In-System - User contributions [en]

Jingleswelt

2026-09-08T21:52:34Z

Mike:

= GM:Hkyosali =

== System Overview ==

'''Hkyosali (Dark Nebula 2132)''' is an unimportant but inhabited Aslan agricultural system lying on the expedition's route out of Hierate space.

* '''Allegiance:''' Aslan Hierate; vassal clan dominates
* '''Primary:''' G6 V
* '''UWP:''' E55669B-6
* '''Population:''' 6,000,000
* '''Tech Level:''' 6
* '''Trade Codes:''' Agricultural, Non-Industrial, Hot
* '''Travel Zone:''' Amber
* '''Gas Giants:''' 2
* '''Other Worlds:''' 9

The system has little interstellar infrastructure and no useful repair base for ''Lysander''. Its principal campaign purpose is as a rendezvous and refueling point.

== Campaign Function ==

Assuming ''Lysander's'' emergency jump from Ehairiwa succeeds, Hkyosali is the rendezvous point with:

* ''Melancthe''
* ''Falael''

''Melancthe'' and ''Falael'' have already refueled while waiting.

''Lysander'' arrives carrying the consequences of the Ehairiwa escape:

* '''Hull: 8 remaining'''
* Jump drive functional but damaged
* Jump drive currently operating at '''DM-2'''
* Other combat damage as established during the Ehairiwa battle
* Only repairs possible during jump have been attempted

The immediate question is not whether Hkyosali can repair ''Lysander''.

It cannot.

The question is whether ''Lysander'' is safe enough to jump again.

== Arrival ==

The arrival of ''Lysander'' should initially be treated as uncertain.

''Melancthe'' and ''Falael'' have been waiting for a ship that may never emerge.

When ''Lysander'' finally precipitates out of jump, its transponder identifies it before visual inspection reveals the extent of the damage.

The reunion should feel like relief rather than another encounter.

The ship made it.

Barely.

== Refueling ==

Hkyosali has no useful starport facilities for the expedition, but it does have two gas giants.

''Melancthe'' and ''Falael'' are already fueled.

''Lysander'' must refuel before continuing.

The expedition should prefer wilderness refueling rather than unnecessary contact with the mainworld.

== Damage Assessment ==

Once the three ships are together, the expedition has time for a serious engineering assessment of ''Lysander''.

Questions for the engineers:

* What damage was successfully repaired during jump?
* What damage can be repaired using parts carried by ''Melancthe'' and ''Falael''?
* Can the Jump Drive DM-2 be reduced?
* Which repairs require an actual shipyard?
* Is another jump prudent?

This is an excellent place for ''Melancthe's'' much greater stores, workshops, crew and equipment to matter.

== Route Forward ==

The expedition's ultimate destination is '''Treege''', where the Nagid Orev trail continues.

However, ''Melancthe'' and ''Falael'' have been using their time productively.

At minimum, they have located a promising '''comet/mass pairing''' along the route toward Jingleswelt.

This is the first concrete success in the attempt to create a usable intermediate jump point toward Treege.

Whether the expedition proceeds directly toward Treege using the discovered mass, or visits Jingleswelt first, depends heavily upon the condition of ''Lysander''.

= GM:Jingleswelt =

== System Overview ==

'''Jingleswelt (Dark Nebula 2732)''' is a major Solomani industrial fortress world and subsector capital.

* '''Allegiance:''' Solomani Confederation
* '''Subsector:''' Staai
* '''Primary:''' M1 V
* '''UWP:''' B574AB8-D
* '''Population:''' 30 billion
* '''Tech Level:''' 13
* '''Starport:''' B
* '''Trade Codes:''' High Population, Industrial, Subsector Capital
* '''Travel Zone:''' Green
* '''Gas Giants:''' 4
* '''Other Worlds:''' 10
* '''Bases:''' Naval Base, Military Base

Jingleswelt is one of the most important systems in the region: heavily industrialized, heavily defended, and accustomed to viewing nearby Aslan territory through a military lens.

== Campaign Function ==

Jingleswelt is an '''optional but extremely attractive repair stop''' before the expedition continues to Treege.

Most importantly, its Class B starport has the facilities required for extensive spacecraft repairs.

For ''Lysander'', after the Ehairiwa battle, that is enormously attractive.

The problem is that Jingleswelt is not an anonymous frontier port.

It is a heavily militarized Solomani fortress system with approximately 30 billion inhabitants, a naval base, a military base, and extensive system traffic control.

Three unusual ships arriving together from the direction of Aslan space are likely to be noticed.

== The Decision ==

The crew has a genuine choice.

'''Bypass Jingleswelt'''

Advantages:
* Avoid Solomani military attention.
* Preserve operational secrecy.
* Continue toward Treege immediately.

Disadvantages:
* ''Lysander'' remains badly damaged.
* Jump Drive remains compromised unless field repairs succeed.
* Further damage could become catastrophic.

'''Enter Jingleswelt'''

Advantages:
* Proper TL13 repair facilities.
* Class B shipyard.
* Fuel, supplies and replacement components readily available.
* ''Lysander'' can potentially be restored to full operational condition.

Disadvantages:
* Identification.
* Questions.
* Inspection.
* Records.
* A fortress system may take considerable interest in what these ships have been doing in Aslan space.

== Character of Jingleswelt ==

Jingleswelt began as a refuge during the Human-Aslan border conflicts and evolved into a fortress world.

Its governments became increasingly focused upon planetary defense.

The society remains heavily militarized, and the commander-in-chief of the Home Forces serves as head of state.

This is not a paranoid backwater.

It is a rich, technologically advanced, enormously populated military-industrial society which has been thinking about the Aslan threat for centuries.

At the same time, Jingleswelt is an important cross-border commercial center. Relations with neighboring Aslan clans are generally cool but polite.

The expedition therefore does not automatically look like an enemy.

It does, however, look '''interesting'''.

== System Entry ==

The M1 V primary is dim and red.

Jingleswelt's enormous industrial civilization becomes apparent long before the mainworld itself is visible.

Traffic control is professional, busy and unmistakably military-influenced.

The system contains four gas giants, extensive commercial traffic, naval activity, and a constant flow of industrial shipping.

After Hkyosali, the difference is dramatic.

This is civilization again.

For the crew of battered ''Lysander'', the most beautiful thing in the system may simply be the traffic-control listing:

'''CLASS B STARPORT — SHIPYARD AND REPAIR SERVICES AVAILABLE'''

== Immediate GM Question ==

If the expedition stops here, determine:

* How much of ''Lysander's'' damage can be repaired?
* How long repairs take.
* What the repairs cost.
* How closely Solomani authorities examine the ship.
* Whether its sophisticated TL15 systems attract attention.
* What story Captain Ferrari intends to tell about where the expedition has been.

== Forward Route ==

Jingleswelt is not the expedition's objective.

'''Treege is.'''

Treege is where the Nagid Orev trail resumes.

The comet/mass pairing discovered by ''Melancthe'' and ''Falael'' is intended to make that next stage possible.

''Return to parent page: [[GM:Mouserider Game]]''

''Return to parent page: [[GM:Mouserider Game]]''

Jingleswelt

2026-09-08T21:51:28Z

Mike: Created page with "= GM:Hkyosali = == System Overview == '''Hkyosali (Dark Nebula 2132)''' is an unimportant but inhabited Aslan agricultural system lying on the expedition's route out of Hierate space. * '''Allegiance:''' Aslan Hierate; vassal clan dominates * '''Primary:''' G6 V * '''UWP:''' E55669B-6 * '''Population:''' 6,000,000 * '''Tech Level:''' 6 * '''Trade Codes:''' Agricultural, Non-Industrial, Hot * '''Travel Zone:''' Amber * '''Gas Giants:''' 2 * '''Other Worlds:''' 9 The s..."

Hunt for Dravik

2026-09-05T22:47:27Z

Mike: /* The Lowport Atmosphere */

= The Search for Dravik Elfarc =

== GM Overview ==

[[Dravik Elfarc]], estranged younger son of the [[Elfarc Family]] of [[Kuai Qing]], deliberately left Kuai Qing approximately '''26 months before 1118.285'''.

He did not flee impulsively. He planned his departure sufficiently well to make casual attempts to locate him fail, but he did not possess the resources or apparent desire to erase himself completely.

His route was:

'''Kuai Qing → Singer → Tondoul → Wonstar → Candory → Mirriam'''

Dravik changed ships at [[Wonstar]]. On [[Mirriam]] he adopted the identity '''Lukas Ogzar''' and eventually obtained employment in security.

Each interstellar leg of the journey took approximately '''two weeks, including jump and the necessary turnaround/in-system time'''. Thus Dravik reached Mirriam approximately ten weeks after leaving Kuai Qing.

His basic technique was simple:

# Leave Kuai Qing during a period when '''two Jump-2 vessels''' were departing for Singer.
# Travel aboard one of them.
# Continue aboard the same vessel through Singer and Tondoul to Wonstar.
# At Wonstar, abandon that obvious trail.
# Transfer to a '''Jump-3 vessel''' traveling toward Candory.
# Continue from Candory to Mirriam.
# Stop traveling.
# Become '''Lukas Ogzar'''.

The last step is arguably the most important. Anyone attempting to find Dravik by searching passenger manifests indefinitely outward from Wonstar will eventually drown in possibilities.

Dravik is no longer moving.

== What the Travellers Already Know ==

The crew has encountered the Elfarc family before.

During their conversation with [[Kworf Elfarc]] on the "dancing planet" on '''1117.09.25''', they learned three facts which may now become important:

* Kworf knew approximately '''when his younger brother disappeared'''.
* Dravik '''does not particularly like space travel'''.
* Dravik was an accomplished swimmer and had '''won swimming awards'''.

At the time these facts were largely biographical trivia.

They are now investigative clues.

The most important is Dravik's dislike of space travel. If remembered, it argues against the assumption that Dravik became a wandering spacer, scout, corsair or perpetual traveller. He was much more likely to travel until he believed himself safely removed from Kuai Qing and then '''settle somewhere'''.

His competitive swimming history may eventually provide another way of recognizing or tracing [[Lukas Ogzar]].

== Timeline ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Approximate Date !! Location !! Event !! Investigative Significance
|-
| '''c. 1116.22x''' || [[Kuai Qing]] || Dravik Elfarc leaves Kuai Qing. Two Jump-2 ships depart for [[Singer]] within the relevant window. || This is the first ambiguity deliberately created by Dravik. Old departure records identify two plausible ships.
|-
| '''+2 weeks''' || [[Singer]] || Dravik arrives at Singer aboard '''Ship A'''. He remains aboard or otherwise continues with the same vessel. || Both candidate ships from Kuai Qing reached Singer. Investigators must determine which one actually carried Dravik.
|-
| '''+4 weeks''' || [[Tondoul]] || Ship A reaches Tondoul with Dravik aboard. || Once Ship A is correctly identified, the trail becomes considerably easier.
|-
| '''+6 weeks''' || [[Wonstar]] || Dravik arrives aboard Ship A and '''changes ships'''. || This is the deliberate break in his trail.
|-
| '''+8 weeks''' || [[Candory]] || Dravik arrives aboard '''Ship B''', a Jump-3 vessel. || Passenger/crew/port records can establish that the same Vargr continued toward Mirriam.
|-
| '''+10 weeks''' || [[Mirriam]] || Dravik arrives on Mirriam. || His interstellar trail ends.
|-
| '''Shortly afterward''' || [[Mirriam]] || Dravik begins using the identity '''Lukas Ogzar'''. || Searches for "Dravik Elfarc" largely cease to work.
|-
| '''Following months''' || [[Mirriam]] || Lukas Ogzar obtains work in the security field and establishes an ordinary life. || Dravik has successfully hidden primarily by ceasing to behave like a fugitive.
|-
| '''1117.09.25''' || Dancing Planet || The [[Warbler]] crew speaks with [[Kworf Elfarc]]. Kworf mentions when his younger brother disappeared, Dravik's dislike of space travel, and his swimming awards. || Information that seemed incidental at the time becomes useful more than a year later.
|-
| '''1118.285''' || Present || Mittensby and crew have been charged by [[The Marmaduke Samoyed Vargr]] with locating Dravik and returning him to Uthith. || Current campaign date.
|}

'''GM NOTE:''' Exact day numbers for the 1116 departure can remain fuzzy unless they become important. "Approximately 26 months ago" is enough for the initial records search. Once the Travellers identify the relevant traffic records, exact dates can be established.

== The First Search: Kuai Qing ==

If the Travellers begin sensibly by asking what left Kuai Qing around the time Dravik disappeared, the search produces a manageable result.

Two plausible vessels departed for '''Singer'''.

Both were '''Jump-2 ships'''.

Both departed within the period in which Dravik could have disappeared.

This is not coincidence. Dravik knew enough about local traffic to choose a departure window that created precisely this ambiguity.

The records do '''not''' simply say:

:''DRAVIK ELFARC — PASSENGER.''

He traveled under a less conspicuous identity or through arrangements sufficiently informal that the passenger database does not immediately resolve the question.

Nevertheless, the discovery that both plausible vessels went to '''Singer''' gives the Travellers their first solid destination.

=== GM Principle ===

Do not make finding the route depend upon one successful die roll.

A good investigation roll should determine '''how quickly and cleanly''' they identify the route.

Failure means additional interviews, expenses, false leads or time spent digging through records—not the destruction of the adventure.

= Singer =

== Why Singer Matters ==

Singer was a particularly good first destination for Dravik.

It is not an Imperial world. It is poor, politically fragmented and technologically primitive by interstellar standards. Its only designated starport, [[Fird Starport]], has deteriorated badly during Singer's ongoing planetary war.

The world therefore possesses enough interstellar traffic to disappear into, but its records are far less integrated than those of a major Imperial starport.

Dravik did not need Singer to conceal him forever.

He needed it to make the first step of his trail annoying.

== Fird Starport ==

'''Fird Starport''' is Singer's only designated interstellar starport.

Once a Class C installation, years of warfare, neglect, air attack and occasional bombardment have reduced it to '''Class D''' status.

It lies in an arid region a few hundred kilometers north of the Crellan capital and relatively close to the coast.

=== Arrival Description ===

Fird looks less like a functioning interstellar transportation hub than a place that has stubbornly refused to stop being one.

The landing field is a broad expanse of faded ferrocrete interrupted by newer patches where bomb craters have been filled. Several old landing pads are simply closed, marked by painted crosses large enough to be seen from the air.

One hangar has no roof.

Another has a roof that is obviously newer than the walls.

A battered control tower rises over the field behind protective earthworks and sandbagged positions. Its upper windows have been replaced with armored shutters and external cameras.

A row of fuel tanks stands well away from everything else. One is blackened and abandoned.

The terminal building was constructed during better times. Its broad glass frontage has mostly disappeared behind blast walls, sheet metal and mismatched replacement panels.

The signs are still surprisingly optimistic.

'''WELCOME TO FIRD'''

appears above the entrance in three languages.

Someone has painted beneath it:

'''STILL OPEN'''

Ships arriving here attract attention.

Not necessarily hostile attention.

Singer simply doesn't get very many starships anymore.

== The Lowport Atmosphere ==

The port population is an odd mixture of:

* local starport workers
* Crellan officials
* freight agents
* refugees trying to leave Singer
* offworld merchants
* arms dealers
* mercenaries
* aid workers
* fixers
* mechanics
* people who make their living finding things that official systems have misplaced

Advanced offworld equipment is conspicuous.

So is money.

The Travellers will rapidly discover that nearly everything at Fird can be accomplished through either:

# the official system, which is slow, damaged and bureaucratic; or
# someone who knows where the paper copy is.

=== Arrival at Fird ===

From orbit, [[Singer]] doesn't look prosperous enough to support ninety million people.

The inhabited portions hug the diminishing seas and lakes. Beyond them are enormous regions of brown and dusty green. Smoke rises in several places where smoke probably shouldn't.

[[Fird Starport]] appears ahead as a geometric patch of ferrocrete in otherwise scrubby arid terrain.

Seymour gets the landing clearance eventually.

:''"Quetzal, Fird Control. Cleared approach corridor seven. Maintain assigned vector. Do not deviate south of the beacon line."''

:A pause.

:''"There is active military aviation south of the beacon line."''

:Seymour: ''"I had inferred that from the warning."''

:''"Good. Some people don't."''

Coming down, the crew can see old bomb craters outside the perimeter, several wrecked aircraft, earthworks, anti-aircraft positions and one enormous burned patch where something important used to be.

The starport itself is operational but battered.

One hangar lacks most of its roof. Another is obviously reconstructed from three different buildings. Freight containers have been stacked into blast walls. Several landing pads have large white X's painted across them.

Yet people are everywhere.

Refugees wait behind barriers with luggage. Cargo handlers move pallets of food. A mercenary in expensive battledress argues with a local officer wearing a uniform that looks as though it was designed in 1040. Two aid workers are screaming at a customs official about insulin.

And sitting in the middle of all this is the immaculate, enormous, extremely conspicuous ''[[Quetzal]]''.

A ground worker looks at her.

Looks at the registration.

Looks at the pulse-laser turrets.

Then says:

:''"Research ship?"''

:''"Yes."''

:''"Sure."''

=== The Air-Raid Warning ===

Shortly after the crew disembarks, an air-raid siren starts.

Nobody panics.

The locals look upward.

One baggage handler continues moving a cart.

Another says:

:''"That's the western warning."''

:''"Meaning?"''

:''"Means they're probably not bombing us."''

:A pause.

:''"Probably."''

About thirty seconds later several TL6 jet aircraft roar high overhead.

No bombs fall.

The all-clear sounds perhaps four minutes later.

The baggage handler resumes:

:''"Welcome to Singer."''

'''GM NOTE:''' This need not become an encounter. It establishes the normal atmosphere of Singer and Fird. The locals have lived with the planetary war for years.

=== What Actually Happened Here ===

'''GM ONLY:''' Approximately 26 months ago, [[Dravik Elfarc]] passed through Fird during his planned escape from [[Kuai Qing]].

Two Jump-2 vessels had left Kuai Qing for Singer during the relevant departure window:

* '''''Long Patience''''' — 400-ton Jump-2 subsidized merchant of old Imperial construction, commanded by '''Captain Delia Marr''', human. It regularly worked a Kuai Qing–Singer–Tondoul–Wonstar route.
* '''''Kforreng's Pride''''' — 300-ton Jump-2 Vargr trader commanded by '''Captain Rraez Kforreng'''. It traveled from Kuai Qing to Singer but normally turned coreward rather than continuing along Dravik's eventual route.

Dravik actually traveled aboard '''''Long Patience'''''.

He was using the simple name '''Dravik Rraz''' rather than Dravik Elfarc. This was not yet the carefully established identity of [[Lukas Ogzar]]. Dravik merely wanted an ordinary passenger search for "Elfarc" to fail.

He traveled unusually lightly for a member of an important family: one substantial travel bag, a smaller case, no servant, no vehicle and no conspicuous arsenal.

''Long Patience'' remained at Fird for approximately '''three days''' while taking on cargo and waiting for outbound clearance.

Dravik remained at or near the starport. He ate there, walked around, read, exercised and repeatedly investigated whether there was anywhere nearby where he could '''swim'''.

There wasn't anywhere sensible.

He subsequently departed Singer aboard ''Long Patience'' for '''[[Tondoul]]'''.

=== The Investigation ===

The purpose of the Fird investigation is to allow the Travellers to establish:

# Both candidate ships from Kuai Qing actually reached Singer.
# Dravik was almost certainly aboard one of them.
# The correct vessel was '''''Long Patience'''''.
# ''Long Patience'' subsequently departed for '''Tondoul'''.

There are several independent ways to reach this conclusion.

'''Do not make progress depend upon one successful skill check.'''

A failed check means that the investigation takes longer, costs money, requires another interview, produces an initially misleading recollection or attracts unwanted attention.

It should not permanently destroy the trail.

=== Arrivals and Traffic Office ===

The traffic office occupies part of Fird's battered old terminal.

Half of the original windows have been replaced with metal panels. Modern offworld computers sit alongside Singer-built equipment generations behind them technologically.

A handwritten sign reads:

:'''''RECORD REQUESTS: CURRENT YEAR — DESK 2'''''

:'''''HISTORICAL — DESK 4'''''

:'''''WAR DAMAGE CLAIMS — NOT HERE'''''

Desk 4 belongs to '''Jessa Varn'''.

==== Jessa Varn ====

'''Jessa Varn''' is a human woman of 58 with short graying hair. She wears reading glasses despite the trivial availability of medical correction offworld.

She has worked at Fird for 29 years.

Jessa is neither friendly nor unfriendly. She is busy.

She particularly dislikes visitors who begin by explaining how important they are.

She appreciates people who can explain precisely what they need.

:''"Twenty-six months?"''

:''"Yes."''

:''"Arrival or departure?"''

:''"Both."''

:''"Ship?"''

:''"Two possibilities."''

:Jessa finally looks up.

:''"That's actually a useful answer."''

The central electronic archive from that period is incomplete. A bombing damaged the primary system approximately seven months after Dravik passed through.

Trixie can attempt to recover portions of the electronic data.

Jessa, however, has another source.

'''Paper.'''

During periods of unreliable electrical power, Fird printed daily ship-movement sheets.

The surviving copies are stored downstairs.

A straightforward search eventually establishes:

* ''Long Patience'' arrived from Kuai Qing.
* ''Kforreng's Pride'' arrived from Kuai Qing.
* Both arrived during the expected period.
* Both subsequently departed.

The crucial difference is their declared next destination:

:'''''LONG PATIENCE — NEXT DECLARED PORT: TONDOUL'''''

''Kforreng's Pride'' went elsewhere.

This alone does not prove that Dravik was aboard ''Long Patience'', but it provides the Travellers with an excellent hypothesis.

=== The Archive Basement ===

The basement smells of dust, warm electronics and damp concrete despite Singer's generally dry climate.

There are shelves and shelves of boxes.

Some are beautifully labeled.

Some are not.

One entire section of wall has obviously been rebuilt.

Jessa points toward it.

:''"That's why we have paper."''

An elderly employee sits at a desk repairing damaged documents.

==== Nilo Tem ====

'''Nilo Tem''' is a 72-year-old local human. He is heavyset, deeply wrinkled and has nicotine-stained fingers.

Officially, Nilo is retired.

He still comes to Fird four days a week because nobody has apparently succeeded in stopping him.

Nilo remembers ships considerably better than he remembers passengers.

Mention ''Long Patience'':

:''"Marr's ship."''

:''"You remember it?"''

:''"Everybody remembers Marr. She complained about our fuel every time she came here and bought it every time she came here."''

Mention ''Kforreng's Pride'':

:''"Vargr ship. Good crew. Terrible music."''

If shown Dravik or asked about an enormous white Vargr:

:''"Twenty-six months?"''

:''"Approximately."''

:''"There was one."''

Nilo cannot reliably remember which ship the Vargr was associated with.

This is confirmation, not the solution.

=== The Broken Compass ===

The nearest thing Fird has to a traditional spacer bar was originally called '''The Compass'''.

Part of the building was subsequently destroyed.

Someone painted '''BROKEN''' above the surviving original sign.

Everyone now calls it '''The Broken Compass'''.

Its front wall is patched ferrocrete. Inside are cheap local beer, expensive imported alcohol, terrible coffee, decent stew and an astonishing collection of old starship patches attached to the walls.

Visiting crews frequently wait here.

==== Mara Quist ====

'''Mara Quist''' is a broad human woman in her early sixties. One arm is artificial and of noticeably higher technology than almost anything else she owns.

Mara remembers people.

Twenty-six months, however, is a long time.

If shown an image of Dravik:

:''"Maybe."''

:''"He'd have been unusually large."''

:''"They're all unusually something."''

If someone mentions his '''white fur''', she looks again.

:''"Oh."''

Now she remembers.

:''"Didn't drink much."''

:''"Was he here often?"''

:''"Three nights, maybe."''

:''"Who was he with?"''

:''"Nobody."''

Then another detail returns:

:''"Kept asking about swimming."''

This is potentially the most satisfying confirmation available at Fird.

During the crew's conversation with [[Kworf Elfarc]] on 1117.09.25, they learned that Dravik had won swimming awards.

If the players remember that fact, Mara's recollection provides strong evidence that this really was Dravik.

Mara can then remember the crucial detail:

:''"He was waiting on Marr's ship."''

:''"Long Patience?"''

:''"That's her."''

At this point the trail to Tondoul is extremely strong.

=== Portside Market ===

Immediately outside the extrality zone is a ragged collection of permanent shops, temporary stalls and people conducting business from tables, vehicles and cargo containers.

Available goods include food, clothing, local electronics, imported medicine, dubious weapons, replacement ship components, cigarettes, liquor and documents of varying legitimacy.

There are also numerous people promising transportation, introductions or access to things that officially cannot be obtained.

One of these people is '''Orlo Fenn'''.

==== Orlo Fenn ====

'''Orlo Fenn''' is a 44-year-old human male, skinny, animated and equipped with an enormous mustache.

He is a freight expediter, passenger finder, customs facilitator and occasional smuggler.

Orlo will initially claim to remember Dravik whether he does or not.

If shown a picture:

:''"Absolutely."''

:''"You remember him?"''

:''"Like yesterday."''

:''"What ship?"''

:''"Ah."''

He doesn't know.

If challenged:

:''"I remember the gentleman. I don't remember every ship in the galaxy."''

Mention swimming, however:

:''"Oh! The swimmer!"''

Now he genuinely remembers.

Dravik asked Orlo whether he could arrange transportation to somewhere with clean water where he could swim.

Orlo told him:

:''"On Singer? Try another planet."''

Dravik laughed.

This stuck in Orlo's memory because Dravik did not seem to laugh very often.

Orlo remembers that Dravik ultimately went nowhere on Singer.

He simply waited for his ship.

=== Refugee Processing Hall ===

The refugee-processing hall is enormous, crowded and emotionally grim.

Families with money attempt to purchase outbound passage.

Families without money attempt to get onto humanitarian evacuation lists.

This gives the Travellers a good visual explanation for why passenger records from the period are imperfect. Even 26 months ago, large numbers of desperate people were already moving through Fird.

==== Yani Dorr ====

'''Yani Dorr''' is a 51-year-old human woman and former Singer military logistics officer. She now coordinates refugee transportation at Fird.

People still sometimes call her Captain Dorr.

She understands passenger manifests better than almost anyone else in the port.

If the Travellers explain what they are attempting to reconstruct:

:''"You're assuming his name mattered."''

:''"It didn't?"''

:''"Twenty-six months ago? If he paid cash and the shipmaster declared the passenger count correctly, I was delighted."''

Yani explains that '''passenger totals are often more reliable than passenger identities'''.

Comparison of the old Kuai Qing and Fird records can reveal a passenger-count irregularity involving ''Long Patience''. This provides another route for Trixie or an administratively inclined Traveller to connect Dravik to the ship.

=== The Wrong Memory ===

'''Derrin Ko''', a local mechanic, can provide a completely sincere false lead.

Derrin remembers working on ''Kforreng's Pride'' while:

:''"That enormous white Vargr was hanging around."''

He is confident.

He is also wrong.

Derrin has combined memories of two different ship visits separated by several months.

Checking the date of the repair reveals that the event he remembers occurred '''after Dravik had already left Singer'''.

This is not deliberate deception. It is simply what happens when investigators ask people to reconstruct ordinary events from more than two years earlier.

=== Random People at Fird ===

These NPCs can be used whenever the Travellers approach someone who has not otherwise been established.

{| class="wikitable"
! d8 !! Person !! Current Activity !! Information
|-
| 1 || '''Kel Vasso''', teenage baggage handler || Driving an ancient electric tug considerably too fast || Knows where almost everything in Fird is located. Knows nothing about Dravik.
|-
| 2 || '''Harrik Noll''', local policeman || Drinking coffee and watching foreigners || Can direct investigators to Jessa Varn. Becomes interested if the Travellers are carrying conspicuous weapons.
|-
| 3 || '''Ssa Renk''', Aslan mercenary || Waiting for delayed transportation || Was not at Fird 26 months ago. Interesting but useless to this investigation.
|-
| 4 || '''Pella Jinn''', aid worker || Arguing about movement of medical supplies through customs || Knows Mara Quist and recommends the Broken Compass if the Travellers are asking about old visiting spacers.
|-
| 5 || '''Derrin Ko''', mechanic || Repairing an imported grav loader with locally manufactured parts || Remembers ''Long Patience'' and ''Kforreng's Pride'', but initially combines events from different visits. See '''The Wrong Memory'''.
|-
| 6 || '''Varrgh Tek''', Vargr trader || Selling imported electronics || Claims to know the Elfarc family. He does not. Immediately agrees that an image of Dravik depicts a very unusual and extremely large Vargr.
|-
| 7 || '''Iri Basso''', sex worker and fixer || Waiting near the spacer hostel || Has an excellent memory for customers and potential customers. Remembers the huge white Vargr because he politely declined her services.
|-
| 8 || '''Lieutenant Aren Cole''', Crellan officer || Searching for a missing military shipment || Irritable. Can make access to official records much easier if persuaded that helping the Travellers benefits Crella.
|}

=== Suggested Skill Checks ===

These checks should be used according to the Travellers' chosen methods rather than presented as a formal skill challenge.

{| class="wikitable"
! Skill !! Difficulty !! Use
|-
| Investigate / INT || Average (8+) || Reconstruct old traffic movements and identify discrepancies.
|-
| Admin / EDU || Average (8+) || Understand Fird's chaotic archival system and determine which records are authoritative.
|-
| Electronics (computers) / INT or EDU || Difficult (10+) || Recover useful information from damaged electronic archives.
|-
| Streetwise / INT or SOC || Average (8+) || Learn who at Fird is likely to remember visiting spacers.
|-
| Carouse / SOC || Average (8+) || Encourage memories and stories at the Broken Compass.
|-
| Persuade / SOC || Average (8+) || Convince busy locals to spend time helping strangers reconstruct events from 26 months ago.
|}

'''Failure Consequences:'''

Failure should generally mean one or more of:

* two hours rather than twenty minutes
* Cr100 or another modest expense rather than free assistance
* somebody wants a small favor
* the Travellers search the wrong archive first
* local authorities become curious
* a witness initially provides an incorrect recollection
* the Travellers discover Tondoul but cannot yet prove that Dravik was aboard

Failure should '''not''' mean that the route becomes impossible to discover.

=== Independent Clue Paths ===

The investigation has several redundant solutions.

==== Records Path ====

Kuai Qing departure records → both candidate ships reach Fird → Fird departure records → ''Long Patience'' continues to Tondoul → passenger irregularity → likely Dravik.

==== Witness Path ====

Huge white Vargr → Broken Compass → asked repeatedly about swimming → old Kworf information confirms identity → Mara remembers he was waiting for Captain Marr's ship → ''Long Patience''.

==== Street Path ====

Ask around port → Orlo Fenn → remembers "the swimmer" → remembers Dravik remained at the port waiting for his ship → other information identifies ''Long Patience''.

==== Computer Path ====

Trixie reconstructs damaged electronic records sufficiently to connect the relevant passenger movement with ''Long Patience''.

==== Brute-Force Path ====

Investigate both candidate vessels.

Only one proceeds along the useful route:

'''Kuai Qing → Singer → Tondoul → Wonstar'''

Follow ''Long Patience''.

=== A Memory of Dravik ===

If the Travellers establish a good rapport with Mara Quist, she eventually remembers something else about the large Vargr.

On his final night at Fird, Dravik sat alone in the Broken Compass drinking something nonalcoholic.

Singer news was showing footage of fighting around a reservoir.

Mara made some comment about what idiots everyone involved was being.

Dravik watched the footage for a while.

:''"There are ninety million of them?"''

:''"Something like that."''

:''"And they're killing each other over water?"''

:''"Among other things."''

Dravik considered this.

:''"Thirty thousand is a very small number."''

Mara had no idea what he meant.

The Travellers may.

'''GM NOTE:''' This is an early indication that Dravik was already thinking about the fundamental strategic weakness of the [[Kaiquing]]. Thirty thousand genetically enhanced Vargr may be individually formidable, but they remain an extremely small population compared with ordinary Vargr society.

=== Resolution ===

Once the Travellers identify ''Long Patience'', the Singer portion of the trail is effectively solved.

The ship's ordinary commercial itinerary was:

'''Kuai Qing → Singer → Tondoul → Wonstar'''

The investigative question now changes from:

:''Where did Dravik go?''

to:

:''Where did Dravik get off?''

The answer is ultimately:

'''[[Wonstar]].'''

There Dravik changes ships for the first time, deliberately breaking the obvious chain that investigators following ''Long Patience'' would otherwise be able to reconstruct.

== Fird Traffic Records ==

This is where Dravik's trail becomes playable.

Twenty-six months ago is '''not ancient history''' by local standards, but Singer's war has not been kind to its information systems.

The starport has suffered physical damage since Dravik passed through.

Some records survive electronically.

Some survive only as backups.

Some exist as printed manifests because one of the computer systems was offline during an air raid.

And some useful information survives only because somebody remembers it.

=== Initial Records Search ===

The Travellers can establish fairly easily that:

* '''both''' Jump-2 vessels identified at Kuai Qing reached Singer;
* both arrived within the expected time;
* neither remained at Singer permanently.

This initially preserves the ambiguity.

A more careful investigation reveals the important difference:

'''Ship A continued onward toward Tondoul.'''

The second vessel went elsewhere.

Once that is established, the search narrows dramatically.

=== The Passenger Problem ===

The surviving passenger records are incomplete enough that Dravik cannot simply be found by name.

However, several possible clues remain.

A surviving arrival document describes one Vargr passenger in terms sufficiently general to be useless by itself.

A port worker may remember an unusually large Vargr.

A freight or purser record may contain the alias Dravik used at the time.

A surviving image from the terminal or landing apron may show him.

The investigators do not need all of these.

Each successful line of inquiry pushes them toward the same conclusion:

'''the Vargr they are looking for left Singer aboard Ship A for Tondoul.'''

== People at Fird Who Might Help ==

=== Jessa Varn – Traffic Clerk ===

Jessa Varn is a human woman in her late fifties who has worked at Fird for nearly thirty years.

She has survived three governments, two direct attacks on the starport and approximately seventeen attempts to "modernize" the traffic-record system.

She trusts paper.

This has become an advantage.

Jessa knows that a substantial portion of the old arrival/departure information exists in emergency printouts stored in boxes because nobody ever authorized their destruction.

She is not corrupt exactly.

She is, however, tired.

Someone who treats her politely and explains what they actually need will get considerably farther than someone waving money or rank.

:''"Computer says we lost that year."''

She taps the desk.

:''"Computer wasn't here that year. I was."''

=== Orlo Fenn – Freight Expediter ===

Orlo Fenn is a thin, energetic local human who arranges freight, passengers, transport and occasionally things that would be described differently if customs officials were listening.

He was already working at Fird when Dravik passed through.

Orlo does not remember Dravik immediately.

Show him a picture and he becomes uncertain.

Mention the '''very large Vargr''' and the fact that he '''didn't seem to want to be here''' and something may click.

:''"Oh. Him."''

:''"Didn't like the port. Didn't like the planet. Didn't like the ship much either, as I recall."''

That last observation is useful.

Dravik's dislike of space travel was visible even to strangers.

== Optional Swimming Breadcrumb ==

Singer should '''not''' solve the swimming clue.

But it can remind the players that the clue exists.

Fird is near Singer's coast, but Singer's waters are badly polluted and the planetary war has made travel unpleasant and dangerous.

If someone learns enough about Dravik's short stay, an old recollection may emerge:

:''"Big white Vargr? Yeah. Asked where he could swim."''

The local laughs.

:''"Told him the Sickle Sea if he wanted chemical burns."''

This does not locate Dravik.

It simply puts '''swimming''' back into the players' heads.

That becomes much more useful once they eventually reach Mirriam and start asking what [[Lukas Ogzar]] does when he isn't working security.

== Leaving Singer ==

Once the crew correctly identifies Ship A, they have their next destination:

'''Tondoul.'''

From this point the trail becomes substantially easier.

Ship A followed an ordinary commercial itinerary:

'''Kuai Qing → Singer → Tondoul → Wonstar'''

The important question is no longer:

:''Where did Dravik go?''

It becomes:

:''Where did Dravik get off?''

The answer is:

'''Wonstar.'''

And at Wonstar, for the first time, Dravik changes ships.

Hunt for Dravik

2026-09-05T21:57:19Z

Mike: Created page with "= The Search for Dravik Elfarc = == GM Overview == Dravik Elfarc, estranged younger son of the Elfarc Family of Kuai Qing, deliberately left Kuai Qing approximately '''26 months before 1118.285'''. He did not flee impulsively. He planned his departure sufficiently well to make casual attempts to locate him fail, but he did not possess the resources or apparent desire to erase himself completely. His route was: '''Kuai Qing → Singer → Tondoul → Wons..."