Mothlands Game 4: Grave Robbers

Mothlands Game 4: Grave Robbers

Last time on Mothlands, our crew had seized territory from the Serpent’s Coil: a band of hawkers with exclusive access to a predecessor temple.

With the temple now in their control, there was only one thing to do: find a way into it’s unplumbed depths and haul the plunder back to the surface.

It was a simple job, but potentially a lucrative one. We began the mission repelling down an ancient elevator shaft into the eerily pristine hallways of what the players understood to be an ancient hospital. Sneaking forward, our Mouse, Pi (think Lurk) quickly spots someone toiling away in an operating theater, working on some unseen object. A partial success also meant I got to describe the black iris of a camera watching her back.

Minutes later the crew is dealing with their first demon, an AI android referred to as Sera. Sera is on a singular mission to repair her damaged sisters but doesn’t have the parts. Sera is also critically damaged and this leaves her open to suggestion. The crew uses this to their advantage and promptly distracts her so as to loot the ancient surgical auger from the ceiling (think a surgical robot that can be controlled with a thought). They also manage to score a bundle of predecessor clothing and some surprisingly fresh predecessor food from the vending machine in the lobby.

But, this entire time I’d been ticking a clock labeled “Alerted.” The party had assumed it was attached to Sera when in fact it had been for her sister, and her sister had a different mission: security of the compound.

A brutal fight ensued. Quick thinking and teamwork, as well as the fortunate fact that the demon didn’t immediately recognize the crew’s primitive weapons as dangerous, allowed our Spear, Sarzi, to lop the things head off. We ended the fight with a first person view of her foot stomping its face. A new trophy for their lair.

Our Recluse (think Leach) also went deep down the crafting hole deciding to take up the Medicine special ability to supplement his penchant for dabbling with auger. I’m a little concerned he’ll put two and two together and create some horrible abomination of flesh and ageless predecessor metal but sometimes the worst decisions are the best to roleplay.

Overall, my players are really starting to get a feel for the rules this time around and I was very happy with how much character development we got out of even a simple job like this one. What’s more, a few of my players got to shine like they never had before, in part thanks to two of the more social characters being absent for this session. I look forward to seeing how our little crew of upstarts moves into Tier 1 as we approach the Month of Moths. 1 day left ….