103: Forest Near Mother’s Watch
Read to everyone:
You get into a rhythm: working together to fell a tree, then to cut off all the limbs, then to segment the tree into workable lengths, loading the segments on the carts, and so on. But everyone is careful and diligent, so each tree takes about an hour.
You’re starting on the fourth tree when the Focus for each of your party startles you by getting your attention. A red halo traces an outline around the Nora man who is working the axe. Looking at him, you notice he’s sweating heavily — far more than anyone should be in the cool air. The red outline blinks, faster and faster, eventually gaining a label:
CARDIAC EVENT.The Nora man, who had introduced himself as Pren, begins to struggle to regain his breath. His axe swings falter, before he drops its head to the ground, leaning against it.
It takes a moment for the others to notice, and in that time Pren gains a pained look and follows his axe to the forest floor.
If you brought IASO with you, it will speak directly to your party members through the Focus:
That person is experiencing a cardiac event. Attach sensor pads at the indicated locations if possible.
With or without IASO, the Focus will indicate the same thing: an overlay representation of Pren being approached by two teal discs, recognizable as Sensor Pads and labeled as such. The discs move to the Pren representation, stopping off-center on the chest and blinking.
If you do not have two Sensor Pads with you, one of your party can use the confusion to sneak off and run back to the ruins. They will not encounter any wandering machines, and they can be back in five minutes. Nothing has been disturbed, so they could grab IASO’s MAU if you do not have it. There is not, however, enough time to synchronize IASO with the facility if you have not already.
Remembering the sentiment against the Old Ones from last night, you don’t think the tradespeople will allow you to attach the Sensor Pads if you reveal them. Using whatever means appropriate to your system, figure out a way to get them attached. That could mean persuading the other, trying to attach them without anyone noticing, convincing the others to go for help, or whatever else you can think of.