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| hauh_scene_8b_the_judgment [2026/09/05 03:36] – admin | hauh_scene_8b_the_judgment [2026/09/05 03:52] (current) – [DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene] admin |
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| === 102 Pen and Paper Adventure | Beta Age | Hunting an Unknown Hunter === | === 102 Pen and Paper Adventure | Beta Age | Hunting an Unknown Hunter === |
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| ====== SCENE 6c — ESCAPE WITH THE HUNTER ====== | ====== SCENE 8b — THE JUDGMENT ====== |
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| {{:jw_property_escapeemotyhanded.png?400|}} | {{:hauh_the_judgement.png?direct&400 |}} |
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| ===== 1 | Scene Overview ===== | ===== 1 | Scene Overview ===== |
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| * **Location:** J.W.'s Main House, the surrounding compound and the fortified perimeter on the lower slopes of the [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountains]] | * **Location:** A temporary nomadic camp of the [[the_honga|Honga Tribe]] deep within the rainforest of the lower [[atrana_mountains|Atrana Mountains]] |
| * **Type:** Extraction · Escort · Vehicle Escape · Tactical Crisis | * **Type:** Cultural Confrontation · Moral Judgment · Negotiation · Conditional Pursuit |
| * **Era:** [[beta_age|Beta Age]] | * **Era:** [[beta_age|Beta Age]] |
| * **Tone:** Urgency · controlled chaos · fragile momentum · rebellion waiting beneath the surface | * **Tone:** Solemn · watchful · spiritually charged · restrained danger |
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| **Atmosphere & Sensory Cues:** Warm, humid air beneath drifting mist · perpetual late-afternoon twilight · mud churned by boots and wagon wheels · the hiss of hydraulic machinery · salvaged pipes ticking inside the Main House · rifle reports echoing between timber walls · frightened workers watching the armed Hands | **Atmosphere & Sensory Cues:** Warm, mist-thickened air · rain dripping from immense leaves · the smell of wet moss, crushed ferns and woodsmoke · colourful layered fabrics moving between ancient trees · quiet Honga voices · the sudden absence of insects and birds · every weapon, injury and spoken promise being silently observed |
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| ---- | ---- |
| ===== 2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions ===== | ===== 2 | Read-Aloud Descriptions ===== |
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| ==== Initial Read-Aloud — The Hunter in Your Hands ==== | ==== Initial Read-Aloud — The Cycle Camp ==== |
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| You have J.W. alive. | The Honga scouts do not speak as they guide you away from the place where they stopped you. Within moments, the route by which you arrived disappears behind wet ferns, dense grey mist and ancient timber. |
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| That does not mean you have escaped. | Each scout watches you with two familiar eyes and a third, open and unblinking in the centre of the forehead. You cannot tell whether that eye sees the world differently. You know only that very little escapes its attention. |
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| The Main House creaks around you. Warm air moves through the salvaged pipes beneath the ceiling, accompanied by faint metallic ticks and changes of pressure. Beyond the narrow viewing slots, mist drifts across the salvage yard and the paths between the workshops, timber stacks and windowless huts. | After a long passage beneath the canopy, the forest opens into a temporary settlement woven between the trees. |
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| Somewhere outside, J.W.'s armed Hands continue their patrols—or have already begun searching for you. Beyond them stand the palisade and its heavily reinforced gate. The forest begins on the other side. | Light tents made from layered blue, green and amber fabrics hang from branches and living timber frames. Smoke rises in narrow threads from low fire pits. Tools, baskets and bundles have been arranged so that the entire camp could disappear into the forest without leaving more than flattened moss behind. |
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| Whether J.W. walks under guard, resists his restraints or hangs unconscious between you depends on what has already happened. In every case, he must remain alive if Ezrah's mandate is to be fulfilled. | Honga of every age pause to watch your arrival. Their attention moves across your weapons, injuries, companions and anything else you have brought into their territory. |
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| The evidence may be in your possession. The Hunter may be under your control. But the compound still lies between you and freedom. | The scouts indicate a sheltered tent near the centre of the camp. |
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| How you cross it is up to you. | Whether you have been welcomed as guests, summoned as witnesses or detained as suspects remains unclear. |
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| {{ :read_aloud_hauh_escape_with_hunter.mp3 |}} | Someone here intends to hear what happened. |
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| | {{ :initial_readaloud_scene8b_new.mp3 |}} |
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| ---- | ---- |
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| | **Trigger / Timing** | **Read-Aloud / Narrative Insert** | | | **Trigger / Timing** | **Read-Aloud / Narrative Insert** | |
| | **The Pressure Countdown reaches zero** | The ticking inside the walls stops. A heavy metallic CLACK travels through the Main House. The pipes jolt against their brackets as compressed air surges through them. Then a broad outlet beneath the roof releases a deep mechanical howl. The note rises from an industrial moan into a piercing shriek before falling and beginning again. Across the compound, doors open and armed voices answer the alarm. | | | **J.W. is brought into the camp** | The Honga watch the masked captive pass between the tents. Their expressions reveal neither recognition nor surprise, but several gazes settle upon his boots, his restraints and the tools carried by the scouts. J.W. studies the camp in silence, measuring distances and possible exits. | |
| | **The PCs reach an available freight wagon** | Two massive Manual Labor Bots stand in their harnesses, patched armor glistening beneath the mist. Heavy chains connect them to an armored freight wagon covered by rain-darkened canvas. The smell of processed pelts escapes from the cargo compartment. Faded symbols mark the unfamiliar levers on the driver's panel. | | | **The PCs arrive without J.W.** | The scouts exchange several quiet words. Their attention returns to the empty path behind you, then to whatever evidence, injuries or explanation you have brought in place of the man they expected. | |
| | **Armed Hands intercept the wagon** | Figures emerge between the timber stacks with Windstrike Rifles raised. They spread apart instead of charging, taking cover beside machinery and wood piles while searching for clear angles on the driver's bench, the exposed side ledges and the controls. | | | **Aruṋa enters the gathering** | The assembled Honga part without being ordered. An older woman steps through them, her garments carrying the colours of river, leaf and wet earth. Pale ash traces the open third eye above her brow. She studies each person in turn before looking toward the object placed at the centre of the gathering. | |
| | **The logging chain is raised** | A metallic rasp rises beneath the howl of the alarm. Ahead, a heavy logging chain pulls free of the mud and tightens across the track between two reinforced posts. Armed Hands strain at either end as the iron links rise toward the wagon's axle. | | | **The marked trap is revealed** | A scout kneels and unfolds a length of bark-fibre cloth. A crude jaw-trap falls onto the wet ground. Bent metal teeth surround a powerful spring, and a strip of coarse fur remains caught between them. Dark stains mark the rusted jaws. Two letters have been cut into the metal: J.W. | |
| | **Open resistance begins among the Blues** | Wooden latches lift along the row of huts. Pale workers emerge carrying skinning knives, hatchets, logging hooks and splitting mauls. Their attention is fixed upon the armed Hands who have controlled them—not automatically upon you. One defiant voice rises through the mist. Others answer. | | | **The trap ritual is accepted** | The Honga place the rusted mechanism upon bare earth. Warriors hold J.W. firmly while a healer waits nearby with broad leaves, clean bindings and a bowl of pungent ointment. Aruṋa raises one hand. The gathering falls completely silent. | |
| | **The PCs escape with the freight wagon** | The final obstacle gives way. The Labor Bots surge forward, dragging the armored wagon through the gate. Enormous wheels tear through the mud as the palisade slides past on either side. Ahead, the forest track disappears into rain and mist. Behind you, the compound's mechanical howl begins to fade. | | | **A pursuing force reaches the camp boundary** | A warning passes through the camp without anyone raising their voice. Honga warriors turn toward the surrounding forest. Beyond the tents, something moves among the ferns and mist—close enough to have found the hidden paths, but not yet willing to cross the boundary openly. | |
| | **The PCs escape on foot** | The palisade falls behind you as warm mist closes around the trees. Roots, wet leaves and uneven ground replace the churned mud of the compound. J.W. is still with you, and the forest offers concealment—but not safety. | | | **The PCs leave the Honga camp** | The layered tents disappear behind trees and drifting mist. A scout guides you along a concealed path until the sounds of the camp have vanished. Ahead, the rainforest opens toward the territory surrounding Morningstar and the remaining journey to New Kourou. | |
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| ---- | ---- |
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| | **Scene Type** | **Player Intents** | **DM Function / Story Link** | | | **Scene Type** | **Player Intents** | **DM Function / Story Link** | |
| | **Live Extraction & Escort** | Keep J.W. alive and under control · choose an extraction route · exploit the freight wagon when available · cross the compound · overcome the gate or palisade | Resolves the live-capture mandate while preserving the consequences of Scene 6a or 6b. The audiobook's freight-wagon escape is available as one route, but the PCs may escape on foot or create another workable plan. | | | **Judgment, Negotiation and Consequence** | Explain what happened at the compound · present evidence · fulfil or address an earlier promise · decide J.W.'s fate · preserve relations with the Honga · survive any pursuing threat | Resolves the Honga's claim to accountability without prescribing a single punishment. The PCs may support the judgment, argue for a formal trial, offer restitution, surrender J.W. or reject the Honga's authority. | |
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| ---- | ---- |
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| | **Name / Role** | **Motivation / Function** | **Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play** | **Wiki Link** | | | **Name / Role** | **Motivation / Function** | **Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play** | **Wiki Link** | |
| | **J.W. — “The Hunter”** | Survive · regain control · exploit mistakes | His behavior depends on his condition. If conscious, he watches for poorly secured restraints, divided attention and moments of hesitation. He may resist, mislead or make himself difficult to move, but he does not automatically perform the same act in every playthrough. If sedated or unconscious, his weight becomes the problem instead. | [[jareth_wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]] | | | **Aruṋa — Honga Leader and Judge** | Restore balance · determine responsibility · protect her people and the forest | Calm, attentive and difficult to deceive. She is neither vindictive nor needlessly cruel. She listens to evidence and testimony, but regards accountability as an obligation rather than a matter of convenience. | [[the_honga|Honga Tribe]] | |
| | **Black-Coated Hand — Field Leader** | Recover J.W. · contain the breach · preserve authority | Directs the armed response, positions riflemen and may order the logging chain raised. If he was already incapacitated, replace him with another surviving Hand. His violence toward a defiant worker may trigger the audiobook-inspired uprising. | [[the_humans|Exohumans]] | | | **J.W. — “The Hunter”** | Avoid punishment · escape custody · divide the PCs from the Honga | Present only if brought to the camp alive. He may deny responsibility, question the Honga's authority, offer the PCs a deal or insist that New Kourou will arrest them. He does not automatically panic, confess or beg. | [[jareth_wyrick|Jareth Wyrick]] | |
| | **J.W.'s Armed Hands** | Security · pursuit · gate control · recovery of J.W. | Small groups armed with Windstrike Rifles, hunting knives and salvaged weapons. They use cover, protect the gate, target the wagon's controls and attempt to surround the PCs. They perform the compound's security duties; the Blues do not. | [[the_humans|Exohumans]] | | | **Honga Scouts and Warriors** | Escort · observe · protect the camp · enforce Aruṋa's decision | Their treatment of the PCs follows the established Honga Relationship and Pact State. They do not automatically bind respectful visitors, nor do they attack without warning. | [[the_honga|Honga Tribe]] | |
| | **Pale Workers / Blues** | Survival · freedom from coercion · protection of their own | The Blues are coerced workers rather than guards. Their attitude toward the PCs follows the recorded Blues Disposition. Any resistance against the Hands grows from their own oppression; sympathy determines whether they also help the PCs. | [[the_blues|The Blues]] | | | **Honga Healer** | Prevent unnecessary death · treat the consequences of judgment | The healer prepares before any physical ritual and intervenes immediately afterward. The purpose of the judgment is accountability and memory, not execution. | [[the_honga|Honga Tribe]] | |
| | | **Conditional Pursuers** | Recover J.W. · detain the PCs · reclaim evidence · follow the distress signal | May consist of Guarding Trooper drones, ground responders, surviving Hands or previously established named enemies. Their presence depends entirely on the Pursuit State carried from Scene 8a. | [[guarding_troopers|Guarding Troopers]] | |
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| ---- | ---- |
| === Entry Conditions & Carried State === | === Entry Conditions & Carried State === |
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| //Before beginning the scene, preserve the consequences of the preceding scene. Do not reset the compound simply because J.W. has been captured.// | //Before beginning the scene, record why the Honga intercepted the group and what the PCs brought into their territory.// |
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| * **Escalation State:** Retain **Undetected**, **Active Search** or **Full Alarm**. | * **Mission State:** **J.W. Captured Alive** · **J.W. Not Captured** · **J.W. Dead** · **J.W.'s Fate Unknown** |
| * **Pressure Countdown:** If the Full Alarm has not sounded, retain the remaining Pressure Countdown from Scene 6a. If the PCs secured J.W. during the audience in Scene 6b and no countdown was recorded, begin at **2**. | * **J.W.'s Condition:** If present, record whether he is **Conscious**, **Sedated/Unconscious**, **Injured** and **Properly Restrained**. |
| * **Wagon State:** Retain **Departed**, **Departure Interrupted**, **Captured Outside** or **Returned Under PC Control**. If no state was recorded, use **Departed**. | * **Honga Relationship:** **Trusted** · **Uncertain** · **Hostile** |
| * **Blues Disposition:** Retain **Uncertain**, **Sympathetic** or **Alienated**. If no disposition was established, use **Uncertain**. | * **Pact State:** **No Pact** · **Promise Unfulfilled** · **Promise Fulfilled** · **Promise Broken** |
| * **J.W.'s Condition:** Record whether he is **Conscious and Properly Restrained**, **Conscious and Poorly Restrained**, or **Sedated/Unconscious**. | * **Pursuit State:** Preserve **No Confirmed Pursuit**, **Distant Pursuit** or **Close Pursuit** from Scene 8a. |
| * **Other Carried State:** Preserve injuries, missing equipment, recovered evidence, remaining ammunition and the fate of important NPCs such as Marek or Sagan. | * **Transport and Companions:** Record the Mortician's Cart, freight wagon, Hoos, Veyras, Bii and any other resources waiting outside or accompanying the group. |
| | * **Evidence:** Preserve recordings, documents, pelts, traps, testimony and other proof recovered during the investigation. |
| | * **Other Consequences:** Preserve injuries, missing equipment, wanted status, the fate of Sagan and any crimes committed during the return journey. |
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| //__The Pressure Countdown:__ Reduce the countdown by 1 whenever the PCs spend significant time searching, treating injuries, debating their route, repairing equipment or recovering from a failed action. At 0, read the staged Full Alarm description. A gunshot, shout or visible escape attempt may begin an Active Search, but it does not activate the pneumatic alarm by itself.// | //Entering the concealed Honga paths normally reduces the Pursuit State by one step. Spending a long period resting, arguing, interrogating J.W. or attempting repeated negotiations may advance it again.// |
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| //__The One-Setback Rule:__ The first failed extraction probe should create a complication rather than end the scene: the Hands close in, J.W. exploits an opening, the wagon stalls or a route becomes blocked. The PCs must address that setback before continuing. If they suffer another unresolved extraction failure, they are pinned down and must abandon J.W., surrender or attempt a desperate final action.// | |
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| ---- | ---- |
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| === Phase I — Moving J.W. Out of the Main House === | === Phase I — Reception at the Camp === |
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| | //The Honga's treatment of the PCs depends on their established relationship. Do not automatically describe the group as prisoners.// |
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| //The basement ventilation shaft is too narrow to extract an unconscious or resisting adult. Unless the PCs invent another credible route, they must descend through the house and leave through the front entrance.// | | **Honga Standing** | **Reception** | **Effect in Play** | |
| | | **Trusted or Promise Fulfilled** | The PCs are escorted into the camp as witnesses or pact-keepers. They are expected to lower their weapons but are not automatically disarmed or bound. | The PCs gain Advantage on their first respectful attempt to address Aruṋa. J.W., if present, remains restrained and closely guarded. | |
| | | **Uncertain or No Prior Meeting** | The scouts keep the group together and request that visible weapons be lowered. They watch closely while Aruṋa is summoned. | The PCs retain freedom of movement within the assigned shelter but cannot wander through the camp without an escort. | |
| | | **Promise Unfulfilled** | The Honga ask why J.W. has not been brought to them or why the earlier agreement remains incomplete. | The PCs must explain what happened. An honest account preserves the current relationship. Evasion or obvious dishonesty may change it to Hostile. | |
| | | **Hostile or Promise Broken** | The scouts disarm the PCs and may bind them if they refuse instructions or previously attacked the Honga. | The PCs are treated as suspects. Restoring an Uncertain relationship requires credible evidence, restitution or a CHA (Persuasion) probe against DC 16. | |
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| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** | | | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** | |
| ^ J.W.'S CONDITION ^^^ | ^ ENTERING THE CAMP ^^^ |
| | **J.W. is conscious and properly restrained** | He can be forced to walk, but he studies every doorway, staircase and distraction. | __Mechanic:__ One PC must remain beside him and maintain physical control. No routine movement penalty applies. Once during the scene, J.W. may deliberately resist when the controlling PC becomes distracted. Resolve this using STR (Athletics), DEX (Acrobatics) or CHA (Intimidation) against DC 14. Failure creates a setback. | | | **The PCs cooperate with the scouts** | They are led to a sheltered tent or waiting area near the centre of the camp. | __Consequence:__ The group receives water and basic treatment for immediate life-threatening injuries. Their transport and animals remain at the camp's edge unless Aruṋa permits otherwise. | |
| | **J.W. is conscious but poorly restrained** | The bindings shift when he moves. He tests them without drawing attention to what he is doing. | __Mechanic:__ A DEX (Sleight of Hand) or INT (Tinkering) probe (DC 12) reinforces the restraints. On a failure, J.W. receives one opportunity later in the scene to slip free or interfere with the PCs' movement. | | | **J.W. remains sedated or unconscious** | The Honga confirm that he is alive before assigning warriors to watch him. | __Consequence:__ The judgment may wait until he can understand the accusation. A WIS (Medicine) probe (DC 11) determines when he is likely to wake. | |
| | **J.W. is sedated or unconscious** | His full weight must be supported through the hallways and down the stairs. | __Mechanic:__ Two PCs can carry him without a probe outside immediate danger. A stretcher, suitable Tinkerer device or exceptional strength may reduce this to one PC. PCs actively carrying him cannot freely use two-handed weapons or perform actions requiring both hands. | | | **J.W. is conscious** | He observes the camp and listens carefully to every exchange. | __Consequence:__ He does not automatically speak. He waits until denial, negotiation or division offers him a useful advantage. | |
| | | **The PCs request to leave immediately** | The scouts refer the request to Aruṋa rather than simply blocking the group. | __Consequence:__ If no pact, accusation or captive requires judgment, Aruṋa may permit them to leave. If an unresolved claim exists, she first demands that it be heard. | |
| ^ LEAVING THE HOUSE ^^^ | | **The PCs attempt to flee or wander without permission** | Warriors close the surrounding paths and issue a warning. | __Mechanic:__ A group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival) or coordinated escape probe (DC 15). Success leaves the camp but changes the Honga Relationship to **Hostile** and advances the Pursuit State. Failure results in disarmament and formal detention before Aruṋa. | |
| | **The PCs descend the staircase with an unconscious J.W.** | His weight shifts with every step while the old timber creaks beneath the group. | __Mechanic:__ No probe is required if the PCs move carefully and are not under immediate pressure. If they rush, fight or carry him with only one suitable PC, resolve a group STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) probe (DC 12). Failure creates a setback and may inflict Light Damage on J.W. or a carrier. | | | **The PCs attack a Honga** | The camp responds immediately to defend its people. | __Consequence:__ Set the Honga Relationship to **Hostile**. The PCs must surrender, flee or face a coordinated response from warriors familiar with every path through the surrounding forest. | |
| | **The PCs spend time collecting additional evidence or supplies** | The ticking inside the walls continues while they search. | __Consequence:__ Allow the PCs to take clearly visible items without a probe. A broader search reduces the Pressure Countdown by 1. Evidence already collected in Scene 6a or 6b remains in their possession. | | |
| | **The PCs leave while the compound remains Undetected** | Routine work continues outside. Mist and timber stacks conceal much of the yard. | __Mechanic:__ A group DEX (Stealth) or suitable CHA (Deception) probe (DC 13) reaches the first exterior cover without discovery. Failure begins an **Active Search** and creates a setback. | | |
| | **The PCs leave during an Active Search** | Armed Hands move between cover and challenge anyone approaching the Main House. | __Mechanic:__ Use a group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival), CHA (Deception) or coordinated distraction probe (DC 14). Success reaches exterior cover. Failure brings a search party of 2–4 Hands into the route and creates a setback. | | |
| | **The PCs leave during the Full Alarm** | The pneumatic howl draws the Hands toward the Main House and gate. Stealth is no longer a reliable complete solution. | __Mechanic:__ Ask the PCs how they break through, misdirect or suppress the approaching Hands. Resolve one coordinated probe against DC 15. Success reaches the yard. Failure creates a setback and places the nearest Hands in firing range. | | |
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| ---- | ---- |
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| === Phase II — Choosing the Extraction Route === | === Phase II — Evidence, Testimony and Bargaining === |
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| //The freight wagon is an opportunity created by preceding events, not an object that appears automatically. Use the recorded Wagon State to determine which routes are available.// | //Aruṋa seeks responsibility rather than a predetermined confession. Strong evidence should speak for itself; do not hide obvious conclusions behind unnecessary probes.// |
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| | **Wagon State** | **Current Situation** | **Available Route** | | | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** | |
| | **Departure Interrupted** | The freight wagon and its two Manual Labor Bots remain inside the compound, usually near the gate or salvage yard. Armed Hands may be guarding them. | The PCs may attempt **Phase IIa — Freight-Wagon Extraction** or ignore the wagon and continue with **Phase IIb — Extraction Without the Wagon**. | | ^ ESTABLISHING RESPONSIBILITY ^^^ |
| | **Returned Under PC Control** | The PCs previously returned the captured wagon through the gate. Use the location in which they left it. | The freight-wagon route remains available. The PCs already understand enough of the controls to start the Bots without another technical probe. | | | **Aruṋa reveals the marked jaw-trap** | The initials J.W. are visible on the rusted mechanism beside blood and trapped fur. | __Consequence:__ Read **“The marked trap is revealed.”** Aruṋa states: //"Vena tum."// Nature is wounded. She asks who created the traps and who ordered their use. | |
| | **Captured Outside** | The wagon remains beyond the palisade where the PCs seized it. | The wagon cannot assist them inside the compound. Use Phase IIb. If they clear the gate and reach it, they may use it as their escape transport. | | | **The PCs previously promised to bring J.W. and have done so** | Aruṋa looks from the captive to the marked trap. | __Consequence:__ She acknowledges the fulfilled promise: //"Kato-zi."// The pact is kept. Set Pact State to **Promise Fulfilled**. | |
| | **Departed** | The wagon has continued into the forest and is no longer present at the compound. | Use Phase IIb. The PCs must reach the gate, cross the palisade or create another extraction method. | | | **The PCs present strong evidence against J.W.** | The Honga examine the trap, documents, pelts, recordings or testimony without interrupting. | __Consequence:__ If the evidence clearly identifies J.W.'s operation, no Persuasion probe is required. Aruṋa accepts that he bears responsibility and proceeds to Phase III. | |
| | **The PCs propose another workable plan** | The environment includes timber stacks, work buildings, ropes, tools, Manual Labor Bots and salvaged machinery. | Adapt the closest route below. Reward a credible plan with Advantage or a reduced DC rather than requiring the PCs to reproduce the audiobook's escape. | | | **The evidence is incomplete or ambiguous** | Aruṋa asks short questions about where the objects were found and who witnessed the events. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Investigation), CHA (Persuasion) or appropriate knowledge probe (DC 14). Success establishes a coherent chain of responsibility. Failure leaves the Honga uncertain and allows J.W. to challenge the account. | |
| | | **The PCs have no physical evidence** | Their account becomes the principal basis of the judgment. | __Mechanic:__ Previous honesty or a Trusted relationship may be sufficient. Otherwise, use CHA (Persuasion), WIS (Insight) or a suitable cultural probe (DC 15). | |
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| ---- | ^ J.W.'S RESPONSE ^^^ |
| | | **J.W. denies responsibility** | He argues that initials on a trap prove nothing or claims that others acted without his knowledge. | __Consequence:__ Contradictory documents, recordings or testimony undermine the denial automatically. Without such evidence, a WIS (Insight) probe (DC 14) reveals that he is selecting his words carefully rather than offering a complete account. | |
| | | **J.W. offers the PCs a deal** | He promises money, protection or information if they reject the Honga's judgment and leave with him. | __Consequence:__ The PCs may hear him out, reject him or pretend to cooperate. A prolonged exchange advances the Pursuit State. | |
| | | **The PCs manipulate J.W. into discussing his operation** | He attempts to reveal only enough information to protect himself. | __Mechanic:__ A CHA (Deception/Persuasion), WIS (Insight) or coordinated probe (DC 15). Success produces one meaningful admission based on the [[hauh_case_resolution|Case Resolution]]. A functioning Bii or another recorder may preserve it as evidence. | |
| | | **The PCs demand unlimited answers** | J.W. refuses to surrender every secret while he still believes he has bargaining power. | __Consequence:__ Allow one focused exchange rather than a complete exposition of the case. Additional information requires new leverage, evidence or consequences during the judgment. | |
| | | **J.W. is absent** | Aruṋa directs her questions to the PCs and examines what they brought in his place. | __Consequence:__ Continue with the relevant rows below. Do not invent a confession, captive or ritual involving J.W. | |
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| === Phase IIa — Freight-Wagon Extraction === | ^ J.W. IS NOT PRESENT ^^^ |
| | | **The PCs explain that they never found or captured J.W.** | Aruṋa asks what they learned and whether the traps remain in use. | __Consequence:__ Evidence that the PCs opposed his operation prevents them from being treated as responsible merely because they failed to capture him. | |
| | | **The PCs killed J.W.** | Aruṋa asks how and why he died. | __Consequence:__ His death does not automatically restore balance. The Honga judge the purpose and circumstances of the killing, along with whether his traps and wider operation remain. | |
| | | **J.W. escaped or was abandoned** | Aruṋa regards the threat as unresolved. | __Consequence:__ A previous promise normally remains **Unfulfilled** rather than automatically becoming Broken. Deliberate betrayal or deception may set it to **Promise Broken**. | |
| | | **The PCs present evidence without J.W.** | The Honga examine the proof and listen to the group's account. | __Consequence:__ Aruṋa may allow the PCs to carry the evidence to New Kourou while requesting that they return with proof of what follows. | |
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| //Use this phase only when the wagon remains inside the compound. The wagon provides mobility and armor, but the driver, controls and exterior ledges remain exposed.// | ---- |
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| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** | | === Phase III — Aruṋa's Judgment === |
| ^ REACHING AND STARTING THE WAGON ^^^ | |
| | **The PCs move from the Main House toward the wagon** | The route crosses the salvage yard or timber tracks while the Hands attempt to secure the vehicle. | __Mechanic:__ Resolve one group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival), STR (Athletics) or coordinated distraction probe. Use DC 13 while Undetected, DC 14 during an Active Search and DC 15 during the Full Alarm. Failure creates a setback and allows Hands to take cover near the wagon. | | |
| | **The PCs attempt to start unfamiliar Manual Labor Bots** | The control panel contains heavy levers, faded symbols and a recessed safety catch. | __Mechanic:__ An INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 13) activates the Bots. Success brings the hydraulic system to life. Failure creates a setback as the Hands close in. No probe is required if the Wagon State is **Returned Under PC Control** or a PC already mastered the controls. | | |
| | **The PCs load J.W. into the armored cargo compartment** | Bundles of processed pelts provide a place to conceal and secure him. | __Mechanic:__ Two PCs can load an unconscious J.W. without a probe. A conscious, properly restrained J.W. can be forced aboard under guard. He must be secured inside before the wagon moves; otherwise, he may exploit the first violent turn or collision. | | |
| | **The PCs assign positions on the wagon** | One PC must operate the controls. The armored cargo compartment protects J.W. and anyone inside, while the driver's bench and narrow exterior ledges remain exposed. | __Consequence:__ Ask the players to assign a driver, a guard for J.W. and any defenders. The armor provides strong cover but does not make the wagon invulnerable. | | |
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| ^ CROSSING THE COMPOUND ^^^ | //The judgment concerns responsibility, restoration and memory. The marked trap ritual remains one possible outcome, but it is not the only acceptable resolution.// |
| | **The wagon begins moving** | The Bots lean into their harness, the chains draw taut and the wheels bite into the mud. | __Mechanic:__ The driver makes an INT (Engineering/Tinkering), DEX-based vehicle or other appropriate probe (DC 14) to guide the wagon through the salvage yard and timber tracks. Success reaches the final approach to the gate. Failure creates a setback: a wheel strikes a rut, the vehicle stalls briefly or the Hands gain a clear firing position. | | |
| | **Armed Hands attack the moving wagon** | Riflemen use timber stacks and salvaged machinery as cover. They concentrate on the driver, controls and exposed defenders rather than firing blindly into J.W.'s compartment. | __Consequence:__ Use small groups of Hands instead of placing every surviving guard on the field. Returning fire, suppressing a position or creating a diversion may grant Advantage on the driver's next probe. | | |
| | **The wagon is disabled or the Bots cannot be restarted** | The armored vehicle loses momentum while the Hands converge. | __Consequence:__ The PCs may repair the immediate problem with an INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 15). Alternatively, they may remove J.W. and continue with **Phase IIb — Extraction Without the Wagon**. Preserve any existing setback. | | |
| |
| ---- | | **Trigger / Choice** | **Aruṋa's Response** | **Consequence / Mechanic** | |
| | ^ J.W. IS PRESENT AND RESPONSIBLE ^^^ |
| | | **Aruṋa declares J.W. responsible** | She gestures toward the trap and states: //"Rena vena nai omba."// Blood has broken the balance. //"Veyo-zi to."// Cause follows. | __Consequence:__ Aruṋa demands a meaningful act of accountability. The PCs may accept the trap ritual, argue for another form of judgment or surrender J.W. to Honga custody. | |
| | | **The PCs allow the marked-trap ritual** | Warriors restrain J.W. while the healer prepares to intervene. The trap is placed upon bare earth. | __Consequence:__ Read **“The trap ritual is accepted.”** The trap closes around J.W.'s lower leg. He suffers Heavy Piercing Damage and gains the **Crippled** condition, but the Honga immediately release, clean and bind the injury. The ritual is not intended to kill him. | |
| | | **The PCs argue that J.W. must face trial in New Kourou** | Aruṋa asks how a distant institution will restore what was harmed here. | __Mechanic:__ Presenting credible OfSO authority, decisive evidence and a concrete promise of public accountability requires CHA (Persuasion) or a suitable legal/cultural probe (DC 15). A Trusted relationship or Fulfilled Pact grants Advantage. Success defers physical judgment and allows the PCs to retain custody. | |
| | | **The PCs offer an alternative form of restitution** | Aruṋa considers whether the proposal addresses the traps, the dead animals and the continuing danger. | __Mechanic:__ The offer must carry real cost or obligation. Destroying the remaining trap network, exposing the operation, returning stolen resources or accepting a binding future duty may qualify. Resolve uncertain proposals with CHA (Persuasion) or WIS (Insight) against DC 15. | |
| | | **The PCs surrender J.W. to Honga custody** | Honga warriors take responsibility for guarding him while Aruṋa accepts the consequences of that decision. | __Consequence:__ The PCs leave without their captive. Set Mission State to **J.W. Not Captured** and Honga Judgment to **J.W. Taken by the Honga**. Preserve whatever evidence the PCs retain. | |
| | | **J.W. offers wealth or trade goods as restitution** | Aruṋa rejects payment that does not address the harm or prevent its continuation. | __Consequence:__ Money alone cannot settle the judgment. His offer may nevertheless expose further resources, allies or hidden parts of his operation. | |
| | | **The PCs reject every form of Honga judgment** | The gathering becomes quiet while warriors close the obvious paths. | __Consequence:__ Aruṋa permits one final explanation. A successful CHA (Persuasion) or suitable cultural probe (DC 16) negotiates departure with the debt unresolved. Failure requires surrender, escape or conflict and changes the Honga Relationship to Hostile. | |
| |
| === Phase IIb — Extraction Without the Wagon === | ^ J.W. IS ABSENT ^^^ |
| | | **The PCs acted against J.W. and present a truthful account** | Aruṋa accepts that they are witnesses or opponents rather than the cause of the trap network. | __Consequence:__ No blood sacrifice is demanded merely because J.W. is absent. The Honga may request future proof that the operation has been exposed or dismantled. | |
| | | **The PCs bear responsibility for harm against the Honga or forest** | Aruṋa turns the judgment toward their own actions. | __Consequence:__ The PCs must offer restitution appropriate to the specific harm. Do not substitute a generic punishment unrelated to what they did. | |
| | | **A previous promise remains unfulfilled** | Aruṋa asks whether the PCs still intend to honour it. | __Consequence:__ An honest commitment preserves the pact. Refusing it openly ends the pact without immediate violence unless the PCs previously used it to deceive or endanger the Honga. | |
| | | **No meaningful judgment remains** | The PCs have no captive, committed no offence and made no relevant promise. | __Consequence:__ Aruṋa may offer a warning, request information or permit the group to continue. Proceed to Phase IV only if a pursuing force reaches the camp. Otherwise resolve the Scene Outcome. | |
| |
| //Use this phase when the wagon is unavailable, abandoned or disabled. The main gate is the most direct route, but scaling the palisade remains possible when the players develop a credible method.// | //At the end of Phase III, record one Honga Judgment state:// |
| |
| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** | | * **Balance Answered:** The trap ritual or another accepted restitution occurred. |
| ^ APPROACHING THE PERIMETER ^^^ | * **Judgment Deferred:** The PCs retain J.W. under a credible promise to deliver him for formal trial. |
| | **The PCs move toward the gate with J.W.** | Mist, huts and timber stacks break the compound into short lines of sight, but armed Hands are securing the main routes. | __Mechanic:__ Resolve one group DEX (Stealth), WIS (Survival), STR (Athletics) or coordinated diversion probe. Use DC 13 while Undetected, DC 14 during an Active Search and DC 15 during the Full Alarm. Success reaches the gate area. Failure creates a setback and brings a group of Hands into the route. | | * **J.W. Taken by the Honga:** The Honga retain custody. |
| | **The PCs use workshops or timber stacks as cover** | The indirect route takes longer but avoids part of the open yard. | __Consequence:__ Grant Advantage on the movement probe, but reduce the Pressure Countdown by 1 if the Full Alarm has not yet sounded. | | * **Debt Unresolved:** The parties separate without agreement. |
| | **The PCs attempt to scale the palisade with J.W.** | The moisture-darkened timber is approximately three meters high and protected by wire along its upper edge. | __Mechanic:__ The PCs require a credible method involving rope, leverage, Tinkerer gear or a human ladder. Resolve a group STR (Athletics), DEX (Acrobatics) or suitable technical probe (DC 15). An unconscious J.W. requires at least two PCs or appropriate lifting equipment. Success clears the compound and proceeds to the Scene Outcome. Failure creates a setback and risks Light or Heavy Damage to J.W. depending on the plan. | | * **PCs Judged Responsible:** The judgment concerns harm caused by the player characters. |
| | **The captured wagon waits outside the compound** | The wagon remains where the PCs previously seized it, provided the Hands have not recovered or disabled it. | __Consequence:__ After clearing the gate or palisade, the PCs may reach the wagon and use it as their escape transport. An INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 13) is required only if no PC previously mastered its controls. | | * **No Judgment Required:** The Honga accept that no claim against the PCs remains. |
| |
| ---- | ---- |
| |
| === Phase III — The Gate Crisis === | === Phase IV — Conditional Pursuit at the Camp Boundary === |
| | |
| //Use this phase when the PCs reach the main gate. Combine only the events relevant to their route. The logging chain affects the freight wagon; the internal latches affect every gate-based escape.// | |
| | |
| | **Trigger / Cue** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Clue / Consequence / Mechanic** | | |
| ^ THE GATE AND LOGGING CHAIN ^^^ | |
| | **The gate area is undefended** | Three heavy iron latches secure the gate from the inside. There is no conventional lock to pick. | __Mechanic:__ One PC can release the latches and open the gate without a probe. Opening the heavy timber gate requires one meaningful action. | | |
| | **The Hands hold the gate** | Riflemen use the wall, huts and timber posts as cover while another Hand protects the latches. | __Mechanic:__ The PCs must suppress, deceive, outflank or overcome the defenders. Resolve the plan with an appropriate coordinated probe against DC 15. Success creates enough time for one PC to operate the latches. Failure creates or preserves a setback. | | |
| | **The Full Alarm was active before the wagon began moving, or the wagon suffered a setback** | The Hands stretch a heavy logging chain across the track between two reinforced posts. | __Consequence:__ Read **“The logging chain is raised.”** The chain blocks the wagon but does not affect PCs escaping elsewhere on foot. | | |
| | **The PCs notice the chain before impact** | The links rise from the mud ahead of the front axle. | __Mechanic:__ A WIS (Perception) probe (DC 13) spots the trap in time. Success allows the driver to stop under control and grants Advantage on the action used to clear or bypass the chain. Failure means the axle strikes the chain. | | |
| | **The wagon strikes the logging chain** | The vehicle stops violently while the Bots continue straining in their harnesses. | __Consequence:__ The wagon becomes trapped but is not automatically destroyed. Exposed riders must pass a DEX (Acrobatics) probe (DC 12) or lose their footing and suffer Light Damage. A properly secured J.W. remains protected inside the cargo compartment. | | |
| | **The PCs attempt to free the wagon** | The chain is held around the posts while Hands defend its ends. | __Mechanic:__ The PCs may drive away the chain crews, cut or release the links with suitable tools, or use a group STR (Athletics) probe (DC 14). An INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 13) identifies the fastest release point. Success clears the axle. Failure allows the Hands to close in and creates or preserves a setback. | | |
| | **The final gate latch is jammed** | Wet grit and corrosion hold the iron mechanism in its housing. | __Mechanic:__ A STR (Athletics) or INT (Engineering/Tinkering) probe (DC 14) releases it. Suitable tools or assistance from a Sympathetic Blue grants Advantage. | | |
| | |
| ^ HOSTAGE LEVERAGE ^^^ | |
| | **The PCs threaten J.W. to force the Hands back** | The nearest Hands hesitate, but the field leader attempts to judge whether the threat is genuine. | __Mechanic:__ A CHA (Intimidation) probe (DC 15). Success buys one unopposed action to move, release a latch or address another obstacle. The Hands do not surrender permanently. Failure means they continue closing in. Using J.W. as physical cover exposes him to crossfire and may jeopardize the live-capture mandate. | | |
| | |
| ^ THE BLUES AT THE GATE ^^^ | |
| | **The Blues hear the Full Alarm or witness the gate confrontation** | Workers emerge cautiously from their huts or watch from doorways. They carry work tools but do not automatically attack either side. | __Consequence:__ Preserve the current Blues Disposition. Their presence creates the possibility of resistance, not guaranteed rescue. | | |
| | **The PCs appeal directly to Uncertain Blues** | The workers look between the PCs and the armed Hands, weighing the danger of becoming involved. | __Mechanic:__ One PC may make a brief CHA (Persuasion), WIS (Insight) or suitable cultural/language probe (DC 14). Mentioning the Nameless Man, lowering weapons or clearly identifying J.W. as their common oppressor grants Advantage. Success changes their disposition to **Sympathetic**. Failure leaves it **Uncertain**. Threats or violence change it to **Alienated**. | | |
| | **A Hand attacks or shoots a worker who openly defies an order** | The violence confirms that the Hands will answer defiance with force. A worker raises a cry, and others move against their oppressors. | __Optional Audiobook Path:__ Open resistance begins among the Blues. The workers engage nearby Hands with tools, hooks and improvised weapons. This resistance originates from their own grievances and should follow visible brutality or an established moment of defiance—not appear solely to rescue the PCs. | | |
| | **The PCs attack or endanger the Blues** | The workers scatter, defend themselves or withdraw from the gate area. | __Consequence:__ Set Blues Disposition to **Alienated**. The PCs receive no direct assistance even if the workers later resist the Hands for their own reasons. | | |
| | **No open resistance begins** | The workers remain in their doorways or withdraw when ordered. | __Consequence:__ The PCs must complete the extraction without an uprising. Sympathetic Blues may still provide one discreet advantage according to the table below. | | |
| |
| //If open resistance begins, apply the recorded Blues Disposition:// | //Use this phase only if the Pursuit State is Close or earlier events established that a pursuing force followed the PCs into Honga territory. There is no automatic ambush by Valen, Mustafa or any other named character.// |
| |
| | **Blues Disposition** | **Effect During the Gate Crisis** | | | **Trigger / Situation** | **Immediate Reaction** | **Consequence / Mechanic** | |
| | **Sympathetic** | The workers recognize the PCs as possible allies. Once during the crisis, they may drive a Hand from a chain post, help release a gate latch, point out an open route or grant an automatic success on one reasonable assistance-based task. | | | **No pursuing force reaches the camp** | The surrounding forest remains quiet while the Honga prepare a concealed departure path. | __Consequence:__ The PCs leave without another confrontation. Reduce the Pursuit State to **No Confirmed Pursuit** or **Distant Pursuit**, depending on unresolved external searches. | |
| | **Uncertain** | The workers resist the Hands but concentrate on their own survival. Their intervention distracts the nearest guards and grants the PCs Advantage on one gate or chain action, but no worker takes direct responsibility for J.W. or the PCs. | | | **Guarding Trooper drones locate the camp boundary** | Searchlights move across the canopy while loudspeakers order the fugitives or suspected kidnappers to emerge. | __Consequence:__ The Honga regard the surveillance as an intrusion but do not automatically attack legitimate law enforcement. The PCs may communicate, present evidence, remain concealed or leave by another path. | |
| | **Alienated** | The workers may still turn against the Hands, but they avoid the PCs and provide no direct aid. The Hands' distraction creates an opportunity, but the PCs must clear the chain and gate themselves. | | | **Guarding Troopers enter Honga territory without permission** | Warriors block their advance and issue a warning. | __Consequence:__ The Honga defend their boundary if the warning is ignored. They do so to protect their people and territory, not because they have joined the PCs' mission. | |
| | | **Surviving Hands approach the camp secretly** | Armed figures wait beyond the tents for an opportunity to recover J.W. or attack the PCs. | __Consequence:__ A WIS (Perception/Survival) probe (DC 14) notices disturbed vegetation or an unnatural silence. Success allows the PCs and Honga to prepare. Failure grants the pursuers Advantage on their opening action. | |
| | | **The pursuers attack into the camp** | Honga warriors respond immediately to violence within their protected space. | __Consequence:__ The Honga engage the intruders while directing non-combatants away. Their defence creates an escape opportunity but does not make them permanent allies of the PCs. | |
| | | **A previously established named enemy leads the pursuit** | The character behaves according to their injuries, equipment and motive established in earlier scenes. | __Consequence:__ Use that character only if their survival and ability to follow are plausible. Do not restore a defeated enemy or create an unrecorded mounted posse. | |
| | | **The PCs deliberately lure pursuers into the camp** | Aruṋa recognizes that the PCs knowingly endangered the settlement. | __Consequence:__ Unless this plan was agreed with the Honga, reduce the Honga Relationship by one step. The Honga may complete the immediate defence but hold the PCs responsible afterward. | |
| | | **The pursuers are defeated, misdirected or avoided** | The Honga open a concealed route leading away from the camp. | __Consequence:__ Read **“The PCs leave the Honga camp.”** Return to Scene 8a with the updated Pursuit State. | |
| | | **The Hands capture the PCs and recover J.W.** | Surviving Hands disarm the group and transport them back toward the compound. | __Consequence:__ Proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. | |
| | | **Guarding Troopers detain the group** | The PCs, evidence and captive are placed under lawful restraint while the competing accounts are investigated. | __Consequence:__ This is not automatic return to J.W.'s compound. Continue through the legal and evidence consequences described in [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a]]. | |
| |
| ---- | ---- |
| === Scene Outcome & Transition === | === Scene Outcome & Transition === |
| |
| | **Outcome** | **Immediate Consequence** | **Transition** | | | **Outcome** | **Carried Consequence** | **Transition** | |
| | **The PCs clear the compound with a living J.W.** | The palisade disappears into the mist behind them. Record whether they escaped by freight wagon, recovered a wagon outside or continued on foot. | Proceed to [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a — Return to New Kourou]]. | | | **The PCs leave with a living J.W.** | Record whether he is unharmed, injured or Crippled and whether the Honga deferred judgment or accepted restitution. | Return to [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a]], beginning with **Phase IV — Choosing the Route Around Morningstar**. | |
| | **The PCs are forced to abandon J.W.** | The Hands recover him while the PCs flee through the gate, over the wall or into the surrounding forest. | Proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d — Escape Empty-Handed]]. | | | **The Honga retain J.W.** | The PCs continue without a captive but retain any evidence not surrendered with him. | Return to Scene 8a, Phase IV, with Mission State **J.W. Not Captured**. | |
| | **J.W. escapes from the PCs during the extraction** | He reaches the Hands or disappears into the compound while the PCs remain under pressure. | If the PCs flee, proceed to Scene 6d. If they continue pursuing him, return briefly to the relevant part of Scene 6a under the current escalation state. | | | **The PCs arrived without J.W. and are permitted to leave** | Their evidence, pact status and explanation determine their continuing relationship with the Honga. | Return to Scene 8a, Phase IV. | |
| | **J.W. is killed** | Ezrah's live-capture mandate fails. The PCs may retain whatever evidence they recovered, but they cannot achieve the complete mission outcome. | If they escape, proceed to Scene 6d and carry forward J.W.'s death. | | | **The PCs escape or depart with the Honga hostile** | The group leaves without guidance and may expose its trail to existing pursuers. | Return to Scene 8a, Phase IV. Set Honga Relationship to **Hostile** and advance the Pursuit State by one step. | |
| | **The PCs are surrounded, subdued or surrender** | The Hands disarm and restrain the group. The Full Alarm or Active Search remains in effect. | Proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. | | | **The PCs are taken by J.W.'s Hands** | The Hands return them to the compound. | Proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. | |
| | | **The PCs are detained by Guarding Troopers** | Their evidence, OfSO connection, wanted status and J.W.'s testimony become central. | Return to the appropriate legal-intervention section of Scene 8a rather than Scene 6b. | |
| |
| //Before leaving the scene, record:// | //Before returning to Scene 8a, record:// |
| |
| * **Escape Transport:** Freight Wagon · On Foot · Other | * **Mission State:** J.W. Captured Alive · J.W. Not Captured · J.W. Dead · J.W.'s Fate Unknown |
| * **J.W.'s Condition:** Conscious · Sedated/Unconscious · Injured | * **J.W.'s Condition:** Conscious · Sedated/Unconscious · Injured · Crippled |
| * **Blues Disposition:** Uncertain · Sympathetic · Alienated | * **Honga Relationship:** Trusted · Uncertain · Hostile |
| * **Blues Resistance:** None · Open Defiance | * **Pact State:** No Pact · Promise Unfulfilled · Promise Fulfilled · Promise Broken |
| * **Carried Resources:** Injuries · ammunition · missing equipment · recovered evidence | * **Honga Judgment:** Balance Answered · Judgment Deferred · J.W. Taken by the Honga · Debt Unresolved · PCs Judged Responsible · No Judgment Required |
| * **Wagon Outcome:** Escaped With PCs · Available Outside · Left Behind/Disabled | * **Pursuit State:** No Confirmed Pursuit · Distant Pursuit · Close Pursuit |
| | * **Carried Resources:** Evidence · recordings · equipment · injuries · companions and transport |
| |
| ---- | ---- |
| ===== 6 | DM Notes ===== | ===== 6 | DM Notes ===== |
| |
| * **The Audiobook Route Is an Option:** The freight wagon, logging chain and workers' resistance reproduce the principal beats of Chapter 12, but the players are not required to follow that exact sequence. | * **The Camp Is Not Beside the Trade Route:** The Honga may intercept the PCs on an overgrown trail, within their territory or after following them through concealed forest paths. The opening deliberately avoids fixing the encounter to a particular road. |
| * **Follow the Three Steps:** First move J.W. out of the house. Then select the route permitted by the Wagon State. Finally resolve the gate or palisade. Most of the tables are conditional and can be ignored when they do not match the PCs' choices. | * **Do Not Automatically Imprison the PCs:** Trusted visitors and pact-keepers are treated differently from unknown or hostile intruders. Determine their reception from the carried relationship. |
| * **Preserve Previous Decisions:** Wagon State, Blues Disposition, escalation, equipment, injuries and evidence should matter. Do not restore resources or reposition the wagon merely to create the audiobook outcome. | * **Judgment Is Not Predetermined:** The marked-trap ritual remains available, but the PCs may argue for formal prosecution, offer meaningful restitution or surrender J.W. to Honga custody. |
| * **Hands Guard; Blues Work:** The armed Hands search, pursue, shoot and defend the gate. The Blues are coerced workers. Never use them as an automatic hostile swarm. | * **Portray Aruṋa as Deliberate:** She does not seek suffering for entertainment. She wants responsibility acknowledged, harm addressed and future damage prevented. |
| * **Resistance Belongs to the Blues:** If the workers rebel, they do so because of their oppression and the Hands' brutality. Their disposition determines their relationship with the PCs, not whether they possess reasons of their own to resist. | * **Respect Strong Evidence:** Documents, recordings and physical proof should establish facts without unnecessary Persuasion probes. Use probes when the interpretation or credibility remains uncertain. |
| * **Active Search Is Not Full Alarm:** Gunfire, discovery and shouting begin or intensify an Active Search. Only the Pressure Countdown reaching zero activates the pneumatic Full Alarm. | * **The Honga Are Not a Rescue Force:** They may defend their territory against pursuers, but they do not automatically join the PCs or attack legitimate officials. |
| * **J.W.'s Condition Is Not Fixed:** A sedated J.W. creates a carrying problem. A conscious J.W. creates a control problem. Do not force him to perform “dead weight” sabotage if another response fits the established situation better. | * **Pursuit Is Conditional:** Introduce only the forces supported by Scene 8a's Pursuit State and the survival of established enemies. |
| * **Keep the Escape Moving:** Use the One-Setback Rule instead of demanding repeated movement probes. Each failed action should change the situation and require a new decision. | * **Avoid the Mandatory Boss Fight:** A confrontation at the camp boundary is one possible consequence, not the required climax of the scene. |
| * **The Gate Opens From Inside:** The gate is secured by heavy internal latches rather than a conventional lock. If the PCs reach it uncontested, they can open it. The challenge is gaining the time and position to do so. | * **The Ritual Is Not an Execution:** If the trap judgment occurs, Honga healers immediately prevent avoidable death. Its purpose is injury, memory and accountability. |
| * **Protect the Mandate Without Granting Immunity:** The Hands prefer to recover J.W. alive and may hesitate when he is exposed, but bullets, collisions and desperate choices can still injure or kill him. | * **Return to the Correct Phase:** After the judgment, continue with Scene 8a, Phase IV, where the players choose their route around Morningstar. |
| * **End at the Perimeter:** Once the PCs and J.W. are beyond the compound, stop this scene. Resolve the forest journey and subsequent pursuit in Scene 8a. | |
| |
| ==== DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene ==== | ==== DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene ==== |
| |
| {{ :dm_briefing_hauh_escape_with_hunter.mp3 |}} | {{ :dmbriefing_scene_8bnew.mp3 |}} |
| |
| ---- | ---- |
| * ↑↑ **Start:** [[hunting_an_unknown_hunter|Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] | * ↑↑ **Start:** [[hunting_an_unknown_hunter|Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] |
| * ★ **Overview:** [[All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter|All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] | * ★ **Overview:** [[All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter|All Scenes of Hunting An Unknown Hunter]] |
| * ← **Possible Previous Scenes:** | * ☞ **Resolution:** [[hauh_case_resolution|Case Resolution and Discoverable Backstory]] |
| * [[hauh_in_the_realm_of_the_hunter|Scene 6a — In the Realm of the Hunter]] | * ← **Previous Scene:** [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a — Return to New Kourou, Phase III]] |
| * [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]] | * → **Next Scene:** Return to [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a — Return to New Kourou]], beginning with **Phase IV — Choosing the Route Around Morningstar** |
| * → **The outcome determines the next scene:** | * **If the PCs are recovered by J.W.'s Hands:** Proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]] |
| * **If the PCs escape with a living J.W.:** Proceed to [[hauh_return_to_new_kourou|Scene 8a — Return to New Kourou]]. | |
| * **If the PCs escape without J.W. or J.W. dies:** Proceed to [[hauh_escape_empty_handed|Scene 6d — Escape Empty-Handed]]. | |
| * **If the PCs are overwhelmed or surrender:** Proceed to [[hauh_prisoner_in_realm_of_hunter|Scene 6b — As a Prisoner in the Realm of the Hunter]]. | |
