SWN sessions 1-3 play report.

This is a play report of my Stars without number game i started last December, its set on a post apocalyptic planet whose factions range wildly in tech level though most are unable to create modern tech such as firearms and effective medicine. Starting out I had two players one playing John Wailing a solider from the east seeking out his kidnapped
son and the murderers of his wife, the other players Zinaida Sokolov, a Psychonic scientist seeking out other Psionic masters to learn from.

My Players started out on the road, hired by Isabell Avellino, a merchant working on behalf of a distant organization that is journeying to the village of Pitt. In the first session they journeyed to the trade town of Services, along the way they bump into a group of tribal's from Pitt out hunting, John Wailing searched the area for animal tracks and helped point them in the right direction and they promised that he would received help upon visiting Pitt. After a day and a half of travel they arrive in Services, John and Zinaida Sokolov start looking for information on their various goals, after spending most of his starting wealth John finds that the group of Tribal's he's looking for dwell in the mass of ruins known as the great rubble, these Tribal's are often referred to as the dust devils or ash savages, they wear tattered furs and tribal markings made of grey ash as well as strange masks that hide parts of or all of their faces. Zinaida on the other hand hears rumours that the village of Pitt is run by a psychic of some kind.

During the second session the players continued their journey to Pitt along the old road. During the journey a stranger approached their camp one evening, a grumpy old man wearing ragged cloths and a lopsided straw hat. cautiously John demanded that he hand over his weapons, which he complies to grumpily handing over his revolver (which turns out to only have 3 bullets left). Warming himself by the campfire the stranger introduces himself as Charles Smith a cattle herder who as presently lost his herd to a hopper attack (hoppers are giant omnivorous locusts that hunt the grasslands).

After breaking camp they continue onwards to Pitt arriving at the villages outskirts around early evening. The players find that the town is dug into the sides of a old quarry, making their decent down to the village they partway with Isabell who pays them for their services. Mentioning to the villagers (know as the chalk thumbs) about how they helped the hunting party on the way to Services the party is offered a spare house for them to stay in. Once again seeking information the players seek out the village chief, finding him in his house they discover that he is some kind of low level psychic able to see visions and sense psionic energy. Inquiring also about the Dust devils the players hear all manner of tales about them being ghosts or being able to come out of nowhere and disappear just as swiftly, concerned by these story's John expresses interested in arming and training the Chalk thumbs.

During the night the party hears a knock on the door, it turns out to be Isabell who tells them that the machine she was hired to retrieve needs some replacement parts, she believes that a ruin on the outskirts of the great rubble may have the parts she needs. In the morning the players meet up again with Charles Smith, who agrees to travel with them, and set off to escort a group of Chalk Thumbs to trade in Services.

In the 3rd session The players continue their journey to Services arriving at around mid day, John starts inquiring about weapons finding that most dealers are pawning scavenged guns of questionable quality and reliability, finding one store with decently maintained weapons he talks to the owner Philips Carter. Philip informs John that he is limited on stock and would be unable to supply enough guns to arm the chalk thumbs, he does suggest a deal where the players clear a military base for him and he will collect and fix the broken weapons. They also meet up with a priest known simply as Barrel who wishes to travel with them. 

The party starts a return journey to Pitt, getting ambushed by large flightless birds on their way there, John manages to scare them off my shooting into their group a few times. Upon arriving in Pitt, John meets up with Isabell again to discuss the part for the machine and she mentions a member of the Chalk thumbs that may be a good guide for the great rubble, John and Barrel go to meet this guide and make a deal for his services. 

The players then leave Pitt the next morning and journey to the outskirts of the great rubble, their guide Ed grey legs leads them to the ruin Isabell talked about and they approach cautiously. John checks the door for traps before opening it but misses the bell hanging on the inside, the bell rings and John hurriedly scans the room he has just entered. He sees rows of dusty shelves in front of a shop counter with a scrap of fur on it and a large metal door with warning signs on it, approaching the counter he spots a strip of leather coming from behind the counter as well, looking behind the counter he see's a primitive bag made of rough leather and fur, it contained some bullets and some jerky made from an unknown meat. after determining that this room is free of threats John moves to open the metal door, inside a pale humanoid creature with large eyes. John backs away but the door is too stiff and rusted to swing shut, the creature leaps forward and a combat ensues John trying to weave in and out of the shelves for cover while his allies take pot shots from the doorway, after a few unlucky shots the players finally manage to put enough lead in the creature to kill it. 

Searching the room beyond the metal door, they find some canisters of fuel, 2 repair bots (one broken the other in sleep mode) booting up the robot and it introduces itself as R.A.M, the party then decides to loot the rooms they have and recover some spare parts. They begin their journey back to Pitt but on the way they bump into a confused man in a blue jumpsuit with a foggy memory. They question the man (who introduces himself as Stevie) but he struggles to answer their questions or understand where he is he tags along with them back to Pitt.

and that's where the games left off, let me know what you think of this game so far I will try to post more play repots in the future.

M.C.