Dan (Koa so k'Terr) decides to completely dis the rest of us and vanish from the face of the earth (later investigation determines that he is actually at work). This dramatic step forces the rest of use to abandon our eager expectations of playing Earthdawn (Nick in particular is heartbroken). In partial recompense, Bruce agrees to run Fading Suns out of the normal sequence, but only after a couple of rousing rounds of Give Me the Brain. As usual, the rest of the gang includes: Nick (Brother Xavier), Paul (Sean Punch), Chris (Peter Sangaree) and Tim (Sir Brindal Karth).
The last game session saw two years go by and the Fennen Marsh colony develop from a few huts on a riverbank to a substantial settlement with an active (albeit sparsely-used) spaceport. To open the session Sir Brindal Karth de Hazat, who spent the bulk of the last two years away on Leagueheim, finally returns to his fief. He takes particular care to be on board one of the first ships scheduled to land at his New Berlin Spaceport.
Brindal Karth acquired a variety of space ninja equipment on his trip to Leagueheim, including a laser pistol (300 FB) and two stunners (300 FB each; one of them is for Peter Sangaree). He also returns with a team of two high-priced Leagueheim Engineers, Bango Abbas and Leestra Abbas. He managed to persuade them to return to Gwynneth and Fennen Marsh with huge quantities of money (100 FB per month for each of them), plus refuge from their various enemies and creditors. His intention is to have them work on the Sulesslund Fiberlink network, and hopefully to demonstrate that it is still functional and reasonably free of qlippothic contamination.
It suddenly comes to the characters' attention that Sir Brindal Karth spent 30,000 FB on a CNC lathe the last time he went to Leagueheim, and that since then the thing has sat in the colony workshop largely unused. Everyone agrees that this state of affairs is unacceptable, as the money used to buy it came from the MachtArbeiterBank, and every minute it remains idle costs the characters interest. The characters start casting about for ideas on how to use it, suggesting everything from truck parts to railroad rails. Peter Sangaree rather patiently explains that the thing is best able to manufacture (relatively) small metal components with incredible precision. In his view, things like surgical components or firearms are good uses for the CNC Lathe, while things like railroad braces and engine blocks aren't.
The characters finally decide to try and find a trade representative in Tuam who can market them as a contract metalworking shop. They quickly determine that there are several groups interested in their services, with varying degrees of enthusiasm:
Unsurprisingly, the characters decide to go with the Flyers' Association offer. Arrangements are made to supply the parts and which raw materials suppliers the characters must use. The characters estimate that the fixed cost for the CNC lathe is about 3000-6000 FB per year.
The characters buy a radar set for the New Berlin Spaceport for 8000 FB, giving them (with Sean Punch's modifications) the ability to detect flying targets to a range of 100 km and perform automated traffic control.
They also debate paying 19,000 FB to the MachtArbeiterBank to reduce the principal on their current 50,000 FB debt, and then decide that they might need the money for a lot of other projects.
In the midst of this discussion, it develops that the characters' standard deal to entice colonists was 40 acres of land, a mule and three years of amnesty from taxation.
It suddenly occurs to the characters that they have another avenue to pursue. One of the reasons why Patrice Cheroux was so upset to find them blundering into his minefield was the fact that he had engaged the MachtArbeiterBank to find an isolated site with no significant local population. Obviously, the MachtArbeiterBank lied to him. At the same time, the MachtArbeiterBank also lied to the characters when they neglected to explain that there were heavily-accented slavers operating from the northeastern coast. The characters discuss their chances of using this knowledge as a way for both themselves and Patrice Cheroux to obtain some leverage against the MachtArbeiterBank.
They eventually decide that the best strategy is to ask Patrice Cheroux to protest finding an actual colony on a site that the MachtArbeiterBank had assured him was clear, while they simultaneously send along a protest at finding minefields and a slaver outpost on Sir Brindal Karth's fief. Their hope is that Director Stephen Yie will be so upset at being found out that he will be willing to offer both sides some kind of compensation.
Sir Brindal Karth de Hazat uses his newly-developed Savior-Faire skills to write the nicest letter he can manage to Patrice Cheroux, sketching out this plan and requesting that he send a complaint to the MachtArbeiterBank. The characters imagine that given Cheroux's known temper, it won't be hard to get him to go along with the idea.
A few short weeks after Sir Brindal Karth's return to Fennen Marsh and New Berlin, the characters are advised that an unscheduled Flyers' Association plane is inbound and requesting landing clearance. The characters note that this is quite an unusual development, as the traffic into their spaceport is currently incredibly light, and is dominated by their own Luftking. They speculate that someone very important is arriving. Everyone piles into the Moremax Spirit staff car and heads out to find out who it is.
The plane proves to be a substantial-sized jet aircraft, much nicer than the characters' beat-up Morgen Luftking in just about every way. It's passenger quickly turns out to be an old acquaintance from Delphi, the Baroness Karen Sirreya-Hazat, dressed in her best (and, apparently, most severe) Hazat finery. Two bodyguards in heavy armor accompany her.
Sir Brindal Karth does his best to offer a polite welcome to her, considering that he managed to sneak the Fennen Marsh fief out from under her feet through blackmail and trickery four years ago. Even so, things get off to a bad start when Brindal Karth doesn't realize that she expects him to bow to her, considering that her rank is theoretically substantially higher than his, for all that her ancestral lands are a radioactive wasteland. Her manner remains icy as she informs him that he is requested to meet with the Count Marco Linford de Hazat on Delphi, on a matter of Hazat security. She suggests that Brindal Karth and whatever entourage he might wish to bring should prepare to depart with her.
Brindal Karth, anxious to avoid actual open hostilities with people he is theoretically vassal to, agrees to the Baroness' requests, then offers her the hospitality of the colony and his household (which she rather dismissively comments, "Looks very much like a peasant cabin."). Mindful of the gift-giving traditions that the Baroness has apparently forgotten, Peter Sangaree arranges to give the Baroness a 200-liter barrel of blue dye. He imagines that this is enough of a gift to ensure that she recognizes her own failure to reciprocate, but at the same time is crass enough that she will surely be subtly insulted.
In the midst of the characters' preparations to depart for Delphi, Bob Lungflook approaches Sir Brindal Karth and informs him that the pilot of the jet (a Flyers' Association member) handed him a letter addressed to Sir Brindal Karth. Bob hands it over to Brindal Karth.
The letter is formally sealed with an unfamiliar seal, and is written upon something that looks more like flexible plastic than paper. It is in extremely formal language, and is from the Archpater Billao vu Naobat. The Archpater claims to be the leader of the Yuwet Heavenly Mining Concern, based upon Yuwet Asteroid in the Gwynneth Middle System. After a long introduction that contains nothing but flowery praise for Sir Brindal Karth and his various relatives, Archpater Naobat finally gets to the point. His organization mines and processes metal and radioactive ores on Yuwet Asteroid under the auspices of the Charioteers. He understands that Brindal Karth has recently opened the New Berlin Spaceport, and he wants to use it to transship refined ores to the surface of Gwynneth. He requests that Sir Brindal Karth visit him on Yuwet Asteroid so they can discuss portage rates and other business arrangements.
Given the fact that the characters are planning on heading outsystem within the next few days, they decide to delegate this task to Koa so k'Terr and Bob Lungflook, who will be remaining behind.
The characters pack up all of their personal gear, plus 9000 FB of the colony fund. Brindal Karth brings an additional 2000 FB of his own money. Bob and Koa so k'Terr are left in charge of the colony until such time as the other characters return. Everyone departs on the jet that brought the Baroness Sirreya-Hazat.
The flight back to Tuam and Llanfyrth is remarkably quiet, considering the way that Sir Brindal Karth is "close" to the Baroness. The back of the passenger compartment, far from the Baroness' hearing, the other characters pass around a variety of suggestions from the other characters on how Sir Brindal Karth could suggest to her that it really is better that he got the Fennen Marsh fief. For example, they theorize that when faced with the Vuldroks' Chibren and Vulfzee bases, she would have raised up an army and gotten herself killed, while Brindal Karth's invertebrate nature was exactly what was needed to prevail. Alternately, they argue that Brindal Karth should simply tell her to her fact that a frontier colony is really no place for a woman. Or possibly that she is a "brainless whore" from a syphilic bloodline.
Brindal Karth diplomatically elects to not pass any of these thoughts along.
Upon their arrival at Prince Cassius Field in Llanfyrth, the characters find that they are to be traveling to Delphi aboard the Hazat Frigate Viper of Aragon, under the command of Captain Sir Nelson Tagget de Hazat. At this point, the Baroness drops a huge bombshell, telling Sir Brindal Karth that she will be returning to Tuam to review the books from the Fennen Marsh fief. Sir Brindal Karth immediately assumes that the Count has found a way to get past the blackmail material, and that she's getting the fief. The other characters restrain him from immediate violence, reassuring him with the idea that if she does get the fief, they'll all become guerilla insurgents and destroy the place.
The characters are separated from their baggage and led into a waiting area where they watch the progress (or lack thereof) of various ships and planes on a small video display. Their wait is broken at some last by a filth-encrusted Charioteer in a heavy-duty work vest bearing a Cargo Master patch. He tells them that their baggage will be loaded aboard the Viper of Aragon's shuttle within the hour, but that they might as well go and get a room at a local hotel because there is a 12-hour military blackout coming into effect, and the Viper's shuttle won't get off the ground in time to avoid it. He recommends the Carillon Arms, which is quite near to the field. He claims that he knows the doorman, and can let the characters know when they need to report back to the field through him.
The Carillon Arms is located just outside the grounds of Prince Cassius Field proper, in a region where the Church has allowed the operation of power devices. As such, it normally hosts offworld travelers and is priced accordingly. Rooms cost 10 FB per night.
The characters take advantage of the delay by heading to a local tailor. Peter Sangaree orders ten fine shirts, each adorned with the New Berlin City seal (a Marsh-Hawk pouncing) and the arm braid of a City Councilor. This request costs him some 100 FB. Having made his order, he turns to the other characters and tells them that because they are all City Councilors (except for Sir Brindal Karth, who is Lord Mayor), they need to have appropriate finery. Everyone else immediately understands what he is intends. Each character ends up spending 100 FB on similar finery, though in slightly different forms (Sean Punch prefers long cloaks that conceal his mechanical bits and pieces, for example). Peter also makes a point of wearing the boots and sword the characters took from Thomas Ossy ab Gehallen.
Back at the hotel, Sir Brindal Karth opines that the characters will need to pay off the Baroness Sirreya-Hazat to keep her off their backs. Brother Xavier suggests that if she is too irritating, the characters should just kill her. Peter suggests that both of them are being too alarmist.
The characters' 12-hour blackout has just about expired when the doorman calls up to inform them that the military blackout has been extended for an additional 18 hours, and that their shuttle has been delayed by another 24 hours due to the backup of civilian traffic. Sir Brindal Karth, who suddenly realizes that he is surrounded by civilization, enquires as to the availability of women for hire, and finds that the doorman has a book full of glossy photos for just such a purpose. Brindal Karth spends 20 FB on his… pleasures.
In dramatic contrast, Peter sees a way for the New Berlin Spaceport to make money. He calls up the Charioteer Cargo Master and suggests that cargo waiting for offloading in orbit could be routed through New Berlin Port. The Cargo Master agrees to kick the suggestion up the command chain. During the conversation, he happens to mention that there is some 70,000 tons of material just waiting up in orbit.
The characters finally get on board the Viper of Aragon after a rather aggressive shuttle ride into orbit. The entire ship is very precise and military, in a way that only the Hazat seem to be able to pull off. Thanks to his relatively high status, Sir Brindal Karth is allowed to share a bunk with a junior officer, while everyone else is placed among the petty officers. Brindal Karth's bunkmate turns out to be a rather miserable 19-year-old Midshipman who misses home and hasn't been off the ship in three years. Brindal Karth entertains him with (appropriately embroidered) stories of Fennen Marsh.
The entire voyage takes some eight weeks: three weeks outbound to the Gwynneth Jumpgate, one week queuing at the gate, another week queuing at the Ravenna gate, and finally three weeks inbound to Delphi. Most of the characters spend a lot of time in the gym, practicing fencing. They find that they sometimes have trouble scheduling time, as most of the other officers on the ship also practice their fencing there. Peter and Brindal Karth eventually try using the mess hall, until the Second Lieutenant tells them to stop.
The characters are able to descend down to Sonnbourg without particular event. Once he gets back on the ground, Sir Brindal Karth looks around at the sight of the city of Sonnbourg, Capital of the Hawkwoods, and exclaims, "Incredible. Just two months ago we were on Gwynneth, and now we're on Delphi. I can't get over the pace of life in this modern age!"
Brindal Karth hires a Flyers' Association Gassler Wren for 100 FB to take the characters out to the Count's court at Spada House, about 90 kilometers away. He brings along the copy of the Omega Gospels given to him by the Captain of the Righteous Falcon as a gift for the Count.
The Count's Master of Keys, Sir Peter Gehallen de Hazat, meets the characters at the doors of Spada House. He remains the same portly, balding and middle-aged man that he was when the characters last met him. Sir Brindal Karth quickly dismisses him as a lap dog. The two of them trade barbs, until he tells the characters that the Count will meet them at a light luncheon tomorrow, and that the servant Rogers will show them to their quarters in the East Wing, near the gardens and the sewage treatment plant (hidden by a row of very healthy-looking trees).
Brindal Karth spends his time in the library, trying to look more scholarly than he really is. He is finally able to find something titled History of the Hazat in the Emperor Wars that reads more like a dimestore novel than a real history. He loves it instantly.
Sean Punch finds that the Count Marco doesn't believe in providing think machine or network access to anyone, but does have a substantial trophy room that includes a double-row of stuffed spiny fliegers. Eventually he too gravitates to the library, reading some of the Count's books on crop management and theology.
As promised, the next day the characters are shown out to the garden for the "light luncheon." They find that the Count Marco Linford de Hazat is joined by Sir Leopold Firbolg-Hazat, his Master of Borders. The Master of Borders is a thin man with a phlegmatic attitude and a sickly, rasping voice.
The first thing the Count shows the characters is a formal letter from Director Yie, requesting that Brindal Karth be made a Baronet. The Count is obviously deeply insulted by this sort of crass behaviour. Sir Brindal Karth rather desperately assures the Count that he is equally insulted. The Count's servant offers the characters some seabird sandwiches.
After the sandwiches are gone, the Count and his Master of Borders finally get to the point. Everyone is aware that the Hawkwoods admitted recently that they lost the Man-o-War Stabbing Sphinx in the Gwynneth outer system, and most folk speculate that the ship was lost to Vuldrok action. The Count explains that the Hawkwoods didn't just lose a single Man-o-War, but a fleet of five ships: the Man-o-War Stabbing Sphinx, the Frigate Vengeful Angel, the Corvettes Marigold and White Rose and the Transport City of Industry. Even worse, the City of Industry was carrying the soldiers of the 2nd Bn Schillmachen Regulars, a force of about 1000 men. The Count wants Sir Brindal Karth and his various entourage to investigate the loss. He is doubtful that it was due to the Vuldrok, and convinced that it wasn't a random accident. He is completely certain that Sir Brindal Karth can support the cost of the investigation out of his own resources.
The Count also comments (in the most polite terms possible) that he is appointing the Baroness Sirreya-Hazat to be an advisor for Sir Brindal Karth, as he is quite young and inexperienced, and needs the guidance of more experienced nobility. At this juncture, Peter Sangaree suggests that the Count could try to arrange for the Baroness to marry a Hawkwood, and get a fief on Sulesslund, near Fennen Marsh. The Count, though interested by the idea, explains that he cannot order the Baroness to take such an action, as she is not his direct vassal. However, the Master of Borders agrees to take it under advisement and suggest it to the Baroness.
After leaving the Count's presence, the characters discuss various possible fates for the ships, including who to follow up. They assume that the ships were bound somewhere, and that somebody must have known where. They all agree that they can't exactly head off into the outer system and simply look around. Peter suggests that the ships may have been an attack against the Vuldrok homeworld, or might have headed off to found their own private empire.
The decision is made when the characters learn that the Duchy Schillmachen (the home base for the 2nd Bn Schillmachen Regulars) is on Delphi, in the southern hemisphere. They decide to head there and ask a lot of questions. Along the way, they hope to take a side flight to Lenbow to talk to Director Yie.
On their arrival back at Sonnbourg, the characters hire a Gassler Wren from the Flyers' Association for 2 weeks at a cost of 1000 FB. The plane comes with a pilot and a cargo master. They depart for Schillmachen immediately. Along the way, the pilot mentions that Schillmachen has a high agrarian population and not much industry. The entire area fills its military obligation by providing large infantry units.
The session ends with the characters in the air, bound towards the southern Duchy of Schillmachen. Each character gains three experience points.