The first adventure went well, with the Players pulling themselves together and escaping the clutches of the Bad Guys. Most of the Players were there, and everyone got to participate. There were momentary disgruntlements when they realized I had taken away all of their starting equipment, but the setting and scenario made sense, and they did all end up having fun. This entry discusses the opening episode, and how things went down for the party.
The Cygnaran group hired the mercenaries to escort them into Ord, where they met with the Khadoran group. The mechaniks were investigating the Universal Cortex when the town was attacked by a Cryx raiding group out of the Thornwood. After a hard-fought cutscene, the Players and survivors of the town were captured by the Cryx.
The Protectorate group met with the pre-Harbinger and received some ominous Prophecies that they were tasked to verify. They got together with a Dwarf commercial convoy heading North, and planned to travel together for safety. In the hills of the Blodstone Marches, the caravan was attacked by hideous pale lizards that seemed to have no eyes, yet fought savagely. They were guided by tall, twisted elfin figures. Most of the caravan was killed, with many (including the Players) captured.
The Orgun brothers, Bish and Bosh, had another brother named Bash. During this time, Bash and several other Ogrun were taken away. After hearing hours of terrible sceraming, a number of Ogrun walkd past, bearing massive bony horns and spines, and other signs of being Blighted. Bash no longer responded to his brothers and was taken away.
As they two groups of refugees travelled, they became aware that they were being brought to some sort of exchange or meeting. In addition to prisoners, an inscripted iron cask was also handed from the lizard group to the Cryxian group. The slaves were hauled off by the Cryx and shipped off in boats. There was a time of several days of comlpete darkness, before the sounds and smells of the ocean were noticed. The two Ogrun were bound and chained. The Gifted characters were blindfolded, gagged and bound. Other characters were in iron cages.
Suddenly, there came the sound of cannons and gunfire. The Cygnarans rcognized the sound of the Cygnar Navy engaging the Cryx fleet. With a crash, a volley of cannonballs smashed through the ship. Sounds of battle came, and the ship the Players were on took heavy damage. There were sounds of the ship being abandonded, and a single, ornately dressed Statyxis ran down to the hold to retrieve an odd iron cask. A final cannonball shattered the bars between one Player’s cage and the bound Ogrun. A chance at freedom!
Cue Opening Credits. Then the Game Began.
The Player immediately freed the Ogrun, who proceeded to smash open the other cells. The Party armed themselves with lengths of iron and a few battered cutlasses, then stormed up on deck. Most of the deck was covered in wreckage, and a few undead sailors were left at their posts. Amongst the wreckage, a large armored carapace stirred. A heavy Cryxian Helljack, Reaper class, was trapped in the wreckage, and fought against the Players, supported by a few undead soldiers. The Players soon discovered that the wounded captain of the ship was still aboard, badly hurt and trapped in the wreckage with the Reaper Helljack. The battle was fierce, but the Players overtook the ship and limped for the relative safety of the nearby coastline.
The Players regrouped in a burned-out harbor and gathered what they could find from the ruined town and broken ship. On the ship were large bound chests with the armor and weapons that had been taken from them. This gave each character their main starting equipment, including several Plot Devices like the Universal Cortex. The mechaniks cobbled together a ‘jack out of bits and pieces of other broken ‘jacks to put the Cortex into. It worked, about at the same quality as a Laborjack. The Players noticed the Cryx ships on the horizon as night was falling, so the party moved inland to find shelter.
Not bad for the first game. The Players learned to respect Helljacks, especially ones with Harpoons. Two XP for everyone! Everyone gets 2 Occupational Skill Points.