Across a Thousand Dead Worlds: 1

Solo AP. Sid explores an overrun Arsaidh site.

This is an interlude of Across a Thousand Dead Worlds by Blackoath Entertainment. I listened to a recent podcast where the creator, Alex T, described the game as having some inspiration from the manga BLAME!. That instantly caught my attention as it is one of the few manga series that I really enjoy. The the setting is one of my all time Sci-fi favorites and having that aesthetic in the back of my mind brought ATDW alive in my imagination.

The RPG revolves around Deep Divers exploring alien sites to find tech and artifacts that they bring back to a megacorporation that researches it all (and so much more!).

Karum Station:

Sid does one last supply check before surrendering navigation over to the KRM1 Circle Arsaidh ship. He’s heard horror stories but also tales of heroic adventure about Deep Divers and second guesses his decision for just a moment. Adrenaline pumping, he punches the hyperdrive and starts to sweat as space folds around him.

+5 Stress. Voyage out: Week 1. Random Event 20%: None. Destination 40%: Not arrived. Week 2. RE 40%: Yes: Space Anomaly: The ship shakes during warp travel. All crew members must pass a DEX check or suffer 1 Wound. Destination 50%: Yes. Arrival: The ship docks in an Àrsaidh base inside an asteroid. 

After days and days of strange dreams and constant doubts, Sid settles into a drab routine of meditation and checking and re-checking diagnostics and sensors. He is interrupted from one such meditative state when a hazard klaxon begins to sound moments before the ship violently shakes.

Dex check: Pass.

Sid grabs one of the ubiquitous cables that snake along the walls to steady himself and the turbulence ends as fast as it started. He laughs nervously as he checks the sensors and viewscreen and relaxes. He is at his destination as the ship is slowly being drawn into an immense Arsaidh structure.

Nervous tic is to laugh uncontrollably or nervously. It appears with stress. -10 stress finding his destination. 

He is able to catch a glimpse of gigantic cables winding and in and out of the immense asteroid. Spike-like structures dot the surface and all goes dark as the ship is drawn inside. He soon feels the telltale shudder as the ship docks. Data starts to flood the screen about the atmosphere and gravity.

Site details: Designation: Lotebe 559923. Purpose: Data Storage. Story: Associated with wondrous technology. Overall look: Partially destroyed. Chasers: 4. Dominant Site Hazard: Overrun (All encounters are aberrations). Size: Huge. Resources: 56; Xenoanthropological finds: 21; Possible unique encounter total: 8 (all aberrations).

The atmosphere is not toxic and gravity is within normal parameters. He is able to leave the vacc suit and hazmat gear. He dons his armour with helmet, weapons, rations and pauses to triple check it all before opening the docking recess. Sid hits the docking clamp release, hears the metallic clunk of each lock and the hatch hisses as it irises open.

Area 1: Hallway with locked access point at the end: Flame Door.

It’s dark outside the airlock. The oxygen mask lightly quietly cycles with each breath. As he advances further out, his shoulder mounted lights reveal a hallway, large in diameter and about 20 paces long. Telltale Arsaidh tech cables run along the walls and ceiling. Most larger than Sid. Sporadic glyphs glow dully along various biomechanical surfaces. The hallway is empty and Sid walks to the round door at the end. He puts his hand into the access recess and finds the door to be locked. He has read about Arsaidh security measures and sighs as he takes out his LKPK and inserts it. The firewall registers 10 - 7. Sid calibrates hoping for a low release setting number. If it is higher than 6 it will reset. He turns the dial and it beeps a negative.

Time passes in ten minute increments for each lockpick attempt and other actions. After one hour resources are used and a check is made for a Chaser enemy.  

The new firewall is 7-2. He calibrates for an middle release number code and turns the dial only to hear another beep indicating the lock is still sealed tight. The third attempt is the charm and the LKPK goes green, vapor hisses out as the door irises open.

10% something different on the other side: Pass (as expected). Perception check to notice the flame trap: pass. Tech check to disarm: pass. This luck will not last forever!

Sid pauses just before stepping through as he notices odd looking valves along the top of the doorway. Feeling suspicious, Sid feels around and finds a small access panel. It opens without issue and Sid is able to disconnect three thick, bright orange wires. He is hopeful when a light humming sound stops among the constant background noise.

Area 2: Xenoanthropological Artifact: A glass-like hexagonal rod, 10” long. It feels sticky to the touch. 50 DC. plus 5 DC for the find.

Sid tenses up as he walks through the doorway and relaxes slightly when he passes the threshold safely. This room is brighter than the hallway with its blinking screens that run along the rounded walls. The room is massive, dominated by what appears to be a fallen biomechanical sensor array. It looks like it once hung from the ceiling and fell the smash on the ground. Spikes and diodes stick out from at odd angles. Sid slowly walks around to survey it and notices a hexagonal rod sticking out that bears the markings of a Xenoanthropological Artifact. He collects it, minding the sticky feel and places it in his backpack. Around the outer round wall lie three closed doors.

Sid heads to the doorway closest to the hallway he came from. The door opens freely and he pauses at a bridge crossing an expanse. Neither the ceiling or floor can be seen and the far wall seems to contain countless square indentations and slowly blinking lights. Sid cautiously makes his way across noticing a breeze with the odd bit a vapour cascading by. At the end of the bridge he is met with another door that opens without issue.

Area 3: Elite Encounter: Aberration called a Hraloptil. +5 stress. Predator. Humanoid in size. Unique: +5 attack, -5 damage. Ability: Explode on death d20 damage to all in 30’ (I completely forgot to use this feature) . Rocklike, covered in crystals. Several mouths. Six legs. 2 Eye stalks. All from the antagonist generation tables. Since all encounters are aberrations in an Overrun Site, I chose to keep this design for all normal encounters. 

He is looking down a corridor ending in a “T” intersection. He is able to make out something half hidden behind the left corner up ahead. Alive maybe? It looks strange, humanoid in size but on more than two legs. Sid freezes as the enormity and insanity of all that brought him here bubbles up and he emits a stifled nervous laugh. The creature comes out from behind the corner and Sid immediately regrets ever becoming a Deep Diver. He pulls his Fireslinger as the creature scans the area, eye stalks looking in different directions until they both focus on Sid. The aberration squares up, six legs and rough looking skin, crystals jutting out all over its body. It pauses just a moment before its various mouths roar in unison and it begins to run straight at Sid. He fires a grenade and the creature leaps and runs along the wall and back down to the ground to avoid the blast. Sid fires a second grenade and the creature leaps to do another wall run on the opposite side. Sid, in full panic mode backs out of the room and slams his hand on the panel to close the door.

Oracle: does it close? Yes, and… it locks! 

The door shuts, as the creature can be heard slamming into the other side. The control panel lights up red, indicating it is locked. Sid catches his breath, realizing he will be lucky to come out of this alive.

Time track hits 1 hour. Activity check: None.

Sid decides to scavenge this area since it is relatively safe and maybe he should hedge his bets as much as possible. Sid is able to scrounge about 150 DC of Arsaidh Tech. Next, Sid tries the middle door.

Area 4: Hazard: Assaults a character’s senses. +5 stress.

It opens upon another bridge, but this time the opposite wall has a hole, unfathomable in size, that seems to be writhing on its edges. He stares for a moment and can make out thousands and thousands of the Hraloptil aberrations climbing in and around the breach in the far wall. His head begins to spin and Sid stumbles back, closing the door to keep the terrifying vista out of mind.

Area 5: Encounter. Easy.

Sid takes a moment to collect himself again before going to the third door. It opens onto a square room lined with large cables and rectangular data storage units with a single stone and crystal aberration staring right at Sid from across the room. It is half the size of the previous Hraloptil. It hisses and runs towards him, Sid snaps up his Fireslinger to shoot a grenade that blasts the aberration into a bloody mess. Satisfied that there are no further enemies, Sid decides to scavenge the area, but does not find anything of use. The area has a door to the left and a larger door at the end with larger panels.

He heads to the door at the end and puts his hand into the upper panel and turns the mechanism. A high pitched hum begins that soon lowers - like something getting closer - an elevator? The doorway cycles open from the center to reveal a small square room. Sid steps inside and pushes a random rune on a panel. The doors close and Sid feels himself rapidly being sent up further into the Site, sweating as he wonders what floor he was last on. It opens on a simple hallway with a single door at the end.

Area 6: Resources: 3 Data Crystals, 1 Alloy Cube. Scavenge Natural 20. I chose to give twice the usual scrap amount. 200 DC. Time reset: No activity.

Another rectangular shaped room with data vaults. Among the recessed vaults are box like protrusions from the walls. One reveals a cache of Data Crystals and Alloy Cubes. He keeps scavenging and lucks out with some choice scrap. Sid decides to meditate and try to calm himself. This place is so alien. Huge, overrun by aberrations. Insanity made real.

He decides to explore this level and approaches the doorway at the end. It leads to a simple hallway that in turn leads to the left and right. Sid down the right side, passes one melted looking doorway and comes to another.

Oracle: Is it open? No. 

He opens the door to find 2 Aberrations there. They are crawling around a large crystal like structure jutting out of or growing out of the floor. They turn and hiss as they come charging at him.

Area 7: Elite encounter. 2 Standard Aberrations.

Sid fires immediately with the Fireslinger, but the aberrations separate and run along opposite walls towards Sid. He fires again at the one on the left and the six legged, dog sized aberration runs up onto the ceiling to avoid the blast. Sid panics, a high pitched barking laugh escapes his lips as he turns and runs for the door.

Opposed Dex check: Pass and crit fail by the aberration rolling a 1. 

He hits the door panel and hears the aberration slam itself against the closing door. Sid backs away from it and and runs down the hallway until he gets to another closed door at the other end.

Area 8: Dread event: While at this Site, anytime a character rolls a natural 6 on a Resolve check they must roll on the Dread table. Spark table: Gratify, Obstacle. +5 stress.

On the other side of the door. Sid finds himself on a balcony of sorts. It is contained in a bubble of pressurized plexi-fold Arsaidh glass. It looks onto a vast expanse between the asteroid and biomechanical structure of the Site. Sid is awestruck by the sheer immensity and cyclopean alienness of it all. He can see a massive glowing crystal like structure, like the one he saw recently - except thousands of times larger with Hraloptil aberrations crawling all over it. As he watches, the glowing of the crystal intensifies and the aberrations begin the scurry as if in panic. An explosion, centering on the crystal, rocks the entire structure.

When Sid is able to right himself and look from the balcony again he can see floating debris and a third of the asteroid and biomechanical structure is missing. He laughs nervously as he turns around to continue exploring.

Luckily the elevator is still working, and he is able to go down some levels. He comes out onto a simple hallway. As he exits the elevator an aberration the size of a dog jumps from above. The six limbs wrap around Sid and it tears into his arm as it knocks him to the ground.

Aberration wins melee combat turn and Sid fails Wil recovery. Takes 1 wound.

The impact dazes Sid and the creature continues to maul him, but his armour takes the worst of it. He begins to and laugh hysterically under the stress but manages to take control of himself.

Here Sid was at 15 stress, causing -10 to all action rolls. I had him hit 20 stress and he gained an Obsession: Frugality. Recovery: Pass. 

He pulls himself up and takes out his knife to try and face the aberration head on.

Sid wins his melee turn to attack with all stamina. Also using the longer damage rule to allow accumulative damage. Aberration fails it's recovery and Sid attacks again using all his stamina. +5 DC. Medical check: Pass. Heal one wound. 

It comes at Sid again, he is ready this time, sidestepping to the side and cuts deep into one of its back legs. The aberration falls and Sid attacks with all of his might, stabbing it until it finally stops moving.

He catches his breath and takes out his med kit to treat the wounds on his arms. He gathers himself up and crosses the hallway to the door.

Area 9: Easy encounter and known threat. Cecailia. +5 stress. Fail combat check. Damage form Cecailia not above Con. Sid passes Str check and opposed Dex check to flee without attack of opportunity.

On the other side of the door, Sid sees a lone small Hraloptil aberration. He notices that it has less crystal growths than its larger counterparts. As he raises his Fireslinger a huge creature falls from above and crushes the Hraloptil. The new humongous creature roars, tentacles and spittle flailing. Sid turns to run as the Cecailia closes in and he feels multiple tentacles wrap around his body, but his armour holds together. He thrashes with all his might, firing his Fireslinger into the ground, making the Cecailia relax its grip for a moment. Sid drops to the ground running and hears the tentacles snapping and slithering behind him, followed by stomping and another roar as the Cecailia follows. Sid slams into the back of the elevator and randomly presses another floor. He fires one more time into the hallway as the doors close on the reaching tentacle.

Sid isn’t sure if the elevator sent him up or down - but hopes for someplace relatively safe. The elevator stops and opens onto a stairway going down. It has three doors along one wall before ending at a larger door. Sid tries the first door.

Area 10: Locked access point. Opens on first try. Fleshy door. Hazard manifestation on the other side: Provides benefit. Sparks: Block, Knowledge. Something will allow hiding from aberrations, maybe advantage on initiative rolls.

The first doorway seems to be made of softer biomechanical material. He is able to use the LKPK on the panel beside it. Once it is green he pushes through, head first, slime making it easier to get through. It is unsettling and he laughs nervously as he comes out the other side. He finds himself in a small fleshy round room and covered in a bluish slime. Scavenging reveals nothing of note. He does notice that a sense of calmness has come over him and wonders at the properties of the slime. He decides to leave the slime on as he exits back out, noting it is much easier to exit the room. He wipes some of the slime off his hands onto the wall and heads to the next entranceway.

Area 11: Resources. 

The next door is more like a regular biomechanical portal and opens feely. The space seems to be some kind of sorting area with odd slabs like tables throughout. He is able to find 6 Data Crystals and 2 Alloy Cubes. This satisfies Sid and he decides to leave at long last. First he makes his way to the elevator and Hacks into it to try and get back to the original floor he came in on.

Using the hacking skill I took at character creation seemed relevant here. Elevator hacking difficulty is 4: pass.

Sid is able to bring up a map of the Site areas this elevator services. He sends it to the original spot he came in on. He has plenty of air and water and so uses stealth as he retraces his steps back to the ship. Sid breathes easy as he takes off, watching his first Arsaidh Site, Lotebe 559923, quickly shrinking as the ships moves further away. Space folds around him and the trip back is uneventful.

1000 DC submitted to gain level 2. New Talent: Overwhelm: After a knocked-down opponent recovers, their Recovery Status roll is modified by +3. New Skill point: Ranged Combat +1.  

Notes:

What a cool game! There are many mechanics that make it easy to forget some of them on a first session. The overall lore and vibe of the game is incredible. There are so many tables to make each site, and the monsters therein, completely different each run. I felt I was getting the hang of combat closer to the end of the session and I enjoy it quite a bit.

I found it relaxing to really take my time and explore each aspect of the play loop. If I noticed I missed a rule I figure I’d just try and fit that in when it would next come up. I may add more characters on the next run to make use of the stress and emotion mechanics between characters.

Right now I am enjoying playing different sessions of Kal-Arath, Niv Lova playtest, AL-Rathak and now Across a Thousand Dead Worlds (and maybe some Ker Nethalas: Into the Midnight Throne and Machine Gods of the Noxian Expanse soon too). I’m looking forward to the up coming Kal-Arath: Twin Sun Sutra (with 4 of my monsters making it into the bestiary!!) as well as the official Niv Lova release.

For this and other Actual Plays check out my Table of Contents Page.