2025-11-29 First Kinetic Energy Adventure
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Given the two patrons and the option to learn about a third patron in
the last blog post, what do the characters decide?

I think Urs, knowing the two patrons he has access to, and knowing
about is bad Strength, is reluctant to go and fight in underground
tunnels. Bia's offer of evacuating Mrs. Orti to Sobia sounds more like
something he's into. Sam has Car-1 and can drive, so she's into it as
well. Trent and Quveisa aren't against it, but they want to know a bit
more.

It's agreed, then. They all spend some time looking into job.

Mr. Orno is Sam's contact back in the long haul business, at Quality
Intelligence. Perhaps Sam can borrow a car for the drive? Let's check
Status + Dive. Rolled a 7 on 2d6 which is barely ≤ 6 + 1. Mr. Orno
does have a car available for old time's sake. "Sure, you can have
this sand buggy for a week. Enjoy your trip to the Oasis!"

Trent needs a weapon. Can the patron provide one? Sadly, with Status-2
Bia has no resources at her disposal. But she knows a guy who might be
willing to hand over a pistol. She gives Urs an address and Urs passes
it along. Urs is afraid of an ambush (the players don't know that Bia
has a pretty high Loyalty-9) so Trent wants to take precautions and
scout out the surroundings, first. We already know that Bia means
Trent no harm, and it's a bit early for House of Esre to send in
assassins. But perhaps they are trying to learn more about Trent? A
hard Intelligence + Tactics check might reveal something. Rolled 13 on
3d6 which is not ≤ 10 + 1. Trent does not see that he's being tailed
and gets the pistol.

Urs wants to learn about the reasons Mrs. Orti needs to disappear for
a while. Bia tells him about the security forces of Inus Xein
Pharmaceuticals trying to get Mrs. Orti. Urs tries to learn more about
the corp but a check of Education + Library is impossible: Education-2
and no Library skill would make this a 2d6 ≤ 2 - 2 roll. He decides to
talk to Mrs. Orti instead. Intelligence + People is more likely to
succeed. Rolled 10 on 2d6 which is not ≤ 6 + 2. Mrs. Orti is
tight-lipped when asked about the reasons. "It's better if you don't
know. All you need to know is that the earlier we leave, the better."

"We can leave now," he says.

And so they leave starport area one early morning in that borrowed
jeep: Sam at the wheel, Trent with the pistol next to her, Quveisa and
Urs in the back, Mrs. Orti between them. The jeep is filled with Mrs.
Orti's bags, an extra tire, some tools, water tanks, and biscuits.

From the point of view of the referee, they could have spent a bit
more time on getting better intel.

At night, Trent hands the gun to Sam. "I'm pretty good in unarmed
combat. When we're not driving, you should carry the gun." Trent also
wants to make sure the area is safe. Nobody has the Survival skill and
the best Education the party brings to the table is 4. Sam or Trent
need to roll snake-eyes (2) because of 4 - 2 for lacking the skill.
Sam misses widely but Trent rolls a 3. It's still a miss but the
referee confirms that the desert does not feel safe.

At night, six Rarein Crabs show up! They roll 2 on 2d6 which is ≤ 10
so they want to attack. Trent wants to ambush them using Intelligence
+ Tactics and rolls 5 on 2d6 which is ≤ 10 + 1. A free round!

“Everybody into the car!” shouts Sam and tries to do a getaway using
Dexterity and Car. Rolled 5 on 2d6 which is ≤ 5 + 1.

They all make it.

This could have been rough. The party wants to be more careful. This
means more information gathering before doing anything else. But now
they’re in the middle of the desert with no library access at all. Use
the computer networks? Maybe not. Who knows who is watching. Is there
a tracker on this car? The party has no tools to monitor network
traffic but perhaps one could hack into the car computer? It’s a hard
Intelligence + Computer check. Urs has 7, Sam has 9. Sam will do it
and rolls an 8. Success. The car is not bugged. Ok! Sam takes the car
offline. That means they feel comfortable continuing to drive, at
least under the cover of night.

Soon, Sobia comes into view. What now? Check the news, passively.
Check for an ambush, while driving?

First, Intelligence + Infiltrate to learn more about the situation.
Nobody has the skill and Trent has Intelligence-10, so roll 2d6 ≤ 10 -
2. Rolled 9, a miss. No suspicious messages.

Next deploy slowly, carefully. Make a hard check Intelligence +
Tactics to outmanoeuvre any bad guys, since this time there really is
an ambush and the party doesn’t just want to have an extra round. They
want to avoid the encounter. Trent does it, again. Rolled 9 ≤ 11.

They get off the car, buy some local garb, get out the back entrance
of the shop and start moving through the souk towards the Lelerino
caravansary. Suddenly Mrs. Orti turns to the right. “I don’t want to
join the Lelerino long-distance caravan. Take me to the Quatilti
Orchards and Biotech office and I’ll owe you one.”

“No way!” says Sam. “Staying here is not safe. Didn’t you see the
observers on the rooftops that Trent pointed out to us?”

“I don’t care! The Lelerino are not safe, either.”

The party is confounded. What would Bia say? Calling here now, from
the Souk, doesn’t seem safe at all.

Trent offers to go and check it out, see how safe it is. He’s still
benefitting from his successful check and soon realises that multiple
armed agents are stalking the Quatilti Orchards and Biotech office. He
returns and says: “No way this is safe.”

Sam nods. “The Lelerino it is, then. Let’s go.” This is a question of
Status and Discipline! Urs does have Status-10 but lacks the skill.
Does he want to use Deception instead and lie to Mrs. Orti? “No, I’m
an honest guy and perhaps we’ll meet her again.” Rolled 5 ≤ 10 - 2 and
succeeded. So, by status, authority or force of will, the party moves
to the caravansary.

“Here we are,” says Sam.

“Thanks,” whispers Mrs. Orti.

Quveisa looks unhappily at Trent.

Trent is working his jaw. “We’ll see you again, promised.”

#RPG #2d6 #Kinetic_Energy