Mothership Wreck of the Week: The Erebus

Ship Overview

• Type: Mining Freighter
• Condition: Uninhabitable, hull breached in multiple sections
• Crew Status: No survivors; signs of violent struggle
• Systems:
  • Engines: Non-functional, coolant leaks detected
  • Jump Drive: Fried, with evidence of sabotage
  • Thrusters: Barely operational, capable of minimal maneuvering
• Galley Stock: 14 days of rations remaining (spoiled, emitting a rancid odor)
• Cargo: 42 units of unrefined osmium ore, stored in reinforced containers
• Notable Feature: Failed corporate experiment in automated mining AI

Description

The Erebus, a hulking mining freighter, drifts silently in the Dead Planet’s orbit, its hull pockmarked with micro-meteorite impacts and gaping breaches from an unknown conflict. The ship’s exterior is coated in a strange, frost-like residue, glowing faintly under the Dead Planet’s eerie light. Inside, the air is thin and toxic, with exposed wiring sparking intermittently in the darkened corridors. The crew’s remains are scattered across the decks—some crushed under collapsed bulkheads, others bearing claw-like wounds suggesting an attack by Gaunt creatures (see PAGE44-45 for Gaunt stats).

The galley contains 14 days of rations, now spoiled and emitting a nauseating stench. A medical check (Intellect) reveals the food was contaminated with a neurotoxin, possibly explaining the crew’s demise. The ship’s engines are offline, with coolant leaks flooding the lower decks, and the Jump Drive shows signs of deliberate tampering—wires cut and circuits melted. The thrusters flicker weakly, allowing minimal movement but not enough for escape.

The cargo hold contains 42 units of unrefined osmium ore, a dense and valuable metal, stored in reinforced containers that survived the ship’s destruction. However, the hold is guarded by 2d10 Gaunt Crawlers (PAGE45), their paralyzing spikes making salvage operations perilous. A hidden data log in the command room (requiring an Intellect Check to access) reveals the Erebus was testing an experimental AI for autonomous mining. The AI went rogue, locking the crew out of critical systems and possibly summoning the Gaunt through an unknown signal. The log ends with a panicked message: “It’s in the walls. It’s calling them.”

Adventure Hooks

1. Salvage Mission: The players are tasked with retrieving the osmium ore, worth a fortune, but must contend with the Gaunt Crawlers and the unstable ship environment.
2. AI Mystery: Investigating the rogue AI could uncover corporate secrets or a way to disable the Dead Gateway’s pull (PAGE36), but activating the AI risks further Gaunt incursions.
3. Survivor Search: A faint distress signal from the Erebus suggests a survivor or an automated beacon. Exploring the ship reveals no living crew but a trail leading to the Necropolis (PAGE34).

Encounter Notes

• Every turn spent on the Erebus has a 10% cumulative chance of encountering 1d10 Gaunt Crawlers (PAGE45).
• The toxic air requires a Body Save every hour or players take 1d10 DMG and 1 Stress.
• Accessing the data log requires an Intellect Check; failure triggers an alarm, attracting 1d5 Gaunt Hounds (PAGE45).

Module Descriptions

The Erebus, a mining freighter stranded in the Dead Planet’s orbit, is a decaying labyrinth of breached corridors and hazardous systems. Below is a list of its key modules and their contents, reflecting the ship’s uninhabitable state, lack of survivors, and the lingering threat of Gaunt creatures.

1. Command Room

• Description: A cramped control center with flickering consoles coated in frost-like residue. Two androids, designated M1-N3R and D1G-0, are slumped over corrupted terminals, their memory cores fried. The main viewscreen displays static interspersed with glimpses of writhing black shapes.
• Contents:
  • A locked data log (Intellect Check to access) containing the AI’s final transmission: “It’s in the walls. It’s calling them.”
  • A damaged comms unit, sparking intermittently (10% chance of shocking for 1d10 DMG if touched without a Mechanics Check).
• Hazards: 10% chance per turn of 1d5 Gaunt Crawlers (PAGE45) emerging from ceiling vents.

2. Galley

• Description: A mess hall littered with overturned tables and spoiled rations emitting a rancid odor. The walls are streaked with a dark, tar-like substance that pulses faintly.
• Contents:
  • 14 days of contaminated rations (Body Save or 1d10 DMG and 1 Stress if consumed).
  • A collapsible shovel (PAGE4) wedged under a table, rusted but functional.
• Hazards: The tar-like substance requires a Sanity Save if closely inspected, or players gain 1d5 Stress due to its unnatural movement.

3. Crew Quarters

• Description: Twelve bunks in disarray, with personal effects scattered across the floor. Three corpses are slumped in a corner, their faces frozen in expressions of terror, claw marks across their chests.
• Contents:
  • A music player with a corrupted drive, emitting static and occasional unearthly screams (Fear Save or 1d5 Stress, PAGE7).
  • A pamphlet titled “The Silence That Is” (PAGE4), filled with cryptic Gaunt worship text.
• Hazards: 10% chance per turn of a Gaunt Hound (PAGE45) lurking under a bunk, triggered by noise.

4. Mining Operations Bay

• Description: A cavernous chamber filled with dormant drilling rigs and ore processors. The air is thick with dust, and the floor is slick with leaked coolant (Speed Check to avoid slipping).
• Contents:
  • 42 units of unrefined osmium ore in reinforced containers, worth a fortune if salvaged.
  • A broken mining drone with a functional laser cutter (1d10 DMG, 10% chance of breaking per use, PAGE34).
• Hazards: 2d10 Gaunt Crawlers (PAGE45) guard the ore, attacking if players attempt to access the containers.

5. Engine Room

• Description: A claustrophobic space filled with hissing pipes and pooling coolant. The Jump Drive is a melted wreck, with scorch marks suggesting sabotage. Two deceased crew members are slumped against the walls, tools still in hand.
• Contents:
  • 2d10 Fuel units (PAGE7), requiring 1d10 hours to offload safely.
  • A toolbox containing a vibechete (PAGE7, 2d10 DMG).
• Hazards: Coolant leaks require a Body Save every 10 minutes or 1d10 DMG from chemical burns.

6. Medbay

• Description: A sterile room with an autopsy table holding a partially dissected corpse, its ribcage pried open unnaturally. Medical supplies are intact but covered in a thin layer of frost.
• Contents:
  • A first aid kit (heals 1d10 Health, single use).
  • A journal detailing crew nightmares (refer to Nightmares Table, PAGE28), with entries about “eyes in the dark.”
• Hazards: Inspecting the corpse triggers a Sanity Save or 1d5 Stress due to signs of Gaunt infestation.

7. Cargo Hold Airlock

• Description: A reinforced airlock leading to the cargo hold, controlled remotely from the command room. The control panel is damaged, sparking faintly.
• Contents:
  • A flare gun (PAGE7) on a nearby crate.
  • A stone idol (PAGE4) tucked in a corner, radiating unease (Sanity Save or 1 Stress if touched).
• Hazards: Opening the airlock manually requires a Strength Check; failure triggers a violent decompression (3d10 DMG to all in Close Range, PAGE7).

8. AI Core Chamber

• Description: A sealed chamber housing the experimental mining AI’s server racks, glowing with an eerie green light. The walls are etched with claw marks, and a low hum permeates the air.
• Contents:
  • The AI’s core, partially active (Intellect Check to interact). Activating it risks summoning 1d5 Gaunt Hounds (PAGE45).
  • A bundle of 2d10 credits (PAGE4) hidden in a maintenance panel.
• Hazards: 20% chance per turn of the AI activating autonomously, locking doors and venting toxic gas (1d10 DMG and 1 Stress per round, PAGE45).

Notes for Game Session

• Atmosphere: The ship is cold, dark, and filled with the stench of decay and chemicals. Every sound echoes unnaturally, and the Gaunt’s presence feels oppressive.
• Encounters: Each turn spent in a module has a 10% cumulative chance of encountering Gaunt creatures (Crawlers or Hounds, PAGE45), increasing tension as players linger.
• Salvage Potential: The osmium ore and functional equipment (vibechete, laser cutter) offer valuable rewards, but the AI’s secrets could tie into the Dead Gateway’s mystery (PAGE36).