Play dumb. Casually explain that Kander had heard guild helmets were some of the best around, and figured they'd be appropriate for an explorer new to the planet, like himself. Ask the man if he knows where the guild's shop is. They apparently have a great reputation, but how does anyone even get the equipment? You'd think their marketing would be better.
Name: Kander Jattle
Appearance: A heavily built middle aged man with a gentle look in his eyes, that contrasts with a silver scar on the right side of his face which runs from his temple to his chin. He's a veteran of a relatively minor uprising on a border planet, during which time he worked as a low level field officer. He retired most of a decade ago after a severe head injury, and has been living comfortably and quietly off of his earnings from service. He's enjoyed his quiet life, and isn't eager to go on dangerous adventures... but he was more or less begged to go on this expedition by his adoptive daughter, who was a child soldier he rescued during his military service.
Stats:
Str: d8
Dex: d4
End: d4
Spd: d4
Kno: d8
Wis: d4
Per: d10
Cha: d10
HP: 20/20
SP: 32/32
Armor: None!
Items: 6/8
War Drum (1d8 str, +1d12 Cha Buff)
Autoharness
Liquidoplas Bomb
Liquidoplas Bomb
Filament Gun
Small Autocage
---Carries 4 Filament Cartridges, 1 arclamp, 5 bait, 1 stimulant, 1 biogel, 1 logbook
Money: 320
[10] Char leveled.
Kander plays dumb very effectively. And indeed you would have to be staggeringly backwards and uninformed, especially as a human, to not know about the Guild and its methods. Even a backwater rube who didn't wouldn't usually be spared just due to ignorance of the laws. But Kander manages to, through a combination of sycophantly and feigned ignorance, not only convince the Guildsman that he is completely unfamiliar with the crime has just committed but that he earnestly means no disrespect. The Guildsman, with the sympathy one would have towards an injure animal or stupid child, explains that buying guild goods is a crime in the eyes of the guild. Then, in a somewhat concessionary tone, recommends some "Private" brands which have "Duplicated the Guild's designs, however inexpertly".
After the lecture he looks Kander over once more, shakes his head, and walks away..
Considering that it wouldn't be unusual for Kandar to have gotten into trouble, go and find him.
Name: Xeriay Jattle
Appearance: A short and thin teenage girl, with hair bleached grey by the light of a harsh sun. The backs and palms of her hands are tattooed with eyes, and her arms with blades. Doesn't like to talk and jumps at unexpected sounds. She was recruited by a paramilitary cult from a young age and honed her skill with a blade until she was rescued by her adoptive father.
Strength: d8
Dexterity: d8
Endurance: d6
Speed: d10
Knowledge: d8
Wisdom: d8
Perception: d10
Charisma: d4
HP: 32/32
SP: 30/30
Armor: d6 head, d4 rest
Inventory 8/8
Mono-razor: (Spd) (Spd Roll, breaks on 1)
Death Ray: (Dex) (Xd10)
Biogel: (Recover d10 HP)
Autoharness: (Allows automatic movement via filament.)
Arclamp: (Provides bright omnidirectional light.)
Oxygen Mask & Tank: (Allows one to survive in areas with unbreathable atmosphere, presumably. May also explode.)
Helmet: (d6 armor, protects Head)
Apprentice Suit: (1d4 armor, all but head)
Credits: 1000
[5]
After the Guildsman has left, Xeriay slinks out of the shadows and connects back up with Kander. She had left not long after he did and had finally tracked him down just moments before the Guildsman had confronted him. Considering her new attire, she faded into the shadows and waited to see how things played out. But now what the Guild is gone, she can reunite with her father.
"uh, oops"
Jim will explain he meant uh, cartographers and historians. Very sorry about that, snake is his second language.
stat points: 0
Name: Jim
Appearance: a young and wiry looking man
Strength: d8
Dexterity: d10
Endurance: d6
Speed: d10
Knowledge: d10
Wisdom: d4
Perception: d6
Charisma: d4
HP: 26/32
SP: 22/22
Armor:
Dented Helmet (d6 Head)
Tunic (d6 abdomen and torso)
Weapons:
Therma-ray (Dex)(d8)
Items:8?/8
Fragment of the void
Therma-ray
Dented Helmet
Arc-Lamp (turned on)
Log Book
Specimen Container (contains mech. Gizmo)
Filament Gun (loaded with filament container)
Websilk Tunic (logo of favorite sportsball team)
Money: 90
-big mean swamp gribbly in the toxic sludge
-Central island can only seem to support simple fungi
-some squid-things ambush people near the shore of the island
--included is a rudimentary description of the creatures behavior and physiology, along with a rough sketch. Size estimates put the beast at 30ft long, including the tentacles
-Giant striders wall through the muck.
The Journey East:
-small islands overrun with fungal growths seeming to eat away at the scrap "bedrock", various tiny flora and fauna dot these Islands; mollusks, crabs, mites, and stranger things flourish on these islands.
-As you get further away from the hole, the temperature decreases, the Eastern isle has frozen sludge on it's shores.
-The Eastern Isle appears to be populated by robots based on bioforms.
--attached is a little sketch of the Elkbot
Strange Tidings and a Castle:
-Strange, bullet-shaped robots(?) inhabit a castle on an island in the muck.
[3]
Jim spends the next several minutes trying to better explain the group. He actually does a pretty good job, especially considering his lack of formal training or proper anatomy. He thinks he explains their position more...accurately may be the wrong word. Diplomatically is probably closer. Unfortunately the opinion of the Bulletmen has already been tainted by the previous words and actions of the group. They're beyond convincing by simply using a new word at this point, but he has managed to calm them enough to prevent any immediate hostilities.
Now all he can do is hope no one on his team does anything to annoy the bullet men.
"Why are they all looking at me, do they want this thing?"
Take the small robot arm over to the bullet men and offer it to them.
Name: Hobo Bob
Description: A dirty man with unkempt hair and beard.
Strength: d8
Dexterity: d6
Endurance: d8
Speed: d6
Knowledge: d10
Wisdom: d6
Perception: d10
Charisma: d4
HP: 28/28
SP: 26/26
Weapons:
Therma-Ray: (Dex) (d8)
Thermo-Lash: (End)(1d8, leaps to another enemy for d4 and then d2)
Armour:
Helmet: (d6 armor, protects only the head)
Industrial Tunic: (d6 Armor, protects Torso and Abdomen)
Items: 8/8
Oxygen Tank
Arclamp
Therma-Ray: (Dex) (d8)
Helmet: (d6 armor, protects only the head)
Industrial Tunic: (d6 Armor, protects Torso and Abdomen)
Thermo-Lash: (End)(1d8, leaps to another enemy for d4 and then d2)
Glowing Organ
Intact robot arm, with some kind of potential laser weapon as a hand
Money: 0
[4] Charisma Leveled
Bob makes a show of approaching the bullet men, bowing reverently, and presenting the arm he scavenged to them. They have no faces so reading their reactions is difficult, but their immediate response seems to be one of surprise not anger. They wait for several seconds before taking the arm, in the same way a human might take a mouse from their cat. Though they clearly aren't very impressed with the offering, they seem to understand it comes from a place of good intentions.
Name: Anton Barrick
Description: a generic human male.
Stats:
STR: d10
DEX: d8
END: d8
SPD: d10
KNO: d8
WIS: d6
PER: d10
CHA: d6
HP: 30/36
SP: 30/30
Carry: 6/10
Items:
Helmet (d6 armor, head only)
Therma-Ray (DEX) (d8)
Fragment of the void
Human bone prayer beads
weird crystal shard
Electromagnet module
Money:0
tell the bullet people that my comrade made a mistake, and that we are simply explorers. get bob to stop digging and put down whatever he has already dug up. if negotiations fail, get to the boat and lay down some covering fire.
[1]
Anton, apparently believing he had mastered enough of the language to be of help, tries to talk to the bullet men. He is, for better or worse, utterly incomprehensible. His words are nothing but an incoherent mess of disconnected phrases and curses. The Bullet men are...well they're not pleased by it but they're also not evidently too angered by it. They seem to have accepted it as simply par for the course.
Take a closer look at boolet men. Are they armed? Do they look athletic, tough, agile, what?
Name: Gambatta Ganyaro
Description: A kooky old man wearing an elaborate martial arts gi under his discount armor. As a proud grandfather and respected martial arts instructor, he's looking forward to retirement. His idea of retirement involves things you're not allowed to do when people are depending on you to be alive.
Leech: You no longer heal naturally and healing items are only 50% effective. Unarmed damage has increased to d8.
Suction: (d4 SP) d10 Damage. Leap onto your target, sink your teeth into their flesh, and drain their blood. Recover HP equal to damage dealt. Only effective on living, organic targets.
24/30 HP
24/24 SP
1d6 Strength
1d8 Dexterity
1d10 Endurance
1d6 Speed
-
1d6 Knowledge
1d6 Wisdom
1d8 Perception
1d6 Charisma
Items (6/6):
Industral Tunic (300): 1d6 Torso/Abdomen Armor
Helmet (50): 1d6 Head Armor
Human Bone Prayer Beads (300)
Galactic Slugger (150)
Small Autocage (200): Contains Vacrab: Looks, vaguely, like horseshoe crabs crossed with vacuum cleaners. These squat, six legged robots are scurrying across the boxes and gobbling up any bits of filth they find with spinning brush mouths. Their segmented, semicircular bodies make a rapid clicking noise as they move.
Leech Canister: Some sort of clear glass container the size and shape of a soda. The container has metal end caps and is filled with a faintly glowing green liquid. There's no obvious method to open the container, as the endcaps and glass are smooth and unyielding.
[5]
Gambatta considers the bullet men. If he had to guess, the living bullets could be considered armed. Though he'd be willing to bet their method of attack would be suicidal and explosive. They are bullets, after all. As per their general demeanor, their huge bodies and relatively tiny limbs make them look comically hulking and awkward. Their lack of faces make their opinions and emotions very difficult to read. They are equal parts menacing and amusing, like a dumb puppy holding a ticking timebomb in its mouth.
Subtly inch away from Jim/Bob (whoever the bullet men are advancing to). Keep an eye on the bullet men for now and see if they get more agressive, alsotry to guess how much they weight on average
Name: Hlaine LockleyAppearance: A rather haggard looking man somwhere in between his early 40's and late 50's, it's hard to tell. Of average height, his skin looks pale and slightly sickly. He's a thin, wiry sort. He wears his hair shoulder length parted in the middle, and has a permanent unkempt beard going on. He wears a faded industrial overall, patched in a few places and the logo of the original company no longer legible, along with a pair of battered work boots and an old synthplas helmet.Strength: d6
Dexterity: d6
Endurance: d6
Speed: d10
Knowledge: d8
Wisdom: d8
Perception: d8
Charisma: d8
HP:22/22SP:32/32armour:Helmet: (d6 armor, protects only the head) A synthplas helmet in bright orange.
weapons:Therma-Ray: (Dex) (d8)
Items: Nim’s Parasite
- Telekinesis: (kno), requires line of sight, current max weight 300lbs, d4 SP activation
Bait:(Kno) x3
Log Book: (Kno) (
journal)
Arclamp
Stimulant: Recover d10 SP.
Biogel: Recover d10 HP.
Loot: Giant sewer octopus beak (with some trailing tongue/throat giblets)
Just.. try to stay inconspicuous for the moment. It should help if we end up fighting or if Jim gets things settled.
Description: Young, mid twenties kid with skinny limbs and body. Ink enthusiast.
Status:
Strength d4
Dexterity d10
Endurance d6
Speed d10
Knowledge d6
Wisdom d8
Perception d6
Charisma d4
HP 30
SP 20
Filament Gun (100)
Death Ray (500)
Specimen Container (Damaged Robot Skull) (30)
Filament Cartridge (10)
Cash: 360
The rest of the group hangs back, waiting to see how things shake out. Hlaine spends the time trying to guess the weight of the bulletmen. Considering their metal bodies, even the small ones are probably quite heavy. The largest ones probably weigh half a ton or more.