Another week, another Alpha Blue game on Roll20.
I both like and dislike (love and hate are too strong of words for the platform) Roll20. It's easy, frustrating, counter-intuitive, and a lot of fun simultaneously.
Case in point: for some reason Roll20 decided to automatically write in big, bold letters, "2 Successes" when a player had rolled a 1 and 4. That's never happened before, so perhaps one of us clicked a box or it's a new setting Roll20 is trying out. Since it was dead wrong (1 on its own would be a crit fail and 4 is a partial success), I found it distracting.
Anyways, I'm here to report the action!
Two new players - Dave and Hawk. Neither had played Alpha Blue before.
Dave wanted his character to be a spacer version of the Monster Magnet frontman, Dave Wyndorf. He's an ice pirate and we never settled on a name (that I can see from the chat log), so I'll just call his character Space Lord.
That's as far as character creation went since we only had an hour to game. Let's get to it...
VS: You stole a fast starship form a crime lord you barely saw at last night's disco. The ship came with a couple droids that are currently wandering around near the cockpit area. The droids are the only thing of value on this ship.
Space Lord: We need guns and mercs now. My region of the galaxy is arid, and I have a more industrialized approach to piracy. Are we on the station or in deep space?
VS: You're flying through space, but you could turn around and head back for Alpha Blue.
Space Lord: Well, we did just steal this starship from the docks there, I presume. I don't really remember the last couple days after I ate that Sarlacc nugget. Probably should look at flipping this thing for a freighter... and find some lizard mercs.
Piney: That sounds like a plan. You know, my hemorrhoids are really bothering me today.
VS: Your ship's scanners find a nearby planet that should provide what you're looking for.
Space Lord: Any Federales or orbital defense picked up on our scanners?
VS: No, this is a backwater planet. The kind that Alpha Blue likes to hang around.
Space Lord: Good deal. Pineapple head, you're the pilot. Take us down for a closer look.
Piney: Roger dodger.
VS: You land the ship in a clearing near a swamp. Visuals indicate there are several reptilian humanoids standing around just outside.
Space Lord: What kind of reptilian - feral or civilized (civilized being loosely applied).
Piney: If these guys aren't here in peace, they're leaving in pieces. Space Lord, this is your specialty. Go talk to them.
Space Lord: We observe for a few moments to see if they communicate.
VS: You hear a few loud clangs. One of the reptilians is knocking on the side of your ship. "Hey, assholes! What do you think you're doing parking here? This is a no parking zone. Can't your pilot read?"
Space Lord: I open the hatch. "Sorry there, my friend. Are you with the planetary authorities?"
VS: "No."
Piney: Since I'm still sitting in the cockpit, I'm getting my blaster ready.
Space Lord: "We're with an advanced survey crew from Galactic Redistribution, Inc. We'd like to talk to someone about water samples."
VS: "Ok, let me get S'ssszzslls," he says walking away, then turns his head, "Got any snacks?"
___________
The space adventurers find some snack food for the reptilians and two of the humanoid reptiles agree to join the crew in exchange for a couple hundred credits and a small share of any loot they find. Turns out one of the reptilians is "good with a blaster" and the other is a pimp, naturally.
Space Lord and Piney discover that a Federation cruiser just took off with all the good water (now ice) and so the pirates attempt to intercept the Federation ship.
VS: You've located the them.
Space Lord: How big is their ship? Is it big enough for us to dock inside?
VS: Alongside, yes. The Federation cruiser is larger than yours, but not by that much.
Space Lord: Hail them with a distress call, Piney. Tell them our oxygenator is wack and we're all going to die unless they rescue us. We need to dock if possible.
Piney: Aye, we'll hail their ship.
VS: "We don't talk to spacer scum. Move along. Hail the Federation!"
Space Lord: Hmm... we could try to space jump it, that might leave their ship intact for us. Of course, we could die horribly if we miss. We need that ice!
Piney: Can we force dock it?
VS: You can try. Roll 2d6 if you want to attempt it.
Piney: [He rolls a 5 and 6 for a critical success!]
VS: Ok, you successfully "force dock" your ship to theirs - which has never been done before in the history of space.
Space Lord: Can the droids hack the door or do we need to blast it?
VS: All six of you are at the airlock as one of your droids inputs into the ship's computer. Sparks fly and the Federation ship's door opens.
Space Lord: If there are targets on the other side, we're ready.
VS: You hear a few Federation troops running down the corridor towards you.
Space Lord: No mercy! Unless they surrender.
Piney: Does this blaster have a disintegration option?
VS: No, but you could always try turning it up to "11," but that might have serious consequences.
Piney: Nah, we'll keep it at 9.5.
VS: From what you know, Federation shock troops like these never surrender.
Space Lord: That's how I rationalize their murder. "Not too much damage to the inside of the ship, guys." I hope I didn't forget my vibro-knife.
___________
A lot of laser fire is exchanged. The PCs take down the Federation troops and make their way towards the bridge. On their way, they see a lovely green-skinned female walking down a side corridor. She reminded Piney of his ex-wife.
While the reptilian mercs "take care" of the female, the PCs charge on towards the bridge where they see two Federation officers pushing buttons.
Piney threatens one of them, but rolls a critical failure and is the least intimidating presence currently on the ship, giving one of the officers a chance to pull out his blaster and fire - a line of deadly red light narrowly misses his pineapple-ridged head.
Eventually, both officers are overcome and surrender to the PCs.
The reptilians lazily walk onto the bridge smoking cigarettes after its all over. They obviously had sex with the green-skinned female.
Besides the ice, the PCs discover that the Federation ship is carrying something else of value - something called a gorlax. Piney rolls and gets "mostly success," enough to know that a gorlax is some kind of giant, alien gorilla made of purple slime.
___________
That's all we had time for. Both Dave and Hawk told me the session was awesome and gonzo, then they thanked me for GMing.
Both Space Lord and Piney reached 2nd level, where only their Health changes (going from 25 to 30).
I hope y'all enjoyed reading this Alpha Blue actual play report. BTW, I recently created a new Kickstarter campaign to fund a trio of short PDF scenarios. Only 3$!!! Check it out.
VS
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