Titan RPG: Walled City of Xardoz (Session #1)

Setting:

Dystopian wilds with advanced technology

Synopsis:

Two exiled members of the "Order of The Moon" seek to bring down an android ruler of a walled city. In the aftermath of a staged raid during their arrival, the two fled into the wilds of the Void Yard to escape, and begin a journey that takes them from the discovery of still active ancient technology to the mysterious Ape-Men of Clurg, and eventually witnessing the horrors of the Android Ruler known as Xardoz.

Geography:

Crayst,  Telladom City, and the Voidyard


Story

Saito sat silently eyeing his companion with disdain. Gabe was loud and obnoxious and did not help his desire to remain hidden from those seeking him. Sitting on a rusted stool aboard the passenger ship called The Dark Prota, Saito wondered to himself if his ploy to get aboard this ship by using Gabe was the right call.

He never would have been able to provide the funds on his own, and with his self-exile from the Order and ever-vigilant forces that hunt him, he needed to move quickly toward his goal. Once he was able to reach the inside of Telladom he would finally be able to bring about the downfall of at least the most reprehensible member of the Octus, Xardoz.

While Gabe continued to loudly proclaim his intentions to renew his Octus ID and make riches in the City, Saito began to scan this wing of the passenger ship for the second time. He had to make at least one other ally if possible before they landed in Crayst. His personal mission to destroy the entity known as Xardoz would not easily be completed on his own.

Saito's eyes came upon a Famu sitting nearby, but one that was quite peculiar. His dress appeared to be scavenger and the typical cybernetic component implanted in a Famu was nowhere to be seen. This is not completely unheard of, but this one's eyes darted about in a fashion that suggested survivalist training. Continuing to observe he found that he was caught with the Famu's eyes locked with his. His programming reacted slowly due to his balanced emotions but he gradually moved his gaze back to Gabe.

A familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach suggested The Dark Prota had begun it's descent. Saito looked out the transparent aluminum windows to see the jagged crevices and steam vents of the infamous Void Yard beneath him. The sun was just vanishing from the horizon and darkness was creeping over the landscape, but he could still make out the massive billows of steam flowing from the crevices below, and the lights of Telladom on the mountainous shore lines ahead.

"Time to hit the shop", said Saito aloud. For a moment Gabe shut his flapping mouth and looked over at him. Glancing toward the tunnel that would lead to the shop he nodded his acknowledgement and then continued talking. At this point several others were listening, some with amusement, and others with the envy of one that does not understand the song and dance that Gabe was performing to create an impression for others who would be willing to hire him. As Saito stood he noticed one such individual approaching. Definitely scavenger style dress, a dark black beard, and what appeared to be a shotgun strapped inside his garb. Just as Saito was reaching the end of the table headed toward the tunnel to the shop, he heard the stranger introduce himself as Baj Coover, a local scavenger headed to Clurg and wanted to hire Gabe to help escort him there. Exactly what Gabe was aiming for Saito suspected.

Saito passed the Famu he was looking at earlier and stopped for a moment. His scanning detected something that gave him pause. All of his inner programming was processing at once to a conclusion. There was the edge of an Order tattoo showing just under his neck! A Famu survivalist and member of the Order! This was the one called Corvus he had been hearing tales about. A Famu child rescued by the Order and raised under their ways, but then vanished. Saito had found him! The Order would obviously want him to return, but he himself could not perform that task certainly. What's more is that Corvus may have also heard of him. Saito was something of a unique case to the order as well. It seemed that fate had brought the two of them together. Saito prompted the Famu to follow him. At first he seemed slightly suspicious but then did so. As they walked together Saito leaned in.

"You are Corvus are you not?" he said. Seeing his body tense Saito immediately gestured for calm. "Fear not Famu, for I am also an exiled member of the Order. Perhaps you have heard of me? My name is Saito." For a moment Corvus just stared then moved his gaze down and back up along Saito's features.

"I have heard of you strange one, and given what I know you are welcome to walk with me," Corvus stated plainly. They both moved with purpose into the tunnel of the ship toward the wing that housed the Octus shop. Already it was apparent that others were crowding around the shop probably in attempts to get rations or food of any kind.

While Saito's coin was not in excess he did ensure he had enough to get some basics from the shop on the Octus passenger ship. Or slave transport ship was more accurate, he thought. Saito's inner programming kicked in calculating the proper course of thought response. Octus was consolidating the last remnants of biological life under it's control, and then just as they had attempted several hundred years ago, would attempt to wipe it out once and for all. His own creator Centillian Bane would certainly perish at the hand of Xardoz if Saito did not complete his mission. Potentially even he Saito would see to that. His logical core did the best it could to produce a smile on his face, but his emotional balance once again interfered preventing it.

Saito and Corvus discussed the obvious benefits of teaming up to ensure their survival in the harsh days before them. Traveling into the Void Yard was likely to be certain doom for most, but both have been trained by the Order for exactly a task such as this. Surviving without technology or being part of the Octus grid. The Ape Men of Clurg far to the south would be allies and it sounded as if this Baj Coover that Gabe began negotiating with when they left the table was also wanting to head in that direction.

When the two of them returned from the shop Gabe had clearly latched on to Baj and was discussing payments. Corvus as casually as possible invited himself to the group as he approached the table as well. Gabe looked up sharply eyeing the Famu then shrugged. "The more fodder we have the better in the Void Yard," Gabe stated while counting the coin stack that Baj had offered him for his assistance.

Saito's programming was alerting him to a logic flaw in this arrangement since the Octus forces at Crayst where they were going to land would not let them simply wander into the Void Yard without questioning and suspicion. Saito could not afford that since Centallian Bane would certainly have his image circulating the Octus grid. He suspected that his new companion Corvus would also rather avoid any close scrutiny of their intentions.

Just as he was going to raise this point Gabe did it for him.

"How exactly do you propose we head into the Void Yard without a bunch of battle units reporting or following us?" he asked. Baj tilted his head slightly and smiled.

"I have that part taken care of," he said.

Gabe frowned but nodded once indicating his acceptance of this vague promise. Saito was not satisfied and he could tell Corvus was not either. The Octus drones would be nearby and there would certainly be ground units in patrol as well. Whatever Baj had planned it certainly had to be impressive to bypass those impediments.

That being said (Saito thought to himself) he did not have any other plan himself. If nothing occurred to help him slip away, no doubt his lack of an Octus ID, and strange markings would alert Centillian Bane to his presence here near Telladom. Saito realized then that his drive to redeem his existence was a paradox in his programming that was causing a rise in irrational behavior. His new awareness of his subsystems constantly working to make his decisions for him was a daily pain that he was adjusting to.

As the passengers of the Dark Prota began to work their way down the opening ramp on their end the stale air of the Void Yard rushed in. As the group marched down the ramp with the rest, Saito glanced at Baj awaiting for his plan to unfold. Saito began to look around the landing site and immediately spotted three Class A Octus Android troops and he could also hear the buzz of the Dragon Drones flying toward the disembarking mass of passengers.

Just as he was about to accept the likelihood of his upcoming capture right at the front door of his enemy, a flash of light caught his attention near the two closes Octus Android troops. Following the flash a slight popping sound, and both Androids collapsed to the ground.

This was followed by an explosion on the north side of the Dark Prota, and a blaring battle alarm. Saito's eyes widened as he made out several groups of what he assumed were resistance Ape-Men from Clurg on the outer edges of the wilderness. Saito realized several from that group must have tossed in Ion Grenades to incapacitate the Android Troops, then attacked the north side of the ship.

Chaos broke out. Passengers from the ship hoping for a safe entry and legal processing into Telladom, now had no hope and would be subjected to being part of this plan, tortured, and brain scanned for evidence. Anyone who understood how the Octus would treat them were now scattering in every direction. The Dragon Drones were dropping nets on to fleeing groups, and the only standing Android left was opening fire on some fleeing nearby.

At a quick shout from Baj, he, Gabe, Corvus, and Saito moved into the northwest Void Yard as quickly as possible. With all the distractions of the raid, they were able to slip by relatively unnoticed and into the rocks and crevices. Saito noted Baj slipping the shotgun he had from beneath his coat, and loading it. Bullets and technology were incredibly rare and hard to come by, unless you knew how to make the items yourself. This was only taught by the rarest of those scavengers in the wilds, or the Order itself.

After at least an hour of running and changing directions through the rocks, Baj and Gabe were both constantly checking the skies for pursuing drones. Saito was also wary of any reconnaissance since it could be that a scanner on him in particular could draw even more attention from Octus forces.

They stopped to breath. It was short lived. A group of human scavengers emerged quickly from all sides. They had been followed! But not by Octus forces. The leader demanded coin which drew a smile from Baj and Gabe both. Saito eyed the attackers and noted they carried nothing but heavy branches, and one had a metal pipe of some kind probably pulled from debris. They were clearly hungry as well, and not very strong.

For a moment Saito did feel sorry for them but as they moved in one of them got a solid hit on the back of Gabe's head and blood sprayed out from the gaping wound. Saito and Corvus both winced, just as Baj unleashed a shotgun blast splitting one of the attackers in two pieces.

As the fight progressed, both Saito and Corvus were able to knock their attackers down using their fists. Looking among them they quickly grabbed a few pieces of useful wood and then moved on again following Baj's lead.

After another hour of travel, the group came upon a clearing to rest. Looking over the clearing a massive glider had crash landed into the valley area near some rocks, and was surrounded with a growth of plan that was impressively bright and large. Which was strange since the Glider didn't look that old. Baj began gathering wood, and Saito and Corvus followed suit.

Gabe eyed all 3 strangely. To him wood would serve no purpose other then to burn for heat but it was quickly becoming mid-morning and the sun would soon by high in they sky. He had heard rumors of the strange "Order" which were enemies of Octus, who would try to bring about the old religions that led to Titan's cataclysm. Or so the tales said. They were also worth a considerable bounty he has heard.

Spreading out along the glider crash site Saito, Corvus, and Baj were dozens of feet apart from one another when a sudden sharp movement caught their eye. The greenery around the glider had shifted and moved. Before Saito could finish his turn a massive shape struck out at Baj as he was nearby one of the openings of the glider. Baj rolled out of the way.

Dropping the wood he had gathered Saito began taking in the scene. A giant serpant of some kind with green scales was actually wrapped around and inside the glider. It was attacking them! Moments later as he started to move behind a rock he saw Gabe and Corvus blast the serpent with the incredibly scarce bullets they had for their gun weapon. The snake hissed and backed away in shock and pain as they tore into it. It wasn't enough though. It struck again this time at Gabe.

Gabe was too slow and the snake's giant fangs sank into his shoulder and momentarily lifted him from the ground. He howled in horror and slide from the fang. When he hit the ground he began crawling behind a boulder turning a pale color as the likely venom from the serpent was coursing through his body.

Gabe took another shot at the snake and a chunk of its mouth fell away. It began to swoon a bit back and forth as Corvus and Saito began to move into range and try to force what was left of the giant beast down with their strength which was formidable.

All of them breathing heavily, and the serpent finally down they took in their surroundings again. The glider was a much more recent crash then they originally thought, and it had some fresh supplies nearby as well. Baj looked over at the rock Gabe crawled behind.

"Gabe, are you well?" he asked. Gabe peered out from behind the rock with a look of relief at the slain snake on the ground. A first aid kit he had pulled from his armor was in hand and he was applying ointments to himself. Baj noted this and nodded slowly looking over at Saito and Corvus.

"The void yard is a dangerous place and we have a long way to travel still to reach Clurg. We will need stronger weapons if we are to reach our destination alive," Baj said.