Differences

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--- hauh_2a_courier_station [2026/02/27 08:13] – [4 | Key (N)PCs + Dynamic Cues] admin
+++ hauh_2a_courier_station [2026/04/02 05:06] (current) – [5 | Triggers, Options & Consequences] admin
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ====== SCENE 2a — NEW KOUROU COURIER STATION ======
-{{:local_community_center_courier_station_guarding_troopers_morningstar_scenic2d.png?400|}}
+{{:trade_guild_courierstation_newkourou_scenic2d.png?direct&400|}}
 ===== 1 | Scene Overview =====
@@ Line 31: / Line 32: @@
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-==== Staged Read-Alouds (Progressive Descriptions) ====
-| **Trigger / Timing** | **Read-Aloud or Narrative Insert** |
-| **PCs ask about travel time** | “One and a half days,” the clerk replies. “We stop for a 4 hours break at the [[hope_region_courier_station|Courier Station of Hope]]. Food’s decent. Don’t expect privacy.” |
-| **PCs ask about accommodation in New Kourou etc.** | The clerk nods: We run an [[asari_inn_new_kourou|Asari Inn]] in town. Pretty simple, but reliable. |
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 ===== 3 | Scene Intent =====
@@ Line 61: / Line 53: @@
 ===== 5 | Triggers, Options & Consequences =====
-=== A. Schedules & Tickets ===
+=== Phase 1a — The Ticking Clock (Wanted & Compromised) ===
+// This phase applies only if the PCs have a High Exposure status AND they blow their cover inside the station.//
-| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction / What Happens** | **Future Hook / Consequence** |
+| **Trigger / Cue (Player Action)** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence** |
-| ⏰ **PCs ask about Morningstar caravan** | Clerk informs them that today’s caravan left hours ago; next departure is tomorrow morning, about 11 o' clock. | Enforces long waiting time if they choose caravan. |
+| 🚨 **PCs give their REAL names for the manifest (The Micro Clock Starts)** | Tamas writes the first name, pauses, and looks at a wanted ledger pinned to his desk. He does not look up. He slowly shifts his hand toward a silent alarm buzzer under the counter. "Just a moment," he murmurs. |__The Clock Starts:__ The disguise is blown by bureaucracy. The PCs have exactly 1d4 rounds (a few precious seconds) to snatch their Kourou back, silence the clerk, or flee the station before a Guarding Trooper patrol locks down the building. |
-| 🧭 **Ask about travel time** | “About a day and a half. We rest at the [[hope_region_courier_station|Hope Courier Station]] for four hours.” | Introduces Hope as a future location; sets pacing for journey. |
+| ⏳ **The Ticking Clock Expires (The Arrest)** | If the PCs linger, or if the Courier Station is their +1 Location visited after triggering the Clock on the streets, time runs out. | The iron-mesh security gates drop over the exits. Guarding Troopers storm the passenger hall with stun batons drawn. "Step away from the counter. Hands where we can see them." |
-| 💰 **PCs buy tickets** | Fare quoted: 20 [[kourou|Kourou]] per person from New Kourou to Morningstar. Names added to manifest. | Locks in caravan as chosen route; PCs must now decide where to sleep. |
+| 💥 **Guarding Troopers attempt to arrest the PCs** | The PCs must make an immediate choice. | __If PCs submit:__ Arrest and detention at the local Guarding Troopers Station. __If PCs resist/flee:__ A violent breakout sequence begins in the heart of the capital. |
 ---
-=== B. If PCs Are Wanted (Optional Tension) ===
+=== Phase 1b — Tickets & Logistics (Standard Interaction) ===
-| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction / What Happens** | **Future Hook / Consequence** |
-| 🚨 **PCs are known fugitives / wanted** | Trooper patrol lingers near manifest desk; clerk double-checks names; asks more questions. | PCs may need disguises, false names, or to abandon caravan idea. |
-| 🧾 **PCs give real names despite being wanted** | Troopers exchange looks; one steps closer, pretending to check notice board. | You can either escalate into a confrontation or let them feel “watched” and rethink their plan. |
-| 🎭 **PCs use cover identities** | Clerk notes down the names with a shrug. | Caravan remains possible but risky; tension carries into departure scene. |
----
-=== C. Information & Rumors ===
-| **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction / What Happens** | **Future Hook / Consequence** |
-| 🗺️ **Ask porter/guide about the route** | Guide grunts: “Well, if the skies don’t turn on us, and nothing big gets hungry, and nobody decides to rob us — then sure, it’s a perfectly pleasant trip.” | Confirms caravan as relatively safe option; but it is not 100% safe. |
-| 🏚️ **Ask about Hope Courier Station ** | “Hot stew, stiff beds, noisy snorers. You’ll live.” | Sets expectations for mid-journey rest scene. |
----
-=== D. Overnight Stay in New Kourou ===
+// This phase applies if the PCs are Low Exposure, or if they successfully use fake names/disguises while buying tickets. //
 | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction / What Happens** | **Future Hook / Consequence** |
-| 🛏️ **PCs ask where they can sleep** | The clerk rubs his eyes and nods toward the street. “Plenty of options, depending on your purse. Cheap bunks at the [[asari_inn_new_kourou|Asari Inn New Kourou]], cleaner rooms at the [[new_world_hotel|New World Hotel]]…  and if you’ve got friends in town, most couriers end up crashing on someone’s floor.” | Reinforces lodging choices → PCs may seek out Lexa or Hana, check into a hostel/hotel, or return to the [[office_for_special_operations|OfSO]] to ask for a couch. |
+| ⏰ **PCs ask about Morningstar caravan** | Clerk informs them that today’s caravan left hours ago; the next departure is tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM. | Enforces a long waiting time if they choose the caravan. |
-| 🧍 **Lexa or Hana present** | They can offer limited, cramped floor space in their own flats. | Keeps costs down but emphasizes their “always on the move” lifestyle. |
+| 💰 **PCs buy tickets** | Fare quoted: 20 [[kourou|Kourou]] per person. Tamas asks for their names for the official manifest. | If they provide aliases, Tamas writes them down without looking twice. The caravan is locked in as their chosen route. |
-| ↩️ **PCs decide not to wait** | They can leave the station and head back to Scene 2 Hub. | Opens up alternative travel routes: mounts, mortician’s cart, or on foot. |
+| 🧭 **PCs ask about the route/safety** | Tamas grunts: “About a day and a half. If the skies don’t turn on us, nothing big gets hungry, and nobody decides to rob us — it’s a perfectly pleasant trip.” | Confirms caravan as relatively safe, but establishes the persistent danger of the Trade Route. |
+| 🛏️ **PCs ask where they can sleep tonight** | Tamas rubs his eyes. “Cheap bunks at the [[asari_inn_new_kourou|Asari Inn]], cleaner rooms at the [[new_world_hotel|New World Hotel]]… or crash on a friend's floor.” | PCs must manage their budget and exposure overnight. Lexa or Hana can offer their cramped flats to save money. |
+| ↩️ **PCs decide not to wait until tomorrow** | They can leave the station and head back to the hub streets. | Opens up alternative travel routes (Mounts, Cart, Foot). |
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@@ Line 99: / Line 78: @@
 ===== 6 | DM Notes =====
-  * **Tone:** Procedural and slightly frustrating. No more caravans today; the world will not bend the timetable for them.
+  * **Tone:** Procedural and slightly frustrating. No more caravans today; the world will not bend the timetable for the players.
-  * **Agency:** This scene confirms that caravan travel is safe and structured — but not mandatory. PCs can still walk away and pursue mounts, the mortician’s cart, or walking.
+  * **The Manifest Trap:** The passenger manifest is a brilliant trap for Wanted players. Even if their physical disguises are perfect, giving their real names to Tamas will instantly trigger the Ticking Clock.
-  * **Clerk Personality:** Tamas is not an obstacle; he’s a tired functionary. Let patience and politeness pay off in the form of small bits of route info or rumors, not discounts.
+  * **The Ticking Clock Rules:** If the [[ticking_clock|Ticking Clock]] expires here, the iron security gates drop. If they choose to fight their way out, improvise a high-stakes escape through the muddy staging yards of New Kourou.
   * **Overnight Pressure:** Emphasize the overnight gap without making it feel like a punishment. Staying in New Kourou can create nice character scenes with Lexa, Hana, or OfSO staff — or strain the party’s budget in a cheap hostel.
-  * **If PCs Are Wanted:** Use Troopers and manifests as soft pressure. You don’t have to start a fight here; it’s enough if players feel that caravan travel would put them under constant observation.
+  * **Agency:** This scene confirms that caravan travel is safe and structured — but slow. Let the players debate if they are willing to wait, or if they'd rather risk the open road today.
-  * **Continuity:** Keep prices and travel times aligned with the station’s services. Remember: about 1.5 days to Morningstar, with an overnight stop at Hope Waystation.
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 ==== DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene ====
-{{ :dm_briefing_new_kourou_courier_station_b.mp3 |}}
+{{ :dm_briefing_hauh_newkourou_courierstation_2.mp3 |}}
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