Message:A new campaign of an old game. We did our enlistment. IronSnake died four times; could be a record. He was adamant about becoming a Scout. When he finally rolled a character with great Stats, he decided to try Army (where he would survive). He left a Major, our highest commissioned rank. IronDave is also a Marine Lieutenant. The rest of us are yard birds. IronConrad died once before finding his role. Anyone joining after today will start with his four terms of enlistment.
How did we each arrive on Altair Seven?
IronConrad: Last captain lost his vessel, security impounded.
IronRoho (Luciou$): On the lam, you never serve with same crew twice.
IronSnake: Family contact, connection, job broker got you hired.
IronDave: Depressed, loner, drifter, no one seems worthy of your genius. Maybe you plan to usurp.
IronPax: Wanderlust, seek new experiences, you are exchanging work for passage.
Captain Al wants us to crew the ship, Nothing Equals Belle, on a voyage to three planets and drop off three crates of FRUIT. We passed the stress test of a computer simulation and got started.
Start: Altair E: Only planet with a surface that supports life, characterized by its liquid water, oxygen-rich atmosphere, active surface with mountains and valleys, and a protective magnetic field. As a rocky, terrestrial planet with a metallic core, Altair E's unique "just right" conditions, often called the Goldilocks zone, make it suitable for an oppressive life of minimum wage sales jobs.
Altair M1: Smallest planet in the Altair system, cratered, rocky world and the closest planet to the Star. It's a planet of extremes, with a heavily cratered surface like many moons and dramatic temperature variations between its sun-facing and night sides. M1 also boasts a surprisingly large iron core for its size. The delivery goes to a scientific installation on the edge of the dark-light boundary.
Altair M2: A cold, desert world, often called the Rouge Planet due to its rusty iron-rich surface. It's about half the size of Altair E with a thin atmosphere, odd seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes, and canyons. It differs in that it is a much colder climate and a predominantly carbon dioxide atmosphere. The planet is currently conducting terraforming experiments using bacteria and soil-turning machines.
Altair J: The largest planet in this star system, a gas giant characterized by its prominent, swirling cloud bands and storms which last hundreds of years. Composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, it lacks a solid surface and possesses a strong magnetic field. The orbit has faint rings and numerous moons. Make your fruit delivery to Ganymede, a moon, mostly inhabited by automated mining drones.
You might wish to pick Nothing Equals Belle, the ship’s course by best use of fuel (financially most prudent) or shortest in terms of time you stay in-vessel. You can even select the route based on local customs and amenities, e.g. Where do you want to spend Xmas?
We decided to set the course as Altair J to Altair M2 to Altair M1, which elicited the response from our Boss Al: Quickest starting path to reach Altair J at its closest point to Altair E. "A good start. Have a beer for swell navie-navie."
We ended the session flipping some cards. Our cooperation was not as cordial as I was expecting. When I asked (sheepishly) to try a failed roll a second time, this time add my Jack of Trade Bonus, the group said “No!” (It was five minutes left in the session, of course I should use the Jack bonus, but the group laughed and said no-way, dice rolled.) Okay. Later when another player asked to change a skill he selected to a better choice, the norm had been established. "No."
This is going to be a long and wicked campaign.
Continues next week….
Yours,
IronRed
26-Oct-2025