Session 140 Prep
The Setting and Scene
Title:
Syringe and Cipher
Location:
Level I: Officer and Crew Quarters of the Phasnosh Vessel
Recapping the Tale
Previous Session
Session 139 The Metal Peak's Embrace
Scene Overview
The session opens with Durmen recovering from the mysterious injection while the android stands inert. The party must quickly determine their next move, as a scouting party of Vegepygmies and their dog-like creatures, Thornies, have been alerted to the battle and are advancing down the west corridor, expected to engage the party within 2–3 turns.
Setting Details
A maze of metallic corridors and small, mostly empty rooms. The air is stale but breathable. All doors are heavy, seamless metal, secured by black opal readers and key slots. Skeletons and alien remnants litter the area, emphasizing the centuries-old disaster.
Notable Personages
Key NPCs
Durmen (Status: Fully healed by Phasnosh medical agent, but confused/disoriented by the sudden cure. GM Note: Maximize the feeling of perfect health and disorientation.) The Android (Status: Repaired and inert; no longer hostile, but will not respond to commands yet. Holds the key to the next access card. Note: Its final act was curative, adding complexity to its hostile nature.)
Secret representative of the Empire of Lhynn Merchants GuildMedium Humanoid (human), Lawful EvilArmor Class 15 (natural armor)
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +5, Cha +6 ***Poisoner's Instinct.*** The Lhynn Merchant Guild Operative knows how to create and administer poison. They have advantage on Constitution saving throws against poison and they know the Poisoner's Kit proficiency. ***Cunning Action.*** On each of its turns, the operative can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Actions
Roleplaying NotesA dark and malevolent force hiding secrets of ages gone by. |
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(Pursued NPC, trail leads deeper into the ship)
The Player's Path
Player Goals
Stabilize and assess Durmen's condition. Prepare for the imminent combat encounter (Vegepygmies). Secure an Access Card to open the major locked doors and push the pursuit of Lexanna to the next level.
The Adventure Unfolds
Adventure Hooks
The Repaired Android: The construct’s silence is unnerving; a perception or investigation check may reveal a key card (like a Brown Card) slotted inside its torso compartment. Durmen's Healing: Durmen feels inexplicably better than before the fight—healed of exhaustion, old wounds, and even possibly a status effect. The Ambiguous Cure: Was the syringe an attack or a medical procedure? The Sound: A successful perception check should pick up a rustling, scratching sound or the scent of damp moss/fungus coming from the west hall.
Key Events
The Diagnosis: The party's attempt to use magic/medicine to diagnose Durmen's condition (The Cold Open). The Vegepygmy Ambush: A surprise attack from the Vegepygmies and their Thornie allies. The Android's Secret: Discovery of the access card hidden on the now-inert android (a DC 13-15 Investigation to find the latch).
Planned Events
The initial focus is on Durmen's status. The combat will force the party to use the android's chamber defensively. The loot from the Vegepygmies will include a clue about their commander or territory.
Perils and Rewards
Challenges
Imminent Combat: The Vegepygmies are hostile and fast, forcing an immediate tactical decision. Technological Ignorance: The party still needs to figure out how the Phasnosh key card system works to progress. Moral Dilemma: Should the party loot the body that just unexpectedly cured their ally?
Clues and Info
Durmen's Status: The injection was a massive curative, healing all non-magical afflictions, optimizing his biology and resolving all minor ailments/exhaustion. The Access Card: A Brown Access Card is discovered on the android, which will unlock some of the ship's doors. Vegepygmy Loot: Vegepygmies often carry low-charge Phasnosh weapons (like the Needler) which they use clumsily, or a non-Phasnosh object hinting at the Lhynn Operative.
Treasure and Rewards
A Brown Access Card (enabling access to crew-level areas). One or two low-charge high-tech weapons from the Vegepygmy horde. A supply of strange-tasting Phasnosh nutrient paste.
Interludes and Shadows
Interludes
The Clock is Ticking: Use the 2–3 turn countdown to force a frantic decision: Loot the android now, or prepare for defense? (Moving the android should cost significant time/action economy.)
Potential Conflicts
A surprise attack by a Police Robot if the Vegepygmy fighting alerts the wrong sector. Internal debate over the moral implications of looting the inert android.
DM's Guidance
Notes and Reminders
The Vegepygmies are coming from the west. Use the countdown (2–3 turns) to heighten the initial tension. The Brown Card only opens brown-coded doors and the large foyer door if the code has been changed. Run the Diagnosis before the countdown begins.
1. Maximizing the "Strange Cure" (The Cold Open)
The immediate aftermath of the injection is the emotional cliffhanger, even more than the imminent fight. Focus the first moments purely on this mystery before the Vegepygmy clock starts ticking.
The Actor: The player controlling Durmen should describe what he feels. Use his player's words to set the tone (e.g., "I feel totally refreshed, but also...cold," or "My old back injury is gone, but I can't shake the smell of ozone").
The Android's Silence: The Android is now inert. Emphasize the stillness in the room—the rapid transition from lightning-fast killer to silent statue. This gives a brief window for the party to interact with the body without feeling pressured to loot immediately.
The Diagnosis: Frame the magical diagnosis (healing/divination spells or medicine/survival checks) as immediate, high-stakes knowledge. The result should be shocking: The magic reveals the substance was a perfect, high-level curative—but its origin is completely unknown to their current lore. This reinforces the alien nature of the technology.
2. The Vegepygmy Countdown (Escalating Tension)
The 2-3 turn countdown is your most powerful tool to transition from roleplay to action.
Random Encounters
A malfunctioning Worker Robot rolls past the combat, carrying a strange piece of machinery and completely ignoring the fighting.
The Larger World
Story Arcs and Themes
Man vs. Machine; The Corruption of Technology and Nature; The Cost of the Pursuit (Durmen's strange recovery). Ambiguous Threat: The blurring line between enemy and ally in the Phasnosh vessel.
Mythic Elements
The diamond's powerful, continuous glow and strange tingle suggest it is more than a gem. The android’s self-repair and healing injection reinforce the technological threat posed by the Phasnosh Empire.
The Next Chapter
Cliffhanger
After defeating the Vegepygmies and using the Brown Card to open a major door, the party finds that Lexanna’s trail leads to a massive, descending vertical tube.