[Numenera] The B Team - Sessions 1-4

GM - Berny
Zax/Prince Caltroth Zortar Alaoraran Deathskullsplitterawesomesause XXXII - Tom
Valina - Andrew
Urshinabi - Bill
Johannes - Andy
Jaybez Fitch and MeatCake - John

"Zork?"

"Yes your Highness?"

"I'm Bored."

"Terribly sorry your highness."

"Entertain me."

"Perhaps a game your highness?"

"No.  I can always tell its you playing the characters.  Can you get actors?"

"I'm sorry your highness, but security protocols demand isolation until your majority."

"There has to be SOME way for you to arrange a game..."

There was a long pause.  "There is one way, your highness, that does not involve me playing all of the characters but...."

"Yes?"

"Well, it will be a very special game.  If your character 'dies' you won't be able to get another. In fact, the game will be over.  And you won't have total control of your character.  We'll need to attach a special story filter...to preserve ...the story."

"Sounds great! Sign me up."

"Very well your highness, I'll let you know when it's ready."

Session 1
Our heroes traveled from a small town far to the west in the known lands to another place in the east looking for work.  Basically, this place is the Barony of Nowhere In Particular, but it happens to be at the end of a river nexus of Somewhere We Want To Go, and we ran out of money AND the GM wants us to be here...

Due to character generation it is immediately determined that Zax has exactly ZERO money for food or ability to find food on his own.  Its almost like he's completely inexperienced with feeding himself, despite the fact that he arrived mysteriously from the east two years prior and knows the rest of the group.  Speaking of...Valina is a Nano (mystic/mechanic) who can read minds.  She knows Zax can heal the sick and secretly considers him the Messiah.  Of course, in this case, being the messiah means being dragged back to the temple for sacrifice or dissection, but the time is not yet right.  Urshinabi and Johannes are brothers; Urshinabi a Mystic Jack (mage/thief) who carries a quiver, and Johannes, a tough jack who is also a Master of Defense (in other words, You Can't Touch This.)

The four immediately begin looking for Opportunities.  Zax, suddenly exhibiting strangely anti social behavior decides that mugging someone and taking their Shins (Coins) is the best way to go.  Also strangely, the rest of the group thinks this is a terrible idea.  Fortuitously, a large hullabaloo is going on at the docks as it turns out the Golden Hoard, a mysterious force that is zotting villages with no survivors (apparently they had a wheel barrow and a holocaust cloak) is causing a panic and exodus.  There is a fight for the last slot on the boat.

Zax pushes the idiots aside and threatens the merchant who wants to join because a woman has kids.  The woman is secured and the boat leaves.  Valina gets the idea that the merchant will pay to be escorted by land and the whole group goes in on the idea.  Escort duty is good work.  It ALMOST works, but the group tries to bleed the merchant a little too dry and at the last minute he balks.  Then, fortuitously, someone begins putting posters all around the town that Small Rural Village is looking for help.  The guy posting the notices explains that they are offering numenera (magic items) for a reward and that the baron can't help find the missing kids.

Missing kids.  So the otherwise extremely spontaneously anti social Zax immediately wants to help...that could be him after all.  The rest of the group mostly agrees and finally agrees and then proceeds to tear down all the other posters asking for help.

Competition means less loot.

The group marches towards Small Rural Village but comes across burnt out Fort with a smoking ruin and complete lack of charred bodies that says, "The Golden Horde Was Here."  Going inside for food and/or loot, the party finds a large human running around.  Following him, they find a large human who also looks all of the other perfectly ordinary looking humans present.  They, in a very calm voice say, "We're looking for salvage."

The group attempts to reason and 'share' and that's when all other perfectly ordinary humans (who all look alike) ambush and proceed to kick the ass of everyone present except Johannes, who beats the crap out of them.  After a few minutes of being non plussed, Urshinabi starts putting arrows in them and Valina tries to fry their mind...only to find out...THEY ARE ROBOTS.  (queue sinister music.) Zax looks momentarily uncomfortable, but after a clever use of potions (one shot magic items) and luck they defeat most of the evil robots.

They then loot the bodies of the robots and got neat swords, armor, shields and guns.  Also, many magic items were made from their guts and brains and such.  Valina is good at this and with Urshinabi is even better at it.

"Zork?"

"Yes your highness?

"There are robots in this game.  I thought you said this was a fantasy?"

"No, Highness I said it was a mixed genre adventure about discovery and mystery.  It is soundly based on some known scientific principles and also forces that even I do not entirely understand.  I must admit I am rather intrigued."

"Wait...what the heck is this game?"

"I'm not allowed to discuss that due to Security Protocol #7b."

"What is that?"

"You won't know until you're emperor of the 17 galaxies after your father highness, I'm sorry."

"Whatever.  Look at me make him dance!"

"Very clever highness."

Session #2
The group is joined by Jaybez Fitch who is a Clever Glaive Who Is Good at Wilderness Stuff and his lizard dog Meat Cake.  They are good at finding food and killing things.

The group then went to Small Rural Village and met Mayor Fudd.  Mayor Fudd informed the group that the children had gone missing, as had the mob/militia they had sent out to rescue them, and if you can find them, you can has our magic items.

The group decided to accept and went into the forest.  They found Fat Farmer who was dying.  Zax immediately went to heal him and...healed him.  Surprised to be living Fat Farmer revealed how they went into a giant mound of bugs.  Speaking of which, Fat Farmer, who was not meant to live but be bait, looked in shock as bug men leapt up through the ground and attacked the group.

Zax attacked one, and the rest of the group held their own, except Johannes who wasn't touched.  However, he did get dumped into a hole.

All the bugs were killed.

The group, believing Fat Farmer, who was healed and Sent Back To The Village For Help Alone, they decided to go through Fat Farmer's house in the basement rather than the front door of Bug City.

In Fat Farmer's house they found a Guard Bug, who they promptly killed and then made magic items from its brains.  Zax took one of the bug heads and emptied it out for a helmet.

It was very dark.

"Highness?"

"Yes?"

"I am very sorry but I must interrupt the game because your father doesn't like your grades.  He says that until you improve them you must focus on your studies."

"Aw man!"

"I am sorry your highness."

"Can you at least have it on in the background Zork?"

"Yes."

"Will my guy get killed?"

"He has an auto defense mode that will prevent him from being likely stabbed."

"OK."

Two hours later....

"Zork?"

"Yes Highness?"

"What is going on?"

"Well there is a mighty battle and the companions are fighting many bugs."

"Zork?"

"Yes Highness?"

"I can see that...but why is my character suddenly significantly more competent and getting along with everyone better."

Silence.

"Just how good is 'auto mode' on my character Zork?"

Silence.

"Geez, they're all getting killed.  Can I play yet?"

"Not quite yet Highness. I'm sorry.  You need to finish your essay on Galactic History."

"Ah Man!  This game is the best!"

"Of course highness."

Session 4

The group has successfully made it back to Small Rural Village with Two Children Infected By Bugs.  They go to the mayor and demand payment since they know the bugs are coming and used a lot of magic items to kill them including Giant Nasty Tank Bug and several Large Soldiers.  Mayor Fudd dithers a bit but pays the group with a Crystal Gun and a Not Disintegration Belt.  They gave the Not Disintegration Belt to Zax because he was useful as a healer.

The group immediately noticed (especially Johannes) immediately noticed the return of Zax's slightly odd and aberrant behavior but didn't really do anything about it....except potentially mention throwing the messiah into a volcano at one point or something.  

And they rested.

And then Bugs attacked.  Big Fat Bug came up through the well, but efforts to kill him failed and so did Zax's attempt to kick him in the face and send him back down the well.  Big Fat Bug then unleashed an acid cloud which royally screwed everyone near.  Meanwhile, Johannes and Urshinabi went to protect The Children in the Town Hall.  More bugs attacked there.  Johannes was actually hit and knocked prone and Urshinabi kept turning bugs to crystal.  Valina shot a lot of them and Zax was actually mildly effective, killing two.  Jaybez and Meathook were tag team death.

The bugs retreated.

Valina used magic to find out what the bugs were up to.  She sensed a distant hive mind that was panicked and sending an SOS to...somewhere else.

"Zork is that you?"

"Probably not highness.

"PROBABLY?"

"It's complicated highness. Security directive 7B."

"Whatever."

The group made more magic items from dead bugs, and then rearmed and reequipped.  Stoutly they set out to take the fight to the lair of the insectoid menace.