here to meet with and they show you to your table. Apparently you got here ahead of your father as no one else is at the table.

The lights go dim and curtains part revealing a stage with a familiar looking man under the spotlight.

“Good evening ladies, gentlemen, Ilex.”, your dad declares while looking around the room. “Did you know that the Ilex are their own best friend?”

“I’ve been asked to do some stand-up comedy, but really I prefer to sit down.” Your dad gives a meaningful look at the stool he’s seated on. “I love telling jokes, but it’s even better when one of your children is in the audience. Hey Kiddo, wanna hear a joke?”

Another stage light finds your table, “No thanks.”

“Awesome possum, I have some great ones for you.”

“Wait, that’s the opposite of what I just said.”

“Oh look, here’s a ukulele. Maybe I can sing them instead.”

As your dad begins to strum the ukulele, you let your head ‘thunk’ on the table. Then the song begins…”

This is my Dad’s joke song
I sing it with socks and sandles on
I hear you groan but it’s true-oooh
You smile on the inside too
When vegans start to argue, is it still called a beef?
I knew someone addicted to soap, but now they’re clean.
I like puns, that’s how ‘eye’ roll.
I know they’re terrible, but I made them musical so sing along
This is my Dad’s joke song
I sing it with socks and sandles on
I hear you groan but it’s true-oooh
You smile on the inside too…

The routine continues and somehow the audience ends up liking your dad. Your dad’s inclusion of you in his routine even gains you some notoriety on the Kiln. (+1 Fame Point)

If you have any actions left, you may continue your turn.