5 Parsecs Reboot - Meet the New Crew

Sorry, Folks, it's been a loooooooong time since I last posted anything.
I've not been idle. I've done fair bit of figure painting and scenery buying and making but no gaming apart from my annual dose of Sellswords and Spellslingers with one of my sons each Christmas (see my other blog for that.

And a lot has changed.

Ivan has now brought out his third edition of 5PFH plus three add-ons plus a compendium. And I have retired, moved (and downsized) to a new part of the UK  and now have more time on my hands so I am hoping that this is now a start of a campaign of a decent length. Oh, and I've got a new phone so the photos should be better too.

I'll be using 5PFH 3rd Edition with a few add-ons from Freelancers and Trailblazers but I will also draw from the first edition, which I think has a few good bits in it.

So here we go with a new crew and it has to be new one because Davin Kinall, the captain of the Sunder's Wing was assassinated - dropped out of a box and got trodden on while we were packing for the move (the rest of the crew suspect hat Vinca Jissard may have had a hand in it). May he rest in peace.

While there has been a lot of change over the last five years, my dice rolling has not improved.

(from left to right) Bin Sang, Sona Bah and Wasa Camara

Naja Wince, Fua Londo and Taolo Sebaga

Bin Sang (a minor alien)
Reaction: 2
Speed: 4
Combat: 0
Toughness: 3
Savvy: 0
XP: 0
Luck: 0
Background: Military Outpost
Motivation: Fame
Class: Negotiator
Patron: Bartu dos Jibola (a dodgy, wealthy individual)

The establishment of a Unity military outpost on Venducci was greeted with puzzlement as the inhabitants had always been a peace-loving race. Following a gathering of the Sens-Moot, the Venduccians (named "Bajjers" by Unity) decided simply to let the interlopers play soldiers while they carried on their lives as normal.
Bin Sang, like so many of his people, made a living as a freelance negotiator. It was during a job on Tanaquil Standpoint that he met Bartu dos Jobola, a magnate who seems to have an interest in so many business deals and just about stays within the law. Bartu was so impressed with Bin Sang's approach to his art that he offered to loan him the credits to buy his own vessel, the Pacifier - a former diplomatic vessel - on the understanding that he would carry out the occasional mission for him. Bin Sang accepted the offer.

Sona Bar (a human with a mysterious past)
Reaction: 1
Speed: 4
Combat: 0
Toughness: 3
Savvy: 1
XP: 0
Luck: 0
Background: Alien Culture/Peaceful High Tech Colony
Motivation:Fame
Class:Trader

Sona Bar is the child of missionaries. His formative years were spent on Arusha - a highly advanced planet. His parents had hoped that he would continue their ministry amongst the Arushans but he had been disillusioned by what he had seen his parents go through over the years. Instead, he decided to become a merchant, selling the high-tech products of Arusha across the sector. But things didn't always go as he had hoped.
It was during a low time when an important sale had fallen through that he met Bin Sang and the promise of success and fame caused him to drop the trading and join the Venduccian.

Wasa Camara (another minor alien)
Reaction: 1
Speed: 5
Combat: 0
Toughness: 3
Savvy: 0
XP: 0
Luck: 0
Background: Bureaucrat
Motivation: Romance
Class: Scoundrel

Wasa Camara is an Arushan who, worked in the Ministry of Commerce, recording imports and exports. Deciding that his wage wasn't enough, he made it known to his clients that his palms were always open to a little bribery. Unfortunately, he made it known too loudly and was soon discovered and dismissed.
Jobless and with a record for corruption, he found himself an outcast from his people. He had little option other than trying his hand at scrounging, cheating and petty theft.
It was while he was practising these skills in the starport that he was approached by one of his former clients, Sona Bar, who offered him a better option - to offer his services to Bin Sang.

Naja Wince (human)
Reaction: 1
Speed: 5
Combat: 0
Toughness: 4
Savvy: 1
XP: 0
Luck: 0
Background: Research Outpost
Motivation: Survival
Class: Criminal

Naja Wince grew up on the outskirts one of Unity's largest research posts on the planet of Fortunata, where nearly 90% of the population found employment servicing and supplying the research. Much of the work was focused on developing more powerful propellants Unfortunately many of the bi-products of that experimentation were toxins and other pollutants, which caused cancers and other health issues amongst the population. 
Naja Wince decided that he would have none of that. Initially he got involved in sabotage and subterfuge to undermine the outpost's work. He had thought that he would be regarded by his people as a freedom-fighter or "Robin Hood" figure but he soon learnt that he was simply labelled a crook. So he escaped the planet and landed on Tanaquil Standpoint where he met up with Bin Sang.

Fua Londo (human)
Reaction: 1
Speed: 4
Combat: 0
Toughness: 3
Savvy: 0
XP: 0
Luck: 0
Background: Space Station
Motivation: Order
Class: Negotiator
Patrons: the local government of Tanaquil Standpoint and The Riven Patriots (a private organisation whose aims are not fully clear to Unity)

Fua Londo was born and grew up on the space station Orbiter094. The risks involved in living in such dangerous and cramped conditions can easily lead to disputes escalating into violence so the station employs teams to defuse such situations. Even as a child Fua Londo was good at calming things down so he was a natural for the roll.
With the decommissioning of the space station, he found himself homeless and jobless so started promoting himself as a negotiator and soon found he was in much demand. Some of his work brought him into contact with Bin Sang and a partnership has formed between them.

Taolo Sebaga (human)
Reaction: 1
Speed: 4
Combat: 0
Toughness: 3
Savvy: 2
XP: 2
Luck: 1
Background: Long-Term Space Mission
Motivation: Revenge
Class: Working Class
Rivals:Clan of the Seven (Planetary Nomads)

Taolo Sebaga was a member of the exploration team to the far-flung Contemporary Complex. Such long flights in space can mess with a person's mind and she found that some of her colleagues were able to relate better to the machinery that they tended than to the humans around them, including her. Taolo Sebaga has never disclosed what happened to her on that mission or who caused it to happen but it is very clear to those around her that she has a hatred of a particular being and will, given the chance, eliminate them. Given the opportunity to join Bin Sang's crew, she snapped up the offer, regarding it as a way to hunt down her intended victim.
Her bitterness sometimes flows over into her dealings with others which has caused her problems. For reasons best known to them (and possibly Taolo), a clan of nomads on Tanaquil Standpoint hold a grudge against her.

So that's the crew. Onto the equipment...

Weapons - 3 blades, 1 plasma rifle, 1 auto rifle, 1 military rifle and 1 infantry laser.
Gadgets - a repair bot.
Gear - combat armour, laser sight and nano doc.

Hmm, that feels a bit dodgy. Not a lot of firepower. I hope that the dice are kind to me when I roll my first opponent.

And finally, the crew start with 19 credits, 1 rumour, and 5 story points.

A record of their first mission on Tanaquil Standpoint will be coming up shortly.

 

The End of Miss Daisy

Looting the bodies of the mutants, they managed to find enough spare parts to mend their broken shotgun and then, reluctantly, Davin and his band went to find their patron to break the bad news to him. They found him as usual preaching the square.
Amazingly, despite the failure of the mission, their patron,Arrik Chattza, paid them generously – a full 7 Credits - with an assurance that "She's gone to a better place". They now had 11 Credits to their name - enough for another episode.

However, they have now managed to make enemies of all the mutants of the planet for their apparent support of the preacher's doctrine.

Experience-wise, Davin Kinall gained 3XP improved his Toughness, Garm gained 3XP, Porro gained 3XP and increased his Reactions and Drinna gained 5XP, increasing his Speed.
Campaign event - the team have been tracked down by an old nemesis so I guess that that is Episode 3 sorted.
Character event - all the violence has gor David depressed.

So, as things stand:

Name	Reactions	Speed	Combat	Toughness	Tech	Experience
Davin Kinall	1	4.5	0	4	1	10
Vinca Jissard	2	4	0.5	3	0.5	6
Garm Izel	1	4	1.5	3	0	9
Porro Thif	2	3	0	3	1	7
Jaa Maduel	1	5	0	3	1	6
Jeela Dystra	2	4	0	3	0.5	3
Drinna Kiles	1	5	0	3	0	7

  

Onto the third episode...

Episode Two - Walking Miss Daisy Part 2

With Vinca in the sick bay, Davin and his crew decided to remain on the planet.
Upkeep
6 Credits (no payment for Vinca as he's in sick bay. Jeela is also in the sick bay but only because she's having a sulk so I decided that she still needs paying even if she will accept it reluctantly). They now have 3 Credits left so they better get hunting for pay.
Jobs
Davin Kinall went trading and managed to pick up a bargain - a technical book which he gave to Porro (+1XP)  
Vinca Jissard simply recuperated in the sick bay. He'll be ready in Episode Three.  Garm Izel also went trading but wasn't so successful, buying what amounted to a pile of scrap worth 1 Credit.  
Porro Thif went looking for a patron and bumped into Arrik Chattza again. While he was grateful that they had managed to bring his mother to him, Arrick now realised that Miss Daisy was not safe while she remained on the planet. He had arranged to fly her off from the starport but needed an escort to accompany her to the awaiting starcraft. He was not aware of a plot by Unity but was worried that they might make another attempt try to grab her. Porro smiled to himself. At least he wouldn't have to convince her to go with them this time!
Jaa Maduel went sight-seeing but stopped by a street-food stall, ate a dodgy deep-fried sagunza burger and got food-poisoning so went to the sick bay. Hopefully he wouldn't restart his argument with Jeela.
Jeela Dystra stayed in the sick bay, looking after Vinca.
Drinna Kiles went with Jaa to explore parts of the city that were new to him and was given a faulty sonic wave emitter. Hopefully with a few Credits spent on it and a bit of TLC, Porro would be able to get it going again.

~~~

Rolling for the opposition, I got Mutants but only four of them (rolled a 1 and a 2 +2). Would Unity be recruiting Mutants?
In his preaching, Arrick has recently been focusing on the abomination of mutation - a sure and certain sign of the depravity of the universe. The president has been listening and so has put in place laws that restrict the movements of the mutant community. Naturally this has not gone down well with the this already discriminated against section of the population. Time for revenge. Well not quite time, I had to delay things to paint up some mutants - wonderful figures sculpted by Eli Arndt for his Loud Ninja Games and sold by Alternative Armies.

The set-up (inspired by Spacejacker...though not as good)

Davin and his team entered the starport (on the left side of the board) aiming for the airlock door (in the centre of the righthand side).
Other than a few hospitality robots the place was deserted - a sign that all was not well. So Davin, Garm and Drinna decided to fan out to take out any enemy while Porro kept  close company with Miss Daisy.
Meanwhile the mutants took their positions near an entrance by the airlock.

The mutant band consisted of their leader armed with a shotgun (second from the right) and three all armed with rifles. I must work on my camera skills!

Things started slowly with Davin and his band moving cautiously along the corridor, unaware of who had caused the desertion of the starport or where they might be.

Reaching the end of the corridor, they entered the main thoroughfare of the starport unaware that the mutants were reaching the far end of the same hall...or at least, some of them were.

While two of the mutants were looking for cover in the main hall, the other two were creeping through a store room, looking to approach from the flank.

The mutant leader and his lieutenent reached a low wall and took cover behind it ready to take a potshot at the friends, or preferably Miss Daisy.  The other two continued their flanking movement, avoiding the attentions of a cleansing-bot.

As Davin reached the wall the mutant leader let fly with his shot gun but missed with both barrels. Davin returned fire with his rifle and hit the mutant but he was unable to penetrate the mutant thick hide. Stunned, the creature staggered back away from the wall.
Now that the mutant was more out in the open, Drinna took the opportunity to fire with his shotgun and took the leader out.
  

Shaken by the death of his leader, the lieutenant paused to take in the situation but the hesitation was enough to give Garm time to rush up to the open doorway and fire his blast rifle. The shot hit its target and burnt the second mutant to a frazzle.

With the two mutants down, Davin urged his team and Miss Daisy to hurry to the airlock and so, throwing caution to the wind, they headed towards the door, unaware of the danger they were in.
As Porro and Miss Daisy broken into the open, the other two mutants jumped out from the side corridor, firing their rifles. At pointblank range, the outcome was obvious, Miss Daisy was hit!

As the frail body of the preacher's mother crumpled to the ground, Drinna sprang into action.
"Nooooooo!" He burst out from his cover and rushed across the hallway and fire at the two mutants, hitting both of them and killing both of them outright.

The mission had failed.