Chapter 5 - Plumage and Paranoia

Upon entering through the door, they step into a machine room furnished with storage facilities. Their path leads them upward through the slanted ship towards the vessel's zenith, where they are greeted by an unusual contraption. Resembling an arcade game, it is adorned with blinking lights and long, metallic arms. The machine is powered by a substantial generator supported by a battery. The room is bustling with hundreds of birds, and the surfaces are layered with bird droppings, feathers, and the remnants of deceased birds. A variety of tools is strewn about the room, serving as potential makeshift weapons in times of need.

Adjacent to the machine, they spot a disheveled figure. His body bears the marks of small wounds from the birds' pecking, and his hair and beard are tangled and unkempt. His eyes have an unsettling, manic gleam. He appears to be a madman, oscillating between expressions of love and hate for his "beloved." Tanya recognizes this to be Gunnar.

"You dare intrude upon my sanctuary! You'll pay for your insolence," he snarls as he stares down the group, his hands twitching with unease. His words are tinged with a delusional intensity.

His gaze shifts to his machine, and he utters with a mad grin, "And if I fail, my friends will finish the job."

By Gunnar's look at the machine, he's expecting something to happen soon that will make the situation much worse for the group.

This is the climactic moment, often referred to as the "showdown" in TFTL, where you are embroiled in an Extended Trouble situation. To achieve a favorable outcome, the group must accumulate a total of 9 successes through their rolls. If the Kids falter in overcoming this Extended Trouble, they'll be driven away from the ship by Gunnar and his avian allies. This failure will lead to a wave of Killer Birds haunting the area for the rest of the year, causing severe problems until the machine eventually breaks down by itself. The pigeons are particuarly at risk if you fail. You need to succeed for Freddie's sake!

It's up to you on how you want to deal with Gunnar, the machine, and the birds.

Gunnar's eyes widen as he hears Emilia's words, and a crazed smile creeps across his face. He seems utterly unhinged as he responds to Emilia, his words tinged with both madness and menace.

"Inspired by my work? INSPIRED BY MY WORK, little girl? Oh, that's rich! You're all just like the others, trying to take my machine, my birds! But you won't succeed. You won't take it from me!" Gunnar's voice is a mix of deranged anger and deluded pride.

As Tanya pleads and reminds him of her identity, Gunnar's gaze seems to flicker with recognition, but it's quickly overshadowed by his crazed determination. He inches closer to them, his face twisted in a manic expression.

"Tanya, Viktor and Anna's daughter, huh? You should've known better than to come here! You, too, will feel the wrath of my birds! They'll protect me, always!" Gunnar's words are punctuated by a sinister laugh, and he gestures towards the birds around.