GOAL:
The team is sent out once again to the tundra, where they will be meeting a new ally under the name Chion. In return for Salus’ aid, the settlement offers research and resources, as well as a new base out in the tundra, and old metalworks and mining facility.

​

SUMMARY: STARTER
 

[MISSION: Locate CHION’s field team, aid in securing the new base]

[LOCATION: En route to the Tundra

[TIME: Early afternoon]

 

 

Darien sits upfront in one of the jeeps, thankfully not in the driver’s seat. That was where Ehsan was. He had his feet up on the dash, surprisingly calm about whatever it was that lay ahead. He picks up one of the walkie-talkies, radioing through to their other vehicles. “Guess I’m supposed to be throwing y’all some sort of motivational speech or what-have-ya, so don’t die.” He laughs. “We’re headin’ out towards some received co-ordinates, it’s gonna be a long trip so hope ya all stretched ya legs earlier.” 

 

Rolling his shoulders, he relaxes more into the seat. “Our snow folk might already have an idea of what we’re dealin’ with, but for the most part this shit is a blank slate so caution is of course advised. That said, we ain’t goin out here to pick fights or any of that shit. We’re lookin to to form an alliance, so in the words of Benji ‘be nice’- hah! Either way, should be a pretty easy mission. Get somethin’ set up down there and get out, sure you can all handle that.”

 

“Let’s get this show on the road.” 
 

 DAY 1- ACROSS THE EXPANSE

After a long few days of travel, the tundra team has found themselves stopped at an old fishing village. Giving the village a glance through they split into two groups to investigate: The Cabins most beyond any conceivable ability to find something besides one, and The Gas Station which was in disarray. Exploring, they find evidence life once was thriving here long ago, before it became a hollow shell of its existence.

 

With the team from CHION nowhere to be found, though, this was their designated meet up; They find the body of a medic from CHION, and his belongings.The group then reconvenes after some chatter on comms deciding to check the rest of the area. Upon finding a large frozen over lake with small fishing huts dotted across it, and the sky growing darker a camp 

fire is made, some dinner and talk is had– perhaps, not all pleasant, sleep soon found most.

 

Discovered items:

TEAM A:

PPE GEAR x1 [KRUSTY]

DOLL [LLEWELLYN]

FAMILY PHOTO [LLEWELLYN]

METALWORKS QUALIFICATION CERTIFICATE [not taken]

TOOLKIT x1 [NIRAYA]

CAN OF BEANS x3 [NIRAYA, EHSAN, MAX]

EMERGENCY STIMULANTS x1 [IO]

LUCKY CHARM x1 [KRUSTY]

 

TEAM B: 

MORPHINE SYRETTE [EDEN]

MEDICAL JOUNRAL [KRUSTY, RETURNED]

BROKEN MEDKIT [EDEN]
 

THE LAKE:

-FISHING GEAR [IO, NIRAYA]

-CATTAIL SAMPLES [LLEW]

-LIFE VEST [KRUSTY]
 

DAY 2: BY THE DYING FIRE

​

Setting out at sunrise, the team began to follow the tracks that had been discovered the day prior. They’re able to travel for hours out into the woodlands, following the trail of snowmobile tyres. Though some hours into their journey, the sky begins to change and a blizzard sets in, leaving the team to fight for their lives against the elements. Many teammates endure freeze and frostbite, but work together to keep eachother safe and alive, eventually stopping to build a fire. It is a short lived victory, and soon they are left to brave the blizzard once more. 

 

They come upon a deserted watch tower, bailing in and setting up to outstay the storm as they recuperate from the damage taken outside. During their stay, they are able to spot a plane wreck from the window, with the odd addition of smoke rising from within it. They decide to check it out the following morning.

 

Coming upon the wreckage, the team approaches the metal door- only for it to be forcefully swung open, hitting many. A man stands in the doorway with a bayonet trained on the team, identifiable as a chion member. They talk him down, and they are introduced as Kyra, a Chion medical representative. They aren’t able to stay long, spooked by something in the distance and making a swift leave.

 

It takes some time to reveal itself, but what had been stalking the team slowly stands tall and charges - a mechanical bear, a new guard.

 

Discovered items:

 

- COLD WEATHER HELMET [CROW]

- BINOCULARS  [USED?] [CROW]

- [TEMPORARY ITEM] RATIONS X1 [ IO, NIRAYA]

- CROWBAR X1 [IO]

​

DAY 3: ABOVE AND BELOW
 

With a new assailant on their heels, the Salus team is left either running from the bear guard or standing their ground. Those that remain behind are quick to discover the full potential of the beast, becoming instantly injured as it attacks ferociously. Those that had departed were left trying to keep up with Kyra, but soon lose their way and are left stuck, an injured party quickly following in their stead with the bear guard eager to pursue. A bloodbath ensues as the bear catches up, maiming many members of the team and leaving them desperate to escape. 

 

The team funnels down a rocky winding path, eventually emerging out into an area of wide, barren land. They skid uncontrollably, discovering they had run out onto the iced over lake. The bear, having been momentarily stunned gives the team only a brief moment to gather their bearings, before it awakens and follows them out onto the ice. The combined weight of the beast and the team is too much, and the ice beneath begins to crack in all directions. Still, that alone does not seem to be enough for the bear to break through completely, and the dangerous decision is made to break the ice - sending everyone through. 

 

Many fall into the icy waters, left struggling against the shock of the cold as others scramble to help. As things become more dire, the group is suddenly intercepted by unknown individuals, one amongst them familiar as Kyra. This was the Chion team you had been sent to meet, and now they were rushing to the aid of the group.

 

Pulled from the waters, emergency healing efforts ensue from both Salus’ numerous medics and from the Chion medical representatives, until the team is finally stable enough to progress forward. They move on, traveling as the chill of the night sets in, eventually reaching the metalworks outpost they had told you about in the broadcast. The destination has been reached, but the trip is far from over.

DAY 5: THE FOUNDATIONS

FFA DAY

DAY 6: LIGHT AT THE END

After some much-needed time to rest, heal and recuperate from the brutal encounter with the bear guard, the Salus and Chion teams were beginning to delve deeper into the metal-working plant their fledging base was built on. Seeking a solution to the power shortage, a member of Chion named John Flanagan went missing in the early hours of the morning, prompting a search and rescue team to be sent after him.

 

Led by Kellam, the Chion medic, and Camille, the Chion Intelligence Agent, the party ventured bravely into the ice caves that housed a greater extent of the old compound.

 

They came across a frozen control room and solved a switch-balancing puzzle which begged to question the sanity of those who had designed it. The team also found aged audio logs from one of the old world workers who had once manned the desk, as well as pilfering the bodies for several useful equipment pieces that had stood the test of time. Given the urgency of John’s missing status, the team decided to split to cover more ground swiftly once the doors were open and some of the power had returned.

 

The first group with Camille found power switches for lower-level power and a source for the generator. They also found strange machinery robots designed like moles, with one stuck in the wall. The writing on them indicated they were archaic and had likely been used as old world working machines, rather than belonging to Mars. Unwilling to get too close, the team opted to move onwards and flip a second power switch.

 

Concurrently, Kellam’s team found the third power switch, and also happened across a barricaded staff room in the bowels of the mines. Inside, they found John injured but alive, grateful to see them all. Decorated with relics from Earth before the fall, the group was lightly fascinated with their finds— before the power returned and rumbling overtook the mines. 

 

The mining machines had gone haywire once the generator had been restored, diving the teams for any trace of precious metals. Llewelyn lost their arm in a brutal struggle against one of the machines, further injuries sustained across the group before managing to disable them. The final robot was obliterated by a mysterious behemoth machine, carving a huge tunnel through the ice like a train passing its station. Intensely shaken and rattled by the appearance of this digging machine, the teams opted to flee the mountain and regroup back at base camp, very glad that the rumblings stilled once they had left. 

 

Discovered Items: 

 

- TUNDRA UGGS [KRUSTY] : -1 to speed,  but immunity to FROSTBITE status. Nice and toasty.

- MINING HELMET [MAX] : Adds +2 perception to dark areas. Smells a little stale… like sweat. 

- SKIYTINE ARMOR PLATES [IO] : Adds +3 to DEF, -1 to speed. Considerably more lightweight than other armor, but protection comes at a cost.

- VOICE MEMO STICK [IO] : Some of the audio like a degraded birthday card now… but you can make out several logs from a man named Diego Ray, who worked long on-site stints at the metal plant. The Tundra Uggs were supposed to be a gift for his daughter. Looks like she never got them. 
 

DAY 7: THE FOUNDATIONS

FFA DAY

 

DAY 8: THE PERFECT CATCH

A relatively slow day, the Salus team descends down to the frozen over lake to aid in some more domestic activities, catching food. They’re met by Dr Flynn Fletcher, and challenged to a fishing competition. Niraya wins, being the first to catch 5 sturgeon, and Io is a co-winner, being the one to catch the most fish overall. 

 

The competition wraps up and the team is about to return to the metalworks outpost, when they feel something hit the ice below them. They’re thrown off balance and sent into panic and a large silhouette of a creature swirls below them. Things slowly die down, and the creature disappears into the depths again, heading out to sea. 

 

Discoverables: 

NEW TRAIT UNLOCKED: Crisis Averted: Medics with this trait are able to carry out a healing roll, as well as an additional roll to remove a status effect.
 

OUTCOMES:
The team was successfully able to create connections with Chion and help establish the new base, which will in turn grant Salus access to materials. They met many new people and encountered new robots, including a new guard and even non-hostile working bots. The mission was overall a success, despite initial complications.