A new platform [intro post September]

[voidtreckermods]

For those on the train

“Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Bassoon.” The train announces the morning the month changes. It seems the train counts months in days of thirty. Team Points have been updated on the system.

The day continues as most days do, chores, eating, getting ready for another day. But those who suspect that a change of month may bring something else are correct. It is only an hour or two later that there is another announcement.

“Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void imminent.”

By now they should know to hold on as the train jerks and jolts. There is only fog outside the windows but the train soon comes to a stop. The doors hiss open.

As they exit into the fog they may notice Evie exiting from the luggage carriage door. Much like Hibiki the last time they were on a platform. She leaves the train, backpack on her back as she walks through the station. She heads no call, reacts to no words and cannot be stopped as she walks to the ticket barrier and disappears through it.

Strange. But even stranger still is that there on the platform that whole time is Evie. Dressed in purple, backpack on back, with her are others. Waiting for the train.

For new arrivals

At first all they can see if steam. Billowing around them as they come to their senses. They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on your back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze but then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not very large, but it hold twelve figures all facing the tracks, all wearing similar clothing. The tracks stretch left and right into steam, or perhaps fog. Nothing can be seen to either side. There is a wall around the platform and the only entrance is a ticket barrier. It cannot be open, nor do there seem to be any staff.

What there is, is a train. Jet black and gleaming where it stands on the rails.Voidtrecker Express is emblazoned in the engine in gold. There is a hiss as the doors slide open.

Out step a selection of people, some less human than others, wearing clothes just like those worn by those on the platform.

The Train

The doors hiss open. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there is anywhere else to go and even if there was, you feel a pull. A need to board, a feeling that staying on the platform would not be a good thing.

Once on board there is lots to explore. Passengers both old and new will hopefully be delighted to see the boredom of this train journey is somewhat alleviated by the introduction of a game carriage. Plenty of games, both familiar and new to play with your new travelling companions.
Each ICP shows the same message. If Red team go and look they will find a box in the luggage compartment that contains their prize. A dralite themed cake lolly each. There are enough for the new members of Red team too, share in your teams previous success!

The food stores have been topped up with new fresh food. Salmon has taken over as the primary ingredient of choice. Hopefully everyone likes fish!

New passengers will find their tickets allow them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

Room is tight but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches and you will hopefully find a pillow for your bed if it has not been nabbed by a roommate, there are also spare blankets for if it gets cold.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers and the doors slide shut. For those who boarded two weeks ago they will know what is coming next.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view as it picks up speed.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express.” A female-coded artificial sounding voice echoes throughout the train. "Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated."

Hopefully someone warns you that you really want to heed that warning because a moment later there is a shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding.

As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to voidspace.

Comments

[myblueskies]

"I did lord Khardeen. But I think it was different." He looked confused but brightened up at the offer. "I would like to learn sir! Then maybe if I can find the game I learned in here somewhere I can teach you back and then we will both know two games!"

That was the best way!

[sell_tickets]

He gave him a bright smile. "That sounds wonderful, you have yourself a deal. So the most important thing in this chess, at least is the Queen. She is your most powerful piece, however if she is taken, you lose." Which was true of so much more than chess. "So no matter what when you play, the Queen must be protected at all costs. As long as she is alive and free you still have a chance to win, if anything happens to her, the game is over and you lost. With me so far?"

[myblueskies]

It was a good deal! He grinned and leaned forward as he listened carefully.

The queen was the most important. She was the most powerful in the chess he had learned but here she sounded more like the king.

"Yes sir! Is the aim to capture your opponents queen?"

Here comes a mix of rules we get in canon and me trying to extrapolate the rest.

[sell_tickets]

"Exactly. Now the besides the Queen, there are a number of other pieces to be aware of." He held up what looked like Rooks. "Castles. They can be hidden behind and cannot be captured. But they don't move once the game starts, so you need to think strategically when deciding where to place them. Then there is the Sanctuary." He lifted it. "This can move but only if two other pieces move with it on either side, and that move cannot be a capture move. Now, the rest of the pieces can move on their own, I'll get to how in a moment, but to identify them..." He touched each in turn. "Healers. Priestesses, who are the ones that move with the Sanctuary. Black Widows. Witches." Those were among the smallest and most numerous. "Blood males." Those were the others that were small and many. "Blood males and witches are generally the weakest pieces, the first taken, and the least likely to capture." Having had a few too many bruises from the girls in the Coven, Queens all, he tried not to use the word 'pawn' but that was very much what they were. Then he went to the ones that remained of power. "Princes. Warlords. Warlord Princes."

That done, though he still had to explain how each moved, he gestured to the board itself. "Thirteen by thirteen. The five rows closest to you are your territory, and you may place your pieces wherever you wish within them for starting position. The five closest to me are mine, and I may do the same. The middle three are the battlefield. Most of the capturing will happen there, especially at the start of play."

Re: Here comes a mix of rules we get in canon and me trying to extrapolate the rest.

[myblueskies]

Okay so that was sort of like what he knew but the next bit wasn't! Castles couldn't move at all and also couldn't be captured. Then the sanctuary which was completely new. He nodded trying to remember all the words and the pieces Khardeen was pointing to.

There were a lot more to remember than in the game Hibiki had taught him! And they could start with their pieces wherever they wanted in the nearest five rows.

"Okay lord Khardeen! I think I understand! Do you want me to put my pieces there now?"

Re: Here comes a mix of rules we get in canon and me trying to extrapolate the rest.

[sell_tickets]

He chuckled. "Might you wish to know how they can move first, so you can have some idea where they could be useful?"

[myblueskies]

Romeo grinned. He had gotten over excited! He liked games a lot. He nodded at Khardeen. "Sorry lord Khardeen! I guess I should know how they all move first!"

Then he will know where best to put them. He hopes he can remember it all. It's got a lot of rules!

[sell_tickets]

He chuckled and reached across the board to ruffle his hair. "That's fine. Alright, so the Queen first so you know how best to keep her safe. At the start of play we roll the dice to determine her Rank. That is also how many spaces she can move. Whoever has the lighter Rank, the smaller number, goes first. With me so far, kiddo?"

[myblueskies]

He grins again as his hair is ruffled and listens carefully. So the queen has a rank which is how many spaces she can move and you decided that by the roll of a dice. He nods. "I think so sir! So everyone's queen goes different depending on what number you get!"

[sell_tickets]

"Exactly. But a more powerful Queen can still lose to a cunning one."

[myblueskies]

"So you got to be smart as well as strong!"

He understood that, being smart was important in a fight! If you were clever it didn't matter so much if you were small!

[sell_tickets]

He nodded. "In real life as well as Chess. A clever person can always find a way to win against someone who is only stronger than they are. One kind of strength is just one measure of a person. There are many ways to be strong. The most important are your heart and your mind. The rest falls into place from there."

[myblueskies]

Romeo grinned, that was really important. Clever people could win even if someone was stronger than them and their heart and mind were most important!

He nodded. "I'll remember that sir!"

[sell_tickets]

"Good. I suspect you are the sort who has a lot of different strengths, some you haven't even discovered for yourself, yet."

[myblueskies]

Romeo nodded, he had already discovered lots of things about him, things he could do and strengths he had.

"How do the other pieces move, lord Khardeen?"

My kingdom for better rules in canon.

[sell_tickets]

Khary grinned and started to show him. After the Queen the Warlord Princes were the strongest and most versatile, followed by the Black Widow. The Priestess was powerful but any strategy that kept her with the sanctuary left her less versatile. The Healer could reduce the vulnerability of other pieces or even sacrifice herself to capture under certain obscure rules. Khary explained the details in a way that made it clear this wasn't a viable strategy and a waste of the Healer. Then the Prince. The Warlords and witches were about the same as each other, and then the Blood Males and Blood females were the weakest and most useless pieces.

[myblueskies]

Romeo listened as he went over each piece. There's a lot and he's a bit worried he will forget how everything is supposed to move! But he will try his best!

"Okay sir! I understand!" He thinks. But he won't know until they actually play. He can only do his best and hope his good listening paid off well!

[sell_tickets]

"Alright, shall we roll for rank and set up our sides then?"

[myblueskies]

"Yes lord Khardeen!" He grinned and looked for the dice. "So do we just roll one dice and that number is the rank?"

That was what he had said, Romeo remembered!

[sell_tickets]

He nodded and offered the dice. "Exactly. You want to roll first?"

rng was ruuuude

[myblueskies]

"Yes sir!" Romeo grinned and took the die, rolling it after shaking it in his hands. It rolled along the table before landing. On the number one. Romeo sighed slightly. "That's not very good, is it?"

Mine wasn't much better... Of course somehow they're supposed to roll dice that go to 13 somehow....

[sell_tickets]

"Remember what I said, that is only one measure of strength. Besides, you're just learning." He tossed his own die. Two. He burst out laughing. "Guess the Darkness wanted me to teach that by example. Alright, you have a White Jeweled Queen who can move one space at a time, I have a Yellow Jeweled Queen who can move two. Mine might be twice as strong, but they're both so light as to need extra protection from their stronger male pieces."

ah the d13 a perfectly logical dice....

[myblueskies]

"We can both learn all the other ways to be strong then sir!" Romeo grinned and tried to remember that. White jeweled queen who could move one space. Lord Khardeen could go twice as fast but that meant Romeo needed to be twice as smart!

"So now we put all the other pieces in the best places?"

LOL my guess is that they use 2D6 and the weakest and strongest are just impossible. Went with 1D6

[sell_tickets]

(since you did.)

He nodded. "Exactly right. Since this is your first game if you need help, let me know. We'll discuss placements before we actually start."

Re: LOL my guess is that they use 2D6 and the weakest and strongest are just impossible. Went with 1

[myblueskies]

"Okay sir!" He grinned, "I probably will need some help to start because you only get good at things if you learn them and practice lots!"

But he tried to remember all the things he had been told so far and think of the best places to put his pieces. Castles couldn't move so they were probably the most important to put somewhere good.