Chapter 7: Skyfall: The arrival of the Starshards
The night started like any other.
Before the moon rose, you found safety in your mech, then listened to the soft pinging of the lunar rain on the
ceiling above. The superheated meteor fragments blasted small craters in the
earth around you. Some were large enough to burn through several feet of dirt, and
many dented the metal ceiling of your Mechs. You knew
that by the time the night was through, a hundred new dents would be made, with
each dent glowing red from the fiery fragments resting above. Finally, the moon
would sink over the horizon, carrying the lunar rain with it, and the sun would
rise over a landscape scorched clean, as it had every night for nearly the last
two years. Yet this night, something different happened. Shortly after
midnight, the earth shook with the impact of a massive meteor. You were knocked
from the seats on which you slept, awakening suddenly to the trembling
aftershocks. It was obvious that something large had fallen from the moon
above.
That could mean profit — and danger.
The meteor could contain valuable lunar ores or rare treasures of the lunar
civilizations, both of which you could profit from. If you reach it first, you
can sell the ores to the city-mechs that scavenge
constantly for the supplies, or sell the lunar treasures to the military men
and hunters who battle against the lunar monsters. It might not be that easy,
however. There are creatures from the moon, alien monsters with bizarre minds,
and they are the scourge of Highpoint.
More than one salvage team has been
eaten by a meteorite’s unexpected stowaways. You rose at dawn and set out
immediately. The meteor’s location was obvious from the gouts of steam visible
on the horizon. In this scarcely populated region of the rocky flatland, you
could easily be the first to reach it.…
After a day of travel, you reach the
edge of a shallow crater and look down upon the now cooled meteor. After descent
into the crater, you now stand before the huge, pitted round rock. It looms 50
feet above you, shattered into two halves by the force of the impact. Unlike
other meteors, this one seems to beckon you to enter. A gaping 10-foot-wide
hole opens into its side. The tunnel inside is smooth and well crafted, clearly
built by something of intelligence.
Your livelihood depends on
recovering something of value from what’s inside… but your life may depend on
how carefully you do it.
Just a reminder of
the Salvage Rules that you are bound to under the Stenian
Confederation.
You are permitted to do the
following as Stenain Privateers.
1. They may legally sell seized goods not of Stenian Origin to communities within and outside of the Stenian Confederation.
2. They may use force on any group not aligned with Stenian within the boarders’ of the Confederation.
3. They are entitled and licensed to carry out missions
from the Stenian Privateer Mission Boards.
4. They may cross the boarders of the Stenian
Confederation as desired.
But as members of the Stenian Confederation, the PCs are restricted by the
following rules.
1.
Attacking the
military forces of the Stenian Confederation is
punishable by death.
2.
When operating
outside Stenian’s boarders, do not bring any negative
associations to the Confederation in any way. Miss-representing the empire is
punishable by death. Especially if you accidently
start a war.
3.
You may not sell or
salvage Military Mechs that belonged to the
Confederation. Report our downed mechs but leave the
retrieval work to our Mech fleets. Infringement of
this is punishable by exile.
4.
Do not sell weapons
or mechs to those that would like to cause harm to
our
5.
You may be called
by the military at any time to perform tasks on behalf of the Confederation. To
refuse a mission from a high ranking official is considered treason, punishable
by exile and full seizure of assets.