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Author Topic: Naturalist Expedition ends in abrupt disaster (sorry!)  (Read 4253 times)

Trinculoisdead

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #15 on: April 18, 2019, 01:39:16 pm »

Post with your info!

Return to Exploration of 9,11.
Name: Aoi Sorasei
Age: 18
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Birds.
Terrain Specialty: Mountain.
Code: (Gear) [Select]

Small Specimen Case
Butterfly Net
Five matches
Harm: 0.
Discoveries, Captures: 4, 1
You set out once more into the jagged, dark-stone spires. You search thoroughly, and catch sight of no new species. It seems you have discovered them all already. [each hex contains only four species] To the south the terrain is much the same. Exploring that area has a chance of revealing new species, or simply more of the same.

explore 07.11

Name: Thomas Valeriso
Age: 33
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Wolf
Terrain Specialty: Swamp
Gear:  small specimen case, and a butterfly net.
Discoveries/Captures: 2, 0
You watch with envy as Sorasei writes down her discoveries in the Expedition Journal. Time to go make some of your own! But, eh, you've never felt at home in the mountains. You go west, into a pleasant low-land marsh: half streams and pools, half vibrant jungle copses. You can see great swamplands to the west, while the land to the south rises into forested hills.

2+1: It is slow-going, trekking through deep mud and rushes. But you find two new species!
-a translucent fish, dotted here and there with spots of pale scales. It is as large and heavy as you are, and has a hooked sort of snout. It is a reclusive creature: at your approach it flees from the shallows into deeper water, wetting the bank all around with the strength of its massive tail.
-Something about this land produces enormous aquatic life! You observe several fish, half as long as you and quite stout, sunning themselves in the shallows. They are mottled purple and black, with bulbous eyes that stick well away from their heads, and large cheeks that they blow out from time to time. They are aggressive creatures! As you watch, they encircle one of the translucent specimens you saw before and set on it in a savage fury, ripping it to little translucent pieces and gorging on the remains.


I'm gonna explore Hex 8.10 again and see if I can find anything this time.

Name: Nigel Fredrick
Age: 54
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Zebra
Terrain Specialty: Jungle
Gear: small specimen case
Harm: 0
Discoveries/Captures: 4, 0
This land will not defeat you so easily! You return to the steep hills of enormous fern, and look about...
5+1: You discover a plethora of creatures!
-the ground quakes... suddenly, an enormous metallic-coloured worm bursts out of a nearby hillside! It opens its many-toothed, gaping maw and tries to swallow you whole. Only by jamming your butterfly net into its gullet, and sprinting over some rocky terrain, are you able to escape the horror.
-you mistake the next creature for a log, but on closer inspection it is some kind of alligator, mossy-green, man-sized, and oblivious to the world. You slowly approach, and stroke its scales. It half-opens one eye and watches you with a depressed and uncaring expression. You're surprised that such a passive creature can survive with such horrors about. But then, this is the only one you see all day...
-something the size of a cat scampers away through the grass. It is striped green and black, bird-like in form, but featherless. it resembles nothing so much as the illustrations you've seen of the great extinct dinosaurs, but somehow more realistic looking.
-On your way back to camp you come across a whole herd of... some kind of mammal? They are small, coming up to your knee perhaps, with loose baggy skin that is strangely transparent. They have light hair over their bodies, thick stocky legs, a short tail, large ears, a pair of sharp little tusks, and two trunks, elephant-like, in place of a snout. One spots you and trumpets a pleasing, almost musical two-tone alarm. Immediately the largest of the herd (up to your knee, at least) take turns in charging you, emitting little angry calls until you retreat from their assaults. They are aggressive little buggers.

Spoiler: Map and Key (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: April 18, 2019, 06:15:32 pm by Trinculoisdead »
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King Zultan

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #16 on: April 18, 2019, 04:51:35 pm »

Go to 8,10 and grab the depressed alligator which I shall call depressagator and put it in the case, I also name the giant worm Shai-Hulud.

Name: Nigel Fredrick
Age: 54
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Zebra
Terrain Specialty: Jungle
Gear: small specimen case
Harm: 0
Discoveries/Captures: 4, 0
« Last Edit: April 18, 2019, 05:15:00 pm by King Zultan »
Logged
The Lawyer opens a briefcase. It's full of lemons, the justice fruit only lawyers may touch.
Make sure not to step on any errant blood stains before we find our LIFE EXTINGUSHER.
but anyway, if you'll excuse me, I need to commit sebbaku.
Quote from: Leodanny
Can I have the sword when you’re done?

TricMagic

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #17 on: April 18, 2019, 05:05:56 pm »

To 10,12, time to explore, let's find some specimens!
Code: [Select]
Name: Aoi Sorasei
Age: 18
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Birds.
Terrain Specialty: Mountain.
Code: (Gear) [Select]

Small Specimen Case
Butterfly Net
Five matches
Harm: 0.
Discoveries, Captures: 4, 1
Logged

Trinculoisdead

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #18 on: April 18, 2019, 06:16:20 pm »

Oh yeah, remember to name all your discoveries!

ziizo

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #19 on: April 18, 2019, 09:13:29 pm »

Continue towards 6.11 these fishes are to big for my case.

Name: Thomas Valeriso
Age: 33
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Wolf
Terrain Specialty: Swamp
Gear:  small specimen case, and a butterfly net.
Discoveries/Captures: 2, 0

I am only naming the specimens I manage to bring back to the ship. Feels like cheating to not bring physical evidence back.

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GG, Ziizo. May my spirit live on in your boobs.

Trinculoisdead

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #20 on: April 19, 2019, 05:04:36 am »

To 10,12, time to explore, let's find some specimens!
Code: [Select]
Name: Aoi Sorasei
Age: 18
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Birds.
Terrain Specialty: Mountain.
Code: (Gear) [Select]

Small Specimen Case
Butterfly Net
Five matches
Harm: 0.
Discoveries, Captures: 4, 1
Clambering over sharp spires, leaping from outcrop to outcrop, you make your way onto the southern promontory.
1+1: You search high and low, but find no new species, just more Sunset Novas and V Beetles.

Continue towards 6.11 these fishes are to big for my case.

Name: Thomas Valeriso
Age: 33
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Wolf
Terrain Specialty: Swamp
Gear:  small specimen case, and a butterfly net.
Discoveries/Captures: 6, 1

I am only naming the specimens I manage to bring back to the ship. Feels like cheating to not bring physical evidence back.


Fair enough.

You leave the forest/marshland of 7.11 behind. You have a feeling that you have missed some of the creatures in it, but press on regardless.

6.11 is the edge of a vast swamp. It stretches away to the north, south and west. The air is muggy; you smell the sweet stink of decay and mud mixed with the clean scent of fresh greenery. Surely many creatures must call this place their home.
5+1: Yes! You find:
-some kind of silver-coloured hybrid creature small enough to fit on one finger. The front half is shaggy with fur and has long sharp teeth in its jaws, while the back-half is hairless and smooth with a curly tail and cloven hooves. It's very loud for its size, emitting high-pitched squeaky roars. When you pick it up, it bites viciously into your palm, drawing a trickle of blood. You yelp in pain and accidentally fling the creature into the swamp-water.
-a spider with a metallic sheen the size of a dog. You find it dangling from an enormous web strung between two dead trees over a stream. It seems to be waiting for fish to swim by, but when it sees you it bulges out its eyes and hisses angrily.
-a bright orange woolly quadruped with a sheep-like head. It's the same size as you, but swims through the water. When it gets out it can barely walk with the weight of all the water in its sponge-like fur. It seems skittish.
-a reddish clam the size of your hand. It's siphon protrudes partially from the mud and slowly swells and shrinks. You can approach it without its notice. CAPTURED

Go to 8,10 and grab the depressed alligator which I shall call depressagator and put it in the case, I also name the giant worm Shai-Hulud.

Name: Nigel Fredrick
Age: 54
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Zebra
Terrain Specialty: Jungle
Gear: small specimen case
Harm: 0
Discoveries/Captures: 4, 1
You return to the land of giant worms to retrieve the Depressagator,
4+1= It seems happy enough... well not happy... but willing enough to follow your lead, and you bring it back to the camp without any commotion.

Spoiler: Map and Hex (click to show/hide)

King Zultan

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #21 on: April 19, 2019, 05:41:15 am »

Try and get a replacement for my butterfly net, then go explore 7,10.

Name: Nigel Fredrick
Age: 54
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Zebra
Terrain Specialty: Jungle
Gear: small specimen case
Harm: 0
Discoveries/Captures: 4, 1
Logged
The Lawyer opens a briefcase. It's full of lemons, the justice fruit only lawyers may touch.
Make sure not to step on any errant blood stains before we find our LIFE EXTINGUSHER.
but anyway, if you'll excuse me, I need to commit sebbaku.
Quote from: Leodanny
Can I have the sword when you’re done?

ziizo

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #22 on: April 19, 2019, 06:13:13 am »

Name: Thomas Valeriso
Age: 33
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Wolf
Terrain Specialty: Swamp
Gear:  small specimen case, and a butterfly net.
Discoveries/Captures: 6, 1

Go back to the ship with my new Crimson Clam
Logged
GG, Ziizo. May my spirit live on in your boobs.

Trinculoisdead

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #23 on: April 19, 2019, 01:04:43 pm »

Oops, mispost.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2019, 01:06:27 pm by Trinculoisdead »
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TricMagic

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #24 on: April 19, 2019, 01:47:07 pm »

10,11. Exploration.

Code: [Select]
Name: Aoi Sorasei
Age: 18
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Birds.
Terrain Specialty: Mountain.
Code: (Gear) [Select]

Small Specimen Case
Butterfly Net
Five matches
Harm: 0.
Discoveries, Captures: 4, 1
Logged

Trinculoisdead

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Re: Her Majesty's Royal Naturalist Expedition meets... The Dark Isle
« Reply #25 on: April 20, 2019, 02:24:24 am »

Quote
Name: Aoi Sorasei
Age: 18
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Birds.
Terrain Specialty: Mountain.
Butterfly Net
Five matches

Harm: 0.
Discoveries, Captures: 8, 3
10,11. Exploration.
You press on, into a broken land of deep ravines and sudden crevices. The rock is softer here, and breaks underfoot unexpectedly. The broken land continues along the coast to the North-east.
6+1: You find four new species:
Three kinds of small shore-bird:
-one has beautiful white plumage and could fit into your palm. It has three legs, and scuttles on them at great speed along the wet sand of the pebbly beach. It is very friendly, going so far as perching on your shoulder without invitation. CAPTURED
-The other is that same rusty orange colour as the Sunset Nova, but wondrously small, no larger than a hazelnut. It has a long neck that it uses to snap up sand-fleas, and ignores your presence completely. CAPTURED
-The last bird is equally small. You find an entire colony of them living in inter-connected tunnels in the cliff-faces. They have black feathers with blue markings on their throats, and swarm around your head when you approach their holes. They peck and scratch, leaving you with a fine network of little scratches over your exposed skin.
-a bristled green beast in the boar family, about the size of a dog. It is thin and appears to be ravenous, several of them follow you at a distance, diving onto any bits of food you throw their way with excited squeals. One daring individual bites into the handle of your specimen case when your back is turned and flees with it to some hidden den, scattering the little wooden dividers and lining in all directions.


Quote
Name: Thomas Valeriso
Age: 33
Title: Amateur Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Wolf
Terrain Specialty: Swamp
Gear:  small specimen case, small dissection knife, and a butterfly net.
Harm: leg-bite
Discoveries/Captures: 6, 1
Go back to the ship with my new Crimson Clam
1+1: On your way back through 7.11, you trip and stumble into the water's edge. One of the aggressive purple-black fish is near and rushes toward your leg, biting deep enough to draw blood. Level 1 harm.
When you arrive back in camp, Sir Stillfrey's personal assistant rewards your efforts with...
Minor Reward, d20: 19, a small dissection knife!
You're also promoted to the position of Amateur Naturalist in recognition of your discoveries.


Quote
Name: Nigel Fredrick
Age: 54
Title: Neophyte Naturalist
Favourite Animal: Zebra
Terrain Specialty: Jungle
Gear: small specimen case, small dissection knife
Harm: sprained ankle
Discoveries/Captures: 5, 1
Try and get a replacement for my butterfly net, then go explore 7,10.
2: Sir Stillfrey's assistant balks at your request for a replacement. "No, no, Sir Stillfrey has insisted that our supply of butterfly nets are to be carefully guarded. It is a secret desire of his to present Her Majesty with a beautiful specimen. No, you must be more careful with your equipment!"
Instead he hands you a...
19: small dissection knife.
You must travel through 8.10 to get to the jungle, 1+1: and you are chased by a Shai-hulud. You sprain your ankle fleeing from the giant worm.
7.10 is a glorious jungle, no hills to speak of, and very dense. High overhead you can see bright scarlet and pale flowers trailing down from the canopy. To the north-west, the jungle begins to thin again.

You find...
2+1:
Arboreal monkeys that live in small groups. They are difficult to spot as their fur is striped with shades of green and purple that blend into the foliage above. If they stood up straight, they would come up to your waist. They watch you curiously, but cautiously. With some surprise, you realize that many of them have a small pair of horns.

The Expedition Presses Forward!
Sir Stillfrey sends another team of naturalists to the marshlands of 7.11. They discover two new species:
- a gigantic six-legged dark-skinned lizard that seems obsessed with smelling each of the adventurers, reptile-like, with its tongue.
-herds of tiny golden deer with large, sharp eyes that are very gentle and slow-moving.
Specimens are captured of the four different species and returned to the ships.

Spoiler: Map and Hex (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: April 20, 2019, 02:41:23 am by Trinculoisdead »
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Trinculoisdead

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You know... the realization has just hit me that there could be over 300 species on this island, lol.  :o

I'm beginning to think that this is not a very good RtD! I probably need to go minimalist, instead of spontaneously inventing a whole exploration hex-crawl game with limited space for creativity on the players' parts. That creativity is the thing that I enjoy about RtDs, so I need to stop using such restrictive rules. The same thing happened in my first game, where I pre-determined all these goals and wrote up rules to govern how to accomplish those goals, and so the players didn't have much space to do anything surprising.
Instead of pushing a dozen people into the world and saying, "make whatever you want", I gave them blueprints and told them which tools they could use.

Well, this is probably a new record for shortest game, but I don't think I can keep going. I've really enjoyed writing an automatic creature generator and using hexographer for the map, and I hope you've enjoyed the game. But I don't see much value in continuing this.
Thanks for playing!

CABL

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...

Just chiming in, but that's hardly the shortest game on this site: some RTDs die after the first turn*, because GM gets problems with the Internet, or gets wrapped up in IRL, or whatever, but the result is that they probably forget to update it further, basically creating a "stillborn" game.

*And some of those are minimalist to the core.
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Pounded in the Butt by my own Government... oh wait, that's real life.

Much less active than I used to be on these forums, but I still visit them on occasion. Will probably resume my activity in full once Dwarf Fortress will be released on Steam.

King Zultan

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Re: Naturalist Expedition ends in abrupt disaster (sorry!)
« Reply #28 on: April 20, 2019, 06:42:10 am »

I enjoyed this game while it lasted.
Logged
The Lawyer opens a briefcase. It's full of lemons, the justice fruit only lawyers may touch.
Make sure not to step on any errant blood stains before we find our LIFE EXTINGUSHER.
but anyway, if you'll excuse me, I need to commit sebbaku.
Quote from: Leodanny
Can I have the sword when you’re done?

Trinculoisdead

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Re: Naturalist Expedition ends in abrupt disaster (sorry!)
« Reply #29 on: April 20, 2019, 11:15:07 am »

Quote
Just chiming in, but that's hardly the shortest game on this site: some RTDs die after the first turn

I guess that's something then.

It's been real!
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