Dead Planet for Mothership - A Retrospective Play Report from 2023
This is a compilation of play reports from my first experience running Mothership and happened almost exactly two years ago in the fall of 2023. I’m posting it now because I think it’s pretty cool and I rarely hear anyone talk about the Dead Planet module anymore. I think it’s great if not as quite as easy to learn with as Another Bug Hunt. What is truly great is that it is a bounded sandbox which gives the players plenty of agency without letting them just “NOPE” out of everything. They cannot leave the system unless they do something pretty significant and engage with the various locations. Of note this was run with the original “0e” version of the rules.
One thing I did change is rather than have the harpoon from the moon target their ship and drag them to the surface, I had it target a nearby ship so they could choose how to react. This did later give them the ability to avoid interacting with the main moon colony as much as may have been intended. Also, I pre-generated three nearby derelicts with the included generator to give them additional locations to explore if they wanted. While they did not choose to do this, it would have given them access to parts and modules to modify their ship for a century long slow ride out the system if they had wanted to do that. It still would have been terrifying and deadly, but I wanted to provide additional ways to solve the central problem of the module, escape from the Dead System.
I started off using a pseudo “in universe” ship’s log as the play report format and mostly kept to that, though sprinkled throughout are various computer and sensor queries that I used to feed the players additional information to aid their decision making and planning between and during sessions. The official log ended with entry three, as I never posted a closing report after the fourth and final session, but I have written a brief recap of what happened to complete the story for the blogpost.
This thing is too long to do the detailed editing pass I usually do. I hope you enjoy, despite the inevitable typos.
-Carl D.
PARTIAL REBOOT_COMPLETE
LIFE SUPPORT//OPERATIONAL HYPERDRIVE//OPERATIONAL^JUMP INITIATION FAILED^ MANEUVERING THRUSTERS//OPERATIONAL MAIN COMPUTER//OPERATIONAL_MAJOR DATA LOSS
FILE RECOVERY IN PROGRESS… … …
Ship’s Log – FALSTAFF – Fast Cargo Courier – Registration Number CP4458962
UNKNOWN EVENT_LOSS OF PRIOR RECORDS
Crew Manifest:
DATA_ERROR – Captain – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP – DATA_ERROR
Rolf – First Officer – STATUS: ACTIVE - Teamster’s Union Ship Ops Certification – 9976493
DATA_ERROR – Pilot/2nd Officer – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP – DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP – DATA_ERROR
Napoleon – Android – STATUS: ACTIVE – SN 563900199-9282
Gates – Android – STATUS: ACTIVE – SN 563900199-2965
Passenger Manifest:
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
LCpl Chet – CMC (LEAVE) – STATUS: ACTIVE – CMCID: 675-233-5509
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
SSgt Wren – CMC (TRANSFER) – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP – CMCID: 390-521-8740
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR
Zedekiah – Researcher – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP – University of Idalia Minor FID: 55092
DATA_ERROR – DATA_ERROR – STATUS: CRYOSLEEP - DATA_ERROR \
Falstaff’s android Artificial Person crew members Napoleon and Gates had been monitoring ships systems during a hyperspace jump from DATA_ERROR to Sol system and Earth. Remainder of crew and all passengers were in cryosleep for the duration of the jump. Without warning the Falstaff experienced a rapid and unplanned hyperspace deceleration. Gates and Napoleon followed standard protocol and pulled First Officer Rolf from cryo to determine how to proceed. A scan of the local system revealed an unknown planet at a distance of 608,302km. In orbit around this planet were found an unknown number of apparently derelict ships (600-1000+ estimate) and a single moon at a distance of 56,768km.
The moon’s orbit will cause it to close with the Falstaff in approximately 36 hours. All ship systems seem to be nominal - though the hyperdrive is unable to initiate jump. The scan also revealed a nearby ship, the Alexis. Residual data in the Falstaff’s computer shows that the Alexis is an archaeological researched vessel that entered hyperspace enroute to Earth 18 day prior. The crew elected to investigate the Alexis in hopes finding information about their predicament. FO Rolf decided to pull a Marine, LCpl Chet, from Cryo to assist in the boarding operation. Gates remained aboard the Falstaff to monitor systems. The crew elected to board the vessel from the starboard cargo hatch gaining access to the main cargo hold. There they found excavation machinery and -
INSERT FROM NAPOLEON DATA LOG a strange artifact made of a dark, twisted metal—a steel alloy containing iron, carbon, tungsten, and cobalt. A grotesque statue of excessively jointed twisted limbs entwined with screaming faces adorned with too many eyes. It is 3 ft wide by 5 ft high and about 2 ft thick. Broken pieces of a cargo crate surround this horrible effigy. These pieces are scattered outward as if a force blew the crate apart from the inside. There are 6 dead crew members kneeling around the relic with their hands or foreheads touching it.
Within minutes of arrival the object starts to flicker causing the ship itself to shudder as tendrils of dark energy emanate from the artifact. It appeared that a dimensional gate opened, and a previously undocumented organism shambled out. FO Rolf described the creature as “emaciated, leathery, graceful and tall. A series of grasping claws protruded from it torso and its face opened into a mouth and possibly telekinetic organ. It creates a scream like sound that is intensely unnerving.” The crew managed to slip out through an adjacent hatch and LCpl Chet left engaged with a frag grenade with unobservable results. After 13 minutes the anomaly that seemed to originate with the artifact stopped and the crew searched for information. They found that like the Falstaff the Alexis’ hyperdrive was apparently functional but could not initiate jump. The crew found no human survivors and all corpses showed signs of violent death, some self-inflicted. In the ships laboratory the crew encounter a second xenomorph. This type described by LCpl Chet as
“an armored shell about a foot long and scurrying around using a series of long, prehensile tentacle things, some had spines along their back that may have contained toxins or poison gas. I dunno, they smelled bad. I fragged those fuckers as we pulled back.”
At this point the gate anomaly occurred again, this time causing Napoleon to shut down. Hearing the scream of the larger xenomorph the crew moved to return to the Falstaff. As they neared the Falstaff Napoleon rebooted. Once aboard they discovered that the bridge of the Alexis appeared to have functional android Artificial Person. the crew mounted a second excursion directly to the bridge - cutting through the view screen and entering the vessel. Here they found Pander and Kranot, two androids (fine, androids - Napoleon) attempting to determine what happened and with no data of anything since the last hyperspace jump was initiated. Much of their other data was corrupted and unreliable. The crew returned to the Falstaff. Once aboard, the crew witnessed a large, tethered harpoon impact another ship and begin to pull it down to the surface of the moon. The crew discussed potential courses of action, including putting the Alexis on a collision course with harpoon point of origin.
END OF MISSION LOG_ENTRY 1
**SENSOR DATA PLANET 1 **
Size: Midsized
Type: Terrestrial
Climate: Temperate - Plant and animal life detected - elevated levels of CO2 and methane.
Gravity: 1.05 (g)
Average Temperature: 26 C
Day Length/Rotation: 39 hours \
SENSOR DATA MOON 1a
Size: Small
Type: Terrestrial - Tide Locked
Climate: No Atmosphere / Barren - Possible life in isolated locations. \
Gravity: .58 (g)
Average Temperature: 120 C (dayside) / -130 C (nightside)
Day Length/Rotation: 28 Days \
INCOMING TRANSMISSION **SIGNAL ORIGIN—SURFACE OF PLANET 1 **
Q U E E N O M N I S U P R E M E 9 - 4 - 9 - 0
YA N K E E H E L I O S F O X T R O T This is Lance-Corporal Victoria Bradlee, allow me to repeat: Queen Omni Supreme 4-9-0.
No one is going to hear this so I’d like to make a confession: after the things we did in that forest this almost seems nice… relaxing… no screams, no disputes, just rocks and fishing with all the water. The Captain is convinced there’s a big payday here, some bomb… maybe some artifacts to loot and get rich off of some antiques dealer.
[Sighs] It’ll all be junk tho; that seems just about our luck… at least this place is too empty for us to have any hostiles… Captain can’t see the wasteland for the total emptiness so still guard up. What’s that saying the Captain loves so much? “The more hardship, the better.” Well, at least the weather’s nice?
And this hardship had better pay off because I didn’t sign on for being stranded in the middle of nowhere. As I say “Heureux comme un poisson sur la paille,” but half the unit forgot the coms code.
Yet another exciting task.
YA N K E E H E L I O S F O X T R O T 9 - 4 - 4 - 9
END OF TRANSMISSION
MISSION LOG UPLOAD_ENTRY 2
After considering all the available sensor information and transmissions from LCPL Bradlee the crew concludes that the energy anomaly may be inhibiting the hyperdrive and elects to investigate on the planet surface. Anticipating potential danger they also bring SSG Wren out of cryosleep. Preparations complete they put the Falstaff down on the island in the safest landing zone, near the center of the island. Napoleon stays behind with the ship, while FO Rolf, SSG Wren, LCPL Chet, and Gates begin the long (60km) trek to the crash site of the ship now identified as the Defiance, a long range CMC dropship.
The crew slept on the ship for the first night and experienced the following strange dreams - even Gates’ standby time was interrupted by the bizarre visions:
Dream 1: You are the DKRENOM and your people are building their burial towers. With massive chests and powerful tentacled arms and legs you cut and move heavy slabs of rock from the north of the island. Now is the time for dying. This is how we die.
Dream 2: The ULURIANA are standing at the coast and watching giant, aquatic beasts hurl themselves onto the beaches to flop and suffocate. They are doing their part and contributing to the plan. “All will die here for all of time,” one of your Life Mates clicks at you. Your gaze travels up its long, thin legs, skinny torso, and delicate pincer arms, and your wings buzz in anticipation. You nod and move towards your death chamber even as you wish it was time for the Mating Flight instead of the Death Song.
Dream 3: You marvel at your eight slender fingers upon a graceful and long arm. It’s hard for your brain to process your vision as you seem to have an extra set of eyes. You look around and see your people, the TRILILE ELYAAN XHANXHENDRI, chopping apart your spacecraft to remove the engines and drag them toward a dead city of tall towers. Then you know you will all die.
Dream 4: The SKISZKRYNZ toil. They build a door which will not be functional for another two ages. They drop to the ground and are covered by strange, dark, crawling things.
Despite these disquieting dreams the crew presses on to the wreck of the Defiance.
During the approach march the crew encountered a group of creatures that had clearly been killed with CMC issued weapons. As they started to examine them one proved to still be alive, launching into a relentless attack. Only the continuous and concentrated firepower of two submachine guns and a laser cutter brought the creature down. The appearance of the creature was described by Gates in data notes:
“The xenomorph is emaciated and hunch-backed with willowy arms, squat legs, and webbed digits. They are as comfortable moving on two limbs as four. Their faces consist of immense eyes and high nostrils atop an elongated vertical orifice of interlocking bone tipped digits. Its biology appears similar to the creatures encountered by the crew during the inspection of the Alexis.”
As they continued to move they also found useful items among the various bits of ship wreckage spread across the island. The first set appeared to have been deliberately buried and contained:
CANVAS “DOCTOR” BAG (CADUCEUS): BIOSCANNER, PAIN PILLS (X6), FIRST AID KIT, STIMPACK (X2), CYBERNETIC DIAGNOSTIC SCANNER, D&C 7 TRANQUILIZER PISTOL, ROSCO 556, BOOK: QUIETING THE SCREAMS: A PRIMER ON BEDSIDE MANNER.
The second was two intact footlockers still secured in section of a destroyed ship:
AUTOMED(X6), FIELD RECORDER, MEDSCANNER, HAZARD SUIT (4X), SCALPEL, MEDKIT, D&C 7 TRANQUILIZER PISTOL (2X).
The crew ended up roughing it on the ground for two nights, during this time Chet and Wren experienced disturbing nightmares both nights and did not rest well.
As they neared the Defiance, the crew hears the beating of leathery wings in the hazy trees ahead. They wisely bypass to the north and lose half a day of travel. Unfortunately, the winged aliens seem to have followed and attacked from behind. The crew makes a break for the open hatch of the defiance and barely makes it aboard, sealing the large batlike worms outside.
Inside the dropship the crew finds many marines still in cryo, but numerous frag grenades rigged with tripwires. Here in the main hold of the ship there are no active marines, only questions, and looming nightmares outside the ship, and perhaps inside as well…
END OF MISSION LOG_ENTRY 2
MISSION LOG UPLOAD_ENTRY 3
Napoleon makes the decision to try to catch up to the rest of the crew. He secures the ship and sets out to cover the 60km in as little time as possible using his android speed and endurance. Along the way he discovers a dead xenomorph and upon investigation that they contain a small organelle that resonates with a similar radiation to the source that is keeping ships from entering hyperspace. He removes the organelle for further study before continuing on. He also encounters a new entity type. This appears to be a floating head or skull and appears to act as a sort of sentry or early warning for other types. Napoleon cleverly avoids its notice, or perhaps it is confused by the presence of the organelle. He arrives at the wreck of Defiance and is reunited with Rolf, Chet, Wren, and Gates.
Aboard the Defiance, Napoleon selects a marine (PVT Xander) and brings him out of cryo to assist the crew. Chet and Wren are struck with the belief that only by constructing bizarre statues can they find peace from the nightmares they have suffered the last few nights. Chet creates a rapturous composition or dark tongues protruding from lacerated faces using the skin and head of a marine that died in cryo. Wren creates a more subdued confusion of twisted teeth and coiling talons from ivory wood found on board the ship. While exploring Defiance the crew discovers evidence that the marine company led by a Captain Weinberg had recently put down a rebellion of loggers on a company controlled moon. They had left with a great deal of valuable goods plundered from the loggers. Including:
»» 10 Gold Bars (15k credits)
»» 20x 8’ Burls (10k credits)
»» 2,000 Board Feet of Pink Ivory (16k credits) [1 pallet]
»» 55 Gallons of Maple Syrup (2.2k credits) [single drum]
»» 910 Units of Compressed Algae Rations (1.8k credits)
»» 2 Weeks of K Rations (3.6k credits)
Accessing the ships comms equipment they learn that the life signs on the moon are a small struggling colony, and that at least a portion of the inhabitants are desiring to escape the planet. In the barracks area of the ship the crew discovers a series of 37 sculptures arranged in a circle. Chet and Wren feel the need to place their own creations in the circle - opening a gateway to another dimension. The gaunt monsters begin to stream out of the portal, Forcing the crew to abandon and seal the ship.
Now left without the shelter the Defiance had seemed to provide, the crew begins moving to the old administration building or “Red Tower.” On the way they discover a sizable cache of weapons and equipment including:
A TARP STITCHED SHUT: SURVEY KIT, VIBECHETE, WATER FILTER, RADIO JAMMER, REBREATHER, SK 109 SEEKER SMARTRIFLE, GHILLIE SUIT.
Arriving at the red tower the crew begins exploring. They find access to levels above the first denied by damage to the structure but are able to explore the subsurface level. They find evidence of violence and ominous graffiti such as TO HELL and SEND HELP scrawled across the walls. Going deeper they find barricades blocking off access to the deeper levels. Descending to C level they finally contact a survivor of the Defiance’s raid into the structure. PVT Marcia Aliyev is isolated in a room deeper in level C (C4) but is able to relay information to the crew via radio. They learn that the objective of the original raid was to recover the powerful “burner bomb” from the lowest levels for sale on the black market. This bomb, if activated, would burn down to the planet's core and detonate, destroying the planet, and possibly other parts of the local system. It may also destroy the source of the strange energy holding ships here. The second mission, led by LCPL Valeria Bradlee, of which Aliyev was a part, intended to detonate the bomb. The crew also learns there is a long tunnel that connects the lowest levels with the surface - and a function APC on E level.
The crew plans to leave the tower the way they came, locate the alternate entrance and eventually trigger the bomb to escape the system. They first intend to investigate the moon colony to see if it may be worth saving any of its inhabitants. It might be time to be Big Damn Heroes…
END OF MISSION LOG ENTRY 3
Addendum
So that’s all the full session reports I rescued from the purgatory of the discord channel titled “Falstaff Ship’s Log.” We did play one more session to conclude the adventure. They did visit the moon colony, but the inhabitants were sufficiently weird they pretty much just noped out of going through the process of getting access. They found Brekt’s Breakers cool enough to want to try to help and filled them in on their plan. Basically, be ready to escape in your ship when the planet blows
They located the alternate entrance and rigged the reactor to detonate with enough time for them to jump out of the system before they would be caught in the explosion. So everyone survived. Maybe I should have been harder on them, someone should always die in a Mothership adventure. Right?
Anyway, it is a great module and a great introduction to Mothership even with all that has been published since. You should definitely check it out!
References:
Mothership RPG
Dead Planet
Hull Breach vol. 1