Joseph

I’ve been a digital guy for years, but when I launched VIKINGS vs SAMURAI, it was time to return to notebooks and pens. Why? As much as I love banging out stories on Drafts or Ulysses, sometimes I need to break things down panel by panel. Sure, it’s only stick figures, but it helps to see how the page might look visually rather than an abstract idea on my screen, and notebooks are perfect for that.

I was recently turned on to the Wanderings leather pocket notebook, which seemed perfect. Carrying three notebooks in my back pocket or something I could toss into my bag was just the thing I needed. Turns out the notebooks are a wee bit too small. In the last few years, I’ve gotten used to Field Notes notebooks, which are already almost too small. So, after researching, I came across Apple Pig’s leather Naughty Fox traveler’s notebook. They’re beautiful and come in several sizes, and I ordered one for my Field Notes. I love it! But I have to admit, it’s a little too big. Sigh. I’ll give it a few weeks; if it does work out, I can always fall back on my Wanderings.

Chapter Two: The Gates of Tenoch

In our previous chapter, under the Flickering Sun, famine loomed, and a Farmlord tasked four adventurers—Cacalotl, a shadowy fugitive; Popochitl, a golem with heretical memories; Tlacotin, a cunning Huhuahua; and Xochi, a shifting scribe—to uncover the fate of the Forsaken One. In a village, they bartered, stole, and gathered supplies before facing Rabbit Gods in the marsh, offering blue corn for safe passage.

The marshland stretched out in bleak monotony, the air dense with rot and the whispers of unseen things. The adventurers pressed on, their boots sinking into the muck, until at last, the floating gardens of Tenoch rose before them. Once the Empire’s pride, the gardens now sprawled in wild decay. Flowers bloomed among ruins, and fruit-laden trees bent over waters shimmering with life and sickness. In their midst loomed a massive blue lobster, a beast hauled across the seas as a tribute and now driven mad by captivity. It thrashed against the Empire’s golems, its mournful cries rising above the cacophony of snapping branches and splintering wood.

The golems, painted with the imperial blue and marked by yellow stripes, moved with mechanical precision. They struck at the lobster with slings and weighted nets, their attempts to subdue it met with fury. The adventurers stood at a distance, weighing their options. Popochitl, the golem in their ranks, scanned the chaos, but wisdom failed it, and Tlacotin, ever brash, suggested he be thrown atop the creature to wrestle its reins. The suggestion hung in the air, absurd and earnest in equal measure.

A boat, barely tethered to the shore, became their plan. Popochitl, adopting the role of their master, led the group with convincing authority. They crossed the water’s surface, slipping through the gardens while the golems battled the beast. Their ruse held until their boat struck a golem’s craft, jarring them into the heart of the fray.

Popochitl, quick with words and using sub-vocal commands, persuaded the golems to halt their assault, promising to placate the lobster. The golems relented, their stiff forms retreating, and the adventurers stepped forward. Cacalotl knelt at the water’s edge, offering dried beans and an ear of sacred blue corn, his movements slow and deliberate. The great lobster regarded him, its massive claws twitching, before accepting the gift, leaving Cacalotl with its sweet mucous, which he gathered in a satchel. It sank into the waters with a low, resonant hum, its departure leaving ripples that spread wide. The golems, relieved, ushered the group through the gates of Tenoch.

The gates closed behind them, their carved surfaces worn by time, stories of forgotten eras fading into obscurity. Priests in elaborate robes argued overhead, their voices blending with the grinding of stone. Amid the crowd, a wiry man with sharp eyes waved them forward. He introduced himself as Talal, an acquaintance of the Farmlord, and invited them to his dwelling.

Talal led them through the city, his chatter a stream of history and trivia about Fletcher-Sender golems. The streets of Tenoch buzzed with life, the city’s splendor unmarred by the chaos outside its gates. His stories, blending grandeur with odd banality, lulled the group into a strange stupor. When they arrived at his apartment, it contrasted the city’s vibrance: plain, nondescript, with scrolls piled in the corners and little sign of personal touch.

Inside, Talal offered refreshments and settled into a more focused tale. The Forsaken One, once a Praxarch of the Empire, had been the finest operator of the weather machine, her skill unmatched. Envy and intrigue led to her downfall, and she was cast as a concubine for the emperor, her genius dismissed. But she escaped to the royal gardens, where she lingered still, having somehow defied time’s decay.

Talal unrolled a map, his finger tracing paths through the gardens. “The concubines,” he said, “are no longer what they were. They’ve become hags, twisted by madness and despair, their children forming feral gangs. The Forsaken One is among them, her presence distinct. She emits an aroma, and her form, cloaked in a tattered robe, is unmistakable. But be warned—she ensnares those who venture too close.”

He described the gardens as a battleground of creatures and chaos. The concubines, territorial and vengeful, prowled its depths. The adventurers asked how finding the Forsaken One would resolve the famine. Talal explained, “She holds the formula for optimal weather patterns. The priests’ failures have disrupted the machine, and only her knowledge can restore balance. Without it, the sun will flicker until the land is barren.”

The group hesitated, uneasy about aiding the Empire. “Wouldn’t this strengthen their hold on the people?” Cacalotl asked.

“Perhaps,” Talal admitted. “But without her, the famine will only worsen. The system must function, or we all perish.”

He showed them sketches of the concubines, their bodies contorted, moving in ways that defied nature. Their haggard forms exuded menace, their presence a promise of violence. The adventurers shuddered, their resolve tested by the grim task ahead.

Talal lent them tools for their journey: a bow and a dozen arrows for Popochitl, a blowgun for Tlacotin, and a bone shirt for Cacalotl. He also gifted them a pot containing fabric from the first sun, its black surface capable of freezing water on contact. “And keep the lobster’s mucus,” he advised. “Its value is greater than you realize.”

The group, wary but determined, prepared to rest. The path before them led to dread and danger, but the weight of the land’s survival left no room for hesitation. In the gardens, the Forsaken One awaited.

In a universe of infinite adventure, one boy dares to go where no one has gone before!

Presenting… SPACEMAN KAISON AND THE MYSTERY OF THE LUNAR BASE!

⬅️ Previously on Spaceman Kaison and the Mystery of the Lunar Base, Kaison rescued Lieutenant Vega from a crashing escape pod but crash-lands on the Moon. Vega warns of something alive beneath the Moonbase. Captured by robot miners, Captain Magnus Voidclaw the Space Pirate and his son, Rodrik, Kaison escaped, uncovering ancient horrors. A massive tentacle dragged him into the darkness—what’s next?

🐙 The Tentacles of Terror!

Spaceman Kaison’s cry echoed through the abyss: “Nooooo!”

A monstrous tentacle yanks him into the inky black depths beneath the Moon’s surface. Struggling against its crushing grip, Kaison feels the world fade to black, his desperate shouts for Lieutenant Vega swallowed by the alien darkness.

Time loses meaning as he is dragged ever deeper. With a sudden jolt, he is dropped into a pit, the cold, writhing embrace of countless tentacles crawling over him.

“What… are they?!” Kaison exclaims, fighting to free himself.

A light suddenly pierces the gloom, illuminating Kaison’s face.

👩🏽‍🚀 “Who goes there?” groans a voice from the shadows.

Kaison shields his eyes and spots a man standing amidst the writhing mass, clutching a flashlight. The man’s spacesuit is ragged, tentacles coiling around his arms.

“I’m Spaceman Kaison!”

“And I’m Captain Blazer. I’ve heard a lot about you.” the man replies, his voice filled with grim determination. “The Space Pirate threw me down here weeks ago. Take my flashlight—it’s the only way to drive back these cursed things!"

🔦 Together, they grasp the flashlight.

As their hands meet, the tentacles recoil and their grip loosens. Seizing the moment, Kaison pulls free, but Captain Blazer remains ensnared!

✂️ “I won’t leave you behind!” Kaison declares, drawing medical scissors from his utility belt. He slices through the monstrous appendages, green blood spraying in all directions as the alien shrieks in fury. With a final cut, Captain Blazer stumbles free.

The Moon’s Deadly Secret!

🪢 Above the pit, Lieutenant Vega lowers a rope. “Hurry! The aliens are stirring!” she shouts.

As the duo climbs to safety, Vega explains: “These creatures have slept beneath the Moon for millennia, waiting to awaken and launch an invasion of Earth!”

“How can we stop them?” Captain Blazer asks, brushing off the glowing blood.

Kaison’s eyes gleamed with determination. “We need an army—and I know just where to find one. The robot miners! Vega, can you reprogram them?”

Vega nods. “If we can reach the Control Station, I can turn the miners to our side.”

“But what about Rodrik?” Captain Blazer interjects.

Kaison smirks. “I’ll stay out of sight. Rodrik won’t suspect you. Let’s give him the performance of a lifetime."

🤔 A Game of Wits!

🤖 The trio moves stealthily through the Moonbase’s dimly lit corridors. At the end of the hall, they encounter a security robot armed with a glowing energy sword.🗡️

✋ “Halt! Identify yourselves,” the robot commands.

“I’m Captain Blazer.”

🧑‍🚀 From the shadows, a sinister laugh echoes. Rodrik Voidclaw steps into the light, resplendent in his silver spacesuit. “Captain Blazer, are you friend or foe? Do you serve Spaceman Kaison?”

🎤 “Tell Rodrik you want to be on the same team,” whispers Kaison over his secret radio connection to Captain Blazer.

“No,” Captain Blazer lies smoothly to Rodrik. “I don’t even know him. But I do know one thing: you and I should join forces!”

Rod’s eyes gleam with malice. “Yes! Together, we can crush Spaceman Kaison! Bwahaha!” His villainous laugh reverberates as he revels in his imagined triumph.

👩🏽‍🚀 Meanwhile, Vega slips past unnoticed. Reaching the Control Station, she hacks into the robot network, her fingers dancing over the keyboard. 💻 With a final keystroke, the miners’ glowing eyes flicker, turning a menacing red.

Vega’s voice crackles over the comms. “It’s done. The miners are under our control!”

What awaits them in the final battle? Will they save Earth from lunar annihilation?

Stay tuned for the thrilling episode in… SPACEMAN KAISON AND THE WAR FOR THE MOON! ➡

We’re using Fate Accelerated to tell our adventure.

🧑🏽‍🚀 Spaceman Kaison

Approaches

🛡️ Careful: Average (+1)
🧠 Clever: Fair (+2)
✨ Flashy: Fair (+2)
💪 Forceful: Good (+3)
⚡ Quick: Mediocre (+0)
🕶️ Sneaky: Average (+1)

Stress

▢ ▢ ▢

Consequences

Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Refresh

3

Aspects

High Concept: TBD
Trouble: TBD
Other Aspects: TBD

Stunts

🚀 Hold My PB&J: Once per session, I can automatically succeed at an Overcome action involving Flashy piloting, as long as the action is particularly bold or reckless (e.g., docking at breakneck speeds, pulling off a barrel roll under fire). This stunt comes with a complication—I must deal with stress or consequences to my ship afterward.

👩🏽‍🚀 Captain Blazer

Approaches

🛡️ Careful: Good (+3)
🧠 Clever: Average (+1)
✨ Flashy: Fair (+2)
💪 Forceful: Average (+1)
⚡ Quick: Mediocre (+0)
🕶️ Sneaky: Fair (+2)

Stress

☒ ▢ ▢

Consequences

Mild (2): malnourished
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Refresh

3

Aspects

High Concept: Seasoned Survivor Trapped on the Moon, Driven by Duty and Grit.
Trouble: His overwhelming sense of duty to protect others sometimes leads him to make reckless decisions that endanger himself and those around him.
Other Aspects: Even in the darkest moments, Captain Blazer uses humor to lighten the mood and keep morale high.

Stunts

🌐 Tactical Advantage: Because I am a seasoned space captain, once per session I gain a +2 to Carefully create an advantage or overcome a situation.

👩🏽‍🚀 Lieutenant Vega

Approaches

🛡️ Careful: Mediocre (+0)
🧠 Clever: Good (+3)
✨ Flashy: Average (+1)
💪 Forceful: Average (+1)
⚡ Quick: Fair (+2)
🕶️ Sneaky: Fair (+2)

Stress

▢ ▢ ▢

Consequences

Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Aspects

High Concept: Determined Space Officer Haunted by Secrets of the Moon .
Trouble: Independent and cautious nature often make it hard for her to rely on others, even in dire situations.
Other Aspects: Her intelligence is matched by her quick wit, though her bluntness can rub people the wrong way.

Stunts

💻 Hacker: Because I am a space spy, I gain a +2 to Clever attacks when hacking a computer.

In a universe of infinite adventure, one boy dares to go where no one has gone before!

Presenting… SPACEMAN KAISON AND THE MYSTERY OF THE LUNAR BASE!

⬅️ Previously on Spaceman Kaison and the Mystery of the Lunar Base, Kaison’s rocket blasted off, narrowly avoiding disaster with a daring course correction. An asteroid strike forced him into a tense EVA repair, making his ship faster—too fast! After a breakneck space station docking, he refueled and rocketed towards the Moon. What secrets await?

🌕 Destination: THE MOON!

From the depths of space, Spaceman Kaison receives a crackling distress call:

“This is Lieutenant Vega… sabotaged… [static] something inside the base… it’s… alive!”

🚀 Kaison’s eagle eyes spot the source—a tiny escape pod spiraling helplessly toward the Moon’s surface, its thrusters dead. With seconds to spare, the heroic spaceman accelerates his rocket ship, launching a glittering magnetic net. It snares the pod in mid-air, just before it plunges to fiery doom!

Inside the rocket, Kaison frees the unconscious astronaut and secures her in the co-pilot’s seat. But their sudden maneuver sends the ship hurtling dangerously close to the Moon! With a crash that echoes across the lunar plains, Kaison’s rocket slams into the surface, its proud engines silenced forever.

🌘 Secrets of the Moonbase!

👩🏽‍🚀 The astronaut awakens, her piercing gaze meeting Kaison’s. “I’m Lieutenant Vega,” she announces, her voice trembling. “I escaped the Moonbase, but… but there’s something beneath it. Something alive!”

🤫 Kaison, ever the unflappable hero, raises a finger to his lips. “Shhhhh,” he whispers. “You’re interrupting my nap.” 💤

Vega stares in disbelief as Kaison reclines in his ruined ship. Shrugging, she sets off toward the Moonbase alone.

‼️ Hours later, Kaison is jolted awake by the shrill alarm of his spacesuit. His oxygen supply is dwindling—just one hour left! Leaping into action, Kaison bounds across the Moon’s desolate landscape, his powerful strides carrying him ever closer to the ominous Moonbase.

🤖 Captured by the Moon Miners!

As the lunar fortress looms ahead, Kaison spies a terrible sight—an army of robots digging furiously into the Moon’s surface! Suddenly, metallic eyes lock onto him. Before he can draw his laser pistol, the robots surround him, their weapons humming with deadly energy. Marching him to an airlock, they thrust him into a cell, where he finds none other than Lieutenant Vega!

The cell door hisses open, revealing a pompous young man clad in a glittering silver uniform.

🧑‍🚀 “I am Rodrik, son of the great Space Pirate, Captain Magnus Voidclaw!” he sneers. “Who are you to trespass on my Moonbase?” Without waiting for an answer, Rod launches into a tirade, deriding their intelligence and boasting of his own brilliance, before storming out in a huff.

🏴‍☠️ Moments later, the true mastermind arrives: the dreaded Space Pirate himself! His fiery orange spacesuit and flowing blue cape strike an imposing figure. Stroking his beard, he bellows, “You will mine for me, Spaceman! Your strength will fuel my conquest of the stars!”

🔫 But Spaceman Kaison is not so easily cowed. With lightning reflexes, he snatches his hidden laser pistol and fires, the bolt striking the pirate square in the chest! Robots return fire, their beams sizzling past Kaison as he dives for cover.

Rodrik swears he will have his revenge on Spaceman Kaison.

🌑 The Horror Below!

Seizing the moment, Kaison and Vega flee the chaos, finding a hidden trapdoor in the Moonbase floor. They descend into darkness, their path illuminated by the faint glow of Vega’s stolen flashlight.

The air grows heavy with an alien hum, and the walls seem alive with strange, pulsing energy. “This base wasn’t built by humans,” Vega whispers. “Something ancient slumbers here…”

🕳️ Suddenly, from the shadows, a massive tentacle erupts, wrapping around Kaison’s leg! Vega screams as the mighty spaceman is dragged into the inky depths, his cries swallowed by the void.

Terror Beneath the Lunar Crust!

Will Spaceman Kaison and Lieutenant Vega escape the Moonbase alive? And what unspeakable terror lies beneath the lunar surface?

Find out next time in… SPACEMAN KAISON AND THE HORROR BELOW THE MOON! ➡

We’re using Fate Accelerated to tell our adventure.

🧑🏽‍🚀 Spaceman Kaison

Approaches

🛡️ Careful: Average (+1)
🧠 Clever: Fair (+2)
✨ Flashy: Fair (+2)
💪 Forceful: Good (+3)
⚡ Quick: Mediocre (+0)
🕶️ Sneaky: Average (+1)

Stress

▢ ▢ ▢

Consequences

Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Refresh

3

Aspects

High Concept: TBD
Trouble: TBD
Other Aspects: TBD

Stunts

🚀 Hold My PB&J: Once per session, I can automatically succeed at an Overcome action involving Flashy piloting, as long as the action is particularly bold or reckless (e.g., docking at breakneck speeds, pulling off a barrel roll under fire). This stunt comes with a complication—I must deal with stress or consequences to my ship afterward.

👩🏽‍🚀 Lieutenant Vega

Approaches

🛡️ Careful: Mediocre (+0)
🧠 Clever: Good (+3)
✨ Flashy: Average (+1)
💪 Forceful: Average (+1)
⚡ Quick: Fair (+2)
🕶️ Sneaky: Fair (+2)

Stress

▢ ▢ ▢

Consequences

Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Aspects

High Concept: Determined Space Officer Haunted by Secrets of the Moon. Trouble: Independent and cautious nature often make it hard for her to rely on others, even in dire situations.
Other Aspects: Her intelligence is matched by her quick wit, though her bluntness can rub people the wrong way.

Stunts

💻 Hacker: Because I am a space spy, I gain a +2 to Clever attacks when hacking a computer.

In a universe of infinite adventure, one boy dares to go where no one has gone before!

Presenting… SPACEMAN KAISON AND THE MYSTERY OF THE LUNAR BASE!

🧑🏽‍🚀 Our hero, Spaceman Kaison, begins his daring mission: blast off from Earth, resupply his rocket at the cosmic crossroads of a space station, and uncover a secret mission on the mysterious Moon!

🚀 BLAST OFF!

Kaison’s rocket thunders into the sky, shaking with unimaginable power. The crushing force of liftoff pins him to his seat, gravity’s grip fighting to pull him back. Suddenly, 📡 Mission Control reports disaster! A navigational error threatens to send the ship hurtling to its fiery doom! 🖥️ But with nerves of steel, Kaison recalibrates the onboard computer, steering the rocket back on course. Victory! He soars into the weightlessness of space, feeling the thrilling freedom of zero gravity.

But danger lurks in the void! IMPACT! ☄️ An asteroid collides with Kaison’s ship, embedding itself deep in the hull. The clock is ticking—failure to repair it will spell doom in just one hour! 🛠️ With no time to waste, Kaison dons his space helmet, grabs his trusty toolbox, and ventures into the vacuum of space. Scaling his ship with the precision of a master engineer, he carefully removes the asteroid and fortifies his ship, making it faster than ever before! But wait—it’s TOO FAST!

Hurtling toward the space station at breakneck speed, Kaison faces his greatest test of skill. With a pilot’s instinct and split-second timing, he executes a flawless docking maneuver, saving both his ship and the space station. Inside, the crew refuels his ship, providing essential supplies—and a crucial ration of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! 💤 After a well-deserved nap, Kaison is ready for the final leg of his mission.

🌖 Destination: THE MOON!

What challenges will Spaceman Kaison face on the lunar surface? What secrets lie within the shadowed craters? Find out in the next thrilling installment of Spaceman Kaison and the Mystery of the Lunar Base! ➡

We’re using Fate Accelerated to tell our adventure.

🧑🏽‍🚀 Spaceman Kaison

Approaches

🛡️ Careful: Average (+1)
🧠 Clever: Fair (+2)
✨ Flashy: Fair (+2)
💪 Forceful: Good (+3)
⚡ Quick: Mediocre (+0)
🕶️ Sneaky: Average (+1)

Stress

▢ ▢ ▢

Consequences

Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

Refresh

3

Aspects

High Concept: TBD
Trouble: TBD
Other Aspects: TBD

Stunts

🚀 Hold My PB&J: Once per session, I can automatically succeed at an Overcome action involving Flashy piloting, as long as the action is particularly bold or reckless (e.g., docking at breakneck speeds, pulling off a barrel roll under fire). This stunt comes with a complication—I must deal with stress or consequences to my ship afterward.