The Basics
As GM I will assume the following:

1. Talking with teammates is a private communication utilizing an Electronic Countermeasure that succeeded from a skill of 50%. If the players want a higher % they can make the encryption roll themselves.
   
2. Talking is considered in American unless the language group is used.
   
3. All personal equipment is on the character until otherwise posted.
   
4. The game is broken up into chapters and scenes for tracking purposes
   
5. Carried monies are considered trade-able widgets / precious metals / etc in Rifts earth wealth terms.
   
6. Unless otherwise posted and all that is happening in the thread is discussions when an entity decides to travel somewhere I will give some time for other entities to say differently before moving on to the next active moment in the game. All characters that didn't go elsewhere are assumed to have traveled with the leading entity.

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:18, Wed 23 Sept 2020.

The city of Duskwater is located on the planet of Davros IV in the Binary System of Davros in the Thundercloud Galaxy.

Duskwater is a colony based around the remnants of a C.C.W. corpo venture that didn't pan out leaving the sponsoring C.E.O.s (8 Families) tied to their defunct product. It has a population of 347 people with a small defense force (Iron Fist Medium Tank Formation and Iron Maiden APC-10 Formation) plus a moderate sized starport (with a Grey Falcon Attack Jet Formation).

The Vestige has a minor compound connected to the outskirts of the colony with a private access to the colony's starport.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:16, Wed 23 Sept 2020.

On the tarmac of the Vestige's personal landing pad are small clusters of new faces and old hats to the Duskwater area. They have all been gathered to look into an infestation of anomalies that have been popping up on the planet, specifically those that threaten his personal turf. Your crew will be one of many looking into the problems, but you have the honor of knowing the Vestige on a somewhat personal level.

A butler drone presents itself to you and you are guided into the Vestige's library before the other 40 or so gathered freelancers. The eclectic being is sifting through a pile of books when you file in, he pauses and acknowledges your presence while you file in, when the butler drone arrives with your favorite beverage he stops his search and fully addresses you.

[Language unknown: "Houwilestter Romsomlatvor, fo pe i peha osate lifool."] he takes a swig of his drink [Language unknown: "E in ac conos t ul thiectsti omese P reei oeret enc onvor alkor t hifi ar. O nchi ng siasit whi leter al laree ni er man noon ectastentartort..."]
He slides over a sheet of flex-paper [Language unknown: "Heun te ei ureintyinoneore ar tiad hari hasugheau ourdertic setaintho ounpe ck nomiisulth is eenbe ai paniac reshisfor outis t ri eauterven rineonei."]

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The Job:

• There is a flat 200000 for taking the job and handing over all instrument data made during the course of the mission.
• The Objectives:
  
  1. Information Gathering – Sensitive Data (Assessing the situation): 2,000-24,000
  2. Information Gathering – Industrial Secrets (Discovering and capturing the source of the anomalies): 2,000-120,000
  3. Information Gathering – State Secrets (Discovering and capturing the perpetrator behind the anomalies): 24,000-200,000
  4. Rescue Mission – Medium (Missing Duskwater Locals): 10,000-40,000 credits.
  5. Rescue Mission – Large (Missing Vestige Staff): 30,000-120,000 credits.

---

He clears his throat [Language unknown: "Th theate'strithall llwa ousil redweryin pe ulpaheeris ca olni ughlatill llusre el antei elno Artwasame."]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:50, Thu 24 Sept 2020.

When nobody else steps forward quickly the metal woman known to some as Kassandra steps forward to take the sheet of flex paper in an impressively gentle grasp, holding it up to scan quickly, likely putting an image of it into some sort of internal vision augmenting system, before she hands it off to the next individual slightly less quick to reach for it.

The over nine foot tall metallic samurai stepped forward and gave a bow of respect to all gathered. "Greetings! Your patronage is most welcome. I will endeavor to do my best to complete this task for you."

He turned to the others and bowed, though a bit lower than he had to Vestige. "Greetings. For those I have not met before, I am Mijime Seishi. You may call me Seishi or Ronin as you prefer. I am pleased to meet and work with you."

He waited patiently for Kassandra to finish with the flex paper before taking them gingerly and looking them over, handing them off after.

The team now has 4 possible locations to go to, either the most recent event location or the three older location. If the characters want to do or attempt something else describe what you want to do and I will tell you the die pool related to what you are attempting, if it is possible.

1. The most recent event was NW 133 miles away from town, roll the following to travel to it:
   
   • 5D12, each die recorded separately
   • Land Navigation @ - 20%
   • Perception (DC 20)
   • Pilot @ - 20% (if in a vehicle) or Prowl @ - 20% (if walking)
   
   
2. Another event happened SE 171 miles away from town, roll the following to travel to it:
   
   • 5D12, each die recorded separately
   • Land Navigation @ - 20%
   • Perception (DC 20)
   • Pilot @ - 20% (if in a vehicle) or Prowl @ - 20% (if walking)
   
   
3. Another event happened S 199 miles away from town, roll the following to travel to it:
   
   • 5D12, each die recorded separately
   • Land Navigation @ - 20%
   • Perception (DC 20)
   • Pilot @ - 20% (if in a vehicle) or Prowl @ - 20% (if walking)
   
   
4. Another event happened W 120 miles away from town, roll the following to travel to it:
   
   • 5D12, each die recorded separately
   • Land Navigation @ - 20%
   • Perception (DC 20)
   • Pilot @ - 20% (if in a vehicle) or Prowl @ - 20% (if walking)

The gargoyle sitting in the back of the room finally stands up and comes forward.  At twelve feet and a half tall normally, he physically looks down upon the other two even as a wide smile crosses his surprisingly expressive craggy and scarred face.  A smile that even reaches his yellow, slit-pupilled eyes.
To say that he is ugly is an understatement.  Even other gargoyles consider him to be hideous looking.  However, despite his repulsive appearance, he is dressed... in a tuxedo with tails and red cumerbund and bowtie.  He even wears white gloves, shoes, brogues and not oxfords, designed for his feet, and a top hat that extend his height to about fifteen feet.
So, which would you dudes want to do?  His voice is like gravel tumbling in a spinning drum, a hope for a smoothing out that never comes to fruition.

After reading the note and passing it on it takes Kassandra a moment to realize that it was taken by a large metal hand, which she follows to be looking up at a cyborg nearly twice as tall as her, and many times her size.  While still assessing that particular puzzle the even larger and more oddly dressed gargoyle draws her attention even farther upward to meet his gaze, a feat no doubt possible due only to the extreme and unnaturally flexibility of her own cybernetics.

Despite not breathing in the typical way of those with organic lungs she still manages to make a sigh happen as she lowers her head to shake it a few times.  Looking back up at the less huge samurai masked cyborg she addresses them both in a pleasant and obviously feminine voice, one completely devoid of mechanical overtones or indication of being digitally created despite the fact that it must be anything but organic.

”Unless one of the two of you happens to own a very large, and fast, vehicle it looks like we are in for a bit of a run, and probably not a particularly stealthy approach to wherever we go.  So it might be a good idea to start with one of the locations other than the most recent, get some information about what we expect to encounter before we go somewhere they may still have eyes on.”
This message was last edited by the player at 17:50, Sun 27 Sept 2020.

There is a couple things I forgot to make clear.
The O.C.C. area is for anyone to ask anything to anyone else from either team. It is out of character information and general commentary. If something needs to be moved to a group specific thread I will carry it over; i.e. rules clarfications to the Rules QnA thread and the such.

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I have an old chart related to degrees of success and degrees of failure that i use when players make skill checks. It helps flavor the information given in any roll set made.

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For this first set of travel it can be done as best of from the team, later on that may change.

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If a character has a vehicle it is currently parked on the tarmac near the Vestige's abode, otherwise all of your character's personal gear is being carried by your character.

---

Skill roll penalties come from pg 301 R.U.E.
The Current Penalties are from:

1. Characters will be on the move -5%
2. Pressure situation, low -5%
3. Distracted by outside force (The Local Dimensional Anomolies) -10%

No vehicle, he says as he unfurls his twenty-foot wingspan, but I never really needed one.  Though, some kinda booster would be nice.
He shrugs.  I should be able to carry you both.

Seishi frowned though it was hard to tell, his metallic brow not really able to furrow. He looked at the information given and then at the 'gargoyle'. In a tuxedo.

But he glanced at the smaller 'female' and gave an accepting nod. "I am fine with that."

He glanced back at the gargoyle. "Unless this is some need for it, I am fine with running. I can run about 96 kilometers per hour, so I am not exactly slow."

Kassandra nods to the larger cyborg but addresses her answer back to the gargoyle.

”Unless we encounter a canyon to wide to jump easily it is likely best that we each travel under our own power, 96 kph should be fast enough to get us close enough to begin our approach in a few hours if you can maintain that speed flying for that long without a booster.”
This message was last edited by the player at 08:17, Tue 29 Sept 2020.

If the characters don't have access to the skills required to go to the locations on their own they can ask one of the other freelancers for a ride or guide to the spot. These are the rolls required to do so;

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Utilizing M.A. to generate Basic Trust (all characters have a minimum of 30% to this roll):

• 5D12, each die recorded separately
• Trust
• Perception (DC 20)

Utilizing P.B. to generate Basic Influence (all characters have a minimum of 16% to this roll):

• 5D12, each die recorded separately
• Charm
• Perception (DC 20)

Seishi waited for the gargoyle to answer but asked another question in the meantime. "Do either of you have a preference in which of the older sites we should visit first?" His head tilted to one side slightly. "I suppose if we wish to visit all of the various sites, it would make sense to start with the one to the southeast, then swing over to the one to the south, then to the west and finally to the northwest."

He paused. "Thoughts?"

OOC: Do you want EACH OF US to roll the separate 5d12 in addition to the skills?

Btw, the only OOC thread I see is closed so I can't post in it. Not sure if I'm missing something.

Only 1 person needs to roll a set of 5d12, each recorded seperatly at this time.

The only OOC thread I have set up is in the public group. I will look into the problem with posting later on tonight. The O.O.C. comment group should work now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:47, Thu 01 Oct 2020.

The gargoyle shrugs.  I could not tell you how fast I can fly.  I have never had the chance to find out.
When asked about which site to visit, he again shrugs.  That sounds like a good enough idea to me.  I'm not exactly an idea man.  I used to be smarter, though.  He taps one of the cylinders poking though his tough scapl.  That was before these went in.  I'm good with anywhere.

Kassandra waits for a few moments to be sure that is the best plan then heads out of the building, tossing only one comment over her shoulder on the way out.

”Then i suppose we are running.”

1. 171 miles South East of Duskwater
   
2. 191 miles South of Duskwater
   
3. 120 miles West of Duskwater
   
4. 133 miles North West of Duskwater

The team walks out of the Vestige's domain and onward towards their first objective. They quickly leave signs of civilization behind, heading deeper into the colony planet's wildlands.

• 5D12 results: Determined the random event at the site.
• Land Navigation results: 4.5 hours to reach the site.

Wilhur Logger Group
The location the team eventually finds themselves at after navigating the natural hazards of an unfamiliar colony world is the former site of an independent logger group called Wilhur Logger Group. The inherently resilient (M.D.C.) material that the loggers were harvesting requires a bit of specialized equipment and skill in order to garner enough wood for the Loggers to make a profit but it is one of the easier ways to make a decent living on the colony world while remaining independent.

The site has 3 self raising sheds that have been converted into living areas (room for 4 to 6 humans of average height), a location to collect the harvested wood (Empty), and a hitching post (Empty) for the Logger Group to rest their pack animals. The local flora have begun growing over the remaining structures and the team's initial observations about the spot reveal that the place has been abandoned for 4 to 6 days, no reasons were found to determine what happened, and the team is the first people to have arrived at this location since the logging crew disappeared.

---

GM Notes: Site Investigation skills

• Detect Concealment
• Sensory Equipment
• Tracking

Derjan begins looking around, moving things to peer under them, kneeling to looking under larger things.  Sniffing around.  Fiddling with things that maybe he shouldn't.

12:58, Today: Derjan rolled 12 using 1d20+3.  Perception.
10:43, Today: Derjan rolled 60 using 1d100.  Recognize odor @ 65%.
10:42, Today: Derjan rolled 96 using 1d100.  Detect Concealment @ 40%. –

The team pools their skills to review the camp sorting through the mess of tracks that cover the site. After an hour of work the team gets a solid line on what could possibly be the last tracks made by the loggers. Along the path discovered they find the remnants of the loggers clothing that they took off while walking deeper into the forest. The trail stops abruptly at two trees that have a vaguely humanoid shape. Accounting for this information the team can backtrack and pick out the spots where logger members were turned into local flora.

Each spot where a logger was transformed trace amounts of Quantum Radiation is discovered.

---

Perception Derjan: Nothing stands out.
Recognize Odor Derjan: The scents of the logging team are determined.
Detect Concealment Derjan: Nothing stands out.

---

Detect Concealment Kassandra: A vial of Green Liquid is found in the desk of the Logger Boss.
Tracking Kassandra: Nothing stands out.
Sensory Equipment Kassandra: There are trace amounts of Quantum Radiation near the desk of the Logger Boss and on the vial of green liquid.

---

To move onto the site S 199 miles away from town, roll the following to travel to it:

• Land Navigation @ - 15%
• Perception (DC 18)
• Prowl @ - 15%

19:57, Today: Derjan rolled 22 using 1d100.  Prowl @ 55%. – [roll=1602201457.5l

19:57, Today: Derjan rolled 19 using 1d100.  Land Navigation @ 31% with penalty.

19:56, Today: Derjan rolled 22 using 1d20+3.  Perception.

Finding an artificial pathway the size of a large vehicles the team quickly reaches the location of the next investigation site. At the end of the path is a Mountaineer that has sensors and baubles normally found on scientific vehicles. Vines and flowers have already begun growing over the open space and intertwining themselves into the open gaps on the Mountaineer. It looks to have been abandoned for some time.

---

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Perception Derjan: The team is starting to get familiar with the local area.
Land Navigation Derjan: 2 hours to reach the site.
Prowl Derjan: Avoided superfluous hazards.

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GM Notes: Site Investigation skills

• Detect Concealment
• Sensory Equipment
• Tracking

If there are skills the characters wish to use at this time, feel free to post the skill roll and the reason why they want to use that skill.

The gargoyle begins to look around, sniffing at things as he does so.  Something seems off about this place to him.  Something seems off to me.
He moves to grip his grenade mace/axe just in case he finds he needs a weapon in hand.

02:29, Today: Derjan rolled 20 using 1d100.  Track by Smell @ 30%.

02:28, Today: Derjan rolled 2 using 1d100.  Detect Concealment @ 40%.