Below is a preview of the second of three adventures that comprise the tail end of ORE. It's subject to change as I make tweaks to wording or rethink (and overthink) how to present the three lean adventures in the book, but it gives you an idea of where the game is going. Primary writing is nearly done at this point, and layout is about to begin. We are getting there!

5.02 SHIFT 2 - JONAH SKY

In this shift: the crew has a limited time to carve precious ambergris out of a dead space whale. The beast expired while hurtling on a collision course with a nearby planet. They must gather what they can and escape before the hulking corpse burns up catastrophically  in the atmosphere… with them inside it!

START OF THE SESSION: First, agree on how long the session will be. Then, explain the assignment for this shift, and field any specific questions the players have about the given circumstances. When possible, let them give the answers.

Then, introduce a 6 SEGMENT SHIFT CLOCK to determine how long the team has before the whale hits the point-of-no-return. Regardless of the agreed-upon session length, the SHIFT CLOCK will ratchet up the tension. Advance the clock as a complication from a roll or when players Catch Their Breath. Also advance the clock every time the entire crew acquires 1 Cred worth of ambergris.

ACT I:  DOWN THE HATCH

OXYGEN: None

Begin this shift describing the crew inside their runabout. Whoever has the highest CONVEY is serving as pilot. Landing inside the beast’s open mouth while it is hurtling at speed is no small feat. Require a Check here to make the landing safely, and encourage someone on the crew to AID the roll, as the consequences are rather harsh. A rough landing results in either 1 Stress to EACH Miner, or the runabout is damaged and unable to take the crew back until repaired (a separate Check). 

   -Ask the players what killed the whale?

   -Ask the players what animal the extremophiles now scavenging the corpse most resemble?

ACT II: IT TAKES GUTS

OXYGEN: Ambient Available

The ship passes under and above long bristles (for filtering nutrients out of stellar gasses) and razor-sharp, retractable teeth (for tearing into the hulls of ships). Once landed, the crew is granted freedom to march into the monster’s guts and begin their work. When a complication occurs from a roll, or after every player has had a chance to narrate their actions, introduce one of the following threats:

• The carrion feeding creatures arrive and attempt to chew through and destroy the ambergris!
• A gas filled flap bursts, causing explosive decompression in the gut chamber the miners occupy!
• Two pirate harvesters get the drop on the team. They have guns trained on the group and empty packs they demand be filled with precious ambergris.
• Whatever killed the whale returns.

  -Ask the players what is beautiful about this strange, valuable stomach crud?

  -Ask a player what thing their character did not expect to see inside this beast?

ACT III: BLOW HOLE

OXYGEN: None

Once enough chaos has visited the crew, they will be down to one last segment on the SHIFT CLOCK and should be making their way back to the runabout. A final challenge here is perfect…an opponent, instability of the whale corpse causing frantic zero-g maneuvering, an explosion in the gut precipitated by heating up in the atmosphere, etc.

Give the players a fair chance to get to their ship and get out…but with just one last segment on the clock, ANY complication on a roll can mean someone doesn’t make it back…