The one with Zap Vorn´s first turn..

.. in The Vagabond. 

I decided I might aswell do a series of blogposts regarding the PBEM-game I currently am developing. Working on v0.7 now and have invited a few betatesters. The first one coming out of the gates blazing is the character Zap Vorn, so why not follow his journey into stardom and wealth or, more likely, his ultimate demise.

For starters, I will just post my Feedbackloops as I have written them to the player behind Captain Zap. Mainly because I haven´t asked for their permission to post that part of the story, but also since we both are finding out how we want to narrate and tell the story together as we go along. I might eventually return to the early posts in this series and add the player narration and Orders aswell. 

I will not at this point post a link to the WIP rules, as there is really no reason for it. A quick rundown is that The Vagabond works more or less like a hexcrawl with the twist that character management and narration makes a difference in the RNG for the hexes being generated. The system for skills are a 2D6+modifiers, 8s are solid successes. 

A final note: I am vehemently against the use of AI on a personal level both in creating, illustrating and running my games and as a player in other peoples games. I do however not ask of my players to do the same, nor do I pass judgement on others using that particular technology to enchance their imagination. It´s just not for me, artistically or morally.

Now onto the story!

Zap Vorn in all his glory.

Pregame Order:
The player behind Zap sent in an narration on how Zap is the sole survivor, and captain, of a starliner that mysteriously broke apart during a trip thru the Region. He decided that a investigation would "be to much hassle" and promtly decided to change identity and use the escape-pod as his new means of transport. He has ended up at the major tradinghub in the sector, Gumgala Station.


Pregame Feedbackloop:

Gumgala Station is bustling with activity around the clock.
Being the major tradinghub of the Region, this is normal and expected. Smaller ships are constantly docking and undocking from the myriad of hangars while a handful of gargantuan haulers extend their loadingbays and magnetically lock their hulls to the station, looking like small mosquitos on a Zaptulian swamp-cow. Outside the station the darkness of the void is filled with a starry background while small dots of light flash for a second and disappear as ships power up their FTL-drives and jump into the void beyond. Once every few minutes a bigger flash illuminates the viewports as ships traveling thru the Voidgate materialises in the system.

You find your way to one of the many cantinas on the station and while ordering a beverage you start asking around for some jobs. As you had a few chats and the same amount of drinks you get approached by a nervous looking patreon looking for a safe passage to their agricultural homeplanet of Clotho in Sector 13:14. Azizos is their name and they will pay a sum of 12 Cr for the transport, Clotho is  8 sectors away. They assure that they will be able to get you Deutrium for a price of 1 Cr when you arrive and they seem trustworthy. They wish to arrive within 8 turns for full payment, which you will get at arrival. You take their contact-info saying you will let them know within the next coming hours and make your way into the lower decks of the station, trying to find a contact for shipmods. 

Asking around and buying a few drinks to some choise people you get directed to an Ungolianth fellow by the name of S´Hati. The Ungolianth sizes you up and decides you are worthy of his trust, offering a trade; 

He will have his crew retrofit an old mining-laser and an ancient scavenged FTL-drive to The Minnow. You will pay the crew 4 Cr up front for the installation and as payment for the gear you have to agree to only sell goods to S´Hati when trading at Gumgala station from now on. The installation will take one turn unless you tip the crew extra and they will be done today. You get the feeling that S´Hati will know if your cross him in the future.

You return to your bunk in The Minnow to think about your next move.

Major Task: Cantina RNG-roll. Sense trustworthyness, Mind Roll. 2D6=8 solid success.
Minor task: Underworld, Mind Roll. 2D6 = 11, very good success. 

-----

Available Minor Task next Order: Spend DP.

Available Minor Task next Order: Accept transport of the patreon of the cantina to 13:14. If so, add a Point of Intrest (PoI) to your Data-sheets. 13:14 Clotho - Transport Passenger, Azizos. 8 Turns for full payment of 12 Cr.

Available Minor Task next Order: Accept the deal from S´Hati the Ungloianth Shady Trader. Pay 4 Cr and stay one full turn on Gumgala (You can Order all Tasks next turn apart from FTL-Jump.) Add PoI - S´Hati the Shady Trader, Gumgala Station 06:17.

Available Minor Task next Order: Accept the deal from S´Hati the Ungloianth Shady Trader. Pay 6Cr to get installation complete at once and be able to FTL-jump next Order. Add PoI - S´Hati the Shady Trader, Gumgala Station 06:17. 

Cheers!
/Fred

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