Session/Game: Savage Worlds Orion 8
Date: 2/5/2006
Episode 8: Video Idol Gregg Darbusto's World of Grundorians
Campaign Date: Royal Orion Year 313, Day 202-205
Characters:
Sir Bloodblade, Kong, veteran (Marlon Kirton)
Sir Buford Culpepper, human, veteran (Dave Nelson)
Sir Connor O'Reardon, human, seasoned (James Gallagher)
GM: Andrew Smith
Log:
Galaia Prime
The heroes are dispatched to Galaia Prime, also known as Darbusto's Rock, in order to find out why the famous and well connected Gregg Darbusto had not dispatched one of his knightly bodyguards to Orion for a weekly check-in. When the heroes arrived, they found that the huge population of enslaved Grundorians had been released from the control of their "persuasion collars" and were in the process of slaughtering the settlers of the planet. The heroes caught up with Gregg Darbusto in the volcanic badlands in the center of the planet's single continent. There the knights make a stand against several thousand angry Grundorians slavering for their blood while Sir Hollis DuPont works to activate his marvel crystal and return Darbusto and his cabinet aides to Orion.
The knights and their associated squads engage horde of Grundorians. Buford Culpepper fights on the right flank out in front of the volcanic hollow that the knights are defending. At first Buford and his squad slay great swathes of Grundorians with a combination of pistols, psionics, and cone rifle fire. However, as the battle wore on Buford found his squad increasingly inept. Connor O'Reardon held the left side of the cleft, forcing back Grundorians climbing up to his perch using a combination of his molecular blade and his telekinetic ability. One of O'Reardon's troopers dies from a lucky arrow shot, but O'Reardon's heavy weapons trooper named Schecky makes the Grundorians pay with his grenade launcher. Bloodblade and his squad of apeman shotgunners hold the center of the hollow from the bloodthirsty crew. Throughout the battle, Gregg Darbusto shouts at the knights. He berates them constantly by telling them what they should be doing and insisting that their choices were completely incompetent. At one point, a Grundorian gets by Bloodblade and charges Darbusto. Gregg pulls a gun from Sir DuPont's holster to finish the beast off. Gregg continues to go on about how useless the knights are in general.
Eventually Dupont teleports Darbusto and his cabinet members to Orion, allowing the remaining knights to make their escape into a nearby forest. Still persued by Grundorians, they meet with some more local settlers escaping the Grundorian threat. The knights take them along with them, hoping to get the folks to safety. They eventually come to a small farmhouse at the edge of the wood. The knights approach is slowly and cautiously, and are met by a rustic farmer and his family. The farmer does not speak of Gregg Darbusto in the same worshipful tone as the other inhabitants of Galaia Prime. He warns the knights of a Grundorian with a unique pistol that has the capability of penetrating the heaviest of armor named "Backyard Slim". He offers the knights his grav vehicle and says he would be happy to defend the refugees. However, as the knights discuss their next plan of action more Grundorians spring a trap on the humans. Another bloody battle breaks out, and although an apeman is lost there are no other casualties. Once the dust settles, the knights decide to teleport all refugees, and the farmer's four children back to Orion -- leaving behind two apemen and two of O'Reardon's troopers to help defend the farmhouse.
Orion
On Orion, the knights are debriefed by Sir Smoot. He shows the knights recent news reports featuring Darbusto bad-mouthing the knights and suggesting that the order should be disbanded. Karl Smoot entrusts the knights with the duty of returning to Galaia III, finding the backup "persuasion collar" control located in a cavern in the badlands, and starting it up using a secret code in order to quiet the Grundorian threat.
Galaia Prime
The knights return to Galaia III with their slightly undermanned, but newly equipped squads. The knights enter the cavern and are met by Grundorians carrying assualt rifles. Buford teleports across the cavern, dealing death to the Grundorians with his twinned pistols while Bloodblade grinds his way up the middle of the volcanic cavern with Connor in his wake. The knights turn a corner and are met by "Backyard Slim" himself who does in fact have a pistol that pentrates the knights' scout armor like it didn't exist. Buford only suffers a flesh wound, but as Bloodblade engages "Backyard Slim", he takes a few wounds from the needle-shaped rounds the Grundorian pumps through his heavy armor. Eventually, Connor O'Reardon turns the corner and lines "Backyard Slim" up with a perfect laser pistol shot aimed right at the Grundorian's head.
Orion
The knights return to Orion and are granted boons from the King. Bloodblade and Connor both choose to add personal weaponsmiths to their employ, and Buford decides to accept the king's offer of a lavish personal apartment within walking distance of the King's court.