Chapter 2: Expedition to Farsky

Three months have passed since the Iron Wind revealed the beacons below the floating islands of Tarshu. After the party returned from their investigation, the townsfolk received the news about the ‘the Junction’ with enthusiasm. Many saw potential in such a machine, although a vocal minority vehemently opposed it. The town, under the leadership of Mayor Hashia, commissioned a study of the Junction to figure out how it works, what its limitations are, and to assess the danger it posed.

Unfortunately, others were also drawn to the beacons. Marauders from the wastes began arriving within weeks, attacking the Junction site. Tarshu mobilized a defence force and fortified the site, surrounding it with a synth palisade and patrolling from the skies on Krem beetles. But, the Marauders still come, hellbent on the Junction’s destruction.

Despite promising findings by the ground team, the increasing trouble has soured public opinion on the Junction. An opportunistic leader, Councillor Triban Gnol has gained the public’s ear, promising to destroy the Junction forever and return Tarshu to the ‘old ways.’ Tensions rise as an election draws near.

A sliver of hope has appeared. Everyone knows the tale Tarshu’s lost island, Farsky. Long before Tarshu, wandering monks discovered an observatory on the floating islands, and learned to use its numenera to predict the future with uncanny accuracy. As people from far and wide came to consult with these oracles, a town grew around the site on the other floating islands. Guided by the oracles, the town flourished. It was the oracles that directed the people of Tarshu to domesticate the Krem beetles, for example. Eventually, the monks of Farsky set the island further adrift into the sky to get a better look at the heavens. Communication between Farsky and Tarshu dwindled and eventually stopped, but on a clear day, you can still see the Farsky island high above the world.

And so, it was proposed that Tarshu send a team of explorers to Farsky. Too high to reach by Krem, the team would employ the Junction to get there, and ask the oracles for guidance on whether they should continue to use the Junction, or bury it forever.

Lucina has spent the past three months with her hand in many different places. She's been dividing her time between fighting marauders and working on behalf of her long-time friend Hashia to secure her position as mayor.

Being extremely interested in the Numenera Aduan would spend quite a bit of time studying at the Junction, trying to learn all its properties and seeing if he can find another item to fill out his stash. While taking breaks from below he would have used his powers to help fight off the marauders and do whatever else he could to improve his abilities.

The only time Desoto has spent away from research work on the Junction has been to work on his personal building projects and getting on Mick's nerves.

Being the "jack" of all trades, Myrage has spent the past three months helping in various places. Mainly, he's been assisting in the defense against marauders, seeing if he can help any of the Wright's in their tasks, and, perhaps his favorite, crafting illusions and weaving tales in his own form of one-man plays, or maybe more appropriate, "puppet" shows, to keep up morale around town.

Hashia is much beloved by her people. She takes the time to get to know everyone, treats then respectfully, and ensures everyone is cared for.

These are not the best qualities in times of strife.

It was with a certain amount of politeness that the rumors started, that the call for a better leader, a general, began. It is a hard thing to scheme against a friend. It would have been harder if she was their enemy.

Hashia walks through the streets, noticing a new tension. A coldness? No. More like a dismissiveness.

What has Hashia being doing? Losing her town.

Despite the turmoil that Tarshu has experienced, the first expedition's members have only grown in stature.

All admire Lucina's bravery and tactical awareness; even Triban Gnol's campaign does not speak ill of her. "Lucina's Charge" has become a favourite drinking song, especially among Haisha's supporters, detailing her bravery in routing the Marauders from a dangerous forward position. Politically, her pro Junction stance has been a bulwark against Triban Gnol's fearmongering, but as more of Tarshu's citizens die in the Junction's defence, more are turning a deaf ear to her speeches.

Savvion has departed into the wilderness on a scouting mission to discover the reasons behind the Marauders' attacks. Nobody's heard from him in weeks.

Meanwhile, Desoto and Mick have been working tirelessly on the Junction, discovering many secrets of its operation. Desoto has been the target of Triban Gnol's smear campaign, who is trying to convince everyone that his recklessness will bring about disaster. This tactic has been especially powerful since he's never around to defend himself. However, the Wrights' incredible progress and undeniably successful tests have given Haisha plenty of ammo to defend his work.

Myrage has become a true town hero in this challenging time. Although admired for his bravery and appreciated for his technical assistance, Tarshu loves him for helping keep the town together. His performances are one of the few places where people of both sides of the Junction debate still gather. Whether Myrage's audience is laughing or crying, they do it together as one people, and for that Myrage is loved by all.

And then there is Haisha. Triban Gnol did not only call her vision of Tarshu called into question, but also her character and her leadership. Friends and supporters grow fewer every day, while Gnol's campaign grows in stature. It is always easier to blame and tear things down than it is to nurture them and build them up. And yet, many remain loyal to her and her vision. She is still much beloved by many in the town who despise Gnol's tactics and message. Many still think of her as a hero and would give their lives for her.

That is why this new mission, dubbed the Farsky Expedition, is so important. The oracles are held in high esteem even though they have not been seen for a century. Their reading is likely the only guaranteed way to settle Tarshu's dilemma.

Despite the early morning departure of the Farsky Expedition, people line the streets of Tarshu to send the expedition off. It is a momentous occasion to return to Tarshu's lost island, reinforcing the value of the Junction in the eyes of many, a real masterstroke in Haisha's campaign. The team (sans Mick, who is making the final preparations for the Junction's use) strides through the town and down the rope bridges, making their way down the sides of the canyon to the Junction site.

On your way down the canyon, the expedition spies a clutch of Marauders moving across a trail leading beasts of burden toward the Junction. You count six of them. They are a far way off, and you will easily outpace them to the Junction, but you are also in a position to set an ambush for them and take them unawares.

How do you wish to proceed?

What you know about the Marauders

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The Marauders have wandered the plains that surround the canyon over which Tarshu sits for as long as anyone can remember. These aggressive, merciless fighters make travelling to and from Tarshu dangerous. Although they never attack Tarshu itself, they make it necessary for caravans to employ a large complement of guards when leaving the town, and prey on any that do not take adequate precautions. They are famed for their long staves which can fire a single, deadly energy blast from long range and also serve as a lethal melee weapon.

Underneath the masks are filthy, pale people who are covered head-to-toe in strange symbols tattooed on their skin in faintly-glowing blue ink. They seem to understand the Tarshu tongue, but what they speak between themselves is unknown. Although stories made to scare children paint the Marauders as savages and cannibals, nobody knows much about them.

Stats: From fighting them, you have a good idea of the typical Marauder, which I will simulate by providing you with a summary of their typical stats.

Level 3; Speed Defense as Level 4 due to their agility || 2 Armor|| 9 Hits
Armed with an energy staff that fires a single, long-range blast (like a heavy crossbow), and can be used at melee range for four (like a spear).

"It looks like we'll make it to the Junction with time to spare. We can set booby traps and stuff!" Desoto is already finger-sketching in the air his planned maze of tripwires to trigger cunningly placed iotum detonations. "I'd love to get my hands on one of those staves."

"Booby traps, huh? I was thinkin' of tryin' to spooked 'em, but that'll work too," Myrage replies as he looks off into the distance. "Trip wires maybe?"

"Very good, let us be at that then. On the way, let me tell you a story..."

Hashia weaves a story of an elaborate ambush prank by a childhood friend on a bully, involving a bucket, a string, and a fearsome but ultimately not very dangerous weasel. Result: Party trained in setting up an Ambush.

You realize that you'll lose contact for too long to effectively ambush the Marauders if you head to the Fort first, so you scramble down into the canyon directly on an intercept vector. With Hashia's weasel-in-a-bucket story fresh in your minds, you spot some good cover in a ruins between you and the pack of Marauders.

You slide down a sand embankment and into a position behind a ruin, the wreckage of some behemoth metal structure of a bygone age. You find yourself on the sandy canyon surrounded by huge chunks of metal debris, rocky outcroppings, and dust-strewn wind.You have a few minutes lead time to prepare your ambush! Describe your preparation and roll a demanding task (TN 9). Some ideas include creating a simple trap (intellect), climb up to some high ground (might), find some good cover to hide behind (speed). You are all trained in this task due to Hashia's story, which might stack with other related skills. You may spend effort on this task as usual.

If everyone succeeds on these tasks, you will automatically win initiative and each gain an asset on all your first attack rolls. Otherwise we will roll initiative as normal.

Lucina figures that it may be a good choice to keep range on the enemies, since her group will likely be outnumbered. She climbs up to a rocky outcropping with some cover.

Desoto sets up a simple but devious trap involving a tripwire rigged to topple precariously positioned debris onto the marauders' heads.

Then he scampers for a good hiding spot.

Hashia examines the area, and decides to hide behind a rock from the side, preparing to use one if her cyphers to separate the group into halves.

Round One

Your ambush is interrupted by a high-pitch whine. A black sphere crowned with a blinking, ice-blue light zips through the ruins and halts on a dime at the epicentre of your preparations. Before you can act, the blinking intensifies and explodes out into a wave of force, knocking you all down and upending the ambush.

As you pick yourselves up, the Marauders round the ruins. Abandoning their pack animals and they break into two groups. Three kneel down and take aim with their war staves, covering the other three to charge forward, their war staves held like spears and their throats warbling in an inhuman war cry!.

Lucina tries to dive out of the way of the attack. Once she's avoided the blast, she pivots back toward their foes and stabs brutally at one of them.

Hashia's skin in encompassed by a network of energy, flashing dangerously. Her visible skin underneath the net looks pink and thin. She loads her sling and flings a rock at one of those by Eunbyeol.