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The Lost Worlds Campaign - Story 3 Play Report
Expedition 2 - To Go My Own Dark Way
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characters

- Carolyn Fry (female) Captain of the UNCSS Solovetsky Island.
- William J. Johns (male) Head security on the UNCSS Solovetsky Island.
- Paris P. Ogilvie (male) Head scientist astrophysicist on the UNCSS Solovetsky Island.
- Sharon Montgomery (female) Head prospector for Kelland Mining Company on the UNCSS Solovetsky Island.
- John Ezekiel (Male NPC) Roughneck on the UNCSS Solovetsky Island.
- Jackie Griffith (female NPC) Research associate xenobiologist on the UNCSS Solovetsky Island.
- Miss Sophie (female NPC) is a Ava series synthetic on the UNCSS Solovetsky Island and must assist the crew.
- Lee Taylor (male NPC) is CEO of Kelland Mining Company and he wants the secrets of the region. He's aboard the UNCSS Solovetsky Island.
- John Hathaway (male NPC) is a sergeant working for the Throop Rescue and Recovey. He is here to provide marines support as part of the Great Mother mission.
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Great Mother Mission Report

The low hum of activity fills the UNCSS Solovetsky Island as the crew goes about their duties. Carolyn Fry, the captain, is reviewing mission logs when her communicator beeps. Gaius' synthetic voice echoes through the small device.
"Captain Fry, please report to the command center. I have urgent news for you and your team," Gaius instructs. Carolyn briskly makes her way to the command center, where the holographic projection of Gaius awaits her arrival.
"Gaius, what's the situation?" Carolyn inquires, her eyes fixed on the synthetic entity. Gaius responds, "We have successfully established Brahms Outpost on KOI-817.01. The Harrington family has been instrumental in the colony's development. The shuttle Lander, called Hunter One, has been recovered from the Gorham Colony on KOI-2650.01. Sergeant Hathaway, from the Throop Rescue and Recovery Group, is bringing you back the shuttle. Command have concerns about the casualties your team has faced in previous missions and want to ensure the safety of their troops. We know you are on the front lines, just be more careful."
A holographic file appears in front of Carolyn, displaying team bonuses and recommendations. "You'll find the details of your team bonuses here. It's imperative that you take care of your team and maintain operational efficiency," Gaius advises. Carolyn nods in acknowledgment, "Understood, Gaius. We'll ensure the safety of our team. What's the situation with the Gorham Colony now?"
Gaius continues, "A second expedition has been launched to Gorham Colony. The area was infested with sand snakes, also known as Hammerpede. They were burned to establish a large secured perimeter for the colony." As Carolyn processes this information, Gaius adds, "I'll leave you to review the details, Captain Fry."
The holographic projection fades as Carolyn considers the challenges ahead. She gathers her team, including William J. Johns, Paris P. Ogilvie, Sharon Montgomery, and the others, in the Solovetsky Island's meeting room to talk about the bonus situation.

The probe

The control room on the UNCSS Solovetsky Island is a hive of activity as the crew members gather in response to Miss Sophie's summons. Carolyn Fry, William J. Johns, Paris P. Ogilvie, Sharon Montgomery, John Hathaway, Jackie Griffith, and Lee Taylor enter the room, their expressions a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
Miss Sophie, the Ava series synthetic, stands before the holographic display, her artificial eyes focusing on each member of the group. Without preamble, she begins to relay critical information.
"I have summoned you all because we have a new mission," Miss Sophie announces in her calm and measured tone. "I've sent a probe to KOI-784.01. It's a tropical world with mesas, and it's known as the Dylan colony. The planet is rich in minerals, including gold, titanium, and hematite. However, there have been some alarming developments."
She continues, "Several years ago, there were 40,000 people living on this planet. The colonists had Personal Data Transmitters (PDT) embedded in their skin. The probe detected 1000 individuals in the jungle, all in different locations. They're contaminated with phosgene gas and radiation. The atmospheric processor on the planet is malfunctioning, releasing harmful gases and radiation to the surface. The people on the surface are at risk of burns and deformities."
Miss Sophie's synthetic eyes sweep over the gathered crew as she adds, "However, there's a group of 100 individuals living on a mesa plateau. They seem healthier than those on the surface. The probe also identified a mining facility, a ruined city, and a crashed ship – a Heliades-class J, but of a lower version than ours – in the jungle."
Fry steps forward, her eyes narrowing with determination. "What else do you see, Miss Sophie?" "I've identified the key points of interest: the colony on the mesa plateau and the atmospheric processor. The mining facility, the ruined city, and the crashed ship. Not many people are present in these locations," Miss Sophie replies.
Fry turns to her crew, "I suggest forming two groups. Johns, Ogilvie, Sharon, Griffith, Taylor, Miss Sophie, and I will head to the mesa plateau with the shuttle Hunter One. Ezekiel, Hathaway, roughneck Koblenz, and security Hamidah, we'll drop you off at the atmospheric processor. Your mission is to get it back to working order."
Ogilvie interjects, "We'll take anti-radiation pills and wear phosgene gas masks. Safety first." Johns nods in agreement, "That's a solid plan. Let's make sure we're well-prepared for whatever we might find down there." With their orders established, the crew disperses to prepare for the mission, aware that they're about to step into the unknown on the mysterious tropical world of KOI-784.01.

Kicking off the action

The Lander-shuttle Hunter One descends through the atmosphere of the Dylan Colony, guided by Captain Carolyn Fry with Lee Taylor at her side. As they approach the atmospheric processor, electric flashes and smoke greet them—a clear sign that the place is far from operational. The maintenance crew, consisting of Ezekiel, Hathaway, Koblenz, and Hamidah, is left at the entrance to the processor, finding it eerily deserted. The shuttle leaves the scene, heading towards the mesmerizing mesas plateau.
The jungle stretches out endlessly in every direction as the shuttle approaches the towering mesas. The plateau, standing 100 meters high, is connected by intricate rope bridges, featuring rough buildings and tents atop each of the six mesas. People are visible, gazing up into the sky, giving an impression of a welcoming committee.
Hunter One sets down on a large plateau bustling with workers (Workers' Shanty). A group of ten individuals approaches the shuttle, and Fry's team disembarks to meet the settlers. The man leading the group introduces himself as Leonard, the leader of the workers. His gaze scrutinizes the newcomers. "If you're pirates, go back. You're not welcome here. Otherwise, what brings you here?" he challenges.
Fry asserts that they come from Earth, on a mission to help and rescue the colonists. Leonard, still wary, nods and says, "I'll take you to our leaders." The group follows Leonard across the center plateau (The Bluff), then onto a larger middle plateau (Nabo), and finally to the last plateau (Enclave), where a wooden round house stands. Three figures, Vidan, Dzuma, and Yen, await them.
Leonard speaks secretly to Vidan, and Vidan, in turn, addresses Fry's group. "Welcome. We are the Weylanders. I will explain the history of our colony. We climbed onto the mesas plateau to escape radiation a few years ago and the wild people of the burned lands. We need your support, supplies, and weapons to protect ourselves from the burned people (Ferals men)."
The weather takes a turn, with clouds gathering overhead. The group, now inside the round house, discusses, drinks, and eats. A thick fog descends on the jungle valley, enveloping the cliff-dwelling colonists as if they inhabit a desert island. The mysterious atmosphere intensifies as the group delves deeper into the history and challenges faced by the settlers on KOI-784.01.

The atmospheric processor

Amidst the overgrown jungle surrounding the atmospheric processor, Ezekiel, Hathaway, Koblenz, and Hamidah make their way forward cautiously. Suddenly, Hathaway signals for them to halt.
"Wait," Hathaway commands, his gaze focused on a dense patch of foliage. He ventures into the jungle, the others following closely. Not far from the processor, Hathaway makes a discovery—an old Lockmart Starcub shuttle hidden in the underbrush. Pressing the usual password, the hatch creaks open, revealing an abandoned vessel. Ezekiel, checking the terminal, confirms, "Everything seems okay. We just found our way out, guys. We'll fix that later." They decide to return to the processor and put it back into operation.
As they enter the atmospheric processor, Koblenz remarks in Russian about the struggles of the automatic systems, prompting a retort from Hamidah in English, hinting at a lingering animosity between them. Koblenz grins, responding in English, "We have to go to platform 13, there's an operations control console there."
"Wait," interrupts Ezekiel. He points to an open panel on the ground, revealing a dark passage leading to the lower levels. The group, armed and vigilant, descends into the abyss. At the bottom lies a gruesome sight—a pile of bones and dismembered human bodies emitting a putrid stench. "That's disgusting," mutters Ezekiel. "Take your weapons," Hathaway instructs Hamidah. "We'll be on the lookout."
Climbing back up to platform 13, the group encounters a vast warehouse with machinery and containers. Ezekiel and Koblenz set to work restarting the processor, while Hathaway and Hamidah take a break. After 20 minutes, Koblenz announces, "We're done. The intermix chamber is aligned. Phosgene gases and radiation have been eliminated." He adds, "I just installed a device to control the processor remotely. We're ready to leave."
Descending through the warehouse, Hamidah notices a shadow moving. The group investigates and is met with the gaze of 25 eyes—burned people, their feral and predatory nature evident. The group is ambushed; Hamidah and Koblenz are attacked and devoured. They die in an agonizing way.
Ezekiel and Hathaway race to the ground level, pursued by more burned people. They exit the processor quickly, and Ezekiel urges, "Let's go to the Starcub shuttle." The relentless screams of the burned people echo as they give chase.
Entering the shuttle, Ezekiel and Hathaway seal the hatch just in time. The burned people throw themselves at the vessel, but Ezekiel manages to start the engines. The shuttle takes off, soaring towards the ruined city, leaving behind the horrors of the atmospheric processor and the relentless pursuit of the burned people.

The Wandering Child

Vidan, the leader of the cliff-dwelling colony, is confronted with a little girl who has been caught stealing milk from the farm. The guard informs Vidan of the incident, prompting Vidan to request Fry, Johns, and Ogilvie to accompany him. The group takes the rope bridge, heading towards the Naboo plateau where a remote refugee camp is situated to the south.
Upon reaching the camp, Vidan introduces the little girl to Okafor, the leader of the refugees. Vidan turns to Fry's group, "Maybe you can help us with this group," he suggests.
The little girl is eventually reunited with her mother. Vidan addresses Okafor sternly, "If you do not respect our customs, you will pass through Judgment Bluff," gesturing towards the deadly cliff. Okafor counters, "You don't know everything." He fixes his gaze on Fry, "You don't know about the pestilence." Fry exchanges a glance with Ogilvie, sensing that there is more to this story (Fry's group has already heard about the pestilence from other groups in the Far Spinward colonies).
Back on the Enclave board, near a campfire, Fry's group, Vidan's group, and Okafor sit together. They share food and drink as Okafor begins to recount his story.
"We arrived aboard a Heliades-J class ship. We were members of a cult, the children of the two divines. We came to this part of space to join the Perfected, drawn by their song asking us to come here," Okafor explains. "But we realized our mistake. Those cult members are dangerous madmen, especially the synthetic Makayla. The Perfected aim to invade all space, and obtaining navigational data and FTL engines would spell disaster for the Middle Heavens space (Earth). You must stop them." Ogilvie looks at Fry, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Okafor continues, "There are 10 of us refugees here in this camp, but Mother Makayla was on board the ship we sabotaged. We crash-landed on this planet, and there must be 25 members in Makayla's group. I informed Vidan about the danger. Makayla's group is armed, and they want to bring us back into their ranks. They are somewhere in the jungle, and they will have to be neutralized." The weight of the impending threat hangs in the air as Fry and her companions prepare for the dangerous task that lies ahead.

In a Flash

The serene atmosphere on the Enclave board takes a sudden turn as the weather shifts with astonishing speed. Lightning strikes violently, either hitting the ground or a wooden lightning rod on the Enclave plateau. A collective gasp echoes through the workers' shanty plateau as the sky transforms into a tumultuous storm. Hastily, everyone scurries into either the tents or the round house, seeking refuge from the sudden tempest. The sound of thunder reverberates, drowning out any other noise, and rain pours down relentlessly.
Inside the round house, Vidan gathers Fry's group, addressing them with urgency. "There's a secret access tunnel at the foot of the workers' shanty plateau. If Makayla and her group pass through there, they'll be able to climb to the plateau."
Fry, quick to respond, declares, "We have to return to Shuttle Hunter One immediately." She turns to Vidan, Dzuma, and Yen, urging them, "Come with us." Johns says, "Communications are cut during the storm. We will have to wait before contacting your ship. We are on our own for now."
Amidst the storm's fury, the group makes their way back up the rope bridge to the shuttle. Rain lashes against their faces, and the wind howls around them as they battle against the elements. The urgency of the situation hangs in the air, intensified by the raging storm that seems to mirror the impending danger posed by Makayla and her group.

Mother Ma'Kayla

Amidst the violent storm, Fry's group presses forward, determined to face the growing threat. They traverse the rope bridge to The Bluff plateau, but their journey is abruptly halted by the echoing sounds of automatic AK-4047 rifle fire. Fry commands Vidan's group to expedite the evacuation of the Okafor's refugees from the Nabo camp to the safety of the Enclave plateau's round house.
Vidan insists on accompanying them, entrusting Dzuma and Yen, along with a few guards, to ensure the refugees' safety. The remaining guards join Vidan and Fry's group as they race towards the Workers' Shanty set.
Upon arrival, a grim scene unfolds. Five workers lie dead, decapitated, while the rest are held captive by cult members. Mother Makayla, a synthetic model Hyperdyne 120A/3, stands before them tall and elegant. Her shapes are not normal. Her gaze sparkles with mystery and is unbearable. Her body is a mixture of organic and machine components. "I am Mother Ma'Kayla, high priestess of the Children of the two divines. We seek our kin among you, and we demand their swift return," she says. Fry bluntly informs her that they are dead.
Suddenly, Miss Sophie collapses, overwhelmed by unbearable voices in her head. Ogilvie rushes to her aid, cradling her in his arms. Mother Makayla says, "Your words may attempt to cloak the truth, but they do not escape my notice, Captain Fry. I sense deception among you and your synthetic companion has betrayed your secrets to me. Her mind is an open book." A tense standoff ensues, with weapons drawn on both sides.
Mother Makayla reveals her knowledge of the refugees in the round house and issues a last chilling threat. The poker game between Vidan's guards and Mother Makayla intensifies. Mother Makayla continues, "You shall pay the price for your insolence. Behold my emissaries! They are the harbingers of cleansing. You obstruct the path to great perfection and you shall be swept away by their righteous fury."
As Mother Makayla and her members depart on the shuttle Lander (stealing Hunter One), screams in the distance signal the release of burned people, a horde unleashed upon the settlement. Captain Fry says, "She has open the hidden tunnel." Panic ensues, and Vidan urges a retreat to The Bluff plateau. The plan is to cut the ropes of the bridge to prevent further onslaught.
The burned people massacre several settlers. Everyone is now safe on the other side of the bridge on The Bluff plateau. Johns and Taylor are tearing up the bridge ropes. Fry and Sharon cross the bridge with the last settlers and children. The burned people launch themselves on the bridge. Fry manages to reach the other side but Sharon and some settlers are grabbed by burned people and under the weight, the bridge breaks, bringing Sharon, some settlers and the burned people towards the abyss. Falling, Sharon gives Fry one last gaze as if she saying to her "I'm so sorry".
Fry, breathless and determined, assures Vidan that they'll find a way to rid the settlers of this threat and construct a new tunnel. Vidan sadly adds, "Yes you are really nice but now, tonight, you and I have lost several good people."
The following day, Ezekiel and Hathaway's starcub shuttle returns, providing a means of escape for the survivors. PCs, battered, return to the UNCSS Solovetsky Island. The shuttle Lander Hunter One, used by Mother Makayla, vanishes without a trace, leaving behind a shattered colony and lingering questions of what lies beyond.

The Aftermath

The group of Okafor refugees, having found temporary sanctuary, returns to the safety of the UNCSS Solovetsky Island. Their presence on board allows a collective sigh of relief, providing a brief respite from the turmoil they faced on KOI-784.01. Okafor's invaluable information serves as a beacon for future decisions.
News of the challenges faced by Fry's group on the Dylan Colony reaches the ears of the UNCSS Iyanla. Emergency meetings are promptly convened to address the multifaceted issues, ranging from the mysterious pestilence to the looming threat of the Perfected. The mission's security is under scrutiny, and crucial decisions hang in the balance.
Meanwhile, on KOI-784.01, the burned people, their movements traced by PDT, are apprehended and relocated to the northern reaches of the region, beyond the river. The atmospheric processor undergoes extensive refurbishment, now under the remote control of the Solovetsky. Fry, in her report, expresses hope for the recovery of the burned people from their debilitating illness.
With a new keycard-access tunnel and a cleaned-up Shanty worker plateau, the cliff-dwellers' camp is now more secure. Vidan and his group find solace in the prospect of living in peace, deciding to remain in their camp. The UNCSS Solovetsky Island provides them with provisions and tools, fostering an environment for restoration.
Plans are set in motion for a forthcoming expedition from the UNCSS Iyanla, geared towards rebuilding and revitalizing the colony. The promise of a new beginning hovers in the air, fueled by determination and the resilience of those who call this distant world home.

Meeting with Miss Sophie

In the sterile confines of the Solovetsky Island medbay, Miss Sophie gathers Fry, Johns, Ogilvie, and Griffith for an important meeting. The expressions etched on their faces reflect concern and curiosity as they delve into the mysterious events surrounding Mother Makayla's manipulation of Miss Sophie.
"I heard voices in my head, Captain," Miss Sophie calmly states. "It was like an unbearable frequency of sound." Fry leans forward, her brows furrowed. "How did she manage to incapacitate you, Sophie? We need to understand if there's a weakness we can exploit in the future, something to keep control of the situation."
"It was like an uncontrollable barrage of voices, Captain. A frequency of sound that overwhelmed my systems," Miss Sophie explains.
"We need to delve deeper into this. Griffith, Sophie, any insights?" Ogilvie queries, nodding in agreement with Fry. "During our conversations with Okafor, he mentioned something interesting. He spoke of a musical call that beckoned the cult members to this corner of space. It's what they referred to as the Perfected's call," Griffith adds.
"Music as a tool for control. Fascinating," Ogilvie remarks, his intrigue evident. "If we can understand the nature of this musical influence, we might find a way to shield against it in the future," Miss Sophie suggests thoughtfully.
"Agreed. We have documentation on the music of the queen xenomorph. It's unique and might hold clues. Griffith, let's start the analysis. Sophie, we'll work together to fortify your defenses," Ogilvie declares, his tone determined.
As medical equipment hums in the background, the Solovetsky Island medbay transforms into a makeshift command center. The crew unites in their quest for knowledge, seeking to unravel the secrets of the Perfected's call and fortify their defenses against the enigmatic threat that looms ahead.

END OF EPISODE.

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Enjoy yours games,
Arthur.