Crypt Worlds

Small, uninhabited, asteroids in or near royal space. There are several of these in The Stones. Nearly all Crypt Worlds are made from mined out asteroids. It is here that the dead are brought for internment. Some of the inhabited worlds in royal space are unsuitable for the burying of the dead. In some cases the dead must be protected from the unlawful attention of looters.

Eventually, these crypts fill up and are moved to a distant orbit where they will be left to float eternally. No one but family or the occasional desperate looters visits these crypts.

The dead memories trade changed all that. Looters now seek the memories of the dead in corporeal form using a form of spirit alchemy to create their illicit substances. To combat this violation of the dead the wealthiest royal citizens add private security firms to the defense of their family mausoleums. The less wealthy add traps, tricks, and monsters to defend their ancestor’s remains.

The Op

1. Crypt security – to protect the honored dead
2. Party hired as part of a mercenary company
3. A shipboard patrol
4. Visit a sentry outpost
5. Drive off grave robbers
6. Capture or kill some graver Robbers to discover a new horror. (Grave Worm on-board raider vessel)
7. Learn that the raiders were interrupted by Grave Worm attacks.
   1. Grave Worms are semi legendary cryptids
8. Investigation reveals they are no longer legendary. Defend the crypt.

Basic Grave Worm

[subterranean predator]

[][] fair +2 : predator action

poor -2 : move on surface

stunt –  armor:2 unless exposed on the surface.

Created by insane warlocks using banned magic back on home world. The grave worm is one of the creatures that drove civilization into space. Originally, they were intended to guard undead crypts as they cannot detect the dead.

The reporting of grave worms to the authorities will bring swift overwhelming force to bear. The company would lose their lucrative contract. The crypt they guard would be destroyed by fleet ships. An investigation would tie up resources and pay for all involved until it was determined how grave worms got to this crypt.

The company believes the more reasonable approach is to cleanse the worms from the crypt, perform their own investigation and then relocate the dead worms and any evidence uncovered to another location, possibly one protected by a rival company, before informing the authorities.

The Company – The Lock

Originally started long ago to provide steady paying work for the veterans left jobless by the exodus from home world. Though the original founders were dwarves, the company is multi racial. Folk serve where they can provide the most advantage to the company. The work is easy and the pay is decent even good when bonuses are paid. The company’s discipline and reputation is good, though, many employers believe they are too quick to hand trespassers to the authorities. They would prefer a more permanent end to those who violate their ancestors graves. In truth, some in the company turn a blind eye on minor crypt looting. Without some trespassing the companies reason for existing and it’s contract could be threatened.

Major threats to their crypts are dealt with using the ruthless efficiency of a mercenary company filled with disciplined veterans.

The Captain

Malice Crackanvil Stoneborn

Malice was elected captain by popular vote. She has a record of successful campaigns on dozens of worlds. No one knows why she is called Malice. Everyone is either afraid to ask or too polite.

The Lt.

Tusk Trollborn

Tusk served during the orc uprising. He lost his left hand to an orc chief before strangling them to death with his right. Earning him the orc enemy name “Throat Crusher” a sign of respect the orcs in his command continue to honor.

Master Sergeant

Mary Vimes

A Human woman,she lost her right eye to a wight in a close quarters fight. Later, during a routine patrol an undead raid cut her small squad off and threatened to take the crypt they guarded. She led her team on a suicidal ambush of the wight leading the raid. The survivors of her team remain faithfully loyal. She caries an illegal “wight blade” concealed on her person. It is rumored to be made from the wight that took her eye.

The tomb of Opacus

Opacus was a necromancy researcher specializing in ghosts and apparitions. She was brilliant and driven. Terrible traits for an apolitical necromancer. A rival had her killed in her lab. Unfortunately, her true death was inhibited by the spells she had woven into the very walls of her lab.
Her lab is now her tomb. She is a specter bound to this plane of existence. Her magic allows her to create magical anchors which prevent her from passing on and allow her to travel beyond her tomb.  These anchors hide and house her incorporeal form allowing her to travel secretly. She can teleport between anchors. In A.N. Society, a lich is beloved for having defeated death, but Opacus has allied with death. There are many who desire her research.

Opacus

[Spectral Necromancy Outcast]
[Political dissident]
[Death’s ally]
Quick: +3, Forceful: +2, Flashy:+2, Clever:+1, Careful: +1, Sneaky: 0

Stunts:

Animation: Spirit summoning

Possession: Forceful+2 to possess a victim. Attacks do mental stress. A Victim must concede or be taken out to be possessed. (Mental stress)

4 Anchors: for a fate point, concede defeat and vanish to one of the seven anchors.

Incorporeal: great +4 – overcome to hit and (armor:2), Vulnerable to Fire, Magic, Alchemy (purified weapons)

Weapon techniques (stunts)

Read technique: use defense skill to learn an aspect of the target on a success with style. This costs the boost normally generated

Preferred Enemy: wpn:2 vs one kind of target (Human, Undead, Dwarf, etc…)

Elven Blade Adept: school of magic focused on the blade attack and defend with magic. A weapon is magically created for the user to use. Alteration magic. Self only advantages

Subtle Attack: tag a [feint:off balance] aspect for +3

Plan of Action: Carefully plan an attack, retroactively. Pay 1fp and describe a scene where you layout a plan in advance for this situation. Create aspect Carefully with 2 tags

Totem Crafting: Craft a totem to affect a zone . Place a zone aspect Carefully. Carve/Craft the one use totem with 2 tag aspect of a spiritual nature. Requires shaman spell casting

examples: [rage totem] [fear totem]

fair difficulty to overcome, Spend tags to increase difficulty or actively resist overcome actions.