Things aren't seeming to go well for the Sathar here, let us hope we have better fortunes. 

Porter will decline the help from the Notui. "I would feel responsible if one of you got hurt.  We do hope to meet you again, and soon, but we have to save your world, and ourselves, before we can do that."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:45, Thu 12 Nov 2020.

Bartja is careful to eat only meat from the spits on which he witnessed the dinosaur being skewered.  He is not yet ready to add Sathar to his diet, no matter how much he likes these people.

"It is as important to have friends at our backs as it is to have weapons to charge forward with" Bartja adds to Porters' response.  He hopes the Notui will understand the refusal of assistance without being offended.

"When we search out this new star-ship wreckage, we will return with the survivors.  We may need your help then, provided we have a way to find you again."

The Notui nod appreciation at your concern and concede that they are not a fighting race and do not understand violence except to hunt or protect oneself.

You find that they love art and colorful crafts, such as the ornaments the priests adorn themselves with. They use anything available--clay pigments, flowers, colorful stones, bits of bone and sloughed off scales of the dinosaur creatures--and even the items retrieved from the Sathar. At one point, Chief Stone-Eye goes into a long lecture about their art, their love of colorful gifts, and colorful clothes.

They live a remarkably happy and comfortable existence--until recent events. There are no conflicts between tribes and food is abundant. There is a very strong resistance to change, and they are not normally very original or adventurous in nature. With recent events, they are realizing the importance of respecting non-traditional thought and behavior, but are very confused. They do not understand war or conflict between species, or why intelligent beings would kill other intelligent beings.

They do have fighting games, which some of the young show you during the feast as a competition, but there is no injury and it helps for training to hunt.

During the feast, the Notui expand on what has happened there.

Three months ago, a group of Notui were gathering decorative colored stones near the settlement. A young Notui got lost, and in looking for the group, met two new animals--the worm men. The scouts killed him for sport with laser fire. The remainder of the group discovered what had happened. They sought the Sathar but found them dead near the glint in the woods (which you suspect is some sort of transport or ship). They had apparently crashed in the vehicle. The two Sathar bodies were brought back here to the tent to be studied. They have been trying to carefully avoid contact with the Sathar since then.

It was about that same time that a repeating hum popped up every thirty seconds. The Notui were annoyed by it at first, but now have become used to it. They tracked the source of the hum to the black pyramid. (You don't hear the hum, but you suspect they have a stronger sense of hearing.)

One of the Notui, named Fire-Eye, seems more suspicious of you than the others. He says he does not trust you because you use the same lightning guns used by the worm men. He often stands at the back with his arms crossed, brooding silently. He is glad when you turn down the offer to help you and asks when you will take your leave. He is a younger of the priests, but is among the elite winged Notui.



Fire-Eye says, "On this morning, we see more fire descend from heavens. We go to investigate and see race like you. But worm men get there too. They all use lightning weapons. Such evil in their hearts." He shakes his head. "You may be different from worm men. But also same."

Ignoring him, Beet-Chest and the chief, Stone-Eye, say, "We do not understand your ways and your violence, but we think you friends of Notui."

They wish you well. The Notui especially appreciate you telling them what you know about the Sathar, as they were completely baffled by the violent "worm men" who burned their people for no apparent reason.

It is now 9:00 p.m. as the feast winds down.

Wanting to get a start, and feeling rested, the team sets off in the direction indicated by the Notai. "Thank you for the meal, and the information.  In the end, we hope to show Fire-Eye that our intentions are noble and honorable.  Maybe the next time we meet, it will be more favorable to both."

Before they leave, Orvo asks if they can tell where the fireball this morning landed, hoping to be able to zero in on where Dentin and his crew crash landed.

"Sounds like Dentin's crew has already met with the Sathar.  We need to head over there and see who prevailed in that battle."

Turning to their friend Beet-Chest, he asks, "how many worm men are here do you estimate?"

To Orvo's question, they point to the southwest and indicate a half day's journey. You determine that it is probably in the hex marked with the "E" in Dentin.

To Bartja's question, they are not sure. "We see many," Beet-Chest says. "Not sure if same ones or different. We think at least ten."

OOC: Remember that it takes two hours per hex in the forest on foot. Also, as you leave the settlement, let me know which direction you are headed. The village is three hexes northwest of the Bartja/S'krllk crash.

Also, note that if the Notui accompany you, your travel time will be doubled because they know the fastest routes and can get you through more quickly.


This message was last edited by the GM at 05:55, Fri 13 Nov 2020.

Addressing Stone-Eye and Beet-Chest, Bartja asks, "If you're still willing, we could use a guide to lead us through your lands to the recently crashed ship.  If people are injured there, we want to help them.  As you also know, if the worm men found them, they will need our help even more.  A guide would definitely get is there faster, but we can't ask you to fight with us when that time comes."

Knowing that this is directly against Porters previous statements, Bartja addresses him directly also.  "Look.  They move twice as fast through these forests as we do and they know where all the traps and creatures are.  We watched them capture this giant chicken we're now eating also.  These people are brave and masters of this world.

I agree that they shouldn't fight our battles, but we'll move much faster with their guidance than without and we'll likely avoid the dangers of this world that we don't yet know."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:06, Mon 16 Nov 2020.

I don't think I am actually in charge, but your statement has merit, so I will acquiesce. 

The Notui agree to send you a guide and try to stay out of battle with the worm men. However, they always travel in groups of no fewer than three to ensure protection and witnesses to any events. Therefore, Beet-Chest and two of the wingless Notui will accompany you.

OOC: If I understand correctly, you will be heading to Dentin's crash first. If that is incorrect, let me know. The other options are the black pyramid and the glint of metal south of the Bartja/S'krllk crash.

As soon as you are ready to head out, we will move forward...

OOC
We will go to the crash site first.  The rest of the trip will depend on what we find there.  The presumption is Shiny toy next then big 4 sider next.

"In a tactical sense, I would defer to your training Sarge.  I do beleive though that this is a sound move we should make.  If you don't concur, I'd like to know up front."

I am not so stodgy that I cannot be convinced with logic.  I agree that this plan has merit.  I am "easy?"

Bartja's flesh and mechanical eyes move back and forth, watching the exchange between Porter and Lipost.  The subtleties of army rank and file interactions would probably forever escape him.  All he knew at the moment was that they might be in agreement this time.

"I agree with Sarge.  Crash first; shiny toys next; then the Pyramid if nothing we find changes our plans....  and there always seems to crop up something to change our plans."

In reply to Bartja Nemuco (msg # 30):
"I'm good with that order too!  Let's not delay any more then!"

You follow the three Notui out into the darkness and begin traveling. Along the way, they help stop you from encountering some of the dangerous flora and fauna you previously discovered, and they also hold you back to let some indigenous creatures pass in front of you.

After three hours of travel, you come upon a small clearing where Dentin's vehicle has obviously crashed. The ship is in bad shape. It is in several parts strewn across the field and it is all dark, indicating it has no power. The command capsule seems intact, though it too is dark.

On the far side, about 50 meters away, you see an explorer. The vehicle seems scratched and dented, but that's not what catches your attention. It is the light from behind it. It is a phosphorescent glow, not electric.

Suddenly, a glowing projectile flies in your direction, end over end in the air before falling at your feet and lighting you up. It is one of the industrial size glow sticks used for lighting in the ships.

Hit the deck! Porter will push one of the Notui to the ground.

Bartja dives for cover.

"Glow sticks aren't a Sathar weapon of choice.  I think there's a good chance that Dentin's crew taking cover behind that explorer" he says as he pulls the gyrojet rifle around, just as a precaution.

You hit the deck, ready for action.

After the glow stick lights you up, a voice calls out over the distance, "Is that a Dralasite? A Vrusk? Humans? And ostriches? You don't look like Sathar."

Dralasite steps out from behind the explorer and approach you. As Bartja indicated, it appears to be some from the crew of the Osprey, Dentin's now blown apart ship.

A Vrusk also scoots into view. Its lower limbs are bandaged and it cannot walk normally.

The Dralasite says, "I am Bogan Doorem, the cook of the Osprey. That there is M'Kix Rix'z, Jr. We just call him 'Junior.' He's the engineer. We got ambushed by Sathar just after landing. Being injured, Junior and I hid inside a cargo compartment while the Captain and crew fought the Sathar. We lost some fine men." He indicates a point in the darkness where you can vaguely see lumps of freshly dug graves. "The Sathar took the Captain and the remaining crew prisoner and went north."

He leads you back to the explorer. You can see as he walks that he does so with a limp, nursing an injury in his side. "Junior is trying to fix up the explorer so we can go rescue them, but we're not in good shape. Also, something is messing with our electrical systems. We can't figure out why the explorer won't work."

Junior nods hello but is generally silent. "There were at least 15 Sathar. We lost three out of our seventeen person crew in the crash, and we were totally surprised by the ambush. Because Bogan and I were hiding, we didn't see the battle so well."

Bartja swings the gyrojet rifle around him on the bandoleer to get it out of his way as they walk and review the damage of the Osprey and her crew.

"You're wasting your time on the explorer right now.  There's an alien device nearby that is producing an EMP pulse as best we can tell.  It's effing with our electronics.

You say there were fifteen Sathar that attacked?  How many were killed in the skirmish?

North is where I would have expected them to go.  Our ships Captain is north of here also and we've recovered a doctor who escaped a Sathar prison north of here."

Bartja realizes they won't likely have all the answers, but just talking things through helps him think while he's processing and recording the information as they review.

"I've got some medical training and a medkit.  Let me take a look at your wounds while the Sarge and Desi decide our fate."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:46, Thu 19 Nov 2020.

Porter apologizes to the Notui for knocking him down.

"Okay, folks, let's get the wounded mobile and then move on to the next objective.  I know that sounds cold, but our time is growing short and we have much to accomplish.  After we check out the shiny object, we can work on getting that EMP turned off."

"Bartja, give them a good look over before we move out.  Like the Sarge said, the time is short.  We need to get everyone safe and out of harm's way!"

Desi walks away from Brtja and the wounded and nods for Porter to follow her.  "I hate to even suggest this but, I don't think the cook and the wounded engineer are going to much use to us in a fight and will slow us down.  What if we pick their brains real fast for info on their crew so we're not going in blindly not knowing who were looking for when we find them?"

Porter responds, "Agreed.  We can get what info they have, then come back for them when we have that darn EMP off, or just direct them towards our ship."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:57, Thu 19 Nov 2020.

As he works on the crewmen, Bartja probes for additional information.

"So...got any robots that survived the crash with you?  Survey robots or Warbots perhaps?  This EMP will keep them disabled but I could sure use some parts to repair ours about now."

If there's time and opportunity, Bartja will scavenge the wreckage for any equipment that might be useful to the team.

Since Orvo is a medic, he will check them over and do what healing he can. He agrees a short salvage operation may be helpful. "Let's not forget about any spare parts we can use to help Hammer too," he suggests to Bartja.

How close is the explorer to the edge of the EMP? It looks pretty close