Episode 14: Old Enemies, New Dublin

Campaign Date: Royal Orion Year 314, Day 48-50

Characters:
Sir Bloodblade, Kong, veteran (Marlon Kirton)
    Squad of six apeman gunmen and a kong heavy weapon gunner (NPC)
Sir Connor O'Reardon, human, seasoned (James Gallagher)
    Angus, Dwarf Engineer (NPC)     Squad of six human soldiers (NPC)
Sir Buford Culpepper, human, veteran (Dave Nelson)
    Squad of six human troopers with shotguns (NPC)

GM: Andrew Smith

Log:

Royal Year 314 – Day 48 New Dublin

The knights arrived at the site of the obelisk. They moved into the area, and were immediately attacked by Grundorians that emerged from the thick, alien jungle plantlife. The two Grundorian shamans were completely disfigured by the artifacts that they allowed to connect to their brains. Their heads were overgrown and misshapen on one side as though their brains had bubbled through their skulls.

Buford’s henchman Skeeter was almost immediately slain by a lucky arrow attack to his throat, and several of the Grundorians were surely enhanced by some sort of super science or magic. The two shamans put up a heck of a fight, wounding Bloodblade and Buford and continuing to fight despite continuing to burn from being hosed by a flame thrower. Of course, the knights eventually won the day and broke the Grundorians assault, saving the colony. Buford then took it upon himself to melt down the evil, alien, obelisk.

Back at Galway, the only village on New Dublin, there was trouble. The colonists had arrived early and their leader Allyria Raevyn was not happy with the accommodations that Galway had provided. The pagan priestess was irate that there were not temporary accommodations set up despite the fact that the colonists were early, as well as pushy about the fact that her understanding was that her people would receive some livestock in the settlement deal.

Connor and Mayor Thomas Flannery did their best to appease the screeching harpy, but it was the new clergyman, Friar Marcus Aquinas who settled Miss Raevyn down by telling her that his flock would generously open their homes to her people. Friar Aquinas only promised to do this on the condition that Connor and his knights would begin to attend his services. Connor told Sheriff Sheckey to “put it on his schedule”.

Royal Year 314 – Day 49 New Dublin

The next morning, the knights received an apology from Allyria Raevyn for her nasty tone and the misunderstanding about the livestock. After breakfast, the knights did some research on the new colonists. The majority of them were pagans from the planet Pylot IV who were forced to leave because of the lack of religious tolerance between the worship of the Church of Orion and the underground Cult of Slag-Bah. Buford did his best to ferret out any cultists who may have made the trip with the crystal-clutching pagan people, but only managed to raise some eyebrows when he began to concoct conspiracy theories and speak in threes. Bloodblade met a talented poison herbalist named Kaspar and managed to befriend him. Connor stopped by the spaceport to get a report about the passenger manifest and make sure that their temporary housing was being set up as soon as possible.

Connor gets a communication from another Saurian scout reporting that they managed to find a small spacecraft with a Vendro drive hidden in the countryside. The knights suit up and drive out to investigate. They teleport into the craft and find that it brought a potential spy and assassin to New Dublin from Galaia Prime (aka. Darbusto’s Rock). The knights break the launch codes and fly the ship back to Galway.

Back at Galway, Connor “persuades” the local black marketer, Griff Wells, to spill his guts about folk on planet wanting strange stuff. Griff confesses that it was strange that he was asked to deliver a package of unique flechette ammunition to Friar Marcus Aquinas. The knights march into the church demanding answers. The Friar grabs at Miss Raevyn for a hostage, but his blind anger at being called an Orgosian Crapdancer overwhelmed him. Friar Marcus charges down the aisle of the church firing shot after shot of his knight killer flechette pistol through the pews into Buford’s battered frame, only to be brought down by a telekinetic drop-kick from Connor.

Once subdued, the assassin starts “monologing” about how he was hired by Gregg Darbusto himself to help kill the meddling Knights of Orion who he felt disrespected him that one time they were on his home planet and that they should look out lest Gregg or one of his associates find the knights and try to kill them again. He explains how Gregg Darbusto arranged the Grundorian uprising himself in order to clear the planet of bystanders who might have questions about the underground production facility he built below Darbusto City to create parts for starfighters, patrol craft, and hover tanks. The assassin made it clear that even if he died, there would be others to try their hand at killing the knights. Once everything was out in the open the knights put the assassin to death with a merciful head shot.

After a quick thanks from Miss Raevyn for saving her life, the knights decide to marvel back to Orion. Meanwhile across the galaxy a special presentation of Formidable Opponent appears on holovids everywhere:

Formidable Opponent

Cast:
Gerardo Mendales (Orion)
Gerardo Mendales (Scara III)
-- Gerardo Mendales and his clone are both newsmen more obsessed with becoming the story then getting the story. Both Gerardo Mendales may ad lib the trademark phrase “shocking” at will.

Gregg Darbusto
-- Gregg Darbusto is seen from a previously recorded interview during this holovid. During he is trying to his best to look hip and cool despite the fact that he is an ancient has-been. He was once a pop idol, but everyone knows that he only got the job because his father was a wealthy industrialist. Think of Gregg as a cross between Paris Hilton and Tom Cruise in all of his couch-jumping wing-nut glory.

Narrarator
--The GM will play the narrator

All
--All players are encouraged to participate

Narrarator: Formidable Opponent is a galactic news magazine on the Interplanetary News Network in which legendary newsman Gerardo Mendales debates one of his clones from another world in the kingdom. It is broadcast weekly throughout the kingdom and is one of the most popular news holovids in decades. Please welcome Gerardo Mendales…and none other than the one and only Gerardo Mendales!

All: (Cheering from studio audience)

Gerardo (Orion): Good evening galaxy, and welcome to another edition of “Formidable Opponent”. My guest tonight comes to us from the grief stricken world of Scara III where recently the capitol floating city of Scarasia City fell. Please welcome my clone, Gerardo Mendales!

All: (Cheering)

Gerardo (Scara): Thank you Gerardo.

Gerardo (Orion): No, thank you for coming Gerardo. Such a talented and handsome man as yourself makes a real impact on the show.

All: (Laughter)

Gerardo (Scara): Why thank you, Gerardo.

Gerardo (Orion): Now Gerardo, let’s get to the heart of the matter. I have heard reports that there were Knights of Orion involved in the destruction of Scarsia City. Is that true?

Gerardo (Scara): Yes, that is true Gerardo. Sirs DuPont, Bloodblade, Blackraven, Sleestack and Poole were all at the scene of the sabotage in question. One of the stabilizers was rigged to fail and cause a cascade effect bringing down the entire city in a flaming heap. Although no knights were implicated in the disaster, one can’t help but ask “What were the knights doing to stop this tragedy”.

All: (Boos and Catcalls)

Gerardo (Orion): I suppose it could be argued that the Knights were once all that kept the kingdom from falling to the machine menace three-hundred years ago. But isn’t this “hero worship” just what the visionary performer and industrialist Gregg Darbusto warned us about not even a year ago?

Gerardo (Scara): Yes it is Gerardo! Here in a rare candid interview, Gregg details his take on the Knights of Orion.

Narrator: The holovid cuts to a full-screen talking head of Gregg Darbusto talking with an unidentified Gerardo Mendales clone at a sumptuous breakfast feast overlooking a resort paradise.

Gregg Darbusto: Yeah, the knights have been good in the past. But in showbiz we have a saying, “What have you done for me lately”. Frankly, the knights have been nothing but trouble for the kingdom for the past hundred years or so. Why, I have been escorted by two knights for much of my entire life thanks to my status as a performer and industrialist (thanks Daddy!). These jokers were complete wastes of time. I blame those guys for my past troubles with drugs and hookers since they were the ones who would always force ‘em on me. Of course, now that I’ve come to accept Jimbo as my personal lord and savior, I have left those wicked days behind and I’m crusadin’ to end this entire order of sodomizin’, drug-addled, looney tune, Mavorian sympathizers.

Narrator: The holovid cuts back to the two Gerardo clones.

Gerardo (Orion): Well I for one am sickened. Knights are meant to be the best of the kingdom, not galactic screw ups. Why haven’t they captured the one responsible for this treachery? Is it true what Gregg said about the knights in his employ? What kind of people are these so-called “Knights”.

Gerardo (Scara): Well, I can describe to you some of their more colorful and despicable qualities. For example, many of the knights are skeptical or complete non-believers in the official Church of Orion.

Narrator: Pictures of the mentioned knights appear in graphics behind the two news-clones. Every single picture is chosen to be very unflattering to the knight pictured.

Gerardo (Scara): In this picture, Sir Connor O’Reardon is making a horrible face while forced to listen to the gospel according to Weezer as read by Pope Eusebius at his own knighting ceremony.

Here is a picture of Sir Ashon 'Ka 'Linor who claims to be a clone of an ancient mummy. Notice his pagan helmet design. He does not even believe that Jimbo is our twice-slain savior. Instead he ascribes to a long-discredited deity he names “Anubis”.

Gerardo (Orion): What other vices do these knights indulge in?

Gerardo (Scara): Well, Sir Buford Culpepper is a known bootlegger, thrice accused of smuggling tobacco and moonshine between worlds before he was made into a knight. Now, this man lives in an apartment just a short walk from the Amethyst throne itself!

Gerardo (Orion): Go on!

Gerardo (Scara): Sir Hollis DuPont is a famous drunk and whoremonger, Sir Sleestack has been recorded eating an entire sack of kittens, and Sir Ravenseye has significant ties to the Cult of Slag-Bah that have not yet been completely revealed.

Gerardo (Orion): Sweet merciful toast! I find that information to be so…

Gerardo (Scara): Shameful?

Gerardo (Orion): No, that’s not the word…

Gerardo (Scara): Scandalous?

Gerardo (Orion): It is right on the tip of my tongue…

Gerardo (Scara): Is the word you are looking for…

All: Shocking?

Gerardo (Orion): Yes, it is so very, very, shocking!

Gerardo (Scara): Of all the knights, only the mighty and noble Sir Bloodblade was found to be the true paragon of knights. Over and over the Kong named “Lord Kissinger” has done the King’s will selflessly, treating the common man with respect, obeying the kingdom’s codex on the treatment of prisoners to the letter, and even once taking a wound that nearly separated the knight’s jaw from his face. We tried to reach the quiet warrior at his personal retreat, but we were turned away by a very rude man with a funny accent once we explained that we wanted to interview him.

Gerardo (Orion): Apparently, Sir Bloodblade is modest about his numerous noble deeds and high moral fiber?

Gerardo (Scara): If only there were more knights, like Sir Bloodblade. Alas, there are not.

Gerardo (Orion): Which brings us to the point. You have convinced me sir, and I bow to your persuasive arguments. This scandalous behavior is one reason why we now both that the Knights of Orion are an outdated order and should no longer be given free reign to do as they please.

Gerardo (Scara): Yes, I propose right now that we petition the king to disband the Knights of Orion and to appoint new galactic messengers to take advantage of the kingdom’s limited supply of marvel crystals. Although the King makes the rules, he cannot go against the will of the entire general populace.

Gerardo (Orion): Point made, Gerardo! You are truly a formidable opponent!

All: (Cheers)

Gerardo (Orion): Tune in next week where we debate whether the Knights were of any use at all to the Kingdom at all in the past now that there is irrefutable proof that the Mavorians planted nuclear devices on their own planets themselves to end the Second Mavorian War!

The knights arrive on Orion to find that the kingdom is in turmoil after another assassination attempt on the king’s life. The heroes bring the recorded confession from the assassin to the attention of the media, but the general populace only believes the holovid transmission from earlier.

The knights meet with Sir Vicktor Worthington Smoot III. He views the confession and agrees that the heroes must travel to Galaia Prime and get to the bottom of this mess. As for whether they bring Darbusto back alive or dead, Smoot has no preference. However, he warns them that they must not allow anyone to know that it was knights who made the attack should they decide to slay him. He goes on to explain that they may not be welcome back on Orion once their mission is complete, and asks them to meet him on New Dublin in two weeks instead.

The heroes muster some equipment from the Knight’s armory. Bloodblade’s troops take several RPGs and at least two plasma bazookas. Just before the group leaves on their mission, the desk clerk at Buford’s apartment tells a piece of juicy gossip to Buford:

“Over twenty years ago, Sir Vicktor Worthington Smoot III was once a suitor of Constance LeRoi, the younger sister of knights Sylvester and Harvey. Constance eventually married into the Rommel family, and Smoot was invited to join the Order, but subordinates claim that Smoot and Constance LeRoi still exchange messages occasionally.”

Royal Year 314 – Day 50 Galaia Prime (aka Darbusto’s Rock)

The knights arrive on Galaia Prime. The planet is overgrown with the lush jungle undergrowth and corpulent, pale alien fauna they found on the moon of Yalhambra III a year ago. They locate Darbusto’s underground factory hundreds of miles to the North. Sir Buford calls up the installation and identifies himself as “Commodore Vincent LeRoy” and asks for a pickup. The soldiers at the other end are surprised at the call, but promise to send out a shuttle immediately. They warn that there is some alien activity in the area and that they should try to lay low.

The shuttle arrives, and two guards start waving the knights into the shuttle. Buford and Connor teleport into the craft, and have an awful time trying to disable the pilots and guards. Meanwhile, a cadre of aliens like the ones found on that Yalhambra moon attack from the jungle along with new monstrous aliens. All the aliens share the same milky, spiny flesh tone and single mucous-laden eyes, but the monstrous aliens had thick talons on their four legs, and instead of arms carrying an organic hook weapon, these monsters had a gaping maw of rows and rows of teeth hinged on a muscular jaw.

The aliens shrug off energy weapons, and only Bloodblade’s axe and Bloodblade’s shotgun troopers seem to be able to hurt them consistently. The aliens devour much of Sir Connor’s troops before fleeing as if called away by an unseen command. The knights eventually secure the shuttle and fly it to the installation.

At the installation site, the knights find dozens of shuttles taking on cargo from elevators on a central guard house. The cargo appears to be weapons and armor for military vehicles. Underground drilling vehicles, star fighters, gravity patrol vehicles, and g-tank parts have all been created. The knights are directed to land on one of the more remote landing pads.

The knights’ shuttle are met by Gregg Darbusto himself, along with several conventional guards, two personalities in assault armor, and one fellow in a set of personal armor so big and powerful that it acted more like a tank itself. Sir Buford shined up his armor and came out to shake Gregg Darbusto’s hand, only to find himself in a robotic steely-like grip of an android robot just about to self-destruct. Buford teleports away from the Darbusto-bot just before he explodes. Connor and Buford trade fire with one of the armored personalities. Bloodblades’ squad break out their heavy artillery and simply obliterate the big, powerful armored personality as well as one of the two personalities in assault armor. The final servant of Gregg Darbusto fights to the end, but is eventually brought down by Connor’s blade.

The heroes rush to try and stop as many of the shuttles as they can, but word of their arrival reached the starships in orbit quickly. The transports activated their Vendro drives and escape into deep space for parts unknown before the knights are able to make an assault on them. Below ground, the knights find a factory staffed by human technicians forced to do Darbusto’s bidding by implanted “persuasion collars” that once enslaved the Grundorians of the planet. The knights managed to deprive the starships of much of the parts and supplies in the facility, but the bulk of the material was already gone from the facility. They find evidence that Gregg Darbusto might have also grafted an artifact filled with white, swimming octopoids to his head, just as the Grundorian shamans of New Dublin had. Video communications between Darbusto and his sycophantic followers recorded on the system reveal that one side of his head has grown and disfigured tremendously. The records reveal that Gregg decided to leave the planet just hours after the heroes appeared on Orion.

Once the situation was secured and a naval patrol was called on to explore the facility, the heroes decide to ignore Smoot’s suggestion to meet on New Dublin and instead return to the king with evidence of Gregg Darbusto’s wrongdoing. They report Sir Smoot’s odd behavior to Sir Eustace, and Sir Smoot is put on probation. Smoot is forced to forfeit his marvel crystal. The knights are granted boons by the king for their achievements.

Postlog

The Assassin’s Ship
Connor impounded the assassin's starship that was discovered parked in the wilds of New Dublin.

Bloodblade’s Relic
Bloodblade played a relic card this session.