Chapter One
Episode One
It's orientation week at the Kaladesh Institute for Aethernautics - defenders of Hyrule's astral skies - and our fresh faced cadets are put through the paces with an activity-packed first day. Tensions are high with a string of thefts and an increased security presence, but that won't dampen the spirits across campus.
Starting the day with a historical battle with Boatswain Tarto on the Simulation Deck, they then made their way up to their new bunks and met some of their fellow cadets (some in a more violent fashion). Following the remainder of their orientation tasks and some red herring investigation, our cadets were ultimately tasked with delivering a parcel to the Institute's leader, Mirt the Merciless. Unbeknownst however, the package was really a trap set to attack Mirt in his hungover state. Luckily the crew were able to defeat the Neogi hatchlings and save the day!
Episode Two
As training swings into action, it's important to start the day with a hearty breakfast. Our cadets met with Gray's academy sponsor Winston Rybeck, who it turned out ran the Institute's galley. With Gunpowder Chow in hand, they sat with a meek little guy they used as a springboard during their orientation assault course: Miken Haverstance. After assuaging his anxieties they all made their way to the simulation decks for their training exercise.
Their mission was simple: fly their ship out to a derelict, recover its logbook, and return in one piece. With some well coordinated fire control and expert asteroid dodging from Riker, they were able successfully make their way to the wreck and find the book. Things are of course never that simple however, and their ship was soon the target of a Githyanki pirate vessel.
Eventually our noble heroes were able to fend off the pirates and escape out of range. Upon returning to the rendezvous point, they found the other cadets' ship threateningly damaged and volatile but managed to evacuate everyone to their own vessel. It seemed to be for naught however as both teams were violently dragged from the illusory simulation to find their respective chambers sabotaged, and their instructors Tarto and Abizjn struck down in the resulting explosion. The players won the competition at least…
Episode Three
The passing weeks have been filled with rigorous training and increased specialisation, and the rumours of suspicious activity continue to circulate around the institute.
Our heroes were summoned for their first mission aboard a real wayfinding vessel, out into the real Astral Sea. The mission was simple: a simple retrieval mission. A mission so simple that it couldn't be stressed how simple it was. All it took was to fly a captured Tyrant ship out to the Beholder controlled world of Catha, find a crashed meteorite, and return in one piece. Simple.
The team was joined by three of their fellow cadets - Miken Haverstance, H'burt Pasch, and fan favourite Flabergastrus - as well as Petty Officer Rybeck. After triggering and deactivating a dormant trap, they were able to install their wayfinding helm and get their journey to Catha under way.
Several days pass before their flight was interrupted by mechanical chittering from the outer hull. Our heroes discovered robotic spider drones picking apart the defuse and debris, rebuilding themselves to commandeer the ship. The crew only had a short moment to catch their breath following the battle as H'burt emerged panting for help; fire had engulfed the cargo bay! In what could only be an act of magical sabotage, summoned magmite elementals attacked the crew, having already killed Rybeck. With no option to push forward with the mission the cadets faced a tense journey back home.
Episode Four
With Gray, Miken and Flabergastrus taken back planetside, the four remaining cadets were joined by Tarto and Abizjn to complete the original mission. With a substantially quieter journey, they made their way to the desolate disk world of Catha. The trail for the meteorite took our party down the dark beaches to a deep cavern. Two Spectators stood over their prize, debating who got the honour of guarding it and asked the intruding cadets to mediate on the matter. Starstrider mediated with bullets and the Spectators were slain.
The journey home to Kaladesh was mostly relaxed - jovial even - as they ran light exercises and played cards. The festivities were eventually interrupted however as they approached an asteroid field; a perfect spot for an ambush. Surely enough, as Malcolm and Catty kept watch from the cargo deck a shark-mounted Githyanki captain materialised, demanding they hand over Miken. Refusing to believe he wasn't aboard, she attacked the two cadets, almost flatlining Cattywampus twice. Tarto came to the rescue, blowing a hole through her chest.
Their return marked their reunion with Gray and Flabergastrus - Miken having confessed his involvement at the first sign of interrogation and been moved to the brig. Duties returned to normal for several days until a strike team interrupted their tasks. Mal, Catty and H'burt defended the Flighty Foundling before following the sounds of gunfire and battle deeper into the facility, eventually finding themselves in the brig face to face with more infiltrators dragging a badly beaten Miken. The invaders were held back and defeated, but not before Miken was unceremoniously decrainiated.
Despite the losses, the day was saved and graduation eventually came around. Moving speeches were given and magical gifts bestowed. The term was wrapped up with Chet's raging keg party: Gray brought out the rare starberry vintage, Cattywampus and Veena reconciled, Riker and Flabergastrus agreed to just be friends, and Malcolm begrudgingly busted some moves as something ominous and unseen lurked in space above the planet, laying in wait for their moment to come.
Chapter Two
Episode Five
It's been a month since The Institute's operations were grounded by the Consul of Power. No fun space adventures, no boring training exercises, no dangerous threats to life. Instead our crew partook in some R&R, gambling away savings and divulging personal secrets at the Déliciux Dubois vineyards. Malcolm did some personal snooping into the attack on The Institute, linking the intruders to somebody known as "Vocath" - a prominent merchant of the city long ago and an ex advisor of the Consul of Wisdom.
Eventually their service would be called upon, accompanying Captain Talinna Sartell in representing The Institute at a fancy diplomatic party for foreign Caelin dignitaries aboard the pleasure yacht Ghirapur. Boredom soon set in and shenanigans soon began, particularly against the leader of the city's Kaladins Ser Jeorg Gjordi. This caught the attention of Blarg'ghus, an aide to the Deputy of Commerce, who took great interest in the group for their own purposes.
Their third reprimand was interrupted as tremors shook the docked airship and crystalline tendrils burst forth from the surface of the planet. The vines soon took hold of the buildings of the city, and entities sprang from their pods, dragging themselves aboard the Ghirapur. Our crew held the creatures off as Riker took control of the vessel, with Ser Gjordi eventually being dragged off the ship with his coveted aetherblade.
Once the ship was secured Admiral Katilia Tarto of the Consulate Navy demanded the "illegally commandeered" ship be turned over to proper authorities, and was preparing to kick them off the ship before a well timed pick up from a returning Captain Sartell arrived. As the crew made their way off-world, they caught sight of the vines erupting all across the planet; their world strangled by an unknown force.
Episode Six
Destruction wrecks the land below as our heroes soar above the clouds of Hyrule. Captained by Talinna Sartel and crewed by a ragtag collective of Institute personnel and rescued civilians the Timberbane made its escape from the surface, giving the battered group a chance to catch their breath. After a discussion on immediate plans to get to the Rock of Bral, a cry of warning was heard from Malt-Malt at the stern. An unidentified vessel was in hot pursuit, and would soon be within firing range. Gray set to work on the engines for a hasty exit as a warning shot flew clear of the bow. The decision was made to hear out the interlopers rather than risk the already damaged ship.
Alongside the Star Moth Dark Star, the Timberbane was boarded by 3 armoured elves exuding unfathomable levels of arrogance, seeking to humbly accept the crew's surrender in the name of the High Tarian Empire. In typical Starstrider fashion their response was blasting. With the help of Veena, the elves were taken down (along with a monkey crewmate) and they were able to board the Dark Star. Capturing the enemy wayfinder got them little actionable information, however looting the ship earned them desperately needed supplies and the enemy's wayfinding helm. Searching the cargo deck uncovered hundreds of crystalline pods, which Gray and Cattywampus snuck two of aboard the Timberbane. As they prepared to depart, Gray rigged the star moth to blow and Malcolm sought out the monkeys. Horrified to discover them to be fully cognisant Hadozee that could talk, he invited them to join them until they made it to Bral.
Finally escaping from Hyrulian skies, Riker guided the Timberbane on its journey into the swirling hues of Wildspace. The exhausted crew rested as they were finally clear of danger, taking the time to complete odd jobs around the ship. After days of travel they arrived at the Reika Belt: the asteroid belt they encountered on their journey to Catha. Once more preparing for lurking pirates, horror came as an Illithid Nautilus emerged instead.
