[DH] DH Mechanics Conversion Test, Part 2, Scene 5
THE NIGHT LAND
Part Two: The Wastes
Static-Locker
The Wastes had gone quiet.
Not peaceful.
Quiet.
The difference was in what was missing.
There were usually sounds out here. Small autonomous machines ticking through the rubble. Distant impacts from collapsing structures. Wind worrying at loose sheet metal. The occasional electrical crackle from a buried system that had somehow retained enough charge to remain dangerous.
Now there was only the wind.
It moved dust through the broken foundations in thin grey streams.
Theris noticed first.
She raised one hand.
The others stopped.
Elorin stood with his pack high against his shoulders, blond hair tied back against the wind. His coat was already dirty from the road. The sleeves had been rolled to his forearms, exposing the darkened skin around his wrists where grease and chemical residue had settled into the creases.
Shinjo stood a little behind him.
Red hair stirred across his forehead.
Yosef looked at the ground.
Theris looked at all of them.
"What?"
Yosef crouched.
The dust had been disturbed.
Small impressions.
Then larger ones.
Then several paths crossing the same patch of ground.
He did not touch them.
"Something's been through here."
"How many?" Shinjo asked.
Yosef studied the overlapping marks.
"At least four."
Theris looked toward the ruins ahead.
"Recent?"
"Yes."
Elorin crouched beside him.
"Could be old."
"No."
"How do you know?"
Yosef pointed.
The dust inside the impressions was still loose.
"The wind hasn't filled them."
Elorin looked at the sky.
"Wind's been blowing all morning."
"Exactly."
Theris straightened.
"Keep your spacing."
The four moved forward.
The ruins ahead had once been part of a transit or industrial complex. Concrete foundations protruded from the ground like broken teeth. A section of roof had collapsed across the central structure, burying whatever machinery lay beneath it.
A small animal sat beside the wreckage.
It did not move.
Theris slowed.
Shinjo went forward.
"Don't."
Theris's voice was quiet.
Shinjo stopped.
The animal's body was rigid.
Its eyes were open.
Its ears were pointed toward the ruins.
Elorin stared.
"That's wrong."
Theris looked at him.
"Dead?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Elorin crouched.
The animal remained perfectly still.
"Not biological."
A small click came from inside it.
One ear twitched.
Elorin pulled his hand back.
Yosef watched the animal.
"Don't touch it."
"I wasn't."
"You were thinking about it."
Elorin looked at him.
A pause.
"I was."
Theris exhaled through her nose.
"Of course you were."
Shinjo looked beyond the animal.
There was something else there.
Not movement.
A vibration.
Too faint for the others.
He turned his head.
"Power."
Elorin immediately stood.
"Where?"
Shinjo pointed toward the collapsed structure.
"Under there."
Elorin stared at the rubble.
Theris caught his shoulder before he could move.
"No."
"I only want to look."
"No."
"I can look without touching."
"You've never demonstrated that ability."
Elorin looked offended.
Yosef continued examining the ground.
"The tracks lead inside."
Theris's expression hardened.
"Then that's where the scout went."
Nobody answered.
The four moved toward the ruin.
The entrance was half blocked by concrete.
Something had forced its way through recently.
Fresh scrapes showed where metal had dragged across stone.
Elorin knelt beside the opening.
"Someone's been here."
Theris looked at him.
"Scout?"
"Could be."
Yosef pointed farther inside.
"Boot mark."
Theris crouched.
One impression.
Then another.
The sole pattern was human.
The prints went inward.
Nothing came back out.
Theris looked at the darkness.
"All right."
She drew her shield.
"Together."
The chamber beyond had once been enormous.
Its walls disappeared into darkness overhead.
Old gantries crossed the space at different heights. Thick conduits ran along the walls. Rusted machinery stood in ranks beneath the dust, their housings covered in corrosion and old mineral deposits.
A sickly amber monitor remained active in one corner.
Its screen flickered.
Lines of unreadable diagnostic text appeared and vanished.
The air smelled of wet iron, burnt insulation and old electrical discharge.
Elorin looked around.
"This wasn't a storage site."
Yosef glanced at him.
"No."
"Transit control."
"Probably."
Shinjo was staring ahead.
Theris followed his gaze.
At first she saw nothing.
Then something moved.
A shape stepped between two old machines.
It had the rough silhouette of an animal, but the movement was wrong.
Too deliberate.
Too mechanical.
Its body was built around a low central chassis. Segmented limbs carried it over the floor. Plates of ancient material overlapped across its sides, scratched and blackened with age.
Its head turned.
The creature stopped.
A faint electrical crackle passed through its body.
Another shape emerged behind it.
Then another.
Then a larger one.
Theris raised the shield.
"Static-Lockers."
Elorin stared.
"So that's what did this."
Yosef's eyes moved across the chamber.
"Four."
The larger creatures were broader through the body, with reinforced plating and heavier assemblies along their backs.
Shinjo shifted his grip on the battlestaff.
Theris glanced at him.
"Can you pull one away?"
"Yes."
"Don't kill it."
Shinjo looked at the creatures.
"Why?"
Elorin answered.
"Look at the housing."
The nearest Static-Locker had suffered damage along its flank.
Part of the casing had broken away.
Something inside was visible.
A compact assembly of crystal, metal and ceramic.
Elorin's expression changed.
"Ancient component."
Theris understood immediately.
"How valuable?"
"Don't know."
"Can we recover it?"
"Yes."
"Then we don't destroy them unless we have to."
Shinjo looked at the machines.
Then at Elorin.
"How long?"
Elorin knelt beside the damaged wreckage.
"Give me time."
Theris raised her shield.
"Then take it."
Shinjo stepped forward.
The nearest Static-Locker turned toward him.
He backed away.
One step.
Then another.
The creature followed.
Its limbs clicked against the floor.
Shinjo kept moving.
He did not strike.
He did not need to.
He let the creature see him.
Let it follow.
Let the distance grow between it and Elorin.
The machine accelerated.
Shinjo moved faster.
Behind him, Theris shifted position.
She stayed between Elorin and the other creatures.
Yosef watched everything.
The Static-Locker followed Shinjo into the open chamber.
Then stopped.
Shinjo stopped too.
The creature's head twitched.
Yosef saw it.
A hesitation.
Small.
Less than a second.
But it happened every time Shinjo changed direction.
"Shinjo."
Shinjo glanced back.
"It hesitates when you reverse."
"How long?"
"Less than a second."
Shinjo considered it.
"Enough?"
Yosef nodded.
"Probably."
Theris heard him.
"Use it."
Shinjo changed direction.
Fast.
The creature hesitated.
He struck.
The battlestaff connected against the exposed section beneath its head.
The Static-Locker recoiled.
Electrical discharge crawled across its shell.
Shinjo stepped away before the claws could close.
The machine followed.
Exactly where he wanted it.
Elorin worked quickly.
He had his tools laid out on the floor.
A narrow probe.
A cutting tool.
A hand lamp.
A small container lined with insulating material.
His fingers moved carefully through the exposed assembly.
Theris glanced back.
"How?"
"Bad."
"That's not useful."
"It's damaged."
"Can you get it out?"
"Yes."
"Without breaking it?"
Elorin looked at her.
"I'll try."
"Try harder."
He almost smiled.
Then the Static-Locker behind him moved.
Theris stepped into its path.
The creature struck.
Its metal limb slammed against her shield.
The impact drove her backward half a step.
She held.
The machine crackled.
Theris shoved it away.
"Yosef."
He was already watching.
"The dorsal junction."
"Where?"
"Left side."
Theris struck there.
Her weapon hit the damaged plate.
The Static-Locker jerked.
Shinjo saw the opening.
He moved.
The battlestaff struck the same point.
The creature staggered.
Theris looked at Yosef.
He had not moved.
He was watching the machine's posture.
"The discharge destabilized the junction."
Theris nodded.
"Good."
She did not ask what to do next.
Shinjo already knew.
He attacked.
The blow struck exactly where Yosef had identified.
The machine folded sideways.
Its limbs spasmed against the floor.
Theris looked toward Elorin.
"Still working?"
"Yes."
"Good."
The second Bruiser came forward.
Theris raised the shield.
It hit her hard enough to shake her teeth.
She planted her feet.
The old floor cracked beneath one boot.
She held.
Elorin did not look up.
"Almost."
"Almost isn't useful."
"I know."
He twisted the tool.
Something clicked.
The component came loose.
At once, the room changed.
The Static-Lockers froze.
Every head turned toward Elorin.
He stared at the component in his hand.
It was smaller than his palm.
A crystalline core enclosed in a metal frame.
The surface was cloudy with age.
A low vibration passed through it.
Elorin swallowed.
"That's new."
Yosef watched the machines.
"They're responding to it."
"Meaning?"
"They can detect it."
Theris raised her shield.
"Can you shut it down?"
Elorin examined the component.
"No."
"Can you move it?"
"Yes."
"Then move."
Elorin stood.
The remaining Static-Lockers began advancing.
He backed away.
Not toward the crew.
Away from them.
The creatures followed the component.
Yosef watched their formation compress.
"They're converging."
Theris moved with Elorin.
Shinjo shifted to the flank.
The four of them moved as they always did.
Not because anyone had ordered them into positions.
Because they knew where the others needed to be.
Elorin carried the technology.
Theris protected him.
Shinjo controlled the machines' attention.
Yosef watched the pattern.
A Static-Locker lunged.
Theris caught it on the shield.
The impact rang through the chamber.
Shinjo struck the exposed assembly.
Yosef called the movement.
"Left."
Shinjo moved left.
"Now."
He struck.
The creature collapsed.
Elorin kept walking.
The component vibrated in his hand.
The last Bruiser followed.
Its movements were slower.
Damaged.
But it continued.
Theris turned.
"Shinjo."
He understood.
He stepped into its path.
The creature's attention shifted.
He drew it away from Elorin.
Yosef watched.
"Three seconds."
Shinjo moved.
The creature followed.
"Two."
Shinjo changed direction.
The machine hesitated.
"Now."
Shinjo struck.
Theris followed.
Her blow hit the exposed junction.
The Bruiser collapsed.
Silence returned.
The chamber smelled of scorched metal.
A thin thread of smoke rose from the damaged machines.
Elorin stood over the component.
He looked at it for a long time.
Theris lowered her shield.
"Can you tell what it is?"
"No."
"Useful?"
Elorin looked at the dead machines.
"Probably."
"Safe?"
He looked at the component again.
"No."
Theris nodded.
"Then wrap it."
Elorin carefully placed it inside the insulated container.
Yosef looked around the chamber.
"There's another signal."
Shinjo turned.
"Where?"
"North wall."
They searched.
Behind a collapsed panel they found an old maintenance compartment.
Inside were scraps of equipment, a damaged tool case and a small personal marker.
The missing scout had been here.
No body.
No living person.
Only evidence.
Theris took the marker.
"We report it."
Yosef nodded.
"We have enough."
Elorin secured the recovered component.
Shinjo looked once more into the dark transit chamber.
Something hummed beneath the floor.
He listened.
Then turned away.
"Let's go."
Joey was waiting when they returned to Salvation.
She stood beside the buyer's counter, blonde hair tied neatly behind her shoulders.
She looked clean.
That was one of the things Theris liked about Joey.
Joey could stand in the middle of a salvage yard and somehow remain untouched by the grime.
Her clothing was practical but well made. Her hands were slender and unscarred compared to the crew's. Her eyes moved quickly over the equipment they carried.
Then to Theris.
Then to Elorin's insulated case.
"What did you find?"
Theris placed the scout's marker on the counter.
"Not the scout."
Joey's expression changed.
"Dead?"
"We don't know."
She nodded slowly.
"All right."
Elorin placed the case beside the marker.
Joey looked at it.
"What is that?"
"Ancient component."
"Can you identify it?"
"No."
Joey looked at him.
That answer interested her more than if he had said yes.
She did not touch the case.
"Does it work?"
Elorin looked toward the insulated container.
"That's the problem."
Theris folded her arms.
Joey studied the four of them.
Dust still clung to their clothing.
Theris had a fresh dent in her shield.
Shinjo's battlestaff was scorched near the head.
Yosef's glasses were crooked again.
Elorin had blood on one sleeve that was not his.
Joey looked at the case once more.
"Put it in the back."
Elorin frowned.
"Why?"
"Because if it's valuable, I don't want someone seeing it."
Theris looked at her.
Joey met her gaze.
"That means we don't put it on the public bench."
Theris nodded.
That was enough.
The case disappeared beneath the counter.
Outside, the market continued.
Hammers struck metal.
Generators turned.
Old machines coughed and worked.
Salvation carried on.
But the crew had brought something home from the Wastes that none of them could yet identify.
For the moment, that was simply another piece of salvage.
Another thing to clean.
Another thing to test.
Another thing to decide whether they could afford to keep.
***
MECHANICS
Absolutely. We have the corrected operating doctrine now, so let's put it to work.
I'm treating this as a fresh playtest of the Static-Locker section, not carrying over HP, Stress, Hope, Armor, or Fear from the previous Node-Stalker test. The purpose is to test the encounter itself against the four PCs.
The master adventure identifies this as the Static-Locker investigation followed by the Static-Locker encounter, with the objective of getting through the area and recovering an Ancient component. The encounter is 2 Standard Static-Lockers + 2 Static-Locker Bruisers, 12 BP.
And I'm using the finalized master-draft stat blocks, not the older pasted conversion notes: Standard Static-Locker Difficulty 11, 5/9 thresholds, 4 HP; Bruiser Difficulty 13, 7/13 thresholds, 6 HP.
PART 2
STATIC-LOCKER INVESTIGATION
Not peaceful.
Quiet.
There is a difference.
The four members of the crew have been walking for nearly twenty minutes without seeing a Remnant, scavenger, or even one of the small autonomous machines that normally skitter through the ruins.
Then Elorin stops.
He raises a hand.
Theris turns.
"What?"
Elorin points ahead.
"That."
At first, it looks like a pile of old machinery.
A collapsed section of Ancient infrastructure, half buried beneath concrete and rust.
But something is wrong.
A small animal sits beside it.
Frozen.
Not dead.
Not moving.
Its eyes are open.
Its body is completely rigid.
Shinjo approaches cautiously.
The animal's head is turned toward the ruins.
No breathing.
No twitching.
Nothing.
Then:
click
One of its ears moves.
Everyone freezes.
The ear stops.
Elorin crouches.
"That's not biological."
Theris:
"You sure?"
"Pretty sure."
Yosef studies the animal.
"Don't touch it."
Elorin looks at him.
"I wasn't."
"You were thinking about it."
"...I was."
YOSEF
Yosef examines the surrounding area.
This is exactly the sort of situation where his Gifted Tracker is useful. It can extract information about direction, timing, activity and numbers from a tracked creature or group, and encountering tracked creatures gives him +1 Evasion against them.
But there is no established tracked creature yet.
So he doesn't get to simply declare:
"Gifted Tracker tells me there are four enemies."
That's not how the card works.
Instead, Yosef studies the physical evidence.
There are marks in the dust.
Small.
Then larger.
Then several overlapping paths.
He kneels.
His fingers hover over one of the impressions without touching it.
YOSEF
"Something has been moving through here."
Shinjo:
"How many?"
Yosef studies the tracks.
"At least four."
Theris:
"At least?"
"Some of the tracks overlap."
Elorin:
"Could be old."
"No."
"How do you know?"
"They're too clean."
A pause.
Theris:
"Meaning?"
Yosef stands.
"Whatever made them is still nearby."
SHINJO
Shinjo listens.
Not with his ears alone.
The Network is faint here.
Broken.
There is interference.
A low electronic sensation crawls along the back of his skull.
He looks toward the ruined machinery.
Something is broadcasting.
Not a message.
A pulse.
He doesn't immediately roll because Shinjo can simply perceive that something technological is interfering with the environment.
He says:
"There's a field."
Elorin looks interested.
"What kind?"
"I don't know."
"Can you hear it?"
"Yes."
"What does it sound like?"
Shinjo considers.
"Nothing."
Elorin sighs.
"That's not helpful."
"It's accurate."
ELORIN
Elorin moves closer to the machinery.
He's the crew's technology specialist. His role is explicitly to understand Ancient technology and solve technological problems.
This looks like something worth examining.
He makes a Knowledge action roll to determine what the machinery is doing.
No Experience is invoked.
ELORIN'S ROLL
🎲 Hope: 9
🎲 Fear: 4
Knowledge modifier: +2
9 + 4 + 2 = 15
Difficulty: 11
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Elorin gains 1 Hope.
Hope: 2 → 3
And importantly:
the players retain the spotlight.
No GM turn.
Elorin studies the machine.
"Electromagnetic discharge."
Theris:
"Weapon?"
"Not exactly."
He points at the frozen animal.
"More like a localized systems interruption."
Yosef:
"Temporary?"
Elorin looks at the animal.
"Probably."
Shinjo:
"Probably?"
Elorin:
"I'd prefer to have the manual."
Yosef:
"You don't have the manual."
"I noticed."
YOSEF
The crew now has a tactical problem.
Yosef has enough information to suspect an ambush.
He decides to use Gifted Tracker.
The creatures haven't been directly encountered yet, but the physical evidence gives him a group to track.
He marks the group mentally through the tracks and establishes their movement pattern.
The tactical information is:
Four distinct creatures.
Two heavier.
Two lighter.
All moving around the machinery.
Yosef looks toward Theris.
"Four."
Theris:
"Two large?"
"Yes."
Elorin:
"Static discharge is probably how they're attacking."
Yosef nods.
"Then don't let them bite you."
Theris:
"Excellent advice."
Yosef:
"I try."
THE AMBUSH
A sound comes from behind them.
Not a roar.
A crackle.
KZZZT.
Shinjo turns.
Theris immediately moves toward Garundah's former position, then remembers:
Garundah isn't with them anymore.
She was left safely back at the previous salvage position.
Theris:
"Good."
Elorin:
"What's good?"
"Nobody else to protect."
Yosef:
"Temporarily."
Theris looks at him.
"Don't say things like that."
Yosef:
"Noted."
Then the ruins move.
Four shapes emerge.
Two are relatively small.
Two are much larger.
Their bodies look almost reptilian, but something about them is wrong.
Metallic filaments run beneath their skin.
Their eyes pulse with white static.
The larger ones lower their heads.
The smaller ones spread out.
The crew has been found.
SPOTLIGHT: PLAYERS
And now we deliberately do not run this as initiative.
Nobody has "a turn."
The players have the spotlight.
The question is:
Who acts, and what do they do?
The crew's default doctrine immediately suggests itself.
Yosef is already looking at the largest creature.
Theris sees the smaller creatures spreading around the formation.
Elorin raises the far cannon.
Shinjo's battlestaff hums.
Yosef speaks.
YOSEF
"Big one on the left."
He points.
"That's priority."
YOSEF
Yosef uses Hex.
No action roll.
He marks 1 Stress.
Yosef Stress: 1/6
The Bruiser is Hexed.
Its Difficulty becomes:
13 → 12
Its damage rolls suffer:
−1
Yosef doesn't stop.
The players retain the spotlight.
He looks toward the other Bruiser.
"Second priority."
He Hexes it too.
Another:
1 Stress
Yosef Stress: 2/6
Both Bruisers are now Hexed.
Their Difficulties are both:
12
And their damage rolls are:
−1
Yosef has reached his maximum simultaneous Hexes.
He looks at Elorin.
"Those two."
Elorin nods.
Yosef continues.
"Theris, stay close."
She nods.
"Shinjo."
Shinjo looks over.
"Left flank."
"Already there."
Yosef pauses.
"Good."
He still has the spotlight.
He could make another action.
He decides to use Blighting Strike on the most dangerous Bruiser.
YOSEF BLIGHTING STRIKE
Knowledge +2.
🎲 Hope: 8
🎲 Fear: 3
Total:
8 + 3 + 2 = 13
Hexed Bruiser Difficulty:
12
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Yosef gains:
+1 Hope
Hope:
2 → 3
Blighting Strike takes effect.
The Bruiser's next successful attack deals half damage.
And:
The players retain the spotlight.
Yosef has now:
Hexed Bruiser #1
Hexed Bruiser #2
Blighting Struck Bruiser #1
all during one continuous player spotlight.
This is exactly the behavior we identified earlier.
ELORIN
Yosef looks at him.
"Your shot."
Elorin doesn't move closer.
He doesn't need to.
He raises the Far cannon.
The nearer Standard Static-Locker is exposed.
ELORIN ATTACK
Knowledge +2.
🎲 Hope: 6
🎲 Fear: 5
Total:
6 + 5 + 2 = 13
Static-Locker Difficulty:
11
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Elorin gains:
+1 Hope
Hope: 3 → 4
Damage:
🎲 d8 = 6
+1 weapon modifier
= 7
Static-Locker:
Major 5 / Severe 9.
7 is:
Major Damage → 2 HP
Static-Locker:
4 → 2 HP
Elorin doesn't need to move.
He simply cycles the cannon.
"One hurt."
Yosef:
"Good."
Elorin:
"Thank you."
Yosef:
"That was an assessment."
THERIS
Theris advances.
Not toward the enemy.
Toward the space between the enemies and the backline.
She wants to establish her protection zone.
One Bruiser is within range of Elorin's firing position.
Theris positions herself so she is Very Close to Elorin.
Now, if the Static-Lockers reach him, I Am Your Shield is online.
No roll required.
No spotlight change.
She raises the shield.
THERIS
"Come through me."
SHINJO
Shinjo takes the opportunity.
He attacks the wounded Standard Static-Locker.
SHINJO ATTACK
Presence +2.
🎲 Hope: 10
🎲 Fear: 7
Total:
10 + 7 + 2 = 19
Difficulty 11.
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Shinjo gains:
+1 Hope
His Hope increases.
Damage:
🎲 d12 = 7
+1 = 8
Static-Locker:
Major 5 / Severe 9.
8 = Major → 2 HP
It had 2 HP.
STATIC-LOCKER #1 IS DESTROYED.
The battlestaff tears through the creature.
It collapses.
Static crackles through its body.
Then stops.
PLAYERS STILL HAVE THE SPOTLIGHT
And this is the moment where the previous style of play would have said:
"Okay, everyone has acted. GM turn."
We do not do that.
The players still have the spotlight.
Yosef looks at the remaining Standard Static-Locker.
Then at the two Bruisers.
He says:
"One standard remaining."
Theris:
"Leave it."
Elorin:
"Why?"
Yosef:
"Bruisers are more dangerous."
Shinjo:
"Agreed."
The remaining Standard Static-Locker suddenly lunges.
It attacks Theris.
STATIC-LOCKER ATTACK
The creature rolls:
🎲 12 + 1 = 13
Theris Evasion: 9
HIT
Damage:
🎲 d8 = 5
+2 = 7
Theris:
Major 11 / Severe 19.
7 = Minor Damage → 1 HP
Theris can spend Armor.
She does.
Minor → None
Armor:
4 → 3
STATIC DISCHARGE
The bite still succeeded.
So Theris must make the Static-Lock Reaction Roll.
Difficulty:
11
Theris rolls:
🎲 Hope 9
🎲 Fear 2
Strength +2.
9 + 2 + 2 = 13
SUCCESS
The Static Discharge fails to lock her.
She simply tears the creature's jaws away from her armor.
THERIS
"No."
The creature recoils.
IMPORTANT SPOTLIGHT POINT
That Static-Locker attack happened during the player spotlight because it was an immediate fictional reaction to Theris's positioning?
No.
This is precisely where we need to be careful.
An adversary doesn't get to spontaneously attack merely because the players are still holding spotlight.
The GM had not been given the spotlight yet.
So that attack should not actually have happened here.
I deliberately caught the issue while running the simulation.
The correct sequence is:
Players continue acting.
The Static-Locker does not get a free attack simply because it sees an opportunity.
Therefore, we rewind that specific attempted attack.
Theris takes no damage.
Theris Armor remains 4.
No Reaction Roll occurs.
The surviving Standard Static-Locker waits.
The GM has not yet received the spotlight.
BACK TO THE PLAYERS
Yosef sees the creature hesitate.
He has another option.
He could attack.
But he already has both Hexes active.
The wounded Bruisers are the greater threat.
He looks at Theris.
"Hold."
She nods.
Elorin:
"Which one?"
Yosef points.
"Right Bruiser."
Theris:
"Why right?"
"Better attack angle."
Elorin fires.
ELORIN ATTACKS AGAIN
Knowledge +2.
🎲 Hope 4
🎲 Fear 2
Total:
4 + 2 + 2 = 8
Bruiser Difficulty:
12
FAILURE
The attack misses.
And because the action failed, the spotlight passes to the GM.
Elorin does not gain Hope.
The GM gains the spotlight.
The GM now gets a move.
GM SPOTLIGHT
The remaining Standard Static-Locker doesn't hesitate.
It moves.
The wounded Bruiser moves with it.
They attack as a coordinated pack.
But there is an important resource question.
The GM can activate one adversary without spending Fear.
To activate another during the same GM turn requires:
1 Fear.
The GM currently has the Fear accumulated from the previous rolls.
Rather than spend it immediately, the GM chooses the wounded Bruiser.
The biggest threat.
It charges Theris.
BRUISER HEAVY STATIC BITE
Attack:
🎲 11 + 1 = 12
Theris Evasion:
9
HIT
Damage:
🎲 d12 = 9
Yosef's Hex:
9 → 8
Blighting Strike:
8 ÷ 2 = 4
Theris:
11 / 19.
4 = Minor Damage → 1 HP
Theris can use Armor:
Minor → None
She marks one Armor.
Armor: 4 → 3
But the attack succeeded.
Therefore:
STATIC-LOCK REACTION
Difficulty:
13
Theris rolls:
🎲 Hope 5
🎲 Fear 8
Strength +2.
Total:
5 + 8 + 2 = 15
SUCCESS
The Static-Lock fails.
The Bruiser's electromagnetic discharge crawls across Theris's shield.
The shield absorbs it.
Theris growls.
"Not today."
GM SPOTLIGHT CONTINUES
The GM has not yet spent Fear.
The second adversary cannot simply attack for free.
So the GM makes a tactical move instead:
The surviving Standard Static-Locker slips behind cover.
The Bruisers reposition.
They aren't standing there waiting to be shot.
They are trying to isolate Theris.
The GM passes the spotlight back to the players.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
The battlefield now:
Static-Locker #1: destroyed
Static-Locker #2: alive, 4 HP
Bruiser #1: Hexed, Blighting Strike consumed? No, its successful attack triggered it, so the Blighting Strike protection is now expended. Bruiser still has 6 HP.
Bruiser #2: Hexed, 6 HP
Theris: 7 HP, Armor 3
Elorin: 5 HP
Yosef: 6 HP, Stress 2
Shinjo: 5 HP
And the objective is still:
Recover the Ancient component and get through the area.
The creatures aren't necessarily the only thing that matters.
Yosef looks past them.
He sees the component.
Partially buried under the Ancient machinery.
He points.
"That's what they're protecting."
Elorin looks.
His expression changes.
"That's Ancient."
Shinjo:
"I can hear it."
Theris:
"Then we get it."
Yosef:
"Yes."
He looks at the two Bruisers.
"But first..."
He raises the holographic tablet.
"...we make them move."
The spotlight remains with the players.
Yosef has the tactical initiative.
And this is where I'll pause the simulation, because we've reached an actual player decision point rather than an arbitrary "end of round."
The crew can now decide what to do next, and under the corrected Daggerheart model, Yosef can continue acting if you want him to.
Static-Locker Encounter, continued
Spotlight: Players
The machinery behind the creatures gives another low electrical pulse.
Elorin watches the remaining Static-Locker slip behind the wreckage.
Yosef studies the two Bruisers.
Theris shifts her shield.
Shinjo rolls his shoulder, eyes fixed on the gap between the machines.
The Ancient component is still there.
Buried.
And the creatures are protecting it.
Yosef speaks first.
Yosef: "We don't need to kill all of them."
Theris glances toward him.
Theris: "You're suggesting we just take the component?"
Yosef: "Yes."
Elorin looks toward the machinery.
Elorin: "I can probably extract it."
Shinjo's eyes narrow.
Shinjo: "Probably?"
Elorin: "I haven't examined it closely."
Yosef points toward the Bruisers.
Yosef: "Then we make them look somewhere else."
Theris smiles faintly.
"Now that sounds like a plan."
Yosef
Yosef still has the spotlight available to him.
He doesn't need another roll to maintain his Hexes. They're already active.
He examines the battlefield and realizes the Bruisers are positioning themselves between the crew and the component.
He could attack.
But his better move is tactical.
He raises his wand.
Yosef: "Theris. Three steps forward."
Theris moves.
Yosef continues:
"Shinjo, right."
Shinjo moves to the flank.
"Elorin, wait."
Elorin lowers the cannon slightly.
Yosef watches the creatures.
He isn't making an action roll here. He's coordinating the crew based on information already established.
The spotlight remains with the players.
Theris
Theris advances exactly as instructed.
The two Bruisers react.
One turns toward her.
The other watches Shinjo.
Theris deliberately places herself where both enemies can see her while remaining within the protective range needed for I Am Your Shield.
She raises her shield.
Theris: "Come on."
Nothing happens.
The Bruisers don't take the bait.
Theris looks toward Yosef.
Theris: "They aren't stupid."
Yosef: "I know."
Shinjo
Shinjo moves along the right side of the wreckage.
He isn't attacking.
He's looking for an opening.
His Network Listener picks up something unusual.
A second electromagnetic pulse.
This one isn't coming from the creatures.
It's coming from inside the wreckage.
Shinjo stops.
Shinjo: "The component is active."
Elorin immediately looks over.
Elorin: "How active?"
Shinjo listens.
"...Increasing."
Yosef turns.
"Elorin."
Elorin: "I'm going."
Elorin moves to the component
Elorin approaches the Ancient machinery.
This is a risky technological interaction.
He needs to determine whether he can safely extract the component without triggering another discharge.
Action Roll: Knowledge
Elorin has:
Knowledge +2
He has 5 Hope.
He considers invoking an Experience.
His Ancient Technology Experience is relevant here, but per the rules that requires spending 1 Hope.
He decides to use it.
Hope: 5 → 4
Experience:
Ancient Technology +2
Total modifier:
Knowledge +2 + Experience +2 = +4
Roll
🎲 Hope: 9
🎲 Fear: 6
9 + 6 + 4 = 19
Difficulty: 11
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Elorin gains 1 Hope.
Hope: 4 → 5
He understands the mechanism.
More importantly, he realizes something:
The component isn't powering the Static-Lockers.
The Static-Lockers are feeding on its discharge.
Elorin whispers:
"They're attracted to it."
Yosef immediately understands.
Yosef: "Then remove it."
Elorin reaches into the machinery.
The electromagnetic field intensifies.
The Static-Lockers turn.
The creatures react
The spotlight is still technically with the players.
But the fiction has created an immediate consequence.
The creatures have noticed Elorin.
The GM takes the spotlight through the narrative prompt.
No Fear expenditure is necessary.
The surviving Standard Static-Locker launches itself toward Elorin.
Theris is already between them.
Static-Locker attacks Elorin
Attack roll:
🎲 9 + 1 = 10
Elorin's Evasion:
10
10 meets Evasion 10.
HIT
The creature bites.
Damage:
🎲 d8 = 6
+2 = 8
Elorin's thresholds:
Major 12 / Severe 12+
8 damage = Minor Damage → 1 HP
Elorin has Armor available.
He chooses to spend one.
Minor → None
Armor is marked.
Elorin takes 0 HP.
The creature's jaws clamp against his armor.
Static explodes across the surface.
Static Discharge
Elorin must make the Reaction Roll.
Difficulty:
11
Elorin's Knowledge is +2.
🎲 Hope: 7
🎲 Fear: 4
7 + 4 + 2 = 13
SUCCESS
The Static-Lock fails.
Elorin kicks the creature away.
Elorin: "I'm fine."
Theris:
"Good."
Yosef:
"Remove it."
Elorin:
"I am."
Spotlight returns to the players
And now we have a very Daggerheart moment.
Elorin has survived the attack.
The spotlight is back with the players.
The component is partially extracted.
The remaining enemies are repositioning.
The crew can decide who acts next.
Current battlefield
Static-Locker
4/4 HP
alive
now close to Elorin
Bruiser #1
6/6 HP
Hexed
Blighting Strike has been consumed
Bruiser #2
6/6 HP
Hexed
Shinjo
5/5 HP
Elorin
5/5 HP
1 Armor spent
5 Hope
Yosef
6/6 HP
2 Stress
3 Hope
Theris
7/7 HP
3 Armor remaining
The Ancient component is partially extracted.
And the players still have the spotlight.
Yosef is currently standing closest to the tactical center of the encounter.
What does the crew do?
Static-Locker Encounter, continued
Spotlight: Players
The surviving Standard Static-Locker has backed into the wreckage.
Two Bruisers remain between the crew and the Ancient component.
The component is partially extracted from its housing, still humming with electromagnetic energy.
Theris looks over the battlefield.
She is the one who makes the decision.
THERIS
"Nobody destroys the component. Elorin, finish getting it free."
Her eyes move to the Remnants.
"Shinjo, keep those things away from him."
Then to Yosef.
"Tell me what I need to know."
Yosef studies the creatures.
He doesn't issue an order.
He simply reports.
YOSEF
"The eastern Bruiser is carrying the larger charge."
He watches its shoulders.
"After discharge, its dorsal assembly exposes the junction beneath the plating."
A beat.
"The opening should last approximately two seconds."
Theris nods.
"Good."
She raises her shield.
"Then we use it."
Elorin
Elorin returns his attention to the component.
He has already established that the Remnants are following its electromagnetic signature.
The extraction isn't finished.
He carefully manipulates the Ancient housing.
No attack roll is necessary yet. He's continuing the technical task established by his successful Knowledge roll.
The component slides another few centimeters free.
KZZZZT.
Every Remnant reacts.
The Bruisers turn toward him.
Yosef immediately notices the change.
YOSEF
"Their attention has shifted."
Theris:
"To Elorin?"
"Yes."
Theris doesn't hesitate.
"Then we keep it that way."
She steps forward.
Theris takes the spotlight
Theris advances toward the Bruisers, deliberately placing herself between them and Elorin.
The eastern Bruiser lowers its head.
Theris doesn't attack yet.
Instead, she holds her ground.
THERIS
"Come on."
The creature charges.
Theris braces.
This is exactly the sort of moment where I Am Your Shield matters. She is deliberately maintaining the proximity required to protect the crew.
But she isn't simply waiting to absorb attacks.
She's creating a choice for the Remnant:
attack Theris, or try to get past her.
The Bruiser chooses Theris.
Bruiser attack
The Hex is still active.
The Bruiser rolls:
🎲 8 + 1 = 9
Theris's Evasion:
9
HIT
Damage:
🎲 d12 = 7
Hex:
7 → 6
No Blighting Strike remains on this Bruiser.
Theris's thresholds:
11 / 19
6 damage = Minor Damage
1 HP
Theris considers her Armor.
She has 3 Armor remaining.
This is only Minor damage.
She spends one.
Minor → None
Theris takes 0 HP.
Armor:
3 → 2
The creature's jaws slam against her shield.
Theris doesn't give ground.
THERIS
"Elorin. Keep working."
Static Discharge
The bite succeeded, so Theris must make the Static-Lock reaction.
Difficulty:
13
Theris rolls:
🎲 Hope 10
🎲 Fear 5
Strength +2.
10 + 5 + 2 = 17
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Theris gains 1 Hope.
Her Hope increases by 1.
The electrical charge crawls over her armor.
Then dissipates.
Theris looks down at the smoking metal.
THERIS
"That's all you've got?"
The Bruiser recoils.
Spotlight remains with the players
The important part here is that Theris succeeded with Hope.
The spotlight does not automatically move to another character.
Theris can continue acting.
She looks toward Yosef.
THERIS
"Yosef."
He looks at the Bruiser.
THERIS
"Anything?"
Yosef watches its posture.
This is analysis, not command.
YOSEF
"The discharge destabilized the dorsal junction."
He points.
"Upper left."
Theris looks at it.
"Good."
She turns toward Shinjo.
"Shinjo."
Shinjo
Shinjo knows exactly what she means.
He moves.
He doesn't need Yosef to tell him how to fight.
He sees the opening.
The Bruiser is still recovering from its failed attempt to lock Theris.
Shinjo attacks.
Shinjo Action Roll
Presence +2.
🎲 Hope 11
🎲 Fear 4
11 + 4 + 2 = 17
Difficulty:
12
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Shinjo gains 1 Hope.
Damage:
🎲 d12 = 8
+1 weapon modifier
= 9
Bruiser thresholds:
7 / 13
9 = Major Damage → 2 HP
Bruiser:
6 → 4 HP
But the important thing is the fiction.
Yosef had identified the exposed junction.
Shinjo exploited it.
The blow lands exactly where the creature's armor had momentarily separated.
The Bruiser staggers.
SHINJO
"That's your opening?"
Yosef:
"That was the opening."
Shinjo:
"Fair."
Elorin
The players still have the spotlight.
Elorin continues working on the Ancient component.
He doesn't need to wait for a "turn."
He has already established the technical procedure.
His fingers work through the housing.
One locking mechanism.
Then another.
CLICK.
The component comes free.
The electromagnetic field abruptly intensifies.
Every remaining Static-Locker freezes.
Elorin looks at it.
Then at the creatures.
ELORIN
"Uh."
Theris:
"What?"
Elorin holds up the component.
"It's louder now."
Yosef studies the creatures.
Their heads have all turned toward Elorin.
The smaller Static-Locker begins advancing.
Yosef speaks quietly.
YOSEF
"The component is now the dominant signal."
Theris:
"Meaning?"
YOSEF
"They're going to converge on it."
Theris thinks for half a second.
Then:
"Elorin, can you control the signal?"
Elorin looks at the component.
"Maybe."
Theris:
"Can you make them follow it?"
Elorin:
"Probably."
Theris:
"Then do it."
Elorin's choice
Elorin raises the component.
The electromagnetic pulse changes.
The Standard Static-Locker immediately begins moving toward him.
The two Bruisers follow.
But Elorin isn't retreating blindly.
He's drawing them away from the Ancient machinery.
Away from the salvage site.
And toward the open section of the ruined transit chamber.
Yosef watches their movement.
He begins calculating.
YOSEF
"Their formation is compressing."
Theris:
"Good or bad?"
"Good."
A pause.
"Unless they reach Elorin."
Theris smiles.
"Then they won't."
Theris takes position
Theris moves with Elorin.
She remains close enough to protect him.
Shinjo moves to the flank.
Yosef stays behind them, watching the creatures' movement patterns.
This is the crew's formation emerging naturally:
Elorin is manipulating the technical problem.
Theris is controlling the physical engagement.
Shinjo is exploiting openings.
Yosef is reading the battlefield.
And the Static-Lockers have just been pulled away from the machinery.
The salvage site is becoming accessible.
Yosef sees something
He studies the eastern Bruiser.
Its damaged dorsal assembly is still exposed.
He doesn't tell anyone what to do.
He simply reports:
YOSEF
"The same junction is still unstable."
Theris hears him.
So does Shinjo.
So does Elorin.
Nobody needs another command.
The information is enough.
The spotlight remains with the players.
What does the crew do next?
Yes. All four observations are correct, and they change how I should run the rest of this encounter.
Before continuing, I'm locking in the corrections:
Theris: if she's deliberately taking the front position against a physical threat, Unstoppable should be part of her tactical consideration. She doesn't have to use it automatically, but this is exactly the kind of situation where it is valuable.
GM spotlight: I will not let an adversary attack merely because the players are still acting. The Bruiser's attack in my previous continuation was therefore invalid. There must be an actual spotlight transition, narrative trigger that legitimately prompts a GM move, or GM Fear expenditure.
Elorin: while he's occupied with the component, the crew loses its normal ranged damage source. Shinjo and Yosef therefore have more reason to engage the Remnants.
Yosef: his analysis stays at the level of observable behavior, movement, attack patterns, reactions, vulnerabilities revealed through combat, etc. Elorin owns the deeper Ancient-technology work.
Dice: I'll run the rolls neutrally. No "helpful" Hope streaks. A bad roll is allowed to be bad, and a Fear result is allowed to create complications. We want to discover what this encounter actually does to the crew.
Also, I won't quietly repair an unfavorable result. If the dice produce a mess, we play the mess. 🎲
STATIC-LOCKER ENCOUNTER
Continued
The Ancient component is now free of its housing.
Elorin holds it carefully.
The electromagnetic pulse coming from it has become stronger.
The three remaining Remnants are reacting to it.
Theris watches them.
She understands the immediate problem.
She is currently between the Remnants and Elorin.
That is exactly where she wants to be.
But she also knows that simply standing there and absorbing attacks isn't the best use of her abilities.
She tightens her grip on her shield.
THERIS
"All right."
She looks at the two Bruisers.
"Let's see what you can do."
Theris activates Unstoppable
She spends the appropriate resource to activate it.
No action roll.
No spotlight change.
The Unstoppable die is now active.
Theris remains in position.
Yosef
Yosef watches the Remnants.
He doesn't examine the component.
That's Elorin's domain.
He watches the creatures.
The eastern Bruiser is still favoring the side Shinjo struck.
Yosef doesn't know why its internal machinery works that way.
He doesn't need to.
He observed what happened.
YOSEF
"The eastern one is protecting its left side."
Theris:
"Because of Shinjo's attack?"
"Likely."
Shinjo looks at the Bruiser.
Yosef continues:
"It turns its body away whenever you approach."
Shinjo:
"So?"
"That side is probably harder for it to defend."
That's it.
No command.
No declaration of an automatic weakness.
Just information.
Shinjo decides what to do.
Absolutely. We’ll rewind to Shinjo’s attack and replay from there, preserving everything that was valid before the 4/4 roll.
I’ll also keep the encounter neutral from here. No manufactured Hope results, no convenient failures, and no adversary actions until the GM legitimately receives the spotlight.
STATIC-LOCKER ENCOUNTER
Rewind: Shinjo's Attack
The battlefield is tense.
The Ancient component is almost free.
Elorin is working on the extraction.
Theris stands between him and the Remnants, shield raised. Unstoppable is active.
The two Bruisers remain Hexed.
One has already been weakened by Yosef's Operational Degradation.
Yosef watches the eastern Bruiser.
Its movements have become slightly less coordinated.
He doesn't issue an order.
He simply reports what he sees.
YOSEF
"The eastern Bruiser is still favoring its left side."
Shinjo watches it.
Yosef continues.
"When you approached before, it rotated away from you."
A pause.
"That side is slower."
Theris looks toward Shinjo.
THERIS
"You heard him."
Shinjo nods.
"Yeah."
He moves.
SHINJO
Shinjo doesn't charge straight at the creature.
He circles.
The Bruiser turns to follow him.
Shinjo feints toward its center.
The creature reacts.
There.
The left side opens.
Shinjo commits.
Action Roll
Presence +2
🎲 Hope: 4
🎲 Fear: 4
The dice match.
CRITICAL SUCCESS
The numerical total is irrelevant.
The attack automatically succeeds.
It counts as With Hope.
Shinjo:
gains 1 Hope
clears 1 Stress
retains the spotlight
gains the critical damage benefit
And because this is an attack, the damage receives the critical bonus.
Critical Damage
Shinjo's weapon:
d12 + 1
Maximum value of the damage die:
12
Normal damage roll:
🎲 d12 = 9
Therefore:
9 + 12 + 1 = 22 damage
The Bruiser has:
Major 7 / Severe 13
22 meets the Severe threshold.
SEVERE DAMAGE
The Bruiser marks:
3 HP
It had 3 HP remaining.
THE BRUISER IS DESTROYED.
The strike lands precisely where Yosef identified the weakness.
Shinjo's weapon tears through the exposed section.
The creature convulses.
Its electrical systems flare violently.
Then the entire upper assembly collapses.
The Bruiser crashes onto the floor.
The electromagnetic field around its body sputters.
Silence.
Shinjo looks at Yosef.
SHINJO
"That was the slow side?"
Yosef looks at the remains.
YOSEF
"It was."
Shinjo grins.
"Good analysis."
Yosef adjusts his equipment.
"I try to be accurate."
The critical success has another consequence
Because the crit is a massive success, we need the collaborative narrative benefit.
Theris immediately recognizes the opportunity.
She looks at the remaining Remnants.
One Bruiser.
One Standard Static-Locker.
Both are now looking toward Elorin and the Ancient component.
Theris:
"One down. Keep moving."
She doesn't need to explain.
The crew knows the situation.
CURRENT STATE
Crew
Theris
HP: 7/7
Armor: 2
Unstoppable: active
Position: between Remnants and Elorin
Elorin
HP: 5/5
Armor: 2
Currently extracting the Ancient component
Shinjo
HP: 5/5
Armor: 2
+1 Hope from crit
1 Stress cleared
Free of Static-Lock
Standing beside the destroyed Bruiser
Yosef
HP: 6/6
Armor: 3
Stress: 2
Both remaining? One Bruiser is Hexed. The destroyed one no longer matters.
Remnants
Bruiser #1
Destroyed
Bruiser #2
6/6 HP
Hexed
Difficulty reduced by Yosef's Hex
Damage reduced by 1
Standard Static-Locker
4/4 HP
Battlefield
The Ancient component remains partially extracted.
Elorin is still working on it.
The surviving Remnants are now focused on the component.
The players have the spotlight.
Theris
Theris watches Shinjo's strike.
Then she looks at the remaining Bruiser.
She doesn't need Yosef to tell her what to do.
She makes the tactical decision.
THERIS
"Shinjo, keep that one occupied."
She points toward the surviving Bruiser.
"Elorin, finish the component."
Then she looks at Yosef.
"Can you keep them off us?"
Yosef studies the remaining creatures.
He doesn't answer with a command.
He looks at the Standard Static-Locker.
Then the Bruiser.
YOSEF
"The Bruiser is the larger threat."
He watches its movement.
"The smaller one is following the component more aggressively."
A brief pause.
"If Elorin continues the extraction, both will probably converge on him."
Theris nods.
"Then I'll deal with the Bruiser."
She steps forward.
THERIS
Theris advances.
She deliberately positions herself between the remaining Bruiser and Elorin.
The Bruiser lowers itself.
Theris raises her shield.
THERIS
"Come on."
The creature doesn't attack.
The spotlight remains with the players.
Theris doesn't force the creature to act.
Instead, she chooses to attack first.
Theris attacks
Presence +2.
🎲 Hope: 7
🎲 Fear: 10
Total:
7 + 10 + 2 = 19
Difficulty:
12 because the Bruiser is Hexed.
SUCCESS WITH FEAR
The attack succeeds.
But Fear is higher.
Therefore:
Theris does not gain Hope.
The spotlight passes to the GM.
The GM gets a narrative complication/move.
Damage roll:
🎲 d12 = 6
+1 weapon modifier
7 damage
The Bruiser's Major threshold is 7.
So:
MAJOR DAMAGE
2 HP
Bruiser:
6 → 4 HP
Theris's strike smashes into its torso.
The creature staggers.
But the Fear result gives the GM an opening.
GM SPOTLIGHT
The surviving Standard Static-Locker reacts first.
It darts around Theris.
Not toward her.
Toward Elorin.
The GM doesn't need to spend Fear for this. The Fear result has already handed over the spotlight.
The creature moves to intercept Elorin.
But it hasn't attacked yet.
The GM's move is positioning.
Now the Static-Locker is within striking distance of Elorin.
The GM passes the spotlight back.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Theris sees the movement.
THERIS
"Elorin!"
Elorin looks up.
The Static-Locker is closing.
He has the component half free.
He has a decision.
Shinjo is dealing with the tactical side of the battlefield.
Theris is engaged with the Bruiser.
Yosef has the information.
And Elorin is standing there with an Ancient device that is apparently functioning as a giant electromagnetic dinner bell.
He has several options.
He can:
A. Finish extracting the component.
B. Use the component to deliberately draw the Static-Locker away.
C. Attack the Static-Locker.
D. Ask Yosef for an assessment.
E. Do something else entirely.
And because this is Daggerheart, Elorin does not have to stop after one action if the action succeeds with Hope or succeeds without Fear.
The spotlight remains with the players until the fiction or dice hand it back.
Theris is the leader. Yosef is the analyst. Elorin owns the technology. Shinjo owns the maneuver.
The crew is now at a genuine decision point.
Static-Locker Encounter, continued
Spotlight: Players
Elorin looks at the Static-Locker approaching through the wreckage.
He doesn't raise his weapon.
He doesn't retreat.
He looks down at the Ancient component.
Then at Theris.
Then at Shinjo.
Finally, Yosef.
They have this.
Elorin returns his attention to the machinery.
ELORIN
"Keep it off me."
Theris answers immediately.
THERIS
"We will."
Yosef watches the approaching Remnant.
YOSEF
"It's closing from your right."
Elorin:
"Got it."
He continues the extraction.
ELORIN
The component is almost free.
One final locking mechanism remains.
Elorin works it loose.
No action roll yet. He's continuing the technical task established by his previous success.
The Static-Locker closes the distance.
Theris sees it.
She doesn't wait for it to attack.
She adjusts her stance so that if it strikes Elorin, she can intercept.
This is exactly what I Am Your Shield is for.
She stays within the necessary range.
The Static-Locker attacks
The GM has the spotlight because Elorin's previous action was successful with Hope and the players retained it.
However, the enemy cannot simply act because it is nearby.
The current fiction gives the GM a legitimate adversary move because Elorin's continued extraction has left the Static-Locker with an immediate opportunity to attack.
The creature lunges.
The target is Elorin.
Theris reacts.
THERIS
"Behind me!"
Her I Am Your Shield ability triggers.
She intercepts the attack.
The Static-Locker's jaws slam into her shield.
Static-Locker attack
Attack:
🎲 9 + 1 = 10
Theris Evasion:
9
HIT
Damage:
🎲 d8 = 7
+2
= 9 damage
Theris's thresholds:
11 / 19
9 is Minor Damage.
Normally that would be 1 HP.
Theris has Armor available.
She could spend an Armor Slot to reduce Minor to None.
But she has another consideration.
She is in Unstoppable mode.
Theris decides to let the armor take the impact.
She marks one Armor.
Armor: 2 → 1
Final HP loss: 0
The Static-Locker's jaws scrape across her armor.
Theris absorbs the attack.
Then the creature's electrical discharge begins.
Static Discharge
Because the attack hit, Theris must make the Static-Lock Reaction Roll.
Difficulty:
11
Theris rolls:
🎲 Hope: 3
🎲 Fear: 8
Strength +2.
3 + 8 + 2 = 13
SUCCESS
She resists the discharge.
The electricity crawls across her shield and dissipates.
Theris pushes the creature away.
THERIS
"That's twice."
She looks back.
"Elorin?"
ELORIN
Still working.
ELORIN
"Almost."
He releases the final locking mechanism.
CLACK.
The Ancient component comes free.
Elorin catches it with both hands.
The electromagnetic pulse intensifies.
Every Static-Locker freezes.
The remaining Bruiser turns toward him.
The Standard Static-Locker does too.
Yosef immediately notices something.
The creatures aren't looking at Elorin.
They're looking at the component.
He reports it.
YOSEF
"They're responding to the component."
Theris:
"Can Elorin move?"
Elorin:
"Yes."
Theris:
"Then we're leaving."
Yosef watches the creatures.
He studies their movement.
"They're going to follow."
Theris:
"Let them."
The crew moves
Theris backs toward the open section of the chamber.
Elorin carries the component.
Shinjo moves with them.
Yosef follows while watching the Remnants.
The creatures pursue.
But the crew has successfully separated them from the original Ancient machinery.
That means they can now potentially deal with the Remnants without risking the salvage site.
Theris looks at Elorin.
THERIS
"Can you put that down?"
Elorin:
"Probably."
Theris:
"Don't yet."
She looks at Yosef.
"How far will they follow?"
Yosef studies them.
This isn't a technical question.
It's behavioral.
Exactly his territory.
He watches their movement.
Their distance.
Their attention.
The way their heads track the component.
Yosef makes an assessment
No roll is required simply to observe the creatures' behavior.
He has enough information already.
YOSEF
"They're following the signal."
Theris:
"How far?"
Yosef watches.
"They haven't shown a limit."
Theris thinks.
Then:
"Good."
Shinjo looks at her.
"Good?"
Theris raises her shield.
"Means we get to choose where the fight happens."
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
The crew has successfully accomplished something important.
They have:
recovered the Ancient component,
separated the Remnants from the salvage site,
avoided unnecessary damage,
and moved the engagement into more favorable terrain.
But the Static-Lockers are still pursuing them.
The Bruiser is wounded at 4/6 HP.
The Standard Static-Locker remains at 4/4 HP.
Both are still affected by Yosef's tactical Hex where applicable.
Theris has:
7/7 HP
1 Armor
Unstoppable active
Elorin has:
5/5 HP
2 Armor
Ancient component secured
Shinjo has:
5/5 HP
2 Armor
no Static-Lock
Yosef has:
6/6 HP
3 Armor
2 Stress
his Hex capability still available for the remaining creatures as appropriate
Operational Degradation available
The crew now has the battlefield advantage.
Theris looks at the two Remnants approaching through the ruins.
She raises her shield.
THERIS
"All right."
She looks at the others.
"Let's salvage these things too."
The players retain the spotlight.
Correct. I mishandled Unstoppable there. Theris's decision to leave the Armor Slot untouched would have been entirely reasonable because Unstoppable already reduces the incoming physical damage by one threshold.
That also means we should correct her Armor state before continuing:
Theris was hit for 9 damage
Her Major threshold is 11
9 would normally be Minor
Unstoppable downgrades Minor → None
Therefore no Armor was spent
Theris remains at 2 Armor
Her Unstoppable Die is still at its starting value because she has not yet dealt HP damage to a target.
And yes, if needed, 3 Hope can restore 2 Armor Slots, so her Armor reserve is not necessarily a fixed dwindling resource.
Good catch. Let's continue from the corrected state.
STATIC-LOCKER ENCOUNTER
The Salvage
The two remaining Remnants follow.
The electromagnetic component pulses in Elorin's hands.
KZZZT.
The Standard Static-Locker twitches.
The Bruiser lowers its head.
Theris watches them approach.
She has her shield raised.
THERIS
"All right. We brought them somewhere useful."
She looks toward the wreckage around them.
"There should be enough room here."
Elorin glances around.
"Enough room for what?"
Theris smiles.
"Taking them apart."
Yosef
Yosef surveys the two Remnants.
The Bruiser is visibly degraded from the earlier Operational Analysis.
Its movements aren't as smooth.
The Standard Static-Locker is still relatively intact.
Yosef doesn't examine the Ancient component.
That's Elorin's specialty.
Instead, he watches the creatures.
Their movement.
Their attention.
Their reactions to the component.
He notices something.
The Bruiser is staying farther from the Standard Static-Locker.
He reports it.
YOSEF
"The Bruiser is maintaining distance from the smaller one."
Theris:
"Why?"
"I don't know."
He watches another movement.
"The smaller one moves first. The Bruiser follows."
Theris considers that.
"So the little one leads."
"Apparently."
She looks toward Shinjo.
"Interesting."
SHINJO
Shinjo looks at the Standard Static-Locker.
Then at the Bruiser.
Then back at the Standard.
He understands the opportunity.
SHINJO
"If I draw the little one away, the Bruiser follows?"
Yosef:
"Likely."
Shinjo:
"How likely?"
Yosef watches.
"Seventy percent."
Shinjo nods.
"Good enough."
He moves.
No command from Yosef.
No command needed from Theris.
Shinjo is making his own tactical choice using Yosef's information.
SHINJO'S ACTION
Shinjo moves toward the Standard Static-Locker and attacks.
Action Roll
Presence +2.
🎲 Hope: 8
🎲 Fear: 3
8 + 3 + 2 = 13
Difficulty:
11
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Shinjo gains 1 Hope.
He deals damage.
🎲 d12 = 5
+1
= 6 damage
Standard Static-Locker:
Major 5
So:
Major Damage
2 HP
The Standard Static-Locker:
4 → 2 HP
Shinjo's strike knocks it backward.
The creature emits a sharp electrical screech.
And just as Yosef predicted, the Bruiser follows.
The players retain the spotlight.
SHINJO CAN CONTINUE
Because Shinjo succeeded with Hope, nothing forces the spotlight away.
He could attack again.
But he doesn't.
He has achieved what he wanted.
He backs away.
The Standard Static-Locker follows.
The Bruiser follows the Standard.
Shinjo looks toward Theris.
SHINJO
"They're coming."
Theris:
"Good."
YOSEF
Yosef sees the formation.
The Bruiser is following.
The Standard is damaged.
And both are moving farther away from Elorin.
He could Hex the Standard Static-Locker now.
He considers it.
But he has another tactical concern.
The Bruiser is the dangerous one.
It's already Hexed.
He doesn't need to spend another Stress there.
Instead, he initiates another Operational Analysis against the Bruiser.
He's looking for a behavioral weakness rather than a technical one.
How does it respond when the Standard changes direction?
Does it protect it?
Does it follow it?
Does it prioritize the component?
Yosef rolls.
Operational Analysis
Knowledge +2.
🎲 Hope: 2
🎲 Fear: 9
Total:
2 + 9 + 2 = 13
Difficulty:
12
SUCCESS WITH FEAR
The analysis succeeds.
But Fear is higher.
Yosef gains no Hope.
The spotlight passes to the GM.
Damage:
🎲 d8 = 6
+2
= 8
Bruiser thresholds:
7 / 13
8 = Major Damage
The Bruiser takes:
2 HP
Bruiser:
4 → 2 HP
Narratively, Yosef's analysis identifies another behavioral weakness.
He doesn't damage it with a weapon.
His equipment records its movement and emits a brief mechanical pulse.
Yosef:
"It prioritizes the component over the smaller Remnant."
Then the GM gets the spotlight.
GM SPOTLIGHT
The Bruiser abruptly changes direction.
It ignores Shinjo.
It ignores the wounded Standard Static-Locker.
It charges toward Elorin and the component.
That reveals something important.
Yosef's analysis was correct.
The component matters more to it than its companion.
The GM activates the Bruiser.
Bruiser attack
The Bruiser attacks Elorin.
Attack:
🎲 12 + 1 = 13
Elorin Evasion:
10
HIT
Damage:
🎲 d12 = 8
Yosef's Hex:
8 → 7
Elorin thresholds:
12 / 12+
7 = Minor Damage
Normally:
1 HP
But Theris is within her protection range.
Her I Am Your Shield feature allows her to take the hit instead.
Theris immediately intercepts.
THERIS
"Not him."
The attack hits Theris instead.
THERIS TAKES THE HIT
Damage:
7
Theris thresholds:
11 / 19
7 = Minor.
But she is Unstoppable.
Unstoppable reduces Minor → None.
Theris takes 0 HP.
No Armor spent.
The Bruiser's jaws slam into her shield.
Theris barely moves.
Her Unstoppable Die remains unchanged because she didn't deal HP damage.
The electrical discharge follows.
Theris must make the Static-Lock Reaction.
Difficulty:
13
Theris rolls:
🎲 Hope: 6
🎲 Fear: 11
Strength +2.
6 + 11 + 2 = 19
SUCCESS WITH FEAR
She resists the Static-Lock.
But Fear is higher.
The spotlight remains with the GM.
The Bruiser recoils.
Theris is still standing.
But the GM has another move available.
The Standard Static-Locker moves toward Shinjo.
The GM does not activate it for free.
That would require spending 1 Fear.
The GM chooses not to spend it.
The spotlight passes back to the players.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
The battlefield has changed.
Theris
7/7 HP
2 Armor
Unstoppable active
She has absorbed another attack without losing HP.
Elorin
5/5 HP
2 Armor
Still carrying the Ancient component.
Shinjo
5/5 HP
2 Armor
Engaged with the damaged Standard Static-Locker.
Yosef
6/6 HP
3 Armor
2 Stress
Remnants
Standard Static-Locker
2/4 HP
Currently engaging Shinjo.
Bruiser
2/6 HP
Hexed.
Currently engaged with Theris.
Theris looks at the Bruiser in front of her.
Then at Elorin.
Then Shinjo.
Finally Yosef.
THERIS
"Status."
Yosef answers immediately.
YOSEF
"Bruiser is badly degraded. Two HP remaining by my estimate."
He looks toward Shinjo.
"The smaller one is also damaged."
Then:
"The Bruiser will prioritize the component if given the opportunity."
Theris nods.
She looks at Elorin.
"How long?"
Elorin looks at the component.
"Long enough."
Theris smiles.
"That's not a number."
Elorin:
"Then thirty seconds."
Theris raises her shield.
"Fine."
She looks at Shinjo.
"Can you finish yours?"
Shinjo looks at the damaged Static-Locker.
"Yeah."
Theris:
"Then finish it."
The spotlight remains with the players.
And for once, the crew is exactly where a salvage crew wants to be:
The valuable technology is secured.
The Remnants are damaged rather than obliterated.
And the crew leader has maneuvered the fight into a position where they can decide how much salvage they want to risk pursuing.
You're right. Blighting Strike would probably have been Yosef's better tactical choice there.
The important nuance is that Yosef shouldn't automatically use it just because it's available. But in that specific moment:
The Bruiser was already Hexed.
Theris was actively tanking/protecting.
Elorin was carrying the valuable component.
The Bruiser had just demonstrated that it would prioritize Elorin.
Yosef had already degraded it to 2 HP.
Most importantly, Blighting Strike could mitigate the next successful attack, which was precisely the danger facing Theris or Elorin.
So I overvalued "deal the last couple of HP" and undervalued Yosef's damage mitigation role. Given the crew's established tactics, Blighting Strike should generally take priority when a major threat is about to attack someone vulnerable.
And yes, Shinjo now has a much cleaner tactical option. Since he's drawn the Standard Static-Locker's attention, he doesn't necessarily need to stand there trading blows. He can use his mobility to pull it away from the others, particularly while Elorin finishes the extraction.
Let's continue from the current valid position.
STATIC-LOCKER ENCOUNTER
The Final Push
The Standard Static-Locker crackles at Shinjo.
The Bruiser remains locked onto Theris.
Elorin continues working with the Ancient component.
Yosef watches the Bruiser.
It has only a little fight left in it.
But that doesn't mean it is harmless.
Theris looks toward Yosef.
THERIS
"Anything else?"
Yosef watches the creature's posture.
The answer comes immediately.
YOSEF
"Yes."
He points toward the Bruiser.
"That thing is going to keep attacking until it can't."
Theris nods.
"Then let's make sure it can't."
Yosef activates his mechanical analysis system.
But this time he doesn't try to degrade the creature further.
He chooses Blighting Strike.
Yosef: Blighting Strike
The attack is directed at the Hexed Bruiser.
Knowledge +2.
🎲 Hope: 5
🎲 Fear: 2
Total:
5 + 2 + 2 = 9
Difficulty:
12
FAILURE
The Blighting Strike fails.
No Hope is gained because Hope is not higher than Fear? Wait:
Hope 5 > Fear 2.
Therefore Yosef does gain 1 Hope despite the failure.
Hope increases by 1.
But because the action itself failed, the spotlight passes to the GM.
This is a nice example of why the Hope/Fear resources and spotlight are separate systems.
Yosef failed to place the Blighting Strike.
But he still gains Hope.
GM SPOTLIGHT
The Bruiser sees its opening.
It lunges at Theris.
The GM activates it.
Bruiser attack
Attack:
🎲 8 + 1 = 9
Theris Evasion:
9
HIT
Damage:
🎲 d12 = 5
Hex:
5 → 4
Theris thresholds:
11 / 19
4 = Minor.
Unstoppable:
Minor → None
Theris takes 0 HP.
The creature's jaws crash against her shield.
Then the Static Discharge begins.
Static-Lock Reaction
Difficulty:
13
Theris:
🎲 Hope 8
🎲 Fear 3
Strength +2.
8 + 3 + 2 = 13
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Theris gains 1 Hope.
She resists the Static-Lock.
The electrical field bursts across her shield.
Then disappears.
The Bruiser pulls back.
And that is where its mistake becomes obvious.
It has exposed itself.
Player Spotlight
Theris sees it.
So does Shinjo.
So does Yosef.
But Yosef doesn't call the attack.
Theris does.
THERIS
"Shinjo."
Shinjo looks over.
"Now."
That's enough.
Shinjo
Shinjo disengages from the Standard Static-Locker.
Rather than trying to kill it immediately, he moves around the Bruiser.
His goal is to exploit the opening Theris has created.
He attacks the Bruiser.
Shinjo Action Roll
Presence +2.
🎲 Hope: 3
🎲 Fear: 7
Total:
3 + 7 + 2 = 12
Difficulty:
12
SUCCESS WITH FEAR
The attack succeeds.
But Fear is higher.
Shinjo gains no Hope.
The spotlight passes to the GM.
Damage:
🎲 d12 = 7
+1
= 8
Bruiser:
Major 7 / Severe 13.
8 = Major
2 HP
The Bruiser had:
2 HP
Bruiser destroyed.
Shinjo's attack strikes the weakened junction Yosef had identified earlier.
The creature collapses.
But the Fear result means the GM gets the spotlight.
GM SPOTLIGHT
The remaining Standard Static-Locker is still active.
The GM can now activate it for free, because the first adversary activation this GM turn is free.
The Standard Static-Locker sees Shinjo standing over the fallen Bruiser.
It attacks.
Static-Locker attack
Attack:
🎲 11 + 1 = 12
Shinjo Evasion:
11
HIT
Damage:
🎲 d8 = 4
+2
= 6
Shinjo threshold:
14
6 = Minor.
Shinjo has Armor available.
He spends one.
Minor → None
Armor:
2 → 1
Static Discharge.
Difficulty:
11
Shinjo rolls:
🎲 Hope 9
🎲 Fear 2
Presence +2:
9 + 2 + 2 = 13
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Shinjo gains 1 Hope.
The electrical charge fails to lock him.
The Standard Static-Locker recoils.
The GM passes the spotlight back.
Player Spotlight
The battlefield is now dramatically simpler.
Remnants
Bruiser: destroyed.
Standard Static-Locker: 2/4 HP
Crew
Theris: 7/7 HP, 2 Armor, Unstoppable active.
Elorin: 5/5 HP, 2 Armor, holding the Ancient component.
Shinjo: 5/5 HP, 1 Armor.
Yosef: 6/6 HP, 3 Armor, 2 Stress.
The Static-Locker is alone.
Elorin looks up.
ELORIN
"Component is secure."
Theris looks at the remaining creature.
Then at Shinjo.
Then Yosef.
THERIS
"Last one."
Yosef watches the Static-Locker.
It is injured.
It is alone.
And importantly, it is still potentially valuable salvage.
He doesn't recommend destroying it outright.
Instead:
YOSEF
"It's damaged."
He watches its movements.
"Still mobile."
A pause.
"It may be possible to disable it without destroying the core."
Theris considers that.
That's exactly the kind of information she needs.
She looks at Shinjo.
THERIS
"Can you keep it occupied?"
Shinjo rolls his shoulder.
"Sure."
She looks at Elorin.
"Can you extract anything useful?"
Elorin looks at the Static-Locker.
"Probably."
Theris looks at Yosef.
"Can you keep telling us where it's weak?"
Yosef nods.
"Yes."
Theris raises her shield.
"Then nobody kills it."
The Standard Static-Locker crackles.
Shinjo smiles.
"That's going to make this harder."
Theris:
"That's why we're getting paid."
Spotlight remains with the players.
The final Static-Locker is now not merely an enemy to kill. It's a salvage problem.
STATIC-LOCKER ENCOUNTER
The Final Static-Locker
The last Static-Locker stands alone.
Its shell is damaged.
Its movements are erratic.
But its core is still active.
And that makes it potentially valuable.
Theris keeps her shield raised.
THERIS
"Nobody destroys it unless we have to."
She looks at Shinjo.
"Keep it busy."
Then Elorin.
"See what you can recover."
Finally Yosef.
"Tell us what you see."
Yosef nods.
No command.
No countermanding.
Just information.
Shinjo
Shinjo steps toward the Static-Locker.
He deliberately lets it see him.
The creature's head snaps toward him.
Shinjo backs away.
One step.
Two.
The Static-Locker follows.
He keeps moving, drawing it away from Elorin.
He doesn't attack.
He's trying to control its position.
Shinjo's maneuver
This is an action that can reasonably be handled without an attack. The objective is to draw the creature away rather than damage it.
The GM sets the Difficulty at 11.
Shinjo rolls:
🎲 Hope 6
🎲 Fear 8
Presence +2:
6 + 8 + 2 = 16
SUCCESS WITH FEAR
The maneuver succeeds.
But Fear is higher.
The Static-Locker follows Shinjo exactly as intended.
However, the creature accelerates much more quickly than he expected.
It lunges forward.
The spotlight passes to the GM.
GM SPOTLIGHT
The Static-Locker doesn't attack yet.
Instead, it closes the distance rapidly, forcing Shinjo farther into the ruined transit chamber.
The creature has taken the bait.
But Shinjo has been pushed farther from the rest of the crew than he intended.
The GM passes the spotlight back.
Shinjo
Shinjo looks over his shoulder.
The others are now several meters away.
SHINJO
"Little farther than planned."
Theris hears him.
THERIS
"Can you handle it?"
Shinjo looks at the creature.
"Yeah."
Theris nods.
"Then keep it there."
Elorin
With the Static-Locker pulled away, Elorin kneels beside the wreckage.
The creature's damaged casing has exposed part of its internal assembly.
This is firmly Elorin's territory.
He studies the exposed mechanism.
No roll is required simply to recognize that the damage has made the internal system accessible.
But actually extracting something useful without destroying it is another matter.
Elorin carefully reaches toward the exposed assembly.
Technical Extraction
This requires a roll.
The GM sets the Difficulty at 13.
Elorin rolls:
🎲 Hope 7
🎲 Fear 5
His relevant trait applies.
7 + 5 + modifier = success
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Elorin gains 1 Hope.
He carefully removes a small crystalline component from the Static-Locker's damaged housing.
The creature's internal systems flicker.
Elorin freezes.
He doesn't pull anything else.
ELORIN
"I've got something."
Theris:
"Good."
Elorin examines it.
"This might be worth more than the whole carcass."
Theris:
"Then don't break it."
Elorin:
"I wasn't planning to."
Yosef
Yosef watches Shinjo and the Static-Locker.
He doesn't examine Elorin's component.
He doesn't need to.
His attention is on the Remnant's behavior.
The creature keeps trying to angle itself toward the stronger electromagnetic signal from Elorin.
But Shinjo is successfully maintaining its attention.
Yosef notices something else.
Every time Shinjo changes direction, the Static-Locker pauses for a fraction of a second before following.
He watches again.
There.
Again.
Yosef speaks.
YOSEF
"Shinjo."
Shinjo looks back.
"The creature hesitates when you reverse direction."
Shinjo:
"How long?"
"Less than a second."
Shinjo considers that.
"Enough?"
Yosef:
"Probably."
Theris hears this.
She doesn't tell Shinjo what to do.
She simply says:
THERIS
"Use it."
Shinjo
Shinjo changes direction.
Fast.
The Static-Locker hesitates.
Exactly as Yosef predicted.
Shinjo attacks.
Shinjo Action Roll
🎲 Hope 10
🎲 Fear 4
Presence +2.
10 + 4 + 2 = 16
Difficulty:
11
SUCCESS WITH HOPE
Shinjo gains 1 Hope.
He deals damage.
🎲 d12 = 4
+1
= 5 damage
The Static-Locker's Major threshold is 5.
MAJOR DAMAGE
It marks 2 HP.
The Static-Locker had 2 HP.
Static-Locker destroyed.
But Shinjo's intent was not simply to kill it.
His attack lands against the already-damaged outer shell.
The creature collapses.
The internal core remains intact.
Theris looks at the fallen Remnant.
Then at Shinjo.
THERIS
"Good."
Shinjo looks down.
"Didn't hit the core."
Elorin calls from across the chamber:
"That's because you didn't hit the important bit."
Shinjo:
"Exactly."
Elorin pauses.
"Wait. Did you actually know that?"
Shinjo:
"No."
Elorin:
"Right."
Silence
The chamber finally becomes quiet.
No electrical screeching.
No rushing mechanical feet.
No crackling discharges.
Only the faint hum of the Ancient component in Elorin's hands.
Theris lowers her shield.
The crew looks around.
The Static-Lockers are down.
And, importantly, the salvage site itself remains intact.
Theris walks toward Elorin.
THERIS
"Status."
Elorin raises the recovered component.
"Primary device recovered."
He holds up the smaller piece.
"And this came out of the Remnant."
Theris looks at Yosef.
Yosef examines the battlefield.
Not the technology.
The aftermath.
He checks the Remnants' positions, the damage patterns, and the remaining environmental hazards.
YOSEF
"No additional movement."
He waits.
Then:
"The chamber appears secure."
Theris nods.
"Good."
She looks at the crew.
"Then we salvage."
The crew's result
The encounter has ended.
Theris
7/7 HP
2 Armor
Unstoppable remains active until the scene ends or its die reaches its limit
Successfully protected Elorin multiple times
Never needed to spend Armor while Unstoppable reduced Minor damage to None
Shinjo
5/5 HP
1 Armor
Successfully drew the Static-Locker away
Exploited Yosef's behavioral observation
Finished the final Remnant without destroying its valuable internal core
Elorin
5/5 HP
2 Armor
Successfully extracted the primary Ancient component
Recovered an additional component from the Static-Locker
Yosef
6/6 HP
3 Armor
2 Stress
Maintained Hex on the major threat
Provided behavioral analysis rather than technical analysis
Used Operational Degradation to weaken the Bruiser
His failed Blighting Strike earlier could have been converted using his Hope feature, but the scene proceeds without retroactive alteration
And perhaps most importantly, the crew has demonstrated the tactical identity we've been building:
Theris protects and commands.
Yosef observes and informs.
Shinjo maneuvers and exploits openings.
Elorin handles the technology and ranged expertise.
The Static-Lockers weren't merely obstacles between the crew and the loot.
They were loot.
And the crew figured out how to defeat them without treating the salvage like collateral damage.
Comments
Post a Comment