Previously, James “Basilisk” Rokuro had tracked his “quarry” the cultist Warden into the desert, thinking him lost or potentially injured. He discovered instead that Warden was leading a ritual and using a Precursor Key to open one of the portals into the Precursor Vault. Now a terrible, seemingly living miasma is emerging — the Terrifying manifestations of why Warden’s mother lawmaker Annora Ptrov had heart reports.

STARTING STATUS

Momentum +7

Supply +5

Health +5

Spirit +5

Ship Integrity 5

Hunter Hunted Clock 1 / 8

They Progress 0 / 10 (Formidable)

Iron Vow 0 / 10 (Epic)

James is not interested in fighting the whatever-it-is, but needs to grab Warden and get out of there. That is the objective, and it is Formidable (meaning that making progress fills one box).

Let’s start by having James Enter the Fray. He will roll +edge because he is trying to rush in and grab Warden as fast as he can.

Action Die ROLL = 4 +3 = 7

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 10 3. A weak hit. Since James’ Momentum is already pretty high, he chooses to take control of the combat.

James huddled behind the tracked vehicle that brought the Field Dampener. He looks at his pistols and realizes shooting isn’t much use right now. Instead, he rushes out at Warden even as the weird, living cloud begins to send out black tendrils at the cultists.

James is going to grab Warden and try to forcibly move him away from the open aperture and the miasma. He isn’t trying to hurt Warden, so this is a Gain Ground move, rolled with +iron.

Action ROLL = 1 +2 = 3. Oof.

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 9 7. That’s bad. Maybe I should have taken that Momentum! Now James is in a bad spot and encounters a new peril. The miasma has noticed James and is coming for him now, too!

James grabs Warden but the cultist spins away and out of his ceremonial cloak. James sprawls onto the dusty ground, momentarily disoriented. He throws the cloak aside and as he does he sees a tendril of black smoke — not smoke, he thinks, but a cloud of tiny independent creatures, like gnats — reach toward him.

James must React Under Fire, rolling +edge to scramble away from the tendril of hungry nanobots and regain his feet.

Action ROLL = 2 +3 = 5.

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 1 1. WOOHOO! Not only a strong hit, but a match! James is in control, gains +1 Momentum, and has a new opportunity.

James rolls away from the reaching swarm and onto his feet — right into Warden. “Let’s try this again, shall we,” James grins and reaches for the cultist.

James is going to try to Gain Ground, again using +iron.

Action ROLL = 5 +2 = 7.

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 8 and 1. A weak hit. James will Mark Progress (1/10).

James grabs Warden by the arm and collar and begins to push him away from the aperture. “Your mother wants to speak to you, so be a good boy and come on.” Warden struggles against James’ grip and the outlaw loses patience.

This time James is going to Strike Warden, hoping to make more progress quickly. He rolls +iron because they are in melee.

Action ROLL = 6 +2 = 8.

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 9 1. A weak hit. James still marks progress twice (3/10), but finds himself in a bad spot.

James twists Warden’s arm and shoves him toward the vehicle. Warden lurches forward but suddenly James feels an impact as one of Warden’s fellow cultists bowls into him.

James isn’t giving up that easily, even if he is in a bad spot. He will Clash rolling +iron.

Action ROLL = 6 +2 = 8. Nice!

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 7 4. A strong hit! James marks  progress twice (5/10) and is once again in control.

Without letting go of Warden, James throws his weight and causes the cultists to tumble away — and into the cloud. The miasma pours into the cultist’s mouth, noes ears and eyes. The screaming is unbearable.

James wants the Hell out of there before he ends up like that poor bastard. James with Strike with +iron again, literally kicking Warden’s ass toward the vehicle.

Action ROLL = 1 +2 = 3

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 1 6. A weak hit. James has to be in control to try and “win” so he burns his momentum (+8) and takes the strong hit, marking progress twice (7/10) and remaining in control.

James is going to Take Decisive Action, shoving Warden into the vehicle and climbing in after him in order to escape the area and leaving the other cultists to whatever horrible fate the nanoswarm promises them.

For this move, James doesn’t make an action roll. His result is his Progress of 7. The results of the Challenge Dice will determine what happens.

Action ROLL = 7 (Progress).

Challenge Dice ROLLs = 5 6. No match, so this strong hit is treated as a weak hit: James succeeds but not without cost.

Cost Roll = 19: It’s worse than you thought — make a Suffer move.

I am going to have James Endure Stress and take -2 Spirit.

“I said get in!” James yells, punctuating it with a hard shove that sends Warden sprawling across the cab. James drops into the driver’s seat and starts the vehicle. As he starts to pull away, he looks and sees the other cultists. They have all been caught by the tendrils of the miasma. Their bodies jerk and spasm and they scream. Dear God do they scream — until they stop. Clouds of nanites pour out of their mouths and other orifices and their bodies seem to wither and collapse as their flesh is repurposed for the swarm. It’s a sight James will never be able to wash from his memory.

James has won, but now he has to get Warden back to the Vault Camp and figure out what to do with him.

ENDING STATUS

Momentum +2

Supply +5

Health +5

Spirit +3

Ship Integrity 5

Hunter Hunted Clock 1 / 8

They Progress 0 / 10 (Formidable)

Iron Vow 0 / 10 (Epic)