The Snake Turtle Crystal Caper

Using the game Follow, we explore a new plane in the world of Lanternwurm.

Lanternwurm has been fighting a war against the Communion of the First Flame. Recently, they discovered a potential opportunity to get the upper hand through the use of planar travel.

They had learned that the planar catastrophe was the result of the collision of their home plane (dubbed the Dawnplane) with another alien plane (dubbed the Duskplane). The machines they knew as sanctuary engines seemed to be a kind of anchor between the two planes. Each sanctuary engine in their plane also existed simultaneously in the Duskplane (though perhaps in a different form).

The First Flame's fortress, Cinder Castle, was impenetrable in the Dawnplane. However, since its power came from a sanctuary engine, it also existed in the Duskplane, where they believed they had a better chance of sabotaging it in some way.

We are a team assembled by a coalition of forces to take an expedition into the Duskplane through a prototype portal and execute an operation against the First Flame. What operation? We'll use the quests in Follow to decide together.

The coalition (known as Aurora Force) consists of:

• A team from Lanternwurm

• A group from Master Crow's forces from the Locks

• The Spindrift Rangers, who patrol the canyons and underdark areas of the Spindrift Channel

We don't know much about the Duskplane, but we do know that a race of intelligent amphibious shapeshifters we've called Strangers came from there. We can probably expect just as large a range of humanoids, creatures, and cultures as can be found in our Dawnplane.

The Quest

The Snake Turtle Crystal Caper [The Heist]

The fellowship will delve into the Duskplane to pull off a switcheroo, finding Cinder Castle’s analog form and swapping its crystal power core with a crystal from the Dawnplane, reversing energy flows and weakening the First Flame’s base

What makes our quest difficult:

• The form of our target (the Duskplane Cinder Castle) is unknown and its crystal heart is difficult to transport

• We're inexperienced and don't know what we're doing

The Setting

• The Duskplane has a somewhat more aquatic feel, inky waters dominate in the area we land in through the portal

• An eclipsed sun hangs in the sky

• Strange creatures inhabit the local area: large squid spiders, squid-like worshippers, starfish men that constantly turn themselves inside out and back, giant mantis shrimp beasts

• The group quickly discovers that the Duskplane Cinder Castle is in fact a living, giant snake turtle. Its large crystal power source is lodged somewhere on the shell of the turtle.

The Cast

This fellowship of adventurers is new, though some of them know each other from the past.

Major Characters

Minor Characters

Challenges & Scenes

Challenge 1: Case the joint

What makes it difficult: We don't know where the Duskplane Cinder Castle is or what it looks like.

Scenes:

• The group arrives through the portal and Geraldine immediately starts surveying the area, and spots the giant snake turtle in the distance. Her efforts are hurried along by an impatient Karas. Geraldine takes the time to criticize Lucillia's choice of boots for the expedition, to Lucillia’s annoyance.

• Ikari confers with his fellow Spindrift rangers, Simms and Tomoe, about the situation.

• Prior to entering the portal, Lucillia argues with Geraldine and questions why she's even on this expedition, since she’s a scientist. She disrupts Geri’s packing, leaving items behind.

• Talbot tries to make conversation with Karas, trying to seem cool to the “alpha.” He shows off his latest “calling card” idea, a wooden carving of a church, but is brushed off by Karas.

• Karas chooses to confer with who he judges to be the most experienced team members, Ikari and Lucillia. Ikari tries to make conversation with Lucillia, as his feelings for her start to develop.

Result: White, Red: Lose a character, lose the challenge

Before entering the portal, Lucillia had taken out a component of Geraldine's equipment. It ended up being critical, causing an accidental explosion when she was surveying. Simms, assisting her, is caught in the blast and is seriously injured. The explosion alerts nearby creatures and the party needs to retreat. Simms is down for the count.

Challenge 2: Defeat security

What makes it difficult: The terrain (the back of the turtle) is full of spiky crystal outgrowths creating narrow passages and various creatures threaten us.

Scenes:

• Using our new knowledge of the location of the turtle, we portal directly onto its back without knowing what we’re jumping into. The group immediately gets into a fight with spider-squids. Karas moves to protect Geraldine, leaving Talbot exposed. Talbot decides to charge in, but his actions cause Sir Ono to be injured. Geraldine moves close to Karas, but notices his treatment of Talbot and disapproves.

• Geraldine confers with Talbot about what just happened with Karas. She is worried about the danger and recklessness, but Talbot is only interested in complaining about Karas (out of earshot from him, of course).

• Before going through the portal, Ikari gives Lucillia a crystal dagger as a gift, hoping for an intimate moment of connection, but Lucillia just accepts it casually. Geraldine walks in and observes Lucillia's obliviousness.

• Lucillia's crystal dagger has resonance qualities that help direct the group through the maze of crystal spikes. She discusses it with Geraldine (also repairing their relationship after their arguments).

• In a moment of rest, Talbot regales Tamlin, Sir Uno, and Magpie with his stories and tall tales (making a point to describe his latest calling card idea, a banner embroidered with a cross).

Result: White, White: Win the challenge

The group manages to navigate the maze of crystals and reach the power source they are meant to swap. A climactic battle ensues against a giant mantis shrimp creature. Geraldine saves Ikari (which causes him to see Geraldine in a new light).

Challenge 3: Get Away

What makes it difficult: As soon as the crystal power sources are swapped, the turtle starts to petrify causing the landscape to shift and become volatile.

Scenes:

• Talbot senses the collapsing terrain and ends up holding the exit passage open under great strain. He calls out to Karas for help. Karas, briefly hesitating, does help. With Karas holding the passage open, Talbot unexpectedly uses the opportunity to run back and place his calling card, a wooden church carving.

• Karas takes the dusk crystal out and hands it to Ikari to carry on his back, thinking it may have value. Ikari accepts the burden, though it is heavy and as large as a backpack.

• Outside the chamber, Geraldine, Lucillia, and Ikari run along, as the terrain starts to come apart. Lucillia puts herself in danger saving Geraldine.

• Ikari coordinates with Tomoe as the rangers to skillfully move the group along the treacherous pathways. He subconsciously reaches for Geraldine's hand to pull her along.

• As the party crosses the threshold, the portal doesn't close. The crystal fragment strapped to Ikari starts to come to life, turning into a strange multi-eyed creature. Lucillia considers her options: kick Ikari back through the portal to prevent the creature from endangering this plane, or save Ikari and potentially unleash a new threat?

Result: White, White: Win the quest

Ikari is grasped by a squid creature through the portal. He realizes he must be sacrificed and dramatically tells Lucillia to do it. Geraldine is also pulled in since she was holding hands with Ikari. As they are pulled back towards the portal, Karas intervenes at the last moment, cutting the crystal creature free and saving Karas and Geraldine. As the alien creature is sucked back through, Talbot wrecks the portal, closing it.

Epilogue

Karas learns to be a smidge more considerate, allowing him to be a better professional.

Geraldine takes the memory of her adventure with her and becomes a well-established scholar of the other plane. She makes records of all the strange creatures they encountered. She has a deeper respect for Lucillia's work.

Lucillia unexpectedly gets interested in science because of the adventure and goes back to educate herself. It doesn't stop her from still going on many more heists.

Talbot goes home and is satisfied he was able to finally leave his mark in the world, though not much actually changes in his circumstances. Luci and Ger still occasionally invite Talbot over for brunch.

Ikari decides he can't stay with Geraldine and parts bittersweetly. He forms a new Spindrift Ranger troop with Tomoe and a recovered Simms.