Day 1 | Afternoon | Terra Incognita | Thopter #1

[Ambrose Pantazis]

Come....gzzzzt....... poss-ible ......kzzzzzz..... scav.... ksksksksss.... inter....

The radio apparently succumbed to some inexplicable static.

[Kannon]

And then, things started happening. The creatures down there launched into an almost vertical flight with astonishing speed, both from the corpses and the sea beneath them, in the direction of the thopters. There were quite many of them, like a swarm of moths, yet as they approached they resembled a hybrid of a bird and a manta ray, with a horizontal beak instead of cephalic horns, their fin-wings blurred from the flapping frequency. What was the most terrifying, however, is that their tails were crackling with electricity just as they screeched.



They immediately corralled the thopters like orcas would a whale, displaying hunting pack tactics, and engulfed them, hogging windows, though some were probably mangled by the wings. A massive wave of zaps went through the thopter, systems collapsed one by one as they were being shorted by electric waves.

[Everyone suffers 5 strain or sacrifices the shield, having turned it on and got it shorted.]



---

The basic situation is as follows: your system strain is depleted due to lack of power; most of the systems seem to be fried, including the suspension propulsion and the shield. Some may just be turned off or fixable. No hull trauma though. The articulated wings are in mid-fold. Unless this changes, the thopter is unpilotable and you’re just a glorified drop capsule that heads toward the ocean.
Your speed is 2, but it increases by 1 every round because physics. It means you cross 2 range bands during the first round. You are at Long from impact, which means if you do nothing, you crash at the end of the second round.

Also, thopter #1 is a bit overburdened with one person more compared to thopter #2. It suffers 2 Setback to Piloting checks until it gets lighter by removing items or people.

The hatch is closed at the start of the event. If you ever open it, closing it will require the same kind of roll as with Straighten the Wings! You can throw things out and shoot at the manta birds only if the hatch is open. If the hatch is open and no-one has successfully shot at the manta birds this round or scared them off, the birdies make your life even harder: the thopter loses 1 System Strain and everyone has a Setback for any rolls in the thopter.

You function in structured time, though Initiative roll is not necessary. Everyone can take one action before the round rolls over. Manoeuvres can be used to offer assistance, open the hatch, trade places, or trigger appropriate talents. You decide the sequence in which you act. Things you can do to try to save yourselves:

• Straighten the wings! There are manual cranks on both sides that will do the job if you have the muscle to rotate them fast enough and hard enough. Athletics Hard, with an upgrade and a setback. If done for both articulated wings by separate actions, you both stop gaining speed per round by falling and your current speed makes you cross 1 range band less per round as you turn into a glider. You choose one of these effects if you’ve succeeded with only one wing.
• Fix something! Like the standard fuel ignition. The standard Mechanics at Average check, with a Setback. It restores 1 System Strain, plus additional 1 System Strain for each 2 successes above that. If any System Strain is recovered to the thopter, the Pilot can do Piloting checks.
• To the trees! Can be done by Pilot or Co-Pilot. You navigate up to ram a landing lane over the cliff’s edge. Piloting – Space Hard with an upgrade, and a setback for each half of System Strain not fully restored (so likely 2 Setback). If done successfully at least once you’re not plunging into the sea or into the rocks at the foot of the cliffs.
• Aerobraking! Can be done by Pilot or Co-Pilot. You can’t retro-thrust because the suspension propulsion is fried. But you can rotate the craft to make it lose speed. Piloting – Space Hard with a Setback reduces your speed by 1. If your speed is ever reduced to zero AND you have already turned the thopter into a glider you can have a controlled landing.
• Throw things out! If the hatch is open, you can choose to throw out any two items of the personal stuff or one item from the thopter supplies: explosives/antenna, shield generator, food and water, tents and camping supplies, parachutes, spare guns and ammo. They may or may not be retrievable later, depending on circumstances. You get 2 boost to the Piloting - Space rolls in your team for every such item out. It doesn’t require a roll but if you make an Average Coordination check alongside it to balance it all well inside, the pilot gets an upgrade on their next roll on top of other bonuses.
• Jump! If the hatch is open, you can grab one of three parachutes (if their batch is still available) and plunge on your own. If you are at Long or Medium from crashing, roll Coordination at Average to avoid the manta birds (with an upgrade if no-one’s shooting at them) and to open the chute on time. If you’re at Short or Engaged, roll Survival at Daunting with an upgrade, and a Setback if it’s rocks or trees that you’d land, to… well, survive. In the latter case you can do the same without a parachute, but then it’s Formidable. It gives the same bonus to Piloting as Throw things out!
• Shoot at the them! You can do that only if the hatch is open. It’s a Ranged check at Average with an Upgrade against the manta birds either still on the thopter or flying around. Every 5 damage gives a boost to the next Piloting roll. This can also be done with a closed hatch by Pilot or Co-Pilot or Gunner with a Gunnery check and one of the thopter’s weapons if System Strain is at least 3.
• Scare them off! This can be done by the Gunner. If the System Strain is at least 1, you can rotate the dorsal turret in a way that tosses the manta birds off and discourages new ones from approaching. It requires an Average Gunnery check with a Setback. If successful, it gives a boost to the next Piloting roll.
• In addition to the above, if your talents yield any abilities that apply to the situation, you can use them as your action. When in doubt about it, ask the GM.

You use statements if they apply as well as the Advantages in the pool for Boost etc. at your leisure. Every time I get two Threat from you I upgrade the difficulty of the next roll. I pocket Despair for special stuff. If you want to use a Triumph in a non-standard way, consult the GM.

Consequences of crash landing will be resolved based on the details.

[Efren Lanville]

Efren jumped to his feet as the world around them went completely sideways.

Seeing that the wings were no longer functioning, Efren got up to crank the manual lever to straighten them out.

A residual jolt from the manta ray blast coursed through him on his first try... but with it some small removal of that shock threat was passed along to his crew mates.

----

D1 Thopterfall Round 1, Athletics, "My Roots" statement, Physical Training x2, Leadership Bonus: 3eA+1eP+3eB+2eD+1eC+1eS 1 failure, 1 advantage


Statement activated. Roots meaning military training from his dad. Emergency situations are probably part of the training.

Maneuver to assist the next person. (Bonus die)

Total Advantages: 8

[Cuyler Gray]

She was no mechanic, but Cuyler had some basic understanding of electronics and how they could short out. Usually, there were ways to reset breakers or bypass damaged circuits. Anything that might keep them in the air a little longer would help.

She opened a nearby panel and did what she could.

- - -
Day 1 | Afternoon | Terra Incognita | Thopter #1, Fix something!, Average Mechanics (Intellect), Boost from Efren, 2 Adv for Boost: 3eA+2eB+2eD+1eS 2 successes, 3 advantage

[Kannon]

And that was all that was needed for the moment, with pilot's controls flashing back!

[System Strain 1/10, Aerobraking, Scare Them off and To the Trees possible.]

[Player Pool: 9]

[Lydia Storm]

While everything suddenly devolved into chaos around her, Lydia shrugged and kicked open the hatch. Taking aim with her large rifle, and lining up a perfect shot to take down a bunch of birds in one.

(ooc:
Manoeuvre topen hatch, then shooting
D1 Thopter round 1 "Shoot at the them!" Ranged at average with upgrade. Boost from hunter: 2eA+2eP+1eB+1eC+1eD 2 successes, 4 advantage

(missed 2 boost from accurate but it didn't add anything

10 damage (with pierce 3 if it matters), 3 adv for a crit to take out third (so 3 boosts total to the pilot), 1 advs to the pool

[Eileen Marsh]

"Fuck!" She shouted as she felt the shock

Reacting quickly, Eileen mirrored the dude on the other side and grabbed her wing handle with both hands. Putting her knee against the thopter's hull for extra strength her muscles tensed as she unfolded the wing manually.

Open da Wing! Athletics, hard, outdoorsman, statement 1, boost from speech, boost forum cuyler, proper rollroll: 1eA+2eP+1eC+1eD+2eB 4 successes, 1 Triumph
Missing D: 1eD 1 failure
(banking Triumph...unless both wings are joined via a cable and the other unfolds as well with Efren, Cuyler and Eileen's effort?)

[Kannon]

The crank Eileen had pressed on with all her stubborn muscle power gave way, rotated, and the wing straightened! It imbalanced their plunge as suddenly wind got under the wing and sent them into a barrel roll. Fortunately, Lydia had landed a perfect shot before that happened, tossing three predatory electrorays off their vicinity - no glorified canned meat for them! Despite a roundabout wallop that pressed on the how their supplies and them had been roped and buckled up, it all made Razar's job much easier.

[One wing is straightened: choose your bonus]
[Hatch is open, but rays won't bother you this round.]
[Triumph is banked; no connection of this kind between wings.]
[3 Boost for Piloting from shootout, but 2 Setback apply to Piloting thopter #1 because 6 people]
[Cuyler didn't indicate assistance, so removing boost price from the pool.]
[Player Pool: 1 Triumph, 6 Advantage]

[Razar Lanville]

The wing stops the acceleration of the thopter, and Razar attempts to position the craft to slow down a bit more, but unfortunately it is still spinning wildly and he is unable to get it to do what he needs it to do.

D1, Thopter #1, Round 1, Aerobraking, Piloting - Space / Agility, Hard, 2 Setback (Overweight), 3 Boost (Shootout), 1 Boost (2 advantage), Statement Upgrade: "I must live regardless of the cost": 3eP+1eA+4eB+3eD+2eS 2 failures, 6 advantage


Banking 6 advantage

[Player Pool: 1 Triumph, 10 Advantage]

[Efren Lanville]

“Sorry sir! I’ll get this damn wing locked in. Keep us aloft another few seconds.”

Efren called out to Razar in the most positive voice he could manage.

———

Suffering 1 Strain to give Razar a bonus on his next roll (Encouraging Words).

[Kannon]

Razar had indeed made a valiant effort, but the situation was lopsided because of the laws of aerodynamics. There was just enough drag not to immediately hit water, but they were still veering toward hitting the wall quite soon...

[Thopter Speed 2, no acceleration]

[Kiran Alsahar]

Kiran grabs the controls in the copilot's seat, gritting their teeth as they absolutely cranked on them to force an aerobrake. Anyone could see their lips moving silently, as if in a mantra.

I must not fear...
I must not fear...

Pilot to Aerobrake, statement upgrade, triumph upgrade, five boosts, Sense Danger: 2eP+5eB+3eD+1eS 4 successes, 2 advantage

[Kannon]

The millennia-old mantra which through a happenstance unforeseen by its creators had just guided Kiran into claiming the co-pilot's handles for the first time in their life wasn't the only reason why the intuitive counter-braking drove the craft out of spin and onto an ascending air current. The muscle-nerve co-ordination, as much taught as taken with the boon of epigenetics, guided their motions without knowing. And yet, it was as much claiming the inner moment as drawing the environment in, with all the scattered balance of multitude of others' actions, especially Razar's, being turned into ascent just when the people inside needed it most...

[Player Pool 2]
[Thopter Fall Speed is 1]

[End of Round #1]

[Round #2: The thopter is at Medium Range Band, Fall Speed 1, One wing straightened - no impact from gravitational acceleration.]

One-wing gliding was nevertheless a challenge and there was only so far they could get on the skill of one pilot and the preternatural powers of one Muadh. At present, if due action wasn't taken, so far meant the cliff wall, especially that the mantas had figured out the flying whale's belly was now open to them and veered back...

[Eileen Marsh]

Eileen moved to the other side to try and help open the other wing but the handle was stuck somehow. Probably why soldier boy could'nt do it on his own.

But now they were two.
---
Open da Wing! Athletics, hard, outdoorsman, upgrade from statement: 1eA+2eP+1eC+2eD 0 successes, 2 threat

Manœuvre to assist the wing's opening (got athletics at 1 or gives a boost)

[Kannon]

Yeah, that was hell of a crank there. Maybe some manta had got into the wing's bend.

[Setback to next roll from Threat]

[Efren Lanville]

Efren moved over slightly to accommodate his new helper. He found himself oddly calm despite the threat of impending death by ocean cliff face.

He remembered something his father had told him one day when he found himself on his hands and knees in exhaustion from the grueling regimen from the day.

The mind can go either direction under stress—toward positive or toward negative: on or off. The way the mind will lean under stress is strongly influenced by training… That is why we work this hard.

And in that moment the training kicked in. His muscles bulged and twisted the crank past the obstructed point before.

“All’s good sir!” He called out to Razar.

————

D1 Wing Crank Part II, Assist From Eileen, Threat from GM: 3eA+1eP+3eB+2eD+1eC+2eS 4 successes, 2 advantage


Assist Maneuver to Razar for Bonus.

I think the player pool is now 4 Advantages.

[Kannon]

Indeed, some manta bird flesh got torn when the wing finally straightened. There was a jolt that had alerted Razar of the success even before Efren reported. Now the machine stopped being weird, it was a propulsion-less glider, and had to be steered as such.

Efren had been in thick situations, but this was somehow different, and the feeling of crossing certain threshold by overcoming this situation stayed in his thoughts. It didn't feel bad to be responsible for more people than himself, what gave him hope that he might be cut out to truly lead in the future, just like a Lanville should.

[Player Pool: 4]
[Razar has 2 Boost]

[Cuyler Gray]

Cuyler continued to try to restore more power, but there didn't seem to be many options available. She tried to help anyone else she could.

- - -
Day 1 | Afternoon | Terra Incognita | Thopter #1, Round 2, Fix something!, Average Mechanics (Intellect): 3eA+2eD+1eS 1 failure, 2 advantage


2 more Advantage for the pool

Will Assist whomever goes next

[Kannon]

Perhaps there wasn't more power left until fuel cells can be exchanged.

[2 Boost for Razar]
[Player Pool 6]
[1 Boost to next roll]

[Razar Lanville]

Finally, Razar is able to get the thopter completely under control, people moving around in the thopter to provide better balance with their movements. Even if it's not under power anymore he's got proper flight control back. He brings the craft around and does his best to give Lydia a clear shot on any of the nearest flying rays. "Still no power. I can land us like this, but if anyone can give me a bit of power then I can put us somewhere safer." He says back towards Cuyler, "Like we said. Not a burden. You've got this."

D1, Thopter #1, Round 2, Aerobraking, Piloting - Space / Agility, Hard, 2 Setback (Overweight), 1 Boost (Efren - Encouraging Words), 1 Boost (Efren - Assist Maneuver), 1 Boost (Cuyler - Assist Maneuver), 1 Boost (2 advantage), Statement Upgrade: "I must l: 3eP+1eA+4eB+3eD+2eS 4 successes, 2 advantage


GM Edit:
Razar's Missing Setback: 1eS 0 successes, 1 threat


1 advantage heal strain
Encouraging words to assist Cuyler on her next roll as an out of turn incidental with her failed roll, 1 strain
Maneuver to assist Lydia by giving a clearer shot with the now under control unpowered thopter
Total: 6 strain
Player Pool: 4 Advantage